Latest from Tom's Guide in How-to

My toilet seat kept sliding everywhere — here’s the quick fix that locked it in place

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:30:00 +0000

My toilet seat had been sliding for weeks. Every time I sat down, it shifted. I kept thinking I'd get around to fixing it, but it seemed like one of those mysterious plumbing problems that required calling a professional.

Then I realized it was probably just loose bolts. Turns out I was right. Five minutes with a screwdriver and my toilet seat was completely stable again. If yours is sliding around, you can fix it the same way. Here's what's happening and how to solve it.

Why your toilet seat keeps sliding

Every time you sit down and shift your weight, you're putting stress on the bolts connecting the seat to the bowl. Over months and years, this constant movement loosens them gradually. Plastic hardware wears down faster than metal. Older seats develop cracks or warped hinges that prevent them from staying firm.

Sometimes improper installation causes the problem from day one. The bolts were never tightened properly initially. Either way, addressing it quickly matters. A sliding toilet seat is uncomfortable and can actually be a fall risk, especially for elderly people or children.

How to tighten your toilet seat

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For this job you'll need a screwdriver and possibly pliers. Locate the bolts connecting your seat to the bowl. Depending on your toilet's age and model, these might be accessible from above the seat or from underneath.

Turn the bolts clockwise to tighten them. The key is making them snug. Firm enough that the seat doesn't move, but not so tight that you risk snapping the bolts.

Most of the time, this is all you need. Tighten, test, done. If tightening doesn't solve the problem, check whether your seat actually fits your toilet bowl properly. Some seats are universal, but misfits happen.

If tightening doesn't fully solve the issue, you can install rubber non-slip pads on the bottom of your seat. These create extra grip between the seat and the bowl, preventing sliding even if the bolts loosen slightly over time. They're inexpensive and take literal seconds to apply.

Common mistakes that make things worse

While it might be tempting to over-tighten the bolts, try to avoid using excessive force. Snapping a bolt will leave you needing extra replacement hardware you didn't plan on buying.

It's also important not to delay the repair, as a seat that constantly slides around can eventually break completely, turning a simple adjustment into a full replacement.

If the existing hardware looks old or worn, consider replacing it entirely rather than just retightening it, since older bolts tend to work themselves loose again quickly.

Finally, make sure to align and center the seat before securing it into place, as an off-center seat feels awkward to sit on and won't close properly.

How to photograph the solar eclipse without damaging your phone

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:13:33 +0000

For many people, today's solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event. The next comparable eclipse visible from the UK won't happen until 2081. Hundreds of millions across Europe will witness a partial or total eclipse as the moon passes in front of the sun. If you're in Spain or Iceland, you'll experience totality for one to three minutes.

Parts of North America will see a partial solar eclipse. It will be visible in the Northern US and Alaska and even New York City (though only at 9%).

Everyone will reach for their phones to photograph it. Then you hear the warnings: pointing your camera at the sun will permanently damage your sensor. Destroy your phone. Create dead pixels that can never be fixed. Is that actually true? The answer is yes, but it's entirely preventable if you know what you're doing.

Here's how to photograph the eclipse safely and keep your phone functional.

Yes, your phone's sensor can actually be damaged

Direct sunlight focusing through your phone's lens can burn the photodiodes inside your camera sensor. This creates permanent dead pixels that no software update can fix. The sun concentrates heat through the lens, and that concentrated energy damages the sensor's light-sensitive components.

Even a few seconds of direct exposure risks this. The damage might not be immediately obvious, but it accumulates with each moment you point your phone at the sun.

This isn't just phones. Digital cameras, binoculars, telescopes — anything with a lens can suffer the same fate. NASA specifically warns against it.

Use solar eclipse glasses to photograph safely

The simplest and most practical solution is holding your eclipse glasses directly in front of your phone's camera lens while you photograph. Eclipse glasses block 99.99% of the sun's light, filtering out the dangerous rays while letting your phone capture the eclipse safely. Position the glasses over the lens, take your photo, then remove them.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This won't give you professional results. You can't frame your shot precisely and the image quality will be imperfect. But it's safe, requires nothing but the glasses you're already wearing, and actually works. The key here is making sure your eclipse glasses are legitimate: marked with ISO 12312-2 certification.

If you don't have eclipse glasses, you can create a pinhole projector instead. Use a colander or something similar to create an indirect view — don't look at the sun through the device, but project the light onto a card or piece of paper. This lets you see the eclipse safely without ever pointing anything directly at the sun.

When is it safe to photograph directly?

(Image credit: Future)

There's one moment when direct sun photography becomes safe: totality. During the brief window when the moon completely blocks the sun, you can photograph the corona without any protection.

This is the only time it's safe. Before totality ends and the sun's edge reappears, put your protection back on immediately.

If you're not in the path of totality (experiencing a partial eclipse anywhere in Europe outside Spain, Iceland, and small parts of Portugal and Greenland), you cannot safely photograph withouteclipse glasses protection or solar filters at any point.

Never look through your camera viewfinder

This is critical: don't look at the eclipse through your camera's viewfinder, optical sight, or lens, even while wearing eclipse glasses. The concentrated solar rays can burn through the filter and cause permanent eye damage. Your eyes will be damaged long before your camera sensor.

Always aim your camera without looking through the viewfinder during partial eclipse phases. Point, shoot, and trust that you've captured something.

I’m already obsessed with iOS 27’s one-tap suggestions in Messages — here’s why

David Crookes — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:30:00 +0000

With more than a billion active users, Apple’s Messages app is already hugely popular. But a new feature in iOS 27 makes it even more useful, and I’m already seeing the benefits.

When you’re bombarded with texts on a daily basis, t’s all too easy to forget tasks or spend ages carrying out a request. I’ve certainly had occasions when I’ve forgotten to pick up groceries, or spent longer than expected trying to find photos someone asked me to send. But with one-tap suggestions in Messages, I’m starting to get on top of these things.

This feature is super-convenient, showing just how useful AI can be when used appropriately. By using Apple Intelligence to scan a conversation, it can create reminders and even actively sift through your photos to find the right ones using keyword, location, and people recognition.

What’s more, it won’t force you to do anything. The suggestion is simply there, and you decide whether to tap it or ignore it. Here’s how it works.

1. Receive a message

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

When you receive a text in the Messages app in iOS 27, Apple Intelligence has a quick read and checks to see if there is anything actionable. If there is, it will make suggestions based on the context of the conversation.

For example, if someone asks you to pick something up on your way home, Messages will suggest you add that request to your Reminders. To do so, you’d simply tap Add to Reminders immediately beneath the message.

2. Check the details

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In the case of a reminder, a window will appear and key details from the message will be used to fill in some of the fields. You could then add a date and time if they haven’t already been added, or even mark the reminder as urgent.

Being able to go straight to a task such as this saves a lot of time. When you’re done, tap the blue tick icon.

3. Find some photos

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

One-tap suggestions don't just work with Reminders. Apple Intelligence may suggest you tap Add to Notes and it may be able to make use of a third-party app, for example, to help you make a restaurant reservation.

If images are mentioned in a message, you’ll be prompted to tap Search for Photos. Apple Intelligence will then use the information in the message to help you find the best photos.

OpenClaw is available on iPhone and Android — these are the things I would set up first

Christoph Schwaiger — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:30:00 +0000

The always-on AI agent OpenClaw now has an official companion app for iOS and Android, making it easier than ever to stay connected when you’re away from your computer.

One of OpenClaw’s biggest strengths has always been its integration with messaging platforms like Discord, Slack, and Telegram. However, the official mobile apps provide a more direct route, letting you chat with your agent without passing the conversation through a third-party messaging service.

The app also has several phone-specific features. You can dictate prompts, record voice notes, send photos, and grant your agent access to your contacts, calendar, and location. Android users can even forward phone notifications to their agent.

Before diving in, there is one crucial detail to keep in mind: the mobile app does not run your OpenClaw gateway on its own. Instead, it pairs with a gateway running on another device, such as your computer or a server which needs to stay powered on and reachable.

If you’re completely new to OpenClaw, you’ll want to set up your agent on a desktop or server first. Once that's ready, here's how to get the OpenClaw companion app running on your smartphone.

1. Download the app

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Download the correct app for iPhone or Android, depending on what phone you’re using.

2. Open the app

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Once it’s installed, tap on the app to open it.

3. Connect your agent

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Next, you’ll want to pair your phone with your AI agent, Follow the on-screen instructions and confirm your credentials. The easiest way to do this is to scan a QR code generated by your agent. It helps if you also have your gateway token handy.

In case you’ve forgotten your secret token, open your OpenClaw CLI and type openclaw dashboard --no-open.

