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The following review contains spoilers for the ending of Spellbound.

For a movie that features dark curses, enchanted forests, and flying cat-creatures, Spellbound is surprisingly devoid of any magic. At least, not until the end.

Directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek), this animated adventure about a young princess (voiced by West Side Story's Rachel Zegler) trying to free her parents from a spell is an unfortunately formulaic ride for its first two thirds. Its final act, on the other hand, proves to be a mature and compassionate examination of parental separation. But is it enough to save the rest of the movie?

SEE ALSO: 'A Man on the Inside' review: Ted Danson and Mike Schur reunite for sweet sitcom gold What is Spellbound about? Credit: Skydance / Netflix

Stop me if you've heard this one before: A princess in a magical kingdom struggles with a curse that threatens to throw her whole world into disarray. It's a tale as old as time, albeit one that can work fairly well if given an appropriate twist. In Spellbound, that twist is that it's not the princess who's dealing with the curse: It's her parents. And she's left to deal with the fallout.

Princess Ellian (Zegler) of Lumbria is about to turn 15. But instead of celebrating, she's busy caring for her parents, who are monsters. Literally. About a year ago, a curse that feeds on "dark feelings" transformed them into (frankly, adorable) beasts with seemingly no memory of who they once were. Since then, Ellian and her parents' ministers Bolinar (voiced by John Lithgow) and Nazara (voiced by Jennifer Lewis) have kept the transformation a secret from the rest of Lumbria as they try to figure out their next steps. But the stress of making sure her parents don't escape (or eat anyone) is clearly weighing on Ellian. All she wants is to reverse the spell and bring things back to the way they were.

To save her parents, Ellian embarks on a daring quest into the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness, where she'll meet with the powerful Oracles of the Sun and Moon (voiced by Tituss Burgess and Nathan Lane), cross dangerous deserts and rivers, and hide from the dark energy that cursed her parents.

SEE ALSO: 'Arcane' Season 2 review: The best fantasy show of 2024, hands-down

Despite the occasional fun touch — shout out to the odd couple Oracles — Ellian's journey plays out with an unfortunate blandness. World-building elements go woefully underdeveloped, like a magical key fob that seemingly has several settings and abilities, yet only ever sends out generic purple sparkles to get the job done. Tropes like Ellian's purple furry sidekick Flink feel overdone after mere seconds, a sentiment that only increases after Flink and Bolinar suffer an unexpected body swap.

Making matters worse are the film's songs, which sound nice enough (Zegler's voice here should get you more excited for her turn as Snow White) but are instantly forgettable. The animation falters too, at times feeling oddly textureless. Take the darkness that hunts Ellian and her parents through the forest. It takes the shape of a black tornado, yet it reads as flat and slack onscreen, to the point that it doesn't feel threatening at all.

Because of these many shortcomings, I'd almost written Spellbound off entirely as it approached its halfway point. But then something extraordinary happened: Ellian's monster parents began talking, hinting at a much more mature and complex story of family relationships.

Spellbound's ending is a solid rumination on how divorce impacts children. Credit: Skydance / Netflix

Ellian's parents don't master speech right away. Her mother (voiced by Nicole Kidman) and father (voiced by Javier Bardem) puzzle through language, unable to string together sentences or say anything more than "girl!" when talking to Ellian. And yes, hearing Kidman and Bardem's voices come out of giant monsters is absolutely as delightful as it sounds.

Yet as Ellian and her parents forge ahead on their quest, tensions rise between Lumbria's king and queen. They can barely get through a conversation without snarling at each other, causing Ellian even more anxiety as she struggles to keep her family together. With all this parental infighting, Spellbound makes you wonder why the curse — which, again, stems from dark emotions — really happened in the first place.

Just as Ellian's parents are about to become humans again, they realize that the source of the curse was themselves. Their constant arguing made them the monsters they are today: the angry couple who's so different from the happy parents Ellian remembers, to the point that they've become completely unrecognizable. Now, they don't want to go back to being those humans, since it caused them so much pain.

