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SAVE $600: As of April 18, get the Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone for $499.99 at Woot!. That's a 55% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot! Google Pixel 7 Pro (512GB) $499.99 at Woot!
$1,099.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal

Want a new phone, but aren't feeling an iPhone or Galaxy device? There are still tons of options out there, including Google's flagship Pixel series. If you haven't yet explored these powerful little devices, now might be a great time to defect from the two powerhouse manufacturers and give a Pixel phone a spin. You can save big if you plan to do just that right now by shopping at Woot!

As of April 18, the Google Pixel 7 Pro is just $499.99 at Woot!, which is $600 off its normal price and a discount of 55%. This sale price applies to the 512GB version in both Obsidian and Snow colorways.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9 is rumored to steal this iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 feature

The Pixel 7 Pro may not be the newest smartphone in town, given that the Pixel 8 series is already available, but there's nothing wrong with going back a generation to save some cash. And this model is no slouch. Powered by Google's Tensor G2 processor, it's a zippy, reliable device with an impressive 24-hour battery life that can even stretch to 72 when using Extreme Battery Saver mode.

It boasts a 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 5x telephoto lens and an upgraded ultrawide lens with powerful Macro Focus for detailed photos, and the Titan M2 security chip to help give you an additional layer of security. Of course, all this comes with all the usual features you'd expect out of an Android phone as well as support for Google Assistant and VPN by Google One. Plus, it's safe from drops, dust, and water with IP68 protection.

Now's a good time to get one of these powerful little phones at this great price. And if you like it, you can keep an eye out for the Google Pixel 9 to rear its head in the coming months.

Thriller, comedy, and romance jumble together in the trailer for Hit Man, Richard Linklater's new Netflix movie about a fake assassin getting into a relationship with one of his clients.

A man of many disguises, Gary Johnson (Glen Powell, who also co-wrote the film with Linklater) is a professor with a strange side hustle: he works for the police as a pretend assassin. But things go from complicated to even more complicated when he becomes romantically involved with a client (Adria Arjona), who may be more sinister than she seems.

How to watch: Hit Man is in select theaters from May 24, and streaming on Netflix from June 7.

Buckle up, content creators — the all-new Adobe Express mobile app is now available on iOS and Android, and it’s packing a fresh glow-up with its bundle of new generative AI tools. In a nutshell, the same intuitive features powered by Adobe’s creative generative AI (Firefly) originally available only on the Adobe Express desktop version, are now ready for you to take anywhere.

Adobe Express, the all-in-one AI content creation app, is faster and easier to use than before. Start a post, edit a video, create a mood board or collage, or remove the background on a photo or video in an instant. Or begin a social post for work using Adobe Express on your desktop, then finish, schedule, and publish your project from wherever you are. You can also collaborate with your team in real-time from anywhere, dialing in a more seamless on-the-go workflow. 

Whether you’re a freelancer looking to collaborate more efficiently with your clients, a small business owner trying to establish your brand, or a lifestyle influencer crafting on-trend content for your feed, here’s everything you need to know to take your content creation to the next level. 

Insert, remove, or replace objects in a snap 

The Adobe Express Generative Fill feature lets you easily insert, remove, or replace objects with just a few taps, so you can tweak and customize your images and videos in a flash. Whether you want to add a surfboard or a colorful lei, or replace an entire object or background for a social post or flier, Adobe Express takes the complication out of creating.

This AI feature is ideal for social media managers and influencers looking to generate professional-quality content while saving lots of time. Place and prop yourself or your brand anywhere in seconds — even on a deserted beach in Hawaii.

Give your messaging a fantastic AI text makeover

Want to give social content promoting your clothing line a more '90s vibe? Adobe Express has over 28,000 fonts that can give your post a unique look. You can also create text that’s entirely new using the generative AI Text Effects tool to add super cool textures, giving your content even more wow factor. 

Best practice is to start with a thicker font to really make the texture of the font pop, and then type in your own specific descriptions, like "3D rendered shiny blue" or "static zigzags." Next, hit generate, then pick from dozens of options and see your vision come to life in seconds. 

Uplevel your small-biz branding

No more doomscrolling to track down and collect the perfect images for your inspiration boards. The Adobe Express Text to Image tool makes it super easy to create stunning AI-generated images with just a few words and taps. If you’re launching a dog party planning gig, for example, you can start generating colorful images of dogs in party hats or dogs dancing to a DJ to compile your visual inspiration. If you can’t find a template that fits "dogs dancing to a DJ," use the new Text to Template feature to create fully editable templates that are uniquely yours.

Once you land on a look and feel you like, use the brand kit tool in Adobe Express Premium to drop your preferred fonts, colors, and logos into your content. Then once your next dog party is around the corner, you can easily apply your branding to your social posts, invites, and more to give the content a quick and cohesive look in just a few clicks.

Tap into seamless content creation

In addition to the easy-to-use generative AI tools now available on mobile, Adobe Express is loaded with a collection of other helpful features to streamline content creation. Launch a project by choosing from countless professionally designed templates and hundreds of thousands of Adobe stock videos and image assets. Then, drop in your images or videos into the all-in-one editor to add audio tracks, create captions, and resize videos to fit your favorite platforms — all from the convenience of your phone. Bonus: Adobe Firefly generative AI is designed to be safe for commercial use.

If you need a little extra help making your videos stand out on TikTok, you can move from mobile to the desktop version and use the handy TikTok Creative Assistant. This video tool can help you brainstorm creative ideas for videos and find the latest trends, hashtags, and insights so that your post reaches the right audiences with greater impact. Then pick up your project on the mobile app once you're done and ready to share! 

The new Adobe Express mobile app makes designing and editing high-quality content while on-the-go easy, regardless of your skill level, with intuitive tools and features in both the free and Premium versions. Whether you’re using Adobe Express to elevate fliers for your side gig or editing travel videos and photos for your feed, these new generative AI tools will seriously help push your creative boundaries over the top.

Download the all-new Adobe Express mobile app now to try out all the innovative AI features and start creating standout content today, whenever and wherever you are!

Opens in a new window Credit: Adobe Express Adobe Express Packing mind-blowing Adobe Firefly generative AI features. Shop Now

If you’re single and extremely online, you’ll have noticed a particular disdain for dating right now, especially when it comes to dating apps. More specifically, you’ll have noticed that everyone is being the absolute worst. 