4. Confirm access permissions

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After you’ve successfully paired your phone and OpenClaw agent, you’ll be shown a screen to determine the access levels. The more permissions you approve, the more tasks your agent will be able to complete, but consider what you’re comfortable sharing and what you’d rather keep private.

Tap allow to approve the relevant access permissions.

5. Start chatting

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If you’ve set everything up correctly, the OpenClaw app will display a confirmation message. Tap on go to chat to get started.

If your messages receive a response, the basic setup is complete. The next steps are where the mobile app becomes more interesting.

6. Using your camera and microphone

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A considerable advantage of having your phone connected to your AI agent is you can spontaneously whip it out of your pocket and send your agent a quick voice note or picture. That way you’ll never have to worry about forgetting your killer business idea that pop in your head when you’re on the go.

To send a voice note, click on the microphone button. To add a picture, click on the plus sign.

The iPhone app also includes an experimental voice-wake feature, which is supposed to let OpenClaw respond to a chosen wake phrase. Unfortunately, I could not get this to work during my testing.

7. Sync your calendar and contacts

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You can also ask your AI agent questions related to your phone’s calendar and contacts. To do this, click on OpenClaw’s settings and tap on permissions.

Then scroll down to the privacy and access tab, open the dropdown menu and tap on allow for the features you want to give your agent access to.

OpenClaw’s mobile calendar capability reads calendar information available on the phone rather than separately signing into your Google or Microsoft account.

Android users also have their own perks. You can enable notification forwarding to have your phone give live updates to your AI agent of what’s happening on your phone.

Don’t swat that ‘fly’: 5 safe ways to deter sweat bees from your yard without getting stung

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:45:00 +0000

Summer should mean enjoying your backyard without constantly watching for insects ready to sting. Sweat bees have other ideas. They're attracted to the salt in human perspiration, which is exactly why they're called sweat bees.

Unlike other bees that ignore you, sweat bees actively hunt your scent. They'll land on you, investigate, and sting if they feel threatened. You can, however, make your yard far less appealing to them through five straightforward methods. None of them harm the bees, they just redirect them elsewhere.

1. Plant fragrant herbs as a scent barrier

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Sweat bees despise certain smells. Mint, eucalyptus, and citronella confuse their senses and discourage them from settling in. Position these plants strategically around your patio or seating area to create an invisible barrier they won't cross.

The plants don't eliminate sweat bees from your entire yard—they make specific spaces less attractive.

This works because you're essentially masking the scents sweat bees are tracking. A dense cluster of mint along the edge of a deck or lining a patio perimeter creates an olfactory wall.

As a bonus, these herbs smell wonderful to humans and have culinary or medicinal uses beyond pest control.

2. Eliminate exposed soil where they nest

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Sweat bees burrow underground, preferring sandy soil and soft, exposed ground. If you have bare patches or sandy areas in your yard, mulch them. A deep, uniform layer of mulch, three to four inches, prevents the bees from accessing their preferred nesting sites. They'll move elsewhere rather than fight through the barrier.

Excessive mulching in wet climates can create conditions that attract other pests. But in most yards, mulching exposed ground solves the nesting problem while also improving soil health and plant growth.

3. Remove debris and clutter from your yard

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Fallen leaves, scattered branches, stacked wood, and garden clutter create perfect shelter for sweat bees. They build nests in these spaces, establishing colonies right where you're trying to relax. Regular yard maintenance disrupts this.

Clear fallen debris weekly during summer, store tools and equipment properly, and keep your outdoor space organized.

This step matters more than people realize. A cluttered yard signals to sweat bees that nesting opportunities exist. A tidy yard says move along.

4. Reduce standing water and damp spots

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Sweat bees need moisture. They drink from puddles, wet soil, and water-logged areas. If your yard has standing water from irrigation or poor drainage, it's a magnet. Fix drainage issues, let water run off quickly after watering, and eliminate puddles.

Birdbaths and pet water bowls should be checked daily and refreshed to prevent them from becoming sweat bee drinking stations.

This doesn't mean eliminating all moisture. You'll still need water for plants and other wildlife. Just prevent water from pooling or stagnating where sweat bees congregate.

5. Avoid attracting them to your body

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Sweat bees are uniquely attracted to the salt and moisture in human perspiration. Swap heavy cotton tops which trap sweat like a sponge for synthetic, moisture-wicking fabrics like polyester or nylon trail clothing.

These technical materials pull sweat away from your body and dry rapidly, effectively removing the scent cues that draw sweat bees straight to your skin.

The two common household products you should never use to clean your patio — according to an expert

Grace Dean — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 05:30:00 +0000

During summer, our outdoor areas get a lot more use. And while it's wonderful to be enjoying the patio area with friends and family, I know my patio has started to get a little messy. While I cleaned it up in spring, it's desperately asking me to give it another good scrub. But, it turns out, I may have made a common mistake before that I definitely want to avoid.

While I followed 7 simple steps to cleaning my patio without a pressure washer, I then grabbed a household item that, according to an expert, I should be avoiding.

And it turns out there's another item on the 'no-no' list that I should steer clear of too. Here are the patio cleaning mistakes you can avoid this summer when it's time to clean up dirt, spills, and general wear, thanks to expert advice.

Avoid these two household items

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Morgan Smith, director at porcelain garden tiles company Pegseo Stone, has advised there are two common products that people use when cleaning the patio that shouldn't be – white vinegar and bleach. While I use white vinegar for 'zero-effort' hacks like cleaning my microwave, it turns out the patio is one place I shouldn't take it.

Smith says: "White vinegar is highly acidic, so using it on certain patio materials can damage the surface itself rather than simply removing dirt." These certain materials include limestone and other calcareous pavers.

But, you should also be careful that you're not causing harm to any grass or flowerbeds nearby, Smith adds: "Any vinegar that runs into nearby borders can also damage grass and plants, meaning it can harm both the patio and the surrounding garden."

The same applies for bleach. As Smith explains, while it may give you a visual improvement, over time it can cause "lasting surface damage and further maintenance costs."

So, next time you head out to clean your patio, think before grabbing the white vinegar or bleach.

What to use instead

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Fortunately, there's an even simpler household item that you can use that shouldn't cause any damage to your patio – and that's an easy soap and water solution.

"Using warm water and soap is an effective option for general patio cleaning, particularly when used with a hard-bristled brush," Smith advises. "Start cleaning from the corners of the paving and move gradually inwards, allowing each section to be scrubbed and rinsed before moving on."

You'll want to opt for a soap that's eco-friendly though, meaning it avoids harmful chemicals to any flora, fauna and wildlife nearby.

This heavy duty brush is perfect for patio cleaning, equipped with a long handle and steel wire bristles to work on durable hard surfaces. Extendable up to 59-inches, you can scrub away without having to keep bending over.View Deal

Plus, if you're lucky enough to have a pressure washer handy, Smith says it's important to watch how forcefully you wash, advising: "too much force can damage the surface of the pavers."

Instead, Smith suggests sticking to a low-pressure setting and angling the pressure washer nozzle at 30-degrees, rather than pointing it directly at the pavers.

And one final tip is is to check the joints between each slab once you've done your cleaning: "Areas that have lost sand or pointing should be repaired to keep the paving secure and limit further deterioration."

I built a Claude agent to manage my inbox — and it changed how I handle email

Christoph Schwaiger — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 10:15:00 +0000

AI power users are heavily invested in prompting agents to autonomously work toward a goal, adjust course based on results, and repeat the cycle, a process often called a loop.

If you’re interested in trying this workflow, Claude is built to handle it. You can use the loop feature in Claude Code to run prompts on a recurring interval, or the schedule command in Claude Cowork to achieve the same result.

To find out how best to manage an inbox with AI, I spoke with Lamis Mukta, a member of technical staff at Anthropic, who said Claude Loops are proving especially popular.

“It's like you're no longer sending those prompts and triggering them yourself, but agents are kind of able to manage themselves and stay on goal for longer,” Mukta said. “So I think that's why people are excited about it.”

If there’s one recurring task AI was built to handle, it’s inbox management. While Claude offers several ways to repeat a prompt, Mukta specifically recommends running scheduled tasks in this case.

“The scheduled tasks run in the cloud, whereas loops rely on your laptop running,” Mukta explained.

In its documentation, Claude suggests using cloud tasks for work that should run reliably without your machine, and desktop tasks when you need access to local files and tools.

These features require a paid Claude plan, but if you’re interested in having Claude autonomously manage your inbox, here’s what you need to do.

How to use Claude scheduled tasks to manage your inbox

1. Sign in to Claude

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Sign in to the Claude account you want to be in control of your inbox. The email account that you will be monitoring does not necessarily need to match the email address associated with your Claude account. However, your browser and app must be signed into the same Claude account during setup.

