IT General

SAVE $350: As of Nov. 22, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (256GB) is marked down to $949.99 at Amazon for Black Friday. That’s 27% off its list price of $1,299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (256GB) $949.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $350.00 Get Deal

Black Friday has delivered the ultimate upgrade opportunity for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung’s flagship smartphone for 2024. Loaded with cutting-edge features and decked out in a stunning titanium violet finish, this device usually costs a wallet-pinching $1,299.99. But right now, you can snag it for $949.99 — a hefty $350 saving.

Why is this deal worth jumping on? Let’s break it down. This phone features a massive 200MP camera that’s practically a portable DSLR, capable of capturing jaw-dropping detail even in low light, thanks to Samsung’s Nightography feature. That 100x zoom? Perfect for snapping close-ups from, well, really far away. Whether photographing a bustling cityscape or a sleepy cat on the next rooftop, your shots will be ready for social media.

SEE ALSO: Save over 80% and get a free £10 voucher with the best Black Friday Audible deal

The Galaxy S24 Ultra doesn’t just take pretty pictures. With its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and a buttery smooth 120Hz edge-to-edge display, this phone handles multitasking, gaming, and streaming without sweat. Need real-time translation while travelling? Check. Want AI-assisted photo edits that make every pic look flawless? Double-check.

Samsung’s S Pen is also included, transforming this phone into a mini productivity hub. Take notes, draw sketches, or circle and search things on your screen like a futuristic Sherlock Holmes. Plus, with 256GB of storage, you’ll have plenty of room to hoard memes, photos, and all your apps.

At this Black Friday price, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is hard to beat. So why settle for your outdated device when you can grab this tech marvel for less? Don’t wait too long — this deal will disappear faster than your phone’s battery after a TikTok binge.

SAVE $100: As of Nov. 22, the Dell S2721QS 27-inch 4K UHD monitor is available for $199.95 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That’s 33% off its usual price of $299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell S2721QS 4K UHD Monitor $199.95 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100.04 Get Deal

Forget Black Friday doorbusters — this is a desk upgrade you can snag from the comfort of your chair. The Dell S2721QS is a 27-inch 4K monitor ready to elevate your home office, gaming rig, or streaming setup. With its $199.95 price tag, down from $299.99, this deal is as sharp as the screen itself.

Let’s talk pixels: 8.3 million of them, to be exact. This monitor boasts 4K Ultra HD resolution with HDR content support, delivering vibrant colours and razor-sharp clarity. Whether you’re binging your favourite series or meticulously editing photos, the visuals on this thing are stunning. The ultra-thin bezel gives you that seamless, edge-to-edge viewing experience — perfect for dual-monitor setups or just flexing your superior tech taste.

SEE ALSO: Save over 80% and get a free £10 voucher with the best Black Friday Audible deal

But it’s not all about looking good. The S2721QS knows you’ll be spending hours staring at it, so it’s built with comfort in mind. The stand is fully adjustable, letting you tilt, swivel, and pivot until you find the perfect angle. Plus, the ComfortView feature reduces harmful blue light, which your eyeballs will thank you for after a long day.

Need functionality? The dual HDMI ports make it easy to swap between devices, and AMD FreeSync ensures buttery-smooth visuals during gaming sessions. Translation: no more screen tearing when you’re mid-battle.

Dell doesn’t put their monitors on sale like this every day, and seeing this 4K beauty drop under $200 is a rare treat. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, Black Friday just handed you the perfect excuse. Grab this Black Friday deal now — your setup (and eyes) deserve it.

TL;DR: Live stream Australia vs. India for free on 7Plus. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It really doesn't get much bigger than a Test series between Australia and India. This rivarly goes way back, with matches between these two sides often going down to the wire.

Australia leads the head-to-head record 45-32 in the Test format, and will be confident of adding to that lead at home. India are coming off a 3-0 defeat to New Zealand on home turf, but you can never count them out. Any team with superstars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant will always have a chance of winning. Australia will need to be at their best to win at home.

