Mashable

SAVE 42%: In today's limited-time deal at Amazon, the iRobot Roomba 694 robot vacuum is on sale for just $159.97, down from $279.99. That's $120.02 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba 694 robot vacuum $159.97 at Amazon (save $120.02) Get Deal

Constantly vacuuming pet hair is exasperating, but robot vacuums can be expensive. Fortunately, this conundrum has an answer (at least for today).

As of Jan. 23, the iRobot Roomba 694 robot vacuum is on sale for $159.97 for a limited time at Amazon. That's $120.02 less than its list price of $279.99, making this robot vacuum much more agreeable to a budget. Plus, this price tag is just 97 cents shy of this vacuum's lowest price ever.

SEE ALSO: Score up to 39% off vacuums and tackle pet messes like a pro

Just because this Roomba has a lower price point than other models doesn't mean you aren't getting a quality robot vacuum for your dollar. The self-charging iRobot Roomba can take on carpet and hard floors alike and is especially handy for cleaning up pet hair. Direct detect sensors tell the Roomba which areas need a more thorough cleaning. Plus, with voice assistant compatibility and app controls, you can schedule automatic cleanings that fit your lifestyle and schedule.

Make managing your household easier when you shop the iRobot Roomba 694 robot vacuum today at Amazon.

Every Oscar nomination morning, we celebrate the films that earned coveted recognition from the Academy Awards. But perhaps more than that, we yell about our favorite films and performances that were unjustly snubbed — and trust us, there's a lot to yell about this year.

SEE ALSO: 2024 Oscar nominations: See the full list

Films like Killers of the Flower Moon and Barbie earned some of the most nominations of the year, yet missed out in major categories where they should have been recognized. Elsewhere, wonderful films — and some of Mashable's picks of the absolute best films of 2023 — got totally shut out, including Priscilla, Asteroid City, Ferrari, and All of Us Strangers.

So what other Oscar snubs are we yelling about this year? Read on to find out.

Snubbed: Charles Melton, May December Charles Melton in "May December." Credit: François Duhamel / Courtesy of Netflix

We should have seen this snub coming when May December failed to pick up any SAG nominations, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. As Joe, Melton gave a grounded, emotionally rich performance that proved the perfect balance for May December's examination of artifice and manipulation. Plus, he held his own against Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, both of whom could have easily been recognized for their work here as well. Thankfully May December picked up a nomination for Best Original Screenplay, but it's a movie whose performances certainly deserved better.

SEE ALSO: 'May December' versus 'All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story' Snubbed: Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, Barbie Margot Robbie in "Barbie." Credit: Warner Bros.

No film in 2024 was bigger than Barbie, which earned critical acclaim, dominated cultural conversation, and made over $1 billion at the global box office. It's no surprise, then, that the Oscars recognized the film: Barbie walked away with eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. However, it missed out on two major nods: Greta Gerwig for Best Director, and Margot Robbie for Best Actress. The two have been consistently nominated in these categories throughout awards season, including at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards, so their snub here is a major surprise and a major disappointment to many.

SEE ALSO: 'Barbie' fans are shocked Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie were shut out of Oscar noms Snubbed: Greta Lee, Past Lives Greta Lee in "Past Lives." Credit: A24

Since its premiere at Sundance a full year ago, writer/director Celine Song's debut feature Past Lives has been awing critics and audiences alike. And leading lady Greta Lee is a major reason why. The film is a tender love story, in which Korean emigree Nora (Lee) reconnects with her childhood sweetheart Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) in New York — even though she's married to an adoring husband (John Magaro). While the premise could fall into soap opera hysterics over its love triangle, Song has written a story about curiosity and love that invites the audience into relationships that invoke glorious shades of grey. And in that space, Lee brings color and life with her radiant smile, thoughtful delivery, provocative flirtations, and undeniable charisma. Fans of the film have been pulling for Lee to score a Best Actress nomination — as she did at the Critics Choice Awards — but Oscar has denied her. At least Song got an original screenplay nod, and the whole cast and crew can take pride in the Best Picture nomination. — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor

Snubbed: Martin Scorsese and Eric Roth's screenplay for Killers of the Flower Moon Lily Gladstone and Martin Scorsese behind the scenes of "Killers of the Flower Moon." Credit: Apple TV+

Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon walked away with 10 well-deserved nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Lily Gladstone. But there's one glaring omission here, and that's a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for Scorsese and co-writer Eric Roth. The two reworked David Grann's gripping nonfiction book of the same name, turning primarily investigative source material into an intimate examination of a marriage and the creeping greed and evil surrounding it. It all culminates in a blistering ending sequence examining audience culpability, as well as reflecting on Scorsese's role in telling the story of the organized murders of the Osage people as a white filmmaker. These powerful moments would never have made it to the screen without careful consideration of how to tweak and re-contextualize Grann's book, a key part of the adaptation process that should have earned Killers of the Flower Moon a screenplay nod.

SEE ALSO: How is 'Killers of the Flower Moon' different from the book? Snubbed: Penélope Cruz, Ferrari Penélope Cruz in "Ferrari." Credit: Lorenzo Sisti

From the moment Cruz storms on screen demanding that her no-good husband Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) promised he'd come home from his "whoring" before the maid arrived with morning coffee, I was entranced. As I've never cared about cars, I didn't have high hopes that I'd get caught up in Michael Mann's biopic Ferrari. But Cruz's intensity grabbed me by the throat, didn't let go, and left me wanting more. Yes, the supporting actress category this year offers fierce competition. But Cruz brings jaw-dropping depth to Laura Ferrari, a wife and business partner who has known horrendous loss and so responds with rage, passion, and occasionally gunplay. When the credits rolled, I was certain Cruz was a lock for at least a nomination. But Ferrari never really gained momentum this award season. Still, Cruz's performance will burn in my heart as do other snubbed but glorious performances from year's past. (Thinking of you JLo in Hustlers.) — K.P.

Snubbed: Joe Hisaishi's score for The Boy and the Heron and Daniel Pemberton's score for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and "The Boy and the Heron" were both snubbed in the score category. Credit: Sony Pictures/GKids

Two of the best scores of the year came from animated films, but you wouldn't know that by looking at the Academy's nominees for Best Original Score. Frequent Hayao Miyazaki collaborator Joe Hisaishi delivered some of his best work yet with The Boy and the Heron — a high bar to clear given he's also responsible for masterful scores like Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle. Meanwhile, Daniel Pemberton crafted an eclectic, rousing soundscape that made sense of the multiversal chaos of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Both composers' work received nominations at various critics circles, the Annie Awards, and even the Golden Globes. They deserved the same recognition at the Oscars.

