Mashable

Google's new AI video generator is its most advanced yet — and that may lead to a rise in more convincing deepfakes.

Google Research just unveiled Lumiere, an AI video generator capable of creating five-second photorealistic videos from simple text prompts. What makes it so advanced, according to the research paper, is a "Space-Time U-Net architecture" that "generates the entire temporal duration of the video at once, through a single pass in the model."

Previous AI models created videos by generating individual images, frame by frame.

SEE ALSO: Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez deepfakes used in Le Creuset giveaway scam

Lumiere will in theory make it easier for users to create and edit videos without technical expertise. Prompts such as "panda playing ukulele at home" or "Sunset timelapse at the beach" generate detailed photorealistic videos. It can also generate videos based the style of a single image, such as a child's watercolor painting of flowers.

The editing capabilities are where it gets crazy. Lumiere can animate targeted parts of an image, and fill in blank areas from image prompts with "video inpainting." It can even edit specific parts of the video using follow-up text prompts, like changing a woman's dress or adding accessories to videos of owls and chicks.

"Our primary goal ... is to enable novice users to generate visual content," the paper concludes. "However, there is a risk of misuse for creating fake or harmful content with our technology, and we believe that it is crucial to develop and apply tools for detecting biases and malicious use cases in order to ensure a safe and fair use."

What the paper doesn't mention is the tools Google has already developed, and supposedly put in place.

At Google I/O last May, the company put its safety and responsibility measures front and center. Google DeepMind launched a beta version of an AI watermarking tool called SynthID in August, and in November, YouTube (owned by Google) announced a policy forcing users to disclose whether videos have been AI-generated.

Lumiere is just research at this point, and there's no mention of how or when it could be used as a consumer-facing tool. But for a company that claims "being bold on AI means being responsible from the start" — presuming the start includes research — this is a surprising omission from the Lumiere team.

Google has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The Pixel 8 isn't even six months old yet and we're already seeing leaks of the Pixel 9.

Shared as a collaboration between X user @OnLeaks and 91mobiles, leaked renders of the Pixel 9 appeared online this week.

The good news is that it still looks like a smartphone, so Google isn't doing anything too crazy. The bad news (depending on your taste) is that Google made it look a little more like an iPhone 15.

SEE ALSO: Google launches Pixel 8 and 8 Pro in new Mint color Tweet may have been deleted

To be more specific, Google went with flat sides as opposed to the rounded ones it used before. The edge-to-edge camera bar that defined the last few Pixel phones is also gone, replaced by a pill-shaped protrusion that could ruffle the feathers of those who liked the way the previous Pixel models looked.

Perhaps the most important (and most universally welcome) change, though, is the addition of a third camera lens to the base Pixel 9. Previous base Pixel phones have only had two, but the 91mobiles report suggested the Pixel 9 could come with a telephoto lens.

If Google is able to bring some of its zoom lens magic from the Pixel 8 Pro to the base Pixel 9, that could be a huge value add.

As always, though, we'll have to wait until this summer to get the real scoop on the latest Pixel phones.

It may be hard to believe, but the Mac turned 40 on Wednesday. Feeling old?

The Mac, formerly known as the Macintosh, stands as Apple's longest-running product line. Sure, over the years, the iPod, followed by the iPhone and iPad have stolen the Mac's spotlight among consumers. But the real tech heads know that the Mac is the backbone of the company, holding all of Apple's most popular products together as one synchronized ecosystem.

SEE ALSO: I switched to MacBook, but here are 5 things I miss about Windows The first Macintosh

The first Apple computer, the Apple Macintosh, was released on Jan. 24, 1984. The first desktop computer with pretty much everything built-in was a success for the company. And that's even with a price point of $2,495 — or the rough equivalent of $7,000 today.

With its one-button mouse, monitor and carrying handle built-in to the computer's body,  the Apple Macintosh is likely best known in 2024 for a very specific reason: It's iconic 1984 Super Bowl ad directed by Ridley Scott.

Today's Macs

From the Apple Macintosh to the days of the PowerMac (and its sibling line of PowerBook laptops) to today's Macs and MacBooks powered by Apple's very own Silicone chipset, Apple computers have evolved greatly over the past 40 years.

In the early days, Macs targeted business people. Then Apple's computers had a resurgence amid creative workers like graphic designers and filmmakers. Now, Macs are pretty much for anyone as Apple multiple different Mac models for a wide variety of consumers.

There's the more affordable MacBook Air and Mac mini options. And then there's a range of MacBook Pros and iMacs for everyday consumers and prosumers.  Then, there's the professional product lines, such as the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, for power users.

SEE ALSO: M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch review: Why you should buy this Apple laptop

And what better way for the Mac to enter year 40 than by being powered by the company's very own chipset, its most powerful yet, the M3 series.

Readers, if you're interested in checking out an archive full of commercials for pretty much every Mac that Apple has ever created, a website has been created marking the milestone anniversary: Mac40th.com.

Here's to another 40, Mac. And hopefully not too severe of a mid-life crisis.

