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Forgetting your 1Password account information just became a little bit less scary.
The popular third-party password manager announced on Thursday that it is adding "Recovery Codes." These are special codes that can be used to recover your account if all other options fail. It's a new option for people who have forgotten their passwords and can't access their data anymore, but it's not one that 1Password will just automatically handle for you.
SEE ALSO: Apple reportedly gives up on Vision Pro 2, focusing on cheaper model instead 1Password adds recovery codesAs the 1Password blog post points out, setting up a recovery code is on you, the user. Within the 1Password app, find "Manage Accounts," then find "Sign-in & Recovery," then set up a recovery code from there. Crucially, you'll want to copy or write down the recovery code and make sure it's kept somewhere safe.
Once you have the code, that should be a valid way to log into your 1Password account straight from the 1Password website. It's also reusable, which is nice. Hopefully you never need to use it, though.
Anthropic has a new generative AI model to rival OpenAI's GPT-4o with intelligence, speed, and vision capabilities.
On Thursday, the AI company that touts itself as the ethical and responsible alternative to OpenAI, announced Claude 3.5 Sonnet. Within Anthropic's family of models, Claude Sonnet is the middle child that combines speed and performance for most everyday tasks. By comparison, Claude Haiku is the lightest and fastest model, and Claude Opus is the industrial-strength model for complex math and coding tasks.
Claude 3.5 Sonnet is a more advanced version of Claude 3 Sonnet, which the company claims surpasses Claude 3 Opus in intelligence. In the announcement
Claude 3.5 Sonnet (marginally) beats GPT-4o on several benchmarksThe benchmark comparison has become commonplace for every new AI model release. Whether it's Google Gemini, OpenAI's GPT-4o, or Meta's Llama 3, what the public really wants to know is how they compare to their rivals on the standard evaluation tests.
Tweet may have been deletedIn Anthropic's testing, Claude 3.5 Sonnet outperforms GPT-4o, Gemini 1.5 Pro and Llama in several key categories like reasoning and coding. It also beat GPT-4o in graduate level reasoning and equaled it in undergraduate level knowledge. That's not nothing, but Claude 3.5 Sonnet only beats its rivals on most benchmarks by a few percentage points. So to the average user, there might not be a noticeable difference for handling everyday tasks.
As leading AI scientist and professor Gary Marcus notes, the computational gains have slowed lately. "The field spent over $50B last year trying to decisively beat GPT-4, but so far what [I] see evidence for is convergence, rather than continued exponential growth." Besides the fact that AGI might not be as close as we think, Claude 3.5 Sonnet will probably seem pretty similar to other advanced models out there.
Tweet may have been deleted Claude 3.5 Sonnet has vision capabilities with varying degrees of accessClaude 3.5 Sonnet is Anthropic's first free version to have vision capabilities. Like its competitor GPT-4o, which came out in May, Anthropic's latest model can interpret charts and graphs, transcribe text from images, and generally understand visuals and images. A demo in the announcement shows Claude 3.5 Sonnet transcribing data from genome sequencing milestones and a graph of costs over time, and then combining the data into one chart. Next, it puts together a slideshow presentation for a genomics class.
Anthropic says it includes vision capabilities as a feature for the free version of Claude 3.5 Sonnet. But the free version has a window limit that depends on daily usage and capacity. When we tried uploading a screenshot of an image on Facebook, we were told that the limit was exceeded even though it was below the file size maximum. This could be a bug or due to high demand during certain times of day. But just like ChatGPT, 20 bucks a month will get you the Pro version with priority bandwidth and availability.
Claude 3.5 Sonnet doesn't generate imagesClaude 3.5 Sonnet can understand and interpret uploaded images (more successfully if you're paying for the Pro version) but it can't generate images. Unlike OpenAI's DALL-E 3, Anthropic doesn't currently have an AI image generator. This might be because of Anthropic's more cautious approach to deploying generative AI. And AI-generated images take companies into a particularly risky realm when it comes to misuse of the technology.
"Detecting and mitigating prohibited uses of our technology are essential to preventing bad actors from misusing our models to generate abusive, deceptive, or misleading content," said Anthropic describing its approach in the white paper announcing the Claude 3 model family. "User prompts that are flagged as violating the [Acceptable Use Policy] trigger an instruction to our models to respond even more cautiously."
Despite this drawback, users are praising the model for its speed and coding abilities. So there's still enough wow factor to go around.
Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deletedIf you missed out on all the good Memorial Day sales this year, your chance at summertime savings hasn't passed you by. It's only June 21, and some of the best 4th of July sales are already going live. We're keeping track of them all so you don't have to. Here's everything you need to know so far.
Are 4th of July Sales starting early?July 4th is still thirteen days away, but sales are already starting. So far, we're seeing early bird sales from the Home Depot, REI, and Solo Stove. However, there's something for tech shoppers too: HP has also launched its 4th of July sale. And, per holiday shopping traditions, we're already seeing hot deals on mattresses from brands like Sealy, Purple, and Stearns & Foster.
What to buy during 4th of July salesIn these sales, you'll see plenty of deals on home appliances, outdoor equipment, patio furniture, grills, and camping gear that you can put to use this summer.
However, you'll also see big-ticket items like mattresses and laptops. If you missed out on these purchases over the Memorial Day sales, you'll want to prioritize your big purchases as you shop through 4th of July sales.
What are the best 4th of July sales?Some of the best 4th of July sales are already happening, and we've highlighted our favorite deals in our list below. We expect the sales to keep rolling in, and we'll add more of our favorites as they launch.
Best patio deal Opens in a new window Credit: Solo Stove Our pick: Solo Stove Ranger Essential Bundle 2.0 $284.99 at Solo StoveIf you want to make your backyard or patio the go-to hangout spot this summer, a Solo Stove 2.0 can help you do just that. When you shop the Solo Stove Ranger Essential Bundle 2.0, you get the smokeless Ranger firepit, plus accessories including a base plate, stand, lid, and carrying case to complete your setup. While you can save $35 on this particular bundle, the 4th of July is a site-wide event, bringing you discounts from $25 - $150 off.
