IT General

Imagine a storage technology that could safely preserve your data for 100 years, was immune to ransomware, and could store petabytes of data—yet most people have never heard of it. Sony's Optical Disk Archive could do all that, but it never took off.

Smartwatches and activity trackers are a dime a dozen these days, but there are a few brands that stand out. Apple Watch has cultivated a stellar reputation in the smartwatch category — and the new Series 10 comes with some cool new upgrades — while brands like Fitbit have dominated the fitness tracking space. Since Google acquired Fitbit back in 2019, competition between the two brands has been fierce, especially now that the Google Pixel Watches utilize Fitbit’s health and wellness tracking.

While there are certainly some stark differences between Apple Watches and Fitbits — and comparing certain models might seem like comparing apples and oranges — Google’s push into the smartwatch category, as well as Apple’s increasing dedication to health tracking features, means there’s more crossover between these brands than ever before.

So, is it better to get an Apple Watch or a Fitbit? I put them both to the test — here’s everything you need to know.

Left: Google Pixel Watch 2 (with Fitbit integration) Right: Apple Watch Series 4 Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable Sizes and screens

When it comes to display quality and screen size, there’s quite a bit of variety to choose from, especially when it comes to Fitbit. Because the brand offers both activity trackers and smartwatches, their trackers tend to be a bit smaller, simpler, and more discreet — the 1.45-inch Charge 6 touts a full-color AMOLED display with a maximum brightness of 450 nits — while their smartwatches offer larger, higher-quality displays. The Google Pixel Watch 2, for example, boasts a 41mm AMOLED display with a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits, making it a much better option for those interested in a brighter, clearer display.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Google Pixel Watch 2: How are they different?

While Apple doesn’t offer traditional fitness trackers, it does offer a solid range of smartwatch sizes — which is definitely a win compared to Fitbit’s single-size smartwatch offerings. The Series 9 is available in 41mm or 45mm (with the SE available in 40mm or 44mm, as well as the Ultra 2 in 49mm), and it has an unmatched Retina LTPO OLED display with a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. 

Winner: Apple

Internal hardware

While Fitbit boasts a broader product range, which means a wider variety of internal hardware, I decided to pit smartwatch against smartwatch to see which has the most impressive specs in this category. I was pleased to discover the Google Pixel Watch 2 utilizes a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chip, as well as 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, but the Apple Watch Series 9’s specs are equally impressive with Apple’s S9 chip, 1GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Performance-wise, it would be pretty hard to distinguish between the two without rigorous side-by-side testing.

Winner: Tie

Health and fitness tracking

Both Apple Watch and Fitbit offer access to user-friendly health and fitness tracking, which means both brands allow you to track various metrics like steps, heart rate, workout duration, calories burned, sleep, and more. However, the best fitness tracker ultimately depends on what data you’re interested in tracking, as this varies from brand to brand and from product to product.

Fitbit offers a wider range of activity trackers. Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable

For example, both Fitbit and Apple Watch offer sleep tracking, so you can track things like sleep duration and sleep stages, but both the Series 9 and the Google Pixel Watch 2 have relatively shorter battery lives (18 hours versus 24 hours, respectively). This makes them less-than-ideal for 24/7 wear, especially since they’re a bit bigger than other sleep trackers like the Oura Ring. However, Fitbit’s other activity trackers — including the Luxe, Charge 6, and Inspire 3 — all boast five days of battery life (or more), making them better options for those interested in sleep data.

If you want to track GPS on your runs, both Apple Watch and Fitbit offer built-in GPS on most of their products (aside from the Fitbit Luxe and Inspire 3). Heart Rate Zone training is also possible with both the Pixel Watch 2 and the Series 9, so you can get notifications mid-workout while changing zones, which isn’t available on other Fitbit products. 

Even though Fitbit does some pretty cool health tracking insights — including skin temperature, heart rate variability, and oxygen saturation — none of these are measured using the Google Pixel Watch 2 unless you wear it overnight. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch supports all of these measurements (aside from the since-removed blood oxygen feature) without needing to wear the watch overnight. 

Winner: Tie

Smartwatch functionality

If you’re looking for the best smartwatch between Apple Watch and Fitbit, the answer is pretty clear: choose whatever is compatible with your phone. Apple does seem to have the better smartwatch overall, but that doesn’t really matter much if you aren’t an iPhone user.

SEE ALSO: Echo Dot vs. Echo Pop: Which Amazon device should you buy?

If you’re an Android user, the Pixel Watch 2 does stand out over other Fitbit smartwatches. It’s sleek, easy to use, and packed full of useful apps and features — including Google Assistant, Safety Check, and the Google Play Store — making it a more robust smartwatch than other models from Fitbit. Is it the best Android smartwatch on the market? It’s hard to say, especially since the Samsung Galaxy 6 has a pretty solid reputation, but it’s worth watching to see what Google does with Fitbit next. 

If you’re an iPhone user, however, stick with an Apple Watch over a Fitbit smartwatch. Technically, Fitbit’s other smartwatches — the Versa 4 and Sense 2 — are compatible with both Android and iOS, but some of the features (like smartphone notifications) only work with Android phones…and it’s hard to beat Apple’s smartwatch experience.

Winner: Apple Watch

Battery life

As far as battery life, Fitbit takes the crown. The Apple Watch Series 9 does offer an 18-hour battery life (36 hours in low power mode), but the Google Pixel Watch 2 slightly outperforms it with an advertised 24-hour battery life. Other Fitbit products are even more impressive, with a six+ day battery life for Fitbit’s other smartwatches Versa 4 and Sense 2, as well as a five-day battery life for the Fitbit Luxe, seven-day for the Charge 6, and a whopping 10-day charge for the Inspire 3. 

