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SAVE 25%: The Square Reader (2nd gen) for contactless and chip transactions is just $44.43 at Amazon for Prime members, down from the usual price of $58.99. That's a savings of $14.56.

Opens in a new window Credit: Square Square Reader (2nd gen) for contactless and chip payment $44.43 at Amazon
$58.99 Save $14.56 Prime membership required Get Deal

Owning a small business comes with plenty of challenges, but a few hurdles are becoming easier thanks to tech advancements. If you're ready to start accepting chip and contactless payments, today's deal at Amazon could be a great addition to your business strategy.

As of April 24, the Square Reader (2nd gen) for chip and contactless transactions is just $44.43, down from the normal price of $58.99. That's a 25% discount or a savings of $14.56. To get this sale price, you'll need to be an Amazon Prime member, which costs $14.99 per month.

SEE ALSO: TikTok for Business: Everything you need to know

The quest to create the best customer experience is never-ending, but thanks to today's sale price at Amazon, you can make accepting payments faster and more convenient. The Square Reader can handle payments from chip cards or contactless payments like Google Pay or Apple Pay. Square says the chip reader takes about two seconds while the contactless payment method is even faster, saving both you and your customer precious time.

Square designed the 2nd gen Reader with a battery that'll last all day without needing a recharge, which means it can handle 20% more transactions compared to the 1st gen Reader. Worry less about battery life and sell more.

If your business could use an upgrade in how it handles transactions, snag the Square Reader (2nd gen) that's capable of accepting both chip and contactless payments. Your customers will appreciate the convenience and speed.

Microsoft released Phi-3 Mini, a new version of its lightweight AI model designed for specific tasks.

According to the research paper published earlier this week, Phi-3 Mini has 3.8 billion parameters which is significantly less than other models like OpenAI's GPT-4, making it small enough to be deployed on a smartphone. OpenAI hasn't shared how many parameters GPT-4 has but it's believed to have over one trillion parameters per Semafor.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT Plus can exploit zero-day security vulnerabilities — why this should concern you

Traditional AI models require massive amounts of computing power, which is very expensive and has a huge carbon footprint. Companies like Microsoft and Google have been working on smaller lightweight models that handle common tasks, which would make hosting their models more sustainable — in the operational sense — and more suitable for smartphones which is where the industry is heavily leaning. Samsung is going all in on generative AI with a collection of features for its Galaxy devices, Google is also adding generative AI features to its Pixel lineup, and even Apple is expected to make some big AI announcements for iOS 18.

Parameters relate to how models are able to tackle complexity, so the more parameters, the more capable a model is at handling vast and nuanced requests. But for everyday tasks that the average user would need from an AI model, such as translating, help drafting an email, or looking for local restaurants, a smaller lightweight model is presumed to be sufficient.

Phi-3 Mini scored similarly against Meta's open-source model Llama 3 and OpenAI's GPT-3.5 on common benchmarks with a few exceptions. It surpassed Llama 3 and scored just below GPT 3.5 in natural language understanding (MMLU) and commonsense reasoning (HellaSwag) and beat both models on arithmetic reasoning (GSM8K). As the paper notes, it scored lower on trivia and "factual knowledge" but researchers believe "such weakness can be resolved by augmentation with a search engine," meaning once the model is hooked up to the internet, that won't be such an issue.

Researchers trained Phi-3 Mini on a combination of "heavily filtered web data" that meets standards for high quality educational information, as well as synthetic data, which challenges the idea that scraping everything from the web is the best way to train a model. The model was also trained on... bedtime stories, according to DailyAI, which actually makes a ton of sense for understanding the way human brains work. The idea is to opt for quality over quantity with curated data so it can run on fewer parameters while still retaining its potency.

Phi-3 Mini is now available on HuggingFace, Azure, and Ollama.

Ever wondered what K-pop group member archetype suits you best? If so, you're in luck. Spotify's latest gimmick sorts users into different personas of a K-pop group.

SEE ALSO: Taylor Swift's brand is mightier than her pen

The feature borrows imagery from a more analog internet and uses your answers to questions like, "What's your favorite thing about K-Pop?" and "A perfect first date with your bias would be..." to define you as a Main Rapper, Main Vocal, Main Dancer, or Main Trainee. Each persona comes with a list of personality traits. Trainees are "curious" and "youthful" while Vocals are "powerful" and "warm."

While anyone can take the quiz and receive a K-pop persona, Spotify users get the additional bonus of a Fan Role as well. Fan Roles range from New Gen Stan of the Group to DJ of the Group. Your K-pop persona and Fan Role are delivered to you as brightly colored, shareable cards.

It's one of several in-app experiences launched by Spotify in recent years to engage different fandoms. For example, last year it told fans their most-streamed Taylor Swift eras.

To find out your K-pop persona go to K-pop persona on mobile, and if you're a Spotify user make sure you're logged into your account. Answer the five questions and your role will be revealed.

Amazon deals of the day at a glance: OUR TOP PICK Roborock S8 Pro Ultra robot vacuum and mop $999.99 at Amazon (save $600) Get Deal BEST MONITOR DEAL ASUS VG248QG 24-inch G-SYNC gaming monitor $149 at Amazon (save $40) Get Deal BEST STREAMING DEVICE DEAL Chromecast with Google TV (HD) $19.99 at Amazon (save $10) Get Deal BEST KITCHEN DEAL GE Profile Opal 2.0 countertop nugget ice maker with side tank $499 at Amazon (save $130) Get Deal

If another batch of Amazon deals is what you crave, then bon appétit. We've scoured the mega retailer's pages of listings and hand-picked a few of the best deals worth shopping on April 24 — including top brands like Roborock, ASUS, Google, and GE.

Here are the best Amazon deals of the day to get you past the weekly hump. And don't forget to check out our top picks from April 22 and April 23, as many of those are still live.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Amazon deal of the day: Roborock S8 Pro Ultra robot vacuum and mop $999.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal

Released last April, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is a very expensive, very high-tech robot vacuum and mop combo device. When former Mashable intern Stacia Datskovska tested it out, she found that the fancy functions like self-drying, self-washing, and customization by floor type were "hella cool," but overall it didn't live up to its extreme price tag of $1,599.99. Fortunately, though, it regularly goes on sale. Just last week, it dropped to $1,399.99, making it $200 more affordable. As of April 24, however, the S8 Pro Ultra is back down to its all-time low price of $999.99, making it a full $600 or 38% cheaper.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS VG248QG 24-inch G-SYNC gaming monitor $149.00 at Amazon
$189.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal

There's no need to compromise performance for a low price tag when buying a beginner gaming monitor. You can get the best of both worlds with this deal on the ASUS VG248QG. As Mashable contributor Nicole Bonaccorso noted in her gaming monitor roundup, "You don’t need to spend a fortune on a monitor to have a great gaming experience." An upgraded version of the VG245H (which is featured as our top budget pick), the VG248QG has a better refresh rate, making the gaming experience even more seamless. However, like Bonaccorso noted, it is lacking in the resolution department, so "anyone working with high-end GPUs may be disappointed." As of April 24, it's on sale for just $149 — down from an already affordable $189. That's 21% in savings and matches its previous all-time low price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD) $19.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

If you're sick of switching between apps when streaming, the Chromecast with Google TV can make your viewing experience more enjoyable. In his review, Mashable's Alex Perry called it "an affordable top-tier streaming device," noting that it "fixes some of the biggest problems with prior Chromecasts by adding a remote control and a new user interface." It's easy to set up; just plug it into an outlet and into the HDMI port on your TV, put batteries into the remote, and get the Google Home app. Voila — your movies, shows, and live TV are all in one place in up to 1080p HDR. As of April 24, it's on sale for only $19.99 at Amazon — that's just $2 shy of its all-time low price from Black Friday season 2022.

