Blogroll

Astronomers discovered a truly tortured planet. It'll make you thankful for Earth.

In a distant solar system some 66 light-years away, researchers used NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to spot a volcano-blanketed world new to science. It's covered in volcanoes because the other two planets in this system have forced it into an unusual elliptical orbit, which tugs and squeezes the world, roiling the interior.

The deep space situation is similar to what's happening on Jupiter's moon Io, an orb that's relentlessly locked in a tug-of-war between nearby Jovian moons. This dynamic squeezes and stretches Io, stoking lava to pour out of volcanoes.

"This is a terrestrial planet that I would describe as Io on steroids," Stephen Kane, a planetary astrophysicist at UC Riverside, said in a statement. "It’s been forced into a situation where it’s constantly exploding with volcanoes. At optical wavelengths you would be able to see a glowing, red-hot planet with a molten lava surface."

SEE ALSO: NASA found a super-Earth. It's in a tantalizing place.

Even our most powerful telescopes can't capture a detailed view of a world many light-years away (a light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles), yet the NASA TESS instrument is designed to detect minute changes in light, and can see when a planet passes in front of its star — which results in a temporary dimming. This leads to the discovery of worlds beyond our solar system, called exoplanets.

"It’s been forced into a situation where it’s constantly exploding with volcanoes."

In the new volcano-world research, recently published in The Astronomical Journal, Kane and the team show how two larger outer planets in this solar system (dubbed "HD 104067") exert strong gravitational influence on the inner-planet, forcing it into an eccentric orbit that ultimately squashes the tortured world, generating heat and intensive geologic activity.

The surface is 2,600 degrees Kelvin, or some 4,220 degrees Fahrenheit, many times hotter than a pizza oven. (The sun's surface is over 10,000 F degrees.)

An artist's conception of a rocky planet covered in molten lava, orbiting close to its star. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Dani Player (STScI) Tweet may have been deleted

So far, astronomers have confirmed over 5,600 exoplanets, most of which are inhospitable worlds. Some even rain metal. Around 200 are rocky worlds like Earth or Mars. Planetary scientists are especially interested in finding rocky planets that orbit in their solar system's respective "habitable zone," a temperate region where liquid water could exist.

There's still no evidence life exists beyond Earth, but Earth-like worlds are a smart place to look.

Are you waiting for Apple to release a touchscreen MacBook, perhaps fueled by last year's rumors that the company is working on such a device?

Unfortunately, it probably won't happen, at least not anytime soon. According to Tom Boger, Apple's vice president of iPad and Mac product marketing, who spoke to the Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern, the company doesn't plan to launch a touchscreen Mac.

In fact, despite some marketing that's telling us otherwise, Boger claims that Apple doesn't see the iPad and the MacBook as competing devices. The iPad has "always been a touch-first device," he said, whereas the Mac is for "indirect manipulation," meaning using a keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Air 2024 (13-inch) review: More space for the 'I use it as a laptop' folks

While this may be true, there are plenty of users who are wondering would it be so bad if the MacBook got a touchscreen as a secondary option for interaction. After all, plenty of Windows-based laptops have touchscreens, allowing the users to choose whether they want to use them or not.

But according to Boger, this isn't likely to happen with the MacBook. "MacOS is for a very different paradigm of computing," he said, adding that the iPad can be seen as a device that lets you extend your work from a Mac. So if you want it both ways, you'll need to buy both a MacBook and an iPad.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch) review: The battery life is bonkers

There's a glimmer of hope here, though. Stern asked Boger whether Apple will ever change its mind about MacBooks being not-for touch. "Oh, I can't say we never change our mind," he said.

TL;DR: Watch the 2024 French Open for free on 9Now, France TV, RTBF, ORF, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The biggest clay court tennis championship on the calendar is fast approaching, and that means tennis fans from all over the world will be scrambling for a way to stream the 2024 French Open. It seems like these massive sporting moments are never easy to watch. Why is that the case? We can't answer that, but we can provide you with some solutions to your streaming struggles.

If you're interested in watching the 2024 French Open from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the French Open?

The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. It's the only Grand Slam tournament held on a clay surface, and is chronologically the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments.

The current singles champions are Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek.

When is the 2024 French Open?

The 2024 French Open is the 129th edition of the competition. This year's event will take place from May 20 to June 9.

How to watch the 2024 French Open for free

It's possible to live stream the 2024 French Open for free on a number of streaming platforms:

• Australia — 9now

• Austria — ORF or ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF

• France — France TV

The issue here is that you need to be connecting from these countries to access these free streaming services. The only way to bypass these geo-restrictions is with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can stream the 2024 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free streaming services to watch the 2024 French Open by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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, Austria, Belgium, or France

4. Connect to 9Now, France TV, RTBF, ORF, or Servus TV

5. Watch the 2024 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the 2024 French Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the French Open?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.

Bumble has apologised for its poorly received ads referencing celibacy, calling them a "mistake." The marketing campaign is being slammed across social media, with users accusing the dating app of undermining women’s choices and shaming them for refraining from sex.

In a statement posted to Bumble's official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts on Monday, the company acknowledged its misstep and announced that it would be removing its heavily criticised anti-celibacy ads from its global marketing campaign.

SEE ALSO: Dating app coaches promise to upgrade your love life. But what do they actually do?

Bumble initially revealed its ill-fated campaign at the end of last month, alongside a rebrand, app redesign, and the introduction of its new Opening Moves feature. Created by Bumble's in-house marketing team, the company's global advertising campaign used the tagline, "We've changed so you don't have to."

Unfortunately, many felt Bumble's ads didn't line up with its aim to "empower women" and "challenge outdated heterosexual dating norms." The new billboards featured statements such as "A vow of celibacy is not the answer" and "Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun," with photographs of them soon circulating online for all the wrong reasons.

View this post on Instagram

Labelled the "Bumble Fumble" by some, the celibacy-focused ads were accused of being in bad taste for a myriad of reasons. These included the pressure imposed on women to sleep with men despite not wanting to, ongoing challenges to reproductive rights, and the implication that women cannot make their own choices about their sexual activity. Several social media users further pointed out that Bumble's messaging delegitimised asexual people's experiences.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Bumble recognised such criticisms in its apology. "We made a mistake," wrote Bumble. "Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite."