Ask around and all the daters you know will likely echo sentiments of dating becoming a chore and matches exhibiting more rude, dismissive, and even abusive behaviour than ever. Social media is flooded with stories of dating app matches treating potential partners as prizes, and of ghosting, being love bombed, breadcrumbed, getting stood up, left on read, even a date bringing two matches to a date at once without their consent. 

It’s having a profound effect on our feelings towards dating, leaving a lot of us feeling insecure, and worried that love might not happen for us. Essentially, we’ve entered an era of selfish dating. It feels like everyone opening the apps is doing so with an "every man for himself attitude" and we’re looking for ways to boost ourselves rather than foster genuine connections.

We’ve entered an era of selfish dating...

But why is everyone being so awful? Speaking to experts in the field of love and sex, Mashable uncovers why so many people are struggling with this, and how on earth we can fix it.  

The dating 'grindset' 

It seems we’re all behaving inappropriately when it comes to dating right now, but none of us quite understand why, or how to stop. Katherine Angel, academic and author of Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again: Women and Desire in the Age of Consent, says a big part of rising selfish behaviour in dating is looking at dating as economic and treating it as either an investment or waste of our time. 

Take this Reddit post for instance which went viral back in July, where a man asked a woman out for ice cream and she took that as a red flag, deeming it childish, and ended their connection abruptly. Or, you might take the viral TikTok which dominated headlines, wherein a woman invoiced dates for the time she wasted on them.

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps and sites in April 2024

Angel says viewing dating, even when it doesn’t work out, as a waste of time is a "sinister way to look at life" but we’re all doing it because it's encouraged by capitalism. 

"The modern capitalist system we all exist under wants us to optimise our time as much as possible so we have a money-making mindset, which benefits the economy," she explains. This ideology values quick success over the slow-burning kind, and we’re applying that thinking to our dating lives as well as our work. 

The modern capitalist system we all exist under wants us to optimise our time as much as possible so we have a money-making mindset, which benefits the economy.

Treating someone to have wasted your time, whether you invoice them, berate them, or internalise the feeling, implies to Angel that you’re looking at your dating life as work. 

She explains that this is an "economic model of human relations that many of us have started to view our lives through by default."

Angel notes looking at relationships in this economic way is part of the toxic self improvement movement that’s been on the rise, the "grindset," if you will. 

We’re often overwhelmed by content online, wherein people are stuck in a perpetual cycle of self-analysis, improvement, and repeat, and they influence others to fall into the trap with them. 

Dating apps unfortunately suit this window shopping mentality for finding connections. 

Angel notes that vulnerability, which is needed for fostering romantic connections, isn’t really encouraged on dating apps because we can switch off as soon as we’re uncomfortable, or as soon as we see something we don’t like or say something cruel without thinking about the impact it might have on the other person.

She says dating apps have the irony of feeling very public, but actually being too private. "You’re not getting outside of yourself enough. You're encountering the apps kind of on your own, locked into your own experience."

SEE ALSO: The dating app glossary: The A to Z of terms you need to know

She adds, "There’s this illusion of ease and less friction [that comes with dating apps] and maybe it does make it easier for us to meet people and it may be sexually fulfilling too but you have to be out of your comfort zone to make connections. It’s not supposed to be easy." 

Increasingly, Angel finds herself becoming more sceptical of online dating as a good way to meet people, adding that what we’ve essentially done with our dating lives is made ourselves products and the vehicles of dating app companies’ profits. So, no wonder we’re behaving like capitalists when dating — even offline.

'Me' Culture 

Dating apps are not responsible for this specific selfishness, though. Rather, they are a symptom of a wider culture problem. 

This economic thinking Angel challenges has created an innate selfish culture in dating, especially between heterosexual men and women — who most of the dating complaints seem to come from. 

Many of us are heading to connections with a "me first" attitude, which Jessica Alderson, a dating expert at dating app So Synced, says is iterated by viral trends on social media like the “dump him” trend which treat humans like collectable (and disposable) commodities. 

We’ve also reached a point where descriptions like "high value men/women" applied to the people we match with in the dating pool have achieved virality repeatedly and have entered the cultural lexicon in a sincere way. We’re talking about each other, even and especially romantically, like commodities.

Alderson says there’s nothing wrong with putting yourself first in dating, and "we are all responsible for protecting our own energy and well-being and we are the only ones who truly know our own needs and boundaries."

But somewhere along this self-prioritisation became straight-up selfishness. Hooks argues in All About Love that capitalism and patriarchy, the latter being a product of the former, have created a "me culture," in society, a mass hyper-individualism that looks an awful lot like narcissism… but is under the guise of self-care or protection of personal safety. 

SEE ALSO: Viral Hinge message shows major problem with dating app culture

Alderson adds that this "me culture" has been exacerbated by social media. "For many people, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are their primary sources of information for navigating the complex world of modern relationships. Social media users are now exposed to curated and often unrealistic portrayals of dating expectations, and this has perpetuated a distorted perception of what a "successful" dating experience should look like," she says. 

She adds that specific dating "standards" and "rules," such as only going on a second date if a certain amount of money is spent on the first or only sleeping with broke guys and saving dating for rich men, are publicised by viral content that promotes unrealistic and unhealthy rules for dating. This kind of mindset in dating has, in turn, left a lot of people with ridiculously rigid and specific criteria for their ideal partners — something no one can realistically achieve. 

Alderson explains, "Of course, we should always be mindful of our own needs and boundaries when dating, but it’s important to question where our expectations are coming from and whether they align with our personal values."

There’s nothing wrong with putting ourselves first, but only thinking of yourself, treating people as interchangeable or disposable items or expecting romantic partnerships to involve endless joy and abandoning anyone who doesn’t fit your personal criteria 100 percent of the time as though they’re a faulty product. You are not really putting yourself first if no one is second. 

And when you’re on the receiving end of that kind of "me" obsession, it’s deflating, upsetting, and even heartbreaking. No wonder that 1 in 4 people feel unworthy of a partner, according to Bumble. 

When self protection becomes self sabotage

It’s particularly interesting that the majority of dating woes are coming from heterosexual daters, as Angel notes our gender roles (cultural scripts the sexes are supposed to follow such as acting masculine or feminine, going to work vs doing the housework, and being heterosexual) have an affect on our dating fears. 

A quick scroll through Reddit and the myriad opinion pieces, YouTube videos and podcasts complaining about dating from straight people right now, point to an uptick in selfish dating from women specifically. 

