IT General

Google Pixel Tablet is reportedly on the chopping block — and were confused

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 19:27

Google's Pixel Tablet once felt like a solid contender in a crowded market. But apparently, it didn’t make enough of a splash, as the follow-up might have been canceled.

Android Authority reported on Thursday that the so-called Pixel Tablet 2 has been canceled internally at Google before it was ever officially announced. The timing on this report is a bit strange for multiple reasons.

Firstly, just last week, Android Authority reported that the Pixel Tablet 2 was in the works, boasting upgrades like a better camera, a more powerful processor, and compatibility with a keyboard cover — all significant changes over the original Pixel Tablet.

SEE ALSO: Google could be forced to sell Chrome browser by DOJ antitrust lawsuit

Secondly, a separate report this week from Android Headlines indicated that the Pixel Tablet 3 (which obviously we know even less about at this stage) was canceled. However, Android Authority’s sources clarified that the canceled device was actually believed to be the Pixel Tablet 2. At this point, it’s unclear whether Google is actively developing any Pixel Tablets. While that doesn’t definitively mean they aren’t, it does leave us without answers.

Why the Pixel Tablet 2 might not happen

Google pulling the plug on the Pixel Tablet line would surely be disappointing for some people. The original Pixel Tablet had genuine novelty among tablets, thanks to the inclusion of a charging speaker dock with every device. For me, the Pixel Tablet was a desktop media device rather than something I held in my hands. Combine that with seamless integration with other Pixel and Nest devices, and you've got something that has real utility.

Unfortunately, perhaps the tablet market is just too crowded, thanks to the likes of Samsung and Apple. Android Authortiy's report also suggested that Google didn't think the Pixel Tablet 2 would do well financially. The lack of cellular connectivity and a lackluster 60Hz display likely didn’t do it any favors either.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Score these early Black Friday deals on dash cams for safer holiday drives right now

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 19:17

Stay safe on the road this holiday season with a dash cam. These models are on sale ahead of Black Friday now:

Best Black Friday dash cam deals Best Dash Cam Deal Nextbase 622GW $249.99 (Save $108) Get Deal Best Mid-Range Dash Cam Deal Vantrue N4 $181.99 (Save $108) Get Deal Best Budget Dash Cam Deal Garmin Mini 2 $99.99 (Save $30) Get Deal

If you're planning on doing some holiday travel this month or next, you're going to need to watch out for others on the road even more than you normally would. The hustle and bustle of the season is here, and driving a car is already dangerous. Why not protect yourself with a dash cam while you're zipping around from point A to point B? As with many other items, Black Friday is the best time to buy one, and there are plenty on sale right now.

Whether you need to replace the camera you already have or you're thinking about giving a gift to a friend or family member, you can get a great deal on one of these cams to help record minor incidents that you want to take a look at later or even major crashes or accidents that you might need for insurance purposes.

Below, find some of our favorite picks for the best Black Friday dash cam deals you can shop right now.

Best dash cam deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam $249.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This Nextbase dash cam is an all-rounder that's great in most situations. It offers excellent, crystal-clear 4K footage that works for any purpose you might need it for, and comes through even when you're driving in inclement weather with great low-light video and slow-motion footage that's perfect for capturing license plate information and so on. It has a 3-inch touchscreen, digital image stabilization, and a polarizing filter to help make capturing on-the-road video a breeze. It can also capture your location in the unfortunate event you're in an accident and send on details automatically so help can be on the way before your situation changes.

Best mid-range dash cam deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Vantrue N4 $181.99 at Amazon
$289.99 Save $108.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Vantrue N4 is a mid-range camera, but it feels luxurious with multiple options that make capturing video in your car an absolute breeze. It has a front-facing and cabin-facing camera as well as one for the rearview, so every area is covered. Though it doesn't have 4K resolution, it still offers some great features like collision and motion detection, low bit-rate and low frame rate recording modes to extend its battery life, and recording in low-light conditions. It also won't break the bank, and for this price it's well worth adding to every trip you take in your vehicle.

Best budget dash cam deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Garmin Mini 2 $99.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you don't need all the bells and whistles that its brethren offer and want to spend a bit less money, the Garmin Mini 2 is a great option as far as compact dash cams go. It's small and stays out of the way, offering 1080p video with parking crash and crash detection video options. Just set it up and let it ride, and it automatically records each outing in your car. It's lacking some of the most sophisticated features like sending your information to emergency services, but if you need a dash cam quickly and you don't want to spend too much, Garmin has you covered. Plus, its companion app is great, too.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Is a Dedicated Mobile Hotspot Really Better Than Phone Tethering?

How-To Geek - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 19:00

When you're on the go and need to rely on mobile data, is it better to use a dedicated mobile hotspot device or simply tether your phone to share your data? It's not a straightforward answer, especially if you live in the US of A!

Categories: IT General, Technology

LLM Siri aims to rival ChatGPT — but don’t expect it until iOS 19

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 18:56

Apple’s promised Siri overhaul likely won’t be fully realized until 2026.

