How to use the iPhone’s most useful, most overlooked feature

Mistakes happen. But on the iPhone, they can be undone very easily. Just shake your phone to undo.

While the Mac has Command-Z, the iPhone has its own unique way of fixing typing mistakes: Shake to Undo. Shaking your device to go back or undo a mistake has been around since 2009 and iOS 3 (called iPhone OS back then). And it’s one of the most overlooked features on iOS. Of course, there are a ton of other shortcuts on the iPhone that you may be missing out on.

Rather than a system-wide button or symbol for undo on iOS, you just shake your phone or iPad. For most iPhone users it’s a forgotten feature, but writer John Gruber recently gave it newfound attention with a thoughtful analysis and the revelation that it was actually originally conceived as a joke.

In any case, it’s a useful reminder that the feature exists: When you want to undo something on your iPhone, just shake the darn thing.

With Shake to Undo turned on, iOS users can quickly fix mistakes, such as shake to undo typing in a text, shake to undo archiving an email, shake to undo typing in the Notes app.

While I do use Shake to Undo quite a bit, there is always the question of whether I should, as it’s just as easy to slam on the backspace key. You might be someone who gets the undo pop-up by accident on a frequent basis, and that can be a nuisance.

I am a frequent user of Shake to Undo on my iPhone, whether it be for texts, accidentally deleting an email, or moving a photo to the wrong spot.

Shake to Undo is turned on by default. But if you don’t like shake to undo it’s pretty easy to turn off.

Follow these steps to turn off shake to undo.

1. Navigate to your iPhone’s Settings page

2. Tap “Accessibility”

3. Tap “Touch”

4. Tap the bubble to turn off Shake to Undo

Tap the bubble to turn off Shake to Undo

Tap the bubble to turn off Shake to Undo
Credit: MASHABLE

Now, if you really don’t like the Shake to Undo feature, there is another option for you: Just slide three fingers across the screen from right to left.

That’s right, in iOS 13, Apple added another way undo typing, or undo something you deleted without shaking. It can be a little awkward, but sliding three fingers from right to left will undo or redo your last action.

Now that you’ve mastered Shake to Undo and swipe to undo, check out some of these other iPhone keyboard shortcuts to speed up your typing even more.

This article originally published in August 2018, and was updated in August 2021.

‘The Kissing Booth 3’ has almost no conflict, and that’s honestly perfect

Honestly, it's a pretty great list.

Welcome to Thanks, I Love It, our series highlighting something onscreen we’re obsessed with this week.


Great movies are built on great conflict. A hero fights to save the city; star-crossed lovers yearn to be together; the underdog team competes in the big game — that sort of thing.

Now, The Kissing Booth 3 isn’t a great movie and it doesn’t have a great conflict. In fact, it doesn’t have much conflict at all. But it’s precisely this sequel’s lack of adversity that makes it the best in Netflix’s rom-com trilogy, delivering a sun-soaked California dream that finally understands what this franchise does well while leaving its troublesome past behind. The result is a surprisingly strong argument against pushing plot when that’s not what a sequel needs to be successful with its intended fans, and considerably more enjoyable to watch because of that smart choice.

In his third Kissing Booth outing, director Vince Marcello embraces the airy nothingness of author Beth Reekles’ YA world with comfortable familiarity. Leading lady Elle (Joey King) returns with her best friend Lee (Joel Courtney) and her boyfriend Noah (Jacob Elordi) for their final summer before heading off to college, with their traditional soundtrack of Beach Boys and Top 40 in tow.

Though Elle is having trouble deciding between Berkeley and Harvard — consequently, choosing whether to be on the West Coast with Lee or in Boston with Noah — she’s determined to have an amazing vacation with her friends and, over the next hour and 52 minutes, she does pretty much that. A childhood “Beach Bucket List” guides Elle’s journey, with standard summer activities like fishing and swimming appearing alongside more ambitious goals like organizing a flash mob and partaking in real-life Mario Kart.

The gang is all here!

The gang is all here!
Credit: netflix

From the pop-backed party montages to the sweeping shots of the Golden Coast, the tenor and tone are unmistakably Kissing Booth, and the glittery theatrics are as loudly goofy as they were in the first two movies. But the toxic masculinity, ridiculous jealousy, and other nonsense that has plagued this franchise in the furtherance of past plots simply doesn’t appear here.

Yes, Elle’s prestigious education dilemma sometimes dampens the mood, and a smattering of B-stories offer occasional flares of drama; The Kissing Booth 2’s romantic foils Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and Chloe (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) do return for a few scenes. But for the most part, The Kissing Booth 3 is as tensionless as a beach towel, and not a whole lot happens as a result. Everyone kind of just hangs out in the sun. Whenever there is conflict, it resolves so quickly and with such uncharacteristic maturity that it’s hard to remember what even happened.

Extended scenes of petty arguments are replaced by some thoughtful conversations but more often lots of smily silliness. So the charismatic cast carries this title as much as they did the others, but are given the time and material to do that more skillfully. Instead of forcing Elle, Noah, and Lee into yet another hyper-contrived fight about who wants to hang out with who more — if you’re new to these films, that really is what they’re all about — The Kissing Booth 3 lets its stars’ enjoy their natural onscreen chemistry. When they’re not tasked with selling a story that doesn’t work, this cast has more than enough going for them to keep you engaged.

With ample room for their characters’ most likable traits to shine through, the starring trio delivers effortless performances that make only half paying attention to this movie feel like enough in a good way. King and Courtney’s high-energy dynamic once again creates an effervescent friendship you can root for, while King and Elordi deliver the most sincere romance the Kissing Booth has ever seen. If this movie has a “point,” it’s letting those charming relationships wash over you.

