Mashable

Casey Affleck leads a small but impressive cast who end up terribly short-changed.

A psychological thriller with few thrills and a weak grasp of psychology, Mikael Håfström's Slingshot sees three capable actors monologuing in space about nothing in particular. The sci-fi drama has logical start and end points, but meanders aimlessly along the way, desperately searching for anything resembling plot or thematic meaning.

Credit: Bleecker Street

As a trio of astronauts embarks on an interplanetary mission, they find themselves gripped by paranoia — at least in theory — and are unable to trust each other, or their own faculties. The problem, however, is that little-to-none of this conflict is rooted in discernible human drama.

The appearance of drama certainly exists, both aboard the space vessel and in numerous flashbacks. However, Slingshot's images feel entirely disconnected from one another, since the film is less concerned with emotional impact, and more focused on indiscriminately tossing out twists and turns. By the end, the film is unable to sustain the weight of its attempted surprises, yielding a head-scratching experience. 

What is Slingshot about?

Aboard the confines of a pristine spaceship, the Apple Store-like Odyssey One, astronaut John (Casey Affleck) wakes up from his fourth 90-day nap, a drug-induced hibernation that saves on energy and keeps the mission participants young. He's been gone from Earth for more than a year, and for the few days he's spent awake tinkering and taking measurements, his only company has been his comrade Nash (Tomer Capone) and their leader, Captain Franks (Laurence Fishburne). The trio only spends a day or two walking around at any given time, but these precious moments of consciousness are spent in a groggy haze, at least at first. 

Their mission, in the short run, is to fly past Jupiter and use the planet's gravity to slingshot their way to Titan, one of Saturn's moons. They hope to scout the surface and eventually establish a human colony there, but despite the movie laying out these broad strokes, it never really features a sense of a wider objective or wider danger, be it images of a ravaged world left behind or any other existential threats. It's Interstellar without the blight or the sense of cosmic mystery, but it does feature a red-headed woman back home, who our protagonist constantly thinks of.  

Credit: Bleecker Street

Emily Beecham plays John's lover, Zoe, a design technician whose work on the space project remains unspecified, but who we meet through the familiar, mawkish framing of a fleeting memory of her under a bedsheet, staring lovingly at John. There's nothing inherently wrong with doing what dozens of movies have done before — "If it ain't broke," and all that — but Zoe seldom exists as a real, complete person outside of her adoration for the protagonist, despite appearing in numerous flashbacks.

What is it that actually threatens the Titan mission? Well, that's not exactly clear. The camera whirls around the ship's halls a few times, as if to embody some invisible creature threatening our characters, but those are the only indications of any noticeable aesthetic flourish — one that isn't just aping 2001: A Space Odyssey, that is. (For instance, the scene in Kubrick’s film in which two astronauts speak in secret to avoid a super-computer’s prying ears is re-created here, but without the certainty that anyone else is listening.) This thread of some kind of lurking presence aboard the ship unfortunately doesn't last, so it doesn't really come to represent anything for the characters as they lumber through the movie’s plot (or lack thereof), making observations and relaying those observations back to one another.

John finds parts of the ship damaged, possibly due to external impact, which theoretically endangers their upcoming gravitational slingshot, but the captain disagrees. John sees (or imagines) things going wrong all around him, but the crew can find no evidence of something overtly wrong. This disconnect is a central wedge aimed at creating tension and mystery, but it thrusts the film into a strange narrative limbo where it's hard to know if there are any stakes at all.

Slingshot's stellar performances can't save the movie.

Upon emerging from his drug-induced sleep, John gradually loses his grip on reality, seeing people on the ship who clearly aren't there. Zoe is among these hallucinations, though curiously, her phantom appearance is rarely used as fuel for the movie’s flashbacks. When the trio loses communication with Earth, their sense of uncertainty turns toward one another. John suggests there may be a problem with the vessel; Nash is more certain of this, albeit without any evidence; and Captain Franks dismisses their concerns. This leads to the closest thing the movie has to an interesting theme: a dynamic between the three characters that forces John to mediate between two extremes. 

As John, Affleck harbors a weary exhaustion in every scene, selling the fact that he can't be trusted to make rational decisions, since he has trouble remembering basic details about his life on Earth. His first time trying to recall these details is the only time the movie’s many flashbacks feel motivated. The rest appear at random, presenting a patchwork story of a man driven to pilot a space mission (for unspecified reasons) at the cost of his relationship. 

Amid his delirium, John is shouldered with the burden of being the most calm, logical, and centered character, while his coworkers gradually drift toward opposing extremes. Affleck does his level best to connect the dots between these past and present narratives, putting on a stern front in either case and gradually letting cracks appear in his stoic armor. But the film is fatally flawed: Its structure seldom allows for any causality between these timelines — any ripple effects or regrets, even though John's decision to join the three-man crew is a sticking point for his relationship with Zoe. Their fate as a couple seems to become clearer as the film goes on, though it’s eventually muddied in service of unearned surprises that, at the end of the day, do little more than obscure its actors’ stellar dramatic work. What they draw on emotionally seems to shift at a moment’s notice, making it hard to latch on to the leading trio. 

