Technology

SAVE $703: As of Nov. 11, the LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED curved gaming monitor is on sale for $696.99 at Amazon — that's 50% off its list price of $1,399.99.

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'Tis the season for upgrading your gaming setup. While it may still be a few weeks until Black Friday, you can already pick up a curved OLED gaming monitor for half price.

As of Nov. 11, the LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for only $696.99 instead of the usual $1,399.99. That's over $700 or 50% in savings and only $23 shy of its best price ever. There's a chance we could see the price drop even lower as we get deeper into the holiday season, but there's no guarantee — and to be honest, it's going to be hard to beat 50% off.

Making the switch to an OLED monitor on its own will completely transform your gaming experience. Add the ultra-wide curved display of the LG UltraGear and you'll go from just playing games to being submerged in them. The 34-inch WQHD display features a steep 800R curvature and a 21:9 aspect ratio, which means the screen will wrap the action around you. Just note that curved displays do take up a bit more desk real estate than a typical flat screen monitor and they take a bit of getting used to. They aren't everyone's cup of tea, though everyone from gamers to artists to multitaskers can truly benefit from the wrap-around display.

The LG 34GX90SA-W UltraGear also packs a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium compatibility. That's a pretty solid spec lineup for most gamers. Sure, they now make monitors with refresh rates of 500Hz. But honestly, that's overkill; most people likely won't notice a huge difference beyond the 240Hz mark, as our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) pointed out. Other features include plenty of ports and the ability to double as a smart TV with built-in webOS.

During the Nov. 6 Tesla shareholders' meeting, Elon Musk said that the electric vehicle company is almost ready to allow texting and driving. Musk said that this feature could be coming to full self-driving mode in just one or two months, according to Electrek.

The biggest news from the shareholders' event concerned Musk's pay package. At the meeting, shareholders voted to approve Musk's $1 trillion pay package, which is set to make the world's richest man even richer. However, the CEO's "texting and driving" comments also deserve a closer look.

In Tesla's Full Self-Driving mode (FSD), drivers can go hands-free, although they are required to pay attention and occasionally make contact with the wheel. If drivers attempt to use a mobile device while FSD is engaged, the Autopilot feature is designed to detect this activity and issue a warning to the driver.

A Tesla online driver's manual states: "Do not use handheld devices while using Autopilot features. If the cabin camera detects a handheld device while Autopilot is engaged, the touchscreen displays a message reminding you to pay attention."

Now, Musk says the company believes FSD is advanced enough that drivers could look away from the road and fire off text messages. This follows Tesla's introduction of a new "Mad Max" mode for FSD customers, which allows higher speeds and more aggressive lane changes. That feature, which debuted in October, almost instantly caught the attention of federal investigators.

Of course, most states (as well as many cities and counties) have laws against texting while driving. In fact, Montana is the only state without a total ban on the practice.

We should also point out that Musk has a long history of overestimating timelines for his products, particularly when it comes to self-driving.

In 2017, he predicted that drivers would be able to nap behind the wheel by 2019. Undeterred, he predicted in 2019 that robotaxis would soon be ready for the road. Tesla only launched its robotaxi service this year, and only in Austin, Texas.

Google just announced a new system called Private AI Compute, describing it as a way to run its most advanced Gemini models while keeping user data locked down.

Apple already offers a similar feature, introduced in 2024, called Private Cloud Compute.

In a blog post, Google said the feature is designed to balance performance and privacy. Private AI Compute would allow AI models to draw on cloud processing power without giving Google (or anyone else) access to the information being analyzed. According to Google, Private AI Compute operates within a hardware-sealed, verified environment that encrypts all data transfers between devices and its cloud infrastructure.

What's the point of services like Private AI Compute?

Customers who are wary of their personal conversations, personal emails, or sensitive company data being used for AI training often prefer to perform AI processes on device, which ensures privacy. That way, their data never leaves their computer or phone. However, that's not always possible, as many devices weren't built for complex AI processing.

"This approach delivers the benefits of powerful cloud models with the privacy protections of on-device processing," the company said in its announcement. It builds on Google’s Secure AI Framework and utilizes its custom TPUs, along with new Titanium Intelligence Enclaves, to enforce end-to-end encryption and security standards, Google said.

Private AI Compute will debut in select Google products, starting with Magic Cue on the Pixel 10 and updated Recorder app features that utilize cloud models to generate smarter summaries and suggestions, while maintaining conversation privacy.

The system’s goal, according to Google, is to support "helpful, personal and proactive" AI experiences without requiring users to trade away sensitive information.

As more of Google’s AI features move beyond simple commands toward proactive assistance, Private AI Compute represents what the company calls a "next step in responsible innovation."

