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You don't have to look very far on the internet to find someone, somewhere, who is really upset about Final Fantasy games not having turn-based combat anymore.

Final Fantasy games haven’t had it for 25 years, to be clear, but that doesn't stop people from yearning for a time before you had to get good at combos to finish a Final Fantasy. I totally get it, too, as turn-based combat kicks ass. On top of that, the recent success of games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is, if nothing else, a sign that people still vibe with it on some level.

Final Fantasy Resonance, which launches on every major platform on Oct. 22, feels like it exists for two reasons: to please longtime FF fans and to make sure the mobile game Brave Exvius — which Resonance is based on — lives on in some form.

I have not played Brave Exvius, but after playing roughly an hour of Resonance at a preview event a couple of weeks ago, I can confirm that the foundations on which Final Fantasy was originally built are still structurally sound. As to whether or not it can transcend its mobile game origins, well, we'll have to wait and see.

SEE ALSO: 'Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave' feels like the true follow-up to 'Three Houses' Final Fantasy Resonance has all your favorite guys in it You've got four people in your party, but really, you've got eight. Credit: Square Enix

First, some context is in order. Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius came out on mobile devices about a decade ago, and it's one of those phone games where you use currency to do fake slot machine pulls to unlock characters, many — but not all — of whom are plucked from the rest of the FF series. My understanding is that Resonance is largely an new game built like a traditional console RPG, but it's definitely been built using some assets and systems from Brave Exvius.

The demo I played didn't give me a great idea of what to expect from the story, but from what I can tell, the main character is a blonde dude with a big sword named Rain. That's the most Final Fantasy thing possible. They should start naming characters in the mainline games after weather again.

Anyway, you have a conventional party of original characters, but characters from older games in the series are present in spirit form. You can unlock them by finding shrines in the overworld and completing little trivia challenges based on the game each character comes from. In the demo, I unlocked Noctis from Final Fantasy XV, but looking through the menus, I could see that they have characters from good games in there, too.

Yep, that's an overworld. Credit: Square Enix

When you're not fighting — we'll get to that shortly — Resonance plays like an RPG from yesteryear. You run around an overworld full of towns, dungeons, and random battles. There are side quests to complete and a big icon that always points toward the next story objective. I played through one major story dungeon that was fairly linear and simplistic, but the demo also seemed to take place early in the game, so I imagine the dungeons aren’t all like that.

Resonance is also rendered in Square Enix's now-signature "HD2D" look, which was most recently used in Octopath Traveler 0 and The Adventures of Elliot. Based on what I played, this is one of the better-looking HD2D games, but there's one caveat: There are pre-rendered CG cutscenes in combat that very clearly come from the mobile game.

On the one hand, I think it's kind of cool for the game to briefly play a video in a completely different art style during fights, but on the other, the cutscenes really look like they came from a phone game. They don't even have English voice acting, despite the rest of the game having it. The transition from mobile free-to-play RPG to console game isn’t totally seamless here. That's forgivable, but it is noticeable.

The combat mixes old-school sensibilities with modern design conventions

Let's talk about fights, which seem like they will make up the bulk of Resonance's gameplay. That's a good thing because I really dug what I played at the preview.

If you've ever played Final Fantasy VI or one of the other games from that era, you'll be right at home here. Fights are turn-based with zero real-time elements, so you have all the time in the world to strategize and make decisions. Each fight is an exercise in figuring out which elemental spells your enemies are weak against. This requires either a slow trial-and-error process, or using a turn to cast Assess and just have the game tell you.

One of my favorite details is that Resonance lets you use every single offensive or restorative spell either on individual characters or groups. That's a holdover from the old games that fell out of favor decades ago, but I always thought it was cool that you could use a healing spell on every ally instead of just one, at the expense of some potency.