Winner: Fitbit

Durability and longevity

If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can handle all kinds of wear and tear, both Apple Watch and Fitbit are pretty reliable options. All of Fitbit’s products are water resistant up to 50 meters, and the Pixel Watch 2 holds a water-protection rating of 5 ATM (up to 50 meters), as well as an additional IP68 dust and water-protection rating. Apple Watches are also water resistant up to 50 meters — with the Series 9 holding an additional IP6X10 dust resistance rating (the SE does not) — while the Ultra 2 takes the cake with water resistance up to 100 meters, IP6X dust resistance, and an additional EN13319 rating for recreational scuba diving up to 40 meters. 

As far as longevity, it’s hard to make a straight comparison between the brands due to the variety of options available. Some Reddit users say that their Fitbit trackers tend to last around two years, while other Redditors report that their Apple Watch typically lasts four to six years. This is pretty on par with my experience, as I’ve been using a Series 4 Apple Watch since January 2019 with no issues. Will the Google Pixel Watch 2 hold up quite as long? It’s a little too soon to tell. 

Winner: Apple Watch

Smartphone compatibility

You might be wondering, “Is Fitbit compatible with iPhone?” Honestly, it depends.

The Fitbit app is compatible with most popular smartphones — including iOS and Android devices — and all of Fitbit’s products are technically compatible with iPhone, aside from the Google Pixel Watch and the Pixel Watch 2. However, it’s important to note that Fitbit’s other smartwatches (the Versa 4 and the Sense 2) are technically compatible with iPhones, but that doesn’t include many of the additional features like smartphone notifications. 

That being said, the best option for you depends on your phone. If you use an iPhone, stick with an Apple Watch or one of Fitbit’s activity trackers. If you use an Android device, you can use any of Fitbit’s products, which technically makes Fitbit the winner of this category.

Winner: Fitbit

Price range

Fitbit’s wider product range means it has a better price range, too. If you’re operating on a budget, that means Fitbit is the way to go. Its activity trackers are quite a bit cheaper than its smartwatches, with the Inspire 3 starting at $99, and its most popular tracker, the Charge 6, clocks in at $159. 

If you’re looking for a smartwatch, however, the prices are a little more comparable between brands. The Google Pixel Watch 2 starts at $349, making it slightly cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 9 (starts at $399) and slightly more expensive than the Apple Watch SE (starts at $249). 

Yes, technically, there are more smartwatch options available from Fitbit — the Versa 4 ($199) and the Sense 2 ($249) — but considering they lack app stores, it doesn’t really feel right to put them on the same tier as the Pixel Watch 2 or the Series 9. Fitbit also offers a kid-friendly smartwatch, the Ace LTE ($299), but it requires an additional $9.99 per month data plan.

Winner: Fitbit

Other features

While I enjoyed using Fitbit’s products, there weren’t many standout features that made me love one more than the other. The Pixel Watch 2 is a solid smartwatch, but so is the Series 9, so — again — it really depends on what phone you’re using. 

As far as activity trackers go, Fitbit had one semi-critical feature missing, at least for fellow gym rats: most of its lineup isn’t compatible with exercise equipment, aside from the Charge 6. This means you can’t connect any of your Fitbit devices — including the Google Pixel Watch 2 — to gym equipment (treadmills, stationary bikes, etc.) to view/sync data like heart rate, calories burned, and distance. Meanwhile, this is a baseline feature in Apple Watches — even my old Series 4 connects to compatible equipment at the gym using NFC functionality — which made it all the more surprising to discover that Fitbit skipped that feature.

Is it a dealbreaker? Probably not for most people, but it’s a feature I’ve really loved using on my Apple Watch, so not having it felt weird.

Winner: Apple Watch

Apple Watch vs. Fitbit: The verdict

It’s not exactly the flashiest answer, but the clear winner between Apple Watch and Fitbit depends on you. If you’re looking for a simple fitness tracker, the best Fitbit watch is likely the Charge 6. It packs a powerful punch into a tiny device — including health and fitness tracking, sleep tracking, built-in GPS, and more — while boasting a great battery life and a solid price tag.

If you’re more interested in a quality smartwatch, then get whatever works with your phone. The Apple Watch is a fantastic choice that’s both functional and durable, but the Google Pixel Watch 2 is shaping up to be a decent competitor.

Opens in a new window Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable Shop Apple Watches at Amazon Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable Shop Fitbits at Amazon Shop Now

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Buying gifts for the special women in your life can be tricky. What do you buy a person who has everything? What should you gift to someone who's picky about their products? Our advice is to curate a gift according to her interests and personality. A gift for the lady in your life should be just that: A gift for her. Part of our bigger series on the Best Gifts For Everyone, we’ve put together this comprehensive list to guide you on your important mission. And if it happens to be a teen girl you're shopping for, then we have a list for that too.

On Monday, 26-year-old tech worker Luigi Mangione was charged as the sole suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. In an era where social media is a repository of personal narratives, the suspect's digital footprint offers a glimpse into his online life.

SEE ALSO: Why is the internet thirsty for the alleged CEO shooting suspect?

His social media activity spans several platforms; some posts suggest a level of self-awareness (a five-star review of The Lorax, for instance), while others appear to be typical artifacts of a digital life shared by many young Americans.

While not explicitly linked via a unified profile like LinkTree — though, the suspect had an account with a bio of "💻🤓 - 🥷🏃‍♂️🧘‍♂️🏋️ - 📚🤓 - 🦍🧠 - 🍄🧠 - 🐄👨‍⚖️ - ☯️" — his socials have been unearthed through public searches on Goodreads, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.

