Connect with us

Technologies

I Discovered the Mystery Flavor of McDonald’s New Pink and Blue Shake…

The crazy-colorful shake is part of the McDonaldland Meal, which is like a (pricey) Happy Meal for adults. And now I know the flavor.

I tried the McDonaldland Meal at my local McD’s on Tuesday, the day it came out. And I don’t want to say that I’ve been thinking about the mystery flavor of its pink-and-blue Mt. McDonaldland shake ever since, because that would make me sound truly bizarre, but…I have pondered it. 

When I tasted the shake, I guessed it was maybe blue raspberry, maybe cotton candy, maybe mixed berry. It’s sweet but not sickeningly so, though I’d never order it again. (I’m a chocolate fan.) 

But I kind of wanted to know what the mystery flavor was. And now I do: According to McDonald’s Canada’s own nutrition page for the shake, the blue beauty features a «mix of creamy vanilla soft serve and raspberry flavored syrup.» (I tried to confirm this on the US nutrition page, but it just spun and spun and never loaded. Get on that, Ronald.)

RASPBERRY! The Mt. McDonaldland shake is raspberry flavor! And it’s blue in color, so my guess of blue raspberry was correct! Raspberry is the hot fast-food flavor these days, as Starbucks just brought back its much-loved raspberry drink syrup in late July.

If you’re wondering what I’m even talking about, McDonald’s continues to capitalize on the love of its customers for the company’s goofy history. Recently, Happy Meals included McDonald’s-themed toys — such as drink machines, fryers and trays with food on them — delivered in mini-Happy Meal boxes. And the much-longed-for Snack Wraps finally returned after a viral fan campaign. 

The McDonaldland Meal goes straight after that market of adults who have a nostalgic feeling for the Golden Arches. It’s not cheap — here in high-cost-of-living Seattle, the medium meal was $16.59 and the large was $18.29. 

Don’t miss any of CNET’s unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

You can choose from a Quarter Pounder with cheese or a 10-piece McNugget order. It also comes with the chain’s famous french fries and your choice of drink. But the specialty drink that’s made to go with the meal is called that mystery-until-now-flavored Mt. McDonaldland shake, and it’s a blazing blue color, topped with hot pink whipped cream. It’s supposed to look like a volcano, with the pink cream as lava, I guess.

You can order the shake without the meal if you just want to try it. If you don’t want to try it, you can choose a regular drink or another flavor of shake with your McDonaldland meal.

Read more: Review: McDonald’s Minecraft Meals Feature The Hottest Nugget Sauce Ever

I sampled the hot pink whipped cream by itself, and it seemed to have no flavor, so maybe they just took regular whipped cream and dyed it pink.

Instead of a simple toy, the McDonaldland Meal comes with a 5-by-7-inch tin with one of the McDonaldland mascot characters on it. I ended up with Hamburglar, who, after Grimace, would probably have been my choice. 

Tins come embossed with Hamburglar, Grimace, Ronald McDonald, Mayor McCheese, Birdie the Early Bird and the Fry Guys. Honestly, I’m not sure what anyone would do with this tin, but it was definitely a classier included item than most of the Happy Meal toys.

Inside the tin is a card with a code you can scan to explore McDonaldland online, an ID card for your particular character, two postcards and four stickers. One of my stickers said «robble robble,» the Hamburglar’s favorite saying, and one read, «Keep up! Hamburglar and I are mid-heist.» I can’t really imagine anyone putting these on their water bottle or laptop, but to each their own.

Honestly, unless McDonald’s nostalgia is your thing, I’d recommend you just stick to ordering your usual at the Golden Arches and skipping the meal. But if you just don’t get enough blue and pink food in your life — and who does? — try the Mt. McDonaldland shake once, pass it around to let your friends make them guess the flavor before you smugly deliver the big reveal, and then go back to chocolate or another good old standard flavor.

Technologies

Google Translate Reportedly Adding AI Integration, Duolingo-Like Game Elements

This update could spell trouble for its translation competitor, the internet’s favorite green owl.

Google Translate could soon get some major AI enhancements, like the ability to select different AI models and a game-like practice mode, according to a report from Android Police on Monday.

Android analyst AssembleDebug looked into the Google Translate app’s latest build, version 9.15.114, and found what appears to be new changes to the user interface. At the top, there’s a new model selector, Fast and Advanced. Fast would presumably be for quick translation tasks, like deciphering menu items. Advanced will likely use Gemini to understand the context of a text or a conversation with more accuracy

Read more: Best Language Learning Apps for 2025

According to the report, the update will also include a practice mode to help gamify language learning, similar to that used in the popular language app Duolingo.

A representative for Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

For the last two years, Google’s been showcasing various demos and releasing features to make language interpretation easier. At Google I/O earlier this year, the tech giant showed off a demo of what live translation might look like for someone wearing a pair of its Android XR smartglasses. 

With the launch of the Pixel Fold in 2023, the company also released a live interpreter mode that used the device’s inner and outer screens. 

Understanding different languages is a key innovation of AI. The ability to use large language model technology to interpret between two distinct languages expands the content and conversations humans can have with one another. 

Already, Google has released auto-dubbing tech on YouTube, allowing English-speaking audiences to watch Japanese YouTubers, for example. 

Continue Reading

Technologies

Nvidia’s GeForce On Community Update Highlights New Cloud Gaming Features

Continue Reading

Technologies

Act Fast to Grab a Refurbished Pair of the Beats Solo 4 for Just $85 at Woot

Woot is offering the Beats Solo 4 headphones for just $85, just in time for back-to-school shopping.

It’s back-to-school season and now is as great a time to grab a pair of new headphones. Though there are plenty of budget-friendly models available, the truth is there’s no beating high-quality brands like Beats. We’re always on the lookout for ways you can save, and we’ve found a Woot deal that lets you score a refurbished pair of Beats Solo 4 headphones for just $85 for a limited time. This deal is only available for a limited time, so we suggest acting fast if you want a new pair of headphones.

If you’d prefer a new pair, you can get them at Amazon for just $100, which is half off. Still, Woot’s deal is perfect for those looking to save an extra $15.

As far as headphone deals go, you won’t want to miss this one. The Beats Solo 4 headphones have plenty going for them, including a 50-hour battery life, so you won’t need to reach for the charger that often. And when you do need to charge them up, a 10-minute charge gives you 5 hours of listening time. If you’d prefer to listen with a cable instead of wirelessly, you can do so with the Beats Solo 4, which includes support for high-quality audio.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

CNET’s audio expert David Carnoy rated the Beats Solo 4 highly in his full review last year, but advised readers to wait for them to drop to $130 or so. The headphones have custom acoustic architecture and updated drivers, offering the signature sound from Beats. If you’re a fan of bass, you won’t be disappointed. The adjustable earcups and UltraPlush cushions ensure long listening sessions are comfortable.

Woot offers a 1-year warranty on all purchases, and Amazon Prime members get free shipping, which adds to your savings.

Why this deal matters

The Apple-owned Beats brand is iconic, and this is your chance to put a pair of the company’s popular headphones in your bag for under $100 if you’re open to grabbing a refurbished pair. Getting anything for that price is an incredible opportunity. Choosing your color sweetens the deal, but the limited-time nature of the deal does mean you need to act sooner rather than later.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © Verum World Media