Think dumping men over their salaries, insisting that men should always pay the bill, and expecting to be treated like nothing short of a princess (and needing proof of capabilities to provide it) before agreeing to leave the house to meet with men. 

The incels, alpha males and "men’s rights activists" of the internet would have you believe this is "feminism gone mad" and that dating is currently easier for women, but there’s more to it. 

Angel argues that in a post-Me Too era, many women are going into dating guarded, worried about what they could possibly endure from men. After all, at least 57 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment on dating apps. 

"Whenever you see people acting in unreasonable or cruel ways, chances are they're frightened of something," Angel explains. This plays into our scripted gender roles as men are raised to fear humiliation and act violently to avoid it. In turn, women learn to protect men from humiliation by not upsetting or rejecting them. 

"Women have been treated very badly by men in the dating realm," Angel says. "It makes perfect sense that a lot of women go into the dating scene now feeling vulnerable. There is a risk of unpleasant behaviour at best and bullying, harassment, coercion, manipulation or even assault at worst," she adds. 

For men, they may fear rejection or humiliation and, as a defence mechanism, strike with selfishness before they are hit with it themselves. 

Angel notes that these fears are completely valid and fair, but they ultimately hold us back. This is where what we mistake as "self care" or "self preservation" actually becomes self sabotage. And to outsiders, it just looks plain selfish. 

In All About Love, bell hooks tells us that "love cannot coexist with neglect, nor with fear" but that there’s a "falsehood that love or intimacy can be acquired without risk." 

Angel says this is the human dilemma of dating. "If we want to encounter pleasure through our interactions with others, we risk getting hurt," Angel says. 

It’s time to radically rethink how we approach dating. We’re encapsulated in a system that gives us uncomfortable scripts, and we’re lashing out at each other, becoming too insular, scared, competitive and, yeah, selfish, to properly connect. But as all-consuming as capitalism might seem, systems are merely systems. They’re not truly real. We have the means to remove capitalist thinking from our own immediate networks, including the dating pool, just by simply treating people as people, not commodities. 

Confronting that this influence is happening is the first step to rethinking the way we think about prospective partners, and fixing how we approach them, and how we’ll hopefully, eventually, love them. All we want is more care and more love. To receive that, we have to be giving it too. 

Slack has a new generative AI tool that's like a morning newsletter for your messages.

On Thursday, the popular workplace messaging platform announced a new "Recap" feature that compiles a daily summary of important conversations. Users can choose specific channels they want to keep tabs on — and Recap will compile daily summaries that can be accessed in the sidebar.

The recaps include specific people mentioned and links to the location of the messages in the channel.

How Slack AI features aim to save you from the daunting wall of messages SEE ALSO: Slack is about to TL;DR your lengthy work threads

As Slack VP of Product Jackie Rocca explained, it's a way of staying on top of developments that don't necessarily require your urgent input. "Maybe I don't need that [conversation] to pull me out of my flow of work and I want to have this sort of daily digital newspaper to give me a summary of what's happening in these conversations."

Catch up on daily conversations with the recap channel on the sidebar. Credit: Slack

Slack also announced expanded access to other generative AI features that were previously only available to Slack Enterprise users, which is the maximum subscription tier. The summary tool (uses AI to summarize conversations you may have missed) and the internal search tool (understands natural language queries to find relevant messages) are now available as an add-on to all of the paid Slack plans.

Rocca wouldn't disclose which large language model Slack AI uses, but said the models are completely hosted on their virtual cloud, so data stays within Slack's servers. It also doesn't use any customer data to train its models.

For an extra $10 a month, you can get these three Slack AI features for Pro and Business+ accounts. Enterprise users are instructed to get in touch about pricing with their current plans. Sorry, free Slack users; you'll have to upgrade if you want some AI magic to help you sort through your messages.

UPDATE: Apr. 19, 2024, 11:21 a.m. EDT This story has been updated to clarify the different Slack AI pricing options for Pro/Business+ accounts and Enterprise accounts.

TL;DR: Watch 2024 F1 live streams for free on ORF, ServusTV, RTBF, or RTL ZWEE. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Do you love watching incredibly talented drivers in unbelievably fast cars? Of course you do.

F1 brings together the best of the best to battle it out on the track. Sure, Max Verstappen has dominated the field in recent years, and that doesn't look like it's changing anytime soon. But we remain hopeful. This could be the year when things become a lot more competitive. It doesn't look particularly likely at this early stage, but things could change.

If you are interested in watching F1 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

2024 F1 calendar

The 2024 F1 season features 24 races held all over the world between March and December:

1. Bahrain GP (Sakhir) — March 2

2. Saudi Arabian GP (Jeddah) — March 9

3. Australian GP (Melbourne) — March 24

4. Japan GP (Suzuka) — April 7

5. China GP (Shanghai) — April 21

6. Miami GP (Miami) — May 5

7. Emilia Romagna GP (Imola) — May 19

8. Monaco GP (Monaco) — May 26

9. Canada GP (Montreal) — June 9

10. Spain GP (Barcelona) — June 23

11. Austria GP (Spielberg) — June 30

12. United Kingdom GP (Silverstone) — July 7

13. Hungary GP (Budapest) — July 21

14. Belgium GP (Spa) — July 28

15. Netherlands GP (Zandvoort) — Aug. 25

16. Italy GP (Monza) — Sept. 1

17. Azerbaijan GP (Baku) — Sept. 15

18. Singapore GP (Singapore) — Sept. 22

19. USA GP (Austin) — Oct. 20

20. Mexico GP (Mexico City) — Oct. 27

21. Brazil GP (Sao Paulo) — Nov. 3

22. Las Vegas GP (Las Vegas) — Nov. 23

23. Qatar GP (Lusail) — Dec. 1

24. Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina) — Dec. 8

It's important to note that these dates are only for race days. China, Miami, Austria, USA, Brazil, and Qatar will each host a sprint weekend this season.

How to watch F1 for free

The good news is that it is possible to stream F1 for free in 2024. The following platforms are offering free coverage of this season:

• Australia — 10Play (only Australian Grand Prix)

• Austria — ORF or ServusTV (12 races each)

• Belgium — RTBF (every race)

• Luxembourg — RTL ZWEE (every race)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from outside the country of origin. Fortunately, you can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access these streaming services to watch F1 for free from anywhere in the world.

