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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: 37 min 18 sec ago

Expand your mind with a lifetime subscription to a 12min Premium Plan

4 hours 37 min ago

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to a 12min Premium Plan is on sale for £28.06, saving you 90% on list price.

That old saying, "You learn something new every day," isn’t always true, especially for those of us juggling work, commuting, hobbies, and precious free time. Though, you may still have an itch to learn and grow. The good news is that you can, and it doesn’t have to take up much time if you have 12min.

Just as this app’s name suggests, you can learn something new in as little as 12 minutes with nonfiction books broken down into micro reads or podcasts. Set a goal to discover something new every day for the rest of your life with a lifetime subscription for £28.06.

With 24 categories and more than 2,500 titles, there’s almost surely something that interests you, whether it’s personal finance, business, history, science and technology, self-growth, or biographies. While 12min does feature popular nonfiction titles summarized into bite-sized pieces, you can also explore original content you won’t find anywhere else.

Since 12min lives right on your iPhone or Android, you can turn any gap of free time into a learning opportunity. You can even download content ahead of time for offline access or sync with your Kindle.

12min’s personalised daily recommendations and challenges might keep you motivated and coming back to learn. You can even take a quiz at the end of each summary to check what you’ve learned if you’re into that school-like experience. 

Uniquely, you can also access 12min text and audio summaries in Spanish and Portuguese. Those who are also on a language-learning journey could grow multiple skills at once.

Truly learn something new every day with lifetime access to 12min for £28.06. 

Opens in a new window Credit: 12min 12min Premium Plan (Lifetime Subscription) £28.06 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

How to watch Delhi Capitals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad online for free

4 hours 37 min ago

TL;DR: Watch Delhi Capitals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The new season of the IPL is in full swing and is already showcasing incredible talent and fierce competition among the teams. The latest fixture sees Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad take to the pitch as some of the best cricket players go head-to-head.

Want to tune in? You can watch Delhi Capitals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad for free from anywhere in the world, as we have all the information you need.

When is Delhi Capitals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad?

Delhi Capitals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad starts at 3 p.m. BST on April 20. This fixture will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India.

How to watch Delhi Capitals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad for free

JioCinema is offering free live streams of every IPL cricket match this season in 4K resolution on its app.

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

Unblock JioCinema to stream the IPL 2024 by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for 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 India

  4. Visit JioCinema (you will need an Indian phone number to subscribe)

  5. WatchDelhi Capitals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad for free from anywhere in the world

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

Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch IPL live streams without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select IPL fixtures for free.

What is the best VPN for JioCinema?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including India

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream the IPL for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch Manchester City vs. Chelsea online for free

4 hours 37 min ago

TL;DR: Stream Manchester City vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Manchester City have been fighting it out for the Premier League and Champions League this season, so another match squeezed into their busy schedule is not ideal. But this is an FA Cup semi-final, so it's not just another game. It's a legitimate chance at making another final for a team that continues to impress year after year.

If you want to watch Manchester City vs. Chelsea for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Manchester City vs. Chelsea?

Manchester City vs. Chelsea kicks off at 5:15 p.m. BST on April 20. This fixture takes place at Wembley Stadium.

How to watch Manchester City vs. Chelsea for free

Manchester City vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final will be broadcast live on BBC One, with free live streaming available on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access 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 the UK. This process makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can access BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer 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 the UK

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Stream Manchester City vs. Chelsea for free from anywhere in the world

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 making the most of these offers, you can gain access to BBC iPlayer without actually spending anything. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Manchester City vs. Chelsea before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Manchester City vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch Hellas Verona vs. Udinese online for free

4 hours 37 min ago

TL;DR: Stream Hellas Verona vs. Udinese in Serie A for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Football fans from all around the world should give thanks to ITVX, because the free streaming platform will show live Serie A games until the end of the season. We weren't planning to watch Hellas Verona take on Udinese, but why not? There's something special about Serie A, after all.

If you want to watch Hellas Verona vs. Udinese for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Hellas Verona vs. Udinese?

Hellas Verona vs. Udinese kicks off at 7:45 p.m. BST on April 20. This fixture takes place at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi in Verona, Italy.

How to watch Hellas Verona vs. Udinese for free

Hellas Verona vs. Udinese is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access 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 the UK. This process makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can access ITVX from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ITVX to watch live Serie A football 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 the UK

  4. Visit ITVX

  5. Stream Hellas Verona vs. Udinese for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $103.26 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 free streaming platforms like ITVX without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Hellas Verona vs. Udinese before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $103.26 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 Hellas Verona vs. Udinese in Serie A for free with ExpressVPN.

The best Kindles for every type of reader

4 hours 37 min ago

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

If you're a bookworm but haven't yet upgraded to an Amazon Kindle, we have to ask: what on earth are you waiting for?

We know nothing compares to the feel of a book in your hands — or even that distinctive book smell — but since the Amazon Kindle's 2007 debut, it's hard to imagine the world without a handily portable device that stores thousands of books.

But we get it. There are a lot of Kindles out there to consider. Whether you're new to e-readers or simply can't decide which Amazon Kindle you should purchase, let us break down all the models and help you make the best choice for you. 

What is a Kindle?

They may be similarly sized, but these handheld reading devices are not to be confused with a tablet or even a smartphone. Kindles are designed specifically for reading. This is made possible by the Kindle's distinctive black-and-white-only, glare-free display that reads like paper, even when you're sitting under a bright sky. 

Kindles boast a 300 ppi, high-resolution display with zero glare so you can enjoy sharp text and images at any viewing angle. Kindles are also equipped with WiFi connectivity to allow you to access and download all the reading material you want. You can find books through the Amazon Kindle eBooks store, Prime Reading, or via a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

What should you consider before buying a Kindle?

When shopping for the best Kindles to fit your lifestyle, consider the following factors that are most likely to vary between models:

  • Battery Life — Kindles generally have outstanding battery life (depending on your usage), but some models are even more impressive. On the low end, they last up to six weeks per charge, while others last up to 12 weeks.

  • Display Size — The smallest Kindle has a 6-inch display while the largest has a 10.2-inch display.

