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The moment even the essence of warm weather hits my skin, it becomes ice cream season. After a sweltering day when the temperature finally breaks, there's nothing like the ritual of getting ice cream as a cold, sweet treat. However, like all little treats, they add up, even when buying pints at the corner store.
So what are you to do? Get a time-extensive ice cream machine that requires long churning? Maybe. But the internet's favorite option offers a more accessible shortcut.
I can't tell you exactly the first time I saw the Ninja Creami on my TikTok feed, but all I know is that my feed is inundated with recipes for this sort of instant ice cream maker. It's unsurprising that it coincides with social media's current obsession with protein, as users are making high-protein ice cream concoctions. The hours I've spent watching people make cottage cheese ice cream are more than I'd like to admit.
So, in the thick of ice cream season, I wanted to get my hands on the Ninja Creami. Not because I'm ready to get my protein ice cream on, but because who doesn't like ice cream on demand?
What is the Ninja Creami?The Ninja Creami is a 7-in-1 or, in the case of the Ninja Creami Deluxe, 11-in-1 ice cream maker. It makes ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and smoothie bowls with just the press of a button. It even includes the option to add mix-ins. In the case of the Ninja Creami Deluxe, there are also a variety of options to make frozen drinks, a perk if you can't get your hands on the perpetually sold-out Ninja Slushi.
How does the Ninja Creami work?With each Ninja Creami, you receive at least two 16-ounce pints that you fill and freeze. The Ninja Creami comes with a recipe book to get started; however, a simple search of Ninja Creami recipes will provide you with endless inspiration.
Once you've prepped your bases, which can be crafted from fruit, yogurt, dairy, or alternative milk bases, put them in the freezer to get solid. Ninja recommends freezing your mixes for at least 24 hours, which is more flexible than they imply. I tried pints frozen for eight and 24 hours, and both worked well. The pint frozen for less time was closer to a Frosty texture than classic hard ice cream.
After freezing, the pints are put into a machine, where a blade comes down and spins through the mixture to churn or whip it into the classic ice cream texture. That process takes anywhere from three to six minutes. Once spun, the ice cream should be scoopable, ready to eat, or add mix-ins.
Texture and taste: Some recipes work better than others I sort of felt like the owner of my own ice cream shop. Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableWhen starting with the Ninja Creami, I nearly had decision paralysis because there were so many recipes to try. Having received the Ninja Creami Deluxe, I could make ice cream and a bounty of frozen drink options. However, I focused on the ice cream choices that apply to both the standard and deluxe versions for testing purposes.
The three pints I whipped up included frozen yogurt, Ninja's recipe for a perfect ice cream base, and then just a simple base of Fairlife chocolate milk, the latter of which is protein TikTok's favorite base.
Since I was so eager to try out the Ninja Creami, I started with what I had in my house: a base of Greek yogurt mixed with vanilla extract and a little salt. I only let it freeze for about eight hours and had decent results. I used the frozen yogurt setting, which takes the longest out of any of the others I tried at around six minutes. Flavor-wise, it was what I expected, reminding me of my teenage years during the frozen yogurt boom. I mixed in some cookies for a little high protein cookies and cream situation, and the end result was taste and texturally like a tart McFlurry.
The Fairlife chocolate milk in the Creami is giving Wendy's Frosty vibes. Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableI was more by the book with the Ninja ice cream base and chocolate milk, letting them freeze for over 24 hours. At my partner's request, I made a salted caramel base to add cookie dough as a mix-in. After giving it one spin, I pulled it out, and it had a weird, almost pebbly texture — think Dippin' Dots type of look. I could smooth it out with a spatula to make it more creamy, but I gave it another spin after noticing that the bottom half of the pint didn't really get spun. To finish it, I added the cookie dough and used the mix-in setting. The cookie dough didn't leave chunks as I had hoped. Instead, it was fully blended into the ice cream, but only the top half. It was still delicious and scooped beautifully. However, texturally, I felt it was a little icy and not as creamy as classic ice cream.
The chocolate milk, on the other hand, was fabulous texturally. It also needed two spins, and the texture turned out like a homemade soft serve, creamy and smooth. However, in terms of flavor, the freezing made the mix lose some flavor, similar to what fellow Mashable reporter Leah Stodart experienced when putting a White Claw into the Ninja Slushi.
Each mix had its ups and downs, none of which were perfect, but all were tasty and good enough.
There are plenty of possibilities — accompanied by some limitationsAfter making three batches of ice cream, there are endless ways to use the Ninja Creami. However, with as many options as possible, Ninja also cautions against using specific ingredients.
According to Ninja, the number one no-go is using non-fat dairy products. It's not that they won't mix — they will, as evidenced by plenty of Creami users who use non-fat products with success. However, they will be harder once frozen, take longer to spin, and ultimately be less creamy and more icy than full-fat mixes.
Additionally, unlike pints of your favorite Ben and Jerry's, you can't create ripples of peanut butter, caramel, or fudge sauce throughout. Because of the blending mechanic used by the Creami, it would just get blended throughout. This is the same with soft mix-ins, which I found to be true. Things like sandwich cookies and cookie dough just get mixed into the ice creams or frozen yogurts rather than leaving chunks.
It's loud and tedious After mixing once, I refroze the pints and they were rock hard and in need of another spin. Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableThe main thing to consider with the Ninja Creami is its loudness. It's so loud. I'd heard so many people say this about the Creami, so I was prepared, but it was still a bit of a shock when I turned it on for the first time. It's better on shorter cycles, but longer cycles, like frozen yogurt, felt extensive. My cat freaked out as if we'd just turned on the vacuum, and I almost expected a text from my upstairs neighbor asking me to keep it down.
The volume of the Ninja Creami is definitely a huge drawback, especially if you're trying to mix up a late-night batch. However, in addition to being loud, it's pretty inconsistent. I had a different experience with each batch, some mixing easily, others only mixing in the top half. Due to those inconsistencies, I always had to re-spin, making the process (and sound) go on for longer.
Plus, you're not done once you spin your pint and get it to the texture you want. If you don't finish the pint and instead put it back in the freezer, you need to re-spin it every time you want a scoop. Don't be like me and try to scoop a refrozen pint—you'll nearly bend a spoon in half.
It's the ice cream makers for meal preppersThe Ninja Creami is a dream for meal preppers who want to cook for the week ahead to avoid takeout or convenience foods. This is because the Ninja Creami requires a bit of prep work. Don't expect to want ice cream and have it ready within the hour (just go to the corner store in that case).
To use the Ninja Creami, you need at least eight hours of freezing time, so you need to think ahead. For the average person, this might be fine. For the meal preppers, this won't be an issue at all; instead, it's just another thing to add to your routine: prepping your points for the week. The spontaneous among us? Maybe not the best fit.
Is the Ninja Creami worth it? Look at that gorgeous scoop! Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableThe Ninja Creami is fun to use; I get the hype. Rather than going on a trip to get ice cream, you're having a little adventure in your kitchen. If you're a planner and/or an ice cream fanatic, the Creami will be a delightful addition as you plan your pints of the week.
On the other hand, the ice cream from the Ninja Creami will not deliver the rich results you get from classic ice cream. The texture could be a lot better, and you can't get the fun chunky mix-ins or fudge ripples you may expect. It's loud and takes up counter space, and since it is so heavy, it's hard to store.
The Ninja Creami starts at $199.95, the cost of approximately 29 pints of Ben & Jerry's, so it will take quite a while to offset its cost, especially when you consider all the ingredients you need to go into it. However, if you're making several pints a week and you're keen to create pints catered to your diet's needs, it will become worth it far sooner.
For me? I just think it's a fun time.
Ninja Creami $199.99 at AmazonEvery band has its biggest fans. The '90s slacker/alt rock group Pavement is probably the greatest, most vital musical group in existence to someone, but right from its opening frames, Alex Ross Perry's Pavements deflates the grandeur of this idea, sarcastically overstating the band’s stature in its opening text. In an age of musical biopic plenty, this semi-ironic, postmodern take — which runs through Perry's part drama, part documentary, and part mockumentary — may be just what the doctor ordered.
To those with only passing knowledge of the Stockton, California, rockers — Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Scott Kannberg, Steve West, and Mark Ibold — this approach to the band’s concert footage may seem counterproductive, but it also perfectly embodies their lackadaisical, experimental facade. The unique form of Perry's film has its strengths and drawbacks. However, like Pavement itself, what sets the film apart is its outright refusal to adhere to tradition. It is, for better or worse, unique.
What is Pavements about?Through split screens that contrast the group's late-'90s breakup with its 2022 reunion, Pavements establishes a sense of visual and narrative duality early on. While the film eventually chronicles the lives of its members (and the band's life as a whole) in slightly more linear fashion, this contrast establishes what appear to be the film's dramatic parameters: an early success story later granted a new lease on life. However, the strange nature of the band’s revival soon begins fading into view, revealing just how idiosyncratic this movie truly is.
Much of the movie unfolds in side-by-side split screen, which has become a common technique in musical docs, from Todd Haynes’ Rothko-inspired The Velvet Underground to the self-generating, new-each-time Eno. However, Pavements uses this visual cue for tongue-in-cheek purpose early on. On one side, the band’s frontman Stephen Malkmus espouses his youthful, perhaps naive philosophies in a decades-old video. On the other, actor Joe Keery (Steve Harrington on Stranger Things) begins reciting the very same words, with remarkably similar intonations. This reveals — amusingly, and acerbically — that the movie's real subjects exist alongside fictitious versions of them, a group of young actors (including the likes of Nat Wolff and Griffin Newman) who have been cast in a film called Range Life, a prestige biopic practically designed to win awards.