A new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple is working on a Siri LLM to compete with ChatGPT. But it won't be ready until the iOS 19 and macOS 16 software updates, likely announced in 2025 and released in spring 2026.

The tech giant has been scrambling to update its dated voice assistant in the generative AI era, which has seen the rise of ChatGPT and competitors like Google Gemini.

SEE ALSO: Apple's smarter, AI-infused Siri may not come until 2025 What to expect from Siri’s AI overhaul

Apple announced a slew of new AI features as part of Apple Intelligence at WWDC last spring, including an updated Siri. But, "the company has yet to truly overhaul the software," said Gurman, adding "the upgrades that accompanied Apple Intelligence were mostly cosmetic."

So far, these have been part of iOS 18 updates, including a new glowing interface, the ability to type to Siri, and forthcoming integration with user data to perform personalized tasks based on emails, calendar events, and messages.

Tweet may have been deleted

The project, internally dubbed "LLM Siri" will reportedly rebuild Siri from the ground up, as an LLM (Large Language Model) that is trained on mass corpora of data. A Siri trained on advanced Apple AI models will "allow for back-and-forth conversations" and "interact more like a human and handle tasks in a way that’s closer to ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini," said Gurman.

Even though Apple is developing its own Siri LLM, the company has partnered with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to iPhones as a third party tool with the iOS 18.2 update in December. Apple has also shared plans to partner with Google to provide Gemini as an alternative chatbot. The idea is to give Apple users a buffet of choices depending on the chatbot's specialities and offerings. On a related note, Apple is touting Apple Intelligence as privacy-minded, running tasks on-device and asking users if they want to proceed with a third-party option.

iOS 18.2 will be the biggest update so far, since it will include ChatGPT features that work with Siri, and other Apple Intelligence features like Genmoji and Image Playground. So for now, Apple is relying on OpenAI's chatbot to handle some of the more advanced generative AI tasks. The iOS 18.2 update is expected within the first two weeks of December.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Need a new computer monitor? Plenty are on sale ahead of Black Friday 2024.

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 18:53
Best Black Friday monitor deals 2024 Best monitor deal LG 27MS500-B 27-inch FHD Monitor $99.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best gaming monitor deal Samsung Odyssey BG65 32-inch Curved Gaming Monitor $349.99 (save $350) Get Deal

It's not even officially Black Friday yet, and the deals for monitors are honestly good enough to start shopping right now. Whether you're looking to add a little something to your work-from-home setup or hoping to give your gaming experience a serious upgrade, there are a ton of live deals that you'll definitely want to take a look at.

From minimalistic office displays to gaming machines that are big on spectacle, take a look at our top monitor deal picks ahead of Black Friday 2024. Be sure to keep checking back, too, because we'll be updating this page with even more deals throughout the massive holiday shopping event.

SEE ALSO: The best early Black Friday laptop deals: Score record lows on the M4 MacBook Pro and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 Best monitor deal Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 27MS500-B 27-inch FHD Monitor $99.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for a new work-from-home monitor on a budget, this LG model is only $99.99 ahead of Black Friday ($30 off the original price). The 27-inch, 1080p monitor doesn't have too many bells and whistles, but still packs a lot of value at this price — including a 100Hz refresh rate, an ergonomic tilting design, a Reader Mode, and more.

More monitor dealsBest gaming monitor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Odyssey BG65 32-inch Curved Gaming Monitor $349.99 at Best Buy
$699.99 Save $350.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Curved gaming monitors are all the rage these days, and Samsung's Odyssey line is amongst the most popular of its kind. This 32-inch model from Samsung is just $349.99 leading up to Black Friday, which is a whole $350 off the list price. In addition to the immersive curved design, the Odyssey BG65 monitor also has a 240Hz refresh rate with 1ms response times, a QHD resolution, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and much more to make for a smooth and effortless gaming experience. Don't miss out on this deal.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Wayfairs Black Friday sale is a Pinterest fever dream — shop furniture, decor, and more

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 18:24

SAVE 80%: Wayfair is offering up to 80% off during its early Black Friday sale. Shop mattresses, furniture, and more.

Best Wayfair Black Friday deals Best mattress deal Sealy Cool 12-inch Medium Hybrid Mattress (Queen) $449.99 at Wayfair (save $650) Get Deal Best kitchen deal Ninja Professional 72-ounce countertop blender $59.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best holiday decor deal Holiday Aisle pre-lit 7.5-foot flocked artificial Christmas tree $169.99 (save $246.90) Get Deal

It’s official: Every retailer on the internet is doing some kind of Black Friday sale. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and now Wayfair have all launched what I’m calling a discount extravaganza (cue Ru Paul’s voice).

SEE ALSO: What time Black Friday sales start for Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and more

You can get up to 80% off seasonal decor, furniture, mattresses, and more during the Wayfair Black Friday sale. There are tens of thousands of discounted items across nearly every category Wayfair sells, and we’re here for it.

Here’s everything you need to know about Wayfair’s Black Friday sale:

When does Wayfair’s Black Friday sale start?

