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TL;DR: Live stream Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

A number of interesting NHL fixtures are taking place this weekend, including Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning. Both sides are well positioned in the Atlantic Division, but both need a win to end a concerning run of losses. We're expecting a evenly-matched contest at TD Garden.

If you want to watch Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning?

Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL starts at 12:30 p.m. ET on April 11. This fixture takes place at TD Garden.

How to watch Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning for free

Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

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

Live stream Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the NHL without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL (plus more NHL fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.

HULU BUNDLES: Hulu is offering a range of bundle deals so you can stream from its impressive library without breaking the bank.

The best Hulu deals and bundles in April 2026: Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $12.99/month with ads Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Student Deal Hulu Student Deal Hulu with ads for $1.99/month Get Deal Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal

There's a wide range of excellent shows and films to watch on Hulu. From The Testaments to season two of Paradise, it's a library that's full of options to keep you entertained this spring.

If these have caught your eye and have you itching to sign up for Hulu, we're here to help you get the best deal. Outside of the standard ad-supported and ad free plans, there are quite a few bundle deals available with Hulu that are worth exploring if you're looking to save some cash. This includes the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max package.

SEE ALSO: 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice' review: Time-traveling gangster comedy is a must-see crowd-pleaser

Below you can find details on Hulu's best bundles at the moment — alongside information on both its ad-supported and ad free plans, if you just want the basics — offering you a way to save on the service right now.

Best Disney+ bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $12.99 per month with ads Get Deal Why we like it

For those interested in the ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu Bundle, which sets you up with Disney+ alongside Hulu, it starts at $12.99 per month. If you'd prefer the Premium ad-free version of this plan, this jumps to $19.99 per month.

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle — $12.99 per month

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium — $19.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

This is one of the best Hulu bundles available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max's streaming services for a much lower price than what you'd pay for the three of them separately. It's an incredible deal to take advantage of, especially if you've already got Disney+ and HBO Max subscriptions. There are two plans to choose from with this bundle, and they are:

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best student deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu Student Deal Hulu with ads for $1.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

If you're a student enrolled at a university, you can score a Hulu (with ads) plan for even lower than the above bundles. Hulu's Student Deal gives eligible college students the ability to buy a Hulu (with ads) plan for just $1.99 per month. Hulu notes that the deal lasts "so long as student enrollment status remains verified," then it goes back up to the standard monthly price.

• Hulu Student Deal — $1.99 per month

Best ESPN bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

Alongside the big Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max bundle, Hulu also has plans for sports fans that throw in ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+." 

The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is available for $35.99 per month. The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is available for $44.99 per month.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $19.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $29.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $35.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $44.99 per month

Hulu's monthly plans

If you're just looking to jump straight into Hulu's library without any fancy bundles, there are a couple of subscription options to consider. The ad-supported tier comes in at $11.99 per month, but you'll get your first month free, which is a great way to test the waters and see if it's the right fit for you. If you want to go ad free, that'll cost you $18.99 per month. Unfortunately, this plan does not offer a free trial like its ad-supported sibling.

• Hulu (with ads) — $11.99 per month (get first month free), $119.99 per year

• Hulu Premium (no ads) — $18.99 per month

If you really want to go big on a streaming investment, there's the Hulu + Live TV plan. This costs a whopping $89.99 per month for its ad-supported plan, but comes with plenty to keep you busy. Hulu + Live TV (with ads) gets you access to 95+ channels, unlimited DVR, Disney+ (with ads), ESPN Select (with ads), and Hulu (with ads). If you want to go even bigger with the ad-free plan — which offers Hulu (no ads), Disney+ (no ads), and ESPN Select (with ads) alongside Live TV — it'll cost you $99.99 per month. The ad-supported plan also offers a free trial, but for just three days instead.

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN Select (with ads) — $89.99 per month (three day free trial)

• Hulu Premium + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select (no ads) — $99.99 per month

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select — $94.99 per month

• Live TV Only — $88.99 per month

Wondering what to watch once you get set up with a Hulu plan or bundle? We're here to help with that as well. Have a look at our roundups of the 30 best comedies on Hulu, the 25 best sci-fi movies on Hulu, and the 26 best horror movies on Hulu to start building your watchlist. And if you're in the mood to binge-watch a show, check out our breakdown of the 25 best shows on Hulu.

SAVE $500: As of April 11, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,089 at Amazon. That's over $500 off the list price and the best-ever price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo $1,099 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $500   Get Deal

The 2026 drone market is currently in a weird state of flux. Legislative pressure is mounting on DJI imports. We’ve moved past the phase of uncertainty into genuine panic buying before stock disappears for good.

Any sort of deal during this frantic period is very much welcome. Any sort of deal down to a record-low price cannot be ignored.

As of April 11, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is down to $1,089 at Amazon — its all-time low and over $500 off the list price for a limited time.

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The Mini 5 Pro remains the champion of the lightweight category. For creators, the one-inch CMOS sensor is the star of the show, delivering 4K HDR at 60fps that looks like it belongs on a cinema screen. The 360-degree Nightscape sensing maps obstacles in low light while the specialized Nighttime Return-to-Home ensures your investment doesn't end up as a permanent resident of a neighbor's tree.

