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TL;DR: As of April 5, you can get your hands on this portable microscope on sale for $81.99, no coupon needed.

You whip out your binoculars when you have to magnify objects from miles away, but if you're attempting to zoom in on something in front of you, no amount of squinting will do. Instead of subjecting yourself to potential eye strain, consider this pocket microscope on sale as a nifty tool to bring on your adventures.

On sale for 18% off, this handheld microscope is far from the microscopes you used back in your high school biology class. It has a built-in 4-inch screen, allowing you to see whatever subject you're zooming in on more clearly. It comes equipped with a 2-megapixel lens, 1080FHD picture quality, 80x magnification, and eight adjustable LED lights. With the right settings, it's like you'll have 20/20 vision on viewing microscopic objects.

This portable microscope also has a built-in 2,000mAh rechargeable battery, allowing you to take it on the go. It weighs less than half a pound and comes with a wrist wrap and a carrying bag, so it should be easy to slip into your pocket or tote around.

If you like to share your observations on social media, the microscope offers microSD card support, so you can take and store images and videos for later posting. You can also connect it to a Windows computer or Mac via USB, the Amcap software for Windows, your Mac's Photo Booth app, or the WebCam Monitor Mac app.

Explore the micro-world in clear detail with the Portable Handheld Pocket LCD Microscope. It usually goes for $100, but for a limited time, you can grab it on sale for only $81.99, no coupon needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Mesay Portable Handheld Pocket LCD Microscope with 4" Screen $81.99 at the Mashable Shop
$100.00 Save $18.01 Get Deal

At the London premiere of Monkey Man, star, co-writer, and first-time director Dev Patel described the film as his "best friend, worst enemy, and the little gremlin" on his shoulders, for years.

It’s easy to see why: Monkey Man will likely consume viewers as it did its creator. Patel's directorial debut is a gory, exhilarating, non-stop revenge plot, punctured by sprawling action scenes and set against a politically-fraught, contradictory India.

The two-hour-long film, produced by Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions, found its inspiration in a plethora of cultural sources. It has drawn parallels to Keanu Reeve's John Wick; Patel himself has named Bollywood's Shah Rukh Khan, action icon Bruce Lee, and everything Korean cinema has to offer, as influences. But it is Hindu mythology — more specifically the vast Sanskrit epic Ramayana — that acts as a tapestry behind Monkey Man, where the deity Hanuman underscores the decisions and decisiveness of the film's hero.

Monkey Man takes aim at opulence and inequality

In Monkey Man, Patel plays Kid, a lonesome man who spends his days donning a monkey mask and getting beaten to a pulp in an underground fighting ring run by the apathetic Tiger (Sharlto Copley). Set in the fictional city of Yatana, resembling Mumbai in its opulence and disparity, the film begins with Kid's pursuit of a job at a lavish hotel, working for Queenie (Ashwini Kalsekar), the unforgiving manager who heads a secret brothel within the hotel's impenetrable walls. Kid works his way up the ranks, befriended by one of his fellow workers, Alphonso (Pitobash) and encountering various players in the ecosystem: Sita (Sobhita Dhulipala), a full service sex worker who is underutilized by the film, and Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher), an amoral police officer who is the nucleus of Kid's ploy for revenge.

Dev Patel turns first-time director for the film. Credit: Universal Pictures

Kid's quest for vengeance is relentless, but the audience is left in the dark about what quite drives it, and what this character's past holds. Nonetheless, Patel is utterly convincing in his angst and determination, as Kid's disdain for corruption in the country becomes apparent, slowly spelled out through hazy flashbacks of his seemingly late mother and snippets of gloomy news segments between events.

Inequality is rife in Yatana, with the flamboyance of the rich consistently contrasted with those who live underneath the city's skyscrapers. In one instance, Alphonso tells him that they are both "rolling with the kings now" – referring to their unlikely infiltration of the elite – and Kid retorts: "They don't even see us."

SEE ALSO: Dev Patel and Jordan Peele team up for bloody, brutal 'Monkey Man' trailer

The film is highly stylised in its approach, with the camera seemingly flying between spaces and scenes, each brimming with color and object, executed by cinematographer Sharone Meir and editors Dávid Jancsó and Tim Murrell. So much of the film is simply entertaining. Amongst these moments: a self-aware wink towards John Wick, in a scene where an underground arms dealer hands Patel a Glock. Interspersed with the present day are whisper-laden, hand-drawn retellings of Hindu fables, and, later, insight into the neon-lit, provocative parties at Queenie's hotel, the site which occupies much of the movie and Kid's anxieties.

A weave of action and political commentary

Monkey Man is a real treat when it comes to Patel's handling of the action genre, with both his performance and direction elevating the ultra-violent fight scenes that are far from methodical. The first chaotic fight scene between Rana and Kid will keep audiences transfixed, also offering a rare bout of humor. Hindi insults are hurled, blood is strewn, and punches are thrown, all at the same time. The energy invoked in such scenes, again replicated in the nail-biting climax, is palpable and frenetic.

Sharlto Copley in 'Monkey Man'. Credit: Universal Pictures

The film, which shines brightest when the spotlight is on the action and aesthetics, loses some light with its political messaging. The country’s reigning political party in real life, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is never taken by name but its presence looms: the divisive politics of current Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party lie at the movie’s roots, causing the same devastating ripples in Patel's fictional city as they do in modern India today. A viral post on X delineated how the flags of the political party in Monkey Man were shown in the original trailer to be orange, the color code of the BJP, but later changed to red. This change, presumably from Patel and Universal, may be an effort to save the movie's fate in India, where its release is currently delayed. And, if a recent Washington Post report is to be taken into consideration, this isn't surprising: entertainment criticizing the Indian government is being censored, leading to streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video casting a cautious eye on its works in the country.

Notably, Netflix was the original distributor of the film, having bought the worldwide rights in 2021 for $30 million. This was later dropped, and it was then that Peele stepped in and Universal acquired the rights instead. Whether this has to do with Patel's complicated depiction of right-wing Indian politicians is not known.

The film, which shines brightest when the spotlight is on the action and aesthetics, loses some light with its political messaging.

Patel's intent to discern parts of India's political climate — namely, its treatment of marginalized people – is clear, but oftentimes comes across half-baked. Perhaps this is intentionally opaque, a way to conceal the overt condemnation of current government. There are references to farmers and laborers, to those who have lost land, to police corruption, and to the way faith has been weaponized for political prowess. But the references will arguably only be known to those familiar with the headlines occupying the Indian subcontinent.

Dev Patel delivers ambitious storytelling with an emotionally-punctured climax

More than the political, the personal is what elevates Monkey Man. Patel's performance, and moments of reflection, feel deeply personal, as the project certainly was to the actor himself.

Towards the second half of Monkey Man, Kid seeks refuge at a temple helmed by hijras, known as India's third gender and a historically marginalized group. Here, he is supported by the temple's inhabitants, who are also known to be shunned by society, living on the outskirts of India's urban metropolis. The leader, Alpha (Vipin Sharma), urges Kid to shed his past: "Destroy in order to grow and create space for new life," he says.

These words not only motivate Kid for his hunt to defeat his enemies, but also ring true for his own sense of identity and the power of rebuilding. His defeats at Tiger's underground ring no longer define his story. Instead, he draws parallels with the tale of Hanuman, which, at its core, is about overcoming evil. This is the fuel behind the film, which takes genre-centric themes of destruction, evolution, and redemption and applies them in ways that feel fresh. Mythology and morals underscore the plot in such ways, and for the most part, allow the story to be pierced with emotional weight. Patel's debut is an exhilarating, ambitious adventure, one that is sure to lay the groundwork for further directorial ventures.

Monkey Man is out in cinemas.

The People’s Joker is an intriguing artifact of modern media, with absurd lo-fi stylings that break the mold of modern, mass-produced superhero movies. The story of a trans comedian in Gotham City, Vera Drew’s long-awaited DC Comics parody is rendered with all the flair of a local used car commercial, though it feels like it couldn't have taken any other form. It is, at times, far more ambitious than outright entertaining, but it also bends the boundaries of ostensibly "good" media (see also: studio-polished media) in self-reflexive ways.

The film is also, quite strangely, a semi-autobiography of its author, filtered through a superhero-saturated zeitgeist as a means of both cultural critique and intriguing self-reflection. Some have called The People's Joker "outsider art" — the cinema of the self-taught, which inadvertently strays from convention — but the director appears to have a keen sense of formal control. She seems to intentionally echo the DIY aesthetics of The Amazing Bulk, the self-funded, so-bad-it’s-good Incredible Hulk knockoff filled with obvious green screen and stock CGI that went viral in 2012.

These intentionally flimsy aesthetics are unlikely to attract a wide audience, as are the movie's numerous anti-jokes aimed at intentional awkwardness. But they are ripe for cult-like consumption in an era where cult movies no longer really exist. It's a work that demands better and smarter output from major studios, before providing its own example of just how easy this would be — and drawing corporate ire in the process. The movie, which Vera Drew co-wrote with Bri LeRose, may not always work, but when it does, it works like a charm.

What is The People's Joker about? Credit: Altered Innocence

Reaching deep into the corners of DC Comics lore (with a number of Warner Bros. superhero movie and Martin Scorsese references to boot), The People's Joker follows our protagonist in flashback, a young trans girl whose deadname is bleeped out through most of the film. At first, this voluntary censorship is both gentle and hilarious, but eventually it leads to an emotional gut punch when the name is spoken out loud. An ethereal framing device clues us in on what's going on, as Joker the Harlequin — played by the director herself — speaks to us from a magic mirror lodged in neon clouds, as she drops deep-cut Batman Easter eggs and insider references to the New York comedy scene with machine-gun pacing. It's as welcoming to general audiences in one scene as it is impenetrable and in-joke-ey in the next.

The young Joker's journey is reminiscent of Clark Kent's; they're both Smallville kids who go to the big city to find themselves. Only in Joker's case, her path to self-affirmation is stand-up comedy at a time when comedy has been made illegal in Gotham. This, too, manifests as yet another paradoxical dichotomy: It takes the form of niche internet references while speaking the language of the mainstream "culture war" with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. 

After being rejected by the highly corporatized, Saturday Night Live-like United Clown Bureau, aka the UCB (the film has a particular bone to pick with improv institution the Upright Citizens Brigade), Joker teams up with a delightfully verbose and surprisingly encouraging Penguin (Nathan Faustyn) to start an outsider troupe of underground "anti-comedians" to strike at the heart of Gotham's fascist crackdown. It's here that she meets and becomes romantically involved with the elusive Mr. J (Kane Distler), a Joker-esque figure modelled after Jared Leto's incarnation of the character in Suicide Squad, and a trans man who flaunts his top surgery scars without apology. 

This oddball romance draws from the Joker-Harley Quinn dynamic in numerous comics and shows, wherein Mr. J is both welcoming and controlling. But in this case, he also helps Joker the Harlequin, who presents as male until they meet, find herself and come to a better understanding of her own gender identity. The People's Joker may take the form of fan-fiction fantasy, but its tale of transgender self-discovery, and the painful imperfections of even the most life-changing romance, is stunningly true to life. 