Unblock these free streaming services 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 Austria, Belgium, or Luxembourg

4. Connect to ORF, ServusTV, RTBF, or RTL ZWEE

5. Watch F1 races from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch F1 live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races for free.

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

What is the best VPN for F1?

There are a number of streaming-friendly VPNs out there, but ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming F1 for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to five simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. By using the guarantee, you can watch F1 races for free. This is sneaky, but it works because ExpressVPN returns your investment without hassle.

Watch the 2024 F1 season for free with ExpressVPN.

A creepy medical facility, a job on nightwatch, and a serial killer who enjoys taking his victims' scalps is the recipe for Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever, Ole Bornedal's follow-up to his 1994 cult movie.

The new story features some of the cast from the original Nightwatch, with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau reprising his role as Martin, this time looking on as his daughter Emma (Fanny Leander Bornedal) takes his old job to try to come to terms with what happened to her parents. Kim Bodnia and Ulf Pilgaard also return in their original roles.

How to watch: Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever is streaming on Shudder from May 17.

TikTok's not usually one to copy features from its competitors; in fact, it's been the other way around for a while now. But the video app's answer to photo sharing apps like Instagram is here, with TikTok Notes rolling out in select countries.

After several leaks heralding the arrival of the app, TikTok Notes is now available in Australia and Canada for "limited testing" according to the company. It's a separate, free photo sharing app run by TikTok where users can share photos with written captions and browse a central feed of posts by people they follow. Of course, users can link their TikTok accounts to Notes to log in.

Our Australian team can see this in the App Store. Credit: Mashable composite: Amanda Yeo / TikTok / App Store

In the app description, TikTok describes Notes as "a lifestyle platform that offers informative photo-text content about people's lives, where you can see individuals sharing their travel tips, daily recipes."

SEE ALSO: Twitch is ready to roll out its TikTok-like Discovery Feed to everyone

"We're in the early stages of experimenting with a dedicated space for photo and text content with TikTok Notes," the company wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

"We hope that the TikTok community will use TikTok Notes to continue sharing their moments through photo posts," the thread continued. "Whether documenting adventures, expressing creativity, or simply sharing snapshots of one's day, the TikTok Notes experience is designed for those who would like to share and engage through photo content."

Tweet may have been deleted

While the posts themselves resemble Instagram's post and caption format, the central feed where users can "discover" posts also looks like Pinterest or TikTok's own search feed.

It's an interesting move for TikTok, directly imitating a competitor like Instagram and moving into the photo sharing space when its foothold in video is so firmly wedged. However, in a time where TikTok's future in the U.S. remains unclear, there's no time like the present for the company to expand horizons with newfangled platforms.

Tesla owners: Your cars are (probably) getting better this spring.

Earlier this week, Tesla posted a list of software updates that are coming as part of the company's upcoming "Spring Release."

Some of these things we already knew about, some are completely new, and some that may come aren't mentioned. Let's dig in.

Tweet may have been deleted

First important takeaway from Tesla's unusually revealing post: these are the "highlights" from the upcoming software release, indicating that more is coming. Another one, especially painful for owners of older Teslas: a lot of these changes, while exciting, are only for newer Tesla cars, dated 2021 or later.

The official list of improvements coming to Teslas

As for what is most definitely coming, at least according to Tesla, here's the list:

• Visual updates, with a pretty big overhaul of the entire UI (as seen in the image above).

  Do note that this is only for Tesla Model 3 and Model Y cars with an AMD chip. This means that if your car is older than December 2021, it's probably not getting this part of the update as the built-in Intel Atom chip cannot support it.

• Music playback controls are getting larger, with quick access to Recents, Favorites, and Up Next in the media player.

• Spotify app for Teslas is also getting better, with the ability to sync your Spotify queue across cars and devices, as well as adjust playback speed.

• Amazon's audiobook platform Audible is also coming as a native media app.

• Autopilot driving visualizations will now be represented as an expandable, small map in the top right for trip guidance.

• Auto Shift (beta), meaning your car will now automatically shift between Drive (D) and Reverse (R) based on surroundings. For example, if there's an obstacle in front of you, the car will automatically shift into R.

  This is only for Model S and Model X cars dated 2021 and later.

• Hands-Free Trunk (for Model S, X and 2021 and later, as well as the upgraded Model 3 (Highland) which launched in 2023 - if you stand still behind your trunk with your Phone Key, the trunk will open on its own.

  We're eager to see more explanations on this one; for example, why isn't Model Y mentioned at all (perhaps the upgraded (Juniper) version, reportedly coming later this year, is getting it). Also, will it also work with the key fob, or is it reserved only for the Phone Key?

  Stand still behind the trunk with the phone in your pocket, and the trunk will automagically open. Credit: Tesla

• Select countries (unnamed) are also getting previews of Sentry Mode recordings on their phone if the alarm is triggered.

  This is activated by pressing and holding the notification you get on the phone.

  Someone triggering your car alarm? Check out what's happening on your phone. Credit: Tesla

• Increased regenerative braking on the highway (for Model S and X dated 2021 and later).

  These cars will now allow for more regenerative braking at high speeds, meaning more battery life overall.

• Rear passengers will see more info on the rear touchscreen display, including current trip details, time and temperature.

Wait, there's more

Ok, so that's the official word on what's coming. Are there any more rumored or unmentioned changes? Well, yes, though they are mostly minor.

Not a Tesla App claims that the update will also bring full-screen browser support, which is particularly important if you're going to be using it for video streaming. Navigation will start offering faster routes when they become available. You'll be able to set up the sound of chimes to ring when you approach a speed camera. Wiper controls are getting better, with the ability to adjust wiper speed by moving the left scroll wheel up or down. Finally, Tesla owners will be able to check whether their car is compatible with some of these new features by navigating to Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Info.

When is it all coming?

There's no official word on that, but Not a Tesla App claims the update is already rolling out to Tesla employees. If that is so, it's reasonable to expect this update to arrive within weeks. Technically, given that Tesla is calling it a "Spring Release," it shouldn't arrive later than June 20.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 18 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 18

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, April 18, 2024:

AcrossBluegrass instrument

• The answer is banjo.

Audible way to think

• The answer is aloud.

"Aladdin" character whose first line is "Oy! 10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!"

• The answer is Genie.

Members of a company's C-suite

• The answer is execs.

Behind schedule

• The answer is late.