Opens in a new window Credit: GE GE Profile Opal 2.0 countertop nugget ice maker with side tank $499.00 at Amazon
$629.00 Save $130.00 Get Deal

Nugget ice just tastes better than your typical rock-hard ice cubes. That's why the GE Profile Opal 2.0 continues to be a bestseller. This machine sits atop your counter and pumps out 38 pounds of crunchable nugget ice every 24 hours. You can even use the built-in WiFi with the SmartHQ app to monitor how much ice you have on hand and schedule a fresh batch. It's regularly $629, but you can save $130 as of April 24 and snag it for $499. That's about $50 shy of its lowest price ever from Black Friday season and its lowest price so far this year.

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

SAVE $50: The Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are just $49.99 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $99.99. That's a savings of $50.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds $49.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Distractions are everywhere these days. You're in good company if you tend to find everyday noises to be overwhelming, whether it's a fellow commuter talking on the phone or the neighbor's dog barking well into the night. If you need a noise-canceling solution, today's sale on earbuds at Amazon could solve the problem.

As of April 24, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are just $49.99 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $99.99. That's a savings of $50 or a 50% discount.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best earbuds on Amazon start at just $9

Even at this affordable price, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds don't skimp on features and performance. With up to 50 hours of battery life, these earbuds focus on noise cancellation. Anker says they're capable of reducing noise by up to 98%, which can be perfect if you're hoping to tune out unwanted sounds and tune into your own music, podcasts, or audiobooks.

PCMag (owned by Mashable's publisher Ziff Davis) reviewed the Space A40 earbuds, giving them an "excellent" rating, noting the quality noise cancellation for a low price. The lightweight design clocks in at just 4.9 grams, so, despite the impressive battery life, you won't feel like you're carrying around a hefty battery in your ears. The included five sizes of silicone ear tips should help you get the most comfortable and snug fit possible.

If you need a reliable and affordable pair of noise-canceling earbuds, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 could fit the bill. Thanks to today's sale price, you can grab them for an impressive 50% off.

Update: On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed the bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. if ByteDance fails to divest the app within a year.

Original story:

The U.S. TikTok ban has just passed the Senate, meaning it's just one presidential signature away from becoming law. Considering President Joe Biden has previously said he would sign the bill, it now seems practically guaranteed that the TikTok ban will actually go ahead.

Seventy-nine U.S. senators approved of the TikTok ban, eclipsing the 18 who voted against it. The bill had passed the House of Representatives on Saturday, bundled with aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. It was the second time a TikTok ban had passed the House in as many months, with the previous bill having stalled at the Senate.

SEE ALSO: Proposed U.S. TikTok ban could impact all Chinese apps Tweet may have been deleted

In addition to being bundled with foreign aid, the new bill made a few changes to the timeline for that ban's enforcement. Instead of having to sell TikTok within six months, Chinese parent company ByteDance will have nine months to divest from it. The President is also able to add one 90-day extension to that deadline, stretching it to a year.

If ByteDance does not sell the video sharing platform by then — and specifically to a company that the U.S. government does not believe is controlled by a "foreign adversary" — TikTok will be forced to exit the U.S. entirely. That means no more dance challenges, no more "get ready with me" story times, and no more industrial grade glycine from Donghua Jinlong.

TikTok likely to challenge U.S. ban in court Credit: Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto via Getty Images

It's unlikely that TikTok will go without a fight. Responding to the earlier bill last month, CEO Shou Zi Chew hinted that the company may take legal action to defend itself against the ban. TikTok previously fended off a Montana ban in December, with a judge finding it unconstitutional on the grounds that it restricted free speech and imposed an extrajudicial punishment on the company.

"We will continue to do all we can, including exercising our legal rights, to protect this amazing platform we have built with you," Chew said last month.

SEE ALSO: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew responds to proposed U.S. ban, hints at lawsuit

TikTok's intention to take the matter to court was further confirmed this week in an internal memo from Michael Beckerman, the company's public policy head in America. The Information reported that Beckerman issued the memo after the House of Representatives passed the ban on Saturday.

"At the stage that the bill is signed, we will move to the courts for a legal challenge," Beckerman wrote. "We’ll continue to fight, as this legislation is a clear violation of the first amendment rights of the 170 million Americans on TikTok."

Mashable has reached out to TikTok for comment.

TikTok has 170 million U.S. users, a number that even includes President Biden, and employed almost 7000 people in the U.S. as of March last year. They're not the only ones whose livelihood may be impacted by a U.S. TikTok ban, though. A study commissioned by TikTok found that the app supported 224,000 jobs in 2023, and contributed $24.2 billion to the U.S. GDP.

A U.S. TikTok ban may have further implications for free speech Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

U.S. politicians have attempted to justify the TikTok ban by claiming it is a security concern, accusing the Chinese government of spying on users and manipulating the algorithm to show content sympathetic to China. Though there's no evidence of this happening, fear of this hypothetical has fuelled much of the push for a TikTok ban.

Some senators have even blamed TikTok for the swell of support for Palestine among young people, believing the cause has been promoted by China with the intention of causing division in the U.S.

SEE ALSO: X / Twitter lets Israel-Gaza hate speech spread, new study finds — and these users are the culprits

"Let's look at where young people are getting their news," said Senator Pete Ricketts, criticising pro-Palestinian sentiments. "The Chinese Communist Party is doing this on purpose. They are pushing this racist agenda with the intention of undermining our democratic values. And if you look at what's happening at the Columbia University and other campuses across the country right now, they're winning."

Students at Columbia University, Yale, New York University, and others have been staging large protests in support of Palestine, calling for a permanent ceasefire, the end to military aid for Israel, and for these institutions to divest from companies that are profiting from the conflict in Gaza.

People on social media across the political spectrum have been less than thrilled with the news of the TikTok ban. Several have criticised it as an attack on free speech, noting that lawmakers have explicitly stated that their intention is to prevent the spread of content which is sympathetic to China or Palestine. Some have also expressed concern that a ban on TikTok could set a dangerous precedent which may enable bans on other social media platforms as well.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

The TikTok ban will now be sent to President Biden to be signed into law. If you have any favourite videos that you like to rewatch, now would be the time to download them.