If you want to watch Australia vs. India (1st Test) for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Australia vs. India (1st Test)?

The 1st Test between Australia and India takes place from Nov. 22 to Nov. 26. This Test match takes place at the Optus Stadium.

The full schedule for India's five-Test tour of Australia is as follows:

• Australia vs. India (1st Test) — Nov. 22 to Nov. 26

• Australia vs. India (2nd Test) — Dec. 6 to Dec. 10

• Australia vs. India (3rd Test) — Dec. 14 to Dec. 18

• Australia vs. India (4th Test) — Dec. 25 to Dec. 30

• Australia vs. India (5th Test) — Jan. 2 to Jan. 7

The good news for fans is that every Test match in this series is available to live stream for free.

How to watch Australia vs. India for free

Australia vs. India (1st Test) is available to live stream for free on 7Plus in Australia. 7plus is even offering Hindi commentary for all matches.

If you're abroad for this Test series, you might need to use a VPN to unblock 7Plus. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access free live streams of Australia vs. India from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of Australia vs. India 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 Australia

4. Visit 7Plus

5. Stream Australia vs. India 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Australia vs. India (1st Test) without committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream this Test series before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to your favorite streaming platforms from anywhere in the world, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 7Plus?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live cricket on 7Plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• 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 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 generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Australia vs. India (1st Test) for free with ExpressVPN.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for November 22 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Friday, November 22, 2024:

Across____ Wednesday

• The answer is Ash.

Old anesthetic

• The answer is Ether.

"Behold!"

• The answer is Voila.

Representative

• The answer is Envoy.

Break bread

• The answer is Eat.

DownObserve Yom Kippur

• The answer is Atone.

Supreme being

• The answer is Shiva.

Spartan serf

• The answer is Helot.

Adam's madam

• The answer is Eve.

Sunbeam

• The answer is Ray.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To undo something spoken.

SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for November 22 Hurdle Word 1 answer

UNSAY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A plainly true statement.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 22 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

AXIOM

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A type of clothing.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 22 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 22 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DRESS

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Moisture in the air.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for November 22 Hurdle Word 4 answer

HUMID

Final Hurdle hint

A dark timber from a tropical tree.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

EBONY

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 22 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow - Grabbing or catching

• Green - Hopping to it

• Blue - Likely to have or be near t-shirt cannons

• Purple - People with the same first name

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow - Field a baseball

• Green - Figure skating jumps

• Blue - NFL mascots

• Purple - Famous Bills

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #60 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Field a baseball: CATCH, FIELD, PICK, SCOOP

• Figure skating jumps: AXEL, LOOP, LUTZ, SALCHOW

• NFL Mascots: MAJOR TUDDY, POE, SIR PURR, SWOOP

• Famous Bills: BELICHICK, LAIMBEER, RUSSELL, WALTON

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, November 22, 2024:

AcrossIcelandic singer with 16 Grammy nominations

• The answer is Bjork.

Batman's sidekick

• The answer is Robin.

African mammal with striped legs

• The answer is Okapi.

Awkward response to hear when you introduce yourself to someone

• The answer is Wemet.

Competed in a 5K

• The answer is Ran.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 22 DownBody part that can be furrowed

• The answer is Brow.

Batman's archnemesis

• The answer is Joker.

President who used Keegan-Michael Key as his "anger translator" at the White House Correspondents' Dinner

• The answer is Obama.

Turn red, as a chili pepper

• The answer is Ripen.

Make a scarf

• The answer is Knit.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

The following review contains spoilers for the ending of Spellbound.

For a movie that features dark curses, enchanted forests, and flying cat-creatures, Spellbound is surprisingly devoid of any magic. At least, not until the end.

Directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek), this animated adventure about a young princess (voiced by West Side Story's Rachel Zegler) trying to free her parents from a spell is an unfortunately formulaic ride for its first two thirds. Its final act, on the other hand, proves to be a mature and compassionate examination of parental separation. But is it enough to save the rest of the movie?

