IT General

Netflix is introducing a new type of original language subtitles.

On Thursday, the company announced a new subtitle option: original language subtitles that only show the spoken dialogue.

The only option for subtitles in the original language before was Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH/CC). These subtitles include dialogue but also audio cues such as [dramatic music swells], as well as names of the people speaking on screen.

However, Netflix has realized that a lot of folks watch content with subtitles (fifty percent of Americans do it most of the time), and decided to offer a subtitle option that only covers spoken dialogue. If you're wondering why that is, you've probably never seen Brad Pitt's legendary performance in Guy Ritchie's "Snatch."

Now you get both the CC and the non-CC version. Credit: Netflix

Unfortunately, this will not be available for older titles, at least not right away. Netflix says the new subtitle option will first appear on new titles coming to the platform, with the first show to get it being the fifth season of You.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock and watch U.S. Netflix

Netflix also said that, going forward, the non-CC subtitles will be available on all new Netflix originals in every language that the platform offers.

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: Happens at a track competition

• Green: Descriptions given for athletes

• Blue: Heard their name called first

• Purple: 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: Track and field events

• Green: Bio info for an NFL draft pick

• Blue: Previous No. 1 NFL draft picks

• Purple: _______ball sports

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 #214 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Track and field events - C100 METERS, DECATHLON, POLE VAULT, STEEPLECHASE

• Bio info for an NFL draft pick - HEIGHT, POSITION, SCHOOL, WEIGHT

• Previous No. 1 NFL draft picks - BURROW, FISHER, LONG, LUCK

• ________ball sports - FOOT, PICKLE, SOFT, VOLLEY

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 today's Connections.

A TV is the centrepiece of most living areas — not only a source of constant entertainment, but the thing that all your furniture is pointed towards — so it's vital that you get it right. Even when you're shopping on a budget.

The great thing about modern tech is that when you are shopping on a budget, there's a surprising number of features that you can get for your money. 21st Century TVs can do much more than just tune into a couple of channels.

If you need some help choosing a TV, we've trawled the internet to find a selection of the best models. We have information on the best 4K TVs, TVs for gaming, and TVs for under £500. We wouldn't want budget shoppers to feel left out though, so here’s a quick guide to buying a cheap TV, along with some of the very best models.

How much do budget TVs cost?

As you can see, we’ve kept it to £300 or below. Indeed, there’s lots of talk about huge, mega-resolution smart TVs — eye-popping 4K sets and eye-watering prices — but it’s perfectly possible to get a good television set for a few hundred pounds. In some cases around the £150 mark. It’s worth remembering that if you’re not fussy about having the very latest model, you’ll find that more expensive models from the last few years are now marked down to a more agreeable price.

Do budget TVs offer smart features?

Cheap doesn’t necessarily mean lacking in quality. Because some of these models even offer impressive features like Ultra HD image resolution and HDR support. Enormous QLED TVs are obviously not going to make this list but you can still find real quality, if you know where to look. All the TVs featured in this roundup have smart platforms that offer a selection of streaming apps as well access to free-to-view channels. You’ll also find features such as Alexa compatibility, gaming modes, and audio technology.

What is HDR?

This is a common selling point in modern TVs, so it’s worth knowing about — especially if you’re particular about having the best quality image. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. This essentially means a wider gamut of colours and shades of light and dark. It produces more vivid, nuanced colours — deeper, richer, and more detailed. There are different HDR formats — notably Dolby Vision and HDR10 — and you’ll find that certain TVs support certain formats (or both).

Can you get 4K for under £300?

In years gone by, most TVs at this price range were either HD Ready (720p) or Full HD (1080p), but that seems to be changing. It's relatively easy to find 4K in the budget price range now, as you can see from the selection below.

Can you watch streaming apps on a cheap TV?

Streaming apps are a feature of smart platforms, which you'll find on all of the TVs we've selected. You'll be able to watch the likes of Netflix, Disney, and iPlayer — though you need a subscription in some cases and an internet connection, of course. You can watch live digital channels through platforms such as Freeview Play and Freely, which may also be included on budget TVs.

What is the best TV for under £300?

We have painstakingly checked out everything on offer at this price range to bring you a selection of your best options. Whether you want something for your spare room, university halls, or home office, there will be something for you in this list. We’ve done the hard work so you can focus on the more important details, like where the TV is going to live in your room and what you're going to sit on. You know, all the fun stuff.

These are the best TVs for under £300 in 2025.

Working from home — or WFH to use the modern parlance — is now well established. That means you can no longer get away with an uncomfortable or amateurish setup in your home office. It's time for a serious upgrade. It's time to get profresional.

