Mashable

As we approach the Jan. 19 deadline for the potential TikTok ban, there have been several significant developments: a federal appeals court panel upheld the Biden-era law; creators are now encouraging their followers to head to other platforms; and TikTok is begging courts to let a new administration weigh in.

SEE ALSO: TikTok requests emergency injunction to delay U.S. ban

So, what does this mean for the future of the app in the U.S.?

How would the TikTok ban work?

The latest attempt at banning TikTok in the U.S. is also the only one that has stuck. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law in April that gave ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, nine months to get a new buyer or be banned in U.S. app stores — and the clock is running out.

The ban wouldn't simply delete the app off your phone or erase the site from the internet but would rely on internet hosting companies and app stores like Apple and Google. If they distribute or update TikTok, they'll face penalties.

When will TikTok get banned?

The deadline for Biden's law is Jan. 19 — the day before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

What can be done to slow — or outright stop — the ban?

A few things can be done to change the tide of the TikTok ban.

The path of least resistance would be for TikTok to comply with Biden's law and divest from ByteDance. Plenty of wealthy folks and companies, from Steven Mnuchin to Rumble to Kevin O’Leary, have tossed their hats in the ring. So far, it's unclear who's in the lead to buy the app reportedly worth billions — or where TikTok truly stands on selling.

But TikTok is still fighting the potential sale. On Friday, Dec. 6, a federal appeals court panel upheld the Biden-era law. TikTok is expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, but it's not a given that the court will take the case — and TikTok would like some time to get their case through. So, on Monday, Dec. 9, the platform asked an appeals court for an emergency injunction to block Biden's law until the U.S. Supreme Court has time to weigh in.

SEE ALSO: As the 2025 TikTok ban deadline looms, here's what we know

An injunction would also punt the law to the Trump administration, and Trump has been newly interested in keeping TikTok around without a necessary sale. Lest we forget, he did attempt to ban it through an executive order in 2020, but he asserted during his 2024 campaign that he is "gonna save TikTok."

Why are we doing this?

Lawmakers argue that TikTok poses a national security threat because its parent company is based out of China and is subject to Chinese intelligence laws. According to lawmakers, China could theoretically (and hypothetically) force ByteDance to give its data to China. TikTok has denied the claims that this could happen and argues that the ban violates the First Amendment right to free speech because it "subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide." TikTok has its free speech supporters; the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement to Reuters that it sets a "flawed and dangerous precedent."

"Banning TikTok blatantly violates the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans who use this app to express themselves and communicate with people around the world," Patrick Toomey, the deputy director of the ACLU's National Security Project, told Reuters.

For now, we wait. We'll find out soon — at least before Jan 19 — if TikTok hopes to continue in the U.S. without selling.

Walking out of A Complete Uknown and into the streets of New York City, not far from where Bob Dylan tramped about in his vagabond days of the 1960s, I felt empty and unsatisfied. Far from unlocking the secrets of the widely heralded singer-songwriter's heart, co-writer/director James Mangold's biographical drama keeps the man behind the legend and lyrics a mystery. But as I've gotten distance from that night, I've come to appreciate in reflection that this was precisely Mangold's purpose.

Dylan's lyrics in songs like "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and "Blowin' in the Wind" spoke to his generation and generations to follow. Now 83, he is still a massive influence, not just on folk music but also rock and American music as a whole. Because so many relate to his lyrics, we like to think we could relate to him. As we do with all celebrities whose work we admire or whose personas we envy, we yearn to confirm that they are who we imagine, and in some way are like us. And yet, they don't owe us this interiority. Dylan, even in his decades of fame, even as he chaotically tweets, is still — after 60 years in the spotlight — an unknown in many ways. 

The title of this film, pulled from Dylan's lyrics for "Like a Rolling Stone," warns audiences at the outset. A Complete Unknown, despite its immersive and rigorous re-creation of the 1960s folk era and a star-studded cast committed to capturing the specifics of luminaries like Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, and Joan Baez, refuses to play by the expectations of a standard Hollywood biopic by demystifying its subject. From the first scene to the finale, Dylan (as portrayed by Timothée Chalamet) is a man who is of the people and yet apart from them. He refuses to be held down by social norms, romantic obligations, genre conventions, or community pressures. Perhaps he is sincere. Perhaps his mystique is a pose. Perhaps we don’t really want to know.

A Complete Unknown travels from Dylan's beginnings in music to the jolt of him going electric.  Timothée Chalamet plays Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown." Credit: Searchlight Pictures

Adapted from Elijah Wald's book Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties, Mangold's movie begins in 1961 New York City, where a scrawny, scraggly man struts through Manhattan's downtown streets, a newspaper clipping in his hand. Bob Dylan (Chalamet) is seeking out the hospice where his idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), idles, partially paralyzed and voiceless but not alone. Tracing him to Jersey, Dylan comes upon another folk star, Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), who not only walks the walk of singing political songs but also defends them against a government terrified of the voice of its people. 

The three become fast friends, the thrumming of their connection as instant and enchanting as the song Dylan plays to impress his heroes. Soon, he'll find not only his place in the folk scene and Greenwich Village but also in the bed of a beautiful artist and activist called Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning). (She is based on Dylan's ex Suze Rotolo, who is pictured along the musician on 1963's album cover for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.) But once Dylan hits his groove, the film launches forward several years to 1965, when he's an established megastar whose emerging interest in electric guitar threatens to outrage his fanbase at the Newport Folk Festival, and his early allies. 

Timothée Chalamet is perfectly earnest yet irritating as Bob Dylan.  Timothée Chalamet plays Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown." Credit: Searchlight Pictures

This, too, is the point. Whether flirting with Sylvie or playing for Woody, young Bob is devotedly constructing his own mythology. To his fellow male musicians, this is easily accepted; the construction of his stage persona is as valid as his scribbling lyrics or building his band. However, Dylan's female lovers suffer the friction where fiction meets real life. 

While among his boys, he is cool and charmingly chaotic, to the women in his life he is a charismatic terror. His tales of carnival origins collide with personal mementos that lay bare his real name (Robert Zimmerman) and banal middle-class background. Though they live together, Sylvie demands to know the "real" Bob. Meanwhile, Dylan's sometimes-lover, sometimes-rival Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) confronts the creative genius at his most desperate and selfish as he crashes into her hotel room to insult her craftsmanship while disturbing her peace, casually snatching her guitar. 

Simply put, this Dylan is a fuckboy, thinking chiefly of himself with great esteem, despite the heavy reliance he has on others to house him, make the coffee, and give him the support his early career demands. Chalamet effortlessly flits about from stage to motorcycle ride to crummy hotel room, embracing the rogue poet and his indulgences at every turn. Chalamet's movie star charm smooths some of the rough edges, but his performance smartly allows Dylan's tenacious self-centeredness to sting. 

