Mashable

How to cut down your mobile bill to as low as $0

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 09:32

Like leftovers long forgotten inside a mini fridge, heaps of data that cellphone users buy from their providers go to waste. Research has shown that nearly three out of five Americans with limited data plans rarely consume all of their data. That stinks, especially for college students who'd be better off using that money toward their education.

TextNow does phone plans differently. Unique in the industry, their service is built around unlimited free access to calling, texting, and using the essential apps on the nation’s largest 5G network. Like several streaming platforms, TextNow provides phone plans for $0 through ad support.

Opens in a new window Credit: TextNow TextNow Phone Service $0.00
Enjoy free, nation-wide coverage & unlimited talk and text over WiFi Learn More

But unlike traditional providers, TextNow strives to provide more for less. They recently introduced Free Essential Data, a signature feature that allows users to access critical apps like email, maps, and rideshare for free (without incurring any data usage fees). Here are three ways TextNow makes it easy and affordable to connect, making it a campus favorite.

Budget-friendly pricing

TextNow recognizes that 75 percent of Americans rely on Wi-Fi for at least half of their phone usage, and 35 percent believe they're paying for more data than they need. That's why TextNow offers flexible, affordable, no-contract data passes based on hourly, daily, or monthly use, ensuring you only pay for the data you need. Hour Passes are $0.99/hour; Day Passes are $4.99/day; and Monthly Passes are $39.99/month. (See more plan details.)

So even if you do find yourself without Wi-Fi and a Wordle streak to maintain, you can add on more data without committing to a plan that will take you longer to get out of than finding the nearest Wi-Fi spot.

Flexibility

Because TextNow's calling and texting are supported through an app, the service can be easily installed on pretty much any smartphone, so customers can typically keep their device and phone number when switching hassle-free. Just note that while calls & texts will be immediately available for free over Wi-Fi, the one-time purchase of a SIM card is required to access the nation’s largest 5G network for continued access to calls, texts, plus essential data without Wi-Fi.

Smooth performance

TextNow's technology dynamically changes how calls are connected — via cellular network or Wi-Fi — to maintain the best call quality and limit dropped calls. since the provider offers 5G cellular coverage on the nation's largest network. Find out if TextNow is available in your area by consulting its Network Coverage Map.

In the Wi-Fi-blanketed world of college campuses, there's little need to rely on cellular data to browse the internet and use apps on your mobile phone. This means a $0/month phone plan from TextNow can sustain the average student's needs with the cost-effective satisfaction of an endless supply of instant noodles. Learn more here.

Here are the 5 songs of the summer, according to Spotify

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 09:30

Who gets the final say on the Song of the Summer? Is it TikTok, which crowned Tommy Richman's "MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS)" and Tinashe's "Nasty" its songs of the summer earlier this month? Or is it Spotify, which has released its five songs of the summer today, Aug. 28?

Perhaps there's a personal song of the summer in each of us.

Spotify named five songs that defined summer 2024 and presented them without a rank, instead organized by the artist's name. The songs include viral sensation and earworm "Espresso" from Short n' Sweet Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar's triumphant Drake diss track "Not Like Us," and "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" off Billie Eilish's latest album. Chappell Roan's "HOT TO GO!" and "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey rounded out the list.

In a press release, Spotify explained its methodology, writing that these tracks were "hand-picked by Spotify’s global music editorial team" and "represent the various sounds and moments that defined summer 2024 for listeners across the Northern Hemisphere." In the past, the music streaming giant only picked one song of the summer. But it should be said that "Espresso" has the most streams to date of the chosen five, with over one billion streams.

Both "Not Like Us" and "HOT TO GO!" received their biggest streaming spikes of the summer after viral performances — Lamar's Juneteenth concert and Roan's Gov Ball set, respectively.

"Not Like Us" and "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" were the only songs on both Spotify and TikTok's lists. Notably, neither list included any tracks from Charli XCX's Brat despite its undeniable cultural impact.

'Metaphor: ReFantazio' hands-on preview: The 'Persona 5' sequel I didn't know I wanted

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 09:00

By the time I tapped out of Persona 5 after 60 hours of a massive high school adventure that I was enjoying less and less, I wasn’t sure I’d be excited to play the next game from Persona series director Katsura Hoshino. After spending about three hours with the team's next effort, Metaphor: ReFantazio, I will gladly spend about 90 more with it when it launches in October.

Rather than making a full-fledged Persona 6 (though that is thought to be in the works as well), Hoshino, and some of the other chief creatives from that series, formed a new team to make an original fantasy RPG with many of the same trappings as Persona. Metaphor has turn-based combat, slickly stylish visuals, catchy music, and the same signature, calendar-based time management system from Persona.

However, by ditching the modern high school setting and opting for something more fantastical, Metaphor may have also shedded some of the things that made me swear off finishing Persona 5 all those years ago.

What is Metaphor: ReFantazio?

Metaphor is a brand new original turn-based RPG from some of the people who made Persona 5.

It's set in a fantasy universe where the use of magic is strictly regulated by the government — and only possible with the use of special equipment. The world is structured as one large united kingdom, though the unity is only skin-deep; this is a world steeped in fantasy racism, where people with horns and elves socially lord over people with cat ears for long-standing — and likely very stupid — cultural reasons.

I got to play the first two hours or so of Metaphor (plus a shorter section from a later save) and, with some caveats, I was immediately sold on the team's creative vision here. I'm iffy on the fantasy racism angle (more on that later), but this is a gorgeous anime-style fantasy world full of creepy monsters and cool fashion. The monsters are called "humans," which made me laugh, if nothing else. And the protagonist carries around a "fantasy novel" that more or less just describes Earth. I'm pretty sure there's something weird going on here, is what I'm saying.

One detail I loved is that there is no music for the first 10 to 15 minutes of the game, not until your fairy companion casts a spell to have music constantly playing in your head. That's very silly and endearing.

I won't go too deeply into the premise of the store because, frankly, I didn't see that much of it. But it seems to be a game about helping out a childhood friend while also maybe ascending to the now-vacant throne of the kingdom. Along the way, you'll almost certainly meet a colorful cast of companions who will be your friends both in and outside of combat.

SEE ALSO: PS5 Pro: There are new whispers that the release date is fast approaching How is it similar to Persona 5?

Despite seeing a handful of trailers ahead of my hands-on session with Metaphor, I wasn't sure how it would actually work in practice. It turns out that, in many ways, it's a lot like Persona 5.

Battles look familiar. Credit: Sega/Atlus

The combat basics, for instance, are very similar. Fights are turn-based and enemies (and player characters) are all strong and weak against different weapon types and magical elements. There’s a calendar with deadlines for major story milestones, and if you miss them, it’s game over. Nearly every action you take consumes time in some way. Party members, as well as non-combat NPCs, also form bonds with the protagonist, and developing these bonds over the course of the game by spending time with people will presumably unlock various benefits.

The main one of those benefits seems to be unlocking Archetypes, which take the places of Personas as the omnipresent magical beings who characters equip to bolster or even totally alter their fighting styles. There are more than 40 Archetypes in the game, and each one carries a series of elemental strengths and weaknesses to go along with some spells and abilities that any character who equips that Archetype can use. Oh, and when a character first unlocks their Archetype, they reach into their chest and pull out a metal heart. It's awesome.

Metaphor also has that funky verve that Persona fans will instantly recognize. The menus and combat interfaces move with a distinct motion graphical flavor, and the battle music was stuck in my head for a week after playing the demo. Seriously, it heavily features what I would call "operatic yodeling" (I know there's probably a more accurate term, but that's what I'm going with) and a bombastic chorus that hopefully doesn't get old over the course of a long, long RPG.

How is it different from Persona 5?

The moment-to-moment gameplay in Metaphor resembles Persona 5 enough that fans of that game will feel at home, at least until things start diverging. This is where Metaphor's demo really grabbed me; now that this team isn't restricted by the need to set its RPGs in realistic Japanese high schools, they can do some fun, weird stuff.

Of course, the screen where you unlock Archetypes looks like this. Credit: Sega/Atlus

For example, the main character speaks now. That's obviously not strictly related to the setting, but it's an immediately noticeable difference. Your dude will talk in full sentences, which really threw me off at first. Metaphor also has a healthy dose of lore, with a codex you can open at any time during dialogue scenes to learn about the places, people, and things in this fantasy kingdom.