It's time for Brooklinen's 10th Anniversary Sale. Save 25% off sitewide on the brand's bedding and home goods. Here are our top picks from the sale:

Best Brooklinen 10th Anniversary Sale Deals Best comforter deal Brooklinen down comforter (Lightweight/Queen) $224.25 at Brooklinen (Save $74.75) Get Deal Best sheet deal Brooklinen Luxe Hardcore sheet bundle (Queen) $253.80 (Save $169.20 at Brooklinen) Get Deal Best towel deal Brooklinen Super-Plush Turkish cotton towel Move-In Bundle $231.41 at Brooklinen (Save $131.59) Get Deal

Spring has officially sprung, and if you haven't already given your home a much-needed seasonal refresh, now's a great time to do so. Donate your old sheets, pillows, and towels and replace them with fresh linens — it's about time you swapped everything out, after all.

Bedding and other home goods can be pricey, especially if you want the best. That's why you should take a moment to shop the Brooklinen 10th Anniversary Sale. As of April 24, the brand is serving up a sitewide discount event with 25% off everything including sheets, pillows, towels, quilts, blankets, and all those other must-have home goods. Check out our picks below.

Best comforter deal Opens in a new window Credit: Brooklinen Brooklinen down comforter (Lightweight/Queen) $224.25 at Brooklinen
$299.00 Save $74.75 Get Deal Why we like it

This super-soft comforter is the perfect addition to snuggly sheets and super-stuffed pillows. With a 100% cotton sateen shell filled with incredibly fluffy down, you'll feel like you're wrapping yourself up in a cloud. Choose from three types of warmth to accommodate the type of sleeper you are and rest easy knowing the hypoallergenic fill won't rouse your allergies and it's treated with antimicrobials so it can stay a major player in your bedtime stories for months to come.

Best sheet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Brooklinen Brooklinen Luxe Hardcore sheet bundle (Queen) $253.80 at Brooklinen
$423.00 Save $169.20 Get Deal Why we like it

The best-selling Brooklinen Luxe Hardcore sheet bundle comes with everything you need to make your bed the place to be. It comes with a Core sheet set, a duvet cover, and additional pillowcases. With a 480-thread count, silky smooth weave, and luminous look, these sateen sheets are the perfect companions for warmth and comfort all year round, even if you're a hot sleeper.

Best towel deal Opens in a new window Credit: Brooklinen Brooklinen Super-Plush Turkish cotton towel Move-In Bundle $231.41 at Brooklinen
$363.00 Save $131.59 Get Deal Why we like it

Brooklinen's Super-Plush bath towels are crafted from 100% Turkish cotton. They're extra-thick and cozy, making them the perfect thing to wrap up in after a long, hot shower. This complete move-in set comes with everything you need to swap out your old towels with Brooklinen's double-thick options, including four bath towels, four hand towels, four washcloths, and one bath mat. It's a complete transformation you'll be glad you made.

More Brooklinen 10th Anniversary Sale deals

• Plush down pillow — $81.75 $109 at Brooklinen (save $27.25)

• Weighted comforter (Queen) — $261.75 $109 at Brooklinen (save $87.25)

• Lightweight cotton quilt (Queen) — $156.75 $109 at Brooklinen (save $52.25)

• Super-Plush robe — $84.15 $99 at Brooklinen (save $14.85)

• Tufted bath rug — $41.25 $55 at Brooklinen (save $13.75)

SAVE $1,100: As of April 24, the Razer Blade 14 gaming laptop is on sale for $1,499.99, or $1,100 off the original price of $2,599.99, at Best Buy. It's one of our favorite gaming laptops in general, but we specifically love it for its power, compact design, and impressive battery life.

Opens in a new window Credit: Razer Razer Blade 14 (AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,499.99 at Best Buy
$2,599.99 Save $1,100.00 Get Deal

If you're looking to get into PC gaming but don't have the time, money, or space to commit to building a tower and desk setup from scratch, we highly recommend that you consider buying a gaming laptop. They aren't as powerful as desktop PCs, but you can still run some pretty hefty games on them if you get the right one. Plus, they won't occupy a ton of real estate and you can take them on the go.

One of our favorite compact yet powerful gaming laptops is the Razer Blade 14, and it's currently on sale at Best Buy for a whopping $1,100 off the original price of $2,599.99. It's still not cheap at $1,499.99, but we'd absolutely call it a steal considering what you get for the money.

SEE ALSO: The best VR headsets of 2024: Only four models made the cut

The Razer Blade 14 is sort of like the MacBook Pro of gaming laptops. It's compact and sleek (most gaming laptops aren't), extremely powerful, and features a gorgeous display that'll give all of your games that extra "wow" factor. When we tested out the Blade 14 for review, we were extremely impressed with the laptop's battery life of about four hours during heavy gaming sessions. Now, that number may seem low at first glance, but when you put it into the context of gaming laptops, it's actually on the high end — many other gaming laptops clock in at around one or two hours of gameplay, so you pretty much always have to play with them plugged in. And when we weren't playing games, the Razer Blade 14 kept a charge for a little over 10 hours.

Yes, it's a pricey machine, but you really do get what you pay for here: An ultra-powerful, compact gaming rig with high-end specs. At this discount, it's worth every penny.

If nothing else, Sand Land is a testament to its legendary creator’s timeless charm.

Going into this video game adaptation of a 24-year-old manga by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, I wasn’t sure how to feel. Bandai Namco’s numerous adaptations of manga and anime (it’s published pretty much every recent Naruto and Dragon Ball and One Piece game) have mostly left me cold over the years. Put simply, they tend to be pretty average video games wrapped in the shell of something you already know and love — and that doesn’t always do it for me.

Normally, it’s not a big deal if a licensed game comes out and isn’t great, but Sand Land took on an extra burden when Toriyama tragically passed away at the beginning of March. In a sense, it feels like this game needs to be good. Even if his involvement may have mostly been in a supervisory role, Sand Land is one of the last things Toriyama worked on. 

Thankfully, Sand Land is, at the very least, not bad. Its basic open-world design benefits from a unique vehicular hook, a lighthearted story with a likable cast of characters, and the fact that it doesn’t overstay its welcome by too much. As a big time Toriyama fan, I’ll remember it as a solid way to spend 25 hours in a world devised by one of the best to ever do it, less than two months after he was taken from us.

SEE ALSO: 'Dragon's Dogma 2' will drag you into the mud — and you'll like it Sand Land plot Belz is a cool little dude and so are his friends. Credit: Bandai Namco/Steam

One of my favorite things about Sand Land as both a fan of video games and a fan of Toriyama’s work is how much its setting plays with familiar tropes while managing to stand on its own. 

What I mean by that is that Sand Land is a post-apocalyptic story like many other video games, but it doesn’t feel anywhere near as dreary or hopeless as contemporaries like The Last of Us.

Set 50 years after a vaguely described war reduced a fictional kingdom to, well, sand, Sand Land tells a story of hope, peaceful co-existence, and rebuilding. What starts as a straightforward story about finding a reliable water source for Sand Land’s remaining citizens eventually centers around things like redemption, the morality of war itself, what it means to be good and evil, and who ultimately gets to be good and evil. 

