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Unlike most social media companies, Elon Musk's X does allow users to publish adult content. This wasn't a new policy instituted by Musk either. Even under the old, then-Twitter leadership, X-rated content was permitted. Twitter, or X as it's now called, has long-been the mainstream social media service of choice for those who work in the adult industry or just like posting adult content.

New screenshots uncovered by developers who track changes within mobile apps show that X is apparently planning to require users who create groups on X, called Communities, to label their community as "adult content" or "NSFW."

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According to Bloomberg, X is testing the adult labeling feature out now.

Communities that feature adult content will be required to be labeled as "adult content" by the group's administrators, or the adult content can be automatically removed by X.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk says Grok AI will be available to premium X users 'later this week'

"You must enable this setting if your community contains adult-sensitive content," reads the rules for this Communities setting. "Omitting this will result in automatic filtering of all adult-sensitive content within your community."

Communities has been a feature on X since its Twitter days, first launching in 2021. The feature allows users to create discussion groups around a specific topic or niche that other Twitter users can join. Users then post in those communities just like they normally post on the platform, but those posts only exist within those communities instead of on the users' and platform's public feeds. 

The Communities feature never really took off. However, Musk has attempted to reinvigorate the feature in recent months. A Communities tab has been added to the main sidebar menu on X, and the platform lets users pin Communities to their profile page to promote the groups. The official X account for Communities, @HiCommunities, also posted for the first time since Oct. 2022 just this month.

X and X-rated content

X has struggled with how to handle porn and other adult content on its platform. 

At one time before Musk acquired the company, then-Twitter was reportedly looking into monetizing adult content with a feature that would compete with the adult content creator subscription service OnlyFans. However, as The Verge reported, the company found that it did not have the resources to moderate, police, or "accurately detect child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity at scale." As a result, those plans were scrapped.

Musk's platform already blocks advertising partners' ads from showing up on adult content as most mainstream companies do not want to associate with X-rated content, making the content non-monetizable on X itself.

However, outright removing adult content from the platform could backfire as the social media platform Tumblr found out years ago. 

In 2018, Tumblr banned adult content after building a community that came to expect that type of content on the platform. In just a few months, Tumblr lost 30 percent of its traffic as well as a chunk of its user base. Tumblr would later reverse that decision, but the platform has yet to ever fully recover from banning adult content.

Is X making this "adult content" labeling feature in order to further build out the struggling Communities feature? Or is the label being built on top of a little-used feature in order to possibly test out how instituting the label across the platform would work out? We'll continue to monitor how the "adult content" label on X evolves.

As our lives grow increasingly more and more digitally dependent, our personal data also becomes more valuable than ever. While the sites you visit, social feeds you follow, messages you send on your computer or tablet might feel private, the truth is that when you’re online, data brokers, trackers, and hackers are all scrambling to collect the many data-trails you leave behind. There are dangerous new financial scams popping up all the time, and if you don’t take steps to protect your privacy, you could find yourself in some real hot water.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. While cybercrime certainly isn’t going anywhere, there are plenty of tools you can use and habits to adopt that can help protect you, your family, or your business from online scams. We’ve put together this guide to help you know what you're up against, and what you can do to stay safe in 2024.

What's in a scam?

An online scam is a fraudulent act or operation conducted through the internet, designed to trick individuals or organisations into giving away personal information, money, or access to financial accounts. These scams exploit common digital communication tools, such as emails, social media, websites, and messaging platforms, to reach potential victims.

With cybercrime unfortunately rising in popularity, there are certain forms of scams that have taken off in recent years. It’s good to have an idea of what sort of online behaviours are frequently performed by hackers and scammers, so you know what to avoid when browsing online. These are the most common types of scams that security experts are warning consumers about in 2024:

• Phishing Scams: These involve fake emails or messages that appear to be from legitimate companies, banks, or government agencies, asking you to provide personal information or login credentials. The goal is to steal your identity or access your accounts.

• Investment Scams: Offering high returns with little or no risk, these scams lure you into investing in fake opportunities, such as Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, or non-existent ventures.

• Lottery or Sweepstakes Scams: This is where victims receive notifications claiming they've won a large sum of money or prizes in a lottery or sweepstakes they never entered, but must pay a fee or provide personal information to claim the winnings.

• Romance or Lonely Heart Scams: Scammers create fake profiles on dating sites or social media platforms to form relationships with potential victims. Once trust is established, they concoct scenarios requiring financial assistance.

• Tech Support Scams: Hapless victims are tricked into believing their computer is infected with malware, prompting them to pay for unnecessary tech support services or software.

• Advance-Fee Scams: These involve requests for upfront payments with promises of receiving large amounts of money later, such as fees for securing a loan, job offers that require payment for training or equipment, or rental schemes.

• Identity Theft: Scammers use deceptive means to obtain your personal information to commit fraud or theft under your name.

• Fake Shopping Websites: Scammers create counterfeit websites that look like legitimate online stores offering goods at significantly reduced prices, only to steal your money and personal information.