If you regularly WFH, consider a good quality computer monitor. Your desk chairs, keyboards, and mouse would seem pretty useless without one. A good monitor can also be essential for boosting productivity, helping you to organise, prioritise, and focus. It could be just what you need to overcome productivity issues. Because it is easy to get distracted when you're at home, even if you are technically on the clock.

But how to choose a monitor? As with all tech purchases, it’s easy to get blindsided with spec and jargon. But we can help with choosing a monitor to upgrade your office. Here’s some handy information to get you started.

What size are computer monitors?

Computer monitors are somewhere between a laptop and a TV. They tend to average out at around 24 or 27 inches, though there are definitely bigger options available. If you like to mix up work and play — as in, use the monitor for gaming as well as WFH — a larger monitor might be best. We’ve included a range of sizes below.

What is the best resolution for a computer monitor?

If you’re using the monitor just for work — spreadsheets, documents, and video calls — regular HD (720p) or Full HD (1080p) will do the trick. But if you are also using it for gaming or streaming in your downtime, consider a monitor that goes all the way up to 4K. You’ll find a selection of resolutions in this roundup. And it's not just about resolution. Monitors may also be equipped with HDR (high dynamic range), which means the monitor can produce richer colours and sharper details.

What features do monitors offer?

You might come across some jargon and tech speak while shopping for monitors, so here's a simple breakdown of key features:

• Eye Protection — Some monitors are built with technology to protect you from blue light or reduce eye fatigue — always a problem when you’re staring at a screen for the whole working day. There are also features that make it easier to read on the screen, and display technology that ensures you see the monitor clearly from any angle.

• Ergonomic Features — Ergonomic is a term that comes up with lots of office equipment. It basically means that it’s built for the most efficient and safest use. In the case of monitors that means they can be adjusted to tilt, pivot, and angle at a position that’s comfortable and reduces the chance of neck and posture problems. Sitting at a desk poorly can have bigger health impact than you might realise.

• Built-In Speakers — Basic monitors tend to not have speakers, which means you’ll need to add external speakers if you want audio. More advanced monitors like gaming monitors are more like little TVs, so may come with speakers already built-in.

• Ports and Connections — Depending on the price, different monitors will come with a different selection of ports. This will of course depend on your home set-up and what devices you need to connect. But look for monitors that have a range of HDMI and USB connections. And take note whether they offer USB A or C.

• AMD FreeSync — You'll find this technology on monitors that are designed for video playback and gaming. It helps minimise issues such as screen tearing, stuttering, and input lag, and improves the overall fluidity of the monitor's visuals.

Keep these features in mind when shopping for a monitor.

What is the best monitor for working from home?

To help you find a monitor that works for you and your budget, we have tracked down a selection of devices from a bunch of top brands. We're confident that there's something for everyone — not to mention every budget — on this list.

These are the best monitors in 2025.

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.

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

A crest.

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

RIDGE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Mushrooms.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 25, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FUNGI

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Lopsided.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 25 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 25, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

WONKY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

An imposter.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 25 Hurdle Word 4 answer

FRAUD

Final Hurdle hint

A popular seed.

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

POPPY

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

You’re wrong if you think that the ability to sync files is a new feature offered by tech companies. Microsoft has actually offered this feature since Windows 95 with a virtual folder called Briefcase.

Threads, Meta's alternative to X, formerly Twitter, had almost everything it needed to succeed. It's backed by one of the biggest of the Big Tech companies. It's directly integrated with Instagram, the mega popular photo sharing app. With all its powers combined, Threads was able to grow to 100 million users in just 5 days.

However, there was one crucial element that the platform was missing: A 'dot com' domain name.

But, as of April 24, Meta has solved Threads' URL problem. Threads.com now officially points users to the web version of the Threads platform.

"Today, we’re moving from Threads.net to Threads.com," Meta said in an announcement posted on the company blog alongside feature updates to the platform.

As Elon Musk continues to put his unique stamp on X, many liberal users are seeking out new social media homes. X competitors like Bluesky and Threads appear to have won out as the official Twitter replacements, although neither have come close to achieving critical mass.

Threads finally using Threads.com as its official URL won't beat out X alone, but studies have shown that internet users still use and trust .com domain names more than any other domain extension. This move from Threads.net to Threads.com will only help the platform.

Threads originally launched in July 2023 strictly as a mobile app. One month later, Threads rolled out the web version of the social media platform. However, Threads on the web was previously located at Threads.net.

Why? At the time, Meta simply did not own the dot-com domain. Plenty of users went to Threads.com when Meta launched the platform. However, users who visited the URL were then directed to a website for a startup company that was building a Slack alternative called Threads — not exactly an ideal user experience.

