Technology

TL;DR: Use code KOOFR at checkout to get a 1TB cloud storage lifetime subscription from Koofr for $130 (reg. $810) through Feb. 2.

Opens in a new window Credit: Koofr Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB) $130.00 at Mashable Shop
$810.00 Save $680.00 with code KOOFR Get Deal

Having cloud storage shouldn’t make you feel like you’re Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, with subscription fees charging you over and over, for years or even decades. There’s a new way to protect your files that pays for itself if you’re willing to spend a little more upfront.

Koofr is like any other major cloud storage platform, except they offer a lifetime cloud storage subscription. Instead of paying every month, you pay just once and never worry about fees again. Plus, through Feb. 2, this one-time fee is down to $130 (reg. $810) when you use code KOOFR at checkout — an all-time low price.

Affordable, convenient, and secure

Over 300 5-star reviews speak for themselves, but we’ll add on anyway: Users seem to love Koofr because it pays for itself after just one year. Similar storage plans on Google Drive cost $10 monthly, so after 13 months, you’ll have money back in your pocket with Koofr.

Here’s a whole list of things to love about Koofr:

• Get 1TB of storage for life with zero future fees

• Easily connect your other cloud accounts to transfer your files

• Use Koofr’s duplicate file finder to spot repeated files

• Koofr never tracks your activity

• Your files are encrypted in rest and transfer

Save on cloud storage with Koofr’s lifetime plan, now $130 with code KOOFR at checkout until Feb. 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT (reg. $810).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a Headway Premium lifetime subscription for $59.99 with our unbeatable offer (reg. $299.95).

Opens in a new window Credit: GTHW App Limited Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $59.99 at Mashable Shop
$299.95 Save $239.96 Get Deal

The (quickie) TikTok ban left us all staring blankly at our screens, but maybe that’s a good thing. Perhaps this was a wake-up call to replace our doomscrolling, or at least some of it, with reading.

We aren’t suggesting you delete all of your social media apps, but maybe spend just 10 to 15 minutes each day on Headway. This book-summary app makes reading a lot more fun than usual since you just get the highlight reel instead of having to read it cover to cover. Get a lifetime subscription for $59.99 (reg. $299.95) and save hundreds.

Scroll less, read more

Headway is full of content that’s personalized to your interests, from CEO success stories to wacky animal facts or healthy lifestyles.

Still aren’t convinced you’re actually going to enjoy reading? You don’t have to — listen to the audio version of book summaries instead; they’re like mini-podcasts. 

The more you read (or listen) to books on Headway, the more the app gets to know your taste. It’ll recommend books you’ll enjoy, almost like "BookTok."

Looking to read more books? A Headway Premium lifetime subscription is $59.99 (reg. $299.95), and you won’t find a better price anywhere else.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Spiritually and visually luminous, Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing is one of the year’s most powerful works. The movie follows a theater production at a New York prison arts program, and is for all intents and purposes a dramatization — but it remains so closely tethered to reality that it may as well be docufiction. Rustin Academy Award-nominee Colman Domingo leads an impeccable cast, many of whom were formerly incarcerated and play versions of themselves, in a tale of learning to "trust the process" of performing.

The film is an aesthetically alluring, emotionally rigorous look at the way men are molded — and broken — by punitive systems. Yet, at its core, Sing Sing is about finding hope and catharsis through creation, and the difficulties therein. Kwedar’s deft direction works in tandem with fine-tuned drama to craft naturalistic mosaics, drawn from a patchwork of real prison experiences, resulting in a work of community storytelling both in front of and behind the camera. 

That its cast and crew were all paid the same rate across the board, and given a share of the profit, isn’t just a necessary equity model — Hollywood at large, take note — but an embodiment of the movie’s collective spirit, which radiates off its canvas in every scene.

What is Sing Sing about? Clarence Maclin and Colman Domingo in "Sing Sing." Credit: Dominic Leon / A24

Shot in a number of real penitentiaries — including Sing Sing Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in upstate New York — the film is inspired by the true story of  an unlikely friendship that was perhaps destined to be. Domingo plays John "Divine G" Whitfield, an author/playwright incarcerated at Sing Sing, who takes a keen interest in the prison’s RTA program (Rehabilitation Through the Arts), which stages a new theater production every season. Meanwhile, Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin plays himself: a drug dealer and prison yard extortionist who is reluctantly roped into Whitfield’s program. That the two men have similar nicknames is about where commonalities end.

Though the film pulls from real experiences, Sing Sing takes dramatic liberties in order to inject the story with intention and propulsive drama. Whitfield sees something in Maclin that perhaps he doesn’t see in himself, whether talent or the need (and potential) for rehabilitation. Whitfield has seen and experienced the RTA’s positive effects up close, but Maclin’s closed-off, hyper-masculine approach to emotional expression — which one can intuit as a survival mechanism in a world that shows unjust cruelty toward Black men — proves a hurdle to his participation.

SEE ALSO: Best documentaries streaming now on Prime Video

However, Maclin reaches a turning point when the group gives him the floor and actually listens to his advice. He suggests a comedic approach for the RTA’s next production, rather than their usual fodder of Shakespearean tragedy or one of Whitfield’s straightforward dramas. Soon, the whole group has their input heard, and a riotous mix of Hamlet, ancient Egypt, and A Nightmare on Elm Street becomes a brazen time travel musical titled Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code — a real play once staged at the RTA, which Kwedar discovered in the 2005 Esquire article The Sing Sing Follies.

The path to staging Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code is winding, between attempts to garner more prison funding for elaborate sets and costumes to simply easing the tensions arising from Maclin’s involvement in an otherwise well-oiled unit. He’s confrontational, to the point of rejecting Whitfield’s help in both his performance and his upcoming appeal for parole. The enthusiastic author isn’t about to give up on him so easily. However, when Whitfield himself struggles with hopelessness and ire, it's Maclin who uses the emotional tools he’s learned at the RTA to come to his friend's rescue.

In centering its characters’ humanity through the lens of performance, Sing Sing becomes one of the best modern films about acting as well.

Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin deliver tremendous performances in Sing Sing. Clarence Maclin in "Sing Sing." Credit: Dominic Leon / A24

For the most part, Sing Sing’s ensemble blends into the movie’s naturalistic fabric, but the dynamic between Domingo and Maclin isn’t so seamless — albeit with good reason. Domingo brings a rehearsed, boisterous, theatrical quality to Whitfield, befitting of a seasoned stage performer who takes a special interest in shaping the RTA. Which is to say: He’s distinctly Domingo, with all the pronounced inflections, buttery-smooth delivery, and penchant for melodrama that makes his performances so worthwhile.

Whitfield’s resilience, and his belief that he’ll successfully appeal his conviction, make for vital dramatic centerpieces that inform Domingo’s approach. He’s so jovial and conversational that he never feels at odds with the film, but he does feel like an outsider — an erudite who displays hints of arrogance as he takes control of rehearsal sessions — which makes things all the more difficult for him when he begins to lose hope. Domingo, like Whitfield, has Shakespeare on his mind when he nears the end of his rope, becoming emotionally shattered in mind, body, and soul while projecting for the back row.

