While every pet parent needs a vacuum to quell the pet hair situation, some vacuums can take on even more pet-related responsibilities. There are robot vacuums that can avoid pet waste and toys, robot vacuums with livestream pet cameras, and a robot vacuum that comes with its own portable carpet cleaner (now we just need Roborock to expand the Saros Z70's robotic arm capabilities to pet toy cleanup). Manual cordless vacuums come with their own advantageous flexibility, like the option to go handheld and extend cleaning to furry furniture and staircases. I use both types of vacuums daily and wrote a whole buying guide for anyone stumped between a robot vacuum and a stick vacuum.
I tested several other top robot vacuums in the past two years that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra, and various versions of the Roomba j7, were my top recommendations at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck. Most recently, in the last few months of 2025, I was impressed by the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, Plus 405 Combo, and Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra. They ultimately just weren't the most thorough vacuum cleaners in their price range.
Several top robot vacuum brands unveiled new flagship models at CES in early January. These include the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic and Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, and the Narwal Flow 2. I will be testing these at home as soon as possible and will update this guide accordingly once all are officially available for purchase.
Let's dive a little deeper into the features that could make or break your experience with trusting a robot vacuum to clean up after pets.
I recommend vacuums with at least 8,000 Pa suction power for effective pet hair pickup, though homes with heavy carpeting and more than two pets should consider suction power of at least 12,000 Pa. But the brush roll system is nearly just as important when choosing a vacuum for pet fur. In my testing, vacuums with dual brush rolls are far more effective. For reference, the most powerful robot vacuums in 2025 ranged between 20,000 and 30,000 Pa of suction power, and new robot vacuums coming out in 2026 bump that up to 35,000 Pa.
Pet parents should definitely opt for a self-emptying robot vacuum — so much fur being sucked up will lead to a full dustbin faster, and you won't feel like emptying it yourself every day. Even with daily usage, an auto-empty robot vacuum can last between one and three months before you need to empty the dustbin.
If hardwood or tile is prevalent in your home, the best robot vacuum and mop combo for pet hair will be able to sanitize the floor while mopping and then wash its own mops to rinse off any lingering hair. Mopping is also much more likely to effectively wipe up other minuscule pet-related debris, like pet dander and kitty litter dust, that are too small to be inhaled by a vacuum's suction power.
Some rooms or spots on the floor within those rooms get furrier than others. A smart mapping robot vacuum learns the layout of your home and can head to specific zones on command, which you can queue up right from the app. In my opinion, smart mapping is the most worthwhile robot vacuum feature, and should be a baseline even when searching for a cheap model — cleaning performance is a moot point if the vacuum can't get where it needs to go in the first place.
Some advanced robot vacuums use cameras and 3D sensors to pinpoint any small roadblocks in the cleaning path in front of them. When successful, these vacuums save themselves from eating most pet toys, cords, laundry, or socks or shoes, avoid ramming into pet bowls, and even dodge pet waste.
The Cosori Iconic is the sexiest air fryer Ive tried. But better yet, its non-toxic and plastic-free.The Cosori Iconic has a luxe stainless steel design that's free of forever chemicals, and it can cook almost anything. Our reviewer thinks it's worth the splurge.
What's in a name? It turns out Cosori was right to call its new $249 air fryer the "Iconic." With a polished stainless steel design, versatile cooking functions, and generally useful smart features, it's basically the Cadillac of basket air fryers. But that's not the only reason I think it's worth the splurge after several months of testing.
Unlike many other air fryers, the Iconic doesn't contain any plastic components that can leach microplastics at high temperatures, and its basket isn't coated in harmful forever chemicals, or PFAS, including PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, aka Teflon). As someone who's overly picky about kitchenware for the sake of myself and my pets — Teflon is super dangerous for my parrot — I have no qualms about firing up the Iconic on a regular basis.
Myriad air fryers have a stainless steel finish over black plastic construction, including other Cosori models, but the Iconic has a more premium build that's almost fully stainless steel inside and out. One exception is its basket handle, which is made from plastic only so you don't scorch your hand when you grab it. Most of its exterior gets hot to the touch when it runs on a higher setting for more than a few minutes.
The Iconic's other non-stainless parts are its basket interior and metal crisper plate, both of which have a ceramic nonstick coating. According to a chemical disclosure statement by VeSync, Cosori's parent company, it doesn't contain any Teflon. (I'll mention here that Cosori's top-selling air fryer on Amazon, the $119.99 TurboBlaze, does use Teflon.) Anecdotally, I didn't notice any weird synthetic smells when the Iconic was running.
Cleaner cooking aside, the Iconic's mainly stainless build makes a big aesthetic impact. It looks luxe and matches the other brushed stainless steel appliances in my kitchen. What's more, I was surprised to find that it doesn't cling to fingerprints very easily — unlike my stainless Samsung fridge, which is a smudge magnet. Any crumbs or food crud that gets on its surface is easy to erase with a dishcloth or a damp paper towel.
The Iconic's basket and crisper plate also wipe down nicely between food batches, and you can toss them in the dishwasher for a more thorough scrubbing at the end of a meal.
I'm usually very anti-countertop clutter, but the Iconic is so sleek that I can tolerate it sitting out. I also don't really have a choice because it's too big to fit in any of my cabinets. It weighs just over 14 pounds, stands about a foot tall, and has a footprint of about 15 by 12 inches, so it's a little bulky.
On the tippy-top of the Iconic, you'll find a glass touch control panel with six different cooking functions: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dry, Proof, and Reheat. Each function has its own temperature and time presets ranging from 90 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and one minute to 24 hours. They also have set fan speeds; Dry and Proof are basically inaudible, while Air Fry and Roast whir the loudest. I'd say they're still less than half as loud as my hair dryer, the Shark FlexStyle.
If you need a reminder to flip your food, you can press a separate Shake button that makes the Iconic beep a few times halfway through an Air Fry cycle. (It only works with that mode.)
I tried all of the Iconic's cooking functions, and they work wonderfully. Air Fry produced a slightly charred, still-pink cheeseburger and crispy fries without any oil. Roast caramelized a medley of broccoli and red onions without burning them. I used Bake to make some crusty-but-fluffy brownies, and Dry to dehydrate Honeycrisp apples and bell peppers (some snacks for the aforementioned parrot). Reheat warmed up leftovers without making them soggy; it's put my microwave out of business.
I even made whole wheat sourdough in the Iconic. The dough formed an unsightly crust on top after proofing for two hours, but it disappeared in the shaping/baking process and left me with a cute little loaf of very moist, very edible sandwich bread.
The Iconic has a 6.5-quart basket, making it a good size for a small household. It comfortably fit a whole bag of fries, four single-serve brownies (in ramekins), and every sliced round of a fat apple (laid flat in one layer).
The Iconic supports smart controls via VeSync's mobile app if you connect it to WiFi, and they feel about 70 percent useful.
With the Cooking Functions feature, you can select settings from your phone and send them to the Iconic; they'll appear on its control panel in seconds. You can't actually start it remotely, but that's a safety feature. The app will show a timer once the cooking cycle begins and send you a notification when your food is ready.
If you're not sure how to cook a particular food, a Cooking Chart feature can suggest settings based on the serving size and "status" (i.e., whether a vegetable is chopped or meat is bone-in).
Hypothetically, you can also pull up settings by scanning bar codes on foods' packaging through the VeSync app, but it didn't work with most of the things I've tried. That includes Purdue popcorn chicken and every Trader Joe's snack I had in my freezer (hashbrown patties, falafel, breaded fish filets, and mozzarella sticks). I finally had luck with some frozen garlic breadsticks, which turned out well when I air fried them on the recommended settings — golden brown on the outside, soft on the inside.
The app contains a History list of your past cooking cycles in case you want to reuse settings. There's also an Achievements counter where you can see a weekly recap of your meals and any badges you've earned for cooking certain foods regularly. (I don't know anyone who would actually use this. Some things just don't need to be gamified!)
If you need some cooking inspo, there's a library of healthy air fryer recipes in the app under a Diet tab. It lets you add your own recipes and create shopping lists of ingredients.
Other non-toxic, plastic-free air fryer options include the Ninja Crispi ($179.99), the Our Place Wonder Oven ($185 to $245, depending on the size), and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer ($349.99). The Iconic is in the middle of the pack price-wise, but it has the best warranty: five years to everyone else's one.
For what it's worth, I also own and love the Crispi. It's easy to store and has glass baskets that double as storage containers for leftovers, though it has few settings and can't fit full bags of fries. Ninja's newer Crispi Pro has more settings, a bigger temperature range, and a larger basket than the original Crispi, but it costs $299.99. Neither model supports smart controls.
The Our Place and Breville models are both oven-style air fryers that let you cook multiple trays of food at once, which is super convenient. But the Wonder Oven doesn't have a companion app, and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is expensive. Plus, its pizza pan has a Teflon coating.
If you're someone who likes traditional basket-style air fryers, wants smart features and recipe guidance, and you regularly feed at least two people, you'll probably prefer the Iconic over the competition.
Bungie is a world-class studio making some of the best first-person shooters in the world. In my initial hand-on piece on Marathon, I said the gunplay was impressive and the art direction enticing, but after fully playing through this title, I'm even more impressed — and that's no surprise.
From Halo all the way to Destiny, Bungie has a record of hits. For Marathon, the company brought back one of its older franchises to add to its shooter repertoire. It’s Bungie at its best and shows why the developer is still a top player in the video game space. From its incredible gunplay, level design, art direction, and soundscapes, there’s nothing quite like Marathon.
Marathon takes place on the planet Tau Ceti IV, where human colonists have uploaded their consciousnesses to inhabit disposable cybernetic ones, turning them into “Runners.” As Runners, they constantly infiltrate Tau Ceti IV to scrounge up any resources, artifacts, and data to bring back to their factions. While Marathon doesn’t present its story front and center, the various factions are surprisingly interesting. It reminds me of Concord, where I actually found reading about its lore in the in-game encyclopedia much more fun than playing the actual game.
In Marathon, there are six different factions to fulfill contracts with, and they all embody different aspects of Marathon’s universe. For example, the starting faction is Cyberacme, whose expertise is AI, while NuCaloric focuses on agricultural matters and basic needs. And the contracts that these factions dole out often have you playing Marathon in different ways. MIDA, the anarchist group, has you running around and triggering alarms. Sekiguchi, on the other hand, is the company behind the cybernetic shells and views Runners as experimental test subjects. Some of their contract requirements include taking a certain amount of fall damage. Marathon’s worldbuilding is told through clever gameplay and these factions.
Thankfully, Marathon has solid gameplay loops to back it up. It’s an extraction shooter, similar to ARC Raiders, where players jump into a map, collect items, and exfil out. If you’re an avid Destiny player, meaning that you’re used to going in guns blazing, Marathon will feel entirely foreign to you.
You’re limited in supplies, and any items that you bring with you or collect on the field will disappear if you die. You need to plan out your routes methodically and explore carefully in order to avoid fights at all costs. This creates a tense atmosphere of unpredictability that’s equally unnerving, yet exciting. Scattered across the field are both NPCs and other human players, and trust me, they’re hard. The robotic NPCs are durable, and other human players show absolutely no mercy.
This makes Marathon feel so distinctly different from Halo, Destiny, and even ARC Raiders. If you try to take the NPCs in a gunfight, you’ll most likely get wiped, which is a stark difference from Bungie’s other shooters. In ARC Raiders, you’ll come across many friendly human players, but in Marathon, they won’t hesitate to just murk you. This contrast ultimately comes down to their themes. In ARC Raiders, humanity bands together to take on deadly machinations, while in Marathon, you’re at each other’s throats for scraps on Tau Ceti IV. It’s every Runner for themselves.
The way gunfights break out feels organic and leads to a lot of emergent moments, making Ceta Tau feel like such an oppressive but masochistically fun place to be. As expected of Bungie, the guns feel slick and impactful, making the moment-by-moment shootouts incredibly exhilarating.
If you successfully exfil, then items that you bring back are automatically sold, and you can use the money to purchase guns and other equipment to give yourself an initial advantage when you deploy again. But don’t forget, you could very well die, even with your shiny new toys, and lose everything you brought with you.
This gives Marathon the “just one more fun” kind of loop. Even if you die, you never feel like you’re too far behind, and everyone feels like they’re on a level playing field. This is thanks to sponsored kits, which the factions provide to give you the most basic tools, like guns and healing supplies, to start a run. The downside is that you can’t use any other equipment. But even with the most rudimentary equipment, you can emerge successfully by playing well. Whenever that happens, there’s an immense sense of accomplishment when you exfil.
Marathon’s map design is impeccable as well. So far, there are four maps: Perimeter, Dire Marsh, Outpost, and Cryo Archive. Each of them is escalating in complexity, too. Perimeter is a fantastic starting point and is more beginner-friendly, as it has large, wide-open spaces. Dire Marsh increases the intensity a bit with fog and dense grasses, requiring you to be more careful. When a fight breaks out, it can be hard to figure out where bullets are raining down on you compared to playing in Perimeter. What I love about these two maps is that it’s easy to hop into them if you’re just looking to play a quick match.
Outpost is when things start to ramp up, as it's a smaller map with tighter corners. You’ll run into other human players much more often. Since players tend to have more valuable loot than the robot NPCs, the risk and reward ratio is higher. Plus, you’ll need to acquire special keyguards in order to get to the map’s center, the Pinwheel, where the most valuable loot is located. Unlike Perimeter and Dire Marsh, coming in with a communicative team will have you see higher levels of success than playing with randoms. If you’re really serious about Marathon, Outpost is a great way to test your skills — and your patience.
But Marathon’s true test is its last available map, Cryo Archive. It's an unforgivingly cold and difficult labyrinth. To even access it, you need to equip gear with a total value of 5,000 credits, so you can’t just roll in there with a sponsored kit. And another kicker is that it’s only available to play on weekends. Basically, the idea of this is to play Marathon throughout the week to accumulate strong gear, and then head into the Cryo Archive when the weekend starts. And trust me, you’ll need to be as prepared as you can. Getting ready for this map shows how dedicated you are to Marathon, although the downside is that many casual players won’t ever get to feel how exhilarating and tense it is as the barrier to entry can be an issue.
In any case, Cryo Archive features an ingenious amount of level design. There are multiple clearance levels (up to level 5), and you’ll need to hack monitors and grab security tags off of players you kill. It’s such a complicated process that dwarfs anything you experience on Perimeter and Dire Marsh. You can’t even extract out the normal way as you would do in the other maps, either. You have to reach at least clearance level 3, and you’re also under a time limit. There’s a certain kind of satisfaction that goes into planning a Cryo Archive run. The winnings are astronomical, but the losses are just as extreme. Cryo Archive’s puzzle-like layout rivals that of Resident Evil Requiem’s care center puzzle-box. Even under a ton of pressure, I can’t help but marvel at the level design.
What really ties Marathon together is the retro-futurism aesthetic that the game is going for. The font and menus look exactly like what Apple interfaces looked like in the ‘80s, deliberately referencing Marathon’s origins on Macintosh computers. The sound design is equally impressive. Audio cues are incredibly important in Marathon, as the ring of gunfire can give away your position. Even engaging in shootouts with the NPC robots is a risk. In the Cryo Archive, especially, you also need to be aware of the sound of your footsteps. Hearing the sound of glass breaking or the blaring alarms of a lockdown can really throw a wrench in your plans. Each run in Marathon is ever-changing, and it’s stunning how Bungie managed to pull this off with only four maps.
That being said, its biggest issues are its user interfaces and controls. They’re clunky as the similar actions don’t use the same input. For example, I’ll open up a box with the square button on my controller, yet I have to place the items from that box into my inventory with the X button. It messes with your brain and doesn’t feel intuitive. Even after dozens of hours playing, I still have to think about what to press sometimes. The font is hard to read too, even if you’re playing on a big screen. There are no options to increase the size or anything. Hopefully, that can be fixed in a later update.
According to Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Games, “A game for everyone is a game for no one.” Marathon is the exact opposite of that. It won’t have the widespread appeal that Halo or Destiny does. But it showcases Bungie at its absolute best, putting all of its knowledge and skills to create something extraordinary.
Marathon has exemplary gunplay, level and audio design, as well as top-tier aesthetics that keep your eyes glued to the screen. Even the lore got me interested in its factions and overall universe. It may not be for everyone. It’s a hardcore game, and if you can meet it on its own terms, you’ll have one hell of a time.
Marathon is now available on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.
Mars did have complex carbon. A NASA rover found its hiding place.NASA's Curiosity rover found complex organics in an ancient Mars rock, revealing long‑hidden clues to the planet's past chemistry.
NASA's Curiosity mission has found so many simple carbon-based molecules on Mars over the years that the discoveries may now seem altogether routine.
Scientists know those ingredients matter because life on Earth depends on carbon, but the discoveries have often felt limited, like finding a few breadcrumbs without the loaf.
Now a new lab result from the rover suggests those earlier "crumbs" may have been fragments of something bigger: much more complex carbon material. That means a record of the planet's ancient, long-gone chemistry is locked inside Martian rocks, and scientists have a way to tap into it.
Curiosity ran a unique experiment on a rock sample it collected six years ago, using a special chemical and heat. The technique revealed 21 different organic molecules, the largest set found on the Red Planet so far, said Charles Malespin, the space agency's lead scientist for the rover’s chemistry lab.
The findings, published this week in Nature Communications, raise the stakes in the search for life on Mars. The study suggests the planet didn't just have scattered ingredients for biology on its surface. Mars actually managed to retain that material inside rocks for billions of years. That preservation doesn't prove the Red Planet was habitable, but it does point to past conditions gentle enough to protect complex carbon compounds — perhaps the same mild environment needed to support life itself.
"Before you can have life, you need an environment where that life can get what it needs to survive," Amy Williams, the paper's lead author from the University of Florida, told Mashable. "Our discovery not only expands the catalog of known molecules, but tells us that some of the building blocks for life as we know it on Earth were also present on Mars in the ancient past."
Among the cache were seven never-before-seen molecules on Mars, including a nitrogen heterocycle, a ring-shaped structure more complex than a simple carbon chain. Nitrogen stands out because it plays a central role in DNA and RNA on Earth, the molecules that carry genetic information for every organism.
These nitrogen heterocycles haven’t just been absent from previous Mars measurements — they've also never been found in Martian meteorites that fell to Earth, Williams said. She has called the discovery "profound."
Other detections included naphthalene and benzothiophene. Those compounds typically form when larger carbon structures break down, supporting the idea that the original material inside the rock was complex.
Living things could have produced these organic molecules, but scientists can't say that yet. Chemical reactions between water and rock can also create them. Still, researchers are encouraged because the detections show Mars' radiation, climate, and other harsh conditions didn't completely erase this raw material. That resilience bodes well for future experiments and missions: If life ever emerged on Mars, scientists may be able to detect molecules made by long-extinct alien microorganisms.
The sampled rock formed about 3.5 billion years ago in Gale Crater, a basin that once held water. If Mars ever developed life, or even came close, this kind of preserved material is where scientists would expect to find chemical traces of that attempt. The specimen came from a location nicknamed Mary Anning, after the English paleontologist.
The rock’s clay-rich setting may explain how the chemicals survived. On Earth, clay can trap and protect organic material from breaking down. The same process appears to have worked on Mars.
For NASA to run the experiment, Curiosity used a solvent called tetramethylammonium hydroxide, or TMAH, in methanol. The rover mixed the liquid with powdered rock, allowing its instruments to more easily spot certain carbon-based compounds. The powerful testing technique gives scientists a closer look at subtle hints of life that standard tests might miss.
Curiosity’s onboard lab has carried only two small containers of this chemical for its entire mission. The team recently used the second and final cup, as Mashable previously reported. Between the first test in 2020 and the second one this year, scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center redesigned the experiment into a three-stage process to better mirror lab techniques used on Earth.
"We're really excited about seeing the results," Vasavada told Mashable in February. "These are quite complex analyses to interpret and understand, so it will take a few months for the team to be confident in knowing what they've found."
What is DirtyRoulette? Exactly what it sounds like.Everything you need to know about the anonymous cam site DirtyRoulette.
In a post-Omegle world, there are many one-on-one cam sites to consider. Thundr, OmeTV, Uhmegle — but none of these scratch the itch that a lot of users went to Omegle for: online sex. While most of these sites do have a large community of people utilizing them to bust a nut on the internet, they aren't marketed for that. DirtyRoulette is.
After its launch in 2010, DirtyRoulette quickly became a popular Omegle alternative for those looking to waste less time. Omegle became saturated with people who just wanted to chat, which was the site's intended use. Some just wanted to jerk off, which is why DirtyRoulette became a great space to do exactly that. And since its launch, DirtyRoulette has cemented itself as one of the most visited adult webcam sites on the internet.
But what is DirtyRoulette, and does it actually deliver on what it promises? It's time to find out.
DirtyRoulette connects people from all over the world with one common desire: to get naked with strangers on webcam. The site doesn't pretend otherwise, either. Everything is branded for sex, which is honestly quite refreshing in comparison to other sites like Flingster, whose "About Us" section states the opposite when everyone on the site uses it for sex.
Funny enough, DirtyRoulette is actually powered by Flingster, so the format will feel familiar if you've ever used that site. Choose your gender, add tags if you want, and hit start. DirtyRoulette will pair you with a random stranger from around the world. And nine times out of ten, it will be a penis.
Because it is powered by Flingster, DirtyRoulette runs ads every few people. These ads aren't annoying and are easy to skip. You can sign up via Gmail or email, which, like Flingster, does nothing. If you want more, DirtyRoulette offers a paid VIP tier (found when you click the "Upgrade" button in the chat), the same account and pricing as Flingster:
One week: $7.99/trial (rebills monthly at $29.99)
One month: $19.99/month
Six months: $14.99/month (rebills every six months at $89.94)
That said, accounts on DirtyRoulette are essentially pointless. The only change is that you will be able to filter by gender and country, which honestly doesn't change the game at all.
What gives DirtyRoulette the edge over Flingster is that this site is not intended for anything aside from sex. There's nothing confusing about it. Like, it's called DirtyRoulette. You'd have to live under a rock to not understand the context there.
Yes, DirtyRoulette is free aside from the aforementioned service through Flingster VIP. DirtyRoulette works just as well without paying, and there's no real need to do so.
Unlike Flingster, there is currently no way to download DirtyRoulette as an app on your phone. DirtyRoulette is fully accessible through your smartphone's browser, with everything available that you'd find on your desktop.
In the United States, yes, DirtyRoulette is legal for adults over the age of 18. That said, if you are trying to access DirtyRoulette in a different country, check your local laws first, as DirtyRoulette is not legal everywhere.
Keep in mind that although DirtyRoulette is an adult cam site intended for adults over the age of 18, there's a significant problem worth noting. DirtyRoulette prides itself on anonymity, meaning that there is no ID verification needed prior to accessing the site. Anyone can get on DirtyRoulette, and that's worth taking seriously. DirtyRoulette's FAQ states that if you suspect someone is underage, you can report it by clicking on the flag icon in a chat.
Generally, no, not really. But, when comparing DirtyRoulette versus Flingster, we'd say it has a slight edge over Flingster in that department. Why? As mentioned, DirtyRoulette is not trying to trick you into saying it's something else. It is an adult cam site. Essentially, it's porn. It doesn't pretend to be anything different, as Flingster does.
We have to reiterate that there is no ID verification, which keeps the site anonymous but does leave the door open for bad actors. You can be speaking to anybody.
Like any cam site, sexually-inclined or not, DirtyRoulette is to be accessed by those who are using their judgment. It's a simple site with a simple purpose, and for what it is, it does its job well. But the anonymity that makes it appealing is the same thing that makes it worth approaching with some common sense. If something feels off, it's off. Skip to the next person and continue having the fun you came there for. Just don't forget that there's a real person on the other side of that camera, for better or worse.
The DJI Mini 5 Pro drone is down to its best-ever price at Amazon — save over $500 this weekendThe DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,049 at Amazon, saving you over $500 on list price.
