IT General

SAVE $250: As of Nov. 11, get the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo coffee and espresso machine for $549.95 at Best Buy as part of its Black Friday deals. That’s 31% off its regular price of $799.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: De’Longhi De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Coffee Machine $549.95 at Best Buy
$799.95 Save $250.00 Get Deal

Why brave the coffee shop crowd when you can have a café-level setup in your kitchen? The Black Friday coffee deals have started early.

Best Buy’s giving you a solid reason to make your caffeine fix a little more luxurious. De’Longhi’s Magnifica Evo coffee and espresso machine, usually a splurge at $799.95, is now down to $549.95 — a sweet 31% off. Instead of dropping five bucks on your daily brew, why not invest in a machine that’ll pay you back in lattes, espressos, and iced coffee whenever the mood strikes?

SEE ALSO: Upgrade your morning cup with this discounted De'Longhi coffee machine

So, what makes this machine such a big deal? First, it brings the whole coffee shop experience home with seven customizable drink options. In the mood for a classic cappuccino or a cooling iced coffee? It’s all just a button-press away. And speaking of iced coffee, De’Longhi’s “Over Ice” feature even adjusts the brew strength and temperature so your iced drink won’t end up a sad, watery mess.

Let’s talk coffee quality, too. The Magnifica Evo comes equipped with a conical burr grinder with 13 settings, meaning it’s ready to handle any bean you throw at it. And suppose you like to mix it up with milk or milk alternatives. In that case, the machine’s LatteCrema system delivers perfectly textured foam for your lattes and cappuccinos. You can also pop the milk carafe in the fridge between uses, which means keeping things fresh and cutting down on single-use cups from the coffee shop.

The Magnifica Evo makes cleanup easy for those who dread it (who doesn’t?). The milk carafe and water spout are removable and dishwasher-safe, so you can skip the extra elbow grease in the morning.

This 31% Black Friday discount means you can save $250 and skip the coffee shop line from the comfort of your kitchen. Whether you’re an espresso lover or need a good iced coffee, this is one Black Friday deal worth waking up for.

Best Buy is dropping new doorbusters on select tech every Friday — starting Nov. 8 through Dec. 20. We'll keep an eye out for the best deals in the run up to Black Friday.

Spoilers for the ending of Anora.

Sean Baker's Anora is like Pretty Woman at the harried pace of Uncut Gems — until the ending. 

The film's final moments are silent, which is a direct contrast to the chaotic journey Ani (Mikey Madison) has just been on. After a whirlwind marriage to a rich client and son of a Russian oligarch (Vanya, played by Mark Eydelshteyn), she's spent the runtime of the movie chasing her new husband all around New York City with the oligarch's employees, flying to Vegas to annul the marriage at the forced hand of Vanya's parents, before finding herself on the way home to her apartment in a henchman's beat-up car.

SEE ALSO: Top 5 digital security tips from sex workers

Parked outside of Ani's apartment, Igor (said henchman, played by Yura Borisov) gives Ani the ill-fated wedding ring the family forced her to give up. Ani climbs on top of him and they start to have sex in the front seat, but Ani refuses to let Igor kiss her. Instead, she breaks down crying. They say nothing during this exchange, and the film ends.

Sean Baker leaves Anora's ending up to interpretation. Yura Borisov as Igor Credit: NEON

Anora's writer and director Sean Baker told Mashable that the way he wrote the ending left it up to the audience's interpretation — so much so that he didn't want to share his thoughts.

"I'm worried about giving my opinion on it in any way, shape, or form because then it's taking away from…what my intention of the ending was," Baker said in an interview with Mashable.

"We [Madison and I] felt that it was always going to be a disservice to Ani to discuss it publicly," he continued. Ani's mindset at the end of the film isn't spelled out. There's no music to manipulate the audience, no dialogue, no epilogue, and that's on purpose. 

What Baker did share was how the ending came about. "I need to know I have a solid ending before writing a screenplay," he said of his process, and he knew early on that the protagonist and one of her captors were going to gravitate toward each other. 

"Recently, we actually looked back at our first draft, and it is pretty much dead-on from what we have in the final film." The only difference? The last shot originally had small talk. Baker and the actors decided to scrap that in rehearsals.

"It just took away from the moment," Baker explained. "And then we realized, I think especially Mikey and I realized, that this was one of the first times that she's actually communicating with somebody else in the film and being heard. And we thought it would be much more interesting if that was a non-verbal communication, and so we cut all the dialogue out of that last shot."

Sex workers are mixed on Anora's ending. Credit: NEON

Since Baker has spoken about consulting with sex workers when developing the script, we decided to reach out to some folks with real-life experience for their opinions on whether or not Anora rang true to them.

"I thought it was beautiful," said Kaytlin Bailey, host of The Oldest Profession Podcast and founder and executive director of non-profit media organization Old Pros, of the silence at the end of Anora. (Bailey, who's unaffiliated with the film, recently saw and enjoyed the movie.) "I love that he allows the viewer to fill in that space."