Snubbed: All of Us Strangers Andre Scott and Paul Mescal in "All of Us Strangers." Credit: Parisa Taghizadeh/Searchlight Pictures.

This one hurts. Writer/director Andrew Haigh adapted Taichi Yamada's novel into a haunting, humorous, and hot tale of love and loss. While the British drama has scored 6 BAFTA nominations, a slew of British Independent Film noms, and honors from critics' guilds in the U.S., it was totally shut out of the Oscars. The Adapted Screenplay field was so fiercely competitive this year, that not even the superbly adapted Killers of the Flower Moon made the cut. Still, it's shocking to see acclaimed supporting players Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy snubbed alongside leading man Andrew Scott, who — for my money — gave one of the most nuanced and devastating performances of the year. The good news is, Oscars be damned, you can decide for yourself as All of Us Strangers opens wide in the U.S. this Friday. — K.P.

How to watch: The 96th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 10, 2024, 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on ABC

SAVE $370: The Hisense 75-inch A76K QLED TV is just $529.99 at Best Buy, marked down from the typical price of $899.99. That's a 41% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 75-inch A76K QLED TV $529.99 at Best Buy (save $370) Get Deal

Do your winter plans involve watching the end of football season or zeroing in on the NBA season? If so, your TV might be asking for an upgrade to QLED. Thanks to today's deal at Best Buy, you can grab a theatre-sized QLED TV for under $530.

As of Jan. 23, the Hisense 75-inch A76K QLED TV is just $529.99 at Best Buy, down from the original price of $899.99. That's a savings of $370 or a discount of 41%.

SEE ALSO: January 2024 TV deals include several premium Samsung QLEDs, plus cheap TCL and Hisense QLEDs

QLED TVs often come with a steep price tag. The Q stands for "quantum," adding on to quality LED lighting, meaning the picture quality is brighter with a wider range of colors that show up as more precise images. If your TV is often tuned into the football game, a QLED display is the way to go.

With an impressive 75-inch display, the sale price on the Hisense of $529.99 makes this a heck of a deal. Another QLED TV Mashable recommends is the Samsung 85-inch Q80C QLED TV which is currently on sale for $1,999.99 at Samsung. Sure, it's a larger display, but the price difference between the Hisense and the Samsung is hard to ignore.

Another tick in the "pros" column of the Hisense 75-inch A76K QLED TV is its built-in Chromecast. Push content from your phone, tablet, or laptop through the Chromecast without having to buy an external casting device.

If you've been eyeing a QLED TV but haven't felt great about the price tag, today's deal on the Hisense 75-inch A76K QLED TV will save you over 40% off the normal price. Your friends will thank you for the investment come kickoff during this weekend's games.

SAVE $122.49: As of Jan. 23, the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) is just $206.51 at Amazon. That's a savings of 37%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) $206.51 at Amazon (save $122.49) Get Deal

We may be long past the holiday season, but there are still great Apple Watch deals appearing regularly. That means you can get your hands on one on the cheap seemingly pretty often, including the cheapest model, the Apple Watch SE.

As of Jan. 23, you can pick up the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) for just $206.51, down from its original price of $329, at Amazon. This is the GPS + cellular model, so you can add it to your phone plan and use it on the go without the need for WiFi.

SEE ALSO: All the best smartwatches for every wrist and interest

The Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) is a newer version of the smartwatch that doesn't have all the same perks as the main Apple Watch series. But don't count it out just yet — for the price, you still get plenty of bang for your buck. It comes with heart rate tracking, fitness and sleep features, and crash and fall detection. And if you only plan on using it to call and text folks, it can still do all that, too.

You get plenty of usage time with this model, too. It can last up to 18 hours, so that's nearly an entire day without having to stop what you're doing and charge it. If you don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a brand-new mainline Apple Watch model, this one should suit you just fine.

Saddle up your sky bison and get ready for a wild ride, Avatar fans. We're diving back into the world of The Last Airbender.

Just like in the original cartoon, Netflix's live-action adaptation sees us traveling alongside Water Tribe siblings Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) as they help Avatar Aang (Gordon Cormier) in his quest to master all four elements. The journey won't be easy, as troubled Fire Nation Prince Zuko (Dallas James Liu) is hot on their trail, ready to do absolutely anything it takes to capture Aang and restore his honor.

The new trailer gives us some glimpses at familiar faces and places from the cartoon. We get a live-action look at the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, the city of Omashu, and Kyoshi Island, as well as snapshots of beloved side characters like King Bumi (Utkarsh Ambudkar), June (Arden Cho), Jet (Sebastian Amoruso), and Azula (Elizabeth Yu). Oh, and we get to see some serious bending action, including Aang entering the Avatar state.

Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres Feb. 22 on Netflix.

It's decidedly not a Barbie world at the 96th Academy Awards.

This morning (Jan. 23) the Academy announced its 2024 Oscar nominations, and two Barbie favorites were snubbed: Greta Gerwig for Best Director and Margot Robbie for Best Actress. But the film did walk away with eight nominations, including Best Picture, Gerwig and Noah Baumbach for Best Adapted Screenplay, Ryan Gosling for Best Supporting Actor, and America Ferrera for Best Supporting Actress.

SEE ALSO: 2024 Oscar nominations: See the full list

For Barbie fans, Gerwig and Robbie's snubs felt a little too close to the themes of the film. Fans pointed to Gosling's Ken getting nominated instead of Robbie's Barbie as evidence of patriarchy in the Real World, despite the actors competing in different categories — and Ferrera scoring a surprise nomination.

To some, this moment is the perfect encapsulation of Ferrera's now Oscar-nominated monologue: "[Women] have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong."

SEE ALSO: 'Barbie' review: Bonkers, bold, and a bit of a miracle

As always, fans took to Twitter / X to air their grievances. One fan posted, "Ken getting nominated and not Barbie is honestly so fitting for a film about a man discovering the power of patriarchy in the Real World." Another wrote, "Ryan Gosling, while deserving, got an Oscar nomination for Barbie while Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie didn’t? Completely proving the point of the movie in 20 fucking 24 you cannot make this up." Dozens of posts echo this sentiment.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

As Billie Eilish's Oscar-nominated song goes, "When did it end? All the enjoyment."

SAVE $60: As of today, Jan. 23, you can save 40% on the new Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation). This limited-time deal takes the price down from $149.99 to $89.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) $89.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal

Back in October, Amazon released a fully upgraded Amazon Echo Show 8 smart home device. Today, it's finally on sale for less than $100.