As the summer rolls on and Elle gets further into her soul-searching, it’s her quiet inner conflict that carries us to and from The Kissing Booth 3’s sunny sequences. That the franchise ends on a notably wiser sentiment that the problematic messaging of the original makes sense given this shift toward more emotionally intelligent character building. But that I stuck around even after the movie’s conclusion to see the cast through the blooper-accompanied credits speaks to them alone.

Easing up on the conflict isn’t enough to make The Kissing Booth 3 a great movie — again, that does take a truly great conflict — but it does make it a notably nicer watch. For a franchise with such a thorny history, that’s the kind of happy ending worth getting behind.

The Kissing Booth 3 is now streaming on Netflix.

Related Video: The best of Netflix 2021 (so far)

Just like EVs, electric bicycles could come with tax credits to lower prices

It's fun to ride an e-bike, but it's not cheap.

E-bike can mean more than just “electric bicycle.”

The “Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment” — or E-BIKE — Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate last month. A companion bill, also called the E-BIKE Act, was brought to the U.S. House of Representatives back in February.

They share the same goal: Get more people on electric bikes and out of cars.

To make that more likely, both pieces of legislation propose offering a tax credit worth up to 30 percent off (with a $1,500 cap) different types of e-bikes that can run as high as $8,000.

Sound familiar?

Electric vehicles, including plug-in battery and hybrid cars, are eligible for federal tax credits worth up to $7,500. Tesla and General Motors have both hit the cap of 200,000 EVs sold and are no longer offering a federal discount. But the pressure is on President Biden to extend the cap, especially as he targets half of new car sales as zero-emission vehicles by 2030.

The E-BIKE incentive has a similar goal: to lure people away from gas-powered vehicles.

For e-bike makers, who are eager to get more battery-boosted rides on the streets, the move could open up access to their expensive two-wheelers. E-bike shopping website Ridepanda connects riders to e-bikes that cost up to $6,000. The company, which says that their average e-bike is about $1,100, offers 27 e-bikes priced at under $2,000. (That’s down from 34 when including higher-end options.)

But there’s a slight catch to the E-BIKE Act. If it passes, qualifying bikes can only use up 750 watts of power, much lower than the power in most of the priciest options. For the lower price range, different brands list power from about 250 to 500 watts.

For Serial 1, the e-bike company from Harley-Davidson, the main reason to support the bill is so more consumers can afford their bikes. Its instant name recognition and lightweight, high-speed and range options means its e-bikes reach up to nearly $5,600. Its cheapest commuter bike is about $3,800. With the discounts, those bikes become more affordable.

Jason Huntsman, president of Serial 1, wrote in an email, “EVs, like [e-bikes], are a crucial tool for giving Americans access to vital, sustainable transportation options. We support tax credits for all EVs including [e-bikes], which will help make electric vehicle options more affordable for all Americans.”

The Serial 1 heads up a San Francisco hill.

The Serial 1 heads up a San Francisco hill.
Credit: Sasha Lekach / Mashable

Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes specializes in commuter- and budget-friendly bikes with a power boost. Its newest bike, the RadRover 6 Plus, starts at just under $2,000. With its fat tires for stability, 75 kWh battery, and custom motor for faster hill climbs, “people who are used to cars will be comfortable making that migration to e-bikes,” Redwood Stephens, Rad Power Bikes chief product officer, told me before a demo ride at a San Francisco park.

That’s what Zachary Schieffelin, founder of Civilized Cycles, is thinking, too. He is launching the startup’s first auto-adjusting, 30-mile range e-bike, the Model 1, later this year for $5,499. He wants to get riders out of cars and onto bikes, especially for shorter trips. He hopes that an e-bike with storage space on the back, a comfortable seat and room for a passenger, and a powerful suspension system, will make it an easy switch.

“Anything we can do to shift those short trips to clean, quiet, efficient solutions like e-bikes is a good thing,” he wrote in an email. “Obviously, this legislation will be good for our industry, but for the planet it would be great to see corresponding cuts in the huge subsidies that oil and gas companies have been receiving for years.”

An e-bike with all the features

An e-bike with all the features
Credit: Civilized cycles

Another bike maker, Specialized, which recently released the lightweight Turbo Como SL, an electric pedal assist e-bike starting at $3,300, has been championing an e-bike equivalent to the EV tax credit.

Back in February when the House version of the E-BIKE Act was introduced, Specialized CEO Mike Sinyard wrote in a statement, “Whichever e-bike riders choose, we believe that encouraging more bike trips is a critical part of fighting the climate crisis.”

It’s not just economic concerns, these companies claim, but environmental.

In California, adjusted e-bike prices are already approved for next year’s budget. Now, $10 million in funding is slated to go toward establishing more programs to reduce the costs to buy one of the bikes in the state. San Mateo County’s Peninsula Clean Energy rebate already offers up to $800 in discounts. Other counties also offer up to $1,000 for e-bike purchases, among other smaller discounts. Some incentive programs factor in income level to determine if you qualify for discounts or credits.

Testing out several e-rides in a congested, hilly, pothole-filled San Francisco neighborhood in recent months (on the Serial 1, Rad Power Bike’s RadRover 6 Plus, and Civilized Cycles’ auto-adjusting suspension bike), I’ve seen how the bikes can keep up with cars. It doesn’t feel like you’re on an inferior vehicle. I felt stable on the road, in control, and as powerful as any motorist with my finger ready on the throttle for an energy boost.

SEE ALSO:

Hot cycle summer: 7 things to think about when entering e-bike world

E-bikes aren’t just traditional bicycles with an electric motor slapped on. They can make it up hills (and down), keep you from breaking too much of a sweat, and tempt you to replace short trips you’d normally make with a car.

