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Numerous reports, including Mashable's own coverage, were published on Wednesday about a new hacker tool called DarkSword that is being used to target iPhones. 

Apple has now shared with Mashable some important information regarding the threat and how the company is addressing it.

According to Apple, the company last year patched the underlying iOS vulnerabilities that the spyware exploited. In addition, Apple also pushed out an emergency software update for iOS 15 and iOS 16 on March 11 meant for older iOS devices that were not able to update to the more recent, patched versions of iOS.

Apple says that any user running iOS 15 through iOS 26 are protected from DarkSword spyware. 

SEE ALSO: Hackers target millions of iPhones with new DarkSword spyware

However, users running iOS 13 or iOS 14 need to update to iOS 15 in order for their device to receive these same protections. Apple says users still using these older versions of iOS will receive an alert to install a Critical Security Update within the next few days.

Apple also shared that security researchers confirmed that DarkSword spyware and other similar exploits do not work on devices with Apple’s optional Lockdown Mode protection enabled. In addition, iPhone 17 users were protected from these attacks thanks to the lineup's Memory Integrity Enforcement feature.

On Wednesday, Google, along with cybersecurity firms Lookout and iVerify, published detailed reports about DarkSword, a new hacking toolkit being deployed by bad actors, such as a notorious hacking group with ties to the Russian government. One of DarkSword's most concerning aspects is that the spyware did not require the target to download any malware or other malicious file. DarkSword is deployed by a target simply visiting a compromised website.

According to Apple, Apple Safe Browsing in Safari blocks all known malicious URLs identified by Google.

Apple also provided other general security and safety tips, such as using two-factor authentication for logins, never clicking on unknown links or attachments, and always keeping your devices' software up-to-date.

Apple has also published more information about how it's protecting users from these web-based attacks in a post found on its website.

Ryan Gosling is one of Hollywood's most likable movie stars. His Canadian charm paired with his handsome looks makes for a winning formula. Gosling's versatility is his greatest asset. The three-time Oscar nominee can play someone who steals your heart in The Notebook, just as he can easily beat you to a pulp in Drive. I'm glad to see the struggling cornerback in Remember the Titans got back on his feet.

Plezy is quickly emerging as one of the best third-party clients for Plex, with a few notable enhancements over the official apps. Now, it’s getting even better with expanded Picture-in-Picture availability, updates to the TV interface, and other changes.

Reddit appeared to be inaccessible to some users Thursday afternoon, with attempts to access the site showing a "server error" message.

At 3:20 p.m. ET, more than 30,000 users have reported problems with accessing Reddit, according to Downdetector. However, as of 3:50 p.m., user issues appeared to have been resolved.

While Reddit's status page shows no reported issues, attempts by Mashable to access Reddit by both desktop and app were met by errors shortly after 3 p.m. ET. Users on other social media sites also reported issues.

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Should user-reported issues spike again, this story will be updated.

In the automotive world, luxury usually translates to more. More hand-crafted leather, more high-resolution screens, more panoramic roof space, and more social clout. It can also translate to more visits to the gas station.

Toyota has built its reputation on cars that just work, from dependable sedans to SUVs people trust with everything from commutes to road trips. The Toyota RAV4 is a big part of that story—a compact SUV that’s been practical, efficient, and easy to live with for decades.

One of the biggest Android stories of last year was Google’s planned major changes to sideloading. It caused a legitimate uproar in the community, leading Google to backtrack a bit. Now, we’re getting our first look at what these new restrictions will look like.

Unless you've got a phone with an e-ink display, you won't be able to get a one-to-one eReader experience on a phone. That said, with a few tweaks, you can get pretty close. The tricks shared below can be especially handy if you've got an old phone or tablet lying around that you'd like to turn into an Android-based eReader.

Pokémon Pokopia is arguably the first real Nintendo Switch 2 sensation, but it doesn't spell out everything about its various systems right away.