"She's talking, self-advocating — at times screaming — arguing the whole film, and they [Ani and Igor] don't need any of that," said Bailey, who's currently touring Whore's Eye View, a show about the history of sex work.

When Ani and Igor first meet, he is literally restraining her in the scene at the family's home. He is also the only man who realizes what she's capable of. But in the final scene, Igor can hold space for Ani for the first time, Bailey said. 

"For him to hold still and allow her to come to him in this deeply, deeply vulnerable moment of exhausted need, it's almost like an extension of the space that you could tell throughout the film that he wanted to be holding for her," Bailey continued. Igor works for this "fucked-up family" and does fucked-up things for them — but in that moment he finally gets to be there for Ani.

Ani is only able to be so vulnerable in that moment because Igor is holding that space for her, said Bailey, who believes this final scene makes the whole film. 

Writer and stripper Reese Piper (who has written for Mashable) thought differently of Anora. Ani's lack of backstory made it hard for Piper to believe how quickly and hard she fell for the fantasy of being married to Vanya. What also stopped Piper from suspending disbelief was Ani's lack of professional persona. 

"She performs under her real name, and at no point do we see the mask she wears to make money," Piper told Mashable over email. "Some dancers perform as themselves, or a version of themselves, but it’s always our job to fake or find something attractive about clients that we may not have necessary feel without money. Ani goes over to his house for paid sex, but at what point does she stop working?"

Piper (who is also unaffiliated with the making of Anora) wasn't sure what Baker was trying to portray in the final scene. "Was [Ani], in an effort to hide from her pain, reaching for her sexualized self (maybe her mask) and then breaking down when Igor kept reaching for intimacy?" 

If so, the ending fell flat for Piper. "We never saw her mask. We never saw stripping as something she used to hide," she said.

The film's ending for Ani is indeed internal, but the viewer isn't privy to her inner thoughts — and this landed for some, but not others. As Baker told Mashable, "It really comes down to the individual audience member to take away what they will from it."

Anora is now in theaters.

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 Nov. 11's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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

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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.

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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 11 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: You play the ones you're dealt

• Green: Moving across the water

• Blue: Armchair quarterbacking

• Purple: Hockey starters

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 - Tennis Grand Slams

• Green - American gold medal-winning gymnasts

• Blue - Famous sports "curses"

• Purple - ____ United

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 #49 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Tennis Grand Slams: AUSTRALIAN, FRENCH, U.S., WIMBLEDON

• American gold medal-winning gymnasts: BILES, DOUGLAS, LEE, LIUKIN

• Famous sports "curses": BAMBINO, BILLY GOAT, DRAKE, SI COVER

• _____ United: ATLANTA, DC, MANCHESTER, NEWCASTLE

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 yesterday's Connections.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 11 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: To your health!

These words take insurance.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words for health jobs.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is MedicalCareer.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for November 11

• Nurse

• Doctor

• Surgeon

• Dentist

• Pharmacist

• MedicalCareer

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 yesterday's Strands.

11% OFF: On Nov. 11, Lovehoney is offering 11% off all items on the site, including 2024 advent calendars and products in the Black Friday sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lovehoney Lovehoney Singles Day Sale 11% Off Sitewide Get Deal

Lovehoney is already running an absolutely massive Black Friday sale, with up to 70% off a wide range of products. But the popular sex toy retailer has just upped the ante by offering a bonus sale for 24 hours.

On Nov. 11, Lovehoney is offering 11% off all items on site, including its super popular advent calendars and products already listed in the Black Friday sale. The advent calendars are not included in the Black Friday sale, so this could be your best chance to save on these products.

SEE ALSO: Buying sex toys on Shein? Read this first.

To redeem this extra discount, shoppers simply need to use the code SINGLE at the checkout.

It's worth checking out everything on the site because it's all included in this promotion, but we've helped to get you started by listing a standout selection of Singles Day deals:

• Amorana Premium Advent Calendar — £266.99 £727.71 (save extra 11%)

• Lovehoney x Womanizer Couple’s 24-Day Advent Calendar — £132.61 £457.75 (save extra 11%)

• Lovehoney Indulge 12 Days of Play Advent Calendar — £88.11 £232.87 (save extra 11%)

• We-Vibe X Lovehoney Sync Go — £62.29 £99.99 (save extra 11%)

• Lovehoney Wild Weekend Mega Couple's Sex Toy Kit — £35.59 £79.99 (save extra 11%)

• Lovehoney High Roller Remote Control Rotating Prostate Massager — £37.37 £69.99 (save extra 11%)

• Blowmotion Warming Vibrating Male Masturbator — £43.38 £74.99 (save extra 11%)

• Womanizer Next Clitoral Suction Stimulator — £135.27 £189.99 (save extra 11%)

Make the most of Singles Day by saving an extra 11% on a wide range of goodies from Lovehoney.