For the purposes of this guide, I logged in using the Claude app. While button positions may vary, the same principles apply when using Claude on the web.

2. Enable the connectors

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Click on the plus symbol and enable the official Gmail connector. I’d also recommend connecting to your Google Calendar too so Claude can turn invites landing in your inbox into events.

If you’re connecting to Outlook, visit Microsoft’s marketplace and search for Claude for Outlook.

3. Set the schedule

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Before typing in your prompt, make sure you’re using the schedule feature. Type in /schedule or click on the plus sign to add the schedule skill. You’ll know the scheduling skill was enabled when the font color is different compared to that of the rest of your prompt.

If you strictly want your email manager to run on Claude Code and only when your device is running, then switch to Claude Code and use /loop instead.

Here’s your monthly reminder that you shouldn’t be prompting coding agents anymore.You should be designing loops that prompt your agents.June 7, 2026

4. Insert your prompt

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Think about how you’d like to have your inbox managed and describe your desired outcomes to Claude. Also specify how often you want your schedule to run. If your boss expects you to reply to their emails while they’re practically still drafts, maybe set the schedule to run every 5 minutes.

You can use a basic prompt to get started by typing: /schedule Scan my Gmail inbox every hour and review all messages since the previous run. Create draft replies for emails that require an answer and automatically add any invites to events to my Google Calendar.

It’s worth noting that Claude can prepare replies, but Gmail users must still review and send each draft themselves.

5. Confirm scheduled task

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You can easily confirm you’ve set everything up correctly through the scheduled tasks tab. If you see your inbox manager scheduled, then you’ve followed the previous steps correctly.

Getting even more out of Claude as your email manager

Using Claude to manage your inbox may feel like giving up control, but the benefits quickly outweigh the hesitation.

“I think I would find it hard to keep on top of the volume of stuff happening right now without [AI],” Mukta said. “We understand that sensitive information is contained in inboxes and calendars, but our systems are designed to, for example, ask permission every time they try and access this data, if that's what you want.”

To get the best results, teach Claude what critical emails look like, and what to ignore. You can also ask Claude to read your sent emails to match your tone. Granting access to Slack and Google Drive adds crucial context, allowing Claude to draft client replies with links to active documents or pull relevant inbox updates directly into team Slack messages.

If you are switching to Claude from another AI tool, start with your existing prompts.

“I would say the best thing is just migrate everything over, see how it's working, and Claude is really good at just like updating your prompts and skills for you if you need that,” Mukta added. Finding the right setup may take light experimentation.

“Maybe try Sonnet first, and then shift Opus if you need to,” Mukta suggested. “We have recently been rolling out our Cowork product across mobile as well, and so this will allow you even more power to manage your inbox also on the go.”

iOS 27 finally gives you total control over your iPhone lock screen — here's what to change first

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Your lock screen has always been Apple's canvas, not yours. iOS 27 changes that. Four new customization options hand control back to you, letting you expand photos to fit perfectly, generate custom wallpapers from scratch, reposition your clock, and banish distracting widgets.

For the first time, your Lock Screen can actually look like you designed it instead of like you accepted Apple's defaults. Here's what's new and how to use it.

Create wallpapers without leaving Settings

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Image Playground, Apple's AI image generation tool, now works directly from your Lock Screen settings. Go to Settings, Wallpaper, Add New Wallpaper and tap Image Playground. You can describe exactly what you want and let Image Playground create it.

You can also transform photos you already have, and you get full control over the aesthetic. When creating or editing an image, tap the arrows next to Any Style to choose from distinct looks like Animation, Illustration, Sketch, or ChatGPT.

Expand photos that don't quite fit

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Photos rarely match your Lock Screen's aspect ratio perfectly. Either they're too wide, too tall, or cropped wrong. iOS 27 fixes this with Extend, an AI feature that intelligently expands your image by generating content around the edges.

If a photo has a horizon line that's slightly tilted, Extend straightens it while adding matching sky or landscape. If a portrait photo is too tight on the subject, Extend adds more space around them while keeping everything looking natural.

The best part is that iOS 27 detects mismatched photos automatically. When you try to set a wallpaper that doesn't fit, the system suggests using Extend to fix it.

To use it, simply go to Settings, Wallpaper, Add New Wallpaper, and choose your photo. From here, tap the three dots, Extend Wallpaper and confirm by choosing Extend.

Dismiss the Now Playing widget when you want

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The Now Playing widget appears automatically whenever you're listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks. iOS 27 lets you remove it. When the widget appears on your Lock Screen, swipe left on the playback controls and swipe left. This instantly removes the widget from your Lock Screen and clears its indicator from the Dynamic Island.

Your audio keeps playing in the background, dismissing the widget doesn't stop playback. It just clears the clutter from your lock screen.

Move your clock to reclaim space

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Apple's clock dominates the lock screen by default, sitting front and center. iOS 27 lets you relocate it to the top row of widgets or shrink it significantly. Go to Settings, Wallpaper, Customize, and here you'll be able to switch up your clock. You can move it up to the widget row or reduce its size to free up space for your wallpaper.

This reclaims real estate for your wallpaper, which is especially useful if you're showcasing a photo you love. Your wallpaper becomes the focus instead of competing with time and date information.

'I'm so School of the Wolf': The Witcher's Doug Cockle on 21 years as the voice of Geralt of Rivia

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

The first thing Doug Cockle tells me about voicing Geralt of Rivia is that it once made him pass out.

Recording the grunts, impacts, and injuries of swordplay requires throwing the full breath of physical effort into a body standing still at a microphone. "You're putting all the breath effort in, but none of the physical action," he says. During one session, it caught up with him. "I didn't quite hit the floor. I lost my legs and caught a chair next to me." He had to pause and control his breathing before continuing.

It's a funny story, but it's also the job in miniature: total commitment, with a sliver held in reserve. Cockle drills a rule into his acting students: be "90% character and 10% actor." Ninety percent is the person on screen, ten percent is the professional staying on mic and managing breath. "You have to fully commit," he says, "and yet hold just enough back so that you don't fall over."

That tension between total commitment and restraint shaped how he built one of gaming’s most beloved characters. For years, the directive from above was that Geralt shouldn't feel anything at all. That Cockle fought for Geralt's heart from the start is one story. The older one is on his arm, and we'll get there.

Flatten him out

Cockle has been voicing Geralt since 2005. Doing the maths mid-sentence, he half-startles himself: "Gosh, 21 years. 21 years I've been voicing Geralt for the games." In that time he's recorded, by his estimate and that of his friend Borys at CD Projekt Red, somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 lines.

As he tells it, there were no English translations to work from and he'd never seen the Polish TV series. All he had was the developers describing the character to him, and their brief was stark. The Trial of the Grasses, the brutal mutation process that makes a Witcher, had stripped Geralt of emotion. He was to be played empty.

"The most frequent note I had," Cockle remembers, "was, 'No emotion, Doug. No emotion. Flatten him out."

He understood the brief thematically, but decided it was wrong. "A character with no emotions at all, how can we, as human beings, relate to that? We're not emotionless creatures." As an actor, he says, "we deal in emotions. That's a big part of telling the story." So he did what good actors do: he took the note, said yes, and then followed his own instincts anyway.

"I was like, 'Yes, I know, I get it, I'm trying, but he's got to have some kind of emotional life, or why would we care about him?'"

The reason he fought for Geralt's inner life was practical, a matter of how stories actually land on the people playing them. Geralt suppresses his emotions, Cockle believes, but he does it consciously, because his work will kill him if he lets feeling drive.

"He recognises that dichotomy in himself. He's an emotional being, he does have emotions, but he tries very hard to not let them dictate the actions that he takes." That, to Cockle, is the whole character: a man who chooses restraint. And restraint only means something if there's something underneath worth holding back.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The proof is Ciri. Finding her, protecting her, guiding her: the choices that define Geralt across The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt only make sense coming from a man who feels. "If he had no emotions," Cockle says simply, "he wouldn't make those choices." The Trial of the Grasses hardened him, yes, every Witcher who survives it comes out thinking, in Cockle's phrase, "This world is hard." But hardened is not hollow.

And that, he thinks, is exactly where the writing eventually went. Play from the first game through to the Blood and Wine expansions, Cockle says, and you can watch Geralt thaw across the sequels, with more friendships, more romance, more choices that only an emotional man would agonise over.

"As the series of games went on," he says, "the writers became more confident in the idea that he can be an emotional being and still be a little bit of a machine."

A guided improv

Part of what keeps that feeling alive is that Cockle is often meeting the lines for the first time as he says them. Scripts land in his inbox the night before, sometimes six pages, sometimes sixty, always too much to read in full. So he walks into the booth and sees most of his dialogue for the first time as he's about to speak it.