Wayfair's Black Friday sale officially kicked off on Nov. 21 and will run through Cyber Monday, Dec. 2, at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Is Way Day better than Black Friday?

Way Day usually out-deals Black Friday when it comes to home goods, so you can find great deals during Wayfair’s Black Friday sale.

Way Day is Wayfair’s biggest sale of the year, usually taking place in the spring around Mother’s Day. Wayfair hosted two Way Day events this year — one in May and one in October (to compete with Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days).

How long is the Wayfair Black Friday sale?

Wayfair’s Black Friday sale ends Cyber Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT.

The best deals to shop during Wayfair’s Black Friday sale

Wayfair’s Black Friday sale is packed with deals. To help you figure out which ones are worth shopping for, we parsed through the pages and found the best deals on furniture, decor, and more:

Best mattress deals Opens in a new window Credit: Sealy Sealy Cool 12-inch Medium Hybrid Mattress (Queen) with CopperChill Technology $449.99 at Wayfair
$1,099.99 Save $650.00 Get Deal Why we like it

You can snag a Sealy Cool 12-inch Medium Hybrid Mattress (Queen) with CopperChill Technology for just $449.99, which is cheaper than it was during the Way Day sale in May. That’s a 59% discount or $650 in savings.

This mattress is ideal for hot sleepers who prefer a bed that’s not too soft but firm. The Sealy CopperChill gel-infused memory foam is comfortable and helps prevent night sweats. It’s also backed by a 10-year limited warranty, just in case.

More Black Friday mattress dealsBest kitchen deals Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Professional 72-ounce countertop blender $59.99 at Wayfair
$99.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Ninja Professional 72-ounce countertop blender is on sale for $59.99, down from $99.99. That’s 40% off and just $10 higher than Amazon’s all-time low price, according to our trusty price-checking tool CamelCamelCamel.

This blender has a powerful 1,000-watt motor and comes with a 72-ounce total crushing pitcher to make smoothies, frozen drinks, and more. You can probably make dips and salsas in it, too (depending on the ingredients and consistency you're going for).

Note: This is one of Wayfair’s “Deal of the Day” deals, so it might not be available at this price tomorrow. But Amazon matched the price, so if you can’t decide right now, you might be able to find it over there.

More Black Friday kitchen deals Best holiday decor deals Opens in a new window Credit: The Holiday Aisle The Holiday Aisle pre-lit 7.5-foot flocked artificial Christmas tree $169.99 at Wayfair
$416.89 Save $246.90 Get Deal Why we like it

The Holiday Aisle pre-lit 7.5-foot flocked artificial Christmas tree is on sale for $169.99. That’s 59% off the list price, or roughly $250 in savings.

This pre-lit tree has more than 1,000 positive reviews on Wayfair. Reviewers say it’s even more beautiful in person, is easy to set up, and looks great even without ornaments. If you need a smaller or larger size, it sells up to 12 feet and down to 4.5 feet.

More Black Friday seasonal decor deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Festive rugs are 20% off at Ruggable’s Holiday Steals Sale

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 18:14

GET 20% OFF: Ruggable Holiday Steals Sale is offering 20% off on gorgeous winter rugs with code HOLLY24.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ruggable Ruggable Holiday Steals Sale Take 20% off select rugs with code HOLLY24 Shop Now

Ready for a holiday home redo? Ruggable’s Holiday Steals Sale is here just in time. Ruggable is the go-to for washable rugs that bridge the gap between durability and design.

The Ruggable Holiday Steals Sale features winter designs like the Morris & Co. Blackthorn Forest Green Tufted Rug and traditional Christmas designs like the Festive Garland Multicolor Tufted Rug. Shop the Holiday sale and take 20% off using the code HOLLY24.

SEE ALSO: Finally live: Amazon's official Black Friday sale, and a ton of new deals are here

When we tested Ruggable we were beyond impressed, finding them to be plush, attractive and deeply resilient. Resistant to spills and pet messes alike, they’re perfect for a busy home where the forces of holiday chaos reign and dogs chew up toys.

An important part of Ruggable is what exists beneath. Ruggable rugs lay overtop pads that hold them in place or add cushioning depending on preference.

Shop now to get 20% off of cozy holiday rugs at the Ruggable Holiday Steals Sale which runs concurrent to Black Friday sales elsewhere.

Whether you’re looking for a large rug to cover a whole living room, or a small rug to live at the foot of the sink, Ruggable has you covered. Ruggable designs can be sized to preference. If you like a design, you’ll be able to purchase a variation of it in a size that works for your room. The Holiday Steals Sale also has festive outdoor mats like the Holiday Reindeer Doormat.

Categories: IT General, Technology

When is Genmoji coming out?

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 18:09

Genmoji is one of the most highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features arriving to iOS 18. A portmanteau of "generative AI" and "emoji," Genmoji allows you to create your own emoji with text prompts.

But the question is, when is Genmoji coming out?

As of this writing, Genmoji is currently available for testing via a beta version of iOS 18. We have a guide on how to use Genmoji, which includes steps on how to get on the Apple Intelligence waitlist — a necessary step for experimenters before accessing Genmoji. In other words, Genmoji is testable, but it's not quite ready for primetime.