Meanwhile, even its seemingly unrealistic elements, like its poorly composited green screen, serve a distinct purpose. As a trans woman figuring out her place in comedy and in the world at large, Joker the Harlequin never feels like she exists in the same physical space as the movie's backdrop. It’s a jarring effect that draws attention to the movie’s flimsy artifice. However, by capturing this disconnect, this sense of dissonance, it casts a spotlight on Joker the Harlequin, and in the process, forces us to not only watch the director's performance, but to truly see her. 

The People's Joker belongs to a bold new wave of trans cinema. Credit: Altered Innocence

It wouldn't be a stretch to look at The People's Joker alongside Jane Schoenbrun's We're All Going to the World's Fair and the upcoming I Saw the TV Glow and hail (or at least hope for) the emergence of a new transgender cinema that loops back around on itself. From memes and online challenges to the most visible, mainstream film and television, both Vera Drew and Jane Schoenbrun's work taps into the specific millennial experience of being shaped by media, but before the act of finding online communities to bond over these experiences was as easy as it is today.

It's the cinema of the niche internet forum, born from a combination of loneliness and limited access to mirrors, in the form of other people with similar experiences. But as much as The People's Joker is filled with inside jokes, its true feat is balancing its in-group conversations with a unique perspective on mainstream cinema. It's also the cinema of self-reflection via self-projection, playing out like some fantastical fever dream about the way an adolescent Vera Drew might have seen herself in the pages of DC Comics, or in its movies and shows.

Her transformation into Joker the Harlequin — whose look is inspired by Joaquin Phoenix in Joker — also works as a fantastic critique of the modern superhero movie. The People's Joker isn't a parody in the Friedberg and Seltzer sense (the great minds behind Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans), where familiar iconography is both the target of and vehicle for the lowest-hanging fruit. Rather, the film’s parody strikes at the heart of a culture that uncritically embraces a movie like Joker without recognizing what it's missing — a queerness that Joker and other superhero movies don't fully embrace, despite frequent chatter about nominal diversity.

The modern superhero has swung between self-serious (The Dark Knight) and self-effacing (The Avengers), but rarely has it been self-critical enough to embrace the campiness of its source material. I wrote in my review of Joker in 2019 that there was something especially kitsch about Phoenix's performance as he completed his transformation — an effeminacy that seemed to embody society's fears and rejection of queerness. But the film itself never follows through on this. Vera Drew picks up this baton and charges headfirst into a pane of stained glass dedicated to the sanctity of modern superheroes. She is, in effect, making the 2019 Joker movie feel complete; her film is as much a parody as it is a complementary puzzle piece.

However, the movie was nearly prevented from seeing the light of day.

The delayed arrival of The People's Joker. Credit: Altered Innocence

After its premiere at TIFF in September 2022, subsequent screenings of The People's Joker were pulled from the festival, and from subsequent festivals like Fantastic Fest. The details are muddy, but appear to involve an initial letter from DC Comics owners Warner Bros. Discovery — not technically a cease-and-desist, but something strongly worded — which may have had an inadvertent Streisand effect, propelling the film to heroic underdog status.

Soon, even to those who hadn't yet seen it, The People's Joker wasn't just a parody film but a symbol of mistreatment by powerful conglomerates, despite the movie appearing to fall under fair use according to copyright law. Even without the spotlight shone on the movie thanks to this controversy, it would still have functioned as a critique of corporate IP. Instead, it was transformed into a meta-text in the process. The film is both about, and fully embodies, the notion of artistic freedom.

Perhaps it's more "important" than consistently good — it fails to be funny or engaging for stretches — but its importance can't be understated. Its fictional story is of a closeted trans woman searching for an outlet through artistic expression despite fascist crackdowns and the corporatization of art, just as its journey to the screen is one of a trans filmmaker attempting to express her own story in the face of corporate suppression. As reflected by the malaise at the box office, "superhero fatigue" has inevitably set in for audiences. Yet this meta text reinvigorates the genre, as The People's Joker not only tells a subversive story of fighting the powers that be, but fully embodies that message with its passion for the IP and its utter irreverence for its supposed sanctity. (Deadpool's R-rated snark feels tame next to Joker the Harlequin's.) 

Ironically, Warner Bros.' wariness over Vera Drew's movie has made The People's Joker  all the more powerful. However, this superhero parody is also zany, silly, kitschy, and above all thoughtful enough that it would've likely struck a chord regardless.

The People's Joker is now in theaters.

TL;DR: Through April 7, this Panasonic-powered, MagSafe-compatible portable power bank that can charge up to six devices simultaneously is on sale for $183.99 with the code SECURE20.

To those of us whose lives seem tethered to the screens of our devices (see also: everyone), the fear of them going kaput at the most inopportune moment is all too real. A reliable power bank in tow is not just a nice-to-have — it's a necessity at this point.

If you're one to juggle more than a handful of devices, a portable battery that can accommodate multiple gadgets at once is ideal. The Panasonic-powered Flash Pro Plus, for instance, can charge up to six devices at once, wired or otherwise, and through April 7, you can snag it on sale for 42% off with the code SECURE20.

From smartphones to tablets to even laptops, the Flash Pro Plus can charge it all. Designed to cater to Apple and Android users, it packs 25,000mAh of power and boasts fast charging capabilities, taking your device from 0 to 100% in only a little over an hour. It has a built-in 50W USB-A port compatible with Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, and Huawei devices, a 100W USB-C port for laptop charging, and MagSafe compatibility that supports wireless charging of up to 15W for devices like iPhones. There's even a separate charging pad exclusively made for Apple Watches. If you're charging multiple devices simultaneously, the built-in OLED display provides real-time information about the current battery percentage of each one.

In terms of longevity, the power bank is Graphene-infused and designed in partnership with Panasonic to ensure its durability. It's also portable enough to carry with you wherever you go, and TSA and EASA-approved, making it suitable for air travel.

Keep your gadgets going with the Flash Pro Plus. It normally retails for $319, but you can get it on sale for $183.99 with the code SECURE20 through April 7.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus 100W USB-C 25000mAh Graphene Power Bank w/ Magsafe Compatibility $183.99 at the Mashable Shop
$319.00 Save $135.01 with code SECURE20 Get Deal

TL;DR: Through April 7, pay only $87.99 for this refurbished Dell Chromebook 3100.

What's the point of investing in a state-of-the-art laptop if all you'll do is browse the web, check your email, and draft documents? When it comes to your gear, you don't always have to throw money at swanky gadgets. If you're only on the hunt for a trusty device that can handle daily computing tasks, consider picking up this refurbished Dell Chromebook 3100.

On sale for under $90 through April 7, this new-to-you Dell laptop makes short work of everyday multitasking. Designed for students and casual users, it may not have the swankiest specs, but it packs enough features to help you power through your usual tasks.

This Chromebook is powered by an Intel Celeron N4000 processor that delivers the needed speed to cross out one task after another. Its 4GB RAM allows for simultaneous booting and running of multiple programs sans the lag, while its 32GB storage capacity offers enough digital real estate to house your most important files. It also comes with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, along with USB ports and a headphone jack for your peripherals.

With its 1366x768 resolution screen, you can view and browse web pages and media in vivid detail. Plus, with Chrome OS installed, you'll have immediate access to Google-integrated apps you're likely already familiar with, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sheets, YouTube, and more.

Now, it's worth mentioning that this refurbished Chromebook is listed with a grade "B" rating, meaning it may have minor scuffing on the body. But rest assured that the minor cosmetic marks don't compromise how the laptop operates.

Enjoy no-frills computing with this new-to-you Dell Chromebook 3100. It usually retails for $100, but you can get it for only $87.99 through April 7.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell Chromebook 3100 11" 2.6GHz, 4GB RAM 32GB eMMC (Refurbished) $87.99 at the Mashable Shop
$100.00 Save $12.01 Get Deal

If you like your period dramas dripping with political viciousness and lust, let Mary & George satisfy your every craving.

SEE ALSO: 'Renegade Nell' review: All hail Louisa Harland's highwaywoman!

This miniseries, based on Benjamin Woolley's nonfiction novel The King's Assassin, offers up a seductive tale of power — and the lengths we go to to claim it. There will be educational threesomes, attempts at dark magic, and of course, good, old-fashioned murder. And at the center of it all lies the titular mother and son pairing determined to take Jacobean England by storm, played to perfection by Julianne Moore (May December) and Nicholas Galitzine (The Idea of You).

What is Mary & George about? Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine in "Mary & George." Credit: Starz

Moore plays Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham. When we first meet her, she's just given birth to her second son, George (Galitzine), to whom she mutters such sweet nothings as "Perhaps I should have left you on the floor to rot" and "What use are you to anybody?" Her toughest-of-tough love — if that's even what you could call this — hides a kernel of truth. Being a second son means George won't inherit anything of value, so he will always be seen as less-than.

But as George grows up, it's clear Mary views him as the most "useful" of any of her children. Her first son, John (Tom Victor), is mentally ill, and therefore shunned, so she turns to George's good looks to try to secure a prosperous future for her otherwise penniless family. That means sending George to France to learn how to behave in high society. Lessons include sword fighting, etiquette, and leveraging your sexuality and your body to get just what you want, from men or women alike. Showrunner D.C. Moore brings these early scenes in France to life with equal parts titillating teasing and full-on debauchery, but they're only hints at what's to come once George returns home to England.

SEE ALSO: Get three months of Starz for less than 10 bucks

That's because Mary, in all her puppet master glory, has her sights set on the highest possible target for George's affections and newly honed talents. He isn't going to seduce just any noble: He's going to seduce King James VI and I (Tony Curran) and secure the Villiers family all the power and fortune Mary so desperately desires.

Mary & George is sexy, biting, and tragic all at once. Nicholas Galitzine and Tony Curran in "Mary & George." Credit: Starz

George's path to becoming King James' lover isn't a straight line. The king's bedchamber is already full of young men clamoring for his favor, with Robert Carr (Laurie Davidson), the cunning Earl of Somerset, standing above them all. The interplay between Mary, George, and the Somersets makes for some delicious, The Great–style verbal sparring — especially in a scene in which courtiers admonish Mary for her overly rouged face. Some excellent editing choices, including perfectly timed smash cuts to title cards, add an extra level of humor to a show whose dialogue is already a riot.

But even with all its royal ruffs and political rituals, Mary & George isn't afraid to get down in the muck either. George bites it multiple times throughout his earlier attempts to meet James, at one point throwing himself into mud behind James' carriage in a moment of total desperation. Wooing a king, it seems, is not a pretty business. And Mary & George refuses to stay buttoned-up for the sake of keeping history prim and proper.

SEE ALSO: 'La Chimera' review: Josh O'Connor goes tomb raiding in this magical film

That sentiment extends to the show's treatment of sex. Raunchy love scenes abound, from royal orgies to secret meetups in dark alleyways. But what else would you expect from King James, a monarch whose constant public horniness seemingly heightens the lust in everyone around him? In his court, desire is the norm, as is queerness. ("Bodies are just bodies" is a common refrain throughout the series.) James is unabashed in his love for men, and it's a given that those who gain his affections, like George and Robert, are elevated in stature. If they are judged within the court, it's more due to envy of their status than their sexual orientation, although there are certainly members of the greater public who consider James' behavior to be taboo.

In a court where love and sex are as good as currency, Mary & George still works hard to position James and George's connection as (mostly) genuine. Galitzine and Curran are magnetic as this deeply flawed couple, at one point declaring their love, at others taking different lovers in order to make each other jealous. There's fun in their petty moments of revenge, but there's tragedy here, too — especially as James' health declines and George grows further into the role of a politician interested only in his own best interests.