• Job Scams: Offering fake job opportunities, these scams may ask for personal information or money to pay for training, background checks, or equipment necessary for the job that doesn't exist.

• Charity Scams: These exploit people's generosity, especially after natural disasters or during holiday seasons. These scams involve soliciting donations for fake charities or causes.

• Cryptocurrency Scams: These scams trick investors into sending money or digital currency in exchange for nonexistent returns, including fraudulent investment platforms and fake ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings)

• Ransomware: This type of malware blocks access to a victim's files or computer system until a ransom is paid, often demanding payment in cryptocurrency. Ransomware is an increasingly popular form of cyberattack in the 2020s.

Identifying a scam

Now that we have some idea of what the most commonly used tactics from scammers are, we can start to keep an eye out for them in our everyday lives. The rise of phishing scams means that you not only have to be weary of unsolicited messages from strangers, but also from friends, family, and organisations that you trust.

As a general rule. it’s important to always be sceptical of anything you read or any link you click when browsing online. But when watching out for scams, it's good to remember these basic first steps:

• Watch out for “URGENT!!!” messages: Scammers often use urgency or threats to pressure you into taking immediate action, such as claiming your account will be closed or that you'll face legal consequences.

• Check the sender's email address: Look closely at the sender's email address. Scammers may use email addresses that resemble legitimate ones but have slight variations or misspellings. A logo is easy to replicate but a legitimate address or URL is not.

• Look for poor grammar and spelling: Many scams originate from non-English-speaking countries, leading to poorly written messages with grammar and spelling mistakes.

• Look for HTTPS in the URL: If you find yourself on a suspicious web page, ensure the website has a secure connection by checking for "https://" at the beginning of the URL. However, some phishing sites may use HTTPS, so be cautious.

• Check for a padlock icon: A legitimate website often displays a padlock icon in the browser's address bar to indicate a secure connection. While this can be faked, its absence is a red flag.

Protecting yourself from scams

Maintaining total anonymity and connecting to the internet is nearly impossible. No matter what you do, or where you go, there is likely to be some trace of your digital presence. Still, there are things you can do to limit your exposure, and there are some incredibly simple things you can do to bolster your own online security.

• Never share personal or financial information in response to unsolicited requests, whether they come via email, messages, or phone calls.

• Create strong, unique passwords for your accounts, enabled with two-factor authentication (2FA).

• Regularly update your operating system, browsers, and security applications so that they are up-to-date.

• Always verify the authenticity of websites and emails (use the tips mentioned above in “Identifying A Scam”), especially if they ask for personal information.

• Utilise secure networks, particularly when handling sensitive transactions

• Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for an added layer of security. This masks your IP address and makes it difficult to track you.

• Regularly monitor your bank and online accounts for any signs of unauthorised activity.

• Install a reputable antivirus and anti-malware software on your devices.

• Backup your important data regularly, ensuring you don't lose everything in case of a cyberattack.

By integrating these habits into your daily online interactions, you can significantly minimize the risk of falling prey to scams, keeping your personal and financial information secure.

The Bitdefender solution

Unfortunately, online scams are only becoming more and more common. And while it is crucial to do your own due diligence and use common sense when browsing, having a helping hand can take away a lot of the stress of dealing with the barrage of bad actors online. If you’re in the market for an antivirus or security suite, PCMag recommends Bitdefender Premium Security Plus.

Bitdefender offers protection for up to 10 devices, and offers Anti-Phishing protection, Anti-Fraud protection, Cryptomining protection, Ransomware protection, Digital Identity protection, Safe Online Banking tools and more. You also have unlimited access to Bitdefender’s Premium VPN for extra peace-of-mind when browsing. If you’d like to try one for yourself with minimal risk, Bitdefender offers a 30-day free trial that you can find out more about here.

Need to capture what's on your MacBook screen? No problem. Taking a screenshot that captures your entire screen or just a portion of it can be done in a few straightforward steps.

Depending on what kind of screenshot you need, there are different methods. We'll walk you through both.

First, here's how to take a screenshot of your entire screen.

Total Time

• Less than 1 minute.

What You Need

• MacBook

Step 1: Press the command, shift, and 3 keys simultaneously

The screenshot will appear in the bottom left-hand corner. You can either drag it where you'd like it from there or access it in Finder under Recents.

If you only want to screenshot a portion of your screen, you can do that too. Here's how.

Total Time

• Less than 1 minute.

What You Need

• MacBook

Step 1: Press the command, shift, and 4 keys simultaneously

Step 2: Move the plus sign cursor to the part of your screen you want to capture

Step 3: Drag the cursor to the edge of where you want to screenshot using your mouse

Step 4: Release your mouse

The screenshot will appear in the bottom left-hand corner. You can either drag it where you'd like it from there or access it in Finder under Recents.

Google is testing out an interesting experiment with YouTube.

