Mashable

Pachinko Season 2, episode 3 shifts gears in a major way, as Sunja (Minha Kim) and her family flee to the Japanese countryside in order to escape the bombing of Osaka. There, they live and work on a rice farm (as opposed to the sweet potato farm in Min Jin Lee's original novel). But as shooting for this stretch of the season got underway, production encountered an unlikely challenge: the rice itself.

"The amount of meetings we had on rice is pretty funny," Soo Hugh, creator and showrunner of Pachinko, told Mashable.

SEE ALSO: 'Pachinko' showrunner Soo Hugh on how Season 2 gives Isak the farewell he deserves

Originally, Hugh thought production could use fake rice plants for the farming sequence, which she describes as one of her favorite moments in the book. However, procuring enough fake rice plants to fill an entire farm would have been far too costly. The Pachinko crew would have to work with the real rice plants at the Korean rice farm where shooting took place.

These real plants presented their own logistical issues. Sunja and her family are on the rice farm for months, meaning the show's version of the rice farm would have to play out different seasons.

Minha Kim and Lee Minho in "Pachinko." Credit: AppleTV+

"When Sunja, Hansu [Lee Minho], and her family first arrive, you'll notice they arrive in winter, so there can be no rice there," Hugh explained. "But then when we cut back to them, it is now the first part of spring, so the rice is supposed to just start growing. Later on, we go through the whole cycle of the rice farm. At the end of that sequence, it's the harvest."

Since Pachinko wasn't shooting over the course of an entire year, production had to grow out rice fields of varying heights. So as the series shot in Toronto in March of 2023, a crew flew out to Korea to begin cultivating seeds. That way, by the time the shoot in Korea started at the end of May, the rice fields would be camera-ready.

However, that cultivation process wasn't without its challenges, either. "We had a lot of weather issues where the rice ended up actually growing too fast. We were so worried that we weren't going to get enough rice, and then, because of the rains, we had an overabundance," Hugh said.

Luckily, the abundance of rice you see onscreen in Pachinko Season 2 didn't go to waste. On top of starring in one of the best shows of 2024, the rice ended up being harvested for real by the owners of the farm where shooting took place.

"Someone out there is eating Pachinko rice," Hugh said.

Pachinko Season 2 is now streaming, with a new episode every Friday.

TL;DR: Live stream Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers are set to meet in São Paulo in the NFL's first game in South America, and you can watch all the action without spending anything. This is a big moment for the NFL in an untapped market, so you won't want to miss a second.

If you're interested in watching Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free, we have all the information you need.

When is Eagles vs. Packers?

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on Sep 6. This fixture takes place at the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, Brazil.

How to watch Eagles vs. Packers for free

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers is available to live stream for free on 7plus.

7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform 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 bypass geo-restrictions to access 7plus from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the NFL 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 7plus

5. Live stream Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but top VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By making the most of these deals, you can access free live streams of the NFL without actually spending anything. This is obviously a quick fix, but it gives you enough time to watch Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL live, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, saving you 49% on list price. With this limited-time deal you'll also get an extra three months at no additional cost, a whole year of unlimited cloud backup for free, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Grab UPDF Pro for just $49.99 with promo code TAKE10 through September 8 and enjoy lifetime access to a powerful PDF editor that works on all platforms.

Opens in a new window Credit: Superace UPDF Pro: Lifetime Subscription $49.99
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Dealing with PDFs shouldn’t feel like pulling teeth, but it often does. Whether you’re tweaking a contract, filling out forms, or just trying to make quick edits on the go, you need a tool that’s flexible, easy to use, and works wherever you are.

That’s where UPDF Pro comes in, offering you a seamless way to edit any document across all your devices. You can get a lifetime subscription for just $49.99 (reg. $149.99) through September 8 when you enter promo code TAKE10 at checkout.

Perfect for both personal and business use, UPDF Pro gives you full control over your PDFs on Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android, in case you need to make edits while you’re out of the office or want to quickly update a document from your phone. With UPDF Pro, you can edit text, images, and links, annotate with comments, highlight, and even organize pages with just a few clicks.

What sets UPDF Pro apart from other services is its lifetime access at an unbeatable price, with no recurring fees and no hidden costs — just a one-time payment for a tool that makes managing PDFs easy.

So, whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who deals with PDFs regularly, UPDF Pro could be a game-changer.

Normally $149.99, you can get a lifetime subscription to UPDF Pro on sale for $49.99 with promo code TAKE10 through September 8.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL:DR: The mbeat Bluetooth Hi-Fi Turntable with two bookshelf speakers is on sale for just $209.97 (reg. $299).

Streaming music is as easy as telling Alexa what to play. But there's something undeniably special about the warm, rich sound of vinyl. The xmbeat® Bluetooth Hi-Fi Turntable offers an elevated way to enjoy your favorite tunes, whether you're prepping Sunday breakfast or entertaining guests.

It's currently on sale for just $209.97 (reg. $299) and comes with two bookshelf speakers. With its retro charm and modern features, this turntable brings a homey, nostalgic vibe to any situation.