The X-Files was how I learned what a "conspiracy theory" was, as I sat glued to the screen in the '90s as a child who probably shouldn't have been watching this show at all. Yet, even to my young and un-jaded eyes, it was clear that this was a much more premium bit of programming than the alternatives at the time.

SAVE $36: As of Nov. 11, get the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds for $193.99, down from their usual price of $229.99 at Amazon. That's $36 off and a discount of 16%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

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If you're the type of person who absolutely has to be able to fall asleep using a sound machine, you've probably tried everything at least once, includIng apps that give you the comfy, looping sound to lull you to bed that you desire. You may be surprised to learn, however, that there are earbuds that serve this same purpose by using noise cancellation and binaural beats. You can try them out now thanks to a significant discount that cuts them down to their best price yet.

As of Nov. 11, get the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds for $193.99, down from their usual price of $229.99 at Amazon. That's $36 off and a discount of 16%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best earbuds to buy in 2025, selected by Mashable audio experts

These sleep-oriented earbuds are meant to help block out noise while you snooze with smart active noise cancellation and ear canal adaptation tech. They automatically adjust to your ears so you have better noise reduction at night. That means you'll be distracted less by outdoor sound, pets, and even your partner's snoring (or your own).

They can also help you stop snoring, in fact, with adaptive snore-masking audio that uses white noise to reduce fluctations in snoring so you can get some serious shut-eye. And if you still need some help, they use binaural beats to give you diferent frequencies in each ear to help calm your brain and get you to fall asleep while sleeping deeper each time.

If you're a side sleeper, they're especially helpful and comfortable as well, with silicone ear tips, short nozzles, and a slim profile build so you don't have as much pressure on your ear canals while trying to drift off. You can even customize the audio that plays at bedtime, set sleep reminders, create alarms, and more, all in the name of getting better shut-eye.

If it's time to improve your sleep quality, don't (ahem) snooze on these earbuds. Fall has some of the best sleepytime weather, after all.

TL;DR: Through Nov. 20, the NanoPhone mini Android smartphone is on sale for $89.97 with free shipping (MSRP $199.99). It’s a great gift for techies.

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Looking for a fun, practical tech gift that isn’t another pair of headphones or a smart speaker? The NanoPhone might just steal the show. This credit card-sized smartphone packs all the essentials into a device so tiny it can fit in even the smallest pocket — and right now, you can save 55%.

Despite its small size, which is literally the size of a credit card, the NanoPhone doesn’t skimp on the essentials. It comes equipped with a clear, responsive touchscreen that makes navigation a breeze, whether you’re scrolling through your contacts, browsing the web, or using popular apps like Uber, Instagram, and Snapchat.

SEE ALSO: The 30+ best early Black Friday Apple deals: We found record lows on AirPods and MacBooks already

The intuitive interface is designed to keep things simple, so you can easily manage calls, texts, and apps without the bulk of a standard smartphone.

The NanoPhone also includes a built-in camera, perfect for capturing those on-the-go moments when you don’t have your full-sized device handy. Plus, it supports Bluetooth connectivity, so you can pair it with wireless headphones or a smartwatch for a seamless experience.

Battery life won’t be an issue either. The NanoPhone is designed to last throughout your day, whether you’re making calls, streaming music, or checking your emails. And with expandable storage, you can carry all your essential apps, photos, and files without compromise.

Whether you’re hitting the gym, going for a run, or just want to travel light, the NanoPhone is a practical solution that could fit your lifestyle.

Order the NanoPhone now for $89.97 with free shipping (MSRP $199.99). Sale ends Nov. 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT and no coupon is needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: 1ForAll AI is a platform that gives you lifetime access to multiple AI tools, and it’s only $90 for life.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1ForAll 1ForAll AI: Lifetime Subscription (Advance Plan) $89.99
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Managing multiple AI tools can turn into a subscription nightmare. One service for voiceovers, another for image generation, another for video, and suddenly you’re paying for four different platforms. 1ForAll AI solves that by putting everything in one place and letting you access it with a single lifetime license, a lifetime license that happens to also be on sale for $89.99 (reg. $792).

1ForAll combines voice generation, voice cloning, image creation, video creation, and even automated batch output. You open the browser, choose what you want to make, and the platform handles the heavy lifting. It uses AI models from OpenAI, Google, AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Luma, plus select open-source models. So you’re getting the same results you might get from your existing AI subscriptions, minus the monthly fees.

SEE ALSO: The 30+ best early Black Friday Apple deals: We found record lows on AirPods and MacBooks already

Text-to-Speech turns any script or document into natural-sounding narration. Voice cloning lets you create a custom voice from a short audio sample, giving you a consistent narrator for everything from product videos to courses. If you’re working on large projects, the Excel-to-Speech and Excel-to-Image tools let you upload a spreadsheet and generate hundreds of assets automatically. No repetitive manual work.