Mind you, Sand Land doesn’t go especially deep on any of those subjects, but that’s fine. Some of Dragon Ball Z’s most potent messages were mostly there to justify another 10 episodes of guys powering up and yelling at each other. In Sand Land, the contents of the cutscenes exist to get you to the next batch of bad guys to blow up with tank shells. 

Put another way, I appreciate that Sand Land at least gestures at being anti-war. At a time when I can’t open my phone without being confronted by horrifying images of children in mass graves, I found it mildly touching that Sand Land occasionally takes a second to say something as simple as “genocide is bad,” even if it’s in the same kid-friendly tone that Toriyama specialized in. 

Sand Land characters The vehicles are kind of characters, too. Credit: Bandai Namco/Steam

Of course, the people who populate Sand Land are what make it worth saving. It’s just that the person who does the saving is not quite who you’d expect.

Players step into the shoes of Beelzebub, the prince of demons and son of Lucifer. Yes, angels and demons are also running around doing angel and demon things in this world that humans destroyed. It’s a fun twist on the typical post-apocalyptic setting — and Beelzebub’s home village is full of goofy demon designs. I’m a big fan of the talking ferret who has a scythe, personally.

Joining Beelzbub in his journey are his fellow demon friend Thief and an elderly human sheriff with a mysterious past named Rao. It doesn’t take long before that trio is joined by a woman named Ann, who specializes in vehicle maintenance. (More on that later.)

What I like about Beelzebub is that, being a demon, he’s generally repelled by the idea of doing good things for other people. It’s what makes him a fun protagonist. Over the course of the game, there’s some relatively satisfying character development as you see Belz (as his friends call him) very slowly come to terms with the fact that helping people can be better than pulling pranks on them. 

Of course, he’s still doing good deeds for selfish reasons a lot of the time. His entire motivation for looking for a water source at the beginning of the game is that his dad will let him play more video games if he succeeds. Having said all that, though, Belz is never really a jerk to anyone. He thinks he’s supposed to be bad because that’s what demons do, but you can tell he’s not really about that life. 

Sand Land mechanics Prepare to spend a lot of time in and around tanks. Credit: Bandai Namco/Steam

Unfortunately, Sand Land is not likely to win any awards for its open-world game design. But there’s enough meat on the bone to make it far less of a bore than, say, Rise of the Ronin was.

The elevator pitch here is “action game with silly anime vehicles instead of weapons or abilities.” Once you’ve played an hour or two and unlock the garage feature, Sand Land invites players to go to town creating their own wacky vehicles to tackle its harsh world. At first, you can only make a tank, but the roster eventually balloons to include various types of hovercraft, motorcycles, bipedal jump-bots, and humanoid battle-mechs. 

To build a vehicle, you need frames and blueprints, which can be found randomly out in the world at shops or enemy encampments, or as quest rewards. Each vehicle is assembled out of parts, including primary and secondary weapons, engines, and suspensions. Naturally, every part has to be crafted out of materials you find in chests or on the corpses of enemies.

Don’t get it twisted: Sand Land has a lot of crafting in it. If you want to build the best, most fully upgraded and unstoppable vehicles, you’ll have to do some farming. If you just want to finish the story, you can mercifully skip that step and just roll with what the game gives you most of the time. This is for the best because Sand Land lacks some modern quality-of-life conveniences other farming-heavy games have, like pinning materials or even getting useful hints about where to find them. It’s often up to you to just remember where you last saw something, which can be bothersome.

The vehicular action is a good time, though. Whether you're engaging in tank battles across open fields, using a jump-bot to navigate a platforming challenge, streaking a hover-scooter across a body of water, or using a battle-bot to punch the living daylights out of other battle-bots, it’s all snappy and satisfying. A decent (but not overwhelming) variety of weapons and abilities helps add some much-needed depth, too.

This stuff stinks. Credit: Bandai Namco/Steam

I wish I could say the same for Sand Land’s on-foot sections. The game often tasks Belz with navigating through tight spaces and even fighting enemies on his own. Basic movement and platforming is responsive and forgiving, but Belz’s combat mechanics are probably Sand Land’s biggest weakness. He has some basic melee combos he can bust out to go along with a few marginally useful abilities (governed by a typical meter), but fighting enemies on foot is usually a chore at best.

The good news is you don’t have to do this very often — and many of these scenarios actually let you just pull a vehicle out and wail away on enemies in more fun ways. But if you were hoping for some good non-vehicular action, Sand Land is not the game for you.

Lastly, Sand Land has one of my favorite things any game can have: a little central hub town that grows as you play the game. The village of Spino starts off as a trash-filled dump and eventually grows into a beautiful little community, full of NPCs Belz and his crew recruited via side quests around the world. 

Aside from the aesthetic charms of Spino’s gradual development, doing all of these quests will open up new shops and other quests, so I would say they are definitely worth your time.

Sand Land graphics I mean, that's basically just Bulma's motorcycle from 'Dragon Ball.' Credit: Bandai Namco/Steam

Akira Toriyama’s art has translated well into 3D video games for a long time and Sand Land is no different. 

There isn’t much to say other than that this is often a gorgeous game to look at. For a post-apocalyptic world, Sand Land often has attractive vistas and more color than you’d expect. Characters have the kinds of big, expressive eyes you expect from Toriyama’s work — and the design work is top notch all around.

That goes for vehicles, too. Sand Land’s tanks and robots and cars all skew more towards silly than badass, and that’s for the best. Toriyama was always renowned for his vehicle designs and in this sense, Sand Land is a loving tribute to its creator. You, as the player, get to actually make the funny little cars and bikes now, and that’s a pretty good selling point for the game in general.

Sand Land soundtrack and audio

There isn’t a ton to say about Sand Land’s audio presentation, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. 

Music is moody and appropriate, if not especially memorable. You get some nice strumming acoustic guitar while exploring and some decent sneaking music when infiltrating enemy bases. It’s all fine, but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to any of it outside of the game.

Voice acting, too, is adequate but not spectacular. It sounds like the English dub of an anime, for better and worse. You’ll either vibe with the shouty, intentional obnoxiousness of Belz or you won’t. I did, but I can’t promise that you will.

Sand Land challenge and difficulty

On its default difficulty setting, Sand Land is not particularly challenging. As long as you update your vehicles’ gear at regular intervals, you’ll be fine. The same goes for regularly stocking up on healing supplies at shops, as those are pretty cheap and money quickly stops being a problem midway through the game.

My one real criticism of the vehicle fights in Sand Land is that they don’t often take full advantage of the mechanics available to them. An early tutorial asks you to position your tank at an angle to shoot targets in the sky since tank cannons can’t aim straight up, but the game never really asks you to consider that again. You can also switch between up to five different vehicles on the fly, even during fights, but very few encounters actually incentivize this.

The nuances are there, so why not use them?

Sand Land performance

I can only speak to the PlayStation 5 version of Sand Land, but it runs nearly flawlessly at 60 frames per second. There are occasional, very small dips when a lot of smoke effects are on screen, but while these are visible to the naked eye, I never found them that distracting. As soon as the smoke clears a second or two later, things are back to normal.