But even if riders are convinced, there’s still the upfront price — all of these bikes start at over $2,000. It’s reminiscent of when Tesla’s Model 3 was priced at nearly $40,000 before the end of 2019; electric tax credits brought it down to the more palatable $30,000 price range. It’s a similar situation with e-bikes: A $3,000 bike with E-BIKE Act credits drops down to $2,000. That’s slightly more affordable for those with cash to spare, but it’s certainly not going to make e-bikes available to all.

Logitech gaming mice are on sale and these are our favorite deals

TL;DR: Need to freshen up your PC setup? Logitech has a bunch of gaming mice on sale at Amazon — check out our favorite deals below.

BEST LOGITECH GAMING MOUSE DEALS:

  • Logitech G903 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — save $50

  • Logitech G Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse — save $38

  • Logitech G403 Hero 25K Gaming Mouse —save $30


Not everyone can afford a top-of-the-line PC gaming setup right off the bat. More often than not, we’re forced to get budget items to put something together because the initial investment of the PC itself was already so much money. Welcome to PC gaming, one of the most expensive hobbies you’ll ever get sucked into (we love it, though).

But you don’t need to keep your crappy accessories forever. We recommend getting one newer, nicer piece at a time, and before you know it, you’ll end up with your dream PC gaming setup. Baby steps, you know?

SEE ALSO:

Level up: 7 of the best laptops to net you a great gaming experience

And if you’re ready for your first upgrade, here’s a great opportunity — a bunch of Logitech gaming mice are on sale at Amazon, most of them at least $30 off their original prices. Logitech is a trusted PC gaming brand for good reason, so anything you get from them will probably get the job done (and then some).

Take a look below at our favorite Logitech gaming mice deals below, and be quick, because they might not be discounted for too much longer.

  • Logitech G604 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — save $30

  • Logitech G703 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — save $30

  • Logitech G502 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — save $30

  • Logitech G903 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — save $50

  • Logitech G Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse — save $38

  • Logitech G403 Hero 25K Gaming Mouse —save $30

Explore related content:

  • Our definitive breakdown of the best laptops out right now

  • PlayStation 5 review: A big upgrade, and a bigger role for choice

  • Xbox Series X review: One small leap for one giant console

Here’s where you can pre-order Samsung’s excellent new Galaxy Buds 2

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, pictured here, are available on Amazon and Samsung's website ahead of the Aug. 27 release.

TL;DR: As of Aug. 12, you can pre-order the all-new Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 on Amazon and Samsung’s website for $149.99 ahead of their Aug. 27 release.


Apple’s reign over the world of noise-canceling wireless earbuds may soon be coming to an end.

Announced at its Galaxy Unpacked event on Aug. 11 (along with some nifty foldable phones and an updated Galaxy Watch line), Samsung’s brand new Galaxy Buds 2 are so good, they’ve already won a coveted Mashable’s Choice Award. And get this: They cost a whopping $100 less than the comparable AirPods Pro.

As of Aug. 12, you can pre-order a pair off Amazon or Samsung.com for just $149.99 in your choice of four colors: graphite, white, lavender, or olive; they’ll ship out at the end of the month.

Mashable Image


Credit: samsung

(Note that Samsung’s website says you can get a Galaxy SmartTag for only $5 with your preorder — that’s a $25 savings — but they were out of stock due to high demand the last time we checked.)

Touted as the lightest and smallest iteration of the Galaxy Buds series, the Galaxy Buds 2 are actually the third pair of earbuds Samsung’s released in the past year, after the bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live from late 2020 and early 2021’s premium Galaxy Buds Pro. Impressively, these new guys manage to improve upon both of their forefathers with a cool egg-shaped design, noticeably better noise cancellation, and a more comfortable fit (with plenty of customization options for Android users via the Galaxy Wearable app).

It bears mentioning that the Galaxy Buds 2 probably won’t blow any audiophiles away. It’s not that their sound quality sucks — just that they won’t wow you with punchy bass or a rich soundscape. Still, “what they lack in elite audio output, they more than make up for in comfort, looks, and terrific ANC,” Mashable tech reporter Alex Perry wrote in his review of the Galaxy Buds 2 (which you can read in full here).

Perry continued: “The best part is they do all of that for substantially less than it would cost to get a similar feature set from either Samsung’s other earbud options or from anything Apple sells.” We’re sold.

Pre-order for $149.99

Credit: Samsung

Pre-order for $149.99

Buying Options

See Details

Explore related content:

  • Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2021: Foldable edition

  • Which wireless earbuds have the best sound? These are our top picks.

  • Best noise-canceling headphones for blocking out the outside world

Set up a speedy TP-Link mesh WiFi system at home for under $140

Live TV stream won't load? Consider a mesh WiFi system on sale.

Save up to 43%: TP-Link home tech gear is on sale as an Amazon Deal of the Day for Aug. 12. Save on a new mesh WiFi system, WiFi extenders, smart plugs, and more.


Reliable internet at home is crucial.

Whether that’s for school purposes as a return to in-person routines get iffy or for entertainment purposes as football and Bachelor in Paradise return, there’s no need to just deal with a spotty connection for another season.

A selection of TP-Link WiFi devices (among other items, like smart plugs and WiFi extenders) are between 20% and 43% off as an Amazon daily deal. Here are some highlights:

TP-Link Deco X20 Mesh WiFi 6 System (2-pack) — $139.99 (save $40)

One of TP-Link’s newest mesh systems provides a quick and inexpensive patch job for homes slowed down by dead zones. The 2021 X20 is a cute, compact set that replaces your router with hefty dual-band WiFi 6 coverage. An extra layer of online security and parental controls are built in and controlled by the app.