SEE ALSO: 42 movies you'll want to see this fallThe doc veers between presenting the making of this satirical project and presenting it as a movie within a movie, whose footage is sprinkled sporadically throughout Pavements (rife with its own “For Your Consideration” watermark, as though it were a screener for award voting). Perry really did direct and exhibit this feature-length, Bohemian Rhapsody–style satire in New York last year — starring seasoned performers like Jason Schwartzman and Tim Heidecker in biopic stock roles, like the band’s manager and a record executive — with the intention of including this premiere footage in the documentary.
Soon, Pavements begins documenting not just the band themselves, but the development of three parallel art projects that go hand in hand with the band’s recent reunion: the aforementioned movie, a museum installation dedicated to the group, and Slanted! Enchanted!, a Broadway-style jukebox musical starring Michael Esper and Zoe Lister-Jones that pulls from the band's discography.
Pavements takes a multifaceted approach to its subjects.The film cuts between its four aforementioned trajectories — the band and its performance, the biopic and its making, the museum, and the show, each with its own dedicated, roughly equal screen time — with reckless abandon. However, these subjects can be paired up along two interesting axes. On one hand, old footage of the band, when contrasted with their museum commemoration, serves to contrast the past and present, and eventually creates a chronology, albeit non-chronologically. On the other hand, the biopic project is tongue-in-cheek, as though it were more about the biopic genre than about Pavement themselves, and thus, it embodies the group's ironic musings. But this could not feel more different from the musical theater project, which draws from the group's lyrics and melodies to create a sincere story (this show also really did premiere, in 2022).
While Pavements might seem like it meanders for the first of its two hours, cutting rapidly between these four trajectories helps weave together a complete fabric — about the band's story then and now, and about the conflict between their approach and the meaning behind their work. While watching the movie, you may not feel like you're learning anything about the group or its members, but all that really means is you aren't learning things according to the linear, straightforward language that most music docs and biopics have established.
However, the film's most entertaining segments are undoubtedly those featuring Keery, which chronicle his fictitious preparation process in meticulous detail. More than anything or anyone in Pavements, the actor seems to embody the group's spirit through his Borat-like pranks, in which he sits down with accent coaches to prepare for his role as Malkmus and meets up with various people he thinks might be able to help him stay in character. Fittingly, the only music film Pavements resembles in any fashion is Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.
What does Pavements actually have to say about the band Pavement?The film, amidst its head-spinning montage approach, goes to ludicrous lengths with its movie-in-a-movie, all but presenting it in full during its runtime. However, this extended lark isn't really about the band, per se, the way the other segments are — none of which are individually sufficient to make any viewer a Pavement expert. Beyond a few dates and events, you're unlikely to come away from Pavements knowing much more about its members and their college disc jockey days than when you went in, which understandably elicits the question: "What's the point?"
The point, it would seem, lies in the making of the film itself, as an anti-biopic that runs counter to everything a standard Hollywood biopic is — or rather, what it represents. If Pavement was an anti-institution band, then Pavements is its anti-institution movie made with their participation. In presenting a hilariously schmaltzy vision of what a straightforward biopic might have looked like, Perry helps them avoid an overly serious canonization.
SEE ALSO: Play it loud: the 25 best music documentaries on NetflixIn a way, he helps keep them young. Bands, when they reach a certain age or threshold, become nostalgic cover acts for themselves, and Pavements is determined to prevent this from happening at all costs, even if it means crafting a movie on the verge of avant-garde that might alienate half its audience.
Still, even when the various narrative threads in Pavements start to meander, the movie remains an entrancing sensory experience, given just how much screen time is dedicated to performance footage, both real and re-created. At the end of the day, despite the tricks and pranks Perry pulls, he knows full well that the reason people show up to musical biopics in the first place — and the reason they're made to begin with — is music that connects with people's sensibilities. This, he delivers in spades, all while maintaining a reverence for Pavement by being, well, irreverent.
Pavements was reviewed out of its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.
Déa Kulumbegashvili's April is a bone-rattling drama about what it means to be a woman in the country of Georgia. The nation's laws permit pregnancy termination only up to 12 weeks — before some people even know they're expecting — and even then, rural stigma prevents many of them from accessing care. Kulumbegashvili places her protagonist Nina (Ia Sukhitashvili) against this volatile backdrop, as an obstetrician who risks her career by driving to far-flung villages to help pregnant women in need of abortions.
While the film's focus is the aspersions cast on Nina's character, it tells its story in oblique ways, with stunning confrontations of violence and bodily function that form a visceral fabric. The film presents life as an overlapping showreel of birth, death, pregnancy, abortion, and sex, all facets of female experience that Kulumbegashvili merges into a monstrous beast — not just narratively, but literally, through nightmarish imagery.
All the while, April unfolds with the kind of unrelenting tension that takes it from understated drama to razor-wire thriller, a metamorphosis owed not to speeding up its images, but slowing down and lingering on them for jaw-dropping lengths of time. It's a film that induces revulsion, but at the same time, is too magnetic to divert your eyes away from.
What is April about?The opening sounds and images of April are squirm-inducing, but immediately hypnotic. A humanoid figure wanders in a dark and empty void, naked and hunched-over — either like a fetus, or an old woman — as breathy whispers consume the soundscape. These gradually transform to sounds of laughter and children playing, as though this mysterious being were separated from some phantom family by only a thin layer of reality. Even before the movie presents its subject, it calls to mind images of abortion and of aging, woven together in some nightmare of anxious regret.
Without warning, stray shots of rain and cautious observed natural landscapes yank us into a hospital room, as Kulumbegashvili captures a woman giving birth under harsh fluorescents — but this beautiful, bloody, painful miracle of life ends in death. The mother and her husband launch an inquiry against Nina as to why their baby died, placing the OBGYN under a spotlight of her own, and leaving looming doubts for the audience as to whether she was at fault.
SEE ALSO: 42 movies you'll want to see this fallNina, middle-aged and single, makes for an easy target by men looking to question her character — especially as she's long been the subject of rumors about illegal abortions. Her superiors at the hospital seem willing to look the other way, but only up to a point. Given the investigation, who better to throw under the bus than the aging spinster who already has a black mark against her?
However, none of this stops Nina from continuing to to travel to rural villages on her own time to perform what she sees as her duty toward uneducated women whose lives would be ruined by unmarried pregnancy — thanks to threats from local men — even if they wanted to be mothers in the first place. She represents a choice, or at least an option, when these women have none, even if it puts her own choices at risk.
April is dreamlike, but hauntingly realistic.Just as often as Kulumbegashvili's cuts to the aforementioned, formless creature, it presents lengthy scenes of Nina traveling to the countryside that offer space for viewers to ruminate — and to recover. The tension the movie otherwise holds can be debilitating.
Take, for instance, a lengthy abortion scene. When Nina helps a young mute girl, Nana (Roza Kancheishvili), terminate her pregnancy, Kulumbegashvili's camera — courtesy of cinematographer Arseni Khachaturan — focuses not on any one character, but the meeting of hands and bodies. The procedure itself is obscured, but the frame’s focus is Nana's torso as she lies on a plastic tablecloth. On one side of the frame, Nina works diligently to protect the young girl's future. On the other side, the girl’s mother, Mzia (Ana Nikolava), holds and comforts her. It's a traumatic sequence due to the emotions it expresses and conjures by juxtaposing a mother’s act of love with a daughter’s yelps of pain, through a procedure that could have its own serious consequences, should it be discovered.
The women in April are all caught between a rock and a hard place, and Nina's story embodies theirs in microcosm. She becomes, in the process, a kind of cypher of womanhood, and at times she even imagines herself as the formless creature (especially when she sleeps with one of her superiors), as though her self-perception and fears of aging were tied to pregnancy and sex. Her personal relationship to pregnancy, however, is never clarified — whether she's ever been pregnant, or had an abortion herself — because she seems to wall that part of herself off from other people. Perhaps it's necessary for the job.
In April, there's a violence and beauty inherent to both pregnancy and abortion, just as there is to nature. Kulumbegashvili seems to frequently draw this comparison through transitions that involve thundering rain and lush, flowery landscapes. However, violence of a different kind lurks in every corner, too, and appears suddenly, without warning.
April makes the violence of men feel gut-churning.In an early scene, when the father who accused Nina confronts her, the scene is eerily quiet, until he has an outburst and spits in Nina's face. The sound this makes, and the impact it has in the process, is as visceral (if not more so) than any image of birth or abortion that Kulumbegashvili presents. Although male doctors and administrators claim to be on Nina's side, the frame places them at odds with her even in its narrow, square-ish aspect ratio, seating them at an office table alongside the aforementioned father, as though she were a criminal on trial.
The violence of men, through their actions, and through the constraints they create, is practically the glue that binds April together — even when the movie veers toward empowering carnal pleasures. Nina, perhaps to cope with the pressures ( or maybe she just feels like it) cruises through the night and picks up men to hook up with. However, there's a thin line between pleasure and pain, and not in a sexy way. Men try to take advantage of her, and become violent with a quickness, turning quiet moments oppressively loud, like gunshots echoing through the night.