GoodReads

His GoodReads, confirmed by The Cut, reflects a varied reading list, including self-improvement books like Atomic Habits and The 4-Hour Work Week and more contentious selections. (And, again, The Lorax.) One of his reviews, four stars for Ted Kaczynski's Industrial Society and Its Future, drew particular attention:

"Clearly written by a mathematics prodigy. Reads like a series of lemmas on the question of 21st century quality of life. It's easy to quickly and thoughless [sic] write this off as the manifesto of a lunatic, in order to avoid facing some of the uncomfortable problems it identifies. but it's simply impossible to ignore how prescient many of his predictions about modern society turned out. He was a violent individual — rightfully imprisoned — who maimed innocent people. While these actions tend to be characterized as those of a crazy luddite, however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary."

His "Want to Read" list included Infinite Jest, Atlas Shrugged, and American Prometheus, completing the trifecta of "books I don't want to see on a man's shelf." His favorites included Sapiens, a biography of Elon Musk, and The Lorax. He gave J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy three stars. Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, and Back Mechanic also appeared.

Instagram

The suspect's Instagram account, @luigi.from.fiji, reportedly experienced an influx in followers after his name was released to the public, and subsequently, Meta removed the account, according to The Standard.

SEE ALSO: As some on the internet celebrate a CEO's murder, content moderators are at a crossroads

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mashable, but if the media reports are accurate, his last post was from 2021. He appeared to be an outdoorsy guy, with photos of him hiking around volcanoes, swimming, and drinking in bars in places like Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. His account also included references to a University of Pennsylvania fraternity.

Twitter/X

The suspect's X account was recently verified by the platform, so, as far as we know, that's just about as confirmed as you can get. His pinned post on X is from December 2022. It's a quote-post of a photo in a thread about AI and human progress, and he wrote:

"7 years ago, I gave my hs senior speech on this topic: 'Today, I will be talking to you about the future, about topics ranging from conscious artificial intelligence to human immortality. Likely, you’ll dismiss all this pretty quickly as interesting, but just science fiction…'"

He reposted posts by Andrew Huberman, talks by Peter Thiel, a summary of The Anxious Generation, and a post that compares coffee to cocaine. His tweets also touched on cellular agriculture, religion, failing birthrates in Japan, and math.

His posts don't reflect the man many leftist users on X thought he was before he was caught, but he was, instead, a 26-year-old man with the politics of one. As one Reddit user stated about the suspect's X account in a sub, "He had to be slightly revolutionary, slightly lefty, with just a sprinkling of chudiness. A touch of the chud. Chud adjacent."

LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, the suspect presented a polished professional image detailing his academic achievements at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Master of Science in engineering with a major in computer and information science and a Bachelor of Science in engineering, majoring in computer science with a minor in mathematics, according to CBS News. Most recently, he worked as a data engineer for TrueCar, according to his profile.

Remember: The best gifts for men should make the guy you're buying for feel seen. They should make him feel like you truly get him.

No two guys are the same, and not every man spends their days dreaming of whiskey stones. (In fact, we'd guess that very few of them do.) Traditional male stereotypes are a thing of the past, y'all, and it's time we started embracing that fact when we're looking for gifts.

Before you click “buy” on something that will definitely require a gift receipt, let us take the wheel and show you some gifts for him that are sure to make an impression on your lucky guy. And if you need more specific gift ideas, check out this gift guide for the father figure in your life, or this one if you’re shopping for your boyfriend.

Whether he’s into kitchen accessories, fashion-forward athleisure, self-care products, or something more eccentric, we’re confident that he'll love the picks on this list. For Father's Day birthdays, holidays, and any random occasion, we've got you covered.

When I was growing up, I didn’t realize I had dyslexia. I just knew I wasn’t keeping up with other kids. I’d struggle with reading and math, but didn’t think much of it until my mom told me I’d be switching schools to get extra help. 

At the time, I was just a kindergartener, confused about why I had to leave my friends behind and go to a place called the Julie Billiard School in Lyndhurst, Ohio.

At Julie Billiard, I began to realize that my brain simply processed things differently. I could learn, but it took me longer to master things than everyone around me. What took my classmates two weeks might take me six. I remember my pulse increasing and my muscles growing tense, frustration storming throughout my body. 

But over time, I recognized a pattern emerging; I was slower to start, but once I grasped something, I would soar past others. I could also keep learning long after my peers had moved on, and my understanding of a topic would often go much deeper. This realization was a game-changer. 

Rather than viewing dyslexia as a limitation, I started to see it as an advantage. Dyslexia taught me patience and discipline. I learned not to compare myself to others because I realized my learning curve was simply different.

This approach has been critical in my career as the founder and CEO of LANDE, a digital marketing agency. In the tech world, where systems, coding, and problem-solving are prerequisites, the ability to break things down and understand the process separate the swimmers from the sinkers.

Coding, for instance, requires giving a computer precise instructions — an "ingredient list," if you will. You have to think about every step.

Take something simple, like making toast. Most people would say, "Grab the bread, put it in the toaster, and hit the button." But for me, my brain immediately goes into process mode. I think about opening the cupboard with my right hand, grabbing the bread, and if there’s no bread, I’ll plan a trip to the store. And that involves grabbing my keys with my right hand, opening the door, going into the garage, walking toward the car, and well … you get the idea. 

Dyslexia has also made me a better teacher. I’ve had to learn everything so thoroughly that when I explain it to others, I can break it down into easily digestible pieces. 

Whether it’s coding, paid advertising, or even accounting, I know how to guide someone through the process because I’ve had to master each step myself. This skill has been crucial in scaling LANDE, where creating systems and standard operating procedures (SOPs) is crucial for growth.

As dyslexics, we can solve problems better because we can see all the steps from start to finish and from finish to start. It helps me with being able to forward think and calculate different scenarios. It’s just how my brain works. And if you have dyslexia or know someone who does, it’s an important aspect to understand. Because, after all, many people with my condition are underestimated.

