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16 of the best Squarespace templates for bloggers and beyond

Editor's note: Squarespace recently announced Squarespace Refresh, its annual release of new features and updates (including video monetization and custom merch tools). We'll be updating this content with additional information in the weeks to come.

If you’ve listened to any podcast ever, you already know the spiel: Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder that makes it easy to create a professional-looking online presence. Numbers-wise, it’s the second most popular web builder out there (after Wix) and the third most popular hosting service (after Wix and Shopify), supporting more than 2.8 million live websites across the internet at the time of publication.

One of the primary reasons why Squarespace has seen this success — well, aside from all of those Ira Glass-narrated ad slots — is that you don't need any web design or coding experience to get a beautiful site up and running on its platform. With intuitive drag-and-drop building elements and a vast selection of ultra-modern templates, it's easily one of the most beginner-friendly tools of its kind.

Truthfully, the hardest part about designing a Squarespace site is often just choosing one of those templates — there are 234 of them across Squarespace versions 7.0 and 7.1, the two iterations of the platform that are currently supported. How do you decide which one to use for your oil painting portfolio, your Taiwanese-American food blog, or the online store for your cool-girl jeans? (Those are all different kinds of websites that have been made with Squarespace, FYI.)

Let's get into it — but first, a quick primer.

Why should I use Squarespace?

After fast and easy site design, the best thing about Squarespace is its all-in-one approach: Your plan includes 24/7 customer support, website metrics, SEO features, SSL security, unlimited bandwidth, and video storage, all for as low as $14 a month. (That gets even cheaper if you go with a long-term plan, by the way.) Squarespace also throws in fully managed cloud hosting at no extra cost, plus a year's worth of a new custom domain if you sign up for an annual membership. No need to set anything else up with another provider or platform.

What is a Squarespace template, exactly?

A Squarespace template (or theme) is a pre-designed, ready-to-use demo website that you can customize with different colors, pages, fonts, and drag-and-drop element blocks like text, images, galleries, buttons, and forms. Squarespace describes them as "a starting point to help inspire your site's design," noting that "[you] can keep the structure of your original design intact by replacing the demo content with your own, or you can completely change the design of your site and start from scratch."

Each template has been built exclusively for Squarespace, which means you won’t find them on WordPress, Wix, or other site-building platforms.

Are Squarespace templates mobile-friendly?

All Squarespace templates are mobile-optimized from the jump, which is awesome for two reasons: Mobile-friendly sites look great on all devices and get higher priority from Google when it comes to indexing and SEO rankings.

Templates from Squarespace version 7.0 have separate mobile styles that activate on smaller devices, while their version 7.1 counterparts adapt to mobile view automatically. (More on those in a sec.) Check out Squarespace's tips for keeping your site mobile-friendly as you continue to build it out.

Which version of Squarespace is better: 7.0 or 7.1?

Launched in 2014, Squarespace version 7.0 categorizes its 91 templates into certain template "families," which are groups of similarly coded templates alike in their basic structure and functionality. Each one has its own rules and customization options, which means you sometimes need to swap templates and start over (and risk losing content) if you're after a specific feature. For example, infinite scroll is exclusive to the Farro and Skye template families.

Squarespace scrapped those hard-and-fast classifications with the release of version 7.1 in early 2020. All 143 of its newer templates now belong to the same family with the same features and underlying structure, which makes it easier to change site styles in seconds.

That being said, neither version of Squarespace is conclusively "better" than the other. Version 7.1 is probably the ideal choice for people who are new to the platform since it aggressively streamlines the design process, especially since the July 2022 rollout of Fluid Engine. (That's Squarespace's next-gen content editor for 7.1 sites, which utilizes a grid system and additional block placement options for improved layout flexibility — particularly on mobile.)

However, users who have built a Squarespace site before may still have good reason to stick with version 7.0 — its templates have some advanced features that haven't been added to the new ones yet. (See: parallax scrolling, one especially popular feature of the beloved Brine template family that's missing from version 7.1; people were pretty salty about that one.)

One caveat: While it’s possible to switch between versions 7.0 and 7.1, doing so will usually require a full rebuild and mess with your site's search ranking. On the bright side, Squarespace offers a free 14-day trial so you can noodle around with both before you commit.

Is Squarespace better than WordPress?

This one's pretty situational. WordPress is best for people on either end of the customization spectrum: You can use the free version to create a super basic blog, or go balls-to-the-wall on a totally unique, from-scratch website with premium themes and tens of thousands of plugins. Keep in mind that the latter requires managing your own hosting, security, and updates; you may also need to hire a developer if your coding skills aren't up to par.

Squarespace's templates are less flexible than a custom-built WordPress site and lean hard on visuals, but they already have some great built-in features and look pretty snazzy right out of the gate — plus, all of the technical drudgery is handled by the platform itself.

Squarespace also supports the official integrations of certain services, including Apple News (to cross-publish your content), Paypal (to accept payments), and OpenTable (to let guests make reservations), along with a couple dozen third-party extensions. While not as prolific as WordPress plugins, they should be able to meet most of your and your users' needs, no problem.

How do you find the right Squarespace template for you?

