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Updated: 5 hours 52 min ago

New Zealand parliament members cry out against bill threatening Maori communities

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 14:51

Members of New Zealand's parliament have rallied the international community in support of the island country's indigenous groups, as contentious legislation moves forward that could threaten Maori support systems.

In a now viral video taken during the legislative session, Te Pati Maori member Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke — the country's youngest member of parliament — rises amid commencement of the first vote and begins a ringing haka, soon joined by other members of the Maori Party and parliament. The haka, a type of striking group performance embodying New Zealand's rich indigenous culture, is often interpreted as a cry of challenge.

And a challenge there certainly was. The group of representatives were rallying against a proposed bill contentiously reinterpreting the Treaty of Waitangi, a 184-year-old agreement between the British and Indigenous Maori that established rules of government for the colonizing government and indigenous leaders. The new bill would narrow the treaty's definitions and powers, which have, until this moment, offered interpretive pathways for the expansion of Maori rights and stands as a beacon of race relations in the country. The bill is credited with facilitating the creation of a Maori health authority and initiatives to preserve the indigenous language.

SEE ALSO: What is 4B and who can participate?

Notably, no members of the Maori community were consulted for the proposed bill, which could have a reverberating impact on the 20 percent of New Zealand's population that identify as Maori.

Following tense debate in the chambers, Rawhiti tore up a copy of the legislation and stirred her party to begin the chant. While the haka successfully suspended the vote for 30 minutes, two lawmakers were ejected from the chambers and the bill was later passed through its first round. The bill will now be sent to a committee for a six month hearing process before a second reading, but experts don't believe it will pass another vote.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Outside of the parliamentary chambers, indigenous groups and their supporters have been widely protesting the bill. Opposition supporters are in the middle of a nine day peace march, known as a hikoi, that began in the north of New Zealand and will end in the national capital of Wellington. The group has staged rallies and protests along the way, culminating in a massive rally at the capital scheduled for next week.

Hikoi participants cross over the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Credit: Fiona Goodall / Stringer / Getty Images News via Getty Images Credit: Fiona Goodall / Stringer / Getty Images News via Getty Images

Rawhiti, 22, previously made headlines for performing a haka during her inaugural speech in front of the New Zealand parliament.

Xbox confirms that it’s working on a handheld — here’s what we know

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 13:10

There may be an Xbox-branded answer to the Steam Deck on the horizon.

Xbox executive Phil Spencer hinted at this possibility in an interview with Bloomberg that was published on Wednesday. As he put it, the "expectation is that [Xbox] would do something" in the handheld gaming market and the company is working on prototypes right now.

According to Spencer, you shouldn't expect to see the fruits of that labor for at least a few years.

SEE ALSO: 'Death Stranding' just dropped on Xbox — here’s why the internet is shocked

Unfortunately, that's about all we know. Spencer didn't share specifics, as those details may not exist yet. One only needs to glance at the handheld gaming market to make an educated guess about Microsoft’s possible plans. The enduring popularity of the Nintendo Switch, along with the recent success of high-end handhelds like Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally, indicate that there's a strong demand for console-quality games in a portable format.

Given that Xbox is all in on Game Pass as a service these days, it would make sense for the Xbox handheld to have robust Game Pass support. Of course, this would mean the device would need enough power to handle Game Pass titles, which frequently include big-budget AAA releases — games that some critics say the Steam Deck struggles with.

There’s also a chance that Xbox could go through the prototyping process, decide it’s not satisfied with the results, and abandon the project altogether. We’ll likely know in a couple of years.

Gaming deals are going strong ahead of Black Friday 2024

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 13:07
Best early Black Friday gaming deals Best Xbox deal Xbox Series X (1TB) $449.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best PlayStation deal PlayStation DualSense Edge controller $189.99 (save $10) Get Deal Best Nintendo deal 'Nintendo Switch Sports' $34.99 (save $15) Get Deal

Black Friday is a wonderful time to be a gamer. That's because gaming deals always show up in a big way from consoles, to games, to accessories, and much more. Turns out, those sweet discounts are already trickling in ahead of the holiday shopping season, so you know what that means: Time to get your credit card out.

SEE ALSO: Gaming starter kit: All the gear you need to play like a real gamer

Check out our favorite early Black Friday gaming deals below, and be sure to take a look at our other gaming-centric deals articles on other gaming accessories and PC gaming products. Also, make sure to keep revisiting this page, as we'll keep updating it as more offers go live.