A 3-pack of the X20 system, which covers 5,800 square feet rather than 4,000, is also on sale for $199.99 ($50 off). The TP-Link Deco P9 hybrid system, which uses a built-in powerline to extend coverage up to 6,000 square feet, is less well-reviewed but on sale for $159.99.

Save $40 at Amazon

Credit: tp-link

Save $40 at Amazon

Buying Options

See Details

Kasa Smart Plug Mini — $12.99 (save $10)

There’s no hub required for TP-Link’s clutch mini smart plugs. Once plugged into an open outlet, the plug can be connected to WiFi and controlled through the Kasa app. Then, whatever’s plugged into the Kasa plug (like a lamp, fan, or holiday lights) can be put on a schedule, turned on or off when you’re not home, or controlled by Alexa commands.

Save $10 at Amazon

Save $10 at Amazon

Buying Options

See Details

Save up to 43% on TP-Link gear at Amazon

Credit: tp-link

Save up to 43% on TP-Link gear at Amazon

Buying Options

See Details

Explore related content:

  • How to set device limits without confiscating your kid’s phone

  • How to see who is lurking on your WiFi

  • So many people don’t have internet — and it’s not their fault

Why the Dixie Fire won’t stop burning

A deer standing amid smoke in Greenville, California. The Dixie Fire burned through Greenville in early August 2021.

Climate 101 is a Mashable series that answers provoking and salient questions about Earth’s warming climate.


Wildfires aren’t supposed to burn like this.

The nearly one-month-old Dixie Fire, at over half a million acres burned as of Aug. 12, is already the biggest single wildfire in California history. The mega-blaze is not nearly done burning, and an idea of when firefighters might largely contain the fire remains elusive.

Yet, crucially, it’s not just the amount of land burning that’s the problem: After all, millions of acres likely used to burn in California in prehistoric times every year, before European settlement. The problem is how the Dixie Fire is burning. In today’s Western fire regime, fires are more often burning severely, destroying ancient, fire-resistant trees; creating giant plumes of smoke; and rapidly destroying towns.

The Dixie Fire is a potent example of these unusually intense fires. Its ferocity is made possible by the mix of a century of methodical U.S. fire suppression (leading to grossly overgrown forests), a rapidly warming climate, and severe drought, among other factors.

“Everything just comes together, and once it gets going, it’s going to turn into a big event,” explained Tim Brown, a wildfire researcher and director of the Western Regional Climate Center, an environmental research program. “This is just one of those fires.”

The Dixie Fire has spawned towering thunderstorms, called pyrocumulonimbus clouds, created by the fire’s prodigious rising smoke and heat. Lightning ensues, sparking more flames. The fast-moving fire destroyed large swathes of Greenville, a historic mountain town.

These tall infernos, reaching into the crowns of trees, are often impossible to fully control because of their extreme severity. They’re not like many of the fires of centuries ago, which often cleared dead and dry vegetation from forest floors, kept forests healthy, and cracked open seed-bearing pine cones — and thus new life. (Though some past forests and trees, under certain circumstances, certainly burned intensely at times.) These past blazes were more akin to the fires set by Indigenous peoples to help keep ecosystems healthy. Insects could walk through them, explained Don Hankins, a professor of geography and planning at California State University, Chico. You could at times stand next to them, he said.

“The ideal is low-intensity fire,” said Brown. “Not destructive, high-severity events.”

The Dixie Fire perimeter (as of Aug. 11, 2021) is circled in red.

The Dixie Fire perimeter (as of Aug. 11, 2021) is circled in red.
Credit: cal fire / screenshot

Trouble ahead

The Dixie Fire, currently 30 percent contained (as of Aug. 12), has decidedly favorable fire conditions ahead. Specifically, extreme drought and forests dried out by extreme heat.

“[It’s] burning in what will likely be the hottest summer the area has seen in at least 125 years,” said John Abatzoglou, a fire scientist at the University of California, Merced. That’s compounding the drought stress left by a second terribly dry winter, he added.

This heat and dryness parch trees, grasses, and vegetation — some of which hasn’t burned in 100 years, noted Abatzoglou — which allows fire to rip through the mountains. This isn’t normal dryness: The moisture in the fuels (vegetation that can burn) “are historically low,” according to the federal government’s wildfire information page.

It’s little surprise firefighters are experiencing unprecedented flames. “We’re seeing truly frightening fire behavior, I don’t know how to overstate that,” Plumas National Forest Supervisor Chris Carlton told CNN. “We have a lot of veteran firefighters who have served for 20, 30 years and have never seen behavior like this, especially day after day, and the conditions we’re in.”

Climate change is exacerbating what would already be extreme fire behavior. In other words, the extremes are growing more extreme. The warming climate’s greatest impact on wildfire is how it amplifies the drying of vegetation, making it more flammable — sometimes historically so.

“The warming from climate change is making a lot of difference here. It’s one of the major impacts,” said Brown. Drought naturally comes and goes in the West, he emphasized, but with increasingly warm summers (California just experienced its hottest June and July on record), the warm, dry atmosphere pulls more moisture from plants and soil.

“That increases the fuel flammability,” explained Brown. “You’re really setting up conditions for explosive fire behavior.”


“The warming from climate change is making a lot of difference here.”

Add in normal bouts of windy conditions, then all you need is a spark. And humans or human infrastructure — cars, power lines, accidents — are all around to spark some 84 percent of U.S. wildfires. Utility equipment may have sparked the Dixie Fire, though the investigation is still ongoing.

The end game

Containing a fire of Dixie’s size, under such extreme fire conditions, is a challenge for any fire agency. Widespread containment might not come until the region receives a decent cooling spell. Early this week, Cal Fire, the state’s giant wildfire protection agency, expected containment by Aug. 30. Now, the containment plans are “to be determined.”