Best camping deal Opens in a new window Credit: REI Our pick: Copper Spur HV UL2 Tent $317.89 at REITo celebrate the 4th of July, REI is taking up to 40% off its clearance items, bringing you deals on camping gear, kayaks, clothes, and more. One of our favorite standout deals is the Copper Spur HV UL2 Tent. This three-season, two-person tent has an awning-style design, which can protect you from too much sun as well as rain. It's a great option if you prefer to hike into your favorite camping spots, weighing only a little over 2 lbs. Plus, it folds up into a compact 6 x 19.5 inches.
Best grill deal Opens in a new window Credit: Traeger Our pick: Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill $389.95 at Home DepotIf you love that real, wood-fire grill taste, you'll want to scoop up the Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill while it's on sale at Home Depot. This deal saves you over $100, making the sophisticated grill more affordable. We also love the Traeger Pro for its versatility. You can smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ food as well, making the Traeger your ultimate outdoor cooking hub. If you open a Home Depot Consumer Card, you can take and additional $50 off the grill.
Best mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Tempur-Pedic Our pick: TEMPUR-Breeze Collection Queen Mattress $4,099.00 at Tempur-PedicIn the Tempur-Pedic 4th of July sale, shoppers can save $500 off mattresses, plus gain $300 in free accessories. As we head into the hot summer months, we know how important it is to stay cool and comfortable while you sleep. That's why we love this deal on the TEMPUR-Breeze Collection Queen Mattress. The mattress is designed to be cool to the touch, and keep you five degrees cooler as you sleep through the night. With medium firmness, this mattress is suitable for a variety of body types and sleeping styles.
In recent years, TikTok has had a remarkably significant impact on book sales, and 2024 is no different.
BookTok has the power to make or break a bestseller, has its eponymous display tables at bookstores, and has turned authors into superstars. There's a constant debate over how to track your reads (Goodreads or Storygraph), whether audiobooks count as reading (they do), and how the most popular book should be cast if adapted into a film. But despite this consistent drama, BookTok stays reading.
Just six months into the year, the TikTok reader community has already crowned their favorite books.
Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Opens in a new window Credit: Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé at Barnes & NobleThis novel follows a young woman at a boarding school who begins to discover some dark secrets after her roommate disappears. All the while, she's navigating the friendships and politics of a new school. @earlgreypls, a BookTok creator with more than 44,500 followers, said in her TikTok review of the book that the novel is a "slower-paced mystery" that is really focused on character development.
"The author did a great job creating the characters in this story, in my opinion," she said in her TikTok review of the book. "My biggest complaint about this book is that I do think it was longer than it needed to be."
Funny Story by Emily Henry Opens in a new window Credit: Funny Story by Emily Henry Funny Story by Emily Henry at Barnes & NobleRomance novelist Emily Henry, the reigning queen of BookTok, managed to keep the community in her grasp with her fifth book released in the last four years. Known for beloved, bookish protagonists and her playful use of tropes, her latest, Funny Story, follows Daphne, whose fiancé leaves her for his childhood best friend. Left stranded by her ex, she moves in with Mike, the woman her fiancé left her for's ex. After a panicked lie, the unlikely pair pretend to date to keep up appearances in a classic fake-dating story.
BookTok is awash with fancasts, incoherent reactions, and reviews. As one BookTokker, @edensarchives, told her nearly 70,000 followers, "This is some of Emily Henry's best work, and I can say that confidently."
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo Opens in a new window Credit: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo at Barnes & NobleLeigh Bardugo's most recent book follows a main character in early 1600s Spain who has a small amount of magical ability, which is discovered, forcing her to compete with other people with magical abilities. One BookTok creator with more than 25,000 followers, @greekchoir, said while the book was "slower paced," Bardugo has a "rich, dark, luscious writing style."
"I was hooked by the beginning. The middle, however, really lost me in its execution," @greekchoir said in a video about the book. "As talented a writer as Leigh Bardugo is, and as much as I liked what she was doing with her prose and her characters and her themes, once you started stripping that away and getting to the actual meat of the story, it's very very tropey."
But, greekchoir says, "The end of the story redeems it."
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Opens in a new window Credit: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio The Husbands by Holly Gramazio at Barnes & NobleA work of speculative fiction about a young woman named Lauren, whose attic generates a never-ending supply of husbands, each reforming her life in different ways, gives readers a lot to laugh about. In a TikTok video, Finnish author and BookTokker Lottie Saahko called it the funniest book she's read in recent years.
One creator who posts under the handle @geminibookish recommended it to fans of rom-coms and Emily Henry.
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors Opens in a new window Credit: Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors at Barnes & NobleBlue Sisters depicts three very different sisters as they confront grief and heartbreak following the death of their fourth sister. It's a look at familial love and reconnection. It's a multi-point-of-view novel that goes deep into character development.
"This book was everything I never knew I needed, and it scratched an itch so deep in my brain that I could not put this down," @samfallingbooks, a creator with more than 51,000 followers, said in a video about the book. "This book shows sisterhood in all of its forms — in all its messiest forms, but also its purest and most beautiful."
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Opens in a new window Credit: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez $17.99 at Barnes & NobleRomance writer Abby Jimenez doesn't just bake up cinnamon roll book boyfriends; she's also a bonafide baker. But that's not why her latest romance novel, Just for the Summer, has the BookTok community talking. In the book, a traveling nurse named Emma agrees to temporarily date the romantically doomed Justin, but as is the case with all stories, things get more complicated as feelings get involved.
"She just created the best book boyfriend ever," BookTokker @emmalouisebooks raved to her audience of over 45,000. "A million stars for this book."
Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn Opens in a new window Credit: Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn at Barnes & Noble"If you like matching your perfume to your outfit, toxic romantic relationships, and books about writers in the age of social media, then I highly recommend Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn."