SEE ALSO: 'A Man on the Inside' review: Ted Danson and Mike Schur reunite for sweet sitcom gold What is Spellbound about? Credit: Skydance / Netflix

Stop me if you've heard this one before: A princess in a magical kingdom struggles with a curse that threatens to throw her whole world into disarray. It's a tale as old as time, albeit one that can work fairly well if given an appropriate twist. In Spellbound, that twist is that it's not the princess who's dealing with the curse: It's her parents. And she's left to deal with the fallout.

Princess Ellian (Zegler) of Lumbria is about to turn 15. But instead of celebrating, she's busy caring for her parents, who are monsters. Literally. About a year ago, a curse that feeds on "dark feelings" transformed them into (frankly, adorable) beasts with seemingly no memory of who they once were. Since then, Ellian and her parents' ministers Bolinar (voiced by John Lithgow) and Nazara (voiced by Jennifer Lewis) have kept the transformation a secret from the rest of Lumbria as they try to figure out their next steps. But the stress of making sure her parents don't escape (or eat anyone) is clearly weighing on Ellian. All she wants is to reverse the spell and bring things back to the way they were.

To save her parents, Ellian embarks on a daring quest into the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness, where she'll meet with the powerful Oracles of the Sun and Moon (voiced by Tituss Burgess and Nathan Lane), cross dangerous deserts and rivers, and hide from the dark energy that cursed her parents.

SEE ALSO: 'Arcane' Season 2 review: The best fantasy show of 2024, hands-down

Despite the occasional fun touch — shout out to the odd couple Oracles — Ellian's journey plays out with an unfortunate blandness. World-building elements go woefully underdeveloped, like a magical key fob that seemingly has several settings and abilities, yet only ever sends out generic purple sparkles to get the job done. Tropes like Ellian's purple furry sidekick Flink feel overdone after mere seconds, a sentiment that only increases after Flink and Bolinar suffer an unexpected body swap.

Making matters worse are the film's songs, which sound nice enough (Zegler's voice here should get you more excited for her turn as Snow White) but are instantly forgettable. The animation falters too, at times feeling oddly textureless. Take the darkness that hunts Ellian and her parents through the forest. It takes the shape of a black tornado, yet it reads as flat and slack onscreen, to the point that it doesn't feel threatening at all.

Because of these many shortcomings, I'd almost written Spellbound off entirely as it approached its halfway point. But then something extraordinary happened: Ellian's monster parents began talking, hinting at a much more mature and complex story of family relationships.

Spellbound's ending is a solid rumination on how divorce impacts children. Credit: Skydance / Netflix

Ellian's parents don't master speech right away. Her mother (voiced by Nicole Kidman) and father (voiced by Javier Bardem) puzzle through language, unable to string together sentences or say anything more than "girl!" when talking to Ellian. And yes, hearing Kidman and Bardem's voices come out of giant monsters is absolutely as delightful as it sounds.

Yet as Ellian and her parents forge ahead on their quest, tensions rise between Lumbria's king and queen. They can barely get through a conversation without snarling at each other, causing Ellian even more anxiety as she struggles to keep her family together. With all this parental infighting, Spellbound makes you wonder why the curse — which, again, stems from dark emotions — really happened in the first place.

Just as Ellian's parents are about to become humans again, they realize that the source of the curse was themselves. Their constant arguing made them the monsters they are today: the angry couple who's so different from the happy parents Ellian remembers, to the point that they've become completely unrecognizable. Now, they don't want to go back to being those humans, since it caused them so much pain.

Of course, that news destroys Ellian, who has fought so hard for her parents every step of the way. Do they not love her enough to complete the last stage of their journey? After everything she did for them, why would they not do this for her? She's gone through so much stress trying to keep this family together, and now her parents want to throw it all away? It's a remarkable allegory for the pressure kids may put on themselves to resolve tensions within a fractured family, and of how they may feel guilty for a parental separation or divorce — something that's totally out of their control!

