IT General

HBO Max has a righteous library of some of the best and most popular dramas just waiting for your attention, so we thought we’d highlight several selections while they’re still available on the streaming platform.

Prime Video is one of the world's biggest streaming services. Next to Netflix and HBO Max, it's one that I use almost every day for its huge library of content, but its interface is far from perfect. With so much on offer, one of the best ways to organize it all is through its Watchlist feature, but over time, mine has gotten so bloated it's almost as frustrating flipping through it as it is finding something to watch in the library—until I learned of this simple way of keeping the Watchlist neat and tidy.

Do you keep seeing web pages pop up with a chibi-style drawing of a girl with dog ears and a magnifying glass under the text "Making sure you're not a bot"? After a few seconds, it probably disappears, and you arrive at the web page you were visiting. What's going on?

Are you tired of memorizing dozens of keyboard shortcuts just to be productive? Do you wish there was a faster way to launch apps and execute commands without digging through menus? Let me introduce you to Kando—a gesture-based menu system that might change your entire workflow!

Amazon's Fire TV Stick range has been around for more than a decade and has become a cheap and easy way to add streaming support to your TV. The lineup has become confusing, though, with several models available in various bundles, and not many obvious differences between any of them. Here's how to choose your next Fire TV Stick.

Why are we so obsessed with serial killers?

Maybe it’s because we can’t quite imagine what it takes for an ordinary human brain to cross that line. Or maybe it’s just the morbid curiosity that so many of us find hard to shake. Ed Gein didn’t kill hundreds of people, but his story, one man on a farm, and one deranged devotion to his mother, quietly changed horror forever. Because from that frozen little town in Wisconsin emerged the DNA for three of the most iconic killers in film history: Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Buffalo Bill.

Join us as we delve into the story of Ed Gein. A story that inspired iconic movie villains like Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Buffalo Bill. Discover how Gein's twisted life rewrote the rules of horror, transforming the genre from monstrous fantasies to terrifying realities. Explore the psychology behind why we can't look away from these dark stories and what they reveal about the human condition.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is now streaming on Netflix.

JSON has become a near-ubiquitous data format, used in API responses, save game files, and configuration. But many people feel it can be better, and various attempts have been made to expand or improve it. JSONC is one of those attempts.

With the holiday season sneaking around the corner, Netflix has an exciting lineup of films and shows that will have you hyped up on festive cheer in no time. The streaming platform is not disappointing with its upcoming titles for the end of the year, with highly acclaimed films coming to your screens as the year wraps up.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you know the law.

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.

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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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 24, 2025 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: To take legal action

• Green: Midnight

• Blue: Iconic pairs

• Purple: Animated animals

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

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

• Yellow: Take to court

• Green: Black

• Blue: Second in a famous real-life duo

• Purple: Rodents who are first in a cartoon duo

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 #874 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Take to court: CHARGE, FILE, INDICT, SUE

• Black: INKY, JET, PITCH, RAVEN

• Second in a famous real-life duo: CHER, CLYDE, HARDY, TELLER

• Rodents who are first in a cartoon duo: CHIP, ITCHY, PINKY, ROCKY

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 October 24, 2025

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 today's Connections.

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

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 October 17, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's not polite to lick your plate

The words are related to food.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe tasty food.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Good Taste.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for November 1

• Delicious

• Flavorful

• Good Taste

• Scrumptious

• Delectable

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always on the road.

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 October 24, 2025 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 October 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A small, cheap hotel.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.

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...

MOTEL

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 24, 2025

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 today's Wordle.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025:

AcrossEthically sourced, as some eggs

• The answer is Cagefree.

Residents of Tehran

• The answer is Iranians.

Air sign?

• The answer is Sky Write.

___ Faire (medieval-themed festival, informally)

• The answer is Ren.

Athlete from Cleveland or the University of Virginia

• The answer is Cavalier.

Kind of bathing suit

• The answer is One piece.

Musical whizzes

• The answer is Maestros.

DownSinus-treating doctor, for short

• The answer is ENT.