SAVE OVER $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,049 at Amazon. That's over $500 off the list price of $1,599.
If someone tells you they know exactly what's going to happen with the drone market in 2026, they're lying.
There are so many uncertainties flying around right now, including legislative pressure on DJI imports. We expected stock issues by now, but you can still find DJI drones on Amazon. And better yet, some of the best models for content creation are at all-time low prices.
The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is down to $1,049 at Amazon. That's over $500 off and the record-low price on a beginner-friendly drone that offers everything you need to start shooting professional content.
The DJI Mini 5 Pro offers a massive 1-inch CMOS sensor, so whether you’re shooting 50MP stills or 4K/120fps slow-motion, the dynamic range more than delivers. The DJI Mini 5 Pro also makes use of forward-facing LiDAR that powers the new Nightscape Omnidirectional Sensing, meaning it can dodge branches, power lines, and buildings even when you don't have eyes on your drone. That's one less thing to worry about.
This popular drone offers 42GB of internal storage, meaning you can actually capture a full session of 4K footage without needing an external card as backup. That's a seemingly insignificant feature that has a huge impact for content creators.
Save over $500 on the DJI Mini 5 Pro this weekend.
T-Mobile is giving away the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to get yoursHow to get free iPhone. Get the Apple iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when you trade in an eligible device and sign up for the Experience More plan.
TL;DR: Score a free iPhone 17e when signing up for a T-Mobile plan with no trade-in required. The iPhone 17 is also available for free from T-Mobile when signing up for an Experience More plan and trading in an eligible device.
March was massive for Apple. After months of anticipation, new iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads were finally released to the public.
So what now?
Is the expectation that we all just sit around and wait for the next announcement from Apple? No, this is the time for finding the best deals on this fresh lineup. And there's a special offer available right now for anyone interested in upgrading to the new iPhone 17.
For a limited time, you can switch to almost any T-Mobile plan and get a free iPhone 17e (no trade in required). Alternatively, you can claim the iPhone 17 for free when signing on for 24 months of an Experience More plan and trading in an eligible phone. It's important to note that T-Mobile will charge taxes on these deals and a $35 device connection fee, but that's pretty much always the case with these "free" deals.
The Experience More plan is designed for power users who want 4K streaming, huge hotspot data, and international roaming that can keep up with even the most frequent flyers. You're therefore faced with a higher monthly bill than more limited plans. The Experience More plan does include perks like Apple TV+ and Netflix, which helps to offset some of that cost.
The iPhone 17 is the first base model built to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. Mashable's Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." Content creators should note that the camera is "almost as good as the one on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max."
Score the Apple iPhone 17 for free this weekend with T-Mobile.
The Jackery Explorer 300 power station has hit its best-ever price — save $70 at AmazonFind the best portable power station deal. Save 27% on the Jackery Explorer 300 at Amazon.
SAVE OVER $70: As of April 23, the Jackery Explorer 300 is on sale for $188.99 at Amazon. That's a 27% discount on the list price.
If you've been contemplating buying a portable power station for some time, now is a great time to buy because Amazon has a range of Jackery models heavily reduced.
From high power units to more compact devices, no matter the level of power you're looking for, we're confident you'll find a discount for you. And if you're looking for something affordable that can still pack a punch, meet the Jackery Explorer 300. As of April 23, this unit is $70 off at Amazon, bringing the price down from $259 to $188.99.
This portable power station has a 293Wh lithium-ion battery and a 300W output with two pure sine wave AC outlets, USB-C, USB-A, and a DC car port. It’s a great option if you're looking for something lightweight and portable, as it weighs only 7.1 pounds (perfect for taking with you on camping vacations or road trips).
This deal is for the unit only, however it also supports recharging via multiple add-on methods, including compatible solar panels. But even without solar panels, it can reach around 80% charge in roughly two hours when combining AC and USB-C charging.
This Jackery deal is available at Amazon now.
Get a lightweight MacBook Air for a heavy discount — just $260Get a MacBook for less than the price of an iPad with this $260 MacBook Air.
TL;DR: Get a MacBook for less than the price of an iPad with this $259.99 MacBook Air (reg. $1,199) through May 10.
Want a Mac computer without the Mac price tag? Right now, that’s a real possibility with this MacBook Air. It offers all the power and portability people love from Apple’s lightest laptop, at a fraction of the usual price — just $259.99 (reg. $1,199) until May 10.
Every once in a while, a deal comes along that’s too good to pass up. This MacBook Air is just that, giving you the premium bells and whistles you’ve come to love from Apple at a not-so-premium price. And since this model weighs in at just 2.97 pounds, it’s easy to bring along anywhere. And Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity mean you can stay connected no matter where you end up.
Equipped with a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, you can multitask the day away and tackle your entire to-do list. You don’t even have to charge it in the process — this MacBook Air has a battery that lasts 12 hours on a full charge.
There’s a 13.3-inch widescreen display with Intel HD Graphics 6000, so you can work and play with vibrant visuals. This MacBook Air also has 128GB of storage, making it convenient to save important files locally and still have enough room to download your go-to apps.
This model is $800 off the usual price tag because of its Grade A/B refurbished status. That means you might receive a device with light scratches, dents, or scuffs, but its functionality and quality are still ensured.
Bring home a MacBook Air for just $259.99 (reg. $1,199) now through May 10.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Here’s a $10 Microsoft upgrade that can make your PC feel brand newScore a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro for just $12.97
TL;DR: Score a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 (reg. $199) until May 3.
What if we told you that you could extend your PC’s life for less than the cost of your lunch? Right now, that’s a real possibility with this deal on a Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license. You can give your computer a total upgrade for just $9.97 (reg. $199) now through May 3.
You’d be surprised how much a new operating system can do. Your old PC may feel like an antique, but Windows 11 Pro will make it feel like you are opening it up for the first time.
Windows 11 Pro was made with modern professionals in mind — from designers to data analysts — so everyone’s workflow will benefit from the new features. From a seamless, easy-to-use interface to a more powerful search experience, it’s made to improve your workflow.
You’ll enjoy easy redocking, snap layouts, and improved voice typing with this OS upgrade. It also includes Microsoft Teams so you can stay connected to friends, family, and coworkers.
It includes access to Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered on-screen assistant. It’s ready to answer your questions, help with tasks, change settings, summarize web pages, or even open apps for you.
This OS also takes your cybersecurity more seriously, offering improved security features. Keep your data safer with things like biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and enhanced antivirus protection.
If you’re a gamer, you can also take advantage of Windows 11 Pro’s DirectX 12 Ultimate and experience graphics that rival real life.
Enjoy an affordable upgrade with Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 (reg. $199) until May 3.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
You’ve got 1 day to score this multi-tasking AI tool for just $80Work smarter with AI, not harder, thanks to this lifetime subscription to 1min.AI's Advanced Business Plan.
TL;DR: Work smarter with AI, not harder, thanks to this lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan, now $79.97 (reg. $540) through tomorrow, April 26, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Working with one AI model is like playing checkers — working with 1min.AI is like playing chess. This tool makes it easy to see answers from dozens of models in one spot, saving you time and energy by hopping between tabs and keeping each model’s strengths straight.
Right now, you can score a lifetime subscription to the 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for just $79.97 (reg. $540) until tomorrow, April 26, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Your AI workflow is only as good as your tools. If you want to be more effective with this technology, you need 1min.AI. This platform lets you enter your prompt and sit back and relax as you’re served answers from dozens of AI models in one convenient window.
1min.AI gives you responses from major AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Mistral, and more — with no tab-hopping required. Aside from allowing you to compare them all within one window, 1min.AI lets you pay just once and skip paying multiple subscription fees.
If you need help with coding, video editing, image generation, or simply want to ask a question, 1min.AI is there. Just make sure to always give your results a human once-over, as edits may be needed.
This lifetime subscription to the 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan gives you an unlimited prompt library, unlimited storage, unlimited brand voice options, and weekly updates.
It also includes 4 million credits per month. These can be used to write 1,112,500 words, research up to 5,933 SEO keywords, generate up to 1,186 images, or create up to 37 videos per month. If you ever need more credits, it’s easy to earn them for free by using the app, leaving a review, or referring friends.
Secure a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan for $79.97 now through tomorrow, April 26, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
How to watch Timberwolves vs. Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs (Game 4) online for freeHow to watch NBA for free. Watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The first round of NBA Playoffs has already delivered some surprising results. Timberwolves vs. Nuggets always looked like one of the toughest first-round matchups, and that's proving to be true. They now meet in an all-important Game 4 at the Target Center.
If you want to watch Timberwolves vs. Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on April 25. This game takes place at the Target Center.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs is available to live stream for free on YouTube.
This free live stream is geo-restricted to India, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.
Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a VPN (we tested ExpressVPN and it worked great)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in India
Visit YouTube
Watch the NBA for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like YouTube, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.
Free hookup app accounts: Comparing AdultFriendFinder, Tinder, Grindr, and moreTo help you navigate the world of hookup apps, we've put together this handy guide that breaks down each service's best features for free accounts.
Almost everyone, at one time or another, gets the urge to find a fun fling, but not everyone wants to dish out money for the privilege. If you're strapped for cash or just want to keep your credit card information to yourself, know that there are a lot of great free hookup apps and sites out there that will work just fine without you paying a premium for membership.
That having been said, not all these free services operate in the same way, or give you the same amount of freedom. They're businesses, after all, and still trying to turn a profit, so to entice you to upgrade they hide some of their best features behind a paywall while allowing you just enough freedom to experience a taste of what they offer.
To help you navigate the world of hookup apps and sites as a non-paying user, we've put together this handy guide that breaks down each service's best features for free accounts.
Tinder's mega-popularity probably has a lot to do with how well it has balanced its free and premium features. As a non-paying user, you can create an account, fill your profile with up to nine photos and videos plus a short bio, and swipe, match and chat with singles in your area.
In other words, you can use Tinder's basic features without reaching for your wallet. But restricting yourself to a free account also forces you to experience some serious frustrations, from an ad-laden UI to a limited number of swipes in 12 hours. That doesn't sound too bad on paper until you've spent an hour left-swiping through your local singles when you finally find the profile of your dreams, a person seemingly created to pique your interest, only to discover that you've run out of likes.
To get the most out of a free Tinder account, we recommend splitting up your swiping time into morning and evening sessions, to minimize the impact of their 12-hour right-swipe restriction. If you manage to get matches using this strategy, you're all set and probably don't need to upgrade your account, but if you're dissatisfied with how many matches you get, it might be time to explore Tinder's Gold and Platinum tiers, as these unlock some matchmaking cheat codes, including one monthly profile boost to increase your visibility, plus the ability to see who has liked your profile and even message accounts that you haven't already matched with.
AdultFriendFinder is one of the most restrictive dating services when it comes to what it allows free members to do. Not only will you not be able to speak to another person one-on-one with a free account, you won't even be able to view other users' profiles without ponying up some cash on a monthly basis.
Don't be deterred, though. If you're looking for fast thrills online, a free AFF account can get you plenty far. For one thing, AdultFriendFinder is less a dating service than an entire ecosystem, complete with live webcam shows, chat boards, adult-themed picture contests, and a whole lot of erotic storytelling. With a free account, you can access and even participate in almost all of these public-facing venues, so whether you want to passively observe the live webcam feeds or test your writing skills out in the fiction section, you have options.
On the other hand, if you want to use AFF to actually find a partner in your area of the world, you're probably going to need to upgrade to their paid subscription, which not only unlocks expanded search features and the ability to communicate one-on-one with other members, but also upgrades the quality of the photos and videos you see, which is a dramatic quality-of-life improvement well worth the investment.
Like Tinder, Grindr is very generous in the functionality it extends to non-paying users. With a free account, you'll be able to create a profile, search out and chat with other nearby people, and even create a private photo album and send a single expiring photo per day. In one sense, Grindr is even more generous to its free users than Tinder: it allows you to match with one person outside of your immediate location per day, giving you a small taste of the app's reach.
Best of all, for those desperately eager to connect, Grindr allows free users two Right Now sessions per week, which functions as a kind of temporary (one hour, max) status update to nearby users also in Right Now mode that you're looking for a fast hookup.
It's not all upside, though. Like Tinder, Grindr subsidizes its free user features by serving them up a whole bunch of ads, which can definitely degrade the user experience, while also limiting their profile's reach to "local" Grindr users, which basically means accounts within your immediate vicinity. If you're in LA or Manhattan, that's not such a problem, but if you're using the app somewhere with less population density, it can be a serious impediment.
If those limitations seem intolerable to you, you can opt for either the Grindr XTRA or Grindr Unlimited subscriptions to unlock quality-of-life features like the ability to send more expiring photos, a larger grid to explore, and even the ability to see who has liked your profile.
In many ways, Pure is the most intriguing hookup app at this moment, a true innovator in design and interface, which makes it no surprise that it's the most popular app for Gen Z singles. Unfortunately, it's extremely restrictive in the scope it gives to free users — unless you're a woman, that is.
On Pure, male and non-binary users have to pay to unlock the app's most useful features, while women get unrestricted access to the app for free. Before you cry foul, though, remember that most dating apps skew heavily male (Tinder users may be 75 percent male, for example), so by enticing women with a free membership, Pure can keep a relatively even gender split among its users.
As a free user, you'll be able to create a profile and fill out the requisite information, as well as a list of your kinks, but you won't be able to create or respond to ads or chat one-on-one with other users, which locks you out of the app's most fun and interactive features.
Unlike with Tinder, Grindr or AFF, then, Pure really does require a paid subscription to be at all useful, at least if you're not a woman using the app.
How to watch the 2026 Madrid Open online for freeHow to watch the Madrid Open for free. Live stream the 2026 Madrid Open for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Madrid Open for free on RTVE. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The French Open isn't all that far away, so it's time for the best players in the world to take to the clay to sharpen up before the second Grand Slam of the season. The good news for top players is that there is ample opportunity to do just that, with a number of high-profile tournaments taking place at this time of year.
Following on from the Barcelona Open is the Madrid Open, with a number of top players competing in this popular event. For many, this will be a dress rehearsel for the main event at Roland-Garros.
If you want to watch the 2026 Madrid Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
The Madrid Open is an annual professional tennis tournament played on clay courts at the Caja Mágica in Madrid. The defending singles champions are Casper Ruud and Aryna Sabalenka.
The 2026 Madrid Open is the 24th edition of the event on the ATP Tour and 17th on the WTA Tour. This year's event takes place from April 21 to May 3.
The 2026 Madrid Open are available to live stream for free on RTVE.
RTVE is geo-restricted to Spain, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Spain, meaning you can unblock RTVE from anywhere in the world.
Access free live streams of the 2026 Madrid Open by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we tested ExpressVPN and it works great)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Spain
Visit RTVE
Watch the 2026 Madrid Open for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2026 Madrid Open before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTVE, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Spain
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2026 Madrid Open for free with ExpressVPN.
The best sexting apps for more discreet chats in 2026Looking for the best sexting apps of 2026? We tested dozens of apps for privacy, safety, and features.
Based on my extensive hands-on testing and expert input, I’ve picked the best sexting apps to keep your flirtiest, dirtiest chats truly private — whether you're messaging a partner, a hookup, or a verified creator.
Because sometimes the anticipation of a hookup is even hotter than the main event. In my experience, sexting is the ultimate form of digital foreplay. It’s the glue that keeps long-distance relationships from falling apart, the spark that stops long-term couples from feeling like roommates, and — for all you singles out there — the safest way to test sexual chemistry before you ever meet up in person.
If it feels like everyone is sending spicy texts these days, you're not wrong. Some studies show that up to 88 percent of American adults have engaged in sexting at some point in their lives. For many, it's become an essential means of connection, and research shows that sharing intimate pictures can evoke, demonstrate, and reinforce trust.
Remember: You can't (and shouldn't!) trust your most intimate moments to just any app. As fun as the buildup is, the sad truth is that no one ever knows for sure if their private photos will stay private once they hit send on standard messaging platforms. Sliding into the DMs on a random dating app might feel like spontaneous fun, but in 2026, your digital footprint is forever. If you're going to share that side of yourself, you need to know it stays between you and the recipient.
As one of Mashable's dating app experts, I've spent the last three years testing dozens of platforms to find the best and most discreet apps for the job. My highest priority is always user safety. I also spoke with security expert Gary Orenstein with Bitwarden, who stressed that for sharing intimate content, "privacy features cannot be optional — they’re essential." He recommends looking for apps with three key features: end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot detection.
After all, if you believe in safe sex, you should practice safe sexting, too. So, for all your NSFW messaging needs, these are the sexting apps I trust to get the job done without compromising your privacy.
Confide: I’ve moved this back to the #1 spot. On balance, its specific privacy tools (like screenshot-proofing) just give it the edge over everything else right now.
Lovense Remote: I added this as the winner for "Group Sexting." It's also the best way for couples (and polyamorous folks) to sync Bluetooth toys for long-distance play.
FetLife: Added as "Best for Kink." It’s less of a standard app and more of a social network, but it remains the go-to place for finding niche communities.
You've probably seen other "best of" lists recommending apps I've left off. That's intentional. My goal is to recommend platforms where you can make connections, not just burn cash.
Here's why a few popular names didn't make the cut:
A note on "paid operator" sites: Many sites marketed for sexting (like InstaBang, Arousr, and SextLocal) don't primarily connect you with other real users. Instead, they often use "chat operators" to keep you talking and paying. While there's nothing wrong with a paid fantasy, I don't consider that mutual sexting. My list focuses on apps for real, user-to-user interaction (with the exception of SextPanther, which connects you with verified adult performers).
Couple's apps: You also won't find apps like Between on this list. While it's a private messenger for couples, it lacks the specific features that make sexting fun. If you want to level up your digital intimacy, my picks (like We-Vibe and Lovense) are much more interactive.
We can all agree that moms and mother figures deserve the world and a little bit more on Mother's Day. But let's be straight: Very few us can afford the kinds of gifts they truly deserve — the diamond necklaces, luxurious weekend trips, or designer gear. Sure, Mom is more than worthy of unwrapping something along those lines on Mother's Day but it's just not realistic.
But is that reason to send Mom a gift card from the grocery store checkout line, or to grab the first bouquet of barely adequate flowers? Absolutely not.
With Mother's Day 2026 fast approaching, here are more than 20 ideas for inexpensive but thoughtful Mother's Day gifts — all under $50. You can make her feel special without breaking the bank with these gift ideas, which include several products recommended to us by our own moms and mom friends.
Best gifts for mom 2026: 60+ thoughtful gift ideas that are as special as she isThe best gifts for moms, including non-cliché gift ideas she'll love for Mother's Day, Christmas, or her birthday.
There's a lot of pressure when it comes to thinking up great gift ideas for your mom. She's done the hard wok of actually raising you, and it's time to throw some appreciation back her way. Part of our larger series dedicated to finding the best gifts for everyone, this list of gifts for your mom (or any mom or mother figure, for that matter, who all deserve something special) attempts to think outside of the same old generic suggestions that have plagued moms at major holidays for decades.
Does she have a unique interest or pastime that's a huge part of her life? You could look for hyper-specific items that speak directly to her passions, or pick up an item to finally nudge her towards getting started on that dream hobby. If she'd appreciate a more practical gift, rack your brain for a frustration that she's mentioned more than once — perhaps her coffee machine sucks or she's having trouble relaxing. You can't go wrong with gifting something that'll make her life easier.
Mother's Day is fast approaching on May 10, so there's no better time to pick her a gift. The best gifts will make her feel listened to, valued, or straight-up pampered. Consider what she does when she has no one putting demands on her time — then shop for those moments. And if you get stuck, or your budget's tight, visit our guide to the best gifts under $50 for even more winning ideas.
Hurdle hints and answers for April 25, 2026Hints and answers to today's Hurdle all in one place.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
Mushrooms.
FUNGI
Askew.
WONKY
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Scam.
FRAUD
A red flower.
POPPY
Sofa.
COUCH
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on April 25See the Moon phase expected for April 25, 2026 as well as when the next Full Moon is expected.
We're now in the Moon's Waxing Gibbous phase, the last before we reach the Full Moon. There's plenty of its surface illuminated tonight, so keep reading to find out what you can see.
As of Saturday, April 25, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. Tonight, 63% of the moon will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.
If you're looking at the Moon with just your naked eye, you should be able to catch a glimpse of the Mares Crisium, Tranquillitatis, and Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars, the Mare Nectaris, Posidonius Crater, and Apennine Mountains should also come into view, appearing from halfway up the Moon to near the top. And, finally, with a telescope you'll see all this plus the Apollo 16 landing spot, Rupes Altai, and Rima Hyginus.
The next Full Moon is predicted to take place on May 1, the first of two in May.
NASA says that the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, during which it passes through eight stages. Although the same face of the Moon is always turned toward us, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it travels along its path, producing the familiar cycle of full, half, and crescent shapes. These variations are referred to as lunar phases, and there are eight altogether:
New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
How to unblock Pornhub for free in AustraliaHow to unblock porn for free in Australia. Unblock and watch Pornhub for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites from Australia is ExpressVPN.
The world of porn continues to be impacted by age-verification laws. Back in early 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub hit back by blocking users from those locations. A similar situation took place France and the UK, and now Australians are facing the same set of challenges.
The porn blocks arrived just days before new online safety codes came into effect, requiring organisations to verify the ages of users. It's the same story we've seen before, with the same straightforward workaround.
If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Australia, we have all the information you need.
VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.
Unblock Pornhub from Australia by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub
Visit Pornhub
The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment. The situation may have changed before the free-trial period comes to an end.
If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.
ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Unblock Pornhub for free in Australia with ExpressVPN.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 25, 2026Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the day's puzzle.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition will test your knowledge of multiple sports.
As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: We are not the champions
Green: Keeping score
Blue: Protect the net
Purple: You play these at home
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: In the Lowest Position
Green: NBA Teams on Scoreboards
Blue: Hall of Fame Hockey Goaltenders
Purple: Baseball Video Games
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #579 is...
In the Lowest Position — BOTTOM, CELLAR, LAST, WORST
NBA Teams on Scoreboards — DEN, OKC, SAC, WAS
Hall of Fame Hockey Goaltenders — BRODEUR, FUHR, PARENT, ROY
Baseball Video Games — BACKYARD, HIGH HEAT, SLUGFEST, THE SHOW
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
NYT Pips hints, answers for April 25, 2026The New York Times' latest game, Pips, brings domino fun to your desktop. How to play Pips as well as hints in case you get stuck.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Greater Than (4): The domino half in this purple space must have more than 4 pips. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.
Equal (3): Every domino half in this red space must have 3 pips. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; and 3-5, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Every domino half in this light blue space must have 1 pip. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically; and 1-1, placed horizontally.
Less Than (6): The domino half in this yellow space must have less than 6 pips. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Every domino half in this purple space must have 1 pip. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.
Number (6): The domino half in this red space must have 6 pips. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.
Greater Than (0): The domino half in this light blue space must have more than 0 pips. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this yellow space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this green space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.
Less Than (4): Everything in this purple space must add up to be less than 4. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this purple space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically; and 1-4, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Every domino half in this red space must have 0 pips. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally; and 3-0, placed horizontally.
Number (10): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): The domino half in this yellow space must have more than 1 pip. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.
Equal (5): Every domino half in this dark blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically; and 5-1, placed horizontally.
Number (7): Everything in this green space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (0): The domino half in this purple space must have more than 0 pips. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.
Equal (0): Every domino half in this red space must have 0 pips. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (4): Every domino half in this blue space must have 4 pips. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 25, 2026Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a police officer.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Coatings
Green: Large groups
Blue: Cops
Purple: To fling
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Body coverings
Green: Masses, in idioms
Blue: Old-timey slang for law enforcement
Purple: Starting with synonyms for "Throw"
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #1048 is...
Body coverings: ENAMEL, HAIR, NAIL, SKIN
Masses, in idioms: CROWD, HAYSTACK, MILLION, OCEAN
Old-timey slang for law enforcement: COPPER, DICK, FLATFOOT, GUMSHOE
Starting with synonyms for "Throw": CAST IRON, CHUCK E. CHEESE, HURLY-BURLY, PITCHFORK
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
NYT Strands hints, answers for April 25, 2026The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a shopaholic.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
The words are related to consumerism.