Of course, that news destroys Ellian, who has fought so hard for her parents every step of the way. Do they not love her enough to complete the last stage of their journey? After everything she did for them, why would they not do this for her? She's gone through so much stress trying to keep this family together, and now her parents want to throw it all away? It's a remarkable allegory for the pressure kids may put on themselves to resolve tensions within a fractured family, and of how they may feel guilty for a parental separation or divorce — something that's totally out of their control!

Similarly remarkable is what comes next: The king and queen apologize to Ellian, admitting that they didn't consider how hurt she would feel by their decision to remain apart. They reiterate how much they love her, and how much they will always love her. And while their separation will take work and getting used to, they vow that they will do whatever they can to prioritize her and help her through this transition. And guess what? It works. A flash forward proves that Ellian and her parents are getting used to the new normal and are working through it, day by day.

For Spellbound to present separation (the word "divorce" is never used, yet it's clear that's what this is) as a viable happily ever after feels like uncharted territory for a children's movie. Yet it is also so heartening to see, as this is the reality for so many young people out there. Spellbound treats Ellian's experience with so much empathy, and it also presents the separation as infinitely more healthy (and frankly, normal) for her family than any attempts to keep up facades. That's a bold, necessary statement to make about family relationships, one that many might find healing. So while Spellbound's exterior may not always break the mold, its heart is more than happy to break new ground, gifting us a truly special ending.

Spellbound is now streaming on Netflix.

Another episode into Season 2 of Silo, and the mysteries are stacking up.

We found out last season that Head of Judicial Judge Meadows (Tanya Moodie) isn't really the powerful figure people believe her to be. Season 2, episode 2 gives us even more of an insight into her character — and, in particular, her relationship with the person actually in charge of the titular Silo, Bernard (Tim Robbins).

But what exactly is going on between the two of them, and what secret is Meadows hiding? We've had a go at breaking it down.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best TV episodes of 2024 (so far) What happens between Bernard and Judge Meadows in episode 2?

In episode 2, a desperate Bernard visits Meadows in her apartment to ask for help. He wants her to join him while he addresses the people of the Silo as a show of support, but Meadows refuses. Later, though, when Bernard takes to the podium, Meadows is there waiting — and she steps in to speak up for him after he lies to the Silo about inventing a new kind of protective tape.

Back in Meadows' apartment after the speech, she reveals to Bernard that she's stopped drinking. Then she tells him what she wants in return for her help.

"For the first time in 25 years, I don't want to be drunk. I want to be as clearheaded as I can about this, and you, going forward. I'll help you, Bernard," Meadows says. "Get me some of the good tape and put it aside until the crisis is over. I want my freedom."

For some reason, Meadows wants to follow Juliette Nichols (Rebeccas Ferguson) and leave the Silo's confines. But why?

Bernard seems confused by Judge Meadows Credit: Apple TV+ Why did Judge Meadows stop being Bernard's shadow?

Clearly, Judge Meadows wasn't always this troubled. At one point back in time, we learn, she was in fact Bernard's shadow.

"Nobody knows me better than you," says Bernard early in the episode, making it clear that the two of them share a bond he doesn't share with anyone else in the Silo. What's just as obvious, though, is that this bond has become fractured — and whatever went wrong can be traced back to an event 25 years in the past.

We don't yet know what this event was. All we know is that 1) It caused Meadows to start drinking, and 2) Not even Bernard knows what happened.

"I'll never fucking understand you," he says. "What was it, Mary? 25 years of this secret. What are you holding onto? What aren't you telling me? You're hiding something."

Our only other clue is Meadows' request to go outside. Whatever secret she's holding on to, maybe it's something to do with the mystery of what's going on beyond the Silo's metal walls.