This portrayal sings that this is a man who dances to the beat of his own drum, whatever the costs. But what drives the beating of that drum is left undiscovered. Maybe the audience is invited to psychoanalyze Bob's motivations behind his sometimes impulsive, often reckless actions. But after 60 years, no one has been able to succinctly distill Dylan. (Coming close may have been Todd Haynes with I'm Not There, the surreal biopic that had a slate of actors play the singer through various guises in settings fictional, factual, and parable.) 

Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, and Monica Barbaro are the heart of A Complete Unknown.  Ed Norton plays Pete Seeger in "A Complete Unknown." Credit: Searchlight Pictures

Because Mangold's script binds his audience to a protagonist who willfully distances himself from everyone, it's essential that the supporting players erupt with the emotions Bob could never dare express. Norton, Fanning, and Barbaro do so in a symphony of feelings, which carry the film. 

For his part, Norton plays a warm father figure. The edge of the actor's early career, when he played harrowing killers in Primal Fear and American History X, has been softened by the gentle sag of middle age, as well as an elegant mellowing of spirit. As Pete stands before a scowling government official, playing Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" sweetly but defiantly, the eloquence and wisdom of rebelling with a genuine smile is made clear. This enchanting scene also sets the stage for how drastically different Dylan's brand of raspy, mumbled, and disillusioned folk was from his icons. 

Sunny, sophisticated, and street-smart, Sylvie is a dream girl for a starving artist new to the city. Far from some doting hanger-on, Fanning brings a sturdy intellect to Sylvie's every knowing stare, raised eyebrow, and patient reply. If anyone should have been easy to open yourself to, it should have been her. That Bob can't is his tragedy, not hers. 

Monica Barbaro plays Joan Baez in "A Complete Unknown." Credit: Searchlight Pictures

Last but not least, Barbaro is a revelation as Joan Baez. Her voice is pretty, where Bob's is rough. He is swift to mock her publicly and privately for her beauty, and for trying too hard. It's a critique that's distinctly misogynistic, ignoring the unforgiving double standards women face, and Joan doesn't let him get away with it. She calls him an asshole to his face, but — notably — after a night in bed together. 

Baez famously wrote the heartbreaking song "Diamonds and Rust" about their rocky romance. ("My poetry is lousy, you said.") In A Complete Unknown, their chemistry is undeniable; the jealousy that cuts both ways, and the ache they share as artists and lovers is breathtaking, cutting to the core, even as she smiles sharply. 

Each of these performances masterfully fleshes out these figures so they exist beyond their connection to Dylan. You can see how they tie together, how it hurts when he cuts that tie, but also that each is a tapestry even without him. This, above all else, makes A Complete Unknown remarkable, setting it apart from countless dramas about an abusive (and always male) creative genius whose bad behavior is effectively shrugged off as the cost of art. 

Here, Mangold doesn't criticize Bob's behavior but lays it bare, showing how it isn't separate from why he was embraced. He was the creative nomad we admired and maybe at times wished to be. But this rolling stone's relentless motion has its costs, and this movie makes that clear too. 

A Complete Unknown is a rare and wonderful musician biopic.  Timothée Chalamet plays Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown." Credit: Searchlight Pictures

In the end, A Complete Unknown will be praised for many of its elements. Chief among them will be Chalamet's performance, which has already won public praise from filmmaker Paul Schrader and Bob Dylan himself. The 28-year-old actor deserves such accolades, simultaneously conveying a wisdom beyond his years and a waifish daring that muddles to make a distinct yet elusive portrait of Bob Dylan. Beyond that, he keenly imitates Dylan's signature singing style, allowing the performance to have a fluidity and urgency that might have been lost in lip-syncing to old tracks. 

And yet, what awes me most about A Complete Unknown is the storytelling outside of its subject. By thoughtfully establishing Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and Sylvie/Suze, Mangold shows subtly yet powerfully how an artist is shaped by their surroundings. Bob may not let us into his innermost workings, but we are witness to who he pretends to be, depending on who he's trying to impress, bewilder, or enrage. And yet, Mangold refuses to treat these supporting characters as if they are slim stakes meant to pin down his larger-than-life talent. Like the rigorous and immersive production design that ushers audiences into 1960s Greenwich Village, the character-building Mangold and his ensemble deliver allows us to walk into this defining era with ease, turning A Complete Unknown almost into a hangout movie. And that in itself is pretty outstanding. 

A Complete Unknown opens only in theaters Dec. 25. 

TL;DR: Simplify your setup with a 13-port Docking Station with dual HDMI, and it's only $44.97 through December 15. 

Unless you're a wire-management wizard, keeping multiple devices on your desk is a recipe for a cable nightmare. From needing multiple adapters to juggling limited USB ports, staying connected is its own frustrating challenge, but a reliable docking station can streamline your setup.

The 13-in-1 Docking Station is the ultimate tool for simplifying your workspace. With a 13 ports, including USB 3.0, USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet, this compact device eliminates the need for additional adapters, and it's still on sale, but that won't last much longer. Get it while it's $44.97 because it usually costs $70. 

Connect everything in one place

Time to ditch the adapters. Connect up to three displays using two 4K HDMI ports and one VGA port for legacy monitors. Data transfers are no problem with a few USB 3.0 ports, and you can also use your docking station as a charger. 

This docking station is made from lightweight, durable aluminum, so it go along for the ride to work or school. The SD and TF card slots simplify transferring photos and videos, and there's even a gigabit Ethernet port if the WiFi is ever too slow.

Whether you’re setting up a workstation or need a reliable hub during travel, this docking station is an elegant solution. Mac users especially can benefit from trading in all their adapters for one device that only takes one USB-C port. 

Limited supply

You have until December 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get a 13-in-1 Docking Station on sale for $44.97. Price goes up after that. 

13-in-1 Docking Station with Dual HDMI - $44.97

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Tech Zebra 13-in-1 Docking Station with Dual HDMI $44.97
$70.00 Save $25.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Live stream RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League is back with another batch of huge games, including RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa.

Aston Villa haven't had things all their own way in the Premier League, but things are going pretty well in the Champions League. They find themselves in nith place after five games, with a strong chance of progressing to the knockout rounds. RB Leipzig have lost five from five in this year's competition, so will be desperate to secure their first points.

If you want to watch RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa?

RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League starts at 8 p.m. GMT on Dec. 10. This fixture takes place at the Red Bull Arena.