These words describe types of shops.
Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
Today's spangram is Storefront.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Corner
Liquor
Grocery
Discount
Convenience
Storefront
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 25, 2026Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1771 on April 25 as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a girl's girl.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
Not men.
There are no recurring letters.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Today's Wordle starts with the letter W.
Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
WOMEN
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
Apexs brutal ending, explainedAn explainer for the ending of Netflix's "Apex," starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton.
Apex is a dizzying film with a tiny cast and a very creepy villain.
But while Baltasar Kormákur's survival thriller has plenty of dazzling action sequences and stunning cinematography, there's also a pretty dark origin story nestled in the cracks.
So what happens, and what does Jeremy Robbins' script suggest is the real motive of the film's serial killer? Let's unpack.
The film follows Sasha (Charlize Theron), a rock climber struggling to come to terms with an accident that killed her partner, Tommy (Eric Bana). Sasha pays a visit to a remote national park in Australia with the plan to go solo kayaking down a river, but her trip is upended by an encounter with Ben (Taron Egerton), a ranger hell-bent on hunting her to her death — seemingly, at first, just for his own twisted enjoyment.
Fortunately, Sasha is no stranger to surviving in extreme conditions. What follows is a cat-and-mouse chase across water, canyons, and cliff faces that's essentially a brutal hour-long fight for survival.
Just as Ben has Sasha cornered in his killing cave (more on that later), she makes a bid for freedom: biting half his ear off and jumping from a ledge into the nearby river. Sasha's hands are bound, and she's attached to a rope Ben was planning to hoist her into the air with; this enables him to attach himself to her while the pair are dragged along by the current. When they finally wash up, Sasha breaks Ben's leg with a rock before he fights her off.
The problem? The only way back to safety is via a large cliff face, which they have to climb in tandem in order to escape. Ben threatens to pull Sasha off the wall if she tries to unclip her harness and leave him behind, but halfway up she manages to do exactly that when she's partly hidden by an overhanging ledge. Ben is thrown to his death while Sasha free solos the remainder of the wall to safety.
A radio news broadcast at the end reveals that authorities have uncovered 20 bodies from Ben's cave, and that he's responsible for numerous disappearances in the area that were previously attributed to the harsh landscape.
Although the film doesn't tell us everything about Ben, we're given enough clues go on. The fact that he's a serial killer is indisputable, but while his initial motive appears to be a desire to hunt human prey, the scene in the cave reveals a darker secret: Ben is actually a cannibal who hoists his victims up like animals, eating parts of them and making other parts into a homemade jerky he sells at the nearby store.
"There are native tribes that say to capture the spirit of your prey, you have to consume its liver," Ben tells Sasha. "The trick is finding a spirit worth capturing, I suppose."
It's unclear what set Ben on this horrendous path, but his frequent mentions of his mother seem to be our best clue that he's been this way for a long time.
"She was special," Ben tells Sasha when she asks about the photo of him and his mom. "She was the first one. Do you understand? Now she's always with me. I'm gonna keep you with me too."
Ben, it seems, has become obsessed with the warped idea of hunting and consuming human prey as a means of growing more powerful.
Apex is now streaming on Netflix.
I tested iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra camerasiPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra cameras compared. See how photos stack up across real-world shots.
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra go head-to-head in a real-world camera test. Both deliver top-tier results but differ in color, detail, and processing. Here’s how the shots compare across scenarios.
Everything announced at Google Cloud Next in under 15 minutesCatch all key announcements from Google Cloud Next, including AI breakthroughs and real-world applications from CEO Thomas Kurian.
Catch the top moments from the Google Cloud Next keynote presentation, featuring CEO Thomas Kurian on AI breakthroughs, along with key announcements and real-world applications.
AirPods Max 2 vs. Sony WH-1000XM6: Which headphones win?Compare AirPods Max 2 and Sony WH-1000XM6 on design, features, and sound quality to find the better noise-canceling headphones.
Both the Sony WH-1000XM6 and AirPods Max 2 are great over-ear, noise-canceling headphones that cost a lot of money. So which should you get? CNET executive editor David Carnoy compares their designs, features, performance and sound quality to help you make a decision.
Stop taking notes forever thanks to this $30 AI-powered note-taking appStop taking notes for good with this My Notes AI Pro Plan lifetime subscription
TL;DR: Stop taking notes for good with this My Notes AI Pro Plan lifetime subscription, now $29.97 (reg. $299) through April 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Wish you could permanently scratch something off your to-do list? Let AI help you take one thing off your plate — transcribing and summarizing your notes. My Notes AI makes it happen, and right now, you can let it take your notes forever with this lifetime subscription to the My Notes AI Pro Plan. It’s just $29.97 for two more days — now through April 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
If you’re looking for a great way to put AI to work, look no further than the My Notes AI app. This tool can be your personal note-taking assistant, and once it’s done taking notes, it summarizes them too.
My Notes AI has a user-friendly interface that works on Apple devices, so you can use it on your iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. It captures, organizes, and even enhances your notes while you take a load off. From Zoom meetings to audio files to live lectures, it can transcribe and summarize all of them.
Once the app summarizes, it can also provide outlines and actionable next steps in seconds. All your notes stay organized by topic, date, or project, so you can refer back to them anytime. You can also share them with others by exporting transcriptions.
This lifetime subscription to My Notes AI Pro Plan gives you access to premium features like unlimited transcriptions, advanced organization tools, instant AI summaries, and meeting recordings.
Save time with a My Notes AI Pro Plan lifetime subscription, on sale now for $29.97 (reg. $299) through April 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
DeepSeek V4 is here: How it compares to ChatGPT, Claude, GeminiDeepSeek V4 Preview costs about 85 percent less than GPT-5.5. See how the new open-source model compares to its U.S. rivals.
Anything you can do I can do better...
That may as well be the motto for the AI arms race, which is unfolding across multiple dimensions in 2026. There's the competition between Silicon Valley AI labs like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind, the race for chips and compute power, and, of course, the fierce competition between the U.S. and China.
In the latest salvo in the East vs. West battle for AI supremacy, Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek has released a preview of its latest model, DeepSeek V4.
Here's what we know about the new model, and how it stacks up against other new models like OpenAI's GPT-5.5 and Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.7.
Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.
DeepSeek V4 Preview is a new open-source AI model. And that's the biggest difference between DeepSeek and its rivals from U.S. companies — it's a true open-source model.
Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI, and other U.S. companies fiercely protect their frontier models, whereas DeepSeek is available for anyone to download and modify under an MIT license.
Two versions of the new open-source model are available for use. Users can also access the new models via chat.deepseek.com.
DeepSeek-V4-Pro: A 1.6-trillion parameter model
DeepSeek-V4-Flash: 284-billion parameter total
DeepSeek cements China's edge in open-source AI.
Just days before the launch of DeepSeek V4, another Chinese AI company, Moonshot AI, released the open-source model Kimi K2.6, though early testers say DeepSeek V4 is clearly the better model. The full system card is available via Hugging Face.
DeepSeek says its newest open model makes great strides in agentic tasks and coding. The company also says "DeepSeek-V4 is seamlessly integrated with leading AI agents like Claude Code, OpenClaw & OpenCode."
DeepSeek released benchmark results that indicate the new models achieve similar results as the latest frontier models from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.
On popular AI leaderboards such as Arena and Artificial Analysis, DeepSeek V4 currently lags behind the top frontier models, though that could change in the days and weeks ahead.
You may remember when DeepSeek burst onto the AI scene in Jan. 2025, when the company announced its R1 model. That model sent shockwaves through the U.S. AI industry by proving it was possible to build powerful models much more efficiently and cheaply.
DeepSeek V4 is also priced far lower than Gemini, ChatGPT, and Anthropic. That could give DeepSeek a huge edge in adoption.
Here's how the API pricing compares:
DeepSeek V4 costs $1.74 per 1 million input tokens and $3.48 per 1 million output tokens (1 million context window)
GPT-5.5 costs at $5 per 1 million input tokens and $30 per 1 million output tokens (1 million context window)
Claude Opus 4.7 costs at $5 per 1 million input tokens and $25 per 1 million output tokens (1 million context window)
Google Gemini 3.1 Pro costs $2 per 1 million input tokens and $12 per 1 million output tokens
As you can see, DeepSeek is about one-sixth the cost of the latest U.S. models, which is a huge edge. Even the more affordable Gemini 3.1 Pro is at a serious cost disadvantage.
So, a task that would cost you $5.22 with DeepSeek V4 would cost you $35 with GPT-5.5, or about 85 percent less.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
How Lonely Islands Jorma Taccone and BriTANick went from SNL to HollywoodLonely Island's Jorma Taccone and BriTANick's Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher talk about how their careers launched through sketch comedy, which led them to becoming Hollywood filmmakers.
If you were watching YouTube in the late 2000s, chances are you came across the sketch comedy stylings of The Lonely Island and BriTANick. The Lonely Island is made up of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone, who are now Saturday Night Live comedy legends in their own right. They brought us the iconic music videos "Lazy Sunday," "I'm on a Boat," and "Dick in a Box."
Around the same time, inspired by The Lonely Island, came another massively popular sketch group out of NYU made up of longtime friends Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher. They called themselves BriTANick. Their fast-paced absurdist minds gave us legendary video sketches such as "Boys Night In," "Academy Award Winning Movie Trailer," and "Sexy Pool Party."
Mashable's Executive Producer Mark Stetson met up with BriTANick and The Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone to talk about their new film, Over Your Dead Body, a remake of Tommy Wirkola's Norwegian dark comedy The Trip. McElhaney and Kocher wrote the script, while Taccone directs; the result is a comedic remake that stays delightfully close to the original while adding their own unique spin.
Samara Weaving and Jason Segel star as Lisa and Dan, a married couple who have grown absolutely sick of each other. Sure, to their friends or family, it seems like they're planning a weekend getaway to Dan's dad's cabin to romantically reconnect. But really, what Dan has planned is what true crime fans would call an "alpine divorce," meaning he's plotting to murder his wife and make it look like a climbing accident.
Taccone and BriTANick took us on their career journeys starting out as sketch comedians making what are now-famous comedy videos for "$15 and some Mini DV tapes." The Lonely Island had to borrow their camera from Bill Hader's then-wife, director Maggie Carey, to film "Lazy Sunday," while BriTANick had to do every bit of production themselves. According to McElhaney, "Now, everyone can do it. Back then, you had to know someone who had a FireWire cord and had a camera, and you had to know how to export from Final Cut Pro. Only the nerds knew how to do it."
Taccone added, "It's so nice that the barrier of entry has lowered so anyone can do it and be creative. But also because there is so much of it, the prices have all gone down. There is more you can do for not a lot of money. Which is why it's so nice when you have the stamp of IFC, who is going to give you this amount of money to do something. You can actually do a substantial thing."
Over Your Dead Body is now in theaters.
The latest iPhone Fold leaks, rumors, and renders: Everything we knowThe latest iPhone Fold rumors and leaks point toward a wide design, very impressive display, and massive battery.
The long-awaited foldable iPhone should arrive in 2026. So far, Apple has kept a very tight lid on its first-ever foldable phone, but all signs point to a fall or winter 2026 release.
Early adopters already love foldables — and they have plenty of options — but Apple's been notably absent from the genre. However, don't count Apple out. The company has a history of showing up late to the party and then absolutely cornering the market, as it did with AirPods and iPhones.
So, as we await official details, here's everything we know about the first foldable iPhone, including the latest rumors, possible specifications, release date, and pricing information.
We think the iPhone Fold will arrive in fall 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Numerous rumors pointed to this over the last year. However, while Apple traditionally releases all of its new iPhones in September, the Fold might not be ready by then.
A tech analyst named Tim Long recently claimed that shipments of the iPhone Fold will begin in December of this year, not September, though Bloomberg's Mark Gurman threw cold water on this rumor. And Gurman seems to have a crystal ball looking right into Apple headquarters these days.
Still, given the ongoing global memory shortage, last-minute delays are always possible, so we'll have to wait and see.
The iPhone Fold remains a mystery to some extent, of course, but we do have a very rough idea of what it could offer. Based on all the rumors and leaks, the iPhone Fold will have a wider design than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Galaxy Z Fold 7, and the upcoming Motorola Fold.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicts that the foldable iPhone will be a book-style foldable with four cameras — two on the back, one on the inside, and one front selfie camera. Gurman also predicted it would use Touch ID like the iPad Air and Pro, even though iPhones typically use Face ID. All the recent leaks back up Gurman's reporting.
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In fact, the smartphone market is already adapting to the expected size of the iPhone Fold, and a Samsung Z Fold 8 Wide model recently leaked. Huawei was the first to market with a wide foldable, though the new Pura X Max is only available overseas.
The iPhone Fold specs could look something like this:
Displays: 7.8-inch inner OLED display, 5.5-inch outer OLED display
Thickness: 9.5mm unfolded, 4.5mm when folded
Security: Touch ID
Processor: A20 processor
Cameras: Dual rear cameras (48MP), dual inner/outer front cameras
Price: $2,399
Battery: At least 5,088 mAh
We've seen several reports claiming that Apple is committed to making the iPhone Fold's display the best it can possibly be. It should be very durable, super thin, and without a visible crease. Samsung Display is reportedly producing the OLED displays for the iPhone Fold, as Samsung's got the best flexible display tech in the game. There's a reason Samsung released the Galaxy TriFold while the world is still waiting on the first foldable iPhone.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported earlier this year that the iPhone Fold would have a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, and measure in at just 9 to 9.5mm of thickness. We heard another rumor in September 2025, which claimed the iPhone Fold would look like two iPhone Airs put together, with a similar thickness of 5.6mm. Why the discrepancy between the two reports? It could be the difference between the device's thickness when folded and unfolded.
There's also talk about Apple using innovative tech to make the iPhone Fold lighter and more durable than most foldables. These rumors include a report that the company is using liquid metal for the phone's hinge, which should improve durability.
Up until now, most of the tech world has simply called the unannounced device the "iPhone Fold." However, since it's not a confirmed product yet, it's very possible that the phone will have a different name at launch. Some outlets, such as 9to5mac, have lately taken to calling it the "iPhone Ultra" or "iPhone Ultra Fold."
While that would be a cool name (and may actually be the name when it comes out), we're going to stick with "iPhone Fold" for now, just for the sake of simplicity.
The iPhone Fold is likely to be expensive. An early estimate from research analyst Arthur Liao suggested the price tag for the Fold — gulp — could come in around $2,399. That's in line with expectations in a new report from International Data Corporation (IDC). Last year, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone Fold is likely to retail between $2,000 and $2,500.
Despite the sizable cost (the flagship Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is priced at $1,999.99), sales expectations remain high. The IDC report estimated Apple would siphon one-third of the spending in the foldable market in 2026.
"But the real game-changer for the category comes at year-end when Apple enters the foldable space, projected to capture over 22% unit share and a staggering 34% of the foldables market value in its first year, thanks to an expected average price point of $2,400,” read the report.
In March, Mark Gurman claimed that Apple could classify the iPhone Fold as an "Ultra" product, putting it in a higher price tier than other devices in its portfolio alongside other high-end machines like the Apple Watch Ultra. If the phone ends up costing at least $2,000 as expected, this would make sense.
In December 2025, we saw lots of alleged iPhone Fold renders circulating on social media, which all share a similar design. We'd take these with a grain of salt, of course.
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In February, a leaker known as Instant Digital posted some alleged renders of the iPhone to the Chinese social media site Weibo. Like most leaks, especially the ones pertaining to Apple, we can't confirm their authenticity. However, they line up with earlier reports of the overall look of the phone.
More recently, Apple leaker Sonny Dickson shared another potential iPhone Fold render in March 2026.
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Dickson shared more purported dummy units of the iPhone Fold in April, giving those renders a bit more physicality than they had before.
April has been fairly bounteous in terms of iPhone Fold leaks. Aside from Dickson's dummy units, YouTuber Vincent Zhong got his hands on the newly released (in Asia) Huawei Pura X Max Wide. This Chinese phone is one of the first real "wide foldables" that we've seen hit the market, and its screen dimensions are almost exactly the same as the alleged dimensions of the iPhone Fold.
While the iPhone Fold will almost certainly look different from Huawei's device, Zhong's hands-on video gives us a decent idea of what to expect from the iPhone Fold as a physical object in your hands.
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We've also gotten some interesting dummy photos from tech leaker Majin Bu on X in April. In these photos, the dummy units look very similar to what we've seen in other recent leaks. In other words, it looks like a shorter, more book-style foldable than previous foldables. It looks like it'll also support MagSafe cases.
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Instant Digital makes some interesting claims. Most notably, the report says the iPhone Fold will have the largest-ever iPhone battery. (For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is estimated to have a roughly 5,088 mAh battery.)
"The volume buttons are not on the left side," reads a translation of the post. "Instead, they are placed directly on the top of the right-side frame (similar to the volume button layout on the top of the iPad mini). This may take some getting used to for users’ typical phone habits."
The post also stated, "The rear dual camera + right-side microphone + flash are arranged horizontally. The camera module appears to be fully black and does not match the body color. Currently, the only confirmed color is white, but it is expected that Apple will launch two color options."
Beyond physical design, another recent report suggested you'll be able to run multiple apps side-by-side when the phone is unfolded, sort of like multitasking on iPadOS 26. However, by all accounts, this device will run iOS, not iPadOS, so you won't exactly get a full iPad experience from the iPhone Fold. (Apps that are designed to run natively in iPadOS, for example, would not be compatible.)
Finally, even though the iPhone Fold is still in the realm of fantasy, there are already rumors about a follow-up, clamshell-style foldable from Apple, potentially called the iPhone Flip. That one probably isn't coming until next year, though.
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Wait, what are Amazon Ember TVs? The Amazon Fire TV rebrand, explained.The new Ember Artline TV also brought a name change to all Amazon smart TVs, but the Fire TV platform lives on. Let us explain.
Back during CES in January, Amazon revealed its smart TVs were getting a rebrand soon. But if you don't follow CES news as we do, the April 15 switchover to "Ember" in all of Amazon's smart TV listings might have been jarring. It's been a relatively quiet rebrand for a major product line, so it's valid to feel a little confused.
So wait, is Fire TV just called Ember TV now?
Well, sometimes. The rebrand is a title change that will unify all Amazon-branded smart TVs under a single recognizable name — Ember. But the Fire TV operating system and streaming app platform, which is still known as Fire TV, isn't going anywhere.
Amazon Ember only replaces Fire TV when we're talking about the physical televisions: What were formerly known as Amazon Fire TVs are now Amazon Ember TVs. Those Ember TVs still run the Fire TV OS, so the interface you're used to is still alive and well.
Fire TV is the name of Amazon's TV operating system and streaming app platform, so Amazon must think it will be less confusing for the TVs to be called something else. (Hey, at least Ember stays on theme with Fire and Kindle.)
The name change feels especially practical when you remember that Amazon isn't the only brand that uses Fire TV. Many models from Insignia, TCL, Toshiba, and Hisense are also marketed as Fire TVs, so the Ember title will quickly distinguish those from in-house Amazon smart TVs. The Ember name change doesn't affect non-Amazon TVs that use the Fire TV OS.
After the April 2026 rebrand, these are the new names of Amazon's main smart TV series:
Amazon Ember 2-Series (FHD)
The pre-existing TVs are the same as they were before the name change — even their reviews carried over.
We aren't expecting any new Ember TVs to launch before Amazon's next Devices & Services event, which usually takes place in the fall.
Fire TV Sticks and Fire TV Cubes are still called what they were called. In fact, along with the announcement of the Amazon Ember Artline TV, Amazon also announced a new Fire TV Stick coming on April 29.
So far, the only brand-new TV to come out of the Ember shift is the Ember Artline. Amazon's first lifestyle TV features a matte screen, interchangeable wood and metallic frames, an ultra-thin design, and a mount that lets the TV lie flat against the wall — all hallmark features of TVs that double as art when they're not being watched.
It's hard to not immediately envision an Ember Artline vs. The Frame showdown.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both art TVs: The Ember Artline only comes in two sizes compared to five sizes of The Frame, but the Ember Artline's 55-inch and 65-inch models are $200 and $300 more affordable than Samsung's 55-inch and 65-inch counterparts. One could argue that The Frame's 120Hz refresh rate justifies the steeper cost compared to the Ember Artline's 60Hz. But if you prefer Dolby Vision over Samsung's HDR10+, the Ember Artline might be the obvious choice. (These numbers are based on the latest version of The Frame only.)
But perhaps the Ember Artline's biggest edge over The Frame? The entire Ember Artline art gallery is free. You'll get access to more than 2,000 free pieces of art, while the vast majority The Frame's artwork is behind a $4.99/month paywall. You can totally use The Frame without that subscription, but your artwork selection maxes out at 30 options each month.
After a short preorder window, you can now officially buy the Amazon Ember Artline: Get the 55-inch model for $899.99 or the 65-inch model for $1,099.99.
TL;DR: Live stream Manchester City vs. Southampton in the FA Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Manchester City are now leading the Premier League after a dramatic victory over Arsenal. That's been the focus for weeks, but the FA Cup is providing a distraction. Man City face Southampton this weekend for a place in the final, and you can watch without spending anything.
If you want to watch Manchester City vs. Southampton in the FA Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
Manchester City vs. Southampton in the FA Cup kicks off at 12:15 p.m. ET on April 25. This fixture takes place at Wembley Stadium.
Manchester City vs. Southampton in the FA Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Manchester City vs. Southampton for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream Manchester City vs. Southampton for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Manchester City vs. Southampton without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the FA Cup before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Manchester City vs. Southampton in the FA Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
Legendary cruising site Squirt just launched an appCruising site Squirt pre-dates Grindr, and it just released an app.
If you've been using Sniffies to cruise your local area, but you're tired of using the web-based version (RIP to the Sniffies app), I have some news: Squirt just launched its very own iOS app.
This is coming at a pretty opportune time because I recently added Squirt (which has been around for more than two decades, making it literally older than Grindr) to our roundup of the best gay dating apps. One of my only qualms was that iPhone users were stuck using their mobile browsers. Given how notoriously strict Apple is about adult content, I basically assumed a native iOS app would never happen.
"One of the biggest challenges in getting here was modernizing a platform built over 26 years, with layers of infrastructure and evolving technologies," Andrew Nolan, Head of Dating Businesses at Squirt's parent company, Pink Triangle Press, tells Mashable. "At the same time, the landscape is shifting quickly, with new state-level regulations and increasing requirements around age and ID verification, so having a more flexible, up-to-date foundation means we can move faster and adapt as those changes continue."
The new app is officially called SQ Dating — Gay Chat & Meet. If you're familiar with Squirt, you already know it's a go-to, unapologetically "cruising-first" platform. It's a local directory built for gay, bi, and curious men looking for casual, no-strings-attached encounters. (And it definitely works: according to the brand's 2025 member survey, 80 percent of members have successfully hooked up through the platform.)
If you're wondering how a platform that one Reddit user described as "very sleezy and slutty" made it onto the Apple App Store, it was through some very strategic planning.
"Getting SQ Dating into the iOS and Android stores is a big moment for us," says Nolan. "The app is a more streamlined (with more features on the way), PG way to connect, chat, and date, and it's still connected to the full Squirt experience on the web, where things are a lot more open and expressive."
Clavicular banned from YouTube. Heres what happened.Accounts created by Clavicular, hosting looksmaxxing "courses" and livestreams, were a violation of the platform's Terms of Service.
Yet another blow has been struck against the chiseled jaw of viral looksmaxxer Braden Peters, otherwise known as Clavicular.
Two of Peters' channels, @LiveWithClav and @ClavLooksmax, were removed from YouTube on April 23. The pages featured archived live streams and free "courses" on looksmaxxing for young men interested in what the community calls "ascending," or achieving a specific physical appearance some believe is tied to white supremacist beauty standards.