Remember how I said fights are turn-based in Metaphor? That's true, but only some of the time. Perhaps the biggest mechanical divergence from Persona is the addition of simple, real-time action combat that complements the turn-based fights. When you encounter an enemy in a dungeon, you can use a three-hit combo and a dodge button to gradually deplete their stamina meter. Once the enemy's meter is down, then you enter turn-based mode, with a significant health advantage over the now-stunned enemy.

Of course, this is optional, and you can fight enemies in turn-based encounters without dealing with the real-time stuff. But I found that there's a serious advantage to engaging with this system, as enemies will start fights at about half health if you've managed to bop them a few times with your sword in the overworld. There's also risk to this, though. If an enemy hits you, the turn-based fight starts with your entire party at such a disadvantage that you might as well start over.

Speaking of which, there's a button to just start over turn-based fights from the first turn, whenever you want. I want every RPG to have this going forward.

Strohl is the first homie you meet in the story. He's got cool horns. Credit: Sega/Atlus

The action element, and the fact that hitting enemy weaknesses in turn-based fights doesn't automatically stun them anymore, made the combat I experienced in the Metaphor demo feel much more dynamic and unpredictable than in Persona. In the latter, fights often boil down to hitting every enemy's weakness until they're all down, then using a big team-up attack to end the fight. In Metaphor, that doesn't seem to be an option. You have to fully engage with the systems and think on your feet here, and fights feel challenging as a result.

Another promising development is that Archetypes don't work the way Personas did. In a Persona game, the protagonist can find, unlock, and develop dozens of Personas, but each party member just has one. Here, every character can unlock and equip every Archetype, and each one comes with an accompanying weapon type. In this way, selecting Archetypes feels more like choosing a new class than the equivalent system in Persona.

This is a much more difficult judgment to make after just a few hours with Metaphor, but in a general sense, I find it really refreshing that it's set in a fantasy world rather than trying to deal directly with real-world problems like Persona does. Trust me; I'm not a "keep politics out of games" person at all. It's just that I don't think Persona was ever particularly good at dealing with real-world problems. Persona 4 walked back on having gay and trans party members in a cowardly way, and 5 wasn't much better.

Adding a layer of abstraction might help this team tell a better story this time around. I am worried about the fantasy racism aspect of Metaphor, as that's a concept that can quickly get out of hand if handled poorly. I didn't get enough time with the demo to fully grasp Metaphor's take on it, though, so that'll have to wait until the game is out.

Regardless of that one hang-up (and it's potentially a big one), Metaphor: ReFantazio quickly shot up my "most anticipated games" list after I played it for a few hours. Seriously, just listen to that battle music and tell me you don't want to know more about — er — whatever is going on there.

Metaphor: ReFantazio launches on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on Oct. 11.

'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2 review: Darkness looks good on Middle-earth

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 09:00

If The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power's first season was about teasing the return of the Dark Lord Sauron (Charlie Vickers), then its second season is all about unleashing Sauron's darkness in full. And honestly? Call me Mount Doom, because I had a blast watching it.

Sauron's resurgence unlocks several opportunities for The Rings of Power to go full throttle with its interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. New forms of corruption, new evil creatures, new battles — it's all on the table, making for a season that is substantially darker than the first (but more wickedly fun).

Middle-earth faces the darkness in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Owain Arthur and Sophia Nomvete in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Credit: Prime Video

The events of The Rings of Power Season 1 have left Middle-earth in disarray. The eruption of Orodruin (aka Mount Doom) has created the wasteland known as Mordor, leaving the inhabitants of the Southlands in a constant battle with orc hordes. The loss of Númenórean soldiers in the battle for the Southlands has radicalized a portion of the great island kingdom, pushing it further towards political chaos. And in the Elven realm of Lindon, the realization that Halbrand was Sauron all along has rendered High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo) suspicious of Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), who brought Halbrand back to Middle-earth in the first place. Still shaken by her deception at the hands of Sauron, all Galadriel wants to do is destroy him once and for all. But how can she trust her own mind after Sauron managed to worm his way in?

As the Elves debate their next course of action, including whether it's even safe to use the three Rings of Power forged by smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) at the end of Season 1, darkness only spreads further across Middle-earth — including places where Sauron never held direct influence. Tremors from Mount Doom's explosion lead to catastrophe in the Dwarven realm of Khazad-dûm, prompting King Durin III (Peter Mullan) to take drastic measures in order to help his people. Elsewhere, in the Eastern lands of Rhûn, the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) and Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh) come face to face with a foreboding Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds).

Like in Season 1, showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne are playing fairly fast and loose with the timeline of Tolkien's legendarium. Some characters are completely original, while other plots are cobbled together from references to other non-Second Age-era Tolkien texts. Much of the Stranger's initial encounter with the mysterious Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear), for example, plays out like an early portion of The Fellowship of the Ring novel — one that was omitted from Peter Jackson's film trilogy. Yet despite the sometimes fanfiction-y feel of certain character combinations, fabricated storylines, or the occasional on-the-nose quotation, the actual details, character beats, and themes of The Rings of Power remain unmistakably Tolkien in nature.

The Rings of Power Season 2 proves villains have more fun Charlie Vickers in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Credit: Ben Rothstein / Prime Video

But where's Sauron in the middle of all of this? What's that tricksy little Maia up to? Now that his cover's been blown, is he gathering armies and storming across the land? Or is he continuing his Season 1 tactics and taking a more subtle approach?

If you guessed "subtle," you're right! Your prize is 20 Rings of Power, to be kept secret (and preferably safe).

Season 2 sees Sauron briefly recycling his Halbrand disguise in order to put some plans into motion involving orc leader Adar (Sam Hazeldine). But it's not long before he heads to Eregion to hang out with Celebrimbor and get a stylish villain makeover. One long blonde wig and some Elf ears later, and Sauron has transformed into Annatar, the so-called "Lord of Gifts" who's here to help Celebrimbor forge more Rings of Power. Celebrimbor, having already been deceived once by Sauron at the very end of Season 1, buys the disguise and is in.

The ensuing dynamic between Celebrimbor and Sauron becomes the most intriguing of the season, as we get to watch Sauron ensnare yet another Elf's mind in his quest for power. Since the Sauron reveal was treated as the big surprise of Season 1, The Rings of Power often kept Sauron-as-Halbrand's villainy hidden, only showing it in surprise bursts of violence. But now that the truth is out in Season 2, Sauron-as-Annatar's villainy simmers in every scene, lurking in each of Vickers' smirks and stares. His performance is deliciously fun to watch in the way that all great villains are, yet the cost of Sauron's plotting becomes harder to stomach as the season goes on and his victory seems more assured. Whenever he cajoles Celebrimbor to do his bidding, using increasingly manipulative methods, it's enough to make you want to reach through the screen and shake the Elven smith's shoulders to snap him out of Sauron's control.

To Celebrimbor's credit, he does have his doubts throughout the season, and Edwards delivers a tragic portrait of an Elf losing his grip on reality throughout. It's here that The Rings of Power most fully embraces the terror of Sauron's abilities, showcasing some sinister powers that had me leaping off my couch in both fear and excitement of, "wow, we're actually going there." In a season full of treats — including The Rings of Power's biggest battle yet, new displays of magic, and one very evil sentient pile of ooze — it's this mental warfare that hits hardest.

The Rings of Power continues to overstretch itself in Season 2 Sam Hazeldine in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Credit: Ben Rothstein / Prime Video

While The Rings of Power soars to new heights in Season 2, it occasionally feels like a collection of standout moments, as opposed to a cohesive narrative. That was also the case in Season 1, when certain storylines would drop away for episodes at a time, only to resurface later.

That problem only grows in Season 2, with the Rhûn and Númenórean plotlines especially feeling more distant from the others by virtue of having fewer overlapping characters. They tend to appear in every other episode, and when we return to them, it feels as if we're missing connective tissue between where we left them and where they are now. These stories and the characters inhabiting them occupy an important space within the series, and within Tolkien's legendarium, yet they're not getting the time they need to develop. It's proof of The Rings of Power's vast scope and ambitions, as well as the small amount of real estate (only eight episodes!) the show gets to explore them. To paraphrase a wise Hobbit, the resulting effect is a series that can sometimes feel stretched thin, like butter scraped over too much bread.

