Mashable

Valentine’s Day can be a weird holiday to shop for, especially because every gift option seems to be covered in hearts. Ew.

Skip the heart-shaped jewelry this year and get your girlfriend something she really wants for Valentine’s Day. Whether she’s a plant mom, into tech, or a beauty guru, you'll be able to find a gift she loves. And look, we know V-Day is a sexy holiday — we've got you there, too.

SEE ALSO: Best gift ideas for people in long-distance relationships

Who says Valentine’s Day gifts have to be cheesy and romantic? Not us. You can get something thoughtful and useful. What a concept!

We dug around the internet to help you find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your girlfriend. You can still opt for traditional V-Day gifts like red roses or lingerie, but seriously: Steer clear of the heart-shaped stuff this year. Get your girlfriend something that suits her personality and shows you really know her and care about her interests.

P.S. If you're looking for Valentine's Day gifts for your boyfriend, check out our gift guide for him.

One of the more preposterous things about the Super Bowl is how we get commercials for upcoming commercials. Google is participating in that trend this year.

The folks behind the internet's primary search engine released a behind-the-scenes look of its upcoming Super Bowl ad.

The two-and-a-half-minute video focuses on the "Guided Frame" feature that dropped with the Pixel 7 a year and a half ago. This perk allows low-vision users to capture well-composed shots — and the Pixel 8 expanded it to the rear camera system last year.

SEE ALSO: Taylor Swift fans celebrate that Travis Kelce and the Chiefs are headed to the Super Bowl

The commercial will center on a blind man in a romantic relationship who uses Guided Frame to capture memorable moments with his partner. Director Adam Morse is blind himself, and in the BTS video, he talks about how they did things like rub petroleum jelly on the camera lens to simulate blindness for the viewer.

Some Super Bowl ads try to make you laugh and some of them try to make you cry. This seems like it might be the latter, though we'll have to wait until two Sundays from now to find out.

SAVE 39%: The Netgear Nighthawk M1 4G LTE mobile hotspot is just $184.14 at Amazon, down from the MSRP of $299.99. That's a savings of $115.85.

Opens in a new window Credit: Netgear Netgear Nighthawk M1 4G LTE WiFi mobile hotspot $184.14 at Amazon (save $115.85) Get Deal

The work-from-home revolution certainly has its perks. If you work remotely, your office might be at home one day, in an airport the next, and on a beach soon after. There's only one caveat to the remote work situation: you need a reliable connection no matter where you are. Today's deal at Amazon will help solve this problem for good.

As of Feb. 1, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 4G LTE mobile hotspot is just $184.14, marked down from the normal MSRP of $299.99. That's a 39% discount or a savings of $115.85. Netgear says this unlocked hotspot works best with AT&T or T-Mobile, but it's also possible to use it with Google Fi or Verizon. You'll want to grab a micro SIM card from your preferred carrier for activation.

SEE ALSO: Home gym starter kit: Everything you need to work out from home

When your home internet or the connection on the road isn't cutting it, a mobile hotspot can come to the rescue to keep devices connected reliably. The Netgear Nighthawk M1 uses a 4G LTE connection, allowing up to 20 devices to work, game, or stream.

Should you decide to head to a remote location, packing the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is your ticket to staying in the loop. From the LCD screen, you can alter settings and monitor data usage. Its ultra-portable design weighs about half a pound and measures about four inches in width and length, so it won't take up much space in your weekend bag.

Stay connected wherever you go with the Netgear Nighthawk M1 mobile hotspot, and thanks to today's deal, you'll be spending under $185 for the peace of mind of always having WiFi.

You can now generate images with Bard, Google's AI chatbot.

Today, the company announced Bard's new text-to-image capability that's powered by Imagen 2, Google's latest diffusion model. With this release, Google also shared that any image created with Imagen 2 — on Bard or Google's other generative AI tools — will have digital watermark called SynthID.

SEE ALSO: A new tool could protect artists by sabotaging AI image generators Via Giphy

Previously, you could upload images to Bard and ask it to recognize or help you with something related to that image. But asking Bard to generate an AI image for you is new.

Google has already launched AI image generation in other products like SGE (Search Generative Experience), which is still in Labs (its testing ground), and Duet AI. Imagen 2 in Bard joins the likes of other image-generating features in chatbots like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.

To ensure safe and responsible creations of AI images, "there's a clear distinction between visuals created with Bard and original human artwork," the Google announcement said. It also bans the generation of "named people" in an effort to avoid the creation of deepfakes like the recent example of Taylor Swift.

