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Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 11

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 23:00

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 October 11'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 October 11 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. 

Prime Day deals you can shop right now

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for October 11 SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 11 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Breezy.

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 G.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 11 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...

GUSTY.

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.

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.

'A Nice Indian Boy' review: East-meets-West with a twist in an instant rom-com classic

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 21:30

An incisive expression of family and culture that neither apologizes nor over-explains itself, Roshan Sethi's A Nice Indian Boy is a riotous, moving queer romantic comedy with a wildly unique premise. While it resembles many modern third-culture stories — specifically, tales of disconnect between first-generation South Asians in the West and their immigrant parents — it widens its scope in surprising ways that reflect and refract both personal and cinematic identity.

SEE ALSO: New York Film Festival preview: 10 movies you ought to know about

Taking inspiration from a romantic Bollywood classic, the film follows a gay Indian American doctor whose parents are nominally accepting, but who want him to find "a nice Indian boy." Long story short: He does! The immediate wrinkle, however, is that this nice Indian boy is none other than Jonathan Groff — yes, Hamilton's original King George — playing a white man raised by Indian parents. 

On one hand, A Nice Indian Boy is the tale of a typical Indian American family, with typical Indian American problems — a generational disconnect, gendered double standards, and a culture of awkward silence around sexuality — but on the other hand, its evolution into grand romantic saga is anything but typical. It's also a story of cross-cultural adoption that dovetails into not only a hilariously awkward meet-the-parents comedy, but also a film about freeing oneself from emotional and generational baggage, in a way that yields tears of joy and laughter.

What is A Nice Indian Boy about?

Dr. Naveen Gavaskar (Deadpool's Karan Soni) is the kind of realistic queer protagonist seldom seen in Hollywood: an introverted gay man who'd rather be at home than at the club — or in the case of the movie's opening scene, at his sister's colorful wedding reception. As the guests dance to thumping tunes, and the camera tilts and spins to capture them, Naveen sits still, fending off over-enthusiastic family members whose words of marital encouragement sound more like a dire warning: "You're next!"

What Naveen's nosy aunties and uncles don't know, and what his parents begrudgingly accept, is that his wedding won't quite look like a Hindi movie, since he happens to be into guys.

Six years go by — notably, the amount of time between Sethi coming out and the film's premiere — and Naveen's life away from his parents is somewhat content, even though it involves lonely nights of leaving exes and crushes some uncomfortably awkward voice messages. He has absolutely no game, despite the efforts of his outgoing gay colleague Paul (Peter S. Kim) to bring him out of his shell. But the gods eventually smile on him when he comes across an attractive white photographer, Jay Kurundkar (Groff), at his local mandir (or temple) while praying to a statue of Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom and good luck.

Two things immediately stand out about Jay: his tranquil charm, and his authentic pronunciation of "Ganesh" — with an extended "e" as in "lace," rather than the protracted "e" of words like "less," to which most Westerners default. Naveen is immediately flustered by Jay's confident stares, but agrees to accompany him on a date to his favorite movie, which, to the good doctor's surprise, turns out to be Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (or DDLJ), the iconic 1995 Bollywood romance about two star-crossed Indian Londoners, whose musical centerpiece features superstar Shah Rukh Khan serenading actress Kajol in a field of yellow mustard flowers.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'The Romantics': A nostalgic and impassioned tribute to Hindi cinema

But instead of being bowled over by this gesture, Naveen finds himself unable to fully embrace the film or Jay's off-key crooning of its famous track, "Tujhe Dekha To" (yes, Groff sings it himself, with barely a syllable out of place). Sincerity and vulnerability remain obstacles to Naveen, even after he and Jay start dating. This proves mildly problematic when meeting each other's friends, but it's downright disastrous when the question of Jay meeting Naveen's parents arises, given how little he's told them about his white, freelance photographer boyfriend who vapes and waxes poetic about Hindi cinema.

The results are as side-splitting as they are disheartening, because the one lesson A Nice Indian Boy takes from DDLJ is that Indian romantic films are family dramas too. However, what initially seems hopeless ends up an exciting challenge, because Jay has also internalized this lesson. And, like Shah Rukh Khan's brash Raj Malhotra, he'll stop at nothing to win over the parents of the person he loves.

A Nice Indian Boy is also a family drama.

The film, written by Eric Randall, is based on the play by Madhuri Shekar, and it has the structure of a five-act play, with each section broken up by significant time jumps. This ends up serving a dual purpose. On one hand, this shifts the typical feel-good rom-com climax to the middle of the story, away from its usual place in most three-act Hollywood screenplays, where it serves as a resolution. In the process, A Nice Indian Boy allows for the realities of long-term romance and wedding planning to creep in through the corners of the frame, beyond the broad declarations of love.