However, the official return of Sauron proves to be exactly what The Rings of Power needs to hold itself together and build momentum. His darkness binds each and every inhabitant of Middle-earth to one another, serving as an effective through-line even as some disparate characters spin off on their own adventures. And while the rise of that evil may seem daunting, light will always shine through in true Tolkien fashion thanks to The Rings of Power's bravest (and sometimes most unlikely) heroes. Their trials remain a shining beacon of hope and earnestness not just in Middle-earth, but on TV as a whole.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 premieres Aug. 29 on Prime Video, with a new episode weekly.

Flying spaghetti monster and unworldly life filmed in deep sea footage

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 09:00

Scientists discovered a giant underwater mountain. And it's teeming with deep sea life.

An endeavor aboard the Falkor (too) — a 363-foot (111-meter) research vessel operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute — has returned vivid imagery from its latest exploration mission around a variety of seamounts, including in the Nazca Ridge, located some 900 miles off the coast of Chile.

"The discovery of a new seamount almost 2 miles tall — almost four times as tall as the Burj Khalifa — with a vibrant ecosystem was very exciting," co-chief scientist and Schmidt Ocean Institute Executive Director Jyotika Virmani said in a statement. (The Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, is the world's tallest building.) "Only 26 percent of the seafloor has been mapped to this high resolution, and each expedition on Falkor (too) brings into focus a little more of the unknown seabed and life on our home planet."

Much of Earth's deep sea remains unexplored and little-known. This latest journey uncovered 20 new species. Just this winter, previous expeditions found around 150 new species in the region.

"We always discover stuff when we go out into the deep sea. You're always finding things that you haven't seen before," Derek Sowers, an expedition lead for NOAA Ocean Exploration who had no role in this mission, previously told Mashable.

The ocean images and footage below shows highlights from the mission, including the rarely seen Bathyphysa conifera, also known as the "flying spaghetti monster." A remotely operated vehicle the size of a minivan, called ROV SuBastian, was lowered to dark marine depths to illuminate and capture these views.

Tweet may have been deleted "This is the first footage of a live Promachoteuthis squid," the Schmidt Ocean Institute said. "Until now, the squid genus has only been characterized from dead samples found in nets." Credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute A squat lobster spotted among golden coral. Credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute Vivid fish (Pentaceros richardsoni and Helicolenus lengerichi) and corals spotted on a deep sea mountain. Credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Ocean research organizations like the Schmidt Ocean Institute are now vigilantly documenting and mapping the deep sea. Scientists want to shine a light — literally and figuratively — on what's down there.

The implications of knowing are incalculable, particularly as deep sea mineral prospectors prepare to run tank-like industrial equipment across parts of the seafloor. For example, research expeditions have found that ocean life carries great potential for novel medicines. "Systematic searches for new drugs have shown that marine invertebrates produce more antibiotic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory substances than any group of terrestrial organisms," notes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

People are using AI to date you

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 07:40

You know that feeling of anguish when you’re trying to think of the perfect opening line on a dating app? Or when a match replies but you’re stressing at work and simply don’t have the capacity to think of something witty-but-chill-but-hilarious? Well, there’s an app for that now.

Welcome to the world of AI dating assistant apps. No, this isn't about fake photos or virtual girlfriends. Instead, apps like Rizz and WingAI are generating opening lines and conversation replies – all you have to do is upload screenshots of the profiles or messages. You can select different conversation tones from "NSFW" to "casual", and the aim is to remove some of the burden of modern dating.

Feeling uneasy? Think this marks the end of authenticity in the sorry minefield that is already the online dating scene? That it’ll never take off? Well, actually, a 2024 report by dating app Flirtini shows that a whopping 55 percent of people have already used AI, such as ChatGPT, to generate messages to send to dates. A 2024 study by McAfee shows that over one in four Americans (30 percent of men, 27 percent of women) also already use AI to enhance their dating profile – the next venture for Rizz and WingAI, and a feature already available on YourMoveAI.

Why are people using AI dating assistant apps?

So, who’s actually using these apps then? Have you been reeled in by AI without knowing? And is it really as creepy as it seems? I speak to regular AI dating app users and other daters to find out whether it’s the next frontier of modern dating.

Artem, a 35-year-old accountant from Miami has been on Rizz for around eight months and uses it to replace pestering the group chat. "My friends are much funnier than me, so I’d often workshop clever responses with them for a match," he says. "But obviously, I can’t lean on them all the time and the AI app is available 24/7."

As for how it works, for memorable openers he uploads a screenshot of his match’s dating profile and chooses the tone of "Rizz" – a relatively spicy, cheeky mode. The app suggests a selection of opening lines relating to the profile and Artem hits refresh, or adds in key words to focus on, until he finds one that suits. For help with conversations already on the go, he uploads a screenshot of the exchange and receives suggestions for his reply. Artem rarely copies and pastes directly, instead he uses the suggestions to get his own creative juices flowing.

"The other day it gave me the opening line of, 'If you had a third nipple, where would it be?' which I obviously didn't use, but it got me thinking," he says. "The girl I was talking to had loads of tattoos, so I asked her, 'If you had a tattoo and you could never show anyone, what would it be?'" Another reportedly successful opener – this time, for a woman who worked for a non-profit – reads: "Hey, so I'm hosting this charity event next week for people who can't reach orgasm. If you can't cum, please let me know."

I’ll just let that sit for a bit.

I really did try to keep an open mind, but both of those lines pretty much turned my stomach. The cringe factor is toe curling, obviously, but the sexual innuendo side is just downright uncomfortable – a consistent problem I noticed when messing about on the apps myself. Practically 99 percent of the suggestions I got were unsendable, and if I’d received them from someone else, it’d likely be an immediate block . (Notably: "Hey there, amazing mind! Your intellect is arousing, but so is that naughty tongue of yours. wink") The apps claim to be trained with the help of male and female dating coaches, but surely no woman would sign that off?

Artem insists it pays off with practice, though. His main reason for loving the app is down to dating fatigue – basically burnout and exhaustion from meeting new people and it going nowhere. "There's an element of exhaustion, for sure,” he says. “Chatting with one person is cool and fun, but it can be emotionally draining when you end up speaking to five or eight people at once while you try to decide who to choose to focus on." Using Rizz means he can devote less bandwidth to coming up with the kind of clever one-liners that reap success in the Tinder world.

This echoes a wider sentiment from app daters these days – that the process has somewhat lost its sheen and is now just a means to an end. A 2024 study by Forbes Health found that 79 percent of Gen Z report dating app burnout, with women feeling it more at 80 percent compared to 74 percent of males.

"If I have one more, ‘Hey, what's up? How are you?’ conversation I'm done."

That’s why Taylor, a 30-year-old vet from Florida, uses WingAI. "If I have one more, ‘Hey, what's up? How are you?’ conversation I'm done," she says. "Using the app opens the conversation up more, in a fun way. It helps with the fatigue and makes it more interesting."

Doesn’t all of this just create more admin in the dating process, though? Apparently not. "I was already going back and forth on Google, searching for fun openers relating to certain jobs," she says, a method Artem also used to use. Taylor uses WingAI to inspire her first lines on Bumble but, like Artem, always edits the suggestion to make it sound more like her personality. "I don’t always like the ideas, but they give me an idea of where to go with it," she says. "I make sure it’s a bit of a hybrid between me and the app."

As for the authenticity of it all, Taylor thinks it’s only as inauthentic as the rest of online dating. "Dating on the apps is always fake and superficial to begin with. You match based on what someone looks like and the highly curated persona they put out there," she says. "As long as AI isn’t having the entire conversation for you, I don’t see the problem."

It's a fair point. Polishing your profile can take hours, weeks and more friends than you’ve had dates. The witty Hinge prompt that sold you on someone could easily be their bezzie mate’s humour, not theirs. There are the outright liars to consider, too: According to a recent Forbes Health survey, close to one in five adults polled claim to lie about their age, with men even more likely to tweak their numbers at 23 percent compared to 19 percentof women. Other reported fibs include income (14 percent), height (12 percent), as well as hobbies and interests (14 percent). Think of all the people paying for premium dating app accounts as well, which offer various leg-ups like sorting your potential matches by who’s most likely to be responsive – whether that’s a new member or someone active today.

