Mashable

TL;DR: Live stream Rune vs. Nishioka in the Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first round of the Australian Open has produced some really interesting matchups, including Holger Rune vs. Yoshihito Nishioka. Sure, Rune is the favourite going into this game, but Nishioka is a very solid player. You never know.

If you want to watch Rune vs. Nishioka in the Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Rune vs. Nishioka?

Holger Rune and Yoshihito Nishioka will meet at around 2 p.m. AEDT on Jan. 16.

How to watch Rune vs. Nishioka for free

Every match from the Australian Open is available to stream for free on 9Now, including Rune vs. Nishioka.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can gain access to this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can connect to 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access 9Now from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Steam Rune vs. Nishioka for free

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but top VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to 9Now without actually spending anything. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2024 Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing 9Now to stream sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five 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 generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Rune vs. Nishioka for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Last week, OpenAI launched its GPT Store, where users can peruse customer-created versions of ChatGPT. In merely a few days, users have managed to break OpenAI's rules with "girlfriend bots," Quartz reports.

OpenAI's usage policies, which were updated the day of the GPT Store launch, explicitly state that GPTs (Generative Pre-trained Transformers) can't be romantic in nature: "We...don’t allow GPTs dedicated to fostering romantic companionship or performing regulated activities." Regulated activities aren't clarified. In the same paragraph, OpenAI states that GPTs that contain profanity in their name or depict or promote graphic violence aren't allowed, either.

As Quartz tried, and Mashable replicated, searching "girlfriend" in the GPT Store does produce a number of options:

Girlfriend bots in OpenAI's GPT Store. Credit: Screenshot: GPT Store

Some that Quartz observed on Thursday are no longer searchable. It seems, however, that GPT creators have already become more creative in their titles, with "sweetheart" generating more relevant options than "girlfriend" as of publication:

Searches for "sweetheart" in the GPT Store. Credit: Screenshot: GPT Store

Searches for the words "sex" and "escort," as well as "companion" and terms of endearment like "honey," produced less relevant options. Searches for curse words — also banned — came up short, as well, so it seems like OpenAI is cracking down on its rules.

It's no surprise that there's a demand for these types of bots, considering that porn performers are already "cloning" themselves for NSFW "virtual girlfriends." Companies like Bloom, which specializes in audio erotica, have also gotten in on the action with erotic "roleplaying" chatbots. Plus, some folks have utilized chatbots for dating app messages to make them sound better to actual flesh-and-blood people. So if OpenAI users can't get girlfriend bots from the GPT Store, they're likely going elsewhere.

TL;DR: Live stream Ruud vs. Ramos-Vinolas in the Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Casper Ruud has finished as runner-up at three Grand Slams, but has never taken that next step and actually won. Could that all change at the Australian Open? Ruud will certainly hope so, but Ramos-Vinolas will do everything he can to make sure that doesn't happen this year.

If you want to watch Ruud vs. Ramos-Vinolas in the Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Ruud vs. Ramos-Vinolas?

Casper Ruud will face Albert Ramos-Vinolas at around 12 p.m. AEDT on Jan. 16.

How to watch Ruud vs. Ramos-Vinolas for free

Every match from the Australian Open is available to stream for free on 9Now, including Ruud vs. Ramos-Vinolas.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can gain access to this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can connect to 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access 9Now from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Steam Ruud vs. Ramos-Vinolas for free

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but top VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to 9Now without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2024 Australian Open before recovering your investment. It's a straightforward process.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five 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 generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch Ruud vs. Ramos-Vinolas for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Raducanu vs. Rogers in the Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Can Emma Raducanu rediscover the sparkling form that led her to win the US Open at the age of just 18? Could she actually win the Australian Open? We're not sure about that, but there's only one way to find out.

If you want to watch Raducanu vs. Rogers in the Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Raducanu vs. Rogers?

Emma Raducanu will face Shelby Rogers at around 5 p.m. AEDT on Jan. 16.

How to watch Raducanu vs. Rogers for free

Every match from the Australian Open is available to stream for free on 9Now, including Raducanu vs. Rogers.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can gain access to this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can connect to 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access 9Now from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Steam Raducanu vs. Rogers for free

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to 9Now without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2024 Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five 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 generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch Raducanu vs. Rogers for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's no secret that Samsung's upcoming S-series smartphone flagships will heavily lean on AI smarts. Samsung calls the S24 phones, likely to be unveiled on January 17 during Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event, the "AI phones."

Now, however, thanks to a series of what appear to be leaked marketing materials from Samsung (Evan Blass via 9to5Google), we know a little bit more about the phones' specs, and one particularly interesting feature.

The feature, called "Circle to Search," appears to be powered by Google's artificial intelligence smarts. The leaked description says "search any image, video, or text on your screen. Circle, highlight, scribble, or tap to pinpoint what you’re curious about, no screenshots necessary." We'd have to try it out to see how it works, but it sounds like a cool upgrade to Google Lens, which is a Google app that allows you to search with your phone's camera.

SEE ALSO: Pre-pre-order the new Samsung Galaxy S24 and get a $50 credit ahead of the big reveal

Other AI-powered features that are coming include live translation of phone calls, better night-time zoom (again, thanks to AI smarts), and an AI-powered "Note Assist" feature in Samsung Notes.

Some of the specs have leaked as well. Apparently, the Samsung S24 Ultra will have a flat, 6.8-inch display and a 200-megapixel main camera. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus will have a 6.7-inch display and a 50-megapixel main camera, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 will have a 6.2-inch display with a 50-megapixel main camera.

Another interesting detail from the leaked materials reveals that the new phones will come with 7 years of Android updates, just like Google's Pixel phones.

To watch the Galaxy Unpacked event, tune in to the live stream on Samsung's website at 1 p.m. ET on January 17.

TL;DR: Live stream Rybakina vs. Pliskova in the Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Australian Open is delivering a lot of interesting matchups in the first round of the competition, and Rybakina vs. Pliskova might be the pick of the bunch. Rybakina is one of the favourites to win the Australian Open, but Pliskova is not going to go down without a fight.

If you want to watch Rybakina vs. Pliskova in the Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Rybakina vs. Pliskova?

Elena Rybakina and Karolina Pliskova are estimated to meet in their first round match at 7 p.m. AEDT on Jan. 16.