Bard's text-to-image generator is currently available in English. Other releases coming to Bard today is the availability of Gemini Pro in all supported languages and countries.

SAVE $60: The prescription-ready Echo Frames with smart audio are just $209.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $269.99. That's a 22% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Frames (3rd gen, prescription ready) $209.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal

We've seen a few iterations of smart glasses come and go, never to heard from again. But all is not lost. Thanks to today's deal at Amazon, you can grab some stylish glasses frames that come with incredibly useful audio and Alexa features.

As of Feb. 1, the Echo Frames (prescription ready) are just $209.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $269.99. That's a 22% discount or a savings of $60. Note that the frames come with demo lenses and you'll need to take them to an optician to get your prescription lenses added to the frames.

For anyone who doesn't love using headphones or earbuds, listen up. One of the coolest functions of the Echo Frames is the built-in smart audio. From the Echo Frames, you can cruise along while playing your favorite playlist, catching up on podcasts, or listening to that ever-growing list of audiobooks. The speakers in the Echo Frames are designed to direct the sound into your ears, and your ears only — minimizing the sound that could leak out to others around you. The frames do all of this without blocking your ears, so you can still take in and communicate with the world around you.

In addition the streaming audio from the Echo Frames, you can also take calls from the glasses for a hands-free experience. With continuous media playback, the glasses stay charged for up to six hours but that extends to about 14 hours with moderate usage throughout the day. It takes about 2.5 hours to recharge the frames. Removing and folding the Echo Frames automatically turns them off.

In terms of comfort, the glasses are designed with lightweight material and are both sweat and water resistant. Amazon mentions your vision insurance provider might offer a reimbursement for the Echo Frames, which is something worth checking in on if you have vision insurance.

Today's deal means you'll be spending less to give your glasses a major boost in functionality with the Echo Frames.

SAVE 30%: The Verilux HappyLight Luxe is just $69.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $99.95. That's a savings of $29.96.

Opens in a new window Credit: Verilux Verilux HappyLight Luxe $69.99 at Amazon (save $29.96) Get Deal

Welcome to February — the month when we all become convinced that winter will never end. If the cold feels like it's seeped into your bones and you dream of only warm summer nights in the backyard, today's deal at Amazon will leave you feeling refreshed.

As of Feb. 1, the Verilux HappyLight Luxe is just $69.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $99.95. That's a 30% discount or a savings of $29.96.

We're past the darkest days of winter, but that doesn't mean seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has left. The American Heart Association estimates that up to 10% of people living in North America could be experiencing SAD, a type of depression that's associated with the seasons, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The overall thought is that short days can trigger a chemical imbalance in the brain which leads to symptoms of depression that show up seasonally.

Fortunately, one of the easiest and most readily available proven treatments to help with SAD is light therapy. With 10,000 lux of UV-free full-spectrum light, the HappyLight's aim is to make you, well, happy. Verilux mentions soaking up these light rays is essential to our wellbeing with impacts on our sleep schedule, overall mood, ability to focus, and our energy levels.

Inside of the Verilux HappyLight Lux lies 168 LED bulbs, ready to boost your mood with safe UV-free light. The American Heart Association recommends exposure to light therapy is most effective in the morning for 30 to 45 minutes. The Verilux HappyLight Luxe aims to make this light therapy task simple by coming with an included but detachable stand, so you could easily set it on your bedside table or on the desk at your home office. It's thin design means it weights about two pounds, so it's travel-friendly. The back of the Verilux HappyLight Luxe also has a wall mount, so you can easily hang it next to the kitchen table to use while sipping some morning coffee.

The HappyLight Luxe has four brightness levels and three HappyHue color temperature options, so you can customize your rays. There's also a programmable timer that you can set in five minute increments, up to one hour.

Soon spring blossoms will arrive, but until then, investing in health and wellness with the Verilux HappyLight Luxe could make a world of difference.

It's a new year which means it's a great time to do a privacy checkup on your iPhone. Follow these simple steps to make sure you know who has access to your data.

If you've been craving more of Bridgerton's swoon-worthy Regency romance, you'll be pleased to know that Netflix has released a sneak peek of the highly anticipated Season 3.

The brief clip centers on this season's main romantic pairing, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). (Sorry Peneloise shippers!) We kick off in yearning central, with Penelope and Luke staring deep into each other's eyes.

"Your eyes... A most remarkable shade of blue," Penelope whispers. "And yet somehow, they shine even brighter when you are kind."

The compliment shocks Colin into speechlessness, at which point Penelope reveals that that's the kind of thing she might say to him if he were a suitor. Looks like these two have some major feelings to process. Good luck watching the clip and not screaming, "just kiss already!" at the screen. I certainly failed.

