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Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
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NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for September 18

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:02

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for September 18's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for September 18 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

  • Yellow: Places to have a small get-together

  • Green: Hot tip

  • Blue: Trailer

  • Purple: Misspelled cartoon dogs

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

  • Yellow: Gathering Spot Outside A Residence

  • Green: Lowdown

  • Blue: Kinds of Reels

  • Purple: Cartoon Dogs Minus "Y"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #465 is...

What is the answer to Connections today
  • Gathering Spot Outside A Residence: DECK, PORCH, STOOP, YARD

  • Lowdown: DISH, DOPE, INFO, SCOOP

  • Kinds of Reels: BLOOPER, DEMO, HIGHLIGHT, SIZZLE

  • Cartoon Dogs Minus "Y": DROOP, GOOF, LAD, SNOOP

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

Hurdle hints and answers for September 18

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:02

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

An adjustment.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for September 18 Hurdle Word 1 answer

ADAPT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

During.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for September 18 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

WHILE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A deceitful copy.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for September 18 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DECOY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A film genre. Or conflict.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for September 18 Hurdle Word 4 answer

DRAMA

Final Hurdle hint

Soft and maybe a little sticky.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

GOOEY

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Categories: IT General, Technology

'Eden' review: Ron Howard's island drama is numbingly dull, and ugly as sin

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:00

Ron Howard is on something of a survival thriller kick. After returning to his Apollo 13 roots with In the Heart of the Sea in 2015, and the more recent Thirteen Lives, his newest film is Eden, a story in a similar vein also based on real events. Unfortunately, the fourth time isn't a charm, and only proves the Howard haters correct in their assertion that the Solo: A Star Wars Story helmer is largely a journeyman, with little style (or substance) of his own.

The star-studded drama is a dud. It has little by way of theme or rigorous meaning, and is told with one of the most offensively dull color palettes digital cinema has to offer. The cast certainly gives it their all, making commendable strides toward fleshing out Noah Pink's screenplay (from a story by Howard and Pink), but too much visual and emotional detail is lost at every turn, making Eden something of a curio. It's hard not to wonder how it ended up being presented in its final state.

What is Eden about?

Based on the accounts of several survivors who formed an impromptu commune in the Galápagos, the film is set on the (in)famous Floreana Island, and adapts the broad strokes of real events — the who’s who, and who died and survived — but adds dramatic speculation to exactly how everything went down. Floreana was uninhabited until 1929, when the pompous Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his partner Dore Strauch (Vanessa Kirby) arrived from Berlin to set up camp on the tiny volcanic landmass. World War I, the ensuing economic crash, and Germany's resurgent fascism had sent Ritter looking for not just a new place to live, but an isolated stronghold where he could write a manifesto to guide humanity toward a harmonious new beginning. The film also hints that Strauch's multiple sclerosis may have been a reason she accompanied him, perhaps in the hopes of recovery, but her needs are secondary to the desires of her narcissistic beau.  

SEE ALSO: 'We Live in Time' review: Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield in the biggest cinema disappointment of the year

The film is set several years into their residency on Floreana, when a family of three — having read, in various newspapers, the letters Ritter sent back to mainland Europe — arrives in hope of a similar escape. Daniel Brühl plays Heinz Wittmer; Sydney Sweeney plays his pregnant, younger wife, Margaret; and Jonathan Tittel plays Heinz's teenage son (and Margaret's stepson), Harry. The Wittmers are curious and well-meaning, though Ritter — an isolationist, despite his egalitarian principles — wants nothing to do with them, so they set up camp several miles away. Minor tensions start to simmer between the two houses, but these don't fully explode until a third, more chaotic group arrives and begins sowing seeds of dissent between Ritter and the Wittmers.

Led by the self-proclaimed heiress Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas), with her two helpers and lovers in tow (Toby Wallace and Felix Kammerer), this hedonistic trio plans to set up an island resort on Floreana, where they hope to welcome wealthy guests. Their intrusion on Ritter and the Wittmers' (admittedly uneasy) paradise is ripe for allegory concerning the way wealthy classes historically extract resources at the cost of peace, but this is just one of the movie's many hints that go practically nowhere.

What is the meaning behind Eden's survivalist tale?