SEE ALSO: TIFF 2024 preview: 15 movies you ought to know aboutThere's a similarly razor-thin margin between sex and death, if only because of the consequences imposed on sex — or rather, on women for having sex — that manifests in several ways. Sex itself leads to violence. Or it leads to pregnancy, which forces some women to put their lives at risk, whether they have abortions or not. Much of this is implied or referenced rather than shown outright. But the specter of these possibilities is ever-present, reinforced through Kulumbegashvili's frames, which capture the powerful gazes of men through unbroken stares at the camera and the minimized position of women through their miniscule size in frame.
April is a ghostly film that beats with life at its most fragile, contrasted with shots of natural landscapes in ways that suggest (and force) a deeper reflection on the body and spirit. It's deeply discomforting in ways that cinema ought to be when making such a complex point about the ways women's experiences — or experiences defined by gendered violence, from the womb to the tomb — are so intrinsically bound by personal fears and desires, and by the fragility of personal autonomy in a world that so easily legislates it away through shame. It's a masterful work.
April was reviewed out of its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.
TL;DR: Watch Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The WNBA 2024 playoffs kick off later this month, and both the Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm have now qualified. As they go into this next fixture, each team will be looking to improve their positioning.
If you want to watch Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need.
When is Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm?Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm in the WNBA starts at 9 p.m. ET on Sept. 7. This fixture takes place at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
How to watch Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle StormYou can catch the rest of the 2024 WNBA season with the WNBA League Pass.
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Every top tennis player dreams of winning the US Open, but so few get the opportunity to compete for the prize. Pegula and Sabalenka have made it through round after round of tough competition, and now have a chance of winning the whole thing. It's going to be an absolute battle, and you can watch every shot without spending anything.
If you want to watch Pegula vs. Sabalenka in the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch Pegula vs. Sabalenka in the 2024 US Open for freeFans can live stream the 2024 US Open for free on these platforms:
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 final by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Watch Pegula vs. Sabalenka in the 2024 US Open final for free from anywhere in the world
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. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of Pegula vs. Sabalenka without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the US Open finals 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:
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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 Pegula vs. Sabalenka in the 2024 US Open final for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: This like-new HP EliteBook 840 G5 is on sale for $319.97 (reg. $410).
When you’re juggling work or school, it helps to have a laptop that doesn’t slow you down. Whether you’re hopping between meetings, working remotely, or tackling assignments between classes, having a dependable device can really ease the load. This HP EliteBook blends power and portability for a reasonable price, just $319.97 while it's on sale, but it's normally $410.
Specs and expectationsThis laptop has a 14-inch HD display, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, so it's geared up for everything from productivity apps like Microsoft Office to regular browsing, streaming, and everything in between.
Under the hood, the EliteBook 840 packs a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-835U processor, which keeps things running smoothly, whether you’re crunching numbers in Excel or even doing some light photo editing. And since it comes with Windows 10 Pro, you get a suite of enhanced security features that are great if you’re dealing with sensitive work data or just want to keep your personal info safe. One of the best parts? You won’t be glued to an outlet. With a battery life that stretches up to 14 hours, this laptop has the stamina to keep up with you through a full day of work or classes, plus some late-night study sessions or Netflix binges.
The refurbished Grade A rating means it’s in near-mint condition, with barely any signs of previous use. So it'll look and feel like you're taking home a brand-new computer minus the brand-new price tag.
Here's your chance to get an HP EliteBook 840 G5 for $319.97.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP EliteBook 840 G5 Core i5-835U 256GB - Silver (Refurbished) $319.97TL;DR: A Koofr 1TB Lifetime Cloud Storage Subscription is on sale for $159.99 (reg. $810).
Opens in a new window Credit: Koofr Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB) $159.99So many cloud storage services come with a monthly fee. It may feel cheap at first, but it really adds up over the months and years.
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Your digital forever homeGive your files a home for life. Get a Koofr 1TB Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription for $159.99.
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Get top-tier speed, security, and privacy for a fraction of what other VPNs charge with a lifetime subscription to FastestVPN on sale for $29.99 through September 29.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: FastestVPN FastestVPN: Lifetime Subscription (10 Devices) $29.99TL;DR: For just $32.97 until September 29, turn your TV into a 4K digital art gallery with Dreamscreens — no complicated setup required.
We all love a good Netflix binge, but when the screen goes dark, your TV becomes just another lifeless box in the room. Why let it sit there when it could be displaying breathtaking art? On sale for $32.97 through September 29, Dreamscreens lets you turn your TV into a stunning 4K digital art gallery, adding a whole new dimension to your space.
With Dreamscreens, your TV becomes the centerpiece of your living room, bedroom, or office. It’s as simple as plugging in a USB — no complex setup, no hassle. Instantly, you’ll have access to a curated selection of iconic paintings, handpicked for their artistic significance and visual appeal. This isn’t just a screensaver; it’s a way to elevate your home’s ambiance with minimal effort.
What makes Dreamscreens even better is its flexibility. Whether you prefer your art in its original aspect ratio or want to enjoy a full-screen experience, it adjusts to your viewing preference. And with 4K resolution, every brushstroke and detail is brought to life, creating an immersive visual experience that rivals traditional art displays.
Dreamscreens is a steal compared to the cost of art prints or gallery pieces. It’s the perfect solution for anyone looking to add a touch of sophistication to their home without breaking the bank. So, next time you’re done streaming, switch gears and let your TV showcase something truly inspiring.
Until September 29, score the Dreamscreens 4K Digital Art Gallery at 34% off, on sale for $32.97 (reg. $49).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Dreamscreens Dreamscreens: Turn Your TV into a 4K Digital Art Gallery $32.97TL;DR: Upgrade your ride with a nine-inch wireless car display with rear cam compatibility on sale for $94.97 (reg. $179).
Opens in a new window Credit: RochasDivineMart 9-inch Wireless Car Display with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Compatibility & Phone Mirroring $94.97There's more to driving than just getting from point A to point B. Most cars can do that, but not all cars can seamlessly integrate with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and rear cams.
If yours only supports wired access or doesn't have a rearview cam, get a nine-inch wireless car display with rear cam compatibility on sale for $94.97 (reg. $179). This touchscreen interface brings your smartphone’s best features right to your dashboard with a 1024x600 FHD display that’s perfect for maps, music, and more — and it's $85 off.
How to use your car displayThere are a few key functions that make this car display a serious upgrade for many vehicles. For navigation, this display connects to your phone’s GPS and mirrors apps, music, and videos so you can keep your eyes on the road while staying in the loop. Whether it’s through Bluetooth, AUX, or FM transmission, you can connect it to your car’s audio system for crystal-clear sound. The best part? It works with both Apple and Android devices, so it’s perfect no matter what kind of phone you’re using.
Setup is a breeze—choose from a suction cup, adhesive mount, or dash placement to get it just the way you like. Plug it into a standard 12-24V car outlet, and you’re good to go with nearly any vehicle. The display’s adjustable brightness ensures you’ve got a clear view, whether it’s day or night.
Plus, if you pair it with a compatible backup camera, you can even get parking assistance. Just connect your rear cam wirelessly for seamless access. Parallel parking doesn't have to be hard.
Upgrade your rideThe cheap way to make your old car feel new. Get a nine-inch wireless car display for just $94.97.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Imagine a family organizing app, powered partly by artificial intelligence, that can anticipate and execute your every need at home.
It plans meals on your request, then makes a shopping list to use. You can tell it to create a to-do list for your child's birthday list, and it responds with tasks like sending invitations, buying decorations, and pre-ordering pizza; each task can be assigned deadlines and delegated to a partner or spouse within the app. It can receive emails you send it about school and sporting events and effortlessly schedule them on your calendar.
In fact, these are all things you can do on one or more of the family organizing apps and platforms Jam, Maple, and Ohai.ai, which use AI in an effort to automate different aspects of home life.
These services offer versions of an AI administrative assistant designed to make your home life run smoothly, specifically by taking the busy work out of scheduling and planning, which often falls on women to perform.
SEE ALSO: What's actually new in Google Gemini AI?In two-person households where one parent does most of this relentless work, these digital organizers have the potential to significantly ease their mental load. After all, the partner who claims ignorance, accurately or not, has little excuse when a family organizing app brings them directly into the scheduling and planning trenches.
If that kind of support sounds too good to turn down, especially in the thick of back-to-school season, here's what you should know about choosing and using one of these services.
What to know before you use a family organizing appIf you live and die by your work calendar, start by adjusting your expectations of any digital family organizer. Companies that use enterprise calendar software, like Google or Outlook calendar, may not give you permission to sync with an unapproved third party app, often for security reasons.
Without access to your work calendar, these services are seriously hamstrung, because they can't pull in your job-related meetings and obligations to show in their own proprietary calendar or scheduling system.
Michael Perry, CEO of Maple, said this is one of the few calendaring problems the company hasn't been able to solve. Jam CEO Jessica Etting said her company is looking at ways to push the scheduling information users create on their platform onto their work calendar, which doesn't require the same workplace permissions.