According to 9to5Google, YouTube is testing out an experimental feature (meaning it rolls out to a select few users before going wide) that would allow Premium users to automatically jump ahead to what they want to see. In other words, it would use machine learning data to determine what is the most interesting part of a video, and prompt users to go straight to said part.

SEE ALSO: If you watched certain YouTube videos, investigators demanded your data from Google

In practical terms, this would work similarly to the double-tap trick you can use on mobile devices to skip ahead by 10 seconds in a video, except you'd be skipping to a predetermined part of the video that YouTube has deemed interesting. Many YouTube videos already have a little "most replayed" graphic to let you know where people are scrubbing to the most, so maybe the data to enable this new feature already exists.

Anyway, I haven't seen this on my devices yet, so who knows when or if this will roll out widely. It would be another nice reason to pay for YouTube Premium, at least.

Unitree has created their first universal humanoid robot. The H1 excels in speed, power, maneuverability and flexibility. Holding the world record for speed at 3.3 m/s the H1 is able to walk and run autonomously in complex terrains and environments. By using a 3D Lidar and depth perception camera this robot can achieve precision spatial data of its surroundings. The legs have a maximum torque of 360 N.m allowing it to support and move heavy loads. Its size, strength and flexibility makes the H1 an incredibly versatile robot. 

SAVE $200: As of March 28, you can save $200 on the newly-released Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16 laptops at Dell. Both come with free shipping for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell XPS 14 Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,499.00 at Dell
$1,699.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell XPS 16 Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,699.00 at Dell
$1,899.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal

If you're in the market for a new laptop, you've got plenty of choices. Whether you're looking to buy a new MacBook or you've got your sights set on a Windows-based computer, there are tons on sale at any given moment. Case in point: today, you can save big on two of Dell's newest laptops, part of its popular XPS line. The new laptops, which Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon previewed at CES 2024 in January, are available in 13-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch configurations, and you can snag two of the larger sizes right now for a great discount.

As of March 28, both the Dell XPS 14 and Dell XPS 16 laptops are on sale for $1,499 and $1,699 respectively. That's a discount of $200 off either model, each with free shipping, for a limited time. Upgrades to both laptops are available, but you'll only get $200 off on the base models.

At this price, the Dell XPS 14 has a 14.5-inch full HD InfinityEdge display, a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a backlit keyboard with a fingerprint reader. The Dell XPS 16 is an upgrade to a 16.3-inch display with the same specs elsewhere – you're paying for the larger screen, essentially.

Gedeon called the new laptops' look "elegant, minimalist, and streamlined", though wasn't sure after her experience with the smaller 13-inch laptop that they'd be useful as a productivity laptop. However, their on-board AI features with AI-centric processors as well as their competent specs make them an interesting proposition, especially with $200 off. You may need to get used to the lack of delineation from touchpad to laptop, however, which may be a little weird for some.

The Facebook "Poke" is back...though was it really ever in? Young folks — you know, Gen Z and the like — are apparently using the Poke more than ever.

Last week, Facebook said it had seen a 13x spike in Pokes over the last month.

The oft-forgotten feature on the oft-forgotten social media site is having a moment, but that doesn't necessarily mean you young folks are flocking to Facebook. It seems like it's more of a curiosity. Multiple outlets reported that the rise in Pokes was due to a design change that put the feature more front-and-center. Basically if you search for pokes or poking, it's easier to bring up a person's Poke page.

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"We know poking has strong network effects, but we didn't expect poking to grow so rapidly after these changes," a spokesperson for Meta told NBC News. "We didn't announce anything about poking at the time either."

SEE ALSO: One man's frustrating journey to recovering his Myspace

In case you forgot, Poking is literally just reminding someone you exist. You Poke them, they get a notification. It was an early feature back when Facebook was king. There's definitely a sense of nostalgia for some users of that time. But young people are apparently poking as well. Meta said more than 50 percent of the new Pokers were done by users aged 18 to 29, Business Insider reported. So it's not just Olds who used to actually use Facebook.

Now that we're all apparently Poking again, I have a modest proposal. I've said it before and I'll say it again: It's time to bring Myspace back.

About halfway through Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, I turned to a fellow critic to ask a desperate question: What the hell is this movie about? 

Well, for one, it’s less of a big showdown between these two ancient beasts than its title teases. Rather, this sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong relies way more on convoluted exposition and explanation than is necessary for a big dumb kaiju movie. Somehow, director Adam Wingard's latest installment gives viewers exactly what they want — bouts of noisy, crashing, rampaging blows — but for much of its runtime, it's giving us nothing at all.

By the end of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, I still didn’t have the foggiest idea why anyone needed to sit through its meandering maze of dysfunctional world-building for its lone rousing bout.  

SEE ALSO: The 'Godzilla X Kong' cast reveal which past characters would crush against a kaiju What's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire about? Credit: Daniel McFadden / Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The ramshackle screenplay by Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater never tires of providing mountains and mountains of exposition. Through lumbering dialogue, we catch up with the film's returning players from Godzilla vs Kong. Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) is the head of Kong research division for the secret organization Monarch. Her adoptive daughter, Jia (Kaylee Hottle), the last surviving member of the Iwi tribe, is struggling to adjust to her new school during the day and being plagued by nightmares featuring pyramids at night. Her terrors and the odd seismic activity observed by Dr. Andrews, the latter of which has perplexed the scientists at Monarch, have pushed Dr. Andrews to seek out Titan Truth Podcast host Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry). 