As for why all of those old FF characters are in this game, their main function is to provide statistical buffs and additional combat skills to your core party members. You can, for example, assign Cloud from Final Fantasy VII to any character, such as Rain. Cloud has his own set of skills and stat bonuses that will be available to Rain for as long as Cloud is attached to him. Each classic FF character can be freely swapped among the new party members, so figuring out the best fit for each encounter seems like it's going to be a major part of the combat experience.

This guy was a real jerk. Credit: Square Enix

Lastly, because it's a modern Square Enix RPG, enemies all have stagger meters that fill up when you attack their weaknesses. Stagger an enemy and they'll be stunned for a turn while taking more damage than usual. Stagger every enemy in an enounter simultaneously, and you can unleash a big, screen-filling super attack from one of the classic FF characters, which triggers the CG cutscenes I mentioned earlier. I like this feature in pretty much every Square Enix game that has it, but it definitely stands out as a modern idea inserted into an otherwise old-school game.

The best thing I can say about Resonance's combat is that it seems genuinely challenging. I fought a story boss that took around 15 minutes to kill, and there were some close calls throughout the fight. I like a turn-based battle that makes me sweat a little bit.

My time with Final Fantasy Resonance was largely positive, but there are still some unanswered questions. Is the story any good? Will I find myself caring at all about Rain and his friends? Will it overstay its welcome with a bloated runtime like some modern RPGs, or will it be more akin to its 8 and 16-bit inspirations in that regard? We'll find out together in October.

It's no secret that the Milwaukee PACKOUT system is the king of modular storage for all your tools, and users everywhere swear by it. If you're tired of wasting half the day hunting for tools, digging through random bins, or having a cluttered mess in the garage, you need a PACKOUT. Here are a few kits that'll save you hours in the garage or shop, letting you focus on the job at hand.

Since the first lightbulb was invented, technology has evolved to the point where there’s almost nothing a typical modern LED light can’t do. Dimming is a basic feature, but altering the color temperature and actual color, and even creating unique patterns, are also possible. This creates the opportunity for some truly amazing lighting scenes, but getting it all to work can be a challenge. Thankfully, Govee thinks there’s a better way.

When it comes to learning cybersecurity, there's a way to do it that feels less like studying and more like a high-stakes game. I'm talking about Capture the Flag competitions. Out of curiosity, I dived into this interesting world and, before I realized it, I got totally hooked.

SAVE $30: As of Sept. 3, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale for $19.99 at Amazon. That's a $30 discount from its full price of $49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $19.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $30.00   Get Deal

Labor Day sales are a real treat for shoppers who don't want to wait until Black Friday and the holidays to score some good deals. Amazon's been particularly great with discounts so far, including devices like the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which recently saw a price hike. As of Sept. 3, this streaming stick has been slashed to just $19.99.

Compared to its newly increased full price of $49.99, that means you save $30 overall. Price tracker camelcamelcamel even shows that this deal price is just a couple of dollars away from the retailer's lowest-ever price of $17.99, so this is an excellent time to grab it if your streaming setup is in need of an upgrade.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy's Labor Day 2026 Sale is live: Shop deals on Apple, headphones, laptops, and more

Amazon's streaming sticks offer several 4K options, but the 4K Select is the line's entry-level pick. If you're making the jump from HD streaming, this device can deliver a higher-quality picture with support for 4K Ultra HD resolution and High Dynamic Range 10+. It also supports WiFi 5 for smooth streaming and comes with 8GB of storage to store your favorite apps.

You can even play Xbox games via cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass, though you will need a subscription and a compatible controller to fully jump in on the action. On top of that, the Alexa Voice Remote makes searching for your next favorite show or movie simple and easy, just by using your voice.

As we head into the Labor Day weekend, deals like this may not be around for long. If this Fire TV Stick 4K Select has caught your eye, be quick to save on it at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

I’ve never been very interested in smart glasses. The idea of having a hands-free camera on my face sounds great, but there’s always so much extra stuff that goes along with it. However, my Android brain perked up when I heard HTC was releasing a pair of smart glasses. I’ve been using the Vive Eagle for several weeks, and I have a lot of thoughts.

