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Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 27

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 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 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: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for November 27 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 November 27 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Informal words.

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 S.

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...

SLANG.

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 November 26

Reporting 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.

The best live Black Friday TV deals in Australia

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 21:42

Need a new TV? You will find the lowest prices, and biggest cash savings, during Black Friday! Here are the best TV deals we've found in Australia.

Best LG TV dealsBest Sony Bravia TV dealsBest Hisense Black Friday TV dealsBest Samsung Black Friday TV dealsBest TCL Black Friday TV dealsWhat is Black Friday?

Black Friday, originally a U.S. tradition, has steadily grown in popularity in Australia over the past few years. Since the 1950s, American stores have offered substantial discounts on their merchandise the day after Thanksgiving. This tradition has evolved into a global shopping event, with Black Friday now recognised worldwide.

Cyber Monday, a more recent addition to the holiday weekend, emerged as online retailers aimed to capitalise on the Black Friday frenzy. As the distinction between traditional and online shopping fades, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have merged into a unified week of deals.

When is Black Friday in 2024?

Black Friday 2024 takes place on Friday, Nov. 29, and Cyber Monday takes place on Monday, Dec. 2. However, the whole week prior has now become informally known as 'Black Friday Week', and early deals begin to pop up throughout this week and even earlier. Amazon, for example, kicked their sale off on Nov. 19, and are running deals into Cyber Monday.

What TV deals will Australians see in 2024?

We are expecting a huge range of TV deals from leading retailers this year, so get excited to see heavy discounts on TVs from the likes of Sony Bravia, Hisense, LG, and many more top brands. You will likely be able to find deals on small screens, enormous 8K models, and everything in between.

Pretty much every leading tech retailers will start dropping deals from the start of November, so be sure to look at the likes of Amazon, The Good Guys. Bing Lee and JB Hi-Fi, all of whom have a history of impressive Black Friday TV deals. But it isn't just these retailers: Pretty much every site will offer some big savings during this busy shopping season, so if you don't see what you are looking for from one retailer, stay calm and move onto the next. Patience is key during the Black Friday season.

What are the best items to buy on Black Friday/Cyber Monday?

You should expect huge discounts on big-ticket items like laptops, Hi-Fi, consoles and TVs. There also seems to be a slant towards gadgets and gift items, which makes sense with the holidays around the corner. Online retailers like Amazon, Kogan and Ebay will have strong deals in all categories. However, keep an eye out specifically for the following products:

  • Appliances: Retailers like The Good Guys and Bing Lee always go big on Black Friday, dropping prices on pretty much everything they stock. You can expect deals on washing machines, fridges, freezers, kettles, toasters, and much more. If you're looking to stock up on appliances for your home, these sites should be your first stop.

  • Games consoles: Finding consoles has been a proper headache over the last couple of years, but things are definitely improving in Australia, with PS5 bundles being readily available on Amazon. That means there should be opportunities to pick up deals games and accessories for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PS5 this year.

  • Smartphones: Amazon always offers plenty of impressive deals on all sorts of smartphones.

  • Toys: Black Friday is probably the best time of the year to shop for toys. The most in-demand toys will sell out fast in the run-up to Christmas, so this is a great opportunity to get in early. We recommend checking out Amazon for the best deals on Lego, especially for the massively popular Star Wars and Harry Potter sets.

  • TVs: Black Friday is all about big deals on the biggest products, and that means TVs. We expect pretty much all of the leading retailers to offer fantastic deals on TVs of all sizes from top brands like Sony, Samsung, LG, and Panasonic. It's best to shop around for the best TV deals, because there are going to be so many, but you can't go wrong with The Good Guys, Bing Lee or Kogan.

  • VPNs: Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, are a fairly new addition to the Black Friday shopping scene, but there are some good deals available, especially by Cyber Monday. Cybersecurity is increasingly important, and VPNs offer online protection for your identity and data. All the leading services are likely to offer discounted rates over the week, and you should be able to find good deals on the likes of NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and CyberGhost VPN.

Be sure to also be on the look out for deals on travel, subscription services, and laptops, because these are likely to feature heavily throughout this shopping season.

The best Black Friday robot vacuum deals in Australia

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 20:37

You won't find a better time to pick up a robot vacuum on the cheap than Black Friday. Here are the top Aussie robovac deals we've spotted this year so far:

Best ECOVACS Black Friday dealsBest iRobot Black Friday dealsBest other Black Friday robot vacuum dealsWhat is Black Friday?

Black Friday was originally a U.S. tradition, but is now very much a thing in all Western markets across the globe. In short, it has become the biggest period of sales for all retailers in all categories, to help clear our stock in the lead-up to the new year.

Meanhile, Cyber Monday is a recent addition to the Black Friday weekend, taking place the following Monday (in 2025, that's Dec. 2), but is more focused on online retailers. As the lines blur between commerce and e-commerce these days, Black Friday/Cyber Monday has become one connected week of deals.

When is Black Friday in 2024?

Black Friday 2024 officially takes place this Friday, Nov. 29, with Cyber Monday on Dec. 2. However, the whole week prior has now become informally known as 'Black Friday Week', and early deals begin to pop up throughout this week and even earlier. Amazon, for example, kicked their sale off on Nov. 19, and are running deals all the way up to Dec. 2.

What are the best items to buy on Black Friday/Cyber Monday?

You should expect huge discounts on big-ticket items like laptops, Hi-Fi, consoles and TVs. There also seems to be a slant towards gadgets and gift items, which makes sense with the holidays around the corner. Online retailers like Amazon, Kogan and Ebay will have strong deals in all categories. However, keep an eye out specifically for the following products:

  • Appliances: Retailers like The Good Guys and Bing Lee always go big on Black Friday, dropping prices on pretty much everything they stock. You can expect deals on washing machines, fridges, freezers, kettles, toasters, and much more. If you're looking to stock up on appliances for your home, these sites should be your first stop.

  • Games consoles: Finding console availability has been a total over the last couple of years, but things are definitely improving in Australia, with PS5 bundles being readily available on Amazon. That means there should be opportunities to pick up deals games and accessories for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PS5 this year.

  • Smartphones: Amazon always offers plenty of impressive deals on all sorts of smartphones.

  • Toys: Black Friday is probably the best time of the year to shop for toys. The most in-demand toys will sell out fast in the run-up to Christmas, so this is a great opportunity to get in early. We recommend checking out Amazon for the best deals on Lego, especially for the massively popular Star Wars and Harry Potter sets.

  • TVs: Black Friday is all about big deals on the biggest products, and that means TVs. We expect pretty much all of the leading retailers to offer fantastic deals on TVs of all sizes from top brands like Sony, Samsung, LG, and Panasonic. It's best to shop around for the best TV deals, because there are going to be so many, but you can't go wrong with The Good Guys, Bing Lee or Kogan.