Opposite of WNW

• The answer is ESE.

_mon URL ending

• The answer is Com.

De Armas who starred in 2025's "Ballerina"

• The answer is Ana.

Shape of flying geese

• The answer is Vee.

Prefix with friendly

• The answer is Eco.

Restaurant booking, informally

• The answer is Res.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Mini Crossword.

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

Released in August 2025, the 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 onto 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 for 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 November 1, 2025

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 November 1, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 1 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 1 Pips

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add to 12. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically

Number (12): Everything in this space must add to 12. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 1 Pips

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this yellow space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this green space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically; 5-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

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

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 Paris Masters for free on France.tv. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We've been desperately lacking matchups between the best tennis players in the world. The 2025 Grand Slams provided so many epic battles between the top stars. We became spoiled, expecting the games to simply keep coming.

Unfortunately, the schedule does become a little quieter after the U.S. Open. That has been tough to take, but all is not lost because the 2025 Paris Masters is bringing together the biggest names in the men's game. Carlos Alcaraz has already been knocked out, so all eyes will be on Jannik Sinner as he battles it out at La Défense Arena.

If you want to watch the 2025 Paris Masters for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Paris Masters?

The Paris Masters is an annual indoor tennis tournament for male professional players held in Nanterre, France. It is usually the last tournament on the calendar before the season-ending ATP Finals.

The defending champion is Alexander Zverev.

When is the 2025 Paris Masters?

The 2025 Paris Masters is the 53rd edition of this ATP Masters 1000 event. This year's tournament takes place from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2.

How to watch the 2025 Paris Masters for free

The 2025 Paris Masters are available to live stream for free on France.tv.

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

Access free live streams of the 2025 Paris Masters 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 France

4. Visit France.tv

5. Watch the 2025 Paris Masters for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can live stream the 2025 Paris Masters before recovering your investment. This is a sneaky trick, but it works.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for France.tv?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on France.tv, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including France

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Paris Masters for free with ExpressVPN.

The Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker (2nd Gen) is a mixed bag. It offers solid highs and lows when you’re directly in front of it, but loses clarity off-axis and distorts past 50% volume. While durable, portable, and supported by useful app customizations, it feels at least $50 overpriced.

TL;DR: Learning a new language seems to be on everyone’s bucket list, and Babbel’s latest offer might make it easier to scratch it off. For a limited time, you can grab lifetime access to all 14 Babbel languages for $134.99 (reg. $299) using code LEARN, but the deal ends Nov. 3 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $134.99
$299 Save $164.01   Get Deal

Babbel has built a reputation for short, structured lessons that help you learn at your own pace. Developed by more than 100 language experts, the platform uses real-life dialogue and spaced repetition to help words stick. Studies from Yale University and Michigan State University have shown that Babbel’s approach leads to measurable progress in as little as 15 hours of learning.

With a lifetime plan, you’ll unlock 10,000+ hours of content across 14 languages, including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Turkish, and Swedish. Each lesson takes about 10 to 15 minutes and focuses on practical situations from chatting with locals at a café to giving a presentation at work. You can track your progress, test your pronunciation with speech recognition tools, and even download lessons for offline use when WiFi isn’t available.

SEE ALSO: Go beyond vocabulary — build real language fluency with Babbel

This deal’s biggest draw is its flexibility. You’re not committing to one language or a recurring subscription, just a one-time payment that lets you jump between all 14 languages whenever you want. It’s especially appealing for travelers, expats, and professionals who want to build communication skills without the high cost of in-person classes or monthly apps.

If you’ve ever wanted to speak another language (or several), this is one of the best prices you’ll see for this lifetime plan. Use code LEARN at checkout before Nov. 3 at 11:59 p.m. PST to get Babbel Lifetime (All Languages) for $134.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Make the AI-generated images of your dreams with this lifetime subscription to Imagiyo AI Image Generator, on sale now for $49 (reg. $495).