  • Storage Capacity — Depending on the model, Kindles can have anywhere from 8GB to 64GB of storage capacity to stash thousands of your favourite reads at a time.

  • Waterproof Protection — Not all Kindles are waterproof, but those that are provide peace of mind in case of accidental immersion in water without incurring damage.

Keep these features in mind when considering your options.

What features do Kindles offer?

Beyond the standard features that are found across most (if not all) of the latest Kindle models, there are also specialised features that you'll find on the higher-end models.

If you like to read outside, choose a Kindle with an auto-adjusting light. Or if you read during your daily commute, select want a Kindle with easy page-turn buttons so you can get to the next page with a one-handed action. There's even a Kindle that will allow you to jot down notes on your texts for later reference.

All Kindles offer parental control options as well. Plus, you can listen to audiobooks on Audible via any Kindle's built-in Bluetooth connection.

You'll usually have the choice to select either an ad-supported or an ad-free experience, with the latter option typically costing about £20 more. If you don't want to go for the mini splurge of nixing the ads, you'll get ads on your lockscreen whenever you open the cover of your Kindle. That's fine if you don't mind swiping them out of the way.

Is there a monthly fee for Kindles?

All Kindle devices allow for instant access to the Amazon Kindle eBooks store where you can buy individual titles with no monthly subscription fee required. That said, Amazon Prime members can access free books via the Prime Reading service which would be subject to the current Prime membership rate. 

Beyond that, you can get a Kindle Unlimited subscription for £9.49 per month to gain unlimited access to more than three million titles and thousands of audiobooks, and borrow up to 20 eligible Kindle Unlimited titles at a time at no extra cost. You can typically opt into a few free months of Kindle Unlimited to trial it.

What is the best Kindle?

There is no such thing as a best Kindle for everyone, because everyone will have different reading and lifestyle needs. To help you pinpoint the best model for you, we've lined up a selection of devices to suit everyone. We recommend checking out everything listed here, and carefully considering your options.

These are the best Kindles in 2024.

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 20

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 22:00

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

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for April 20's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Expressed clearly; easy to understand.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no letters that appear twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to Wordle #1036 is...

LUCID.

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

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

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 20

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 21:00

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

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for April 20's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

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

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

  • Yellow: Senseless talk

  • Green: Things at a track meet

  • Blue: Halloween costume

  • Purple: Tie the knot

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

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

  • Yellow: Balderdash

  • Green: Track and Field Equipment

  • Blue: Parts of a Devil Costume

  • Purple: Types of Knots

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to Connections #314 is...

What is the answer to Connections today
  • Balderdash: BUNK, CROCK, HOGWASH, HORSEFEATHERS

  • Track and Field Equipment: BATON, HAMMER, HURDLE, POLE

  • Parts of a Devil Costume: GOATEE, HORNS, PITCHFORK, TAIL

  • Types of Knots: BEND, BOWLINE, HITCH, SHEEPSHANK

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

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

The Cybertruck's failure is now complete

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 18:14

The Tesla Cybertruck was supposed to stop bullets. Turns out its owners should be more afraid of a bit of soap.

An "unapproved lubricant" used on the Cybertruck's accelerator pad caused it to slip off and get trapped in a bit of trim above the pedal, according to a recall report [PDF] by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you've been on TikTok this week, you might have seen what that can mean, thanks to a viral video of a Cybertruck owner whose accelerator jammed in the "pedal to the metal" position.

SEE ALSO: Tesla recalls all 3,878 Cybertrucks due to stuck accelerator pedal issue

Result: Every single driver who paid for a Cybertruck, all 3,878 of them, now has to haul their extremely angular EV to their local dealer in Tesla's biggest recall to date. And as with a lot of news these days, how you react to the recall likely depends on whether you're an obsessive fan of Elon Musk.

The "masterful gambit, sir" crowd can easily play it down. After all, no one died. Nobody has even crashed, that we know of, as a result of this error. Tesla has offered a prompt fix (well, 20 days after it received its first customer complaint about the pedal, so prompt-ish). The lubricant-toting workers are at fault, not the company. Besides, look at the ongoing disaster at Boeing, which approved the use of dish soap in manufacturing the same door seal that blew off during a 737 Max flight in January.

Next to Boeing, Tesla looks like a paragon of soapy safety.

And yet judging by the ongoing slide of Tesla stock, which reached a one-year low after news of the Cybertruck recall hit Wall Street on Friday, not everyone takes this view. After all, it's not the workers' fault someone told them to put a completely unnecessary rugged-look pad on the accelerator. Nor should workers be blamed for rust marks appearing on a stainless steel truck, or a trunk that can pinch fingers, or a warning not to wash it in direct sunlight, or a flashing red "pull over" notice appearing on its screen minutes after at least one customer started driving.

A punchline on wheels

Crucially for Tesla's future, we may have reached a tipping point: The Cybertruck has become a punchline in a way that its owners cannot get out from under. The joke is that they are dupes who paid through the nose for an extremely expensive vehicle that looks like it was designed by a child and does not actually perform many of the functions we expect from a truck, and that they'll put up with any design flaw whatsoever.

You can see this clearly in the most-liked, and highly representative, comment on that viral TikTok. "Every Cybertruck owner is like 'I paid 80k for this and it almost killed my entire family. Small issue. Love the car!'"

Actually, the owner responded, he paid $122,000 with extras.

"Sick flex, brother," replied another TikTok user. "I also paid $122k to be a ludicrously irresponsible threat to any vehicle or pedestrian in my vicinity."

Cybertruck comedy, still legal, continued over on Musk's Twitter (which, in common with Stephen King and at least one potential juror in the Manhattan trial of Donald Trump, we still refuse to call X).

Tracy Chapman's signature hit provided the perfect joke ...

Tweet may have been deleted

... while the notion of the Cybertruck as a "snowflake" vehicle that cannot encounter any real-world conditions took hold.

Tweet may have been deleted

Perhaps most devastating for Musk: Dril, one of the most beloved accounts on the service, chose this moment for his first Cybertruck tweet.