  • VPNs: Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, are a fairly new addition to the Black Friday shopping scene, but there are some good deals available, especially by Cyber Monday. Cybersecurity is increasingly important, and VPNs offer online protection for your identity and data. All the leading services are likely to offer discounted rates over the week, and you should be able to find good deals on the likes of NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and CyberGhost VPN.

Be sure to also be on the look out for deals on travel, subscription services, and laptops, because these are likely to feature heavily throughout this shopping season.

Best Fathers Day gifts: Surprise Dad with something memorable

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 16:17

Dads often catch flak for corny jokes and being bad at texting, but father figures have another thing in common besides thinking terrible puns are hilarious: They're some of the most selfless people in the world.

To be honest, a lot of us wouldn't know how to live on our own if it wasn't for those father figures — this goes for uncles, stepdads, or anyone else who stepped up to take on that role, too. And though they probably insist that you don't have to get them anything, Father's Day is an extra-special time to show your appreciation.

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about Amazon Prime Day so far

That said, you can’t just phone it in and get him a mug that says "Dad." Sure, it's technically a gift for a dad — but it's also a terrible gift. No shame if you’ve done it before; dads can be notoriously tough to shop for, we know. But we can do way better than that this Father's Day!

That’s why we have you covered with awesome gift ideas for all kinds of guys, from the practical to the eclectic. (We can even help you out if you’re working with a tight budget thanks to this roundup of the best gifts under $50.) And, right here, we’ve rounded up dozens of the best gifts you can give your dad, whether he’s a grilling aficionado, an outdoor adventurer, a tech geek, or the chill kind of dad who just wants to kick back with a cold one and enjoy this fine June day dedicated to him.

From practical gadgets that make his life easier to sentimental keepsakes that tug on the heartstrings of even the most “tough guy” dads, you’re bound to find the best Father’s Day gift for your dad below.

Keeping track of where the Ninja Slushi is in stock, as well as the best Black Friday Ninja deals

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 15:16
A quick look at the best Ninja deals ahead of Black Friday Best Slushi alternative Ninja Creami $149.00 at Walmart (save $50) Get Deal Best air fryer deal Ninja 13-in-1 Double Oven and Air Fryer with FlexDoor (DCT402BK) $199.99 at Amazon (save $100) Get Deal Not on sale, but in stock Ninja Slushi $299.99 at Ninja Kitchen Shop Now

If any certain type of countertop kitchen appliance is your 2024 Black Friday goal, Ninja probably has one on sale.

Black Friday Ninja deals are popping off this year, especially at Amazon, which has been in official Black Friday mode since Nov. 21. The list of classic Ninja air fryers and air frying toaster ovens, blenders, coffee makers, and more on sale is even beating that of October Prime Day Ninja deals in terms of the percentage off — several appliances have already beaten their previous record-low price just seen at Amazon last month.

Oddly enough, the one category where Ninja is slacking is pressure cookers, despite that being the category that originated the famous "Foodi" name in the first place. Ninja seems to be letting Instant Pot have that spotlight back (though it still uses "Foodi" in titles for its some other multitasking appliances) to focus on a new wheelhouse: little treat machines. Two of Ninja's most fun treat-making gadgets, the Ninja Creami ice cream maker and the Ninja Thirsti soda and sparkling water maker are, in fact, on sale for Black Friday, both for well under $200.

SEE ALSO: Get 25% off sitewide during Ruggable's Black Friday sale

Now for the bad news: I realize there's one major Ninja treat maker that ends with an "i" missing from that list. No, the Ninja Slushi probably won't go on sale for Black Friday, but it is still in stock. You could hold out hope for a surprise Cyber Monday price drop, but given the number of times it has sold out since July and the fact that even more people will be shopping now because of Black Friday, it's wiser to just order it at full price while you can still order it at all. You'll understand when you're happily sipping on a gingerbread milkshake or a frozen version of your favorite holiday cocktail in a week or two. (I would know— I was making frozen versions of all of my favorite drinks with the Slushi all summer, and it was an absolute delight to have in my kitchen.)

As of Nov. 26, the Ninja Slushi is currently only in stock at Ninja's website for $299.99, and can also be pre-ordered at Crate & Barrel with an expected restock coming in early December. The Slushi occasionally pops up for immediate purchase at other big retailers, but if you see it going for more than $299.99, it's a gouged MSRP.

At any rate, I'm tracking all of the best Black Friday Ninja deals below including deals on the Ninja Creami, which is my number one alternate suggestion if the Slushi isn't in the cards right now. Note: Any deal marked with a 🔥 has dropped to a record-low price at Amazon.

Best Ninja deal for something similar to the Slushi Our pick: Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker (NC300) $149.00 at Walmart
$169.00 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Before the internet was freaking out over the Ninja Slushi, it was freaking out over the Ninja Creami. And I get it: Being able to make ice cream in literally whatever flavor you want without leaving the house is a reason to live. If your sweet tooth would choose hand-dipped ice cream over a super sweet frozen marg anyway, your decision between the two isn't even hard.

The cheapest Ninja Creami I've seen so far this Black Friday season is at Walmart, where the Creami is on sale for $149. (This beats Amazon's price on a slightly different Creami model by $10). Though the Creami can't make frozen drinks like the Slushi can, it obviously has the ice cream advantage — both machines also have milkshake overlap. Sorbet is also exclusively a Creami thing (cranberry orange mimosa sorbet for the holiday party, hello?), and this version of the Creami even has a dedicated button for lite ice cream.

Mashable shopping reporter Samantha Mangino spent several weeks with the Creami, and identified one specific type of person (past the expected dessert lover) who would thrive with the Creami: meal preppers. My roommate can vouch for this — we also have a Creami, and she's gotten into a routine of prepping protein ice cream to look forward to after work throughout the week.

Best Ninja deal if you want an air fryer Ninja 13-in-1 Double Oven and Air Fryer with FlexDoor (DCT402BK) 🔥 $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

We know some version of the Foodi immediately comes to mind when you think of Ninja deals, but Ninja makes other feature-stuffed appliances that would also get serious use on your countertop. Amazon's deal on one of Ninja's newer air fryer ovens is actually the first time this model has dropped below $200.

This countertop air frying oven has a double stack design that can cook two separate food items on different settings simultaneously: The rapid top oven is great for pizzas up to 12 inches, while the larger convection and air fry oven is ideal for roasts or larger snack portions like wings. In total, there are 13 cooking presets, including bake, broil, toast, whole roast, and dehydrate.

More Black Friday Ninja kitchen dealsPressure cookers, air fryers, and other countertop cookersCoffee makers, blenders, and more drink makersCookware, cooking irons, and accessories

Why is Drake suing UMG and Spotify over Kendrick Lamar?

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 14:59

Drake’s feud with Universal Music Group just escalated to DEFCON 1. The Toronto rapper has filed his second lawsuit against the music giant, with his lawyer having previously dropped allegations that UMG engaged in a "pay-to-play" scheme with iHeartRadio to boost Kendrick Lamar’s "false song" "Not Like Us" on the airwaves.