That's how @glutenfreeangelfoodcake, a TikTok creator who matches books she reads to fragrances, describes Dorn's newest novel in a video with more than 46,600 views. The book follows a writer who is lightly canceled and throws herself into some sexy, sapphic distractions, all in homage to the genre of lesbian pulp.
"This does fall into the genre of a woman making bad choices, blowing things up, choosing the wrong people to date, and missing meetings with her editor, but I do feel like she experiences decent character growth, which doesn't always happen in these novels, and I felt like that was refreshing," @glutenfreeangelfoodcake says.
Wild Love by Elsie Silver Opens in a new window Credit: Wild Love by Elsie Silver Wild Love by Elsie Silver at Barnes & NobleElsie Silver's latest features a love story between Rosie and her brother's best friend, Ford. The romance writer's stories are in the same universe, so Ford is the brother of Willa from the Chestnut Springs series. Silver's books are on the spicer end of the romance spectrum, and her TikTok devotees love them.
"The easiest five stars ever," BookTokker @yannareads told her nearly 230,000 followers.
Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg Opens in a new window Credit: Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg at Barnes & NobleDakota Bossard, a creator on TikTok and Instagram, told Mashable earlier this year that Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg was a coming-of-age story she was "most excited to read this year." TikTok also showed up to support Eisenberg's newest release. It's a story about two queer housemates in Philly who travel across the U.S. and create an art installation together.
"This book moved me," @tellthebeees, a BookTok creator with over 80,000 followers, said in a video about the book. "It was so beautiful, it was so lyrical, it was so tender."
Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon Opens in a new window Credit: Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon $28.00 at Barnes & NobleRachel Lyon's newest release retells the story of Persephone and Demeter, and BookTok was not disappointed.
"I think this is already my favorite release of 2024, even though it was the first book I read this year," Bossard said in a video about the book. "Perfect for fans of Emma Cline, Raven Leilani, Ottessa Moshfeg, and Megan Nolan."
Over the past few months, many website owners have reported losing traffic due to Google Search updates that dropped their site's rankings in search results.
However, for at least one website, referrals due to Google's search changes have never been better.
It appears the social platform Reddit has greatly benefited from Google's search engine updates. Multiple outlets have reported on Reddit's traffic gains. According to analytics company Similarweb, Reddit's traffic was up by nearly 40 percent year over year in May.
And it seems this traffic surge is most likely the result of Google's actions.
SEE ALSO: Reddit introduces an AI-powered tool that will detect online harassment Google prioritizes RedditReddit is not new. The online platform will be 20 years old in 2025. So, why the sudden jump in traffic?
Anyone who regularly uses Google Search can probably attest to Reddit's recent prevalence on search results pages. This has been widely noticed among SEO professionals and tech aficionados. Steve Paine a manager at the SEO company Sistrix told Business Insider earlier this month, "There hasn't been a website that's grown so much search visibility so quickly in the US in at least the last five years."
Some have speculated that a partnership between Reddit and Google could be behind Reddit's search bump, although Google has denied this. A $60 million deal announced earlier this year gave Google permission to train its AI models on Reddit's content, but Google maintains, per Insider, that this agreement "absolutely did not include ranking its content."
As Search Engine Journal points out, the more likely reason for the increase in Reddit links appearing in Google search, is one of Google's recent search updates. The tech giant recently updated its search algorithm in order to prioritize "helpful content" that appears in discussion forums.
Google Search Liaison Danny Sullivan has recently addressed the issue too, saying that Reddit content is appearing in Google search results more because it's what users are looking for.
There's been a Google search trick for awhile now where users would add the word "Reddit" to the end of their search queries when they wanted to get opinions from consumers on certain products or services. These kinds of Reddit posts are usually filled with unfiltered comments and opinions from other users on whatever the subject matter.
It's not farfetched to assume Google noticed this trend and indeed gave Reddit a boost in search results — whether directly or indirectly — via its recent algorithm update.
While Reddit traffic is riding high now, we'll see how long it lasts. As any website owner will tell you from experience, Google can quickly reverse your gains in its next update.
SAVE 10%: As of June 21, get the new Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for 2022's Elden Ring from the Newegg for 10% off for Xbox and PC when you use promo code XPERDTREE.
Opens in a new window Credit: Newegg 'Elden Ring' Shadow of the Erdtree $35.99 at NeweggElden Ring is a ridiculously popular game even now, two years after its debut in 2022. It's a sprawling, brutal fantasy adventure as it is, now made even more extensive with the release of its first expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree. It's out today on all platforms, so you can dive in right now. Normally you'd likely be paying full price for content like this the day it drops. Luckily, Newegg has your back with a sale that'll net you some cash off your purchase for a limited time.
As of June 21, get 10% off digital Xbox or PC keys for the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC at Newegg. Normally $39.99, that brings your total down to just $35.99. You'll need to use promo code XPERDTREE at checkout, where your discount will automatically be applied. Your code will be emailed to you, but keep in mind there are no refunds and no returns offered for digital purchases.
You'll also have to make a Newegg account to buy, as you cannot guest checkout for these items. Also, this code is solely for the DLC expansion. You need to already own Elden Ring on the corresponding platform you purchase for to play. If you still need a copy of the full game, there are multiple discounts going on now.
This is the first (and likely only) DLC expansion for 2022's Elden Ring. It's your ticket to explore a brand new area of the Lands Between: the Land of Shadow. The storyline focuses on Miquella, the brother of one of Elden Ring's most challenging boss encounters, Malenia, and serves up dozens of hours of fresh new content to devour. It's here just in time for the weekend, you can save some money on your purchase, and life is good. Go forth, Elden Lord, and conquer.
While Walmart's members-only sale turned out to be pretty underwhelming, Amazon came through this week to feed our hunger for deals. And today, June 21, is no different. We've handpicked a few of the best deals we could find at the mega retailer, so you can kick off the official start of summer with savings on big name brands like Google and DJI.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. Be sure to check back at our picks from June 19 and June 20 as well, since many of those are still live.
Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Sunny Health and Fitness Sunny Health and Fitness Premium Treadmill $399.99 at AmazonIf you don't want to spend the money on a Peloton or other high-tech, fancy-featured treadmill, this option from Sunny gives you all the essentials on a budget. It includes a dozen incline levels, real-time heart rate monitoring, Bluetooth connectivity, convenient speed buttons, built-in speakers, and a basic LCD display for metrics. It's worth noting, however, that it only has a max speed of eight miles per hour, so faster runners might find that there aren't enough speeds. For everyone else, it's a solid option to get your steps in or get your sweat on without spending an arm and a leg. It's regularly $529, but you can get it on sale for just $399.99 as of June 21. That's a savings of 24%, which is its biggest discount in six months.
Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI FPV Explorer Combo $769.99 at AmazonThe DJI FPV is a pretty sweet drone for more advanced users. It shoots 4K/60fps video with a 150-degree FOV at up to 120 Mbps, resulting in crisp details that truly capture the beauty of the flight. Zip through the sky at up to 87 miles per hour with up to 20 minutes of runtime and safety features that prevent you from crashing into obstacles. The Explorer Combo even comes with the DJI Googles Integra, which allow for a first-person flight experience. The bundle regularly goes for $999, but you can slash 23% off as of June 21 and get it for an all-time low $769.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Liberty 4 NC $74.50 at AmazonThe Soundcore Liberty 4 NC wireless earbuds are some of our favorites wireless headphones under $100. But don't think a low price tag means a lack of features. These babies include Adaptive ANC 2.0, which analyzes your environment in real time to automatically adjust the proper noise-cancelling mode. They also feature Wind Noise Reduction, 3D Surround Sound, and custom HearID sound settings, which may not be perfect, but are cool to have. Regularly just $99.99, you can pick up a pair on sale at Amazon for just $74.50 as of June 21. That's 25% in savings and just a few bucks away from their all-time low price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) $179.99 at AmazonIf you're looking for the best bang for your buck on a smartwatch with Fitbit capabilities built in, this deal on the Google Pixel Watch is worth a look. It's not our favorite smartwatch on the market, mostly because its features-to-value ratio is a bit skewed at its full price of $279.99. With its current 36% discount, however, we're more inclined to recommend it. As Alex Perry noted in his review, it's a good watch for "a huge fitness freak who also happens to be totally bought into Google’s hardware ecosystem." Pick up the WiFi version in the Obsidian colorway for only $179.99 as of June 21.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
GET A GIFT CARD WORTH UP TO $150: Apple rarely has discounts on its products, but leading up to back-to-school season, it's offering $50 off iPads and $100 off laptops. Plus, with your purchase, receive a gift card worth up to $150.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple $150 Apple gift card with purchase of MacBook Get DealHaving tested hundreds of laptops, our favorite is from Apple. MacBooks are sleek in design, easy to toss in a backpack, and they also have advanced processing power. They're the most loved models of creative industries like video editing or graphic design. So it's safe to say they're coveted.
Unfortunately, Apple has taken advantage of that and rarely offers sales on any of their products... until back-to-school season. That's when you can start to find some price cuts directly from the source. When it's time to head back to school, Apple offers a variety of discounts as part of its Education Store, including a special discount that's running from now through the beginning of fall in September: a gift card that can net you a decent discount off of a Mac or iPad, just in time for the new school year to begin.
As of June 21, Apple is offering $50 off iPads and $100 off laptop purchases bought from the Apple Education Store. Additionally, you'll get a $150 Apple gift card when you purchase a MacBook or iPad. Just add the unit you plan on purchasing to your cart and check out, and the $150 gift card will automatically be applied to your total. It will be sent to your email address within 24 hours of your purchase being shipped or confirmed for pickup at an Apple Store. The Apple Gift Card may then be redeemed independently of your purchase. This sale is valid through September 30, so you have a few months still to decide what you're interested in buying.
There are a wide variety of options and configurations to choose from if you're looking to bring home some new Apple tech. Whether you want to pick up a base model MacBook Air or a souped-up MacBook Pro, you can benefit from this deal. If you need to bring home a new MacBook or other Apple product, you'd do well to take advantage of this sale while it's on.
Adobe has rolled out a new addition to its Lightroom photo editing platform called Generative Remove. It leverages Firefly, Adobe's generative AI model, to enable novice and hobbyist photo editors alike to select and erase elements from pictures, where the replacement content seamlessly fits in with its surroundings.
Opens in a new window Credit: Adobe Lightroom $9.99 at AdobeWith the recent arrival of Generative Remove, three major reasons emerge that make Lightroom a powerful photo editing suite for non-pros:
Easy clean-upWith Generative Remove, Lightroom users can simply mouse or swipe over objects, people — whatever is interfering with their otherwise well-composed photo, and the tool will automatically recognize the thing that doesn’t belong and wipe it from the image. You don’t need to define the element by outlining it. Generative Remove just knows what you’re pointing out and how to get rid of it.
Plus, the AI engine can generate ultra-realistic backgrounds or mimic complex patterns like paisley based on a photo’s visual information.
Studio-level lens effectsLightroom comes with Lens Blur, a tool for adding professional-grade lens effects to your photos in post-production. With this feature, you can achieve the soft focus and macro-lens look and feel associated with studio shooting with the output of any camera or smartphone.
There are also seven presets to choose from, giving novices an easy way to apply these dreamy effects to their photos.
Mobile-friendly workflow Credit: AdobeAdobe knows that so much of today's photography is captured and viewed by smartphones. The company has built out a truly mobile-optimized UI for its Lightroom app so that creators can manage their photo production from start to finish, all in the mobile app. This includes Generative Remove.
If you're ready to try your hand at the latest AI-enhanced Lightroom, Adobe is offering a seven-day free trial. Get started here.
