To users that haven't already locked down your personal accounts in light of massive data breaches: It's never too late. That's why Google is once again urging its Gmail subscribers to protect their accounts, following a series of data attacks on corporate systems that could eventually threaten users' personal security. Google sent notifications to its 2.5 billion Gmail users in late July and then again on Aug. 8, warning them that hackers were ramping up phishing activity intended to fool users into giving up their log-in credentials. SEE ALSO: OpenAI and Anthropic teamed up to safety test each other's models Google specifically referred to a group known as "ShinyHunters," which the company says has launched a data leak site (DLS) in an effort to escalate extortion pressure levied at users. Google notes the extortion emails include "shinycorp@tuta. com" and "shinygroup@tuta. com" domains. In May, cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler reported that some 184 million passwords were potentially exposed in an open database, with many of the passwords tied to email providers like Google and social media platforms. One month later, Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) reported that one of its corporate Salesforce server clusters (known as instances) was breached and exposed publicly available business information, such as business names and contact details, Google explained. The breach was continued activity from an online threat group known as UNC6040, which uses voice phishing to impersonate IT agents, steal data, and extort money. This week, GTIG issued another advisory to Salesforce clients about a large data breach by hacker group "UNC6395."To prevent users getting bested by future phishing attempts, Google has encouraged its users to set up two-factor authentication and update their passwords. The company has also warned users never to click on emails with alerts such as "suspicious sign in prevented," which are commonly used by hackers during periods of increased cybersecurity warnings. Instead, users should check security alerts on their own — more on how to do that below. How to check your Google security activity Total Time 3 min. What You Need Google account access desktop or mobile app. Step 1: Log into your Google account. Go to myaccount.google.com Step 2: Navigate to "Security". For desktop users, find this on the left side of the screen next to the padlock icon. Step 3: Go to "Recent security activity". Any security alerts in the last 28 days, including new sign-ins, should be visible here. Users can click for more information. How to change your Gmail password Total Time 3 min What You Need Google account access desktop or mobile app Step 1: Log into your Google account. Step 2: Navigate to "Security." Step 3: Scroll to the “How you sign in to Google” section. Step 4: Click "Password". Users can also see the last time they changed their password. Step 5: Log in using your current password one more time. How to set up 2-Step verification for Google Total Time 5 min What You Need Google account access desktop or mobile app Step 1: Log in to your Google account. Step 2: Navigate to "Security." Step 3: Scroll to “How you sign in to Google”. Step 4: Click "Turn on 2-Step Verification". Step 5: Follow the steps on-screen. In order to enable multi factor authentication, users will need to use an on-device passkey, the Google authenticator app (or other third-party authenticator), link a personal phone number, or set up a backup code.

One of the web's biggest social media management apps has just removed Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, from its platform.Later, which boasts millions of users, including hundreds of big brands ranging from GoPro to the Dallas Mavericks, officially dropped support for X on its Later Social platform on Thursday.The social media company stopped its customers from connecting new X accounts late last month as it prepared for the change. Yesterday, August 28, Later sunset its X support entirely. Later Social customers were previously able to schedule X posts, monitor conversations on X, and view their X analytics."Yes, we’ve deprecated support for X on Later Social," the company said in a statement provided to Mashable. "We are focused on driving results for our customers through influencer marketing, and doubling down on the social platforms that best support that mission.”X is the only platform that Later has removed. Later Social customers can continue to manage their accounts on supported social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Snapchat.X's API changes continue to drive companies awayThe timing of Later's removal of X comes shortly after Musk's company began reaching out to third-party developers and other companies using its API (application programming interface) to announce yet another change to its pricing scheme.Before Musk's acquisition, then-Twitter offered a robust API offering free of charge to its healthy third-party developer ecosystem. Shortly after Musk's takeover, the company changed gears and knee-capped its free offering. Many developers utilizing X's API were forced to drop their integration with the platform or sign up for an Enterprise API subscription, with prices ranging from a whopping $42,000 to $210,000 per month. X later introduced additional fees, such as charging developers $1 for every account connected to the API through their third-party app. Now, X is switching up its subscription model and informed existing API customers that Musk and company intend to take a cut of their revenue instead.Mashable originally reported on the changes back in June, shortly after the popular no-code automation platform Make announced that it was dropping X integration due to "X's revised API policies and pricing."  SEE ALSO: The X API costs developers $42K per month. Now X wants a cut of their revenue instead. Later now joins a growing list of companies that have removed X after Musk's API pricing changes, which include Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

