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The investment comes as the A.I. start-up looks to keep up with accelerating demand for its business and coding products.

If you've been using Sniffies to cruise your local area, but you're tired of using the web-based version (RIP to the Sniffies app), I have some news: Squirt just launched its very own iOS app.

SEE ALSO: What happened to Omegle? The rise and fall of the internet's favorite stranger danger

This is coming at a pretty opportune time because I recently added Squirt (which has been around for more than two decades, making it literally older than Grindr) to our roundup of the best gay dating apps. One of my only qualms was that iPhone users were stuck using their mobile browsers. Given how notoriously strict Apple is about adult content, I basically assumed a native iOS app would never happen.

A much more streamlined way to browse the grid without getting banned by Apple. Credit: Squirt

"One of the biggest challenges in getting here was modernizing a platform built over 26 years, with layers of infrastructure and evolving technologies," Andrew Nolan, Head of Dating Businesses at Squirt's parent company, Pink Triangle Press, tells Mashable. "At the same time, the landscape is shifting quickly, with new state-level regulations and increasing requirements around age and ID verification, so having a more flexible, up-to-date foundation means we can move faster and adapt as those changes continue."

The new app is officially called SQ Dating — Gay Chat & Meet. If you're familiar with Squirt, you already know it's a go-to, unapologetically "cruising-first" platform. It's a local directory built for gay, bi, and curious men looking for casual, no-strings-attached encounters. (And it definitely works: according to the brand's 2025 member survey, 80 percent of members have successfully hooked up through the platform.)

You can finally browse, chat, and set up casual meet-ups straight from your home screen. Credit: Squirt

If you're wondering how a platform that one Reddit user described as "very sleezy and slutty" made it onto the Apple App Store, it was through some very strategic planning.

"Getting SQ Dating into the iOS and Android stores is a big moment for us," says Nolan. "The app is a more streamlined (with more features on the way), PG way to connect, chat, and date, and it's still connected to the full Squirt experience on the web, where things are a lot more open and expressive."

Yet another blow has been struck against the chiseled jaw of viral looksmaxxer Braden Peters, otherwise known as Clavicular.

Two of Peters' channels, @LiveWithClav and @ClavLooksmax, were removed from YouTube on April 23. The pages featured archived live streams and free "courses" on looksmaxxing for young men interested in what the community calls "ascending," or achieving a specific physical appearance some believe is tied to white supremacist beauty standards.

SEE ALSO: TikTok tests AI Remix option. What it is, how to opt out.

The bone-smashing, mewing creator — who has garnered fame for his controversial livestreams and association with the virulent "manosphere" — flagged the ban on X, and included a screenshot showing that YouTube flagged his channels for "severe or repeated violations" of its Community Guidelines.

"Me and my team worked hard to ensure we followed YouTube’s TOS very strictly, blurring out all inappropriate language and sensitive topics. Could you please help in recovering my accounts?" wrote Peters.

In statements to the press, YouTube explained that the accounts were a violation of the platform's Terms of Service, which prohibits creators who have previously been banned from creating new channels. In November, Peters' original channel was removed from the platform for violating YouTube's policies pertaining to illegal or regulated goods, with the platform stating his channel provided access to prohibited websites.

Peters has previously stated that he takes illicit drugs, including crystal meth, to "stay thin." On April 14, the creator appeared to overdose on camera during a nightclub livestream with other manosphere creators. Peters was admitted to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital that evening and later returned to the nightclub. He later addressed the incident in a series of social media posts, stating he used "substances" as a means to cope and "feel neurotypical" while in public. The creator was then dropped by his publicist.

A few days prior to the incident, 60 Minutes Australia released a clip of Peters ending an interview when asked about his associations with accused human trafficker Andrew Tate, alt-right figure Nick Fuentes, and larger incel (involuntarily celibate) communities.

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

The indictment of a soldier who bet on the U.S. operation to capture President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela put renewed focus on a new way to gamble, and a new way to cheat.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. 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 Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: To designate

• Green: Where you'd see the Summer Games

• Blue: Has hoted a popular basketball player

• Purple: They share a second word

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

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

• Yellow: Choose

• Green: Last four Summer Olympics hosts

• Blue: Teams Kevin Durant has played for

• Purple: ___ Derby

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 today's Connections Sports Edition #217 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Choose - DRAFT, PICK, SELECT, TAKE

• Last four Summer Olympics host - LONDON, PARIS, RIO DE JANEIRO, TOKYO

• Teams Kevin Durant has played f - TEXAS, THUNDER, UNITED STATES, WARRIORS

• ___ Derby - HOME RUN, KENTUCKY, MANCHESTER, ROLLER

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.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

OpenAI released its latest model, GPT-5.5, on April 23, just a week after Anthropic introduced Claude Opus 4.7.

As the two leading models from the two leading AI labs, we wanted to see how the new models compare.