Similarly remarkable is what comes next: The king and queen apologize to Ellian, admitting that they didn't consider how hurt she would feel by their decision to remain apart. They reiterate how much they love her, and how much they will always love her. And while their separation will take work and getting used to, they vow that they will do whatever they can to prioritize her and help her through this transition. And guess what? It works. A flash forward proves that Ellian and her parents are getting used to the new normal and are working through it, day by day.

For Spellbound to present separation (the word "divorce" is never used, yet it's clear that's what this is) as a viable happily ever after feels like uncharted territory for a children's movie. Yet it is also so heartening to see, as this is the reality for so many young people out there. Spellbound treats Ellian's experience with so much empathy, and it also presents the separation as infinitely more healthy (and frankly, normal) for her family than any attempts to keep up facades. That's a bold, necessary statement to make about family relationships, one that many might find healing. So while Spellbound's exterior may not always break the mold, its heart is more than happy to break new ground, gifting us a truly special ending.

Spellbound is now streaming on Netflix.

Another episode into Season 2 of Silo, and the mysteries are stacking up.

We found out last season that Head of Judicial Judge Meadows (Tanya Moodie) isn't really the powerful figure people believe her to be. Season 2, episode 2 gives us even more of an insight into her character — and, in particular, her relationship with the person actually in charge of the titular Silo, Bernard (Tim Robbins).

But what exactly is going on between the two of them, and what secret is Meadows hiding? We've had a go at breaking it down.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best TV episodes of 2024 (so far) What happens between Bernard and Judge Meadows in episode 2?

In episode 2, a desperate Bernard visits Meadows in her apartment to ask for help. He wants her to join him while he addresses the people of the Silo as a show of support, but Meadows refuses. Later, though, when Bernard takes to the podium, Meadows is there waiting — and she steps in to speak up for him after he lies to the Silo about inventing a new kind of protective tape.

Back in Meadows' apartment after the speech, she reveals to Bernard that she's stopped drinking. Then she tells him what she wants in return for her help.

"For the first time in 25 years, I don't want to be drunk. I want to be as clearheaded as I can about this, and you, going forward. I'll help you, Bernard," Meadows says. "Get me some of the good tape and put it aside until the crisis is over. I want my freedom."

For some reason, Meadows wants to follow Juliette Nichols (Rebeccas Ferguson) and leave the Silo's confines. But why?

Bernard seems confused by Judge Meadows Credit: Apple TV+ Why did Judge Meadows stop being Bernard's shadow?

Clearly, Judge Meadows wasn't always this troubled. At one point back in time, we learn, she was in fact Bernard's shadow.

"Nobody knows me better than you," says Bernard early in the episode, making it clear that the two of them share a bond he doesn't share with anyone else in the Silo. What's just as obvious, though, is that this bond has become fractured — and whatever went wrong can be traced back to an event 25 years in the past.

We don't yet know what this event was. All we know is that 1) It caused Meadows to start drinking, and 2) Not even Bernard knows what happened.

"I'll never fucking understand you," he says. "What was it, Mary? 25 years of this secret. What are you holding onto? What aren't you telling me? You're hiding something."

Our only other clue is Meadows' request to go outside. Whatever secret she's holding on to, maybe it's something to do with the mystery of what's going on beyond the Silo's metal walls.

How to watch: Silo is streaming now on Apple TV+ with new episodes releasing weekly.

We already know Bernard (Tim Robbins) has information nobody else in Silo does, but Season 2, episode 2 shows us he even has his own private manual.

After we followed Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) into that semi-abandoned silo in episode 1 we cut back to the original silo in the next episode, watching as Bernard runs into his private server room and sees — through a camera in Juliette's visor — her pushing long-dead bodies out of the way to get to possible safety, just before the signal cuts out.

Panicking, Bernard grabs a large black book titled "The Order". After flipping through it he stops on a page with instructions on what to do if someone sent out to clean doesn't actually clean.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best TV shows of 2024 (so far)

The page only flashes up for a second, but with a bit of pausing and zooming we've managed to transcribe it:

IN THE EVENT OF A FAILED CLEANING, PREPARE FOR WAR

This failed cleaning action plan is provided only as a guide to help Mayoral and Judicial and employees/Raiders comply with the requirements of the Occupational Health Administration's Silo Emergency Action Plan Standard, 34 Code of Silo Regulations (CSR). It is not intended to supersede the requirements of the standard. This plan contains the basic elements of an emergency action plan. However, you should review the...