Best Xbox deal Opens in a new window Credit: Xbox Xbox Series X (1TB) $449.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Yes, the Xbox Series X comes in a 1TB version now, and it's $50 off as an early Black Friday deal. Pair that with an Xbox Game Pass membership (which are also on sale right now — more on that below), and you've got everything you need to keep your gaming backlog stacked for the foreseeable future.

More Xbox dealsBest PlayStation deal Opens in a new window Credit: PlayStation PlayStation DualSense Edge controller $189.99 at Walmart
$199.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Pro controllers are more of a "nice to have" than anything else, but when they go on sale (which isn't often), the prospect gets a little more tantalizing. The Dualsense Edge controller for PlayStation 5 is the console's most feature-packed controller to date, and it's $10 off in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. It comes with all the extras you'd expect from a pro-style controller, including various swappable back paddles and thumbsticks, remappable inputs, and more.

More PlayStation dealsBest Nintendo deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo 'Nintendo Switch Sports' $34.99 at Walmart
$49.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Nostalgic for the days of Wii Sports? Lucky for you, Nintendo Switch Sports exists, and it's on sale ahead of Black Friday for $15 off the original price. Strap your Joy-Con controllers on and play through the game's seven included sports like golf, soccer, bowling, volleyball, and more.

More Nintendo deals

Amazon's early Black Friday laptop deals are sparse — except for some juicy record-low prices on MacBooks

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 13:05
Amazon's best early Black Friday laptop deals at a glance: Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 (save $250) Get Deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,474 (save $125) Get Deal

Amazon is holding out on us — kind of.

The retail giant isn't offering a ton of great deals on Windows laptops, gaming laptops, or Chromebooks ahead of its Black Friday Week sale, which is set to run for nine days from Thursday, Nov. 21 through Friday, Nov. 29 (aka Black Friday proper). And as someone who's covered Amazon's Prime and holiday events since 2019, I can tell you that they probably won't start popping up there until the sale officially starts. (Look for deep discounts on Acer, Asus, LG, and Microsoft models when it does.)

In other words, early bird shoppers should cool their heels — except for those in need of a new MacBook.

SEE ALSO: Just announced: Amazon finally dropped its Black Friday sale dates

Amazon is currently offering some deep discounts across Apple's laptop lineup that are worth considering before the holidays get underway. Select configurations from its all-new M4 MacBook Pro series are already on sale for up to $150 off (having just launched last week), and the base configuration of the M2 MacBook Air — now with 16GB of RAM — has hit a new all-time low of $749. It's tough to see that one getting any cheaper on Black Friday, in particular.

Stay tuned to see if Amazon revives its MacBook Air x AppleCare+ bundles from last Black Friday.

In the meantime, read on for my rundown of the best laptop (MacBook) deals available on Amazon ahead of Black Friday Week. I'll continue to update the list in the lead-up to the sale as more offers trickle out, so check back often. Note: Any deal marked with a 🔥has dropped to a record-low price.

The best early Black Friday MacBook deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) 🔥 $749.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Read Mashable's full review of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M2).

The 13-inch M2 Air is Mashable's favorite budget MacBook, combining a "dreamy" keyboard and an all-day battery life with "enough horsepower to handle everyday tasks with ease," wrote Tech and Games reporter Alex Perry. (He gave it a 4.6/5 rating in his review, which got it a Mashable Choice Award.) As mentioned up top, Apple just upgraded the base configuration from 8GB of memory to 16GB, solidifying its status as a fantastic value — especially right now.

Amazon has it on sale for just $749 ahead of Black Friday, or $250 off its $999 MSRP. That's a 25% savings and a new record-low, matching the cheapest price the 8GB version saw. (The same deal was live at Best Buy for the paid tiers of its membership program on Thursday, Nov. 14; it'll be open to everyone there on Friday, Nov. 15.)

More MacBook deals at Amazon:

OpenAI reportedly working on AI agent slated for January release

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 12:57

OpenAI is working on an AI agent that's expected to launch in January. According to Bloomberg, the agent, codenamed "Operator" will be able to take over a person's computer and perform tasks for the the user like booking flights and writing code.