"For years, Bumble has passionately stood up for women and marginalized communities, and their right to fully exercise personal choice. We didn't live up to these values with this campaign and we apologize for the harm it caused."

When reached for comment, Bumble directed Mashable back to its statement.

"Some of the perspectives we heard were: from those who shared that celibacy is the only answer when reproductive rights are continuously restricted; from others for whom celibacy is a choice, one that we respect; and from the asexual community, for who celibacy can have a particular meaning and importance, which should not be diminished," Bumble continued. "We are also aware that for many, celibacy may be brought on by harm or trauma."

In addition to pulling its ads, Bumble announced it will be donating to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, as well as various other organisations that support women, marginalised communities, and people who are being impacted by abuse. Bumble also stated that it would offer them the billboard space it had originally booked for its campaign.

SEE ALSO: Bumble revamps the 'first move' and other features

"The ad was received negatively because being alone or celibate is now common solely because there are not enough men who exihibit [sic] the characteristics of a partner women would want," @love_samsmith commented on Bumble's Instagram apology. "So to mock being celibate is not addressing the root problem."

"You made it a woman’s problem to fix the lack of sex men are having," wrote @julieschirado. "How about addressing why women are not interested in having a relationship with men? Maybe tell the men to fix themselves instead of the women to give in. Do better."

Bumble’s response to its advertising fiasco comes hot on the heels of Apple apologising for its own tone-deaf ad. The tech giant cancelled plans to run its new iPad commercial on television after the grim clip was widely criticised as "dystopian" and "heartless." It seems it isn't the only company struggling to take the pulse of its audience.

UPDATE: May. 15, 2024, 10:50 a.m. AEST This article has been updated with comment from Bumble.

Giving a presentation can be nerve-racking—especially if your audience knows the topic better than you. But you can share your knowledge while also sharing the forum with those with greater experience. Here’s how to deliver a credible and engaging presentation to subject matter experts. Embrace self-affirmation. When presenting to experts, it’s normal to feel intimidated. But […]

257257

TL;DR: This week, you can get lifetime access to the Weather Hi-Def Radar App and see real-time weather conditions for only £31.85.

There's nothing like getting ready for a fun day outside. You grab your trusty hiking boots, pack up a few snacks, and then you see a cloud rolling in. You could gamble and go out anyway, or you could stay inside and risk missing out on another fun adventure if the weather suddenly clears. If only you had a real-time weather-monitoring app you could actually rely on when making plans.

Weather Hi-Def Radar is a weather radar app that lets you stay informed so you can be prepared for all types of weather conditions, and a lifetime subscription is now on sale for £31.85 (reg. £119.43). This app is designed to give you real-time and future-animated radar images, so you can plan your next adventure with less guesswork.

Stay ahead of the storm

With Weather Hi-Def Radar, you can track forecasts for 10 days of temperatures, rainfall, snowfall, hurricanes, tornadoes, and more. Find out if that fluffy little cloud might be the first sign of a wild tempest or just a passing distraction. Either way, a little foresight lets you dress and plan accordingly. You can also get proactive alerts for severe weather.

This advanced weather app lets you access map overlays to monitor weather in real-time. You can also check road conditions, get lightning alerts, keep up to date on tropical storm forecasts, wildfires, earthquakes, and even air quality. Take advantage of tools that allow you to customise the layers you see for tracking different weather patterns. Weather Hi-Def Radar is built to be user-friendly and even has lock and home screen widgets for quick hourly weather updates. 

Be prepared for any weather

Don't miss your chance to get your own smart weather tracker to stay ahead of storms when planning hikes, picnics, or anything else that takes you outside.

Get a lifetime subscription to Weather Hi-Def Radar Storm Watch Plus for £31.85 (reg. £119.43). 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Maple Media Weather Hi-Def Radar Storm Watch Plus: Lifetime Subscription £31.85 at the Mashable Shop
£119.43 Save £87.58 Get Deal

TL;DR: Watch the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free on Disney+ Hotstar. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Cricket in the United States? Something about that feels wrong, but the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup will be the first ICC World Cup tournament to feature matches played in the country. Maybe this could be the start of a beautiful love affair? After all, there is a lot to love about T20 cricket.

If you want to watch the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the T20 World Cup?

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is a Twenty20 International cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council. The event is generally held every two years. Only the West Indies and England have won the tournament more than once, winning two titles each.

England are the reigning T20 World Cup champions, having beaten Pakistan in the 2022 final.

When is the 2024 T20 World Cup?

The 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup is the ninth edition of the competition, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States. This year's event will take place from June 1 to June 29.

How to watch the 2024 T20 World Cup for free

Smartphone users in India will be able to watch the 2024 Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup for free on Disney+ Hotstar.

Anyone from around the world can access this free content with a VPN. These powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access this free content on the Disney+ Hotstar app from anywhere in the world.

Access free T20 Cricket World Cup live streams 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 India

4. Download the Disney+ Hotstar mobile app

5. Watch 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

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 free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Disney+ Hotstar?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Disney+ Hotstar, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including India

• 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 eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Delhi Capitals vs. Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There's just a handful of fixtures left in the IPL, and it has been a truly special season. But it's not over yet, the next fixture will see the Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants go head-to-head in the 64th match of the league.

It's set to be a great match, so don't miss out. You can livestream Delhi Capitals vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free from anywhere in the world, and we have all the information you need.

When is Delhi Capitals vs. Lucknow Super Giants?

Delhi Capitals vs. Lucknow Super Giants starts at 3 p.m. BST on May 14. This fixture will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India.

How to watch Delhi Capitals vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free

JioCinema is live streaming every IPL cricket match this season in 4K resolution on its app.

JioCinema is geo-restricted to India, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with the use of a VPN. VPNs hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access JioCinema from anywhere in the world.

Unblock JioCinema to stream the IPL 2024 by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 India

4. Visit JioCinema (you will need an Indian phone number to subscribe)

5. Watch Delhi Capitals vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free from anywhere in the world

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

Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch IPL live streams without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select IPL fixtures for free.

