IT General

The New Backbone Pro Controller Looks Great

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 15:00

"Pro" gaming controllers are a whole concept in and of themselves, but they often involve better-quality materials, back programmable macro triggers, and a whole lot of extra features made for real gamers. If you've thought about whether you can buy one for your phone, the Backbone Pro might just be what you want, and it's looking pretty good.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Samsung Wallet Is Getting Tap-to-Transfer Payments

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 15:00

Samsung Electronics just announced a major update to its Samsung Wallet app. The company is introducing a new Tap to Transfer feature for easy peer-to-peer payments, competing directly with Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, and other similar services.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your Oura Ring can now track meals and monitor glucose levels

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 15:00

On May 6, Oura Ring announced that it is bringing two new features to its smart ring app — AI-powered meal tracking and glucose monitoring.

Oura Ring is the best smart ring on the market (according to Mashable's tests, at least), and its holistic approach to health tracking helps users make decisions to improve their wellbeing. Now, the company is launching two new metabolic health tools in its app.

Best Oura Ring offers Oura Ring 4 $349 Shop Now Oura Ring App $5.99 Shop Now Oura Ring Sizing Kit $10 Shop Now Oura Ring and Dexcom Glucose Monitoring

Oura's glucose monitoring is a result of the brand's Dexcom partnership. Dexcom, a healthcare company specializing in round-the-clock glucose monitoring, usually specializes in diabetes management, but their Stelo Glucose Biosensor is made for individuals with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes who are not on insulin. However, it's also suitable for anyone curious about monitoring their blood sugar levels.

Alongside all your daily Oura Ring data, Stelo users can now track their Glucose levels. Credit: Oura

Glucose feedback is available 24/7 in the Oura app, though you will need the Stelo biosensor. Working with the glucose sensor, the app breaks down how glucose levels might be affected by sleep, activity, stress, and nutrition. It also delivers a "Time Above Range" metric, which tells users how much time they've spent above the optimal glucose level and what changes can be made to stay in range. But to incorporate nutrition into the glucose equation, Oura is also introducing another new feature.

Oura Ring Meals Tracking Just by taking a photo, Oura's AI will analyze your meals and their nutritional value. Credit: Oura

The Oura Rings Meals tool allows users to log their meals and get feedback from Oura's AI on their overall nutritional value. While meal tracking tools often recall the calorie-tracking stress of diet culture, the company wants to avoid this trap. To track meals, users upload photos of their meals to the Oura app. The photos are analyzed through AI to produce an overview of their nutritional content and provide feedback.

Meals is about more than just counting calories, Oura Ring says. The nutritional breakdowns focus on protein, fiber, fats, sugars, and carbs. And the insights that Oura provides aren't going to be scolding, like a parent nagging you to eat all your vegetables. Instead, the Oura Advisor gives non-judgmental feedback based on users' own goals. Meals is a permanent feature in the Oura app, and both features are available now to all United States-based Oura members.

In addition to the price of an Oura Ring, Oura memberships costs $5.99 a month or $69.99 annually. The Stelo Glucose Biosensor is available to purchase directly from Oura's website or via Amazon for $99.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Optimize your REM sleep with the best sleep tracker of 2025

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 15:00

A good night's sleep is the best gift you can give yourself, but with the constant cycle of bad news and increased stress of daily life, it's no surprise that many of us are tossing and turning at night rather than catching some z's. A 2023 study out of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that just 31 percent of people are getting the recommended seven or more hours of sleep a night. If you're part of the other 69 percent, then consider a sleep tracker.

Sleep trackers — wearable devices that monitor all your vitals — provide detailed summaries of your sleep cycle so you know how many hours of REM, deep, and light sleep you're getting. Most fitness trackers come equipped with sleep tracking these days, but choosing the best from that bunch is not relatively as straightforward. These days, sleep trackers come in all shapes and sizes, and luckily, our experts here at Mashable have tested all of them.

If your sleepmaxxing routine of magnesium supplements and pillow sprays isn't cutting it, here are the best sleep trackers of 2025.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Dodow review: A simple sleep gadget thats best for back sleepers

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 15:00

The Dodow is an unassuming object: About three inches in diameter, it sort of resembles a coaster. But it's a sleep device that's pretty well beloved, albeit pricey, and very simple to use.

