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JBL portable speakers are on sale for Black Friday, with deals up to 40% off or more from retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon.

Best early Black Friday JBL portable speaker deals: Best large JBL portable speaker deal JBL - PartyBox 310 $349.99 (Save $170) Get Deal Best small JBL portable speaker deal JBL Go 4 $39.95 (Save 20%) Get Deal Best budget JBL portable speaker JBL Go 3 $29.95 (Save 40%) Get Deal

JBL is the brand for portable outdoor sound. Whether you’re looking for an amped-up speaker like the JBL - PartyBox 310 to bring the party to your dock or campsite, or a clip-on like the JBL Go 4 that will transport the vibe with you as you bike through the city, JBL is the pick.

JBL's portable Bluetooth speakers have become a modern classic, but the brand is also known for solid headphones, which offer another approach to portability. Whatever you choose, early Black Friday deals offer standout opportunities to save on portable sound.

Best large JBL portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL - PartyBox 310 $349.99 at Best Buy
$519.99 Save $170.00 Get Deal Why we like it

When you’re looking for big-sound outdoors, the JBL - PartyBox 310 is the one. With 240 watts for up to 18 hours, this portable Bluetooth speaker stays booming. Splash proof, you won’t have to worry about it getting a little wet, so beach and boat parties are fair game. This speaker connects with Bluetooth or auxiliary. The same versatility applies to its battery: just plug it in to keep going when the 18 hour battery life runs low.

A customizable light show is part of the package with the PartyBox 310. Lights will pulse to the music with different settings that will augment your playlist, whatever the energy is. Right now, the JBL - PartyBox 310 is available for $349.99 for a savings of $170.

Best small JBL portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 4 $39.95 at Amazon
$49.95 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

When you’re looking for maximum portability, the JBL Go 4 is an easy choice. Made to clip onto a backpack or bike, this portable waterproof speaker sports 7 hours of battery life. It will follow you into the backcountry, or keep you energized while you cruise the city.

Today, you can get the JBL Go 4 from Amazon for $39.95 and save 20%.

Best budget JBL portable speaker Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 3 $29.95 at Walmart
$49.95 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The JBL Go 3 is also a great pick. With a similar clip-on design, this Bluetooth speaker may be one generation behind the 4, but it's certainly not left behind. It sports 5 hours of battery life and the same IP67 weather resistance that you'll find on the JBL Go 4. A generation behind the 4, you can often find it for less. That's true now: take advantage of Walmart’s early Black Friday sale and get the JBL Go 3 for $29.95, saving 40%.

Earlier this year, Microsoft Research announced (opens in new tab) its newest lab in Tokyo, Japan. Today, we are celebrating its grand opening, reinforcing Microsoft Research’s commitment to AI research across the Asia-Pacific region. This new lab will focus on embodied AI, well-being and neuroscience, societal AI, and industry innovation—all areas that align with Japan’s socioeconomic priorities. This initiative will enhance collaboration with local academic and industrial partners, contributing to global innovation and talent development. 

We recently spoke with Yasuyuki Matsushita, head of the newly established Tokyo lab. Matsushita, who worked at Microsoft Research Asia from 2003 to 2015, served as a professor at Osaka University for the past decade, before returning in October. He reflects on his journey, the evolution of technology, and the opportunities ahead for Microsoft Research Asia – Tokyo.

Yasuyuki Matsushita, Microsoft Research Asia – Tokyo Why return to Microsoft Research Asia?

Question: We are excited to have you leading the new lab in Tokyo. You worked at Microsoft Research Asia in Beijing from 2003 to 2015 before transitioning to academia. What motivated you to return after nearly a decade? 

Yasuyuki Matsushita: Microsoft Research Asia has always been an exceptional place for conducting cutting-edge research, especially in the AI era. Earlier this year, I learned about Microsoft Research Asia’s expansion, including the establishment of a new lab in Tokyo. This presented an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact both locally and globally, sparking my motivation to return. Additionally, Microsoft is at the forefront of AI advancements, making this an ideal moment to re-engage. I’m confident that my work can contribute meaningfully to this dynamic field. The pace of AI development today is unmatched, making this an exhilarating time to be involved. 

What has changed over the decade? 

Question: Now that you’ve been back for a few weeks, from your perspective, what has changed at Microsoft Research Asia, and what has remained the same since you were last here? 

Yasuyuki Matsushita: The most immediate change I’ve noticed is the array of employee tools and resources, which have evolved significantly over the past decade. I’m still familiarizing myself with these new systems, designed to optimize efficiency and collaboration. Over the past ten years, Microsoft has played a key role in driving digital transformation for other companies, and it has also transformed internally. 

Beyond these changes, much of what made Microsoft Research Asia unique remains the same. The culture and people continue to foster an environment of innovation and collaboration. The organization still attracts exceptional talent, and the spirit of research is as vibrant as ever. One of its greatest strengths is its open, collaborative approach. It has maintained long-standing partnerships with universities and research institutions, which encourage cross-regional, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary exchanges. This synergy stimulates innovation and supports industry development. The commitment to excellence remains at the heart of Microsoft Research Asia’s identity. 

Plans for the Microsoft Research Asia – Tokyo lab 

Question: With Microsoft Research Asia expanding regionally to places like Tokyo, Vancouver, Singapore, and Hong Kong, what are your plans as the head of the Tokyo lab, and how do you see it contributing to the region’s innovation ecosystem?

Yasuyuki Matsushita: My primary goal is to align the Tokyo lab’s growth with Microsoft Research Asia’s mission to advance science and technology for the benefit of humanity. The research efforts we’re focusing on in this lab aim to address pressing societal issues while advancing AI technologies to benefit society as a whole. 

For instance, Japan’s aging population presents unique challenges that require efficient societal solutions—an issue faced by many nations today. Through our research, we aim to generate insights that can be applied globally to proactively address and mitigate such challenges. 

Japan also has a strong legacy of scientific research in fields like electronics, materials science, and robotics. Its advanced industrial base, featuring renowned companies across the automotive, electronics, and machinery sectors, provides rich application scenarios for our research outcomes. Additionally, Japan’s robust education system supplies an intellectual foundation crucial for our in-depth research. 

We’re dedicated to maintaining open research practices. By publishing our findings and open-sourcing our tools, we ensure our work benefits the broader industry and enriches the global knowledge pool. Our goal is to share insights that drive societal progress and innovation worldwide.

Cultivating the next generation 

Question: Talent is at the heart of Microsoft Research’s mission and culture. What kind of talent is Microsoft Research Asia – Tokyo looking for? In what ways can the Tokyo lab enhance its efforts to cultivate the next generation of tech innovators for the region? 