After that the text gets too blurry to make out. We can't see much of the text on the right-hand page, either, but the words "Begin with a list..." can be deciphered.

Credit: Apple TV+

In the next shot, you can make out a subheading further down the same page that reads "SILO WAR PLAN" followed by some more text that's impossible to make out.

What does the text in The Order tell us?

Presumably The Order, like The Pact, is a text provided by the silo's mysterious Founders. Unlike The Pact, though, which is taught to all citizens, it seems as though The Order is a book only someone in Bernard's position is privy to. The text itself is fairly jargon-filled, but the line near the bottom — "This plan contains the basic elements of an emergency action plan" — stands out.

In short, the Founders (and therefore Bernard) view a "failed cleaning" as something that's a high level emergency — something that is likely to lead to "war" in the silo. Clearly, the Founders set out instructions in case of such an event, which we can presume Bernard will start to follow as Season 2 progresses.

We don't know what these instructions are — although the "Begin with a list..." line on the second page sounds a bit ominous — but judging by everything else we know about the silo's strict regime, it probably won't be good news for the citizens.

How to watch: Silo is streaming now on Apple TV+ with new episodes releasing weekly.

Threads is apparently deprioritising its algorithmic feed, allowing you to see more posts from people you actually follow. It seems Meta is trying to increase the appeal of its microblogging platform as people search for X alternatives in the wake of the U.S. election.

Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri announced the change in a Threads post on Thursday. Though his initial post did not specify whether he was referring to Threads or Instagram, he implied it was the former in a subsequent reply.

SEE ALSO: Stephen King is ditching X for Threads

"We are rebalancing ranking to prioritize content from people you follow, which will mean less recommended content from accounts you don’t follow and more posts from the accounts you do starting today," Mosseri wrote. "For you creators out there, you should see unconnected reach go down and connected reach go up."

View on Threads

Many users have compared Threads' announced changes to Twitter spinoff Bluesky, which already defaults to showing users content from accounts they follow. Bluesky CEO Jay Graber has previously stated that it aims to offer a "marketplace of algorithms" users can choose from instead of a single "master algorithm," noting that a chronological feed of accounts you follow is technically an algorithm as well.

"Great to see other social networks copy custom feeds!" Bluesky wrote on its Threads account, apparently in response to Mosseri's announcement. "This is the kind of competition and innovation that's been missing from social for the last decade, because progress has been locked within tech giants. This is what improves our experience online."

love the giant brain super genius action of "maybe people want to read the things posted by the people they follow"

[image or embed]

— the Mountain Goats (@themountaingoats.bsky.social) November 22, 2024 at 1:51 PM

Having experienced them all: Bluesky > Threads > Staring into the middle distance in longing > the emptiness inside > twitter

— John Green (@johngreensbluesky.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 8:56 AM

Upon reflection, staring into the middle distance in longing is better than threads.

— John Green (@johngreensbluesky.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 9:02 AM

bluesky is so much better at threads then threads.

— Vijay Pemmaraju (@vijay.io) November 21, 2024 at 4:14 PM

A significant number of those abandoning Elon Musk's X have moved to Bluesky, which gained over 700,000 new users to hit 20 million this week. Meanwhile, Mosseri announced that Threads reached 275 million monthly active users at the start of this month — a number Meta is clearly hoping to grow.

"This [ranking rebalancing] is definitely a work in progress — balancing the ability to reach followers and overall engagement is tricky — thanks for your patience and keep the feedback coming," Mosseri wrote on Tuesday.

Threads' decision to back off algorithmically recommended content is a departure from Meta's apparent strategy in recent years. Instagram and Facebook literally doubled down on algorithmic feeds in 2022, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg declaring that both would increase the amount of algorithmically chosen content they displayed twofold. This was despite the overwhelming unpopularity of the algorithmic feed, which Meta was well aware of but determined to power through.

