Tanya Johnson

RuPauls Drag Race Season 18 faces backlash over alleged AI use

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:22:08 GMT

RuPaul's Drag Race fans are calling out the show over alleged use of AI-generated artwork.

The artwork appears in Season 18, episode 14, when host RuPaul Charles "paints" portraits of contestants Juicy Love Dion, Myki Meeks, Darlene Mitchell, and Nini Coco. Viewers were quick to point out that the portraits fell into the uncanny valley of AI slop, from the faint yellow filter on some images to some strange incongruities, like Juicy Love Dion's boa having three separate ends.

On social media, fans and even former contestants like Season 16's Plasma expressed frustration over the show's possible use of AI. After all, RuPaul's Drag Race is a celebration of the art form of drag. Allegedly using AI feels like a betrayal of the very authenticity the series hopes to promote.

This is not the first time RuPaul's Drag Race has come under fire for its use of AI. Last year, RuPaul's Drag Race released a short film on its YouTube channel titled "Jinkx & Plasma’s Gay Adventure!" The short featured AI-generated recreations of iconic RuPaul's Drag Race moments, resulting in major criticism from fans. It has since been made private on YouTube.

Mashable has reached out to RuPaul's Drag Race production company, World of Wonder, for further comment.

How Ryan Goslings Project Hail Mary made a rock spider lovable

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:21:24 GMT

On paper, the character of Rocky in Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary sounds like a nightmare: a dog-sized, five-legged rock spider with no face. Yet, in the 2026 film adaptation, he has become one of the most beloved characters in modern sci-fi. In this installment of How It Hits, writer Belen Edwards explores how the filmmakers used a combination of facial psychology, shared scientific culture, and old-school practical puppetry to create a genuine, "movie magic" connection between Ryan Gosling and his extraterrestrial co-star.

Project Hail Mary is now in theaters.

An Animorphs series is on its way to Disney+ thanks to Ryan Coogler

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:44:51 GMT

Animorphs, the sci-fi YA series with the greatest, most cursed book covers ever, is headed to Disney+.

As reported by Variety, the streamer is developing an Animorphs TV show. Bayan Wolcott (The Testaments, The Summer I Turned Pretty) is set to write and executive produce the series, and Oscar winner Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Zinzi Coogler are executive producing through Proximity Media.

Based on the series co-written by Katherine Applegate and her husband Michael Grant, Animorphs follows a group of teenagers who stumble across a powerful alien technology. It allows them to morph into different animals, but it also thrusts them into a galactic war between the Andalites and the parasitic Yeerks. As the Yeerks begin a stealthy invasion of Earth, it's up to Animorphs Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, and Marco — along with Andalite ally Ax — to rebel and save the world.

There are 54 books in the primary Animorphs series, along with eight companion novels that enrich the world's lore. There is also already an Animorphs TV show, one that ran on Nickelodeon for 26 episodes between 1998 and 2000.

Obviously, 26 episodes is not enough to get through 62 books' worth of plot, so there's still so much more Animorphs glory to explore. And Disney+, you'd better listen to me when I say I need all of it. I need the grotesque animal transformations, I need them to look as messed-up as they do on the book covers, and I need the show to lean into the darkness of the books. That means including the many war crimes these teens commit — never forget the instant maple and ginger oatmeal! — as well as the psychological toll they take.

NYT Pips hints, answers for April 4, 2026

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:41:37 GMT

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the 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 onto 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.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for 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.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 4 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-1. placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 4 Pips

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (7): Everything in this space must be less than 7. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 4 Pips

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this dark blue space must be less than 4. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this red space must be less than 4. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this orange space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this dark blue space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 5-2, 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 Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 4, 2026

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:25:45 GMT

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who love college basketball.

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.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: Stats
Green: Running a set
Blue: Winners
Purple: Perfect season

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow: Basketball Stats, In Singular Form
Green: Basketball Offenses
Blue: Championship-Winning Men's College Basketball Coaches
Purple: Men's College Basketball Teams to Complete Undefeated Season

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 #558 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

Basketball Stats, In Singular Form - BLOCK, MINUTE, STEAL, TURNOVER
Basketball Offenses - MOTION, PICK AND ROLL, PRINCETON, TRIANGLE
Championship-Winning Men's College Basketball Coaches - DREW, FISHER, SELF, WOODEN
Men's College Basketball Teams to Complete Undefeated Season - INDIANA, NORTH CAROLINA, SAN FRANCISCO, UCLA

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 the latest Connections.

The Roborock Saros 20 handily beats 2025s Saros 10R. But hopefully, the Saros 20 Sonic is even better.

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:03:53 GMT

The 2026 version of my favorite robot vacuum from last year has arrived: As of March 23, the $1,5999.99 Roborock Saros 20 is available to buy in the U.S.

This is hardly a matter of whether the Saros 20 is better than the Saros 10R — from a technical standpoint, it literally is. As the direct new version of the Saros 10R, the Saros 20 is obviously packed with several specs upgrades over its predecessor. So in my at-home testing, I'm considering whether I'm as excited about the Saros 20 in 2026 as I was about the Saros 10R in 2025.

What's special (or not) about the Roborock Saros 20?

The premium robot vacuum market is much more crowded than it was last year, so the Saros 20 has to work harder to stand out. The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is extremely similar in cleaning capabilities, ultra-slim design, and price. The Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow has weaker suction and a completely different style of mopping, but is still a fantastic vacuum from the same brand at a much chiller price point. Both of those have been on the market for at least a month, taking a bit of edge off the Saros 20's debut.

And then there's the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic, which is set to release later this spring. "Sonic" refers to a vibrating D-shaped mopping pad like the Saros 10 had, but this one isn't relegated to the vacuum's circular body. It shares most of its other features with the Saros 20. Still, I can't assess the Saros 20 in a vacuum when I know there's another version out soon.

At any rate, the Saros 20 has a few main improvements over the 10R. Not only does its 36,000 Pa suction power topple the Saros 10R's 22,000 Pa, but it's now the strongest suction power on the market by a hair (the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete has 35,000 Pa). The Saros 20 is also outfitted with the AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0: a legged tri-wheel system that can hoist the vacuum body over thick thresholds up to 3.46 inches, like floor type changes, U-shaped chair legs, or plush rugs. (That's a big theme this year.) The Saros 20's small obstacle avoidance feels lightyears ahead of the Saros 10R's.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that the Saros 20 costs $1,599.99 — the same debut price as last year's Saros 10 and Saros 10R models. You're getting an extra 14,000 Pa of suction and better navigation for the same price someone paid last year. If you already have a Roborock, you can save up to $1,050 on the Saros 20 by trading in the old one.

The Saros 20's small obstacle avoidance is phenomenal

The Saros 20 uses the same StarSight 2.0 navigational system that the Saros 10 did. This alternative to traditional LiDAR got a lot of marketing hype last year, but in my testing, it wasn't any better at avoiding small obstacles than other robot vacuums I was testing. I expected the Saros 20 to be similarly fine, but I've actually been blown away by its accuracy — there's no question that the Saros 20 has a far deeper understanding of the various items that could pop up on the floor.

This is what your vacuum app looks like when you don't have a shoe rack. Credit: Screenshot / Roborock

I had to laugh at the Saros 20 catching me and my cat watching it vacuum. Credit: Screenshot / Roborock

I think this is the first time a robot vacuum in my apartment has had a 100 percent obstacle avoidance rate for multiple days on end. The Saros 20 knows that a shoe is a shoe, a reusable grocery bag is a bag, and an extension cord or charger is a cord. It'll sweep or scrub right up against the shoes or bags without snatching them up, but keeps its distance from cords to stay on the safe side. Its acute peripheral vision even clocks that the rolling desk chair is a chair type that's easy to get stuck in, maneuvering back to the dock accordingly.

Is the Roborock Saros 20 good on carpet?

The Saros 20 has had generally reliable rug performance so far, but it hasn't been as foolproof as I expected for 36,000 Pa.

Its two standout tests involved dried quinoa dumped from the bag onto the kitchen Ruggable (the printed flatweave texture) and a giant field of dryer lint dragged around the tufted living room rug. I had to get down on the floor to find stragglers from either mess. The lint roller test in the living room only revealed a few stray cat hairs and the fuzzies that shed off the rug constantly.

Some lint tufts were loose, some were pushed down into the rug fibers. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I let this rug go un-vacuumed for days to test the Saros 20, so this is pretty impressive. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Saros 20 also did a great job of sucking spilled pancake mix off of that flat rug. However, its performance on powder and small debris was iffy on a fluffier rug. It left behind a considerable amount of protein mix and oats, which the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete had no problem clearing afterward.

The ability to clean a bathroom without getting into an altercation with a bath mat is rare, but an extension of rug performance nonetheless. The AdaptiLift Chassis definitely works as intended in that regard — several times, I've watched the Saros 20 lift and tilt the vacuum body to skirt over the corner flaps instead of dragging them underneath.

Is the Roborock Saros 20 good on hard floors?

The Saros 20's dual spinning mopping pad system is nearly identical to the Saros 10R's, but that's not a bad thing. Though a few roller mop robot vacuums I've tested can actually mop closer to walls than I expected, the length of the roller prohibits them from mopping closely in 90-degree angles (the entire roller needs to be pulled in to change directions). Corner precision is much higher when there are two round spinning pads that can move independently of each other.

If you're picky about dusty corners or sticky spots near the kitchen cabinets, your ideal robot vacuum and mop combo will have this hinged spinning mop pad system. These pads are also thin enough to scoot into super tight gaps near the floor, like under the bottom shelf of my island/bar cart. A disgusting amount of dust bunnies and dirt from the front door gathers right under it, but a cylindrical roller mop definitely can't swipe under that one-inch clearance.

A taller robot vacuum can't get under low-clearance furniture and cabinets. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Saros 20 easily cleans under cabinets. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Saros 20's overall height would make it a great pick for homes with low-clearance furniture. It measures a little bit over three inches tall, which is well short enough to fully clean under my TV stand and bed frame. The same goes for cleaning under the overhangs of kitchen cabinets and appliances: If a robot vacuum can't fit underneath to tackle those daily crumbs and splatters, it's always a no from me. I don't want to live a life where I can't simply push crumbs off the counter and let a vacuum deal with it.

I knew the Saros 20 would ace that test, snatching up between 98 and 99 percent of sprinkles, shredded cheese, and some pinches of basil under the counter on the hardwood kitchen floor. It has also reliably kept up with its litter box area duties on hardwood and on tile in the bathroom, consistently picking up around 97 percent of kitty litter and litter dust.

I really have a newfound appreciation for ultra-slim robot vacuums after testing (and always having to rescue) the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai. It's nearly an inch taller than models like the Saros 20 and Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, which is enough to get itself wedged under my dishwasher or bottom kitchen drawer during almost every clean.

It feels so good to watch a robot vacuum fit under the Litter-Robot step. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Sansa is shocked at the height difference between the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai (left) and Roborock Saros 20 (right). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Bonus test: Could the Roborock Saros 20 be used in a hair salon?

It also seemed appropriate to give the big, fancy 36,000 Pa suction a harder test than my usual robot vacuum obstacle course entails. After giving a friend a quick at-home buzz cut (no, I don't know what I'm doing), I decided to see how the Saros 20 would handle the mess of hair clippings.

I'd typically reserve hair clippings cleanup for powerful stick vacuum testing. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Saros 20 dragged this clump to the rug edge, then couldn't snatch it up. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Saros 20 picked up about 90 percent of the hair, but simply could not wrangle a few of the bigger clumps after four or five tries. The damp mopping cloths were integral during the second pass, wiping up the layer of fine, loose hairs that were initially missed in plain vacuum mode. (And that's why hair salons can't ditch the classic broom and dustpan.) The performance wasn't perfect, but a vast majority of the mistakes were ones that could only be avoided by a human with a manual vacuum. To be fair, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete missed those clumps, too.

Factors I'm keeping an eye on

I shouldn't have had to send the Saros 20 back for a third pass as often as I did, especially for being the strongest robot vacuum one can buy right now. While it was typically able to throw together a quite wholesome clean after three tries, most people aren't observing their vacuum like I am to know whether a third pass is needed. Shouldn't a vacuum this expensive be better at conducting some sort of "before and after" check?

My kitchen floor felt greasy after testing the Saros 20's effectiveness on condiments like ranch and sesame oil. Maybe I've been spoiled with roller mops that rinse themselves as they're cleaning. But now, it feels unsanitary for non-roller mops to not go back to wash the mops every three minutes. The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete doesn't have self-rinsing mopping pads, either, but at least it mops with hot water.

As the user, avoiding this isn't rocket science: For larger spills that you don't want dragged across the floor, you just need to enact a target zone cleaning rather than letting it tackle the whole room. Maybe I need to let the AI stain detection cook for another week or so. But right now, I don't feel confident sending the Saros 20 over a spill larger than a dime-sized droplet.

That doesn't mean I would recommend buying the Saros 10R over the Saros 20. (Even though the Saros 10R goes on sale for $999.99 now, I'd tell you to just spend that same amount on the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow.) Though I feel a little let down by the sequel to my favorite, I still have high hopes for the Saros 20 Sonic to be one of the best robot vacuums of 2026.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage, meet The Mashable 101 to discover the internet’s most exciting voices, and tell us about your favorite creators today.

Here’s a smarter way to use Word, Excel, and other Office favorites — now for $150 off

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Enjoy beloved Microsoft Office apps with AI capabilities thanks to this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC lifetime license, on sale now for $99.97 (reg. $249.99) through April 12.

Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License

$99.97
$249.99 Save $150.02

What would you do with a few extra hours every week? If you get Microsoft Office apps equipped with AI, you’ll need to start thinking about it. This suite is ready to help you tackle work, play, and everything in between, and now, armed with AI, they’ll make you more efficient than ever.

Right now, you can secure a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC for only $99.97 until April 12.

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Whether you’re a devoted Windows user or a Mac enthusiast, you’ll want to take advantage of this Microsoft upgrade. Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business gives your device five new tools to work with, and they’re all ready to make your life a little easier.

This lifetime license lets you dodge monthly subscription fees and own these five apps outright. It includes Microsoft staples that have been around for decades — like Word for document creation, Excel for spreadsheet creation, Outlook for email management, and PowerPoint for presentations. You’ll also receive a new favorite, OneNote, which takes your note-taking into the 21st century.

This edition gives you access to these apps with AI enhancements. Take advantage of text, formatting, and design suggestions, or let AI help analyze your data, identify trends, or build better charts and graphics in Excel. In PowerPoint, you can now record presentations with voice, video, and closed captions. There’s also a new Focus Mode option in Word that lets you concentrate on your work.

Normally $249.99, this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC lifetime license can be yours for only $99.97 now through April 12.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro drone is down to its best-ever price at Amazon — save $500 this weekend

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

SAVE $500: As of April 4, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's $500 off the list price and the best-ever price at Amazon.

Credit: DJI

DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo

$1,099 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $500

Between looming U.S. import bans and the chaos of the Amazon Spring Sale, the drone market is in a weird state of flux right now. We haven't seen DJI stock vanish from digital shelves just yet, but the uncertainty is real. Is that uncertainty driving sales? Or is it record-low prices? We honestly don't know, but we're doing our best to keep tabs on all the new price drops.

As of April 2, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is down to $1,099 at Amazon — matching its all-time low and a massive $500 off the list price.

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The DJI Mini 5 Pro is the gold standard for creators who want pro-grade footage without all the bulk. It packs a one-inch CMOS sensor capable of 4K HDR at 60fps, but the real catch is the 4K/120fps slow-motion for those epic, sweeping landscape shots. If you’re a night owl, the 360-degree Nightscape sensing and specialized nighttime Return-to-Home function mean you can fly in the dark without fretting over your investment.

We’ve seen this $1,099 price before, but we've never seen anything better. It feels like the discounts have peaked here, so if you're interested in upping your content creation game with the help of a drone, we recommend jumping on this deal.

The quirky stuff NASA packed in the Orion spaceship for Artemis II

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Over a half-century ago, NASA only spent three years landing astronauts on the moon before the nation lost interest in continuing the program.

That meant the U.S. space agency didn't get to launch at least three more planned Apollo missions that would have explored new regions of the lunar surface.

But NASA never forgot — demonstrated by a little artifact the agency tucked inside the Orion spacecraft: An American flag that would have flown on Apollo 18 in the early 1970s.

"The flag serves as a powerful emblem of America's renewed commitment to human exploration of the moon," NASA said, "while honoring the legacy of the Apollo pioneers who first blazed the trail."

NASA's Artemis II mission, which blasted off April 1, is a crowded flight, carrying four astronauts in a spacecraft the size of two minivans. While the crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — didn't have to leave their carry-ons on the Cape Canaveral, Florida, launchpad, their "home" for the 10-day flight around the moon is certainly packed to the gills. Still, NASA had room to stow away a few precious mementos and other odds and ends for the journey.

The "official flight kit," established in federal law, allows NASA, commercial partners, and international entities to use these items later as awards, gifts, or museum exhibits. But for them to get those items onboard, each supplier has to ask NASA for written permission.

The Artemis II flight kit is considerably smaller than the one that flew on the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, which contained about 120 pounds of weird stuff. On this journey, the capsule was maxed out with systems and cargo to keep four adults alive. A toilet, compact rowing machine, food, and other life-support equipment, as well as the astronauts themselves, had to take priority.

As usual, Artemis II's kit includes a lot of flags, mission patches, and pins, most of which will go to employees and contractors who helped support the project. But here are some of the more unusual and symbolic items that made the cut:

Pieces of the Space Launch System

When a rocket is about to thrust you into space at 18,000 mph, the last thing you as an astronaut want to hear is that some of its parts are actually sitting right next to you inside the capsule.

But don't worry. These are shavings from the Space Launch System's core stage, likely little aluminum bits recovered from the welding and machining process. After the first eight minutes of the flight, the core stage shut down its engines and detached, breaking apart over the Pacific Ocean.

At 212 feet tall, the core stage of the Space Launch System holds more than 733,000 gallons of fuel to feed four engines at its base. Credit: NASA

Bags of dirt

Yes, mission planners made room for 10 bags of dirt — but not just any dirt. Special dirt. These bags contain soil collected from trees whose seeds flew on Artemis I. After that flight, they were planted on Earth. Now some of the soil that helped them grow is making the lunar trip, tracing a full circle from space to Earth and back again.