SEE ALSO: How to use Genmoji on iOS 18 When is Genmoji coming out?

As mentioned, you can test Genmoji right now on your iPhone by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update. Next, download the latest version of the iOS 18.2 beta.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

You must be a part of the Apple Beta Software Program to access beta versions of iOS. (Make sure that you backup your iPhone, too, because beta versions are known to be a little rough around the edges.)

However, Genmoji has not yet been released to the public on a stable iOS version.

Genmoji is expected to officially roll out sometime in December. As we reported in mid-November, the exact date is reportedly Dec. 9, though Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, a respected Apple insider, claims that the release date is Dec. 2.

Other image-based Apple Intelligence tools expected around the same time are Image Wand and Image Playground, designed to refine rough sketches into polished visuals and generate images from text prompts, respectively.

For iPhone users, Apple Intelligence is only available for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, as well as the entire iPhone 16 line.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple Upgraded the Memory on Every New Mac, Now It's Time to Upgrade the Storage

How-To Geek - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 18:00

With the launch of new Mac models with M4 chips, Apple stopped selling any Mac with less than 16GB of RAM. It was a long-overdue upgrade. But if you think the move automatically makes the new base Macs a must-buy, think again.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Basically all of the best robot vacuums out there are at new record-low pricing for Black Friday

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:59

UPDATE: Nov. 22, 2024, 11:30 a.m. EST This story has been updated with new deals now that Amazon's Black Friday sale has officially started.

The best Black Friday robot vacuum deals at a glance Best non self-emptying deal Eufy L60 $179.99 at Amazon (save $100) Get Deal Best budget self-emptying deal iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ $299 at Amazon (save $250.99) Get Deal Best premium deal Roborock Qrevo S $459.99 at Amazon (save $340) Get Deal

Yet another Black Friday is basically here, with its arrival often bringing flashbacks to last year's frantic shopping — including the items that you didn't end up buying, and then wished you had all year. If a robot vacuum didn't make the cut last year, let Black Friday 2024 be the time to finally treat yourself to a significantly shorter chore list.

SEE ALSO: I've tested over 20 robot vacuums and these are the best for every budget in 2024

After dealing with your current bumbling vacuum all year, there's no reason to wait until Nov. 29 to find an upgrade-worthy robot vacuum deal. At this point, "Black Friday" is basically code for "the entire month of November." Retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target have been in official Black Friday mode for weeks now, and Amazon finally rounded out the kickoff with the start of its Black Friday event on Nov. 21.

Black Friday deals are making high-end vacs super accessible

The robot vacs getting attention deals-wise this Black Friday are packed with high-end features — ones you may have previously been fine to settle without just because, at full price, they're a really intimidating investment. I'm personally eyeing the number of options that bring home smart mapping and small obstacle avoidance (no more eaten phone chargers) and self-washing and drying mopping pads in the $500 to $700 range. Considering the latter two features in that trio I just rattled off were once so newfangled that they were only available in the $1,000+ range, these sale prices are ones to hop on without hesitation. And FWIW, several robot vacuums are already beating their previous record-low pricing that we saw during October Prime Day — and unlike Prime Day, no membership is needed to access these deals.

Below, I'm tracking the robot vacuum deals live the week before Black Friday. Deals are organized into two sections: robot vacuums that don't mop and robot vacuum and mop combos, with self-emptying docks noted when applicable. Within each category, all robot vacuum deals are ordered by price from cheapest to most premium. (Need help deciding which robot vacuum to buy? I have some guidelines.)

This list will be updated weekly with new deals in the lead-up to Black Friday week, so check back frequently to see if the model you're eyeing drops. Note: Any deal marked with a 🔥 has dropped to a record-low price at Amazon.

Best robot vacuum deal ahead of Black Friday Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ $299.00 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $250.99 Get Deal Why we like it

This nearly 50% off discount on the Roomba Combo j5+ is stellar at first glance, but it looks like an even sweeter deal when compared to the current deal on the cheapest self-emptying Roomba, the Roomba Vac 2. For $249.99, that bare-bones Roomba doesn't mop and can't smart map your house. For $299 — just $50 more — the Roomba Combo i5+ can mop and can smart map to clean specific rooms in your home on command. If $300 is your budget cap for a new robot vacuum, spending that extra $50 is a no-brainer.

The only downside to choosing the Combo i5+ over the more advanced Combo j5+ that was on sale last week is that the i series Roombas don't have small obstacle avoidance technology, so they can't dodge things on the floor like charging cords or pet waste. However, if your home is already pretty tidy as it is, or you're down to deal with tidying up ahead of vacuuming, the Combo i5+ is a total steal at this price.

