Mashable

The Google Pixel 9 and Google Pixel 9 Pro are set to launch later this year, but the question is, how will they differ from the previous generation?

I don't know about you, but I want to see Google step it up with a new set of features that will blow competitors away. According to leaks and rumors, however, it appears that the Pixel 9 series will be playing "catch up" with some of the biggest players on the market.

I won't keep you in suspense for long, so here's the scuttlebutt we've been hearing about the Google Pixel 9 and Google Pixel 9 Pro.

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

If the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro follows Google's typical launch pattern, the next-generation devices will have a release date some time in October.

Google typically unveils its new-generation Pixel phones at its Made by Google event in the fall — and we doubt that will change with the Google Pixel 9 series.

For reference, here are the release dates for the previous device launches:

• Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro - Oct. 4, 2023

• Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro - Oct. 6, 2023

• Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro - Oct. 19, 2023

The only time Google did not launch in October was in 2020, the year when the pandemic shook up the tech hardware industry. (Even Apple didn't launch their iPhone until October that year, even though they typically unveil their new handsets in September.)

Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro price

There aren't any credible rumors on pricing, however, Google already increased the price tags of both devices last year, bumping them by $100.

As such, we doubt that Google will instate yet another price hike for 2024. That being said, the expected price tags for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are the following:

• Pixel 9 - $699

• Pixel 9 Pro - $999

Interestingly, however, according to 91Mobiles, Google may consider bringing a third phone into the mix, offering a trio of devices similar to the Galaxy S24 series. The Pixel 9 Pro XL will reportedly be the most expensive tier of the Google Pixel 9 lineup.

Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro — and a Pixel 9 Pro XL?

As mentioned, 91Mobiles claims that Google is launching a Pixel 9 Pro XL in addition to the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro.

This wouldn't be the first time the Google introduced an "XL" phone into the mix. The last time we saw an "XL" device was the Pixel 5 series — and we haven't seen it since.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL will reportedly have the following specs:

• 6.5-inch, QHD+, OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate

• Triple-camera setup

Interestingly, if these specs are accurate, Pixel 9 Pro XL will feature a slight reduction from the Pixel 8 Pro's 6.7-inch display.

You may be wondering, "What does it look like?" Funny story. So popular leaker @Onleaks, also known as Steve H.McFly on X, revealed what they thought was the Pixel 9 Pro on Jan. 24.

Tweet may have been deleted

As it turns out, the Pixel 9 Pro renders are actually the Pixel 9 Pro XL, according to clarification from @Onleaks via 91mobiles.

Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro design

Unlike the current generation, which has rounded edges, the Pixel 9 series will reportedly have flat edges, similar to the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24 series.

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According to 91mobiles, here's what we know about the Pixel 9:

• 6.03-inch display

• 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm

• Comes in Black, similar to the rumored Pixel 9 Pro XL

The Pixel 9 Pro, on the other hand, will sport the following:

• 6.1-inch display

• 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm

• Comes in Blue

Interestingly, according to a leak from Rozekted, the Pixel 9 Pro still sports a temperature sensor, a feature Mashable's Alex Perry found to be quite useless while reviewing the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro camera

Both phones will sport a hole-punch selfie camera, just like their predecessors.

The Pixel's distinctive camera visor design is getting a change, too, apparently. Instead of a rectangular-esque visor extending from edge to edge, the new visor will have more of a pill-shaped design.

Tweet may have been deleted

The Pixel 9 will have a dual-camera rear setup. The Pixel 9 Pro, alongside the Pixel 9 Pro XL, will reportedly have a triple-camera setup. At the time of writing, details on the shooters' specs are sparse.

Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro specs

According to Rozetked and 91mobiles, you'll find the next-gen Tensor chip inside the Pixel 9 series, likely the Tensor G4 processor.

Per the former, the Pixel 9 Pro will sport 16GB of RAM, a step up from the Pixel 8 Pro's 12GB of memory. As more companies take deeper plunges into the world of AI, this isn't surprising. While running AI in the background, these devices are going to need all the memory they can get.

Other specs you'll reportedly find across the Pixel 9 series:

• New Qi2 charging technology, which increases wireless charging up to 15W and offers better alignment (similar to MagSafe)

• New "Adaptive Touch" feature, which lets you adjust the display's sensitivity based on your surroundings

• Satellite connectivity via a Samsung modem upgrade

The next big Google event is Google I/O, but don't expect the search-engine tech giant to reveal any of the Pixel 9 devices there.