Spoiler alert: We think Claude Opus 4.7 has an edge on advanced and agentic coding, but GPT-5.5 performs better on most benchmarks.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic says Claude Opus 4.7 has a 92% honesty rate, less sycophancy

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

GPT-5.5 and Opus 4.7: Leaderboards

GPT-5.5 isn't yet ranked on all AI leaderboards yet, but it should be very competitive with Claude Opus 4.7. On the leaderboards of verified benchmark tests such as Arc Prize, GPT-5.5 beats Opus 4.7 (more on this below).

On the popular Arena leaderboard, which is based on user testing, Claude Opus 4.7 Thinking has the top overall spot. Interestingly, Opus 4.7 is currently ranked below Opus 4.6, though that will likely change in time. Currently, new Anthropic models hold the top four overall spots. What's more, Anthropic's unreleased Claude Mythos isn't ranked, and Anthropic says it performs even better than Opus 4.7.

On the Epoch Capabilities Index (ECI) leaderboard, GPT-5.4 Pro has the top score for now. (ECI combines several benchmarks into a single score.) You'll find Gemini 3.1 Pro and GPT-5.4 in the second and third positions.

SEE ALSO: AI's ability to find major software bugs is growing 490% year on year GPT-5.5 and Opus 4.7: Benchmarks

How do the new models perform on the most common benchmark tests? We have to rely primarily on OpenAI and Anthropic's self-reported scores for these tests. They both achieve high marks, as you'd expect, but GPT-5.5 definitely has the edge.

Here's how they compare on some top AI benchmark tests:

• SWE-Bench Pro: GPT-5.5 scored 58.6; Opus 4.7 scored 64.3 percent

• Terminal-Bench 2.0: GPT-5.5 scored 82.7 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 69.4 percent

• Humanity's Last Exam: GPT-5.5 scored 40.6 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 31.2 percent*

• Humanity's Last Exam (with tools): GPT-5.5 scored 52.2 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 54.7 percent

• BrowseComp: GPT-5.5 scored 84.4 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 79.3 percent

• GPQA Diamond: GPT-5.5 scored 93.6 percent; Opus 4.7 scored 94.2 percent

• ARC-AGI-1 (Verified): GPT-5.5 (High) scored 94.5 percent; Claude 4.7 (High) scored 92 percent**

• ARC-AGI-2 (Verified): GPT-5.5 (High) scored 83.3 percent; Claude 4.7 (High) scored 68.3 percent**

*For Humanity's Last Exam, we're citing Artificial Analysis's verified HLE results. Notably, Anthropic reports that Opus 4.7 scored 46.9 percent on this test.

**See the full results at the Arc Prize website.

GPT 5.5 and Opus 4.7: Availability and pricing

OpenAI says GPT 5.5 is "our smartest and most intuitive to use model yet." Claude Opus 4.7 is Anthropic's most advanced model available to Claude users, though Anthropic says the unreleased Claude Mythos Preview is the more capable model overall.

As such, only paid subscribers can access these frontier models.

GPT 5.5 is only available to OpenAI Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise users in ChatGPT and Codex (sorry, ChatGPT Go users). Pro, Business, and Enterprise users can also access GPT-5.5 Pro, while Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise customers can access GPT-5.5 Thinking.

OpenAI is raising prices for GPT-5.5 in its API, though the company says it's more token-efficient. API pricing starts at "$5 per 1M input tokens and $30 per 1M output tokens, with a 1M context window."

Opus 4.7 is available to Pro and Max customers; via the API, it's available for "$5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens."

GPT-5.5 and Opus 4.7: Feature set

OpenAI says that GPT-5.5 makes noticeable improvements in "agentic coding, computer use, knowledge work, and early scientific research." Anthropic says Claude Opus 4.7 improves in advanced coding, visual intelligence, and document analysis.

ChatGPT and Claude have similar overall feature sets, though there are some exceptions. Broadly speaking, you can use both of these AI chatbots for research, coding, creative projects, and everyday professional work. You can also use both of the new models in OpenAI and Anthropic's coding platforms, Codex and Claude Code.

It's easier to talk about the differences than the similarities. While GPT-5.5 is not an image model, within ChatGPT you can use the new ChatGPT Images 2.0 model. Anthropic recently rolled out Claude Design, but it only offers data visualizations, graphics, and slides, not full image generation. So, if you need to generate images or interactive graphics for a project, GPT-5.5 will have more tools available to call.

GPT-5.5 can be used to create complex and interactive data visualizations. Credit: OpenAI

ChatGPT has more app and shopping integrations, though thanks to its recent acquisition of OpenClaw, Anthropic has the edge on agentic capabilities.

TL;DR: If we had to pick one of these models for everyday professional work, GPT-5.5 would have the edge thanks to ChatGPT's broader overall feature set. However, for advanced and agentic coding, we'd go with Claude Opus 4.7.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

SAVE 11%: As of April 24, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth headphones (2nd gen) for $399, down from $449, at Amazon. That's an 11% discount, or $50 in savings.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth headphones (2nd gen) $399 at Amazon
$449 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon

Over-ear headphones are basically a fashion accessory at this point. And let me just say, the limited-edition Desert Gold colorway on the second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra is super sexy. Right now, you can grab a pair at Amazon for $399. That's an 11% discount or a $50 price cut. (It's also the lowest price we've seen them go for!)