At the heart of the mbeat is a commitment to high-fidelity sound. The solid metal platter, designed with a sub-platter system, helps dampen unwanted resonance and noise, ensuring that every note is crisp and clear. The adjustable counterweight and anti-skating force are essential for accurately tracking record grooves without distortion, making sure you hear your music just as it was meant to be heard.

Equipped with a moving magnet cartridge that comes pre-fitted and aligned out of the box, the turntable delivers clean, articulate sound. This is enhanced by a built-in preamplifier, making your vinyl collection sound better than ever. Plus, the Bluetooth transmitter lets you enjoy your records on wireless speakers or headphones, blending vintage warmth with modern convenience.

The included 18W speakers ensure that your music fills the room with rich, powerful sound. And if you want to take your vinyl on the go, the record-to-PC feature allows you to digitize your collection easily.

Grab this beautiful equipment before holiday party season starts.

Get the mbeat Bluetooth Hi-Fi Turntable with two bookshelf speakers on sale for just $209.97 (reg. $299) through September 25.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: mbeat mbeat® MB-PT-28 Bluetooth Hi-Fi Turntable with Bookshelf Speakers $209.97
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TL;DR: Through September 29, you can get a lifetime subscription to Matt's Flights Premium Plan for just $79.97 and save a ton on domestic and international travel.

Many of us dream of exploring new destinations near and far. However, the passion for travel can be met with resistance in the way of funding. There's only so much money you can make and save and spend on getting to those locations. But there are ways to ensure you have cheaper flights so you can stretch that travel budget further.

Matt's Flights is a flight alert service that takes the work out of finding affordable airfare. For just $79.97, this lifetime subscription offers you the chance to save up to 90% on domestic and international flights, making travel more accessible than ever.

Matt is like a virtual travel fairy, constantly on the lookout for airline mistakes and deeply discounted fares. His keen eye for deals means you get notified the moment a bargain hits the market, and you get a low-cost flight option right in your inbox, ready to whisk you away on your next adventure.

Travel can be complicated depending on where you're going and when, but with Matt’s one-on-one flight and travel planning support, you never have to do it alone. Whether you're unsure about a particular route or need advice on the best time to book, Matt is there to help.

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Travel more for less with this easy-peasy service.

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TL;DR: Get a lifetime subscription to Autio on sale for just $129.97 through September 29 and explore the world with thousands of location-specific audio stories, even offline.

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Planning your next road trip or weekend getaway? Make every mile more meaningful with Autio, the app that turns your travels into immersive experiences.

Through September 29, for a one-time payment of $129.97 (reg. $299), a lifetime subscription to Autio unlocks over 23,000 location-based audio stories that bring the places you visit to life.

Imagine driving through a small town and suddenly hearing a fascinating story about its history, or cruising along a scenic route while learning about the landmarks you're passing by. Autio transforms your road trips into journeys of discovery, offering a unique way to explore new destinations. With expert narration by celebs like Kevin Costner and Phil Jackson, each story is crafted to enrich your travel experience, turning every trip into an adventure.

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The best deals to watch 'The Watchers': BEST DEAL FOR MOST PEOPLE Max (With Ads) annual subscription $99.99/year (save $1.66/month) Get Deal BEST DEAL WITH NO ADS Max (No Ads) annual subscription $149.99/year (save $3.50/month) Get Deal BEST DEAL FOR CRICKET CUSTOMERS Max (With Ads) Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $9.99/month) Get Deal BEST NON-STREAMING DEAL Rent 'The Watchers' on demand $4.49 at Prime Video (save $1.50 as a Prime member) Get Deal BEST BUNDLE DEAL Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 38%) Get Deal BEST FOR STUDENTS Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Get Deal BEST WAY TO WATCH FOR FREE DashPass annual subscription (free Max with ads) $96 per year (save 20%) Get Deal

If you're looking for a satisfying horror thriller to kick off spooky season a bit early, look no further than the latest Shyamalan blockbuster The Watchers. The movie was produced by M. Night Shyamalan and written and directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan (the famous director's 25-year-old daughter) in her directorial debut.

The Watchers is "a hell of a scary good time," according to Mashable's film editor Kristy Puchko. Dakota Fanning leads a strong ensemble alongside Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouéré. And as of Aug. 30, it's officially streaming.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch The Watchers at home — including some of the best streaming deals that might let you catch the flick for free.

What is The Watchers about?

Based on the novel of the same name written by A.M. Shine, The Watchers follows a young artist named Mina (Fanning), whose life is derailed when she ends up stranded in a vast forest in western Ireland. When she finds shelter in a bunker alongside three strangers (played by Barbarian's Campbell, Outlander's Finnegan, and The Northman's Fouéré), she unknowingly becomes a captive performer for unseen creatures — aka the watchers. No one knows who they are, what they look like, or what they want. All that is known is they do not want their performers breaking out.

Judging by the trailer alone, viewers are in for a spooky atmosphere and plenty of jump scares:

Is The Watchers worth watching?