This makes for an intriguing dramatic contrast with the more naturalistic Maclin, and creates a wider chasm between them, which they need to work even harder to overcome. Maclin carries himself with a street-smart self-assuredness that frequently gives way to a deep sensitivity and pain — which Whitfield encourages him to access in their rehearsal sessions. Watching both actors perform, with different modes and methods but striving toward a common emotional goal, is a moving meta-text, and Sing Sing invites this reading through its numerous scenes of introspective acting exercises, allowing each participant to access their most walled-off emotions.

The RTA’s purpose isn’t just playtime, but rehabilitation of a kind entirely separate from the cruelty of prisons. Where punitive lockup and invasive searches don’t do the characters much good, their creative outlets afford them the chance to get in touch with their emotions in ways even those in the outside world might not. The film, in this regard, mirrors the harrowing and incisive 2017 film The Work, a powerful prison documentary whose group therapy sessions are strikingly akin to the emotional recall exercises of Russian theatrician Konstantin Stanislavski, whose acting "system" was a precursor to Lee Strasberg’s modern "method acting." The more the characters in Sing Sing rehearse, the closer they get not just to their immediate physical goal of putting on a great comedic performance, but to the spiritual goal of finding their most authentic selves.

The movie’s ensemble captures this journey in thoughtful fashion. The central relationship between Whitfield and Maclin may be key to the unfolding drama, but let it not go unsaid: The performances are incredible across the board.

Sing Sing’s supporting players shine.  David "Dap" Giraudy, Sean San José, and Colman Domingo in "Sing Sing." Credit: A24

The two other actors who join Domingo from outside the prison system are Paul Raci as Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code writer and RTA director Brent Buell, and Sean San José as Whitfield’s close friend "Mike Mike," a Latino man whose "Hare Krishna" appearance — rosary beads, along with a bald head and shikha ponytail — hint at a turn towards ISKCON Hinduism for comfort. However, both Raci and San José come from a place of empathetic involvement with the prison system too. Raci, who appeared in Sound of Metal, is a CODA (a Child of Deaf Adults) and works as a sign language interpreter within the criminal justice system, while San José has worked with numerous theater workshops in Bay Area prisons and county jails.

Both actors bring a sense of fun, conversational naturalism that matches the rest of the cast, who largely play themselves, and draw from their experiences as RTA performers. Sean "Dino" Johnson has a tranquil presence, and his repetitive rehearsal techniques in the corner of numerous frames are sure to catch your eye; Jon-Adrian "JJ" Velazquez brings a reserved toughness that hides a subtle but recognizable vulnerability; David "Dap" Giraudy shines with a youthful energy that’s magnetic and tragic in equal measure (he should be at the club); practically every supporting actor has a story to tell and a face so interesting that their silent close-ups are usually enough to tell it.

In this way, Sing Sing is a beautiful, multifaceted movie that not only draws from the real lives of its ensemble, but centers each of their stories and personalities with a commitment to realism, which Kwedar and cinematographer Pat Scola ensure in immensely thoughtful ways.

Sing Sing is a gorgeously crafted drama. Colman Domingo in "Sing Sing." Credit: Dominic Leon / A24

Sing Sing, for the most part, avoids the question of what these men did in order to end up behind bars. This only comes up for specific, plot-centric reasons concerning Whitfield and Maclin. Otherwise, the movie allows us to get to know each man through their jokes, their rehearsal techniques, their idiosyncrasies, and their deepest fears and fantasies when it comes to life outside the prison’s walls, as relayed through various thoughtful acting exercises. We get to know them as people first and foremost, and as artists rather than as "criminals" as determined by the state.

Like Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code — a combination of theatrical and cinematic influences — the direction in Sing Sing combines elements of the stage and screen to create something wholly unique. Its opening images, plucked out of time, feature Whitfield performing a Shakespeare piece in order to set the mood. The combination of this show’s blinding stage lights and the celluloid film stock create a dreamlike haze, with visual grain practically coming alive as it darts across the screen.

The movie also features a sense of stage-like blocking; the actors’ posture and body language speak as loudly as their voices, in moments of both camaraderie and conflict. However, as the camera captures these interpersonal dynamics, the cinematography takes a loose, freeform approach — a documentarian, cinéma verité aesthetic — playing with shifting focus in order to reveal new layers to each relationship.

SEE ALSO: ‘Grand Theft Hamlet’ review: 'Grand Theft Auto' meets Shakespeare in hilarious, moving doc

Following an argument between Maclin and Whitfield, a two-shot of the would-be friends in profile captures their proximity, as the camera keeps a distracted Whitfield out of focus while centering Maclin’s silent remorse. It’s as though his attempts to reconcile were being blocked by the film itself, conveying the underlying emotions more powerfully than dialogue possibly could. Sing Sing never slows down, but Scola’s camera lingers just long enough on these silent moments in between conversations to be able to capture the words that go unspoken by men unwilling — or unable — to speak them.

Kwedar and Scola’s use of 16mm film creates a sense of timelessness. Through its visual language, and its production and costume design — limited to what’s seen inside the prison walls — Sing Sing feels evergreen, as though it could’ve been made, or set, in practically any decade. The movie also obscures the passage of time in disorienting ways, an effect of living behind harsh walls and razor wire fences.

However, the use of film also creates a vibrant visual contrast that feels vital to the movie’s underlying themes. The prison’s walls may be drab, but their cream and beige pillars are interrupted by light that doesn’t just stream through narrow windows, but wraps its way around them. The filmmakers lean into the natural texture of celluloid — particularly, the halation effects of Kodak 7207 film stock — to create an ethereal glow emanating from the outside world.

The men of the RTA, who mostly joke around with each other and try to get along, have to hold on to hope in some fashion. This usually takes the form of thoughts, stories, and fantasies of their lives outside the prison’s walls, which we never see, but which the cast narrates with longing and determination as they meditate during recall exercises. This affords them a sense of infinite emotional possibility, despite their physical confines. 

SEE ALSO: 'Forgiving Johnny' review: Exploring a paperless framework for restorative justice

Despite the movie’s documentarian feel, and its self-reflexive approach to performance, Sing Sing is first and foremost an entertaining, engaging story of a community thrown together under oppressive circumstances. As much as it resembles The Work, it also echoes the rousing classical drama of Miloš Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest — only its Nurse Ratched is the ever-present specter of the American prison system, which seeks to stifle hope and personal growth.

For the men of Sing Sing, art becomes both refuge and rebellion, presented not only as a coping mechanism for incarceration, but a therapeutic alternative. Kwedar, through his gentle visual approach, affords each imprisoned character (and formerly imprisoned actor) the room — and just as importantly, the time — to tell their own stories, in ways that cinema seldom does. The result is a heartrending, visually enrapturing balm for the soul.

Sing Sing is now available to purchase on Prime Video.

UPDATE: Jan. 29, 2025, 2:45 p.m. EST "Sing Sing" was reviewed out of its U.S. premiere at SXSW 2024; this review was first published on March 27, 2024. This article has been updated to include information about the film's streaming options.

What the Paperwhite and Signature Edition have in common: Specs and performance Both the Kindle Paperwhite (L) and the Paperwhite Signature Edition (R) have adjustable brightness and warmth. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

You won't spot any differences between the two devices just by looking at them. They're the same size, with the same resolution screen. The power button, charging port, and audio jack are in the same spot on both devices. And they both have the following specs:

• 7-inch display, up to 94 nits brightness, and 300 ppi resolution

• USB-C charging port with up to 12 weeks of battery life

• IPX8 waterproof rating — can be fully submerged in water for up to one hour

Throughout my weeks of testing, I found no difference between the devices' speed and usability. Both e-readers provide exceptional performance. The 2024 models are the fastest e-readers I've tested, quickly downloading books and flipping between pages.

