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Apple's new HomeView video resonated with Bridget Carey, but the true test comes when you get families and their kids in front of it. She breaks down the big news from Apple's event, including what's new in the HomePod Mini 2 and fourth generation Apple TV 4K box. 

Read more about Apple's HomeView event and announcements: Apple HomeView: Where to buy Apple's new smart home and entertainment hub
Everything announced in Apple's 'Welcome Home' release: New smart speakers, displays, and cameras

Timecode chapters
0:32 Apple HomeView commercial reactions
1:56 New Apple TV 4K streaming box
2:05 Apple TV 4K price
2:24 Should you upgrade your Apple TV 4K box?
2:38 New Apple TV Siri Remote
2:58 Apple TV 4K hardware updates
3:18 Get surround sound with Apple TV 4K and 4 HomePods
3:53 New HomePod Mini 2
4:03 Siri AI coming to HomePods
4:19 Apple HomeView
4:49 Snoopy on HomeView
5:03 FaceTime camera on HomeView
5:23 Multiple users and HomeView
5:57 How will a countertop HomeView device fit into your house?
6:22 Wall-mounted HomeView
6:41 HomeView apps and OS
7:13 What will living with the HomeView be like?
7:34 How will HomeView work with other smart home devices?
7:54 What's next for Apple this October?
7:58 iPhone Duo hits stores October 23

Video credits
Host: Bridget Carey
Scripted by: Bridget Carey
Producer: Carly Marsh
Camera: Carly Marsh, Bridget Carey, Ajay Kumar, Andrew Gebhart, CNET Archive
Video editor: Carly Marsh
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

Anyone who knows me also knows that I'm very much pro-desktop PC. If you want to make me happy, I don't ask for much. Give me a huge chassis, give me a ginormous GPU, fill up my cart with all the other components, and leave me alone so I can build the monster PC of my dreams.

TL;DR: The Xbox Nano Controller will launch on Nov. 4. Preorders for this retro mini controller are now live for $49.94.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Xbox Nano Controller $49.94 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

I try to keep a cool head when online shopping. Sure, there are some cool products that turn heads, but you need to keep your wits about you when navigating the murky waters of the online shopping world.

When I first met the Xbox Nano Controller, I truly tried to keep my composure. I desperately wanted to find something that I didn't like, but just look at this thing. Isn't it the cutest little guy you've ever seen? I have thrown off the shackles of editorial discretion and will defend this adorable controller with my life. I will die for you, Xbox Nano Controller.

Credit: Microsoft

The Xbox Nano Controller is officially available for preorder for $49.94 at Amazon, with general availability kicking off on Nov. 4 across the U.S., UK, and major global markets. Amazon is 4 cents cheaper than Microsoft at the time of writing — another banger of a deal courtesy of Mashable!

Amazon is also offering its preorder price guarantee. That protects you against future price drops. The price you're charged when Amazon ships it to you will be the lowest price offered between the time you placed your order and the release date.

Clocking in at just over 5 inches long and weighing just 3.5 ounces, the Xbox Nano is shorter and lighter than most modern smartphones. Despite the miniature footprint, Microsoft didn't cut corners: you get all 18 standard gameplay buttons, twin analog sticks, a rechargeable battery, and a remappable Action Button that "can be customized for features like screenshots, gameplay capture, and other frequently used shortcuts."

I know the Nano won't replace your Xbox Elite Series 2. I might be smitten, but I'm not blind to the reality of tighter ergonomics. But for under $50, the Xbox Nano Controller is a top pick for younger players, smaller hands, or anyone who wants to game on the go.

Taskmaster is back on Say More! Taskmaster's Greg Davies and Alex Horne join Mashable Executive Producer Mark Stetson to dive into the utterly chaotic Series 22, featuring contestants Richard Ayoade, Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, and Nina Conti. Davies and Horne go deep on their approach to handling "chaos agents" like Rich Ayoade and Jason Mantzoukas, the most iconic outfits throughout the show's run, and the hilarious moments that have made them break character. Plus, Greg opens up about his obsession with Caramac bars!

On Taskmaster, the tasks are like a serving platter for the comedy, allowing the contestants to infuse the tasks with their own unique brand of comedy. However, for some of the contestants, their particular brand of comedy is subverting the rules and expectations. In Series 22, that chaos agent is Rich Ayoade. "We knew what we were getting into with him," Alex Horne says in the interview. "He doesn't like playing by the rules. So... he's going to be trying to unpick it."

"Alex is very organized and has spent a great deal of time designing these games," Davies adds. "And you know, with someone like Richard, he's not going to just fall into line. He's a very strong flavor of character, and he's going to play things his way."

When asked if he ever builds "chaos agent" contingencies into his games, Alex said, "Not really. You'd be amazed how little has changed. Because it's still going to be five different people coming in trying to do the thing. And once the cameras roll, they are just in the moment and they forget about everything else. So if you've got a Rich Ayoade, he will turn things on their head."

Mark made sure to ask Alex about his cameo on Dropout's Game Changer and whether we can expect another crossover. Alex answered, "I don't know. We saw that we were both doing vaguely similar shows, and so he got in touch and came over to England. We are also both very busy, so I think we'll keep tantalizing people. So who knows? I mean, currently no big plans, but Greg and I hope to come to America again very soon, so you never know."

Taskmaster Series 22 is currently streaming on YouTube

What's a Grand Theft Auto game without a killer soundtrack?

