Technology

Luxury used to be all about aspiration. People paid extra for nicer materials, smoother performance, quieter cabins, and the badge on the hood that signaled you’d “made it.”

We've reached the last weekend in May, meaning all the shows that premiere on June 1 or later will compete at the 2027 Emmys rather than the 2026 ceremony in the fall. Keep in mind that the high-profile shows of June, including Cape Fear on Apple TV and House of the Dragon on HBO Max, are ones to keep an eye on.

Anthropic isn't ready to let regular users look at its supposedly super-powerful Claude Mythos AI model just yet. But the AI company has just released an upgrade to its flagship product, Claude Opus — now in its 4.8 version.

"It builds on Opus 4.7 with improvements across benchmarks, and is a more effective collaborator," Anthropic promised in a press release Thursday. Indeed, the benchmark numbers, below, show very minor improvements across the board.

One major improvement, allegedly, is in the area of hallucinations. Claude Opus 4.8 won't lie to users as much. "Early testers report that Opus 4.8 is more likely to flag uncertainties about its work and less likely to make unsupported claims," Anthropic said, touting the model's "honesty."

Claude Opus 4.8 has 'better judgment'

"Claude Opus 4.8 has noticeably better judgment," an engineer at Shopify, Tom Pritchard, told Anthropic. The coding version of the model "asks the right questions, catches its own mistakes, and pushes back when a plan isn't sound."

Given the increasing number of horror stories about AI agents deleting entire corporate databases, that promise may be music to the ears of vibe coders everywhere.

To please power users, Anthropic is offering a significant discount on "fast mode," where Claude will work at 2.5 times regular speed. Fast mode "is now three times cheaper than it was for previous models," the company said.

Users on Reddit weren't buying it, however. Many feared a loss of access to a more popular model, Claude Opus 4.6. "Nobody trusts the benchmark charts," wrote one redditor in summary, noting that Opus 4.7 also seemed to have some pretty good numbers when it was released.

Whether or not we can trust the benchmarks — and to be clear, Mashable hasn't independently verified these numbers — here's what Anthropic is claiming.

Credit: Anthropic How to try Claude Opus 4.8

Claude Opus 4.8 is available now via Anthropic's website, Claude.AI, as well as via the Claude API, plus Anthropic partners like Microsoft Foundry.

The new model is priced exactly the same as its predecessors, which is to say models going all the way back to Claude Opus 4.5. All of them will cost you $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens.

Given that Anthropic is promising Claude Mythos within a matter of weeks, however, you may want to hang back and wait to see whether that model can be even more "honest" about its hallucinations.

Toyota has spent decades building a reputation for making some of the most dependable SUVs on the road. For many buyers, that reputation alone is enough to put the brand at the top of their shopping list. However, the company is currently going through a major transition period, with many of its most important SUVs either entering new generations or adopting hybrid powertrains for the first time.

The modern smartphone landscape is a creative desert. Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra is technically outstanding, but held back by an uninspired design and generic software. Google's Pixel 10 Pro? It's better-looking, but won't thrill you unless you prize camera quality and AI. Even foldables have settled into a groove, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 pulling bolder ideas like the S Pen in the name of thinness.

Luxury sedans used to sit right at the top of the automotive world. Before SUVs took over and giant screens became the main event, they were the cars automakers threw everything at—comfort, silence, performance, and tech all in one package.

After months of teases, Waymo is ready to offer public rides in its first purpose-built, widely available robotaxi, and it's billed as a "living room on wheels" with the technology upgrade to match.

Autonomous robotaxi company Waymo just announced a fleet of new vehicles — the Ojai — that it describes as roomier and more accessible than its typical Jaguar I-PACE cars.

The self-driving Ojai offers “elevator-like doors,” low steps, flat floors, and a seat-integrated handle, features the Google-owned company says make it easier for riders to get in and out of the vehicle. Waymo describes the space inside the Ojai as a "living room on wheels." The Ojai interior shares some similarities with Waymo competitor Zoox, which operates a fleet of carriage-style autonomous cars.

The Ojai has three large LED screens that display routes, temperature controls, and music options, with embedded braille and screen-reader compatibility (low-vision riders have expressed an affinity for self-driving cars in a recent New York Times report).

The Ojai will feature the 6th-generation Waymo Driver tech, which the company says will enable the cars to operate more effectively in snowy conditions. Don’t look for the cars in New York or Boston, though; they will first roll out as free rides for select riders in the temperate cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, before moving to Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego.

SEE ALSO: Robot, take the wheel: What you need to know about autonomous vehicles rolling out across the U.S.

Speaking of weather, Waymo recently suspended rides in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta after some of its cars drove into floods. Still, Waymo proudly touts its safety record, recently releasing data showing that its Waymo Driver tech was involved in 92 percent fewer serious crashes than human drivers under the same conditions. Additionally, Waymo stated that its cars have a 13x lower rate of serious injury or fatal crashes than human drivers.

The art of binge-watching comes in many forms. It's fun to embark on a multi-week journey to stream a long-running show that you always wanted to watch. Other times, I can sit down for dinner and finish an entire series before it's time to go to bed.

Full-size pickup trucks have become the default choice for a lot of buyers, despite the fact that most people rarely use even half of the capability they offer. Massive towing figures and oversized dimensions may look impressive on paper, but they also come with higher prices, worse fuel economy, and a more cumbersome driving experience. For the average driver, a modern mid-size truck often makes far more sense.