How to watch: Silo is streaming now on Apple TV+ with new episodes releasing weekly.

We already know Bernard (Tim Robbins) has information nobody else in Silo does, but Season 2, episode 2 shows us he even has his own private manual.

After we followed Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) into that semi-abandoned silo in episode 1 we cut back to the original silo in the next episode, watching as Bernard runs into his private server room and sees — through a camera in Juliette's visor — her pushing long-dead bodies out of the way to get to possible safety, just before the signal cuts out.

Panicking, Bernard grabs a large black book titled "The Order". After flipping through it he stops on a page with instructions on what to do if someone sent out to clean doesn't actually clean.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best TV shows of 2024 (so far)

The page only flashes up for a second, but with a bit of pausing and zooming we've managed to transcribe it:

IN THE EVENT OF A FAILED CLEANING, PREPARE FOR WAR

This failed cleaning action plan is provided only as a guide to help Mayoral and Judicial and employees/Raiders comply with the requirements of the Occupational Health Administration's Silo Emergency Action Plan Standard, 34 Code of Silo Regulations (CSR). It is not intended to supersede the requirements of the standard. This plan contains the basic elements of an emergency action plan. However, you should review the...

After that the text gets too blurry to make out. We can't see much of the text on the right-hand page, either, but the words "Begin with a list..." can be deciphered.

Credit: Apple TV+

In the next shot, you can make out a subheading further down the same page that reads "SILO WAR PLAN" followed by some more text that's impossible to make out.

What does the text in The Order tell us?

Presumably The Order, like The Pact, is a text provided by the silo's mysterious Founders. Unlike The Pact, though, which is taught to all citizens, it seems as though The Order is a book only someone in Bernard's position is privy to. The text itself is fairly jargon-filled, but the line near the bottom — "This plan contains the basic elements of an emergency action plan" — stands out.

In short, the Founders (and therefore Bernard) view a "failed cleaning" as something that's a high level emergency — something that is likely to lead to "war" in the silo. Clearly, the Founders set out instructions in case of such an event, which we can presume Bernard will start to follow as Season 2 progresses.

We don't know what these instructions are — although the "Begin with a list..." line on the second page sounds a bit ominous — but judging by everything else we know about the silo's strict regime, it probably won't be good news for the citizens.

How to watch: Silo is streaming now on Apple TV+ with new episodes releasing weekly.

Threads is apparently deprioritising its algorithmic feed, allowing you to see more posts from people you actually follow. It seems Meta is trying to increase the appeal of its microblogging platform as people search for X alternatives in the wake of the U.S. election.

Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri announced the change in a Threads post on Thursday. Though his initial post did not specify whether he was referring to Threads or Instagram, he implied it was the former in a subsequent reply.

SEE ALSO: Stephen King is ditching X for Threads

"We are rebalancing ranking to prioritize content from people you follow, which will mean less recommended content from accounts you don’t follow and more posts from the accounts you do starting today," Mosseri wrote. "For you creators out there, you should see unconnected reach go down and connected reach go up."

View on Threads

Many users have compared Threads' announced changes to Twitter spinoff Bluesky, which already defaults to showing users content from accounts they follow. Bluesky CEO Jay Graber has previously stated that it aims to offer a "marketplace of algorithms" users can choose from instead of a single "master algorithm," noting that a chronological feed of accounts you follow is technically an algorithm as well.

"Great to see other social networks copy custom feeds!" Bluesky wrote on its Threads account, apparently in response to Mosseri's announcement. "This is the kind of competition and innovation that's been missing from social for the last decade, because progress has been locked within tech giants. This is what improves our experience online."

love the giant brain super genius action of "maybe people want to read the things posted by the people they follow"

[image or embed]

— the Mountain Goats (@themountaingoats.bsky.social) November 22, 2024 at 1:51 PM

Having experienced them all: Bluesky > Threads > Staring into the middle distance in longing > the emptiness inside > twitter

— John Green (@johngreensbluesky.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 8:56 AM

Upon reflection, staring into the middle distance in longing is better than threads.

