IT General

There's definitely something to be said for the crisp handheld control of a powerful cordless Dyson. But if you're not one to classify cleaning as cathartic, why not outsource that tedious task? The best robot vacuums patrol your home to clear away dust, crumbs, pet hair, and sometimes even spills or stains on hard floors — no elbow grease required.

And after testing 20+ robot vacuums on my own personal floors (my apartment is very clean), I can confidently call out the top robotic vacuum cleaners that'll make your life easier.

Are Roombas the best robot vacuums?

Though some Roombas are really good robot vacuums, they're far from the only good robot vacuums.

iRobot dominated the robot vacuum realm from the early 2000s up until a few years ago, so it's no surprise that much of the general public forgets that "Roomba" isn't simply a generic term for any robotic vacuum.

But Roombas just aren't in a league of their own anymore. I mean, you can't even Google "Roomba" without a question comparing Roombas to Shark robot vacuums popping up. I'm also here to put some respect on names like Roborock and Eufy — they're continuously releasing new contenders that are often a better value than Roombas in the same price range.

SEE ALSO: Roborock Saros 10 vs. 10R: I narrowly crowned a winner after head-to-head testing at home

I'm regularly testing the top robot vacuums at multiple price points and comparing them to top performers from previous years, with all my evaluations taking place in my own home on various rugs, tile, and hardwood floors. As I test each robot vacuum, I keep notes on their overall suction power, scrubbing efficacy (if it's a robot vacuum that mops), pet hair pickup, self-emptying docks and self-washing mopping pads, smart mapping and navigation, obstacle avoidance, and the overall user experience. All of that is considered through the lens of cost efficiency. I'll be the first one to point out when a budget vacuum cleaner is solid for the price, or when a premium robot vacuum is actually worth the splurge — or not worth the splurge, in the case of Roborock's $2,599.99 robot vacuum with an arm.

After all that testing, I've narrowed down your shopping list to six options. Here are the best robot vacuums for every home and budget so far in 2025.

Other robot vacuums I've tested recently

I tested several other top robot vacuums in the past that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra were my top recommendations at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck.

I've also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but ultimately aren't a top pick for me. The Dreame X50 Ultra grabbed attention during its CES 2025 debut for its ability to "climb," though the fine print is that it can't scale thresholds taller than 6 millimeters (about 2.36 inches). The Roborock Saros 10 and 10R were able to hoist over the few thick doorway thresholds in my apartment just as well as the X50 Ultra. Its mopping and vacuuming capabilities are better than most mid-range robot vacuums, of course, but they weren't impressive enough for me to suggest the X50 Ultra in this list over either Saros 10 model.

I'm also in the process of getting my hands on the new Roombas for 2025 and am currently working with the Roomba 105. The first model I tested was the Roomba Combo 205 DustCompactor, which wouldn't be a bad pick if you absolutely can't spare floor space for a self-empty dock. But it was too much of a bumbling navigator to beat out other vacuums in its price range. I'll see how it compares to my experience with the 3i G10+: another newly-released robot vacuum with debris compression instead of a self-empty dock.

April 2025 came and went without new Halloween decorations from the Home Depot. For fans of the home improvement retailer's iconic 12-foot skeleton and other seasonal yard props, the hiatus wasn't just disappointing — it was cause for concern. Did the specter of tariffs spook the Home Depot?

I know what you're probably thinking: Come on, we're still months away from Halloween. But a late April launch of its 2025 Halloween collection would've been right on schedule for the Home Depot, which has hosted a "Halfway to Halloween" event a few weeks after Easter since 2022. The drop typically features "Skelly" and several new props made available online in limited quantities, functioning as a teaser to the retailer's full Halloween kickoff later in the summer.

Skelly and other Home Depot Halloween decor have garnered a dedicated fanbase since the 12-footer debuted in 2020, making this Halfway to Halloween event an incredibly popular affair. Last year's drop went live around 6:30 a.m. ET, and some products sold out within an hour. So when the retailer didn't host its usual sale this spring, people noticed.

SEE ALSO: Live, laugh, LifeEyes™️: How the 12-foot Home Depot skeleton became a perennial hit

"For me personally, if I spend the money in April, it doesn't count as Halloween," said Jennifer Penelope Corcoran, of Nashville, Tenn.

Corcoran is the founder and co-admin of the Facebook group 12 Ft Skeleton Halloween Club, the heart of Skelly's enduring online fandom. The group has grown to more than 64,000 members and spawned several popular spin-off communities since Corcoran started it in September 2020, right after Skelly first hit the market. The Home Depot Halloween Haunters Club is the largest such group that Corcoran runs, with over 170,000 members to date.

Members of Corcoran's groups keep each other abreast of annual restocks with "Code Orange" alerts and eagerly await the Halfway to Halloween events. "They've done them the past couple years, and it got delayed, which obviously people have been disappointed about," said Corcoran.

Why the delay? Perhaps the only thing scarier than a giant skeleton is a giant tariff bill. While much of the discussion surrounding President Donald Trump's tariffs has focused on electronics like iPhones, manufacturers of plastic products — including, say, a lawn ornament made of oversized bones — have faced some significant pricing challenges in 2025, according to The Atlantic. And while the Home Depot wouldn't confirm that tariffs directly impacted Skelly's spring launch, a Mashable investigation reveals tariffs have had a ripple effect on the Halloween industry.

The case of the missing Halloween sale

Mashable can confirm that the Home Depot was planning a 2025 Halfway to Halloween event this spring. A press release sent to a reporter on March 21 signaled an on-time launch "in late April" for Skelly and friends. The information was not subject to an embargo.

"The Home Depot is gearing up for its highly anticipated Halfway to Halloween sale, giving fans exclusive early access to select pieces from the 2025 lineup — months before the full reveal. Perfect for those getting ready to celebrate Summerween!" the release read. "This spring, Halloween enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike can get a head start on the season with select products available on HomeDepot.com, all part of the upcoming Halfway to Halloween celebration in late April (date coming soon!)."

The Home Depot's 2024 Halfway to Halloween sale featured Skelly, its new seven-foot "Dawg," and several other giants. Credit: The Home Depot

The release referred to the Halfway to Halloween drop as a "tradition" the Home Depot was "excited to continue," a descriptor the retailer has since abandoned. In a June 4 interview with Mashable, Tyler Pelfrey, manager of brand communications at the Home Depot, said the event was meant to serve as a "surprise and delight moment" for its Halloween superfans and that "it's not necessarily a core part of our strategy."