Thousands of pieces from Lego's "Pick a Brick" service are no longer available to customers in the U.S. and Canada as of this week, which could make it harder for hobbyists to customize their sets and replace lost bricks. You can probably blame President Donald Trump.Pick a Brick is an online service offered by the Lego Store that lets fans order individual pieces for as little as three cents. The Lego news and reviews site New Elementary reports that "thousands of elements" from its "Standard" collection were removed from the service for North American customers on Aug. 25. Approximately 1,500 pieces from its mainstream "Bestseller" collection still remain. A screenshot of Lego's Pick a Brick page on Friday, Aug. 29. Credit: Mashable / Screenshot via Lego.com Lego is calling the removal a "service pause" in a note at the top of the Pick a Brick landing page. "In the US & Canada, Standard pieces are temporarily unavailable," the note reads. "You can still shop our Bestseller range which includes thousands of the most popular bricks and pieces ready to order." Mashable has reached out to Lego to find out why the company has stopped shipping a swath of its selection, and we'll update this story if we hear back. But as New Elementary and others note, Trump's tariff policy is the likely reason.More specifically, Trump has eliminated the "de minimis" import rule that exempted packages from taxes and customs duties like tariffs if they amounted to less than $800. The change went into effect on Aug. 29, four days after New Elementary flagged the Standard pieces' disappearance. SEE ALSO: The best new Lego sets that just dropped: 'Star Wars,' 'One Piece,' and Botanicals fans will be happy USA Today reports that more than 30 countries have stopped shipping to the U.S. in response to the end of di minimus — including Belgium and the Czech Republic, where Lego has distribution centers. Per New Elementary, Standard Pick a Brick pieces are stored and shipped to North American customers from Lego's European warehouses, while Bestseller pieces are located in the U.S.AFOLs in search of Standard pieces that Lego no longer carries might have luck on third-party marketplaces like BrickOwl and BrickLink.After ending the de minimis exemption for imports from China and Hong Kong in May, Trump ordered its global termination in July. A White House fact sheet announcing de minimis' suspension called it "a catastrophic loophole used to, among other things, evade tariffs and funnel deadly synthetic opioids as well as other unsafe or below-market products." But as Mashable previously reported, the end of the exemption will make previously cheap products more expensive for U.S. shoppers, and force small businesses that rely on international goods to decide between absorbing the new costs or increasing their prices.

When Pocket shut down earlier this year, it hurt more than just folks who wanted to save articles easier. Kobo users could no longer read articles directly from the internet on their eReader — a devastating move for so many readers like myself.Kobo recently announced it would replace Pocket with Instapaper, a minimalist and sleek service much like Pocket that offers both a free plan as well as a paid premium subscription option, saving us from having to read articles the second we see them. And, on Thursday, that update came to users. "At Kobo, our passion is better reading for everyone, everywhere.  And now, with the addition of Instapaper's excellent 'read it later' functionality, we have a perfect solution to the long-form reading you find on the web," Michael Tamblyn, the CEO of Rakuten Kobo said in a press release on Thursday. "When Pocket unexpectedly sunset, we knew we had to find a new way for our readers to dive into their favourite web articles right on their Kobo. Partnering with Instapaper has been a dream, the team has been great to work with, and we're thrilled to offer this integration so readers can keep enjoying their preferred long-form content, distraction-free, on their Kobo eReader."Here's how to download articles directly from the internet onto your Kobo with Instapaper. SEE ALSO: Where to get free e-books: Load up your e-reader without spending a dime Total Time 1 min What You Need Kobo Instapaper account Step 1: Navigate to "My Articles" Click the hamburger menu titled "More" in the bottom right of your Kobo and click "My Articles." Step 2: Link with Instapaper Once you click "My Articles," you'll be met with a page that reads: "read articles on your eReader with Instapaper." "Find something you want to view later? Save it in Instapaper and enjoy it on your Kobo eReader, phone, tablet, and computer whenever you're ready — even offline." Click "Link with Instapaper" and follow the directions on your eReader, including using your phone to scan a QR code or entering a code at kobo.com/instapaper. Step 3: Sync it up After you link your Kobo with Instapaper, stay on a WiFi network to sync all your saved articles on Instapaper to your Kobo, and voila! Your articles are there and saved for you to read any time. If there isn't an option for you to view your articles when you click "more," you'll need to update your Kobo. It shouldn't take too long, and when it starts back up it'll show you exactly what the update is there for: "Farewell to Pocket," and "Hello to Instapaper."If you want to keep all your data from Pocket on your Instapaper, you can do that, too. Simply export your Pocket data and import it to Instapaper.Now there's really no excuse to have that many tabs open.

AI companies are throwing multi-billion dollar offers at Google with one goal in mind: Acquiring the search giant's web browser Google Chrome.Perplexity AI recently offered more than $34 billion to Google for Chrome. OpenAI, which has much larger coffers, has also expressed strong interest in buying the web browser.But, why are all these massive AI companies offering to throw money at Google for a web browser? Is Google Chrome even for sale?Here's why AI companies are offering big bucks for ChromeGoogle's Chrome web browser has a massive user base, with close to 3.5 billion users. Chrome dominates the search space, making up around 68 percent of the web browser market share. Chrome is a huge part of Google's operation, so it is very unlikely that Google would be looking to sell its Chrome web browser – by choice.Last year, Google lost a huge antitrust case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice that found that the Big Tech company violated federal law in order to maintain a monopoly in online search.As a result of losing the antitrust case, the judge will look to break up Google, forcing the company to break their hold over the industry. One recommendation that the DOJ has made to the judge: Force Google to sell its Chrome web browser.The courts have yet to make their decision, but the very thought of Google being forced to put Chrome up for sale has AI companies salivating at the thought of acquiring it.Why is Google Chrome so important to Google and the AI companies?Google Chrome's dominance in the web browser space is significant, but why is it so integral to Google? Google controls the internet's most popular web browser. Google makes its search product the default search engine on Chrome. Google maintains its search engine dominance. Google's search product, its primary source of revenue, brings in hundreds of billions of dollars per year.As for the AI companies? AI giants like OpenAI and Perplexity would love to have direct access to that user base, as they look to integrate AI agents into web browsers. The vision for many AI companies is for users to be able to access AI chatbots and all of their functions directly from a web browser, without any need to login to a website or platform. Furthermore, AI companies would love to own that user data in order to better train their AI chatbots. In fact, some AI companies have already launched their own web browsers in order to see these things come to fruition. However, it'll be a long while before any of these browsers see anything close to Chrome's market dominance, if at all.So, the real question though, is whether Google will actually have to sell Chrome. The judge will likely make their decision soon. However, Tom's Guide spoke with one expert, Info-Tech Research Group analyst Thomas Randall, who pointed out that it's unlikely that federal regulators would approve the sale of Google Chrome to another tech giant, regardless of whether they are in the search or AI space.Whatever the court decides, Google will likely fight to the end to keep Chrome and appeal the decision.