In a limited-time deal, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) is on sale for just $89.99. This sheds 40% off the regular list price of $149.99. This is the smart home hub's lowest price ever. If you've been holding out for an upgrade, now is a smart time to buy.

SEE ALSO: Score Amazon Fire tablets for all-time low prices, plus more tablet deals

The 3rd generation Amazon Echo Show 8 got some pretty meaningful upgrades from its predecessor. Now, its audio capabilities are bolstered by spatial audio, room acoustic sensing, and noise reduction technology, meaning that your room will be filled with powerful sound. We also appreciate the device's new processor that enables faster display when you're streaming or video calling. And with its smart home hub feature, you can connect and control your devices from one convenient location.

Take advantage of today's record-low price and score the Amazon Echo Show 8 for just $89.99.

UPDATE: Jan. 24, 2024, 10:00 a.m. EST This piece has been updated to include a statement provided to Mashable by Google.

Do a Google search for "Shark Tank keto gummies" and you'll find a slew of paid sponsored search ads promoting the supposed weight loss product. 

Scroll past all of those advertisements and you'll find even more posts, this time organic results, also praising these keto weight loss gummies allegedly endorsed by Mark Burnett's hit ABC show starring famous entrepreneurs like Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary.

Don't buy those products. Shark Tank and all of the business minds on the show have absolutely nothing to do with them. The whole "Shark Tank keto gummies" market is a fraudulent scheme to make money off of fans of the show.

A fake ABC website discovered though Google search hawking fake Shark Tank keto gummies. Credit: Check My Ads

And perhaps most concerning, these scams wouldn't succeed without Google's help.

Mashable reached out to Google with examples of the sponsored search scam ads. The company responded with the following statement.

“We do not allow ads on our platform that scam users, make misleading statements, or imply a false affiliation or endorsement," Google said in an email to Mashable. "We are reviewing the ads in question and will remove those that violate our policies and suspend the associated accounts where warranted. While there are bad actors who attempt to circumvent our protections on Search, our advanced spam-fighting systems keep our results helpful and 99% spam free for the billions of queries we see everyday.” 

The Shark Tank keto gummies scam

Weight loss products have long-been a market ripe for fraud, especially on online marketplaces where diet pills and other supplements are hawked as magical solutions to vulnerable people's health or self-esteem problems.

“I get heartbreaking emails from people who ask me why [Shark Tank keto gummies] don’t work. How they are overweight and really trusted my brand or the Shark Tank brand when they made the purchase,” said Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban on the problem in correspondence with adtech watchdog Check My Ads.

Cuban reached out to Check My Ads upon seeing its co-founder, Nandini Jammi, share her own experience getting scammed by fraudulent products being advertised via Google search's sponsored results.

In Jammi's case, she had been scammed by a fake shoe search ad before Christmas. When she posted about her frustrations with the state of online advertising, Cuban asked that she look into a similar search-related scam, Shark Tank keto gummies.

Tweet may have been deleted

After Cuban reached out to Jammi, Check My Ads looked further into the Shark Tank keto gummies ads on Google and found that scammers are utilizing Google's products in numerous ways to push their scheme onto unsuspecting consumers. 

Check My Ads shared their report exclusively with Mashable. What we found also backs up previous Mashable investigations that show Google products are successfully being weaponized by scammers.

For example, in November 2022, Mashable reported how fraudsters were using the Google Sites platform to set up phishing websites to steal people's passwords and other sensitive information. Often in those cases, scammers enjoyed added search engine-related benefits as their Google Sites-powered pages were prominently displayed on Google search.

In the case of Check My Ads' report on Shark Tank keto gummies, the organization found four different avenues in which Google played a role in perpetuating the scam.

Paid search ads

Google sponsored ads look just like regular, organic search results. The tech giant does add a "Sponsored" label above these paid-for results, but not all users notice it. And sometimes, Google displays so many sponsored results that it's hard to tell exactly where the ads end and the organic search results begin.

A Google search for "Shark Tank keto" displayed four sponsored ads promoting a fake product at the top of the page. Credit: Check My Ads

Furthermore, companies offering real products and services run sponsored search ads, too, so the label itself doesn't necessarily mean a website is sketchy. In fact, many scammers have excelled at purchasing domain names for their fraudulent website that look like they can ostensibly be official URLs from an actual reputable company.

We've already detailed what a prominent role Google search plays in hawking Shark Tank keto gummies, a product which does not exist, to unsuspecting consumers. In one such instance, Check My Ads found four sponsored search results at the top of a Google search promoting these fraudulent gummies. That would be the first four links a user sees on the page.

According to Check My Ads, it reported some of the advertisers promoting these scams in mid-December. Around a month later, all of the reported advertisers were still running these ads.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 23, one of the scam advertisers is still running fraudulent Shark Tank weight loss product ads.

Organic search results

As Check My Ads discovered, even if a user was to scroll past the sponsored ads and look at organic search results, many of the links that Google ranks are also promoting the scam. 

In fact, the FTC's own page with a specific warning about scammers advertising "Shark Tank-approved" products does not appear until after the sponsored posts and a few organic posts promoting such scam products. Other articles warning users about the keto gummy scams, like this one from USA Today, also don't rank until further down the search results page.

But it's not only that Google isn't prominently showing reputable websites warning users of these scam products. Google's organic search results are ranking fake websites promoting the scam products in the top spots.

For example, Check My Ads found that the number one ranked websites in the organic search results for "Shark Tank keto gummies" is a University of Pittsburgh link. When a user clicks that link in the search results, however, they aren't taken to a page on the university's website. Instead, they are sent to a random health domain name that's set up to mimic a CBS News local affiliate page. And that imposter page is promoting the scam keto gummies to users.

The first organic result for a Shark Tank keto gummies-related search is a fake page setup by scammers. Credit: Check My Ads

Mashable has previously reported as well on Google ranking scam websites impersonating Amazon and even Google's own products, such as YouTube. In these cases, Mashable heard from users who had been scammed because they found these websites ranked highly in Google search and trusted them for that reason.

Other Google products are incentivizing these scammers, too

One of the benefits of using Google's suite of products is how well they all work together. Scammers seem to have figured this out, too. Oftentimes, if a scam is weaponizing one Google product, other Google services have been set up by bad actors to work in tandem.

When it comes to the Shark Tank keto gummy scams, Check My Ads found that the fraudsters hawking these fakes are also benefiting from Google Analytics and Adsense.

Many of the scam websites running ads for fake products are using Google Analytics to track how customers find their website in order to tweak their marketing campaigns for maximum exposure.