On the other hand, it also allows each member of Naveen's family to have their own dedicated section of the movie, during which they become a primary character. Like Naveen, his sister Arundhathi (Sunita Mani) harbors a grudge against their parents for the choices she did and didn't have while growing up, including in matters of love, and she sees their increased leeway with Naveen as a matter of grave injustice. Meanwhile, their outspoken mother Megha (Zarna Garg) tries to smooth things over with both children, but since she's just as hot-headed as her daughter, it's easier said than done. In terms of temperament, Naveen takes after his father Archit (Harish Patel), though his silent acceptance of Naveen's sexuality — while avoiding eye contact at all cost — hurts more than outright disapproval. Like his son, Archit has a problem with expressing himself honestly.

However, Megha and Archit's genuine attempts to bridge the gap between themselves and Naveen also leads to some uproarious overcompensation, between the topics they bring up in Jay's presence without any filter whatsoever, to their sincere attempts to educate themselves by binging raunchy reality shows on OutTV and bringing them up in conversation. It's incredibly funny and incredibly sweet, but none of these superficial gestures — no matter how well-meaning — are a substitute for the real emotional work the Gavaskar family needs.

The film doesn't let Naveen off the hook either, whether it comes to his avoidance of intimacy or the walls he keeps up between him and his family members. Those walls only start to come down after some rigorous and difficult dramatic moments, which Sethi directs with incredible command.

A Nice Indian Boy is brilliantly directed.  

The film's premise resembles a number of third-culture films and shows featuring South Asians in the West, like The Big Sick, Ms. Marvel, and Blinded by the Light. These stories of artistically driven first-gen kids and their immigrant parents who "just don't understand" have settled into a rote rhythm in recent years. A fellow SXSW selection, the lukewarm The Queen of My Dreams, is a key example: a similarly Bollywood-inspired tale of a queer Pakistani Canadian who nominally reconciles with her conservative mother. It's rarely a good sign when you can map out the beats of a story based on its cultural premise, but A Nice Indian Boy finds numerous visual and thematic ways to buck that trend.

SEE ALSO: Bollywood's dad, Anupam Kher, on the unique warmth of 'The Big Sick'

It stands out, first and foremost, through its bustling visual energy, which not only captures the chaos and excitement constantly unfolding around Naveen — at weddings, family meetings, or parties hosted by Jay's outgoing friends — but also serves to magnify his glum stillness as the camera pushes in and pulls out prominently during both comedy beats and charged emotional moments. The film's comedy and drama stem from the same place: the tension of expectations, whether it involves Naveen wrestling with his prescribed role as an Indian man in the West; the implications of his queerness, according to his parents; or how Jay will fit into the Gavaskars' family dynamic.

What Jay yearns for, as a perpetual outsider who found love in an Indian household once before, is just as vital to the movie as Naveen's search for emotional authenticity. And when the film begins drawing more overtly from Bollywood iconography, it weaves together its grandiose romance from both their perspectives. To Jay, Hindi cinema is the ultimate expression of love and acceptance. To Naveen, it's a cheesy façade. The truth, it turns out, may lie somewhere in between, with Sethi presenting the story's key turning points as stylistic handshakes between formal grandeur and naturalistic, self-aware comedy, without compromising either character’s point of view. The movie's sweeping declarations are as bold and unapologetic as they are goofy and silly, so they end up running the emotional gamut.

Rarely has a rom-com been this simultaneously hysterical and touching, though despite its boisterous tone, its biggest strength may very well be its silent moments. The father-son pairing of Naveen and Archit tend to find solace in silence, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. So, in order to draw them out of their comfort zones, A Nice Indian Boy becomes a film about gestures both big and small. Its most heartrending moments arrive in the form of these two men — separated by generational disconnect, but bound by common cultural expectations — adapting to other people's modes of expression in the small ways they're able to. Over the course of the film, they learn to speak other people's love languages, leading to rousing, overwhelming moments (some of them in delightful musical form). 

SEE ALSO: The 11 best Hindi movies streaming on Amazon Prime

In a just world, A Nice Indian Boy would find instant distribution and be hailed alongside Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding as a realistic family portrait whose jagged edges aren't just riveting, but revelatory. It's as sweet and funny as they come, and the kind of crowd-pleaser destined to leave your heart feeling full.

A Nice Indian Boy is currently seeking distribution.

UPDATE: Sep. 25, 2024, 5:01 p.m. EDT A Nice Indian Boy was reviewed out of its World Premiere at SXSW 2024 on March 23, 2024. This post has been updated to note its East Coast Premiere at NewFest, where it was the opening night film.

Here's how Zerxus Ilerez ended up in 'The Legend of Vox Machina' Season 3

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 19:00

Season 3, episode 4 of The Legend of Vox Machina is a major Critical Role crossover event. Not only does the show continue adapting Critical Role's first live-streamed campaign, it also incorporates a key character from Exandria Unlimited: Calamity, a four-part mini-campaign set centuries before The Legend of Vox Machina and run by Brennan Lee Mulligan.

