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At CES 2025, AI was everywhere — especially when it came to laptops. We were impressed by many of the AI laptops that were revealed at this year's show, including offerings from Asus, Acer, Lenovo, and many more, as well as the announcement of Qualcomm's budget-level AI chip in the Snapdragon X. But how can you actually get your hands on one of these new-wave machines?
SEE ALSO: Best Windows laptops for 2025: Our top pick lasts longer than the M4 MacBook ProThe answer in most cases is that you're going to have to wait a tad bit longer to pick one up for yourself, but fortunately, a few of them are available to purchase — or preorder at the very least. Take a look below and check out some of our favorite AI laptops from CES 2025 that you can start shopping as we speak.
Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition $1,459.99 at LenovoOne of the best new convertible laptops from CES 2025, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition is available on Lenovo's storefront. New and improved AI processing, an updated Yoga Pen stylus, and a sleek design make this 2-in-1 an exciting prospect for the future of AI-assisted convertible laptops. We're excited to get our hands on this one to put it to the test soon.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Swift Go 14 AI $837.99 at Best BuyEquipped with one of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Plus chips, the Acer Swift Go 14 AI is a Copilot+ PC that won't completely break the bank at $999. The compact machine comes with a decent suite of specs at this price as well, including 1TB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and a Full HD, 120Hz display. Not only is this laptop available to purchase, it's already gone on sale.
Asus ZenBook A14 and ROG Flow Z13 Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ZenBook A14 $1,099.99 at AsusThe Asus ZenBook A14 was the best AI laptop overall that we saw at CES 2025 — Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel got her hands on the laptop, highlighting its light and sleek design, promises of a long battery life, and a beautiful OLED display. On Asus' gaming side of things, the ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming-focused tablet that employs AMD's new line of Ryzen AI Max+ processors. We didn't get to test this one out, but we're certainly looking forward to it.
TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 AFL for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Aussie Rules is a uniquely fast-paced and physical game that provides entertainment to millions of fans every week, but for whatever reason, this entertaining sport hasn't traveled well outside of Australia. We think this should change, because we firmly believe that the rest of the world would absolutely love footy.
If you want to watch the 2025 AFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
What is the AFL?The Australian Football League (AFL) is the leading professional competition of Aussie Rules Football.
SEE ALSO: How to watch the Champions League online for freeThe AFL currently consists of 18 teams spread over Australia's five mainland states. The league features 23 rounds in the regular season, with the team with the best record awarded the minor premiership. The top eight teams from the regular season standings compete in a four-round finals series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final.
The defending champions are the Brisbane Lions.
When is the 2025 AFL?The 2025 AFL season is the 129th edition of the Australian Football League. This season runs from March 6 to Sept. 27.
How to watch the 2025 AFL for freeEvery round of the 2025 AFL is available to live stream for free on 7plus. This free coverage includes matches on 23 Thursday nights, 24 Friday nights, State Footy Saturdays, 25 Sunday afternoons, five Sunday nights, plus every game in the Finals Series including the AFL Grand Final.
7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, 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 Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the AFL from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2025 AFL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit 7plus
Live stream the 2025 AFL for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2025 AFL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select AFL fixtures before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for 7plus?ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7plus, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 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.
Live stream the 2025 AFL for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Pakistan and New Zealand came together for the first 2025 ICC Champions Trophy fixture, and now it's the turn of the other half of Group A: Bangladesh and India. Only two sides will progress from Group A to the knockout rounds, so every game is hugely important.
If you want to watch Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Bangladesh vs. India?Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy starts at 4 a.m. ET on Feb. 20. This ODI takes place at the Dubai International Stadium.
How to watch Bangladesh vs. India for freeThe following platforms are offering coverage of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy:
Australia — Prime Video (free with 30-day trial)
India — Disney+ Hotstar
New Zealand — Sky TV NZ
UK — Sky Sports
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is available to live stream for free in Pakistan. The free streaming platforms are geo-restricted to Pakistan, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Pakistan, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Pakistan
Live stream Bangladesh vs. India for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Bangladesh vs. India (plus every other 2025 ICC Champions Trophy game) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for live sport?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan
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 free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free with ExpressVPN.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 20 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 20 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Together for the presentThese words are popular among married couples.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThe words are traditional gifts and the year they are gifted.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Anniversary.