Instead, keep an eye out for the Google Pixel 8a. As mentioned, the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro (and perhaps a Pixel 9 Pro XL) are expected to drop some time in October.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Pixel 8 Pro $799.00 at Amazon
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Donald Trump's trial has been the focus of many hours of coverage over the past week — including on the Daily Show — and Jon Stewart isn't happy about it. In the clip above he takes particular issue with the rolling news coverage, which has been focussed on everything from Trump's car making its way to the court house to analysing Trump's facial expressions in courtroom art.

"At some point in this trial, something important and revelatory is going to happen, but none of us are going to notice because of the hours spent on his speculative facial ticks," Stewart says. "If the media tries to make us feel like the most mundane bullshit is earth-shattering, we won't believe you when it's really interesting. It's your classic boy-who-cried-Wolf Blitzer."

You can watch Jon Stewart's other recent monologues here.

If you're looking to cancel your Netflix subscription and delete your account completely, you've come to the right place. Below, you'll find directions on how to delete your Netflix account on your desktop and on your phone.

How to delete your Netflix account on desktop Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• Laptop or computer
• Netflix account

Step 1: Log in to your Netflix account.

You can do this through Netflix's website.

Step 2: Click on your profile icon, then click it again in the top right corner of the screen.

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Netflix

Step 3: Select "Account" from the drop-down menu that appears.

This will take you to your account page.

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Mashable

Step 4: Once there, click "Cancel Membership."

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Netflix

Step 5: Click "Finish cancellation" to cancel your account.

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Netflix

Your account will be canceled at the end of the current billing period, and your information will be automatically deleted 10 months after the account has been canceled.

If you choose to restart your account within 10 months after cancellation, you will still be able to access your old profile and viewing preferences.

If you want to delete your account immediately, contact privacy@netflix.com from the email address used for your Netflix account.

How to delete your Netflix account on your phone

You cannot delete your Netflix account directly in the app, but you can delete it from your phone's browser.

Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• iPhone
• Netflix account

Step 1: Open the Netflix app and log into your account.

Step 2: Click on the menu in the top left corner of the screen.

It's the three horizontal lines.

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Netflix

Step 3: Select "Account" from the drop-down menu that appears.

This will take you to your account page.

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Mashable

Step 4: Once there, scroll past your membership details and click "Cancel Membership."

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Mashable

Step 5: Click "Finish cancellation" to cancel your account.

Credit: Screenshot: Belen Edwards / Mashable

As with canceling on desktop, your account will be canceled at the end of the current billing period, and your information will be automatically deleted 10 months after the account has been canceled.

And, if you choose to restart your account within 10 months after cancellation, you will still be able to access your old profile and viewing preferences.

However, if you want to delete your account immediately, contact privacy@netflix.com from the email address used for your Netflix account.

On a roll with canceling your streaming services? Here's how to cancel Apple TV+.

NASA hoped its Ingenuity helicopter would fly at least once. It took flight 72 times.

The historic craft — the first to ever make a powered, controlled flight on another planet — flew distances as far as 2,315 feet across Mars' Jezero Crater, a basin that once teemed with water, likely creating a lake some 22 miles wide. It served as a reliable scout to the space agency's Perseverance rover, as these robots sleuthed the best places to look for potential evidence of past microbial life on the Red Planet.

The new NASA video below (one-minute long) shows how Ingenuity buzzed over Mars, crossing over rugged and hilly terrain before arriving at its final landing spot months ago. On flight 72, the experimental chopper crashed in a dried-up river valley.

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

"We never planned for such a long mission," Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity’s project manager, said at a media briefing. "We originally had a single logbook, hoping for one successful flight to be logged in that logbook. Eventually got to five [flights] and were extremely excited to proceed into our extended operations demonstration."

That smooth, sandy terrain was ultimately Ingenuity's demise. The helicopter navigated by using software to track the movement of objects, like rocks, below. But the sandy dunes were largely "featureless," NASA explained.

"The more featureless the terrain is, the harder it is for Ingenuity to successfully navigate across it," the space agency said in a statement. "The team believes that the relatively featureless terrain in this region was likely the root cause of the anomalous landing."

"We never planned for such a long mission."

A hard landing broke multiple rotors, which doomed any future flights. To take to the air, Ingenuity spun its four-foot rotor blades at a blazing 2,400 revolutions every minute. This was necessary to generate the lift needed for flight: The Martian atmosphere is quite thin, with a density about one percent of Earth's, so the rapid rotors must spin fast enough to move enough molecules under its rotors.

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NASA's Ingenuity flight was the beginning of the agency's aerial endeavors on other worlds. NASA is considering a Mars plane, and in four years will launch a "rotorcraft" — with eight spinning rotors — to Saturn's moon Titan, a world harboring tantalizing dunes and seas of methane.