The big picture in the years and decades ahead, however, requires blunting the intensity of modern wildfires. The West, like the world, will continue to warm for at least a few decades, as heat-trapping CO2 has skyrocketed in the atmosphere. This means more extreme, and likely worsening, fire conditions. Yet, governments and communities can significantly reduce the amount of overcrowded forest, or fuels, available to burn. This means intentional, prescribed fire (strategic burning often at cooler times of the year), and letting certain wildfires burn through forests (though this comes with controversy and risk).

“If we don’t do something to minimize the hazardous fuels, it’s going to burn big time,” said Brown.

There’s no other alternative, according to fire experts and foresters. As John Bailey, a forestry researcher at Oregon State University, told me during the severe Western fires of 2020: A forest is a magnificent, spiritual, and providing place. “But it’s also fuel. It’s fuel and it is going to burn,” he said.

SEE ALSO:

‘When will the megadrought end?’ is the wrong question to ask

“Talk to any firefighter,” noted Brown. “They’ll say it’s not a matter of if, but when.”

The Dixie Fire, still burning strongly, is currently the largest single blaze in California history. But under the current fire regime, that’s almost certainly a tenuous record, waiting to be broken.

Love crystals? Le Wand’s latest sex toy could bring you ‘sexual nirvana’

The crystal industry is booming. From a rose quartz water bottle to a crystal facial set, if you want a geode gizmo, the internet of things can likely spit one out for you to purchase.

This includes masturbatory crystals. When premium toy brand Le Wand dropped their Crystal Collection, I was skeptical.

For one, I don’t ascribe to the healing power of crystals. But I do trust Le Wand as they produced a cordless wand vibrator I love. Crystal sex toys have long been a “thing” as well, which brands like Chakrubs at the forefront.

Sticking a crystal up myself, though? That seemed like the final frontier. Considering the brand they’re coming from and how objectively gorgeous the wands are, however, I decided to give them a shot.

Le Wand has several offerings in their crystal collection: Crystal Wand; Crystal Slim Wand; Crystal G Wand; and Yoni Eggs. All come in two options, rose quartz and black obsidian.

For this review, I tried the rose quartz Crystal G Wand to see how it measured up on its own, and how a crystal wand compared to other internal toys.

All the toys in Le Wand's Crystal Collection. Clockwise: Yoni eggs; G Wand; Slim Wand; Wand.

All the toys in Le Wand’s Crystal Collection. Clockwise: Yoni eggs; G Wand; Slim Wand; Wand.
Credit: le wand

Are crystal sex toys safe?

Crystal is far from the typical sex toy material. Many stones and crystals are porous, meaning they have tiny holes or space where air or liquid can fill them. Porous materials aren’t ideal for sex toys, as they can absorb bodily fluids, lube, and whatever else the toy may touch. Because outside material can seep into the toy, cleaning the surface doesn’t help. This is why many sex toys out there are made of non-porous, body-safe silicone.

Le Wand told Mashable that the crystal collection is certified to meet California’s Prop 65 standards, which requires businesses to warn customers against significant exposure to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. These toys also meet EU and UK safety standards.

According to Gemological Institute of America (GIA) researchers that spoke with Chakrubs, rose quartz is non-porous. Other crystals may have “closed porosity,” which means that they have pores but only at the surface of the crystal, and they don’t penetrate through the center.

On its site, Le Wand said that crystals in their toys may have closed porosity, and recommended using a condom if you’re using these with a partner with whom you’d rather not share bodily fluids. I’d venture to say that if you’re nervous about using a closed porosity toy, use a condom even if you’re playing solo.

As always, clean your wand before and after each use. Due to the potential for closed porosity, it’s imperative you wash it immediately after your session.

Opening the Le Wand Crystal G Wand

The packaging matches the aesthetic of the toy: Pink with gold gem-like accents. Each toy in this line comes with a travel pouch and a 94-page guide, which details how to use these toys and the history of crystal healing.

The wand also comes with a silicone stopper designed to be placed on the toy for simultaneous external stimulation.

Le Wand and the internet as a whole, it seems, loves to clamor about the aforementioned “healing power” of crystals. These stones have been said to contain such power for eons, so it’s understandable why the trend continues — especially given that mainstream interest in crystals, as mainstream interest in astrology and other non-Western forms of spirituality, have been on the uptick in recent years.

I, however, have no authority on this matter. While I can’t say whether these wands will allow you to “experience spiritual enlightenment” or “reach sexual nirvana” as Le Wand claims on their website, I’m also not going to say that’s a complete farce. If these stones have persisted this long, there’s probably a reason.

SEE ALSO:

Unbound’s Pep is a great vibrator for beginner and experienced users alike

My focus, though, was only on the physical — not spiritual — feelings the toy gave me and how the wand functions as a sex toy.

If you’re into crystals you can, as described in Le Wand’s booklet, cleanse it spiritually before first use. I only cleaned it literally.

The G Wand has a curved end to angle up and stimulate the G-spot, while the other two wands in the collection are straight. Either end of the G Wand can be used depending on the type of internal stimulation you’re after.


As Regina George would say, it’s, like, really really pretty.

Unlike silicone sex toys, you can use any type lube with this toy. If you use the silicone stopper in conjunction with the wand, though, use only water-based lube to not degrade the stopper. I didn’t use a condom but if you do, make sure not to use oil-based lubes either.

I’ll be honest, it was difficult not to just stare at this toy. As Regina George would say, it’s, like, really really pretty. I wanted to use it based on aesthetic alone — but beauty doesn’t make a great sex toy. How does the toy actually feel?

I was completely surprised at how nice this toy felt against my skin and body. I usually stick with silicone internal toys — I’ve never had a glass dildo, for example — so I wasn’t prepared for how smooth the sensation would be.