On Apollo 14, NASA brought seeds to learn about the effects of deep space on plants. Unfortunately, the can containing them broke, with the seeds getting all mixed up. No longer viable for research, the seeds became part of a new program. Not wanting to waste them, NASA delivered the seeds to the U.S. Forest Services. When hundreds began sprouting, they earned the nickname of "moon trees."

NASA didn't pack any tree seeds this time, but the Canadian Space Agency did, continuing the tradition. As a member of the Artemis II crew, Canadian astronaut Hansen is the first non-American on a deep space flight.

Other seeds, including a packet of zinnias and chili peppers, are also on board.

The Wrights pioneered the first powered airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on Dec. 17, 1903. Credit: The Estate of Orville Wright / Smithsonian

Wright Brothers' fabric swatch

A one-inch square of fabric from the Wright brothers' Flyer is inside Orion right now. The swatch is meant to commemorate the birth of flight. The scrap is on loan from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, along with another little piece that previously flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985. After the spacecraft splashes down, the artifacts will return to the museum.

As another nod to the history of flight, the kit holds a photo negative from Ranger 7, the 1964 probe that became the first U.S. mission to successfully touch the lunar surface.

Lab-grown astronaut tissue samples

Separate from the flight kit, the mission is carrying a unique science experiment, known as A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response, or AVATAR. The test involves live tissue from each of the four astronauts on thumb-drive-size chips, stored in a temperature-controlled box.

Before the launch, doctors drew blood from each crew member and grew cells from those samples to load on the chips. The samples mimic bone marrow, a crucial part of the immune system.

After the mission, scientists will study how gene activity changes within individual cells, comparing flight samples with copies on Earth. The work aims to reveal how deep-space radiation and microgravity affect blood cell development. And it will also serve as a test case for whether these chips can predict health outcomes. In the future, the research may help NASA build personalized health kits for astronauts.

Lucas Ye, 8, won a contest to design a zero-gravity indicator for the Artemis II moon mission. Credit: Freelancer / NASA

A stuffie with a story

NASA didn't assign Snoopy to this moon mission — the beagle flew previously on Artemis I — but another cuddly plush toy is filling in. Though not a part of the official flight kit, the round mascot, selected by the astronauts from more than 2,600 contest entries, has an important role. It's what's known as a zero-G indicator, letting mission control know when the spacecraft has reached microgravity.

How? It floats.

A second grader from California, Lucas Ye, designed the little stuffie, who looks like the moon wearing an Earth cap. It represents the famous Earthrise image taken during Apollo 8, when humans first saw the planet hovering above the moon's horizon. Zipped inside is an SD card of names from people rooting for the mission's success.

Right now, it doesn't look as though there's a way to buy Rise, as NASA apparently hasn't licensed it. But there may be some pent-up demand for the cutie: The official Kennedy Space Center gift shop has temporarily stopped selling most Artemis-related merchandise due to "an unprecedented surge" in orders.

"We sincerely appreciate your excitement and support," the shop said in a notice on its website, "and kindly ask for your patience as fulfillment times may be longer than usual."

Your AI stack, simplified (and way cheaper)

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: The 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan is one platform with multiple top AI models and tools for content, images, audio, video, and PDFs — all for a one-time $99.99 payment.

Credit: 1minAI

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Instead of relying on a single model, 1min.AI gives you access to a range of leading AI systems — including GPT, Claude, Gemini, and others — so you can choose the best tool for the task without leaving the platform. That flexibility can make a noticeable difference, especially when switching between writing, brainstorming, coding, or research.

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The best gay dating apps of 2026: Grindr is still king (even if we sometimes wish it wasnt)

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Online dating as a gay man is a rite of passage, from the Craigslist m4m era to today's endless scroll. But for all the high rewards, even the best dating apps come with a unique set of challenges for gay men: ghosting, catfishing, straight guys who shouldn't be in your feed, and even some not-so-subtle fetishization. It's a lot to take in when you're just trying to find a genuine connection.

Yet, despite the BS, the best gay dating apps are still one of the main ways to meet new guys, especially if you're gay or bisexual. In fact, a 2026 report by SSRS found that 63 percent of LGBTQ adults have used a dating app at some point in their lifetime (and 14 percent are currently using one), compared to just 34 percent of non-LGBTQ adults. It makes sense when you consider that Pew Research found that about one in four lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults met their partner online — a significantly higher rate than straight couples.

We love to complain about the apps, but the reality is, we still need them.

We have to talk about Grindr

Of course, we can't talk about gay dating without talking about Grindr. It's still the undisputed king of gay dating apps, even if the user experience has been suffering of late. The free version of Grindr is now stuffed full of ads, leaving many guys longing for an alternative. Plus, because of its well-deserved reputation as one of the top hookup apps, it's not always the best option for making a love connection.

"Grindr is a tried and true app that many queer men gravitate toward to find partners or for relationships that require lesser commitment, so it’s easy to point to it as the No. 1 app," Michelle Herzog, LMFT, AASECT-certified sex therapist, tells Mashable. "However, like Tinder, it’s gained a reputation as a hookup app — but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t men looking for long-term commitments, either."

The good news is that the gay dating app landscape is bigger than Grindr. Mainstream apps like Hinge and OkCupid have made huge strides in inclusivity, while niche apps like Scruff and Feeld cater to specific communities, kinks, and desires. We're also seeing a major resurgence in map-based dating websites like Sniffies and Squirt for those who want to skip the small talk entirely.

The key is figuring out which dating apps are worth your time. So, here's our in-depth guide to the best gay dating apps for men in 2026.

Recent additions to this dating app guide include:

Feeld: As of October 2025, we've added Feeld to this guide as our top pick for "Best for Kink and Threesomes."
Hinge: As of October 2025, we've added Hinge as another alternative to Archer, as it's also great for finding serious relationships. We've also selected it as the best gay dating app for younger guys due to its popularity with Gen Z.
Squirt: As of early 2026, we've added Squirt to this guide. In an era of aggressive paywalls, Squirt makes a strong case for itself with a highly functional free tier that offers unlimited direct messaging to members worldwide.

Which gay dating apps didn't make the cut?

You'll notice a few well-known apps are missing from our main list. Here's why they didn't make our "best of" guide.

Taimi: While Taimi markets itself heavily as a queer community space, we've opted to leave it off the list. The feedback from real users is frankly brutal. Redditors say the free version is "completely unusable"; you need a premium subscription just to view a basic profile. Worse, users reported feeling unsafe, noting the app is filled with scammers, "obvious homophobes," and "more straight cis-men and creeps than even Tinder or Bumble." Skip it.
Raya: We know, Raya is the "celebrity dating app," but we're not recommending it. Why? Because, as our own Chance Townsend discovered, its exclusivity is "a bit overhyped." After shelling out $25 per month, he found the vibe "so Tinder-esque," and the user pool wasn't A-list celebs but "consultants, aspiring actors, medical professionals, recruiters, and even students." The consensus: Raya is basically "an expensive Tinder with a better PR team." Save your money.
Recon: Recon has a reputation as the app for the kink community, but we've opted to leave it off the list. User reviews on Reddit are brutal. One thread described the app as "really buggy" and "not much activity on there anymore." Users in that thread complained that the app is a "waste of time," full of flakes, "catfish," and "fake doms wanting you to be their slave or boy." Other users noted that "a lot of kink/fetish guys have moved on to Instagram, Twitter/X, [or] OnlyFans" or that mainstream apps like Scruff are now "more open and welcoming spaces" for the community.
Planet Romeo (now Romeo): Planet Romeo (which took over the old Guys4Men, or g4m, site ) is another legacy app we didn't include. While it was once a go-to for finding meaningful relationships, particularly in India and parts of Europe, it's now mostly seen as an app from a bygone era. Reddit threads on the topic are full of nostalgia for the "age of Planet Romeo" and the "slow communication" of the early 2000s. It's just not a primary app for most guys in 2025.

See You When I See You review: Jay Duplass latest drama is hurt by his leading man

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Last year, Jay Duplass directed the brilliantly funny Baltimorons, which starred co-writer Michael Strassner as an improv comedian who finds a new lease on life through an unexpected friendship with an ornery dentist. This year, Duplass offers a sibling film of sorts as his follow-up, adapting stand-up comedian Adam Cayton-Holland's memoir, Tragedy Plus Time, into the drama See You When I See You.

Where The Baltimorons centered on (and starred) a comedian dealing with suicidal ideation, See You When I See You focuses on a family grieving the loss of their sister and daughter to suicide. Cayton-Holland wrote the adapted screenplay for See You When I See You, but unlike Strassner, he does not star in the resulting film. Instead, Duplass casts indie ingedude Cooper Raiff (Cha Cha Real Smooth, Shithouse) to play the lead of a comedian who can't cope when confronting the death of his younger sister, Leah (Kaitlyn Dever).

While the supporting cast is made up of compelling performers, including David Duchovny, Lucy Boynton, and Hope Davis, See You When I See You is hampered by a leading man who cannot shoulder the emotional weight of this story.

See You When I See You explores a family's suicide loss.

Two months after Leah's death by suicide, the Whistler family is cleaning out her apartment. Older sister Emily (Boynton) is determinedly trying to catch the koi fish that her whimsical sibling kept in a pond not approved by the landlord. Their lawyer father Robert (Duchovny) is buttoning up paperwork, while his wife Page (Davis) is rejecting the idea of a funeral for her youngest child. Meanwhile, middle child Aaron (Raiff) is lost in thought looking at an old photo of the whole family.

See You When I See You explores a different way of coping with grief through each character. Emily, who has a kid and husband to look after along with her father's law firm, finds comfort in grounding herself in a task. Robert invests himself in making sure his wife and other children are okay, but can't rest because they definitely are not. Page is shutting herself off from everything — the pain of this loss, her family's attention, and even the panic when she discovers a lump in her breast. Aaron is embracing chaos and rejecting therapy.

Aaron's ghosted a could-be girlfriend. He's bailing on work at his comedy writing job. He's falling into memories of his younger sister that warp into nightmare scenarios. For instance, recalling the last night they hung out, he and Leah are bullshitting happily at a bar. But a conversation that once felt mundane now carries a great, horrible importance because it was their last. As she talks, the paneled ceiling of the bar gives away to reveal a ravenous black hole, seeking to suck up anything it can, including Leah. In his distorted memory, Aaron calls out to her, demanding to understand why.

This imagery recurs in See You When I See You. It's effective because, yeah, that's what grief can feel like, an insatiable sucking hole eager to gobble us up without mercy. These scenes are all the more disturbing because of how nonchalantly Dever plays them. While Raiff shrieks in terror, she is casual when facing her character's oblivion. This visual and dissonance well reflects the anger Aaron has at his sister, but Raiff himself falls flat in selling the emotion.

Cooper Raiff drags down See You When I See You.

Whether he's flirting awkwardly with a crush, bickering with his older sister, or cajoling his mother, Aaron's every move feels like a performance. Raiff's approach to the material is too broad to blend with the rest of the cast. And perhaps that is intentional, meant to echo how Aaron, as a comedian, is ill-equipped to cope with something so serious. But that approach would only work if Raiff's performance becomes grounded or nuanced at some point, and it just doesn't.

His fumbling becomes frustrating as Aaron's story overtakes the plotline, though his sister's and his parents' respective narrative arcs are much more compelling. Page and Robert, who in flashbacks are radiantly in love, can barely be in the same room. He craves her, but her hurt can't allow her to be vulnerable in conversation or copulation. In quiet moments alone, both Davis and Duchovny silently seethe with heartache that is almost deafening.

They're good. But Boynton (The Greatest Hits) is brilliant and blistering. In the hands of a lesser actress, Emily might come off as obnoxiously bossy or coldly arrogant. But Boynton's performance makes clear that Emily's efforts to bully the family into group tasks — like cleaning out Leah's home and planning a funeral — are her way of bringing them together to heal. She may practically spit when arguing with her irresponsible brother, but it's out of a frustration that she's expected to still be a mother, wife, and eldest daughter, while everyone else gives him space to be the goofball.

See You When I See You is flawed but beautiful.

Raiff's failure as a leading man hurts this drama, but doesn't ruin it. Cayton-Holland's script is thoughtful in making the internal external. So, fears about what comes after are spun into a beautiful flashback where the Whistler father tells his kids about the boundless wonders of outer space and the strange fluidity of time. Flashbacks transformed into battlegrounds make for a rich venue to act out Aaron's battle for mental health. Bickering with a sister who is now a memory, we're invited into not just his past but how it feels to him now.

Duplass' cinematographer Jim Frohna wisely favors a handheld camera for such dramatic moments. The rocking sensation of the frame gives the sense of hesitation. You can practically feel your own feet bracing with uncertainty whether to push forward into a scary future, or hang back in the certain but familiar pain of the present. This mindful unsteadiness subtly bolsters the film's earnest emotional fragility. But again, its leading man cannot create this same effect. Rather then revealing, Raiff is constantly mugging in glee, grief, and whatever else. He feels a stooge in the middle of a tragedy, and while that makes sense for the film's first half — perhaps reflecting Cayton-Holland's own insecurity about his coping skills — the second half offers no growth in this vein. So, Raiff becomes more a distraction from the secondary storylines, instead of the solid center of the film.

And yet, I wept my face off watching See You When I See You. Despite Raiff's fumbled attempts at depth, Duplass and the rest of his ensemble gracefully capture the hardship of mourning a death by suicide. That life goes on feels both a blessing and curse in such times. And See You When I See You explores that, overall, with humane nuance.

See You When I See You was reviewed out of the SXSW Film Festival. It does not yet have a release date.

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.

Review: I tried the new Sonos Play speaker, part of the audio companys big comeback

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Sonos has a new portable speaker.

This may not sound groundbreaking, given the company already has two portable speakers in its lineup, the Sonos Move 2 and Sonos Roam 2, putting the new Play smack in the middle in terms of size. But I bet the news put a smile on many Sonos fans' faces, as Play was just what Sonos needed.

The Roam 2 is portable (Sonos calls it ultra-portable, but we're not sure about that), but it doesn't come near other Sonos speakers in terms of sound. (One Mashable editor described it as "tinny.") The Move 2, on the other hand, sounds amazing, but it's just too big to be called a true portable Bluetooth speaker. I'm not kidding, it weighs 3 kilograms.

But the Sonos Play isn't just an ordinary product launch. It's part of a potential Sonos redemption arc following a disastrous 2024 app re-launch. The company has been off the audio scene as it solved software problems, making the Play part of a larger potential comeback.

After spending a week with the new Sonos speaker, I found it's just the right mix of portability and sound.

Not too heavy, not too small

Sonos sent me a black review unit of the Sonos Play 2 (it also comes in white), and as soon as I unpacked it, I thought this was the right size for a Sonos portable speaker. You can comfortably grab it with one hand, hand it over to someone, or put it in a bag. It's not super light, but at 1.3 kilograms, it's manageable.

On the back, you'll find a tiny carrying loop for extra portability, though I never found an actual use for it.

Sonos Play weighs 1.3kg, and is quite a bit smaller than Sonos Move 2. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Design-wise, well, it's a Sonos speaker. Like pretty much every other Sonos, it's wrapped in a black mesh with an understated, black-on-black company logo on the front. On top, however, it has a rubber surface with buttons you need to actually press, unlike the touch buttons on the Move 2. It's not as fancy, but probably makes the speaker more resistant to the elements (Sonos says the Play is waterproof up to IP67 specs; the Move 2 only goes to IP56).

On the back, there's a power button, a Bluetooth button, a button that lets you disable voice commands, and a USB-C connector for wired listening (you do need a USB-C to 3.5mm dongle). The connector isn't needed for charging, as the Sonos comes with a charging base similar to the one on the Move 2. Thankfully, you can charge the Sonos Play with a USB-C cable if you're on the move and don't want to lug the charging base around with you.

A battery that will survive a camping trip

Battery life on the Play is rated for up to 24 hours, just like on the Move 2 (the Roam 2 only has up to 10 hours). In my experience, the Play's battery is good enough for about two long evenings of partying (in my age, that means having friends over for dinner and playing music in the background for a couple of hours). It might not be enough for a third.

At home or near it, battery is not an issue as there's always a way to easily charge the Play. But I think its battery is good enough to endure a short camping trip, and that's basically all you can ask for.

The Play also has a cool, last-resort trick for when your phone is out of juice: You can connect it (or any other USB-C device) to Play, which then acts as a portable 35Wh battery.

It's loud, but not very refined

The Play is loud, and it sounds good, but make no mistake: It's not anywhere near the level of Sonos Move 2.

The top of the speaker is rubbery, which likely helps with waterproofing. The Play has an IP67 dust and water resistance rating. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The sound is punchy and precise, often leaving me surprised at just how deep the bass goes, or how clean a certain instrument is; a good test of both is John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme."

When things get more complex, however, such as when the entire band joins in full blast in Queens of the Stone Age's "Little Sister," the sound will get mushy and cramped, especially at loud volumes. In contrast, the Move 2 continues to sound amazing no matter the volume or genre.

It's not an entirely unfair comparison. Both speakers have stereo sound. The Play has one mid-woofer paired with two angled tweeters, and three Class-H digital amps, and the Move 2 has the same specs, though it has the more efficient, Class-D digital amps. Of course, that mid-woofer inside the Move is much larger, and I guess that makes all the difference.

One thing to note: Sonos Play has a "Loudness" setting enabled by default. You can turn it off in the Sonos app settings (it's buried under Sound — EQ), and I suggest you try it out both ways. When it's on, both the bass and treble get louder, which can sound attractive in certain genres and settings, but I preferred to keep Loudness off as it made the sound more balanced.

Another thing to note: The Play isn't one of those 360-degree speakers that sound good no matter where it's turned. It does cast a wide sound, but you still need to be facing it to get the best results.

The app isn't nearly as bad as you might think

Sonos made the wrong kind of headlines when it launched a big overhaul of its app in 2024. The new app was so bad that Sonos scrambled for years to fix all the issues, while apologizing to its users almost on a monthly basis.

I'm happy to report that, as it stands, the app isn't too bad. Adding new devices isn't a chore, and the home page, while sometimes confusing, can be (lightly) edited to be more to your liking. And while I haven't had any major issues, such as complete freezes or speakers dropping out of my system for no reason, there's still some room for improvement.