Opens in a new window Credit: Imagiyo Imagiyo AI Image Generator: Lifetime Subscription (Standard Plan) $49
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Got a great idea for an Instagram account? Love making fun creations for your friends? When it comes to making images with AI, the possibilities are truly endless — if you’re using the right tools. Imagiyo is just that — an AI-powered image generator that lets you create any image that comes to mind (even NSFW ones).

Right now, a lifetime subscription to Imagiyo AI Image Generator’s standard plan can be yours for just $49 (reg. $495).

SEE ALSO: Where to preorder Magic: The Gathering | Avatar: The Last Airbender sealed product and single cards

Not an artist? No problem with Imagiyo AI Image Generator. You don’t need mastery of artificial intelligence or impressive design skills to put this technology to work. Just type in a prompt and watch your idea come to life with Imagiyo. There are no watermarks or ads, so you’re only limited by your imagination.

With Imagiyo, you can create stunning images for whatever reason you choose — both commercial and personal — and you’ll end up with high-quality, ready-to-print files you can post on social media, use as a brand logo, or give as a gift. Multiple Image Generation sizes are also supported, as available with Modelslab LLMs.

While most AI-powered image generators have restrictions, Imagiyo gives you full creative freedom. You can even create NSFW images if you’d like, just make sure your privacy settings are set to private for that content. This lifetime subscription to the standard plan means you’ll be able to make 500 images a month, and two images per request, forever.

Start creating amazing art with this lifetime subscription to Imagiyo AI Image Generator, now just $49 (reg. $495).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Online dating as a gay man is a rite of passage, from the Craigslist m4m era to today's endless scroll. But for all the high rewards, even the best dating apps come with a unique set of challenges for gay men: ghosting, catfishing, straight guys who shouldn't be in your feed, and even some not-so-subtle fetishization. It's a lot to take in when you're just trying to find a genuine connection.

Yet, despite the BS, the best gay dating apps are still one of the main ways to meet new people, especially if you're gay or bisexual. Pew Research found that about one in four LGBTQ+ adults met their partner online, a much higher rate than for straight people.

Of course, we can't talk about gay dating without talking about Grindr. It's still the undisputed king of gay dating apps, even if the user experience has been suffering of late. The free version of Grindr is now stuffed full of ads, leaving many guys longing for an alternative. Plus, because of its well-deserved reputation as one of the top hookup apps, it's not always the best option for making a love connection.

"Grindr is a tried and true app that many queer men gravitate toward to find partners or for relationships that require lesser commitment, so it’s easy to point to it as the No. 1 app," Michelle Herzog, LMFT, AASECT-certified sex therapist, tells Mashable. "However, like Tinder, it’s gained a reputation as a hookup app — but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t men looking for long-term commitments, either."

SEE ALSO: You can now view Grindr's original (and uncensored) content right in the app

The good news is that the gay dating app landscape is bigger than Grindr. Mainstream apps like Hinge and OkCupid have made huge strides in inclusivity, while niche apps like Scruff and Feeld cater to specific communities, kinks, and desires. The key is figuring out which one is actually worth your time. So, here's our authoritative guide to the best dating apps for gay men in 2025.

Recent additions to this dating app guide include:

• Feeld: As of October 2025, we've added Feeld to this guide as our top pick for "Best for Kink and Threesomes."

• Hinge: As of October 2025, we've added Hinge as another alternative to Archer, as it's also great for finding serious relationships. We've selected it as the best gay dating app for younger guys as well, due to its popularity with Gen Z.

Which gay dating apps didn't make the cut?

You'll notice a few well-known apps are missing from our main list. Here's why they didn't make our "best of" guide.

• Raya: We know, Raya is the "celebrity dating app," but we're not recommending it. Why? Because, as our own Chance Townsend discovered, its exclusivity is "a bit overhyped." After shelling out $25 per month, he found the vibe "so Tinder-esque," and the user pool wasn't A-list celebs but "consultants, aspiring actors, medical professionals, recruiters, and even students." The consensus: Raya is basically "an expensive Tinder with a better PR team." Save your money.

