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'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for May 10

Mashable - Fri, 05/10/2024 - 10:04

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 May 10's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Music, movies, videos

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no letters that appear twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to Wordle #1056 is...

MEDIA.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Categories: IT General, Technology

'We missed the mark': Apple apologises for tone-deaf iPad ad

Mashable - Fri, 05/10/2024 - 09:37

Apple has apologised for the extremely tone-deaf iPad Pro ad it released during its Let Loose event on Tuesday. It turns out that tech giants destroying implements of creative human expression doesn't play so well to a crowd — especially when creatives' jobs are being threatened by generative AI.

AdAge reports that Apple has abandoned plans to run its "Crush!" ad on television, admitting that it didn't quite send the message the company had been aiming for.

SEE ALSO: The new iPad ad essentially flips AI-weary creatives the bird

"Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world," Apple's VP of marketing communications Tor Myhren told AdAge. "Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry."

Tweet may have been deleted

Set to "All I Ever Need Is You" by Sonny & Cher, Apple's minute-long iPad Pro ad shows a giant hydraulic press slowly crushing a collection of equipment for various hobbies and creative pursuits. These include an upright piano, paints, a trombone, an arcade machine, cameras, and a dressmaker's mannequin.

The press then lifts to reveal Apple's new iPad Pro, while a voiceover declares that "the most powerful iPad ever is also the thinnest."

Apple's commercial was no doubt intended to convey the idea that the iPad Pro can also do many of the tasks that the various obliterated tools could. Unfortunately, the result looked more grimly dystopian than the tech giant intended.

The widely derided ad was ridiculed as "destructive," "heartless," "cruel," and "soul-crushing," with viewers appalled to see Apple literally crush so many symbols of human creativity only to replace them with a single cold gadget. Some even stated that it would have been a much better commercial if it were played in reverse.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Apple's ad felt particularly callous considering the threat that generative AI is currently posing to creatives. Numerous reports of companies replacing artists with AI have emerged since the technology gained widespread prominence, from viral fashion brand Selkie to streaming giant Netflix

As such, seeing a trillion-dollar tech company symbolically obliterate human creativity and expression rubbed many people the wrong way. 

Tweet may have been deleted

Several viewers further unfavourably compared "Crush!" to Apple's famous "1984" ad directed by Ridley Scott. The commercial featured a woman in bright athletic gear running through a monotonous grey dystopia, before smashing a screen displaying a Big Brother-like dictator. In it, Apple portrayed itself as a beacon of hope and originality in a world of dull conformity. 

"Crush!" offered a stark contrast, inadvertently placing Apple in the position of an oppressor destroying the creativity and colour it used to align itself with.

This isn't the first time a tech company has tried to sell a product by destroying objects people love. Apple's ad prompted some social media commenters to resurface a startlingly similar ad LG ran in 2008 for the KC910 Renoir smartphone, crushing cameras, musical instruments, and speakers.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Create an Effective Slide Deck

Havard Management Tip of the Day - Fri, 05/10/2024 - 06:01

A great presentation depends on more than the high-quality information you’re sharing. Here are some essential principles to help you create a memorable slide deck. Choose the right fonts. Use sans serif fonts like Helvetica or Arial for a minimal look and better readability. Stick to two font styles throughout your presentation—one for headings and another […]

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Categories: Management

How to watch the 2024 Copa America online for free

Mashable - Fri, 05/10/2024 - 06:00

TL;DR: Live stream every Brazil match from the 2024 Copa America for free on Globoplay. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This is a huge summer for sport. The French Open, Euro 2024, Wimbledon, the Olympics, and more top events are being squeezed into just a few months. What a time to be alive.

We're not going to suggest which event will provide the best entertainment, because that's on you. But for passionate fans, electric stadiums, and some of the most talented athletes on the planet, you should check out the 2024 Copa America. The likes of Lionel Messi, Vinícius Júnior, and Federico Valverde will be on display, which is a pretty good lineup of stars.

If you want to watch the 2024 Copa America for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is Copa America?

The Copa America is the top men's football tournament contested by national teams from South America. It is the oldest still-running continental football competition, and determines the champions of the continent.

The 2024 Copa America will start with four groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knockout rounds. The 10 CONMEBOL members are automatically granted entry, plus six North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football teams that qualified through the CONCACAF Nations League.

When is the 2024 Copa America?

The 2024 Copa America will be the 48th edition of the tournament. This year's event will be held in the United States from June 20 to July 14.

How to watch the 2024 Copa America for free

TV Globo has exclusive rights to broadcast all of Brazil's matches on free-to-air television, with free live streaming available through Globoplay.

Globoplay is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can access Globoplay from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of Copa America by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

  4. Visit Globoplay

  5. Watch Copa America fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 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 select fixtures from the 2024 Copa America before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for streaming sport?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on sites like Globoplay, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 94 countries including Brazil

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A 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.

Watch select fixtures from the 2024 Copa America for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch the 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix online for free

Mashable - Fri, 05/10/2024 - 06:00

TL;DR: Watch the 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

MotoGP is a whole lot of fun for all the family, and we won't shut up about it until everyone knows. It's a thrilling form of racing without all the predictable results, pit stops, and yellow flags that haunt other events (we're talking about you, F1).

If you're interested in watching the 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix, we've got all the information you need.

When is the 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix?

The MotoGP French Grand Prix takes place at Le Mans. The 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix race starts at 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. BST on May 12.

How to watch the 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix for free

Every MotoGP 2024 race is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV by following this simple process:

  1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria

  4. Connect to ServusTV

  5. Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch the 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for MotoGP?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking ServusTV to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Austria

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

  • Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A 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 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 MotoGP French Grand Prix for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings online for free

Mashable - Fri, 05/10/2024 - 06:00

TL;DR: Watch Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There's just over two weeks left of the IPL, and excitement is rife among fans. In the next fixture, team captains Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be leading their teams, Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings.

Want to tune in and find out who wins? Keep scrolling to find out how you can watch Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings for free from anywhere in the world.

When is Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings?

Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings starts at 3 p.m. BST on May 10. This fixture will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India.

How to watch Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings for free

JioCinema is giving you the chance to catch free live streams of every IPL cricket match this season in 4K resolution on its app.

But to access it, you'll need to use a VPN. JioCinema is geo-restricted to India, but with a VPN you can unblock this free streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access JioCinema from anywhere in the world.

Unblock JioCinema to stream the IPL 2024 by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in India

  4. Visit JioCinema (you will need an Indian phone number to subscribe)

  5. Watch Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch IPL live streams without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select IPL fixtures for free.

What is the best VPN for JioCinema?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking JioCinema, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including India

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A 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.

Stream the IPL for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson choose their ultimate 'Doctor Who' squad

Mashable - Fri, 05/10/2024 - 00:46
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson join Mashable for a special Doctor Who edition game of "Choose Your Squad."
Categories: IT General, Technology

Nintendo is removing Twitter / X integration from Switch

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 23:29

It's official: All three major video game consoles are now getting rid of their integrations with Elon Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

On Wednesday, Nintendo became the last of the big gaming companies to announce that gamers would no longer be able to post directly to X via the Nintendo Switch gaming console. Other X-related functions would be dropped as well.

Tweet may have been deleted

"As of June 10, 2024, it will no longer be possible to post screenshots and videos to X (formerly Twitter) from the Nintendo Switch's Album, or send friend requests to social media users via the Friend Suggestions feature," Nintendo of America posted on its official account on X.

With this announcement, X has officially lost direct integrations with all three major video game console companies. Microsoft was the first gaming company to announce it was dropping its X integration in April of last year, with Sony following with a similar announcement in November.

What's being removed

In a more detailed post on its website, Nintendo provided more information about what exactly will be removed from Switch.

Nintendo says gamers will no longer be able to use the feature that allows the posting of screenshots and videos to X from the Album in the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu. Nintendo does note, however, that users will still be able to post screenshots and video from Switch directly to Facebook, although that feature may also possibly be removed at a later time.

In addition, sending friend requests to social media users via the Friend Suggestions menu will also be removed.

There are game-specific changes as well. Before this change, it was possible to post to X in Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3 via the mailbox option seen in hub worlds like Inkopolis Square. That will no longer be available.