As rivalries ensue and factions form, Eloise proves a master manipulator, and becomes the movie's most (and perhaps only) entertaining character, courtesy of de Armas' bravura. She feels like a typhoon whose only purpose is to shatter the existing status quo. However, that status quo is seldom interesting on its own. The closest it comes to intrigue is when Howard's camera zeroes in on Ritter's attempts to write in isolation. Law's temperament betrays a fidgety impatience, but his posture always is regal, creating a magnetic pull-and-push about his character.

Unfortunately, few characters in the story are either drawn to or repelled by him, let alone in the same breath. He simply exists as a temperamental figure whom everyone accepts from a distance as he makes grandiose claims about fixing the world. Eloise is his counterpart in a sense — equally, if not more, fraudulent — but rare are the moments in which Eden takes advantage of this thematic twinning. For the most part, the film treats survival in the most technical, linear, and literal fashion, despite a setting that is functionally purgatory (the film's Biblical title invites such reading, too).

Survival, for the likes of Heinz and Margaret, is about collecting food and water, and getting through pregnancy intact, but it's never about any underlying questions that test their beliefs or their resolve. And unlike the great island stories of modern culture — The Lord of the Flies and Lost first spring to mind — the characters' (and society's) larger problems don't travel to Floreana, leaving only Eloise's individual quirks as sources of incitement. Had the movie's setting been radically different (a train, a cruise ship, perhaps a hotel), it's unlikely things would have played out much differently.

The struggles in Eden stem not from mistrust or inner folly, but the question of how best to grow vegetables, or how to most efficiently ward off wild dogs, and yet the film isn't particularly invested in the process of survival, either. Instead, it maintains an air — a pretense — of greater significance, when no such thing exists. Part of this disconnect is also owed to how Howard and cinematographer Mathias Herndl capture the island itself, and the characters and their world at large, which makes the movie especially tough to watch.

The cinematography in Eden works against its story.

Eden is a ugly film, though not in a way a survival saga ought to be. There’s a visual unseemliness that suits such a story, the kind that emphasizes the murky, the solemn, the dangerous — like in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. Here, it's not the ugliness of oppressive surroundings that defines Floreana, but the ugliness of the texture itself, and its noncommittal nature.

The film's gloomy desaturation works at times, though it’s applied as a constant filter from start to finish, and never evolves alongside the characters' perspectives on the island — even when they first see the place as a heavenly abode, rich in resources. When the characters eventually turn on one another, there’s little sense that their surroundings have contributed to this in any way. 

SEE ALSO: 'Better Man' review: All hail Robbie Williams, a chimp for all seasons

Even taken at its word, as the depiction of a theoretically omniscient and dramatically ironic viewpoint, the movie's aesthetic issues don't end there.

Perhaps a greater problem than the amount of color in each frame is the amount of contrast, or the sheer lack thereof. Characters' faces constantly fall into muddy grays, rendering anything resembling the drama of shadows completely null. Every tint begins to look and feel the same, from tree barks to human flesh (with not so much as a hint of how people might become one with their environments). It's ghastly to look at, and swallows up any sense of detail.

For instance, a stray line about Ritter's teeth early on gestures toward an element of his character. Heinz makes mention of the doctor having yanked out his own teeth for medical reasons, leaving one to assume the extent of this procedure; perhaps it’s a molar or two, in the back of his mouth. However, when he’s seen putting on metal dentures well into the runtime, it turns out that all of Ritter’s teeth are missing. This is the first time any real attention is drawn to his mouth, but the film isn’t trying to hide this fact, or present it as a major reveal. It’s simply one of the many dramatic details (and character idiosyncrasies) obscured by the movie’s haphazard color-timing approach. 

Similarly, scenes that should be flooded with intensity are instead awash in blandness. Nothing about the human face and the human eyes, and thus human soul, can be fully hidden or properly accentuated when every part of the frame looks equally dull, and feels equally lifeless and bloodless in the process. 

To add to this, the movie goes on well beyond its natural endpoint: a moment of mistrust made manifest, which seems to push several characters beyond their brink, and makes them wrestle with their moral spines. But in its need to capture real events as they happened (albeit with its own spin on some of them), Eden far overstays its welcome, like an unwanted, unpleasant houseguest who just won't take the hint. Ironically, that's as close as the movie gets to embodying any of its characters' points of view.