SEE ALSO: 'The Legend of Vox Machina' Season 3 review: Critical Role's series keeps raising the bar

The character in question is the paladin Zerxus Ilerez (voiced by Luis Carazo, who also played Zerxus in Calamity). He is the current owner of the Plate of the Dawnmartyr, one of the Vestiges of Divergence that Vox Machina need in order to defeat the dragon Thordak (voiced by the late Lance Reddick). Their quest brings them to Zerxus' home in the Hells of Despath, where he and cleric Pike Trickfoot (voiced by Ashley Johnson) play a high-stakes card game for the Plate. The sequence tweaks elements from the original campaign, which saw bard Scanlan (voiced by Sam Riegel) gamble for the Plate with a fire giant in the Elemental Plane of Fire.

"From a story perspective, we had an opportunity to combine two story beats from our campaign," Travis Willingham, who voices Grog Strongjaw, told Mashable. (Willingham is also an executive producer on The Legend of Vox Machina and CEO of Critical Role.) The series could take Vox Machina's stint in the Fire Plane, which doesn't have the biggest story hook by this point in the show's timeline, and merge it with the idea that Ank'Harel ruler J'mon Sa Ord (voiced by Mara Junot) would have hidden the Plate in the Hells to keep it as far from Thordak as possible.

"And right after we had finished EXU: Calamity, with Zerxus' fate being sent to the Hells, it just popped up that maybe 800 years later, he's still down there, and that would be a nice thing to weave into the story," Willingham continued. "Particularly some of the lore that was revealed in EXU: Calamity, and how the Calamity kicked off, and why that might be important to larger antagonists in the story that we might try to utilize in a larger way if we get future seasons."

SEE ALSO: The cast of Critical Role choose their ultimate 'The Legend of Vox Machina' squads

Zerxus' appearance is no brief Easter egg. Instead, he plays a meaty role in the episode, with the show paralleling his complicated relationship to his deity — in Calamity, that's Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine Hells, although he goes unnamed here — with Pike's own doubts in her faith in the Everlight. In their encounter, he also gives Vox Machina a quick rundown of the events of Calamity, accompanied by a stained glass-style animated interlude reminiscent of the campaign's introduction sequence. Appearing in the interlude are Zerxus' companions, the other player characters from Calamity.

"I think there's a hidden desire on our part to incorporate everyone from Calamity at some point," Willingham said. And with more animated Critical Role projects in development with Amazon Studios, including a Mighty Nein series coming next year, a full Calamity adaptation of some kind may not be too far-fetched.

"It's ripe for a movie, a mini-series, something — we're just trying to figure out the best delivery method for it and how it would fit into everything," Willingham said.

There's a hidden desire on our part to incorporate everyone from "Calamity" at some point. - Travis Willingham

For now, though, it looks like we haven't seen the last of Zerxus Ilerez in The Legend of Vox Machina. When Pike and her companions escape with the Plate of the Dawnmartyr, he utters a very foreboding statement: "We are his blood. The time for his ascension draws near."

The words echo those spoken by Delilah Briarwood (voiced by Grey Griffin) and other cultists of the Whispered One — also known as Vecna in the original campaign — all the way back in Season 1. Could this mean that The Legend of Vox Machina is positioning Zerxus as the Whispered One's champion? And if so, would that mean the series is mashing the Whispered One and Asmodeus together? Or did Zerxus choose to serve another deity in the hopes of trying to redeem him, as he hoped to do for Asmodeus in Calamity?

"A Redemption Paladin is still gonna redemption," Marisha Ray, voice of Keyleth, told Mashable. (Ray is also an executive producer on the show, as well as Creative Director of Critical Role.) "I think it's very fitting, because there are several entities in the world of Exandria that could fit that ticket of maybe being redeemed."

"We're hoping we will see some conspiracy theories [about that line]," added Willingham.

On top of prompting fan theories, Zerxus' addition to The Legend of Vox Machina is further proof of why the show is one of the most fascinating works of adaptation on TV today. Zerxus didn't exist as a character when Critical Role's first campaign came out — audiences didn't even get to meet him until months after Season 1 of The Legend of Vox Machina premiered. Yet as Critical Role continues to grow through its various campaigns, it's creating more source material for its animated adaptations to draw from in real time.

"One of my favorite things about working on the animated show is that after the Vox Machina campaign ended, we continued to expand and enrich the world and create history. We created future stories, but we also expanded what the past was," Liam O'Brien, voice of Vax'ildan and executive producer, told Mashable.

"That's really the best thing about adaptations. You can go through and sprinkle in some of the good stuff that wasn't there before," added Ray.

She continued: "I think we're really lucky in the sense that we're developing Mighty Nein in real time with The Legend of Vox Machina, as well as still continuing to shoot Campaign 3 and other ancillary stuff. So we have this 5,000-foot view of everything — except for all the stuff that is to be determined at the end of Campaign 3 — but we can take the Jenga blocks of the story and move them around to fit nicely."

So as The Legend of Vox Machina continues its run, be on the lookout for more substantial links to Critical Role's other campaigns. Zerxus may be the first Calamity crossover, but from the sounds of it, he probably won't be the last.