The first four episodes of Bridgerton Season 3 premiere May 16 on Netflix, and the last four on June 13.

Apple Vision Pro will launch with more than 600 apps and games, designed exclusively for the new headset, Apple has announced.

The Vision Pro, which launches on Friday, Feb. 2, will start with entertainment apps such as Disney+, Max, PGA Tour Vision, NBA, and Red Bull TV. Users will also have access to productivity tools including Box, which allows them to collaborate and securely manage files and content, the brainstorming app MindNode, Microsoft 365 productivity apps, data visualization and project management apps OmniFocus and OmniPlan, as well as apps such as Fantastical and Numerics.

SEE ALSO: Apple Vision Pro reviews are in: Here are 8 key takeaways

As far as games go, a subscription to Apple Arcade will give users access to 250 games on the Vision Pro, including NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition, Sonic Dream Team, and TMNT Splintered Fate. Titles created specifically for the Vision Pro include Synth Riders, LEGO Builder's Journey, Super Fruit Ninja, and more.

Time to slice that fruit in 3D. Credit: Apple

Finally, users will also get access to apps such as Carrot Weather, a spatial version of the snarky weather app, and The Archive, which will allow them to explore locations and artifacts from the Stark Trek universe, among others.

Of course, it won't be just 600 apps at launch; Vision Pro users will also have access to more than 1 million iOS and iPadOS apps which are compatible with Vision Pro.

“Apple Vision Pro is unlocking the imaginations of our worldwide developer community, and we’re inspired by the range of spatial experiences they’ve created for this exciting new platform,” Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, said in a statement.

The Vision Pro becomes available in a little under 24 hours, as visualized on Apple's website with a handy timer. It will be tough to get the $3,499 headset at launch, as it was effectively sold out soon after pre-orders became available in January.

Netflix released a mind-blowing number of films and TV shows in 2023, but it looks like 2024 is set to be equally jam-packed.

The streamer has some big movies on the slate for the coming year, from Adam Sandler space drama Spaceman to Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver, while on the TV side we have new seasons of Bridgerton and Squid Game too look forward to as well as Arcane and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

SEE ALSO: The best Netflix movies of 2023

Without further ado, here's Netflix's full list of movies and TV shows, ordered by release date.

Here's Netflix's movie lineup for 2024:

Bitconned — January 1

Society of the Snow — January 4

Good Grief — January 5

Lift — January 12

The Kitchen — January 19

The Greatest Night in Pop — January 29

Orion and the Dark — February 2

Lover, Stalker, Killer — February 9

Players — February 14

Einstein and the Bomb — February 16

Tyler Perry's Mea Culpa — February 23

Through My Window: Looking At You — February 23

Code 8 Part II — February 28

Spaceman — March 1

Damsel — March 8

Irish Wish — March 15

Shirley — March 22

The Casagrandes Movie — March 22

The Beautiful Game — March 29

Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver — April 19

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story — May 3

Mother of the Bride — May 9

Thelma the Unicorn — May 17

Hit Man — June 7

The Union — August 16

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F — Summer 2024

Trigger Warning — Summer 2024

The following films are scheduled for release in 2024, but don't yet have a release date:

Atlas

Back in Action

Carry-On

A Family Affair

Gut Health: The Secret Science of Eating

His Three Daughters

It's What's Inside

Lonely Planet

Meet Me Next Christmas

Our Little Secret

Rez Ball

Scoop

Six Triple Eight

Spellbound

The Deliverance

The Imaginary

The Piano Lesson

The Shadow Strays

The Tearsmith

That Christmas

Time Cut

Ultraman: Rising

Uglies

What Jennifer Did

Woman of the Hour

Joy

Here's Netflix's TV lineup for 2024:

One Day — February 8

Love Is Blind S6 — February 14 (releasing weekly)

The Vince Staples Show — February 15

Al Rawabi School for Girls S2 — February 15

Ready, Set, Love — February 15

Rhythm + Flow Italy — February 19 (episodes 1-4) + February 26 (episodes 5-7) + March 4 (episode 8)

Avatar: The Last Airbender — February 22

Formula 1: Drive to Survive S6 — February 23

The Mire: Millennium — February 28

The Gentlemen — March

The Netflix Slam — March 3

Hot Wheels Let’s Race — March 4

Full Swing S2 — March 6

Supersex — March 6

The Signal LS — March 7

Young Royals S3 — March 11 (Episode 1-5) + March 18 (Series Finale)

