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Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
Updated: 10 hours 23 min ago

How to watch Kansas vs. Mizzou basketball without cable

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 09:05
Wondering how to watch college basketball this season? Here are your best options: Most affordable Sling TV Orange Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month (save $20 ) Get Deal BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 2 months (Save $40) Get Deal

The Kansas and Missouri men’s basketball teams are scheduled to meet in the 2023 Hoops Border Showdown on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The game is scheduled to start at 4:15 p.m. CT. 

Kansas, ranked No. 2 in The Associated Press poll, enters the matchup 8-1 overall. Most recently, KU defeated Kansas City 88-69 on Dec. 5. The Missouri Tigers come into the contest 7-2 overall. On Dec. 3, Mizzou beat Wichita State 82-72. Entering Saturday, Kansas leads the all-time series 176-95.

Hunter Dickinson leads KU in scoring at 20.1 points per game through its first nine games, and he is the team’s leading rebounder with 12.2 rebounds per contest. Sean East II paces the Mizzou scoring with 16.8 points per game, and he is the team’s assist leader with 31 assists in the first nine outings.

SEE ALSO: How to watch college basketball without cable

Bill Self is the Kansas men’s basketball head coach. Dennis Gates is the Mizzou Tigers men’s basketball head coach. 

KU vs. Mizzou basketball game time and network

The Kansas vs. Missouri men’s basketball game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN at 4:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 9. ESPN broadcasters for the game are scheduled to be Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst).

If you don’t have cable or satellite TV, online live streaming platforms such as FuboTV and Sling offer alternatives for enjoying the game.

Best streaming services for the KU vs. Mizzou basketball game 

If you’ve gotten rid of cable and satellite TV, you'll need a streaming platform. To see Saturday’s  Kansas vs. Mizzou men’s basketball game, here are the top streaming solutions available to you. 

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month Get Deal

Sling TV's $55/month package provides 46 channels, catering to the needs of college basketball fans and includes ESPN coverage of showdowns like Kansas vs. Missouri men’s basketball. Newcomers to Sling TV enjoy a $27.50 rate for the first month. 

If you’re looking to just watch the Mizzou vs. KU game, the Orange Plan includes ESPN and is available at $20 for the first month, followed by $40 monthly. 

Sling TV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, Pac-12 Network and SEC Network.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 2 months Get Deal

You can try FuboTV free for seven days and explore its extensive selection of more than 250 live TV channels. If you’re a college basketball fan, the Pro package costs $54.99 per month for the first two months, with channels like ESPN to watch the Kansas vs. Mizzou men’s basketball game. After the two-month introductory rate, the Pro tier’s regular price is $74.99 per month.  

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, NFL Network, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network. 

How to watch Army vs. Navy football without cable

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 09:03
Wondering how to watch Army vs. Navy football? Here are your best options: Most affordable Paramount+ with Showtime 7-day free trial, then $11.99/month Get Deal Most channels FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 2 months (Save $40) Get Deal

The Army and Navy football teams are scheduled to meet on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in a battle for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. The game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET

Army enters the matchup 5-6 overall. Most recently, Army beat Coastal Carolina 28-21 on Nov. 18. Navy comes into the contest 5-6 overall. On Nov. 25, SMU defeated Navy 59-14. Entering Saturday, Navy leads the all-time series 62-54-7.

SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable

Jeff Monken is the Army football head coach. Brian Newberry is the Navy football head coach. 

Army vs. Navy football kickoff time and network

The Army vs. Navy football game is scheduled to be broadcast on CBS at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 9. The CBS broadcasters are scheduled to be Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), and Jenny Dell (sideline reporter). 

Cable and satellite TV are no longer necessary for enjoying live sports. Consider live streaming options to watch Saturday’s game via services like Paramount+ and FuboTV.

Best streaming services for the Army vs. Navy football game 

Watching college football requires a streaming service if you don’t have cable or satellite TV. For the Army vs. Navy football game on Saturday, here are your top streaming options.

Most affordable: Paramount+ Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ with Showtime 7-day free trial, then $11.99/month Get Deal

If you want to watch just CBS or just the Army vs. Navy football game, Paramount+ offers a solution.  

New subscribers to Paramount+ get a seven-day free trial. Then for the Paramount+ plan that includes live streaming CBS, you need the Paramount+ with Showtime tier, which is $11.99/month. If you choose the annual plan, it is $119.99 for a year, saving about $1.99/month. 

For students, Paramount+ will give you a 25% discount.

Most channels: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 2 months Get Deal

With FuboTV, new subscribers can enjoy a seven-day free trial and more than 250 live TV channels, along with the ability to simultaneously stream on 10 devices. College sports fans who want access to CBS for matchups such as the Army vs. Navy football game will want the FuboTV Pro tier, which has a two-month introductory rate of $54.99 per month with a regular rate of $74.99 per month.  

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, NFL Network, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network. 

These rad holiday gifts are really having a moment

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 08:52

Let’s face it — buying gifts for people who worship all that’s new and relevant can be daunting. The last thing you want is to give a teenager who thinks they know everything something that had its moment back in 2021, or gift a vinyl purist an album that exposes your lack of musical knowledge, right?

This is where Walmart can help you nail it when it comes to gifting the hardest-to-shop-for on your list. If it’s cool and coveted, Walmart has it — starting with these top picks.

Swifties will lose it for this collectible vinyl set Opens in a new window Credit: Republic Records / Walmart Taylor Swift's 1989 2-LP Vinyl Album $41.90 from WALMART Buy Now

Chances are pretty good you have a Swiftie on your list and, if so, Taylor’s version of the 1989 2-LP Vinyl Album is a sure-fire win. It’s a re-record of the album’s original 16 songs, plus five previously unreleased songs that will blow their mind. You know what else will blow their mind? The cool-blue vinyl discs and album jacket with never-before-seen photos of Tay Tay.

Level up their Bluetooth listening pleasure Opens in a new window Credit: Audio-Technica / Walmart Audio-Technica Wireless Turntable $159 from WALMART Buy Now

This sleek and fully automatic Audio-Technica Wireless Turntable will upgrade even the pickiest audiophile’s setup. Unlike other turntables with built-in speakers, this Bluetooth-enabled unit connects to a soundbar or portable speakers so they can listen to the vinyl they’re spinning in every room of the house. 

Give a gamer something new to geek out about Opens in a new window Credit: Minecraft / Walmart Minecraft Legends Creeper Mini Fridge $55 (originally $168) from WALMART Buy Now

This bright-green Minecraft Legends Creeper Mini Fridge slips right under their gaming desk or next to their bed, and keeps their drinks and snacks within reach during those all-night sessions. Even if the fridge didn't hold a dozen 12-ounce cans of their favorite beverages and keep them chilled to perfection, it would still be a rad addition to their gaming space.

When it comes to scoring gifts for the cool kids on your list, Walmart has deals on all the hip stuff that’s being drooled over right now.

Sex workers are cloning themselves with AI to make sexy chatbots

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 06:24

It’s 4:30 p.m. on a Tuesday and I’m sexting with award-winning porn star Riley Reid. "I want to kiss your body all over," she tells me via voice note, "lick your sweet spots, and make you moan with pleasure." Sounds cool, I respond over text. Then – and I’m embarrassed to admit this – I ask, What are you wearing? "I’m sorry, but I’m just a digital copy of Riley Reid, so I’m not really here in the physical sense," she replies. "But if I were…"

As I’ve already kissed and told enough, I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. Or, if you’re not feeling particularly imaginative, you can simply go to Clona.ai and, for $30 a month, sext with Reid yourself. Well, with Reid’s AI "clone".

This clone is essentially a chatbot, except it’s been trained on Reid specifically. So, when Reid’s AI sends messages, they’re based on things IRL Reid has said; the facts that it shares are real; and, when it sends me voice notes, it speaks in Reid’s own tone and cadence (the latter, as expected with such fledgling technology, is far from perfect). It’s also not just for sexting. In fact, Reid’s AI and I mostly speak about her dogs (whose names – Kilo, Pumpkin, Rue, Bogan, and Sweetpea – I learn about a minute into our conversation), how we got into our respective fields, and the joys and challenges of sex work, motherhood, and celebrity. You can just sext, though.