CEO Sam Altman hinted that this was coming in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) with other OpenAI executives, saying "the next giant breakthrough will be agents." Regarding future plans for more autonomous AI, CPO Kevin Weil added that the ability for ChatGPT to messages users first will be "a big theme in 2025." In September, users reported that ChatGPT was messaging them first. At the time, OpenAI said this wasn't supposed to happen, but it might be a sign of things to come.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI says over 2 million people consulted ChatGPT for the 2024 election

Agents are shaping up to be the next frontier for the AI industry to tackle. Microsoft has AI agents for its Copilot model that can be customized by businesses to execute tasks on the user's behalf. Anthropic also released a feature for its Claude model that can take over a user's cursor and write code. And Google is rumored to be launching a similar tool, codenamed "Jarvis" for browsing the web, shopping, and booking flights for users. A leak caught by The Information showed this as a Chrome extension.

Meanwhile, reports from Bloomberg and The Information indicate that LLMs are hitting a developmental wall. Improvements of models are reportedly smaller and reaping diminishing returns due to fundamental limitations in generative AI architecture, despite scaling with more computing power, which continues to be expensive.

"Sky high valuation of companies like OpenAI and Microsoft are largely based on the notion that LLMs will, with continued scaling, become artificial general intelligence," said AI expert Gary Marcus, who predicted the wall in 2022. "There is no principled solution to hallucinations in systems that traffic only in the statistics of language without explicit representation of facts and explicit tools to reason over those facts."

Despite these reports, Altman said in the AMA that AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is "achievable with current hardware."

Whatever the case, OpenAI has been focused on fleshing out more capabilities with existing models and shipping features that largely rely on variations of current LLMs.

This Eufy robot vacuum might be the cheapest hybrid model with self-washing mopping pads we've seen in 2024

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 12:56

SAVE 33%: The Eufy Omni C20 hybrid robot vacuum and mop is on sale at Amazon for just $399.99 with the on-page coupon, down from the typical price of $599.99. That's a savings of $200 and the lowest price we've ever spotted.

Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy Omni C20 hybrid robot vacuum and mop $399.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $200.00 with on-page coupon Get Deal

The holidays are right around the corner which means busy calendars are about to take over. Between normal work tasks, keeping the kids entertained during school breaks, and showing up to social events, the household chores take a back seat. There will be time to vacuum the floors next weekend, right? Instead of trying to fit it all in, enlist the help of a hybrid robot vacuum that also mops, and Amazon has a great model on sale today.

As of Nov. 14, the Eufy Omni C20 hybrid robot vacuum and mop is on sale for just $399.99 at Amazon with the on-page coupon, down from the typical price of $599.99. That's a 33% discount and a $200 savings. That's the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Not only do robot vacuums avoid falling down the stairs these days, high-end models combine the jobs of both vacuuming and mopping. The Eufy Omni C20 is a hybrid model that takes care of both tasks, with extra convenience from its self-emptying base.

Mashable senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart tested out the Eufy X10 Pro Omni this year and was impressed by its performance. She mentions that while the Eufy Omni C20 has a less powerful suction (7,000 Pa instead of 8,000) and lacks small-obstacle avoidance for cords and pet waste, the sale price on the Omni C20 makes this a great option that comes with plenty of perks.

For one, the Eufy Omni C20 has self-washing mopping pads which means you'll never need to touch the dirty and wet pads. Instead, the base automatically washes and dries both mopping pads after use.

The robot itself has a slim design, measuring just 3.35 inches tall, so it can easily fit under the couch to vacuum and mop areas that might have been a challenge before.

If you dread the task of cleaning floors, hand off the task to the Eufy Omni C20. With today's sale price at Amazon, you'll be saving an impressive $200.

Capture all the action with the DJI Osmo Action 4 camera for its lowest price yet

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 12:45

SAVE $89.01: As of Nov. 14, get the DJI Osmo Action 4 for $209.99 at Amazon, down from its normal price of $299. That's a 30% discount and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Osmo Action 4 $209.99 at Amazon
$299.00 Save $89.01 Get Deal

If winter means you're ready to get out and go on some sporting adventures or hit the slopes, an action camera is the perfect way to share your adventures with the world. They have the rugged frames, battery life, and features you need to capture awesome footage of whatever you get up to, whether it's an alpine bike ride or a hike through the winter weather. And, right now, you can score a great option from Amazon at its lowest price ever ahead of Black Friday.