Eden was reviewed out of its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Give your dusty old film reels a second life with Kodak's converter for $50 off

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:00

TL;DR: Now you can easily convert 8mm and Super 8 films to digital files with the Kodak Reels Digitizer, on sale now for $349.99 (reg. $399.99) — no computer needed, just plug in and go.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kodak Kodak Reels 8mm & Super 8 Film Digitizer with 5-inch Screen $349.99 at the Mashable Shop
$399.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Remember those old home movies stored on 8mm or Super 8 film? Chances are they’ve been sitting in a dusty box for years because finding a projector — let alone one that works — is like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s where the Kodak Reels 8mm and Super 8 Film Digitizer comes in. This Kodak film digitizer is now sale for $349.99 (reg. $399.99) at the Mashable Shop, giving your precious family memories a fresh digital life without the hassle of outdated equipment or complicated setups.

With this device, you can effortlessly convert your 8mm and Super 8 films to digital even if you aren't a tech expert. It’s as simple as loading up the film and watching your footage come to life on the large 5-inch screen — no extra gear or computer required. This digital converter can accommodate film reels ranging from 3-inches to 9-inches.

Whether it’s an old family vacation or grainy birthday footage, you can easily preview it on the screen and capture it directly onto an SD card. That means no cables, no computers, and definitely no film degradation. Plus, it supports SD cards up to 32GB, so you can archive all those classic moments without running out of space.

Kodak really thought of everything with this one. The machine captures your film at a crisp 1080p resolution, ensuring your old footage gets a clear, high-quality digital makeover. And with the built-in editing software, you can even tweak your videos right on the device. You can convert at speeds of up to 30 frames per second, so this won't feel like a never-ending project.

So, if you’ve been sitting on decades of family footage, it’s time to bring them into the 21st century.

Preserve and relive your favorite moments with the Kodak Reels 8mm and Super 8 Film Digitizer on sale for $349.99 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get 2TB of cloud storage for life for just $90

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:00

TL;DR: For $89, FileJump gives you lifetime access to 2TB of secure cloud storage so you can save, sync, and share your files with ease.

Opens in a new window Credit: FileJump FileJump 2TB Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription $89.00
$467.00 Save $378.00 Get Deal

Sick of paying monthly fees for cloud storage? Meet FileJump, the 2TB lifetime cloud storage solution that saves you from recurring bills while offering a secure, accessible, and user-friendly platform.

Whether you’re juggling work files, personal documents, or a growing collection of photos and videos, FileJump has your back — and it’s here to stay, with no expiration date. For a limited time, get 2TB of cloud storage from FileJump for life for just $89.

FileJump ensures your data stays secure with 256-bit AES encryption, giving you peace of mind knowing your files are safe. And with no limits on download speeds or transfers, you can access and share your files as quickly as you need, without the restrictions many competitors impose.

One of FileJump’s biggest selling points is its ease of use. No complicated setups or tech jargon — just a simple drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to upload and manage your files. You can use Chrome or Firefox and easily toss your files into the cloud without the headache. Plus, the lifetime subscription means you’ll never have to worry about running out of space or dealing with sneaky upsell attempts down the road.

Want to preview an image, video, or even an Excel file? No need to download anything first — FileJump lets you view your content right in your browser. And for those who need to collaborate, it offers easy sharing options. Just send a link or create free accounts for clients or team members to access exactly what they need.

If you’re looking for affordable, secure, and limitless cloud storage, get a lifetime subscription to 2TB of cloud storage from FileJump on sale for $89.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Outsmart your workload by learning AI automation with ChatGPT for just $25

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:00

TL;DR: For $24.97 until September 29, these ChatGPT Automation courses offer a hands-on approach to mastering AI and task automation, with eight courses to get you started.

Opens in a new window Credit: Eduonix Learning Solutions ChatGPT & Automation E-Degree $24.97
$790.00 Save $765.03 Get Deal

AI is more than a buzzword; it’s becoming a valuable tool for anyone looking to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.

Whether you’re already dabbling in automation or just starting to understand AI, ChatGPT Automation courses are the perfect tool to give you the practical skills you need to thrive. Get it on sale for just $24.97 through September 29.

This program is designed to help you become well-versed in AI-powered automation, and with eight courses led by industry pros, you’ll be navigating the world of ChatGPT in no time.

One of the standout courses is Mastering ChatGPT and OpenAI for Automation, which walks you through the nuts and bolts of setting up workflows and automating repetitive tasks — great tools to learn for if you’re tired of manually handling the same processes day in and day out. By the end, you’ll know how to use AI to free up time, boost efficiency, and streamline your daily operations.