Tweet may have been deleted

The recall also revealed, inadvertently, how far short of Musk's ambition the Cybertruck has fallen thus far. The CEO estimated 250,000 Cybertruck sales per year in a recent earnings call. It's fair to say that 4,000 Cybertrucks delivered in the first 6 months is a little short of that goal. Not only is that 10 times less than the number of Rivian EV trucks sold so far — and just to be clear, Rivian is in trouble too — it's also less than half the total number of Deloreans sold in the U.S. in the 1980s.

The Delorean was a stainless-steel flop that sent the automaker behind it into bankruptcy, despite the car later earning a star turn in Back to the Future. Tesla, the world's largest EV manufacturer, is clearly in a better position. Still, like John Delorean, Musk seems to have bet the future of his company on this quirky vehicle.

Tesla could not have chosen a worse time to ask shareholders to reinstate a $56 billion compensation package for the CEO that a judge already struck down. The company's second-largest shareholder, a self-described "Elon fanboy," just announced he is voting against.

The result of that vote, in June, may decide where this chaotic company and its mercurial CEO is going next. By then, the supply of Cybertrucks on our roads may have dwindled down as the recall goes into effect.

Our national reserves of schadenfreude, meanwhile, have never looked healthier.

Before 'The Jinx: Part 2,' here's what to remember about Robert Durst

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 18:00

With The Jinx: Part Two coming to Max, you might be scratching your brain trying to recall all the relevant details unfurled in the groundbreaking true crime series' first half. So let's look back. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch 'The Jinx: Part Two'

On February 8, 2015, HBO released Andrew Jarecki's six-part documentary series entitled The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, about the New York real estate scion and his suspected role in the disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen "Kathie" McCormack Durst; the death of his neighbor Morris Black; and the murder of his best friend Susan Berman. The series doggedly detailed all three cases, with the help of Durst. Intrigued by Jarecki's 2010 film All Good Things, which was inspired by the then-unsolved missing persons case of Kathie, he reached out to the filmmaker, giving unprecedented access to the production team. 

In November 2023, less than a year after Durst's death at age 78, HBO announced that The Jinx: Part Two would premiere on April 21, 2024. With six new episodes, the series continues with Chapter 7 and takes viewers through Durst's final trial and last days. But if you've not got the time — or maybe the wherewithal — to rewatch the first six episodes, here's everything you need to know about Robert Durst and The Jinx. 

Who was Robert Durst?  Credit: Courtesy of HBO

Though born the eldest son of New York real estate magnate Seymour Durst, Robert Durst spent much of his adult life known for his alleged criminal activities. 

The Durst Organization, which was formed by Robert's grandfather Joseph, is a sprawling real estate conglomerate, responsible for both commercial and residential properties across NYC; the family itself is worth $8.1 billion. Under Seymour's purview, the Durst Organization altered the city skyline, developing the Bank of America Tower, the Conde Nast Building, and Four Times Square. 

As for Robert, he had no interest in working for the Durst Organization, and instead opened a health food store in Middlebury, Vermont, called All Good Things. (Yes, the title of Jarecki's narrative film came from this store.) Durst returned to New York in 1973, but it was his younger brother Douglas who took over the Durst Organization when Seymour retired in 1992. By this time, Robert was already a suspect in the disappearance of his wife, Kathie. 

Robert severed ties with his family, who settled the lawsuit he brought against them in 2006 for $65 million. But his acrimonious relationship with his family, in particular with his younger brother, Douglas, continued. None of his siblings spoke with Jarecki for The Jinx, despite repeated attempts. In August of 2013, Durst was arrested for violating a restraining order placed against him by Douglas. This arrest is a major element of Chapter 6 of The Jinx, happening ahead of Durst's final on-camera interview with Jarecki. 

Durst was later acquitted on trespassing charges, successfully arguing that he could not have known where Douglas lived. 

When did Kathie McCormack Durst go missing?  A photo of Robert Durst and former wife Kathie McCormack on their wedding day in 1973 is shown while Robert Durst takes the stand and testifies in 2021. Credit: Photo by Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

On January 31, 1982, Kathie disappeared after spending time with friends at a get-together in Newtown, Connecticut. Her friend Gilberte Najamy spoke to The Jinx producers in Part One, recounting how she noticed Kathie was not only upset but underdressed, which was out of character for her. In the doc, Najamy also notes that Kathie said something cryptic before leaving: "Promise me if something happens, you'll check it out."

Later in the evening, Kathie got a call from her husband and left Najamy's house for the couple's home in South Salem, New York. She was supposed to meet Najamy in Manhattan at a future date. When Kathie never showed up, Najamy called the police. It was later that same week that Robert Durst reported his wife missing. According to Durst, he dropped Kathie off at the train station on the night of January 31, 1982, after an argument, and never heard from his wife again. 

Three weeks later, Kathie's possessions were found in the trash compactor at their Riverside Drive apartment. In The Jinx, her loved ones recall realizing Durst was throwing away her things and told producers this seemed a sign that Durst knew she wasn't coming back. 

At the house in South Salem, Kathie's friends found unopened mail, as well as a list in Durst's garbage that read "town dump, bridge, dig, boat, other, shovel, car or truck rental.” (This note is shown in The Jinx, and police speculate it was Durst's murder to-do list.) The housekeeper reported not only a small amount of blood on the dishwasher, but being instructed by Durst to throw out his wife's personal items. 

At the time of Kathie's disappearance, the couple had been married for nearly ten years. They first met in 1971, when 19-year-old Kathie McCormack moved into a Durst-owned building Robert (then 28) was overseeing. On their second date, he asked McCormack to move with him to Vermont, and she agreed. In Middlebury, she assumed much of the responsibility for the business, since Durst had a marijuana habit that impacted his ability to stick to a schedule. By the end of 1972, Durst decided to sell the store. In 1973, Durst and McCormack returned to New York and got married. 

According to Kathie's family members, as well as her diary, she suffered domestic abuse at the hands of Durst, including being "slapped and punched," as well as one incident in 1976 when he threw water on her head on her way to obtain an abortion — which she'd been ordered to get by Durst himself. In The Jinx, Durst admits to hitting her, noting he can't remember the first time. 