Oh, and the load times are nearly instantaneous, too. It helps a lot when fast traveling back and forth between places.

Is Sand Land worth it? Do it for Spino. Credit: Bandai Namco/Steam

Based entirely on its merits as an open-world action game, Sand Land is merely decent. It plays fine, boasting a few enjoyable concepts that it occasionally fails to fully exploit. However, it lacks distinctiveness in design and mechanics. Its 25-hour-ish playtime is also fairly slight by modern genre standards, but considering you can play that much of Starfield while barely seeing the game and also being bored the entire time, I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing.

Whether Sand Land is for you depends on your affection for the original manga or Toriyama’s work in general. As a lifelong Dragon Ball fan who has never read Sand Land, I found the game to be a comforting little sojourn back into the mind of a man whose work shaped my childhood. 

Toriyama’s ability to draw funny little guys doing funny little things in funny little places was nearly unmatched, and the Sand Land game is a pretty good tribute to that.

If you were captivated by Toriyama's blend of charmingly juvenile humor, excessively theatrical fights, abundant yelling, ludicrous vehicle designs, or the underlying humanity woven throughout, chances are you'll find something to like in Sand Land.

SAVE $140: Best Buy Plus and Total members are eligible to snag the Dyson Airwrap Long Complete for $459.99 instead of the normal $599.99. That's a 23% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Airwrap Long Complete $459.99 at Best Buy
$599.99 Save $140.00 Sale price extends to Best Buy Total or Plus members Get Deal

Hair care has come a long way from scorching hot tools and blazing hair dryers. We now have options that include lower-heat hair dryers and stylers which translate to less work and far less damage to our locks. If you've been eyeing a high-end hair styler that focuses on lower heat, you're in for a treat at Best Buy.

As of April 24, the Dyson Airwrap Complete Long is just $459.99 for Best Buy Plus and Total members, marked down from the usual price of $599.99. That's a savings of $140 or a 23% discount. An annual membership to Best Buy Plus costs $49.99 while Best Buy Total costs $179.99. The memberships come with perks like exclusive sales, free 2-day shipping, tech support, and more.

SEE ALSO: Snag the customizable Dyson Airwrap for $100 off through the end of April

The Dyson Airwrap styling tool has become a cult-favorite beauty tool even though, like many Dyson products, it comes with an eye-watering price tag. But thanks to today's deal, Best Buy Plus and Total members can take $140 off the multi-styler, which makes this deal $40 less expensive than the current deal at Dyson.

The Dyson Airwrap Long Complete bundle is designed for those with hair that's chest-length or longer. It boasts three heat and air speed settings for easy styling and fast drying time without heat damage. The airflow aims to reduce static in the hair, which could be ideal for anyone who deals with flyaways often. The deal also includes several accessories like the long barrel, smoothing brush, and round volumizing attachment, plus a convenient storage case.

If you're a My Best Buy Plus or Total member who's been considering the Dyson Airwrap, today's a great day to buy thanks to a price drop that saves you $140.

TL;DR: Watch NHL live streams for free on CBC Gem and Ran.de. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Ice hockey is a beautiful sport that combines the grace and elegance of ice skating with a level of physicality that you simply don't see in other sports. We love the merging of elements, and so do millions of fans from all around the world.

The problem for all of these fans is finding a way to watch the NHL without spending a fortune. Streaming live sport doesn't tend to come cheap, but there's always a way to watch your favourite sport for free.

If you are interested in watching the NHL for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to watch the NHL for free

The good news is that it is possible to stream the NHL for free. The following platforms are offering free coverage of the NHL:

• Canada — CBC Gem (select NHL games)

• Germany — Ran.de (select NHL games)

CBC Gem and Ran.de are geo-restricted to Canada and Germany respectively, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from outside these countries. Fortunately, you can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access these streaming services to watch the NHL for free from anywhere in the world.

Unblock these free streaming services by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 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 Canada or Germany

4. Connect to CBC Gem or Ran.de

5. Watch the NHL for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) £82.82 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NHL live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games for free.

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

What is the best VPN for the NHL?

There are a number of streaming-friendly VPNs, but ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming NHL games for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Canada and Germany

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 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 30-day money-back guarantee. By using the guarantee, you can watch NHL games for free. This is sneaky, but it works because ExpressVPN returns your investment without hassle.

Watch the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.

In 2012 journalist Joshuah Bearman, whose 2007 Wired article fuelled Ben Affleck's Argo, wrote another article about a fake movie used in an escape plan to smuggle someone out of a country. For Playboy, he wrote about Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton and his escape from the U.S. to Cuba with the help of Hollywood producer Bert Schneider.

And now, it's been made into an Apple TV+ series, with the first two episodes directed by Don Cheadle.

Moonlight star André Holland is out front as revolutionary and activist Newton, the founding leader of the Black Panther Party. The cast also includes Alessandro Nivola, Tiffany Boone, PJ Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton, Olli Haaskivi, Jordane Christie, and Glynn Turman.

How to watch: The Big Cigar premieres on May 17 with the first two episodes, with new episodes every Friday after that.

Stellar Blade surprised me twice. When I played the demo back in March, I didn’t realize how much of an influence the Soulslike sub-genre had on the game. With all of the comparisons to other action games like Bayonetta and Nier: Automata because of its female lead, I expected Stellar Blade to be similar.

But after playing through a few hours of the full game, I didn’t expect it to also have an open-world. Based on the demo, I expected tightly designed levels with interesting puzzles — and Steller Blade delivered that in spades. The open-world can be tedious and the story can be predictable at times, but Stellar Blade’s strong points shine through. With its real-time action combat, Stellar Blade is a thrill to play, and the gorgeous graphics make it a spectacle to behold.

Crash landing

Stellar Blade follows a woman named Eve who gets sent down from space along with her soldier peers to reclaim Earth from an alien race called Naytibas.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

These grotesque organic monsters look like something out of a Resident Evil game, contrasted by the sleek and robotic design of Eve. I also love how much variety there is among the Naytibas too. For example, the Lurkers are plant-based desert crawlers reminiscent of the Infected from The Last of Us — and the Skull Troopers reminded me of Pyramid Head from Silent Hill.

Stellar Blade deals with themes of existentialism, and for the most part, handles them well within the story. For example, you’ll find collectibles called Memory Sticks from deceased individuals scattered throughout the world. These add a lot of worldbuilding as these sticks contain the thoughts and dreams of these individuals. What was it like during the war effort against the Naytiba? What was Earth like before the invasion?

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

That’s where I saw its comparisons to Nier: Automata the most. However, Stellar Blade’s plot twists are rather predictable and ultimately doesn’t land the emotional gut punch like some of its contemporaries. Still, the story is far from bad and it’s an admirable effort.

The game does a great job of keeping its main cast small. Its side quests involving its supporting characters and NPCs are worth taking on, as they always provide rewards in the form of skill points for Eve or useful items. While many of them are fetch quests, they always have some sort of backstory that helps make the city of Xion, the game’s central hub, feel more immersive. For example, in one mission, Eve restores a singing android named Enya back to life and then helps her regain her old memories as an opera performer before Earth was invaded.