Armed with a blue light and three AAA batteries, the Dodow sits on your nightstand and helps guide your breathing as you try to drift to sleep. The device has two "breathing modes," one eight-minute exercise and one 20-minute exercise. If you change your mind midway through the eight-minute mode, you can also switch to the 20-minute mode without restarting the whole sequence, which I thought was a nice touch. 

Once you select your mode, you'll notice that a circle of blue light will be projected onto the ceiling above your bed. The beam of light will expand and contract rhythmically: Your job is to lie on your back, inhale when the light expands, and exhale when the light contracts. Before long, Dodow promises, "sleep will come."

What works

Adding light of any kind to a sleep routine feels like a dangerous game: There's plenty of research confirming light's adverse effects on sleep. But the Dodow's blue light at least felt soft and unobtrusive, bright enough to show up on the ceiling but not so bright that it prevented me from falling asleep. 

The breathing exercises were pleasant and calming, although I'm not sure they ever caused me to slumber. Still, I often don't have much decompression time before hitting the hay, so it was nice to concentrate on something other than my own mile-a-minute thoughts. Meditative indeed! 

I could see the Dodow working especially well for travel: it's lightweight and easy to pack, and it would be handy for nights when it's hard to fall asleep in a new place. (Plus, you can buy a cute round carrying case for it.) Further evidence: the company has a partnership with Air France, which provides the devices to its flight staff.

What doesn't quite work

Again, it's hard for me to say whether the Dodow actually caused me to fall asleep. While I enjoy using the device, its effects still feel a bit mysterious.

In addition, the Dodow is probably not a great choice if you hate sleeping on your back. Fortunately, I don't mind sleeping on my back — it tends to soothe my sciatica — so this wasn't an issue for me. If you're a side or stomach sleeper, though, you'll have no way of watching the blue light. (I suppose there might be some kind of creative workaround for side sleepers, but that seems like a lot of work to figure out.) 

I also struggled with the Dodow's battery cover falling off frequently, though this may have been an issue confined to my unit.

Is the Dodow worth it?

Let's be honest: $60 is pretty expensive for a device with pretty one-note functionality. If it's just meditation or breathing exercises you're after, you'd do just as well with a meditation app. And if you want a white noise or other sound component, Dodow isn't the fix for you.

Dodow's big advantage, in my view, is that it's completely untethered to other devices. It doesn't connect to your phone or smart home hub, so you can leave all your other tech in another room (as is recommended) for bedtime.

What softens the cost is the company's 100-day free trial, which lets you try the Dodow for 100 nights before determining whether it's right for you. If it's not your thing, you can return it for a full refund.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to create an Alexa command to ready your room for sleep

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 15:00

So you've finally nailed your sleep routine. Congratulations! Lights dimmed, white noise on, alarm set for the wake-up time that gives you five perfect REM cycles — you're about to be well-rested to the max. 

But there's a way to streamline your sleep setup even more: by creating a routine using your Alexa device. This will ready your room for bedtime with a single voice command. Here's how to do it, in just four easy steps.

Step 1: Make sure your devices are connected to Alexa

First, you'll want to make sure all the devices involved in your bedtime routine are connected to your Alexa app, so they'll be available options when you're constructing your routine. Just head to "Devices" in the Alexa app, select the plus sign, and click "Add device." 

From there, you can choose the type and brand of the device you want to connect and add it to your Alexa-compatible lineup.

SEE ALSO: I tested sleep earbuds for over a month: Here are the 3 best pairs Step 2: Create a routine in the Alexa app

Next, you'll create your routine. Open the Alexa app and select "More," then select "Routines." From there, press the plus sign. You'll be directed to start a new routine.

Step 3: Set your voice command "event"

This part's fun: Click on "When this happens" and you'll be directed to select the voice command to trigger your bedtime routine. This could be as simple as "Start my night routine," or you can get a little creative. 

For example, if you're creating a bedtime routine for a child, consider picking something they'll have fun saying themselves. Getting to shout "night night!" every evening could make bedtime a little more enjoyable, right?

Choosing a quirky or unusual command is also helpful because you're less likely to accidentally say it at other points during the day. (Simply using the word "sleep," for example, might be too much of a hazard.) You don't want to set off your bedtime routine when it is not, in fact, bedtime.