More robot vacuums (that don't mop) on saleRobot vacuum and mop combos on sale
Categories: IT General, Technology

Black Friday printer and scanner deals bring big discounts on Epson, Canon, more

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:44
The best early Black Friday printer and scanner deals Best printer-scanner combo deal Epson EcoTank ET-280 $179.99 (Save $50) Get Deal Best budget printer-scanner combo deal Canon PIXMA MG3620 $39.99 (Save $40) Get Deal Best laser printer deal Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw $89.99 (Save $90) Get Deal

Nothing makes your home office official like a printer. Whether you’re after a laser printer built for speed and efficiency or an inkjet printer that delivers rich graphics on demand, modern printers and scanners are better than ever — right now, early Black Friday deals from Amazon and other retailers mean they’re also more affordable.

Black Friday is one of the best times all year round to snag killer savings on printers and scanners like the Epson EcoTank ET-2800. This year major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy are taking Black Friday printer deals live a full week ahead of time, here are our favorites:

Best printer-scanner combo deal Opens in a new window Credit: Epson Epson EcoTank ET-280 $179.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you owned a printer in the early 2000s then you’re probably used to ink cartridges that are so exorbitantly priced they can feel like alchemist’s materials. The Epson EcoTank ET-280 is an absolute innovation from that era. The EcoTank uses large ink tanks that are easy to refill and affordable to run … we’re talking much more affordable. Epson even comes right out and says it, stating that EcoTank refills can be 90 percent more affordable than older ink cartridges. 

Good quality color printing with drastically cheaper ink? What’s not to like? Especially when the printer itself is 36% off at its lowest price ever. 

Best budget printer-scanner combo deal Opens in a new window Credit: Canon Canon PIXMA MG3620 $39.99 at Best Buy
$79.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Want it all for less? The Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-In-One Inkjet Printer fits a scanner and printer into the same affordable desk-sized box, and it’s real affordable — for Black Friday it’s priced down to just $40, saving you 50%. 

The Canon PIXMA printer handles color nicely for the price. Its scanner delivers resolutions up to 1200 x 2400 pixels. It’s also simple to use with wireless connectivity ensuring you can print from anywhere in the house.

Best laser printer deal Opens in a new window Credit: Canon Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw $89.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $90.00 Get Deal Why we like it

When you’re looking to print volume efficiently, a laser printer might be the way to go. The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer is a strong black-and-white laser printer that can really churn through paper. 

Designed to handle 30 pages a minute and hold up to 150, this is a great printer for pumping out long memos and document drafts. Wireless connectivity ensures it’s also simple to use. 

As of Nov. 21, get it for $89.00 and save 50%.

More printer dealsMore scanner deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Why women behaving badly are dominating our screens

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:36

If the last 12 months of film and television are anything to go by, female protagonists are truly entering their villain era.

From psychological romantic thrillers like Rose Glass's Love Lies Bleeding and Zoe Kravitz's Blink Twice to horror romps including Zelda Williams' Lisa Frankenstein and Coraline Fargeat's The Substance, women are done playing by the rules. Films like these frequently harness the palpable feminine rage in the world and use horror genre tropes like severe trauma and stalk-and-murder sequences with instances of extreme violence to challenge audiences' patriarchal, socially conditioned ideas about how women should act, often in the face of adversity, in their professional and personal lives. 

The "bad girl" isn't just a new trend, academic authors like Catharine Lumby and Roxane Gay have been writing about their perception in media and society for decades. But the recent influx is indicative of the growing number of women filmmakers claiming space in an antihero realm that their male counterparts have long dominated as with Barbet Schroeder's Single White Female, Adrian Lyne's Fatal Attraction, and Takashi Miike's Audition. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch the campy body horror gem 'The Substance' at home

These filmmakers are walking through the door opened by the likes of Julia Ducournau (Raw, Titane), Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Alone At Night) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve) to offer stories centring on female characters with iffy moral compasses that counter the "good girl" cultural expectations of female-identifying people. Still, as much as they are female-focused, each badly behaved woman can be fully embraced by audiences of all genders. 

This societal shift is "liberating" for women and offering "new opportunities for actresses to occupy the villain position is, paradoxically, more humane," Freudian cinephile and pop psychoanalyst Mary Wild tells Mashable. "It brings a certain freedom to express complexity and depth – I think audiences are captivated by this." And so are stars like Ella Purnell, Melissa Barrera, and Alice Lowe who share with Mashable how essential these badly behaved protagonists are to cinema today in disrupting established female narratives.

'Sweetpea,' the female serial killer

As the lead star and producer of Sky Atlantic serial killer comedy series Sweetpea, Ella Purnell  (Yellowjackets, Arcane, Fallout) found the challenge of getting audiences to relate to a woman who kills especially appealing. Based on CJ Skuse's book of the same name, Purnell plays introvert Rihannon, a receptionist at a regional newspaper who was bullied throughout her adolescence and is overlooked by everyone in her adult life. Following the death of her father and a series of misogynistic encounters, Rhiannon embarks on a murder spree. "What they wanted to do was 'female Dexter' but a woman has to do hardly anything to mess up and you lose the audience. People naturally have a subconscious bias where they're going to judge women more harshly than men."