As of Nov. 14, get the DJI Osmo Action 4 for just $209.99 at Amazon. That's $89.01 off its normal price of $299 and a discount of 30%. It's also the lowest price we've seen. For this price, you get a bundle including the camera itself, an additional battery, protective frame, adapter mount, adhesive base, a locking screw, a USB Type-C to Type-C cable, lens hood, anti-slip pad, and a DJI sticker.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy is treating most of November like Black Friday

This model may not be the newest entry in the DJI action camera lineup, but it's more than worth picking up at this price. It offers 4K footage that can film at 120 fps as well as a 1/1.3-inch sensor that can deliver smooth, crisp video of your most action-packed activities. It has a dual-screen design, with one front-facing screen for selfies and a rear touchscreen for a more traditional camera experience.

If you plan on getting out and getting some winter runs in, grab this camera and start filming. Or get one for the adventure-seeker in your life at this excellent price while it's still available.

Yes, The Onion really bought Alex Jones' InfoWars

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 12:02

The Onion has purchased Infowars, the infamous rightwing conspiracy theory hub helmed by Alex Jones. And not, this is not a joke — well, for the most part.

Yes, the satirical publication has actually purchased Infowars. From there, its plan involves turning the rightwing site into one big joke.

The Onion bid on InfoWars in a bankruptcy auction after Jones lost a lawsuit brought forth by parents of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. The Onion said the purchase was supported by those parents. The plan is to turn InfoWars into a website that mocks conspiracy theorists like Jones.

"We thought this would be a hilarious joke," Ben Collins, the chief executive of The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, told the New York Times. "This is going to be our answer to this no-guardrails world where there are no gatekeepers, and everything’s kind of insane."

Tweet may have been deleted

Collins, formerly a disinformation reporter at NBC News, recruited a group fronted by billionaire Jeff Lawson to purchase The Onion earlier this year. The company has since worked to bring back the sort of fun, skewering side of the internet that's been slowly killed off by the media landscape. Purchasing Infowars seems like the sort of bold step that makes sense for this new version of The Onion. Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit aimed at stopping gun violence, has agreed to advertise on the relaunched Infowars, the Times reported.

Global Tetrahedron dropped a press release on the purchase from its faux CEO Bryce P. Tetraeder. It, of course, poked fun at the paranoia and odd supplements pushed by Jones and Infowars.

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The statement read, in part:

"Founded in 1999 on the heels of the Satanic 'panic' and growing steadily ever since, InfoWars has distinguished itself as an invaluable tool for brainwashing and controlling the masses. With a shrewd mix of delusional paranoia and dubious anti-aging nutrition hacks, they strive to make life both scarier and longer for everyone, a commendable goal. They are a true unicorn, capable of simultaneously inspiring public support for billionaires and stoking outrage at an inept federal state that can assassinate JFK but can’t even put a man on the Moon."

Jones himself responded to the purchase in a video posted to X.

"They said they're shutting us down, even without a court order," he said. "The Connecticut Democrats with The Onion newspaper bought us.

The 16GB MacBook Air with M2 chip just dropped to its lowest price ever ahead of Black Friday

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 11:51

SAVE $250: The MacBook Air laptop, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256SSD) is on sale at Amazon for just $749, down from the usual price of $999. That's a 25% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen for these specs.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal

MacBooks have long been considered some of the best options around, especially for creatives. But with only 8GB of RAM, the MacBook Air didn't fit the bill for everyone. Thankfully, Apple remedied the problem earlier this year by introducing the 16GB version of the MacBook Air. If you've been considering this upgrade, check out this epic sale price today.

As of Nov. 14, the 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 16GB RAM, 256SSD) is on sale for just $749 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $999. That's a savings of $250 and a massive 25% discount. The sale price is also the lowest we've ever seen on this model. Plus, the $749 price matches the sale price on the 8GB version which means you can get double the memory with the 16GB model for the same price.

The MacBook Air is the most affordable laptop offering from Apple, but it doesn't wimp out on features and functions. The M2 processor chip proves great for multi-tasking and helps give the laptop about 18 hours of battery life per charge. Plus, the upgraded 16GB of memory makes it better suited for gaming.

The 13-inch model can also be awesome if you travel from home to work or across the country since it weighs just 2.7 pounds. The MacBook Air features a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt ports, and a headphone jack.