The directorial debut of Julio Torres, co-creator and co-star of the celebrated comedy series Los Espookys, has already won over the hearts and minds of critics and now it's on its way to streaming to win over yours. Problemista is a whimsical tale of of immigrants and outsiders in New York who make the city their home. It stars Torres himself opposite Tilda Swinton, not to mention a gaggle of other stars, including Isabella Rossellini, Past Lives' Greta Lee, A League of Their Own's Kelly McCormack, Hacks' Meg Stalter, Abbott Elementary's Larry Owens, and Wu-Tang Clan's RZA. Mashable's Film Editor Kristy Puchko has dubbed it "one of the best films of 2024," highlighting that it's not only a clever story, but also "a deeply funny, feel-good movie that doesn't pull punches on its political or social satire."
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Problemista at home.
What is Problemista about?Problemista is a quirky comedy about how Alejandro (Julio Torres), a young man from El Salvador, seeks to make his dreams of designing toys in New York City a reality. Those dreams, however, along with his immigration status, are in jeopardy and he must turn to the aggressive, fire-breathing art critic Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) for support. She takes him under her wing and an unlikely friendship between misfits is born. Expect tons of laughs, zany characters, political and social satire, and lots and lots of trash.
Is Problemista worth watching?As noted above, Problemista has earned a top five spot on our list of the best movies of 2024 (so far), and other critics appear to agree. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has earned an 88 percent critic rating and 84 audience rating. It may not have wowed overall at the box office, but its limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on the first weekend in March posted the highest per-screen average, grossing $140.9k on just five screens. That just proves that box office numbers aren't everything.
As Mashable's Film Editor put it, "In short, it's one hell of a directorial debut."
Read our full review of Problemista.
How to watch Problemista at homeJust a month shy of its theatrical debut, Problemista became available to watch at home via video-on-demand sites like Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home (Vudu). You can purchase the film for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days. Just remember once you start watching a rental, you'll have just 48 hours to finish before you lose access. If you'd rather stream Problemista, keep reading to learn more.
As of April 19, you can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:
Prime Video — buy for $17.74, rent for $3.74 for Prime members
Apple TV — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
YouTube — buy for $19.99, rent starting at $4.99
Problemista is set to make its streaming debut on June 28 on Max. This comes as no surprise, since A24 has a licensing deal with Max to bring its releases to the platform following their theatrical run. Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are some ways you can save some money on your plan. Check out the deals below.
Best Max streaming dealsBest for those new to Max: Get a free seven-day trial through June 23 Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max trial free for 7 days through June 28 Get DealMax is one of many streamers that typically does not offer a free trial to its service. However, through June 23, new users can sign up for a free seven-day trial. That trial period would allow you to watch Problemista when it premieres on Max, if you time your trial to line up with the release date. It'll be a close call, but you can technically stream it for free, then cancel your account before being charged. The trial is available through all three tiers: With Ads, Ad-free, and Ultimate Ad-free. Just remember, if you don't cancel before the trial is up, you'll be charged the full monthly price for whichever tier you choose — $9.99/month, $16.99/month, or $20.99/month.
Best Max streaming deal for most people: Save 17% on Max with ads annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (with ads) yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save 17%) Watch NowMax subscriptions start at $9.99 per month if you don't mind ad interruptions. You have the option to sign up for a single month (once Problemista is released), then cancel before you're charged for another. However, if you stick with it for the long haul, you can score a discounted subscription. An annual plan with ads goes for $99.99 per year, which breaks down to just $8.33 per month — that's 17% (or $1.66) in savings per month. The only downside is you'll have to splurge on a full year upfront.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 17% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (No Ads) annual subscription $169.99 per year (save 22%) Watch NowCan't stand ads interrupting your viewing experience? There are two ad-free tiers to choose from. The basic Max Ad-Free tier will run you $16.99 per month, while the Max Ultimate tier goes for $20.99 per month. However, if you opt for a yearly plan instead, it will only cost you $169.99 per year (which breaks down to $14.17 per month) or $209.99 per year (which breaks down to $17.50 per month). That's a total savings of 17% on either plan.
Note: While both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, the Ultimate tier takes things a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: Cricket / Max Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month plan Watch NowIf you've never considered Cricket as a wireless provider, this deal might change that. Cricket Wireless customers on the $60 per month unlimited plan get Max with ads for free as long as their accounts remain in good standing. That's a $99.99 per year value. Head over to the Max app or navigate to Max.com on a browser, then choose Cricket as your provider and enter your credentials to log in. Then you'll be able to watch Problemista and plenty of other A24 films at no extra cost. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more.
Bugatti is known for very fast, expensive, and extravagant cars. The company is also known for upping the ante every time a new model is released, and the new Bugatti Tourbillon, launched on Friday, fits the profile perfectly.
The name tourbillon comes from the world of mechanic watches, where it means a cool-looking rotating thingy that makes the watch a little more accurate and far more expensive. On the Bugatti Tourbillon, it also indicates priciness — the car starts at €3.8 million ($4.06 million) — but it's mostly a nod towards those mechanical watch makers that dare to be different.
Unmistakably a Bugatti, but (partially) electric inside. Credit: Bugatti RimacThe Bugatti Tourbillon is, indeed, very different, not only when compared to other cars, but also other Bugattis.
It's the first Bugatti in decades that's not powered by a turbocharged W16 engine, instead coming with an 8.3-liter, naturally aspirated V16 engine that produces 1,000 horsepower, and paired with three electric motors (two in the front, one in the back) producing an additional 800 HP.
SEE ALSO: Best car CES 2024: Forget the Sony car! This Razer car has an Xbox Series X What, you thought the doors open to the side? Credit: Bugatti RimacNot all of the numbers are available yet, but what we do know is pretty nuts: top speed is 277 mph, the car goes from 0-186 mph in less than 10 seconds and from 0-62mph in less than two seconds. The only metric where your electric Volkswagen may fare better is the all-electric range, which is just 37 miles for the Tourbillon.
The fact that the Bugatti is now partially electric is no surprise given that Bugatti is now a part of Bugatti Rimac, with CEO Mate Rimac known for its electric supercar, the Rimac Nevera. It's also a very strong trend, with sports car makers such as Porsche, Lamborghini, or Koenigsegg all going fully or partially electric in the past couple of years.
