Feed aggregator

When I set out to improve my tainted reputation with chatbots, I discovered a new world of A.I. manipulation.

GET 35% OFF: Shop Solawave's Labor Day sale and get 35% off select products with the code LABORDAY35. The sale ends Sept 4 at midnight.

Opens in a new window Credit: Solawave Solawave Labor Day Sale Get 35% off select products Shop Now

If the summer heat's making your skin feel lackluster or you’re just really into your self-care routine, you’ll be happy to know that Solawave (the brand behind that celeb-favorite skincare wand) is offering 35% off during its Labor Day sale.

SEE ALSO: We tried the celeb-favorite Solawave skincare wand

As of Aug 30, you can get your hands on the Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand & Activating Serum Kit for $66 less than its usual price, making it just $122 — a steal, considering the kit typically retails for $189. Or, if you prefer to purchase the wand by itself, you can snag the Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand for $109 (originally $169). The promo code is LABORDAY35, but the savings will auto-direct to your cart, so you don't actually have to type in a code.

The sale runs through Sept 4, so you have a few days to decide what to get. There are a few exclusions, though, including the Radiant Renewal 2-in-1 Skincare Mini, Youthful Glow Skincare Kit with Red Light Therapy, and Radiant Renewal Eye Recovery Pro, so you'll want to double-check the product details before you check out.

Apple Intelligence is upon us, but not every company that owns a major website is a fan of Apple scraping its data to train AI.

A new report by Wired found that several widely recognizable online brands have chosen to opt out of training Apple's AI bot. Among those who have deliberately turned it off are Facebook, Instagram, the New York Times, Craigslist, and Condé Nast. If the opt-out request is truly honored, Apple Intelligence cannot and will not get any data from those sites until, or unless, any of them enter into official business agreements with Apple for the use of their data.

SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly investing in OpenAI — Microsoft’s rival wants in on the ChatGPT maker, too

Wired's report goes into the nitty gritty technical details of how these data scraping bots work, but the main thing to know is that it's similar to how Apple has trained things like Siri over the years, but now with an extra layer of possible copyright infringement that has made companies wary. Apple, to its credit, started offering a tool to opt out of data scraping months ago, so it's not like these companies had to figure out a way to do it themselves.

Considering so many major companies are turned off by the proposition of feeding data to Apple's AI, and the fact that Apple needs to give its AI literal pep talks to stop it from making things up, one could reasonably wonder if maybe we jumped into this lake a little too early.

A smarter version of Amazon's Alexa is coming — but it might not be powered by Amazon's tech.

According to a new report by Reuters, the new version of Alexa will "primarily" be powered by Anthropic's Claude AI models, instead of Amazon's own AI.

Anthropic is an AI company founded by ex-OpenAI employees, which claimed that Claude 3's Opus model, which launched in March this year, was in some ways more powerful than comparable models from OpenAI and Google. Amazon is a big investor in Anthropic, having invested $4 billion into the company (Google is another investor, having thrown at least $2 billion into Anthropic itself).

The new, AI-powered Alexa is internally referred to as "Remarkable," and it will cost between $5 and $10 when it launches in October, Reuters reported in June. Classic Alexa – the one that can perform basic tasks but cannot chat with you nearly as well as OpenAI's ChatGPT can – will remain free.

When asked about this, Amazon gave Reuters a canned response, saying it "uses many different technologies to power Alexa," though it did say it will continue to use its own Titan model, future Amazon models, "as well as those from partners."

The report sounds quite a bit more damning than that, with Reuters' sources claiming that Amazon's attempts to build the new Alexa with in-house software had it "struggling for words," and that it was painfully slow, sometimes taking "six or seven seconds to acknowledge a prompt and reply." Ouch.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Alexa can tell you about Prime Day deals before they go live

Alexa is a very important part of Amazon's ecosystem, given that it powers the vast number of smart devices in Amazon's lineup. And yeah, with Google making its things smarter via Gemini and Appel preparing to supercharge Siri, Amazon's Alexa could probably use some AI-based sprucing up.

Google's AI arm is reportedly tapping into "bioacoustics" — a field that blends a combination of biology and sounds that, in part, help researchers gain insights on how pathogen presence affects human sound. As it turns out, our sounds convey tell-tale information about our well-being.

According to a Bloomberg report, the search-engine giant built an AI model that uses sound signals to "predict early signs of disease." In places where there is difficulty accessing quality healthcare, this technology can step in as an alternative where users need nothing but their smartphone's microphone.

How does Google's bioacoustics AI work?

Google's bioacoustics-based AI model is called HeAR (Heath Acoustic Representations). It was trained on 300 million, two-second audio samples that include coughs, sniffles, sneezes, and breathing patterns. These audio clips were pulled from non-copyrighted, publicly available content from platforms like YouTube.

One example of such content is a video that recorded sounds of patients in a Zambia-based hospital where sick individuals came in for tuberculosis screenings. In fact, HeAR has been trained on 100 million cough sounds that help detect tuberculosis.

According to Bloomberg, bioacoustics can offer "near-imperceptible clues" that can reveal subtle signs of illness that can help health professionals diagnose patients. Plus, the AI model can detect minute differences in patients' cough patterns, allowing it to spot early signs of a sickness' amelioration or deterioration.

Google is partnering with Salcit Technologies, an AI healthcare startup based in India. Salcit has its own AI model called Swaasa (which means "breath" in Sanskrit) — and the Indian collaborator is using Swaasa to help HeAR improve its accuracy for tuberculosis and lung health screening.

Swaasa offers a mobile app that allows users to submit a 10-second cough sample. According to Salcit’s co-founder, Manmohan Jain, the app can identify whether an individual has a disease with an accuracy rate of 94 percent

The auditory-based test costs $2.40. This is much cheaper than a spirometry test, which costs about $35 in an India-based clinic.

HeAR doesn't come without challenges, though. For example, Google and Salcit are still trying to navigate problems with users submitting audio samples with too much background noise.

Google's bioacoustics-based AI model is nowhere near the "ready-for-market" stage, but you've got to admit, the concept of using AI in the medical field, combined with sound, is arguably innovative and promising.

If you see a video ad of Tom Hanks promising you a miracle cure for something, the man himself wants you to know it's a fake.

On Thursday night, the actor took to Instagram to issue a PSA about AI-generated videos popping up on social media that are using his image.

SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly investing in OpenAI — Microsoft’s rival wants in on the ChatGPT maker, too

"There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting miracles cures and wonder drugs," reads Hanks' post. "These ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI."

View this post on Instagram

"I have nothing to do with these posts or the products and treatments, or the spokespeople touting these cures," Hanks continues. "I have type 2 diabetes, and I ONLY work with my board certified doctor regarding my treatment. DO NOT BE FOOLED. DO NOT BE SWINDLED. DO NOT LOSE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY."

This isn't the first time Hanks has issued a warning like this. Last October he shared a screenshot of an AI-generated video of himself "promoting some dental plan" (for some reason Hanks appears to be a go-to for medical-themed AI hoaxes) along with a warning that he has "nothing to do with it".