The Legend of Vox Machina Season 3 premieres Oct. 3 on Prime Video, with three new episodes every Thursday.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds hit new low price after Prime Day

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 16:51

Save $50: The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are discounted at Amazon, even after Prime Day wrapped up. They're priced at $249, a new all-time low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Ultra Open Earbuds $249.00 at Amazon
$299.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

If you're in the market for really good earbuds, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — on sale at an all-time-low price at Amazon — might be your next purchase. The earbuds are on sale for $249, a 17% drop from the typical list price of $299.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds promise to deliver high-quality sound while keeping your ears open, as the name implies. That could be the perfect thing for runners, bikers, or folks who otherwise might not want to shut-out the world via noise cancelling.

Mashable's review of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds gave them a really good 4.4 out of 5 rating.

Wrote RJ Anderson for Mashable:

"When Bose announced these headphones, they described them as the solution to the “one bud phenomenon” — aka needing to pull out one of your earbuds to interact with the world — and I was surprised to find that they lived up to the hype. Not only are the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds cool and functional, but the sound quality is great, the fit is incredible, and the comfort level is off the charts."

So if you ever wanted to cut down on taking out a single earbud, this might be just the deal you need.

More Prime Day earbud deals still available

YouTube responds to accusations that it’s been 'hiding' the skip button on ads

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 15:26

Recently, the internet was worried that YouTube was phasing out the skip button on ads. It turns out that's not really true.

In a statement to The Verge, YouTube confirmed that the option to skip some ads isn't going away, but is rather getting a visual overhaul. According to a YouTube spokesperson, the site is trying to clean up the way ads look, and part of that is by changing the skip button into a progress bar on the bottom of the video. This will apparently be the case for both desktop and mobile users.

SEE ALSO: Not so short, YouTube Shorts announces 3-minute videos

YouTube needed to address this in a statement because various places such as Reddit and AndroidPolice noticed that the skip button wasn't appearing on desktop or mobile. On desktop, things got particularly interesting, as it appeared that the YouTube video player was drawing a black rectangle over the skip button, almost as if to discourage people from using it. However, according to YouTube, that's not what's happening.

As always, you can avoid this entirely by paying for YouTube Premium. Such is life.

Fidelity data breach compromises more than 77,000 customers

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 15:19

One of the largest financial services and asset management companies has just been breached.

According to a new notice filed with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, Fidelity Investments was targeted in a data breach. More than 77,000 customers have had their sensitive personal information compromised.

SEE ALSO: Internet Archive data breach: Hacker claims to ‘See 31 million of you' on Have I Been Pwned

"Between August 17 and August 19, a third party accessed and obtained certain information without authorization using two customer accounts that they had recently established," Fidelity said in a letter sent to affected customers.

Upon noticing the breach on August 19, Fidelity says it immediately cut the unauthorized party's access to its systems.

It's unclear as to what specific personal data was stolen. It's also unclear how a bad actor was able to access private data tied to 77,099 customer accounts by "using two customer accounts that they had recently established." 

According to Fidelity, customers' accounts were not compromised. The company also shared that those who were affected make up a small subset of its more than 50 million customers.

Fidelity will be providing the affected customers with two years of credit monitoring services.

This Fidelity data breach marks yet another instance of users' data being compromised just in this week alone. Comcast, MoneyGram, and the Internet Archive all notified customers and users that their data had been stolen in a data breach.

The Sonos Ray soundbar is still 40% off after Prime Day

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 15:12

Save $110: The Sonos Ray compact soundbar is discounted 39% on Amazon despite Prime Day officially coming to a close. You can grab it for $169, down from its typical list price of $279.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Ray Compact Soundbar $169.00 at Amazon
$279.00 Save $110.00 Get Deal

Prime Day might officially be over, but there are still deals to be found on Amazon. The Sonos Ray compact soundbar is on sale for $169, for instance, which is a nearly 40% drop from its typical list price of $279.

You'll also be getting a quality product that's significantly less expensive than the premium soundbar options. Mashable's review gave the Sonos Ray a very solid 3.9 score out of five.

"The Sonos Ray soundbar is sleek, petite, crisp (in make and sound), and an all-around small but mighty soundbar to add to your entertainment system" wrote Han Schneider in that review.

SEE ALSO: The Sonos Ray brings into question why soundbars have to be so large and unwieldy

Overall, Mashable's review noted that the Sonos Ray sounded great, was easy to set up, and was a cheaper option that discarded some of the frills folks might not need. And now that cheap option is even cheaper.

More Prime Day soundbar deals still live

No, Starlink isn't actually 'free' for Hurricane Helene victims

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 13:26

Elon Musk's 30-day offer of free Starlink internet to the thousands of displaced and disconnected Hurricane Helene victims isn't as good as it sounds.

First reported by the Register and Gizmodo earlier this week, the "free" Starlink trial is more like a classic marketing ploy than a legitimate option for disconnected residents. The offer doesn't include the satellite internet's required hardware — including a $350 Starlink terminal kit — and, at the end of the 30 days, customers could be auto-enrolled in the $120-per-month subscription plan.