Google's Gemini app for Android might soon show AI-generated responses in real-time.

The feature, spotted by Android expert AssembleDebug via PiunikaWeb, shows the ability to turn on "Real-time responses" in AI assistant's settings. So instead of waiting for a full response, Gemini will show its response as its processing.

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This is how Gemini works on desktop. When you ask the chatbot a question, Gemini answers as it's "typing" out the question. But currently, Android users have to wait for the fully processed response to publish. The response only takes a few seconds, but a faster perceived experience on mobile can be achieved by showing the response progressively, particularly for lengthy text.

Google announced Gemini for mobile in February as a standalone app for Android users. There isn't yet an iOS app, but iPhone users can still use Gemini through the Google app. With text and image generation, and integration with Google Assistant, Gemini is touted as an AI assistant on-the-go. Gemini had a rocky launch, which included inaccurately depicting Nazis as people of color. But the company is powering ahead with model improvements and new features.

This year has been all about on-device AI. Samsung has packed its smartphones with Galaxy AI, a collection of AI features like drafting messages, editing photos, and translation. Rumors are also swirling about Apple announcing generative AI features at this year's WWDC — and it might even be powered by Google Gemini according to reported discussions between the two tech giants.

Suffice to say, we can expect a lot more mobile generative AI features like real-time responses rolling out soon.

TL;DR: As of April 23, the TYPE S 12V Battery Jump Starter, which has integrated jumper cables, a USB-C cable, and a Qi-compatible wireless charging pad — is on sale for only $69.99 (reg. $119). 

A dead battery on your phone can be inconvenient. A dead battery in your car could be a whole lot worse depending on where you are. You might already have jumper cables in the trunk, but there's no guarantee another car is going to come around. Instead, you may be able to jump your car yourself and charge your phone right after all using the same device. 

The TYPE S 12V Jump Starter and Power Bank is a compact answer to a variety of low batteries. It has built-in jumper cables and can charge USB-C or Qi-compatible devices, and it still only costs $69.99 (reg. $119).

Great for camping, road trips, or emergency kits

It may not be much bigger than your phone, but this little gadget could be make a big difference in an emergency. The TYPE S has a built-in 8,000mAh power bank that you can use to jump-start a car battery or charge a variety of mobile devices. 

Use the integrated jumper cables to start engines up to 6.0L or diesel engines up to 3.0. Jumping your car can be intimidating at first, but the TYPE S has protection for over-discharge, polarity, low voltage, and reverse charging. Plus, you can always check the LCD screen for a step-by-step guide to jumping your car along with safety notifications. 

Need to signal another car on the road? Or maybe just find your phone at night? The TYPE S also has LEDs with multiple lighting presets. Use the flashlight to light the way or signal in an emergency with red hazard lights. 

Charging your phone is a little easier. Use the integrated USB-C cable for wired charging or put Qi-enabled devices on the wireless charging pad. 

Jump your car or charge your phone

Whether the battery is in your car or your phone, this portable power bank could be the difference between a little delay and a major disaster. 

For a limited time, get the TYPE S 122V Battery Jump Starter and Power Bank for $69.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: TYPE S TYPE S 12V 6.0L Battery Jump Starter with Built-In Cable, LCD Display & 8,000mAh Qi Power Bank (Black/USB-C) $69.99 at the Mashable Shop
$119.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

TL;DR: As of April 23, enjoy a smooth shave with this Gillette Body Razor that comes with nine refill blades — on sale for $14.99 for a limited time (reg. $24).

Same trusted brand, much lower price

Your body and your face aren't quite shaped the same, so it might be time for a razor to match. The Gillette Body Razor has three lubricating strips built into every cartridge to help keep your shave smooth, clean, and comfortable. The razor itself has an ergonomic handle with anti-slip grip for shower shaving. Regularly $24, you can score 40% off and get it for just $14.99.

Shave with a razor that's designed to hug your body. The Gillette Body Razor has a forward-pivoting head that moves with the contours of your skin. Even if you have thick body hair, the floating Powerglide® blades offer a quick and clean shave. And when one cartridge starts getting dull, you'll have another nearby. This Gillette bundle comes with nine refill razor cartridges. 

Keep in mind that these razors may get dull faster than the one you use for your face simply because there may be more of your body to shave. Good thing this set gives you plenty of spares! 

Shave 40% off the cost of this Gillette razor

Treat your body as well as you treat your face and get a razor that could help avoid bumps, cuts, and razor burn. 

Get the Gillette Body Razor and nine refill blade cartridges on sale for $14.99 (reg. $24). 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Gillette Gillette Body Razor + 9 Refill Blade Cartridges $14.99 at the Mashable Shop
$24.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

TL;DR: As of April 23, you can get a Bionik Pro Kit+ for Xbox Series X/S with gaming accessories for just $39.99 (reg. $89).

