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Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
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Save over $70 on the Apple AirPods Max at Amazon

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:45

SAVE $71: As of Feb. 12, the Apple AirPods Max are on sale for $478 at Amazon. That's a 12% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max $478.00 at Amazon
$549.00 Save $71.00 Get Deal

If a headphone upgrade is planned, be sure to check out Amazon's Daily Deals for a bargain. As of Feb. 12, Apple AirPods Max are reduced to $478 at Amazon, saving you $71 on list price. This deal is exclusive to the lightning style, without AppleCare+.

Wondering why these should be your headphones of choice? Well, designed with Apple-specific drivers and powered by the all-encompassing H1 chip, you can expect a completely unmatched listening experience.

SEE ALSO: The Apple Watch 10 is back at its lowest-ever price at Amazon

Handy noise-blocking technologies help you to choose your level of immersion, the Active Noise Cancellation mode will block outside noise so you can focus on your music, and Transparency mode lets you stay aware of your surroundings, keeping you safe and alert while out and about. The Personalized Spatial Audio function adapts to your ear shape to help give you a much more immersive and personalized sound. It also includes dynamic head tracking, which uses a built-in sensor to adjust audio based on your head movements, creating a 3D sound experience.

And who could forget the comfort? Visually they look like a hug for your ears, and that's how they're designed. The knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions provide a snug fit that seals in sound and keeps your ears happy for hours of wearing.

This model also boasts up to 20 hours of battery life and comes with a slim Smart Case for storage.

Head over to Amazon to snag this deal.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Apple Watch 10 is back at its lowest-ever price at Amazon

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:42

SAVE $70: As of Feb. 12, the Apple Watch 10 is on sale for $359 at Amazon. That's a saving of 36% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch 10 $359.00 at Amazon
$429.00 Save $70.00 Get Deal

If an Apple watch has been on your wishlist for a while, you're in luck. The latest model has been reduced again, and this time it's back down to its lowest-ever price.

As of Feb. 12, you can find the Apple Watch 10 at Amazon for $359, saving you $70 on list price. This deal is for all available colorways (rose gold, silver, jet black) and without AppleCare+ added.

SEE ALSO: Apple Maps follows Google, relabels Gulf of Mexico as America

Style-wise, the Apple Watch 10 is the thinnest of the range so far but also has the biggest and most readable display. It also introduces Apple's first-ever wide-angle OLED display, meaning the watch remains clear and sharp when glancing at it quickly or from different angles.

If you're looking for health and fitness metrics, you'll be suitably impressed. Advanced health tracking includes ECG readings, heart rate notifications, and ovulation estimates. In the Vitals app, you'll find detailed overnight metrics such as heart and respiratory rates, and sleep tracking. It even includes alerts for possible sleep apnea. For fitness enthusiasts, the Workout app lets you track a whole load of activities, along with tools to monitor workout intensity and aquatic tracking with depth and water temperature sensors. And with 18 hours of normal use (and fast charging that gives you 80% in 30 minutes), the watch is perfect for all lengths of activity.

Some other notable features concern safety. Users get Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS, and a Check-In feature that automatically updates loved ones when you reach your destination.

Head to Amazon to grab this deal whilst stocks last.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Say goodbye to tight muscles with this massage gun deal

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:38

SAVE $40: As of Feb. 12, the RENPHO Massage Gun is on sale for $69.99 at Amazon. That's a 36% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: RENPHO RENPHO Massage Gun $69.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal

Post-workout stiffness is no joke. And the only way to get through it is by stretching and rest. And, if you can be bothered, massaging your sore muscles. Enter the massage gun. A blessing and a curse, these can be used to stimulate blood circulation in your muscles with the use of deep tissue massage. If you've used one before, you'll know of its sweet relief/agonizing pain combo.

Using a massage gun offers a whole host of benefits for physical recovery and overall wellness. It helps alleviate muscle soreness and stiffness by promoting blood circulation and reducing lactic acid buildup. After a tough workout, using a muscle gun can speed up your recovery. Regular use may improve flexibility and range of motion, and prevent injuries.

SEE ALSO: The best massage guns in 2025

And as of Feb. 12 you can treat yourself to the RENPHO Massage Gun at Amazon for just $69.99. This model specifically provides fast relief from aches, stiffness, and tension with its five changeable heads and five speed options. It even comes with a travel case that fits the massage gun and all of its attachments together for on-the-go use.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don't miss out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy review: What if its great, but I hate it?

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:00

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is set to premiere on Peacock. With the long-awaited fourth entry in the misadventures of its eponymous heroine, fans and critics alike have to ask: Is there any way to recapture the rom-com perfection that was 2001's Bridget Jones's Diary? 