"It's like a guided improv," he says. "As an actor, you have to make quick, meaningful choices, sometimes while you're reading the line."

In a session he might rattle through five or six lines a minute, or spend two or three minutes wringing a single one. His first pass is sometimes his best, because he's experiencing the moment as it happens: "You're literally experiencing the line, and whatever the action of the character is, for the very first time."

Then he goes again, and again, learning something each pass: a shifted stress, a pause he didn't know the line needed until it was in his mouth. It's fast, it's collaborative, and it depends entirely on an actor willing to feel his way through a page he's barely seen. You can't flatten that out.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

The scenes that have stayed with him are the ones where the story's threads pull together: the moment Geralt finally finds Ciri, and a cutscene of a memory where he gives her a piggyback. "It's such a beautiful cutscene," he says. He doesn't want to spoil it. He talks about it the way a player would.

It shows in what he plays for fun. Off the clock, the actor hired to make Geralt feel nothing gravitates only to games that make him feel everything. He lights up about What Remains of Edith Finch. "Oh my god, that's my absolute favourite."

He talks the same way about smaller, sadder things: A Memoir Blue, about a woman reflecting on her mother, and Tin Hearts, a puzzle game set in a toymaker's workshop. Three hours into that one, he realised the violin threading through the soundtrack was the toymaker's late wife. "There's this beautiful story woven into this puzzle game," he says. "It's just lovely."

He has no time for the spectacle stuff. "I've never really been into, like, Fortnite," he shrugs. "I get why people love it. It's just not my jive. My jive is a really good story that gives you a tug on the heartstrings."

It's the same instinct that makes him bristle at AI in creative work. He's no doomer. AI reading a medical scan and catching a cancer earlier than any human could, he calls a "game-changer," the kind of thing that will be "miraculous and amazing." But art is a different matter.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

A machine "takes in information, combines it, and spits it out," he says. "That's not creativity." Creativity is taking everything you are and turning it into something that didn't exist until you made it. "Human expression has meaning."

The wolf came first

Which brings us, finally, to his arm. Long before Geralt, before CD Projekt Red, before any of it, a 21-year-old Doug Cockle walked into a tattoo parlour with his girlfriend, who was buying him one for his birthday. He could have gotten skulls, he laughs, or the word "Mom." What he got was a howling wolf.

It wasn't a Witcher reference. It was just the animal that had always spoken to him. As a kid he tore through Jack London, White Fang especially, and fell in love with wolves. His parents once gave him Of Wolves and Men, a naturalist's account of studying wolves in the wild in Alaska. He kept wolf-dogs, Inuk and Kinai, malamute mixes he adored. Ask him his spirit animal and there's no hesitation.

So when I point out the obvious, that he belongs to School of the Wolf, he cracks up. "Oh, I'm so School of the Wolf!"

He's wanted a Witcher tattoo for ten years now, and he's torn between crossed swords, the medallion, and the Signs in color. He hasn't committed yet. It has to be the right thing at the right time, he says, because it's a tattoo, and a tattoo is forever.

But the mark was already there. Years before he slipped into Geralt's boots, before anyone told him to flatten a man into something that couldn't feel, the wolf was on his skin. By the time CD Projekt came looking for a voice, he'd worn the Wolf for the better part of twenty years. All they did was hand him the swords.

Cast your vote then make your case in the comments. We'll let Doug know what you decided!

I tried deep-cleaning my white baseboards with vinegar — and brought back their bright white finish

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0000

I ignored my yellowing baseboards for months until the afternoon sun hit them just right, revealing a mix of dust, pet hair, scuffs, and grime. Once you see dirty trim, you really can't unsee it.

Wanting a quick fix without buying a cabinet full of chemical cleaners, I tested a classic household staple: plain white vinegar. Here is how I used plain white vinegar to deep-clean my baseboards in under 30 minutes, without stripping the paint or breaking a sweat.

Why vinegar cuts through baseboard grime

Vinegar works because its acidity breaks down the combination of pet hair, sticky buildup, and grime that normal dusting can't handle, helping you easily wipe the debris away. It does this without leaving chemical residue or a greasy film behind. As baseboards are low to the floor where odors settle, the deodorizing effect becomes particularly useful in homes with pets or heavy traffic.

The critical limitation is moisture. Too much liquid damages baseboards, particularly painted finishes and MDF. You need a damp cloth, not a soaking wet one. Before starting, test the solution on a hidden section. If your baseboards have chips, exposed wood, or delicate finishes, skip vinegar and use mild soap instead.

The cleaning process

Always prep your baseboards for cleaning by dusting with a dry microfiber cloth or duster. This matters more than people think. Removing loose dust first prevents you from turning it into paste with the vinegar solution.

Mix one cup of warm water with one to two tablespoons of white vinegar. The solution should smell like vinegar but not be overwhelmingly strong.

Dip a microfiber cloth in the solution and wring it out thoroughly, so it's damp, not wet. Then wipe from the top edge of the baseboard down, using gentle pressure.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If bending bothers your back, attach a microfiber cloth to a mop handle or extendable duster instead. Dip (or spray) your vinegar solution onto the cloth and glide along the baseboards while standing upright. You won't reach corners as easily, but for general grime removal it works well.

Corners trap the most grime, so I'd suggest wrapping your cloth around your finger to get into those tight spots. For scuff marks that won't budge, try a slightly stronger vinegar solution or add a tiny drop of dish soap to your damp cloth. The grime releases easier when you give it time to break down.

And, as mentioned earlier, don't leave moisture sitting on your baseboards. It causes swelling, streaks, and long-term damage, particularly on MDF. Grab a dry cloth and finish the job.

Keeping them clean without constant effort

Prevention is everything here. A quick monthly dust keeps things manageable, while a deeper vinegar wipe down every three to four months keeps baseboards looking like new. If you have kids or pets, bump that deep clean to once a month. Trust me, spending two minutes on a quick wipe during your normal cleaning routine saves you from an afternoon of heavy scrubbing later.

Those pretty purple flowers are secretly destroying your lawn — here's why wild violets outsmart every weed killer and what actually works

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Wild violets are the wolf in sheep's clothing of lawn weeds. In spring, their small purple flowers look charming enough that many homeowners leave them alone. By midsummer, you realize they've taken over.

The issue with wild violets is they're designed to trick you into failure. Their leaves have a waxy coating that repels standard herbicides. Underground, they've developed a network of tubers that survive pulling, mowing, and casual attempts at removal. By the time you realize it's a problem, they're already winning. Here's how to take your lawn back.

Why wild violets are so hard to kill

Those purple flowers are lovely, which is exactly why people ignore wild violets until it's too late. The real threat is underground. Wild violets develop rhizomes: tough, fleshy underground stems that store energy and keep the plant alive even when you think you've eliminated it.

Above ground, the leaves have a protective waxy layer that causes liquid herbicides to slide right off without penetrating.

This combination makes them nearly impossible to kill with casual effort. They also spread aggressively. Wild violets produce seed pods both above and below ground, meaning they're distributing seeds whether you see it happening or not.

If you've got wild violets in your yard, assume they're already further along than they appear.

Three mistakes that make wild violets worse

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Pulling by hand feels productive but it's counterproductive. When you tear off the leaves, the rhizome stays intact underground and sprouts back. You're essentially pruning the plant and encouraging regrowth. Hand-pulling only works if you excavate the entire root system, which is labor-intensive and often incomplete.

Spraying generic weed killer during the day fails because of that waxy leaf coating. The liquid just beads up and runs off. Even if you apply it correctly, spring application is far less effective than fall application. In spring, the plant is moving energy upward into new growth. In fall, it's drawing nutrients down into the root system, making herbicide more effective.

Mowing over wild violets accomplishes nothing. They grow low to the ground, below mower blade height. While mowing won't create new plants from leaf fragments, it does spread the mature seeds across your lawn, expanding the infestation.

Do this instead

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Add a surfactant to your herbicide. Mix dish soap or an agricultural surfactant into a triclopyr-based broadleaf herbicide. Wild violet leaves have a waxy coating that causes regular weed killers to simply slide right off. The surfactant breaks down that waxy barrier so the spray can actually stick to the leaf, soak in, and reach the root system.

If you do not have a commercial surfactant, a few drops of liquid dish soap work as a simple household alternative. Skipping this step is usually the difference between failure and success.

Timing matters more than most people realize. Apply herbicide in late summer to early fall when the plant is actively moving nutrients down into the root system. This ensures the herbicide travels where it needs to go. Spring application means the plant is too busy growing new leaves to transport herbicide effectively.

If you want to avoid chemicals, dig out the entire root ball. This requires excavating carefully, as wild violets have tough rhizomes sitting just below the soil surface. Get everything out or it'll regrow.