While other e-readers lag when swiping between pages, the Paperwhite and Signature Edition move quickly between pages, never needing time to load. If you need to flip a few pages ahead, just a few taps get you there without delay. Not to mention, both Kindles have a 12-week battery life, so you rarely have to charge them.

Each device has adjustable brightness and warmth for reading in any environment. Turning up the warmth is one of the best features of the Paperwhite and Signature Edition, making it easier to read at night without eye strain.

Plus, Kindle has mastered Libby integration. To get library books on your Kindle, you just need to push a button in the Libby app.

Kindle Paperwhite vs. Signature Edition: Color The Kindle Paperwhite is just a slightly duller version of the Signature Edition's metallic jade. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

As mentioned, the build and design of the Paperwhite and Signature Edition are nearly identical, except for color — and only kind of. The Paperwhite and Signature Edition come in three shades: black, jade, and raspberry. The slight difference between the two is that the shades on the Signature Edition are metallic, while the Paperwhite is matte.

While the Signature Edition shades are nicer, the difference is so miniscule that it's not worth it to pick a model based on the colors, especially when there is a $40 price difference.

Kindle Paperwhite vs. Signature Edition: Storage

One of the most significant differences between the Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition isn't seen. The Paperwhite has 16GB of storage, while the Paperwhite Signature Edition has twice that at 32GB.

When it comes to phones and laptops, 16 or 32GB of storage is nothing these days. But for e-readers, 16GB is plenty of storage. The average e-book takes up to 2MB of storage, meaning you can hold thousands of e-books with 16GB. That's plenty of storage for me, and 32GB is overkill. However, if you've used an e-reader with 16GB and have run out of storage, then 32GB might be totally necessary.

Kindle Paperwhite vs. Signature Edition: Price

When considering price, the Paperwhite is the more affordable option. The Kindle Paperwhite starts at $159.99, while the Paperwhite Signature Edition costs $199.99. The Signature Edition's price isn't just because of its shiny metallic shade. For $40 more, you get added features like auto-adjusting brightness, 32GB of storage, and an ad-free lock screen.

Kindle Paperwhite vs. Signature Edition: All the extras The Paperwhite Signature Edition even works with the Apple MagSafe charger. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Speaking of features, the Signature Edition shines. For $40 more, you'll get more storage, wireless charging, auto-adjusting brightness, and an ad-free lock screen.

The best feature of the bunch is the ad-free lock screen. On the Kindle Paperwhite, when not in use, your Kindle will push through various ads from the Kindle shop. It's not the worst, but if you're getting a Kindle for digital reading without distraction, not having ads is a massive perk. (Plus, some of the suggestions can be pretty out there.) The downside is that with no ads, the Signature Edition's lock screen has no "swipe to unlock" feature, so it tends to unlock on its own when you leave it in your bag. However, if you grab a case with a cover, it's an easy workaround.

I'm far less impressed when it comes to the auto-adjusting brightness and wireless charging. I've used the Signature Edition for months, and the auto-adjusting brightness works about 20 percent of the time, and even when it does, I still need to go in and manually adjust it. The wireless charging is also fine. Amazon makes a wireless charging pad you can purchase; however, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is also compatible with other chargers like the Apple MagSafe charger. That said, I never found this feature necessary since USB-C chargers are plentiful these days, and the Kindle only needs to be charged every two to three months.

Moving to a new city or working at a new job where you don't know anybody can seriously be depressing, especially if you're already introverted as it is. What are you supposed to do? Sit at the bar by yourself? And talk to strangers?

Then comes the lightbulb idea: You can make friends online! If online dating is so popular and successful, there's no way there aren't a few legit sites where you can make adult friends in your area with similar interests. Hmm, AdultFriendFinder.com sounds like the right ballpark.

So you're on your lunch break at work, type in the URL, and the next thing you know, you're frantically closing the tab and hoping nobody walked behind you for that split second.

Our point: AdultFriendFinder is not what it sounds like.

This site is for making adult "friends," not friends who are adults. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder What is AdultFriendFinder?

AdultFriendFinder is one of the most well-known sites for finding quick sexual encounters, regular hookups, and literally anything else even remotely related to sex. The rowdy feed of matches, jumble of explicit photos, and stimulating calls-to-action offering all types of sex makes it heaven for anyone looking for a good time with no filter — and hell for someone who wouldn't be caught dead clicking on a "There are hot singles in your area" ad.

SEE ALSO: Tired of Pornhub? These raunchy dating sites are worthy alternatives.

Even if you're not using it for real sex, it's always nice to have spank bank material in your back pocket. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, sexting, nudes, and Pornhub searches all saw a spike thanks to the vast number of people who started social distancing at home. Those who didn't want to risk quarantine sex or weren't finding people on their level of horniness on Tinder were pretty much guaranteed to get their rocks off somehow via AdultFriendFinder. And now, with Pornhub blocked in some states, you might be looking for sexy material elsewhere.

On AFF, you can find someone to sext via messaging or video chat (and plan to get it on IRL, if that's what you're looking for), watch live streams, or join niche group chat rooms. Is it worth $20-something per month? Depends on how much fishy content you're willing to overlook for a juicy sexting session.

We reached out to Kalyn Sanders, a business development executive at Friend Finder Networks, for updated AFF demographics. Right up there with Tinder's monthly flock, AdultFriendFinder snags the attention of over 55 million visits around the world per month, on average. (To whet your appetite upon signup, the main landing page flashes a few statistics, including "98,897,765 hot photos" and "3,495,277 connections," but we're not exactly sure what that means.) Most traffic originates from the United States, followed by visitors from the United Kingdom and Canada. Visits to AdultFriendFinder have dropped this year — it used to be the 25th most-visited adult site in the U.S. according to SimilarWeb, but as of May 2024, it was ranked 33rd and as of November 2024, it's down to 42nd.

SEE ALSO: Is Tinder Platinum worth it? I tried it for 3 months to find out.

Specifics on the demographic that most people care about — the gender ratio — can be hard to track down. Sanders told us that "there's a two to one ratio of single men versus categories like single women, couples, and groups." The split between men and women is an expected one for a lot of hookup-centric sites. At the end of the day, it's a paradise for straight men, hit-or-miss for straight women and LGBTQ men, and likely an actual hellscape for LGBTQ women.

AFF lets you identify as and search for a man, woman, a couple, or trans. Despite trying to be a sex-positive site with blog posts, groups, a sex academy, and more, its language for the LGBTQ community has historically been anything but inclusive or positive. Previously, the AFF sign-up page listed "TG/TV/TS" as the "trans" gender selection — we'll let you infer what those stand for. After reaching out to AdultFriendFinder about it, this language has improved some with more gender options that are appropriately labeled — though "trans" is still a separate selection from "man" or "woman," which feels more like fetishization than inclusivity.

There are a handful of sexual orientation options that go beyond straight or gay, so that is a positive for AFF. Although, for such a sex-positive site, it shouldn't be surprising to see a variety of sexual orientations present.

The sexual oreintation selection is a bit more inclusive than the "searching for" section. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder Should you sign up for AdultFriendFinder?