Attention gamers! If you'd like to elevate your Xbox Series X/S play situation, this bundle might be for you. This Bionik Pro Kit+ features things to help you create a better experience when you're behind the console. It's also on sale for just $39.99, saving you 55% on the regular price of $89.

This pro kit is designed only for the Xbox Series X/S. Gain a competitive edge with the over-ear headset that keeps you immersed in your world of play. It features 50mm drivers for optimal sound and an integrated mic so you can chat and strategize with your fellow online players. This headset even has a cool RGB color accent.

You'll also get a dual-port charge base for your controllers so you can efficiently power them up. It also features back-lit indicators and an adjustable USB cord. The two included high-capacity rechargeable batteries have custom covers for a uniform look. 

The bundle also comes with a high-quality ten-foot LYNX cable reinforced with KEVLAR that's made to withstand over 30,000 bends. Using the ten-foot cable extender, you can extend the USB power from the console to the accessories. Please note that the actual controllers are not included.

This comprehensive package is designed to enhance your gaming experience and help you stay on top of your game without breaking the bank.

Pick up this Bionik Pro Kit+ featuring accessories for Xbox Series X/S for just $39.99 (reg. $89) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bionik Bionik® Pro Kit+ for Xbox Series X/S + Essential Gaming Accessories $39.99 at the Mashable Shop
$89.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

TL;DR: Through May 6, if you're trying to improve your posture or reduce back pain, try the BetterBack™ Luxe Posture Support featured on Shark Tank, on sale for $39.97 (reg. $59). 

Correcting your posture may sound a whole lot easier than it actually is. Whether you're sitting at your desk working or trying to keep your back straight, working on your posture is a constant thing, and a little help could be welcome. 

The BetterBack Luxe is a compact and ergonomic back support device that could help you improve your posture, reduce back pain, and sit comfortably almost anywhere. As simple as a posture support device sounds, the BetterBack is actually the culmination of some serious engineering, including memory foam made by NASA. That's how this Shark Tank feature could turn even the most uncomfortable stool into an ergonomic seat, but you can still get it for $39.97 (reg. $59). 

Make every chair ergonomic 

You don't need to balance a stack of books on your head to correct your posture. Turn your back on uncomfortable stools and brutal benches. With the BetterBack, you could turn virtually any seat into a comfortable, ergonomic chair. 

Between the webbing straps, memory foam padding, and slip-resistant knee pads, correcting your posture may actually be the most comfortable option. There's even a water-resistant outer shell that could come in handy if you're sweating on the bleachers watching the game. 

Comfort isn't the only thing the BetterBack has to offer. The manufacturers even say wearing the BetterBack for just 15 minutes a day can help retrain the body's default posture. Whether you're studying, working, gaming, or eating, this posture support has your back. 

Comfortable and portable back support

Don't take poor posture sitting down. 

Until May 6 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get the BetterBack™ Luxe Posture Support on sale for $39.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: BetterBack BetterBack™ Luxe Posture Support $39.97 at the Mashable Shop
$59.99 Save $20.02 Get Deal

Our farthest-away spacecraft isn't finished yet.

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, at over 15 billion miles away and hurtling ever-deeper into the cosmos, beamed back crucial data about its health for the first time in five months. NASA released a photo of mission engineers celebrating the success of their software patch with raised arms and wide grins.

"After some inventive sleuthing, the mission team can — for the first time in five months — check the health and status of the most distant human-made object in existence," the space agency said in an online post.

SEE ALSO: NASA spacecraft keeps on going faster and faster and faster

The pioneering and beloved Voyager 1, however, isn't completely out of the woods. "The next step is to enable the spacecraft to begin returning science data again," NASA explained. Before the mishap, which began in November 2023, Voyager 1 was returning unprecedented data about the radiation in interstellar space and how far the sun's protective bubble of energy and particles extends into the cosmos. (Its sister craft, Voyager 2, at over 12 billion miles, continues to send back this information.)

"The science data that the Voyagers are returning gets more valuable the farther away from the Sun they go, so we are definitely interested in keeping as many science instruments operating as long as possible," Linda Spilker, Voyager’s project scientist, said last year.

Tweet may have been deleted NASA engineers working on a Voyager craft in 1976. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

Though NASA has repeatedly fixed software glitches on the aging Voyager craft, each over a half-century-old now, the situation was prolonged enough to grow worrisome. Early this month, the space agency noted "corrupted memory" had indeed caused the interstellar probe to send back indecipherable information. One of the onboard computers, the flight data subsystem (FDS), had a single chip that no longer worked.