But you have to ignore the naysayers. I remember my high school guidance counselor looking at my grades and suggesting I avoid a career in tech. If I had taken her advice, I wouldn’t be where I am today. 

My advice to anyone with dyslexia is simple: Be patient with yourself. Learning might take longer, but when it clicks, it clicks. And once you understand something, your ability to build on that knowledge can outpace those around you. 

LANDE CEO Ben Herbert Credit: Courtesy LANDE

Ben Herbert is the founder and CEO of LANDE, a digital marketing agency in Columbus, Ohio. With over a decade of experience, Ben has helped businesses grow through innovative, tech-driven marketing strategies.

He began his career working in customer success and website development, implementing content management systems for school districts nationwide. At FinalForms, he served as technical sales lead and marketing director, overseeing large-scale software implementations and introducing CRM systems to streamline sales operations.

Ben’s technical expertise includes HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Node.js, C#, ASP.NET, and custom web apps. He excels at integrating software to help businesses scale and improve efficiency.

Beyond his tech career, Ben is passionate about coaching, having contributed to multiple state appearances at Kenston High School and a Big Ten Championship at The Ohio State University.

Keep your precious (and likely expensive) monitors secure with a monitor mount. It's worth the cost!

Kraven the Hunter is an extraordinary creature. From its earliest reports, it was confounding, bringing together celebrated independent filmmaker J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, A Most Violent Year) and a superhero genre that seems to scoff at the grounded dramas that made this filmmaker's name. Then came the red-band trailer, where the eponymous anti-hero swung around his foes like an unleashed animal, biting off one man's nose before spitting it meaningfully at another. Sony Pictures seemed to declare: Here is a R-rated superhero movie that goes hard and brings fresh blood to the genre. But then came the bumps — the release-date bumps. 

Kraven the Hunter was originally scheduled to premiere in January of 2023. Then it was bumped to October 2023. Then it was bumped yet again to August of 2024, and then to December. Finally, the film is coming out, and the delays seem to be explained by the final result — a Frankenstein's monster of a film with seams that are not only showing, they're practically protruding from the screen. And yet, I might just love this hot mess of a movie, because for all its failings, it managed something that's been increasingly difficult as oversaturation drives the superhero story into the ground. Kraven the Hunter is surprising, truly wild, fun, and definitely not for kids. 

SEE ALSO: Kraven the Hunter is the horny antihero of our dirty dreams This is not the Kraven that Spider-Man fans are expecting.  Kraven smash? Credit: Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures

The screenplay by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway radically reimagines the supervillain, who is chiefly known as a big game hunter who wears a lion's head as a gaudy vest. In Kraven the Hunter, Sergei "Kraven" Kravinoff is a vigilante who abhors hurting animals and instead tracks and kills men, specifically bad men like poachers and arms dealers. 

The estranged son of a grumbling kingpin (an entertainingly surly Russell Crowe), Sergei lives off the grid in the wilderness, rebelling against his father's villainy by balancing the scales with his own bare hands — and mystical superpowers that allow him to scale skyscrapers, flex superhuman strength, and run on all fours. And yes, that is often as goofy-looking as you'd expect, but also exhilarating for exactly that reason. Kraven may look ridiculous running like a charging gorilla down a city street in pursuit of kidnappers who've snatched his demure brother, Dmitri "Chameleon" Smerdyakov (Fred Hechinger). But after years of noble posing, it's fun to watch a hero cut loose in such a non-regal way.

While rejecting the values of his gangster father, Kraven seeks to save his brother from rival kingpin Aleksei "The Rhino" Sytsevich (Alessandro Nivola, exhilaratingly eating this film alive in every frame). Along the way, he'll find an ally in Calypso (Ariana DeBose), a lawyer whose secrets include mystical magic potions and skills with a crossbow, and an enemy in The Foreigner (Christopher Abbott), a supervillain whose powers appear to be counting while dressed as a douchebag. 

Kraven the Hunter has way more plot than it can handle.  Might they plot a trip to Mars next? Credit: Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures

Chandor's film aims to be a story of fathers-and-sons and a gangster drama and a superhero movie. And that's a lot to pull off, even with a runtime of two hours and seven minutes. This means Kraven the Hunter is fitfully focused on backstory, spending an egregious amount of screentime on Sergei's traumatic teen years, but explaining the Rhino's unique abilities in a growling monologue. As for The Foreigner, Calypso, or Chameleon, a dense knowledge of Spider-Man comics might come in handy there, as their backstories are alluded to with gestures to other characters too vague for many to grasp. 

The movie only fitfully cares about the why of what's happening, focusing more intensely on the what the fuck of it all. So, if — for instance — you wonder how a man living off the grid, without any apparent income, has access to a private helicopter and pilot willing to traverse a blizzard, you'll be disappointed. But honestly, the glaring plot holes didn't bother me. I relished every outrageous moment that breaks the mold, like the ultra-violent bloody assassinations that Kraven carries out coolly; the unapologetic ogling that Chandor's lens offers of Johnson's sculpted abs, broad shoulders, and taut backside; and the chaotic pleasures of Hechinger switching from sniveling little brother to suave lounge act, as his character's unique ability to mimic voices allows him to sing Harry Styles, Ozzy Osbourne, and Tony Bennett with equal ease and flare. Other elements, however, are outrageous in a bad way. 

