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AMAZON PET DAY DEALS: May 8th is Amazon Pet Day. Get deals on enrichment toys, apparel, and more. These deals end at midnight.

Our top picks: Best dog toy deal Nina Ottoson Dog Twister treat puzzle $6.84 at Amazon (save $10.15) Get Deal Best cat toy deal Nina Ottoson Buggin’ Out Puzzle & Play cat puzzle game $12.20 at Amazon (save $6.79) Get Deal Best rabbit toy deal Stacking Cups (8-Piece) $8.09 at Amazon (save $0.90) Get Deal

It’s National Pet Month, and Amazon is celebrating with its annual Amazon Pet Day sale. This 48-hour event (ending at 11:59 p.m. on May 8) offers incredible deals and discounts on a wide range of pet products, from toys to treats and everything in between.

Now’s your chance to upgrade your pet's playtime and stock up on their favorite goodies. In addition to standard playtime favorites like balls, squeaky toys, and ropes, Amazon has hundreds of deals on interactive and engaging toys and puzzles designed to keep your pet entertained for hours.

SEE ALSO: The best dog puzzles to occupy your pup and keep them mentally stimulated

These enrichment toys challenge your pet's mind with puzzles, treat-dispensing features, and interactive elements. They encourage problem-solving and natural instincts like sniffing and foraging.

Here are some of our favorite deals on enrichment toys for pets during Amazon Pet Day:

Best dog toy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nina Ottoson Our pick: Nina Ottoson Dog Twister treat puzzle $6.84 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $10.15 Get Deal Why we like it

The Nina Ottoson Dog Twister treat puzzle is our top pick for dogs. It works with just about any training-sized treat, and the interactive triangle block compartments keep your dog engaged and entertained as they work to find the hidden treats. Even better, this top-rated puzzle toy is available for just $6.84, down from $16.99. That’s a 60% discount.

More enrichment toys for dogs:

• Nina Ottosson Treat Tumble — $5.38 $5.99 (save $0.61)

• Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop — $6.80 $16.99 (save $10.19)

• Nylabone Sneaky Snacker Strong Chew & Treat Toy — $7 $14.99 (save $7.99)

• Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado — $8.08 $15.99 (save $7.91)

• Vivifying Snuffle Mat — $14.99 $18.99 (save $4)

• Starmark Bob-A-Lot — $18.31 $20.99 (save $2.68)

Best cat toy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nina Ottoson Our pick: Nina Ottoson Buggin’ Out Puzzle & Play cat puzzle game $12.20 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $6.79 Get Deal Why we like it

The Nina Ottoson Buggin’ Out Puzzle & Play cat puzzle game is our favorite pick for cats. This interactive puzzle with bug-shaped interactive elements has 16 separate compartments and requires your cat to use their paws and nose to uncover the hidden treats. It can also be used for daily feeding to stimulate your cat's mind and encourage natural hunting behaviors.

Plus, it's currently on sale for only $12.20. That’s a 36% discount.

More enrichment toys for cats:

• Catstages Tower of Tracks — $6.74 $10.99 (save $4.25)

• PetSafe SlimCat Meal-Dispensing Cat Toy — $7.95 $8.95 (save $1)

• Catstages Grass Patch Hunting Box — $9.09 $12.99 (save $3.90)

• Catit Senses 2.0 Digger Interactive Slow Feeder — $15.72 $19.99 (save $4.27)

• Potaroma 3-in-1 Hide and Seek — $22.89 $26.98 (save $4.09)

Best rabbit toy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Mooydee Our pick: Stacking Cups (8-piece) $8.09 at Amazon
$8.99 Save $0.90 Get Deal Why we like it

Dogs and cats aren’t the only pets who can enjoy interactive toys. This eight-piece Stacking Cups set is our top pick for rabbits. The cups feature small holes so you can hide treats or pieces of hay inside, providing mental stimulation and encouraging foraging behavior. (It’s kind of like Montessori for rabbits.) The discount isn’t significant, but bunnies love these little nesting toys. Just look at Instagram, and you'll find countless adorable bunnies playing with these cups.

More enrichment toys for rabbits, hampsters, and gerbils:

• Kaytee Timothy Roll 'n' Toss Toy — $5.20 $8.99 (save $3.79)

• Bissap Bunny Chew Toy — $8.89 $9.98 (save $1.09)

• TWOPER Foraging Rabbit Snuffle Mat — $17 $18.99 (save $1.99)

If you've been saying "Hey, Siri!" to your iPhone only for Apple's digital assistant to ignore you completely (rude), chances are the function hasn't been enabled yet.

In order for Siri to work, you'll need to enable it on your iPhone before you can have the assistant perform tasks like texting your friends or searching the internet hands-free. The process is a simple one and should only take you a minute or two. Here's what you need to do.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new AI: 3 ways Siri could beat ChatGPT How to activate Siri Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• iPhone

Step 1: Go to your iPhone settings.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap "Siri & Search".