PDF-to-Speech turns documents and ebooks into audio. Load a file, choose a voice, and get an audiobook version without any editing. The platform handles long content too, even entire books.

For visuals and videos, type a prompt or upload an image, and the platform creates either stills or animated sequences. You don’t need editing skills or separate video software to end up with something polished.

The lifetime Advance Plan includes future updates, works on any modern browser, and allows commercial use, which means you can legally use anything you create in paid projects.

Right now, it’s only $89.99 to get a 1ForAll AI Lifetime Subscription. Sale ends soon.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

There are lots of gadgets that have the word "Pro" tacked onto the end of their name, especially phones and tablets, which is fine, I guess. However, when it comes to laptops "professional" used to mean something, and modern "pro" laptops don't live up to the spirit of that meaning.

The big concern with internet-connected smart home devices is that they could be turned off one day. That’s exactly what happened last month to the 1st and 2nd gen Nest Thermostat. Google pulled the plug, stripping these otherwise perfectly functional devices of their original functionality. Thankfully, the open source community has once again come through with a workaround.

Apple announced its M5 processor and the products it features with a whimper rather than a bang, which would lead the casual observer to think this is just another iterative improvement.

It's the end of a major Web 2.0 era.

Meta announced on Monday that it would be sunsetting two once-major features on Facebook: The external "Like" and Comment" social plugins.

In a post on its developer site, Meta shared that the FB Like and FB Comment buttons will officially be discontinued on February 10, 2026.

According to Meta, developers won't have to do anything. The plugins will simply render as an invisible 0x0 pixel at the end date. Meta says none of these changes should impact any website's functionality.

In the early days of social media, social plugins were everywhere. Facebook's social plugins first launched in 2016. Websites and blog posts across the web proudly displayed these social media buttons from the major social platforms like Facebook, allowing users to log into their social media account of choice and like, share, and comment using that social profile. These social media buttons would often update, displaying stats that showed just how much that piece of content was shared or liked on a platform.

Facebook, being the biggest and most popular social network of its time, usually had its social plugin buttons featured prominently on websites big and small. This was, of course, quite advantageous for Facebook. Not just because it reflected its prominence in the social media space, but also because the company was able to collect user data even from content on third-party platforms.

"This change reflects our commitment to maintaining a modern, efficient platform that serves developers' current needs while enabling us to invest in future innovations," Meta wrote in its post announcing the end of the external FB Like and Comment buttons feature. "The plugins that will be discontinued reflect an earlier era of web development, and their usage has naturally declined as the digital landscape has evolved."

Meta isn't wrong. It's clear that the use of these social plugins has greatly waned. However, the reason these social plugins no longer seem so relevant is due to the varying ways people use the internet in 2025.

Content is being discovered on apps more than ever before, and the likes and comments that do happen now occur on Facebook directly. Social media itself has basically rendered external social plugins obsolete.

One of the things PC users enjoy most about their platform is the ability to upgrade components to keep up with the demands of the latest software titles, or to improve work-related computing jobs.

Toy Story's valiant crew of toys has faced formidable villains in their first four films. Sid and his penchant for mutilating toys got Toy Story antagonists off to a strong start, while Toy Story 3's Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear cemented himself as one of Pixar's most evil characters thanks to his daycare reign of terror.

SEE ALSO: 'Hoppers' teaser: Pixar puts a human brain in a beaver body

But in the upcoming Toy Story 5, directed by Andrew Stanton and co-directed by Kenna Harris, the toys may just face their biggest threat yet: technology.

The Toy Story 5 teaser reveals that a new gift has arrived for young Bonnie Anderson. It's a Lilypad, a frog-themed smart tablet that strikes fear into the hearts of Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen), and every other toy who lays eyes on it. And who can blame them? Their beloved child is about to become an iPad kid, and where will that leave the non-high-tech toys?

Lilypad is voiced by Past Lives actor Greta Lee, while Joan Cusack and Tony Hale return to voice Jessie and Forky, respectively. At this year's Destination D23, Pixar also revealed that Conan O'Brien would be voicing Smarty Pants, a potty training toy.

Attendees of Destination D23 got to see the film's opening scene, in which an army of Buzz Lightyears stuck in a malfunctioning play mode wash up on a deserted island. Apparently, they will also be antagonists in the film alongside Lilypad. How will it all tie together? We'll have to wait until next summer to find out.

Toy Story 5 hits theaters June 19, 2026.

I didn't cry when I ended it with the last guy I was dating. I tossed him the Apple Watch that revealed his infidelity, walked away, and never looked back. But when I powered down my iPhone for the last time, my hands were practically shaking. It wasn't just a phone — it was the portal. The gateway to every app I'd already deleted months earlier, every algorithm I thought I'd escaped. I quit social media in January, but the device still had me. Powering it down felt like ending the most manipulative relationship I've ever had.