How to watch Rybakina vs. Pliskova for free

Every match from the Australian Open is available to stream for free on 9Now, including Rybakina vs. Pliskova.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can gain access to this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can connect to 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access 9Now from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Steam Rybakina vs. Pliskova for free

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can gain access to 9Now without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2024 Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five 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 generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch Rybakina vs. Pliskova for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

AR glasses have made quite the splash at CES 2024. From XREAL to TCL, the Mashable team has stumbled upon some spectacular spectacles that will likely get wider adoption from the masses in a few years time.

The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are decent if you're looking for an extension of your phone that sits on your eyes. However, if you're actually seeking true AR — immersive spectacles that can overlay digital artifacts over your real-world environment — check out these top three AR smart glasses of CES 2024.

SEE ALSO: The best of CES 2024 1. TCL RayNeo X2 Lite

The TCL RayNeo X2 Lite AR Glasses are a successor to the TCL RayNeo X2 spectacles. Like the name suggests, they're lighter and more comfortable than the previous version — so much so that TCL claims that it's the world's lightest full-color AR glasses.

Mashable's Cecily Mauran tries on the RayNeo X2 Lite smart glasses Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The X2 Lite has an AI Smart Assistant that lets you have fluid conversations with it. Plus, it includes 3D map navigation and real-time translation for up to eight languages. I found the last one to be the most interesting for me personally. As someone who travels frequently, I often find myself in situations where language barriers hinder my vacations.

I tested the real-time translation feature with the RayNeo rep at CES 2024. She was speaking Korean with me and I was blown away by how I could see the transcription of what she was saying — right before my very eyes — in English. However, this will only work smoothly if other speakers aren't in earshot. Other conversations can "confuse" the transcription process.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon RayNeo Air 2 AR Glasses $339 Get Deal 2. XREAL Air 2 Ultra

The XREAL Air 2 Ultra smart glasses debuted at CES 2024 with a new striking feature: six-degrees-of-freedom.

In other words, unlike its predecessors (e.g., these XREAL glasses we reviewed), the XREAL Air 2 Ultra lets you physically walk around in a simulated environment instead of being stuck in one place, not moving anything but your head.

XREAL Air 2 Ultra Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Plus, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra supports hand tracking, too, allowing you to interact with virtual artifacts in your not-so-real world. This will give the Apple Vision Pro a run for its money because the XReal Air 2 Ultra manages to deliver an AR experience without the heavy headset and clunky battery pack.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon XREAL Air 2 Pro AR Glasses $449 Get Deal 3. XanderGlasses

XanderGlasses, unlike the X2 Lite and the XREAL Air 2 Ultra, are not designed for entertainment. They're spectacles that cater to the accessibility niche. For users who are hearing-impaired, XanderGlasses can deliver live-captioning to its wearers.

XanderGlasses real-time captioning Credit: Xander

For example, if you are hard of hearing, and you're wearing XanderGlasses, you will see any spoken words being transcribed on the lenses, right before your eyes.

Final thoughts

People weren't receptive to the likes of Google Glass when it debuted nearly a decade ago, but with the unveiling of the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, the masses appear to be more interested in the thought of wearing tech on their faces.

Admittedly, the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are more simplistic, but as I've addressed here, I've noticed many people exhibiting disappointment that they don't have any AR features. This is perhaps where TCL RayNeo, XREAL, and Xander step in to meet users' desires.

TL;DR: Live stream Swiatek vs. Kenin in the Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Australian Open has begun with some dramatic matches and scintillating tennis from some of the top players in the world, and we're only at the first round of the competition. That means there is going to be a lot more top-quality tennis over the next couple of weeks, which is great news for fans.

The other piece of good news for tennis fans is that you can watch this tournament for free from anywhere in the world, if you know how. And fortunately, we can teach you the tricks you need to live stream the Australian Open without spending anything.

If you want to watch Swiatek vs. Kenin in the Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Swiatek vs. Kenin?

Iga Swiatek and Sofia Kenin are estimated to meet in their first round match at 12 p.m. AEDT on Jan. 16. The match will be played at Rod Laver Arena.

How to watch Swiatek vs. Kenin for free

You can watch every match from the Australian Open for free on 9Now. This free streaming platform is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can gain access to 9Now with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can connect to 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access 9Now from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Steam Swiatek vs. Kenin for free

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to 9Now without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2024 Australian Open for free.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 94 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to five 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 generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch Swiatek vs. Kenin for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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 January 15 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for January 15

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, Jan. 15, 2024:

Across"___ Lives" (hit 2023 film)

• The answer is Past.

Speak without sound

• The answer is mouth.

Nostalgic tune

• The answer is oldie.

Golfer's errant shot #1

• The answer is slice.

Golfer's errant shot #2

• The answer is hook.

DownSpanish for "chicken"

• The answer is pollo.

Sound component

• The answer is audio.

Fetch item during a walk in the woods

• The answer is stick.

"Shall I compare ___ to a summer's day?"

• The answer is thee.

Dance wildly at a concert

• The answer is mosh.

Guys, self-driving cars are so hot right now.

At CES 2024, one of the emerging trends of this year's conference is the race to get fully autonomous vehicles into the hands of consumers. All the big car manufacturers are doing it — and even Sony is putting its weight into the ring. However, after going hands-on with Ambarella's take on our automobile future, we're not too sure if AI cars are ready for the spotlight yet.

SEE ALSO: KIA's concept EV fleet revealed at CES 2024 is wildly modular

Ambarella was kind enough to take us on a ride of its "fully autonomous R&D vehicle" — or "EVA" as the R&D engineers called it. First, for a bit of background, Ambarella is not a car manufacturer — it's a semiconductor company that specializes in advanced camera imagery and computer vision.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

All that is to give you an understanding that what Ambarella is trying to achieve is very much a work in development. This car in particular featured a modified Lexus SUV equipped with 18 cameras and radars lined all along the car with the main core controlling everything in the trunk. The big thing Ambarella wanted to showcase was the use of vision and radar tech on the car without the use of LiDAR.

Both chips are powered by Ambarella's CVflow 3.0 AI accelerator, which offers high performance and energy efficiency, essential for dependable autonomous driving capabilities while reducing costs related to thermal management. This efficiency also allows for smaller, lighter, and cheaper electric vehicle batteries — or the option to increase the vehicle's range with the same battery size.