Find "Siri & Search" in your iPhone settings Credit: Andy Moser / Apple

Step 3: Tap the switch at the top to turn it green and enable "Listen for 'Hey, Siri'".

How it'll look when Siri is fully enabled on your iPhone Credit: Andy Moser / Apple

Step 4: Your iPhone will prompt you to set up "Hey, Siri" — tap "Continue".

Step 5: You'll be asked to say a series of phrases into your phone.

This calibrates Siri and helps the software understand and react to your individual voice.

Step 6: Then just tap "Done" and "Hey Siri" is successfully set up.

You can now say "Hey Siri" and ask Siri to do a number of different commands, such as calling your mom.

You can also access Siri by using a button on your iPhone (rather than your voice). Again, you'll find this option in your iPhone settings in "Siri & Search."

Under "Listen for 'Hey, Siri'" you'll see an option that says "Press Side Button for Siri" (or, if you have an iPhone model that still has a "Home" button, it'll say "Press Home Button for Siri." Tap the switch on the right to turn it green, which will enable you to hold your side button or Home button to bring up Siri.

Once you have both "Listen for 'Hey, Siri'" and "Press Side/Home button for Siri activated, your Siri & Search settings should look like this:

How it'll look when Siri is fully enabled on your iPhone Credit: Andy Moser / Apple

Siri is now enabled on your iPhone! So next time you say, "Hey, Siri!" she might actually answer you.

Now you're set up, try the 10 best Siri Shortcuts to save you time.

Springtime means bright blooms, longer days, and a new class that's getting ready to graduate college. And if you’re here, that means you’re preparing to look on proudly as a young woman accepts her diploma and takes her first steps into the real world of adulthood. 

Whether she’s your daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin, girlfriend, or best friend, you know how much hard work she put in to get here — so you definitely want to find the perfect gift for her to celebrate how far she’s come.

Depending on her interests and upcoming life milestones, your grad might have more practical items on her wishlist, like kitchen appliances for her new apartment or a laptop to tackle her dream WFH job. Or, she might want something a little more fun — such as a cool gadget — or something more heartfelt, like jewelry. 

The fact is that there are plenty of ways to say "congratulations,” and you can go as sentimental or as utilitarian as you want. Either way, you want to make her feel special and accomplished for earning her degree — and we’ve carefully curated this gift guide to make sure you pick a gift she'll love.

Check out 50 of our suggestions to shower the college grad with love on her big day:

Grandmas are often stereotyped as frail and out of touch, but those aren't the grandmas we know.

Contrary to ageist stereotypes, grandmothers can be into anything: tech, pop culture, even powerlifting. And when the holiday season rolls around every year, it's up to you to find a gift that makes her feel seen and heard — not just as a matriarch, but as a person.

SEE ALSO: Here's where all the best Black Friday 2021 deals will be

Maybe that seems like a big ask. Maybe you're tempted to cop out and get her (yet another) pair of slippers. But here's the thing: You can do so much better than that, and all it takes is a little quality time spent with your grandma to get to know her interests.

Now, setting aside those few hours to chat with Nana, Nonna, Oma, Abuela, Yia-Yia, Mimi, Geema, Gramms — whatever you call her — might be all she wants from you this year, in all honesty. But just in case you feel like going in with your siblings or cousins and getting her something a bit... well, more, we've got you covered.

Here's our list of the best gifts for grandmas, from nostalgic picks to the latest and greatest gadgets.

PSA: Mother's Day 2024 is on Sunday, May 12. You can thank us later.

Mother's Day is an extra exciting holiday for moms who are celebrating for the first time since the arrival of their little bundle of joy. Getting a gift for a new mom is different than shopping for someone who has a few Mother's Days under their belt. You can go all out with the flowers, mugs, and jewelry because, hey, that cliché gift collection has to start somewhere.

SEE ALSO: Here's what to get your mom for Mother's Day if she's a 'cool mom'

A first Mother's Day is special and you want the new mom to feel it. Opt for something sentimental if she's someone who loves sappy gifts. Or treat her to something that will allow her to feel pampered. For a nice added touch, cosign the gift from the new little one — it'll probably be a while before they start picking out their own Mother's Day gifts anyway.

Buying gifts for the special women in your life can be tricky. What do you buy a person who has everything? What should you gift to someone who's picky about their products?

Our advice is to curate a gift according to her interests and personality. A gift for the lady in your life should be just that: A gift for her. Specifically.

If you don't know enough about the lady you're buying for to purchase an ultra-curated gift, go for something useful from a popular brand. Think: a nice set of towels from Brooklinen, or a tasty-smelling candle from Homesick. Skip the kitschy gift this year and opt for something high-quality that she'll actually use.

SEE ALSO: The best gifts for teenage girls, according to teenage girls

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to get you started on your important mission: Finding the gift of all gifts for the lady in your life, filled with classics that will be useful for years to come, and viral products that will keep her on-trend. From tech products to beauty must-haves, there's a gift for every lady on this list.

Moms: We owe them the world. After all, they gave us one. Literally.