Are you ready to take your homelab to the next level? This weekend, you should definitely deploy at least one of these three homelab infrastructure projects. They might not be glamorous, but they're sure useful.

Featuring an improved design, including replaceable batteries, along with better noise-canceling and voice-calling performance, the excellent sounding $300 Momentum TWS 5 are top earbuds contender and earn a CNET Editors' Choice award.

Read more about wireless and noise-canceling earbuds: We found the 7 best noise-cancelling earbuds after extensive testing
The 11 best wireless earbuds we've ever tested

Timecode chapters
0:00 Intro
0:21 Design changes
0:41 Replaceable batteries
0:56 New features
1:04 Compared to the Momentum True Wireless 4
1:25 Ear tips
1:53 Tight seal is crucial
2:01 Sound quality
2:31 Sony vs Sennheiser
2:48 Noise cancellation
3:23 Sound test
3:47 Firmware update needed
4:03 Audio dropouts?
4:14 Robust connection
4:32 Codecs
4:57 Battery life
5:17 What do you think?

Video credits
Host: David Carnoy
Scripted by: David Carnoy
Producer: Numi Prasarn
Camera: Numi Prasarn
Video editor: Numi Prasarn
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

I've been using Linux more and more over the past year, and one of the things I've come to appreciate is how much choice it gives you. With Windows, you're largely working within the system Microsoft gives you. With Linux, if something doesn't work the way you want, there's probably another distro that handles it differently.

One of the world's largest consumer technology shows kicks off on Friday, and Dreame understood the assignment. IFA is all-in on the robot lawn mowers this year and Dreame has a new model that's set to enter the market in 2027. The brand has been one of Mashable's favorite options for robot vacuums in the last few years and their lineup of robot lawn mowers is getting damn impressive. Welcome to the yard, Dreame A4 AWD Pro Series.

A robot lawn mower with a swing arm

Like robot vacuums, the majority of robot lawn mowers set out to do the same task: rid us of the inconvenience of manually mowing the lawn. But now that the market has a handful of top models and brands, things are starting to get fancier.

The new Dreame A4 AWD Pro Series is the brand's introductory model made with the EdgeMaster 4.0 Precision Edge-Trimming System. This enables a swing arm to extend the standard cutting disc outward as the mower senses nearby boundaries. After playing with a few robot lawn mowers, I can say this will be a major benefit since not all robots are comfortable getting close to the edge. At times, I've gone out with the string trimmer to get a cleaner line around the edge.

SEE ALSO: The Roborock RockNeo Q110H robot lawn mower just landed at Amazon, and it's on sale for just 1 week

Of course, the Dreame does this while still saying a safe distance away from walls, fences, or flower beds, but the zero centimeter edge cutting is a unique feature that makes using a robot lawn mower and truly hands-off experience.

In addition to the arm, the Dreame AWD can handle climbing slopes that measure up to 90% or 42 degrees. It can also glide over holes or divots of about four inches deep and six inches wide.

Advanced navigation and intelligence

Since the little robot is sent out to mow on its own, it relies on a solid navigation system. The new Dreame AWD uses a slew of tech to make this happen like 360-degree 3D LiDAR, satellite and network Omni RTK, and AI-powered binocular vision. The infrared sensor can help keep the mower away from people and pets.

How to buy the Dreame A4 AWD Pro Series

At the time of launch, Dreame's press release mentions the new robot mower will hit global markets in the first half of 2027. Starting price (listed in Euros) translates to about $3,500, but pricing can vary by market so we could see a different price in the U.S. We do have details that two models of the A4 AWD Pro will launch with one being suitable for almost an acre and the other model capable of mowing about 1.2 acres.

If you're looking for a Dreame robot lawn mower that's already on the market, the Dreame LiDAR 3500 Robot Lawn Mower A3 AWD is on sale at Amazon for $2,399.99, down from the list price of $2,999.99.

Tired of USB-C power banks that need to be replaced every few years? Belkin might have your fix: it's releasing its first power banks with semi-solid-state batteries that reportedly last "up to" 3X longer than conventional models.