What is the best VPN for JioCinema?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking JioCinema, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including India

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream the IPL for free with ExpressVPN.

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

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for May 14's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To gather a large crowd.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letters A and S appear twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

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

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to Wordle #1060 is...

AMASS.

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

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

Less than a year after introducing a Wi-Fi-enabled Tamagotchi for the 21st century, the company behind the nostalgic Y2K toy is bringing back a new fan-favorite: the Tamagotchi Connection.

Originally released in 2004, the Tamagotchi Connection was the first Tamagotchi device that enabled players to nurture a virtual pet and help it make friends, play, swap presents, and mate with other Tamagotchis. The device was highly beloved, with some calling it the company's best-ever release.

SEE ALSO: iPod Shuffle hair clips prove the Y2K fashion revival is far from over

Eagle-eyed fans may have picked up on the relaunch way back in April when a new antenna "accessory" for Tamagotchis was announced on Instagram as part of an April Fools Day prank. Tama devotees got the hint (versions of the original Tamagotchi Connection were decorated with antennas), and comments on the post begged the company to bring the device back.

SEE ALSO: The ultimate Y2K gift guide for millennials and teens alike

Amazon pre-orders for the new Tamagotchi Connection start today. It is available in four colorways, and a "True Friends" set is available in even more exclusive styles. The device will be available in stores in July.

Opens in a new window Credit: Tamagotchi/ Bandai Tamagotchi Connection (2024) $29.99
Pre-Order Here

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

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for May 14's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

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

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Genesis of an idea

• Green: You hungry?

• Blue: Quien habla español?

• Purple: Slim things

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

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

• Yellow: Early Iteration

• Green: Enjoy A Meal

• Blue: Spanish Pronouns

• Purple: Slim____

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to Connections #336 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Early Iteration: DRAFT, OUTLINE, PLAN, SKETCH

• Enjoy A Meal: DINE, FEAST, FEED, SUP

• Spanish Pronouns: ELLA, ME, SUS, YO

• Slim____: FIT, JIM, PICKINGS, SHADY

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

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

The plinky-plunky music in the lead-up to the OpenAI livestream announcing GPT-4o and a desktop app was both anxiety-inducing and placating, complete with the sounds of raindrops and a ticking clock. It's an apt representation of the dichotomy between what OpenAI does and how it presents itself to the world. 

And, from the choice of presenters to the friendly vibe — including the soothing female GPT-4o voice, which sounds like a kind kindergarten teacher — the message of the OpenAI event was, “We’re your friends; we’re not like other tech companies; let us help you.” All of it seems like a very intentional choice to position the company as the AI maker you can trust, despite (or perhaps in light of) ongoing concerns about copyright infringement, job replacement, and misinformation risks.

From the ground up, the event was designed to be nonthreatening and intimate. For starters, it was led by CTO Mira Murati instead of CEO Sam Altman. Murati, the brilliant and beautiful chief technology officer, has been largely spared from controversy. She navigated the Sam Altman coup by stepping up as CEO when briefly appointed, but maintained support for Altman, representing a steady voice amidst the chaos.

Tweet may have been deleted Featured Video For You OpenAI reveals its ChatGPT AI voice assistant

Murati was a perfect choice to lead the event. In her casual jeans and perfect blowout, she exuded trust and confidence, breezing through the ethics and safety concerns with an assuring yet vague disclaimer:

GPT-4o presents new challenges for us when it comes to safety, because we're dealing with real-time audio, real-time vision and our team has been hard at work, figuring out how to build in mitigations against misuse. We continue to work with different stakeholders out there from government, media, entertainment, all industries, red-teamers, and civil society about how to best bring these technologies into the world.

Next came the live demos held by research leads Mark Chen and Barret Zoph. Joining Murati in comfy chairs surrounded by wood paneling and plants, the three looked like friends having a casual conversation in a natural, organic environment. All of this was offset, of course, by the demonstration of a completely synthetic technology capable of recreating a human voice that could talk, emote, sing, and even be interrupted, all in real-time.

Tweet may have been deleted

Speaking of comfy chairs, the whole effect was very unlike your usual Big Tech event. At Google and Apple events, you'll typically see a keynote speaker standing on a vast stage, talking in hyperbole and absolutisms. There was none of that from OpenAI today. Instead, the event represented the opposite of what we might expect at Tuesday's Google I/O. All of it was to say, "We're not like the other guys. You can trust us."

Chen humanized himself by confessing he was nervous. GTP-4o, the nonhuman entity, guided him through breathing exercises to calm him down. It all seemed designed to assure the audience that the new technology is nothing to be afraid of, as if GPT-4o was there to calm all of us.

"Our initial conception when we started OpenAI was that we’d create AI and use it to create all sorts of benefits for the world," said Altman in a blog post published after the event. "Instead, it now looks like we’ll create AI, and then other people will use it to create all sorts of amazing things that we all benefit from."

But the dystopian optics of a reassuring and animated robot voice was not lost on those watching. GPT-4o's voice quickly drew comparisons to that of Scarlett Johansson's character as a voice assistant that Joaquin Phoenix's character falls in love with in the film Her. Altman even seemed to get in on the joke by tweeting "her" during the presentation. So, as he posted his altruistic vision for OpenAI, he was jokingly comparing GPT-4o a sci-fi technology that usurped human connection.

Tweet may have been deleted

OpenAI has been saying one thing and doing another for some time. Its mission "is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity," but the company has been accused of training its AI models on content scraped from the web without credit or compensation. It announced its AI video generator, Sora, as a tool for making creative visions come to life, but it still hasn't revealed what the model was trained on, although many suspect it was data scraped from YouTube and other videos on the web.

Tweet may have been deleted

The company continues to release technology without transparency around how it was created, but throughout all of it, Altman and OpenAI insist they are for regulation and safe deployment of generative AI.

The message is that the public should blindly trust what OpenAI is doing. And today's event, with its warm wood tones and lightness and laughter, crystallized this approach. Whether we believe it or not is a different story.

Mashable Tech Editor Kimmie G takes a closer look at Apple's latest 13-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air.

Come to mama! The 13-inch iPad Air, packed with the new M2 chip, is finally here — and it's about time. I've been waiting nearly two years for a refresh.