This gendered prejudice is part of the reason why Sweetpea writer Kirstie Swain felt it appropriate to adapt the show as a prequel to the first book's events where Rhiannon is already an established serial killer. "The book gave us quite a lot of reasons for why she [kills] like a head injury, a massacre and bullying, so we pared it back a bit and then [sought out] how she got there," she tells Mashable. "It's almost like the audience needs an emotional reason for why a woman will kill. Men kill on screen but we need something else that will help us be at peace watching a woman being violent on screen."

The first episode of Sweetpea piles on the slights with Rhiannon being dismissed and ignored by her boss, sister, colleagues, and lover before a misogynistic confrontation with a stranger triggers her murderous rage. As her body count gets longer, so does her confidence and self-assuredness get higher. "The fact that she is the last person that someone will see when she extinguishes their life unlocked, for me, her reason for doing it – she's unseen, she kills, she is seen," Swain says. "It's a metaphor for finding your power and making people see you."

SEE ALSO: 20 of the best British horror films

"By actually being comfortable with herself, looking in the mirror and being okay with what she sees, with being messy and breaking the rules, that allows her the confidence that she's been looking for," adds Purnell. "No one over here is endorsing murder [but] watching a woman learn how to stand up for herself especially when she's gone through so much and been treated so badly, it feels good." 

Rhiannon is certainly expanding the meaning of the "femme fatale," a trope made famous by films like Double Indemnity, Basic Instinct and To Die For whereby a woman's bad behaviour and predatory nature are wrapped up in her sexual allure and ability to seduce her, mostly, male victims. Instead, Purnell "wanted to be the ugliest version of myself without being 'tropey'," she explains. "All girls know how to make themselves look hot and not hot. I wanted to have almost that Jennifer's Body thing that when she starts killing, she becomes more vibrant." 

Rhiannon doesn't use sex to lure her murder victims but she certainly becomes more sexually empowered when she begins standing up for herself. In a world where female sexuality is still wrapped up in shame and sexually autonomous women continue to be villainised, subversive characters like Rhiannon play an important role in challenging our still very patriarchal society.

'Your Monster' and revenge plots

Caroline Lindy's Your Monster similarly offers a "coming-of-rage" story of a Rhiannon-like, "unsexy" female protagonist as she processes the horror of a breakup. After being dumped by her musical director boyfriend, while getting her cancer treatment, soft-spoken actress Laura (Melissa Barrera) spends several scenes going through an emotional breakdown. From Scream to Abigail, the actor is known for playing badass survivors in the horror genre and admits that she had to confront her own biases when redefining her idea of a "strong female character" in the context of Laura's journey. 

"Laura is completely a doormat who's been letting people walk all over her for her entire life," Barrera tells Mashable. "At the beginning, I was ashamed of that and I didn't want people to judge that Laura was pathetic but that's the point." Thus, Barrera had to counter her own "internalised misogyny of not allowing a woman to hit rock bottom and to be vulnerable and express all out so that she can build herself back up."

The arrival of a Beauty and the Beast-looking Monster (Tommy Dewey) forces Laura to find her fury, demand a place in her ex's stage show and ultimately claim bloody vengeance against him in a Broadway show finale. It's a cathartic moment that taps into both Lindy and many people's feelings towards an ex who treats you badly. 

"[They're] such an asshole, you want to murder them – that's how [Caroline] felt when she was broken up with," Barrera says. "She was like, 'I wanted to kill him. He hurt me so much.' She didn't in real life but then that's why we have movies – you get to live out the fantasy."

Horror offers fertile ground for filmmakers to embark on "subversive exploration of taboo subjects in a way that feels thrilling rather than punishing," says Wild. By using serial killer and monster tropes, as well as revenge plots and murder as a metaphor for women fighting back against patriarchy and misogyny, films and series like Sweetpea and Your Monster continue the work of Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman and Coraline Fargeat's Revenge to "provide a platform for women to break societal rules without incurring the harsh scrutiny they might face in a more grounded, gritty narrative."

'Strange Darling' and challenging gendered expectations

However "badly behaved women" don't always need to exact revenge to earn the label. Nor do audiences need to see their emotional journey into violence. JT Mollner had that in mind when approaching his twisted love story Strange Darling, charting the escalation of a one-night stand between The Lady (Willa Fitzgerald) and The Demon (Kyle Gallner) into a frantic killing spree. 

SEE ALSO: 25 of the best Christmas horror movies to haunt your holiday

"Female behaviour is expected to have explanations, backstory, and reasons," Mollner tells Mashable. "We wanted to stay away from over-explaining as much as possible, something that seems more commonly reserved for male characters." 

Strange Darling uses a non-linear narrative to subvert expectations of who the real serial killer is, throwing "viewers into this pressure cooker and taking them on a ride," the director explains. "No distractions, no exposition or backstory, just immediacy. Everything you need to know about these characters emotionally should be available through their behaviours, choices, and actions within this one day."

Mollner is a prime example of a male filmmaker disrupting patriarchal expectations of female characters. So too is Karan Khandari whose debut Sister Midnight is a nonconformist feminist fable set in Mumbai. Led by the frenetic Radhika Apte, Khandari's twisted comedy follows her acerbic bride Uma as she embraces newly developed vampiric tastes and rebels against domesticity. But it is mostly "female directors and more female creators" who are demanding space for badly behaved women, says Barrera. "We're just telling the stories that we're feeling and it just so happens that in the communal cloud of emotion in the world we're all very angry."