Times are tough for RAM, SSDs, GPUs, and whatever else comes to mind. Close to a year of the RAM-pocalypse has left the market bone dry, and the aftershocks are reverberating throughout more than just the store shelves. Warranties are affected, too.

The Full Moon wasn't that long ago, but already it's looking a lot different. Its fully illuminated face is shrinking night by night as it moves into the next phase of its lunar cycle.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, Sept. 3, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Waning Gibbous phase, with 62% of its surface visible.

Without visual aids, tonight you can see the Copernicus and Tycho craters and the Oceanus Procellarum. If you have binoculars, you'll be able to spot the Grimaldi Basin, Alphonsus Crater and Clavius Crater. Finally, with a telescope you'll also see the Apollo 14 landing spot and the Schiller Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance gradually changes as it travels around Earth, completing a full lunar cycle in approximately 29.5 days, NASA tells us. What we see from Earth depends on the Moon's position in relation to the Sun, which affects how much of its illuminated side is visible. As the cycle progresses, the Moon passes through a series of phases, from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon, before starting over.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

SAVE $20: As of Sept. 3, the Nothing Ear (3a) earbuds are down to their lowest-ever price of $79 at Amazon. That's $20 off their full price of $99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing Ear (3a) $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20   Get Deal

If a new pair of earbuds is on your shopping list, you don't have to wait until Black Friday to score a good deal. Labor Day sales are live across various retailers and offer solid savings to browse. Over at Amazon, the newly released Nothing Ear (3a) is a standout option, sitting at their best-ever price.

As of Sept. 3, these earbuds have had $20 slashed off their $99 full price, bringing them down to $79. According to price tracking website camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest price point yet for these earbuds, making now an excellent time to scoop them up. All colors are on sale as well, so you can find your favorite at a discount.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy's Labor Day 2026 Sale is live: Shop deals on Apple, headphones, laptops, and more

The Nothing Ear (3a) earbuds provide up to 45dB of Active Noise Cancellation, so outside noises won't interrupt what you're listening to. On the opposite end of that, they also have a Transparency Mode that can make you more aware of your surroundings if you'd rather not be closed off while out and about.

When it comes to sound quality, it comes through strong thanks to a 12mm driver that's larger than what the Ear(a) offers. These earbuds also feature Clear Voice Technology, which is helpful on calls. Plus, it has a very beefy battery life, lasting up to 42 hours with the charging case.

This deal may not stick around for long, so don't miss out on this great offer on the Nothing Ear (3a) at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Chicken Shop Date is coming to an end.

The viral YouTube series created and hosted by Amelia Dimoldenberg will have one more season before wrapping up, the creator and Mash 101 alumni announced on Thursday.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best Chicken Shop Date episodes to binge

Dimoldenberg took to Instagram to share the news in a statement, saying she feels it's "now time to move on from this adventure and onto a new one."

View this post on Instagram

Here's her statement, in full:

"When I was 17 I had a fantastic idea that I might meet the love of my life on a date in a chicken shop.

I’ve spent my entire twenties sitting across from the most incredible people, people I’d always dreamt of meeting. All of them charmed me (some more than others) and I definitely charmed them.

To me the show is my very own romcom and I have loved creating so many stories for you to watch. I am so grateful to everyone who has followed me on this journey and found some joy in these episodes.

I never thought I’d stop Chicken Shop Date, I thought maybe it would be a part of me forever, and in some way it always will, but I feel like it’s now time to move on from this adventure and onto a new one.

But before I say goodbye forever, I want to celebrate everything Chicken Shop Date has been for me with a few final dates…coming very soon.

Love Amelia x"

Originally starting as a column, Chicken Shop Date launched in its current YouTube form back in 2014. It's since become an online staple up there with the likes of Hot Ones, with new episodes typically getting millions of views.

