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Ben Stiller isn't just a director and executive producer of Severance — he also had an uncredited voiceover cameo back in Season 1.

SEE ALSO: I went to the 'Severance' pop-up in Grand Central Station. It was wild.

In a 2022 interview with ET Online, Severance stars Britt Lower and Dichen Lachman confirmed that Stiller voiced the animated version of Lumon founder Kier Eagan that congratulates Helly (Lower) for reaching quota in Season 1, episode 8, "What's for Dinner?"

Stiller, for his part, has been more coy about his secret role in the show, telling What to Watch, "I don't know if we've ever confirmed that I'm the voice of Kier Eagan; Lumon employee agreements are very airtight!"

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 may already be the best show of the year: Review

But on the Jan. 15 episode of The Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller & Adam Scott, Stiller jokingly addressed his cameo again. He, along with co-host Scott and episode guest John Turturro, play the clip of animated Kier Eagan thanking Helly.

"In refining your macrodata file, you have brought glory to this company, and to me, Kier Eagan. I — I love you," Kier says, before flying off into the sunset.

As soon as the clip finishes playing, Scott immediately prompts Stiller about his cameo. "So, Ben," he said. "That voice sounds familiar."

"Some guy..." added Turturro.

Stiller laughed it off, joking, "This is some actor that they hired to do the voice for the congratulatory animated video. Obviously an out-of-work actor who needed the gig… A guy who got a couple of callbacks for Severance but couldn't get in."

Later in the episode, Stiller praised Marc Geller, who plays live-action Kier Eagan. "He's so much a part of the show, and so committed to the show," he said. "He's just great."

Turturro agreed, adding: "I'm in the show and I saw [him] and I thought, 'No wonder [Irving] was a believer."

Severance Season 2 premieres Jan. 17 on Apple TV+, with a new episode every week.

Broadening out from its text-only beginnings and just days before millions may lose access to their beloved video app TikTok, Substack has announced it's adding a sitewide live streaming option for all users.

The new video tool is an expansion of an earlier "bestseller"-only feature, which offered platform-based live streaming options to its top contributors, referred to as "publishers." Now, any contributor with at least 10 free subscribers can go live. Once the live stream is over, publishers will be sent an audio recording of the live stream and AI-generated clips to share on their pages, the platform writes.

SEE ALSO: TikTok might go for a total shutdown in the US on Sunday

Substack — one of the most popular personal publishing and newsletter platforms with more than 35 million active subscriptions — has been overhauling its offerings after a subscriber-hitting content moderation fiasco revealed the platform was hosting numerous alt-right and neo-Nazi blogs. This came only a few months after Substack found itself at the center of a public feud with X CEO Elon Musk, who accused the platform of downloading Twitter data outside of its API terms and then blocked external Substack links from appearing on the site. Substack later introduced Notes, a scrolling recommendations feed that some noted looked similar to the social media platform it was feuding with.

Over the last year, the website announced it would be adding a chat function to connect writers directly to their subscribers, and later added a paywall feature that allowed publishers to cordon off conversation access to paid followers only. A few months later, Substack brought integrated video options to the subscriber chat function, enabling writers (now, more like creators) to send pre-recorded clips directly to readers. In the fall, the platform announced an even wider video offering with a test run of its live stream tools.

Many online are seeking out new video-based platforms as the countdown to a total TikTok shutdown nears zero, and, seeking to capitalize on the same popularity that's skyrocketed TikTok's users over its eight years, social platforms have pivoted to more integrated video features.

On its 100th launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted two lunar landers into space early Wednesday morning. 

The pair are two separate spacecraft from two different customers — one made by Texas-based Firefly Aerospace for NASA, the other by private Japanese company ispace. About an hour into the flight, the rocket released them to continue their long solo journeys to the moon.

SpaceX shared videos of each deployment on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter and owned by the rocket company's founder, Elon Musk. Both can be watched below.

SEE ALSO: NASA leader doubts Elon Musk will push Trump to axe moon rocket A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 15, carrying two moon landers to space. Credit: SpaceX

Firefly's Blue Ghost lander, originally scheduled to lift off in late 2024, is on its maiden voyage. The uncrewed spacecraft is expected to travel for 45 days before trying to touch down in early March. Its flight is the first NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services mission of the year. 

The program has invested $2.6 billion in contracts with vendors from the private sector to help deliver instruments to the moon and send back crucial data. Blue Ghost is carrying 10 experiments for the space agency. NASA wants to see a regular cadence of moon missions to prepare for astronaut-led Artemis expeditions in 2027 or later.

Ispace's new Hakuto-R mission is the company's second attempt to get on the moon, after its first uncrewed lander ran out of fuel and crashed on the lunar surface in April 2023. Ispace's new Resilience lander, a partnership with Japan's space agency JAXA, is taking a longer route to the moon to save on fuel, arriving about four to five months from now. This time the spacecraft is bringing a tiny rover smaller than a toddler's Big Wheel to collect soil for research.

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Landing on the moon remains onerous. The moon's exosphere provides virtually no drag to slow a spacecraft down as it approaches the ground. Furthermore, there are no GPS systems on the moon to help guide a craft to its landing spot. Engineers have to compensate for that from 239,000 miles away.

Only five nations — the former Soviet Union, United States, China, India, and most recently Japan — have managed to land on the moon without wrecking beyond recognition. So far just one company, Intuitive Machines, has made the journey all the way through lunar touchdown. Its craft landed sideways near the moon's south pole in February 2024, still managing to operate from its awkward position.

