IT General

SAVE $800: As of April 9, score the Samsung Galaxy S26 for under $100 at T-Mobile without a trade-in by adding a new line on the Experience More plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung T-Mobile: Samsung Galaxy S26 for under $100   Get Deal

If you're in the market for a new smartphone, check out this latest deal at T-Mobile: You could get your hands on the Samsung Galaxy S26 for under $100.

As of April 9, you can qualify for this low price without a trade-in by adding a new line on the Experience More plan (or three lines on the Better Value plan). The discount of up to $800 is applied as monthly bill credits over 24 months. The 256GB phone is usually priced at $899.99, so this $800 discount would bring the price down to just $99.99.

You’ll still need to pay taxes and a $35 connection fee, but that's always the case with these mobile carrier offers.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The Samsung Galaxy S26 range is still fresh, so this T-Mobile deal is a steal. The Samsung Galaxy S26 a great choice for Android fans, with its Armor Aluminium and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 casing boosting durability. It's also packed with Samsung’s Galaxy AI tools, including Photo Assist.

It runs fast and smooth thanks to its customized processor. This is also supported by an upgraded cooling system that helps keep the temperature down during demanding usage.

Head to T-Mobile to grab this latest Samsung deal while it's still live.

After a grueling descent through Earth's atmosphere, NASA will strap the Artemis II astronauts into bulky spacesuits for an obstacle course.

Within mere hours of the Orion spacecraft's splashdown on Friday, April 10, the crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen — won't be afforded much time to rest and relax. Instead, the four will be bounced around from one research group to the next before they've fully acclimated to Earth gravity. 

One of those studies will include putting their "right stuff" to the test. The gauntlet, far less flashy than an episode of American Gladiators, will unfold back at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, a giant robotic crane and a heavy test suit will help a small team answer a crucial question: After 10 days of weightlessness in space, how soon can humans safely get back to work in another world?

The experiment grows out of a longer‑running study with astronauts returning from six‑month missions on the International Space Station. Those crews spend about as long in orbit as a trip to Mars might take — and they come home pallid and wobbly. 

Scientists worry that in a weakened state, astronauts might not be ready for moonwalks or Marswalks, which require strength and agility.

"We don't want to put the astronauts in a position where they’re going to be stranded in a spacesuit, asking them to do tasks that are probably above what their physiologic capabilities are going to be in," said Jason Norcross, a senior scientist leading the effort. "This helps us really with planning, more than anything else."

SEE ALSO: These 'avatars' will fly around the moon with NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts

Without gravity, muscles atrophy and aerobic fitness fades. The brain and inner ear systems that tell us which way is up and help us stay balanced also need time to readjust. 

To investigate that, Norcross' team has used the Active Response Gravity Offload System, or ARGOS, at Johnson. Picture a crane that holds part of a person's weight. By lifting just the right amount, ARGOS lets a suited astronaut feel as if he or she is in a different gravity environment.

For space station astronauts, ARGOS is tuned to Martian gravity, and the obstacle course is framed with that in mind: Can someone who has spent six months in orbit step into a 400‑pound suit and, within about a day of landing, safely make their way through a mock Mars spacewalk? 

Faking lunar gravity

For Artemis II, the team will reuse the same basic setup but dial ARGOS to lunar gravity instead — one‑sixth Earth's pull — and tweak the tasks to echo the type of work astronauts will need to do on the moon.

Within one to four hours of landing, the Artemis II astronauts will first tackle a capsule escape drill using a mock spacecraft. Lying on their backs, they'll have to sit up, deploy a ladder, climb up and over it, shoulder a pack, and walk a set distance. This exercise seeks to understand whether a crew can open a hatch if a landing goes awry. 

That's a question shared by many space physiologists, said Marie Mortreux, an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island. She studies how muscles and bones cope with different levels of gravity.

"When they come back home from space, you're familiar with those images," said Mortreux, who isn't involved in the Artemis II EVA simulations. "They can't walk … and I'm like, 'What's going to happen if they can't make it out?'"

NASA astronaut Kayla Barron gets assistance out of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule after splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico on May 6, 2022. Credit: NASA / Aubrey Gemignani

Mortreux's research in rodents suggests that lower-body, weight‑bearing muscles take the biggest hit in space. Arm muscles — the ones people need for latches and handles — hold up better because astronauts use them constantly to pull themselves around in weightlessness. That's reassuring, she told Mashable, but it's not a reason to be complacent, underscoring the need for more research like this. 

Despite being tired and uncomfortable, all space station astronauts who have been subjected to the experiments so far have managed to complete them. 

Inside the spacesuit challenge

The test will continue with a simulated lunar EVA in moonlike gravity the next day. Each of the four crewmates will change into liquid cooling garments, close‑fitting layers threaded with thin water tubes to keep them from overheating. Then, they'll climb into heavy-duty EVA spacesuits that require entering through a back hatch. Just getting into them is physically taxing. 

Once the astronauts stand up, the team will connect their suits to ARGOS. From that point forward, the test compresses the most challenging parts of a moonwalk into a 30 to 40‑minute obstacle course: down a ladder on a mock lander platform, across unstable ground, through geology drills, and onto a steep treadmill hike. The ladder is deceptively difficult: Any task that forces crew to turn their heads, look down, or rely on their inner sense of orientation, could trigger vertigo.

"You'll often see [returning astronauts] keep their head in line with their body," Norcross said, "which is why, when we've designed a lot of our tasks, we've designed them with a lot of turning, a lot of head movement up and down."

Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover dodges rocks and carries a loaded bag during a moonwalk simulation while attached to the ARGOS system to get baseline data ahead of his post-landing obstacle course. Credit: NASA / Robert Markowitz

Next, the astronauts will have to bend and squat through tasks meant to rehearse making electrical and fluid connections. In a real mission, that kind of work might power up a lander or connect life‑support lines — unglamorous but essential chores.

From there, the experiment will shift to the most punishing part. In a trailer filled with sand and rocks, the astronauts will carry several 30‑pound bags back and forth over uneven footing. The ground tends to shift, visibility is limited by the helmet, and the suit resists every stride. 

"Most treadmills don't even go up to 20 percent."

Then, for the science activity: The astronauts will have to hold a tool steady for about a minute to mimic using an instrument, swing a hammer to chip off a rock fragment, and dig a trench with a scoop. Those moves echo what future crews might need to do to collect samples on the lunar surface.

The test will finish on a treadmill. Still attached to the crane, the astronauts will walk roughly half a mile over slopes, including a steep uphill climb. 

"Most treadmills don't even go up to 20 percent," Norcross said, explaining how high they'll set the inclination, "and sometimes it requires them to slow down pretty significantly. But they still put one foot in front of the other."

Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch climbs down the ladder of a mockup lander while attached to the ARGOS system to get baseline data ahead of her post-landing obstacle course. Credit: NASA / Helen Arase Vargas A safety check for future moonwalks

Each Artemis II astronaut will endure the obstacle course, which will take about 1.5 hours to complete, one at a time. Norcross' team will track how long each task takes, how much energy the astronauts use, and how their heart rates respond. The whole experiment repeats three days later to measure how their performance changes over time.

From the space station study, Norcross already sees a pattern: Astronauts look and feel far better by the fourth day after landing, and close to normal within a week, even after half a year in orbit. 

Because Artemis II was short, these tests give NASA a cautious baseline. The data should help mission planners decide how aggressive to make the first lunar excursions, how far to let astronauts roam, and which jobs to push to later days after their bodies have had time to adapt. 

So even though the Wiseman, Koch, Glover, and Hansen didn't set foot on the moon, they're going to at least feel like they did.

"For this Artemis II crew, it'll be, 'Congratulations, you've done your lunar EVA,'" Norcross said.

TL;DR: A durable, travel-friendly, like-new Chromebook is on sale for $59.99 (reg. $199.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Chromebook 100E Gen 2 (Refurbished) $59.99
$199.99 Save $140   Get Deal

Not every laptop needs to be like your main laptop. Oftentimes, you just need something simple, something you can toss in your bag, bring on a trip, or hand off without worrying about every little scratch.

And that’s what this Grade A refurbished Lenovo 100e Chromebook Gen 2 offers.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

At $59.50, it’s the kind of device that makes sense as a backup or travel companion. It’s compact, lightweight, and built with durability in mind, including a spill-resistant keyboard and reinforced design that can handle everyday bumps. This means you don’t have to baby it.

Performance-wise, it covers the basics well. The AMD A4 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage are more than enough for browsing, email, Google Docs, streaming, and light multitasking. ChromeOS keeps things fast and simple, with quick boot times and built-in security, plus access to Google apps and the Play Store.

The 11.6-inch HD display keeps things portable without feeling cramped, and with all-day battery life, it’s easy to grab and go without packing a charger everywhere. And since it’s Grade A refurbished, it arrives in near-mint condition—so you’re getting something that looks and feels close to new, without paying new-device prices.