How to watch RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa for free

RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa is available to live stream on Prime Video in the UK, but you don't need to be subscribed to Amazon Prime to watch this fixture. Instead, you can watch RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa (plus more Champions League fixtures) for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to watch the Champions League for free on Prime Video. This process is straightforward:

1. Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you're not already a member)

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

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

5. Watch RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa for free from anywhere in the world on 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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa on Prime Video without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Stream RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The next round of Champions League fixtures includes some really exciting matchups, including Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic.

Celtic have performed pretty well in this year's competition, and have a strong chance of making the knockout rounds if they continue to pick up points. They will fancy their chances of taking three points from Dinamo Zagreb, but there are no easy games in the Champions League.

If you want to watch Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic?

Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on Dec. 10. This fixture takes place at the Maksimir Stadium.

How to watch Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic for free

Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player in Ireland.

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to access Virgin Media Player. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic 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 Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE 20%: Buy 5 select stocking stuffers at Amazon and get 20% off the total including Apple accessories, Hershey's candy, Play-Doh kits, dog toys, and more.

Best stocking stuffers at Amazon Best Apple iPhone accessory Apple iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe (Dark Green)​​​​​​​ $32.41 at Amazon (save $26.59) Get Deal Best family game deal Risk Strike $9.56 at Amazon with on-page coupon (save $12.43) Get Deal Best kids' deal Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Grill 'n Stamp Playset $7.83 at Amazon (save $9.16) Get Deal

It's crunch time when it comes to buying holiday gifts. In order for them to arrive on time to wrap up and gift on time, you'll want to be checking out asap. If you shopping list doesn't yet contain stocking stuffers, Amazon has a nice deal in store this week for shoppers.

Until 11:59 pm PT on Friday, Dec. 13, shoppers can save 20% at Amazon when buying 5 eligible stocking stuffers. The selection is massive, including Hershey's candy, toys for kids, Apple accessories, guitar accessories from Fender, and more.

What's more, plenty of the eligible stocking stuffers are already on sale which means you'll be able to stack and extra 20% off those items for some pretty great savings. That makes some of these stocking stuffers well over 50% off.

To get this deal, add 5 eligible items to your Amazon cart and proceed to checkout. The discount will apply automatically. Here are some of our favorite stocking stuffers from the sale, or browse the entire list. Just be sure to checkout before midnight on Friday to save.

Best Apple accessory deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe (Dark Green)​​​​​​​ $32.41 at Amazon
$59.00 Save $26.59 Get Deal Why we like it

Even the most organized people could use some help with keeping track of important items. The Apple iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe is a dream come true for those who like to keep everything important safely tucked into place. Attaching to the back of an iPhone, the wallet is the ideal way to keep credit cards and ID safely and securely attached to the back of the phone.

Featuring strong magnets, the wallet snaps onto iPhones, and it can even stack on top of a MagSafe case. Plus, it's made from a durable micro twill material that's meant to stand up to some battering.

While the Apple iPhone Wallet with MagSafe usually sells for $59, the dark green colorway will cost a total of $32.41 after taking 20% off the already discounted price at Amazon.

Best family game deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hasbro Risk Strike $9.56 at Amazon
$21.99 Save $12.43 with on-page coupon Get Deal Why we like it

The card and dice game Risk Strike is part of Amazon's stocking stuffer sale, bringing the game down to just $9.56 with the on-page coupon and the 20% off offer. This quick-strategy game takes an average of 20 minutes to play, making it great for family game nights. The portable size also means it can be perfect for brining along to holiday gathering or packing for trips.

Risk Strike is designed for two to five players and for anyone aged 10 and up.

Best kids' deal Opens in a new window Credit: Play-Doh Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Grill 'n Stamp Playset $7.83 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $9.16 Get Deal Why we like it

For families looking for interactive toys that don't involve screen time, it's tough to beat the classic entertainment of Play-Doh. The Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Grill 'n Stamp Playset is included in Amazon's stocking stuffer deal this year which means the set is marked down to just $7.83 after the 20% discount.

Designed for kids ages three and up, the playset includes six colors of Play-Doh to use on the mini barbecue to craft burgers, hot dogs, and kebabs.

More sale stocking stuffers at Amazon

• Uni-ball Impact Gel Pens — $9.19 $13.04 (save $3.81)

• Boggle Classic Game — $9.59 $17.63 (save $8.04)

• goDog Bubble Plush Dragons Squeaky Dog Toy — $10.36 $15.75 (save $5.39)

• Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Rising Cake Oven Kitchen Playset — $10.79 $21.99 (save $11.20)

• Hershey's Assorted Chocolate — $12.79 $15.99 (save $3.20)

• Fender Flash Guitar Tuner — $14.39 $29.99 (save $15.60)

• Play-Doh Modeling Compound 36-Pack Case of Colors — $21.11 $28.99 (save $7.88)

• Hasbro Gaming Electronic Battleship Reloaded Board Game — $25.10 $34.99 (save $9.89)

• Apple iPhone 16 Pro Silicone Case with MagSafe and Camera Control (Denim) — $27.84 $49 (save $21.16)

As of Dec. 10th, Dyson vacuums are available for discounts up to 54% on Dyson, Best Buy, Walmart, and elsewhere across the web.

The best Dyson deals Best Dyson vacuum deal Dyson Digital Slim $229.99 (Save $270) Get Deal Best Dyson vacuum deal for small houses Dyson V8 Absolute $299.99 (Save $220.00) Get Deal Best Dyson vacuum deal with accessories Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum with 7 accessories $699.99 (Save $250) Get Deal

There's nothing like a clean house for the holidays. Whether you had a vacuum kerfuffle and you need to replace it before all the in-laws show up at your apartment, or you're looking to surprise someone with a major upgrade, Dyson's surge of holiday deals come at a great time. We've tested plenty of Dysons and love them.

We're amazed at the prices we're seeing on cordless vacuums from Dyson right now. Shop now to find deals up to 54% off at Dyson, Best Buy, Walmart and more. Here are our standouts as of Dec. 10.

Best Dyson vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Digital Slim $229.99 at Dyson
$499.99 Save $270.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

The Dyson Digital Slim is a vacuum designed for dexterity, and right now it's 54% off. Only 4.4 pounds, this vacuum is incredibly light, yet still manages to go for up to 40 minutes on a charge. Designed to clear particles from the air as it vacuums, the Digital Slim traps particles as small as 0.3 microns and releases only clean air, scrubbing up to 99.9% of particles from the air.

True to its name, the Digital Slim has a small digital display on its handle, showing you precisely how much battery life is left. If you're looking for a vacuum for an apartment or smaller space, this is a great pick.