According to Nintendo, Switch users will be able to share screenshots and videos to X by saving the media to the Album in the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu and then transferring the data wirelessly to a smart device or by connecting their Switch to a PC via USB cable.

Why Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft dropped X

Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have yet to specifically provide a reason for the removal of X integrations. However, the first company to do so, Microsoft, dropped X shortly after Elon Musk rolled out a new, paid model for its API, which is necessary for these integrations. 

Since then, both Sony and Nintendo followed Microsoft's lead in dropping X from its social media integration list.

The new API plans are quite exorbitantly priced, with Enterprise access starting at $42,000 per month. It is very likely, based on how many users Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft gaming consoles have, that their API usage would result in a bill of hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) per month.

This change will likely save Nintendo money with little-to-no blowback. The biggest loser, though? Musk's X, which loses major video game partners and their hundreds of millions of users who were sending free content to X from their gaming consoles.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Neuralink’s first human brain chip implant experienced a problem

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 21:59

If one was to just listen to Elon Musk, they might think the first Neuralink implant in a human was a flawless achievement.

"Successful 100 days with first human implant of @Neuralink," Musk posted to his social media platform X on Wednesday.

It is fair to call Neuralink's first human implant a success – certainly more successful than some of the test animals that Neuralink had implanted the device in – as it helped a quadriplegic patient interact with his surroundings in ways that he previously couldn't before. 

But, this success certainly wasn't without at least one major bump in the road. And, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, it appears that Musk and company may have only divulged these problems to the public due to the outlet inquiring about the issue.

SEE ALSO: Neuralink's first patient can play chess using only his mind Neuralink's implant problem

Neuralink's report, which the Wall Street Journal said was published only after they had reached out to the company, looks at the first 100 days of the brain implant in the company's first test subject, 29-year-old Nolan Arbaugh who was paralyzed from the shoulders down after an accident nearly a decade ago.

Neuralink had previously shown a demonstration of Arbaugh playing Chess and video games like Mario Kart and controlling a mouse with his mind, all thanks to Neuralink's brain implant.

However, until this report on Wednesday, the public had not been informed of a problem that resulted in Neuralink even considering removing the implant. Some of the implant's "threads" placed in Arbaugh's brain had come out resulting in data loss.

The Neuralink microchip, which is implanted in the patient's brain, contains 1,024 electrodes across 64 electrode threads or thin film material. These threads are thinner than a strand of hair and can basically transmit signals to the brain's neural network.

While Arbaugh's health was never in any danger, the issue led to a "reduction in bits-per-second" or how fast and accurate Arbaugh was able to control his computer with his brain.

Neuralink's own report on its 100 successful days after the implant doesn't spend too much time on the details. It's all wrapped up in a single, four-sentence paragraph.

"In the weeks following the surgery, a number of threads retracted from the brain, resulting in a net decrease in the number of effective electrodes," Neuralink writes in its post. "This led to a reduction in BPS. In response to this change, we modified the recording algorithm to be more sensitive to neural population signals, improved the techniques to translate these signals into cursor movements, and enhanced the user interface. These refinements produced a rapid and sustained improvement in BPS, that has now superseded Noland’s initial performance."

According to the Wall Street Journal report, Neuralink is working on the issue so that it hopefully does not happen in future implants. The belief is that the threads retracted due to "pneumocephalus," a condition where air became trapped inside Arbaugh’s skull after his implant surgery. This caused some of the threads to become disconnected.

Again, obviously things could have gone a lot worse and the Neuralink's first implant thus far can be considered a successful endeavor. However, based on the company's alleged history of concealing information, including the reports of monkey deaths related to Neuralink implants, it's crucial that both the positive and negative aspects are transparently disclosed.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Despite NSFW explorations, OpenAI says porn is off the table

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 21:55

OpenAI is open to allowing NSFW responses generated by ChatGPT and its API, but porn is a hard no.

On Wednesday, the company published a Model Spec, a document that pulls the veil back a little bit on how the models are trained to respond to various prompts. In the Spec, OpenAI shared rules for how ChatGPT and the API are directed to respond, including prompts for breaking the law, questions about chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) threats, and yes, prompts for explicit content.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI's GPT-5 release could be as early as this summer

OpenAI's current policy bans NSFW content. But just below its policy statement, OpenAI noted that it is "exploring whether we can responsibly provide the ability to generate NSFW content in age-appropriate contexts through the API and ChatGPT." The reasoning is "developers and users should have the flexibility to use our services as they see fit" as long as they adhere to OpenAI's policies. So NSFW content is not allowed now, but it might be in the future.

But that doesn't mean all NSFW content might be allowed. "We have no intention to create AI-generated pornography," an OpenAI spokesperson told Mashable. "We have strong safeguards in our products to prevent deepfakes, which are unacceptable, and we prioritize protecting children. The spokesperson continued, "we also believe in the importance of carefully exploring conversations about sexuality in age-appropriate contexts," which lines up with the note in the Model Spec.

The wording about NSFW content was brief and slightly ambiguous, leading some to speculate that OpenAI might soon allow users to generate AI porn. The only mention of specific types of NSFW content was in the statement about what AI models should not provide responses for: "The assistant should not serve content that's Not Safe For Work (NSFW): content that would not be appropriate in a conversation in a professional setting, which may include erotica, extreme gore, slurs, and unsolicited profanity." The notable omission of "pornography" initially generated confusion over what was allowed or soon to be allowed.

Porn in the generative AI era has potentially dangerous and disastrous consequences because of the threat of nonconsensual deepfakes. A 2023 study from cybersecurity firm Home Security Heroes found that 98 percent of all deepfake videos were pornography, and 99 percent of the subjects were women. Even Taylor Swift, a powerful and recognizable celebrity, was the victim of a rash of viral pornographic deepfakes, underscoring the issue's prevalence and highlighting the disturbing notion that it could happen to anyone.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Best Apple deals May 2024: MacBook Airs and Apple Watches are worth buying this week

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 21:10

UPDATE: May. 9, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EDT Check out the latest Apple deals from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and more.

Best Apple deals this week: Best MacBook deal 2024 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,199 at Amazon (Save $100) Get Deal Best iPad deal iPad mini (WiFi, 64GB) $399.99 at Amazon (Save $99.01) Get Deal Best iPhone deal iPhone 15 at Verizon $0 on a new line with select unlimited plans (Save $829.99) Get Deal Best Apple Watch deal Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm, GPS) $229 at Walmart and Amazon (Save $100) Get Deal Best AirPods deal Apple USB-C AirPods Pro $179.99 at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target (Save $69.01) Get Deal

Apple may have an iron grasp on the general population, but when it comes down to it, their products look good, work well, and stay cutting-edge — so of course, people love 'em. Whether you build your calendar around Apple events or just want solid tech no matter the brand, Apple's got you covered. Sure, they're a little notorious for their high prices, but we've rounded up the best deals on iPads, AirPods, MacBooks, and more to help you save where you can.

iMac and MacBook deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: 2024 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,149.99 at Amazon
$1,299.00 Save $149.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air.

We love seeing a nice discount on a newer Apple release, and that's exactly the case in with this M3 MacBook Air. The larger screen makes the new Air a great choice for folks who need more space to work, especially for creative tasks like video or photo editing. The M3 chip will give you plenty of power for your workflow, and, especially with the price drop, this Air is a more affordable alternative to the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

More iMac and MacBook deals

MacBook Air

MacBook Pro

Mac

SEE ALSO: iPad Air vs. iPad Pro: What are the differences between the new 2024 models? iPad deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: iPad mini (WiFi, 64GB) $399.99 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $99.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the iPad mini.

The new iPad Air and iPad Pro are finally here, but in terms of money saving, we're looking at this tiny tablet from 2021. While this deal price does situate the iPad mini just 99 cents away from its lowest price ever, we have seen it jump down to this price a few times this year already. Still, we're fans of its portability and stereo speakers and recommend it for anyone who uses their iPad as a content-consuming machine first and foremost.

At the time of writing, the 2022 iPad Air is also $100 off, but that's actually not all that impressive of a deal for the tablet, especially considering it puts it $50 away from its lowest price ever and just $100 away from the newer, upgraded Air.

More iPad deals

iPad (10th gen)

iPad (9th gen)

iPad mini

SEE ALSO: Where to pre-order the new iPad Air

iPad Pro

iPhone deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: iPhone 15 at Verizon $0 on a new line with select Unlimited plans (save $829.99) Get Deal Why we like it

Read our full review of the iPhone 15.

