Technology

Most of us use the same handful of Excel commands every day, overlooking features designed to make our spreadsheets easier to manage. This weekend, explore five hidden gems that can change the way you work with Excel.

Summer's hottest ticket is an IMAX 70mm screening of The Odyssey.

People have spent hundreds of dollars, undertaken road trips, and even planned pregnancies around the possibility of seeing Christopher Nolan's latest film in IMAX 70mm. Sure, you may think Odysseus' (Matt Damon) journey home to Ithaca was hard, but did he ever face the struggle of having the AMC app crash repeatedly while trying to get The Odyssey tickets?

SEE ALSO: 'The Odyssey' review: Christopher Nolan turns an epic myth into a movie masterpiece

The intense buzz comes down to a major aspect of The Odyssey's marketing push: the many film formats you can see it in. The Odyssey is the first movie to be shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, so Nolan's preferred way for people to watch the film is IMAX 70mm. With this massive film format, viewers can see The Odyssey at its highest resolution, with the fullest image possible, shot in a square-like 1.43:1 aspect ratio. Other formats, including standard 70mm or 35mm, have smaller aspect ratios. That means they cut off a sizable chunk of the IMAX frame. While the movie will still rock, you'll lose head room on close-ups, as well as the sheer vastness of the landscapes Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema are capturing.

So, in order to quite literally see the most of The Odyssey, you've got to go to a theater capable of screening IMAX 70mm film. However, there are only 41 movie theaters in the world capable of screening that format, as IMAX has not built new IMAX film projectors in decades. IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond told Variety that "we build new projectors every day, but film projectors using this film — it’s just not practical.” He did, however, note the desire for growth thanks to demand.

SEE ALSO: Should you see 'The Odyssey' in IMAX?

Of those 41 movie theaters able to show IMAX 70mm films, 25 are in the United States (eight of which are in California alone). There are nine in Canada, three in the United Kingdom, three scattered across Europe, and one in all of Australia. No theaters in Asia, Africa, or South America are able to screen The Odyssey in its intended format, turning the format that Nolan and his cast are encouraging viewers to go see into a very exclusive — and very Western — affair. (Not to mention costly. Tickets range from $18 and $33, depending on the theater, making it more expensive than other formats.)

Do you really only want to see a sliver of this? Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Exclusivity breeds status, and the scarcity of IMAX 70mm screens has turned The Odyssey screenings into full-on status symbols. When IMAX 70mm tickets went on sale a full year in advance, they sold out within the hour. People are reselling their tickets for close to a thousand dollars. On opening day, AMC, Fandango, and the official IMAX site kept kicking me out when I tried to search for New York screenings, even weeks after opening weekend, due to high demand. (This even includes the occasional 2 and 3 a.m. screenings.) Clearly, people don't just want to see The Odyssey. They want to see The Odyssey in its most premium, most expensive format, which has also been touted as its most definitive form.

Other blockbusters have taken a page from The Odyssey's IMAX 70mm playbook. Dune: Part Three, out Dec. 18, dropped IMAX 70mm tickets for its opening weekend way back in April. Like with The Odyssey, tickets sold out almost instantly. It was the Eras Tour Ticketmaster war for people with AMC A-List and A24 totes.

On the one hand, this booming interest in IMAX 70mm format is a positive sign for the future of moviegoing. It's brought conversations about film formats fully into the mainstream, and it's part of a box office upswing in 2026, one that's also been propelled by big-name biopics (Michael), high-profile sequels (The Devil Wears Prada 2), animated franchises (Toy Story 5), and low-budget horror hits (Obsession).

On the other hand, when so few people are able to catch a film in the format it was meant to be watched in, it creates an inevitable divide in the audience. There are those who have access, and those who don't. Or in The Odyssey's case, those who saw the film's full frame, and those who only saw a percentage of it.

As the IMAX 70mm format continues to be a draw, especially when paired with the right filmmakers and cast, here's hoping there will be greater efforts to make it more accessible in the long run. After all, no one should have to undertake an odyssey just to see The Odyssey.

The Odyssey is now in theaters.

High school can't last forever, but Heartstopper will in spirit, with the beloved teen Netflix series taking a wholehearted victory lap with its final chapter.

And reader, it's been a wonderful ride.

After three sublime seasons, the series says its last "hi" with a joyous and moving 90-minute film that sends Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), and their friends into their awaiting futures. So, how does Heartstopper Forever leave the Paris Crew, and how far have we come since we first arrived at Truham Boys School?