There are a lot of ways to show your mom how much you love them on Mother's Day, but nothing hits quite like a gift that's truly sentimental. You know, a gift that really means something. One that will cause your mom to get a little misty with just one look. (Gifting is the only time you should be making your mom cry, by the way. No sad tears here.)

SEE ALSO: Here's what to get your mom for Mother's Day if she's a 'cool mom'

That's a tall order, though. A sentimental gift requires creativity as well as earnestness, and not everyone is a gifted gift-giver. But we are, and if you need some ideas, we've got you covered.

Below you'll find sentimental Mother's Day gift options that will have your mom saying "awwww, kiddo" for years to come.

Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she's your mother-in-law, your best friend's mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.

Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.

The game plan here isn't just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you're not the kid who forgot Mother's Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don't even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother's Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?

SEE ALSO: The best gifts for her

Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it's something to make a part of her life easier, something she's mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can't put a price on everything she's done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.

After all, they say "No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother." But is that even a bad thing?

Instagram has added a bunch of new features for Stories, offering users new ways to share posts, photos, and videos with their followers.

The latest additions to the app's roster of tools include some that are interactive, like "Reveal": a way to post a hidden, blurred story that will only reveal itself once a follower sends a DM. This could be a fun new way to connect with followers, but it's unclear how many people will actually turn to using the sticker.

If you want to be one to try it out, here's how to do it.

How to use Reveal on Instagram Total Time

• 2 minutes.

What You Need

• Instagram app
• Smartphone

Step 1: Go to the Story tab on the top left-side corner of the Instagram homepage, and click on "Create".

Credit: Instagram.

Step 2: Place a picture of your choice from your camera roll.

Step 3: Click on the Stickers icon, and select "Reveal".

Step 4: Here, you'll be prompted to add a hint for your followers that will help them unveil the hidden picture.

You can also click the "Preview" button to see what the story will look like to followers.

Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / Instagram.

Step 5: Post!

Once you post the story, friends can reply to it with a DM. They will only be able to see the picture once they reply.

Featured Video For You How to deactivate your Instagram account

TL;DR: Live sttream the 2024 Giro d’Italia for free on SBS on Demand, RTBF, or RaiPlay. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It really doesn't get much tougher than cycling. We'll be honest and say that we don't fully understand the appeal of setting out in the morning to punish yourself over long climbs through potentially miserable conditions, but this sort of thing clearly works for a lot of people, because we see plenty of enthusiasts out there on the roads every day.

What we can see the appeal of is watching the very best cyclists in the world going wheel to wheel in one of the most prestigious cycling events on the calendar. We're talking about the Giro d'Italia, and we've got all the information you need to watch this year's event.

What is the Giro d’Italia?

The Giro d'Italia is an annual multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in Italy. The Giro d'Italia is one of cycling's most prestigious three-week-long Grand Tours, and is arguably the world's second most important stage race after the Tour de France.

When is the 2024 Giro d’Italia?

The 2024 Giro d'Italia is the 107th edition of the famous race. This year's event takes place from May 4 to May 26.

How to watch the 2024 Giro d’Italia for free

It's possible to live stream the 2024 Giro d'Italia for free on these streaming platforms:

• Australia — SBS on Demand

• Belgium — RTBF

• Italy — RaiPlay

These free streaming services are geo-restricted to their country of origin, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from anywhere else in the world. That is unless you're using 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.

Stream the 2024 Giro d'Italia for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia, Belgium, or Italy

4. Visit SBS on Demand, RTBF, or RaiPlay

5. Watch the 2024 Giro d’Italia for free from anywhere in the world

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

Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these guarantees, you can watch Giro d’Italia live streams without committing with your cash. This is a sneaky trick, but it works.

What is the best VPN for Giro d’Italia?

There are a lot of streaming-friendly VPNs out there for you to consider, but ExpressVPN is probably the best service for live streaming top sporting events. ExpressVPN is a great choice for streaming the Giro d’Italia, for a number of reasons:

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

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This heavily discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can sign up to watch 2024 Giro d’Italia and then recover your investment with the money-back guarantee.

Live stream the 2024 Giro d’Italia for free with ExpressVPN.

Chip and PIN card, phone passcode, hotel safe – how predictable is your chosen PIN number?

3.4 million data points visualized from several data breaches.

Created by the late great Nick Berry of Data Genetics (redesigned and used with permission). He wrote a great data story around this which is also worth a read.

Published in our book, Knowledge is Beautiful.

» See the visualisation

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for May 8 SEE ALSO: 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for May 8

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, May 8, 2024:

AcrossHybrid striped animal whose dad is a 1-Down, and whose mom starts with "h"

• The answer is zorse.

Put into law

• The answer is enact.

Software releases that might still be buggy

• The answer is betas.

"Save it for a ___ day"

• The answer is rainy.

So much

• The answer is alot.

DownBlack-and-white safari animal

• The answer is zebra.

Shaq's last name

• The answer is oneal.

Numerical relationship often written with a colon

• The answer is ratio.

Barely enough, quantity-wise

• The answer is scant.

Online marketplace for crafters

• The answer is Etsy.