Even without the apps, the phone lingered — buzzing, glowing, whispering promises of connection. I started to realize: the addiction wasn't just to the platforms. It was to the phone itself.

SEE ALSO: A mass exit from social media

Since 7th grade, my iPhone was my constant companion — the one that promised connection with fast access but delivered anxiety. When I deleted social media, I thought I'd cut the cord. But the phone itself kept whispering. It love-bombed me with its sleek design. It gaslit me with every update: This will make your life easier, Apple whispered, while tightening its grip on my daily life. Notifications became manipulation. The absence of apps didn't mean the absence of control. None of the boys I've dated have come close to the psychological grip my iPhone pulled off.

And I'm not alone. iPhones — and smartphones in general — stopped being tools a long time ago. They became environments we are engrossed in. The average American spends over five hours a day on their phone and checks it nearly a hundred times daily. Globally, people spend almost seven hours on screens every day, and for my generation, Gen Z, it's closer to nine. That's not convenience; that's dependency.

Apple started as a company obsessed with liberation. Steve Jobs famously promised tools that would "put a dent in the universe" and free us from the tyranny of desks. The early vision was mobility, creativity, and empowerment — a computer in your pocket so you could live untethered. Instead, they delivered features designed to keep us engaged, like push notifications, then entire ecosystems, like the App Store, were built to keep us roped in. Services became the priority, and the goal became keeping users on the device.

I knew this for years before I acted. But knowing and leaving are different things. 

It wasn't until last month that I knew it was time. Over a two week time span, I did two things that fundamentally changed me. First, I tied myself to a 70-foot banner at Apple's iPhone launch in Cupertino pointing to the fact that Tim Cook does not do enough to stop rape videos of children from being stored and shared in iCloud. Second, I marched with more than 150 people to Apple's flagship store in New York City to demand accountability: Choose people over profit. 

Standing there, shouting for change, I realized the hypocrisy — I was tethered to the very product I was protesting. That was the breaking point. It wasn't just about ethics. It was about identity. I had spent years curating my life through a device that curated me back — shaping my habits, my attention span, even my sense of self-worth. And suddenly, in front of that glass cube on Fifth Avenue, I saw it clearly: I wasn't just holding a phone. I was holding the most toxic relationship of my life.

So I broke up with my iPhone and switched to a Motorola Razr.

SEE ALSO: This Gen Z-er quit social media and hasn't looked back since

I wasn't bold enough to ditch the smartphone entirely. Instead, I hoped this shock to the system would help me build a healthier relationship with the device. Tech as a tool. The first few weeks felt like withdrawal — and they still do. I reach for features that aren't there, panic over missing iMessage blue bubbles, and even feel disoriented. That's how deep the dependency runs. Research backs it up: 58 percent of teens feel anxious without their phones, and 73 percent of adults experience phantom vibrations — false alerts that mimic withdrawal.

I hate to admit it, but I fell in line with the 90 percent of U.S. college students who say green bubbles make Android users look less cool — and even link them to "fewer friends" and "lower social class." I worried people would assume I was suddenly unreachable — that switching to green meant I wasn't reliable anymore. My friends reinforced it. The first group chat I joined with my new Razr, someone immediately dropped: "Ew, who made this group chat green?"

The Razr isn't perfect either. It's still a smartphone, and I'm sure I'll find some of the same issues that existed on my iPhone. But this switch isn't just about the tech for me — it's also about values. It's about refusing to support a brand whose CEO will share a meal with a president actively trying to erase people like me. It's about the heartbreak of watching a Fortune 500 company led by an openly gay man, someone I saw myself in, turn his back on vulnerable young people who are a lot like who he used to be.

That's the failure of capitalism — even when you climb to the top, even when you hold unimaginable power, profit still wins over principle. Tim Cook could have been a beacon for inclusion. Instead, he became another executive who forgot the weight of his influence.

So yes, I left my iPhone. But more than that, I left the illusion that Apple was on my side. Breaking up with my phone was a personal revolution — and a rejection of a system that asks us to trade our dignity for convenience.

I didn't just leave a device. I walked away from the most toxic relationship of my life. And honestly? I've never felt lighter.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

Lennon Torres is a Public Voices Fellow on Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse with The OpEd Project. She is an LGBTQ+ advocate who grew up in the public eye, gaining national recognition as a young dancer on television shows. With a deep passion for storytelling, advocacy, and politics, Lennon now works to center the lived experience of herself and others as she crafts her professional career in online child safety at Heat Initiative. The opinions reflected in this piece are those of Lennon Torres as an individual and not of the entities she is part of. Lennon’s substack: https://substack.com/@lennontorres

Luxury SUVs are often associated with steep repair bills and costly maintenance, but not all of them fit that stereotype. In fact, a growing number of premium models combine upscale comfort with dependability, proving that owning luxury doesn’t have to drain your bank account.