While we're still waiting on some items to drop in price for Black Friday, today's sale price of $749 on the MacBook Air is the lowest we've ever spotted which means you might want to snag this deal why it's still live and beat the rush of the holiday shopping season.

Snapchat adds location alerts for parents monitoring teen accounts

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 11:43

Parents and caregivers keeping a close eye on their children's activity have a new tool at their disposal, as Snapchat launches its new location alerts for monitored accounts.

The new feature, part of the platforms' teen safety-focused Family Center, will harness the app's popular Snap Map to alert parents when their teens are on the move — making its social map more akin to popular apps like Life360 and Find My.

SEE ALSO: I stopped doomscrolling after the election. You should too.

Location sharing is currently available to all users via the Snap Map, but the new tool allows parents to request their teen's live location at any moment, as well as share their own. Parents and caregivers can select up to three designated locations and receive alerts when members arrive or depart from those spots on the Snap Map. Account supervisors will also be able to see minor users' location sharing activity in Family Center — teens can only share locations with people in their friends lists.

The platform has steadily expanded its internal safety controls for young users — a response to ongoing concerns about youth safety and mental health on the platform, as the app hooks new users with Gen AI tools and even integrated shopping.

In 2022, Snapchat launched Family Center, a monitoring tool that allows parents to view a minor users' interactions, make reports on their behalf, and limit screen time, similar to (but more limited than) parental monitoring apps like Bark. In 2023, the platform expanded this initiative to include safeguards against unwanted contact from stranger accounts and limit search discovery for teen users. It also blocks location sharing and defaults to the strictest content settings for minor accounts.

But it's problems have continued. Last month, the company was accused of allowing sextortion and grooming to proliferate on its app, part of a wave of lawsuits against social media platforms allegedly marketing their services to younger audiences despite knowing they are at risk. According to a lawsuit filed against Snapchat, the platform reportedly failed to accurately verify ages of users, address safety reports, or warn new users about the threat of sexual predation.

Amazon deal of the day: Save $250 on the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM ahead of Black Friday

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 11:33
Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Nov. 14: OUR TOP PICK Apple MacBook Air (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 (save $250) Get Deal BEST TABLET DEAL Apple iPad Air (M2, 512GB, WiFi) $899 (save $200) Get Deal BEST KITCHEN DEAL SodaStream E-Terra Sparkling Water Maker Bundle $105.99 (save $74) Get Deal BEST HEADPHONES DEAL Sony WH-CH720N noise-cancelling headphones $79.99 (save $70) Get Deal

Early Black Friday deals are starting to pick up at Amazon, though the sale doesn't officially start until Nov. 21. So, if you're antsy to get your holiday shopping started, why wait? As of Nov. 14, there are plenty of deals worth grabbing, including on top brands like Apple and Sony.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. Don't see anything that sparks your interest? Check back at our picks from Nov. 12 and Nov. 13. Many of those are still live, including a record-low price on the Apple AirTags four-pack and a 41% price drop on the very impressive Samsung Galaxy Buds FE.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air (M2 chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal

Simply put, 8GB of RAM is just not enough for a MacBook. Typically, boosting the RAM to 16GB would cost you an extra $200, but since Apple decided to make 16GB the new standard, you can get an upgraded model for the same price. And if you want to save even more, opt for the slightly older M2 MacBook Air from 2022, which is on sale for just $749 instead of $999. That's the lowest price to date for the now-standard 16GB base model with 256GB of storage. Sure, it's not the latest and greatest MacBook on the market, but it's still a very solid laptop that Tech Reporter Alex Perry gave the Mashable Choice Award badge of honor. He praised its zippy M2 processor, rock-solid battery life, slim profile, and more than satisfying keyboard design.

Read our full review of the M2 MacBook Air.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air (M2, 512GB, WiFi) $899.00 at Amazon
$1,099.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal

If you're looking for a new tablet and like the color purple, the M2 iPad Air with 512GB of storage is down to a record-low $899 at Amazon. That's $200 or 18% in savings. Our favorite iPad for most people, the 2024 iPad Air offers powerful performance that can keep up with the big dogs — including some of our favorite laptops — and a battery life that's even better in real life than on paper. As Mashable's Kim Gedeon noted in her review, "The M2 chip brings sweet energy efficiency and a performance uptick."

Read our full review of the M2 iPad Air.