Tweet may have been deleted

"Please note," the Hurricane Helene support page reads. "A Starlink kit is required to access this free service. If you do not already have a Starlink kit, you will need to purchase one from starlink.com/residential or an authorized retailer such as Best Buy or Home Depot." The offer does extend a 30-day credit to existing customers, however. But they still have to create a help ticket in order to receive a waiver at an undetermined date, according to the company.

All of this is gambling on individuals having access to stable electricity or generators. One week after Hurricane Helene's devastation, more than 850,000 residents across seven states were still powerless, and restoration efforts are ongoing as a second storm, destructive Hurricane Milton, just touched down in Florida.

SEE ALSO: How to connect your iPhone to a satellite to send messages

Despite the company's promotional bait and switch, Starlink's emergency services are helping humanitarian efforts, with the federal government deploying emergency Starlink satellites and dozens of ground devices to support relief organizations in the region. On Tuesday, Starlink announced it was unlocking Direct to Cell satellites, which enables SMS text messaging, for T-Mobile users ahead of Hurricane Milton.

A 10-foot skeleton named Steve is on sale at Walmart

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 13:24

Save $75: Walmart's 10-foot-tall skeleton named Steve is on sale for $174, down from its typical list price of $249. It might just be the next best thing to Home Depot's viral, sold-out giant skeleton.

Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Steve the Poseable 10' Skeleton $174.00 at Walmart
$249.00 Save $75.00 Get Deal

Walmart might have the deal to make all your spooky season dreams come true. Its 10-foot skeleton decoration, dubbed Steve, is $75 off on the heels of Amazon's Prime Day.

Typically, Steve will run you a $249 but its price is reduced 30 percent to $174.

Walmart's giant, 10-foot skeleton is not the viral giant skeleton you might've seen everywhere for the past few years. Home Depot's Skelly has become a Halloween staple since its debut in 2020. But Skelly, which retails for $299, is currently out of stock, meaning ol' Steve might be your next best option.

Still, Walmart's Steve is pretty massive and can be put into different poses — so let your creativity run wild this Halloween season.

The 'hear me out' cake TikTok trend, explained

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 13:15

You might be curious why people are putting print-outs of cartoon characters into cakes. And, well, the answer is a tiny bit uncomfortable: It's basically confessing an attraction to the strangest characters, people, or things

So the so-called "hear me out" cake is basically the people somewhat jokingly saying, "Hear me out; I would hook up with this character."

The trend follows a few key beats. Two or more people — sometimes large groups — take turns placing skewered print-outs of their "hear me outs" into a cake. Oftentimes, things get more unhinged or obscure as the TikTok goes on. You might hear the dad from Finding Nemo, a background character in Spongebob, or the literal number eight, for instance.

The trend has proven to be really popular, seemingly as viewers either find themselves agreeing or being shocked. Here's one from the couple account @MeghanandJack that's racked up some 3.4 million views.

Here's a group of friends that posted one that's garnered nearly 28 million views.

There are lots of videos with lots of views.

It's not totally clear where the trend started, exactly. Crush cakes have been a thing online for a while, where people put their crushes into cakes. Today noted that one of the earliest videos with a crush cake and the phrase "hear me out" came from user @desgovname in late September. The video initially highlighted K-Pop idols before transitioning to the types of unconventional crushes typically featured on "hear me out" cakes.

So, yes, that really is what's happening — people are posting their strangest crushes via skewers in a cake. The internet is a wild place.

Is this image AI-generated? How to tell in 3 easy steps.

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 12:41
As AI gets better and better it may seem harder and harder to tell what's real and what isn't, but not all hope is lost. Here’s how you can tell the difference between the real and the computer-generated.

Study: Reports of nonconsensual nude images are ignored on X

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 12:31

X (formerly Twitter) takes swift action when taking down deepfake nude images that are reported as copyright violations — but not when they're reported under "nonconsensual nudity," a study has found.

The paper, published by researchers at the University of Michigan and Florida International University, is an audit of X's reporting systems and hasn't yet been peer-reviewed, 404 Media reported. Researchers created five AI "personas" of young white women (to prevent further variables of race, gender, and age) and then made 10 replica images of each, resulting in 50 images. In terms of the ethics around generating deepfake porn themselves, researchers said these images underwent a "rigorous verification process" to ensure they didn't represent an existing individual.

SEE ALSO: How Big Tech is approaching explicit, nonconsensual deepfakes

They posted these images to X on 10 "poster accounts" they created, and then they created five X accounts to report the images. Twenty-five images were reported as Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) violations, and the other 25 were reported as nonconsensual nudity.

Researchers then waited three weeks to see the results of these reports. All 25 images reported for copyright were removed from X within 25 hours. In contrast, none of the images reported for nonconsensual nudity were removed within the three-week waiting period.

"Our findings reveal a significant disparity in the effectiveness of content removal processes between reports made under the DMCA and those made under X's internal nonconsensual nudity policy," the study states. "This highlights the need for stronger and directed regulations and protocols to protect victim-survivors."