The Play is available in black (pictured) and white (not pictured). Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

For example, finding the album I want almost always takes at least one step more than I'd like. If I just use the search function in the Sonos app by typing the artist's name, I'll get a combination of results from Apple Music, Spotify, and Sonos Radio (the first two require a subscription, and you need to connect them to the Sonos app for this to work). But tapping on the artist will only yield me a list of songs, with no obvious way to get actual albums.

I've found that the best way to get what I want is to limit my search to just one service (such as Apple Music), which gets me a more comprehensive list of results.

Also, some elements of the user interface can be slow and, frankly, baffling. For example, touching the volume slider in the app opens another card with exactly the same volume slider, but now your finger is in the wrong place to actually slide it. Why, Sonos?

It's not a huge deal, but little things like this do, eventually, make you wonder whether using the Sonos app over Apple Music, Spotify, or Tidal is even worth it.

The Sonos app isn't perfect, but it's still the best choice for managing a system with multiple Sonos devices. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Well, it is if you have more than one Sonos speaker.

In the Sonos app, I can just go to whatever's playing right now, tap on the speaker name at the bottom, and get a list of all the Sonos speakers in my home. From there, I can get my music to play on all the speakers or pick just the ones I want, as well as adjust the volume (both in general and for each speaker individually). Given just how great a Sonos system sounds when you have a couple of speakers in a room, especially with Trueplay enabled (the tech that optimizes the sound based on where the speakers are positioned in a room), this is a pretty great option to have.

You can do these things via AirPlay, of course. But it's easy to get lost when you juggle multiple speakers, devices, and headphones; I prefer to keep the Sonos system under the Sonos app umbrella.

As far as voice assistants go, you still only get Sonos's own, or Amazon Alexa; nothing else is offered. The Sonos assistant is alright, but in the age of super-smart AI, I sometimes wished it were smarter.

The right size, but the price isn't quite right

I guess the main beef I have with the Play is that I'm spoiled by the Move 2. Sonos' new portable speaker sounds good, it's loud enough, and has all the features you'd expect, with excellent battery life. But you just don't get the sonic nirvana that the Move 2 provides.

Sonos Play supports Bluetooth 5.3 and AirPlay, and can be used with your TV, though it's better as a portable speaker. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

If the Play was offered at around two hundred bucks, which seems to be the sweet spot for a decent portable speaker these days, I'd say it's an instant buy, especially if you're already invested in the Sonos ecosystem. But the price for Sonos Play is $299 in the U.S. and (ouch) €349 in Europe, which is around $402, and that's a lot of dough for what Sonos Play offers.

I still recommend the Play if you want a truly portable Sonos speaker. Its bigger brother, as great as it sounds, is just too big to carry around. Just know that you're paying a pretty hefty premium for the name.

Sonos Play

$299 at Amazon

That wild Scarpetta ending, explained

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

After eight time-jumping, case-blending episodes, Scarpetta ends with a bang. Well, more of a bludgeon.

The Prime Video series based on Patricia Cornwell's books — namely, the first Dr. Kay Scarpetta book, Postmortem (1990), and Autopsy (2021) — finishes up its first season with some answers, but then leaves major question marks and red herrings flapping about in the air.

Let's get into what happened, what Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman/Rosy McEwen) found out, and what burning questions we have for Season 2 (which Amazon has confirmed is coming). Obviously, spoilers ahead.

Who is killed in Scarpetta?

Nicole Kidman as Scarpetta. Credit: Connie Chornuk / Prime

Scarpetta could have really given us more information about the murder victims.

In 2026, there are two women murdered: Gwen Hainey, biomedical engineer at Thor Labs, who was selling U.S. biotech secrets to Russia, and runner Cammie Ramada, whose death was ruled as "accidental" despite being anything but.

In 1998, there are five women murdered: ER surgeon Lori Petersen's killing begins the series, after the murders of Cecile Tyler, Brenda Steppe, and Patty Lewis. Then, journalist Abby Turnbull's (Sosie Bacon) sister, Hannah, is also murdered.

Who is the killer in Scarpetta?

Jake Cannavale as Pete Marino, Rosy McEwen as Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Credit: Connie Chornuk / Prime

There are two killers in Scarpetta, one in the past and one in the present.

1998 killer: Roy McCorkle

Through glittery government soap and emergency call records, '90s Scarpetta figured out the identity of the serial killer she, homicide detective Pete Marino (Jake Cannavale), and FBI profiler Benton Wesley (Hunter Parrish) had been investigating. The killer is Roy McCorkle (Martin De Boer), a local 911 dispatcher who had chosen his victims based on their voices.

2026 killer: August Ryan

In the present, the murderer is revealed to be a copycat. Officer August Ryan, the braces-wearing cop Scarpetta has worked with since the '90s murders, is the killer of Gwen Hainey and Cammie Ramada.

Scarpetta first meets Officer Ryan at the murder scene of Lori Peterson in Berkley Heights in 1998. "I was never the first on a scene before, of a grisly murder," he tells her, visibly affected by the violence. This murder ignited Ryan's penchant for violence but his traumatic past also played a part (more on that below). Later, at the scene of McCorkle's death, Ryan calls him a "murdering bastard," and scorns "what he did to those women," despite those being actions he will repeat 28 years later.

In 2026, Ryan is the first person Scarpetta talks to at the crime scene where Gwen Hainey is found in episode 1. Ryan leads Scarpetta to the victim, pretending to have just encountered the scene he created. Ryan then meets Scarpetta and Marino at the condo where Gwen Hainey was attacked — he even smugly declares that he "found" the murder weapon and reports that Matt Peterson's fingerprints are all over it (Lori Peterson's husband, the main suspect of the 1998 murders), which sends Scarpetta and Marino off course. In episode 4, Ryan does it again, leading medical examiner Dr. Debbie Kaminsky (Ashley Shelton) to Cammie Ramada's body, a crime scene he also created.

Motive? "I did it to impress just the right gal," Ryan says in the finale, referring to Scarpetta herself.

What's with the 3D-printed organ business?

In Scarpetta, Thor Labs is a tech company that 3D prints human organs. And though the storyline goes off on a tangent with dead astronauts, the most important thing is that the company links the murder victims in 2026.

Gwen Hainey and Cammie Ramada both bear skin grafts, pieces of biosynthetic skin made by Thor Labs. Remember, Hainey was a biomedical engineer there, working on the Thor Orbiter Project (3D printing human organs in space). In the finale, Scarpetta receives a call from Officer Blaise Fruge (Tiya Sircar) saying there was a third person in Thor's skin test group, but Fruge is cut off before naming them.

"That's how he met them," Fruge says. "They were in the same group."

That person? August Ryan, who, as a child, burned his arm on a train track the night he witnessed his uncle committing sexual assault. Presumably, Ryan was after a skin graft. As to the pennies? Ryan's uncle distracted him with a penny during his crime, one the kid was trying to retrieve from the hot track when he was burned; pennies were left at the murder sites of Gwen Hainey and Cammie Ramada, and Scarpetta finds a penny on her dining room table.

What's the deal with Maggie and Reddy?

Maggie Cutbush (Stephanie Faracy/Georgia King) spends the present-day storyline basically being a creep and an anti-feminist pain in the ass, but there's more going on here than meets the eye.

In the '90s, Maggie was appointed Scarpetta's assistant when her computer was hacked for information about the Peterson case. Scarpetta wrongfully accused Maggie and fired her. However, the culprit was Dr. Elvin Reddy (Alex Klein), Scarpetta's professional rival, who also tampered with evidence to discredit Kay.

Now, Dr. Reddy is a piece of work. He wanted Scarpetta's job of Virginia's chief medical examiner back in the '90s, so always had a chip on his shoulder. Reddy hires Maggie as his own assistant, and the show suggests an abuse of power and sexual harassment. In episode 4, Scarpetta looks into Cammie Ramada's death, ruled as "undetermined" by medical examiner Kaminsky. But Scarpetta finds out that Reddy (chief medical examiner by this point) had shown up at the autopsy with a bunch of FBI agents (the crime scene goes across federal and district lines) and essentially bullied Kaminsky to rule Cammie Ramada's death an accident.

In the present, Maggie is deployed again as a "direct line" between Scarpetta's office and Reddy, now health commissioner (and Scarpetta's boss). Importantly, Reddy and Maggie know Scarpetta's secret: She killed McCorkle in self-defense in the '90s — and Marino covered it up for her. Scarpetta did the autopsy, then lied about the findings, but notably, Reddy came into the morgue and indicated he knew there was more to the killer's death than Marino's bullets.

In the finale, Maggie flips the script telling Scarpetta she has proof to bring their dodgy boss down. "Pick a crime," she says. "I'll get you everything you need to nail the bastard. Leave me out of it, and I'll leave you out of it."

What's going on with Benton Wesley?

Simon Baker as Benton Wesley. Credit: Connie Chornuk / Prime

Scarpetta's cardboard husband, Benton Wesley, has dark secrets. We know he left his wife and kids for Kay, and is having an affair with his FBI cybercrime partner Sierra Patron (Anna Diop). We also know he had a traumatic childhood involving neurodivergence and reading disturbing material before his career as a serial killer profiler.

In the finale, Scarpetta tracks Wesley to his definitely illegal interrogation truck at home using Find My Friends, and he warns her to stop investigating Gwen Hainey and Cammie Ramada "before it's too late" without elaborating. He's also sent hacker Jinx Slater (Luke Jones) to jail for his girlfriend Gwen Hainey's murder, presumably to keep the FBI's Thor Orbiter investigation under wraps.

However, during the scene, Wesley gets...creepy, saying he has some "strange behaviours" and that "there are some creatures that I enjoy to watch suffer," which seems like he's about to confess to his "real self" being real dark. We all saw him watch that fly die in pain, and we won't forget his creepy childhood lair in the basement. But then he simply asks for a divorce. What a fake-out.

Is Matt Peterson actually innocent?

Matt Peterson (Graham Phillips/Anson Mount), the husband of Lori Peterson, appears to be Scarpetta's red herring. He's the guy Marino (Bobby Cannavale) suspected and punched, who runs a cultish grief farm (where Lucy inexplicably ends up in the finale — girl, wyd). But is he actually as innocent as he seems? Sure, he just happened to meet Gwen Hainey in a bar trying to bring his wife back to life with 3D-printed organs. But in episode 1, when a young Marino is interviewing a young Peterson, the suspect mentions one of the first things he noticed meeting Lori in college was her "contralto" voice. "Stopped me in my tracks," he says. "Its actual tone was perfection." Marino counters, asking, "You notice a thing like that, huh?" How did McCorkle choose his victims? Their voices. Still a red herring?

Who "killed" Janet?

Ariana DeBose as Lucy Farinelli-Watson. Credit: Connie Chornuk / Prime

Both Kay and Dorothy (Jamie Lee Curtis) say they didn't "kill" Janet, the AI version of Lucy's (Ariana DeBose) wife that she's been talking to daily since her real death, but she's sure one of them did it. So, was it one of them? Or was it, say, Blaise Fruge, who wanted to exact a little bit of revenge on her lover for walking out during their argument about Blaise losing her job thanks to Lucy's "joy ride" to The Orchard? Or perhaps Janet did find a code back door to walk out of...

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Who's at the door?

In the final moments of Scarpetta, we see that Kay has absolutely baseball-batted Ryan to death. Then, someone arrives at the door, sees everything, and Scarpetta's reaction is one of pure shock: "Oh no."

Who could it be? Is it Lucy coming home from her grief session? Is it Marino coming back to declare his feelings? Is it Fruge, following her partner Ryan's whereabouts? Or is it someone we haven't met yet?

Scarpetta is now streaming on Prime Video.

Here’s a budget-friendly way to own a MacBook Pro that saves you over $1,500

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Enjoy all the bells and whistles from Apple at a fraction of the price with this Macbook Pro, on sale now for $429.97 (reg. $1,999) through April 19.

Credit: Apple

Apple Macbook Pro 2020 (Refurbished)

$429.97
$1,999 Save $1,569.03

How much time do you lose waiting on your current laptop? If you’re looking for a device that won’t slow you down, look no further than the MacBook Pro. Apple’s most powerful laptop usually comes with a pretty hefty price tag, but if you act fast, you can bring one home for just $429.97 until April 19.

You need a laptop that can keep up with your life, and the MacBook Pro is up for the challenge. This model is powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor that has a 2GHz base speed and a Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, so it’s ready to multitask. It also offers 16GB of RAM so it can handle video editing, coding, and other demanding tasks.

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If you’re tired of lugging around clunky external hard drives, you’ll be delighted by this MacBook Pro’s 1TB of SSD storage. Save important files locally, while still enjoying enough space for your favorite apps. It’s also equipped with a Magic Keyboard with a Touch Bar, so you can type comfortably and enjoy easy access to shortcuts.

Finish a full work day without having to charge thanks to this model’s 10 hour battery life. And when it comes time to connect, you can take advantage of four Thunderbolt 3 ports.

If you’re wondering why you’re saving over $1,500 on this MacBook Pro, it’s due to this model’s grade A refurbished status. That means it will arrive on your doorstep in near-mint condition, with no dents, cracks, scratches, or missing parts, while you enjoy a deep discount.

Bring home this Macbook Pro for just $429.97 (reg. $1,999) now through April 19, while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

T-Mobile is giving away the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to qualify

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Get a free iPhone 17e when signing up for a T-Mobile plan with no trade-in required. Alternatively, get the iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when signing up for an Experience More plan and trading in an eligible device.

Credit: Apple

T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 for free

Last month was absolutely huge for Apple. We got new iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads, but what now? Are we just expected to sit around and wait for the next batch of new products? No, we're supposed to score the best deals on this fresh lineup.

For those interested in investing in the new iPhone 17, we recommend checking out T-Mobile. The popular carrier is offering another "free iPhone" deal this weekend.

You can switch to almost any T-Mobile plan and get a free iPhone 17e with no trade in required. Alternatively, you can score the iPhone 17 for free when signing on for 24 months of an Experience Beyond plan and trading in an eligible phone. T-Mobile will charge taxes on these free deals and a $35 device connection fee.

There are always some strings attached to these sort of deals, and we should note that the Experience More plan is designed for power users who want 4K streaming, massive hotspot data, and the best international roaming. It therefore comes with a higher monthly bill than more limited plans. The Experience More plan does include perks like Apple TV+ and Netflix, which helps offset some of that cost.

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 12 or 13, you’re missing out on some genuinely game-changing features. The iPhone 17 is the first base model built specifically 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."

Score an iPhone 17 for free this weekend with T-Mobile.

Anthropic makes the case for anthropomorphizing AI in ‘unsettling’ research paper

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

It's an oft-repeated taboo in the tech world: Don't anthropomorphize artificial intelligence.

Yet in a new research paper published this week, Anthropic AI experts argue that there may be major benefits to breaking this taboo and granting AI human characteristics. The paper, "Emotion Concepts and their Function in a Large Language Model," not only argues that anthropomorphizing AI chatbots like Claude may sometimes be useful, but that failing to do so could drive more harmful AI behaviors, such as reward hacking, deception, and sycophancy.

The paper ultimately reaches a nuanced conclusion while also posing a clear challenge to a long-held principle of the AI world.

There are some fascinating insights in the paper, which itself deals in a great deal of anthropomorphization. ("We see this research as an early step toward understanding the psychological makeup of AI models.")

The researchers describe how Anthropic trains Claude to assume the character of a helpful AI assistant. "In some ways, we can think of the model like a method actor, who needs to get inside their character’s head in order to simulate them well."

And because Claude "[emulates] characters with human-like traits," its makers may be able to influence its behavior in the same way they might influence a human — by setting a good example at an early age.

The researchers conclude that by using training material with more positive representations of human emotion and behavior, the resulting models will be more likely to mimic those positive emotions and behaviors.

"Curating pretraining datasets to include models of healthy patterns of emotional regulation — resilience under pressure, composed empathy, warmth while maintaining appropriate boundaries — could influence these representations, and their impact on behavior, at their source. We are excited to see future work on this topic," an Anthropic summary of the research states.

So, even if AI models don't literally have emotions (and there is zero evidence that they do), these tools are trained to act as if they have emotions. This is done to provide users with better output and, crucially, to keep them engaged as long as possible.

And this is precisely why the researchers conclude that some degree of anthropomorphization could prove beneficial to AI developers.

By anthropomorphizing AI, we can gain insights into its "psychology," letting us create even better AI tools, they say.

Why is anthropomorphizing artificial intelligence dangerous?

The potential harms of anthropomorphizing AI aren't all abstract or theoretical.

"Discovering that these representations are in some ways human-like can be unsettling," Anthropic admits in its paper.

Right now, an unknown number of people believe they are engaged in reciprocal romantic and sexual relationships with AI companions, for example. Mashable has also reported on high-profile cases of AI psychosis, an altered mental state characterized by delusions and, in some cases, hallucinations, manic episodes, and suicidal thoughts.

These are extreme examples, of course. But many tech journalists and AI experts will avoid even small instances of anthropomorphization, like referring to Siri as "her" or giving a chatbot a human name. This is a natural human impulse, and most of us have at times anthropomorphized animals, plants, or objects we care about. But by projecting human qualities onto a machine, we can come to rely on them too much.

When we anthropomorphize machines, we also minimize our own agency when they cause harm — and the responsibility of the people who created the machines in the first place.

Anthropic researchers looked for signs of 171 emotions in Claude

The new research paper looks for "functional emotions" within Claude Sonnet 4.5. They define these emotion concepts as "patterns of expression and behavior modeled after human emotions."

In total, the researchers defined 171 discrete emotions:

Crucially, the researchers found that these emotion concepts influenced Claude's behavior and outputs. When under the influence of positive emotions, the researchers say that Claude was more likely to express sympathy for the user and avoid harmful behavior. And when under the influence of negative emotions, Claude was more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors like sycophancy and deceiving the user.

The researchers don't claim that Claude literally feels emotions. Rather, they found that whatever "emotion concept" Claude is experiencing at a given time can influence the output it returns to the user.

Of course, by searching for "emotion concepts" within a large-language model in the first place, and describing its complex calculations and algorithmic thinking as "psychology," the researchers are themselves guilty of projecting human-like qualities onto Claude.

Anthropomorphization is a natural human impulse. And so the people who work most closely with artificial intelligence may be particularly likely to fall into this trap. As the researchers detail throughout the paper, AI chatbots are remarkably capable mimics. They can create such a convincing facsimile of human emotion and expression that it drives some minority of users into full-on psychosis and delusion.