Complicating matters are the fates of the film's two titans: Godzilla, for unexplainable reasons, has been traversing the globe for nuclear energy sources in a bid to power up for a fight the film exhaustingly works toward. Kong, meanwhile, is behaving weirdly too. At one point, he suddenly leaves his Hollow Earth habitat to seek treatment from Monarch for a sore tooth (work with me, here). When he returns home, Kong discovers evidence of an uncharted region of his mystical land — not only that, other primates live there too, and they're ruled by a nasty ape known as Scar King. 

The script, at times, attempts to parallel Kong and Jia's respective loneliness. But then among the race of massive subterranean apes, Kong does discover a cute high-flying Baby Kong, only to drop the subject altogether. At other moments, the movie intimates revolutionary ideals: Kong ultimately wants to free his brethren and is often seen brandishing a raised fist in the air. But mostly the script leaves these threads dangling. It opts to sell a mythological premonition requiring Kong and Godzilla to combine forces if they hope to save the world. 

Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry are the humans we're looking for. Credit: Daniel McFadden / Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Let's be clear: The human characters in most kaiju movies are worthless plot devices and discardable chum. (Godzilla Minus One is a rare exception.) The surrogate mother-daughter relationship between Dr. Andrews and Jia is a barely passable diversion. Jagged editing further struggles to place either character within the film's thrashing narrative. 

And yet, Henry and Dan Stevens (who plays the gung-ho veterinarian Trapper) are notable highlights. The pair are thrown together when Dr. Andrews decides to venture with Jia to Kong's homeland; there, she hopes to discover the origins of the anomaly affecting the world above ground. Once on the treacherous terrain, Hayes records the group's adventure for a possible documentary. Trapper, bedecked in a Hawaiian shirt, uses his sixth sense to warn the troupe when trouble is just around the corner. 

Henry and Stevens are the only ones who seem to know what movie they're in: They play their characters for broad laughs, eventually becoming a side-splitting double act. By the end, you wish we simply had a Godzilla/Kong movie starring these two, or really any adventure where they can perform their hilarious antics. 

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is an ugly monster movie. Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

While Henry and Stevens are a winning duo, the visual aesthetics surrounding them never rise to their level. This is simply a garish movie. It's an observation that isn't wholly surprising; the VFX acumen of the entire MonsterVerse has always been touch and go. Godzilla: King of the Monsters, for example, was so wretched that even the nighttime scenes couldn’t obscure its unattractiveness. Kong: Skull Island, on the other hand, featured an exhilaratingly punchy palette, given greater texture through several scenes making winking references to Die Hard. 

Godzilla x Kong crumbles under the same rendered failures of the former film. The mucky lighting looks like smeared mildew. The once-lush terrain of Hollow Earth is more akin to slushy half-rendered moss. Disney World attractions have greater tactility than the in-world advanced tech and sci-fi ships on display here. Worst yet, despite the tangible choreography on display — Kong and Godzilla do at least move fluidly — Kong’s facial expressions lack emotiveness. How did we backslide so far from the graphic highs of the Andy Serkis-led Planet of the Apes movies? Unlike Godzilla Minus One, this franchise forgot its political roots long ago. Without any substance, you'd like for its projected images to be transfixing, at the very least.

The dearth of definition also translates to the film's very scale. Godzilla x Kong wants to be a big globe-trotting lark, but it treats the streets of Gibraltar and the sidewalks of Rome as nearly interchangeable. I would have much preferred seeing Wingard hone in on one or two locations to build a better sense of geography for the audience, which no doubt would translate to better composed fight sequences.       

The final fight in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire happens far too late. Credit: Daniel McFadden / Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

It takes so long for the major showdown to occur. Godzilla x Kong is a movie perpetually in a state of setting up. Sure, a misplaced needle drop by Kiss may provide a minor pulse to the kind of rushed, overactive editing that feels geared toward spoon-feeding its audience rather than making space for the film's many elements to come together. But too much of this movie is about setting up the climactic battle

If you manage to sit through the previous nauseating 80 minutes, then you're at least rewarded with Kong, Godzilla, and Mothra teaming up against the Big Bad. The destructive scene, set in Rio de Janeiro, does at least live up to the hype — enough so that I'm sure many will depart the theater solely satisfied by the large-scale demolition of an entire city, the colossal punches thrown by Kong, and the roaring cannonball that is Godzilla. For others, though, this one admittedly entertaining exhibition won’t be enough. You'll come out wishing the entirety of the film had the verve, imagination, and sheer power of its conclusion. In that regard, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire isn't an obvious triumph. It's more like a passable draw.  