If you’ve been thinking about a low-cost backup laptop—or just something you don’t have to worry about—this one makes a strong case for keeping things simple. Get this near-mint Lenovo 100e Chromebook Gen 2 for just $59.99 (reg. $199.99) while stock lasts.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Travel lighter with the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable, currently $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: GoCable GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable $21.99
$49.99 Save $28.00   Get Deal

If you’re looking for little ways to make your life easier, the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable is a perfect example. This tiny device can power up multiple devices while fitting on your keyring, ending the mess of tangled cables in your bag. And now it’s on sale for just $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

Keeping up with multiple chargers can be a pain. Whether you’re packing for vacation or simply trying to bring the right cords to the office every day, the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable simplifies this pain point. Just pop this tiny device on your keyring and be prepared to power up anywhere.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The GoCable allows you to keep a Type-C, Type-C+, and Apple Lightning connector on hand at all times — you just need to supply the power bank or wall adapter. Its 100W ultra-fast charging ensures you’re not wasting time powering up your devices, while also enabling high-speed file transfer.

There’s an LED power display that provides the real-time charging status, and you’ll never have to worry about untangling cords because the magnetic cable always stays neat.

The GoCable 8-in-1 doesn’t just charge things — it’s also got a bottle opener and safe-proofed hidden cutter that makes opening packages easy. A carabiner clip also allows you to attach this cable to anything, so you can always have it on hand.

Be prepared to charge and open anything with this GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable, on sale for just $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

NeeDoh toys first came to my attention in 2024 when my wife, a teacher, was stocking their classroom with fidget toys to keep high schoolers focused and off their phones. We bought a couple of NeeDoh Nice Cubes for our house too, which quickly became coveted fidgets among our friends for their pleasing, pliable feel. So imagine my surprise when the fidget toy that's been a mainstay on our coffee table for two years has suddenly gone viral, causing chaos among children and parents across the country.

What is NeeDoh?

NeeDoh, made by Schylling, a toy company based out of North Andover, Massachusetts, is a line of squishy, brightly colored toys meant to provide a satisfying, sensory experience. They're sort of like the Flubber of fidget toys — squeezable and stretchy, coming in a variety of shapes. One of the flagship products, the Nice Cube, is just that, a cube made out of stretchy material that can be squeezed and pulled to the heart's desire. But more exciting NeeDohs look like cats, gumdrops, or balls covered in a rubber fringe. So why are these innocent toys at the center of internet hysteria?

A NeeDoh Jelly Dohnut. Credit: Schylling A NeeDoh Nice Cube. Credit: Schylling Why are NeeDoh toys so popular?

NeeDohs are selling out. The demand is outweighing the supply, with retailers selling out of restocks within an hour of opening. This has prompted a craze of "NeeDoh hunting" to take off across social media. Videos on TikTok and Instagram show people lining up right as NeeDoh retailers open to secure the products. The videos are reminiscent of the heyday of Black Friday, where patrons would storm through doors to find deals. Now, they're hunting for restocks of squishy fidget toys.

View this post on Instagram

Per usual, internet-based virality has set off the NeeDoh shortage. Like we've previously seen with Stanley cups and Labubus, NeeDoh toys seem to be the next thing to capture the internet's attention. While there hasn't been one specific video to set off the craze, it's been a rampant buildup. As told to Business Insider, Paul Weingard, CEO of Schylling, said that the company sold a year's worth of NeeDoh stock within the first nine weeks of the year.

Where to buy NeeDoh toys

If you visit Schylling's website, you'll be greeted with a pop-up that reads, "Demand for NeeDoh and our other products is exceptionally high right now, so we’re taking a short pause on new orders. In the meantime, you can find our products at your favorite local toy and gift store." So, your best bet is to visit a toy store near you in person.

Some retailers are even refusing to stock NeeDoh until the fad dies down, citing rude and disrespectful behavior from customers seeking NeeDohs.

View this post on Instagram

With NeeDohs widely unavailable, resellers and knock-offs are feeding off of the demand. Needoh has even put out an official statement regarding counterfeit products, stating: "If you're purchasing from platforms like Temu, Alibaba/AliExpress, or eBay, these are NOT official NeeDoh products." The original NeeDoh toys are generally very affordable, with the cheapest iteration just $1.79. On Schylling's website, the NeeDoh Nice Cube is listed for just $5.99. Yet listings on the TikTok Shop are priced at $13.98 or more.

View this post on Instagram

Like with any product craze, the NeeDoh hype is certainly temporary until the next Labubu or Stanley tumbler comes around to capture consumers' attention and wallets.

A representative for Schylling could not be reached for comment for this story.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

18. Christy

Sydney Sweeney swung hard in this Oscar bait biopic of boxer Christy Martin. But it was a big swing and a miss.

While Christy does explore the struggles Martin faced in a male-dominated sport, at home with her abusive husband, and as a closeted gay woman, it does so with all the nuance of a a sledgehammer. As I wrote in my pan out of TIFF, "This movie is a mess, and Sweeney is a contributor to that, not its highlights. For one thing, she uses Martin's West Virginia background as an excuse to slap on a thick Southern accent that comes and goes. For another, while her look is different in Christy, it doesn't read 'athlete,' as she lacks tone and physicality...

"[Director David] Michôd seems most riveted by the criminal violence than any other aspect of Martin's story. So even what this film has to say about being a woman in sports, or a lesbian in America, or a person at all, is perplexing. In the end, Christy doesn't hit hard. It just blows."* — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, and Katy M. O'Brian

How to watch: Christy is now streaming on HBO Max.

17. The Reunion: Laguna Beach

Reality TV was booming in 2004 when Laguna Beach introduced eight teens from Laguna Beach High to the world, giving us access to their highs and lows.

The Season 1 cast reunites here to look back on Laguna Beach, revealing what was happening behind the scenes and how they feel about it now. However, where a lot of Bravo reunions seem to center on explosive moments, this trailer for The Reunion: Laguna Beach suggests this will be more about healing than hair-pulling. Cheers to host Casey Wilson (Happy Endings), who seems to create a welcoming bonfire environment for the cast. — K.P.

Starring: Kristin Cavallari, Stephen Colletti, Casey Wilson, Lauren Conrad, Jessica Smith, Alex Hooser, Talan Torriero, Dieter Schmitz, and Lo Bosworth

How to watch: The Reunion: Laguna Beach premieres on Roku on April 10.

16. Trust Me: The False Prophet

This true crime mini-series is not for the faint of heart, as it's infuriating on a lot of levels. The story begins with the Mormon community left behind when self-proclaimed prophet Warren Jeffs was convicted of sexually assaulting two children. From there, cult expert Christine Marie and her husband, videographer Tolga Katas, sought to infiltrate the community for a documentary. And that's how they met Sam Bateman, another self-proclaimed prophet who would take Jeffs' place in more ways than one.

The four-part series offers a stomach-churning investigation into Bateman's manipulation, abuse, and rape of his many wives, including child brides. This is unnerving on its own, but Trust Me: False Prophet has an added layer of discomfort because of how Christine Marie aims to insert herself in the center of the narrative as as undercover informant for the FBI, who feels guilt for lying to the girls and women she's aiming to save.

While Marie's end goal is undeniably good, there's a jarring sense that she came here not on a rescue mission but as a means of self-promotion. And while she's not a producer or director on this production, co-helmers Rachel Dretzin and Elise Coker give her a lot of attention that threatens to undermine the bigger story of religious corruption, criminal conspiracy, and sex trafficking. — K.P.

How to watch: Trust Me: The False Prophet is now streaming on Netflix.

15. Untold: Chess Mates

Do you remember when a chess master was accused of cheating by using anal beads to direct his actions? Well, that wild story is at the heart of Untold: Chess Mates.

The documentary sits down with Magnus Carlsen, who many regard as the best chess player of all time, and Hans Niemann, a rising star with an ego as impressive as his prowess at the game. In 2022, at the Sinquefield Cup, the chess world was rocked when Niemann defeated Carlsen. And soon the rumors of cheating began. The anal beads theory gained traction online. So where are they now? Untold has the answer. — K.P.

How to watch: Untold: Chess Mates is now streaming on Netflix.

14. The Addiction of Hope

What if you dedicate your whole life to a dream that doesn't come true? This is the agonizing realization of Jo Stock (Anne-Marie Johnson), an aging actress who's forced to look back on her choices when her sister, Lynnie (Harley Jane Kozak), becomes ill.

With shades of Beaches, The Addiction of Hope explores what we sacrifice for our work when it comes to family. Given a chance to reconnect with her family, will Jo embrace them, or pursue one last shot at fame and fortune? — K.P.

Starring: Anne-Marie Johnson, Erika Alexander, Shari Belafonte, Clancy Brown, Anthony Carvello, and Tom Dugan

How to watch: The Addiction of Hope is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.

13. Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord

Get your Star Wars fix this week with Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, a new animated series from Lucasfilm president Dave Filoni. Boasting strong critical buzz, the series begins in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, with former Sith lord Maul (voiced by Sam Witwer) hoping to rebuild his criminal syndicate on the planet Janix. He's also on the hunt for a new apprentice, so expect some intriguing Sith shenanigans. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Sam Witwer, Gideon Adlon, Wagner Moura, and Richard Ayoade

How to watch: Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord's two-episode premiere is now on Disney+.

12.  Sirāt

Ready for a road drama that'll rattle your ear drums? Óliver Laxe directs Sirāt, which won the Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize and scored two Oscar nominations, for Best Sound and Best International Feature.

Sergi López and Bruno Núñez Arjona star as a portly father and his young son who are attending a rave for a surprising reason. They're searching for Mar, their missing daughter and sister, respectively. Deep in the mountains of southern Morocco, they show her photo to revelers and ravers, desperate for a lead to her whereabouts. Determined to find her, they'll follow the progression of this party, deeper and deeper into the wilderness. But how far can they go? — K.P.