— John Green (@johngreensbluesky.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 9:02 AM

bluesky is so much better at threads then threads.

— Vijay Pemmaraju (@vijay.io) November 21, 2024 at 4:14 PM

A significant number of those abandoning Elon Musk's X have moved to Bluesky, which gained over 700,000 new users to hit 20 million this week. Meanwhile, Mosseri announced that Threads reached 275 million monthly active users at the start of this month — a number Meta is clearly hoping to grow.

"This [ranking rebalancing] is definitely a work in progress — balancing the ability to reach followers and overall engagement is tricky — thanks for your patience and keep the feedback coming," Mosseri wrote on Tuesday.

Threads' decision to back off algorithmically recommended content is a departure from Meta's apparent strategy in recent years. Instagram and Facebook literally doubled down on algorithmic feeds in 2022, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg declaring that both would increase the amount of algorithmically chosen content they displayed twofold. This was despite the overwhelming unpopularity of the algorithmic feed, which Meta was well aware of but determined to power through.

"Now, if you're seeing things in your Feed that are recommendations that you're not interested in, that means that we're doing a bad job ranking, and we need to improve," said Mosseri at the time. "But we're going to continue to try and get better at recommendations because we think it's one of the most effective and important ways to help creators reach more people."

It now seems that, at least for Threads, Meta is finally letting users see more of the content they actually signed up for, and deprioritising algorithmic experimentation.

Becoming a good presenter takes more than just improving your eye contact and body language. Truly impactful presenting requires real introspection. To develop a confident presence, consider starting with three areas of inner work. Uncover hidden barriers. One effective way to boost your public-speaking confidence is to explore what might be quietly holding you back. […]

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TL;DR: Learn PowerShell scripting, task automation, and more with this £11.89 (reg. £61.95) online course bundle, on sale at the Mashable Shop through 8 December.

Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce The 2024 Windows PowerShell Certification Bundle £11.89 at the Mashable Shop
£61.95 Save £50.06 Get Deal

Automation is getting more common for most businesses, and for good reason. Who wants overly complicated operations and hefty workloads? To stay on top of this growing trend in the IT world, you may want to look into learning Windows PowerShell.

PowerShell is a cross-platform task automation and configuration management program designed to make your professional life easier. Learn automation, PowerShell scripting, and more with this 2024 training bundle, now available for only £11.89.

This training collection contains six courses spearheaded by Vijay Saini, an IT professional with years of experience working in multiple industry domains. Saini specialises in tackling small- to large-scale automation to save businesses money. In short, he's someone who knows his stuff.

Beginners can start with the Anybody Can Script course. Here, you'll discover the basics of creating and using scripts with lessons on the fundamentals of automation for simple tasks. Some of the other topics you'll dive into are basic command lines and how to integrate PowerShell with non-Microsoft products.

If you're familiar with Windows PowerShell already, the Advanced Scripting and Tool Making course might be a more practical starting point. You'll explore more advanced scripting techniques and learn about advanced file handling, database interactions, and creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using PowerShell.

At the end of each course, students will earn a certificate of completion, which they can add to their LinkedIn profile or CV to impress employers.

Grab the 2024 Windows PowerShell training bundle for just £11.89 (reg. £61.95) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is on sale for £0.99 this Black Friday. This special offer saves you £27.48 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Unlimited Kindle Unlimited (3-Month Subscription) £0.99 at Amazon
£28.47 Save £27.48 Get Deal

Amazon has launched its Black Friday sale with massive deals on just about everything. There are some really interesting offers, but the very best deals might be on Amazon's own range of services.

A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is on sale for £0.99, saving you £27.48 on list price. This Black Friday deal is live until Dec. 2.