I've come to realize that the problem with PC storage isn't capacity, it's scalability. After all, while even a small 250GB drive has its uses, no one is stopping you from buying an 8TB SSD. Sure, it'll cost a fortune, but you do you.

In many ways, Google Messages is a big step forward for texting on Android, but in other ways, it's a trap. Just like how using Google Messages makes it exceedingly difficult to transfer your number back to any other texting app, enabling backups in Google Messages comes with inadvertent downsides as well.

Google should be celebrating the release of the Fitbit Air this month. The new screen-less fitness tracker gives competitors like Whoop and even aspects of the Apple Watch a run for their money with a number of unique features.

Instead, Google is now dealing with backlash from some fo Fitbit's existing user base after the company retired the Fitbit app and replaced it with a new AI-focused Google Health app.

On Reddit, not all Fitbit users are happy with the change, to say the least.

"Thanks, Google, for ruining Fitbit," reads one post, which has received nearly 2,000 upvotes on the r/fitbit subreddit. "I’ve been using Fitbit for over 10 years and I canceled my premium membership today. The Google Health [app] is awful. No one asked for this. Google owes us all a refund on these watches."

Are you an Apple superfan? Enter Mashable’s Big Guessing Game to win prizes.

SEE ALSO: Google Fitbit Air: 6 unique features that could tempt us to switch

On social media platforms like Reddit, some long-time Fitbit users have shared their dislike for the new Google Health user interface, which they say is less intuitive and customizable than the old Fitbit app. Others are upset that Google appears to have removed data that was previously available, like certain sleep tracking stats and in-app challenges.

And then, of course, there are complaints about the AI features. The AI coach wasn't a surprise. In fact, Google rolled out trials of these AI features in the Fitbit app prior to the migration. However, within the old Fitbit app, users had control over the AI features and could turn them off. That's not the case with the new Google Health app.

The Google Fitbit Air is a screenless fitness tracker. Credit: Google SEE ALSO: I tested the top fitness trackers for running a marathon (by running the NYC marathon)

"Beyond frustrated with the forced 'Google Health' update," reads another Reddit post with more than 1,200 upvotes. "I participated in the public preview for the new version of this app, and turned it off after a week. It was clear that Gemini was extremely poorly implemented, and the new version was not ready for public use. It appears that they have launched in exactly the same state as it was." 

"Why must I now scroll through paragraphs of AI slop on every tab before I can actually see my activities and data?" the Reddit user continued.

Since Google Health's release, Fitbit users have also been bombing the app with negative reviews on Google Play.

"The overhaul of the original Fitbit app is absolutely terrible," reads one review on the Google Play store. "It forces AI on you at every turn, all the information in the app is AI-based, besides from the raw data collected by your Fitbit device. Awful app, 0/10 CANNOT recommend. Give me back the Fitbit app over this trash any day."

"Lacks most of the information that was available on Fitbit, can't track just daily activity, no stress component," reads another. "I guess I will get an Apple Watch."

For Google's part, the company does appear to realize the severity of the situation and has already responded with a roadmap to address users' issues with the app.

According to Google, it's currently working on a series of improvements and bug fixes for the Google Health app. A list of those changes can be found at the Google support site and will roll out starting this week.

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If you’re in the market for a new speaker system and are on a limited budget, you should seriously consider getting a quality stereo (2.0 or 2.1) system instead of a cheap, but compromised, surround setup. A high-end stereo setup has always been, and likely always will be, a better choice than a cheap and poor-sounding surround sound system for reasons that go beyond superior sound quality.

Last year’s biggest mobile software story was Apple’s divisive new “Liquid Glass” design style. Then, this year started with hints of Google bringing a similar look to Android 17 on Pixel phones. Google has directly denied any inspiration, but the latest beta tells a different story.

Buying a first car for a teenager is one of the more important decisions a family makes. The vehicle has to be affordable, reliable, and safe. Traffic crashes remain one of the leading causes of death for teens between 15 and 18, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with novice teen drivers twice as likely as adults to be involved in a fatal crash.

Pi-hole might be the simplest Raspberry Pi project of them all, while at the same time being one of the most impactful in terms of everyday usage. Once you’ve set Pi-hole up, leave your Raspberry Pi plugged in and it will quietly do its job without the need for a display, mouse, keyboard, or anything else.

The Raspberry Pi is one of the most popular single-board computers out there among tinkerers, self-hosting enthusiasts, and homelabbers. However, if you're looking to get the best homelab performance for your dollar, the Pi isn't a great option—it just isn't designed for that use. There are better options out there at the same price.

TL;DR: Watch Norway vs. Latvia in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships are rolling through the knockout rounds, with Norway and Latvia set to battle it out for a place in the semi-final stage. There are some big names left in contention for the top prize, so things are heating up on the ice.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Norway vs. Latvia?

Norway vs. Latvia in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 2:20 p.m. ET on May 28.

How to watch Norway vs. Latvia for free

Norway vs. Latvia in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Norway vs. Latvia plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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).

Live stream Norway vs. Latvia in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Switzerland vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships quarter finals are finally here, with some massive matchups on the schedule. Switzerland vs. Sweden is a particularly interesting contest, pitting the hosts against a team that has been hit-or-miss in this competition.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Switzerland vs. Sweden?

Switzerland vs. Sweden in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 2:20 p.m. ET on May 28.

How to watch Switzerland vs. Sweden for free

Switzerland vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Switzerland vs. Sweden plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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).

Live stream Switzerland vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.