From the sun-soaked synth-pop of Vice City to surfing a sea of radio stations, music has always been an essential part of Rockstar Games' gritty, open-world franchise. And with Grand Theft Auto VI taking players back to Vice City, the sprawling soundtrack is shaping up to be just as ambitious as the game itself.

Rockstar has already revealed a 34-track album featuring artists like Travis Scott, Cardi B, and PinkPantheress, along with an original score composed by the French electronic duo Justice. Meanwhile, the game's fictional radio stations are bringing some familiar voices to the airwaves, including Robyn, Bad Bunny, and Lana Del Rey.

And that's just what we know so far. Ahead of GTA 6's Nov. 19 release, we're keeping track of every confirmed song, artist, radio station, and celebrity DJ coming to Leonida. Consider this your unofficial guide to the sounds of Vice City.

What songs are on the GTA 6 soundtrack?

Rockstar has announced Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, a 34-track collection of original music arriving Nov. 19, the same day as the game.

The album features an eclectic mix of artists and genres, from hip-hop heavyweights Travis Scott and Cardi B to country star Morgan Wallen and Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro. There's even a collaboration between CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress, Fred again.., and French producer Etienne de Crécy. And somehow, someway, Morgan Wallen's single is the most-streamed track from the soundtrack on Spotify, with more than 25 million streams. Yung Lean, fight back!

Here are the nine songs Rockstar has revealed from the album so far:

• "That's It" — Yung Lean feat. Future & Metro Boomin

• "RHYNO" — Travis Scott

• "Sexy Magic" — CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress, Fred again.. & Etienne de Crécy

• "Flower in a Hurricane" — Justice feat. Tame Impala, SZA & King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

• "Last Thing You Need" — Morgan Wallen

• "Suzuki" — Fuerza Regida

• "Macacoa 2000" — Rauw Alejandro

• "Don't Chart" — Cardi B

• "Bright Lights, Big City" — Keith Richards

Fans can listen to the available singles on Rockstar's official GTA 6 music website, where the album is also available to pre-save or pre-order on vinyl and CD.

Justice is composing the original score for GTA 6

The French electronic duo Justice, consisting of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay, is responsible for the original score of Grand Theft Auto VI.

Rockstar confirmed the news on Oct. 15 alongside the game's launch trailer, which features the debut of Justice's new single, "Flower in a Hurricane," featuring Tame Impala, SZA, and Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.

It's a fitting collaboration for a game returning to Vice City, a fictional playground known for its vibrant nightlife and electronic music. Justice's signature blend of distorted synths, disco, and dance music feels particularly suited to Rockstar's radiant criminal underworld.

The duo previously collaborated with Tame Impala on "Neverender" from their 2024 album Hyperdrama. The song won Best Dance/Electronic Recording at the 2025 Grammys.

Rockstar has also confirmed that an official score album is on the way, although additional details, including its release date and tracklist, have yet to be announced.

Which celebrity DJs are in GTA 6?

The fictional radio stations are one of Grand Theft Auto's most beloved features, and GTA 6 is bringing some major star power to the airwaves.

On Oct. 8, Rockstar unveiled six radio stations, each with its own musical identity and celebrity hosts. Among the biggest names are Bad Bunny, Robyn, Lana Del Rey, Burna Boy, and members of Slayer.

Here's a breakdown of the confirmed stations and their hosts:

Cocoteo FM

Hosts: Bad Bunny and RaiNao

Bad Bunny is bringing the sounds of Puerto Rico to Vice City. Alongside singer RaiNao, the superstar hosts Cocoteo FM, a station dedicated to modern Latin music, including reggaeton and other Caribbean sounds.

Flash FM

Hosts: Robyn and Alex Consani

A familiar name for longtime Vice City fans, Flash FM returns with Swedish pop icon Robyn and model Alex Consani behind the microphone. The station promises a steady stream of pop music and dance-floor favorites.

Back Country Radio

Hosts: Morgan Wallen and Lana Del Rey

Country music gets its own corner of Leonida with Back Country Radio, hosted by Morgan Wallen and Lana Del Rey. In perhaps the most unexpected casting choice, Del Rey's husband, Jeremy Dufrene, also makes an appearance as the station's "roving reporter, swamp meteorologist, and airboat captain."

AfroBank FM

Hosts: Burna Boy and Palms Trax

Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy teams up with DJ and producer Palms Trax for a station spotlighting amapiano, African classics, and other sounds from across the continent.

The Chamber

Hosts: Kerry King and Tom Araya

Metal fans aren't being left out. Slayer's Kerry King and Tom Araya host The Chamber, a station dedicated to heavy metal.

Dirty South Classics

Hosts: Trick Daddy and Trina

Miami rap legends Trick Daddy and Trina are taking listeners through the history of Southern hip-hop on Dirty South Classics, a particularly fitting addition to a game inspired by South Florida.

These are only the stations Rockstar has revealed so far. The developer says GTA 6 will feature its biggest and most wide-ranging collection of in-game radio stations and podcasts yet, with everything from classic rock to talk radio.

What songs are featured in the GTA 6 trailers?

Long before Rockstar began revealing the official soundtrack, the game's trailers were already giving fans a taste of what to expect musically.

The first GTA 6 trailer, released in December 2023, featured Tom Petty's "Love Is a Long Road," a track from his 1989 album Full Moon Fever. The song was an especially fitting choice given Petty's Florida roots and the game's focus on Jason and Lucia's relationship.

The Oct. 15, 2026, launch trailer introduced "Flower in a Hurricane," the new Justice collaboration featuring Tame Impala, SZA, and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.