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire opens in theaters March 29.

Sam Bankman-Fried, crypto bro and scammer extraordinaire, was just sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

"The defendant's assertion that FTX customers and creditors will be paid in full is misleading, it is logically flawed, it is speculative," Judge Lewis Kaplan said, according to Reuters. "A thief who takes his loot to Las Vegas and successfully bets the stolen money is not entitled to a discount on the sentence by using his Las Vegas winnings to pay back what he stole."

SEE ALSO: Sam Bankman-Fried didn't fool everyone — just the tech elite: 5 high-profile figures that believed him

Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of crypto exchange FTX, scammed customers out of approximately $10 billion and led to the total collapse of FTX and another hedge fund, according to a November ruling. 

He faced a maximum possible sentence of 110 years in prison. During the case, Judge Kaplan increased the sentencing guidelines range for Bankman-Fried because he perjured himself and knowingly obstructed justice.

Bankman-Fried said at the criminal sentencing hearing that he made a "series of selfish decisions." He said his coworkers "built something really beautiful and I threw all of that away," and said his decision "haunts [him] every day."

Bankman-Fried will likely appeal both his conviction and his sentence.

The TikTok-ification of Spotify is almost complete. First Spotify pivoted to video. Now Universal Music Group (UMG) is expanding its partnership with the music streaming giant to compensate for pulling its music from TikTok.

SEE ALSO: Is Djo's 'End of Beginning' the beginning of the end for TikTok as a music discovery platform?

Spotify and UMG announced that Spotify will give UMG artists access to new promotional and social tools. In a press release Daniel Ek, the CEO of Spotify, said, "The forthcoming features will put more power in the hands of artists and their teams to help them authentically express themselves, efficiently promote their work, and better monetize their art."

While Spotify has yet to specify what these tools look like, they will likely take the form of more video content on the platform as the partnership also gives Spotify permission to distribute Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) music videos.

Spotify's turn to video already frustrated users, and UMG's new reliance on the platform for artist promo will likely exacerbate the problem. Like nearly all social media platforms, Spotify continues to stray further from what users love in order to be its very own TikTok — and this partnership won't help.

At the end of January, UMG pulled its catalog from TikTok after negotiations to renew their contract broke down between the music corporation and the social media platform. In an open letter, UMG identified "appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok's users" as three key issues TikTok neglected to address. In February, UMG removed all songs controlled by UMPG, which includes any song that a UMG signed-artist wrote or co-wrote.

In a press release, Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of UMG said, "Spotify has been a committed partner in creating tools that help maximize attribution and fair pay for artists and songwriters," despite artists reportedly earning a fraction of one cent per stream on Spotify.

SAVE $200: As of March 28, save $200 on a new Apple Vision Pro headset at Woot!. That's a discount of 6%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot! Apple Vision Pro $3,299.00 at Woot!
$3,499.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal

The Apple Vision Pro is undeniably impressive, but its admittedly exorbitant price tag can be a turn-off for many users. Apple's latest gadget, complete with its own software platform and set of apps, is an exciting look at what spatial computing and augmented reality is capable of. But the fee you have to pay to experience it is a high barrier for entry. Thankfully, if you've been waiting for even a small price cut to give it a spin for yourself, that day has come.

As of March 28, you can get the Apple Vision Pro for $3,299 at Woot!. That's $200 off its normal price of $3,499 and a 6% discount. There's one caveat: it comes with the Light Seal (21W), Solo Knit Band (Small), and Dual Loop Band (Small) accessories, Woot! notes, so if those sizes don't work for you, you might want to pass up this discount or purchase the correctly sized accessories, which may negate the discount for you. This deal is available for the next month or until all the units sell out.

Is it worth buying, even at a discount, though? Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon thinks so, for the most part, praising its "cinematic virtual experience," lengthy battery life, surprising portability, and prowess when it comes to picking up even the smallest of gestures, all after traveling from New York's JFK airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica.

The spatial computing headset has a variety of applications and the base model comes with 256GB of storage, two 3,660 x 3,200 micro-OLED displays with a 120Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, an M2 chip with a 10-core CPU and R1 co-processor, 12 cameras and five sensors, and optional storage upgrades.

You can use the headset to watch your favorite media, get productive with a variety of apps that turn it into an everyday work-centric machine, or play a selection of games – plus, much more. It's an exciting piece of tech, made even more appealing by this discount. If you've been wondering how you might add it into your usual tech stack, now's a good time to give it a whirl while it's available at this price.

You know what they say: April showers bring May flowers. From the fleeting cherry blossoms to tulips popping up, recent blooms are a sure sign that winter is over. If you're celebrating spring's arrival and hope to brighten up your space, consider these Lego deals from Amazon that offer up everlasting blooms. Here are some of our favorite flowery Lego deals at Amazon today.