Step 4: Design your routine

Finally, you'll select "Add action" and choose the components of your routine. This could be:

  • Turning the temperature on your Nest thermostat to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (an optimal sleep temperature)

  • Playing a white noise playlist or a relaxing bedtime song

  • Dimming or switching off the lights (you'll need smart bulbs for this one) or fading lamps to 0 percent brightness over time as you doze off

  • Starting up a relaxing scent diffuser, like the Pura Mini

  • Setting your alarm for the next morning

  • Firing up an Alexa-compatible sleep tracker, like Amazon's Halo Rise or one of our picks for the best sleep trackers.

Good night! We hope you're ready for the sweetest dreams ever.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I tested sleep earbuds for over a month: Here are the 3 best pairs

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 15:00

UPDATE: Apr. 24, 2025, 4:30 p.m. EDT Following President Trump's tariffs, the Ozlo Sleepbuds increased in price from $299 to $349 on Ozlo's website and Amazon in the United States. We'll be evaluating whether we can still recommend them as our upgrade pick at this increased price point, and will update this guide once we make a decision. Below is our guide as it was written when the earbuds were priced at $299.

Getting proper sleep can help improve nearly every aspect of your health, but over a third of adults in the United States don't get enough of it, according to the CDC.

If a noisy environment is what's keeping you up at night, you've likely considered foam earplugs, but those are no longer the only option available on the market — reusable earplugs and sleep earbuds offer a more convenient alternative.

I spent the past month and a half trying out earplugs and earbuds ranging from $50 to $300 to find the best of what's out on the market — and to see if getting earbuds just for sleep is actually worth it.

How are sleep earbuds different than normal earbuds?

First, a confession: I used to wear AirPods nearly every night to sleep. More accurately, I used to wear a single AirPod so I could actually sleep on my side.

After testing earbuds designed for sleeping, I can tell you that everyday earbuds don't match up to the sleep earbud experience. For starters, standard earbuds aren't designed to be worn while you're lying on your side, so they often stick out of your ears and put hard plastic in contact with your ear. Not to mention, earbuds typically cap out at six to seven hours of battery life per charge, so if you're getting at least eight hours of sleep, you run the risk of interrupting it with the sound of your earbuds powering off.

Sleep earbuds, like the Soundcore A20 ones pictured in the middle, have a much thinner profile than traditional earbuds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Sleep earbuds, on the other hand, can offer white noise options, better battery life, and significantly more comfort (that actually allows you to wear more than one earbud at a time). The pairs I tested came without microphones and with touch controls that worked but were less sensitive than traditional earbuds, so you can lie on your side without activating them. There aren't really any options for active noise cancellation, but you'd be surprised at how well passive noise cancellation and a good fit can do for most nighttime noises.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best earbuds to buy in 2025 from Bose, Sony, and more Is it safe to wear earbuds to sleep every night?

First and foremost, it's important to consider that sleep earbuds aren't the only way to approach nighttime noises that might be keeping you up.

I consulted Dr. Ashley Kita, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at UCLA, to discuss any risks associated with wearing earbuds all night. While she didn't warn against using earbuds, she suggested that if what's keeping you up is a partner's snoring, you start looking for solutions there.

"If you're doing all of this to avoid a partner who is snoring, sometimes gently encouraging that person to investigate why they're snoring is kind of an important consideration," Kita said. "Because we find that obstructive sleep apnea is really underdiagnosed, and snoring, for some people, is the only sign of it."

If, however, what's keeping you up is less in your control, then you do want to be aware of three main aspects of using earbuds all night: proper hygiene, safe noise levels, and your ear comfort.

Proper hygiene

When I started testing these earbuds, I realized I was now wearing earbuds uninterrupted for longer than I typically would in the course of a day, even as someone who tests headphones for a living. When I asked Dr. Kita how that wear time might raise someone's risk for infection, she drew a comparison to the wear time of hearing aids:

"Many individuals wear hearing aids for longer hours during the day than they sleep at night," she said. And yet, folks who wear hearing aids don't often have ear infections, though long wear times may increase their risk.

SEE ALSO: How to set up Hearing Aid mode on your AirPods

With the long wear times, Kita said the main concern she could anticipate was wax buildup since the natural path for wax to exit the ear canal would be blocked. However, she said it's not necessarily a cause for concern, as wax can typically exit the ear canal at other points during the day when you're not wearing earbuds (or blocking your ear canal in any other way).