At the time of her disappearance, 29-year-old Kathie was in her last year of medical school at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Robert Durst has said she went back to Manhattan because she had a Monday morning class. She never appeared, but police believed she'd made it back to her Manhattan apartment as a woman called into the school, claiming to be Kathie. The voice on the phone said she was ill and would be skipping the class. It has been speculated by investigators that the call was actually made by Berman. 

Eight years after Kathie's disappearance, in 1990, Durst claimed "spousal abandonment" and divorced her. In December 2000, Durst married Debrah Lee Charatan, a New York real estate agent, and a major fixture in the The Jinx; it was she who helped him post the $250,000 bail when he was arrested in the murder of Morris Black. 

Who killed Susan Berman?  Deputy District Attorney John Lewin begins opening statements in the 2021 trial of Robert Durst, who is charged with the murder of Susan Berman in Benedict Canyon in 2000. Credit: AL SEIB / POOL / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock

Writer Susan Berman was counted as one of Durst's best friends when she was found shot to death in her Los Angeles home on December 24, 2000. Berman supported Durst when allegations that he was involved in McCormack's disappearance arose, and she ran interference between him and the press. She provided a deposition for him, and maybe even an alibi.

The author of Easy Street, a memoir about growing up as the daughter of organized crime figure David Berman, she was described as having a "mob-infused sense of loyalty to her friends and to Mr. Durst in particular." According to her friend Miriam Barnes, Berman told her, "I did something today for Bobby. If anything ever happens to me, Bobby did it." In The Jinx, other friends noted that at the time of her death, Berman was a failed screenwriter desperate for money, and asking to borrow from friends. 

In 2000, Berman agreed to speak with Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who was reopening the investigation into McCormack's disappearance. Weeks after news of the refreshed investigation hit the media, Berman was found dead. The Jinx: Part One suggested — through interviews with Berman's inner circle — that she might have suggested blackmail to Durst, and in response he killed her. 

After Berman's murder, an anonymous note, which came to be known as the "cadaver letter"  was sent to the Beverly Hills police department. Written in block letters with the misspelling "Beverley" on the envelope, this missive included Berman's address and the word "cadaver."  

Did Robert Durst kill Morris Black? 

Following Berman's murder, Durst moved to Galveston, Texas, in April 2001. There — as depicted by Ryan Gosling in All Good Things —  he lived in disguise as a mute woman named Dorothy Ciner. (The real Ciner was a classmate of Durst's at Scarsdale High School). When asked why he opted to pose as mute, Durst explained, "My voice is very distinctive. People recognize my voice over the phone after having spoken to me for years. I just couldn't imagine trying to make my voice sound like a woman's." 

During this time, he befriended his next door neighbor, 71-year-old Morris Black. When Black's body was later found dismembered floating in Galveston Bay, Durst was arrested on October 9, 2001.

Durst was released on $250,000 bail. After missing a hearing on October 16,  a warrant was issued for his arrest. On the run, he was picked up at a Wegmans grocery store in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, after shoplifting a sandwich (in spite of the fact that he had $500 in his pocket). In his rental car, police discovered Morris Black's driver's license, as well as directions to the Connecticut home of Gilberte Najamy, Kathie's friend who contacted police when she first disappeared. 

In September 2003, on trial for the murder of Morris Black, Durst argued that he acted in self-defense, after Black threatened him with a gun that he had stolen from Durst's oven. Once he realized Black was dead, Durst explained why he chose not to call the police: "I mean, even before I got to the point where the police were immediately going to look into who am I, Robert Durst, who happened to rent this apartment as Dorothy Ciner and find out that I am this wealthy guy who rented the apartment well below his means and there is all this media attention on him back in New York. I just didn't think I would be believed. I didn't think they would believe me."

The Jinx detailed how Durst's defense demonized NY prosecutor Pirro as a ruthlessly ambitious figure chasing an innocent widower, effectively earning sympathy for their client while explaining his gruesome disposal of Black's body. (This was reflected in testimonials from the Texan jury.) 

Durst admitted to dismembering Black with the tools he found in the man's apartment, after realizing his body would be too heavy to carry out of the building. On November 11, 2003, Durst was found not guilty in Black's murder. After later pleading guilty to jumping bail and tampering with evidence, he was sentenced to five years with credit for time served. Durst was paroled in December 2005. Ordered to stay near home when paroled, he was arrested again for returning to the boarding house where Black was killed; Durst remained in prison until March 2006. 

Robert Durst confessed, "Killed them all." A screen displays a comparison of handwriting as Deputy District Attorney John Lewin speaks during the second day of the prosecution's opening statement in the 2020 Robert Durst trial. Credit: ROBYN BECK / POOL / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock

During the making of The Jinx in late 2010, director Andrew Jarecki was given an envelope found by Berman's stepson, Sareb Kaufman. It was addressed to Susan from Durst. The handwriting on the envelope, as well as a typo in the spelling of "Beverley Hills," matched that of the "cadaver letter" sent to Beverly Hills police after Berman's death. In the show, it's an emotional moment for both Kaufman — who'd become close to Durst after Susan's death — and Jarecki, who had new evidence to confront his subject with. 

When the climactic interview finally came — after many delays, including Durst's aforementioned arrest for violating his brother's restraining order — the alleged serial killer became flummoxed when confronted by Jarecki about the envelope, alongside a near-identical example of his own handwriting in their final on-camera interview.

With shaking hands, he says, “The writing looks similar and the spelling is the same, so I can see the conclusion the cops would draw." Durst had admitted in a prior interview with Jarecki "only the killer could have written" the cadaver letter. But he maintained in this last interview, "I did not write the cadaver one."

After this interview concluded, Durst asked to use the bathroom of the hotel room rented for the recording. Unaware his microphone was still on, he confessed to himself in the bathroom: "There it is, you’re caught. What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."

The day before the finale episode of The Jinx aired on HBO, Durst was arrested for the murder of Susan Berman. It's here where The Jinx: Part Two picks up.

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst is now streaming on Max.

