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UPDATE: Sep. 11, 2024, 11:00 a.m. EDT Check out the latest Apple deals from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and more.

Best Apple deals this week: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $899 at Amazon (Save $200) Get Deal Best iPad deal iPad Air (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $549 at Amazon (Save $50) Get Deal Best Apple Watch deal Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) $189 at Amazon and Walmart (Save $60) Get Deal Best AirPods deal Apple AirPods Max $429 at Amazon (Save $120) Get Deal

Apple may have an iron grasp on the general population, but when it comes down to it, their products look good, work well, and stay cutting-edge — so of course, people love 'em. Whether you build your calendar around Apple events or just want solid tech no matter the brand, Apple's got you covered. Sure, they're a little notorious for their high prices, but we've rounded up the best deals on iPads, AirPods, MacBooks, and more to help you save where you can.

iMac and MacBook deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $899.00 at Amazon
$1,099.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The M3 MacBook Air is no longer at its $850 record low, but $899 is still a solid deal for one of the best chips you can find in a MacBook, along with an 18-hour battery life, WiFi 6E support, and the ability to connect up to two external displays with the laptop lid closed. Of course, it also has the signature portability of the Air line, making it great for working at home or taking on the go. This price also puts it just $50 above the M2 MacBook Air with the same specs, offering a bit more future proofing without a huge price bump.

More iMac and MacBook deals

MacBook Air

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $649 $899 at Walmart (save $250)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $799 $999 at Amazon (save $200)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $999 $1,199 at Amazon (save $200)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,099 $1,299 at Amazon (save $200)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,149 $1,299 at Amazon (save $150)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,399 $1,499 at Amazon (save $100)

MacBook Pro

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,299 $1,599 at Amazon (save $300)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M3 Pro, 36GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $2,499 $2,899 at Amazon (save $400)

Mac

• Apple Mac mini (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $499 $599 at Amazon (save $100)

• Apple Mac mini (M2, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $689 $799 at Amazon (save $110 with on-page coupon)

SEE ALSO: Apple's new AirPods 4 and updated AirPods Max are available for preorder iPad deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $549.00 at Amazon
$599.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Though it's still $20 away from its record-low price, you're still saving $50 on a tablet released just over a couple of months ago. The M2 chip gives a zippy upgrade to 2022's Air, and offers starting storage of 128GB compared to the last gen's 64GB. Considering this was one of our biggest gripes with the 2022 Air, we're happy to see that this change came without a price jump.

More iPad deals

iPad (10th gen)

• Apple iPad (WiFi, 64GB) — $299 $349 (save $50)

iPad Air

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) — $729 $799 at Amazon (save $70)

iPad Pro

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $899 $999 at Amazon (save $100)

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,099 $1,199 at Amazon (save $100)

SEE ALSO: The best iPads for reading, working, and streaming Apple Watch deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple Watch Series SE (40mm, GPS) $189.00 at Walmart
$249.00 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking to get an Apple Watch on the cheap, you'll want to check out this Apple Watch SE deal at Walmart and Amazon. This smartwatch is more on the basic side, without an S9 chip (and therefore Double Tap), an ECG sensor, and a display that maxes out at 1,000 nits of brightness (as compared to 2,000 nits). It may not be the newest Series 10, but it can still act as a heart rate monitor, and of course, the ability to download a whole host of apps at a fraction of the price.

More Apple Watch deals

Series 9

• Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm, GPS) — $299 $499 at Amazon (save $100)

• Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm, GPS) — $329 $429 at Amazon (save $100)

SE

• Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) — $189 $249 at Amazon (save $60)

• Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS) — $219 $279 at Amazon (save $60)

• Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS) — $219 $279 at Walmart (save $60)

• Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS + cellular) — $229 $299 at Walmart (save $70)

Ultra

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 — $689 $799 at Amazon (save $110)

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 9: All the new upgrades AirPods and Apple accessories deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple AirPods Max $429.00 at Amazon
$549.00 Save $120.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review on the Apple AirPods Max.

We'll be the first to admit the AirPods Max aren't typically our top pick from Apple's headphones line, but a $120 price tag reduction certainly helps. At $429, these headphones are about $35 away from their lowest price ever, making their flaws — like a lack of a case and on button — feel less egregious, and their strengths — like their excellent sound quality and active noise cancellation — shine even more. Plus, considering that Apple didn't really give the AirPods Max an upgrade, so much as fresh coat of paint and a new charger, grabbing these headphones at a such discounted price is extra worth it.

More deals on AirPods and Apple accessories

• Apple AirPods (2nd gen) — $89 $129 at Amazon (save $40)

• Apple AirTags (4-pack) — $79.98 $99 at Amazon (save $19.02)

• Apple Pencil Pro — $114.99 $129 at Amazon (save $14.01)

• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) — $189.99 $249 at Amazon (save $59.01)

SAVE $30: Sign up for Hulu + Live TV and get a $30 rebate on your first month's subscription, which costs $76.99 per month after your free three-day trial.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (with ads) + Live TV at Hulu
Get a $30 rebate after your first month Get Deal

You have many options these days when it comes to choosing which streaming platform you prefer. In fact, there are so many options (that come with pages of fine print) that it can feel overwhelming when all you really want to do is binge some great shows. Thankfully, Hulu has a great bundle that neatly packages your favorites all in one. And if you sign up today, you're in for a nice rebate.

Until 11:59 p.m. PT tonight, Sept. 11, sign up for Hulu + Live TV and get a $30 rebate at the end of your first month. Hulu (with ads) + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+ costs $76.99 per month, while Hulu (without ads) + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+ costs $89.99 per month. You're eligible for the deal as long as you're a new or returning subscriber. Hulu says you can expect the rebate money to land back in your method of payment in six to eight weeks.

SEE ALSO: Prepare for spooky season with the best streaming deals this week

Just in time for football season, Hulu + Live TV is coming at us with a pretty nice discount. The package includes Hulu (with or without ads, depending on your pricing preferences), Disney+, ESPN+, and live TV from over 95 channels with no cable TV required. To list a handful of channels, you'll gain access to live viewing of ABC, NBC, HGTV, National Geographic, CNN, Hallmark Channel, NFL Network, and many more.

If you're a sports fan, this package could be incredible since it includes live games from both pro and college leagues like the NCAA, NFL, NBA, MLB, and more. (And you might want to check out the best TV deals right now while you're at it.)

And if you're not home to watch your favorite games this weekend, or you're missing out on a new Hallmark holiday movie, go ahead and record it to watch later. Hulu + Live TV comes with unlimited DVR, so you can record all you want with no restrictions.