"If I completely relied on the app suggestions and didn’t work in my personality then, yes, it would be an inauthentic representation of myself."

Bangalore-based Dhruv, 25, agrees with Taylor. "If I completely relied on the app suggestions and didn’t work in my personality then, yes, it would be an inauthentic representation of myself," says the UX designer who’s been using DatingAI.pro regularly for the past three months. “But I’d also screw up big time when it comes to actually meeting in-person.” He believes you can hardly trick someone into a relationship through using an AI app because texting is such a small part of building that spark – you have to meet them or speak to them at some point.

"The app is more about effective initial exchanges and assisting me to be my best self," adds Artem. "Each user is still making the decisions about what to send and what not to send. For every line I use, there might be 12 that I throw away."

Are dating AI assistants any good?

So how successful is it, actually? Dhruv claims he’s already seen drastic results: "I used to receive one to two matches per week, but after using DatingAI I’ve started receiving six or seven." This success rate is even higher than the hefty promise WingAI makes of increasing your reply rate by 250 percent. Artem feels like his success has stayed the same, but the app has grown his confidence and lowered his stress levels. He sees no shame in using the app, either. "I'm 35, so when I was in high school dating apps didn’t exist and people meeting on the internet was a huge stigma," he continues. "But now the internet and dating on the internet is our default. I don’t see why these apps wouldn’t become a normal part of the process."

But what do daters who’ve never heard of these apps think of all this? London-based Talia, 31, thought it sounded like a slippery slope in the already confusing dating game at first. "If this becomes the norm, surely it means so much extra time wasted going on dates only to find they’re nothing like they came across in their messages?" she says. After more consideration, though, she was thrilled at the prospect of more interesting conversations, but actually testing the apps left her disappointed. "If they gave genuinely good suggestions, I’d be all over it.

I find myself in Talia’s camp. Frankly, I’m a convert to the actual concept in theory. But the current offerings just don’t hit well enough yet. There’s the price point to consider, too: YourMoveAI is £4.99 per week (scaling cheaper per month and year), WingAI and Rizz are flat fees of £6.99 and a whopping £9.99 per week, respectively.

And the biggest point of all still looms large: asking a non-sentient computer program that isn’t capable of love or sex is simply not the same as asking a friend you know and trust, a real-life person who’s actually been on dates before. Plus, could these apps be teaching a whole generation of men with poor flirting or social skills that it’s normal to start off conversations with such inappropriate sexual innuendos? And it is mostly men. Rizz members are currently 66 percent male, while YourMove.AI’s rises to 85 percent and DatingAI.pro a whopping 99 percent.

If the apps can get cheaper and better, they could change the dating game. But more women, and perhaps young people who actually have game, need to be brought in to help programme the software. What do women want? Well, it’s certainly not to be asked about third nipples.

You can now transfer your Apple Music playlist to YouTube Music

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 07:36

Ever wanted to transfer your Apple Music playlist onto YouTube Music? Well, now you can — but there are certain caveats.

The change is noted in Apple's new support document (noticed by MacRumors). According to the document, you have to visit Apple's Data and Privacy page, and there you can request to transfer the playlists that you've created in Apple Music onto YouTube Music.

To do so, you need to have an active Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription, as well as an active YouTube Music account.

There are certain limitations, too: You can only transfer the playlists that you've created, which includes collaborative playlists that you own. Music files themselves aren't transferred; non-collaborative shared playlists and curated playlists aren't transferred and folders in which you've organized your Apple Music playlists aren't transferred. Finally, playlists can only include songs available on YouTube Music; if your playlists contain other audio files, such as podcasts, audio books, or files that you've uploaded yourself, these will not be transferred.

Limitations aside, it's nice to be able to move your Apple Music playlists elsewhere, even if it's only to YouTube Music. Unfortunately, Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, and other music streaming services (apart from YouTube Music) aren't supported.

By the way, the vice versa also applies: You can transfer your YouTube Music playlists to Apple Music; to do so, go to Google Takeout and follow the instructions there.

My private data’s probably out there, but I’m not worried about it

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 06:00

I am an entirely unremarkable person.

That’s not to say I don’t have my moments — you should see me with a plate of chicken wings — but in the vast sea that is the internet, I’m, at best, a bit player. I’m not a Public Figure. My biggest online presence has only a few thousand followers on a platform on its last legs.

So, in an era where everyone's personal data and privacy are constantly at risk — the latest public data breach has reportedly affected millions — it's hard not to feel a little apathetic. Life is hard enough. I worry about my loved ones, my job, my next meal, whether I took my pills, my health, next month’s rent, if I left the stove on, and the hellish ups and downs of the Philadelphia 76ers. I simply cannot bring myself to worry too much about digital surveillance and online security.

Spooky voice: "AnYonE cAn FiNd OuT EvErYtHinG AbOuT yOu OnLiNe." OK...what's for dinner?

That’s not to say I’d do nothing about it if someone actually surveilled me. If someone hacked my bank accounts or email, I’d take action. But beyond that, I can’t be bothered. Say someone could use my running app, Instagram, or tweets to figure out where I live. Again...OK. And then what? Tell me my tweets suck? I already know that. Or dredge up an old password? OK...me and everyone else who’s ever used the internet.

I scroll TikTok — primarily for cooking videos and sports memes — and I know there’s been plenty of handwringing over the app's supposed connections to the Chinese government. Do I understand there is a potential for surveillance? Sure. I’m well aware of the reports and research showing the company could access U.S. user data. But honestly, that’s just a condition of being alive on the internet and part of modern society.

TikTok isn’t even unique. Do you know who else has access to user data and might improperly share or leak it? Pretty much every other social media company. Here are a few Mashable headlines from the past few years:

These are just a few headlines I found with a quick search. Weirdly, the fact that every damn company has access to so much of my data is almost comforting. There’s a vast ocean of data out there — why should mine matter? In other words, we’re all part of a big herd, and I’m just hoping someone else is the straggler getting picked off by predators.

And let’s be real, even if you do everything right — if you’re super careful about privacy and surveillance — the IRS might publish your info, or some site might just leak your stuff anyway.

I admit this perspective is partly driven by laziness. Maybe I should care more. But preventing surveillance online means being hyper-vigilant, and brother, I am not that. I share without thinking. I'll eat a good slice of pizza and immediately tweet, "I just ate — like right now, this second — a great piece of pizza at this exact location," and I’ll even drop the longitude and latitude for good measure. I’ve never read a single word of a terms of service agreement. I have zero clue which apps are tracking what.

But I can’t be bothered. And I’d argue that unless you’re a major influencer, a politician, some business leader, or Taylor Swift, you probably don't need to be that bothered either. Some of my more intelligent, more tech-savvy colleagues are probably screaming, "Don't listen to Tim!!!" But most of us aren’t important enough to worry about being surveilled. And even if we should care, what in the hell can we do?

If a weirdo commenter wants to find my personal email address, if a hacker wants to access my data, if a company wants to share my data with advertisers, or if the freaking government of China wants...anything about me, there really isn’t much I can do to stop it. If you want to see what I’m doing online, knock yourself out. I’m just some guy.

What am I supposed to do? Give up the internet entirely? Yeah, OK. As a wise man once said, I will never log off.

Instagram now lets you add words on posts like Reels

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:30

Instagram is letting you add text directly on top of your photo posts, just like you can in Reels. So, if you want to blast the words direct order "Live Laugh Love" forever across your latest travel pics on your grid, your followers can't do a thing to stop you.

Announced by the company in a blog post on Wednesday, you can now add words and photo stickers directly to your posts, with new fonts available too (neva4get the hidden Papyrus). It's like another layer you can add on top of your pictures, available in the editing phase of Instagram posts.

To use the tool, select the photo(s) you want to post and then tap on the text button (the big and small Aa in the corner). Type in the genius words you'd like to add on top, and you can scroll through the different fonts, as you would when composing a Reel.