Wait, where are all the screens? Credit: Bugatti RimacBut inside, the Tourbillon is defiantly non-electric-looking, instead opting for a car interior equivalent of a pricy mechanical watch. Among the many analog gizmos inside, the one that catches the eye is the instrument cluster, which is placed inside of the steering wheel yet remains fixed as you turn the wheel. It looks odd, yeah, but we guess it's the sort of thing people with $4 million to burn on a car may be looking for.
The details make a car like the Tourbillon, and there are tons to soak in. The materials are, of course, the most expensive you can get; as Christophe Piochon, president of Bugatti, said in a press release, "If you see a piece of what you think is titanium, then that’s what it is." This especially goes for that instrument cluster, which is constructed from titanium as well as gemstones like sapphire and ruby, as well as the center console, which is a "blend of crystal gass and aluminum." Oh, and Bugatti's engineers even thought to increase the storage space compared to the Chiron, though you will have to buy bespoke Bugatti luggage to take full advantage of that.
If you think it's titanium, then that's what it is. The trick is in never allowing yourself to think of cheap materials. Credit: Bugatti RimacThe Bugatti Tourbillon has now entered its "testing phase," with prototypes already on the road. Customer deliveries are planned for 2026; Bugatti says that 250 units will be made (by hand, of course), and Rimac says they're all "mostly" sold out already.
TL;DR: Watch West Indies vs. United States in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free on Disney+ Hotstar. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
We're now into the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup Super Eights phase, and the next fixture is one fans won't want to miss as co-host nations West Indies and the United States go head-to-head. This year's tournament is fairly monumental, marking the first time the USA has hosted a global cricket competition.
If you catch all the action from West Indies vs. United States in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, keep reading because we have all the information you need.
When is West Indies vs. United States?West Indies vs. United States in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on June 21 / 1:30 a.m. BST on June 22. This fixture takes place at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
How to watch West Indies vs. United States for freeSmartphone users in India can watch the 2024 Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup for free on Disney+ Hotstar.
This free content is geo-restricted to India, but anyone from around the world can access this free live stream with a VPN. These powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access this free content on the Disney+ Hotstar app from anywhere in the world.
To access free T20 Cricket World Cup live streams, follow 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 India
Download the Disney+ Hotstar mobile app
Watch West Indies vs. United States in the 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch West Indies vs. United States (plus the rest of the T20 World Cup) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Disney+ Hotstar?ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing live sport on Disney+ Hotstar, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including India
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch West Indies vs. United States in the 2024 T20 World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
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: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for June 21 SEE ALSO: 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for June 21Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, June 21, 2024:
AcrossWhat drivers in New Jersey can't legally get on their ownThe answer is gas.
The answer is orbit.
The answer is fiona.
The answer is fever.
The answer is few.
The answer is grief.
The answer is above.
The answer is sinew.
The answer is off.
The answer is tar.
SpaceX has a new option for users who want to take their satellite internet with them.
Called Starlink Mini, it's a smaller version of the Starlink antenna. SpaceX says (via CNBC) it's a "compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack," which provides "high-speed, low-latency internet on the go."
The new antenna, which costs $599, isn't widely advertised on SpaceX's website or social channels yet, Instead, SpaceX has been sending its customers emails, offering Starlink Mini as a limited release.
According to the VP of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, Michael Nicolls, the company is currently ramping production of the Mini, which will be available in international markets "soon."
SEE ALSO: Watch SpaceX's Starship booster ace its splashdown for the first timeNotably, Starlink Mini is pricier than the standard Starlink antenna, which costs $499. But in its email to customers, SpaceX said that its goal is to reduce the price of the Mini, without going into specifics.
Sawyer Merritt listed Starlink Mini's detailed specs on X. According to his tweet, Starlink Mini is 63 percent lighter than the standard Starlink antenna, but consumes less power, has a built-in WiFi router, and has max download speeds of over 100 Mbps.
Tweet may have been deletedSpaceX is offering the Starlink Mini bundled with the Mini Roam service, which offers 50GB of mobile data (which can be used anywhere in the U.S.) for $30 per month.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk chimed in on Twitter, saying that he setting up the Starlink Mini took less than five minutes, and that the dish is easily carried in a backpack.
Tweet may have been deleted"This product will change the world," he tweeted.
Of the myriad controversies plaguing OpenAI, the issue of training data has emerged as the most polarizing. For publishers, this polarization comes in the form of a choice between getting as far away as possible, or cozying up and making a deal.
OpenAI has kept a lid on information about what models like GPT4o were trained on, meaning ChatGPT's recipe is a secret. Similar LLMs, however, are fed on social media posts, blogs, digitized books, online reviews, Wikipedia pages, and pretty much any piece of information on the web that you can think of. In fact, at least one scholar, Berkley computer scientist Stuart Russell, thinks most of the known internet was gobbled up by LLMs in order to replicate human intelligence and mirror it back to us in automated form.
Naturally, AI training data also includes articles from online news and media sites.
Publications soon caught on that ChatGPT's knowledge of historical and current events was clearly fueled by stories published on their sites (even paywalled pages) and that OpenAI was profiting from it. What has followed is a messy copyright dilemma with no clear answer. Publications like the New York Times have filed lawsuits against OpenAI alleging copyright infringement. OpenAI claims "training AI models using publicly available internet materials is fair use." But, while the careful wording of "publicly available" may sound like "public domain," it only refers to how the data was obtained, not the copyright status.
As Ed Newton-Rex, CEO of the AI certification organization Fairly Trained, says, "there is a very real danger that the phrase 'publicly available' is used to hide copyright infringement in plain sight." Yet OpenAI has deep historical precedent on their side, and U.S. copyright laws strongly protect fair use and freedom of information.
Tweet may have been deleted A way to avoid obsolescence, or a 'devil's bargain'?The question of what OpenAI can legally feed into its models is still being worked out, but in the meantime some publications have sorted themselves into factions to settle the question in the short term: some block OpenAI from ingesting their products altogether, while others have struck deals.