If you're 100 percent over being grilled with relationship questions and the slow-and-steady pace on traditional dating sites like eharmony or Match, AdultFriendFinder is your golden ticket to instant communication. Registering takes about 30 seconds — it requires nothing from you aside from an email address, a username, a password, and an introduction. Your notifications will start pouring in even without adding any juicy info (because people see nothing wrong with hitting up a profile with a gray silhouette as a profile photo, apparently), but it's probably best to add a few photos and a detailed description — both to up your chances of flirtation or finding someone who shares a super-specific fantasy, and also to signal to other users that you're not a bot.

AdultFriendFinder features a personality questionnaire to personalize your profile and up your chances of finding a compatible match. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

After registering, there are a ton of ways to personalize your account (way more than you'd expect for a hookup site, honestly). The more you fill out, the more attractive your profile will be to new viewers. There are the basic physical appearance questions about eye and hair color, and since I identified as a woman, cup size was an option. (If you identify as a man, I'm sure you can guess what question they ask.)

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Xnxx porn for free

Many self-proclaimed hookup seekers can probably admit that they'd still like to hook up with someone they'd also like to grab a beer with, especially if they plan to see that person multiple times. Those people will appreciate that AFF gives a compatibility score with each user you come across: a metric that rates how well you might mesh with someone in the bedroom based on how you answered questions about what turns you on, whether you're dominant or submissive, and so on.

The site also features a personality test and a "My Kinks" form where you can select whether or not you're "curious about, into, or can't live without" a certain kink (e.g., anal, bondage, role play, etc.). It also lets you choose whether you're a voyeur, the giver, or the receiver.

One weird thing about the Personality Type test is that it asks several questions about whether or not you enjoy shopping at discount stores — not really sure what that's about. It also asks whether or not "a quiet time for prayer should be allowed in school." You can choose "strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree, or strongly agree."

Once you finish the personality test (20 questions), you can opt to have your Personality Type show up on your profile or have it hidden. It will also show you which personality types complement yours.

Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder Finding a match on AdultFriendFinder

Like a traditional dating site, AdultFriendFinder gives you a collage of potential matches and will let you know who's online or close distance-wise. These will be random right after you sign up, but you can opt to update your preferences to refine your results: Choose your preferred gender(s), age range, location and mile radius, race, sexual orientation, body type, and marital status.

You barely have to scroll before noticing that there's no shortage of nudity. Depending on whether you set your preferences to men, women, or both, you'll see all of that stuff up close, personal, swinging around, in action. You name it, it'll pop up.

AdultFriendFinder is basically like a PornHub that you can interact with. We probably don't have to say this, but AdultFriendFinder is NSFW and not safe to be on while kids are in the room. If you'd rather not see the site's raunchier side, it offers a "no nudity" option, but I still wouldn't trust this filter enough to be online in a family setting or at work. Some videos will be blurred out and read "Naughty video" until you upgrade to a Gold Membership, but trust me — you'll get to see a lot, even with the free version.

The message section is set up similarly to a Gmail account, and you can mark things as read or important just as you would on a real email. You'll receive some crude messages instantly (creeps on Tinder do the same thing), but some will be genuinely friendly.

SEE ALSO: Tinder releases yet another feature to stop inappropriate messages AFF is not all bad

Once you get past the in-your-face sexplosion of naked profile pictures, horny AIM-era profile names, and explicit videos, there are actually an impressive number of resources to help make your experience as satisfying as possible. Some will cost money even outside of the paid subscription, which is kind of dumb.

Aside from the NSFW content, the website is relatively straightforward (albeit ugly). Every feature is advertised in big letters, notifications are displayed clearly with labels, and you don't really have to click around to find anything. This makes it super accessible for users of all ages, even those who aren't tech-savvy and can't even figure out Facebook. Buttons are all over the place, but you figure it out after messing around for a few minutes.

Activities range from direct messaging, sending virtual gifts and tips, watching live videos of people in your feed, joining adult chat rooms that can get very niche, or entering photo contests.

AdultFriendFinder is like a PornHub that you can interact with.

Think of AdultFriendFinder as the dating site version of New York City — it never sleeps. You'll find people who work the regular 9 to 5, people who work the night shift, and people in other time zones, so it's nearly impossible to log on and not have people to talk to. You know, like that booty call who's always awake when you text them.

Or at least that used to be the case... 10 years ago. What was once a hot site that a few Reddit users were quick to hype up is now one of the dating sites that Reddit users can't help but diss — in the few instances that AFF is even being discussed at all. It's notable that, on a site where online dating is such a mammoth topic of discussion, AdultFriendFinder has rarely been mentioned in a positive light since the early 2010s. The Reddit community is diverse and open-minded; if a dating site exists, someone on Reddit has used it and has an opinion. When an innocent soul does ask if it's legit, AFF usually gets dragged for sketchy pricing and being riddled with bots.

However, some Reddit members have praised AFF as a site for men meeting men. Even so, the site's still buggy and isn't exactly great for meeting real people who aren't, as one Reddit user so eloquently put it, "busted and unstable."

SEE ALSO: Is Bumble Premium worth it? I tried it for 2 months to find out. Paid memberships are where things get... interesting

You can do a decent amount of exploring without paying a cent: Limited messaging and emailing, visit and like most profiles, and enter some chat rooms. But just a few clicks on AdultFriendFinder can send you deep down the rabbit hole, and a lot of that juicier hidden content can only be unlocked with a paid membership (called the Gold membership) or by earning points.

Points are AdultFriendFinder's non-monetary currency. If you use the free version, you'll have to earn points through on-site activity to unlock stuff that's exclusive to paying members. It's kind of like a game, with points acting like dollar bills at the strip club.

A Gold membership is pretty much the standard if you're a guy looking for girls. While researching on Reddit, we found a few women who said they wouldn't meet a guy unless he's a Gold member. A Gold membership puts a little bit more credibility behind someone's profile and makes the whole encounter feel a bit safer. It's easier to believe that someone's a real person if they're a paying, active member of the site, and it's nice to know that they're taking it slightly seriously. Plus, if you see a picture or profile that looks like it's 10 years old, it really might be — there are a ton of non-active, non-paying profiles from old members and escorts still lingering.

AdultFriendFinder also gives members the option to confirm their identity with ConfirmID. If you do this, the site promises to give you two weeks of Gold for free. The ConfirmID works by entering your legal first and last name, home address, gender, and date of birth and uploading a copy of your driver's license, passport, or other government-issued ID.

If you spend more quality time on the site than expected, becoming a paid member is definitely something to consider. Once you're paying, you basically become royalty on the site: Your profile will appear way higher in searches, you can use the most advanced searches, unlock profiles with private photo albums, check out video profiles, and message to your heart's content. A general rule is that increased involvement and payment on your end generally equals more success on the website, as your constant activity and heightened searchability make it easier for others to find you.

AdultFriendFinder pricing

Prices for a Gold membership fluctuate but generally get cheaper the longer your subscription is: Get one month for $27.95, three months for $20.95 per month ($62.82 total), or 12 months for $14.95 per month ($179.40 total). The three-month membership is billed quarterly, while the 12-month membership is billed annually. With a Gold membership, free members cannot contact you, but they can still see your profile.

In addition to the Gold membership, AdultFriendFinder also offers Voyeur (enhanced profile gallery and hi-res member videos viewing) at $14.99 per month, Interaction (enhanced member-to-member interaction) at $14.99 per month, Chat Plus (enhanced direct member-to-member communication) at $9.99 per month, and Advanced Search and Highlight at $4.99 per month.