The post-production struggles are clear in Kraven the Hunter. Aaron Taylor-Johnson's abs can't cover all cinematic sins. Credit: Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures

"We'll fix it in post" is an adage in Hollywood that, as a former video editor, always makes me cringe. Some mistakes cannot be papered over with computer graphics or additional dialogue recording, but that doesn't stop Chandor's team from trying. Like in Madame Web, there's an astounding amount of noticeable ADR in this movie, made clear by how often the mouth of the speaker is not on-screen or how the sound doesn't quite match the setting. This suggests that while cuts were being made to the movie, the dialogue needed to be changed to make Kraven the Hunter comprehensible.

Such audio changes might be overlooked by many. But in one scene in Kraven's cozy glass hut, there's a moment where post-production fails so spectacularly that Ariana DeBose's mouth is bizarrely out of position as she speaks, as it it were glued on wrong. It looks like bad AI or maybe a messy composite job done by a human technician. But it's jarring to say the least. Other CGI sloppiness — like when a bounding Kraven looks more rubbery than flesh-and-bone — is less offensive, and maybe even charming when seen with a nostalgic eye that remembers Sony's first Spider-Man trilogy fondly. 

I don't care that Kraven the Hunter is a bad movie.  Bro time. Credit: Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures

Plotwise, it's barely cohesive. Technically, it's a disaster. But to Chandor's credit, every single actor in this movie commits to the bit. As the loathsomely cruel father, Crowe is low-key hilarious, spitting out the word "weakness" so much that it's infectious. Across the film, so many characters say "weakness" that if this were a drinking game trigger, no one would make it out of the theater alive. 

Taylor-Johnson, who's previously played the speedy but traumatized Quicksilver in the MCU and the wise-ass Kick-Ass in Kick-Ass, is glorious in this incarnation of Kraven, who is both capable of horrendous violence and enviable serenity. The English actor offers an almost breezy openness when the hunter explains his self-imposed mission to Calypso, talking about assassinations as casually as one might their lunch plans. But when opposite Crowe, a wounded sharpness creeps in, giving the family drama at the film's core emotional weight. 

As for Hechinger — who's been crushing it this year, with noteworthy turns in the action-comedy Thelma and two very tonally different critically heralded historical dramas, Nickel Boys and Gladiator II — is a brilliant counterpoint to his on-screen family. Where Crowe is putridly macho and Taylor-Johnson is swaggeringly confident, Hechinger cowers and smiles with a plea for affection that is heartbreaking in its earnestness. When he sings at the piano, you see the moments of rare bliss when he feels valued are also the moments where he's pretending to be someone else. And that too stings. 

DeBose relishes the broad-shouldered power suits of her high-powered lawyer, affecting a walk that feels like her own spin on being king of the jungle. As Calypso, she brings a modern awareness to this tale of men who will do anything but go to therapy, and she does so with sophistication and a bit of cheek. Meanwhile, Abbott paints The Foreigner as a pretentious and vengeful weirdo, who relishes his power to dodge and strike while his victims are stunned (again, by counting I guess?). He's so absolutely smarmy in the role that it's a sicko pleasure to watch him, whether he's slaughtering a prison guard or stealing a bite of steak from a captive's plate. 

Alessandro Nivola is reason enough to see Kraven the Hunter. Look at his little backpack! Credit: Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures

Arguably one of the best supporting players in the game, Alessandro Nivola is brilliant as the Rhino. Introduced as a sniveling lackey of Crowe's crime boss, Aleksei echoes the dweeby neediness Nivola brought to the bespectacled Pollux Troy, brother of Nic Cage's outrageous terrorist in Face/Off. However, as Kraven grows into his power, the Rhino comes into his own. With that, Nivola injects outbursts that are erratic and electrifying. 

Wearing a slim-fit dress shirt and a small black backpack, Aleksei looks like a tech bro about to go on a brisk hike. But there's something hard and sinister brewing beneath his surface, physically and psychologically. The almost melodic tone in his voice is essentially a disarming disguise, inviting his enemies to underestimate him. But he can't maintain the ruse, so occasionally he explodes with a cry, or a threat that reveals not only his potential for malice and blood, but also the internal insecurity that could swallow him whole. 

Watching the trailers for Kraven the Hunter, I found the imagery often hilarious in its audacity. But I worried Chandor — because of his history with straight-faced drama — wouldn't lean into the absurdity. I misjudged him. By casting Nivola, and encouraging this particular performance, Chandor smartly weaves the kind of lunacy into his superhero movie that recalls the savage spontaneity of Tim Burton's Batman villains. And truly, between Batman and Batman Returns, those were portrayals both iconic and influential. Now, Nivola's Rhino is nowhere near as stylish, sexy, or cool as Burton's goth squad of scoundrels, but he is his own brand of deliciously evil and undeniably enthralling. 

In the end, Kraven the Hunter has much in common with siblings Venom: The Last Dance and Madame Web. It's an anti-hero story overloaded with IP, presumably to secure the interest of longtime Spider-Man fans. But these branding requirements plus the subgenre mashups that could make these Sony superhero movies standout from their MCU and DC competitors ultimately eviscerate any narrative cohesion. Or to put it simply, Kraven the Hunter is doing too much. However, this bonkers superhero movie is at its best when it embraces its most bizarre elements. In those moments, Kraven the Hunter is chaotic fun that's an absolute blast to see on the big screen.

Kraven the Hunter opens only in theaters Dec. 13.

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While Git keeps track of your daily changes, it also features systems like branches that help you organize. If you're not careful, though, you can end up with problems like commits and changes made to the wrong branch that can be difficult to solve without the right commands.

Meta companies — namely giants Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and WhatsApp — all appeared to have had issues and, in some cases, crashed for users on Wednesday.

Reports of problems with the major social and messaging platforms spiked on Down Detector — which, full disclosure, is owned by the same parent company as Mashable — around 1 p.m. EST. User generated reports on Down Detector showed all Facebook, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads all having a major spike in issues at the same time.