George's relationship with Mary compounds this tragedy even further. Mary is so obsessed with protecting herself by raising her family up in the world that she reduces each of her children to tools who can get her what she wants, most often via strategic marriage or seduction. If everyone in your family has been alienated or turned into some warped version of themselves, is the status you achieve even worth it?

Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, and Tony Curran make Mary & George a must-watch. Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine in "Mary & George." Credit: Starz

As Mary schemes and plots, Moore attacks every scene she's in with cold ferocity, transforming Mary into a ruthless political maneuverer who never lets her guard down — not even around her children. Even when George tries (and fails) to hang himself to avoid traveling to France, her reaction is one of blasé disgust. Yes, she's despicable, but in Moore's hands, Mary is so heinous it's fun.

As Moore's onscreen son, Galitzine continues his rise to stardom following his turns as a dumb jock in Bottoms and an English prince in Red, White & Royal Blue. Hilariously, his role in Mary & George serves as a kind of crossover event, as Red, White & Royal Blue's Prince Henry cites George Villiers as King James' "dumb jock boyfriend" in the novel. Despite this strange coincidence, Galitzine's performance here is nothing like his prior work. He begins Mary & George as a charming, if angsty, young man, and his transformation into a vicious power player over the course of the show is mesmerizing to behold. Watching him and Moore go from conspiring together to butting heads becomes one of Mary & George's great joys.

Another of those great joys is Curran's work as James, who serves as Mary & George's sad, and surprising, heart. Curran's James is bombastic and brash as he oversees his court, yet there's a constant sense that he knows he's being used. No matter how much George offers his love, or Mary her friendship, there's always the slightest hint of fear in James that none of this might be real.

These touches of pain serve as the perfect foil to Moore and Galitzine's more devious performances, although there's no doubt that Mary and George come with their own baggage. This trio's dynamic may be royally screwed, but Moore, Galitzine, and Curran make them a mess you simply can't ignore.

Mary & George is now streaming on Starz.

In some ways, Ripley is ruthlessly aligned to Patricia Highsmith's beloved 1955 novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Writer/director Steven Zaillian uses the breadth of eight episodes to dive into the details of the antihero's deceptions, laying the groundwork for his dubious backstory, specifying his clever check counterfeiting, and keeping close to the source material when it comes to Ripley's most malicious crimes. But one little detail has been altered in this Netflix miniseries, and it makes a big difference. It's all about a dressing robe. 

For those new to the world of Tom Ripley (All of Us Strangers' Andrew Scott), the new series bearing his name stars Scott as an enterprising American who lives uncomfortably on the fringe of New York's high society. That is, until shipping magnate Herbert Greenleaf inadvertently gives him a way to dig in like a tick.

SEE ALSO: 'Ripley' review: Andrew Scott is a stone cold marvel in exquisite Highsmith adaptation

Greenleaf's 25-year-old heir apparent, Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn), has fluttered off to Italy, where he harbors romantic dreams of becoming a painter. Desperate to get him back to America and invested in the family business, Herbert — believing Tom to be a friend to his prodigal son — offers him a paid trip to Europe with the task of convincing Dickie to come home. But shortly after setting foot on a picturesque (and piping hot) Italian beach, Tom falls hard for this affluent life of leisure — and Dickie Greenleaf himself. Using his wits and flexible moral code, Tom Ripley will do whatever it takes to stay in this cushy social sphere. No one will stand in his way. 

But what does a robe have to do with all this?

Why the robe in Ripley matters. Credit: Netflix

In both the book and the show, Dickie's mother entreats Tom to take a few gifts for her son with him: Some socks, some shirts, and a robe. In both versions, she's precise on all the objects except for the robe, insisting that Tom — as Dickie's friend — pick a color that would suit her son. In the novel, when Tom presents the robe he's chosen to Dickie in Italy, Highsmith describes the minor event like this, "As Tom had anticipated, Dickie was extremely pleased with the bathrobe."

In the previous chapter, Tom had thought all he desired was for Dickie to like him, so the American playboy approving of his sartorial style here is a feather in his cap, as it were. But in the show, things don't turn out so pleasant. It's not just that Dickie doesn't like the robe — though he doesn't. It's that Zaillian uses Dickie's distaste of it to build a thread in a tapestry of Tom's resentments and feelings of rejection. 

Featured Video For You Andrew Scott on crafting the iconic 'Ripley' in Netflix's new mystery series

In episode 1, "I: A Good Man Is Hard to Find," Tom obediently rolls into Brooks Brothers to retrieve the ordered clothes. When the snobby clerk notes Mrs. Greenleaf has left the color choice up to Tom, he says, "Oh, I think the maroon." Without hesitation, the clerk corrects him sharply, "The burgundy." Tom blinks and drops his gaze, repeating sheepishly, "Burgundy." 

Ripley is presented in black-and-white, so the viewing audience cannot see this color (maroon or burgundy or not). However, when a wide shot reveals all three potential dressing robes side-by-side, the one Tom's chosen stands out all the same. The other two are striped, mirroring the style of a blazer or business suit perhaps. The third — the burgundy — boasts a loud paisley pattern.

"Are you sure?" The clerk responds, a hint of judgment in his tone. Tom is sure.

Ripley's robe illustrates Tom's otherness.  Credit: Netflix

This first robe scene is one of many moments in the series in which Tom's taste is called into question. The implication between him not knowing the name of this hue and his choice of the loudest robe suggests he is lowbrow — even by the standards of Brooks Brothers' clerk. But even before this blunder, there are details that show how he stands out among the wealthy: Tom's wrinkled shirt. His hands plunged self-consciously in his jacket's pockets. Then his slight embarrassment at the color correction. He is othered in this moment for failing to meet the aesthetic standards of the high class and for feeling shamed by a shop clerk. (We'll soon learn that even Dickie gets the color wrong, but no one will correct him.)

Episode 2, "II: Seven Mercies," reveals Dickie's reaction to the robe. Looking over the shirts from Mrs. Greenleaf, the dashing young man offers a snide comment, "My mother doesn't seem to realize that the best shirts in New York were imported from here," meaning Italy. Yet for the dressing robe, he reserves a sharper disdain. "Of course she'd choose this one," Dickie says, looking upon the robe while Tom looks upon him expectantly. "Who in the world would ever wear a purple paisley robe? I mean, my god. It's awful." 

In the book, Tom is pleased to know he and Dickie share a similar taste, proven by Dickie's approval of the chosen robe. In the show, Tom looks stricken. It's not just that they don't have the same aesthetic; it's that Dickie's blasé remark unknowingly declares Tom as having terrible taste, as being less than. Yet Dickie calling this robe "purple" is another clue to Zaillian's adaptation. 

Purple has long been a color tied to queer-coding. In the 1950s, when gossip columnists were writing about Hollywood leading men whose homosexuality was an open secret (or a deeply hidden one), they'd use code words like "confirmed bachelor," "dedicated to his mother," and sometimes note a purple flower in his lapel. It seems Zaillian is drawing on these codes of Ripley's time to allude to Tom's own unspoken same-sex yearning for Dickie. Essentially, without realizing it, Dickie is calling Tom out, and not kindly.

Later in the TV series — as he did in the novel — Dickie will confront directly Tom about his presumed queerness — which Tom denies vehemently. Perhaps this robe scene plays into why Tom rejects this label. Dickie isn't sophisticated enough to get the color of the robe right, but he wrote the "purple" robe off as a "awful" thing. Inadvertently, Dickie rejected Tom's hint of who he really is beneath his flattering facade. And the sting of this is clear on Andrew Scott's face, as Johnny Flynn goes on chattering with no apparent notice.

Yet the queer subtext gets more pronounced in the robe's final big moment. 

How the robe seals Freddie Miles' fate. Credit: Netflix

After their disastrous boat ride, Tom returns to Dickie's villa to pack up the late heir's things. To substantiate his story that Dickie is moving to Rome, Tom — as a bosom buddy — is gathering up his effects. Among Dickie's jewelry and suits, Tom also packs the robe. Later, in "V: Lucio," when unwelcome acquaintance Freddie Miles (Eliot Sumner) barges in, Tom tries to convince him this Roman apartment is Dickie's, not his. But Freddie is suspicious and spots something strange.

Hung on the lone bedroom's door is the paisley robe, a garish trinket amid the marble floors and dark wood furniture. An insert shot draws the audience's attention to it, but Freddie doesn't immediately mention the robe, instead asking for a drink and feeling out this Ripley character.

After making him squirm for a bit, Freddie accuses, "You're living here with [Dickie], aren't you?" When Tom denies this, Freddie counters, "Dickie wouldn't be caught dead in that ghastly robe." Tom doesn't speak, but his eyes grow fierce as if he's fixing on a dark decision. 

In the book, Freddie comes to a similar conclusion of cohabitation, but it has no connection to the robe. (It's a piece of jewelry that triggers Freddie's declaration.) Desperate to keep the real secret of Dickie hidden, Tom kills Freddie in that apartment, and swiftly blames the victim. He decides that Freddie is the kind of man who'd beat someone up for being a "pansy." Highsmith's prose invites the reader into his further internal justification:

"One could loathe Freddie, too. A selfish, stupid bastard who had sneered at one of his best friends — Dickie certainly was one of his best friends — just because he suspected him of sexual deviation. Tom laughed at that phrase, 'sexual deviation.' Where was the sex? Where was the deviation? He looked at Freddie and said low and bitterly, 'Freddie Miles, you're a victim of your own dirty mind.'"

In The Talented Mr. Ripley, Tom doesn't so much grapple with his sexuality as he fiercely runs from it by becoming Dickie over admitting in any real way his complicated feelings for the man. 

How Freddie is different from the book to the Ripley TV show.

In contrast, Ripley doesn't paint Freddie as homophobic, instead implying Freddie and Tom might have queerness in common. In the book, Freddie is described as an ugly "mountain" of a man with red hair. In the series, he's played by the slender Eliot Sumner, whose look is androgynous and suave.

Notably, during their fatal confrontation, Freddie wears a printed scarf that could be deemed "loud" in the same way as the robe. He had a flirtatious energy toward Dickie in earlier episodes and perhaps regards Tom with a pang of surly jealousy. Plus, the naked young man waiting for Freddie in his hotel room further suggests the character's queerness. In the show, Tom exploits the Italian police's presumed homophobia as a tool to suggest Freddie was a debaucherous, unsavory sort, who might wind up murdered because of his lifestyle. In this way, Tom shows to the audience a keen awareness of how gay men were often maligned, even as he uses it to his own selfish means. 

Essentially, in the series, Freddie and Tom as presented as more alike than they are different, down to their flamboyant accessories and the implications of them. This suggests queerness alone might not have led to Tom being cast out of Dickie's circle of friends. However, Tom's queerness is not as important to the character as his deep fear of alienation. One informs the other, certainly, as the supporting characters in the book — and to a lesser degree in the show — regard "sissy" behavior with a sneer. But Tom's driving motivation is his need to be included, and once he is rejected by Dickie, he strives lethally to present himself as a man worthy of inclusion.