• Recon: Recon has a reputation as the app for the kink community, but we've opted to leave it off the list. User reviews on Reddit are brutal. One thread described the app as "really buggy" and "not much activity on there anymore." Users in that thread complained that the app is a "waste of time," full of flakes, "catfish," and "fake doms wanting you to be their slave or boy." Other users noted that "a lot of kink/fetish guys have moved on to Instagram, Twitter/X, [or] OnlyFans" or that mainstream apps like Scruff are now "more open and welcoming spaces" for the community.

• Planet Romeo (now Romeo): Planet Romeo (which took over the old Guys4Men, or g4m, site ) is another legacy app we didn't include. While it was once a go-to for finding meaningful relationships, particularly in India and parts of Europe, it's now mostly seen as an app from a bygone era. Reddit threads on the topic are full of nostalgia for the "age of Planet Romeo" and the "slow communication" of the early 2000s. It's just not a primary app for most guys in 2025.

Kindle Scribe vs. Kobo Libra Colour: Specs and price Comparing the Kindle Scribe and Kobo Libra Colour. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Since the Scribe and Libra come from different brands, it's no surprise that they have such different looks. The Scribe is a lot larger than the Libra and comes with more storage. But the Kobo has color displays. Here's a comprehensive rundown of all the specs for each device.

Dimensions

• Kindle Scribe: 7.7-inch x 9-inch x 0.22-inch with 10.2-inch display

• Kobo Libra Color: 5.69-inch x 6.34-inch x 0.33-inch with 7-inch display

Storage

• Kindle Scribe: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB

• Kobo Libra Colour: 32GB

Resolution

• Kindle Scribe: 300ppi in black and white

• Kobo Libra Colour: 300ppi in black and white and 150ppi in color

Waterproof rating

• Kindle Scribe: None

• Kobo Libra Colour: IPX8

Adjustable front and warm light

• Kindle Scribe: Yes

• Kobo Libra Color: Yes

Stylus included?

• Kindle Scribe: Yes

• Kobo Libra Color: No, stylus sold separately for $69.99

Price

• Kindle Scribe: Starts at $399.99

• Kobo Libra Colour: $229.99

Looking over all of the specs on the Kindle Scribe versus the Kobo Libra Colour, the Kindle Scribe has the upper hand in terms of size. It features a significantly larger 10.2-inch display, making it ideal for those seeking an e-reader that resembles a notebook. However, the Kobo Libra offers much more than that. Yes, it has a smaller 7-inch display, but it features page-turning buttons (a nice bonus) and a color display for those who want to annotate and highlight in specific colors.

Both devices have an adjustable front light, a warm light, and 300ppi resolution when used in black and white. Where the Kobo Libra Colour excels is with its waterproof rating. The Kobo Libra Colour has an IPX8 rating, allowing it to be fully submerged in water, while the Kindle Scribe has no waterproof rating; that alone makes the Libra a winner in our book.

But the price differences also separate the two devices. The Kindle Scribe starts at $399.99 for a 16GB model. At the very least, it does come with a stylus. However, the Kobo Libra is far more affordable. The 32GB model costs $229.99, but unfortunately doesn't include the stylus. If you add it on for $69.99, it's still cheaper than the cheapest Kindle Scribe.

Winner: Kobo Libra Colour

Shop Kindle Scribe and Kobo Libra Colour Kindle Scribe $399.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kobo Libra Colour $229.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kindle Scribe vs. Kobo Libra Colour: Battery life

Having tested numerous e-readers, I've learned one universal truth: Kindles are king when it comes to battery life. No other e-reader can compete with the battery life. Amazon claims the Kindle Scribe has 12 weeks of battery life, while the Kobo Libra Colour has between five and six weeks of battery life.

Anecdotally, I've found this to be true, needing to frequently charge the Kobo Libra Colour, whereas I can go months without charging the Kindle Scribe.