We’ve monitored this price point across several sale cycles, and this looks like the floor. If you’re a content creator looking to future-proof your kit with a drone that doesn't require a commercial pilot’s license, this is the deal to snipe before stock drops.

We're not encouraging panic buying, but we do believe in tactical shopping — and there's never been a better time to invest in this versatile drone.

TL;DR: Score a free iPhone 17e when signing up for a T-Mobile plan with no trade-in required. Alternatively, you can get the iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when signing up for an Experience More plan and trading in an eligible device.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 for free   Get Deal

In the mobile world, the word "free" is usually followed by a list of caveats that make you wish you never started looking for a deal. You usually need to sign up for the most expensive plan or trade-in a premium phone to get your hands on what you really want. But that's not the case with the latest T-Mobile offer.

T-Mobile is offering a rare deal on the newly-released Apple iPhone 17e. For a limited time, you can pick up this A19-powered device for free by simply opening a new line.

You’ll need to activate a new line on T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond or Experience More plans to get the iPhone 17e. The phone’s full retail price is covered via 24 monthly bill credits, and since you aren't trading in your old phone, you can keep it as a backup, give it to a kid, or sell it on a third-party site to actually make money on this deal. We did say this was a rare opportunity to save.

Mashable's Stan Shroeder got his hands on the iPhone 17e and said "The combination of having Apple's latest chip and a decent amount of storage means this phone will be relevant for at least four to five years." That's an impressive lifespan for a budget-friendly phone, particularly when it's free.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone Fold launch might happen later than we thought (updated)

If you need something a little more powerful, you can also pick up the iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when signing on for 24 months of an Experience More plan and trading in an eligible phone. That gets you unthrottled 5G data, 4K streaming, and enough international roaming for even the most adventurous of travellers.

It's important to note that T-Mobile will charge taxes on these free deals and a $35 device connection fee. Is this really "free" when you need to sign up to something or pay an upfront fee? It's a gray area, OK? We're doing our best.

Score an iPhone 17 for free this weekend with T-Mobile.

Every major online dating service has been the target of malicious hackers attempting to gain access to private information, but few attacks have been as severe, as pervasive or as publicly damaging as the data breach attack on AdultFriendFinder in October 2016.

The attack exposed the records of more than 360 million users, not just of AdultFriendFinder but of sites across the popular FriendFinder network. To this day, it is still one of the largest database breaches ever recorded, leaking the email addresses, usernames, passwords, sexual orientations, and even spoken languages of millions of people across more than two decades of AFF's history.

Worse still, it exposed the downright shoddy security practices of the company, which included using SHA-1 cryptographic hashing, already more than a decade out of date by the time of the breach, and storing account passwords in plain text. 

Thankfully, parent company FriendFinder Networks took this breach seriously, and dramatically stepped up their security practices. Here are three major changes they made to help protect future users:

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More AFF overhauled their database security

Think of a website's database as a kind of bank vault; it's where all the valuable stuff that thieves are after is stored. In 2016, prior to the attack, AdultFriendFinder had the equivalent of a single-lock safe: it looked secure and intimidating, but malicious actors had long ago figured out how to crack the code. 

Now, they use the latest encryption technologies to bolster security, including a technique called "salted hashing" that involves combining each password with a unique, random string of characters (known as the salt) and then passing them through a one-way hash function. It's a sophisticated way of ensuring that even accounts using identical passwords (looking at you, people who use "password" for your password) don't all share the same vulnerability during a breach.

AFF hired outside security experts

The ugly truth is that companies are no longer self-sufficient when it comes to cybersecurity. Your in-house security team, as smart and hardworking as they may be, are not going to stand a chance against the wide variety of hackers and other malicious actors working 24/7 to access your data. 

SEE ALSO: Adult Friend Finder vs. Tinder: How they compare as hookup apps

The 2016 data breach humbled AFF enough to recognize this fact, and they've been contracting outside cybersecurity help ever since, including with Google subsidiary Mandiant. These cybersecurity firms don't just examine the potential vulnerabilities in your coding; they also look at your corporate structure and employee practices to evaluate them for potential vulnerabilities. 

Forced password resets

Not all cybersecurity vulnerabilities are the fault (or exclusive fault) of the website. Sometimes, your own laziness is your biggest vulnerability. Part of beefing up AFF's security involved forcing password resets, so you can't use the same password year after year. 

SEE ALSO: All your Hinge questions, answered

This is now basically standard operating procedure across the internet: once every six months or once a year, you're probably going to be asked to choose a new password. AFF has formalized this approach to help secure against password vulnerabilities that it can't control, such as leaks on other dating sites (be honest: how many of you use the same password across multiple sites?) or hardware malware like keyloggers. 

Later this year, exactly one decade will have elapsed since AdultFriendFinder's last security breach. Say what you will about their past mistakes — a full decade of cybersecurity success is an achievement, and modern users of the site should be grateful that AFF has stepped up their game in such a big way.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is tricky! There are some red herrings you'll have to avoid.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise 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 before the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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: Take me out to the...

• Green: Go, Bruins!