Yasuyuki Matsushita: One of the key advantages of being part of Microsoft is the close connection we have to real-world applications. This bridge between research and practice allows our work to have a direct societal impact, ensuring that innovative technology results in meaningful and beneficial outcomes. 

When recruiting new talent, we seek bright, self-driven individuals with an innate curiosity and a passion for solving societal challenges. The most vital trait we look for is a deep desire to understand the “why” behind complex problems. While technical expertise is essential, a commitment to addressing social issues fuels creativity and drives meaningful progress. This blend of curiosity and purpose sparks innovation and propels us forward at Microsoft Research Asia. 

At the Tokyo lab, a core part of our vision is cultivating the next wave of tech innovators. We plan to build on the legacy of successful talent programs that Microsoft Research Asia has championed throughout the region, like joint research initiatives, visiting scholar programs, and internship opportunities. These provide early career professionals and students with invaluable hands-on experiences, equipping them with essential research skills and deepening their understanding of complex technological challenges. 

We’re committed to creating a nurturing environment where talent can thrive, collaborate, and contribute to the global tech landscape. By combining innovation with real-world impact, we aim to inspire the next generation to push boundaries and advance society.

Rapid evolution in computer vision 

Question: In today’s world, everything is moving toward digitization and intelligence. Ten years ago, your research focused on photometry and video analysis. Can you share some key outcomes from that period and explain how you see emerging technologies like AI influencing the field of computer vision? 

Yasuyuki Matsushita: Back then, my research centered on computer vision, specifically on photometry for 3D reconstruction and video analysis aimed at enhancing video quality. One of the standout projects during that period was the development of a gigapixel camera capable of capturing high-resolution 3D information. This camera played a crucial role in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes project, which sought to digitally preserve the cultural heritage of Dunhuang’s murals and Buddha shrines with unprecedented accuracy.  

Another notable project was the development of video stabilization technology, which was integrated into Windows 7 as part of Media Foundation. This technology improved video quality by compensating for unwanted camera movements, delivering smoother and more professional-looking output. The creation of real-time algorithms capable of processing and stabilizing video was groundbreaking at that time. 

Since then, the introduction of deep learning, large datasets, and sophisticated neural network architectures has propelled computer vision to new heights. Tasks that were once considered difficult, such as object detection, recognition, and segmentation, are now standard with modern AI techniques. Current research continues to push the boundaries by exploring innovative network architectures, new learning strategies, and enhanced datasets. A particularly exciting trend is the use of AI in real-world interactive scenarios, leading to the emergence of embodied AI, which is a major focus of my current work.

Understanding embodied AI beyond robotics 

Question: Your current research interests include embodied AI, which is also one of the key areas at Microsoft Research Asia – Tokyo. What exactly is embodied AI, and how does it differ from robotics? 

Yasuyuki Matsushita: Embodied AI goes beyond traditional robotics. While robots are typically machines equipped with actuators designed to execute specific tasks, embodied AI focuses on developing intelligent systems that can perform complex tasks while understanding and interacting within physical and virtual environments. Robotics and AI have developed independently, but embodied AI is the convergence of these two fields, integrating AI with physical agents that can perceive, act, and learn in dynamic real-world environments. 

This field is inherently interdisciplinary, involving aspects such as robotic control, reinforcement learning, spatial awareness, human-robot interaction, reasoning, and more. For instance, embodied AI includes the ability to infer cause and effect, such as understanding that an unsupported laptop will fall due to gravity. These types of interactions and interpretations stem from engaging with and understanding the physical world, making embodied AI an exciting and multifaceted area of research. 

Given the complexity of embodied AI, no single organization can cover all aspects of its development alone. We look forward to collaborating with local industry and academic institutions in Japan, leveraging their expertise alongside our strengths in AI to advance the field. 

Advice for aspiring researchers in computer vision and AI 

Question: You’ve had an extensive career spanning academia and industry. From your experience as both an educator and a researcher, what advice would you give to young people interested in pursuing research in computer vision and AI? 

Yasuyuki Matsushita: For students interested in computer vision and AI, a strong foundation in mathematics and computer science is essential, even as specific research topics and technologies evolve. A deep understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts, such as gradients, Jacobians, and vector spaces, is indispensable. Mastery of these principles will be beneficial regardless of changes in programming languages or development platforms. 

Maintaining a mindset of continuous learning is equally important, as the field is constantly evolving. For example, deep learning was not as prominent a decade ago but is now central to the field. At Microsoft, we emphasize the importance of a growth mindset—being adaptable, open to new technologies, and willing to pivot with industry advancements. Early career professionals should cultivate the ability to quickly acquire new skills while building on their foundational knowledge. This adaptability is key to long-term success in research and development.

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The post Introducing Yasuyuki Matsushita: Tackling societal challenges with AI at Microsoft Research Asia – Tokyo  appeared first on Microsoft Research.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Nov. 18: OUR TOP PICK JBL Clip 5 $49.95 (save $30) Get Deal BEST FITNESS TRACKER DEAL Oura Ring 3 Horizon $349 (save $100) Get Deal BEST TV DEAL Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED 4K TV $897.99 (save $600) Get Deal BEST SMARTWATCH DEAL Garmin vívoactive 5 $199.99 (save $100) Get Deal

While Black Friday isn't technically until Nov. 29, Amazon's official sale kicks off in just a couple of days. But, as per usual for the mega retailer, deals have been popping up left and right for days (weeks, even!). You can jump start your shopping and grab gadgets from top brands like Samsung, Garmin, Oura, and JBL at record-low prices.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Nov. 18. Be sure to keep an eye out the rest of the week as well — we'll be selecting new deals every day.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Clip 5 $49.95 at Amazon
$79.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal

The definition of portable, JBL's Clip 5 speaker can "clip" onto any bag, belt loop, or keyring with its built-in carabiner, which has been redesigned on the latest model with a wider opening. That means it can clip onto even more stuff. The newest iteration of our favorite portable Bluetooth speaker, it boats up to 12 hours of battery life, a "Playtime Boost" mode that gives you an extra 3 hours of listening, an IP67 waterproof and dust-proof rating, and impressively loud and crisp sound for its size. Usually $79.95, it's on sale ahead of Black Friday for only $49.95. That's 38% in savings and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring 3 Horizon $349.00 at Amazon
$449.00 Save $100.00 (gold) Get Deal

Read our full review of the Oura Ring 3.