SEE ALSO: Suction up these Dyson deals ahead of Black Friday and get up to 46% off

So why should you consider signing up for Kindle Unlimited? This popular subscription service provides unlimited reading and listening on any device, with over 1 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and selected magazine subscriptions available on any device.

It's important to note that after the three-month promotional period, your subscription will automatically renew at the monthly rate of £9.49 for Prime members. You can cancel this automatic renewal function at anytime though, so there's no pressure to pay anything. Kindle Unlimited subscribers with active free trials or paid memberships are not eligible for this exclusive promotion. Customers who have benefited from a Kindle Unlimited promotion or free trial within the past 36 months may also miss out on this offer.

Get three months of Kindle Unlimited for £0.99 this Black Friday.

TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series for free on TF1+. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Autumn Nations Series has delivered some really entertaining games between the best sides in the world, and we're not done yet.

Fresh from beating the All Blacks last weekend, France now welcome Argentina to Paris. Argentina narrowly lost to Ireland in their last meeting, and will be desperate to turn things around with a big performance.

If you want to watch France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is France vs. Argentina?

France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series kicks off at 8:10 p.m. GMT on Nov. 22. This fixture takes place at the Stade de France.

How to watch France vs. Argentina for free

France vs. Argentina is available to live stream for free on TF1+ in France.

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock TF1+. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in France, meaning you can unblock TF1+ to stream the Autumn Nations Series for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream France vs. Argentina 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 France

4. Visit TF1+

5. Watch France vs. Argentina 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 Autumn Nations Series without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream France vs. Argentina (plus more Autumn Nations Series fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for TF1+?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on TF1+, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including France

• 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 France vs. Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2024 Players Championship Finals on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Butlin's Resort in Minehead is the place to be this weekend, as the 2024 Players Championship Finals comes to town. It's a little late to secure a ticket, but all is not lost. You can still live stream all the action from the comfort of your own home.

If you want to watch the 2024 Players Championship Finals for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Players Championship Finals?

The Players Championship Finals is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation. The top 64 players from the 2024 PDC Players Championship series take part.

The defending champion is Luke Humphries.

When is the 2024 Champion of Champions?

The 2024 Players Championship Finals is the 16th edition of the PDC darts tournament. This year's event will take place from Nov. 22 to Nov. 24 at the Butlin's Resort, Minehead.

How to watch the Champion of Champions for free

The 2024 Players Championship Finals is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can stream the Players Championship Finals from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ITVX to live stream the 2024 Players Championship Finals 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 the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Steam the 2024 Players Championship Finals 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 they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can access ITVX without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you plenty of time to stream the 2024 Players Championship Finals before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

There are many VPNs that can reliably access free streaming platforms like ITVX, including popular services like Surfshark and NordVPN. These services are strong options, but ExpressVPN is the top choice 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

• 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.

Watch the 2024 Players Championship Finals for free with ExpressVPN.

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

Looking to earn major points at home? Or do you just need to do something special to show you care? Gift-buying occasions are a golden opportunity to show the lady in your life just how special she is — your mum, your girlfriend, your wife, your daughter, your next door neighbour, anyone. She undoubtedly deserves it.

There’s a wealth of unique items scattered across the worldwide web — from smellies and self-care to technology and everything in-between. Plenty of choice is great but the product overload can lead to impulse buying. In other words, don’t blow £200 on a piece of clothing for the sake of it. If it’s not right, she’s just not going to wear it. Or even worse: She'll return it. Oh, the shame of it all.

It’s time to pull out all the stops and get her something that matters. Which means taking the time to wade through the depths of the internet to find that perfect gift. And before you even think about it, we implore you to not go down the generic flowers route. Please. It’s 2024, and not every woman is wooed by fine wines and Belgian chocolates.

This time around, we want you to think about who your special girl really is, and show her you know that with your gift. As they say, “it’s the thought that counts” — but that means you have to put some actual thought into it.