• Blue: Great lakes

• Purple: You have all of these

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: MLB Teams, Colloquially

• Green: UCLA

• Blue: Can Follow Minnesota

• Purple: Starts With Part of the Body

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 #565 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• MLB Teams, Colloquially — D-BACKS, JAYS, PHILS, SOX

• UCLA — ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, LOS, UNIVERSITY

• Can Follow Minnesota — LYNX, UNITED, VIKINGS, WILD

• Starts With Part of the Body — ARMY, EARTHQUAKES, LEGACY, LIVERPOOL

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 10, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 10, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 11 Pips

Equal (5): The domino half in this purple space must have five pips. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this red space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (5): The domino half in this yellow space must have five pips. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 11 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this purple space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this red space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Every domino half in this light blue space must have 6 pips. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): The domino half in this yellow space must have less than 4 pips. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 11 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this purple space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this red space must add up to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): The domino half in this yellow space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to less than 5. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Every domino half in this green space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): The domino half in this purple space must have less than 5 pips. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): The domino half in this red space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this yellow space must add up to less than 5. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're always prepared.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games 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 today's 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?

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 11, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Driving necessities

• Green: Donor

• Blue: Building blocks

• Purple: Natural formations

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Found in the trunk of a car

• Green: Benefactor

• Blue: Structural supports

• Purple: Ending in bodies of water

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 #1035 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Found in the trunk of a car: ICE SCRAPER, JACK, JUMPER CABLES, SPARE TIRE

• Benefactor: ANGEL, CHAMPION, PATRON, SPONSOR

• Structural supports: BEAM, BRACE, COLUMN, STRUT

• Ending in bodies of water: BOMBAY, CHELSEA, SCREWDRIVER, SNOWFLAKE

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 11, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're stylish.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 11, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: You're putting me on

The words are related to fashion.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe fashion accessories.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Top Gear.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 11

• Beanie

• Fedora

• Beret

• Top Gear

• Bowler

• Toque

• Derby

• Sombrero

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a goody two-shoes.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. 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 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 11, 2026 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.

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 was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 11, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Puritan.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

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 today's Wordle is...

PRUDE

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

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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 Wordle.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Rock.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

STONE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To sneak.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SLINK

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A kid.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CHILD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A bet.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

WAGER

Final Hurdle hint

A flying object.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

DRONE

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

To humanity's relief, the Artemis II astronauts returned safely to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific ocean just off the California coast Friday evening. And it looked every bit as iconic as those Apollo splashdowns from the 1960s and 1970s.

Credit: Bill Ingalls / NASA This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

As thrilling as the splashdown was, equally thrilling was video of the crew module separating from the service module a half hour before the spacecraft returned.

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Celebrations broke out at the nearby Air and Space Museum in San Diego, where one space-loving child gave us what may be the most relatable raised fist since Success Kid.

Credit: Apu GOMES / AFP via Getty Images

Celebrations also broke out several hundred miles north at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, California — where the descent was a nerve-wracking reminder of the lost Space Shuttle that the center is named for.

Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

However, there followed a wait of more than an hour — longer than expected — while the crew awaited the inflation of a "front porch" that would allow them to be extracted by helicopter.

Credit: NASA screenshot

We'll update this post with photos of the crew emerging as soon as it happens.

The NASA spacecraft carrying the four astronauts of Artemis II — Commander Reid Wiseman, 50, pilot Victor Glover, 49, Christina Koch, 47, and Jeremy Hansen, 50 — splashed down as planned off the coast of San Diego, California at 5:07pm Pacific time, in perfect weather. 

The safe return of the crew module, known during descent as Integrity, followed a nerve-wracking set of maneuvers during the mission's final half hour. 

Integrity had to separate from its service module, reorient itself for a "raise burn" that assisted reentry, and then had to weather an expected communications blackout of exactly six minutes as it reentered Earth's atmosphere.

SEE ALSO: After splashdown, brutal obstacle course awaits the Artemis II crew

Finally, a series of hair-raising parachute deployments concluded with the reveal of three iconic red and white parachutes.

On reaching the Pacific, the crew were reported as "green" — meaning all OK — and balloons deployed to help keep it afloat while Integrity powered down. The only snag, apparently, was was a non-working satellite phone.  

The astronauts remained in good spirits throughout the process, and had plenty of time to look around on the way down — and back up again.  

"The moon looks smaller than it did yesterday," Commander Wiseman noted to mission control some 23 minutes before splashdown. 

"Guess we'll just have to go back, then," responded Artemis II Chief Training Officer Jacki Mahaffey.  

The successful trip, which in looping around the moon went further from Earth than any humans have ever gone, was intended to prepare the hardware and the flight controllers for a moon landing in 2028, the first in more than a half-century. 

NASA also aims to use the moon to practice keeping humans alive in another world for extended periods before going to Mars. The U.S. also has an interest in landing on the moon again before China, which is close to achieving its own first human moon landing. 

Watch splashdown below, starting at about the 1 hour, 35 minute mark:

Elisha Sauers contributed to this report.

Once upon a time, streaming was considered a cheap alternative to cable. Now, depending on the services you subscribe to, "cheap" is hardly the word.