If the latest spacecraft succeed, each will spend two weeks running experiments on the lunar surface before powering down for the brutally cold lunar night. Not much can survive the -270 degrees Fahrenheit brought on by darkness — not even robots. 

Are you in hell or just billionaire row at Donald Trump's 2024 inauguration? Impossible to tell.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, and annoying fanboys' Elon Musk will all be attending Trump's Monday inauguration, an official told NBC News. They'll all be seated together on the platform alongside some of the president-elect's cabinet members.

Musk, who will lead the new "Department of Government Efficiency" alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, said on his platform, X, that he's "honored" to be attending. Bezos and Zuckerberg have yet to make any public statements.

SEE ALSO: Trump inauguration livestream: How to watch, who is attending, and when his presidential powers go into effect

This shouldn't come as a complete surprise. Tech execs have long relied on politicians to move their policies forward, and, while their relationship has been contentious with Trump, they pledged a significant amount of money in support of his administration. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund, as did Meta and Amazon. Google CEO Sundar Pichai met with Trump and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said he was "turning the page" with the president elect. Famously, Musk has been simping over the president-elect for months.

Beyond monetary donations, Musk endorsed Trump for president in July. Zuckerberg aligned his content moderation policies to a more Republican take, along with lifting hate speech prohibitions, getting rid of DEI initiatives, removing tampons from men's bathrooms in Meta offices, and deleting trans and nonbinary themes on its Messenger app. Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, decided the newspaper wouldn't endorse a presidential candidate, despite the opinion staff members who wanted to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.

They're kissing the ring.

"It's just a recognition that there's not much to be gained in outspoken opposition, but perhaps there is something to be gained by being very clear about your support and hope that Trump does well," Margaret O'Mara, a Silicon Valley historian at the University of Washington, told NPR of the industry's take on Trump.

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We don't know exactly why Michelle Obama has decided to skip, but if she saw that guest list, I have a hunch.

With a TikTok ban looming in the United States and the app’s future unknown, now might be a good time to save your work while you can.

Adult content, including AI-generated nudes, remains banned on Facebook and Instagram, despite recent policy changes at Meta.

However, that hasn't stopped "nudify" apps — platforms that create nonconsensual AI-generated nudes of celebrities and influencers — from advertising on Meta's platforms. And those ads have been extremely successful for at least one service called Crush AI.

According to a new report from 404Media, as originally reported in Alexios Mantzarlis' Faked Up newsletter, the Crush AI modifier app receives the vast majority of its traffic from Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. According to Similarweb's data, last month Crush AI received more than a quarter of a million visits to its service — and roughly 90 percent of that traffic was from Meta's platforms.

SEE ALSO: 8 ways Mark Zuckerberg changed Meta ahead of Trump’s inauguration

Crush AI makes it quite clear what the purpose of its service is in its advertisements. The company's ads include photos of real-life individuals like Instagram influencer and model Mikayla Demaiter and OnlyFans creator Sophie Rain. The ads boast that users can "upload a photo" and "erase anyone's clothes."

While Meta has attempted to crack down on these ads, Crush AI has discovered a very simple workaround. Crush AI creates fake profile pages using AI-generated profile pictures and runs new ads using those pages. The ads promote different domain names that then redirect to Crush AI when clicked.

Mashable has previously reported on other deepfakes and AI platforms that utilize Meta's advertising platform to generate traffic and revenue from AI-generated adult content. These ads are strictly against Meta's policies, and the company often removes them once it becomes aware of specific advertisements.

SEE ALSO: Facebook cracks down on celebrity deepfake scams after $43 million in losses for Australians

However, as 404Media previously reported, Meta appears to have different standards for ad moderation. Policy-breaking content published by users as Facebook or Instagram posts will often be automatically detected by Meta and subsequently removed. Yet, that same content will not be detected when uploaded to Meta's advertising platform.

Over the past year, Meta has rolled out new tools and policies to prevent harmful online behavior such as sextortion. But Crush AI's ads are an example of how Meta's platforms are being weaponized to promote the very behavior that Meta says it wants to protect its young users from.

SAVE 35%: As of Jan. 15, you can get 35% off select skincare devices at Solawave, plus a free gift on orders $150+.

Opens in a new window Credit: Solawave Eye Recovery Pro Kit + free gift $157.95 at Solawave
$243.00 Save $85.05 Get Deal

In my 20s, I never really cared about skincare. It was more of an afterthought in the summer after getting a nasty sunburn, or a quick swipe of face wipes before bed. Now that I’m 30, though, I’ve become painfully aware of the importance of a good skincare routine. Whether you’ve also come to a recent realization that your skin deserves a little extra TLC or you've been diligently caring for your complexion for years, I found a deal that’d make even the wealthiest of Instagram influencers do a double take.

For a limited time, you can get up to 35% off select skincare devices at Solawave. And, if you spend $150, you’ll get a free Brilliant Facial Sonic Cleansing Brush with your purchase — an $89 value. And, yes, this discount applies to the oh-so-coveted 4-in-1 Skincare Wand Kit, which is on sale for $134.56 right now.

SEE ALSO: We tried the celeb-favorite Solawave skincare wand

While there’s no best way to get the free gift, the best bang for your buck is to go with the Eye Recovery Pro Kit for $157.95, which saves you 35% off the original $243 price. This red light eye mask is FDA-cleared and clinically proven to smooth crow’s feet, depuff eye bags, and visibly even skin tone in just three minutes a day.