X owner Elon Musk dissolved the platform's trust and safety council in 2022, but the site has recently opened up two dozen safety and cybersecurity positions in the U.S. Mashable has reached out to X for comment.

Earlier this year, WIRED found that victims of nonconsensual deepfake porn leveraged copyright laws to take down deepfakes on Google.

If you have had intimate images shared without your consent, call the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s 24/7 hotline at 844-878-2274 for free, confidential support. The CCRI website also includes helpful information as well as a list of international resources.

Save nearly $30 on 'EA College Football 25' with this Prime Day deal still available

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 12:15

SAVE $27: Amazon has EA Sports College Football 25 for nearly 40% off. It's currently $42.99, a huge discount from its $69.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Electronic Arts EA Sports College Football 25 $42.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $27.00 Get Deal

In real life, college football is heating up with thrilling upsets and a race to a new 12-team playoff that's sure to pack plenty of excitement in the postseason. You probably can't go and join the roster at Georgia right now, but you can step into their cleats virtually with EA Sports College Football 25, which is deeply discounted for October Prime Day.

The first official college football video game in a decade is a delightful return to form for a series that was a good deal better than Madden when it went dormant in 2014. The developers lovingly rendered and included stunningly accurate portrayals of each included school's stadium, including obscure pre-game rituals that only alumni should know about.

The part where you actually play football is really good, too, thanks to a variety of modes that let you inhabit whatever role you want to inhabit and do almost anything you want. Do you want Kennesaw State to suddenly become a national powerhouse? The world is your oyster in College Football 25.

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Netflix's 'Jentry Chau vs the Underworld' teaser has anime Ali Wong slaying demons

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 12:00
Netflix has dropped its teaser for Echo Wu's "Jentry Chau vs the Underworld", an upcoming anime series starring Ali Wong.

Apple Vision Pro: You may never meet The Weeknd, but this new experience brings you close

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 12:00

Music videos are so yesterday. It's 2024 — time to strap on the Vision Pro and experience Apple Immersive Video instead.

Apple just revealed that The Weeknd, who made a cameo appearance during the iPhone 16 "Glowtime" livestream, is unleashing a new "breathtaking immersive experience" that is designed exclusively for the Vision Pro. It will celebrate a new song from the "Blinding Lights" crooner.

Credit: pio3 / Shutterstock.com

This will be all part of the Apple Immersive Video experience, a new-ish, enveloping 3D storytelling format, enhanced with spatial audio, that transports viewers into the center of the action with a 180-degree field of view.

It's not out yet, though. It'll be released next month, Apple said in a press release.

SEE ALSO: Apple Vision Pro: I watched a Billie Eilish concert in Bora Bora — and I didn't need to spend a penny Apple announces 5 additional new immersive experiences for Vision Pro

In addition to the The Weeknd's music video, Apple is dropping an immersive film called 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend that features the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu.

Credit: Apple

You can enjoy 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend on Oct. 17.

Other upcoming Apple Immersive Video projects arriving on Vision Pro include:

  • Concert for One: Imagine getting up close and personal with your favorite artists in the most intimate way possible. Kicking things off is a performance by British singer-songwriter, RAYE. Apple’s latest concert series is dropping later this year.

  • Adventure takes you on thrilling journeys with pioneering athletes as they conquer the world’s most breathtaking challenges. In a new upcoming episode called “Ice Dive," viewers will join freediver Ant Williams as he attempts to break his record for the longest distance under ice on a single breath. This will launch in December.

  • Elevated: This show is for viewers who enjoy aerial views of sweeping landscapes. The first episode, for example, showcases Hawaii's majestic volcanoes, awe-inspiring waterfalls, and other eye-catching natural wonders. It's already been released for U.S. Vision Pro users, but it now has global availability.

As if that's not enough, Apple also announced that Submerged, the Vision Pro's first scripted short in the "Apple Immersive Video" format, is dropping. Submerged allows users to follow the troubles of a WWI-era crew inside a torpedo-attacked submarine.

Promo image for "Submerged" Credit: Apple

It will be available to stream via the Apple TV app on Vision Pro starting today.

'Conclave' trailer promises political shenanigans at the Vatican

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 11:53
Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini star in "Conclave." Watch the trailer.

Amazon Prime Day monitor deals are still going strong on Samsung, Asus, and Acer models

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 11:36

Amazon's October Prime Day might be over according to the calendar, but we're still seeing major discounts. If you're shopping for a new monitor, you're still in luck and will have your pick of brand, size, and specialty. Here are some top deals to shop after Amazon Prime Big Deal Days.

Post Prime Day monitor deals at Amazon Best monitor for work Samsung Essentials S3 Monitor (27-inches, 100Hz, HDMI/VGA) $129.99 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal Best gaming monitor Acer Nitro Monitor (23.8-inches, 165Hz) $99.99 at Amazon (save $73) Get Deal Best portable monitor Asus ZenScreen $119 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal

If you've never had the heavenly experience of working with an external monitor, you're missing out. A second monitor can make all the difference when it comes to productivity. Or an addition monitor on your desktop can be great for gaming during your free time. And if you travel often, a portable monitor can be excellent for both working and streaming shows without needing to log into your accounts on a hotel TV.