Opens in a new window Credit: SodaStream SodaStream E-Terra Sparkling Water Maker Bundle $105.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $74.00 Get Deal

Sparkling water lovers can start whipping up their own batches at home with this SodaStream E-Terra bundle, which includes the sparkling water maker, two 60L Co2 cylinders, three reusable carbonating bottles, and a two 40ml Bubly drops flavors. The E-Terra makes things super simple, with three preset carbonation levels and a one-touch electric design. It's usually $179.99, but as of Nov. 14, you can get the full bundle on sale for just $105.99. That's 41% in savings and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH720N noise-cancelling headphones $79.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal

A direct replacement for the Sony WH-CH710N headphones — which our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) said "offer solid audio performance and active noise cancellation for a relatively affordable price" — the WH-C720N are on sale for just $79.99 at Amazon. That's 47% in savings and a record-low for this model. The new design is more inspired by the much more expensive WH-1000XM5s (which we love). They add some sound and noise-cancelling upgrades compared to their predecessor, boosting sensitivity in the drivers and increasing the dynamic range, yet keep the impressive 35-hour battery life (with ANC). They're not the fanciest noise-cancelling headphones on the market, but they're stylish, reliable, and budget-friendly.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

Game on with three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for under $30

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 10:52

SAVE $15.80: As of Nov. 14, get a 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $29.19 at Woot with promo code TWENTY for an additional 20% off its sale price of $36.49, down from its standard price of $44.99. This deal is only valid for one day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-Month Subscription) $29.19 at Woot
$44.99 Save $15.80 Promo Code: TWENTY Get Deal

Planning on getting an Xbox anytime soon? Or maybe you're getting one for a friend or family member, and thinking about what they may play when they get their hands on the system. Don't go overboard buying a bunch of Xbox games and spending more cash than you need to when Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is on the table, which is a great way to get started on the Xbox ecosystem. And right now, you can save big on a membership for you or anyone you're gifting at Woot.

As of Nov. 14, get a digital code for a 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for just $29.19 when you use promo code TWENTY. That's $15.80 off its sale price of $36.49, down from its normal price of $44.99, which is already a 19% discount. This deal is only valid for today, and you'll be emailed the code for your subscription within a few business days, according to Woot. Multiple codes are stackable up to 36 months — you can buy a few so you or your giftee are set.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is a subscription that lets you play hundreds of Xbox games without paying for each one individually. That includes titles like Starfield and the Halo series. It also grants access to new first-party games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, and more the day they come out. The Ultimate option even comes with access to EA Play for access to a variety of EA titles as well.

There are tons of other reasons to use Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as well, including online multiplayer and Xbox Cloud Gaming, but the unlimited access is the biggest. This is a great price to buy your three months at, so be sure to lock it in while there are still codes available.

Up your soup game this winter with a renewed Vitamix Explorian blender that's 47% off

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 10:32

SAVE $196: A certified renewed Vitamix Explorian blender is on sale at Amazon for just $199.95, down from the typical price of $395.95. That's a 47% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Vitamix Vitamix Explorian blender (renewed) $199.95 at Amazon
$395.95 Save $196.00 Get Deal

We're well into fall now, with Black Friday sales upon us and the busy holiday schedule taking shape. That also means it's soup season, and if you've never produced a warm and smooth soup from your blender, you'll want to check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Nov. 14, a renewed Vitamix Explorian blender is on sale for just $199.95 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $395.95. That's a savings of $196 and a 47% discount.

The Vitamix Explorian blender is an incredibly versatile kitchen appliance, ready to help you create everything from smoothies to hot soups to fresh salsa. The blender has three program settings for smoothies, hot soup, and frozen desserts. You can also use the blender in a manual mode, selecting a speed on the dial between 1 and 10. The pulse function is perfect for adding in quick bursts of blending.

The blender's container measures a large 64 ounces which means you'll be able to feed the family, but its low-profile design means it's more likely to fit under your cabinets.

Vitamix blenders are known as some of the most powerful and durable blenders out there. Unfortunately, that comes with a steep price, but buying a model that's been renewed from Vitamix's rigorous renewal process is a great way to grab a Vitamix without paying the big bucks. In order to gain the Vitamix Renewed premium stamp of approval, the blender must pass a 17-point inspection process and the blade needs to be under a year old.

Vitamix then puts the sanitized blade into a new container shell and packs it up with a brand new two-part lid and tamper. Essentially, this means buying a renewed model gets you all new parts, except for the blade, which is under a year old.