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to help get you started on the important tasks of finding a gift — and not just any gift, but the gift of all gifts – for that lucky lady. Filled with the best tech, self-care accessories, unique ideas and more, this list has something for every woman's tastes.

These are the best gifts for her in 2024.

Wicked is already bursting with stars, from Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum. But the film takes its star meter up a notch by incorporating three of the most influential figures from the original stage show into the film.

SEE ALSO: 'Wicked' review: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo aspire for movie musical magic Who has cameos in Wicked? Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in "Wicked." Credit: Universal Pictures

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original Broadway Elphaba and Glinda, both pop into Wicked for brief cameos that nevertheless had the audience at my screening going wild. They show up in the song "One Short Day," when Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) arrive in the Emerald City for the first time.

While there, Elphaba and Glinda go to a performance of Wizomania, a musical all about the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Goldblum). Wizomania makes up a short section of "One Short Day" in the musical, but the film expands on it, adding in a new story about the Wise Ones of Oz, who wrote a book called the Grimmerie that is only legible to those who are magically gifted (like the Wizard). Fittingly, Menzel and Chenoweth play the Wise Ones.

At an early screening and Q&A about the film, Wicked composer and lyricist Schwartz discussed the new Wizomania section and bringing Menzel and Chenoweth into the fold.

"[With Wizomania], we have time to show more of the Wizard's propaganda, how he's getting this fake story out into the world and persuading all of Oz that he has talents that he doesn't," Schwartz said. "Also, we wanted to explain more about what this mysterious book, the Grimmerie, is, because it figures importantly not just in this movie, but extremely importantly in movie two."

Schwartz and Wicked director Jon M. Chu had always wanted to incorporate Menzel and Chenoweth into the film, but couldn't figure out how. Would they be a teacher at Shiz University? Someone's mother? Finally, it was Chu who suggested the Wise Ones, especially since these roles work as a tribute to how Menzel and Chenoweth kickstarted Elphaba and Glinda's onstage lives. Their section also contains some fun connections to their original roles, with Chenoweth shushing Grande in an extremely Glinda-like way, and Menzel hitting us with her original "Defying Gravity" ending riff.

Meanwhile, Schwartz himself makes an appearance at the end of "One Short Day," declaring to Elphaba and Glinda that "the Wizard will see you now!"

Of the experience on set with Menzel, Chenoweth, Erivo, and Grande, Schwartz said, "We basically just shot it, but cried mostly."

Wicked is now in theaters.

Western Digital has revealed new flash storage drives, including a durable portable SanDisk SSD, a high-performance NVMe drive, and expansion cards for Xbox consoles.

Robotics company RobotLAB recently opened up a new warehouse and showroom in Las Vegas, offering up their four-foot-tall synthetic creations to the city’s casinos, resorts, and restaurants. According to the Dallas-based company, the robots can clean hotel rooms, serve up cocktails, provide security services, and give information and directions. Not only that, the ‘bots can also sing, dance, and give fist bumps.

“Robots bring automation to repetitive tasks — such as serving food, cleaning, and more,” RobotLAB Las Vegas partner Ketan Vaidya tells Mashable. “Instead of employees doing low value, back-breaking work, robots can do it, so that employees can focus their attention on providing excellent service to their customers.”

While some Vegas visitors may blanch at the idea of robot housekeepers and synthetic concierges, the novelty and potential trickle-down cost savings may lessen the impersonal sting — and robots in Vegas are not exactly new, as synthetic bartenders have operated in the city for years. More difficult for RobotLAB, and similar companies hoping to make moves in the service industry, is how human workers already doing said “low value” work will greet their potential robot replacements.

In Las Vegas, the powerful UNITE HERE Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has been anticipating companies like RobotLAB setting up shop and demanded “innovative technology language” in their contracts with the Strip’s big resort casinos.