Now that the Oura Ring 4 is out, it's no surprise that the Oura Ring 3 is seeing some big discounts. The latest drops the price of the Horizon style Oura Ring in gold down to just $349 instead of $449. That's the lowest price we've seen on this particular model, although we saw a few other colors drop to this price on October Prime Day. The third-generation ring is still very much worth grabbing. It features a low-profile design and offers in-depth info about sleep, workouts, recovery, mindfulness, and more through a variety of sensors, though sleep tracking is truly where it shines.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 55-inch LS03D The Frame QLED 4K TV $897.99 at Amazon
$1,497.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal

Gone are the days of having a boring black rectangle that hangs on your wall when your TV is switched off. The Frame has revolutionized the TV experience with its ability to look like artwork hung on the well when it's not in use. The 2024 version also added some noteworthy upgrades to make it even better, most importantly a new eco-friendly setting that kicks down the refresh rate in art mode from 120Hz to 60Hz. It won't affect the image, but it could save you some money on your energy bill. The updated Art Store also includes 20 new complimentary pieces of art per month. The price is still steep — $1,497.99 for the 55-inch version — but as of Nov. 18, you can slash 40% off. That brings the price down to just $897.99 at Amazon — its lowest price to date and $2 cheaper than at the Samsung store.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

It may not be as fancy as the Venu 3, but the Garmin vívoactive 5 is still a powerful smartwatch. We haven't reviewed it yet, but we have tested the previous model and loved it. As per our reviewer: "The vívoactive 4 is an excellent smartwatch for active people wanting to be more in tune with their bodies, and for less active individuals who have the desire but need a little nudging to stick to their goals." The newer model adds even more fancy features, an upgraded AMOLED display, improved heart rate sensor, upgraded sleep and stress coaching, and over 30 sports apps. It's usually $299.99, but as of Nov. 18, it's on sale for just $199.99. That's 33% in savings and its lowest price on record — it even beats its Prime Day price by $50.

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

Instagram is reportedly moving Story Highlights to its very own dedicated tab on your profile grid, similar to Reels.

Social media expert Lindsey Gamble posted on Threads on Sunday that the feature is currently testing but should go live on Tuesday. Instagram did not immediately respond to Mashable's request for comment.

"Creators will be able to choose which Highlights appear and can remove Highlights from their main grid," Gamble posted.

SEE ALSO: Instagram gets rid of annoying disappearing video 'rug pull'

As Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a recent AMA, the choice is likely due to the platforms efforts to consolidate the user profile.

"We're trying to figure out a way to improve the profile and try to get more of the content above the fold and simplify it," Mosseri said on an Instagram Live. "And one of the ideas we're exploring is integrating highlights into the grid."

He admits that "this one is contentious" and that he "might not be able to make it work."

It makes sense. Instagram users are much more likely to post on their Story than they are to post on their grid, and from personal experience, users don't often watch someone's highlights. Adding in another tab on a profile, similar to Reels, increases the amount of time you might spend snooping around someone's profile.

SEE ALSO: Instagram launches new way to share your profile

There are complaints that it takes away the ephemeral nature of an Instagram Story, but a Highlight already does that — this just makes it easier to see.

Apple has updated its list of vintage and obsolete devices, relegating some of the older iPhone and Apple Watch models to officially "old" status.

The list of vintage iPhone models now includes the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone XS Max. The smaller iPhone XS and iPhone 6s still count among the active models. But as MacRumors reported, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus with 32GB configurations were previously moved to the obsolete list. As for the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 2 models made from aluminum and stainless steel were moved to the obsolete list.

SEE ALSO: Apple's new iPhone update is locking law enforcement out of phones

Vintage and obsolete status refers to whether Apple and Apple-certified repair services can fix devices with expired warrantees and supply parts for those models. A vintage model is when it "stopped distributing them for sale more than five and less than seven years ago," according to Apple.

Those models can be repaired as long as supplies for relevant parts are available. Obsolete models are devices that haven't been distributed for over seven years. Hardware for obsolete products are discontinued and service providers can no longer order parts for them.

Active Apple devices that aren't on the vintage or obsolete lists are still supported by OS updates. However, some new capabilities, like Apple Intelligence, aren't compatible with the older still-active models. The iPhones that support Apple Intelligence are the full iPhone 16 generation and iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

ESPN is working on a plan to add generative AI to its SEC football coverage. The network recently debuted an AI avatar dubbed FACTS, which is set to be tested with ESPN's college football show SEC Nation.

ESPN debuted FACTS at its Edge conference in New York late last week. The network didn't commit to a timeline for when it'll fully integrate the AI avatar into its broadcasts — in other words, we don't know FACTS will actually be on our TV screens. But the plan, ESPN noted, was to use it as a supplement the network's analysts. Basically, the idea is for the avatar to present some of the more complicated stats and analytics from ESPN.

SEE ALSO: People really don't like Coke's AI holiday commercial

"FACTS is designed to test innovations out in the market and create an outlet for ESPN Analytics’ data to be accessible to fans in an engaging and enjoyable segment," Baron Miller, coordinating producer, SEC Network/ESPN, said in a blog on ESPN's press site. "It complements our journalists and on-air talent, providing additional insights."

Tweet may have been deleted

ESPN's chief stressed at the Edge conference that it was not planning to use AI to replace its journalists.

"There are ways for us as an enterprise to really benefit from AI. And don’t get me wrong, AI is disruptive, but I see it as disruptive in a good way and kind of pushing the sports fan experience forward. I do not see this as displacing jobs," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said during his opening remarks, according to The Wrap.

The actual avatar for FACTS, in case you were wondering, is a somewhat nerdy looking cartoon guy with an athletic build. He has glasses, a tie with numbers on it, and a pencil behind his ear. So, at some point, you can expect that cartoon to tell you all about the detailed stats in SEC football. Personally, I prefer my college football analysts to simply yell "run the dang football," but I'm open to new things.

SAVE $801.99: As of Nov. 18, Sony's 85-inch Bravia 7 4K TV has dropped to $2,498 at Amazon. This is a 24% discount from its $3,299.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony Bravia 7 85-Inch 4K TV $2,498.00 at Amazon
$3,299.99 Save $801.99 Get Deal

Black Friday is a great time of year to invest in a new TV. Several retailers offer incredible discounts on them during this time, so you can save big on some high-end models. While their official Black Friday sale hasn't kicked off yet, Amazon has quite a few TV deals available now that are still worth your time, like this discount on a massive Sony Bravia 7 TV.

If you've been looking to upgrade to an even bigger TV, look no further than this discount on the huge 85-inch Sony Bravia 7 4K TV. It's currently marked down to $2,498 at Amazon, 24% off its list price of $3,299.99. This also marks the lowest-ever price for this TV, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, which is a massive bonus.