If you've had your heart on a Vitamix blender but haven't been thrilled with the high price tag, snag a renewed Vitamix Explorian blender from Amazon for under $200. Soup season is about to get much better.

'Better Man' trailer showcases cheeky monkey Robbie Williams

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 10:31
Robbie Williams biopic "Better Man" hits select theaters December 25, and opens nationwide January 17.

Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx kick ass in Netflix's 'Back in Action' trailer

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 10:00
Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx are spies pulled out of hiding in Netflix's "Back In Action." Trailer.

Amazon launches Shein competitor 'Haul' — everything will cost less than $20

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 09:47

Amazon is launching a Shein competitor, according to a new press release.

With Shein's skyrocketing sales, it's easy to see why the Bezos-owned big-box retailer aims to compete head-on in the world of low-cost, trend-driven e-commerce.

Fast-fashion retailer Shein, despite ethical scrutiny regarding its labor practices, environmental impact, and product safety, is a fierce rival in the e-commerce space.

In 2023, it amassed over $32 billion in worldwide sales, indicating a growth of nearly 42% year-over-year. In the same year, Shein secured over $14 billion in sales in the U.S., according to EcommerceDB (ECDB). To put this into perspective, Shein surpassed both Walmart.com and Amazon.com, which had sales between $9 and $12 billion, per ECDB.

"Amazon’s online fashion revenues are now behind both Shein and Walmart," the ECDB report said.

SEE ALSO: Shein exploited marginalized women for their influencer trip. It worked. Amazon's new low-cost retailer is called 'Haul'

Haul, Amazon's new economical online retailer, will keep prices capped at $20. However, most of the products will be less than $10. Amazon's press release cited examples of some of these budget-friendly items:

  • An necklace, bracelet, and earring set for $2.99

  • Two kitchen tongs for $4.99

  • An iPhone 16 case for $1.79

  • A belt for $1.99

  • A three-piece trimmer razor set for $2.99

Orders must be $25 or more to qualify for free delivery — but don't expect them to be delivered in two days. According to Amazon's press release, Haul's delivery timeframe is between one to two weeks.

“Finding great products at very low prices is important to customers, and we continue to explore ways that we can work with our selling partners so they can offer products at ultra-low prices,” said Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon's vice president of worldwide selling partner services.

As mentioned at the outset, the mass production of inexpensive products has faced criticism. For example, Shein's rapid production model contributes to substantial carbon emissions, according to Wired.

We reached out to Amazon about how it plans to evade concerns about environmental degradation and other ethical issues regarding fast-fashion retail. We'll update this story if we get a response.

For now, Haul is in beta and available exclusively through a mobile app. You can access it here.

I got to play ‘Control’ on a MacBook before you — here's why PCs should be worried

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 08:42

I just played an early copy of Control on the new M4 MacBook Pro, and I couldn't help but think, "Yikes, PCs better watch their back!"

Before die-hard PC gamers jump in with, "macOS is still miles away from Windows when it comes to gaming," I hear you. I'm not saying that Macs are nipping at Windows PCs' heels. They're not — at least, not yet.

However, in the gaming realm, the gap between Windows and macOS is beginning to shrink — and that should terrify Windows. Why? While Windows may still have hardcore gamers wrapped around its fingers, it may start to lose its grip on casual and newbie gamers. And my experience with Control confirmed this for me.

'Control' on the M4 MacBook Pro is sick

You may have played Control on another platform before, but you likely haven't played Control like this.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Launched nearly five years ago, the action-adventure game came out on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. But on a shiny new M4 MacBook Pro, I was floored by its graphical fidelity and breathtaking visuals.

The M4 chip breathed new life into Control. Playing as Jesse Faden, a young woman with supernatural abilities, I levitated over the jagged terrain — and I was mesmerized by the dynamic lighting that danced on each rock formation, casting soft-edged, realistic shadows that shifted with my movements.

Some floating debris and polished stone surfaces picked up ambient reflections, adding a subtle glossy effect. Even distant light sources bounced off rocks and debris, creating reflections that feel true-to-life.

The graphics were vivid, crisp, and eye-catching. Faden looked visually stunning, too. She was kicking butt and taking names with a leather jacket that seemed so tangible, I was convinced I could feel the texture if I touched the screen.

