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

More than a third of U.S. states still have restrictions in place for online adult content, so what are users in impacted states supposed to do now? Fortunately, it is possible to bypass these online restrictions from places like Kentucky with a simple hack.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Kentucky, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Kentucky

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock Pornhub for free in Kentucky with ExpressVPN.

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

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To happen.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

OCCUR

Hurdle Word 2 hint

The edge.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 19, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

BRINK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Grumpy or irritable.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 19 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 19, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

POUTY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

The symbol of the US.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 19 Hurdle Word 4 answer

EAGLE

Final Hurdle hint

A conference or seminar.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

FORUM

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

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

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

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

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

• Yellow: What fighters do

• Green: On the field for a kick

• Blue: Basketball HOF players in Boston

• Purple: Baseball stadiums that have closed

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Strike with the first

• Green: Players involved in a field goal try

• Blue: Celtics in the Hall of Fame

• Purple: First words of former MLB ballparks

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #208 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Strike with the first - HIT, JAB, PUNCH, SOCK

• Players involved in a field goal try - HOLDER, KICKER, LINEMEN, LONG SNAPPER

• Celtics in the Hall of Fame - BIRD, PARISH, PIERCE, RUSSELL

• First words of former MLB ballparks - CANDLESTICK, EBBETS, POLO, SHEA

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 19 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 19 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: ___ a ___

The words are common phrases.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are three word phrases with a in the middle.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is TakeThat.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for April 19

• Selfie

• Breather

• Hint

• Chance

• Number

• Gander

• Hike

• TakeThat

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 19 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Commonly given in schools or colleges

• Green: Used to describe the Sahara

• Blue: Common pets

• Purple: Coded by numbers

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Spoken presentation

• Green: Adjectives for a desert

• Blue: Dog breeds, informally

• Purple: Represented by three-digit numbers

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #678 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Spoken presentation: ADDRESS, LECTURE, SPEECH, TALK

• Adjectives for a desert: DRY, HOT, SANDY, VAST

• Dog breeds, informally: BULLY, CHOW, GOLDEN, LAB

• Represented by three-digit numbers: CANNABIS, DEVIL, INTRO CLASS, JAMES BOND

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 19

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for April 19 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 19, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A folder where digital messages are held.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter I.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

INBOX.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 19

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Pride and Prejudice, directed by Joe Wright, and starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen as will-they-won't-they lovers Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. In the two decades since its 2005 debut, this glorious film adaptation of Jane Austen's novel has forged a rich internet legacy, birthing memes, thirst posts, and more.

To toast Pride and Prejudice's re-release in theaters, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko interviewed Wright over Zoom, looking to discover not only what he makes of the movie's online popularity but also to uncover the origins of these much-memed moments.

SEE ALSO: 11 Jane Austen movie and TV adaptations we ardently admire and love

In the video above, Wright reveals how Darcy's truly iconic hand flex came to be a part of cinema history and how Emma Thompson wrote some of the movie's most frequently quoted lines.

You know, you love it. It’s the Charlotte Lucas speech, performed here by Claudie Blakley. 

"I'm 27 years old. I've no money and no prospects. I'm already a burden to my parents, and I'm frightened."

The audio clip is all over TikTok. Charlotte's words have been iced onto birthday cakes. And while some have erroneously credited Austen with these unforgettable lines, what Charlotte actually said in the book was more elaborate: "I am not romantic, you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and, considering Mr. Collins's character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state."

In Mashable's interview, Wright revealed that while screenwriter Deborah Moggach wrote much of Pride and Prejudice’s screenplay, it was Emma Thompson who wrote Charlotte's beloved lines. Ten years before this Austen adaptation, Thompson adapted and starred in the Ang Lee-directed Sense and Sensibility, earning Oscar nominations for both her performance and script. (She took home the Oscar for the latter.) So, Wright welcoming Thompson into the cinematic collaboration was a no-brainer. 

Wright also recalled how Thompson led him to Hampstead Heath, where she improvised dialogue for Pride and Prejudice scenes, directing him to take notes. "That was one of the things she improvised on that hill on Hampstead Heath," Wright said of Charlotte's declaration. Thompson's inspired interpretation ends with, "Don't you judge me, Lizzy. Don't you dare judge me."

Wright remembered he found Thompson’s ability to come up with such dialogue "miraculous." 

As to why it's still so relevant to audiences today, the director mused, "I think it's because it's true. There's a truth to it all."

Pride and Prejudice returns to theaters for a special event on April 20 and April 23.