Media companies that have partnered with OpenAI argue that generative AI is here to stay, and that it's better to get a piece of the pie than risk becoming obsolete. Plus, partnering with OpenAI gives publications some semblance of control over how their journalism surfaces in ChatGPT responses.
"As the media and technology landscapes change, it’s vital that accurate, trustworthy information reaches the public," said Pam Wasserstein, president of Vox Media, which recently announced a licensing partnership with OpenAI, "and this partnership recognizes that human creativity and quality journalism are a key part of responsible deployment of generative AI."
Jessica Lessin, CEO of The Information, who is critical of these deals, has summed them up as follows:
"Facing the threat of lawsuits, they are pursuing business deals, to absolve [OpenAI] of the theft. These deals amount to settling without litigation. The publishers willing to roll over this way aren't just failing to defend their own intellectual property — they are also trading their own hard-earned credibility for a little cash from the companies that are simultaneously undervaluing them and building products quite clearly intended to replace them."
More succinctly, Damon Beres from The Atlantic (one of the publications that signed a licensing agreement with OpenAI) called striking a deal "a devil's bargain."
What OpenAI gets from these deals is pretty clear: exclusive access to real-time news, splashy displays of goodwill towards media, etc. But for publishers, there's little public knowledge about the terms of the licensing agreements. Vox's statement about its deal mentions "innovative products for Vox Media’s consumers and advertising partners," but it's not at all clear exactly what goodies Vox, or any of these companies, may receive. It's worth noting that many of the announcements mention access to reader data and insights as part of the exchange. So you can bet your ChatGPT data will play a part in the agreement.
Here's who has been successfully courted so far. We've also rounded up all the media companies that have sued OpenAI for copyright infringement. Read on and stay tuned since this story is sure to have updates.
Media companies that have licensing deals with OpenAIAssociated PressOn July 23, 2023, the non-profit news agency announced a deal with OpenAI. As part of the deal, OpenAI is granted access to the AP's news archive going back to 1985 for training its models and providing ChatGPT responses based on its data. "AP firmly supports a framework that will ensure intellectual property is protected and content creators are fairly compensated for their work," Kristin Heitmann, AP senior vice president and chief revenue officer, said in the announcement.
Axel SpringerPublications: Business Insider; Politico
On December 13, 2023, the German media company Axel Springer which owns Business Insider and Politico announced its OpenAI partnership. "We want to explore the opportunities of AI empowered journalism – to bring quality, societal relevance and the business model of journalism to the next level," said Axel Springer CEO Mathias Dopfner. Axel Springer reportedly received tens of millions of euros for the deal.
FT GroupPublication: Financial Times
Colloquially known as the FT, the British daily newspaper announced a partnership with OpenAI on April 29, 2024. The agreement "recognises the value of our award-winning journalism and will give us early insights into how content is surfaced through AI," said FT Group CEO John Ridding.
Dotdash MeredithPublications: People, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, Investopedia, InStyle, Verywell
On May 7, 2024, the media company that owns several lifestyle and entertainment magazines announced an agreement with OpenAI. "This deal is a testament to the great work OpenAI is doing on both fronts to partner with creators and publishers and ensure a healthy Internet for the future," said Neil Vogel, CEO of Dotdash Meredith.
News CorpPublications: The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, the Daily Telegraph, Barron’s, MarketWatch, Investor’s Business Daily, FN, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Australian, news.com.au, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail, The Advertiser, Herald Sun
Fox News parent News Corp, best known in the publishing context for owning the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post announced a deal with OpenAI on May 22, 2024. "We are delighted to have found principled partners in Sam Altman and his trusty, talented team who understand the commercial and social significance of journalists and journalism," said Robert Thomson, News Corp CEO.
Vox MediaPublications: Curbed, The Cut, The Dodo, Eater, Grub Street, Intelligencer, New York Magazine, Now This, Polygon, Popsugar, SB Nation, the Strategist, Thrillist, The Verge, Vox, Vulture
Vox Media announced a deal with OpenAI on May 29, 2024. The company which owns a collection of publications that span technology, culture, sports, entertainment, and food, allegedly didn't inform its staffers ahead of time.
"As both journalists and workers, we have serious concerns about this partnership, which we believe could adversely impact members of our union, not to mention the well-documented ethical and environmental concerns surrounding the use of generative AI," said the Vox Media Union in a statement on X.
The AtlanticThe Atlantic shared its partnership with OpenAI on the same day as the Vox Media announcement (May 29, 2024). "We believe that people searching with AI models will be one of the fundamental ways that people navigate the web in the future,” said Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic.
But "generative AI has not exactly felt like a friend to the news industry, given that it is trained on loads of material without permission from those who made it in the first place," countered Beres, senior technology editor at The Atlantic in his aforementioned story.
Media companies that have filed lawsuits against OpenAIOn December 27, 2023, The New York Times was the first major publication to file a lawsuit against OpenAI and its major investor Microsoft for copyright infringement. The Intercept, Raw Story, and AlterNet, represented by the same law firm, filed lawsuits against OpenAI, alleging violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act on February 29, 2024. The Intercept also included Microsoft in its suit.
A collection of daily newspapers consisting of New York Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, the Sun Sentinel of Florida, San Jose Mercury News, The Denver Post, the Orange County Register and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft in April 2024.
One of my favourite sex toys looks like a slice of jelly. It’s a psychedelic shade of bright green and shaped like a tiny rectangle and has a slippery silicone texture. It also requires zero batteries or power at all. It sounds simple, but it’s the simplicity of the TENGA Uni toy that I love so much. Able to slip over fingers or a penis (or whatever else you fancy) and usable by yourself or with partners, each colour of this toy provides a different barrier of texture, giving that contact a little something extra.
For a long time, vibrators were a woman or person with a vulva’s first port of call when it came to self pleasure, or adding a toy to partnered sex to elevate sensations. Rabbits, which vibrate on both the clitoris and the G-spot, have been knocking around for literal decades and women have been masturbating with massage guns since the moment they realised it was possible.