Why does Control look so darn good? Thank the hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and mesh shading found on the M4 chip (as well as the previous-generation M3 chip). In simple terms, the latest Macs can render ultra-realistic lighting and shadows. Plus, they can manage detailed 3D environments more seamlessly.

With a computationally complex game like Control playing so smoothly and responsively on the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro, Windows should be concerned.

It's worth noting, though, that I didn't get to feel the underside of the MacBook Pro to determine its thermal management. Plus, I wasn't able to observe any load times for Control — the game was already fired up and ready to play at Apple's showcase.

Apple may lure more laptop consumers away from Windows

Let's say you're looking for a new laptop. You don't consider yourself a gamer, but you want to get started. You want a machine that's perfect for daytime productivity and casual nighttime gaming. You don't have any allegiance to macOS nor Windows, but the former has a reputation of delivering long battery life and beastly performance.

14-inch M4 MacBook Pro Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

After all, in our recent testing of the M4 MacBook Pro, it lasted 16 hours and 32 minutes on a single charge. Performance-wise, it blew rivals away.

Plus, macOS is set to support one of the most graphics-intensive games on the market: Cyberpunk 2077.

MacBooks have a limited library compared to Windows (an issue that Apple is tackling with the Game Porting Toolkit to help developers bring their Windows games to macOS more efficiently), but that's OK — you're just giving gaming a taste and you're fine with just sampling what's on offer.

Additionally, Apple appears to be working tooth-and-nail to bring more games into its catalog, including Control, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and more.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

While considering a Windows laptop, the same consumer may be attracted to its vast library of games, but they'll likely have to contend with poor battery life and being shackled to an outlet all day long.

That being said, whether you're a newbie gamer who isn't drawn to specific titles, or a casual player who doesn't mind macOS' current catalog, there isn't much that will lure you into Windows' arms, particularly if you're an OS-agnostic consumer.

In other words, if you're a here-and-there gamer who isn't bothered by a limited gaming library, then why opt for Windows?

Control, set to roll out on macOS in February 2025, might be the wake-up call Windows needs to address its possible slipping appeal among casual and newbie gamers. As mentioned at the outset, the gap between Windows and macOS in the gaming world is still wide, but Apple is making steady progress.

Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (M3 Max) $2,384.82 at Amazon
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How Sharon Horgan found a way to make the unexpected 'Bad Sisters' second season

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 08:26
The first season of 'Bad Sisters' was a complete story based off the Belgian limited-series, 'Clan'. After it's smash success, Sharon Horgan had a vision for how it could continue. The star-studded cast tells us how her vision came to fruition.

Get $50 off the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus before Black Friday

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 07:20

SAVE OVER $50: As of Nov. 14, the 64GB Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus is on sale for $169.72, down 23% from its list price of $219.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus 11-inch 64GB Android Tablet $169.72 at Amazon
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There's been an excellent variety of deals dropping ahead of Black Friday. In particular, there's been a wealth of tablets on sale that are definitely worth checking out if you've been looking for an upgrade or to make the jump into buying your first. One of our favorite tablet deals at the moment is over at Amazon, where you can score a very nice discount on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus.

The 64GB model of Samsung's tablet is currently on sale for $169.72, 23% off its list price of $219.99. This saves you $50.27, which is a very nice discount on such a sleek tablet. It's worth noting as well that it's marked as a 'limited-time deal' at the retailer. So, if you've had your eye on it, you'll want to act fast to pick it up.

SEE ALSO: Snag an Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet for its lowest price ever ahead of Black Friday

This model comes with 64GB of storage alongside an upgraded chipset and quad speakers that offer Dolby Atmos, all packed into a slim, lightweight design with a massive 11-inch screen to boot. It's perfect to take on the go and use for work or play.

This limited-time deal won't last long, so don't miss out on this Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus deal at Amazon.

There's plenty more to come from Amazon over this Black Friday shopping season, too. The company recently revealed when its Black Friday sale runs — starting on Thursday, Nov. 21, and going through Cyber Monday on Dec. 2 — which are sure to offer an abundance of new discounts for shoppers. And if you want to see even more early Black Friday deals, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target are all offering different deals ahead of the big shopping day that are worth checking out.

Jimmy Kimmel pranking his aunt with a driverless car is a fun watch

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 07:17
Jimmy Kimmel pranked his Aunt Chippy with a lift in a driverless car on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

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