Best floral Lego deals at Amazon today Best indoor desert Lego deal Lego Icons Succulents set $39.99 at Amazon (save $10) Get Deal Best living room display Lego set Lego Icons Orchid plant $39.99 at Amazon (save $10) Get Deal Best Lego bouquet deal Lego Icons Wildflower Bouquet set $47.99 at Amazon (save $12) Get Deal

What better way to celebrate spring than by brightening up your space with some permanent blooms? Today's sale on Lego sets at Amazon includes some of our favorite floral Lego sets. Whether you're planning your next cozy night in or you're already shopping for Mother's Day, check out these great deals on Lego sets.

Best desert Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Icons Succulents $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're hoping to have a succulent or cactus display in your home but would rather not deal with the prickly parts, the Lego Icons Succulent set is an ideal replacement. The set features nine individual plants that you can show off as one desert garden or as each individual plant. Each plant comes with its own buildable pot and, while this could be perfect for your living room, it could also be great as a Mother's Day gift or a housewarming present for a good friend.

Best living room Lego display Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Icons Orchid plant $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

An orchid is a notoriously finicky plant that can be tough to grow at home. Save yourself the heartache and go with the Lego Icons Orchid plant instead. Today's deal at Amazon brings the set to just $39.99, down from the normal price of $49.99, so you'll save 20%. This Lego set is customizable so you can arrange the blooms, roots, and leaves to suit your wishes, or change them around whenever you see fit. The orchid Lego set includes over 600 pieces and is recommended for Lego fans ages 18 and up.

Best Lego bouquet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Icons Wildflower Bouquet set $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal Why we like it

You can never go wrong with gifting a bouquet, but live flower arrangements can cost a small fortune these days and they tend to come with a short lifespan. However, the Lego Icons Wildflower Bouquet set will never wilt. A perfect gift for Mother's Day or a spring birthday, the Wildflower Bouquet includes 16 individual stems that you can adjust in height to get the perfect look. With ferns, daisies, and lupins, the set includes over 900 pieces for the ultimate Lego fan in your life.

More floral Lego deals at Amazon

• Lego Cherry Blossoms — $11.99 $14.99 (save $3)

• Lego Roses — $11.99 $14.99 (save $3)

• Lego Icons Bonsai Tree — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

• Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

A massive cast makes up Netflix's upcoming historical comedy Unfrosted, Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut about warring cereal rivals in the 1960s.

The trailer above teases Kellogg's and Post going up against each other to try to create the ultimate breakfast pastry, and pretty much everyone we see on screen is a big name. Alongside Seinfeld (who also co-wrote the movie), Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Amy Schumer, Max Greenfield, Christian Slater, Bill Burr, Daniel Levy, James Marsden, Jack McBrayer, Thomas Lennon, Bobby Moynihan, Adrian Martinez, Sarah Cooper, and Fred Armisen star.

How to watch: Unfrosted is streaming on Netflix from May 3.

Israel is deploying a mass facial recognition program in Gaza, conducting surveillance of Palestinians without their knowledge or consent, according to a new report from The New York Times.

As the publisher reports, speaking to Israeli intelligence officers, military officials, and soldiers, the facial recognition program is run by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)'s military Unit 8200, which is "collecting and cataloging the faces of Palestinians". The program reportedly uses technology from Corsight, an Israel facial recognition company that provides services for government agencies, law enforcement, and corporations, alongside Google Photos.

SEE ALSO: X / Twitter lets Israel-Gaza hate speech spread, new study finds — and these users are the culprits

The Times says this mass surveillance is being rolled out in Israel to identify members of Hamas, following the Oct. 7 attacks. The Israeli military also set up checkpoints — along roads Palestinians are using to flee the war — with facial recognition cameras, and soldiers have used security camera footage, videos uploaded by Hamas on social media, and also asked Palestinian prisoners to identify anyone affiliated with Hamas.

Corsight's technology, the Times reports, has mistakenly identified several people including Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha as he was trying to leave Gaza amid the war. The program is reported to have flagged Abu Toha as a wanted individual, leading to his being stopped at a military checkpoint, after which Israeli soldiers held him in a detention facility where he was beaten and interrogated for two days. Israel intelligence officers told the Times that their guidelines for who to stop at these checkpoints were "intentionally broad".

Google Photos has reportedly been used in tandem with Corsight's technology, with intelligence officers uploading photographs of "known persons" and using the platform's search function to identify people. An officer told the Times that the feature is effective in identifying someone even when a small portion of their face is visible.

The official union of Alphabet, Google's parent company, condemned Google's role in the surveillance of Palestinians following the Times' investigation. "Google Photos should not be available for this," read the union's post on X. "This is not what we built these tools for."

Tweet may have been deleted

Corsight, which is headquartered in Tel Aviv, claims that less than 50 percent of a person's face needs to be visible in order to correctly identify an individual. In October, Forbes reported that Corsight was used by hospitals in Israel to identify patients after attacks. The company provided its technology for free at the time. Robert Watts, president and chief strategy officer of Corsight, posted about the ongoing war on LinkedIn, in one instance, writing, "I support Israel to expel the threat of terror."

Mashable has reached out to Google and Corsight. Corsight declined to comment when contacted.