On Jam and Ohai, you can send the services an email or message with times and dates to block, and its AI will extract the information and perform the task automatically. Otherwise, the only workaround is to manually enter your one-off and recurring work meetings, a major initial and ongoing concession. (Note to information technology and human resource managers: Allowing parents to sync their digital organizers with their workplace calendar just might boost their productivity and morale.)
Which digital family organizer is right for you?Before choosing a digital family planner, it's best to test your top choices. Jam, Maple, and Ohai, for example, share some common features, like scheduling, delegating, and planning, but have very different vibes.
Jam's crisp, clear lines and simply presented tools minimize clutter. It's what you might expect HGTV home organizing stars to use.
Jam's calendar, shopping, and to-do list features aim to keep households running smoothly. Credit: JamMaple revolves around folders for organizing tasks and lists. The interface can feel crowded, but the nesting-doll effect of its tools may reassure the most thorough of planners.
Ohai is exactly the product you'd expect from the founder of Care.com, Sheila Lirio Marcelo, who has texted with her personal assistant daily for years. On Ohai's web browser, the service serves up conversational AI against a black backdrop, with a handful of task-management tools in a sleekly designed sidebar. You can also reach Ohai via text message, which plays up the feeling of having a personal assistant. Ohai's app will launch in October.
Each service is free to use or download, but premium features require a subscription. Jam costs $7.99 per month or $59.99 annually, and offers a one-month free trial. A Maple Plus subscription is $9.99 per month or $75.99 per year.
With Ohai, 90 percent of tasks are completed by AI, according to the company, but the remainder are performed by human assistants. This includes more complicated scheduling requests, like importing dates from a PDF, as well as "out-of-scope" tasks, like finding Taylor Swift concert tickets. (Good luck with that, Ohai.) The platform's monthly cost is $26.99. By comparison, the maximum average hourly rate for a personal assistant in the U.S. is $29, according to Care.com.
The highlights of using a digital family organizerEfficient personal calendaring is the winning feature for each of these services, even if some kinks still need working out.
Being able to send Jam and Ohai emails and invitations with upcoming event dates, then have the services automatically add them to my personal calendar, felt freeing. Jam even added related to-do items for certain events. Not all of them were necessary tasks, but I didn't mind having Jam's AI overthink things for me if all I needed to do was ignore or delete the item.
Perry, Maple's CEO, said the platform will eventually incorporate the ability for its AI to ingest emails and schedule events, but he wants the company's margin of error to be as close to zero percent as possible. Maple's current calendar focus is on presenting multiple, useful views and side-by-side comparisons of family members' calendars that are legible on mobile.
Maple's side-by-side calendar view maximizes parents' ability to plan together. Credit: MapleIndeed, Jam did add events to my calendar that weren't applicable to my children's grades when it scanned a school-wide email. Etting said the company is developing features, like school grade filters, that help Jam identify what information to pull when it receives a forwarded email.
Marcelo, CEO and co-founder of Ohai, told me that such challenges are why the platform has a human in the loop. Users can tell Ohai that they only want certain things added to their calendar, and Ohai's human assistants may review the request as necessary.
All of the services make use of some combination of task-sharing, reminders, deadlines, and push notifications to provide users with fail-safes and improved household communication.
The services' meal-planning capabilities are also a promising start to saving households time on one of the most labor- and time-intensive tasks around the home. Maple can take a recipe from a URL and create a shopping list.
Users can ask Ohai for a specific recipe, like chicken mole, and it will not only generate a shopping list, but also import the items directly into your Instacart basket. Better yet, it can merge multiple recipe shopping lists into one master list.
Ohai.ai can plan meals on a user's request, then make an Instacart shopping list. Credit: Ohai.aiJam plans to add robust meal-planning features in the future, but currently does make it possible for users to add daily meals to their calendars, attached to a shopping list. Once that list is created by the user, it can be constantly updated.
Family organizer apps are still a work in progressWith any AI product, things might not work as intended.
I ran into this largely with Ohai, which I tested in beta. When I asked Ohai to remind my husband to clean the bathroom after we'd split up the day's chores, it asked for his phone number. When I accidentally put a typo in the number, I asked Ohai to stand down, then I resent the correct number. Ohai said it would contact him, but he never received a text. Marcelo looked into the incident and said the initial wrong number tripped Ohai up, a bug the company is fixing.
At one point, Ohai presented me with information explaining that it could make restaurant reservations, so I made a specific request for my favorite Mexican restaurant. Ohai texted me back to say it couldn't actually make a reservation. Marcelo explained that "O" sometimes experiments with things she "says she can do," and noted that reservations would be added to the platform's repertoire in the future. She later added that I may have encountered outdated marketing material from Ohai's alpha launch.
One does wonder what could go wrong with an AI assistant that likes to get creative and also has access to the data that makes your family's life go round. Worst case scenarios aside, there's an argument for gauging exactly how much AI you need in your family's life, and waiting to see how some of the more ambitious products evolve over time.
After all, you're handing over a tremendous amount of personal information to any digital organizing company. The CEOs of Jam, Maple, and Ohai all told me that they encrypt data, either as it's stored (or in the case of Maple, when it's in transit between the app and its servers); take its retention seriously; and don't sell it to third parties.
Whatever service you choose, just make sure it meets your needs. Subscribing to a family organizing app that you don't like or use is the last thing you have time or energy to regret.
The ghost with the most makes his return to the big screen this September and fans (including me) are beyond excited for the sequel nearly four decades in the making. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will once again star Michael Keaton as the titular character, alongside Winona Ryder's Lydia Deetz. Also returning for the Beetlejuice sequel is Catherine O'Hara as fashion icon and artist Delia Deetz. And of course, it would all be meaningless without Tim Burton back in the director's chair.
Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and Arthur Conti all join in the fun this time around, so you know we're in for a spooky good time.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opens nationwide on Sept. 6, and it's also available in IMAX. Before you make your way to the theater, however, you might want to touch up on the OG 1988 film. We've got you covered with everything you need to know to catch up with your favorite bio-exorcist, including the best streaming deals.
Where Is Beetlejuice streaming?As a Warner Bros. film, Beetlejuice is currently streaming on Max. The sequel will also find its way onto the streamer eventually — after its theatrical run, most likely months from now. Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but we've rounded up a few ways you can save some money on your plan below.
Best Max streaming dealsBest Max streaming deal for most people: Save 17% on Max with ads annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (with ads) yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save 17%) Watch NowA monthly Max subscription goes for $9.99 per month, but you can save 17% (or $1.66 per month) by paying for a whole year upfront. An annual plan with ads costs $99.99 per year, which breaks down to just $8.33 per month. Not only will it keep more money in your pocket in the long run, but it'll also give you access to Max to watch the original now and the sequel when it arrives on the service.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 22% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (no ads) annual subscription $149.99 per year (save 22%) Watch NowWant an ad-free viewing experience? You have two options: Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate. The Ad-Free tier costs $16.99 per month, but you can save 17% by opting for the annual plan. Likewise, the Ultimate tier costs $20.99 per month, but offers a 17% discount on the annual plan. That discount drops the plans to just $14.17 per month ($169.99 per year) or $17.49 per month ($209.99 per year), respectively.
Note: Both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, but the Ultimate tier takes things a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
Best way to get Max for free: Sign up for a DashPass annual plan Opens in a new window Credit: DoorDash / Max DashPass annual plan with Max (with ads) $96/year (save $83.76) Get DealRecently announced, DoorDash has partnered with Max to offer customers with the annual DashPass plan free Max with ads subscriptions. If you're already on the annual DashPass plan, you can just head over to the "Manage Max Subscription" page in your DoorDash account to activate your free subscription. If you're not, you can sign up for a DashPass annual plan for just $96 per year ($8 per month) and unlock access to the streaming library — including Beetlejuice — for free. That's a $99.99 value for zero dollars. Plus, with your DashPass plan, you'll also have access to free food delivery all year.
Read more about terms and eligibility requirements on the DoorDash FAQ page.
Another way to get Max for free: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month Cricket unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: Cricket / Max Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month plan Watch NowHere's another way you can get Max for free: the Cricket Wireless $60 per month unlimited plan includes Max with ads. So long as your account remains in good standing, you'll have unlimited access to the Max library at no extra cost. Just head over to Max and select Cricket as your provider to log in. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more.
Best Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max with ads monthly for one year Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months Get DealCollege students can get Max (with ads) for an entire year at half price with Max's new student discount. That means you'll pay $4.99 per month instead of the usual $9.99. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS, then head back over to Max and redeem your unique discount code to stream for 50% off.
Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney+ / Hulu / Max Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) Get DealA new bundle deal emerged last month, and it's a doozy. You can now get Max, Disney+, and Hulu with ads all for just $16.99 per month (reg. $25.97) or without ads for $29.99 per month (reg. $48.97). That's up to 38% in savings. It's one of the best ways to get more bang for your buck in the streaming world.
Other ways to watch Beetlejuice onlineIf you don't want to sign up for yet another streaming service, we don't blame you. You can still watch the original Beetlejuice movie online thanks to digital on-demand services like Prime Video and YouTube. The film is available to rent or purchase at the following retailers:
Prime Video — rent for $3.79 with Prime, buy for $7.99 with Prime
YouTube — rent for $3.99, buy for $7.99
Apple TV — rent for $3.99, buy for $7.99
Google Play — rent for $3.99, buy for $7.99
Fandango at Home (Vudu) — rent for $3.99, buy for $7.99
Note: Renting a film gives you 30 days to watch and just 48 hours to finish once you begin.