People posted on social media about the apps going down.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

There wasn't an immediate confirmation of issues from Meta and the spike in reports did appear to be subsiding on Down Detector. As of about 1:41 p.m. EST I was able to load the major Meta apps and websites, so perhaps the issues were resolving as quickly as they appeared.

Believe it or not, it's time to look back at the podcasts that made our commutes, chores, and sundry daily tasks more entertaining, if not downright educational, in 2024. With topics ranging from nostalgic TV rewatches to dating hijinks, aging, life hacks, and long-form investigations into gun violence, there's something for everyone in our best-of list.

So peruse our list, and get ready to fill your podcast queue.

Here are the 20 best podcasts of 2024.

20. Life Kit

If you're looking for a primer on how to get things done, everything from the existential (dealing with climate anxiety) to the ordinary (eliminating fruit flies from your kitchen/life), then Life Kit is for you. In each episode, you'll hear from an expert who will answer your questions and help you tackle tasks and situations that you might be loath to ask for help with in real life. Life Kit is here to fortify your confidence when it comes to daily tasks, as well as those things you thought you were the only one who didn't know how to do. 

How to listen: Life Kit is on Apple Podcasts.

19. Chess Piece: The Elián González Story 

In November 1999, 5-year-old Elián González was rescued after he was found floating alone at sea on an inner tube, his mother and the other migrants he was traveling with from Cuba to Miami having died when their boat capsized. What ensued was a much-publicized custody battle between Gonzalez's relatives in Miami and those in Cuba. Chess Piece's host Peniley Ramirez talks to those directly involved in the events of November to March of 1999, when all eyes were on Gonzalez, when the question of whether or not he would return to Cuba was both a volatile political issue and a deeply personal one for Cuban-Americans, reviving questions of exile and identity. 

How to listen: Chess Piece: The Elián González Story is on Apple Podcasts.

18. Finally! A Show 

Here's a podcast that allows us to do the impossible: spy on someone else's life without getting in trouble for it. From creators Jane Marie and Joanna Solotaroff, Finally! A Show features women living extraordinary lives, and taking us along with them. In their own voices, these guests let us in on their stories of change, growth, and endurance. Hear from an abortion provider with the Satanic Temple, a very young chess master, a cat wrangler, and other women who spend their days doing things you might not even have thought were real. Each episode is reflective, intimate, funny, and unwaveringly real, so give yourself the gift of immersion into a new life, usually for far less than an hour. 

How to listen: Finally! A Show is on Apple Podcasts.

17. Flightless Bird 

How would you explain unique U.S. phenomena like Costco, storm chasers, and RVs to someone who doesn't live here? Journalist David Farrier, a New Zealander stuck in the U.S. due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, has some questions about what makes the States tick. What are these cultural phenomenon about? What's changing about them, and how is the country changing as a result? One thing that fascinates Farrier is the chain restaurant phenomenon, so check out the episode about Olive Garden, in which he asks people how they "emotionally" connect with it, summoning feelings of nostalgia, comfort, and familiarity — it may give you the strange yet understandable urge to tattoo a picture of cheese grater onto your body. 

How to listen: Flightless Bird is on Apple Podcasts.

16. Why Won't You Date Me? 

Nicole Byer wants to hear about the gory details of dating, plus all its moving parts and euphemisms. Every week, she talks to a different comedian, friend, and/or ex about ghosting, situationships, getting engaged/married/pregnant, having a life with kids, birth control, and so much more. Check out the episode with Riki Lindhome to hear about "dating scraps," fertility, and falling in love right before becoming a parent. It turns out that, in spite of us all thinking we're alone in our wild journeys "on the streets" of dating, there's probably someone who's been there — at least kind of.

How to listen: Why Won't You Date Me? is on Apple Podcasts.

15. My So-Called Midlife 

Every week, My So-Called Midlife host Reshma Saujani welcomes a guest to wonder along with her about the truth of midlife. What does it mean to "feel your age"? How often do women like Chelsea Clinton, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus really think about being middle-aged? Perhaps, Saujani suggests, the mindset that comes with middle age is keeping us trapped — we're so busy worrying about if we're irrelevant, if it's too late to do something that we'll never actually do it, and we need other voices to tell us that we can. Regardless of your age, My So-Called Midlife is an important listen, a funny and sobering reminder to be on your own team, regardless of whether or not you can still rage or take a red-eye like you used to.

How to listen: My So-Called Midlife is available on Apple Podcasts.

14. Hidden Brain

Hidden Brain is a podcast about human behavior — namely, why we do the things we do, even when we can't explain them. Host Shankar Vedantam dives deep into loneliness, trying too hard, feeling empty, balking when it comes to political conversations, and more. Every episode is a clever and comforting opportunity to glimpse the reasoning behind our most common, and complicated, experiences of being humans. 

How to listen: Hidden Brain is available on Spotify.

13. The Secrets We Keep

Is there something you've never told anyone? What would it take for you to reveal that secret? In this five-part series from New England Public Media, host Karen Brown talks to folks about the secrets they have around topics considered taboo, including abortion, money, and sexuality, and how keeping their secrets has impacted their lives, especially for those who come to occupy the political stage. Here's a podcast that can help us feel less alone as we ask ourselves the question: Do we ever have a responsibility to tell our secrets?

How to listen: The Secrets We Keep is available on Spotify.

12. How to Know What's Real

What are the things we've come to believe? Why do we believe them, even if and when we know we're constantly confronted with false information every second of the day? Join The Atlantic's Andrea Valdez and Megan Garber as they investigate how our brains process avalanches of disinformation and how we can become more critical. They tackle the idea of "prebunking," how not to perpetuate the spread of bad information, the role of emotion in getting us to click that link, and how your Vanderpump Rules addiction could be impacting your real-life relationships. In a world where we don't always know what to believe, Valdez, Garber, and their expert guests are here to give us the tools to read between the lines. 