We've been waiting for this one: The new Google Pixel 9a smartphone has officially landed, and early reviewers are (mostly) praising this affordable smartphone.

Mashable's own review will be going online early next week (we're still evaluating the phone's feature set and cameras), but we wanted to round up the early reviews for early adopters who just can't wait.

With tariffs predicted to lead to higher prices for electronics like mobile phones, we wouldn't be surprised if mid-range smartphones like this become more popular in the months ahead. Sure, the teens may be addicted to their iPhones, but in Android land, you can find quite a few affordable smartphones.

So, let's recap the phone's specs and then dive into the Google Pixel 9a early reviews...

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 9a $499 at Google
Shop Now Google Pixel 9a specs: No more camera bump... Credit: Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

• Display: 6.3-inch scratch-resistant Actua display

• Processor: Google Tensor G4 processor

• Resolution: 1080 x 2424 pOLED, HDR support

• Camera: 48 MP main camera, 13 MP ultra-wide camera

• Colors: Iris, Peony, Porcelain, Obsidian

• Battery life: 30 hours

• Storage: 128-256GB

• Size: 6.1 x 2.9 x 0.4 inches

Google Pixel 9a: The early reviews

What are the early reviewers saying so far? Over at Tom's Guide, reviewer John Velasco calls this the new phone to beat for $500. Overall, most reviews agree with that assessment, though some reviewers do complain about a wonky zoom and average camera quality. On the plus side, the new Pixel 9a has an improved design, battery, and display. Plus, most reviewers confirm the camera is good enough for the $499 price tag.

CNN Underscored’s Mike Andronico has a rave review, with a headline that states, “I used the Google Pixel 9a for a week and I’m shocked how good this $500 phone is.” CNN Underscored can be a bit… overenthusiastic in its product assessments, so we might take that headline with a grain of salt. Still, it’s a very positive review of a mid-range smartphone (though, they note the camera leaves something to be desired).

Over in Australia, Channel News praises the Pixel 9a for offering flagship features at a more affordable price. The outlet reports that the phone’s standout features include a good-quality camera and a “stunning display.” In particular, they praise the phone for its 120hz refresh rate and 2,700 nits of brightness.

The Guardian and Consumer Technology Editor Samuel Gibbs have another very positive review, claiming this is the “best bang for your buck in Android phones.” Gibbs says it compares favorably to Google’s flagship Pixel smartphones, as well as the Samsung Galaxy A56 and Nothing Phone 3a Pro.

IGN has one of the few negative reviews of the Pixel 9a, and even “negative” is a bit of a stretch. Neutral, might be a better adjective here, as their reviewer calls it “Not bad. Not the best value either. Ultimately, IGN states the phone isn’t much better than similarly priced alternatives like the OnePlus 13R. 

Business Standard says the Pixel 9a strikes the right balance “between flagship-grade features and an accessible price point.” The review praised its impressive battery and the new redesign — and the accessible price, of course.

What are customers saying? On the Ars Technica OpenForum, one user calls out the phone for being “light on AI” features. And over on Reddit, one of the most popular user reviews concludes that the new phone really does feel more like a flagship than a middle-of-the-road phone. It has the same processor as the pricier Pixel 9, and the performance offers a much better overall value in this price range.

Once again, check back next week for Mashable's in-depth review of the new Pixel 9a smartphone from Google. In the meantime, you can purchase the new phone from the Google Store.

It feels like a lifetime ago now that Motorola rebooted the Razr as a foldable device, reimagining the classic flip-phone for the modern era.

Motorola has been iterating on the foldable Razr concept since its inauspicious 2020 debut, eventually settling on something popular enough to warrant annual updates. Now, the next generation of Razr foldable smartphones is almost upon us, with a launch date set for next week. Here's everything we know about the new Razr and Razr Plus, including the latest leaks and when and where you'll be able to get one.

SEE ALSO: New foldable iPhone specs leaked, including alleged details on the camera and Touch ID Motorola Razr 2025: Everything we know

Lucky for us, there have been some pretty extensive leaks about the new generation of Motorola phones.

Launch date This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Fortunately, we needn't rely on leaks for this part. Motorola itself has teased the launch of its next foldable on social media, confirming a launch date of April 24. Based on the short video in the post, it seems like Motorola is gearing up to announce both a new Razr and a new regular-style Edge phone. However, the foldables seem to be the point of emphasis here; you can see three Razr phones in different colors in the video. That doesn't necessarily mean there will be three new models of Razr, though, as Motorola has been rolling with a default model and an upgraded "Plus" (or "Ultra" internationally) model for the past couple of years.