"Now, if you're seeing things in your Feed that are recommendations that you're not interested in, that means that we're doing a bad job ranking, and we need to improve," said Mosseri at the time. "But we're going to continue to try and get better at recommendations because we think it's one of the most effective and important ways to help creators reach more people."

It now seems that, at least for Threads, Meta is finally letting users see more of the content they actually signed up for, and deprioritising algorithmic experimentation.

TL;DR: Learn PowerShell scripting, task automation, and more with this £11.89 (reg. £61.95) online course bundle, on sale at the Mashable Shop through 8 December.

Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce The 2024 Windows PowerShell Certification Bundle £11.89 at the Mashable Shop
£61.95 Save £50.06 Get Deal

Automation is getting more common for most businesses, and for good reason. Who wants overly complicated operations and hefty workloads? To stay on top of this growing trend in the IT world, you may want to look into learning Windows PowerShell.

PowerShell is a cross-platform task automation and configuration management program designed to make your professional life easier. Learn automation, PowerShell scripting, and more with this 2024 training bundle, now available for only £11.89.

This training collection contains six courses spearheaded by Vijay Saini, an IT professional with years of experience working in multiple industry domains. Saini specialises in tackling small- to large-scale automation to save businesses money. In short, he's someone who knows his stuff.

Beginners can start with the Anybody Can Script course. Here, you'll discover the basics of creating and using scripts with lessons on the fundamentals of automation for simple tasks. Some of the other topics you'll dive into are basic command lines and how to integrate PowerShell with non-Microsoft products.

If you're familiar with Windows PowerShell already, the Advanced Scripting and Tool Making course might be a more practical starting point. You'll explore more advanced scripting techniques and learn about advanced file handling, database interactions, and creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using PowerShell.

At the end of each course, students will earn a certificate of completion, which they can add to their LinkedIn profile or CV to impress employers.

Grab the 2024 Windows PowerShell training bundle for just £11.89 (reg. £61.95) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is on sale for £0.99 this Black Friday. This special offer saves you £27.48 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Unlimited Kindle Unlimited (3-Month Subscription) £0.99 at Amazon
£28.47 Save £27.48 Get Deal

Amazon has launched its Black Friday sale with massive deals on just about everything. There are some really interesting offers, but the very best deals might be on Amazon's own range of services.

A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is on sale for £0.99, saving you £27.48 on list price. This Black Friday deal is live until Dec. 2.

SEE ALSO: Suction up these Dyson deals ahead of Black Friday and get up to 46% off

So why should you consider signing up for Kindle Unlimited? This popular subscription service provides unlimited reading and listening on any device, with over 1 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and selected magazine subscriptions available on any device.

It's important to note that after the three-month promotional period, your subscription will automatically renew at the monthly rate of £9.49 for Prime members. You can cancel this automatic renewal function at anytime though, so there's no pressure to pay anything. Kindle Unlimited subscribers with active free trials or paid memberships are not eligible for this exclusive promotion. Customers who have benefited from a Kindle Unlimited promotion or free trial within the past 36 months may also miss out on this offer.

Get three months of Kindle Unlimited for £0.99 this Black Friday.

TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series for free on TF1+. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Autumn Nations Series has delivered some really entertaining games between the best sides in the world, and we're not done yet.

Fresh from beating the All Blacks last weekend, France now welcome Argentina to Paris. Argentina narrowly lost to Ireland in their last meeting, and will be desperate to turn things around with a big performance.

If you want to watch France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is France vs. Argentina?

France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series kicks off at 8:10 p.m. GMT on Nov. 22. This fixture takes place at the Stade de France.

How to watch France vs. Argentina for free

France vs. Argentina is available to live stream for free on TF1+ in France.