YouTuber GamersNexus has filed a lawsuit against Honey and PayPal for the alleged affiliate commission scam.

On Tuesday, GamersNexus posted a video on its YouTube channel announcing legal action it's taking against Honey's parent company PayPal. The Youtuber is suing for wrongful business practices by "manipulating last-click attribution to ensure that they hijack content creators’ affiliate commissions," said the legal complaint filed by consumer protection law firm Cotchett, Pitre, and McCarthy.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for these scams in 2025

The lawsuit follows a December investigation from another YouTuber MegaLag who exposed Honey, the browser extension that applies coupons at checkout, of "scamming" YouTubers out of affiliate commissions by replacing their cookie tracking with Honey's right before users make a purchase. The scheme exploits a practice called last-click attribution which gives referral credit to the last affiliate cookie that was clicked on before a purchase.

Users with Honey, which pays popular YouTubers like GamersNexus to promote its product, are prompted to click its browser popup to search for coupons upon checkout. If a user decides to buy something through the YouTuber's site, instead of earning an affiliate commission by recommending and referring a customer to the product site, MegaLag found that Honey was replacing those affiliate cookies with their own when prompting customers to check for coupons.

GamersNexus is leading a class-action lawsuit, filed on Jan. 3, "on behalf of those affected by the actions of what we believe are anti-consumer behaviors that harm not only reviewers but consumers directly," said Steve Burke, Gamers Nexus founder. Burke also said that payment from the court decision or as a settlement will be donated to consumer rights organizations like Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and Archive.org.

LegalEagle, another popular YouTube channel is also suing Honey. "This case is about asserting our right to control the use of our content and pushing back against unauthorized practices," said the LegalEagle lawsuit website. "Honey’s exploitation of promotional codes and links directly affects our earnings."

In GN's detailing on its own lawsuit, Burke said that theirs and LegalEagle's are separate complaints, but that they might combine at some point.

SAVE $59.94: Prime members can grab a black pair of Echo Buds for $49.99 and get 6 months of free access to Amazon Music Unlimited, which saves you a total of $59.94.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Buds (black) $49.99 at Amazon
$109.93 Save $59.94 Prime members get 6 months of free Amazon Music Unlimited (new subscribers) Get Deal

Life is not cheap these days, which means when we see the word "free," we're all ears. Amazon is currently offering us a deal that's quite impressive if you're interested in a new pair of earbuds (and streaming music for free).

As of Jan. 15, a black pair of Echo Buds costs $49.99 and comes with 6 months of free access to Amazon Music Unlimited. Typically, the service costs $9.99 per month, which means you'll save a total of $54.94. To cash in on this offer, you'll need to be a new subscriber to Amazon Music Unlimited and a Prime member.

When it comes to affordable earbuds, you have plenty of options, but only one pair comes with the benefit of six months of ad-free music. The Amazon Echo Buds (2023 release) use 12 mm drivers to give you clear and crisp sound quality, which will sound even better when you stream music for free.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

The design of the Echo Buds involves a semi-in-ear fit so you'll still be able to hear the world around you, which is really great if you'll be wearing these while commuting to work or while working from home.

Today's deal for Prime members gives new subscribers six months of free access to Amazon Music Unlimited, which typically costs $9.99 per month. Overall, this deal means you'll save $54.94 on the service by purchasing the Echo Buds for just $49.99. In other words, it's less expensive to buy the Echo Buds and then get six months of Amazon Music Unlimited than it is to straight pay for six months of Amazon Music Unlimited. Your subscription to the music service will automatically be set to renew each month, but you're free to cancel at any time.

The Amazon Music Unlimited library contains over 100 million songs that are all ad-free and available on-demand. You're given free reign to skip any songs you please, too. Plus, it comes with access to a massive catalogue of audiobooks from Audible and plenty of ad-free podcasts.

If you're in the mood for a win-win situation, grab a black pair of Echo Buds and cash in free access to Amazon Music Unlimited for six months. That means you'll be set until the beginning of summer with free tunes, audiobooks, and podcasts.

In the market for a new laptop? These great Asus models are on sale now at Best Buy:

Best Buy Asus Laptop Deals Best Asus Laptop Deal Asus TUF 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 1TB SSD) $949.99 (Save $450) Get Deal Best Asus Copilot+ Laptop Deal Asus Vivobook S 14 14-inch OLED Laptop with Copilot+ (Intel Core Ultra 5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599.99 (Save $350) Get Deal Best Budget Asus Laptop Deal Asus Zenbook 14 OLED 14-inch Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $449.99 (Save $350) Get Deal

Whether your daily driver is showing its age or you just want to grab something new and shiny, getting a new laptop is always exciting. It's even more exciting when you can get one at a great price.

Right now, Best Buy is offering savings on select Asus laptops right now, ranging from portable gaming powerhouses to reliable hardware for remote work or getting things done on the go. You can save up to $450 right now during the sale on some seriously great pieces of tech.

We've lined out some of our favorite laptops that you can snag right now, so if you're ready to drop some cash on some new tech, be sure to pounce on the model that strikes your fancy.