Girls5eva S3 — March 14

3 Body Problem — March 21

Is It Cake? S3 — March 29

Ripley — April 4

The Upshaws Part 5 — April 18

A Man in Full — Spring

Buying Beverly Hills S2 — Spring

Netflix Is A Joke Fest — May 2-12

Bridgerton S3 — May 16 (Part 1) + June 13 (Part 2)

That ‘90s Show S2 — Summer

The Green Glove Gang S2 — Summer

Arcane S2 — November

The following TV shows are scheduled for release in 2024, but don't yet have a release date:

American Primeval

Another Self S2

Anthracite

The Asunta Case

The Believers

Black Doves

Bodkin

Cobra Kai S6

Crooks S1

Dead Boy Detectives

The Decameron

The Diplomat S2

Echoes of the Past

Élite S8 (Final Season)

El Eternauta

Emily in Paris S4

The Empress S2

Eric

Exploding Kittens

Furies

Heartstopper S3

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar S1

The Helicopter Heist

Jentry Chau vs The Underworld

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory

LaLiga 24

Love Is Blind Germany S1

Love Is Blind UK S1

The Madness

Mo S2

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

The Night Agent S2

Nightmares and Daydreams

No Good Deed

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Our Living World

Our Oceans

Outer Banks S4

Outlast S2

The Perfect Couple

Perfect Match S2

Rhythm + Flow S2

Selling Sunset S8

Senna

Sprint

Squid Game S2

Supacell

Sweet Tooth S3

Terminator: The Anime Series

Thank You, Next

To Kill A Monkey S1

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On S3

The Umbrella Academy S4 (Final Season)

Unsolved Mysteries, Volume 4

Unstable S2

Untitled Erin Foster Show

Untitled Katseye Global Girl Group Music Series

Untitled Mike Schur/Ted Danson Comedy Series

Vikings: Valhalla S3

Cant wait until then? Here's the best TV shows and movies streaming on Netflix right now.

Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix All of Netflix's TV shows and movies Check out Netflix Start streaming here

TL;DR: Access free live streams of AFCON 2023 from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's that special time when it seems like all of Africa comes together for a festival of football.

The Africa Cup of Nations is really like nothing else in the world of football. This competition throws together some of the world's best international teams, players, and fans. And the result is always entertaining. We can't wait to see how things play out. And you can do the same without spending anything.

If you want to watch the African Cup of Nations for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is AFCON 2023?

The Africa Cup of Nations (or AFCON) is the main international men's association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football, and was first held in 1957.

Egypt is the most successful nation in the competition's history, winning the tournament seven times. Senegal are the current champions, having beaten Egypt on penalties in the 2021 final.

When is AFCON 2023?

The 2023 African Cup of Nations is the 34th edition of the biennial tournament. It will be hosted by Ivory Coast for the second time.

This edition of the tournament was initially planned to take place during the Northern Hemisphere's summer, in order to reduce scheduling conflicts with European club teams and competitions. However, it was postponed due to the adverse summer weather concerns in Ivory Coast.

AFCON 2023 will now take place from Jan. 13 to Feb. 11.

Where to watch AFCON 2023?

There are plenty of options when it comes to watching the 2023 African Cup of Nations:

• Australia — beIN Sports or Kayo Sports

• Belgium — RTBF

• Brazil — Band TV

• Canada — FuboTV

• France — beIN Sports

• Germany — Sportdigital

• Italy — SportItalia

• Nigeria — NTA (free and recommended)

• Netherlands — Zigo Sport

• Nordics — Viaplay

• Portugal — SportTV

• South Africa — SABC Sport (free and recommended)

• Spain — LaLiga+

• UK — BBC iPlayer (free and recommended) or Sky Sports

• USA — beIN Sports via Sling TV, FuboTV, Fanatiz, YouTube TV, or Hulu with Live TV

Unfortunately, a lot of these services are not free. And if they are free, they are geo-restricted to a certain location, meaning you'll be blocked it you attempt to connect from another country. That is unless you're equipped with a VPN.

How to watch AFCON 2023 for free

The good news is that AFCON 2023 will be shown free-to-air with popular services like NTA, SABC Sport, and BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is showing 10 games including both semi-finals and the final. NTA and SABC Sport are offering free live streaming of every game from the tournament.

All of these services are geo-restricted to certain locations, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from anywhere else in the world. All is not lost though, because anyone can access these free services with a VPN. These powerful tools hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of AFCON 2023 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 a location with free coverage (Nigeria, South Africa, or the UK)

4. Visit NTA, SABC Sport, or BBC iPlayer

5. Watch AFCON 2023 for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) £82.82 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch AFCON 2023 for free.