Stellar Blade’s presentation is top notch, with breathtaking realistic visuals as well as its soundtrack. The holy choir fits the game’s existentialism and religious themes, and the blaring guitars get me amped up for boss battles. I personally love the jazz jingle that plays whenever I visit Xion’s side quest job board, and it sounds like something out of Persona 5.

Fighting spirit

As previously mentioned, Stellar Blade’s combat has a lot of Soulsike influence, which means players have to be more deliberate. There’s a heavy emphasis on parrying and dodging attacks while waiting for the right time to strike. Eve’s sword strikes feel incredibly satisfying, especially with the DualSense’s haptic feedback features. The window for parrying attacks isn’t as forgivable as Rise of the Ronin, but every time I successfully pull them off, I can feel the controller shaking, which I absolutely love.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

Thankfully, as a Sony published game, Stellar Blade offers plenty of accessibility options, such as slowing time with a button prompt to let you know when to parry if you’re having trouble, as well as filters to help with colorblindness.

Eve has access to a gun, too, which adds even more variety to the gameplay. Between standard bullets, rockets, and even a giant laser beam, it was great switching between close and ranged combat in order to keep combat from feeling stale.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

I also enjoyed how simple Eve’s gameplay progression was. After defeating enemies, you earn Skill Points to invest in Eve’s combat abilities, such as making her attacks stronger or giving her extra room to dodge enemy strikes. Her weapons and parameters like HP are upgradeable with items dropped by powerful enemies or materials found on her fallen soldiers bodies throughout the world. It’s all very straightforward — and I didn’t feel overwhelmed by any complex stats or numbers.

Feeling like 'Mad Max' and 'Dune'

Stellar Blade has both an open-world and closed level areas. They both compliment each other and add a lot of environmental variety. However, there are some small gripes I have with them. For starters, the open-world feels unnecessarily big. The two big open-world areas, the Wasteland and Great Desert, feature large swathes of sand that take forever to traverse across. I wish Eve had something like a horse from Tears of the Kingdom or Chocobo from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to ride on to make the trek faster.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

The closed levels are much more cleverly designed and they feel more like classic stages in a Bayonetta or 3D Mario game. Sometimes you’ll be in a flooded city or even an underground lab. They feature puzzles such as moving a certain amount of weight to unlock a door, or twisting knobs in a certain direction to get electricity going. They strike the perfect balance of not being not particularly challenging, but not too easy. This made solving the puzzles quite fun and I never felt like they impede my progress.

One thing I’m not fond of, however, is the imprecise platforming in these levels. For example, I barely missed a platform I was trying to jump to, leading to my death. This meant I respawned at the save point, but it was actually quite a bit away from where I had perished. These instances felt like an insult to injury.

Is 'Stellar Blade' worth it?

I finished Stellar Blade feeling more positive than I initially anticipated.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

The gameplay is fun and exhilarating, on top of having top-notch production values. While the story isn’t the most mind blowing, the cast of characters are a delight and the excellent worldbuilding makes the game worth experiencing. And despite some open-world and platforming woes, Stellar Blade is one of the best action games this year.

The Deep Robotics bionic dog combines AI technology with robotic software, to enable maneuverability in a variety of terrains. Through first-person real-time image transmission and self learning capabilities this robot dog exhibits autonomous and agile movements. High torque density and reverse transmission make it so nothing will keep this little dog down.

Forget about Ludicrous, it's all about Performance.

After months of speculation, rumors and leaks, the worst kept secret of the automotive industry has become a reality: Tesla has finally launched the new Tesla Model 3 Performance.

Despite indications about the "Ludicrous" moniker, the name hasn't changed from the previous generation. But unlike the original Model 3 Performance, which was a very slightly upgraded (but quicker) variant of the old Long Range Model 3, the new Performance model is a major upgrade. Here are the most important details about the new Tesla Model 3 Performance.

SEE ALSO: The case for Tesla without Musk The good pointsIt's quicker, and more powerful

There's no two ways about it: With a 2.9 second 0-60 mph time, this is the quickest Tesla Model 3 ever. It also has a 510 hp peak power, and a 163 mph top speed, making it second only to Model S Plaid.

It's also worth comparing the old and new Model 3 Performance. The original Tesla M3P had a 3.1 second 0-60 mph time and a 162 mph top speed, making the new model only slightly quicker and faster. However, at these levels of performance, every tenth of a second counts.

People will notice the difference

The original Model 3 Performance looked exactly the same as the other Model 3 versions, save for a carbon fibre spoiler on the back. The new version, however, should be a head turner, with 20-inch Warp Wheels with large, red brake calipers, as well as a sportier-looking front lip and rear diffuser, and (again) a carbon fibre spoiler.

As a result, the new M3P looks more aggressive and just better overall than the regular variant.

Ridiculous speed might not be enough. We're pushing this one to Ludicrous. Credit: Tesla

One cool detail: Even though the "Ludicrous" and "Plaid" monikers were not used in the official naming, you do get a "Ludicrous" speed badge on the back of the car, a reference to 80s comedy film Spaceballs.

Better brakes and suspension

This is massive. As a Tesla Model 3 Long Range owner, I can attest that the brakes and suspension sometimes feel a bit lacking, especially if you really step on it on a winding road. The Model 3 Performance should fix this, with larger brake rotors, calipers and performance brake pads, as well as improved springs, dampers, bushings, and stabilizer bars.

"Ultra-responsive handling." Credit: Tesla

As Tesla puts it: "An all-new adaptive damping system keeps Model 3 Performance planted to the road , so you can confidently tackle corners at any speed with maximum control and comfort." If you like to drive a bit more aggressively, these improvements might be the biggest reason to go for the Performance variant.

New Track Mode Here you can fine-tune your Tesla M3P to behave exactly to your liking. Credit: Tesla

Eager to test your brand new Model 3 Performance on the track? Exclusive to this Model 3 you get a new Track mode, allowing you to calibrate stuff like handling balance, regenerative braking, stability assist and more. You also get a number of presets so you can quickly change from one driving mode to the other.

Sporty seats The drawn-out star lines are another reference to Spaceballs. Credit: Tesla

Inside, you probably wouldn't notice anything new if it weren't for the new Sport Seats, which have a deeper, "more engaging" driver position. The front seats are both heated and ventilated, which should reduce sweating while you're accelerating at near-ludicrous speeds. The interior also features carbon fibre details, which is not available in other models.

Okay, but what are the drawbacks?

It's not all great, though. If you do opt for the quickest Model 3 Performance, you do lose on some fronts compared to the Model 3 Long Range.

Big price difference

We knew the Model 3 Performance would be pricier than the other variants, and at $52,990, it's not too bad — $5,250 more than the Long Range All-Wheel Drive model, and $14,000 more than the Rear-Wheel Drive variant. You do have to ask yourself whether it's worth it though, given that the Performance variant of the roomier Model Y is cheaper at $51,490.