AI misinformation is already a growing issue. It seems likely that as the technology becomes more advanced, widespread and accessible, the problem is only going to get worse.

Online privacy is in short supply, but that doesn't make it any less important. Your data is seriously valuable stuff, and you should be doing everything you can to protect it when navigating the online world. And if you watch porn, you should be even more vigilant.

We're going to take a wild guess that you'd prefer to be protected from the prying eyes of advertisers, your internet service provider (ISP), and your roommates when you're visiting porn sites. If that is indeed the case, you should consider investing in a VPN. These cybersecurity services provide everything you need to unblock porn sites and stream anonymously.

What is a VPN?

VPNs provide powerful protection for your data and identity when you're online. VPNs offer this online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address (digital location), making all of your activity untraceable and secure.

SEE ALSO: AdultFriendFinder is basically a porn hookup site that needs a refresh

This concept can be difficult to grasp, so it can be helpful to think of VPNs as encrypted tunnels through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware. It's all about anonymity and cybersecurity, and that's particularly important if you're watching porn.

Do you need a VPN for porn?

There are two key reasons to consider a VPN for porn: anonymity and access.

The first reason is perhaps the most important. If you're concerned about your ISP, housemates, landlord, or someone totally random accessing your data, you could probably benefit from using a VPN. Any sort of activity on an unsecured WiFi network leaves your private information and browsing habits exposed to the world, unless you're using a VPN. Even porn sites can track your activity if you're unprotected. Pornhub tracks IP addresses for example, which means it has the potential to collect information about your site usage. But with a VPN, your IP address will always remain hidden.

Remaining private and anonymous is the key argument for using a VPN for porn, but there's another point to consider concerning access to your favourite sites. If you're in a location that has a firewall up to block access to porn sites, you'll need to use a VPN to bypass these restrictions. VPNs hide your real IP address and connect you to a server in another location, meaning you can bypass firewalls to stream on your favourite sites from anywhere in the world.

What features should you consider when selecting a VPN?

There are a number of things you should consider before selecting a VPN for porn. We have highlighted a selection of the most important VPN features to help you make a decision:

• Connection speed — VPNs generally produce a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept anything significant. Make sure you opt for a VPN that doesn't negatively impact your connection speed to the point that you can'tstream porn without disruption.

• Encryption — There are different levels of encryption, and whilst it's important to take note of the grade provided by your VPN, the best services will all offer powerful protection for your data. This is obviously vital when navigating porn sites because you need to know that your data is secure.

• Number of connections — Leading VPNs let you connect an unlimited number of devices with the same account, whilst others limit you to just a single device. Prioritise services that offer multiple simultaneous connections so you can stay secure on all your devices at the same time. You might stream porn on a number of devices, so it's best to secure everything with the same account.

• Privacy policy — This is something that some users might take for granted, but you need to pay special attention to the data-handling, storage, and usage practices of a VPN. These practices should be clearly laid out in a privacy policy, and if they aren't, you should not subscribe. Most VPNs require access to your IP address, online transactions, and browsing history, plus your personal details when you sign up. Your favourite VPN should not store these details under any circumstances, as that would make the whole anonymity thing redundant.

• Server network — The best VPNs provide access to literally thousands of geographically diverse servers. This is useful because you should always be able to find a stable and speedy connection for streaming porn.

You also need to consider things like price and subscription plans, but these features are a good place to start with your selection process. Once you've picked a favourite option, you can consider the wide range of subscription plans on offer from leading services. There should be something that suits everyone.

Should you use free VPNs?

The big question when it comes to watching porn securely is whether you need to pay for a VPN. The bad news is that, just as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with these cybersecurity services.

There are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs, and free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. The catch is that free versions usually come with limited data usage, meaning you can't really do any streaming or downloading. Free trials come with everything you get in a paid plan, but they obviously don't last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.

Considering all of this, the best option for unblocking porn sites and streaming anonymously is with a paid subscription to a VPN. To gain access to advanced security features without limitations on usage, you will need to cough up the cash.

What is the best VPN for porn?

There are a lot of services out there offering similar packages, making it difficult to find the best VPN for you. We have tried to make your life a little bit easier by tracking down everything on offer and lining up a selection of the very best VPNs for porn. We have tried to find something for everyone and every budget, and you can find popular services like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN in this list.

These are the best VPNs for porn in 2024.

If you've actually read The Iliad, Metamorphoses, The Aeneid, or The Odyssey; devour myth-inspired fiction like Circe; played every minute of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and Hades; and regularly quote Disney's Hercules, you'll watch Netflix's Kaos with serious knowledge (and probably alone, like me). But if you've been elsewhere doing other things, don't worry. As ill-fated narrator Prometheus (Stephen Dillane) says at the beginning of the show, "Some of you may have heard of me. Don't worry if you haven't." 

In Charlie Covell's Greek mythology-based series, Prometheus gives you a one-liner introduction to each figure and location, but the show's not Greek Mythology 101 by any means — there's narrative progression afoot and whatnot. So if you'd like a little more context to get the most out of Kaos, here's a basic (and I mean it) guide, from the mighty gods to the Earthly human heroes. 

SEE ALSO: 'Kaos' review: Can Netflix’s Greek myth series go the distance?

For the record, my sources here are Edith Hamilton's Mythology, Barry B. Powell's Classical Myth, Stephen Fry's Mythos, Mary Beard's Women and Power, Emily Wilson's translation of Homer's The Iliad, Charlotte Higgins' Greek Myths, Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, Liv Albert's Greek Mythology, and David Raeburn's translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Yeah, I dug out my uni textbooks for this. 

Reader beware, there are SPOILERS in here for Kaos.

The gods and mythical beingsZeus (Jeff Goldblum) King of the gods. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

The king of the gods and big cheese of the weather. The series constantly incorporates Zeus' signature weapon, the lightning bolt, it's sewn into his clothing and linens, and you'll spy a giant bolt under glass in one of the palace rooms on Olympus. Kaos also makes more than a few references to Zeus' infidelity and constant impregnating of human women, notably leaving out the constant assault element for the show (same goes for Poseidon and Hades).

Hera (Janet McTeer) Queen of the gods. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

The queen of the gods; goddess of women's sexuality, fertility, and marriage; and Zeus' wife (and sister, as Kaos reminds us). Hera holds a grudge and will often seek brutal vengeance against Zeus' lovers, but she contains multitudes. As Fry writes, "It is easy to dismiss Hera as a tyrant and a bore — jealous and suspicious, storming and ranting like the very picture of a scorned harridan wife (one imagines her hurling china ornaments at feckless minions)…" Luckily, McTeer gives Hera more to do than throw decorations at staff.

But what's with the bees? In Mythos, Fry also writes of the Greek myth about how the bee got its sting: At Zeus and Hera's wedding, a competition for "the best and most original wedding dish" saw a small, buzzing, winged attendee, Melissa, present them with honey. For her efforts, Zeus bestowed her with a cruel sting that would kill her if used. Lovely wedding.

Poseidon (Cliff Curtis) God of the sea. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

God of the sea and earthquakes, Zeus' brother, also Hera's brother. Rules the oceans, often depicted in art with a trident. In Kaos, Hera and Poseidon are lovers, but I believe this is a creative addition to their stories separate from the myths; in myth, he's married to sea nymph Amphitrite. Perhaps she'll turn up in Season 2.