VisLab General Manager Alberto Broggi gave us a guided ride-along explanation of the various AI-powered processes that make the car run. What was most surprising was that the test car went on the road instead of driving on course in the parking lot.

An example of the radar pads used by the car to sense its environment. Credit: Chance Townsend/Mashable

In the car were several screens that gave us a visual of what was happening at various points during the ride, including how the car maps the road, how the radar maps several hundred feet ahead of the vehicle, and the different modes the car enters depending on the situation. For example, when the car is taking a right turn, in the corner of the screen it says "merging." Or when at a crosswalk, it'll say "avoidance" to make sure to avoid pedestrians. While driving, it stays in "regulation" mode with the AI in the car coded to follow the rules of the road as tightly as possible.

In the corner, the car has different modes it will swith to depending on the road conditions. Credit: Chance Townsend/Mashable

This makes the car very jerky when it comes to starts and stops. Before letting the car go into AI mode, the driver was only going around 10-15 mph, but after relinquishing control, the AI intensely accelerated to adhere to the speed limit of 35 mph. Granted, we weren't wearing seatbelts due to how many of us were in the car, but the sudden and uncertain start and stops by the AI made for a very bumpy ride.

It's not fully autonomous yet; the driver made sure to keep his hands extremely close to the wheel, While we understand it's for safety, it also implied some distrust in just how autonomous the AI is at the moment. However, concerns aside, it was an impressive ride and the technology behind the AI is amazing.

Broggi told us that for now, their tech is 2-3 years out, with the hope being for AI to handle most of the driving, but still needs a driver. It was also made clear that Ambarella's tech can't be plopped into any car, and that a whole new vehicle utilizing AI would have to be built from the ground up.

The landscape of art has invariably shifted over the last few years thanks to NFTs and the onset of digital artworks; for both art collectors and NFT enthusiasts, this boom has been both lucrative and contentious. But though the buzz may have ebbed, blockchain-supported art is still big business.

Take Sotheby's latest auction. One of the world's largest auctioneers of art and collectibles, Sotheby's is kicking off 2024 with a curated sale of Bitcoin Ordinals, or digital works inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain.

SEE ALSO: Take a walk through mesmerizing photos of Hong Kong's NFT art fair

The "Natively Digital" sale includes an array of works that showcase the diversity and creativity of digital art. This includes works from digital artists Shroomtoshi, Des Lucrece, FAR, and Nullish. The collection features the likes of Claudia Hart’s More Life, an animated CGI work that originally appeared at MoMa PS1; Des Lucréce's Benediction from Between Worlds, a striking GIF created in 2024 that explores the artist's relationship with Vietnamese Catholicism; and XCPinata's cartoon-esque graphic entitled Cleansing.

Featured Video For You A beginner's guide to NFTs, the crypto potentially worth millions

"As Ordinals continue to attract attention from collectors, this new avenue will expand the boundaries of how we conceptualize digital collectibles," says Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby's head of digital art said in a statement, "as well as place a spotlight on the unique convergence of digital art and crypto culture."

Credit: Sotheby's / Des Lucréce

The highlight of the auction is said to be Inscription 21, a work by artist Shroomtoshi, prized as one of the more significant works in Bitcoin culture, representing in millions the total supply of Bitcoins that will ever be available for mining.

Credit: Sotheby's / Shroomtoshi.

The works hold estimated value between $10,000 all the way to $70,000. The sale began on Jan. 12 and will continue until Jan. 22.

Sotheby's dive into digital art continues after whopping sales in 2023, totalling more than $35 million. This was a 100 percent increase from the previous year, according to the auction house.

True Detective: Night Country got off to a dark start, and it looks like things are only going to get darker from here on out.

Shortly after Episode 1 was over Max dropped a teaser for the Season to come, featuring more ghostly visions, small town tensions, and barely enough light to see by.

Will our burning questions be answered? Will those strange opening credits clues start to make sense? Will we find out what the deal is with all those polar bears? We'll have to wait and see.

True Detective airs Sunday nights on HBO/Max at 9 p.m ET/PT.

Substack, the popular newsletter publishing platform toting millions of subscribers, is at the center of a user quagmire in 2024: Should we stay or should we go?

In a recent article by The Atlantic, the platform was called a "ticking time bomb" of content moderation issues, which have prompted several prominent blogs and writers to publish scathing indictments of the site before ceremoniously leaving the platform.

The company has faced other battles in the last year as well, including a brief feud with Elon Musk-owned X/Twitter. So why are users ushering in the new year by exiting the site now?

SEE ALSO: Artifact, the AI news app created by Instagram's founders, is shutting down Users demand content moderation and accountability

In Nov. 2023, the Atlantic published an investigation into growing networks of white nationalists hosting alt-right and neo-Nazi blogs on Substack. Seemingly against terms of service that ban hate on the platform, the frequently antisemitic blogs were generating consistent revenue for both the publishers and Substack itself, which takes a portion of subscription revenue.

In response, hundreds of writers issued an open letter to Substack asking for an explanation. Later, another group of writers and fans published a letter in support of subscriber freedom and opposing increased content moderation.

On Dec. 21, Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie uploaded a blog post responding to outcries over "fringe accounts," saying: "I just want to make it clear that we don’t like Nazis either — we wish no-one held those views. But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don't think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go away — in fact, it makes it worse."

As of January, Substack had removed only a few of the offending blogs pointed out by fellow users. Thus rested an age-old internet question: How far should a platform — or "content host," in this instance — intervene in its user base, and what kind of protection does it owe those scrolling its site?

Casey Newton, creator of the Silicon Valley news blog Platformer, announced on Jan. 11 that the blog would be leaving Substack due to the ongoing content moderation issues and the lackluster response of Substack officials to removing alt-right content. The post (subhead: "We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out.") also details his own effort to have antisemitic blogs removed from the site.

"As all of this unfolded, I spoke twice with Substack’s co-founders. And while they asked that those conversations be off the record, my understanding from our conversations — based on material they had shared with me in writing — was that in the future they would regard explicitly Nazi and pro-Holocaust material to be a violation of their existing policies," Newton described of his and fellow Substack publishers' efforts. "But on Tuesday, when I wrote my story about the company’s decision to remove five publications, that language was missing from their statement. Instead, the company framed the entire discussion as having been about the handful of publications I had sent them for review."