My lawn was completely fried after the heatwave — to save it I had to stop making these 3 mistakes

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

A week of brutal heat and your lawn turns brown. It looks fried. Looks dead. Your instinct is to do something: pull out the hose at sunset, grab fertilizer, lower the mower blade. These feel like solutions. They're not.

Most of that browning is dormancy, not death. Your grass is shutting down to survive the heat, which is exactly what it should do. The problem is that three specific mistakes can actually kill what dormancy doesn't. These mistakes are so common that most people don't realize they're doing them.

Here's what's going wrong and how to fix it before you accidentally kill what's still salvageable.

Stop watering at sunset

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Evening watering seems logical but it's counterproductive. Sprinkling for 10 or 15 minutes at sunset leaves your lawn damp overnight, creating ideal conditions for fungus and rot.

More critically, shallow watering only penetrates the top quarter-inch of soil, forcing grass roots to remain near the surface instead of growing deep into cooler, moisture-retaining soil. When heat hits the next day, these shallow roots scorch.

The solution is straightforward: water between 5 and 8 AM only, and apply deep waterings three times weekly, soaking 4 to 6 inches down.

This forces roots to develop deep enough to access cooler soil and resist heat stress. Use the tuna can method to measure: place an empty can on the lawn and water until it fills to one inch. That's your target.

Don't fertilize dormant grass

(Image: © Shutterstock)

This is the most damaging mistake homeowners make. Brown grass signals dormancy, not death.

The plant has intentionally shut down its metabolism to protect the crown and conserve resources. Applying heavy nitrogen fertilizer forces the grass to push soft new growth when it lacks the water reserves to support it. This burns out the root system entirely.

Do not apply synthetic fertilizers during summer heat. Instead, top-dress bare patches with rich compost or apply organic root-boosters like liquid kelp. These support root health without triggering dangerous leaf growth. Wait until fall temperatures drop before resuming regular fertilization schedules.

Raise your mower blade now

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Cutting grass short is a critical error during heat stress. Tall grass blades provide shade for the soil underneath. When you scalp the lawn short, direct sunlight bakes the topsoil, evaporating ground moisture in hours and exposing root crowns to extreme temperatures.

This also creates bare patches where heat-loving weed seeds like crabgrass germinate and establish.

Set your mower deck to 3.5 to 4 inches immediately. Taller grass reduces water evaporation by up to 30 percent, shades its own root system, and prevents crabgrass colonization. Yes, you'll mow more frequently, but your lawn will actually survive.

Google Maps is eating up your phone’s storage — here’s how to reclaim it

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:30:00 +0000

Google Maps is a staple for navigation, and while most people install it and forget it, the app can occasionally consume a surprising amount of storage.

On devices with limited 64GB or 128GB capacity, heavy users who download large offline maps or experience caching glitches may find the app using several gigabytes of space.

The storage bloat comes from multiple hidden sources working together: offline maps you've downloaded, location history data stored locally on your device, and cached searches and map tiles accumulating over time.

Here's what's actually consuming your storage and how to reclaim it.

Three things are secretly consuming storage

First, offline maps. If you've downloaded maps for cities you visit frequently to avoid using cellular data, they add up quickly. While single cities are small, saving multiple large regions or entire states can easily consume several gigabytes.

Second, the Timeline feature. Google recently moved your entire location history from cloud storage directly onto your phone, meaning years of historical travel data now lives on your device. Depending on how frequently you move around, this archive can quietly grow to hundreds of megabytes or more.

And lastly, cache data. The app constantly stores searches, navigation routes, map tiles, and page content. Over time, this background cache fails to clear itself properly and balloons into a significant storage hog.

How to reclaim your storage space

Whether you are on an iPhone or an Android device, taking back your storage is really straightforward,

1. Check your offline maps first

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

Open Google Maps and tap your profile icon in the top right. Select Offline Maps to see what you've downloaded and how much space each map uses. Delete maps you don't actively need. If you haven't visited that city in months, remove it.

While you're in the Offline Maps menu, disable the settings that automatically download more data. Turn off "Auto-update offline maps" and "Auto-download recommended maps."

Without these enabled, Google Maps won't continuously grab fresh map data in the background.

2. Review your Timeline storage usage

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

Timeline contains years of location history, which surprisingly adds up. Go to Google Maps, Profile, and Your Timeline to see how long it's been tracking you.

Before deleting Timeline data, back it up by pressing the cloud icon. This lets you preserve your location history while measuring exactly how much storage it actually uses. The actual amount varies significantly by person.

3. Clear the hidden cache that's eating space

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

Once you've ruled out offline maps and Timeline, cache is likely your culprit. Google Maps stores search history, navigation directions, map tiles, and cached page content. This cache isn't visible in normal storage menus, which is why it often goes unnoticed.

On iPhone, open Google Maps and tap your profile icon. Then go to Settings, About & Terms, and select "Clear Application Data." This erases cache, clears offline maps, and resets cookies.

On Android, go to your phone's Settings app, find Google Maps, tap Storage, then tap "Clear Cache." A "Clear Data" button is also available.

After clearing cache, restart your phone and check how much storage Google Maps now uses. In most cases, this solves the problem entirely.

How to disable iOS 27’s annoying auto-subtitles for good

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000

With iOS 27, subtitles now pop up automatically whenever a clip starts playing in Photos or Safari.

Apple introduced live transcription to help accessibility, but pushing it on everyone by default feels like an overreach. Worse still, the system constantly mishears dialogue, filling your display with useless text errors.

You end up constantly tapping the screen just to hide the captions manually. Thankfully, disabling this unwanted feature takes under a minute.

Disable subtitles in the moment

(Image: © Tom's Guide )

To turn off captions on a video you are currently watching, simply tap the screen to bring up the playback controls. Tap the three dots for More Controls, go to Subtitles, and select Off.

This temporary fix works for the moment, though captions will return on your next video.

Turn off automatic subtitles in Settings

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

To actually turn off subtitles, go to Settings, Accessibility, and Subtitles & Captioning. Under Automatic Subtitles, you'll see three toggles controlling when iOS forces captions on. Turn off whichever apply to you:

When Languages Don't Match stops captions from appearing when iOS thinks the video is in a foreign language. This is one of the biggest culprits since the detection is often wrong.

Show When Muted prevents subtitles from appearing just because your phone is silent. This is particularly annoying if you always keep your phone on mute.

Show on Skip Back disables captions when you rewind a video. You can control these individually instead of turning off all automatic subtitles, so if you actually want one behavior, keep it while disabling the others.

The 48-hour water trick that brought my heat-stressed lavender’s smell back

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:30:00 +0000

A sudden heatwave can turn even the healthiest lavender bush completely odorless overnight. When temperatures soar, the plant isn't dying. It is actively venting off its volatile oils to protect its foliage from intense thermal stress.

The natural instinct is to rush out and dump water on the soil at midday, but that only worsens root stress and delays scent production. Rebuilding those lost aromatic compounds requires working with the plant's natural biology rather than fighting it.

With a simple shift in your watering schedule and a deep hydration routine, you can help the plant cool down and start producing fresh scent again in just a few days.

Why high heat drains your plant's oil reserves

Before jumping into a fix, it helps to understand what is happening inside the plant. Lavender stores its fragrance within microscopic, pressurized sacs called glandular trichomes on the surface of its foliage. When temperatures surge, those volatile compounds, linalool specifically, begin to evaporate rapidly under direct sun exposure.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rather than running an intentional cooling mechanism, the plant simply loses its aromatic oils to high heat faster than it can replace them, leaving it odorless by late afternoon.

Watering during peak afternoon heat creates a stagnant, warm environment around the root zone. This excess moisture suffocates the roots and increases the risk of rot, leaving the plant too stressed to recover and regenerate its oils overnight.

Shift to a deep pre-dawn soak

If your lavender is baking in the sun and has lost its scent, your first instinct is to grab the hose and spray it down. Don't. Midday overhead watering creates a hot, humid environment that suffocates the roots.

Instead, the trick lies in a precise 48-hour hydration window.

First, wait until the sun goes down and the soil cools. Deliver a slow, targeted drink directly to the base of the plant using an open hose on a gentle trickle. This lowers the soil temperature gradually and allows the dry roots to drink without being shocked by midday heat.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The next morning at daybreak, give the base one more deep, deliberate soak. By saturating the lower soil layers before the sun hits the foliage, you create a moisture reserve the roots can safely draw from all day.

By avoiding the midday trap, your lavender's root system stays healthy and stress-free. With its hydration fully restored, the plant stops fighting for survival and restarts oil synthesis, bringing that rich, classic fragrance back to the leaves within 48 hours.