SEE ALSO: I'm trying to work but I just watched the 'Heartstopper Forever' trailer

It's been four glorious years for Heartstopper, one that's seen each season arrive with its signature leaf illustrations swirling back into fans' hearts. The first season hit Netflix in 2022, based on English writer and illustrator Alice Oseman's Tapas/Webtoon/Tumblr hit 2016 webcomic. Fans of Oseman's work found their beloved characters brought to life by Connor, Locke, and the crew, with the actors now synonymous with the series. "We built it, and it built us," William Gao's Tao says in the film, and it's accurate on many levels.

When I reviewed the first season of Heartstopper, I compared it to its teen show brethren, writing, "Heartstopper lies on the sugary sweet end of the teen dramedy series spectrum, worlds apart from Euphoria and Skins, younger but just as delightful as Sex Education, with a new gay love story akin to Love, Victor. But it doesn’t shy away from a poignant examination of queer identity amid steadfast heteronormativity." Of course, the show has evolved by Heartstopper Forever as its protagonists (and cast members) have grown up; however, it remains true to this curious and compassionate core.

The film, based on the sixth and final graphic novel and set over one final year of high school, is a joyous, heartbreaking, and true-to-form final hurrah, with a teen love story for the ages right at its heart.

Nick and Charlie have been through it. Joe Locke and Kit Connor in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

In Season 1, we met anxious 14-year-old student Charlie Spring (Locke), who was into The Strokes and his toxic, manipulative, closeted classmate, Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft). At the time, he was in a constant state of self-doubt, an experience that intensified over Seasons 2 and 3, with the latter an immensely challenging time in Charlie's struggle with anorexia, self-harm, anxiety, and body dysmorphia, with Locke giving sensitive insight into this very interior struggle. In Heartstopper Forever, Charlie is still managing this, but he's campaigning to make school a safer place for young queer students, where constant bullying made his life hell. Essentially, Charlie has become the person he needed.

We also met 16-year-old "rugby king" Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), who started to question his sexuality — and his friends — when sparks flew between him and Charlie. Season 2 saw a tremendous performance from Connor, as Nick dealt with the complexities of exploring his bisexuality and coming out, with the show also acknowledging biphobia, bi-erasure, and the anxiety of not feeling "queer enough." Nick's experience in this season resonated with me deeply, with Charlie clarifying the complication in one quote: "I think there's this idea that when you're not straight, you have to tell all your friends and family immediately. Like you owe it to them. But you don't." The season was reminiscent of Connor's own experience, who said he felt forced to publicly discuss his sexuality after fan pressure.

Featured Video For You 'Heartstopper’s Joe Locke and Kit Connor talk teenage vulnerability

By Heartstopper Forever, Nick has fallen head over heels for Charlie, become proud and curious about his sexuality, and dealt with the complexities of caring for someone you love who has an eating disorder. In the film, however, Nick's not doing well, with his dependence on Charlie and fear for his boyfriend's well-being making the future apart seem an excruciating fate. Reader, I absolutely connected with Nick in Heartstopper Forever, like facing a brutal mirror of my adolescent drama. Nick getting messy drunk and not dealing with his feelings? Yeesh, relate. Nick getting jealous over Charlie being flirted with and becoming deeply possessive? Shit. Nick spewing up his guts while yelling at someone he loves? GET OUT OF MY HEAD.

Heartstopper Forever sees Nick and Charlie dreaming of privacy and their own place, free from interruption. But they are also learning they will be OK without each other, a lesson not easy to learn when you're 18. Or 25. Or 40.

Heartstopper Forever sees the Paris Crew all grown-up. Corinna Brown and Kizzy Edgell in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

Of course, Heartstopper has spent as much time developing its supporting characters as it has its leads. Charlie's best friends Tao (William Gao), Elle (Yasmin Finney), and Isaac (Tobie Donovan) have all explored their sense of identity, dreams, and terrifying confessions of love.

An always-measured Finney has seen Elle keep her head up amid gender dysphoria and anti-trans hate, finding her own path through artistic self-expression. "It feels like the whole world is against me," she told Tao in Season 3, reflecting the very real abuse, harassment, and discrimination young trans people face on a daily basis in the UK. In Heartstopper Forever, Elle is still burdened by this topical bigotry, asking her friends to show up to Pride for her, saying, "I just wanna be myself, to be free, to be happy." Is it too much to ask?

Yasmin Finney and William Gao in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

When he hasn't been sacrificing himself on the altar of dignity to win his best friend Elle's heart, Tao has kept his friends above water, with Gao's frantic energy a welcome buoy through the series' more serious moments. And the quiet legend of the series, the book-loving Isaac, realised his asexuality in Season 2 and experienced loneliness among his coupled-up friends.