DownThe schmear goes here

The answer is bagel.

Amazon's assistant

• The answer is Alexa.

Group of nine

• The answer is nonet.

Battery life, informally

• The answer is juice.

Poems like "To Autumn" and "To a Skylark"

• The answer is Odes.

Jimmy Kimmel may be under fire from Donald Trump, but he has an ally in fellow late night host Stephen Colbert.

On Wednesday, Colbert drew attention to Trump's angry Truth Social post about the joke Kimmel made about the former president at the Oscars.

"That's right, in the middle of a presidential campaign and countless federal indictments, he's obsessed with the Academy Awards from five weeks ago," says Colbert in the clip above. "I look forward to his new campaign slogan: "TRUMP 2024: THEY GAVE IT TO GREEN BOOK??"

Next, Colbert points into the camera and takes a more direct approach. "You keep my friend Jimmy Kimmel's name out of your weird little wet mouth, okay?" he says. "Jimmy Kimmel is my podcast brother from Strike Force Five, and I have vowed to defend him until my death! Or at least until the next ad from Mint Mobile."

So, you want to turn off a PlayStation 5, and you don't know how. Everyone's been there. There's no shame in it.

Back in the old days of gaming, consoles were either on or off, and you handled that business with a physical button on the machine itself. Not so much these days, or at least, that's not the only way to do it anymore. Like its contemporaries in the Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation 5's power situation is a tad bit more complicated than that.

But it isn't that complicated. Here's how to turn off a PS5.

SEE ALSO: Sony PlayStation 5 Pro leak: New PS5 Pro console may arrive for the 2024 holiday season How to turn off a PS5

There are two main methods of turning off a PS5: You can use the power button, or you can do it with a controller.

Use the power button

The simplest method is also the oldest trick in the book. The PS5 does, indeed, have a physical power button. If you have a PS5 with a disc drive, it's next to the eject button. Both buttons are nestled in the glossy black part of the console's front side. With the console standing up vertically, it's the bottom button. With the console sitting horizontally, it's the left button.

If you don't have a disc drive on your PS5, then you just have the power button, making this even easier.

Just press the button, and your PS5 should turn off.

Use the controller

If you don't feel like waltzing all the way over to your TV to turn your PS5 off, the easier method is to use the controller.

Press the PlayStation logo button in the middle of the DualSense controller while on the PS5's home screen. This will bring up a sort of taskbar along the bottom edge of the screen. Simply scroll all the way to the far right side of this taskbar to find a power icon. Press that button to get three options:

1. Put the PS5 in rest mode

2. Turn the PS5 off

3. Restart the PS5

Obviously, number three is not what we're looking for. The first option should at least give you pause, though. Rest mode is a state in which your PS5 sleeps to conserve energy, but it stays connected to the internet so it can finish downloads or even automatically install updates while you're busy doing adult stuff. This is, at the very least, worth considering.

But if you don't feel like using rest mode, just turn the PS5 off from here. It's that easy.

TL;DR: Through April 21, build a website without coding using Mobirise and use thousands of building blocks, hundreds of themes, and hundreds more templates for only $79.97 for a year of access.

There are so many reasons to build a website of your own, whether you want to start a side hustle or make sure the internet knows how cute your pets are. However, getting the idea for a website and actually building it are pretty different. Or they used to be, but now you can actually build a website with very little tech experience. 

Mobirise is a user-friendly, no-code website builder that looks professional without requiring the skills of a professional. Whether you want a fun landing page, your own little store, a blog, or a blend of all that and more, this friendly site builder is the way to go. That's especially true when you consider you can get the Mobirise No-Code Website Builder MegaPack Bundle with thousands of building blocks for just $89.99. 

No IT expertise required

Download Mobirise on up to two Windows, Mac, or Linux devices and get to work. This web design platform works by giving you unlimited access to 5,500 website blocks that you can click and drag wherever you want them. Add photos, custom contact forms, text blocks, headings, subheadings, trendy little pops of color, and so much more. There's a lot of content to explore, but that just means the websites you create could look nothing like others created using the same platform. 

Browse 140+ HTML themes and 400+ home page templates to find your unique style. You can even create your own popups in case you want your visitors to quickly see what's on sale.

Click, drag, publish

You don't have to know how to code to build your own website that looks and feels uniquely yours. 

Until April 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get the Mobirise No-Code Website Builder MegaPack Bundle for one year for only $79.97. No coding or coupon required. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Mobirise Mobirise No-Code Website Builder MegaPack Bundle (1 yr) $79.97 at the Mashable Shop
$6,990.00 Save $6,910.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Through April 21, save 58% on lifetime access to this PDF reader, editor, and converter with this best-on-web price, just $99.99 (reg. $239.99).

When life’s more boring tasks — filling out forms, signing documents, or proofreading contracts — call, it’s a relief to have a reliable PDF app that helps you get the job done. While the most popular tool out there comes with the caveat of monthly or yearly subscription fees, PDF Extra Ultimate offers a lifetime plan at just $99.99 (reg. $239.97). 

That’s a price you won’t find anywhere else. Plus, this plan includes 100GB of MobiDrive cloud storage.

A PDF toolkit for projects of any size

PDF Extra Ultimate does just about everything. Need a fresh document to share your project idea with your team or client? Use a familiar, ribbon-based interface to find editing tools and add elements like text, images, and shapes and tweak them to fit your pages.

For larger projects, you might take advantage of organizational tools to combine documents, arrange the order of pages, or delete blank sheets. You can also password-protect and encrypt PDFs to keep your documents secure.

The app also helps you fill out forms by typing, checking boxes, attaching images, or adding your digital signature. You’re even able to add comments or stamps to mark up documents if you have questions.

Here’s why it’s called ‘Extra Ultimate’

Your PDF Extra Ultimate plan can be used on one Windows device, one Android device, and one iOS device simultaneously. This is great for hybrid workers or solopreneurs who often find themselves working on the go.

The lifetime plan also includes 100GB of cloud storage through MobiDrive. Store your PDFs in the cloud, and take advantage of the extra space to back up photos, videos, and other important files. You even get access to all future software updates and features as they’re released, without ever paying another fee.