This is the pricing at the time of publishing, but according to AdultFriendFinder, pricing is subject to change.

Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder Good for: Very open-minded people looking to blow off steam

Stating the obvious, AdultFriendFinder is a space for people who want to bang with no strings attached, people who are in a sexual rut, people who are tired of porn, and people who find sites like eharmony boring. Getting to know someone for weeks before meeting up can be exhausting, and sometimes, you want to skip the small talk and do the dirty with a random. It's gonna get kinky out there, and that's great for those who are dying to blow off steam and want someone who will respond well to a brusque, sexy message.

People are so active on this site that it's impossible not to feel desired. You'll probably get a flood of message notifications, and once you come across your first legit suitor, you'll start to loosen up. Even if you're left on read a few times, you'll learn which opening lines and flirty comments work and which don't. But since the site is aimed toward casual sex and encounters and not serious relationships, the whole rejection thing isn't nearly as prevalent.

As with all dating sites, catfishing is a big buzzkill. Your chances of being pursued are way higher if you have a lot of pictures of the same person (AKA you), videos, and a genuine profile that lets people know they're not dealing with something sketchy. Even if you've had bad luck with online dating in the past, AdultFriendFinder is the place to be honest.

SEE ALSO: What is consensual non-monogamy? Bad for: People looking for a real relationship and the entire socially conscious community

You know those warnings that thrill rides at amusement parks are required to put up that tell people who get dizzy easily or have heart problems to not get on the ride? AdultFriendFinder could use something like that. This site is not for the faint of heart — if you're a cynic, conservative by any means, get sketched out easily, or aren't a fan of dick pics, you'll probably hate it. Similarly, if you appreciate a well-crafted, aesthetically pleasing website that feels safe — no matter how badly you want to have sex — one glance at the landing page likely signals that it's not for you.

AdultFriendFinder is not the place to be if you're trying to make friends unless "with benefits" is tacked onto the end. Every inch of the site screams "this website is used to have sex," and you should really listen to that.

As illustrated by the recent flood of artsy activism guides on Instagram, it's clear what content appeals to young people on the internet: Something aesthetically pleasing, sharable, and digestible. The "sharable" part doesn't totally apply to online dating, but apps like Hinge and OkCupid closely follow this design trend by limiting the number of words (and ads) in each tab, steering clear of endless scrolling, and ensuring that important info isn't cluttered with flashing clickbait.

For instance, Pure is a modern, no-strings-attached hookup app that appeals to your horny side with a single, witty statement about sex rather than bombarding you with boobs and "Have sex in NYC now!" claims. Anyone older than a millennial may be totally used to this pop-up-ridden layout, which seemed to be popular in the early 2000s — but for younger folks, AFF's chaotic approach is way too reminiscent of Omegle.

AFF could do so much more to make people take it seriously

The entire website looks like an ad about hot MILFs that pops up when you're illegally streaming a movie. Seriously, it's bad. Even though the AFF website is technically legit, the pictures, word choice, and exclamation points everywhere scream "scam." No, AdultFriendFinder, "98,897,765 Hot Photos" is not the way to make potential new users trust you.

We're not knocking a quick hookup or no-strings-attached relations. This isn't about morals. Genitals are quite literally in your face from the moment you make an account, and that's just not cute. There are chiller ways to go about insinuating that this is a hookup website without feeling like you're trapped in a sex dungeon with strangers.

I could not get past the fact that the entire site looks like it's about to invite five viruses to your computer. We're talking terrible graphics that look like they were made on Microsoft Paint and pictures of women who look like they're from Pornhub in 2007. (That's when AdultFriendFinder was officially sold and rebranded from its original parent company.) Reddit user Snoo53279 summed it up in a comment from July 2020: "The people on AFF are definitely real, but there is a huge smattering of bots that also get in the way so it can be a bit of a PITA to use." If they're not bots, they could be men posing as a couple to seem less threatening.

The parade of women on the landing page is questionable for two reasons. This shouldn't even need to be clarified, but not everyone is looking for a woman. At the least, the advertising isn't inclusive — but this crosses into fetishization territory. The cherry on top is that the women in the photos (unsurprisingly) probably aren't even members of the site, according to a disclaimer at the bottom of the landing page.

SEE ALSO: What is cockfishing? Why some men lie about their size on dating apps.

AdultFriendFinder's overall outdated vibe goes past an aesthetic annoyance — it's downright problematic at times. The lack of inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community is nearly unforgivable, and we'd be scared to see some of the related rhetoric that AFF users feel comfortable spewing. Without even a dash of social awareness, it's hard to see how anyone who's not an out-of-touch straight cis man would feel comfortable on this site.

Attempting to navigate the shoddy design might be enough to smother your horniness. Three main issues can make the site borderline unusable: It looks shady as hell, an alarming portion of the user base is made up of bots and spam accounts, and the user interface itself is outdated and rife with bugs.

Other Reddit users mention that the desktop web version won't even load for them at random times — an especially frustrating roadblock for people who want to end their membership and stop monthly charges. A solution to the laggy web version might be to clear your cache or use the smartphone app, but your experience probably won't improve. AFF's mobile page doesn't even mention an Android app, and the link to the iPhone app brings up a "not available" pop-up in the App Store. For a site that claims to have over 50 million visitors each month, the lack of accessibility to a smartphone app is just plain odd — especially in 2023.

Adding to the sketchiness, a network hack in 2016 exposed around 412 million accounts, including "deleted" accounts that weren't actually deleted from the database. If this is enough reason for you to fall back on Tinder for finding a friend with benefits, we don't blame you. Signing up with a burner email and avoiding using your real name as a username are wise moves (pick a naughty word and add 69 to the end, IDK), though keeping your personal information private is hard when credit cards are involved.

In 2007, AFF was involved in a lawsuit with the FTC over allegations that the site used malware to send explicit pop-up ads to computers owned by people who hadn't signed up for the service. Though we haven't seen reports like this recently, so we're hoping those ridiculous ads you see are at least confined to people who actually use the site.

The alternatives to AdultFriendFinder

Surprisingly, AdultFriendFinder feels much more legit than its competitors. While other hookup sites like AdultFriendFinder have names like FreeSnapMilfs.com, Fuckswipe.com, and Instabang.com, AdultFriendFinder will be the one you'd hate showing up in your Google search history the least. Most have the same general idea: to find sexual partners, have cybersex, etc., but with names like those, the authenticity is way too questionable. AdultFriendFinder boasts a much larger audience and has built credibility in a Tinder-saturated market where these blunt, friskier competitors may have trouble gaining trust.

SEE ALSO: Best hookup apps and dating sites to find casual sex with no strings attached

No matter how in the mood you are, your hungry eyes may not be able to look past AFF's heinous interface. We mentioned Pure earlier. The aesthetically pleasing, hella-millennial UX design is simply more palatable than AFF and the blueprint of what a modern hookup app should be. Kind of like a Snapchat for sex; your uploaded selfies, personal info, and conversations will self-destruct every 60 minutes. The app will send the hookup version of an Uber request to anyone close and ready to rumble, and you can choose what information to disclose from there.