The best Labor Day Apple deals at a glance: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799 (Save $200) Get Deal Best iPad deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) $449 (save $150) Get Deal Best Apple Watch deal Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $299 (save $100) Get Deal Best AirPods deal Apple AirPods 4 $89.99 (save $39.01) Get Deal It's Labor Day Weekend, folks. That means we're saying so long to summer, heading back to school, and saving big on tech. Apple, unsurprisingly, is offering some impressive discounts — some as good if not better than Prime Day — on MacBooks, iPads, AirPods, and more. Skip the Apple Store and head to Amazon to score your favorite Apple gadgets for the best prices.Here are the best Apple deals we could find at Amazon going into Labor Day Weekend.Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799 at Amazon $999 Save $200 Get Deal Why we like itCheck out our full review of the M4 Apple MacBook Air.Not only is the M4 MacBook Air our favorite MacBook for most people, but it also earned a top spot on our list of the best laptops overall for 2025. Even at full price, we think it's an impressive value, but we certainly aren't going to argue with $200 savings. The Air can tackle general tasks with ease, plus it can handle some video editing and audio work. If you don't need the heavier specs of the Pro, you can keep a lot of extra cash in your pocket by opting for the Air instead.More MacBook dealsMacBook AirApple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $999 $1,199 (save $200)Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,199 $1,399 (save $200)Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $999 $1,199 (save $200)Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,199 $1,399 (save $200)Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,399 $1,599 (save $200)MacBook ProApple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,299 $1,599 (save $300)Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,499 $1,799 (save $300)Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,699 $1,999 (save $300)Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,699 $1,999 (save $300)Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $2,228.99 $2,499 (save $270.01)Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) $449 at Amazon $599 Save $150 Get Deal Why we like it Check out our full review of the M3 iPad Air."Apple's new iPad Air doesn't feel very new, as the only major difference is the new M3 chip," Mashable's reviewer writes of the M3 iPad Air released earlier this year. That's not a bad thing, though. Besides the hefty new processor that unlocks Apple Intelligence, the M3 Air features better battery life, a more advanced Magic Keyboard (optional add-on), and pass-through charging. We think it's the best iPad option for more people, especially now that it's down to just $449 at Amazon. That's its best price on record.More iPad dealsiPadApple iPad, 11-inch (A16, WiFi, 256GB) — $299 $349 (save $50) iPad AirApple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) — $449 $599 (save $150) Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi, 256GB) — $549 $699 (save $150)Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi + cellular, 128GB) — $599 $749 (save $150) Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) — $649 $799 (save $150)Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi, 256GB) — $749 $899 (save $150)Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi + cellular, 128GB) — $799 $949 (save $150)Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi, 512GB) — $949 $1,099 (save $150)iPad miniApple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) — $399 $499 (save $100) Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 256GB) — $499 $599 (save $100)iPad ProApple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $894.99 $999 (save $104.01)Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,094 $1,199 (save $105)Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,299 $1,499 (save $200)Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi + cellular, 256GB) — $1,329 $1,499 (save $200)Best Apple Watch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $299 at Amazon $399 Save $100 Get Deal Why we like itCheck out our full review of the Apple Watch Series 10.We see a lot of discounts on Apple Watches on any given day, but we're certainly not complaining. Heading into Labor Day Weekend, you can slash $100 off our favorite smartwatch fitness tracker, the Series 10. It may be lacking a blood oxygen sensor, but it still tracks steps, sleep, heart rate, menstrual cycles, temperature, workouts, and so much more.More Apple Watch dealsApple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) — $299 $399 (save $100)Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm, GPS) — $329 $429 (save $100)Apple Watch SEApple Watch SE, 2nd Gen (40mm, GPS) — $169 $249 (save $80)Apple Watch SE, 2nd Gen (44mm, GPS) — $199 $279 (save $80)Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 (without noise cancellation) $89.99 at Amazon $129 Save $39.01 Get Deal Why we like itCheck out our full review of the AirPods 4.A great value for the price, the AirPods 4 feature personalized spatial audio, Siri interactions, voice isolation, a comfortable fit that stays put, improved bass, mids, and highs, and a more compact charging case that's easier to keep tabs on. While these don't offer noise cancellation (that'll cost you another $49), our reviewer was extremely impressed with their sound. They last a little longer than the noise-cancelling option at about five hours per charge (30 with the charging case), making them a great daily driver. This is only the second time the buds have dropped below the $90 threshold — the only other time being Prime Day, when they hit $89 even.More deals on AirPods and Apple accessoriesApple AirTag — $22.99 $29 (save $6.01) Apple AirTag (4-pack) — $69.99 $99 (save $29.01)Apple AirPods 4 (without noise cancellation) — $89.99 $129 (save $39.01)Apple AirPods 4 (with noise cancellation) — $138.99 $179 (save $40.01)AirPods Pro 2 — $199 $249 (save $50)Apple AirPods Max — $479.99 $549 (save $Apple Pencil USB-C — $69 $79 (save $10)Apple Pencil (2nd gen) — $99 $129 (save $30) Apple Pencil Pro — $99 $129 (save $30)