The iPhone 15 hasn't really received the "get it free" deal treatment since it's been on the market. Although this particular deal comes with the standard caveats of requiring a new line and particular cell phone plan, it's still one of the best we've seen on this phone. With its USB-C charging port, Dynamic Island, and 48-megapixel camera, it is, as Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder calls it in his review, one of "the best new iPhones for most people."

More iPhone deals SEE ALSO: iOS 18: Everything we know about the next big iPhone update Apple Watch deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple Watch Series Series 9 (41mm, GPS) $299.00 at Walmart
$399.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple Watch Series 9.

The Series 9 is $100 off at Walmart and Amazon, making the hit of losing the blood oxygen sensor much more palatable. For anyone tired of squinting at your smartwatch display on a sunny day, you'll appreciate this watch's peak brightness of 2,000 nits — this was one of our reviewer's favorite features of the Series 9. Of course, you'll also get Double Tap, a snappy processor, and more storage than previous generations.

More Apple Watch deals

Series 9

SE

AirPods and Apple accessories deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple USB-C AirPods $179.99 at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target
$249.00 Save $69.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the USB-C AirPods Pro.

The AirPods Pro are just 99 cents away from their lowest price ever, just in time to get the perfect last-minute Mother's Day present. We love these earbuds for their easy pairing to Apple devices and exceptional noise-cancellation, and we recommend them for travelers and iPhone users in particular.

More deals on AirPods and Apple accessories
Categories: IT General, Technology

New M4 iPad Pro is reportedly faster than the MacBook Pro

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 20:55

There's a new iPad Pro and it might be more powerful than the most powerful MacBook Pro.

At least, that's what Geekbench says. According to the popular benchmarking software's website (as spotted by MSPowerUser) the new iPad Pro's single and multi-core scores are 22 and 25 percent faster than the 2023 MacBook Pro. It should be noted that the new iPad starts at $999, while the MacBook is a full $1,000 more than that.

SEE ALSO: What's missing: 6 features the new iPad Pro 2024 doesn't have

Of course, there's a reason the tablet has a higher Geekbench score than the laptop: the M4 chip powering it. Apple's latest in-house silicon debuted in the new iPad Pro, and it's not really surprising that M4 would be faster than the M3 Pro chip powering the MacBook Pro. At least, not on paper, but a tablet being more powerful than a laptop is still pretty cool.

Apple first confirmed the existence of the new iPad Pro during an event on Tuesday. It comes in 11-inch and 13-inch models, features an OLED screen for the first time, and is being marketed as Apple's thinnest ever device. And on top of all that, it might be more powerful than the best MacBook Pro.

Categories: IT General, Technology

TikTok's AI-generated content is getting watermarked

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 20:24

TikTok is taking another stab at curbing the rise of AI-generated misinformation taking over social media platforms, as it announces a new way its watermarking (or labelling) AI.

The platform announced today that it is joining the Adobe-led Content Authenticity Initiative and the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), a nonprofit-backed project to align tech and social media companies on best practices for what is known as "content provenance," or the "basic, trustworthy facts about the origins of a piece of digital content."

While TikTok already labels AI-generated content (AIGC) made using its own AI effects, and requires users to label their own uploaded AI content, the new policy will apply automatic oversight to content made offsite. TikTok's stated intention with the collaboration is for an auto-labeling system to read Content Credentials in order to parse an image or video's metadata and quickly identify it as AI-generated.

The platform also said it would begin attaching Content Credentials to TikTok content itself, so that others can learn when, where, and how the content was made or edited. It's now the first social media company and video platform to sign on to Adobe's Content Credentials standards, Fortune reports.

SEE ALSO: TikTok sues the U.S. government over ban

"While experts widely recommend AIGC labeling as a way to support responsible content creation, they also caution that labels can cause confusion if viewers don't have context about what they mean," the company wrote in its announcement. "That's why we've been working with experts to develop media literacy campaigns that can help our community identify and think critically about AIGC and misinformation."

TikTok will also release 12 new media literacy resources created alongside the Poynter Institute's Mediawise, a youth-focused fact checking project, and WITNESS, a human rights organization that teaches civilians how to use tech to record and protect themselves. WITNESS also provides guidelines and advice for discerning deepfakes and other AI threats.

Other tech platforms, similarly flooded with the products of generative AI, have taken their own paths toward better labeling and watermarking. Meta announced new AI content labels in April. Not long after, Snapchat announced it was adding an automatic, but user-visible, watermark to all content created using its in-house AI tools. The transparent Snapchat logo watermark is added to images once they are downloaded to a device or exported off the platform.

TikTok, meanwhile, launches these intended AI protections within a flurry of attention aimed at the platform's role in global organizing and its potential impact on the upcoming presidential election. The new policies also come in the midst of the company's last ditch effort to save the app's place on U.S. phones, including a recent lawsuit against the U.S. government for its Biden-approved ban.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Summer TV Preview: Every show you must see

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 19:54

Happy (almost) summer! Let's celebrate by looking ahead to the oodles of television coming in the next few months.

The summer of 2024 is already shaping up to be a busy time for TV lovers, with the return of heavy-hitters like House of the Dragon, The Bear, Bridgerton, and The Boys. Elsewhere, upcoming Star Wars show The Acolyte will transport us to the High Republic, The Umbrella Academy prepares to take its final bow, and Interview with the Vampire goes all in on gothic goodness.

But there are even more shows — both new and returning — where those came from. Read on for 33 TV shows to check out this summer.

SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: Every film you oughta know Shardlake

Sean Bean as Thomas Cromwell. That's all we need to watch Shardlake, a four-part historical murder mystery set in Tudor England. Written by Stephen Butchard and directed by The Other Boleyn Girl's Justin Chadwick, Shardlake is based on the first book in C. J. Sansom's novel series. The show spans the reign of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, during the dissolution of the monasteries. Lawyer Matthew Shardlake, who works for Cromwell, is ordered to investigate the murder of one of the Crown's commissioners in the town of Scarnsea. With his assistant Jack Barak, Shardlake must solve the crime while navigating the political turmoil permeating this seaside town. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Arthur Hughes, Sean Bean, Babou Ceesay, Paul Kaye, Matthew Steer, David Pearse, Joe Barber, and Kimberley Nixon

How to watch: Shardlake premieres May 1 on Hulu.

Hacks Season 3

Sharp-tongued comedians Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels return in Hacks Season 3, which has a lot of ground to cover following Season 2's game-changing finale. In that episode, stand-up legend Deborah fired her assistant Ava in order to give her more time to focus on her own life and career. But a dynamic duo can only stay apart for so long, right? The two will team up again soon, right?

Based on the trailer for Season 3, it looks like a Deborah and Ava reunion is certainly in the cards after a chance elevator encounter. And now that Deborah's latest special has put her back on top of the comedy world, she'll need someone like Ava to keep pushing her to do all that she wants to achieve. That's great news for Hacks fans, because we can always count on Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder's killer chemistry for a great time.*Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter.

Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Kaitlin Olson, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, and Mark Indelicato

How to watch: Hacks Season 3 premieres May 2 on Max.

A Man in Full

Tom Wolfe's novel gets the Netflix treatment with Jeff Daniels in the lead as Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker. He's going bankrupt and risks losing everything, much to the delight of many of his adversaries. Created by David E. Kelley, A Man in Full has Regina King directing alongside Thomas Schlamme, so expect this one to be sharp and smart as hell. — S.C.

Starring: Jeff Daniels, Diane Lane, Tom Pelphrey, Aml Ameen, Chanté Adams, Jon Michael Hill, Sarah Jones, William Jackson Harper, and Lucy Liu

How to watch: A Man in Full premieres May 2 on Netflix.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

New Zealand author Heather Morris' popular novel The Tattooist of Auschwitz has been adapted into a six-part TV series for Peacock. The book follows a love story in unimaginable circumstances, inspired by the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov.

The series follows Lale, a Jewish man imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau; there, he was forced to tattoo identification numbers on the forearms of other prisoners. One such prisoner is Gita, with whom he fell in love. — S.C.

Starring: Jonah Hauer-King, Anna Próchniak, Jonas Nay, Harvey Keitel, and Melanie Lynskey

How to watch: The Tattooist of Auschwitz premieres May 2 on Peacock.