Turn the page on boring tasks with a PDF Extra Ultimate lifetime plan at $99.99 (reg. $239.97) with this offer.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: MobiSystems PDF Extra Ultimate: Lifetime Subscription $99.99 at the Mashable Shop
$239.97 Save $139.98 Get Deal

TL;DR: Through April 21, this text-to-speech AI is only $34.97 for life (reg. $199.99). Whether you're turning your text to speech, your speech to text, transcribing, or translating, you can do it with Jott AI.

AI is changing the game across industries, but it's not just big businesses that can benefit from it. With so many AI tools available, you may be able to outsource some of your own work to a computer that could do it in a fraction of the time. 

Jott Pro is a text and speech AI toolkit. You could use it for everything from transcribing a video to generating new audio based on your input, and you can get it for life for only $34.97 through April 21.

Let the robot do the talking

Jott is a collection of AI-powered tools for everything from text to speech to extracting text from images. 
This AI text and speech toolkit is kind of like your own versatile content creator on call. You can use it to turn a script into lifelike speech, extract text from images or PDF files, transcribe recordings, and more. You could even use the AI to translate into other languages for you. 

This lifetime license lets you use the AI on desktop or mobile devices, but there is a monthly limit to how much you can use it. Turn up to 120 minutes of speech to text, or transcribe, translate, or transform up to 100,000 characters per month into audio. 

Bring your words to life

With a little help from AI, the computer can do all the talking for you. 

Until April 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get a lifetime license to a Jott Pro AI Text and Speech Toolkit for $34.97. No coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Plus 8 Group Jott Pro AI Text & Speech Toolkit: Lifetime License $34.97 at the Mashable Shop
$199.99 Save $165.02 Get Deal

Found the perfect meme? Need to share an old snippet from a WhatsApp conversation? Sometimes the humble screenshot is best.

The process is pretty simple, but does vary slightly depending on what model of iPhone you have. Here's now to take a screenshot on your iPhone, without or without a home button.

SEE ALSO: How to mirror your iPhone to your TV If your iPhone has a home button Total Time

• 1 min

What You Need

• iPhone

Step 1: Press the home button at the same time as the button on your phone's right-hand side.

You'll know your on the right track if your screen goes briefly white, camera-flash style.

Credit: Apple

Step 2: Navigate to Photos to view your screenshot.

Now you can edit it, delete it, or send it!

If your iPhone doesn't have a home button Total Time

• 1 min

What You Need

• iPhone

Step 1: Press the volume button and the side button at the same time.

Did you phone screen go briefly white? That means you were successful!

Credit: Apple

Step 2: Navigate to your Photos to view your screenshot.

Now you can edit it, delete it, or send it.

Want to screenshot an entire webpage on your iPhone, or take a screenshot on a iPad instead? We've got you covered.

TL;DR: Through April 21, get two years and 5TB of cloud storage for just $119.97. If you want one central backup for all your devices, try ElephantDrive and get 5TB of backup.

Losing important files is frustrating at best, and devastating at worst. Whether it's an essay for school, a project for work, or the monthly budget you've been working on for hours, all it takes is a spilled cup of coffee or a corrupted save to lose your work. 

Even if you have physical data storage, cloud backups are another level of insurance that might be a little harder to get rid of. ElephantDrive is a secure cloud storage solution that you can use to backup and sync across your devices, and a 5TB 2-year plan is only $119.97 for a limited time. 

Protect your important files

ElephantDrive gives you a whole lot of room to work with, but this cloud backup is about quality as well as quantity. Tools like the Everywhere Folder let you manage your files across all synced devices. If you like to bring your work home with you, that means you can access your work files without transferring them manually, and it works on  Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android devices.

If all your files meet in one cloud hub, security is a must. That's why all your data on ElephantDrive is locked with an AES 256-bit encryption before leaving your device, but you can still share files by creating links. You can even give your links a password. 

This subscription is only available to new users. 

Save on 5TB of cloud storage

Give your important files some backup. 

Until April 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get a 2-year 5TB subscription to ElephantDrive for $119.97. No coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: ElephantDrive ElephantDrive 5TB Plan: 2-Yr Subscription $119.97 at the Mashable Shop
$1,200.00 Save $1,080.03 Get Deal

Watching The Jinx: Part 2 demands its audience look back — not just on the crimes of its subject, real estate tycoon turned notorious killer Robert Durst, but also on where we were when the first part aired on HBO. In February of 2015, filmmaker Andrew Jarecki had audiences at rapt attention as he unfurled week-by-week six chapters detailing the bizarre "Life and Deaths of Robert Durst." That Durst had committed a string of murders seemed more and more certain as the episodes passed. Could his closeness with the documentarian, who'd piqued Durst's interest by making a loosely fictional film about him called All Good Things, compel this slippery figure to finally confess? Incredibly, yes, and in a way that was as bizarre as "Bob" himself. 

Beyond the burping, the hot mic recording that became a national news story, and the many parodies that followed, The Jinx became a modern true crime flashpoint, along with Netflix's docuseries Making a Murderer and the podcast Serial. Each explored a cold case over a long-format deep dive, often with the reporter confessing to being compromised by their closeness to the accused. Sure, there were (and are) plenty of tawdry true crime shows that would continue to churn out cheap thrills for viewers, but these three shows were so massively popular that they spawned a flood of true crime doc series — for better (the in-depth and humane I'll Be Gone in the Dark and Last Call) or worse (the leeringly exploitative The Curious Case of Natalia Grace and The Tiger King). 

In the years since, true crime has continued to saturate the media, reaching a ubiquity that rivals the heights of London's Jack the Ripper obsession; at the same time, the critique of true crime and its fans has grown sharper, as media critics and enthusiasts alike dissect it from all angles. Telling a good story may attract an audience, but how you go about it may earn filmmakers ire online, where TikTokkers and podcasters pick apart every bit of evidence — often for their own moments in the spotlight. When The Jinx arrived, of course we were shocked by Durst and his bizarre behavior on camera, but what was truly compelling was Jarecki's willingness to show himself and his internal conflict as they approached the final interview. This added a layer of uneasy vulnerability to the show. Returning to the case to follow Durst's capture and conviction, The Jinx: Part 2 continues on with "Chapter 7," as if nine years hadn't passed in the interim. The world has changed dramatically in this span, and yet Jarecki and his team are playing the same game as before. But now it hits differently, as they're coming back with the perspective not of investigation but validation.  