However, I wish there was more. It's like when someone tells you they've been working on a novel for two years, and you finally read it, and you're like, "That's it?" It doesn't quite meet your expectations as far as excitement and thrill goes, but I get it. The iPad Air isn't meant to cause too much pomp and circumstance: it'd steal the iPad Pro's spotlight after all.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Although Apple was light on design changes this time around, the most important updates are under the hood. As you'll read later on, the M2 chip delivers impressive performance and noteworthy battery life that will keep creatives, students, and on-the-go busy bees away from the imprisonment of charging cables and wall outlets.

iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) price and specs

The iPad Air I got for this review has a price tag of $1,049 via Apple's official website and it comes with the following specs:

• New M2 chip

• 256GB of storage

• 8GB of RAM

• Wi-Fi + Cellular

• 13-inch, 2048 x 732-pixel resolution display

• "Purple" chassis

I know, I know; $1,049 is a little much. If that's the case, you can, instead, get just the WiFi model (instead of the Wi-Fi and cellular configuration) and downgrade to the 128GB variant, saving you $250 (i.e., $799 in total).

If you don't care for a 13-inch display, you can shave the price down even further by getting the 11-inch model instead, which has a price tag of $599. This, by the way, is the cheapest configuration you can get.

Also, let's give Apple a round of applause for starting its lineup with 128GB of storage and adding two more variants: 128GB, 512GB and 1TB. (Strangely, the previous-generation iPad Air only came in 64GB and 256GB models.)

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 11-inch iPad Air $599.00 at Apple
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable 13-inch iPad Air $799.00 at Apple
Get Deal iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) design

I used the iPad Air to type this very review, and while I still find iPadOS being quite limiting for what I do for work, I felt much more comfortable on the new 13-inch iPad Air. Anyone who needs a sleek, thin, and light tablet for school and work, and doesn't have a demanding workflow, could totally benefit from the iPad Air.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Interestingly, although the 13-inch is, of course, larger than its 11-inch sibling, both models have the same slimness (0.24 inches). The 13-inch version weighs 1.36 pounds, making it expectedly heavier than the 11-inch model (i.e.,1.02 pounds).

At this point, you may be wondering, "Other than a new display size, what else is new? Are there any big design changes?" The answer to that is "kind of."

Apple moved the webcam from the top bezel to the side (if you're holding it in portrait orientation). This means that while you're hosting video calls and FaceTime sessions in landscape mode, the webcam will be situated on the top bezel (instead of sitting awkwardly on the side).

Other than that, you'll still find the volume buttons on the upper-right side, the TouchID sensor on the top right, the Smart Connector on the back, and the magnetic connector on the right side for Apple Pencil (it's only compatible with Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil USB-C model released last year).

Featured Video For You Unboxing the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) display

With the iPad Pro graduating from miniLED to OLED, I was hoping that the iPad Air would adopt some of that miniLED goodness. Instead, however, the new iPad Air models still have a 60Hz LCD panel.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As mentioned, the iPad Air line, adopting the Pro line's style, now has a 13-inch display. For what it's worth, Apple is calling this the "13-inch" iPad Air for simplicity. It's actually a 12.9-inch panel, to be specific, mirroring the iPad Pro 2022's 12.9-inch model. (However, it's worth noting that the 13-inch model on the iPad Pro is actually 13-inches.)

I fired up the Mufasa trailer on the iPad Air and Simba looked so crisp, he looked like he was jumping out of the screen with his vivid, orange-red, scruffy fur.

iPad Pro (left) and iPad Air (right) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Impressed by the display, I was curious to see how it looked next to the iPad Pro playing the same trailer. In ideal lighting situations, it's actually tricky to determine which display is the iPad Pro, which says a lot about the iPad Air's picture quality.

However, in more challenging lighting situations, the iPad Pro does, indeed, shine.

The 13-inch model, packed with a 2,732 x 2,048-pixel panel, features 600 nits of brightness (the 11-inch model offers 500 nits). Seeing the iPad Air and iPad Pro side-by-side, I'd recommend the Pro model if you have plans of frequently using your tablet in brightly lit office or outdoors.

The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air in a brightly lit area. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, if you're mostly an indoors user, perhaps you love to read or flip through comics, the iPad Air should be just fine.

iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) ports and connectivity

You should know that the iPad Air doesn't have a SIM tray anymore, so it's all eSIM from here on out.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The iPad Air has a UBS-C port located on the bottom that supports 10Gbps data transfer speeds. Plus, it can manage one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz.

iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) audio

You're still getting dual landscape stereo speakers, strategically spaced to provide optimal stereo sound when held horizontally. I fired up Apple Music on the iPad Air, and whoo, it sounds spectacular.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

No, it's not as good as the booming, quad-speaker setup on the iPad Pro, but in true Apple fashion, the audio is crisp and clean.

Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful" sounded hauntingly beautiful on the iPad Air, perfectly capturing the lush orchestration and melancholic melody. Plus, the iPad Air gets pretty loud, which means this tablet could be sufficient enough to manage a party of five, allowing you to jam with your loved ones in a medium-sized room.

iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) cameras

On the back chassis, you'll find a 12MP world-facing wide camera while the selfie camera that faces you is a 12MP ultra-wide camera. "Does the iPad Air have FaceID?" you ask. Nope. If this is important to you, you can grab the iPad Pro. (The iPad Air does have TouchID, though.)

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

I took the 12MP wide camera for a spin at a local park, and it was alright. It did well in capturing the various hues of green of the tree-filled park as well as the reflection-filled pond that's defined with countless ripples.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, naturally, it struggles to capture distant objects, like the building's orangey-red facade. Still, I'm not expecting iPhone 15 Pro Max camera performance on an iPad Air. I do wish there was a telephoto lens, allowing me to zoom in on the swan in the pond for a sweet close-up shot, but that's wishful thinking.