Israel has previously used facial recognition in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with an Amnesty International report from May 2023 outlining that the technology is used "to consolidate existing practices of discriminatory policing, segregation, and curbing freedom of movement, violating Palestinians’ basic rights."

Three of the people who spoke to the Times, on the condition of anonymity, said they were doing so out of concern that the facial recognition program was a misuse of time and resources.

The ongoing war has resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with over 32,000 Palestinians killed since Israel launched its military offensive. On March 26, the United Nations called for an immediate ceasefire in the region for the first time since the war began.

Elon Musk already announced that AI chatbot Grok would be available for Premium as well as Premium+ members later this week, and now he's making more tweaks to X's paid tiers.

Or, more specifically, he's allowing some X users the same benefits as those that are paying.

"Going forward, all X accounts with over 2500 verified subscriber followers will get Premium features for free and accounts with over 5000 will get Premium+ for free," posted Musk on Wednesday.

Tweet may have been deleted

Musk appears to be talking about accounts who have a certain number of paid subscribers, which is a feature that enables users to access "bonus content" from creators they follow on X. Subscriptions cost a set amount each month (subscribing to Musk's account will set you back $3.96 per month, for instance), with the creators picking the price point. It's basically X's attempt to compete with Patreon.

The problem? Even X's biggest accounts don't really have that many subscriptions. Musk himself, who has almost 179 million followers, only has a measly 149 subscribers at the time of writing.

SEE ALSO: X / Twitter use is down by nearly a quarter since the Musk Era started, report says

It's possible, of course, that Musk isn't actually referring to subscriptions, and simply means verified followers. Mashable reached out to X but received the usual "busy now, please check back later" automated response.

LinkedIn is testing a short-form video feed, following in the footsteps of so many other apps that are trying to be like TikTok.

TikTok, home to over a billion users, has sent social media apps scrambling for years. Instagram, YouTube, and even Netflix have tried to mimic TikTok's winning formula: the app's vertical video feed and the way it happens to spark trends and conversations on the daily.

LinkedIn confirmed to TechCrunch that it is playing around with a video feed, which was first spotted by strategy director Austin Null. In a post on LinkedIn itself, Null showed a short demo of the feed, which looks a lot like that of TikTok or Instagram Reels. The vertical feed, currently in beta, appears in the app under a new "Video" tab. The videos are like other LinkedIn posts, which users can like, comment under, or repost.

SEE ALSO: Instagram is copying TikTok, and the strategy is working

It is unclear when the feature is rolling out to the wider LinkedIn community. Karina Hsu, a founder and startup builder, also shared the demo on X, writing, "[it] feels like TikTok for work - currently a mix of inspirational podcast clips + current events."

LinkedIn has grown its own influencer community in recent years, with podcasters, career coaches, and business-owners regularly posting a variety of content on the app and building massive followings. The company told TechCrunch that users are primarily seeking more videos for learning and development purposes. TikTok, a place where more and more young people go to learn, is also home to plenty of career-related content. Now, LinkedIn is hoping to step in by going down the vertical-video path.

On the other hand, the platform has unsuccessfully tried to imitate popular features in the past, like LinkedIn stories — a Snapchat/Instagram facet which didn't much make sense for a professional network.

New requirements from the White House will address the risks of AI used by federal agencies that impact Americans everyday. That includes government bodies like the Transportation Security Administration and federal healthcare.

On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced a sweeping policy from the Office of Management of Budget that requires all federal agencies to safeguard against AI harms, provide transparency of AI use, and hire AI experts. The policy builds on President Joe Biden's executive order at the Global Summit on AI Safety in the UK last October, along with initiatives outlined by Harris.

"I believe that all leaders from government, civil society and the private sector have a moral, ethical and societal duty to make sure that artificial intelligence is adopted and advanced in a way that protects the public from potential harm, while ensuring everyone is able to enjoy its full benefit," said Harris in a briefing. The statement underscored the White House's vision that AI should be used to advance the public interest.

That means laying out strict ground rules for how federal agencies use AI and how they disclose it to the public.

Safeguards for AI discrimination

The requirement that will directly impact Americans the most is implementing safeguards that protect against "algorithmic discrimination." The OMB will require agencies to "assess, test, and monitor" any harms caused by AI. Specifically, travelers can opt out of the TSA's use of facial recognition technology, which has been proven to be less accurate for people with darker skin.

SEE ALSO: AI shows clear racial bias when used for job recruiting, new tests reveal

For federal healthcare systems like Medicaid and Medicare, a human is required to oversee applications of AI such as diagnostics, data analysis, and medical device software.

The OMB policy also highlights AI used to detect fraud, which has helped the U.S. Department of the Treasury recover $325 million from check fraud, and requires human oversight when such technology is used. The policy goes on to say if the agency can't adequately provide safeguards, they have to stop using the AI immediately.