Directed by Sharon Maguire, that magnificent movie adaptation of Helen Fielding's cheeky modern spin on Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice not only boasted a classic love triangle but also the swoon-worthy trifecta of Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant. Theirs was a (pre-Challengers) three-way chemistry so intoxicating that filmmakers gave it another go with 2004's Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, trying desperately to recreate the crowd-pleasing moments from the first film, from daffy duels to winsome confessions of love. The result was a commercial success, but a critical flop. (And before you decide to revisit it, be warned it has aged like an abandoned banana.) 

12 years would pass before Bridget Jones's Baby, which re-teamed Maguire, Zellweger, and Firth. (Grant's rakish Daniel Cleaver was temporarily killed off and swapped for a cocky, love-bombing American played by Patrick Dempsey.) While better reviewed and a box office success, the film series that followed Fielding's books was challenging its audience to accept something counterintuitive to its rom-com classification: There's no such thing as happily ever after. 

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy takes this idea even further, so brace yourself.

What you need to know ahead of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy:  Credit: Jay Maidment / Universal Pictures

Despite that hot kiss on a cold winter night at the end of the first film, Bridget Jones (Zellweger) and Mark Darcy (Firth) broke up for a portion of the sequel. And at the start of the third movie, he was married to someone else entirely! So, what does that mean for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Well — as readers of Fielding's novel know — Mark has died, and Bridget is a widowed mother of their two kids. So, this fourth installment moves even farther away from being the tale of Bridget and Mark's love, and is more about a woman of wit and wild impulses finding happiness in spite of everything the world throws at her. Undoubtedly, there's something beautiful about this, but fans who adore the first film's hopefulness might be hit hard by this sequel's blunt realities. I certainly was. 

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy offers another love triangle, minus Mark Darcy.  Credit: Jay Maidment / Universal Pictures

Directed by Michael Morris, this sequel begins four years after Mark Darcy died during a humanitarian trip to Sudan. In a charming house, Bridget Jones (aka Mrs. Darcy) raises her gentle son Billy (Casper Knopf) and headstrong daughter Mabel (Mila Jankovic), with occasional babysitting help from her rascally old friend Daniel Cleaver (a deliciously saucy Hugh Grant). However, without a husband, she is once more the pitying prey of smug married couples at a comically awkward dinner party, so feels pressured to get out into the dating world again. 

A variety of pre-established friends pop up, bringing back dazzling supportingly players like Emma Thompson as wry gynecologist Dr. Rawlings, Celia Imrie as pesky Aunt Una, Gemma Jones as Bridget's fretful mum, Sarah Solemani as sassy TV presenter Miranda, and Shirley Henderson, James Callis, and Sally Phillips as Bridget's beloved besties Jude, Tom, and Shazzer. Everyone has advice for how Bridget should "move on," ranging from going back to work in television to hooking up with the hot young man who helped her out of a tree.

With a name like a Sex and the City beau, Roxster McDuff (Leo Woodall) is in his late 20s and deeply enamored with Bridget. But it wouldn't be a Bridget Jones movie without a romantic rival. Enter Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Billy's science teacher, whose brisk manner covers up a heart of gold. (Sound familiar?) But how is Bridget supposed to get caught up in a new love when everywhere she goes she still sees Mark (Firth, playing a memory)? 

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is a ruthless tearjerker.  Credit: Jay Maidment / Universal Pictures

Jane Austen didn't write sequels, so Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy's love was assumed to last without incident ever since Pride & Prejudice's publishing in 1813. Fielding wasn't about to put her beloved re-invented heroine on a shelf, so found fresh obstacles and romantic thrills for Bridget Jones across four books. Maybe there was a financial motivation here. But of all the movie's sequels that have come from Fielding's book series, Mad About the Boy is the most profound. It doesn't feel like just another go with Bridget and her boys. It pushes her to grow in meaningful ways outside of her wacky shenanigans. 

Don't mistake me. Bridget will still find ways to embarrass herself in front of a crowd, be it verbal explosions or an ill-advised beauty treatment. Yet to the credit of screenwriters Helen Fielding, Dan Mazer, and Abi Morgan, the grief over a partner's loss isn't swept under the rug, as if it's easy to keep calm and carry on. Instead, Bridget will carry on with cheek!

While Bridget doesn't weep, you will as she imagines Mark tucking their kids into bed with a smile and a song, or in her voiceover shares the ache of his absence. And to double down, her dear old dad (Jim Broadbent) has passed too, leaving her little protection against her mother's well-meaning but intense intrusions. On top of that, Bridget must parent her young son through the grief, as he wonders how faith in an afterlife fits into the life-cycle lessons he's getting at school. This sparks moments of outrage, softened by Zellweger's expert comedic performance. With all this loss and mourning — even amid the humor and sexual frolics — my face was awash with tears as I watched this movie. And it's left me torn. 