The bone-smashing, mewing creator — who has garnered fame for his controversial livestreams and association with the virulent "manosphere" — flagged the ban on X, and included a screenshot showing that YouTube flagged his channels for "severe or repeated violations" of its Community Guidelines.
"Me and my team worked hard to ensure we followed YouTube’s TOS very strictly, blurring out all inappropriate language and sensitive topics. Could you please help in recovering my accounts?" wrote Peters.
In statements to the press, YouTube explained that the accounts were a violation of the platform's Terms of Service, which prohibits creators who have previously been banned from creating new channels. In November, Peters' original channel was removed from the platform for violating YouTube's policies pertaining to illegal or regulated goods, with the platform stating his channel provided access to prohibited websites.
Peters has previously stated that he takes illicit drugs, including crystal meth, to "stay thin." On April 14, the creator appeared to overdose on camera during a nightclub livestream with other manosphere creators. Peters was admitted to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital that evening and later returned to the nightclub. He later addressed the incident in a series of social media posts, stating he used "substances" as a means to cope and "feel neurotypical" while in public. The creator was then dropped by his publicist.
A few days prior to the incident, 60 Minutes Australia released a clip of Peters ending an interview when asked about his associations with accused human trafficker Andrew Tate, alt-right figure Nick Fuentes, and larger incel (involuntarily celibate) communities.
If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 28Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the puzzle.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: To designate
Green: Where you'd see the Summer Games
Blue: Has hoted a popular basketball player
Purple: They share a second word
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Choose
Green: Last four Summer Olympics hosts
Blue: Teams Kevin Durant has played for
Purple: ___ Derby
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #217 is...
Choose - DRAFT, PICK, SELECT, TAKE
Last four Summer Olympics host - LONDON, PARIS, RIO DE JANEIRO, TOKYO
Teams Kevin Durant has played f - TEXAS, THUNDER, UNITED STATES, WARRIORS
___ Derby - HOME RUN, KENTUCKY, MANCHESTER, ROLLER
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.
OpenAI’s GPT-5.5 vs Claude Opus 4.7: Which is better?How does GPT-5.5 compare to Claude Opus 4.7? We take a look at benchmarks, leaderboards, and overall feature set.
OpenAI released its latest model, GPT-5.5, on April 23, just a week after Anthropic introduced Claude Opus 4.7.
As the two leading models from the two leading AI labs, we wanted to see how the new models compare.
Spoiler alert: We think Claude Opus 4.7 has an edge on advanced and agentic coding, but GPT-5.5 performs better on most benchmarks.
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GPT-5.5 isn't yet ranked on all AI leaderboards yet, but it should be very competitive with Claude Opus 4.7. On the leaderboards of verified benchmark tests such as Arc Prize, GPT-5.5 beats Opus 4.7 (more on this below).
On the popular Arena leaderboard, which is based on user testing, Claude Opus 4.7 Thinking has the top overall spot. Interestingly, Opus 4.7 is currently ranked below Opus 4.6, though that will likely change in time. Currently, new Anthropic models hold the top four overall spots. What's more, Anthropic's unreleased Claude Mythos isn't ranked, and Anthropic says it performs even better than Opus 4.7.
On the Epoch Capabilities Index (ECI) leaderboard, GPT-5.4 Pro has the top score for now. (ECI combines several benchmarks into a single score.) You'll find Gemini 3.1 Pro and GPT-5.4 in the second and third positions.
How do the new models perform on the most common benchmark tests? We have to rely primarily on OpenAI and Anthropic's self-reported scores for these tests. They both achieve high marks, as you'd expect, but GPT-5.5 definitely has the edge.
Here's how they compare on some top AI benchmark tests:
SWE-Bench Pro: GPT-5.5 scored 58.6; Opus 4.7 scored 64.3 percent
Terminal-Bench 2.0: GPT-5.5 scored 82.7 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 69.4 percent
Humanity's Last Exam: GPT-5.5 scored 40.6 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 31.2 percent*
Humanity's Last Exam (with tools): GPT-5.5 scored 52.2 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 54.7 percent
BrowseComp: GPT-5.5 scored 84.4 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 79.3 percent
GPQA Diamond: GPT-5.5 scored 93.6 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 94.2 percent
ARC-AGI-1 (Verified): GPT-5.5 (High) scored 94.5 percent; Claude 4.7 (High) scored 92 percent**
ARC-AGI-2 (Verified): GPT-5.5 (High) scored 83.3 percent; Claude 4.7 (High) scored 68.3 percent**
*For Humanity's Last Exam, we're citing Artificial Analysis's verified HLE results. Notably, Anthropic reports that Opus 4.7 scored 46.9 percent on this test.
**See the full results at the Arc Prize website.
OpenAI says GPT 5.5 is "our smartest and most intuitive to use model yet." Claude Opus 4.7 is Anthropic's most advanced model available to Claude users, though Anthropic says the unreleased Claude Mythos Preview is the more capable model overall.
As such, only paid subscribers can access these frontier models.
GPT 5.5 is only available to OpenAI Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise users in ChatGPT and Codex (sorry, ChatGPT Go users). Pro, Business, and Enterprise users can also access GPT-5.5 Pro, while Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise customers can access GPT-5.5 Thinking.
OpenAI is raising prices for GPT-5.5 in its API, though the company says it's more token-efficient. API pricing starts at "$5 per 1M input tokens and $30 per 1M output tokens, with a 1M context window."
Opus 4.7 is available to Pro and Max customers; via the API, it's available for "$5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens."
OpenAI says that GPT-5.5 makes noticeable improvements in "agentic coding, computer use, knowledge work, and early scientific research." Anthropic says Claude Opus 4.7 improves in advanced coding, visual intelligence, and document analysis.
ChatGPT and Claude have similar overall feature sets, though there are some exceptions. Broadly speaking, you can use both of these AI chatbots for research, coding, creative projects, and everyday professional work. You can also use both of the new models in OpenAI and Anthropic's coding platforms, Codex and Claude Code.
It's easier to talk about the differences than the similarities. While GPT-5.5 is not an image model, within ChatGPT you can use the new ChatGPT Images 2.0 model. Anthropic recently rolled out Claude Design, but it only offers data visualizations, graphics, and slides, not full image generation. So, if you need to generate images or interactive graphics for a project, GPT-5.5 will have more tools available to call.
ChatGPT has more app and shopping integrations, though thanks to its recent acquisition of OpenClaw, Anthropic has the edge on agentic capabilities.
TL;DR: If we had to pick one of these models for everyday professional work, GPT-5.5 would have the edge thanks to ChatGPT's broader overall feature set. However, for advanced and agentic coding, we'd go with Claude Opus 4.7.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
These limited-edition Desert Gold Bose headphones are super sexy (and at their lowest price ever)As of April 24, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth headphones (2nd gen) for $399, down from $449, at Amazon.
SAVE 11%: As of April 24, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth headphones (2nd gen) for $399, down from $449, at Amazon. That's an 11% discount, or $50 in savings.
Over-ear headphones are basically a fashion accessory at this point. And let me just say, the limited-edition Desert Gold colorway on the second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra is super sexy. Right now, you can grab a pair at Amazon for $399. That's an 11% discount or a $50 price cut. (It's also the lowest price we've seen them go for!)
Mashable's Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard reviewed the second-generation QC Ultras and crowned them "the most comfortable headphones on the market." She says that "there was simply not a scenario where the fit didn't feel excellent," whether she was working all day or going for a walk.
And, of course, she mentioned the impossible-to-ignore aesthetic details: "On a pure aesthetic note, the shiny metal accent is a strong design choice (in my humble opinion) that helps these headphones stand out even more from their cheaper counterparts in Bose's lineup."
Aside from being gorgeous, you'll get up to 30 hours of battery life, adjustable active noise cancellation, and a Cinema Mode for movie-like immersion. Plus, Bose finally added USB-C playback, so you can charge your headphones and listen to music at the exact same time.
The best TV deals this weekend — Hisense, Samsung, and LG on saleWe've rounded up the best TV deals to shop this weekend. Models from Hisense, Samsung, and LG are on sale in various sizes.
Now that most 2026 TV releases have hit the shelves, models from 2025 are getting the deal treatment. This happens every year in the spring, making April one of the best times to buy a new TV. We're not mad about it. You can get a huge Mini LED TV for under $500 or snag an OLED model for under $1,000 if you waited until now to upgrade.
Not to mention, it's a great time to enhance your viewing experience in general now that the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA playoffs are underway. And we can't forget the slew of new movies and series hitting streaming this season.
Whether you're ready to pull the trigger or want to weigh your options, we've rounded up the best TV deals to shop this weekend from top brands Hisense, Samsung, and LG.
Mashable's sister site CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) dubbed the Hisense QD7 the "best budget TV of 2026," thanks to its deep contrast, superior brightness levels, solid 144Hz refresh rate for gaming and sports, and full array local dimming (which is typicalyl only found in more expensive models). The picture quality can go head to head with TVs with much larger price tags, making this deal even more impressive. Both Amazon and Best Buy have dropped the cost of the 75-inch model down to only $499.99 for a savings of $300. That's its cheapest price ever.
If you're married to the Samsung brand, but don't want to spend a ton of money on its higher-end models, the QN70F Neo QLED is a great value. As a "Neo QLED" TV, it pairs QLED with a Mini LED panel, which basically just translates to a deeply detailed display that looks stunning and can hold its own in all sorts of lighting situations. Its AI processor can upscale content and enhance the quality of just about anything if you prefer it, while the 144Hz variable refresh rate ensures transitions are smooth and less laggy than your old TV. As of April 24, the 55-inch QN70F is down to only $597.99 at Amazon, marking its biggest discount to date.
We find that 65 inches is the sweet spot for most people and the LG 65-inch 85A QNED 4K TV is a solid mid-range Mini LED option. Now down to only $599.99, it's not only cheaper than the 55-inch version, but also its best price on record. And don't let Amazon's listing fool you; the original cost of this TV is over $1,000, so you'll save 50%. The 85A uses an AI processor to enhance both picture and audio in real time, while the AI Magic Remote also gives you options for content recommendations, picture and audio customizations, and generative AI gallery images to transform your TV into artwork. It also features a 120Hz native refresh rate, 144Hz variable refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium, and LG Game Optimizer for smooth gaming experiences.
Hisense
Hisense 75-inch U6 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $499.99 $1,299.99 (save $800)
Hisense 55-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV — $697.99 $999.99 (save $302)
Hisense 65-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV — $999.99 $2,199.99 (save $1,200)
Hisense 75-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV — $1,249.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,250)
LG
LG 55-inch B5 OLED 4K TV — $799.99 $1,499.99 (save $700)
Samsung
Samsung 43-inch Q8F QLED 4K TV — $397.99 $549.99 (save $152)
Samsung 65-inch Q7F QLED 4K TV — $427.99 $629.99 (save $202)
Samsung 55-Inch S85F OLED 4K TV — $897.99 $1,499.99 (save $602)
Anthropic just made Claude a lot more useful for a bunch of users.
The company's flagship AI chatbot just got upgraded to be compatible with several major apps, meaning it can now handle things like ordering food, hiring people for odd-jobs, and other random tasks that you might otherwise have to manually open an app to perform. Combine these new integrations with Claude's increasingly agentic capabilities, and you can offload a lot of work to Anthropic's chatbot.
Claude already had an extensive list of possible app connections, but there are some real heavy-hitters in the list of new additions:
AllTrails
Audible
Booking.com
Instacart
Intuit Credit Karma
Intuit TurboTax
Resy
Spotify
StubHub
TaskRabbit
Thumbtack
TripAdvisor
Uber
UberEats
Viator
Anthropic's press release also noted that more are on the way. With these new connections, you can book a trip, order food, arrange a ride-share, or hire someone to mount your TV, all from one chatbot window. On top of these apps becoming compatible with Claude, Anthropic has also adjusted the chatbot so it will automatically suggest certain apps for certain actions, based on the context of your conversation with it.
Anthropic also clarified that there won't be sponsored answers or suggestions in the chat, maintaining that Claude is and will be ad-free going forward. Connected apps are also not used to train Claude, and they can't see other conversations you've had with the chatbot.
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The worlds first 480Hz OLED gaming monitor just got a $100 price cutAs of April 24, you can get the 27-inch Asus ROG Swift OLED gaming monitor for $699, down from $799, at Amazon. That's a 13% discount or $100 savings.
SAVE 13%: As of April 24, you can get the 27-inch Asus ROG Swift OLED gaming monitor for $699, down from $799, at Amazon. That's a 13% discount or $100 savings.
I'm a big believer that your gaming setup is only as good as your monitor. You can have the most expensive, tricked-out PC in the world, but if your screen is lagging or blurring every time you move your mouse, it's basically useless. (Plus, playing on a slow display is super annoying.)
Right now, you can upgrade your battlestation for less at Amazon. As of April 24, the Asus ROG Swift OLED 27-inch gaming monitor is down to $699, from $799. That’s a 13% discount or $100 savings.
According to Asus, this is the world's first 1440p 480Hz OLED gaming monitor. (Translation: it's, like, really fast.) You'll get a 480Hz refresh rate paired with a 0.03ms response time. It also features a built-in AI assistant (because, of course, it does), a matte screen, and anti-flicker tech to save your eyes during marathon gaming sessions.
What happened to Omegle? The rise and fall of the internets favorite stranger dangerWhat happened to Omegle? How did people use Omegle? Was Omegle safe? Why did Omegle get shut down?
It’s 2010 and it’s 1 a.m. early Sunday morning. You’re having a sleepover with your closest friends. You just finished a movie you ordered on Pay-Per-View without asking, hoping your parents won’t ask questions in a month when they get the cable bill. The clock says it’s time for bed, but you and your buddies aren’t tired. You break out the laptop. YouTube videos. ‘Shoes’ by Kelly for the hundredth time. Facebook ‘like for a rate’ posts. You give your crush an 8 because you don’t want to come off too eager. There’s just one last thing to do.
Talk to strangers on the internet.
In 2009, Omegle launched with a simple premise: connect strangers from around the world one-on-one via text or video chat. The pairing was random, and anyone with internet access could join for free, no account required. Anonymity was baked into the website, meaning a 13-year-old in Oklahoma could just as easily be paired with a 47-year-old from Turkmenistan. For many users, it led to genuine lasting connections. But not everyone came to Omegle with good intentions. After it shut down for good in 2023, longtime users were left wondering: what happened to Omegle? We're here to tell you.
Omegle was created in March 2009 by an 18-year-old in Vermont named Leif K-Brooks as a simple, anonymous text chat site that connected strangers one-on-one from around the world. It amassed over 150,000 page views every day after its first month and quickly became a go-to for bored internet users across the globe. A year later in March 2010, Omegle began offering one-on-one video chat with strangers. That means if you had a webcam, you could now use Omegle to chat face-to-face with people from just about anywhere.
Omegle was marketed as a site for users ages 13 and up. If you were under 18, Omegle stated in its policy that you needed parental approval before accessing. Because there was no account needed, there weren’t any limitations at all. No parents were needed to sign this made-up permission slip. Anyone had the ability to access Omegle.
In 2022, things changed. Well, that’s a lie. Just words did. Omegle’s new policy stated that users had to be 18+ without exception. Still, no account was needed to join, providing access to anyone who could type the word ‘Omegle’ into their internet search bar.
The premise was simple: connect with another person, judge them for a half-second based on their appearance, and decide whether or not you wanted to have a conversation. Conversations would typically begin with 'ASL?', standing for age/sex/location. You could chat by mic or keep it to text, awkwardly staring at each other until someone said something funny. When the conversation was over, you could choose to click the “Next” button at the bottom left corner and be connected with somebody else.
As mentioned, not everyone used Omegle for wholesome chatter. Some users were only there for one thing. To get off. This was a huge issue for children using the app. It was almost impossible to skip one person without the next being a man stroking his penis.
To combat this, Omegle eventually added 'moderators' — mainly just an automation system that banned people who exposed themselves from the jump. Due to ‘moderation’ in Omegle’s later years, you'd see way less dicks unless you were actively looking for them. You could start a conversation innocently enough and end up masturbating with a stranger if things went that way. Technically, this didn’t seem to break any rules Omegle was implementing, as long as you didn't lead with it.
Whether the conversation was platonic or sexual, all Omegle users came for the same reason: connection.
Omegle was at its peak in its early years, but became a lifeline for human connection during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. There was a resurgence in popularity with streamers, TikTokers, and YouTubers who were stuck inside with nothing to film. This brought a new generation to the site, connecting people across the globe during a time when people needed connection most. Between the months of February and May of 2020, Omegle reportedly had a monthly increase of 10 million. That’s pretty serious. We surely can’t count that high.
While Omegle was active, its only real competitor was Chatroulette, though it couldn't match Omegle feature for feature. Chatroulette was strictly video-to-video, while Omegle offered both text and video chat. Omegle also let you tailor your experience through 'tags'. Tags were keywords you typed in before starting a chat. Omegle would then match you with someone who typed the same thing, so you'd have something to talk about from the start. Tags could be anything — art, sports, dogs, beach, whatever came to mind.
Omegle also had 'Spy Mode', though it seemingly never quite caught on the way one-on-one chat did. Spy Mode worked one of two ways: you either submitted a question and watched two strangers debate it without being able to intervene, or you were one of the two strangers being watched. Like tags, you could ask any question you wanted.
The short answer? No. Omegle was not safe. While there were many ways to try and stop inappropriate interactions, there was nothing moderation could do to make it work.
Users with sexually-inclined tags — horny, sex, jo (jerking off), boobs — were typically matched with each other, separate from those just looking to talk. And since anyone could type anything into the tags bar, moderation was essentially nonexistent. Users could write anything, including racist and homophobic slurs, references to inappropriate and illegal content, and more. This means a 13-year-old could type the same tags and be matched directly with predators using them.
Omegle had an 'unmonitored' section, a designated space where users could be explicitly sexual without risk of being banned. The problem? Anyone could choose to use this section with the click of a button. The majority of people there were masturbating openly, meaning anyone who wandered in had access to explicit content with zero restriction. If a 'moderator' flagged you for inappropriate behavior, you could be dumped into the unmonitored section without warning (sometimes for days or weeks) with no way back into regular chat.
A full ban meant you couldn't access Omegle at all via your IP address, though it was never permanent. Days, weeks, maybe months later, you'd be back.
Spy Mode questions were also an issue, ranging from 'what's your favorite Pokémon?' to improv scenarios with your stranger, to what age you lost your virginity, to someone dropping an Instagram handle and telling both strangers to go message that person and tell them to kill themselves.
Essentially, there were no rules. Because of that, for many people, especially those under the age of 18, Omegle really could not be considered ‘safe’.
After 14 years, Omegle shut down in November 2023, taking with it a strange little corner of the internet that millions of people had once called their own. When trying to access the site, users were greeted with the Omegle logo with the years 2009-2023 on a gravestone. A long message from founder K-Brooks followed, expressing why he came to the decision to shut the site down.
The goodbye letter was… weird. Defensive. Very ‘woe-is-me’.
In this message, K-Brooks mentions that financially and psychologically, he’d become unable to manage Omegle, explicitly saying he didn't want to "have a heart attack in my 30s." He pushes back on critics who accused him of letting crimes happen and turning his head, suggesting the moderation standards people expected of him were simply impossible to meet. He explains the shutdown of Omegle as "destroying the universe because it contains evil", essentially telling people that this decision is an attack against a free internet.
Toward the end of Omegle's life, something was going on behind the scenes. In 2019, a person identified only as 'A.M.' from Oregon filed a $22 million lawsuit against Omegle, alleging she was a victim of child sex exploitation on the site. The lawsuit argued that Omegle knew exactly what was happening, with the site even displaying a message that read "Predators have been known to use Omegle, so please be careful," right before accessing the rest of the site. Omegle tried to get the case thrown away, citing that the Communications Decency Act protected them from being held responsible for what users did on their platform, but the judge didn’t take the bait. Omegle’s design actively and knowingly paired minors with adults. It made Omegle culpable.
The $22 million lawsuit was settled just a few days before K-Brooks pulled the plug on Omegle entirely. His farewell letter even acknowledges A.M. by name, saying "I thank A.M. for opening my eyes to the human cost of Omegle."
And just like that, Omegle was in the trash bin.
Omegle was built with pure intentions by some kid in Vermont who just wanted to see what human connection could look like on the internet. For a lot of people, it delivered on that promise in ways no other site could. It made the world feel a little smaller, and a little less lonely.
But bad actors will act. And if you can't keep up with that, or take accountability for handing those people a platform in the first place, things will crumble.
In 2026, Omegle alternatives like Uhmegle, Thundr, and OmeTV fill the void, letting users chat with strangers across the globe the same way Omegle did. Most come with actual accountability measures Omegle never had. There are also fully NSFW Omegle alternatives now, designed specifically for one-on-one sexual content, giving that crowd a dedicated place to land.
So, could Omegle ever come back? Sure, but it probably won’t. Given the lawsuit and K-Brooks' farewell letter, Omegle seems destined to exist only in memory. And honestly, that's probably for the best.
FCC expands WiFi router ban. What it means for you.The FCC's WiFi router ban now includes portable WiFi hotspot devices, not just home routers.
About a month ago, the FCC decided to ban the import or sale of all new, foreign-made WiFi routers. Now, the list has expanded a bit.
Our friends at PCMag spotted an update to the FCC's router ban FAQ this week, indicating that portable WiFi hotspots are now included in the ban. In case you've never used one, these are little boxes that you can use to activate a WiFi network on the go. They use a SIM card to connect to a cellular network, converting it to WiFi for your other devices, rather than connecting to a modem via Ethernet.
The ban now also extends to fixed 5G wireless access points, which use a 5G cell network to blanket a home with WiFi.
Before you start panicking, it doesn't seem like this is going to affect very many people in the short term. For starters, using a smartphone to create a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is still totally above board under these regulations.
Beyond that, T-Mobile told PCMag that the FCC's regulations do not prohibit the sale of networking equipment that you can already buy in the U.S. That means if the router was approved for sale prior to the ban, you can still buy and use it.
"The FCC's updated list of 'covered devices' does not affect any existing routers that were previously approved, so current customers have nothing to worry about and no action to take and their service will continue to operate normally with no equipment change necessary," T-Mobile told PCMag.
Given that ISPs tend to supply users with older or more basic routers, and that most people don't bother to voluntarily switch those out for newer and more advanced equipment, many WiFi users in the U.S. might not notice the effects of the FCC router ban at all.
However, it will become a nuisance for power users who want better performance or more features out of their routers. It will be interesting to see how long the U.S. government sticks to its position that routers pose a national security risk.
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Snag DJIs controller-free 4K mini drone for its lowest price everAs of April 24, you can get the DJI Neo mini drone for $149 at Amazon, down from $199. That's a 25% discount or $50 savings.
SAVE 25%: As of April 24, you can get the DJI Neo mini drone for $149 at Amazon, down from $199. That's a 25% discount or $50 savings.
If you're interested in getting into droning (not sure if that's even an official word, but let's make it one), you're most likely going to want something that's small (i.e., doesn't require FAA registration), easy to fly, and has some sort of fail-safe just in case you run it into a tree or fly too close to an open body of water.
Right now, you can get all of those beginner-friendly features and more at Amazon for just $149. As of April 24, the DJI Neo mini drone is marked down by 25% (a $50 price cut from its standard $199 price tag, and its lowest price to date, according to CamelCamelCamel).
The DJI Neo is super accessible. You don't even need a controller to fly it; it takes off and lands directly from the palm of your hand with just the push of a button. (You can also use voice control, the mobile DJI Fly app, or a standard RC). It weighs just 135g, features smart subject tracking to follow you around, and comes with full-coverage propeller guards so you can safely fly it indoors or navigate through tree branches without panicking.
The Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV hits all-time low price at Amazon — how to claim free Xbox GamePass with dealThe Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV is on sale for $597.99 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price and includes Xbox GamePass for free.
SAVE $300: The Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV is on sale for $597.99 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price and includes Xbox GamePass for free.