Starring: Sergi López, Bruno Núñez Arjona, Richard Bellamy, Stefania Gadda, Joshua Liam Henderson, Tonin Janvier, and Jade Oukid

How to watch: Sirāt is now available on Hulu.

11. The Miniature Wife

Ready for a wacky new comedy series about an unconventional marriage? The Miniature Wife has arrived.

Elizabeth Banks stars as best-selling author Lindy Littlejohn, whose marriage with scientist husband Les (Matthew Macfadyen) hits a rough patch when his latest experiment accidentally shrinks her to six inches tall. Bad news is that he's not yet perfected the enlarging device, and there's a 30-day clock on development before his research goes to a greedy tech billionaire. Slapstick and hijinks will ensue as the ticking clock counts down. — K.P.

Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Matthew Macfadyen, Zoe Lister-Jones, Sofia Rosinsky, O-T Fagbenle, and Sian Clifford

How to watch: The Miniature Wife is now streaming on Peacock.

10. The Boys, Season 5

If you want a thoroughly unpleasant TV viewing experience this week, watch The Boys Season 5. The superhero satire's final season sees Homelander (Antony Starr) fully in control of the United States and on a mission to keep it that way forever. Can the Boys stop him before he gains the immortality he so desperately craves?

The Boys' portrait of authoritarian America skews eerily close to real life this season, yet its satire is missing any bite beyond just listing heinous things Homelander and his crew are carrying out. Because of this, The Boys Season 5 is a numbing, exhausting experience saved only in parts by the Boys' juicy character dynamics. As I wrote in my review, this is "The Boys' darkest, most dour season yet — one that plays at commenting on our fractured America, but only offers shock value as opposed to real substance." — B.E.

Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Colby Minifie, Cameron Crovetti, Susan Heyward, Valorie Curry, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jensen Ackles, and Daveed Diggs

How to watch: The Boys Season 5 is now on Prime Video.

9. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat Reunion Special

The truth is out: Anthony Norman knows that Rockin' Grandma's Hot Sauce isn't a real company, and that his experience on Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat was all a part of an elaborate prank show. But what does life look like for Anthony after Jury Duty? These two bonus episodes will let us know. First up is a reunion episode hosted by Season 1's James Marsden. Then, Jury Duty worlds collide as Anthony meets up with Season 1's non-actor Ronald Gladden for a chat about their experiences. — B.E.

Starring: Anthony Norman, Blair Beeken, Alex Bonifer, Warren Burke, LaNisa Renee, Jerry Hauck, Erica Hernandez, Stephanie Hodge, Rachel Kaly, Rob Lathan, Emily Pendergast, Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur, and Jim Woods

How to watch: Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat Reunion Special is now available on Prime Video.

8. Thrash

Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola has given audiences such outrageously ultra-violent genre-bending delights as the Santa-kicks-ass actioner Violent Night, the gonzo fairytale thriller Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, and the zombie Nazi horror-comedies Dead Snow and Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead. So, that alone should be reason to hit play on his latest, Thrash. But you could have also sold us on its premise: Category 5 hurricane plus hungry sharks.

It's a disaster movie and a creature feature. And yes, the trailer is using a dramatic version of "Baby Shark." What else could you want? — K.P.

Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Whitney Peak, Alyla Browne, and Djimon Hounsou

How to watch: Thrash is now streaming on Netflix.

7. Dimension 20: City Council of Darkness

Brace yourselves, fellow Dungeons and Dragons nerds, because Dropout is coming for the jugular with the next season of Dimension 20. Coming hot on the heels of Gladlands, the next adventure will reunite Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan with intrepid heroes Emily Axford, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, and Lou Wilson for some role-playing in the realm of Vampire: The Masquerade.

This 14-episode season will have focus on these bloodsuckers (of various sorts) working together on the city council, to make this small town of Purpee as pleasant as it can be. It's giving What We Do In the Shadows, and we're not mad. — K.P.

Starring: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, Lou Wilson, Ally Beardsley, and Brian Murphy

How to watch: Dimension 20: City Council of Darkness is now streaming on Dropout.

6. Big Mistakes

Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy cooks up another dysfunctional TV family in the new comedy Big Mistakes, co-created with Rachel Sennott. He plays a pastor named Nicky, who, along with his schoolteacher sister Morgan (Taylor Ortega), gets swept up in the world of organized crime. Are either of them prolific criminals? No. Do either of them want to be doing this? Absolutely not. Their reluctance at every turn keeps Big Mistakes' laughs coming, even if the trope of newbies being drawn into criminal activity is familiar. Plus, Levy and Ortega are a hoot together, while Laurie Metcalf brings the house down as the clan matriarch. — B.E.

Starring: Dan Levy, Taylor Ortega, Laurie Metcalf, Jack Innanen, Boran Kuzum, and Abby Quinn

How to watch: Big Mistakes is now streaming on Netflix.

5. Hacks, Season 5

Strap in for one last ride with Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), because Emmy–winning comedy Hacks comes to an end this year. In Season 5, the pair are working hard to cement Deborah's legacy as a great comedian — especially after she's mistakenly reported dead. Don't worry, she's fine! And her connection with Ava is stronger than ever, setting up a swan song for one of the most compelling friendships on TV right now. — B.E.

Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Megan Stalter, Paul W. Downs, Rose Abdoo, and Mark Indelicato

How to watch: Hacks Season 5 is now streaming on HBO Max.

4. The Testaments

Return to the dystopian hellscape of Gilead in The Testaments, a new series set several years after The Handmaid's Tale. Based on Margaret Atwood's 2019 novel of the same name, the show focuses on the daughters of Gilead's Commanders as they attend a prep school for future wives. But even as figures like Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) try to mold them into perfect, subservient wives, these young women start to rebel in small, but increasingly important ways.

The Testaments can get as tough to watch as its predecessor, but it also finds a renewed energy thanks to its different points of view and a talented young cast. As I wrote in my review, "The series finds new power in its young adult perspective, centering on people who have never known anything but authoritarianism, but who are slowly gaining the resolve to do something about it. Perhaps that messaging, combined with some of The Testaments' use of YA tropes, will speak to audiences of [its protagonists'] age in a way that the bleakness of The Handmaid's Tale might not be able to." — B.E.

Starring: Chase Infiniti, Lucy Halliday, Eva Foote, Rowan Blanchard, Kira Guloien, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Birva Pandya, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Mattea Conforti, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Mabel Li, Isolde Ardies, and Ann Dowd

How to watch: The Testaments is now streaming on Hulu.

3. Euphoria, Season 3

After four years, Euphoria Sundays are finally back, so if you want to join in on the online conversation about the much-memed show, now's your chance. Season 3 picks up five years after Season 2. In that time, Rue (Zendaya) has become a drug mule for Laurie (Martha Kelly), Jules (Hunter Schafer) has become a sugar baby, Nate (Jacob Elordi) and Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) are engaged, and Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Lexi (Maude Apatow) are working in Hollywood. How is this crew adjusting to the Wild West of their early 20s? (Spoiler alert: not really well.)

Season 3's time jump comes with an intriguing aesthetic reinvention, but there are several core problems Euphoria just can't shake. This season continues to hypersexualize and humiliate its young cast, including several storylines about sex work that are not dealt with with the nuance and care they deserve. It's extra frustrating because, as I wrote in my review, "There's a great show lurking in here somewhere. So much of Rue's journey proves it. Yet Euphoria keeps smothering that greatness with something far grosser, and that's something no amount of reinvention can hide." — B.E.

Starring: Zendaya, Maude Apatow, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, and Colman Domingo

How to watch: Euphoria Season 3 debuts on HBO Max on April 12.

2. Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair

Malcolm and his whole trouble-making family is back with a four-episode mini-series that will have fans of all ages absolutely cackling.

Set about 20 years after Malcolm in the Middle's series finale, Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair sees its eponymous genius (Frankie Muniz) as a single dad who tries to maintain his mental health by avoiding his biggest source of stress, the rest of his family. But with Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) and Hal (Bryan Cranston) planning a big 40th anniversary party, Malcolm, his teen daughter (Keeley Karsten) and new girlfriend (Kiana Madeira) will have to join in on the chaotic fun, right?

A reboot that is terrifically funny and heartfelt, Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair will hook you from the first ep, and have you binging the whole batch. So, plan your watch accordingly. — K.P.

Starring: Frankie Muniz, Jane Kaczmarek, Bryan Cranston, Christopher Masterson, Justin Berfield, Emy Coligado, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, Anthony Timpano, Vaughan Murrae, Keeley Karsten, and Kiana Madeira

How to watch: Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is now streaming on Hulu.

Best of streaming this week: The Audacity

From Succession and Better Call Saul writer Jonathan Glatzer comes The Audacity, a sharp Silicon Valley satire. Billy Magnussen stars as data-mining CEO Duncan Park, whose quest for greatness leads him down some wildly unethical paths. Caught in the crossfires is his therapist, Dr. JoAnne Felder (Sarah Goldberg), who gets more than she bargains for when she tries to exploit her relationships with her "billionaire man children" clients.

What follows is a delicious send-up of the tech world, bursting with questions about how Silicon Valley and its overlords have warped our humanity over time. It's a cutting commentary that manages to feel both heightened and close to home, all anchored by incredible lead performances. As I wrote in my review, "There are few joys in television greater than watching two great actors have it out, and you'll get plenty of that in The Audacity thanks to Magnussen and Goldberg." — B.E.