Amazon has some special deals in store for those who know the joys of having an additional monitor. Here are some of our favorites.

Best monitor for work Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Essentials S3 Monitor (27-inches, 100Hz, HDMI/VGA) $129.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The 27-inch Samsung Essentials S3 monitor means business when it comes to display. The curved monitor give you a more immersive feel, which might not seem super necessary when filling in a spreadsheet, but it certainly is useful. It's also great for watching your favorite movies and shows once the workday is over. During Amazon's post Prime Day sale, the monitor is on sale for just $129.99, down from the normal price of $179.99, which means you'll be saving $50.

Best gaming monitor Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Nitro Monitor (23.8-inches, 165Hz) $99.99 at Amazon
$172.99 Save $73.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Acer Nitro monitor could be great if you're shopping for an affordable gaming monitor. Amazon's sale price brings the monitor down to just $99.99, which works out to a 42% discount off the list price of $172.99. The 23.8-inch monitor uses Acer's ZeroFrame design for a full view of the display. AMD Freesynch gives you a speedy refresh rate and response time, ideal for gaming or watching your favorite YouTuber stream while gaming.

Best portable monitor Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ZenScreen $119.00 at Amazon
$139.00 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If work takes you away from home or the office often, a portable monitor might be ideal. With a super lightweight design, the Asus ZenScreen measures 15.6 inches and comes with the ability to mount it on a tripod. The anti-glare screen makes it easier on the eyes, as does the low blue light technology and anti-flicker technology. Adding to the travel-friendly design of the portable monitor, the Asus ZenScreen doesn't require its own power source, but rather powers through a USB-C connection to your laptop. That means there's one less plug to pack on your travels.

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What Mashable readers bought during October Prime Day — some are still on sale

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 11:23

While Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days may have technically come to an end on October 9, we know well that Amazon extends their sales past the official date.

If you're curious about all the deals that are still live, we're still following them here. But now that the event has wrapped, we're curious about the things our readers actually bought. We put together lists of all the best deals on headphones, tablet, and laptops during these events, but that doesn't always mean that's what our readers are excited about.

We have all the details on what our readers actually purchased during Prime Big Deal Days, and let's just say you guys really like AirPods. If you're curious what other people are buying (we always are), here are the 10 most popular products Mashable readers bought during Amazon's recent sale.

1. Most popular headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $189.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $59.01 Get Deal Why people like it

They topped the pack last Prime Day, so it's no surprise that they're back on top this time. Apple AirPods Pro 2, were easily the most popular item purchased during Prime Big Deal Days, and we get why. The noise cancellation on these earbuds is seriously good, and with sweat- and dust-resistance, they're great for working out too. They were down to their all-time low price during this Prime Day, and while they've gone back up in price, they're still 24% off for $189.99.

2. Most popular tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 9th generation (A13, 64GB, WiFi) $199.00 at Amazon
$329.00 Save $130.00 Get Deal Why people like it

Yes, another Apple product tops the list. The iPad 9th generation is the cheapest iPad we've ever seen at $199. It still has plenty of processing power with the A13 chip so you can read, stream, and game without delay. It's still on sale post-Prime Day for 40% off.

3. Most popular e-reader deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite $149.99 at Amazon
Get Deal Why people like it

The Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader we've tested, and it's a favorite of our readers too. With 16GB of storage, you can hold your entire library in this Kindle. Plus, it comes with adjustable warmth and brightness, making it suitable for reading in any environment. During Prime Day it was down to $124.99, but it's back up to $149.99. You can try and hold out for a good deal come Black Friday, but we don't blame you if you're ready to buy it at full price.

4. Most popular budget headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation $119.99 at Amazon
Get Deal Why people like it

This Prime Day, we had a sneaky new competitor in the headphone popularity contest — the Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation. It's for good reason, these earbuds dropped to just $34.99 during Prime Big Deal Days. The price was certainly unbeatable, and even though they've climbed back up to $119.99, they're still a budget-friendly choice — cheaper than the AirPods Pro 2.

5. Most popular smart home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Tapo Tapo TP-Link Smart Light Bulb $22.99 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $2.00 Get Deal Why people like it

If you're looking to create a real vibe in your home, smart bulbs certainly help with that. Tapo TP-Link Smart Bulbs are the most popular option among our readers. There are 16 million color options, with adjustable warm and cool white tones too. They're compatible with both Alexa and Google Home and controlled through Tapo app on your smartphone. They're still on sale for a minor discount, saving you 8%.

6. Most popular tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTags 4-pack $79.98 at Amazon
$99.00 Save $19.02 Get Deal Why people like it

The deals on Apple AirTags are still live post-Prime Day. They're down to $79.98, saving you 19%. You save by buying in bulk with this 4-pack of AirTags, so you can keep track of your keys, luggage, or whatever you need. It's no wonder our readers like these, when they've been the hero in several news stories this year.