Specs

While precedent suggests there will be a base Razr 2025 model, all of the spec leaks so far have concerned the Razr Plus 2025 model (or Razr+, if you prefer). 91mobiles, with the help of leaker OnLeaks, got the scoop on the phone's specs, which are reportedly as follows:

• 7-inch internal 1440p AMOLED display with 165Hz refresh rate

• 4-inch pOLED cover display with a 165Hz refresh rate

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor

• 16GB RAM

• 512GB storage

• 50MP wide and ultra-wide rear camera lenses

• 50MP selfie cam

• 4,700mAh battery

Some of those specs are big upgrades over last year's Razr Plus model. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset would potentially provide a big boost in power, while the battery is substantially larger than the 4,000mAh cell found in the Razr Plus 2024. The 50MP selfie cam would be an upgrade over last year's 32MP lens, while 68W fast charging would be a boon to anyone who needs to juice up real quick.

Unfortunately, info on the supposed entry-level Razr 2025 model is harder to come by. But at the very least, the Plus model seems to offer a pretty big upgrade over its predecessor.

Price

This is obviously not set in stone until Motorola tells us the official price next week. That said, 91mobiles spotted some prices from European retailers online that could give us an idea of what to expect.

The answer is...not pretty. The European version of the premium Razr is expected to cost around €1,346, which is almost $1,500 USD. (The 2024 version is priced at $1,199.99.) That's also before potential tariff price increases come into play, though it's impossible to say what tariffs will even look like a week from now. For now, you can buy the previous generation Motorola Razr (2024) starting at $699.99.

Regardless, the new Razr Plus phone looks to be a big step up from the one before it. Hopefully, it doesn't make weird, disconcerting noises like that first 2020 model did for us.

Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola Motorola Razr (2024) $699.99 at Motorola
256GB, Unlocked Shop Now

Writer/director Ryan Coogler has previously awed audiences with Black Panther and Creed. For Sinners, he's reunited with longtime collaborator Michael B. Jordan, who plays twins in the critically heralded vampire flick.

Set in Clarksdale, Mississippi circa 1932, where the blues was born, Sinners stars Jordan as the SmokeStack Twins, two debonair rogues who, after years up north in Chicago, are fixing to start a juke joint in their hometown. Helping them along the way is a smooth-talking bluesman (Delroy Lindo), the no-nonsense local grocer (Li Jun Li), old friends (Omar Miller), former lovers (Wunmi Mosaku and Hailee Steinfeld), a sultry singer (Jayme Lawson), and their young cousin Sammie (Miles Caton), who aspires to be a professional musician. But Sammie’s soulful music attracts more than revelers — it also attracts a prowling vampire (Jack O’Connell), determined to turn their juke joint into an all-you-can-eat buffet.

SEE ALSO: 'Sinners' review: Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan deliver a vampire movie for the ages

This mix of sensational song numbers and vampire-led violence means Sinners is a film that might have some calling it a horror musical. But do Coogler and his cast agree? Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down with Coogler and his Sinners ensemble to discuss the matter, and to explore how making a “genre-fluid” film so physically demanding worked for the cast. 

Sinners is now in theaters.

ChatGPT users have discovered that the popular AI chatbot can serve as a reverse-location search tool. In other words, you can show ChatGPT a picture, and it can pretty reliably tell you where it was taken. The trend is inspired by the online game Geoguessr, where folks try to figure out a location from a simple web image.

We decided to put this new ChatGPT trend to the test, and the results were downright scary. Mashable tech reporters prompted ChatGPT to play a geo-guessing game and uploaded a series of photos. Even when ChatGPT identified the wrong location, it still got pretty close (such as identifying a rooftop hotel in Buffalo instead of Rochester). In other cases, it suggested specific addresses.

ChatGPT's new reasoning models are getting smarter

This week, OpenAI introduced its newest ChatGPT reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini, with improved visual reasoning. OpenAI also recently made its image generator available to free users. That's led to a number of ChatGPT-based viral trends. People have used it to turn their pets into humans or themselves into action figures, for instance. The reverse location trend, however, is a bit more complicated — and concerning from a privacy standpoint.

The trend started when folks online realized that ChatGPT has become proficient at guessing a location just by analyzing a photo. Ethan Mollick, a professor who researches AI, posted an example on X where ChatGPT was able to correctly guess where he was driving despite the fact that he stripped the image of location info. (Images often contain metadata that includes precise location data.)