Starring: Billy Magnussen, Sarah Goldberg, Zach Galifianakis, Rob Corddry, Meaghan Rath, Simon Helberg, Paul Adelstein, Lucy Punch, Everett Blunck, Thailey Roberge, and Ava Marie Telek

How to watch: The Audacity debuts on AMC+ on April 12.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

While online dating makes it possible to meet many more people with the swipe of a finger, it's also introduced new ways for bad actors to hurt us. As the web's premier adult dating site, AdultFriendFinder is unfortunately rife with all manner of scams and scammers, and while it's easy to have a good time on the site, it's also easy to get into trouble — at least if you're not vigilant. 

And because AFF hosts nudity and encourages its members to get frisky, it's an especially enticing target for malicious actors. Worse still, these types of attacks are now increasingly common, with so-called "romance scams" now outranking all other scams in terms of total reported financial losses, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

To stay safe, you need to be aware of how you're vulnerable — here are the five most common AdultFriendFinder scams and how to avoid them.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Phishing scams

If you've used the internet before, you've been the target of a phishing scam. Think of the emails from Google asking you to click a link to reset your password, or the sob story you get from an unknown email address claiming to be a relative — these are all examples of phishing attacks, where a bad actor pretends to be someone they're not to gain your trust and steal sensitive information from you.

On AdultFriendFinder, bad actors will happily pose as interested singles, casually flirting with you until the moment they decide to ask for money or personal information, or try to get you to visit an off-site link.

Here are the five biggest red flags to help you spot a phishing attack:

• They rush to get you to an off-site destination, whether that's a website or a different chat platform like WhatsApp or Telegram

• They attempt to create a sense of urgency, often with a sad personal story

• They randomly request specific personal information about you, whether that's your date of birth or your home address

• Their profile and/or behavior is "too good to be true," with professional-quality photos and an instantly flirtatious conversation style

• They dodge or deny requests to meet in person or verify each other's identities through a video call

Identity theft

Unfortunately, between generative AI and the ease with which people can access our personal data, identity theft is now easier than ever. 

On AdultFriendFinder, identity theft scams can work one of two ways: either the bad actors operate with patience to steal your identity, gradually building a workable profile of you based on your name, age, location and employment history, as well as the photos and videos they might be able to harvest from your profile, or they steal another person's identity to execute a more sophisticated phishing scam on you. 

SEE ALSO: The Looksmaxxing Glossary: Every term you need to understand the internet's most unhinged subculture

Your best defence against identity theft scams is to strictly limit the amount of personal information you share on your public profile. It's a good idea to give the minimum necessary identifiable details about yourself; so, for example, you can share your first name but should not share your last name or even your initials, and you can mention that you're a lawyer or a doctor but should not share the name of the law firm or hospital that employs you. 

These rules should still be closely followed even in one-on-one conversations. Don't assume that the person you're talking to is who they say they are until you have verified that yourself, and strictly ration what information you give out about yourself. 

Bots and self-promoters

The bots and self-promoters are simultaneously the most common scam on AdultFriendFinder and the most harmless. Because it's easy to create profiles on the site, webcam models, some OnlyFans creators and other sex workers use the site to promote their pages, usually via chat bots. These scams aren't particularly sophisticated: the person uses their real photos in their profile but engages AI to actually talk to other users, usually to send them to an outside link like an Instagram, OnlyFans or Telegram channel related to their business, and while they're typically harmless, they're also a major waste of your time. Just in case you're tempted to check their links, remember to do your due diligence before clicking on the link, as it's easy to hide malicious links inside shortened URLs. 

These self-promoting accounts are also typically easy to spot. Their photos are typically very airbrushed and professionally shot and staged, and their conversation rarely goes far beyond "hello" before they're mentioning their side hustle. You're better off ignoring these profiles entirely, but if you do take a shot on speaking to one, definitely end the engagement once they start sharing outside links with you. 

Pay-to-play scams

There's no shortage of legitimate online businesses that are happy to exchange your money for kinky chats, webcam shows or custom photos and videos, but you should be especially wary of people offering those services on AdultFriendFinder.

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

Even if you're willing to buy sexual content or tip a webcam model, AFF was not designed to be a sex work platform, and all of the buyer protections that exist on sites like OnlyFans or Chaturbate are absent from AdultFriendFinder, which means if the model or sex worker wants to take your money and run, you'll have no recourse. 

Blackmail aka "sextortion"

The worst, most pernicious and potentially most damaging scams run on AdultFriendFinder relate to blackmail, or what is colloquially known as "sextortion." Because the site encourages nudity and other sexually explicit content, it also renders its users very vulnerable to blackmail. Are you using the site without your spouse's knowledge or consent? How would your employer or your customers react if your private photos and videos were leaked? 

Bad actors know full well the damage they can do to your reputation, marriage and professional life, and they will seek to use any leverage they can to blackmail you. 

Does this mean you can't use the site or shouldn't engage in some of the more risqué activities it offers? Absolutely not! But it does mean you need to do so responsibly, with a constant awareness of what you're sharing and who you're sharing it with. And if you do experience any sort of sextortion, you should know that it's a crime and should be reported to law enforcement.

A growing number of medical professionals and consumers alike are now leaning on AI to manage health in new ways, and tech companies are competing to meet the demand.

AI health products can generate patient visit notes for physicians and help consumers learn insights about their health at home. Even with all the possible upsides, experts recommend caution, particularly for consumers who share sensitive medical and personal information with an AI-powered device or chatbot, or buy into AI health offerings that haven't yet been proven as effective or safe.

With the January launch of ChatGPT Health, a sister experience to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the public has a new option for seeking medical guidance. ChatGPT Health, like Claude for Healthcare and Microsoft Copilot Health, allows users to upload medical records and data from wellness apps to AI assistants, ostensibly providing more accurate guidance.

The fact that ChatGPT Health is free (for now) may prove enticing to some of the 25 million uninsured Americans or those worried about medical debt — Americans currently owe over $220 billion to healthcare providers.

And many are already turning to AI-powered sources. A KFF health tracking poll released this month found that a third of U.S. adults used AI for information or advice about their physical health in the last year. Those numbers are on par with those seeking health advice from social media, according to KFF.

Health AI: Reducing costs, growing access

Health-centered AI may be a good option for those anxious about healthcare expenses because it has the potential to reduce costs through early diagnosis, according to Harvard's School of Public Health.

While the majority of people polled by KFF said they turned to AI because it provided quick, immediate answers, about a fifth cited not having access to a provider or being unable to afford an appointment as motivations. Health-trained chatbots could help patients better understand their bodies and provide helpful insight before they visit their doctor, according to companies like Amazon, which recently launched its Amazon Health AI.

Carri Chan is Faculty Director, Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program at Columbia Business School, and also leads Columbia's AI+Healthcare initiative. Chan has many reservations about patients substituting human-centered care for AI. Still, she believes that AI tools, including a correctly executed, specially trained AI chatbot, could help reduce costs and increase access to care.

"The fact that [tech companies] are curating and at least training a model specifically for [health], thank goodness," Chan says. "That's what we really need. We don't want something that's been trained on all the data on the internet where we know there's a lot of misinformation and just, like, garbage information." In other words, the data needs to be high-quality and validated.

Chan generally sees the greatest promise coming from AI tools specifically designed to improve healthcare delivery.

KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust (Feb. 24-Mar. 2, 2026) Credit: KFF

A new Mashable series, AI + Health, will examine how artificial intelligence is changing the medical and health landscape. We'll explore how to keep your health data safe, using AI to decipher your blood work, prompting chatbots effectively when it comes to health questions, how two women are using AI to detect a dangerous form of heart disease, and more.

AI privacy, hallucination concerns in healthcare

Many health industry experts advise proceeding with caution when using health-centered AI, especially if you’re uploading medical documents or private health information. Privacy watchdogs are particularly worried about chatbot products entering the world of healthcare without federal regulation, Mashable learned.

Aside from privacy concerns, there is the possibility that AI hallucinations could steer patients down rabbit holes of misinformation, or that AI could further reinforce medical biases. Recent studies on health-related AI queries showed that chatbots sometimes dispense unreliable information, with ChatGPT Health under-triaging slightly more than half of the cases presented to it.

AI health tools: Proceeding — with caution

Experts suggest that anyone using health-related AI products test the models with known inaccuracies first, frame questions carefully, and check where chatbots get their answers, ensuring they come from reliable sources like medical organizations — not Reddit.

While there is much to be skeptical about when it comes to AI’s role in health, experts including Dr. Robert Wachter, professor and chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, are optimistic about the role health-centered AI can play in bettering people's lives. Wachter views products like ChatGPT Health as a significant improvement over a Google search when it comes to investigating symptoms or deciphering medical jargon.

And Wachter thinks the chatbots will only get better and more accurate with time. For now, Wachter stresses prompting the AI as clearly as possible, fact-checking the responses, and then taking that information to a human medical professional — and skipping right over AI and heading to a hospital when experiencing a potentially life-threatening emergency like severe chest pain.

"You put something into [Chat]GPT or Gemini, and what you get back is better than what you would have gotten back in Google," Wachter says. "The downside is the tools are imperfect and can do everything from giving you really smart answers to answers that are just downright wrong."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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

Step aside, WebMD — health advice has become the most common way people use ChatGPT.