Other newsletter publishers, including popular writer Ryan Broderick, were similarly disappointed in the response. In his announcement, Broderick wrote that Substack "has a habit of turning these, frankly, fairly basic trust and safety problems into weird political fights that drag on for weeks."

"Substack has faced occasional controversies over its laissez-faire approach to content moderation," Newton explained. "The platform hosts a wide range of material I find distasteful and offensive. But for a time, the distribution of that material was limited to those who had signed up to receive it. In that respect, I did not view the decision to host Platformer on Substack as being substantially different from hosting it on, for example, GoDaddy. Substack’s aspirations now go far beyond web hosting."

Pure web hosting has fallen by the wayside

In addition to the questionable content decisions of Substack leads, many posting on the site have shared a wariness of the platform's evolving mission and its impact on independent writers, a shift from the site's original marketing as an ambiguously defined content hosting site without the ambition of mainstream publishers and social media sites.

But in April 2023, Substack launched its Notes feature, a "Twitter dupe" that allows Substack subscribers and writers to share posts, links, snippets, you name it, in a streamlined feed mirroring the X timeline. "Notes also marks the next step in our efforts to build our subscription network — one that puts writers and readers in charge, rewards great work with money, and protects the free press and free speech," Substack wrote in a blog post at the time.

Meanwhile, the platform was under careful watch from financial reporters, following the revelation of the platform's 2020-2021 financial statements (the numbers were grim). Substack had recently launched a site-wide crowdfunding campaign, as well, generating more than $7 million from users.

Some writers note that they feel the broad push for "the Substack network" — referring to the growing connections between its community of writers, subscription recommendations, and new features like Notes — runs counter to the organic discovery and subscription models that enticed them to join initially.

This all signaled to many that the hands-off, pure content hosting goal of the platform was shifting, pushing the site closer to the realm of an advertising social media company instead of an avenue for independent publishing, fostering small communities of self-moderated readers and writers.

As Newton warned in his departure post, Substack:

"touts the value of its network of publications as a primary reason to use its product, and has built several tools to promote that network. It encourages writers to recommend other Substack publications. It sends out a weekly digest of publications for readers to consider subscribing to. And last year it launched a Twitter-like social network called Notes that highlights posts from around the network, regardless of whether you follow those writers or not. Not all of you use these features. Some of you might not have seen them. But I can speak to their effectiveness: In 2023, we added more than 70,000 free subscribers. While I would love to credit that growth exclusively to our journalism and analysis, I believe we have seen firsthand how quickly and aggressively tools like these can grow a publication. And if Substack can grow a publication like ours that quickly, it can grow other kinds of publications, too."

Where are people turning to now?

Substack remains a popular site for writers, cultural commenters, film critics, and even journalists, but disenchanted users are seeking out alternatives. Some are turning toward other hosting sites like Ghost and Beehiiv, the Atlantic reports.

The decision is in your hands.

TL;DR: As of January 15, get Windows 11 Pro and the Essential Windows 11 Pro course for only $49.99 — that's an 83% discount.

When it comes to computers, there are a lot of variables that can make or break your computing experience. If you have been struggling with your slightly older computer, it may be something as simple as needing a new operating system. The latest Windows OS is Windows 11 Pro, and it has a lot of valuable new features to elevate and streamline your work and personal life. You can get it now, along with the Essential Windows 11 Pro course, for just $49.99 (reg. $298).

You'll get a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro on up to three devices. Windows 11 Pro includes all the latest updates Windows has to offer, including AI-integrated ones, such as Windows Copilot. Copilot is an AI assistant that's replaced Cortana and can assist with everyday tasks such as summarizing documents, starting a playlist, and changing settings. The Paint app also has an AI update that gives its users AI-powered editing tools like removing backgrounds, generative content creation, and more.

Even if you don't necessarily have a problem with your current OS, this offer allows you to get benefits like enhanced security and included future updates (Windows 10 won't be getting further updates) for an affordable price. 

This OS also comes with a course that helps you get the most out of all it has to offer. The Essential Windows 11 Pro Course is over five hours of content with 64 lessons that will have you enjoying your new OS with confidence and ease.

Jump on this deal while it's still deeply discounted.

Get yourself Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and The Essential Windows 11 Pro Course for just $49.99 (reg. $298) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: StreamSkill Microsoft Windows 11 Pro + The Essential Windows 11 Pro Course $49.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 15, get the Car Windshield Defroster, Heater & Fan for only $37.99 — that's 45% off.

There's nothing like waking up a little late in winter and ending up a lot late because you had to wait for the modest glacier on your windshield to thaw. And you might be right there beside it, shivering the morning away. 

You don't need a mechanic to upgrade the heating system in your car. Instead, try this car windshield defroster, heater, and fan. This three-in-one gadget could help your car warm up and keep you toasty in the process, and it's on sale for $37.99 (reg. $69.99). 

Quickly defrost your car

You don't need a bonfire to say bon voyage to chilly mornings behind the wheel when you've got this little heater with you. This portable defroster plugs into your car's 12V power outlet and silently produces waves of warmth that you can point at your windshield or whoever is shivering the loudest. It even has a little folding handle to control the 360-degree swiveling and the 90-degree tilt. 

This car defroster has four settings. You can use it to help speed up your windshield defrosting, defog, blast the heat, or you could even use it to help cool down. You can even adjust the wind flow, and installation is super simple. Each heater comes with four wall plugs, four screws, two mounting hooks, a gasket, a filter, and a guide to show you how to use it all. 

A cool gadget to keep you warm 

Get the car windshield defroster, heater, and fan while it's on sale for $37.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Onet Car Windshield Defroster, Heater & Fan $37.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 15, get this AOC 23.6-inch gaming monitor for just $99.99 — that's 41% off.

A good monitor could make all the difference when you're gaming, and they don't have to cost more than the price of a new desktop. If you're looking for a low-cost option that doesn't compromise on clarity or screen size, the AOC C24B1H is a 23.6-inch gaming monitor that could be a great choice for only $99.99, but that's after the price has been cut from $169.99. 