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy may not be the rom-com you might be expecting. Credit: Alex Bailey / Universal Pictures

Before you cue this up for Galentine's Day or Valentine's Day, know that it's not like its predecessors in one major way. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is not an unabashedly feel-good movie. In the original, a low point for Bridget was singing "All By Myself" in a melodramatic moment of self-pity. Things get much lower here. While there are a slew of callbacks to the first film, from characters to comedy bits to costumes, it's not a cozy retread like the previous sequels. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy offers comedy and romance, but also delves so deeply into grief that it's not a breezy watch. And honestly, I admire that. 

Grief is as certain as death and taxes, and yet Western society struggles with how to talk about it. That Fielding made Bridget the face of such loss is brilliant. There's an inherent lunacy in grief, where you can feel mad that the world carries on while yours has fallen apart. And who better to show us a path forward than the woman who's been mad in love and mad in heartache and mad in blue-soup making? There's a sense that if Bridget can make her way through the muck of mourning, then so too can we. And that is wonderful, even if it means this film series no longer strives to be feel-good. 

Even as the movie meanders to an indulgent runtime of two hours and four minutes, the filmmakers litter the path with treasures. Some of them are tearful, whether it's Bridget wishing for her lover or her father. Some are joyful, like Bridget playing with the children she pined for so intensely in the previous sequels. Some are salacious and silly, like an inspired set piece in which Roxster recreates Firth's wet shirt scene from the Pride & Prejudice miniseries. (IYKYK). 

And yet, there's a part of me that resisted the film, because I'm not ready to let go of Mark Darcy. Re-imagined as a dream man for a new millennium, he made a generation of women feel seen when he told Bridget, "I like you just the way you are." He was a beacon of hope in a sea of bad men. And there's so much loss in the real world, why take him away from us? Honestly, I resented Mad About the Boy as I watched it, not only because of my anger at the death of this fictional character, but also because Bridget's journey hit home, forcing me to recall viscerally the real-life losses I've endured. And while she was able to neatly — even charmingly – process this over the course of this movie, I still feel mad about the loss. So, I was not ready for Mad About the Boy.

As a critic, I strive to have an elastic empathy that might allow me to appreciate a movie, even when it's not "for me." And though I loved the first Bridget Jones so deeply that I still know much of it by heart, this sequel is not for me. Not yet. My pain is still too raw to take comfort in Bridget's latest diary entries. But I can recognize that. I must give credit that Fielding understood that through the loss of Mark, Bridget has more to give. She has been a wacky role model of self love. And by following her next chapter, we're offered a friend through some of life's ugliest moments. Just as she has handled disasters far less dire, she'll do it with a signature smile and a bit of wit.

Which is all to say that Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is the best sequel of the batch. It's joyful, seeded with Easter eggs, and radiant with Zellweger back in full effect, but it's also a tearjerker that might well knock the wind out of you.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy premieres exclusively on Peacock Feb. 13.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple Maps follows Google, relabels Gulf of Mexico as America

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 09:42

Apple Maps has quietly been updated to change the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" when viewed by U.S. users. This comes a mere day after Google made the same change to its own Maps app.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico within hours of his inauguration last month, proclaiming that it would henceforth be known as the Gulf of America. Yet while this changed the U.S. government's official position on the sea's name, Trump's order technically had no direct impact on corporations such as Google and Apple. The gulf is also not owned by any one country, being boarded by the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba. As such, the U.S. does not have the authority to completely unilaterally rename the entire body of water for everyone internationally.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps has changed the Gulf of Mexico to America

Nevertheless, Google Maps made clear that it would adhere to Trump's renaming of the gulf, stating that it was following its "longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources." It made good on that promise earlier this week, with Google Maps adding the Gulf of Mexico's new Trump-mandated label in parenthesis when viewed from outside the U.S., and completely renaming it to the Gulf of America for those within it.

In contrast, Apple was more reticent on directly addressing the matter, having issued no statement on what it planned to do. Now it appears that Apple's approach to the gulf renaming issue is similar to Google's, renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America after U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) was officially updated.

Searching Apple Maps' macOS app for either "Gulf of Mexico" or "Gulf of America" directs you to the correct body of water, still labelled "Gulf of Mexico" on the map. However, the popup over it has now been amended to read "Gulf of America." Using the same search terms in Apple Maps' browser beta within the U.S. will also bring you to the right place, however it is relabelled "Gulf of America" on the map, while the sidebar and pin still reads "Gulf of Mexico."