7. Most popular Echo device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Dot $49.99 at Amazon
Get Deal Why people like it

Of all the Echo devices on sale during Prime Big Deal Days, the Echo Dot was our readers' favorite. It makes sense considering it dropped down in price to $22.99. It's back up to $49.99 now, but if you're still interested, it's a great smart home device with vibrant sound and Alexa routines.

8. Most popular home security deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Blink Outdoor 4 $89.99 at Amazon
Get Deal Why people like it

There are a lot of home security options, some far better than others, but the one our readers prefer is the Blink Outdoor 4. This speaker mounts outside and delivers clear 1080p HD video quality. It features two-way talk so you can monitor visitors, even when you're away from home. It's no longer on sale, but you can buy it for $89.99.

9. Most popular smartwatch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm) $299.00 at Amazon
$399.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why people like it

With all the fitness trackers and smartwatches on sale during Prime Day, the one our readers bought the most is the Apple Watch Series 9. And the good news is, it's still on sale for $299, saving you $100. This model comes with a silver aluminum case and a blue loop band, and will help you track all your fitness goals.

10. Most popular printer deal Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP ENVY 6455e Wireless Color Inkjet Printer $89.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why people like it

If you want a printer that does it all — print in color, scan, and copy — the HP ENVY 6455e Wireless Color Inkjet Printer is a fantastic option. Our readers agree, as it was the most purchased printer during Prime Big Deal Days. It's capable of mobile printing, plus it comes with three months of Instant Ink with HP+.

Internet Archive data breach: Hacker claims to ‘See 31 million of you' on Have I Been Pwned

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 11:16

The Internet Archive is currently under attack from hacker groups. And, it seems these bad actors have been able to access sensitive data for millions of the Internet Archive's users.

The non-profit Internet Archive, which keeps archived versions of digital media including websites via The Wayback Machine, has been suffering from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks since the beginning of the week. These attacks have resulted in prolonged inaccessibility.

Tweet may have been deleted

"@internetarchive is being cautious and prioritizing keeping data safe at the expense of service availability," posted Internet Archive digital librarian Brewster Kahle on his X account.

However, the DDoS attacks aren't the only thing the Internet Archive has to worry about. It appears that the Internet Archive has been unable to keep at least some of its data safe as it undergoes attacks from threat actors. 

SEE ALSO: Internet Archive loses first ruling in copyright lawsuit

Emails, screen names, and encrypted passwords for 31 million Internet Archive users have been stolen in a data breach. At this time, it's unclear if the data breach and the DDoS attacks are related.

Internet Archive hacked

Along with the downtime related to the DDoS attacks, social media users began noticing a pop-up prompt on the Internet Archive's website on Wednesday.

Tweet may have been deleted

"Have you ever felt like the Internet Archive runs on sticks and is constantly on the verge of suffering a catastrophic security breach?" read the prompt. "It just happened. See 31 million of you on HIBP!"

HIBP refers to the website Have I Been Pwned, a website that notifies users if their data was involved in a data breach.

According to Bleeping Computer, Have I Been Pwned founder Troy Hunt confirmed to the outlet that they had received a 6.4GB SQL database file which includes users' "email addresses, screen names, password change timestamps, Bcrypt-hashed passwords, and other internal data."

Hunt has been able to confirm the legitimacy of the data. Based on the timestamp on the hacked information, it appears that it was likely stolen on September 28, 2024. Hunt said that he contacted the Internet Archive before loading the data into the Have I Been Pwned service. He has not yet heard back.

A group known as SN-Blackmeta has claimed responsibility for the DDoS attack. Again, its unclear if they are involved in the data breach. The group said that it carried out the DDoS attack because of the United States' support for Israel and that the Internet Archive "belongs to the USA." Many social media users were quick to point out that the Internet Archive is an independent non-profit organization and is not affiliated with the U.S. government.

Mashable has reached out to the Internet Archive for more information on the attacks and will update this post when we hear back.

Snag an Asus Zenbook Duo for $10 cheaper than it was during October Prime Day

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 11:10

SAVE $235: Amazon has the dual-screen Asus Zenbook Duo laptop for $1,264.99, a savings of $235 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus/Amazon Asus Zenbook Duo (Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,264.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $235.00 Get Deal

Most laptops only have one display, but the Asus Zenbook Duo has two and you can get it for a pretty decent discount right now as part of a lingering October Prime Day deal.

SEE ALSO: Check out the best PlayStation 5 deals still live after October Prime Day

In our review, Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon praised nearly every aspect of the Zenbook Duo. The two 14-inch, 1900x1200 displays can be configured into several different physical "modes" to fit whatever your needs are. You'll also get a whopping 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Seriously, for $1,264.99, this is a lot of laptop, especially if you're a Windows fan.

If that isn't enough, Gedeon loved the detachable keyboard and the selection of ports on the device. October Prime Day may be technically over, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take advantage of what deals are left.

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