Another must-take is AI-Powered Automation for Business, where you’ll dive deeper into using ChatGPT and OpenAI tools to enhance productivity in real-world business applications. Whether it’s automating customer service responses or creating smarter marketing campaigns, you’ll walk away with practical skills that can make a serious impact on your career or business.

No prior experience in AI is required. This instruction takes you from a total newbie to someone who can confidently navigate the world of AI and automation, all while helping you stay competitive in an ever-evolving job market.

Build both foundational knowledge and advanced skills with this ChatGPT and Automation online learning package on sale for $24.97 until September 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Tired of fumbling with your Apple TV remote? This one has buttons

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:00

TL;DR: For $34.97 through September 29, ditch the frustrating Apple TV remote and switch to this Bluetooth and Infrared button remote that makes controlling multiple devices easy.

The Apple TV remote is sleek — but also ridiculously frustrating. If you’re tired of constantly sliding your finger across that touchpad, struggling to hit the right button, or endlessly hunting for the tiny remote between couch cushions, you’re not alone. Many people are fed up with the native Apple TV remote. The good news? You don’t have to settle for it anymore.

Meet the Button Remote for Apple TV (and Apple TV 4K), on sale for $34.97 until September 29, which takes the headache out of navigation with traditional buttons, letting you quickly move through menus, adjust the volume, or switch apps with actual tactile control.

It’s Bluetooth- and infrared-enabled, meaning it works with both newer and older models of Apple TV — plus over 100 other brands of TVs, soundbars, and receivers. Imagine finally having one remote to rule them all.

This remote gives you full control, whether you’re hopping between Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+, or managing your home entertainment system. It’s built to give you a smooth, frustration-free experience every time you sit down to binge-watch.

With its dual technology and compatibility with a wide range of devices, this remote is the smarter, simpler way to enjoy your Apple TV.

Until September 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get the Button Remote for Apple TV and Apple TV 4K on sale for $34.97 (reg. $39).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV/Apple TV 4K (Bluetooth + Infrared) $34.97
$39.99 Save $5.02 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

Ready for a wireless upgrade? This $45 CarPlay adapter makes it easy

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:00

TL;DR: Through September 29, get the Ottocast U2-Air Wireless CarPlay Adapter for $44.97 and enjoy seamless wireless CarPlay on the road.

Dealing with tangled cables every time you hop in the car? This 2022 version of the Ottocast U2-Air Wireless CarPlay Adapter lets you ditch the cords and switch to wireless CarPlay in just seconds. Instead of plugging your phone in every time, this adapter automatically connects your iPhone to your car’s CarPlay system as soon as you turn on the ignition.

Now, your favorite apps, navigation, and music are ready to go — without the hassle. And this open-box model is on sale for half off at $44.97 (reg. $89) until September 29.

If you're wondering what "open-box" means, all it indicates is that it's been returned and repackaged, or that it was excess inventory. But don't worry — it's a brand-new item.

Unlike traditional wired CarPlay, which can be limiting, wireless CarPlay gives you a smoother, more intuitive experience. No more worrying about whether your charging cable is in the car or if it's long enough to reach. With this adapter, you’ll free up your USB ports and preserve your phone’s charging port — all while enjoying a clean, modern setup, giving you the freedom to move around or hand your phone to a passenger without unplugging.

The 2022 Ottocast model is designed for quick setup and stable connections, so you won’t be dealing with annoying dropouts or lag. It’s the same CarPlay experience, but better — with all the apps, voice commands, and features you love.

If you’re ready for a hassle-free upgrade, check out this open-box model of the OTTOCAST U2-AIR Wireless CarPlay Adapter 2022 Edition on sale for $44.97 until September 29.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ottocast OTTOCAST U2-AIR Wireless CarPlay Adapter 2022 Edition (Open Box) $44.97
$89.99 Save $45.02 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for September 18

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 09:56

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: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, September 18, 2024:

AcrossDoc treating a dachshund
  • The answer is Vet.

"Nice going!"
  • The answer is Bravo.

Tended to, as a squeaky wheel
  • The answer is Oiled.

Drop a few bucks
  • The answer is Spend.

Last word before the starting pistol goes off
  • The answer is Set.

DownParking pro
  • The answer is Valet.

Divisible by two
  • The answer is Even.