"It's not really something that we held onto and made a decision about until we really looked at the landscape and said, let's try and focus a little bit more on our core audience," said Pelfrey. "And, you know, things are a little different this year. We looked at [it] from our competitive lens as well and said, let's focus on the coming months and later in the year, whenever we decide to launch for the more general Halloween consumer, because that's really where the majority of the excitement for the program really kicks in."

Pelfrey couldn't share exactly when that launch would happen — it's usually in mid-July — but he encouraged fans to follow the Home Depot on social media to stay up to date on its future announcements.

'There'll be some things that ... just end up going away'

While most Home Depot products are sourced in North America, Skelly and other Halloween decorations are made in China by a California company called Seasonal Visions International (SVI). Imported Chinese goods have been subject to fluctuating tariffs from the Trump administration since early this year. In April, they soared to a high of 145 percent and remained at that rate for four-and-a-half weeks. At the time of publication, the U.S. tariff rate on Chinese imports sat at 30 percent.

In addition to making props and animatronics for retailers like the Home Depot, SVI sells replacement parts on its own website. On June 3, the company emailed previous customers regarding "some upcoming changes" to its business this summer, citing the fallout from "increased tariffs." Mashable obtained a copy of the email and reached out to SVI for comment.

"Due to the increased tariffs and their impact on the global supply chain, we will be making adjustments to our parts availability, pricing, and support policy on July 1," SVI wrote in the email. More details will be shared on the company's website "soon," it added.

SEE ALSO: Target and Walmart tariff price hikes leak online from an unlikely source

When asked about SVI's email and tariffs' role in the Home Depot's decision to cancel its Halfway to Halloween drop, Pelfrey acknowledged the state of the market but said the retailer didn't make its call for a singular reason.

"Tariffs are definitely something that the company has a good team rallying around, and our merchants and our relationships with suppliers are so good that they're always trying to look for the best way to keep value at the forefront for customers. And that's one of the things, I think, that stays true for Halloween as well," said Pelfrey.

He added: "We looked at a lot of different competitive lenses and that's kind of really where we made our [Halfway to Halloween] decision. I wouldn't say one sole factor made our mind up on that."

The Home Depot has sold Skelly for $299 since 2020. Credit: The Home Depot

Tariffs have certainly been top of mind for Home Depot leadership. On April 21, CNBC reported that CEO Ted Decker joined Target and Walmart's CEOs in a meeting with Trump to discuss tariffs' impact on their businesses. "We had an informative and constructive meeting with the President and look forward to continuing the dialogue," the Home Depot reportedly said in a statement.

A month later, the Home Depot would swear off sweeping price hikes because of tariffs — a rare move among major retailers. "We don't see broad-based price increases for our customers at all going forward," said executive vice president of merchandising Billy Bastek, speaking on a May 20 investor call about the company's Q1 earnings report, per NPR. However, the company isn't ruling out changes to individual product pricing and availability down the road.

"There's items that we have that could potentially be impacted from a tariff that, candidly, we won't have going forward," said Bastek. "There'll be some things that don't make sense that just end up going away."

Pelfrey did confirm that Skelly will return at some point in 2025, referring to the 12-footer as "the rockstar out of all of our Halloween decor." But when Mashable asked him in a follow-up email whether it will still be sold for $299, its sticker price since 2020, he couldn't say. "We don't share pricing of products before the official launch," Pelfrey wrote.

Tariffs come for the Halloween industry

Halloween has become a big business over the last decade, but especially in the last five years. According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) latest Halloween Spending Survey, U.S. consumers were expected to drop $11.6 billion on Halloween items in 2024, up from $8.8 billion in 2019 and $7.4 billion in 2014. (Last year's figure wasn't finalized at the time of publication, but would be a slight drop from 2023's record-setting $12.2 billion.)

This surge in Halloween spending has correlated with a rise in early shopping. Forty-seven percent of respondents in the NRF's survey said they bought Halloween items before October in 2024, compared to 37 percent in 2019 and 32 percent in 2014.

Yet 2025 could alter these trends as consumers' sourcing options dwindle. All Joann Fabrics stores and most Party City locations closed in recent months after both retailers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy around the new year. At Home, a Texas-based home decor chain that sells Halloween items, could soon do the same after missing a mid-May interest payment and entering a forbearance deal with its lenders, Bloomberg reported.

Among surviving retailers, the Home Depot wouldn't be the only store to shelve a spring Halloween drop because of economic turmoil. On May 1, HalloweenCostumes.com announced on Instagram that it was delaying the usual May launch of its decor and animatronics "due to rising tariffs." The company declined an interview request.

View this post on Instagram

"For now, everything is postponed," said HalloweenCostumes.com Tom Fallenstein in the accompanying reel. "We know that's very disappointing, but with the tariffs, we are trying to figure out what products we're bringing in, what costs might look like, and ultimately how do we get the product here and have the best experience for our customers."

On May 22, Spirit Halloween credited "international disruptions and supply chain challenges" as the factors that led it to cancel this year's grand opening event at its flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., according to a statement on its Instagram page. The retailer said its 1,500 stores are still slated to begin opening in mid-August, and that it plans to revive the Egg Harbor Township event in 2026. A representative for Spirit didn't respond to a request for comment.

Reddit

Home Depot rival Lowe's ran its own limited Halloween sale in late April, but it may not have been totally immune from current market conditions. A Reddit user pointed out that a 12-foot Bone Collector animatronic was listed for $599 on the Lowe's website this spring. It debuted last year at $399, according to the parenting website GeekDad, footage of its in-store display, and Halloween YouTubers' unboxing videos.

On April 22, a user named "MadPotentialCustomer" complained about the Bone Collector's $200 price increase in the Community Q&A section of its product page. An account that appears to be run by Tekky Design, its manufacturer, responded two days later. "Tekky has no control over retails," it wrote. "Please reach out to Lowe's directly regarding any issues with pricing." Mashable reached out to Tekky and Lowes for comment, and we'll update this article if we hear back.

This screenshot was taken on the product listing page for Lowe's 12-foot Bone Collector on June 3, 2025. Credit: Lowe's

Lowe's had the Bone Collector in stock for $499 the last time Mashable checked.