SEE ALSO: Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn

Mashable's Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard reviewed the second-generation QC Ultras and crowned them "the most comfortable headphones on the market." She says that "there was simply not a scenario where the fit didn't feel excellent," whether she was working all day or going for a walk.

And, of course, she mentioned the impossible-to-ignore aesthetic details: "On a pure aesthetic note, the shiny metal accent is a strong design choice (in my humble opinion) that helps these headphones stand out even more from their cheaper counterparts in Bose's lineup."

Aside from being gorgeous, you'll get up to 30 hours of battery life, adjustable active noise cancellation, and a Cinema Mode for movie-like immersion. Plus, Bose finally added USB-C playback, so you can charge your headphones and listen to music at the exact same time.

The best TV deals to shop this weekend, at a glance: Best Hisense deal Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $499.99 (save $300) Get Deal Best Samsung deal Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV $597.99 (save $300) Get Deal Best LG deal LG 65-inch 85A QNED 4K TV $599.99 (save $600) Get Deal

Now that most 2026 TV releases have hit the shelves, models from 2025 are getting the deal treatment. This happens every year in the spring, making April one of the best times to buy a new TV. We're not mad about it. You can get a huge Mini LED TV for under $500 or snag an OLED model for under $1,000 if you waited until now to upgrade.

Not to mention, it's a great time to enhance your viewing experience in general now that the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA playoffs are underway. And we can't forget the slew of new movies and series hitting streaming this season.

Whether you're ready to pull the trigger or want to weigh your options, we've rounded up the best TV deals to shop this weekend from top brands Hisense, Samsung, and LG.

Best Hisense TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $499.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

Mashable's sister site CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) dubbed the Hisense QD7 the "best budget TV of 2026," thanks to its deep contrast, superior brightness levels, solid 144Hz refresh rate for gaming and sports, and full array local dimming (which is typicalyl only found in more expensive models). The picture quality can go head to head with TVs with much larger price tags, making this deal even more impressive. Both Amazon and Best Buy have dropped the cost of the 75-inch model down to only $499.99 for a savings of $300. That's its cheapest price ever.

Best Samsung TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV $597.99 at Amazon
$897.99 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're married to the Samsung brand, but don't want to spend a ton of money on its higher-end models, the QN70F Neo QLED is a great value. As a "Neo QLED" TV, it pairs QLED with a Mini LED panel, which basically just translates to a deeply detailed display that looks stunning and can hold its own in all sorts of lighting situations. Its AI processor can upscale content and enhance the quality of just about anything if you prefer it, while the 144Hz variable refresh rate ensures transitions are smooth and less laggy than your old TV. As of April 24, the 55-inch QN70F is down to only $597.99 at Amazon, marking its biggest discount to date.

Best LG TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 65-inch 85A QNED 4K TV $599.99 at Amazon
$1,199.99 Save $600   Get Deal Why we like it

We find that 65 inches is the sweet spot for most people and the LG 65-inch 85A QNED 4K TV is a solid mid-range Mini LED option. Now down to only $599.99, it's not only cheaper than the 55-inch version, but also its best price on record. And don't let Amazon's listing fool you; the original cost of this TV is over $1,000, so you'll save 50%. The 85A uses an AI processor to enhance both picture and audio in real time, while the AI Magic Remote also gives you options for content recommendations, picture and audio customizations, and generative AI gallery images to transform your TV into artwork. It also features a 120Hz native refresh rate, 144Hz variable refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium, and LG Game Optimizer for smooth gaming experiences.

More TV deals worth grabbing

Hisense

• Hisense 75-inch U6 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $499.99 $1,299.99 (save $800)

• Hisense 55-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV — $697.99 $999.99 (save $302)

• Hisense 65-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV — $999.99 $2,199.99 (save $1,200)

• Hisense 75-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV — $1,249.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,250)

LG

• LG 55-inch B5 OLED 4K TV — $799.99 $1,499.99 (save $700)

Samsung

• Samsung 43-inch Q8F QLED 4K TV — $397.99 $549.99 (save $152)

• Samsung 65-inch Q7F QLED 4K TV — $427.99 $629.99 (save $202)

• Samsung 55-Inch S85F OLED 4K TV — $897.99 $1,499.99 (save $602)

Anthropic just made Claude a lot more useful for a bunch of users.

The company's flagship AI chatbot just got upgraded to be compatible with several major apps, meaning it can now handle things like ordering food, hiring people for odd-jobs, and other random tasks that you might otherwise have to manually open an app to perform. Combine these new integrations with Claude's increasingly agentic capabilities, and you can offload a lot of work to Anthropic's chatbot.