Checking the functionality of your mobile device can be is a simple as downloading an app. Here are 4 iOS and Android apps that offer a wide variety of tests including touch screen, audio, video, camera, microphone, sensors, and more.

There are no words.

But we'll have to find some to describe Microsoft's decision to cut 1,900 jobs from its gaming division.

SEE ALSO: It's not just eBay: 5 other tech companies with brutal layoffs

In an internal email obtained by Windows Central, Xbox head Phil Spencer explained the decision by saying the company needs a "sustainable cost structure" going forward, before thanking those who were impacted for their work:

The people who are directly impacted by these reductions have all played an important part in the success of Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and the Xbox teams, and they should be proud of everything they’ve accomplished here. We are grateful for all of the creativity, passion and dedication they have brought to our games, our players and our colleagues. We will provide our full support to those who are impacted during the transition, including severance benefits informed by local employment laws.

As part of these changes, Blizzard Entertainment President Mike Ybarra announced his departure from the company. An untitled survival game Blizzard had been working on for a few years was also reportedly canceled.

SEE ALSO: It's not just eBay: 5 other tech companies with brutal layoffs Tweet may have been deleted The internet isn't having it

After news of the Microsoft Gaming layoffs hit the social media landscape, there's been no shortage of criticism directed at Spencer.

"Heartless to fire people right after BIG XBOX game showcase?" @RoninRakurai said on X. "The people that made the games you saw are being fired. Phil Spencer, Aaron, Sarah and the rest of the [clown emoji] gang will get away with it," the X user added, calling out VP of Xbox Games Marketing Aaron Greenberg and Xbox President Sarah Bond.

Check out some other heated tweets:

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

This news came not even six months after Microsoft's $70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard became official. It also dropped within 24 hours of the news that Microsoft became just the second tech company to hit $3 billion in market value, after Apple.

From the outside looking in, one would think Microsoft has money to spend on employee salaries, but evidently not.

These 1,900 people have been added onto a list of several thousand already impacted by big tech layoffs in 2024. More specifically in the realm of video games, nearly 6,000 jobs have been cut this January, as documented by an excellent ongoing roundup on Kotaku.

Hopefully, these job cuts end as soon as possible, though that might be cold comfort to those who have already lost their sources of income.

Between dramas like Euphoria, thrillers like Reality, and rom-coms like Anyone But You, Sydney Sweeney has proven she has the range to tackle any genre filmmakers throw at her. And with her next project, Immaculate, she's about to dive straight into religious horror.

Immaculate sees Sweeney playing Cecilia, a devout American nun who's recently arrived at a convent in the beautiful Italian countryside. However, her arrival is anything but peaceful. When it turns out she's carrying a miracle child — seemingly the result of immaculate conception — she's thrown into disarray. Why did God choose her?

That's just the beginning of her troubles. Haunted by mysterious figures, hostile nuns, and strange visions, Cecilia soon finds that the convent hides dark, nightmarish secrets. From the looks of the trailer, Sweeney and director Michael Mohan are poised to deliver some truly hellish horror.

Immaculate hits theaters March 22.

Unlike other preinstalled apps like Paint and Notepad, Sticky Notes hasn't gotten any significant changes since Windows 11 launched in 2021, as Windows Central pointed out.

However, on Sticky Notes' X account, Microsoft teased that Post-It-esque app is getting some tweaks, according to a "New Year! New Updates!" post.

Tweet may have been deleted Sticky Notes is poised to get an update

Windows 11 debuted in 2021, and since then, Microsoft showed some upgrade love to pre-installed apps like Snipping Tool, Xbox, Microsoft Teams, and more.

However, Sticky Notes seemed to be neglected from Microsoft's makeovers and enhancements. That is changing, fortunately, with Microsoft announcing on Wednesday that Sticky Notes is getting a long overdue update.

The Redmond-based tech giant is being hush-hush about what, exactly, is coming to Sticky Notes. So far, all we know is what's not coming to the app.

"Since everyone is asking... Our big news is not a web app... for now" @StickyNotes posted on X.

Tweet may have been deleted

Windows Central speculates that the new Sticky Notes announcement is likely AI-focused, but we won't know for sure until we hear from the horse's mouth.

We'll be sure to keep you in the know once Microsoft drops the new features coming to Sticky Notes.

Apple's Shortcuts app allows you to easily combine two photos from your Photos app into one. Here's how.

SAVE $70: As of Jan. 25, the Xbox Series S is $229.99 at Dell. That's $70 off its normal price of $299.99 and a discount of 23%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Xbox Series S $229.99 at Best Buy (save $70) Get Deal

There are so many games to play, and so little time — but, hey, there's usually a little more time when you're stuck inside during winter. If you haven't yet bought into the Xbox ecosystem, you might be missing out on some of Xbox's exclusive games and experiences. Now's a great time to go ahead and join the club, especially since you can get an Xbox Series S cheaper than you'll find at retailers like Amazon and Walmart over at Dell.

As of Jan. 25, you can get the Xbox Series S for $229.99 at Dell. That's a $70 off its normal price of $299.99 and a discount of 23%. It's currently $299 at Amazon, so you're getting a great deal here.