So far in 2026, several apps have undergone price increases, to the point where it's hard to keep up. That's where we come in. Here are the major streaming services that have hiked up their prices in 2026 so far.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (April 10, 2026) Prime Video

In March, Amazon changed the pricing structure for Prime Video, downgrading its cheaper options and locking important features behind its premium tier. The basic cost of Amazon Prime is still $14.99 a month or $139 a year, but that tier now only has access to 1080p streams on Prime Video.

To see 4K Prime Video content, you now need to pony up an extra $4.99/mo for a new "Ultra" tier that also gets rid of ads. Prime Video Ultra also allows for more simultaneous streams and more downloads. But at a 33% premium to the regular price, is it worth it in this economy?

Paramount Plus

Back in January, Paramount Plus upped the prices of both its available tiers by an additional $1 per month.

The cheaper, ad-supported Essential tier is now $9 monthly or $90 annually (up from $60), while the ad-free Premium tier is now $14 monthly or $140 annually (up from $120).

Crunchyroll

Anime fans are not immune to price hikes, either. Crunchyroll, the biggest name in anime streaming, increased its prices in February. The cheapest Fan tier went from $7.99 to $9.99 per month, the middle Mega Fan tier went from $11.99 to $13.99, and the Ultimate Fan tier went from $15.99 to $17.99.

This was the service's first real price hike in years, and it didn't come without some perks: Users can now download content to watch offline, for one thing. Sadly, the free, ad-supported Crunchyroll tier was killed earlier this year — so if you want to watch the best in anime, you'll probably have to pay.

Spotify

Spotify increased the price of its Premium plan from $11.99 to $12.99 per month in February. The cheaper Student plan went from $5.99 to $6.99. Duo and Family plan users saw $2 hikes. The former went from $16.99 to $18.99 per month, while the latter jumped from $19.99 to $21.99.

Sling TV

Sling TV is the only service on this list that was explicitly supposed to replace cable. Unfortunately, it also became the victim of a price hike earlier this year. There are too many tiers and permutations of Sling to list here, but the TL;DR is that prices went up by $4 per month for many users.

YouTube Premium

Last but not least is YouTube Premium, lowkey one of the better investments you can make if you really, truly hate ads on YouTube. This service got a $2 a month price increase, going fro $13.99 to $15.99 in April.

Sadly, there don't seem to be any extra perks to go along with this price increase.

Many of us can't go anywhere without our smartphones, and neither do the astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft.

The historic Artemis II mission sent four brave astronauts 248,655 miles away from Earth, a historic record — and the iPhone 17 Pro Max went with them. The Orion spacecraft, dubbed Integrity by its crew, is a marvel of engineering, but it's also home to some familiar terrestrial technology.

Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen brought all sorts of quirky items along with them to space (including at least one jar of Nutella). In addition to iPhones, the Artemis II crew is traveling with consumer gadgets from GoPro, Nikon, and Microsoft, all of which serve practical purposes aboard Orion.

The astronauts have been using the latest Apple flagship smartphone, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, to document life aboard Orion. They've sent back some unforgettable selfies with these smartphones.

NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows Credit: NASA

In addition, the astronauts have been using two Nikon D5 DSLR camera bodies, along with a variety of lenses, batteries, and camera accessories. Taking photographs of the lunar surface was one of the most important scientific objectives of the Artemis II mission, and the Nikon cameras have been essential for that task. (We've been marveling over the photographs all week long.)

Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen configure their camera equipment. Credit: NASA

In addition, each of the astronauts is using a personal computing device, or a PCD. For this mission, the astronauts are using Microsoft Surface Pro tablets, for both important scientific work as well as more mundane tasks, like checking their email.

Finally, a variety of GoPro cameras are in use, both within the Orion cabin and on the exterior of the craft.

NASA documents state that the astronauts are using handheld GoPro action cameras to record the mission, and the footage will eventually appear in a Disney/NatGeo documentary.

In addition, specialized GoPro cameras have been installed on Orion's solar arrays.

A GoPro representative told Mashable that Artemis II astronauts are using HERO11 Black action cameras and a MAX1 360-degree camera onboard Orion. Outside the cabin, NASA placed modified HERO4 Black cameras on the solar arrays.

GoPro cameras have a reputation for durability, but these conditions are particularly extreme.

The Orion crew is scheduled to return to Earth on April 10, and the world has been following every step of the mission with bated breath.

Godspeed, Artemis II!

"Fetch" is never going to happen. But "moon joy" just might.

NASA began using the phrase "moon joy" all over its social media accounts as the Artemis II crew approached the moon this week. Now the agency has gone all in with a definition on the official NASA account on X, along with the ideal photo — its lunar adventurers looking adorably like the first fourple in space — leading into a video of moon joy moments.

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"The feeling of intense happiness and excitement that only comes from a mission to the moon" is how NASA defines moon joy (which sounds to us like it should be one word, but we'll wait for an official ruling from the AP Stylebook).

The phrase has been used several times throughout the Artemis II mission. The first use NASA posted was on Sunday, April 5: a clip of the mission control communicator calmly replying to a litany of excited identification of lunar locations from astronaut Reid Wiseman aboard Orion.

"Copy," mission control says with a chuckle. "Moon joy."