As for the 12MP selfie camera, it does a great job at capturing rich color, including my complexion.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

And unfortunately, it picked up on my pimple, putting it on full display, as well as other raised bumps on my face, but this is a testament to how well it picks up on small details. However, the selfie is a bit too saturated for my taste.

iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) battery life

Apple said that the iPad Air is rated for 10 hours of battery life, but the Cupertino-based tech giant definitely underpromised and overdelivered here.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

When we ran the TikTok rundown on the iPad Air, which involves running a loop of a TikTok video at 50% brightness, the iPad Air lasted a whopping three hours longer than expected (i.e., 13 hours and 10 minutes).

iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) benchmarks

The iPad Air now has the M2 chip, leaving the previous generation's obsolete M1 processor behind. We ran Geekbench 6 on the new iPad Air and it notched a multi-core score of 10,049.

This puts the M2 iPad Air on par with the following laptops and devices:

• 15-inch M2 MacBook Air - 10,146

• HP Victus 16 - 10,460

• Lenovo Legion Go - 10,412

• Asus Zenbook Duo - 10,344

In other words, the M2 iPad Air can run with the big dogs, including some of the best laptops and gaming rigs.

I tested the M2 chip's prowess by playing around with Photomator, an editing app. I used features like "ML Enhance" to improve the vibrancy of the photo as well as "Super Resolution," which has been trained on millions of images to deliver crisp, high-res results to photos. Both features put to M2 chip to work, and I was pleasantly with surprised with how fast and well they worked.

Is iPad Air (13-inch, 2024) worth it?

The new 13-inch M2 iPad Air is for the following consumers:

• You need a spacious, thin-and-light, laptop-like device within the Apple ecosystem for school

• You're fledgling digital artist, sans a clientele, and you need a capable easel to hone your craft

• You love to read comics and other digital content

• You work remotely (indoors) and your workflow isn't affected by the limits of iPadOS

If you fall into any of the aforementioned categories, the iPad Air is definitely worth it. If you want more battery life and more performance, however, the iPad Pro may be a better fit, particularly if you're a professional creator.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 11-inch iPad Air $599.00
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable 13-inch iPad Air $799.00
Get Deal

Apple unfurled a proverbial middle finger at rivals after it revealed the new 2024 iPad Pro.

I got a savage whiff of the M4 chip inside this premium tablet — and all I can think is, "If this is what the M4 can do for the iPad Pro, the next M4 MacBook is going to be a problem!"

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

And by "problem," I mean it'll be a thorn in the side for laptop manufacturers competing with MacBooks. For us consumers, however, the M4 MacBooks are going to be killer laptops if the M4 iPad Pro is anything to go by.

Apple did mention that the M4 was power efficient, but I didn't realize it'd be this good. As you'll find out later in this review, the iPad Pro has mind-blowing endurance on a single charge. On top of that, the new iPad Pro is as svelte as a haute couture model. (Apple wasn't kidding when it likened it to the "iPod Nano.")

But as much as I already want to induct the new iPad Pro into our best tablets list, there are some things to consider. For example, some features that were once on the iPad Pro 2022 are no longer present on the current generation.

Note: As Mashable's Senior Editor Stan Schroeder pointed out, there are some absent features that were once present the iPad Pro 2022. We will be calling out any trimmed features in a small section called "Notable Absence."

SEE ALSO: iPad Pro 2024 hands-on: How the new 'nano-texture glass' looks next to one without it Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) price and specs

The iPad Pro I tested for this review costs $2,099 via Apple's official website

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

It comes with the following specs:

• New M4 chip (10-core GPU, 10-core GPU)

• 1TB of storage

• 16GB of RAM

• Standard Glass

• Wi-Fi + Cellular

• Tandem OLED display with 2,752 x 2,064-pixel resolution

• "Space Black" chassis

If this is too pricey for you, the cheapest 13-inch configuration costs $600 less (i.e., $1,299). However, that downgrades your specs to 256GB, 8GB of RAM, and no cellular support. And while you're still getting the M4 chip, this variant has a slightly less powerful 9-core CPU (the 1TB and 2TB configurations have a 10-core CPU).

However, whether you choose the 9-core CPU or 10-CPU, the M4 chip is plenty powerful — perhaps even too powerful — for the iPad Pro. (More on that later.)

There's also an 11-inch model if you want to shave the price down even further. The starting price for that one is $999 and comes with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 11-inch iPad Pro $999.00 at Apple
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable 13-inch iPad Pro $1,299.00 at Apple
Get Deal Recommendation for pro artists

If you're a pro digital artist, 8GB of RAM really isn't going to cut it. For the smoothest multi-tasking experience, I'd grab the 16GB of RAM model. This means you'll have to, at the very least, grab the 11-inch model with 1TB of storage, which will set you back $1,599.

Featured Video For You Unboxing the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) design

"OMG heck yes!" I said when I realized Apple sent me the Space Black iPad Pro. As you'll read in my op-ed, I am a huge fan of Space Black since it debuted with the M3 Pro MacBook Pro last year. Hell, if Apple can make the blackest black to ever black in the history of black, I'd lose my mind.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

It's worth noting that the Space Black that debuted with the M3 Pro MacBook Pro featured anti-fingerprint tech, but the Space Black iPad Pro does not have the same.

The iPad Pro also comes in Silver, too, by the way, if Space Black doesn't do it for you.

And can we talk about the iPad Pro's ultra-slim design? This is Apple's thinnest iPad yet, even beating the iPad Air.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Nothing prepared me for how taken aback I was when I first picked up the iPad Pro. I know Apple referenced the iPad Nano to illustrate its ultra-thin and featherweight form factor, but holding it feels like I'm just cradling the whispers of technology — and nothing more. To put numbers to my experience, here are some figures:

• 13-inch iPad Pro: 0.20 inches thick, 1.28 pounds

• 11-inch iPad Pro: 0.21 inches thick, 0.98 pounds

And finally, the webcam, typically located on the top (when you're holding it in portrait mode), got moved to side bezel. This way, when you're hosting video calls or launching FaceTime sessions, the webcam is sitting on top while in landscape orientation.

Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) display

The rumors turned out to be true. The 13-inch model (2,752 x 2,064-pixel resolution) and the 11-inch variant (2,420 x 1,668-pixel resolution) both have a new OLED display, which delivers striking true, deep blacks. (I delved into the benefits, and some possible cons, of OLED here.)