The wildest lyrics on Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department,' from 'Grand Theft Auto' to Charlie Puth

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 16:51

When Taylor Swift drops 31 songs in one night, there's room for her to say, well anything. And The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology makes the Midnights' confession, "Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby / And I'm a monster on the hill," look like child's play.

We listened to the entire 2-hour double album and chose some of our personal favorites. Below, take a look at the most hilarious and occasionally deranged lyrics of The Tortured Poets Department. (Chairman, you could use an editor — just a suggestion!)

SEE ALSO: Taylor Swift's brand is mightier than her pen "You left your typewriter at my apartment" - "The Tortured Poets Department"

The visual of a man, presumably the titular tortured poet Matty Healy, lugging a typewriter around to someone else's apartment is nearly too much to handle. Can you imagine?

"You smokеd, then ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist" - "The Tortured Poets Department"

This is perhaps the buzziest lyric on The Tortured Poets Department and rightly so. Why Charlie Puth? Has she seen all of Puth's ThirstToks? Does she know how unpleasant the name "Puth" sounds? There are so many unanswered questions.

"Screamin', 'But Daddy, I love him / I'm having his baby' / No, I'm not, but you should see your faces" - "But Daddy I Love Him"

She gagged us a little with this one.

"My friends all smell like weed or little babies" - "Florida!!! (feat. Florence and the Machine)"

Here Swift turns her eye for detail into something brutally honest. What woman in her 30s has not experienced this?

"I'm watchin' American Pie with you on a Saturday night" - "So High School"

The entirety of "So High School" is so funny. The number of mismatched references she managed to cram into one track is a feat.

"You know how to ball, I know Aristotle" - "So High School"

Most insane imperfect rhyme of all. Only Swift could rhyme "ball" with "Aristotle." Also, this is a perfect depiction of her romance with Travis Kelce.

"Touch me while your bros play Grand Theft Auto" - "So High School"

Bros?! Grand Theft Auto?! Girl, get up!

"We would pick a decade / We wished we could live in instead of this / I'd say the 1830s but without all the racists / And getting married off for the highest bid" - "Hate It Here"

This appears to be a response to the blowback she received for "Timeless," a vault track on Speak Now (Taylor's Version), in which she romanticized the 1500s, 1944, and 1958. But adding "without all the racists" doesn't exactly fix the problem.

"Everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman / But she used to say she wished that you were dead" - "thanK you aIMee"

Of course, the sickest burn of the album belongs to Andrea.

"So I look in people's windows / Like I'm some deranged weirdo" - "I Look in People's Windows"

The "sexy baby" of The Tortured Poets Department is a "deranged weirdo." Maybe don't look in people's windows... or stalk your ex's location.

Apple forced to pull Meta's WhatsApp, Threads from China’s App Store. Here’s why.

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 16:12

iPhone users in China no longer have access to some of the most popular messaging and social media apps.

Apple was ordered by the Chinese government on Friday to remove Meta's messaging app WhatsApp and its social media platform Threads from the official App Store in China. Along with Meta's apps, Apple was also forced to remove the Signal and Telegram messaging apps from the App Store, too.

"We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement provided to the Wall Street Journal.

SEE ALSO: TikTok ban passes the House, now heads to the Senate China's internet censorship continues

Generally, moves made by the Chinese government to control what can be accessed online in the country aren't too surprising. However, the timing of this recent ban targeting Meta's apps is interesting. The U.S. government is currently taking steps to ban the popular social video app TikTok, which has ties to China through its Chinese-based parent company Bytedance.

The Chinese government has typically moved to curtail the distribution of messaging platforms, like these four apps, specifically. Apps like Telegram, Signal, WhatsApp, and Threads have been used to organize protests and social movements against the government in the past. Unlike on China-based social media platforms, the government also can't control the spread of stories critical of the Chinese government and its officials on platforms like Threads or Telegram.

China is the second largest market for Apple and the iPhone, so the effects of these bans is rather large. However, many Chinese citizens are accustomed to these types of actions from the government and are well-versed in getting around them through the use of VPNs and other workarounds.

Taylor Swift, please delete your ex's location

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 16:03

Don't stalk your ex on Find My Friends — even if Taylor Swift does it.

I don't know if you've heard, but Swift released a new album or two today that, in part, chronicles her breakup with her boyfriend of six years Joe Alwyn, and, in an even bigger part, her months-long situationship with the controversial 1975 frontman Matt Healy. Don't worry too much for the billionaire; she's now happily coupled-up with football star Travis Kelce. But the album isn't about @killatrav. This album is about Alwyn and Healy and, most of all, experiencing the humiliation of a breakup publicly. 

In one song, The Black Dog (no connection to Led Zeppelin), Swift sings about looking at her ex's location on, probably, the Find My app.

I am someone who until recent events/ You shared your secrets with/ And your location, you forgot to turn it off/ And so I watch as you walk/ Into some bar called The Black Dog/ And pierce new holes in my heart/ You forgot to turn it off/ And it hits me

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

Here's the thing: Swift is willing to sue you for tracking her private jet, but she feels confident singing about following her ex's physical location after they broke up. It reads like she did it without him knowing, too, and the lyrics implied that he meant to turn it off, but "forgot to." (Absolutely wild thing to admit as one of the most famous women in the world, brother.)

To be fair, whomst among us.

Like with much of Swift's work, this is relatable. When you go through a breakup, it's difficult for you and your ex to detangle your digital lives from each other. It's a person you loved, or at least liked. Maybe you wanted their location to see how long it would take them to get home, so you'd know when to start dinner; you wanted their location so you could give them a quick kiss at the bar on your way to the train; or maybe you wanted their location so you could surprise them with flowers. There's nothing inherently wrong with following your partner's location or sharing your location with them. 

But once you break up, you forfeit the location-tracking. Of course, it's uncomfortable to take away location-tracking because, when you do it, it notifies the other person. They know that you don't want to see where they are, or you don't want them to see where you are — and frankly, that doesn't feel very nice. But breakups don't feel very nice. Be a grown-up!

Once you break up, you forfeit the location-tracking.