What is the best VPN for streaming?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 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.

Watch the Africa Cup of Nations for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Stream AFC Asian Cup matches live and free on 10Play. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

2024 has kicked off with absolutely loads of sport. We're definitely not complaining. There's nothing like live sport to beat the winter blues.

Fans are being treated to a veritable smörgåsbord this month, with something for everyone. The Masters Snooker, the Dakar Rally, and the Australian Open are all taking place in January. But what about football? Do not fear, because the AFC Asian Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations are also in this impressive lineup.

There's a lot to watch. And this is where we can help. We're always checking out the best ways for you to keep up with everything on offer. And if there's a way to watch something for free, we're all over it.

If you want to watch the AFC Asian Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the AFC Asian Cup?

The AFC Asian Cup is the primary football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation. The competition determines the continental champion of Asia.

Qatar are the current champions. Since 1984, Japan (four times) and Saudi Arabia (three times) have been the most successful teams.

When is the 2023 AFC Asian Cup?

No, this isn't a mistake. The 2023 AFC Asian Cup is taking place in 2024. Due to high summer temperatures and Qatar's participation in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the tournament was postponed while retaining the original name.

The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will be the 18th edition of the competition, and will take place from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10.

How to watch the AFC Asian Cup for free

The bad news is that it's not currently possible to watch every game from the AFC Asian Cup for free.

However, you can watch all of Australia's AFC Asian Cup matches live and free across Network 10, along with four pre-selected matches from the knockout stages. Live streaming of these fixtures is also available for free on 10Play.

10Play is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can connect to 10Play from anywhere in the world.

Access 10Play from anywhere in the world 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 Australia

4. Visit 10Play

5. Stream key fixtures from the AFC Asian Cup for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) £82.82 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to 10Play without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the AFC Asian Cup on 10Play for free.

What is the best VPN for 10Play?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking 10Play, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 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.

Watch the AFC Asian Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for February 1 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for February 1

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024:

AcrossUp to the job

• The answer is able.

Quiet periods

• The answer is lulls.

Animal in the Andes

• The answer is llama.

Nickname for the N.F.L.'s Giants

• The answer is Gmen.

The "Y" of N.Y.C.

• The answer is York.

Down100%

• The answer is all.

Like an overstuffed backpack

• The answer is bulgy.

"Me ___" (Spanish for "My name is")

• The answer is llamo.

Cartoon character who says "Be vewy vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits"

• The answer is Elmer.

Opposite of floated

• The answer is sank.

Shortcomings opens with a movie in a movie. We meet Mrs. Wong (Everything Everywhere All At Once's Stephanie Hsu), a woman in a fancy yellow gown, just as her application for a penthouse apartment gets rejected. Seconds later, her suit-wearing husband (M3GAN's Ronny Chieng) buys the entire building, prompting the two to kiss passionately in the elevator up to their new luxury home. Fireworks erupt, fairy tale music swells, and a title card proclaims that this is "just the beginning..."

Cut to an audience of rapturous viewers at the East Bay Asian American Film Festival. Everyone leaps to give a standing ovation except one disdainful man. That man is Ben Tanaka (Justin H. Min), and he will be our misanthropic guide through Randall Park's hilarious feature directorial debut, based on the graphic novel by Adrian Tomine.

SEE ALSO: Is going to a movie during the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike crossing the picket line?

While everyone around Ben gushes about the film, acknowledging that it's "a little glossy, but it's ours," he can only muster up the weak statement that it was "quite an event." As he later tells his girlfriend and festival organizer Miko (Ally Maki), he couldn't stand the "garish, mainstream" romantic comedy they just sat through, which, yes, bears a pointed resemblance to Crazy Rich Asians. Is it really a win for Asian American representation if this is the movie the community chooses to celebrate?

Ben — a struggling filmmaker himself as well as a certified film bro — would much rather Asian characters in movies have flaws, like himself and everyone he knows. It's a bit of a meta ask, as Shortcomings, itself an "event" of Asian American representation, is all too happy to oblige. Its characters are messy, selfish, and often just inches away from hitting rock bottom, and none are more so than Ben. And herein lies one of Shortcomings' most intriguing tensions: Ben is so determined to preach about how much he wants to see flawed characters, but he has absolutely no intention of addressing his own failings.