Credit: Bleecker Street

Capone, like Affleck, captures his character's unraveling with aplomb, as Nash steps further toward madness and away from reality. He threatens to turn the film truly intense, though his ravings about what might go wrong are short-lived. The film keeps brushing past any sense of immediate danger the moment it arises, and in the process, doesn't allow Capone to access the full extent of Nash's unhinged trajectory, despite the actor hinting toward a mental snap of some kind.

Captain Franks, on the other hand, has a much icier demeanor, and Fishburne is granted the movie's most complete (and really, only) marriage between story and performance. As John and Nash lose their grip on reality and question their own eyes, Franks is much more certain of what he sees, which makes him all the more terrifying. With dialogue that borders on Shakespearean, Fishburne taps into a sense of misguided human ambition, and gestures toward a thematic layer to the movie that, while ever-present, goes mostly unexplored.

No, really, what is Slingshot actually about?

The three men aboard the ship take wildly different approaches to the scenario at hand, and in the process, they come to represent the three prongs of human personality through a Freudian lens. Nash, with his erratic moments and instinct-driven concerns, embodies the id. Captain Franks, who places constraints on his comrades and claims a rational high ground, is the superego. And John, who's forced to mediate between them and make moral compromises, is the ego in this scenario.

The problem, however, is that despite the movie employing this particular framework (one it harps on quite overtly by the end), it doesn't use it to explore the fraught dynamics between the characters in any meaningful way. What they each represent feels set in stone, with little sense of dilemma or evolution. How they behave in any moment is dictated by their respective "types" rather than by the unfolding plot, or even by one another's words or actions. One could, in theory, map out exactly what each of them might do in practically any scenario, which robs the movie of tension at every turn.

Credit: Bleecker Street

To make matters worse, there aren't even enough interesting scenarios that arise during the film, which might in theory pose dramatic challenges. As Slingshot goes on, any sense of psychological or dramatic framing is superseded by an insistence on surprise at any cost, though these attempted zigzags are mostly delivered in the form of dialogue, rather than anything visual (and thus, emotionally lasting). The film takes full advantage of the characters' unreliable perspectives, perhaps to a baffling degree. Each moment of realization, each discovery that things may not be exactly as they seem, is followed by another, and another, and yet another, with no room for any revelations to breathe or sink in, let alone alter the characters' sense of self.

Beyond a point, shifting reality becomes Slingshot's status quo, even though it largely presents these shifts in the form of dialogue. Characters simply explain to each other what may or may not be their version of the truth, until every other line hints at some new twist or surprise with no impact whatsoever, eliciting no more than a shrug.

With little by way of character psychology to latch onto, and even less by way of actual stakes, the movie's thrills and science-fiction elements are practically null, rendering Slingshot an entirely meaningless sci-fi thriller. Its basic premise would be hard to explain to a friend, because it doesn't even feel like it has one.

Slingshot opens exclusively in theaters Aug. 30.

It takes guts to attempt an action-packed romantic comedy. For every Romancing The Stone, there's a barrage of forgettable imitators. (See: Argylle. Well, don't see Argylle. It's awful.) 

It's a tricky thing to strike a satisfying balance of thrills and laughs with a love story that gets our hearts (and/or loins) engaged. But David Leitch, the former Brad Pitt stunt double turned director of such gonzo action movies as John Wick, Bullet Train, and Atomic Blonde, doesn't scare easily. And now he's delivered the gonzo gift to cinema that is The Fall Guy. 

Adapted from the 1980s TV series of the same name, this action-comedy centers on one of the unsung heroes of Hollywood: the stuntman (Barbie's Academy Award-nominated Ryan Gosling) who takes all the hits so that the arrogant A-lister (Bullet Train's Aaron Taylor-Johnson) doesn't have to. But don't fret if you aren't familiar with the small-screen inspo. The Fall Guy is making its own fun, thanks to a crackling script from Drew Pearce, and the dazzling chemistry between Gosling and Emily Blunt. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt's 'The Fall Guy' at home How does The Fall Guy movie relate to the TV series?  Ryan Gosling is under attack in "The Fall Guy." Credit: Eric Laciste / Universal Pictures

Ryan Gosling plays Colt Seavers, a stuntman character originated by Lee Majors in the show created by Glen A. Larson. However, where Majors' hero was moonlighting as a bounty hunter when he wasn't on set, Gosling's version is more a hapless nobody who stumbles into a criminal conspiracy. And it's love that keeps him there. 

There's trouble on the set of Metalstorm, a sci-fi epic/romance that stars the obnoxious Tom Ryder (Johnson) as a daring space cowboy. But when the mercurial movie star goes MIA, his old stunt double is called back into action. Not only is Colt tasked with doing intense stunts to keep the movie's production schedule on track, but the high-strung producer Gail Meyer (Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham) asks him to unearth the missing actor. 

It's not just the movie Colt is trying to save. You see, this is the directorial debut of his former flame, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt). With his heart on his sleeve, this stuntman throws himself into the fray to make her dreams come true, all in hopes of scoring a second chance at romance. 

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are perfectly paired in The Fall Guy.  Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt star in "The Fall Guy." Credit: Eric Laciste / Universal Pictures

Crucial to a good action/rom-com is a dynamic where conflict and chemistry collide. You need the stars to click on screen so the audience is invested in their getting together. But they need to be believably pugnacious with each other so the why of not being together is clear. 