It will be missed by many — but it sounds like Dimoldenberg, who last year launched an F1-themed web series, has other things up her sleeve. Earlier this year it was announced that Dimoldenberg would star in and produce a romantic comedy about a journalist who interviews celebrities for Amazon MGM Studios’ Orion Pictures.

Cloud applications seem very convenient until you start thinking about how much of your work depends on someone else’s servers, but Linux gives you another option.

DJI has launched the Osmo 360 II, its new 360-degree 8K camera, in the global market. With larger sensors, higher frame rates, and replaceable lenses, it seems primed to go head-to-head with Insta360's recently released X6. However, people in the U.S. will have a harder time getting their hands on it than the rest of the world.

SEE ALSO: DJI and Insta360 go to war in the U.S. over its action gimbal cameras

Announced on Thursday at IFA 2026, the DJI Osmo 360 II's 1/1.1-inch square sensors are the same size as last year's Osmo 360, but offer 14.5 stops of dynamic range rather than 13.5. The camera also boasts higher frame rates, capable of shooting 8K panoramic video at a maximum of 60fps, as well as 4K slow motion footage at 240fps. In comparison, the Osmo 360 tops out at 8K at 50fps, or 4K at 100fps in slow motion mode.

One of the Osmo 360 II's more interesting upgrades is the introduction of replaceable lenses. Insta360 made the lenses of their X5 camera swappable last year, allowing users to easily replace them if they are damaged, and further upgraded this feature in the X6 last month. Now DJI is bringing out its own swappable 360-degree lens system, reducing Insta360's advantage and helping to make any lens-damaging accidents a bit less disastrous (or expensive).

Pairing the Osmo 360 II with the DJI Mimo app and transferring footage has been simplified as well. Rather than having to search for the Osmo 360 II in the DJI Mimo app, you can just tap its new NFC area to your phone, which should make users' workflow slightly smoother.

DJI's Osmo 360 II also has a few changes on the software side. The camera will debut AI SuperNight 2.0, a new noise reduction algorithm designed to help capture clean footage in low light situations. The Osmo 360 II features Spotlight Follow too, bringing this tracking tool to DJI's 360-degree cameras for the first time. Previously found in the Osmo Pocket handheld gimbal camera series, Spotlight Follow uses AI to automatically reframe your footage, following your subject to keep them in the centre of the frame at all times (though it will only work with 4K 30fps footage at maximum).

Aside from these upgrades, the DJI Osmo 360 II has identical measurements to its predecessor, the same 100-minute battery runtime at 8K 30fps, and the same 105GB of built-in storage available (which can also be supplemented with microSD cards).

Credit: DJI

Unfortunately, the Osmo 360 II won't officially be available in the U.S. for the foreseeable future. The U.S. government's hostility toward DJI has significantly hindered the company's operations in the country, resulting in its products now being unavailable for purchase through its U.S. website. As such, acquiring an Osmo 360 II in the U.S. will require going through a third party.

For everyone else, the DJI Osmo 360 II will be available in most other markets across the world from Sept. 15. No U.S. pricing has been announced, however the Osmo 360 II is already available in Hong Kong, where its Standard Combo will set you back $HK3,899 (approximately $500).

UPDATE: Sep. 4, 2026, 7:27 a.m. AEST This article has been updated to correct the Osmo 360 II's sensor size.

Earlier this year, I was having a ton of issues with Android Auto. My cable didn't want to work. I'd lose my connection randomly (even with a plugged-incable). The cables wore out quickly. There always seemed to be some kind of problem with Android Auto in my car. When I switched to wireless, it was like a completely different experience. I've seen some talk online about the wired vs wireless debate for Android Auto, and I'm firmly in the wireless camp. Here's why.

Acer came to IFA 2026 with a stacked product lineup, including the much talked about Project Dualplay Mini, a handheld gaming device with a rotatable screen. See what else Acer showed in our highlight reel of the keynote.

GLP-1s are inescapable online, as Mashable reported, including extensive discussions about them. The latest topic of conversation to hit your FYPs may be about being single and dating while taking the drug.