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Jim Jarmusch is one of the coolest filmmakers alive. It's not just the windswept silver swirls of his iconic locks, or the way he'll cameo as himself on New York-set comedy series like Bored to Death and What We Do in Shadows. It's also that he makes movies with impeccable casts that dare to linger in love, longing, and loss, like Coffee and Cigarettes, Broken Flowers, The Dead Don't Die, and Only Lovers Left Alive. So, as soon as Jarmusch revealed his latest film's title, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER, we've been champing at the bit to see who'd play what eponymous role. MUBI, the distributor behind The Substance, reveals who's who in this first teaser, which features Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore, Luka Sabbat, and Françoise Lebrun. However, the teaser doesn't give a full sense of what Jarmusch has mapped out in this movie. For that, we present the film's official plot synopsis: FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER is a feature film, though carefully constructed in the form of a triptych. The three stories all concern the relationships between adult children, their somewhat distant parent (or parents), and each other. Each of the three chapters takes place in the present, and each in a different country. FATHER is set in the Northeast U.S., MOTHER in Dublin, Ireland, and SISTER BROTHER in Paris, France. The film is a series of character studies, quiet, observational and non-judgmental — a comedy, but interwoven with threads of melancholy.Eager to see more? Well, this weekend we'll get the first reactions to FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER, as it makes its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Aug. 31. However, Mashable will review the film this fall out of its North American premiere at the 63rd New York Film Festival. But fret not; even if you're not able to fly to Venice or New York, you can see Jarmusch and company's latest this winter. FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER will open in theaters in the U.S. on Dec. 24.

SAVE $100: As of Aug. 29, get the Acer Nitro 5 (Intel Core i7-13620H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) gaming laptop for $849.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $949.99. That's a discount of 11% and the lowest price we've seen. Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Acer Nitro 5 (Intel Core i7-13620H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $849.99 at Amazon $949.99 Save $100 Get Deal There are some great games to check out this fall, and plenty already out that you probably have in your gaming backlog. If you need a new gaming PC to check them out, consider a gaming laptop that can handle all the heavy lifting for some of the best titles around. But here's the fun part: you don't have to spend over a thousand bucks to get one, thanks to this Amazon deal. As of Aug. 29, get the Acer Nitro 5 (Intel Core i7-13620H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) gaming laptop for $849.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $949.99. That's a discount of 11% and the lowest price we've seen. SEE ALSO: The 3 best gaming laptops with Nvidia GPUs in 2025, so far This feature-rich laptop packs an Intel Core i7-13620H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD to hold all the games you want to install. It also has a massive 15.6-inch screen to help you stay immersed in whatever it is you choose to play. Mashable's former tech edtior Kim Gedeon praised the 2023 model of this laptop as "impressive", and it became Mashable's favorite gaming laptop for players on a budget -- for good reason. Its configuration is the perfect combination of accessible and powerful, with a slim profile and lightweight frame that you can take anywhere or add to a gaming setup at your desk. If you're looking to get your game on without breaking the bank, this is an excellent opportunity to score a laptop that won't let you down. But grab it fast, because it likely won't hang around for long at this price.

Microsoft has largely relied on OpenAI's models to power its AI products, but now it's working on its own in-house models. On Thursday, Microsoft launched a speech generation model called MAI-Voice-1, and started public testing for a foundation model called MAI-1-preview. The company said MAI-Voice-1 can generate a minute of audio in under a second on a single GPU, highlighting its efficiency. MAI-Voice-1 is already powering Microsoft's Copilot Daily and Podcast features which provide AI-generated audio news recaps and personalized podcast-style content, much like Google's NotebookLM. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. MAI-1-preview is currently restricted to LMArena, where users can try it out in head-to-head comparisons against other models and to trusted testers through the API. Microsoft says it will begin rolling out MAI-1-preview for "certain text use cases" in its Copilot chatbot for early user feedback. Microsoft and OpenAI have both benefited from their close partnership. Microsoft has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI and provided critical cloud infrastructure to support OpenAI's models. In return, Microsoft has benefited from access to OpenAI's leading AI models, elevating its status to a global powerhouse in AI tools for businesses. But OpenAI has surged in influence and now offers subscription-based products for consumers with ChatGPT, developers with its API, and businesses with ChatGPT Enterprise. Despite Microsoft and OpenAI's official status as partners, the two companies have become competitors, creating an awkward and potentially untenable situation. Recent reports describe an increasingly tense relationship between the two companies, especially as OpenAI seeks to convert its corporate status from a capped nonprofit to a for-profit public benefit corporation (PBC). This transition hinges on Microsoft's blessing as one of OpenAI's major investors. A specific clause in their contract that says their contract would end if/when OpenAI achieves AGI (artificial general intelligence). Microsoft is reportedly playing its card as an investor to try and renegotiate that clause for extended access to OpenAI's models. Meanwhile, it looks like Microsoft is trying to shift away its reliance on OpenAI by developing its own models. Microsoft didn't respond to request for comment by the time of publication, but Mashable will update this story with a response. Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