Where can you listen to the GTA 6 soundtrack?

Rockstar has launched an official music hub where fans can preview the game's radio stations and listen to singles from Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album.

The album arrives Nov. 19, 2026, alongside the game, with digital, vinyl, and CD editions planned.

Opens in a new window Credit: Rockstar Games/Atlantic Records Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album (Amazon Exclusive) $49.98 at Amazon
  Preorder at Amazon

As Rockstar reveals more music, we'll update this guide with additional songs, artists, radio stations, and soundtrack details.

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If you have an old computer (even a laptop) sitting around doing nothing, you could put it to use for local AI instead. I have two old PCs running various AI tasks all the time: one old HP laptop and a retired gaming PC with a Ryzen 1600X, 24GB of VRAM, and an RTX 3060.

SAVE OVER $700: As of Oct. 16, the Sunseeker X3 Plus robot lawn mower has hit its lowest-ever price of $836.98 at Amazon. That's $762.01 off its full price of $1,598.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sunseeker Sunseeker X3 Plus Robot Lawn Mower $836.98 at Amazon
$1,598.99 Save $762.01   Get Deal at Amazon

As we inch closer to winter, outdoor work like mowing the lawn starts winding down. However, there's nothing wrong with planning ahead for next year's yard chores, and Amazon can help by offering stellar discounts on select robot lawn mowers right now. Among them is the Sunseeker X3 Plus, which is nearly half off.

As of Oct. 16, this robot mower has plummeted from $1,598.99 to $836.98, saving you 48% overall. It also marks the lowest price we've seen for the mower, which is a huge bonus.

SEE ALSO: The EcoFlow Titan 5000 home backup system just launched and preorders get a discount

The Sunseeker X3 Plus is designed for yards in a small-to-medium size range. That means lawns up to 0.3 acres/13,000 sq. ft. There's no need to bury perimeter wires, as you can create virtual boundaries in the app. When it comes to cutting, it features an offset blade design which helps it trim closer to fences and borders, and cutting height can even be adjusted in the app. Plus, it can handle slopes up to 30 degrees, so if your yard has a few bumps, it won't be slowed down.

This mower even features a camera and ultrasonic sensor that help it find and maneuver around objects on the lawn.

If the Sunseeker X3 Plus has caught your eye, act fast to save at Amazon.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box is available to preorder for $137.89 at Amazon, but Walmart is cheaper at just $113.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box $113.99 at Walmart
  Preorder at Walmart

It's only been a week since preorders for the Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box first became available for around $140 at Amazon, but prices for the upcoming expansion have already taken a big dip. Walmart has now dropped considerably, offering one of the best preorder prices we've seen for the new ETB.

As of Oct. 16, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box is available to preorder for just $113.99 at Walmart. Compared to Amazon's current lowest price of $137.89, that's a $23.90 difference.

Even better, the new Walmart offer slips beneath the ETB's current estimated market price of $118.85. The lowest-priced listings on TCGplayer currently sit at $118.60.

SEE ALSO: Pokémon TCG Delta Reign 3-Pack Blister preorders are at market price on Amazon — buy for $43.49

You’ll be getting what you can usually expect from a Pokémon ETB: nine titular booster packs from the Delta Reign expansion, a full-art foil Kyogre promo card, 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, seven dice, a plastic coin, six dividers, a collector's box, a player's guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.

When not counting the extras, you’ll be paying $15.56 per pack. 

In this particular expansion, you’ll have over 135 cards to collect. If you want to check out which sort of beautiful Special Illustration Rares you can get (including Mega Rayquaza ex, Raikou ex, Mega Golurk ex, etc) — you can check out the Japanese versions with single cards available to buy right now on TCGplayer. 

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Display Box is on sale for $249.45 at Amazon, down from its $279.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Display Box $249.95 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $30.04   Preorder at Amazon

The Pokémon TCG Delta Reign expansion is just three weeks away, and there seem to be price wars across our go-to trading card retailers. Amazon initially had the 36-pack Display Box available for around $270 when preorders first dropped last week, but there's now a chance to save another $20 on top of that.

As of Oct. 16, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Display Box is available to preorder for just $249.45 at Amazon, with $30.54 knocked off its $279.99 list price. With this new 11% discount from third-party seller Kings Games, you save $20.54 extra compared to the $269.99 Amazon deal we spotted back on Oct. 8. This will arrive later than the expansion’s Nov. 6 release date, but you can get this as soon as Nov. 9.

SEE ALSO: Pokémon TCG Delta Reign 3-Pack Blister preorders are at market price on Amazon — buy for $43.49

Although Amazon's offer is considerably better than before, Walmart currently has an even cheaper option at $229.99 through a third-party seller. That's another $19.46 saved, with free delivery expected Nov. 16. That's $16.37 below TCGplayer’s estimated market price, and listings there only go as low as $244.70. 

For the Amazon price, you're effectively paying $6.93 for each of the 36 Delta Reign booster packs from the 135+ card expansion, giving you 360 random Pokémon cards to open altogether, excluding Energy and code cards.

The U.S. is a big country, and we don't all experience the seasons in the same way, but for a lot of us, fall is definitely here. The weather is cooler, football is happening, new iPhones have arrived, and all of that means it's almost time to move the clocks back to close out Daylight Saving Time 2026.

Since you're reading this, you're probably wondering exactly when that's supposed to happen. After all, it can get confusing as to whether or not we're even in DST at any given point in time, and the beginning and end of it always sneak up on us every year. Fret not, though, because we have an answer: DST ends this year on Nov. 1, with clocks moving back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. overnight.