SEE ALSO: Get the lastest 'Lego Star Wars' game for cheap, plus more of the best gaming deals this week

The Series S isn't as powerful as its sibling, the Xbox Series X, but it's every bit as capable when it comes to running the Xbox games you want to play. It doesn't come with a disc drive, so you'll have to play digital-only titles, but it's small and compact enough to fit anywhere without having to finagle your space to accommodate the Series X's mini fridge-like shape.

This smaller version is still no slouch, with 10GB of RAM — 8GB of it running at 224 GB per second, and the other 2GB running at 56GB per second — to assist with graphics and processing. It also has a 512GB SSD so it can hold a variety of larger games without you needing to install and uninstall titles regularly. It can render games at 1440p with support for 4K upscaling and offers 60fps, with up to 120fps at that resolution.

All that to say, the Xbox Series S is still a great option if you want to play games like Starfield, and this is your sign to finally grab one.

SAVE 36%: The iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ is just $349.99 at Best Buy, down from the normal price of $549.99. That's a savings of $200, and Best Buy is also throwing in a $50 Best Buy gift card with purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ $349.99 at Best Buy (save $200) Get Deal

Shopping for a robot vacuum has become fairly complex. The features and functionality of robot vacuums have changed dramatically since they used to get stuck under the couch. Some of the best deals on robot vacuums offer incredible convenience and luxury of totally forgetting about how the floors are magically staying sparkly clean. If you're ready to join the ranks of owning a robot vacuum, today's deal at Best Buy is just for you.

As of Jan. 25, get the iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ for just $349.99 at Best Buy, marked down from the normal price of $549.99. That's a savings of $200, plus Best Buy is throwing in a $50 Best Buy gift card with your purchase.

SEE ALSO: The best robot vacuums for every budget

The process of vacuuming and then mopping used to feel like a chore that required a chunk of your day. The Roomba Combo i5+ is here to make that chore vanish. It operates as a robot vacuum, using iRobot's four-stage cleaning system to leave no dirt behind. It's also smart enough to adjust to different floor types and avoid getting tangled when sucking up hair. The charging base doubles as a self-emptying base, so you don't need to worry about dumping its contents for up to 60 days.

When it comes time to mop the floor, switch the bin on the Roomba Combo i5+ and send it off to vacuum and mop simultaneously. The included microfiber mop is designed to erase any muddy paw prints the dog forgot to clean up.

The Combo i5+ uses iRobot's Imprint Smart Map to learn the layout of your home. This feature means you can send it off to specific rooms of the house, should one need special attention. Once it's done, it'll head back to the dock to empty and recharge.

Forget about vacuuming and mopping with the Roomba Combo i5+ for just $349.99 at Best Buy. Plus today's deal will give you a $50 Best Buy gift card to use on a future purchase.

Looking for a winter home project? Spend some time upgrading to smart home elements that'll make life easier and more enjoyable year-round for up to 43% off at Amazon.

Best smart home upgrades at Amazon today Best smart lock deal eufy Smart Lock C220 $109.99 at Amazon (save $40) Get Deal Best smart thermostat deal Amazon Smart Thermostat (refurbished) $39.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal Best smart home hub Amazon Echo Show 8 $89.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal

Winter can often feel like going into stasis mode. It's too early to plant the garden for spring and painting the backyard shed would only lead to frostbitten fingers. Instead, the winter months are an ideal time to make smart home upgrades. We've come a long way in smart home tech compared to the early days of intercom systems and central vacuuming systems. If your home is lacking when it comes to brains, take advantage of today's smart home deals at Amazon.

As of Jan. 25, you can upgrade to smart home features for up to 43% off. You'll find discounts on home security systems from brands like eufy and the Echo Show 8 for its lowest price ever.

Below, we've listed our top picks for a winter DIY project of updating to a smart(er) home.

Best smart lock deal Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Our pick: eufy Smart Lock C220 $109.99 at Amazon (save $40) Get Deal Why we like it

Introducing a smart lock to your home is one of the best upgrades. While it's a simple upgrade, it's one of the most beneficial when it comes to convenience and safety. The eufy Smart Lock C220 uses fingerprint sensors for keyless entry. If you've ever dealt with locking yourself out of the house, this upgrade is worth its weight in gold. You can also use the eufy app to unlock the door, a physical key, or the keypad.

You can also use voice control on the lock. When your hands are overloaded with groceries (because of course you didn't take two trips), use voice control to unlock the front door.

The eufy Smart Lock C220 is just $109.99 at Amazon, down from its normal price of $149.99, so you'll be upgrading to a smart lock while getting smart savings.

Best smart thermostat deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Amazon Smart Thermostat (refurbished) $39.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal Why we like it

Waking up in the morning to see no one remembered to turn down the thermostat before bed is never any fun. Upgrading to a smart thermostat can not only help alleviate sweaty nights, it can ultimately save money on energy bills.