It's also worth noting the monthly subscription price is set to increase on Oct. 17. Hulu (with ads) + Live TV will increase to $82.99 per month, while Hulu (without ads) + Live TV will jump to $95.99 per month. You're free to cancel your subscription at any time.

If you plan on tuning in to this season's football games, upcoming NBA games, or want to stream all the great new shows coming this fall, signing up for Hulu + Live TV could be a fantastic option. It bundles Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN+ while also giving you access to over 95 channels of live TV. Sign up before 11:59 p.m. PT tonight and get $30 back after your first month.

If there's one thing that gets people off Pornhub, it's an Apple Event. Over the last couple years, Pornhub traffic consistently declined during Apple's slew of announcements — even for people on Android devices. How did the event stack up this year?

Once the event started, viewers on Apple devices closed the X-rated site and tuned into the event: Pornhub traffic dropped 15.2 percent compared to that of an average day.

Those on Android devices, however, didn't seem interested as that traffic stayed at around the average. This continued throughout the event this year — Android users didn't care to watch what Apple had to offer. At least, they didn't care enough to stop watching porn. (And they're not the only ones who found this year's Apple Event to be underwhelming.)

The plunge in Pornhub traffic on Apple devices when the event started. Credit: Pornhub

Another significant dip happened during the announcement of the new AirPods 4: 14.9 percent compared to average. Not as much as the event started, but pretty close. Perhaps Pornhub viewers wanted to see the latest in Apple's noise cancelation tech so they can watch their favorite videos in peace.

Traffic dropped significantly compared to average during the AirPods announcement. Credit: Pornhub

The biggest drop of the event happened — unsurprisingly — during the unveiling of the iPhone 16.

Most Pornhub viewers on Apple devices switched over to watch the new iPhone reveal. Credit: Pornhub

Traffic dropped 16.4 percent compared to average during talk about the latest iPhone. From there, viewership bounced in and out through the continued announcements for the iPhone 16 camera as well as the iPhone 16 Pro.

Once the event ended at 2:40 p.m. ET, Pornhub traffic on Apple devices steadily returned back to average.

See all of Pornhub's Apple Event insights here.

OpenAI reportedly plans to release Strawberry in the next two weeks, as new reports build anticipation for the model's capabilities.

The latest intel about the AI model's release date comes from The Information, which cites two people who have tested the model and shared further details. OpenAI did not respond to request for comment by the time of publication.

Strawberry is reportedly a generative AI model that's capable of advanced reasoning beyond the back-and-forth responses that the current models provide. Based on earlier reports from Reuters, Strawberry can perform multi-step tasks based on a single query and "plan ahead enough to navigate the internet autonomously and reliably to perform what OpenAI terms 'deep research.'" This would put the model one step further towards OpenAI's goal of developing autonomous AI agents.

It's unclear whether Strawberry is related to SearchGPT, OpenAI's search engine that is currently a prototype only available to a small group of users. But according to The Information, Strawberry is reportedly a standalone model that can also be used with ChatGPT, possibly through a drop-down option within the app.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teased Strawberry in August with a wink-wink image of a strawberry plant, further adding to buzz about the mysterious new model. OpenAI's Dev Day is October 1 in San Francisco, which is when OpenAI was expected to announce something about Strawberry. But now it looks like we'll hear about it sooner than that.

Tweet may have been deleted

The recent outlook on generative AI tools was somewhat tempered recently by talks of an AI bubble, fueled by waning investor interest, consumer backlash, and apathy towards its general usefulness.

But if OpenAI can successfully tackling the tricky "reasoning" problem as reports of Strawberry suggest, it might just reignite the AI hype machine. If the rumors about investing the AI company are true, Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft certainly believe in OpenAI's promise.

With part 2 of season 4 of 'Emily in Paris' coming up, Mashable Senior Social Media Editor, Lily Kartiganer, has some strong feelings about where the series has gone.

Blair Underwood talks candidly about what made him feel comfortable and excited to work on the series 'Three Women' now moving to Starz

"Only Murders in the Building" cast Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez appeared on "The Tonight Show" and spent time roasting Jimmy Fallon and each other.

Now that we've had two days to dig into every little detail Apple shared at Monday's "It's Glowtime" event, it's time to focus on the stuff that was left unsaid.

There were quite a few details Apple never mentioned — but perhaps should have — at the event. For the consumers, some of these are good, some bad, and some ambiguous, but they're all quite important, especially if one is looking to buy one of the new Apple gadgets shown at the event.

SEE ALSO: Apple event underwhelming? Wait for the iPhone 17.

Here's our list of all the hidden details that Apple sort of glossed over on Monday, and if you've noticed any others, do let us know in the comments!

FineWoven cases are out, but FineWoven wallets are still here You can't buy this case anymore, but you can still buy the wallet. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Ahead of the event, rumors swirled that Apple wasn't too happy about users being very unhappy about the company's FineWoven accessories. The FineWoven stuff, reports said, is on its way out, and the reports were accurate — well, partially.

Apple's FineWoven accessories did not get a mention from Apple at its event this year, but all of the FineWoven cases for the iPhone were removed from the Apple Store. Oddly enough, the FineWoven wallets are still available. It's hard to speculate on why Apple chose to remove the cases but leave the wallets, but my guess is that the cases, being the more expensive gadget, drew more anger from users when they started to wear down.

Featured Video For You Apple iPhone 16 Hands On

It's also worth noting that Apple didn't replace the FineWoven cases with a new, leather-like-but-environmentally-friendly material. Instead, the company now only offers Apple-branded clear cases and silicone cases for iPhones.

All of this makes it a little hard to give a clear verdict; FineWoven cases obviously didn't stand the test of time, but we hoped for a replacement, which just hasn't happened.

Verdict: MixedThe mystery of iPhone 16's battery life Now we know. Well, sort of. Credit: Apple

Throughout the event, Apple kept saying that the new iPhones, both the 16 and 16 Pro variety, have improved battery life, but the company wouldn't share a single, precise figure related to it.

Those battery life figures came later in the form of Apple's spec sheets for the devices, and the figures look great, promising (roughly) a 15 percent improvement in battery life across the board (read my detailed report for more).

Still, one has to wonder: Why was Apple so coy about the battery life improvements? Perhaps the company just decided not to drown the audience in more numbers. Or, if we're being really optimistic, maybe the company knows the battery life improvements are so good, that it wants independent reviewers to be amazed when they test the phones themselves.

We'll know for sure when we spend some more time with the devices. Until then, based on the official specs, we'll call this a win.