Hades and Persephone (David Thewlis and Rakie Ayola) King and queen of the Underworld. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

The king and queen of the Underworld. Zeus' brother Hades was assigned to run Hell after the Olympians won a major battle over the Titans (Zeus got the sky, Poseidon the sea, Hades the Underworld). Powell writes of Hades: "He commanded legions of demons. A pitiless master, he never willingly allowed any who came to him to return to the land of the living." Persephone, in myth, was kidnapped by Hades and tricked into being trapped there with a tempting offer of six pomegranate seeds — so she must spend six months of the year in the Underworld, six months on Earth. In Kaos, Covell rewrites this situation as a tale of actual love between Hades and Persephone, and the myth as one of bad PR spread by Hera. "Every kid on Earth, when they learn about the Underworld, they think I'm there against my will," Ayola's Persephone says in Kaos. 

Dionysus (Nabhaan Rizwan) God of wine. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

The party fiend of Olympus, Dionysus is the god of wine, hedonism, pleasure, and madness. The name "Dennis" apparently derives from what you call a follower of Dionysus, and it's notably the name of the kitten the god adopts in Kaos.

As Prometheus mentions in the series, Dionysus' mother was mortal, a Theban princess named Semele whose fate was pretty awful in Greek myth. Powell writes that she slept with Zeus appearing "in all his glory, burning Semele to a crisp, Hermes saved the fetus and carried it to Zeus, who sewed it into his thigh. Three months later he removed the stitches, and Dionysus was born again." (Stay with me?) In Kaos, Semele was turned into a bee offscreen by Hera (the fate of all Zeus' human mistresses in the show,) but Semele is indeed burned by an angry Zeus in the Season 1 finale.

In Greek mythology, Dionysus is also the husband of Ariadne — and in the final episode of Kaos, it becomes clear Dionysus has spotted his future mortal love. We leave him standing outside the palace of Knossos. So, maybe Season 2? 

Prometheus (Stephen Dillane) Our guy! Credit: Daniel Escale / Netflix

Our humble narrator, a bearded Titan suspended in shackles from a cliff face, is Prometheus (played by Stephen Dillane). He and Zeus made humans out of clay, then he pissed off his stormy pal by giving them fire, so he's doomed to have his liver pecked out by an eagle every day. Though it's a legendary move by Covell, Prometheus' love for Charon is only in the show.

Medusa (Debi Mazar) Justice for Medusa. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Despite appearances, Medusa has a tragic tale in Greek myth. Known as a Gorgon with snake hair, her story is best told by Mary Beard in Women and Power: "There are many ancient variations in Medusa's story. One famous version has her as a beautiful woman raped by Poseidon in a temple of Athena, who promptly transformed her, as punishment for the sacrilege (punishment to her, note), into a monstrous creature with a deadly capacity to turn to stone anyone who looked at her face. It later became the task of the hero Perseus to kill this woman, and he cut her head off using his shiny shield so as to avoid having to look directly at her."

In Kaos, she's middle management in the Underworld. Justice for Medusa. 

Charon (Ramon Tikaram)  Ferryman of the Underworld. Credit: Netflix

Charon is the ferryman to the Underworld, bringing the spirits of the dead across the River Styx (named for "Hate") and Acheron (or "Woe). Fry writes, "There the grim and silent Charon held out his hand to receive his payment for ferrying the souls across the Styx. If the dead had no payment to offer they would have to wait on the bank a hundred years before the disobliging Charon consented to take them." Folks like Eurydice and Caeneus in Kaos haven’t money to pay Charon (their loved ones stole the coins they were buried with), so they’re sent to the Centre for the Unresolved.

Charon's crew in Kaos has regular-sized sniffer dog versions of the great three-headed dog of the Underworld, Cerberus. Plus, Charon speaks of the Scylla in the series, a sea creature that chomps on Orpheus' fellow Underworld adventurer. In myth, the Scylla is a beast who was once a sea deity — but pissed off the sorceress Circe. Also, Charon's parents are Erebus (personification of darkness) and Nyx (goddess of night), so his emo tendencies are hereditary. 

The Furies (Natalie Klamar, Cathy Tyson, and Donna Banya) If you've done nothing wrong, you'll never see them. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

The trio known as The Furies (also called The Erinyes) exist to punish evildoers. Called Tisiphone, Megaera, and Alecto, they cruise around in Kaos exacting justice, though it might not appear that way. Hamilton writes, "The Greek poets thought of them chiefly as pursuing sinners on the Earth. They were inexorable, but just." Kaos thankfully leaves out The Furies origin story: They're said to have sprung from the blood on the floor after the primordial god of the sky Ouranos was castrated by his own son Cronos. Yikes.

The Fates (Sam Buttery, Suzy Eddie Izzard, and Ché) Your fate is in their hands. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, the three prophecy-makers of Kaos, are known collectively as The Fates. They're a key trio in Greek mythology, writing prophecies and declaring that "knowing is our whole thing." As Graves writes, Clotho is the "spinner," Lachesis (or Lachy in Kaos) is the "measurer," and Atropos is one "who cannot be turned or avoided" — yeah, they wield the badass scissors of fate. As we see in Kaos, Zeus' relationship with The Fates is tempestuous. Graves writes, "Zeus, who weighs the lives of men and informs the Fates can, it is said, change his mind and intervene to save whom he pleases, when the thread of life, spun on Clotho’s spindle, and measured by the rod of Lachesis, is about to be snipped by Atropos’s shears." But he also writes that "Zeus himself is subject to the Fates."

Polyphemus (Joe McGann)

The cyclops Polyphemus comes in the form of an eye-patched bar owner called Poly in Kaos. Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon and the Oceanid Thoosa, and his big role comes in The Odyssey, when he captures Odysseus' crew in his Sicilian cave when they find it full of sheep. In Metamorphoses, Ovid describes him as an "inhuman host, who made his bloody feasts / On mangl’d members of his butcher’d guests." Yeah, he eats some of them, then falls asleep (but not before blocking the exit with a boulder). Odysseus outwits Polyphemus by getting him pissed and blinding him, and the crew tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep in the cave, who then walk on outta there. None of this happens in Kaos, which is a real shame.

The humansEurydice and Orpheus (Aurora Perrineau and Killian Scott) Eurydice's death in myth is awful. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Preferring "Riddy" in the series, Eurydice is the leading lady of the artist-beloved Greek myth in which she dies on her wedding day. As the story goes, minor god Aristaeus attempted to assault Eurydice; she ran, stepped on a poisonous snake who bit her, and died. It's awful. Her grieving husband Orpheus (a guy with musical superpowers and/or a really good lyre from sun god Apollo) travels to the Underworld to get her back. Graves writes that Orpheus "not only charmed the ferryman Charon, the Dog Cerberus, and the three Judges of the Dead with his plaintive music, but temporarily soothed the tortures of the damned." This guy must be good.