Claude already had an extensive list of possible app connections, but there are some real heavy-hitters in the list of new additions:

• AllTrails

• Audible

• Booking.com

• Instacart

• Intuit Credit Karma

• Intuit TurboTax

• Resy

• Spotify

• StubHub

• TaskRabbit

• Thumbtack

• TripAdvisor

• Uber

• UberEats

• Viator

SEE ALSO: Discord group says it accessed Claude Mythos by guessing location

Anthropic's press release also noted that more are on the way. With these new connections, you can book a trip, order food, arrange a ride-share, or hire someone to mount your TV, all from one chatbot window. On top of these apps becoming compatible with Claude, Anthropic has also adjusted the chatbot so it will automatically suggest certain apps for certain actions, based on the context of your conversation with it.

Anthropic also clarified that there won't be sponsored answers or suggestions in the chat, maintaining that Claude is and will be ad-free going forward. Connected apps are also not used to train Claude, and they can't see other conversations you've had with the chatbot.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

SAVE 13%: As of April 24, you can get the 27-inch Asus ROG Swift OLED gaming monitor for $699, down from $799, at Amazon. That's a 13% discount or $100 savings.

27-inch Asus ROG Swift OLED gaming monitor $699 at Amazon
$799 Save $100   Get Deal at Amazon

I'm a big believer that your gaming setup is only as good as your monitor. You can have the most expensive, tricked-out PC in the world, but if your screen is lagging or blurring every time you move your mouse, it's basically useless. (Plus, playing on a slow display is super annoying.)

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2026: Check out our top picks

Right now, you can upgrade your battlestation for less at Amazon. As of April 24, the Asus ROG Swift OLED 27-inch gaming monitor is down to $699, from $799. That’s a 13% discount or $100 savings.

According to Asus, this is the world's first 1440p 480Hz OLED gaming monitor. (Translation: it's, like, really fast.) You'll get a 480Hz refresh rate paired with a 0.03ms response time. It also features a built-in AI assistant (because, of course, it does), a matte screen, and anti-flicker tech to save your eyes during marathon gaming sessions.

It’s 2010 and it’s 1 a.m. early Sunday morning. You’re having a sleepover with your closest friends. You just finished a movie you ordered on Pay-Per-View without asking, hoping your parents won’t ask questions in a month when they get the cable bill. The clock says it’s time for bed, but you and your buddies aren’t tired. You break out the laptop. YouTube videos. ‘Shoes’ by Kelly for the hundredth time. Facebook ‘like for a rate’ posts. You give your crush an 8 because you don’t want to come off too eager. There’s just one last thing to do. 

Talk to strangers on the internet.

In 2009, Omegle launched with a simple premise: connect strangers from around the world one-on-one via text or video chat. The pairing was random, and anyone with internet access could join for free, no account required. Anonymity was baked into the website, meaning a 13-year-old in Oklahoma could just as easily be paired with a 47-year-old from Turkmenistan. For many users, it led to genuine lasting connections. But not everyone came to Omegle with good intentions. After it shut down for good in 2023, longtime users were left wondering: what happened to Omegle? We're here to tell you.

SEE ALSO: Adult Friend Finder vs. Tinder: How they compare as hookup apps What was Omegle?

Omegle was created in March 2009 by an 18-year-old in Vermont named Leif K-Brooks as a simple, anonymous text chat site that connected strangers one-on-one from around the world. It amassed over 150,000 page views every day after its first month and quickly became a go-to for bored internet users across the globe. A year later in March 2010, Omegle began offering one-on-one video chat with strangers. That means if you had a webcam, you could now use Omegle to chat face-to-face with people from just about anywhere. 

Omegle was marketed as a site for users ages 13 and up. If you were under 18, Omegle stated in its policy that you needed parental approval before accessing. Because there was no account needed, there weren’t any limitations at all. No parents were needed to sign this made-up permission slip. Anyone had the ability to access Omegle.

SEE ALSO: Omegle changed cybersex forever, for better or worse

In 2022, things changed. Well, that’s a lie. Just words did. Omegle’s new policy stated that users had to be 18+ without exception. Still, no account was needed to join, providing access to anyone who could type the word ‘Omegle’ into their internet search bar.

How did people use Omegle?

The premise was simple: connect with another person, judge them for a half-second based on their appearance, and decide whether or not you wanted to have a conversation. Conversations would typically begin with 'ASL?', standing for age/sex/location. You could chat by mic or keep it to text, awkwardly staring at each other until someone said something funny. When the conversation was over, you could choose to click the “Next” button at the bottom left corner and be connected with somebody else.

As mentioned, not everyone used Omegle for wholesome chatter. Some users were only there for one thing. To get off. This was a huge issue for children using the app. It was almost impossible to skip one person without the next being a man stroking his penis.