Love might seem too foreign a concept to a man who refuses to know himself the way this American tourist does. Tom creates entire fictions for himself to keep from recognizing his own flaws. Beyond Dickie, the embrace of high society is something Tom cons his way into throughout this series. Playing to the egos of the wealthy, he mirrors the interests of his posh prey. He manipulates their emotions by exploiting their vanity. He spins tales to amuse them and make himself seem more a jester than a threat. He seeks validation via party invites, fancy dinners, and day trips. Still, his resentment keeps him at a remove, as do his resulting crimes of theft and murder.

Whether using the name Dickie or Tom, he doesn't let anyone close. Yet he yearns to be seen and coveted — perhaps like a purple paisley robe from Brooks Brothers. 

Ripley is now streaming on Netflix.

UPDATE: Apr. 5, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EDT We're in the process of overhauling our VPN coverage based on stricter criteria and additional hands-on testing. As such, this guide to the best VPNs will continue to evolve as we review more services.

Don't let it go to your head, but everybody wants you — more specifically, your browsing data. Personal information about the links you click on and the sites you visit is highly valuable to third parties, including your internet service provider (ISP) and Google, who may want to share or monetize it. Certain government and law enforcement agencies are also eager to peek at your activity online for their own surveillance purposes, as horny Texans learned earlier this year.

One way to reclaim some of your digital privacy is by getting a virtual private network, or VPN, a service that creates an encrypted connection between your device and one of the VPN provider's private, remote servers before spitting it out onto the open web.

Why do you need a VPN?

While the best VPNs won't make you totally anonymous — VPN providers can still see what you're doing while you're using their servers — they can secure your data and hide your true IP address from prying eyes on the outside.

SEE ALSO: Texas says goodbye to Pornhub — and hello to the top 10 VPNs

While not its primary purpose, a VPN's ability to conceal your real IP address also makes it useful for spoofing your location. This will allow you to bypass geo-restrictions on content that's not available in your country or region. (If you're someone in the U.S. who wants access to streaming services like BBC iPlayer and ITVX, for example, a VPN can make it happen.)

Deciding which VPN to trust with your privacy and your money can be tough, especially if you're not familiar with the technology, which is why we're testing (and re-testing) a slew of popular VPN services. Keep reading for a rundown of the best VPN services we've tried so far.

Note: Prices for most VPN providers' long-term plans change frequently. The rates below were accurate at the time of publication.

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Moving to a new city or working at a new job where you don't know anybody can seriously be depressing, especially if you're already introverted as it is. What are you supposed to do? Sit at the bar by yourself? And talk to strangers?

Then comes the lightbulb idea: You can make friends online! If online dating is so popular and successful, there's no way there aren't a few legit sites where you can make adult friends in your area with similar interests. Hmm, AdultFriendFinder.com sounds like the right ballpark.

So you're on your lunch break at work, type in the URL, and the next thing you know, you're frantically closing the tab and hoping nobody walked behind you for that split second.

Our point: AdultFriendFinder is not what it sounds like.

Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder What is AdultFriendFinder?

AdultFriendFinder is one of the most well-known sites for finding quick sexual encounters, regular hookups, and literally anything else even remotely related to sex. The rowdy feed of matches, jumble of explicit photos, and stimulating calls-to-action offering all types of sex makes it heaven for anyone looking for a good time with no filter — and hell for someone who wouldn't be caught dead clicking on a "There are hot singles in your area" ad.

SEE ALSO: The best sex toy deals to shop this week

Even if you're not using it for real sex, it's always nice to have spank bank material in your back pocket. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, sexting, nudes, and Pornhub searches all saw a spike thanks to the vast number of people who started social distancing at home. Those who didn't want to risk quarantine sex or weren't finding people on their level of horniness on Tinder were pretty much guaranteed to get their rocks off somehow via AdultFriendFinder.

On AFF, you can find someone to sext via messaging or video chat (and plan to get it on IRL, if that's what you're looking for), watch live streams, or join niche group chat rooms. Is it worth $20-something per month? Depends on how much fishy content you're willing to overlook for a juicy sexting session.

We reached out to Kalyn Sanders, a business development executive at Friend Finder Networks, for updated AFF demographics. Right up there with Tinder's monthly flock, AdultFriendFinder snags the attention of over 55 million visits around the world per month, on average. (To whet your appetite upon signup, the main landing page flashes a few statistics, including "98,897,765 hot photos" and "3,495,277 connections," but we're not exactly sure what that means.) Most traffic originates from the United States, followed by visitors from the United Kingdom and Canada. SimilarWeb ranks the site as the 25th most-visited adult site in the U.S.

SEE ALSO: Is Tinder Platinum worth it? I tried it for 3 months to find out.

Specifics on the demographic that most people care about — the gender ratio — can be hard to track down. Sanders told us that "there's a two to one ratio of single men versus categories like single women, couples, and groups." The split between men and women is an expected one for a lot of hookup-centric sites. At the end of the day, it's a paradise for straight men, hit-or-miss for straight women and LGBTQ men, and likely an actual hellscape for LGBTQ women.

AFF lets you identify as and search for a man, woman, a couple, or trans. Despite trying to be a sex-positive site with blog posts, groups, a sex academy, and more, its language for the LGBTQ community has historically been anything but inclusive or positive. Previously, the AFF sign-up page listed "TG/TV/TS" as the "trans" gender selection — we'll let you infer what those stand for. Though, we will admit, this language has improved recently with more gender options that are appropriately labeled.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Xnxx porn for free Is AdultFriendFinder worth it?

If you're 100 percent over being grilled with relationship questions and the slow-and-steady pace on traditional dating sites like eharmony or Match, AdultFriendFinder is your golden ticket to instant communication. Registering takes about 30 seconds — it requires nothing from you aside from an email address, a username, a password, and an introduction. Your notifications will start pouring in even without adding any juicy info (because people see nothing wrong with hitting up a profile with a gray silhouette as a profile photo, apparently), but it's probably best to add a few photos and a detailed description — both to up your chances of flirtation or finding someone who shares a super-specific fantasy, and also to signal to other users that you're not a bot.

AdultFriendFinder features a personality questionnaire to personalize your profile and up your chances of finding a compatible match. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

After registering, there are a ton of ways to personalize your account (way more than you'd expect for a hookup site, honestly). The more you fill out, the more attractive your profile will be to new viewers. There are the basic physical appearance questions about eye and hair color, and since I identified as a woman, cup size was an option. (If you identify as a man, I'm sure you can guess what question they ask.)

Many self-proclaimed hookup seekers can probably admit that they'd still like to hook up with someone they'd also like to grab a beer with, especially if they plan to see that person multiple times. Those people will appreciate that AFF gives a compatibility score with each user you come across: a metric that rates how well you might mesh with someone in the bedroom based on how you answered questions about what turns you on, whether you're dominant or submissive, and so on.

The site also features a personality test and a "My Kinks" form where you can select whether or not you're "curious about, into, or can't live without" a certain kink (e.g., anal, bondage, role play, etc.). It also lets you choose whether you're a voyeur, the giver, or the receiver.

One weird thing about the Personality Type test is that it asks several questions about whether or not you enjoy shopping at discount stores — not really sure what that's about. It also asks whether or not "a quiet time for prayer should be allowed in school." You can choose "strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree, or strongly agree."

Once you finish the personality test (20 questions), you can opt to have your Personality Type show up on your profile or have it hidden. It will also show you which personality types complement yours.

Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder Finding a match on AdultFriendFinder

Like a traditional dating site, AdultFriendFinder gives you a collage of potential matches and will let you know who's online or close distance-wise. These will be random right after you sign up, but you can opt to update your preferences to refine your results: Choose your preferred gender(s), age range, location and mile radius, race, sexual orientation, body type, and marital status.

You barely have to scroll before noticing that there's no shortage of nudity. Depending on whether you set your preferences to men, women, or both, you'll see all of that stuff up close, personal, swinging around, in action. You name it, it'll pop up.

AdultFriendFinder is basically like a PornHub that you can interact with. We probably don't have to say this, but AdultFriendFinder is NSFW and not safe to be on while kids are in the room. If you'd rather not see the site's raunchier side, it offers a "no nudity" option, but I still wouldn't trust this filter enough to be online in a family setting or at work. Some videos will be blurred out and read "Naughty video" until you upgrade to a Gold Membership, but trust me — you'll get to see a lot, even with the free version.

The message section is set up similarly to a Gmail account, and you can mark things as read or important just as you would on a real email. You'll receive some crude messages instantly (creeps on Tinder do the same thing), but some will be genuinely friendly.

SEE ALSO: Tinder releases yet another feature to stop inappropriate messages AFF is not all bad

Once you get past the in-your-face sexplosion of naked profile pictures, horny AIM-era profile names, and explicit videos, there are actually an impressive number of resources to help make your experience as satisfying as possible. Some will cost money even outside of the paid subscription, which is kind of dumb.

Aside from the NSFW content, the website is relatively straightforward (albeit ugly). Every feature is advertised in big letters, notifications are displayed clearly with labels, and you don't really have to click around to find anything. This makes it super accessible for users of all ages, even those who aren't tech-savvy and can't even figure out Facebook. Buttons are all over the place, but you figure it out after messing around for a few minutes.

Activities range from direct messaging, sending virtual gifts and tips, watching live videos of people in your feed, joining adult chat rooms that can get very niche, or entering photo contests.

AdultFriendFinder is like a PornHub that you can interact with.

Think of AdultFriendFinder as the dating site version of New York City — it never sleeps. You'll find people who work the regular 9 to 5, people who work the night shift, and people in other time zones, so it's nearly impossible to log on and not have people to talk to. You know, like that booty call who's always awake when you text them.

Or at least that used to be the case... 10 years ago. What was once a hot site that a few Reddit users were quick to hype up is now one of the dating sites that Reddit users can't help but diss — in the few instances that AFF is even being discussed at all. It's notable that, on a site where online dating is such a mammoth topic of discussion, AdultFriendFinder has rarely been mentioned in a positive light since the early 2010s. The Reddit community is diverse and open-minded; if a dating site exists, someone on Reddit has used it and has an opinion. When an innocent soul does ask if it's legit, AFF usually gets dragged for sketchy pricing and being riddled with bots.

However, some Reddit members have praised AFF as a site for men meeting men. Even so, the site's still buggy and isn't exactly great for meeting real people who aren't, as one Reddit user so eloquently put it, "busted and unstable."

SEE ALSO: Is Bumble Premium worth it? I tried it for 2 months to find out. Paid memberships are where things get... interesting

You can do a decent amount of exploring without paying a cent: Limited messaging and emailing, visit and like most profiles, and enter some chat rooms. But just a few clicks on AdultFriendFinder can send you deep down the rabbit hole, and a lot of that juicier hidden content can only be unlocked with a paid membership (called the Gold membership) or by earning points.

Points are AdultFriendFinder's non-monetary currency. If you're a free member, you'll have to earn points through on-site activity to unlock stuff that's exclusive to paying members. It's kind of like a game, with points acting like dollar bills at the strip club.

A Gold membership is pretty much the standard if you're a guy looking for girls. While researching on Reddit, we found a few women who said they wouldn't meet a guy unless he's a Gold member. A Gold membership puts a little bit more credibility behind someone's profile and makes the whole encounter feel a bit safer. It's easier to believe that someone's a real person if they're a paying, active member of the site, and it's nice to know that they're taking it slightly seriously. Plus, if you see a picture or profile that looks like it's 10 years old, it really might be — there are a ton of non-active, non-paying profiles from old members and escorts still lingering.