What's more, engineers couldn't just pop the hood. "Space is hard. Interstellar space is harder," NASA posted on X (formerly Twitter), in February. "Solving issues like this takes time – because it takes more than 22 hours for a message to travel from Earth to my twin Voyager 1 and another 22 hours for a response to make it back."

"Space is hard. Interstellar space is harder."

As the corrupted chip couldn't be replaced, NASA engineers sent a deep space signal to Voyager to store the chip's unique code in other chips, as "no single location is large enough to hold the section of code in its entirety." It worked.

What's next? Voyager engineers will similarly now move and test code responsible for the mission's science data.

Beyond inevitable software mishaps on old hardware (hardware that's also exposed to the hostile particles zipping through interstellar space, known galactic cosmic rays), the probes' greatest limiting factor is nuclear fuel. Supplies are running low; in the next few years, some scientific instruments will likely need to be powered down. It's possible that NASA can keep the Voyager craft communicating through the mid-2030s.

Yet even when communication ceases, the mission will carry on. Voyager craft carry "a kind of time capsule, intended to communicate a story of our world to extraterrestrials," the space agency explained. "The Voyager message is carried by a phonograph record, a 12-inch gold-plated copper disk containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth."

If anyone beyond Earth ever gets to listen, they'll be lucky: The records contain tunes from Chuck Berry.

Watcher has finally addressed the massive backlash to its paid independent streaming platform. Unsurprisingly, it involves both an apology and a rehaul of how its subscription service will operate.

Adopting a much more muted tone than in their optimistic announcement last week, Watcher founders Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara, and Shane Madej, published a three-minute video apology on Monday. The digital production company has been the subject of significant criticism since Friday, when it announced that future content would be exclusive to its new paid streaming service. Furious fans lambasted the change, fuming at being charged for content that had been free for years. 

The news particularly stung considering that Watcher said some of the money would be used to fund a "spiritual successor" to Worth It, a show that involved CEO Lim eating ostentatiously expensive meals.

"Imagine having the nerve to ask people for $6/month so you can go eat a $800 steak and report back on how it tastes," Twitter/X user @traderraider57 posted.

"We messed up," Lim said in the new video, acknowledging the universal condemnation their announcement incited.

"We've been reading the things you've been saying, and we're sorry for the way we handled this as well as the way we communicated it," said Madej.

"We're sorry for how we originally delivered our goodbye message to YouTube," said Bergara. "It was insensitive. We didn't properly express how much we appreciate all of you."

SEE ALSO: Furious Watcher fans are blasting it as 'greedy' over paid subscription service

The trio also apologised for their "ignorance" regarding the impact of their pricing on fans. Watcher received significant criticism for stating that their $5.99 monthly fee was "low enough where anybody and everybody is able to afford it," with numerous people pointing out that it's a significant amount in other countries — and that even some Americans would struggle with this additional cost.

"If I wanted a mfer with a tesla to call me broke I would have just logged onto twitter," bayeis1501 commented on the original YouTube announcement.

"We regret stating and implying that it's a price anybody can afford, and we fully acknowledge that it is not," Lim said in Watcher's new video. "We didn't take the proper consideration for how this cost would affect you, and hope you know that we are taking this as a serious learning experience."

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted How is Watcher changing is paid subscription service? Credit: Watcher

While Watcher isn't scrapping its independent subscription service, it is making some significant changes in light of the overwhelmingly negative feedback it received.

Instead of only hosting future content on its paid subscription platform, Watcher will continue to upload it to YouTube for free. Paid Watcher subscribers will merely get these videos one month before they go live on YouTube, and without ads.

In light of these changes, Watcher is issuing refunds upon request for anyone who has already purchased a subscription to their new streaming service. So if you're happy to wait a month for new Watcher content rather than devour it as soon as it drops, you could save yourself $6 per month.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Watcher also addressed its Patreon subscribers. In conjunction with the news of Watcher's new streaming service, the company had announced it would change its Patreon benefits to focus on its podcasts. This upset many supporters who were subscribed to Watcher's Patreon, as they would no longer be getting what they had paid for.

The changes to Watcher's Patreon appear here to stay. However, Watcher announced that paid Patreon subscribers will now receive a free subscription code to its streaming platform. Patreon supporters can also apply for a refund if they'd already bought a subscription to Watcher's streaming service prior to this change.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

This new video has been much more well-received than the previous one, with people largely viewing Watcher's walkback as the right move. Even so, the whole fiasco has shaken at least a few fans' "parasocial trust" in Watcher's founders, which may take time to rebuild.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Why did Watcher launch an independent streaming platform? Credit: Mashable screenshot: Watcher

Bergara, Madej, and Lim ended the video by explaining why they thought launching an independent subscription service was the right move.