The Skelly fandom stands by their man

Members of Skelly's Facebook fandom who were hoping for a Halfway to Halloween drop haven't shied away from tariff discussions, for better or worse. Corcoran had to make a dedicated tariff thread in Home Depot Halloween Haunters Club because its members kept submitting posts about the topic. She and her co-admins took turns monitoring it closely so it didn't spiral into political arguments, she told Mashable.

Corcoran has a professional sales background that includes shipping and logistics, and she recognizes that the Home Depot is in a tough position when it comes to balancing tariffs with consumer expectations, as most retailers are right now. "They're not a nonprofit," she said. But Corcoran thinks Halloween enthusiasts remain loyal to the Home Depot because its decor prices have always been reasonable and consistent, pointing to the fact that Skelly's $299 MSRP has stuck despite insatiably high demand and several upgrades. (The Home Depot gave Skelly a plug-in power adapter and new eye features in 2021 and 2024, respectively.)

"That 12-foot skeleton does not ship in a shoebox, and with the prices of plastics, components, everything like that ... it's one of the only things I can think of, between 2020 and 2024, that did not go up in price," Corcoran said.

Corcoran stays in close touch with the Home Depot's team and expects them to provide a heads-up once the 2025 Halloween drop is set in stone, she said. In the meantime, members of her groups are temporarily distracted by the recent arrival of a new 170-gallon Husky tote, the long-awaited answer to many 12-foot skeleton owners' storage woes. (Right on its label: "Fits 12ft Skelly.") Some have jokingly floated the idea of decorating the totes if new animatronics don't arrive soon.

For her part, Corcoran has her eye on a new 6.5-foot, app-controlled "Ultra Skelly" that popped up in March at the Home Depot's Store Managers Meeting, an annual employee convention that features an upcoming product showcase. Corcoran didn't buy any Halloween items from the Home Depot last year because she had vet bills to pay, and she's excited to make up for it when the time comes.

"I'm telling everybody to stay calm," said Corcoran. "Meanwhile, I'm texting my friends, 'If I don't get that app skeleton, the world will feel my wrath.'"

ChatGPT has completely changed the tech landscape in some massive and irreversible ways. ChatGPT was the first AI chatbot that really made an impact in wider society, and since then, it has evolved and improved a fair bit.

Did you know that there are lots of settings and features that you can leverage to get even more out of your ChatGPT experience? ChatGPT offers a range of features that help make it more personal and, as a result, more helpful in certain use cases. So, here are all the settings and features I recommend changing or customizing to get the most out of the service.

Data controls and privacy

Before trying to make ChatGPT more personal, it's worth taking a look at your data controls to ensure that they're set up in a way that you're comfortable with. Like most tech services and software services these days, OpenAI relies on user data to improve ChatGPT. If you're anything like me, then you don't really want OpenAI to be doing so and would prefer that your personal data remain as private as possible.

To tweak your data controls on the web, log in to ChatGPT, then tap on your profile picture in the top right-hand corner. Then click on “Settings” and choose the “Data Controls” option from the settings menu. From here, you can toggle the “Improve the model for everyone” option to off.  Alternatively, if you don't mind OpenAI having access to your text chat data, you can individually toggle off audio and video recordings. Note that if you turn off model improvement as a whole, audio and video recordings are automatically off and cannot be enabled on their own.

Customize your ChatGPT

While ChatGPT can learn about you as it goes, which we'll get into later, you can give it information about you that can help tailor its responses to you specifically, through the Customize ChatGPT feature. This is also how you can tailor responses to your preferences, so for example, if you prefer that ChatGPT is a little less overly positive, you can tell it so. 

To customize ChatGPT, head to the ChatGPT website, then tap on your profile picture in the top right-hand corner, then click on the “Customize ChatGPT” option. From here, you'll be able to tell the service what you prefer to be called and your occupation, for example. You'll also be able to detail what kind of traits you want ChatGPT to have, or you can choose one or multiple preset options. Lastly, there's a box that lets you basically tell ChatGPT whatever you want it to know about you apart from your name and occupation, so you could give it information about your family, where you live, your interests, and so on.

Memory

Even if you don't explicitly tell ChatGPT things about you through the customization options, you can have it learn about you as you chat with it, through the Memory feature. Memory is basically what it sounds like: a list of things that ChatGPT will “remember” about you. It also includes your past prompts and questions.

With the Memory feature turned on, the so-called memories that ChatGPT stores will evolve and expand over time. Not only that, but the feature will allow ChatGPT to refer back to previous conversations so that you don't have to spell out everything about yourself each time you start a new chat. This is also helpful if you often ask questions about the same topic.

To customize the Memory feature, head to the website and tap on your profile picture, then click on “Settings.” Choose the “Personalization” option from the settings menu. From here you can toggle on the reference saved memories feature and manage the memories that the service has saved, including deleting individual memories if you want to. Recently, OpenAI also added a new Memory feature that essentially allows ChatGPT to refer back to all your previous conversations. It's an expanded version of memories that makes the feature even more powerful, and you can toggle it on or off here.

SEE ALSO: All your ChatGPT conversations to be saved as part of ongoing lawsuits – even deleted ones Voice Mode

Voice mode essentially allows you to have a conversation with ChatGPT through voice instead of chat. It's helpful for when you're not in a position to be able to type things out or you simply want to have a quicker conversation. 

There aren't a ton of settings to tweak for voice mode, but you can choose which voice you want ChatGPT to have. To do this, head to the “Settings” menu, then click on the “Speech” option. From here, you can choose from a number of different voices and play a clip of those voices speaking as you choose.

Connectors

Connectors allow ChatGPT to access information that would otherwise be locked behind a password. In other words, you can connect your Google account to ChatGPT so that it can read your emails, which allows it to answer questions about emails, create a summary of any unread emails, and so on. There are actually a number of different connectors that you can choose from. On top of your Gmail account, you can also connect to Google Drive and Google Calendar, Dropbox, Outlook email, Microsoft Teams, and more.

To log into these accounts through connectors, head to the settings menu, then click on the “Connectors” option. From here you can log into any accounts you want ChatGPT to have access to.

Tools

ChatGPT can make use of different features and tools on a chat-by-chat basis, and it's worth familiarizing yourself with these tools so that you can select the best ones for the specific situation. The most basic option to choose from is the large language model that you want to use. Unfortunately, choosing the right model is pretty confusing, so unless you're familiar with the different models and the advantages and disadvantages that they have, it's probably best to just read the OpenAI recommendations below each model and do your best to choose the best one. You can choose from the different models in a new chat by tapping on the drop-down menu on the top left of the screen, which is labeled with whatever model you're currently using.