Smartly, Blunt and Gosling gave the world a preview of their chemistry at the 96th Annual Academy Awards, where they playfully bickered over the Barbenheimer rivalry. In The Fall Guy, the characters are less openly hostile. Jody favors passive-aggressively dressing down Colt over a megaphone on set, while he pushes back with sheepish flirtations. (Look, he knows what he did.) While this sounds less than romantic, it is nonetheless enchanting. 

There is some suspension of disbelief required, of course, but not in the movie's premise — it's that Gosling is supposed to look like he's not a movie star, while he still basically looks like Ken, albeit with some scruffy facial hair. However, as he did playing Ken or the battered detective in The Nice Guys, Gosling has a looseness to the physicality in his comedy that plays divinely. The stunts here are done by a top-notch stunt team, which the movie's promotional tour is keen to celebrate. But Gosling brings to banter scenes and other comedic moments an ego-free display of mugging, an earnest thumbs-up gesture, and even crying to Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" that establishes Colt as a goofball as much as a tough guy. When Blunt coolly instructs him to drive her to her car — parked just feet away from where they idle — you can see the core sense of humor they have in common. 

After a couple of Quiet Place movies and the sternness of Oppenheimer, it's a delight to see Blunt back in comedy. She's got terrific comedic timing that pairs perfectly with her well-placed hard stare. Her Jody isn't made to be an ambitious bitch in the way of broad '80s movie stereotypes, but she has her moments of playing rough. Yet Jody is chiefly defined by trying to maintain her cool under incredibly stressful circumstances, which makes little moments where she breaks down burst with humor — be it a karaoke jam to Phil Collins or literally grasping at a straw. 

Together, Gosling and Blunt create a could-be couple that's alluring not only for their looks but also their awkwardness. Dumb jokes and fumbling flirtations shrewdly undercut what could be a glossy, unnatural rom-com to make a movie that's endearing and entertaining. 

The Fall Guy is a winsome showbiz comedy.  Ryan Gosling, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and several stuntmen from "The Fall Guy." Credit: Eric Laciste / Universal Pictures

True to his reputation, Leitch provides plenty of outrageous action scenes once again. Some are for the movie-within-the-movie, including a car roll that broke a Guinness World Record. Some are part of Colt's off-set misadventures, which include swordplay, fire fights, daring escapes, and a speedboat chase. 

As the discourse around including stunts in the Oscars rages on, The Fall Guy will definitely be a major talking point for advocates of the category addition. However, the stunt community representation within the film feels a bit thin, being just Colt and his stunt coordinator, played by a jovial Winston Duke. They're a terrifically funny duo, but as the third act leans hard on the concept of community, I wished the broader stunt team were more present to make a big leap land more powerfully.

Winston Duke kicks ass in "The Fall Guy." Credit: Eric Laciste / Universal Pictures

The Fall Guy is about more than stunts, folding in the bonds that form across departments on set, including a horny VFX supervisor (Zara Michales), a too-Method ingenue (Teresa Palmer), and a perturbed personal assistant (Everything Everywhere All at Once's Stephanie Hsu). As a whole, this movie delights in giving a peek behind the scenes to reveal the messy human conflicts (which also make for great on-screen drama), as well as the absurdity inherent in playing pretend for a living. What is never mocked is the dream of making movies. 

Whether she's furious at Colt or frustrated by outrageous obstacles, Jody is driven by making the movie that she's dreamed of her whole life. Colt isn't just dedicated to her but also to her vision, as is much of the supporting cast of characters. And in this, there's an enveloping exhilaration, as if we the viewer are part of this collaboration too. This energetic sense of inclusion welcomes us into the twists, fails, and breakthroughs the characters face in an electrifying way. All of that barrels into a finale that is not just exciting but enthralling. 

The Fall Guy is action/romantic-comedy done right, a rare gem in the crown of this challenging subgenre. 

The Fall Guy is now streaming on Peacock.

UPDATE: Aug. 29, 2024, 1:04 p.m. EDT "The Fall Guy" was originally reviewed out of SXSW 2024.

We’ve all heard it by now, right? “Sitting is the new smoking.” While that catchy slogan may be a little exaggerated, it certainly won’t hurt us legions of mostly sedentary office workers to spend less time on our bums. 

Enter The FlexiSpot E7 ($499+). It’s a motorized desk that allows you to sit or stand with just the press of a button. I was impressed by the quality of the materials, how easy it was to put together, and its moderate price compared to other motorized desks.

After using only a seated desk for my entire adult career, I’ve adopted the FlexiSpot E7 as my full-time workspace for the past month. Here are my honest thoughts. 

FlexiSpot setup and controls

I’ll be honest: This desk sat in boxes in my office for far longer than it should have, because I was certain that putting it together would be a major PITA. 

So imagine my surprise when I was all done in an hour and a half, having only called in my husband once to help secure the desktop to the legs with his drill. This desk was ridiculously easy to put together.

The controls are also really easy to use. There is an up button, a down button, and a memory button. When you press the M (for memory), you can assign a specific height to one of the four presets. 

There are four preset buttons you can customize with your preferred heights. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable

Right now, my home gym and my office share one very small, cramped extra bedroom. The standing desk has conveniently allowed me to consolidate a little bit. I currently have presets for walking on my under-desk treadmill and sitting at my weight bench on a balance ball seat. Previously, I had to keep a large office chair in here because my weight bench was too low for my desk.