As of Jan. 25, a certified refurbished Amazon Smart Thermostat is just $39.99, marked down from the normal price of $69.99. Should you wish, Alexa can take over controlling the temperature with Alexa Hunches. This feature will automatically adjust the temperature setting based on your preferences and schedule. Within the app, you can track just how much energy you've saved.

Best smart home hub deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Amazon Echo Show 8 $89.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal Why we like it

When the family's schedule becomes too much to keep track of, a centralized and easy-to-access calendar is the way to go. The Amazon Echo Show 8 is a bit of a show-off when it comes to features, but in a good way. Use it in the kitchen to easily view recipes, set it on the entryway table to check the family calendar, connect to Spotify for a dance party while dusting, or get the whole family on a video call with the out-of-town relatives. The Echo Show 8 excels when in terms of versatility, and comes with tons of smart home upgrades.

As of Jan. 25, it's just $89.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $149.99. That's a 40% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

More smart home deals at Amazon

• eufy E220 indoor camera — $35.99 $54.99 (save $19)

• Blink outdoor security camera (4th gen) — $99.99 $119.99 (save $20)

• Birdfy Lite smart bird feeder — $169.99 (with on-page coupon) $199.99 (save $30)

Is Jake Gyllenhaal this century's Patrick Swayze? Both have a dynamic charisma, bursting with sexual allure and mischievousness. And now both have headlined Road House. The 1989 action-thriller about a bouncer who takes no guff at the bar and has a romantic core is getting a remake from Prime Video. And who better to take the mantle of butt-kicking Swayze's Dalton than Gyllenhaal?

Directed by Edge of Tomorrow helmer Doug Liman and just announced as the opening night film for this year's SXSW Film and TV Festival, Road House stars Gyllenhaal as an ex-UFC fighter called Dalton, who takes a job as a bouncer at a roadhouse on the Florida Keys. But don't let the vacation setting fool you. This gig is hard work.

In this first trailer, Liman lays out some familiar plot points, some smirking bravado from his leading man, and a cast that includes Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Arturo Castro, Daniela Melchior, and mixed martial artist Conor McGregor. Nobody ever wins in a fight. But we all win when Road House hits Prime.

How to watch: Road House debuts globally on Prime Video on March 21. And the original Road House is now streaming on Max.

SAVE $200: As of Jan. 25, the 2023 16-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale for $2,299, down from $2,499.99. That's a discount of 8% and just $50 away from its lowest price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 2023 16-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $2,299 at Amazon (save $200) Get Deal

If you're looking for a new laptop that can handle some seriously intensive tasks, you might want to think about moving to the macOS ecosystem if you haven't already. In fact, you might be interested in one of the most powerful MacBook Pro models yet. The M3 Pro MacBook Pro is an absolute powerhouse for anyone working on graphics-intensive tasks or those who demand power out of their portable computers, and right now you can get it on sale for one of the lowest prices we've seen yet.

As of Jan. 25, the 2023 16-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is just $2,299 at Amazon, which is $200 off its normal price of $2,499. That's a discount of 8% and just $50 away from the lowest price we've seen this model selling for near the holidays.

SEE ALSO: The best cheap laptops for 2024, tested and reviewed

This model boasts an impressive 18GB of onboard memory, 512GB of storage, and an eye-popping 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion 120HZ refresh rates and P3 wide color gamut support. The real spotlight, however, is the M3 Pro chip, the first 3nm processor option from the company yet. Its 11-core CPU and 14-core GPU combined with its 16-core Neural Engine make for a MacBook Pro that'll handle just about anything you need it to.

This is hardly a computer for casual users, though, hence the price tag. This is a MacBook that would be perfect for video editors, graphic artists, or anyone who demands high performance out of their laptops. If that's you, now's the time to snap up this model and start getting things done.

Meta has rolled out stricter Instagram and Facebook messenger settings, intended to push back against unsolicited DM's from strangers in a company-wide attempt to address teen safety on its bevy of platforms.

The new default setting turns off a teen user's ability to receive DMs from anyone they don’t follow or aren’t connected to online, including other teens, the company explained in a blog post. This also applies to minor accounts (defined as 16 years or younger in the U.S. and 18 years or younger in certain countries) added to group chats.

SEE ALSO: Your kid saw something totally inappropriate online. Here's what to do next.

Meta had already limited users to sending just one message per day to accounts who don't follow them. Previous settings options also only limited adults over the age of 19 from messaging minors who don’t follow them. Now, the messaging settings will apply in both directions.

The company also adjusted parental control settings for caregivers overseeing supervised minor accounts. Account supervisors will now be prompted to approve any changes to privacy and safety settings.

Snapchat, also known as Snap, announced similar preventative settings for messaging last year, including a September update that removed minor accounts from appearing in search results and alerting users when adding an unknown account to their friends list.

Earlier this month, Meta announced it would automatically set all minor accounts to the most restrictive content control settings available — also known as “Sensitive Content Control” on Instagram and “Reduce” on Facebook — prompting teens to reevaluate their personal settings but still offering certain opt-out features. The settings included limiting teens' likelihood of stumbling on potentially sensitive content or accounts in search or on explore pages and hiding search results for specific queries about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. Meta also previously added settings that prevent other accounts from reposting content, tagging, or mentioning minor users.