The Watchers didn't dominate at the box office, but it didn't completely bomb either, grossing just shy of $33 million globally. Against a $30 million budget, according to The Numbers, it at least broke even. Box office numbers don't always tell the whole story, though.

The film also received largely negative reviews from critics, earning a sad 32 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Mashable's own film critic, however, had mostly positive things to say about Ishana Night Shyamalan's directorial debut.

"Admittedly, the final act loses momentum in its eagerness to explain all the finer points of the movie's lore...Still, The Watchers is a sharply satisfying horror thriller thanks to a crackling cast, unnerving sound design, stomach-churning creatures, and an emotional story that offers far more than cheap thrills."

Audiences are torn, with the Rotten Tomatoes score currently hovering slightly above the 50 percent mark. In other words, you may hate it or you may love it — but it's worth watching to find out.

Read our full review of The Watchers.

How to watch The Watchers at home Fanning stars in the M. Night Shyamalan-produced 'The Watchers.' Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Less than a month after its theatrical debut, The Watchers became available to watch at home via video-on-demand sites like Prime Video and Fandango at Home (Vudu). You can purchase the film for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days. Within those 30 days, you'll have just 48 hours to finish the film once you start watching. After that, you'll lose access.

As of June 28, you can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:

• Prime Video — buy for $18.49, rent for $4.49

• Apple TV — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99

• Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99

• YouTube — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99

Is The Watchers streaming?

As a Warner Bros. film, The Watchers made its streaming debut on Max starting Aug. 30 — joining the likes of other recent theatrical releases such as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Civil War, and Dune: Part Two. Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but we've rounded up a few ways you can save some money on your plan below.

Best Max streaming deals to watch The WatchersBest Max streaming deal for most people: Save 17% on Max with ads annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (with ads) yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save 17%) Watch Now

While a monthly Max subscription would run you $9.99 per month with ads, you can save 17% (or $1.66 per month) by paying upfront for a year. An annual plan with ads goes for $99.99 per year, which breaks down to just $8.33 per month. If you're in it for the long haul, you might as well keep more money in your pocket.

Best Max deal with no ads: Save 22% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (No Ads) annual subscription $149.99 per year (save 22%) Watch Now

If you'd rather not have ads interrupting your viewing experience, you have two options: Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate. You can opt for an annual Max Ad-Free or Max Ultimate subscription and save 17% compared to a monthly subscription. The Ad-Free tier is $16.99 per month, while the Ultimate tier is $20.99 per month. With a yearly plan, however, those prices drop to just $14.17 per month ($169.99 per year) or $17.49 per month ($209.99 per year).

Note: While both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, the Ultimate tier takes things a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

Best way to get Max for free: Sign up for a DashPass annual plan Opens in a new window Credit: DoorDash / Max DashPass annual plan with Max (with ads) $96/year (save $83.76) Get Deal

Earlier this month, DoorDash partnered with Max to offer those on the annual DashPass plan free Max with ads subscriptions. If you're already on an annual DashPass plan, head over to the "Manage Max Subscription" page in your DoorDash account to activate your free subscription. If not, you can sign up for the DashPass annual plan for just $96 per year ($8 per month) and unlock access to the streaming library for free. That's a $99.99 value for zero dollars. Plus, with your DashPass plan, you'll also have access to free food delivery.

Read more about terms and eligibility requirements on the DoorDash FAQ page.

Another way to get Max for free: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month Cricket unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: Cricket / Max Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month plan Watch Now

If you're a Cricket Wireless customer on the $60 per month unlimited plan, you can also get Max with ads for free, so long as your account remains in good standing. Just head over to Max and select Cricket as your provider to log in. You'll be able to watch The Watchers and plenty of other Warner Bros. releases at no extra cost. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more.

Best Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max with ads monthly for one year Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months Get Deal

College students can score half-priced Max subscriptions (with ads) for an entire year with Max's new student discount. That means you'll pay only $4.99 per month instead of the usual $9.99. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS, then head back over to Max and redeem your unique discount code to stream for 50% off.

Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney+ / Hulu / Max Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

Last month, a new bundle deal emerged, offering streamers access to three top apps for one low price. This new deal includes Max, Disney+, and Hulu with ads for just $16.99 per month (reg. $25.97) or ad-free for $29.99 per month (reg. $48.97) — that's up to 38% in savings. Obviously, this isn't the cheapest option overall for watching The Watchers, but it will definitely get you the most bang for your buck in the streaming world.

Director Lana Wilson (Miss Americana) had never visited a psychic before shooting Look Into My Eyes, her A24-produced documentary about a group of New York clairvoyants. Her perspective is one of gentle inquiry, but the film eventually reaches far beyond mere curiosity, yielding a deeply resonant work about the ways in which people cope with everything from grief to climate nihilism.

Even if you see spirit-channeling mediums as scammers and bullshit artists, it's hard not to come away changed. Look Into My Eyes neither seeks to expose nor reaffirm the profession, but rather, through suggestion and implication, it explores these people and what they do. In the process, it comes to an empathetic understanding of why — even if the subjects themselves can't see the bigger picture.