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for February 20First
Paper
Fiftieth
Gold
Sixtieth
Diamond
Anniversary
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, 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 the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. 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 deletedEach 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 deletedPlayers 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 Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Played on grass, maybe in a backyard
Green: Nascar-related
Blue: Runs in the family
Purple: Athletes turned comedians
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Lawn games
Green: Parts of a racetrack
Blue: Members of the Manning family
Purple: Athletes to guest host 'SNL'
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 today's Connections Sports Edition #150 is...
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition todayLawn games - BOCCE, CORNHOLE, CROQUET, KANJAM
Parts of a racetrack - INFIELD, PITS, STRAIGHTAWAY, TURN
Members of the Manning family - ARCH, COOPER, ELI, PEYTON
Athletes to guest host 'SNL' - BRADY, PHELPS, ROUSEY, WATT
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.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games 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 today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable 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 deletedEach 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 deletedPlayers 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.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 20 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Signs of warning or emergency
Green: Ways to stay overnight
Blue: Things related to dawn
Purple: Shapes associated with popular South Korean Netflix show
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Alert
Green: Spend The Night (At)
Blue: Associated with Early Morning
Purple: Cookie Cutter Shapes in "Squid Game"
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 today's Connections #620 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayAlert: ALARM, FLARE, SIGNAL, SOS
Spend The Night (At): BUNK, CRASH, SLEEP, STAY
Associated with Early Morning: DEW, ROSTER, SUNRISE, WORM
Cookie Cutter Shapes in "Squid Game": CIRCLE, STAR, TRIANGLE, UMBRELLA
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.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 20Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
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 today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: 8NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for February 20 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.
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 was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
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.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 19, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Gross, annoying bug.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no reoccurring letters.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter R.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...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 today's Wordle is...
ROACH.
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.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 20Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
Elon Musk may be the biggest beneficiary of Donald Trump's re-election, surpassing even Trump himself.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Musk's social media platform X is currently looking to raise money from investors at a valuation of $44 billion. If that number sounds familiar, it's because that's precisely what Musk paid for the company formerly known as Twitter when he acquired it in October 2022.
In the years since Musk took over and rebranded the entire platform as X, its revenue has plummeted by nearly half of what it made as Twitter. That's billions of dollars in lost revenue.
Musk, alongside his financial backers, now seems to have overpaid for the company. One investor, Fidelity, calculated in September of last year that its investment had lost 79 percent of its value compared to when Musk acquired it.
However, the U.S. presidential election changed the game. Musk threw his support behind Trump, establishing a PAC to back the Republican candidate with hundreds of millions of dollars. That investment paid off when Trump won. Now, Trump has appointed Musk to oversee the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), granting him significant influence over federal spending.
SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's DOGE.gov website can apparently be edited by anyoneMusk's companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, have secured billions of dollars in government funding over the years. However, his close relationship with President Trump is now benefiting his businesses in ways beyond government contracts.
Since Musk took over X, the platform has seen a significant loss in advertisers due to content issues and some of Musk's own controversial statements. Nevertheless, after the election, some advertisers have signaled their return. While it's unclear how much they'll spend compared to previous campaigns, notable brands like Apple have begun running ads on X for the first time in years.
Additionally, some investors in Musk's X, who were struggling to sell off their debt, recently found success. Bloomberg reports that some were able to offload billions of dollars of this debt at "no discount to face value," meaning they likely got back most if not all of what they put in.
With X preparing to enable financial transactions on the platform and integrate Musk's AI company, xAI, and its Grok chatbot, the company is now seeking funds at the same $44 billion valuation Musk originally "overpaid." Thanks to Trump's election, Musk is now in a stronger position to raise the necessary capital.
Meta announced some new policies for Facebook live broadcasts and it's going to lead to a lot of deleted videos.
On Tuesday, the company announced in a blog post that all Facebook live broadcasts will only stay on Facebook Pages or profiles for 30 days, after which they'll be deleted and removed from Facebook. The new policy goes into effect starting on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
All user's live videos older than 30 days won't immediately be deleted and removed from Facebook but users will need to act fast if they want to keep them.