Celebrating at RobotLAB's new Las Vegas location. Credit: Courtesy RobotLAB

“The Culinary Union negotiated a strong contract in 2018 to win innovative technology language that protects workers when the company brings in new technology and has been utilized to bargain over software, use of devices, and automation,” Bethany Khan, spokesperson and director of communications & digital strategy for UNITE HERE, tells Mashable. “In 2023, those rights were protected and expanded.”

The most recent contract guarantees advanced notification when new technology is introduced that may impact jobs and an increase in service recognition pay, extended health care, and pension fund contributions for workers laid off due to technology changes, according to Khan. RobotLAB has not publicly inked a deal with a notable Strip property, but Vaidya says they are having “conversations with several casinos.” As Khan points out, all the big resorts on the Strip — like Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, and the Bellagio — are unionized, meaning RobotLAB must meet with UNITE HERE representatives for demos and conversations before automatons are taking your luggage or making your bed.

For now, RobotLAB is finding success in Vegas with restaurant chains like Kura Revolving Sushi Bar and Sourdough & Co., which are utilizing the company’s delivery and serving robots. Smaller businesses may gravitate to RobotLAB's robots through their leasing options, which Vaidya says go for between $20-40 a day. As far as purchase price, Vaidya says "costs vary depending on solution" but KLAS reported the robots can cost "as much as a new car."

RobotLAB Las Vegas General Manager Jacob Fisher believes the products will create human jobs along with replacing them, telling KLAS, “There’s always going to be a person needed to maintain and service the robots. So we are just going to have robot conductors.”

Fisher's response is probably cold comfort to most UNITE HERE members, but the union did obtain language in their 2018 contract that ensures unionized casino-resorts provide "mandatory free re-training to use new technology for current jobs" and "access and mandatory free job training if there are new jobs that are created due to automation and technology," according to Khan.

Does it feel like you're watching an old martial arts movie, where the lips and dialogue don't quite match? This is just one example of how audio latency can mess with your enjoyment of content, but why does it happen?

Ted Danson and Michael Schur are joined by Stephanie Beatriz, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Lilah Richcreek Estrada to delve into the themes of community and stepping outside of your comfort zone in A Man on the Inside.

A Man on the Inside is now streaming on Netflix.

The scheme was deemed one of the most "sophisticated" phishing scams of all time. But now, the five alleged cybercriminals thought to be behind the group that security researchers have called "Scattered Spider" have officially been criminally charged.

Four individuals from the U.S. – Ahmed Hossam, Eldin Elbadawy, Noah Michael Urban, Evans Onyeaka Osiebo, and Joel Martin Evans – have been charged by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. In addition, Tyler Robert Buchanan of the UK has also been charged with an additional wire fraud count.

SEE ALSO: AT&T, Ticketmaster data breach hackers charged with stealing 50 billion records

The five defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, as well as up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy, and a mandatory two year sentence for aggravated identity theft. Buchanan also faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charge.

"We allege that this group of cybercriminals perpetrated a sophisticated scheme to steal intellectual property and proprietary information worth tens of millions of dollars and steal personal information belonging to hundreds of thousands of individuals," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada according to a Department of Justice statement. "As this case shows, phishing and hacking has become increasingly sophisticated and can result in enormous losses," Estrada continued.

What was the Scattered Spider scheme?

As Ars Technica reports, Microsoft researchers called Scattered Spider "one of the most dangerous financial criminal groups," and for good reason.

The alleged cybercriminals are thought to have carefully planned out an elaborate and hyper-targeted phishing scam that went after employees of large companies like MGM and Twilio. In fact, Scattered Spider's breach at MGM, which involved a phone call to the company's help desk, resulted in a temporary shut down of the company's hotel and casino operations, costing the company $100 million.

The Scattered Spider plan of attack involved sending text messages to employees at the targeted companies while pretending to be part of their employer's IT department. The texts urged the employees to login to a link provided in the text message, otherwise, the text message claimed, their employee accounts would be deactivated.