Overwhelmed by the state of the world? Trying to find something fun to watch on your friendly neighborhood international multibillion-dollar corporation's streaming service? It's OK to ignore the ever-growing pile of worthy but harrowing dramas and acclaimed documentaries on your watchlist for another hour or two. Treat yourself by hitting play on some of the finest comedies in the Amazon Prime Video library.
From old faves to cult comedies and sweet hidden gems, whether you're after a highbrow chuckle, crumb-spraying sputters, or screeching, hysterical, hang-on-hang-on-just-pause-for-a-moment cackling, Prime Video has got something to split your sides.
So here we go: the best comedy movies now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
1. Walk Hard Jenna Fischer and John C. Reilly star in "Walk Hard." Credit: Gemma La Mana / Columbia / Kobal / ShutterstockIf you've never seen this underappreciated, star-studded work of genius, it's time to fix that. The story of the rise, fall, and rise again of country-rock legend Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly) is a pitch-perfect parody of all the Oscar-bait music biopics you know and love, from Walk the Line and Ray to the documentary Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back. In its own right, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is an epic tale, which Reilly's commitment makes surprisingly affecting for a film where someone gets accidentally cut in half with a machete (which people constantly keep bringing up). The songs are genuinely great. It's as endlessly quotable in your daily life as golden-era Simpsons. Plus, the cast is uniformly great — from The Office's Jenna Fischer and character actress Margo Martindale to a raft of cameos too good to spoil here. — Caitlin Welsh, Australia Editor
How to watch: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
2. BottomsIn Emma Seligman's follow-up to Shiva Baby, Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri co-star as PJ and Josie, a pair of unpopular lesbians ignored or reviled by everyone at their high school. Faced with the prospect of another year of virginhood, the BFFs come up with a plan. They’re going to start a fight club! They’ll teach cheerleaders self-defense, and maybe somehow along the way, they’ll also get to sleep with said cheerleaders. The plan has a lot of holes — PJ and Josie don’t know anything about self-defense, for starters — but don’t worry about it, OK? They’ll figure it out! Just keep those nosy boyfriends out of the gym.
Bottoms is a ridiculous teen comedy that pays homage to high school movie tropes while blazing a new irreverent trail of its own. With a laugh-out-loud script co-written by Sennott and Seligman, an unforgettable performance from Nicholas Galitzine as an idiotic football player, Marshawn Lynch stealing scenes as a supportive teacher, and tons of fake blood, Bottoms is an instant teen movie classic. — Kristina Grosspietsch, Freelance Contributor
How to watch: Bottoms is now streaming on Prime Video.
3. Napoleon DynamiteThe movie that launched a thousand VOTE FOR PEDRO T-shirts retains the oddball spirit that made it a hit in the first place. As Napoleon (Jon Heder) navigates high school in small-town Idaho — from class president elections to asking his crush to the dance — he must also deal with his awkward family members and their schemes — and take care of Tina the llama, who won't eat her darn food. For every joke and quote that's been memed into the ground, there's another slyly hilarious one you've forgotten about. — C.W.
How to watch: Napoleon Dynamite is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
4. Spaceballs Don't miss Mel Brooks' 1987 parody of "Star Wars." Credit: Moviestore / ShutterstockThe legendary Mel Brooks' 1987 parody of Star Wars (and Star Trek, and Alien...) is both a snapshot of its time and an ageless comedy classic. For the uninitiated: Rick Moranis plays villain Dark Helmet, a goofy megalomanic in a giant not-Darth-Vader helmet whose ship goes to speeds including Ludicrous and Plaid. Meanwhile, mercenary and scoundrel Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) leads a ragtag bunch of misfits against Dark Helmet, including sassy Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga), her robot maid Dot Matrix (the late, great Joan Rivers), and Starr's half-man-half-dog, ever-loyal companion Barf (John Candy). — C.W.
How to watch: Spaceballs is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
5. American FictionThelonious "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is an author without an audience. His novels receive critical praise but no one actually reads them. After his latest manuscript is rejected by his publisher for not being "Black enough," Monk writes a fake, satirical book mocking Black literary stereotypes. And… it’s a hit.
Written and directed by Cord Jefferson, American Fiction is a razor-sharp comedy-drama for the modern era. The cast — which includes Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown — is sublime, the message is piercing, and the writing is air-tight. American Fiction was nominated for a slew of Oscars, and brought home Best Adapted Screenplay — K.G.
How to watch: American Fiction is now streaming on Prime Video.
6. PaddingtonDo you like your comedy cozy? 2014’s Paddington is the sweet and silly watch of your dreams. Written and directed by Paul King (whom comedy nerds might know from The Mighty Boosh), Paddington tells the story of an anthropomorphic bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) who journeys from darkest Peru to London in search of a new life. The Brown family takes him in, and he explores his new world with curiosity and kindness, blithely unaware that he’s about to become an evil taxidermist's next big target. Will the Browns help to save Paddington? And will Paddington save them along the way? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
This absolutely delightful movie is full of British acting greats at their zaniest and visibly having the time of their lives: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and more. Yes, Paddington is a family film, but its joys will win over audiences of any age. (Same goes for the equally fantastic Paddington 2!). — K.G.
How to watch: Paddington is now streaming on Prime Video.
7. UHF Weird Al Yankovic gets pinched in "UHF." Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock'Weird Al' Yankovic co-wrote and stars in this cult classic about a dreamer with a wild imagination who suddenly finds himself running a local TV station. Then, he finds sudden success by letting his goofy janitor (Seinfeld's Michael Richards) host a chaotic kids' show. Inspired by that chaos, they program an ever-weirder lineup of absolutely wild shows, taking on the suits at the big networks in a classic underdog arc. Weird Al plays the straight man here, imbuing his earnest hero with a can-do spirit you want to root for. Plus, a pre-The Nanny Fran Drescher sails in to show why she ended up a star. — C.W.
How to watch: UHF is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
8. The Nice GuysRussell Crowe and Ryan Gosling lead a stacked cast in this buddy cop neo-noir mashup. Gosling is Holland March, a low-level private investigator in 1970s Los Angeles looking into the strange death of porn star Misty Mountains. Unfortunately, gruff enforcer Jackson Healy (Crowe) has also been hired — to scare March off the scent. As the two butt heads, the mystery of Misty’s murder begins to unfold, and they form an unlikely and tenuous alliance.
Co-written and directed by Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Last Action Hero, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, and more), The Nice Guys is a magnetic, fast-paced action comedy with a smart script, a multifaceted mystery, and a strong sense of style. — K.G.
How to watch: The Nice Guys is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
9. Catherine Called BirdyBella Ramsey is vibrant and charming as Catherine (aka Birdy), a headstrong 14-year-old medieval lady whose father (Andrew Scott) has decided to marry her off to secure wealth for the family. Birdy has other plans for her future. Chief among them? Not being married to a 50-year-old slob. But even more importantly, Birdy yearns for freedom. She will stop at nothing to deter her would-be suitors, much to her family’s chagrin. Written and directed by Lena Dunham (and adapted from Karen Cushman's beloved 1994 novel), Catherine Called Birdy is a clever and spirited coming-of-age comedy with a whole lot of heart. — K.G.
How to watch: Catherine Called Birdy is now streaming on Prime Video.
10. I Want You Back Jenny Slate and Charlie Day star in this delightful rom-com. Credit: Amazon StudiosA rom-com starring Charlie Day and Jenny Slate, I Want You Back enchanted Mashable's Nicole Gallucci with its willingness to skip over some of the most played-out tropes of the genre. "Every successful rom-com has a source of authentic chemistry, and Slate and Day's natural rapport delivers," she wrote in her review. "The two shine as heartbroken hot messes who desperately want their search for soulmates to be over, and their shared sense of humor proves to be ceaselessly charming." — C.W.
How to watch: I Want You Back is now streaming on Prime Video.
11. The Big SickEmily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani's Oscar-nominated screenplay fictionalizes a rocky period from early in their real-life relationship, when Gordon was seriously ill. While it does get emotionally intense in parts, it's also hysterically funny — from a scene where Emily (Zoe Kazan) freaks out over the prospect of pooping when Kumail (Nanjiani, playing a version of himself) is in the apartment, to what might be the single best and darkest 9/11 joke made on film to date. — C.W.
How to watch: The Big Sick is now streaming on Prime Video.
12. BridesmaidsIf you haven't seen Bridesmaids, written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, we're so sorry that you've obviously been trapped in a siren’s cave for the last 11 years — because there is simply no other excuse. Bridesmaids was an era-defining film. In 2011, there were still prominent male comedians claiming women couldn’t be funny! Bridesmaids put an end to the debate.
Wiig stars as Annie, a wayward thirtysomething who feels out of step with her best friend Lillian (a perfect Maya Rudolph) when she meets the other women in Lillian's bridal party. What follows is both romantic comedy and buddy flick, stuffed to the brim with punchlines, physical gags, and a repulsive and unforgettable gross-out scene. The entire cast here is flawless: Rose Byrne is delightfully haughty. Jon Hamm is perfect as a hot idiot. Chris O'Dowd is a swoon-worthy love interest, and Melissa McCarthy was nominated for a dang Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as another misfit bridesmaid. Please escape the siren’s cave and see this legendary comedy — for your own good!* — K.G.