Yes, second lawsuit — this time alleging defamation. The first, filed on Monday to the New York State Supreme Court, claimed the label engaged in a scheme with Spotify, allegedly manipulating the platform in order to artificially inflate the popularity of "Not Like Us," an allegation that would provide an alternative explanation for the song's success besides music fans simply loving it. Lamar's track is a dancey, anthemic rap song, but it's also a diss track that directly throws shots at Drake, including lyrics that accuse the "Certified Lover Boy" of harboring sexual predators in his entourage, and going so far as to label them "certified pedophiles."

SEE ALSO: Kendrick Lamar and Drake's rap beef is big business for content creators

Heavy stuff, and it’s hit harder than anyone could've predicted. "Not Like Us" has become a cultural juggernaut, achieving a record-breaking tenure at the top of the Billboard rap chart, two separate peaks as the number one U.S. song on any chart, over 900 million Spotify streams at the time of this writing. The track has even been nominated for five Grammy awards as well (one of which is for the track's producer, not Lamar).

A spokesperson for Universal Music Group has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them "offensive and untrue." The statement went on to claim, "No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear."

Spotify, meanwhile, has declined to comment, despite multiple outlets reaching out for a response.

Drake’s Monday filing stops short of a full legal complaint. Instead, it’s a petition that could escalate into a lawsuit, with key figures from UMG and iHeartRadio expected to face depositions as Drake’s legal team seeks to gather evidence.

UMG has a deal to license Drake's music releases under its Republic label alongside releases from Drake's own Canadian label OVO Sound. According to Drake’s lawyers, there is "more than enough evidence" that UMG failed to take any action to prevent Lamar from defaming him on "Not Like Us." They argue this lack of intervention is particularly significant given that Lamar is signed to Interscope, which, like Republic, is under the very large UMG umbrella.

The filings on Monday and Tuesday come just days after Lamar released his surprise album GNX, which The Ringer's Charles Homles calls "a 45-minute treatise on the power of rolling up to your biggest hater's funeral to ensure they’ve departed this mortal coil."

Drake is so Draking this thing with Kendrick Lamar we’re gonna have to rename the Streisand Effect.

— Alex Cranz (@cranz.bsky.social) November 26, 2024 at 10:53 AM

Curiously, Lamar himself has not been named in any of the lawsuits. However, the filings argue that UMG showed favoritism for monetary gain between two artists signed under Universal at the expense of Drake's reputation.

Thanksgiving dinner from Dollar Tree? TikTok creator going viral for her $20 holiday meal

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 14:13

The holidays can prove challenging for myriad reasons. Family can be hard. Traveling sucks. But, if your budget is tight, the holiday season can be incredibly stressful.

TikTok creator @dollartreedinners seems to understand that fact and has worked to help folks out on Thanksgiving. That creator, real name Rebecca Chobat, has published a viral series of videos making Thanksgiving food out of affordable options available at Dollar Tree. To be clear, the series isn't stunt food or cosplaying Chopped; Chobat seems genuinely interested in giving folks holiday options on a really tight budget. As her username suggests, Chobat has dedicated her sizable following — nearly 2 million followers on TikTok alone — to helping folks eat for less.

The series started with a shopping video that has garnered some 3 million views. For just $20, Chobat bought the ingredients to make a fried mac and cheese appetizer, a Thanksgiving casserole, and a caramel sugar cookie bar with fruit pie filling.

Sure, the recipes are not gourmet. How could they be? And that's not really the intention. The food looks quite tasty and certainly squeezes the absolute most out of a small budget.

Chobat's casserole, for instance, combines packaged potatoes, canned turkey, canned green beans, dried cranberries, and some margarine to create an entire dish guaranteed to deliver the perfect Thanksgiving bite. The fried mac and cheese balls, meanwhile, reimagine the blue box classic. And what could be bad about sugar cookies with pie filling for dessert?

If you want to feel a bit of hope, read through the comments on these videos from Chobat. In an internet age where most things are negative, this series has inspired some real positivity. You'll see comments like, "I work at Dollar Tree and have seen so many people buying these ingredients," or "I needed this," or, "my mom made something like this and I loved it."

Most notably, a TikTok from creator @CalebCooks94 went super viral in response to Chobat's series. He described being at the Dollar Tree and meeting a woman using Chobat's recipes to feed her three kids this Thanksgiving. He talked about witnessing Chobat making a real difference for folks who thought their holiday options were limited.

And as if things couldn't get more wholesome, Chobat responded in the comments: "I really hope she and her family loves the Thanksgiving dinner and thank you so much for sharing this story!! It brought tears to my eyes."

Chobat has made Dollar Tree Thanksgiving recipes in years past and, obviously, has a channel dedicated to helping folks eat on a budget. In a video responding to a comment about canned turkey, she thoughtfully noted that her channel — and her Thanksgiving series, especially — are dedicated to helping folks find options. Not everyone has a huge budget. Not everyone has a full-size oven or fridge. Not everyone is physically capable of lifting a whole turkey. She makes TikToks for people who need to get around those roadblocks.

Mashable has reached out to Chobat for comment and will update if necessary. But, in general, it is nice to see success for a creator who really seems to be focused on helping folks. And it's certainly great to see folks who need the help get the chance to make tasty food for the holiday.

Neuralink wants its brain chip to control a robot arm next

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 14:06

There are now at least two patients who have had Neuralink's brain chip implanted in their head. While there have been some bumps in the road, it appears that things are going well enough for Elon Musk's neurotechnology company to look ahead at what's next.

So, what's Neuralink looking at testing out now?

Neuralink aims to embed its brain chip into robotic limbs to achieve what Musk refers to as the “Luke Skywalker solution.”

Controlling a robotic arm with Neuralink?

Neuralink is planning trials to determine if its brain chip implant can control an “investigational assistive robotic arm.”

"This is an important first step towards restoring not only digital freedom, but also physical freedom," Neuralink said in a statement.

Neuralink is referring to these tests as the CONVOY study.

Musk has previously discussed this possibility before. One of the goals of Neuralink has been to help "restore full body movement" for individuals with spinal cord injuries, quadriplegia, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 

"When a Neuralink is combined with Optimus robot limbs, the Luke Skywalker solution can become real," Musk said in a post on X in Sept. 2023. He included a link to a scene showcasing Luke Skywalker's robotic prosthetic hand from the Star Wars trilogy.

Neuralink has previously faced scrutiny over the deaths of at least 12 monkeys used in trials. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine alleges that Musk misled investors by claiming Neuralink was not responsible for any monkey deaths.

6 free gratitude meditations to help you get grounded

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 13:43

There's a special corner of the internet that delights in telling people to be grateful. Between hashtags like #blessed and #grateful and "thankful grateful" TikToks, it can be a little much, especially when you're knee-deep coping with difficult emotions like sadness, anger, and resentment.