13-inch Space Black iPad Pro with the new Magic Keyboard Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

However, what the rumors left out is that the new iPad Pro has a Tandem OLED display. This means that instead of one OLED panel, the iPad Pro has two of 'em. This delivers two benefits:

• A striking contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1

• Brilliant display (up to a peak brightness of 1,600 nits)

For the uninitiated, a contrast ratio tells you the difference between the brightest white and darkest white. As such, the 2,000,000:1 figure tells us that the brightest white on the new iPad Pro Tandem OLED is two million times brighter than the darkest black.

I mean, just look at this YouTube video that showcases the iPad Pro's stunning contrast capabilities:

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

If I didn't know any better, I'd reach out and grab a cherry directly from this slate. The Tandem OLED helps the green grapes look more conspicuous against the dark-red fruit.

I also watched some episodes of Selling OC, one of my favorite reality TV shows on Netflix, and was dazzled by how well the panel captured a highlighter-green suit on one of the real estate agents as well as glitzy, sweeping, colorful drone shots of Orange County, California.

It's also worth noting that the new OLED iPad Pro 2024 has better ProMotion tech, allowing the iPad Pro to waver between 10Hz to 120Hz (the previous-gen iPad Pro jumped between 24Hz and 120hz). As such, when a speedy refresh isn't needed, the new iPad Pro can drop down even lower for better energy conservation.

Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) ports and connectivity

The M4 iPad Pro has a USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4, which means you can get fast wired data transfer (up to 40Gb/s).

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

This lets you connect to a single external display (including the Pro Display XDR, for example, at its full 6K resolution).

Notable absence: In the cellular version of the new iPad Pro, you won't find a SIM card slot. You must use an eSIM if you want to be consistently connected to a wireless network. Without a SIM slot, you can't use a physical SIM card. You'll have to reach out to your carrier for a QR code and follow other prompts to get cellular service.

Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) audio

Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" already sounds addicting as is, but after firing it up via Apple Music, I am even more obsessed. The iPad Pro's quad-speaker setup outputs a sound that's rich and smooth, seemingly mimicking the texture of espresso.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

From the pulsating beat to the punchy baselines, the iPad Pro perfectly captured the song’s electronic synths and catchy guitar riffs, providing a full-bodied sonic experience.

Notable absence: The previous-generation iPad Pro had five "studio-quality" mics. The new iPad Pro drops a mic for a total of four. I don't think I'll miss that one much. I had a FaceTime chat with a friend who said I sounded perfectly crisp on the mics.

Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) cameras

The iPad Pro comes with a 12MP wide camera on the back while the selfie shooter comes with a 12MP ultra-wide camera.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

It also comes with a TrueDepth camera system, which means you're getting FaceID on this bad boy (something you won't find on the iPad Air.)

Yes, like its predecessor, the iPad Pro still has a 12MP wide camera, but with the new-generation model, you're getting improved low-light performance and better detail. Take a look at this scenic shot I took at a park in Long Island.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

From the ripples capturing one's eyes with its defined prominence in the foreground to the majestic trees looming over the pond, this picture is stunning for a shot taken with a 12MP iPad Pro shooter. The gen-over-gen improvements, though iterative, are noticeable.

I also took a selfie with the M4 iPad Pro, and I'm impressed with how well it captured my complexion and my bright red lipstick, as well as the patchy, grassy area behind me.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Video calling on the iPad Pro 2024 felt a lot less awkward, too, with the webcam being on the right bezel this time.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Notable absence: The previous iPad Pro came with a dual-camera array on the back, with a 12MP wide shooter and a 10MP ultra-wide camera alongside it. The new iPad Pro 2024, on the other hand, no longer has the 10MP ultra-wide camera.

This is interesting because Apple Vision Pro (AVP) spatial video requires both the main and ultra-wide cameras, so this iPad is out for AVP spatial recording. Personally, I think a telephoto lens would be more useful than an ultra-wide lens, allowing students and professionals, for example, to take more close-up, detailed photos of whiteboards and decks in lectures and conference rooms.

Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) battery life

The iPad Pro has jaw-dropping battery life. It's rated for a 10-hour runtime, however, I had a different experience — one that blew my mind.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

After running a TikTok rundown, which involves running a TikTok video on a loop at 50% of brightness, the iPad Pro lasted a whopping 16 hours and 24 minutes. In other words, the iPad Pro survived more than six hours longer than expected.

Adding a cherry on top, the average usage profile consists of some idle time, something the TikTok rundown doesn't account for, so you may likely be able to squeeze even more out of the M4 iPad Pro 2024.

Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) benchmarks

I could not believe my eyes when I ran Geekbench 6 on the M4 iPad Pro — and I got a multi-core score of 14,586. I was so floored, I ran the test again, but I got similar results.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

For context, the M4 iPad Pro is more powerful than every single PC and MacBook we've tested for the past six months, save for the mighty Lenovo Legion 9i.

In other words, the M4 iPad Pro says, "Eat my dust" to all the M3 MacBooks, which have the following scores according to our in-house testing:

• 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro: 11,998

• 15-inch M3 MacBook Air: 12,057

But oh, it's not just the M3 chip it beats. According to results posted on Geekbench, the M4 iPad Pro even beats the M3 Pro inside the 14-inch MacBook Pro. In other words, the M4 iPad Pro runs with the big boys, including the hefty M3 Pro MacBooks. Wow!

I ran apps like Procreate Dreams (animation app) and Sketchup (3D modeling app) to play around with the M4's prowess, but realistically, as a digital art hobbyist, my workload doesn't even come close to taxing the M4 chip. Perhaps there's a niche of consumers who could push the M4's envelope, including on-the-go professional creators who work with complex CAD models in Shapr3D and video editors who regularly use DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro for demanding workloads.

I've also had the pleasure of using the 13-inch iPad Pro with the new Magic Keyboard, which now features an aluminum palm rest, a larger haptic trackpad and a full function row, but it's the latter that pulls at my heart strings because the tablet — with the new-and-improved keyboard — now feels more "MacBook-like."

Is Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch, M4) worth it?