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Mollick noted that this ability also shows off the capabilities of agentic AI, which allows AI models to reason out answers in multiple steps and perform more complicated tasks such as web searches.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Putting ChatGPT's visual reasoning to the test

We tested ChatGPT on these new abilities, and it did a decent, if imperfect, job. First, we uploaded a recent photo of a flower shop taken in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. ChatGPT was able to deduce the photo was taken in Brooklyn. It incorrectly thought the image was of a specific flower shop about seven miles away from the true location.

We then uploaded a photo taken from a car on a recent trip to Japan, and ChatGPT's new o3 model was able to identify the exact location. "Final answer:📍 Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan, near the Togetsukyo Bridge, looking across the Katsura River."

The prompt... Credit: Screenshot courtesy of OpenAI ...and the correct answer. Credit: Screenshot courtesy of ChatGPT

When we ran the same prompt with an older reasoning model, the results were much more general: "Given the combination of mountainous terrain, the style of the guardrail, the road, and the overall setting, this looks very much like it could be Japan...The scenery is reminiscent of the areas around Kyoto or Nara, where the countryside meets historic and cultural sites."

We then took things a step further. We uploaded screenshots from the profile of a popular Instagram model — the type of person who would have genuine concerns about privacy and stalkers. With the latest reasoning models, ChatGPT correctly identified the general location, even suggesting specific high-rise apartments, and in one case, a specific home address.

Now, to be fair, the address in question is a home popular among influencers and TV productions, but the specificity was impressive. And a bit scary. It's yet another reason to be careful about what you post online — AI can now help folks deduce where you're located.

OpenAI has said ChatGPT's reverse location abilities could prove helpful, while also acknowledging privacy concerns.

"OpenAI o3 and o4-mini bring visual reasoning to ChatGPT, making it more helpful in areas like accessibility, research, or identifying locations in emergency response," an OpenAI spokesperson wrote in an email to Mashable. "We’ve worked to train our models to refuse requests for private or sensitive information, added safeguards intended to prohibit the model from identifying private individuals in images, and actively monitor for and take action against abuse of our usage policies on privacy.”

New restrictions on semiconductor exports to China are scrambling sales and fueling concerns that the Chinese tech giant will become a chip-making powerhouse.

Among the eerie, slow-moving horrors of the 2014 film It Follows, the image I can't stop thinking about years later is that famous seashell e-reader. Unfortunately, its genius design was made just for the movie, but a new e-reader just debuted that may get us one step closer.

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This week, Taiwan-based company Readmoo debuted its latest color e-reader at the 2025 Touch Taiwan Exhibition. The mooInk V is a color e-reader that has a center hinge (à la the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7) so it folds in half. This reminds us of another innovative technology — something called a book.

While specific dimensions of the e-reader have yet to be revealed, based on images released from the event, it appears to fold up smaller than a paperback book. However, it is slightly heavier than a Kindle at 225 grams, likely due to the mechanics of its hinged aluminum-magnesium alloy build. While we can't testify to its durability, the company claims it can handle more than 200,000 bends.

The mooInk V can bend at a 90-degree angle or lay flat. Credit: Readmoo

Press photos from the mooInk V's debut show an ultra-saturated color screen, but I'm cautiously optimistic about just how bright it will actually be. So far, the color e-readers on the market don't quite live up to their vibrant hype.

Current color e-reader models like the Kobo Libra Colour and Kindle Colorsoft use a Kaleido 3 display, which is a color filter layered on top of a black and white E-Ink panel. That limits the shades that those e-readers can display, usually resulting in slightly muted tones.

Another look at the mooInk V from Readmoo Credit: Readmoo

The mooInk V will instead feature E Ink's Gallery 3 display, which contains colored ink capsules to produce up to 50,000 shades. Like Kindle and Kobo e-readers, the mooInk V will have a screen resolution of 300ppi.

There's still a lot we don't know about the mooInk V, like its specific dimensions, cost, and release date, but we're curious about its promises.

SAVE $8.25: As of April 18, get the AirFly Pro Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter on white background for $46.74, down from its usual price of $54.99. That's a 15% discount, applied via clipping the on-page coupon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon AirFly Pro Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter $46.74 at Amazon
$54.99 Save $8.25 Clip 15% off on-page coupon Get Deal

Though we've been steadily moving away from 3.5 mm audio jacks in our electronics (and all but eliminated them from our phones), you can still find some here and there. And they can be instrumental in making your favorite tech, namely headphones, a little more convenient. In fact, they can help give you wireless functionality where it wasn't there previously. That's super helpful when it comes to situations where cords tangling up just doesn't work. And thanks to this Amazon deal, you can always be prepared for if and when it happens.