If you've been on the internet long enough, you know Rule 34: If it exists, there's porn of it.

That may sound crude, especially in the time of age-verification laws requiring users' personal data to visit NSFW sites (and sometimes SFW sites, too), but Rule 34 was coined by a British teen in 2003, according to a 2016 Washington Post article. The early 2000s were a wildly different time on the internet. Pre-Instagram, pre-TikTok, pre-age verification. But porn? Porn always existed online.

SEE ALSO: All the states Pornhub is blocked in now

While the web has changed a lot over the past 20 years since "Rule 34" was defined, it still rings true — especially when you look at Rule34dle, a mashup of the infamous rule and everyone's favorite word game, Wordle.

Like Wordle, Rule34dle is a game, but distinctly different. When you go on the site, you'll be paired with two fictional franchise characters (like Pokémon) and told how many pornographic posts exist of the one on the left. The number of smutty posts for the character on the right is hidden. You must guess which of the two has more explicit art out there online.

If you're right, you'll then be paired with the character with the higher smut count and a new character — and you'll build your streak from there.

There are also several variations to play the game, including franchise characters, removing AI results, and "hard mode," which makes you choose between three characters, and with all explicit post numbers hidden.

Rule34dle, created by Reddit user u/DandelionGaming based on an idea from u/PensAndEndorsement on Reddit, according to the website, also features a daily challenge. Each day, you can play 10 comparison rounds with different characters in each round. You'll have to guess blindly — the number of porny art posts for both characters will be hidden. The daily challenge is the same for everyone, and even if you get one wrong, you can still play through all 10 rounds.

And good news for fan fiction fans: There's also an alpha version of AO3dle out there, where you can guess which of two characters has more erotica works written about them on the fan fiction website Archive of Our Own (also known as AO3). AO3dle features both a unique pairing and a daily challenge, like Rule34dle does.

As Kotaku pointed out, streamers are playing Rule34dle with their friends, and with hilarious results, on TikTok.

Why make The Running Man a comedy? Stephen King's novel was a furious political thrill ride about a man out of options, forced to fight for his life (and family) against a corrupt government, exploitative media, and cruel capitalist system that turned impoverished people into prey for a ravenous TV show that makes their murders entertainment. Yet when Edgar Wright, who's previously blended horror and comedy with Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End, read this book, he apparently thought what was missing from The Running Man was slapstick and an endless supply of jokes, peppered by peculiar product placement. 

That's not to say a dystopian movie can't be a successful comedy. Look to Zombieland, Sorry to Bother You, The Lobster, or Tank Girl (but not Electric State). Yet the very premise of The Running Man novel, from which this movie pulls heavily, is so dark and furious that casting a hunky movie star, Glen Powell, to play silly and sexy while also being politically challenging is absurd. (Perhaps this is why the Schwarzenegger adaptation veered far from the book's plot for a more audacious, even cartoony, vision of dramatic dystopia.) The critiques Wright's film half-heartedly makes can't land, as the comedy constantly undercuts the viciousness of this particular dystopia. The result is a flashy film that wants to have it both ways in terms of violence and complacency. 

The Running Man is truer to King's book than the Schwarzenegger version.  Katy O'Brian, Glen Powell, and Martin Herlihy play runners in "The Running Man." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Exuding an athletic but not hyper-muscular brand of masculinity, Glen Powell is a more grounded "running man," a stark contrast to the 1987 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. That adaptation took only a sliver of King's novel to spin an outrageous tale well suited to the pumped-up masculinity of its larger-than-life action star, who played a wrongfully convicted hero-cop surrounded by aggro, beefy, and eccentric hunters with names like Fireball, Dynamo, and Buzzsaw. 

In Wright's more faithful adaptation, Powell is more of an everyman. Far from some almost superhuman figure, his Ben Richards is a blue-collar worker who has been fired from one job after another for standing up for his fellow workers. Blacklisted for his "commie" sympathies (Ben is pro-union), he turns to The Network to provide for his wife, Sheila (Jayme Lawson), and their sick baby, Cathy. 

Run by Dan Killian (Josh Brolin mimicking Dennis Quaid's chin-forward mugging in The Substance), The Network is a game show channel that flings the desperate into an array of vicious games that promise embarrassment, injury, and death in exchange for cash prizes. Richards is hoping for a less deadly show (like Speed the Wheel), but is cast in The Running Man. To get back to his family, he'll need to play by Killian's twisted rules, surviving 30 days being tracked by paid "goons" (who've taken the place of police) and a celebrity hunter named Evan McCone (a masked Lee Pace). Making things even harder, fans of the show can report on his location and get paid for tips leading to his on-camera execution. 