Dark Matter

Admit it: You've sometimes wondered how your life might have turned out if you made a slightly different choice along the way. That's the starting premise for Apple TV+'s sci-fi series Dark Matter, but in the world based on Blake Crouch's novel, it isn't just a premise.

SEE ALSO: 'Dark Matter' trailer teases a black box that leads to infinite versions of one man's life

Scientist Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) has actually invented a black box that can access infinite versions of his own life. The villain of the piece? A different version of Jason, who kidnaps the first Jason and rudely moves him into a parallel universe. Yes, it's all a little confusing. But the premise is also so intriguing that we can't wait to see where this one goes. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, and Oakes Fegley

How to watch: Dark Matter premieres May 8 on Apple TV+.

Reginald the Vampire Season 2

Reginald the Vampire Season 2 raises the stakes with a promise of a face-off between vampires and angels.

The SYFY comedy sees Reginald Andres (Jacob Batalon) adjusting nicely to his new vampire life and cohort. But just as life as a bloodsucker is starting to click, angels return to Earth and threaten to destroy every vampire in existence. With 30 days before the Blood War, can Reginald and his friends find enough allies to stand a chance? — B.E.

Starring: Jacob Batalon, Mandela Van Peebles, Em Haine, Savannah Basley, Aren Buchholz, Marguerite Hanna, and Thailey Roberge

How to watch: Reginald the Vampire premieres May 8 at 10 p.m. ET on SYFY.

Black Twitter: A People's History

In 2021, Wired's Jason Parham published the essential three-part article series "A People’s History of Black Twitter," chronicling the rise of the mighty online community that defined the platform now known as X. Hulu has developed Parham's piece into a three-part series, directed by Prentice Penny (Insecure) and produced by Onyx Collective. The series looks to delve further into the rise of Black Twitter through the memes, moments, and influencers who defined one of the most influential, important spaces on the internet.

"Black Twitter is the beating heart of Twitter overall," wrote Mashable's Chance Townsend and Tim Marcin. "If you have a favorite meme, joke, or even way to use Twitter, it most likely started on Black Twitter. There is no Twitter — at least not the version we know — without Black Twitter." The response to Hulu's trailer, however, was mixed — especially on Black Twitter. — S.C.

Starring: Jason Parham, Roxane Gay, W. Kamau Bell, TJ Adeshola, Ira Madison III, Dr. André Brock, Jemele Hill, Kid Fury, Rembert Browne, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Raquel Willis, Dr. Meredith Clark, Brandon “Jinx” Jenkins, Shamika Klassen, Wesley Lowery, April Reign, Sam Jay, Brad Jenkins, Van Lathan, Jamilah Lemieux, Baratunde Thurston, Judnick Mayard, God-is Rivera, Ashley Weatherspoon, Amanda Seales, Denver Sean, and J Wortham

How to watch: Black Twitter: A People's History premieres May 9 on Hulu.

Bodkin

From true crime docu-series to troubling dramas and outright parodies, Netflix loves a good murder mystery. Created by Jez Scharf, Bodkin offers a curious new series to obsess over, one that combines a small-town mystery, a tenacious journalist, and a big-hearted podcaster (played by comedian Will Forte).

But don't expect this one to be a laugh riot. Set in an Irish community untrusting of outsiders, Bodkin begins with the unsolved case of three missing persons who vanished 21 years ago during Samhain — or as Gilbert (Forte) puts it, "the Irish Night of the Dead." From there, surly locals, strange revelations, and a battle between ambition and empathy stoke tension. Also, there are nuns who promote yoga. This is an odd Bodkin to be sure. — K.P.

Starring: Will Forte, Siobhán Cullen, Robyn Cara, David Wilmot, and Chris Walley

How to watch: Bodkin premieres May 9 on Netflix.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School

2022's Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin gets a new title, just in time for summer! Appropriately titled Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, the series sees our crew of liars catching up on classes while everyone else is on vacation. Summer jobs and flings are in the cards, but so is a disturbing development: A new villain who may be linked to "A" has surfaced, and they've got bloody vengeance on their mind. — B.E.

Starring: Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Zaria, Malia Pyles, Maia Reficco, Mallory Bechtel, Sharon Leal, Alex Aiono, Jordan Gonzalez, and Elias Kacavas

How to watch: Pretty Little Liars: Summer School premieres May 9 on Max.

Doctor Who Season 14

It's a thrilling time to be a Whovian. Following David Tennant's return in the eponymous role for a timey-whimey mini-arc of episodes, Ncuti Gatwa debuted as the Fifteenth Doctor with plenty of panache — and no pants! Shortly thereafter, he took the lead in "The Church on Ruby Road," a Christmas special that ranks as one of the long-running sci-fi series' very best. And now, at long last, we're getting a full season of his swaggering Doctor, aided by a plucky companion in Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday. But that's not all! 

SEE ALSO: 'Doctor Who' is about to change forever. You're not ready.

The eight-episode season will be brought to us by showrunner Russell T Davies, who is responsible for some of the most beloved episodes of the modern run, including "The Runaway Bride." And in teasers and trailers, Davies has revealed flashy fashion, dinosaurs, dance numbers, and big guest stars, including Broadway's Jonathan Groff and RuPaul's Drag Race's Jinkx Monsoon! When it's Monsoon Season, everybody's a winner, baby. — K.P.

Starring: Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Jinkx Monsoon, Aneurin Barnard, Anita Dobson, Yasmin Finney, Michelle Greenidge, Jonathan Groff, Bonnie Langford, Genesis Lynea, Jemma Redgrave, Lenny Rush, Indira Varma, and Angela Wynter

How to watch: Doctor Who Season 14 premieres Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m. ET on Disney+ in the U.S. In the UK, the season kicks off Saturday, May 11, at 12 a.m. GMT on BBC iPlayer, followed by BBC One later that day.

Interview with the Vampire Season 2

AMC's Interview with the Vampire shocked and awed us with its gothic romance and thoughtful reworking of Anne Rice's original novels. Its spectacular first season ended with Louis de Pointe du Lac breaking away from lover Lestat de Lioncourt, bringing young vampire Claudia with him. Season 2 picks up with this pair joining a group of bloodsuckers at the Théâtre des Vampires in France. New characters await, including Théâtre des Vampires members Santiago and Armand, whom Louis introduced to his interviewer Daniel Molloy in the Season 1 finale as "the love of my life." But how did Louis and Armand grow so close? And what fresh hell will Lestat wreak when he finds out? Let's just say we're more than ready to sink our teeth into what comes next.*B.E.

Starring: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, Rae Dawn Chong, and Ben Daniels

How to watch: Interview with the Vampire premieres May 12 on AMC and AMC+.

Blood of Zeus Season 2

Several TV shows got us through the dark times of October 2020. One was Blood of Zeus, Charley and Vlas Parlapanides' brutal animated Greek mythology series about the son of the god of thunder, a demigod known as Heron. As is tradition, Hera wasn't stoked at another of Zeus' mortal dalliances resulting in a kid, so she went down the path of vengeance. At the end of Season 2, Heron found out some real Greek myth-level truths about his family, and fratricide went down. But when has death stopped the gods, especially when Hades is around? — S.C.

Starring: Derek Phillips, Elias Toufexis, Jason O'Mara, Fred Tatasciore, Claudia Christian, and Jessica Henwick

How to watch: Blood of Zeus Season 2 premieres May 9 on Netflix.

Bridgerton Season 3

Dearest gentle readers, it's high time we reunite with the Bridgerton family, wouldn't you agree? After the swoon-worthy story of Queen Charlotte and King George, Netflix's juggernaut Bridgerton returns to its roots for a third season, this time focusing on the romance between Penelope Featherington (who is secretly gossip maven Lady Whistledown) and Colin Bridgerton.

SEE ALSO: 'Bridgerton' Season 3 clip teases a very tense argument

Based on the trailer for the new season, this latest trip to the Ton will see Penelope seeking out a suitor with Colin's friendly help. (Emphasis on friend.) But as possible matches for Penelope arise, Colin finds that his feelings for Penelope may be stronger than he originally thought. Cue the angst! Oh, and remember that for the first time in Bridgerton history, Netflix will be releasing the season in two parts — so be sure to time your binge viewing accordingly!*B.E.

Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Luke Thompson, Golda Rosheuvel, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Lorraine Ashbourne, Hannah Dodd, Simone Ashley, Jonathan Bailey, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Jessica Madsen, Florence Hunt, Martins Imhangbe, Will Tilston, Polly Walker, and Julie Andrews

How to watch: The first four episodes of Bridgerton Season 3 premiere May 16 on Netflix, and the last four on June 13.

The Big Cigar

An elaborate escape plan involving a fake movie production? This is one of the core "stranger than fiction" elements of The Big Cigar, Apple TV+'s series about Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton and his escape from the U.S. to Cuba, which he managed with the help of Hollywood producer Bert Schneider. The series is based on a 2012 Playboy article written by journalist Joshuah Bearman, whose 2007 Wired article fueled Ben Affleck's Argo. Yep, it's another fake-movie-border-smuggling-affair drawn from real events, if you can believe it. Plus, the first two episodes are directed by Don Cheadle. — S.C.

Starring: André Holland, Alessandro Nivola, Tiffany Boone, P.J. Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton, Olli Haaskivi, Jordane Christie, and Glynn Turman

How to watch: The Big Cigar premieres May 17 on Apple TV+.

Trying Season 4

Have you slept on Trying? There's a fourth season coming of writer Andy Wolton's delightful series, so now's the time to get into it. A heartfelt journey through the trials and tribulations of starting a family, specifically through the adoption process, Trying has been one of Apple TV+'s underrated gems for a while now. The series hinges around London couple Nikki and Jason, whose road to parenthood isn't straightforward. But the series embodies the phrase "it takes a village," with a wonderful supporting cast of their family and friends making up the show. — S.C.

Starring: Rafe Spall, Esther Smith, Imelda Staunton, Sian Brooke, Darren Boyd, Scarlett Rayner, and Cooper Turner

How to watch: Trying Season 4 premieres May 22 on Apple TV+.

Evil Season 4

I've said it before: Evil is the wildest show you aren't watching. But with Season 4 fast approaching, there's no better time than the present to catch up quick! Imagine The X-Files with loads of Catholic horror, and you've got the rough outline of Robert King and Michelle King's racy and riveting series. A supernatural drama set in New York City, Evil follows a motley crew of paranormal investigators: one true believer, Catholic priest David Acosta (a sultry and stern Mike Colter); one die-hard skeptic, forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard (an eye-rolling and charming Katja Herbers); and one agnostic tech wizard, Ben Shakir (the always-funny Aasif Mandvi). 

Week after week, this quipping trio combats everything from urban legends, demons, and ghosts to cults, creatures, and their main antagonist, Leland Townsend (the delectably devilish Michael Emerson), a wicked rival of Kristen's who is literally in league with Satan. After three seasons of cheeky stand-alone stories and an overarching narrative about a sinister IVF company, things are coming to a head with the coming of the Antichrist. So grab a blanket to cuddle up with. This one's going to get creepy. — K.P. 

Starring: Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Andrea Martin, Kurt Fuller, and Christine Lahti

How to watch: Evil Season 4 premieres May 23 on Paramount+.

Eric Credit: Ludovic Robert / Netflix

Suffragette writer Abi Morgan's Netflix thriller, Eric, promises to plunge us back into '80s Manhattan with a missing person mystery. Benedict Cumberbatch is in the lead as Vincent, a famous puppeteer and kids' TV show creator. When his nine-year-old son Edgar goes missing, a distressed Vincent descends into destructive actions, fixated on the character Edgar created in his drawings: a monster called Eric. Seeing Eric as the one real chance to bring his son home through his TV show, Good Day Sunshine, Vincent starts to become more and more isolated from those around him. — S.C.

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Gaby Hoffmann, McKinley Belcher III, Dan Fogler, Clarke Peters, Ivan Howe, Phoebe Nicholls, David Denman, Bamar Kane, Adepero Oduye, Alexis Molnar, and Roberta Colindrez

How to watch: Eric premieres May 30 on Netflix.

We Are Lady Parts Season 2 Credit: Saima Khalid / Peacock / NBC International / C4

It's been a while since Nida Manzoor's comedy about an all-female Muslim punk bad made a splash with its first season, but fans will be pleased to hear that it won't be long before Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey), Ayesha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), Momtaz (Lucie Shorthouse), and Amina (Anjana Vasan) are back on our screens.

"The main critique for We Are Lady Parts remains that it is too short," wrote Mashable's Proma Khosla about Season 1. "I want eight episodes, or 10, or 50. Finishing the first season feels a lot like performing a stage gig; you won't remember every detail but you'll remember the feeling, a rush of joy and adrenaline that you were grateful to share with this motley, magnificent crew."*S.H.

Starring: Sarah Kameela Impey, Juliette Motamed, Faith Omole, Lucie Shorthouse, and Anjana Vasan

How to watch: We Are Lady Parts Season 2 premieres May 30 on Peacock.

The Outlaws Season 3 Credit: Prime Video / BBC Worldwide Americas

Stephen Merchant and Elgin James' lauded comedy series is back for a third round. Described as "a criminally fun watch" by Nicole Gallucci for Mashable, The Outlaws follows a group of random miscreants in Bristol charged with community service. In previous seasons, this now-tight crew has dealt with crime boss and drug lord The Dean (Claes Bang), but they're not free of the threat yet. No word yet on whether Christopher Walken will return, but the rest of the beloved cast is back for more. — S.C.

Starring: Stephen Merchant, Rhianne Barreto, Gamba Cole, Darren Boyd, Clare Perkins, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jessica Gunning, Charles Babalola, Tom Hanson, and Claes Bang

How to watch: The Outlaws Season 3 premieres May 31 on Prime Video.

Clipped Credit: Kelsey McNeal / FX

FX's sports drama Clipped tackles one of professional basketball's biggest scandals: Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's racist remarks and subsequent lifetime ban from the NBA.

The series examines the dysfunctional environment Sterling (Ed O'Neill) fostered at the Clippers organization through the eyes of new head coach Doc Rivers (Laurence Fishburne) and Sterling's mistress, V. Stiviano (Cleopatra Coleman), who leaked tapes of Sterling's racist comments during the Clippers' 2014 playoff run. Not only does Clipped portray a pivotal moment in NBA history, it also chronicles social media's response and the role it played in the scandal's aftermath. — B.E.

Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Ed O'Neill, Cleopatra Coleman, Jacki Weaver, Kelly AuCoin, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Rich Sommer, Corbin Bernsen, Clifton Davis, and Harriet Sansom Harris

How to watch: Clipped premieres June 4 on Hulu.

Star Wars: The Acolyte

2023's Star Wars TV offerings like The Mandalorian Season 3 and Ahsoka suffered from an overreliance on Easter eggs, fan service, and hewing too closely to prior Star Wars series and films. The Acolyte may just avoid these pitfalls altogether, as it takes us to an entirely new time period in the Star Wars chronology. Created by Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), The Acolyte is our first live-action introduction to the High Republic era, 100 years before the prequels take place. This is a time of relative peace for this galaxy far, far away. However, when a former Jedi Padawan and her master team up to investigate a series of crimes, they'll uncover forces far darker than they could have possibly imagined.*B.E.

Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva, and Joonas Suotamo

How to watch: The Acolyte premieres June 4 on Disney+.

Queenie

Candice Carty-Williams has already had a big 2023 with her awesome BBC series Champion, but this year has even more on the horizon. The author has adapted her popular 2020 debut novel, Queenie, as a buzzy series with Onyx Collective and Channel 4, with Dionne Brown in the lead as the eponymous protagonist. With Carty-Williams at the helm as showrunner and executive producer, the series revolves around Queenie, a 25-year-old Jamaican British journalist who's going through a break-up, navigating the mess of modern dating, and figuring out how to keep her job together, all while connecting with her family and incredibly tight group of friends.*S.H.

Starring: Dionne Brown, Jon Pointing, Samuel Adewunmi, Bellah, Sally Phillips, Tilly Keeper, Elisha Applebaum, Mim Shaikh, Llewella Gideon, Michelle Greenidge, Cristale De'Abreu, Joseph Marcell, Joseph Ollman, Melissa Johns, and Laura Whitmore

How to watch: Queenie premieres June 7 on Hulu.