Charlie's cool and deadpan sister Tori (Jenny Walser), the protagonist of Oseman's first novel Solitaire, has become Heartstopper's moral compass and supreme "look after him or you die" pep-talk queen. Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell) living out and free together as a couple, not "GOOD MATES" as everyone first assumed, has been powerful to watch. Darcy explored their gender identity and tried new pronouns in Season 3, while dealing with an unsupportive family life.

And Imogen (Rhea Norwood) has had a similar arc to Nick, as a straight-passing, popular jock hesitant to explore her own sexuality. By Heartstopper Forever, seeing Imogen's love for herself as a lesbian is a delight.

Heartstopper remains one of TV's best spaces for compassionate conversation. The crew: Yasmin Finney, Joe Locke, Tobie Donovan, and William Gao in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

I'll be honest with you. Heartstopper has always made friendship, teenage vulnerability, and questions of identity its horizon, and it's always shocked me, the maturity and compassion that these teen characters have. The audacity, to have emotionally healthy conversations with each other in late adolescence! Growing up, I didn't have the vocabulary to talk to my friends about identity, queerness, and mental health, which meant watching Heartstopper as an adult honestly felt like a fantasy series. It's the show I wish I'd had as a teenager, when heteronormativity made me bury myself.

Heartstopper has never been about over-the-top twists, instead making cinematic moments of friendship and found family, the power of showing up for each other, of feeling included, seen, and loved. Despite Charlie suggesting they might be "too old for this cringy stuff," there's plenty of sweet scenes involving DIY bedroom forts, hidden notes in photo prints, and impromptu pasta-fuelled sleepovers. For fans, there are flashbacks to Nick and Charlie's first class together, the famous snowball scene, and a return to the room where Heartstopper's pivotal pash happened. "They should put a plaque on the wall: This is where Nick and Charlie had their first kiss," Charlie says.

Joe Locke and Kit Connor in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

Heartstopper has long relished the joy, terror, and fireworks of new love and hormones. The show has matured over the seasons, going from innocent games of spin the bottle and dancing around to Julia Jacklin, Wolf Alice, or Maggie Rogers in the living room, to the apprehension, awkwardness, and chemistry of first sexual experiences and the world-ending devastation of first real heartbreaks.

But what makes Heartstopper a defiant show is its insistence on care, of characters turning up for each other, making mistakes, and showing compassion. It's the kind of gentle space viewers deserve, where characters explore their sexuality and identity, experience first love, and build friendships that celebrate their truest selves.

I haven't just loved Heartstopper. I've needed it.

Heartstopper Forever is now streaming on Netflix.

If you feel like you'd like to talk to someone about your eating behavior, in the U.S. you can call the National Eating Disorder Association's helpline at 800-931-2237. You can also text "NEDA" to 741-741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at the Crisis Text Line or visit the nonprofit's website for more information.

In the UK, you can contact Beat through webchat, email, or phone — England (0808 801 0677), Scotland (0808 801 0432), Wales (0808 801 0433) Northern Ireland (0808 801 0434). The helplines are open 3 p.m. to 8 p.m, Monday to Friday.

TL;DR: The GoCable is an 8-in-1 keyring cable that can charge almost any device, and it’s on sale now for $29.99 (reg. $49.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: GoCable GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable $29.99
$49.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal

Your phone, your laptop, and maybe a camera or a pair of Headphones all want a different cable, so you end up carrying three of them, but that’s no way to treat your pockets. The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC is a single keyring cable that can charge virtually any modern device, and it’s on sale right now for $29.99 (reg. $49.99).

Designed as an everyday carry essential, it combines ultra-fast charging with genuinely useful built-in tools, all wrapped in a compact, tangle-free design that clips neatly onto a bag, belt loop, or keychain.

With 100W charging capabilities (when paired with a compatible power source), the GoCable can power everything from phones and tablets to laptops, drones, and cameras.

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Universal connectors mean you’re covered whether you’re using USB-C or Apple’s Lightning. No more digging through tangled cords or carrying three different cables just in case.

What makes this cable especially useful are all the thoughtful little extras. An LED power display shows your real-time charging status. The magnetic wrap keeps things neat and frustration-free. There’s even a built-in bottle opener and a safe-proof cutter for impromptu moments like opening a package on the fly or cracking a drink at a picnic.

For how much it can do, you might be surprised by how tiny this cable actually is. At just 5.9 inches long, it’s small enough to pop in your pocket but big enough to comfortably keep your devices charged.