How to listen: How to Know What's Real is available on Spotify.

11. Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 134 mass shootings in the first four months of 2024. In the most recent season of Long Shadow, host Garrett Graff contemplates how we got here. Starting with the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School, Graff traces the origins of the Second Amendment and the rise of the NRA and its response to widespread gun violence, as well as the impact on a generation of kids who were raised with lockdown drills. This season will surprise you, as it answers questions you didn't know you had about guns in the U.S. and why, when it comes to keeping each other safe, we can't seem to get out of our own way. 

How to listen: Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust is available on Spotify.

10. Playing Anne Frank 

In 1955, 10 years after the end of World War II and the Holocaust, the stage version of The Diary of Anne Frank premiered on Broadway. In seven episodes, the Forward's executive editor Adam Langer traces the movement of Frank's diary from the family's hiding place in Amsterdam to a piece of art that forced producers, directors, actors, and audiences alike into confrontation with the not-so-recent past, as well as questions of what it means to dramatize the life of a person who, in many ways, came to represent the murders of six million. Playing Anne Frank uses archival footage to introduce us to the makers and stars of the play, the film, and those who continue to revive it today, encouraging us to ponder how we view ourselves as consumers of art, culture and history.

How to listen: Playing Anne Frank is available on Apple Podcasts.

9. Fire Escape 

Fire Escape is a 10-part series about Amika Mota, a midwife and mom who, in 2008, awoke to find herself handcuffed to a hospital bed after a car accident that killed one man. During her time in the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Mota eventually qualified to join the Fire Girls, a group of incarcerated women who work as first responders and firefighters in the prison and within 30 miles of it, thanks to a unique mutual-aid agreement with Madera County. The all-female team live together in Firehouse Five, which is still part of the prison but situated just outside the gates, and at the time Mota earned $.53 an hour for her work. In Fire Escape, Mota tells host/creator Anna Sussman how she struggled to navigate the everyday grief and trauma of being incarcerated, separated from her family, her identity suddenly changed from that of a trusted human to someone seen by others for only her crime. Fire Escape details how fire-fighting changed her ability to survive, how she came to understand justice, and what happened after she left Firehouse Five for good.

How to listen: Fire Escape is available on Wondery.

8. Radio Rental

Remember, if you can, the sound of a videotape sliding into a VCR (if you don't know what I'm talking about, here you go). If that sound makes you feel nostalgic and ready to watch some movies that will make your blood curdle, do yourself a favor and listen to this horror-comedy podcast. In it, Terry Carnation (Rainn Wilson) is the owner of Radio Rental, an '80s video store that houses a collection of strange, scary, and true stories told from the point of view of the people who experienced them. In each episode, Carnation narrates the goings-on inside the store — sometimes there's a void; sometimes a creepy little girl; almost always his very vocal cat, Malachi — setting the scene for tales of the macabre. So grab your fanny pack, get comfortable in your beanbag chair, and don't forget to rewind. 

How to listen: Radio Rental is available on Spotify.

7. Pretendians 

Why would you pretend to be someone you're not? Not in the "I lied about my height on my Hinge profile" sense, but in the "fabrication of a racial and/or ethnic identity" sense. That's the question Pretendian hosts Robert Jago (Kwantlen First Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe) and Angel Ellis (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) are exploring in this podcast about people who commit Indigenous identity fraud. Who are the people pretending to be Native, and what do they hope to gain? Jago and Ellis investigate and interview those who lead with an identity that's not their own, to the detriment of actual Native people. Pretendians is a vital listen for anyone who wants to understand how far people will go to hijack identity, why, and the implications for those whose lived existences are not up for debate or sale. 

How to listen: Pretendians is available on Apple Podcasts.

6. Hysterical 

In the fall of 2011, a group of teenage girls at the same high school in upstate New York began presenting with uncontrollable neurological symptoms — tics, barks, stutters, even screeches and meows. Was it somehow related to stress, or perhaps the effect of long-buried trauma? Was it an example of a mass psychogenic illness, also known as mass hysteria? Or was it very much none of the above? Get ready for a wild ride through a community facing a scary medical phenomenon that caused divisions as it continued to spread. Along the way, there are celebrity appearances, debates about salad, and reminders of the unrelenting tumult that is being a young girl. 

How to listen: Hysterical is available on Wondery.

5. Three

On July 6, 2012, 16-year-old Skylar Neese disappeared into the woods in Wayne Township, Pennsylvania, across the state line from her home in Star City, West Virginia. In December 2012, Neese's best friend, Rachel Shoaf, confessed that she, along with Neese's other best friend, Sheila Eddy, had stabbed Neese to death that night in July. Created and hosted by journalists Justine Harman and Holly Millea, Three is a 10-episode series about the events that led up to Neese's murder. Harman and Millea interview Skylar's family and close friends, as well as investigators on the case, about the chilling dynamic at the heart of this teen triangle — and how it reached its sinister pinnacle. 

How to listen: Three is available on Spotify.

4. Again With This

A great rewatch podcast enables a listener to engage with their nostalgia, while also making sure they don't take it too seriously. Again With This is hosted by Tara Ariano and Sarah D. Bunting, co-creators of Television Without Pity and Previously.TV; this podcast returns us to the days when our TVs brought us the weekly magic that was Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and most recently, Dawson's Creek. Ariano and Bunting revisit every episode with an unflinchingly shrewd eye toward the details we either never noticed or pretended we didn't see (i.e., the felonious relationship between young Pacey Witter and his teacher). Prepare to see the blush fall off the rose of your youth, and get ready to laugh boisterously in public. 