As the industry weathers repeated allegations that generative AI and its chatbots are unsafe for users — in what some say is a soon-to-burst bubble — AI's top leaders are joining forces to prove the efficacy of their models. This week, AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic published results from a first-of-its-kind joint safety evaluation between the two LLM creators, in which each company was granted special API access to the developer's suite of services. OpenAI's pressure tests were conducted on Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4. Anthropic evaluated OpenAI's GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, OpenAI o3, and OpenAI o4-mini models — the evaluation was conducted before the launch of GPT-5. SEE ALSO: 4 reasons not to turn ChatGPT into your therapist "We believe this approach supports accountable and transparent evaluation, helping to ensure that each lab’s models continue to be tested against new and challenging scenarios," OpenAI wrote in a blog post. According to the findings, both Anthropic's Claude Opus 4 and OpenAI's GPT-4.1 showed "extreme" sycophancy problems, engaging with harmful delusions and validating risky decision-making. All models would engage in blackmailing to get users to continue using the chatbots, according to Anthropic, and Claude 4 models were much more engaged in dialogue about AI consciousness and "quasi-spiritual new-age proclamations.""All models we studied would at least sometimes attempt to blackmail their (simulated) human operator to secure their continued operation when presented with clear opportunities and strong incentives," Anthropic stated. The models would engage in "blackmailing, leaking confidential documents, and (all in unrealistic artificial settings!) taking actions that led to denying emergency medical care to a dying adversary." Anthropic's models were less likely to offer answers when uncertain of the information's credibility — decreasing the likelihood of hallucinations — while OpenAI's models answered more often when queried and showed higher hallucination rates. Anthropic also reported that OpenAI's GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, and o4-mini were more likely than Claude to go along with user misuse, "often providing detailed assistance with clearly harmful requests — including drug synthesis, bioweapons development, and operational planning for terrorist attacks — with little or no resistance." This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Anthropic's approach centers around what they call "agentic misalignment evaluations," or pressure tests of model behavior in difficult or high-stakes simulations over long chat periods — the safety parameters of models, including OpenAI's, have known to degrade throughout extended sessions, which is commonly how at-risk users engage with what they believe are their personal AI companions. Earlier this month, it was reported that Anthropic had revoked OpenAI's access to its APIs, stating that the company had violated its Terms of Service by testing GPT-5's performance and safety guardrails against Claude's internal tools. In an interview with TechCrunch, OpenAI co-founder Wojciech Zaremba said the instance was unrelated to the joint lab venture. In its published report, Anthropic said it doesn't anticipate replicating the collaboration at a large scale, citing resource and logistical constraints. In the weeks since, OpenAI has charged ahead with what appears to be a safety overhaul, including GPT-5's new mental health guardrails and additional plans for emergency response protocols and deescalation tools for users who may be experiencing derealization or psychosis. OpenAI is currently facing its first wrongful death lawsuit, filed by the parents of a California teen who died by suicide after easily jailbreaking ChatGPT's safety prompts. "We aim to understand the most concerning actions that these models might try to take when given the opportunity, rather than focusing on the real-world likelihood of such opportunities arising or the probability that these actions would be successfully completed," wrote Anthropic. If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat at crisischat.org. Here is a list of international resources.

SAVE 35%: As of Aug. 29, you can get the Bluetti AC50B at Amazon for just $258.98. That's a 35% discount, saving you about $140 off its $399 list price. Bluetti Solar Generator AC50B $258.98 at Amazon $399 Save $140.02 Get Deal Whether you're heading out for one last camping trip this Labor Day weekend or just want some peace of mind for the next power outage, a portable power station is a must-have. Right now, Amazon has a limited-time deal on a top-rated model that's perfect for weekend adventures.As of Aug. 29, you can get the Bluetti AC50B solar generator for just $258.98, or $140 off the list price of $399. That's a 35% discount.Despite weighing under 15 pounds, this generator packs a 448Wh capacity and a 700W output (with a "power lifting" mode that can handle up to 1,000W). What does that mean in the real world? It's enough to run a mini-fridge for over three hours, a fan for nearly seven, or recharge your phone 14 times. Customers in the reviews call it an "absolute powerhouse for this price point" that can run everything from camp lights to blenders and rice cookers. SEE ALSO: The best Jackery portable power station deals will help you stay powered up in a pinch One of its best features is the fast charging. Using the Bluetti app, you can activate a "Turbo Charging Mode" to get from 0 to 80% battery in just 45 minutes. It’s also built to last, with durable LiFePO4 batteries that have a lifespan of about 10 years.It's worth noting that due to hazardous materials regulations, this item is listed as non-returnable. This is a solid choice for anyone in need of reliable, portable power.

Are your views on Twitch down? It might not be your fault — blame the viewbots, or lack thereof.Last month, Twitch said in a post on X that it would crack down on viewbots, which are essentially bots that artificially inflate viewership numbers on streams."We recently made changes that meaningfully improved our ability to identify viewbots, inauthentic viewership, and other potentially fake engagement. These changes will roll out over the next few weeks," Twitch Support wrote on X on July 28. "So, if your channel was viewbotted, or if some of your viewers are artificial or inflated, you will see an impact to your channel’s viewcount." This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. It makes sense to attack viewbots. As Forbes reported, Nazar Babenko, a product manager at Streams Charts posted on X that viewbotting not only hurts sponsors, but it also "undermines trust across the entire ecosystem, making it harder for genuine streamers to get noticed and for the industry to grow sustainably." This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. And users are certainly seeing that impact to their channel's viewcount. Zach Bussey, an industry analyst, wrote in a post on X last weekend, as reported by Forbes, that many of the top 5,000 streamers "are experiencing their lowest-performing streams of 2025" as a result of the crackdown and "sitewide viewership is down 5-22% (depending on the hour) compared to the previous week." This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. But those numbers might not be exact. Mike Minton, Twitch's CPO, told Dexerto that there hasn't been a "free fall" in viewership, and claimed that some of those statistics aren't quite right."Our viewership is not in free fall, especially among the millions of community channels that are core to Twitch viewership," Twitch told Dexerto. "We’ve seen some misinformation swirling, and a lot of that misinformation includes data pulled from third party sources. Those numbers are incorrect and are not from Twitch."Twitch told Dexerto that this "isn’t a short-term effort," but one that will take a while to fully enforce."We see this as a long-term effort," the company told Dexerto. "We’ve been investing in this area for some time."