As for any heightened infection risk, Kita shared that it can increase when there's greater wax buildup that can then trap bacteria. She recommended cleaning the buds with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton pad after each use, if possible. (The brand behind one of our picks below, Ozlo, recommends a weekly cleaning). With all that said, someone's risk for infection really comes down to personal susceptibility — some people are more prone to ear infections than others. If you fall into that category, being more proactive about cleaning your earbuds is a good practice.

Noise levels

Noise-induced hearing loss is the second most common type of hearing loss (behind age-related hearing loss), so it's important to be aware of the level of noise you expose yourself to. Kita pointed me in the direction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) chart for how long people can be exposed to certain decibel levels safely.

In its FAQ, Ozlo also cites OSHA's recommendation, as well as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's recommendations, which top out at 90 decibels and 85 decibels for eight hours, respectively. With that in mind, Ozlo designed its earbuds so that their masking white noise tops out at 75 dB. We reached out to a rep from Soundcore to see if its earbuds have specific upper decibel limits, and will update this guide when we hear back. In general though, Kita said the less noise, the better, recommending that you always try to use the lowest volume possible.

SEE ALSO: Video game industry makes it easier to find accessible games for disabled players

"While I don't necessarily love the idea of extra noise when you're not even conscious to appreciate it, if it's the thing that's keeping you asleep or letting you sleep, it just comes in this category of risks and benefits," Kita said. "Just make sure that it's quiet enough, then it really isn't that much different than using a white noise machine on your nightstand."

Comfort

Earbuds fitting comfortably is important for you to be able to fall asleep, but also for your ear health.

"Everyone's ear canal is shaped differently," Kita said. "And so something that might be really comfortable for your ears might really cause my ears to ache."

In other words, giving yourself earbuds-induced earaches every night can actually impact your ear health. If one of the below recommendations really isn't sitting right, even with adjustments to the ear tip sizes, don't be afraid to return them.

The best earbuds for sleeping

Below, I pulled three of the best sleep earbuds on the market. Between the overall, upgrade, and earplug picks, there's a wide range of price points, but as with any product, the most expensive of the bunch isn't necessarily the best overall. With that in mind, I highlighted where each earbud excelled, whether that be in comfort, noise cancellation, or ease of use, to help you pick the best sleep earbud possible.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Our favorite budget fitness tracker is 20% off right now

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 13:51

SAVE $20: As of May 6, the Fitbit Inspire 3 fitness tracker is on sale for $79.95 at Amazon. That's 20% off its list price of $99.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.95 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $20 Get Deal

Investing in a fitness tracker doesn't need to break the bank. If you're looking for a more affordable option to aid you in staying on top of your health and fitness goals, there are plenty to choose from. Our favorite budget fitness tracker, the Fitbit Inspire 3, is currently on sale.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is marked down to $79.95 at Amazon, a 20% discount from its list price of $99.95. It's currently listed as a limited-time deal, so it's best to jump on this deal now if it has caught your eye.

SEE ALSO: Score the Fitbit Sense 2 for under $200 for a limited time

This little band comes with all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate tracking, 20+ exercise modes, and it even features a daily Stress Management Score to help you stay calm and focused on your health and fitness goals. As mentioned before, we consider it the best budget fitness tracker and our review had high praise for it upon release, with writer Sam Stone saying, "For just under $100, the Fitbit Inspire 3 packs so many great health metrics and fitness tracking into a small wearable."

Don't miss out on 20% off the Fitbit Inspire 3 at Amazon.

If you're curious to see some more fitness tracker deals, you can also save on the Fitbit Versa 4 right now at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Beats Solo 4 headphones are back to their lowest-ever price at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 13:46

SAVE $100: As of May 6, the Beats Solo 4 headphones are on sale for $99.95 at Amazon. That's 50% off their list price of $199.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 $99.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Summer is coming up fast, and if you've got travel plans this year, it's nice to have a pair of headphones to keep you occupied on any long journeys. Thankfully, there are some great deals available right now on top brands.

The Beats Solo 4 headphones are 50% off right now at Amazon. This has dropped the price of the Beats Solo 4 from $199.95 to $99.95, saving you $100 on list price. This also marks a return to their lowest-ever price, so if they've caught your eye there's no better time to pick them up.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best headphones of 2025

With a comfortable design and up to 50 hours of battery life, the Beats Solo 4 can keep you busy with good music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more for hours. Whatever you choose to listen to will sound great, and with features like Personalized Spatial Audio, you'll always feel fully immersed.