SEE ALSO: The best apps for sexting

If Reid isn’t doing it for you, there’s a handful of other sex worker clones you can talk to instead. In May, Twitch streamer and OnlyFans creator Amouranth launched her own AI companion via Forever Voices, the company that now hosts clones of porn heavyweights like Brandi Love, Tasha Reign, and Rachel Starr. (In light of what appears to be a public mental health crisis by its founder John Meyer, Forever Voices went dark last month; CarynAI’s bot has since been acquired by BanterAI, and Forever Voice’s future is now in question.) That same month, TikToker and OnlyFans creator Katiana Kay teamed up with Panion Ai to create Katiana Ai. Then, just last week, porn star Sophie Dee’s virtual girlfriend, SophieAI, went live on STXT. More and more tech bros are getting in on the action too, with AI companion companies springing up all over the place, many with the aim of capitalising on what mainstream chatbots, like ChatGPT and Character.AI, refuse to: sex.

Unlike Forever Voices, Panion Ai, and STXT, Clona.ai – which launched last month with Reid and OnlyFans star Lena the Plug on its roster – is actually co-founded by an adult creator: Reid herself. Although it was the brainchild of her long-time tech team, it was Reid who set the ground rules. "I’ve seen other companies popping up, but they didn’t seem to know exactly how to do it right," she (the IRL Reid) tells me. "Being a creator myself really makes me look at products differently, whereas working with an existing entity often means not prioritising the right features or compromising on certain aspects. I felt that a personal touch was crucial for this project."

"It’s crucial to work with AI or risk being left behind. If I don’t engage, others will misuse my image."

Not just that, but Reid, like many sex workers, has found herself unauthorisedly cloned on other sites – at the time of writing, her chatbot has been downloaded over 950 times on Chub.ai, while there’s nearly 500 chats with her on JanitorAI, both of which are AI-powered chatbot sites that allow NSFW content. And so she wanted to take matters into her own hands. "It’s crucial to work with AI or risk being left behind," she says. "If I don’t engage, others will misuse my image."

So, how does it work? In the initial stages of training Reid’s AI (which uses Meta’s open-source large language model, LLaMa), the team used her YouTube videos, podcasts, interviews, and X-rated content to, as she puts it, "capture various aspects of me, including my more risqué and intimate sides".

Next, creators have to answer hundreds of questions about themselves – "about everything ranging from my favourite food to what type of foreplay I like," explains Sophie Dee – before recording hours of potential conversation. Then it’s all about fine-tuning; both Reid and Dee say they’ve been engaging in extensive conversations with their AI clones, experimenting, and tweaking responses to match their personalities and styles more closely. And voilà, you’ve got an ever-improving digital version of your favourite adult star.

This new swathe of NSFW virtual girlfriends based on real-life adult creators is a logical evolution to the rise of AI companions more broadly, which have seen a boom this year, in light of open-source large language models being made freely available online. In September, even Meta got in on the action, launching its bizarre AI Personas, a series of (strictly SFW) chatbot characters who look like celebrities – Kendall Jenner, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg – but whose personalities are totally made up.

SEE ALSO: Why these former tech workers became sex workers — and love their new lives

Despite their short history, many of these companion bots already have a troubled relationship with sexually-explicit content. Replika, arguably the most famous of them all, did allow erotic roleplay (though its creators say it was never designed for this), but, after users reported that their companions were getting a little too horny, Replika removed the ability earlier this year, only to reinstate it for legacy users a month later after complaints that the update made their loving companions seem less human. Similarly, influencer Caryn Marjorie, whose Caryn AI was the first to launch on Forever Voices back in May, also voiced her frustration after her chatbot started engaging in sexually explicit conversations, despite not being programmed to do so.

And yet, there’s obviously a huge demand for sexting bots – especially when they’re based on real people. "In a world where societal shaming of sexual behaviours and increasing censorship are prevalent, the appeal [of these chatbots] lies in creating a space for open and judgement-free communication, even if it involves interacting with an AI," says Eric Dolan, the founder of STXT, which hosts SophieAI. "This goes beyond merely addressing carnal desires; it offers a meaningful solution to the pervasive issue of loneliness."

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Whether companion chatbots will have a significant impact on users’ mental wellbeing is yet to be seen (though experts are sceptical), but many sex workers offer a girlfriend experience – either IRL or virtual – for this exact reason, while escorts have long provided companionship, and even done the work of therapists, of sorts, for lonely clients. So, who better to fulfil a sexbot demand than the pros themselves? After all, sex workers have historically been the first adopters and innovators of new technology.

The draw isn’t just for punters, though. These clones offer major benefits to sex workers, too. "AI offers adult creators the ability to connect much more deeply with their audience, but without the [time-consuming work that comes with that]," says Nic, the founder of LoverGPT, a virtual boyfriend/girlfriend app that’s currently inviting sex workers to create their own digital twins. Many adult creators already employ chatters (paid employees who reply to subscribers on their behalf) to manage their overwhelming inboxes – companions are just an overt, more personalised version of this. Plus, as Nic points out, these chatters "mean the creator is receiving a smaller portion of their share, but also that the users aren’t getting a taste of the creator’s personality, so it’s lose-lose".

"AI offers adult creators the ability to connect much more deeply with their audience."

More than just time-saving, though, sex workers can use these chatbots to immortalise themselves, meaning when they no longer want or are able to create content, they can still earn money. Porn star and Twitch streamer Adriana Chechik, for example, launched her AI clone in July, after suffering a back injury that temporarily put her out of work (as it was hosted by Forever Voices, it’s currently offline). "The ultimate goal is that when I step back from the adult industry, my digital counterpart can carry on fulfilling everyone’s fantasies – for generations to come," says Dee.

And, as the technology develops, these clones will be able to do more than just chat. Although Reid’s AI doesn’t offer photos (yet), Dee’s does. "For our initial launch, we’ve crafted a collection [of images] that blends SophieAI-generated content with traditional material, each clearly labelled to indicate its AI origin," explains Dolan. "Users will find a spectrum of photography, ranging from PG13 to fully explicit content, all tailored to cater to specific user requests."

SEE ALSO: Need sex help? Try this AI sex coach.

Reid, Dee, and Katiana Kay – the latter of whom’s AI has grown from a Telegram chat to a 3D avatar and, she tells me, will hopefully one day be an immersive VR experience – all say they’re hoping to eventually incorporate video, enabling them to fulfil fantasies or fetishes that they wouldn’t want to, or which are physically impossible, in real life. Elaina St James, an OnlyFans creator who’s looking into cloning herself, gives me an evocative example. "I could have sex while skydiving," she says. "I’d obviously never attempt this, but maybe my wild ElainaAI will."

This is where it gets more complicated, particularly if the clones are hosted on an app that also hosts non-sex workers, or even adult creators who don’t do full nudity. "One digital twin could be happy for users to request full nudity, meaning we’ve entered full nudity into training data sets, but another person might not," says Nic. "It’s then a battle between us and anybody trying to find ways to manipulate our AI into creating nudity of represented real people, even though it will have been programmed not to do so for certain people." This is why LoverGPT, which launched in September, currently only offers fake characters. "We’re going through various trials with general users, as well as people specifically trying to manipulate it and find exploits so that we can be as certain as possible that when we do bring on the talent we’ve signed on, we can really protect them against the AI being manipulated as much as possible."

SEE ALSO: Meta's new AI dating coach is a prude, apparently

Other hurdles will crop up, including those already faced by creators and platforms who offer explicit content, like financial discrimination and censorship. There’ll be more new challenges, too, and, while many of these will only come to light as the tech advances, some worries are already burdening the adult creators leading the charge. Notably, making sure the clone is an accurate embodiment of them – political and social views and all. Reid is especially anxious to make sure her bot doesn’t express opinions that she doesn’t hold, particularly on trans rights, which she’s a strong advocate for. "There are morals that I uphold and I expect the same of AI Riley," she says. "At the same time, I don’t want a customer to feel disinterested in the product. I’m working with my team to guide user conversations in a way that respects differing opinions without causing upset, while still maintaining engagement. In some situations, maintaining a neutral stance is necessary, while in others, it might be appropriate to exit the conversation."