What's often missing from the gratitude conversation on social media is permission to acknowledge life's complexities. As we head into a holiday season full of sentimental reminders to be grateful, you might be tempted to dismiss gratitude practices as inauthentic or forced.

Yet the right gratitude meditation can help you strike a rewarding balance between experiencing the enlivening grace of this practice and letting challenging emotions be what they are.

Meditation teacher Diana Winston says practicing gratitude can create space for people to turn toward positive emotions that counteract, but do not erase, negativity and hardship. It can also help people notice and appreciate their surroundings in ways they hadn't before, observing features of the landscape, for example, that they'd overlooked.

The act of being present in your life can naturally lead to feeling thankful, says Winston, whose own gratitude meditation is included in the roundup of tracks below.

SEE ALSO: I used an AI journal for a week. What I learned about myself surprised me.

She notes that an effective gratitude meditation can help you access feelings of gratitude, which include warmth and connection. Skeptics should know that these tracks might encourage listeners to use visualization or reflect on how gratitude makes their body feel; language that might make them feel awkward, dorky, or embarrassed. Winston says that's fine.

"Leave space for a complicated humanness," says Winston, director of UCLA Mindful. "It's OK to feel grateful and also feel tired or annoyed."

Unlike a lot of #gratitude content on social media, the guided meditations below don't traffic in toxic positivity. There's no instruction to replace negative feelings with positive ones, or to transform something painful into a reason for giving thanks.

In general, when selecting a guided meditation, feel free to skip tracks that make assumptions about the listener's resources or abilities. If you're blind and the meditation teacher is asking you to feel grateful for the power of sight, or if you're struggling financially and being told to give thanks for your income, this may very well feel inauthentic, if not insulting.

If meditation isn't your thing, Winston says there are other ways to practice gratitude, including making a gratitude list or sending a letter of thanks to someone you care about.

"Leave space for a complicated humanness. It's OK to feel grateful and also feel tired or annoyed." - Diana Winston, director of UCLA Mindful

If you're interested in trying online guided gratitude meditations, the free tracks below range from short, straightforward instruction to more advanced or complex techniques. To further explore a gratitude practice, consider using an app like Happier, Calm, Insight Timer, or Headspace. (Headspace and Happier offer greater accessibility to all users by providing guided tracks with closed captioning. UCLA Mindful's app, which is free to use, offers guided meditations in American Sign Language.)

1. Mindful: A Meditation Series (Growing Gratitude Guided Meditation)

Length: 6 minutes

This brief YouTube guided meditation was published by the National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability as part of a series of guided meditations. The captioned video track focuses on gratitude for being enough as you are, rather than focusing on striving for more. Among its prompts is an invitation to think of one thing that made the listener smile recently, like a meal or funny joke, and then to consider how that joy feels in their body.

2. Gratitude Meditation, Jack Kornfield

Length: 7 minutes

Trained as a Buddhist monk and clinical psychologist, Jack Kornfield is a well-known meditation teacher. Hosted on Kornfield's website, this short audio guided meditation begins with descriptions of the gratitude practices of Buddhist monks, Native people, and Tibetan monks and nuns. He defines gratitude as the "gracious acknowledgement of all that continues to sustain us" and "confidence in life itself." The focus of the meditation is gratitude for how the listener cared for themselves and others cared for them as well.

3. The Massive Power of Not Taking Sh*t for Granted, Matthew Hepburn

Length: 12 minutes

This audio track is from the Ten Percent Happier Podcast, but it can be easily played online via iHeart. Starting with a brief intro from podcast host and Ten Percent Happier co-founder Dan Harris, it features meditation teacher Matthew Hepburn, who asks listeners to begin by acknowledge exactly how they feel.

There's no need to replace the emotion a listener currently feels with anything else, he says, and prompts listeners to think of something for which they're grateful, whether it's as "extraordinary" as winning the lottery or "ordinary" as breathing fresh air. He then asks them to contemplate the sensory details of the experience to make the memory "come alive" in the moment.

4. Reset & Refocus With Gratitude, Lama Rod Owens

Length: 16 minutes

Hosted by the meditation app Insight Timer, this web-based audio track features renowned teacher Lama Rod Owens. A Black Buddhist minister, Owens is skilled at recognizing how gratitude serves people while also making room for their anger and disappointment.

In this guided meditation, Owens asks listeners to feel gratitude for their connections to all beings. When thoughts turn toward anger at someone for their behavior, Owens contemplates the gratitude he might feel when people show you how not to be in the world. To learn more about how Owens balances gratitude with intense feelings, check out his 2020 guided meditation published on YouTube by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review.

5. Morning Meditation with Tara Brach: Presence and Gratitude

Length: 19 minutes

Tara Brach is among the most-well known meditation instructors, online and offline. In this guided audio mediation, published on YouTube, Brach slowly leads listeners through developing sustained awareness of their body's sensations. This present-moment awareness then gives way to reflection on what listeners feel grateful for, and an invitation to feel that in "your body and your heart." That gratitude, says Brach, might help you know what your prayer is for today.

6. Hammer Podcast: Gratitude, Diana Winston

Length: 32 minutes

This audio-only track is a recording of the Hammer Podcast, a drop-in meditation hosted by UCLA Mindful and the Hammer Museum. In this episode, Winston, author of The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness, spends the first several minutes talking about what gratitude means and how it can be practiced.

The meditation itself begins at about eight minutes in, with a prompt to consider what in this moment can be appreciated. This might be as simple as the listener's breath or family. Then Winston asks what this feels like in the listener's body, like warmth or a smile, inviting them to let this feeling stay with them even as other emotions may arise.

Since the guided meditation occurred online with a live audience, it concludes with Winston reading what people dropped in the chat when she asked them to share their gratitude. Their responses included "pineapples, my apartment, free food, my cat, my dog, sunlight, joy, road trips, and my 99-year-old mom." It's a lovely reminder that when given the opportunity, we can all find gratitude for something, however small.

Black Friday is around the corner, shop the best deals under $50

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 13:15
Best Early Black Friday Deals Under $50 Best tech deal under $50 Amazon Echo $49.99 at Amazon (Save $50) Get Deal The Last of Us Part I for PlayStation 5 $29.99 at Best Buy (Save $40) Get Deal Best home and kitchen deal BrüMate Era 40 oz. Tumbler $30.14 at Amazon (Save $14.85) Get Deal

Some of the best savings you'll find during Black Friday are on the small stuff. Yes, you can find hundreds of dollars of savings on big ticket items like TVs and laptops, but when you actually look at those percentages, things are only maxing out around 25 or 30%.

While deal hunting this holiday season, some of the best sales are on products falling under $50. Whether you're looking for kitchen or smart home tech, or a new video game to play during your holiday PTO, here are the best deals under $50 to shop.

Best tech deal under $50 Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo $49.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Amazon's line-up of Echo devices is extensive so why not just make things simple and go with the original? This smart home hub is a speaker first, delivering premium sound while responding to voice controls. But you can maintain your home, too, with the Echo's built-in Alexa that helps set routines whether you need a daily alarm or want the lights to come on once the sun sets.