Apple Maps' browser beta in the U.S., showing the Gulf of Mexico labelled as such on both the pin and sidebar, but labelled Gulf of America on the map. Credit: Mashable screenshot: Apple

In contrast, Australians searching Apple Maps' browser beta or its iOS app for "Gulf of Mexico" or "Gulf of America" are served the correct gulf, but both the map and sidebar currently still read "Gulf of Mexico." This may not be the case for long, though. Bloomberg reports Apple has stated that while it's starting with the U.S., it will soon roll out the name change for all users globally. It isn't clear whether that will mean a complete relabelling of the gulf, or simply adding "Gulf of America" in parenthesis as Google has.

Mashable has reached out to Apple for comment.

Apple Maps' browser beta in Australia, showing the Gulf of Mexico labelled as such on both the map and sidebar. Credit: Mashable screenshot: Apple

This isn't the first time Apple has amended its map to appease a country's government. The tech giant previously caused outrage in Ukraine when it marked Crimea as Russian territory in 2019, albeit only for people who accessed Apple's Maps and Weather apps from within Russia. At the time, Russia's parliament stated that "Apple [had] fulfilled its obligations and brought the applications on its devices in compliance with the requirements of the Russian legislation."

Trump's executive order may not impose a legal requirement that Apple alter how it labels the Gulf of Mexico/America. Even so, following the new U.S. administration's official stance is more likely to help endear Apple to Trump. And with so many big tech companies and CEOs now fighting to gain the president's favour, Apple probably doesn't want to be left behind.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get an all-in-one AI tool for life for just £32.22

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 07:00

TL;DR: Put all your AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini Pro, and Leonardo.AI in one place with a lifetime subscription to 1minAI, an all-in-one AI app, on sale for just £32.22 (reg. £188.55).

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1minAI: Lifetime Subscription £32.22 at The Mashable Shop
£188.55 Save £156.33 Get Deal

The free version of some AI models like ChatGPT can get the job done, but if you want the good stuff, you should consider opting for a paid subscription.  

1minAI consolidates many of the most popular AI models — like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Meta AI — into one platform where you can use them all seamlessly, whether you need to generate text, images, or even full videos. A lifetime subscription to 1minAI usually costs £188.55, but you can get one on sale now for £32.22

What can you do with 1minAI

1minAI gives you one platform where you can access AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, Mistral AI, and more. You don't just get the baseline version, either — 1minAI users can chat with GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, Gemini Pro 1.5, and Llama 2 or Llama 3. 

Like a ton of other AI platforms, 1minAI has a limit to how much you can generate every month. Unlike other platforms, the limit is incredibly high. Here's what your lifetime subscription gets you every month. 

First, you get a baseline of 1,000,000 credits per month. Then, every day you log in, you get an additional 15,000 free credits. These will roll over if you don't use them all, too. 

In practice, those huge numbers mean you could generate up to 362,500 words, research nearly 2,000 SEO keywords, generate 386 images, upscale 241 images, remove 24 backgrounds, convert text to speech for over 120,000 characters, and generate up to 12 videos. 

Your AI Swiss Army Knife

Put all your go-to AI tools in one place. Get a lifetime subscription to 1minAI for £32.22. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Tigres vs. Real Estelí online for free

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 07:00

TL;DR: Live stream Tigres vs. Real Estelí in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on Tubi. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The biggest shock from the first round of Concacaf Champions Cup games came in the Tigres vs. Real Estelí matchup. The Nicaraguan side produced a huge shock by beating the Mexican side 1-0. Tigres had rested a number of key players, but don't let that fact take anything away from Real Estelí. It was a hugely significant result.

Can Tigres turn things around? If you want to watch Tigres vs. Real Estelí in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Tigres vs. Real Estelí?

Tigres vs. Real Estelí in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on Feb. 12. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Universitario.

How to watch Tigres vs. Real Estelí for free

Tigres vs. Real Estelí in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on Tubi.

Tubi is the exclusive home of the Concacaf Champions Cup in Mexico, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Mexico, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Tigres vs. Real Estelí by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Mexico

  4. Visit Tubi

  5. Live stream Tigres vs. Real Estelí for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Tigres vs. Real Estelí in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Tubi?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including Mexico

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Tigres vs. Real Estelí in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Guadalajara vs. Cibao online for free

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 07:00

TL;DR: Live stream Guadalajara vs. Cibao in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on Tubi. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Concacaf Champions Cup has already produced some big surprises. The first leg between Guadalajara and Cibao wasn't exactly shocking, but it was very close. The Dominican side managed to avoid defeat to the Mexican favorites. The 1-1 draw leaves this matchup hanging in the balance.

All eyes are now on the second leg. If you want to watch Guadalajara vs. Cibao in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Guadalajara vs. Cibao?