To get started, head over to the Templates tab on Squarespace's website and filter its library by Type and Topic to narrow down your pool of candidates. You can hit "Preview" on any theme that catches your eye to see what it would look like in the wild.

Squarespace recommends choosing a template based on your favorite colors and layouts rather than the demo content you see there: "You can change the style and layout of your site at any time, but you may find it easier to start with a design that's already close to how you want your site to appear," reads a page on its Help Center. "For example, the Dario demo site is designed for a wedding, but you could adapt it to accept RSVPs for a different type of event, or to gather pre-orders for a new product launch."

If you're having trouble settling on one, know this: It's basically impossible to make an ugly Squarespace site, and with enough time and experimentation, you can tweak almost any template to fit your exact vision and needs. But just in case you need a nudge in a certain direction, keep reading: Below, we've rounded up 16 of the best Squarespace templates for all sorts of sites.

Note: Most of our recommendations are from Squarespace version 7.1, but we've sprinkled in a few options from version 7.0 that continue to stand out. Templates have been labeled accordingly.

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Could Amazon become the big dog in the world of streaming sports?

So apparently, Amazon really, REALLY likes live sports. 

The report that Amazon is working on a standalone sports streaming app is the latest potential development across the U.S. viewing landscape, as live sports have become the darling of major streaming services.

The move, which appears to be still in the discussion phase, was reported this week by The Information. It would add to the live sports content Amazon already offers through the company's Prime Video platform — Thursday Night Football, along with Premier League coverage in the UK and New York Yankees games in four states.

The new app would expand on these investments and likely make Amazon an even bigger player in an area that has already proven lucrative for them.

Amazon spent $1 billion to get exclusive rights to the NFL’s Thursday Night Football for 11 years beginning this season. It paid off right away, as the very first game it streamed, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers, reportedly was the “most watched night of primetime in the U.S.” in Prime Video’s history.

But the move toward Amazon Sports (name and projected rollout TBD) is just the latest development in a crowded field of streaming services moving toward appointment television by broadcasting live sports.

Google and YouTube take on NFL Sunday Ticket

Last week, Google reached a deal to broadcast NFL Sunday Ticket on two YouTube iterations, beginning in 2023. The deal was worth roughly $2 billion a year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Currently available on DIRECTV, Sunday Ticket will be broadcast on YouTube TV as an add-on and also will be made available through YouTube through its Premium Channels feature.

Apple TV to show every MLS game — for an additional price

Apple and Major League Soccer reached a deal in June to show every league game, along with the Leagues Cup (a tournament that also features teams from Mexico’s Liga MX), without blackout restrictions on Apple TV.

However, to watch all the games, users will have to sign up to use MLS Season Pass for $12.99 a month/$79 a season for AppleTV+ subscribers or $14.99 a month/$99 a season for non-subscribers. AppleTV+ subscribers will get to watch a selection of MLS and Leagues Cup games for no additional cost.

And then there’s all the sports already out there

Across the packed live sports streaming scene, arguably the biggest dog out there is Disney, whose WatchESPN and ESPN+ apps show men’s and women’s college sports, NHL, and multiple European soccer leagues (Spain and Germany, among others), along with anything being broadcast on the ESPN networks. You can get ESPN+ via a standalone fee for just the ESPN apps or include it in a Disney+ bundle.

If you’re a fan of soccer, you probably already know that top leagues are spread across several apps: Paramount+ has the Champions League, Europa League, and Italy’s Serie A; FuboTV carries several European and South American leagues; and NBC’s Peacock has England’s Premier League.

Other sports are spread out among apps as well. Baseball, for example, can be seen on MLB.TV (Major League Baseball’s own service), AppleTV+ (Friday nights), Peacock (Sunday mornings), and, of course, local cable networks.

The NBA also has its own subscription services, NBA TV and NBA League Pass, in addition to games being made available on ESPN+ and various cable networks.

The report on Amazon's plans to claim more territory in the ever-evolving world of streaming live sports content follows scrutiny of the company's financial performance. Although details on Amazon's new app remain to be seen, one thing fans can count on is continued competition in the valuable arena of live sports viewership.

7 of the best Squarespace templates for writers, authors, and journalists

Editor's note: Squarespace recently announced Squarespace Refresh, its annual release of new features and updates (including video monetization and custom merch tools). We'll be updating this content with additional information in the weeks to come.

In this gig economy day and internet age, no writer is just a writer anymore. A writer is also an idea collector, a pitcher, a negotiator, an SEO specialist, a proofreader, a self-promoter, and a professional invoice sender. They might even be a full-on brand at this point, depending on whether they buy into the Twitter discourse. They're definitely a seasoned caffeine snob.

That being said, you'd probably struggle to find a handful of writers who think of themselves as especially adept developers. English, journalism, and creative writing coursework isn't exactly rife with opportunities to learn how to build websites, and self-led bootcamps are intimidating if you don't have a lick of coding or HTML experience. This can feel like a huge hurdle when it comes time to needing a personal website, whether you're trying to showcase a portfolio, attract new clients, sell a book, or just simply blog.