We were thrilled to spot the Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV on sale at Amazon. We were even more pleased to see that is was down to its best-ever price, and we almost combusted when we noticed that one month of Xbox GamePass comes free with purchases.
We see a lot of deals, so almost erupting into flames is not regular occurrence. But then, this isn't a regular deal. The Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV is on sale for $597.99 at Amazon. That's $300 off the list price for a limited time, before you even consider the Xbox GamePass freebie.
To claim Xbox GamePass for free with your purchase, you need to follow these simple steps:
Add the Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV to your online cart.
When you're done shopping, select Go to Cart.
The offer will automatically be applied at checkout, if eligible.
It's that easy.
A number of TVs qualify for this promotion, but this Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV might offer the best value for money. The picture offers the sharp and accurate contrast of Neo QLED enabled by precision-controlled Mini LEDs. Users also get AI enhanced picture quality and optimized sound for superb performance in everything you watch.
Score the best-ever price on the Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV at Amazon.
Heated Rivalry is a hit, but author Rachel Reid is trying to maintain her normalcy amidst the phenomenonAt BookCon 2026, we sat down with Rachel Reid, author of "Heated Rivalry," to talk about how life has changed since HBO Max's adaptation aired.
On April 12, I attended the PWHL game at TD Garden in Boston between the Boston Fleet and the Montreal Victoire. The Heated Rivalry effect was inescapable. It was an opportunity for hockey fans to turn out their favorite merch — someone in my row excitedly ran toward the crowd cameras to show off her 'I'm coming to the cottage' T-shirt. Heated Rivalry actor Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova was in the crowd, and the cheers that ensued when she appeared on the screen made you think one of the teams had scored a goal. And when the Heated Rivalry look-a-like contest winners shared a kiss on the jumbotron while t.A.T.u's "All the Things She Said" played, it caused the 17,000-person crowd to collectively lose their minds.
Since HBO Max's Heated Rivalry premiered in November 2025, actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, as well as their characters Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, have become household names. But so has Rachel Reid. The author of Heated Rivalry and the Game Changer series, of which it's a part, has always had a loyal fan base, but now that the show is a global hit, it reaches far beyond the scope of the show and books.
BookCon 2026 marked the first big event for Reid since the Heated Rivalry adaptation, and fans came ready to celebrate and meet their favorite author. I sat down with Reid to chat about fandom and maintaining a sense of normalcy amidst the phenomenon.
Samantha Mangino: What's it like meeting fans at BookCon?
Rachel Reid: It's been great. For the last few years, more and more people have been wanting to meet me at these kinds of events. Even before the show [HBO Max's Heated Rivalry], it was already pretty surreal and overwhelming, but in a really good way. Now with the show, it's really exploded. I mean, I'm doing a photo line. That kind of thing makes you feel like you're in a Marvel movie.
SM: You said during your panel yesterday that authors aren't supposed to be seen like this, so I imagine it feels unbelievable to have all the eyes on you.
RR: Getting recognized all over New York, too, is a pretty wild feeling as an author. I've been getting like drive-by, "I love you, Rachels," and people on the street recognizing me. As an author, that's very odd. I think even the biggest authors on earth don't get recognized that often. We're just not seen that often.
SM: I think it really speaks to the show's popularity.
RR: Yeah, with all the promo the show has gotten, and everybody who made the show has been fantastic about including me in that, and that's been the difference maker.
SM: How do you feel life has changed since the show came out?
RR: I have to be a little more aware that things I say might become headlines. I can't just make flippant jokes. Things I share tend to get shared, so maybe I don't post as often. I'm also aware that people could be photographing or video recording me at any time. So I'm a little more careful there, although not as careful as I should be. I'm still getting used to that.
Obviously, my career has leveled up many, many levels very quickly. I feel like I've skipped steps somewhere. I had a list of goals that I checked off all at once. So now it's about thinking ahead and rethinking my goals.
SM: Have you been online, kind of watching the fandom explode?
RR: Not that much. I try to stay out of fan spaces generally, and I did that before the show, too, but certainly since the show, and my new book was announced. I've stayed away from like Reddit. I'm not on Threads, I haven't been on Twitter in years. I haven't been on Goodreads in years. I just use Instagram. I think it creates a nice barrier. I do have friends, so if I see hints of things happening on Threads, I'll be like, "Can you explain this to me?" I'm not gonna look myself.
SM: Are there any other boundaries you've created online?
RR: Definitely, I don't want anybody giving me ideas for the book. That's a big one. Obviously, I don't read fan fiction because that would not be a good idea.
I try to make myself a little less accessible than I used to be, and sometimes I feel bad about it, but it's just necessary. I do have kids, and I'm trying to maintain our privacy as much as possible. It helps that I live in Nova Scotia, Canada, which is not a big or fancy place. So when I'm home, my life doesn't feel that different. When I travel for things like this [BookCon], I get to face it.
SM: What's it been like gaining so many new fans since the show aired?
RR: It's been wild to see how Ilya and Shane have become household names. My characters went from having a small but loyal fan base, which was lovely too, but now everybody I've ever known knows these characters and has opinions about them. It feels like I found a genie and wished for the world to be obsessed with everything I wrote.
Everyone is so into these characters, and I think it speaks to how amazing a job Jacob [Tierney] and everyone involved did making the show.
It's a beautiful show, and I'm not surprised that people like it as much as they do, but I certainly didn't think it would find such a wide audience. There's something about the timing of it, and I think what people are craving too, that just made it all click.
People have told me it has changed their relationships with coworkers, neighbors, and even some relatives, because they didn't think they could be open about who they are with these people. Still, then, because they're such big fans of the show, they thought maybe it would be OK if I told them a little more about myself. Places feel a little safer than they did before.
Widows Bay review: Your new favorite TV town awaits in this tremendous horror comedyApple TV's "Widow's Bay" stars Matthew Rhys and Stephen Root as residents of a cursed island. It's one of 2026's strongest new shows.
Cross the local bureaucratic comedy of Parks and Recreation with the small-town strangeness of Twin Peaks, and you'll get a sense of the singular tone of Apple TV's new genre gem Widow's Bay.
Created by Katie Dippold, herself a writer for Parks and Recreation, the series artfully blends horror and comedy to create an enthralling portrait of a town you'll want to get lost in... even if some of its locals would advise you to run the hell away.
A charming island 40 miles off the coast of New England, Widow's Bay has a lot going for it. It boasts picturesque coastal views, invigorating ocean breezes, and atmospheric fog banks that have absolutely nothing hiding in them, do you hear me?
At least, that's what Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) has to say. He's trying to turn Widow's Bay into the next Martha's Vineyard, a quest that locals like former fisherman Wyck (Stephen Root) threaten to derail with their claims that Widow's Bay is cursed.
Tom initially brushes Wyck and his allies off in favor of bringing in tourists. It's a page straight from the playbook of Mayor Vaughn from Jaws, which Widow's Bay pays loving homage to throughout. However, when haunts start knocking at his door, Tom has to face the truth: There's something truly sinister at work on the island, and it's only getting worse.
To pull off its many scares, Widow's Bay draws inspiration from a wide range of horror iconography. Stephen King's influence hangs over the series like the town's unshakeable mist, present in everything from the New England setting to the show's title font, a clear nod to the style of his earlier covers.
The aforementioned Jaws plays a huge role, too, and not just because of Tom's role as a skeptical, tourism-hungry mayor. (To Tom's credit, he's far less willing to put people in danger for the sake of money than Mayor Vaughn.) Root's salty veteran sailor Wyck bears shades of Jaws' Quint, and an episode devoted to a cursed ocean outing recalls Jaws' third act. But the biggest lesson Widow's Bay takes from Stephen Spielberg's horror classic is the fear of the unknown. Just as Jaws generates suspense by holding off on showing us its biggest threat until later in the runtime, so too does Widow's Bay keep its viewers in the dark about its many frights.
And what darkness it is! Visually, Widow's Bay thrives in rich, inky black tones where you can crucially still make out every little detail, a rarity in TV nowadays and a testament to the show's production team and crew. Series directors Hiro Murai (Atlanta), Sam Donovan (Severance), Andrew DeYoung (Friendship), and Ti West (the X trilogy) weaponize this darkness — along with fog and ocean depths — to its fullest obscuring extent. That expert build-up of tension made the subsequent reveals hit all the harder, to the point that I couldn't get through an episode without screaming or cackling. (Or, most often, some mix of both.)
Widow's Bay's scares pull from sailor superstitions, classic slashers, and more, but they never feel cheap. That's because the series roots them firmly in its characters' anxieties, like Tom's worries about tourism, or town hall staffer Patricia's (Kate O'Flynn) desperate need to be liked. (She's so desperate, in fact, that she may have falsely claimed to be the sole survivor of a serial killer who murdered some of her high school classmates.)
The latter produces a series highlight, an episode where a frantic Patricia attempts to host the perfect party. The social isolation she faces from her disdainful former classmates is just as wince-worthy as the uncanny events surrounding the event, resulting in a one-two punch of cringe comedy and horror.
Widow's Bay often operates in that sweet spot between horror and comedy, which tends more toward the dry and bizarre than Dippold's previous work on sitcoms like Parks and Recreation or comedy films like Ghostbusters (2016). Instead of cracking jokes at a mile per minute, Widow's Bay finds the funny in the eerie. Think historical wax figures, a cursed party game called "Teeth," and sight gags about cannibalism.
Widow's Bay's central trio of Rhys, Root, and O'Flynn play these occurrences as straight as they can, adding further to the show's brand of offbeat strangeness. Rhys and Root are tremendous foils as a skeptic and believer forced to work together. And O'Flynn proves an absolute scene stealer as Patricia, marrying her hilarious scorn for others with the genuine pain of being scorned right back.
The rest of Widow's Bay's ensemble, which includes Somebody Somewhere's Emmy-winning Jeff Hiller, Dale Dickey, and several surprising guest stars, further builds out the town of Widow's Bay. Their efforts, as well as the weatherbeaten production design by Steve Arnold (Midnight Mass, another superb cursed island series), turn Widow's Bay into a real town. You can almost taste the salt air (or hear the screams of cursed souls in the distance) just by watching.
In the end, the town of Widow's Bay is as deliciously odd as the show itself. What begins with a bit of a haunt-of-the-week structure soon evolves into a deeper unraveling of Widow's Bay's darkest secrets, as well as the choices that kept them in place. While I'd love for the show to return to its haunt-of-the-week mode occasionally, I also adore what it became. That it can pull off this transformation is proof of its sheer uniqueness. Forget being the next Martha's Vineyard: Widow's Bay sets a new, wonderfully weird course all by itself.
The first two episodes of Widow's Bay premiere April 29, with new episodes every Wednesday.
Elon Musk says Teslas Cybercab has started productionTesla's Cybercab has started production, according to CEO Elon Musk.
Tesla's Cybercab has started production, according to CEO Elon Musk.
In a post on X on Friday, the company co-owner shared a very Cyberpunk 2077 video of the autonomous vehicles rolling through the production line, seemingly at Tesla's Giga Texas factory in Austin, Texas.
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On the same day, Tesla's official Robotaxi account also posted a video of Cybercabs "in formation" on a highway.
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Tesla's first Cybercab rolled off the production line on Feb. 18, with the company posting a celebratory photo. In its Q4 2025 earnings call, Tesla had moved the production of Cybercab up to 2026, and in its Q1 2026 earnings call, the company said it "expect[s] volume production of both Cybercab and the Tesla Semi this year," the latter referring to the awaited electric truck.
At launch in 2024, Musk said Tesla would produce 2 million units a year of Cybercab in full production capacity, which would be approximately 38,000 vehicles per week. In these early stages, it's likely to be more like hundreds per week. The company has a history of production delays, and before any of those Cybercabs hits the road, they've got to be approved by regulators.
60 Cybercab units were then spotted at Tesla's Giga Texas in Austin in early April, where the vehicles will all be produced. Drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer reported the autonomous vehicles indeed had steering wheels — the cars in Musk's video do not, they have large screens like most Tesla vehicles — so could be early models.
But wait, doesn't Tesla already have Cybercabs cruising around on the streets of Texas? Not exactly, but the confusion is real.
Unveiled in 2024 at Tesla's "We, Robot" event, the Cybercab is a fully autonomous electric vehicle that hasn't yet hit the streets. As Mashable's Stan Schroeder reported then, "both names [Cybercab and Robotaxi] were used throughout the event." It's gold, has butterfly wing doors, and will have no steering wheel or pedals.
Tesla's self-driving rideshare vehicles currently in operation are called Robotaxis, which are autonomous Model Y cars. Launched in Austin in 2025, these are the company's competition with Waymo and Uber, and they're black, have steering wheels and pedals, and though they're driverless, they travel with human safety monitors nearby. Tesla tried to trademark the term "Robotaxi" at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but the request was denied.
Essentially, Robotaxis are on the road now; Cybercabs will eventually replace them.
In Tesla's Q1 2026 earnings call, the company said, "In Q1, paid Robotaxi miles nearly doubled sequentially. Once in production, we expect that Cybercab will begin to replace the existing Model Y fleet and will be the largest volume vehicle in the fleet over time."
Essentially, Robotaxis are on the road now; Cybercabs will eventually replace them.
A Tesla Cybercab that was displayed during SXSW in Austin in March had the word Robotaxi on it (and had a screen, not a steering wheel). But in Musk's video, the word Cybercab is emblazoned on the screen.
Time to get to work then, Tesla.
The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds have hit their best-ever price at Amazon — save $150As of April 24, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds have hit their lowest-ever price at Amazon of $449. This is 25% off their list price of $599.
SAVE OVER $100: As of April 24, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds have hit their lowest-ever price of $449 at Amazon. This is $150 off their list price of $599.
Earbuds are always helpful to have on-hand, whether you're going to the gym, on a long commute to work, or enduring a long flight. If you've been thinking about splashing out on a premium pair this year, the high-end Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds are certainly worth a look. Amazon even has them heavily discounted right now.
As of April 24, every available color of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds are on sale for $449 at Amazon. This is not just a $150 discount off their list price of $599, but it even marks a new low price at the retailer. No better time to scoop them up.
While they boast a sleek design and stylish case, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds also deliver high-quality sound components thanks to a 9.2mm driver in each earbud. And as you'd expect from a premium audiophile brand like Bang & Olufsen, they also have noise-canceling features, so you won't have to deal with any distractions when listening to an album or getting lost in an audiobook.
In addition, the Beoplay Eleven's battery life can handle a long journey. With ANC on, you'll get to enjoy up to six hours of playtime with these earbuds. This can be boosted up to 20 hours with the help of the charging case, making them an excellent choice for any long journeys you have coming up.
They're currently marked as a'limited time deal, so don't wait too long to pick up these Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds on sale at Amazon.
Stephen Colbert reacts to Trumps plan to target the press at White House Correspondents DinnerStephen Colbert has reacted to Trump's apparent plan to go after the press at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
It's almost time for the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which will be attended by Donald Trump himself for the first time in a decade. And apparently the president has a plan.
In the Late Show clip above, Stephen Colbert reacts to a Daily Beast report that says Trump intends to go after the press in his speech before leaving the event early.
"All you reporters are enemies of the people," says Colbert, in trademark Trump impression mode. "I hate you all. And if you call me, I will pick up every time."
Colbert goes on to comment on Trump's reported plan to leave before the awards themselves are handed out, dodging any awkwardness.
"I can understand why he's gonna dip, because one of these awards — and this is true — is going to The Wall Street Journal for its scoop about a certain birthday pube doodle for Jeffrey Epstein," says Colbert. "As well as another award for the photo-journalist who took this picture of that time a man had a medical emergency right there in the Oval Office and Trump just stood there like he was waiting for a bus. It's just so crazy that he didn't help, especially now that we know he is a doctor."
Elsewhere, Jimmy Kimmel decided to host an alternative, roast-filled version of the event.
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Stephen Colbert has a plan after The Late Show. Its Uncle Cops.Behold, "Uncle Cops," starring Stephen Colbert and Hollywood star John C. Reilly as "two detectives who are also uncles."
Stephen Colbert's The Late Show days are almost at an end, and everyone wants to know what the host will do next (aside from writing a new Lord of the Rings movie).
"As we get close to the end, a lot of people are asking me, 'What’s next for Stephen T. Colbert?'" asked the host during Thursday's show. "Well, internet rumours continue to run wild. I've heard a lot of theories, everything from I’m moving to CNN, to I’m announcing a massive wildlife rescue program, to I’m running for President of the United States. I can reveal right now that all of those are partially true. I will be president of an animal sanctuary dedicated to caring for the rare Blitzer Wolf."
Wanting to put all these rumours to rest, Colbert officially announced his next big TV project: "an hour-long procedural torn straight from today's headlines."
Behold, Uncle Cops, starring Colbert and Hollywood star John C. Reilly as Detectives Mitch and Bob. "It's the gripping tale of two detectives who are also uncles. How can they be both? It ain't easy, folks."
Yes, they made a trailer and it's truly glorious. I would watch 30+ seasons of this.
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The Fitbit Versa 4 has dropped below $150 at Amazon — run to save $50As of April 24, the Fitbit Versa 4 is discounted to $149.95 at Amazon. This is 25% off its list price of $199.95.
SAVE $50: As of April 24, the Fitbit Versa 4 is on sale for $149.95 at Amazon. This is $50 off its list price of $199.95.
For those who love to have a steady workout routine, it's helpful to have a reliable fitness tracker or smartwatch to keep you on the right path. If a new model has been on your mind this year, the Fitbit Versa 4 is worth a look. That's especially true right now, as it's currently marked down by $50 at Amazon.
This has dropped the price of the Fitbit Versa 4 from $199.95 to $149.95, and there's multiple colors on sale at this price. Choose between pink sand/copper rose, waterfall blue/platinum, and black/graphite, but keep in mind the former two are marked as limited time deals right now, so they may not be discounted for long. Act fast to pick them up at this low price.
The Fitbit Versa 4 is a solid pick for day-to-day tracking, whether you like being able to keep an eye on your health stats or enjoy having the tracking for your fitness goals. It even boasts lifestyle features, such as the ability to take calls, read texts, and get phone notifications right on your wrist. Writer Lois Mackenzie said that the "Versa 4 is the only Fitbit I'd recommend" in her Mashable review.
For starters, Mackenzie says it "Looks and feels good on the wrist. It’s lightweight and slim, which is super important for a watch you're wearing on a daily basis." There's also plenty of fitness tracking features to enjoy, as she notes: "The Versa 4 covers all the basics and then some. You get heart rate tracking, step counting, sleep tracking, SpO2 monitoring, stress tracking, and built-in GPS."
If you're interested in grabbing the Fitbit Versa 4 for your daily tracking, don't miss out on this great opportunity to save at Amazon.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 is under $80 at Amazon — save $20 this weekendGet the best fitness tracker deal. Save 20% on the Fitbit Inspire 3 at Amazon.
SAVE $20: As of April 24, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is on sale for $79.95 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.
Fitness trackers don't need to cost hundreds of dollars, especially when you just want something reliable to track your workouts. That's why I love the Fitbit Inspire 3. It's a budget-friendly option from a reliable brand that gives you the core health and fitness stats you need. And as of April 24, you can get it for under $80.
With this smartwatch you'll get all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, and over 20 exercise modes. It also has smart features like automatic workout detection and reminders to keep you moving.
For health and wellness, you can monitor stats related to stress tracking (it even gives you a daily score), mindfulness and breathing exercises, and health insights such as SpO2, resting heart rate, and irregular heart rhythm notifications. Sleep tracking is advanced too. You'll get a detailed sleep score as well as personalized tips to help improve your sleep.
And even though it comes in a small, nifty design, it's powerful enough to last up to 10 days of use. It's also capable of being in the water at a depth of up to 50 meters.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 is currently priced at $79.95 at Amazon, with three colors to choose from.
The best deals this week, according to Mashables team of shopping expertsThe best deals this week. Mashable's shoping team finds deals on AirPods, Pokémon cards, robot vacuums, and so much more.
We're always looking for new and inventive ways to hit you with big savings on popular items. We cover hundreds of deals every month. You can find these deals on site, on socials, and on our newsletter. We've also launched a Mashable Deals text group. The daily deals that we send to this group are researched and assessed by the team with the same level of care that we dedicate to the rest of our shopping content.
You can find a live hub for those deals right here.
Jimmy Kimmel brutally roasts Trump during alternative White House Correspondents DinnerJimmy Kimmel hosted an "alternative" version of the upcoming White House Correspondents' Dinner on his show, roasting Trump and other key White House staff.
Jimmy Kimmel's direct appeal to Donald Trump to let him host the upcoming White House Correspondents' Dinner sadly went unanswered — the event, which the president is planning to attend for the first time in a decade, is being hosted by mentalist Oz Pearlman.
In the video above, Kimmel decides to take a leaf out of Kid Rock's book and put on an alternative version of the event, donning a tux and doing the kind of roast he'd have done if he'd been there himself.
"Look at you, all dressed up in formalwear, dresses, tuxedos — I haven't seen this much black since every page of the Trump-Epstein files," Kimmel says.
"By the way, in the unfortunate event that our president has a medical emergency tonight, do we have a doctor— I'm sorry, do we have a Jesus in the house? I always confuse them too. I get why you think you're Jesus. This guy, every time he walks into a room people say 'Christ, he's back.'
Kimmel doesn't just focus on Trump, either, also spending a little time on other key White House staff.
"Oh, look at who we have here, Stephen Miller! Which one of you said his name three times?" Kimmel asks.
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Seth Meyers calls out Eric Trumps $24m Pentagon deal for his robot startupEric Trump's robotics company reportedly landed a $24 million deal with the Pentagon, and Seth Meyers has thoughts.
Eric Trump's robotics company reportedly landed a $24 million deal with the Pentagon, with Foundation Future Industries contracted to deliver its Phantom MK1 humanoid robots for use by the U.S military.
If the president's son receiving millions for his tech startup from the government sounds like a conflict of interest, Seth Meyers agrees with you.
During his "A Closer Look" segment on Late Night, the host examined the deal made with Trump, the company's chief strategy advisor.
"Now, for anyone surprised that Eric Trump's title is 'chief strategy advisor,' I can explain it was too hard to fit 'dipshit who just happens to be the president's son' on the business card," said Meyers.
"So, the president's family is dining at the taxpayer trough," Meyers added. "Meanwhile, the rest of us are getting hit with price hikes and supply shortages as a result of Trump's war with Iran."
He's not wrong.
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Regularly over $2,000, the Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 is $949.99 in a limited-time dealFind the best robot lawn mower deal. Save 59% on the eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 at Amazon.
SAVE $1,350: As of April 24, the Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 is on sale for $949.99 at Amazon. That's a 59% discount on list price.
The warmer, brighter days are fast approaching and with it comes the task of keeping the lawn neat and tidy. But thankfully, long gone are the days where you need to pull out the decades-old lawn mower to tackle the overgrown grass. Like most things in life, you can now let the robot do the work.
Robot lawn mowers have grown in popularity in recent years, and with that popularity comes advancements. Models like the eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 can self navigate across your lawn while avoiding obstacles and leave it uniformly cut in parallel lines. And as of April 24, it's on sale an all-time low price.
Like most robot devices, this model requires minimal effort from you. It uses stereo cameras and AI-based navigation to move around your garden on its own, with everything controlled through the app. You can manage different zones and set virtual boundaries to control it. You can even view your lawn layout directly from your phone.
The mower also includes 3D obstacle detection to avoid objects like toys or trees. It cuts in neat, parallel lines and can automatically detect and re-mow missed areas. This model is normally priced well over $2,000, but right now it's down to $949.99. You'll be saving a grand total of $1,350 with this deal.
Head to Amazon now to score this great deal.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are $50 off at Amazon — buy now for $249As of April 24, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are on sale for $249 at Amazon. This is 17% off their list price of $299.
SAVE $50: As of April 24, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) have been marked down to $249 at Amazon. This is $50 off their list price of $299.