Guadalajara vs. Cibao in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 12. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Akron.

How to watch Guadalajara vs. Cibao for free

Guadalajara vs. Cibao in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on Tubi.

Tubi is the exclusive home of the Concacaf Champions Cup in Mexico, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Mexico, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Guadalajara vs. Cibao by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Mexico

  4. Visit Tubi

  5. Live stream Guadalajara vs. Cibao for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Guadalajara vs. Cibao in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Tubi?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including Mexico

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Guadalajara vs. Cibao in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Friend emotional trailer sees Naomi Watts adopting her late friends Great Dane

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 01:00

Naomi Watts and Bill Murray lead The Friend, an adaptation of Sigrid Nunez's novel about a woman who adopts her late best friend's Great Dane.

Directed and written by David Siegel and Scott McGehee, The Friend sees Watts starring as Iris, whose mentor Walter (Murray) leaves four-legged pal Apollo (played by a Great Dane called Bing) to her in his will. He's a large dog and an even larger reminder of the person she's mourning, so their bond is a little rocky to start. But, as the Sharon Van Etten-scored trailer indicates, isn't that always the start of a beautiful friendship?

The cast also features Carla Gugino (The Fall of the House of Usher), Constance Wu (Hustlers), Noma Dumezweni (The Undoing), Ann Dowd (The Handmaid's Tale), Felix Solis (Unfrosted), Sarah Pidgeon (Tiny Beautiful Things), and Owen Teague (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes).

The Friend hits select New York cinemas on March 28 before its wide release on April 4.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Cybersecurity group sues DOGE over data access

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 22:25

Elon Musk's encroachment into U.S. governance has hit another legal obstacle.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (or EPIC) filed a lawsuit against the Department of Government Efficiency (or, sigh, DOGE) on Monday, per the privacy-focused non-profit's website. According to the lawsuit, DOGE and its leader Elon Musk have "illegally forced" the Office of Personnel Management and Treasury Department to disclose huge swaths of digital information about U.S. citizens to "unauthorized, untrained personnel." The lawsuit calls Musk's actions "the largest data breach in American history."

SEE ALSO: DOGE staffer resigns after racist posts uncovered. Elon Musk might bring him back.

All of this follows a firestorm of reports over the past couple of weeks detailing what some have called a sort of coup of the U.S. government. Musk and his team, which includes people as young as 19 years old, seized access to a system with sensitive data about government employees, like home addresses, Social Security numbers, and birth dates. Further reporting, including that of Mashable's own Rebecca Ruiz, has painted a grim picture about what a politically motivated group of people could do with that data.

This isn't the first and likely won't be the last lawsuit attempting to halt Musk and DOGE in their tracks. A group of labor unions similarly filed suit against Musk this week, as well.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Judge demands Trump officials restore websites on HIV, contraception

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 22:05

A federal judge appointed by a Republican President has castigated Trump administration officials — and ordered them to immediately restore public health websites that they abruptly abruptly shut down.

The lawsuit against the website removal, brought by a group of physicians known as Doctors for America, concerns sites operated by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. Doctors for America says the scrubbing of the sites makes it more difficult for them to treat patients.

U.S. District Judge John Bates, appointed by George W Bush, agreed. He ordered the government to restore the pages by the end of the day of his ruling (Tuesday Feb. 11).

SEE ALSO: Thousands of datasets from Data.gov have disappeared since Trump's inauguration. What's going on?

The TL;DR of Bates' ruling? It "was done without any public rationale, recourse or ability to challenge the decisions, despite laws and regulations that typically require them," as Politico summarized.

Sites removed by Trump officials concern HIV care, plus information on contraception drugs and student health. In their lawsuit filed against the Office for Personnel Management, HHS, CDC, and the FDA, Doctors for America says the removal of websites offering them guidance on these subjects is creating confusion, which eats up time that is better spent treating patients.

SEE ALSO: Bookmark these abortion resources now

Justice Department attorneys defended the government's decision to remove the sites, saying doctors could still access the information by using the Wayback Machine, which archives offline websites. But that didn't fly with the judge.

"The Wayback Machine does not capture every webpage, and there is no information to suggest that is has archived each removed webpage," Bates wrote. "Additionally, pages archived on the Wayback Machine do not appear on search engines. In other words, a particular archived webpage is only viewable to a provider if the provider knows that the Wayback Machine exists and had recorded the pre-removal URL of the requested webpage."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Elon Musk is now Harry Bolz again. Commemorative memecoins now available.

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 22:02

This is real: You can buy Harry Bōlz memecoins now.