TL;DR: Through 21 November, save a little money by getting the 2019 version of Microsoft Office Professional Plus for Windows. It's on sale for just £20.78 (reg. £176.41) at the Mashable Shop.

If you could use some productivity support, a tried-and-true suite of apps from a big name in software could help. Create, organise, and more with the assistance of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows. Even better, you can get it on sale for just £20.78 through 21 November.

Get access to tools to help you perform your best, whether professionally or personally. This 2019 version of Office might be slightly older than the most current version on the market, but it still features everything you expect from MS Office.

You'll get Microsoft Word for document creation, Excel to access spreadsheets, PowerPoint to make killer slides, Outlook for email and calendar management, Access to build databases, OneNote to take digital notes, and Publisher for personal publications.

All of these apps combine to help keep you moving more efficiently. However, it should be noted that it does not include Teams. You will also need to be running Windows 10 or 11 to use this software on your device.

Because you only pay a one-time price for this lifetime device license, you won't need to worry about any recurring fees like you would with Microsoft 365. This license is good on one PC and never expires. 

Office Professional Plus 2019 is tailored for enhanced productivity with rich features that provide business users, professionals, and home users alike with most of the functions they need to work at their best.

Don’t miss this opportunity to own Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 at this reduced price, and only for a limited time.

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows is on sale for just £20.78 (reg. £176.41) until 21 November at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows £20.78 at the Mashable Shop
£176.41 Save £155.63 Get Deal

TL;DR: A wide range of web development courses are available to take for free on Udemy.

Udemy hosts a massive range of online courses on everything from Microsoft Excel to ChatGPT. And better yet, some of the best examples of these courses can be taken for free. You can learn all about your favorite topic without spending anything.

A wide range of web development courses are available to take for free on Udemy, providing you with the skills to create and maintain websites.

We have checked out everything on offer and lined up a selection of standout courses to get you started. These are the best free web development courses you can take this month:

• Build a Quiz App with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

• Building a Niche Website For Beginners

• Create Your Own Website In 2 Hours

• Fundamentals of Solace Administration

• Getting Started as a Web Developer

• Introduction to Web Development

• Intro to Node JS and Express

• Learn HTML & CSS From Scratch: The Beginners Guide

• Web Developer Course: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Learn Web Design

• Website Builder / Application Builder

These free online courses do not include certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but that's the only catch. You still get unrestricted access to all the course material, so you can learn at a pace that suits you.

Find the best free web development courses on Udemy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Udemy Web Development Courses Free at Udemy Get Deal

Traveling with your laptop can be a security risk. It can increase the chance of your device being lost or stolen, and there are security issues associated with Wi-Fi, especially when connecting to public networks. Having a password on your BIOS can give you an extra layer of security, but it's not the be-all and end-all.

For readers of a certain vintage, Windows Millennium Edition isnt a fond memory. It felt like a bug-ridden disaster, but I think thats only half the story. If you look closely, Windows Me was more revolutionary than people realize, introducing a number of features that wed never be without today.

Backing up your sticky notes ensures you have a safe copy of your data to go back to in case something goes wrong. Ill show you several methodsboth online and offlineto make a backup of sticky notes in Windows 11.

While VPN is commonly used to get unrestricted internet access, it also offers many lesser-known benefits. It reduces data throttling, improves connection security, limits ad tracking, lowers the risk of phishing, and more. Here are the top reasons to always keep a VPN enabled on your Windows PC.

Working from home has become the norm, and its not going away anytime soon. How do we secure our Windows computers when working outside the office? As youll find out, its much more than using a VPN or having a strong password.

Google has released a couple of AI features for Chrome this year, and while some are still in testing mode, there are two that really stood out to me. Being security conscious, the first feature offers real-time protection against malicious websites and the second allows you to search your browsing history using every day language .

You can unlock the power of AI without a tech background! Using Ollama, anyone can train AI models tailored to their needs. Its easy to use, runs on your own device, and lets you create smarter, customized solutionsno coding expertise required!

Linux is great at using your computer efficiently, but sometimes you might find yourself on a slower or older machine. How can you make Linux work better with lower performance?

My ideal solo evening involves casual gaming on my TV, streaming a sporting event on my iPad, with my laptop open to follow fantasy teams or getting real-time games and player updates from social media, and my phone won't be too far away either. However, my Quest 3 can replace all those screens.

As someone who has always been loyal to the iPhone, I've recently decided to break the mold and switch to a different brand. This decision has led me to conclude that I'm ready to take an even bigger leap in my search for a new deviceI want a foldable phone.

Bill Burr's trauma support group goes off the rails in 'SNL' sketch

The 'Saturday Night Live' cold open featured the main cast sarcastically sharing their support for Donald Trump and unveiled a flattering new impression of the Orange One.

Marvel's 'Thunderbolts*' gets a new trailer at D23 Brazil