No lyre in "Kaos" for Orpheus. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Having won over Hell with his tunes, Orpheus makes a deal with Hades (Higgins writes that it was Persephone's idea) to play her out of there as long as he doesn't look back. Spoiler: he does. Eurydice is a passive soul lost forever in the myth, unlike in the series, where she's given her own agency in the Underworld and allowed to return to Earth (thanks to Persephone).

Caeneus (Misia Butler) Look at the liiiiitttlle Cerrrrrberuuuuus eeeeee. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

In Kaos, Caeneus is a trans man who had to leave his home with the female warrior group the Amazons, but was then murdered by them, declared a "traitor" to their tribe. It’s an awful, TERF-driven story of hate. In myth, Caeneus is indeed a trans man, but not of the Amazons. Graves writes that Caeneus, a nymph, requested to have his sex changed by his lover Poseidon. 

Ariadne and Theseus (Leila Farzad and Daniel Lawrence Taylor) Just wait for Ariadne to meet Dionysus. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Two figures inherently interlinked in Greek mythology, Ariadne and Theseus are most famously associated with the tale of the Minotaur — the same goes for them in Kaos. The daughter of King (not President) Minos, Ariadne doesn't have a twin in Greek mythology, but her half-brother is the Minotaur — more on that below. (Kaos names her brother Glaucus, for a sea god.) Theseus, sometimes referred to as the son of Poseidon, is recruited to slay the Minotaur in the labyrinth beneath Minos' palace at Knossos. 

In Kaos, Ariadne has a crush on Theseus, but he's in love with Nax. In Greek mythology, Theseus abandons Ariadne on an island called Naxos after she helps him slay the Minotaur (rude). In the myth, Ariadne eventually marries Dionysus — which the show indicates in the final episode is where next season might head. 

Pasiphaë (Shila Ommi) Pas has a secret... Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Known as Pas in Kaos, the First Lady of Krete is King Minos' wife in myth. Pasiphaë is actually the mother of the Minotaur — something Covell cleverly adapts for Kaos. Hamilton describes the Minotaur as “half bull, half human, the offspring of Minos’ wife Pasiphaë and a wonderfully beautiful bull. Poseidon had given this bull to Minos in order that he should sacrifice it to him, but Minos could not bear to slay it and had kept it for himself. To punish him, Poseidon had made Pasiphaë fall madly in love with it." Bing, bang, boom, you've got a Minotaur — and a king set to imprison the beast with the help of an inventor…

Daedalus (Mat Fraser)

The great inventor, designer, and architect, Daedalus is at the beck and call of King Minos. Hamilton writes about the labyrinth he was commissioned to build to contain the Minotaur as “a place of confinement for him from which escape was impossible." Sadly, when Daedalus and his son Icarus were imprisoned in the labyrinth, Daedalus' escape plan of constructed wings went awry when Icarus flew too close to the sun. This is mentioned in Kaos, but in the show, Daedelus says Icarus built the wings to escape the palace after realising his father's role with helping Minos imprison the Minotaur. In the myth, a group of young Athenians were sacrificed to the Minotaur in the maze on the regular, so Theseus is called in to kill the Minotaur (Ariadne helps him, with Daedalus’ assistance). In Kaos, it's Minos who kills the Minotaur, his own son in an effort to thwart his own prophecy.

Hecuba and Andromache (Gilian Cally and Amanda Douge)

The two women summoned to President Minos' palace in episode 3 are Hecuba and Andromache. They're the most powerful women of the Trojans, both enslaved after the Trojan War — in Kaos, they're living in the same abysmal conditions without rights as the rest of the Trojan refugees. Andromache is a Theban princess married to the Trojan prince Hector, who dies by Achilles. Their son, Astyanax, features in Kaos as a Trojan rebel and Theseus' lover. In myth, he's thrown from the walls of Troy as a baby (in Kaos, though he makes it to adulthood, he's executed and hung from the Knossos palace wall). Hecuba is the Queen of Troy, married to King Priam, and Hector's mother.

Nax (Daniel Monks)

As well as Hecuba and Andromache, there's a lot of Trojans in Kaos, reeling from the events of the Trojan War. They're branded by the line on their nose in the series and viciously persecuted by the Kretians. Astyanax, a Trojan prince and son of Andromache and Hector, is called Nax in the series, forced to live with the Trojans in the crumbling refugee suburb of Krete called "Troytown," with no citizens rights. He's Theseus' lover in Kaos and responsible for the literal shit pile on the gods' statue. He's the leader of the Trojan Seven, as they're called in the series, a vigilante group demonstrating against oppression by the Kretians — and they're publicly executed by the president. It's a callback to the children thrown from the walls of Troy by the Greek army during the sacking of the city.

Cassandra (Billie Piper) No one listens to Cassandra. They should. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

A prophet and princess of Troy, Cassandra was given the gift of prophecy by a thirsty Apollo — including visions of the whole Trojan War and horse deal (Billie Piper's character mentions this in episode 1). Cassandra wouldn't go on a date with the god or something (ugh, entitled men), so Apollo made sure no one would believe her premonitions. "She shrieked and shouted out through all the city," Homer writes in The Iliad of Cassandra warning the Trojans about the coming violence. Turns out the Ancient Greeks already knew the agony of women not being believed.

Hippolyta and Crixus (Selina Jones and Slavko Sobin)

In Kaos, Ariadne and Theseus attend the Munis, a Mad Max-style cage fight to the death. The fighters are named Carl Crixus of Sparta (named for the gladiator from Gaul) and Hippolyta (named for the Queen of the female warriors known as the Amazons, and daughter of Ares' god of war, who is associated with the story of the 12 Labors of Heracles). In Kaos, Hippolyta's also the one who murdered Caeneus.

The locationsMount Olympus Family barbecue, anyone? Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Home of the gods. That's all you need.

The Underworld Hadestown, one might call it. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

There's a lot of geography covered in Kaos when it comes to the Underworld. When Eurydice first arrives, she's put on the large ferry across the River Styx (se Charon for more on that). Then, the Asphodel port in Kaos is named for the Asphodel Fields, meadows of ghostly flowers in the first area of the Underworld, as Graves describes, “where souls of heroes stay without purpose among the throngs of less distinguished dead that twitter like bats." 

Then there's the River Lethe, which also appears in Kaos as the body of water people swim across to get to The Frame. In myth, the Lethe (named for "forgetfulness") is a river in the Underworld in which people can quite literally wipe their memories. Hades and Persephone's palace is another region of the Underworld, and in Kaos, it's a mid-century modern testament to middle management. 

One thing Kaos doesn't mention is that the Underworld has a Good Place and a Bad Place: Elysium and Tartarus. Maybe Season 2?

Krete and the Palace of Minos at Knossos King/president same diff. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

In myth, King Minos' great palace at Knossos on Krete was home to a subterranean labyrinth where a Minotaur roamed — and it's where most of the action in Kaos is set. See above for the story of Ariadne and Theseus.

Villa Thrace

Eurydice and Orpheus' home in Krete in Kaos is named for Thrace, a region north of ancient Greece associated with Orpheus.