Verdict: Probably goodAirPods Max still don't support lossless audio We had our fingers crossed, but it was not meant to be. Credit: Apple

The AirPods Max did not get a true upgrade on Monday; instead, it got the AirPods Pro 2 treatment, in which Apple added new colors, a few software features, and switched the Lightning port out in favor of the more universal, and EU-preferred, USB-C port.

One thing that irked me when the AirPods Max launched was that they didn't support Apple Music Lossless (lossless audio compression) in any way, shape or form. Here's Apple's own document confirming it. That was four years ago, when the AirPods Max were originally released and now, in 2024, there's a slightly updated version of AirPods Max which...still doesn't support lossless.

Did we really expect it to happen? No, but it's still a bummer.

Verdict: BadBut you can buy cushions in new colors for your existing AirPods Max Really love the purple AirPods Max? You can get just the cushions, for $69. Credit: Apple

If you have the old version of AirPods Max, you probably don't need to upgrade to the new AirPods Max, as the only big differences are the colors and the USB-C port replacing Lightning.

But if you really like the new colors, which are namely Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and Orange, you can get official ear cushions for the AirPods Max in these new colors. It'll cost you $69, but if the old cushions are worn out, perhaps that's a better upgrade than dishing out $549 for the entire headphones.

Verdict: GoodThe displays on the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro have a new trick 1 nit minimum brightness: check! Credit: Apple

The bad news here is that iPhone 16 and 16 Plus still don't support ProMotion, meaning their displays are capped to 60Hz. They also do not support Always-On, which remains reserved for the Pro models. It's a bummer, given that many mid-range Android phones these days have 120Hz displays.

We like the fact, however, that all of the new models — iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max — support 1 nit minimum brightness.

If I had to explain how that will benefit the iPhone 16 models, I'd mutter something unintelligible while awkwardly staring at the floor, because the 1 nit minimum brightness makes the most sense when paired with Always-On and StandBy, saving battery life and making the phone easier to look at in near-total darkness. But those features remain reserved for the Pro models for now; perhaps the 1 nit minimum brightness is signal that Apple will bring them to the regular iPhones, too?

Verdict: Mixed

Jimmy Kimmel has recapped the Harris-Trump presidential debate.

In case you missed it, a sequel to Happy Gilmore is happening. And to mark the beginning of production, star Adam Sandler posted a photo on Instagram that has people ready to go eat some hay, lay by the bay, and make things out of clay.

Following a post by Netflix's official account on Monday, Sandler posted the same image on his own page, a photo of the hockey jersey his character defiantly dons playing golf in the first film. In reference to a quote from Happy Gilmore, Sandler captioned the post, "It ain’t over. The way I see it… we’ve only just begun."

View this post on Instagram

It's the jersey Happy Gilmore insists on wearing when Chubbs Peterson (the late, great Carl Weathers, who passed away in February) lambasts him for not wearing golfcore. Happy replies, "If I saw myself in clothes like that, I’d have to kick my own ass."

It's all in the hips. Credit: Everett / Shutterstock

The Netflix-produced sequel to Sandler's 1996 comedy about a terrible hockey player turned accidental golf pro will see Sandler back in one his most iconic screen roles, with Murder Mystery director Kyle Newacheck at the helm. Sandler wrote the screenplay with Tim Herlihy, and Happy Gilmore director Dennis Dugan is executive producing.

SEE ALSO: The 25-year 'Happy Gilmore' anniversary has sparked a mini Twitter reunion

Also returning are his original co-stars Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald, who played publicist Virginia Venit and pieces-of-shit-for-breakfast-eater and villain Shooter McGavin, respectively. The cast had a mini Twitter reunion in 2021 for the 25th anniversary of Happy Gilmore, seeing McDonald extending Sandler an invitation to the ninth green at nine.

On Tuesday, it was announced Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasió, AKA Bad Bunny, has also joined the cast.

Sandler's post has people either psyched or worried about the upcoming sequel, with comments ranging from "Please don't screw it up," to "Not me thinking this was a random account at goodwill complaining about the prices LMAO" to fans dropping quote after quote from the original.

For now, Netflix and Sandler appear to be harnessing the good energy, blocking out the bad. Harness. Energy. Block. Bad.

Stephen Colbert broke down some key moments from the Harris-Trump debate during a live monologue.

I've always been a "Pro Max," "Ultra," and "XL" stan. Whether it's an Android or iOS device, I want the latest and greatest offering from Samsung, Google, and Apple.

For example, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is a beast of the phone, with a "can't stop, won't stop" battery life runtime that blew us away. Plus, its Super Res Zoom is pretty sick. Meanwhile, I wouldn't even look at the cheapest Pixel 9. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra sports an S Pen that I would never give up for a stylus-less base model.

As for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I love that I can experiment with Apple Intelligence, which is currently in a super early beta version of iOS 18, while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models lack Apple's new suite of AI features. Yawn!

Now that the iPhone 16 has dropped, I thought I'd lean more toward the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but for the first time ever, the entry-level model (i.e., non-Pro iPhone 16) caught my eye.

SEE ALSO: Apple Event 2024: Everything announced, including iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 iPhone 16: Why it's more attractive than ever

Apple has been known to reserve its spotlight new features for Pro models (before, at times, rolling it out to the lower-tier models the following year.)

For example, on the iPhone 13, the Pro-only headliner was debatably the LiDAR scanner, which supports augmented-reality (AR) capabilities that lets users play around with apps that blend their real-world surroundings with fun virtual overlays.

LiDAR was the hot new thing when iPhone 12 launched. Credit: Mashable

On the iPhone 14, Dynamic Island was the hot new feature exclusive to the Pro models while the lower-tier models kept their yawn-worthy notches.

Dynamic Island had everyone talking. Credit: Mashable / Stan Schroeder

Last year, the Action Button was arguably the most eye catching new feature on the iPhone 15 series, allowing users to assign their favorite apps to the new upper-left side key for easy access.

Credit: Apple

Another striking perk that hit the iPhone 15 line last year? The new "tetraprism" telephoto feature, which is just marketing mumbo jumbo for a new 5X optical zoom capability (up from 3X). This feature was reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, so the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro were left out of the party.

This time around, with the launch of the iPhone 16, Apple is a little less stingy. The marquee feature for this current-generation of iPhones is Camera Control, a new button on the lower-right side of the iPhone that lets you quickly use intuitive gestures to access popular Camera app features, like zoom, Photographic Styles, and more.