Remember when we said AdultFriendFinder would be a nightmare for gay and bi women? Feeld is our favorite alternative app dedicated to singles and couples looking for threesomes, foursomes, or however many people you want — minus the unicorn hunting and rampant fetishization that many non-hetero, non-monogamous people face on traditional hookup sites and apps. Feeld went through a slight disaster of a rebrand and update in late 2023 that had us reevaluating its place among our recommendations due to bugs and location-related safety concerns. Feeld has since told Mashable that locations shared were not users' current exact locations, rather the name of the city, town, or borough.

The final verdict: Is AdultFriendFinder worth it?

AdultFriendFinder is a low-pressure way to find a friends-with-benefits situation without insulting anyone. Everyone is pretty much there for the same reason — and though it'll feel pretty unorthodox if you've only ever used Tinder to scope this type of thing out, AFF's blunt advertising at least means you won't have to explain that you're not looking for a relationship. It's niche-friendly, well-populated, and has a ton of interactive outlets to indulge your primal urges.

But that freedom comes with a price — the price is feeling like one of those people who fall for the ads that pop up before a free Pornhub video. It's not that a site dedicated to sex and sexting is inherently scammy — it's that AdultFriendFinder drowns you with explicit photos on profiles that might not even be real people while asking you to pay for a subscription with every click.

Unfortunately, no matter how in the mood you are, some people aren't cut out for the nothing-left-to-the-imagination approach with grammar mistakes all over the place. It wants to be sex-positive so badly, but the language the site has used in reference to the trans community is the furthest thing from that.

The functionality and safety of the site and the mobile app aren't where they need to be in 2023. If security measures were tightened, graphics and photos were cleaned up to feel more relevant, and decision-makers behind the scenes were given a lesson in inclusivity and pronouns/identities, AdultFriendFinder could be a handy tool to find attachment-free hookups and connect with a community that's down for anything.

This isn't a dating or hookup site we would personally use, but if you're feeling brave, you can register for AdultFriendFinder here. Just don't try this at work.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder Learn More

AVOID BRAND TAX: As of Jan. 31, the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Gaming PC is available for $2,699.99 at Best Buy. It features an Nvidia RTX 5080, Intel Ultra 9 285K, 64GB of DDR5 RGB RAM, and a 4TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, delivering top-tier gaming performance without the headache of RTX 5080 stock shortages.

Opens in a new window Credit: CyberPower CyberPowerPC RTX 5080 Gaming PC Shop Now

Finding an RTX 5080 in stock is already a struggle, so why not grab a fully prebuilt gaming PC with it already installed? This CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme is fully loaded, packing an Intel Ultra 9 285K, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 4TB SSD into a liquid-cooled, RGB-lit white chassis. This is the deal to get if you want a turnkey 4K gaming powerhouse. It's also around half the price of big-name RTX 5080 builds with similar specs, so you're getting bang for your buck with this Best Buy deal.

The RTX 5080 is built for high-frame-rate 4K gaming, with DLSS 4, Multi-Frame Generation, and 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM. Ray Tracing Overdrive in Cyberpunk 2077? No problem. 240Hz gaming at 1440p? Easily done. And with Nvidia Reflex 2 helping cut input lag, this setup gives you a competitive edge in esports titles.

SEE ALSO: Where to preorder Samsung's new Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra smartphones

With 64GB of DDR5 RAM, multitasking is damn smooth, making this an ideal choice for gaming, streaming, and content creation. The 4TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD ensures blazing-fast load times and plenty of room for AAA game libraries, massive video files, and everything else you throw at it.

The liquid cooling system checks temperatures, ensuring the Intel Ultra 9 285K and RTX 5080 perform at their best under heavy loads. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 come standard, and with plenty of USB-A and USB-C ports, connectivity is sorted.

At $2,699.99, this RTX 5080 gaming PC is one of the best-value prebuilt options available. With 12-month financing available at $225 per month, it's a realistic way to get cutting-edge performance without waiting on RTX 5080 restocks. This is the one to grab if you're after power, cooling, and storage without the hassle.

RTX 5080 MAXED OUT GAMING PC: As of Jan. 31, the Alienware Area-51 Gaming PC is available for $5,049.99 at Dell. This fully maxed-out version includes an RTX 5080, Intel Ultra 9 285K, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 4TB NVMe SSD, making it one of the most powerful gaming desktops on the market.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Alienware Area 51 (Full Spec) RTX 5080 Shop Now

Going all-in on a next-gen RTX 5080 gaming PC? This Alienware Area-51 build is as premium as it gets. Featuring Nvidia's RTX 5080, an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 64GB of DDR5 RAM at 6400MT/s, and a massive 4TB NVMe SSD, this thing is ready to crush 4K gaming for years to come. With GPU stock already selling out fast, this prebuilt saves you the stress of hunting for an RTX 5080 while delivering one of the most high-end systems available today.

The RTX 5080 is a monster at 4K, with DLSS 4, Multi-Frame Generation, and 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM, ensuring that demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws run flawlessly with ray tracing maxed out. Nvidia Reflex 2 further reduces input lag, making this an absolute weapon in competitive games. This PC is built to handle it all without breaking a sweat.

SEE ALSO: Where to preorder Samsung's new Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra smartphones

A 360mm liquid cooler keeps the Intel Ultra 9 285K in check, while Alienware's positive pressure airflow system ensures the RTX 5080 stays cool under heavy loads. With a 1500W Platinum-rated PSU, a PCIe Gen 5 x16 slot for future GPU upgrades, and a fully ATX-compliant motherboard, this rig is built for longevity.

At $5,049.99, this RTX 5080 PC isn't just powerful — it's an investment in high-end gaming. Financing is available from $421 per month with Dell Pay Credit. It is a viable option for anyone wanting top-tier performance without waiting for RTX 5080 restocks. If you're serious about getting the best gaming experience possible, this is the prebuilt to buy.

RTX 5080 GAMING PC: As of Jan. 31, the Alienware Area-51 Gaming PC is available for $4,449.99 at Dell. This prebuilt is one of the only ways to get an RTX 5080 right now, making it a serious option for anyone who missed the initial wave of standalone GPU stock.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Alienware Area 51 RTX 5080 Shop Now

Finding an RTX 5080 at retail price is next to impossible. The new Nvidia GPU sold out almost instantly and restocks are looking scarce. If you don’t want to play the waiting game or fight scalpers, Alienware Area-51 gaming PC is a flash alternative. This RTX 5080 prebuilt isn’t just a stock lifeline — it’s also a powerhouse, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM at 6400MT/s, and a 2TB NVMe SSD to keep your load times lightning-fast.

The RTX 5080 is a beast at 4K gaming, delivering double-digit performance gains over the RTX 4080 Super while introducing DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation to push frame rates even higher. Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Alan Wake 2 will look stunning with maxed-out ray tracing while staying silky smooth on a high refresh rate display. Nvidia Reflex 2 further reduces input lag, giving competitive players a serious edge in esports titles.

SEE ALSO: Where to preorder Samsung's new Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra smartphones

Dell has designed the Area-51 to run cool and quiet, even with top-tier hardware inside. A 360mm liquid cooler keeps the Intel Ultra 9 285K in check. At the same time, positive pressure airflow and large-diameter fans ensure the RTX 5080 stays frosty under load. It also features a 1500W Platinum-rated PSU, a PCIe Gen 5 x16 slot for future GPU upgrades, and a fully ATX-compliant motherboard, making it easy to upgrade.