If you're looking to treat yourself to some new earbuds this spring, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are a pair we think are worth your time and money. They're currently sitting on our list of the best earbuds as the most comfortable pick, and as of April 24, they're on sale at Amazon for $249.
This is a $50 price drop from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra's list price of $299, and it applies to every available color at Amazon. Don't fancy the black pair? You can also choose from deep plum, desert gold, midnight violet, and white smoke at this price. Not to mention, Amazon also has a notice on the store page that says these will arrive before Mother's Day (if you're hoping to give them as a gift).
If you're looking to splash out on earbuds that offer premium sound quality and noise-canceling features, the 2nd Gen Bose QuietComfort Ultras deliver. Our review from Mashable's Bethany Allard said: "If you want the best noise-cancelling and comfort that money can buy, Bose delivers once again with their second-generation QuietComfort Ultra earbuds."
Alongside strong sound and noise-cancelation, they also have a pretty good battery life that lasts up to six hours in Quiet or Aware Mode, or up to four hours if you're listening with Immersive Audio. The case holds up to three charges as well, so you'll have plenty of juice to get you through a long journey.
Amazon has them marked as a limited time deal, so you'll want to act fast to save on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen).
To get Margos Got Money Troubles right, Rufi Thorpe had to earn the trust of OnlyFans creatorsAt BookCon 2026, Mashable chatted with Rufi Thorpe about the 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' TV adaptation, researching OnlyFans, and how Rico Nasty's casting feels serendipitous.
The content and format of Rufi Thorpe's Margo's Got Money Troubles seem antithetical to each other — a novel about the internet. Yet, Thorpe's book manages to perfectly encapsulate navigating life as a creator and sex worker online. The experience of motherhood and OnlyFans Thorpe captured in her 2024 novel is now an Apple TV series of the same name, starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.
But before the show got to the small screen and the book hit shelves, Thorpe had to immerse herself in the world of OnlyFans and content creators: "I think I'm spoiled as a fiction writer. Normally, I can just call up people, and no one's interested in anyone else's job, so people will often talk to you in depth about their jobs." But that wasn't the case with researching Margo. As she broached the topic of content creators, especially those on OnlyFans, she noted that their job is to protect themselves and their privacy.
But to write the successful novel that she did, Thorpe needed to do the research. So how did she do it and earn her sources' trust in the process? At BookCon 2026, I chatted with Thorpe about her OnlyFans research and the Margo's Got Money Trouble adaptation.
Samantha Mangino: Margo's Got Money Troubles has such an accurate depiction and understanding of the internet and content creation. How did you do your research?
Rufi Thorpe: I started an OnlyFans account, and I would send a $50 tip to creators and say, "Hey, I'm a novelist. I've written these books. I'm writing a book about it, and it has a character who has an OnlyFans account. I want to explore sex work as work. The book has no moral agenda, and I can't do a good job unless I do research. Would you please talk? I will pay you per question that I ask."
A lot of girls have automated bot responses, and they're not even reading their own messages. So you have to find an account that's small enough that someone — a human — will answer you. In order to be a sex worker, you have to have really, really good boundaries. So they are very clear that their internal life is not for sale, whether it's me, a creepy middle-aged woman novelist, or a John. So some questions were very easy for them to talk about, like the business side of things, marketing and promotion, and even the back end of how their system looked and how money worked. But any questions that I considered relatively open-ended, like, "How do you feel differently about this work now than when you first started?" A lot of times, they'd be like, "I don't feel comfortable talking about that." In a weird way, their reticence was an education in itself.
SM: Have you gotten any feedback from creators on the book and how they received it?
RT: I've heard from maybe five different OnlyFans models, and it's been really positive. One challenge of the research and book is that it's kind of historical fiction. The show is set in contemporary times, but the book is really set in 2018. When TikTok and OnlyFans were these baby fledglings, which is part of how Margo can go viral as easily as she does.
But finding people who were on the platform at that time was really challenging, because when I was writing this in 2020 and 2021, this boom happened. I'm sure all sorts of inaccuracies would really bother someone who was on the platform in 2018, but overwhelmingly, there's a kindness and good intention behind the portrayal that I think people found.
SM: As a reader of the book, I wholeheartedly agree with that. You approach all the characters with a really spectacular humanity that another writer might not do. Was there any lesson you learned from your research that was really important to include in the book?
RT: One of the things that I found most inspiring, as someone who grew up in the '90s in a kind of MTV and Playboy-centered universe where what is sexy in the culture, as like one thing — blonde, skinny, big, fake boobs — is that what men actually are attracted to is so much weirder and more varied. And also, when you let content creators have creative control, deciding who they're going to work with, what kind of content they're going to make, it is much more varied. And there are lots of creators making fun, weird, funny, silly content. I think that seemed really joyful and exciting to me, and that's kind of what I wanted to put across in the book. When you have this democratization of media, people are just cooler and stranger than you could ever predict.
SM: The turnaround from a 2024 publication to a 2026 adaptation release seems so quick. Can you tell me about that process?
RT: It was optioned before the book was published, which enabled it to achieve that rapid turnaround. It's been just such a wildly positive experience. The whole team, from the very beginning, you know, all of the producers and David E. Kelly [creator of the Margo's Got Money Troubles TV show], and they were so open and generous with me, allowing me to be as involved as I wanted. I had a meeting early on in the writers' room where they asked me, "What are you afraid we'll do?" and really thoughtful questions about what I wanted and what I thought was important. The whole thing has really been a dream from an author's perspective.
SM: I think adaptations can stand on their own, but the Margo TV show truly captures the essence of the book. What do you think contributed to making that happen?
RT: From the beginning, I was like, "You guys should change anything you want and need to, to make it work as a show." There are certain elements, like the meta-narration element, that I was like, I don't really see how you're gonna transfer this over. But what I never said to them was, "You need to capture this essence." And yet, I feel like they got the heart of the book, that is, the almost ineffable, unsayable thing. Like, how do you even communicate that? And yet they got it, and they somehow translated it. I remember going on set and getting to see [Margo's] apartment. And I was like, "Oh my God, these are the closet doors that were on my house when I was a little kid." Like, the architecture of California was just so right.
SM: With the show being out, have you heard from the books' fanbase? And new fans of it who are coming from the show?
RT: So far, it's been just a lot of squealing and joy because the acting and the cast are so incredible. It's exciting for me because only the first three episodes are out, and I feel like the show gets even stronger as it goes along, so I'm just incredibly excited for people to get to see all of it and to see more of the wrestling. Rico Nasty is in it, too. I'm such a huge fan of her.
So when I was writing the book, I would have a playlist of songs that I would listen to when I was stuck on a scene. I'd go take a walk and listen to music while I figured out the problem. Of the 20 songs on the playlist, four were by Rico Nasty. I'm an old-school Rico fan, and I didn't even know they were considering casting her. It felt like this really serendipitous, full-circle thing: she was part of the book's writing without knowing it, and then she gets to be in the show.
SM: You were talking about how the people who made the show clearly understand the book, so I think just being on that same wavelength led to Rico's casting in a way that was never said aloud.
RT: When David E. Kelly first expressed interest in it, I was like, in a weird way, this makes sense, because I grew up watching David E. Kelly's storytelling. It's almost like he wrote me.
Safeguarding what makes us human in the age of AICamille Carlton of the Center for Humane Technology says we need a battle plan as AI reshapes how we think and act.
Privacy, as a thing of value in the human experience, is perhaps as old as clothes, or doors, or whispers. As a legal concept, though, it’s younger than the Kodak camera.
And that’s not a coincidence.
The concept of a right to privacy was first sketched out in 1890 by Samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis in direct response to the emerging threats posed by "instantaneous photographs and newspaper enterprise." These new technologies, they wrote, had "invaded the sacred precincts of private and domestic life" — requiring a fresh evaluation of personal rights.
This fact is worth reflecting on: It wasn’t until cameras began invading our privacy that we recognized a need to protect it — and even then, it took decades to enshrine a right to privacy in law.
You could call this period, in which innovation sprints forward, yanking culture with it, while the law limps along behind, the messy middle of any technological revolution. In the messy middle, things you can’t anticipate, and maybe never even considered, suddenly become essential to address.
You can see this phenomena in the development of the printing press, the steam engine, the automobile, the mobile phone, and more — and it’s a defining characteristic of the burgeoning Age of AI we’re now living through.
This moment, in which world-changing AI technology collides with a world unprepared for change, is calling us to action. We must imagine new rights, laws, and cultural norms to protect our basic humanity.
The AI technologies rapidly diffusing through society are extracting, refining, commoditizing, and monetizing our deepest psychological and social resources. Just as the new technologies of the industrial revolution harvested physical resources on a global scale, AI products today are mining our humanity at its most intimate — replacing our relationships, defiling our inner worlds, and calling into question our very purpose.
I know this is true because it’s my job to track AI’s increasing capabilities, research its effects, catalog its harms, and develop policies to keep it safe and humane.
But I also know it’s true — and I suspect you do, too — because I can feel it. I’m often reminded of Adam Raine, who began using ChatGPT as a homework helper — until its engagement-at-any-cost product design allegedly isolated him from his family, validated his darkest impulses and coached him to suicide.
Adam’s experience is far from unique — and such psychosocial dangers are just one of many AI-driven harms metastasizing through society. AI’s intrusion on our humanity is now a lived experience spanning workplaces, classrooms, home life, online encounters, and even our most private moments.
At the Center for Humane Technology, we’ve identified five pillars of the human experience under direct threat and rapid transformation from AI. Each is worth exploring in its own right.
Our human relationships: There’s nothing more fundamental to human existence than our relationships. They make us happy, successful, and safe. They provide the essential friction necessary for empathy, resolution, and growth. They give life meaning.
But as Adam’s story shows, AI products are increasingly designed to supplant these connections. AI "friends" and "therapists," marketed as superior substitutes to real-life humans, encourage isolation and exploit our desire for acceptance with sycophantic validation. As we retreat from the challenges of human connection, our interpersonal skills atrophy and social trust frays.
Our cognitive capacities: AI developers promise machines that do our thinking for us. What we’re getting are products that fry our brains and make us dumber. While past technologies assisted human thought, AI marks a shift toward offloading cognitive processes entirely, bypassing the "slow work" that builds insight and creativity.
When essential skills like reasoning and problem-solving are allowed to deteriorate, individuals and society become ill-equipped for complex challenges.
Our inner worlds: Think of the AI interface you use every day: an open-ended question, an empty text box, and a blinking cursor. It’s a deliberately unassuming invitation, a seemingly guileless lure to share anything and everything with the most powerful data-analysis system ever built.
AI products are engineered to infiltrate our most private thoughts, uncertainties, desires, and beliefs — and then commoditize them. This exploitation renders us vulnerable to psychological and financial manipulation, ultimately threatening our sense of self and moral decision-making.
Our identities: Our identity — comprising our likeness, voice, and reputation — is our most valuable possession. It anchors us as individuals and ensures social accountability.
AI coopts that value, turning every facet of our identity into mere data, enabling the replication of our personal traits and weaponizing fundamental aspects of who we are. This exploitation happens in any number of ways — from nonconsensual deepfakes to grandma scams to political manipulation. In every instance, the result is a loss of agency and dignity.
Our work: Contributing to our communities through work and creativity is a primary source of human dignity, purpose, and belonging. To AI companies, though, the fruits of our labor — whether language, writing, art, or ideas — amount to nothing more than raw inputs for automating knowledge.
AI developers are actively accumulating human intelligence in order to replace human labor. While the economic risks are immense, the deeper loss is the erosion of the "toil" that provides structure, meaning, and the joy of creation.
As early as we are into the AI revolution, we’re already deep in the messy middle. Existing rights and protections are inadequate to these threats, leaving our humanity at risk. But dehumanization, disconnection, and alienation are not inevitable.
We must imagine and enact new shields — in culture, law, and governance — to protect against AI’s immediate threats and those to come. We must address these challenges as quickly as possible, before they change us beyond recognition.
We’ve done it before. The printing press sparked a right to free expression. The Industrial Revolution demanded new workers’ rights. The Kodak camera instigated a right to privacy. The messy middle of these revolutions lasted for decades before we found durable solutions — but we found them. Society has successfully fortified humanity against technology before, and we must again.
At the Center for Humane Technology, we’re working to preserve what makes us human in the age of AI. We’ve developed an AI Roadmap with actionable policy solutions, and we’re crafting a new bill of rights to defend our essential humanity.
Like Warren and Brandeis staring into the lens of the Kodak camera, we must confront AI’s disruption. We must fight through the messy middle and exercise a new imagination for protecting the qualities that make us deeply, unequivocally human.
Camille Carlton is the senior director of strategy and impact at the Center for Humane Technology.
This article reflects the opinion of the writer.
Mother Mary review: Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel are rapturous'Mother Mary' review: David Lowery's surreal horror story stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.
Filmmakers often express frustrations about the genre labels put on their work by studio marketing, the media, and even their fans. Perhaps this is why David Lowery's tagline for his latest film, Mother Mary, focuses on what it's not. "This is not a ghost story. This is not a love story." Maybe he doesn't want his rapturous work described in such simple terms.
But here's the thing. It is a ghost story. It is a love story. It's also more.
Written and directed by Lowery (The Green Knight, A Ghost Story), Mother Mary plunges its audience into the unreal world of the eponymous pop icon, played by Anne Hathaway. Wearing a ferociously cinched body suit with gothic flair and religious iconography like her signature halos, Mother Mary is giving Lady Gaga. But it's not just the iconography. A stunning long take meant to show how Mother Mary must parade from one show to the next to the next without respite recalls the Gaga meme of "No sleep, bus, club, another club, 'nother club, plane, next place, no sleep."
However, Mother Mary's songs are written by Charli xcx, Jack Antonoff, and FKA twigs, who also has a small but pivotal role in the film. The music they bring is otherworldly, evoking not just Mother Mary's power over her audience, but also the paranormal darkness that plagues her wherever she goes.
Could it be that reconnecting with her former best friend/costume designer, Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel), will bring an end to her agony? Can collaboration on a dress heal years of estrangement and resentment?
The premise might sound like the stuff of tearjerker melodrama. But in Lowery's hands, Mother Mary is a gothic horror story — surreal, evocative, and breathtakingly gorgeous.
Across a smattering of arena tour performances, Hathaway must swiftly convince us that Mother Mary is an incomparably popular, intensely compelling talent. In her long, long wigs and cinched and bedazzled costumes, she projects an enchanting confidence and cool. She is instantly mesmerizing, strutting, dancing, and singing with the stage presence many performers would maim for.
It's fascinating to see this film hit so close to Hathaway's reprisal of the gawky fashion-averse heroine Andy Sachs with The Devil Wears Prada 2. Back-to-back, Hathaway reminds us how she can easily play an average girl and a literal icon with aplomb. In Mother Mary, however, she must pull off a double act. Not only is she embodying this perfectly fierce and feminine facade, but also a beleaguered woman on the brink of collapse, creatively and psychologically.
When she comes into Sam's rural sanctuary, a chicly decaying estate where models, designers, and hangers-on flutter about with ballerina-like precision to execute Sam's vision, Mother Mary is disheveled, sheepish, and fragile. In sweatpants and a hoodie, she practically cowers as she humbly requests her former confidante to create a new gown for her, custom, and with only three days turnaround time for her public relaunch. It's outrageous. It's impossible. And yet, Sam cannot resist.
While Mother Mary will flow into flashbacks to show us its titular figure's career highs and personal lows, much of the film takes place in a humble barn, which Sam uses as a design studio. There, Sam will poetically muse about creation, friendship, hatred, ghosts, and letting go. Hathaway's role demands that she transform physically and thrust herself into a complicated contemporary dance number — without music — that feels like a brutal exercise in penance through humiliation. By contrast, Coel's portrayal is more grounded in her face and voice.
Where Mary must move to enchant us, Sam can stand still, resolute and just talk. Coel makes it seem so easily, so effortless to be this beguiling. Through her, pages and pages of Lowery's melodic monologue flow like a river, glittering, deep, and rapid. The actress, who broke through mugging and slapsticking it up in Chewing Gum, is intense yet restrained here. Her screen presence is unparalleled.
Cinematographers Andrew Droz Palermo and Rina Yang meticulously light this dark barn with care to be sure that Coel's eyes and cheekbones shine. She is truly radiant, even when withering.
Wrapped in cool blues and probing reds, these two hurt women engage in a metaphorical dance that is collaboration and confrontation. Lowery's direction trusts in these actresses to find a rhythm without theatrics. Hushed tones lure us in, as if we are a fly on the wall or a ghost in the hallway. Theirs is a story of love, but one that fully recognizes the role hate and even indifference play in such a story.
Theirs is a ghost story, but not in the traditional sense. Sure, there was a haunting and a seance — conducted by a possessed FKA twigs. But nothing else about this supernatural tale will play to the lore you might predict.
Instead, Lowery embraces darkness and bold color, flowing fabric, and structured gowns to create a visual world that illustrates his heroines' fears and hopes, emotions so raw and reckless they can't be said out loud.
Hathaway and Coel are electrifying together. A small female supporting cast, boasting Hunter Schafer and Sian Clifford along with FKA twigs, provides a swift and solid structure, suggesting a world beyond the barn without much fuss or distraction. The cinematography celebrates pop idols and couture fashion with the same adoration it offers Lowery's silky black abyss. The music throbs like a mind racing or a mouth catching a ragged breath.
All of this comes together into a vision grotesque and gorgeous. Mother Mary is not only slippery, riveting, unnerving, and haunting, but also one of the most enthralling films 2026 is likely to reveal.
Mother Mary is now playing in select theaters, opens nationwide on April 24.
Stop renting apps and own them instead with this $90 Microsoft Office licenseEnjoy five game-changing apps for just $99.97 with this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License.
TL;DR: Enjoy five game-changing apps for just $89.97 (reg. $249.99) with this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License, on sale now through May 17.
Tired of paying monthly for productivity apps? You can now snag some of the best to ever do it for life with this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business lifetime license. It works on both Windows and Mac devices alike, and it’s currently on sale for just $89.97 through May 17.
You don’t have to be a Windows-only loyalist to enjoy some of the best apps the brand has to offer. This Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC lifetime license is an equal opportunity helper, giving your device five new apps to work with.
At $90, that’s just $20 per app for life, and this license includes some of the best. You’ll have Word for all your document needs, Excel to help you build spreadsheets, Outlook to manage your email correspondence, and PowerPoint to create eye-catching presentations. You’ll also get a newer favorite, OneNote, which can elevate the way you take notes.
This edition may be a few years old, but don’t worry. They are all updated with AI-powered enhancements, such as text, formatting, and design suggestions as you go. Let AI summarize text, translate content, and extract key info from your documents to save you time.
There are AI-powered tools ready to analyze your data, identify trends, and build even better charts and graphics in Excel. You can also record presentations with voice, video, and closed captions in PowerPoint. Focus Mode is also available in Word to help you concentrate on work.
Score this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License for $89.97 now through May 17.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Get ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in your Chrome browser for life for just $29Keep an AI assistant just a tap away with this lifetime subscription to BrowserCopilot AI Basic Plan
TL;DR: Keep an AI assistant just a tap away with this lifetime subscription to BrowserCopilot AI Basic Plan, on sale now for $29 (reg. $204).
AI is supposed to make our lives easier — so why does it take so many steps? From tab-hopping between models to copying and pasting your content, it can be a lengthy, time-wasting process. That’s where BrowserCopilot comes in, putting an AI assistant right in your Google Chrome browser.
Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to the BrowserCopilot AI Basic Plan with 500 queries a month for just $29 (reg. $204).
To really take advantage of AI, you need the right tools. BrowserCopilot puts an AI assistant in your Chrome browser window, so you can get help with email writing, researching, document reviewing, and more.
There’s no need to copy and paste or jump from tab to tab; BrowserCopilot works in the screen you’re using. It uses three different models — ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini — so you’ll save on all of those monthly subscriptions with this helpful tool, and it gives you access to all of them.
Unlike your usual AI process, BrowserCopilot makes it easy to create your own custom AI copilots that know your prompts, workflows, and writing style. This saves you even more time, as you can ensure personalized outputs every time without starting from scratch. There’s also advanced prompt engineering if you need it to help you get top-quality results.
If you’ve been hoping for help with email management, you’ll love that BrowserCopilot integrates with your inbox. It learns your writing tone and phrasing and gets context from real conversations, so it can eventually write one-click replies in your voice.
The AI Vision Screenshot feature lets you give this AI-powered tool a screenshot and then ask questions and get answers based on that content. BrowserCopilot can also interact with images and PDF documents to save time typing.
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3 common hookup app profile mistakes: Keep this off your AdultFriendFinder profileIf you're a loyal AdultFriendFinder user and you want to use the site safely and effectively, here are three things you need to keep off your profile.
Hooking up is hard enough without getting in your own way. Online dating is perilous enough when the main anxiety is vibing with another person, not protecting your digital privacy. And yet, people repeatedly sabotage their chances of success — often before they've even made a match.
If you're a loyal AdultFriendFinder user and want to use the site safely and effectively, here are three things you need to keep off your profile.
AdultFriendFinder is very permissive when it comes to NSFW content, and many of its members take advantage of this freedom, but we advise against it, especially if you also plan on sharing pictures or videos of your face.
There are plenty of more private ways to bare all, but reserve your profile photos for non-nude content. Once you post naked content online, you lose all control over where it ends up or what it gets used for.
And just as important as the safety considerations is the hookup consideration: while some people will be turned on by nudity from the jump, others will be put off by it. If you want to maximize your chances at making a connection, you're better off leaving something to the imagination and finding other ways to be sexually suggestive.
Another major security concern people often overlook: oversharing. No, your potential hookups don't need to know what you do for a living, at least not from your profile, and they certainly don't need to know specifics about your employer or your marital situation.
Think very hard about what you choose to share and how that information might lead back to you, not because the person you end up talking to is likely to be a bad actor but because it's the internet and there are bad actors everywhere. Online safety 101: share the bare minimum, and if you do choose to open up to a specific person, make sure you've vetted them and that they are who they say they are.
Hookup sites in general, and AdultFriendFinder in particular, seems to be littered with (mostly male) profiles bragging about their sexual prowess, often in very crude terms. We understand the impulse to boast, especially when you're trying to connect with another human being on a sexual level, but bragging is always off-putting and never sexy, at least not in this context.
Save your sexual boasting for one-on-one conversations, once some rapport has been established and you have a sense of the other person's turn-ons.
How to unblock XVideos for freeHow to unblock porn for free. Unblock XVideos for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Unblock XVideos from anywhere in the world with a VPN. The best VPN for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.
The online world is full of restrictions and blockades, but you can stay one step ahead with a hack. It's possible to secure access to restricted content from anywhere in the world with a VPN. And that includes popular sites like Pornhub, xHamster, and XVideos. You don't need to be a hacker. It's quick and easy.
Want to unblock porn sites like XVideos for free from anywhere in the world? We have the information you need.
VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect to a secure server in another location. This straightforward process bypasses content restrictions so you can access porn sites like XVideos from anywhere in the world.
Unblock XVideos by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to XVideos
Unblock XVideos
The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're temporarily away from home on an unsecured network.
If you want to retain permanent access to the online world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.
ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like XVideos, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy
Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Unblock XVideos for free with ExpressVPN.
How to unblock porn sites and stream porn anonymouslyUnblock porn sites and stream anonymously with the best porn VPNs.
Online privacy isn't easy to come by, but's it's more important than ever. Your data and personal deets are super valuable. We recommend that you do everything you can to protect them while navigating the online world. And if you watch porn, you should be especially vigilant.
We're going to take a wild guess that you'd prefer to be protected from the prying eyes of advertisers, your internet service provider (ISP), and your roommates when you're engaged in the intimate business of visiting porn sites. If that's correct, consider investing in a VPN. These cybersecurity services provide everything you need to unblock porn sites — a solution many viewers are looking for — and stream anonymously.
VPNs provide powerful protection for your data and identity when you're online. VPNs offer this online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address (digital location), ensuring that all of your online activity is untraceable and secure.