SEE ALSO: Kohl's Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online

It's got the specs to make it worth the price tag, too. Alongside its extra large size, which is perfect for those who want a cinematic experience for their next movie night, it also features QLED technology and XR Triluminos Pro, alongside 4K resolution, to bring you crisp and colorful images across your screen.

Not to mention, you're also getting smart features with this TV as it comes with Google TV. With this, you can access all of your favorite apps in one place, which is incredibly convenient. And since its a Sony TV, it's also a perfect pairing with a PlayStation 5 console, offering Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode for better picture quality.

Deals like this one don't come around often. Amazon even has it listed as a "limited-time deal," so jump on this 85-inch Sony Bravia 7 4K TV offer before it's gone.

If you're curious when the official Black Friday sales kick off at Amazon, you can expect to see the first wave of deals drop on Nov. 21. Retailers like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart are also offering some early discounts that are worth checking out ahead of the big Black Friday sale event. Keep your eyes out for even more deals dropping over the next week.

Beyoncé fans, consider this your Christmas gift. Say thank you.

The music monarch and Cowboy Carter icon is set to headline Netflix's first-ever NFL Christmas Gameday, announced by the streaming service on Instagram on Sunday.

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Netflix will show two NFL games on on Dec. 25 from 1 p.m. ET — Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens — with Beyoncé performing at 4:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 GMT between them.

In an absolute treat for fans, Beyoncé will perform songs from her latest album live from Houston, Texas; the first time the 11-time Grammy-nominated Cowboy Carter has been performed live. Plus, special guests featured on the album are set to join, with names TBC. It's being produced by Netflix and Beyoncé's own Parkwood Entertainment.

SEE ALSO: Beyoncé, 'brat,' and The Beatles: 5 takeaways from the 2025 Grammy nominations

Beyoncé has plenty of NFL history on the shelf already; she headlined Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 with Destiny’s Child joining her onstage, and also Super Bowl XV in 2016, with Bruno Mars and Coldplay. It's not her first Netflix foray either, with the artist landing a three-project deal with Netflix worth $60 million in 2019. Her 2018 Coachella performance behind-the-scenes film Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé is still one of the best music documentaries on the platform.

The Netflix Christmas Day games will also stream through the NFL+ app and air on broadcast TV in team cities. It's a major sports move for Netflix, which has announced NFL games for 2025 and 2026. The platform just streamed the high profile boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, which saw issues during the match but nonetheless saw a reported 60 million households tuning in.

It's the last year of school at Netflix's Heartbreak High, with the bell soon set to ring for the series' third and final season. Even so, it looks as though the social lives of Hartley High's students won't be getting any less complicated as they approach graduation.

Mashable visited Heartbreak High's set at South Sydney High School in late October to observe day three of filming for Season 3, wandering the grounds, having lunch with the cast, and learning what made the production uniquely Australian. Fittingly, there was a pervasive sense of sentimentality akin to a real school graduation, with both the cast and crew reflecting on their growth since first coming together to film Season 1 in 2021.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Territory' review: 'Yellowstone' meets 'Succession' in the Australian outback Heartbreak High sends you back to Hartley High School one last time Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

Located in Maroubra, South Sydney High School was only at two thirds capacity during Heartbreak High's first season, which left many areas open for the production's use. Executive producer Carly Heaton speculates that most local students opted to attend one of the many private schools in the area, the public school being located in Sydney's affluent Eastern Suburbs.

"Public school is very well subscribed in this country, it's just particular socioeconomic bands [have different preferences], as I'm sure it's the same everywhere," says Heaton.

Enrollment at the school has risen in the years since, leaving Heartbreak High's crew with less room to work with for its final season. Fortunately, the production is now well-practiced at filming while class is in session and has become a familiar sight on school grounds, forgoing the large fences which cordoned off the production in Season 1. They also try to film outside school hours as much as possible.

Featured Video For You 'Heartstopper’s Joe Locke and Kit Connor talk teenage vulnerability

"We're a little bit more integrated with how the school works [compared to Season 1], but just being really sensitive right now," Heaton tells us, noting that South Sydney's Year 12 students are currently in the middle of doing their final Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams.

Heaton credits South Sydney's principal Janice Neilsen with helping Heartbreak High's production run smoothly without disrupting the school's normal operations. Neilsen also inspired some aspects of Hartley High's principal Woodsy (Rachel House), her pet dog serving as the basis for the character's own pup Joan of Bark. 

Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

Real South Sydney students in green and white uniforms enjoy their lunch break as we walk through the school, some playing on half of the astroturfed volleyball court while the other side is taped off for the film crew. Children play handball in the concrete quad, one of the key features that solidified the production team's choice of South Sydney as Heartbreak High's set.

"I think for us it was getting it to be quintessentially Australian," says Heaton. "And for us that was a concrete quad. Sounds ridiculous, [but] that's the memory we all have as kids."

'Heartbreak High's third season aims to tackle even more classic elements of Australia's education system, specifically those relating to graduating.

Heartbreak High's third season aims to tackle even more classic elements of Australia's education system, specifically those relating to graduating. When the series left off last season, the students were at the end of their second term in Year 11. Season 3 jumps forward to the beginning of Term 4 in Year 12, with the group about to go through the rites of passage that come with leaving school.

This includes taking their HSC exams, but also more enjoyable activities such as Muck-Up Day, when graduating students get to play pranks and go a little wild (Nerf guns will certainly be involved, with Hartley High's students set to cause some chaos). There's Schoolies as well, when graduates take off for wild, alcohol-fuelled celebratory trips with their friends.

Then there's looking towards the future, whether it's applying to university, considering trade schools, entering the workforce, or whatever else fresh graduates may choose to do.

"All the different characters will have a journey they want to go on," says Heaton. "Something we're trying to be really conscious of is not dictating the hierarchy of choices for after a school career, and that's something that the cast will grapple with, is what they want to be, what they want to do, and what the path is to get there, and do they have to decide now?"

Heartbreak High's final season is about consequences and class Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

Every season of Heartbreak High focuses on a theme, with Season 1's being consent and Season 2 examining toxic masculinity. Bucking the trend, Heaton tells Mashable that the series' third season actually has two themes: consequences and class.

"In Season 3, we're like, 'What are we going to talk about? What's current? What's pertinent for kids?’" says Heaton. "So at the end of the year, what is that experience like when you realise it's going to come to an end and you're not going to see these people every day. And what does that mean in becoming an adult and what are the consequences?"

"The other big driver was class," Heaton continues. "That was a key driver of the original series, and something we hadn't touched on too much yet. We had a little bit with the [St.] Bruno's private school stuff, but that plays more of a role in this season. As you know, we ended the previous season with a bit of a school fire. So there's a bit more reliance from the public school on the private school for resources."