'Timestalker' and the (un)likeability factor

Still, many creators are fed up with receiving studio notes and executive feedback about making their villainous female protagonists more 'likeable.' Alice Lowe understood that when she wrote, directed and led 2016's black horror comedy Prevenge. Lowe played a widowed mum-to-be who begins killing the men involved in her husband's death under her unborn baby's instruction. 

"Executives and commissioners get worried if the female character isn't 'likeable' and that's a keyword you don't hear used about male characters," Lowe tells Mashable during promotion for her new film Timestalker. "You don't watch Taxi Driver, look at Travis Bickle and think, 'what a nice man.' You're just watching this very screwed-up character on a journey, and he's fascinating and complex and damaged as a person. Why can't we watch a woman have a similar personality?"

This recent run of badly behaved women on screen is an encouraging trend and suggests that audiences will get to enjoy watching even more antiheroines break free from the shackles of likeability and gender conformity. And you don't have to be a female-identifying person to connect with the social and cultural themes these characters and stories tackle. 

"I've seen men come out and be like, 'I loved the movie,'" says Barrera. "This isn't just a movie for women because it's about female rage. Everybody gets something out of it, everybody can see themselves in Laura and everybody wants a monster."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Belkin Recalls Faulty Power Bank Over Fire Hazard

How-To Geek - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:31

Accessory maker Belkin has voluntarily recalled its power bank, BoostCharge Pro Fast Wireless Charger for Apple Watch + Power Bank 10K, due to a fire hazard.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Messages Is Missing One Important iMessage Feature

How-To Geek - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:30

Google has long been chasing an iMessage-like experience for Android, and its Messages app with RCS is nearly there. However, there's one feature it's sorely missing compared to iMessageespecially if you use more than one device at a time.

Categories: IT General, Technology

PNY's Pro Elite V3 USB Drive is Really, Really Fast

How-To Geek - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:16

When you think about the old reliable USB sticks, you might not think about speed... until you need to copy some big files. PNY has now released a faster USB drive just for that.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I found my celebrity look-a-like with ChatGPT – here’s how

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:08

Did you know ChatGPT can help you find your celebrity look-alike? With just a few selfies, this AI tool can pinpoint your famous doppelgänger in seconds.

But here’s the catch: ChatGPT’s default interface doesn’t support celebrity look-alike detection. Believe me, I’ve tried. When I attempted to uncover my A-list twin through the standard ChatGPT window, I was met with this disappointing response: “I cannot determine your celebrity look-a-like from the photo.”

Fortunately, there is a workaround, allowing you to use ChatGPT as your own personal celebrity look-a-like matching tool.

SEE ALSO: 17 of the best ChatGPT courses you can take online for free How to use ChatGPT to find your celebrity look-a-like

These step-by-step instructions are based on the ChatGPT desktop app, but they should work for the mobile platform as well.

Total Time
  • 5 min
What You Need
  • ChatGPT

Step 1: Open ChatGPT

Step 2: Click on ChatGPT 4o

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 3: Click on "Explore GPTs"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 4: Type in "celebrity" into the search bar.

Click on the "Find My Celebrity Look Alike" GPT by habitcreatures.com.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 5: Click on "Start Chat"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 6: Type in "Who is my celebrity look-a-like?" as your prompt.

Upload your photos; three should be sufficient.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 7: Wait for the results

ChatGPT should populate your best celebrity look-a-like match in just seconds. My celebrity look-a-like is Janelle Monáe. It's something I've never heard of in real life, but I'll take it.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

If you’ve given this a try, drop a comment below and share who your celebrity look-alike is.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon deal of the day: Snag the AirPods Pro 2 for their lowest price ever a week before Black Friday

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 17:05
Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Nov. 22: OUR TOP PICK Apple AirPods Pro 2 $159.99 (save $89.01) Get Deal BEST OUTDOOR DEAL Yeti Roadie 24 cooler $200 (save $50) Get Deal BEST KIDS DEAL Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro $109.99 (save $80) Get Deal BEST TABLET DEAL Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE (256GB, WiFi) $299.99 (save $220) Get Deal

Amazon's official Black Friday deals are in full swing. The sale kicked off Thursday, Nov. 21 and runs through Cyber Monday on Dec. 2. If you've been hoping to snag some high-quality tech you've had your eye on or check off your holiday shopping list, now's the time to do it. On Friday, Nov. 22, we've highlighted a few standout deals we think you should check out, including top brands like Apple, Yeti, and Samsung.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If you missed out on our picks from Nov. 20 and Nov. 21, be sure to check those out as well. Most (if not all) of those are still live — including all-time lows on the Sonos Era 300 and Kindle Paperwhite.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $169.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $79.01 Get Deal

In case it wasn't obvious from our multiple headphone buying guides, we're big fans of the AirPods Pro 2. They produce rich and well-balanced sound, offer excellent noise cancellation (some of the best in class for earbuds), work seamlessly within the Apple ecosystem, and offer decent enough battery life. We've seen these earbuds regularly drop to $199 and even $189 throughout the year, and $169 is even better.

Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Roadie 24 cooler $200.00 at Amazon
$250.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Whether tailgating or camping this season, the Yeti Roadie is a stellar companion. It can fit 18 cans with a 2:1 ice-to-can ratio or 24 pounds of just ice, all in a slim and tall build (tall enough to fit a wine bottle) that can be stashed behind the driver's or passenger's seat of a car. Of course, like every other Yeti, it can also keep ice for days and is virtually indestructible. I own this exact cooler (albeit in a different color) and couldn't recommend it enough. My only complaint is that it's quite heavy to tote around when it's stuffed to capacity. Usually $250, it's on sale for $200 at Amazon in the bright orange shade. That's a rare 20% in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro $109.99 at Amazon
$189.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal

Designed for 6- to 12-year-olds, the latest Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet packs a 25% faster processor over the previous generation, a bump in RAM, an increase in battery life (from 12 to 13 hours), and an upgraded front-facing camera (5MP versus 2MP). It still features the durable case and built-in kickstand, so it can stand up to all kinds of kid-friendly adventures. Plus, it comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which gives kids access to thousands of ad-free books, games, videos, apps, and more. It's regularly $189.99, but you can save 42% ahead of Black Friday and get it for only $109.99. That matches its all-time low price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE (256GB, WiFi) $299.99 at Amazon
$519.99 Save $220.00 Get Deal

Essentially a lite version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, the FE boasts the same tough IP68 dust- and water-resistant rating, a slightly smaller battery capacity (8,000 vs 8,400 mAh), and the same included S Pen. It's tech specs aren't quite as impressive overall, but for the price, it's hard to complain. Where the S9 with 256GB would run you $619.99 on sale, the S9 FE is down to just $299.99 ahead of Black Friday. That's 42% in savings and its lowest price to date. If you want a larger screen and a slight boost in RAM, the FE+ is a solid in-between option and is on sale for $498.03.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Click the magic coupon to get a $250 iPad 10th Gen with this Amazon deal

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 16:50

GET $99 OFF: As of Nov. 22, you can get an Apple iPad (10th Generation) for just $249.99. That's 29% off the original price or $99 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad (10th Generation) $249.99 at Amazon
$349.00 Save $99.01 Get Deal

An iPad for $250? Yes. When you shop today, an on-page coupon drops the already discounted price of the Apple iPad (10th Generation) to $249.99.

This iPad isn’t just affordable, it’s also loaded. An A14 Bionic chip runs things under the hood, while the action happens on a 10.9-inch liquid retina display. Whether you’re buying for a grandkid who wants to play Minecraft, a parent who loves to surf the internet, or to pursue your own digital illustration craft, this display will impress.

Amazon is crazy for this one — order now and get the Apple iPad (10th Generation) for $250 with an on-page coupon that combines with the 20% price drop.

SEE ALSO: The latest deals from Best Buy's Black Friday sale: Huge QLED TVs, Oura Rings, a GoPro bundle, and laptops galore

12MP front and rear cameras keep your life documented in brilliant HD. With 64GB of storage, it holds a whole trove of data and programs.

With touch unlock, the iPad is a secure portal for navigating the internet and paying for the items and apps you want.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Don’t let this GoPro Hero13 Black Friday deal sail past

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 16:40

GET $100 OFF: As of Nov. 22, you can get a GoPro Hero13 Bundle for $349.99 and Best Buy will throw a $25 gift card in too. That's 22% off the original price of $449.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: GoPro GoPro HERO13 Black Action Camera Bundle $349.99 at Best Buy
$449.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Adventure season is all year ‘round when you’re sporting a GoPro. Thick snow banks, crystal lagoons, and dusty mountain bike rides in the American West are all fair game. The GoPro Hero 13 bundle comes with a mount, battery, mounting buckle, and USB-C cable so that you can get started adventuring immediately.

The GoPro Hero13 packs enough resolution to capture any adventure with 5K standard resolution and 27 megapixels. Its HDR capabilities impressed us with rich dynamics and tones. Digital stabilization keeps the image looking fresh even when you’re skidding down a scree field or white water rafting.

SEE ALSO: Finally live: Amazon's official Black Friday sale, and a ton of new deals are here

Today, Nov. 22, the GoPro Hero13 Bundle is $100 off, for a price of $349.99 — plus, Best Buy will throw in a $25 gift card when you order today.

Native slow motion recording captures drama as it happens even in low light. While it’s not fully waterproof, the Hero13 is water resistant down to 33 feet — deep enough for most divers.

With a built-in 2.27 inch LCD touch screen this hardy camera will accompany you into the backcountry while producing studio-quality video.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How director Jon M. Chu made Wicked with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo

Mashable - Fri, 11/22/2024 - 16:30

Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey join Jon M. Chu in laying out how the filmmaker was able to bring the story of Wicked to life in film.

Wicked is now in theaters.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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