The chatbot's parent company, OpenAI, reported that 40 million people query ChatGPT daily to decode convoluted medical bills, appeal unfair insurance claims, or manage their own treatment. According to a February Gallup poll, nearly 16 percent of U.S. adults already use AI or social media to find medical information.

SEE ALSO: Experts: AI chatbots unsafe for teen mental health

Meanwhile, Americans owe over $220 billion in medical debt, according to 2024 figures. The country's health workforce currently faces widespread shortages, with high turnover rates for first-year nurses and a need for 114,000 more physicians by 2028 to meet demand. Around half of Americans reported struggling to afford healthcare last year, as the federal government narrowed Affordable Care Act subsidies.

In the eyes of many, the healthcare system has broken.

Meanwhile, widespread AI adoption has been touted as a solution for an overburdened medical system. Narrowly-designed, clinical-grade AI, trained for specific tasks, could potentially revolutionize imaging, patient charting, and insurance processing. But AI developers aren't stopping there — they want AI in the patient's hands, too.

In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the company's free, consumer-facing solution for those seeking health guidance — and anyone willing to upload their medical histories for the chatbot to digest.

Digital doctor or privacy nightmare?

ChatGPT Health, which incentivizes users to upload their personal medical records for tailored medical assistance, was announced on Jan. 7, promising to "securely" link your health information with ChatGPT’s brain. In the months since, other tech companies have followed suit, including the recently announced Amazon Health AI assistant and Microsoft Copilot Health.

Not everyone sees Health GPTs and other AI-related health tools as a net positive.

"Generative AI chatbot products starting to spin off into these healthcare-adjacent submarkets is deeply concerning," Melodi Dinçer, senior staff attorney for the Tech Justice Law Project, told Mashable.

In the hours following ChatGPT Health's launch, Dinçer published a scathing statement characterizing OpenAI's release as a strategic business move to access more personal data while jeopardizing the privacy of struggling Americans. The Tech Justice Law Project is currently representing individuals suing OpenAI over mental health concerns with ChatGPT. 

You're creating a larger ecosystem in this non-HIPAA covered space. - Andrew Crawford, Center for Democracy and Technology

Other privacy watchdogs said their alarm bells went off, too.

"We don't have a comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States," explained Andrew Crawford, senior policy counsel for the Center for Democracy and Technology's Data and Privacy Project. At least, he said, none that puts real limits on how companies handle consumer data, especially sensitive data sets.

Tech companies, including Meta and OpenAI, have lobbied to keep robust privacy laws off the books, and government officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio have pushed for less regulation of American tech companies.

In the absence of federal regulation on data, Americans are provided a patchwork of state-level laws and industry-specific regulations, including protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.

A new Mashable series, AI + Health, will examine how artificial intelligence is changing the medical and health landscape. We'll explore how to use AI to decipher your blood work, effectively prompting chatbots when it comes to health questions, and learn how two women are using AI to detect a dangerous form of heart disease, and much more.

Passed in 1996, HIPAA established a federal standard for protecting patient medical data and related identifying information in cases where data is shared with or without patient consent. Its Privacy Rule has also become a benchmark for assessing a medical product's privacy standards.

HIPAA, however, isn't a failsafe. Its protections aren't attached to data itself, explained Crawford, but to the institutions that process and store it. Consumer data is shielded only when it's in the hands of an institution bound by HIPAA laws, not when it exists in other marketplaces or is stored elsewhere online. 

Institutions bound by HIPAA laws are known as covered entities. This includes health insurance companies, HMOs, company health plans, and other coverage providers like Medicaid and Medicare; most (but not all) care providers like doctors, dentists, psychologists, nursing homes, and even chiropractors; and, finally, clearinghouses, or businesses that process and transmit health data. Anyone that does business with one of those entities, like a lawyer or billing company, is also under HIPAA's oversight. 

Oura, Apple, Strava: Personal wellness apps and ChatGPT Health 

Most popular health apps are not covered by HIPAA, according to the HIPAA Journal. Not your Oura ring, Apple Health app, or running buddy Strava. When you share your data with something like ChatGPT Health, even if you use it to inform your conversations with a covered entity later, that information is not legally bound by anything outside of the company's privacy policy.

But many, like OpenAI, promise that data is being treated carefully.

We are buying into this idea that something so complex as health can be reduced to numbers on a screen. - Melodi Dinçer, Tech Justice Law Project

Covered entities are blocked by law from using your data for things like targeted advertising or user behavioral profiles, without authorization. But any other companies that get a hold of your medical information can do whatever they please, in accordance with their own privacy policies, Crawford says.

Lily Li, a data privacy and AI risk management attorney and founder of Metaverse Law, explained company privacy policies often include reasonable security protocols and opt-out features, but aren't required to include HIPAA oversights like specific authorization, time limitations on storing data, or disclosure obligations.

Take the case of DNA processing site 23andMe, which, upon filing for bankruptcy, announced it would be selling itself and its library of DNA samples to a company that users hadn't consented to consult with. Medical information, Dinçer explained, is one of the most valuable markets for data brokers online.

Many AI companies have erected walls between versions of their product that are compliant with laws like HIPAA and those that aren't, including the "enterprise level" products touted by OpenAI and its competitors. These aren't the same products being marketed for use by the general public. For example, OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Healthcare, a HIPAA compliant version for health professionals not to be confused with ChatGPT Health, one day later. That same week, Anthropic announced HIPAA-compliant Claude for Healthcare.

Much like ChatGPT Health, Microsoft's Copilot Health is not HIPAA compliant but guided by internal privacy policies. The company explains, "data in Copilot Health is protected with industry leading safeguards, including encryption at rest and in transit, strict access controls, and the ability to manage and delete your information when you choose."

Amazon Health AI, on the other hand, is automatically looped into HIPAA compliance as an offering underneath Amazon One Medical.

The situation starts to get real confusing, real fast for the average consumer.

This muddled privacy grey area is where fitness and wellness apps have thrived, hinging their marketplace clearance on the distinction between a product that seeks to provide treatment versus one that operates merely as a health "assistant." It's why you will almost always see a note emblazoned across the app: Consult with your doctor.

Now enter LLM products, which not only gather data from users' chats, but also emphatically encourage uploading your personal medical records and linking third-party apps — like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, or Apple Health and its wearables — to get the "best" results from your chatbot. Many of these fitness apps have previously come under fire for tracking users without consent and illegally collecting data. 

Copilot Health, for example, is compatible with more than 50 wearable wellness devices, Microsoft says, including Oura rings and Fitbit watches. Amazon initially incentivized Amazon One Medical users to upload their personal medical information by offering early Health AI access to those who consented. "You do not have to allow One Medical to access your health records to use Health AI. However, to ensure the best experience, we are prioritizing early access to Health AI to those who do," wrote Amazon in early versions of the product's FAQ.

"You're creating a larger ecosystem in this non-HIPAA covered space, where health data is being shared and used by lots of companies," Crawford said. "That's going to create large troves of sensitive health data that all these companies will be in possession of."

Opting Out vs. Opting in

Dinçer also flagged that ChatGPT Health isn't being piloted to people in the European Union or the UK — places with more robust consumer data privacy laws and, specifically, requirements that data collection is opt-in.

Most U.S. law is an opt-out system, Dinçer explained, which places the onus on users to be aware of privacy laws and pay attention to the minutiae of a non-HIPAA product's terms of service. Often U.S. consumers are up against intentionally deceptive design, like confusing language and complicated interfaces referred to as dark patterns, that make rules on data storage difficult to parse. 

"We see these endemic, horrible practices around actually safeguarding our personal information when in the hands of these kinds of companies," Dinçer said. "There's no indication to me that that's suddenly going to change just because the technology looks a little different or you're disclosing it to something that feels like an intelligent conversation partner."

Over the years, state laws have started to catch up, Li said. California recently expanded its Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), outlining unlawful uses of sensitive data and requiring a patient's written authorization to disclose medical information. Washington state passed the My Health My Data Act in 2023, considered one of the strongest consumer data privacy laws in the country.

Even so, there are exceptions across state and federal laws. 

One day before ChatGPT Health launched, the FDA announced it would be limiting its regulation of wearable technology and associated software designed to foster "healthy lifestyles." These technologies and others like fitness trackers are considered "low-risk non-medical devices," and as long as they don't make any diagnoses or treatment claims, they fall out of the FDA's strict oversight. 

Two weeks after the ChatGPT Health announcement, OpenAI announced it was in the early design stages of its first AI wearable device. 

Medical "partners" in the era of AI

A recent report by healthcare research nonprofit ECRI argued that AI chatbots are the "most significant health technology hazard" heading into 2026, citing risks of AI models perpetuating bias and exacerbating existing health disparities.

Similarly, many experts warn that LLMs aren't yet robust enough to effectively curb misinformation. A recent Guardian investigation found that Google's AI overviews often spat out inaccurate, gender-biased medical answers and could pose a public health risk. A study published in Nature Medicine in February found that ChatGPT Health failed to effectively triage medical emergencies and make appropriate care recommendations when compared to real-world physicians.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT is changing the abortion landscape

And the expansion of tech companies into the medical sphere poses additional concerns about the law. Will companies like OpenAI be subject to further inquiry from law enforcement requesting personal health or chat log data? What would that mean for people with stigmatized health conditions or precarious legal statuses, including people seeking reproductive healthcare, abortions, and gender-affirming care?