Panopeus

The nightclub we meet Dionysus in, seen in episode 1, is named Panopeus. According to Fry, Panopeus could have been the place where Zeus and Prometheus decided to source the clay to build humans: "History does not agree on exactly where Prometheus and Zeus went to find the best clay for realising the plan. Early sources, like the traveller Pausanias in the second century AD, claimed that Panopeus in Phonics was the place."

The Cave Poly's cave, but make it a dive bar. Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

Though it's said that the entrance to the Underworld was, in fact, a cave, in Kaos, the biggest correlation between Greek mythology and this dive bar venue is its owner. Check the Polyphemus section above for the story of Odysseus and Poly.

Tyndareus Gasoline

In Kaos, you'll see a petrol station called Tyndareus Gasoline. It's named for the king of Lacedaemon who married Aetolian princess Leda, who was impregnated by Zeus in the form of a swan, resulting in Helen of Troy (artists love Leda). Tyndareus and Leda also had Clytemnestra, who married King Agamemnon, the big Greek commander in the Trojan War. A lot of Trojan connections here. 

Notable mention: The cereal aisle

Shout-out to the set designers of Kaos, who've stocked an entire cereal aisle full of Greek mythology references:

• Gaea's Granola: a wholegrain cereal named after the goddess of Earth.

• Achilles' Heels: foot-shaped cereal for the Greek hero whose mother missed a spot when she dipped him in immortality.

• Spartan Crunch: Made with 10-percent Olympus honey, a cereal named for the ancient enemy of Athens.

How to watch: Kaos is now streaming on Netflix.

Bluesky is finally about to add video.

The decentralised social media platform flagged the coming update on Friday in a post. Bluesky first announced it would be adding video in May, along with DMs.

Now might be a good time to announce that our next major app update will have video. 👀 More details soon!

— Bluesky (@bsky.app) Aug 29, 2024 at 22:23

Bluesky didn't specify exactly when the video feature will roll out or what it will look like, promising "more details soon," but in May, the company said "it’s looking like the v1 of video integration on Bluesky will be 90-second clips that you can share on your posts."

SEE ALSO: 5 of the best — and worst — social media apps in 2024 (so far)

Bluesky also announced some "anti-toxicity" features this week, including the ability to detach quote posts, hide replies, and the ability to filter your notifications to only receive updates from people you follow.

Earlier this year, Bluesky added a "stackable approach" for content moderation, which lets users essentially run their own independent moderation services.

In its most recent report, Bluesky says it's sitting at 5.8 million users, offering an alternative for users on competitor X (formerly Twitter). The platform, which was invite-only for its launch, already had 3 million sign-ups before opening up to everyone in February. Meta-owned competitor Threads said at the beginning of August it crossed the 200 million user mark.

David Beckham appeared on First We Feast's "Hot Ones" and took on increasingly spicy wings.

You know that feeling when you just know there's an email hiding in your inbox, containing some precious bit of information, but you just can't find it? It happens to me every week day hour.

Now, however, Android users who happen to be paying for Google's One AI Premium package can make Google's AI assistant Gemini do the hard work for them.

SEE ALSO: Google Gemini now lets you create AI-generated images of people — but there's a catch

To do so, tap the black Gemini star at the top right of your Gmail app on Android (or from the "summarize this email" chip), and then ask it questions. Some examples of things you can ask include "What was the PO number for my agency?", "How much did the company spend on the last marketing event?", or "Catch me up on the emails about quarterly planning," per Google's blog post.

OK, where the HELL is that funny cat video I know I sent a month ago? Credit: Google

All of this has recently been introduced to the web version of Gmail, and Google says it'll also be coming to iOS "soon." The feature is rolling out to Android gradually, so it might take two more weeks until you see it in your Gmail app.

Google has lately been steadily adding Gemini features to Gmail, including the ability to help you write emails, summarize them for you, as well as polish your drafts. All of this, however, is currently only available for people paying for Gemini for Google Workspace or Google One AI Premium.

Tech platforms and governments are in a standoff.

TL;DR: Stream the NRL 2024 for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Where would we be without weekly doses of top-level sport from around the world? Life can be particularly tough from time to time, but you know what really helps? Sitting back and watching athletes at the top of their game doing battle in a desperate attempt to claim victory.

And you know what makes that spectacle even better? When you can watch everything play out without spending anything.

If you want to watch the 2024 NRL season for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NRL?

The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, containing clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

The season typically runs from March to October, with each team playing 24 matches. The regular season is followed by a finals series contested by the eight highest placed teams. The season culminates in the NRL Grand Final. The reigning champions are the Penrith Panthers.

When is the NRL in 2024?

The 2024 NRL season is the 117th season of professional rugby league in Australia. This season will run from March 2 to Oct. 6.

How to watch the NRL for free

Channel 9 offers free streams of NRL matches on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access 9Now to stream the 2024 NRL season by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly 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 Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Stream the NRL for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to 9Now without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the NRL live before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NRL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking 9Now to stream the NRL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• 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 generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream the 2024 NRL season for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

According to the law of conservation of energy, energy is “neither created nor destroyed” — it just changes forms. The energy you produce by moving (your kinetic energy), therefore, could be passed on to something else — something useful to you — if only you were able to easily harness it.

That’s where the LifeSpan Ampera Bike ($999) comes in. While it looks like an office chair you might find on the set of Star Trek, this under-desk bike uses the power of your pedaling to charge up your devices.

Specs and setup

The Ampera Bike is an upright, stationary bike designed to be used at your desk. Its standout feature is that it can charge your devices wirelessly or using the included USB-C port. But you don’t have to plug it in. In fact, you can’t. Your pedaling provides the energy needed to charge your devices (and also to turn on the ring lights around each pedal, which can be set to 12 different colors).

SEE ALSO: Logitech's Casa Pop-up Desk makes working away from my home office a dream

The bike also features easy, lever-activated height adjustment and several resistance levels to add a bit more challenge (and calorie burn) to your desk workouts.

It looks really sleek too, although at first glance it does border on futuristic-looking to the point of being a little bit silly. I love the glacier white color that I received (although it’s also available in space gray), and I think the leather-look detail on the handle and the fabric and trim on the seat are nice touches that make the bike look much less clinical.

My Ampera Bike was professionally assembled, but looking through the owner’s manual, the setup appears to be a pretty straightforward process. The installer was in and out in under one hour.

Cycling while I work

Using this bike could not be more straightforward. You get on, you start pedaling — just like any old-school workout bike. If you want to use the charger, just plop your phone on the wireless charger or plug it into the USB-C cord and keep on pedaling.

The pedals were a bit stiff and almost sticky (not to the touch, but they felt a bit resistant to pedaling) at first, but this resolved after just a few minutes of pedaling.

I found it very easy to focus on work while slowly pedaling away. Although my extremely pregnant belly kept me from being able to bring the bike as close to my desk as I would like, I was able to reach my keyboard easily and type with a very high level of accuracy.

I was able to get a low-impact workout in while I worked. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable

The lowest resistance levels also provided plenty of resistance while working, in my opinion, although I could see increasing the resistance for an added burn if I were streaming video or mindlessly scrolling social media.