Enter: Squarespace, a popular website building platform that presents itself as an all-in-one solution for designing and managing a website (with plans starting as low as $14 a month). Going live is as easy as choosing one of its modern, mobile-optimized templates and customizing it with your branding; technical chores like website metrics, SSL security, video storage, and updates are all handled by the platform itself. Plus, it maintains a full-featured app that lets you edit your site on the go, including updating pages, adding new images, writing blog posts, reviewing site analytics, and managing the inventory of an online store.

With a couple hundred templates available as of 2022, it can be tough to decide which will best suit your needs as a freelancer, author, journalist, copywriter, and/or poet. Keep scrolling for a comprehensive guide and a list of our current favorites.

What is a Squarespace template?

A Squarespace template (or theme) is a pre-built demo website that's meant to serve as a "starting point to help inspire your site's design," to quote its support site. Each one can be used entirely as-is or fleshed out with different colors, font packs, layout pages, and content blocks.

Templates work differently depending on whether you're running Squarespace version 7.0 or 7.1, the two iterations of the platform it currently supports. Version 7.0 (launched in 2014) contains 91 templates it categorizes into "families" that share the same underlying structure and style settings. Some features are exclusive to certain families, which makes it harder to swap between templates without doing at least a partial rebuild.

Meanwhile, version 7.1 (launched in early 2020) has 143 templates it's merged into a single family. They all share the same features and formatting options, which makes it way easier to change templates on the fly.

Some experienced Squarespace designers still use version 7.0 because a handful of its advanced functionalities haven't yet migrated over, but we'd recommend starting with version 7.1 if you're new to the platform: It's much more flexible. (Especially with the recent launch of Fluid Engine, Squarespace's next-gen, grid-based content editor.)

No matter which one you decide to use, keep in mind that moving between versions often requires a complete rebuild and carries the risk of affecting your site's search ranking. Fortunately, Squarespace offers a free 14-day trial so you have the chance to play around with both versions before officially building your site.

Is Squarespace good for writers?

Squarespace has a ton of useful features that writer types can take advantage of, including pre-made Portfolio and Blog layout pages, mobile editing, newsletter blocks, social media integration, email campaign integration, tag and category support, multiple author support, Google Analytics support, the ability to schedule posts, and a built-in commenting system that includes content moderation and abuse filters (plus Disqus integration). It also recently added a tool called Members Areas, which lets you gate and monetize content on your site.

In short, Squarespace is very good for writers — again, even if you have no prior coding experience.

How do you choose the right Squarespace template?

Squarespace's Templates library gives you the option of sorting them by type (Online Store, Portfolio, Memberships, Blog, Scheduling, and One Page) and topic (e.g., Media & Podcasts, Professional Services, and Personal & CV). You can click on any template's "Preview" button to check out its demo content, which will give you an idea of how it looks in the wild.

Squarespace recommends focusing mainly on the "specific colors and layouts that appeal to you" rather than the content you see there, but adds that "you may find it easier to start with a design that's already close to how you want your site to appear." We'll use the Suhama and Devoe templates as an example:

Credit: Squarespace

Credit: Squarespace

Both are one-page Personal & CV templates, but Suhama (left) is already pre-built as a portfolio site for a writer with sections for clips and work experience; meanwhile, Devoe's demo content features little more than a full-bleed banner image and contact info. That's not to say that Devoe wouldn't or couldn't be good for a writer, too, but it'll take a lot more tinkering to get it to that point.

Overwhelmed by all of your options? Below, you'll find a list of seven templates we think would make great sites for writers with minimal effort.

Note: Most of our recommendations are from Squarespace version 7.1, but we've sprinkled in a few options from version 7.0 that continue to stand out. Templates have been labeled accordingly.

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New year, better streaming: Pick up the 2021 Apple TV 4K for half-off

Save $100: The 2021 Apple TV 4K (64GB) is on sale at Amazon for $99.97 as of Dec. 30. That's a discount of 50%.

Sitting in the afterglow of the holidays and looking for something to do? Those shows you were planning on binge-watching aren't going to stream themselves. Treat yourself to a 2nd-gen Apple TV 4K to tick off some of the series on your backlog while you ring in the new year.

Amazon has the 2021 Apple TV 4K (64GB) on sale for just $99.97 as of Dec. 30. That's $100 off its usual price of $199, or a savings of 50% — and its lowest price ever.

Apple may have debuted a new Apple TV 4K model this year, but that doesn't mean the previous model is anything to sneeze at. The 2021 Apple TV 4K is still very much worth adding to your streaming arsenal.

You can use the device to watch shows from your favorite streaming services (including Apple TV, of course), blast tunes with Apple Music, play games, work out with Apple Fitness+, and more. Plus, its powerful A12 Bionic chip is quite capable of handling any streaming task you may have, so there's no real need to upgrade to the latest and greatest model just yet — unless you're just fancy like that.

Treat yourself to a great streaming hub for the new year for half-off while this deal lasts.