Elon Musk — the owner of X, CEO of Tesla, billionaire, and leader of the U.S.'s Department of Government Efficiency — changed his name on X to Harry Bōlz on Tuesday. (Say it out loud.) Almost immediately, a few Solana meme coins popped up.

One token has been live since February 7 and increased 54,637 percent in just an hour on Tuesday. It has since fallen from a peak of $25.14 million to $8.5 million, according to Decrypt. Another token is sitting at a $3 million market cap, Decrypt reported.

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Musk first changed his name to Harry Bōlz in April 2023 in an effort to make media publications call him that. (I am playing right into it.) As Rolling Stone reported back in 2023, it's a prime example of what makes Musk and his "routine of garbled gags, corny jokes, and pilfered memes" so deeply unfunny.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apples iPhone SE 4 could be released this week: Everything we know so far

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 21:51

A new iPhone SE is reportedly days away.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to launch the iPhone SE 4 this week. The tech giant hasn't released an iPhone SE since 2022, so it's a big deal for Apple users looking for an updated version of the budget-friendly iPhone. Speaking of which, the Bloomberg reporter says the iPhone SE 4 will cost around $500, which is a decent bargain considering the iPhone 16's starting price of $800. Here's what else we know so far.

Tweet may have been deleted Bigger display

Gurman reports that the iPhone SE 4 will have a significantly bigger display. It will be 6.1 inches across, which is a major step up from the 2022 iPhone SE which has a 4.7 inch display. That means the iPhone SE 4 would have the same display size as the most recent iPhone 16 and earlier iPhone 15.

SEE ALSO: Listen up: Get a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $80 off at Amazon Apple Intelligence

Not even the iPhone SE can escape Apple Intelligence's grasp. Like it or not, the new device will reportedly have Apple Intelligence features, thanks to the A18 chip. Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and full iPhone 16 lineup have Apple Intelligence.

The A18 processor also powers the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus (iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have the A18 Pro chip) so the iPhone SE essentially leapfrogs over iPhone models released before 2024.

Design changes

Besides a bigger display and more powerful processor, the iPhone SE 4, tipster Majin Bu posted images of what it might look like. The screen has a camera notch instead of the dynamic island which comes with later models and a single rear camera which is the same as the 2022 iPhone SE 3. The images show a matte black colorway, although there might be other options.

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Regardless, we won't have to wait long for confirmation on the specs.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Duolingo kills its owl mascot Duo

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 21:05

Duolingo, the language-learning app, killed off its owl mascot named Duo on Tuesday in what is assuredly some kind of publicity stunt.

In fact, here were are writing about it. So, well played, Duolingo.

Duolingo posted the news on social media.

"It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formally known as The Duolingo Owl, is dead," the company's post reads, while joking that authorities were investigating the matter.

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"[To be honest], he probably died waiting for you to do your lesson, but what do we know," the post contined. "We're aware he had many enemies, but we kindly ask that you refrain from sharing why you hate him in the comments. If you feel inclined to share, please also include your credit card number so we can automatically sign you up for Duolingo Max in his memory."

The internet, predictably, made jokes and memes about Duolingo killing off its mascot. The company itself retweeted posts from gossip sites about it.

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Duolingo has long leaned-in to internet culture, positioning its owl mascot and brand accounts as unhinged — or as unhinged as corporate comms gets. Killing off its mascot is just another example of that branding.

In fact, it's not really even an original stunt. Planters killed off Mr. Peanut ahead of the Super Bowl five years ago. This was, of course, just a method for launching a mascot rebrand.

SEE ALSO: The Mr. Peanut ad saga is a strange byproduct of the internet's death obsession

So, sure, Duo the owl is dead. But I suspect it'll be back soon, in one form or another.

Categories: IT General, Technology

iOS 18.3.1 update patches a physical iPhone exploit

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 20:02

Apple's iOS 18.3.1 — the latest version of its iPhone operating system — features a key security update to patch a physical exploit.

Apple hasn't released too many details about the issue — after all, it wouldn't want to alert potential wrongdoers to a flaw they could exploit — but it involves Apple's USB Restricted Mode feature. Effectively, the patch prevents hackers from accessing data on a locked device.

"A physical attack may disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device," wrote Apple on its support page. "Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals."

SEE ALSO: iOS 18.3 is here. 3 major changes to know

The security update was also part of iPadOS 18.3.1, and an identical fix for older iPads was included in iPadOS 17.7.5.

If security is a major concern, you should update your operating system as soon as possible.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Recreate SZAs sizzling Super Bowl hair with 20% hair tools at GHDs Valentines Day Sale

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 19:47

20% OFF + FREE GIFT: As of Feb. 11, get 20% off GHD hair tools during the GHD Valentine's Day Sale. Plus, get a free GHD Curly Ever After hold spray with promo code TREATYOURSELF.