Le Wand Crystal G Wand experience

The wand felt great. I was worried it’d be too cold, but it wasn’t — and it warmed up during use, anyway. The angled edge is perfect for hitting the G-spot, and has the perfect length (178 mm) and width (34 mm at the bent curve end) for just-enough stimulation.

One frustrating aspect of this toy, though, was the silicone stopper. The internal/external combo creates the best orgasms for me, so I was excited to use it… but I couldn’t fit it over either side of the toy. I imagine this isn’t a problem for the other wands, especially given that the stopper is photographed over the regular wand, but I struggled to get mine on the G Wand before I gave up.

I also didn’t want to try too hard to pull the stopper on because this toy is made of crystal, after all. A downside of this wand, as I imagine all crystal toys, is needing to handle it with care. The toy is especially slippery when wet, and considering I recently chipped a gua sha tool after first use, I worried I’d do the same to the G Wand. In contrast, I don’t have to be precious about my silicone toys at all.

My G Wand is thankfully still intact, but my fear of dropping or cracking it may stop me from grabbing it for future sessions.

How does Le Wand Crystal G Wand compare to other internal toys?

These comparisons are for vastly different toys but could be helpful if you’ve tried one and never tried a crystal toy before.

Crystal G Wand vs. realistic six-inch dildo: The G wand wins out here. While the dildo may be more lifelike, I find that the G wand glides in a more pleasurable way. The bent angle is also a huge plus, as standard dildoes aren’t created to stimulate the G-spot like that.

Crystal G Wand vs. Soraya Wave: This depends on what experience you’re looking for. The Soraya Wave mimics a “come hither” motion with your fingers, giving similar G-spot stimulation as Le Wand’s G Wand. Both toys get the job done, but Wave does the work for you. I found that the silicone of the Wave didn’t feel as gentle on my skin as the crystal of the G Wand.

Crystal G Wand vs. Thruster: Again, this depends. The Thruster is a great option if you like a more realistic-looking toy, and if you want to lie back while the toy does the work. You won’t experience hard-and-fast thrusts with the G Wand as you do the Thruster. At the same time, the Thruster isn’t angled to hit the G-spot.

Add to cart?

While I can’t speak to the spiritual properties these toys may possess, I enjoyed the G Wand and believe it’s a good sex toy in its own right. The 94-page booklet is informative, and the travel pouch is a plus.

At the same time, there are snags. I couldn’t get the silicone stopper to work, for one, and I need to be mindful of this fragile toy while handling it. The wand feels amazing against my body, but I also wonder if glass or stainless steel wands would garner the same effect. Glass and stainless steel are also non-porous materials, so I wouldn’t have to worry about that.

If you’re “big into crystals” and have the means to spend anywhere from $110 on yoni eggs to $250 on the G Wand, these toys are for you. They’re beautiful and well-produced.

If one or both of those factors aren’t true, though, then I’d skip this collection. Le Wand does have stainless steel toys, so if you want to experience that smooth sensation, I’d consider those.

Ultimately, I had fun with the G Wand but wouldn’t purchase it for myself. Especially since porosity may be an issue, I may not use it very often even though I very much enjoyed it. The crystal sex toy didn’t push me to “sexual nirvana” — but I did orgasm, which is good enough for me.

Who is Captain Britain? The secret history of the MCU’s new superhero

Brian Braddock versions 1 and 2, meet Peggy Carter from the MCU.

Technically, she’s not called Captain Britain. When agent Peggy Carter becomes a Union Jack-clad, Captain America-style shield-wielding superhero right at the start of episode 1 of What if, she insists only on a new rank: “Captain Carter.”

Yet that’s exactly what you’d expect from a true Captain Britain, who would be unlikely to assume such a flashy mantle. British culture has long seen itself in opposition to the egoism of America. Its fictional heroes may be super-powered, but they also cloak themselves in modesty. Call them by their names (Harry Potter), their titles (The Doctor), or their secret number (007). But never let them presume to speak for an entire nation — least of all one containing four countries with their own complex identity.

This was something Marvel struggled to understand when it first introduced Captain Britain to a skeptical British public in 1976. After several floundering iterations, the character only came to life thanks to budding British comics genius Alan Moore. The future Watchmen and V for Vendetta author recruited this Cap into a surreal fight against fascism — and thanks to his own fight with Marvel, prevented us from seeing the story he crafted.

In short, Americans who’ve never heard of Captain Britain shouldn’t feel bad; neither have most British people. Even now, the character lives a weird kind of halfway existence in Marvel comics. There is no one true Captain Britain; the title gets passed around and is often held by female characters, making Peggy Carter’s assumption of the role less surprising than you might think. At the same time, most of Marvel’s multiple worlds contain a Captain Britain; they have banded together in a “Captain Britain Corps” to protect the multiverse.

Now, in its Phase 4, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting interested in the multiverse too — so it should come as no surprise that Captain Britain is finally getting his/her due. The What If showrunners have revealed that Captain Carter will crop up again, in this and future seasons. Meanwhile, rumors persist that a live-action Captain Britain will enter the MCU in 2022 via Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

Whether that’s true, or just another case of superfans misreading the runes, it’s high time MCU viewers familiarize themselves with the bizarre backstory of this splintered superhero.

Captain Britain 1.0

Cap vs. Cap in 'Captain Britain' issue 16 (1977).

Cap vs. Cap in ‘Captain Britain’ issue 16 (1977).
Credit: marvel

Fresh from its stunning success on the U.S. comics scene in the 1960s, New York-based Marvel attempted a reverse British invasion in the 1970s. Captain Britain was the company’s attempt at a “homegrown” British superhero. His self-titled comic book was a kind of Trojan horse that also brought Fantastic Four and Nick Fury stories to a UK audience. To create Captain Britain himself, Stan Lee turned to X-Men writer Chris Claremont, an American who at least had the advantage of being born in London.