Winner: Kindle Scribe

Kindle Scribe vs. Kobo Libra Colour: User experience The Kindle Scribe and Kobo Libra Colour have similar user interfaces, but the ergonomics of the Kobo make it better for long-term use. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Generally, the user experience on the Kindle Scribe and Kobo Libra Colour is relatively similar. Each has a main library and a separate notebook section. Our assessment of the Kindle Scribe and Kobo Libra Colour is identical to the one we had in our review of the Kindle Paperwhite versus Kobo Clara Colour — except the Kindle Scribe runs slower than most other Kindle e-readers, meaning the Kobo Libra is just as speedy.

Kobo has the ultimate OverDrive integration built into all of its devices, meaning any e-book you borrow from your library will auto-populate on your Kobo. To access library e-books on your Kindle, you'll need to take a few extra steps. First, you'll need to use the Libby app to browse books and then send them to your Kindle library. A feature that sets the Kindle apart is its Goodreads integration, which enables you to link your account to your Kindle.

Where the devices differ most significantly is in the reading experience. The Kindle Scribe is a large e-reader, making it uncomfortable to hold for extended periods. The Kobo Libra Colour, on the other hand, is the picture of perfect ergonomics. It features a pronounced edge with two page-turning buttons, making it comfortable to hold and easy to turn the page.

Winner: Kobo Libra Colour

Kindle Scribe vs. Kobo Libra Colour: Writing experience

The Kindle Scribe and Kobo Libra Colour are really a showdown of the e-reader with writing capabilities, so which is better?

The Kindle Scribe's size is its downfall when it comes to reading; however, it's a massive boon for writing. The 10.2-inch display is the same size as a spiral-bound notebook. It provides ample space for taking notes, scribbling, and drawing. Plus, you can send your notes to your email to view them on a computer.

Kobo has similar capabilities. When you start a new notebook, you can select its type. One type is basic, allowing you to draw and write as you'd expect. In contrast, another notebook type converts your handwriting into text as you go, making it extremely convenient for digitizing notes.

While the Scribe has the large screen size, the writing capabilities are the same on both e-readers. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

For stylus options, each device has its own native option. The Kindle Scribe comes with the "premium pen" that is built into the e-reader and magnetically attaches to the side, so you don't lose track of it. It includes a button for adjusting the settings, while the end of the stylus erases.

The Kobo Libra Colour doesn't come with a stylus, but an option is available. Kobo has the Stylus 2, which costs $69.99 and must be purchased separately from the Kobo Libra. Like the Scribe's premium pen, it can erase and has a button for adjusting its writing options.

Each device writes smoothly, the anti-glare screen providing a paper-like feel. The experience is remarkably similar on both devices, the most significant difference being the Kindle Scribe's larger screen.

Both the Kindle Scribe and Kobo Libra Colour have Google Drive integrations, making note storage and upload even easier.

Where both devices suffer is on the issue of ghosting, which is when previous display pages appear to linger under the new page. Usually, this is quickly fixed by refreshing the page on both devices.

Winner: Tie

Kindle Scribe vs. Kobo Libra Colour: Do you need color?

The Kobo Libra Colour has a significant advantage over the Kindle Scribe: color. As of October 2025, the Kindle Scribe doesn't have color yet. At a Sept. 30, 2025, event, Amazon announced that the Kindle Colorsoft is coming; however, no release date has been provided.

This means that at the moment, only the Kobo Libra Colour has color writing and annotation capabilities. For e-readers, we usually think that color is unnecessary, but with writing and annotating, it's a major advantage. It allows you to illustrate in color, while also keeping your notes color-coded. So, for right now, the Kobo Libra Colour's colour display makes it the better device.

Winner: Kobo Libra Colour

It started with a homework assignment: A University of Texas astronomy class run jointly by its Austin and San Antonio campuses has led to students making a discovery that has landed in the pages of a scientific journal. 

Researchers have believed that Segue 1, a puny galaxy orbiting the Milky Way just 75,000 light-years away, was packed with dark matter, a substance in space that doesn't shine or interact with light. Some scientists have recommended it as a key place in the local universe to study this mysterious material.