Finally, you can also lock the controls by holding down the M button, and unlock it by holding it down again. This feature has been a lifesaver since my kids are constantly running in (and they’re always perplexed by whatever new products I’m testing), or I brush against the buttons when I’m reaching for something on the bookshelf next to my desk. 

Lowering the desk lets me use a weight bench and balance ball as my desk seat. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable

During setup, you can choose which side you want to install the control panel on. My only wish is that I had chosen the opposite side of my desk. I could change it, but it’s not a huge priority. It just beeps when you press on the control panel while it’s locked, so I unintentionally get beeped at quite frequently. Something to consider if you decide to purchase.

The control panel also has a USB port, which adds a handy place to charge my phone at my workstation without introducing yet another cable to the bird’s nest under my desk. 

My new and improved workspace

I was extremely surprised at how much my productivity increased by standing or walking at my desk. Maybe it’s the novelty of it, and I’ll see my productivity decline over time — but right now I am basking in better focus and being more resistant to distractions.

Being deep in my third trimester of pregnancy, I can’t walk or stand for too long without feeling enormous pelvic pressure, so the desk makes it a breeze to sit when I’m ready.

I'm able to walk on my treadmill while I work with the desk in standing position. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable

The motor is extremely quiet and moves very smoothly. It doesn’t jerk or shake at all, and I feel perfectly comfortable adjusting the height with a full glass of water sitting on the desktop. 

The E7 also comfortably fit my dual screen setup and external keyboard and mouse (with some note-taking space too!), although I did have to move a few other things off my desk to ensure that there was always clearance for the desk to move up and down. There are some larger and smaller options on the FlexiSpot website too, if you require more or less space for your work. 

The brand also sells some cable management accessories specifically made for FlexiSpot desks, if you want to do a better job of that than I did. 

Is the FlexiSpot E7 standing desk worth it?

If you work from home, then this desk is 100 percent worth the investment. It has only done good things for my productivity, my focus, and my health. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to a regular desk (nor do I plan to). 

It's even better if you can also afford an under-desk treadmill or bike, so that you can add a physical activity component as well. 

I also think the E7 is fairly priced and really great quality, although it would be nice if the desktop was included in the base price. Desktops start at an additional $80, so the lowest all-in price is just under $600. However, FlexiSpot frequently offers sales too, so you’re unlikely to pay full price when you’re ready to buy. The most comparable motorized option is the Uplift Desk, which also clocks in at just under $600. 

Although I was skeptical, this desk has got me humming REM like the elder millennial I am — “stand in the place where you work.”

FlexiSpot E7 standing desk $499.99 at FlexiSpot
Shop Now

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, August 30, 2024:

AcrossBicycle part that's also a past-tense verb

• The answer is spoke.

At no time

• The answer is never.

"It's just like riding a bike," for one

• The answer is adage.

They're typically 2 or 3 on mini golf courses

• The answer is pars.

Like a trickster

• The answer is sly.

DownLoses it

• The answer is snaps.

Bicycle part that sounds like a flower part

• The answer is pedal.

Egg-producing organ

• The answer is ovary.

What breweries might creatively repurpose as seats

• The answer is kegs.

Poetic "before"

• The answer is ere.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 30 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 30 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Let's play

These words are fun to control.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers all relate to classic games.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is videogames.

NYT Strands word list for August 29

• Uncharted

• Videogames

• Fallout

• Halo

• Minecraft

• Overwatch

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

I’m going to start this review with some brutal honesty: I’m very picky about rugs. With two large dogs, one of which is a husky, and concrete floors, rugs are a necessity in this household as much as a headache. Between constantly battling dog hair, scrubbing out stains, and yes — the occasional dog vomit — I’ve learned that some rugs are better than others, and sometimes “stain resistant” or “washable” rugs are anything but. 

When I was asked to try out Ruggable’s premium medium pile rugs, however, it felt like a godsend because it happened to be the exact same week that my husky took a lil poo on my all-time favorite rug. My all-time favorite shag rug, which absolutely could not be saved. 

This wasn’t my first time trying out Ruggable

Time for my second piece of honesty: I’ve tried Ruggable before, and I absolutely hated it. Soon after moving into our downtown condo, my partner and I embarked on a quest to cover our concrete floors with rugs. We’d found ones for our bedroom, living room, and office (RIP to my favorite), but our massive open kitchen/dining room was proving to be a challenge — especially in such a high-traffic, stain-prone area. Because we don’t live under a rock, we’d heard of Ruggable and decided to give it a try. Surely a washable rug would make the best option for our space? 

SEE ALSO: The 6 best robot vacuums for pet hair, tested and reviewed

Except we were very wrong. Right out of the box, our first Ruggable looked terrible. Instead of a rug, it looked like a cheap piece of fabric with a poorly printed design that barely matched the photo, and aligning the 9 x 12-foot rug on top of the pad was nigh impossible. Immediately after rolling it out and battling with the alignment, we both shook our heads, rolled it back up, and promptly returned it assuming that Ruggable kinda sucked. 

We were wrong.

My second experience with Ruggable blew the first out of the water

A year after that experience, we visited a friend’s new house for the first time. Sitting around her dining room table, my partner mentioned our long-term struggle to find decent rugs that were dog friendly and asked where she’d found so many incredible rugs. Her answer? Ruggable. 