Unsurprisingly, the Slack alternative unfortunately named Threads later noted that it received acquisition interest from Meta. The following year, the startup announced that Shopify had acquired the company. Then, in September 2024, tech outlets noticed that the ownership information listed in the Whois domain records for Threads.com pointed to a new owner — Meta.

It's unclear how much Meta paid for the domain name, but on Thursday, the company made Threads.com official.

One way to speed up your browsing experience in Microsoft Edge is to use keyboard shortcuts. Indeed, they can help you quickly navigate and organize various elements of the Edge user interface, such as the tabs, favorites bar, sidebar, address bar, or active web page. Keyboard shortcuts can also be handy when you're using Microsoft Edge as a PDF reader.

Motorola finally shut off all the leaks surrounding its new Razr phones on Thursday by just announcing them officially.

The American tech firm announced its latest batch of foldable phones, which consists of three new Razr devices: The Razr (2025), Razr Plus (2025), and Razr Ultra. You can see a full rundown of specs and features in Motorola's company blog post, but suffice it to say, the Ultra with the wood finish is probably the star of the show here.

Motorola claims that thanks to its Snapdragon processor, the new Motorola Razr Ultra will be the world's most powerful flip phone, as well as the fastest-charging flip phone.

The new Motorola Razr comes in a sick wood finish. Credit: Motorola SEE ALSO: Everything we know about the new Motorola Razr: Leaks, launch date, price The Motorola Razr Ultra: Flagship specs and a Snapdragon processor

It's the most expensive phone of the bunch at $1,300, but you get what you pay for, specs-wise. The Razr Ultra has a 4-inch cover display on the exterior and a 7-inch display on the interior, with a beefy 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. You'll also get a big 4,700mAh battery on top of a new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, plus a trio of 50MP camera lenses to play with. It also comes in a swaggy new faux-wood finish as an option, which is definitely one of the coolest-looking phones I've seen in a minute.

Here are the key specs:

• Displays: 4-inch external screen, 7-inch internal screen

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite processor

• RAM: 16GB

• Storage options: 512GB, 1TB

• Battery: 4,700mAh

• Cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP selfie

• Colorways: Pantone Cabaret, Pantone Scarab, Pantone Rio Red, Pantone Mountain Trail (wood finish)

The Motorola Razr Ultra also has a dedicated AI button, though the features you can access with it as a shortcut are also available on the other new Razr devices.

The Motorola Razr 2025 lineup comes with Moto AI

"Moto AI," as it's called, can do interesting things like keep a pin in items you specifically ask it to remember for you to bring up later. There's also a "Group Shot" photo feature similar to what's been on recent Google Pixel phones, which lets you put multiple group photos together into one, giving you a "perfect" shot where no one is making a funny face.

AI features like this are becoming standard now in the smartphone market, with each successive launch bringing new AI features to the market. Moto AI gets a boost from Google Gemini, including Google Gemini Live mode.

Credit: Motorola SEE ALSO: The Google Pixel 9a is available now: How to buy The new Motorola Razr and Razr Plus

The other two new Razr phones aren't quite as fancy as the Ultra, but as a consolation, they're also considerably cheaper. The base model starts at $699 and comes with a smaller 3.6-inch cover screen and a slightly smaller 6.9-inch interior display. You only get an older MediaTek Dimensity 7400X processor to go along with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and the camera array isn't as impressive, but if you want an affordable foldable, this is an affordable foldable.

Here are the base model's specs:

• Displays: 3.6-inch external screen, 6.9-inch internal screen

• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7400X

• RAM: 8GB

• Storage: 256GB of storage

• Battery: 4,500mAh battery

• Cameras: 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 32MP selfie

The $999 Razr Plus is an interesting middle-ground. It retains the 4-inch cover screen from the Ultra and the 6.9-inch display from the base model. It uses a slightly newer Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 processor than what's in the base model, but it still probably won't be as performant as the Ultra. You get 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage here, as well as a 50MP wide lens and 50MP telephoto lens to play with on the back.

And here are the key specs for the Razr Plus, with our colleagues at CNET filling in some details on the processor and battery:

• Displays: 4-inch external screen, 6.9-inch internal screen

• Processor: Snapdragon 8S Gen 3

• RAM: 12GB

• Storage: 256GB of storage

• Battery: 4,500mAh battery

• Cameras: 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 32MP selfie

One thing is clear: Motorola has come a long way since the first, very disappointing attempt at bringing back the Razr as a foldable five years ago.