After feasting my eyes on the thinnest-ever iPad Pro, which drew me in with its vivid, color-rich, ultra-bright OLED display, the new M2 iPad Air looked like the plain Jane sibling.

The iPad Pro had me looking like Jim Carrey's jaw-dropping character in The Mask while the iPad Air, well, just got an indifferent nod from me.

For some time, the rumor mill claimed that the iPad Air would sport miniLED, borrowing a display perk from the previous-generation 2022 iPad Pro. This incited a little bit of excitement in me. But then, last minute, another rumor shot that down, claiming that miniLED isn't coming to the iPad Air.

As it turns out, it's true. The iPad Air still sports its predecessor's LCD display. Darn!

On the plus side, the iPad Air still comes with some worthy upgrades that may lure Apple enthusiasts into its lair.

SEE ALSO: Everything Apple announced during its iPad event, including new OLED iPad Pro Webcam got moved

If you've ever used an iPad Air on the Magic Keyboard, you may have noticed that the webcam, situated on the top bezel, sits on the side because of the landscape orientation. As such, video conferencing and FaceTime sessions may have felt a little awkward. (After all, we're all used to having webcams sitting on the top frame of our devices.)

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

That's why Apple moved the webcam to the side bezel, ensuring that the 12MP webcam is on top during video calls. There's still no FaceID, though.

New 13-inch model

When I tried working with the iPad Air for week, I thought it felt a little cramped. While some may love the portability of a 10.9-inch display, I thought, "Some extra screen real estate wouldn't hurt."

13-inch iPad Air in all of its glory. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

So when I saw the new iPad Air entrant, the 13-inch model (matching the size of the largest iPad Pro), I was like, "Ooh! This size is just right." Apple said that the 13-inch iPad Air has 30% more screen real estate compared to its predecessor, and yeah, the uptick in spaciousness is unmistakable.

If you don't have a workflow that is intensive on the internals, and you're not affected by the limitations of iPadOS, you can pop this bad boy on a Magic Keyboard for a more comfortable, laptop-esque experience. (Plus, the new Magic Keyboard now has a full function row and a larger haptic trackpad.)

The iPad Air comes in 11-inch and 13-inch models now, but the latter is the showstopper here.

iPad Pro stole its shine

If the iPad Air were chilling on its own, I would have been impressed (particularly with the spacious 13-inch model). However, with the iPad Air sitting next to the iPad Pro, it was easy to see the conspicuous differences in their displays.

After all, you're shelling out less cash, $599 to start via the official Apple Store, which is a wallet-friendly price tag (for Apple, anyway), but this comes with trade-offs.

11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models on max brightness. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

One of those trade-offs is a dimmer screen.

The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models in all of their glory. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Brightness ranges from 500 to 600 nits; compare that to the iPad Pro, which delivers a peak brightness of 1,600 nits.

That being said, if you don't mind splurging, I highly recommend the iPad Pro, particularly if you plan on using this tablet on-the-go. If you'll be using your iPad indoors, however, and you don't sit next to a bright window, the iPad Air should suffice.

It's also worth noting that the iPad Air comes with an M2 chip, the same processor that's inside the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air I'm currently using to type this hands-on review. And during the demo, I saw the M2 chip handle processes like Photomator's "ML Enhance" and "Super Resolution" better than ever, where I saw a photo go from ho-hum to vividly striking in just seconds.

via GIPHY

The iPad Air, particularly the 13-inch model, caught my eye, but next to the iPad Pro, the Air is struggling to stand out.

The iPad Air starts at $599 while the iPad Pro starts at $999.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPad Air (M2) $599.00 at Apple
Get Deal

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPad Pro $999.00 at Apple
Get Deal

When Venus formed billions of years ago, the planet probably had about as much water as Earth.

Thick carbon dioxide clouds in Venus' atmosphere trap heat, making it the hottest planet in the solar system, despite it being farther from the sun in space than Mercury. The runaway greenhouse effect has raised the planet's temperature to a sizzling 900 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NASA. 

But scientists say evaporation from heat can't completely explain why Venus, sometimes known as Earth's evil twin, is the arid wasteland it is today. 

"As an analogy, say I dumped out the water in my water bottle. There would still be a few droplets left," said Michael Chaffin, a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, in a statement. 

On Venus, almost all of those remaining "drops" are gone, too, and a new study co-led by Chaffin puts forward a theory for how it has happened. The answer, according to the research, may be a molecule that could be in the planet's upper atmosphere, known as HCO+, which forms when water mixes with carbon dioxide. 

SEE ALSO: Lava poured out of a volcano on Venus, scientists find Tweet may have been deleted

What makes the finding somewhat odd is that scientists have never detected this molecule around Venus. The team published its research in the journal Nature this week. 

With computer simulations of the planet's chemistry, the scientists discovered that hydrogen atoms in the Venusian atmosphere could escape into space through so-called "dissociative recombination," causing the planet to lose twice as much water daily than previous estimates. 