If you find yourself saying, "LOL, the iPad Pro is super overpowered for something that's supposed to just stream Netflix and browse the internet," that's an indication the iPad Pro isn't for you.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

So the question is, who is the M4 iPad Pro 2024 for? This perfect user for the iPad Pro 2024 is a professional digital artist who often steps away from their desktop PC and needs a sleek, on-the-go device that can handle taxing workloads (on apps like ZBrush or Nomad Sculpt, for example) while they're traveling from A to B.

If you're not a pro artist, another niche that would love the iPad Pro are Apple enthusiasts who don't mind dropping at least $1,000 on a luxury slate that has a brilliant, sleek display, a striking high-contrast panel, and shockingly long battery life.

If you fall into any one of those categories, the iPad Pro is, indeed, for you. Otherwise, it'd be best for you to consider the iPad Air, a cheaper option, that starts at $599.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable 11-inch iPad Pro $999.00 at Apple
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable 13-inch iPad Pro $1,299.00
Get Deal

Apple claimed that the new 2024 iPad Air and iPad Pro models have a battery runtime of up to 10 hours, whether you're surfing the web via Wi-Fi or enjoying video playback.

The 13-inch iPad Pro's battery life on the left and the 13-inch iPad Air's battery life on the right. Credit: Mashable / Apple

So when we ran our TikTok rundown test on both 13-inch models in our possession — the iPad Pro and the iPad Air — we weren't expecting the tablets to last more than a typical work or school day.

The "Space Black" 13-inch iPad Pro on the new Magic Keyboard. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As it turns out, both tablets last much longer than Apple's battery-life claims — especially the 13-inch iPad Pro — which had our jaws dropping to the floor.

2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air battery-life results Mashable's battery life chart for iPad Pro and iPad Air Credit: Mashable composite; Apple

Curious about how long the iPad Air lasts on a single charge, we ran a TikTok video continuously on a loop at 50-percent brightness until the tablet died.

13-inch iPad Air Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

To my surprise, the 13-inch iPad Air, now packed with the M2 chip, lasted three hours longer than expected, for an impressive battery runtime of 13 hours and 10 minutes. Now, if you think that's commendable, wait until you find out the results we got on the new 13-inch iPad Pro, which skipped a generation and features an M4 chip.

As mentioned, Apple claimed that we'd only get up to 10 hours on this bad boy. As it turns out, the 13-inch iPad Pro lasted 16 hours and 24 minutes.

Keep in mind that our battery rundown test doesn't account for any idle time, a common occurrence in the average person's usage profile, so the iPad Pro and iPad Air may last even longer on a charge for most users.

The 13-inch iPad Pro Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As such, if you want long-lasting iPad that truly delivers all-day battery life, the iPad Pro will definitely keep a need for wall outlets at bay.

The iPad Pro starts at $999 and the iPad Air starts at $599; they'll both start shipping on May 15.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 11-inch iPad Air $599.00
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 11-inch iPad Pro $999.00
Apple Get Deal

I tested the new iPad Pro, packed with the new M4 chip, and I'm floored.

Revealed at Apple's "Let Loose" livestream event, the iPad Pro skipped a whole generation of chips (i.e., the M3 series) in favor of the brand-spankin' new M4 chip.

When Apple boasted that the M4 iPad Pro would deliver a significant gen-over-gen performance increase, I didn't really understand the gravity of the iPad Pro's uptick in processing prowess. But now that I tested it for myself, I can't believe my eyes.

SEE ALSO: iPad Pro 2024 hands-on: How the new 'nano-texture glass' looks next to one without it M4 iPad Pro beats (almost) every laptop we've tested for the past 6 months

The new iPad Pro, Apple's slimmest tablet ever, now features a new Tandem OLED display that delivers striking contrast, true blacks, and a dazzling display with 1,600 nits peak brightness.

The 13-inch iPad Pro Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

However, nothing could prepare me for the mind-blowing results of the iPad Pro's M4 chip. The iPad Pro I tested sports the M4 with the 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU chip, which can only be found in the 1TB and 2TB configurations. (I've got the 1TB variant.)

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The other versions, 256GB and 512GB, also have an M4 chip, but the processor has less cores (9-core CPU). As such, the iPad Pro with 1TB and 2TB should slightly outperform the 256GB and 512GB options because the extra core implies that it should handle more tasks at once for simultaneous processing.

M4 iPad Pro's shocking Geekbench 6 benchmark results Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

So I was minding my own business, humming a tune of absentminded contentment while running the Geekbench 6 benchmark on the iPad Pro, and then my heart fell into my butt when I saw the results:

• Single-core: 3,764

• Multi-core: 14,586

For the uninitiated, Geekbench 6 tests for productivity workloads (e.g., PDF rendering and file compression), image editing (e.g., removing objects and adding filters), machine learning, text processing, and more.

Looking back into six months worth of data collection from our PCs and MacBooks, the M4 iPad Pro blew almost every computer out of the water. Even the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 15-inch MacBook Air, both featuring M3 chips, were left in the dust with multi-core scores of 11,998 and 12,057, respectively.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Featured Video For You Unboxing the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air

The M4 iPad Pro even surpassed a bunch of gaming and creator laptops we've tested:

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor) - 12,170

• Lenovo Slim 7 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU) - 12,267

• HP Spectre x360 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU) - 12,995

• MSI Cyborg 15 (Intel Core i7-13620H CPU) - 12,075

The only laptop that the M4 iPad Pro couldn't beat is the incredible Lenovo Legion 9i (Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU), a $4,000 gaming rig with a Geekbench 6 score of 17,711.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Plus, the new 2024 iPad Pro has incredible battery life, too, lasting over 16 hours on a charge.

If the M4 chip can cause this much destruction with its performance prowess, imagine what will happen once the M4 chip inevitably gets packed inside the next crop of MacBooks.

The iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch model. The new tablet is poised to start shipping on May 15.

Today, OpenAI announced GPT-4o, an AI assistant that can process text, audio, and vision simultaneously. GPT4o will be free for all ChatGPT users, but the company hasn't been clear when folks will be able to try it out.

All CEO Sam Altman has said is that this "new voice mode will be live in the coming weeks for plus users."