Best Asus laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Asus TUF 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 1TB SSD) $949.99 at Best Buy
$1,399.99 Save $450.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This gaming laptop is a luxurious pick that's no slouch under the hood, with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card to help you jump into just about any game you could want to play at home or on the go. It sports a large 15.6-inch display at 1920x1080 full HD resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate, so you're getting a crisp, great-looking screen to go with all that gaming (or watching your favorite shows and TV) you're going to do. It's also extremely lightweight at just 4.85 lbs and 0.89 inches thin. It's perfectly portable and rugged at that, so if you're looking to get your game on while away from home, this is the way to do it.

Best Asus Copilot+ laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Asus Vivobook S 14 14-inch OLED Laptop with Copilot+ (Intel Core Ultra 5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599.99 at Best Buy
$949.99 Save $350.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for a Copilot-enhanced laptop, this Vivobook option packs a processor that's ready to help you realize your AI dreams. In addition to a 14-inch OLED screen, it boasts an Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 2 processor with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD all in a lightweight, slim package so you can handle any creative asks or AI-assisted missives with ease. Best of all, it won't drain your entire wallet to pick this laptop up — and you'll still get the kind of performance usually only seen in the upper pricing tiers for laptops like this one.

Best budget Asus laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Asus Zenbook 14 OLED 14-inch Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $449.99 at Best Buy
$799.99 Save $350.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This mid-market laptop is on sale for a great price, but don't let that fool you into thinking it isn't capable of juggling all the tasks you need it to. It comes with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor under the hood with 8GB of RAM, so not only is it well worth the price for daily use for work or play, but it's also a touchscreen model that lets you toss the mouse and get up close and personal. The 14-inch touch screen offers gorgeous 4K quality and crisp visuals, and all in a package that's less than $500. You truly can't beat that.

On Jan. 20, following an embattled first term and tense election year — as well as two impeachments and a felony conviction, a first for any U.S. president — President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office for the second time.

Observers near and far are gearing up for the ceremony with bated breath, as many stand on guard for the President's remarks following his incitement to insurrection on Jan. 6, 2020 — an inflammatory speech that would later win him suspension from several online platforms and an impeachment in the U.S. House. But the President's successful election season may signal a much more calm presidential transition this time around.

SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg wants more 'masculine energy' in corporate America Who will be at the Inauguration ceremony

The inaugural events will be a relatively smaller schedule of activities than previous years, pulling from a $170 million inauguration committee fund (boosted by some of the incoming leader's biggest tech allies, including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg). Inauguration ball performers will include a country lineup of Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Lee Greenwood. The Village People will be performing at events throughout the weekend, and opera singer Christopher Macchio will perform the national anthem during the ceremony.

Confirmed guests include President Joe Biden, President Barack Obama, President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, as well as President Bill Clinton and former presidential runner Hillary Clinton. Trump has also invited several international political leaders, which could see an unprecedented turnout of world leaders in the Inauguration ceremony's history. Argentinian President Javier Milei has confirmed his attendance, while Chinese President Xi Jinping will be sending an official envoy, Forbes reports. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said he is attempting to gain entry into the country to attend the events, as well.

And Trump's tech circle will be front row, including Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and, reportedly, OpenAI's Sam Altman.

How to watch the ceremony online

Inaugural events will begin on Saturday, Jan. 18, with the actual swearing-in ceremony taking place at 12 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 20.

The ceremony will be broadcasted live on all major networks (ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC and PBS), as well as CSPAN.

For online streaming, viewers can tune into official YouTube livestreams, including ABC, CBS, PBS News Hour, and Fox News. NBC viewers can catch coverage on NBC News Now.

Viewers can also stream the Inauguration via the live news hubs on their favorite streaming platforms, like ABC for Disney+ and CNN for Max, or directly on the White House website.

When Trump's presidential powers come into play

Many tuning in to Monday's ceremony will be wondering when Trump will be able to execute his executive powers.

Starting from the time of election to inauguration day (about 75 days), the incoming Trump administration will have been beefing up a roster of transition staff and volunteers to aid in a smoother transfer of power, explains the Center for Presidential Transition, a nonpartisan nonprofit. During this time, the President-elect will have also announced his picks for prized appointments.

A post-inauguration "handover" phase then begins, while the new administration enters a 200-day blitz period with the goal of enshrining as many early policy wins as possible. On day one of his presidency, Trump will have the ability to sign executive orders and reverse existing policies, which he has already pledged to do. Experts anticipate the new President tackling tariffs, immigration, and environmental policy almost immediately — some of these priorities, including tariffs and any federal employee rollbacks, will have immediate effects, while others will act more symbolically.

Trump will also immediately gain executive clemency powers, allowing him to pardon and commute the sentences of individuals. Americans can also expect more appointment and staffing announcements in the post-inauguration period.

A marketing stunt for AppleTV+'s Severance Season 2 shook up New York City's Grand Central Station on Jan. 14. And I witnessed it in all its surreal glory.

The pop-up began when a large glass box appeared in Grand Central's Vanderbilt Hall, containing a replica of the four-seated desk from Lumon's Macrodata Refinement department. Hired actors playing Lumon employees sat at their desks, doing Lumon things (by which I mean, sorting numbers while not having a clue what said numbers mean).

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 may already be the best show of the year: Review

The stunt kicked it into high gear when Severance's actors themselves entered the cube. Adam Scott, Britt Lower, and Zach Cherry arrived first, playing Mark S., Helly R., and Dylan G. Also present were Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel and Tramell Tillman as Mr. Milchick. The only MDR employee missing was Irving (John Turturro). I can only presume he was off in the Perpetuity Wing, admiring the Eagans.