I'm obviously not in any position to give Swift personal advice, but here's some advice to the rest of us normies: Do not follow your ex's location after you break up. It might feel similar to stalking an ex on social media, but at least they're in control of what they publicly post, and unless they've blocked you, they know you can see their updates. Following someone's location after you've broken up is quite literally stalking. 

SEE ALSO: When do you stop sharing your location with someone?

It's also bad for your mental health. Every time you stalk your ex on social media, you're releasing dopamine and triggering this vile little motivation system in your brain, keeping you hooked — following their physical location is arguably worse. As Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center, told Mashable's Elena Cavender earlier this year, "When it starts to preoccupy your thinking and you become too invested in this person that you're stalking, but you're not getting any new information, you start to expend an unhealthy amount of energy in a virtual space."

More than that, and my deepest condolences to all Swifties who may disagree with me, the song plays with the idea of how painful it is to see her ex's location, but it doesn't do it in a way that implies she's in on the joke; that only deepens the irresponsibility and madness of following an ex's location. It's a truly out-of-this-world thing to admit to doing, though Swift is nothing if not brutally diaristic.

Which leads me to question: Where are Swift's friends? If a friend of mine followed their ex's location, saw that they went to a bar, began spiraling about how it "pierce[d] new holes in [their] heart," and told me or any of our other friends, we would immediately point out how deranged they had become. We would tell them it was weird and unfair to their ex, and that they needed to delete their ex's location from their phone. It would be an immediate, devastating, and unpleasant interaction. But it would save them heartbreak and, at the very least, would stop them from singing about it publicly, like Swift did.

Please, stop following your ex's location. Don't let your ex follow your location. It's better for your brain, it's better for your heart, and it's better for your relationship — or lack thereof — with your ex. Stalking is not the cornerstone to anything worth building upon, including a road to reconnection or recovery. And while you're at it, maybe don't look into people's windows either.

Taylor Swift, promo queen, takes her partnership with TikTok to the next level

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 15:13

Just a week after her music returned to TikTok, Taylor Swift partnered with the social media platform to bring "exclusive in-app experiences to users" in promotion of her new album The Tortured Poets Department.

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

The in-app experiences are par for the course for the billionaire songwriter. When you search "Taylor Swift" on TikTok a Tortured Poets Department animation appears. If you follow Swift, her official fanbase Taylor Nation, add "Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)," and post a video tagged "TheTorturedPoetsDepartment" you can unlock a banner for your profile picture. Additionally, fans may be included in a "Fan Spotlight" carousel if they use the hashtag. The partnership is reminiscent of the singer's YouTube Shorts challenge for Midnights a.k.a. the #TSAntiHeroChallenge.

Swift's collaboration with TikTok comes after her music was removed from the platform in February after negotiations between Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok dissolved over artist royalties. However, last week the pop star's music returned to TikTok ahead of the release of TTPD. (So far, she's the only UMG artist whose music is back on the platform.) UMG also represents big artists like The Weeknd and Ariana Grande.

Her partnership is one of many to promote The Tortured Poets Department; she collaborated with Spotify on a "library installation;" if you search her name on Instagram, a writing emoji appears; and she curated five playlists for Apple Music, recontextualizing some of her biggest hits into the five stages of grief.

For Midnights, she partnered with YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, Tumblr, and Amazon Prime's Thursday Night Football. Not to mention, the promo queen continues to use the album variant method to maximize sales and profits.

New 'Interview with the Vampire' teaser reveals the laws of being a vampire

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 14:42

AMC's astonishing Interview with the Vampire is almost back for its second season, and it looks like we've got some new vampire rules to learn before then.

Season 2 sees vampires Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and Claudia (Delainey Hayles) journeying to Europe to find Old World vampires. They'll soon meet up with the Théâtre des Vampires in Paris, headed up by the thespian vampire Santiago (Ben Daniels).

A teaser from the upcoming season puts Santiago front and center as he tells Louis the laws of being a vampire. First up, each coven must have a leader. Second, the dark gifts of vampirism must never be given to children. (Sorry, Claudia!) And finally, no vampire may destroy another vampire. Sounds pretty cut-and-dry, but knowing how things tend to go for Louis and Claudia, it surely won't be long before these laws are broken to smithereens. Especially not with a vengeful Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) still on their tail.

Interview with the Vampire premieres May 12 on AMC and AMC+.

How to track your friends' location like Taylor Swift — and Scheana from 'Vanderpump Rules'

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 14:00

Scheana Shay from "Vanderpump Rules," the Bravo reality TV show that got even more popular after the "#Scandoval" firestorm, received a lot of flack after admitting that she tracks the location of 56 people.

And now, with the launch of Taylor Swift's 11th studio album,The Tortured Poet's Department, location tracking is getting even more attention, thanks to Swift admitting in a lyric to keeping tabs on an ex-boyfriend's location.

In "Black Dog," Swift revealed that her ex forgot to revoke her access for tracking his location, allowing her to see him walking into a bar called Black Dog.

SEE ALSO: The internet is 'Down Bad' for Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department'

With all of this hoopla about location tracking, you may be wondering how to do it yourself.

How to use your iPhone to track your friends' location

First off, it's important to note that you cannot track anyone's location without their permission. As such, before you can go about tracking anyone's location, the person will receive a prompt to allow you to access their whereabouts.

Here's a quick how-to on how to keep tabs on your friends — for safety, of course.

1. Tap on the "Messages" app. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable 2. Tap on the friend or loved one you'd like to track.3. Tap on the "+" button. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable 4. Hit "Location." Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable 5. You may get an "Allow 'Messages' to use your location" prompt. Hit "Allow While Using App." Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable 6. Tap on the blue arrow to send the location request. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

If your location request is accepted, you'll get a notification and see a small map that lets you see your loved one's current whereabouts.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

You can click on it to grab directions or share it with someone else.

Tesla recalls all 3,878 Cybertrucks due to stuck accelerator pedal issue

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 12:49

Imagine you're driving down the road in your brand new Tesla Cybertruck, and suddenly, the vehicle won't stop accelerating.

For some Cybertruck customers, this frightening scenario became a reality because of an accelerator pedal cover that would slide up and become lodged in the vehicle's interior trim. The cover would get stuck when the pedal was already pressed down, holding it in that position so that the car would continue to accelerate even if the driver took their foot off the pedal.