Opens in a new window Credit: GHD 20% off hair tools at GHD Valentine's Day Sale Get a free GHD Curly Ever After hold spray with promo code TREATYOURSELF Get Deal

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance may have been the talk of the weekend, but superstar SZA's show-stopping hair was a sight to behold as well. If you've been curious about how you could emulate those fiery red curls that made the "Saturn" singer look like a flame-haired goddess, we've got one word for you: GHD.

Celebrity stylist Devante Turnbull worked on SZA's hair for the big game, and as it turns out, he used a combination of GHD tools to bring SZA's gorgeous curls out and give them a fun, amped-up twist. Thanks to GHD's Valentine's Day Sale, you can snap up the same tools to do it at home.

As of Feb. 11, you can save up to 20% off GHD hair tools during the GHD Valentine's Day Sale. Plus, you can get a free bottle of GHD Curly Ever After hold spray with your purchase with promo code TREATYOURSELF while supplies last.

Turnbull used the GHD Curve Creative Curl Wand and Thin Wand to curl SZA's hair in different directions to "add dimension", and you can do the same with your own locks. Both are currently discounted as part of the sale, so you can experiment with gorgeous big hair like SZA's without having to consult a celeb stylist.

There are tons of other items to choose from as well, like flat irons if you prefer straight hair, hot brushes for volumizing, and plenty of other goodies to give you the best hair yet just in time for the most romantic day of the year. But if you're looking to emulate SZA, you know what to do. Head to GHD, and grab some fire truck red hair dye.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Snag the Wednesday & Enid Dorm Room Lego set for 15% off in the Best Buy app

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 19:13

SAVE $13.50: Get the Wednesday & Enid’s Dorm Room Lego Building Set through the Best Buy app for just $76.49, down from the standard price of $89.99. That's a 15% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Wednesday & Enid’s Dorm Room Lego Building Set $76.49 at Best Buy
$89.99 Save $13.50 app exclusive discount Get Deal

Nevermore Academy has never looked better. If you're a fan of the Netflix series Wednesday that follows Wednesday Addams on her (mis)adventures, you'll want to log into the Best Buy app ASAP, because there's a special deal worth jumping on.

As of Feb. 11, the Wednesday & Enid’s Dorm Room Lego Building Set is on sale with the Best Buy app for $76.49, marked down from the typical price of $89.99. That means you'll be saving $13.50 with the 15% discount.

SEE ALSO: Lego is giving away a Valentine's Day Heart for free. Here’s how to get yours.

Before we dive into the wow-factor of this Lego set, here's how you can snag this deal at Best Buy. For starters, this deal is exclusive to the Best Buy app, so go ahead and download that on your phone. After that, you'll need to create or sign into your free Best Buy account. Once that's done, you're eligible to head into the Best Buy Drops tab and snag this Lego deal.

Keep in mind this is part of Best Buy Drops, which offers us a few special products each week, discounted exclusively in the Best Buy app. Since these deals usually have impressive discounts, they tend to sell out quickly. Boiled down, if you're a Wednesday fan and enjoy Legos, jump on this one quickly.

Pro tip: Once you're in the app, you can check on the percentage of inventory left. You can also sign up for future alerts about Best Buy Drops.

Back to the set itself: it's hard to get over how adorable Thing looks as a Lego character, with scars from stitches and all. But we also need to point out the detail of Wednesday's freckles and the incredible gargoyles that stand guarding the balcony.

Recreating the dorm room of opposites Wednesday and Enid, the Lego set perfectly portrays the colorful and cheery side that Enid decorated. That stands in stark contrast to Wednesday's side of the dorm which is purely black, white, and brown. The set also includes fun reminders from season one, like Wednesday's cello, Enid's colorful clothing, and the incredible spiderweb window.

The 750-piece set is recommended for builders aged 10 and up. If you're anxiously awaiting season two of Wednesday to drop sometime this year, recreate Wednesday & Enid's Dorm Room thanks to this Lego set that's on sale on the Best Buy app at a 15% discount.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Ooni wood pellet pizza oven is $100 off ahead of backyard cookout season

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 19:09

SAVE $100: The Ooni Fyra 12 wood pellet pizza oven is on sale for $249, down from the usual price of $349. That's a 30% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ooni Ooni Fyra 12 wood pellet pizza oven $249.00 at Ooni
$349.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

It might have snowed this week where you live, but eventually we'll crawl out from winter's chill and head back outside. Once the warm spring sun hits the backyard, we'll be setting up the hammock, planning camping trips, and reapplying sunscreen. If you're onboard with backyard cookouts, check out this deal before spring season hits.