The 2025 editions of the Motorola Razr, Razr+, and Razr Ultra will be available for pre-order for U.S. customers starting May 7 at Motorola, Best Buy, and Amazon. For now, you can register for updates at the Motorola website.

We'll update this post with additional purchase details when we have them, and we're hoping to have a full hands-on review of the new phones soon.

The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as teams look to land their next big star from a deep pool of collegiate talent.

If the draft feels overwhelming, you're not alone. With hundreds of college prospects, complex draft mechanics, and constant speculation about which teams are eyeing whom, it can be a lot to take in. Thankfully, draft coverage is practically its own industry. The NFL reigns supreme in American sports, and that means there’s no shortage of expert analysis, tools, and resources widely available online.

SEE ALSO: How much would it really cost to watch every NFL game on TV?

We’ve rounded up a few to help you navigate it all.

NFL mock drafts

Everyone and their second cousin has a mock draft these days, so knowing where to start can be overwhelming. But my personal favorite resource is The Ringer's NFL Draft Guide, for a few reasons. First, I listen to their NFL podcasts and trust their coverage. Second, the guide is comprehensive. They have four different mock drafts from four of their experts (Danny Kelly, Diante Lee, Danny Heifetz, and Todd McShay), a big board, and a team need guide. And, finally, the Ringer's NFL Draft page is wildly easy to use. It's simple to navigate and allows you to dive deeper into every pick or player.

You can also find mock drafts at ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, or pretty much anywhere else online.

top 100!

[image or embed]

— Danny Kelly (@dannybkelly.bsky.social) April 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM NFL Draft simulators

If you want to try your hand at a mock draft or a draft simulator, you can do that, too. ESPN has a simulator tool that'll let you play out the dream of being your favorite team's GM — so you watch the other teams pick and then make your selections for one franchise.

If you want to control every team — aka make your own mock draft — you can do so at NFL Mock Draft Database, which also has a comprehensive list of expert mock drafts.

What's one more mock draft for the road, eh? Our expert's final iteration of the first round features just one trade, two quarterbacks... and no Shedeur Sanders. :link: http://dlvr.it/TKLYm1

[image or embed]

— The Athletic (@theathletic.bsky.social) April 24, 2025 at 8:01 AM NFL Draft expert opinions and who to follow online

Let me be clear: There are so, so, so many draft experts, and there is no way I know them all. But I do consider myself a bit of an NFL draft sicko and, thus, have my favorites. So here is a quick list, with their social media account linked, of some of my favorite follows for NFL Draft content:

• Ben Solak, ESPN

• Robert Mays, The Athletic

• Danny Kelly, The Ringer

• Mina Kimes, ESPN

• Danny Heifetz, The Ringer

• Diante Lee, The Ringer

• Dianna Russini, The Athletic

• Dane Brugler, The Athletic

• Charles McDonald, Yahoo

• Nate Tice, Yahoo

• Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network

• Colleen Wolfe, NFL Network

• Peter Schrager, ESPN

The draft's first round is scheduled to begin on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. It seems certain that Miami QB Cam Ward will go first overall to the Tennessee Titans. After that, who knows? But at least now you'll be informed and prepared.

YouTube has quietly rolled out many design changes, but for the most part, they've either been inoffensive or people have quickly adapted to them. This one, however, might be the most sensitive yet, and I'm not sure many will embrace it with open arms.

You can now get the Alienware Pro Wireless gaming mouse in white for just $89.99 on Amazon. This gives you a rare chance to buy a high-end mouse at 40% off MSRP, and it's the lowest recorded price.

Super Massive, the developer behind the PlayStationexclusive Until Dawn, The Quarry, and the Dark Pictures Anthology series, has reportedly canceled a Blade Runner game. Super Massive's latest release was The Casting of Frank Stone, a narrative-horror game set in the Dead by Daylight universe. It released to middling reviews, sitting at a 68 on Metacritic for the PS5 version. Supermassive Games also has another game set to release later in 2025, Directive 8020, the next entry in the Dark Pictures series, featuring more action and a sci-fi setting, which sounds pretty similar to the pitch for a Blade Runner game that the company had apparently been working on.

Netflix now offers a dialogue-only subtitle option. Dialogue-only subtitles will first appear in the new season of YOU, available today, before appearing in other new Netflix originals.

The Humane AI Pin aimed to be a replacement for smartphones with no screen and the power of generative AI, but the company making it didn't last long, and all existing Pin devices have been cut off from the servers powering them. A new project is hoping to make them useful again.