Transparency reports to hold agencies accountable

Less impactful for Americans' on a day-to-day basis, but equally important, the OMB also requires federal agencies to publicly provide inventories of AI they use and how they are "addressing relevant risks." In order to standardize inventories and ensure the reports are accountable, the OMB has detailed instructions for what to provide.

The White House is hiring

Working with AI and providing its due diligence is going to be a lot of work for the government, which is why they're scaling up employment. The OMB policy will require every federal agency to designate a "Chief AI Officer." A senior administration official said it's up to the individual agencies to determine whether the Chief AI Officer is a political appointee or not.

The White House wants to grow the AI workforce even further by committing to hiring 100 "AI professionals" through a national talent search. So if you know a lot about AI and have a passion for working in government, you can check out a career fair on April 18 or check out the Administration's AI.gov website for employment info.

Trying not to stifle innovation

Lest the e/accs get too riled up, the policy also makes an effort to foster innovation and development by (responsibly) encouraging the use of AI. For instance, under the new policy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is meant to use AI to improve forecasting of environmental disasters, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will use machine learning to better predict the spread of disease.

Overall, the OMB policy covers a lot of ground that aims to create more accountability, transparency, and protections for the public.

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 March 28 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 28

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, March 27, 2024:

AcrossMicrosoft search engine

• The answer is Bing.

Intentional mislead

• The answer is Decoy.

Feature on an iPhone's Clock app

• The answer is Alarm.

Altoids, e.g.

• The answer is Mints.

Comic actor Rogen

• The answer is Seth.

DownNot fully represent

The answer is Belie.

"Sorry, that's out of the question"

• The answer is I can't (one word, no punctuation or spaces).

N, as in navigation

• The answer is North.

Businesses that employ personal trainers

• The answer is Gym.

Hydroelectric projects

• The answer is Dams.

Polestar 4 is finally arriving in the U.S.

The "performance SUV coupé," as Polestar calls it, first launched in China last year, followed by a launch in Europe and Australia in February 2024.

The model with all the bells and whistles costs $72,900. Credit: Polestar

In the U.S., the long range, single motor version will start at $54,900, while the long range, dual motor variant will cost $62,900 (that's before the $1,400 destination fee). There are a couple more variants in between, depending on which upgrade packs you choose; the priciest version is the long range, dual motor Polestar 4 with Plus and Performance packs, which will cost $72,900.

While the optional upgrades bring additional goodies such as a heads up display, larger wheels, and better brakes, all the key figures are essentially the same across the board, depending only on whether you choose the single motor, or the dual motor version.

Yes, you can also get it in gold. Credit: Polestar

All models have the same, 102kWh battery, with a maximum DC charging speed of 200 kW. For the single motor version, you get 300 miles of estimated EPA range, 272 horsepower, and a 0-60mph time of 6.9 seconds. The dual motor version loses some of that range, which drops to 270 miles, but has exactly double the horsepower at 544hp, and a 0-60mph time of 3.7 seconds.

None of these figures beat the Polestar 4's main rival, the Tesla Model Y, which starts at $43,990. Even its top variant, Tesla Model Y Performance, is cheaper at $52,490, faster with a 3.5 second 0-60mph time, with an estimated range of 279 miles.

A 10.2-inch driver display comes as standard in all variants. Credit: Polestar

Besides a very distinctive design and that Swedish charm (Polestar started out as a Volvo spinoff, though the Swedish company has recently been handing over the reins to parent company Geely), Polestar 4 does have a few more things going for it. It's slightly longer and wider, its infotainment is powered by Android Automotive OS which Android users will probably love, and its interior is less sparse, with a 10.2-inch driver display coming as standard (that's besides the main, 15.4-inch center display), while a 14.7-inch HUD is optional.

Those dual blade front lights are something else. Credit: Polestar

Safety should also be top-notch, with a driver assist system powered by twelve cameras, twelve ultrasonic sensors, and a radar (some safety features are optional, though, and must be purchased separately).

SEE ALSO: Polestar 4 is an electric car that combines everything into one

Polestar 4 will become available for pre-order in the U.S. in "late April," with customer deliveries starting in the fourth quarter of 2024.

TL;DR: Through April 2, get a one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for just $7.97 (reg. $15).

A subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate could enhance the experience for Xbox players who are looking to elevate their gaming experience. And if you've been hesitant to try the Game Pass, this might be an excellent opportunity to give it a whirl because a one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is on sale — marked down to just $7.97 (reg. $15) through April 2. 

This pass gives you access to over 100 games to play with friends, and new games are added frequently. You'll also get all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold, which allows you to connect online with a like-minded community of gamers. There's even cloud gaming available across your devices.

This subscription gets you an EA Play membership at no extra cost. This gives you access to exclusive content, in-game challenges, and select game trials to check out for up to ten hours.

This offer is only available to new users and those with existing but expired Game Pass accounts. And it should be noted that this offer is not stackable.

If you've always wanted to know what Game Pass Ultimate is all about, here's a chance to explore it at a fraction of the usual cost.

Get a one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for just $7.97 (reg. $15) until April 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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