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One commenter on X called the phrase "the most perfectly understated response to astronauts losing their minds over seeing the moon up close for the first time." (Which calls to mind this classic 1969 moon landing story from the Onion — featuring a mission control transcript that seems closer to how the Apollo team would have expressed its moon joy if they hadn't been so professionally understated.)

NASA knew a good meme when it saw one. When the astronauts were woken up on Monday, mission control told them, "Our room is buzzing with moon joy." When the Artemis II astronauts viewed a solar eclipse that same day, it also qualified as moon joy — because the eclipse was one only they could see.

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Moon joy is infectious, it turns out — even reaching the astronauts aboard the International Space Station, according to a live NASA broadcast of a ship-to-ship call between Orion and the ISS.

"We can tell that you guys are definitely experiencing moon joy," Jessica Meir, commander of the ISS Crew-12 mission, told the Artemis II crew, "and I feel like even we are experiencing moon joy right now."

The ISS's moon joy manifested, according to Meir, in a particularly nerdy jape.

At the moment Orion set the new record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth on Monday, her crew went to the far end of the station to claim that they were the farthest humans away from them at that moment — presumably since the ISS happened to be on the opposite side of the Earth at the time.

Even Rise, the official Artemis II mission mascot, got in on the moon joy meme on Wednesday, turning in the perfect made-for-Hollywood cute character catchphrase.

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Of course, NASA couldn't make moon joy happen all on its own. Luckily, back on Earth, moon joy is already a thing — because ironically, and unlike fetch in Mean Girls, it's not happening in a vacuum.

We noted the unusually unified, unabashedly earnest reactions to last week's Artemis II launch. That sense of wonder and delight has only grown, and #moonjoy has become the positive hashtag for an otherwise uniformly terrible year.

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How long moon joy lasts, and whether it stays with us for NASA's planned moon landing in 2028, is anyone's guess. But this week at least, it was a real and global thing — and that is, in itself, pretty fetch.

Elisha Sauers contributed to this report.

The device burned an exterior gate of the house, in San Francisco, the police said, and it was unclear whether the artificial intelligence executive was home. The authorities arrested a suspect.

BookTokers, Bookstagramers, and the most passionate Kindle users across the internet are fuming this week. On April 7, Amazon notified affected users that the company would be discontinuing support on 13 devices, including nine Kindle e-readers.

Amazon already faces plenty of backlash in the book world. Last year, Amazon launched a massive book sale, which coincided with Independent Bookstore Day. This most recent news has left some Kindle users with a bad taste in their mouth, and now some readers are asking, "Should I switch to a Kobo?"

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While Kindle is the biggest name in e-readers, Kobos are climbing the ranks.

We've tried and loved both the Kobo Clara and Kobo Libra, and the devices are just as great as any Kindle. Kobo e-readers have features that Amazon abandoned in its Kindles, like page-turning buttons, plus seamless Libby integration. But if the decision to switch to a Kobo is driven out of worries that your current Kindle will eventually get bricked too, then a Kobo won't solve this problem.

Older tech being phased out is an unfortunate reality of our modern era. Unlike a Kitchenaid mixer, which doesn't require software updates to stay functional, a phone, computer, tablet, or e-reader always will. Unfortunately, with such frequent product releases, we're accustomed to a system of planned obsolescence. So, it feels revolutionary when Google announces a plan for automatic updates that makes Chromebooks last up to a decade.

And to be fair, it's impressive that Amazon devices that are at least 14 years old are still kicking it, which is a testament to the device's longevity. However, it's understandable if you want to switch to a Kobo. But our word of caution is to switch for the right reasons because it's highly probable Kobo e-readers will face the same bricked fate.

Why you shouldn't switch to a Kobo from a Kindle

If you want to switch to a Kobo from a Kindle because you think it won't be discontinued, I have bad news. Kobo also has a history of retiring devices and no longer supporting them with software updates. On the company's website, they have a list of products, including e-readers, that it no longer supports.

This is just the fate of any device requiring regular software updates.

Companies are also incentivized to do this because it means pushing users to buy a new device, even if it frustrates the customer. And let's clear up one misconception. While Kindles and Kobos are no longer supported with software updates, these past-gen devices can still run. (Our colleagues at PCMag have advice for holding onto older Kindles.) It may mean they can no longer access the internet; however, users should still have access to the library of books currently on the device, and they can add books by connecting it to a computer.

Something else to keep in mind with switching to a Kobo is that you won't be able to transfer over your library. Both Kindle and Kobo use DRM on books purchased in their respective stores, which means you can only read those files on that specific brand of e-reader. However, you can still revisit those books through the Kindle app. Some users even recommend buying a used Kindle if you do want to stick with the brand.

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So, if you are making a pros and cons list, there are still plenty more reasons why you should switch to a Kobo.

Why you should switch to a Kobo from a Kindle Kindle Scribe (left) and Kobo Libra Colour (right). Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

There are plenty of reasons to shop for a Kobo. Across the board, Kobo e-readers are just as speedy and user-friendly as any Kindle. They have an accessible user interface, but there are some slight differences, like how Kobo numbers their pages based on digital pages while Kindle numbers are based on the physical book.

Unless your Kindle library is entirely full of DRM-free EPUB files, you won't be able to access any book you've purchased in the Kindle library on your new Kobo e-reader. But if you can get over that, then there's plenty to look forward to with a Kobo.