Unlike the U.S. or UK, Australian universities don't offer generalist degrees. Prospective students must decide on a major during the application process, meaning Australian high school graduates' choices carry a different weight. Of course, graduates' choices will vary greatly depending not only on their personal interests, but also upon their differing individual circumstances. 

"There's a lot of fear and I think tension around those end of year exams everywhere around the country," says Heaton. "And [the show portrays] how they deal with it, and [asks] do you need to have it all sorted out at that age?"

Sitting at the cool kids' table at Heartbreak High Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

We sit with the cool kids at lunch — or rather, they sit with us. Heartbreak High cast members Ayesha Madon, Chloé Hayden, and James Majoos join our aluminium picnic table for a casual chat as we take advantage of the on-set catering, the rice, chicken, and gado gado undoubtedly more nutritious than the meals from my old high school's canteen.

Dressed in full costume as their characters Amerie, Quinni, and Darren respectively, the trio reminisce about getting started on Heartbreak High when they were comparatively less experienced actors.

"I feel like what was so cool and why we had that lightning in a bottle moment here was because [the production was] so willing to take a chance on new talent," says Madon, wearing a cute green bodycon dress unlikely to fly in a regular high school. "Like, we learned to act on camera almost. Which was so vulnerable, but so amazing. I feel like the fact that it was all of our first thing, we weren't jaded, we were so excited, and everyone was so dedicated to making this thing work."

"There's something really nice and comfortable about sitting with a character for five or so years and sitting with a show that's really broken into some really cool spheres that we never expected globally," says Majoos. "We're such a close ensemble cast, and it’s really set the standard, I think, for whatever the next job will be."

Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

Majoos emphasises the collaborative nature of Heartbreak High's production, noting that while the writers are open to hearing the actors' thoughts, the cast has faith they will do the characters' justice.

"I think we feel really heard, and also we really trust our writers as well to sort of lead the way," says Majoos.

This collaborative spirit extends beyond the writing room, demonstrated by the production's consultation with Hayden on other aspects of the show as well. Hayden is a passionate disability rights activist who, like her character Quinni, has autism. Heartbreak High's representation of autism has been widely praised, with viewers finding it a frank, authentic depiction of people who have the disability.

"The way that I describe living with autism is, imagine if you're at a rock concert next to the speakers but you couldn't turn it off, it was just constant," says Hayden. "I've always said that, like, autism isn't a disability in the sense where we are disabled because of who we are. We're disabled because of what society [has been created to be]. If society was created for autistic people instead of neurotypical people, you guys would be the disabled ones."

Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

Madon and Hayden are eventually whisked away to makeup, presumably for touch-ups since the latter is already sporting some very cool heart-shaped eye makeup. Spider's actor Bryn Chapman Parish quickly takes their place, and is much more pleasant than the jerk he portrays on screen. 

"From the start, [the writers have] always been like, if there's any line that kind of sticks in your mouth, doesn't sound right, doesn't sound like, I guess, young enough, youthful enough, then let us know," says Chapman Parish, agreeing with his castmates' statements on collaboration at Heartbreak High. The actor originally auditioned for the roles of Darren then Ca$h (Will McDonald), Heaton noting that "we knew we wanted him [but] we weren't quite sure what for."

“Heartbreak High has been a learning experience for us as well," says Majoos. "We're graduating with these characters and moving on into the unknown, and I think there's a lot of that uncertainty that we can bring into this season, which I'm actually looking forward to.

"Everyone's been learning together, which has been really, really, beautiful. It's cliche, but unfortunately it's so true: it has been an educational experience."

Heartbreak High ditches school uniforms Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

Along with concrete quads, uniforms are an integral part of Australian high schools. Even so, Netflix's Heartbreak High chose to follow the original '90s series, ditching ties and blazers for more creative wardrobe options.

"The original didn't have it, that was the main reason [Hartley High doesn't have uniforms]," says Heaton, noting that they wanted to remain loyal to the first series in this regard. "But also it is quite aspirational, you know, seeing kids not have uniforms. Mind you, there is an Australian public school debating topic that's perennial, I'm sure you've heard it in school, 'Is it better to have uniforms or not?' I think most people think it is better because you don't have to think. You're not judged."

Climbing into the wardrobe trailer, we're met with a long row of colourful outfits that are far more fashionable than most Aussie teenagers could realistically dream of. Heartbreak High has worked with Australian designers across the country such as Emily Watson, Sorry I'm Busy, Fantastic Baby Shakalaka, and Flux 2.0, making Hartley High's students some of the most well-dressed teens in Sydney.

Darren even sported a fetching white corset top from well-known Australian designer Dion Lee during Season 1, a pricey garment that's even beyond the budget of many full-time workers. ("[They] op-shopped it!" quips Heaton. "It was a good find!")

"Collaborating with different designers is…a big part of it, and really trying to celebrate Australian designers and smaller designers," says costume designer Rita Carmody. "From Melbourne to Adelaide, people have lent us their collections, and it's been really joyful to sort of be able to play with it all."

The time jump between seasons from Term 2 in Year 11 to Term 4 in Year 12 also allowed Carmody to evolve the students' fashion sense.

"I think we have to really honour the inherent nature of each character, but then let them grow a bit and let the actors have more to explore," says costume designer Rita Carmody. "So that's the main part of the process — a lot of referencing and going through the old seasons."

Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

In addition to plain T-shirts bearing students' scrawled farewell messages (an Australian custom), Carmody proudly presents a forest green garment covered in iron-on patches — Hartley High's leaver's jacket. Another Heartbreak High take on a classic Australian high school tradition, these garments were historically rugby jumpers with students' nicknames on the back, but have since evolved to more closely mimic American varsity jackets. 

Heartbreak High finds an even more stylish in-between, Carmody collaborating with a Melbourne designer to customise one of his preexisting jackets "because all the ones from the uniform shops just look really average." The result is fashionable enough that teens would probably still happily wear it outside of school events. No prizes for guessing what Amerie's jacket says.

"Everyone's got their own custom name [and an] Aboriginal flag on each one but in different places," says Carmody, pointing out a patch of a "bin chicken," a slang term for the Australian white ibis birds which are ubiquitous in Sydney. "So every jacket has different patches."

Farewell Heartbreak High Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable edit: Netflix

We end our visit by watching the cast film a scene from Season 3, monitoring them through screens and headphones as they joke around between takes. The production is shooting in an area of the school dressed to look like a burnt out and off-limits construction site, the perfect place to hide from disapproving teachers' eyes. It seems even their impending graduation isn't enough to keep Hartley High's students out of trouble.