Significantly lower range Spot the differences. Credit: Tesla

This is a big one. Due to all of the performance enhancements it has, most notably the massive, 20-inch Warp Wheels, the Model 3 Performance takes a massive range hit. According to Tesla, it has 296 miles of estimated range. For comparison, the Long Range model has 341 miles of range, while the significantly cheaper Rear-Wheel Drive model has 272 miles of range.

Less ground clearance

This one is easy to miss, but it might be important for some buyers. The Model 3 performance has 5 inches of ground clearance, compared to 5.4 inches on other models. You don't want some nasty curb scraping the underside of your brand new Tesla, do you?

Like the rest of us online, dating app users must dodge unwanted messages. Forty-one percent of U.S. adults have personally experienced online harassment, and that number spiked to around two-thirds of adults under 30, according to a 2021 report from the Pew Research Center. Dating apps have made varying attempts to stop this on their platforms. For instance, Tinder recently launched a new warning to curb inappropriate messages — the latest in a years-long effort.

SEE ALSO: Gen Z should embrace being cringe to find love, Hinge says

Today, Hinge launches its own spin to engender a "more positive dating experience": Hidden Words. The feature allows users to filter out words, phrases, and even emojis in their incoming Likes with Comments (aka, people who have "liked" them on the app and added a comment).

Here's how it works: In Settings, select Hidden Words. Add whatever you want to filter out. If you report a message as inappropriate, you'll be able to add Hidden Words to your list from there as well.

Likes with Comments that include Hidden Words (or emojis) are moved out of the usual Like count, and will be in the Hidden Words section of the app. You can view these Hidden Likes and still skip, match, or report them if you'd like. You can also delete these hidden likes.

Hinge's VP of trust and safety, Jeff Dunn, said in the press release that this feature is about giving daters the ability to define their boundaries and embracing their confidence. Confidence is apparently something Gen Z daters lack. In a report released this February, Hinge found that Gen Z daters are more likely than millennials to say the pandemic made them less confident on a first date.

Dunn continued, "Our hope is that with Hidden Words, users will feel reassured they can explore potential connections in a way that's most comfortable to them, leading to safer and more satisfying dating experiences."

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 24 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 24

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, April 24, 2024:

AcrossSpeak with a gravelly voice

• The answer is rasp.

Sound of an angry grunt

• The answer is humph.

Very excited, with "up"

• The answer is amped.

Lies around lazily

• The answer is lolls.

Ridge on a guitar's neck

• The answer is fret.

DownSpot of tea?

The answer is rumor.

Plentiful

• The answer is ample.

Ancient grain in a healthy cereal

• The answer is spelt.

Degrees conferred after successful defenses

• The answer is PhDs.

___-baked (unsound)

• The answer is half.

After 10 episodes, FX's Shōgun ends not with a violent bang, but with mournful contemplation.

Toda Mariko's (Anna Sawai) death has shaken all of Japan, turning the Council of Regents against Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Hira) and priming Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) for a decisive rout at the upcoming Battle of Sekigahara. However, just like in James Clavell's original novel, Shōgun chooses not to focus on said battle, only showing a snippet of Toranaga's assured victory in a flash forward.

SEE ALSO: 'Shōgun' review: 2024's first great TV epic is here

Instead, the finale episode, titled "A Dream of a Dream," focuses on the lingering emotional impact of Mariko's passing. John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and Usami Fuji (Moeka Hoshi) grieve her loss, releasing her ashes and rosary into the sea. Kashigi Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) seeks forgiveness for betraying her and pays with his life in the process. And Toranaga reveals that Crimson Sky, his much-hyped battle tactic to defeat Ishido, was none other than Mariko's arrival in and attempted departure from Osaka.

"I sent a woman to do what an army never could," he tells Yabushige. He adds, disappointed that Yabushige still believes Crimson Sky to be an action-heavy war plan: "I thought you of all people would see."

SEE ALSO: 'Shōgun' episode 9: Mariko's gate scene revisits a key moment from episode 3. Here's why.

Shōgun's finale operates on a similar level to Toranaga's Crimson Sky. Based on audiences' prior experiences with epic TV shows, people may have anticipated a massive military set piece. However, as Shōgun co-creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo emphasized in an interview with Mashable, this series was never about Sekigahara. It was about Mariko, and now that she's gone, the people in her orbit must process her death — and its aftermath.

Throughout our interview, Marks and Kondo discussed their approach to Sekigahara, making sure Mariko felt present in the finale, and those quick flashes of an elderly Blackthorne we glimpse throughout the episode. The following interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Tadanobu Asano and Hiroyuki Sanada in "Shōgun." Credit: Katie Yu / FX

Mashable: I think people often expect big battle episodes from historical epics, but we don't get that here or in the original novel. Instead, we get quick descriptions of what will happen at the Battle of Sekigahara, where Toranaga will triumph over Ishido. Were there ever conversations about actually trying to put the Battle of Sekigahara on screen?

Justin Marks, co-creator, showrunner, and executive producer of Shōgun: There were definitely conversations. I feel like when you say things like "the Battle of Sekigahara on screen," I feel it in my bones, how painful it would be to shoot that. We'd still be shooting it!

But at the same time, I get [the sense of wanting the battle to play out], and I feel like sometimes maybe James Clavell felt that, too. We were talking to Michaela Clavell, his daughter and an executive producer on the show, and she was saying, in her memory, her father did want to get the story there. Then he got so preoccupied and in love with the characters who were already there, with Mariko especially and Blackthorne, that he got to the end and said, "You know what? The story is done. I told this story."

Rachel Kondo, co-creator and executive producer of Shōgun: Michaela said that the battle stood before him, and he thought, "I don't have another two years to write this one battle." So the story was brought to completion.

It's always been about [Mariko]. - Justin Marks

JM: We also have to be honest with ourselves and honest with our story if we're going to tell a good one, and I felt like [including the Battle of Sekigahara] was a little dishonest to the story. Because what it would end up being would be a lot of moments that would absolutely be in the trailer for this show. It would not be where our heart was and where the audience's heart was for where the story ought to be. So we chose to honor that.

Even in the book, I was reading it and getting to the end and wondering, "How many pages are left? Are we really going to miss out on the battle?" And then there it is: It's mentioned in the last paragraph of the final page. You're just like, "Oh," and I think that's what Clavell wants us to feel. He wants us to think that we're getting something in a certain way, and then to realize at the end that if we really thought we were getting that, we weren't really watching what was happening. 

RK: We weren't really studying Toranaga.

JM: Right, and we weren't really studying and understanding Mariko. It's always been about her. The only character who ever knew that was Toranaga, and the only character who learns it is Blackthorne. That's it. That's our three characters, and that's the only thing that counts.

SEE ALSO: How Japanese dry gardens inspired 'Shōgun's stunning title sequence

Like you said, this is a show about Mariko, and even though she's no longer alive in the finale, she's still very present. How did you go about writing her in ways where she's still present, even though she's not physically there?