Mary ___ Lincoln, first lady of the 1860s
  • The answer is Todd.

Mr. Burns's relationship to Homer Simpson
  • The answer is Boss.

Ready for picking
  • The answer is Ripe.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Mini Crossword.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Strands hints, answers for September 18

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 09:50

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for September 18 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for September 18 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Handy helpers

These words allow you to get things done.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are all related to tools

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is ToolChest.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for September 18
  • Wrench

  • Screwdriver

  • ToolChest

  • Pliers

  • Hammer

  • Level

  • Knife

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bong Joon-ho's 'Mickey 17' trailer keeps killing Robert Pattinson in sci-fi thriller

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 07:54
The official trailer for Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi film 'Mickey 17' is here, featuring Robert Pattinson dying over and over again.
Categories: IT General, Technology

Learn to use ChatGPT like a pro with this £18.97 bundle

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 05:00

TL;DR: As of Sept. 18, get the ChatGPT & Automation E-Degree courses for only £18.97 — a 96% discount.

You may have used AI tools like ChatGPT, but that doesn't mean you already know how to get the best results out of them. If you've spent hours refining your prompts and still can't get the exact response you want, it might be time to study up with the ChatGPT and Automation E-Degree. 

This online learning opportunity is made up of 12 lectures on everything from tailoring ChatGPT to your industry to streamlining business processes with automation tools. You can even explore how AI and data visualisation can intersect. Get the whole bundle while it's on sale for £18.97. 

Become an AI expert

There's a lot more to ChatGPT than asking it to write your emails or summarise the articles you don't have time to read. This bundle gives you the chance to learn more about using AI to amplify your own creativity, while also learning how to apply this tool to your business, including using ChatGPT to visualise data for you. Keep in mind that access to AI software isn't included in this bundle, but you may be able to use your own free OpenAI membership for some lessons. 

Each course is taught by a professional from Eduonix Learning Solutions, and you can progress at your own pace. All course materials are yours for life and can be viewed or re-viewed as many times as you'd like. 

Find out how to automate your industry 

Make sure to check out each lesson on using automation to make your own job easier. You might be wasting time on repetitive tasks you could easily delegate to AI. 

See what AI and automation tools can do to make your life easier when you get the ChatGPT and Automation E-Degree course on sale for £18.97. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Eduonix Learning Solutions ChatGPT & Automation E-Degree £18.97 at the Mashable Shop
£600.20 Save £581.23 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

3 months of Kindle Unlimited is available for free

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 05:00

TL;DR: A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is available for £0, saving you over £20 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Unlimited Kindle Unlimited (3-Month Subscription) £0 at Amazon Get Deal

Prime Big Deal Days is back on Oct. 8-9, but you don't need to wait for those dates to save. Some of the best deals are already live, and you don't even need to spend anything to get involved.

A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is available for £0, saving you £28.47 on list price. After the three-month promotional period, your subscription will automatically renew at the monthly rate of £9.49 for Prime members. You can cancel this automatic renewal function at anytime though, so there's no pressure to pay anything.

Kindle Unlimited provides unlimited reading and listening on any device, with over 1 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and selected magazine subscriptions available on any device. That's a lot of content, and it could be all yours for absolutely nothing.

Kindle Unlimited subscribers with active free trials or paid memberships are not eligible for this exclusive promotion. Customers who have benefited from a Kindle Unlimited promotion or free trial within the past 36 months may also miss out on this offer. But everyone else can profit from this Prime Big Deal Days giveaway.

Get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple leaks new info about the rumored redesign of the upcoming Mac Mini M4

Tue, 09/17/2024 - 21:18

Apple's big September iPhone event has come and gone and we now know all about the new iPhone 16, a new line of AirPods, and the Apple Watch 10. However, there's still not an M4 Mac or MacBook.

That will be changing very soon, it seems.

SEE ALSO: Apple's new M4 Macs are probably coming in November

Apple appears to have leaked news of a brand new Mac Mini. The leak brings hints of what to expect with the latest desktop Mac and seems to have confirmed rumors about a major redesign.

The new Mac Mini M4 coming soon

The latest Mac operating system, macOS Sequoia, launched on Monday. And, it seems like that launch has brought about a hidden confirmation from Apple about the upcoming Mac Mini M4.

MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris noticed an interesting tidbit in a new line of code from Apple. The line refers to "Apple silicon Mac mini (5 Port)."