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock TF1+. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in France, meaning you can unblock TF1+ to stream the Autumn Nations Series for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream France vs. Argentina for free 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 France

4. Visit TF1+

5. Watch France vs. Argentina 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Autumn Nations Series without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream France vs. Argentina (plus more Autumn Nations Series fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for TF1+?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on TF1+, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including France

• 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 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 includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2024 Players Championship Finals on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Butlin's Resort in Minehead is the place to be this weekend, as the 2024 Players Championship Finals comes to town. It's a little late to secure a ticket, but all is not lost. You can still live stream all the action from the comfort of your own home.

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

What is the Players Championship Finals?

The Players Championship Finals is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation. The top 64 players from the 2024 PDC Players Championship series take part.

The defending champion is Luke Humphries.

When is the 2024 Champion of Champions?

The 2024 Players Championship Finals is the 16th edition of the PDC darts tournament. This year's event will take place from Nov. 22 to Nov. 24 at the Butlin's Resort, Minehead.

How to watch the Champion of Champions for free

The 2024 Players Championship Finals is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can stream the Players Championship Finals from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ITVX to live stream the 2024 Players Championship Finals 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 the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Steam the 2024 Players Championship Finals 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 they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can access ITVX without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you plenty of time to stream the 2024 Players Championship Finals before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

There are many VPNs that can reliably access free streaming platforms like ITVX, including popular services like Surfshark and NordVPN. These services are strong options, but ExpressVPN is the top choice for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• 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 the 2024 Players Championship Finals for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Looking to earn major points at home? Or do you just need to do something special to show you care? Gift-buying occasions are a golden opportunity to show the lady in your life just how special she is — your mum, your girlfriend, your wife, your daughter, your next door neighbour, anyone. She undoubtedly deserves it.

There’s a wealth of unique items scattered across the worldwide web — from smellies and self-care to technology and everything in-between. Plenty of choice is great but the product overload can lead to impulse buying. In other words, don’t blow £200 on a piece of clothing for the sake of it. If it’s not right, she’s just not going to wear it. Or even worse: She'll return it. Oh, the shame of it all.

It’s time to pull out all the stops and get her something that matters. Which means taking the time to wade through the depths of the internet to find that perfect gift. And before you even think about it, we implore you to not go down the generic flowers route. Please. It’s 2024, and not every woman is wooed by fine wines and Belgian chocolates.

This time around, we want you to think about who your special girl really is, and show her you know that with your gift. As they say, “it’s the thought that counts” — but that means you have to put some actual thought into it.

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to help get you started on the important tasks of finding a gift — and not just any gift, but the gift of all gifts – for that lucky lady. Filled with the best tech, self-care accessories, unique ideas and more, this list has something for every woman's tastes.

These are the best gifts for her in 2024.

Wicked is already bursting with stars, from Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum. But the film takes its star meter up a notch by incorporating three of the most influential figures from the original stage show into the film.

SEE ALSO: 'Wicked' review: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo aspire for movie musical magic Who has cameos in Wicked? Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in "Wicked." Credit: Universal Pictures

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original Broadway Elphaba and Glinda, both pop into Wicked for brief cameos that nevertheless had the audience at my screening going wild. They show up in the song "One Short Day," when Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) arrive in the Emerald City for the first time.

While there, Elphaba and Glinda go to a performance of Wizomania, a musical all about the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Goldblum). Wizomania makes up a short section of "One Short Day" in the musical, but the film expands on it, adding in a new story about the Wise Ones of Oz, who wrote a book called the Grimmerie that is only legible to those who are magically gifted (like the Wizard). Fittingly, Menzel and Chenoweth play the Wise Ones.

At an early screening and Q&A about the film, Wicked composer and lyricist Schwartz discussed the new Wizomania section and bringing Menzel and Chenoweth into the fold.

"[With Wizomania], we have time to show more of the Wizard's propaganda, how he's getting this fake story out into the world and persuading all of Oz that he has talents that he doesn't," Schwartz said. "Also, we wanted to explain more about what this mysterious book, the Grimmerie, is, because it figures importantly not just in this movie, but extremely importantly in movie two."