SEE ALSO: 4 best robot vacuums and mops of 2024, tested hands-on at home Best Dyson vacuum deal for small houses Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V8 Absolute $299.99 at Walmart
$519.99 Save $220.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

The Dyson V8 Absolute is a cordless vacuum that's got a bit more brawn than the Slim and some of the versatility of Gen5detect, while still staying lightweight. At 5.8 pounds, it's light enough to deploy without strain. It comes with a decent collection of Swiss army-style accessories, including a hair screw and combination tool. It also has some very Dyson, high-end features, like no-touch emptying.

This is a perfect cordless vacuum for houses with different types of flooring, rugs, and carpets. With forty minutes of battery life, it has more than enough juice for most needs.

Shop now and get the Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum for $299.99 and save $220.

Best Dyson vacuum deal with accessories Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum with 7 accessories $699.99 at Best Buy
$949.99 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

One vacuum head usually won't solve every problem. If you live in a home that requires more than one approach to vacuuming, the Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum is a perfect fit. With seven accessories, including motor bar, hair screw, crevice nozzle, and a wall dock, this vacuum has all your needs covered.

The Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum is currently on sale for $699.99 for a savings of $250 at Best Buy. It's also available in a unique Prussian Blue and Copper colorway for the same price from Dyson.

More Dyson deals

• Dyson V12 Detect Slim — $399.99 $649.99 (save $250)

• Dyson V15s Detect Submarine — $749.99 $949.99 (save $200.00)

• Dyson V7 Advanced Cordless Vacuum Cleaner — $199.99 $399.99 (save $200)

• Dyson V11 Extra Cordless Vacuum Cleaner — $399.99 $599.99 (save $200.00)

FREEBIE ALERT: As of Dec. 10, the Meta Quest 3S (256GB) includes a free $30 Best Buy e-gift card.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Meta Quest 3S (256GB) $399.99 at Best Buy
Includes free $30 Best Buy gift card Get Deal

Tech retailers gave away oodles of free gift cards and credits with the purchase of Meta's new Quest 3S VR headset over Cyber Weekend. The best offers have long expired this far into December — see: a $100 Amazon voucher — but one store still has the spirit: At the time of writing, the Quest 3S with 256GB of storage ($399.99) comes with a free $30 gift card via Best Buy.

The gift card will be sent via email after the order is fulfilled. Same-day pickup and next-day shipping were both available for last-minute gift hunters when we last checked.

This deal tacks further savings onto the Quest 3S, which is sold as part of a bundle that includes a copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow and three months of the Meta Quest+ gaming subscription service. Altogether, the 256GB version is a $473.95 value even before you factor in the gift card freebie.

The Quest 3S is available with less storage (128GB) for $299.99, but the base model does not currently have a gift card attached to it — at Best Buy or elsewhere.

SEE ALSO: Meta Quest 3S review: Best VR headset for new gamers, but seasoned players will notice flaws

An October 2024 release, the Quest 3S is a Mashable Choice Award winner and our favorite VR headset for beginners. It "made me feel like Tony Stark without needing his billionaire bank account," wrote former Tech Editor Kim Gedeon, who gave it a 4.6/5 rating in her review. She dinged it a few points for its imprecise IPD adjustment wheel, its delicate straps, and its could-be-crisper displays, but was otherwise impressed by its fit and performance. Its wireless design, ergonomic controllers, and huge game library were high points.

Gedeon found 128GB of storage to be plenty in her testing, but noted that "if you plan to take a lot of photos and videos (perhaps you're a VR streamer), you'd be better off with the 256GB variant."

SAVE $55: As of Dec. 10, the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is listed at its lowest price ever at multiple retailers — just $124, which is $55 off the original price. This is probably the best Xbox controller you can get on the market, so we recommend quickly picking one up at this price while you still can.

Opens in a new window Credit: Xbox Xbox Elite Series 2 controller $124.00 at Walmart
$179.00 Save $55.00 Get Deal

If you're an avid gamer and haven't yet experienced playing with a "pro-style" controller, we think you need to change that. It's the best way to play, and a perfect way to treat yourself this holiday season, no matter what console you frequent the most.

Xbox's version of the pro-style controller — the Elite Series 2 — is best-in-class, and it just hit its lowest price ever at multiple retailers. Pick one up at Walmart, Amazon, or Target for just $124 and save $55 off the original price. That's even cheaper than the list price ($129.99) for the more budget-friendly Xbox pro controller, the Elite Series 2 Core (which you can also get on sale for just $98 right now).

SEE ALSO: The best gaming headsets for consoles and PC: SteelSeries, Razer, and more of our top picks

The Elite Series 2 comes with all the bells and whistles. In addition to the overall "premium" feel of the controller (which includes a rubberized grip), you'll also get a ton of customization options that'll let you mold the gamepad to your ideal configuration. Two sets of back paddles, swappable thumbsticks, and an additional D-pad all come neatly packed in a convenient self-charging carrying case. The controller allows for even more onboard tweaks you can toy around with like custom mapping profiles, adjustable tension on the thumbsticks, and shorter hair trigger locks.

All this to say, the Elite Series 2 will absolutely spoil you — and it's worth it (especially on sale).

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Dec. 10: OUR TOP PICK Kindle Paperwhite $134.99 (save $25) Get Deal BEST HOME SECURITY DEAL Blink Video Doorbell $35.99 (save $24) Get Deal BEST SOUNDBAR DEAL Bose TV Speaker and Soundbar $199 (save $80) Get Deal BEST GIFT CARD DEAL Lyft e-gift card $85 (save $15 with on-page coupon) Get Deal BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER DEAL Sonos Roam 2 $139 (save $40) Get Deal

If you're looking for some deals to help you save money while checking off your shopping list, you came to the right place. It's crunch time, after all, and fortunately, Amazon is being pretty generous with its deals. To save you the hassle, we rounded up a few of the best deals we think are worth adding to your cart on Dec. 10.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these catch your eye, check out our picks from yesterday, Dec. 9 as well. Some of those are still live, including a 71% price drop on the Amazon Echo Buds with active noise cancellation.

Our top pick: Kindle Paperwhite Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Paperwhite (2024) $134.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

Mashable's Sam Mangino reviewed the latest Kindle Paperwhite and called it "not just the best Kindle but the best e-reader overall." Released back in October, the long-awaited upgrade immediately jumped to the top of our list of the best Kindles. Not only is it compact and lightweight, but it also features a responsive interface with adjustable warmth that's good for your eyes and is the fastest Kindle yet. It's also waterproof, for those who like to read at the beach or in the bathtub. Usually $159.99, it's on sale for just $134.99 as of Dec. 10. That's not quite as good as its Black Friday discount (just a $5 difference), but definitely still worth a grab.

Check out our full review of the Kindle Paperwhite (2024).