The other tools that you can make use of are available straight from the chat window. When you tap on the little tools button, you can choose for ChatGPT to do things like create an image, search the web, write, or conduct deep research, which tells the service to go through multiple steps to research a particular topic. Also available in the chat window is an option to record your prompt using voice, which will then transcribe the prompt text or enter advanced voice mode.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Leo Goldsmith, an assistant professor of screen studies at the New School, can tell when you use AI to cheat on an assignment. There's just no good way for him to prove it.

"I know a lot of examples where educators, and I've had this experience too, where they receive an assignment from a student, they're like, 'This is gotta be AI,' and then they don't have" any simple way of proving that, Goldsmith told me. "This is true with all kinds of cheating: The process itself is quite a lot of work, and if the goal of that process is to get an undergraduate, for example, kicked out of school, very few people want to do this."

This is the underlying hum AI has created in academia: my students are using AI to cheat, and there's not much I can do about it. When I asked one professor, who asked to be anonymous, how he catches students using AI to cheat, he said, "I don't. I'm not a cop." Another replied that it's the students' choice if they want to learn in class or not.

AI is a relatively new problem in academia — and not one that educators are particularly armed to combat. Despite the rapid rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, most professors and academic institutions are still resoundingly unequipped, technically and culturally, to detect AI-assisted cheating, while students are increasingly incentivized to use it.

Patty Machelor, a journalism and writing professor at the University of Arizona, didn't expect her students to use AI to cheat on assignments. She teaches advanced reporting and writing classes in the honors college — courses intended for students who are interested in developing their writing skills. So when a student turned in a piece clearly written by AI, she didn't realize it right away; she just knew it wasn't the student's work.

"I looked at it and I thought, oh my gosh, is this plagiarism?" she told Mashable.

The work clearly wasn't written by the student, whose work she had gotten to know well. And it didn't follow the journalistic guidelines of the course, either; instead, it sounded more like a research paper. Then, she read it out loud to her husband.

"And my husband immediately said, 'That's artificial intelligence,'" she said. "I was like, 'Of course.'"

So, she told the student to try again. She gave them an extension. And then the second draft came in, still littered with AI. The student even left in some of the prompts.

"[AI] was not on my radar," Machelor said, especially for the types of advanced writing courses she teaches. Though this was a first in her experience, it rocked her. "The students who use that tool are using it for a few reasons," she guessed. "One is, I think they're just overwhelmed. Two is it's become familiar. And three is they haven't gotten on fire about their lives and their own minds and their own creativity. If you want to be a journalist, this is the heart and soul of it."

Machelor is hardly the only writing professor dealing with assignments written by AI. Irene McKisson, an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona, teaches one online class about social media and another in-person class about editing. Because of the nature of the in-person course, she hasn't had a significant issue with AI use — but her online course is rampant with it.

SEE ALSO: I'm a college writing professor. Here's what AI still can't do

"It felt like a disease," McKisson told Mashable. "Where you see a couple cases and then all of a sudden there's an outbreak. That's what it felt like."

So, what would McKisson tell students using AI to cheat?

"First of all, you signed up for the class," McKisson said. "Second of all, you're paying for the class. And third of all, this is stuff that you're actually going to need to know to be able to do a job. If you're just outsourcing the work, what is the value to you?"

It felt like a disease, where you see a couple cases and then all of a sudden there's an outbreak. That's what it felt like. - Irene Mckisson Why is it so hard for professors to catch AI cheating?

While AI detectors exist, they are unreliable, leaving professors with few tools to definitively identify AI-generated writing.

The technology is new, which means the detectors are new, too, and we don't have much research available on their efficacy. That said, one paper in the International Journal for Educational Integrity shows that "the tools exhibited inconsistencies, producing false positives and uncertain classifications." And, as with most tech, the results change depending on so many variables. For instance, a study in Computation and Language noted in the University of Kansas' Center for Teaching Excellence shows that AI detectors are more likely to flag the work of non-native English speakers than the work of native speakers. The authors argued "against the use of GPT detectors in evaluative or educational settings, particularly when assessing the work of non-native English speakers."

Like Goldsmith said, you can usually tell if something is written by AI — it's just really tough to prove it.

Of course, tech could be both the problem and the solution — tech fighting tech. After AI cheating startup Cluely went viral, other startups started racing to create a tool that could reliably catch Cluely, like Truely and Proctaroo. 

Paul Vann, the cofounder of Truely, told Mashable that "resoundingly, people are worried" about AI and cheating. "People don't know how to deal with this type of thing because it's so new, it's built to be hidden, and frankly, it does do a good job at hiding itself." Truely, he claims, catches it. 

Both Truely and Proctaroo can tell if an AI system is running in the background, but even the creators admit that these tools aren’t silver bullets. What if the AI assignment is an essay, turned in by hard copy? That's a bit tougher.

As AI gets better, detection may always be a step behind — the real answer might lie in rethinking how we produce assessments, not just the kind of surveillance we have to put on students.

Blurred boundaries: When is using AI considered cheating? Credit: Gabby Jones / Bloomberg via Getty Images

There are definitely students who want to use AI specifically to cheat. But because the use of generative AI in school is so new, it's also hard to know what counts as "cheating." Is it cheating to use spellcheck? Is it cheating to use AI to brainstorm? Where is the line?

"Professors have started to include statements about AI use in their syllabi, I have noticed in the past year," Sarina Alavi, a psychology PhD student and content creator at @psychandeducation, told Mashable. "Some are completely against it while others kind of say, 'Well, it’s fine to use, but just know the output is usually poor quality and remember plagiarism policies.'"

But institutions are behind the curve. There are often no standardized policies or training for professors. 

For instance, Harvard's guidelines on the intersection of generative AI and academic integrity say only that specific schools should develop and update their policies "as we better understand the implications of using generative AI tools."

"In the meantime, faculty should be clear with students they’re teaching and advising about their policies on permitted uses, if any, of generative AI in classes and on academic work. Students are also encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification about these policies as needed," the guideline reads.

Yale's AI guidelines and the University of Arizona's guidelines, for example, say basically the same thing, leaving teachers with the tough job of deciding what to do with AI in their own classrooms.

"It's an academic freedom thing," McKisson said. "Your professor is free to teach their class however it needs to be taught. That's baked into the culture of academia, which I think is great."