"Before your archival live videos are deleted, you will be notified by email and in the app, and from then you'll have 90 days to download or transfer your content," the blog post read, noting that the platform is "launching new tools to make downloading your previous live videos easier."
SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on Meta's submission to TrumpIf you'd like to keep your live videos, you have a few options. You can download them to your personal device individually or in bulk, transfer them to your cloud storage individually or in bulk, or convert the videos into a new Reel.
It's unclear why Meta is making this change, but it comes at a time in which the company is prioritizing vertical videos and Reels. Pressuring users into converting their live videos into reels lest they be lost forever could be seen as a pretty transparent move.
SAVE UP TO 70%: We found the best post-V-Day sex toy deals. Save up to 70% on products from Lovehoney, Lovers, Babeland, FemmeFunn, and more.
If you’ve been feeling underappreciated since Valentine’s Day (it happens to the best of us), a little retail therapy could be the pick-me-up you need.
Right now, you can find discounts of up to 70% off vibrators, dildos, cock rings, lube, and more at major online retailers, including some of my personal faves like Lovers and Le Wand.
Here are the best sex toy deals to shop now and cure that V-Day hangover:
Lovehoney Opens in a new window Credit: Lovehoney Get up to 70% off at Lovehoney Shop Now Why we like itIf you’re looking for a deal on sex toys, Lovehoney is the place to shop. This retailer has literally hundreds (if not thousands) of options, all for an affordable price. Right now, you can get up to 70% off clearance items, including bestsellers like the Lovehoney Extra Powerful Multispeed Wand Vibrator and Womanizer Premium Clitoral Stimulator.
Lovehoney is great for finding a wide variety of toys at all price points (for beginners and pros). Plus, they have fast and discreet shipping — which is free on orders of $49 or more.
Lovers Opens in a new window Credit: Lovers Get up to 20% off at Lovers Shop Now Why we like itLovers is one of my absolute favorite online sex toy retailers, full stop. The selection is always top-notch, the prices are reasonable, and the site is super user-friendly. Plus, the Playboy Pleasure collection keeps me coming back for more (pun definitely intended).
Speaking of, now through March 1, you can get up to 15% off all Playboy Pleasure items with the code PLAY15 and 20% off sex chocolates with the code SWEET. There’s also one more day left to get 20% off solo toys with the code FORME.
FemmeFunn Opens in a new window Credit: FemmeFunn Discounted bundles at FemmeFunn Shop Now Why we like itThis brand’s kind of an honorable mention on this list. FemmeFunn’s been around for 10 years, but they don’t get nearly enough credit for their really well-made, innovative toys. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re responsible for creating the first-ever fully silicone bullet vibrator — no seams for bacteria to hide in, just power and fun.
Right now, you can score the Happy Hour Bundle (a panty vibe and double cock ring) for just $99.99 (originally $134.74), or you can get the Intro to Funn Bundle (a rabbit vibe, wand vibe, and bullet vibe) for $209.97 (originally $259.97).
More sex toy dealsAdam & Eve: Get 45% off one item with code TAKE45 + clearance sale
Babeland: Get up to 70% off sex toys
Good Vibes: Get up to 70% off sex toys
Le Wand: Get up to 70% off sex toys
MysteryVibe: Get up to 35% off sex toys
Zumio: Get up to 30% off sitewide
It seems like there's been a new air-travel incident every day under President Donald Trump's new administration.
Most notably, last month, a U.S. Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people. It was the first fatal crash of a U.S. airliner in some 16 years. On Monday, a Delta flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport flipped as it landed in Toronto. There was the deadly high-profile crash of a medical jet in Philly, a fatal wreck in Alaska, and, just today, a fatal plane collision in Arizona.
SEE ALSO: Why Elon Musk is part of the controversy involving D.C.'s deadly plane crashThis is happening as Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) fire hundreds of employees at the Federal Aviation Administration. So, naturally, folks are a bit nervous about flying. And since it's 2025, they're expressing their anxiety through jokes and memes online.
Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deletedfolks my flight is about to take off and it's been an honor to be woke with you
— Sen. Lemon Gogurt (@ugarles.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 2:05 PM"hey siri, what is the quickest path i could take to destroy the confidence that keeps commercial passenger flight viable?"