Page-turning buttons

Older Kindle models have a coveted feature that the newest models don't: page-turning buttons. With models like the Kindle 5 no longer being supported and the Kindle Oasis discontinued, users don't have no longer have a new Kindle option to shop that includes page-turning buttons.

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If you want those buttons, look to the Kobo Libra Colour, which has two page-turning buttons on the side so you don't need to tap the touch screen. Those buttons also mean there's extra space to hold the device, for a really comfortable hold. The Kobo Libra Colour also has something that no Kindle does, an internal gyroscope, which means you can rotate the device to hold it with the opposite hand and the screen will automatically rotate.

A native remote With just two buttons, the Kobo remote lets you turn the page forward and backward. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

For readers maximizing their reading nook with an e-reader stand, a remote makes it easy to turn the pages while keeping your hands warm under the blanket. Kobo is the first e-reader brand to come out with a remote to pair with their e-readers.

We've tested the Kobo remote, and it rocks, connecting via Bluetooth, and it's far better than any random remote you can find on Amazon to go with a Kindle.

Libby integration

Libby users with a Kindle will rejoice at an even more straightforward integration on Kobo e-readers. On a Kobo, you can login to your library card directly on your device and books you borrow through Libby/Overdrive automatically populate onto your device. The downside is that if you have multiple library cards you use on Libby, you can only log into one at a time on a Kobo e-reader.

Color at a cheaper price

Kindle has its own color e-readers, but Kobos are much cheaper.

The basic Kindle Colorsoft costs $199.99 while the comparable Kobo Clara Colour is just $159.99, which happens to be the same price as the Kindle Paperwhite. So if you're looking to upgrade to a color e-reader anyway, it's far more affordable to do so with a Kobo.

Apple is closing the doors on three retail locations in June, including the first store to win a unionized staff.

The employees of the Apple store in Towson, Maryland, north of Baltimore, voted to unionize with the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) in 2022. The union is organized with the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (CORE).

SEE ALSO: What AI can tell you about your blood test

A second Apple store in Oklahoma City voted to unionize shortly after Townson's historic action. Despite the forward momentum, other Apple unionization efforts have petered out under mounting pressure from the company, CNBC reports.

Towson employees were notified of the closure in a Thursday morning staff call. The group ratified its first contract with Apple in 2024, set to expire in 2027. According to union representatives, Apple has said they are prevented from relocating employees under the union's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), but encouraged them to apply for other open positions. Apple employees at the two other locations set to close — Apple North County, in Escondido, California, and Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, Connecticut — will be moved to nearby stores.

IAM said Apple's claims about its inability to relocate employees at the Maryland store are false, and alleges the closure is "a cynical attempt to bust the union."

Apple says "declining conditions" in local shopping corridors, including the departure of retailers from the Townson Town Center mall, and a shift away from mall locations, prompted the closures.

In a statement following the announcement, IAM representatives wrote: "The IAM Union is outraged by Apple's decision to close its Towson, Md., store — the first unionized U.S. Apple retail location — and abandon both its workers and a community that relies on it for critical services and its unique access to public transit."

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Apple workers and union across the country have been organizing a movement to unionize retail staff, including salespeople and Genius bar staff, for several years.

About half of young people ages 14-29 are now using artificial intelligence every day or week, and yet just 15 percent of them see AI as a net positive for society. And you don't have to go far in the tech world to encounter AI doomers warning about the dire risks of AI run amok.

Indeed, such doom and gloom can be hard to avoid when the headlines constantly remind us that our world is heating up, drying up, and blowing up. And that's what makes the new Focus Features documentary, The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, such a head-scratcher. The movie is a call to action, not just to regulate artificial intelligence so it can be harnessed for good, but a call to arms for optimists (and aspiring optimists like myself).

The AI Doc was produced by Everything Everywhere All At Once co-director Daniel Kwan and directed by filmmakers Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell. Roher, who won the Oscar for his 2022 documentary Navalny, is the emotional anchor of the movie, and he urged me to resist the siren call of cynicism around AI.

"[Cynicism] is, frankly, easy," he said. "Very, very easy. And it's kind of like the low-hanging knee-jerk reaction to something. You'll realize that it’s actually the only wrong answer to this."

SEE ALSO: Review: 'The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist' is a panic attack, in a good way

In the documentary, the Oscar-winning director learns that his wife is pregnant just as he begins a good and proper AI doom spiral. So, he takes us along for the ride as he explores the dangers of AI, both real and imagined. He even talks to the "final bosses" of the AI problem — the handful of men sitting atop the AI industry — OpenAI's Sam Altman (or is it Sam Altman’s OpenAI?), Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis, and Anthropic's Dario Amodei.

Roher spoke with me by phone after the movie's release, where he confronted me about my own cynicism around artificial intelligence. We also talked about how AI is being used in Hollywood, the ongoing copyright battles between artists, filmmakers, and the AI industry, and whether AGI is really as imminent as it seems.

As a tech editor, I get whiplash covering AI. I talk to tech people, who talk about AI like it's the greatest thing in the world — it’s going to solve all our problems and change the world. And then I talk to artists and reporters, who tell me it's a scam, it's just destroying the [environment]. Have you experienced the same thing as a creative who talks to a lot of tech people?