It's also incredibly self-reflexive. The movie not only frames psychic readings as a kind of art form, but it also begins to subtly mimic and embody their emotional scope. As it progresses, Wilson's aesthetic approach begins to morph, molding her storytelling lens in potent ways, resulting in one of the most unexpectedly affecting documentaries this year.

What is Look Into My Eyes about? Credit: A24

The film begins, as most traditional documentaries do, with a series of talking-head interviews. However, its approach to this filmmaking norm is distinctly non-traditional. Instead of cutting away to montages or stock footage for broader context, it stays locked in on each of these segments in long, unbroken close-ups, allowing these secondary subjects — those who seek out psychic readings — to unburden themselves across the table from various self-proclaimed mediums. Some of these clients search for solutions to everyday problems, like a lack of motivation in the face of a rapidly changing world. Others speak strangely and obliquely of traumatic events in their past; a middle-aged nurse recalls having seen a young girl die from a gunshot wound to the head 20 years prior, casually asking her psychic, "How is she?" It would be downright eerie if it weren't so conversational in tone. 

SEE ALSO: 'Eternal You' reveals how AI chatbots aim to resurrect the dead

The production spent months scouting prospective subjects with street-side offers of lengthy readings before pairing them up with each psychic, none of whom were given information on their clients prior to meeting them. This behind-the-scenes decision making is never shown, but the invisible selection process is part of the movie's sleight of hand. The trick therein doesn't create fiction, but rather, unearths and accentuates the existing, deep-seated drama in people's lives. The frame lingers on loaded questions like "How is she?" just long enough for us to process them before it moves quickly on to the next client, the next clairvoyant, and the next warm, intimate, low-lit space (courtesy of cinematographer Stephen Maing). However, for nearly its first half hour, it barely shows us the faces of its many psychics. Wilson doesn't yet let us look into their eyes, but builds its context through their point of view. These numerous head-on close-ups of clientele eager for answers, willing to shell out cash for some semblance of closure, is the everyday reality of each psychic as seen through their own eyes. All we see of them initially, as they perform their readings, are brief profile shots that shroud them in shadow and mystery.

This makes it seem as though the movie's subjects are people who seek answers from psychics and their ilk. That may even be initially true; some of these interviews come full circle to a place of moving catharsis. However, the purpose of this is to quickly find the value in what these psychics do, presenting it in emotional terms as their clients thank them or break down in tears. This helps immensely when the movie suddenly flips its switch and depicts the rare readings gone wrong, where a few of the psychics' interpretations (of vibes, or spirits, or what have you) lead to perplexed expressions from their clients. Given the positive outcomes the movie does present, that they finally get something wrong feels deeply unfortunate, rather than a chance at mockery.

From there on out, the psychics themselves finally enter the spotlight as the documentary's true subjects. The camera follows these vivid characters home, and to work, and through their most mundane and familiar trials, humanizing them in ways that render the question of "Is what they do real?" both highly irrelevant, and entirely besides the movie's point.

The question it raises instead feels almost accidental, but entirely prescient: To what degree are psychic readings a kind of performance art?

Look Into My Eyes likens psychic readings to art and therapy.

The way the film unfurls information is nearly comical on paper. As each psychic introduces themselves in their private spaces — particularly memorable is a gay white man from the South, whose apartment is cramped and messy — it isn't long before they begin talking about movies, followed by theater, music, and other art forms in which they're deeply invested. Some of them are former or current playwrights. Some like to sing. Others enjoy putting on costumes, while a few of them even continue to audition for roles on TV, having studied acting in grad school.

At no point does the film explicitly comment on this, but it comes up like clockwork during nearly every interview, and is usually telegraphed by the classic film posters on each psychics' wall. One woman, a Queens native who claims to channel the spirits of people's pets (both living and dead) regales the audiences with tales of how John Waters' cinema helped her find herself as an outsider. Another psychic reminisces about watching his favorite movie with his departed brother, and breaks down in tears. Before long, even the amusing predictability of each interview leads to something emotionally revelatory.

Do these psychics see a connection between their love of cinema and performance art and their proclivity for spiritual readings? Some do — one likens it to her improv background, and compares the emotional impulses of both forms — but for the most part, Look Into My Eyes gestures towards the possibility of them being drawn to psychic readings as a means of expression, but doesn't force a didactic conclusion about why. The logistical reality of what they do isn't nearly as vital, in the film's purview, as its emotional reality, which is therapeutic — for their clients, and in many cases, for themselves.

As is the case with actual therapy, there's a racial component to some of the readings too, making the case that the personal experiences and outlooks of each psychic (much like that of therapists) can assist in better understanding clients or patients. One white psychic conceives of a Black woman's trauma only through the lens of pop culture, while a middle-aged Black psychic connects with her young Black client through a more nuanced understanding of his place in white America. Similarly, a Chinese American woman adopted by white parents seeks spiritual answers about belonging, and she finds them at the table of an Asian American psychic who was similarly adopted. Several of these psychic-clients pairings feel fated, and while it's hard to know how much of this was coincidence and how much was research and planning by the production, the outcomes feel both unexpected and satisfying for both parties across the table.