[image or embed]
Maybe I wasn’t clear about this. I wanted more egg and no plane crash, not many plane crash and no egg.
— Tim Onion (@bencollins.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 6:28 PMme in 2077: what people forget is that there were a half dozen plane crashes each month before the Great AI Plane Skyfall of 2025 grandson: wow so everybody thought AI was going to fix all of that? me: haha what? oh. no. not even kind of. No
— Tim Onion (@bencollins.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 7:57 PMSo yes, everyone is nervous about plane crashes. But at least the internet has jokes.
From Woman of the Hour to Apple Cider Vinegar, movies and TV shows based on true crime stories have become a staple of the entertainment landscape, for better or for worse. Hulu's upcoming Good American Family is yet another addition to the genre, dramatizing the true story of Natalia Grace.
Good American Family introduces us to Kristine and Michael Barnett (Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass). The two adopt Natalia Grace (Imogen Faith Reid), a Ukrainian-born orphan with a rare form of dwarfism. In the trailer above, Kristine becomes unnerved by Natalia Grace's behavior and soon raises questions about her true age.
This story has already been the subject of the documentary series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which examined Natalia Grace's time with multiple families and the abuse she faced there. How will Good American Family tackle these tricky themes? According to Hulu, the series is "told from multiple points of view, as a means to explore issues of perspective, bias, and trauma."
TL;DR: Learn ethical hacking, penetration testing, and cybersecurity with lifetime access to 18 courses, on sale for A$55 until 30 March at the Mashable Shop.
This ethical hacking bundle offers a lifetime of learning for those eager to master this critical and in-demand skill set. With 18 courses and 132 hours of content, this A$55 online course bundle (sale ending 30 March) covers a wide variety of cybersecurity topics, from beginner-friendly basics to advanced penetration testing.
Dive into practical lessons that teach real-world techniques, like exploiting vulnerabilities, safeguarding networks, and building custom tools using Python. Courses such as "Complete Python 3 Ethical Hacking" walk you through coding your own backdoor tools and automating repetitive security tasks, while "Hacking Wireless Networks" teaches you to identify and protect against vulnerabilities in WiFi environments. These are hands-on experiences tailored for those who want to go beyond theory and practice in safe lab environments.
For those interested in web security, the bundle offers in-depth training in tackling vulnerabilities like SQL injections and cross-site scripting, using tools like Burp Suite to run penetration tests and secure applications. You’ll also explore Metasploit, the industry-standard framework for penetration testing, giving you the skills to identify and fix system weaknesses.
Even if you’re just starting out, courses like "Ethical Hacker Certification" make it easy to build foundational skills while setting you up for common industry certifications. Meanwhile, "Bug Bounty: Web Hacking" introduces you to earning money by identifying and fixing vulnerabilities for major companies.
Whether you’re an IT professional, a cybersecurity enthusiast, or a beginner ready to jump into the field, this bundle gives you the tools to succeed.
With a one-time payment of A$55, you’ll gain lifetime access to a wealth of knowledge and resources in this comprehensive ethical hacking course bundle — all designed to help you protect, analyze, and improve systems like a pro.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce The All-in-One Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundle A$55.00 at the Mashable ShopTL;DR: Get a PDF Converter Pro lifetime license for A$37 with code SAVE20 at checkout for a limited time (reg. A$157). Works on Windows and Mac.
PDFs are supposed to make life easier, but anyone who’s ever touched one can testify the opposite. Like when you need to convert a PDF for editing, more often than not the format turns into a jumbled mess, especially if you’re using those free online tools.
We know paying for a PDF tool probably isn’t what you had in mind when becoming an adult, but it’s a necessary evil. PDF Converter Pro keeps your file formats intact and gives you other essential features without recurring fees. Use code SAVE20 at checkout to download it to your PC or Mac for life for just A$37 (reg. A$157).
No more PDF-related headachesSo, you’re back in the job market and found your old resume, but it’s saved as a PDF. Instead of wrestling with other tools or retyping your job experience in Word, just use PDF Converter Pro to convert the PDF to Word without losing formatting. Then, update your resume in peace.