To double-dip on their Google-assisted earnings, some scammers run fake "review" websites where they pose as neutral third-parties giving positive ratings to their scam keto gummy products. These websites often service Google Ads which help their owners monetize the site via the Adsense program.

This has long been a problem

As we've mentioned throughout the piece, scammers utilizing Google products for financial gain is far from a new phenomenon. And Google knows about it. The company has previously provided statements to Mashable when we report on similar scam-related issues. Google, for its part, says it removes tens of millions of scam ads and rolled out stricter advertiser verification processes.

But, as Check My Ads tells us, Google runs trillions of ads a month so the ads it takes action on make up a very small percentage of the total that run. In addition, each of the advertisers running scam Shark Tank keto gummy ads that Check My Ads reported to Google were "verified" advertisers with the company.

"Fraudulent schemes like this are so common, we’ve lost sight of how wrong it is that Google casually mints cash off copyright infringement and malicious impersonation," said Nandini Jammi, co-founder of Check My Ads, in a statement. "This is absolutely not normal. We cannot accept this as a cost of doing business." 

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth manages to mostly avoid the pitfalls that come with being a direct sequel of a video game. While the story can sometimes have pacing issues and feel bloated, its incredible cast of characters, fun gameplay, and amazing side content make Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth an unforgettable adventure.

In many ways, Infinite Wealth is very similar to its predecessor, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, except much bigger in scope. Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku doubled down on what made the first game great. But because Infinite Wealth is a bigger game, it feels less focused this time around. However, its attempt to split the cast of characters between two parties helps to stomach the experience.

SEE ALSO: 'Like a Dragon Gaiden' gives longtime 'Yakuza' fans exactly what they want

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is releasing during a hugely stacked period on January 28, 2024, along with upcoming games like Tekken 8, Persona 3 Reload, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. After playing 45 hours of it, Infinite Wealth is certainly a game you don’t want to miss.

A tropical breeze

Our lovable and goofy main protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, makes his return as he tries to work an honest job as a recruiter to help other fellow Yakuza integrate back into Japanese society by giving them work. One day, however, he gets an assignment that sends him to Hawaii in order to find his birth mother who was presumed dead.

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Kasuga encounters the franchise’s previous protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, who also happens to be looking for Kasuga’s mother, too. As their goals align, they work together to track her down. For the majority of the game’s first half, both Kasuga and Kiryu explore Honolulu. The refreshed setting was an excellent and convenient way to introduce brand new allies, as Kasuga’s buddies from the first game are still in Japan.

However, the sunny adventure is repeatedly interrupted by the introduction of mini-games, though it's genuinely impressive how well thought out they are. There are two main ones, the first being Sujimon League, which is a Pokemon-like mini-game where you try to collect the various types of enemies you encounter throughout the game and have them battle each other.

The second one is called Dondoko Island, an Animal Crossing game mode. These are fun and you'll sink dozens of hours into them. But you’re forced to go through their tutorials during the story, which kills the pacing and destroys the story's immersion.

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Later on, when the story takes dark turns, your time is split between both Hawaii and Japan in a sort of dual-protagonist structure with Kasuga and Kiryu, similar to Alan Wake and Saga Anderson in Alan Wake 2. This allows you to easily keep up with the events that unfold in both places since they’re now being experienced by two different parties.

Splitting the party also lets each of them have their own smaller, sentimental moments between the characters while still keeping the story’s scope as grandiose as it is. Furthermore, it uses this as a great opportunity to reintroduce Kasuga’s previous buddies and get them acquainted with Kiryu.

Don't fix what isn’t broken

After 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon overhauled the franchise’s traditional real-time action gameplay into turn-based combat like classic Final Fantasy, Infinite Wealth continues that trend. This is where it gets incredibly silly, as we have Kasuga pretending his baseball bat is a sword and Nanba, his friend, throwing birdseed at enemies to summon a flock of pigeons to attack enemies. 

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Every single skill that these characters have is imaginative and heartful, making me genuinely laugh when I use them. My personal favorite of mine is former police officer Adachi; one of his attacks literally has him making a citizen’s arrest and has a chance of permanently removing an enemy from the battle. The way that realistic moves are reimagined into RPG attacks makes for a truly unique aesthetic and had me engaged throughout the entire game.

However, the main issue I had with the battle system is that multi-target attacks were very hard to aim precisely as everyone constantly skirted around the battlefield. While positioning is an important factor in battle, it was frustrating trying to find the right angle for my attack so that I could hit as many enemies as possible.

Sometimes, I would even wait a few seconds to see if a nearby enemy would come back into my attack’s proximity. It was also equally obnoxious when I was ready to fire off my attack and one enemy just decided to run to the opposite side of the field at the last minute. Unfortunately, Infinite Wealth doesn’t make any improvements to this at all from the previous game.

Infinite Wealth also takes cues from its inspirations and has a job system. Characters can switch professions, learn different attacks, and earn stat upgrades. It keeps the gameplay fresh and you can experiment with different formations to see which best fits your playstyle. Are you a cautious player? Switch your female characters to the Idol class and unlock their healing abilities!

Exploring the city

Most of Infinite Wealth takes place in Hawaii, a vast departure from the traditional Japan setting we’ve seen throughout the entire Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise. I was tired of seeing the typical Kamurocho and Ijincho cities for the past several games. When I saw the bright Hawaiian sun, it gave me a sense of renewed vigor and optimism I haven’t felt in ages. The change in scenery also let me appreciate what the developers were able to showcase. The towering palm trees, soft beaches, and gorgeous sunsets make me feel like I was in a Grand Theft Auto-like adventure.

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

As you explore the cities, you’ll come across sub-stories, which are unserious and fun side excursions that help balance the story’s serious stone. In one side quest, Kasuga works as a stunt double for a maniac director who doesn’t believe in CGI and wants him to dodge incoming cars to preserve the realism of the movie.

Throughout the cities, whenever the parties come across certain buildings or landmarks, they’ll make comments about them and chat amongst themselves. These conversations are non-intrusive and take place even as you’re still moving, making you feel immersed in the environment.

There’s also an incentive to seek out these conversations, too. As you engage with more side content and conversations, you’ll earn money and obtain rare items. Furthermore, your friendship meters with your party members will increase. Once they reach certain levels, you can sit down and have drinks with each of them, which unlocks their ultimate skills and ability to do follow up attacks in battle.

It’s rare to find a game with this much budget behind it while also having a tremendous amount of heart. Insomniac’s Spider-Man games and their New York settings are some of the only ones that can actually compare.