Case in point: upgrading abilities. Pokopia showers you with a handful of important abilities during its tutorial, and then doles out some more over the course of its story, but what it doesn't make clear up front is that you can upgrade those abilities to make them much more useful.

Rock Smash is one of them. At first, you can punch through most types of materials to clear them out and collect what's inside of them, but you'll also encounter some harder or bigger types of rocks that can't be smashed. What gives? Keep reading to find out how to fix that problem.

SEE ALSO: 10 of the coolest and weirdest 'Pokémon Pokopia' builds we've seen so far How to upgrade Rock Smash in Pokémon Pokopia

Upgrading your abilities in Pokopia is kind of an involved process if you're starting from the beginning. The main thing you need to know is that it's done through cooking, as different types of dishes upgrade different abilities. Specifically, you want to cook a hamburger steak of any kind because eating one will upgrade Rock Smash for you.

SEE ALSO: 'Pokémon Pokopia': How to get the Suck ability to move water around

If you don't already have the ability to cook, you'll need to simply progress through the main story until you unlock the Rocky Ridges area. Keep doing the story and eventually you'll meet a friendly Greedent who teaches you how to cook. Sorry for being somewhat vague about this, but it really is just a matter of doing what the game says until you unlock cooking.

SEE ALSO: A cool 'Pokémon' GameCube game is now on Nintendo Switch 2, but there's a catch

In order to make a hamburger steak, you need a frying pan and some beans. The former is what you use to cook hamburger steaks, and the latter is the primary ingredient for them. Once you have both of those, plop the frying pan down over a flame, put beans and another ingredient in it if you like, and then you'll have what you need. Eat your creation and Rock Smash should upgrade itself.

Once it's upgraded, you can punch through those troublesome rocks and collect rare ores from them. Congratulations!

Stay strong, the weekend is coming—and that means you’ll have a few days to work on some new homelab projects! This weekend, you should give Stirling PDF, Planka, and Glances a try. They’re easy to deploy Docker containers that offer a lot of value.

WinRAR has been such a steadfast part of the Windows experience that its payment model—politely nagging users to buy a license—has become a meme. But after more than 20 years, I've finally found an alternative.

Are you old enough to remember using floppy disks? Do they fill you with nostalgia? But I bet that nine times out of ten, you think of them as something to be used with a PC. After all, that's where most people used them ... but that's far from the only thing floppies were commonly seen in.

Visual Studio Code is an excellent editor for JavaScript and TypeScript code, and its status as a free application has helped pull people away from other integrated development environments (IDEs). Now, JetBrains is striking back with a significant change to IntelliJ IDEA’s free version: proper JavaScript and TypeScript support.

The BMW 3 Series is the very soul of the German brand, a true driver’s car in every aspect, whether as an entry-level sedan or a fire-breathing M3. Now, 50 years into that journey, the 3 Series returns for its most significant entrance yet: the fully electric BMW i3 50 xDrive.

Many movie fans will head to the theater this weekend to watch Ryan Gosling play an astronaut attempting to save the world in Project Hail Mary. It's a crowd-pleasing story that will make you laugh, cry, and believe in humanity. If you walk out wanting more space adventures this weekend, head to Tubi and stream Ad Astra for free.

Online betting platforms have users betting on nuclear war — and now, apparently, they'll be able to bet on humanity's destruction in person.

Prediction market site Polymarket announced on social media yesterday that its bar The Situation Room will open in Washington, D.C., tomorrow.

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Polymarket calls it "the world's first bar dedicated to monitoring the situation," referencing the meme of looking at the news or, for bettors, the market.

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

In a follow-up post, Polymarket stated, "Imagine a sports bar… but just for situation monitoring — live X feeds, flight radar, Bloomberg terminals, and Polymarket screens." The concept artwork features not just a bar with screens on the walls, as is typical of any sports bar, but also additional screens on columns and what appears to be a globe in the center of the room (it seems to be a screen, like a mini-Vegas Sphere).