As of Feb. 7, the Ooni Fyra 12 wood pellet pizza oven is on sale for $249, down from the normal price of $349. That's a 30% discount that'll save you $100.

Mashable Associate Editor Tim Marcin tested out the Ooni Fyra pizza oven and found it can make incredible pizza, but it takes some practice to get them perfect. Marcin explains the super high heat of the Ooni oven means it can bake up delicious pizza (800 degrees and up is ideal, according to Marcin), but that also means it bakes quickly and requires some sharp attention. "Once I got the hang of it, I was definitely churning out pies in about two minutes, the added 60 seconds due to my turning skill being far from perfect," writes Marcin.

SEE ALSO: The Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker just dropped to under $80 at Amazon

He also mentioned the Ooni's lightweight design makes it quite portable. "It's pretty sharp looking and light, just 22 pounds. You could carry it anywhere. I imagine it would be a hit at a tailgate," says Marcin.

Overall, he considered the pizza oven to be great. "And the wood pellet version, especially, I found to be neat," Marcin says. "It produced restaurant-quality wood-fired pizza at home. You could taste the sweet smoke. And the super high heat gave you that pleasant char, bubbly crust, and impossibly fast cook time. There is no way, that I know of, to replicate this with an oven or stove."

If you plan to spend the spring and summer in the backyard, the Ooni Fyra pizza oven might be your new favorite way to make dinner. Thanks to this off-season sale, you can save $100 on the oven and get ready to impress your neighbors come summer.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Calendar cuts Black History Month, Pride Month, and more

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 19:05

Google has removed select holidays from its default Google Calendar, a move that has put users on watch as the company makes worrisome product changes amid a sweeping anti-diversity push.

The affected cultural and identity-based holidays include the start of Black History Month (which the nation is currently celebrating), Women's History Month, Pride Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day, National Hispanic Heritage Month, and Indigenous People Month — The events were added over the last few years as part of an integration with TimeAndDate.com.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps has changed the Gulf of Mexico to America

According to the company, these changes have been happening for months, as the product shifts to only acknowledging public holidays.

"For over a decade we’ve worked with timeanddate.com to show public holidays and national observances in Google Calendar. Some years ago, the Calendar team started manually adding a broader set of cultural moments in a wide number of countries around the world," Google spokesperson Madison Cushman Veld told the press. "We got feedback that some other events and countries were missing — and maintaining hundreds of moments manually and consistently globally wasn’t scalable or sustainable. So in mid-2024 we returned to showing only public holidays and national observances from timeanddate.com globally, while allowing users to manually add other important moments."

SEE ALSO: DEI programs at Meta are done, company says

The general public wasn't as convinced, however, with many taking to Google's Help forums and social media to accuse the company of censoring its products or to plead with the company to reinstate the observances. "@/Google please change this back," wrote one X user. "It's such an important time that those holiday months should be acknowledged. Our government is trying to erase them please don't assist in this. I know logistically it might be difficult but this is important. Please reconsider."

Last month, Google quickly capitulated to President Donald Trump's decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America," and announced it would be abandoning its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring program along with other DEI initiatives. Other tech giants have made similar, suspiciously eager, concessions, including Meta's decision to remove its DEI programs and Hateful Conduct policy, allowing previously banned forms of hate speech on its platforms.

Just for reference, here's those dates so you can add them back to your personal calendar:

  • Holocaust Remembrance Day: Jan. 27

  • Black History Month: Feb. 1 to March 1

  • Women's History Month: March 1-31

  • Jewish American Heritage Month: May 1-31

  • Pride Month: June 1-30

  • National Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept. 15 to Oct. 15

  • Indigenous Peoples Month: Nov. 1- 30

Categories: IT General, Technology

Deli Boys trailer sees Pakistani American brothers uncovering their dads secret life

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 19:00

How much do you actually know about your parents? Would you believe them if they happened to have a secret life of crime they hid your entire life, living under the guise of a successful bodega owner?

That's exactly what happens in Deli Boys, created by Abdullah Saeed and produced by Disney's Onyx Collective, with Dollface's Michelle Nader as showrunner.

In the upcoming 10-episode series, rich and spoiled Pakistani American brothers Mir (Asif Ali) and Raj (Saagar Shaikh) are dealing with the sudden death of their father mainly by debating who gets what. But he wasn't the convenience store king they thought he was; Dad was an underworld criminal running a very different kind of family business. Not the inheritance they wanted, but the inheritance they've got.

Never Have I Ever's Poorna Jagannathan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's Alfie Fuller, and Seinfeld legend Brian George also star, and from the looks of the trailer, the show looks like a lot of fun.

Deli Boys is streaming on Hulu and Disney+ from March 6.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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