Using the Camera Control button Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Surprisingly, Camera Control isn’t a Pro-only feature — it’s available across the entire lineup. I hope Apple isn’t reading this (because I don’t want them getting any ideas), but as someone who always snaps up the pricier Pro Max, Ultra, or XL models for that "crown jewel" feature, I have to admit — for the first time in years — I don’t feel the need to with the new iPhone 16.

I suspect I'd be "complete" with the iPhone 16, which is a rare feeling when it comes to entry-level smartphones these days.

Sure, I'll lose out on the iPhone 16 Pro Max's new features like 4K video capture at 120Hz, studio-quality mics, a spacious 6.9-inch display, audio track layering in Voice Memos, and more, but I could live without those.

Holding an iPhone 16 Pro model in Desert Titanium Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

At just $799, the entry-level iPhone is more attractive than ever with the following new perks:

• Apple Intelligence

• Visual Intelligence

• Camera Control button

• Tougher Ceramic Shield display for increased durability

• Vivid colors

Colorways of recent iPhone generations have been too "blah" for me, but the new Pink, Ultramarine, and Teal shades finally have that punchy vividness I've been looking for.

iPhone 16 in Pink Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Even though the iPhone 16 doesn't a telephoto sensor, Apple discovered a way to somewhat compensate for this, so much so that you can reportedly get high-quality zoomed-in photos by up to 2X. Not as appealing as the 5X optical sensor on the iPhone 16 Pro models, but it'll do.

iPhone 16 in Ultramarine Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The only thing that gives me pause is the fact that the iPhone 16 Pro Max, in terms of battery life, will reportedly have the longest runtime of any iPhone. I'm a sucker for power efficiency, but without performing an in-house test first, I'm not quite sold yet.

Anyone else leaning toward the entry-level iPhone for the first time? Leave a comment down below.

The iPhone 16 entry-level models start at $799. The iPhone 16 Pro variants start at $999.

Once pushed to the margins of acceptable language thanks to campaigns like "Spread the Word to End the Word," the R-word all but disappeared from common use by the early 2010s. But in 2024, it seems to be making a troubling comeback, particularly on social media platforms like X. This reemergence is more than a linguistic relapse — it's a reflection of how digital platforms are reshaping cultural norms in a way that seems to prioritize engagement over all else.

"⁤⁤Its increasing use stands in the face of decades of progress," Katy Neas, the CEO of The Arc, a group whose work focuses on promoting and protecting the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, told Mashable. "⁤⁤People with disabilities have made it clear: this term is hurtful and unacceptable. ⁤⁤Yet, [the] persistence of this slur shows we still have work to do."

As social media platforms like X allow offensive language to spread under the guise of free speech, the lines between humor and harm blur, revealing how digital spaces have become battlegrounds for societal norms. As if to illustrate just how difficult it is to tackle an issue online, there are very few useful tools that track harmful content on social media. Google Trends can tell us how often a word is searched, but it can't tell us how often a word is used on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X. And while the data is hard to pin down, there's plenty of anecdotal evidence that the word might be on the rise.

In the trailer for a comedy series starring Brian Jordan Alvarez, two teachers comment about how kids "aren't into being woke" anymore and that they're "saying the R-word again." Posts using the word on X routinely get thousands of likes, bookmarks, and reposts. And "edgy" "comics" get hundreds of thousands of views on videos using the word in their sets. The comeback of the word not only highlights the failure of content moderation but also a broader shift in how technology amplifies toxic behavior, undermining the work of advocates who have fought to create a more inclusive world.

Over the years, there have been movements to eradicate the word — which Nease says has "long been weaponized to demean and marginalize people with disabilities" — from our vocabulary. For instance, in 2009, the Special Olympics launched a campaign called "Spread The Word to End the Word," aimed at raising awareness about the damaging effects of the word "retard" and encouraging people to pledge to stop using it. Over time, the campaign has made a significant impact in schools. 

"'Spread The Word' is a hugely popular activity for our students to get involved in because it is very tangible, it is very specific, and kids have a lot of experience with this word and with bullying and teasing and inappropriate language in general," Andrea Cahn, the Senior Vice President of the Unified Champion Schools at the Special Olympics who works with the Spread the Word campaign, told Mashable. "So it's something they can take real action on and see the change."

Eventually, students began giving feedback that the campaign needed to evolve, Cahn said. They reported that the R-word was rarely used anymore and wanted to shift the focus toward other ways to promote inclusion while still maintaining the original mission.

SEE ALSO: Doggos, puppers, oh h*ck: Dog speak is cringey, but no one cares

A decade after "Spread The Word" launched, there's renewed concern about the slur's resurgence, primarily driven by social media. It could be a reflection of the culture at large — people seem to be saying the word with abandon in real life, too, perhaps influenced by the church of Shane Gillis — or that anonymous posting is getting out of hand.

"Because the tenor of social media is to be provocative and tease and [be] mean-spirited, the humor mixed with the meanness seems to be like this toxic cocktail that's very popular," Cahn said, noting that the rise of user-generated content has changed the way offensive language is used. 

And it's true. Content moderation often changes the way we speak as we look for alternatives to some words (seggs for sex or unalive for dead) that we fear could be impacted by the search algorithm. However, the R-word is not always affected by the algorithm.

Search for the word on X, and you'll find people trying to be funny by using the slur. "you are not 'demure' or 'mindful' you're retarded," reads one post with over 3,900 thousand reposts and 30,000 likes. "I love smoking weed until I'm retarded," reads another, with 1,200 reposts and 6,500 likes. "Chasing fat butt freshman around campus like a retarded Labrador" has 2,700 reposts and over 70,000 likes. There are hundreds of these examples, all with many likes and reposts.

And that's just on X. On Instagram, no results are yielded in Reels for the word "retarded," but there are results for the word "retard," which are predominately French reels ("retard" is the French word for "delay"). On TikTok, users could once search for "retard" and "retarded," but after contacting the platform while reporting this story, those terms were hidden from search along with other slurs. Now, searching for the R-word or any other slur on TikTok brings up a message that says, "No results found," followed by, "This phrase may be associated with hateful behavior, TikTok is committed to keeping our community safe and working to prevent the spread of hate. For more information, we invite you to review our Community Guidelines." Meta referred us to the hate speech section of its transparency center, which notes that it "prohibit[s] the usage of slurs that are used to attack people on the basis of their protected characteristics." X did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This could be partly due to Elon Musk's dedication to "free speech," no matter the damage. At best, these attempts at humor scrape the bottom of the barrel, shockingly yet wildly shared. At worst, they perpetrate harm and violence.