To get a better sense of just how much less water Venus has than Earth, co-author Eryn Cangi explains it this way: If all of Earth's water could be spread evenly around the world, the planet would be covered in a nearly 2-mile-deep ocean. But on Venus, where almost all of the available water is steam in the air, that liquid would blanket the planet in a paltry single inch of water. 

Venus has the most volcanoes in the solar system, according to NASA. An astronomer recently discovered a volcanic eruption there, evidence that, however inhospitable to life, the planet is still geologically active. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Peter Rubin illustration

"Venus has 100,000 times less water than the Earth, even though it's basically the same size and mass," Chaffin said. 

"Venus has 100,000 times less water than the Earth, even though it's basically the same size and mass."

The HCO+ molecule would form in the atmosphere, but individual ions wouldn't last long, according to the new theory. Instead, electrons in the atmosphere would seek these ions and recombine to split the ions. Through this process, hydrogen atoms would drift away, depleting the planet of one of the two necessary ingredients to make water. This could explain why Venus continues to lose water to space. 

Tweet may have been deleted

Despite scientists never having observed HCO+ around Venus, the research team thinks that might be because no spacecraft that has visited the world has had the right instruments to check. And even though there are upcoming missions planned to study Venus from the sky in the 2030s, such as NASA's DAVINCI and the European Space Agency's Envision, these robotic probes won't have the right tools to detect the molecule, either. 

But getting to the bottom of how Venus dried out could help scientists better understand what can happen to water elsewhere. 

"Water is really important for life," Cangi said. "We need to understand the conditions that support liquid water in the universe."

An extract from Sluts: The Truth About Slutshaming & What We Can Do To Fight It by Mashable contributing writer Beth Ashley.

If the history of slutshaming has taught us anything, it’s that we have been condemning female sexuality and shaming anyone who doesn’t appear to fit sexual norms since long before the smartphone showed up. But the arrival of social media has significantly changed how slutshaming happens, how it’s received, and even how we speak about it.

Someone calls a woman a ‘slut’ or ‘whore’ on X (formerly Twitter) almost 10,000 times per day. According to a 2016 study, 200,000 aggressive tweets were sent using those specific insults in a given month. If you’re counting, that’s about seven abusive tweets per minute, or about 9,500 a day. What’s worse is that half of the offenders were women. Seventy-two per cent of women across the UK, the European Union, the USA, Australia and New Zealand report receiving unsolicited nudes online, a phenomenon commonly dubbed 'cyberflashing'. 

SEE ALSO: Why these former tech workers became sex workers — and love their new lives

The internet has become a breeding ground for slutshaming due to its anonymity and rapid dissemination of content, and to amplify the real-life experiences that happen offline. Photos, videos or posts can be easily shared, commented on or mocked, making it difficult for victims to escape public scrutiny and humiliation. Research has shown that many people who slutshame on the internet aren’t necessarily thinking about their actions at all. The internet has granted anyone with Wi-Fi access the ability to share their personal beliefs publicly, often on impulse, with little thought about the content or the impact this might have on others. This is, in part, due to something called the anonymity and online disinhibition effect. Coined by psychologist John Suler in his 2004 paper "The Online Disinhibition Effect", this is the idea that the internet allows users to remain relatively anonymous. It makes them feel less constrained by social norms, and so they may engage in behaviour they wouldn’t in face-to-face interactions. He wrote that many people on the internet live by a "you can’t see me and you don’t know me" ethos, making them feel free to say whatever the hell they like. 

Slutshaming during adolescence 

Slutshaming has become part and parcel of adolescent cyber bullying. In fact, many girls will likely be sexualized on the internet, including being called a slut – or a slag, hoe, whore or other synonyms – by the time they’re just 12 years old. 

One study found that the internet has offered teenagers new ways to slutshame each other. Boys who want to bully girls who have shared intimate photos with them can do it all too easily with the click of a button. And the trauma can last a lifetime. The research shows that teenage girls can become victims of unwanted dissemination, coercion and blackmail as a result of sexting and nude-swapping, while teenage boys are unlikely to suffer the same backlash. "While it normalises it for boys, girls become victims of slutshaming," it concludes.

The study "Why did she send it in the first place? Victim blame in the context of 'revenge porn'", found that people generally lacked sympathy for victims of non-consensual nude-sharing, specifically because they were naked. They also found that participants tended to assume the victim was promiscuous and were to blame for the image being shared. 

It’s common for girls who’ve sent nudes, or had nudes nonconsensually spread around, to hear slutshaming phrases like: 

• "What did you expect?"

• "You shouldn’t have sent nudes in the first place."

• "She was asking for it."

SEE ALSO: Meta tests tools to protect teen users from sextortion and unwanted nudes The Andrew Tate effect 

To understand how slutshaming has evolved online over the last few years, we have to talk about Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer who’s now one of the biggest social media personalities in the world, renowned for his videos on how to be an alpha male, how men can find "high value women" and for speaking proudly about being a misogynist. Tate has recently been charged with rape, human trafficking and forming an organized crime group to sexually exploit women. Despite this, he has over 8.5 million followers on X alone, plus more on other social media platforms. He’s also in the top 5 most googled people in the US and is the number one most influential person in the US. According to statistics provided by YouGov in 2023, a quarter of men in the UK aged between 18 and 29 who had heard of Tate agreed with his views on how women should be treated. And 28 percent of men between 30 and 39 supported his views too. 