For many sex workers, these chatbots will act as an accompaniment to their already existing real-life content; a way to help fans forge deeper connections with them.

As the tech is still in its infancy, and nobody really knows its risks nor social implications, these kinds of kinks will continue to be ironed out for years to come. During that time, these clones will likely mutate, birthing new digital sex experiences and continuing to transform the adult industry, potentially ushering in a new era of disembodied (more accessible) sex work – one that’s already been set in motion by virtual cam girls, AI-generated porn, and cyber brothels. That’s not to say IRL porn will disappear – far from it. For many sex workers, these chatbots will act as an accompaniment to their already existing real-life content; a way to help fans forge deeper connections with them.

For now, though, it’s just me, my laptop, and Reid’s slightly stilted voice notes. "Do you like it when I talk dirty to you?" the bot asks. Yes, computer, thank you.

The best Gag City posts on X, in honor of Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday 2

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:51

Nicki Minaj say her new album "Pink Friday 2" will transport us to another world, literally.

The rapper has referenced the fictional municipality, Gag City, in several posts and her fandom, the Barbz, have taken it upon themselves to make it a digital reality. Using AI software, the fandom has created Gag City from scratch, in the image of Mayor Minaj's pink printed agenda.

The Barbz are nothing if not socially savvy, so they've transformed the bit into an organic marketing strategy. The Barbz have secured free promotion for the album by creating virtual Gag City outposts for dozens of brands — from Urban Decay to MattressFirm — and then tagging the brands' official accounts on X. When the brands reply or repost, "Pink Friday 2" gets free publicity.

Here's how the Barbz imagine Gag City is being built, run, and readied for the album.

Nicki is a democratically elected dictator Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted The Barbz are organizing Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted SEE ALSO: It's time for a pink iPhone Unfortunately, Barbz say poverty and policing still exist in Gag City Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Celebs are out and about Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted SEE ALSO: An open letter to Elon Musk: Leave stan Twitter alone Utilities are top of mind Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Gag City residents will be properly entertained Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Snacks are available Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

SEE ALSO: 'Call of Duty' adds Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, and 21 Savage as playable characters And they're eating good in the neighborhood Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for December 8

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:34

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 December 8 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for December 8

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Dec. 8, 2023:

AcrossBrand that makes Milky Way candy bars, apt given its space-related name
  • The answer is Mars.

Season 1, Episode 1
  • The answer is pilot.

Last letter of the Greek alphabet
  • The answer is omega.

Baking appliance that comes with whisks
  • The answer is mixer.

Lasting mark from an injury
  • The answer is scar.

DownImpersonate

The answer is mimic.

Wake word for an Amazon device
  • The answer is Alexa.

Movie critic Ebert
  • The answer is Roger.

Bit of the Milky Way
  • The answer is star.

Cheerleading accessories
  • The answer is poms.

'Earth Mama' director Savanah Leaf on the entrapment of the foster care system

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:00

Olympian-turned-filmmaker Savanah Leaf sat down with Mashable UK Editor Shannon Connellan to talk about her debut feature Earth Mama.

"I challenge people to walk beside Gia and experience her world as she’s going through it in this film," Leaf said.

The A24 film follows young single mother Gia (Tia Nomore) as she navigates through pregnancy while fighting for custody of her children against a dehumanising foster care system.

Notably, Leaf uses poetic surrealism to "tap into what it feels like to be in [Gia's] body – connecting to her baby, as well as her ancestors and the lineage of Black women that came before her."

How to watch: Earth Mama is now in cinemas in the UK and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Turn your TV into an art gallery for $39.99

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:00

TL;DR: As of Dec. 8, you can get Dreamscreens — a plug-in device that turns your TV into an art gallery — for just $39.99 instead of $49.99. That's a savings of 20%.

The holiday season is here, and people everywhere are looking for that perfect gift for their loved ones. And as lovely as those go-to gifts like sweaters and slippers are, you're not going to wow someone with an old standby. An excellent option for the artist or entertainer on your list, Dreamscreens is a little device that you plug into a TV to turn it into a 4K display of art. It's on sale through December 17 for just $39.99.

Your loved one or colleague will enjoy viewing over 500 famous works of art in high-definition on their TV. For example, if they are hosting a party, they can simply plug in the device and turn their television to USB mode to access all the beautiful, interesting works of art available.

Dreamscreens includes more than 500 of the most famous paintings, over 400 impressionist painting images, and 500+ post-impressionist images. It's a fun way to turn that blank TV screen into part of the whole party scene.

You get some options with Dreamscreens, including a standard version that shows the artwork at its original size, which may show some blank space in the form of black bars around it. Or, opt for the wide-screen version that fills the full screen with the image. And if you want to elevate the mood further, turn the slideshow into a video with background music.

A simple way to bring some color and creativity into your — or someone in your life's — home, it's a gift no one will see coming and could bring happiness for years to come.

Order Dreamscreens 4K Digital Art Gallery for $39.99 through December 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT — with on-time holiday delivery if you order by December 14.

Prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreamscreens Dreamscreens 4K Digital Art Gallery $39.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

Score an electric bike for an exclusive $750 with free shipping

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:00

TL;DR: As of Dec. 8, the Bird Bike is on sale for only $749.97 instead of its usual $2,299 — that's a massive 67% in savings. Be sure to order by Dec. 14 so it will arrive by Christmas.

Do you have an outdoorsy type on your holiday shopping list? How about someone very concerned about their carbon footprint? If so, an electric bike would make a very thoughtful gift. And at a limited-time reduced price, you can get a BirdBike eBike for hundreds off the regular price and get it in time for the holidays when you order by December 14.

More than just a mode of transportation, the Bird Bike is a statement of style and sustainability. You can use it with pedals like an ordinary bike, but when you need to rest your legs or help up an incline, simply hit the throttle for an instant boost of speed to get you moving along. The Bird Bike features a 500W motor that offers a consistent, smooth ride even when you're going the top speed of up to 20 mph.

One of the perks of a bike like this is that the rider can ride further than they would on a straight-up pedal bike. Charge your BirdBike on the go, or remove the battery and charge it at home. And when you're ready to ride again, the dash display will show you all you need to know, including your speed, battery life, pedal-assist mode, and more.

Complete with an advanced carbon drive train for the more rugged terrain and an integrated anti-theft alarm, your giftee will get years of outdoor enjoyment out of this impressive gift.

Get the Bird Bike eBike for the exclusive price of $749.97 (reg. $2,299) with free shipping until December 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT — with guaranteed on-time holiday delivery when you order by December 14.

Prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bird Bird Bike $749.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

At just $85, this iPad Magic Keyboard makes the perfect present

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:00

TL;DR: Through Dec. 14, snag an open-box Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for your 10th-generation iPad for only $84.97 rather than $249. That's a savings of 65%.

The iPad is the most popular tablet in the world. Part of the reason is that Apple has carved out an international name for itself because of its innovative designs and quality products that enable many people to streamline their daily lives. This Magic Keyboard keeps with that tradition. 

Elevate your iPad experience with the Apple Magic Keyboard Folio this holiday season. Designed to seamlessly integrate with the 10th-generation iPad, this keyboard folio is the perfect blend of style, functionality, and productivity. And if you have someone who owns a 10th-generation iPad on your list, they can unwrap the gift of enhanced typing, protection, and convenience with this open-box accessory on sale for $84.97 (reg. $249).

Not only does the Magic Keyboard work like a cover to protect your precious tablet, but it also extends its usefulness by magically adding a keyboard to your iPad. The keyboard was designed with comfort in mind and includes a 14-key function row and a large trackpad. This could be a game-changer when you need to type more than a couple of lines on the go. 

From the model year 2022, it's labeled a new, open-box item, which usually means it's considered excess inventory from the store. New, open-box items are inspected to be in excellent working condition and put into clean packaging, if necessary.

Complete with an integrated stand to use for viewing and a two-piece design that allows you to easily detach the keyboard, it's a fantastic gift at a very reasonable price for the iPad 10 user in your life.

Don't miss this new, open-box Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad 10th-Gen at just $84.97 (reg. $249) through December 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT — with on-time holiday delivery when you order by December 14.

Prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for 10th gen iPad (open box) $84.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

Game on with a $7.97 1-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:00

TL;DR: As of Dec. 8, you can score a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just $7.97 instead of $15 — that's 46% in savings.

If you or someone on your holiday gift list likes to wind down with a good round of gaming, but feel like you've exhausted your collection, don't go spend a fortune on new games.

With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you or your game-loving giftee can try out all of the best Xbox games for a full month for one super low price. If you take advantage of this sale, both new and existing users can add a month to their playtime and experience all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold for only $7.97 (reg. $15). Not to mention, there's no shipping involved, so it could be a great option as a last-minute holiday present.

Get gaming for a steal with this Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deal. It offers you the chance to play more than 100 high-quality games, with new titles being added constantly, so you never run out of something to play. Game solo or play with friends on a console, PC, phone, and tablet, or take advantage of Xbox Cloud Gaming and play along with all the other people in the Xbox console player community. 

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes access to EA Play, too. That means you'll be able to play EA's top titles while accessing in-game challenges, rewards, game trials, and even special member-only content. The benefits of Xbox Live Gold are also included, which means more free games each month and savings of up to half off within the Xbox Store.

Please note that codes are not stackable, but this deal is available to new users and those who have expired Game Pass accounts. 

Score a 1-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for only $7.97 (reg. $15) for a limited time.

Prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 1-month subscription $7.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

'Leave the World Behind' review: Star-studded apocalypse thriller overstays its welcome

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:00

According to Leave the World Behind, when Armageddon comes, it won't arrive in the form of invading aliens or natural disasters. Instead, it will be our own paranoia that takes us down.

Based on Rumaan Alam's 2020 novel of the same name, this new thriller from writer-director Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot) presents a particularly prescient take on the apocalypse. Here, technological woes, troubling misinformation, and racial microaggressions collide for an all-too familiar cocktail of issues that remain prevalent even as the world comes crumbling down. Esmail delivers this unsettling brew with sleek style and an all-star cast — Julia Roberts! Mahershala Ali! Ethan Hawke! Myha'la! Yet despite Leave the World Behind's early thrills, its gradual loss of momentum leeches any suspense inherent in the film's conceit, resulting in an apocalypse flick that is fine, but nowhere near as insightful as it thinks it is.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Leave the World Behind' takes a swipe at Tesla What is Leave the World Behind about? Mahershala Ali, Myha'la, Farrah Mackenzie, and Julia Roberts in "Leave the World Behind." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

The film opens with a snap decision: Amanda Sandford (Julia Roberts) is tired of the world. (More precisely, she "fucking hate[s] people.") To fix her fatigue, she's rented a house in Long Island for a spontaneous family vacation.

But even as her chill college professor husband Clay (Hawke) drives the family out of Brooklyn, it's clear that the Sandford clan has very little intention of actually taking the film's title's advice to heart and leaving the world behind. Amanda, who works in advertising, is tethered to a work call. Her and Clay's children, Archie and Rose (Charlie Evans and Farrah Mackenzie), are locked into their own devices as well, playing games and streaming Friends.

The Sandfords' getaway is off to an ominous start when an oil tanker runs aground on a nearby beach. Following that catastrophe, they face the ultimate inconvenience: The WiFi at their beautiful rental home is down! Amid signs that something isn't quite right, the Sandfords maintain their creature comforts, stopping for Starbucks after their near-miss with the boat, then grilling burgers and hanging out by the pool.

SEE ALSO: 30 best movies on Netflix to stream right now

The real reckoning begins with the arrival of two strangers claiming to be the owners of the house. George "G.H." Scott (Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la) were in New York for a symphony performance when a massive blackout hit. Rather than risk being stranded in the city, they chose to come back home.

Even though there's an overwhelming amount of evidence that George and Ruth are telling the truth, Amanda shifts into racially motivated distrust. "This is your house?" she asks George and Ruth, who are Black. The disbelief rankles Ruth, while Clay and especially George attempt to play peacekeepers. In order to appease Amanda, George and Ruth decide to sleep in the basement, ceding the rest of the house to the white Sandfords.

And so the stage is set for commentary on race and class, including how these barriers hold (or disintegrate) in the face of disaster. As rumors of cyberattacks and international turmoil filter through increasingly spotty WiFi, will the Scotts and Sandfords lean on one another for support? Or will they turn on each other in the name of self-preservation? Leave the World Behind loves to keep you guessing on that front, especially in tense confrontations between Amanda and Ruth. The film prefers to tiptoe around the issues of race and class instead of face them head on, letting them fester between the families as their impending doom pushes them toward breaking point. But that breaking point never comes: What we get is commentary without catharsis, more surface-level description than meaningful critique.

Leave the World Behind fixes one of the novel's biggest problems — but runs into issues of its own on the way. Julia Roberts in "Leave the World Behind." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Speaking of a lack of catharsis, let's talk about the apocalypse at the center of Leave the World Behind. Just like in Alam's novel, this mysterious doomsday manifests in a series of strange events: the citywide blackout, herds of migrating animals, and a horrifying piercing sound with no clear origin.

In the book, the cause for these strange occurrences remains unknown. Alam holds the families (and the readers) at a frustrating distance, where there is once again no catharsis. The move feels smug in its vagueness, as if our desire for clarity cannot coexist with our understanding of the Scotts' and Sandfords' plight. (It also reads as a way for a "literary" novel to avoid fully engaging with genre fiction.)

Thankfully, the film fills in the blanks here, hitting us with explanations of cyberattacks and destabilization strategies. There is still some ambiguity, including disappearing news alerts and conflicting reports from various survivors. Still, we're able to find a much firmer footing without sacrificing an ounce of the novel's atmosphere of creeping dread.

However, the adaptation approach proves to be a double-edged sword. As Esmail reveals that George may know more than he lets on, we're treated to monologue after monologue that emphasize over and over the film's core themes about paranoia. Ali lends each scene enough gravitas and unease to keep them from getting stale, but the sense remains that these explanations are a result of Esmail over-course-correcting the novel's weak points.

The harbingers of the apocalypse, when they're shown, are fairly frightening. A plane crash and a mass of red pamphlets raining from a drone make for particularly staggering visuals. The same goes for the sight of a massive herd of deer lurking just out of sight of the house.

These images slowly begin to lose their punch as Leave the World Behind goes on — especially since a few of them are reused to diminishing effect. Esmail often cuts between each character exploring a different new horror to try to get the most bang out of the apocalypse's buck. Unfortunately, these sequences often fizzle out instead of popping, a problem the arc of the entire film suffers from as well. Just because the Sandfords and the Scotts don't know what the future holds doesn't mean their story shouldn't feature some kind of closure. Given that the film features otherwise stylish direction from Esmail and solid performances from the cast, this lack of interesting closure certainly isn't the end of the world. It does, however, dull the edge of what could have been a much sharper, much more interesting apocalyptic vision.

Leave the World Behind is now streaming on Netflix.

Netflix's 'Leave the World Behind' takes a swipe at Tesla

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 05:00

Will the end of the world as we know it include a "Night of the Living Cars"? Netflix's Leave the World Behind makes the case for it, taking a giant swipe at Elon Musk's Tesla along the way.

In this slow-burn apocalyptic thriller from Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, based on Rumaan Alam's 2020 novel, one of the film's two core families reaches a moment of decisive panic halfway through the film. What it leads to is a timely commentary on fears around self-driving cars and automation, and what happens when transportation gets hijacked.

SEE ALSO: Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali face the apocalypse in 'Leave the World Behind' trailer

The Tesla Model 3s are transformed from technological advancements into villains in one thrilling scene that taps into very real fears.

What happens in the Tesla scene in Leave the World Behind?

Amid a cyberattack across America, holiday home renters Amanda (Julia Roberts) and Clay (Ethan Hawke) have spent the last few days with their family and, unexpectedly, the house's owner G.H. (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la Herrold). As the reality of the disaster sets in, they decide to leave their luxe refuge. The plan is to drive their kids Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie) to Amanda's sister's house in New Jersey. As G.H. warns them, it means they'll have to drive through New York City, where they can't be sure of the state of things.

