Tech Boys

We’re still officially in “teaser trailer” territory for the new season of Squid Game but a lot of interesting details just dropped in the latest one for season two. The new trailer takes us deeper into the games as Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae, returns to the island presumably to take down the rich tyrants and the Front Man from the inside of the tournament. Seong is back as a player (Player 456 again, to be specific) and at least two of the games from the last season will be part of the new one, including “Green Light” and the dalgona cookie cutting challenge. This time, however, they have an experienced contestant in the sea of green, bloodied jumpsuits who can tell them how to avoid the pitfalls (figuratively and literally if the Mirror Bridge returns). Seong seems to be on a personal crusade to save the latest batch of players who may not have any understanding of the games and its very high stakes. Unlike last season, Seong isn’t smiling when he takes his official con...

Russia wants Google to pay an unfathomable amount of money in fines: $20 decillion, reportedly. For the non-mathematicians out there, that is 2 followed by 34 zeroes. The fine has been accruing and doubling weekly since 2020 after Kremlin-backed news services Tsargrad and RIA FAN won court cases over the blocking of their YouTube channels, wrote The Moscow Times , citing a report from the Russian news service RBC. The fine has also grown as 15 other channels have won cases against Google, bringing the total to — wait for it — 20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, Gizmodo reported . Google has reportedly not paid the fines, which has led to the astronomical figure. Even if it wanted to, the tech giant could not pay what it owes.  Estimates   vary  on how much money exists in the world, but it doesn't even come close to $20 trillion. SEE ALSO: How a Monday Night Football mishap may have exposed deep problems with Google Search To be clear, the exact amo...

It’s no secret that X has become an even bigger cesspool of misleading information, unchecked claims and flat-out falsities since Elon Musk took over. Two new reports from The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and The Washington Post reveals that the safeguards Musk removed and replaced aren’t controlling X’s problems with misinformation. The CCDH published a report on its investigation into X’s Community Notes feature, a user-driven reporting system in which anonymous users write and rate correction for misleading posts. Researchers took a sample of 283 misleading election posts from the social media platform that received proposed Community Notes between January 1 and August 25. The report says that 209 of those misleading sample posts did not show the Community Notes correction to all X users. Even more alarming, the 209 misleading posts in question racked up 2.2 billion views. The Washington Post followed the CCDH’s report with its own investigation into X’s Community...

Loud White Guys for Kamala! from Mashable https://ift.tt/jGD4gyk via IFTTT

We’re in the final stretch of the 2024 presidential election and both sides are pulling out all the stops to get those all-important undecided voters. The Harris/Walz campaign is exploring an unconventional option:now has a map in Epic Games’ mega online multiplayer hit Fortnite . The “Freedom Town, USA” map available at 7331-5536-6547 is a little different from the usual Fortnite matches. Forbes senior contributor Paul Tassi played the new map and reported that there aren’t any guns in Freedom Town (probably for obvious reasons). Instead, the game focuses on racing with cars and parkour style. The map also has some campaign signs and decorations for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz’s presidential run. Video games have become a cornerstone of the Harris/Walz campaign. Harris’ camp has its own Twitch page that’s been broadcasting games like World of Warcraft and the latest Madden title as a way to spark discussions with the voting public. The Fortnite map, howev...

Thinking about canceling your Amazon Prime membership? There are plenty of good reasons to stop giving the retail giant your money, whether you're trying to save on subscription fees, avoid auto-renewal after a free 30-day trial , or align your spending more closely with your values. Amazon's Prime cancellation process can be convoluted , so here's a step-by-step guide on how to bid Bezos goodbye. How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership in the Amazon app The process for canceling your Prime subscription via the Amazon app is the same on both iOS and Android. Total Time 2 min What You Need Smartphone Amazon mobile app Step 1: Open the app and tap the middle button at the bottom (it should look like a person). Credit: Screenshot: Amazon Step 2: Tap "Your Account." Credit: Screenshot: Amazon Step 3: Scroll down through the list of options to "Manage Prime Membership" (under "Account Settings"). Credit: Scr...

No matter the gifting occasion, you want to wow your mom. She spent years of her life providing for you, and now you're in a place where you can *kind of* return the favor. While she probably won't say no to a new high-tech vacuum or kitchen appliance (you'll find a couple on this list), make sure not to pigeonhole your mother by looking only at stereotypical "mom gifts." Remember, moms are actual, whole human beings outside of being your mom! Instead, consider gifts that are actually for her and don’t just have to do with weirdly gendered mom pursuits, an all-too-common issue that afflicts many a gift guide. SEE ALSO: Best gifts for parents: Great gift ideas for moms, dads, and guardians Your mom (or mom figure, or mom friend) should revel in her own glory with gifts that make her feel smart, sophisticated, and valued. Consider what she does when she has no one putting demands on her time — then shop for those moments. Here are over 35 ideas to get you...