However, unlike those more concise experiences, Infinite Wealth will easily take up over a hundred hours of your time if you intend to explore everything it has to offer. It comes close to buckling over the sheer weight of its own content, but Infinite Wealth has many high highs and very few low lows.

Mashable film editor Kristy Puchko speaks to the cast of Letterkenny about the acclaimed series' finale, what they learned on the show, and some of their favourite moments from the past 12 seasons.

Letterkenny is streaming on Hulu.

The 96th Academy Awards are fast approaching, celebrating the best films of 2023. Last year, the gonzo action-comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once was the Oscar's big winner, taking home Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture. Could any film this year achieve such a feat?

Some of the major contenders in 2024 are Barbie, Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, Poor Things, The Holdovers, and Maestro, which scored nominations in major categories including Best Picture.

In a year full of outstanding cinema, these have been the big players across the Critics Choice Awards, the SAG Awards, and the Golden Globes. But smaller yet critically revered movies like Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, and American Fiction have earned some big nominations as well. Still, it's hard to say who might come out on top on Oscar night. While the nominations are decided by specific guilds — actors nominate actors, editors nominate editors — the whole of the Academy votes for the winners. So, could this still be anyone's game?

Here is the full list of the 2024 Oscar nominations:

Best Picture

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

Best Director

Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

Best Lead Actor

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Colman Domingo, Rustin

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

Best Lead Actress

Annette Bening, Nyad

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall

Carey Mulligan, Maestro

Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction

Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling, Barbie

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

America Ferrera, Barbie

Jodie Foster, Nyad

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction

Barbie

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

Best Original Screenplay

Anatomy of A Fall

The Holdovers

Maestro

May December

Past Lives

Best Cinematography

El Conde

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best Live Action Short Film

"The After"

"Invincible"

"Knight of Fortune"

"Red, White and Blue"

"The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar"

Best Animated Feature Film

The Boy and the Heron

Elemental

Nimona

Robot Dreams

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Best Animated Short Film

"Letter to a Pig"

"Ninety-Five Senses"

"Our Uniform"

"Pachyderme"

"War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko"

Best Costume Design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best Original Score

American Fiction

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best Sound

The Creator

Maestro

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Oppenheimer

The Zone of Interest

Best Original Song

"The Fire Inside," Flamin' Hot

"I'm Just Ken," Barbie

"It Never Went Away," American Symphony

"Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)," Killers of the Flower Moon

"What Was I Made For," Barbie

Best Documentary Feature

Bobi Wine: The People's President

The Eternal Memory

Four Daughters

To Kill a Tiger

20 Days in Mariupol

Best Documentary Short Subject

"The ABC of Book Banning"

"The Barber of Little Rock"

"Island in Between"

"The Last Repair Shop"

"Nai Nai & Wài Pó"

Best Film Editing

Anatomy of a Fall

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best International Feature Film

Io Capitano

Perfect Days

Society of The Snow

The Teacher's Lounge

The Zone of Interest

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Golda

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Society of the Snow

Best Production Design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best Visual Effects

The Creator

Godzilla Minus One

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One

Napoleon

How to watch: The 96th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 10, 2024, 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET

Palworld has seemingly come out of nowhere, cannonballing into Twitch feeds and Steam charts despite its extreme similarities to both Pokémon and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But considering the game is still in early access release, it's doing some major numbers.

Developed by Japanese developer Pocketpair, the action-adventure, role-playing survival game dropped on Steam, Xbox, and Windows PC on Jan. 18 and has already sold over 5 million copies in a few days. As IGN points out, that's more than Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II, which sold 4 million copies in three days, Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man (3.3 million copies), and Sony's God of War reboot (3.1 million copies).

Tweet may have been deleted

Palworld is a large open-world map that where you can build bases and "peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate." You can use the Pals to fight your battles, force them into labour roles, sell them, or eat them — it's really dark for how cute it all is.

Palworld is currently the top played game on Steam, with a peak of 1.5 million concurrent players, and a total of 74 million hours banked — overtaking Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. It's currently the third most played game on Steam behind the mighty PUBG: Battlegrounds and Counter-Strike 2.

Guess it pays to directly copy one of the biggest franchises of all time — though Pokémon fans, understandably, are beyond mad. Is something burning? Can I smell a lawsuit?

In what seems like a scenario from a sci-fi movie, a UK university will soon be projecting guest lessons from professors halfway across the globe.

Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England has begun beaming in lecturers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) using holographic technology, the Guardian reports. The lecturers, specializing in sports science, will teach fashion students how to create "immersive shows," according to the publisher. In addition, management students will also be taught.

SEE ALSO: 5 ways AI changed the internet in 2023

Loughborough University's pro-vice-chancellor Professor Rachel Thomson told the Guardian that the strategy could help the university with its sustainability goals, particularly when it comes to flying in guest lecturers from around the world. The university's director of undergraduate studies, Professor Vikki Locke, added that the holographic images are "a lot more engaging and real" to students.

The technology will be officially indoctrinated into the university's curriculum in 2025, after a trial year. The holographic figures will be projected into classrooms with the help of Proto, an LA-based company offering holographic communications.

David Nussbaum, Proto's founder, said in an interview with The Guardian, "It’s awe-inspiring, it’s jaw-dropping, I’ve been in shock at how amazing the interactions are. AI is part of our life, whether people like it or not."

The technology has long been used for entertainment purposes: posthumous performances have taken place, from Tupac Shakur headlining at Coachella in 2012, to other artists and groups holding holographic concerts, like ABBA, Whitney Houston, and Amy Winehouse. Holographic meetings are also on the horizon, as Mashable reported two years ago. And now, holograms might soon make a splash in the world of academia.

I’ve never been particularly into the sea (is anyone into the sea?). As hard as it might be to believe, unless I’m in the immediate vicinity of a big body of water, it’s not something that regularly crosses my mind. And yet this past year, I’ve spent more time thinking about the sea than ever before. Most of the time, it’s been off the back of increasingly ridiculous sea-related news stories – revenge-seeking orcas sinking boats; billionaires imploding near the wreck of the Titanic – but sometimes it’s been an obsession seemingly of my own making, like my TikTok algorithm feeding me an endless stream of shark videos.

If the intention is to make me fear the sea, though, then it’s North SeaTok that’s done it. Over the last month or so, my feed – just like everyone else’s – has been dominated by videos of the treacherous North Sea; more specifically, its oil rigs and the people who work on them. 