Meanwhile, creator and showrunner Dan Erickson looked on from the sidelines, while director and executive producer Ben Stiller gave interviews and took photos of the cube like a proud father.

Once inside the cube, the actors played out what a day at Lumon might look like. While onlookers couldn't hear what any of them were saying, there was no denying the show was enthralling. It was like an entire episode of Severance was taking shape before us, and I certainly reacted accordingly. I jolted when Ms. Cobel smacked the desk with a Lumon-brand ruler. I chuckled when Helly playfully threw a cleaning rag at Mr. Milchick. (She did so multiple times.) And, like the many Severance viewers who enjoy picking the show apart for clues, I examined the set for hints about Season 2.

SEE ALSO: Severance Season 1 Recap: Everything you need to remember before watching season 2 The Severance pop-up was full of details for fans The board will hear you now. Credit: Belen Edwards

While the pop-up didn't give us any plot hints about what to expect from Season 2 — there was tragically no Post-It note reading, "Here's what Lumon is doing with Mark's wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman)" — it was full of exciting details bound to make any Severance fan lose their mind.

The desks, for example, were painstaking recreations of those we see in the show. Dylan's desk featured several caricature portraits, which are among the perks MDR employees receive for completing their files. (At one point, Cherry also pulled out two finger traps, another Lumon perk.) Mark's desk also featured the crystal head cube he got for completing the Allentown file. Plus, everyone had the MDR group picture on their desk.

The actors brought in props from the show as well. Mr. Milchick carried around the red ball used in an icebreaker scene from Season 1. He also held Dr. Ricken Hale's (Michael Chernus) book The You You Are behind his back. Be sure to keep that away from those Innies, Milchick, you don't want them gaining a sense of self! But The You You Are wasn't the only Severance book in the cube. At one point, Mark read aloud from what looked like Lumon's Compliance Handbook. And yes, I did freak out and point at each prop. When else am I going to be in the presence of the great Ricken Hale's writings?

SEE ALSO: 4 fascinating things we learned from the 'Severance' companion book

The fun didn't stay in the cube, though. Outside the cube, a white pedestal bore the speaker from Ms. Cobel's office that the Lumon Board uses to communicate with staff. "Communicate" may be a strong word for what is actually just "menacing static noices," which was all I could hear from the speaker in Grand Central.

Things took a turn for the strange as the Innies began to clock out of the cube at around 7 p.m. (I cannot stress enough that the cast were in there for over an hour.) Ms. Cobel forced Mark to stand in one corner of the cube like he was on a timeout, then proceeded to berate him. Or maybe sing the Kier anthem at him like she did in Season 1? We couldn't hear. But we could see the Post-It note that Scott and Arquette wrote on, then taped to the wall of the cube. Upon their exit, the audience rushed over to see what it said. It just said, "human," with a small drawing of a triangle next to it. Fan theorists, do your thing and tell me what it means!

The Severance pop-up was a joyful (and strange) fan experience Lumon takes NYC. Credit: Marion Curtis / StarPix for Apple TV+

Unsurprisingly, the Severance pop-up lit up social media. A bizarro marketing stunt with the actual Severance cast present? That's perfect fodder for virality.

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But the pop-up lit up Grand Central as well. All around me, I heard people freaking out about the actors, and about Severance in general. Fans described their excitement for Season 2, discussing everything from their theories about Lumon's baby goats to the watch parties they were planning. (Might I suggest a cursed menu of eggs, waffles, and melon?)

Best of all were people using the presence of the Lumon cube to sell Severance to their friends. I heard a number of variations on, "have you watched this show? You need to watch this show." I agree!

Even the location enhanced the strange Severance drama we were watching play out. Grand Central Station at rush hour is peak work commute time, when everyone is effectively switching from their work selves to their non-work selves. (One could even say... going from their Innies to their Outies.) I was on the way home from work myself when I got wind of the pop-up and switched my entire commute to see the great Lumon cube in person.

If anything, watching the Innies in action as everyone bustled home to work around them highlighted their in-show plight even more. We can all leave work behind, but for them, it's all they know. Plus, they're all under observation by Lumon's higher-ups, just like the actors were under observation in their glass box. In taking pictures and gawking at the Innies, were we no better than Lumon? The layers! The questions of work-life balance!

Did this pop-up give me a tiny existential crisis? Maybe. Did it make me more excited for Severance Season 2? Most definitely.

Severance Season 2 premieres Jan. 17 on Apple TV+, with a new episode every week.

Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta chief executive, is one of several tech leaders expected to play a high-profile role in celebrating the new administration next week.

When in spring 2019 a fire nearly destroyed Notre-Dame, one of Paris' most recognizable landmarks, president Emmanuel Macron vowed to restore the building and reopen it to the public by 2024, the year Paris would host the Olympics. Though the cathedral wasn't completed in time for the athletic competitions, it still opened its doors in December 2024, meeting an ambitious deadline.

At the centre of the effort was a cutting-edge software donated by U.S. tech company Autodesk, which the reconstruction team used to digitally map the Notre-Dame, and carefully plan each step of the rebuilding process.

Be it the scorching rays of the sun, the sting of a silver bullet, or a brutal box office thrashing, nothing can truly kill the Universal Monsters. Since they first lurked onto the silver screen in the early 1900s, this motley crew of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the Wolf Man, the Invisible Man, and the creature from the Black Lagoon have risen again and again for a sequel, remake, or re-imagining, for better or worse. 