Daniel Roher: I think that's a good way to articulate it. If you talk to one set of people, and they tell you one thing, and then talk to another set of people, and they tell you the polar opposite. And the particularly complicated component is that both people are incredibly intelligent and thoughtful and well read and well researched, and so it's sort of like looking at two truths at the same time and trying to decipher it and figure out how to reconcile that reality.

I imagine one tough thing about making an AI documentary is the pace of change in this space. For the first time, we're really seeing AI used in a war capacity. I'm just curious how your thinking has evolved since the movie wrapped?

I'm just becoming more and more concerned. Obviously, the documentary is about how scared I was, and I think now, as I'm seeing some of the [dangers] discussed in the documentary [happen]...like AI being used in conflicts. It's just very concerning and very scary. 

And you've seen red lines drawn in the sand by some companies, while others blow through them. I'm particularly speaking to Anthropic and the very reasonable red lines that they drew down with the Pentagon and what was comfortable for them, gaining the public support of most people in the world, including Sam Altman and OpenAI, only to be then designated a supply chain risk and have Sam Altman swoop in and and, you know, make his own deal with the Pentagon. 

But Sam Altman is someone who has a sort of air of someone who came out of the womb wearing his turtleneck and running shoes ready to give his keynote address at Davos...I found him to be just media-trained up the wazoo. Not a particularly genuine person. - Daniel Roher, Director

That type of, I don't know if you want to call it bad faith dealing, is pretty Machiavellian, and it's scary.

Yeah, and it kind of lines up with Sam Altman's reputation. His reputation is a bit Machiavellian. There have been accusations, I know, by former employees and board members that he's... I've heard the word "two-faced." What was your impression of Altman? Did it seem like he had a good grasp of the seriousness of the risks here?

I guess, although if he really did, I think he'd be doing more to work with his colleagues to try and create safety precautions and common-sense safety measures, which he's not doing. So perhaps not. 

SEE ALSO: Trump orders Pentagon to stop using 'woke' Anthropic in fiery Truth social post

But Sam Altman is someone who has a sort of air of someone who came out of the womb wearing his turtleneck and running shoes, ready to give his keynote address at Davos. Like, that's his energy, which is a vibe, you know? I would say that he and I didn't hit it off. Before that, I found him to be just media-trained up the wazoo. Not a particularly genuine person.

Co-director Daniel Roher appears in 'The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist.' Credit: Focus Features

The documentary did a really good job of laying out how, basically, our entire global economy is being rearranged around this arms race for AGI. All the biggest tech players in the world, the financial powers, they're all pouring resources into this race to be the first one to achieve AGI. And I guess one of the questions I have is, what happens if AGI isn't possible? What if AGI turns out to be a mirage? 

Well, how do you define AGI?

I would say, AI that's capable of replacing the average worker. Smart enough that it can do the average laptop job, the average manufacturing job, pretty much out of the box. 

By that metric, we have already achieved AGI. No debate.

I mean, I'm only going by the box you draw on the floor, and based on your explanation, certainly we've achieved AGI. Certainly, AI can write your article, and certainly AI can interview me, and certainly AI can write a movie, and certainly AI can drive a truck. It's just a question of the bureaucracies of our world being slow to incorporate these systems. But I think, by your definition, we have reached it. And anyone who says that it's not possible, or that this will plateau, that has not been my experience, just observing reality around me.

I don't know that it's quite all the way there. I think it still needs quite a bit of babysitting, from what I've seen. But maybe that's a bit of denialism on my part. 

For me, artificial general intelligence is an AI system that can do a wide variety of tasks at a level superior to that of an individual. So that is not limited to just, you know, coding or writing an essay. Anything, it can do better than you, not just one category. That's what I understand AGI to be. 

SEE ALSO: 'The AI Doc' producer Daniel Kwan on the future and threat of artificial intelligence

Without some sort of consensus on what we're talking about, it's hard to focus the discussion. And that's just a challenge with this, and how fast it's moving, and the fact that there are no clearly defined goalposts of what we're even talking about.

As you've gotten further into fatherhood, have your feelings on AI changed?

I would have typically described myself as quite a cynical, perhaps a denialistic person. I would have, you know, five years ago, said, "Oh yeah, this is gonna be terrible. There's nothing we can do in the face of this." And I don't feel that way now. I feel like the worst thing you can do is be cynical. And I think my perspective, geared towards optimism and collective action, is framed through the lens of fatherhood. It's irresponsible to be a parent and to be nihilistic or cynical, and that's why I really try and focus on what we can do, what I can do, and what you can do, what we can all do.

What are one or two things someone can do if they’re worried about AI?

Educate yourself. Use the software. Understand what they're capable of. Think critically about what you want to use these for, [and] what you don't want to use them for. That's really, really, really important. 

And then the other thing is to evaluate what we call your sphere of influence. If you're a single mom, if you're a truck driver, if you're a teacher, if you're a dog walker, if you're a filmmaker, or a politician or so on and so forth, you have power in your life, some smaller than others, but you have power nonetheless, even if it's just calling someone and talking to them about this, telling them what you've learned and how you're feeling about it, trying to explain to someone the value of collective action and being a a participant in finding a solution here. Because it'll take all of us. 