We were shocked. They were so much better than our first Ruggable experience, enough so that — when the chance came to test Ruggable again a few weeks later — we decided to chalk it up as a blip. Our friend’s rugs were stunning, soft, and looked like “real” rugs, so we eagerly picked out the design we wanted to try and waited for it to arrive.

Straight away, I was impressed by how much Ruggable’s selection had improved in a year. They had so many more designs available — including more plush, shag, and outdoor options than before — as well as what we wanted to test: premium, medium pile rugs. 

We did struggle to find a style we both liked, mainly because Ruggable’s selection tended to steer toward minimal, muted colors and we were hoping for something a little bit brighter, but we landed on a 6 x 9-foot ​​Absida Teal Premium Rug that would be perfect for our shared home office. At $479, it was about $100 more than our last rug, but the washability factor alone made it worth it, so we placed our order and were pleased when it arrived eight days later.

What I loved about my new Ruggable rug

First things first, our second purchase from Ruggable was nothing like the first. The premium 7-millimeter rug cover was plush, well-designed, and actually looked like a high-quality, durable rug. The pattern was exactly what we wanted, and it was much easier to align with the cushioned rug pad than our first experience. It took us about 10 minutes to get the furniture out of the way, lay out the rug pad, and get everything lined up, and — other than a slight overlap where the rug was a few inches longer on one end than the pad — we were super pleased with the results. 

Credit: Jandra Sutton / Mashable photo

A few months later, I can honestly say the same. Not only is our Ruggable just as soft as the other medium pile rugs in our house but it’s been super easy to clean and maintain. Whenever dog hair starts to build up, we just give it a quick sweep and it’s back to looking crisp and clean as ever. 

I will admit that we (thankfully) haven’t needed to put our Ruggable in the washing machine yet, but spot-cleaning it with a damp cloth has been way easier than cleaning our other medium pile rugs — and worlds better than battling against a super plush shag rug. 

What I don’t love about Ruggable

Aside from the lack of super vibrant rugs, my only real complaint with the premium Ruggable is adjusting it. It’s not necessarily difficult to get it aligned, but the velcro backing does make it a lot harder than dragging a normal rug over a rug pad. Plus, because the rug cover is a bit bigger than the cushioned rug pad beneath it, getting it matched up can be a challenge — one we gave up on. Our rug sits a few inches over the rug pad on one end, and it’s at least one inch over on all other sides, and it’s definitely noticeable. Even though some of our other rugs have slightly smaller rug pads, something about Ruggable’s rug covers made the overlap a bit more visible than our other rugs. 

Is Ruggable worth the price? 

It depends. If you have pets or kids — or you need a rug that’s easy to keep clean in a high-traffic area — then absolutely. Ruggable has far exceeded my expectations when it comes to a versatile, durable rug, and it’s certainly been easier to clean than any of my “traditional” rugs. 

If you’re looking for something that is going to look and feel impeccably plush and soft, however, I’m on the fence. The premium medium pile rugs certainly feel better than I thought they would, but a lot of the thickness comes from the cushioned rug pad — which is an absolute must-buy. It’s not that our Ruggable looks bad by any means, it just…doesn’t quite look or feel quite as good as a stunning, high-quality rug can look. 

And considering the 6 x 9-foot premium rug we got from Ruggable clocks in at $479, that’s almost double the price we’ve paid for most of our other medium pile rugs of the same size. It is a little easier to clean than some, but the visible overlap is still an annoyance.

It’s also worth noting that while Ruggable touts its rugs as interchangeable — meaning you can swap out the rug cover for a new one whenever you want to change up the style — the rug cover we got would be $390 by itself. You can save quite a bit by switching to Ruggable’s classic 2-millimeter rug cover over the premium 7-millimeter rug, but the loss of thickness isn’t quite worth it in my opinion. 

Obviously, Ruggable’s premium medium pile rugs are still cheaper than many other rugs on the market, but whether or not it’s the right option for you depends on your situation. If you’re looking for something on thickness or appearance alone? It might not be the right option for you. But if you’re looking for an attractive, durable and washable rug that will see a lot of action? The price of a Ruggable might be worth it.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ruggable Ruggable 6 x 9-foot, medium pile rugs Starting at $479 Shop Now

TL;DR: As of Aug. 30, you can get a lifetime license for PDF Converter Pro for just £18.97 instead of its regular £75.96 — that's a total savings of 75%.

PDF Converter Pro takes the headache out of working with PDFs. Dare we say it — it might even make them your favourite file format. And for a limited time, a lifetime license to the software is on sale for 75% off, knocking the price down to just £18.97.

We've featured this PDF Converter Pro deal before, but it's never been priced this low before. This all-in-one software lets you go back and forth between file types, converting PDFs into other file formats and converting other file formats into PDFs. You can convert PDFs into Word documents, JPGs, and Excel files, and back again in just a few clicks. This makes sharing documents for work, legal purposes, and schoolwork more seamless. No more dealing with pixelated scans of documents.

With OCT technology built-in, you can also use PDF Converter Pro to extract text from an image-based PDF from a scan, all while keeping the original format. In addition, this software can merge multiple PDFs into a single file, let you delete pages you don't need, or just grab the images in a document and ditch the text entirely. Other convenient features include the ability to compress a PDF that’s too large, adding password protection to PDFs for safe sharing, and plenty of supported format options for flexibility. It even works the same for both PC and Mac users.