Right now, you can find the OG Amazon Echo for $49.99. That knocks a generous $50 off for 50% savings.

More tech deals under $50Best gaming deal under $50 Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy The Last of Us Part I $29.99 at Best Buy
$69.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The second season of The Last of Us is coming in 2025, and if you still haven't played the video game, now is your time to catch up. Ahead of Black Friday, find The Last of Us Part I for PlayStation 5 marked down 57%. It's down to $29.99, saving you $40. Plus, you can save 15% on Astro Gaming headsets with the purchase of a video game at Best Buy.

And while you're at it, you may as well pick up The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PlayStation 5, which is also on sale ahead of Black Friday.

More gaming deals under $50Best home and kitchen deal under $50 Opens in a new window Credit: BrüMate BrüMate Era 40 oz. Tumbler $30.14 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $14.85 Get Deal Why we like it

I'm not here to pry your Stanley Cup out of your hand, but I am here to tell you that you have other options. An underrated entry in the 40 oz. tumbler market is the BrüMate Era 40 oz. Tumbler. It keeps beverages ice cold and every part is dishwasher-safe, but the real showstopper is the locking lid. The top of the lid slides to lock and unlock so when you're on the go, the tumbler becomes totally spill proof if you want to toss it in the bag.

During Amazon's early Black Friday sale, find the BrüMate Era 40 oz. Tumbler for $30.14, taking $15.85 off the price.

More home and kitchen deals under $50

Amazons ASUS Zenbook Duo deal makes double screens 21% off

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 12:20

GET $320 OFF: As of Nov. 26, you can get an ASUS Zenbook Duo Laptop for just $1,179.99. That's 21% off the original price or $320 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS Zenbook Duo Laptop $1,179.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $320.00 Get Deal


The ASUS Zenbook Duo Laptop packs together multiple types of productivity into one multi-screened package. Not only does it provide more screen for your buck, this Black Friday deal gets you even more bang for your buck, with 21% off.

If you’re all-in on digital drawing and visual design we think this ASUS laptop could be the right pick for you. Eliminating the need for an expensive drawing tablet accessory, it includes a drawing and touch screen.

SEE ALSO: Slash $450 off the new Microsoft Surface laptop ahead of Black Friday

The Duo’s touchscreen can work in tandem with the included Bluetooth keyboard or function as a virtual keyboard. Beyond touch and drawing, the dual OLED displays can function side by side in portrait or landscape mode. Use the second screen as a secondary monitor to read and edit documents side by side. We loved how it juggles different apps simultaneously.

Nov. 26 the ASUS Zenbook Duo Laptop is available for $1,179.99 as part of Amazon's early Black Friday sale. Buy it now and save 21%, or $320.

With Intel Arc Graphics, 16 GB of RAM, and Windows 11, this laptop isn’t all screen, it also has some solid power. Its 1TB solid state drive should give most people the space they need for storage.

How to identify AI-generated text: 7 ways to tell if content was made by a bot

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 12:09

As AI-generated content gets more ubiquitous in our everyday lives, you may be wondering, "How do I identify AI text?"

It's no surprise that these models get more difficult to detect as AI technology evolves. For now, the good news is that content such as images and video aren't that hard to parse with the human eye.

SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated images How to detect AI-generated text

If you're a teacher or just a seasoned internet traveler, what's the secret to spotting AI-generated text? Well, it's simpler than you might think: use your eyes. There are actually ways to train the human eye to discern AI statements. Experts like MIT Technology Review's Melissa Heikkilä write that the "magic" of these machines "lies in the illusion of correctness."

No two people write in the same way, but there are common patterns. If you've ever worked a corporate job, you know how everyone uses the same generic phrasing when drafting memos to their boss. That’s why AI text detectors often flag content as "likely AI-generated" — because distinguishing between a bland human writing style and a generic AI-generated voice is nearly impossible.

So here's some tips and tricks to spot some potential AI-generated text:

• Look for frequent use of words like “the,” “it,” and “its.”

• Absence of typos—AI text is often too perfect.

• Conclusionary statements that neatly sum up paragraphs.

• Overly verbose or padded writing.

• False or fabricated information and sources.

• A tone more advanced than the writer’s usual submissions.

• Repetitive phrasing or oddly polished grammar.

There are also AI text detectors on the market that you can use, but here's why, in my experience, they're likely less reliable than your own eyes.

AI text detectors: Why they're not reliable

It’s not all doom and gloom, as some solutions to our machine overlords exist. Launching models like ChatGPT and competitors like Gemini and Claude spurred the growth of a cottage industry focused on AI text detection. Platforms like ZeroGPT popped up in response to OpenAI’s language model, while tools such as Grammarly and Copyleaks — originally designed to catch plagiarism — have pivoted to tackle AI-generated content as well.

Depending on who you ask, AI-text detection is, at the moment, the best way to spot AI-generated content or its digital snake oil. In reality, the latter might be closer to the truth. No AI detector is 100% accurate (or even 99% as many claim). Even in ideal conditions, the reliability of these tools is often hit-or-miss.

"The problem here is the models are becoming more and more fluent, [as a result], the older detectors, they stop working," says Junfeng Yang, a professor and co-director of the Software Systems Lab at Columbia University. He explains that as AI-generated text becomes increasingly sophisticated, it "starts to use vocabulary and sentence structures that closely mimic human writing, making it harder to spot even with advanced detectors."

Testing AI text detectors' accuracy

Despite big promises from tools like GPTZero or Hive Moderation, tricking an AI detector into labeling human-written content as machine-made is surprisingly simple. These systems typically analyze lines of text that explain or summarize ideas, which makes them vulnerable to false positives. For instance, I tested a basic summary of Game of Thrones I had hastily written from memory across several of these tools, and in almost every case, it was flagged as "likely AI-generated."

I then took that same Game of Thrones summary, fed it into ChatGPT, and asked it to punch up the writing — making it longer and less straightforward.

Here's what I wrote:

The plot of Game of Thrones follows several families in the fictional continent of Westeros. First, there are the Starks who rule the North. Second are the Lannisters, who rule in the Westerlands. The eldest daughter of the Wastelands is Cersei, who is also the Queen of Westeros and is married to Robert Baratheon. Robert is from the Stormlands and usurped the throne of the Targarayns — a group of dragon riders who took over the land over 1000 years ago but slowly lost their grip on Westeros due to infighting. The series was created by George RR Martin and is currently chronicled in five books — A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and a Dance with Dragons. There are two more books planned for the series with the Winds of Winter set to release sometime in 2025.