Stop packing your pockets with a different cable for every device. Pick up a GoCable 8-in-1 100W Cable while they’re on sale for $29.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

If you're in the market for a documentary this weekend to throw a bit of realism and fascination in between all the fire-breathing that HBO Max has been focused on for the last few weeks, then you've come to the right place. Not only has the prestige streamer's new Top 10 four-part Burning Man series, The Man Will Burn, continued to air its weekly episodes (episode 2 is now streaing), but this weekend has a couple of new additions in store, too.

With the World Cup wrapping up this weekend, we're about to have a lot of sports fans staring into their pints looking for the next thrill. Netflix might just have a few things that can help, for U.S. subscribers, including a new season of the docuseries Quarterback (read about it in this weekend's documentary roundup), and my top pick this weekend, a hilarious new golf series starring Will Ferrell (more below).

Gemini users who were hoping to see the launch of Gemini 3.5 Pro at Google I/O 2026 left disappointed. At the May developers' conference, the company launched a lighter-weight Gemini 3.5 Flash model for everyday use. However, Google CEO Sundar Pichai assured the audience that Gemini 3.5 Pro would follow in June.

"We are also excited for 3.5 Pro,” Pichai said at a pre-Google I/O media briefing. “We are using it internally. It's showing great improvements. We are still testing and refining it, and it will roll out to everyone next month."

As of July 17, there's still no sign of the model.

Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

So, where is Gemini 3.5 Pro?

Yesterday, Bloomberg published a report on the delayed launch, with reporters Julia Love and Davey Alba writing that "The delay has caused frustration among Google engineers, AI researchers, and managers, who are concerned the company risks losing its edge in the market to rivals Anthropic and OpenAI."

Mashable reached out to Google with questions about the Gemini 3.5 Pro launch timeline, and the company provided the same statement it shared with Bloomberg.

"We’re shipping quickly across a wide range of models while keeping them highly cost-effective for customers. We’re currently testing 3.5 Pro, an upgraded Flash model, and other models with partners, and we’re productively engaged with the U.S. government on model testing and broader frameworks."

While a one-month delay isn't normally a massive problem, the AI industry has been moving at lightning speed in recent months. The longer Google waits to release Gemini 3.5, the higher the performance bar it has to clear to maintain equal footing with its rivals. According to Bloomberg, even Meta has released a new model that outpaces Google Gemini.

Bloomberg's report suggests that there are two reasons driving the delay of Gemini 3.5 Pro. The first is bureaucratic. Because of the size of Google's organization and the number of products integrated with Gemini, delays are inevitable compared to leaner AI startups. Second, Bloomberg found that Google leaders are worried that Gemini 3.5 Pro may not be competitive with their rivals' recent releases.

Since Google I/O 2026, Anthropic announced it was launching its most advanced model ever, Claude Mythos Preview. The AI company said the model had such advanced cybersecurity capabilities that it would only be shared with trusted partners. Anthropic eventually did release a version of Claude Mythos called Fable 5 on June 9.

On July 9, OpenAI announced its own next-generation model with advanced cybersecurity coding abilities, GPT‑5.6 Sol.

This week, Chinese AI lab Moonshot released Kimi K3, a massive open-source model with 2.8 trillion parameters. Early testers say it has similar capabilities as Fable 5 and GPT-5.6 Sol, only with a much lower cost.

Without a new frontier model of its own, Google has taken a tumble down AI leaderboard rankings, despite its massive advantages in the AI arms race. Google not only has unprecedented access to the world's data, but it can also put its AI tools directly into the hands of billions of Android users worldwide.

Gemini 3.5 Pro may be launching soon, but while Google readies the model for release, the competition is racing ahead.

While people think of Linux as a modern operating system, it embodies ideas that are more than 50 years old. Here are some of the oldest ideas and why they stick around in modern Linux distros.

Even the sportiest of EVs have struggled to really garner the praise of driving enthusiasts. Creating an electric car that feels fun to drive has proven to be one of the biggest challenges that modern automakers have had to face. One slightly surprising brand has, however, seemingly cracked the code. The Ioniq 5 N is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining cars on the market, electric or not.

When I first installed a local LLM, I expected to use it the same way that I'd been using ChatGPT. It soon became apparent that on my modest hardware, this wasn't going to work. By changing the way I use my local LLMs, they've become much more useful.

Awards don't always mean a great movie or a streaming session worth sitting through, but they do make narrowing down Netflix's extensive catalog a little easier, especially when you are getting overwhelmed by new releases that flood your home page recommendations.

Apple sued OpenAI, accusing the company of stealing its trade secrets. But what now? CNET’s Bridget Carey breaks down what to expect next — and how it might impact OpenAI’s hardware plans.