"Dating after weight loss sucks," said Katherine Lipovsky on social media, where she posts videos about life after losing 300 pounds with the help of a GLP-1. In this particular video posted in Aug., she went on to say she was insanely jealous of people who've had partners who have loved them in all sizes, because she'll never know if her future partner would've stood by her.

SEE ALSO: A 'gray market' of GLP-1 drugs is growing on TikTok, new analysis alleges

Lipovsky, who's 41 and has been on a GLP-1 for several years, expressed similar emotions to Mashable.

"Until last summer, it was impossible for me to find a man who didn't want to keep me a secret," she said in a phone interview. That's the biggest difference that she's seen since losing weight. It wasn't that men didn't desire her, or weren't physically or emotionally attracted to her. 

"It was that they didn't want to be seen with me," she said. "It's literally that they were embarrassed to like me, and that was just really made me feel like shit."

Now, she's navigating the mindfield of post-weight-loss dating and wondering whether her dates would've accepted her before.

Societal bias against fat people is well-documented. Weight discrimination is linked to poorer physical and mental health, worse healthcare, and being turned down for jobs. The bias persists in the dating world. A 2022 article in the journal Stigma and Health on dating and hiring preferences found that there was a stronger weight bias amongst heterosexual participants and gay men, but less so in lesbians and bisexual women.

Lipovsky is one of many people who've experienced this stigma and are now learning to live life in a smaller body while taking GLP-1s. As she and others Mashable spoke to, it's changed every facet of their lives, especially dating.

Dating with 'skinny privilege' 

Alejandra, a woman in her 20s who withheld her last name for privacy reasons, started posting about how GLP-1 use is impacting her dating life because she didn't find much about it online herself. 

She has PCOS (now called PMOS) and has been on a GLP-1 for almost three years. Dating while on the drug is a fairly new topic, she told Mashable over the phone, and it's changed for her in so many ways. Like Lipovsky, she wonders if the men she dates like her for her.

"I may come off as more confident now that I am at [my] goal weight," she said, "but at the same time, that does bring a lot of insecurities in relationships because I get in my head about, 'Do they like me now because of the way I look or do they like me for me?'"

That's a question she'll never know the answer to, she said, because they didn't meet her before she lost weight. 

Both Alejandra and Lipovsky also said they get a lot more attention from men now that they've lost weight. 

"Now, I'm living and experiencing what dating is like, or should be like, and being treated with default kindness and respect by people, which is wild," Lipovsky said. "I don't know that I'll ever get used to it."

Lipovsky said she now has "skinny privilege," which has come along with better treatment from people: Men open doors for her and carry her luggage, for instance. She gets compliments, which didn't happen before.

"I feel like I was just as valuable and deserving of respect and kindness, no matter what my size was," she said. "But it's impossible to not see it happening with my own eyes."

Still, that doesn't mean finding a partner has been any easier. 

SEE ALSO: What to do when body image is affecting your sex life

"When you're fat, you think, 'If I could just be skinny, my life would be perfect. Everything will be perfect if I'm skinny,' and you blame everything on being fat," she explained. "That's how it was for me, and that's not how it is at all. Life is still very hard. Things are not perfect."

"Men don't suddenly become knights in shining armor when you're thin," she continued. 

Lipovsky uses dating apps (though she finds them overwhelming), and also goes "manhunting" with her best friend, which she describes as "practice flirting."

"I'm like a baby deer interacting with men because I always was the fat, funny friend," she said.

Alejandra also uses dating apps and has started going out to bars this year. A point of vexation when dating is other people's opinions on GLP-1s.

Misconceptions of GLP-1 use

"I get so upset and frustrated in the dating world," Alejandra said in terms of the negative associations with GLP-1 use. On first dates, she doesn't purposefully disclose that she uses one because people make assumptions about those who take it.

"My thought process now is like, 'If they can just get to know me first, and then this conversation comes up after the fact, and there's opportunities to educate, then maybe it won't immediately affect their opinion on me or about me,'" she said. 