"We're already conditioned to think it's OK or normal to go to the internet with our health inquiries, sharing really intimate information online and with commercial products," Dinçer said. "We are buying into this idea that something so complex as health can be reduced to numbers on a screen."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health propeovider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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

Australian startup Sonorus is developing an AI algorithm that can identify signs of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) within minutes, simply by analysing heart sounds. Showcased at the recent SXSW Sydney Tech and Innovation Showcase, Sonorus' AI is trained on cardiovascular audio to pick up signs of heart disease that might otherwise go undetected.

"It's a low cost, portable mass screening and triaging tool, where, rather than waiting for someone to develop signs that they have something wrong with their heart, we use it as a preventative check for susceptible communities that may be at risk of it," Sonorus CTO Leah Martínez told Mashable. "We screen them early, catch it early, and get them the treatment they need before they even need to potentially think about getting an echocardiogram."

The goal is to make RHD easily detectable via a simple, routine check — one that's quick, accessible, affordable, and may not even require a doctor.

Starting Sonorus Credit: Zooey Liao / Masahble / Getty Images / Sonorus

Sonorus began as an idea from Martínez's friend and co-founder, CEO Dr. Julie Dao, in 2022. The two had been in university at the time, with Dao completing her PhD in cardiovascular health while Martínez studied engineering. Having previously worked on a separate project together, Dao approached Martínez to contribute her technical expertise to her new "crazy idea."

"Her background is that she's from Vietnam, and so rheumatic heart disease is something that's really rampant over there," said Martínez. "It was just the two of us inside my two bedroom apartment, in the study, just figuring out how to make a circuit work…. When we started this project at that time, I was in the middle of my engineering degree, and I was still learning and picking up new things. And we built a very, very simple proof of concept, just enough to say that you can record heart sounds with some simple, low cost technology."

SEE ALSO: Using ChatGPT Health? Read this first.

Martínez is now nearing the end of her engineering degree, as well as holding down a day job and working at Sonorus. Boosted by accelerator programs from supporters such as Monash University, Sonorus now has a fully working prototype, and is taking steps to collect further heart audio data internationally as it continues to develop its AI algorithm.

"We want to develop the world's largest data set of clinically viable heart sounds," said Martínez. "We're going beyond that idea that heart sounds are just what we are able to hear and perceive as humans, and actually look at it from a [perspective of], What more new information can we extract that no one's looked at before?"

What is rheumatic heart disease?

RHD is permanent damage to the heart valves caused by inflammation, which can cause blood to flow in the wrong direction. The disease starts from a Strep A infection, which develops into acute rheumatic fever (ARF), according to John Hopkins Medicine. This fever then causes inflammation which damages the heart valves.

Affecting around 55 million people worldwide, RHD kills approximately 360,000 people every year, according to the World Health Organization. It is most prevalent in lower socioeconomic communities where healthcare is more difficult to access, disproportionately impacting Indigenous populations in the U.S. and Australia, as well as people in countries across Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia, and Oceania.

RHD currently can't be completely cured, however it can be managed with shots of penicillin every three to four weeks. Unfortunately, patients are unlikely to seek a diagnosis until after they're already experiencing symptoms, which may include chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Left untreated, RHD can significantly impact a patient's quality of life, increase their risk of stroke, and lead to heart failure.

As such, Sonorus hopes its AI will catch RHD before major damage to the valve occurs, allowing swift intervention to prevent further degradation. Early detection can significantly reduce the treatment required, costs involved, and impact on the patient.

"The risk [posed by RHD] grows exponentially the longer you leave it," said Martínez. "You can treat it with a $5 shot of penicillin [if you catch it early enough], but if you catch it too late, you're looking at open heart surgery."

Using AI to diagnose heart disease Credit: Zooey Liao / Masahble / Getty Images / Sonorus

Echocardiograms are the current gold standard for detecting and diagnosing RHD, using ultrasound to create images of the heart that doctors can examine. However, while echocardiograms are an undeniably useful diagnostic tool, they do have limitations.

By the time a patient is sent for an echocardiogram, issues with their heart are typically already apparent, with damage severe enough that a doctor can detect it with a stethoscope. Sonorus aims to detect RHD before it gets to that point, utilising AI to identify characteristics in heart audio that may indicate issues but aren't identifiable to the human ear.

"[If you do] an ultrasound, you can see physically where the damage is," Martínez explained. "But what we found is there's a couple of precursory markers before you even get to that point, just by listening to the heart and listening to how it operates after you've caught that disease."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A new Mashable series, AI + Health, will examine how artificial intelligence is changing the medical and health landscape. We'll explore how to keep your health data safe, using AI to decipher your blood work, prompting chatbots effectively when it comes to health questions, and much more. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Echocardiograms are also expensive, time-consuming tests which require specialist training to administer, making them unideal for screenings of large groups of people. Sonorus' founders claim that their portable device can carry out such screenings instead, helping to identify patients most in need of further examination.

"When you're thinking about the cost of an ultrasound machine just by itself, it's about maybe 10 to 20 grand, then you have to think about the cost of an operator, cardiologist, technicians, admin staff, that sort of thing," said Martínez. "And it just runs you up really fast."

Ensuring that Sonorus' devices are cost effective is one of the company's primary aspirations. While they're still a long way from going to market, Martínez speculates that their devices may ultimately cost under $AU1000 (around $700), or perhaps even half this amount.

"We want it so that it's so affordable that it can be scaled and deployed out as fast as possible to so many different people," said Martínez.

Sonorus' AI aims to assist doctors, not replace them Credit: Zooey Liao / Masahble / Getty Images / Sonorus

Sonorus isn't the only organisation working to detect heart disease via AI sound analysis. Studies on AI-enabled stethoscopes have found that such tools could significantly improve doctors' ability to detect heart issues, more than doubling identification of some conditions when compared to analogue tools. 

However, Sonorus distinguishes itself by being designed for use by the public rather than healthcare professionals. As such, ease of use is a high priority in Sonorus' development process to enable widespread deployment. Still, Sonorus is intended to be an assistive tool and first step toward diagnosis, not a replacement for a doctor's professional assessment.

"We're not creating a crutch for doctors and saying, 'this is the new way to diagnose it, and you have to take this as the Bible, and now you don't have to do any of your due diligence,'" said Martínez. "What we're actually doing instead is a [screening] process... so [doctors] can focus on the cases that they actually need to get to."

Challenges: Collecting data, consulting with communities Credit: Zooey Liao / Masahble / Getty Images / Sonorus

For Martínez, gathering the data necessary to train Sonorus' algorithm has been their biggest hurdle so far. While Sonorus did use open source data in a preliminary validation of its algorithm, Martínez explained that it wasn't of the quality they wanted. The company is now working to gather its own data, and hopes to have a database containing hundreds of thousands of data points within the next few years.

"Everyone that works in AI, they always say that your algorithm is only as good as your data is," said Martínez. "We're trying to collect data straight from the [the communities Sonorus is designed to serve], and making sure that it's high quality and what we need."

Sonorus is building its systems in consultation with leaders in the communities it seeks to serve, so that its targeted users are involved in the development process. By doing this, it aims to ensure that the types of solutions it offers are ones that the community will trust, find simple to operate, and want to use. For example, Martínez noted that autonomy regarding health is important to Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander communities. Including them in Sonorus' development helps to address this need, building understanding and integration into the community.

"We don't want to just be like, 'here, we're going to design a solution, here you go, go ahead and use it,'" said Martínez. "Because we know a lot of the time that healthcare is partly about the solution, but it's also partly about the care in the relationship that you build with the people that are going to use it."

The future of cardiovascular diagnosis? Credit: Zooey Liao / Masahble / Getty Images / Sonorus

Martínez believes that the untapped potential for medical use is one of the biggest blind spots regarding audio and AI research right now.

"A lot of AI [concerning sound] right now is really used for audio processing, speech to text generation, but no one's really using it for clinical applications, and so we're filling in that gap," Martínez said.

Though Sonorus is currently developing its AI solely to detect RHD, Martínez believes the technology could be applied to other medical conditions as well. The hope is that, in the future, Sonorus will be able to screen for multiple different cardiovascular conditions with just one simple test.

"Honestly, that would be the goal," Martínez said. "We're starting with rheumatic heart disease, so we want to make sure that we get this one right, and make sure that the solution works. And then from there, because AI algorithms are so easily scalable and applicable to different things... we want to move to other valvular diseases as well."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health propeovider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Masters Tournament for free on Masters.com. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The wait for the first major golf championship of the year is over.

The Masters is here to deliver top-quality action from the Augusta National Golf Club. Expect the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Rory McIlroy to be battling it out for the green jacket at the end of the weekend. It's always a special occasion with a number of incredible storylines to follow.

If you want to watch the 2026 Masters Tournament for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Masters?

The Masters is one of the four men's major championships in professional golf. The tournament takes place in the first full week in April, making the Masters the first major golf tournament of the year.

The Masters is always held at the Augusta National Golf Club, a private course in the city of Augusta, Georgia.

When is the 2026 Masters Tournament?

The 2026 Masters Tournament will take place from April 9-12. Practice rounds began on April 6.

How to watch the 2026 Masters Tournament for free

The 2026 Masters Tournament is available to live stream for free on Masters.com.