As Mashable has reported, online gambling is everywhere now. The wave that began with sports betting has exploded into wagering money on basically everything — including aforementioned nuclear fallout, but also which movie will win Best Picture, how many times Elon Musk will post on X in a given month, and more.

Given the gambling boom, it makes sense that Polymarket is capitalizing on it and turning it into an IRL experience. And it's not the first; in February, Polymarket opened a free grocery store in New York City for five days.

Who wants to bet on how odd that bar will smell?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is finally here, and it has several impressive features despite a similar overall design. And while many of them are well-known, like the new Privacy display Samsung highlighted, a bunch of excellent features are flying under the radar. Here are a few of my favorite Galaxy S26 Ultra features Samsung didn't show off.

Best early creator-approved deals to shop before the Amazon Big Spring Sale Best drone deal DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo $309 at Amazon (save $140) Get Deal Best portable mic deal DJI Mic Mini (2 transmitters + 1 receiver) $59 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal Best podcast mic deal Logitech Creators Blue Yeti Microphone $98 at Amazon (save $41.99) Get Deal Best portable power station deal DJI Power 1000 V2 $364 at Amazon (save $335) Get Deal Best gimbal deal Insta360 Flow 2 Plus Gimbal $99.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal Best camera bundle deal DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo $549.99 at Amazon (save $79.01) Get Deal Best storage deal SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $188.79 at Amazon (save $94.20) Get Deal

Creators are well known for having an arsenal of great gadgets. From cameras to mics to clip-on lighting options, creator-approved tech makes the job a whole lot easier. Not only does it help with making the process more streamlined, it can level-up the polish on content creations.

SEE ALSO: Snag some serious DJI discounts before the Amazon Big Spring Sale lands

Not all of this gear comes cheap, which is why it's smart to make upgrades during major shopping events like the upcoming Amazon Big Spring Sale. Fortunately, we're already seeing nice discounts on creator-approved gear before the sale officially begins. Here are some of the best early creator-approved deals to shop ahead of the event.

Best drone deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo $309 at Amazon
$449 Save $140   Get Deal Why we like it

Finding DJI drones in stock has been an issue since the brand faced an FCC ban late last year. However, not only is the DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo in stock at Amazon right now, it's down to a new record-low price. Instead of paying the list price of $449 for the combo drone package, it's down to $309 which is a major 31% discount.

The bundle includes the DJI Mini 4K drone, three batteries for a total of 93 minutes of flight time, a carrying case, the DJI RC-N1C remote controller, and plenty more accessories for getting you drone in the air and capturing content.

Best mic deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic Mini (2 transmitters + 1 receiver) $59 at Amazon
$79 Save $20   Get Deal Why we like it

Over the last few years, the DJI Mic Mini has become the creator-approved mic. Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard tested out the DJI Mic Mini to see if it lived up to hype and found that it is, indeed, a great asset. She wrote, "If you need any degree of portability with your mic setup, the DJI Mic Mini offers a lot of versatility, and for a great value. That makes it a solid option for making vlogs and TikToks, and for anyone who feels less than confident with their tech skills."

Before the Amazon sale kicks off, the DJI Mic Mini with two receivers and one transmitter is on sale for $59, marked down from the list price of $79. This sale price matches the record-low at Amazon.

Tabs, toolbars, and address bars are essential for browser navigation, but when you’re deep into reading an article or watching a video, they’re just clutter that takes away the immersive viewing experience. Instead of adding AI features like its rivals, Vivaldi 7.9 is doubling down on interface control and distraction-free browsing with its latest update.

In 2023, Jury Duty stormed onto our screens as a surprisingly wholesome prank show, one where subject Ronald Gladden was treated not as the butt of the joke, but rather as the hero of a bizarro story. From its ultra-committed cast (including a stellar James Marsden) to Gladden's impeccable straight man work, the series felt like lightning in a bottle.

That is, until now.