Gamers can min-max monitor shopping now

The AOC C24B1H is an HD gaming monitor with a 3000:1 static contrast ratio for deep blacks on a sleek 1080p, three-sided borderless display. This super slim monitor is only 12.5mm deep and could be a great addition to a multi-monitor gaming setup. And, of course, you can tilt the screen for little ergonomic adjustments. 

HDMI compatibility means you can connect a computer or modern gaming consoles. Older computers could use the 15-pin VGA port to connect. There's even a spot to plug in headphones or speakers. This monitor has a VA panel with 1920 x 1080 resolution and flicker-free technology, along with a low blue light feature that could help reduce eye strain. No more squinting after telling yourself you'll only play for a few more minutes until the sun comes up. 

Like to customize your setup often? This monitor is super lightweight, weighing just 5.7lbs. That means you can plan for easy adjustments or even travel if you like to take your whole rig on the road.

Stunning color, clarity, and price

No more blaming your hardware for a bad round. 

Get the AOC 24B1H 23.6-inch Full HD LED Gaming Monitor for $99.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: AOC AOC 24B1H 23.6" Full HD LED Gaming Monitor $99.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of Jan. 15, you can grab a refurbished 2015 iMac (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD) for only $399.97 — that's a 73% discount from its original $1,499 MSRP.

Does your home office need an upgrade? While laptops are certainly convenient, if you're hoping to up your productivity in 2024, it might be time to invest in a desktop computer. Or, you may be a creative working on various design and editing programs that require a bigger Apple screen. And thanks to refurbished options on the market today, that doesn't mean putting a big dent in your wallet.

If you're in the market for an iMac, look no further than this refurbished 21.5-inch A1418 model from late 2015. It offers all the perks of a beloved Apple desktop for a fraction of the price, and can be yours for only $399.97 (reg. $1,499) with no coupon code required right here for a limited time. 

Equipped with a stunning 21.5-inch Retina display, this iMac is ready to help you achieve your 2024 goals. Its sleek and compact stature won't take up too much desk space, but don't be deceived by its convenient size — it's still packed with plenty of power, thanks to an Intel Core i5 processor. 

1TB of HDD storage ensures you have ample space to save your important files, store your favorite apps, and more on the iMac. And the 8GB of memory means you can smoothly run games, apps, and browsers simultaneously if needed. This particular model hails from 2015 and comes with a grade "A" refurbished rating, which means it will arrive in near-mint condition with minimal to zero scuffing. 

For a limited time, get this refurbished 21.5-inch Apple iMac for just $399.97 (reg. $1,499).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished 2015 iMac (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD) $399.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

Knowing what kind of laptop you have is essential for troubleshooting issues and finding the right support. Plus, when you know your exact laptop — and its specs — it’s easier to know what you might want out of your next laptop when it’s time to upgrade.

You can often find your laptop’s model number on the underside of your laptop or the box, but if the writing has faded, or you don’t have the box, you can check your model number in your settings. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to locate this number in Windows or macOS. 

How to find your laptop model and specs in Windows Total Time

• 5 minutes

What You Need

• Windows PC

Step 1: Open the System Information tool

Type “System Information” into your Windows search box at the bottom of your screen.

Credit: Sarah Chaney

Step 2: Locate your laptop’s model number

When opening System Information, the tool should default to the System Summary menu selection. Find “System Model” under the Item column, and you’ll see your laptop’s model number to the right in the Value column. On this screen, you can also look at your “System SKU” to get more helpful information about your laptop model.

Credit: Sarah Chaney

Step 3: Type “about your PC” into the Windows search box

This will take you to the “About” screen in your Window System settings. 

Credit: Sarah Chaney

Step 4: Find more specific information about your laptop and its specs

At the top of the screen, you can find your laptop’s Device ID and Product ID, as well as its processor and installed RAM.

Credit: Sarah Chaney

How to find your laptop model and specs in macOS Total Time

• 5 minutes

What You Need

• macOS

Step 1: Open the Apple Menu on your MacBook

Click on the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen, and select “About This Mac” from the Apple Menu that pops up. In the small window that appears, you can see the model name and year of your MacBook, along with its chip, memory, serial number, and current macOS version.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 2: For more information, pull up a System Report

Press and hold the Option key at the bottom of your keyboard, select the Apple menu option, and then “System Information” to open a System Report for your MacBook.

Step 3: Locate your MacBook’s “Model Identifier"

In the “Hardware Overview” section of the System Report, you’ll find a unique identifying number next to “Model Identifier.” Head to Apple’s website to identify your MacBook model based on this number.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Max offers an extraordinary selection of movies, and its documentary library alone has enough gems for hours of compelling viewing. But if you're indecisive, have no fear: We've gone through the hundreds of documentaries on Max and picked out the ones you absolutely have to make time to watch.

These movies prove the versatility of the documentary genre, both in terms of subject matter and form. They'll immerse you in high school basketball, concerts, fights for racial justice, and so much more.

Here, in alphabetical order, are the best documentaries on Max streaming now.

1. 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets

Marc Silver's 2015 documentary recounts the 2012 death of teenager Jordan Davis, who was shot multiple times in a parking lot while listening to music with friends. His attacker was found guilty of first-degree murder, but only after a mistrial and extensive media coverage. The documentary uses interviews with Davis's family alongside footage from the trial to fully illustrate the grim reality of Florida's self-defense laws.* — Proma Khosla, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets is now streaming on Max.

2. André the Giant

André the Giant is a thoughtful examination of what it means to be larger than life. It gives André Roussimoff credit for his contributions to sports entertainment by identifying him as a pioneer who fully understood how gigantism, the medical condition responsible for his seven-foot-four frame, could elevate him to the status of a living myth. Interviews with wrestling personalities like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Vince McMahon offer a rare glimpse behind the curtain of kayfabe by documenting Roussimoff’s keen awareness of the awe he inspired and how his example transformed the WWF franchise into the massive performance showcase that exists now as the WWE. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: André the Giant is now streaming on Max.

3. Class Action Park Death trap or fun time? Credit: HBO Max

Welcome to Action Park! This New Jersey amusement and water park, built by former Wall Street tycoon Gene Mulvihill, was home to attractions such as Cannonball Loop and the Alpine Slide. It was also severely mismanaged and the cause of many injuries and deaths. Class Action Park reveals just how insane the story behind Action Park was, from the park's madcap rides to Mulvihill's shady tactics for keeping his venture afloat.