How to watch: Bridesmaids is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
13. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou Bill Murray leads Wes Anderson's crew in "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou." Credit: Moviestore / ShutterstockThis one's another comedy that gets you right in the feels on a regular basis, but this time with the quintessential Wes Anderson charm. Inspired by, paying homage to, and gently parodying the legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Steve Zissou (Bill Murray, arguably never better) leads a somewhat disgruntled crew played by a slate of stars (Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe, and more) on a mission to capture the rare shark that killed the cranky Captain's partner. Soundtracked by a gorgeous array of David Bowie covers — performed in Portuguese by cast member Seu Jorge — The Life Aquatic is what to put on when you feel like being taken on an adventure. — C.W.
How to watch: The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
14. Borat Subsequent MoviefilmThe sequel to Sacha Baron Cohen's mockumentary Borat was a bright spot in an otherwise grim 2020. It scored Oscar nominations and critical acclaim, especially for Bulgarian actor Maria Bakalova, who stole the spotlight as Borat's awkward daughter, Tutar.
Both films follow Baron Cohen, disguised as boorish, backward journalist Borat Sagdiyev, as he endeavors to understand American culture through a series of improvisation set-ups at the expense of unsuspecting real people. Not only is it as viciously funny as the original, but also, this sequel caught in its net then-President Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani in a notorious hotel room scene. It's one of the strangest and most oddly affecting products of cinema's — and the world's — weirdest years ever. — C.W.
How to watch: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is now streaming on Prime Video.
15. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among ThievesDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is the definition of a crowd-pleaser. Thrilling action sequences, ridiculous side characters, beloved actors playing gleefully against type, plenty of Easter eggs for the hardcore DnD fans — this is one adventure you don’t want to miss.
Chris Pine is Edgin Darvis, a bard and peacekeeper who turned to a life of thievery to support his daughter following the death of his wife — and was thrown in jail for it. After escaping with his friend Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), Edgin will stop at nothing to reunite with his daughter.* — K.G.
How to watch: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is now streaming on Prime Video.
16. The Sapphires Jessica Mauboy, Miranda Tapsell, Deborah Mailman, and Shari Sebbens are "The Sapphires." Credit: Goalpost / Kobal / ShutterstockA little bit Dreamgirls, a little bit That Thing You Do!, and a whole lot of stellar soul covers: That's the Australian period musical-comedy The Sapphires. The film follows four young singers from a remote Indigenous community (Jessica Mauboy, Miranda Tapsell, Deborah Mailman, and Shari Sebbens) in the 1960s, who are discovered by an aimless manager (Chris O'Dowd), who turns them into a perfectly choreographed girl group bound for Vietnam to perform for the troops. Totally charming, this is one to watch with your parents. — C.W.
How to watch: The Sapphires is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
17. BarbieFrankly, the promotional journey for Barbie was so full of pink, so joyful, so fun, that would have been Kenough. The movie could have been a silly trifle, and we'd likely have been pleased. But writer/director Greta Gerwig brought us the universally heralded coming-of-age comedy Ladybird and then the rapturous re-imagining of Little Women. Her Barbie wasn't going to stop at playful. Instead, it parodied the patriarchy with horses, Stallone-inspired fashion, and a rousing dream ballet fueled by an actual banger, "I'm Just Ken."
Margot Robbie was picture-perfect as a Barbie who realizes the world is much bigger than the dreamhouse-dotted Barbie Land. Ryan Gosling was nominated for a rare comedy Oscar for his delightfully deranged take on the insecure man doll who couldn't cope, and so turned to conquering. (Napoleon relates!) While detractors have argued the film's girl-power messaging is simplistic, it's hard to deny that Gerwig did more with this IP than we could have dreamed. Sure, Barbie is a glossy toy commercial. But it's a glossy toy commercial that not only has something to say, but does so through spectacular filmmaking that folds in eye-popping practical effects, enthralling details, discontinued dolls, and jokes that were way outside the box. From Weird Barbie to that on-point Pride and Prejudice mini-series namedrop, Barbie had us so giddy that we felt like kids again.* — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Barbie is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
18. Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsSteve Martin and Michael Caine have excellent chemistry as con men with opposite styles. Caine’s Lawrence is elegant and debonair, while Martin’s Freddy is brusque and fairly obvious. Predictably, when the two grifters meet in the south of France, they want the other to vacate their territory. The only way to settle the dispute? A contest of con-artistry! Whoever can hustle $50,000 from the "United States Soap Queen," Janet Colgate (Glenne Headly), wins. 1988’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels — which is itself a remake of 1964's Bedtime Story — is a slapstick, buoyant, and smartly crafted comedy that has since been adapted into a Broadway musical and a 2019 remake (The Hustle starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson). But ignore all of those. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is the best and brightest of the bunch. — K.G.
How to watch: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is now streaming on Prime Video.
19. Heathers Winona Ryder out-means the mean girls. Credit: Cinemarque-New World / Kobal / ShutterstockWhat's your damage? Long before Mean Girls was hitting popular bitches with buses, this 1989 pitch-black comedy bridged the gap between the John Hughes era and the more cynical teen cinema that would emerge in the '90s. Winona Ryder and Christian Slater star as Veronica and J.D., a discontented popular girl and outcast newcomer, respectively, who take revenge on a cruel clique of rich girls named Heather. The film takes the viciousness of high school to a darkly hilarious extreme, with its own snarky vernacular and vision of '80s excess (croquet! in blazers!). — C.W.
How to watch: Heathers is now streaming on Prime Video.
20. ThelmaWhen 93-year-old Thelma receives a phone call from her grandson claiming he’s been arrested and needs money, she wires $10,000 immediately. The only problem? Her grandson is fine. He’s not in jail. Thelma has been scammed! And when faced with disinterest from the police, Thelma takes it upon herself to track down these con artists herself and get her money back. June Squibb is superb as the nonagenarian on a mission, recruiting help from other seniors to achieve her goal — and she gets to ride a sick scooter! — K.G.
How to watch: Thelma is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
21. Dr. StrangeloveA bruising Cold War satire, Stanley Kubrick’s paradigm-shifting Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb makes a mockery of nuclear war strategy. The reaction upon its release in 1964 was ecstatic. Few movies before had dared to so boldly deride seemingly prestigious institutions like the Pentagon and the Presidency — or to cheerfully lampoon nuclear armageddon.
When an Air Force bomber receives the order to drop the bomb on the USSR, the U.S. government scrambles to discover who gave the order, who is actually in charge, and how they can avoid doomsday. Strangelove stars a peerless Peter Sellers in multiple roles, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, and more — as well as James Earl Jones in his film debut! — K.G.
How to watch: Dr. Strangelove is now streaming on Prime Video.
22. His Girl Friday Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, yes please. Credit: Columbia / Kobal / ShutterstockThis classic screwball rom-com, adapted from the play The Front Page, sees star reporter Hildy Johnson take on one last assignment with her editor ex-husband before she gets out of the game for good to remarry and retire to a quiet life of motherhood. If you're a little burned out on contemporary comedy, there's nothing better for the soul than watching a dame with moxie stalk around in gorgeous skirt suits tossing out rapid-fire banter in a Mid-Atlantic accent. As Hildy Johnson, Rosalind Russell does it better than just about anyone. Throw in Cary Grant as the former boss who's still in love with her — and still gives as good as he gets — and this 1940 film still crackles with energy and wit. — C.W.
How to watch: His Girl Friday is available for rent on Prime Video or via Amazon Freevee.
23. Galaxy QuestTim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, and Daryl Mitchell are the fictional crew of a cult TV sci-fi series, Galaxy Quest. Years after the show’s been off the air, they float from convention to convention, signing autographs and wishing their careers had gone in a different direction. Until one day, they’re kidnapped by aliens who saw their TV broadcast from across the galaxy and thought it was real! Uh oh! Now the aliens hope Tim Allen and crew can defend their planet against an invading force, while the hapless band of actors just hopes they can keep up the ruse long enough to find a way home. Galaxy Quest is a deeply silly movie that packs a sneaky emotional punch. An absolute winner, through and through.* — K.G.
How to watch: Galaxy Quest is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
24. 21 Jump Street21 Jump Street is an energetic and self-aware buddy comedy that premiered in 2012… and it feels very 2012, in that breezy, fun, bro-movie sort of way. Just like in the original '80s TV show, Jump Street features young cops going undercover in a high school — but there’s a twist. While Channing Tatum’s Greg was a popular kid in his glory days, modern Gen Z students look down on his "school sux" attitude. On the other hand, his partner Morton (Jonah Hill), who was always nerdy Greg’s sidekick, suddenly fits in, and this undercover gig becomes a chance to rewrite his disastrously uncool youth. 21 Jump Street is a gas, and it’s smarter and funnier than you’d expect for a nostalgic reboot, thanks to Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the helm (Clone High, The Lego Movie), a sharp script by Michael Bacall, and an excellent ensemble cast that includes Brie Larson, Rob Riggle, Ellie Kemper, and Ice Cube. — K.G.
How to watch: 21 Jump Street is now streaming on Prime Video.