AdultFriendFinder also gives members the option to confirm their identity with ConfirmID. If you do this, the site promises to give you two weeks of Gold for free. The ConfirmID works by entering your legal first and last name, home address, gender, and date of birth and uploading a copy of your driver's license, passport, or other government-issued ID.

If you spend more quality time on the site than expected, becoming a paid member is definitely something to consider. Once you're paying, you basically become royalty on the site: Your profile will appear way higher in searches, you can use the most advanced searches, unlock profiles with private photo albums, check out video profiles, and message to your heart's content. A general rule is that increased involvement and payment on your end generally equals more success on the website, as your constant activity and heightened searchability make it easier for others to find you.

AdultFriendFinder price

Prices for a Gold membership fluctuate but generally get cheaper the longer your subscription is: Get one month for $27.95, three months for $20.95 per month ($62.82 total), or 12 months for $14.95 per month ($179.40 total). The three-month membership is billed quarterly, while the 12-month membership is billed annually. With a Gold membership, free members cannot contact you, but they can still see your profile.

You can also purchase profile highlights designed to make your profile stand out. They're $9.95 per month or $8.95 per month for a three-month run (billed quarterly). Although it's not super clear how these highlights work, the site promises your profile will "get noticed first in search and browse results" and that your emails will appear highlighted. It also notes that highlights are "colorful and attention-grabbing."

Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder Good for: Very open-minded people looking to blow off steam

Stating the obvious, AdultFriendFinder is a space for people who want to bang with no strings attached, people who are in a sexual rut, people who are tired of porn, and people who find sites like eharmony boring. Getting to know someone for weeks before meeting up can be exhausting, and sometimes, you want to skip the small talk and do the dirty with a random. It's gonna get kinky out there, and that's great for those who are dying to blow off steam and want someone who will respond well to a brusque, sexy message.

People are so active on this site that it's impossible not to feel desired. You'll probably get a flood of message notifications, and once you come across your first legit suitor, you'll start to loosen up. Even if you're left on read a few times, you'll learn which opening lines and flirty comments work and which don't. But since the site is aimed toward casual sex and encounters and not serious relationships, the whole rejection thing isn't nearly as prevalent.

As with all dating sites, catfishing is a big buzzkill. Your chances of being pursued are way higher if you have a lot of pictures of the same person (AKA you), videos, and a genuine profile that lets people know they're not dealing with something sketchy. Even if you've had bad luck with online dating in the past, AdultFriendFinder is the place to be honest.

Bad for: People looking for a real relationship and the entire socially-conscious community

You know those warnings that thrill rides at amusement parks are required to put up that tell people who get dizzy easily or have heart problems to not get on the ride? AdultFriendFinder could use something like that. This site is not for the faint of heart — if you're a cynic, conservative by any means, get sketched out easily, or aren't a fan of dick pics, you'll probably hate it. Similarly, if you appreciate a well-crafted, aesthetically-pleasing website that feels safe — no matter how badly you want to have sex — one glance at the landing page likely signals that it's not for you.

AdultFriendFinder is not the place to be if you're trying to make friends unless "with benefits" is tacked onto the end. Every inch of the site screams "this website is used to have sex," and you should really listen to that.

As illustrated by the recent flood of artsy activism guides on Instagram, it's clear what content appeals to young people on the internet: Something aesthetically-pleasing, sharable, and digestible. The "sharable" part doesn't totally apply to online dating, but apps like Hinge and OkCupid closely follow this design trend by limiting the number of words (and ads) in each tab, steering clear of endless scrolling, and ensuring that important info isn't cluttered with flashing clickbait.

For instance, Pure is a modern, no-strings-attached hookup app that appeals to your horny side with a single, witty statement about sex rather than bombarding you with boobs and "Have sex in NYC now!" claims. Anyone older than a millennial may be totally used to this pop-up-ridden layout, which seemed to be popular in the early 2000s — but for younger folks, AFF's chaotic approach is way too reminiscent of Omegle.

AFF could do so much more to make people take it seriously

The entire website looks like an ad about hot MILFs that pops up when you're illegally streaming a movie. Seriously, it's bad. Even though the website is technically legit, the pictures, word choice, and exclamation points everywhere scream "scam." No, AdultFriendFinder, "98,897,765 Hot Photos" is not the way to make potential new users trust you.

We're not knocking a quick hookup or no-strings-attached relations. This isn't about morals. Genitals are quite literally in your face from the moment you make an account, and that's just not cute. There are chiller ways to go about insinuating that this is a hookup website without feeling like you're trapped in a sex dungeon with strangers.

I could not get past the fact that the entire site looks like it's about to invite five viruses to your computer. We're talking terrible graphics that look like they were made on Microsoft Paint and pictures of women who look like they're from Pornhub in 2007. (That's when AdultFriendFinder was officially sold and rebranded from its original parent company.) Reddit user Snoo53279 summed it up in a comment from July 2020: "The people on AFF are definitely real, but there is a huge smattering of bots that also get in the way so it can be a bit of a PITA to use." If they're not bots, they could be men posing as a couple to seem less threatening.

The parade of women on the landing page is questionable for two reasons. This shouldn't even need to be clarified, but not everyone is looking for a woman. At the least, the advertising isn't inclusive — but this crosses into fetishization territory. The cherry on top is that the women in the photos (unsurprisingly) probably aren't even members of the site, according to a disclaimer at the bottom of the landing page.

AdultFriendFinder's overall outdated vibe goes past an aesthetic annoyance — it's downright problematic at times. The lack of inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community is nearly unforgivable, and we'd be scared to see some of the related rhetoric that AFF users feel comfortable spewing. Without even a dash of social awareness, it's hard to see how anyone who's not an out-of-touch straight cis man would feel comfortable on this site.

Attempting to navigate the shoddy design might be enough to smother your horniness. Three main issues can make the site borderline unusable: It looks shady as hell, an alarming portion of the user base is made up of bots and spam accounts, and the user interface itself is outdated and rife with bugs.

Other Reddit users mention that the desktop web version won't even load for them at random times — an especially frustrating roadblock for people who want to end their membership and stop monthly charges. A solution to the laggy web version might be to clear your cache or use the smartphone app, but your experience probably won't improve. AFF's mobile page doesn't even mention an Android app, and the link to the iPhone app brings up a "not available" pop-up in the App Store. For a site that claims to have over 50 million visitors each month, the lack of accessibility to a smartphone app is just plain odd — especially in 2023.

Adding to the sketchiness, a network hack in 2016 exposed around 412 million accounts, including "deleted" accounts that weren't actually deleted from the database. If this is enough reason for you to fall back on Tinder for finding a friend with benefits, we don't blame you. Signing up with a burner email and avoiding using your real name as a username are wise moves (pick a naughty word and add 69 to the end, IDK), though keeping your personal information private is hard when credit cards are involved.

In 2007, AFF was involved in a lawsuit with the FTC over allegations that the site used malware to send explicit pop-up ads to computers owned by people who hadn't signed up for the service. Though we haven't seen reports like this recently, so we're hoping those ridiculous ads you see are at least confined to people who actually use the site.

The alternatives to AdultFriendFinder

Surprisingly, AdultFriendFinder feels much more legit than its competitors. While other hookup sites have names like FreeSnapMilfs.com, Fuckswipe.com, and Instabang.com, AdultFriendFinder will be the one you'd hate showing up in your Google search history the least. Most have the same general idea: to find sexual partners, have cybersex, etc., but with names like those, the authenticity is way too questionable. AdultFriendFinder boasts a much larger audience and has built credibility in a Tinder-saturated market where these blunt, friskier competitors may have trouble gaining trust.

SEE ALSO: Best hookup apps and dating sites to find casual sex with no strings attached

No matter how in the mood you are, your hungry eyes may not be able to look past AFF's heinous interface. We mentioned Pure earlier. The aesthetically pleasing, hella-millennial UX design is simply more palatable than AFF and the blueprint of what a modern hookup app should be. Kind of like a Snapchat for sex; your uploaded selfies, personal info, and conversations will self-destruct every 60 minutes. The app will send the hookup version of an Uber request to anyone close and ready to rumble, and you can choose what information to disclose from there.

Remember when we said AdultFriendFinder would be a nightmare for gay and bi women? Feeld was our favorite alternative app dedicated to singles and couples looking for threesomes, foursomes, or however many people you want — minus the unicorn hunting and rampant fetishization that many non-hetero, non-monogamous people face on traditional hookup sites and apps. However, as of Dec. 7, we are in the process of reevaluating Feeld's place among our recommendations after the app's recent update arrived with bugs and location-related safety concerns. Feeld has since told Mashable that locations shared were not users' current exact locations, rather the name of the city, town, or borough.

The final verdict: Is AdultFriendFinder worth it?

AdultFriendFinder is a low-pressure way to find a friends-with-benefits situation without insulting anyone. Everyone is pretty much there for the same reason — and though it'll feel pretty unorthodox if you've only ever used Tinder to scope this type of thing out, AFF's blunt advertising at least means you won't have to explain that you're not looking for a relationship. It's niche-friendly, well-populated, and has a ton of interactive outlets to indulge your primal urges.

But that freedom comes with a price — the price is feeling like one of those people who fall for the ads that pop up before a free Pornhub video. It's not that a site dedicated to sex and sexting is inherently scammy — it's that AdultFriendFinder drowns you with explicit photos on profiles that might not even be real people while asking you to pay for a subscription with every click.

Unfortunately, no matter how in the mood you are, some people aren't cut out for the nothing-left-to-the-imagination approach with grammar mistakes all over the place. It wants to be sex-positive so badly, but the language the site has used in reference to the trans community is the furthest thing from that.

The functionality and safety of the site and the mobile app aren't where they need to be in 2023. If security measures were tightened, graphics and photos were cleaned up to feel more relevant, and decision-makers behind the scenes were given a lesson in inclusivity and pronouns/identities, AdultFriendFinder could be a handy tool to find attachment-free hookups and connect with a community that's down for anything.

This isn't a dating or hookup site we would personally use, but if you're feeling brave, you can register for AdultFriendFinder here. Just don't try this at work.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder Learn More

TL;DR: Stream the 2024 Paris-Roubaix for free on SBS On Demand. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Hardcore cyclists really love to suffer, for some reason. We're not exactly sure what's so appealing about taking on a steep incline, but there must be something that keeps this dedicated group coming back for more torture.

What's easier to understand is the appeal of watching the best cyclists in the world do battle over one of the most challenging routes imaginable. That's what's on offer from Paris-Roubaix.

If you're interested in watching the 2024 Paris-Roubaix for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is Paris-Roubaix?

Paris–Roubaix is a single-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting just north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix. The race is nicknamed the "Hell of the North," and it's clear to see why. The route is 259.9 kilometres long with 29 cobblestone road sections totalling 55.7 kilometres.

Mathieu van der Poel won the 2023 Paris-Roubaix.

When is the 2024 Paris-Roubaix?

The 2024 Paris-Roubaix takes place on April 7.

Can you livestream the 2024 Paris-Roubaix for free?

The good news is that free streaming of the 2024 Paris-Roubaix is available from these locations:

• Australia — SBS On Demand (free)

• Belgium — RTBF or VRT (free)

• France — France TV (free)

• Italy — RaiPlay (free)

• Spain — RTVE (free)

You can access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with a VPN. These powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access free streaming platforms from any location.