You can also layer in more images by tapping the gallery button (the one that looks like a little picture) and move it around and resize it. The feature doesn't yet have the ability to manage or lock layers (like Reels does) but that's probably coming soon. And if you tap on the sticker, you can change the shape of it, again like Reels.

The update comes after a number of additions to Instagram including testing rectangle grids, increasing carousel limits to 20, Myspace-like profile songs, multiple tracks on a Reel, disappearing notes on Reels and posts, and the casual ability to create an AI version of yourself.

Google Meet will now take notes for you

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:07

Google Meet will now take notes for you in meetings, with a new Gemini AI-powered feature rolling out.

Announced Tuesday in a blog post, the "Take notes for me" feature is available to "select" paying Google Workspace users. The feature is similar to competitor offerings like Zoom Notes or OtterPilot, and will use AI to generate a report after your meeting.

To enable the feature, users can select a pencil icon in the top right corner of the Google Meet screen, and all attendees will see the icon appear in blue to let them know it's on — plus, you'll be able to click on the icon to see the meeting notes in real time.

Following the end of the meeting, a document will be attached to the Google Calendar event and the meeting admin will get emailed a link to it (it'll be also saved in the organiser's Drive). If anyone turns on meeting recording or transcription during the same meeting, there'll be a link to this in the document.

According to Google, meetings must be conducted in spoken English for the "Take notes for me" feature to work.

The news comes after reports of Google's new AI-powered summarization tool for Files and the company's announcement of a new tool to "Polish" emails in Gmail using Gemini. Google announced several Gemini-powered Gmail updates at its "Made For Google" event earlier this month, including tools to summarize your emails for you and the ability to ask Gemini questions about your inbox. Might just take leave now, hey.

How to watch 2024 MotoGP live streams online for free in the U.S.

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:01

TL;DR: Stream 2024 MotoGP races for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from the U.S. with ExpressVPN.

If you're not already familiar with MotoGP, we'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a thrilling and unpredictable form of two-wheel racing. If you're looking for something that entertains over every single lap, without constant pit stops and yellow flags (we're talking about you F1), there really isn't much that can compete with MotoGP.

If you're interested in watching 2024 MotoGP for free from the U.S., we have all the information you need.

What is MotoGP?

MotoGP is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the first season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without stopping to refuel or change tires.

What makes this form of racing unique is that the motorcycles are purpose-built machines that are unavailable for purchase by the general public. That means they are fast. Seriously fast.

When is MotoGP in 2024?

The 2024 MotoGP season features 21 races held all over the world between March and November.

How to watch MotoGP for free in the U.S.

Fans can stream every MotoGP 2024 race for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from outside the country. That is unless you're using a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can access ServusTV from the U.S.

Unblock ServusTV by following this straightforward process:

Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria
Connect to ServusTV
Watch MotoGP for free from the U.S.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By leveraging these money-back guarantees, you can watch MotoGP live streams before recovering your investment. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races without actually spending anything.

What is the best VPN for MotoGP?

ProtonVPN and CyberGhost VPN can reliably unblock free streaming services like ServusTV, but for streaming live sport, ExpressVPN is tough to beat:

Servers in 105 countries including Austria
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy
Strong streaming speeds
Up to five 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 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream MotoGP 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch MotoGP live streams online for free

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:01

TL;DR: Watch 2024 MotoGP live streams for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

F1 gets most of the media attention in the world of things-that-move-fast. But it also comes with a lot of pit stops, yellow flags, and predictable finishes. Yeah, we said it. Who wants to watch Max Verstappen win every week?

If you're looking for thrilling and unpredictable racing with two wheels instead of four, you should check out MotoGP. And thanks to a simple hack, you can watch MotoGP without actually spending anything.

Interested in watching MotoGP for free? You've come to the right place.

What is MotoGP?

Grand Prix motorcycle racing (MotoGP) is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the inaugural season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without pitting for fuel or fresh tires.

The likes of Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha do battle for the constructors' championship. Francesco Bagnaia is the reigning champion, sealing his second consecutive MotoGP world title in 2023.

2024 MotoGP calendar

The 2024 MotoGP season features 21 races held all over the world between March and November:

Qatar GP — March 10
Portugal GP — March 24
Americas GP — April 14
Spain GP — April 28
France GP — May 12
Catalunya GP — May 26
Italy GP — June 2
Kazakhstan GP — June 16
Netherlands GP — June 30
Germany GP — July 7
Great Britain GP — Aug. 4
Austria GP — Aug. 18
Aragon GP — Sep. 1
San Marino GP — Sep. 8
India GP — Sep. 22
Indonesia GP — Sep. 29
Japan GP — Oct. 6
Australia GP — Oct. 20
Thailand GP — Oct. 27
Malaysia GP — Nov. 3
Valencia GP — Nov. 17

A wide range of streaming services are offering coverage of this MotoGP season, but there is actually no need to pay anything to follow all the action. You can watch MotoGP for free with the help of a VPN.

How to livestream MotoGP for free

You can stream every MotoGP 2024 race for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV by following this quick and easy process:

Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria
Connect to ServusTV
Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) £82.82 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By using these money-back guarantees, you can watch MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch individual races without actually spending anything.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for MotoGP?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking streaming sites, and it offers a generous money-back guarantee. That means you can effectively live stream MotoGP for free with ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN is tough to beat when it comes to streaming MotoGP, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including Austria
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Impressive streaming speeds without buffering
Up to five simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 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 30-day money-back guarantee. You can sign up to watch MotoGP and then recover your investment when the race weekend is over.

Stream MotoGP 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

TunnelBear review: A cutesy VPN service for casual users with a free version that doesn't suck

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

UPDATE: Aug. 28, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EDT After retesting TunnelBear on iOS and Windows, taking a closer look at its privacy practices, and evaluating its transparency measures against those of other VPN providers, we've revisited this review to award it a higher score.

"Beginner-friendly VPN" isn't contradictory thanks to TunnelBear, a cheery provider with an uncluttered, cartoon-y app, unlimited simultaneous connections, and an unintimidating privacy policy that doesn't require a law or IT degree to understand. Crucially, it's also one of the few VPN services that lets you use its service for free (with some major restrictions).

Power users won't be impressed by its lack of advanced features and inability to unblock regional content. But for casual users and VPN newbies who'd rather be inundated with bear puns than technical jargon, TunnelBear is a worthy pick.

How much does TunnelBear cost?

TunnelBear offers three different subscription options:

TunnelBear Free is designed for "testing and limited usage." It includes 2GB of browsing data per month on a single device, which doesn't roll over to the next month if it goes unused. There's no credit card required to sign up.
TunnelBear Unlimited ($9.99/month, $4.99/month per year, or $3.33/month per three years) unlocks unlimited browsing data, unlimited simultaneous connections, access to its entire server network, the ability to select certain servers on the city level, and priority customer support.
TunnelBear Teams starts at $138/year for businesses with at least two users.

TunnelBear doesn't have a money-back guarantee, unlike many of its peers, and refunds are only offered by request on a case-by-case basis. It accepts Mastercard, Visa, and American Express.

For the purposes of this review, I only tested TunnelBear's Free and Unlimited tiers.

Hands-on with TunnelBear He's a jetsetter. Credit: Screenshot: TunnelBear

TunnelBear works on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Chrome. (I tried it on Windows, Mac, and iOS.) That's fewer platforms than much of its competition, but realistically, it covers most users on a smartphone and/or desktop.

The TunnelBear app is effectively just a posterized world map speckled with yellow, Super Mario Bros.-esque pipes that represent different servers, and when you boot up the app for the first time, a small sheep will be sitting at your physical location. Toggling on the VPN will colorize the map and make the sheep poof into a teensy brown bear, who then digs down and emerges from the pipe at the VPN server location nearest you — that means you're connected. (In theory, this default server should be the speediest one for you since your data doesn't have to travel very far. TunnelBear calls it the "Fastest Tunnel.") If you look closely, you can see the bear look around once he's settled. It's very cute.