To combat this, Omegle eventually added 'moderators' — mainly just an automation system that banned people who exposed themselves from the jump. Due to ‘moderation’ in Omegle’s later years, you'd see way less dicks unless you were actively looking for them. You could start a conversation innocently enough and end up masturbating with a stranger if things went that way. Technically, this didn’t seem to break any rules Omegle was implementing, as long as you didn't lead with it.

Whether the conversation was platonic or sexual, all Omegle users came for the same reason: connection.

When was Omegle most popular?

Omegle was at its peak in its early years, but became a lifeline for human connection during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. There was a resurgence in popularity with streamers, TikTokers, and YouTubers who were stuck inside with nothing to film. This brought a new generation to the site, connecting people across the globe during a time when people needed connection most. Between the months of February and May of 2020, Omegle reportedly had a monthly increase of 10 million. That’s pretty serious. We surely can’t count that high.

What made Omegle unique?

While Omegle was active, its only real competitor was Chatroulette, though it couldn't match Omegle feature for feature. Chatroulette was strictly video-to-video, while Omegle offered both text and video chat. Omegle also let you tailor your experience through 'tags'. Tags were keywords you typed in before starting a chat. Omegle would then match you with someone who typed the same thing, so you'd have something to talk about from the start. Tags could be anything — art, sports, dogs, beach, whatever came to mind.

SEE ALSO: App fatigue is real. I tested the best dating apps of 2026 to find the ones that really work.

Omegle also had 'Spy Mode', though it seemingly never quite caught on the way one-on-one chat did. Spy Mode worked one of two ways: you either submitted a question and watched two strangers debate it without being able to intervene, or you were one of the two strangers being watched. Like tags, you could ask any question you wanted.

Was Omegle safe?

The short answer? No. Omegle was not safe. While there were many ways to try and stop inappropriate interactions, there was nothing moderation could do to make it work.

Users with sexually-inclined tags — horny, sex, jo (jerking off), boobs — were typically matched with each other, separate from those just looking to talk. And since anyone could type anything into the tags bar, moderation was essentially nonexistent. Users could write anything, including racist and homophobic slurs, references to inappropriate and illegal content, and more. This means a 13-year-old could type the same tags and be matched directly with predators using them.

Omegle had an 'unmonitored' section, a designated space where users could be explicitly sexual without risk of being banned. The problem? Anyone could choose to use this section with the click of a button. The majority of people there were masturbating openly, meaning anyone who wandered in had access to explicit content with zero restriction. If a 'moderator' flagged you for inappropriate behavior, you could be dumped into the unmonitored section without warning (sometimes for days or weeks) with no way back into regular chat.

A full ban meant you couldn't access Omegle at all via your IP address, though it was never permanent. Days, weeks, maybe months later, you'd be back.

Spy Mode questions were also an issue, ranging from 'what's your favorite Pokémon?' to improv scenarios with your stranger, to what age you lost your virginity, to someone dropping an Instagram handle and telling both strangers to go message that person and tell them to kill themselves.

Essentially, there were no rules. Because of that, for many people, especially those under the age of 18, Omegle really could not be considered ‘safe’.

So, why did Omegle shut down?

After 14 years, Omegle shut down in November 2023, taking with it a strange little corner of the internet that millions of people had once called their own. When trying to access the site, users were greeted with the Omegle logo with the years 2009-2023 on a gravestone. A long message from founder K-Brooks followed, expressing why he came to the decision to shut the site down.

The goodbye letter was… weird. Defensive. Very ‘woe-is-me’.

In this message, K-Brooks mentions that financially and psychologically, he’d become unable to manage Omegle, explicitly saying he didn't want to "have a heart attack in my 30s." He pushes back on critics who accused him of letting crimes happen and turning his head, suggesting the moderation standards people expected of him were simply impossible to meet. He explains the shutdown of Omegle as "destroying the universe because it contains evil", essentially telling people that this decision is an attack against a free internet.

Toward the end of Omegle's life, something was going on behind the scenes. In 2019, a person identified only as 'A.M.' from Oregon filed a $22 million lawsuit against Omegle, alleging she was a victim of child sex exploitation on the site. The lawsuit argued that Omegle knew exactly what was happening, with the site even displaying a message that read "Predators have been known to use Omegle, so please be careful," right before accessing the rest of the site. Omegle tried to get the case thrown away, citing that the Communications Decency Act protected them from being held responsible for what users did on their platform, but the judge didn’t take the bait. Omegle’s design actively and knowingly paired minors with adults. It made Omegle culpable.

The $22 million lawsuit was settled just a few days before K-Brooks pulled the plug on Omegle entirely. His farewell letter even acknowledges A.M. by name, saying "I thank A.M. for opening my eyes to the human cost of Omegle."

And just like that, Omegle was in the trash bin.

Could Omegle ever come back?

Omegle was built with pure intentions by some kid in Vermont who just wanted to see what human connection could look like on the internet. For a lot of people, it delivered on that promise in ways no other site could. It made the world feel a little smaller, and a little less lonely.