Here's a closer look:

This discounted deal is only available to new users. So, if you missed out on the last sale, now’s the time to jump on it. Get PDF Converter Pro for life for only £18.97 for a limited time, down 75% from its regular £75.96 price. Your lifetime license includes updates, so you'll be set even if new file formats appear in the future.

Stack Social prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker PDF Converter Pro: Lifetime License £18.97 at the Mashable Shop
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TL;DR: Unblock Discord from anywhere in the world with a VPN. The best service for unblocking Discord is ExpressVPN.

Discord has, from time to time, been banned in certain countries. And it's almost definitely a restricted site in a number of schools, workplaces, and locations where visiting Discord is not tolerated.

There are often sensible arguments for these bans, but sometimes, you'll simply want to access your favorite site when the time is right, but you won't be able to because a restriction is in place. In this situation, using a VPN is your best option.

If you're looking for the best way to unblock Discord for free from anywhere in the world, we have the information you need.

How to unblock Discord for free

VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so that you can access Discord from anywhere in the world. This process might sound complicated, but it's really not.

Access Discord from anywhere in the world in just a few simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Discord

4. Access Discord from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-year subscription + 3 months free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking sites like Discord are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can bypass geo-restrictions to retain access to your favorite sites without spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're traveling or temporarily away from home.

What is the best VPN for Discord?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking sites like Discord, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock Discord for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: A wide range of ChatGPT courses are available to take for free on Udemy.

Not a day goes by without mention of ChatGPT and all it can do. But do you truly know how to harness this technology? If you're in any doubt, you should consider enrolling in one of the many free ChatGPT courses offered by Udemy.

We've checked out everything on offer and lined up a selection of standout courses to get you started. These are the best online ChatGPT courses you can take for free this month:

• Become an AI Accelerated Engineer Using ChatGPT

• Become an AI-Powered Engineer: ChatGPT, Github Copilot

• ChatGPT 101: The Complete Beginner's Guide and Masterclass

• ChatGPT For Programmers In 2024

• ChatGPT in 30 Minutes: New Prompt Engineering and AI Skills

• ChatGPT, Midjourney, Firefly, Bard, DALL-E, AI Crash Course

• ChatGPT Security: Privacy Risks and Data Protection Basics

• Mastering ChatGPT 4.0: From Setup to Advanced Interactions

• Midjourney and ChatGPT: Unleash AI for Unique Image Generation

• Prompt Engineering Principles: ChatGPT and DALL-E

These free online courses do not offer certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but you still get unrestricted access to all the video content. So there's nothing stopping you from starting on your journey to understanding ChatGPT.

Find the best free ChatGPT courses on Udemy.

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TL;DR: Live stream Shelton vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free on 9Now or TVNZ+. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Things are getting serious at the US Open, with some massive third-round matchups ready to go. It's difficult to pick a favorite match, but Shelton vs. Tiafoe is certainly going to be interesting. We can't call which way this game will go, but either way, it's going to be fun to watch.

If you want to watch Shelton vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Shelton vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free

Fans can live stream the 2024 US Open for free on these platforms:

• Australia — 9Now

• New Zealand — TVNZ+

These streaming services are geo-blocked, but anyone from around the world can access these sites with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock 9Now and TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2024 US Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia or New Zealand

4. Visit 9Now or TVNZ+

5. Watch Shelton vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these offers to access free live streams of Shelton vs. Tiafoe without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch every US Open match before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the US Open?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the US Open for free, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia and New Zealand

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Shelton vs. Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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 August 30'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 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles 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 August 30 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A dishonest man.

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 K.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

KNAVE.

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.

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

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 30's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 30 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Things that sparkle and shine

• Green: Olympic events in present tense

• Blue: Awe-inspiring landmarks

• Purple: Ice based items and phenomena

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

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

• Yellow: Sparkling Things

• Green: Participate in Summer Olympic Events

• Blue: Wonders of the World

• Purple: Ice__

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #445 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Sparkling Things: DIAMOND, GLITTER, GOLD, SEQUIN

• Participate in Summer Olympic Events: BOX, DIVE, FENCE, ROW

• Wonders of the Worlds: GARDENS, LIGHTHOUSE, PYRAMID, TEMPLE

• Ice___: CREAM, CUBE, MACHINE, STORM

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Apple is reportedly in talks with OpenAI for investing in its latest fundraising round.

According a report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple is expected to invest in the ChatGPT maker. Venture capital firm Thrive Capital is leading the investment round, which would make OpenAI's valuation above $100 billion. Apple analyst Mark Gurman also reported the rumored investment and added that Nvidia and Microsoft would also be participating. So yes, the three most valuable tech companies in the world want to get in on what OpenAI is offering.

Tweet may have been deleted

Microsoft has been a major investor in OpenAI since 2019, pouring $13 billion into the AI company. The deal gave Microsoft exclusive access to OpenAI's LLMs, which has enabled Microsoft to boost up its own AI productivity tools and features. But Microsoft and OpenAI are no longer exclusive. At Apple's WWDC event in June, the tech giant announced a partnership with OpenAI, which will integrate ChatGPT features on the iOS 18 update. Apple Intelligence features are currently available in beta, but ChatGPT-related features have not yet been released.