The clips, some of which are getting up to 100 million views, tend to follow the same pattern: boats being violently tossed around by massive waves, offshore workers dangling from oil rigs or almost being swept out to sea, the occasional orange being thrown into pitch black nothingness. They’re mostly soundtracked by the same creepy version of the sea shanty, "Hoist the Colours," which – sing it with me – goes: "Yo ho, all hands / Hoist the colours high / Heave ho, thieves and beggars / Never shall we die."

You might be thinking: OK, so what? People have always been fascinated by the frightening depths and power of the sea – even TikTok is no exception (see: Drake PassageTok). But what you should be asking is: who’s going to reap the rewards of this virality?

SEE ALSO: TikTok users report that they can no longer log in through Twitter / X

As the North Sea itself can’t capitalise on its newfound notoriety (sad!), offshore workers are doing it instead, documenting their lives on the oil rigs, giving rig tours, doing offshore daily routines, and making memes about the work. Unlike the nightmarish North Sea montages, workers tend to show the mundanity of life inside the rig: watching Netflix in their clinical bedrooms, themed dinners in the canteen, and working or hanging out in the gym, sauna, or ‘hobby’ rooms. It’s less, "We’re all going to die," as TikTok would have you believe, and more, "Working cruise with the lads." One oil rig creator, @lifeofamalie, who has 45k followers, has even started stitching the viral videos to debunk them.

That said, the montages are real, so there is some truth to them. "You do have people swinging about from the steelwork, but it’s very well-controlled and safe," confirms 45-year-old Colin from Perthshire in Scotland, who’s worked offshore for over 15 years, and now posts about it on TikTok as V9 Media. "Well, as safe as it can be hanging on to two tiny ropes." Colin himself is an industrial electrician, so can be found climbing around and dangling off the rig at night. "The work is usually quite dirty," he adds. "And it’s a noisy environment with machinery running everywhere. It’s also normally cold and windy."

Colin, like a lot of offshore workers, works three weeks on, three weeks off, including on wind turbine vessels, which he likens to prison, but admits "is usually good craic". Although, he adds: "You need thick skin, as there’s a lot of characters and relentless, good-natured piss taking that wouldn’t be allowed in a normal onshore working environment."

The terrifyingly turbulent weather can be true to life, too. "I’ve had a few scary moments with wind and waves," Colin continues. "The rigs themselves can also occasionally shut down, causing serious vibrations and noise. I’ve never seen anybody panic, though. We’re all well-trained and know what to do if something serious happens, so everybody just accepts it. Although if you plucked a civvy off the street, I’m sure most would be terrified."

SEE ALSO: TikTok's orange peel theory is the latest way to test your relationship

Like Colin, many of these workers were posting about oil rigs before North SeaTok took off, but have seen their follower counts jump in recent weeks. Some of them have even become bizarre oil rig influencers, gaining tens and even hundreds of thousands of followers. Their videos tend to be flooded with commenters asking about life and work on the rig, as well as how they can get into the industry themselves. As Colin notes: "Most people on TikTok seem to think we’re all millionaires."

"Most people on TikTok seem to think we’re all millionaires."

Although the majority of the oil rig creators I’ve come across appear to be making content of their own accord, this might not be the case for long – or even the case at all. Employers encouraging, or even paying, their employees to boost a brand’s profit or reputation by posting on TikTok isn’t new. Companies like Sephora, Chipotle, and Dunkin’ Donuts have all benefited from employee influencers, whether they encouraged it or not. You can see the draw of this for big oil companies, too, whose reputation is, rightly, in tatters; if they can humanise the industry by framing it through the eyes of happy, well-paid employees, then maybe they can shift focus from the climate catastrophe they’re – quite literally – fuelling (Britain’s oil and gas rigs are the most polluting in the North Sea, releasing as much carbon dioxide as a coal-fired power plant).

This isn’t a far-fetched idea – it’s already happening. Earlier this year, it emerged that fossil fuel giants, like Shell and BP, both of which operate in the North Sea, were employing UK influencers to push false solutions to the climate crisis and, importantly, to revamp their image. In October, for example, it was revealed that Shell had partnered with popular gamers to promote fossil fuels via Fortnite. As per DeSmog, leaked documents showed how BP hoped to use influencers to become "more relatable, passionate, and authentic" and to convince young people that they’re not "the bad guys".

Granted, there’s little evidence that this is what’s happening with the oil rig influencers, most of whom don’t even declare who they work for. Though one creator, who documents her experience as a woman on the rig and encourages other women to enter the industry, did share a dystopian-looking cake decorated with the Shell logo. "Companies can be extremely strict on their confidentiality when it comes to practices, hence the reason I’ll never disclose the platform I work on, the company I work for, nor the duty holder," says 28-year-old Mosey, an offshore mechanical technician from the north west of England who boasts almost 30k followers on TikTok. "But I think it’s great that videos are being posted. It gives people more of an idea of what life is like on an oil and gas platform. It shows the benefits as well as the negatives."

"It gives people more of an idea of what life is like on an oil and gas platform. It shows the benefits as well as the negatives."

Still, this boom and the intrigue around it is having what could be considered a desired effect for big oil companies: young TikTokkers, seemingly watching the lifestyle longingly, are asking how to get into oil and gas.

That’s not to say it’s a bad thing that these influencers exist. They’re providing rarely heard insight into their brutal and often thankless work, and showing the camaraderie that exists in such a dangerous workplace. Plus, as many of the oil rigs in the North Sea are in the process of being decommissioned (which raises controversies of its own), any independent documentation of this mysterious world is worthwhile. This is partly why Mosey started posting on TikTok in the first place. "It’s very difficult to get insight into the offshore lifestyle, so a lot of people go in blind," he explains. "I was in that exact situation before I got my job offshore only three years ago, so I’d like to provide some information from my experience of what the industry is like."

The problem arises when/if the big oil bosses start capitalising on the success of their employees – will those who’ve organically grown their platform be incentivised by money or other perks to peddle false information about the broader oil and gas industry? As they’re employees, would they have to declare this as sponsored content on platforms like TikTok, or can they embed messages covertly?

At a time when almost anyone has the means to become an influential micro-celebrity, the potential for this to be abused by employers – especially evil ones like Shell and BP – can’t be ruled out. But, like with most things on TikTok, the tide will soon turn on the North Sea, and employees in a different industry will be raking in the views. So hopefully big oil has already missed its chance.

For now, one thing’s for sure: I’d rather be swallowed up by the tempestuous waves of the North Sea than ever hear "Hoist the Colours" ever again.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

If you've dated in the past 20 years, it's almost certain that you've encountered a dating site or app. You might have even encountered a few of them (no judgement here). As our lives have moved online in recent years, digital dating has allowed us more freedom to meet others how we choose.