Wait for the fragrance to return

Once your deep-watering routine is in place, give the plant 48 hours to rebuild its resin glands. Avoid the temptation to prune off dead-looking stems during a hot stretch, as fresh cuts force the plant to divert critical energy toward healing.

By day two of consistent early-morning hydration, monitor the foliage during the cooler evening hours. Gently brush your fingers against the stems — not crushing them, but creating light friction. You will find that as root stress subsides, those microscopic oil sacs refill, delivering that signature, intense lavender fragrance right back to your backyard.

How to watch 'Ted Lasso' season 4 online — stream much-loved soccer comedy from anywhere

Adam Marshall — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Ted Lasso and the gang may be back, but AFC Richmond has a distinctly different feel around the place for season 4, with women taking center stage on the pitch as well as the boardroom. Below is all the information you need to watch “Ted Lasso" season 4 online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free.

'Ted Lasso' S4 streaming details, release date

"Ted Lasso" season 4 streams premiere on Wednesdays from August 5. Schedule below.
• Global streams — Apple TV (7-day free trial)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk-free

You can't keep Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and his irrepressible Kansas City spirit down for too long. And, although he crossed back over the pond to spend more time with his son at the end of "Ted Lasso" season 3, the new run features his Richmond return to helm a new project — the soccer club's women's team known as the 'Lady Greyhounds'.

With Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) by his side and the full backing of Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) upstairs, Ted is charged with taking the ailing Lady Greyhounds to glory, just like he did with the men's team. To do so, he'll first have to win around existing coach Alice (Tanya Reynolds), before getting the struggling players not just to play well, but to "Believe".

As ever, there'll be as much to enjoy off the pitch as on it, with Keeley (Juno Temple) and Roy's (Brett Goldstein) will-they-won't they romance and Ted's continuing battles with mental health weaving through the season. Read on to discover how to watch "Ted Lasso" season 4 online and from anywhere.

How to watch 'Ted Lasso' S4 online for free

“Ted Lasso" is an Apple TV original series. If you're new to the platform, you can take advantage of the platform's FREE 7-day trial. Time it right and that will let you watch all season 4 episodes absolutely free.

Traveling overseas? Access your usual services (or even sign up to their free trials) with NordVPN (save 75%).

How to watch 'Ted Lasso' season 4 around the world

"Ted Lasso" season 4 premieres globally on Apple TV on Wednesday, August 5. The remaining nine instalments will then drop weekly each Wednesday.

There's an Apple TV 7-day free trial for new customers in most territories, and new Apple purchases often come with 1-3 months of Apple TV for free.

After that, prices for the streaming platform is as follows:

🇺🇸 In the U.S. prices start at $12.99/month.
🇨🇦 In Canada prices start at CA$14.99/month.
🇬🇧 In the U.K. prices start at £9.99/month.
🇦🇺 In Australia prices start at AU$15.99/month.

If Apple TV is blocked where you are, NordVPN will help you to access your streams as if you were back home.View Deal

Watch 'Ted Lasso' season 4 from anywhere in the world

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching "Ted Lasso" S4 on your Apple TV subscription?

You can still watch the show thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best VPN on the market:

NordVPN deal: 3 months extra FREE

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Use NordVPN to unblock your usual streaming service and watch "Ted Lasso" S4 with this exclusive deal.View Deal

'Ted Lasso' season 4 episodes & schedule

Season 4 of "Ted Lasso" will run for ten episodes, with the confirmed premiere dates and titles below:

Episode 1: "Home" — Wednesday, August 5
Episode 2: "Curiouser and Curiouser!" — Wednesday, August 12
Episode 3: "Richmond's Got Talent" — Wednesday, August 19
Episode 4: "Greyhound's Day Off" — Wednesday, August 26
Episode 5 — Wednesday, September 2
Episode 6 — Wednesday, September 9
Episode 7 — Wednesday, September 16
Episode 8 — Wednesday, September 23
Episode 9 — Wednesday, September 30
Episode 10 — Wednesday, October 7

'Ted Lasso' season 4 trailer

'Ted Lasso' season 4 cast

Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso
Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton
Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent
Brendan Hunt as Coach Willis Beard
Juno Temple as Keeley Jones
Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins
Tanya Reynolds as Alice Chilton
Abbie Hern as Gemma
Faye Marsay as Lizzie
Jude Mack as Boots
Rex Hayes as Siobhan
Aisling Sharkey as Niamh
Mercedes Assad as Margy
Shannon Hayes as Shannon
Annelise Heywood as Mady

More from Tom's Guide

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

No plant sitter? Here's how I kept 10+ houseplants alive while on vacation

Alice Carroll — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Managing a collection of over 10 houseplants is rewarding, until you plan a getaway and realize you have no one to watch them.

Asking a neighbour to tend to a full indoor jungle feels like a huge ask, but going sitterless doesn't mean leaving your greenery to wither. Over the years, I’ve refined a low-effort prep routine that successfully keeps every single pot in my home alive and well until I return.

In fact, after my last trip, my spring onions had sprouted higher than ever! Whether you're heading off for a short weekend break or an extended summer vacation, here is the exact strategy I use to holiday-proof my entire collection without calling in favors.

1. Relocate and group your plants

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Move your pots back from sunny window sills into the interior of the room. When plants receive less direct sunlight, their metabolism slows down, meaning they drink much less water.

Grouping them close together also creates a microclimate: as water evaporates from the foliage and soil, it builds a localized moisture bubble of humidity that keeps all of them happier for longer.

2. Give them a thorough soak

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Water your plants deeply until liquid runs freely out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pots. Crucially, let the pots drain completely in the sink or tub before returning them to their saucers.

You want fully saturated soil, not stagnant water that rots the roots.

3. Hold the fertiliser

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Your instinct might be to give your plants a little extra food before you go to keep them strong, but resist the urge. Fertiliser encourages active, rapid growth, which makes plants significantly thirstier and rapidly drains the moisture from their soil. Save the plant food for when you get back.

4. Inspect and clean the foliage

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Wipe down both sides of the leaves with a damp cloth to clear away dust, looking closely for any lingering pests like spider mites or mealybugs. Unchecked bugs can multiply rapidly and cause serious damage when there's no one around to catch them early.

5. Mulch the topsoil

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Add a thin layer of mulch right on top of the soil — think of it as tucking your plant in before you leave!

Choose damp sphagnum moss for moisture-loving tropicals (like ferns or peace lilies), bark chips for chunky-soil lovers (like monsteras or philodendrons), or pebble mulch for indoor succulents and snake plants.

This protective layer traps soil moisture, dramatically slowing down evaporation.

For longer trips...

(Image: © Shutterstock)

If you prefer a ready-made solution over DIY hacks, decorative glass or plastic watering globes are a brilliant, battery-free gadget for frequent travelers. Simply fill the globe with water, use a pencil to make a small pilot hole in the moist soil, and insert the stem near the base of the plant at a slight angle.

Like a drip irrigation system, the globe slowly dispenses water as the soil dries, allowing the roots to absorb moisture as needed without the risk of waterlogging.

These colorful, watering devices can automatically distribute water to your plants when the soil gets dry, ensuring healthy plants. These hand blown bulbs are made from durable glass and are rust free so can be placed outdoors too. Plus, they make a stunning addition to your plant pots. View Deal

Forget high-maintenance houseplants: A DIY terrarium is a gorgeous centerpiece that thrives on neglect

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 07:30:00 +0000

There's a particular kind of satisfaction in tending something small and green that you built with your own hands. A terrarium delivers exactly that — a miniature garden sealed under glass, alive and quietly thriving on your desk or windowsill.

And while the ones lined up in homeware shops carry surprisingly steep price tags, the truth is you can assemble your own for a fraction of the cost in an afternoon.

No garden required, no green-fingered pedigree, no expensive kit. Just a glass container, a few handfuls of the right materials, and plants chosen to suit the world you're creating.

Start with the right container

Almost any clear glass vessel will do, which is where the savings begin. A wide-mouthed jar, a recycled sweet jar, a fishbowl or even a clean pasta sauce jar can all become the walls of your tiny world.

Wide openings make planting easier and suit dry-loving plants, while tall, narrow or lidded containers trap humidity and lean towards a lush, jungle feel. Give whatever you choose a proper wash and let it dry completely before you start, so nothing clouds the glass later.

Choose your style, then your plants

This decision shapes everything else, so make it before you buy a single plant. An open terrarium (no lid, plenty of airflow) suits succulents, cacti and air plants that like things dry and bright. Echeveria, haworthia and small cacti are forgiving and slow-growing.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

A closed terrarium traps moisture and recreates a humid, rainforest-like climate that mosses, ferns, fittonia and creeping fig adore, and it's famously low-maintenance because it largely waters itself in a gentle loop.