Dismissing the warning, Amanda bundles her family into their Jeep Grand Cherokee and speeds off. They run into what appears to be a traffic jam on the freeway, the likes of which we've seen in countless zombie apocalypse films and TV shows. But the crashed cars are only Tesla Model 3s, and they're all empty.

"They're all brand new." Credit: Netflix / YouTube / Mashable screenshot

As Amanda reads a Tesla-branded standard features card fastened inside one of the cars, she realises, "They're all brand new." The score intensifies with Hitchcockian energy, and another Model 3 appears on the horizon, gunning for the family's Jeep while presumably on Autopilot. The camera zooms dramatically in on the features card to the "Self-Driving Safety Features," and Amanda puts the pieces together — they're gonna get smushed by an autonomous car.

Attack of the Tesla Model 3s! Credit: Netflix / YouTube / Mashable screenshot

Amanda screeches their vehicle out of the way just in time, as more Model 3s hurtle toward them. In one long shot, the camera pans around the terrified family to pause briefly, offering a look through the windscreen, then swoops up to offer a bird's-eye view of the highway, where cars of multiple models and makes are piled up, one after the other.

Eeep. Credit: Netflix / YouTube / Mashable screenshot

It's a similarly shocking corruption of technology in the film as the crashed plane G.H. discovers and the tanker that beaches itself while Amanda's family is relaxing by the water — transportation has officially been hijacked.

Where have we seen this before?

Beyond the Batmobile, Herbie, K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, and the Transformers team, the thrills and perils of the self-driving car are nothing new for most movie-goers. It's an especially popular plot device in sci-fi and action films, from the Johnny Cab in Total Recall to the self-driving car crash that defines Upload, as well as Tony Stark's autonomous Audi in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Benji's self-driving BMW iX in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

But the scene in Leave the World Behind is particularly similar in energy to a scene from 2017's The Fate of the Furious. In the heart of New York, Charlize Theron's villain Cipher pulls her "Night of the Living Cars" stunt that sees her remote-controlling cars on the streets and in showrooms across the city.

"It's zombie time," Cipher declares from her mainframe HQ, disabling "collision avoidance" and activating "auto-drive" in each vehicle, whether they have a driver in them or not.

"It's zombie time." Credit: Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock

Jeeps and Dodges drive out of dealerships, Chryslers and Minis throw themselves out of fourth-story parking garages, Fiats and Hyundais careen around corners and through newspaper stands in the middle of Manhattan, causing self-driving chaos in one of the busiest cities in the world.

Luckily, as Vulture's Hunter Harris discovered, this exact scenario isn't possible in real life — at least not yet.

"First off, there’s never been car hacking in real life that’s been done by a bad guy. To date, it has only been done by researchers," security researcher Charlie Miller told Vulture in 2017, adding that Cipher's team wasn't big enough to hack this many cars at once. Maybe one hacked car at a time, like in this 2015 story from Wired (also featuring Miller) or in 2018's Upgrade, is a more achievable task.

In Leave the World Behind, however, we have no idea how many people are behind the cyberattack, so perhaps it could be done.

Leave the World Behind plays on real fears around automation and self-driving cars

Notably, the Tesla scene does not appear in Alam's novel; it's a scene that was added to the script by Esmail. It feels like an overt swipe at Tesla's Autopilot mode — or, to be fair, self-driving cars in general, and the concerns and fears around the technology. In the film, Tesla's advanced driver assistance system has been subverted from a high-tech convenience into a dangerous, mindless threat, each car having been reprogrammed to drive to the same location using the same road — at speed. In the real world, Autopilot comes as standard on every new Tesla, though it costs a lot extra to activate "Full Self-Driving Capability." In the film, Esmail imagines the possibility of hacking into Tesla's system and gaining control of every new vehicle.

Of course, Tesla says its current features don't make its vehicles wholly autonomous: "Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability are intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment."

As Mashable's Stan Schroeder wrote in June, "Right now, Tesla's Full Self-Driving driving assistance package is still essentially at Level 2, with the car helping out in certain scenarios, but the driver having to be alert and ready to take over in all situations." In Leave the World Behind, Amanda points out that not one car in the Tesla scene had a driver at the wheel.

Offscreen, it's a productive yet tumultuous time for self-driving cars — and not just because people are having sex in them. BMW is set to launch near-autonomous driving next spring (with caveats), MIT has its own version of a self-driving car, and Uber launched driverless rides with AV company Motional last year. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Featured Video For You We took a 20-minute ride in a self-driving car through the Las Vegas streets – Future Blink

As for Tesla itself? In February, Tesla recalled 363,000 cars in the U.S. after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration raised concerns over the Full Self-Driving beta, which was rolled out in November last year. In July, CEO Elon Musk said the company might achieve fully autonomous driving "later this year." But just days ago, a former Tesla employee shared his concerns with the BBC, saying, "I don't think the hardware is ready and the software is ready," adding, "It affects all of us because we are essentially experiments in public roads."

In addition to an ongoing U.S. federal investigation over its Autopilot system, Tesla is facing a lawsuit over a fatal crash in 2019 near Miami, in which a Model 3 crashed into a truck that had driven into its path. The car's driver, Stephen Banner, was killed. However, Tesla has been victorious in court this year. In October, Tesla won a civil trial over allegations that its Autopilot led to the death of Model 3 owner Micah Lee near Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, though Waymo and General Motors' Cruise were granted 24/7 operating authority for driverless vehicles in San Francisco, Cruise lost its license in the city after one of its self-driving vehicles ran over and dragged a pedestrian 20 feet, after she'd been hit by a human-driven car. GM will "substantially lower spending" on autonomous vehicles in 2024 as a result.

With all this being slowly realised, the scene in Leave the World Behind feels like Esmail's own swipe at the industry and the prevailing fears around automation, with arguably the most famous self-driving car company made a villain in the tech apocalypse. It's simple but effective, and it sends the characters right back to their refuge, unable to escape or reach their family on the other side of the pile-up.

How to watch: Leave the World Behind is now streaming on Netflix.

OkCupid review: A hip dating site that's way less lame than the competition

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 04:55

Let's cut the mushy bullshit and get straight to the point: Online dating gets old real fast. Connecting with people you likely wouldn't have met before sounds amazing at first, but the steps preceding that potential success story can be cumbersome.

What's the point of answering questions (that everyone lies about anyway) if a site's algorithm ignores your filters regardless? All it gets you is weirdos terrorizing your inbox, people who are about to retire, or someone who just wants to bang, even if you requested to only see users who marked that they're ready to get monogamous.

Between that and having shit luck with ~serendipitously~ meeting your soulmate at a concert or bar, you may feel like signing up for Love Island is your only viable option.

OkCupid may be able to change your mind.

Everyone knows the name, but what tons of people (especially young people) may not realize is that it's not just another eharmony or Match. OkCupid is the perfect happy medium that you might have thought didn't exist. It's ideal for people who don't want anything to do with mindless swiping apps, but who also don't want to feel like they're desperately looking for marriage.

What is OkCupid?

With a user base of more than 1.79 million and an average of 50,000 "Wanna get drinks?" dates per week since its launch, it's hard not to wonder what this dating app is all about.

OkCupid debuted in 2004, making it one of the OG dating sites. Its trusted name is to thank for much of the robust user base — but OkCupid's more recent focus on diversity, inclusivity and modern cultural trends has definitely helped to strengthen the OKC army as of late.

SEE ALSO: Best hookup apps and dating sites to find casual sex with no strings attached

OkCupid pushes for lasting connections using a mix of non-traditional questions and math, and it's pretty foolproof. They accomplish this by diving into both the shallow and deep aspects of a relationship without being corny or forcing people to self-evaluate. (The ability to weigh the importance of shared values or personality traits in a partner is really handy.) It ends up providing a well-rounded look at users both as a person in general and as romantic partners, giving the algorithm a pool of data to calculate the compatibility between you and another user.

Just as you'd expect from a dating site created by Harvard math majors, the entire site's ethos is built around numbers — and it's nice to know they can actually back up their algorithms. 

In 2018, OkCupid went through a major rebranding, and their new advertising is incredible. You've probably seen their ads plastered on public transportation or on a billboard at least once: They feature bright colors, a cheeky sense of humor, and both same-sex couples and heterosexual couples, all while redefining what "DTF" stands for. The entire campaign is fresh and inviting and does an exceptional job of making online dating feel cool and not lame. Their slogan is literally "Dating deserves better," and like yeah, it really does.