Are the readings themselves accurate? Some might be, though they're usually general enough to depend on interpretation, like a Nostradamus prophecy. If you go into Look Into My Eyes as a believer in clairvoyance, you'll likely have that belief reflected back to you, just as skeptics might latch on to the more performative aspect of these readings, or the few which happen to be wrong. However, seeing the way each psychic's story plays out, between the search for meaning in their own lives and the ways in which they try to make sense of the world, renders any sense of journalistic investigation moot. Look Into My Eyes is pure sensation.

The film is also a mischievous bait-and-switch by Wilson, who uses its visual and narrative transformations to turn the psychics' lenses back on themselves — and the movie's lens on itself as well.

Look Into My Eyes is a cinematic psychic reading.  

The film eventually evolves into an intimate sit-down with several mediums in private spaces as they unburden themselves; this neatly mirrors its lengthy prologue, the initial half hour or so in which various clients do the same. During that extended introduction, the psychics are rarely seen or heard, and since the camera meets their clients' gaze, it essentially embodies the psychics' own POV, granting them a sense of narrative control.

But the moment Wilson begins focusing on the psychics as subjects in front of the camera — the instant the lens probes further and deeper than a profile shot — that sense of control at the table, during their readings, is all but stripped away. They become not only the movie's central subjects, but in its visual parlance, they become akin to their clients, lost in search of answers to painful questions in their personal lives.

Some came to the profession as a means to channel and deal with the deaths of people they loved. Others don't even fully believe in the veracity of what they do, but they continue to do it anyway, as though it were a spiritual mission. Like their initial presentation, the filmmaker herself is never seen and is only heard on occasion, but through the mere suggestion of her presence, it becomes hard not to wonder how she feels about each subject, and to what degree she might be judging them, or even manipulating them. At one point, a young psychic turns out to know the deceased person for whom a client requests a reading, and both parties are fascinated by the sense of cosmic coincidence, but the question of whether this was planned by Wilson on some level continues to linger.

In this manner, Look Into My Eyes becomes akin to a psychic reading itself in the most emotionally intimate way, practically forcing believers and skeptics alike to understand something fundamental about the act of clairvoyance, without necessarily lending credence to either belief or skepticism. The psychics speak constantly about the emotional impulses they feel during these readings, which they in turn intuit. Whether strictly "real" or not, this is a kind of wordless understanding that emanates from within them, and is rooted in their own lived experiences. And so, by turning the film's dynamic on its head — by "reading" the psychic subjects, as it were — Wilson practically forces viewers of all stripes to similarly intuit emotional information about their inner lives, based on visual cues and suggestions. The film practically urges us to follow the same emotional logic they employ, which leads them to grand conclusions about people's fate, and their place in the world.

Do the movie posters in the background, on the psychics' walls, mean everything — or nothing at all? No bit of dialogue in Look Into My Eyes pushes viewers towards an answer one way or another. The film features no insert shots of objects or environmental details that suggest either sincerity or irony in its filmmaking. The only context it offers is the people themselves, and how deeply they feel. In the process, whether or not Wilson believes her subjects remains obscured. The movie never tips its hand. It has no tell. Rather, it remains tethered to its subjects for most of its runtime, continuously looking into their eyes so that we might make instinctive connections with them, and better understand their grief and isolation, through a filmic interpretation beyond words.

Look Into My Eyes opens in select theaters Sept. 6.

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: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for September 6 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for September 6 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Just right

These words will likely take you back to childhood.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers all relate to a classic children's story.

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 ThreeBears.

NYT Strands word list for September 6

• Porridge

• Mama

• Papa

• Baby

• ThreeBears

• Chairs

• Beds

• Soft

• Hard

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 the latest Strands.

TL;DR: As of Sept. 6, get the FasterVPN PRO plan for 10 devices for just £22.76. This limited-time offer from the Mashable Shop is only available through Sept. 29.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fastest VPN FastestVPN PRO: Lifetime Subscription (10 Devices) £22.76 at the Mashable Shop
£273.20 Save £250.44 Get Deal

Cybersecurity is pretty important these days. For hybrid or remote worker who frequently accesses sensitive company data for work from a home network, VPNs are becoming standard.

According to Forbes, more than half a billion people use a virtual private network (VPN) worldwide. And while it's certainly not a necessity for casual internet use, it doesn't hurt to be extra protected when online. This is especially true if you can get a great deal on a VPN, like this lifetime subscription to FastestVPN for just £22.76 (reg. £273.20).

This VPN is made to keep you anonymous and is easy to use and set up. Its P2P optimised servers — more than 600 high-speed ones worldwide — use military-grade 256-bit AES encryption to keep your data safe and secure. They're designed to let you download and stream super fast and without buffering.

Using security measures like a NAT firewall, ad blocker, and anti-malware tech, FastestVPN is doing all it can to give you the utmost privacy online. A no-logging policy means that even they don't know what you're up to.

When you purchase this subscription from the Mashable Shop, you'll get lifetime access to this VPN on up to 10 devices, with compatibility on a variety of device types. With the ability to bypass geo-restrictions and unlock content from anywhere, this super-fast VPN is much more than just an added security measure.