Language constantly evolves and morphs as our culture decides what is and is not acceptable. Playing with language — especially the words we use to describe ourselves and marginalized communities — can be an effective way to move culture forward.

Some queer men are reclaiming the homophobic F-slur. People are reframing the word "fat" to be a neutral descriptor like "short," "tall," or "brunette." Many women are reclaiming words like "bitch" and "cunt." Angela Davis has advocated for redefining entire categories — womanhood, for instance — so that our language does not "simply reflect normative ideas of who counts as a woman and who doesn't." While reclamation can be risky, activists understand that changing language can often change culture itself, making those risks worthwhile.

Yet, the resurgence of the R-word is not about reclamation. Derogatory terms can only be reclaimed by the groups of people they target, and people with disabilities are not reclaiming the R-word — they're asking people to stop using it.

SEE ALSO: Content moderation is changing how we speak — and dictating who gets heard

"It's not the slurs that people are reclaiming; it's the ability to choose how one refers to oneself," Cahn said. "But nobody I know of is choosing to use the slurs to describe themselves. It could be that because there is more use, more awareness, and more self-advocacy, other folks are feeling the environment of language usage increase and feel like it must be OK for me to use those terms in whatever way I want to."

It's hard to pinpoint precisely why the R-word is resurfacing in our vernacular, but it reflects a troubling de-evolution, one that’s only perpetuating harm against a vulnerable community.

"The resurgence of the R-word, particularly online, is more than just concerning ᅳ it's a painful reminder of our society's gut-wrenching history of discrimination against people with disabilities,"  Neas said. ⁤⁤"This word isn't just offensive; it's a demeaning relic of a past we've worked tirelessly to overcome."

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

VPNs are great tools for anyone concerned about diminishing privacy on the internet. These days, it's difficult to surf the web without leaving behind a trail of your activity.

While there's certainly no foolproof privacy option, VPNs are a popular way to shroud your web identity, and they're available for almost any device that connects to the internet, including iOS devices like the iPhone.

What is a VPN?

A VPN forms a protected tunnel that you send all of your information through. Instead of sending and receiving information in the open, it happens under the cover of an encrypted connection between your iPhone and the websites and services that you are visiting. Nobody can see your data, and all of your activity is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware.

Do you need a VPN for your iPhone?

An iPhone is an expensive purchase, and therefore something that you should really be protecting at all costs. To keep your data protected in transit, you need a VPN. With a VPN's protection, nobody can see or tweak your network traffic, not even the network's owner. VPNs encrypt your traffic before it leaves your phone. This encrypted data stream travels to a server owned by the VPN company, where it's decrypted and sent on its way. This keeps your activity under wraps.

What is the best VPN for your iPhone?

Whether or not you need a VPN is completely up to you. Your iPhone provider isn't going to recommend or offer the service. It comes down to whether or not you'd like to increase your anonymity online — and much of this depends on how you use the web.

If you do wish to invest in a VPN, we can help. We have listed the best VPNs to protect your iPhone, including popular services like PureVPN, CyberGhost VPN, and NordVPN.

These are the best iPhone VPNs in 2024.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

There are a number of reasons why you might want to start using a VPN. These security tools offer many benefits, including bypassing geographic restrictions for unlocking shows and films on popular streaming sites.

VPNs can also help to protect your privacy and make your browsing more secure (although it's always a good idea to vet your VPN provider's claims carefully — some do a better a job than others). VPNs can encrypt your traffic and provide protection against things like hackers, viruses, and malware. All of this is essential if you own a MacBook, because you don't want online threats attacking your most precious device.

What is a VPN?

Without getting too deep in the weeds — we've already done so in our review — a virtual private network, or VPN, is an encrypted connection between your Mac and a private, remote server.

In the most basic sense, it's a service that keeps you totally incognito on the web by masking your online activities and making it seem like your connection's coming from somewhere you aren't. All of your activity is untraceable and secure because everything passes through an encrypted tunnel. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside is protected against online threats.

Do you need a VPN with a Mac?

All Macs and MacBooks come with built-in antivirus software that blocks and removes malware, and any apps you download from the internet are swabbed for malicious code by Apple's Gatekeeper tool. Furthermore, all of the data that lives on your macOS device's hard drive is secured with FileVault 2, a full-disk program featuring XTS-AES-128 encryption and a 256-bit key.

It's when any of your precious data ventures outside the localised protection of your Mac that things start to get dicey — and that happens every single time you connect to the web. Your Internet Service Provider, or ISP, tracks your every click to compile browsing logs they (sometimes) sell to marketers, who are champing at the bit to use your data for targeted ads. That information can also wind up in the hands of certain government agencies if your ISP is served with a subpoena.

Connecting to a public WiFi network is especially risky since you don't know who set it up or who else is using it; wannabe hackers can easily hop on to intercept your internet traffic in some sort of "man-in-the-middle" attack when you're browsing the web at a café, library, or airport.

A VPN takes care of those privacy issues and then some: With your IRL location hidden, you can skirt geo-restrictions that streaming services like Netflix have put in place and bypass government censorship in places like China. Online anonymity also means you're free to dabble in torrenting/peer-to-peer file-sharing — not that we condone the illegal kind.

What should you consider before subscribing to a VPN?

There are a lot of VPNs out there offering similar packages. This makes it difficult to select a service that works for you. To make your life a little easier, we have highlighted a selection of the most important things to consider before subscribing:

• Connection speed: Whether you're looking to use a VPN for online security or streaming, this is massively important. Using a VPN is likely to result in a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept anything significant.

• Encryption: VPNs are primarily designed to provide protection for your data, so encryption is important. The best VPNs will make sure all your data is unreadable and untraceable.

• Number of connections: The best VPNs offer multiple simultaneous connections, so you can stay protected on all your devices at the same time.

• Privacy policy: Your VPN of choice should be very clear about how they handle, store, and use your data. These practices should be laid out in a privacy policy, and if anything isn't obvious, you should look elsewhere.

• Server network: The very best VPNs provide access to literally thousands of servers located all around the world. If you're looking for a stable and speedy connection for streaming, shopping, or browsing, you need options.

You should also keep in mind things like bandwidth limits, apps for certain operating systems, and customer support, but this is a good place to start.

Should you use free VPNs?

Yes, there are plenty of free versions and trials of popular VPNs out there. It may be possible to get full access to everything you get with a premium plan, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with VPNs.

There is almost always a catch with free versions, and it's usually in the form of limited data usage. These plans will work fine if you're just an occasional user, but if you're going to be streaming or downloading, this isn't going to work. Free trials tend to come with everything you get in a paid plan, but this isn't a long-term solution.