While there is some concern that South Sydney students could leak details about Heartbreak High, a ban on phones was introduced in Australian public schools before filming began, offering the added benefit of helping keep the production's secrets under wraps. Hartley High's students are rarely seen on their phones either, with social media deliberately excluded from Heartbreak High to keep the drama and emotion in real life.

"Every day we're having a little moment, a little tear about [it being] our last first whatever," says Heaton. "'This is our last cast read through!' 'This is our first last day!' It's like it's one every day."

According to Heaton, even those who weren't with the production from the beginning recognise the camaraderie they've fostered on set. She specifically noted first assistant director Tony Gilbert, who hadn't been involved in Netflix's Heartbreak High reboot prior to its final season, but had worked on the original series in the '90s.

"Everyone was going around getting all teary, and [Gilbert said], 'I don't have that in stories obviously, it's my first season. But I worked on the original, and it was the same,'" Heaton recounts. "And he goes, 'You guys are such a tight knit unit. I got a call from one of the cast members from the original the other day, and we're still like that. And that's what differentiates productions.'"

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High school romances often don't last, while friendships can dissolve absent routine binding them together. In reality, it wouldn't be unlikely that Hartley High's graduating class eventually lose touch as they launch themselves into life beyond concrete quads and canteens. 

Even so, these unruly students have proven they have no issue with bending the rules. Heartbreak High's cast and crew seem similarly determined to preserve the camaraderie they've found, proudly boasting of each other's growing lists of achievements while nurturing their friendships off set.

And of course, regardless of how Heartbreak High ends, high school breakups aren't necessarily forever. Heaton, for one, would eagerly return for a Hartley High school reunion.

"Yeah!" Heaton exclaims at the idea. "It'd be hilarious."

Heartbreak High Season 3 is coming in 2025. The first two seasons are streaming on Netflix.

The gaming platform Roblox announced a suite of new safety features aimed at protecting young users and giving parents more control over their children's accounts.

In a blog post published Monday, the company said that children under age 13 will no longer be able to directly message other Roblox users, outside of the games or experiences they play.

Roblox is also debuting a new built-in setting that restricts users younger than 13 from directly messaging other users in games and experiences, which parents can choose to change. Users under 13 will be able to share public broadcast messages in games or experiences by default.

Previously, this age group could send direct messages, both inside and outside games, and public broadcast within a game. Now, under 13 users can only do the latter. Online child safety advocates have argued that direct-messaging capabilities can make young users vulnerable to predation.

SEE ALSO: Why teens are telling strangers their secrets online

Parents and caregivers will also now have access to what Roblox describes as remote management. Instead of adjusting parental controls through their child's account, adults who manage these settings can now link their own Roblox account to their child's.

In order to link the two accounts, the adult has to verify themselves using government-issued identification or a credit card. Once verified, a parent will be able to manage their child's settings via a parental control dashboard, from their own device and account. New options in that dashboard include the ability to review and approve requests to play certain categories of games based on their content maturity label, set screen-time limits, and monitor a child's friend list.

The new parental controls dashboard lets parents review their child's screen time and friends list. Credit: Roblox

"We believe that these built-in protections are a critical part of our goal of making Roblox safe for all users, by default," Dina Lamdany, Roblox's senior product manager for user settings and parental controls, said in a briefing for reporters.

Lamdany noted that the changes were part of a years-long effort to enhance safety on Roblox.

Roblox worked with the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) and the National Association for Media Literacy Education, among other partners, on creating the new features.

In a statement provided by Roblox to the media, Stephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI, described the enhanced parental controls as a "considerable leap forward."

"By offering robust tools for non-intrusive monitoring and privacy, Roblox is providing families with the confidence they need to foster a secure and enriching online environment," Balkam said.

Concerns about child predators on Roblox

Roblox, however, has also been under fire for disturbing revelations about predation and grooming that occurred or began on the platform.

Last November, a group of families filed a class-action lawsuit against Roblox for exposing underage users to inappropriate or explicit content and allowing them to engage in inappropriate encounters. The company disputed the allegations.

This summer, extensive reporting by Bloomberg Businessweek revealed how easy it can be for predators to meet and groom minors on Roblox. While the platform's policies already prohibit sexual content, as well as romantic and flirtatious gestures, bad actors have developed strategies for coercing minors into sending them explicit child sexual abuse material. They also know how to evade moderation- and filter-based detection.

In one case, a 15-year-old girl met a popular Roblox game developer on the platform, in January 2022. The girl communicated with and received gifts from him over a period of months. In May, she left her home and was transported across state lines to meet him. The 22-year-old man, later identified as Arnold Castillo, sexually assaulted the teen multiple times before police rescued her.

In the wake of that case, Roblox implemented new safety practices and created roles related to child safety investigations and child exploitation moderation, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Roblox chief safety officer Matt Kaufman told reporters in a briefing about the new safety features that they were not in response to a specific incident, and that the company regularly updates its policy and safety systems. He noted that Roblox had introduced more than 30 improvements in 2024 so far.

Parents can set the content maturity level for their child. Credit: Roblox Minors will see a restriction notice if the content maturity level exceeds their setting. Credit: Roblox

The new safety features also include content labels that describe the maturity level of each game, instead of age-based labels. But users 13 and younger will encounter age-gating for certain experiences, based on user behavior sometimes demonstrated in those games.

Additionally, users under 13 won't be able to access experiences designed primarily for socializing with users who are not on their friends list, or that allow free-form writing or drawing.

To access the platform's most mature content, such as profanity, users have to declare themselves as 17 or older and verify themselves using a government ID.

If you are a child being sexually exploited online, or you know a child who is being sexually exploited online, or you witnessed exploitation of a child occur online, you can report it to the CyberTipline, which is operated by the National Center for Missing Exploited & Children.

SAVE $30: As of Nov. 18, the Apple Pencil Pro is discounted to $99 at Target. This deal saves you $30 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Pencil Pro $99.00 at Target
$129.00 Save $30.00 Get Deal

The holiday season is coming up fast and if you've been on the hunt for gifts, now's the best time to buy with Black Friday on the horizon. This massive sale event offers a wide variety of discounts from top retailers, including on incredibly popular tech products from companies like Apple. If you've been hoping to scoop up the new Apple Pencil Pro, look no further than Target.

You can score an Apple Pencil Pro for $99 at Target right now. This is $30 off its list price of $129, saving you 23%. If you've got one of the new models of iPad Air or iPad Pro, or have just picked up one on sale — there's already quite a few on offer ahead of Black Friday — this is a really nice accessory to have alongside it and can make as a great gift for someone over the holiday season.