As Mashable's Christianna Silva noted, the influx of new teen safety measures is presciently timed, with Meta officials set to testify alongside other major social media companies in a Senate hearing on online child exploitation taking place Jan. 31. Other attendees include X/ Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, and Discord CEO Jason Citron.

Hovering in the background are several lawsuits levied against Meta over the last year, including a recent Massachusetts case against Zuckerberg once again alleging he repeatedly blocked attempts to address teen mental health on the app.

The new messaging controls may just be the latest in what some advocates say are "too little too late" measures.

Veering away from her comedy comfort zone, Julia Louis-Dreyfus tackles death, loss, and grief in A24's Tuesday — with a deeply moving new trailer out today.

The feature debut from writer/director Daina O. Pusić, Tuesday sees the Veep/Seinfeld star as Zora, whose teen daughter Tuesday (Lola Petticrew) is dying from a terminal illness. A close pair, they're doing the best they can to process it all, when they're suddenly visited by Death (Arinzé Kene), appearing as a talking macaw. The trailer is emotional stuff, hinting at the power of empathy and love, and the difficulties of processing mortality.

Tuesday hits cinemas this summer. Meanwhile, here's how you can stream A24's best at home.

What do you see when you think of a character with asthma on screen? Is it a young nerdy boy who can barely go a minute without wheezing or puffing on his inhaler? Film and television have, for decades, cemented that trope. From Mikey Walsh in The Goonies to Stevie in Malcolm in the Middle, not to mention the animated characters of Milhouse in The Simpsons and Carl Wheezer in Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius – having asthma is rarely portrayed as a symbol of cool, rather a pejorative marker of weakness. 

2023's May December, written by a screenwriter with asthma, is changing this trite representation of the condition.

The NHS defines asthma as "a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties." People of all ages can have it. It often starts in childhood but it can also develop for the first time in adults, especially since the pandemic. While there is yet to be a cure, "simple treatments can help keep the symptoms under control so it does not have a big impact on your life." Yet asthma is frequently played up or down in screen depictions, with many writers and performers showing a clear misunderstanding of what it means to live with the condition. From ill-defined asthma triggers and characters not using their inhalers correctly, to the illness used as a life-threatening plot device or presented as something that can be overcome with the right attitude, there's a real-world effect on how people with asthma deal with their illness or not. 

Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore thrill and chill in "May December." Credit: Francois Duhamel / Netflix

"Depictions of asthma being not being particularly cool have a genuine impact on how people manage this condition," Naomi Bennett-Steele, innovation partnerships manager at charity Asthma + Lung UK tells Mashable. She points to films like the recent Ghosted, in which Chris Evans' character Cole's asthma is briefly used as an excuse for him to stalk Ana De Armas' love interest Sadie via a tracker tile he had stuck on a missing inhaler. "I'm sorry, you did the 'leave behind' with the inhaler," Cole's sister scoffs. "Come on, isn't your asthma sad enough already?" 

SEE ALSO: Does 'May December' snatch from 'All About Eve'? Todd Haynes explains

According to a recent Asthma + Lung UK annual lung health survey, 45 percent of asthma respondents think there is a stigma attached to living with asthma and 60 percent of those who think there is a stigma attached say they have faced stigma or discrimination due to their asthma. "These kinds of social influences can steer people towards not taking their inhaler in public or they don't want to accept that they've got an asthma diagnosis," says Bennett-Steele.

Normalising the asthma experience

As an asthma sufferer since birth, I am extremely cognisant of both the continued stigma as well as the long-running media representations that have perpetuated it. Like Bennett-Steele, I believe that more normalised portrayals can help to ameliorate the image of asthma in the public consciousness. Screenwriter Samy Burch's depiction in this year's award season contender May December is a step in the right direction. Mashable spoke with Burch about her own experience with asthma and how that impacted her writing process.

As an asthma sufferer since birth, I am extremely cognisant of both the continued stigma as well as the long-running media representations that have perpetuated it.

In Todd Hayne's true crime-inspired melodrama, written by first-time screenwriter Burch, Natalie Portman's Hollywood actress Elizabeth arrives in Savannah, Georgia, to shadow the subject of her next film: Julianne Moore's Gracie, a 59-year-old woman who notoriously began a 23-year-long relationship with her now-husband Joe (Charles Melton) when he was just 13 years old. While most of the film is loosely based on the real-life case of Mary Kay Letourneau, Elizabeth's asthma is based on Burch's lived experience; she's a third-generation asthma sufferer whose diagnosis, she says, is "inherent in the way I go through the world."

Burch is very aware of the sickly, neurotic stereotype that often defines characters with asthma. While she does have a soft spot for David Krumholtz's Joel Glicker in Addams Family Values, Elizabeth is very much an outlier. A beautiful woman with a coveted, glamorous job, the actress's asthma experience is refreshingly mundane. In one scene, Portman casually uses her inhaler while chatting on the phone and checking out Gracie's profile on the sex offender register. She's not on the brink of death, just taking her medication like any other asthma sufferer. "With this character, I didn't want it to feel like a metaphor for something," says Burch. "Because of my experience, there's a certain amount of truthfulness." 