Schwartz and Wicked director Jon M. Chu had always wanted to incorporate Menzel and Chenoweth into the film, but couldn't figure out how. Would they be a teacher at Shiz University? Someone's mother? Finally, it was Chu who suggested the Wise Ones, especially since these roles work as a tribute to how Menzel and Chenoweth kickstarted Elphaba and Glinda's onstage lives. Their section also contains some fun connections to their original roles, with Chenoweth shushing Grande in an extremely Glinda-like way, and Menzel hitting us with her original "Defying Gravity" ending riff.

Meanwhile, Schwartz himself makes an appearance at the end of "One Short Day," declaring to Elphaba and Glinda that "the Wizard will see you now!"

Of the experience on set with Menzel, Chenoweth, Erivo, and Grande, Schwartz said, "We basically just shot it, but cried mostly."

Wicked is now in theaters.

Western Digital has revealed new flash storage drives, including a durable portable SanDisk SSD, a high-performance NVMe drive, and expansion cards for Xbox consoles.

Robotics company RobotLAB recently opened up a new warehouse and showroom in Las Vegas, offering up their four-foot-tall synthetic creations to the city’s casinos, resorts, and restaurants. According to the Dallas-based company, the robots can clean hotel rooms, serve up cocktails, provide security services, and give information and directions. Not only that, the ‘bots can also sing, dance, and give fist bumps.

“Robots bring automation to repetitive tasks — such as serving food, cleaning, and more,” RobotLAB Las Vegas partner Ketan Vaidya tells Mashable. “Instead of employees doing low value, back-breaking work, robots can do it, so that employees can focus their attention on providing excellent service to their customers.”

While some Vegas visitors may blanch at the idea of robot housekeepers and synthetic concierges, the novelty and potential trickle-down cost savings may lessen the impersonal sting — and robots in Vegas are not exactly new, as synthetic bartenders have operated in the city for years. More difficult for RobotLAB, and similar companies hoping to make moves in the service industry, is how human workers already doing said “low value” work will greet their potential robot replacements.

In Las Vegas, the powerful UNITE HERE Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has been anticipating companies like RobotLAB setting up shop and demanded “innovative technology language” in their contracts with the Strip’s big resort casinos.

Celebrating at RobotLAB's new Las Vegas location. Credit: Courtesy RobotLAB

“The Culinary Union negotiated a strong contract in 2018 to win innovative technology language that protects workers when the company brings in new technology and has been utilized to bargain over software, use of devices, and automation,” Bethany Khan, spokesperson and director of communications & digital strategy for UNITE HERE, tells Mashable. “In 2023, those rights were protected and expanded.”

The most recent contract guarantees advanced notification when new technology is introduced that may impact jobs and an increase in service recognition pay, extended health care, and pension fund contributions for workers laid off due to technology changes, according to Khan. RobotLAB has not publicly inked a deal with a notable Strip property, but Vaidya says they are having “conversations with several casinos.” As Khan points out, all the big resorts on the Strip — like Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, and the Bellagio — are unionized, meaning RobotLAB must meet with UNITE HERE representatives for demos and conversations before automatons are taking your luggage or making your bed.

For now, RobotLAB is finding success in Vegas with restaurant chains like Kura Revolving Sushi Bar and Sourdough & Co., which are utilizing the company’s delivery and serving robots. Smaller businesses may gravitate to RobotLAB's robots through their leasing options, which Vaidya says go for between $20-40 a day. As far as purchase price, Vaidya says "costs vary depending on solution" but KLAS reported the robots can cost "as much as a new car."

RobotLAB Las Vegas General Manager Jacob Fisher believes the products will create human jobs along with replacing them, telling KLAS, “There’s always going to be a person needed to maintain and service the robots. So we are just going to have robot conductors.”

Fisher's response is probably cold comfort to most UNITE HERE members, but the union did obtain language in their 2018 contract that ensures unionized casino-resorts provide "mandatory free re-training to use new technology for current jobs" and "access and mandatory free job training if there are new jobs that are created due to automation and technology," according to Khan.

Does it feel like you're watching an old martial arts movie, where the lips and dialogue don't quite match? This is just one example of how audio latency can mess with your enjoyment of content, but why does it happen?