SEE ALSO: Andrew Tate is affecting what kids believe about relationships

What views are they, you ask? Here are just a few things he’s said about sluts: 

• "I would not see male infidelity as even one per cent as disgusting as female infidelity because female infidelity involves emotion."

• "Any woman who can say, 'I fuck dudes and I don’t care about it' is fundamentally broken. Her soul is broken. I don’t want no broken bitch near me."

• "In the modern world if I meet a girl who’s thirty-three and single, I know the amount of dick that’s been through her before me is just simply unattractive."

Tate is a dangerous person with a massive reach, and he seems to have a lot of men – and some women too – in the palm of his hand. When we look at how conversations about sex on apps like TikTok are changing, we can see his influence, and the influence of others like him, taking shape in very harmful ways

No one ever deserves to be slutshamed for their sexual expression, on or offline. No one ever deserves to be shamed for finding and enjoying their sexual selves. And no one should ever be subjected to non-consensual sharing of nudes. It’s time we make slutshaming itself a shameful act, rather than sexual expression – online as well as in real life. We must call out people who perpetuate rape culture on the internet, correct our friends who lack sympathy for victims of online abuse and slutshaming, and call our friends into sex positive spaces online.

Sluts: The Truth About Slutshaming & What We Can Do To Fight It by Beth Ashley (Penguin Random House) is published 9 May.

In 2008, at the Macworld conference in San Francisco, Steve Jobs pulled the original MacBook Air out of a manila envelope, thus ushering the era of ultra-light, "Air" Apple devices.

And although some MacBook Air variants did put on weight in the following years – there's now a larger, 15-inch variant – the company's Air lineup more or less stayed very light and nimble.

But in the company's most recent iPad lineup, introduced at yesterday's "Let Loose" event, the "Air" moniker makes little sense. At the event, Apple introduced two new iPad Air and two new iPad Pro devices — both available with either an 11-inch or a 13-inch display. And this time, the Airs are both heavier and thicker than the Pros.

The new king is here, both in power and in lightness. Credit: Apple

The 11-inch iPad Pro is 0.21 inches thick and weighs 0.98 pounds, while the 11-inch iPad Air is slightly thicker, at 0.24 inches, and weighs 1.02 pounds. Similarly, the 13-inch iPad Pro is 0.20 inches thick and weights 1.28 pounds, while the 13-inch iPad Air is 0.24 inches thick and weighs 1.36 pounds.

The new iPad Air isn't heavy by any means, but we're not sure it still deserves the name. Credit: Apple

It's also worth pointing out that the 11-inch iPad Air is just a hair (0.03 pounds) lighter than the 10.9-inch iPad, which costs considerably less (the 11-inch Air starts at $599 while the iPad starts at $349).

The new iPad Airs have a bit of a saving grace, though: They're overall a little shorter than their iPad Pro brethren. The 11-inch iPad Air measures 9.74 by 7.02 inches, while the 11-inch iPad Pro is 9.83 by 6.99 inches. The 13-inch iPad Air measures 11.04 inches by 8.46 inches, making it both shorter and narrower than the 13-inch iPad Pro, which measures 11.09 by 8.48 inches. Those differences are small enough to be negligible in real life use, though.

SEE ALSO: iPad Pro 2024 vs. M3 MacBook Air: What are the differences?

It's not a big deal for the non-nitpicking customer (that, dear reader, is not us), but it is odd. Apple's Air devices were never just cheaper versions of the Pros, they were a lighter, thinner, smaller alternative, making you feel like you got a bit more (if you consider less weight and size to be more) for your money. Now, the iPad Air is just a cheaper, slightly heavier version of the iPad Pro. Maybe it needs a new name?

Stray Kids became the first full K-pop group to ever attend the Met Gala on Monday, with all eight members present at the annual fundraising fashion event. Unfortunately, the momentous occasion was marred by "disrespectful" and "racist" comments made by photographers covering the red carpet, infuriating K-pop fans all around the world.

In a widely circulated clip from USA Today's arrivals livestream, Stray Kids members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N are shown arriving at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art for the event. Wearing coordinated red, white, and navy Tommy Hilfiger suits, the K-pop idol group pose together for clusters of photographers.

SEE ALSO: The 2024 Met Gala was filled with floral fashion. The internet had thoughts. Credit: Taylor Hill / Getty Images

It's a loud environment, filled with people shouting directions over crowd chatter. Even so, several photographers can clearly be heard making remarks they might not have had they known that Stray Kids most certainly understand English — or that their comments were being livestreamed.