Yes, that means you get an extra hour of sleep.

SEE ALSO: New cat species identified for first time in 100 years

This, of course, does not apply to municipalities that don't observe DST, such as Hawaii and most of Arizona. But for the rest of us, we're going to have to manually adjust some of our clocks to reflect the change...after that extra long night of sleep, of course. It's also worth noting that any device you own that's connected to the internet, such as a smartphone or laptop, will most likely change its own time automatically.

But if you have an older car or you rely on the clock on your stove, make a note to move it back an hour on Nov. 1.

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Google Pixel phones sit alongside Samsung Galaxy phones and iPhones on store shelves, but no matter how much money you spend on one, Google’s phones will not be as fast as the competition — except in one area, and that's software updates.

Jimmy Kimmel is under fire from the Trump administration this week. First the president went after him at a rally, and now the White House itself has got involved.

"The White House also issued a not-so-fabulous statement today about me, in response to my monologue. To be honest I'm not even sure which one pissed them off. One of the monologues prompted White House spokesboy Davis Dingle to say 'Jimmy Kimmel is a no-talent loser who has beclowned himself with tanking ratings and by spewing disgusting lies to his dwindling audience,' says Kimmel in the clip above, before bringing up a photo of Dingle stood outside the president's plane.

"And by the way, in case you were wondering what a person who uses the word 'beclowned' looks like, this is Davis Dingle — you can see him clicking on his pen, moments before they buckled him into his booster seat on Air Force One."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

You wouldn’t download a car, 3D print it at home, and then assemble the pieces into a life-size replica… right? That’s the idea behind Print Your Vehicle, a project with lofty ambitions of making life-sized 3D-printed car models a reality.

Astronomers peering past the crowded, dusty plane of the Milky Way have spotted a tangle of radio light, glowing inside a massive collision of lots of galaxies.

The space object loops and curls in thin strands, earning its nickname, the Treble Clef. It's what researchers refer to as a "radio phoenix," a cloud of faded particles brought back to life. It lurks inside a galaxy cluster — a huge group of galaxies bound together by gravity — and that cluster is in the throes of a merger with another cluster.

Long ago, a giant black hole in the cluster fired out jets of energetic particles. Over time, those particles lost energy and went dark. Then, the violent crash squeezed and stirred the leftover material, and it lit up again in radio light.

The discovery shows how far radio astronomy has come, according to the researchers, whose paper appears in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal. A new generation of telescopes tuned to long radio waves, especially the European Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) network, now captures images sharp and sensitive enough to resolve blurry smudges into detailed filament tapestries. Radio telescopes also "see" through the gas and dust that block ordinary telescopes.

SEE ALSO: Artemis II crew witnessed meteor flashes on the moon with their own eyes

The Treble Clef first surfaced in radio surveys years ago, and some astronomers thought it might be a pulsar, a fast-spinning dead star. A 2004 study tied it to a possible galaxy cluster, but still couldn't make out its shape because the telescopes of the time couldn't pick out fine enough detail. 

After that, the object faded from view in the scientific literature too. It popped up once more, in a 2022 list of possible "X-shaped" radio sources.

But that changed when the team combed through new LOFAR survey data and saw its twisting structure clearly. They followed up with India's Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope to study the object across a wider range of wavelengths.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory, along with eROSITA, picked up the multi-million-degree hot gas that showed the treble clef sits in two merging galaxy clusters. Credit: NASA illustration

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To size up the cluster itself, the team turned to NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the German eROSITA space telescope, which detected X-rays pouring off super-hot gas that fills the cluster. That signal let the researchers pin down the cluster's distance — about 1.6 billion light-years away — temperature, and mass for the first time, and it confirmed the ongoing collision. The cluster weighs about 600 trillion times as much as our sun.

The researchers think churning gas from the smashup mangled the phoenix into its treble clef shape. The same event also may have sparked a broad, dim haze of radio light at the cluster's center, called a radio halo, but so far only the Indian telescope has detected it.

The object ranks among the most extreme faint, spread-out radio glows ever found in the hot gas that fills the space between a cluster's galaxies. These delicate threads could help crack a bigger puzzle about how cosmic rays — high-energy particles zipping through space — travel through clusters. Scientists still debate what keeps them shining. 

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to UPDF’s PDF editing, conversion, OCR, annotation, and document management tools for $69.99 (reg. $149.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: UPDF UPDF - Edit & Convert PDF: Lifetime Subscription $69.99
$149.99 Save $80.00   Get Deal

PDFs are supposed to make sharing documents easier. Editing them, however, can feel like an entirely different assignment. UPDF offers a lifetime subscription to its PDF editing and conversion toolkit for just $69.99 (reg. $149.99), giving you the tools to manage documents without adding another recurring software payment.

UPDF works across Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, so you’re not tied to one type of device. Its redesigned UPDF 2.0 interface, introduced in 2025, brings a range of document tools into a single workspace.

Need to fix a typo or replace an image? You can edit PDF text, adjust fonts, crop images, and add links directly within your documents.

UPDF also converts PDFs into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, image files, and other formats. Its OCR technology recognizes text in 38 languages, turning scanned documents into searchable, editable files.

For everyday organization, you can merge, split, rotate, extract, and rearrange pages. Annotation tools let you highlight text, add comments, insert signatures, and mark up documents without printing anything.

Batch processing handles tasks such as conversion, compression, encryption, and merging across multiple files at once.