Blink Video Doorbell Opens in a new window Credit: Blink Blink Video Doorbell $35.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $24.00 Get Deal

The Blink Video Doorbell is on sale for just $35.99 instead of $59.99 as of Dec. 10. That's 40% in savings and just $6 shy of its record-low price from Black Friday. This smart doorbell gives you an extra set of eyes to see who's outside your door (even when you're not home) at any time of day with a 1080p HD live view, two-way audio, and infrared night vision. It can be installed in minutes and last up to two years on two AA batteries when paired with the Sync Module (sold separately).

Bose TV Speaker and Soundbar Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose TV speaker and soundbar $199.00 at Amazon
$279.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

Most built-in TV speakers aren't much to brag about, which is why we're fans of adding soundbars to your home entertainment setup. The Bose TV Speaker is a solid introductory option to add some serious sound without much bulk. Small yet mighty, it delivers a balanced and natural-sounding audio experience and enhances dialogue and bass for a more immersive viewing session. Plus, it helps that it's simple to set up and easy on the wallet. Usually $279, it's on sale for just $199 at Amazon as of Dec. 10. That's 29% in savings.

Lyft gift card Opens in a new window Credit: Lyft Lyft e-gift card $85.00 at Amazon
$100.00 Save $15.00 Get Deal

A $100 Lyft gift card can go a long way. If you're looking for a last-minute gift for a city dweller in your life, snag this rideshare e-gift card deal at Amazon for a limited time. Just check the on-page coupon and save $15 at checkout, dropping the price to just $85.

Sonos Roam 2 Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Roam 2 $139.00 at Amazon
$179.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal

We haven't had the pleasure of testing out the Sonos Roam 2, but we did try out the first generation and loved the sleek and portable speaker. Mashable's Alex Perry called the first rendition "an endearing and great-sounding portable speaker that you can use in just about any way you want," and gave it the coveted Mashable Choice award. The second-generation speaker doesn't fix what isn't broken. It adds small updates like a dedicated Bluetooth button, a new charging cable, and some battery improvements. It's usually $179, but as of Dec. 10, it's back down to its all-time low of $139 at Amazon. That's 22% in savings.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

A24 has released a new trailer for Brady Corbet's The Brutalist, which earned seven Golden Globe nominations and a spot on Mashable's list of the year's best films.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best movies of 2024, and where to watch them

The Brutalist stars Adrien Brody as brilliant Jewish Hungarian architect László Toth, who arrives in the United States following World War II. Separated from his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones, Rogue One) and niece Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy, White Noise), László must make a new life in Pennsylvania. There, he meets wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), who commissions him to build a community center. Yet László will soon find that he may have to compromise parts of his vision and identity to assimilate into a country that seems to want to reject him at ever turn.

In his review for Mashable, Siddhant Adlakha lauded The Brutalist as "both a densely-packed text, filled with rich thought on the world at large, as well as an excitingly rhythmic work of cinema that moves with a fearsome passion. It's hard not to think of it as a new American masterpiece."

The Brutalist hits select theaters Dec. 20.

SAVE $101.99: As of Dec. 10, get a pair of Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $298. That's 25% off their normal price and a return to their Black Friday pricing.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones $298.00 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $101.99 Get Deal

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have already come and gone, but we're still seeing some of the deals that popped up during that time alive and well. For instance, if you're still looking to buy a new pair of headphones, you can still get a pair of our favorite noise-cancelling headphones back at their Black Friday price right now at Amazon.

As of Dec. 10, you can get the Sony WH-1000MX5 headphones for just $298 at Amazon. That's $101.99 off their normal price of $399.99 and a discount of 25%. If you missed them during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, now's the time to scoop up a pair for less.

SEE ALSO: Save $80 on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones at Best Buy

These headphones are one of our favorite noise-cancelling cans for a reason. Miller Kern, Mashable's Deputy Editor of Shopping and Reviews, called them an "excellent pair of headphones for first-time buyers and those upgrading from old models," while Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard praised them for "producing a balanced sound that lets your music shine, while giving you enough ANC to block ambient noise."

With a lightweight frame, 30 hours of playback time with 3 hours of juice from a 3-minute quick charge, plus on-board touch controls, these are luxurious headphones that should give you what you're looking for if you want something more premium to enjoy your favorite tunes with. And they'd make a great holiday gift, too.

Pornhub is back with its latest year in review. Considering the threats to the adult industry with Project 2025, these insights seem more pertinent than ever. Here are all the biggest trends — political and otherwise — that the tube site observed this year.

Pornhub and politics

This is the first of these reviews after the 2024 U.S. election, which divided the entire nation — including the porn industry. While some performers support Donald Trump, many fear the outcome of his presidency. This is due to Project 2025, a wishlist for Trump to implement in his second term — including a porn ban.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock porn for free

Whether such a ban will occur remains to be seen. Several U.S. states have already imposed age-verification laws, requiring ID for websites where over a third of the content hosted is explicit, thus making porn harder to access. Pornhub has responded by blocking itself from these states including Texas, Indiana, and Kentucky. Because of this, the map of the most popular searches in each state looks a bit different this year. The states where Pornhub is banned are grayed out:

U.S. top relative searches, without the states that Pornhub banned Credit: Pornhub

Despite the efforts to ban porn (or at least limit access), the U.S. dominated the list of top 20 countries by traffic. (USA, USA!) The nation does have a higher population than the others in the top spots — but the sheer amount of traffic it drives to Pornhub is notable:

U.S. brings in the most Pornhub traffic by far. Credit: Pornhub

These top 20 countries account for 79.2 percent of all daily traffic, according to Pornhub. By time spent on the site, Mexico and the Netherlands beat out the U.S. slightly:

U.S. ranks third among time spent per visit. Credit: Pornhub

Geopolitics aside, Pornhub notes that the average time spent overall has dropped 29 seconds this year. Young adults are driving this increase: 18-24-year-olds spent less than 76 seconds on the site compared to the average. Either they're getting their kicks too soon, or going elsewhere.

Do women watch Pornhub?

Not only are women watching porn, but they're spending 17 seconds longer on Pornhub compared to male visitors overall. Women account for 38 percent of Pornhub viewers worldwide, up slightly from last year (36 percent).

Proportion of female viewers on Pornhub, by country. Credit: Pornhub

As last year, more women in the Philippines viewed Pornhub than men. In the U.S., 29 percent of Pornhub viewers are women. This has remained consistent in recent Pornhub year in reviews. Women are much more likely to view videos featuring scissoring, cunnilingus, and solo men — also consistent with years past.

Generational divides on Pornhub

In 2023, Mashable pointed out that boomers are into trans porn. What about this year?