But bad actors will act. And if you can't keep up with that, or take accountability for handing those people a platform in the first place, things will crumble.

In 2026, Omegle alternatives like Uhmegle, Thundr, and OmeTV fill the void, letting users chat with strangers across the globe the same way Omegle did. Most come with actual accountability measures Omegle never had. There are also fully NSFW Omegle alternatives now, designed specifically for one-on-one sexual content, giving that crowd a dedicated place to land.

So, could Omegle ever come back? Sure, but it probably won’t. Given the lawsuit and K-Brooks' farewell letter, Omegle seems destined to exist only in memory. And honestly, that's probably for the best.

About a month ago, the FCC decided to ban the import or sale of all new, foreign-made WiFi routers. Now, the list has expanded a bit.

Our friends at PCMag spotted an update to the FCC's router ban FAQ this week, indicating that portable WiFi hotspots are now included in the ban. In case you've never used one, these are little boxes that you can use to activate a WiFi network on the go. They use a SIM card to connect to a cellular network, converting it to WiFi for your other devices, rather than connecting to a modem via Ethernet.

The ban now also extends to fixed 5G wireless access points, which use a 5G cell network to blanket a home with WiFi.

SEE ALSO: The confusing U.S. router ban, explained: Which routers are banned?

Before you start panicking, it doesn't seem like this is going to affect very many people in the short term. For starters, using a smartphone to create a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is still totally above board under these regulations.

Beyond that, T-Mobile told PCMag that the FCC's regulations do not prohibit the sale of networking equipment that you can already buy in the U.S. That means if the router was approved for sale prior to the ban, you can still buy and use it.

"The FCC's updated list of 'covered devices' does not affect any existing routers that were previously approved, so current customers have nothing to worry about and no action to take and their service will continue to operate normally with no equipment change necessary," T-Mobile told PCMag.

Given that ISPs tend to supply users with older or more basic routers, and that most people don't bother to voluntarily switch those out for newer and more advanced equipment, many WiFi users in the U.S. might not notice the effects of the FCC router ban at all.

However, it will become a nuisance for power users who want better performance or more features out of their routers. It will be interesting to see how long the U.S. government sticks to its position that routers pose a national security risk.

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John Ternus will face many of the same issues that Tim Cook has grappled with for years.

SAVE 25%: As of April 24, you can get the DJI Neo mini drone for $149 at Amazon, down from $199. That's a 25% discount or $50 savings.

DJI Neo $149 at Amazon
$199 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon

If you're interested in getting into droning (not sure if that's even an official word, but let's make it one), you're most likely going to want something that's small (i.e., doesn't require FAA registration), easy to fly, and has some sort of fail-safe just in case you run it into a tree or fly too close to an open body of water.

SEE ALSO: Insta360's new drone brand Antigravity teases world first 360-degree camera drone

Right now, you can get all of those beginner-friendly features and more at Amazon for just $149. As of April 24, the DJI Neo mini drone is marked down by 25% (a $50 price cut from its standard $199 price tag, and its lowest price to date, according to CamelCamelCamel).

The DJI Neo is super accessible. You don't even need a controller to fly it; it takes off and lands directly from the palm of your hand with just the push of a button. (You can also use voice control, the mobile DJI Fly app, or a standard RC). It weighs just 135g, features smart subject tracking to follow you around, and comes with full-coverage propeller guards so you can safely fly it indoors or navigate through tree branches without panicking.

SAVE $300: The Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV is on sale for $597.99 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price and includes Xbox GamePass for free.

Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV $597.99 at Amazon
$897.99 Save $300   Get Deal at Amazon

We were thrilled to spot the Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV on sale at Amazon. We were even more pleased to see that is was down to its best-ever price, and we almost combusted when we noticed that one month of Xbox GamePass comes free with purchases.

We see a lot of deals, so almost erupting into flames is not regular occurrence. But then, this isn't a regular deal. The Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV is on sale for $597.99 at Amazon. That's $300 off the list price for a limited time, before you even consider the Xbox GamePass freebie.

To claim Xbox GamePass for free with your purchase, you need to follow these simple steps:

1. Add the Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV to your online cart.

2. When you're done shopping, select Go to Cart.

3. The offer will automatically be applied at checkout, if eligible.

It's that easy.

A number of TVs qualify for this promotion, but this Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV might offer the best value for money. The picture offers the sharp and accurate contrast of Neo QLED enabled by precision-controlled Mini LEDs. Users also get AI enhanced picture quality and optimized sound for superb performance in everything you watch.

Score the best-ever price on the Samsung 55-Inch Class Neo QLED TV at Amazon.

Cross the local bureaucratic comedy of Parks and Recreation with the small-town strangeness of Twin Peaks, and you'll get a sense of the singular tone of Apple TV's new genre gem Widow's Bay.

SEE ALSO: Everything coming to Apple TV in 2026

Created by Katie Dippold, herself a writer for Parks and Recreation, the series artfully blends horror and comedy to create an enthralling portrait of a town you'll want to get lost in... even if some of its locals would advise you to run the hell away.