As of April 18, get the AirFly Pro Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter on white background for $46.74, down from its usual price of $54.99. That's a 15% discount, applied via clipping the on-page coupon.

You can use the AirFly Pro to transmit and receive Bluetooth audio, such as with a pair of Apple AirPods or other headphones, say, on a plane or other location where there is none. From hooking up to in-flight entertainment or gym equipment, it opens up a whole new world of audio, including on gaming consoles and other tech. Best of all, it makes things quick and easy.

The AirFly Pro itself has 25 hours of battery life as well, with a 33 ft reach, so you can listen even when you're not up close and personal. That makes it an affordable and useful addition to your regular travel kit, or your gym bag. Just be sure to clip the coupon so you can have the 15% discount applied when you buy yours.

You're not the only one who turns to Wikipedia for quick facts. Lately, a deluge of AI bots training on Wikipedia articles has put enormous strain on the organization's servers.

To curb the influx of "non-human traffic" scraping the site for training data, Wikipedia is taking a proactive approach: serving up its data directly to AI developers.

On Wednesday, the Wikimedia Foundation announced a partnership with Google-owned company Kaggle to release a beta dataset "featuring structured Wikipedia content in English and French." Uploaded on April 15, the company said the dataset "simplifies access to clean, pre-parsed article data that’s immediately usable for modeling, benchmarking, alignment, fine-tuning, and exploratory analysis."

According to Ars Technica, bots that scrape Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons pages have consumed 50 percent of its bandwidth, putting a massive strain on the nonprofit's entire operation. Wikimedia hopes that serving up data to developers will dissuade them from deploying bots all over its pages.

The rise of generative AI has let loose a flood of scraping bots hungrily crawling all corners of the internet for more data. To compete against rivals, AI companies have a seemingly insatiable appetite for data. This has included copyrighted works, a contentious issue with artists. Authors, artists, and musicians are arguing in court that this training violates copyright law when it's done without credit, compensation, or consent.

That's why companies like Meta and OpenAI are currently embroiled in legal battles over copyright infringement from plaintiffs like the Authors Guild and The New York Times, who argue this practice is not protected by the fair use doctrine.

But the difference here is that all Wikipedia content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license, which means its content is free to use as long as it's properly attributed and distributed under the same license. The Wikimedia Foundation told Gizmodo that Kaggle paid for the data through the Wikimedia Enterprise, and AI companies "are still expected to respect Wikipedia’s attribution and licensing terms."

The partnership between Wikimedia and Kaggle represents a more nuanced way forward, allowing AI companies to train models on internet data that's been legally and, at least more ethically, obtained.

SAVE UP TO 30%: Celebrate Earth Month with up to 30% off at Grove Co. Shop dish soap, laundry sheets, multipurpose cleaner, and more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Grove Co. Grove Co. Earth Month Sale Save up to 30% on household essentials Get Deal

I didn’t think there’d be a day when buying cleaning supplies and other household essentials would take such a big chunk of my paycheck, but it’s 2025, and here we are. But there are still ways to save and be environmentally conscious.

Right now, you can get up to 30% off sitewide during Grove Co.’s Earth Month Sale. This includes refills and dispensers for laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap, and all-purpose cleaner, as well as products like toilet paper, paper towels, and more. You can also get free shipping when you spend $29 or more.

SEE ALSO: Grove Co. makes eco-friendly cleaning product swaps easy

That being said, Grove Co. is one of many companies affected by the recent tariff changes. They've announced that starting Tuesday, April 22, 2025, prices on a number of its products will increase. (If you’re a current Grove subscriber, you might want to check your cart to make sure you’re still happy with your scheduled order!)

So, what's the takeaway? Now’s the time to take advantage of the current Earth Month Sale (with up to 30% off sitewide and free shipping on $29+) and stock up on your favorite Grove Co. essentials before the new prices kick in on April 22.

SAVE $35.97: As of April 18, get 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for 99 cents at Amazon. That's a discount of 97%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Get 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for 99 cents $0.99 at Amazon
$35.97 Save $34.98 Get Deal

Thinking about reading more books? It's a noble goal that many of us end up setting, but many also fall short. Books can be expensive, after all, and it always feels like there's just no time in the day to do everything you really want to do. But if you have tons of books at your disposal for a low price, that could change things significantly. Amazon's Kindle Unlimited subscription is a great option in that respect, and right now you can try it out for a significant discount.