"We were finding it harder and harder to stay relevant to advertisers and the constantly changing YouTube landscape," said Bergara. "We didn't want to compromise our content to ensure they met advertising requirements. And we definitely did not want to lay people off that have brought Watcher to life behind the scenes. And we didn't want to bring Watcher to a close, which would have happened if we stayed solely on YouTube."

Watcher previously laid off a few employees in 2023, Lim having stated that "it was the right decision for the company and for them as well."

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Many viewers noted the obvious similarities between Watcher's apology and The Try Guys' similar video in 2022. The Try Guys are also former BuzzFeed employees who founded their own online production company after leaving, were eventually hit with controversy, then published a serious video addressing the issue in which three men sat on a couch and spoke directly to the camera. 

Though The Try Guys' scandal was much more serious than Watcher's current PR crisis, their similar history and staging had numerous people drawing parallels.

"The ex-buzzfeed employee to three guys on the apology couch pipeline is insane," zarishhassan5286 commented on Watcher's apology video.

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TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to a OneAir Elite Plan is on sale for £64.68, saving you 89% on list price.

Planning a holiday can be stressful, so much so that once you're there it might feel more like a break from holiday planning than a break from everyday life. As stressful as it is, there are tools to help make it a little easier on you and a little easier on your wallet. OneAir is a unique flight finding service that uses AI to scan the internet for low-cost flights and other exclusive discounts. OneAir is an investment, so it’s normally a little pricey at over £600 for a lifetime Elite Plan, but you can get it on sale for only £64.68. 

You’re not imagining it. Airfare really has got more expensive, but that’s no reason to cancel the holiday. It just means it’s time to shop smarter using a OneAir Elite Plan, backed by supporters on WeFunder. 

Flight finding services aren’t new. There’s quite a lot of them, but what sets OneAir apart is how it searches the web for budget airfare. OneAir actually uses advanced AI to track millions of fares in real time. So it’s more than just a big search pulling up the lowest number and emailing it to you. OneAir even searches for Business, First, and Premium class flights.

OneAir also has a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. That means you don’t have to waste time booking on another site. It may not sound like a big time-saver, but if you’re trying to jump on a mistake fare (which happens when airlines occasionally set an uncharacteristically low price for a flight by accident) before an airline notices, every second counts. 

Hotel prices are also on the rise, but OneAir could help with that. Becoming a OneAir Elite Plan Holder allows you to shop at the OneClub shop. That’s where you might find lower prices on hotels, rental cars, and even whole activities.

Your ultimate holiday might still fit in your budget — it's time to pack a bag, just don’t forget to bring a good phone charger for those long international flights.

Prices may be on the rise, but you could still find a steal if you know where to look. Get a OneAir Elite Plan for life for £64.68. 

Opens in a new window Credit: OneAir OneAir Elite Plan (Lifetime Subscription) £64.68 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

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

The IPL is well underway and as we enter the fourth week of matches, the race for playoff spots is truly kicking off. Next to take to the field are the Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants. Will the Chennai Super Kings retain their title this year?

If you want to tune in to the Chennai Super Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Chennai Super Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants?

Chennai Super Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants starts at 3 p.m. BST on April 23. The 39th match of the season will take place at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India.

How to watch Chennai Super Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free

JioCinema is offering free live streams of every IPL cricket match this season in 4K resolution on its app.

JioCinema is geo-restricted to India, but anyone can unblock this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access JioCinema from anywhere in the world.

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

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in India

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

5. WatchChennai Super Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free from anywhere in the world

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

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

If you want permanent access to free streaming platforms 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 JioCinema?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including India

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £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 the IPL for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

What is the French Open?

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

The current singles champions are Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek.

When is the 2024 French Open?

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

How to watch the 2024 French Open for free

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

• Australia — 9now (free)

• Austria — ORF or ServusTV (free)

• Belgium — RTBF (free)

• France — France TV (free)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is the best VPN for the French Open?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms from around the world, 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 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

They say sex sells itself, but what about vibrators? It's not so easy. Because shopping for a penis-shaped sex toy can be pretty daunting.

It’s not something you should take lightly. After all, you’re buying something that’ll go inside, around, and on top of intimate and delicate parts. You want something that, erm, gets the job done, of course, as well as a high-quality model that’s reliable and easy to clean.

As with any other sex toy, always do your homework before playtime. What type of vibrator do you want? Rabbit, classic, or bullet? Are wand vibrators up your alley, or do you prefer a device geared toward G-spot stimulation? And how much do you care about vibration speeds and patterns? How about a clitoral vibrator that imitates oral sex? 