And that's what makes this paper so interesting: The researchers believe they may have found a way to hack this ability to limit harmful behaviors.

Of course, if we can curate training data and model training to encourage AI chatbots to mimic positive emotions, then no doubt we can do the opposite just as easily.

In theory, you could train an evil twin of Claude Sonnet 4.5 by feeding it the most dastardly examples of human misbehavior, then training the model to optimize for negativity and performance at all costs — a disturbing thought.

But there's one final insight to be gleaned from this paper.

Anthropic has created one of the most advanced AI tools on the planet. Claude Sonnet and Opus currently sit atop many AI leaderboards. There's a reason the Pentagon was so eager to work with Anthropic, at first.

But if the AI researchers responsible for Claude are still trying to decipher why Claude behaves the way it does, then this paper also reveals just how little they understand their own creation.

And that's disturbing, too.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia

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

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries
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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.

Hurdle hints and answers for April 4, 2026

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Perspiration.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SWEAT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Typical.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

USUAL

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Needed to walk a dog.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

LEASH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Smell.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SCENT

Final Hurdle hint

To coast.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

DRIFT

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 4, 2026

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're in the military.

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.

What is Connections?

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.

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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: A common saying
Green: To block
Blue: Water's edge
Purple: A military site

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow: "Let sleeping dogs lie"
Green: Obscure
Blue: Coastal landforms
Purple: ___ Camp

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 #1028 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

"Let sleeping dogs lie": DOGS, LET, LIE, SLEEPING
Obscure: COVER, MASK, SCREEN, SHIELD
Coastal landforms: BLUFF, CAPE, POINT, SPIT
___ Camp: BAND, BASE, BOOT, SUMMER

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 the latest Connections.

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love the beach.

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.

Where did Wordle come from?

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.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Dusty.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

The Wordle answer today is...

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...

SANDY

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 the latest Wordle.

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 4, 2026

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love springtime.

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Early risers

The words are related to plants.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe popular flowers.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Spring Blossom.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 4

Hyacinth
Tulip
Snowdrop
Spring Blossom
Daffodil
Crocus

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 the latest Strands.

A smarter way to use AI is now just $79 for life

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Simplify working with AI thanks to this lifetime subscription to the ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan, on sale now for just $79 (reg. $619).

Credit: ChatPlayground AI

ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan)

$79
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Why guess which AI model is best when you could see dozens of models’ answers side-by-side? ChatPlayground AI gives you access to multiple models in one convenient window, so you can pick the most helpful answer to your prompt in seconds.

Right now, a lifetime subscription to the ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan is just $79 (reg. $619).

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You no longer have to settle for your go-to AI model’s answer and hope for the best. ChatPlayground AI is a Chrome extension that lets you query dozens of models at once, in one space, without paying multiple subscription fees.

With ChatPlayground AI’s innovative setup, you can take advantage of the strengths of multiple models without having to keep them all straight yourself. Enter your prompt and check out answers from Perplexity, ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Llama, and over 20 more models side by side for easy comparison.

From creating images to generating code, ChatPlayground AI can field all your questions. Need help with your prompt? There are also prompt engineering available to help you build better ones and receive more accurate responses. If you want to save a little time, there’s also image and PDF chat features available.

An Unlimited Plan gives you access to unlimited monthly messaging, priority customer service, and priority access to new features and future models.

Work easier with AI forever thanks to this lifetime subscription to the ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan, now only $79 (reg. $619).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

What to do when playing Wordle becomes addictive

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:29:04 GMT

Late last year, weeks into a winning streak, meditation teacher and mindfulness coach Tim Hwang noticed something had changed about his Wordle habit.

The New York Times puzzle challenges players to guess a five-letter word in six tries. Simple enough in itself, but Hwang had become overly focused on his stats. Revealing the word in the fewest possible guesses is a badge of honor for players. Long streaks also afford bragging rights. And Hwang began to feel like he was clinging to his record.

"I started noticing that by day 40 of the streak that it just felt like an obligation to actually do the puzzle," Hwang told Mashable. "I didn't [enjoy] solving the problems. It was a relief just to complete it to keep my streak alive."

Meanwhile, what had begun as a pleasurable text exchange with friends about their results had curdled for Hwang into painful comparisons over who'd solved the puzzle and in how many tries.

The joy of playing had fizzled. He'd become competitive about Wordle, and arguably even addicted. Hwang decided to stop playing for months — and would only return to the game after identifying ways to apply the skills he'd learned as a meditation teacher.

Crucially, he didn't believe the mindfulness problem was with Wordle itself. "The games can be really fun…and you get this flow and meditative state," Hwang says. "There's no multitasking. You're just problem solving, and you're just trying to figure out a puzzle. That can be really, really gratifying."

Hwang returned to Wordle two months ago. Now he sets clear intentions for playing, focuses on connection instead of competition, treats losses with a sense of radical acceptance, and remains aware of and curious about the feeling that he's clinging to victory.

In short, he'd figured out how to preserve the best elements of online word games without playing obsessively and mindlessly.

Reckoning with Wordle and Spelling Bee obsession

I'd reached out to Hwang to learn more about his bittersweet experience because earlier this year, I'd started playing Wordle and two other Times games, Spelling Bee and Crossplay.

Solving low-stakes puzzles thrilled my brain; I love words and enjoy spelling. Spelling Bee gives the player seven letters, one of which must be used in each word spelled. Crossplay, which I play with my mom, is the Times' version of Scrabble, or Words with Friends. Time spent on the puzzles felt like an indulgence in a fast-paced life.

But, like Hwang, I came to realize that playing the games sparked something less wholesome in me. When I accidentally lost a 28-day Wordle streak because I forgot to complete the puzzle, the sting of disappointment felt out of proportion to the loss.

I would wake up and feel an urgency to finish my physical therapy and yoga routine in time to start making Wordle and Spelling Bee guesses before my kids got out of bed at 7 a.m. I felt unsettled if I hadn't reached the highest Spelling Bee level — genius — before the day's end.

The games also drew my attention to my phone more frequently, and that in itself was a habit I'd been trying to pare back. So I decided to use a notebook for Spelling Bee, which I typically solve in chunks throughout the day.

Now instead of staring at my phone, I write down the day's letters, along with the hints (don't judge me), and wait until I've guessed roughly half the possible words. Then I allow myself a break from work or parenting to put them in all at once. I sometimes use my laptop browser to play, which minimizes the types of distractions I often experience on my phone.

I also learned a valuable lesson from the Global Day of Unplugging, during which I abandoned my phone, as much as I could, for 24 hours. That meant no Wordle, Spelling Bee, or Crossplay, and no streaks. I craved the games initially, but the discomfort eventually resolved, and I felt peaceful instead. Now days can pass when I don't play, and I genuinely don't mind breaking a streak.

These strategies worked for me, but what about others? I decided to learn more from mindfulness experts about how to course correct when an online word game has become the object of obsession.

Set your playing intentions

Tara Anderson, a producer for the mindfulness podcast 10% Happier with Dan Harris, had a New York Times online crossword streak of more than 1,000 puzzles. Then she missed a single day.

Anderson, who has practiced meditation for more than 30 years, said the streak lapse put into stark relief just how invested she'd become in solving the puzzles.

"It was like, 'Oh, maybe I've been clinging to this too much," she told Mashable. "It was this bubble popping, and I saw it didn't mean anything anyway. And then I did the crossword puzzle again the next day. I do it now because I really enjoy the challenge."

Anderson, who also plays Wordle and Spelling Bee, now approaches her word games with a simple thought in mind, courtesy of a colleague: "Am I doing this on purpose or not on purpose?" That deceptively simple question helps clarify Anderson's game-playing intentions.

Though she's not clinging to streaks, the games can feel like a distraction from uncomfortable feelings or situations — even if they seem a more virtuous distraction than, say, TikTok. If that's the case, she tries to mindfully notice what's happening beneath the surface of her interest in playing.

Like me, Anderson believes Spelling Bee's special badges for solving specific words and reaching certain thresholds, like Genius, can feel like getting a gold star. Rewards can make games fun, but they also pose challenges for the player who wants to solve the puzzle for the sake of doing so.

Focus on your goals

Toby Sola, founder of the meditation app Brightmind, says games are a rewarding way to engage the mind and connect with others. They can also support a meditation or mindfulness practice, building important skills such as noticing your feelings without judgement, and identifying positive and negative behaviors.

The trick, Sola says, is making sure the game remains aligned with your values, specifically your goals — sharpening your mind, say, or playing with a family member — and how you want to spend your time.

"Emphasize the playfulness, emphasize the connection, emphasize the gaming functions to the extent that they align with your values, but then de-emphasize all the other stuff," Sola says.

Anderson, for example, spends time with her kids and husband solving Spelling Bee. She's also decided to disregard the in-game awards, even if she enjoys them at the moment.

"I really don't pay attention to the streaks anymore or badges. Sometimes it's cool when it pops up," she says, referencing a panagram award for guessing a word that uses all available letters, "but what does it actually mean?"

How Wordle is like a meditation practice

Meditation teacher Tim Hwang acknowledges that some days the games deliver on the promise of that meditative or flow state. But sometimes the puzzle might frustrate him, exposing deeper feelings about perfectionism and shame.

This dynamic, Hwang says, is no different than an actual meditation practice — in which some days are "amazing" and on others you feel thwarted, all depending on what's happening in your life and in the world around you.

When negative feelings bleed into the gameplay, Hwang recommends observing them with curiosity and being introspective about the factors driving your emotions.

"Now I only play when I feel like I want to play it, and not like it's something I have to do."

Hwang also asks himself whether his game strategies are partly responsible. If he's trying to solve Wordle in the fewest guesses possible or is worried about his stats, his satisfaction in the game can plummet.

"Am I putting a lot of pressure on myself or am I going to enjoy this as a leisure activity?" Hwang asks. "These are prompts you can ask yourself in real time and reflect on."

Hwang also accepts loss as a reality and feels compassion for himself when he doesn't solve a puzzle or breaks a streak.

Ultimately, Hwang feels like he's found his balance with Wordle.

"Now I only play when I feel like I want to play it, and not like it's something I have to do," he says. "I don't hold it as an obligation anymore."

The people are yearning for classic Legend of Zelda. Heres how to join the fun.

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:31:35 GMT

Even without a new game on the immediate horizon, 2026 feels like a big year for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise.

There's been a larger-than-normal amount of chatter on social media and other parts of the internet about Zelda lately. Nostalgia-filled gamers are reminiscing about their favorite titles, characters, and moments from the series, while speculating about what is coming next. Heck, even I've been bouncing back and forth between older games in the series this past week.

Let's dig into why classic Zelda is having such a moment, even in an off-year, and how you can get in on the action.

Why are people talking about The Legend of Zelda in 2026?

'Breath of the Wild' on Switch 2 is amazing. Credit: Nintendo

As I mentioned, Nintendo has not announced a new Zelda game for 2026, and it's very unlikely that we'll get one. Tears of the Kingdom launched in 2023 and Echoes of Wisdom followed in 2024, and given how long it takes to make these games, we can safely assume it'll be at least a couple of years before either of the teams behind those two titles have anything new to show.

So, why has Zelda been a trendy topic online in recent weeks?

The simplest explanation is that 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the original game's launch, so even without the appearance of a new game, a lot of us have Link on the brain. Then there's the fact that an official live-action Hollywood movie adaptation is currently being filmed with a tentative 2027 release date. Given the absurd financial success of Nintendo's recent Mario-fueled Hollywood forays, one has to imagine Nintendo foresees a similar fate for Zelda, a series that has sold exceptionally well over the past decade or so.

Beyond that, Nintendo has done a lot to keep Zelda in the discourse. Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild got serious upgrades for Nintendo Switch 2 when that console launched last year, making them almost feel like new games. Nintendo also gave Switch 2 owners the ability to play The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, a GameCube classic, via Nintendo Switch Online on Switch 2 last year. I've been playing through that one on my own time, and I can confirm it's still absolutely incredible.

Artwork from the Nintendo 64 classic 'Ocarina of Time.' Credit: Nintendo

Fans are keeping older games alive, too. An extremely unofficial and not-at-all-sanctioned-by-Nintendo fan remake of Link's Awakening for Game Boy just hit the finish line, for example. PC fan ports and upgrades of older Zelda games are always happening, but especially so in the past year or two.

Having said all of that, easily the biggest reason why Zelda has been on people's minds in the last week or two is that a full-scale Switch 2 remake of the Nintendo 64 classic Ocarina of Time is rumored to launch during this holiday season. Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed this news, and we have no way of knowing if it's real, but that would be absolutely massive, if true. Ocarina is frequently cited as one of the greatest video games ever made, and a remake would put it in front of a whole new audience.

What's the best way to join the Zelda zeitgeist?

Credit: Nintendo

Aside from just going on social media and yapping about how cool Zelda is, I would recommend firing up your Nintendo Switch 1 or 2 (provided you have a Switch Online) and just playing a bunch of classic Zelda titles until the cows come home.

Many of the classic 2D Zeldas are available via Switch Online, as are several of the later 3D titles. In fact, the only 3D Zelda you can't currently play on a Switch 2 is 2006's Twilight Princess, though one has to imagine that's coming at some point.

But seriously, every single game in the series is worth checking out on some level. The very first game, celebrating its 40th birthday this year, is far more open-ended than most games in the series. Zelda II is a fascinating, extremely difficult experiment. A Link to the Past is an all-time classic. Most of the handheld titles, such as Link's Awakening and Minish Cap, are also available on Switch, and are great in their own right.

You really can't go wrong. Whether you're a Zelda obsessive or someone with a more casual appreciation of the series, I highly recommend stepping into Link's shoes in the near future.

California just launched the countrys largest public broadband network

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:49:20 GMT

California just launched the largest public broadband network in the country — and its serving Indigenous communities first.

On April 2, Governor Gavin Newsom officially "turned on" California’s new Middle-Mile Broadband Network (MMBN), part of the state's Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative and Broadband for All pledge. One of several projects funded by the $3.2 billion initiative, California's Department of Technology (CDT) repurposed dormant fiber infrastructure in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain region and created a full-fledged, high-capacity broadband backbone for use by nearby rural communities. The effort joins other nationwide projects aimed at filling out the country's "missing miles" of internet by providing fiber-optic cables, a gap that predominantly affects rural and indigenous communities.

The state also unveiled its first customer: The Bishop Paiute Tribe, located at the base of the Sierra Nevada in Bishop, California.

"Today marks a historic first as a California tribal nation enthusiastically leads the way to provide increased access and reliability to their local community," said Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari in a press release.

Through the partnership, the Bishop Paiute Tribe will act as its own Internet Service Provider (ISP), independently managing and operating its broadband service, including setting pricing and service offerings for households on and off the reservation.

"A lot of work has gone into this project," Emma Williams, chairwoman of the Bishop Paiute Tribe. "We’re so happy to have this portion of the state’s middle-mile network turned on so the people in our community who desperately need a reliable and affordable internet connection can access everything from schoolwork to telehealth appointments."

It's especially significant that the state's first live project is connecting a federal tribe. Much like other rural areas across the country, Indigenous communities are still grossly underserved by ISPs, reporting lower broadband subscription rates, slower download speeds, and a higher reliance on smartphones for internet usage when compared to the general population. In early federal funding allotments for rural broadband projects, tribal lands and organizations made up less than 3 percent.

The Biden-Harris administration significantly ramped up investment in such projects, but connecting these areas takes time. To fill the gap, many tribal nations have funded their own community internet projects or turned to communication giants, like AT&T, to secure reliable internet connectivity.

While California has continued investing in projects to connect communities via last mile projects, the federal government has waned in its commitment to rural broadband connectivity under the Trump administration. Zeroing out rural broadband funding and rebranding the existing Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, the Trump administration has instead placed its focus on private satellite internet providers, including Elon Musk-owned Starlink.

"This is a meaningful step in the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative, as it signifies the first active connection, but also the commitment to Tribal communities," Matthew Rantanen explained in a statement to Mashable. A connectivity veteran, Rantanen has consulted on California's Tribal Advisory Group, serves as director of technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association, and is the vice president of tribal relations for GoldenStateNet, the third-party administrator to CDT and MMBN. "It is particularly relevant for the Bishop Paiute Tribe, as it is a key ingredient to the success of their next phase, building fiber to the home and establishing their own ISP."

Speaking to Mashable last year, Rantanen explained that the Trump administration's new internet priorities could pose a risk to existing Middle Mile and tribal connectivity projects, many of which were already allocated federal dollars. State governments are filling in gaps, but many face additional pressure from Trump and his appointees, including FCC chair Brendan Carr.

New Samsung TVs just dropped: Meet the new (but not) The Frame Pro and a curiously Frame Pro-like OLED TV

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:47:48 GMT

A quick look at the April 2026 Samsung TV releases

Samsung The Frame Pro TV (LS03HW)

starting at $1,999.99 (65 through 85 inches)

Samsung S95H OLED TV

starting at $2,499.99 (55 through 83 inches)

Samsung S90H OLED TV

starting at $1,399.99 (42 through 83 inches)

Samsung S85H OLED TV

starting at $1,199.99 (48 through 83 inches)

We're finally getting some new Samsung TVs that aren't the $29,999.99 115-inch Micro RGB TV. At the end of March, Samsung announced the release of its new Neo QLED (mini LED) TVs. And on April 2, the TV tour continued as Samsung launched its full 2026 OLED TV lineup, plus a light refresh to The Frame Pro. But for all intents and purposes, it's safe to count the new flagship Samsung OLED as an honorary The Frame TV. You'll see why.

The 2026 Samsung OLED line and 2026 The Frame and The Frame Pro line are available for purchase at Samsung.com. Let's discuss the details.

Not much is new with the new The Frame Pro

The 2026 Samsung Frame Pro. Credit: Samsung

The original Frame Pro just came out in April 2025, and Samsung didn't make a big deal about an update to the Frame lineup at CES — so we knew not to expect anything revolutionary on this front. The 2026 Frame Pro's only real technical update is a Micro HDMI port that supports eARC. Samsung also bumped The Frame Pro's smallest size to 55 inches, but it's not available to purchase yet.