Top relative categories by generation on Pornhub. Credit: Pornhub

Boomers were 36 percent more likely than younger generations to view strap-on porn this year, and 32 percent more likely to view gangbangs. Trans porn didn't make the cut.

Gen Z, meanwhile, was much more likely (+392 percent) to view vertical videos than older folks.

Finally, here are the top trends Pornhub identified this year:

Top Pornhub trends in 2024

1. Being "demure" and "modest": Very mindful, very cutesy! Searches for "demure" increased 133 percent this year, and "mindful pleasure" rose 112 percent.

2. Tradwives: The reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and the increase of tradwife content on TikTok has ushered in an interest in wifey videos. The search term "traditional wife" increased by 34 percent, and "tradwife" was up 72 percent. Interest in Mormon content specifically had a big increase this year: "Mormon sex" searches grew 92 percent, "Mormon wife" 71 percent, and "Mormon threesome" 122 percent.

3. Coworker fantasies: The Cut declared 2024 the year of the office pervert, and if Pornhub searches are any indication, that's true. Searches for "coworker" increased 92 percent, and "workplace fantasy" 57 percent. Viewers were particularly interested in infidelity fantasies: "office affair" was up 25 percent and "cheating coworker" 71 percent.

4. Getting your head in the game: The 2024 Paris Olympics inspired searches like "sex olympics," "nude olympics," and simply "athlete." Plus, France had the #2 spot in Pornhub traffic this year — maybe from all the visitors?

5. Hentai and anime: The popularity of animated porn isn't new, but it did continue to grow this year. "Realistic animated" searches grew 78 percent.

6. Hawk tuah on that thing: The phrase "hawk tuah" resulted in 10 million searches on Pornhub, and searches for "spit on dick" increased 233 percent. Hailey Welch inspired a movement...until Hawk Tuah Coin, that is.

To view all the tube site's insights, check out Pornhub's 2024 Year in Review.

UPDATE: Dec. 10, 2024, 9:30 a.m. EST I recently updated my list of the top three best Shark robot vacuums with the newest, fanciest Shark model, the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro. This model is in the running to be added to this list as well, which will be updated accordingly in the coming weeks.

Despite the enthusiasm of actors in Swiffer commercials, few people are smiling at the workout that is manually mopping their floors.

If you experience similar dread when faced with vacuuming, the best robot vacuum and mop combos will cross those two chores off of your list (three, if you count digging your old mop out of the closet as a chore in itself).

Are robot vacuums good at mopping?

I'm not saying you can expect a hybrid robot vacuum to scrub your kitchen grout with the same tenacity you would get with a toothbrush, but robot vacuums have gotten much better at mopping over the past few years.

Since 2020-ish, most robot vacuum companies have added at least one (several, in most cases) hybrid model to their lineup, with prices ranging from $200 to well over $1,000. You can generally expect the mopping technique to get a little more meticulous as price goes up, so the type of mess that your 2-in-1 model will need to conquer becomes a big deciding factor. Are you mostly concerned with wiping up spur-of-the-moment spills, or will you be a stickler about dried-on stains that call for more heavy-duty scrubbing?

SEE ALSO: As a Dyson stan, I wouldn't tell anyone to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum

Fortunately, both ends of the pricing spectrum provide way more bang for their buck in 2024 than they did in the early 2020s. The mere presence of a cloth and a water tank is far from good enough at this point — now, the best robot vacuums and mops are armed with more mechanics attempting to mimic the elbow grease that a human with a mop or Swiffer would provide, like pressurized and/or spinning mopping pads (rather than lackadaisical, stationary ones). Most modern 2-in-1 robot vacuums can also mop with real germ-fighting cleaning solution rather than just water — key in upping my own personal confidence in walking around barefoot.

SEE ALSO: Dyson's cheapest laser vacuum made me feel bad about my dirty floors...in a good way

But arguably the most pivotal shift 2-in-1 robot vacuums saw in the past year isn't on the robot vacuums themselves, but in their docks. Past automatically emptying the dust bin, the best robot mop combos also cross post-mopping maintenance off of your list by automatically washing and drying their own mopping pads, then refilling themselves with clean water from the dock. With one of these fancy self-cleaning stations, your robovac will be ready to mop again almost immediately — a clutch change from an older, more basic design that had us all choosing between manually washing a smelly mopping pad after each use, letting it mop with a dirty pad, or just avoiding the mopping feature altogether.

Not sure how fancy of a hybrid robot vacuum you even need at home? I've tested 15+ of the most popular robot vacuum and mop combos at a range of prices on my own floors at home, narrowing down your options to the top four robot vacuums that also wash your floors in 2024.

(Note that each vacuum's retail price is listed by default, but that I've also noted the most common sale price each vacuum frequently drops to in "The Good" section. And yes, robot vacuum deals are common all throughout the year — not just during a shopping holiday like Black Friday.)

I have a confession to make: Despite being proud of my eclectic music taste, the thing I type the most into both Apple Music and Spotify is "chill". Yes, sometimes I need to get some work done, and I need music that will speak softly to me from the background without distracting me.

Enter Apple Music Chill, a new radio station on Apple Music that will feature a "continuous flow of chill highlights across genres, interspersed with mindful moments meant to remind listeners to make the time to find center and calm."

SEE ALSO: Apple Music Replay 2024: How to get it

Unlike so many "chill" music stations, this new station by Apple Music shouldn't be just a soulless blend of downtempo beats. Apple set out to prove that with the first song to air on the station, Beck's new recording of George Harrison's "Be Here Now." Listeners can also expect to hear music curated by the likes of Brian Eno, Stephan Moccio, and Zane Lowe.

"In a world of AI and algorithms, Apple Music Radio is live. It’s real people, it’s a shared event, and I’m so excited to be broadening that experience to listeners worldwide with three new stations," said Lowe in a statement.

Apple also launched two other radio stations today.

FKA Twigs will be providing mixes for Apple Music Club. Credit: Apple

Apple Música Uno focuses on Latin music, with daily programming by Evelyn Sicairos and Lechero, as well as music from popular playlist Puro Pop Radio.

Finally, Apple Music Club is a station devoted to dance and electronic music. Some of the highlights including mixes from Honey Dijon, Jamie xx, FKA twigs, and Nia Archives, and curation by Circoloco, Tomorrowland, The Warehouse Project, fabric, Hï Ibiza, Stone Island Sound, and more.

SEE ALSO: Tesla app for Apple Watch hands-on: Friggin' finally!

Apple Music Radio is available to Apple Music subscribers, but you can also listen to the stations without a subscription (you do need an Apple ID, however). The three new stations bring the total to six, together with Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country. The stations are available over at https://music.apple.com/us/radio.