SEE ALSO: 15 greatest classic films on Max

That includes the environmental triggers that might not all be explicit but are fundamentally based in fact. So often, stress is the main trigger for an asthma response in a character. A 2012 study found it was the most common scenario (41.5 percent) when examining 66 films from the 1980s to 2007. "That image of someone taking their inhaler because they're feeling a bit nervous? There's so many different things that can trigger people but all the representation that we get is stress or sometimes exercise," notes Bennett-Steele, adding that this in turn can prevent people from being given a formal asthma diagnosis. "The number of people who are who initially told. 'oh, it's just anxiety.' That's denying people the care that they need because there's a misunderstanding of this condition, which is fueled by the kind of tropes that sit around it. Anxiety can be a huge trigger for asthma, but that's not all that it is."

Burch chose to reflect on her own experiences from visits to Southern cities, for example, where the pollen in the air and the heat have affected her ability to breathe. "Something about the air – it's spring and it takes place at graduation time – and Elizabeth's probably in a historic inn, these are all traditional triggers for breathing," she explains. "So I folded those little moments in there so it didn't feel completely out of the blue, like seeing her using her inhaler a few times and her nebulizer at one point at night in the inn."

When it comes to asthma sufferers, "climate change and heat is a huge thing," notes Bennett-Steele as does Harvard's School of Public Health. "Particularly people who are living in cities where it gets significantly hotter. You can have this strange thing where there's a thunderstorm in summer and it zaps the pollen, making it tiny, so people inhale more of it."

The most common triggers for asthma symptoms are colds and viruses, pollution, pet hair, dust mites, physical exertion and cigarette smoke, the latter of which Burch uses to set up a rather droll seduction involving Elizabeth's nebulizer. The breathing tool delivers high doses of medicine in a fine mist to clear a person's airways when inhaled through a face mask or mouthpiece. When the screenwriter needed a nebuliser in real life, she felt amused by the visual smoke mist connection to a dame in a classic crime drama. "There is something so Noir about the way this smoke is falling out of my mouth, you know what I mean?" Burch says. "Like a cigarette, but then it's so medical; there was something very funny to me about that." 

When Elizabeth discovers Joe used to help his sister with her asthma as a kid, she pretends she needs his help to fix her nebulizer, to entice him to come back to her place for a sexual rendezvous. "It's as thinly veiled as, 'Oh, do you want a coffee? Can you change my light bulb?" Burch describes the seduction tactic. "I liked this dynamic of Joe being a caretaker – he has this history, they have this bond because they both have this history, it sort of links them in this weird way over this common childhood affliction – but obviously, adults have it too." 

Using asthma to bed a guy is a pretty original plot device and certainly a tonic compared to the highly dramatic pitfalls the chronic illness is usually associated with. Burch recalls watching a Baywatch rerun with a "very disturbing asthma storyline" involving a child experiencing an attack without their inhaler. "One of the lifeguards takes a water bottle, a cotton T-shirt and a little fan to make a filter for the kid that's having an asthma attack," she recalls. "I've always had that in my head as the worst-case scenario – I don't know if that's real."

Baywatch isn't alone in using the absence of an inhaler for dramatic purposes. In World War Z, Gerry (Brad Pitt) has to make a pitstop in Jersey, while escaping a zombie apocalypse, to loot some inhalers from a pharmacy to help his daughter from an asthma attack. More recently in Scream (2022), Jenna Ortega's Tara realises she left her inhaler at Woodsboro Hospital. Instead of buying a new one from a pharmacy, so they can get away from the murder spree, she, her sister Sam, and Sam's boyfriend Richie put themselves back in danger by heading back to town, to her friend's house to get her spare. It's thanks to Ortega that there's any continued asthma representation in the 2023 sequel as revealed in the DVD commentary: “When Jenna first read the script she was like ‘Where’s my asthma?'” She wanted to keep that alive and a part of Tara’s journey."

"I didn't want this to feel like there's any danger or it's being used as a plot device in a way that's exploiting chronic illness because, for most of us, it's very every day."

There was enough melodrama in May December without going over the top with the asthmatic element. "I didn't want this to feel like there's any danger or it's being used as a plot device in a way that's exploiting chronic illness because, for most of us, it's very every day," she says. "There's a comfortability, especially if you grow up with it."

While some people do live with extreme cases of asthma, it is a completely manageable illness for many more. Yet Benett-Steele says that, shockingly, the UK has one of the worst asthma death rates in Western Europe, and at least half of those deaths belong to people whose asthma is not particularly severe," she says. "People who shouldn't have died essentially."