There's no better time than now to upgrade your headphones, so don't miss out on 50% off the Beats Solo 4 at Amazon.

If you'd prefer to pick up earbuds instead, the AirPods 4 (without ANC) are also discounted at Amazon. And if you're on the lookout for headphones for working out, the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 are also on sale there right now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

John Oliver shares his blunt thoughts on SNL getting a UK version

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 13:42

SNL has a massive following in the U.S., but how would that popularity translate to the UK?

Appearing on Late Night on Monday, John Oliver gives host Seth Meyers his thoughts on the very real possibility of a UK spin-off — and he doesn't beat around the bush.

"It sounds like a terrible idea," says Oliver. "We have had sketch comedy before, and it just feels like Saturday Night Live is a unique group...it's a cult. I don't know how you're going to impose that cult onto the UK."

For what it's worth, he's equally (if not more) sceptical about Universal opening up a theme park in Bedford.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Last of Us Season 2, episode 4: Rewatch Ellies cover of Take on Me

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 13:33

The Last of Us Season 2 has already been packed with brutal moments, but there's been some beauty in there too. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) playing a cover of A-ha's "Take On Me" to Dina (Isabela Merced) after finding a working guitar in episode 4 has got to be one of the most moving scenes so far — and now you can rewatch it to your heart's content on YouTube.

For an explanation of why Ellie plays that song in particular, we've got you covered.

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Jon Stewart has a blunt reaction to Trumps AI generated Star Wars meme

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 12:47

Donald Trump's social media team has been playing around with AI again, this time posting an image of the president holding a lightsaber on the official White House X account to mark Star Wars Day (May the Fourth...) over the weekend.

As Jon Stewart points out in the Daily Show monologue above, though, there's a fairly key detail they overlooked.

"I know I'm not meant to get distracted, but he's not a fucking Jedi in that picture!" yells Stewart. "Do you understand? Trump is presenting himself as a Jedi, but his lightsaber is red. The only way you can have a red lightsaber is by infusing its kyber crystal with the power of your rage and hate, thereby corrupting it into a vessel for the Dark Side.

"Therefore, every one of those photos that Trump is putting out there, he's admitting he's not a Jedi but in fact a Sith Lord!"

Categories: IT General, Technology

The new M4 MacBook Air is still at its lowest-ever price, but for how long?

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 12:08

SAVE $150: As of May 3, the 13-inch M4 Apple MacBook Air is on sale for $849 at Amazon. This deal saves you $150 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $849 at Amazon
$999 Save $150 Get Deal

The latest Apple MacBook Air is still available at its lowest-ever price on Amazon. We assumed that this deal would vanish after a day or two, but it remains live. So if you've been waiting for another price drop, we would suggest that this is the best you're going to get. Of course we could be wrong, but it looks like this is the lowest price we'll get for the foreseeable.

As of May 3, the 13-inch M4 Apple MacBook Air is on sale for $849 at Amazon. This deal saves you $150 on list price. And yes, that's a record-low price on Amazon according to the price tracker camelcamelcamel.

SEE ALSO: Review: I went hands on with the M4 MacBook Air (2025)

The new M4 MacBook Air was released in mid-March, with open-lid support for two external displays and a new 12MP Center Stage camera in addition to the new CPU. Mashable's Stan Schroeder said this model was "impressively powerful" and "the best-buy Apple laptop, period." And tha's exactly why we named it the best MacBook for most people in our roundup.

Pick up the new Apple MacBook Air for under $850 at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

After a long wait, the iPad Mini is back down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:55

SAVE $100: As of May 6, the iPad Mini with A17 chip is down to $399 on Amazon. That's $100 off the list price, and the lowest-ever price on Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Mini 2024 (A17 chip, 128GB, WiFi) $399 at Amazon
$499 Save $100 Get Deal

What a year for iPads! First we got new versions of the iPad Air and iPad Pro, and then the iPad Mini got a much-needed upgrade to be compatible with Apple Intelligence. And if all of that wasn't enough, we've been treated to a number of deals on these new models lately.

As of May 6, the iPad Mini with A17 chip is on sale for $399 on Amazon. That's $100 off the list price, and the lowest-ever price on Amazon. We haven't seen a price drop on the iPad Mini for some time, so if you've been waiting for the right moment to strike, this could be it.