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Credit: Apple

2021 Apple TV 4K (64GB) (opens in a new tab)

$99.97 at Amazon (save $100)

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Say cheese for these Fujifilm instant camera deals

Say cheese! Here are the best deals on Fujifilm instant cameras on Dec. 29:

• BEST BUDGET PICK: The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 includes two AA batteries — $59.95 $76.95 (save $17) 

• BEST FOR TAKING SELFIES: The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 (lime green) takes just 90 seconds to develop and includes a built-in selfie mirror — $69.90 $99.95 (save $30.05)  

• BEST RETRO STYLE: The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 (brown) features brightness control and a kids mode for action shots — $265 $280 (save $15) 

The holidays may be coming to a close, but there's still time to save on a number of tech products, including Fujifilm's Instax Mini instant cameras.

Sure, smartphones are capable of taking flawless, Instagram-worthy photos. But there's something about a traditional instant camera that digital devices just can't replicate. Unlike most real film cameras, Fujifilm's Instax Minis develop film instantly, so you can have prints in hand moments after snapping the photo.

Whether shopping for a friend or family member or treating yourself to a gift you'll love in the new year, here are our top picks for the best deals on Fujifilm Instax Mini instant cameras.

Best budget pick  

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Credit: Fujifilm

Our pick: Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 (sky blue) (opens in a new tab)

$59.95 at Amazon (save $17)

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Why we like it 

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 has a built-in macro mode, a selfie mirror, and an auto-exposure setting that auto-sets the shutter speed depending on your surroundings. It also includes two AA batteries and is available in five fun colors: sky blue, blush pink, black, ice white, and lilac purple.

Best for taking selfies  

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Credit: Fujifilm

Our pick: Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 (lime green) (opens in a new tab)

$69.90 at Walmart (save $30.05)

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Why we like it 

You don’t need a smartphone to take a selfie. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 features an improved selfie mirror and macro attachment lens for up-close shots. This model also has a 60mm lens, a five-minute auto power-off timer, and the ability to develop photos in 90 seconds. 

Best retro-style  

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Credit: Fujifilm

Our pick: Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 (brown) (opens in a new tab)

$265 at Amazon (save $15)

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Why we like it 

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 is the priciest camera on this list, but it's also one of the most iconic and beloved Instax cameras around. (Though you can snag it for $99.21 at Walmart, it’s currently out of stock.) With an improved design and a number of other upgrades from the earlier model, this retro-style instant camera has new functions like high-performance flash, kids mode, and macro mode, among other features.

More Instax Mini deals: 

• Fujifilm INSTAX Mini 7+ Blister Bundle — $49 $67 (save $18)

• Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 — $89.99 $119.95 (save $29.96) 

• Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 — $89.99 $99.99 (save $10) 

• Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO — $199.99 $224.92 (save $24.93) 

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Feel the noise with these Beats by Dre headphone deals

Headphones and earbuds help us tune out the world and work or work out in peace. A quality pair can be pricey, but these Beats by Dre selections are a bargain.

• BEST EARPHONES: These Beats Flex are great for workout enthusiasts who want the comfort of earbuds and an unintrusive wire. $49.99 $69.95 (save $20)

• BEST ON-EAR HEADPHONES: The well-known Beats by Dre Solo³ on-ear headphones deliver great bass and clear sound. $129.99 $199.99 (save $70 plus get four free months of Apple Music and Apple News+ and three free months of Apple TV+)

• BEST WIRELESS EARBUDS: The Beats Studio Buds are wireless noise-canceling wonders that offer stellar sound quality. $99.99 $149.99 (save $50 plus get four free months of Apple Music and Apple News+, and three free months of Apple TV+)

The holiday rush for great gifts has come and gone, but there's always time to treat yourself to something nice going into the new year. Whether your 2023 resolution is to travel more, to revel in new albums from your favorite artists, or to make more phone calls to your loved ones, there are some great Beats by Dre deals on headphones, earphones, and earbuds to take advantage of right now.

Best earphones deal

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Credit: Beats by Dre

Our pick: Beats Flex by Beats by Dre (opens in a new tab)

$49.95 at Walmart (save $20)

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Why we like it

These Beats Flex earphones are the perfect compromise between wireless earbuds and regular earphones. Their unobstructive wire will ensure these stay on at all times as you work, exercise, or chill out while staying connected to your music, audiobooks, or phone calls. Battery life for these earphones is up to 12 hours, and you can expect crisp, clear bass and sound at a low price of $49.95.

Best on-ear headphones

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Credit: Beats by Dre

Our pick: Beats by Dr. Dre Solo³ headphones (opens in a new tab)

$129.99 at Best Buy (save $70)

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Why we like it

Earbuds aren't for everyone. We get that. For those who prefer an over-the-ear alternative, these Beats by Dr. Dre Solo³ headphones promise to deliver comfort, clean bass, and a battery life of up to 40 hours. Should your battery run low, these headphones are equipped with Fast Fuel, a charging mode that can supply you with up to three hours of battery life within five minutes. Best of all? They're foldable and include a built-in microphone for your phone call and gaming needs. Best Buy is including four free months of Apple Music and Apple News+ and three free months of Apple TV+ (for new and returning subscribers) with this purchase to sweeten the deal.

Best wireless earbuds

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Credit: Beats by Dre

Our pick: Beats Studio buds (opens in a new tab)

$99.99 at Best Buy (save $50)

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Why we like it

These Beats Studio buds are a great choice for those who prefer wireless earbuds. They may not look powerful, but their noise-canceling capabilities and balanced sound say otherwise. They have a battery life of up to eight hours, and the charging case has enough juice for three full charges, or 24 hours of audio. This deal also includes four free months of Apple Music and Apple News+ and three free months of Apple TV+ (for new and returning subscribers). Worried about fit? These earbuds come with tips in small, medium, and large.