Shortcomings' Ben is a jerk who won't acknowledge his flaws — and you can't look away. Ally Maki and Justin H. Min in "Shortcomings." Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

In Shortcomings' opening minutes, Park and Tomine, who wrote the screenplay, hit us with Ben's many, many red flags. For one, he can't even pretend to be interested in the film or in Miko's work at the festival. As his and Miko's banter about representation escalates to an all-out argument, he resorts to belittling her and calling her crazy. Later, we learn that Ben has a type, and that type is "blonde white women." His unwillingness to even discuss this with Miko or understand why it might put a strain on her makes it crystal clear that this relationship is on the rocks, and has been for a while.

So when Miko gets an internship opportunity in New York, the distance between her and Ben may be just what they need. They decide they're taking a break — a term almost strategic in its open-endedness. When left to his own devices, Ben immediately takes their separation as a pass to pursue white women like movie theater employee Autumn (Tavi Gevinson) and grad student Sasha (Debby Ryan). The results are often deeply awkward, including feigned appreciation of overly edgy art and conversations about fetishism and public perceptions of interracial relationships. Shortcomings steers away from any clear resolutions on these issues, content to let the discussions speak for themselves.

But the common thread in all these conversations is Ben, who remains a messy, often hypocritical lead whether he's attempting an ill-advised hookup or hanging out with his best friend Alice (Joy Ride's Sherry Cola). While he is certainly not a "likable" main character, you just can't look away from him. Min's portrayal of Ben's own brand of assholery is proof of Shortcomings' hyper-specific characterization, something we see in Alice as well. And as much as we may disagree with these characters' actions, we immediately recognize just how real they are, and in that way, we're able to root for them to better themselves.

After a shaky start, Shortcomings finds its way. Sherry Cola and Justin H. Min in "Shortcomings." Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

Shortcomings takes several scenes to solidify its rhythm and tone, but once it does, you're in for a slice-of-life comedy that prefers understated, wince-worthy jokes to out-there laugh riots. For the most part, Tomine's dialogue is very natural, helping solidify the film's lived-in feel. There's no question that Shortcomings' best scenes are between Ben and Alice: Min and Cola volley dialogue in such an easy way that there's no doubt these are two kindred spirits. Shortcomings especially picks up momentum in the third act, when an unexpected quest unites them in strange circumstances.

The movie's opening suggests that Miko is the third point in Shortcomings' trio of main characters, but unfortunately, she doesn't get the same treatment or level of specificity as Ben or Alice. Part of this is by design: She's off in New York for most of the film, while the action remains in the Bay Area. Yet in her absence, she becomes a blank canvas for Ben's own anxieties and fear of change, and any later argument from her, delivered passionately by Maki, reads more as a life lesson for Ben.

Despite this weakness in characterization, Shortcomings remains an otherwise strong feature directorial debut for Park. If he were to watch Shortcomings, Ben may not necessarily like what it has to say about him. However, he wouldn't be able to deny that its characters have fascinating flaws — and that winds up being the film's superpower.

Shortcomings is now streaming on Netflix.

UPDATE: Aug. 4, 2023, 9:47 a.m. EDT Shortcomings was reviewed out of the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, 2023.

Five stunning animation films are competing for the gold at the 96th Academy Awards. The Boy and The Heron, Elemental, Spider Man: Across the Spider Verse, Robot Dreams, and Nimona have all been nominated for Best Animated Feature.

The five films offer a wide variety of stories and visual styles that testify to the boundless possibilities of the form. So, instead of guessing who the winner will be, we decided to pay tribute to them all.

The Boy and the Heron and Robot Dreams are not yet streaming but you can watch Nimona on Netflix, Elemental on Disney+, and Spider Man: Across the Spider Verse on Apple TV+.

Disney+ is cementing its password-sharing crackdown, bringing the policy to ESPN+ and Hulu – the latter of which is soon merging with Disney.

Hulu subscribers received an email announcing the ban on Wednesday, with the company saying it will be "adding limitations on sharing your account outside of your household."

This week, Hulu's Terms of Service was updated to reflect the company's new approach: "Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household," the ToS states, defining a household as "the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein."

The changes are set to be implemented starting on March 14.

The user agreements for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ each explicitly prevent impersonating another person by using their account and password. Last updated on January 25, the agreement states: "You agree not to impersonate or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity, including using another person’s username, password or other account information, or another person’s name or likeness, or provide false details for a parent or guardian."

As CNN points out, it is unclear when the language surrounding password-sharing was added to the agreements of Disney+ and ESPN+.

Already, Disney began restricting password-sharing towards the end of 2023, imposing the rule on the company's Canada-based subscribers. Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed his intentions to stop password sharing back in August 2023, likely following in Netflix's footsteps.