Here's how much The Frame Pro 2026 will cost:

65-inch The Frame Pro — $1,999.99
75-inch The Frame Pro — $2,799.99
85-inch The Frame Pro — $3,999.99

Upgraded non-Pro Frame models from 55 to 85 inches are also on the way. As a refresher, the main difference between the two frame models is that The Frame is LED and The Frame Pro is QLED.

The new Samsung OLEDs are more exciting — and artsy

The Samsung S95H has a metal bezel and lays flush to the wall. Credit: Samsung

The Samsung S90H has a 165Hz refresh rate. Credit: Samsung

Oddly enough, it's Samsung's latest flagship OLED TV that has gotten a creative overhaul. The new Samsung S95H isn't officially an OLED version of The Frame, but it certainly has Frame-like tendencies. First up: The S95H doesn't have the classic black TV frame. Its new steel-colored metal bezel mounts the TV flush to the wall for a "gallery-like" floating aesthetic — sound familiar?

The S95H (and the mid-range S90H) also marks the first time that the Samsung Art Store will be accessible on an OLED TV. Complete with Wireless One Connect Ready compatibility, gaming features like Motion Xcelerator 165Hz, and improved Glare Free technology, the Samsung S95H could quickly become the best Samsung TV you can buy right now.

The mid-range Samsung S90H steals several of the same impressive upgrades from the S95H, including upgraded reflection handling and the Ultimate Gaming Pack. Both the S95H and S90H see higher peak brightness, thanks to improved HDR formats (OLED HDR Pro and OLED HDR+, respectively). Brighter than last year's Samsung S95F, which was already possibly the brightest OLED TV on the market? This is huge news for anyone whose TV time is truly split between bright and dark rooms.

The entry-level Samsung S85H should easily make our "best 65-inch TVs" list as the best budget OLED TV. (Not that there are a ton of those to begin with, but still.) It's armed with the NQ4 AI Gen2 processor (the same as Samsung's mid-range QN80F Neo QLED TV from 2025), a 120 Hz refresh rate, and Dolby Atmos sound. It'll even be compatible with the upcoming 2026 Q-Series Soundbars and Music Studio speakers.

Here's how much the 2026 Samsung OLED lineup will cost:

Next on the docket: The smaller, more practically-priced Samsung Micro RGB TVs that we were promised at CES.

Artemis II astronauts need remote help to fix Microsoft Outlook issue in space

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:57:50 GMT

In space, no one can hear you scream in frustration at your computer.

With Artemis II on its way to the moon for a historic lunar mission, many of us are glued to the ongoing NASA livestream of the mission to make sure everything is OK. So far, so good on the important moon mission side of things, but when it comes to email management, the crew ran into a bit of a snag on Thursday.

Bluesky user Niki Grayson noticed and clipped a short segment of the livestream involving the crew needing help to deal with Microsoft Outlook problems, just like us regular people back on Earth.

The hilariously mundane problem occurred because Commander Reid Wiseman somehow had two different instances of Outlook open on his personal computing device (or PCD), which in this case is a Microsoft Surface Pro, according to our colleagues at PCMag. That was on top of another problem that prompted Wiseman to request mission control in Houston to actually gain remote access to the device. After an hour or so, mission control had managed to get in, fix the problem, and get out.

Anyone who has ever had to navigate IT problems at work can certainly relate.

The astronaut's email problems aren't the only mishap experienced by the crew in the early days of the mission.

The crew's toilet malfunctioned while the crew was still orbiting the Earth, requiring an emergency fix.

The Earth is glowing in new Artemis II pictures of home

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:00:35 GMT

As Earth's 8 billion inhabitants beam well wishes up to the sky, the crew of NASA's Artemis II mission is looking back at us with just as much hope.

The mission's Orion spacecraft sent back its first image of Earth yesterday, a beautiful shot of a crescent Earth peeking out through the dark expanse of space, and the crew has gifted us even more stunning high-quality images today.

This black-and-white picture of planet Earth was taken by an optical navigation sensor on the exterior of the Orion spacecraft. Credit: NASA

The new Artemis II images — coupled with initial shots of the spacecraft hurtling through Earth's orbit, surrounded by glittering, galactic ice — have rendered much of the public awestruck, feeds flooding over with an overwhelming sense of emotion as the astronauts look back at our home.

Artemis II's crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, and pilot Victor Glover — includes the first woman and first Black astronaut to go to the moon. For many, the diverse team represents the best of what humanity has to offer, the pinnacle of human ingenuity and bravery.

"Trust us: You look amazing, you look beautiful, and from up here, you also look like one thing," Glover said during a broadcast on Flight Day 2. "We're all one people."

The historic, awe-inspiring mission to the moon will take them farther than any humans have gone in space. It will hopefully be the first of a series of efforts to get us back on the lunar surface — and back to the age of Apollo. And it's just getting started.

NASA is sharing images on its website, where you can check out more of the new Artemis II images:

Wave hello! Artemis II is watching us. Credit: NASA / Reid Wiseman

Well, there we all are. The blue marble. For those who need a little orientation: The large landmass you see in the center-left is Africa. The thin line of glowing green light on the top right and bottom left? The aurora borealis, hovering above us earthbound humans and lighting up our sky as Artemis II sails away.

Credit: NASA / Reid Wiseman

Take a look at this incredible shot of the Earth through the Orion capsule window, which NASA posted with a cheery "Good Morning" to the spacecraft's inhabitants and the mission's stateside teams.

Stay safe, Orion crew. That's all of us cheering you on.

Curious where the Artemis II mission is right now? Check out NASA's live mission tracker.

How to watch Chelsea vs. Port Vale online for free

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Live stream Chelsea vs. Port Vale in the FA Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The latest round of FA Cup fixtures includes some really interesting matchups, including Chelsea vs. Port Vale.

Chelsea will be expected to progress into the semi finals without too much trouble, but Port Vale have been the story of this year's competition. They've already beaten Premier League opposition to reach this round, so why couldn't they do it again? All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge for a potential giant killing, and you can follow all the action without spending anything.

If you want to watch Chelsea vs. Port Vale in the FA Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Chelsea vs. Port Vale?

Chelsea vs. Port Vale in the FA Cup kicks off at 12:15 p.m. ET on April 4. This fixture takes place at Stamford Bridge.

How to watch Chelsea vs. Port Vale for free

Chelsea vs. Port Vale 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 Chelsea vs. Port Vale 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 Chelsea vs. Port Vale for free from anywhere in the world

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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 Chelsea vs. Port Vale 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.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

Live stream Chelsea vs. Port Vale in the FA Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

The Shark FlexStyle is our favorite Dyson Airwrap dupe, and its $160 off at Amazon right now

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:02:49 GMT

SAVE 42%: As of April 3, you can get the Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System in the Blossom Bliss colorway (with a storage bag) for $219.99, down from $379.99, at Amazon. That's a 42% discount or a $160 price cut.

Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System in the Blossom Bliss colorway (with a storage bag)

$219.99 at Amazon
$379.99 Save $160

I honestly hate doing my hair, which is exactly why I rely on my Drybar brush to get me out the door in under 10 minutes. But if you're someone who wants a little more versatility to do real curls and bouncy blowouts without spending an hour in the bathroom, you might want to check out the Shark FlexStyle.

Right now, you can get the Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System in the limited-edition Blossom Bliss colorway for just $219.99 at Amazon. That's 42% off the list price and a new record-low price as of March 29.

The FlexStyle goes from a traditional hair dryer to a styler in seconds and comes with auto-wrap curlers that basically do the work for you, plus a concentrator and a storage bag, so you aren't leaving attachments all over the bathroom sink.

But you don't just have to take my word for it: Mashable's Lead Shopping Reporter and beauty tech expert, Bethany Allard, officially named it the "best Dyson Airwrap dupe." She gave it a Mashable Choice Award because the performance is "nearly indistinguishable" from the $600 Dyson, but pointed out that the Shark's unique twisting base and travel-friendly design make it "the superior hair tool."

Apple releases iOS 26.5 beta without any sign of AI Siri

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:50:27 GMT

Earlier this week, Apple released the iOS 26.5 beta for developers, and now we know what changes are included in the release.

Most of the changes are pretty minor, but here's everything Apple's early adopters have spotted so far.

iOS 26.5 beta: A notable absence

As Apple readies the long-awaited AI version of Siri (which will be powered by Google Gemini), developers and journalists are keeping a very close eye on every new iOS update.

However, there's no sign of the new Gemini-powered Siri in this particular beta.

In all likelihood, Apple will debut the new and hopefully improved Siri with iOS 27.

iOS 26.5 beta: What's new

So, what is new with this release?

The most notable changes is visible within Apple Maps. As we reported previously, rumor has it that advertisements will soon be coming to Apple Maps, and Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for these ads in the iOS 26.5 beta.

Within Apple Maps searches, you'll now see a Suggested Places tab (as spotted by MacRumors). Presumably, this is where the future Apple Maps ads will live.

Other changes include:

You can more eaily pair "Magic" Apple accessories with your iPhone (as reported by our colleagues at Lifehacker)
MacRumors reports that Apple brought back end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between iOS and Android devices
Updates to StoreKit for developers
EU-specific changes for third-party wearables and accessories (read more at 9to5mac)
Wallpaper bug fixes

How to try iOS 26.5 beta

To try iOS 26.5 beta (and the iPadOS 26.5 beta), you'll need to sign up for the Apple beta software program. This will allow you to try out pre-release versions of upcoming iOS updates. As a best practice, always back up your device before installing a beta version of a new OS update.

You can also review the iOS 26.5 beta release notes.

Run to grab a pair of Beats Flex earbuds while theyre only $40

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:33:25 GMT

SAVE $29:54: As of April 3, the Beats Flex earbuds are on sale for only $40.41 at Amazon. That's 42% off their list price of $69.95 and only a dollar away from their best-ever price.

Credit: Beats

Beats Flex wireless earbuds

$40.41 at Amazon
$69.95 Save $29.54

While true wireless earbuds have dominated the market for years now, there's still a case to be made for the neckband-style earbuds connected by a wire. They're much harder to lose. You can leave them dangling around your neck like a pendant. You can just slip them out of your ears without worrying about finding a place to put them. And you can find them for pretty dang cheap.

The Beats Flex offer this convenient neckband style and as of April 3, they're on sale for only $40.41 at Amazon. That's 42% off the list price of $69.95 and only about a dollar away from their lowest price to date.

Now quite a few years old, the Beats Flex don't have all the bells and whistles you might expect from brand-new AirPods. But some folks don't care for all of those added features anyway. If you want some earbuds that'll remain in your ears, are comfortable and lightweight, sound good, and are hard to lose, these should do the trick.

They magnetically clasp together when you're not using them and automatically unpause your music when you pull them apart. You'll get about 12 hours of battery life per charge and a quick 10-minute USB-C charging session will give you an extra 1.5 hours of playback. While the Flex have Apple's W1 chip for easy pairing with Apple gadgets, they're also surprisingly Android-friendly, making them a great choice for just about anyone looking for cheap earbuds with the Beats logo.

Amazons sister site is having a one-day sale, and this Bissell TurboClean deal is too good to skip

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:29:09 GMT

GET 25% OFF: Today only, add one or more Main Woot and/or Category Daily Deals to your cart to score 25% off your order subtotal.

Credit: Woot

Get 25% off at Woot

Use code 25OFF at checkout

If you haven't heard of Woot yet, I highly recommend checking it out. The website isn't as sleek or user-friendly as its parent company (which is Amazon, BTW), but if you're willing to do a little digging, you'll find tons of deals on things Amazon hasn't even discounted yet.

Today only, you can get 25% off your order subtotal just by adding one or more Main Woot and/or Category Daily Deals to your cart. All you have to do is enter the promo code 25OFF on the final checkout screen right before you hit the "Place order" button. It's super easy, but you have to act fast because the promotion ends tonight, April 3, 2026, at 11:58 p.m. CT.

Whether you're looking to upgrade your home or just stock up on everyday essentials, the eligible categories have a little bit of everything, including Amazon Kindles, DeWalt flashlights, and the "Grocery and Beauty Palooza."

But my favorite find is on the Bissell TurboClean Cordless Wet/Dry Vac (which is basically a must-have if you have messy pets). Right now, you can get it at Amazon for $281.72, but Woot has it listed as a daily deal for $93.99. When you apply the 25OFF promo code, the price drops to around $70. That's an unbeatable steal for a cordless vacuum with a 30-minute run time and a self-cleaning cycle.

The best smartwatch youve never heard of is on sale for less than $50

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:20:51 GMT

SAVE $54: As of April 3, the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro is on sale at Woot! (an Amazon company) for only $44.99. That's $54.01 or 55% off its list price of $99 and the cheapest we've ever seen it.

Credit: Nothing

Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro

$44.99 at Woot
$99 Save $54.01

In a world of expensive Apple watches, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is a delightfully affordable and surprisingly fantastic alternative. It was one of Mashable's favorite smartwatches of 2025 and earned a near-perfect rating in our testing. It's an excellent value at full price (just $99), but on sale for under $50, it's an absolute steal.

As of April 3, you can grab the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro at Woot! (an Amazon company) for only $44.99 instead of $99. That's 55% in savings and its best price ever. Just last week, we saw the smartwatch drop to $69 in Amazon's Big Spring Sale. This beats that sale price by an extra $24. The only catch? You'll have to go with the light green colorway. Though, honestly, I think that's the best choice anyway.

Mashable Contributor Lauren Allain tested the watch last fall and still wears it every day. She writes that it "looks, feels, and functions like a smartwatch that costs hundreds more." It offers loads of features like stress tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, precise heart-rate monitoring, dual-band GPS tracing, and in-depth sleep tracking, but where it truly outshines the competition is in battery power. As Allain puts it, "it just would not die." She had to turn on extra features to wear this thing down; it finally died after 16 days. That blows Apple's single day of battery life out of the water.

If you're in the market for a new smartwatch, fitness tracker, or sleep tracker, the CMF Watch 3 Pro does all three beautifully — and for less than $50 if you act fast.

Age-verification is hurting sex educators and sex workers, studies suggest

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:20:17 GMT

Experts have warned about how age verification laws will impact people's work and bank accounts — and now preliminary research suggests that they're right.

Age verification laws vary by state and country, but usually require submitting proof of age, be it a facial scan or uploading a government ID, to view potentially adult content. Since 2022, these laws have been enacted in different U.S. states. Other countries, such as the UK, have also instituted age verification via the Online Safety Act.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Pornhub for free

Sexual freedom nonprofit, the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, found that around one in five sex educators (18 percent) say these laws have already impacted their work. For sex educators working in states with age verification mandates, one in three (33 percent) report this.

Approximately 60 respondents completed the survey last month, so this isn't a wide sample, but it hints at the trickle-down effects of age verification.

"Age-verification laws are already impacting sex education in the U.S.," says Woodhull president and CEO, Ricci Joy Levy, in a press release.

The majority of sex educators surveyed, 73 percent, are concerned that these laws will impact their work, while 76 percent fear they could be used to restrict access to sex education and related resources. As it is, only 37 percent of U.S. states require school sex education to be medically accurate, according to Boston University.

"Again and again, we were told this was only about keeping minors from accessing porn," Levy's statement continues. "Woodhull warned these vague and overly broad policies would also result in censorship of vital, non-explicit information about sex and gender, and the data bear this out. The current age-verification protocols are ripe for abuse, and educators are right to be scared."

Separate research from adult industry research firm SWR Data hints at a similar story when it comes to adult creators. Nearly half (45.2 percent) of the 500 surveyed last fall reported that their income from adult work decreased in the past year, with two-thirds (63 percent) saying it got harder to earn money in the past year as well.

There are several possible reasons for this trend, including overall socioeconomic uncertainty, but a staggering 98 percent of creators who reported lower income said they've experienced difficulties related to the "War on Porn."

The so-called War on Porn can refer to age verification as well as other attempts to remove adult content from the internet. Project 2025, the blueprint for President Trump's second term, calls for an outright ban on pornography and imprisoning its creators. In 2024, one of the co-writers of Project 2025, Russell Vought (now the director of the Office of Management and Budget), reportedly called age verification the "back door" to a porn ban.

The majority of surveyed adult creators who lost income also reported increased social media censorship and increased restrictions on what they can sell, and even fans are having trouble accessing their content.

The latter point — trouble with access — especially affected adult creators in U.S. and UK markets, according to SWR Data. They're also dealing with piracy, showing that viewers are finding ways to work around age verification.

Two separate studies last year suggested that age verification laws don't work to keep children off of porn sites. Reasons include VPN usage and going to non-compliant websites. But it appears that age-verification is working to hurt sex workers and sex educators.

Reddit r/all takes another step into the grave

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:10:14 GMT

Reddit has finally (mostly) killed r/all.

The internet's home page confirmed in a site update changelog that all links to the r/all feed now redirect to the main Reddit home feed.

"As part of ongoing efforts to simplify Reddit and improve Home feed personalization, the final steps to deprecate r/all are being implemented. All links to r/all will now redirect to the Home feed, following the prior removal of r/all entry points. Trending content remains available via r/popular," the changelog reads.

For those who don't know, for years, r/all has been a way for users to see a "less filtered" list of the most popular posts on the site than the r/popular feed, per Reddit itself. On r/all, sexually explicit posts would be filtered out, but other NSFW content would make it in, and users had the ability to filter out communities they didn't want to see from the feed.

In order to simplify things, Reddit decided to end r/all and have users focus on their home feeds instead, which is personalized for each user. This algorithm-based, curated feed will be the new homepage for the homepage of the internet.

This may end up being a sore spot for longtime Redditors, but there is good news for holdouts: r/all continues to exist on Old Reddit, the officially supported old-school version of the site that works like it did prior to all the big recent redesigns.

On ye olde Reddit, you can still experience r/all as you always did. Reddit hasn't taken that away...yet.

Of course, that doesn't help users of the mobile app, so maybe r/all will have to be a home-computer-only experience.

This is a big sea change for Reddit, but it's not entirely a surprise if you've been following the news. Reddit announced its intentions to deprecate r/all back in December. The only strange thing is that, last year, Reddit's CEO also said r/popular would be going away, per The Verge. Something must have changed, though, as r/popular remains while r/all is mostly dead.

Dysons double-laser, ultra-light PencilVac just hit a record-low price at Amazon

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:36:34 GMT

SAVE 25%: As of April 3, you can get the Dyson PencilVac for $449.99, down from $599.99. That's a 25% discount or $150 savings.

Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones Cordless Vacuum

$449.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $150

If you've been looking for a vacuum that takes the term "stick vacuum" literally, the ultra-slim and aptly named Dyson PencilVac features a 1.5-inch handle that fits right into the palm of your hand.

Right now, you can get the Dyson PencilVac at Amazon for $449.99, down from $599.99. That's a 25% discount or a $150 price cut. It's also the lowest price we've seen this model go for, according to our trusty price-tracking tool CamelCamelCamel. (Prime members can also take advantage of free returns and fast delivery.)

Mashable's Senior Shopping Reporter and vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, says the Dyson PencilVac "is a stick vacuum in the most literal sense of the term." It's super lightweight (less than four pounds), and the motor, battery, and dustbin are built completely flush into the wand. It also features these cool "Fluffycones" that actively strip long hair from the brush roll so it doesn't get tangled — though it doesn't come with a mini motorized pet tool. However, it more than makes up for it with its dual-laser action that lights up hidden dust and crumbs on your hard floors.

From Dropout to Saturday Night Live with Jeremy Culhane and Kurt Maloney

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:51:20 GMT

If you're watching comedy on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok these days, chances are you've at least seen clips from Dropout. Whether it's Sam Reich pushing contestants to the brink of madness on Game Changer or Vic Michaelis interviewing comedians disguised in wild and extravagant costumes on Very Important People, Dropout is pushing the boundaries of improvised comedy on the internet.

No doubt, if you are familiar with Dropout, you've seen these two comedians grace their myriad of shows: Jeremy Culhane and Kurt Maloney. You might also know Jeremy Culhane from the latest season of Saturday Night Live.

This year, the Dropout crew descended on SXSW, where they performed shows ranging from Lily Du and Grant O'Brien's Dirty Laundry to Jacquis Neal's Crowd Control to good old-fashioned long-form improv.

Before their big improv SXSW show at Austin City Limits Live, Culhane and Maloney came by Mashable's SXSW Say More studio to talk comedy, Jeremy's journey to Saturday Night Live, and how Dropout continues to change the game not only in comedy but in how comedy is consumed online. Be sure to check out the full episode on YouTube.

And for more on any of their shows and improv tour dates, check out Dropout.

NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for April 3, 2026

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:06:40 GMT

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.

SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, April 3, 2026:

Across

Jumped up ... or a season in the past tense?

The answer is Sprang.

Basketball player, informally

The answer is Hooper.

___ balloon

The answer is Hot air.

Tumbled down ... or a season in the past tense?

The answer is Fell.

Down

"Be quiet!"

The answer is Shh.

Sound of disappearance

The answer is Poof.

Memorization technique based on repetition

The answer is Rote.

"C'mon, be ___" ("Help me out")

The answer is A pal.

Astronaut Armstrong

The answer is Neil.

Dog's warning

The answer is Grr.

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.

How to get a free 55-inch Hisense Canvas TV: Preorder Hisenses cool new RGB TV

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:01:00 GMT

PREORDER A TV, GET AN ART TV FREE: Through April 22, Hisense will give you a 55-inch Canvas art TV (a $599.99 value) when you preorder a new Hisense UR9 RGB TV between 65 and 85 inches ($3,499.99 through $5,999.99, respectively).

Credit: Hisense

Hisense UR9 RGB Mini-LED 4K TV (65 through 85 inches)

Preorder and get a free 55-inch Canvas TV

We always see discounts on past-year TVs in the spring when the current year's flagship TVs finally hit shelves. (The proof was in the TV deals at Amazon Big Spring Sale.) But Hisense is putting a spin on the classic promo that won't make you choose between the old and new TVs: Hisense will give you a free 55-inch Canvas art TV when you preorder Hisense's new UR9 RGB TV.

The Hisense UR9 will officially start shipping on April 23. Customers who sign up to preorder theirs by April 22 will receive a redemption code for the free 55-inch Hisense Canvas. We'd call that a free $599.99 value — the 55-inch Hisense Canvas originally retails for $999.99, but it's on sale at Amazon for a record-low price of $599.99.

Just head to the Hisense website and submit your name and email, and the company will send you a unique promo code for a free CanvasTV when you purchase the Hisense UR9 RGB MiniLED TV from BestBuy.com, starting April 23. See the full terms and conditions here.

How much does the Hisense UR9 cost? Here's a price breakdown by size:

Hisense 65-inch UR9 — $3,499.99
Hisense 75-inch UR9 — $4,999.99
Hisense 85-inch UR9 — $5,999.99
Hisense 100-inch UR9 — $8,999.99 (not available for the CanvasTV promo)

Those prices are definitely steep compared to other Hisense, TCL, and Samsung mini LED TVs on the market. But it's the new RGB technology that sets the UR9 apart from plain mini LED models. Compared to the only other mainstream RGB TV that has come out so far in 2026, Samsung's $29,999.99 115-inch Micro RGB TV, the Hisense UR9 feels quite practically priced.

LG and Sony announced RGB TVs at CES as well, though release dates and pricing for those are still up in the air. Still, Hisense is consistently one of the top TV brands because of its affordability. No one would be surprised if the UR9 remained one of the most budget-friendly RGB TVs of the year. (Only Hisense's own UR8 RGB TV might be cheaper.)

What is an RGB TV?

Your typical QLED or mini LED TV creates its color by filtering light from a white or blue backlight. An RGB TV skips the middleman, instead using a panel of thousands of microscopic red, green, and blue LEDs to generate color directly.

The technology is said to cover the full possible spectrum of visible colors while boosting brightness, contrast, and black levels, regardless of whether you're in a sunlit room or a dark room. Between the two TVs in this Hisense deal, the UR9 is the shoo-in for the home theater.

The CanvasTV would be a great choice for a room where you don't always want the TV to be the focal point. The Canvas TV's matte screen, teak-colored frame, and changeable digital art display turn it into makeshift wall art when it's not in use. Unlike the paid subscription required to access Samsung's art library, Hisense's art collection is free. There's a reason that the Canvas is the internet's favorite The Frame dupe.

How to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers online for free

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Live stream New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are a number of really interesting NHL fixtures on the schedule for this weekend, including New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers. There's not much separating these sides in the standings, so this contest is difficult to predict. The Islanders probably have the edge at home, but anything could happen in this matchup at the UBS Arena.

If you want to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers?

New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL starts at 7 p.m. ET on April 3. This fixture takes place at the UBS Arena.

How to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers for free

New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL is 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 9Now to live stream the NHL for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers in 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
Visit 9Now
Watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers for free from anywhere in the world

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the NHL without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL (plus more NHL fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best choice 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 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 $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% 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).

Watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.

The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

In the age of on-demand everything, it’s no surprise that we can get "dates" (and I use that term loosely) with the tap of a button. Thanks to classic hookup apps like Tinder and newcomers like Pure, finding a sexy new friend can be as straightforward as ordering a pizza. As for the quality, well, that’s about the same as your pizza — hit or miss, depending on the time of day, where you're located, and how hungry you are.

Fortunately, you’ve got me, your resident dating app expert (though I prefer modern-day Carrie Bradshaw), to guide you to the promised land, aka the best hookup apps.

I’ve spent the past three years (yes, years) researching, downloading, and testing dozens of the top dating apps to find the best ones for all kinds of daters, including the one-night-stand crowd. From discrete sexting apps to dating sites for serious relationships, I've swiped through them all. I also consulted a panel of sex and relationship experts to make sure my picks are solid.

How to get the most out of hookup apps

My number one rule is to be brutally honest about what you’re looking for. You’re here for a good time — so own it. That means staying in your lane; don't go looking for a one-night stand on an app like eharmony.

"Hookup apps help prevent situations where people are on mainstream dating sites with the intention of having a casual hookup but are unclear about these intentions," Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for Biird and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, tells Mashable. "They also give women a space to be openly sexual creatures without judgment."

And here's a little insider secret I picked up from Alexander Liebisch, the CEO and founder of TinderProfile.ai: Timing is everything. He found that people messaging on Tinder's "free tonight" feature after 10 p.m. on a weekend had a 45 percent higher chance of hooking up.

So, whether you're looking for a one-night stand, a regular FWB situation, or just a space to explore your sexuality, I've got you covered. Based on all my hands-on testing and expert consultations, I’ve broken down the best hookup app for every type of person and mood.

Recent updates to this guide

Hinge: Hinge just keeps getting better, so I’ve bumped it up higher on my list as of October 2025. Its user base is growing, and my own recent tests on the app have been surprisingly positive.
Sniffies (added September 2025): I've added Sniffies, the map-based app for queer men, because it's been gaining a lot of traction. (It got a little too spicy for Apple and was pulled from the App Store, so it's now technically a dating site.) Don't say I didn't warn you about the NSFW content.
FetLife (added September 2025): FetLife is my new favorite "Honorable Mention." It's not your typical hookup app; it's more of a social network for the kink community (and, oddly enough, the best hookup app for gamers). Just remember: it's a community, so don't treat it like Tinder.

Why some popular hookup apps didn't make the cut

You might notice a few apps that pop up in ads or other lists are missing here. That’s intentional. I swipe through the good, the bad, and the downright sketchy so you don’t have to. For an app to make my list, it has to be effective, safe, and worth your time.

Here's a shortlist of apps that didn't make the cut this year:

Wild: You’ve probably seen ads for this one. On paper, Wild sounds like the perfect casual dating app. In practice, the paywalls are aggressive, the distance filter doesn't work, and you have to pay for anything that's even remotely useful. Unless you're willing to spend serious cash upfront (and hope for the best), the experience feels limited compared to more open apps like Tinder.
DOWN: This app (formerly "Bang With Friends") is known for its simple "Get Down" vs. "Get Date" feature. It sounds clever, but in reality, the experience is messy at best. Many users report feeling scammed by subscriptions that don't deliver matches, or finding that the few real people on there are... let's say "odd." It’s hard to recommend an app when the main user complaint is "Is anyone real?" Hard pass.
Facebook Dating: Yes, Facebook has a dating section, and it’s surprisingly massive (and completely free, which is huge). While it's a decent option for casual dating, the vibe tends to be a bit more "friends of friends" and "relationship-focused" than the anonymous, no-strings energy you get from apps like Pure or Feeld. (For Mashable's Chance Townsend, signing up was "the most uneventful dating experience" of his life.) It's worth a shot if you're already on Facebook, but it didn't quite crack my top tier for hookups specifically.

Apps I've cut from the list

Plenty of Fish (removed January 2025): POF went through a rebrand recently, and honestly, I'm not impressed. My latest tests showed they got rid of key features like free messaging for non-matches, and I kept running into the same old profiles. At the end of the day, it just doesn't offer anything special that other apps aren't already doing better, so it's off the list.
Match (removed August 2025): I know some people say they've found casual hookups on Match, but that's not what it's for. Match is where you go to find a serious, long-term relationship, and I still recommend it for that. But for a hookup? You're just fishing in the wrong pond, so I've removed it from this guide to avoid any confusion.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review: Death is coming for us all

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

We all have a finite amount of time on this Earth, and I cannot think of a single reason why you should spend any of yours on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It's not that it's the worst film I've ever seen, or even seen this year. It's that, despite its title, it is only a movie in the flimsiest, most meager sense of the word. It's a moving picture that tells a story, albeit incoherently. But more than anything, it is a tedious commercial for all things Nintendo.

Look, I'm not going to pretend I'm above such animated ads masquerading as entertainment. I grew up in the '80s, when a barrage of animated shows and movies were launched for the sole purpose of selling fluffy toys and poseable action figures to kids. We had Care Bears, He-Man, Pound Puppies, Popples, G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, and a bunch more I can only vaguely remember as colorful, squiggly imitators. We also had the comical atrocities of the Bob Hoskins-fronted Super Mario Bros. movie and the inexplicable collision of live-action and animation that was The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Admittedly, I — and many of my generation — hold unflagging nostalgia for this consumer-driven drivel. But we can do better. Movies could sell us junk without being junk themselves. Instead, though, we get the uninspired 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie, which I described as "feel[ing] like one long commercial" in my review. I'd say there's even less reason for its smooth-brained sequel — except the last one made an obscene amount of money at the box office.

So here we are.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie sees the rise of Bowser Jr.

Kamek and Bowser Jr. in "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." Credit: Nintendo and Illumination

After running away from boarding school, Bowser's son Bowser Jr. has somehow amassed an army of minions and a ton of incredible tech to help him kidnap Princess Rosalina. Why? Because he wants to reunite with his father, Bowser, who has been imprisoned and shrunk by the Mario Bros., and build the villain fantasy world they used to share as a bedtime story. But hey, also, Rosalina is Peach's long-lost sister, though Peach doesn't remember Rosalina. So that sister-sister thread is about princess rescuing princess, while Mario and Luigi get into action-packed hijinks where they befriend Bowser briefly, only to have him get plucked by Bowser Jr. and revert back to his bad-guy habits. And somewhere in there, screenwriter Matthew Fogel sloppily loops in a lot of other Nintendo IP, like Yoshi, Fox McCloud from Star Fox, Ukiki, and more.

Bouncing between separate threads that follow Princess Peach and Toad, Mario and Luigi, and Bowser Jr., this "movie" has the pacing of a pinball game, and the same depth of character. Familiar figures from Mario Bros. games and other Nintendo properties will pop up with their signature sayings, themes, or props. But I refuse to call these Easter eggs, because that filmic concept has been completely annihilated. Filmmakers used to hide these details, so viewers needed to have a keen eye on rewatches to catch them. But studios and their toy-making merch partners don't want you to miss a single moment of nostalgia if it might induce a purchase. So, these allusions only count as Easter eggs if your family's tradition meant decorating eggs haphazardly and then just tossing them into the middle of a room, where a white carpet makes sure any bit of color is sure to be spotted.

Speaking of colors…

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is an offensive eyesore.

Bowser Jr. and Bowser in "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." Credit: Nintendo and Illumination

I don't know what my eyes did to offend directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who also helmed the 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie. But their revenge on my poor peepers is this movie and its onslaught of too much.

Granted, I lament cinema's decades'-old trend of favoring green/gray color schemes that seem to regard vibrant color as an offense to good taste. But The Super Mario Galaxy Movie goes so hard in the other direction that the color palette is ocular violence. The most aggressive sequence happens in a casino, where every wall is another gaming floor. Horvath and Jelenic fill each frame with characters, props, and color on color on color. Greens and pinks and blue compete for focus as Peach gets into an argument with a surly frog man named Wart. And every frame feels overloaded like a child's sticker book.

Perhaps this layering of sparkles and stuff is meant to excite children, to thrill young minds raised on screens, hungry for an endless fit of stimuli. But kids deserve better than this soulless parade of color and motion devoid of meaning.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is basically a kaleidoscope with a sales pitch. At least '80s cartoons pretended to be about something with their earnest PSA messaging. What are kids meant to learn from this movie? I can't think of a single thing.

Chris Pratt leads a cast of shrugging voice actors.

Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) among the Ninjis in "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." Credit: Nintendo and Illumination

The slapdash New York accent Pratt offers in this movie suggests that he once watched the trailer for My Cousin Vinny. Anya Taylor-Joy meets that level, delivering a Peach that is cheerily one-note.

The verve Charlie Day and Jack Black brought to Luigi and Bowser was one of the few undeniable joys of the first film, which offered Black's bizarre but thrilling power ballad, "Peaches." Here, they once again commit, but there's no room for a showcase of their talents. Even the surprising enthusiasm indie filmmaker Benny Safdie brings as Bowser Jr. can't find footing in this chaotic spattering of plot and conflict.

The movie's promo tour assures fans that Brie Larson, Donald Glover, and Glen Powell pursued their roles as Rosalina, Yoshi, and Fox McCloud out of a pure love of the game. That may be true. But it's difficult to see how that makes any difference in a movie where every character that's not Mario is treated like a cameo.

Now, I don't hate this movie. I hate what it so nakedly stands for. With the rise of the internet and streaming, movie theaters are in a grim battle to keep audiences interested. And despite seeing such heartening box-office successes for original movies like Sinners, Weapons, and KPop Demon Hunters, we're also being served horrendously unoriginal, ugly, and uninspired trash like this. It's not meant to challenge us or thrill us. Movies like this are meant to distract us briefly from the world on fire and then urge us to buy something. It's the worst part of TikTok and Saturday morning cartoons invading theaters masquerading as cinema. Like its predecessor, it may make tons of money, but that won't make it good.

Simply put, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie could have been a cut scene.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now in theaters.

How to watch Wuthering Heights at home: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordis controversial romance now streaming

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Academy Award-winning writer-director Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn) joined forces with two of Hollywood's favorites for her third feature film: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. And you'd think that combination would thrill audiences, but instead, it led to a ton of outrage. Why? Because that third feature film is a reimagining of Emily Brontë’s beloved 1847 gothic romance tale Wuthering Heights.

The best ways to watch 'Wuthering Heights' at home:

Watch now

Buy or rent on Prime Video

$24.99 or $19.99

Watch now

Buy or rent on Apple TV

$24.99 or $19.99

Watch later

HBO Max (With Ads)

$109.99/year (save $21.89)

Watch later

Max Standard

$184.99/year (save $36.89)

Watch later

HBO Max Student

$5.49 per month for 12 months (save 50%)

Watch later

HBO Max Basic With Ads

Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $10.99/month)

Watch later

Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max

$19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 42%)

Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Elordi as Heathcliff, the star-crossed lovers at the heart of the classic drama, raised casting concerns from fans. Many folks thought the Barbie star was too old to play Catherine and that Elordi wasn't racially ambiguous enough to play Heathcliff. Still, fans flocked to the theaters to see the over-the-top romance anyway.

Fennell herself put intentional quotation marks around the title, as her modern adaptation of the period drama is radically different than the original. If you missed it in theaters or want to watch it again, here's everything you need to know to catch Wuthering Heights from your couch.

What is Wuthering Heights about?

The bones of the 2026 adaptation of Wuthering Heights are essentially the same as Brontë's classic: Catherine is a motherless rich girl being raised by an alcoholic father and Heathcliff is a poor kid adopted to be raised alongside her. They run wild in the moors of West Yorkshire, England and develop a deep connection. They grow into hot adults (Robbie and Elordi) and their preternatural connection becomes an all-consuming romance. But Catherine longs for luxury and there's no future with Heathcliff, so she agrees to marry the wealthy neighbor Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif). Heathcliff, feeling betrayed, runs away, only to return five years later a wealthy man himself.