What's Widow's Bay about? Matthew Rhys in "Widow's Bay." Credit: Apple TV

A charming island 40 miles off the coast of New England, Widow's Bay has a lot going for it. It boasts picturesque coastal views, invigorating ocean breezes, and atmospheric fog banks that have absolutely nothing hiding in them, do you hear me?

At least, that's what Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) has to say. He's trying to turn Widow's Bay into the next Martha's Vineyard, a quest that locals like former fisherman Wyck (Stephen Root) threaten to derail with their claims that Widow's Bay is cursed.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (April 24, 2026)

Tom initially brushes Wyck and his allies off in favor of bringing in tourists. It's a page straight from the playbook of Mayor Vaughn from Jaws, which Widow's Bay pays loving homage to throughout. However, when haunts start knocking at his door, Tom has to face the truth: There's something truly sinister at work on the island, and it's only getting worse.

Widow's Bay is a wonderfully frightening watch. Matthew Rhys and Stephen Root in "Widow's Bay." Credit: Apple TV

To pull off its many scares, Widow's Bay draws inspiration from a wide range of horror iconography. Stephen King's influence hangs over the series like the town's unshakeable mist, present in everything from the New England setting to the show's title font, a clear nod to the style of his earlier covers.

The aforementioned Jaws plays a huge role, too, and not just because of Tom's role as a skeptical, tourism-hungry mayor. (To Tom's credit, he's far less willing to put people in danger for the sake of money than Mayor Vaughn.) Root's salty veteran sailor Wyck bears shades of Jaws' Quint, and an episode devoted to a cursed ocean outing recalls Jaws' third act. But the biggest lesson Widow's Bay takes from Stephen Spielberg's horror classic is the fear of the unknown. Just as Jaws generates suspense by holding off on showing us its biggest threat until later in the runtime, so too does Widow's Bay keep its viewers in the dark about its many frights.

SEE ALSO: 'Hokum' review: I screamed myself hoarse at Adam Scott's new horror movie

And what darkness it is! Visually, Widow's Bay thrives in rich, inky black tones where you can crucially still make out every little detail, a rarity in TV nowadays and a testament to the show's production team and crew. Series directors Hiro Murai (Atlanta), Sam Donovan (Severance), Andrew DeYoung (Friendship), and Ti West (the X trilogy) weaponize this darkness — along with fog and ocean depths — to its fullest obscuring extent. That expert build-up of tension made the subsequent reveals hit all the harder, to the point that I couldn't get through an episode without screaming or cackling. (Or, most often, some mix of both.)

Widow's Bay nails the balance between scares and laughs. Kate O'Flynn in "Widow's Bay." Credit: Apple TV

Widow's Bay's scares pull from sailor superstitions, classic slashers, and more, but they never feel cheap. That's because the series roots them firmly in its characters' anxieties, like Tom's worries about tourism, or town hall staffer Patricia's (Kate O'Flynn) desperate need to be liked. (She's so desperate, in fact, that she may have falsely claimed to be the sole survivor of a serial killer who murdered some of her high school classmates.)

The latter produces a series highlight, an episode where a frantic Patricia attempts to host the perfect party. The social isolation she faces from her disdainful former classmates is just as wince-worthy as the uncanny events surrounding the event, resulting in a one-two punch of cringe comedy and horror.

Widow's Bay often operates in that sweet spot between horror and comedy, which tends more toward the dry and bizarre than Dippold's previous work on sitcoms like Parks and Recreation or comedy films like Ghostbusters (2016). Instead of cracking jokes at a mile per minute, Widow's Bay finds the funny in the eerie. Think historical wax figures, a cursed party game called "Teeth," and sight gags about cannibalism.

Widow's Bay's central trio of Rhys, Root, and O'Flynn play these occurrences as straight as they can, adding further to the show's brand of offbeat strangeness. Rhys and Root are tremendous foils as a skeptic and believer forced to work together. And O'Flynn proves an absolute scene stealer as Patricia, marrying her hilarious scorn for others with the genuine pain of being scorned right back.

The rest of Widow's Bay's ensemble, which includes Somebody Somewhere's Emmy-winning Jeff Hiller, Dale Dickey, and several surprising guest stars, further builds out the town of Widow's Bay. Their efforts, as well as the weatherbeaten production design by Steve Arnold (Midnight Mass, another superb cursed island series), turn Widow's Bay into a real town. You can almost taste the salt air (or hear the screams of cursed souls in the distance) just by watching.

In the end, the town of Widow's Bay is as deliciously odd as the show itself. What begins with a bit of a haunt-of-the-week structure soon evolves into a deeper unraveling of Widow's Bay's darkest secrets, as well as the choices that kept them in place. While I'd love for the show to return to its haunt-of-the-week mode occasionally, I also adore what it became. That it can pull off this transformation is proof of its sheer uniqueness. Forget being the next Martha's Vineyard: Widow's Bay sets a new, wonderfully weird course all by itself.