Through a mixture of fun animation and interviews with comedians who attended Action Park as children, Class Action Park keeps things light and humorous. However, it still exercises proper seriousness and restraint when discussing the park's fatalities. Overall, Class Action Park is a wild documentary about a truly wild place. Come for the descriptions of the insane rides, and stay for the nuanced exploration of nostalgia and childhood in the 1980s. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Class Action Park is now streaming on Max.

4. Everything Is Copy

Everything Is Copy is the best kind of love letter: one that's effusive in its admiration of its subject, but also clear-eyed about her quirks and imperfections. Journalist Jacob Bernstein explores the life, career, and 2012 death of Nora Ephron, known to us as the writer and filmmaker behind such movies as Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, and Julie & Julia, and to Bernstein as his mother.

Interviews with family members and famous friends (including Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, and Mike Nichols), along with archival interviews and excerpts from Ephron's own work, paint a portrait of a brilliant and ambitious spirit who lived by the motto stated in the title: "Everything is copy," meaning that everything that happens in life can be fodder for a story later on. Though you wouldn't mistake Bernstein's documentary for a work by Ephron herself, the film's warmth, candor, and humor make it a fitting tribute to the icon she was. — Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Everything Is Copy is now streaming on Max.

5. Gimme Shelter Keith Richards onstage in "Gimme Shelter." Credit: Maysles/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Originally conceived as a behind-the-scenes account of the Rolling Stones' legendary 1969 U.S. tour, Gimme Shelter was ultimately transformed by the circumstances that unfolded around it. While the film does delve into various moments from the UK band's cross-country trip, its value as a historical document is most evident in its on the ground account of the infamous Altamont Free Concert in 1970 and the circumstances leading up to that day.

The filmmaking team led by Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin captured it all, and Gimme Shelter, a triumph of the cinéma vérité movement, is the result. — Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Gimme Shelter is now streaming on Max.

6. Grey Gardens "Little Edie" Beale pictured in Grey Gardens, 1975. Credit: Tom Wargacki/Archive Photos/Getty Images

In their famed 1976 film Grey Gardens, brothers and documentary team Albert and David Maysles pay a visit to a dilapidated mansion in the Hamptons. There, they profile the intriguing and tragic lives of a reclusive mother and daughter, both named Edith Beale, in a strange and winding character study unlike any other.

Relatives of First Lady Jackie Kennedy, the life stories of "Little Edie" and "Big Edie" are sensationalized in the documentary, and many argue that the film takes an inherently exploitative view of its subjects and their apparent mental health conditions. But as far as fascinating footage goes, Grey Gardens is a must-watch — capturing a unique family at the heart of a broader dialogue about the decline of political royalty and '60s-era Americana.* — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Grey Gardens is now streaming on Max.

7. Harlan County, USA

Harlan County, USA drops us into small-town Kentucky in the 1970s to show us a time, a place, and a community — and to reveal wheat happens when a group of coal miners go on strike, incurring the wrath of the Duke Power Company. Barbara Kopple's film follows the miners and their supporters (including their ferociously determined wives) into the front lines of the fight, from picket lines to town hall meetings to more intimate moments of grief or rage or everyday life. 

As the battle intensifies, spilling over into violence, what emerges is a gritty portrait of hard-won courage against an all-too-familiar villain, captured through Kopple's principled perspective. Harlan County, USA won Best Documentary at the 1977 Oscars, and almost half a century later, it's still regarded as one of the best documentaries of all time. It's as riveting, as powerful, and urgent as it was the day it was released. — A.H.

How to watch: Harlan County, USA is now streaming on Max.

8. Hoop Dreams Arthur Agee in "Hoop Dreams." Credit: Fine Line/Kartemquin/Kobal/Shutterstock

Hoop Dreams dives into the lives of Arthur Agee and William Gates, two young men from inner-city Chicago who dream of making it big in the NBA. Both are recruited to play for St. Joseph High School's highly regarded basketball program early on in the film, but over the next four years they take extremely different paths. Through Agee and Gates' basketball careers, director Steve James explores issues of race, class, and how sports recruitment can cross into the realm of the exploitative and put undue amounts of pressure on young players.

What's astonishing about Hoop Dreams is the level of intimacy James achieves with both Agee and Gates. He follows their journeys on and off the basketball court as they and their families experience parental separations, sports injuries, and financial struggles. The resulting documentary makes you feel like you're experiencing life alongside Agee and Gates, so you desperately want them to succeed. It all comes to a head in the thrilling and tense basketball sequences. Even though these games were played decades ago, James makes every missed shot feel like a lost opportunity and every successful play feel like a massive victory. — B.E.

How to watch: Hoop Dreams is now streaming on Max.

9. Original Cast Album: Company

If you're a fan of the legendary Stephen Sondheim and George Furth musical Company, or of musical theater in general, this documentary is for you. Director D.A. Pennebaker trains a close eye on the original cast and orchestra of Company as they undergo an intense 15-hour recording session. You hear stand-out Company numbers such as "Being Alive" and "Getting Married Today" and get to see Sondheim at work. The film's best and most famous sequence comes towards the end, when the great Elaine Stritch struggles to record "The Ladies Who Lunch." It's a gripping portrait of a performer trying to push through exhaustion and her own frustrations, and a perfect end to this stellar documentary. — B.E.

How to watch: Original Cast Album: Company is now streaming on Max.

10. Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind Robin Williams pictured in New York City, 1980. Credit: Sonia Moskowitz/Images/Getty Images

Years after Robin Williams's death by suicide in 2014, the loss of his talent and presence still stings. Come Inside My Mind uses interviews with those who were closest to him — his son, ex-wife, best friends, and many more — along with archival footage to create a portrait of someone immensely, inordinately talented who battled mental illness for most of his life. Marina Zenovich's documentary chronicles Williams's whole life, from a sometimes-lonely childhood to a meteoric rise in comedy, as well as his struggles with addiction and an often-troubled career, despite his cemented status as a legend. Clips of his performances remind us (though no one needs reminding) that there was and likely never will be another with Williams's iconic spark. — P.K.

How to watch: Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind is now streaming on Max.