You can also create fillable forms, add password protection, and sync documents across supported devices using UPDF Cloud.

There are a couple of important details: This offer is for new users only, and UPDF’s optional AI Assistant requires a separate purchase. Mac users who need OCR should download UPDF directly from its website rather than the Mac App Store.

For anyone regularly handling PDFs, this is a practical way to bring essential document tools under one roof. Get UPDF’s lifetime PDF editor and converter for a one-time $69.99 (reg. $149.99) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime Windows 11 Pro license for one PC for $9.97 (reg. $199) during the Microsoft Flash Sale through Oct. 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97
$199 Save $189.03   Get Deal

If your PC has been running a little sluggish or you’ve been meaning to bring your system up to speed, Windows 11 Pro is just $9.97 (MSRP $199) through 11:59 p.m. PT on Oct.20 as part of this Microsoft Flash Sale — a rare, time-sensitive offer that rewards quick, savvy decisions.

This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security — all in a one-time lifetime license.

Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and suddenly upgrading to one with a smarter dashboard, smoother handling, and built-in security features.

For professionals, creators, and power users, this upgrade also unlocks features like Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, BitLocker encryption, and seamless Azure AD integration — tools that make a real difference when you’re working across projects or managing sensitive data.

And yes, Windows 11 comes with Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that can summarize pages, change settings, or even help you generate code on the fly. It’s like having a co-pilot (literally) inside your OS.

But you don’t need convincing — you already know a smart upgrade when you see one.

Get Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 (reg. $199) through Oct. 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Check out the other products in the Microsoft Flash Sale.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Gay men are absolutely spoiled for choice in the world of hookup apps and sites, but that doesn't mean every option is worthy of your time. If you're looking for a fast connection, whether virtual or in person, some services clearly stand out. 

Today, we're pitting one of the internet's oldest hookup sites against one of the newest hookup sites in a head-to-head battle to see which option comes out on top. Will it be AdultFriendFinder, the 30-year-old online kink community with millions and millions of active members, or Sniffies, Grindr's less-famous relative that's only been around since 2018? 

Because both sites operate in very different ways, we're comparing them in five unique categories to help you figure out which one is worth your time and, potentially, money. 

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Sniffies Sniffies   Learn More Community size

While we may know size isn't everything, it stands to reason that having a larger pool of potential matches improves your hookup odds, and this is one area where AdultFriendFinder has a clear advantage. From their homepage, AFF boasts nearly 8 million active users across the United States, making it relatively easy to find matches in more rural communities. Sniffies, on the other hand, has just three million active monthly users, and because of its location-based matchmaking algorithm (more on that later), it's a lot more effective for people in or near metropolitan areas. 

Given the sheer size of its community and its dispersion, we give the edge to AFF. 

Winner: AdultFriendFinder

Culture

If you're looking for a hookup, it really helps if the site or app you're using isn't ambiguous about its purpose. Tinder is great and all, but every match produces the same dance: is this person looking for something serious or casual? Both AdultFriendFinder and Sniffies are unambiguously hookup apps, and one clear tell there is in their embrace of nudity.

On both AFF and Sniffies, you can and should expect to see some full-frontal nudity. In fact, it's not uncommon to only see full-frontal nudity, without an accompanying face photo. In contrast to these two raunchy sites, even Grindr, with its strict prohibition against nudity, looks tame by comparison. 

Winner: Tie

Ease of use

One area where AFF really shows its age is in its interface and site architecture. It's not that it's overly complicated, but it isn't nearly as straightforward as it could be, and certainly not as straightforward as Sniffies. 

On AFF, for example, you have to create a profile and then spend time searching through singles profiles or participating in the community section of the website (forums, stories, and live webcam shows) to find someone to match with. Sniffies dispenses with all that noise, getting straight to business: your profile is just an image on a map of your area, with other profiles of "cruisers" (people looking exclusively for a quick hookup) shown based on their proximity to you. 

If you're just looking for a quick hookup, this one is a no-brainer: Sniffies will help you meet someone new much faster. 

Winner: Sniffies

Value

The best thing to say about both sites is that they offer a good amount of features to free users. With a free AFF membership, you can participate in all community areas, including the discussion forums and live webcam feeds, but you can't message people one-on-one. On the other hand, with a free Sniffies membership, you can create a single cruising profile and are restricted to your actual location, while a premium Plus membership unlocks quality-of-life features like zero ads, unlimited profiles, and the ability to "cruise" in other places, like a city you'll be visiting in the near future. 

Because both offer generous free memberships, we're reluctant to give either site the advantage here. 

Winner: Tie

Success rate

When it comes to finding in-person connections, what we would traditionally call a "hookup," there's really no contest. Sniffies users know why they're using the site, and they love the convenience, speed, and ease of access that the location-based service enables. Does that mean you can't find a person on AdultFriendFinder? Of course not. And in fact, if you're happy to confine your pleasures to the digital world, you might want to go with AFF, especially because its user base is larger and more spread out.

Winner: Sniffies

Lastly, it's worth noting that Sniffies was removed from the Apple App Store, so you have to use your mobile or desktop browser. But no worries; it functions in the same way, helping you find the nearest hookup in no time at all.

The energy in the lobby of Alice Tully Hall was kinetic on the night of Sept. 30, as press, patrons, and the public eagerly awaited the New York Film Festival's New York premiere of You Can See Everything. The documentary's existence went from a well-kept secret to an internet sensation when A24 dropped a teaser on Sept. 6 showing notorious Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes having an intimate conversation with heralded comedian Nathan Fielder. 