“In those Dark Ages, before anyone Over Here knew quite what was Over There, nobody was sure if there were [British] writers and artists who could handle Marvel-type characters,” Claremont explained years later, especially given that pages could not be easily faxed back and forth in 1976.

The culturally-appropriated character he created was a strange mix of British mysticism and American costumery. Brian Braddock, a research scientist, escapes a villainous invasion of a facility called Darkmoor, finds a circle of standing stones and encounters Merlyn — yeah, that Merlyn — who turns Braddock into a muscle-bound, lycra-clad superhero with a curious telescoping lance.

The Financial Times called the first issue a “farrago of illiterate nonsense.” Sales were poor. Claremont quit after issue 10. Even Braddock seemed dubious: “If only I were sure I wanted the job,” the character said after one of his earliest transformations into the superhero.

Marvel tried crossovers with Spider-Man (Braddock improbably became roommates with Peter Parker in New York) and Captain America (whose longtime opponent, the Red Skull, came to the UK). It didn’t work. Captain Britain ended at issue 39, just as its hypnotized hero attempted to kill the Queen during the biggest British event of 1977, her Silver Jubilee.

The character limped on in other comics, becoming sidekick to a character called The Black Knight in an “Otherworld” of Arthurian legend and magic. In 1981 Marvel UK tried a reboot with a new costume, given that the lion on Captain Britain’s chest looked to many Brits like a symbol printed on eggs to denote safety. (If you’re referencing England’s coat of arms, as every soccer fan knows, you need three lions on the shirt.)

Clad in the white leggings and kinky boots of Buckingham Palace guards, with British writer Dave Thorpe at the helm, Captain Britain still struggled to find his footing. Thorpe brought Braddock to an alternate universe with a dystopian UK, but he was ousted in 1982 for his political views — allegedly after he proposed a storyline where Captain Britain ended the troubles in Northern Ireland. Even his American editors could see the problem with a Union Jack-clad hero somehow winning over Irish Republicans at a time when their heroes were on hunger strike in British prisons.

Captain Britain 2.0

Alan Moore's Captain Britain keeps it real while drinking tea with a UK family.

Alan Moore’s Captain Britain keeps it real while drinking tea with a UK family.
Credit: Marvel

Enter Thorpe’s replacement, then-unknown British comics writer Alan Moore. To explore his prescient fears of homegrown fascism, Moore used a minor character in Thorpe’s storyline, Jim Jaspers. He turned Jaspers into an extremist conservative politician who rose to power by amping up fear of mutants and superheroes.

So far, so Days of Future Past — except that Jaspers was a magical mutant himself, who could warp all of reality into one giant Mad Hatter’s tea party. After a lot of dark Lewis Carrol-style shenanigans, Jasper’s anti-superhero machine, called The Fury, hunts down and kills Braddock in a graveyard. Merlyn and his daughter Roma, now fleshed-out characters in a futuristic Otherworld, literally rebuild Captain Britain from scratch, peeking into his memories and conjuring up his soul.

Without ever knowing he’s been reconstructed, Braddock returns to regular reality — known to Marvel fans as Earth 616, a designation that first appears in the pages of Captain Britain. And there, chillingly, Jaspers’ fascist takeover happens all over again. Braddock defeats him with the help of a multiverse of similar superheroes — Captain UK, the old-timey Captain Albion (both women), the Orwellian Captain Airstrip One. This gang, later known as the Captain Britain Corps, reunites to pay their respects at Merlyn’s funeral.

Because creators had control over their Marvel UK content, Alan Moore’s wonderful work on the strip has only been seen in a handful of out-of-print editions. Moore left unhappy over unpaid invoices, but it probably didn’t help that Marvel was suing another comics company over Marvelman, an old-school, pre-Marvel character that Moore had revived (now known in the U.S., thanks to that lawsuit, as Miracleman).

Another brief attempt at a solo Captain Britain comic followed in 1985, with artist Alan Davis gradually assuming control of the writing. Braddock matched the shifting mood behind the scenes, at one point quitting the role of Captain Britain altogether; his psychic mutant sister Betsy Braddock, later an X-Men member known as Psylocke, briefly took over the role of Captain Britain for the first time (but not the last; she currently holds the title again, in Marvel’s confusing continuity). The Braddocks fight against, and then alongside, an anti-superhero police inspector called Dai Thomas. Their HQ is their late parents’ manor, then it’s a lighthouse.

Marvel wasn’t done trying to make Captain Britain happen, but it did seem to realize that he/she just didn’t work as a solo hero. From this point on, the American-style egotism was gone. Henceforth, Captain Britain would only appear as part of a team.

Excalibur and everything after

Dr. Faiza Hussain, also known as Excalibur, reclaims the Union Jack during a brief run as Captain Britain.

Dr. Faiza Hussain, also known as Excalibur, reclaims the Union Jack during a brief run as Captain Britain.
Credit: marvel

Judging by comic sales, the first truly successful outing for Captain Britain was in Excalibur, which lasted for an impressive 125 issues from 1988 to 1998. A superhero team formed in the UK after the supposed death of the X-Men, Excalibur included classic Marvel characters Nightcrawler, Phoenix, and Shadowcat (a.k.a. Kitty Pryde). Chris Claremont and Alan Davis united to create fun, uncomplicated romps through parallel worlds. The biggest threat to Braddock was the fact that his girlfriend Meggan, a shape-shifting werewolf, kept falling for X-Men (first Nightcrawler, then Colossus). Braddock and Meggan married in the final issue, so all’s well that ends well.