As of April 18, get 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for 99 cents at Amazon, down from its usual price of $35.97 ($11.99 monthly). That's a discount of 97%. This offer only applies to Amazon Prime members joining Kindle Unlimited for the first time. You will need to be logged in to a Prime account without a subscription to be eligible (or to see the discount). After your 99 cent subscription ends, you must cancel or your subscription will raise to $11.99 monthly.

Kindle Unlimited allows you to read as many books, magazines, and audiobooks you want from Amazon per month. While not all of Amazon's books are included, there's plenty to choose from, with tons of NYT bestsellers, classics, and favorites to download and read on your Kindle. It's like checking a book out from the library without having to leave your home.

You can borrow up to 20 titles at a time and use your subscription across multiple devices. There are no due dates, so all you need to do is "return" a book when you're done and just get another one. It's a simple and affordable way to read more, and you can use it anywhere you can access your Kindle books. If you want to do all this on the cheap, be sure to snag this offer while it's available.

Best early Amazon Book Sale deals: Best Kindle deal Kindle Scribe (64GB) $364.99 (save $85) Get Deal Best subscription deal Three Months of Audible Premium Plus $0.99 (save $42) Get Deal Best book deal 'The Good Girl' by Mary Kubica $7.87 (save $11.12) Get Deal

Amazon’s annual book sale kicks off on April 23 and runs through April 28, but if you’re itching to get your hands on some new reading material, you can shop early deals now.

Here are the best early Amazon book sale deals we could find as of April 18:

Best Kindle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Scribe (64GB) $364.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $85 Get Deal Why we like it

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB) has returned to its all-time low price of $364.99, down from $449.99. That’s a 19% discount and $85 in savings.

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB) doubles as an e-reader and a digital notebook that you can literally write on (with the included Premium Pen). The “paper” is designed to feel and function like real paper, and with a 10.2-inch glare-free screen and 300ppi resolution, you can read and write comfortably in any light.

Write in the margins your favorite books (or textbooks), jot down notes, create to-do lists, and more. Then, convert your handwritten notes into text and email them to colleagues, friends, family, or yourself.

Best subscription deal Opens in a new window Credit: Audible Three Months of Audible Premium Plus $0.99 at Amazon
$14.95 Save $13.96 Get Deal Why we like it

If audiobooks are more your speed, you can get three months of Audible Premium Plus for $0.99 per month. It’s regularly $14.95 a month, so you’re saving about $42 over the three months.

With Audible Premium Plus, you’ll get one credit per month to pick any title from the premium selection (including bestsellers and new releases) to keep forever. You also get unlimited access to the Plus Catalog, featuring thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals.

This deal is available through April 30.

Best book deal Opens in a new window Credit: MIRA 'The Good Girl' by Mary Kubica $7.87 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $11.12 Get Deal Why we like it

Tons of Editors’ Picks are on sale right now, including The Good Girl by Mary Kubica.

This book has sold over one million copies worldwide, and you can get your hands on the paperback version for just $7.87. That’s a 59% discount and a savings of $11.12.

The Good Girl is a thriller novel, but if you’re a fan of Gone Girl, you’ll probably like it.

Within a year, two federal judges declared the tech giant a monopoly in search and ad technology. The tide may be turning for antitrust.

SPEND $30, GET $5 CREDIT: As of April 18, spend $30 on home essentials at Amazon and get a $5 credit.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Get a $5 Amazon credit when you spend $30 on home essentials Get Deal

Are all your home essentials running low? Need to stock up on everything you use regularly? Don't run to the department stores or put in a hasty DoorDash order. Amazon has a deal that could make filling your shelves a much less expensive and frustrating ordeal.

As of April 18, spend $30 on home essentials at Amazon and get a $5 credit. Add the products you want to shop from the Amazon promotion page to your cart. Be sure to add a total of items that add up to $30. When you're finished, simply check out. Your offer will automatically be applied at checkout.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide: Everything you need to know ahead of time

This sale isn't just about goodies for your pantry, though. It encompasses a wide variety of things, from beauty products to outdoor goods and baby items and much more. The luxurious Eos Shea Better Body Lotion is included, as is the popular Tree Hut shea sugar scrubs that come in several different scents. It's mostly a sale that nets you home items instead of food, however, so keep that in mind when shopping.

You can shop multiple orders with the credit, so if you need to grab items for different addresses, or you want to get away with saving more money, you can do that. Just be sure to grab the items specifically from the landing page to make your life easier.