The seat is also comfortable enough that it can double as a permanent office chair for focused work that needs to be done while completely stationary. With no seat back and the firm bike seat below my bum, it kept my posture dialed in even when I wasn’t pedaling — which was a productivity boost in and of itself.

Overall, I still prefer my treadmill setup, but I’ve never really been a “bike” person. I know so many people who would salivate at the very idea of this bike, and it’s also an excellent option for people who need something that’s more low-impact and easy on the joints.

Pedaling to charge my devices

One of the coolest features of this bike by far is the whole "charge your devices using your own energy" thing, and it works flawlessly. The bike comes equipped with a wireless charger as well as a USB-C port, both of which make it really easy to charge a phone. I prefer using the USB-C port since I have to take my phone out of its case to charge it wirelessly, and my phone desperately needs the protection offered by its case.

When I plug in my phone, just a few seconds after I start pedaling I hear the “ding” notifying me that the phone is being charged. I’m able to charge it a full percent after just a few seconds of consistent, fast, focused pedaling — however, it naturally charges more slowly while working because I’m pedaling more slowly. According to the LifeSpan website, it can charge a device from zero to 50 percent in just 30 minutes (but you really gotta be pedaling to accomplish this).

If you wanted to up the stakes and use the bike to charge your work laptop, you’d need to have or buy an appropriate USB-C converter for your laptop cable. A bit of a challenge for us Stone Age folks who still aren’t using a Macbook — but it could definitely be done.

I also appreciate the slight degree of gamification that the charging option adds. It’s motivating to be able to pedal your phone battery up, but not distracting. And you could easily set up some incentives or benchmarks to make it more fun, like taking a coffee break or giving yourself some “reading for fun” time after charging your phone by an additional 25 percent

An OK app that needs improvement

To connect to the LifeSpan app, you’ll need to be pedaling so that the bike is “powered on” and therefore able to appear in the list of available devices.

I was able to connect the bike easily to the app repeatedly, although the app controls are a bit clunky. Still, in order to adjust the resistance and change the color of the lights around the pedals, you’ll need to use the app — so I was glad I didn’t experience any connectivity issues. 

The app has very poor reviews, unfortunately, mostly from users who have had repeated issues connecting their LifeSpan devices. However, the entire app experience for the Ampera bike seems like a great improvement over my experience using the app with the other LifeSpan device I tested, the TR1200-GlowUp under-desk treadmill. I was able to view and save workout data and make adjustments as needed to the resistance quite easily.

To be honest, I found the color-changing lights cute but overall not worth fooling with too much. I work alone in a home office and I can’t see the lights myself while I’m pedaling (which is the only time they are on), so I’d really only be doing it for the vibes.

Comfortable enough to sit

This bike is also surprisingly comfortable to use (and this is coming from someone who’s heavily pregnant and has a very low tolerance for any kind of pelvic pressure at the moment). It has a wider seat than the standard bike seat that comes equipped on most exercise bikes, so it’s much more supportive and comfortable for longer periods of sitting. 

No banana seats here. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable

It’s too tall to be used comfortably with a standard-height desk, however, so you’ll also need either an adjustable desk or a bar-height desk.

Is the LifeSpan Ampera bike worth it?

This is not a rinky-dink set of desk pedals — it’s a legitimate piece of fitness equipment that just happens to be particularly well-suited for your desk. But with a price point just under $1,000, it does require a significant financial investment. 

I recommend it most to people who already enjoy biking, people who require something that’s more low-impact and joint-friendly than a treadmill, or people who are looking for something that can double as an office chair for stationary, seated work.

Overall, this is a really well-made, comfortable, easy-to-use bike that can help you stay active during the workday while keeping your phone charged, too. That’s a win-win-win.

LifeSpan Ampera office bike $799.00 at Amazon
Shop Now

It’s 2024 — everybody knows how terrible it is to sit hunched over at your desk for hours and hours at a time, yet many of us still do it almost daily. Standing desks are a much-needed improvement, but even then you’re still limited to, well, standing.

Enter: the under-desk treadmill. These treadmills have grown insanely popular over the past few years, especially since the events of 2020 paved the way for more people than ever to work from home. These treadmills are popular because of their size, portability, low price compared to full-size treadmills, and compatibility with standing desks.

I recently had the opportunity to try the LifeSpan TR1200-GlowUp Under Desk Treadmill ($1,799.00). Here’s how it performed and how it helped me perform — both physically and mentally.

The LifeSpan treadmill is sturdy and has a 350-pound weight limit. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable Price and specs

The TR1200-GlowUp Under Desk Treadmill is a $1,799 treadmill — comparable in price to many high-end, full-sized treadmills.

However, this compact treadmill is made to be used with a standing desk so it lacks blazing speeds and resistance options. Still, it’s well-built — featuring a 2.5 HP motor, a 20-inch x 50-inch walking surface, a max speed of 4.0 mph, and a generous weight capacity of 350 pounds.

It’s also fully pre-assembled, making setup a breeze. And it comes with an Omni-Hub Console, a small touchscreen display that sits on your desk and allows you to set and control speeds and view workout metrics.

You can see all your stats at a glance. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable

The high price is definitely an outlier in the under-desk treadmill sphere, and while the treadmill does have higher-quality features than other walking pads, we've still docked its Bang for the Buck score because of its price. And luckily, we've seen the TR1200-GlowUp go on sale.

Safety, controls, and performance

I have considered buying an under-desk treadmill for a while, but looking online I wasn’t impressed with the options. A lot of them were inexpensive, flimsy-looking Amazon models. While the prices were great, they looked underpowered and lightweight, and they had LOTS of mixed reviews.  Many of them seemed like they wouldn’t last very long or that they wouldn’t be very reliable.

SEE ALSO: The TikTok girlies are right: You need a standing desk and treadmill

That’s why I was SO impressed when I first saw the specs for the TR1200. This treadmill weighs 100 pounds, which is pretty heavy compared to similar under-desk treadmills — but it also makes for a very sturdy walking surface (it’s also easy to maneuver around thanks to the wheels, even for me by myself). It feels extremely secure when I’m walking on it – there’s no wobbling or shaking, and the belt doesn’t catch. It’s also very quiet. These are complaints I saw frequently in reviews for less expensive under-desk treadmills.

It also has a much more generous maximum weight limit than most under-desk treadmills. It can accommodate people weighing up to 350 pounds, while most other models have an upper weight limit of 220 to 250 pounds. This makes the TR1200 a much more accessible option for people who are larger, or people who simply want a treadmill that’s a little more sturdy.

The controls on the Omni-Hub display are also really easy to use, once you get used to them. I appreciate that it includes three presets (0.4 mph, 1.2 mph, and 3.0 mph) so that I don’t have to begin at the bottom speed and use the arrows to scroll up to my desired speed every time I start walking.

Like most treadmills, it comes with a safety key that stops the treadmill if it gets pulled out of place. Mine is mounted to my desk, although I never remember to clip the other end to myself before I start walking. 

In addition, the treadmill automatically powers down if you stop walking on it for 20 seconds.