Except that it is, to use a repeating phrase from Captain Britain comics, Never The End. Braddock and Meggan ruled over Otherworld for a while, then were put in separate worlds as part of the events of House of M (the comic book that partly inspired the MCU’s first TV show, WandaVision), then were reunited when Captain Britain became part of another team, a shadowy government department called MI:13.

That series also introduced Faiza Hussain, a British Muslim doctor who works alongside Captain Britain and draws the ancient sword in the stone, Excalibur, taking that as her superhero name. In an alternate timeline where the multiverse has vanished and been replaced by something called Battleworld, Hussain takes the title of Captain Britain, even though nobody can remember what Britain is. “We all get to decide what it means,” Hussain says when a Union Jack is uncovered. Hear, hear.

A few out-of-context panels from this brief series, Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders, ignited a backlash from conservatives on Twitter who had no idea what was actually going on in the comics. Not that Marvel was avoiding taking a political stance, with Claremont insisting that Captain Britain would have voted against Brexit.

Meanwhile, rumors abounded that Brian Braddock would show up in the MCU. Simon Pegg denied that he was set to play the character. A film producer revealed that he was pitching a Captain Britain TV show to Marvel Entertainment, and MCU supremo confirmed that “we have discussed” bringing Captain Britain to the screen, but nothing seemed to have come of it prior to What If.

And that brings us up to the first tantalizing mention of the name “Braddock” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the time-traveling Avengers Endgame, S.H.I.E.L.D. co-founder Peggy Carter is seen in 1970 learning from one of her S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that “Braddock’s unit has been stopped by lightning strikes.”

Was that a mere easter egg for Marvel comics fans? A hint of a future appearance of the classic Captain Britain? Or a clever piece of misdirection leaving us unprepared for another alternate version of Peggy Carter herself to take on the mantle in all but name?

We may learn more in her future What If appearances, but don’t be surprised if you see more rumors leading up to the next Doctor Strange movie, where the Marvel multiverse will explode on the big screen for the first time. In the MCU, as in the long, strange story of Captain Britain, it is Never The End.

Hell yeah, you can buy weed through the Apple App Store now

Residents of states where marijuana is legal can now buy weed through Apple's App Store apps.

You can buy weed through apps on Apple’s App Store now — with some restrictions.

Apple, which formerly banned apps that facilitated marijuana sales, now allows weed delivery service apps on its platform. The previous policy forbade apps that “encourage the consumption of tobacco and vape products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol,” as well as those that facilitate the sale of “controlled substances (except for licensed pharmacies), marijuana, or tobacco.”

The new App Store policy, which was updated on June 7, makes an exemption for licensed pharmacies and “licensed or otherwise legal cannabis dispensaries.”

A month later, Apple approved the first cannabis delivery app on the App Store. Eaze, a delivery service with 2 million registered customers in California, launched its shoppable delivery app on July 8. Eaze facilitates cannabis product sales between users and retailers, which independently hire staff to deliver the weed and verify the buyer’s identity. A statement from Eaze described the app’s launch as a “major milestone for the legal cannabis market and consumers.” Before Apple lifted the ban on cannabis apps, customers had to complete all transactions through Eaze’s website.

“It’s hard to overstate how important this is to our company and the industry,” Eaze CEO Rogelio Choy said in a statement. “It’s deeply gratifying to launch the Apple Store’s first fully-functional cannabis delivery app.”

Since then, other cannabis delivery services joined the App Store, including Beta, Caliva, and Pineapple Express. Weedmaps, which allowed users to locate and browse local dispensary menus, updated its app on Wednesday to allow customers to purchase products directly from dispensaries through the platform.

Weedmaps already had an Apple-approved app before the updated policy, because it didn’t directly facilitate the sale of cannabis products. Before the update, it only allowed customers to peruse local dispensary options. To actually buy anything, customers had to use off-app services or visit those dispensaries in person.


“It’s encouraging to see policies and attitudes toward cannabis shift in a way that promises remarkable growth.”

“We commend companies like Apple that work with industry leaders to find solutions that drive innovation in our space,” WM Technology, Inc. chief technology officer Justin Dean said in a statement. “It’s encouraging to see policies and attitudes toward cannabis shift in a way that promises remarkable growth, and we look forward to introducing an even simpler way to order cannabis from retailers through our platform.”

There are still restrictions for cannabis apps, however. The App Store’s review guidelines state that apps providing services in “highly regulated fields” like banking, healthcare, or cannabis, or ones that require sensitive user information, must be through a “legal entity that provides the services, and not by an individual developer.” Additionally, any app that facilitates legal cannabis sales are “geo-restricted to the corresponding legal jurisdiction.” Basically, residents of states where cannabis isn’t recreationally legal, Eaze and other cannabis apps won’t be available for download. If you’re located in Idaho, for example, you won’t have luck downloading any of these apps to order weed from neighboring Oregon.

While Apple’s lifted ban is long overdue progress in shifting the public attitude toward cannabis, Google’s ban on apps that facilitate weed sales remains. As of 2019, Google Play store apps aren’t allowed to offer any “in-app shopping cart feature,” the Verge reported, that would facilitate “arranging delivery or pick up of marijuana.” Regardless of legality, the policy continues, Android apps are forbidden from facilitating the sale of any marijuana or marijuana products.

Marijuana Moment noted in 2019 that the Google Play’s policy previously didn’t mention cannabis at all. The policy change followed an FTC complaint that alleged Google Play wasn’t proactive in vetting apps in the store’s kid section. The apps that previously facilitated cannabis product sales weren’t booted from the Google Play store entirely, but a Google spokesperson told Marijuana Moment that those apps “simply need to move the shopping cart flow outside of the app itself to be complaint with this new policy.”

iPhone users in legal states, meanwhile, can order weed without ever leaving their couch.