The project seemed preposterous, like something born from MadLibs or a brain-rot meme. However, the world premiere at a secret screening at the Telluride Film Festival, which was timed to the teaser debut, not only proved this movie was real, but also launched much buzz and absolutely unhinged rumors about what it contains.  

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The New York crowd was downright giddy to see for themselves if You Can See Everything, co-directed by Fielder and Lance Oppenheim (Primetime), could live up to the hype. Personally, I was dubious. Holmes had already been the subject of the heralded book Bad Blood, an Alex Gibney documentary called The Inventor, the podcast series The Dropout, and Hulu's dramatic adaptation of the same name, which starred Amanda Seyfried as Holmes. What could be left to say on this subject? 

Well, I was wrong. Because the answer there is plenty. And You Can See Everything is a masterwork of interrogation, not only of the whole Holmes situation but of documentary as a form itself. And if you're thinking that sounds dry, let me confirm some of the rumors. Yes, there's full-frontal nudity, outrageous statements, bonkers twists, and laughs big and uncomfortable. But there's something more cerebral and unnerving that makes this not exactly a crowdpleaser, but a real stunner.

You Can See Everything is ridiculous on its face. 

Why Nathan Fielder? It's a question he asks Holmes in the film's first half, as he's a comedian known for blurring the lines of reality and performance with shows like Nathan For You and The Rehearsal. Holmes responds with a warm smile and an answer that is intriguingly elusive, as much of her answers will be. Over and over, she insists she's being transparent and truthful. But as that much-talked-about teaser clip suggests, it's hard to trust her, and harder to tell if she's telling the truth. 

Making the movie more bizarre, You Can See Everything began shooting in the 36 days before Holmes turned herself over to authorities to begin her prison sentence for fraud. And during that time, not only did she allow Fielder and his crew of seven into her home with her children and her fiancé, Billy Evans, but she invited him to move into their cramped beach house in the San Diego neighborhood of Del Mar. And he did. 

This should make the audience question Fielder's perspective on Holmes, as he might be accused of getting too close with the subject he's meant to investigate. But this is precisely what You Can See Everything wants you to question — but not just this. 

The film begins with camera angles and conversations between Holmes and Evans (or Liz and Billy, as they call each other) as if we're a fly on the wall. Then, Fielder becomes visible, lurking from a corner or outside their home. He is the audience surrogate in these moments, curious but looking from the outside, trying to make sense of this infamous woman. However, as the film progresses, his getting closer to Holmes and her family puts Fielder in the position of those she's beguiled and impressed before. 

Through Fielder and Oppenheim's suffocatingly intimate approach to the cinematography, we're strapped to his hip on the experience. You Can See Everything is shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is like that of an old-school television from the '90s. This concentrates the audience's attention on to a smaller area, more specifically to the claustrophobic close-ups of Fielder, Holmes, Evans, and others. A multi-camera setup in the home means that the speaker and the spoken-to are caught on tape, so that we can see every microexpression, every flinch or twitch. And in that way, we — like Fielder — are forced to look Holmes in her unblinking eyes and determine for ourselves what is truth and what is a lie. And it's not easy. 

You Can See Everything is a fabulous mindfuck.

Even after all the internet rumors, the most surprising bit — that's not a spoiler — is that Holmes goes to prison around the halfway point of the nearly three-hour-long movie. After that, Fielder and Oppenheim's access to her becomes extremely limited. So, they begin to use reenactments to continue telling their story. That's a standard documentary tool. But the way they use reenactments introduces a new wrinkle in parsing the reality of Holmes' story. As in The Rehearsal, Fielder brings in an actor to play opposite him to recreate moments the crew couldn't catch on camera. And, similar to The Rehearsal, he has conversations with the actor to get a deeper understanding of the interaction. However, because the original interactions are not recorded, it's only Fielder's memory that they can pull from. Even as they read through his scripts, he questions his own memory. His perspective is challenged repeatedly within the film, with the actor even accusing him of liking Holmes too much to be objective. 

This is the core of You Can See Everything that makes it about more than Holmes. Documentaries themselves can never be objective, because they are — as Holmes says — human stories. When the frame is chosen, what is kept in is just as crucial to what is cropped out. When the edit comes together, the moments that are deemed meaningful versus unimportant shape the message. So, while You Can See Everything challenges you to question Holmes and Fielder, it also challenges its audience to think more broadly about documentary and news media. Objectivity is an impossibility. We are creatures of blood and emotion, driven by impulse and a need to protect ourselves from the reality of how we are capable of hurting others. 

It's not just Holmes who is questioned on this point in the film. And so, You Can See Everything becomes an interrogation of how we decide what's true. As a movie, it's a hell of an experience. Personally, I gasped, shouted, laughed, and even gagged. But as a work of art, it's one that's sure to live on for its bold choices, interrogation of form, and for Fielder's brave vulnerability in exposing his own doubts and shortcomings. 

You Can See Everything was reviewed out of the New York Film Festival and will open in theaters on Oct. 16. 

The love stories of Jane Austen might be set in England's Regency era of stiff gender norms and even stiffer social hierarchies, but their appeal is timeless. Austen's novels have been adapted over and over for film and television. Sometimes they are set within their traditional setting, like Ang Lee's rapturous Sense and Sensibility, Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice, and Autumn de Wilde's Emma. Other times, they get a modern overhaul, like Bridget Jones's Diary, Fire Island, or Clueless. Still other adapters might shift the focus to a character or a fan insert, leading to inventive reimaginings like Lost in Austen and The Other Bennet Sister. 