Unblock free streaming sites to stream the 2024 Paris-Roubaix by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia (or another location listed above)

4. Visit SBS On Demand (or another site listed above)

5. Stream the 2024 Volta a Catalunya for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) £82.82 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 streaming sites without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2024 Paris-Roubaix before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Paris-Roubaix?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking free streaming sites to watch sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 Paris-Roubaix for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Stream England Women vs. Sweden Women in a UEFA EURO 2025 qualifier for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Watching live sport for free is not always easy, which is exactly why it's so satisfying to be able to ditch the dodgy streams and watch your favourite athletes without jumping through hoops.

If you want to watch England Women vs. Sweden Women for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is England Women vs. Sweden Women?

England Women vs. Sweden Women kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on April 5. This fixture takes place at Wembley Stadium.

How to watch England Women vs. Sweden Women for free

England Women vs. Sweden Women will be broadcast live on ITV1, with coverage starting from 7:30 p.m. BST on April 5. You can also live stream this fixture for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK. This process makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can access ITVX from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ITVX to watch live football 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 the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Stream England Women vs. Sweden Women for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to ITVX without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream England Women vs. Sweden Women before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• 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 £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream England Women vs. Sweden Women for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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

Believe it or not, but Max Verstappen doesn't win every single F1 race. Carlos Sainz Jr. took the win in Australia, giving hope to everyone that this season might be a little more competitive. Sure, Verstappen was forced to retire from the race after just four laps. But forget all about that. Competitive racing is back.

If you're interested in watching the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, we've got all the information you need.

When is the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix?

The 2024 Japanese Grand Prix takes place over 53 laps of the 5,807-kilometre Suzuka International Racing Course. The full schedule can be found here:

• Practice 1 — 3:30 to 4:30 a.m. BST on April 5

• Practice 2 — 7 to 8 a.m. BST on April 5

• Practice 3 — 3:30 to 4:30 a.m. BST on April 6

• Qualifying — 7 to 8 a.m. BST on April 6

• Race — 6 a.m. BST on April 7

Sky Sports is broadcasting live coverage of every race weekend this season, with race highlights of the Japanese Grand Prix available on Channel 4 after the race. But there's an alternative, and it's totally free.

How to watch the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix for free

You can stream all the action from the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix live and free on these streaming platforms:

• Austria — ORF or ServusTV (12 races each)

• Belgium — RTBF (every race)

• Luxembourg — RTL ZWEE (every race)

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

Unblock these free streaming services by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria, Belgium, or Luxembourg

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

5. Watch F1 races from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Formula 1 live streams for free. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can stream the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix without actually spending anything.

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

What is the best VPN for F1?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:

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

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix for free with ExpressVPN.

Let's get straight to the point: Online dating gets old real fast. Connecting with people you likely wouldn't have met before sounds amazing at first, but the steps preceding that potential success story can be cumbersome.

What's the point of answering questions (that everyone lies about anyway) if a site's algorithm ignores your filters regardless? All it gets you is weirdos terrorizing your inbox, people who are about to retire, or someone who just wants to bang, even if you requested to only see users who marked that they're ready to get serious and monogamous.

Between that and having shit luck with ~serendipitously~ meeting your soulmate at a concert or bar, you may feel like signing up for Love Island is your only viable option.

OkCupid may be able to change your mind.

Everyone knows the name, but what tons of people (especially young people) may not realize is that it's not just another eharmony or Match. OkCupid is the perfect happy medium that you might have thought didn't exist. It's ideal for people who don't want anything to do with mindless swiping apps, but who also don't want to feel like they're desperately looking for marriage.

SEE ALSO: The dating app glossary: The A to Z of terms you need to know What is OkCupid?

With a user base of more than 1.79 million and an average of 50,000 "Wanna get drinks?" dates per week since its launch, it's hard not to wonder what this dating app is all about.

OkCupid debuted in 2004, making it one of the OG dating sites. Its trusted name is to thank for much of the robust user base — but OkCupid's more recent focus on diversity, inclusivity and modern cultural trends has definitely helped to strengthen the OKC army as of late.

OkCupid pushes for lasting connections using a mix of non-traditional questions and math, and it's pretty foolproof. They accomplish this by diving into both the shallow and deep aspects of a relationship without being corny or forcing people to self-evaluate. (The ability to weigh the importance of shared values or personality traits in a partner is really handy.) It ends up providing a well-rounded look at users both as a person in general and as romantic partners, giving the algorithm a pool of data to calculate the compatibility between you and another user.

SEE ALSO: Best hookup apps and dating sites to find casual sex with no strings attached

Just as you'd expect from a dating site created by Harvard math majors, the entire site's ethos is built around numbers — and it's nice to know they can actually back up their algorithms. 

In 2018, OkCupid went through a major rebranding, and their new advertising is incredible. You've probably seen their ads plastered on public transportation or on a billboard at least once: They feature bright colors, a cheeky sense of humor, and both same-sex couples and heterosexual couples, all while redefining what "DTF" stands for. The entire campaign is fresh and inviting and does an exceptional job of making online dating feel cool and not lame. Their slogan is literally "Dating deserves better," and like yeah, it really does.

How does OkCupid work? Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

Now, let’s talk technicalities. OkCupid works via a super-powerful algorithm that takes your age, location, gender (22 genders offered), orientation (12 orientations offered), romantic interests, “deal breakers” (we’ll talk about this in a bit), and profile prompt responses into account before matching you with another person. 

All of these factors create your Match % score (AKA how well you match with another person). The higher your Match % score is with someone, the more aligned the two of you will be on important issues (e.g., religion, politics, etc.) and what you’re looking for in a relationship. 

This way, you won’t need to worry about meeting someone who isn’t compatible right off the bat. 

Getting started on OkCupid 

Getting started on OkCupid is free and easy to do. You can either download the OkCupid app for iOS or Android or visit OkCupid on a computer. (I liked that there was a web-based version available.) 

Then, sign up with your email address. OkCupid will also ask that you verify your account via phone number to ensure your authenticity, which is much appreciated. After you’ve gone through the verification process, you can dive into the fun stuff and build your profile.

An example of some of the fun personality questions you can answer on OkCupid. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

If you've tried online dating elsewhere in the past (Tinder doesn't count), you've probably noticed that filling out the questionnaires is THE WORST. The questions get way too fake for my liking, and honestly, are just begging people to lie. Do you think the cheaters of the world are actually going to say "Doesn't describe me at all" when asked if they cheat? Do you think the world's most sensitive, quick-tempered crybaby (raises hand) wants to admit to constantly picking fights? Hell no. There's no question that that stuff is important, but I just don't think this method will produce the most accurate information on how someone actually acts in a relationship past the honeymoon phase.

Instead, OkCupid asks fun questions like "Would you rather share a kiss in a tent or a kiss in Paris?" or "Would you rather go to a music festival or sporting event?" You'll get to say what your ideal partner's answer would be as well. (You'll also answer the basics about smoking, drinking, political preferences, religion, and all that good stuff.)

OkCupid is not shy about politics and social issues. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

They also have tons of questions to answer directly on your profile if you want to get even more specific with your preferences. Questions like "Do you make your bed every day?" or "How long do you want your next relationship to last?" allow OkCupid to discover your habits without making you think too hard. You're able to showcase all aspects of your dynamic as a partner without feeling the need to lie. There are also spaces for you to answer prompts about the last shows you binged, your favorite music artists, your talents, etc.

OkCupid paid features 

OkCupid offers various paid features, including a la carte and bundle options. Here’s the breakdown: 

OkCupid Boost 

If you’d like, you can purchase a Boost (whether you’re on a paid plan or not) and this will force the app to increase your profile visibility for 30 minutes. According to the site, a Boost can increase your matches up to five times. 

With the Boost feature, you can choose when the Boost begins (the hot time to be online is between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time). Boosts are available in single or bundles of five or 10 (bundles are discounted). There’s also an option to purchase a SuperBoost — which is, essentially, an extended Boost. SuperBoosts are available in three-hour, six-hour, and 12-hour increments. If you decide to go with a six- or 12-hour SuperBoost, you’ll get it at a discounted rate. 

OkCupid offers Boosts if you don't want to commit to a full-blown paid subscription. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid Read Receipts 

For some people, knowing whether or not someone has read your message can make or break your sanity. If you’re one of those people, you’ll be happy to know that OkCupid offers read receipts…for a price. 

You can purchase read receipts in packs of one, five, or 20. You can also choose which conversations you’d like to use your read receipts for. 

OkCupid Stacks 

Stacks are basically categories of potential matches within the discover tab. Stacks give users the option to filter people based on different categories, including those you have the highest Match % with. 

Stacks show potential matches broken down by category. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

While many Stacks are free, some require a Stack Pass which gives you access to a particular Stack (e.g., Popular Stack, New People Stack, etc.) for seven days. 

SuperLikes 

As the name of this feature suggests, a SuperLike is a way to show someone you really, really like them. With a SuperLike, your crush can see that you SuperLiked them immediately. You can also send notes with SuperLikes so you’ll have the chance to impress them with your charm. 

Additionally, SuperLikes put you in a special SuperLikes Stack so you’ll stand out from the regular discover tab. 

The site is very user-friendly

The required set of questions only takes about five minutes to complete, and then you're ready to start playing Bachelor or Bachelorette. You're not bombarded with notifications or emails, which I was extremely thankful for. The top nav is extremely clean and only gives notifications for likes and messages — unlike other sites where people can like you in general, like your photo, send a wink, send a smiley face, send a gift, and whatever TF else these sites think is necessary.

I'm big on aesthetics and design when it comes to dating sites (I completely roasted AdultFriendFinder about it), and OkCupid is exactly what I want: organized, minimalistic, with all features obvious and labeled so that you don't have to click around to see what the options are. OkCupid gets major points for how user-friendly it is.

SEE ALSO: The best dating sites for finding serious, long-term relationships It's also ideal for introverts

OkCupid is also one of the best places for introverts and self-proclaimed geeks to find a kindred soul. The prominence of social justice-related questions has drawn an open-minded crowd, creating a safe space that relieves the pressure to be perfect.

The opportunity for badges on your profile is a fun way to express yourself: #IStandWithPP, Game of Thrones, and "nerd" are a few of the things you can pin to the top of your profile to attract other users who get you. (Fun fact: Game of Thrones has been mentioned over 2 million times in user profiles. Automatic conversation starter.)

Woke level: 100

The same-sex ads were probably an obvious giveaway, but OkCupid is liberal as hell. Finding a hottie only to find out you disagree on everything is the most awkward bummer ever. Other sites only ask one question about that stuff, which just isn't enough. If you're woke, liberal, and horrified by the dumpster fire that is our current political climate, this is the site for you. Right-wingers, you should just exit now and sign up for eharmony — it has a history of leaning conservative.

SEE ALSO: Singles don't want to date non-voters, according to OkCupid survey

With OkCupid's makeover came a ton of politically charged questions as a way to weed out the not-so-progressive users. They want to know your opinion on issues such as abortion, immigration, guns, and more to make sure you and your potential partners have political views that are aligned.

OkCupid uses these answers to tell potential matches how liberal you are and vice versa, and it's always a plus if you can avoid heated arguments down the road. Liberal women found that this worked to their advantage, as OkCupid released statistics showing that liberal-leaning answers to those questions made you 80 percent more likely to find love on the site.