Here's some helpful information to help you make that all-important decision.

Are there different types of vibrators?

To help you make sense of the world of vibrators, we've lined up all the different types of devices you should know about:

• Bullet vibrators — These small and discrete devices are designed for clitoral stimulation and external clitoral contact.

• Clitoral vibrators — This type of vibrator focuses solely on the clitoris by simulating the feeling of oral sex.

• G-spot vibrators — These vibrators stimulate the G-spot with a curved tip.

• Rabbit vibrators — These vibrators offer internal and external pleasure. The main shaft is designed for internal use while the rabbit ears stimulate the clitoris.

• Wand vibrators — These are often larger and more powerful than other types of vibrators, and are designed for external use only.

Not every type of vibrator will suit everyone's pleasuring needs, so it's worth considering your options before taking the plunge.

How do you choose a vibrator?

You're almost ready to start shopping, but there are a few things to keep in mind before taking the plunge. It's worth thinking about a vibrator's charging system, power settings, sound level, dimensions/weight, durability, and materials when shopping. We know that's a lot to consider, but this is an important decision.

It's better to think about these factors before shopping, so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises after purchase. We're not asking you to make an exhaustive list of features. Instead, we're reminding you to think carefully about when you'll be using your vibrator, what you want from it, and how your body responds to stimulation.

What is the best vibrator?

We know that's a lot of questions to consider, but the moral of the story is that you’ve got a lot options. We’re not here to tell you which vibrator should be top of your list, or which one you must love or there is something wrong with you. Instead, we’re here to lend a helping hand in the form of recommendations for different kinds of vibrators, which we’ve selected based on customer reviews found all over the internet. 

Whether you consider yourself a size queen, a bullet buff, or something in between, you’ll find at least one option here to rock your world.

These are the best vibrators in 2024.

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 23'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:

Small driving robot on Mars.

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 R.

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 #1039 is...

ROVER.

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 23'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.

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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.

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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: Kicked out the club

• Green: Dryland

• Blue: Geographically significant bodies of saltwater

• Purple: Famous actor's filmography

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: Thrown Out

• Green: Terra Firma

• Blue: Seas

• Purple: Tom Hanks Movies

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 #317 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Thrown Out: BOOT, BOUNCE, EJECT, TOSS

• Terra Firma: EARTH, GROUND, LAND, SOIL

• Seas: BALTIC, BLACK, PHILLIPPINE, RED

• Tom Hanks Movies: BIG, PHILADELPHIA, SPLASH, SULLY

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.

Every April, hundreds of thousands of people descend on Coachella Valley for two weekends of music, $25 caesar salads, and dust-related health complications. The rest of us experience the festival through our phones, watching it unfold on our social media feeds from the comfort of our couches.

The biggest moments from Coachella 2024 range from superstar-making sets to technical difficulties and broken bones, and they all get credit on our list.

Chappell Roan ascends

If you were plugged into the pop music scene before April 12, you may have been aware of Chappell Roan's growing popularity. If you weren't, Roan's performances at Coachella made her hard to ignore. Posts of her performance on the first weekend and her life-size butterfly outfit on the second boosted her streaming numbers and bumped her latest single "Good Luck, Babe!" to no. 77 on the Billboard 100, her first-ever entry on the chart.

Tweet may have been deleted Lana del Rey duets with Billie

In her first weekend set, Lana del Rey sang her classics, brought out Billie Eilish to sing "Video Games" and "Ocean Eyes," and finished her set by riding off on the back of a motorcycle. Onstage, Eilish told the crowd that del Rey was "the reason for half of you bitches' existence, including mine," echoing sentiments she shared in a February interview with del Rey for Interview Magazine. Fans called the set one of del Rey's best and were upset by critics who found it underwhelming.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Kesha and Renee Rapp remix "Tik Tok" (the song)

Songstress Renee Rapp brought Kesha on stage during her set for a rendition of her hit 2010 song "Tik Tok." They changed the opening line, "Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy," to "Wake up in the morning like fuck P. Diddy" as an acknowledgment of the producer's alleged abuse.

Grimes is frustrated by first-weekend flubs

A clip of Grimes's feral, unfettered screeching on the Coachella stage racked up more than 4 million views on TikTok. Grimes often screams during performances, but the ones in her Coachella set were borne of frustration after a technical setback that plagued a large portion of her performance. Grimes took to X to explain herself and promised a better experience for concertgoers on weekend two.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted No Doubt reunites, brings Olivia Rodrigo as special guest

For the first time in 10 years, No Doubt reunited to perform for Coachella crowds. To mark the occasion, Gwen Stefani welcomed Olivia Rodrigo to the stage to sing "Bathwater." Rodrigo wore an "I heart ND" tank, an ode to her love of the band and its frontwoman, whom she has credited as an inspiration in the past.