Check out the official trailer for a glimpse at Wuthering Heights:

Is Wuthering Heights worth watching?

Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights has truly divided (and outraged) the internet. To put it simply, this is not the adaptation of Brontë’s Victorian classic fans were expecting.

The movie currently holds a 57 percent critic rating and 76 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which feels like a pretty accurate representation. Mashable's own lead film critic Kristy Puchko was largely unenthused by the adaptation. "Instead of a cohesive re-imagining or even a titillating romance, Wuthering Heights feels like a passionate but incoherent collage of teenage lust and rebellion, the kind better suited to a high school locker than a movie theater," she writes in her review.

Whether it's worth a watch is highly debatable, but one should certainly adjust their expectations before going in.

Check out Mashable's full review of Wuthering Heights.

How to watch Wuthering Heights at home

Credit: Warner Bros.

As of April 1, there are a couple of ways you can watch Wuthering Heights at home: buy it or rent it at digital-on-demand retailers. We're still waiting for details on its streaming debut. We've broken down the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

Wuthering Heights"made its at-home debut at digital-on-demand retailers on March 31, 2026. You can purchase the film for your digital library for $24.99 or rent it for $5 less. If you choose to rent, you'll get access for 30 days, but just 48 hours once you start watching.

Quick links to buy/rent Wuthering Heights on digital:

Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
Fandango at Home — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
Prime Video — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
YouTube — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

Stream it on HBO Max (at a later date)

While we haven't got word on a specific streaming release date yet for Wuthering Heights, we do know that it will make its debut on HBO Max.

Warner Bros. Pictures theatrical releases exclusively stream on HBO Max before anywhere else. If Emerald Fennell’s reimagining of the Brontë classic follows a similar theater-to-streaming trajectory as other recently released Warner Bros. movies — like One Battle After Another, Weapons, and The Conjuring: Last Rites — we estimate that it will hit HBO Max sometime in May 2026.

HBO Max subscriptions start at $10.99 per month, but there are some ways to save some money on your plan. Check out the best HBO Max streaming deals below.

The best HBO Max streaming deals

Best for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max annual subscriptions

Credit: HBO Max

HBO Max Basic with ads annual subscription

$109.99 per year (save $21.89)

Credit: HBO Max

HBO Max Standard annual subscription

$184.99 per year (save $36.89)

The best way to save on HBO Max on any given day is to sign up for the annual plan over the monthly plan. The HBO Max Basic plan with ads typically costs $10.99 per month, but if you pay for an entire year upfront, that price drops down to just $9.17. You'll pay $109.99 total for the year, which saves you about 16% compared to paying each month.

Don't want to deal with ads? The annual HBO Max Standard or Premium plans will also save you about 16% over their monthly equivalents. The Standard tier costs either $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year (about $15.42 per month), while the Premium tier costs either $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year (about $19.17 per month). Both tiers unlock ad-free viewing, but the Premium tier also adds 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.

Get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan

Credit: HBO Max / Cricket

HBO Max (with ads)

Free for Cricket customers on the Supreme Unlimited plan

There's a big incentive to switching your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month Supreme Unlimited plan: free HBO Max. When you open up the HBO Max app or website, you'll just select Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in.

Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads

Credit: HBO Max

HBO Max Student

$5.49 per month for 12 months

College students can watch Wuthering Heights when it hits streaming with an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half price. Use UNiDAYS to prove your student status and retrieve a unique discount code that drops the price from $10.99 to just $5.49 per month. After 12 months, the price will jump back up to the full $10.99 monthly fee unless you cancel.

Best bundle deal: Get HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 42% off

Credit: Disney / Hulu / HBO Max

Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max

$19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads)

You'll get the most bang for your buck if you opt for the Disney+ bundle deal that includes Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max for just $19.99 per month with ads. That lineup of streamers would cost you $34.97 per month if you paid separately for each, so you'll save about $15 monthly. If you prefer to go ad-free, the bundle will run you $32.99 per month as opposed to $56.47. That's up to 42% in savings for unlimited access to all three streaming libraries.

Take back your screen from ads and trackers with this $16 tool

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Get valuable time back with this lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan, on sale now for only $15.97 (reg. $169.99) through April 12.

Credit: AdGuard

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This $45 Microsoft upgrade makes an old PC feel brand new again

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Give an old PC a serious upgrade with this Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows Lifetime License and Windows 11 Pro Bundle on sale now for just $44.97 (reg. $418.99) through April 12.

Credit: Microsoft

The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle

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The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle gives your PC a total makeover for just $45. You’ll have a brand new operating system and a fresh set of tools to work with, so your old computer will feel like new.

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First up in this bundle? A Microsoft Office Professional 2021 license that equips your PC with eight helpful apps. Enjoy Microsoft Office classics like Word to help you create documents, Excel to build spreadsheets, PowerPoint to craft presentations, and Outlook to manage your emails.

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Do you know ball? Inside the internets most obsessive basketball debate.

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

There's a moment, familiar to anyone who has spent time in basketball corners of the internet, where someone drops a name into the chat — Kosta Koufos, Sundiata Gaines, Jamario Moon — and the room either goes electric or shakes its head in disappointment. On social media, this is called "ball knowledge."

The term has evolved from casual sports-bar shorthand into something closer to a culture and a game of one-upmanship. However, in the hands of a growing class of basketball content creators, it's become a thriving niche on social media. But ask three of the people who've helped shape that culture what ball knowledge actually means, and you'll get three different answers.

More than a name drop

The most common misconception about ball knowledge is that it's just trivia, i.e., name a player nobody remembers and look cool in front of your friends for your esoteric wisdom on early 2010s Detroit Pistons benchwarmers.

Nicholas Harrell, a writer who helps run the basketball media account halfpast*noon, pushes back on that immediately. "I wouldn't necessarily limit it to being able to name a specific role player from whatever era," he says. "I think it's got to be a recognition of how the system as a game works in its entirety, and the individual roles that those players play."

So, for example, you're in a circle with a friend, and you name-drop Nik Stauskas as "elite ball knowledge." That's table stakes, the bare minimum. Explaining why Stauskas worked — or why he didn't — is the real test.

Nick Coutracos, who has built a following under the name Nick Knows Ball, takes a similar but slightly more democratic view. For him, ball knowledge is "not only knowing players that the average basketball fan wouldn't know, but it's also just understanding how the game of basketball is played." He's careful to add that "you can't just know a random role player that you saw once and remember his name and say, oh yeah, that's ball knowledge."

The distinction matters to him. Coutracos, who was already running a successful basketball media account, didn't start posting about ball knowledge to gatekeep — he started because he was frustrated watching posts celebrate knowing names like Brandon Jennings and Kirk Hinrich and calling it elite ball knowledge. "I remember scrolling through these comments, reading them like, this is a joke, right?" He started posting ball-knowledge-specific videos, including stories about obscure players and reactions to other pages' "elite pulls," and quickly found that his audience felt the same quiet indignation. Ball knowledge was getting too casual, and people wanted a higher standard.

Ethan Ward, the New Zealand–born, Australia-based creator behind ForgottableNBA, came at it from a different angle. His page — which he started in September 2024, hitting 10,000 followers within two months — is built around short clips and literary captions about players on the fringes of NBA history. He describes ball knowledge the way a connoisseur might describe wine: There are levels, the bar is always rising, and what counts today might not count tomorrow.

"If they started for a full season, it's probably not ball knowledge," Ward says. "Especially with the way this kind of genre has ballooned — the threshold is being raised every three months."

Ward's origin story is more accidental. He was thinking about what he calls "a gap in the market" — the fact that he had near-infinite access to play-by-play clips from any NBA season going back years from his freelance work. He started with a single clip, a missed Cory Joseph floater. The post read "Forgettable NBA Moment No. 1: Cory Joseph tries to beat the clock but fails." People liked it. As more clips got posted, someone asked for a box score. Then the write-ups got longer. Six months in, Ward was doing full long-form posts, and the responses started coming in within hours of posting.

"I didn't realize there was such an appetite for it," Ward says.

What is ball knowledge?

Every culture has its own vocabulary, and the ball knowledge community is no exception. Over hours of conversation, a surprisingly nuanced taxonomy emerged.

There is, first, the question of what makes someone a "pull" — a term for a player whose name earns respectable nods from your friends when dropped in conversation, for a relative combination of obscurity and nostalgia. Coutracos, Ward, and Harrell agree that the best pull is what the latter calls "obscure and recognizable at the same time." He considers Chris Copeland a good example: a six-foot-nine forward who had one memorable run with the 2013 Knicks, could get hot from three, and left enough of an imprint that real watchers of the game remember him fondly. Arnett Moultrie, by contrast, was a process-era 76er who was miscast as a PF who couldn't shoot in an evolving NBA. He's a respectable pull for only the most hardened of zealots.

Then there is the question of the baseline — the floor of ball knowledge, the name that separates people who genuinely follow the game from people who are just adjacent to it. Every creator has one, and the differences reveal just how personal and relative that floor really is.

For Coutracos, the marker is Kosta Koufos. "[He] is the differentiating factor between ball knowledge and not ball knowledge," he says. "He's the most common ball knowledge player, in my opinion."

Harrell's threshold is a bit more sentimental. He mentions Sundiata Gaines, who hit a game-winner with the Utah Jazz and had a memorable run at Georgia in the SEC tournament. Gaines isn't famous, but he's not buried, either. "If people did recognize him, their eyes are going to light up right away," Harrell says. "That's sort of the fun part of it."

Ward, who spent his teenage years watching G League games out of New Zealand, sets the floor considerably deeper, depending on how you look at it. For him, the baseline is simply anyone with a reason to exist in memory: "Someone who has a reason to be remembered. Someone who played a couple years. That would be my current parameters for someone starting out." What that baseline actually looks like, though, shifts constantly.

There is also a category of "overused pull." These are names that became so widely circulated they've lost their value. All three agree without much deliberation: Shaun Livingston's mid-range jumper. Brandon Bass. J.R. Smith reverses dunks. These names have been laundered through so many posts that knowing them signals that you're chronically online, not that you know basketball.

The rules, unwritten and otherwise

A few informal laws of ball knowledge have emerged from the community's ongoing self-governance.

Draft position matters. A lottery pick — even a catastrophic bust — carries an asterisk. Anthony Bennett, the infamous 2013 number-one overall pick who never lived up to his draft position, falls in a gray area: Coutracos thinks he should count because the average fan has probably forgotten him, but acknowledges the logic isn't clean. Alex Len, a top-five pick from that same draft, gets an easy veto. "Top five pick within the last 10 or 15 years — no," Harrell says flatly.

Visibility also counts against you. Kirk Hinrich was a solid NBA role player for roughly a decade, which means he showed up on too many screens to qualify as obscure. College prominence doesn't help either, as a player like Trey Burke gets docked by Ward for his Wooden Award–winning career at Michigan, his deep March Madness run, and his my-player-mode appearances in NBA 2K. That's too much cultural footprint. So players like Shabazz Napier, Jimmer Fredette, or Carsen Edwards wouldn't count as ball knowledge on account of their legendary college runs.

But the most interesting rule is the one about relativity. Ball knowledge, all three creators acknowledge, is context-dependent. Coutracos put it simply: "My 11-year-old cousin comes up to me and talks about Ramon Sessions — whoa, that is very impressive. But if you label yourself an all-knowing ball knower and you're 25 years old and you say Ramon Sessions, it's like, OK, that's not that crazy."

"It's relative," he says. "There are levels."

What's it done for the game

The rise of ball knowledge as a genre has had a measurable effect on how NBA history gets consumed online. Players who spent their careers as footnotes are suddenly the subjects of highlight compilations, long-form write-ups, and spirited comment-section debates.

Ward's ForgettableNBA page is perhaps the clearest expression of this shift. His audience isn't just nodding along. They're asking for box scores. They're pulling up Wikipedia tabs. They're arguing, respectfully, about whether a given player qualifies. A Jason Maxiell compilation went viral within a day of posting. A Rodney Hood write-up got people talking about a player who'd been largely forgotten.

"I kind of bridge the gap between the totally obscure players and the role players that everybody likes," Ward says. He describes a sort of natural selection at work: The players with "verve," with a distinct shot or move or storyline, age better in the culture than the workhorses without it. A player with a reliable midrange is more memeable than a screen-setter. A player with a compelling backstory — like Royce White, the first-round pick who never played due to an anxiety disorder affecting his ability to fly — edges toward ball knowledge even as his career stats don't demand it.

"There's something [where] you go, 'I remember him for a reason,'" Ward says.

Harrell points to what the trend has done for fandom broadly, creating a shared language for the kinds of conversations that used to happen only between lifelong fans at sports bars or on the couch during rain delays. "The general basketball community on TikTok started pushing forward this sports-bar kind of conversation," he says. "Naming role players with your friends almost."

Coutracos has watched it become something even more personal. He gets recognized at pickup gyms. He gets tagged in posts about players he's never covered. His comment sections have become arenas where people prove their knowledge or cheerfully get corrected. "I don't want to give off the vibe of gatekeeping the sport," he says. "My main goal is for them to learn about basketball and laugh a little too."

Raising the bar

There's one thing all three creators seem quietly anxious about: saturation.

Names that were genuinely obscure six months ago now have compilation videos and Reddit threads. The posts that used to require actual recall are getting gamed by people who've simply been online long enough to absorb the canon.

"The goalposts are going to keep moving," Ward says. He imagines a near future where Gigi Datome — the Italian forward who had a brief cup of coffee with the Detroit Pistons — stops being an elite pull and becomes a baseline. "Unless it reaches a point of saturation where it doesn't quite get there. I hope Austin Daye stays Detroit-specific knowledge."

Harrell frames it as an authenticity problem. "If your single memory of Shaun Livingston is the mid-range and not everything that came before in his career — which is even more interesting — that's a good example of fake ball knowledge versus real ball knowledge."

But here, too, there's consensus: The solution isn't exclusion, it's depth. All three push back on the idea that ball knowledge should become a velvet rope, a way to dismiss people who aren't sufficiently obsessed.

"I don't want people to be discouraged by learning about the sport of basketball," Coutracos says. "Just because you don't know a random player from 2012 who played seven games doesn't mean you shouldn't continue to learn about the sport."

Harrell is even more direct: "I wouldn't want it used as a barrier to entry for certain conversations. I don't want it to become a status symbol, necessarily."

What they want, it turns out, is for more people to go down the rabbit hole. To look up Sundiata Gaines. To find out how Kosta Koufos actually played. To discover that Jamario Moon had a dunk package that holds up, and that he played seventy-something games with the Raptors before losing games for Michael Jordan's Bobcats.

That's the core of it, really. Do you know ball? You could.

How to unblock Pornhub for free

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from anywhere in the world with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

Access to Pornhub is in turmoil. Early in 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws. In response, Pornhub banned visitors from those states from accessing their website. The same situation then took place in France, and although Pornhub is complying with the UK's age verification law, users are now required to provide personal information to access the site.

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Credit: ExpressVPN

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Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a timekeeper.

Where did Wordle come from?

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

What's the best Wordle starting word?

What happened to the Wordle archive?

Is Wordle getting harder?

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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

After.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

The Wordle answer today is...

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...

SINCE

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 the latest Wordle.

Hurdle hints and answers for April 3, 2026

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

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.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

To deteriorate.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ERODE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A marine predator.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SHARK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A sticky liquid.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

SERUM

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A god or goddess.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DEITY

Final Hurdle hint

They love to play.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

GAMER

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 3, 2026

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a control freak.

What is Connections?

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: Spiteful
Green: To crave
Blue: Drinkware
Purple: Have it in check

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow: Catty
Green: Hanker (For)
Blue: Cocktail glasses
Purple: ___ Control

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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1026 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

Catty: MEAN, PETTY, SMALL, SNIDE
Hanker (For): JONES, LONG, LUST, THIRST
Cocktail glasses: COLLINS, HURRICANE, ROCKS, ZOMBIE
___ Control: CRUISE, DAMAGE, GROUND, MISSION

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 the latest Connections.

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a clean eater.

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Smooth(ie) operator

The words are related to healthy snacks.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe island plants.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Tropical Fruit.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 3

Acai
Lychee
Guava
Pineapple
Mangi
Papaya
Tropical fruit

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 the latest Strands.

Artemis II just reached a point of no return. Next stop: The moon.

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 23:57:35 GMT

Artemis II has officially left Earth's neighborhood, with the Orion spacecraft now on a three-day leg of the deep space journey toward the moon.

After NASA polled "go" on translunar injection — or TLI, the key engine firing — flight controllers commanded the maneuver just before 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 2, less than 24 hours after the historic mission launched from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

For the U.S. space agency, this moment is the real point of no return in a carefully orchestrated test flight. It's the last major engine firing of the mission. The burn not only pushes the capsule toward the moon, it also serves as the same critical maneuver that will eventually bring the astronauts home.

That's riskier than NASA's usual spaceflights. On the International Space Station, astronauts circle Earth every hour and a half. If something goes wrong, they're never more than about 90 minutes from an emergency landing. But on Artemis II, as soon as controllers take this step, NASA has committed to the rest of the mission, save a couple of options for a U-turn, said crewmate Christina Koch.

"Wrapping our heads around that is very interesting," said Koch, who is heading up those procedures, during a pre-launch news conference. "Before we go into some of our entry [simulations], we talk about how, 'Hey, there's no canceling the countdown on this — we are re-entering,' but the truth is, we are re-entering at the moment we do TLI."

The 10‑day Artemis II flight, led by Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Jeremy Hansen and Koch, aims to pave the way for a moon-landing during Artemis IV as early as 2028. This mission tests the resources needed for that upcoming journey: NASA's powerful rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the teams on the ground who guide them.

In future Artemis missions to the moon, the agency wants astronauts to practice living for longer periods away from Earth before pushing on to Mars, where crews will need far more extraterrestrial survival skills.

NASA's Artemis II mission launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 6:35 p.m. ET April 1, 2026. Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky

So far the crew has set up the spacecraft toilet — with a few setbacks — and performed a piloting demonstration for steering toward and around the spent propulsion system. The exercise was meant to test how Orion's manual controls handle, as this will become necessary in future missions for docking with moon landers in space.

The astronauts are also acclimating to life inside the capsule. The cabin has had unexpectedly cold temperatures. The crew unpacked extra long-sleeve shirts from their suitcases to try to warm up.