For a limited time, a lifetime subscription to FastestVPN for up to 10 devices is on sale for £22.76 (reg. £273.20).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: A wide range of free ChatGPT courses can be found on Udemy.

ChatGPT is always in the news, but do you really understand this exciting technology? And more importantly, do you know how to make this technology work for you?

Fortunately for those not in the know, Udemy offers a wide range of ChatGPT courses that you can take for free. We've checked out everything on offer and lined up a selection of standout courses to get you started.

These are the best online ChatGPT courses you can take for free this month:

• Become an AI Accelerated Engineer Using ChatGPT

• Become an AI-Powered Engineer: ChatGPT, Github Copilot

• ChatGPT 101: The Complete Beginner's Guide and Masterclass

• ChatGPT For Programmers In 2024

• ChatGPT in 30 Minutes: New Prompt Engineering and AI Skills

• ChatGPT, Midjourney, Firefly, Bard, DALL-E, AI Crash Course

• ChatGPT Prompt Engineering Tutorial

• ChatGPT Quick Guide: Prompt Engineering, Plugins, and More

• ChatGPT Security: Privacy Risks and Data Protection Basics

• English Language Learning with ChatGPT

• Intro to Manual and Automation Software Testing with ChatGPT

• Mastering ChatGPT 4.0: From Setup to Advanced Interactions

• Midjourney and ChatGPT: Unleash AI for Unique Image Generation

• Prompt Engineering Principles: ChatGPT and DALL-E

• Self-Guided Learning with ChatGPT: Enhance Your Skills

• The Introduction into ChatGPT Content Creation for Beginners

These free online courses do not offer certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but you still get unrestricted access to all the video content.

Find the best free ChatGPT courses on Udemy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Udemy AI and ChatGPT Courses Free at Udemy Get Deal

TL;DR: Find a wide range of free online courses from MIT on edX.

You can find an enormous bank of free online courses from top educational institutions on edX. And we really do mean the best schools in the world, including the likes of MIT.

edX hosts free online courses from MIT on topics like AI, modern finance, Python programming, and much more. We recommend taking some time to check everything out, because there really is something for everyone.

These are the best free online courses from MIT this month:

• Cell Biology: Cell-Cell Interactions

• Cell Biology: Transport and Signaling

• Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis

• Circuits and Electronics 2: Amplification, Speed, and Delay

• Circuits and Electronics 3: Applications

• Collaborative Data Science for Healthcare

• Data Analysis: Statistical Modeling and Computation in Applications

• Derivatives Markets: Advanced Modeling and Strategies

• Energy Economics and Policy

• Financial Accounting

• Financial Regulation: From the Global Financial Crisis to Fintech and the COVID Pandemic

• Foundations of Modern Finance

• Foundations of Modern Finance II

• Fundamentals of Manufacturing Processes

• Fundamentals of Statistics

• Genetics: Analysis and Applications

• Genetics: Population Genetics and Human Traits

• Genetics: The Fundamentals

• Introduction to Biology: The Secret of Life

• Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science

• Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python

• Learning Time Series with Interventions

• Machine Learning with Python: From Linear Models to Deep Learning

• Management in Engineering: Accounting and Planning

• Management in Engineering: Strategy and Leadership

• Mathematical Methods for Quantitative Finance

• Supply Chain Analytics

• Supply Chain Dynamics

• Supply Chain Fundamentals

• Sustainable Building Design

• Sustainable Energy

• Visualizing the Birth of Modern Tokyo

These free courses do not come with a certificate of completion, but that's the only catch. You can still learn at your own pace with unrestricted access to all the course materials.

Find the best free online courses from MIT on edX.

Opens in a new window Credit: MIT MIT Online Courses Free at Udemy Get Deal

TL;DR: Live stream Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from the UK with ExpressVPN.

The NFL's first game in South America sees the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers come together in São Paulo. It's going to be a special occasion, and you can watch every play from the UK without spending anything.

If you're interested in watching Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free in the UK, we have all the information you need.

When is Eagles vs. Packers?

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers starts at 1:15 a.m. BST on Sep 7. This fixture takes place at the Arena Corinthians.

How to watch Eagles vs. Packers for free in the UK

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers is available to live stream for free on 7plus.

7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but fans in the UK can access this free streaming platform 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 bypass geo-restrictions to access 7plus from the UK.

Unblock 7plus to live stream the NFL for free 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 7plus

5. Live stream Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free from the UK

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but top VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can access free live streams of the NFL without actually spending anything. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to live stream top NFL fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

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

• Servers in 105 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 eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, saving you 49% on list price. With this limited-time deal you also get an extra three months of coverage, a year of unlimited cloud backup, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers for free in the UK with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Fritz vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free on 9Now or TVNZ+. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It feels appropriate that the US Open has two Americans battling it out for a place in the final. It's going to be an epic contest between Fritz and Tiafoe, and you can watch every shot without spending anything.