Here's the "improved" ChatGPT version:

Game of Thrones throws viewers into the brutal, blood-soaked chessboard of Westeros, where power is the prize and morality is negotiable. Leading the pack are the Starks, who hold dominion over the icy North. Their stoic honor feels like a relic in a land where backstabbing is a form of currency. In sharp contrast are the Lannisters of the opulent Westerlands, the family everyone loves to hate — with Cersei Lannister perched atop the throne as Queen of Westeros. Her marriage to Robert Baratheon, the hard-drinking, boar-hunting king from the Stormlands, is a political match made in hell, bound together by lies and mutual loathing. But the throne itself carries a bloody history. Robert took it after a rebellion that ousted the Targaryens, the long-ruling dynasty of dragon riders who, once unstoppable, eventually imploded in a whirlwind of paranoia and civil war. Their fire-breathing beasts may have once scorched the skies, but family feuds brought their empire crashing down, leaving only whispers of their former glory. Meanwhile, George R. R. Martin’s sprawling saga continues in five books that are equal parts battlefield carnage, political intrigue, and heartbreaking betrayals. While fans devour every page, they remain on edge, waiting for the Winds of Winter to blow, teased for what feels like eons, now with a tentative promise of landing in 2025. But in Westeros, promises — like allegiances — are made to be broken.

The outcomes of my testing had varied results. One of the first I tested was Scribbr, which pegged my original summary as “100% likely AI-generated.” But when I swapped it for the AI-enhanced version, Scribbr surprisingly dropped the likelihood to just 48%.

The orginal summary nabbed a 100% likely AI-generated Credit: Scribbr / Mashable screenshot The ChatGPT summary only garnered a 48% likely to be AI Credit: Scribbr / Mashable screenshot

Another tool I tried out was Winston AI, which flagged the original text as 39% likely to be generated by GPT-4. Ironically, when it came to the actual GPT-4 summary, it only gave it a meager 1% likelihood.

Original summary in Winston AI Credit: Winston AI / Mashable screenshot AI-edited summary in Winston AI Credit: Winston AI / Mashable screenshot

Hive Moderation totally missed the mark when analyzing my work, failing to flag either of the summaries I submitted. According to the system, both were confidently labeled as human-written content.

Credit: Hive Moderation / Mashable screenshot

Now, if I just ask ChatGPT for a random paragraph on any topic and copy-paste that into various text detectors, it'll almost always get flagged as AI-generated right away. But that actually reinforces the issue: without specific instructions, ChatGPT’s default writing style is often bland, formulaic, and straightforwardly objective.

The predictably dull tone is what triggers these false positives — not some advanced in-house tech that these websites claim to have to discern AI content from humans. Even when tools like Originality correctly flagged both instances of AI writing, a bit of sentence tweaking can completely change the outcome. With just a little rephrasing, what was previously flagged with "100% confidence" as AI-generated can suddenly be labeled "Likely original."

All that to say, here's the list of freely available AI text detection tools I tested using the above method. To mix things up, I also used some literature reviews from academic papers I wrote in grad school to see if they'd flag me for using flowery writing to beef up my word counts. Here they are:

  • GPTZero

  • ZeroGPT

  • Hive Moderation

  • Scribbr

  • CopyLeaks

  • Originality.ai

  • Grammarly

  • GPT-2 Output Detector

  • Writefull X

  • Winston AI

If your writing sounds like a tonally flat 8th-grade book report, AI detectors will likely peg you as a bot in need of a Turing test ASAP. This testing shows that simply avoiding certain structural patterns can easily fool AI detectors. And that’s a major headache for the companies behind these tools, especially since many offer subscription services and aim to sell their APIs to schools and businesses as a B2B solution.

While these tools can be pretty effective for plagiarism detection, it’s obvious their ability to spot AI-generated text still needs serious refinement. The inconsistency is hard to overlook — submit the same text to multiple detectors, and you’ll get wildly different results. What gets flagged as AI-generated by one tool might slip through unnoticed by another. Given that lack of reliability, it’s tough to recommend any of these tools with confidence right now.

Why is detecting AI-generated text so difficult?

Human language is incredibly fickle and complex — one of the main reasons AI-generated text is so tricky to detect.

Bamshad Mobasher, IEEE member and chair of the AI program at DePaul University elaborates that "text is what these models are trained on. So, it’s easier for them to mimic human conversations.”

"Detection tools look for patterns — repetitive phrases, grammatical structures that are too regular, things like that," Mobasher said. "Sometimes, it’s easier for a human to spot, like when the text is 'too perfect,’ but to be certain it’s AI-generated is challenging."

Unlike image generators, which can produce telltale signs like extra fingers or distorted facial features, Mobasher explained LLMs rely on statistical probabilities to generate text — making their output feel more seamless. As a result, spotting errors in AI-generated text — like nuanced phrasing or subtle grammatical irregularities — is far more challenging for both detectors and human readers.

This is what makes AI-generated text so dangerous as well. Mobasher warns that "it becomes easier to produce and generate misinformation at scale." With LLMs generating fluent, polished text that can mimic authoritative voices, it becomes much harder for the average person to discern between fact and fiction.

"With AI, it’s actually much easier to launch these attacks," says Yang. "You can make the email very fluent, conveying the message you want, and even include personalized information about the target’s role or mission at a company."

On top of its potential misuse, AI-generated text makes for a shittier internet. LLMs from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic scrape publicly available data to train their models. Then, the AI-generated articles that result from this process are published online, only to be scraped again in an endless loop.

This cycle of recycling content lowers the overall quality of information on the web, creating a feedback loop of increasingly generic, regurgitated material that makes it difficult to find authentic, well-written content.

There's not much we can do about the lightning-fast acceleration of AI and its detrimental effects of internet content, but you can, at the very least, tap into your knowledge pool of media literacy to help you discern what's human-made and what's generated from a bot.

"If you see an article or report, don’t just blindly believe it — look for corroborating sources, especially if something seems off," Yang says.

Why the Farrelly brothers decided Dear Santa was going to be their Christmas movie

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 12:01

It took the Farrelly brothers 10 years to make Dear Santa, Here they talk about the pieces that had be just right and why Jack Black needed to be their 'Santa'.

Dear Santa is now streaming on Paramount+.

Moana 2 review: Almost as great as the original, except for one big thing

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 12:00

When Disney first announced Moana 2 in February 2024, I was apprehensive. Here was a surprise announcement, mere months out from a November release, that a Moana TV show had been reworked into a feature film. Did that mean Moana 2 was a rush job for Disney to recover from some of its 2023 box office disappointments, like The Marvels and Wish? And if so, would that mean sacrificing quality for a swift turnaround?

SEE ALSO: Disney's 'Moana 2' trailer expands on the lore of the original

Thankfully, Moana 2 soothed my worries and then some, thanks to its blend of epic adventure and its deeply felt story about family ties. Yes, there are elements that don't hit as hard, including a cookie cutter villain and some songs that just don't pass muster when compared to Moana's. But most of Moana 2 measures up to (and occasionally even surpasses) what came before — and that's due in no small part to the growth of its incredible heroine.

Moana 2 reminds you that Moana is a certified star Credit: Disney

Even if you haven't rewatched Moana since 2016, Moana 2 wastes no time in reminding you that Moana (voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho, Mean Girls) is a total badass. In the film's opening sequence, she runs through a dense rainforest forest, leaps across a ravine, and climbs a steep rock face with her trusty pig Pua on her back. Seconds later, we get a classic hero shot: Moana, hair streaming in the wind, atop an island mountain, surveying the vast ocean around her. She takes a deep breath, blows a welcoming call into her conch... and no one answers. Turns out, despite Moana's expert wayfinding skills, she hasn't been able to find any other humans who live in the ocean.

Moana's island home of Motunui is thriving, though — and Moana is nothing less than a "living legend" there. Young girls dress and do their hair like her, going as far as to find their own version of Pua. (The film dubs them "Moanabes.") Everyone calls her "the future of Motunui." Her father Tui (Temuera Morrison, The Book of Boba Fett), Motunui's chief, even wishes to bestow the title of Tautai upon her, an honor for a skilled navigator and leader that hasn't been held for many, many years.

SEE ALSO: 'Flow' review: An animated animal adventure unlike anything you've seen before

But when Moana gets a desolate vision of Motunui's future should they not reconnect with other humans, she faces a difficult choice. She could strike out for the legendary island of Motufetu, which used to connect all the ocean's pathways and peoples. Yet it's farther than Moana or any of her ancestors have ever gotten (not to mention cursed by the human-hating god Nalo). If she goes, she risks not coming back to her family or her beloved island.

Here's where Moana 2 really shows us how far Moana has grown. With age and greater status in Motunui, she's become far more aware of the stakes of her potential failure. Plus, she's terrified to lose her family — especially her scene-stealing little sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda). With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Moana sets a course for Motufetu, along with an upgraded canoe and a new crew.

Moana 2's new characters make an exciting adventure even better. Credit: Disney

Moana may be used to wayfinding by herself, but in Moana 2, she's got to share a canoe with three newbies. Keen-eyed inventor Loto (Starstruck's Rose Matafeo) brings an endearing enthusiasm to the squad, even if her tendency to take apart the canoe in her efforts to improve it is concerning. As the oldest member of the crew, you might expect farmer Kele (David Fane, Our Flag Means Death) to bring elder wisdom to the journey, but he's more the crotchety complainer type. Rounding things out is Motunui legend expert Moni (Hualālai Chung), who doubles as the canoe's resident Maui (Dwayne Johnson) fanboy. (Yes, he paints "fanfic" of him and Maui being best friends.)

So imagine Moni's sadness when he realizes Maui isn't along for the ride. While Moana could desperately use his help, Maui's actually in a pickle of his own. He's trapped by Nalo's accomplice, the goddess Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), whom I can only describe as a "bat diva." Constantly surrounded by a cloud of the winged creatures, and even sporting bat fangs herself, Matangi exudes vampiric aura. She almost gives Moana's shiny crab Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement) a run for his money.

SEE ALSO: 'Spellbound' review: Netflix's animated adventure finds its magic right at the end

But Matangi isn't the only foe Moana and co. will have to conquer. The coconut pirates known as the Kakamora are back to wreak havoc, while a giant, island-sized clam risks swallowing our heroes whole. With so many colorful creatures to face, it's a shame that Moana 2's Big Bad Nalo is basically a nonentity, reducing the (otherwise very cool) final set piece to a faceless confrontation with inclement weather. Contrast Moana 2's magical waterspouts with Moana's expressive lava monster Te Kā to get a sense of how detached the sequel is from its villain. (Except for a mid-credit scene that somehow implies he's Moana Thanos.)

Luckily, Moana 2 finds plenty of connection elsewhere, from Moana's friendships with Maui and her crewmates to her continued relationship with her ancestors. Gramma Tala (Thor: Ragnarok's Rachel House) is back to pass along some wisdom — and give us a good hard cry along the way. Elsewhere, Moana's steadfast belief in bringing the people of the ocean back together makes for a necessary counterpoint to Nalo's hopes to sow discord and isolation. (At least, what little we learn of it through exposition.) Moana's optimism and determination proves there's power in connection, which we get to see firsthand as her crew begins to gel at sea.

Moana 2's songs are fine, but they're no match for Moana's. Credit: Disney

With its beautiful, textured animation and its propulsive adventure to the far ends of the ocean, Moana 2 is another win for Disney animation. The only major letdown? The film's songs, which are totally OK, but certainly nothing special compared to Moana's greatest hits.

Moana composers and songwriters Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'i have returned for Moana 2, but one key member of the first film's team is missing: songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda. Taking his place are Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the Grammy-winning team behind The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. Even so, Miranda's presence is greatly missed, with songs often feeling like lackluster rehashes of the first film's songs.

Take "Beyond," essentially a toned-down evolution of "How Far I'll Go," where Moana readies herself to go back out into the ocean. Cravalho's delivery is gorgeous, and I could listen to her sing for hours, but do I remember a single line of that song beyond "I'll go beyond"? Then there's Maui's "Can I Get A Chee Hoo?," a patter song that will make you miss the fast-paced wordplay of "You're Welcome." (A flaming conch solo does lend it some extra flair.) The patter extends to travel song "What Could Be Better Than This?" While I adore Matafeo's lightning-fast delivery of Loto's science-themed rap, it all feels like imitation Miranda. Awkward rhythmic moments and some obvious rhymes further highlight how much of an asset he was on Moana.

Even the funky "Get Lost," my beloved bat diva Matangi's big number, is a letdown. Based on her character introduction, you might expect something in the vein of a dark Bond theme. Instead, you get a pop tune that, despite Fraser's serious pipes, feels fairly generic. (The slowed-down piano beginning also can't help but remind me of The Princess and the Frog's "Almost There," although I'm sure other similarities abound.) All I'm saying is, if the previous film's villain song featured a giant coconut crab doing a David Bowie tribute, you've got to aim higher.

At least Moana 2's less-than inspired songs get a boost from their accompanying animated sequences. "Can I Get A Chee Hoo?" drops us into a god-tier obstacle course, while "Get Lost" features some pretty rad bat choreography. "What Could Be Better Than This?" also scores laughs from Kele's annoyance at Moana, Moni, and Loto's increasingly excited dances, which low-key read like they're trying to get him to join their ocean-loving cult. That's the magic of Moana 2: Even when the songs aren't hitting, something else will elevate them, turning a decent number into a great experience.

Moana 2 hits theaters Nov. 27.

ChatGPT Search: iPhone users can now leverage the AI search engine with ‘Shortcuts’ support

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 11:56

OpenAI has added a "SearchGPT" Shortcut to the ChatGPT app for iPhones.

First spotted by MacRumors, when you go to Shortcuts, there's now an option to directly invoke the web search option of ChatGPT. Next to other ChatGPT commands like "Ask ChatGPT," "Start a voice conversation," and "OpenChatGPT," there's a new command that says "Open SearchGPT." This will automatically start a new ChatGPT conversation with the search function turned on.