Via Giphy

Most things about TunnelBear can be described as cute, which feels like a weird thing to say about a VPN — a cybersecurity tool. Its website is peppered with bear references ("grizzly details," "a helping paw," lots of "rawrs"). Its bear logo covers its eyes when you type in your password at login. Each of its staff members have bear nicknames and avatars. You can enable bear sound effects on mobile. It would all feel a bit juvenile if most other VPNs weren't so solemn and intense. Online privacy is a serious matter, yes, but let's have some fun with it! What ever happened to fun!!!

Via Giphy

Anyway, that map is pretty much the extent of the TunnelBear interface. The free version lets you switch between servers in different countries, while a paid subscription opens up servers in specific cities worldwide; you can connect to them by clicking on their pipes or by selecting them from a list. TunnelBear maintains servers in over 5,000 locations in 47 countries worldwide, which makes its network on the smaller side from a geographical distribution standpoint. (ExpressVPN and NordNPN, two other major VPN providers, have servers in 105 and 111 countries, respectively.) In other words, you've got fewer location-spoofing options.

The TunnelBear app defaults to an "auto" protocol option that it deems best for you, but you can choose between WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 in a settings menu. This is also where you'll see options to enable an automatic kill switch called "VigilantBear" and a split tunneling tool called "SplitBear." The latter offers varying levels of control depending on your platform: SplitBear for Windows lets you exclude both websites and apps from your VPN connection, for instance, while SplitBear for macOS lets you only exclude sites. There's no multi-hop.

In my latest roundup of testing, TunnelBear was quick to connect most of the time. Its Mac app often struggled to make an initial connection to my Fastest Server — sometimes it took a full minute to get me online — but hopping on a different U.S. server first before going back to the Fastest Tunnel seemed to remedy the issue. I wouldn't put too much stake into this; it wasn't a cross-platform problem and could just be a me/my MacBook quirk.

Credit: Mashable / Screenshots: Ookla

Browsing with TunnelBear on felt a little pokey no matter which server I was connected to, but that's to be expected with any VPN, and it was never annoying enough to be totally unusable. I was also able to stream YouTube videos and movies on Disney+ and Max without any lagging or stuttering.

Regional content gave TunnelBear trouble, though. No matter the platform, ITVX showed me a "you're outside the country" error code 01-01 every time I tried watching Love Island UK on a TunnelBear UK server in the UK. Don't count on this one for your international streaming needs.

In TunnelBear's defense, it at least kept my true IP address locked down while I was connected to its server. (It passed multiple DNS leak tests.) It's important to remember that this is the main job of a VPN, and that extras like unblocking geo-restricted content are essentially just bonuses.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 rumors: Everything we know so far

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on the horizon. Apple officially announced that its next big event is on Sept. 9. Of course, we're expecting the new iPhone 16 series, but what typically comes alongside Apple's next-gen smartphones are new Apple Watch models.

In addition to the Apple Watch Series 10, we're on the lookout for the Apple Watch Ultra 3. As the big event nears, we're already seeing some rumors about the next-gen Apple Watch Ultra. Here are all the credible leaks you need to know about.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch 10: Everything we know so far, including blood pressure monitor rumor Apple Watch Ultra 3: Every single rumor we know

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will likely be the most premium Apple Watch model you can get. The Ultra variant is known for delivering better battery life, a brighter screen, and more options for high-performance athletes. It's larger, too.

Credit: Apple / Mashable photo composite

But the question is, how does the Ultra 3, according to rumors, differ from the Ultra 2? Let's dig into the leaks, but first, let's discuss the release date.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 release date

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to get unveiled during the Sept. 9 "Glowtime" event.

Based on this reveal date, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will likely hit store shelves on Sept. 20.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 price

I've been keeping an eye on the rumor mill, and as it stands now, there haven't been any credible details that have leaked regarding the Apple Watch Ultra 3's price.

Credit: Apple / Mashable photo composite

The current Apple Watch Ultra, the second-generation model, has a starting price of $799. We're predicting the same price tag for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 $699.00 at Amazon
$799.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Apple Watch Ultra 3 design

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a reliable Apple leaker and respected analyst, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will not get any significant hardware upgrades. As such, it's likely Apple will rely on a host of new software upgrades to make the Apple Watch Ultra 3 more appealing.

Credit: Apple / Mashable photo composite

The Apple Watch Ultra is relatively nascent (it launched in 2022), so the Cupertino-based tech giant likely isn't ready to give it a major design overhaul just yet. For now, Gurman says the main hardware upgrade that the third-generation Apple Watch is getting is a new chip.

This is a departure from what we're hearing about the Apple Watch Series 10 models, which are reportedly getting bigger screens, according to Gurman.

As such, expect the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to maintain the same specs, more or less, as its predecessor:

49mm case size
Titanium chassis
Always-on display with up to 3,000 nits of brightness

Interestingly, rumor has it that Apple planned on releasing an Apple Watch Ultra model with a microLED display that would set consumers back $1,500. However, this has reportedly been delayed to 2027.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 health features and sensors

Apple has reportedly been working on adding three new health features to the Apple Watch:

Blood-pressure monitor
Sleep apnea sensor
Glucose monitor

However, there has been scuttlebutt that Apple has been running into issues with the blood-pressure monitor in particular, especially for the Watch Series 10 design. And independent of the watches, the blood pressure sensor has been too unreliable during testing, according to Gurman.

It's unclear whether Apple will skip the blood pressure feature for the Apple Watch Series 10 and add it to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 — or ditch it altogether.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 battery life

If the rumor about Apple delaying the microLED display until 2027 is true, then the Apple Watch Ultra 3 may not get the battery life boost many were crossing their fingers for.

Credit: Apple / Mashable photo composite

As it stands now, Apple claims that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 delivers up to 36 hours of battery life. If the specs remain unchanged, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 may have the same runtime.

Apple Watch Ultra 3: Will it be worth the upgrade?

"If you spent $799 on an Apple Watch Ultra last year, it's unlikely you'll want to spring for this version," Gurman said.

In conclusion, based on the rumors and leaks, it looks like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will just be an iterative update.

The rumor mill says there won't be any major hardware upgrades, but hey, you never know what the Cupertino-based tech giant may have up its sleeves when it announces the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on Sept. 9.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 [GPS + Cellular 49mm] Smartwatch with Rugged Titanium Case & Blue Alpine Loop Large. Fitness Tracker, Precision GPS, Action Button, Extra-Long Battery Life, Carbon Neutral $699.00 at Amazon
$799.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Spacecraft swoops between moon and Earth, captures stunning footage

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

To slingshot through the solar system, a spacecraft zipped between Earth and the moon.

The European Space Agency has released a time-lapse video of the endeavor, which is part of a trajectory to propel its Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft to Jupiter.

"Timelapse! Volume up, sit back and enjoy #ESAJuice's lunar-Earth flyby in all its glory," the space agency posted online.

In the first-ever lunar-Earth flyby, the spacecraft successfully exploited the large objects' gravity to put it on a course to Venus, where it will arrive for another flyby, and slingshot, in 2025. The Juice craft will then fly by Earth twice more as it escapes to the distant, icy solar system. Juice is expected to arrive at Jupiter in 2031, where it will swoop by 35 of the gas giant's icy moons.

You can watch the time-lapse below. You'll spot the spacecraft, with its antennae and instruments, in the foreground of the moon and Earth vistas.

Tweet may have been deleted The Juice spacecraft's trajectory through the solar system en route to the gas giant Jupiter. Credit: ESA (acknowledgement: work performed by ATG under contract to ESA)

The Juice spacecraft wields two large cross-shaped solar panels, the biggest ever built for an interplanetary mission, ESA explains. That's because solar radiation at distant Jupiter, which is on average 484 million miles from the sun, is 25 times weaker than on our planet.

"This makes JUICE the largest 'solar power plant' in the Solar System," ESA wrote. It's a whopping 71 feet (21.7 meters) wide.

The mission will scrutinize worlds like Europa, an ice-blanketed moon suspected to harbor a voluminous sea beneath its ice shell, as well as the large moons Ganymede and Callisto. Ganymede, which is larger than Mercury, is Juice's primary target, and the spacecraft won't just speed by this moon — it will orbit it. Like Europa, Ganymede is stretched and compressed by the nearby massive gas giant Jupiter, a process that generates heat.

"This heat could drive some tectonic activity and provide one of the necessary conditions for life to emerge: a source of energy," ESA explains.