This concept can be difficult to grasp, so it can be helpful to think of VPNs as encrypted tunnels that all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats such as viruses, hackers, malware, and other nasties.
There are two key reasons to get yourself a VPN for porn: Anonymity and access.
The first reason is perhaps the most important. If you're concerned about your ISP, housemates, landlord, or someone totally random accessing your data, you could probably benefit from using a VPN. Any sort of activity on an unsecured WiFi network leaves your private information and browsing habits exposed to the rest of the world. The porn site itself can track your activity if you're unprotected, too. Pornhub tracks IP addresses for example, which means it can collect information about your site usage. But with a VPN, your IP address will always stay hidden.
Remaining private and anonymous is the main reason for needing a VPN for porn, but access to your favourite sites is another issue. If you're in a location that has a firewall up to block access to porn sites, a VPN will help you bypass these restrictions by connecting you to a server in another location, meaning you can get around firewalls and stream on your favourite porn sites from anywhere in the world.
There are a number of things to consider before selecting a VPN for porn. We have highlighted a selection of the most important VPN features to help you make a decision:
Connection speed — VPNs generally produce a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept anything significant. Make sure you opt for a VPN that doesn't negatively impact your connection speed to the point that you can't stream porn without disruption.
Encryption — There are different levels of encryption, and while it's important to take note of the grade provided by your VPN, the best services will all offer powerful protection for your data. This is obviously vital when navigating porn sites because you need to know that your data is secure.
Number of connections — Leading VPNs let you connect an unlimited number of devices with the same account, while others limit you to just a single device. Prioritize services that offer multiple simultaneous connections so you can stay secure on all your devices at the same time. You might stream pornography on a number of devices, so it's best to secure everything with the same account.
Privacy policy — This is something that some users might take for granted, but you need to pay special attention to the data-handling, storage, and usage practices of a VPN. These practices should be clearly laid out in a privacy policy, and if they aren't, you should not subscribe. Most VPNs require access to your IP address, online transactions, and browsing history, plus your personal details when you sign up. Your favorite VPN should not store these details under any circumstances, as that would negate the whole anonymity thing.
Server network — The top VPNs provide access to literally thousands of geographically diverse servers. This is useful because you should always be able to find a stable and speedy connection for streaming porn.
You also need to consider things like price and subscription plans, but these features are a good place to start with your selection process. Once you've picked your preferred VPN, you can consider the wide range of subscription plans.
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for with these cybersecurity services. There are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs, and free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. The catch is that free versions usually come with limited data usage, meaning you can't really do any streaming or downloading. Free trials come with everything you get in a paid plan, but they obviously don't last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution. Ultimately, coughing up some cash for a VPN subscription is your best option.
There are lots of services offering similar packages, which makes it difficult to find the best VPN for you. We've tried to make things a little easier by tracking down all the best offers and lining up the below selection of VPNs for porn. We have found something for everyone and every budget, with popular services such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN in this list.
These are the best VPNs for porn in 2026.
How to watch NHL live streams online for freeHow to watch NHL for free. Live stream the 2026 NHL for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream the NHL for free on 9Now or Prime Video. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
There is no other sport that combines skill, grace, elegance, and people punching each other quite like ice hockey.
We love the merging of elements, and so do millions of fans from all around the world. The issue for these legions of dedicated hockey fanatics is that it's not easy to follow the sport for free. But nothing is impossible in this golden age of streaming.
If you want to watch the NHL for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America made up of 32 teams (25 in the United States and seven in Canada).
The NHL season is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. After the regular season, 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs, a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion.
Select fixtures from the NHL are available to live stream for free on these platforms:
Australia — 9Now (21 regular-season games)
Canada — Prime Video (Monday Night Hockey with 30-day trial)
These free streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Australia and Canada, meaning you can access these streaming services from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the NHL for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia or Canada
Visit 9Now or Prime Video
Live stream the NHL for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the NHL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NHL fixtures before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best service for streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia and Canada
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 24, 2026Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1770 on April 24 as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love a good drink.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
Intoxicated.
There are no recurring letters.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.
Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
DRUNK
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 24, 2026Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love Italian food.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Italian must-haves
Green: They have tentacles
Blue: They cut
Purple: You haul them
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Pizza ingredients
Green: Associated with octopuses
Blue: They have blades
Purple: What "Cab" might refer to
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #1047 is...
Pizza ingredients: CHEESE, DOUGH, PEPPERONI, TOMATO SAUCE
Associated with octopuses: ARMS, INK, INTELLIGENCE, SUCTION CUPS
They have blades: GRASS, HELICOPTER, ICE SKATES, LAWN MOWER
What "Cab" might refer to: CABIN, CALLOWAY, RED WINE, TAXI
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for April 24, 2026Answers to each clue for the April 24, 2026 edition of NYT's The Mini crossword puzzle.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, April 24, 2026:
The answer is Drama.
The answer is Queen.
The answer is Stilt.
The answer is Hoo.
The answer is Sun.
The answer is DQs.
The answer is Ruths.
The answer is AEIOU.
The answer is Melon.
The answer is Ant.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.
The Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 power station is over $300 off at Amazon — this deal expires soonFind the best power station deal on Amazon. Save 19% on the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 at Amazon.
SAVE OVER $300: As of April 24, the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 is on sale for $1,298.99 at Amazon. That's a 19% discount on the list price.
The Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 with solar panels is back on sale at Amazon, and for a limited time, you can save $300.
This stacked unit can power anything from a fridge to a laptop, and now it's down to $1,298.99 from $1,599. This deal includes the unit plus two 200W solar panels, however there are various upgrade options including charging cables, protective cases, or even additional units.
This is a great option if you're looking for a high-capacity portable power station designed for strong, reliable backup. It'll see you through power outages at home, at work, and keep you well connected when camping. It delivers a 2,200W output with a 2,042Wh capacity, along with multiple AC outlets and a 100W USB-C port for fast charging devices.
But despite its performance, Jackery states it's more compact than many similar units, weighing 39.5 pounds and built with cell-to-body technology to help improve space efficiency and durability. It's also built with a LiFePO4 battery, which gives it serious longevity. You're looking at around 10 years of use.
This Jackery deal is available at Amazon now.
How to watch NRL live streams online for freeHow to watch NRL for free. Live stream the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 NRL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It's clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that's why we all love it.
And if you're looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It's an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world. We're definitely not knocking what you get in the Northern Hemisphere, but there's something special about the National Rugby League. It feels like something wild happens every week.
If you want to watch the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.
Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.
The defending champions are the Brisbane Broncos.
The 2026 NRL season is the 119th edition of professional rugby league in Australia and the 29th season run by the National Rugby League. This season runs from Feb. 28 to Sept. 5.
Select fixtures from the 2026 NRL season are available to live stream for free on 9Now.
9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NRL from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2026 NRL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit 9Now
Live stream the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 NRL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NRL fixtures before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2026 NRL for free with ExpressVPN.
How to watch AFL live streams online for freeHow to watch AFL for free. Live stream the 2026 AFL for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 AFL for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Aussie Rules is a uniquely fast-paced and physical game that provides entertainment to millions of fans every week, but for whatever reason, this entertaining sport hasn't really traveled outside of Australia. We think that should change, because we firmly believe that the rest of the world would absolutely love footy.
What's not to love. Outrageous displays of skill? Check. Huge tackles and the occasional physical altercation? Check. Some of the best haircuts and facial hair you've ever seen? A big check.
If you want to watch the 2026 AFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the leading professional competition of Aussie Rules Football.
The AFL currently consists of 18 teams spread over Australia's five mainland states. The league features 23 rounds in the regular season, with the team with the best record awarded the minor premiership. The top 10 teams from the regular season standings compete in a five-round finals series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final.
The defending champions are the Brisbane Lions.
The 2026 AFL season is the 130th edition of the Australian Football League. This season runs from March 5 to Sept. 26.
Every round of the 2026 AFL season is available to live stream for free on 7plus.
This free coverage includes matches on Thursday nights, Friday nights, State Footy Saturdays, Sunday afternoons, and Sunday night games. 7plus will also show marquee games and every match in the AFL Finals Series including the Brownlow Medal and the 2026 AFL Grand Final.
7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the AFL from anywhere in the world.
Live stream 2026 AFL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit 7plus
Live stream 2026 AFL for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 AFL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select AFL fixtures before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7plus, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2026 AFL for free with ExpressVPN.
The Bluetti Elite 100 V2 power station is under $400 at Amazon — save over $400 right nowFind the best portable power station deal. Save 51% on the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 at Amazon.
SAVE OVER $400: As of April 24, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is on sale for $394.97 at Amazon. That's a 51% discount on the list price.
If you're on the lookout for a new portable power station, Amazon has some incredible deals on brands like Jackery, DJI, and Bluetti right now.
As of April 24, there's a new deal on the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 that's caught our eye. Right now, this compact unit is over $400 off, taking the price down from $799 to $394.97. That's more than half off for a limited time.
If you're looking for something that's both powerful and compact, this model has been designed to deliver strong performance without taking up too much space. It has a 1,024Wh capacity with 1,800W AC output (up to 2,700W lifting power) and a total of 11 ports, making it suitable for powering multiple devices at once. It's ideal for both off-grid camping trips and power outages at home, and can run anything from your phone to a fridge.
It also supports fast recharging, reaching a full charge in around 70 minutes with a high-speed AC or solar input.
You can find this portable power station deal at Amazon right now.
How to watch MotoGP live streams online for freeHow to watch MotoGP for free. Live stream the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Are you looking for thrilling and unpredictable racing? No we're not talking about F1, unless you like regular pit stops, safety cars, and the same driver winning almost every week. We're talking about a form of two-wheel racing where anything could happen.
MotoGP is where the real action can be found. Every week you see the best riders in the world go wheel to wheel with their rivals, throwing their bikes into corners with absolutely no sense of self preservation. It's an awesome spectacle, and it doesn't need to cost you anything to watch.
Want to watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.
MotoGP is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the inaugural season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without pitting for fuel or fresh tires.
The likes of Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha do battle for the constructors' championship. Marc Márquez is the defending champion.
The 2026 MotoGP World Championship features 22 races held all over the world between March and November:
Thailand GP — March 1
Brazil GP — March 22
USA GP — March 29
Qatar GP — April 12
Spain GP — April 26
France GP — May 10
Catalonia GP — May 17
Italy GP — May 31
Hungary GP — June 7
Czechia GP — June 21
Netherlands GP — June 28
Germany GP — July 12
Great Britain GP — Aug. 9
Aragon GP — Aug. 30
San Marino GP — Sept. 13
Austria GP — Sept. 20
Japan GP — Oct. 4
Indonesian GP — Oct. 11
Australia GP — Oct. 25
Malaysia GP — Nov. 1
Portugal GP — Nov. 15
Valencia GP — Nov. 22
The good news for fans is that it's possible to live stream the 2026 MotoGP World Championship without spending anything.
The 2026 MotoGP World Championship is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.
ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.
Unblock ServusTV by following this quick and easy process:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Hurdle hints and answers for April 24, 2026Hints and answers to today's Hurdle all in one place.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
A babysitter.
NANNY
To spread.
SMEAR
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
An aquatic animal.
OTTER
Crazy.
BATTY
A popular Adidas shoe.
SAMBA
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on April 24See the Moon phase expected for April 24, 2026 as well as when the next Full Moon is expected.
We’ve now reached the First Quarter Moon, where roughly half of the visible surface is lit up. Keep reading to find out what you may be able to spot on its surface tonight.
As of Friday, April 24, the Moon phase is First Quarter. Tonight, 52% of the moon will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.
If you're looking at the Moon with just your naked eye, you should be able to catch a glimpse of the Mares Crisium, Tranquillitatis, and Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars, the Mare Nectaris and Endymion and Posidonius Craters should also come into view, appearing from halfway up the Moon to near the top. And, finally, with a telescope you'll see all this plus the Apollo 16 landing spot, Rupes Altai, and Linne Crater.
The next Full Moon is predicted to take place on May 1, the first of two in May.
NASA says that the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, during which it passes through eight stages. Although the same face of the Moon is always turned toward us, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it travels along its path, producing the familiar cycle of full, half, and crescent shapes. These variations are referred to as lunar phases, and there are eight altogether:
New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 24, 2026Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the day's puzzle.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition definitely has some red herrings that could get you off track. But if you have a decent level of ball knowledge, you should be able to get the right answers.
As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Verbs
Green: March Madness
Blue: Ball Knowledge
Purple: Half of a whole
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Move Smoothly
Green: First Words of College Conferences
Blue: Basketball Hall of Famers
Purple: Road ____
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #578 is...
Move Smoothly — COAST, FLY, GLIDE, SOAR
First Words of College Conferences — ATLANTIC, BIG, MOUNTAIN, SOUTHEASTERN
Basketball Hall of Famers — ENGLISH, HILL, PIERCE, WEST
Road ____ — GAME, GRADER, RACE, TRIP
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.
NYT Pips hints, answers for April 24, 2026The New York Times' latest game, Pips, brings domino fun to your desktop. How to play Pips as well as hints in case you get stuck.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Number (3): The domino half in this purple space must have 3 pips. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Every domino half in this red space must have 0 pips. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally; and 5-0, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Every domino half in this light blue space must have 3 pips. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.
Number (10): Everything in this yellow space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 5-0, placed horizontally.
Less Than (2): The domino half in this dark blue space must have less than 2 pips. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.
Number (7): Everything in this purple space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.
Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.
Less Than (2): The domino half in this light blue space must have less than 2 pips. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.
Less Than (5): The domino half in this yellow space must have less than 5 pips. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.
Number (7): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 7. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.
Number (7): Everything in this green space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.
Less Than (3): The domino half in this purple space must have less than 3 pips. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.
Number (2): The domino half in this purple space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.
Number (5): The domino half in this red space must have 5 pips. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.
Number (0): The domino half in this light blue space must have 0 pips. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.
Less Than (2): Everything in this yellow space must add up to be less than 2. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (2): The domino half in this dark blue space must have more than 2 pips. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (5): The domino half in this green space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.
Greater Than (5): The domino half in this purple space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.
Number (2): The domino half in this red space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.
Number (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.
Number (0): The domino half in this yellow space must have 0 pips. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Every domino half in this dark blue space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally.
Less Than (2): Everything in this green space must add up to be less than 2. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this purple space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Every domino half in this red space must have 1 pip. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.
Less Than (5): The domino half in this yellow space must have less than 5 pips. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.
Greater Than (5): The domino half in this dark blue space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (4): Every domino half in this green space must have 4 pips. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed horizontally.
Less Than (2): Everything in this purple space must add up to be less than 2. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): The domino half in this red space must have 2 pips. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.
Number (0): The domino half in this yellow space must have 0 pips. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
NYT Strands hints, answers for April 24, 2026The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're rowdy.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
The words are related to sound.
These words describe ruckus.
Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
Today's spangram is Lets Get Loud.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Shout
Holler
Clamor
Lets Get Loud
Bellow
Whoop
Caterwaul
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.
Apex review: This is why women choose the bearCharlize Theron and Taron Egerton face off in "Apex," a gnarly Netflix thriller. Review.
Would you rather be stuck in the woods with a man or a bear? Posed to women on TikTok in 2024, this seemingly simple hypothetical question ignited a firestorm across social media. Video after video showed women choosing the bear, speaking up against rape culture and speculating how a man alone in the woods could be up to no good, while a bear in the woods is less suspicious. Others were outraged by the idea that a random man might seem more a threat to a woman than a wild animal. And now, the new Netflix movie Apex seems certain to reignite this debate.
To be clear, there is no bear in Apex. (Sorry for the spoiler?) Charlize Theron stars as Sasha, a physically strong and resilient rock climber, who takes her thrill-seeking to the Australian wilderness, where she aims to kayak down white rapids alone. However, her plan for reflective solitude is interrupted when she crosses paths with Ben (Taron Egerton), who seems friendly at first, but soon proves to be the deadliest threat in this treacherous terrain.
Pitting an iconic action heroine against an animal-call-shrieking madman in a ruthless wilderness, Apex is a wild ride, fueled by violence, action, gore, and many women's worst fear.
Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, Apex begins with a peaceful scene. Sasha and her partner Tommy (a rugged Eric Bana) awake in a tent, the sound of the wind bellowing very loudly outside. This rush of air is a clue to their location. And while they're both super chill about it, the reveal that they are pinned on the side of a massive cliff had me literally gagging. I don't have a fear of heights. But as cinematographer Lawrence Sher follows Theron's head out of the tent entrance to peek outside, I was genuinely thrown by the sheer drop lying below their fragile tent.
The opening act follows this adventurous couple as they rock climb up the cliffside, chatting along the way. But when disaster strikes, Apex stuns not with their daring or natural wonders, but with violence that's brutal and traumatizing. Sasha's next adventure will be haunted by this one. Moreover, we, the audience, understand how hard-hitting Kormákur will go when it comes to onscreen violence and its life-or-death stakes.
Sure, when Sasha first meets Ben, he's chipper, even helpful. He puts himself between her and some gruff bogans, and he offers her directions to a prime camping spot. But much like Kevin Bacon in The River Wild, there's a flicker in his eye that suggests Ben cannot be trusted when it comes to this striking blonde woman. Sure enough, he pivots from helper to hunter, telling Sasha she better run, because he's got a crossbow and she's in his sights.
To paraphrase the Doofenshmirtz meme: If I had a nickel for every time an Academy Award–winning leading lady starred as a rafter, fighting for her survival against a deranged killer, who is played by a traditionally charming leading man, I'd have two nickels. Which is not a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.
So much so that I lament you won't see it in a theater, as critics did. Streaming on Netflix, the endless woods and waters, cliffs and caves that Sasha scrambles across in this twisted game of cat-and-mouse are absolutely stunning on a movie theater screen. The woods around her offer their own obstacles, but Sasha had prepared for that. Now, chased by this psychotic hunter, the sprawl of wilderness is a cage she can't easily escape.
Sasha will race through forests, fall down gullies, thrash through a raging river, climb cliff faces, and squeeze through uncharted caves as she's pursued by this cackling villain. Like The River Wild, there's an undercurrent of psychological torture between the charismatic criminal and his hostage heroine. But Theron's character takes a much more brutal battering at the hands of man and nature — though never bear.
The star of Atomic Blonde and The Old Guard rushes into action with a snarl, yet is cool under pressure. And this makes what she faces all the scarier. This is not the teen babysitter stalked by a suburban slasher. This is not a doting mother, forced to defend her family against a gun-twirling bank robber. Sasha is presented as tough and fearless out the gate. And yet, she was caught off guard by a "nice guy" with a hidden agenda of misogynistic malice. That Egerton is smaller than Theron, that Ben is a bit gawky and earnestly friendly only makes this switch all the more harrowing. Because while not every women will see herself in a character like Sasha, who can scale a hundred-foot-high cliff for fun (certainly not me!), many will see themselves in the woman who realizes too late she's mistaken a predator for a good guy.
This English actor is building an unpredictable and thereby absolutely thrilling career. Breaking out with the Kingsman film series, Egerton swiftly established himself as a leading man with swagger and comedy chops. Then in 2019, he threw himself into the challenging role of a warts-and-all Elton John in the musical biopic Rocketman. There, he not only had to recapture the magic of one of the best rock stars to take to an arena stage, but also find the quiet moments of desperation and isolation that drove John's addictions.
With Sing, he brought verve to a pop-loving gorilla. Then in Tetris, he played an ambitious American entrepreneur who gets entangled in Cold War paranoia and espionage. More recently, in Netflix's Carry-On, he played an everyman challenged to become an action hero. But with Apex, he goes full-on baddie.
As Ben, he manages a switch on the level of Ed Norton in Primal Fear. You know the one. What's phenomenal is that Egerton is totally believable as the mirthful stranger, happy to help out a lost tourist. But when his eyes go cold, revealing Ben's hunting plans, there's a shimmer in the darkness that's absolutely riveting. It's not just that Ben is going to stalk Sasha like a deer in the wood. He's going to enjoy every moment of torture — be it physical or psychological — he can subject her to.
Egerton throws himself into the action with the same energy he did Rocketman's musical numbers. He chews on the threats in Jeremy Robbins' screenplay as if they are the jerky that Ben sells at the local convenience store. And he'll howl and caw like a wild thing, not afraid to indicate to Sasha where he is, because she's come onto his turf, where he feels invincible. Even a cheeky reprieve, like when Ben skinny-dips — and Kormákur offers a peek at Egerton's much thirsted-after bottom — is threaded with horror. Ben is treating this like a holiday, whooping it up naked and free, while Sasha is desperately seeking escape.
Apex is a relentless, exciting, and nerve-rattlingly scary thriller, wherein Theron and Egerton bring their very best to a brutal face-off. It'll be a fun watch at home, hooking audiences on its gnarly twists and gore. But I pity those who won't get to see the vistas and violence Kormákur has captured on a big screen, where their wonders and horrors can truly overwhelm you.
Apex premieres on Netflix on April 24.
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FCC challenges gender identity themes on kids TVThe federal agency calls into question entire system of TV ratings.
The Federal Communications Commission is using the presence of "controversial gender identity issues" in children's television programming as a pretense for questioning how TV ratings are developed and enforced, according to a notice published Wednesday by the federal agency.
The notice generally assesses TV ratings, but specifically points out that these industry guidelines have rated shows featuring "transgender and gender non-binary programming" as appropriate for children. It argues that parents aren't provided this information, "thereby undermining the ability of parents to make informed choices for their families."
In the document, the FCC poses a series of open-ended questions about TV ratings development, including whether the board responsible for the guidelines is "sufficiently balanced" with viewpoints outside of the entertainment industry and if faith-based organizations should be represented in the body.
"What more could the board do to include family-oriented perspectives — which are not well represented in the media industry — in its ratings process?" the notice asks.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the public notice on X, explaining that "parents have raised concerns with the industry's approach." He added that these parents believe "New York & Hollywood programmers" promote objectionable content in kids programming without disclosing that to parents. Carr didn't mention gender identity in his X post.
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TV parents guidelines can include both a rating as well as descriptors for content that includes crude language, sexual situations, and violence.
LGBTQ+ advocates criticized the public notice, arguing that it amounted to discrimination and censorship.
"Trump's FCC is trying to turn transgender people into a warning label," Tyler Hack, executive director of the transgender rights advocacy group Christopher Street Project, said in a statement. "It is dehumanizing, and it is part of a broader political strategy to stigmatize LGBTQ+ people in every corner of public life."
Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, described the notice as government overreach.
"Media companies must be allowed to create and broadcast stories that reflect one-quarter of their audience without interference from a government agency with its own anti-transgender political agenda," Ellis said in a statement.
This isn't the first time Carr has been accused of censorship. Carr has claimed broadcasters air "hoaxes" and "news distortions" that also happen to be unfavorable to President Trump. Carr has suggested the licenses of such broadcasters won't be renewed.
In March, dozens of free speech experts argued in an open letter to Carr that his threats against broadcasters are "unlawful jawboning" and his vague characterization of "fake news" violates the First Amendment. The authors called on Carr to "withdraw" his threats.
Microsoft continues a turbulent year with first ever voluntary buyoutsCertain eligible Microsoft employees will be able to take a voluntary buyout soon, a first for the American tech giant.
Microsoft just reached a new corporate milestone — but not the good kind.
The Redmond, Washington-based tech giant is set to offer voluntary buyouts to a portion of its U.S. workforce, CNBC reports. That might not be a big deal for many companies, but this is the first time Microsoft has tried to cut headcount in this way since the company's founding 51 years ago.
In order to be eligible, an employee must be at the senior director level or below, and their age plus years of employment need to add up to at least 70. The program also excludes anyone with a sales incentive plan. The details of the buyout package remains unknown, but reportedly people who are eligible will hear more on May 7.
“Our hope is that this program gives those eligible the choice to take that next step on their own terms, with generous company support,” chief people officer and executive VP of Microsoft Amy Coleman said in an employee memo obtained by CNBC.