Apple has been cagey about its AI plans, and has mostly sat on the sideline as other Big Tech companies duked it out for AI dominance. But Apple's partnership in June with OpenAI was its first major play in the AI arena.

Apple is reportedly exploring partnerships with Google, Meta, and Anthropic to provide users with their AI model of choice on its devices. But now, Apple's reported investment in OpenAI is a major move in strengthening their ties; especially since Apple rarely invests in startups.

The Apple event in September typically focuses on hardware. And the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple AirPods 4, and perhaps a new iPad mini are expected. But there's also a chance that Apple will make some announcements about Apple Intelligence and other AI features. The event is on September 9, so we won't have to wait long.

Meta is cracking the door back open for minors interested in the company's virtual offerings, with new parent-approved entry to the platform's Horizon Worlds.

Children (or "preteens," as Meta refers to them) between the ages of 10 to 12 on parent-managed Meta accounts will be able to request access to specific virtual experiences, most of which are social hangout rooms. The age-appropriate designed "worlds" include areas like "The Space Station," a futuristic space where users don astronaut gear, and "The Aquarium," an underwater marine life adventure.

SEE ALSO: Parents need to talk to their kids about this online danger right now

"Worlds can offer preteens access to a variety of fun, engaging and age-appropriate places to hang out with friends and family—no matter where they happen to be, both in-headset and on mobile," Meta wrote. "And as we open up preteen access to worlds (with parental permission, of course), we’ll encourage creators to build even more age-appropriate and enriching experiences."

It's an expansion of new parent permissions granted last month, which allow parents and caregivers to add individual approved contacts to their preteens' accounts. Previously, Meta Horizon's social interactions, like chat and calls, were only available to accounts marked 13 and older.

The new update also includes age ratings for each world, designated as "10+, ages 13+, and ages 18+" and additional customizable settings for parents. Meta says the virtual spaces were co-designed with third parties as part of a new Trust, Transparency & Control Labs (TTC) report on the reintroduction of minors into digital experiences.

Originally part of Meta's larger Metaverse and Meta Quest offerings in the emerging world of VR, Horizon Worlds was later released to mobile and desktop users in 2023. A year prior, Meta overhauled its parental controls for VR Quest users after parents and watchdog groups called attention to increasingly inappropriate interactions, hate speech, and harassment toward minors.

Beyond the world of VR, Meta has been criticized for "pursuing" users under 13 despite concerns about mental wellbeing and safety, and is still wading through a complicated sea of lawsuits and federal investigations.

New Horizon Worlds access is predicated on additional safeguards meant to assuage these fears, including disabled voice chat, personal boundary features for avatars, and non-discoverability for preteen accounts.

"Google is a monopolist." Those were the words written by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta earlier this month in his landmark ruling against the search giant in the antitrust case brought to the court by the U.S. Justice Department.

While that case against Google pertained to its $20 billion deal with Apple regarding Google Search maintaining its default dominance on the iPhone, it seems that the DOJ lawsuit may have just opened the floodgates.

On Wednesday, local business review platform Yelp filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google regarding the company's dominance over local search and local search advertising.

Yelp takes on Google's local search dominance

Yelp's case against Google is all about the search giant giving priority to its own local search product. 

"Our case is about Google, the largest information gatekeeper in existence, putting its heavy thumb on the scale to stifle competition and keep consumers within its own walled garden," writes Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman in a public post addressing the lawsuit. "Google has illegally abused its monopoly in general search to dominate the local search and local search advertising markets — engaging in anticompetitive conduct that has degraded the quality of search results and demoted rivals to grow its market power."

Type in any local business whether it be a nearby restaurant or plumbing service and Google local search information is unavoidable. Google reviews and star ratings for an establishment, left via Google Maps, as well as contact information, business hours, and more are all readily available right the on Google Search results page. On the web, this information is usually located on the sidebar and doesn't distract from Google's competitors on the search page as much. However, perform a local search on a mobile device and Google's local search information is oftentimes the first – and only – thing you see on the page until you scroll down.

SEE ALSO: Google Gemini now lets you create AI-generated images of people — but there's a catch

"When a consumer conducts a Google search with local intent, Google manipulates its results to promote its own local search offerings above those of its rivals, regardless of the comparative poorer quality of its own properties, exempting itself from the qualitative ranking system it uses for other sites," Stoppelman says. 

According to the Yelp CEO, Google's anticompetitive practices have impacted the company so much that Yelp has noticed that an increase in the number of Google searches for a term has often resulted in zero additional clicks to links recommended on the page. The reason, according to Yelp, is that Google's local search product just provides all the information on the search page which gives users no reason to click through to a competitor. 

Yelp's public push explaining its lawsuit against Google cites numerous cases against Google over the years as well as fines the company has received for anticompetitive practices. It also includes crucial quotes from Google executives over the years such as one from Google's former VP of search products Marissa Mayer where she claims Google would put their own products first in Google search results because it "seems only fair." Mayer's statement also acknowledges that search ranking results would only be ranked by popularity after Google's own product link at the top of the page.

Yelp, a regular Google critic, clearly sees an opening after the recent ruling from Judge Mehta. Yelp’s General Counsel Aaron Schur said so himself in a statement provided to Mashable.