'Black Myth: Wukong' PS5 review in progress: A potential masterpiece

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

Black Myth: Wukong wants to be the modern action RPG we’ve all been waiting for. It checks all the right boxes: fast-paced combat, visually stunning environments, and boss fights that demand your full attention. Yet, after clocking 10 hours, it's clear that GameScience's lofty ambitions might be more than they can handle. The game teeters on the edge of greatness, but it’s not quite there — at least not yet.

Performance issues have been a recurring theme in the reviews of Black Myth: Wukong, particularly on PC, where other outlets have already raised red flags. I was fortunate to receive a PlayStation code, though it's worth noting that this version was conspicuously absent from the early review cycle before the game’s Aug. 20 release.

Adding to the list of concerns, the game’s release came with a set of coverage guidelines specifically aimed at content creators — guidelines that conveniently sidestepped the studio’s alleged history of sexism. Journalists were left out of this directive, but the very existence of these restrictions left a bad taste, making it hard to separate the game from the kind of weird controversy surrounding its development.

Despite the outside controversies and the performance stumbles, stepping into the world of Black Myth: Wukong was nothing short of a mind-blowing experience. The awe didn't fade, even when combat encounters occasionally tested my patience. While there are a few issues I'll delve into later, there's no denying that Black Myth is a genuine game-of-the-year contender. With just a bit more polish, it could have easily earned its place as a classic of the decade.

Black Myth: Wukong plot

Based on my playthrough so far, Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t offer much in the way of a dense narrative.

Credit: GameScience

You take on the role of The Destined One, a mute monkey who suddenly sets out on a quest to retrieve the six relics of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. I initially thought this would be a loose adaptation of Journey to the West, but instead, the story begins long after those famous travels, taking place several centuries after the adventures of Sun and Tang Sanzang.

The game is structured into six chapters, each punctuated by beautifully designed animations that narrate the story of that chapter’s main character.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is rich with environmental storytelling and packed with references to Journey to the West, most of which flew right over my head. My only familiarity with the novel comes from Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, which is loosely inspired by it. Yet, even with my limited knowledge of the source material, the game’s visually stunning arenas drew me in, making me eager to explore every corner and craft my own little narratives within its beautifully rendered world.

It’s always gratifying to stray off the beaten path and have my curiosity rewarded. While grappling with a particularly stubborn mini-boss, I decided to explore a side area near a checkpoint. This detour led me to an entirely different boss arena where I faced off against the Toad Guai, Baw-Li-Guhh-Lang. This unexpected discovery then guided me to another mini-boss, Guangzhi, whose defeat granted me the in-game abilities I needed to finally conquer the mini-boss that had been giving me so much trouble.

Black Myth: Wukong gameplay & performance

Combat in Black Myth is all about fluidity, with a heavy focus on managing your mana and focus meters.

Credit: GameScience

Mana is used to cast spells like immobilize, which does exactly what it sounds like, and cloud step, a move that creates a misty clone to distract enemies, setting you up for a devastating stealth attack. The focus meter is equally crucial, filling up with quick, light attacks and perfectly timed dodges.

These focus points can be spent on various combat techniques or to refill your health. The overall combat experience is a twitchy, dodge-centric affair that will feel familiar to Souls fans, but it’s also distinctly stylized with wuxia-inspired martial arts, making every encounter feel like a cinematic showdown.

There’s a lot of debate around whether Black Myth can be classified as a Souls-like. On the surface, the combat does follow a familiar formula — dodge, dodge, attack, dodge — but the game feels more like a hybrid of several influences. From my experience, Black Myth is a unique fusion, combining elements of FromSoftware’s Sekiro, Platinum Games’ Bayonetta, and the indie cult-favorite Furi into something entirely its own.

Black Myth incorporates some classic elements you’d expect from a Souls game — stamina management and enemies that respawn when you rest at a checkpoint. But it doesn’t go full Souls-like on you. Death here is more of a minor setback than a crippling blow, and you’re not forced to reclaim lost loot.

The upgrade system is simpler, too, and it’s kept separate from buying other resources, unlike the all-in-one currency system in Souls games. And while Souls-likes are known for their mix of intense boss battles and expansive areas filled with a variety of enemies, Black Myth opts for a different approach, more reminiscent of Furi, where you’re thrown from one boss encounter to the next.

Black Myth runs fairly well on the PlayStation 5, but you can tell it’s really pushing the hardware. There are noticeable stutters in cutscenes, and textures on the map frequently load in and out, which can be jarring. It’s a bit of a trip — you’re taking in the lush forests or vast deserts, and suddenly a frog pops into existence only to disappear moments later. So far, I’ve been lucky not to encounter any game-breaking bugs, and even in performance mode, the framerate stays smooth. But these visual hiccups are a reminder that the game is still somewhat poorly optimized.

Is Black Myth: Wukong worth it?

I know this is still a work in progress, but after sinking several hours into Chapters 1 and 2, Black Myth: Wukong is shaping up to be a game you simply can’t miss.

Credit: Game Science

Despite the unfortunate controversies surrounding it, the world crafted by GameScience is a stunning tribute to the mythology and lore of China and Journey to the West. If that doesn’t win you over, let me just say this: the game is incredibly fun to play. That alone should speak volumes.

Each chapter is brimming with secrets to uncover, making this roughly 40-hour journey well worth its $60 price tag.

Pick up a refurbished iPad Air for just $350

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

TL;DR: If you need a lightweight device for taking notes, streaming, or gaming, check out this near-mint 4th gen iPad Air on sale for $349.99 (reg. $599).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished 2020 Apple iPad Air (64GB, WiFi) $350.00
$599.00 Save $249.00 Get Deal

Finding an affordable device is hard enough, but being an Apple user really ramps it up to challenge mode.

If you need a versatile device to handle everything between work and play, check out this refurbished 2020 Apple iPad Air (64GB, WiFi) on sale for $349.99 (reg. $599).

Ready for work, school, or home

Whether you're a student, parent, or dedicated marathon streamer, this iPad Air should be on your radar. The 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display has True Tone technology, so you get vibrant colors and sharp details, great for a relaxing night studying or binge-watching your comfort shows (again).

This tablet is powered by the A14 Bionic chip, which means it's geared up and ready for multitasking and even lightweight gaming. If you like to do a few rounds of Candy Crush before bed, this tablet is a match.

Students can capture high-quality document scans with the 12MP rear-facing camera, and parents can FaceTime in excellent clarity with the 7MP front cam. This iPad also supports Magic Keyboards and the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen). That's a particularly nice match if you need a super portable note-taker for classes or a low-cost drawing tablet.

So if it's so great, why is this tablet 41% off? Well, it's refurbished, but you might not notice from looking at it. The grade "A" refurb rating means this tablet is in near-mint condition. It has a battery life that can last up to 10 hours and 64GB of internal storage. The only signs of wear and tear might be very faint scuffs on the case, but they're not visible from more than a foot away.

Save on an iPad Air

Whether you need a high-quality screen to see the same old shows in new detail or a reliable device for school, this tablet is where you meet your match.

Get a refurbished 2020 Apple iPad Air (64GB, WiFi) on sale for $349.99 (reg. $599).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Add a touchscreen display with rear cam support to your car for under $100

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

TL;DR: If you want an easy upgrade for your vehicle, get a 10-inch Touchscreen Car Display that adds Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and support for a rear cam to your car for $99.97 (reg. $199.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Mesay 10-inch Touchscreen Wireless Car Display with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Support $99.97
$199.99 Save $100.02 Get Deal

Most modern cars come with a center display for things like music, navigation, and rear cameras, but you don't have to miss out just because you have an older model.

Upgrade your ride with a 10-inch Touchscreen Wireless Car Display. This car companion gives you an accessible hub for everything from media controls to parking assistance and navigation, and it's on sale for $99.97 (reg. $199.99).

What makes this car display a better option?

Some car displays may require professional installation or modifications to your car. This one just needs a spot to stick the mounting bracket to. Then, simply attach the display to the bracket, connect the power cord to your vehicle's power supply, and plug in the AUX cable if you wish to use wired audio sources. The included GPS antenna should be placed in a location with good visibility for satellite signals — typically on the dashboard or near the windshield.