Some of her TikTok videos address this frustration. "There are so [many] men who have a problem with this, that the next time I go out to bars, to clubs, whatever, I'm just gonna…wear a sign that says, 'Warning, I'm on a [GLP-1]," she said in a video posted in April. "And I think that that will keep the men away." 

"Dating on 'the glip' never gets easier," she lamented in one posted in May.

She told Mashable that she sometimes wants to put something about being on a GLP-1 on her dating profile, which she hasn't done because it's "terrifying." But having a problem with GLP-1 use is a huge red flag for her.

"GLP-1s, especially with having PCOS, will forever be part of my life. That's not going away, and I could never be with a partner who doesn't agree with it or has terrible things to say about it, because that tells me everything I need to know about them and their lack of support that I'd receive continuing on this medication," she said.

She doesn't shy away from correcting men she's on dates with. She told Mashable about a time she was on a date with a man who said his roommate was on a GLP-1 and called them "lazy". "Of course, I can't stay quiet," she said. She corrected him and said she was on a GLP-1, and not because she's lazy. 

Another date of Alejandra's on retatrutide (which isn't approved by the FDA) called it a "shortcut."

"I did have to stop him in his tracks," she said. "I was like, 'It's not a shortcut. At least it wasn't a shortcut for me.' And then that opened up the conversation of PCOS and why I specifically had to rely on the medication to lose weight." She said he was open to learning more and understanding her experience.

She's also now hesitant to share her social media with someone she's dating because of her content. What she shares online is very vulnerable, she said, and sometimes she even thinks about deleting her account. 

"But every time I think about deleting it, getting rid of it, starting fresh, forgetting about that past version of me, I just think about that one person who needs to see what I'm posting about so that they can relate and know that they're not alone. And that's just honestly what keeps me from deleting it all," she said.

Most of the videos Mashable observed on Instagram and TikTok about dating on a GLP-1 were posted by women dating men, though some were by men dating women. Mashable reached out to several of these men, but none of them responded. 

Comedian Jared Freid, however, shared about his experience on a June 2026 episode of the podcast he co-hosts, U Up? (Freid didn't respond to a request for a Mashable interview.)

When responding to a question about whether a listener should disclose whether they're on a GLP-1, he said, "I can relate to the shame," and that it's vulnerable to mention any medication you're on. But he thinks of it as a lifestyle medication, not a "vanity medication," though vanity is a part of it.

"The vanity element of [GLP-1s] has been overplayed," he said. "It's a daychanger for me, being able to live a life without food on my mind," he continued. 

GLP-1 and the dreaded dinner date

GLP-1s curb appetite, and there are many memes out there about how little some people on the medication eat. Some people on GLP-1s also reduce drinking as alcohol makes them feel uncomfortable or nauseous, or they just stop wanting it. When a typical first date is dinner or cocktails, that can make meeting someone new harder.

Alejandra said that when she was in the middle of her weight loss and going up on higher doses, it would be awkward if she were out on a dinner date and could only take a few bites. "I didn't want them to think that I didn't like the food or that I wasn't hungry, and so sometimes by default, it comes up, like, 'I don't have like a huge appetite right now because I'm on this medication.'" 

But at this point, she avoids the conversation on a first date.

Lipovsky said she likes to go out for coffee and a croissant on a first date, so she doesn't have to bring it up, either. But if she's out on a dinner date, she'll say she's on a GLP-1, and she's down to split something. She'll joke that she's a cheap date, because she doesn't drink alcohol, either, mostly because of the medication.

On disclosing GLP-1 use, Alejandra said she doesn't have all the right answers. But disclosing any medication use is one's choice and should only be done when someone is comfortable doing so.

Neither Lipovsky nor Alejandra plans on stopping GLP-1s. Alejandra hopes that the more people open up and share their experiences, the more it can help everyone else, including herself, as she's still in the dating scene. 

"Hopefully other people can relate as well," she said.