Tweet may have been deleted

Sarcastically telling Stray Kids to "tone it down," the Met Gala photographers complained that the K-pop idol group wasn't expressive enough for their liking. It was a particularly incongruous criticism considering that other guests such as Gustav Magnar Witzøe, Wisdom Kaye, Zendaya, and Willow and Jaden Smith weren't similarly admonished despite showing an equivalent amount of emotion.

"I've never seen so many unemotional faces in my life," one photographer said of Stray Kids.

"They're robots," said another.

Characterising Asians as robotic and unfeeling is a racist stereotype that has persisted for decades. Such false narratives dehumanise Asian people, leading to ostracisation, hate, and violence against them — as well as negatively impacting their mental health.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Credit: Taylor Hill / Getty Images

But the group of Met Gala photographers continued, several loudly complaining when Stray Kids took off their coats, and grousing that they now had to take more photos of the group. Outfit changes aren't an outlandish concept for the Met Gala. The event's co-host Zendaya even swapped out her custom blue John Galliano for Maison Margiela dress for a vintage black Givenchy gown later that night. Lady Gaga brought no less than four outfit changes to the 2019 event.

Even so, Stray Kids simply shedding their jackets was apparently too much for these photographers to handle. In fact, some of them can be heard in the video commenting they'd have to explain it was still the same K-pop group, suggesting that others would think Stray Kids were completely different people merely because they'd removed their coats.

"You gotta explain that shit," said one. "They're gonna be, 'ah, two K-pop bands.'"

"That's funny," said another.

The idea that all Asian people look the same is another persistent racist stereotype that dehumanises and reduces them to a homogenous mass.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

During the shoot, the photographers also yelled at Stray Kids to jump or "do something crazy," asked them how to say certain words in Korean, and seemed to mockingly joke that the group were going to start performing right there on the red carpet — a stark contrast to the photographers' behaviour when other celebrities were in front of their lenses. 

Combined with repeated calls of "annyeonghaseyo" ("hello" in Korean) and a comment labelled as "arigato" ("thank you" in Japanese) in the video, the whole ordeal left a bad taste in many people's mouths. Viewers from across K-pop fandoms have slammed the Met Gala photographers, calling their behaviour "disgusting" and "xenophobic."

"treating them like fucking zoo animals because the photographers assume they don't know english is so disgusting," wrote Twitter/X user @saimingki.

"don't need to be a fan of stray kids to recognize the blatant xenophobia," said @mygucciburned98. "this is so disgusting and disheartening"

"Not a Stay or even a fan, but I know they too work hard for their dreams. So what the f... did I just watch?? How rude and disrespectful!" commented @cypherluscious. Stray Kids' fans are called "Stay."

Mashable has reached out to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for comment.

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

This rude reception is unlikely to have flown over Stray Kids' heads either. Leader Bang Chan and rapper Felix are fluent in English, both being Korean-Australian, while most of the other members have at least a fair command of the language. 

"Had such a great time because everyone treated us so respectfully~😊" Bang Chan reportedly posted to K-pop fan app Bubble later that night. Many fans have interpreted this statement as sarcastic.

Social media has also praised Bang Chan and his Stray Kids for handling the situation with poise and grace, despite knowing exactly what the photographers were shouting at them. It undoubtedly wasn't what the K-pop group had been hoping for from their first Met Gala experience.

"if i were skz i would nawt be staying professional oml im not their biggest fan but damn props to them for keeping their composure in front of all that bs," wrote @haobaoshearts.

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

The issue of anti-Asian racism gained significant attention over the past few years. Asian communities around the world have faced increased racist rhetoric and violent attacks, as many erroneously blamed them for the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, it seems as though this increased awareness still hasn't led to more thoughtful behaviour from some.

TL;DR: Watch Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first leg of the semi-final matchup between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich delivered quality in abundance, but nothing was really decided. Both teams tested each other out, but everything will come down to the result in Madrid. It's going to be a real battle between two giants of European football. The winner will meet Borussia Dortmund in the final.

If you want to watch Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich?

Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich will begin their second-leg match at 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST on May 8. This fixture takes place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free

Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, 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 Austria, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV 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 Austria

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Stream Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to provide free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to ServusTV without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

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

Stream Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free with ExpressVPN.

I wanted the Apple Pencil Pro, leaked a few days before Apple's "Let Loose" livestream on May 7, to have two things: FindMy support and a Space Black colorway.

Apple only answered one of those prayers. Hallelujah! The Apple Pencil Pro has FindMy support. As clumsily forgetful as I am, this is a necessity.

Sadly, there's no Space Black Apple Pencil Pro, but the Apple Pencil Pro still has a ton of new features that I got to play around with at a recent New York City showcase.

SEE ALSO: Everything Apple announced during its iPad event, including new OLED iPad Pro "Squeeze me!"

Like the rumor mill predicted, there is, indeed, a new squeeze gesture on the Apple Pencil Pro. When I squeezed the Apple Pencil Pro for myself, allowing my forefinger to sit on the flat edge while pinching it, I felt some barely there, satisfying haptic feedback that brought up the tool palette in the Freeform app.

Giving the Apple Pencil Pro a lil' squeeze. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

And just like that, I was able to select the pen type, color, line weight, opacity, and more.