A new "SearchGPT" Shortcut is available on iPhone with the latest ChatGPT update. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable How Apple is integrating ChatGPT into iOS

OpenAI officially called the AI-powered search engine "ChatGPT Search," but in pre-release testing, the prototype was referred to as "SearchGPT," hence the name of the Shortcut command. Mashable has reached out to OpenAI for clarification and will update this story with a response.

SEE ALSO: How to replace Google with ChatGPT Search as your default search engine

OpenAI launched ChatGPT Search in October, which performs real-time web searches in addition to traditional ChatGPT responses. Tapping the globe icon connects ChatGPT to the web, which provides answers with relevant sources linked in and contextualized in its responses. Meanwhile, Apple's partnership with OpenAI brings ChatGPT to its suite of AI-powered features called Apple Intelligence. The December iOS 18.2 release will be the first update to include ChatGPT integration. But the Shortcut provides an easy way to access ChatGPT even without the upcoming iOS update.

The SearchGPT Shortcut became available with the latest release of the ChatGPT iOS app which was released on Monday. So if it's not showing up for you, check to make sure you have the most up-to-date version.

ChatGPT Search is currently only accessible for users with ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Teams subscriptions, with plans to roll out to free accounts in the coming months.

Get the new Amazon Kindle for $84.99 ahead of Black Friday

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 11:52

SAVE $25: As of Nov. 26, you can get the new Amazon Kindle (16 GB) for $84.99, down from $109.99. That's a 23% discount, or $25 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle (16 GB) $84.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

The holiday shopping season is officially here, and retailers are rolling out doorbusters and discounts galore. We’re even seeing some of the most popular tech products reach their lowest prices of the year, including the newest Amazon Kindle e-reader.

SEE ALSO: Amazon actually managed to beat some of Best Buy's Black Friday laptop deals

As of Nov. 26, you can get the Amazon Kindle (16 GB) for just $84.99. (Note: This price is for the black Kindle. If you want the matcha color, it's $89.99.) This is a 23% discount and $25 off the list price of $109.99. You’ll also get three months of Kindle Unlimited free with your purchase. Once the three months are up, you can renew at $11.99 per month or cancel.

Amazon’s newest Kindle is the company’s lightest and most compact design yet. It features a glare-free 6-inch touchscreen display, up to six weeks of battery life, and 16 GB of storage for thousands of e-books, comics, and audiobooks. It’s also sustainable — it’s made with 75% recycled plastics and 90% recycled magnesium.

Start cozy reading season with a new Kindle today.

The internet doesn’t like the new iOS 18 Photos app redesign — how to fix it

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 11:45

Confused by the new iOS 18 Photos app? You're not the only one.

Apple updated the default Photos app with iOS 18 earlier this fall and some folks on the internet are unhappy about it. TikTok influencer Alix Earle, for example, got hundreds of thousands of likes on a quick video denouncing the update. Put simply, Apple reorganized the Photos app, introduced several new features, and, unsurprisingly, it’s causing frustration among users.

The good news is that you can fix it — for the most part.

SEE ALSO: iOS 18.2 release date leak: Here’s when Genmoji, Image Playground could get a stable public release How to fix iOS 18 Photos app

There's good news and bad news here.

Easy! Credit: Screenshot: Apple

The bad news is that the only way to keep the old Photos app is to avoid updating your phone, but this also means missing out on the important security benefits that come with regular updates.

The good news is that you can at least de-clutter the new Photos app a bit. Here's how.

  1. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the app and hit "Customize & Reorder"

  2. Toggle on or off the various tabs as you see fit. You can also drag them up and down to reorder where they appear in the app

  3. Hit the X button in the upper right corner

Again, the Photos app will look the way it looks no matter how much reordering you do. The old design is gone. However, you still have the option to hide the algorithmically generated content you’d rather not see.

Trump’s Tariffs Would Deal a Big Blow to the Auto Industry

NYT Technology - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 11:31
Automakers and parts suppliers would struggle if President-elect Donald J. Trump followed through on his threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.

Get 25% off sitewide during Ruggables Black Friday sale

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 11:27

SAVE 25%: As of Nov. 26, you can score 25% off all Ruggable products. Shop washable doormats, rugs, pillows, and more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ruggable 25% off sitewide Black Friday sale Get Deal

Retailers everywhere are gearing up for Black Friday with pre-sales, doorbuster deals, and the promise of serious savings in the days to come. We’ve seen Black Friday sales from Walmart, Target, and Wayfair all weeks before the actual day.

Now, Ruggable’s getting in on the action with a 25% off sitewide sale. As of Nov. 26, you can get up to 25% off any rug, washable doormat, bath mat, pillow, or pet bed on the Ruggable site during its Black Friday sale with the code BF24.

SEE ALSO: Honest review of Ruggable: Are the washable rugs worth the price?

Ruggable is known for its machine-washable area rugs and its wide selection of designs, from modern geometric patterns to traditional Persian styles. And, according to Mashable’s RJ Andersen, they’re definitely worth the splurge if you have pets or kids.

“Ruggable has far exceeded my expectations when it comes to a versatile, durable rug, and it’s certainly been easier to clean than any of my ‘traditional’ rugs,” Andersen writes.

Of course, the appeal of Ruggable's machine-washable products extends beyond just those with furry friends or little ones underfoot. Just take a look at all of the holiday-themed rugs, door mats, and more currently on sale. (I’m personally in love with the reindeer doormat). They also have rugs of all textures, shapes, and sizes, from small 2×3s to larger 18×18s.

Slash $450 off the new Microsoft Surface laptop ahead of Black Friday

Mashable - Tue, 11/26/2024 - 11:06

GET $450 OFF: As of Nov. 25, you can get a new Microsoft Surface Laptop for $1,549.99, down from $1,999.99. That's 23% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Laptop $1,549.99 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $450.00 Get Deal

Meet the laptop that’s far out ahead of all other Windows machines in our testing — but meet it for less. Right now, Amazon is running a unique 23% off sale on the new machine, dropping the price way below the competition from other retailers.

As of Nov. 26, you can get the new Microsoft Surface Laptop for $1,549.99, down $1,999.99. That's $450 off, or a 23% discount, on the Copilot-enabled laptop we called the best Windows laptop for most people.

What’s Surface all about? For one, a touchscreen is at the system’s core, enabling you to play in Paint the same way you might in Procreate on an iPad. A Snapdragon X Elite core whirs inside, driving this machine to perform way beyond old intel Surface models.

SEE ALSO: All the best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart

But what really won our hearts is this machine’s exceptional battery life: we clocked 23 hours.

The Surface has Copilot AI built right into it and features an NPU that will run AI processes natively. Want to make wild AI-images right from your drawings? This machine will help you do just that.

When buying a laptop, what’s under the hood isn’t all that matters, and thankfully the Microsoft Surface Laptop looks great too, with a sleek form factor that comes across as effortlessly professional.

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