Whichever you pick, buy small: young plants in the tiniest pots your garden center sells, or cuttings from things you already own, keep the cost down and give the arrangement room to grow into itself rather than bursting out of the glass within weeks.

Just don't mix thirsty and drought-loving species in one jar, because that rarely ends well.

Build your layers from the bottom up

A terrarium is built in layers, each with a job to do. Start with an inch or two of pebbles or gravel at the base for drainage, so roots never sit in water. Add a thin scattering of activated charcoal next, which keeps the whole thing fresh and helps stave off mold.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Some people lay a fine mesh or a layer of moss over that to stop soil sinking into the stones, though it's optional.

Finally, spoon in your potting mix, a good few inches deep, enough for roots to settle. Reach for cactus compost on open builds and a peat-free houseplant mix for closed ones.

Plant, arrange and style

Now the fun part. Make small wells in the soil and lower each plant in, firming it gently — a long spoon, a pencil or a pair of kitchen tongs works beautifully if your container is narrow.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Arrange taller plants towards the back or center and trailing ones near the edge, leaving a little breathing room between them.

Then style it like a room: a few decorative pebbles, a piece of driftwood, a scatter of moss or a single interesting stone can turn a jar of plants into something that looks properly designed. Resist the urge to overcrowd here.

Set yours somewhere with bright but indirect light, never a scorching south-facing sill, which will cook the plants behind glass.

Closed terrariums need watering only occasionally. If the glass fogs up constantly, lift the lid for a day to let it breathe. If it never fogs at all, add a light misting.

Open ones want a small drink every week or two, aimed at the soil rather than the leaves. Snip back anything that outgrows its home, and that's very nearly the whole job.

A small world of your own

Tally it up and the math is compelling. A finished terrarium from a homeware shop can cost as much as a nice dinner out, while a homemade one comes together from a repurposed jar, a bag of gravel, a handful of charcoal, some compost and a couple of small plants — most of which you can reuse or already have lying around.

Beyond the saving, you end up with something no shop-bought version can offer: a small green world you made yourself, that asks for almost nothing and rewards you every time you look at it.

I tried the new Galaxy AI video tracker on my Z Fold 8 — and it fixes my biggest problem with phone videos

Sanuj Bhatia — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 05:00:00 +0000

I'm far from a good videographer (which is one of the reasons I've remained a writer-first in this era of Reels, TikToks, and Shorts). But that doesn't mean I don't record videos on my phone. Whenever I'm at a concert, a game, or any kind of event, I still find myself pulling out my phone to capture the moment.

The problem is that I'm terrible at keeping the camera locked on my subject. Filming a performer from way out in a crowd is quite difficult, especially when you're zoomed in.

Samsung's new foldable phones come with a new Galaxy AI video tracker feature that is designed to solve exactly that problem. I spent some time trying it on my Galaxy Z Fold 8, and I can confidently say it made filming way easier — even if there's still one thing I'd like Samsung to improve.

How Samsung's My FanCam AI feature actually works

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Tom's Guide)

What My FanCam essentially does is take away the stress of trying to keep a moving subject perfectly framed throughout a video. Instead of manually tracking someone while you're recording, Galaxy AI can detect a person in your video after you've finished filming and automatically follow them throughout the clip.

The end result is a new video that stays focused on that one person, almost as if someone had tracked them with the camera the entire time.

Using it is fairly straightforward. First, record a video using the Camera app on your Galaxy phone as you normally would. Once you're done, open the video in the Samsung Gallery app, tap the Galaxy AI icon, and select My FanCam.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Tom's Guide)

Galaxy AI will then scan the video and detect the different people in the frame. Once it's finished, you'll see touch targets appear over each detected person. Simply tap the subject you want Galaxy AI to follow.

Before exporting the video, Samsung also lets you choose the aspect ratio. For vertical videos, 9:16 is selected by default, but you can also choose options like 1:1, 3:4, and a few others.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Tom's Guide)

Once you've made your selection, tap Follow, and Galaxy AI will generate a brand-new video that keeps your chosen subject in frame throughout the clip. You can then preview the result and, if you're happy with it, Save Copy to your gallery.

My FanCam worked far better than I expected during my testing

In my testing, the feature worked great and kept track of my subject impressively well. In a way, it reminded me of Apple's Center Stage, except instead of working during live video calls, My FanCam works on pre-recorded videos, and it works on multiple people in the same clip.

The AI processing itself is also fairly quick. Samsung says the processing time depends on the length of the clip, but all of the videos I tested were processed within a matter of seconds.

Another nice touch is that it works on older videos already sitting in your gallery, so you're not limited to footage you shot after you got your new phone. This means you can go back and create FanCam videos from footage you've already captured.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Tom's Guide)

My biggest complaint right now is that it's exclusive to the Galaxy Z8 series phones. And the cameras, at least on the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8, aren't the sharpest. That means if you're tracking a subject that's far away, the footage can come out looking slightly pixelated once the feature crops and zooms into your subject.

I think Samsung could take this feature a step further by using Galaxy AI to enhance the final output, especially when the video has been cropped heavily. A little AI sharpening or detail enhancement can take this feature up a notch.

Even so, I still love the feature in its current form. The fact that Samsung is using AI to automatically track a subject after you've already recorded the video is incredibly useful. I also think it would make even more sense on higher-end Galaxy phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra, where the better camera hardware would give the AI much more detail to work with.

How to watch WWE SummerSlam 2026: live stream wrestling online; start time, card, storylines and predictions

Andrew Pollard — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

With an exciting two-day event put together, WWE SummerSlam 2026 has 12-match card lined up for its patented Biggest Party of the Summer. Here's how to watch WWE SummerSlam 2026 online and on TV, and from anywhere with a VPN.

WWE SummerSlam 2026 start time and date

• Date: Saturday, 1st August & Sunday, 2nd August
• Start time: 6 p.m. ET / 3p.m PT / 11 p.m. BST / 5 a.m. AEST (Sunday & Monday)
• U.S. — Watch on ESPN via Fubo (5-days free)
• RoW — Watch on Netflix
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk-free

From Minneapolis, Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium, WWE SummerSlam 2026 brings some explosive main event matches, plenty of gold on the line, a hotly anticipated ladder match, a Hell in a Cell war, and plenty, plenty more.

So, with that said, here's our full guide to where to watch WWE SummerSlam 2026 live streams online and potentially for free in the U.S.

How to Watch WWE SummerSlam for free

Although most of the world requires a Netflix subscription, fans in the U.S. can watch SummerSlam with various free trials – our pick being the Fubo 5-day free trial (Fubo carries ESPN).

Other options include the YouTube TV and DirecTV free trials.

Outside the States? If you're traveling outside America, you can use Nord VPN to access Fubo from anywhere. More on that below.

How to watch WWE SummerSlam 2026 live streams from anywhere

Watching WWE SummerSlam 2026 live streams can get a bit confusing if you're abroad. You might find yourself geo-blocked from your usual streaming services. NordVPN fixes that, allow you to watch your streams from anywhere – it's the best VPN we've tested.

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How to watch WWE SummerSlam 2026 live stream in the U.S.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

WWE Premium Live Events like WWE SummerSlam 2026 are now exclusively streamed on ESPN in the United States.

No cable? Fubo, Hulu+ Live TV and DirecTV customers can get the ESPN Unlimited Plan included as part of their standard package.

Subscribed to ESPN but traveling over the weekend? You can use a VPN such as NordVPN to access your domestic streaming services from anywhere.

How to watch SummerSlam in U.K., Canada and Australia

Wrestling fans in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and various other countries outside of the U.S. can watch WWE SummerSlam 2026 live on Netflix, the home of WWE around the world.

The cheapest Netflix prices in select countries are as follows:

Australia – AU$9.99/month
Canada – CA$7.99/month
New Zealand – NZ$17.99/month
U.K. – £5.99/month

Traveling in the U.S. and don't want to pay for ESPN? You can use NordVPN to access your Netflix subscription from anywhere in the world.

WWE WWE SummerSlam 2026 predictions and storylines

(Image credit: WWE)

WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night 1
Hell in a Cell Match: Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar
Singles Match: Nick Aldis vs. Gunther
Six-Man Tag Team Match: LA Knight, Solo Sikoa & Royce Keys vs. The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu)
Six-Woman Tag Team Match: The Bellas (Nikki Bella, Brie Bella) & Paige vs. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid)
WWE Women's World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. IYO SKY
WWE Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night 2
Human Monies on a Pole Match: Danhausen vs. Dominik Mysterio
Singles Match: Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn
WWE United States Champion Match: Trick Williams (c) vs. Baron Corbin
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable
Five-Woman Interim WWE Women's Championship Ladder Match: Charlotte Flair vs. Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Chelsea Green vs. Lash Legend or Giulia
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins

WWE heads to Minneapolis, Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium this weekend for the second of the company's two-day SummerSlam PLEs.