The first two episodes of Widow's Bay premiere April 29, with new episodes every Wednesday.

Tesla's Cybercab has started production, according to CEO Elon Musk.

In a post on X on Friday, the company co-owner shared a very Cyberpunk 2077 video of the autonomous vehicles rolling through the production line, seemingly at Tesla's Giga Texas factory in Austin, Texas.

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On the same day, Tesla's official Robotaxi account also posted a video of Cybercabs "in formation" on a highway.

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Tesla's first Cybercab rolled off the production line on Feb. 18, with the company posting a celebratory photo. In its Q4 2025 earnings call, Tesla had moved the production of Cybercab up to 2026, and in its Q1 2026 earnings call, the company said it "expect[s] volume production of both Cybercab and the Tesla Semi this year," the latter referring to the awaited electric truck.

At launch in 2024, Musk said Tesla would produce 2 million units a year of Cybercab in full production capacity, which would be approximately 38,000 vehicles per week. In these early stages, it's likely to be more like hundreds per week. The company has a history of production delays, and before any of those Cybercabs hits the road, they've got to be approved by regulators.

SEE ALSO: Tesla is rolling out Robotaxis in 2 more cities

60 Cybercab units were then spotted at Tesla's Giga Texas in Austin in early April, where the vehicles will all be produced. Drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer reported the autonomous vehicles indeed had steering wheels — the cars in Musk's video do not, they have large screens like most Tesla vehicles — so could be early models.

Tesla Cybercabs lined up at Giga Texas in Austin, on Apr. 8, 2026. Credit: Jay Janner / The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images A closer look. Credit: Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images What is the difference between Tesla Cybercab and Robotaxi?

But wait, doesn't Tesla already have Cybercabs cruising around on the streets of Texas? Not exactly, but the confusion is real.

Unveiled in 2024 at Tesla's "We, Robot" event, the Cybercab is a fully autonomous electric vehicle that hasn't yet hit the streets. As Mashable's Stan Schroeder reported then, "both names [Cybercab and Robotaxi] were used throughout the event." It's gold, has butterfly wing doors, and will have no steering wheel or pedals.

Tesla's self-driving rideshare vehicles currently in operation are called Robotaxis, which are autonomous Model Y cars. Launched in Austin in 2025, these are the company's competition with Waymo and Uber, and they're black, have steering wheels and pedals, and though they're driverless, they travel with human safety monitors nearby. Tesla tried to trademark the term "Robotaxi" at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but the request was denied.

Essentially, Robotaxis are on the road now; Cybercabs will eventually replace them.

In Tesla's Q1 2026 earnings call, the company said, "In Q1, paid Robotaxi miles nearly doubled sequentially. Once in production, we expect that Cybercab will begin to replace the existing Model Y fleet and will be the largest volume vehicle in the fleet over time."

Essentially, Robotaxis are on the road now; Cybercabs will eventually replace them.

A Tesla Cybercab that was displayed during SXSW in Austin in March had the word Robotaxi on it (and had a screen, not a steering wheel). But in Musk's video, the word Cybercab is emblazoned on the screen.

The Cybercab shown at SXSW, decked out with the word Robotaxi. Credit: Jay Janner / The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images) No steering wheel. Credit: Jay Janner / The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images

Time to get to work then, Tesla.

Featured Video For You I took a ride in a robotaxi: How close are we to a driverless future?

SAVE OVER $100: As of April 24, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds have hit their lowest-ever price of $449 at Amazon. This is $150 off their list price of $599.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bang & Olufsen Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven $449 at Amazon
$599 Save $150   Get Deal

Earbuds are always helpful to have on-hand, whether you're going to the gym, on a long commute to work, or enduring a long flight. If you've been thinking about splashing out on a premium pair this year, the high-end Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds are certainly worth a look. Amazon even has them heavily discounted right now.

As of April 24, every available color of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds are on sale for $449 at Amazon. This is not just a $150 discount off their list price of $599, but it even marks a new low price at the retailer. No better time to scoop them up.

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While they boast a sleek design and stylish case, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds also deliver high-quality sound components thanks to a 9.2mm driver in each earbud. And as you'd expect from a premium audiophile brand like Bang & Olufsen, they also have noise-canceling features, so you won't have to deal with any distractions when listening to an album or getting lost in an audiobook.

In addition, the Beoplay Eleven's battery life can handle a long journey. With ANC on, you'll get to enjoy up to six hours of playtime with these earbuds. This can be boosted up to 20 hours with the help of the charging case, making them an excellent choice for any long journeys you have coming up.

They're currently marked as a'limited time deal, so don't wait too long to pick up these Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds on sale at Amazon.

The highlights, the lowlights, and how Apple changed in the years since Tim Cook took over as chief executive.

Cohere is acquiring Aleph Alpha in a deal aimed at customers uneasy about the dominance of American companies in artificial intelligence.