SEE ALSO: Netflix is axing its cheapest ad-free tier

"We certainly have established this as a real priority," Iger said on the subject of password-sharing during Disney's fiscal third-quarter earnings call. "We actually think that there’s an opportunity here to help us grow our business."

Since Netflix propelled the no-password-sharing initiative, the streaming service announced a bump in subscribers, with its user base hitting 247 million globally.

We know The Bear star Ayo Edebiri is adept at kitchen-themed pep talks, but can she also encourage of group of despondent Saturday Night Live writers?

In the skit above the answer is no, no matter how many inflated facts she makes up about viewing figures.

The thing that finally gets everybody excited and ready to work, though? When Edebiri casually mentions that Jennifer Lopez is the musical guest. To be fair, that is pretty exciting.

Gaming is an expensive hobby. Dedicated gamers already know that we spend way too much money on consoles, gear, games, and more year after year. But we do it anyway, because we love it. Being a gaming hobbyist requires a big investment of both time and money, but the unforgettable experiences you reap from playing your favorite games are worth every second, and every penny.

So, you're thinking about picking gaming up as your new 2024 hobby? We're happy to hear it, and we want to help you start building your dream gaming setup. Let's get into what you'll need for your gaming starter kit.

SEE ALSO: The 50+ best gifts for gamers that they won't already have Which console should I get?

You'll hear purists say that you're either a console gamer or PC gamer, but to us, there's no reason you can't be both. We think having at least one of the big-name, non-handheld consoles is absolutely necessary to have a well-rounded gaming setup. But which one should you choose? Well, you have two main choices: PlayStation or Xbox.

Eventually, you'll probably want to have one of each, but the first one you get should be chosen wisely. You can't go wrong with either a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, although each does certain things better than the other.

For those who prefer single-player narrative games that are packed to the brim with showstopping set pieces and cinematic cutscenes, we say go for the PlayStation 5. PlayStation is king when it comes to exclusives — The Last of Us, God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, and others among them. The PS5 also has speedy processing power thanks to its internal SSD and comes with immersive features like enhanced haptics and adaptive triggers within the console's controller.

The Xbox Series X and S are also powerful gaming machines in their own right, but in our minds, the main draw is the ability to take advantage of Xbox Game Pass. It's basically the Netflix of video games, unlocking access to a massive library of titles that you can download and play at your leisure. If you want to try out a large number of games without spending an unbelievable amount of money, this is the route you'll want to go. Plus, Game Pass memberships are pretty affordable. Oh, and the Xbox's Quick Resume feature is a game-changer.

SEE ALSO: CES 2024: This 14-inch gaming laptop is so light, I thought it was a toy Should I build a PC?

Eventually, you may want to build a custom PC rig from scratch. Why wouldn't you? They're super cool. But we don't recommend it for beginners just starting out in the gaming space. Building a gaming PC can get really complicated (and expensive), and you probably won't want to spend the early moments of your new hobby frustrated about what parts you should or shouldn't buy. Let's save that for somewhere down the line.

If you really want the PC gaming experience right off the bat, we recommend starting with a gaming laptop (like the Lenovo Legion Slim 7i) or even a Steam Deck if you prefer going handheld.

What do I need for my beginner gaming setup?

We're going to assume you're at least starting with a decent TV and WiFi connection; so as long as you have that baseline established, we're ready to move on to our top picks. (Need a gaming TV recommendation? Our favorite is the LG C2 OLED Evo.)

Below, all the products we think you need to build the perfect beginner's gaming starter kit.

Wondering how to edit a photo?

Perhaps you took a great selfie over the weekend, or just got back from a trip, and are looking to post your photos on social media.

Whether it's cropping out that unaware photobomber in the corner or brightening the image, it’s easy to edit a photo. You don’t need to be a photography savant. With a few basic steps, your images can be elevated in mere moments.

How to edit a photo

There are several free services available like Canva, BeFunky, etc. However, many users default to using Adobe’s Photoshop simply because of its toolset and array of features. Be aware that Photoshop does cost $22.99 per month.

Step 1: Import your photo by selecting File and Open. Next, select your image. 

Step 2: To adjust vibrancy and color, select Filter from the top menu and Camera Raw Filter. Select Auto from the right-hand bar to use Photoshop’s suggested adjustments. 

Credit: Steve Vegvari

Alternatively, scale Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, etc. manually to your preference. 

Step 3: To crop an image, select the Crop tool from the left-hand sidebar (or C key). Select and adjust the grid to your liking. You can also type in the desired width and height in the top menu bar.

Credit: Steve Vegvari

You can also straighten a photo by selecting the Straightening tool. Draw a line across the photo and Photoshop will automatically straighten it to match the line.