Combatting harmful stereotypes

Media misconceptions feed into the notion that asthma is a childhood illness you grow out of. In World War Z, another father at the pharmacy suggests it to Brad Pitt's Gerry after handing him some albuterol inhalers. In V for Vendetta, Portman plays Evey, a character who says she used to have asthma as a kid. She mentions the chronic illness when she's struggling to breathe after discovering her torturous imprisonment was at the hands of antihero V. The suggestion is that she stopped having asthma decades ago but she's suddenly re-experiencing the symptoms because of the overwhelming stress and overcomes it with sheer willpower.

Perpetuating the psychosomatic misconception

Several films perpetuate this psychosomatic misconception of asthma, presenting it as a neurotic disease that can be cured by strength of mind. In Hitch, the socially awkward Albert (Kevin James) uses his inhaler whenever he feels nervous, however, he only musters up the courage to kiss his gorgeous love interest after dramatically throwing his medicine away. In The Goonies and It - Chapter One, the asthma diagnosis of Mikey and Eddie, respectively, is tied to overbearing mothers. Hungarian-American psychoanalyst and physician Franz Alexander described asthma as an “unconscious suppressed impulse to cry for the mother’s help.” Mikey's mother tries to prevent him from leaving the house: “If he’s coming down with asthma, I don’t want him out in the rain.” That phrasing shows a complete misunderstanding of how the illness functions. He takes his inhaler around 11 times and throws it away at the end after pulling off a heroic adventure with his friends. Eddie uses his inhaler whenever he's afraid but it turns out his asthma isn't real, just a psychosomatic response to his overprotective mother. His rejection of his mother and the illness is once again seen as a show of strength and perpetuates a concerning image of asthma as a polarising condition that is either extremely debilitating or simply psychological.

One of the better, more recent representations of asthma in a young boy is in the 2021 film Ron's Gone Wrong. Barney is a bit of a loner from a low-income household who manages his asthma throughout but experiences an asthma attack in a climactic finale and relies on the malfunctioning robot Ron to save him. Barney downplays the severity of his asthmatic event, he doesn't want to be a burden, and when his classmates rush to meet him they don't mock him for his weakness. It's also medical treatment that helps him overcome the attack – not a change in attitude. He gets to be heroic and still has asthma at the end. The filmmakers take his condition seriously and highlight how common it is for socially disadvantaged people to be diagnosed with asthma. 

SEE ALSO: January 2024 TV deals include several premium Samsung QLEDs, plus cheap TCL and Hisense QLEDs

"The reality is asthma affects more people who are disadvantaged on multiple levels," says Bennett-Steele. "It affects people who have cold, damp or mouldy houses and kids who have had to grow up in areas with high air pollution. It affects the poorest people in this country more than it affects the richest people in this country."

It can also have an adverse effect in countries where health infrastructures are not accessible. In Arab and Tarzan Nasser's Gaza-set drama Dégradé, a woman experiences breathing difficulties while trapped in a hot beauty salon, along with several other women, as gunfire breaks outside. She has an inhaler but a brief discussion about the struggle to get effective treatment for her respiratory problems highlights one of the many social health issues faced by Palestinians living under Occupation.

There are myriad ways that asthma sufferers live with and manage their illness. While efforts from filmmakers like Burch go a long way to normalise the experience, more can be done to effectively portray asthma without the stigma or inaccuracies but as part of the daily routine of living. "Most people experience maybe a handful of asthma attacks, if any, so if films showed someone waking up, having breakfast, and taking two puffs of their inhaler before brushing their teeth, how normalizing would that be?" Bennett-Steele suggests. "It's a really small change that can potentially save lives." 

Anyone who's every played charades will know how it can go from a casual parlour game to a frenzy of rage in mere minutes, and celebrities are clearly no exception.

In the Tonight Show clip above, Michelle Yeoh teams up with Tariq Trotter to take on Naomi Watts and Jimmy Fallon. From Watts' confusing impression of a bear to the challenge of expressing "Good Vibrations" through mime, things quickly descend into chaos.

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

Mashable's readers (and writers) are known for being obsessive about the things we love. You may say we kind of geek out about things. Okay, fine, we are geeks. We're not bothered by this, because geeks are awesome.

Dating as a geek requires combing through normies and too much dating through the same group of locals. This is where dating sites can help.

Why do people use dating sites?

Even the most awesome geeks can use a bit of assistance in the dating department. Not because there aren't enough geeks out there, but because dating as a geek is tough. For women, it can involve a lot of creepy guys who want their manic pixie dream girl. For men, it can involve a lot of simply trying to not be that guy. If you're in the majority of geeks who are a little bit introverted, dating can be really intimidating.

News flash: Loving sci-fi and being madly in love are not mutually exclusive, and success stories from dating sites prove this. You can still find love out there in the real world, but subscribing to a dating site shortens your odds of making a connection.

Do you need to pay for the best dating apps?

The good news is that there are plenty of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are seriously popular options with huge networks of users. Most of the biggest and best dating sites also offer free versions of their services (with limitations on certain features). You can easily enter the online dating game without spending anything, but sometimes free apps simply don't cut it.

SEE ALSO: The best dating sites for gamers

You get what you pay for with dating sites and apps. For the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to dig a little deeper in your pockets. The best dating sites don't come cheap, and whilst you can still find a hookup with a free app, you should upgrade is you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control.