Each incarnation allows audiences a chance to see Austen's work in a new way — but only if the filmmaker embraces such an opportunity. And so, I am at a loss when regarding director Georgia Oakley's Sense and Sensibility. 

It dedicatedly captures the plot points of Austen's 1811 novel about the penniless Dashwood sisters' search for happiness in a society obsessed with status. But the film lacks a distinct identity, leaving me to wonder why Oakley wanted to bring Elinor and Marianne back to the big screen to begin with. Her passion for the project feels as thunderous as Colonel Brandon's (Herbert Nordrum) in the film's first act. But unlike him, Oakley's passion never ignites. 

What's Sense and Sensibility about? 

Austen's novel follows the misadventures of the Dashwood family, which includes mother Mrs. Dashwood (Caitríona Balfe), and her three daughters, Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), and the youngest, Margaret (Bodhi Rae Breathnach). The death of the girls' father has thrown their lives into spin, as he left his house and wealth to a half-brother they hardly know. 

With aggressive speed, this Mr. Dashwood (a dryly funny Tom Brooke) appears on their doorstep with his greedy wife Fanny (a hilarious vicious Stacy Martin), ready to seize all that is legally theirs. 

Poverty is an obvious obstacle for the Dashwood girls in finding a good match. But good fortune seems to fall on Elinor as she falls — in her quiet way — for Fanny's brother Edward Ferrars (George MacKay). Meanwhile, Marianne is being pursued by an elder gentleman of means, the aforementioned Colonel Brandon, but she only has eyes for the galavanting John Willoughby (Frank Dillane). 

Over the course of Sense and Sensibility, the Dashwoods will move to a new — and much humbler — home, find curious new acquaintances, and travel to London in search of love, or at the very least truth. But can they find happiness?

Sense and Sensibility (2026) is charming, but not enchanting.  Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

Arguably, Sense and Sensibility is a trickier movie adaptation than Austen's other most-revisited works, because its heroine Elinor Dashwood is less spirited and impetuous than Emma's eponymous protagonist and Pride and Prejudice's Lizzie Bennet. More than the other Austen adaptations, this one requires a balancing of the double act that is Elinor and Marianne. 

Dedicated to be proper and good above even her own happiness, Elinor is a sharp foil to her impulsive younger sister Marianne. Where Elinor meticulously strives to say the civil thing, Marianne rarely has a thought that goes unspoken. To put it simply, where the former is ruled by her head, the latter is ruled by her heart. 

Through their intertwined tales of love and heartache, Austen exposes how in the pursuit of happiness both reason and feeling — or sense and sensibility — are essential. And so, the sisters must learn from each other, however reluctantly. 

In Lee's adaptation, a young Kate Winslet brought girlish verve to Marianne, while Emma Thompson, who also penned the adapted screenplay, brought a trembling vulnerability to Elinor. In Oakley's version, the performance style overall is more restrained, rejecting the romance of Lee's interpretation. But it's hard to say what she chooses to put in place of the romance. 

Edgar-Jones delivers a performance that is so restrained that it can feel vexingly wooden. Opposite her, MacKay becomes her mirror, his eyes shining but vacant as the two could-be lovers struggle to confess their true feelings. 

Meanwhile, Creed-Miles is engaging as Marianne. But Oakley's presentation of this Austen character is less playful and more proto-goth girl. Creed-Miles excitedly chatters about passion and a wish for a lover with a "dark past," while greasy locks of hair tumble across her face and shoulders, a constant reminder of Marianne's love of nature and untamed temperament. 

It is an interesting take on the character, but it becomes one-note as Marianne's pleas for the attentions of Willoughby get angsty. Making matters worse, despite so much talk of passion, neither of Marianne's would-be suitors are beguiling. Across the board, the chemistry of these leads is inert. No dashing gentleman will rise from a pond, his white shirt clinging to his broad shoulders. There's no flexing hand to make audiences swoon. And even Sense and Sensibility's ballroom dance scenes, which are traditionally a terrific place to exude sexual tension within the socially restrained setting, are lacking in allure. 

Fiona Shaw is the MVP of Sense and Sensibility.  Credit: Alex Bailey / Courtesy of Focus Features

I was overall underwhelmed by the leads of Oakley's adaptation. But her supporting players are terrifically alive, bringing a spark that was a reprieve to such sternness. Screenwriter Diana Reid makes the most out of dinner scenes, and that's where many characters get to shine. 

As mentioned, Martin is deliciously wicked as the Dashwood's scheming, gold-digging sister-in-law. Breathnach, to her credit, is impishly amusing as the youngest sister. Playing boisterous cousin Sir John Middleton, Turlough Convery is warmly amusing, while Chloe Pirrie is cringe-inducingly funny as his socially awkward wife, who treats the weather like a hobby. Plus, Eliot Sumner is bitingly funny as Mr. Palmer, a quiet gentleman who is ever-irked by his relentlessly chatty wife. 

But make no mistake, Fiona Shaw steals scenes she's not even in as Mrs. Jennings. A widow with wealth and way too much time on her hands, Jennings is treated within the plot as a busybody who unintentionally pokes at the emotional bruises of Elinor and Marianne's flailing romances. But Shaw plays more than the silliness or obliviousness of this merry widow. She also radiates with gaudy joy. Her snuffling laughter introduces her character as it echoes through the halls of the Dashwood house, even before she shows up onscreen. 