Fans of the book might well appreciate that Wright, who co-wrote The Running Man with his Scott Pilgrim vs. the World collaborator Michael Bacall, stays pretty close to King's plot points for much of the runtime. However, where Wright turns to comedy, he veers hard from King's tone and thereby intentions, caving to audiences' basest impulses for bloody, mindless cinematic spectacle. 

SEE ALSO: Bryan Lee O'Malley on 'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off' twist fans didn't see coming The Running Man pulls its punches through slapstick.  Glen Powell, left, and Michael Cera star in "The Running Man." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Let's start with the violence. There's plenty of it, from gunshot wounds to booby traps and explosions. Yet Wright is careful about who will get hurt onscreen. Nameless "runners" from the titular TV show will be served up as comedic canon fodder in a goofy montage to explain the show's premise and inescapability. A barrage of goons will be fed into the violence spectacle grinder. But when it comes to characters the audience might be invested in — be they heroes to love or villains to loathe — Wright holds back, with few exceptions. 

Pivotal plot points involving major character deaths don't hit hard because Wright either cuts away from the killing blow or cops out on the carnage that such a violent end could have (especially in a movie where life is cheap and gore is cheered). When it comes to good guy deaths, this sheepishness for onscreen violence might be explained as not wanting to sour the fun of this action-comedy by making us actually think about the real horrors of such violence. But why go easy on the movie's big bads? Why pull those punches? 

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In place of the kind of violence that would make The Running Man's R-rating feel truly fitting, Wright delivers a tamer provocation: cursing. There are a lot of four-letter words, which is perhaps supposed to play as funny, or macho, or defiant. But Richards and others repeatedly calling those oppressive authority figures "shit eaters" just feels juvenile (especially when he's literally just eaten shit in a sewer escape). 

The Running Man is afraid to confront American politics directly.  Colman Domingo plays a TV presenter with plenty of style in "The Running Man." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Most frustrating, however, is that Wright and Bacall use comedy to undercut any political earnestness or even dramatic tension in the film. For instance, Ben is running for his life from the hunters, but nudity is used to amuse. Powell not only strips down to a towel, then his birthday suit, but also pops into his messy escape a dangerous stunt deflated by a cheap joke. To quote Ben, "Why?!" Later in the film, an oddball ally, played by Scott Pilgrim's leading man Michael Cera, delivers a passionate speech about police corruption only to immediately make a joke by cavalierly plugging a real-world energy drink brand. Why let the critique land when we can instead comfort a mainstream audience with a kooky visual gag?

Of course, there is a way to make a political statement while working in brand sponsorships. Consider how Josie and the Pussycats made such branding a villain within the plot of its film even as it bandied about a plethora of brand names, or how Fight Club only featured brand names during intense scenes of violence or terrorism. Wright's nowhere near so daring, making soft punchlines of each product placement without a critique behind their appearance. Plus, it's hard to take the political monologue about poverty Richards screams at a rich, white girl (Emilia Jones) he's taken captive all that seriously when he's flashing $20,000 veneers. As I said with The Lost Bus, Hollywood leading men cannot play impoverished everymen with clearly costly smiles. Look at Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon. He gets it!

Yet the wildest choice Wright makes is how he carefully frames this dystopia of crippling economic inequality as a place devoid of race politics. Set in a world in which both Schwarzenegger's political career and President Barack Obama are referenced, The Running Man carefully sets up a critique of economic inequality while dodging how systemic racial inequality ties in. These choices in screenwriting and casting could be an editorial unto themselves, but require a lot of spoilers. Essentially, Wright seems to dodge issues of race so as not to risk making his audience uncomfortable as they watch slaughter for fun. He presents an American dystopia where people are lining up to be hunted for spectacle so they can get a taste of what it means to even briefly have wealth, and yet they've overcome racism?

Perhaps it's naive to expect a studio-made movie with a reported $100 million budget to have anything all that challenging to say about American society. Maybe it's best we leave that to foreign filmmakers who've given us such hilarious, thrilling, and thought-provoking films as Triangle of Sadness, Parasite, and Mickey 17. (Oh, wait. That last one was an American-studio produced movie — from this year even!) 

Still, The Running Man isn't all infuriating. 

The best part of The Running Man is the character actors.  Daniel Ezra, left, and Angelo Giorgio Gray play brothers in "The Running Man." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Props to Brolin, who, as he has in Weapons and the Avengers movies, sinks his teeth into playing a real ruthless bastard. Pace, though criminally masked for much of the film, still exudes a titillating intensity through sheer physicality as the ruthless lead hunter. Colman Domingo is enthralling as the merciless host of The Running Man, delivering killer fashion sense and a Caesar Flickerman-level of showmanship for government propaganda. William H. Macy brings a suitable Mystery Men-like weariness as a caring black-market dealer. Sandra Dickinson channels IT as a deranged fan of The Running Man TV show. Michael Cera brings a grounded sincerity as a zine-making rebel before leaning into Wright's indulgences for a Home Alone-like zaniness. Angelo Giorgio Gray and Daniel Ezra bring heart as a pair of brothers short-changed by a problematic script. And Katy O'Brian, who keeps proving a highlight in a barrage of big movies that don't know what to do with her — see Twisters, Christy, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, all movies in which O'Brian has brief but sensational appearances — is terrific fun. 