The app is a bust

Unfortunately, the Lifespan app leaves a lot to be desired. On the Google Play Store, it has only a 1 out of 5 stars with 18 reviews. I had no trouble connecting my treadmill to it via Bluetooth during the initial setup, but was never able to successfully connect to the app again. This was a common thread in customer reviews. And while I thought the app may be useful for setting my default speed or starting and stopping the treadmill, it actually just tracks metrics. For such a great treadmill, I’d love to see improved functionality and more robust features on the app.

Activity and productivity

Now for the good stuff: How did this treadmill affect my productivity? 

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the massive increase in my productive work time (and my average daily step count) that I experienced using this treadmill.

I had to start slowly, getting used to working while walking at 1.0 mph (which is essentially standing still) before increasing the speed any further. However, within just a few days I was able to work up to 2.0 mph and still be productive and efficient.

As a writer, I did experience some issues with typing accuracy while walking — mostly because I’ve been in my third trimester of pregnancy while testing this treadmill. My belly bumps against the desk with every step I take, causing it to wobble and making it difficult to hit keys quickly and correctly. However, I wouldn’t expect this to be a huge issue for people who aren’t pregnant or who don’t have a large belly. Still, it’s much easier to walk while completing tasks that don’t require a lot of typing. 

Walking while working, even though it was slow, really helped me to stay more focused on the task at hand. It also helped to combat the fatigue I feel in the afternoon or when I’m doing something for work that’s not particularly mentally stimulating.

Also, the fitness benefits are great. Although I wouldn’t consider slow treadmill walking a substitute for my regular workouts, it really helps boost my daily step count and prevent the soreness and stiffness that come along with sitting for hours at a time. Generally, I’m able to clock roughly 800 to 1,000 steps per 10 minutes of walking — which means I can hit my daily step goal by walking at my desk for just one hour in addition to my standard daily steps.

For a great setup that allows for sitting and walking easily at an adjustable desk, I’d also like to recommend my setup – I’m pretty pleased with it. When I need to sit, I lower my adjustable desk and sit at my weight bench with a balance ball seat placed on top of it. The weight bench is extremely lightweight and easy to maneuver, and the legs provide plenty of clearance for me to leave the treadmill in place without needing to move it each time I want to sit. I’ve also seen some people use an exercise ball directly on top of the treadmill as a seat, which also allows them to leave the treadmill in place.

I can keep the treadmill in place if I want to switch to sitting on my weight bench. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable Is the LifeSpan TR1200-GlowUp under-desk treadmill worth it? 

I highly recommend the TR1200-GlowUp. I have been so pleased with this treadmill, and feel confident that it will last a while thanks to its solid construction. While I totally understand purchasing a less expensive option, I think it’s worth paying a bit more for this one — especially if you’re a larger person and you can’t find another under-desk treadmill that will accommodate your weight.

Not to mention, the productivity boost from using an under-desk treadmill has been so fantastic I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to just sitting at a regular desk.

Now, the price tag is pretty steep — especially considering other under-desk treadmills are often available under $500. However, this treadmill offers a more powerful motor, a larger walking deck, a higher max speed, and a more generous weight limit than most others, so it may be worth spending more for. However, for casual desk walkers, consider a cheaper option like the WalkingPad P1 or EgoFit Walker Plus, which have both been tested and approved by Mashable writers.

LifeSpan TR1200-GlowUp under-desk treadmill $1,499.00 at LifeSpan Fitness
$1,799.00 Save $300.00 Shop Now

TL;DR: Study for 15 different CompTIA certifications with this $49.99 bundle, making each course less than $4.

Opens in a new window Credit: CommerceNova Ltd The Complete 2024 CompTIA Course Super Bundle by IDUNOVA $49.99
$585.00 Save $535.01 Get Deal

Want to make more money? Of course you do. The bigger question is: Are you willing to hit the books to earn it? We don’t mean going back to college — we’re talking about IT certifications that help you start a new career or move up the ladder at your current job.

Your motivation? The possibility of a new job with higher earning potential. This bundle of CompTIA prep courses on sale for $49.99 (reg. $585) from an official CompTIA partner is a great place to start. Official study guides cost hundreds apiece, so this package that includes over a dozen is quite a deal.

15+ different career paths lie ahead

One last question: What interests you? Working in IT isn’t limited to troubleshooting computer issues but managing projects, ethical hacking, overseeing networks, and so much more.

Regardless of where you want to land, you’ll have to start with CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 certifications as a baseline. These give you foundational knowledge and qualify you to work as an IT support specialist.

From there, you could dabble in the other dozen IT training courses and explore what interests you and what doesn’t.

Take the first step toward an exciting career path in IT with this CompTIA exam prep bundle, on sale now for just $49.99 (reg. $585).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The troll in me is ready to spark up another age-old Android vs. iPhone debate. Apple has touted that the iPhone has a superior camera system compared to other rivals. However, in recent years, some Android users have claimed that the Pixel series has been catching up.

To settle the score, I decided to run a quick camera test to determine which top-of-the-line phone — the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL or the iPhone 15 Pro Max — takes better photos.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max, released last year, boasted a new telephoto sensor that allowed the phone to zoom in on photos up to 5X via optical zoom, up from 3X on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, a new variant for the Pixel series, offers impressive, improved Super Res Zoom (30X vs. 20X digital zoom on the Pixel 8 Pro).

But the question is, how do they stack up against each other?

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max camera test

We've got two smartphone behemoths that offer photos from many perspectives, including the wide lens, telephoto sensor, ultrawide shooter, and selfie camera. Let's explore them all.

Wide lensPixel 9 Pro XL Pixel 9 Pro XL shot of Northport Bay in New York Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max shot of Northport Bay in New York Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Analysis: The details on the Pixel 9 Pro XL's photo are more sharp and pronounced. For example, the blades of the grass, the leaves on the trees, the texture of the tree trunks, and the ripples of the bay appear to be more crisp and well-defined. The iPhone 15 Pro Max's shot, on the other hand, has a softer look.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL appears to have a brighter look and it's slightly more exposed.

Finally, the colors in the Pixel 9 Pro XL's shot are slightly more vibrant while the iPhone 15 Pro Max delivers a more natural look. I'm a sucker for an image with sharp, defined details, so the winner here is the Android device.

Winner: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Wide camera specs

Pixel 9 Pro XL: 50MP, f/1.7 aperture, and 1.2µm

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 48MP, f/1.8 aperture, and 1.22µm

Ultrawide lensPixel 9 Pro XL Pixel 9 Pro XL shot of Manhattan Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max shot of Manhattan Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Analysis: The iPhone 15 Pro Max produced a significantly more detailed shot with the ultrawide shooter. It captured more details like the reflections on the glass buildings and textures on the billboards. Sharpness is well maintained throughout the image.

The iOS device also captured more vibrancy and delivered richer colors. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lacks the definition the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s ultrawide shooter offers.

For example, if you look at the sky, the blue hues are more vivid on the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s shot. But on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, they look more muted — and even the clouds lack detail.

Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max

Ultrawide camera specs

Pixel 9 Pro XL: 48MP, f/1.7, 123 degrees

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 12MP, f/2.2, 120 degrees

TelephotoPixel 9 Pro XL Pixel 9 Pro XL shot of the Bryant Park Hotel (5X zoom) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max's shot of the Bryant Park Hotel (5X zoom) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Analysis: On the right of the image, you'll find water shooting out of a nearby fountain. On the iPhone 15 Pro Max's telephoto shot, the water droplets are more defined and sharper compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL's interpretation of the scene.