In the main event matches, WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes headlines Night 1, while World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins closes out Night 2. Both contests have plenty of history at play, with Punk and Rhodes' tensions simmering in recent weeks, while Reigns and Rollins have been on-again, off-again allies-turned-rivals dating back to their days in The Shield.

As for the rest of SummerSlam's major title matches, Women's World Champion Liv Morgan puts her gold on the line against the woman who defeated her in this year's Queen of the Ring tournament final, IYO SKY; Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, Chelsea Green, and Lash Legend or Giulia square off in a Ladder Match to crown the Interim WWE Women's Champion; Trick Williams defends the United States Championship against the recently returned Baron Corbin; and hometown hero Chad Gable looks to win his first piece of singles gold as he challenges Penta for the Intercontinental Championship.

Away from those title bouts, there's Danhausen and Dominik Mysterio going one-on-one in a Human Monies on a Pole Match; Sami Zayn and Finn Balor are out to determine who will become the new No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship; SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis laces up his boots for his first WWE match, taking on Gunther; LA Knight teams with Solo Sikoa and Royce Keys to battle The Usos and Jacob Fatu; Fatal Influence takes on Paige and The Bella Twins; and then there's the tiny matter of Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi colliding inside Hell in a Cell.

My phone kept overheating at the beach — here’s how I fixed it (and prevented permanent damage)

Alice Carroll — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

When I visited the beach in Malaga last year, I forgot to bring a book. No problem, I figured, I’d browse on my phone to entertain myself. I spread out my towel, applied sunscreen, and opened my email, but before long, a notice appeared saying my phone was overheating.

I flopped over onto my stomach to shade the phone with my face, but a couple minutes later, a second overheating notice appeared, and the phone turned off. So much for taking some pictures of the beach.

Now that I’ve learned my lesson and know how to keep my phone from getting overheated, I've put together these tips to prevent your phone from shutting down, too.

1. Remove the case

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

Most cases trap a phone’s heat rather than letting it dissipate into the air. While a phone’s outer metal or glass back helps release heat, a case gets in the way.

2. Turn off unused functions (and use low power mode)

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

Turn off functions and features you aren’t using, close apps, and put the phone on low power mode. If your phone is using less energy, it will be less likely to overheat.

3. Avoid fast charging

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Don’t fast-charge your phone when it’s at risk of overheating. Sending high-voltage electricity into an already warm battery accelerates heating and so can exacerbate the problem.

4. Keep it in the shade

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

Keep your phone in the shade. Keeping your phone out of direct sunlight will help maintain a lower temperature and prevent overheating.

There are also some important things you shouldn’t do to cool your phone, or you’ll risk damaging it.

How to safely cool it down

It might sound ridiculous to say "don't put your phone in the freezer," but when a device shuts down in the blazing sun, panic takes over, and reaching for an ice pack suddenly feels like a stroke of genius.

Unfortunately, rushing to freeze your hot phone does far more damage than the heat ever could.

Tossing your phone into the fridge or freezer triggers rapid temperature drops that force moisture to condense inside the sealed device, causing severe water damage, battery failure, or a cracked screen.

Similarly, resting your phone directly on an ice pack thermal-shocks the lithium-ion battery, which can permanently ruin its capacity or cause the battery to swell.

Instead of subjecting your phone to extreme cold, let steady airflow do the heavy lifting. The best fix is simply placing your phone on a flat, hard surface in front of a fan or on a cooling pad. Moving air draws heat away from the body quickly and safely, without the risk of internal moisture.

How I use Google Maps to time travel, avoid bad air, and survive zero service

David Crookes — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Google Maps has become one of life’s essentials thanks to a host of features that make navigation feel effortless. I use it as a matter of routine when I’m driving, even if I know where I’m going — it flags up problems, offers alternative routes, and gives an accurate ETA. But Google Maps does so much more than basic directions.

The more I use and explore the app, the more impressed I become (and I love checking out the hidden tricks uncovered by the Tom’s Guide team!). While it’s packed with tools, there’s a handful of features I rely on above all others because they’ve proven, time after time, to save my trips.

Here are five of my absolute favorites. I hope they help you out, too.

1. Go back in time

(Image: © Tom's Guide )

Think time travel is confined to the land of make-believe? It’s actually possible in Google Maps if you use Street View. This feature lets you see how an area has changed over time, making it easy to check a property's history, monitor construction projects, or simply reminisce. As long as Google has historical imagery available, you can go back years, if not decades.

To activate it, search for a location or hold your finger on the map to drop a pin. Next, tap the preview image that appears on the screen.

Now click on See more dates and you’ll be able to swipe through the timeline carousel and select a past year.

2. Check out a location

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

When traveling somewhere unfamiliar, I always like to check out the destination before I arrive. Scouting out parking lots and getting a visual on the building beforehand ensures the final leg of the journey is far less stressful, and saves a chunk of time once you get there.

For this, alongside Street View, I make use of Immersive View. It’s not available everywhere just yet, but it’s always a treat when you can use it.

Enter the name of a city such as London, Tokyo, or New York, and tap a landmark icon.Then look in the photos section and select Immersive View, if it's available. This allows you to swipe left and right to explore the area or zoom in and out.

You can get a birds eye view of an area, find the entrance to buildings and amenities with ease and see what’s nearby with clear labels. It’s really quick to navigate and certainly worth checking out.

3. Monitor air quality

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

If I’m going to spend a lot of time outdoors, especially if I’m going for a run, I like to know the quality of the air I'm breathing.

With Google Maps, just search a destination and tap the Layers icon near the top right. Selecting Air Quality gives you an instant, color-coded map with an easy-to-read scale based on real-time station measurements.

Tap any area to see specific health concerns, who might be at risk, and what precautions you should take.

4. Create lists

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

Google Maps is a great tool to plan an entire trip. There’s loads of information about locations of interest with reviews, prices, images and more. By creating your own lists, you’re able to bring relevant information together and they don’t take very long to put together, either.

Simply tap a location of interest and select the bookmark icon. You’ll have the option to start a new list but you can also use a pre-made list such as ‘Want to go’, ‘Favorites’ and ‘Starred places’. Whenever you add a location to a list, you can add a note.

When you view your list (select the You tab at the bottom of the screen and select the list), you’ll find your selected locations are highlighted on the map, so you can easily identify them.

5. Access Google Maps offline

(Image: © Tom's Guide)

It can be frustrating, and a little unnerving, to lose cellular coverage right when you need directions. If I know an area is going to be patchy, I always plan ahead and download offline access to Google Maps. It does require sufficient phone storage (something I’m rapidly running out of!), but for total peace of mind on the road, it’s a trade-off I’m always willing to make.

Anyway, offline access is easy. Enter an address then swipe up to view the card. Swipe left and you should see an option to tap Download offline map. If not, keep swiping, select More and the option will be there.

To use that map, just use Google Maps as you normally would. The app will detect if its needs the download and use it automatically.

I cut my curly hair routine from 2 hours to 20 minutes. Here’s the 'lazy girl' method that'll help you do the same

kaycee.hill@futurenet.com (Kaycee Hill) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:30:00 +0000

For the last three years, my Sunday nights weren't dedicated to winding down or reading a book. They were spent performing what felt like unpaid physical labor in my bathroom.

If you’ve ever fallen down the rabbit hole of TikTok wash day tutorials or 20-minute YouTube videos on the Curly Girl Method, you know the exact ritual I’m talking about.

It’s an agonizing, multi-step sensory nightmare: specialized styling tools, four layered leave-ins, and a temporary vow of silence while bent double, upside down in a steamy shower trying to master the praying hands technique.

Somewhere along the line, social media convinced us that having curls requires a degree in chemistry, a bank loan, and a strict regimen of mechanical micromanagement. Call it self-care if you want, but enough was enough.

Cost of the curly girl method

Between clarifying shampoos, co-washing, deep conditioning masks, and bottles of specialized serum, following a TikTok-approved routine can easily set you back hundreds of dollars before you've even turned the shower on.

To test just how much of my life this routine was swallowing, I timed the process from the moment I turned on the shower tap to my final diffuse. The stopwatch clocked in at two full hours. Two hours! For curls that didn't last the week, even with a cast set and bonnet worn.

So, I stripped the entire routine down to its bare mechanics. It turns out, 70% of the lauded routines contain so many unnecessary steps. I chopped my routine from 120 minutes to twenty, and my curls have never had more volume, bounce, or definition.

If you’re ready to reclaim your time and money, here is the exact steps to follow.