If you want to watch Fritz vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Fritz vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free

Fans can live stream the 2024 US Open for free on these platforms:

• Australia — 9Now

• New Zealand — TVNZ+

These streaming services are geo-blocked, but anyone from around the world can access these sites with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock 9Now and TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2024 US Open 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 or New Zealand

4. Visit 9Now or TVNZ+

5. Watch Fritz vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of Fritz vs. Tiafoe without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch every US Open match before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the US Open?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the US Open for free, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia and New Zealand

• 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 eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Fritz vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Chicago Sky in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Basketball fans are looking towards the WNBA playoffs with anticipation as Chicago Sky host Los Angeles Sparks for a late season contest.

For Chicago, however, the playoff dream is starting to fade. The team has been sitting in a playoff position but have recently been hit by a confidence-shaking losing streak. Can they make a late season comeback and clinch a playoff berth?

At this point Los Angeles are playing to prove they can, following a tough season and monster eight-game losing streak at one point. Can the Sparks show some actual spark and end the season on a high?

If you want to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Chicago Sky in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, read below to find out how.

When is Los Angeles Sparks vs. Chicago Sky?

Los Angeles Sparks vs. Chicago Sky in the WNBA starts at 9.30 p.m. ET on Sept. 6. This fixture takes place at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

How to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Chicago Sky

Basketball fans can watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Chicago Sky plus the remainder of the WNBA 2024 season from anywhere in the world with a WNBA League Pass.

While the WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams' local areas, you can get around these blackout rules with the use of a VPN. VPNs are handy online tools that can help by hiding your real IP address (digital location). By doing this, you can connect to secure servers based in other locations and watch every WNBA League Pass game live as it happens, excluding select games streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

To access every WNBA League Pass game, follow these easy 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 no broadcast deals for the WNBA

4. Log in to WNBA League Pass

5. Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is now on sale for $99.95, which includes a bonus three months of use for free. That's 49% off for a limited time. This generous offer also includes a whole year of limitless cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Los Angeles Sparks vs. Chicago Sky in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The WNBA playoffs begin later this month, which is when the 2024 WNBA championship will be decided. Before we get there, Minnesota Lynx are visiting Indiana Fever for another must-watch game.

Minnesota Lynx have already qualified and currently sit at the top of the Western Conference. Indiana Fever, meanwhile, are in a strong position — but they haven't yet clinched a playoff berth. A win against Minnesota is crucial.

Both franchises know what it's like to go all the way and win the WNBA championship, though it's been 12 years since Indiana Fever won it. Minnesota Lynx last clinched the title in 2017. But who wants it more in 2024?

If you want to watch Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out how.

When is Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever?

Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA starts at 7.30 p.m. ET on Sept. 6. This fixture takes place at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

How to watch Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever

Basketball fans can watch Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever plus the remainder of the WNBA 2024 season from anywhere in the world with a WNBA League Pass.

Remember that the WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams' local areas. Thankfully, you can get around these blackout restrictions with a VPN. VPNs are useful online tools that work by masking your real IP address (digital location). By doing this, you can connect to secure servers in other locations and watch every WNBA League Pass game live as it happens, excluding games selected for Amazon Prime Video.

To access every WNBA League Pass game, follow these easy 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 no broadcast deals for the WNBA

4. Log in to WNBA League Pass

5. Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is now on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free. That's 49% off for a limited time. This generous offer also includes a entire year of limitless cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The WNBA playoffs are almost here, which is the goal for every team in the league. Next up is Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun. Both teams have already qualified for the playoffs, so the pressure's off. Does that make this any less crucial? Absolutely not.

Both teams will want to finish as high in the standings possible. And for Las Vegas, there's a chance to hit the playoffs with momentum and make a run at a third consecutive WNBA title. Connecticut Sun have never won the championship but they've now qualified for eight consecutive playoffs and have been runners up four times. Could 2024 be their year?

If you want to watch Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out how.

When is Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun?

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA starts at 7.30 p.m. ET on Sept. 6. This fixture takes place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

How to watch Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun

Basketball fans can watch Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun plus the remainder of the WNBA 2024 season from anywhere in the world with a WNBA League Pass.

Don't forget that the WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams' local areas. But you can get around this restriction by using a VPN. VPNs are tools that work by hiding your real IP address (digital location). By doing this, you'll be able to connect to secure servers in other locations and watch every WNBA League Pass game live as it happens, excluding games hosted by Amazon Prime Video.

To access every WNBA League Pass game, follow these easy 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 no broadcast deals for the WNBA

4. Log in to WNBA League Pass

5. Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Stream Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's been a tough season for Dallas Wings, with a spot in the WNBA playoffs looking unlikely. But a couple of recent wins have proved they've still got the capacity to make something of this season. Atlanta Dream have also been sat in the bottom half of the league. But they're still in contention for the postseason, so expect them to shoot for another vital win when they host Dallas.

Fortunately, you can stream Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream in the WBNA from anywhere around the world. Keep reading for all the information you need.

When is Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream?

Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream in the WNBA starts at 7.30 p.m. ET on Sept. 6. This fixture takes place at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

How to watch Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream

Basketball fans can watch Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream plus the remainder of the WNBA 2024 season from anywhere in the world with a WNBA League Pass.