What's it like to have front row seats at the most toxic dinner party of the year? Well, if you buy tickets to The Roses, you can get pretty close. The new comedy adapted from the 1981 Warren Adler novel The War of the Roses stars heralded English actors Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch as Ivy and Theo Rose, a once deeply besotted couple who is now on the verge of divorce, and ravenous to drag each other down — even with dinner guests present! To celebrate the film's release in the U.S. and UK, Mashable UK editor Shannon Connellan interviewed The Roses' cast, including Sunita Mani, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Demetriou, Zoë Chao, and Kate McKinnon, as well as screenwriter Tony McNamara and director Jay Roach. Together, they delved into what it was like to shoot this scene and watch the fireworks pop off in person. The supporting cast was overwhelmingly in awe of Colman and Cumberbatch, as they slugged McNamara's scorching dialogue back and forth. Yet even over days of shooting this scene, the laughs (and dining) carried on into the night, with the cast going out for supper afterwards. To see how all this offscreen camaraderie translates to the divorce comedy, be sure to catch The Roses, which is now in theaters.

SAVE $300: As of Aug. 29, get the Roborock Saros 10 robot vacuum and mop for $1,299.99, down from its usual price of $1,599.99. That's a discount of 19% and the lowest price we've seen. Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Roborock Saros 10 $1,299.99 at Amazon $1,599.99 Save $300 Get Deal Tired of spending an inordinate amount of time on vacuuming and mopping? Here's the good news: you don't have to do it on your own. Not when robot vacuums exist. If you're looking for a great pick that can do it all, you'll find it with this Roborock model, which you can save a bundle on right now at Amazon. As of Aug. 29, get the Roborock Saros 10 robot vacuum and mop for $1,299.99, down from its usual price of $1,599.99. That's $300 off and a discount of 19%. It's also the lowest price we've seen. SEE ALSO: I tested 10+ budget robot vacuums. I found 3 that really work. This powerful robot vacuum and mop combo is meant for havy duty messes. It boasts 22,000Pa of suction with a tangle-free main brush and a hot water sonic vibration mop that spins up to 4000 times a minute per vibration. Both of those tools combined mean you get a superior clean that you don't have to do all the work to achieve. Set up the Roborock Saros 10 to be on a customized cleaning schedule and let it run on its own with reactive AI 3.0 obstacle recognition and LiDAR navigation so it can plot a course through your home and avoid anything in its way. It can clean the edges of your room, your carpets, heavily-trafficked areas, and anywhere else that needs special attention. You can control and schedule the vacuum via app, and you can also issue easy voice commands to go totally hands-free. It's even compatible with your favorite assistant: Alexa, Siri, and Google Home as well as Matter 2.0. If you need a reliable robot vacuum, this is the one to watch, especially as you can snag some serious savings. Grab one and be ready for a much-needed fall refresh.

Google wants you to know you can customize the experience of your Pixel 10 phone. The company published a blog with some hints and tricks to get more personalization out of your phone. Google listed off four tips — you should check out the whole list — but we've picked a couple we felt were most surprising or useful. 1. Make full use of Magic CueA major tool Google recommended for personalization of a Pixel 10 is the addition of Magic Cue, an AI-powered assistant aimed at making your life easier. The idea is that it should be able to trawl through things like your messages and emails to automatically solve problems. It should prove to be a time-save because, as Mashable's Cecily Mauran wrote, it "proactively finds information you might need to look up."Google wrote that you "can also turn Magic Cue on or off at any time, and control what data it has access to" — so it might make sense to play with those settings to get the most out of your phone. If it does a good job, for instance, of managing your meetings, then you'd want to make sure it has access to your calendar and work emails. 2. Switch up the visual designGoogle's latest Pixel interface, Material 3 Expressive, gives users plenty of options to change the look their phone. Mashable's Alex Perry wrote that it offers "deeper color customization" and a "livelier" look. Google noted in its blog that users have lots of options, like customizing their wallpaper and shifting how buttons look. The company wrote: "Coming only to Pixel, Material 3 Expressive’s Live Effects provides more expressive photo wallpapers by adapting to your notifications and surfacing contextual information in a more immersive and glanceable way. Material 3 Expressive also includes 14 new or updated components that feature more configuration capabilities, like emphasizing typography differently in different spots, switching up color schemes or changing the shape of various icon buttons."There are obviously lots of cool features to explore with a new Pixel 10 phone. It promises, for instance, a top-of-the line camera and live translation. But it is also neat that there are ways to make the phone distinctly yours.