"Judge Amit Mehta’s recent ruling in the government’s antitrust case against Google, finding Google illegally maintained its monopoly in general search, is a watershed moment in antitrust law, and provides a strong foundation for Yelp’s case against Google," Schur said. "In addition to injunctive relief, Yelp seeks a remedy that ensures Google can no longer self-preference in local search."

"The harms caused by Google’s self-preferencing are not unique to Yelp, and we look forward to telling our story in court," he continued.

Mashable has reached out to Google for comment and will update if we hear back.

Apple dropped the iOS 18.1 beta 3 for developers — and it added a new Apple Intelligence feature to the mix: the AI-powered Clean Up tool.

We've all been there. You take a photo, you're excited to share it with friends or post it on social media, but there's just one little obstruction that diminishes the photo's visual appeal.

Maybe it's an awkward photobomber — or perhaps there's an unsightly thingamajig that's stealing the spotlight. In these situations, Apple Intelligence is here to swoop in and save the day.

iOS 18 Clean Up: 3 things it can do

The iOS 18 Clean Up tool, similar to Google's Magic Eraser feature, is designed to help get rid of unwanted objects in your photo to enhance the overall quality of the image.

Credit: Den Photos / Shutterstock.com

Here are three things it can do:

1. It uses smart detection, relying on multiple machine-learning models, to identify and isolate objects in your photo. In other words, the technology that underpins Clean Up tool can precisely determine the edges of objects.

2. After identifying the edges, it removes the object and intelligently fills in the void. (Clean Up Tool is even designed to handle challenging elements of an object, including shadows and reflections.)

3. Clean Up "knows" whether other subjects, like yourself or friends, overlap the object. So in theory, Clean Up will not accidentally replace a person you want to be front-and-center of your photo.

Users can use the Clean Up tool in the Photos app. Once you spot an undesirable object in an image, you can tap or circle it, prompting the AI to detect it, so you can remove it. You can also zoom in on photos to finely retouch tiny blemishes.

One other Apple Intelligence feature the Cupertino-based tech giant added to the new iOS 18.1 update is notification summaries. Before, notification summaries only supported the Mail and Messages app. Now, it can summarize notifications from all of your apps.

Check out some of the other AI-powered features in our Apple Intelligence roundup. Just keep in mind that this is a beta, so it's expected to be a little rough-around-the-edges. Make sure that you have an iPhone backup before installing iOS 18.1 beta 3.

The official version of iOS 18 is expected to roll out later this year after Apple announces the iPhone 16 at its "Glowtime" Sept. 9 event.

Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Catherine O'Hara, Monica Bellucci and Justin Theroux break down what it was like bringing the long-awaited sequel to life.

Google Meet knows it can be challenging to stay on a single tab during meetings, and it's here to help.

For all you habitual tab-shifters out there — I count myself among your ranks — Google Meet recently made a picture-in-picture feature an automatic part of its service. What does that mean? As I discovered this morning, when you leave the tab while in a Google Meet, the call will automatically shrink to a smaller size and appear in the bottom-right part of your screen.

SEE ALSO: Google Meet's new portrait touch-up feature will give you a virtual glow-up

This feature used to be an option you could turn on during a meeting, though some, like myself, likely didn't know it existed. It's quite helpful, especially if you want to look something up while discussing a work project. Now, you're not tied to the Google Meet tab.

The feature, at least for now, is available only to users on a computer using Google Chrome.

Wrote Google's Workspace team in a blog post: "This simple yet impactful update will help ensure your meeting stays visible and accessible if you need to switch tabs to take notes, view meeting-related documents, and more."

SEE ALSO: Google Meet can now detect your 'hand raises' in real life. Here’s how to activate the feature.

I've found the tool helpful thus far. It allows me to attend a meeting and to whatever else I might need to do.

The feature's gradual rollout started on Monday. It appeared for me on Thursday and could appear for others over the next week or so. For all you multi-taskers out there, welcome to a new world.

Mashable's Miller Kern spent a month testing Dyson's new Ontrac noise-canceling headphones to see if their quality stands out as much as their design.

Elon Musk's AI company has caught the attention of environmentalists in Memphis, Tennessee for reportedly operating gas turbines without a permit.

On Monday, environmentalist groups Memphis Community Against Pollution, Young, Gifted & Green, Sierra Club Chickasaw Group, and Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter sent a letter to the Shelby County Health Department calling for an investigation of the xAI data center, which powers the X chatbot Grok.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's Grok heeds misinformation concerns by sending users to Vote.gov The environmental cost of supercomputers like xAI

According to the letter, xAI has installed at least 18 gas combustion turbines, which "have the capacity to emit about 130 tons of the ozone-precursor nitrogen oxides (NOx) per year." The groups allege that the xAI data center, which may be contributing to Memphis' existing smog problem, "has not applied for any air permits for these turbines."

The vast amount of electricity and computing power required to run AI models is an emissions nightmare. According to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity consumption of data centers is projected to double by 2026, which would roughly equate to the entire electricity consumption of Japan. And that's not counting the amount of water required to cool the servers and e-waste.

With supercomputers using up the same amount of energy as a small country, it's easy to see the global environmental impact, let alone the immediate vicinity of a data center like Memphis.

The letter, which says xAI's data centers violate Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) smog standards, calls for an investigation by the local county health department. Moreover, the letter requests that the data center cease operations until a permit is obtained.