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Or maybe you have a paper resume you don’t feel like typing up. Scan it, upload it to PDF Converter Pro, and extract text using OCR technology. That means AI recognizes the text, so you can copy and paste it into programs like Microsoft Word.
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Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker PDF Converter Pro: Lifetime License A$37.002025 is a big year for presidential crises in film and TV.
SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream themHulu's Paradise opens with a president's murder. The upcoming thriller G20 sees a U.S. president fighting through a hostage crisis. Captain America: Brave New World ends with the president hulking out and wrecking the White House. Now, Netflix and Shondaland's upcoming whodunnit The Residence adds to that trend by focusing on a murder that takes place at the White House during a state dinner.
This time, the victim isn't the president. It's A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), the White House's chief usher. On the case is Detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), who must reluctantly join forces with FBI agent Edwin Park (Randall Park) in order to crack the case. Check out the trailer above for a taste of The Residence's delicious screwball vibes and its sprawling cast, which includes pop icon Kylie Minogue as herself.
SAVE $300: As of Feb. 19, get the Asus ProArt PZ13 Laptop for $799.99, down from its usual price of $1,099.99 at Best Buy. That's a 31% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Asus ProArt PZ13 Laptop $799.99 at Best BuyWhether you're working on a slide deck or you need to mock up a homepage design, having a laptop that can do everything you need it to while on the go is important. A 2-in-1 can handle all of those things and more, and can transform into a more portable form factor like a tablet if you need it to. The Microsoft Surface lineup is great for that reason, but if you find it a bit too expensive, there's another option you might want to turn to, and it's on sale right now.
As of Feb. 19, you can get the Asus ProArt PZ13 Laptop for just $799.99, down from its usual price of $1,099.99 at Best Buy. That's $300 off and a discount of 31%.
SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2025 no matter your budgetThis Copilot+ PC is detachable, meaning you can remove the keyboard and turn it into a tablet, or use it like a regular laptop, so you've got options when it comes to portability. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus under the hood with 16GB of RA and a 1TB SSD to hold all your documents and files, so it's spacious with plenty of power to handle whatever you need it to do.
It features an OLED touchscreen, great for art-centric tasks, and Qualcomm X Elite Adreno graphics to ensure all your colors are crisp and accurate, and any other visuals look great, too. Plus, its AI-enhanced creative features and beefy battery ensure you've got plenty of time to work on all the things your heart desires.
If you're tired of lugging around a regular laptop with its size constraints, it might be time to make the switch, especially when you can score this Surface-like alternative at a lower price.
Everyone on all of my social feeds is going wild for Avowed, the new open-world RPG from Obsidian, the folks behind Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. A lot of people playing a fairly hardcore RPG means a lot of people having anxiety over character creation, though, so allow me to help.
When you start up a new game in Avowed, you're given some choices that seem extremely meaningful, and thus, are kind of scary to make. Specifically, you choose a fictional background for your character, which confers role-playing bonuses, starting stats, and even affects which weapon you start the game with. Sounds important, right?
Well, the good news is that your starting background doesn't matter that much in Avowed. That needs to be said and emphasized as much as possible before we get into what you get from each background. You can choose any background and still have the experience with Avowed that you want to have. Here's how it all works.
SEE ALSO: 'Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii' review: A nautical delight How backgrounds in Avowed workWhen you create a character in Avowed, you're given a choice between five backgrounds:
Court Augur
Arcane Scholar
Vanguard Scout
Noble Scion
War Hero
Each of these backgrounds gives you a few sentences of backstory to work with, but that's not all. Every background has a default set of stats spread across the six primary attributes you'll level up in Avowed: Constitution, Might, Intellect, Dexterity, Perception, and Resolve. On top of that, your selected background dictates what weapon you start the game with in the tutorial zone.
There are a couple of crucial things to note before we move on. First, the starting stats for each background are merely suggestions; like any old-school RPG, you can fiddle with these during character creation as you see fit, so you're not locked into your background's default statistical profile. Second, the point about backgrounds dictating your starting weapon is only a concern during the 45-minute tutorial sequence. After that, you can use whatever weapons and wear whatever armor you want.