An online dating site that's open and welcoming to even the quirkiest singles and embraces the differences and variety of its users should be a given — not a bonus. Unfortunately, a lot of OkCupid's competitors have some growing up to do. You go, OkCupid. You go.

Finding a match isn't as hard as it sounds

If you're feeling hopeless about finding love, you won't after being on OkCupid. I literally had 607 likes after having my profile up for two days. TWO DAYS. OkCupid has such a massive user base with such a wide variety of people, there's no way you're not gonna find a ton of people who find you exactly their type.

The app has that standard swiping app feel (but less "I'm judging you solely on your face" vibes). You see one profile at a time and swipe right or left depending on whether or not you're interested, with random profile-building questions thrown in at times to narrow down your pickings even more.

SEE ALSO: OkCupid debuts ChatGPT-generated matching questions

See what potential matches are talking about, search for names, or even type in a hobby, musical artist, or show to see which users near you mentioned the same thing. It's chill and simple enough to do while you're waiting in line at the store or sitting on the train, all while feeling more sincere than Tinder.

OkCupid's overhaul brought a lot of positive changes, but some users weren't psyched about one in particular. In late 2017, the site decided it would require users to use their real names on their profile instead of usernames like AFunnySassygirl or Superlonelyman. Though it was a goodhearted attempt to make the experience seem more real and less like a creepy AIM chatroom, people (especially women) were pissed.

Being required to give your real name to any and every stranger on the site felt like a huge invasion of privacy to a lot of people, and with the way desperate users can sometimes seem like stalkers, we don't blame them. (If you appreciate the uniform feel of Tinder or Hinge and find usernames super lame, maybe you'd actually like OkCupid more for this.) OkCupid received so much backlash that they recanted the policy and said that users can also use a nickname or initials.

You won't receive messages from randos

OkCupid doesn't have open messaging, meaning randoms can no longer message you before you two have matched. This can be good or bad depending on how you prefer the conversation to start: I personally enjoy it, as one main problem with online dating, in general, is that ladies get harassed by men who flood their inboxes. It's genuinely overwhelming and I'd prefer to only be messaged by people I already gave the go-ahead to. (Bumble combats this by only letting women message first.)

Like me, some people were stoked about this. Reddit user reciphered writes:

"Under the new OKC I get about x5 as many matches. I send fewer messages and I receive higher quality responses. I believe this is all because of the requirement to match before messaging. Now women are required to seek out desirable profiles in order to interact with users on the site - just like the men. I also really like how doubletake has shown me interesting profiles that I wouldn't have found with browsing. The only downside is the low population compared to Tinder.

I assumed that only annoyingly persistent men would dislike this change, but according to Reddit, a lot of ladies also aren't feeling it either:

Reddit user narcissica writes:

"I don't like it because I can't tell if someone's a creeper just from a quick glance at their profile. I either have to "like" people fairly indiscriminately to leave myself open to conversation, or I have to close doors on potential conversation that could be worthwhile. I was doing just fine having the block feature, or simply not responding to people who weren't worth my time."

The Reddit community is actually huge on OkCupid, and while all dating sites receive their fair share of shit (Redditors do not hold back on giving their opinions), I genuinely feel like OkCupid has the nicest things said about it. (Or the least mean things. Close enough). This blog even put together a guide on OkCupid advice that Redditors have given over the past few years.

Surprise: The free version *isn't* worthless

The site is fully functional with the free membership, and we give them props for that. Most dating sites make you pay to do literally anything besides signing up. But on OkCupid, you can view mutual likes (aka matches) and message matches for free. (Similar to Tinder and Bumble.) However, if you're feeling ambitious and want a little feature upgrade, OkCupid does offer two paid memberships: OkCupid Basic and OkCupid Premium.

OkCupid subscription cost 

Here's a breakdown of what you'll get from OkCupid Basic and OkCupid Premium. 

OkCupid Basic 

• Six months of OkCupid Basic – $17.49 per month

• Three months of OkCupid Basic – $23.33 per month

• One month of OkCupid Basic – $34.99 per month 

With OkCupid Basic you can: 

• Use Dealbreakers: Dealbreakers are “hard filters” that let you suss out what you don’t want.  

• Send unlimited likes: There's no limit on the number of people you can like per day. 

• Get unlimited rewinds: Undo any regrettable passes you made. 

• Unlock intros: View unlimited intros with OkCupid Basic. 

• Use the app ad-free: Say goodbye to ads with this paid plan. 

 OkCupid Premium 

• Six months of OkCupid Premium – $22.49 per month

• Three months of OkCupid Premium – $29.99 per month

• One month of OkCupid Premium – $44.99 per month 

With OkCupid Premium you’ll get the above features in addition to:  

• See who likes you: No need for mutual likes, with OkCupid Premium you can see a full list of people who like you. 

• Get three free SuperLikes each week: With this premium subscription, you’ll get three free SuperLikes every week — which, according to the OkCupid website, increases your chances of matching by four times. 

• See all question answers: The free version limits what you can see, with this plan you can see responses to questions you haven’t answered yet.

Good for: Liberal people who want a relationship

OkCupid is essentially the place for everyone who takes dating seriously but still wants to have fun and skip the pressure of settling down. Though OkCupid's advertisements may have "DTF" plastered all over them, the site's intentions and matchmaking process are no joke.

OkCupid is the best place to find people who want a partnership to truly be equal.

It might take some time and genuine effort to make a profile, but that's what you want if you're looking for something real. You'll fill out a questionnaire with your answers as well as what you would like your ideal match to answer. This makes the application-building process a lot more fun than other apps, making it feel like an online quiz. It asks a range of questions, from simple stuff to whether you smoke and drink to more intimate things like how many dates you typically wait before sleeping with someone. Pro tip: The app says that the more questions you answer, the better your matches will be. The deeper you go, the more accurate your profile is. In turn, OkCupid will have a way easier time finding matches for you.

Like we said in our eharmony review, just because you're bored with Tinder doesn't mean eharmony (or a site with the same expectation to settle down) is the next step. A lot of those users are older, divorced, and have kids, and there's a much slimmer selection of young people in that gray area. OkCupid seems ideal for the person who's trying to marry the next person they date, even if the idea of marriage and kids makes them slightly nauseated.

SEE ALSO: AdultFriendFinder is a borderline-porn hookup site that's stuck in the past

OkCupid is the dating site version of the left-wing hipster who wears "Make America Gay Again" hats. The LGBTQ community finally has a safe space in the online dating world (that is, one that's not a super niche lesbian or gay-only app), and those who usually vote liberally can make sure they're not going on a date with someone whom they'd want to fight on Facebook.

I'd go as far as to say that OkCupid is the best place to find people who want a partnership to truly be equal — where women won't be shamed for being breadwinners and where men won't insist that cleaning is the woman's job. Get with the times, people.

Not ideal for: Conservative people and those in a rush to marry

While browsing through the potential matches in my feed, I didn't get the vibe that people were 100% ready to settle down — which is fine if you feel the same way, but worrisome if you're past that phase. Some people seem to be using OkCupid like Tinder and were only visiting, while most will specify exactly what they're looking for in their bios, so confusion about intentions should be minimal. This isn't to say that it's not possible to find your future spouse on here — these success stories prove that you can — just don't go into it expecting to talk about how many kids you want. It's serious, but not serious.

And then there's the political aspect of it. While most dating sites refuse to take sides, OkCupid has made it clear that they care about social justice issues. People who align strongly with the Republican party, are Trump fans, or have religion-backed values or political views may feel a bit out of place here — you'll probably feel like many of the questions are irrelevant to a relationship, and you probably won't see a high number of matches with whom you align politically. That's not to say that it's not worth a shot, but if you're trying to cast your net as wide as possible, another site where these issues aren't highlighted may give you better luck.

Is OkCupid legit?

As with any dating site, there will be one-star ratings, enthusiastically negative reviews, and complaints from people about things that the site itself has no control over. (No, Karen, it is not OkCupid's fault that John ghosted you.) Dead profiles, catfishing, and getting abruptly suspended are annoying. OkCupid has its fair share of each, but unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to guarantee that a site is completely free of flaws. OkCupid does try to combat fake profiles by having users connect to an Instagram account, which is way harder to fake than an online dating profile.

Cities are overflowing with users, but less populated areas see a huge drop in potential matches.

One thing that is a legitimate issue is the user base in less-populated areas. Cities (like NYC, where I live) are overflowing with potential boos, but I guarantee that if I logged on in my middle-of-nowhere hometown, my number of matches within a 10-mile radius would drop an alarming amount. We've seen a ton of complaints about this, but again — that's not an OkCupid problem, it's an every-site problem.

Those who have been using the site for years have noticed a significant slowdown in finding people to talk to, as you can't see who's messaged you until you like them back, and going through all of the possible people already takes forever. It's easier to just block people if you don't want their messages instead of almost never being messaged at all, you know? OkCupid doesn't have to re-open messages completely, because some people do like their privacy — but it would be great if they had the option to toggle it on if you don't mind being hit up by strangers.

OkCupid alternatives

OkCupid falls under both the classic dating site category and the swiping app category, which also means that they have way more competition than most one-or-the-other platforms do. When it comes to swiping apps, Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are the obvious top three competitors. None of them want to be known as a hookup app, and it's definitely possible to find a long-term relationship on any of them, but Tinder and Bumble provide so little information that user intentions are easy to surmise. Alternatively, Hinge calls itself "The Relationship App" and requires users to be a bit more serious with their pickings by judging off more than a few selfies. Where Hinge may fall short is the fact that it pretty much caters to young people only, while OkCupid is more wide-ranging.

When it comes to more traditional sites, OkCupid's obvious competitors are eharmony, Zoosk, and Plenty of Fish. Match has the size advantage by far — and though OkCupid will always be #1 in my heart, Match is a close second. It's also an OG player in the online dating game, and it's always nice to have the reassurance that there are veteran masterminds behind the matchmaking process. Match has numerous unique features to meet new people that no other site has even come close to. I appreciated their eagerness to get people together IRL. It's a little less trendy and millennial than OkCupid, and maneuvering through the dating pool is basically a free-for-all. The way that OkCupid breaks suggestions down by categories makes everything significantly more organized and helps to give an idea of what might or might not work with a person right off the bat, which I found to be an extreme leg up.

If you're looking to start a family ASAP or prefer a more traditional approach, eharmony may be a safer bet.

eharmony is all about marriage and features a 29-dimension matching system. The registration process there takes longer and goes a bit deeper, but there's a reason eharmony has led to some 4 percent of marriages in the US. This isn't to say that OkCupid isn't serious, because it is — it just gives a little more leeway when it comes to people's intentions. eharmony sees a much more mature audience filled with many divorcees, single parents, and a few stage-five clingers — AKA no one that has time to play games. If you're looking to start a family ASAP or prefer a more traditional approach, eharmony may be a safer bet. eharmony has had some history of not being LGBTQ-friendly in the past, which is likely a turn-off for most of OkCupid's stans.

IMO, there's nothing super standout about Zoosk or Plenty of Fish. Both are user-friendly enough, except POF looks like it hasn't been updated since 2005 and neither is nearly as aesthetically pleasing as OkCupid. POF is super into the chemistry stuff and their questionnaires are intense, so if you're looking for something serious and aren't trying to pay a lot, it's a great alternative to eharmony. Zoosk is unique in that it uses behavioral matchmaking, which basically suggests matches for you based on your on-site behavior, and I do have to commend them for that. It's a great feature for people who don't know what they want, and OkCupid's number of ways to discover new people might get overwhelming for those who aren't confident in their partner-choosing abilities.