More deals like this

• Beats by Dre Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds $179.95 $249.95 (save $70)

• Beats FitPro wireless noise-canceling earbuds $179.95 $199.95 (save $20)

'The Best Man: The Final Chapters' Review: A classic '90s comedy concludes

The all-star cast is back for their last run in The Best Man: The Final Chapters, an 8-part episodic series streaming on Peacock. Here, the friends you first met in Malcolm D. Lee's directorial debut, The Best Man — the '90s hit that spawned the franchise — face their toughest challenges yet.

After we last partook of their loaded holiday shenanigans in 2013's The Best Man Holiday, we meet on a tropical island for yet another wedding, this time between Quentin Spivey (Terrence Howard) and his fiancée of many hats, Xiomara Amani (Nicole Ari Parker). Everything's running the opposite of smooth for the friend group, until the infamous Shelby (Melissa De Sousa) crashes the wedding.

With Shelby and Quentin’s long-awaited love/hate relationship cumulating in a surprising marriage (leaving the scorned ex-fiancée to an arson-fueled tour), the crew returns home to New York City, where the real adventure begins. Harper Stewart’s (Taye Diggs) award-winning book, Unfinished Business, which recounts the tumultuous tales of his undergraduate experience, is about to become a film. This news takes the tight-knit group by storm and unveils a host of emotions long relegated to the past. Still, their familial bond never seems to truly falter, and they hold each other up alongside the film's debut just as they do through grief, school, divorce, career pivots, raising children, and health concerns.

In this much-anticipated reboot, comedy takes an appropriate backseat. This time, though still helmed by Lee (with Dayna Lynne North co-creating), the plot includes an array of swelling societal issues, from sexual assault to police misconduct to LGBTQ identity mishandling. 

Lee utilizes his handle on these topics to evaluate how his characters were last situated in the first two installments, being sure to apply a contemporary outlook and resolutions that leave audiences with no unanswered questions or stones unturned. So yes, our beloved will-they-won’t-they romance between Harper and his suppressed crush, Jordan Armstrong (Nia Long), has finally come to a satisfying close. Murch (Harold Perrineau) and Candace (Regina Hall) resurrect their familiar comedic relief roles and take on arguably the most compelling plot line in the series. And of course, the gang comes out alright.

Your chosen family will be your greatest gift of all. The Best Man: The Final Chapters showcases the unique bond between a group of friends that yields acceptance, love, and mobility in the face of hardships. Though this latest installation of the franchise moves away from comedy and into heavy, dramatic plot points and developments, this theme of family and its value still reigns true.

Depicting the nuances of the Black familial community, Black female strength, and the characters' ability to shift with adversity, Lee has recaptured the magic of the '90s original franchise while handling societal issues glossed over in the first installments. As an artist who has matured alongside the industry, his combination of comedic relief and acknowledgment of varied inequities provides a representation critical for more diverse film and entertainment to come.

Don’t fret, the usual entertainment and laughs are still plentiful, between humorous images of Morris Chestnut competing in the NFL with those half his age and Regina Hall’s infectious one-liners that will have you squawking in amusement. The return of the lovable, mischievous, and comedic force that stole the show in the '90s makes the series worth enjoying, despite the mountainous weight of their new emerging hardships. As it is, the unfinished business of Harper Stewart's life has finally found a concluding chapter. Let's just hope we get a fair warning if he decides to open up a Pandora's box of a feature film sequel!

The Best Man: The Final Chapters premieres on Dec. 22 on Peacock.

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Clear a path to the New Year with these snow shovel deals

Make snow removal easier with one of these Snow Joe snow shovel deals, available as of Dec. 29: 

• BEST CORDLESS SNOW SHOVEL DEAL: The Snow Joe 24V-SS13-XR 13-inch cordless snow shovel kit includes a 24-volt ion+ 5-Ah rechargeable lithium-ion battery — $158.40 $249 (save $90.60)

• RUNNER-UP CORDLESS SNOW SHOVEL DEAL: The Snow Joe 24V-SS11-XR 11-inch cordless snow shovel kit includes a 5-Ah battery and quick charger — $111.99 $199 (save $88)

• BEST STANDARD SNOW SHOVEL DEAL: The Snow Joe Shovelution SJ-SHLV20 20-inch snow shovel features ergonomic D-ring handle grips to reduce strain — $23.85 $39.99 (save $16.14)

Shoveling snow is difficult work. It can be downright miserable when the snow is heavy, deep, and blanketing the sidewalks and driveway (and worse yet, your vehicle). With the right equipment, however, you can safely and efficiently clear the snow from your walkways and driveways without getting soaked.

Whether you're on the hunt for a traditional snow shovel or a battery-powered model, here are our favorite Snow Joe snow shovel deals of the week.