SEE ALSO: The app that turns your iPhone into a scanner, and it lasts for life

The iPad Mini is the smallest of Apple's tablets with an 8.3-inch display, making it a great option for reading. Plus, with the A17 chip, the iPad Mini is ready for Apple Intelligence — helping you edit photos, summarize articles, write emails, and much more.

Get $100 off the iPad Mini for a limited time at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Black celebs ruled the 2025 Met Gala, and the internet loved it

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:28

The 2025 Met Gala took place on Monday night, with celebrities and fashion insiders once more flocking to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art to partake in some flamboyant pageantry. And once more, the internet's denizens have turned to social media to offer takes on their outfits.

SEE ALSO: K-pop fans are furious about racism at the Met Gala. Here's why. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This year's Met Gala theme celebrated the museum's new spring exhibition "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," which opens on May 10. This exhibit will explore Black fashion history and style in the U.S. and Europe, stretching from the 18th century until now. In particular, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" aims to examine Black dandyism, and the key role style has had in forming Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora.

As such, the dress code for the 2025 Met Gala was "Tailored to You," the museum stating that it is "a nod to the exhibition’s focus on suiting and menswear." Unsurprisingly, many Black celebrities shone with spectacular style this year, taking centre stage and commanding attention.

Everyone else take note: This is how you do the Met Gala.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Among those absolutely owning the Met Gala was Motown legend Diana Ross, who attended the event for the first time in over 20 years. She wore a magnificent white gown featuring an 18-foot train embroidered with her family's names, the result of a collaboration between Ross, her son Evan, and Nigerian designer Ugo Mozie.

Expressing a widely held sentiment, X user @beyoncegarden posted that Ross "LITERALLY CLEARED EVERYONE OMFG ICONIC."

Diana Ross. Credit: Kevin Mazur / MG25 / Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue

Damson Idris' outfit earned a notable chef's kiss from Derek Guy, also known as "the menswear guy" or @dieworkwear on X. Though Guy was focused on Idris' striking red Tommy Hilfiger suit, the F1 actor initially wore a white racing suit which was subsequently torn off for a dramatic reveal.

Damson Idris. Credit: Savion Washington / Getty Images

Guy also dubbed Janelle Monáe's look as one of his favourites at the event. Collaborating with Tom Browne and Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell, Monáe initially appeared in a structured, pinstriped cape that bore an image of a suit. She then shed the cover to show off a striking tailored jacket and skirt in bold red, black, and white. The unmistakably dandy ensemble was topped off by a bowler hat, monocle, and a brooch featuring a diamond made from tequila — a nod to the impact diamond mining has had on African nations.

Janelle Monáe Credit: John Shearer / WireImage; Kevin Mazur / MG25 / Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue; Theo Wargo / FilmMagic

In fact, there were so many amazing looks at the 2025 Met Gala that it's impossible to choose a highlight. From Tessa Thompson to Jodie Turner-Smith, Doechii to Lupita Nyong'o, it seems practically everyone came determined to leave no crumbs.

From left to right: Tessa Thompson, Jodie Turner-Smith, Doechii, Lupita Nyong'o. Credit: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images; John Shearer / WireImage. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. From left to right: Lauryn Hill, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Imaan Hammam. Credit: John Shearer / WireImage; Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images; Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

What's more, this year the men of the Met Gala brought their A-game as well. It is Met Gala tradition for at least some (often male) attendees to earn onlookers' disdain by showing up in relatively ordinary outfits — and there were indeed some less interesting suits on the daffodil-dotted carpet. However, this year's smattering of lackluster looks were completely overshadowed by the sheer volume at which everyone else was serving.

"It’s such a breath of fresh air to see the men nail the Met Gala theme and be creative for once!!" posted X user @jacquemusx.

From left to right: Brian Tyree Henry, Jeremy O. Harris, Khaby Lame, André 3000. Credit: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images; Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images. From left to right: Keith Powers, Alton Mason, Dynasty Ogun and Soull Ogun, Shaboozey. Credit: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images; Savion Washington / Getty Images; Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue

While the 2025 Met Gala undeniably belonged to its Black attendees, other guests were also working hard to keep up. Sabrina Carpenter forewent pants, opting for a Louis Vuitton bodysuit she described as a "dramatic take on a dandy tailcoat."