SEE ALSO: Kohl's Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online

The Apple Pencil Pro boasts several new features over its predecessor, including haptic feedback and physical interactivity. If you're curious what we thought of these new enhancements, it's worth checking out our hands-on with the Apple Pencil Pro. It's a worthy investment for those looking to elevate their iPad game.

This is an excellent deal to take advantage of ahead of the Black Friday shopping event. Don't miss out on $30 off the Apple Pencil Pro at Target.

There's plenty more to come as we get closer to Black Friday, too. Walmart and Best Buy are also offering some early discounts for shoppers ahead of the official day, and Amazon's big sale event kicks off soon on Nov. 21. If you're looking to pick up some gifts for the holidays, this seasonal sale event is the best time to do it.

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

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

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

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

• Yellow: Found in a bathroom

• Green: Regular payments/bills

• Blue: Things with visible dots or patterns

• Purple: Different types of crabs

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

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

• Yellow: Used in Hair Care

• Green: Monthly Expenses

• Blue: Things with Spots

• Purple: ___Crab

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #526 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Used in Hair Care: COMB, DRYER, HAIRSPRAY, ROLLERS

• Monthly Expenses: GAS, INTERNET, PHONE, RENT

• Things with Spots: DALMATIAN, DIE, DOMINO, LADYBUG

• ___Crab: FIDDLER, HERMIT, HORSESHOE, SPIDER

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 17

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

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

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

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 November 18 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 18 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Coming up for air

These words spend time in the water.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are related to ocean animals.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is MarineMammals.

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

• Seal

• Dolphin

• Orca

• Walrus

• Manatee

• Narwhal

• MarineMammals

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.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

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

• Yellow - Dinger

• Green - Woods, balls, etc...

• Blue - Sprinters, but not in track and field

• Purple - 90s hoops icons of a certain distinction

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

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

• Yellow - Home Run

• Green - Golf Equipment Brands

• Blue - NFL Rushing Champions

• Purple - Members of the 1992 Dream Team

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #53 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Home Run: BIG FLY, HOMER, SLAM, TATER

• Golf Equipment Brands: CALLAWAY, PING, PXG, TITLEIST

• NFL Rushing Champions: HENRY, JACOBS, MCCAFFREY, TAYLOR

• Members of the 1992 Dream Team: BARKLEY, DREXLER, EWING, JORDAN

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

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

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

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

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for November 18 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 18 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Weak and delicate.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

FRAIL.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 18

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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 Wordle.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for November 18 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Monday, November 18, 2024:

AcrossPair of slope surfers

• The answer is Skis.

Kind of column

• The answer is Spinal.

Full of candy

• The answer is Pinata.

Seventh of eight

• The answer is Uranus.

The vertical counterpart of stair treads

• The answer is Risers.

Beach birds

• The answer is Tern.

DownHalloween store and airline

• The answer is Spirit.

Carries out phosphorylation

• The answer is Kinase.

Comparatively cockamamie

• The answer is Inaner.

Sixth of eight

• The answer is Saturn.

Cowboy boot attachment

• The answer is Spur.

Laddie's love

• The answer is Lass.

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

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

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

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

"Wicked" stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sang a recap for "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon."

In cancer diagnosis or advanced treatments like immunotherapy, every detail in a medical image counts. Radiologists and pathologists rely on these images to track tumors, understand their boundaries, and analyze how they interact with surrounding cells. This work demands pinpoint accuracy across several tasks—identifying whether a tumor is present, locating it precisely, and mapping its contours on complex CT scans or pathology slides. 

Yet, these crucial steps—object recognition, detection, and segmentation—are often tackled separately, which can limit the depth of analysis. Current tools like MedSAM (opens in new tab) and SAM (opens in new tab) focus on segmentation only, thus missing out on the opportunity to blend these insights holistically and relegating object as an afterthought. 

In this blog, we introduce BiomedParse (opens in new tab), a new approach for holistic image analysis by treating object as the first-class citizen. By unifying object recognition, detection, and segmentation into a single framework, BiomedParse allows users to specify what they’re looking for through a simple, natural-language prompt. The result is a more cohesive, intelligent way of analyzing medical images that supports faster, more integrated clinical insights. 

While biomedical segmentation datasets abound, there are relatively few prior works on object detection and recognition in biomedicine, let alone datasets covering all three tasks. To pretrain BiomedParse, we created the first such dataset by harnessing OpenAI’s GPT-4 for data synthesis from standard segmentation datasets (opens in new tab).

BiomedParse is a single foundation model that can accurately segment biomedical objects across nine modalities, as seen in Figure 1, outperforming prior best methods while requiring orders of magnitude fewer user operations, as it doesn’t require an object-specific bounding box. By learning semantic representation for individual object types, BiomedParse’s superiority is particularly pronounced in the most challenging cases with irregularly shaped objects. Through joint pretraining of object recognition, detection, and segmentation, BiomedParse opens new possibilities for holistic image analysis and image-based discovery in biomedicine.  

Figure 1. Overview of BiomedParse and BiomedParseData. Image parsing: a unifying framework for holistic image analysis 

Back in 2005, researchers first introduced the concept of “image parsing”—a unified approach to image analysis that jointly conducts object recognition, detection, and segmentation. Built on Bayesian networks, this early model offered a glimpse into a future of joint learning and reasoning in image analysis, though it was limited in scope and application. Fast forward to today, cutting-edge advances in generative AI have breathed new life into this vision. With our model, BiomedParse, we have created a foundation for biomedical image parsing that leverages interdependencies across the three subtasks, thus addressing key limitations in traditional methods. BiomedParse enables users to simply input a natural-language description of an object, which the model uses to predict both the object label and its segmentation mask, thus eliminating the need for a bounding box (Figure 1c). In other words, this joint learning approach lets users segment objects based on text alone.

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Watch video Opens in a new tab Harnessing GPT-4 for large-scale data synthesis from existing datasets 

We created the first dataset for biomedical imaging parsing by harnessing GPT-4 for large-scale data synthesis from 45 existing biomedical segmentation datasets (Figure 1a and 1b). The key insight is to leverage readily available natural-language descriptions already in these datasets and use GPT-4 to organize this often messy, unstructured text with established biomedical object taxonomies.  

Specifically, we use GPT-4 to help create a unifying biomedical object taxonomy for image analysis and harmonize natural language descriptions from existing datasets with this taxonomy. We further leverage GPT-4 to synthesize additional variations of object descriptions to facilitate more robust text prompting.  

This enables us to construct BiomedParseData, a biomedical image analysis dataset comprising over 6 million sets of images, segmentation masks, and text descriptions drawn from more than 1 million images. This dataset includes 64 major biomedical object types, 82 fine-grained subtypes, and spans nine imaging modalities.