Credit: John Shearer/Getty Images for No Doubt Doja Cat makes history

Doja Cat became the first female rapper to headline Coachella and opened her first set dressed head-to-toe in long blonde extensions. On the second weekend, a clip of her looking around expectantly for a dancer to hand her a microphone while performing "Fuck the Girls" racked up millions of views on X and TikTok.

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella Tweet may have been deleted Taylor Swift parties with Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift attended the first weekend of Coachella with her boyfriend Travis Kelce ahead of the release of her double album, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, on April 19. She was seen watching collaborator Jack Antonoff's set with his band Bleachers, taking photos with Real Housewives' Teresa Giudice, being lifted in the air by Kelce, and generally having a great time.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Kid Cudi breaks his foot

On the last day of Coachella, during a set that was added to the schedule less than a week prior, rapper Kid Cudi optimistically leaped from the stage and was unable to continue his show after hitting the ground. It turns out he broke his foot in the fall. In a video posted to X, Cudi said, "I learned a valuable lesson, not more prancing around [or] jumping off stages."

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We're hearing more and more about password reset attacks being used to target Apple iPhone users. 

As Mashable reported last month, hackers are attacking iPhones via a method that inundates them with password reset prompts. These hacking campaigns have also been called MFA (multi-factor authentication) bombing or fatigue attacks. 

These attacks aren't new. Reports about them online have been shared for a few years now. However, based on online discussions around them, there seems to be an uptick in cases now.

Basically, in this attack, an iPhone user is asked through dozens of notification pop-ups to reset their Apple ID password. As X user @parth220 shared in his retelling of being the target of this attack, this renders a user's iPhone inoperable — unless the user chooses the "Don't Allow" option for every reset password notification.

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The attack takes it up a notch in the next step. The hacker then spoofs an official Apple phone number and calls the target about the password issue, presenting themself as an Apple employee. According to KrebsonSecurity, individuals impacted by the attack report that the malicious actor possesses personal data gleaned from the web about the target, enabling them to construct a persuasive facade as a genuine Apple employee. The hacker then attempts to use that trust to gain access to the target's phone and its data remotely.

However, iPhone users don't have to fall for this. A few outlets, such as 9to5Mac, have now put out guides on how to avoid being a successful target of a MFA bombing attack.

And here's Mashable's guide to making sure you avoid being a victim of the password reset attack.

Avoid the iPhone password reset attackDon't trust outbound calls

This is an extremely important rule — and it is a tried-and-tested method to avoid getting hacked or scammed in a multitude of different attacks.

In this particular attack, the phone call from someone claiming to work at Apple is a key component to scamming their target. But take a moment to think about this. Why would Apple call you? When has Apple ever called you before on their own when you are going through real, legit technical difficulties? Never! Apple doesn't make outbound calls to users without an Apple customer calling them first and requesting a callback. 

As a rule of thumb, don't trust a call you receive claiming to be from a company, even if the number checks out because that can be spoofed. If you're worried about it being legit, hang up on the call you received, go to the company's website, and call their official number back. That way, because you initiated the call, you know you are actually connected to the real company's official number. Next, you can ask about your issue and check if they actually called you first. Very often you'll find out that they did not.

With so many scam calls, the best way to be safe is to just not answer a call from a number you're not familiar with. Let them leave a message if it's that important. Then, if they say they are from Apple in the voicemail, you can just directly call Apple's official phone number yourself to check on the supposed issue.

'Don't allow' the password reset option

The password reset prompts are, at the same time, annoying and convincing. These are the same official system notifications you receive for legitimate issues.

But don't be fooled. There's a bad actor trying to use these prompts to gain access to your device. Click "Don't Allow" each and every time.

Eventually, the attacker will give up.

Change your Apple ID phone number

As 9to5Mac points out, users can also change the phone number connected to their Apple ID, which will stop these notifications.

This should really be a last resort as this will mess up with your current iPhone settings. For example, you won't be able to use features such as iMessage or FaceTime until the number is set back.

Ideally, it won't come to this. Just don't give these attackers the time of day. If they see that they are wasting their time trying to gain access to your phone, and you aren't falling for the notifications nor answering their phone calls, they will very likely move on to a new target.

Dino Robotics has developed software that allows robots to understand their cooking environment. Using AI-based object localization and 3D image processing the robots can accomplish tasks like seasoning and cooking a steak, or preparing a salad with fresh ingredients.