It's helpful to have guidance, she said, and the schools give some of that. But what the schools don't provide is the practical guidance for how to effectively catch and combat AI cheating. McKisson, Machelor, and Goldsmith have all added lines into their respective syllabi telling students they can't use AI to complete assignments for them, but they all had to find that language on their own. McKisson, for her part, discovered the right language on a "Reddit thread of professors from all over the country who were talking about this issue."

"There was a whole discussion about rubrics, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh! That's it. That's the way to curb some of this, is to use the rubric to give people [who use AI] zeros,'" she said. "[Students are] going to keep doing it unless there's a negative consequence."

The result of all this ambiguity has led some educators to panic over a student cheating epidemic with no clear cure. Tech is advancing faster than policy, and it's hard for schools to keep up with the AI tools students are using. It's confusing for students and professors alike. Like U of A's guidelines read, "Students may not be aware that AI policies can and will vary between courses, sections, instructors, and departments, so take time to support them in understanding and abiding by different policies."

Alavi says that she uses AI for some class readings by uploading the PDF and asking AI for summaries, key takeaways, and talking points, which saves her "a lot of time because I can quickly read articles and not have to re-read them before class to have solid points to bring to class discussions." For writing, she might use AI for inspiration or if she's stuck on a transition sentence. "Of course, if I use anything generated, I’d put it in my own words because I find the output to sound robotic and generic," she said.

For some professors, it's even more clear-cut.

"If you're using it to write a paper for you, then of course I would consider that cheating," Goldsmith said. "But cheating is a mild word. It's just pointless. It's a waste of a huge amount of money that the students are paying or incurring as debt, in some cases lifelong debt. But it also just doesn't get you anywhere. And it's been very easy to spot as an educator."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Why do students use AI? Credit: JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado/Getty Images

It's finals week, and you're staring down the barrel of despair. Over the next two days, you'll have to write three essays, take one test online, and take one multiple-choice final in person. You have a project to do. You have makeup assignments to turn in. You have to maintain your GPA or you'll go on academic probation. There aren't enough hours in the week to both succeed and sleep, but generative AI could write your three essays, take that online test, and make flashcards for your multiple-choice final faster than you could make dinner. And you know your professors can't catch you because there's no simple way to prove ChatGPT wrote your essay.

For students facing academic and financial pressure, AI can seem more like a productivity tool than cheating. And, of course, everyone else is using it.

Would you be able to avoid the pull?

Writing is a pain in the ass. Nobody likes to write. - Leo Goldsmith

Alavi can, for the most part. She likes the subjects she's studying, and she wants to actually learn, and she knows AI can't replicate that. All the while, she says she understands the impulse for "students who are introduced to AI in high school or college" to use AI or rely on it. She says, thankfully, she's gone through a decade of academic training without it.

"I also really respect the time and intention my professors are putting into creating assignments with the purpose of promoting student learning, and I think relying on AI would not honor their hard work and also take away from my learning," Alavi said. 

As Goldsmith says, "the whole purpose" of going to school "is to learn." If using AI is getting in the way of your ability to learn, there are other questions to ask.

"The hard work of writing and the hard work of reading and discussing is what the whole purpose of education is," Goldsmith said. "It's not to learn facts."

Goldsmith, who teaches screen studies, admits that his students, for the most part, hate the use of AI in art. But that doesn't stop them from using it for assignments. Why? "Because writing is hard."

"Writing is a pain in the ass," he said. "Nobody likes to write. You are a writer. I am a writer. We hate writing."

What could actually stop AI cheating?

For some college professors, a greater focus on pedagogy is the way to move forward. More in-class writing, more oral work, more iterative drafts, more pencil-and-paper tests, and maybe even promoting the use of AI for specific aspects of assignments.

Ironically, the most effective way McKisson has found to curb the use of AI is to, well, use AI.

"I actually fed every single one of my sets of discussion questions for the whole semester into ChatGPT and I asked it to help me AI proof it as much as I could," McKisson said. And it worked. Now her students have to send screenshots of social media posts and submit works cited and other work that ChatGPT can't necessarily do particularly well. After she implemented those changes, fewer students blatantly used AI, and she was left less frustrated.

Or, perhaps, we think about what the true value of education is. Goldsmith points out that if it is truly just "valued now as a piece of paper that you spend a lot of money on," perhaps we should all do a bit of reflection.

"It's inevitable that AI will be used and used productively in lots of fields," Goldsmith said. "But the push is something that may need to be resisted. Who's benefiting from it? And why?"

And, as McKisson said, the answers can't be purely to punish students who use AI and pretend it isn't going to be here for the long haul. She approaches teaching like a "partnership" between educator and student, and AI is forcing educators to "rethink how we teach and what the partnership agreements are like."

"My bigger question is how do you redesign higher education?" McKisson said. "We're not gonna solve it today… But the way we have designed a large chunk of higher education, especially the online-only stuff, is not going to work because it's so easy and cheap and rewarding to use AI tools."

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

TL;DR: Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) in the 2025 NBA Finals for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

At what point are we going to stop underestimating the Indiana Pacers? At almost every stage of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, we have expecting them to fall short. But after another miraculous comeback in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, are fans finally starting to believe?

If you want to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) in the 2025 NBA Finals for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2)?

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) starts at 8 p.m. ET on June 8. This game takes place at the Paycom Center.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) for free

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) in the 2025 NBA Finals is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This content is geo-restricted to India, but anyone can access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can live stream the 2025 NBA Finals from anywhere in the world.

Live 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 India

4. Visit YouTube

5. Watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month) $12.95 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 Finals before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including India

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A 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. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) for free with ExpressVPN.

BookTok still runs the publishing industry.

Many of the books you might hear about most on TikTok aren't exactly recent. Readers get pulled into the community by watching re-reads of Harry Potter or first reads of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the gripping young adult fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas. But when a new novel comes out, BookTok can turn contemporary.

Here are the top 12 books published in 2025 so far, according to BookTok, organized alphabetically by author. How many have you read?

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble The Devils by Joe Abercrombie $26.99 at Barnes & Noble
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Joe Abercrombie, the author behind The First Law and The Age of Madness trilogies, among other fantasy novels, brought something new to life with The Devils. Elves — a far cry from the kind you might remember from Lord Of The Rings — threaten to eat all of the flesh in Europe, so a special team of monsters is recruited to save the world.

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If you're on BookTok at all, you know about the Legendborn series. It's the third book in the series that combines the legend of King Arthur, secret societies, and the mythos of the American South.