In The Running Man, she's another runner, one who is committed to queer debauchery, not hiding from the cameras but being out, loud, and defiant at strip clubs and casinos. This woman is a dynamo with explosive screen presence. For more of her, check out Love Lies Bleeding and Queens of the Dead. And join me in manifesting a big-budget movie that understands she should be the damn lead. 

Katy O'Brian stars in "The Running Man." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Anyhow, The Running Man is a bizarre movie. Through a collection of wild game shows and a Keeping Up with the Kardashians parody called The Americanos, Wright offers a critique of how reality TV might mollify the masses by turning class conflict into easy-to-digest entertainment. But then he offers a fictionalized form of this same popcorn-munching fuel by undermining The Running Man's inherent politics by feeding into audience's bloodlust and avoiding such taboo topics as race. 

Perhaps Wright was less interested in adapting King's novel than having his own run at the concept that made the Schwarzenegger version such a wild ride. Maybe this English filmmaker never intended to say anything all that profound about American society. But playing so close to King's concept while embracing the cliches of American action movies creates a dissonance that's not just unsatisfying, it's infuriating. In the end, The Running Man is a sloppy collage of violence, action, and cheap jokes that is far more style than substance. 

The Running Man opens in theaters on Nov. 14.

Microsoft just dropped an emergency out-of-band update, KB5071959, to fix a critical bug that was preventing Windows 10 users from enrolling in the paid Extended Security Updates or ESU program. This is a big deal because Windows 10 officially hit its end-of-support date on October 14, 2025.

Equipment failures in NASA's Deep Space Network have disrupted spacecraft communications and stalled near-Earth asteroid studies for nearly two months.

As the federal government remains shut down, engineers are racing to restore the space agency's historic 230-foot-wide radio dish near Barstow, Calif. The massive dish, about the size of a Boeing 747 jet, broke down on Sept. 16. 

Known since 1966 as the Mars Antenna for receiving the first signals from a spacecraft closely observing the Red Planet, the giant dish over-rotated during operations, straining cables and pipes at its center. Damaged hoses from the fire suppression system also caused flooding, though the water damage was quickly abated, according to NASA in a statement to Mashable.

NASA has established a formal mishap investigation board to examine what led to the antenna’s damage. 

"The antenna remains offline as the board members, engineers, and technicians evaluate the structure and make recommendations and repairs," said Ian O'Neill, a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory spokesperson. "There is no danger to the public." 

Due to the shutdown, NASA employees could not respond to questions for weeks. But as a Senate vote signaled progress toward reopening the government, the agency began providing limited information to Mashable's inquiry. 

SEE ALSO: NASA astronaut class appears to be first without Black recruits in 40 years

The repair timeline remains unclear, leaving open the question of how the outage may affect preparations for Artemis II, a 10-day crewed mission that will orbit the moon as early as next year. Its predecessor, Artemis I, needed more than 900 hours of Deep Space Network support in 2022 and briefly lost contact during flight, underscoring the system’s fragility.

Founded in 1963, NASA’s Deep Space Network is the world’s largest and most powerful system for communicating with spacecraft. It commands and monitors more than 40 missions, with more on the way. The network’s three antenna complexes — in California, Spain, and Australia — work around the clock so that at least one site can always reach spacecraft as Earth turns.

Upon the network's 50th anniversary in 2013, Al Bhanji, who used to manage it, explained how crucial the system had been for practically everything NASA had undertaken in space. 

"Without the DSN, we would never have been able to undertake voyages to Mercury and Venus, visit asteroids and comets," Bhanji said then. "We'd never have seen the stunning images of robots on Mars, or close-up views of the majestic rings of Saturn."

It's no secret in the aerospace community that the network is overburdened. The NASA inspector general, who acts as the federal watchdog over the agency, has pressed for upgrades to the aging infrastructure. Over the past 30 years, data flowing through it has increased sharply, exceeding what the system was built to handle by 40 percent. Under NASA's Deep Space Network Aperture Enhancement Program, the agency is adding six dishes, including a new 112-foot-wide antenna in California slated to go online in 2026. 

The damaged Mars Antenna is the largest dish at the Goldstone Complex in California, capable of tracking spacecraft traveling tens of billions of miles from Earth. It was expanded to its current size in 1988 to support the Voyager 2 mission, which has since exited the solar system, along with Voyager 1. 