What is the best dating site for geeks?

We have compared all of the internet's top dating sites, trendy swiping apps, and geek-specific sites to find the ones where geeks can express themselves and find that special someone. Hidden in the millions of users, you could find that person who hated the Game of Thrones ending as much as you, or someone who dreams of the perfect couples cosplay. Maybe you're a geek in the streets and a freak in the sheets — there are plenty of apps where geeks can just find a hookup, too.

In terms of general dating sites, we really like Match, which has a tried-and-true algorithm and huge user base. Geek-specific dating sites that aren't totally outdated are few and far between, but we were impressed by Gamer Dating. We've checked out everything on offer and lined up a handpicked selection of the best dating options for geeks and nerds, including popular services like Match, eharmony, and AdultFriendFinder.

These are the best online dating sites for geeks and nerds in 2024.

TikTok went from short and sweet to YouTube-length videos a while ago. Now, the app may soon increase post limits again — this time to 30 minutes.

The latest option, to upload a video lasting up to half an hour, was spotted by social media consultant Matt Navarra on the iOS beta version of the app in the UK, as reported by TechCrunch. The test comes right after TikTok upped its previous 10-minute maximum to 15 minutes, back in October 2023.

Post by @mattnavarra View on Threads

This expansion signals TikTok's intent to be a go-to spot for all content: the app has, for instance, made a major splash in the music industry, even launching in its music streaming service in several countries.

But this latest move seems to indicate TikTok looking beyond YouTube to the broader landscape, with 30-minute videos more aligned with run-times of streaming services, from Netflix to Max. When it comes to longer content, there's a rising group of users watching entire movies and TV shows on TikTok through short snippets. Look no further than Paramount's release of Mean Girls on the app, posting the movie in 23 instalments for fans to devour on "Mean Girls Day", or the official account for The Sopranos posting 25-second episode summaries to mark the show's 25th anniversary.

SEE ALSO: The guilty pleasure of North Sea TikTok and its dystopian oil influencers

With the latest news, it looks like TikTok is coming for more platforms — and more of your time.

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

You know what they say: Don't hate the player, hate the game.

Dating can be difficult, even at the best of times. Whether it's finding common interests and shared passions, or even something as simple as holding a meaningful conversation, it can take a lot of work to find that special someone. It doesn't matter if you're looking for a long-term relationship or more of a fleeting connection. Dating can be awkward, challenging, and even downright stressful.

It's not all bad though, and just because it can be difficult doesn't mean it can't be fun. And for gamers, fun is what really matters. The fun factor of dating apps is part of the reason we keep coming back to them. This is why apps like Tinder, what with its swipe-happy function, have become so popular. Thanks to the digital nature of the modern gaming market, gamers are able to connect with friends from all over the world in whatever they're playing. The right dating apps and sites can offer that same opportunity, allowing you to meet people who share your passions. 

Do you really need to use dating sites?

Meeting in bars, clubs, parks, and other romantic locations still happens on a regular basis, but you're shortening your odds of finding something special by subscribing to a dating site. Why not give yourself the best chance of success?

Dating sites and apps allow you to get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals, and you can save a lot of time, energy, and cash by testing out a potential relationship on an app before meeting in real life. Using dating apps is also a whole lot less intimidating than meeting someone face to face.

Should you use free dating apps?

The likes of Tinder and Hinge are seriously popular dating apps with massive networks of users, and they are free. Most of the biggest and best dating sites also have free versions, so yes, you can easily enter the online dating game without spending anything. There are levels to this game though.

For the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up some cash. You can still find love with a free app, but if you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading.

What do you need to know before using a dating app?

The first rule of online dating is to just be yourself. By being yourself and presenting yourself accurately and honestly, you open yourself up to the possibility of a great relationship with someone who likes you just the way you are. Also, don't be afraid to make the first move. Forget all those outdated rules that say a man is supposed to make the first move or that a woman can't pay on a first date. Instead, focus on finding an equal partner who helps support your goals, wants to see you succeed, and has dreams of their own.

SEE ALSO: The best dating sites and apps for women

Once you decide to meet up, stay open. We often come up with an idea for how someone will be after meeting them online, and it's rare that your expectations sync up with reality. Allow yourself to really get to know this person for who they are rather than who you thought they would be before you make up your mind.

If you really like them after finally meeting in person, set up your next date while you're still hanging out. If you really don't feel a connection, then do the right thing and tell them. Not only will they appreciate your direct approach, but it will alleviate that post-date awkwardness of wondering where you stand.

What is the best dating app for gamers?

Whether it's the tried and tested sites like Match and eharmony, or sites that offer a little more for the gamer in you like GamerDating, there is a site out there that can help you find the perfect player two for life.

We have lined up all the best dating sites for gamers, with something for everyone. All you need to do is check out these options and pick a favourite. Simple, right? Almost. You will then need to actually start dating, but we'll leave that to you.

These are the best dating sites for gamers in 2024.