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Hungerstone by Kat Dunn $28 at Barnes & Noble
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This novel is a feminist retelling of Carmilla, the 1872 Gothic novella that inspired Dracula.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry $24 at Barnes & Noble
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The newest novel from the queen of contemporary romantic fiction features her classic blend of depth, wit, and humor. You might see it referred to as BGGL on TikTok.

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This novel follows Grady Green, whose wife goes missing. He ends up moving to a small Scottish island, as one does following the disappearance of their wife, and sees someone who looks remarkably similar to his missing partner.

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As Ali Hazelwood is known to do, she wrote another of her classic romantic comedies with two leads who might be too smart for their own good.

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With Hendrix's classic mix of dark humor and supernatural chaos, this book follows a group of teens at a home for pregnant girls as witchcraft enters the fold.

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This small-town, western, enemy-to-lovers romance features two people who hate each other and get married just to take custody of a nephew.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar $24.99 at Barnes & Noble
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Amal El-Mohtar is one of the bestselling authors of This is How You Lose the Time War, which sailed to the top of bestseller lists and TikTok For You Pages. This novel, at just under 150 pages, follows two sisters who cannot be apart.

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This novel follows a disabled Nigerian American woman who writes a successful sci-fi novel, and then has to deal with the outcome of rising fame.

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For anyone who loves a book that you can binge, it should come as no surprise that BookTok is obsessed with the newest addition to The Hunger Games. This novel, a prequel to the original trilogy, follows Haymitch during the 50th Hunger Games.

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The highly anticipated third book of Yarros' adult romantic fantasy series, the Empyrean series, after Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, came out at the beginning of the year and set BookTok up for some spicy conversations. Dragons. Romance. Rebellion. It's got it all.

TL;DR: Live stream Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final for free on 9Now, France TV, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 French Open has been a tournament to remember. We've seen some huge performances from the best players in the world, and now all that's left is Alcaraz against Sinner in the men's final. It's the final that fans really wanted — it's going to be an awesome spectacle.

If you want to watch Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Alcaraz vs. Sinner for free

Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Australia — 9now

• Austria — ServusTV

• France — France TV

These services are geo-restricted, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can stream the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia, Austria, or France

4. Connect to 9Now, Servus TV, France TV

5. Watch the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to live stream Alcaraz vs. Sinner (plus the rest of the 2025 French Open) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for sport?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Scan anything, anywhere, with this lifetime subscription to iScanner, now £18.78 (reg. £149.56) with code SCAN.

Opens in a new window Credit: BP Mobile iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription £18.78
£199 Save £180.22 with code SCAN Get Deal

Raise your hand if you've ever had to rush to the library to print something. If most of us don't have the space for clunky printers, chances are we also don't keep a scanner at home. That's what iScanner is for.

This iOS app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a handy little scanner that works for basically any document type. Scan anything, anywhere, with this lifetime subscription to iScanner, now £18.78 (reg. £149.56) with code SCAN through June 1.

No more wasted desk space

Even if you're one of the few with a physical scanner still in your presence, you can now clear some counter space thanks to iScanner. And while you're at it, you can throw away that dusty old filing cabinet, too. 

iScanner is the number one US-based scanning and document management tool, letting you knock items off your to-do list from anywhere. Need to save a receipt for taxes? Do you have a contract you need to digitise? You can scan any document using just the phone on your iOS device. 

Students, entrepreneurs, educators, and stay-at-home moms alike will all find endless uses for a scanner in your pocket. The AI-powered tools ensure your documents' borders are detected and automatically adjusted while also straightening scan pages and ditching curves and skews. 

Thanks to AI, you can also use iScanner to help you solve complicated math problems.  Or put its OCR technology to the test and let it help you decipher text in up to 20 languages.

Once things are scanned, the app becomes a full PDF editor and file manager. Edit your scans, including signing them, adding text, or auto-filling them with custom templates. Then, use the file manager's folder via drag and drop to keep them safe and organised. 

Scanning something confidential? You can also protect files and folders by locking them with a PIN. 

Get a lifetime subscription to iScanner, now £18.78 with code SCAN.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 MotoGP season is delivering incredible entertainment on a consistent basis. Forget all about F1 and turn your attention to a form of racing with unpredictable finishes, daring moves, and jaw-dropping moments from the best in the world.

The battle at the top of the standings is intense. The Márquez brothers are still in first and second position going into the Grand Prix of Aragon, with former champion Francesco Bagnaia in third. Marco Bezzecchi claimed the victory in the British GP, making it five different winners from seven races this season.

If you're interested in watching the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon?

The MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon takes place at MotorLand Aragón. The 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon race starts at 8 a.m. ET on June 8.

How to watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free

The MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, 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 Austria, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV by following this simple process:

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 Austria

4. Connect to ServusTV

5. Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for MotoGP?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking ServusTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Germany vs. France and Spain vs. Portugal are available to live stream for free. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There will be some people out there who desperately need a break from all the football. We've only just made it through domestic campaigns, so we get where they are coming from. But there is another group out there who think very differently. This band of dedicated football followers quite simply can't get enough, so the final and third-place playoff of the UEFA Nations League will be welcomed with open arms.

If you want to watch the UEFA Nations League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international football competition played by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA. The defending champions are Spain.

When is the UEFA Nations League?

The league phase games of the fourth edition of the UEFA Nations League was played in the autumn of 2024. The finals take place in June 2025.

How to watch the UEFA Nations League for free

Fans can live stream the UEFA Nations League for free on these platforms:

• France — L'Equipe and TF1+

• Germany — ARD / ZDF / RTL (RTL will show half of the German games, with remaining fixtures shared between ARD and ZDF)

• Italy — Rai

• Netherlands — NOS / NPO (all Dutch games plus finals)

• UK — ITVX (final)

These streaming services are geo-blocked, but anyone can access these sites with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the UEFA Nations League by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit your favorite free streaming platform

5. Watch the UEFA Nations League for free from anywhere in the world

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

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

What is the best VPN for the UEFA Nations League?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the UEFA Nations League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Are you looking for thrilling and unpredictable racing? No we're not talking about F1, unless you like regular pit stops, safety cars, and the same driver winning most weeks. We're talking about a form of two-wheel racing where anything could happen.

The MotoGP World Championship is where the real action can be found. Every week you see the best riders in the world go wheel to wheel with their rivals, throwing their bikes into corners with absolutely no sense of self preservation. It's an awesome spectacle, and it doesn't need to cost you anything to watch.