For worse, this has resulted in the aborted Dark Universe, which flamed out with Tom Cruise's big-budget flop The Mummy in 2017. For better, there's been 2020's The Invisible Man, in which writer/director Leigh Whannell left his supernatural leanings from the Insidious franchise behind for a more sci-fi-rooted horror. His Wolf Man has a similarly grim and grounded approach, abandoning much of the paranormal lore of werewolves in favor of more penetrating real-life fears. 

However, while Wolf Man ditches the lycanthropy tropes of silver weapons and a full moon, Whannell stays true to Blumhouse's formula. The film brings heralded actors — in this case Poor Things' Christopher Abbott and Apartment 7A's Julia Garner — into a central location, where horror can be spun cost-effectively from a single spooky concept. For Whannell, that is taking the gruesome and inescapable transformation of man to beast and making it a metaphor for chronic illness, the kind that robs sufferers of control of their bodies, speech, and even the ability to understand the people around them. 

It's a bold move. But does it make for a satisfying horror movie? 

SEE ALSO: The 22 best horror movies of 2024, and where to watch them Wolf Man is a meditation on illness.  Credit: Universal Pictures

Scripted by Whannell and Corbett Tuck, Wolf Man stars Christopher Abbott as Blake, a San Francisco family man who is happily serving as a stay-at-home dad to his plucky daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth), while his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) works to bring home the metaphorical bacon. However, all her focus on her career has Charlotte feeling disconnected from her daughter and husband. So, when some bizarre personal news offers the family a chance to visit Blake's childhood home in rural Oregon, they leap at the chance for some quality time, far from the hustle and bustle (and relative safety) of human civilization. 

Of course, as the title teases, there's something not quite human prowling in the woods near Blake's old house. And it only takes one scratch from a gnarly claw to infect this loving father with a lycanthropic disease. After a scene of frenzied fleeing through a forest, much of Wolf Man takes place within the walls of the cabin where Blake was raised by his macho hunter/survivalist father, who's been proclaimed dead after years missing. As such, there's a home invasion element to Wolf Man, reminiscent of The Strangers. A frightened woman is trapped in a house under siege by a violent and mysterious threat, with no real hope of outsider intervention to save her and her loved ones.

As Blake steadily begins to transform, Charlotte must step up as a mom, protecting her child, and a wife, understanding her husband even as the man she knew vanishes before her very eyes. 

Leigh Whannell wallows in agony in Wolf Man.  Credit: Universal Pictures

In many stories of werewolves, there is an inescapable sense of doom, whether the cause be a bite or curse. These tales often follow a hapless man (or teen girl) who is irrevocably changed, and will likely die because of it. Whannell leans into this dread by focusing on the distortions Blake suffers, physically and mentally.

Satisfying the body-horror expectations of the werewolf subgenre, Blake's skin curdles into open sores, which he cannot help but ravage with growing claws and pointed teeth. His luscious hair falls out as his face stretches into a disfigured mockery of his former reflection. His voice vanishes, replaced by a hollow growl. In panning shots, captured practically and enhanced digitally, Whannell reveals how Blake's family sees him and vice versa. As the camera moves from a weeping Charlotte whispering comfort, the lighting changes, the vision blurs, and her voice becomes an indecipherable warble as the film moves into Blake's warping perspective. This wolf vision is not intended to give us the sense of a slasher in pursuit or a predator that is targeting prey. It's a nightmarish perversion of reality, reflecting how Blake feels trapped, even damned, in his mutating body. 

It's tragic and unnerving, especially as Abbott relishes every bit of body horror. (Whannell counts David Cronenberg's The Fly as an inspiration.) However, the metaphor between werewolfism and chronic illness ultimately feels obvious and lazy. Yes, both can be inescapable and horrific. The effects of both can be terrifying to those who suffer from them and the loved ones forced to witness. But this analogy ignores the ferocity and brute strength that is still present in even Whannell's pared-down werewolf lore. Where does that fit into his metaphor?

Essentially, Wolf Man begins as a clever idea that runs out of steam well before the movie ends. Blake's transformation, slow and grueling across several sequences, begins to feel episodic, as does the grief-stricken displays of his wife and child. And so, even at one hour and forty-five minutes, this Wolf Man drags.

Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott commit but can't save Wolf Man.  Credit: Universal Pictures

These two deserve better than Whannell and Tuck's script. Both their characters are thinly sketched archetypes. Blake is the modern gentle parent, desperate to protect his kid from the childhood trauma instilled by harsh words, fear, and unchecked machismo. Charlotte — well, she sure has a job and cares about it when she's at home despite Blake's condescending remarks! Much of the movie depends on caring about characters who never feel anything but vague signifiers of work/life balance.

To his credit, Abbott — who shot this very physically demanding film while still in physical therapy for an on-stage knee injury — is committed to every bit. With child actor Firth, he is gentle, gamely goofy, and sincerely focused. With Garner, he is alert, though his attention is edged with a low-boil frustration that will never get a proper voice. And when he is the monster, he is in turn a pitiable puddle of malleable flesh and a ferocious creature, barrelling after his terrified family. Garner matches him, her hard stare glittering with righteous tears. But with the first act failing to establish these characters in the way The Fly or — to cite another danger-from-within domestic horror film — Rosemary's Baby did, the rest just doesn't work. Instead, it becomes a slog of tears, blood, and moping.