Tweet may have been deleted

This bolsters evidence for a previous report from Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman. According to Gurman, Apple is planning to launch a new Mac Mini that's not only powered by the latest and most powerful M4 chipset, but also one that's completely redesigned. The new Mac Mini M4 is supposedly no larger than the Apple TV set-top box. This would be the first change in design for the Mac Mini since 2010.

In order to make the Mac Mini even smaller, reports suggested that Apple was going to remove USB-A ports completely from the tiny desktop. Apple will instead include 5 USB-C ports, which is likely what the "5 Port" mentioned in that code is referencing.

In addition, this is the closest we have to an "official" confirmation so far that a new Mac Mini is on the way. With one last Apple event of the year in either October or possibly November being heavily rumored, a new Mac Mini seems overwhelmingly likely to be part of the new crop of M4 Macs expected in 2024.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 'Gen Z marketing script' trend is not giving

Tue, 09/17/2024 - 20:09

"Northumberland Zoo hits different," a white-haired employee of the establishment says in a resigned tone over TikTok. He then proceeds to make a "Gen Z hand heart" — created using your middle and index fingers — with his fellow white-haired colleague. The video garnered nearly 8 million views and over 1 million likes on the app and is part of a trend where Gen Z employees write the script for their company's social marketing videos.

SEE ALSO: 'Beetlejuice lips' TikTok trend celebrates the natural creases of your lips

In these videos, the script is full of internet expressions like "it's giving," "very demure," "brat summer," etc., and the people reciting the script are noticeably older. It implies Gen Z idiocy and Gen X / Boomer gullibility.

It's the latest iteration of businesses using their Gen Z employees — and their internet savvy — for attention and engagement online. Previously, "Gen Z interns" edited their employer's videos in quirky, unprofessional ways. There was also a period of "guess who is Gen Z" TikToks made in the workplace. The latest spin on the trend relies on "Gen Z vocabulary" or online slang, which, more often than not, is misidentified African American Vernacular English.

SEE ALSO: From yap to pookie, 2024's most viral internet slang defined

Milking invented generational difference is tired, and a TikTok trend explicitly created for marketing is never much fun. They fill our feeds with even more advertisements masquerading as culture.

However, some videos in the current wave of the Gen Z intern trend maintain a bit of charm due to the types of businesses it attracts. In one, a woman walks around Fyfield Manor, an 880-year-old bed and breakfast, saying things like, "See the garden? It's giving relaxation." The video received over 11.4 million views and 2.2 million likes. In another, actors decked out in Regency-era dress greet "besties" and show viewers around the Jane Austen Centre to the tune of over 125,000 views and 22,000 likes.

When these videos lack the dichotomy between historical England and internet slang, they tend to fall flat — with the exception of zoos. Zoos have some of the most pleasing and innately viral social media presences on the internet.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sam Altman steps down as head of OpenAI's safety group

Tue, 09/17/2024 - 20:04

OpenAI 's internal safety committee is becoming an independent oversight body, as CEO Sam Altman leaves the group's top leadership role.

The announcement came as part of the results of a 90-day evaluation by the existing Altman-chaired Safety and Security Committee into the company's AI safeguards and governance.

The committee's new leadership includes Zico Kolter (Carnegie Mellon University), as well as existing members Adam D’Angelo (Quora) and Nicole Seligman (formerly Sony). "The Safety and Security Committee will be briefed by company leadership on safety evaluations for major model releases, and will, along with the full board, exercise oversight over model launches, including having the authority to delay a release until safety concerns are addressed," the announcement reads.

SEE ALSO: Big Tech is emitting way, way more greenhouse gas emissions than reported

In May, the AI company launched a revamped safety and security team with Altman in the top seat, following the dissolution of its former security body and the loss of more than half of its relevant employees. Multiple former employees have raised concerns about Altman's leadership and OpenAI's safety protocols.