But a new study indicates that the dim dwarf galaxy gets most of its mass from a previously unknown supermassive black hole, which is also invisible, not dark matter. The black hole is estimated to weigh upward of 450,000 suns. Nathaniel Lujan, a graduate student in San Antonio, used advanced computer modeling techniques he learned in his Galactic and Gravitational Dynamics course to help discover this cosmic giant lurking in Segue 1's shadows. 

The finding raises the possibility that gigantic black holes are more ubiquitous than previously thought — even existing in the tiniest of galaxies — and that astronomers' understanding of what holds together dwarf galaxies may not be all that it once seemed. 

"It's amazing," said Lujan during a presentation at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, "because Segue 1 is a galaxy we can hardly see, but I'm suggesting that it hosts a half-million solar-mass supermassive black hole in its center."

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Segue 1, first spotted in 2006 with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope in New Mexico, has too few stars to have the gravity needed to hold itself together in space. Previously, scientists have speculated that a dark matter halo — essentially a ball of the invisible material surrounding the galaxy — must be keeping it from scattering. 

The students began exploring Segue 1 as homework, said Karl Gebhardt, a UT Austin astronomy professor who taught the class with UT San Antonio's assistant professor Richard Anantua. He wanted to show them how to run computer simulations to infer what can't be seen.

Black holes are invisible, but scientists are able to photograph them by capturing the glowing gas around them and the shadow their gravity casts on that light. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Ralf Crawford illustration

Because Segue 1 was known to have a lot of dark matter, the class used it for the exercise. The professors broke the students up into three groups: one to focus on dark matter, another to include a hypothetical black hole, and another to look at the amount of stars. The goal was to find which scenario provided the best match to the actual behavior of the stars in the system.

First they had to eliminate from their dataset the stars on the outskirts of the galaxy pulled by the Milky Way. The purpose was to isolate the stars that were more clearly under Segue 1's gravitational effects. Then, the students studied the speed and direction of the remaining stars. 

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They found that the stars toward the center were traveling in quick, tight orbits, a clue they were circling a black hole. The models that included the black hole were by far the best fit for Segue 1's actual star movements.

"I did not expect that," Gebhardt told Mashable. "I said, 'OK, well, we got to write this up.'" 

The results recently appeared in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, with several of the students from the spring 2024 class credited as coauthors. 

Black holes are mysterious regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing — not even light — can escape. Just decades ago, their existence was uncertain, but in 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope captured the first image of one in the Messier 87 galaxy, about 53 million light-years away. Instead of a surface, black holes have something called an "event horizon" — a point beyond which anything that crosses is lost forever. Scientists are only able to photograph black holes by capturing the glowing gas swirling around them and the shadow their gravity casts on that light.

The extra surprise for the class was just how massive the central black hole seems to be. Their models reveal it could be about 10 times greater than all of the stars in the dwarf galaxy. In most cases, the stars of a galaxy outweigh the black hole. 

"This could be because Segue 1 is actually kind of lying to us," Lujan said. "It could have started as a much larger galaxy, and due to its close interactions with the Milky Way, the Milky Way has siphoned off gas and stunted star formation in the galaxy."

For his doctoral thesis, Lujan plans to use advanced computers and artificial intelligence to run more simulations on other dwarf galaxies previously believed to be dominated by dark matter. 

A research team has proposed that the little red dots found in the early universe might be giant spheres of gas wrapped around black holes, dubbed "black hole stars." Credit: T. Müller / A. de Graaff / Max Planck Institute for Astronomy illustration

Another possible explanation for Segue 1 is that it might be similar to a new type of galaxy discovered by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Scientists are referring to these objects found in the early universe as "little red dots." They appear to have developed with enormous black holes and few stars. One research team has proposed that they might be giant spheres of gas wrapped around black holes, dubbing them "black hole stars." 

The study is an important reminder that new things can be learned just by looking at old data in a different way, Gebhardt said.

"What gets me really excited is that these galaxies that we're finding here like Segue 1 may be analogs to the early universe, where the black holes are really massive," he said. "And so, irregardless of whether we've thought hard enough about how to build these things, nature has found a way."