SAVE $80: As of Dec. 10, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are on sale for $349 at Best Buy. That's $80 off their list price of $429.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones $349.00 at Best Buy
$429.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

There are still some nice deals floating around before the holidays kick in. If you're on the lookout for new headphones — whether to give as a gift this year or to pick up for yourself — Best Buy is offering some nice discounts right now. This includes a great offer on our pick for the most comfortable headphones: the Bose QuietComfort Ultra.

At the moment, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are marked down to $349 at Best Buy, a whopping $80 off their list price of $429. All of the colors are on sale as well, so you can choose between black, lunar blue, diamond, and white smoke. On top of this great deal, you also get a sweet bonus offer with your purchase of three months of YouTube Premium for free.

SEE ALSO: Act fast: Save $130 on the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M2) with Best Buy's Deal of the Day

These headphones are worth every cent, too. As mentioned previously, they rank high on our list of the best noise-canceling headphones as the most comfortable pick, and our review had high praise for them as well. Mashable's Shopping Reporter, Samantha Mangino, said "If you're wearing headphones from the beginning of your commute, all throughout the workday, and until the moment you get back home, these are a worthy investment for comfort, not to mention battery life."

A deal like this likely won't stick around for long, so scoop up the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones on sale for $349 while they're still discounted.

If you're hoping to find even more headphone deals, there are thankfully a couple still on sale after Cyber Monday. Right now you can also save on the Sony WH1000XM4 headphones and Beats Studio Pro headphones.

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 10, the Sonos Era 100 speaker is on sale for $199 at Amazon. This is 20% off its list price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Era 100 $199.00 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

High-quality speakers are a game-changer when it comes to playing music or watching your favorite shows or movies. As someone who recently bought the Sonos Era 100 speaker, it's worth every cent for creating a fantastic surround sound experience in your home or just playing your favorite songs while hanging out. If you've had your eye on it, the great news is it's still on sale after Cyber Monday.

The Sonos Era 100 speaker is currently down to $199, 20% off its retail price of $249. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this $50 price drop marks its lowest-ever price.

SEE ALSO: Act fast: Save $130 on the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M2) with Best Buy's Deal of the Day

I think the Sonos Era 100 is worth picking up at any price. I've got two set up behind my couch for a nice surround sound setup, and they absolutely deliver. Certain shows and films feel elevated with these speakers, making for some of my most memorable movie nights and TV show marathons this year. Not to mention, their compact design means I can fit them right into places like a bookshelf or on the corner of a desk.

Amazon currently has the Sonos Era 100 speaker listed as a 'limited-time deal', so take advantage of this all-time low price while the deal is still live.

Amazon has a few more deals live after Cyber Monday. If you're curious what else is still available, have a look through our breakdown of Amazon's Cyber Monday sale to see if any deals that caught your eye are still around.

Marielle Heller's Nightbitch tackles the feral nature of motherhood, with her protagonist Mother (Amy Adams) physically transforming before our very eyes, taking on more than a few canine features. Adapted from Rachel Yoder's novel, Nightbitch encapsulates the animalistic rage felt by mothers living in a patriarchal society. 

The movie deftly navigates the ways in which women are subjected to misogyny in their early days of motherhood (and beyond). Adams depicts a woman in crisis as she parents a toddler, slowly admitting to the loneliness and shame she feels — something her mostly absent Husband (Scoot McNairy), who makes an artform of weaponised incompetence, fails to understand. 

Featured Video For You Amy Adams on how she transformed into a dog in 'Nightbitch'

But there are other hugely revolutionary things about Nightbitch. Notably, how it depicts and dismantles taboos and shame around women's body hair, as well as the reality of women's bodies when it comes to motherhood, menstruation, and everything else the female body miraculously creates and endures.

Nightbitch gets real about body hair

Early on in Nightbitch, we see Mother discover long hairs on her chin while looking in the mirror. She doesn’t recoil in repulsion at a very natural hormonal reaction — as society would have her do — she accepts it as part of her new reality. It's refreshing to watch. Representative of both a literal and figurative shift from woman to dog (Mother also grows a tail, gleefully pulling it from a boil), the scene also shows an acceptance of women growing body hair and rolling back the damaging societal assumption that most women don’t encounter it. Writer and director Heller told the Guardian she wanted to show a "euphoria" to the transformation, while Adams described the depiction as showing "this radical acceptance of change" — and that she grew her own "whiskers" for the role.

Amy Adams as Mother in "Nightbitch." Credit: Searchlight Pictures

This kind of healthy, empowering representation of facial hair on screen is crucial when it comes to normalising it for women, particularly younger generations and those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) where excess body hair growth is common – research says it affects 80 percent of women with PCOS.

The importance of showing body hair on screen

For Rachel Morman, a trustee of UK PCOS charity Verity, moments like these on screen could be a revelation for women, particularly for those with PCOS, and "encourages people to rethink their perceptions and prejudices."

“Portraying a natural and common experience like chin hair growth can be powerful and validating as it brings a typically hidden or shamed aspect of their lives into the light,” she tells Mashable. “Anything that can be done en masse helps to normalise the conversation and demonstrates that body hair is a normal part of the female experience."

I certainly wish I’d seen this kind of body hair representation on screen when I was first diagnosed with PCOS in my mid teens. I felt self conscious of body hair that I didn’t know was actually quite common. In my 20s I kept the laser hair removals I paid for a secret from friends because I thought I was the only person whose body was having that kind of reaction to my PCOS. Body hair is still taboo enough as it is, excessive amounts due to a hormonal condition like PCOS comes with all kinds of stigma and shame. Seeing Adams with hair on her chin, later discovering she grew it herself for a role, as well as the accepting reaction her character has to this “transformation” felt like an overdue liberation from what society says I should look like and an embrace of the reality of women’s body hair.

Seeing Adams with hair on her chin, later discovering she grew it herself for a role...felt like an overdue liberation...

Of course, PCOS advocates such as Harnaam Kaur have been speaking out for years about the importance of embracing facial hair. At the age of 16, Kaur stopped shaving her facial hair and chose to embrace it — and has been championing love and self-acceptance when it comes to body hair, and women’s bodies more widely, since. 

She tells Mashable that representation on screen is crucial for constructing a more authentic attitude towards women’s body hair, with the current narrative leaving many with PCOS feeling misunderstood and out of place.

“Representation of body hair on screen is about telling honest, human stories,” Kaur says. “For those with PCOS, it can shine a light on lived experiences that are often overlooked, fostering understanding and empathy. By breaking the silence around these realities, we empower people to feel seen and valued.” 