Robert Durst is the leader of The Jinx's 3-ring circus.  Credit: HBO/Max

In the original run, Jarecki spoke at length with friends and family of Durst's missing first wife, Kathleen McCormack Durst, who gave a chilling portrait of their marriage. In Part 2, we finally get to meet more of Durst's inner circle. Though Durst's second wife Debrah Charatan once more dodges Jarecki's interview requests, she's depicted through strange anecdotes about how she allegedly ruled her company with an iron fist and a nose that'd literally sniff her employees' armpits to assure they met her high hygiene standards. "Chapter 9: Saving My Tears Until It's Official" dives deeper into the psychology — and potential complicity — of Durst's best friend Susan Berman, who was conspicuously killed before she was interviewed by police over the McCormack case. Through these interviews, Jarecki empathetically explores Berman's mindset, forged by growing up the daughter of a mob boss and a "saintly" mother; she was fiercely protective of the skeletons in the family's closet. Plus, Berman's friends face new evidence that transforms their perspective on her involvement with Durst. 

However, it's the new members of the menagerie who will likely have viewers agog. "Chapter 7: Why Are You Still Here?" introduces Bob's mistress through a talking-head interview and recorded jail-house visits. A surly longtime colleague gives the cops a hard time over the phone, demanding the police pay for his private jet's costs if they expect to interrogate him in Los Angeles. (He practically screams in outrage when they offer him a ticket to fly coach.) But the most attention is paid to Nick Chavin, who counts himself as a best friend to both Durst and the long-ago murdered Berman. 

Chavin is introduced as he blithely paraphrases the opening line of Goodfellas, confessing with a grin, "For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be famous." He then presents Jarecki (and us) with his music, a sexed-up version of country music that includes a track called "Cum Stains on the Pillow." Yes, this man is a clown who — like Durst — relishes the attention Jarecki's cameras can bring. And as was true of the first part, it is darkly compelling to watch such a kooky creep expose himself. You might wonder if Chavin has any self-awareness as he makes statements like "I don't have that same moral hatred of murder and murderers." You might also doubt his veracity, considering his motivations are so nakedly about fame. But he is far from the only cringeworthy character presented in Part 2. 

The Jinx: Part 2 celebrates and mocks the LAPD.  LA Deputy District Attorney John Lewin Credit: HBO/Max

Chapter 7 centers on the weeks leading up to Chapter 6 airing in 2015. At the time, the show's producers were sharing information with the the LAPD, who were tracking Bob Durst to finally charge him in the murder of Susan Berman before he might flee internationally. As the new episode proudly pronounces in a title card, Durst was arrested the day before the famous burping confession aired. 

As this first episode details the process with LA attorneys and homicide detectives, The Jinx becomes blandly bog-standard for a stretch. Artful slo-mo reenactments and archival photos of Durst play under interviews spelling out the chase and anticipation. LA Deputy District Attorney John Lewin, who clearly sees himself as the hero of the sequel season, declares, "This is going to be the biggest thing to hit my office since OJ." Where the officers of Part 1 tended to somber reflections, Lewin can't contain his grin as he cockily exclaims, "I love circumstantial cold cases." In "Chapter 8: Friendships Die Hard," Lewin introduces his "wonder twins," identical twin law clerks whose commentary is so farcical it'd be well suited to the 2017 true crime parody series Trial & Error. 

The novelty of the twin law clerks Michael and David Belcher is emphasized by pairing them up for their interviews; they even share a chyron. Recalling how they got assigned the Durst case, Michael says he got a call from Lewin, and when the name "Durst" came up, the baby-faced clerk said, "Fred Durst? Oh my god!" (In response, the doc cuts to an image of the Limp Bizkit frontman wearing a t-shirt that reads "NOT ROBERT.") After clearing up the confusion, Michael was offered a job, and in turn suggested they hire his twin too. So Lewin did. It's a story that they all seem to regard as charming. 

Like their boss, the duo shares a jarring breeziness about the case, cracking odd jokes and impersonating Durst's nasally voice together in sync. Such interviews feel like a sideshow that exposes a glaring disconnect between the seriousness of the crimes and the arrogant attitudes of this prosecution team. The filmmakers seem eager to expose the ugly vanity of all arrogant fools, no matter what side of the law they are on. Yet at the same time, the first several episodes carry the enthusiasm of sharing in this victory lap. (Critics were given access to the first four episodes of Part 2 for review.) So one moment, you have the "wonder twins" revealing crucial evidentiary phone calls with all the reverence of pigeons over a new Porsche. But in another — among the most moving in the sequel series so far — Chapter 7 shows The Jinx team's viewing party, where McCormack's family finally hears the confession they've prayed for for decades: "Killed them all, of course." 

Here, like the exemplary HBO doc series Mind Over Murder and the mesmerizing movie Last Stop Larrimah, the outrageous details of the case are the hook for something deeply human. As this long-suffering family gets the release of this clumsy confession, we are witness to their world changing. It's not the end of the McCormack family's story, as her brother is quick to point out, but there is comfort in finally closing a terrible chapter. So, the pride that radiates from these newly issued episodes — while arguably gauche in their goofier moments — may be justified and may even be frankly honest. 

The Jinx: Part 2 is hitting while true crime is in transition.  Jim McCormack, Sharon McCormack, Liz McCormack in "The Jinx: Part 2." Credit: HBO/Max

The mid-2010s brought the genre out of the shadows and into the mainstream. And yet after so much popularity and praise, neither Making a Murderer nor Serial could top their first seasons. Instead, they came under scrutiny as many others chased such successes, not only in TV docs and podcasts but also in an avalanche of TV dramas and dramedies, ranging from When They See Us to Dahmer, The Staircase, Dirty John, Inventing Anna, Under the Banner of Heaven, Joe vs. Carole, and not one but two versions of the ​​Candy Montgomery case: Candy and Love & Death. Serial was even parodied in the podcast-centered comedy series Only Murders in the Building. Meanwhile, HBO/Max/Investigation Discovery have offered an endless array of murder shows and documentaries, ranging from thoughtfully thorough (The Lady and the Dale) to absolutely cringeworthy (Mean Girls Murders, which opens every case with a cheeky quote from a teen comedy).  

Amid all of this, there is outcry from audiences and advocates about the ethics of true crime. Some call for such media to focus more on the humanity of the victims, and less on glorifying the killer. Others note the racial bias that favors coverage of stories about white victims, ignoring many, many cases of murdered and missing Black and Indigenous people. Still others note there's a fine line between exposure and exploitation, as filmmakers unearth traumatic and triggering experiences not only for those who agreed to be involved in their productions but also for those who've not consented to participate. So, where does The Jinx: Part 2 fit in this? 