Samsung recently confirmed it will share news about its latest foldable phones at the July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event in London, where the tech world expects the company to release three new devices: the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

However, the Korean tech company hasn't confirmed the existence of these devices, which is why it's so weird to see the unreleased flagship Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra listed for sale online. What's even weirder? The foldable phone listed for sale features football legend Lionel Messi's face emblazoned on the case with 24-karat gold plating, and it carries a $13,130 price tag.

The product first appeared in a July 15 press release in which a company called Caviar announced a new limited-edition "Legends" collection. Caviar makes custom and bespoke designs on iPhones, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, and other gadgets. A promo for the collection states, "The portrait of the Argentine captain is integrated into the back panel of the Samsung Fold 8 folding flagship, whose complex engineering mirrors the multi-faceted genius of Messi’s play."

The Legends collection features a Cristiano Ronaldo-themed iPhone and a Messi-themed Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and the press release and product listing include pictures of the custom design. Under the "Warranty" section of its site, the company writes, "Caviar guarantees the authenticity and quality of all products purchased through Caviar."

Credit: Caviar Credit: Caviar

"The launch of this unique collection coincides with the upcoming FIFA World Cup final and the release of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The tournament holds special significance as it marks the final World Cup where both of these legendary players will compete," the press release states. "The collection is strictly limited, with only 19 pieces available worldwide."

Typically, Samsung devices leak heavily ahead of their official launches, but Samsung has yet to release any official images of the rumored smartphones. Beyond an announcement about a new Flex Titanium display, Samsung has kept quiet about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's release, price, and specifications.

At this time, it's unclear if Caviar based on the design on official photos of the unreleased smartphone, or if the images are purely concepts based on rumored details about the phone. The launch could also be a calculated marketing strategy, piggybacking off Galaxy Unpacked anticipation to promote a little-known design brand.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is almost here: Everything we expect from the July 22 event

Mashable reached out to both Samsung and Caviar with questions about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra product listing on Caviar's website, and we'll update this story if we receive additional information.

Credit: Caviar

Finding the right SUV can feel impossible. There are fuel-efficient hybrids, massive family haulers, and serious off-roaders, but most buyers want something that can handle everyday life and still escape the pavement when needed.

Home Assistant is, in my opinion, the best smart home software available. It's free, open-source, privacy-focused, works with a huge number of devices, and can make your smart home do almost anything you can think of. Despite all that, Home Assistant definitely has its faor share of problems.

With most of Amazon Prime Video’s July TV show highlights having already dropped, aside from the new season of Batman: Caped Crusader, now is the perfect time to indulge in series that will bring on some summertime thrills. Whether they're psychological, science fiction, or full of action, the streamer has plenty to offer in that vein.

A NAS is a great way to host a few services and back up your files, but you shouldn't rely on one device to protect you against file loss. I have two separate NASes on my network that do two very different things: One serves as a daily driver, the other is "cold storage" that only receives periodic backups.

Back in the day, Android phones were a lot more daring. Companies experimented with all kinds of wild designs, features, and even pricing. Among all the phones that tried to stand out over the past decade, one captured the enthusiast fanbase like no other: the coveted OnePlus One.

Apple’s MacBook Neo certainly shook up the entry-level laptop market when it arrived in March, but Dell already had plans to do the same with its budget-friendly XPS 13. Here’s how these two match up and which you should get.

Former Apple employees who now work at OpenAI have been put on notice.

According to a new report from Financial Times, Apple has sent legal preservation letters to roughly 40 former employees, which request that they save any documents or communication that could be relevant to their prior employer.

Last week, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging that two former employees who went on to work for the AI giant shared Apple's trade secrets. Apple believes that this confidential information was used by OpenAI to develop the consumer hardware products that the AI company is currently working on.

OpenAI has denied the allegations, of course. However, in its lawsuit, Apple said that it believes this is "just the tip of the iceberg."

So, what do these new legal letters mean? It appears that Apple believes that there may be more former employees who misused confidential company information besides Tang Yew Tan and Chang Liu, the two employees whom Apple is currently suing. The legal letters could also serve as a warning from Apple, putting former employees on notice that Apple is watching their work closely. Based on the Financial Times report, the employees could also be subject to discovery requests as the lawsuit unfolds.

Tan is Apple's former Vice President of Product Design and currently works at OpenAI as the company's Chief Hardware Officer. Liu was formerly an iPhone engineer at Apple and left the company to join OpenAI at the beginning of the year. 

According to Apple, more than 400 former employees now work at OpenAI. As more details emerge, it'll be interesting to find out Apple's reasoning in targeting these specific OpenAI employees, who make up about 10 percent of its former workers who jumped to the AI company.