Others put a unique spin on the Met Gala's theme by zeroing in on the "Tailored to You" dress code. SEVENTEEN leader S.Coups was dressed by BOSS, which clearly drew inspiration from the Korean hanbok to design the K-pop idol's outfit. Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh honoured his Punjabi heritage with a custom sherwani by Prabal Gurung. Meanwhile, Wednesday's Jenna Ortega leaned heavily into the tailoring concept with a Balmain gown made of metal rulers, designed by Olivier Rousteing.

From left to right: Sabrina Carpenter, S.Coups, Diljit Dosanjh, Jenna Ortega. Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue; Kevin Mazur / MG25 / Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue; Taylor Hill / Getty Images. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

You can watch the whole Met Gala carpet on Vogue's YouTube channel — all three hours of it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

My favorite Kindles essentials bundle is $40 off right now at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:13

SAVE $40: As of May 6, the Kindle Essentials Bundle is on sale for $121.97 at Amazon. That's 25% off its list price of $161.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Essentials Bundle including Kindle (2024) $121.97 at Amazon
$161.97 Save $40 Get Deal

The latest Kindle release is one of my favorite recent investments. It has been a great way to catch up on new books and ones I've been meaning to start for a while. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's an avid reader. Its essentials bundle — which comes with a fabric cover and power adapter alongside the e-reader itself — is even on sale right now at Amazon, so there's no better time to pick it up.

Usually the Kindle Essentials Bundle is listed for $161.97, but it's currently on sale for $121.97. That lets you keep $40 compared to buying everything separately, which is a very nice deal to take advantage of while it's live. With Mother's Day right around the corner, it's also a great gift idea.

SEE ALSO: Prime members get a free e-book with Amazon's First Reads

This Kindle is worth every cent, too. It features a six-inch glare-free display that's great for reading in any lighting. I recently took mine out to the park to read in the sunshine and it felt really nice to not have to deal with any pesky reflections getting in my way. And with 16GB of storage, there's plenty of space to stock up your library with exciting new e-books. Its portable size makes it a perfect traveling companion, too.

Amazon has this listed as a limited-time deal, so don't miss out on 25% off the Kindle Essentials Bundle at Amazon while it's still available.

Another great Kindle deal that's worth checking out right now is on the Kindle Colorsoft. If you'd prefer an e-reader that will bring your favorite stories and comics to life in color, this one deserves a look. The redesigned Kindle Scribe is also down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Squid Game Season 3 teaser hints at a chaotic, bloody end

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:11

Squid Game Season 3 is fast approaching, and now we have our first proper glimpse of what the end will look like.

In the brief teaser above, we see Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) returning to the games in a bow-wrapped coffin before the main characters line up to wearily draw a red or blue ball from a large, ominous-looking gumball machine.

Squid Game Season 3 premieres June 27 on Netflix.

For more TV shows coming this summer, check out Mashable's big streaming preview.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ive tested lots of smartwatches, and my favorite Fitbit is on sale for $50 off

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:06

SAVE $40: As of May 6, the Fitbit Versa 4 is on sale for $149.95 at Amazon. That's a 25% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Versa 4 $149.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $50 Get Deal

Getting a smartwatch for fitness and lifestyle tracking doesn't need to break the bank, especially when you don't need the most advanced model on the market. I've tested a lot of smartwatches over the years, and for affordable fitness and lifestyle tracking, you can't go wrong with the Fitbit Versa 4.

As as of May 6, the Fitbit Versa 4 is on sale at Amazon, reduced to just $149.95. This deal can be found in all color options: black, pink sand, and waterfall blue.

SEE ALSO: The best Fitbits in 2025

This is my favorite watch in the Fitbit range, and one I've spent a lot of time testing. In my opinion, it's an excellent all-rounder fitness tracker. Whether you're hoping to run a 5K or want to get some insights into your sleeping habits, this watch offers a bit of everything.

There are over 40 sports tracking modes that include running, swimming, cycling, and general workout features. However, it's worth noting that the battery life isn't as long-lasting for long-distance activities as the likes of Garmin or Coros. So if you're planning to regularly hit the double digits for runs, it's worth having a look at run specific watches.

Health and lifestyle features of the Versa include heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and built-in GPS so you can head outside for activities without your phone. And style-wise, the Versa 4 ticks all the boxes. It has a bright AMOLED display with vibrant colors and images, and is touchscreen-controlled, so it's easy to use as well as looking nice on your wrist.