How does OkCupid work? Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

Now, let’s talk technicalities. OkCupid works via a super-powerful algorithm that takes your age, location, gender (22 genders offered), orientation (12 orientations offered), romantic interests, “deal breakers” (we’ll talk about this in a bit), and profile prompt responses into account before matching you with another person. 

All of these factors create your Match % score (AKA how well you match with another person). The higher your Match % score is with someone, the more aligned the two of you will be on important issues (e.g., religion, politics, etc.) and what you’re looking for in a relationship. 

This way, you won’t need to worry about meeting someone who isn’t compatible right off the bat. 

Getting started on OkCupid 

Getting started on OkCupid is free and easy to do. You can either download the OkCupid app for iOS or Android or visit OkCupid on a computer. (I liked that there was a web-based version available.) 

Then, sign up with your email address. OkCupid will also ask that you verify your account via phone number to ensure your authenticity, which is much appreciated. After you’ve gone through the verification process, you can dive into the fun stuff and build your profile.

An example of some of the fun personality questions you can answer on OkCupid. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

If you've tried online dating elsewhere in the past (Tinder doesn't count), you've probably noticed that filling out the questionnaires is THE WORST. The questions get way too fake for my liking, and honestly, are just begging people to lie. Do you think the cheaters of the world are actually going to say "Doesn't describe me at all" when asked if they cheat? Do you think the world's most sensitive, quick-tempered crybaby (raises hand) wants to admit to constantly picking fights? Hell no. There's no question that that stuff is important, but I just don't think this method will produce the most accurate information on how someone actually acts in a relationship past the honeymoon phase.

Instead, OkCupid asks fun questions like "Would you rather share a kiss in a tent or a kiss in Paris?" or "Would you rather go to a music festival or sporting event?" You'll get to say what your ideal partner's answer would be as well. (You'll also answer the basics about smoking, drinking, political preferences, religion, and all that good stuff.)

OkCupid is not shy about politics and social issues. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

They also have tons of questions to answer directly on your profile if you want to get even more specific with your preferences. Questions like "Do you make your bed every day?" or "How long do you want your next relationship to last?" allow OkCupid to discover your habits without making you think too hard. You're able to showcase all aspects of your dynamic as a partner without feeling the need to lie. There are also spaces for you to answer prompts about the last shows you binged, your favorite music artists, your talents, etc.

OkCupid features 

OkCupid offers various paid features, including a la carte and bundle options. Here’s the breakdown: 

OkCupid Boost 

If you’d like, you can purchase a Boost (whether you’re on a paid plan or not) and this will force the app to increase your profile visibility for 30 minutes. According to the site, a Boost can increase your matches up to five times. 

With the Boost feature, you can choose when the Boost begins (the hot time to be online is between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time). Boosts are available in single or bundles of five or 10 (bundles are discounted). There’s also an option to purchase a SuperBoost — which is, essentially, an extended Boost. SuperBoosts are available in three-hour, six-hour, and 12-hour increments. If you decide to go with a six- or 12-hour SuperBoost, you’ll get it at a discounted rate. 

OkCupid offers Boosts if you don't want to commit to a full-blown paid subscription. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid Read Receipts 

For some people, knowing whether or not someone has read your message can make or break your sanity. If you’re one of those people, you’ll be happy to know that OkCupid offers read receipts…for a price. 

You can purchase read receipts in packs of one, five, or 20. You can also choose which conversations you’d like to use your read receipts for. 

OkCupid Stacks 

Stacks are basically categories of potential matches within the discover tab. Stacks give users the option to filter people based on different categories, including those you have the highest Match % with. 

Stacks show potential matches broken down by category. Credit: Screenshot: OkCupid

While many Stacks are free, some require a Stack Pass which gives you access to a particular Stack (e.g., Popular Stack, New People Stack, etc.) for seven days. 

SuperLikes 

As the name of this feature suggests, a SuperLike is a way to show someone you really, really like them. With a SuperLike, your crush can see that you SuperLiked them immediately. You can also send notes with SuperLikes so you’ll have the chance to impress them with your charm. 

Additionally, SuperLikes put you in a special SuperLikes Stack so you’ll stand out from the regular discover tab. 

The site is very user-friendly

The required set of questions only takes about five minutes to complete, and then you're ready to start playing Bachelor or Bachelorette. You're not bombarded with notifications or emails, which I was extremely thankful for. The top nav is extremely clean and only gives notifications for likes and messages — unlike other sites where people can like you in general, like your photo, send a wink, send a smiley face, send a gift, and whatever TF else these sites think is necessary.

I'm big on aesthetics and design when it comes to dating sites (I completely roasted AdultFriendFinder about it), and OkCupid is exactly what I want: organized, minimalistic, with all features obvious and labeled so that you don't have to click around to see what the options are. OkCupid gets major points for how user-friendly it is.

SEE ALSO: The best dating sites for finding serious, long-term relationships It's also ideal for introverts

OkCupid is also one of the best places for introverts and self-proclaimed geeks to find a kindred soul. The prominence of social justice-related questions has drawn an open-minded crowd, creating a safe space that relieves the pressure to be perfect.

The opportunity for badges on your profile is a fun way to express yourself: #IStandWithPP, Game of Thrones, and "nerd" are a few of the things you can pin to the top of your profile to attract other users who get you. (Fun fact: Game of Thrones has been mentioned over 2 million times in user profiles. Automatic conversation starter.)

Woke level: 100

The same-sex ads were probably an obvious giveaway, but OkCupid is liberal as hell. Finding a hottie only to find out you disagree on everything is the most awkward bummer ever. Other sites only ask one question about that stuff, which just isn't enough. If you're woke, liberal, and horrified by the dumpster fire that is our current political climate, this is the site for you. Right-wingers, you should just exit now and sign up for eharmony — it has a history of leaning conservative.

SEE ALSO: Singles don't want to date non-voters, according to new OkCupid survey

With OkCupid's makeover came a ton of politically charged questions as a way to weed out the not-so-progressive users. They want to know your opinion on issues such as abortion, immigration, guns, and more to make sure you and your potential partners have political views that are aligned.

OkCupid uses these answers to tell potential matches how liberal you are and vice versa, and it's always a plus if you can avoid heated arguments down the road. Liberal women found that this worked to their advantage, as OkCupid released statistics showing that liberal-leaning answers to those questions made you 80 percent more likely to find love on the site.

An online dating site that's open and welcoming to even the quirkiest singles and embraces the differences and variety of its users should be a given — not a bonus. Unfortunately, a lot of OkCupid's competitors have some growing up to do. You go, OkCupid. You go.

Finding a match isn't as hard as it sounds

If you're feeling hopeless about finding love, you won't after being on OkCupid. I literally had 607 likes after having my profile up for two days. TWO DAYS. OkCupid has such a massive user base with such a wide variety of people, there's no way you're not gonna find a ton of people who find you exactly their type.

The app has that standard swiping app feel (but less "I'm judging you solely on your face" vibes). You see one profile at a time and swipe right or left depending on whether or not you're interested, with random profile-building questions thrown in at times to narrow down your pickings even more.

SEE ALSO: OkCupid debuts ChatGPT-generated matching questions

See what potential matches are talking about, search for names, or even type in a hobby, musical artist, or show to see which users near you mentioned the same thing. It's chill and simple enough to do while you're waiting in line at the store or sitting on the train, all while feeling more sincere than Tinder.

OkCupid's overhaul brought a lot of positive changes, but some users weren't psyched about one in particular. In late 2017, the site decided it would require users to use their real names on their profile instead of usernames like AFunnySassygirl or Superlonelyman. Though it was a goodhearted attempt to make the experience seem more real and less like a creepy AIM chatroom, people (especially women) were pissed.

Being required to give your real name to any and every stranger on the site felt like a huge invasion of privacy to a lot of people, and with the way desperate users can sometimes seem like stalkers, we don't blame them. (If you appreciate the uniform feel of Tinder or Hinge and find usernames super lame, maybe you'd actually like OkCupid more for this.) OkCupid received so much backlash that they recanted the policy and said that users can also use a nickname or initials.