Now, Tesla has recalled every Cybertruck that has been delivered to a customer – all 3,878 of them.

SEE ALSO: Tesla Cybertruck production and deliveries were just halted. Here’s the likely reason. Cybertruck recalled

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla is recalling the Cybertruck due to "Unintended Acceleration from Trapped Pedal." The agency describes the issue as "a trapped accelerator pedal can cause the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash."

It's not completely out of the ordinary to see a Tesla vehicle being recalled. However, as Elon Musk fans and Tesla owners are usually quick to point out, those recalls usually require a fix that can be made with a software update. There's normally no need to bring your vehicle to a Tesla service location.

However, that's very much not the case with the Cybertruck. The accelerator pedal fix will require owners to take their vehicle to a Tesla service center.

The NHTSA says that Tesla intends to "replace or repair the accelerator pedal assembly, free of charge."

What is causing the problem? According to Tesla, during testing, it discovered that "an unapproved change introduced lubricant (soap) to aid in the component assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal" and that "residual lubricant reduced the retention of the pad to the pedal."

As previously reported, earlier this week, Tesla quietly stopped Cybertruck production and deliveries shortly after social media videos from Cybertruck customers who had experienced the accelerator pedal cover dislodging began to go viral.

According to the recall, Tesla first heard about the incident happening to a customer on March 31. Just days later, on April 3, another customer reported the same issue to the company.

Tesla says it decided to issue a recall on April 12. The company will be sending notification letters to current Cybertruck owners in the coming months. Cybertrucks that are awaiting delivery will receive the fix as well. Finally, Tesla is equipping Cybertruck vehicles in production with a new accelerator pedal component.

The Dyson V8 is back down to its lowest price ever at Amazon

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 12:49

Today's best Dyson vacuum deals include the V8 back down to its lowest price ever at Amazon. Check out our picks below.

Today's best Dyson vacuum deals as of April 19: Best vacuum for deep cleaning deal Dyson V11 Origin cordless vacuum $469.99 at Amazon (Save $100) Get Deal Best vacuum for a quick clean deal Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum $349.99 at Amazon (Save $120) Get Deal

While robot vacuums have redefined the way we clean our homes, there's still something to be said for tackling messes with the ease and power of a cordless vacuum. When it comes to choosing the best cordless vacuum, Dyson offers some of the most powerful and precise models available.

As of today, April 19, select Dyson vacuums are on sale at Amazon for up to 26% off. While both of our deal picks save you $100 or more, the Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum is at its lowest-ever price on record.

Best vacuum for deep cleaning deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Our pick: Dyson V11 Origin cordless vacuum $469.99 at Amazon
$569.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This powerful handheld vacuum is made for deep cleaning all kinds of surfaces, from carpet or hard floors to cars, upholstery, stairs, and pet beds. With a run time of 60 minutes, the Dyson V11 Origin cordless vacuum is prepared to tackle the whole house. Weighing only 6.6 lbs, it's easy to maneuver the Dyson V11. We appreciate that the Dyson V11 has three different cleaning modes and an easy-to-read LCD screen to help you navigate each one. Plus, it detangles wrapped hair as you clean so you don't have to fuss with it later.

Best vacuum for a quick clean deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Our pick: Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum $349.99 at Mashable
$469.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum is back down to its lowest price ever at just $349.99. Made for your everyday quick clean across all floor types, the Dyson V8 Plus has a run-time of 40 minutes with the ability to conserve energy and only use power where you need it. It comes with three different attachments to get your cleaning job done right, and you can choose between two different cleaning modes, powerful and max, making this an energy-saving and versatile pick.

iPad Air 2024: No OLED, but it’s tipped to get this big display upgrade

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 12:32

So much attention has gone towards the OLED displays reportedly coming to the new iPad Pro that we haven't spent much time thinking about the iPad Air that's supposed to launch alongside it.

We have reason to now, though. As spotted by MacRumors, Display Supply Chain Consultants CEO Ross Young shared a paywalled post on X outlining a big upgrade coming to the rumored 12.9-inch iPad Air that's reportedly launching in the next few weeks.

According to Young, Apple will outfit the new 12.9-inch iPad Air with a mini-LED display, similar to the current-gen iPad Pro of the same size. This is a step up from current-gen LCD model.

SEE ALSO: How to reset iPad How is mini-LED better than LCD?

Compared to LCD, mini-LED is better at showing deeper black levels, limiting power consumption, and increasing brightness in HDR content.

The only hangup here is that the smaller 10.9-inch iPad Air that's supposed to launch alongside the 12.9-inch model may not get this upgrade, per MacRumors. That's because Apple doesn't have another device of equivalent size to draw leftover displays from.

It's not as good as the OLED displays iPad Pro customers will get, but hey, it's something.

Get the Bose noise-canceling headphones 700 for $269

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 12:31

$130 OFF: As of April 19, the Bose noise-canceling headphones 700 are available for just $269 at B&H Photo Video, down from $399. That's $130 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose noise-canceling headphones 700 $269.00 at B&H Photo Video
$399.00 Save $130.00 Get Deal

If you're a Bose stan and are on the hunt for a new pair of headphones that'll give you the power to block out the world (when you want to), you're going to love this deal.

As of April 19, you can score a pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones 700 for just $269 at B&H Photo and Video. Here's why that's actually a really good price: At B&H, $269 gets you a $130 discount off the retail price of $399. (It's also $10 away from their lowest price ever recorded on the market.)

SEE ALSO: Our 8 favorite noise-cancelling headphones that actually work

These same headphones are priced higher at other retailers: $360 at Best Buy and $379 at Amazon. Even the Bose website can't match this deal.

The Bose noise-canceling headphones 700 feature 11 customizable levels of noise cancellation, so you can choose just how much background noise you want to block out. They're also Bluetooth enabled, so you can connect to your phone or other devices without dealing with a bunch of wires. They have a 20-hour battery life, which means you can enjoy uninterrupted music or podcast listening for hours on end.

'Big Mood' review: A brilliant dramedy that captures friendship and mental health in all its messiness

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 12:13

"God, if I could finally get a big Le Creuset, things might really turn around for me."