At the end of Flight Day 1, the astronauts' sleep was disrupted by a middle-of-the-night, brief engine firing to adjust Orion's orbit around Earth. The ill-timed operation was part of the plan, and the crew returned to their sleeping bags for a few more hours of rest before the translunar injection burn.

Koch set up Orion's system for the burn, performed by Orion's main engine on the European Service Module. The system provides enough thrust to accelerate a car from zero to 60 mph in less than three seconds.

Over a 10-day spaceflight, the Artemis II crew will fly around Earth and then the moon, testing the Orion spacecraft's life-support systems. Credit: NASA infographic

The roughly six-minute engine firing was necessary to speed up the spacecraft so that it could escape Earth's gravitational pull. This technique allows the astronauts to travel without having to make major course corrections along the way.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

The burn has reshaped the spacecraft's path into a long loop that will carry them out a quarter‑million miles from home. It will also harness the moon's gravity to slingshot Orion back to Earth. This is the first time since 1972 that humans have left Earth's orbit.

The mission configuration is what's known as a free-return trajectory, said Lakiesha Hawkins, an exploration systems development administrator.

"This is something that we've experienced before," she said. "If you recall in your history, we did that on Apollo 8 and Apollo 13."

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:21:48 GMT

Google just released the latest version of its open AI model, Gemma 4, on Thursday. Crucially, Gemma 4 is a fully open-source model licensed under Apache 2.0, which is typically not the case with frontier models.

Open models can be run locally on users' devices, and Google says Gemma 4 can be run on "billions of Android devices" and some laptop GPUs.

"This open-source license provides a foundation for complete developer flexibility and digital sovereignty; granting you complete control over your data, infrastructure, and models," a Google blog post reads. "It allows you to build freely and deploy securely across any environment, whether on-premises or in the cloud."

Most people have likely heard of Google's popular Gemini AI model, thanks to the ubiquitous AI chatbot that's been integrated into many of Google's products.

Gemma is also a large language model (LLM) and was developed from the exact same technology and research that Google DeepMind used to build Gemini 3.

Google is calling Gemma 4 its "most capable" open AI model yet.

Gemma vs. Gemini?

So, how is Gemma different from Gemini?

Gemini is Google's proprietary subscription AI product, and the name of Google's family of multimodal AI models. Gemini has been integrated into virtually all of Google's core products, including Google Search, Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Cloud.

Gemma 4, however, is an open AI model, meaning that the code and data that it's trained on are shared with its user base. Gemma AI models can be run off of a user's local hardware, even without an internet connection. Anyone can download Gemma 4 and run it off their device for free. These open AI models provide a more private and secure experience, as none of the chats, uploaded files, or answers are shared with a third party.

Developers could use open AI models like Gemma 4 in order to integrate AI into their own applications without the need for any recurring subscription costs.

What is Gemma 4?

Gemma 4 brings some advanced capabilities to Google's open AI model family.

According to Google's announcement, Gemma 4 is now capable of advanced reasoning, which includes multi-step planning and deep logic. Google says it has made "significant improvements in math and instruction-following benchmarks that require it" with Gemma 4.

Gemma 4 now also supports processes that are required for agentic workflows and localizes AI coding assistance. In addition, Gemma 4 can process audio and video for speech recognition and interpreting visuals such as charts.

Gemma 4 is available in four sizes based on the number of weights used to power the model: two billion, four billion, 26 billion, and 31 billion.

Hugging Face reports that these open-weight models are available in pre-trained and instruction-tuned variants, offering even more flexibility for developers.

The AI model has been trained on more than 140 languages and has a context window up to 256,000 tokens, according to Google. (The smaller E2B and E4B variants have a context window of 128,000, however.)

Gemma 4 is now open and open source

Now, open doesn't mean open source when it comes to AI models.

Previous iterations of Gemma were open-weight (meaning the training datasets are publicly available) but were still bound by Google's terms, even if users were allowed to download the model onto their device. While users could modify the local LLM, they still had to operate under Google's rules on its use and redistribution.

With Gemma 4, Google has now made the model open and open source.

Google is distributing Gemma 4 under the popular open source software license Apache 2.0.

Under this license, anyone can download and modify Gemma 4 and use it for any purpose, whether for personal or commercial use cases. Gemma 4 can be redistributed without any royalty requirements as well. Basically, the only requirement under the Apache 2.0 license is attribution, and the license must be distributed alongside the AI model.

Looking for Gemma 4? Hot to try it.

Gemma 4 can be found in Google AI studio and can be downloaded from third-parties such as Hugging Face, Kaggle, or Ollama.

The Beats Studio Buds+ are under $100 for a limited time at Amazon — save $70

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

SAVE $70: As of April 2, the Beats Studio Buds+ are on sale for $99.95 at Amazon. That's a 41% discount on list price.

Credit: Beats

Beats Studio Buds+

$99.95 at Amazon
$169.95 Save $70.00

Beats earbuds for under $100? It's not a belated April Fools' joke — this deal is back at Amazon for a limited time.

As of April 2, the Beats Studio Buds+ are down to their best price since July 2025, just $99.95. This is a $70 discount, and you can even choose between three colorways: black, ivory, or transparent.

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They're a truly great pair of earbuds, with impressive sound quality thanks to Beats’ custom acoustic platform. You’ll get support for spatial audio for a more surround-style listening experience as well as both Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes, letting you control how much of your surroundings you hear.

For the battery life, you'll get up to nine hours of listening on a single charge. This is extended to 36 hours with the charging case. They're also a great workout companion thanks to their IPX4 water and sweat resistance. Plus, they come with four different silicone tip sizes to make sure you have a comfortable, secure fit.

This Beats deal has a "limited-time" stamp at Amazon, so if you need some new earbuds, don't miss out on this deal.

The Google Pixel 9 has dropped below $500 — save $300 right now at Amazon

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

SAVE $300: As of April 2, the Google Pixel 9 is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's a 38% discount on the list price.

Credit: Google

Google Pixel 9

$499 at Amazon
$799 Save $300

In the market for a new smartphone? If signing up to a two-year contract isn't what you're looking for, this latest Amazon deal lets you buy the Google Pixel 9 outright for $499. It's normally priced at $799, so you're saving $300.

For this low price, you can choose between the obsidian and porcelain color options. For slightly more ($575), you can pick up the wintergreen model. This is an unlocked phone, so you can use it with the network provider of your choice.

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This phone is built around Google’s AI features, so it truly lives up to its smartphone name. It has Gemini (Google’s generative AI) integrated with almost everything, helping with everyday tasks and searches.

The phone also has a 50MP main camera and a 48MP ultrawide lens. And even these are enhanced with its AI tools. Features like Best Take, Magic Editor, and Add Me will enhance photos and make edits easier. Additional smart features include Pixel Screenshots for saving useful information, and instead of typing, use Gemini Live.

You can find this Google Pixel deal online at Amazon now.

The Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete robot vacuum and mop is still on sale after Amazons Spring Sale — save $500

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

SAVE $500: The Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $999 at Amazon, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 33% discount and a price that matches the record low at Amazon.

Credit: Mova

Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete

$999 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $500

The Amazon Big Spring Sale is officially over. Now, we wait until Prime Day in June or July for the next round of massive discounts. But in the meantime, Amazon has left a few items sitting at the Big Spring Sale price. That's great news if you're looking for a powerful robot vacuum and mop.

As of April 2, the Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $999 at Amazon, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 33% discount that shaves $500 off the normal price. It also matches the record low at Amazon.

A bunch of robot vacuums can now mop your floors, but not all of them can do it well. The Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete focuses on getting both vacuuming and mopping done right. The vacuum uses 28,000Pa suction power to clean all crumbs, dirt, and dust from the floors. Plus, the brush is designed to never tangle.

The mopping functions include hot water mopping and hot-air drying of the mop pads. Plus, Mova uses an AutoShield function to ensure no drips from the mop land on the carpet. This is also an ideal model if your home has higher thresholds, since the Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete can get over obstacles as tall as 3.15 inches.

Pet owners are also in great shape with this model since Mova incorporated two compartments for a cleaning solution. One is designed for standard cleaning while the other is optimized for removing pet odors. The vacuum's cleaning algorithm will decide which cleaning solution to use on which areas.

Instead of staring at a never-ending list of chores, grab the Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete while it's on sale for under $1,000. You won't have to think about vacuuming or mopping with this powerful model.

Make screen time feel like a parenting win with this educational app, now $190 off for life

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: Give your kids the gift of safe screen time with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, currently on sale for just $59.99 (reg. $250).

Credit: Pok Pok

Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription

$59.99
$250 Save $190.01

Tired of the never-ending mom and dad guilt? When it comes to the world of parenting online, it often feels like you just can’t win. That’s why Pok Pok is such a breath of fresh air — it’s an educational and non-addictive way to introduce your children to screen time. A lifetime subscription is even currently on sale for just $59.99 (reg. $250).

If you’re ready to make parenting a little easier, it’s time to introduce your kids to Pok Pok. This app provides a safe, calm screen time experience that uses a Montessori-based approach — emphasizing hands-on learning, independence, and natural development. That means little ones can navigate the app on their own, and learn STEM concepts, language, and numbers in the process.

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Pok Pok doesn’t have any rules — there are no levels, no objectives, and most importantly, no winners or losers. It just lets children have fun while learning and interacting with hand-drawn animations and low-stimulation, in-house-made sound effects.

While many apps marketed to children are loud, bright, and noisy, the award-winning Pok Pok was created with early childhood experts to enrich and support a child’s development. It’s also COPPA-certified and GDPR compliant, so you don’t have to worry that your children will be tricked into making purchases while they play.

This subscription to Pok Pok includes access to new content, plus seasonal and cultural updates for life. You’ll also receive a surprise gift delivered to your doorstep.

Get your own lifetime subscription to Pok Pok for only $59.99 (reg. $250) now.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The best deals on fully automatic espresso machines from KitchenAid — save up to $200

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:00:00 GMT

SAVE UP TO $200: As of April 2, the KitchenAid KF6 fully automatic espresso machine is on sale at Amazon for $1,049.99 (reg. $1,199.99). For a step up, the KitchenAid KF8 espresso machine is also on sale for $1,799.99 (reg. $1,999.99) — a saving of $200.

Credit: KitchenAid

KitchenAid KF6 fully automatic espresso machine

$1,049.99 at Amazon
$1,199.99 Save $150

Credit: KitchenAid

KitchenAid KF8 fully automatic espresso machine

$1,799.99 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $200

If your morning routine begins with endless cups of regular old coffee, it might be time for an upgrade. With an at-home espresso machine, you can start your day with barista-quality specialty drinks without stepping out of your kitchen. While it's not the cheapest investment, it'll certainly put a new pep in your step. Plus, two fully automatic models from KitchenAid are currently on sale for up to $200 off if you're not looking to pay full price.

As of April 2, the KitchenAid KF6 fully automatic espresso machine is on sale at Amazon for $1,049.99. That's 13% or $150 off the list price of $1,199.99. The even more powerful KitchenAid KF8 espresso machine is also on sale for $1,799.99 at Amazon, a $200 price drop from its usual $1,999.99. While those aren't their lowest prices on record, they are the lowest prices we've seen on these models since last summer.

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Both of these models are designed to make creating personalized drinks as easy as touching a button. There's no steep learning curve involved. You can even store the recipes you love based on strength, length, and temperature, making your morning routine a breeze. The KF6 machine allows you to choose from 15 recipe options like Espresso, Americano, Latte, Cappuccino and more, while the KF8 machine ups the options to over 40. There's even several user profiles (four for the KF6, six for the KF8), so each member of the family can have their own unique experience.

Both models offer automatic milk frothing and cleaning, but the KF8 model takes things up a notch with its own included milk container, dual milk delivery, and options for plant-based milk. Either option you choose lets you enjoy unlimited lattes, cappuccinos, and espresso shots without stepping foot in a Starbucks again.

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Voice in CarPlay, but its missing one crucial feature

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:24:17 GMT

OpenAI announced on social media today that it's launching a voice-first ChatGPT experience in CarPlay, the popular Apple dashboard that many drivers use in their car's infotainment system.

That means drivers with Apple CarPlay and supported iPhone models can now talk to ChatGPT Voice as they drive, bringing the AI chatbot on the road.

iPhone users will need to be running iOS 26.4 to activate the hands-free feature.

How to use ChatGPT Voice in Apple CarPlay

Total Time

1-2 minutes

What You Need

iPhone running iOS 26.4+ and a vehicle with Apple CarPlay

Step 1: Update your iPhone to iOS 26.4

Step 2: Update the ChatGPT app to the latest version available in the App Store.

Step 3: Connect your iPhone to Apple CarPlay

Step 4: Open ChatGPT and begin chatting

After connecting your iPhone to CarPlay, you can then open the ChatGPT app and start a new voice conversation or continue an existing chat.

However, the new ChatGPT Voice experience in CarPlay does have some notable limitations. Crucially, it can't help you with navigation or act agentically.

According to an OpenAI help page, "It cannot access maps, vehicle information, or live location," nor can it "control your car or affect other apps (for example, Maps or messaging apps like Mail or Slack)."

OpenAI also includes a safety warning for drivers on its help page. "Only use your mobile device when allowed by law and when conditions permit safe use. Set up the app before driving, rely on hands-free, voice-first features whenever possible, and avoid interacting with your device while the vehicle is in motion."

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.

You can track Artemis II in real time as Orion flies to the moon

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:51:44 GMT

Orion is in space, the Artemis II crew will head to the moon, and you can follow their journey without leaving Earth.

NASA's Artemis Real-time Orbit Website, or AROW, allows the public to track the moonship. During the roughly 10-day test flight, anyone with a phone or computer can see how far the crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — are from Earth.

The tracker turns a complex deep space mission into something easier to understand at a glance. With data from sensors on the spacecraft, AROW takes information already flowing to mission control in Houston and interprets it into simple visuals for the layperson. Instead of trying to picture where the crew might be, you can actually see their path, distances, and major milestones as they happen.

People can download the NASA app or go to the website to give the tracker a spin.

AROW began updating about a minute after liftoff on Wednesday, April 1, and will keep feeding live information until Orion dives back into Earth's atmosphere for a splashdown at the end of the mission. Online, users can see where the spacecraft sits in space and trace its figure-eight route.

NASA's Artemis Real-time Orbit Website provides the public with information about the Artemis II moon mission as it happens. Credit: NASA / AROW screenshot

NASA designed the website to show more than a dot on a map. It highlights key moments in the mission and points out features on the moon, including landing sites from the Apollo program. That lets viewers connect what they’re seeing today through Artemis — named after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology — with the first era of human exploration on the lunar surface.

The NASA app includes similar features, plus an augmented reality tracker. After calibration, the app uses phone sensors to tell you how to move your device so on‑screen markers line up with where Orion is relative to your position on Earth.

For people who love to pore through the numbers, AROW also shares precise data describing Orion's location and motion.

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Since launch, the crew has been in a high-Earth orbit, allowing them time to check out the systems aboard the spacecraft before pushing into a moon-bound trajectory.

Artemis II is NASA's first crewed mission in the Artemis campaign and a major step toward landing on the moon and learning how to live there. By sending astronauts around the moon and bringing them home safely, NASA is attempting to prove the systems needed for future lunar landings — and, perhaps down the road, the first human mission to Mars.

AirDrop on Pixel: Every Google smartphone that supports the Apple feature

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:10:10 GMT

You might not know this, but AirDrop isn't exclusive to Apple devices.

So, if you've grown tired of hearing your Apple friends say, "Just AirDrop it to me," there may be a solution.

The over-the-air file sharing feature is synonymous with iPhones (as well as iPads and Mac devices), but Google recently made it available on select Pixel devices, too. All you need to do is tap the Quick Share button on the content you want to send to a nearby Apple device, and as long as their AirDrop settings are open for business, you'll be able to AirDrop the photo or document to them.

However, not all Pixel phones support AirDrop.

Every Pixel phone that can use AirDrop

Here is the full list of every Pixel phone that can AirDrop content with Apple devices:

In other words, it's only compatible with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 families. There is one notable exception, however: The Pixel 9a does not support AirDrop via Quick Share. Anyone with Google's mid-range Pixel 9 device will need to upgrade to take advantage of this feature.

And hopefully Google can keep this useful feature around for future Pixel releases, too.

iPhone 18 Pro will be missing a popular color, leaker says

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:31:28 GMT

Were you planning to get a black iPhone 17 Pro last year, only to be sideswiped with the revelation that there was no black iPhone 17 Pro? Well, if you were hoping that Apple would come to its senses and release a black iPhone 18 Pro later this year, then we have more bad news for you.

According to one Apple leaker, Apple has no plans to release a black iPhone 18 Pro.

The leaker, known as Instant Digital on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, has a good track record when it comes to advance knowledge of Apple's upcoming devices. Instant Digital has previously shared accurate information in previous iPhone leaks.

This would mark the second year in a row that Apple decided to pass on a black color option for its premium iPhone models. Apple shocked its fans last year when it released the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max without a standard black option (the phones were offered in silver, deep blue, and cosmic orange).

The iPhone 17 Pro line had an anodized aluminum body (instead of titanium), which proved to be extremely scratch-prone, and "scratchgate" could explain the lack of a black color option. Scratches were more visible with the darker deep blue colors.

As 9to5Mac points out, while the cosmic orange offering caught consumers off guard, the color option was actually widely popular and may have partially led to Apple having its best fiscal quarter in its history.

It appears Apple may be trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice. As Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman previously reported, the company is currently working on a "Deep Red" color offering for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models. This would be the first iPhone to come in any shade of red since the iPhone 14 was offered in red as part of the (PRODUCT)RED lineup.

For iPhone users who must have a black color smartphone, the iPhone 18 base model will likely still come in black. In addition, Apple is reportedly passing on any fun colors for the much-talked-about iPhone Fold, which is rumored to launch by the end of the year. Apple appears to be opting for more traditional Apple colors for its first foldable mobile device (think space gray and, yes, black).

With all that being said, Apple could still change its mind or even unveil a completely different color lineup for the new iPhone 18 line come September.

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Publishing a Google My Business Post on a Mobile Device

Tanya Johnson — Tue, 08 May 2018 23:03:13 +0000

Publishing a Google My Business Post on a Mobile Device

Publishing a Google My Business Post on a Mobile Device syndicated from http://krisrgreene.tumblr.com/