Last week, Altman told OpenAI employees that the company plans to overhaul its non-profit corporate structure in favor of a for-profit push. The company, the CEO said, had "outgrown" its existence as a capped for-profit LLC overseen by a non-profit board, but the shift was also reportedly an essential element to the AI startup's anticipated $150 billion valuation.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Netflix's 'The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep' clip has Geralt and Jaskier bickering as usual

Tue, 09/17/2024 - 20:00
Netflix has released a look at its animated "The Witcher:Sirens of the Deep" series, with voice actor Doug Cockle reprising the role.
Categories: IT General, Technology

As Silicon Valley sours on diversity, women in tech suffer

Tue, 09/17/2024 - 19:57

There is a financial crisis among groups that recruit and advocate for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, the BBC reports

Funding has dried up for many of these organizations, with Women Who Code and Girls in Tech — two of the most prominent U.S. organizations supporting women in tech positions — folding this summer. The problem stretches across shores, with the UK’s Tech Talent Charter shuttering in June. Like Women Who Code and Girls in Tech, the Charter’s reason for closure was a lack of financial support from tech companies, which appear to be souring on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives that once worked to recruit women and employees of color, especially in the early 2020s. Google, Meta, X, and Zoom have all slashed DEI budgets and laid off staff.

The tech gender disparity appears stuck in a doom loop, with companies devoting less effort to bridging the gap and fewer tech organizations for women able to survive. At Google, Microsoft, and Apple, women make up less than 33 percent of leadership teams, while female employees at the three tech mega-companies constitute only about a third of workers.

SEE ALSO: Spotify hasn't spent much of its $100 million diversity fund

While tech corporations often blame missed revenue targets for the cutting of positions and initiatives that support minority students and candidates, the BBC posits that the companies are following cultural currents whipped up by figures like X CEO Elon Musk, who compares DEI programs to “racism.” Even when companies cough up money to support groups like England’s TecWomenCIC, the funds are usually a one-off contribution that does little to sustain the effort of bringing more women into the field, TecWomenCIC founder Caitlin Gould told the BBC.

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The dearth of women in tech positions isn’t helped by the lack of girls in STEM classes, a phenomenon that compounds itself as female students may be discouraged from joining classes when they know they could be the only girl there. If they do proceed in a STEM field and get hired, they are also known to make around $15,000 less annually than their male peers, according to The American Association of University Women. For Latinas and Black women, that pay discrepancy is more than double.

Efforts to recruit girls and women into tech and other STEM fields is not completely moribund, though. The Tech4Girls event happens in October at the Mobile World Congress expo in Las Vegas, with two days of training, networking, hands-on experience, and mock interviews. In Florida, the recently launched Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship (WTE) is helping industry women throughout the state network, hone their skills, and chip at the glass ceiling.

Categories: IT General, Technology

October Prime Day is closer than you think: 4 tips for finding the best deals

Tue, 09/17/2024 - 19:54

UPDATE: Sep. 17, 2024, 2:55 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with news about competing Prime Day sales from Best Buy and Target.

With the air starting to cool and the leaves starting to turn color, the signs are here: it's time for Amazon's October Prime Day.

Officially called Prime Big Deal Days, the sale is a Prime-member exclusive event (as the name would suggest). Like its July counterpart, Amazon confirmed that it'll bring two full days of savings, which members can expect from Tuesday, Oct. 8 to Wednesday, Oct. 9. Also like its July counterpart, we recommend going into the sale with a plan on scoping out the best deals — other than following Mashable's coverage of course — to avoid impulse purchase-fueled buyer's remorse.

SEE ALSO: Yes, another Prime Day is coming. Here are the early deals to shop now.

To escape that fate, we caution against simply vibing and seeing what's on sale: as in years past, we're anticipating steep markdowns sitewide during Prime Day, from TVs and Apple products to Kindles and robot vacuums. In other words, it'd be easy to drop a few hundred dollars you didn't mean to spend if you don't do a little bit of prep work.

A good place to start is our handy list of tips and tricks below, compiled by our shopping reporters who've spent years covering the sale. Plus, you can check out our guide on what to buy and what to avoid on Prime Day.

Take advantage of price-tracking tools

Check out dedicated sites and browser extensions that do the work of tracking prices for you.

  • Camelcamelcamel is a website that gives you price history charts on Amazon products and even sends you alerts when a price has dropped. To up your price-monitoring game, you can install its browser extension called "The Camelizer," which gives you instant access to price history while you're shopping.

  • Keepa is a price monitoring site and browser extension that is dedicated to Amazon products. You can also use it to compare prices on other retailer sites like eBay.