Frankly, it's impossible to say without having seen how it'll end. At present, I'm underwhelmed. Granted, true crime fans or those who were hooked on The Jinx will likely rally around the weekly chance to once again compare notes around the metaphorical watercooler. There's a lot to take in and marvel over. Jarecki and his team have masterfully planted their new chapters with plenty to keep us coming back, from new revelations, unnerving interviews, and the promise of Durst giving one last statement on the case. But having binge-watched the first four episodes, the experience is disorienting. 

Where should true crime go next? Credit: HBO

As egos flash and clash, a few things have already become clear. First off, it takes a village to get away with murder, and The Jinx: Part 2 is here to introduce us to Durst's villagers. Two, the series feels both in awe of its own power but also wary of it. Truly, there's no way the producers could include the more embarrassing interview moments with the prosecution side without an awareness they are in league with them. Yet Durst's defense team is so stringently slippery they are practically caricatures of corrupt lawyers. So, in this bid to show that both sides of this case are peopled by characters that are not just riveting but at times downright ghastly, what is The Jinx saying? 

This possibly shows a self-awareness that no documentary can ever be truly "objective." Maybe it's intentionally drawing attention to the messiness of humanity that makes up every part of our legal system, from the crime to the investigation to the trial and beyond. We can aim to be as rational and objective as possible, but we're all human. And while some of our motives might be noble, we've all got our less admirable motives too — like wanting your fifteen minutes of fame no matter how you get it. In Part 2, you see the fingerprints of this vanity throughout. 

That commonality is what has me itching after these first four episodes. You can easily google and find out what happened next in the case, but what I'm curious about is how The Jinx: Part Two will process those events. In my mind, the best of true crime is not just telling us a riveting story, rich in complexity and character — though that's a good start. It's when a production pushes the audience past understanding the story merely as a cozy cautionary tale, instead examining how and why a crime happened and was investigated (or not, as the case may be), and what that says about society itself. (Again, see Last Call, Mind Over Murder, and the kidnapping doc Chowchilla.) 

While it may be a cliche that money can buy an affluent American out of anything, both parts of the Jinx explore the specifics of this. Not only do they detail how Durst could swiftly lay down a quarter million in bail so he could go on the run again, but also they reveal in ways big and small how his perceived generosity (a car, a college education, a love nest) bought allegiances, whether the receiver consciously understood that or not. So, what does Durst's long con have to say about American justice? What has his post-Jinx popularity — recapped in a spirited montage of comedy sketches, news coverage, and stand-up — say about out hunger for true crime stories? What will his final chapter say about who we were then? And who we are now? 

Truly, I'm not sure how much of this Chapters 11 and 12 can or will answer. Having once defined this genre, could it now reinvigorate it, drawing it more rigorously to profound realizations and away from our tendency toward grisly gawking? Or might it interrogate our macabre interest to guide us to better understand our dark appetite? I can't say. But despite my frustrations with this series veering into familiar areas and perplexing portraits, I confess I will be watching. 

The Jinx: Part 2 kicks off with Chapter 7 premiering on April 21 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. A new episode will air each Sunday, until the finale on May 26. 

Virtual reality (VR) is a relatively new frontier of entertainment that has yet to attract mainstream appeal. But with more industry giants throwing their hats into the metaverse as of late — looking at you, Apple, Sony, and Meta — an intrigue exists for gamers and techies in pursuit of next-level immersion.

After a period of hands-on testing, we've decided to recommend the Meta Quest 2, the PlayStation VR2, and the Valve Index VR Kit. All four VR headsets are consumer-friendly devices that felt comfortable during hours of use, supported a breadth of features and content upon unboxing, and performed well at their respective price points.

SEE ALSO: Should you try a VR workout? We put Litesport to the test.

While sourcing contenders for this roundup, we chose to test VR headsets that are making waves in the small-but-growing market, whether they're known for their libraries, innovations, or both. All of them are true, dedicated VR headsets with built-in screens, as opposed to mobile headsets that require a smartphone. (Some, but not all, are tethered headsets that require a connection to a separate console or PC.) We also excluded enterprise-level units that are designed for business and commercial use.

What about Apple Vision Pro?

Unless you live under a rock, you've either seen or heard about the Apple Vision Pro by now. But, if you're new to the world of VR, you may be asking yourself why it isn't included here. Well, as we mentioned earlier, our recommendations are specifically tailored to gaming-centric headsets — the Apple Vision Pro falls into that "enterprise headset" category, so we didn't consider it for this article.

While still a worthwhile VR category to look into, enterprise headsets aren't designed with gaming capabilities at the forefront. These types of headsets are designed for productivity and business purposes that can help make your daily life easier. If you're all about gaming (and we assume you are because you're here) and want to get into VR, look elsewhere.

What are the best VR headsets for gaming?

Here's a deeper dive into the best VR headsets we've tried. (Note: We're in the process of testing the HP Reverb G2 and will update this guide accordingly with the final results of our trial.)

You wanna hide apps from your iPhone home screen, do you?

First of all, there are plenty of reasons to make an iPhone app more difficult to access, and many of them are perfectly wholesome. Perhaps you want to hide your Venmo/Cash App so it's not easily accessible on your home screen. Or maybe you want to hide your Instagram, TikTok, etc. if you have a little sibling who likes to steal your phone and post embarrassing pics and videos of you on your socials.

SEE ALSO: How to mirror your iPhone to your TV

So now that you know we're not here to judge, here's how to do it:

Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• iPhone

Step 1: Find the app you want to remove from your home screen.

Step 2: Tap and hold the app until a menu pops up with the option to "Remove App".

You can also tap and hold the home screen until the apps start shaking, and then tap the little "minus" sign next to the app you want to hide.

App mini menu. Yes we tried Power Vinyasa and yes it was really freaking hard Credit: Andy Moser / Apple

Step 3: Tap "Remove App".

You'll see options to either delete the app, remove it from the home screen, or cancel the action.

Step 4: Choose "Remove from Home Screen".

The app will be hidden and won't appear on your home screen.

Tap "Remove from Home Screen" Credit: Andy Moser / Apple

Cool! But now...how do you find it again? The app, though hidden from your home screen, is still in your app library.

Check out our piece on how to find hidden apps.