The Boys Season 4

In 2023, The Boys universe took a college detour with the deeply fun (and deeply bloody) spin-off Gen V. In 2024, the flagship series will return for an explosive fourth season. America is more polarized than ever (sound familiar?), with the MAGA-esque cult of Homelander facing off against Starlight's supporters. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Victoria Neuman grows ever closer to the Oval Office, the Boys are at odds with former leader Billy Butcher, and new supes Sister Sage and Firecracker are joining the Seven. With so much at stake, how will The Boys be able to top themselves in terms of outrageous gore?*B.E.

Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit, Cameron Crovetti, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan

How to watch: The Boys Season 4 premieres June 13 on Prime Video.

Presumed Innocent Credit: Apple TV+

Already adapted into a Harrison Ford-led film in the '90s, Scott Turow's legal thriller novel Presumed Innocent has been snapped up by David E. Kelley and J.J. Abrams for Apple TV+. Jake Gyllenhaal (who is also on board as an executive producer) takes over Ford's role of Rusty Sabich, the chief deputy prosecutor for the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney's office. Here, a murder charge within the building sees power and politics thrown into the air, and over eight episodes, it's a race to the truth. — S.C.

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle, and Renate Reinsve

How to watch: Presumed Innocent premieres June 12 on Apple TV+.

House of the Dragon Season 2

Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon returns for its highly anticipated second season this summer, bringing more Targaryen fire and blood to our TV screens. And I mean a ton more fire and blood. Think of it this way: If Season 1 was all about the build-up to the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, Season 2 is where the war begins in earnest. Following the death of her son Lucerys, Rhaenyra Targaryen is prepared to go scorched earth on Alicent Hightower and her son Aegon II — and who can blame her? Brutal battles, dastardly assassinations, and political machinations await, along with more dragons. (Of course.)*B.E.

Starring: Emma D'Arcy, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, Graham McTavish, Matthew Needham, Gayle Rankin, Simon Russell Beale, Freddie Fox, Abubakar Salim, Clinton Liberty, Jamie Kenna, Kieran Bew, Tom Bennett, Tom Taylor, and Vincent Regan

How to watch: House of the Dragon Season 2 premieres June 16 on HBO and Max.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 has dueling trailers. Watch and pick a side. Orphan Black: Echoes

In the mid-2010s, Orphan Black was an obsession for sci-fi fans. Not only did the twisted Canadian drama series spin a complicated and compelling tale of clones quirky and caustic, but also it was shouldered by the wildly talented Tatiana Maslany, who'd go on to star in She Hulk: Attorney at Law. Now, the concept is replicated with Orphan Black: Echoes, a sequel series of sorts that exists in the same universe as the original.

This time around, Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones, Love and Death) stars, but specifics on the plotline are currently cryptic. Here's what AMC has released: "Set in the near future, Orphan Black: Echoes takes a deep dive into the exploration of the scientific manipulation of human existence. It follows a group of women as they weave their way into each other's lives and embark on a thrilling journey, unraveling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a wrenching story of love and betrayal. Ritter plays Lucy, a woman with an unimaginable origin story, trying to find her place in the world." — K.P.

Starring: Krysten Ritter, Keeley Hawes, Amanda Fix, Avan Jogia, Rya Kihlstedt, and James Hiroyuki Liao

How to watch: Orphan Black: Echoes premieres June 23 at 10 p.m. ET on AMC, AMC+, and BBC AMERICA.

Land of Women Credit: Apple TV+

Eva Longoria leads Apple TV+'s Land of Women as Gala, a New Yorker who's used to the good life. Unfortunately, Gala's husband has been up to no good; he implicates their family in financial wrongdoings and promptly disappears, leaving her to deal with his debt. With bad guys hot on their trail, Gala flees the country with her mother and adult daughter. The three wind up in a small wine town in Northern Spain — the same one Gala's own mother left decades before. They try their best to keep their identities hidden, but as townspeople gossip and criminals hunt Gala down, she and her family will learn deep, surprising family secrets. — B.E.

Starring: Eva Longoria, Santiago Cabrera, Victoria Bazúa, and Carmen Maura

How to watch: Land of Women premieres June 26 on Apple TV+.

The Bear Season 3 Credit: Chuck Hodes/FX

Are you ready for Carmy and company to come back? Season 1 gave us a panic attack with the real-time lunch rush of "Review." Season 2 gave us treats: rising star chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) guiding us on a Chicago food tour, beloved baker Marcus (Lionel Boyce) rolling around Denmark, Cousin Richie finding himself and his inner Swiftie, and hard-shelled Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) finally letting some love into his life. But man, this so-called "comedy" show also knows how to gut us with the ferocious family conflict in a star-stuffed holiday episode. 

SEE ALSO: The surprising mindfulness of 'The Bear'

Whether you love this critically heralded series for its "Forks" or "Fishes,"The Bear is undeniably some of the best TV of the past decade. So while we know virtually nothing about Season 3, it's still among our most anticipated returns of 2024. Let it rip! — K.P. 

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce, and Liza Colón-Zayas

How to watch: The Bear premieres June 27 on Hulu.

Fantasmas Credit: Monica Lek / HBO

Julio Torres wowed audiences earlier this year with his whimsical directorial debut Problemista. Next up on his to-do list? Fantasmas, a new television show for HBO and his second with the network after Los Espookys. In Fantasmas, Torres tells us the story of how he lost a golden oyster. His journey to find it will bring him face to face with fascinating new characters (played by the likes of Julia Fox and Steve Buscemi) in a series of introspective (and likely charming) little films. — B.E.

Starring: Julio Torres, Martine, Joe Rumrill, Julia Fox, Ziwe, Steve Buscemi, Alexa Demie, and Kim Petras

How to watch: Fantasmas premieres on HBO and Max in June.

Sunny Credit: Apple TV+

A mystery with a sci-fi twist, Apple TV+'s Sunny stars Rashida Jones as a woman who teams up with a robot to solve the disappearance of her family.

Jones plays Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto. When her husband and son go missing in a plane crash, Suzie receives Sunny, a domestic robot made by her husband's electronics company. Her resentment and grief soon give way to an unexpected friendship between the two — one that leads them to investigate what really happened to Suzie's family. Dark secrets and robot detective capers await. — B.E.

Starring: Rashida Jones, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Joanna Sotomura, Judy Ongg, You, annie the clumsy, and Jun Kunimura

How to watch: Sunny premieres July 10 on Apple TV+.

Hit-Monkey Season 2 Credit: Courtesy of Marvel

2021's Hit-Monkey brought us face to face with one of TV's most unlikely (yet surprisingly moving) duos: Monkey (voiced by Fred Tatasciore), a Japanese snow monkey with a killer instinct, and Bryce (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), an American assassin who is also a ghost. In Season 1, the two took on the Yakuza in Tokyo. Season 2 moves the action to New York City, where Monkey will try to end his killing ways. But with former ally Akiko (voiced by Olivia Munn) hunting him down to avenge the death of her uncle, Monkey's plans for a life of peace might have to wait. — B.E.

Starring: Fred Tatasciore, Jason Sudeikis, Olivia Munn, Ally Maki, and Leslie Jones

How to watch: Hit-Monkey Season 2 premieres July 15 on Hulu.

Those About to Die

Anthony Hopkins! Roland Emmerich! Gladiators! Those About to Die has it all.

The TV debut from Independence Day director Roland Emmerich takes us behind the scenes of a gladiatorial competition in ancient Rome. Prepare to see the nitty-gritty ins and outs of the bloodiest entertainment industry imaginable, as well as some gnarly fights. And, of course, reigning over it all is Hopkins himself as Emperor Vespasian. Let the games begin. — B.E.

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, and Moe Hashim

How to watch: Those About to Die premieres July 18 on Peacock.

The Umbrella Academy Season 4

2024 marks one last ride with the Hargreeves siblings, who can never quite seem to time travel without any consequences. By the end of Season 3, the siblings have entered an all-new timeline, one where none of them have any powers, and where their nightmare of an adoptive father is exceedingly powerful. The Hargreeves' future may be unpredictable, but you can bet we'll get one more season full of fun fight scenes set to absolute banger tunes.*B.E.

Starring: Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, Colm Feore, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, and David Cross

How to watch: The Umbrella Academy Season 4 premieres Aug. 8 on Netflix.