You won't receive messages from randos

OkCupid doesn't have open messaging, meaning randoms can no longer message you before you two have matched. This can be good or bad depending on how you prefer the conversation to start: I personally enjoy it, as one main problem with online dating, in general, is that ladies get harassed by men who flood their inboxes. It's genuinely overwhelming and I'd prefer to only be messaged by people I already gave the go-ahead to. (Bumble combats this by only letting women message first.)

Like me, some people were stoked about this. Reddit user reciphered writes:

"Under the new OKC I get about x5 as many matches. I send fewer messages and I receive higher quality responses. I believe this is all because of the requirement to match before messaging. Now women are required to seek out desirable profiles in order to interact with users on the site - just like the men. I also really like how doubletake has shown me interesting profiles that I wouldn't have found with browsing. The only downside is the low population compared to Tinder.

I assumed that only annoyingly persistent men would dislike this change, but according to Reddit, a lot of ladies also aren't feeling it either:

Reddit user narcissica writes:

"I don't like it because I can't tell if someone's a creeper just from a quick glance at their profile. I either have to "like" people fairly indiscriminately to leave myself open to conversation, or I have to close doors on potential conversation that could be worthwhile. I was doing just fine having the block feature, or simply not responding to people who weren't worth my time."

The Reddit community is actually huge on OkCupid, and while all dating sites receive their fair share of shit (Redditors do not hold back on giving their opinions), I genuinely feel like OkCupid has the nicest things said about it. (Or the least mean things. Close enough). This blog even put together a guide on OkCupid advice that Redditors have given over the past few years.

Surprise: The free version *isn't* worthless

The site is fully functional with the free membership, and we give them props for that. Most dating sites make you pay to do literally anything besides signing up. But on OkCupid, you can view mutual likes (aka matches) and message matches for free. (Similar to Tinder and Bumble.) However, if you're feeling ambitious and want a little feature upgrade, OkCupid does offer two paid memberships: OkCupid Basic and OkCupid Premium.

OkCupid subscription cost 

Here's a breakdown of what you'll get from OkCupid Basic and OkCupid Premium. 

OkCupid Basic 
  • Six months of OkCupid Basic – $17.49 per month

  • Three months of OkCupid Basic – $23.33 per month

  • One month of OkCupid Basic – $34.99 per month 

With OkCupid Basic you can: 

  • Use Dealbreakers: Dealbreakers are “hard filters” that let you suss out what you don’t want.  

  • Send unlimited likes: There's no limit on the number of people you can like per day. 

  • Get unlimited rewinds: Undo any regrettable passes you made. 

  • Unlock intros: View unlimited intros with OkCupid Basic. 

  • Use the app ad-free: Say goodbye to ads with this paid plan. 

 OkCupid Premium 
  • Six months of OkCupid Premium – $22.49 per month

  • Three months of OkCupid Premium – $29.99 per month

  • One month of OkCupid Premium – $44.99 per month 

With OkCupid Premium you’ll get the above features in addition to:  

  • See who likes you: No need for mutual likes, with OkCupid Premium you can see a full list of people who like you. 

  • Get three free SuperLikes each week: With this premium subscription, you’ll get three free SuperLikes every week — which, according to the OkCupid website, increases your chances of matching by four times. 

  • See all question answers: The free version limits what you can see, with this plan you can see responses to questions you haven’t answered yet.

Good for: Liberal people who want a relationship

OkCupid is essentially the place for everyone who takes dating seriously but still wants to have fun and skip the pressure of settling down. Though OkCupid's advertisements may have "DTF" plastered all over them, the site's intentions and matchmaking process are no joke.

OkCupid is the best place to find people who want a partnership to truly be equal.

It might take some time and genuine effort to make a profile, but that's what you want if you're looking for something real. You'll fill out a questionnaire with your answers as well as what you would like your ideal match to answer. This makes the application-building process a lot more fun than other apps, making it feel like an online quiz. It asks a range of questions, from simple stuff to whether you smoke and drink to more intimate things like how many dates you typically wait before sleeping with someone. Pro tip: The app says that the more questions you answer, the better your matches will be. The deeper you go, the more accurate your profile is. In turn, OkCupid will have a way easier time finding matches for you.

Like we said in our eharmony review, just because you're bored with Tinder doesn't mean eharmony (or a site with the same expectation to settle down) is the next step. A lot of those users are older, divorced, and have kids, and there's a much slimmer selection of young people in that gray area. OkCupid seems ideal for the person who's trying to marry the next person they date, even if the idea of marriage and kids makes them slightly nauseated.

OkCupid is the dating site version of the left-wing hipster who wears "Make America Gay Again" hats. The LGBTQ community finally has a safe space in the online dating world (that is, one that's not a super niche lesbian or gay-only app), and those who usually vote liberally can make sure they're not going on a date with someone whom they'd want to fight on Facebook.

I'd go as far as to say that OkCupid is the best place to find people who want a partnership to truly be equal — where women won't be shamed for being breadwinners and where men won't insist that cleaning is the woman's job. Get with the times, people.

Not ideal for: Conservative people and those in a rush to marry

While browsing through the potential matches in my feed, I didn't get the vibe that people were 100% ready to settle down — which is fine if you feel the same way, but worrisome if you're past that phase. Some people seem to be using OkCupid like Tinder and were only visiting, while most will specify exactly what they're looking for in their bios, so confusion about intentions should be minimal. This isn't to say that it's not possible to find your future spouse on here — these success stories prove that you can — just don't go into it expecting to talk about how many kids you want. It's serious, but not serious.

And then there's the political aspect of it. While most dating sites refuse to take sides, OkCupid has made it clear that they care about social justice issues. People who align strongly with the Republican party, are Trump fans, or have religion-backed values or political views may feel a bit out of place here — you'll probably feel like many of the questions are irrelevant to a relationship, and you probably won't see a high number of matches with whom you align politically. That's not to say that it's not worth a shot, but if you're trying to cast your net as wide as possible, another site where these issues aren't highlighted may give you better luck.

Is OkCupid legit?

As with any dating site, there will be one-star ratings, enthusiastically negative reviews, and complaints from people about things that the site itself has no control over. (No, Karen, it is not OkCupid's fault that John ghosted you.) Dead profiles, catfishing, and getting abruptly suspended are annoying. OkCupid has its fair share of each, but unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to guarantee that a site is completely free of flaws. OkCupid does try to combat fake profiles by having users connect to an Instagram account, which is way harder to fake than an online dating profile.

Cities are overflowing with users, but less populated areas see a huge drop in potential matches.

One thing that is a legitimate issue is the user base in less-populated areas. Cities (like NYC, where I live) are overflowing with potential boos, but I guarantee that if I logged on in my middle-of-nowhere hometown, my number of matches within a 10-mile radius would drop an alarming amount. We've seen a ton of complaints about this, but again — that's not an OkCupid problem, it's an every-site problem.

Those who have been using the site for years have noticed a significant slowdown in finding people to talk to, as you can't see who's messaged you until you like them back, and going through all of the possible people already takes forever. It's easier to just block people if you don't want their messages instead of almost never being messaged at all, you know? OkCupid doesn't have to re-open messages completely, because some people do like their privacy — but it would be great if they had the option to toggle it on if you don't mind being hit up by strangers.

OkCupid alternatives

OkCupid falls under both the classic dating site category and the swiping app category, which also means that they have way more competition than most one-or-the-other platforms do. When it comes to swiping apps, Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are the obvious top three competitors. None of them want to be known as a hookup app, and it's definitely possible to find a long-term relationship on any of them, but Tinder and Bumble provide so little information that user intentions are easy to surmise. Alternatively, Hinge calls itself "The Relationship App" and requires users to be a bit more serious with their pickings by judging off more than a few selfies. Where Hinge may fall short is the fact that it pretty much caters to young people only, while OkCupid is more wide-ranging.