In the end, Whannell's Wolf Man is a maudlin mess, which heaps on grief and grisliness without balancing it with character. While there are a few moments of delicious tension — like an opening sequence where a young Blake goes from hunting to hunted — Wolf Man overall is more one-note than anything. Compared to The Invisible Man it's a serious misstep for Whannell. Compared to The Mummy, well, that might have been a wreck of a movie, but at least it was occasionally fun.  

Wolf Man opens in theaters Jan. 17.

Mark Zuckerberg is doubling down on more cartoon villainy this week by proposing to lay off more than 3,600 employees — or roughly five percent of Meta's "lowest performers." Of course, in true capitalist fashion, he plans to backfill those positions later this year.

"I've decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster," Zuckerberg said in an internal memo, according to Bloomberg. "We typically manage out people who aren't meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle."

CNBC reports that affected employees will be notified by Feb. 10, giving them a month to stew over their fate and brace for the worst. Those let go will receive severance similar to what previous laid-off employees got, the report claims. In 2022, when Meta slashed nearly a quarter of its workforce, the company offered a severance package that included 16 weeks of base pay, plus two additional weeks for each year of service (with no cap), full payout of remaining PTO, six months of healthcare, three months of career support, and immigration assistance.

SEE ALSO: 8 ways Mark Zuckerberg changed Meta ahead of Trump’s inauguration

This comes just a few days after Meta announced a few fairly massive reversals in policies. Zuckerberg announced last week that his platforms would get rid of fact-checkers in favor of Community Notes, which many civil and human rights organizations point out has the potential to lead to increased violence, hate speech, and the spread of misinformation.

Meta also lifted prohibitions against some forms of hate speech on its platforms, allowing posts that call women property, specific ethnic groups "filth," and more approved use of hate speech. The company got rid of DEI initiatives, removed tampons from men's bathrooms in Meta’s offices in California, Texas, and New York, deleted trans and nonbinary themes on its Messenger app, and announced that political content would once again be recommended on Threads and Instagram.

SAVE $140: The Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 combo robot vacuum and mop is on sale for just $259.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $399.99. That's a 35% discount that matches the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 robot vacuum and mop $259.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $140.00 Get Deal

Cross "clean the floors" off your 2025 chore list. Just a few years ago, using a robot vacuum came with some harrowing risks, like watching it take a nose-dive down the stairs or getting tangled in a throw rug's tassels. But those days are long gone, and robot vacuums are some of the most beneficial smart home cleaning options around. And if you'd also like to cross mopping off your chore list, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Jan. 15, the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 combo robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $259.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $399.99. The sale price means you'll be saving $140 with a 35% discount. The $259.99 price also matches its Black Friday sale price and the lowest we've ever spotted at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Equipped with 6,000 Pa suction power, the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 is ready to take on any floor's dust, hair, dander, and debris. The floating rubber brush is designed to not only remove dust, but resist getting tangled in hair, which means this model could be ideal for pet owners.

Thanks to the included charging and self-emptying base, the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 can go up to 90 days without needing any human attention. The four-liter dust bag capacity can handle all of life's messes for up to three months, leaving you free from the task of cleaning the floors.

When it comes time to mop hard floors, the Dreame's 150-milliliter clean water tank with three flow settings is there to get the job done.

This model is also impressive when it comes to battery life. The 5,200 mAh battery means the vacuum and mop can clean for as long as 285 minutes before it needs to recharge.

Using Smart Pathfinder, the Dreame creates a precise map of your home that you're always able to edit. Obstacle avoidance means it'll clean around the dog's bed and not bother the pile of backpacks the kids just dumped in the entryway. Plus, the Dreame can maneuver over thresholds that measure up to 20 millimeters.

If vacuuming and mopping floors is not your favorite chore, hand off the task to the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2. Today's deal at Amazon means you'll be scoring the lowest price we've ever seen, which shaves 35% off the list price.

The company is awaiting a decision over the constitutionality of a new law that aims to force a sale of the app to a non-Chinese owner under the threat of a ban.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Jan. 15: OUR TOP PICK Shark IZ163H Pet Plus $199.99 (save $100) Get Deal BEST SPEAKER DEAL Amazon Echo Pop Kids $34.99 (save $15) Get Deal BEST PHONE DEAL Google Pixel 8 Pro (Unlocked, 128GB) $599 (save $400) Get Deal BEST STREAMING DEVICE DEAL Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max $44.99 (save $15) Get Deal BEST GAMING DEAL Logitech G Pro X Superlight wireless gaming mouse $87.38 (save $72.61) Get Deal

We're officially halfway through January, and we're celebrating with an assortment of deals from Amazon. If you can't wait until the weekend to do some shopping, we've handpicked a few of the best deals we could find at the mega retailer on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. Be sure to check back at our picks from Jan. 13 and Jan. 14 as well. Many of those are still live, including a $100 price drop on the iPad Mini 7 and 22% off the Garmin Venu 3S.

Our top pick: Shark IZ163H Pet Plus Cordless Stick Vacuum Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark IZ163H Pet Plus Cordless Stick Vacuum $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

An air purifier is a good start, but it's not going to eliminate your pet hair problem; you need a good vacuum specifically made to dig deep and tackle fur and dander. The Shark IZ163H Pet Plus can help you keep it at bay, and it's on sale for just $199.99 at Amazon as of Jan. 15 — that's 33% in savings and its best price to date. The IZ163H Pet Plus features a self-cleaning brushroll, a HEPA filter and anti-allergen complete seal, a 40-minute battery life, and a multi-flex wand that allows you to deep clean the dog hair from any angle. And, of course, its cordless design converts into a hand vac to tackle any hair and dander in hard to reach spots.