The WNBA League Pass doesn't show locally televised games live in the participating teams' local areas. But there are ways to sidestep these blackout restrictions. Simply sign up with a VPN. VPNs are super useful tools that can obscure your real IP address (digital location) and connect you with secure servers based in other locations, giving you access to every WNBA League Pass game as it happens, excluding games streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

To access every WNBA League Pass game, follow these easy 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 no broadcast deals for the WNBA

4. Log in to WNBA League Pass

5. Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for a limited time at $99.95. That's an impressive 49% off, with a bonus three months of usage at no additional cost. Within this deal you get a whole year of limitless cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

As Elon Musk struggled to rebuild X's ability to generate revenue, the site suffered a mass advertiser exodus late last year, and at least some of those departures were evidently due to pro-nazi content. A few months later, Musk told advertisers "go fuck yourself." 

And this was all right before Musk shared that the former Twitter's revenue was already down by 60 percent from before his acquisition.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's X / Twitter has a new TV app dedicated to watching videos

It looks like 2025 isn't going to be any better for X. A new report from UK market research firm Kantar found that 26 percent of marketers are planning to reduce their ad spend on Musk's platform next year.

According to Kantar's research, this was the "biggest recorded pullback" from any of the major global advertising platforms.

“Advertisers have been moving their marketing spend away from X for several years," said Kantary's Global Thought Leadership Director Gonca Bubani. "The stark acceleration of this trend in the past 12 months means a turnaround currently seems unlikely."

X will likely lose even more advertisers soon

Kantar found that marketers' trust in advertising on X was already "historically low" before Musk. Since the acquisition, though, that trust has eroded even further. 

The market research firm says advertisers' trust in Twitter in 2022 was at 22 percent. Now known as X, trust in that same platform is now at 12 percent in 2024.

"X has changed so much in recent years and can be unpredictable from one day to the next – it’s difficult to feel confident about your brand safety in that environment," Bubani said.

Kantar's report says that just 4 percent of advertisers believe that advertising on X provides brand safety. When compared with its competitors in the social media space, X comes out at the bottom of the heap. Google is top for brand safety at 39 percent, according to Kantar. As for trust and innovative advertising, X "scores outside of the global top ten." TikTok is viewed as the most innovative and YouTube tops the trust barometer. 

The contrast between X and other social media platforms in this space is made even more stark by this graph included in Kantar's report, which provides visuals for those stats.

Credit: Kantar

X is unlikely to change course under Musk's leadership. Just this week, Musk came under fire for promoting a Tucker Carlson video on X with a guest that shared sympathies for Hitler.

"Very interesting. Worth watching," Musk said.

Musk later deleted the post.

No, "GPT Next" is not OpenAI's next big thing.

Earlier this week, Tadao Nagasaki, the lead executive for OpenAI's Japanese operations, shared a presentation at Japan's KDDI Summit that seemed to imply a new model call "GPT Next" was imminent.

But an OpenAI spokesperson has confirmed to Mashable that the term "GPT Next," written in quotations on the slide, was simply a figurative placeholder to indicate how OpenAI's models could evolve exponentially over time. The spokesperson also clarified that the line graph in the slide was illustrative, not an actual timeline of OpenAI's plans.

Tweet may have been deleted

"The AI ​​model called 'GPT Next' that will be released in the future will evolve nearly 100 times based on past performance. Unlike traditional software, AI technology grows exponentially," said Nagasaki according to Japanese outlet ITmedia via automated translation. The phrasing caused some confusion online as "GPT Next" was understood to be a literal new model instead of a figurative representation of where OpenAI models are headed next.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

It's unclear, however, whether the OpenAI executive was broadly speaking about the development of OpenAI's future models or specifically about the highly-anticipated GPT-5.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI, Anthropic agree to have their models tested before making them public

Not much is known about GPT-5 aside from promises from CEO Sam Altman that it will be a "significant leap forward" and CTO Mira Murati, who says it will have Ph.D.-level intelligence. But Altman also said there's a lot of work to do with GPT-5, and there's no specific timeline yet.

Currently, OpenAI's most advanced model is GPT-4o, which combines text, vision, and audio modalities. There's also something called "Project Strawberry" which has been teased by Altman. Strawberry, another much-hyped tool is reportedly capable of multi-step reasoning that bridges the gap between current models that require step-by-step instructions, and agents, which can theoretically execute complex tasks with a single prompt.

While rumors about Project Strawberry have somewhat reignited the AI hype cycle, expectations this time around are tempered by waning investor interest, and the high cost of running AI models, not to mention consumer backlash towards AI-powered features. That said, OpenAI is reportedly in talks with Apple and Nvidia (as well as Microsoft) for investing in its latest fundraising round, which would give the company a $100 billion valuation. So the three biggest tech companies in the world definitely see further potential in OpenAI.

In short, "GPT Next" isn't a thing. But whether it's a presentation at a conference in Japan or rumors about Project Strawberry, people are watching OpenAI's next moves closely, and expectations are high.