We're sorry to say, but to gain access to advanced security and streaming features without limitations on usage, you need to pay up. Fortunately, there are plenty of cheap plans on offer from the most popular providers.

What is the best VPN for your Mac?

There's no specialised VPN for Macs, but almost all major VPN providers maintain support for macOS apps. So, with lots of options, you'll want to think carefully about which features matter most to you: Do you want a VPN with a huge server network and split tunneling for streaming and gaming? Will you feel more confident browsing with a kill switch or multihop (double VPN)? Do you need support for a bunch of connections based on the size of your household? Do you have the budget for add-ons like a dedicated IP?

Choosing the right VPN for your MacBook can be a daunting task. Fortunately for you, we have highlighted a selection of your best options. This list includes popular names like PureVPN, NordVPN, and TunnelBear.

These are the best VPNs for your Mac in 2024.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Most seasoned singles know that dating culture can be broken up into hookup culture and something much more serious. Most online dating sites are a mix of both, and after living with online dating as an increasingly ubiquitous option for the past 20 years, the general public tends to see dating sites as a normal means of finding casual dates or a hookup.

But what if you're looking for a serious relationship that lasts? What if you just don't want to be alone on Valentine's Day ever again? What if you're over casual dating and just want someone consistent to hang out with? What if you have no idea where to start? Big names like match and eharmony likely come to mind, but they're not interchangeable — nor are they your only options.

Can you find something serious with someone online?

The long-term potential of online dating is still met with a cloud of doubt. However, new evidence is proving that relationships that started online might have a stronger foundation than those that started offline. A 2017 study cited in the MIT Technology Review found that people who meet online are more likely to be compatible and have a higher chance of a healthy marriage if they decide to get hitched. If marriage is your goal, you'll be glad to know that another more recent study found that heterosexual couples who met online were quicker to tie the knot than couples who met offline. Either way, online dating seems to be a good recipe for a satisfying, long-term relationship whether it involves marriage or not.

No one is saying that online dating is the variable that changes everything, but the research does point to the fact that people who sign up for dating sites that require thoughtful responses are more ready to settle down. Plus, an uptick in dating app sign-ups — due to sheer boredom or the forced realisation that it'd actually be pretty nice to spoon on a nightly basis — mathematically upped your chances of meeting someone special.

SEE ALSO: The best dating sites and apps for women

It's important to note that Covid has changed dating forever. Communication skills were forced to evolve in the year that most human connection was facilitated through a screen. People learned to voice their boundaries and have serious talks (like about social distancing) early on. Coronavirus anxiety became a natural conversation starter and universal way to bond. More single people may now be more comfortable with delving into deeper subjects with someone they met online — a great thing for serious relationship hunters, if true. Tinder thinks the honesty will carry over when things are back to normal, and hopefully the aggressively horny people will continue to weed themselves out. At the very least, isolation may have simply forced more people to realise that they do, in fact, crave more company than a booty call. Tinder says that more daters are open to "seeing where things go" than they were before the pandemic.

We should also remember what we learned while dating in the era of social distancing: You're never required to meet up with a match in person immediately. Someone's willingness to date you via texting or FaceTime is a pretty clear sign that they're genuinely interested in learning more about you. Even if and when social distancing isn't as believable of an excuse as it was at the start of the pandemic, someone who pressures you to hang out before you're ready probably isn't long-term material.

Divorcees and single parents have particularly high untapped potential on online dating sites, too. True, being in the over-60 group may mean that more people your age are already off the market — but online dating can prove that the mature dating pool isn't as bleak as you think, even if your local one is. People over 50 actually have an advantage over the younger crowd: Many people in their 20s and 30s just aren't ready to settle down. Developing a crush on someone is more likely to end with an awkward "situation-ship" rather than something serious. Most older folks have been figuring this whole "love" thing out for longer than millennials have been alive. With life experience and possible previous marriages under your belt, you know the red flags and you know what you want. If you want commitment, a site with a high barrier to entry — like eharmony, match, or Elite Singles — could help to weed out people who aren't about to pay a high monthly price just to mess around. 

What makes a dating site good for serious relationships?

Do we even need to get into why Tinder is a long shot? Is being introduced to nearly every person in a 10-mile radius worth the cliché bios or how they're "not looking for commitment?" Sure, Tinder has its fair share of those lucky success stories, but it's also the dating app where ghosting, breadcrumbing, and every other disheartening dating trend flourish.

Singles looking for something serious might get frustrated with sites that only give a limited number of matches per day. But choosing sites that force you to be selective really heightens the focus on what you're truly looking for in a perfect match — and gets you closer to cuffing status. 

For online daters who want the power to peruse the dating pool, you need to seek out detailed, high-energy profiles that give a well-rounded idea of who you're messaging. Swiping is guided by the compatibility ranking that most sites offer, which predicts how well you'll get along with other daters based on how you both answered questions. Plus, you can tell how much other daters care about the process by how much effort they put into their profile. If a single sentence about being drama free is the extent of someone's bio, you can assume that they're not taking this seriously and that they almost definitely create drama.

What should you include on your dating profile?

On its face, it makes sense to question the legitimacy of a connection with someone who is only showcasing their best self. But how much more information are you really getting from the tipsy person hitting on you at the bar aside from what they look like in reality? The dating sites that let users express themselves with prompts — from favourite movies to where you want to retire — are setting you up for success by avoiding an unnecessary argument six months in.

The best way to attract genuine people? Be authentic yourself. That's easier said than done when your biggest worry is that a truthful answer — like the fact that you might not be as good of a communicator as you would like — will deter "the one" from swiping right. But deep down, you know that lying on a compatibility questionnaire probably won't lead to a healthy relationship. It's crucial to remind yourself that people who get freaked out by your honesty aren't ideal potential partners, anyway. We've left out the dating sites that get torn apart in reviews for being ravaged by scammers and fake profiles, but asking to video chat before meeting up in real life is a smart way to confirm that the photos match the person behind them.

What is the best dating site for finding a serious relationship?

There are dating sites for hooking up, dating sites for women, dating sites for men, dating sites for satisfying every kink, and everything in between. What we're saying is that there are a lot of options out there, so we've tried to make your life that little bit easier by shortlisting the best options for finding someone who's in it for the long haul.

We've lined up a selection of top dating apps and sites, including big names like eharmony and Match. We recommend taking your time and properly considering all of your options, and then picking a favourite. Then you'll need to actually start dating, but we'll leave that to you.