25. Late Night Reid Scott and Mindy Kaling star in "Late Night." Credit: Amazon / Moviestore / ShutterstockMindy Kaling and a wonderful Emma Thompson spark off each other in this spiky, smart comedy set in the world of late-night TV. Kaling's script follows Molly, an aspiring comedy writer who lands in the male, pale, and stale writer's room ruled with an iron fist by Thompson's legendary host, Katherine Newbury. (Oh, for a world where a woman was allowed to become a legendary late-night host.) While there's a sweet romance side plot with one of the many hey-it's-that-guy faces in the writing staff, the real focus is the relationship between Molly and Katherine, and their quest to work out what's really funny, and why. It's hilarious and heartfelt. — C.W.
How to watch: Late Night is now streaming on Prime Video.
UPDATE: Sep. 3, 2024, 2:21 p.m. EDT This article was originally published on February 25, 2022 and has been updated to reflect the current streaming options.
So, you've built yourself a fancy gaming PC. You sifted through all the specs, stressed over snagging your dream graphics card, and painstakingly obsessed over what kind of cooling system you'll use. Congrats! You did it.
OK, now that we've celebrated your triumphs, it's time to get real. In truth, you're really only getting started, because now you have to worry about all of your peripherals: Monitors, mice, gaming headsets, and more. Even if you already have all those things, until you've got yourself an elite gaming keyboard, your setup just ain't all that. Sorry, I don't make the rules!
SEE ALSO: Gaming starter kit: All the gear you need to play like a real gamerLuckily, you've got yourself a lifelong gaming hobbyist here to help you pick one out. Trust me, it can get super complicated without some guidance (compared to building a gaming rig, this will be a cinch, champ). Over the past month, I went hands-on with the best gaming keyboards so that you could spend less time researching and more time gaming.
We'll get into my top picks below, but let's go over a few things first.
What are the most important specs?At a glance, the specs you'll want to pay most attention to while shopping for a gaming keyboard are:
Size/layout
Switches
Backlight/RGB lighting
Connectivity
Customization
Scroll to our "How we tested" section for more detail on our testing process in each of these categories.
SEE ALSO: Asus ROG Ally X review: 3 ways it beats the Steam Deck What size gaming keyboard is best?The size (or layout) of the gaming keyboard you choose comes down to your preference. For me, Tenkeyless (or TKL) is best, because without arrow keys, I just don't know what to do with myself. Every time I need to move my cursor while typing, I just kind of freeze. Super normal stuff. That might not be you, though. Maybe you're able to adapt all the way down to 60% — arrow keys and number pads be damned!
Here are the main types of gaming keyboards you can expect to see while shopping:
Full-size: As big as it gets. A full-size keyboard will have somewhere between 104 and 108 keys, including arrow keys, a number pad, and maybe even some dedicated macro keys. I personally don't think this size keyboard is necessary unless you often find yourself crunching numbers in Excel sheets.
96%: Ditches some of the extra macro and navigation keys but maintains the number pad.
Tenkeyless, or TKL: Gets rid of the 10-key number pad (thus, ten-key-less) but keeps the arrow, function, and navigation keys. This is my personal favorite.
75%: Similar to a TKL but sacrifices a few of the navigation keys.
70%: This is the same layout as the 75%, but it doesn't have any function keys.
65%: You'll find various configurations for these compact keyboards — some have arrow keys, function keys, or a mixture of both.
60%: As compact as it gets. Also referred to as "mini" keyboards, a 60% layout chops off any extra keys. They can be super portable and great for remote gaming.
Time for the picks! Let's take a look and get you the gaming keyboard of your dreams.
Want more iPhone 16 news? Check out our oft-updated live blog; we’ll be on the ground in Cupertino covering all things Apple before, after, and during the event.
Countless Apple iPhone 16 rumors have been flooding in – and they're helping us decode the mystery of how it'll be different from iPhone 15.
We’re hearing tons whispers about a possible camera redesign for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are also getting some camera upgrades – as well as a possible new bronze color. (It's reportedly called Desert Titanium.)
Here’s a compilation of all the credible rumors about next year's iPhone 16 line.
SEE ALSO: New iPhone 16 leak reveals 5 vibrant colors and camera redesign iPhone 16 rumors: Quick summaryThe IPhone 16 will reportedly have a new capture button to give users easy access to photo and video functions.
The bezels on the next-generation iPhone 16 will reportedly be thinner than ever.
The iPhone 16 Pro models will drop the Blue Titanium colorway in favor of a new bronze color called "Desert Titanium."
Night Mode and ultrawide lenses on the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to get a boost.
The iPhone 16 camera layout is getting a redesign from its current diagonal position to a stacked one
You may be wondering, "When will the iPhone 16 be announced?" The iPhone 16 release date is expected to be some time in September. To further nail down a specific date, Apple usually hosts the iPhone event on the second week on September, typically on a Tuesday.
As such, our prediction is that the iPhone 16 event will likely fall on Sept. 10 alongisde the new Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. This prediction has been corroborated by a late August report from Bloomberg, which discovered that Apple is planning on having its big product launch event on Sept. 10.
In fact, as of Aug. 26, Apple has reportedly wrapped up filming for the iPhone 16 launch event.
After Apple has its whole shebang of an event showcasing the next-generation handsets, the iPhones typically ship about a week or two later. In other words, they will likely hit store shelves on Sept. 20.
iPhone 15 Credit: AppleIn the past, Apple has deviated from this cadence due to reported production hindrances (e.g., supply chain issues). For example, the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 14 Plus shipped in October, but typically, we get new iPhones unveiled some time during the first half of September every year.
iPhone 16 priceFortunately, we're expecting the iPhone 16 to continue to have the same starting price that the lineup has had for four years now: $799.
According to TrendForce (h/t BGR), the prices for the other models will likely be the following:
iPhone 16 Plus - $899
iPhone 16 Pro - $1,099
iPhone 16 Pro Max - $1,199
We're hearing that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models will get the A18 chip, but the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will snag the A18 Pro processors.
iPhone 16 designLet’s dive into arguably the most important aspect of the iPhone’s design: the screen.
There haven’t been any significant changes to the display sizes since the iPhone 12, but according to reliable leaker Unknownz21, the upper-tier iPhone 16 models are going to be a little bit more unwieldy in your hands. For an overview of how the iPhone 16 may look, here are some renders:
Tweet may have been deletedAs you can see, you'll find the Action Button, which was left out of the lower-tier models on the current generation iPhone, now present on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. More on that later.
DisplayThe iPhone 16 Pro will reportedly have a 6.3-inch display while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will pack a 6.9-inch panel. You may be wondering, “What about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus? Will they get a screen size bump, too?” The answer is likely no. The lower-tier models will reportedly have the same display sizes as their predecessors.
Tweet may have been deletediPhone 15 screen sizes
iPhone 15 - 6.1 inches
iPhone 15 Plus - 6.7 inches
iPhone 15 Pro - 6.1 inches
iPhone 15 Pro Max - 6.7 inches
iPhone 16 screen sizes (rumored)
iPhone 16 - 6.1 inches
iPhone 16 Plus - 6.7 inches
iPhone 16 Pro - 6.3 inches
iPhone 16 Pro Max - 6.9 inches
Ross Young, a well-known display analyst and Apple leaker, was the first to claim that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have larger screens.
Tweet may have been deletedHowever, he offered slightly different numbers: 6.2 inches and 6.8 inches. What could be the reason behind the discrepancy? According to MacRumors, it’s "likely due to the difference between actual display area and viewable display area."
Another rumor we're hearing is that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will continue to have 60Hz refresh-rate displays. This is a little disappointing considering other phones in the market at least have 90Hz screens, making navigating through the UI smoother, zippier and seamless.
Finally, according to MacRumors, citing popular Weibo leaker "Instant Digital," the iPhone 16 Pro will reportedly have a 20% brighter display for SDR content. In other words, the iPhone 16 Pro will reportedly emanate up to 1,200 nits of brightness.
Thinner bezelsThe iPhone 16 will also reportedly have slimmer bezels, according to a report from The Elec (h/t MacRumors). Apple is tipped to be using something called Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology, which reduces the internal footprint of the circuitry inside, allowing for thinner bezels (without sacrificing anything important aspects like display performance, for example).
Thinner bezels means that the iPhone 16 series should yield more screen real estate for users.
In fact, according to popular leaker IceUniverse, the iPhone 16 Pro models will have the world's narrowest bezels.
Tweet may have been deletedA tipster from Weibo concurred with IceUniverse's claim, adding that the iPhone 16 Pro series will have the following bezel measurements:
iPhone 16 Pro - 1.2mm
iPhone 16 Pro Max - 1.15mm
For reference, the iPhone 15 Pro models' bezels have a thickness of about 1.71mm, give or take.
DimensionsThanks to yet another leak from IceUniverse, it appears that we now have information of the most premium next-generation iPhone:
iPhone 16 Pro Max reportedly measures 163.024mm × 77.575mm × 8.26mm
According to the aforementioned measurements, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is bigger than its predecessor: 1mm thicker, 3.1mm taller, and 0.88mm wider.
Thanks to X leaker @ZONEofTECH, we also apparently have photos (via a dummy model) that show that iPhone 16 Pro Max is, indeed, slightly larger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Tweet may have been deleted Action ButtonA report from MacRumors claims that every single model in the iPhone 16 line will feature an Action Button — not just the iPhone 15 Pro variants. The current-gen iPhone 15 Pro models' Action Button can be programmed to launch a range of apps and functions, including Flashlight, Camera, Silent Mode, Voice Memo, Focus, Magnifier, Translate (coming to iOS 17.2), and a range of accessibility features.