If you don't like Siri on your iPhone, too bad—you're stuck with it. Even as Apple wants to sprinkle it up with Apple Intelligence, it's still very lacking compared to other assistants. Perplexity's Assistant is finally on iOS, and if you're willing to do some workarounds, it's pretty good.

Razer has released its first vertical mouse: the Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition. This new model joins the standard Pro Click V2. While the standard Pro Click V2 has a more traditional ergonomic shape, the Vertical Edition takes a more radical approach, aiming to compete directly with well-known brands like Logitech in the vertical mouse space.

Google is currently in the midst of a major antitrust trial (make that two antitrust trials, actually), which may result in the company being forced to sell off its popular web browser, Google Chrome. However, the search giant made a major, unrelated Chrome announcement earlier this week:

Google is abandoning its plans to drop third-party cookies from Chrome.

Back in January 2020, Google made a big announcement that was welcomed by privacy advocates. The company said it planned to completely eliminate third-party cookies within its Chrome web browser over the next two years. Now, more than five years later, those plans have been scrapped entirely. Last year, Google hinted it might keep the cookies but make it easier for users to opt out, but now the company has even backtracked from this middle ground option.

"We’ve made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies," wrote Google Privacy Sandbox VP Anthony Chavez in a blog post on Tuesday. "Users can continue to choose the best option for themselves in Chrome’s Privacy and Security Settings."

The verdict is clear: third-party cookies are here to stay for most Chrome users.

What is an internet cookie?

An internet cookie is basically a small file that is saved to your computer when you visit a website. Cookies store relevant user information in order to enhance a users' experience. When a website remembers your login details or an e-commerce store already has your last shopping cart saved, that's thanks to the cookie stored in your web browser.

Third-party cookies, however, are internet cookies that share this user data with a party separate from the website the user is actually visiting. Third-party cookies are commonly used by advertisers. For example, when a user searches for a product online and then finds ads for that product on Instagram, that's due to a third-party cookie.

"Third-party cookies allow companies to build detailed profiles of your online activities, which can be used for targeted advertising or sold to the highest bidder," digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) explained in a post last year. "The consequences are far-reaching and deeply concerning. Your browsing history can reveal sensitive information, including your financial status, sexual orientation, and medical conditions. Data brokers collect and sell this information without your knowledge or consent."

Google already signaled it was heading in this direction in 2024. The company said that it would find a middle ground in its internet cookie strategy so as to avoid disrupting third-party advertising. And don't forget that Google itself is a massive advertising technology company. Too big, in fact, a judge recently ruled.

Back in 2024, Google said it would provide new features that would provide users with more transparency and the ability to make informed opt-out choices about third-party cookies.

Now, Google has scrapped those plans and will keep third-party cookies without any changes.

How does this affect the rest of the web?

Web browsers like Mozilla's Firefox and Apple's Safari already block third-party cookies by default, so Google Chrome would have just been playing catch-up. However, Chrome makes up a whopping 66 percent of the global web browser market share, so most internet users are still exposed to third-party cookies thanks to Google.

Previously, Google set up its Privacy Sandbox initiative specifically to offer alternative solutions to third-party cookies for developers and online advertisers. However, even this was met with criticism, as Google would continue to track users in Chrome for its own advertising purposes. (Just this week, Google was found to be "engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts" with its ad products.)

Google's decision to reverse course on third-party cookies will likely be welcomed by online advertising companies, though some have already been looking for alternatives.

"While we expect to see marketers continue to rely on third-party cookies indefinitely for reach, we also expect an increased emphasis on tools that can incorporate the third-party cookie alongside newer destinations and experiences," said Travis Clinger of data platform LiveRamp in a statement to Mashable. “Consumer preferences for privacy and personalization, and marketers’ demand for better performance, have already lessened the popularity of third-party cookies."

But Google clearly heard enough support for third-party cookies from the digital ad industry to change its mind.

"As we’ve engaged with the ecosystem, including publishers, developers, regulators, and the ads industry, it remains clear that there are divergent perspectives on making changes that could impact the availability of third-party cookies," Chavez said in the post announcing the decision.

So, it seems third-party cookies are here to stay in Google Chrome. That is, unless the judge in Google's antitrust trial decides Google must sell off Chrome. Then, a new potential owner (like, say, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI) could follow Firefox and Safari's lead and rid Chrome of third-party cookies once and for all.

Some games feel like they’ll never be released, while others feel like they’ll never be finished. The longer the wait, the more the anticipation grows, which can lead to some lofty expectations from long-time fans.

Anker sub-brand Nebula just debuted the X1 outdoor smart projector. Packed with unique technology and sold alongside a wireless speaker system, it's honestly the most exciting projector I've seen this year, but it costs $2,999.