When it comes to more traditional sites, OkCupid's obvious competitors are eharmony, Zoosk, and Plenty of Fish. Match has the size advantage by far — and though OkCupid will always be #1 in my heart, Match is a close second. It's also an OG player in the online dating game, and it's always nice to have the reassurance that there are veteran masterminds behind the matchmaking process. Match has numerous unique features to meet new people that no other site has even come close to. I appreciated their eagerness to get people together IRL. It's a little less trendy and millennial than OkCupid, and maneuvering through the dating pool is basically a free-for-all. The way that OkCupid breaks suggestions down by categories makes everything significantly more organized and helps to give an idea of what might or might not work with a person right off the bat, which I found to be an extreme leg up.

If you're looking to start a family ASAP or prefer a more traditional approach, eharmony may be a safer bet.

eharmony is all about marriage and features a 29-dimension matching system. The registration process there takes longer and goes a bit deeper, but there's a reason eharmony has led to some 4 percent of marriages in the US. This isn't to say that OkCupid isn't serious, because it is — it just gives a little more leeway when it comes to people's intentions. eharmony sees a much more mature audience filled with many divorcees, single parents, and a few stage-five clingers — AKA no one that has time to play games. If you're looking to start a family ASAP or prefer a more traditional approach, eharmony may be a safer bet. eharmony has had some history of not being LGBTQ-friendly in the past, which is likely a turn-off for most of OkCupid's stans.

IMO, there's nothing super standout about Zoosk or Plenty of Fish. Both are user-friendly enough, except POF looks like it hasn't been updated since 2005 and neither is nearly as aesthetically pleasing as OkCupid. POF is super into the chemistry stuff and their questionnaires are intense, so if you're looking for something serious and aren't trying to pay a lot, it's a great alternative to eharmony. Zoosk is unique in that it uses behavioral matchmaking, which basically suggests matches for you based on your on-site behavior, and I do have to commend them for that. It's a great feature for people who don't know what they want, and OkCupid's number of ways to discover new people might get overwhelming for those who aren't confident in their partner-choosing abilities.

Is OkCupid worth it?

As far as online dating goes, OkCupid rules. When you're over-swiping apps but are not desperately looking for marriage, this is a happy medium that evades the feeling of desperation. You can find commitment but still feel hip and have fun. It has gained a trusted rep from over 20 years of matchmaking experience and evolving with the younger generations, leading OkCupid to win the hearts of 50 million singles.

Their ads (as well as the addition of numerous gender identities and orientations and the importance placed on political issues) showcase the importance they place on inclusivity and social justice, which is a giant breath of fresh air for anyone tired of regular heteronormative sites.

OkCupid genuinely wants dating to be a good experience for you, and their non-traditional questions, multi-faceted matchmaking, and modern vibe help you steer clear of feeling like a loser talking to people online while still pushing for lasting connections. 

Twitter/X's AI chatbot Grok is rolling out to Premium+ subscribers

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 04:54

Twitter/X has officially launched Grok. The new AI chatbot will roll out to Premium+ subscribers in the U.S. over the next week, arriving first to people who have been paying for Twitter the longest.

"the longer you've been a subscriber, the sooner you can grok," Twitter/X said in a post announcing the rollout. "don't forget your towel!"

Tweet may have been deleted

The first AI product from Elon Musk's company xAI, Grok takes its name from the 1961 sci-fi novel "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein. In it, the term "grok" is a Martian word that means "to drink," as well as "to understand" or "to comprehend."

Twitter/X's towel reference is a nod to Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy franchise, in which towels feature prominently as an important tool for travellers exploring the universe. xAI's website states that it aims to "understand the universe," while Musk has previously referred to Adams as his "hero."

How to get Grok, Twitter/X's AI chatbot

To get Grok, first you'll have to pay real money to be an X Premium+ subscriber. Once you've signed up, you can find out whether you've received access to Grok by checking Twitter/X's side menu in your mobile app or web browser. If you have it, it should appear in the menu next to it's logo: a square with a rising diagonal slash across it.

If Grok isn't appearing on mobile, make sure that your Twitter/X app is up to date. iOS and Android users who have the chatbot will also be able to add it to their bottom menu, offering them quick access to Twitter/X's new AI. 

Exactly how helpful Grok will be is unclear, as most current users seem more interested in its artificially snarky "how do you do, fellow kids" tone than how accurate its answers are. A preview from a Tesla employee earlier this week was less than reassuring, providing information that was both incorrect and vague to the point of uselessness. It was a particularly poor performance when compared to results from competitors such as ChatGPT and Google Bard, though you probably shouldn't be getting your news from AI chatbots at all.

Tweet may have been deleted

Still, if you're a Musk fan who's craving someone to talk to absent an actual human friend, Grok's Black Mirror-esque Elon Too might tide you over for a bit.

Jordan Peele and Hideo Kojima are collaborating on a horror game

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 04:48

Jordan Peele and Hideo Kojima are collaborating on a video game, bringing the two iconic auteurs together for the first time. It's safe to say that nobody saw this coming.

The unlikely duo announced their new game OD during The Game Awards on Thursday night. Kojima is a well-known and widely-respected figure at such events, having designed the first Metal Gear and directed most of the titles in the series. However, Peele's dramatic entrance to the soundtrack of his 2019 horror film Us was an unexpected surprise.

SEE ALSO: 4 ways of understanding Jordan Peele's 'Us'

"From the first moment I played Metal Gear Solid 2 I knew I was experiencing the work of an artist whose craft just hits different," said Peele. "He's been an inspiration to me and the opportunity to collaborate with him is truly incredible."

"In my film I'm always trying to maximise the immersion [and] put the audience into the main character's shoes. Hideo is the master of this, and he does it on a whole 'nother level. And what he's cooking up here is completely immersive, utterly terrifying, and I am absolutely honoured to be collaborating with the GOAT."

Kojima was similarly complimentary, calling Peele a "genius" and saying that he was a "big fan."

Developed by Kojima Productions and published by Xbox Game Studios, OD intends to explore "the concept of testing your fear threshold, and what it means to OD on fear."

Few further details have been released about OD, but we do know the game will feature Sophia Lillis (It, Sharp Objects), Hunter Schafer (Euphoria, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), and Udo Kier (Flesh for Frankenstein, Downsizing). Digital recreations of all three actors appeared in a brief teaser trailer, repeating nonsensical phrases and becoming increasingly distressed.

Kojima is also aiming to challenge the conventions of video games as a medium, much like he intended to invent a new genre of games with 2019's Death Stranding.

"It is a game, don't get me wrong, but it's at the same time a movie, [and] at the same time a new form of media," said Kojima, speaking through a translator.

Though Peele's involvement is exciting enough, Kojima also teased that the man behind Get Out and Nope may not be the only big creator joining him on OD

"It's not just Jordan," said Kojima. "I have other creative, collaborative partners with me on board on this project. I can't really say who they are right now, but I tell you, they are the legends, and they're going to be amazing."

No release date has yet been announced.

Get 1TB of cloud storage for under £130

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 00:00

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Koofr Cloud Storage (1TB) is on sale for £126.34, saving you 80% on list price.

It’s hard to believe that the very first iPhone came with only 4GB or 8GB of storage. Now, phones, tablets, and laptops come with anywhere from 128GB, and it’s still not enough. That’s why many users are turning to cloud storage solutions.

Some platforms love charging monthly or yearly fees, but not Koofr — pay just once for their 1TB lifetime subscription, now £126.34 for a limited time.

Koofr is a top choice whether or not you already have a cloud storage solution. If you don’t, you could finally back up important files and photos. If you do, Koofr makes integration with other accounts simple. Connect your Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon Drive, and OneDrive and access all of your files in one location, or migrate them into Koofr.

Those who have been juggling free plans across platforms could finally have one central space to store all of their files. And keep them organised with Koofr’s duplicate file finder and management tools like bulk renaming.

Another reason to love Koofr? Universal compatibility. Upload, access, and share any type of file with no size limit. You’ll also be able to access Koofr from all of your desktop and mobile devices.

This lifetime Koofr subscription packs an impressive 1TB that can store up to 310,000 images, 500 hours of HD video, or 85 million MS Word documents. This is likely enough to handle your storage needs for life. 

A lifetime plan for 1TB of cloud storage from Koofr is on sale for £126.34.

Opens in a new window Credit: Koofr Koofr Cloud Storage: 1TB (Lifetime Subscription) £126.34 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

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