Trailer for "A Man on the Inside," the latest sitcom from "The Good Place" creator Mike Schur, starring Ted Danson, is coming soon to Netflix. from Mashable https://ift.tt/3F9TUSo via IFTTT

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for October 28's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections? The NYT 's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and requir...

In an AMA this weekend, Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared some insight into why some videos on the platform appear reduced in quality well after they’re posted, and it all boils down to performance. Responding to a question about old stories looking “blurry” in highlights, Mosseri said, “In general, we want to show the highest-quality video we can. But if something isn’t watched for a long time — because the vast majority of views are in the beginning — we will move to a lower quality video.” If the video later spikes in popularity again, “then we will re-render the higher quality video,” he said in the response, which was reposted by a Threads user (spotted by The Verge ). Further elaborating in a follow-up reply, though, Mosseri added, “We bias to higher quality (more CPU intensive encoding and more expensive storage for bigger files) for creators who drive more views.” The comment has sparked concern from small creators in the replies who say it puts them at a disadvantage compe...

For over a decade, we've been in a Wallace & Gromit drought. It's been 16 years since the franchise's last short, A Matter of Loaf and Death , and 19 since its first feature film, the Academy Award–winning Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit . That's a long time to be apart from two of Britain's greatest treasures. Thankfully, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is here to put an end to this international crisis. The new film from Aardman Animations and Netflix reunites us with the beloved Claymation duo, and the results hit as hard as a comforting cheese platter. SEE ALSO: 'Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' teaser: Feathers McGraw is back! What's Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl about? Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, Vengeance Most Fowl begins with the return of a familiar face: that of Feathers McGraw, the penguin (and criminal mastermind) who attempted t...

Apple’s rumored smart home display may look a lot like an old friend — the iMac G4 of the early 2000s. In the Power On newsletter this weekend, Mark Gurman reports that the countertop tablet will feature a square screen that’s “positioned at an angle on a small base, making it reminiscent of the circular bottom of the iMac G4.” That may be where the speakers are housed too. The device is expected to arrive sometime next year, followed later on by a higher-end version with a robotic limb that can change the position of the display. The more affordable model, which will be released first, will have a relatively small screen, according to Gurman, being “about the size of two iPhones side by side.” It’s intended to be used for smart home controls, but will also run apps like FaceTime and Calendar, and display photos and videos. The more expensive model will boast a larger screen in addition to its robotic capabilities, according to Gurman. We likely won’t see that product until at least ...

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for October 27's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 27 Where did Wordle come from? Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble , music identification game Heardle , and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once ....

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for October 27's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections? The NYT 's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and requir...

Keeping your Snapchat streak going on iPhone is easier than ever before. With iOS 18 you can now switch out the Flashlight and Camera shortcuts on your lock screen for any of over 50 options, including Snapchat's camera. With the shortcut, you can quickly take photos and videos for Snapchat with the tap of a button. But you need to unlock your phone to edit or send Snapchats. Here's how to add the shortcut. Total Time 1min What You Need iPhone Snapchat iOS 18 Step 1: Hold down on your lock screen Step 2: Select "Customize" Step 3: Tap "Lock Screen" Step 4: Select either the Flashlight or Camera icon Tap whichever shortcut you want to be replaced by Snapchat. Step 5: Hit the + icon Step 6: Scroll through the options or use the search bar to find Snapchat and select it Step 7: Tap "Done" from Mashable https://ift.tt/Ezu0qHl via IFTTT

Google is reportedly working on a new Android API for what it’s calling Rich Ongoing Notifications, which would allow apps to display at-a-glance information in a status bar much like Apple’s Live Activities in the Dynamic Island on iPhone. This is according to journalist Mishaal Rahman , who spotted the code in the Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3 release. It could work a lot like the time tracker that currently appears when you’re on a phone call, with a bit of text in a bubble at the top of the display that you can tap to open the app for more details. Writing for Android Authority , Rahman says the API “will let apps create chips with their own text and background color that live in the status bar.” It could be especially useful for things like transit updates, allowing users to keep track of pertinent information like departure times or an Uber’s ETA while using other apps. The feature isn’t yet complete, though, and it could still be some time before we see it. Rahman predicts it’ll arriv...

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for October 26's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 26 Where did Wordle come from? Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble , music identification game Heardle , and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once ....

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for October 26's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections? The NYT 's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and requir...