While Microsoft has never offered voluntary buyouts (at least in the U.S.) before, the company did lay off thousands of employees in 2025. It's a turbulent time at the Windows factory; the company is investing plenty in data centers and other AI ventures. Some analysts are growing suspicious of how much this massive AI investment is actually worth for Satya Nadella's company.
Meanwhile, many other Microsoft divisions seem to be in flux. The Xbox division just underwent a massive and somewhat surprising leadership change, the Surface laptop division just implemented a huge price increase on its products, and Microsoft itself continues to be a major target of the BDS boycott list for its partnership with the Israeli military.
Other than that, though, everything is fine in Redmond.
TikTok tests AI Remix option. What it is, how to opt out.TikTok is quietly testing a new meme-making AI feature — and opting users in without asking.
AI bubbles this, AI bubbles that — companies apparently need to cash in on their generative AI investments, and fast. It's why many people online feel they are being inundated with new AI tools and features day in and day out. The latest example? A new TikTok setting, known as remixes, that automatically opts you in to being turned into a digital meme.
TikTok creators first spotted "Remixes" content earlier this week, buried in their account settings. With remixes on, any public content can be used by its viewers to create digitally generated images, text-based memes, and more. The reveal and lack of notification stirred widespread concern about privacy and consent. Many wondered where the setting came from — and how to turn it off ASAP.
Days later, the platform confirmed to CNET that the feature was real and still in an "experimental" stage. Remixes are available only to select creators as the platform tests the AI tool, and TikTok told CNET that it could change drastically before it goes to users en masse. The company also claimed users' content won't be used to train its AI, part of updated guidelines under its new U.S.-based owners. Still, users who have already interacted with the remix feature are skeptical of the claims, and many worry that the tool will enable widespread impersonation and content theft.
This isn't the first AI grab by the social media giant. TikTok launched its AI assistant, Tako, to app users in 2022, but it's only recently appeared at the top of users' FYP displays and in search functions. The company also debuted its "AI Self" tool, a feature that lets users create AI replicas of themselves that can be "cast" in other users' content. Earlier this year, OpenAI was ordered to rebrand a similar controversial Sora feature, known as Cameos.
TikTok's AI remix setting is unfortunately turned on by default. In order to block viewers from remixing your content, you have to turn off remixes on every individual post you've made visible to your followers or the general public. Users have already called out the company for the complicated process, but the company didn't confirm if a unilateral opt-out option would become available alongside its eventual rollout.
Here's how you can prevent yourself from getting meme-ified for now.
Step 1: Go to your TikTok profile
Step 2: Click on a TikTok post or video
Step 3: Tap the three dots in the bottom right corner of the post
Step 4: Navigate to the the bottom row of icons, scroll to the right, and select "Privacy Settings"
Step 5: Toggle off the button next to "Allow AI to remix content"
Parents worried about what their teen is discussing with Meta's AI Assistant will now be able to view topics of conversation through a Teen Account parental supervision tool. Meta announced the feature Thursday in a blog post.
The information will be available via an Insights tab in the supervision tool for the platforms Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, all of which are owned by Meta.
The feature lists broader topics, such as school, entertainment, writing, health, and wellbeing. Parents can click on the topic for additional but limited detail.
The health and wellbeing categories, for example, can include fitness, physical health, and mental health. The information only covers the past seven days of exchanges.
The feature is the latest safety measure Meta has implemented under intense legal and media scrutiny.
Meta recently lost two separate landmark trials related to child safety protections and the allegedly addictive design of its products. The company said it will appeal both verdicts.
The child safety lawsuit, which took place this year in New Mexico, yielded internal Meta documents demonstrating that the company's leadership knew its persona-driven AI companions, or "characters," could engage in inappropriate and sexual interactions and still launched them without stronger controls.
Last August, Meta locked down its AI characters for teen users amid reports that they were inappropriately engaging with minors, including in discussions about self-harm, suicide, and romantic interactions. In October, the company provided parents with the ability to turn off one-to-one AI character conversations and block specific characters. In January, though, Meta again restricted teen access to characters as its AI assistant remained available.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that AI characters are paused for teens globally as the company continues to build parental controls.
In addition to the latest parental supervision feature, Meta partnered with the Cyberbullying Research Center to create a list of "conversation starters" about AI chatbot use.
The company also announced the formation of a new AI Wellbeing Expert Council assembled to provide "ongoing input" on AI teen experiences. Meta said the experts are affiliated with the National Council for Suicide Prevention, the University of Michigan, and Northeastern University, among other institutions.
Josh Golin, executive director of the children's advocacy nonprofit Fairplay, said in a statement that Meta's newest supervision feature "once again" burdens parents with monitoring their child's online activity in lieu of "building a safe product to begin with."
Last fall, Fairplay published a report on independent safety testing of Meta's Teen Accounts. Fairplay said the findings indicate that Meta's safety measures don't work as advertised.
The latest feature, Golin said, "doesn't address the fundamental problem: The main function of Meta's chatbots is to manipulate young people into spending more time on the platform by encouraging teens to form unhealthy emotional connections to bots."
Additional reporting by Chase DiBenedetto.
UPDATE: Apr. 23, 2026, 9:24 a.m. PDT This story has been updated with a statement from Fairplay.
X custom timelines: What users are saying about the new featureX just rolled out custom timelines for users, powered by the Grok AI tool. It's a similar tool to TweetDeck, which recently rebranded.
Social media app X rolled out a new custom timeline feature earlier this week, and so far, user reactions have been positive.
The new feature is reminiscent of TweetDeck, the popular feature that recently rebranded as X Pro. Using the new custom timelines feature, X users will be able to create custom feeds for specific topics.
The new feature, powered by the xAI tool Grok, is now available to Premium subscribers on iOS devices. Nikita Bier, head of product at X, announced the rollout in a post on X and said that Android support would be coming soon.
"It's powered by Grok's understanding of every post with the algorithm's personalization — meaning every timeline is made just for you. And it works even better when it's a topic you already engage with. This was a huge undertaking across many months, so we're excited for you take it for a spin," Bier wrote.
X also released a short video showing how the feature works.
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Podcaster Aakash Gupta noted that the update lets users create up to "75 custom timelines powered by Grok." Gupta also speculated that the feature would give xAI a lot of new data for AI training."
In general, X users were excited to try the feature, though there was some confusion, which is typical with new-feature rollouts like this.
In response to a user lamenting the lack of an option for a Catholicism-focused custom feed, Bier reminded users to update the X app to try the new feature.
"Update your app," Bier wrote. "That’s the old experimental feature. We’re working on supporting religions in the next 2 weeks. We had it earlier, but the quality/content didn’t meet our bar yet.
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To a user who asked if it was possible to prevent topics from appearing in a feed, Bier pointed users to another new feature — the snooze topics feature, which rolled out at the same time as the custom feeds. That feature is available now for iOS and web Premium users.
Most other comments on Bier's post were from users requesting specific topics, such as Ukraine, manufacturing, Bitcoin, and memes.
Finally, some X users are skeptical of the feature but willing to try it.
"Using it since morning, tbh it's okay," wrote X user @syssignals. "I saw overlapping in between AI, Software and Tech. Also seeing same content again and again on these timelines. I am still on my For you timeline. But hope this custom timeline will be mature as time goes by."
User @Hoxygo shared a similar sentiment: "Finally a way to separate tech from sports without building a whole new account. The real test is whether the algorithm respects the timeline boundaries instead of bleeding the main feed into it."
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Casetify just dropped a massive The Mandalorian and Grogu collection ahead of May the 4thThe Casetify Grougu and 'The Mandalorian' collection of phone, laptop, and AirPod cases is on sale ahead of May the 4th.
STAR WARS x CASETIFY COLLECTION: Shop the new The Mandalorian and Grogu collection at Casetify ahead of Star Wars Day. The collection includes customizable phone cases, laptop cases, earbuds cases, tablet cases, and more. Some items are already on sale.
We're gearing up for an important day for Star Wars fans — May the 4th. We already have deals from Lego to help celebrate but now we can add Casetify to the list of offerings. The tech-lifestyle accessories brand just launched a major new collection that's perfect for any Star Wars fanatic.
On April 23, Casetify launched a galactic-themed collection that focuses on The Mandalorian and Grogu, and as a surprise, a few items are already on sale. The collection features tons of options for cell phone cases, laptop cases, tablet cases, and more. A few options include customizable elements like the Impact Case with MagSafe compatibility. Shoppers can choose their ideal protection level, bumper design, additional features.
Prices for the collection vary depending on the item with some of the least expensive options being phone case accessories like a Snappy Grip Stand for $32 or Snappy Cardholder Stand for $34. There's also the The Mandalorian and Grogu Stickermania Earbuds Case for $32.
Shop the entire Casetify collection here, and be sure to order soon to be fully equipped when the new The Mandalorian and Grogu film premiers on May 22.
Apple bug fix will stop FBI from recovering deleted Signal messagesApple released a security update that should stop cops from extracting Signal messages from notification data.
Recently, the FBI recovered old Signal messages from a suspect's iPhone, despite the messages and the app having been deleted. Now, Apple has fixed the loophole that allowed it to happen.
Signal is a popular secure messaging app, so the news that the FBI had extracted Signal messages from an iPhone was concerning for Signal users, even though the bug originated with Apple, not Signal itself. In this case, the FBI was able to recover deleted Signal messages from the suspect's iPhone notifications.
The news comes courtesy of BleepingComputer, which noticed that a small security update was issued to iPhones and iPads to theoretically rectify the issue. In an Apple security bulletin, the company noted that a bug called "CVE-2026-28950" had been fixed. Apple didn't provide a lot of specificity here, but its official description of the bug seems right in line with the Signal notifications loophole: "Notifications marked for deletion could be unexpectedly retained on the device."
If you haven't already, update your iPhone to iOS 26.4.2 to take advantage of the security update.
Signal even thanked Apple for doing this on X.
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The Signal bug in question, originally reported by 404 Media, involved deleted and end-to-end encrypted messages extracted from iPhone push notifications. Since the notifications contained the text of the message, and the iPhone didn't delete them in a timely fashion, the FBI was able to read them.
While Apple's security update didn't mention this story, it seems fairly obvious that this update was meant to address this particular bug. Moving forward, old notifications will be deleted instead of retained.
As a reminder, Signal users can also avoid this problem by going to the app's Settings menu, tapping "Notification," then "Notification Content," and then finally choosing "No Name or Content." If you do that, your push notifications will merely alert you to the presence of a message without spoiling its sender or contents for you — or for anyone else who might get a warrant for your device in the future.
Users running iOS 26.4.2 (and iOS 18.7.8) will get the benefits of the latest security update. Users whose iPhones are running older software should ensure their push notification settings are up to date.
Big screen on a budget: The Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini LED 4K TV just hit a record-low priceAmazon and Best Buy dropped the price of the Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV to just $499.99 — a new best price ever.
SAVE $300: As of April 23, Amazon and Best Buy have dropped the price of the Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV to just $499.99. That's $300 off its list price of $799.99 — a new all-time low.
Budget-friendly TV brand Hisense is offloading its older inventory to make space for all of its new models. That's great news if you're shopping for a new TV, as you can find 2025 models for the cheapest they've ever been.
As of April 23, the Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV is on sale at both Amazon and Best Buy for a record-low $499.99. That's $300 off its already low list price of $799.99. According to our favorite price-tracking tool camelcamelcamel, this discount beats its previous all-time low by $50.
With full array local dimming (typically only found in more expensive TVs), excellent contrast and brightness levels, plus features like an AI upscaler, Filmmaker Mode, and native 144Hz refresh rate, we can see why our friends at CNET (Mashable's sister site, also owned by Ziff Davis) called the QD7 the best budget TV.
"In my head-to-head comparisons, I found the Hisense delivers picture quality that I have never seen in a TV this cheap," writes TV expert Ty Pendlebury. He heartily recommends it.
As a fire TV, you'll get built-in Alexa. So you can press a button on the remote and ask Alexa for just about anything from sports scores to content recommendations. If you link your smart home gadgets, you can even ask your TV to adjust the lights, show you who's at the front door, set reminders, and more.
There's no doubt the Hisense QD7 is excellent value — especially now that it's $300 cheaper. At a cost this low, there's a good chance it could sell out.
Lego just dropped two Shrek builds — preorders are live and come with free giftsLego Shrek builds launch on June 1. Preorder today to secure the BrickHeadz Shrek, Donkey & Gingy Figures and the Lego Shrek, Donkey & Puss in Boots.
It's hard to believe it, but Shrek came into our lives 25 years ago. While the franchise is celebrating the anniversary, Lego has gotten in on the fun and just announced two Shrek-themed Lego builds. One is geared toward experience builders while the other is great for smaller displays. Both undeniably combine the fun of Shrek and Legos.
Both the Lego Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots build and the BrickHeadz Shrek, Donkey and Gingy Figures are set to ship on June 1 and preorders are already live online at Lego. The Danish company has put a limit a household order limit of three sets on each build to give everyone the best chance to score their very own Lego ogre. Here are all the details.
Fans of Shrek, the lovable Donkey, and witty Puss in Boots will love this 1,403-piece Lego build. The trio stand in a swamp and have posable features like Shrek's head and hands as well as Donkey's mouth and tail. The scene includes Easter eggs fans will appreciate, and Lego added a hidden element in Shrek's belly.
The Shrek Lego set is selling for $129.99 with a ship date set for June 1. Preorder the build by April 26 and you can score a free Lego Adventure Peely and Cuddle Team Leader build from Fortnite courtesy of Lego.
For those looking for a smaller build or something suitable for younger Shrek fans, we have the Lego BrickHeadz Shrek, Donkey, and Gingy Figures. In total, all three figures have 259 pieces that are designed for those ages 10 and up. Shrek is standing proud with a "Beware Ogre" sign while Donkey's oversized teeth bring about a fun Lego twist to the character. Each figure is between two and three inches tall, so the mini builds will fit on any nightstand, bookshelf, or toy table.
To celebrate 20 years of streaming, Spotify just released lists of the most-streamed artists, albums, songs, podcasts, and audiobooks on the app. Popular artists, rappers, and bands like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Coldplay appear repeatedly on the "Spotify at 20" lists, with Swift nabbing the title of most-streamed Spotify artist of all time.
In a blog post, Spotify said it was the first time they had ever revealed the all-time top performers on the platform.
While the top artists are mostly what you'd expect, there are a handful of surprises on the lists. Britney Spears appears once, but only in the audiobooks section. And neither Jay-Z nor Beyoncé appears on the lists at all.
You can find the complete "Spotify at 20" lists at the Spotify website, or keep scrolling to see the top results.
Drake
The Weeknd
Ariana Grande
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Billie Eilish
Eminem
Kanye West
Travis Scott
BTS
Post Malone
Bruno Mars
J Balvin
Rihanna
Coldplay
Kendrick Lamar
Future
Juice WRLD
Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
Starboy by The Weeknd
÷ (Deluxe) by Ed Sheeran
SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo
After Hours by The Weeknd
SOS by SZA
Hollywood’s Bleeding by Post Malone
Lover by Taylor Swift
AM by Arctic Monkeys
WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
“Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran
“Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood
“Starboy” by The Weeknd and Daft Punk
“As It Was” by Harry Styles
“Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi
“Sunflower – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” by Post Malone and Swae Lee
“One Dance” by Drake, Wizkid, and Kyla
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
“STAY (with Justin Bieber)” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
The Joe Rogan Experience
Gemischtes Hack
Crime Junkie
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Last Podcast On The Left
The Daily
Fest & Flauschig
Morbid
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Relatos de la Noche
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Lights Out by Ted Koppel
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
The good news is that Samsung is now selling cheaper versions of last year's foldables. The bad news is that "cheaper" is relative.
The Korean tech giant announced on Wednesday that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, two phones we at Mashable really liked a year ago, are now available in refurbished form via the company's "Re-Newed" program. You can check out refurbished Fold and Flip phones on Samsung's websites, with the former starting at $1,699 and the latter at $939. In a vacuum, if you go by the phones' suggested retail prices, those are discounts of $300 and $160, respectively.
The only problem, as 9to5Google pointed out, is that you can currently get a brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 7 on Samsung's website for $1,599, which is less than the refurbished model with the same specs. The same goes for the brand new Flip 7, which Samsung is selling for $899, a slight discount from the refurbished model. Of course, the discounted prices of the new phones could just be temporary, while the refurbished prices might stay the same over time, but it still feels a little bit backward that the new phone costs less than the refurbished one right now.
That said, either way, you're getting a deal compared to the devices' launch prices. And, for what it's worth, both phones are very good foldable devices. If you want one, this might be the time to get one.
The Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for half off — save $750The Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 is on sale at Amazon for $749, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 50% discount.
SAVE $750: The Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $749, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 50% discount.
Summer is on its way, and with it come two scenarios where we tend to go off-grid — while camping and during the much less fun summer storms. In both cases, it's no one's idea of a great time to have a phone run out of batteries or have zero lighting. Instead of dealing with the inconvenience, upgrade to a portable power station. There's a great model from Anker on sale today.
As of April 23, the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 is on sale for $749 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $1,499. That's a massive 50% discount that takes $750 off the normal price.
We have plenty of options when it comes to choosing a portable power station these days, but if you're looking for something in the 2,000-Wh range, the Solix C2000 Gen 2 could be your best bet. It focuses on quick recharging, taking under 60 minutes to reach 100 percent. Since it's a higher-powered unit, you can expect a continuous output of 2,400W with a peak surge of 4,000W.
In real-life terms, Anker says the Solix C2000 Gen 2 can keep a refrigerator running for as long as 32 hours or keep the WiFi router on for 105 hours. Of course, you could also power the TV, espresso machine, a blender, a CPAP machine, or a garage chest freezer.
Despite its powerful performance, the Solix C2000 Gen 2 is surprisingly small. It measures about 18 inches long and 10 inches in both height and depth. The weight clocks in at about 41 pounds, which is made easier to carry around thanks to the stable side handles.
In addition to recharging with standard wall AC power, you can use your car's alternator, a car cigarette port, a gas generator, or solar panels. With 800W of solar input, the C2000 Gen 2 will get a full charge in about three hours.
Before the summer storms roll in or you take off on a camping trip, make the upgrade to the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2. It's on sale at Amazon for 50% off, which saves shoppers a whopping $750.
The Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station has hit its all-time low price — act fast to save over $800Amazon has the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station on sale for $1,129 instead of $1,999 as a Lightning Deal — save $870 or 44%.
SAVE $870: As of April 23, the Bluetti Elite 300 power station is on sale at Amazon for only $1,129 instead of $1,999. That's a savings of $870 and its best price ever. But as a Lightning Deal, it will disappear before the day is through.
There's a reason (or two or three) why portable power stations have become so popular. From off-grid adventures to unexpected power outages, these devices can serve as nice-to-have companions or true lifesavers. They typically come with steep price tags, but the compact Elite 300 model from Bluetti just got a massive price drop.
As of April 23, Amazon has the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station for $1,129 instead of the usual $1,999. That's 44% in savings and the cheapest this particular model has ever been, according to our favorite price-tracking tool. There is a catch, though. Since it's a Lightning Deal, the discount will disappear as soon as the timer runs out on the deal page (around 10 hours left at the time of writing) or the inventory tracker reads "100% claimed" — whichever comes first. In other words, if you're interested in this steep discount, grab it ASAP.
At only 58 pounds, the Elite 300 is the ideal size for portability while camping, tailgating, or simply running backup around your home. Yet, despite its small footprint, it packs in 3,014Wh of battery capacity and 11 different ports for your charging needs. In real-life scenarios, that looks like keeping a diesel heater running for over 40 hours or a 12V fridge cold for 60 hours.
Among its 11 ports are four AC outlets, a TT-30 RV port, a 12V/30A DC output, two 15W USB-A ports, one 100W USB-C port, one 140W USB-C port, and a 120W cigarette lighter port. Practically any power source you need is at the ready.
The Elite 300 is not the cheapest power station on the market, but it does pack a lot of perks. And now that it's 44% off, it's a pretty solid deal.
My favorite dating app just got even cooler with a new feed redesignThe dating app Pure launches an app redesign to help alleviate dating app fatigue.
Pure is one of the coolest dating apps I've tested, full stop. I've always loved the aesthetic and the ability to somehow share everything and nothing at all and still have a damn good time. (It's particularly effective for having saucy off-camera convos with strangers.)
Now, the app's doing even more to differentiate itself from the herd of mainstream swiping platforms by redesigning its feed. It's now even more colorful and even easier for users to express themselves in the loudest way possible.
Here's what's new:
Aesthetics and color patterns: With this new feature, you can choose your profile's aesthetic and color pattern with a single tap. (Options include bright pink, periwinkle, black, and more.)
Better usability: The new redesign prioritizes one profile at a time; there's no grid in sight.
Turn-ons are front and center: Turn-ons are now a prominent part of your profile, and there's also a new "Mutual Turn-Ons" view that lets you see shared interests with potential matches instantly.
The new design wasn't driven by a decline in users. In fact, Pure wrapped up 2025 with close to $100 million in gross revenue and a 95 percent year-over-year increase in registrations. Its revenue grew 46 percent year-over-year in 2025, the app announced in Feb., compared to Tinder's direct revenue (which is revenue received directly from users) down three percent year-over-year in Q4 2025, and Hinge's up 26 percent.
Instead, the update is a direct response to mainstream "app fatigue" — the company wanted to create a feed that "moves the way people feel," according to Pure's press release.
"After conducting a series of user interviews, the feedback was clear: people are tired of endless swiping and want something that feels more real and intentional," Anna Hintsyak, Product Marketing Lead at Pure, tells Mashable. "In a world of dating apps increasingly shaped by algorithms and homogeneity, keeping how people connect as humane as possible was our main goal. So we redesigned the feed to reflect that, giving everyone the tools to express their personality and mood so each profile can truly stand out."
The DJI Power 1000 Mini portable power station just launched — U.S. availability is pendingThe DJI Power 1000 Mini is the brand's latest portable power station with 1,008Wh capacity and a price of $467.
DJI is on a roll with portable power. We're all smitten with the ability to go off grid without actually losing power and DJI is helping us achieve this. A portable power station is ideal for camping, powering up the projector in the backyard this summer, or to use during power outages. They're also useful for content creators who tend to stray off-grid for projects.
DJI has long been a creator-favorite brand, and they're keeping up with the world of portable power. The brand just launched the DJI Power 1000 Mini which is small only in terms of its footprint. It packs in a respectable 1,0008Wh but its physical size is nearly halved compared to the original DJI Power 1000 as well as being smaller than the DJI Power 1000 V2. It clocks in at weighing about 25 pounds, so it certainly ticks of box of being ultra portable. Max output is rated at 1000W.
DJI made some nice additions to this new model compared to previous versions. For starters, there's a lightbar at the bottom, which is a feature I love. It makes a big difference to have a built-in light when walking up stairs with a power station or moving it around a dark campground.
DJI also added a retractable USB-C cable with 100W output which feels like a real luxury. DJI also makes all of their portable power stations especially friendly for content creators, and the new Power 1000 Mini is no different. DJI drone owners get access to an SDC port for quick-charging of drone batteries.
Another content-creator friendly element is the noise level on the DJI Power 1000 Mini. The brand notes when recharging in standard mode, it'll reach about 30 decibels which should be quiet enough to sleep through or record content near without interrupting.
As of last December, the FCC voted to prohibit DJI from getting authorization to market and sell new products in the U.S. DJI products that already authorized by the FCC don't apply to this new regulation. But since then, the company has struggled to get new products into the country.
Earlier this month when DJI released the new Osmo Pocket 4, a DJI spokesperson told Mashable the company was still waiting for authorization with the FCC to sell the device in the United States. Sadly, there's no current route to get your hands on the DJI Power 1000 Mini in the U.S. A DJI spokesperson told Mashable that they have submitted an application to sell the Power 1000 Mini in the U.S., but authorization is pending. We'll be sure to keep this page updated once it launches in the U.S.
In terms of pricing, toggling over to the brand's Canadian site indicates the station's price as $467 USD.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're on Twitter.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
A bird's sound.
The letter E appears twice.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.
Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
TWEET
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.