When iPhone 16 drops, however, the rumor mill states that Apple will add more functionality to the Action Button.
Capture ButtonThe Action Button was all the rage for the iPhone 15 series, however, according to MacRumors and The Information, a new Capture Button will be one of the biggest selling points for the iPhone 16. Reportedly placed slightly under the power button, the Capture Button is a camera-focused feature that can do the following:
Zoom in and out of photos/videos with swiping gestures
Allows users to focus on subjects
Activates the shutter button
While MacRumors and The Information both concur that Apple is testing a "capture button" on the iPhone 16, both aren't on the same page on whether it's a mechanical button or a capacitive one. MacRumors says it's the latter, but The Information claims it's both.
The new capture button will reportedly be featured across all iPhone 16 models.
Solid-state buttonsApple reportedly planned on introducing solid-state buttons with the iPhone 15 Pro models, but instead, we got a customizable Action Button. For the uninitiated, solid-state buttons aren’t buttons per se – they’re panels that feature haptic feedback sensations that simulate real button presses (Think of the iPhone SE series' Home button). On the plus side, the solid-state buttons aren’t totally out of the picture. According to respected Apple leaker and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is working on debuting solid-state buttons on the iPhone 16 Pro models instead.
Kuo added that these solid-state buttons will add two additional Taptic Engines, which will help fire off tangible feedback to users. (If this is true, the number of Taptic Engines in the iPhone 16 will increase to three — up from one.)
According to a tip from Weibo (via MacRumors), the Action Button on the iPhone 16 Pro will be a solid-state button and sit flush against the chassis. To make room for this change, Apple will reportedly move the mmWave antenna to the left of the iPhone 16 Pro as opposed to the right. This Weibo tip comes from a leaker with the moniker "Instant Digital," a bean spiller that reportedly has an accurate track record, according to MacRumors.
iPhone 16 colorsAccording to a leak dropped on X, the iPhone 16 comes in five colors: white, black, blue, green, and pink.
Tweet may have been deletedThe iPhone 16 Plus is expected to come in the same colorways.
The iPhone 16 Pro, on the other hand, is expected to offer a bronze colorway, according to a Weibo-based leaker. The bean spiller claims that this will replace the Blue Titanium color offered for the iPhone 15 Pro, which contradicts reports that this color will be replaced by a rose-like color.
As MacRumors pointed out, it's possible that both leakers may have seen the same color, but interpreted them differently.
A late July leak from Sonny Dickson didn't show the new color that will supposedly replace Blue Titanium, however, it does reveal the other three colors that will possibly be unveiled in September for the iPhone 16 Pro models: white, black, and a natural gray color.
Tweet may have been deletedBut then, Aug. 16, Sonny Dickson revealed all the colorways of the iPhone 16 Pro, including the reported bronze color. It's definitely not a "rose-like color."
Tweet may have been deletedThe color is reportedly called "Desert Titanium."
According to X leaker Majin Bu, "Desert Titanium" appears to be some sort of "dark gold color."
Tweet may have been deletedAccording to 9to5Mac's source, which the outlet claims got a previous colorway rumor correct, the color is lighter than expected. It's almost beige.
Tweet may have been deletedThe rumor mill seems to agree that the iPhone 16 is some sort of shade in the brownish-gold territory, but it can't seem to nail down the exact hue.
iPhone 16 Apple IntelligenceSimilar to the iPhone 15 series, Apple Intelligence, the Cupertino-based tech giant's new suite of AI features announced at WWDC 2024, the only phones that likely support Apple Intelligence are the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableWith iOS 18, the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to get new AI perks that boost the likes of Siri, Safari, Mail, Messages, and more. (I got a chance to test Apple Intelligence on my iPhone 15 Pro Max).
Siri is about to get a whole lot smarter. Credit: AppleHere's a guide on the Apple Intelligence features that will likely be present in time for the iPhone 16 launch.
Other Apple Intelligence features, like Genmoji and Image Playground, will likely be delayed.
iPhone 16 camerasApple debuted a new zoom lens with a "tetra-prism" design on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which means that engineers found a way to "fold" the shooter so that it still has telephoto capabilities without taking up too much space. This new camera increases the Pro Max’s optical zoom from 3x to 5x.
iPhone 15 Pro Credit: AppleHowever, according to Digital Chat Station (DCS), a bean-spiller on the Chinese social media site Weibo, both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max will get the new tetra-prism telephoto camera.
DCS also added that the iPhone 16 Pro Max specifically is getting the Sony IMX903 sensor, an upgrade from the Sony IMX803 sensor. This means that the iPhone 16 Pro Max wide lens will have a larger sensor size, allowing for more light gathering for better photos and videos in low-light conditions.
Credit: John Keeble/Getty ImagesAccording to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst from Haitong International Securities (a Hong Kong investment firm), the ultrawide cameras are getting a boost, too.
Pu stated the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models will also feature a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with better light gathering. As such, camera performance in dimmer environments should improve. As it stands now, the iPhone 15 Pro models have a 12MP ultrawide camera. A new late August report from Apple Insider confirms this rumor.
The ultrawide camera is perfect for taking landscape photos, allowing you to capture more scenery. However, compared to the main camera, the ultrawide lens tends to deliver a slight drop in crispness and sharpness. If this rumor is true, the new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera may ameliorate this minor foible.
Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple will upgrade the rear cameras on the iPhone 16 Pro models, introducing a stacked design. What will a stacked design do? According to Apple Insider, it increases light capture and provides wider dynamic range, so Night Mode should get a sweet boost.
Finally, it's worth pointing out that the iPhone 16 Pro, as we reported in April, will allegedly tackle lens flare and ghosting issues by using anti-reflective coating on the cameras.
As far as the iPhone 16 is concerned, according to a photo leak on X, Apple has rearranged the rear cameras for its entry-level devices from a diagonal configuration to a stacked design. Plus, Apple Insider claims that the iPhone 16's ultrawide camera will get improved aperture (upgraded from f/2.4 to f/2.2), allowing for better low-light capture.
Featured Video For You History of iPhone (updated) iPhone 16 battery lifeAs we reported in early April, a Weibo leaker by the name of "OvO Baby Sauce OvO" seemingly unveiled the new new battery sizes across the iPhone 16 lineup:
iPhone 16: 3,561mAh
iPhone 16 Plus: 4,006mAh
iPhone 16 Pro: 3,355mAh
iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,676mAh
All the iPhone 16 models have some sort of increase from two to six percent except for the iPhone 16 Plus, which reportedly has a reduction of nearly nine percent compared to the iPhone 15 Plus.
Keep in mind that an increase in battery size doesn't necessarily mean that the device will deliver longer battery life. And in the same vein, a battery size reduction doesn't necessarily lead to shorter runtimes. There are other aspects at play (the display's efficiency, for example). So we won't know for sure how battery life is affected until we get the phones in our hands.
It's also worth noting that Kuo claimed that Apple is increasing the the iPhone 16 Pro Max's "battery energy density,"
iPhone 16 specsThe iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with 8GB of RAM while the lower-tier models, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max, are stuck with their predecessors’ 6GB of RAM. If that bums you out, don’t worry. According to Pu, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are expected to join the 8GB of RAM bandwagon, too.
iPhone 15 lineup Credit: AppleAccording to news aggregator account "yeux1122" from Naver, a Korean blog, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature options that offer 2TB of storage.
That is double the current max storage capacity of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
ChipsetIn recent years, Apple has followed the trend of putting last year's chip into the two entry-level models while the Pro models, the Pro and the Pro Max, get the new-generation chip. For example, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus got the A16 Bionic chip, the same inside the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max got outfitted with the new A17 Pro chips.
If this pattern continues, it should follow that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus get the A17 Pro while the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max get the A18 chips. Pu hinted that this is how it will be for the iPhone 16 line, hinting that the A17 Pro will reportedly be less efficient. In other words, the iPhone 16 models equipped with this chip may take a battery life hit. This is because the next-generation chip will offer tremendous performance gains at the expense of power efficiency.
However, another rumor tells a different story.
According to an alleged iOS 18 code leak from MacRumors, the entire iPhone 16 line will get an A18 chip. However, there’s a chance that Apple will use a “Pro” identifier name to differentiate from the standard and Pro models (e.g., A18 chip and A18 Pro).
The iPhone 16 Pro models will also reportedly support Wi-Fi 7 (current models support WiFi 6E). Wi-Fi 7 should offer zippy transfer speeds that exceed 40 Gbps, quadrupling what WiFi 6E can do.
According to Pu (via 9to5Mac), the iPhone 16 Pro will come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem, which can reach a 5G download rate of up to 7.5 Gbps.
We’ll periodically update this rumor hub as new iPhone 16 leaks trickle in, so be sure to bookmark this page.
iPhone 15 Pro Max $1,399.99 at Best BuyIf 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 MashableBy 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 September 7 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for September 7 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Know your materialThese words are all the fashion(s).
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThe answers all relate to what you would use to make clothing.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Fabric.
NYT Strands word list for September 7Denim
Velvet
Satin
Chiffon
Spandex
Fabric
Jersey
Muslin
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.
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