Amazon Echo Pop Kids Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Pop Kids $34.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal

The Echo Pop is our favorite budget-friendly Echo device, including the kid-centric version. If you want to introduce Alexa into your kids' daily life, it's one of the most fun and affordable ways to do so with age-appropriate content, stories, audiobooks, and music. Our pals at PCMag (also owned by Mashable publisher Ziff Davis) called it "Amazon's top smart speaker for children" and gave it the PCMag Editor's Choice badge of honor. Our only qualm is that it comes in just two Disney-licensed designs — Disney princess or Marvel. But if you've got a kid who loves Disney, you're in luck. It's usually $49.99, but you can snag it on sale for just $34.99 as of Jan. 15. That's a savings of 30%.

Google Pixel 8 Pro Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 8 Pro $599.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $400.00 Get Deal

If you're not pressed on having the latest and greatest phone, you can keep a whole lot of money in your pocket by opting for a previous generation. Case in point: an unlocked Google Pixel 8 Pro with 128GB is on sale for only $599 (down from $999) as of Jan. 15. For comparison purposes, the Google Pixel 9 Pro is on sale for $849, or an extra $250. The Pixel 8 Pro may not be the most exciting phone on the market anymore, but it still offers an excellent camera, all-day battery life, a 120Hz refresh rate, a swanky chipset, and advanced AI features. If you're an Android fan and want to save some money, you won't be disappointed.

Check out our full review of the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $44.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal

If you're trying to decide which Fire TV Stick to get, here's the ultimate selling point of the 4K Max: it's the first streaming stick with Fire TV Ambient Experience. In other words, it can turn your TV into artwork a la The Frame, with over 2,000 piece of museum-quality images. It also features WiFi 6E support, Dolby Vision (plus HDR, HDR 10, HDR 10+, HLG), Dolby Atmos audio, and 16GB of storage (the most of any Fire Stick). It's usually $59.99, but as of Jan. 15, it's on sale for just $44.99. That's 25% in savings and drops it down to less than the full cost of the Fire TV Stick 4K.

Logitech G Pro X Superlight Opens in a new window Credit: Logitech Logitech G Pro X Superlight wireless gaming mouse $87.38 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $72.61 Get Deal

A favorite mouse among esports teams and pro gamers, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight is light as a feather, as the name suggests. Its Hero sensor delivers precise, quick, and consistent control, while its PTFE feet ensure fluidity and smooth glides. You'll get about 70 hours of play time, which may not be the highest on the market, but is still pretty impressive. Our sister site PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) found it to be a well-designed mouse with few minor issues, but they found the $159.99 price tag a bit too hefty. Fortunately, as of Jan. 15, it's on sale for just $87.38, making it more palatable. That's 45% in savings and just a few bucks shy of its best price ever.

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

SAVE $250+: B&H's Mega Deal Zone sale ends tomorrow, Jan. 16. Shop hundreds of deals on TVs, laptops, and more before they're gone — including a Samsung 55-inch 4K smart TV for less than $300.

Best B&H Mega Deal Zone deals: Best TV deal Samsung DU7200 Series 55-inch 4K HDR Smart LED TV $357.99 (save $98) Get Deal Best laptop deal Acer 15.6-inch Aspire 5 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 16GB, 1TB) $499.99 (save $250 ) Get Deal Best smart home device Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) $69.99 (save $20) Get Deal

B&H may be known for its photography and videography equipment, but over the years, it’s low-key become a go-to source for finding deals on a wide range of tech products, from TVs and laptops to drones and security cameras.

SEE ALSO: 27 products we deemed worthy of Mashable Choice Awards in 2024

And now through Jan. 16 at midnight ET, B&H’s Mega Deal Zone sale is offering massive discounts across its entire catalog. Whether you’re in the market for a new TV or want to upgrade your WFH setup, B&H has something for everyone.

Here are the best deals we could find from the sale:

Best TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung DU7200 Series 55-inch 4K HDR Smart LED TV $279.99 at B&H
$377.99 Save $98.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re getting ready for the Big Game or want a larger screen for movie nights, the Samsung DU7200 Series 55-inch 4K HDR Smart LED TV is only $357.99 at B&H right now. That’s only $20 off the list price, but it gets even better: You’ll get an additional $78 off instantly at checkout, bringing the final price down to just $279.99.

Best laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer 15.6-inch Aspire 5 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 16GB, 1TB) $499.99 at B&H
$749.99 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Shopping for a laptop on a budget is never easy, but the Acer 15.6-inch Aspire 5 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 16GB, 1TB) is a solid option that's on sale for $449.99 — $250 off the original price. Plus, you’ll get the Bitdefender Total Security six-month download (a $49.99 value) for free, so you can keep your device protected right out of the box.

We’re so impressed by this laptop that we ranked the Intel Core i5 model as our No. 1 best laptop under $500.

Best smart home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) $69.99 at B&H
$89.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) is now just $69.99. That’s a $20 discount and a pretty good deal for a smart home device that lets you stream your favorite shows and movies, control compatible smart home devices, and even make video calls. Of course, it also does everything any other Alexa-enabled smart speaker can do.