Want to watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.

What is MotoGP?

MotoGP is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the inaugural season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without pitting for fuel or fresh tires.

SEE ALSO: How to watch F1 live streams online for free

The likes of Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha do battle for the constructors' championship. Jorge Martín is the defending champion.

When is the 2025 MotoGP World Championship?

The 2025 MotoGP World Championship features 22 races held all over the world between March and November:

1. Thai MotoGP — March 2

2. Argentine MotoGP — March 16

3. Americas MotoGP — March 30

4. Qatar MotoGP — April 13

5. Spanish MotoGP — April 27

6. French MotoGP — May 11

7. British MotoGP — May 25

8. Aragon MotoGP — June 8

9. Italian MotoGP — June 22

10. Dutch MotoGP — June 29

11. German MotoGP — July 13

12. Czech MotoGP — July 20

13. Austrian MotoGP — Aug. 17

14. Hungarian MotoGP — Aug. 24

15. Catalunya MotoGP — Sept. 7

16. San Marino MotoGP — Sept. 14

17. Japanese MotoGP — Sept. 28

18. Indonesian MotoGP — Oct. 5

19. Australian MotoGP — Oct. 19

20. Malaysian MotoGP — Oct. 26

21. Portuguese MotoGP — Nov. 9

22. Valencia MotoGP — Nov. 16

The good news for fans is that it's possible to live stream the MotoGP World Championship for free in 2025.

How to watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free

You can stream the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, 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 Austria, meaning you can access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV by following this quick and easy process:

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 Austria

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Watch MotoGP races for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By using these money-back guarantees, you can watch MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races without actually spending anything.

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

ExpressVPN is tough to beat when it comes to streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Impressive streaming speeds without buffering

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 8 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: To keep going

• Green: Heard on Wall Street

• Blue: Celeb facts

• Purple: Used to describe finances

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

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

• Yellow: Persist

• Green: Animal metaphors in economics

• Blue: Sidebar info on a person's Wikipedia page

• Purple: Homophones of slang for money

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #728 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Persist: HOLD, LAST, STAND, STAY

• Animal metaphors in economics: BEAR, BULL, DOVE, HAWK

• Sidebar info on a person's Wikipedia page: BORN, EDUCATION, OCCUPATION, SPOUSE

• Homophones of slang for money: BRED, CACHE, DOE, LUTE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 8

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

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

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

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

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 8 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On Broadway

The words are theater-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are parts of a musical.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Its Showtime

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for June 8

• Singing

• Cast

• Score

• Its Showtime

• Costumes

• Dancing

• Lights

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 today's Strands.

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 June 8 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 June 8, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A signed renter's document.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

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...

LEASE.

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 June 8

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 today's Wordle.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To respond.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

REACT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A section of a film or play.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 8, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SCENE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Spacious.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 8, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

ROOMY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Muscle.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 8 Hurdle Word 4 answer

BRAWN

Final Hurdle hint

Related to computers.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

CYBER

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

NASA’s longest-running Mars mission has sent back an unprecedented side view of a massive volcano rising above the Red Planet, just before dawn.

On May 2, as sunlight crept over the Martian horizon, the Odyssey spacecraft captured Arsia Mons, a towering, long-extinct volcano, puncturing a glowing band of greenish haze in the planet’s upper atmosphere. 

The 12-mile-high volcano — nearly twice the height of Mauna Loa in Hawaii — punctures a veil of fog, emerging like a monument to the planet's ancient past. The space snapshot is both visually arresting and scientifically enlightening.

"We picked Arsia Mons hoping we would see the summit poke above the early morning clouds," said Jonathon Hill, who leads Odyssey's camera operations at Arizona State University, in a statement, "and it didn't disappoint."  

SEE ALSO: An enormous Martian cloud returns every spring. Scientists found out why. Arsia Mons sits at the southern end of a towering trio of volcanoes called the Tharsis Montes. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

To get this view, Odyssey had to do something it wasn’t originally built for. The orbiter, which has been flying around Mars since 2001, usually points its camera straight down to map the planet’s surface. But over the past two years, scientists have begun rotating the spacecraft 90 degrees to look toward the horizon. That adjustment allows NASA to study how dust and ice clouds change over the seasons.

Though the image is still an aerial view, the vantage point is of the horizon, similar to how astronauts can see Earth's horizon 250 miles above the planet on the International Space Station. From that altitude, Earth doesn’t fill their entire view — there’s enough distance and perspective for them to see the planet's curved edge meeting the blackness of space. Odyssey flies above Mars at about the same altitude. 

Arsia Mons sits at the southern end of a towering trio of volcanoes called the Tharsis Montes. The Tharsis region is home to the largest volcanoes in the solar system. The lack of plate tectonics on the Red Planet allowed them to grow many times larger than those anywhere on Earth.

Together, they dominate the Martian landscape and are sometimes covered in clouds, especially in the early hours. But not just any clouds — these are made of water ice, a different breed than the planet’s more common carbon dioxide clouds. Arsia Mons is the cloudiest of the three. 

Scientists have recently studied a particular, localized cloud formation that occurs over the mountain, dubbed the Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud. The transient feature, streaking 1,100 miles over southern Mars, lasts only about three hours in the morning during spring before vanishing in the warm sunlight. It's formed by strong winds being forced up the mountainside.  

The cloudy canopy on display in Odyssey's new image, according to NASA, is called the aphelion cloud belt. This widespread seasonal system drapes across the planet's equator when Mars is farthest from the sun. 

This is Odyssey's fourth side image since 2023, and it is the first to show a volcano breaking through the clouds.

"We're seeing some really significant seasonal differences in these horizon images," said Michael D. Smith, a NASA planetary scientist, in a statement. "It’s giving us new clues to how Mars' atmosphere evolves over time."

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, June 7, 2025:

AcrossYoga class need

• The answer is Mat.

Umlaut, rotated 90°

• The answer is Colon.

"That is shocking!"

• The answer is Oh my god.

"___ You the One?" (reality TV show)

• The answer is Are.

Egg cells

• The answer is Ova.

One of two "royal" sleeping options

• The answer is King bed.

Bar seating

• The answer is Stool.

Favorite team of the "Chicago Pope," for short

• The answer is Sox.

DownSlices of life

• The answer is Moments.

Olympic gymnast Raisman

• The answer is Aly.

Request at the end of a restaurant meal

• The answer is To go box.