Jury Duty is back for its second season, titled Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat. And thanks to its larger scale and an endearing new lead, it's proof that lightning can, in fact, strike twice.

SEE ALSO: 'The Comeback' Season 3 review: Lisa Kudrow warns us of the AI apocalypse What's Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat about? Alex Bonifer, Jerry Hauck, and Anthony Norman in "Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat." Credit: Prime Video

Company Retreat remixes Jury Duty's original premise, swapping a court trial for a company's annual week-long bonding trip. That company is small business Rockin' Grandma's Hot Sauce, and all but one of its employees is an actor.

The one non-actor is Anthony Norman, who's been brought on as a temp assistant to help out on the company retreat. This year's retreat is a big one: Rockin' Grandma's CEO (Jerry Hauck) is officially handing the reins to his son, Dougie Jr. (Alex Bonifer). Dougie has spent the last few years living in Jamaica as part of a Rastafarian band, and he's returned with questionable accent choices and almost no business experience. Will he be able to make a good first impression to the rest of Rockin' Grandma's employees?

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (March 20, 2026)

The wider staff is chock-full of standout characters, including remote IT worker Claire (Rachel Kaly), whose efforts to stave off the sun grow increasingly outlandish; receptionist PJ (Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur), who's planning to become a snack-fluencer; and warehouse manager Jimmy (Jim Woods), whose relentless virtue signaling is what cringe comedy dreams are made of. The entire cast delivers memorable moments, with a workplace ensemble akin to the oddballs of The Office. So much of the fun of this season is witnessing them commit so fully to their roles over the course of a week. It's truly an Olympic feat of comedy.

Another draw to the season is its scale. Aside from a trip to Margaritaville, Jury Duty mostly stayed within the courthouse or the hotel where its cast was sequestered, giving the crew a tight, controlled space in which to operate. In Company Retreat, the show is operating across a larger outdoor campus. There are far more moving parts, meaning more ways in which Anthony could discover the jig is up. On top of this presenting an exciting technical challenge, it also helps set Company Retreat apart from the original Jury Duty and proves that this format has potential as a greater anthology series, as long as it can find the right lead.

Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat's star Anthony is a delight. Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur and Anthony Norman in "Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat." Credit: Prime Video

Thankfully, Company Retreat has found the right lead in Anthony. Like Ronald, he doesn't push away the odder characters he encounters. Instead, he befriends them and even walks them through the wildest of situations. A season highlight is the burgeoning friendship between him and Dougie. While Bonifer often takes Dougie to annoying extremes, there's an endearing quality to his desire to excel as CEO. Anthony latches onto that in the hopes of helping him achieve that goal, making for a sweet bromance.

Like the cast, Anthony commits hard — not to the performance, since he's unaware this is all fake, but to Rockin' Grandma's itself. Even though he's only been working there for a few days, he's fully ready to do whatever it takes to uphold the "family" at the heart of the business. When a sketchy venture capitalist firm shows up to potentially acquire Rockin' Grandma's, Anthony is ready to throw down for his fellow staffers.

It's a testament to his character, but also to the immersive quality of Company Retreat's elaborate ruse. At times, that immersion means the season can feel more manipulative than the original Jury Duty, especially with its focus on (fake) team bonding. Like with Ronald, the final reveal winds up more heartwarming than anything, but you do have to wonder what impacts Truman Show-ing a guy will have.

However, it helps that Anthony is constantly willing to roll with the punches. More than that, he's the perfect audience stand-in, unafraid to laugh in disbelief at some of the season's wildest one-liners. Rarely have I laughed harder at someone laughing.

"You couldn't even make this up for a TV show, honestly," Ronald says during a talking head confessional. "This is so authentic and real. Nobody could sit down and write a script like this."

Well, turns out they did, and it makes for great TV — but just like with Ronald and Jury Duty, it's Anthony who takes it over the top.

The first three episodes of Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat premiere March 20 on Prime Video, with new episodes weekly.