How to listen: Again With This is available on Spotify.

3. We Live Here Now

Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt, the only rioter killed by the Capitol Police on January 6th, moves into the same Washington, D.C. neighborhood as two journalists for The Atlantic, Lauren Ober and Hanna Rosin. Naturally, they decide to knock on Witthoeft's door and find out what she's up to. If it sounds like it should be the premise for a TV tragicomedy, that's because it already sort of is, and it might be again. The six parts of We Live Here Now dropped before Trump's recent re-election, which means it's both harder and even more important to hear. It's an examination of our collective memory, our neighborhoods, our fears and grief, and what we might be capable of as human beings who aspire to listen. 

How to listen: We Live Here Now is available on Apple Podcasts.

2. Sixteenth Minute (of Fame)

Do you remember that time a lot of people on the social media platform then known as Twitter got mad at a woman for her Tweet about how lovely it was to drink coffee in the morning with her husband? No? Good, you're probably better off. But also, consider having Sixteenth Minute (of Fame) host Jamie Loftus tell you all about it, what it actually says about women's ability to exist on the Internet, and people's desperate need to direct their ire at something or someone. In each episode of this podcast, Loftus examines those who became internet sensations, whether they meant to or not. Along with guests like journalist Taylor Lorenz, Loftus tackles the reality of the algorithm, the trap of online discourse, and the "internet rage machine." If you're chronically online, or just want to sound smart when talking to those who are, check this one out. 

How to listen: Sixteenth Minute (of Fame) is available on iHeart.

1. The Competition

Each year, 50 extraordinary young women (think researching cancer in your "spare time") from every state in the country spend two weeks in Mobile, Alabama, competing for a $40,000 scholarship and the title of Distinguished Young Woman. This — the desire to win it all combined with the desire to be liked by your peers while constantly being watched by moms and camera crews — is a fascinating premise for an investigative podcast. 

Journalist Shima Oliaee returned to Mobile to be a judge for the Distinguished Young Woman competition 20 years after she herself was the contestant from the state of Nevada. Then Roe v. Wade was overturned, shoving the nation — and these thoughtful, extraordinary teen girls — into political turmoil. There's nothing out there quite The Competition; with plenty of heart-tugging moments and quirks, you'll savor every detail in every riveting episode. 

How to listen: The Competition is available on Apple Podcasts.

Additional reporting by Jenni Miller.

If you’ve run into a file size limitation, it’s possible to split your large files into multiple smaller files. You can then recombine these files to get the actual large file. I’ll show you various ways to do that on your Windows 11 PC.

The latest in a string of announcements from OpenAI is the official release of ChatGPT on Apple Intelligence.

With new ChatGPT integration, iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro users can invoke ChatGPT through Siri, as part of Apple Intelligence's Writing Tools, and with Camera Control which allows ChatGPT to see and understand images.

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

The Apple and OpenAI partnership was announced last summer's WWDC which unveiled Apple's suite of AI tools called Apple Intelligence. Through the partnership, iPhone users can connect with ChatGPT as an extension of specific tasks. Apple already kind of stole limelight by announcing the release of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 earlier today, including the much-anticipated support of ChatGPT in the announcement.

But in the livestream, CEO Sam Altman, joined by engineering manager Dave Cummings and product manager Miqdad Jaffer demoed some of the ways to use ChatGPT with iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia 15.2. Taking a picture on an iPhone, they showed how iPhone 16's Camera Control uses visual intelligence with ChatGPT to answer questions about an image. Cummings then opened a Mac and demonstrated how to use type to Siri to ask a question about a document. Siri then gave the option to send the query to ChatGPT, which provided a response, including a visual breakdown of the request.

The ChatGPT integration isn't a surprise like some of the other announcements as part of OpenAI's ongoing livestream series, which so far has seen a new ChatGPT Pro plan for $200 a month and its AI video generator Sora. This was expected with the latest Apple software updates, so today's news wasn't so much an unveiling as a confirmation of what we already expected. To be fair, OpenAI did say its 12 days of livestreams would be a mix of "new things, big and small."

That's day five down, seven more to go.

Apple’s latest tvOS 18.2 software brings a new screen saver featuring Snoopy to your living room, but the feature requires a newer Apple TV model.

SAVE $40: As of Dec. 11, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is just $59.99 instead of $99.99 at Amazon. That's 40% in savings and its lowest price on record.

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$99.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal

Whether you need a Bluetooth speaker to blast holiday tunes during your gift-wrapping sessions this season or are looking for an affordable option for someone on your list, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is the best speaker we've tested under $100. And we have good news: it just dropped to the lowest price It's ever been.

As of Dec. 11, the Wonderboom 4 is on sale for just $59.99 at Amazon, down from the usual $99.99. That's 40% in savings and beats its previous low by $10. It also beats its Black Friday price by $20.

SEE ALSO: The Sonos Era 100 is my favorite speaker, and it's on sale at its lowest-ever price after Cyber Monday

This tiny powerhouse fits in the palm of your hand, but can get as loud as a larger speaker without losing much clarity. The fourth-generation speaker has less muddiness than the previous one, especially at higher volumes, as well as an Outdoor Boost Mode and Podcast Mode. Plus, it has a new USB-C port for easy charging. Otherwise, it's pretty much identical to the Wonderboom 3 (which we also loved). Like its predecessor, the Wonderboom 4 can survive drops from up to five feet and plunges into water for up to 30 minutes (thanks to an IP67 rating). It also packs a healthy battery life of 14 hours.

The only reason we'd pass on this speaker is if you already own the Wonderboom 3. Otherwise, at 40% off, we can't recommend the Wonderboom 4 enough. It comes in four fun colors and all of them are on sale.