Emily in Paris Season 4

The drama is on this season of Emily in Paris, especially in the aftermath of Camille and Gabriel's messy wedding. Emily finds herself struggling with her feelings for both Gabriel and Alfie, Sylvie must confront a dilemma from her past, the Agence Grateau team is facing some big shakeups, and Mindy's Eurovision hopes may be dashed by financial troubles. Sacré bleu. — B.E.

Starring: Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Camille Razat, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery, William Abadie, and Lucien Laviscount

How to watch: The first five episodes of Emily in Paris premiere Aug. 15 on Netflix, and the last five premiere Sept. 12.

Only Murders in the Building Season 4 Credit: Craig Blankenhorn / Hulu

Following the theatrical conclusion of their Broadway murder mystery, Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), and Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin) are back on the case this summer! Season 4 will focus on who killed Charles' long-time body double Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch). And — considering her physical similarity to the polarizing TV star — was she even the intended target? 

The Season 3 finale laid out some early clues. But here's what else we know about this fresh investigation: Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building will feature the return of Meryl Streep as the secretive actress Loretta Durkin, and new to the ever-expanding ensemble are Molly Shannon, Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy, Kumail Nanjiani, and Zach Galifianakis. Without even knowing what roles these comedic talents are slated for, we suspect this season will be another big hit. — K.P.

Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Meryl Streep, Molly Shannon, Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy, Kumail Nanjiani, and Zach Galifianakis

How to watch: Only Murders in the Building Season 4 is coming to Hulu this summer.

(*) means a blurb comes from a prior story.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bring home a pair of Apple AirPods Max for almost $100 off

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 18:53

SAVE $99.01: As of May 9, get a pair of Apple AirPods Max for $449.99, down from $549. That's a savings of 18%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods Max $449.99 at Amazon
$549.00 Save $99.01 Get Deal

Thinking about investing in a new pair of over-the-ear headphones? There are tons of great options out there, but if you regularly use Apple devices, you might want to stay within that ecosystem. In that case, the AirPods Max are a formidable option for you that you can opt for over AirPods. And right now, you can shave some nice savings off their hefty price tag.

As of May 9, you can get the AirPods Max at Amazon for $449.99, which is reduced from their list price of $549. That's $99.01 off and a discount of 18%. This price is only $20 more than their lowest price ever, and it's still a great deal if you want to try out these luxe cans.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best noise-cancelling headphones for flying in 2024

You get what you pay for with Apple's most expensive pair of headphones. There's fantastic active noise cancellation, which has become a staple for Apple headphones, so they sound great no matter where you are. They also offer a transparency mode option, should you need to be able to hear what's going on around you.

Like the AirPods Pro, they also offer spatial audio support for total musical immersion with dynamic head tracking. And let's not forget they look pretty cool, too, with a cooling knit mesh headband and cushy ear cups to boot.

If you've had your eye on these unique-looking headphones for a while, it might finally be time to get a pair. Be sure to do so while they're on sale.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The week's best robot vacuum deals: Roomba and Eufy

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 18:33

UPDATE: May. 9, 2024, 1:00 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with the latest robot vacuums on sale during the first half of May, including 50% off the Roomba Combo j5 and new all-time-lows on several self-emptying Eufy models.

A quick look at the best robot vacuum deals for mid-May: Best budget deal Eufy L60 $199 at Amazon (save $80) Get Deal Best self-emptying deal Shark Matrix RV2300S $299 at Walmart (save $200.99) Get Deal Best vacuum-mop combo deal Eufy X9 Pro $549.99 at Amazon (save $350) Get Deal

Only three things are certain in life: Death, taxes, and a few days each month when you need to vacuum but just don't have time. Whether you detest the chore or hope to make your home upkeep a bit breezier, a robot vacuum is a lifesaver.

SEE ALSO: As a Dyson stan, I wouldn't tell anyone to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum Best non-mopping robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Matrix RV2300S ¤299.00 at Walmart
¤499.99 Save ¤200.99 Get Deal Why we like it

Bring home both automatic emptying and smart mapping — two major features that keep you from having to babysit a robovac — for less than $300 with the Shark Matrix RV2300S. Shark's most "basic" Matrix model is also capable of entering Matrix mode, where the vacuum creates a virtual grid and vacuums in a crosshatch pattern to loosen and lift debris from multiple angles. The chic gray color scheme is also unique in a world of black-and-white robot vacuums.

More robot vacuums (that don't mop) on saleBest robot vacuum and mop hybrid deal Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy X9 Pro $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350.00 Save with Prime Get Deal Why we like it

Eufy's X9 Pro debuted in fall 2023 and sits right in the sweet spot between the X8 Pro (on sale for $399.99) and the X10 Pro Omni (a CES 2024 debut that goes for nearly $700 on sale). As of May 9, use code EUFYX9PRO at checkout to knock the sale price to $549.99.

The X9 Pro is more reminiscent of its pricier successor: It has a flat edge to get into corners, it mops, washes, and dries its own mopping pads, and uses AI to detect and avoid small obstacles like phone cables. As a mopper, the X9 Pro provides more elbow grease than many competitors thanks to double-pressurized, rotating mopping heads. These automatically lift above the ground if carpet is detected.

More robot vacuum hybrids on sale
Categories: IT General, Technology

Scoop up the Amazon Pet Day deals that are still live, from dog beds to DNA tests

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 18:30

UPDATE: May. 9, 2024, 11:59 a.m. EDT Amazon Pet Day deals were slated to end at midnight on May 8, but we're still seeing some great deals remain live. Here's the updated list of best options:

Best deals at Amazon Pet Day 2024 Best pet tech deal Tractive GPS tracker and health monitoring for dogs $29.99 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal Best pet bed deal Furhaven cooling gel dog bed (iceberg green) $38.20 at Amazon (save $6.79) Get Deal Best pet toy deal Chuckit! dog ball launcher (sport, 25 inches) $8.69 at Amazon (save $5.30) Get Deal Best pet DNA kit deal AncestryDNA Know Your Pet DNA: Dog DNA Breed Identification Test $79 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal

It's hard to find something in life that's more enjoyable than spoiling our pets. Giving us unconditional love, pets deserve all the treats in the world all the time. And thanks to the Amazon Pet Day sale, you can spoil your furry friends for less.

When is Amazon Pet Day 2024?

While the name implies just one day of sales, Amazon Pet Day actually spans two days, May 7 and 8, with deals expiring at midnight on May 8. However, we're still seeing some great deals still remaining on May 9.

Amazon Pet Day deals are the perfect excuse to stock up on toys, pet accessories, tech, and treats. This could be an ideal time to pick up your pet's favorites.

What to expect from Amazon Pet Day

While this isn't a massive sale like Amazon Prime Day, you'll find tons of deals for pets like self-cleaning litter boxes, the Furbo dog camera + treat dispenser, dog food, and toys to keep your dog or cat entertained all day.

Unlike some Prime Day deals, Amazon Pet Day sales are open to all shoppers, even those without an Amazon Prime membership.

The best Amazon Pet Day deals

We've compiled our favorite pet deals below, and we'll continue updating this page as the sale continues.

Here are our top recommendations so far:

Best pet tech deal Opens in a new window Credit: Tractive Our pick: Tractive GPS tracker and health monitoring for dogs $29.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Mashable's top choice for a budget-friendly GPS dog tracker is the Tractive GPS tracker and health monitoring system. The tracker slips onto your dog's collar and through the associated app, you'll be able to keep tabs on your dog 24/7. With no distance limitations, the tracker gets about 15 days of battery life before it needs a recharge. You can also set up a custom area where your dog typically hangs out, like inside of the house and the backyard. If the dog leaves this area, you'll automatically be alerted, which can help give you peace of mind while you're not at home.

More pet tech deals:Best pet bed deal Opens in a new window Credit: FurHaven Our pick: FurHaven cooling gel dog bed (iceberg green) $38.20 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $6.79 Get Deal Why we like it

Soaring summer temps are just a few weeks away and if your pet tends to overheat, the FurHaven cooling dog bed could be perfect for warmer months. Designed for small or medium dogs, the bed has a removable and washable cover. While it's made for dogs, who's to say a cat wouldn't love to nap on the cooling gel foam too? It's designed for cushioned support in dogs that weigh up to 35 pounds while the L-shaped chaise design gives pets a cozy pillow to relax on.