These are the best dating sites for finding a serious relationship in 2024.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

If you've dated in the past 20 years, it's almost certain that you've encountered a dating site or app. You might have even encountered a few of them (no judgement here). As our lives have moved online in recent years, digital dating has allowed us more freedom to meet others how we choose.

The only real issue with online dating is that there are a lot of sites and apps out there to consider. With so many options, it can be really tricky knowing where to find the best crop of potential partners. Each of the dating apps on offer has a selection of features that will matter differently to you depending on your lifestyle, what you want, and what's most important to you. It's simply a case of finding something that works for you. This is where we can help.

What should you include on your dating profile?

In many cases, the amount of information you can get from detailed profiles is more than what would be covered in the "traditional" period of getting to know someone. The whole "do you want to have babies" thing is a huge piece of information that could decide your future with someone, but it's very possible that such a weighty subject won't be brought up until you've caught feelings or met their parents.

However, many dating sites ask about kids — whether you want them or already have them — during the sign-up process (as well as other potentially-awkward questions), and probably won't match you with someone who has different goals than you do. Similarly, some of OkCupid's matching is rooted in political and social justice views. Will you find out if someone opposes vaccinations on the first date? Probably not, but OkCupid won't send you to get a beer with someone you'd start a fight with on Facebook.

SEE ALSO: How to start dating again after a break

Plus, it's always nice when your current booty call doesn't suck as a person. Even if you're just in it for something frisky and fleeting, the personality you can gather from a simple bio might let you know who's worthy of your time — even if that time is strictly within "You up?" hours.

Julie Spira, dating expert and CEO of cyberdatingexpert.com, says it wasn't always so easy to meet people online. She would know — she's been helping clients find love online since 1994.

"People didn’t have mobile phones and laptops, and the process was people would go home, log on slowly, see who had written to them and write back," she says. "The courtship process was a lot slower, so it took quite a while to get from the first interaction to actually going on a date. Plus in those days, there was a stigma associated with online dating. You did not tell people you met your spouse, or partner, or even a date online."

The rhetoric has clearly come a long way since then, and the digital dating landscape has evolved with people's changing needs. OkCupid realised that the way a potential match votes matters romantically to a lot of people. Women were tired of men blowing up their messages with creepy first-liners, so Bumble came along. "Tindering" is now a verb, but it's far from your only option.

Do you really need to use dating sites?

If you're lucky, you'll find a perfect match right away, but that's not usually how it works out. While you do know more about online matches than you would a stranger you met in person, there's only so much a quick dating profile can tell you.

Dating sites and apps can make finding a compatible potential partner easier, but it's still dating. Not everyone is going to be a gem. While apps like Bumble let you display what kind of relationship you're looking for, others don't, so you might end up going out with someone only to realise you're not looking for the same thing.

That said, there will be people on dating sites who are looking for the same thing as you. And using a dating app to find them is a hell of a lot easier than going up to strangers on the street or in bars and asking if they're looking for a relationship. Apps and dating websites expand your dating pool and allow you to meet people with similar interests you might not run into naturally in your everyday life. You just might need a little patience to find The One.

We haven't reached full AI-based or gene matchmaking just yet, but many modern features facilitating more meaningful matches (or quicker, safer hookups) have sprung up even in the past five years.

What is the best dating site?

Whether you're looking for something specific or a site that ticks every box, we have produced a handy guide that gives you all of the essential details. To ensure that you find a date in time for the weekend, we have tracked down a selection of the best dating sites for everyone, including popular sites like Match, eharmony, and EliteSingles.

All you need to do is check out these dating apps and pick a favourite from the bunch. Once you've made your decision, you just need to get out there and actually date someone. Good luck out there.

These are the best dating sites for finding a connection in 2024.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Would you be chill if someone leaked your entire search history to the government? How about if your internet provider made it so that one episode of The Office took an hour to load? If you've had a crisis about anything like this, you've probably considered investing in a VPN.

We know you've probably seen absolutely loads of VPN reviews from experts across the board, but if you wanted a raw opinion — or thousands of them — from people with absolutely no filter, there's only one place to go: Reddit.

You know it makes sense.

What is a VPN?

The bottom line is simple: People don't want other people watching what they're doing online, even if they're not doing anything wrong.

A VPN (virtual private network) is an internet security subscription that basically allows you to make up your own internet rules. It acts as a bodyguard between you and your internet service provider (and hackers, and other third-party weirdos) by hollowing out a personal security tunnel through which you perform all of your internet activities. A VPN's job is to plug the holes that could be making your data vulnerable to nefarious eyeballs, like creeps scouring public WiFi networks for personal information that could be used to steal your identity. VPNs are as wise of a precaution as antivirus software or a password manager (yes, this applies to Macs too). 

Hackers love free WiFi for the same reason you do: Connecting to the internet requires no authentication. That network is littered with unsecured devices, many times belonging to working professionals with bank accounts and business credentials that have phishers frothing at the mouth. Often, the easiest thing for hackers to do is slide in between your device and the connection point. This Man-in-the-Middle situation is like eavesdropping, but on emails, credit card info, and work logins. Other hackers users public WiFi to unleash malware to all of the suckers using the network without protection.

Many people avoid the public WiFi risk by recruiting their phone's hotspot. But on the flip side, data limits might be an issue — setting up a situation where both a laptop and phone need VPN protection. Many Reddit users suggest using something like EasyTether to share the VPN connection. Just download and enable a proxy app on your phone, configure it on your laptop, and you can enjoy a sort of reverse hotspot VPN-style.

Can you access streaming content with a VPN?

The convenience factor also plays a big role. VPNs also provide a way for people to get around internet roadblocks and censors. These can be location-based or around blocks to certain websites set by, say, your workplace.

All decent VPNs offer a wide selection of servers based in multiple geographic locations. Picking one of those essentially tricks your ISP into thinking your device is based there, maneuvering around geoblocks and opening the door to international content, like another country's Netflix or Prime Video library.

What do Redditors think you should look for in a VPN?

The specs that Reddit users care about in a VPN are easy to tally when the same ones pop up in countless subreddits throughout the year. These are the ones that were mentioned the most: 

• App compatibility — Not all VPNs run equally smoothly on every device. Before you sign up, make sure that the VPN app doesn't have major bugs on your operating system. For instance, some mobile VPN apps don't play as well on iPhone as Android, or an app might keep getting killed depending on other apps sucking your phone's battery.