Figure 2: Comparison on large-scale biomedical image segmentation datasets. State-of-the-art performance across 64 major object types in 9 modalities

We evaluated BiomedParse on a large held-out test set with 102,855 image-mask-label sets across 64 major object types in nine modalities. BiomedParse outperformed prior best methods such as MedSAM and SAM, even when oracle per-object bounding boxes were provided. In the more realistic setting when MedSAM and SAM used a state-of-the-art object detector (Grounding DINO) to propose bounding boxes, BiomedParse outperformed them by a wide margin, between 75 and 85 absolute points in dice score (Figure 2a). BiomedParse also outperforms a variety of other prominent methods such as SegVol, Swin UNETR, nnU-Net, DeepLab V3+, and UniverSeg.

Figure 3. Evaluation on detecting irregular-shaped objects. Recognizing and segmenting irregular and complex objects

Biomedical objects often have complex and irregular shapes, which present significant challenges for segmentation, even with oracle bounding box. By joint learning with object recognition and detection, BiomedParse learns to model object-specific shapes, and its superiority is particularly pronounced for the most challenging cases (Figure 3). Encompassing a large collection of diverse object types in nine modalities, BiomedParseData also provides a much more realistic representation of object complexity in biomedicine.  

Figure 4. Evaluation on object recognition. Promising step toward scaling holistic biomedical image analysis

By operating through a simple text prompt, BiomedParse requires substantially less user effort than prior best methods that typically require object-specific bounding boxes, especially when an image contains a large number of objects (Figure 2c). By modeling object recognition threshold, BiomedParse can detect invalid prompt and reject segmentation requests when an object is absent from the image. BiomedParse can be used to recognize and segment all known objects in an image in one fell swoop (Figure 4). By scaling holistic image analysis, BiomedParse can potentially be applied to key precision health applications such as early detection, prognosis, treatment decision support, and progression monitoring.  

Going forward, there are numerous growth opportunities. BiomedParse can be extended to handle more modalities and object types. It can be integrated into advanced multimodal frameworks such as LLaVA-Med (opens in new tab) to facilitate conversational image analysis by “talking to the data.” To facilitate research in biomedical image analysis, we have made BiomedParse open-source (opens in new tab) with Apache 2.0 license. We’ve also made it available on Azure AI (opens in new tab) for direct deployment and real-time inference. For more information, check out our demo. (opens in new tab) 

BiomedParse is a joint work with Providence and the University of Washington’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, and brings collaboration from multiple teams within Microsoft*. It reflects Microsoft’s larger commitment to advancing multimodal generative AI for precision health, with other exciting progress such as GigaPath (opens in new tab), BiomedCLIP (opens in new tab),  LLaVA-Rad (opens in new tab), BiomedJourney (opens in new tab), MAIRA (opens in new tab), Rad-DINO (opens in new tab), Virchow (opens in new tab).  

(Acknowledgment footnote) *: Within Microsoft, it is a wonderful collaboration among Health Futures, MSR Deep Learning, and Nuance. 

Paper co-authors: Theodore Zhao, Yu Gu, Jianwei Yang (opens in new tab), Naoto Usuyama (opens in new tab), Ho Hin Lee, Sid Kiblawi, Tristan Naumann (opens in new tab), Jianfeng Gao (opens in new tab), Angela Crabtree, Jacob Abel, Christine Moung-Wen, Brian Piening, Carlo Bifulco, Mu Wei, Hoifung Poon (opens in new tab), Sheng Wang (opens in new tab)

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The post BiomedParse: A foundation model for smarter, all-in-one biomedical image analysis appeared first on Microsoft Research.

BOARD GAME BOGO: Until Nov. 23, Target Circle members can buy two board games, and get one free.

Opens in a new window Credit: Target Target Circle Deal: Buy Two Board Games, Get One Free Shop Now

With Black Friday fast approaching, top retailers are dropping a range of early deals in anticipation of the sale event. Target has been featuring some very exciting offers throughout the month, especially for its Target Circle members. If you're looking to save just a little bit extra right now, they're offering a board game BOGO deal for Target Circle members that's definitely worth jumping on if you've been looking to build out your game night collection.

Right now, Target Circle members can take advantage of a buy two, get one free deal on select board games. This offer includes popular releases like Azul, Ticket to Ride, Codenames, Wingspan, among many others. This deal also applies to puzzles and activity toys, so it's worth checking out the full selection to see what items you can use this BOGO deal on ahead of the holidays.

SEE ALSO: Score big savings on the iPad Air ahead of Black Friday

To make this offer even better, you can pair select options with a limited-time bonus for Target Circle members where you can score 25% off one board game. This expires on Nov. 20 and the board game BOGO deal expires on Nov. 23, so you'll want to act fast to scoop up the games that catch your eye.

Don't miss out on this excellent limited-time board game BOGO deal for Target Circle members.

Black Friday is right around the corner as well, so there are soon to be even more board game deals available across several more retailers. While Target's offering some nice early deals, it's also worth checking out Walmart and Best Buy to see their early Black Friday sales. Amazon has announced when their sale is happening too, so you can mark your calendar for the big shopping event.

SAVE $250: As of Nov. 18, the De'Longhi La Specialista is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's a 33% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: De'Longhi De'Longhi La Specialista $499.00 at Amazon
$749.95 Save $250.95 Get Deal

As Black Friday deals start to pour in, why not add perfect home coffee to your wishlist? Make your morning jolt a more enjoyable experience with Amazon's latest discount on the De'Longhi La Specialista. As of Nov. 18, you can grab this impressive coffee machine for the reduced price of $749.95, saving you 33% on list price.

The Specialista is a great all-rounder machine for coffee lovers. It comes with a built-in bean grinder that comes with eight grind settings, so you get consistent and precise grounds for your coffee.

SEE ALSO: Score big savings on the iPad Air ahead of Black Friday

It has a powerful steam wand that creates perfectly smooth foam for latte art at home, while the advanced Cold Extraction Technology brews cold coffee in under 5 minutes — ideal for those who love iced coffee all year round.

Equipped with a 15-bar Italian pump, it ensures optimal pressure throughout the brewing process — if you're a coffee novice, this is an important step in delivering extra-tasty drinks. It also has a feature called Active Temperature Control, which maintains stable temperatures with three infusion options. Different coffee bean varieties with different roasting levels require their own specific temperature setting for the best extraction, according to De'Longhi.

For convenience, the machine comes with four pre-set recipes for espresso, americano, cold brew, and hot water. So you can make your drink in no time on those busy mornings.

This is a limited-time only deal at Amazon, so if you're looking for fancy coffee from home, move fast so you don't miss out.