Given how RTX 5080 stock is vanishing fast, this Alienware prebuilt is one of the safest bets if you want next-gen performance without waiting months. At $4,449.99, it’s expensive, but if you were planning to build a high-end system anyway, this deal gets you an RTX 5080 with none of the stock shortages or price gouging. Financing costs $371 per month with Dell Pay Credit, making it a little easier to swallow. If you’re serious about 4K gaming, this is one of the best prebuilt PCs you can buy today.

TL;DR: Own Microsoft Visual Studio for life for just £22.52 (reg. £401.85) through 16 February and transform your development process with advanced tools.

Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for Windows £22.52 at the Mashable Shop
£401.85 Save £379.33 Get Deal

If you’re serious about coding, you need a serious tool to match your skills. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 is built to help developers work smarter, not harder — offering a comprehensive suite of features to simplify coding, debugging, and deploying your projects.

Own Microsoft Visual Studio for life for just £22.52 (reg. £401.85) through 16 February and transform your development process with advanced tools.

Designed for professionals and teams, this platform supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks, making it a go-to for everything from web development to mobile app creation. Its integrated debugging tools allow you to spot and fix errors in real-time, cutting down on frustration and saving you hours of work.

Collaboration is seamless, thanks to various built-in integrations, letting you work smoothly with your team. The intuitive interface and advanced organisation tools help you handle even the most complex workflows with ease, so you can stay focused on what really matters — creating amazing applications.

This isn’t just a tool for writing code; it’s a full-scale development environment tailored to the needs of professionals. You’ll also enjoy live testing features, making it easy to catch bugs early and deliver polished results. Best of all, this is a lifetime license, so there are no subscriptions or recurring fees.

Whether you’re an experienced developer or looking to take your skills to the next level, Visual Studio Professional 2022 is the ultimate companion for efficiency and precision.

Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for £22.52 (reg. £401.85) through 16 February and elevate your coding game with tools built for success.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Take a moment to picture the perfect holiday snap: You relaxing in some picturesque location, the sun shining, and a cold drink in your hand. They say a picture speaks a thousand words. But who's bringing the tunes? For that you'll need a decent speaker.

When selecting a speaker for this particular scene, there are certain features to keep in mind. Choosing a wireless speaker — one that doesn’t tangle you in power cords and can easily connect to your phone via WiFi or Bluetooth — will obviously make things easier, which is why you should primarily consider wireless for outside use.

But wireless technology isn't the only important feature. Just as crucial for outdoor use is some kind of weather-resistance or waterproofing — and speakers come with all kinds of tech and smart features. Here's a guide to everything you need to know.

Do you need a wireless outdoor speaker?

With today’s WiFi and Bluetooth technology, there’s no need to fumble around with complicated installations or bury wires in the garden to protect against wet and windy elements. You’re better off with a Bluetooth speaker that easily connects to your devices — smartphone, tablet, laptop, whatever — and seamlessly streams your tunes. Another benefit is that you can often link several Bluetooth speakers to provide complete audio coverage over your outdoor space. You can also use that tech to sync the audio playing indoors and outdoors to keep your party’s vibe consistent.

What are the important features in wireless outdoor speakers?

We have checked out a wide range of wireless outdoor speakers, and come up with a shortlist of things you should care about. These are some things to consider:

• Battery Life — The major downside of wireless speakers is that they need to be charged periodically. Make sure that the outdoor speaker you choose has a decent battery life if you plan to use it often and don’t want to think about recharging too much. 10-12 hours is about average.

• Durability — This might seem obvious, but you need your outdoor speaker to be durable. If it's not, then it's not going to last very long. Chances are, any outdoor speaker is going to take a few bumps and it might even get dropped. So the last thing you need is something that easily breaks.

• Sound quality — Just like with any speaker purchase, you’re going to want to prioritise sound quality. What’s the point if your speaker doesn’t play your tunes any better than your phone? So make sure you pick something with bass, clear audio, and good volume.

• Waterproofing — We have just mentioned how important water resistance is, but you should also look for the next step in protection. If you’re planning to use your speaker near a pool, lake, or sea, you should get one that can be submerged in water. Accidents happen, and it's best to play it safe with a waterproof speaker. Be sure to check the waterproof rating.

• Weather-resistance — Of course, nothing is indestructible in the elements, but you will need something that can hold up at least for a little while in whatever weather conditions are common near you. This is where a speaker that's water or heat resistant can come in handy.

Keep these points in mind when shopping for your next speaker.

What is the best wireless outdoor speaker?

Once you've made sense of what matters most to you, and what you want from an outdoor speaker, you can decide on your preferred device. This isn't the easiest task, because there are a lot of options out there that tick a lot of boxes.

To make things easier for you, we have lined up a selection of the best wireless outdoor speakers, including popular models from top brands like JBL and Ultimate Ears. We've searched high and low to bring you this list, and we're confident that there's something for everyone here — not to mention every budget.

These are the best wireless outdoor speakers in 2025.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

There's a universal truth about audio technology: Not all speakers are made equal. But that's also true of listeners. Some people are content with something cheap and cheerful for their audio consumption — as long as they can hear what's being the played, the speaker is perfectly acceptable. But audiophiles fall into a very different category. The speaker needs to deliver a rich body of sound that's full of nuances.

Thankfully, we understand the demands and expectations at either end of the speaker spectrum. Which is helpful for you guys, because shopping for a speaker isn't easy. In fact, if you've never bought a speaker before, it requires some research. There are a lot of different speakers on offer, with lots of features and specifications to consider.

SEE ALSO: The best tablets in 2025

We're assuming you're here because you don't have time for all of that. Fear not, because we've done a lot of the hard work on your behalf and researched some of the very best speakers available on Amazon. Here's everything you need to know before buying yourself a new speaker, followed by our top choices.

Do you need speakers?

Will you be using your speakers solely for music? Only for TV and films? Maybe a bit of both? You should decide on that now, because it will factor into what kind of speaker you end up getting. For instance, if you're only looking for something to pair with your TV, a soundbar will be a good choice, but if you want something more music-focused, consider a pair of bookshelf speakers or a portable Bluetooth option. 

In addition, you'll want to note the kind of sound quality you're looking for — whether that's surround sound, Dolby Atmos, or just plain old stereo (which is also great, don't feel pressured to get something super fancy and expensive if you don't really need it). Not all speakers produce the same kind of sound quality, so it's important to know exactly the kind of listening experience you're looking to get out of it.

How much space do you have?

Speakers can get pretty big, so take stock of how much useable space you want to dedicate to your audio setup both horizontally and vertically. Not everyone has the room for multiple floor standing speakers, so don't overwhelm yourself with something gigantic if it's going to get under your feet or end up scraping the ceiling. There are plenty of speakers that can be easily stored or concealed, some that can be affixed to your walls, and some that are so small that they can rest on a tabletop or shelf. Small speakers can be powerful, too.

What are passive and active speakers?

The difference between passive and active (sometimes called "powered") is pretty simple, yet important to note. Passive speakers don't have any sort of built-in amplification, which means that they need to be connected to a stereo receiver to work. Active speakers have everything built-in from the start, including preamp, volume controls, and inputs. If convenience is one of your top priorities, go for active speakers, as they'll require a lot less setup and additional equipment to get them working.

How many speakers do you need? 