It's a lofty, quick fix pitched by Nicola Coughlan's Big Mood character Maggie, in a depressive episode sitting on the couch on her 30th birthday. And reader, there is no way I haven't had that thought myself.

Written and created by playwright Camilla Whitehill, Big Mood navigates friendship and mental health, in particular the nuances of bipolar disorder and unprocessed grief. But it's also really fucking funny. As the show's core best friends, Bridgerton/Derry Girls star Coughlan and It's a Sin star Lydia West are utterly brilliant, embodying Whitehill's poignant, pop culture-seasoned script and delivering vulnerable, hilarious, and often justifiably infuriated performances.

SEE ALSO: 'This Way Up' captures loneliness like nothing ever before

With director Rebecca Asher at the helm, who's worked on everything from Dead to Me to Grace and Frankie, Big Mood is the type of show that allows women in their 30s to be gloriously flawed, to mess up and apologise, to be silly and joyous, to suddenly have to take your health seriously and work through life's unexpected garbage while screaming Avril Lavigne's "Nobody's Home" in the car with your best friend.

What is Big Mood about? 🎶She wants to go hooooome but nobody's home🎶 Credit: Channel 4

Set in London, the series hinges on best friends Maggie (Coughlan) and Eddie (West), taking on a new decade of their lives and all the social expectation that comes with it. They're the type of BFFs who dream up Love Actually themed parties down to the detail. They eat gummies and day-drink tequila at a pagan Ostara festival in the woods. They've seen each other wearing adult diapers during headliner sets at Bestival. But they're not impervious to the challenges of friendship, as the events of Big Mood attest.

Maggie is an ambitious playwright turning 30, who's trying to keep her agent happy while experiencing both manic and depressive episodes associated with her bipolar disorder. Eddie, a no-filter bar manager, is struggling to keep her late father's rat-inhabited Hackney pub afloat — the viscerally named Wet Mouth. She's running it with her brother Jay (The Midwich Cuckoos' Ukweli Roach) and one pretty lousy staff member: The Witcher's Eamon Farren as the privileged son of an earl somehow named Klent, stealing most of his scenes with a "there are no small parts" mentality.

Together, Eddie and Maggie face some genuinely tough moments, especially when Eddie's manipulative ex Jonah (Slow Horses' Max Bennett) rampages back into her life after his "discovery journey". Through these challenges, Big Mood focuses on how friends respond to each other's needs, for better or worse.

Big Mood compassionately unpacks mental health and friendship That's friendship. Credit: Channel 4

Like its lauded British contemporaries Aisling Bea's This Way Up, Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You, Phoebe Waller Bridge's Fleabag, Daisy May Cooper's Am I Being Unreasonable?, and Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper's I Hate Suzie, Whitehill's Big Mood allows its leading women to be complex, flawed, and dynamic, doing their best to figure it all out under the weight of societal expectation and unprocessed trauma. Finding light in the darkness takes a bloody miracle, and these shows nail it.

Particularly akin to Bea's This Way Up and its compassionate portrayal of mental health, Big Mood shows Maggie's experience with bipolar disorder seeing her mood moving between euphoric highs and emotional lows. Here, Whitehall's script bestows Maggie with frank relatability and frustration, as she tells her psychiatrist, "I wish I could think my way out of my bipolar disorder, I wish I could use a meditation app or go for a walk or use an expensive vitamin regime and be grand. But I can't." Maggie often goes to creative lengths to to avoid addressing her health. Throughout the series, she gets through episodes of mania and depression, then begins to experience hallucinations and dissociative moments. She furiously googles schizophrenia and spends a lot of time intensely focused on Ron Howard's film A Beautiful Mind. A series highlight, episode 6 is a brilliantly edited and performed analysis of Maggie's growing disconnection with time and memory, and Coughlan is straight-up spectacular in this final chapter.

Not relegated to a support role by any means, Eddie has her own mental health to navigate, burying her unprocessed grief and finding herself back in an emotionally and financially manipulative relationship with her toxic ex. Knowing the lengths women will go to to be "polite", it's deeply refreshing to see West let loose as Eddie, telling people to "eat shit" right to their faces. Throughout the series, Eddie is notably lambasted by the men in her life for supporting Maggie, who they tend to demonise. Here, the show does make a point to show Eddie's steadfast care for her best friend through her complex mental health journey, however, West's character isn't required to be an all-time hero here. Eddie gets frustrated and doesn't understand Maggie's perspective every time, and the pair both struggle to genuinely ask for help when they most need it (or are in the right headspace to give it).

Big Mood's script is hilariously pop culture smart "Why does everything cost money and why don't we have cheat codes like in 'The Sims'?" Credit: Channel 4

Heaving with pop culture and Young Millennial references, Whitehill's script feels authentic, hilarious, and modern — it's not quite the reference-a-minute we know and love from Gilmore Girls but it's fast paced and lands every time. Maggie's aforementioned lament over her lack of Le Creuset is delivered by Coughlan without an ounce of irony. You'll want to scramble to write down some of Whitehall's more audacious lines:

"The fuckboy pound has become surprisingly strong since they all became social media managers."

"You look weird. Have you been at a new money wedding?"

"Why does everything cost money and why don't we have cheat codes like in The Sims?"

Like our favourite Stars Hollow residents, Maggie and Eddie use their obsession with pop culture as weapons; in episode 1, Eddie introduces herself as "Adele Dazeem, Maggie's publicist" with nobody blinking an eyelid. But Whitehill doesn't just bolster Maggie and Eddie's bond through these relatable quips, also wielding humour and lightness to guide the characters and the audience through some major conversations around mental health with relatable realism.

As a compact but impactful series, Big Mood approaches the experiences of friendship and mental health with empathy and crisp comedy, with West and Coughlan on top of their game. At just six episodes, we want much, much more of Big Mood.

How to watch: Big Mood is now streaming on All4 in the UK and Tubi in the U.S.

If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988; the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860; or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. In the UK, contact the Samaritans free on 116 123. In the U.S., text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat at crisischat.org. Here is a list of international resources.

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