RK: I always go back to the scene in the tea house from episode 6. The young apprentice Hana brings a new flask of sake, and as she removes the empty flask, Kiku asks her, "What do you see in that space?" She says, "I see nothing," and Kiku responds, "Not nothing. It's where the flask has been." The reason why I thought it was important to keep that scene in there is because that was the foreshadowing of her absence. Mariko's absence would say more than her life itself, and that's the secret weapon that Toranaga wields.

JM: There's a shot in episode 10 that director Fred Toye always had in his head. It's this shot of Fuji reuniting with Blackthorne in their home, and it's a callback to a shot that Fred and [cinematographer] Sam McCurdy shot in episode 4, where Fuji, Blackthorne, and Mariko stare out at the rain in their garden. We frame that shot in the exact same way in episode 10, as if Mariko were sitting there. She's not, yet you feel her presence in that garden always. She's the crucial third leg of that stool for Fuji and Blackthorne, and without her, they really have nothing to say, because they lost their translator. Yet they feel at peace.

RK: They almost don't need to say anything because they feel the same thing, which is a profound sense of loss. And change is upon them because of this loss.

Mariko's absence would say more than her life itself, and that's the secret weapon that Toranaga wields. - Rachel Kondo Cosmo Jarvis and Moeka Hoshi in "Shōgun." Credit: Katie Yu / FX

JM: There was also this scene in the finale, of Blackthorne and Fuji in the rowboat, which is not in the book and which one of our producers, Mako Kamitsuna, was really crucial in helping us put together. Fuji and Blackthorne give up Mariko's ashes, which is this preposterous process from the place of a Japanese person who's meant to hold on to these ashes and bury them in the family plot. But Blackthorne manages to persuade her from the place of a sailor, saying, "This is the way that I would do it if you want to keep someone with you forever."

Then when Blackthorne puts Mariko's cross in the water, Fuji says, "Let your hands be the last to hold her," which is a callback to what Mariko says to her when she says goodbye to her baby in the first episode. That scene continues to break me every time I watch it. That's my scene to cry about.

RK: I just remember in that scene, the impulse within me — maybe it's a Western impulse, maybe it's a hoarder impulse — to think, "Don't let her rosary go! You'll never have it again, you won't remember her through that." But for some reason, it made sense to let the pouring of the ashes happen because that's very familiar.

JM: She's not yours to remember, I think is the acknowledgement that Blackthorne also has to make here. He doesn't own that rosary. Mariko owns that rosary. It's like Toranaga returning his falcon Tetsuko to the sky, she is returned to the sea.

In this case, I guess that's like Blackthorne dropping her into his living room. [laughs] But the message stands.

If anything else, what I hope episode 10 demonstrates in terms of Clavell's book and also what we as a writers' room tried to do with the book is that Shōgun is not really a story about culture. It's a story about death and bargaining.

RK: And the life that precedes it and follows it.

Shōgun is not really a story about culture. It's a story about death and bargaining. - Justin Marks

JM: It's these ruminations on death that really took us in from the first episode: the different cultural understandings of it and our trying to understand something that we never could.

The other thing that the book does differently than we do is Blackthorne's attempt to commit seppuku. In the book it happens in the space of chapter 31, which is episode 4. We chose to move it all the way to the end, not just because it felt more appropriate there, but also because we didn't feel ready to understand his choice at that point — not that we understand the act of seppuku now.

RK: We didn't purposefully do that, we just didn't include it earlier on because we were all feeling very fragile around it and not knowing how to deal with it. We did ultimately come back to it, but we didn't set out to say, "Let's just deal with it in episode 10." It was only through sitting with it and having conversations with our Japanese consultants and learning about it that it felt a little more appropriate to bring it in.

Cosmo Jarvis and Hiroyuki Sanada in "Shōgun." Credit: Katie Yu / FX

Staying with Blackthorne, the episode opens with a snippet of an older Blackthorne at home in England, being asked about his experience with "savages." That image returns throughout the episode. Tell me about the weight it carries and the decision to include it as a kind of framing device.

JM: We wanted to do a misdirect. For a second you think we're framing episode 10 as an old man looking back on his life filled with regret, only to realize that no, you're looking at a young man looking forward to a possible future with regret. It was a writers' room invention and wasn't actually part of the book, but it was something that we felt was true to the mythos of "a dream of a dream," to quote the Taikō in episode 2.

We called [old Blackthorne] Father Christmas because of how Cosmo looks in it, but that version of him is a projection of his colonial self that he has to sever his path from in episode 10. That is the final journey that I hope is also us as American or Hollywood filmmakers severing ourselves from these conversations, because I think it's kind of boring nowadays to tell those stories. We really wanted to turn our back on the "stranger in a strange land" trope. And our version of Blackthorne here — which I credit Cosmo for his performance a lot — was going for something different that didn't just say, "There's no reason to tell these stories." Obviously we have a history and a legacy and it's worth looking back on, but maybe let's look back on it through a new lens of saying, "What new stories can we tell of those past stories?" 

All episodes of Shōgun are now streaming on Hulu.

Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd's Netflix series about a budding comedian's experience with a stalker, is — as we wrote in our review on Mashable — one of the most upsetting and brilliant shows of the year. And the fact it's based on Gadd's own experiences makes it all the more disturbing.

As the show has quickly grown in popularity, though, the armchair detectives have come out in force. Despite real names being changed in the show, people on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) have been trying to work out the real identities behind the characters.

On Tuesday, Gadd took to Instagram to tell people to stop.

"People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation," wrote Gadd. "Please don't speculate on who any of the real life people could be. That's not the point of our show."

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Sean Foley, a theatre director who previously worked with Gadd on Urban Myths and who has been the subject of some of this online speculation, shared Gadd's post on X. He also shared a separate post saying that he'd been in touch with police.

"Police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory abusive and threatening posts against me," reads Foley's tweet.

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Although Baby Reindeer is based on Gadd's life, he previously told The Guardian that some events have been "tweaked slightly to create dramatic climaxes". But the two most disturbing elements of the show — the stalking, and the sexual abuse Gadd suffers at the hands of an older man in the entertainment business — are real.

"It's very emotionally true, obviously: I was severely stalked and severely abused," Gadd said. "But we wanted it to exist in the sphere of art, as well as protect the people it’s based on."

How to watch: Baby Reindeer is now streaming on Netflix.

Every app now, it seems, wants you to be watching videos.

X, formerly Twitter, is launching a dedicated video app, bringing "real-time, engaging content to your smart TVs" according to CEO Linda Yaccarino, who announced it on X on Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: LinkedIn is testing a TikTok-like video feed

According to Yaccarino, the new app will have a trending video algorithm and AI-powered topics, and will be available on both smartphones and smart TVs.

"This will be your go-to companion for a high-quality, immersive entertainment experience on a larger screen," she wrote.

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The CEO added that the app is still being built and asked for X users to share their ideas.

Last month, Yaccarino declared X's intention to become a "video first platform". Almost all social networks have been shifting towards the same field, blatantly taking inspiration from reigning video platforms, especially TikTok. LinkedIn is currently testing a TikTok-like video feed, while Meta products continue to adopt TikTok's vertical video format. Meanwhile, YouTube, arguably the original leader in video content, still holds significant viewership. And it looks like other apps want in.