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

Access free Masters live streams 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 U.S.

4. Visit Masters.com

5. Live stream the 2026 Masters Tournament 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 leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2026 Masters before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for live sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 the 2026 Masters Tournament for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: TCGplayer has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Premium Poster Collection (Mega Gardevoir) listed from $119.76 with shipping included. That puts it $0.20 below TCGplayer’s current $119.96 market price, while also undercutting Amazon’s $130.43 listing.

Where to buy the Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Premium Poster Collection (Mega Gardevoir): Best TCGplayer deal Pokémon TCG: Ascended Heroes Premium Poster Collection (Mega Gardevoir) $119.76 at TCGplayer Shop Now Best Amazon Deal Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Premium Poster Collection (Mega Gardevoir) $134.95 at Amazon Shop Now

Ascended Heroes has surged back as the hottest expansion from the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Evolution set — causing prices on boosters, blisters, ETBs, and booster boxes to shoot back up. With that in mind, this new price on one of the poster collections is the best way to get booster packs at market price and get its included promo card and poster as a bonus. 

As of April 9, TCGplayer has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Premium Poster Collection (Mega Gardevoir) listed from $119.76 with shipping included. That lands just under the site’s current $119.96 market price, while also sitting below its $121.63 listed median. TCGplayer’s pricing data also shows the product has cooled off notably from the sharper swings it saw over the past three months, making this a much easier buy than when listings were climbing much higher earlier in the expansion’s release window.

Over on Amazon, the main listing is still sitting at $130.43, which leaves TCGplayer ahead by $10.67. Amazon does show some lower marketplace offers, but even those are still not as appealing as TCGplayer’s best shipped price right now. Still, if TCGplayer runs out of stock, or you’re wary of buying on the dedicated trading card selling platform, Amazon is a fine backup. 

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Inside the box, you are getting 10 Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes booster packs, one foil promo card featuring Mega Gardevoir ex, one double-sided poster, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. 

You can also buy the Pokémon TCG’s Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box for under $80. As for rarer expansions, you can grab the Pokémon TCG Prismastic Evolutions Booster Bundle near market price at Walmart.

TL;DR: TCGplayer has the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle listed from $39.81 with shipping included. That puts it just $0.15 above TCGplayer’s current $39.66 market price, while also undercutting Amazon’s record-low $42.95 listing.

Where to buy Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Booster Bundles: Best Amazon Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle $42.95 at Amazon Shop Now Best TCGplayer Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle $39.81 at TCGplayer Shop Now

Perfect Order Booster Bundle pricing has kept sliding since its March 27 release, but this is the first time we’ve seen a Pokémon TCG expansion’s booster bundle drop to below $40 so soon after release.

As of April 9, TCGplayer has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle listed from $39.81 with shipping included. Amazon has the same bundle priced at $42.95.

That price works out to about $6.64 per booster pack for a bundle that includes six Perfect Order packs. If you prefer buying from Amazon over the dedicated trading card selling platform, $42.95 is the lowest price that the online retailer has offered for the booster bundle so far — confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

With six booster packs per box (with 10 cards per pack), the bundle is a straightforward way to start building out your collection of the Perfect Order’s lineup of over 120 cards. Special Illustration Rares of Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Meowth ex are fantastic chase cards that make for beautiful pulls.

To get even more booster packs from the expansion, with exclusive extras, the Pokémon TCG’s Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box is now under $80. As for other expansions, the Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle is near market price at Walmart. 

TL;DR: Bring home a tiny, but mighty MacBook Air for just $199.97 (reg. $999) now through April 19, while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 2017 (Refurbished) $199.97
$999 Save $799.03   Get Deal

The MacBook Air may be tiny, but it’s still mighty. You shouldn’t underestimate Apple’s lightest laptop — it still packs plenty of power and a whole lot of storage in its sleek and portable frame. Right now, you can bring one home for a surprisingly light price — just $199.97 (reg. $999) — now through April 19.

Don’t sleep on the MacBook Air. This Apple device may be easy to take anywhere, weighing in at just 2.96 pounds, but that doesn’t mean it skimps on power. A 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM let you tackle even the lengthiest to-do lists, and the 13.3-inch widescreen display is equipped with Intel HD Graphics 6000, allowing you to see everything in high-quality images with smooth streaming capabilities.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

If you like to store files locally, you’ll have plenty of space thanks to 128GB of flash storage, along with room to download your favorite apps, too. You’ll enjoy easy connectivity thanks to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, letting you go online and transfer files. And you won’t be hunting for an electrical outlet mid-day — this MacBook Air has an impressive 12 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Wondering how you’re saving $800 on this Apple laptop? It comes with a Grade A/B refurbished rating, which means it may arrive with light scuffing on the bevel or case, or light scratches or dents on the body, but there will be no dents, cracks, or missing parts.

Regularly $999, get this quality refurbished MacBook Air for only $199.97 (reg. $999) now through April 19.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a free iPhone 17e when signing up for a T-Mobile plan with no trade-in required. Alternatively, 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

Last month was absolutely huge for Apple. We got new iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads, but what now? Are we all expected to sit around and wait for the next batch of new products to drop? Absolutely not — we're supposed to find the best deals on this fresh lineup.

For those interested in investing in the new iPhone 17, we recommend checking out T-Mobile. The popular carrier is offering another "free iPhone" deal this week.

You can switch to almost any T-Mobile plan and get a free iPhone 17e with no trade in required. Alternatively, you can score the iPhone 17 for free when signing on for 24 months of an Experience More plan and trading in an eligible phone. T-Mobile will charge taxes on these free deals and a $35 device connection fee. That's mildly irritating, but that's how it often goes with this kind of deal.

SEE ALSO: Boost Infinite is giving away the Apple iPhone 17 for free — upgrade to the latest model every year

We should note that the Experience More plan is designed for power users who want 4K streaming, massive hotspot data, and the best international roaming. It therefore comes with a higher monthly bill than more limited plans. The Experience More plan does include perks like Apple TV+ and Netflix, which helps offset some of that cost.

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 12 or 13, you’re missing out on some genuinely game-changing features. The iPhone 17 is the first base model built specifically to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. Mashable's Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." That's enough for us to consider upgrading.

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

With Schitt's Creek, Dan Levy and Eugene Levy crafted the sweet story of the ridiculously lovable Rose family, who begin the series at their lowest point — freshly broke and awful to everyone around them — before embarking on the road to redemption.

SEE ALSO: 'Euphoria' Season 3 review: It should be great. Instead, it's gross.

In his newest project, Big Mistakes, Dan Levy and co-creator Rachel Sennott turn the tables on that redemptive arc, delivering a much darker tale of a family that's just beginning its own downward spiral.

What's Big Mistakes about? Taylor Ortega and Dan Levy in "Big Mistakes." Credit: Spencer Pazer / Netflix

The family in question is the New Jersey-based Morellis. Mother and hardware store owner Linda (Laurie Metcalf) is preparing to run for mayor of their small town, with the help of her peppy, annoyingly put-together daughter Natalie (Abby Quinn). Her other two children are... messier. Pastor Nicky (Levy) is hiding his boyfriend Tareq (Jacob Gutierrez) from his congregation, and school teacher Morgan (Taylor Ortega) has grown tired of her long-term relationship with high school sweetheart Max (Jack Innanen).

SEE ALSO: 'The Testaments' review: 'The Handmaid's Tale' sequel finds new power in its YA perspective

Their romantic lives are about to be the least of their concerns, though. When Morgan steals a necklace for their dying nonna (Judith Roberts), she lands the pair in the service of a local crime lord. Soon, Nicky and Morgan are running illicit errands for a criminal syndicate. Do they have any criminal bona fides or any desire to do this job? Absolutely not. But do their positions as a pastor and teacher provide the perfect cover? Unfortunately for Nicky and Morgan, they do.

Dan Levy and Taylor Ortega are a hysterical duo in Big Mistakes. Dan Levy, Ilia Volok, and Taylor Ortega in "Big Mistakes." Credit: Netflix

I've never really been a fan of stories where people are drawn into the criminal underworld against their will. Yet Big Mistakes won me over thanks to the dynamic between Nicky and Morgan, especially their blatant reluctance in the face of every task they're given.

Take the first episode, which ends with the pair in the back of gangster Yusuf's (Boran Kuzum) truck.

"It's fully giving kidnap homicide," Morgan moans as she climbs in.

"Those are your last words?" Nicky retorts, with a gun at his back.

That contrast between sibling bickering and the threat of bodily harm fuels the dark comedy of Big Mistakes. No matter where Nicky and Morgan wind up, be it a cattle auction or a Miami yacht, they're always complaining. The nonstop sniping can occasionally carry shades of David and Alexis Rose, but the show's grittier thriller tone, as well as a stress-inducing score from Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum and Peaches, helps distance Big Mistakes from Schitt's Creek.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Levy and Ortega also establish themselves as a stellar comedy duo, feeding on each other's frenetic energy to turn each illegal deal into a tour de force of cringe comedy. Big Mistakes' broader ensemble is also a joy to watch, especially Metcalf as the beleaguered Linda. When we first meet her and her children, they're bracing for a family tragedy: the death of Nonna Morelli. We learn her decline has gone on long enough that her family's grief has morphed into the kind of pained resignation in which everyone is making her illness about them. For Nicky and Morgan, it's an inconvenience. For Natalie, it's an opportunity to performatively out-grieve her imperfect siblings. And for Linda, who's doing her best to keep her ailing mother under control, it's a hindrance to her campaign announcement.