Five, 10 years ago, that would have sounded like corny, [politically correct] woo-woo, Kumbaya bullshit to me, but there is no other choice. 

So I very much believe in the power of collective action. And then there are basic political pressures that we can do. What political party, what candidates are on the right side of this issue, who is advocating for common sense, regulations, and guardrails to ensure that this technology doesn't consume us, but we still have power over our own future?

Those are a few things that might not seem satisfying to people, but it's not as easy as, like, change your light bulbs, you know, drive your car less, take the train instead of flying. It's more challenging.

[For] the tech CEO to be like, you know, "Fuck you, I will come for your shit." My response is, "Fuck you back. No, you're not." And I applaud the media outlets like the New York Times who are standing up for their material and doing the very, very good public work of fighting companies in the courts. - Daniel Roher, Director

Among many artists and many progressive people in general, there's a real intense resistance to using AI or to allowing AI to become normalized. For example, whenever we hear about AI being used in the process of making a video game, there are calls to boycott that game. Are you seeing that among other filmmakers or artists as well?

Yeah, sure, and that's their prerogative. This shit is fucking scary. I get it. I get why people are freaked out, why they don't want to use it, and why they want to boycott. But it's also the plain reality that it's here and it's not going anywhere. 

And so what I'm more interested in is figuring out how we can be creative beings alongside this thing, right? And what do I do that this thing cannot do, because I believe that my unique lived experience on Earth is just a different category of existence than this obtuse, oblique computer God thing that we're building that is just trained off of all of our regurgitated knowledge and stuff. I believe my lived experience is unique. That's the biggest thing. 

And then beyond that, I'm also very mindful of when it comes to using AI to create art — how is this empowering me versus how is it replacing me? And if it's empowering me in a meaningful way, then I'm like, "Cool, great." If it's going to replace me, I'm like, "No thank you." And it's also the paradox, and the reality is that the same thing that empowers me can also replace me, and that's why it takes all of us to sort of stand up and say, "You know what? We don't want to use it for this. I don't want to play a video game that was made by an AI, or I don't want to watch a film that was shot out by a computer. No, thank you. I appreciate the artist's hand."

Maybe that's naive, but that's just my opinion, as someone who is an artist who makes stuff as my vocation and reason for existing.

I've found some people take a very, very hard line that if there’s any involvement of AI, I won't engage with it at all. And I wonder sometimes if those people are kind of alienating themselves from the larger conversations that need to happen.

I don't disregard that position. I understand why people feel that way. My position is, this is fucking terrifying. Like, this is actually really scary. And I know most of my creative friends who have had the experience of using Sora or looking at ChatGPT and being like, "Oh, look, the thing that I've been training my whole life to do no longer has any value. So what the fuck do I do with that?" That, in and of itself, is scary, and it seems like a very natural reaction for people to be like, "No, fuck that. No, thank you. Not for me."

You know, is that healthy in the grand scheme? Probably not. But as I said earlier, my position is that this isn't going anywhere, and it's just a question of how we can coexist and co-evolve with this technology in a way that is empowering and not depleting.

I also wanted to quickly ask about the copyright issue. I interviewed the CEO of a major AI video company, Luma AI, and he basically said, anything we train on is [fair use]. You know, we're going to train on whatever we want. But if the output looks like copyrighted, protected material, that's a problem, and that's where we draw the line. 

Do you get a sense that that's kind of a losing battle, that ultimately AI companies are going to do what they want?

The guy who has a financial vested interest is saying that he's gonna train his model on what the fuck he wants? It's kind of like the guy who runs the tobacco company saying that, you know, smoking is good for you. Everyone should have a cigarette, and if you say differently, fuck you. And to that, I'm like, "Dude, go fuck yourself." Language like “the battle's already been lost”? And it's like, dude, relax. The battle hasn't already been lost. 

This is just a unique challenge of 25th-century technology that's crash-landed into the 21st century, being regulated by legislative processes forged in the 17-fucking-hundreds. And court cases take a long time, but I think, at the end of the day, the book is still very much open on whether the IP battle has been won or lost.

So, yeah, for the tech CEO to be like, you know, "Fuck you, I will come for your shit." My response is, "Fuck you back. No, you're not." And I applaud media outlets like the New York Times, which are standing up for their material and doing the very, very good public work of fighting companies in court. And this is what I'm talking about, as a collective action. There has been a tangible pushback against the overreach of these AI companies. I feel it. I sense it in the ether. People are scared. People are pushing back. People are saying, "No, thank you," and I'm inspired by that.

[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.]

I think that speaks to the doomer in me. I have the skeptic, the cynicism, in myself as well. 

I don't know what your life is like, but I hope for you that you get to experience having kids, because it rocks, it's just so fun. And maybe you're not a person who wants to do that in your life, and that's fine, too. But I hope that your main character arc is that, one day, you have a family and you understand viscerally that the cynicism you're speaking to is, frankly, easy. Very, very easy. And it's kind of like the low-hanging knee-jerk reaction to something. You'll realize that it’s actually the only wrong answer to this.

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Some of the quotes in this story have been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.