Grab this great Fitbit deal before it runs out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Im a runner — here’s why I’m eyeing this SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 deal

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:00

SAVE $40: As of May 6, the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 headphones are on sale for $139.95 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: SHOKZ SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 $139.95 at Amazon
$179.95 Save $40 Get Deal

For many, running with headphones is a constant battle of hearing your music, hearing your surroundings, and not having them fall out of your ears at every given opportunity. Why must it be that you always have to sacrifice something?

That's where SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 come in. An incredible pair of bone-conducting headphones that are designed for running, these help to keep your ears free for spatial awareness, and still allow you to enjoy your favorite running playlist or podcast.

SEE ALSO: I tried my AirPods Max headphones' new lossless audio ability: Does it really work?

Bone conduction technology does what it says on the tin. It's a technology that transmits sound through vibrations directly to the inner ear via the cheekbones, bypassing the eardrum, and increasing your spatial awareness. And as of May 6, you can buy the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro for less, reduced to just $139.95 at Amazon.

The SHOKZ OpenRun Pro headphones are an earbud-free design with a lightweight, wraparound frame and open-ear fit. They deliver high-quality audio while keeping your ears open to your surroundings for safety and connection during workouts. This is one we recommend for runners, and a product I'm eyeing up for my own runs.

It has an IP55 waterproof rating, so they’re sweatproof and work for runs or walks in the rain. However, these are not suitable for swimming. The battery life will keep you listening for up to 12 hours, and a quick five-minute charge will top you up with two and a half hours of extra playtime.

This is a limited-time deal, so head to Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Webb telescope just got a crystal-clear view of a hot alien world

Mashable - Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:00

A sweltering planet circling a star much like the sun is delivering something scientists rarely get when studying distant worlds — clarity.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration of NASA and its European and Canadian counterparts, a team of astronomers zoomed in on TOI-421b, a planet more than 2.5 times larger than Earth and 245 light-years away in space

The exoplanet isn't just missing clouds, it's free of the typical hazes that have obscured views of the atmospheres surrounding other planets in its size class. 

That makes TOI-421b a standout among so-called "sub-Neptunes," planets larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. These worlds are thought to be the most common in the Milky Way, yet scientists know relatively little about them, said Eliza Kempton, principal investigator of the study. That's because their atmospheres have been so hard to study.

"They're incredibly plentiful in our galaxy," Kempton, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, told Mashable. "And that just raises the importance that if this is the most common kind of planet, we better try to figure out what they're all about." 

SEE ALSO: These scientists think alien life best explains what Webb just found The James Webb Space Telescope has provided the clearest atmospheric reading yet for a hot sub-Neptune exoplanet. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

The way the team analyzed the planet's atmosphere is called transmission spectroscopy. When planets cross in front of their host star, starlight shines through their atmospheres. Molecules within the atmosphere absorb certain light wavelengths, or colors, so by splitting the star’s light into its basic parts — a rainbow — astronomers can look for which light segments are missing to figure out the makeup of an atmosphere.

When they peered at TOI-421b, they saw strong signs of water vapor and a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, with no evidence of the thick aerosol layers that have previously cloaked other sub-Neptunes. 

The team picked up hints of carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, though they'd need more observations to confirm those detections. The researchers also noted what was absent from the data: methane and carbon dioxide. Their findings are published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Scientists chose TOI-421b for this study because it was predicted to have a haze-free atmosphere, based on its extremely high temperature of 1,340 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler planets — like the previously studied sub-Neptunes orbiting dimmer stars called red dwarfs — often show signs of methane. But methane tends to break down in high heat, unable to start the chemical process that can lead to haze.

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The big surprise was just how lightweight the planet's atmosphere appeared. It wears a jacket of hydrogen and helium, like the gas its star is made of. Previous sub-Neptune studies revealed worlds wrapped in much heavier gases that could potentially be water worlds. Scientists are now wondering if the planet has held onto the molecular outfit it was born with billions of years ago.

Perhaps the type of star a planet orbits changes how the atmosphere of that world develops over time. Or maybe the hotter planets are just more likely to have clear skies. Whatever the reason, the team is motivated more than ever to look at other hot sub-Neptunes for patterns.

"So we can see if this planet just turned out to be kind of a unique snowflake," Kempton said, "or is it emblematic of a class of planets that all have similar properties?"

Categories: IT General, Technology
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