11. The Times of Harvey Milk

In 1978, San Francisco's first openly gay elected official Harvey Milk was gunned down inside of City Hall by a man who said he's eaten too much sugar the night before. Six years later, filmmaker Rob Epstein made this masterful documentary about Milk's career, his rise from activist to politician, and what his outrageous death meant to a community that was already embattled on all sides. It's one of the most important documents of that moment in time. Gus Van Sant's 2008 biopic with Sean Penn in the lead role does a decent job bringing the story to life, but Epstein's film blows it out of the water on all fronts, mostly because even Penn can't fake the fiery magnetism that the real-deal Milk carried around. — Jason Adams, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: The Times of Harvey Milk is now streaming on Max.

12. Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland Sandra Bland in "Say Her Name." Credit: HBO

When 28-year-old Sandra Bland was arrested for a traffic violation and subsequently found hanged in her jail cell days later, a two-year legal ordeal began. Filmmakers Kate Davis and David Heilbroner document her family's battle with law enforcement while sharing Bland's own video blogs and history of activism. Though her death was ruled a suicide, questions remain, as does Say Her Name's tragic timeliness.* — P.K.

How to watch: Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland is now streaming on Max.

13. Transhood Leena at a modeling audition in "Transhood." Credit: HBO

In Transhood, director Sharon Liese documents the lives of four young trans people — who are 4, 7, 12, and 15 when filming begins — living in Kansas City over the course of five years. It's a moving portrait of its subjects' childhoods and their respective transitions.

Transhood is intimate but never invasive, following its subjects with a caring and understanding eye. From consultations about gender-affirming treatments to interactions with friends, we get to know Phoenix, Avery, Jay, and Leena, as well as their parents, whose support and sacrifices fuel some of the film's most emotional moments. Transhood doesn't lift up its subjects as monoliths of the trans experience. Rather, it celebrates the differences and similarities between their journeys and finds the beauty in their transitions, all while inspiring great amounts of compassion and empathy. — B.E.

How to watch: Transhood is now streaming on Max.

14. Welcome to Chechnya

The third film from Academy Award-nominated documentarian David France, Welcome to Chechnya takes viewers on a guerilla-style investigation into the anti-gay purges that still plague the constituent republic of Russia.

Not only does the explosive project detail the abhorrent policies created by Vladimir Putin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to criminalize homosexuality, it also delves into the insidious culture the government has instilled in its citizens to encourage hate crimes. It's a painful watch that demands attention from viewers, focusing in large part on the courageous efforts of underground networks working to help LGBTQ people escape the region.

What makes this doc stand out is the urgency. Documentary filmmaking can help us examine issues or events in greater detail, as well as preserve them for the historic record. Welcome to Chechnya does both with heartbreaking heroism, urging western audiences to at the very least acknowledge the genocide that continues to this day. — A.F.

How to watch: Welcome to Chechnya is now streaming on Max.

15. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Photographer Nan Goldin collaborated with Citizenfour filmmaker Laura Poitras on this wily Oscar-nominated portrait of Goldin's complex life, and what they came up with was a moving masterpiece about the inescapable intersections of art, self, and activism. Interweaving Goldin's traumatic childhood with her relationships, her celebrated documentation of NYC in the 1970s and '80s, and her fight to hold the Sackler family accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a profound portrait of an unstoppable force — one who's fueled by a keen sense of righteousness and love. Goldin's managed to turn her own frailties into her greatest strengths as an artist and a human being, as evidenced in this unforgettable documentary. — J.A.

How to watch: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is now streaming on Max.

16. Amazing Grace Credit: GEM / StudioCanal / Kobal / Shutterstock

In 1972, the legendary singer Aretha Franklin went to church to record her live gospel album Amazing Grace over the course of two nights of performances. All of this was captured on camera too, but while the album went on to become the highest-selling live gospel album of all time, issues with syncing the footage and the sound kept the filmed version sitting in a vault for (checks notes) 45 years.

Part of the issue there was Franklin herself though, because for unknown reasons, she repeatedly sued the producer who'd bought the footage from Warner Brothers and tried to reshape it into something that could be released. Only after Aretha's death in 2018 did her family make a deal with him, and (sorry, Aretha!) thank goodness they did: Amazing Grace captures the singer at the height of her lofty powers. Side note: This should be paired with the Rolling Stones doc down below, since Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts are seen in the audience grooving out alongside everybody else. — J.A.

How to watch: Amazing Grace is now streaming on Max.

17. David Lynch: The Art Life

Getting director David Lynch to talk about his cryptic, hallucinatory work and its meanings has always been like pulling teeth. And so this 2016 documentary from filmmakers Olivia Neergaard-Holm, Rick Barnes, and Jon Nguyen is vital because it's probably the closest we'll ever get to anything of that sort. Lynch is more than happy to talk about his actual hands-on process, especially with regards to his painting, as well as his life story — his childhood in Montana, his big transformative move to Philadelphia, and what led to his breakthrough Eraserhead. And, as ever when it comes to Lynch, we're then meant to put together those pieces into a pattern that means something to us. He doesn't make it easy, but he does make it worthwhile. — J.A.

How to watch: David Lynch: The Art Life is now streaming on Max.

18. De Palma

The polar opposite of David Lynch, this 2015 doc proves that you can't get director Brian De Palma to shut up about his work — nor would you want him to. Here, Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow simply pointed a camera at the man and then asked him to talk about his movies; what they got was hours upon hours of footage, which they then curated down into this almost two-hour soliloquy on movie-making's ups, downs, and spectacular sideways. De Palma's monologue is laid over scenes from his gorgeously sleazy cinema; everything from Carrie to Body Double to Dressed to Kill are touched upon, but it's his lesser-known movies like Casualties of War that end up holding the most fascination. It's a master lesson in filmmaking from a master filmmaker. — J.A.

How to watch: De Palma is now streaming on Max.

19. Honeyland Credit: Photo by Ljubomir Stefanov / NEON

My favorite thing that documentaries can do fairly effortlessly is transport you to a totally alien and unexpected world and drop you right in there, making it suddenly seem not at all alien but instead deeply familiar — empathy by way of immersion. One such standout is Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov's Oscar-nominated 2019 film Honeyland, which chronicles the life of a Macedonian beekeeper named Hatidže and her blind, bedridden mother Nazife.