The only real issue with online dating is that there are a lot of sites and apps out there to consider. With so many options, it can be really tricky knowing where to find the best crop of potential partners. Each of the dating apps on offer has a selection of features that will matter differently to you depending on your lifestyle, what you want, and what's most important to you. It's simply a case of finding something that works for you. This is where we can help.

What should you include on your dating profile?

In many cases, the amount of information you can get from detailed profiles is more than what would be covered in the "traditional" period of getting to know someone. The whole "do you want to have babies" thing is a huge piece of information that could decide your future with someone, but it's very possible that such a weighty subject won't be brought up until you've caught feelings or met their parents.

However, many dating sites ask about kids — whether you want them or already have them — during the sign-up process (as well as other potentially-awkward questions), and probably won't match you with someone who has different goals than you do. Similarly, some of OkCupid's matching is rooted in political and social justice views. Will you find out if someone opposes vaccinations on the first date? Probably not, but OkCupid won't send you to get a beer with someone you'd start a fight with on Facebook.

SEE ALSO: How to start dating again after a break

Plus, it's always nice when your current booty call doesn't suck as a person. Even if you're just in it for something frisky and fleeting, the personality you can gather from a simple bio might let you know who's worthy of your time — even if that time is strictly within "You up?" hours.

Julie Spira, dating expert and CEO of cyberdatingexpert.com, says it wasn't always so easy to meet people online. She would know — she's been helping clients find love online since 1994.

"People didn’t have mobile phones and laptops, and the process was people would go home, log on slowly, see who had written to them and write back," she says. "The courtship process was a lot slower, so it took quite a while to get from the first interaction to actually going on a date. Plus in those days, there was a stigma associated with online dating. You did not tell people you met your spouse, or partner, or even a date online."

The rhetoric has clearly come a long way since then, and the digital dating landscape has evolved with people's changing needs. OkCupid realised that the way a potential match votes matters romantically to a lot of people. Women were tired of men blowing up their messages with creepy first-liners, so Bumble came along. "Tindering" is now a verb, but it's far from your only option.

Do you really need to use dating sites?

If you're lucky, you'll find a perfect match right away, but that's not usually how it works out. While you do know more about online matches than you would a stranger you met in person, there's only so much a quick dating profile can tell you.

Dating sites and apps can make finding a compatible potential partner easier, but it's still dating. Not everyone is going to be a gem. While apps like Bumble let you display what kind of relationship you're looking for, others don't, so you might end up going out with someone only to realise you're not looking for the same thing.

That said, there will be people on dating sites who are looking for the same thing as you. And using a dating app to find them is a hell of a lot easier than going up to strangers on the street or in bars and asking if they're looking for a relationship. Apps and dating websites expand your dating pool and allow you to meet people with similar interests you might not run into naturally in your everyday life. You just might need a little patience to find The One.

We haven't reached full AI-based or gene matchmaking just yet, but many modern features facilitating more meaningful matches (or quicker, safer hookups) have sprung up even in the past five years.

What is the best dating site?

Whether you're looking for something specific or a site that ticks every box, we have produced a handy guide that gives you all of the essential details. To ensure that you find a date in time for the weekend, we have tracked down a selection of the best dating sites for everyone, including popular sites like Match, eharmony, and EliteSingles.

All you need to do is check out these dating apps and pick a favourite from the bunch. Once you've made your decision, you just need to get out there and actually date someone. Good luck out there.

These are the best dating sites for finding a connection in 2024.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Online dating is pretty much the best thing that ever happened to introverts. You can scan for a potential mate without ever leaving the comfort zone of your home. Of course, you'll eventually need to get up and actually go on a date. But hey, it's better than trying to find a single cutie at the bar or approaching a random person in a cafe. That's scary stuff.

Being introverted doesn't necessarily mean you're shy, but if you are a little more reserved than outgoing, dating apps can be a great way to make a first move without feeling like you're putting yourself out there too much, too fast.

Do you need to use a dating site?

By subscribing to a dating site, you're shortening your odds of finding a connection. Dating sites and apps let you get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals, and provide the opportunity to test out a potential relationship on an app before actually meeting in real life.

SEE ALSO: Not quite dating but not hooking up either? You're in a situationship.

Subscribing to dating apps and sites is also a way less intimidating way of meeting someone compared to a face-to-face situation. If you find the idea of meeting people slightly terrifying, these apps can help you face your fears from the comfort of your own home.

Are there any dating sites designed for introverts?

Tinder seems to be the go-to for anyone dabbling with online dating, but it's not automatically an easy place to socialise just because it's behind a screen. It's crowded, full of users with unspecified intentions, and has more going on than most introverts will probably feel like dealing with. If endless swiping and next to no filters have you feeling more discouraged than hopeful, it doesn't mean you're too much of an introvert for online dating — maybe all you need is a dating site that gives you more control and the ability to take things at your own pace.

If the idea of making conversation in large groups or going up to strangers is your personal idea of hell, there are dating services out there that can cater to your specific needs. Have a hard time coming up with the perfect first line? There's an app for that. Prefer to make meaningful connections without revealing what you look like? We found a few websites with features that can let you do that too. 

Should you use free dating apps?

The good news is that there are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are good examples of free apps with massive networks of users. The bad news is that a lot of free apps simply don't cut it.

You get what you pay for with dating sites and apps, and for the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up the cash. You can still find something worth your time with a free app, but if you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading. Paid sites provide access to premium features that give you the best chance of finding something special.

What are the best dating sites for introverts?

To help improve your odds of finding the person to match your awesomeness, we have rounded up the best dating sites for introverts, including leading services like Match, eharmony, and AdultFriendFinder. There are even options specifically for hooking up, because being introverted doesn't mean you don't like to get it on.

These are the best dating sites for introverts, wallflowers, and shy people in 2024.

Apple has released iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 for the iPhone and iPad, and with it came a very important new feature called Stolen Device Protection.

We've explained what the feature does here; the short version is that it protects your data in case your iPhone or iPad gets stolen.

So how do you turn it on?

How to turn on Apple's Stolen Device Protection for iPhone

If it hasn't been turned on automatically, go to your device's Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode, enter your device's passcode, and tap to turn Stolen Device Protection on.

For the option to be available, you need to have two-factor authentication set up for your Apple ID, and have the following settings enabled on your device: a passcode, Face ID (or Touch ID for older iPhones and iPads), Find My, and Significant Locations. The first two options are, again, found under Face ID & Passcode in your settings, while Find My and Significant Locations are set up under Settings - Apple ID - Find My.