  • Other tools that can crawl the web for good deals and notify you about price drops are Honey and Slickdeals. These sites are particularly useful because "the Prime Day effect" usually means that retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart will also be hosting sales. In that case, it's good to have a sense of pricing history, even if Honey's isn't quite as detailed as Camelcamelcamel.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy dropped its fall deals schedule and there's major October Prime Day competition Ask Alexa for help

If you have a newer Echo device, you can enable Alexa's advanced deal alerts feature to find and keep track of deals on products you want. The smart assistant will notify you up to 24 hours in advance of a deal you've added to your shopping cart, saved for later, or added to your Wish List. To turn on this setting, go to the Alexa app and open the Notifications bell, then hit Settings. From here, tap Amazon Shopping and scroll down to toggle Deal Recommendations. Your Echo device will flash a yellow ring to indicate this setting is live.

Check curated lists

Finding the best Prime Day price is one thing, but how do you even know what deals are being offered elsewhere? It's safe to assume that most products on Amazon have some kind of discount, but some deals are better than others.

Mashable's shopping team is already doing the legwork of scouring Amazon's vast inventory to highlight the best deals out there, and we'll be on it leading up to, during, and after the sale. Beyond price drop notifications, we're bringing our knowledge of historical pricing and trends on most deal categories, meaning that if we recommend a deal, it's actually worth checking out.

SEE ALSO: Prime Day 2024 is coming: Here are the best early deals you can already shop Don't forget about other retailers

As we mentioned above, Amazon may kickstart the second Prime Day season, but other retailers make sure they're in on the fun. Shortly following Amazon's announcement for Prime Big Deal Days, Best Buy and Target have announced their counterprogramming, and we're expecting Walmart to follow soon.

Competition can be a great way to drive prices down, but certain retailers have specialties with these sales. Best Buy is usually good for big ticket tech like high-end TVs or laptops as well as gaming deals, Walmart is ideal for more budget-friendly TVs and home tech, and Target is best for everyday essentials.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Is Apple Intelligence only on iPhone 16? We have the answers

Tue, 09/17/2024 - 19:18

"Is Apple Intelligence only coming to iPhone 16" is a question I often get as a tech journalist on the Apple beat. The quick answer is no.

Apple Intelligence, revealed at WWDC 2024 (an annual Apple conference and livestream that reveals the company's newest software developments), is the tech giant's new suite of AI tools. Apple Intelligence includes a new-and-improved Siri, Writing Tools (for adjusting the tone of your texts and emails), summarized notifications, call recording, the Clean Up tool (Apple's answer to Google's Magic Eraser feature), and more.

You can actually test some of these features as we speak, but you'll need to download the iOS 18.1 developer beta. (If you want to test it, please back up your iPhone; betas are known to be a little rough-around-the-edges.) Keep in mind, though, there are some Apple Intelligence tools you can't test yet, including Genmoji (AI-generated emoji).

However, only select iPhone devices support this early testing phase of Apple Intelligence — and those same devices will be the only phones that will officially support Apple Intelligence when it lands later this year.

Is Apple Intelligence only coming to iPhone 16?

Apple Intelligence is, indeed, coming to iPhone 16, including the iPhone 16 base model, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple Intelligence on iPhone 15 Pro Max Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, Apple Intelligence is also coming to the iPhone 15 Pro models (i.e., iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max). To reiterate, Apple Intelligence is only coming to the following iPhone models:

  • iPhone 15 Pro

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max

  • iPhone 16

  • iPhone 16 Plus

  • iPhone 16 Pro

  • iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple Intelligence requires certain robust internals, including sufficient memory (i.e., at least 8GB of RAM) and a zippy neural engine, an internal unit that's responsible for AI calculations and processing machine-learning algorithms. If you want to hear it from the horse's mouth, in an interview with Chinese YouTube personality Geekerwan, Apple SVP of Hardware Technologies Johny Srouji said the following:

"We evaluate different configurations for computation, memory bandwidth, and capacity to ensure the best performance. Apple Intelligence was a key factor in our decision to increase the RAM to 8GB.”

The entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, for example, have 6GB of RAM, which is 2GB short of the requirement for Apple Intelligence support.

The 8GB of RAM added to the iPhone 15 Pro models, as well as the entire iPhone 16 lineup, will also benefit high-end mobile gaming, according to Srouji.

iPhone 16 Pro Max model in Desert Titanium Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

As such, if you want to enjoy Apple's new suite of AI tools, and you don't have a "Pro" iPhone 15, you'll have to purchase an iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max — or pre-order one of the new iPhone 16 models.

Apple Intelligence is expected to roll out some time in October.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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