Best cordless snow shovel deal 

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Credit: Snow Joe

Our pick: Snow Joe 24V-SS13-XR 13-inch cordless snow shovel kit (opens in a new tab)

$158.40 at Amazon (save $90.60)

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Why we like it

The Snow Joe 24V-SS13-XR 13-inch cordless snow shovel kit has everything you need to clear the sidewalks or driveway, brush off the steps, or clean up the patio. This cordless model features a 400-watt motor that can move up to 300 pounds of snow per minute and a two-blade, high-impact, low-temperature paddle auger that throws snow up to 20 feet. It also includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and quick charger.

Runner-up cordless snow shovel deal

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Credit: Snow Joe

Our pick: Snow Joe 24V-SS11-XR 11-inch cordless snow shovel kit (opens in a new tab)

$111.99 at Amazon (save $88)

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Why we like it

The Snow Joe 24V-SS11-XR 11-inch cordless snow shovel kit is similar to the above model. The only difference is that this model is ultra-lightweight at 11.7 pounds and can move up to 1,620 pounds of snow per charge. The Snow Joe 24V-SS11-XR also includes a 5-Ah battery and quick charger.

Best standard snow shovel deal

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Credit: Snow Joe

Our pick: Snow Joe Shovelution SJ-SHLV20 20-inch snow shovel (opens in a new tab)

$23.85 at Amazon (save $16.14)

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Why we like it

If you're looking for a more traditional snow shovel, this 20-inch snow shovel by Snow Joe is a great option. This shovel features an impact-resistant blade, ergonomic D-ring handle grips, and a heavy-duty aluminum wear strip for added durability. The handle acts as a fulcrum to support the 20-inch blade and can help reduce the risk of back strain during snow removal.

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The best dating apps for lesbians and gay women

Online dating as a lesbian, for the most part, still involves having your space invaded by straight people.

The heteronormative weirdness got so alienating that lesbians began turning to TikTok as a means of meeting other single lesbians — turns out, it's a damn good matchmaker.

But it's unrealistic to expect a social media app to work like a dating app for everyone. (It's hard for some of us to comprehend, but not everyone spends every free minute on TikTok.) Lesbians who have exhausted their local romantic options are still going to want to see who else is out there in time for cuffing season.

For much of current history, some people have acted as though lesbians didn't exist outside of porn and Ellen DeGeneres, while jokes swirled about how girls only turned to dating women if they had a bad experience with a man. (Yikes.)

Even in 2023, these tone-deaf assumptions still find a way to rain on the lesbian online dating experience. If it's not a man appearing in your feed when you specifically marked that you're searching for women, it's matching with a woman just to be hit with the classic "My boyfriend and I are looking for a threesome."

There's one big problem: The apps targeted toward the straights are still where most of the queer users are, too. Though women-only apps like HER are gaining traction fast, they can still be a bit of a ghost town...or a scammer's paradise. You just have to decide whether you'd rather deal with the quirks of Tinder and have more options to swipe through or be fine with coming across the same profile three times as long as it's not a man.

A note on what didn't make the list

A decent number of dating sites and apps specifically for lesbians do exist, but most are plagued with the same issues: Either their sole purpose is to sexualize lesbians and aren't really meant for genuine connection at all, or their lax security protocols make it way too easy for ill-intentioned men to sign up pretending to be women. (Creeps are drawn to porn-y names like Pink Flirt.) If you're wondering why we left most of those so-called female-only apps out, that's why.

Get two MasterClass monthly subscriptions for the price of one — but not for long

Save 50%: Get two MasterClass monthly memberships for the price of one through Dec. 28. Save between $15 and $23 per month depending on your chosen plan.

Picture this: Someone asks you the simple question, "What do you like to do for fun?" Your stomach drops and your palms feel clammy; you don't have an answer. Don't let yourself fall into this trap in 2023. If you (and a friend) need a new hobby in the new year, consider snagging a BOGO end-of-year deal from MasterClass to start learning a new skill from its suite of famous instructors right away.

Dec. 28 is the last day to get two MasterClass subscriptions for the price of one. Essentially, you pay full price for one membership while the gift membership is free. The MasterClass library contains courses from over 180 instructors on cooking, writing, music, and more. But these aren't just any instructors — they're people who are masters in their fields. The Duffer Brothers, who created the hit show Stranger Things, teach you how to develop an original TV series; famed celebrity portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz teaches the art of taking photos; drag artist RuPaul of RuPaul's Drag Race fame teaches self-expression and authenticity; and Kardashian momager Kris Jenner teaches personal branding.

The discount applies to monthly subscriptions, which differ in price by a few dollars depending on extras like the number of devices that can watch simultaneously and optional downloading for offline viewing. Grab two Individual memberships for $15 total (regularly $30), two Duo memberships for $20 total (regularly $40), or two Family memberships for $23 total (regularly $46).

Each class includes about 20 video lessons that run around 10 minutes each, so you can grab a lesson when you can, or go ahead and binge the whole thing. Discover your new passion in 2023 while this BOGO deal lasts.

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The Dyson Animal 3 Extra is on sale for one of the lowest prices we've ever seen

SAVE $150: As of Dec. 27, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is on sale at Walmart for $349.99, which is $150 off its original price of $499.99. That's a savings of 30%.