The drama that unfurls in Hatidže's life as she gets new obnoxious neighbors who promptly begin mucking up the delicate balance of nature that their already precarious lifestyle depends on is more riveting than 10 Hollywood blockbusters. It's a story in miniature that's echoing across our entire planet, told with such intricacy and intimacy that it takes your breath away. (And when Hatidže showed up at the Oscars ceremony that year, I cried.) – J.A.

How to watch: Honeyland is now streaming on Max.

20. I Am Not Your Negro

Filmmaker Raoul Peck has proven himself to be one of the most formidable voices in documentary filmmaking over the past decade, and so we must also take this moment to recommend his magnificent 2021 documentary series Exterminate All the Brutes (now on Max) and his 2022 film Silver Dollar Road (now on Prime). But this current run of masterpieces began in 2016 with I Am Not Your Negro, Peck's visualization of writer James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript about the Civil Rights movement, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Rightly nominated for an Oscar, the film is as lacerating and infuriating and sometimes even as funny as Baldwin's prose. Alongside all of the footage of the author on talk shows and at political events, it somehow does justice to the man's words, which is in itself a monumental achievement. – J.A. 

How to watch: I Am Not Your Negro is now streaming on Max.

21. Little Richard: I Am Everything Credit: Magnolia Pictures

Finally getting his due as the Black queer icon who really invented rock and roll, this 2023 doc from director Lisa Cortes shows us how Little Richard went from the dirt-poor third of twelve kids of a bootlegger father in Macon, Georgia, to making white teen girls lose their minds as he performed hits like "Tutti Frutti." Richard's path was all over the map. White artists like Pat Boone and Elvis kept covering his songs and getting more play because of the color of their skin. He also abandoned music for religion at the height of his career in the 1950s, renouncing the devil's music before returning to its embrace a few years later — and this happened several times over his lifelong career. But the showman couldn't be contained; when an outsider renegade like John Waters is aping your style, then you know that you're a legend. – J.A.

How to watch: Little Richard: I Am Everything is now streaming on Max.

22. Moonage Daydream

When David Bowie died in January of 2016, some people decided in retrospect that that was the moment where humanity shifted onto the shittier timeline that's brought us the past several years of chaos. And while Brett Morgen's 2022 musical bio-doc of the man doesn't make that exact case, it does in its margins make the case for why people would feel that way. Morgen's trippy film combines performance footage and interviews into something appropriately unique for its subject; it lands somewhere between a concert film and a deification, and that only seems right to me. – J.A.

How to watch: Moonage Daydream is now streaming on Max.

23. Paris is Burning

Documenting the drag balls of '80s NYC, director Jennie Livingston followed her subjects around for six full years, making it an invaluable record of a moment in time and place that was disappearing and changing even as she filmed. Some of that was due to AIDS, some of that was due to violence and poverty, so some of those things haven't changed that much after all. But the people interviewed – including ball legends like Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, Willi Ninja, and Angie and Venus Xtravaganza – didn't have that luxury: One of the film's most defining and shocking moments in the film comes when we hear that Venus has been murdered. But the scales fall fairly evenly on the scene; it doesn't wallow in the bad stuff as nearly as much as it celebrates the magic and wonder that these queens scrape up out of it. – J.A.

How to watch: Paris is Burning is now streaming on Max.

24. Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

Until we get the inevitable biopic of the most famous closeted gay movie star there ever was (and I can't imagine who could play him), we'll just have to make due with Stephen Kijak's very fine 2023 doc on the actor. Thankfully there are still plenty of people around who knew and cavorted with Rock in his lifetime, so there's no shortage of subjects more than willing to now spill the beans. As the Tales From the City author Armistead Maupin hilariously says at one point, "If I was fucking Rock Hudson, I would want my mother to know immediately." 

But it's not just gossip about his sex life that makes Rock's story worth being told; the man was the biggest star in Hollywood for several years, emblematic of the 1950s and '60s ideals of big, strong manly-man masculinity, all while being forced to hide who he really was lest that unravel it all. He is simply put one of the biggest chapters in the Hollywood story, and Kijak's film does that stratospheric tale justice. — J.A.

How to watch: Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed is now streaming on Max.

25. Salesman

A landmark documentary that was inspired by Truman Capote's revolutionary style in the telling of In Cold Blood, this first film from Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin is seen as a pioneer feature in verite cinema. According to legend, they just chose four Bible salesman to follow with their cameras by virtue of their schedules, and then the movie sorted itself out from there. But what the filmmakers ended up finding in the salesmen's stories somehow approaches mythical proportions. It ends up being about as staggering a portrait of mid-century America, religion, and consumerism as could possibly be imagined. One of the most important documentaries there are, while also being fly-on-the-wall simple and surprisingly funny. – J.A.

How to watch: Salesman is now streaming on Max.

Asterisks (*) indicate the write up comes from a previous Mashable list.

UPDATE: Jan. 11, 2024, 1:39 p.m. EST This article has been updated to reflect current streaming options.

Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Sign up for Max Get Deal

On February 2, Apple's spatial computer (everyone else calls these virtual reality headsets), the Vision Pro, will hit the stores, and Apple will start offering demos to customers at Apple Store locations in the U.S.

We knew this was coming, but details on how these demos will look like were absent. Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has a fairly detailed outline of what the demos will consist of and how long they'll take.

According to Gurman, each demo will last about 25 minutes. After setting the demo unit up for the customer (including setting up lenses for people with prescription glasses), and explaining the basics of how the device works, the demo will begin.

SEE ALSO: How to buy the Apple Vision Pro: A checklist of what you'll need at check out

It will reportedly include a tour through the photos app, including some 3D images and videos (spatial photos and spatial videos in Apple's lingo). The demo will also include a quick tour on how to use the Vision Pro as a computer or iPad replacement, with details such as scrolling through webpages in Safari or positioning multiple app windows in space. Finally, the customers will be shown 3D and immersive movie clips, including videos of wild animals, the ocean and sports. Gurman also mentions a "compelling scene that makes users feel as if they're on a tightrope."

All in all, it sounds a lot like the demos Apple gave to some members of the media over the last couple of months.

As we previously wrote, getting a demo is free and does not require pre-ordering or purchasing the $3,499 device. Apple has invited customers to sign up for a demo at their local Apple Stores, starting at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 2, with demos served on Friday and through the weekend on a first-come, first-served basis.