Once everything is connected, the display will power up, and you’ll be guided through a straightforward setup process. The user-friendly interface allows you to connect to WiFi, pair with your phone for CarPlay and Android Auto, and customize your settings with ease.

This car display is primed to connect wirelessly to a rear camera, and when you reverse, it automatically switches to show a clear view from your connected cam. While the rear camera isn’t included, the setup is straightforward and simple when you're ready.

Beyond navigation, the 10-inch touchscreen also supports multimedia playback, so you can enjoy your favorite tunes or podcasts while driving. The built-in speaker and Bluetooth functionality enable hands-free calls and music streaming. The display supports various audio and video formats and even lets you tune into FM radio stations for live broadcasts.

Give your ride an upgrade

Whether you're replacing a lackluster display or modernizing an old vehicle, here's your chance for a major upgrade for a minor price.

Get the 10-inch Touchscreen Car Display for just $99.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Top 5 digital security tips from sex workers

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

The struggle for digital sexual freedoms continues as federal lawmakers push bills like the controversial Kids Online Safety Act (which is currently stalled in the House), and several states restrict access to porn sites. In the private sector, social media censorship of LGBT users and porn site data leaks reflect a continued crisis between sexuality, privacy, and technology. So we went to the experts and asked several sex workers for their top tips to help you stay safe online.

1. Identify your personal security goals

"People should take a second and identify the risks they want to avoid," cautions Pittsburgh-based dancer and escort, Josie Oakley. "Like, are they concerned about their family finding their online history? Or are they concerned about getting hacked? Stalkers? Tech companies or the government? Each of these requires different countermeasures."

Thinking about the outcomes we want to avoid, then tracing our internet trail that might lead to that outcome, is a good practice. Let's use the example of credit card information. Online payments are at the forefront of digital security conversations, as recent financial discrimination policies are being beta-tested on sex workers, but are rolling out to impact all customers who fit an unknown criteria of posing financial risk to their bank.

If we're concerned about hackers, we might consider sharing our credit card information with fewer websites. Third-party payment options with stronger security measures, such as PayPal or Venmo, might be a safer route.
If our concern is our friends or loved ones knowing our internet habits, we might use a different credit card, or even a prepaid gift card, for our online transactions.
Tech companies or government surveillance could be deterred by using cash where possible. Some security sites like Mullvad VPN take cash payment by mail to preserve customer anonymity.

2. Minimize data connections across apps

"Avoid cross contamination of data between apps," advises sex worker-run tech collective, Hacking//Hustling, in their doxxing prevention guide. Minimizing data that is shared between your various online accounts (like login information) can prevent a data breach on one website from impacting your other online profiles. Never use the same email and password combination on multiple sites.

Even the existence of an account on a website can be something an individual might want to keep private. For example, if they go to a certain doctor's office for specialist treatment, or if they have an account on adult websites. The reasons we might want to keep parts of our online presence private can be varied, and the need for privacy increases each year as the data economy grows.

"An email address is a great way to track you across the internet," says Ada Hamilton in her series Sluts for Security on the Tryst blog. Tryst is a sex worker-founded platform for escorts, BDSM professionals, massage providers, and adult entertainers to advertise their services.

"If you use cool@email.com to sign up for various services, it's obvious those accounts all belong to the same person. Services like Fastmail and Proton Mail have features to manage auto-generating new aliases on demand." Email aliases are additional email addresses that can route emails to your primary inbox, so you don't have to check multiple inboxes if you're using different aliases to create accounts. A password manager can help you keep track of these unique emails, and also generate unique and randomized passwords for each of your online accounts.

Minimizing connections between your online presence can reduce the information a malicious actor can easily collect on you. Even if we're not sure how certain information can be connected, it's important to remember that data technology is rapidly evolving daily, and we can't always know what tomorrow might bring. Maintaining good practices of digital security protects us more than we might anticipate.

3. Scrub metadata (like your location) from all shared media

Metadata is extra information embedded in digital documents, images, and videos that can include things like location or identifying information about the file creator. You could be unsuspectingly sharing more information than you thought when you share content online. Sometimes this extra data is obvious — ever notice that shared TikTok videos always include a link to the profile of the person who shared it? That's one visible example, but metadata isn't always so obvious.

"I use either Photoshop or Lightroom, available as part of Adobe's photography plan at $10/month," shares one sex worker from Atlanta, who primarily creates digital video and photography content. "But all you really need to do is make sure you have GPS settings turned off for your camera apps. While most sites like OnlyFans and Instagram will scrub your metadata anyway, you do not want to forget and send a photo over text or email and give someone your address by accident." This sex worker chose to be anonymous for privacy reasons.

Different photography apps also record GPS location. In general, it's a good idea to check settings and do research on any media sharing and creation apps to see what kind of extra information they include.

4. Cover faces, instead of blurring

As facial recognition technology advances rapidly, it's worth thinking about where your face can be found online. Whether you're a parent keeping your child's image off the internet, or you're a political activist, or in any situation where you're sharing photos and want some privacy — consider fully covering faces instead of blurring them. "Many types of blurs can be undone programmatically," advises tech security expert and pro dominatrix, Mistress Fae, on her new Substack. "A dedicated stalker can use readily-available online tools to recover your facial features."

Always check photos closely for any other markers of location or identity, like tattoos and background elements, or even reflections in mirrors. Fae recommends using opaque methods of obstruction, like emoji stickers instead of light leaks or semi-transparent filters. Digital photos can be manipulated for more information than we expect. The more elements of an object that are visible, say the top half of an identifiable building, or a face where only eyes are covered instead of the entire face, the more likely it is that more information can be pieced together.

SEE ALSO: Is WhatsApp banning sex worker accounts? 5. Use encrypted apps

Sex worker communities often have to move quickly between platforms when censorship or risky data practices become apparent. On any app, always take some time to look over security settings, and turn off any location tracking and minimize publicly visible personal information. For example, until you review the settings, you might not notice that an app shares your "last online" timestamp with all your contacts. Do you consciously want to share that information? App permissions can also get reset when terms of service are updated by the developers; periodically checking these settings again is a good practice.

In 2024, we're lucky to live in an era of abundance when it comes to encrypted apps. Encryption is the process of scrambling data so that only authorized users can read it. These are some popular recommendations used by sex worker communities:

Looking for a more private alternative to Google Docs? Try CryptPad.
Need more secure cloud sharing than Microsoft SharePoint? Consider ProtonMail's new Proton Drive.
For secure texting, use Signal instead of iMessage or Facebook Messenger.

Explore additional layers of security for any app you use. Consider turning on the disappearing messages features to protect yourself and anyone you're messaging in case either person's phone is stolen. Dropbox allows you to set up a physical hardware token as your two-factor authentication method.

Managing risk online isn't a binary process of choosing the "right" option — it's about minimizing the exposure we can, and doing what we need to protect ourselves from different types of bad actors.

How to watch Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm online

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 05:00

TL;DR: Watch Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The WNBA is in the home stretch of the 2024 season, with the playoffs set to begin on Sep. 22.

Seattle are close to booking a spot in the postseason with an above average win-loss record in 2024, but it's less certain for Atlanta, who are sitting towards the bottom end of the league table. Crucially, however, it's not impossible, which means it's all to play for when Atlanta take the trip to Seattle.

If you want to watch Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, check out the information below.

When is Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm?

Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm in the WNBA starts at 10 p.m. ET on Aug. 28. This fixture takes place at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.

How to watch Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm

Basketball fans can watch Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm plus the remainder of the WNBA 2024 season from anywhere in the world with a WNBA League Pass.

Due to blackout rules, the WNBA League Pass doesn't broadcast locally televised games live in participating teams' local areas. However, you can sidestep these restrictions with a VPN. VPNs are helpful online tools that work by hiding your real IP address (digital location) then connecting you to secure servers in other locations and watch every WNBA League Pass game live, excluding games hosted by Amazon Prime Video.

To access every WNBA League Pass game, follow these easy 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 a location with no broadcast deals for the WNBA
Log in to WNBA League Pass
Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, which gives you a discount of 49% — but for a limited time. As part of this plan you get an extra three months at no extra cost, a year of free unlimited cloud backup, and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Atlanta Dream vs Seattle Storm in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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