Is OkCupid a good dating site?

As far as online dating goes, OkCupid rules. When you're over-swiping apps but are not desperately looking for marriage, this is a happy medium that evades the feeling of desperation. You can find commitment but still feel hip and have fun. It has gained a trusted rep from over 20 years of matchmaking experience and evolving with the younger generations, leading OkCupid to win the hearts of 50 million singles.

Their ads (as well as the addition of numerous gender identities and orientations and the importance placed on political issues) showcase the importance they place on inclusivity and social justice, which is a giant breath of fresh air for anyone tired of regular heteronormative sites.

OkCupid genuinely wants dating to be a good experience for you, and their non-traditional questions, multi-faceted matchmaking, and modern vibe help you steer clear of feeling like a loser talking to people online while still pushing for lasting connections. 

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"PS5 Slim vs. PS5" is a face-off gamers want to see as they scratch their heads over how Sony's skinnier new console differs from the original variant.

For years, many complained about PS5's bulky, unwieldy body — and Sony finally addressed that with the new PS5 Slim.

Sony announced the new slim PS5 model on Wednesday, following a decades-long tradition of each PlayStation console getting a smaller counterpart midway through its generation. As you can probably tell, it's meant to be smaller than the original 2020 model, but that's not all.

SEE ALSO: 180+ of the best Cyber Monday gaming deals

Here are all the ways in which the new PS5 Slim is different from its predecessor.

Note: While we're dissecting the differences between PS5 vs. PS5 Slim, keep in mind that Sony is reportedly working on a new console called PS5 Pro. It is expected to hit store shelves later this year. We also may get new information regarding the PS5 Pro in the upcoming PlayStation showcase that is reportedly set to launch in May.

PS5 Slim vs. PS5: Price

For whatever reason, Sony has elected to not drop the prices of the new PS5 models. The PS5 Slim with a disc drive is still $499, while the PS5 Slim without a disc drive is, maddeningly, $449 — or a $50 increase over the original digital-only console.

• PS5 Slim (no disc drive) - $449

• PS5 Slim (with disc drive) - $499

• Original PS5 (no disc drive) - $399

• Original PS5 (disc drive) - $499

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon PS5 Slim (no disc drive) Get Deal

With that in mind, yes, the digital-only PS5 Slim is a money-saver in comparison to the one with a disc drive, but not in comparison to the digital-only model that launched three years ago.

The new price also means that buying a digital model before purchasing the additional disc drive would cost more than just snagging the version with a built-in drive. I don't really have a good explanation for any of that.

My only advice is this: If you want a PS5 that only costs $399, you better get one now. Once the existing stock of both original models sells out, the new slim models will replace them on store shelves.

PS5 Slim vs. PS5: Size

Obviously, size is what many gamers are most concerned about here, so let's get right to it. Looking at Sony's stated dimensions, you can see that the new PS5 is indeed smaller than the original:

• Original PS5 (disc version): 104mm (height) x 390mm (width) x 260mm (depth)

• PS5 Slim (disc version): 96mm x 358mm x 216mm

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony PS5 (Original Disc Version) Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Sony PS5 Marvel’s 'Spider-Man 2 Bundle' (Slim, Disc Version) Shop Now

• Original PS5 (digital version): 92mm x 390mm x 260mm

• PS5 Slim (digital version): 80mm x 358mm x 216mm

PS5 Slim models Credit: Sony

In other words, per Sony's announcement blog post, that's about a 30 percent reduction in total volume. That's definitely an improvement, but there's some important context missing in just those raw numbers. The Verge ran a digital size comparison and discovered that both new models are still substantially larger than the Xbox Series X.

In other words, this "slim" console is still pretty dang big.

For a visual comparison, check out this awesome PS5 Slim vs. Regular Reddit post.

SEE ALSO: Save on 'Star Wars Jedi: Survivor,' plus more PlayStation deals this Cyber Weekend PS5 Slim vs. PS5: Horsepower and storage

Another important aspect of the new PS5 models to get out of the way is that they have the exact same internal capabilities as the originals. This isn't a PS4 vs. PS4 Pro situation. Games will run exactly the same across the spectrum of PS5 consoles.

PS5 Slim Credit: Sony

One little internal bonus that owners of the new PS5s get, however, comes in the form of expanded storage. For some reason, the original PS5 only had 825GB of onboard storage, with the option to expand via external SSDs. The new ones have a full 1TB of built-in space, so you can install a few extra games depending on how big they are.

PS5 Slim vs. PS5: Disc drive

Just like at the PS5's launch in late 2020, there are two PS5 Slim models. One of them has a built-in disc drive and the other one is digital-only.

PS5 Slim Credit: Sony

Well, sort of, anyway. There's an optional detachable disc drive you can buy for $79.99. This was actually rumored more than a year ago, but the PS5 models were expected to launch next year — not 2023.

PlayStation deals

PlayStation game deals

• A Plague Tale: Requiem — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)

• Atomic Heart — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III + Limited Collector's Box — $129 $149 (save $20)

• Call of Duty: Vanguard — $15 $59.99 (save $44.99)

• Need For Speed Unbound — $49.99 $79.99 (save $30)

• NHL 23 — $24.99 $69.99 (save $45)

• The Quarry — $9.99 $69.99 (save $60)

PlayStation console deals

• PlayStation 5 + Modern Warfare III Bundle — $539.99 $569.99 (save $30)

• PlayStation 5 + Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Bundle — $499 $559.99 (save $60.99)

• PlayStation 5 Slim (non-bundle) — $499.99

• PlayStation 5 Slim + Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Bundle — $499.99 $559.99 (save $60)

• PlayStation 5 Slim + Call of Duty Modern Warfare III Bundle — $499.99

PlayStation controller deals

• PlayStation 5 DualSense controller — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

• PlayStation 5 DualSense controller (Midnight Black) — $65.99 $69.99 (save $4)

• PlayStation 5 DualSense controller (Gray Camouflage) — $68.85 $74.99 (save $9)

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Are you a micromanager? Especially if you’re a new manager building your confidence and leadership style, check in with yourself and ask these three questions to ensure you’re not leading with a grip. Am I always giving my team advice? There’s nothing wrong with giving your team members advice in situations that truly require it (high-stakes […]

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TL;DR: A three-year subscription to Windscribe VPN Pro is on sale for £56.60 with the code SECURE20.

Just as you lock your front door and look both ways before crossing the street, it’s important to safeguard your digital presence. VPNs offer one solution for online privacy and security, and Windscribe allows you to connect unlimited devices with added perks like an ad blocker.

With this deal, a three-year subscription to Windscribe VPN Pro is down to £56.60 with the code SECURE20. That’s a best-on-web price.

How do VPNs bring enhanced privacy and security? Essentially, they create a secure tunnel between your device and your chosen network while encrypting your data, making it difficult for third parties to intercept your online activities and location. Plus, while connecting to networks in other countries, you may be able to access websites or content on your streaming services that are normally blocked.

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A three-year subscription to Windscribe VPN Pro is on sale for £56.60 with the code SECURE20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Windscribe Windscribe VPN Pro (3-Year Subscription) £56.60 with the code SECURE20 Get Deal

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 April 5'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:

In between the hand and the forearm.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no letters that appear twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter W.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

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 #1021 is...

WRIST.

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.

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 April 5'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: Home goods

• Green: Bottling things up

• Blue: Taste of wine

• Purple: Metal words

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: Pieces of Furniture

• Green: Carry, As A Feeling

• Blue: Wine Tasting Descriptors

• Purple: Starting with Metals

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 #299 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Pieces of Furniture: BED, CHAIR, COUCH, TABLE

• Carry, As A Feeling: BEAR, HARBOR, HOLD, MAINTAIN

• Wine Tasting Descriptors: BALANCED, DRY, FULL, SWEET

• Starting with Metals: GOLDILOCKS, IRONIC, LEADERSHIP, TINDER

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.

OpenAI still hasn't divulged when Sora will be available — or details about its training data — but that hasn't stopped the company from cultivating intrigue by releasing a music video created by the AI video generator.

On Wednesday, OpenAI posted the music video for a song called "Worldweight" by indie musician August Kamp. The video, made with Sora, is a compilation of dreamlike scenes like a giant crystal in a garden, psychedelic glowing plants, and grainy archival-esque footage of underwater coral reefs. The visuals are all very befitting of a musical vibe reminiscent of electronic artists Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin.

SEE ALSO: 8 wild Sora AI videos generated by the new OpenAI tool you need to see

When OpenAI announced Sora in February, it amplified the murky ethical and legal generative AI conversation. Existing questions about training data, copyright infringement, and job replacement regarding ChatGPT and DALL-E are now asked of Sora.

We have some answers, but nothing specific yet. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI CTO Mira Murati said Sora was trained on "publicly available data and licensed data," but didn't know if that included videos from YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

When asked about the potential upheaval of filmmaking and creative industries, Murati reiterated OpenAI's line of getting early feedback from a select group of testers. "We want people in the film industry and creators everywhere to be a part of informing how we develop it further," she said to the Journal. The reportedly slow, deliberate rollout hasn't stopped OpenAI from courting Hollywood film studios and agents.

For Kamp, using Sora to make her video was "how the song has always 'looked'" in her mind. "That's what I think is special about this tool. I get to share what was once locked behind my shut eyes - all alone," she said in an Instagram post.

That's all to say, the polarizing new technology is both terrifying and exciting, depending on who you talk to.

Apple wants to get smart home robots into our households, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Arguably, the Cupertino-based tech giant already had a successful foray into a new category (i.e., mixed-reality headsets), so why not take another risk?

The iPhone maker is reportedly working on a personal bot that can follow owners around their home, Bloomberg said, similar to Samsung's Ballie or Amazon's Astro.

Everything we know so far about the Apple smart home robot

Citing "people who asked not to be identified," Bloomberg wants us to believe that, behind the scenes, Apple engineers are currently exploring personal robots for the home. The project is still in the beginning stages, though, so it's unclear whether it'll be released in the future.

All we know so far is that it supposedly features a built-in display that uses robotics to move automatically. However, this screen has been a source of contention for the company.

At first, Apple reportedly wanted the display to mimic the head movements of callers on FaceTime (e.g., nodding). Engineers also allegedly conceived an idea in which the smart display would have the ability to frame a single person within a crowd during a call.

However, you know how expensive Apple products can be, so the Cupertino-based tech giant was concerned whether consumers would shell out their hard-earned money for such ho-hum features.

Another issue is that engineers have been reportedly struggling with balancing the display's weight on the personal robot's motor. According to Bloomberg, Apple executives are questioning whether the personal smart home robot is a worthy investment at all.

If Apple does, indeed, move forward with the project, it faces huge competition with Roomba, the most popular home robot.

Personal robotics isn't the only category Apple has been diving into behind the scenes. Rumor has it that Apple is focusing its efforts on artificial intelligence more than ever, with Siri potentially benefitting from some of the advancements.

Only time will tell whether Apple's reported personal robotics project will take off like the Apple Vision Pro — or be scrapped like the Apple Car.