Step 4: To clean up an image, select Spot Healing from the left-hand bar. This can help remove unwanted pixels, spots, and blemishes on the photo. 

Step 5: Clone Stamp, also found on the left-hand bar, can be used to select a reference point and paste those referenced pixels elsewhere. This is useful for removing or adding subtle elements to the photo. 

Step 6: Go to File and select Save As. You’ll then want to select whether to save it on your PC or via Adobe Creative Cloud. If saving on your PC, the file will automatically save as a .psd file. 

Credit: Steve Vegvari

Once your photo is saved, you can then upload it as you see fit. Even the smallest edits can do wonders for a photo. 

Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) may be known in Olympian circles as the son of Poseidon (Toby Stephens), but let's be real: He's Sally Jackson's (Virginia Kull) son first.

Rick Riordan's original Percy Jackson and the Olympians novels highlight Percy's mortal mother, emphasizing her love for her son and the sacrifices she's made to keep him safe. The TV adaptation builds on this base, taking advantage of its new medium to expand on Sally's perspective. In the show, Sally plays a more active role in telling Percy about his parentage, and we get several flashbacks to the struggles she faced while raising Percy.

SEE ALSO: How is 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' different from the books?

"A bad version [of Percy Jackson and the Olympians] could have just been a humdrum YA series, but this was going off-script a little bit and adding these moments for older fans or the parents of kiddos who are watching, these moments of real, complicated, messy human life," Virginia Kull told Mashable in a video interview. "We see a parent trying their best, and it's funny and odd and hard and sad."

Even though Sally is trapped in the Underworld for most of Season 1, her presence in the first episode and in flashbacks keeps Percy's quest grounded. Yes, he's on a journey to stop an all-out war between the Olympians, but he's also just a kid trying to save his mom from harm. It's a role reversal from their usual dynamic, where she worked tirelessly to hide him from any dark forces that wished him harm.

These efforts range from giving Percy swimming lessons to marrying a smelly mortal in order to disguise Percy's half-blood scent from denizens of the Olympian world. In a particularly painful series of memories that play out in episode 7, we also see how Sally tried to send Percy to boarding schools that would distance him from the monsters of New York City. An upset Percy, believing Sally just wants to push him away, refuses to get out of the car at one school, causing Sally to yell at him.

"I was excited about giving audiences a glimpse of Sally when she's not at her best, when she loses her cool, because that's real," Kull said. "Every parent has had to hold their kid down in the doctor's office to get something done. You don't want to do it, but you have to because it's to keep them safe. And so showing something like that, although it might not be fun, I think it feels true."

Virginia Kull and Azriel Dalman in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

To further ground her performance in reality, Kull drew inspirations from the architects of Percy Jackson, Rick and Becky Riordan themselves. Both serve as executive producers on the series and were on set while shooting. "When I've heard Becky speak about her own children and what it is to be a parent, I find the clear-headed, truthful way in which she speaks really inspiring," said Kull. "And I tried to take from that and infuse some of that into Sally."

Sally is, in many ways, one of the most key storytellers in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Our introduction to her is a scene in which she tells Percy the story of Perseus, a moment whose purpose is not just one of fun, but of education and preparation for the day when Percy inevitably learns the truth.

"Sharing the stories with him is a daily reminder that life for him and her is going to change irrevocably and seismically very soon," said Kull. "So, on the one hand, she's telling stories to connect. On the other hand, she's telling stories to prepare him and also say goodbye."

In taking on the role of "reluctant storyteller," as Kull describes it, Sally has some of the show's most impactful lines — many of which could also serve as thesis statements for the series. Take her assertion that not everyone who looks like a monster is a monster, and apply it to Percy's encounter with beings like Medusa, who have their own painful backstories. And when she tells Percy, "You are not broken, you are singular," it serves as a reassurance to both Percy and to every viewer who's ever felt different.

Another line that resonated with Kull comes from Sally's discussion with Poseidon in episode 7, when she says, "I want him to know who he is before your family tries to tell him who they want him to be." It's moments like that, where Sally emphasizes Percy's humanity and individuality over his half-blood nature, where Kull really found her character's heart.

"To her, Percy's more than just a demigod. He's a kid who wakes up with bad breath and messy hair, and who cries when he stubs his toe. His humanity is his superpower and the thing she adores most about him and is trying to protect," Kull said. "That's why she doesn't want him to go to camp yet, because she can't bear that her days with him are numbered. I think that's the devastating, beautiful tragedy of her story."

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is now streaming on Disney+.