But now, toys like the Uni — ones that don’t buzz but instead offer other types of sensations — are on the rise. Over the last few years, we’ve watched as the iconic Womanizer toy developed air pressure technology and became a staple on every woman’s bedside table, a clit sucking toy received viral acclaim as the world’s best sex toy, Lovehoney released a popular water-based toy, and toys that require no power at all like grind pads entered the scene.
Mashable looks into whether we might be moving away from vibration and shifting towards toys that provide other sensations instead, speaking to sex toy retailers on the trends they’ve noticed.
Why vibration doesn’t work for everyoneNow that I think about it, I don’t really get on with vibrators as much as I used to. Having vaginismus (a condition that causes involuntary vaginal contractions that make penetration difficult), internal toys like rabbits were never for me. I did once love my trusty massage wand (which focuses on the external) and it was a perfect first toy but I found that once I discovered the other sensations and technologies available on the market, vibration simply couldn’t live up to it.
Most of the time, I get pins and needles in my vulva before I’ve got anywhere near to finishing and toys that prioritise other sensations simply do the trick better than vibrators ever have with me.
SEE ALSO: Playboy Pleasure just dropped three new sex toys — two have a detachable cock ring base34-year-old teacher Charlotte feels similarly. "I have never got on with vibrators to be honest. I think I just used them because everyone was," she tells Mashable. "I much prefer using texture based toys like grind pads now. They don’t look like much but they provide so much incredible sensation — it’s actually amazing."
"I have never got on with vibrators to be honest. I think I just used them because everyone was."And this makes sense, since massage wands were never invented for women in the first place. Massage wands were created as a medical device for men. It was later, when it was discovered that their wives were using them for sexual stimulation, that they were repackaged and sold as a sex toy.
Of course, since then, plenty of sex toy developers and retailers have updated the massagers and other buzzing toys to suit women entirely. That’s why they still remain so popular. But there’s no doubt that
Annabelle Knight, sex and relationship expert at sex toy retailer Lovehoney, says that the arrival of the Womanizer clit sucker in 2014 created a huge momentum shift in which sensations women look for in a sex toy. "In recent years, as the options have increased several fold, this has snowballed even further. Clitoral suction vibrators have been the best selling category on Lovehoney for a number of years now, outselling the next biggest category by more than double in 2023," she explains.
She adds that both Lovehoney’s best selling product – the Lovehoney x Romp Switch – and Lovehoney’s most famous product (the viral Rose toy) use air pressure, which shows how popular that technology has become over vibrators.
Kelly Gordon, sales and creative lead at sex toy brand Hot Octopuss, tells Mashable she’s also seen a rise in people looking for sensations outside of vibration for its sex toys. Hot Octopuss’s best selling toy is not a vibrator, but toys that use its PulsePlate Technology™. This technology essentially works by using oscillation as stimulation, rather than traditional vibration. "The result creates deep rumbly sensations that stimulate whole areas of the anatomy," Gordon explains. "We use this tech and the design of our toys to ensure that you can use our products in whichever way suits the user," she adds. For example, the flat side of the products can be used for wider stimulation or the tip for a more targeted sensation.
Since these products have been made with women and vulva owners in mind specifically, with decades of technological advancement under the developers' belts, it makes sense that these toys would be preferred over vibes.
Advancements in sex techAdvancements in technology mean that companies have been able to produce new products and new forms of pleasure that, for some people, work better than their predecessors, according to Knight
We’ve come a long way from misusing medical devices until they were offered to us directly. From air pressure technology to pulsating technology, and the embracing of AI and Virtual Reality technology in toys, sex tech has made leaps and bounds. Knight suggests the excitement of having new things to try may be the reason why so many of us are swapping out vibrators for other options.
SEE ALSO: Has sex tech capitalism hijacked sexual liberation?One example of this is Womanizer’s new water technology. In 2023, Womanizer created yet another non-vibrating sex toy with the potential to make as many waves as the Womanizer toy did. They launched a shower head as a sex toy, which Knight says has been extremely popular. This toy works by manipulating water to stimulate the clitoris and other erogenous zones, rather than any physical ‘vibrations’ of sorts — looking exactly like a regular shower head (you can replace your current one with it).
Sexual wellness is accepted more into the mainstream, the consumer and the industry alike are becoming more innovative in what they are willing to try or create, leaving room for these ‘less traditional’ categories to grow.
28-year-old marketer Caitlyn collects sex toys, telling Mashable that she loves to have a "variety of sex toys that offer different experiences". She’s a big fan of the Womanizer toy, the shower head they developed, and Hot Octopuss’ pulsating technology. "For someone who just loves sex toys and is a bit obsessed with them, these new technologies are just way more exciting than vibrators are," she adds.
"Using texture based toys, especially ones that can slip over the hands, is much more friendly for my disability than using vibrators." How new tech helps accessibilityAnother reason why these new technologies are giving vibration a run for their money is accessibility. 33-year-old receptionist Daisy tells Mashable that being disabled leaves her with limitations in the bedroom sometimes. "Using texture based toys, especially ones that can slip over the hands, is much more friendly for my disability than using vibrators," she explains. Having Endometriosis, she adds that vibration can also "rub the wrong way" and finds that grind pads offer her the much gentler sensation she needs during a flare up.
All this isn’t to say that the Rabbit, the Bullet, or the Wand are dead – quite the opposite in fact. 45-year-old property assessor Eleanor tells me she’s tried "basically every sex toy under the sun" and "the rabbit reigns supreme". "I grab every rabbit I can get my hands on," she tells me. "Double vibration will never be beaten for me".
SEE ALSO: Tired of casual dates? Try the best dating apps for serious relationshipsIn fact, Lovehoney shares that one of their rabbits is still in their top five best selling products this year. They’re just seeing other kinds of sex toys on the list for the first time.
What the shift does demonstrate is a better understanding of women’s pleasure from sex toy developers and retailers, an acknowledgment from toy designers that different stimulations work for different people. If you’re still clinging to your vibrator, more power to you. But there's now a wealth of choice on the market available to those who — like me — are over it, and that’s really exciting.
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