Attention, animal lovers: If you have a little fur baby at home that just doesn't stop shedding, we have the solution for you. The Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is every pet lover's dream. It's just the heavy-duty vac you need to take care of your little one and their errant hair. And, it's on sale for 30% off at Walmart today, for one of the lowest prices we've ever seen.

For the uninitiated, Dyson vacuums are the real deal: Their powerful motors and deep clean capacities make them winners when it comes to any and all home cleaning. The Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is the one to buy for those stubborn pet hairs all over the carpets, upholstery, and, yes, even on your bed sheets.

That's because this vacuum, in particular, creates 270 air watts of suction power to suck up even the most stubborn pet hair. It has five additional attachments that help get into the nitty gritty spaces in your home that need a bit more TLC, including a stair tool and multi-angle brush.

The vacuum also comes equipped with a 35-inch cord, new Wire Ball technology, and three cleaning speeds. It even features a new, aptly-named 'Groom tool' that removes loose hairs, dead skin, and allergens directly from your pet, if you need to wash up old Fido before you let him loose. At less than 18 pounds, it's surprisingly maneuverable, easily navigating around furniture with only a turn of the wrist. It even includes a simple button to clear out its bin, making the whole process fuss-free.

Simply put, it's the vacuum to buy for those stubborn pet hairs in your home, and at such a steep discount of its $500 price tag, we'd say it's worth the investment.

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New iPad mini might come in late 2023

If you, like myself, are a fan of Apple's smallest iPad, you're eagerly awaiting for a refresh. After all, it's been more than a year since Apple launched the new, redesigned iPad mini.

The good news, at least according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, is that Apple hasn't forgotten the mini. The company is working on a successor of the 6th generation iPad mini with a "new processor as its main selling point."

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This implies that the design of the new iPad mini will be similar to that of the last version, which is logical given that the 6th-gen iPad mini was a big leap compared to its predecessor, with smaller bezels, Touch ID built into the power button, and a larger display.

Kuo also claims that it's unlikely that Apple will replace the iPad mini with a foldable iPad, given that a foldable iPad would likely come with a "markedly higher" price tag.

Unfortunately, Kuo claims that the new iPad mini isn't exactly around the corner. Shipments will start either in late 2023, or in the first half of 2024, he tweeted.

The analyst didn't share any other news regarding the foldable iPad, which remains a myth, despite several Apple patents which prove that the company is at least considering some sort of foldable device.

Blizzard webcams show America adapting to the devastating cold and snowfall

A Christmastime winter storm pummeled much of North America over the weekend, leaving 25 dead in the area around Eerie County, New York — which includes Buffalo — and entire communities buried under several feet of snow. In addition to snowed-in conditions in the Buffalo area, the storm was exacerbated by a larger cold weather trend, with snowfall and precipitation stretching across much of the United States and Canada.

Today (Monday) sees the country attempting to return to some semblance of business as usual. Thankfully, the holiday timing of the disastrous weather is sparing millions of people the need to commute to-and-from work in these conditions. Nonetheless, road crews are busy digging the country out of this snow.

It can all be seen on webcams, most of which had been set up prior to the storm for other purposes. Today, however, they show storm-battered communities coping with the blizzard, clearing crucial infrastructure, and cautiously getting back on the road.

Here's a round up of winter webcams around the country:

Watch Buffalo's snow-covered border bridge between Canada and the U.S.

This view of the Peace Bridge, which connects Fort Eerie, Ontario to Buffalo, New York, is a great example of real-time adaptation. The road is relatively clear of snow, even as the storm continues in Buffalo, and as you watch, you can see plows continue to operate throughout the day. 

Watertown, New York is coming back to life amid the snow

This view of a lively downtown area in Watertown, New York, northeast of Buffalo, shows you how far the region has come in a short time. Cars are now moving freely — if cautiously — through the area even with snow piled up multiple feet on the side of the road.

Multiple live views of snowy Michigan show the state's winter resilience

This live cam switches between several feeds all over Michigan, allowing the viewer to see pedestrians getting back to relative normalcy, as well as roadways now once again active. There are also breathtakingly scenic views of the snow covered landscape.

It's still snowing at Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho

This normally placid view of a harbor on Lake Coeur d'Alene in northern Idaho currently (as of this writing) shows snow continuing to fall, and dark clouds continuing to pass overhead. Typically allowing a peek at conditions and activity on the lake for boaters and other vacationers, this camera instead shows the extent of the storm, which is dispersed across the entire country.

The winter views are incredible in snowy Washington state

This storm has been a tragic reminder of the devastating power of winter weather. However, this view of Leavenworth, Washington, in the Cascade Mountains, is a reminder of winter's austere beauty. For the moment, the town's Bavarian Village actually offers more astonishing snowy vista's than Bavaria itself.

A note about climate change and winter storms

Importantly, intense winter freezes will still happen in a heating world. Earth is heating relentlessly, and winter is the fastest-warming season, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data compiled by Climate Central, an independent organization that researches climate change. But dynamic weather moving through our profoundly chaotic atmosphere will frequently still have opportunities to spill Arctic air into the Lower 48. (Originally published on Mashable here).

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Epic Games' Death Stranding freebie shows why we can't have nice stuff

Sometimes a nice giveaway is too nice. See any number of Black Fridays in the past.