SEE ALSO: The best 'Starfield' traits and background to pick for your new characterOnce Avowed properly gets started, you have total freedom over how you allocate skill points and approach combat. Your background doesn't necessarily have anything to do with that, unless you want it to for role-playing reasons. Role-playing should be your primary motivator for picking a background, because the most meaningful thing it gets you over the course of a full playthrough is occasional an dialogue choice you wouldn't get if you chose another background.
What each background in Avowed gets youWith all of that in mind, let's talk about which background is right for you. Again, this is primarily a role-playing choice, so I can't tell you what to choose, exactly. But I can at least lay out what each background does and give some broad recommendations.
Court AugurIs your favorite Lord of the Rings character Grima Wormtongue? Court Augur might be the background for you. The backstory here is that you're a supernaturally perceptive sort who wound up as the emperor's personal mystic, with a penchant for influencing matters from the shadows. Your starting weapon will be a mace, so I hope you enjoy bashing dudes in the head.
Court Augurs get small bonuses to Perception, Dexterity, Intellect, and Resolve. If you stick to those attributes, your character will be best suited for agile, ranged confrontations rather than brute force. Speaking from personal experience, that's kind of a tough way to play Avowed because you can die rather easily, but it's a lot of fun, too.
Arcane ScholarArcane Scholar is probably the easiest background to explain: you're a nerd. This is the background I chose because it gives you a lot of dialogue options where you get to be a know-it-all egghead about basically anything. Arcane Scholars start with daggers.
Statistically, an Arcane Scholar starts with bonuses to Might, Perception, Dexterity, Intellect, and Resolve. It's a pretty well-rounded background, and might be my personal recommendation if you simply can't make a choice on your own. You can turn that statistical profile into basically any style of play.
Vanguard ScoutDo you tire of court intrigue and just wish you could hang out in the woods instead? Vanguard Scout might be the background for you. As the emperor's personal hunter and tracker, nothing will get past your keen senses of perception. Vanguard Scouts start with axes.
If you go this route, you'll get small bonuses to all six base attributes, but mostly Constitution, Dexterity, and Perception. Vanguard Scouts are survivable and smart, in other words.
Noble ScionDo you live for court intrigue? Allow me to introduce you to Noble Scion, the rich kid starting background in Avowed. Noble Scions start with swords in the tutorial area.
This is another background that gets stat points in all six attributes to start, but the main points of emphasis are Might, Constitution, Dexterity, and Perception. You'll have a little bit of brawn to go along with your brains, making this a pretty good starting background for any type of player, as well.
War HeroLast but not least, War Hero is exactly what you think it is. You're an elite spearman in service of the emperor, with a distinguished record of battlefield successes. Obviously, your starting weapon will be a spear.
War Heroes get big bonuses right away to Resolve, Might and Constitution, so this is definitely the background for aggressive, in-your-face fighters who don't want to bother as much with magic or ranged weapons.
Again, it needs to be said that none of these choices are necessarily binding when it comes to the Avowed gameplay experience. You can play however you want to play with any starting background. All it changes, in the aggregate, are dialogue choices. But if you've been struggling to make a choice, hopefully this helped.
Condolences to the final holdouts for Apple's iconic home button. The tech giant announced a new iPhone on Wednesday, the iPhone 16e, and with it comes the apparent demise of the home button.
As Mashable's Stan Schroeder wrote, the announcement "likely means the iPhone SE, which was widely expected for today, has been retired in favor of the iPhone 16e" — that shift, Schroeder noted, would be "a pretty huge deal." One reason why? The newly announced 16e, unlike the iPhone SE, does not have the home button.
SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 16e is the new affordable Apple phoneApple's cheaper SE line was the last bastion of home button aficionados. The 16e, while also a relatively budget option, falls in line with the rest of Apple's iPhone lineup by swapping out the button for a full-screen experience.
SEE ALSO: Here's when you can preorder the new Apple iPhone 16eThe new iPhone 16e promises a large display, excellent battery life, and the ability to use Apple Intelligence, among other features.
All those features aside, folks online have already begun paying tribute to the deceased home button.
Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deletedIt's the end of an Apple era. But, honestly, Face ID works well enough that it should be a pretty smooth transition for just about everyone.
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