• Jurisdiction — The country in which a VPN is originally based will dictate the privacy laws that a VPN has to follow. Some places are nosier than others, mostly depending on their membership in an intelligence-sharing alliance (or not): The Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes are all but guaranteed to come up in any subreddit about a certain VPN's privacy policy. Countries in these groups have agreements related to third-party sharing and may be following strict data retention laws, depending on their legal jurisdiction. For instance, a VPN can be based in the U.S. but have an office in Switzerland and follow Swiss legal obligations in order to avoid loopholes that make user data vulnerable.

• Kill switch — This cuts your connection to the internet if a secure connection to your VPN drops without notice. This is less likely on a high-quality VPN with a hefty roster of servers that can balance the traffic of millions of users, but far from impossible. By default, your device will switch back to your personal IP address or, worse, a public one. The speedy end-all action performed by a kill switch essentially ensures that you aren't unknowingly operating on a weak IP address. Some kill switches operate in the form of a firewall.

• No DNS leaking — This is a good test of a VPN's trustworthiness. Think of a DNS (Domain Name Service) as the internet's phonebook: It's the service that transfers host names for humans to understand (like Mashable.com) to IP addresses for computers to understand. A leaked DNS essentially blabs your browsing history to whoever's watching on the other end — thus totally defeating the purpose of a VPN. 

• Split tunnelling — VPNs that support split tunnelling let you route some of your traffic through the encrypted VPN tunnel while bouncing other traffic over the internet directly. One might choose to separate less demanding but high-security activities like web browsing from high-bandwidth but low-security activities like streaming or playing video games. Advantages include reduced traffic on corporate networks, better speeds and reduced latency for the chosen tasks, and more customised privacy. If you're looking to tunnel to specific apps, look for an SSL VPN. 

• Streaming dependability — Lots of people want a VPN solely to watch content from other countries, so a VPN's ability to bypass geoblocks and get around a streaming site's VPN blocks is crucial. The speed at which that content streams matters, too (a fast VPN should be able to upscale to HD without lag). Connection speed and location spoofing are dependent on the number of servers and where they're located — more servers means less people hogging a single server's capacity, and various locations means more streaming libraries from around the world. Free VPNs typically don't have the funds to support a robust menu of servers. For obvious reasons, most big streaming services aren't happy about the idea of VPN usage and will probably mention it in their terms and conditions. If they happen to sniff out your VPN-ridden IP address, you're not necessarily in trouble. The most likely repercussions would be the inability to access the streaming platform (even if it just worked the day before), but there have been instances of steaming services terminating subscriptions associated with spoofing.

Keep these points in mind when shopping around for a VPN.

Should you use free VPNs?

Reddit users will let you know that comparing free VPNs to paid VPNs just doesn't make sense. It's like comparing apples to oranges, and you'll almost definitely be skimping on some crucial features by opting out of paying. Proof isn't always provided, but many Redditors are convinced that free VPNs don't follow a true no-log policy or sell your data to third parties. "Free" is sometimes synonymous with "slow" due to fewer servers in fewer locations.

The general consensus seems to be to only use a free VPN to test the waters, then cough up the credit card info. Most times, this can be done through a trusted paid VPN that has a free tier to experiment with, or via a free trial, which many services offer. However, free VPNs can step up to the job for more temporary endeavors — like having access to your home country's streaming services while going abroad for a semester or keeping up with a certain sport for a season. Because paid VPNs only really get affordable when a one or two-year subscription is met, it may not make sense to pay £10 per month for the few months that you need a VPN.

What is the best VPN according to Reddit?

There are a lot of VPN providers out there offering similar packages and sets of features, so it's difficult to pick a favourite. We've tried to help you make an informed decision by picking the brains of well-informed Redditors.

We actually dug through Reddit threads of users discussing their experiences with VPNs, and lined up a selection of the best services based on those conversations. This list includes popular services like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN, and NordVPN.

These are the best VPNs according to Reddit in 2024.

Apple's iPhone 16 may have headlined Sept. 9's "Glowtime" event, but the introduction of the next generation of AirPods is where things got interesting. AirPods 4 arrives in the standard model and an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) edition, a first for Apple’s entry-level earbuds.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: What are the differences?

ANC, coupled with a refreshed design and a host of other features, marks a significant shift for the AirPods lineup. But the real question is: Should you upgrade from the 3rd-gen model to the 4th-gen? We've broken down the key changes to help you decide.

Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Price

Apple's 4th-gen AirPods are set to launch on Friday, Sept. 20. Pricing starts at $129 for the regular version and $179 for the Active Noise Cancellation model. At its $129 price point, the former makes an affordable entry-level earbud over competitors like the Bose Ultra Open or the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3.

This price undercuts last year's AirPods 3, which debuted at $179.

Typically, Apple reduces the price of previous-gen products when newer versions are released. However, no such discount for the 3rd-gen AirPods has appeared on Apple’s official site yet. That said, you can find used or refurbished 3rd-gen models available from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, priced between $155 and $169.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods (4th-gen) $129.99 at Best Buy
Pre-Order Here Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Design

The AirPods 4 are touted as Apple’s "most comfortable design yet," thanks to extensive research on ear shapes. Design-wise, they follow their predecessor with shorter stems and skip the silicone ear tips, leaving fit up to individual ear shapes.

Both models still lack on-bud volume controls, a common user complaint, but the AirPods 4 take functionality a step further with Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Audio, features not available in the 3rd-gen model.

Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Features and Sound

The design of the AirPods 4 brings notable improvements, debuting two models for the first time. The standout feature is Active Noise Cancellation, powered by Apple's H2 chip. Additionally, the new AirPods introduce Adaptive Audio, which dynamically reduces background noise based on your surroundings, and Conversation Awareness, which adjusts volume when the earbuds detect you're near someone speaking on a call.

A new Siri interaction allows users to answer calls with a simple nod or shake of the head, bypassing the need for voice commands.

SEE ALSO: I just took the new hearing test with AirPods Pro — and it hurt my feelings

While AirPods 3 lacks these new features, the overall differences between the two generations aren’t substantial beyond ANC and some external audio enhancements. Both models feature USB-C charging cases, offer over 30 hours of battery life, and support Spatial Audio, though neither supports lossless audio on Apple Music. Both also have Audio Sharing and auto-pause functionality when removed from the ear.

Sound quality is up in the air for the AirPods 4 as they haven't been released yet, but Apple claims that they are the "best-sounding AirPods ever." However, based on Mashable's Alex Perry's review of the AirPods 3, these buds already have the best sound quality in the game, so expect the 4th-gen to be no different.

An immersive article shows readers what a New York Times reporter has tracked for nearly a decade: Robot taxis still need human help.