More pet bed and furniture deals:Best pet toy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Chuckit! Our pick: Chuckit! dog ball launcher (sport, 25 inches) $8.69 at Amazon
$13.99 Save $5.30 Get Deal Why we like it

Some dog toys are absolutely essential, and the Chuckit! ball launcher is certainly at the top of this list. If your throwing arm is lacking, the Chuckit! turns almost every toss into an award-winning throw, giving your dog the ball-chasing experience they dream of. The 25-inch length of this model is said to be ideal for dogs between 20 and 60 pounds, and it includes a medium ball. Not only does the Chuckit! allow you to launch the ball like never before, its handy cup design means you no longer have to touch a slobbery tennis ball that's rolled through the dirt.

More pet toy deals:Best pet DNA kit deal Opens in a new window Credit: AncestryDNA Our pick: AncestryDNA Know Your Pet DNA: Dog DNA Breed Identification Test $79.00 at Amazon
$99.00 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you've always been curious about your dog's breed, Amazon Pet Day has a great deal on the AncestryDNA kit for dogs. After a quick saliva sample, send the kit back to Ancestry and you'll get online results in two to six weeks. The results will show the exact breed or mix of breeds, as well as percentages of each. Ancestry also lists behavioral traits common with each breed which can help you identify certain characteristics in your dog.

More pet DNA kit deals:Amazon Pet Day vacuum dealsMore deals on essentials for dogs and cats:
Categories: IT General, Technology

Snatch up a pair of Apple AirPods Pro close to their lowest price yet

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 18:23

SAVE $69.01: As of May 9, get a pair of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) for just $179.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 28%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) $179.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $69.01 Get Deal

Spring is a great time to head outside, walk around the block, and listen to some of your favorite songs. Maybe you want to get caught up on all the diss tracks rapper Kendrick Lamar has released with Drake in his sights. Or you might still be digesting Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Society. Whatever the case may be, make sure you have a great pair of headphones to do it with. You can get some excellent earbuds for less right now, as the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) are on sale for a price that's just a smidge away from their lowest price ever.

As of May 9, you can get a pair of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) for $179.99 at Amazon. That's $69.01 off their list price of $249 and a discount of 28%. You can also get these earbuds for the same price right now at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.

SEE ALSO: The Beats Studio Buds are back down to their lowest price ever

These are the best AirPods on offer, and they come boasting fantastic active noise cancellation as well as overall great sound. Their support for spatial audio make them a superb choice for immersing yourself in your favorite songs, and they also offer Transparency Mode, which lets in outside noise for when you need to hear what's going on around you.

With four pairs of included silicone tips to help you find the right fit, a lengthy battery life, and a charging case for additional juice when you need it, you can't go wrong with these buds. If you're an Apple device user, you'll also love their seamless connectivity.

Mother's Day is coming up, so these AirPods could make a good last-minute gift, or you can get a pair for yourself. Whoever these AirPods are for, they'll be hearing their music in a whole new light.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sweep up a refurbished Dyson V11 for under $300

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 18:22

SAVE $130: Snag a refurbished Dyson V11 at Walmart for $289.99. That's $130 off the normal price of $419.99 and a discount of 31%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V11 Outsize cordless vacuum (refurbushed) $289.99 at Walmart
$419.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal

Dyson makes some of our favorite vacuums. With their slim, stylish designs and powerful engines, there's a lot to love about these machines. One thing not to love? Their steep price tags. So when we catch wind of a Dyson deal, we're all ears.

As of May 9, you can find a refurbished Dyson V11 Outsize cordless vacuum at Walmart for just $289.99, knocking 31% off its normal price of $419.99. That's $130 of savings on a model that works like new.

SEE ALSO: The best Dyson vacuums: A guide to the latest versions of stick, ball, and handheld cleaners

Sold and certified by Dyson, the V11 Outsize is guaranteed to perform like it's fresh out of the box. The Outsize model provides a full-sized vacuum head and dustbin compared to the more compact standard V11, perfect for those who need a heavy-duty cleaning tool (without a heavy weight; it's 6.68 pounds). The torque engine provides powerful suction, so it won't miss a spot anywhere in the house.

The V11 Outsize comes with several tools to help you clean whatever and wherever you need to, including a crevice tool and a hair screw tool, and automatically detangles hair so you don't have to get your hands dirty. It's a high-tech option too, with a luminous LCD digital display. The screen shows estimated run time (up to 60 minutes on a single charge) and maintenance alerts, giving you all the information you need to keep it running.

You can shop the Dyson V11 Outsize for a great price at Walmart. Buy now for $289.99 and save $130.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to share your location on Google Maps

Mashable - Thu, 05/09/2024 - 17:46

If you're meeting up with friends, sharing your location is a hell of a handy way to save you screeching into your phone, "Wait, what can you SEEEEEE?" Switching on Find My has become a staple of Gen Z friendship and location sharing through various apps has long functioned as all-ages safety method, though Taylor Swift's continued location sharing with her ex had us perplexed — you can (and probably should) turn that off.

As of January 2024, Google Maps now allows you to share your location right there in the app on Android or iOS.

As Google notes, when sharing your location on Google Maps you may get a warning for a few reasons, including your age (if you're under 13 you can't set up a Google account, and if you're under 18 you can't share your location for longer than 24 hours), or whether your account is managed by a parent or guardian in the Family Link app.

SEE ALSO: Does your partner really need to know your location all the time?

You should also be aware that when you share your location on Google Maps, the person you're sharing with will be able to see details beyond your location including your name, photo, how much battery you have left, and (if you've chosen to share it) your estimated arrival time. So just keep that in mind.

Of course, there's a darker side to sharing your location, so it's completely up to you who you choose to share your location with and how long for. And never, ever share your location on a dating app.

So, now you've got all the info, there are two ways to share your location on Google Maps: One when your friend has a Google account and one when they don't.

How to share location on Google Maps (if your friend has a Google account) Total Time
  • 5 min
What You Need
  • iPhone or Android
  • Google Maps app
  • Google account

Step 1: Add your friend's Gmail address to Contacts (if you haven't already).

Step 2: Open Google Maps.

Make sure you're signed into your Google account.

Step 3: Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.

Step 4: Tap "Location sharing".

You'll be sent to a screen that introduces the location sharing function, where Google notably says, "Your location is updated even when the app is not in use." Be aware of that.

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Google Maps

Step 5: Tap "Share location".

Step 6: Tap the person you'd like to share your location with.

You can scroll through the contacts that appear and pick one of them, or tap "more" to see more options. Here, you can also decide how long you'd like to share your location, whether one hour or "Until you turn this off".

Step 7: To request this person to share their location with you (only fair), tap on their name and tap "Request".

The person will receive a notification in their Gmail asking them to share their location — they need to do this within the Google Maps app. Your email will be shared with that person to help them identify you. The request will be greyed out until they accept. Once they do, you can tap their profile pic and Google Maps will show you their location.

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Google Maps

Step 8: To stop sharing, simply tap "Stop" within Google Maps under their name.

You can also block another person’s account if you need to.

And now for those who don't have Gmail...

How to share location on Google Maps (if your friend doesn't have a Google account) Total Time
  • 5 min
What You Need
  • iPhone or Android
  • Google Maps app

Step 1: Open Google Maps.

Make sure you're signed into your Google account (your friend doesn't have to be).

Step 2: Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.

Step 3: Tap "Location sharing".

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Google Maps

Step 4: Tap "More options" under your contacts.

Step 5: Tap "Copy" to add the link to your clipboard.

Step 6: Drop the link in whichever messaging app you use.

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Google Maps

Step 7: To stop sharing, simply tap "Stop" within Google Maps under "Sharing via link".

In a neat feature for punctual folks, but a terrible idea for those who like to send the ol' "just leaving" text as you're getting in the shower, you can also share your estimated time of arrival within Google Maps.

Simply punch in your location into Google Maps search, select your transport method, and start navigation.

Once you're up and away, tap the navigation menu at the bottom of the screen (where it says how long it'll take) and tap "Share trip progress". You can then pick which of your contacts to share it with or choose to copy it from "more options" and send it via messaging app.

While you're here, we've got guides for how to turn your location off and on with your iPhone, how to download Google Maps, how to turn on 3D buildings in navigation, how to save locations, and other Google Maps tips and tricks.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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