Looking at the tippy-top of the Bryant Park Hotel, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a warmer look, which is particularly noticeable when you look at the golden decorative finial featured on the building's pinnacle. Details like the brickwork, arches, and other ornamental features appear to be more pronounced on the Pixel 9 Pro XL compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max produced a darker, cooler image, offering a more dramatic look. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, is noticeably brighter.

This one was a tough one, but again, I have a preference for sharper images, so this one goes to the Google device.

Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL

Telephoto specs

Pixel 9 Pro XL: 48MP, f/2.8, 5X optical zoom

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 12MP, f/2.8, 5X optical zoom

SelfiePixel 9 Pro XL Pixel 9 Pro XL's selfie shot Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max's selfie shot Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Analysis: One positive about the Pixel 9 Pro XL is that it offer a greater field of view for selfies, so you can see more of my upper body in the shot. However, my skin tone looks less warm and my reddish hair color and burgundy top look more muted.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max, on the other hand, captured more details on my top. Plus, my complexion is more true-to-life. Even the leathery texture of my bag appears to be more prominent on the iPhone 15 Pro Max's capture.

Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max

Selfie camera specs

Pixel 9 Pro XL: 42MP, f/2.2

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 12MP, f/1.9

Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max camera test winner

There isn't a clear winner here. As cliche as it sounds, it depends on your preference. To sum things up, the Pixel 9 Pro XL excels with its wide lens shooter and telephoto sensor. The iPhone 15 Pro Max snaps better selfies and ultrawide shots.

The Google phone tends to offer brighter images, which may be appealing to those who prefer a highly illuminated look to their photos. The iPhone 15 Pro Max's shots are more balanced and true-to-life, so for consumers who have a preference for natural color accuracy, the Apple device is their best bet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Google Pixel 9 Pro XL $1,099.00 at Google
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max in Blue Titanium

TL;DR: Save 73% on a Promova lifetime subscription and learn up to nine new languages.

Opens in a new window Credit: promova Promova Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription $79.99
$299.99 Save $220.00 Get Deal

Language classes and even language-learning apps can be pricey, but today you can get one for life for under $80.

You can use Promova to learn up to nine new languages. Plus, you only have to pay once — yes, no recurring fees — to use the app for life: $79.99 (reg. $299.99). You won’t find a better price anywhere else.

Become multilingual on the cheap

While Promova may be new to you, it’s not to hundreds of people who left positive ratings on Trustpilot. It seems learners enjoy all the different learning methods the app offers, including immersive lessons, flashcards, grammar practice, speaking sessions, gamified quizzes, and books.

You might learn best through repetition of Korean flashcards, reading books in German, or conversation practice in Spanish. Something different works for everyone, and Promova gives you the resources and time to grow and hop between different languages as you please.

Other apps usually just give you lessons and reviews, maybe some speaking practice, but don’t offer as much immersion. Promova also gives you cultural insights for more understanding of each culture, which is an excellent feature if you’re planning on traveling to Korea, Germany, or Spain and want to make sure you’re polite and respectful.

Learn a new language with a Promova lifetime subscription with our unbeatable price of $79.99 (reg. $299.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: See the world at 80x magnification with a Portable Handheld LCD Microscope, on sale for $69.97. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Mesay Portable Handheld Pocket LCD Microscope with 4-inch Screen $69.97
$100.00 Save $30.03 Get Deal

Discovering the tiny details of our world is pretty amazing, whether you’re a budding scientist or just curious about what things look like up close. But let’s be honest: traditional microscopes can be a pain. Squinting through a tiny eyepiece and fiddling with focus knobs isn't exactly fun, especially for kids or beginners. That’s where the Andonstar AD203 digital microscope steps in to save the day.

This nifty, portable, LCD microscope ditches the old-school eyepiece for a super clear 4-inch LCD screen, so you can see everything right in front of you (and take pictures of it) without straining your eyes, and you can get one for just $69.97 (reg. $100).

Your dog isn't the only lab you can bring outside

With 80x magnification and crisp 1080FHD resolution, this little microscope delivers a stunning level of detail without the clunky design of a traditional microscope. The 2,000mAh battery means you won't run out of juice mid-exploration, and the adjustable LED lights make sure you always have ideal lighting.

The AD203 also lets you snap pictures and record videos of your discoveries, storing them on a microSD card for easy access. And if you want to dig deeper into your findings, just hook it up to your computer via USB; it works with both PCs and Macs. Whether you’re collecting coins, checking out your soldering work, or just satisfying your curiosity, this microscope has got you covered. And don’t worry, it comes with everything you need to get started, including a wrist strap, carrying bag, power cable, and a 32GB SD card.

Stop and appreciate the (very) little things

Make science fun and easy.  Get a Portable Pocket Microscope on sale for $69.97 (reg. $100). 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

TL;DR: Find your wallet every time with the KeySmart SmartCard, a credit-card sized tracker on sale for $29.97. 

Opens in a new window Credit: KeySmart KeySmart SmartCard $34.95
$39.99 Save $5.04 Works with Apple Find My Get Deal

Your wallet's gone, and no, it's not stuck between the couch cushions. Not in your other pants, either. All you can do is look, but that wouldn't be your only option if you had a tracker.

The KeySmart SmartCard may look like some James Bond-level spy tech, but it works a lot like an AirTag you can slip into your wallet or purse and track whenever they get lost. How much frustration does it cause when you have to systematically replace every card that was in your lost wallet? Is it worth $29.97 to never feel that way again? Because that's how much one of these costs. 

Get a KeySmart SmartCard on sale for just $34.95 (reg. $39.99). 

Your wallet is never lost; it's just pre-found

The KeySmart SmartCard pairs seamlessly with the Apple Find My app, changing the way you keep tabs on your belongings. Let’s say you’re out running errands and suddenly realize your wallet is missing. Panic mode, right? Nah. With a quick tap on your iPhone or other Apple device, you can instantly see where your SmartCard is. Get a notification if you leave it behind, and if it’s really lost, activate Lost Mode to display your contact info to anyone who finds it, making it that much easier to get your stuff back.

But there’s more to this card than just smart tracking. It’s also designed to be sleek and practical. At under 2mm thick, it slides into your wallet without adding any bulk. Wireless charging? Check. Just drop it on any Qi-enabled charger, and you’re good to go. With a battery life that lasts up to five months, you won’t be constantly worrying about recharging. And don’t stress about water damage; this card is IPX8 waterproof, so whether it gets caught in the rain or takes a quick dip in a puddle, it’s built to keep working. 

Plus, it comes with a handy lanyard slot, perfect for attaching to an ID card, security badge, or anything else you can’t afford to lose. Whether you’re at work, out on an adventure, or just managing your daily grind, the KeySmart SmartCard keeps your essentials within reach and keeps you stress-free. 

Turn your lost into found. Get the KeySmart SmartCard on sale for $34.95 (reg. $39.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.