Tech
VPN company cancels lifetime plans for customers who already paid for the service

Sometimes when a new app or Software as a Service (SaaS) launches, the company behind the product offers a "lifetime plan" for their very first customers. These lifetime deals for early adopters are usually priced at a premium, or what it would cost for multiple years of a subscription to the service.
One important thing to note about these plans is that "lifetime" means the life of the company or service, not the customer's lifetime. Companies can fail and that lifetime deal would then no longer be active. On the other hand, customers are drawn to lifetime plans because if the app or service takes off, that early adopter has locked themselves in at that one-time price indefinitely while everyone else pays a monthly or yearly subscription.
However, what happens when a product is successful, doesn't shut down, but simply gets sold to a buyer who allegedly was unaware that they were acquiring a service with lifetime deal customers?
Unfortunately, those who paid for a lifetime deal to the VPN service VPNSecure are learning what happens the hard way.
VPNSecure boots lifetime deal customers
As reported by Ars Technica, VPNSecure lifetime deal customers were first notified on April 28 that their lifetime plans were being deactivated. VPNSecure offered no advance notice, as the company has since acknowledged, and simply deactivated the service for its lifetime customers on the same day it sent the deactivation emails.
According to the new owners of VPNSecure, the company was acquired in May 2023 and the previous ownership allegedly did not provide any details regarding VPNSecure's lifetime deal customers.
"Unfortunately, the previous owner did not disclose that thousands of Lifetime Deals (LTDs) had been sold through platforms like StackSocial," VPNSecure explained in its notification to lifetime deal customers. "We discovered this only months later—when a large portion of our resources were strained by these LTD accounts and high support volume from users, who through part of the database, provided no sustaining income to help us improve and maintain the service."
Furthermore, the new VPNSecure owners claim that they simply acquired "the tech, the brand, and the infrastructure/technology—but none of the company, contracts, payments, or obligations from the previous owners.”
StackSocial is a tech marketplace where software developers offer discounts or lifetime deals for their apps or services. VPNSecure had offered lifetime deals through StackSocial and StackSocial's affiliates as recently as 2022. Customers paid around $30 for the lifetime plan.
Further complicating matters, outlets like Ars Technica and TechRadar reported that the current ownership of VPNSecure appears to be obscured. VPNSecure's website lists InfiniteQuant Ltd as its parent company, however the Bahamas-based firm claims they are not affiliated with the VPN service. VPNSecure's terms of service have listed Dubai-based HOLDXB Trading FZCO and Australia-based Boost Network Pty Ltd at different times, however, neither entity appears to have a contact listed online.
VPNSecure lifetime customers who want to continue using the service were offered a discounted subscription rate. However, since cancelling the lifetime deal, VPNSecure has been bombarded with negative reviews on social media like Reddit and on review platforms like Trustpilot so it doesn't seem like many will be taking advantage of that offer.
Tech
The best-selling $169 AirPods Pro deal is back — grab em while you can

SAVE $80: As of Aug. 9, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $169 at Amazon. That's 32% off their list price of $249.
The battle of the best earbuds is a pretty tough race, but the AirPods Pro are still a huge standout — especially now that they feature USB-C charging. And we love them even more when they're on sale.
As of Aug. 9, the AirPods Pro 2 are down to just $169 at Amazon instead of the usual $249. That's a savings of 32% and just $20 shy of their best-ever price from Prime Day. The Apple earbuds do fall to $169 pretty regularly, but that doesn't mean this isn't a solid deal. That's only $40 more than the AirPods 4 at full price, which don't even offer noise cancellation.
We particularly love the rich and well-balanced sound of the AirPods Pro, although we wish they offered customizable EQ. They also offer best-in-class noise cancellation, decent battery life (up to six hours per charge, 30 hours with case), and seamless Apple ecosystem integration. The Pros regularly top our lists of the best headphones, and our readers seem to love them just as much. "For portability, active noise cancellation, and balanced sound, your search ends with the AirPods Pro," our reviewer writes.
Tech
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 9, 2025

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, 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 the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections Sports Edition?
The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
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.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
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.
Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
-
Yellow: Ways to throw a baseball
-
Green: Hockey fouls
-
Blue: Women's hockey
-
Purple: Roll Tide QBs
Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
-
Yellow: Baseball Pitching Arm Slots
-
Green: Hockey Penalties
-
Blue: PWHL Teams
-
Purple: Former Alabama QBs
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 Sports Edition #320 is…
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today
-
Baseball Pitching Arm Slots – OVERHAND, SIDEARM, SUBMARINE, THREE-QUARTERS
-
Hockey Penalties – BOARDING, CROSS-CHECKING, HOOKING, INTERFERENCE
-
PWHL Teams – CHARGE, FLEET, FROST, SIRENS
-
Former Alabama QBs – NAMATH, STABLER, STARR, YOUNG
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.
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 the latest Connections.
Tech
Microsoft is shutting down its Lens PDF scanner app
Microsoft is quietly winding down its Lens scanning app for iOS and Android, the company confirmed in a support document.
Formerly known as Office Lens, the app lets users convert images into PDFs, PowerPoint slides, and Excel files, handling both handwritten and printed documents with ease. It was simple, reliable, and widely used — but it’s now on the chopping block. Microsoft plans to officially retire the app on Sept. 15, 2025.
Support will end on Nov. 15, 2025, when Lens will be pulled from both the App Store and Google Play. Users will still be able to create scans until Dec. 15, 2025, but after that, the feature will be disabled. Existing scans will remain accessible as long as the app stays installed on the device.
The move marks the end of an app that’s seen more than 50 million downloads on Google Play and nearly 136,000 ratings on Apple’s App Store.
Microsoft is pointing users toward Microsoft 365 Copilot, which carries over most of Lens’s scanning capabilities. However, Copilot lacks some of Lens’s biggest perks, including direct saving to Microsoft Suite apps and accessibility features like read-aloud support and Immersive Reader integration.
-
Entertainment5 months ago
New Kid and Family Movies in 2025: Calendar of Release Dates (Updating)
-
Tech5 months ago
The best sexting apps in 2025
-
Tech6 months ago
Every potential TikTok buyer we know about
-
Tech6 months ago
iOS 18.4 developer beta released — heres what you can expect
-
Politics6 months ago
DOGE-ing toward the best Department of Defense ever
-
Tech6 months ago
Are You an RSSMasher?
-
Politics6 months ago
Toxic RINO Susan Collins Is a “NO” on Kash Patel, Trashes Him Ahead of Confirmation Vote
-
Politics6 months ago
After Targeting Chuck Schumer, Acting DC US Attorney Ed Martin Expands ‘Operation Whirlwind’ to Investigate Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia for Calling for “Actual Weapons” Against Elon Musk