Tech Boys

The landscape of YouTube drama channels has evolved over the platform's 20 years, but they still rely on one tried and true marketing gambit: clickbait. And generative AI tools are bringing it back in big, and alarming, ways. Dozens of channels, for example, have been tallying up views and profit using AI-generated thumbnails and fake quotes purported to be from the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial, many of which use celebrity likenesses and graphic language to entice viewers to watch. First reported by the Indicator and later co-published by the Guardian , around 900 videos across 26 channels have generated nearly 70 million views over the past 12 months, even as Big Tech claims to crack down on deepfakes and misinformation. SEE ALSO: Caring for ourselves amid the Diddy trial and collective trauma exposure Most of the channels sharing so-called "Diddy slop" rely not only on AI thumbnails, but also AI-generated narration, in an attempt to misleadingly connect...

The US Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit against Apple will progress. US District Judge Julien Neals of New Jersey denied the tech company's motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought over its "walled garden" approach to smartphone software. "We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will continue to vigorously fight it in court," a spokesperson from Apple said. The DOJ and several states filed the lawsuit against Apple in March 2024. Their argument was that Apple had created a monopoly over app software. The suit claimed that Apple's restrictions and fees placed on developers, as well as its limits on third-party devices and services, were in violation of antitrust laws. Apple quickly responded with a rebuttal of all the claims made in the lawsuit. The company filed for a dismissal of the case in August. Judge Neals' ruling in the US comes as Apple has also been facing down charges of anti-competitive behavior in th...

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for June 30 Where did Wordle come from? Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble , music identification game Heardle , and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once .  Word...

Dave the Diver just marked its two-year anniversary, and the team behind it has a bunch of updates to share about its future. While it's mostly good news, there is one little hiccup: the upcoming In the Jungle DLC , which was announced a few months ago and was expected to arrive later this year, now isn't likely to launch until 2026. But everything else announced in the 11-minute anniversary video should make up for it. That includes the return of the time-limited free Godzilla DLC , which is now back on all platforms until at least the end of 2026. If you missed out on it the first time, here's your chance. Mintrocket Studio Head Jaeho Hwang also said the team is extending the availability of the recent DLC, Ichiban's Holiday , which will remain available through next year as well. After hearing feedback from fans about the pricing, that pack will get "regular discounts" to make it cheaper.  The game just landed on the Epic Games Store and according ...

As we wait for more Nintendo Switch 2 -exclusive games, it's worth taking some time to test out how a handful of older Switch 1 games run on the new console. Now that the Switch 2 has had a couple of weeks of time with consumers under its belt, plenty of people have had time to extensively test the way various games perform on the more powerful new console. Specifically, the excellent Digital Foundry YouTube channel posted a nearly 40-minute-long video showing off how several Switch 1 games that got free Switch 2 upgrade patches look and run on the new platform. Their findings are also available in article form over at Eurogamer , so whichever way you prefer consuming internet content will work here. SEE ALSO: My favorite Nintendo Switch 2 accessory is the Belkin charging case The games DF tested included The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom , two games that had notorious frame rate issues on the first Switch. They found (and I can also per...

If you're a dedicated coffee lover, it's not a question of "Do I need a coffee machine ?" Rather, it's a question of, “ Which coffee machine do I need?” Yes, all you serious coffee lovers seriously love coffee. This much we know. But if you buy the right coffee machine , one that delivers all your coffee needs, you’ll fall in love with that too. That being said, it’s not easy choosing a coffee machine. Coffee drinking is more than a pastime. It’s a whole subculture of specific tastes. Give it a quick google. The number of websites dedicated to coffee drinking will make your eyes spin like a triple shot of espresso. There’s so much to get your head around before you can make an informed decision. That’s why we’re here to help with some coffee-based information. So which coffee machine is right for you? It's the ultimate question of taste. What types of coffee do coffee machines make? Between various styles and functions, coffee machines make pretty much ...

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for June 29 Where did Wordle come from? Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble , music identification game Heardle , and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once .  Word...

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections? The NYT 's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devi...

UPDATE: Jun. 27, 2025, 2:13 p.m. EDT This article was originally published in March 2023. It has been updated in January 2025 and again in June, in light of SCOTUS's age verification ruling. It includes original interviews from 2023 as well as updated law information. Free speech online has been attacked in recent years, from the (delayed) TikTok ban to the death of net neutrality . Given President-elect Donald Trump's second term on the horizon and the proposals of Project 2025 (a conservative wishlist for said term) a real possibility, U.S. lawmakers will likely continue to target access to the free and open internet. One such example is the growing trend of age-verification bills , which mandate individuals to provide proof of age in order to access adult content, or in some cases, even to browse social media platforms. Experts warn that these bills pose serious threats to digital privacy and free speech. What are age-verification bills? In 2022, Louisiana passed Act ...