It's brilliant casting, but beyond that, little elements like how Mrs. Jennings holds her placid pug puppy or offers a heartbroken girl a fortified wine, paint a possibility of womanhood neither Dashwood can currently imagine. Youth is such a volatile element in Austen's stories, because to be deemed an old maid could ruthlessly limit a lady's options. But being old and rich, with unquestionable status, Mrs. Jennings is offered the most freedom in Sense and Sensibility to truly do as she likes. She flaunts etiquette when it doesn't suit her, takes penniless girls on as pets for her travels, and shares her opinions loudly and fearlessly. 

To the girls, she's a reckless and nosy bother. To me, she's a Golden Girl long before her time. Whenever the Dashwoods and their wooden suitors bored me, I waited (not so patiently) for Mrs. Jennings and her quirky family members to return and make me laugh again. 

In the end, Sense and Sensibility is not a bad adaptation of Austen's work as much as it is a boring one. Oakley looks to ground her version in costuming and make-up that feels natural and true to the Regency era. She shies away from theatrical performances in her leads, perhaps seeking to create a timelessness out of a naturalistic approach. But such a tone doesn't fit the poetry of Austen's prose or dialogue. And so, the central romances feel lifeless over lived-in. 

Thus, this Sense and Sensibility is sincere and at times amusing, but shrinks in comparison to other Austen adaptations. 

Sense and Sensibility opens in the UK on Sept. 25 and in the U.S. on Oct. 16.

It's now official: "Swipe fatigue" has made the transition from casual online buzzword to an actual IRL experience. It's now a statistically observable phenomenon, and it's affecting how people approach dating, not to mention their ability to find matches on popular apps.

Indeed, 78 percent of Gen Z dating app users report experiencing some level of "burnout" from dating apps. That research comes from a Forbes survey, while Match Group, Inc., the conglomerate that owns Tinder and Hinge, has seen its stock value plummet by two-thirds since its peak during the pandemic. 

This fatigue has seen an increase in "IRL singles events," forcing the likes of Tinder and Hinge to take note and switch up their game plan. For instance, Tinder launched an Events feature earlier this year to highlight IRL meetups, as well as a new Festival Mode to help strangers with mutual interests meet. Meanwhile, Hinge has reportedly pumped over a million dollars into promoting offline meetups. Things are changing, and it could be for the better — certainly better for your chances of meeting someone and hooking up.

Alternatively, you could look at retro dating directories that refused to jump on the swipe bandwagon and have stuck their guns with offering something different. The issue with swipe-based dating is that it's so binary — yes or no, like or don't like — but sites such as AdultFriendFinder have instead built online communities of people looking for fun (and the spicier the fun, the better). It's about giving users multiple avenues to interact or come together (quite literally in some cases) over shared interests. 

Here's why AdultFriendFinder is the perfect example of this approach:

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Matchmaking beyond the swipe

As fun as mindlessly swiping through singles profiles can be, it should dawn on you at some point that your fellow eligible locals are putting exactly the same amount of effort into evaluating your profile as you are into evaluating theirs. And that's genuinely terrifying.

If you're looking to meet someone, you need more to go off than just photos and a 200-word biography. In the past, people met at work, in college, or at their place of worship, but in the decentralized, delocalized world of the internet, that kind of constant proximity to others is becoming a rare commodity. 

Sites poised to succeed in a post-swipe-fatigue landscape are aware of this fact and are actively trying to solve the problem.  

Yes, AdultFriendFinder has its own version of the singles search, where you put in your location and filters, and it generates a list of eligible people, but that's only a small fraction of what the site offers.

Digital communities are the future

The best way to cure swipe fatigue is to remove the mechanism entirely. Instead, allow people to meet organically through interest-based online communities.

AdultFriendFinder has an entire Community section built around blogs, group chats, and shared stories, where the purpose is more than just matching with someone you might have something in common with. You can read other people's stories, share your own (with or without pictures), or participate in group discussions. There's even a handy Trending filter, so you always know what stories and discussions are generating the most buzz.

And, if you have a way with words, it's surprisingly easy to build your own following, especially when you consider how many niche or esoteric interests AFF caters to. 

Centering live chats and webcam broadcasts

For all their self-promoting talk about being the future, dating apps are shockingly low-tech. After all, we've been able to send and receive texts for over two decades now, and the swipe mechanism itself dates to before the original iPhone. What, exactly, is so special about their design? And why have they been so reticent to adopt video messaging?

Look at two of the most popular and most downloaded apps of the last decade, Snapchat and TikTok, and it's easy to see that the age of the photo is on its way out, while text messaging is as archaic as the dinosaurs at this point.

Plus, let's be real here: people already use both Snapchat and TikTok as lowkey dating sites, flirting via video chat.

This is another place where AdultFriendFinder, despite its age, is obviously ahead of its time. It made live broadcasting and video chatting a major component of its site more than a decade ago. Click on the Live Action tab at the top of their banner, and you can gain access to their Member Webcams section, where singles regularly interact with their audiences (and not just in naked, NSFW ways!). 

If you're tired of always being the one chasing and want to experience people coming to you for a change, start your own broadcast and engage with the people who watch your stream — you may be surprised by who shows up!

The future of dating apps

To be clear, we're not arguing that AdultFriendFinder is about to replace Tinder or Hinge as the go-to dating app for young daters. But we are telling you that, by every evaluative metric we have, online daters are sick of swiping and looking for something more substantive. 

We fully expect the next big dating app to offer community-based interactions rather than one-on-one swiping, and to natively support video chatting or messaging, stealing a page from TikTok's playbook.