She adds that showing diversity of body hair on screen, like in Nightbitch, will help to break down damaging expectations around femininity. “The stigma around women and body hair, especially for those with PCOS, often comes from standards that tell us what’s ‘feminine’ or ‘acceptable’. This creates a lot of unnecessary shame, as if having body hair makes someone less worthy or less womanly.”

Above all, Kaur says, representation of body hair on screen “reminds us all that there’s nothing to be ashamed of, and that’s incredibly powerful”.

Hollywood’s history of hairless women 

Of course, when it comes to body hair on screen, we are fighting the most acute of Hollywood beauty standards, ones that remain despite decades of feminist resistance. There has always been stigma, outrage and sometimes “scandal” around showing women’s body hair on screen. Sophia Loren embraced armpit hair in the '50s, Grace Jones in the '70s. Julia Roberts appeared at Notting Hill’s 1999 movie premiere with armpit hair and it was deemed "scandalous". Many actors, musicians, and celebrities have resisted Hollywood body hair conventions. Within films themselves, we have seen some progress — like Adams, Salma Hayek grew out her own moustache when playing the role of Frida Kahlo, while Kate Winslet and Rooney Mara both wore merkins (a public wig), in The Reader and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo respectively, to better embody their character.

Discourse around body hair on screen is definitely more visible and spirited than it used to be, with many calling out representations that don’t feel true to them. For instance, Emma Stone’s Poor Things body characterisation was criticised due to her cleanly shaven legs and neatly trimmed pubic hair throughout, despite the fact that the film centres around her character’s sexual liberation and rejection of societal expectation around women’s bodies and behaviour.

But unlike Nightbitch, the majority of movies still subscribe to the Western ideal of what a woman should look like — which, currently, is largely hairless. And the shame around it, and pressure to remove it, runs deeply to all those who feel subscribed to white, cisgender beauty standards. What we see on screen directly impacts how we see ourselves, and what we expect of ourselves when it comes to beauty standards. So it’s never been more important to champion the movies, directors, and actors that step outside of that to show a more authentic portrayal of women’s bodies. 

Nightbitch's portrayal of menstrual blood also hits back at taboos

Alongside the film's inclusion of body hair, Heller also includes an authentic, refreshing depiction of menstrual blood in Nightbitch, during a scene where Mother is in the shower. She is taking some long overdue time to herself when her Husband interrupts to ask her why there’s no milk in the house — as if it’s her job alone to supply it. She quickly retorts that he should go to the shop, especially as she’s about to bleed and will need sanitary products, and the camera pans to menstrual blood running down her legs in the shower. This portrayal was a deliberate decision made by the director in order to “normalise” its representation on screen. In her directorial debut, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Heller also showed hymen blood on screen after her protagonist Minnie (Bel Powley) has sex for the first time. Heller spoke at the time about period or hymen blood not being met with “shock or shame or disgust”.

Amy Adams as Mother in "Nightbitch." Credit: Searchlight Pictures

In recent years, we’ve seen period blood on screen feature slightly more heavily. Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You sees her character Arabella’s sexual partner remove both a used tampon and a blood clot, reacting with curiosity instead of disgust. We also see Anya Taylor-Joy’s The Queen’s Gambit protagonist Beth flee to the bathroom from a chess match with menstrual blood running down her leg. Portrayals of period sex are also on the up, explored in 2024 movie Babes and the adaptation of Lisa Taddeo's Three Women. The fact that it’s been present in horror movies for a longer stretch, though — think Carrie and Ginger Snaps — may feed into the narrative that menstrual blood is something to be afraid of.

The complaints and controversy that have frequently followed period blood being shown on screen reflects the misogynistic attitudes that remain around women’s bodies. For example, an advert for Wuka period pants received hundreds of complaints after broadcasting a similar scene to Nightbitch that included blood clots and menstrual bleeding in the shower.

Just like with its choices around portraying body hair, normalising menstrual blood on screen works to “break down centuries of silence and shame surrounding menstruation” according to Morman. She adds that it means something even more to women with hormonal conditions such as PCOS.

“For women with PCOS, who may face irregular or heavy periods, this representation is particularly meaningful and validating,” she says. “Showing menstrual blood in a matter-of-fact way also helps educate audiences, challenging the idea that periods are something to hide. This openness can lead to greater empathy and understanding, encouraging conversations about conditions such as PCOS.” 

In a world where I’ve been made to feel anxious, ashamed and lesser because of body hair that is out of my control and due to a hormonal condition that affects one in every 10 women and deserves more awareness, having acceptance and representation for women like me through scenes in a Hollywood movie like Nightbitch means a lot. I hope it is only just the beginning when it comes to seeing better diversity of bodies on screen, as well as the reality of women’s bodily functions.

“Normalising body hair and the realities of women’s bodies on screen has the potential to empower all women by breaking down oppressive beauty standards,” Morman agrees. “Ultimately, this shift in representation can help create a culture where we feel free to embrace our natural bodies, leading to improved mental health, self-esteem and ultimately quality of life.”

Nightbitch is out now in cinemas.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2024-25 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top club competition in the world of football has to be the Champions League. There is nothing else that brings the very best teams in the world together in a battle for footballing immortality. Sure, winning your domestic league is great. But winning the Champions League is on another level.

If you want to watch the 2024-25 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Champions League?

The Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by UEFA and contested by top-division European clubs. This year's tournament begins with a 36-team round robin group stage to determine which sides qualify for the double-legged knockout rounds, followed by a single leg final.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2024-25 Europa League online for free

The defending champions are Real Madrid.

When is the 2024-25 Champions League?

The 2024-25 Champions League is the 70th edition of the competition (and the 33rd since it was renamed the Champions League). This season's tournament runs from July 9 to 31 May.

How to watch the 2024-25 Champions League for free

It is possible to live stream the 2024-25 Champions League for free on the following streaming platforms:

• Belgium — RTL play (select fixtures)

• Ireland — RTÉ Player (select fixtures including the final)

• Luxembourg — RTL ZWEE (select fixtures)

• Turkey — Tabii (select fixtures including the final)

• UK — Prime Video (select fixtures including semi finals with 30-day free trial)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2024-25 Champions League by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the Champions League

4. Visit RTL play, RTÉ Player, RTL ZWEE, Tabii, or Prime Video (free trial)

5. Watch Champions League fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the 2024-25 Champions League without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, the fact is you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Champions League?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live 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 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 the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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: Answer, hints for December 10 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 10 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Something to see

These words are what you might go watch.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are related to the film industry.

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 Cinematic.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for December 10

• Flick

• Picture

• Talkie

• Feature

• Short

• Movie

• Film

• Cinematic

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.