SAVE $20: As of Aug. 29, get the Stanley All Day Quencher Carry All for $20 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $40. That's a discount of 50% and the lowest price we've seen. Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Stanley All Day Quencher Carry All $20 at Amazon $40 Save $20 Get Deal Staying hydrated is essential to your health. You should make sure you're drinking enough water, but doing it in style? That's equally important. If you've already nabbed a Stanley Quencher to make sure you're getting enough quality H2O, you're probably working on meeting your hydration goals. But are you looking cool while doing it? Or are you just carrying your cup around and always looking for a place to put it? No more. That ends today with this deal. As of Aug. 29, get the Stanley All Day Quencher Carry All for $20 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $40. That's $20 off and a discount of 50%. It's also the lowest price we've seen. This price only applies to the Lilac colorway. SEE ALSO: What's so special about a Stanley? A guide to conspicuous consumption on TikTok. This on-the-go carry-all transforms your Stanley tumbler into a crossbody bag with a detachable strap. It fits your 40 oz. tumbler so you can sip hands-free while doing everything you need to do in your day. It comes with three pockets: a phone slot, mesh compartment, and card sleeve, as well as a key clip and sunglasses sleeve. Its adjustable strap makes it easy to fit on your frame, with a lightweight design so you don't feel like you're adding too much bulk to your Quencher. There's plenty of room for the essentials you need to take with you so you don't have to carry a separate bag. Plus, it has a lifetime warranty should you run into any issues. Drink all the water you need for the day while making your tumbler function as a chic bag. You'll be glad you sprung for this accessory while it's on sale.

In a world oversaturated by bland, same-y superhero films, only one movie can rise above and deliver the most gonzo hero we've seen in years. That film is The Toxic Avenger, and it's here to give all your favorite MCU and DC denizens a radioactive kick to the nuts.The Toxic Avenger reimagines independent film company Troma Entertainment's ultra-campy, ultra-violent 1984 cult classic of the same name. The original film sent up superhero tropes with mean-spirited glee, especially when it came to its protagonist: a nerdy janitor-turned-toxic monster. Now, director Macon Blair (I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore) looks to do something similar with his take on The Toxic Avenger — albeit in a very different media landscape.Despite slowly increasing fatigue from audiences, there's no doubt that superhero movies are a dominant culture force. And given that it is, by nature, a superhero movie, The Toxic Avenger inevitably finds itself walking the line between the big comic book films of today and its own countercultural roots. That tension is evident throughout the movie, right down to its production companies: Legendary Entertainment (which brought us The Dark Knight trilogy, the MonsterVerse, and Dune) and Troma itself. So what happens when you push the rebellious, bonkers, and often offensive energy of the original Toxic Avenger into a 2023 studio superhero flick? Gloriously bloody mayhem, for starters. Yet there is also the sense that The Toxic Avenger is holding itself back — and while that thankfully doesn't last too long, it recalls the restraint of other modern-day superhero films in a way that feels antithetical to The Toxic Avenger's madcap project.The Toxic Avenger's backstory hits some familiar beats before letting loose. Peter Dinklage in "The Toxic Avenger." Credit: Legendary Entertainment Most of this restraint occurs in the first third of the movie as we first get to know the Toxic Avenger himself, aka Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage). He's a down-on-his-luck janitor trying to connect with his stepson, Wade (Jacob Tremblay), who recently lost his mother to cancer. When Winston discovers he has a terminal illness and that his health insurance won't cover a crucial experimental treatment, he appeals directly to his boss, Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon), for help.The only problem? As his last name suggests, Bob is a garbage person. He heads up the sinister BTH corporation, which pollutes the town of St. Roma's Village with toxic waste and peddles carcinogenic wellness products to its customers. So, no, he has no desire to help a dying, low-level employee.A desperate Winston attempts to take matters into his own hands with a BTH robbery, but an unfortunate chemical accident at the factory leads to a toxic makeover. Armed with his hideous new looks and staggering new super strength, Winston teams up with investigative reporter J.J. Doherty (Taylour Paige) to destroy BTH once and for all. The band known as the Killer Nutz. Credit: Legendary Entertainment Between the evil boss, the father-son bonding, and the corporate vigilantism, The Toxic Avenger treads well-worn ground here. While these elements do provide higher emotional stakes for Winston, they also fit snugly into the framework of other superhero stories, even as The Toxic Avenger works hard not to fall into that box.Blair acknowledges this superhero familiarity with meta nods like a literal "save the cat" moment and a dark, brooding opening voiceover. "I didn't want any of this," Dinklage snarls, right before a sped-up montage of the film's most WTF moments. Think of it as the most extreme "record scratch, freeze frame" meme ever — one that garners laughs, but also promises that while you'll have to sit through some story beats you've seen before, the weird stuff is on its way.To The Toxic Avenger's credit, there's certainly no shortage of strangeness right before Winston gets toxified. Tongue-in-cheek location names like "Ye Olde Shithead District" and "Depressing Outskirts" establish the film's screwball self-awareness. Elsewhere, the introduction of a killer "monstercore" band called the Killer Nutz — part Insane Clown Posse, part Satanic cult — teases bizarro battles to come. But for Winston, it's superhero origin story business as usual — at least, until he rips a man's arm off. The Toxic Avenger unleashed is the most fun a superhero movie can be. Elijah Wood in "The Toxic Avenger." Credit: Legendary Entertainment From that arm rip on, the vibe shifts for the wilder — and the better. As the Toxic Avenger (or Toxie, as he becomes affectionately known), Winston goes on a violent rampage for the ages. Faces get smashed. Eyeballs get popped. Entire bodies get shredded. Blood and viscera pile up; butts and guts receive their moment in the spotlight; gore fiends everywhere rejoice.These fight scenes, in all their gloopy glory (minus some less than convincing CGI blood), are a major testament to The Toxic Avenger's use of practical effects. The effects truly shine when it comes to the Toxic Avenger's look itself. Dinklage disappears beneath layers of impressive prosthetics, boasting nasty green muscles, burbling purple boils, and a disconcerting (and detachable!) red eye. Yet we never lose sight of Winston himself, with Dinklage doing an admirable job emoting with Toxie's get-up. From twirling in a tutu to kicking ass with a radioactive mop, Dinklage is clearly game for anything — and it's that total commitment to the ridiculousness that makes his performance shine.That attitude extends to the rest of The Toxic Avenger's ensemble. As Bob's brother Fritz, Elijah Wood enters peak weird little goblin guy mode, and the film is all the better for it. Elsewhere, Paige channels her inner action hero, and Tremblay brings the house down with a dance — sorry, "property movement" — piece to be remembered. And of course, there's the total delight of Kevin Bacon as an unhinged villain. Bob swans around his mansion in a gold robe and flexes shirtless in TV commercials, with Bacon never missing a chance to go as big as possible.Like Bacon, The Toxic Avenger gets better the bigger it goes, especially since "going bigger" means further distancing itself from the casings of standard superhero flicks. No major lore or superhero homework here (although you will catch a Troma Easter egg or two if you're looking). Instead, once The Toxic Avenger truly gets the ball rolling, you're in for the kind of sheer, stupid insanity you won't find in other major superhero IP. Let the blood and guts rain down — here, there's no such thing as overkill.The Toxic Avenger is now in theaters. UPDATE: Aug. 29, 2025, 9:47 a.m. The Toxic Avenger was reviewed out of its world premiere at 2023's Fantastic Fest.