Featured Video For You OpenAI reveals its ChatGPT AI voice assistant SEE ALSO: OpenAI announces GPT-4o, a multimodal voice assistant that's free for all ChatGPT users

What we do know is that GPT-4o will first be available to ChatGPT Plus and Team users, with availability for Enterprise users arriving after that. ChatGPT Free users will also have access to the tool, though they'll be beholden to unspecified usage limits. According to OpenAI, "Plus users will have a message limit that is up to 5x greater than free users, and Team and Enterprise users will have even higher limits."

Their access to GPT-4o may be limited, but OpenAI promises that ChatGPT Free users will be able to access new features in the coming weeks, including GPT-4 level intelligence that can analyze data, create charts, and chat about photos you take, as well as the option to upload files so that GPT-4o can summarize, write, or analyze a document.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT is getting a desktop app, but only for Mac

OpenAI announced on Monday that ChatGPT, the popular AI chatbot, would get a desktop app. But if you're a Windows user, don't get too excited — it'll just be for Macs, at least for the time being.

The announcement came during a highly anticipated livestream, during which OpenAI unveiled GPT-4o, its new model that combines text, vision, and audio.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI announces GPT-4o, a multimodal voice assistant that's free for all ChatGPT users

The desktop app could prove useful for many people. It allows users to pull up ChatGPT in a small window. From there, the AI assistant should be able to "see" what is on your screen and troubleshoot any problems, such as working on code. In essence, it should make ChatGPT assistance much easier to use in daily tasks.

Tweet may have been deleted

The desktop app, for now, is just for Mac users, though a Windows version of the app should be available later this year.

Featured Video For You OpenAI reveals its ChatGPT AI voice assistant

UPDATE: May. 13, 2024, 1:00 p.m. EDT This post has been updated with details on upcoming Drops between May 15 and May 17, including the Bissell Little Green Max Pet carpet cleaner, Roomba 694, and SCUF Envision Pro controller.

When it comes to shopping, a scarcity mindset is just as convincing as that one friend who always enables you to buy something you don't need. It's why there's often a timer breathing down your neck from the corner of the screen during a sitewide sale. It's exactly why Amazon's invite-only Prime Day deals and Black Friday deals popped off, and why Walmart lets Walmart+ members get their hands on new groups of big shopping event deals hours before the general public can.

And it's probably why Best Buy conveniently announced Best Buy Drops just ahead of the holiday shopping season. We're pleasantly surprised that Drops turned out to not just be a holiday treat, though — it has solidified its spot as the middle tab of the Best Buy app, and we'll certainly be taking advantage of this unique shopping hack as long as Best Buy will let us.

SEE ALSO: The best time to buy a TV: A guide to the times of year that you'll find the best TV deals

Best Buy Drops is a shopping hack dedicated to giving shoppers a heads-up about upcoming high-profile items and deals in categories like gaming, cheap TVs, fan-favorite toys and merch, high-profile hair tools, kitchen gadgets, and more dropping at Best Buy in the next week. As long as you have the Best Buy mobile app, you can preview what's coming on what day so that you're ready to click "add to cart" when the item or deal goes live.

If a Drop is currently live while you're on the app, a status bar showing the percentage of inventory that has been claimed can give an idea of how fast you need to act. Once inventory for a certain Drop is gone, it's gone.

Drops can include a huge price slash on a popular item or availability of product that wasn't up for grabs before. Credit: Screenshot / Mashable

The Drops tab also keeps a list of past Drops, which have included a limited-edition PlayStation 5 Marvel's Spider-Man bundle, Pokémon Squishmallows, a super cheap 50-inch TV, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Even if you missed these, you at least have an idea of what similar items could pop up in the coming weeks. To look ahead, check the upcoming tab.

For extra cushion, you can opt-in to Drop Alerts for an extra reminder right before the drop of a product you care about goes live. Joining My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total will unlock even better discounts on Drops than what the general public is getting.

What's dropping at Best Buy May 15 through May 17

Best Buy is only revealing the names of the upcoming products — not their actual Drop prices — in the Drop preview tab, so any prices listed below are the current price of the said product as it is on Best Buy's site pre-Drop. Drops go live around 11 a.m. ET on the specified day (usually a string of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in any given week), and inventory is typically fully claimed by 5 p.m. that day.

Dropping: May 15 Opens in a new window Credit: Bissell Bissell Little Green Max Pet handheld deep cleaner $139.99 at Best Buy
Shop Now

If your version of spring cleaning involves tackling the big to-dos that you put off during the rest of the year, upholstery is a good place to start. The Bissell Little Green is a clutch portable cleaner that everyone should have on hand, though the one featured here was designed specifically for pet parents dealing with both stains and odor. Bissell claims that the Little Green Pet Max has 30% more powerful suction than the Shark StainStriker.

The Bissell Little Green Max Pet retails for $139.99, so we're hoping to see it hit $89.99 with a $50 discount.

Dropping: May 16 Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba 694 $249.99 at Best Buy
$274.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

The Roomba 694 is the cheapest Roomba to be featured in a Drop so far. Several years old now, the 694 isn't the best at anything. However, for homes that just require light daily upkeep, it's a decent, affordable option, complete with the street cred that comes with having a Roomba.

Best Buy currently has the Roomba 694 on sale for $249.99 over its MSRP of $274.99, though it's Amazon who is setting the standard for whether or not this Drop will be worthwhile. Amazon frequently has the same 694 model on sale for $179.99, so that's the price Best Buy will have to beat. Though if you're looking for the best cheap robot vacuum under $200, we'd suggest to be patient and sang the Shark RV2300 or Eufy L60 instead — both are often on sale for $199 and offer smart mapping, which the Roomba 694 does not.

Dropping: May 17 Opens in a new window Credit: Corsair Corsair SCUF Envision Pro wireless gaming controller for PC $149.99 at Best Buy
$179.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal

It's not a sin to prefer PC gaming but secretly miss the feel of a handheld controller. Corsair's solution is the SCUF Envision Pro, a wireless gaming controller solely for PC released in Oct. 2023. The Envision Pro is reminiscent of Sony's beloved DualSense design on its face, but offers several PC-specific components like five programmable G-keys and an RGB light strip.

The Envision Pro is already on sale for $149.99 ($30 off) at Best Buy, so a $50 to $70 discount is probable for its Drop.