"Make my mother's death easy on me," Linda asks her children. The line highlights how pitch-black Big Mistakes is willing to get, and the kind of self-absorption we'll be dealing with from all the Morellis as the series spirals further into criminal chaos.

Big Mistakes leans into the anxiety of Nicky and Morgan's double lives closing in around them. But it also finds wholesomeness amidst the sordid schemes, with Nicky and Morgan growing closer thanks to their new endeavors. Here, Levy and Ortega showcase a vulnerability that's not on display in their earlier, more abrasive arguments together, and the result is heartwarming. (Even if these moments of reconciliation often come at the worst possible moments.) It's proof of Levy and Ortega's chemistry, and it also helps set up what could be one of TV's next most compelling sibling duos.

Big Mistakes is now streaming on Netflix.

This winter, Heated Rivalry helped audiences get hot and bothered at home. But with cherry blossom season upon us, dare to embrace a romance set under the Tuscan sun. If you need some sunshine, yearning, and romance, go see You, Me & Tuscany, the latest gem from director Kat Coiro.

In 2022, Coiro showed her sincere appreciation for classic romantic comedy with the sublimely satisfying Marry Me, which starred Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson in a Notting Hill-like narrative about an average bookish man who woos an international famous woman. Now, Coiro's back to help us fall in love again with another story that pulls heavily from '90s rom-com inspiration. This time, her leading lovers are The Little Mermaid's Halle Bailey and Bridgerton's Regé-Jean Page, who are surrounded by a gaggle of charming, colorful characters.

What's not to love?

You, Me & Tuscany is basically While You Were Sleeping in Italy. Regé-Jean Page, Halle Bailey, and Lorenzo de Moor in "You, Me & Tuscany." Credit: Universal Pictures

Bear with me. Screenwriter Ryan Engle (Rampage, Beast) and his wife, Kristin Engle, are credited with the story for You, Me & Tuscany, with the former credited as its sole screenwriter. You, Me & Tuscany's credits do not cite the 1995 Sandra Bullock rom-com written by Daniel G. Sullivan and Fredric Lebow as an inspiration. But if you look past the superficial, the comparison between While You Were Sleeping and You, Me & Tuscany is undeniable.

Each film begins with a lonely young woman who dreams of a bigger life. Chicago transit worker Lucy (Bullock), who has no family, dreams of the dashing stranger in the tailored suit who comes to her station every morning and brightens her day by just existing. Aspiring chef Anna (Bailey) once dreamed of traveling to Italy and starting a restaurant with her mom. But the unexpected death of her mother derailed her culinary school education, leaving her scraping by on housesitting gigs in Manhattan. That is, until she meets a "spicy white boy" (as her bestie Claire calls him) named Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor).

Over a sexy night together, Anna learns that Lorenzo owns a Tuscan villa that is "just sitting there." And look, when she decides to use the last of her savings to finally see Tuscany, it's not with the plan of squatting in his abandoned villa. But much like Lucy never imagined her meet-cute with her crush would be on the tracks of a subway as the train came barreling in, life (in rom-coms) comes at you fast. Just go with it.

Luca Setaccioli, Stella Pecollo, Agazio Olanda, Tommaso Cassissa, Beatrice Skyler Rigel, Giacomo Giacopini, and Halle Bailey in "You, Me & Tuscany." Credit: Giulia Parmigiani / Universal Pictures

Naturally, Anna finds a diamond ring in the house, tries it on, and as fate would have, she can't get it off before Matteo's family finds her in his house. So, much like Lucy, she is at the center of a marital misunderstanding: the family of the absent (or comatose) man believes this charming, lonely girl is his fiancée. But the similarities don't stop there! I could run you through the whole plot of both films, to point to how clearly the Engles pulled from Sullivan and Lebow's framework. But crucial to the plot is the brother complication.

In While You Were Sleeping, the comatose crush played by Peter Gallagher begins as the dream, but Lucy soon falls for his slightly cranky, blue-collar brother (Bill Pullman), creating an unusual love triangle. Because how can she be with the man she's actually falling for when he and all his family believes she's engaged to his brother?! Anna ends up in this same tricky predicament, falling for Matteo's "brother/cousin" Michael (Page). The specifics of that relationship will be explained by the pair's TMI-obsessed sister Francesca (a splendidly funny Stella Pecollo). But the key problem is the same: The rom-com heroine's interest shifts from the white-collar, vaguely fuckboy-esque brother to the more gruff and rugged brother with a heart of gold.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

It's a terrific plot that, while seemingly stolen, is gussied up with gorgeous Italian settings of rolling vineyards, rapturous close-ups of delicious local food, and elements of Black culture shared between the leading onscreen lovers. Awe-striking establishing shots of Tuscany prove a perfect backdrop for these beguiling performers to paint their romance, scored by swoony R&B tracks like Mario's "Let Me Love You" and Ari Lennox's "Soft Girl Era."

Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page lead a divine ensemble. Regé-Jean Page and Halle Bailey in "You, Me & Tuscany." Credit: Giulia Parmigiani / Universal Pictures

Bailey is bubbly and pitch-perfect as a rom-com heroine, exuding the kind of chaotic gumption that could be disastrous in the real world, but is an unlikely path to adventure in this tender genre. In the opening sequence, she's able to strut like a confident fashion icon, only to stumble into physical comedy when the rug of a seemingly perfect life is pulled out from under her by another rom-com diva, My Big Fat Greek Wedding's Nia Vardalos.

For his part, Page cozies back into the enemies-to-lovers dynamic that had Bridgerton fans going mad. As "handsome winemaker" Michael, he is initially brusque and distrustful of the outspoken American, who assumes they have commonality because of their skin color. After a bumpy beginning though, Michael learns they do have a lot in common, like heartache, ambition, and a love of good wine and yearning R&B. Naturally, Anna gushes to her bestie (Aziza Scott) back in New York about this, texting, "Spicy White has a brother that's a BROTHA with a six-pack!"

From a distance, Claire tries to be the real-talking voice of reason, and Scott is lively fun in this small part. In Italy, Anna first befriends a garrulous taxi driver named Lorenzo (Marco Calvani), who, beyond offering good advice, is also always ready with a gourmet Italian sandwich. (Squad goals.) De Moor smoothly shoulders the role of the sexy Italian who could be only a plot device by bringing a spicy mischievousness to Matteo. And the rest of the family are a joy, much like in While You Were Sleeping and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Matteo and Michael not only have their bawdy, chatty sister, but a chipper cousin (Emanuele Pacca) who loves opera, a hovering mother (Isabella Ferrari), a stern father (Paolo Sassanelli), a pair of serenading uncles, a duo of excitable nieces, and a glaring nonna (Stefania Casini). While each is a sketch of a character, they all bring verve and joy to this mirthful medley.

Marco Calvani and Halle Bailey in "You, Me & Tuscany." Credit: Universal Pictures

Coiro's rom-com doesn't just satisfy on the swoon. Sure, she knows how to dress the heroine in chic, fantasy fashion fits, and how to shoot Page for maximum sexual appeal (slo-mo, wet, and shirtless). But beyond that, she fills every role with a dynamic performer who adds flavor to her Italian feast of yearning and love. For instance, Cora (Cocoa Brown) and Prisilla (Vanessa Fraction), a pair of Black friends on a vineyard tour, prove spectacular comic relief in an emotional moment as they riff about edge maintenance and Michael's level of sexiness. Coiro herself gets in on this fun too, offering a cameo where she's a silly tourist absolutely flushed by the undeniable sexual chemistry between Anna and Michael. And, fair.

Which is all to say, You, Me & Tuscany will be loved by rom-com fans for its sincere appreciation of the subgenre. From a familiar framework and a traditionally romantic Tuscan setting, Engle creates a vivid world of love and family that is absolutely enchanting. Coiro brings this fantasy romance to life with a crackling cast and a keen eye for both whimsy and comedy. And Bailey and Page are a sensational match, spinning an enemies-to-lovers tale with passion and panache.

All this makes You, Me & Tuscany a marvelous movie, so beautiful and fun that it demands to be seen in theaters. But hey, sneak in a sandwich, a fancy Italian one if you can. It'll make a perfect pairing.

You, Me & Tuscany opens in theaters April 10.

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

To throw.

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

PITCH

Hurdle Word 2 hint

The start of spring.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 9, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

MARCH

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Well done.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 9 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 9, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BRAVO

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Jewelry measurement.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CARAT

Final Hurdle hint

It keeps on turning.

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

WHEEL

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 down in the dumps.

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 9, 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: Dreary

• Green: Provides relief

• Blue: Astrological signs

• Purple: Fit

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Gloomy

• Green: Ointment

• Blue: Zodiac symbols

• Purple: Muscular, minus "Ed" sound

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 #1033 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Gloomy: BLUE, DARK, DOWN, LOW

• Ointment: BALM, CREAM, PASTE, RUB

• Zodiac symbols: ARCHER, FISH, GOAT, RAM

• Muscular, minus "Ed" sound: JACK, RIP, SHRED, YOKE

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 9, 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 an artist.

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 9, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: In the paint

The words are related to art.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe art forms.

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 Medium.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 9

• Fresco

• Enamel

• Pastel

• Medium

• Watercolor

• Acrylic

• Tempera

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.