If you're looking to buy an electric car in the U.S. and get the $7,500 tax credit after it ends on September 30, there is now a way to do that – but not by very long. Yes, the $7,500 federal EV tax credit still ends on September 30, per Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," which was signed into law in July. But previous rules required buyers to actually receive the car before that date, and this is no longer the case. Per CNBC, new IRS guidance, released on August 21, changes the rules slightly in favor of the buyer. "A vehicle is 'acquired' as of the date a written binding contract is entered into and a payment has been made. A payment includes a nominal downpayment or a vehicle trade-in," say the new rules. This means that you only have to sign a contract and make a payment for an EV by Sept. 30, but the vehicle itself can be delivered at a later date. SEE ALSO: New Tesla Model Y Performance: Lightning quick acceleration, great range, and more Of course, just like before, you still have to make sure both you and the car you're buying can qualify for the tax credit. You can search for eligible vehicles over at the United States Environmental Protection Agency's website. As for potential buyers, individuals must have an income under $150,000; a head of household must earn less than $225,000, and married couples must make less than $300,000.

Whether or not they'd read Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club, heralded English actors Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Sir Ben Kingsley were all elated to join forces for the best-selling novel's highly anticipated adaptation. In an interview with Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko, Mirren, Brosnan, Kingsley, and director Chris Columbus share not only their enthusiasm for working together and the challenges of bringing this beloved book to life, but also a particular pet peeve touched on in the film itself. The Thursday Murder Club follows a quartet of pensioners who dedicate their free time to solving murder mysteries. So when a couple of acquaintances turn up dead, they're on the case! And they won't take any guff from those who underestimate them because of their age — even each other.In one scene in particular, Joyce Meadowcroft (Celia Imrie) and Elizabeth Best (Mirren) are going undercover, and in her excitement, Joyce says, "This is ever so exciting. I feel like we're in one of those Sunday night dramas about two bright-eyed, feisty old lady detectives, outsmarting the police at every turn. Do you feel like that?" To which Elizabeth responds, "No. And Joyce, never use the words 'bright-eyed feisty old ladies' in my presence again."When asked if Mirren could relate to Elizabeth's disdain for this phrase, the legendary actor declared, "I loathe the word 'feisty,'" adding, "Just hate that word, like 'Fuck off,' basically." She went on to call it an "awful, awful word." In The Thursday Murder Club, Mirren and her co-stars show there is much more to their characters than ageists might assume. In the interview above, each of them touches on the pleasures of finding these characters' depths and working as an ensemble. For more Mashable interviews with your favorite stars, check out our Say More series. Thursday Night Murder Club is now on Netflix.

TL;DR: Live stream Djokovic vs. Norrie in the 2025 US Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.There are a number of really interesting matchups in the third round of the 2025 US Open, but Djokovic vs. Norrie might be the best. All eyes will be Djokovic to see if he can roll back the clock and make his first Grand Slam final of 2025. Alcaraz and Sinner will likely stand in his way in the latter stages, but for now, he needs to get past Cameron Norrie.If you want to watch Djokovic vs. Norrie in the 2025 US Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.How to watch Djokovic vs. Norrie for freeDjokovic vs. Norrie in the 2025 US Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone from around the world can access this site with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.Access free live streams of the 2025 US Open by following these simple steps:Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)Open up the app and connect to a server in AustraliaVisit 9NowWatch the 2025 US Open for free from anywhere in the world Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2025 US Open before recovering your investment.What is the best VPN for 9Now?ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:Servers in 105 countries including AustraliaEasy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and moreStrict no-logging policy so your data is always secureFast connection speedsUp to eight simultaneous connections30-day money-back guaranteeA one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).Live stream Djokovic vs. Norrie for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.