As the world's most sensitive planetary radar, the dish is also used to "ping" near-Earth asteroids. This allows scientists to determine an asteroid's position and speed, giving them the ability to estimate a rock's trajectory, crucial for tracking asteroids that could potentially slam into Earth. Researchers can also use the radar to "image" the objects. Though most asteroids are studied with optical telescopes, radar images can provide information about the physical properties of the rocks, like their shapes and sizes.

Under NASA's Deep Space Network Aperture Enhancement Program, the agency is adding six dishes, including a new 112-foot-wide antenna in California slated to go online in 2026.  Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

After the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico collapsed in 2020, the NASA dish ramped up its radio astronomy to fill the void. Since then, the Mars Antenna has detected over 200 near-Earth asteroids. At the end of last year, more than half had been classified as "potentially hazardous." 

It's uncertain how long the antenna will remain out of service, but all of its scheduled asteroid observations have been canceled at least through the end of this year. 

"NASA will provide information on the board’s findings and next steps to the antenna’s service after the federal government reopens," a spokesperson said. 

Though failures in the network of this kind are rare, the legendary antenna in the Mojave desert has survived setbacks in the past. In 2014, a welder accidentally dropped a handrail while conducting maintenance, for example, puncturing a hole in the dish. In 1992, a magnitude-7.4 earthquake also damaged the antenna, requiring repairs.

While free food certainly can't compare to the sacrifices veterans and active duty military members have made for Americans, it's just a tiny way to say thank you for your service. In honor of Veterans Day 2025 on Tuesday, Nov. 11, many restaurants are offering U.S. vets and military personnel free meals, coffee, and more.

We've rounded up a select few deals you can find at chain restaurants near you today, but be sure to check out military.com for even more specials. For most deals, you'll need to show either a military ID, VA benefits photo ID card, Veterans ID Card, or other proof of service.

Veterans Day 2025 freebiesApplebee's

Veterans and active duty military can enjoy a free entree from the Applebee's Veterans Day menu on Nov. 11.

Arby's

Show your military ID and get a free Classic Roast Beef Sandwich on Nov. 11.

California Pizza Kitchen

Enjoy a free entree and beverage from a special prix fixe menu by showing your military ID while dining in on Nov. 11 at participating California Pizza Kitchen locations.

Veterans and active duty military can also get a buy one, get one bounce back card for a future visit — valid on pizza, pasta, or salad from Nov. 12 through 25.

Chili’s

All veterans and active military personnel can enjoy a free entree from a special menu at Chili's while dining in at any location on Nov. 11.

Chipotle

Got a valid military ID? You can enjoy a second entree free at Chipotle with the purchase of another between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. local time on Nov. 11.

Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel is saluting veterans and active military with free Sunrise Pancake specials when dining in at nearly all locations.

Dave & Buster’s

Get a free entree (up to $20) and a $10 Power Card for gameplay on Nov. 11 by showing a valid military ID at Dave & Buster's.

Fazoli’s

When you present a valid military ID or wear a military uniform when dining in at Fazoli's, you can get a free Spaghetti with Marinara or Meat Sauce with the code VET25.

Firehouse Subs

On Nov. 11, Firehouse Subs is running a buy one, get one free offer on subs for military personnel and veterans with a valid ID. The offer is only valid in stores.

IHOP

Show proof of military service when dining in at participating IHOP locations on Nov. 11 and enjoy a free Red, White and Blueberry Pancake Combo.

In-N-Out Burger

Craving In-N-Out? Veterans, active military, Reserves, and National Guard members can enjoy a free meal with a valid ID on Nov. 11.

Krispy Kreme

Get a free donut and small coffee at Krispy Kreme with a valid military ID at Krispy Kreme on Nov. 11. This offer is only valid in stores.

Red Lobster

Dine in at Red Lobster on Nov. 11 and show proof of service to get a free Shrimp & Chips entree.

Red Robin

Red Robin is giving all veterans and active military personnel free Red's Big Tavern Burgers with a choice of Bottomless sides at participating locations on Nov. 11. Just show a valid military ID to claim yours.

Shake Shack

Active and retired military personnel can enjoy free Big Shacks — the restaurant's newest menu item — at Shake Shack on Nov. 11 with a valid military ID while supplies last.

Sheetz

All veterans and active duty military personnel can enjoy a free half turkey sub and a regular size fountain drink at any Sheetz location with proof of service. Sheetz will also provide free car washes to vets and active military on Nov. 11.

Starbucks

Veterans, active military, and military spouses can enjoy free tall coffees at Starbucks on Nov. 11.

Texas Roadhouse

Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time, Texas Roadhouse is giving veterans and active military members free meal vouchers with military ID of any sort to be redeemed through May 2026.