Instead of an internal company page, the link led to a phishing website designed to steal the user's information. Once on the fake website, employees would input their login credentials and two-factor authentication under the assumption that the request and website were legitimate.

From there, Scattered Spider would have the necessary information to access the computer systems of both employees and employers. Scattered Spider allegedly stole confidential information from businesses, such as intellectual property and confidential work products, and employees, such as names, email addresses, and telephone numbers.

According to federal documents, the group was able to utilize this information to steal millions of dollars from victims' cryptocurrency wallets. 

Scattered Spider's scam lasted from September 2021 to April 2023.

"The defendants allegedly preyed on unsuspecting victims in this phishing scheme and used their personal information as a gateway to steal millions in their cryptocurrency accounts," said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, in the DOJ's statement. "These types of fraudulent solicitations are ubiquitous and rob American victims of their hard-earned money with the click of a mouse."

As TVs have become thinner, so has the quality of their sound become thinner and less pleasant. Though some TVs do have acceptable sound, chances are you're probably not entirely happy. So, what can be done?

Busy these days? Who isn’t. If you’re too swamped to scroll around for early deals on the gifts that everybody’s after this year, we’ve got your back. We’ve rounded up six awesome gifts for the pickiest and hardest-to-gift people on your list — and they’re all a steal of a deal at Walmart, right now.

From your comic-book-obsessed sister to your gaming cousin to your mom who’s thinking about renovating the kitchen, score big on these Walmart Black Friday picks and check gifting off your to-do list.

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Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray discuss their roles in The Merry Gentlemen plus their own city-versus-country vibes and what made this project special.

The Merry Gentlemen is streaming now on Netflix.

Bluesky had one of its first major moments on Thursday, as former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general. The left-leaning social media platform responded in full force — with a flood of jokes and commentary.

This marked the first big news event for Bluesky's growing community to rally around since Trump's election victory, which had spurred a surge of new users to the platform.

SEE ALSO: As Bluesky surpasses 20 million users, beware the fake accounts

In case you missed it, the news itself wasn’t exactly a surprise. Gaetz’s withdrawal followed long-standing controversies, including allegations of sexual misconduct and statutory rape involving payments to a minor. While Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing, pointing out that a federal investigation did not result in charges, the cloud of allegations has lingered, as noted by the Associated Press.

Users on Bluesky were quick to jump on the news, reacting largely through memes and lighthearted commentary. The company itself has indicated it doesn't have an interest in supporting politicians — unlike X's Elon Musk devout backing of Trump — and has become the preferred platform for lots of left-leaning folks.

Since the election, the app has surged in popularity, climbing to over 21 million users, up from around 12 million in October. On Thursday, it felt like a significant portion of that growing user base had something to say — many of them with jokes aimed squarely at Gaetz.

Attorney General Matt Gaetz has brought down his first and last sex criminal, Attorney General Matt Gaetz.

— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 12:45 PM

[Anne Hathaway Oscar acceptance speech voice] It came true!

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— Mark Harris (@markharris.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 12:33 PM

Folks, this is just a minor setback for Matt Gaetz. Well, several minors.

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— Zach Schonfeld (@zachschonfeld.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:19 PM

That news was as good as it Gaetz.

— George Takei (@georgetakei.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:15 PM

Matt Gaetz is unemployed. Lol

— Imani Gandy (@angryblacklady.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 12:46 PM

Happy to all who celebrate

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— Read the book Abolish Rent (@jphillll.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:27 PM

Happy to all who celebrate

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— Read the book Abolish Rent (@jphillll.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:27 PM

There were, of course, plenty of reactions and jokes about Gaetz on X as well. But for Bluesky, this moment felt particularly significant.

Twitter, before it became X, was known as the go-to platform for real-time reactions to breaking news. Bluesky's ability to step into that role, especially amid its post-election surge in users, signals a major milestone in its evolution as a social media hub.