In this case, it was a Christmas Day giveaway that, for a while, wreaked havoc. Epic Games, which had been giving away free games during its holiday sale which began December 15, caused a bit of a stir.

Epic Games' annual sale has included daily giveaways for years. This year's included add-ons to Fortnite and PUBG: Battlegrounds, along with daily full-game freebies like the original Fallout and Fallout 2, Them's Fightin' Herds and Metro: Last Light Redux.

Epic announced it was giving away Death Stranding, the company’s very well received and popular game from 2020, on December 25. But users got wind that Epic had released the game’s Director’s Cut, according to GameRant.

Epic Games' servers decided that, nope, it's not good

In turn, that caused Epic’s servers to...not behave well.

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Epic Games’ servers eventually did get back to normal, but instead of the director’s cut, Epic Games decided to give away the Death Stranding base game instead. 

Still a good game, to be sure. Not the chef’s kiss the Director’s Cut is, but… 

(And if you do get the base game, it’s not like you can’t get the upgrade to Director’s Cut for $6, according to PC Gamer. Also, the Death Stranding base game was available on Epic Games' site for free until the morning of December 26. Currently available: FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch)

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TikTok admits to spying on U.S. users as effort to ban the app heats up

TikTok is entering a world of pain right now, having just released a damning report about its own employees obtaining the data of U.S. users. Since this report comes at a time when a key cohort of Americans wants to ban the app altogether, you should expect TikTok to become a major political talking point as the 2024 election cycle ramps up.

On Thursday, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, released the results of an internal investigation. Yes, ByteDance confirmed, four of its employees in China scooped up the data of two TikTok accounts belonging to U.S. journalists. And TikTok really, really wasn’t supposed to do that. 

The report is emboldening high-profile enemies of TikTok like Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, whose bill to ban TikTok on U.S. government devices passed in the Senate a little over a week ago. That bill still needs to pass in the House of Representatives to become law, but statewide bans of TikTok on government devices are already the law in Texas, North Dakota, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Utah, West Virginia, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, Nebraska, and Montana.

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Crucially, the report doesn’t contain similarly damning details about what was done with the data. It likely wasn’t printed out, clipped into a dossier, and handed to Xi Jinping himself, if that’s what you’re imagining. It seems instead, a handful of ByteDance employees who were on the lookout for internal leakers managed to find the user data and IP addresses of U.S. reporters in an ultimately thwarted — but demonically clever — effort to see if ByteDance employees suspected of leaking were ever physically near the journalists. That didn't end up happening, and everyone involved in this effort was fired, supposedly.

But Hawley and his ilk have made it clear that they imagine TikTok is being used as something much scarier: a spying apparatus for the Chinese Communist Party, as spelled out in (to cite one random example) a tweet from Hawley’s fellow Republican Senator Ted Cruz, in which he notes that TikTok tends to "dodge" questions about the communists and says "it's clear they're spying on users."

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It may be a stretch at this point to say there’s any evidence TikTok is part of China’s master plan to, I guess, turn Americans communist. But is simply obtaining the data a legitimate scandal in its own right? Absolutely.  

That’s because in 2019 — when TikTok was an emerging internet phenomenon, and news coverage about it consistently contained passages that raised concerns about its associations with the Chinese government  — its U.S. team rolled out some sweeping claims about data security. The most important of those claims is that U.S. user data is kept in the United States and doesn’t go to ByteDance headquarters in China. The U.S. team may have thought that when they produced that statement, but with Thursday’s revelation, the company now admits it wasn’t true. 

And prior reports have intimated that ByteDance cooperates with Chinese propaganda efforts. At least one of these reports — and for the record, ByteDance denies it — is by Emily Baker-White, one of the two journalists ByteDance now admits to having spied on.

Another luminary of the anti-TikTok crowd in the Senate is Marco Rubio, who has introduced a bill just before this latest report came out that would ban TikTok nationwide (something former president Donald Trump tried to do unilaterally in 2020, but was stopped by the courts). In his press release about the bill, Rubio is pretty over the top. "We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company."

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Rubio glancingly alludes in his tweet about TikTok to similar practices by U.S.-based platforms. Indeed, U.S.-based social media platforms do cooperate with U.S. intelligence and help spread positive U.S. messages abroad. Moreover, U.S. intelligence gatherers — in particular, FBI agents — have openly attempted to "instantly search and monitor" social media posts, and used elaborate data-mining schemes to gather intelligence about users. And at least one study of user behavior on Facebook in particular shows that knowledge of this spying affects users' ability to feel like they can speak freely, a phenomenon called the "spiral of silence." If this sounds familiar, that might be because of its similarity to the well-documented self-censorship practiced by members of the Chinese media.

"Banning" TikTok, by the way, is very unlikely to result in TikTok simply disappearing. Instead, it would most likely result in ByteDance recouping its loss by selling it to an American ally like Microsoft, as almost happened in 2020.

In other words, yes, TikTok is doing sketchy things with some U.S. user data, and it may have the power to do a lot more. But banning TikTok — or selling it to the likes of Microsoft, a company with a history of cooperating with spies — would not stop any social media user from being spied on, or influenced, by intelligence agencies.