Of course, this won't be the only feature that the squeeze gesture can access. This perk has opened up to developers, so you'll enjoy using the fun new gesture with other apps, opening a whole new world of Apple Pencil Pro fun.

The barrel roll

The barrel roll was my favorite feature to experiment with at the showcase. This feature lets you employ a twisting motion with the Apple Pencil, expanding the cool things you can do with your digital artistic creations.

For example, in Procreate (a drawing app), I pulled up a colorful illustration of a woman with dangly blue earrings.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

To add a cool spiral design to the earring, all I needed to do was use the "Liquify" feature before rotating the tip of the Apple Pencil Pro on the sapphire gem. And just like that, I transformed her earring, solid and a bit dull, into a twirly, swirly fun adornment.

I also tried the barrel roll feature in Procreate Dreams, an animation app.

via GIPHY

I dragged an object into an animation scene. While twisting the Apple Pencil, not only could I have the object traverse the scene from side to another, but I could also ensure that it rotates to show different dimensions as the scene progressed. I'm no animator, but with this feature, I felt like I was ready to animate the next Pixar film. (Hire me, Disney!)

Hover comes to M2 iPad Air

Thus far, I tried all of these features on the new M4 iPad Pro.

via GIPHY

So I decided to try these features on the newly announced M2 iPad Air with the same success. It's also worth noting that Apple expanded the hover feature to the M2 iPad Air, allowing you to preview your stroke before committing to it.

I know this is obvious, but it's still worth noting that the iPad Pro's display is significantly better than the screen on the iPad Air. It was so easy for me to scribble and play around on the iPad Pro, which has a brilliant, vivid OLED display. However, the iPad Air was showcased in a bright room, so its less premium panel wasn't has visible as its upper-tier sibling.

You can really see the difference between the iPad Pro's 1,600-nit display (peak) and the iPad Air's 500-600 nit screen.

Haptic feedback is subtle, but welcomed

I played around with the Apple Pencil Pro's haptic feedback after pulling up the tool palette (with the new squeeze gesture, of course) and tapping on the undo button.

Apple Pencil Pro on the iPad Pro Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

A semi-circle of undo icons popped up. The more icons I passed with the Apple Pencil Pro tip, the more that disappears (and gets undone) from your screen. Along with this feature, I felt a subtle "tick" of haptic feedback with each icon that I touched.

You can also feel haptic feedback when you use the double tap feature to switch between the eraser and pen, for example, giving you more confidence during your workflow.

Apple Pencil Pro compatibility

No, the Apple Pencil Pro isn't compatible with any previous models of the iPad Pro, not even the 2022 variants.

Why? There appears to be some sort of new charging mechanism for the Apple Pencil Pro that makes it incongruent with older models. As such, the Apple Pencil Pro is only for the new M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro models. (You can also use the USB-C Apple Pencil for these new iPads, too.)

Another bummer is that the Apple Pencil 2 is not compatible with the new iPads.

The Apple Pencil Pro is $129 via Apple's official website, the same price as the Apple Pencil 2.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Apple Pencil Pro $129.00 at Apple
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SAVE $155.03: Through May 12, get the most out of the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite with an all-in-one certification course bundle on sale for $24.97, down from the regular price of $180. That's an 86% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Adobe The All-in-One Adobe Creative Cloud Suite Certification Course Bundle $24.97 at the Mashable Shop
$180.00 Save $155.03 Get Deal

Having professional creative skills can open doors to careers in graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, and more. Whether you're looking to start a new career, enhance your existing skills, or unleash your creative potential, learning how to use the expansive Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, an industry-standard program, could take you to the next level. And there's a great deal to help you learn the ins and outs of the creative suite today.

The All-in-One Adobe Creative Cloud Suite Certification Course bundle is on sale for just $24.97, down from the regular price of $180. That's an 86% discount, or $155.03 off. This bundle provides expert-led training in some of the most powerful tools in the creative industry. It covers a range of Adobe Creative Cloud applications including Illustrator, Lightroom, Photoshop, Premier Rush, and more to help you become proficient in multiple tools and techniques.

New users should begin with the Complete Adobe Premiere Pro CC Course: Beginner to Advanced 2022. This is where you'll learn the basics, including how to download and install Adobe Premiere Pro (software is not included). From there, expect to learn essentials like how to create a new project, layers, editing, transitions, animations, and more. You will even learn how to edit to a musical beat if you'd like to try a new productivity hack.

Another beginner course covers Illustrator. This hands-on course gets you started designing logos. Work on several logo projects, create your own graphics, and recreate a hand-drawn picture in the app by the time you're through. 

The 2022 Adobe Animate Games & Characters course helps users familiar with Flash use Adobe Animate to create games, draw and animate, enhance JavaScript skills, and more. There's even a course that teaches the basics of Adobe Premiere Rush so you can edit videos on your phone.

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Until May 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get this Adobe Creative Cloud Suite online learning bundle on sale for $24.97 (reg. $180).

StackSocial prices subject to change.