Hayes of MSNBC

• The answer is Chris.

Medium for Melville or McCarthy

• The answer is Novel.

Wood used for wine barrels

• The answer is Oak.

June honoree

• The answer is Dad.

Sticky stuff

• The answer is Goo.

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 today's Mini Crossword.

TL;DR: Live stream Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final for free on 9Now, France TV, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 French Open has really delivered. We've had so many amazing games and stunning moments from the best players in the world, and now the finals are set to be special. Sabalenka takes on Gauff in the women's final at Roland-Garros — it's going to an explosive battle between two superstars of the sport.

If you want to watch Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Sabalenka vs. Gauff for free

Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Australia — 9now

• Austria — ServusTV

• France — France TV

These services are geo-restricted, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can stream the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia, Austria, or France

4. Connect to 9Now, Servus TV, France TV

5. Watch the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to live stream Sabalenka vs. Gauff (plus the rest of the 2025 French Open) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for sport?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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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 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final for free with ExpressVPN.

An asteroid discovered late last year is expected to be in our neck of space in 2032.

The good news? It's not coming for Earth. 

Asteroid 2024 YR4 is no longer visible, but NASA squeezed in one last glimpse of it with the James Webb Space Telescope in May before it slipped out of sight. The new set of observations has helped sharpen predictions about where the space rock is headed. 

Most of the rocky rubble left over from the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago is too far away to pose a threat to Earth. But the slim chance of existential crisis motivates many to join the planetary neighborhood watch, keeping an eye on the ancient asteroids and comets zooming through space. After all, no one wants to end up like the dinosaurs. 

The updated math has now bumped up the odds the asteroid will smack the moon on Dec. 22, 2032. That means the probability of a lunar collision has slightly increased from 3.8 percent to 4.3 percent.

SEE ALSO: A rocket will crash into the moon. It'll leave way more than a scar. This diagram illustrates the range of possible locations of Asteroid 2024 YR4 in yellow on Dec. 22, 2032. Credit: NASA / JPL Center for Near-Earth Object Studies

Asteroid 2024 YR4 captured a lot of headlines shortly after its discovery because it had a slim chance of hitting Earth. The object is estimated to be between 130 and 300 feet wide, large enough to be considered a "city killer." Studies of the so-called Meteor Crater outside of Flagstaff, Arizona, suggest it was created by an asteroid about 100 to 170 feet wide 50,000 years ago. 

"A similar-size impact event today could destroy a city the size of Kansas City," said David Kring, an impact cratering expert at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, in a NASA blog.

After months of tracking and refining Asteroid 2024 YR4's orbit, NASA scientists were able to rule out an Earth strike. There's no real risk to the planet in seven years or afterward, according to the agency. Now the space rock’s only potential target is the moon.

Before you lose your head, relax. It's not as scary as it sounds. The new statistics, crunched by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, still suggest the asteroid is much more likely to miss it. Even if it were to make contact, it wouldn't cause a problem for Earth.

"In the small chance that the asteroid was to impact, it would not alter the moon's orbit," the agency said.   

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In fact, if it did smack the moon, it would probably thrill some astronomers with the chance to observe and collect data on the impact. An asteroid impact would mean a fresh lunar crater — something the battered moon is used to and could provide new insights for scientists into such collisions. 

Nations are developing warning systems and defense strategies in case an asteroid or comet should ever meander into an orbit that could jeopardize Earth. As a test, NASA launched the DART mission in 2022 to intentionally crash into a harmless asteroid. The mission succeeded in nudging Dimorphos slightly off its orbital path, proving the agency is capable of moving a hazardous space rock in the future if necessary. Researchers continue to study the asteroid to learn more about the aftermath.

Early asteroid tracking always comes with a cloud of uncertainty, but the accuracy improves with each observation. Asteroid 2024 YR4's location forecast is now about 20 percent more precise than it was before, according to NASA.

Scientists will have to wait three years — when the asteroid loops back around toward Earth — for another look. NASA plans to observe it again in 2028 to keep tracking its whereabouts. 

Despite the enthusiasm of actors in Swiffer commercials, few people are smiling at the workout that is manually mopping their hardwood and tile floors. So if you're already considering a robot vacuum because it'll take one major chore off your list, you can probably envision why a robot that vacuums and mops would be doubly worth it.

I'm not saying you can expect a hybrid robot vacuum to scrub your kitchen grout with the same tenacity you would get with a toothbrush. But mopping robots have gotten much better at mopping over the past few years. But arguably, the most pivotal shift that mopping robot vacuum cleaners have seen recently is actually related to their self-emptying docks. Past automatically emptying the dust bin, the best robot mop combos now also automatically wash and dry their mopping pads, then refill themselves with clean water from the dock. Some high-end hybrids can even dispense cleaning liquid on their own. That has been crucial in upping my own personal confidence in walking around barefoot.

SEE ALSO: Roborock Saros Z70 review: If you think you need the robot vacuum with an arm, no you don't

In theory, mopping pad maintenance should be nearly as automated as the cleaning itself. If it's too involved, you may subconsciously save yourself the hassle by avoiding mop mode — and then what was the point of getting a robot vacuum that mops in the first place?

It's now been half a decade since most top robot vacuum brands started furiously innovating their robotic mopping skills, so there are a ton of robot vacuums that mop to choose from. I've personally tested more than 20 robot vacuum and mop combos in my own apartment — halfway through 2025, I've narrowed it down to these top four robot vacuums that also wash your floors.

Other robot vacuums I've tested recently

I've tested several other robot vacuum hybrids that didn't make the cut. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra were top picks in this list at one point, but were merely upstaged in power and price tag value by newer models.

I've also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but weren't contenders for this list. The Dreame X50 Ultra grabbed attention during its CES 2025 debut for its ability to "climb," though the fine print is that it can't scale thresholds taller than 6 millimeters (about 2.36 inches). The Roborock Saros 10 and 10R were able to hoist over the few thick doorway thresholds in my apartment just as well as the X50 Ultra. Its mopping and vacuuming capabilities are better than most mid-range robot vacuums, of course, but they weren't impressive enough for me to suggest the X50 Ultra in this list over either Saros model.

I'm also in the process of testing the new fleet of 2025 Roombas. The Roomba Combo 205 DustCompactor wouldn't be a bad pick if you absolutely can't spare floor space for a self-empty dock. But for being one of iRobot's newest vacuums, I expected it to be a much smoother, smarter navigator.