Having two amazing speakers is always going to get you better results than having five average speakers. Plus, having too many speakers around is just going to take up an unnecessary amount of space. 

If you have the room, two speakers is the perfect number. It's especially ideal if you listen to a lot of music, which is normally recorded for a stereo setting — so having a left and right channel will do you wonders. If you have a smaller space, even one really good speaker should do you just fine.

Do you need a subwoofer?

The short answer is no. You don't actually need one. Should you get one, though? Well, that's a different question, to which we would answer: Sure, why not?! Adding a sub will make pretty much any audio setup sound better (not all of them are compatible, though, so make sure you check before buying one first). 

One common misconception about subwoofers is that many think they just add more bass, when that's not necessarily true. Subs actually help improve the dynamics of said bass, not only boosting its quality overall, but also adding more depth and space to your output. Sometimes adding a high-quality subwoofer to your speaker setup is more helpful than upgrading the speakers themselves.

What is a smart speaker?

These are speakers that double up as smart devices, which may connect to Alexa or sync with other smart home devices. They’re great in their own right, but they aren't always the best way to listen to music (sorry, Alexa). If you can't live without a smart assistant within your speaker setup, we recommend something that's Bluetooth-enabled and connecting to your smartphone. That way, you get the perks of your phone's built-in smart assistant without having to downgrade the speaker itself. 

What are the best speakers?

We're glad you asked. We have picked out a favourite from each of the most popular speaker categories — from bookshelf to Bluetooth speakers and everything in between — and lined up the very best options for your consideration.

These are the best speakers in 2025.

Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

Nobody wants to sit down, put on a movie, and have it sound fuzzy and distorted. Here are some major reasons why your audio might be distorted, and how you can avoid and fix it.

The stock market is unpredictable. Sometimes, bad news boosts a stock, while good earnings send it tumbling. That's just how the market works.

Take Nvidia, for example. The company is still reeling from the AI sector's shake-up after DeepSeek’s latest model release earlier this week. Even today, as Nvidia launches its highly anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 graphics cards, its stock continues to slide.

Why could this be happening? Let's take a look.

Nvidia RTX series delays

There is a strong demand online for Nvidia's new RTX 50 series graphics cards, but that doesn't necessarily translate to big sales. That's because Nvidia cannot keep store shelves stocked.

Many online retailers sold out of their supply within minutes. Scalpers are now selling Nvidia's graphic cards for a premium on the aftermarkets. Some retailers are informing customers to expect months of delays and backorders of the RTX 5090 and 5080.

SEE ALSO: Why DeepSeek is hitting tech stocks hard, including Nvidia's

While the demand is there, it's clear that's not the sole reason why Nvidia's RTX 50 series is impossible to find in stores. Many retailers received fairly low stock quantities, as Nvidia reportedly experienced manufacturing issues.

Overall, these issues may not be a reason for a stock to fall. But they do point to why Nvidia couldn't depend on the RTX 50 series release to help too much in its recovery.

DeepSeek's looming threat

U.S.-based AI companies like OpenAI and Nvidia are still reeling from the China-based startup's release of the DeepSeek-R1 AI model. 

DeepSeek reportedly created an AI model that's at least on par with OpenAI's latest model. In addition, they say they did it with fewer resources in processing power and funding. It reportedly cost DeepSeek less than $6 million to create a model that OpenAI spent hundreds of millions on.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI accuses Chinese competitor DeepSeek of stealing data, internet digs into the 'irony'

Few companies have benefitted from the AI boom in the U.S. than Nvidia, which supplies U.S. tech companies with processing power to build their AI models. 

Although DeepSeek has done its damage, the looming threat is far from over. DeepSeek has released additional AI models for AI-generated images and is developing even more advanced models.

In addition, other China-based companies, such as Alibaba, have announced their own advanced AI models that are supposedly even more powerful than those already available.

Trump's Taiwan tariff threat

DeepSeek wasn't the only thing that hit Nvidia this week.

In a speech earlier this week, President Donald Trump announced a plan intended to move computer chip manufacturing from Taiwan to the U.S. What's the plan? Tariffs.

"In the very near future, we’re going to be placing tariffs on foreign production of computer chips, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals to return production of these essential goods to the United States," Trump said in a speech.

"They left us and went to Taiwan," Trump said, referring to companies like Apple, Qualcomm, and Nvidia, which manufacture their chips in Taiwan.

Trump said the tariff could be as high as 100 percent. Trump's proposed tariffs could cause the price of these products to skyrocket for U.S. customers. In turn, companies like Nvidia would likely sell fewer products or make a smaller profit to compensate for the increased cost passed on to consumers.

Last month, Google began testing out Gemini 2.0, which would make Google’s AI chatbot more powerful and capable than ever. Now, the update is finally available for everyone.

Robots that mimic the human body really only exist to either slot into a human-shaped space or make we mere fleshbags feel better. If you don't have to follow that template, then you can make something far more efficient and terrifying. So all-hail our robot octopus overlords!

If your old speakers are gathering dust and you're not sure what to do with them, you've come to the right place. Don't worry; I've got plenty of ideas that won't involve complicated DIY Raspberry Pi projects. Let's dive into a few creative ways to put your old speakers back in the game.

When people talk about a car saving them money, they often refer to how efficient it is or how affordable maintenance is. However, the biggest cost of owning a car by far is depreciation. This is especially true of high-performance sports cars, which rapidly lose their value.

If you're just getting started setting up your home theater, there are quite a few factors to consider. Here's all the basics of home theater audio you'll need to know.

For people who hate making mundane phone calls, Google has an AI solution.

On Thursday, the tech giant announced "Ask for me," an experiment in its Search Labs testing ground for Google Search. The feature uses AI to call local businesses on your behalf and ask about pricing and availability. Currently, the feature works for calling nail salons and local mechanics for an oil change or other standard car maintenance, but according to the options menu, more businesses are coming soon. 

SEE ALSO: Google's 'Daily Listen' AI generates customized mini podcasts Tweet may have been deleted

Like the rest of the AI industry, Google is leaning more and more into agentic experiences — AI that can do things on your behalf. Automating information-gathering calls is just one of the ways it's doing this. Google recently launched a Gemini tool that acts as a research assistant that can gather data for you from the web, and it debuted another Search Labs experiment that waits on hold for you when calling customer service.

Its newest Gemini model is integrated with the latest Samsung Galaxy and Pixel phones, with features for pulling together information, creating calendar events, and sending messages.

If you're enrolled in Search Labs, you can toggle on the experiment to test it. Note: By enrolling in Search Labs, you agree to share this data with Google to improve its AI models. Next, choose whether you're looking for information about a nail salon or mechanic, and proceed to the next few steps about the services you're looking for. Once you've added all the pertinent information, choose to receive a response via SMS or email, which takes up to 30 minutes. Easy peasy.

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For the receiving end of the call, that's another story. The person who picks up the phone will receive an automated announcement from Google AI saying that it's calling on behalf of a user. If the person hasn't hung up yet — because my first reaction would be that it's obviously spam — the AI will proceed to ask about pricing and availability. The receiver can then give the bot a response in a conversational manner, which it's capable of understanding, and send its response to you.

When we tried it out, we got a response from Google 21 minutes later informing us about prices and availability for a manicure at a local nail salon. The Google bot also said they tried other salons but "couldn't reach" them. Maybe they were busy, or maybe they were bewildered by the automated request.