The feature is easy to turn on, but there are certain settings that must be enabled before it can work. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable How does Apple's Stolen Device Protection work?

Stolen Device Protection adds an additional layer of security that's needed to change certain settings on your phone. For example, if someone steals your iPhone or iPad, and even if they somehow found out your passcode, they still must authenticate with either Face ID or Touch ID before they can access the passwords and passkeys stored in your Keychain, use payment methods in Safari, erase all content and settings, and apply for a new Apple Card, among others. Note that these protections will only apply when your iPhone or iPad is not in a familiar location.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 16 rumors: Every single thing we know about it so far

Also, with Stolen Device Protection on, there will be a delay before certain important changes can be made to your device. For example, if your iPhone is not in a familiar location, you won't be able to change the Apple ID password or sign out of Apple ID right away. Instead, you'll have to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait for the security delay (one hour) to end, then authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again to change these settings.

Featured Video For You A brief history of the iPhone

Dell and HP are two well-known brands that offer a variety of laptops for students, business employees, and everyday users. 

You’ll find great workstations, 2-in-1 laptops, and premium options from both brands, but is one brand better than the other? If you’re looking for a new laptop and trying to decide between Dell vs HP, here’s what you need to know.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy HP Spectre 2-in-1 $1,499 Get Deal SEE ALSO: The best 2-in-1 laptops heading into 2024 A laptop’s specs are more important than the brand 

When searching for your next laptop, it’s more important to compare laptops by specs rather than by brand. Figure out how powerful your processor needs to be, whether you want a discrete GPU for a better gaming experience, how much RAM and storage you need, and whether you want a top-tier, vivid display or the standard option.

If you know which specs you’re looking for in a laptop, find similar options from Dell and HP and compare the two in terms of customization and overall value.

Dell vs HP: Price, customization, and customer service

When you search for laptops by specs on each brand’s website, you’ll find similarly priced devices with identical processors, amount of RAM, and so on. Of course, Dell or HP might run special deals that make a laptop significantly less than its twin on the other brand’s site, so it’s always worth checking for a similar laptop on both sites when you’re ready to buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell XPS 13 Plus $1,499 Get Deal

You can customize your desired processor, amount of RAM and storage, display specs, and more through both Dell and HP, but there are typically more customization options through Dell. More laptops on Dell’s site are customizable before purchase, whereas HP offers a lot of pre-built laptops with a set array of specs.

HP often allows you to customize the color of your laptop. With Dell, on the other hand, laptop color options are more limited. That said, you’ll typically find more customizable categories through Dell than HP, letting you choose between multiple CPU and GPU options, different displays, or a standard versus premium webcam.

Dell is widely regarded for having great customer service, but HP is slightly more hit-and-miss. Often, your customer support experience can depend on where you’re located, but Dell seems to be the fan-favorite brand among most online users for laptop customer service. 

Both brands offer a wide range of great laptops

Whether you’re in need of a laptop to write papers for school, draw up presentations for work, or play games for fun, both Dell and HP have plenty of unique options. The key to finding your next laptop is to research the perfect configuration of specs rather than choosing a brand first. 

Once you know what you’re looking for, find a laptop from each brand and check out reviews for that specific laptop. Keep an eye out for the new Dell XPS series as well as the HP Spectre x360 14.

TL;DR: As of January 23, get the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle for just $64.97 — usually $585.

There are so many resources online to train yourself in incredible skills, but some fields are constantly changing. For fast-growing industries like IT and cybersecurity, it may be worth it to go straight to a credible source that has some of the most recent information to teach you. 

That's why aspiring IT workers and students could benefit greatly from the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle. You can even get it for a reduced price, just $64.97 instead of $585, but that price won't be around too long.

Save on a comprehensive IT intro

If you're looking forward to a career in tech, this bundle could be a great place to get started. While courses do start with fundamental material, they do recommend some basic understanding of computers and CompTIA objectives, so give the course topics a once-over before purchasing. 

When you're ready to get started, it's up to you which class you start with. There are introductory IT fundamentals courses, lectures on network security, guides for using Linux, an introduction to cloud computing, and a whole lot more. 

This bundle itself won't certify you as an expert, but you could use it as a study guide for your CompTIA certifications. Just keep in mind that those are organized by CompTIA, so all the awesome prep material may be here, but you'd still need to register for the exams through them. 

Learn the basics of IT and cybersecurity

Get a lifetime of CompTIA study materials at a drastically reduced price.

You have until January 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle on sale for only $64.97, with no coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: CommerceNova LTD Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle $64.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: Through January 28, get Luminar Neo photo editor for $149.97 or Luminar Neo Lite for only $39.97 — you'll save over 80% on each.

In a world where we snap pics of anything from aesthetic plates of food to colorful birds to milestones like graduations and engagements, it’s only natural that we want those still moments to look their absolute best. Whether you’re an Instagrammer or an aspiring photographer, you might be interested in Luminar Neo, an advanced yet user-friendly photo editor.

For a limited time, you can get it on sale at $149.97 (reg. $752) for the full version or $39.97 (reg. $273) for the lite. Both include six packs of photo filters, making this bundle something you won’t find anywhere else.

Turn your photos into works of art

Luminar Neo received the 2022 Red Dot award for user interface design, making pro-level editing tools accessible to everyone on Windows or Mac or as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom. However, you don’t need to understand Photoshop in order to use layers, color correction, enhancements, and more when you have Luminar Neo.

You may also discover AI-powered features like removing objects, replacing backgrounds, and retouching skin to transform photos in just a few clicks. Speaking of which, you also receive six packs of preset overlays and filters to use in your photos:

• Light Reflections: 10 overlays

• Color Harmony: 10 LUTs

• Wintertime: 10 overlays

• Frosty Winter: 20 LUTs

• Tranquil Dawn Skies: 25 overlays

• Tender Blushing Skies: 25 overlays

Should you grab Luminar Neo full or lite?

All users get all of the above features. However, if you spring for the full version, you’ll also get video tutorials, creative landscape tools, advanced portrait adjustments, extensions like panorama stitching, AI-powered suggestions, and generative AI features expected to arrive soon.

Grab this award-winning photo editor while it’s on sale through January 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT at prices you won’t find elsewhere, with no coupons needed:

• Luminar Neo lifetime bundle on sale for $149.97 (reg. $752).

• Luminar Neo Lite lifetime bundle on sale for $39.97 (reg. $273)

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skylum Luminar Neo lifetime bundle $149.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Skylum Luminar Neo Lite lifetime bundle $39.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal