Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHow to download your reading data from GoodreadsMaking sure your data is correctImporting your Goodreads books into StoryGraphGoodreads has been the only game in town for Android and iOS book-tracking for a long time now, and like most monopolies, it has grown old and fat. Acquired by Amazon in 2013, avid book readers have had lots to complain about in recent years, with the service languishing unloved, with no serious updates and an aging interface. It's been due some serious competition for a long time, and lo and behold, some has arrived. StoryGraph is a book-tracking app that offers everything you'll find on Goodreads but with an algorithm that lets you know about what you might love, and adds features any bibliophile will know are essential like a Did Not Finish list.Recommended VideosDifficultyModerateDuration15 minutesBut if you're anything like us, the last thing you want to do is abandon years and years of book-reading data from Goodreads. While a clean start is nice, it's better to have the choice, and if you've been reading a significant number of books every year, then you probably won't want to lose all that, especially when it can be used to pinpoint your next read. Thankfully, you don't have to abandon all those books, because there's an easy way to transfer your data from Goodreads to StoryGraph. Here's how to do it.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsYou'll need a computer to complete these steps, as it's not the easiest to complete from a smartphone.Step 1: Start by signing up for StoryGraph, if you haven't already.Step 2: Now, you'll need to go to the Import Goodreads section.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsRelatedStep 3: Scroll down until you find the Export my Goodreads library button.Step 4: This will take you to the Import/export section on Goodreads. Select Export library to download your data. This may take some time, depending on how large your library is.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsStep 5: Select the Your export from [date of export] - [time of export] link to download the .csv file.Now, you can just import this straight into StoryGraph, and if you're impatient, you can skip straight to the next section to do just that.However, keep in mind StoryGraph's warning: Some elements of your Goodreads data may be incorrect, as the "Date Read" column can be incorrect. If that's a problem you want to fix, well, we're with you and we're going to be fixing it right now.Step 1: Find your downloaded .csv file and import it into the spreadsheet program of your choice. You can use Excel or anything that you're familiar with. We're using Google Sheets because it's free for everyone to use.Step 2: Check the Date read column and make sure the date format matches the Date added column next to it.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsStep 3: If it doesn't match, select the entire Date read column by selecting the top of it. Then head to Format > Number and select Date.Step 4: Next, any books you added to Read without adding them to Currently reading in the Goodreads app will have Date read data missing. You can add this if you want to by copying over the data from the Date added column.Step 5: When you're done, save the file by going to File > Download > Comma-separated values (.csv).Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsHere we go; it's showtime. Here's how to take that data and import it into StoryGraph.Step 1: Head back to the StoryGraph import section.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsStep 2: Select the Browse button, choose the .csv, and select Open. Then, select Import my Goodreads library.Step 3: If you have any custom shelves in your Goodreads library, then the importer will ask you to assign any of those shelves to its categories, if they fit. Just use the drop-down boxes to highlight if any of your custom shelves fit their criteria.Editors Recommendations

Home Aloneis an undeniable Christmas classic, but its also a pretty light, fun movie. Of course, just because it plays like a comedy doesnt mean that Joe Pesci, who played one half of the Wet Bandits who terrorize Macaulay Culkins Kevin while hes home alone, didnt take his job very seriously.Daniel Stern played Marv, the other half of those Wet Bandits, and in a recent interview withEntertainment Tonight, he recalled one scene in particular where Pesci actually bit Culkins figure as his character Harry was trying to be intimidating.Home Alone (1990) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic TrailersI totally forgot about that, Stern said. Joe is hes wonderful, I love him, hes a dear friend, but hes a scary dude, and he was carrying it all. Cause he was we were trying in the first movie to actually be scary to start with, and then you realize were idiots. But there was a fear factor that set up the drama of the thing.Recommended VideosWhile Pesci, who had already won an Oscar when he took on the role, apologized almost immediately for overcommitting to the scene.Yeah, I think he did bite it as he was biting his finger, and then he bit it like, Oh crap, I didnt really mean to,' Stern explained. Joe was like, Ahh, sorry I did that. But only time you might see Pesci break.Please enable Javascript to view this contentCulkin was the first to revisit this incident, saying in a Q&A at the Rosemont Theater that he still bears a scar from the incident.I have a scar, Culkin said. I saw his face and Ive never, ever seen Joe Pesci actually scared because hes like, I just bit a kid!'

Creature Commandos has been splitting its time as of late between the past and present. Its recent episodes have both propelled the shows present-day plot forward and also explored the pasts of characters like The Bride (Indira Varma) and G.I. Robot (Sean Gunn), offering new insights into the tragic events that shaped their identities and led them to their current circumstances. Creature Commandos fourth and most recent episode, Chasing Squirrels, does the same for Weasel (also Sean Gunn) revealing the horrifying reasons the character was incorrectly blamed for the deaths of multiple schoolchildren.The episode refrains from explaining what Weasel is or how the character came to be, but it doesnt shy away from the gruesome and tragic details of the crime that turned him into a full-blown monster in societys eyes. In an interview with Variety, Creature Commandos creator and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn reflected on the episode, which is emotionally and narratively dark, even by the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 filmmakers standards.Recommended VideosI get really sad talking about it, Gunn told the outlet. I remember finishing [writing] it. I was in Colorado with my wife, and I remember I said, I think I just wrote the saddest thing that Ive ever written in my entire life.MaxCreature Commandos viewers are forced to watch in the final third of Chasing Squirrels as Weasel tries and ultimately fails to save the lives of the kids who innocently befriended him earlier in the episode. His failure and his subsequent, undeserved persecution make Weasel the latest misunderstood misfit that Gunn, who harbors a deep love for societys outcasts, has gone out of his way to spotlight onscreen.Please enable Javascript to view this contentAt the end of the day, [Weasel], in a lot of ways, is the most noble character in the show, he argues. This is a pretty innocent creature who is treated like something else because he looks different than other people. Speaking more with Variety, Gunn went on to tease how Weasels past will inform and influence the events of Creature Commandos remaining installments.RelatedYoull see everything with his backstory come into play in the later episodes, the filmmaker promises. If you talk about the characters existing on some sort of continuum from good to bad, hes pretty much on the good side.New episodes of Creature Commandos premiere Thursdays on Max.Editors Recommendations

Lucasfilm may be in the midst of experiencing a wave of positive attention and success thanks to its latest TV series, Skeleton Crew, but the Jude Law-starring sci-fi show isnt the only Star Wars title that has premiered on Disney+ this year. This past summer Lucasfilm also debuted The Acolyte, a Sith-centric show set around 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Across its eight episodes, the series proved to be critically divisive, and it was only a month after The Acolytes finale aired that Disney and Lucasfilm announced they would not be bringing the show back for a second season.In a recent interview with Vulture, Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman shed some light on the behind-the-scenes decision to cancel The Acolyte after just one season. As it relates to Acolyte, we were happy with our performance, but it wasnt where we needed it to be given the cost structure of that title, quite frankly, to go and make a season 2, Bergman revealed. Thats the reason why we didnt do that.Recommended VideosWhen asked about Skeleton Crews chances at getting the second season that The Acolyte didnt, Bergman added, Skeleton Crew is in process now, so well see. Weve seen some growth on that. Well see how that goes.Disney+For some Star Wars fans, The Acolytes cancellation came as a confirmation of their belief that it wasnt up to the franchises standards. For others, it came as a difficult and disappointing blow. According to Bergman, though, The Acolytes fate wasnt a reflection of its quality or Lucasfilms belief in the project so much as it was a practical decision made in light of the shows production costs and its viewership numbers.Please enable Javascript to view this contentIn the same interview with Vulture, Bergman did offer an exciting tease of whats to come for Star Wars fans in the near future even going so far as to shower praise on one forthcoming title. In terms of whats coming up, we have Andor season 2, which were really excited about. It is excellent. Ive watched all the episodes, and it is a fantastic season. And then we have Ahsoka season 2, which Dave Filoni is leading. And then were looking at a number of additional series that are in development. Well see what we decide to do.The Acolyte season 1 is streaming now on Disney+.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: specsOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: designOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: displayOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: performanceOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: batteryOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: camerasOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: software and updatesOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: special featuresOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: price and availabilityOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: verdictOnePlus looks like its hit another one out of the park with this years OnePlus 13. The enthusiast brands latest flagship launched in China in late October, and this week, the company officially announced it will be landing in North America on January 7, 2025. As one of the first mainstream phones to be powered by Qualcomms bleeding-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, it should bring significant improvements in the OnePlus 13s performance, battery life, and photographic prowess compared to its predecessor.This also puts the OnePlus 13 first in line to challenge Apples 2024 flagship. This year, the iPhone 16 Pro has raised the bar with Apples A18 Pro chip that powers new Apple Intelligence features and turns the smartphone into a gaming powerhouse. Theres also a clever new Camera Control and studio-quality cinematography features. Does Qualcomms latest silicon give the OnePlus 13 enough of an edge, and has the smartphone maker put it to good use? Lets dig in and find out how these two measure up to each other.Recommended VideosOnePlus 13iPhone 16 ProSize162.9 x 76.5 x 8.5 mm (6.41 x 3.01 x 0.33 inches)149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 mm (5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches)Weight210 grams (7.41 ounces)199 grams (7.03 ounces)Screen size6.8-inch 1440p OLED with 1Hz to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with 1Hz to 120Hz adaptive refresh rateScreen resolution3168 x 1440 resolution at 510 pixels per inch2622 x 1206 resolution at 460 pixels per inchStorage256GB, 512GB, and 1TB128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TBMicroSD card slotNoNoTap-to-Pay servicesGoogle WalletApple PayProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 EliteApple A18 ProRAM12GB, 16GB, and 24GB8GBSoftwareAndroid 15 with OxygenOS 15iOS 18CamerasFront: 50-megapixel primary, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP 2x telephotoFront: 32MPRear: 48-megapixel primary, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP 5x telephotoFront: 12MPVideoRear: Up to 8K at 30 frames per second (fps), 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 480fps for slow motion, with Dolby VisionFront: Up to 4K at 60 fpsRear: Up to 4K at 60 frames-per-second (fps), FHD at 60 fps, and 240 fps for slow motion, with Dolby VisionFront: Up to 4K at 60 fpsBluetoothBluetooth 5.4Bluetooth 5.3PortsUSB-CUSB-CBiometricsUltrasonic under-display Fingerprint sensorFace ID facial recognitionWater ResistanceIP69IP68Battery6,000mAh100W fast charging (TBA in the U.S.)50W fast wireless charging15W Qi wireless charging10W reverse wireless charging3,582mAh27W fast charging25W MagSafe charging15W Qi2 wireless chargingApp MarketplaceGoogle PlayApple App StoreNetwork Support5G, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)5G, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)ColorsMidnight Ocean, Black Eclipse, Arctic DawnBlack Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert TitaniumPriceTo be announcedStarting at $999RelatedOnePlusAlthough the OnePlus 13 preserves the iconic design language of its predecessors, this years entry modernizes things to match an aesthetic thats now become the norm among flagship smartphone makers: flat sides.Thats a departure from the rounded curves of the OnePlus 12 and prior models, but this new phone is still unmistakably a OnePlus device. It preserves the elegant circular camera bump thats become a hallmark of the lineup since its introduction on the OnePlus 11, but also refines it in some interesting ways.For one, the camera ring now stands alone. Gone are the horizontal tangents connecting it to the phones side, and the outer ring is considerably more subtle than before. The LED flash has been moved inside the camera bump, and the Hasselblad logo, which went from a full wordmark to a stylized H on last years model, has been moved out to the edge, above a horizontal line that bisects the camera array. The OnePlus 12 was already a slick-looking smartphone, but the changes in the OnePlus 13 add a new level of class to the design.OnePlus 13 colors in China OnePlusOnePlus is also making two big changes to its colors this year, departing from last years Flowy Emerald and years of green shades in favor of a new blue finish. That was released in China as Blue Moments, but it will be dubbed Midnight Ocean for the North American release. Thats joined by Black Eclipse as the more typical neutral shade (known as Obsidian Secret Realm in China). However, were getting the companys third color here this year, with the ordinarily China-exclusive White Dew Morning Dawn coming to the U.S. as Arctic Dawn.However, theres more to these than merely colors. Only Black Eclipse will sport the traditional OnePlus finish. Midnight Ocean will be coated in a micro-fiber vegan leather finish a first for OnePlus while the Arctic Dawn will use a special coating on the glass to give it a silky smooth finish. Well have to wait and see what that last one means for grip and smudge resistance, but it sure sounds nice.Compared to what OnePlus has done this year, the iPhone 16 Pro seems considerably more pedestrian. Thats not to say it doesnt have a great design, but little has changed on the iPhone front in the past four years. Apple led the way in the move to flat edges with the iPhone 12, and this seems to be the year where everyone else is catching up to that design.Christine Romero-Chan / Digital TrendsApple switched from stainless steel to titanium for the iPhone 15 Pro lineup in 2023, which reduced the weight and smoothed the sides a bit, but it hasnt made the same kind of bold design choices that OnePlus has. Even the phones colors have been relatively muted over the past two years, with the iPhone 16 Pro available in Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium, and Desert Titanium. The first three are exactly what they sound like, while Desert Titanium leans more toward champagne than brown.The OnePlus 13 retains the alert slider in its left-side position after moving it there on last years model, while the iPhone 16 Pro similarly sticks with the Action button introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and adds a new Camera Control button for quickly pulling up the camera and snapping pictures. Apple retains its standard IP68 dust and water resistance rating for immersion in up to 6 meters of water for up to 30 minutes, while OnePlus seriously upped its game this year by giving the OnePlus 13 both IP68 and IP69 ratings a significant improvement over the relatively weak IP65 of its predecessor.OnePlusFor OnePlus, this IP68 rating means it can hold up in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes, so its not rated to go as deep as the iPhone 16 Pro. However, the additional IP69 rating gives it more protection in another area, certifying the OnePlus 13 to handle high-pressure and high-temperature water jets. This means you could power-wash your phone if you wanted to though please dont.With a classy look, unique finishes, and an IP69 rating, the OnePlus 13 is the clear winner for this round.Winner: OnePlus 13OnePlusThe OnePlus 13 display remains essentially the same as that of its predecessor. Its still a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED panel with a 3168 x 1440-pixel resolution and an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz. That works out to a pixel density of 510 pixels per inch.The main change in this years OnePlus 13 display is a slight increase in brightness 800 nits of typical brightness compared to 600 nits for the OnePlus 12. The peak brightness is still 4,500 nits, but thats more than enough for anyone.Even though the specs remain the same, the switch to flat edges on the OnePlus 13 means the screen is also almost entirely flat, so youll end up with slightly more of it facing you. Theres technically a very subtle curve at the edges by definition, its a 2.5D quad-curved screen but dont expect it to be anywhere near as curvy as the OnePlus 12.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsApples iPhones never embraced curved screens, and the iPhone 16 Pro is no exception. This years model has grown over its predecessor, but the new 6.3-inch display is still smaller than that of the OnePlus 13 (youll have to go with the pricier iPhone 16 Pro Max to get something comparable in size) and offers a lower 2622 x 1206-pixel resolution at 460 ppi. That makes it slightly less crisp than OnePlus larger screen, but it does get brighter during everyday use, with 1,000 nits of typical brightness. It can also drop to a single nit on the low end, making it ideal when you want to use it in a darker room without overpowering your eyeballs.The iPhone 16 Pro maxes out at 2,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness, which is less than half of what the OnePlus 13 can do on paper, but its hard to see this as much more than a spec sheet difference, as weve never had any problem seeing the iPhone 16 Pro even in direct sunlight.The bottom line is that both phones offer bright and vivid displays, Full HDR and Dolby Vision support, fast 120Hz refresh rates for buttery smooth scrolling, gorgeous colors, and deep blacks. The primary differences come down to specs like peak brightness and pixel density, which most people wont notice, and while the OnePlus 13 is larger, size isnt everything; some folks prefer a more pocketable phone, so were calling this one even.Winner: TieQualcommOver the past few years, top-of-the-line flagships have proven how much weve reached the point of diminishing returns in performance, and the OnePlus 13 and iPhone 16 Pro prove that even more this year. Both phones are powered by silicon with power far beyond what most folks will need, so the simple answer to which of the two performs better is that it wont matter as youre unlikely to push either to its limits.The OnePlus 13 is one of the first mainstream phones on the market to be powered by Qualcomms new Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform. Apple develops its own chips; this year, its the latest A18 Pro inside the iPhone 16 Pro.Weve done a more detailed comparison of the Snapdragon 8 Elite versus the Apple A18 Pro for those who want to delve into the details, but the differences have more to do with the platform than the performance.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsFor instance, Apple has worked hard to court AAA game developers for the App Store. Last years iPhone 15 Pro lineup, powered by the A17 Pro chip, ushered in an era of console-quality games in your pocket, from Resident Evil Village to Assassins Creed Mirage. These played well on the A17 Pro chip thanks to Apples new GPU technology with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and Metal effect upscaling, and they run even better on the A18 Pro.However, Apples coup here wasnt only in producing groundbreaking silicon, but in convincing game studios to embrace the iPhone. The Adreno GPUs in Qualcomms high-end Snapdragon chips can easily compete head-to-head with Apples A-series silicon, but you cant find the same quality of games in the Play Store to prove it.That matters if youre a hardcore mobile gamer, the iPhone 16 Pro wins, not because it has more capable specs, but because it has better developer support. Thats been Apples advantage for years, so its not too surprising.Winner: iPhone 16 ProOnePlusFor non-gamers, the more significant advantage to this years chips comes not from raw performance, but from power efficiency. The new 3-nanometer (3nm) manufacturing process used by both Qualcomm and Apple should translate to longer run times between charges.Well have to wait and see what this means for the OnePlus 13, but the iPhone 16 Pro disappointed us by barely getting through a day of use. We expect the OnePlus 13 to do much better thanks to its 6,000mAh cell, and its probably more fair to compare it to the larger iPhone 16 Pro Max, which we found has fantastic battery life, in this one area. Battery life is still the biggest price one pays for having a smaller phone.Unsurprisingly, OnePlus continues to run circles around Apple and nearly everyone else when it comes to charging speeds. The OnePlus 13 supports wired charging speeds up to 100 watts and wireless charging up to 50W. Youll need to buy OnePlus proprietary chargers to take advantage of these speeds, and if past trends continue, well probably only get 80W charging in the North American models, but thats several times faster than what the iPhone 16 Pro officially offers.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsApples specs say you can recharge an iPhone 16 Pro to 50% in about 30 minutes using a 20W charger. Tests have revealed that a 30W charger shaves about five minutes off that. However, if last years OnePlus 12 is anything to go by, 80W charging speeds should get you to 50% in 12 minutes and leave you fully charged in half an hour. Again, you need to use the SuperVOOC charger, but OnePlus includes one in the box.For wireless charging, OnePlus supports standard 15W Qi charging or 50W charging if you opt for its AirVOOC charger. Those speeds are twice as fast as the iPhone 16 Pro, which can reach only 25W with Apples proprietary MagSafe charger. Youre stuck at 7.5W with a standard Qi charger, although the iPhone 16 Pro also supports Qi2 for magnetic attachment and 15W charging speeds something that most Android devices have sadly failed to embrace.While it would have been nice to see Qi2 in the OnePlus 13, even for nothing more than the magnetic attachment features, thats a minor omission for a phone we can charge up in the time it takes to make a good coffee.Winner: OnePlus 13OnePlusThanks to its partnership with Hasselblad, OnePlus has delivered impressive cameras on its flagship phones over the past few years. The OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 12 take great photos, and theres no reason to believe the OnePlus 13 will be any different.If anything, this years model should see some improvements in the image pipeline thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite and its AI-powered image signal processor. OnePlus hasnt leaned into AI and computational photography the way its rivals have, but that doesnt mean it cant use whats already there. Well have to wait and see what kind of photos the OnePlus 13 produces, but between the hardware and Hasselblads color-tuning algorithms, were very optimistic.In terms of raw specs, youre getting a trio of 50-megapixel (MP) shooters, and while the telephoto lens drops from the 64MP of its predecessor, we think the new sensors OnePlus is using this year will make up for that. The telephoto camera has the same 3x optical zoom, although the ultrawide lens gains an increased 120-degree field of view. We expect the new sensors, combined with Qualcomms latest ISP, to deliver better lowlight performance. OnePlus also seems to be taking advantage of the new 480 frames-per-second (fps) slow-motion video capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Elite.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsThe iPhone 16 Pro is a much more known quantity. It follows Apples typical playbook of providing three lenses with year-over-year sensor improvements. However, this time around, the ultrawide camera gets a boost to 48MP, and the iPhone 16 Pro gains the 5x optical zoom that was exclusive to the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max last year. While the ultrawide lens is the one youll likely use the least often to take actual photos, Apples computational photography engine collects data from that sensor, and more megapixels means more data for it to work with. The ultrawide lens also kicks in for macro shots, and theres a noticeable improvement there.The iPhone 16 Pro also has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Apples new Photographic Styles let you apply a broad collection of advanced filters to your photos, but the best part is that these are entirely nondestructive. In other words, you can switch them up later or remove them entirely if you dont like them. You can also shoot images in the Apple ProRAW format for advanced editing controls, and the built-in lidar Sensor lets you take depth-mapped night mode portraits. On the video side, the iPhone 16 Pro can also handle 4K Dolby Vision recording at 120 fps, which produces Cinematic Slow Motion playback when pulled down to 24 fps. Lossless ProRes, Log, and the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) formats support professional work, and theres a four-mic studio array that powers a new AI-powered Audio Mix feature that can separate background and foreground audio (think of it as a portrait mode for sound).Winner: iPhone 16 ProOxygenOS 15 on the OnePlus 12 Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe OnePlus 13 will ship globally with Android 15 and OxygenOS 15 layered on top (the China version uses Oppos ColorOS). OxygenOS has been somewhat controversial over the years, but its been steadily improving, and weve been pleasantly surprised by OxygenOS 15. Its turned out to be less of an iOS clone than Oppos ColorOS 15, although it still veers closer to Apples side of the fence. It still doesnt feel as smooth as other platforms, but its definitely gotten better.The iPhone 16 Pro comes with iOS 18 out of the box, which will be readily familiar to anyone who has used an iPhone in the past few years. As usual, iOS 18 refines the experience rather than rewriting it. This years most significant addition is Apple Intelligence Apples suite of AI tools. While these are rolling out gradually over the course of the iOS 18 life cycle, as of the most recent December iOS 18.2 update, theres built-in support for AI writing tools, image generation, and even direct integration with ChatGPT to help Siri answer questions it cant handle on its own.AppleAs for updates, OnePlus is now committing to four major Android updates and five years of security updates, which should keep the OnePlus 13 current until at least 2028 or when Android 19 ships. Apple doesnt make such promises, but its never really needed to as it has a proven track record; iPhones were getting four or even five years of software updates in the days when it was rare for most Android phones to see one or two. This makes it a safe bet that the iPhone 16 Pro will make it to at least iOS 22, and possibly even one or two releases beyond that.Winner: TieAndy Boxall / Digital TrendsAfter holding out longer than most other big players, Apple and OnePlus are delving more into AI features this year. However, Apple is going all-in with Apple Intelligence while OnePlus is still taking a more measured approach focused predominantly on photography.In OxygenOS 15, the OnePlus 13 gains a suite of AI photo-editing tools, including an AI Eraser, AI Detail Boost, AI Reflection Erase, and AI Unblur. These work much like youd expect, although they have some work to do before they catch up with Googles Magic Eraser and Magic Editor. However, these arent exclusively OnePlus 13 features; theyre also coming to the OnePlus 12 in the OxygenOS 15 update. On the other hand, Google Gemini support and a new Intelligence Search feature will be limited to the OnePlus 13.AppleApple Intelligence is a much bolder AI initiative overall. While the photo features are limited to a Magic Eraser-like Clean Up tool, the broader AI features include tools to help you compose and refine text, reply to emails, summarize audio recordings and call transcripts, generate images, and even create custom Genmoji. Apple has also partnered with ChatGPT to integrate it into iOS. This includes letting you call it up to help you write emails and other blocks of text to making voice requests via Siri.This also ties into the iPhone 16 Pros marquee feature: the Camera Control. As the name suggests, this new button on the lower-right side of the iPhone can be used to call up the camera app, but it also doubles as a sophisticated control system thanks to a two-stage capacitive sensor. A light press will lock autofocus and autoexposure, similar to a DSLR; you then press all the way down to take the picture. You can also slide your finger along the control to adjust parameters such as zoom, exposure, shooting mode, and more.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsApple Intelligence comes into the picture through a new Visual Intelligence feature that lets you quickly perform Google Lens-like searches on real-world objects. Hold down the Camera Control and point your iPhone 16 Pro at something like an animal, a plant, a movie poster, a landmark, or even a product, and you can send it off to Google or ChatGPT to get more information about it. The concept isnt exactly novel, as there have been apps doing this for this for years, but having it built in and only a button press away makes it much more useful.Winner: iPhone 16 ProOnePlusFollowing a typical first launch in China on October 31, the OnePlus 13 will be released globally on January 7, 2025. OnePlus has confirmed that well get the same three colors as the China version with different names: Midnight Ocean, Black Eclipse, and Arctic Dawn. Theres no official word on pricing or storage capacities, but theres a good chance theyll be close to last years OnePlus 12, which started at $800. The OnePlus 13 sells in three capacities in China: 256GB storage with 12GB of RAM, 512GB with 16GB, and 1TB with 24GB, but a November leak suggests we may not see the largest 1TB/24GB version stateside.That would be in line with the OnePlus 12, which was sold in the same three capacities in China, with only the lower two available internationally. However, OnePlus could surprise us this year as it did with the color options. OnePlus white finishes, such as the Glacial White OnePlus 12, have been primarily exclusive to China. Seeing a global launch of Arctic Dawn is a pretty big deal, which means the 1TB/24GB model may not be far behind.The iPhone 16 Pro launched globally in September. Apples smaller Pro model didnt get the storage bump many were hoping for; it still starts at $999 for 128GB, with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions available for $1,099, $1,299, and $1,499, respectively. RAM is standard at 8GB across all capacities, and its available in Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsLike many smartphone comparisons involving Apple, measuring the OnePlus 13 directly against the iPhone 16 Pro is tough. The two phones live in fundamentally different worlds, so its an apples-to-oranges comparison (no pun intended).For many folks, the decision between the OnePlus 13 and iPhone 16 Pro was made long ago based on the platform theyve already invested in. However, if youre on the fence or looking for a change, these phones each offer something that might tempt you to see how the other side lives.The iPhone 16 Pro is ahead of the pack with a more mature platform and an app ecosystem that takes full advantage of its gaming capabilities. The cameras take excellent pictures, the 5x zoom lets you get up close and personal, and the videography features are unrivaled. Apples AI features arent everyones cup of tea, but theyre well ahead of what OnePlus offers. Apple Intelligence is also complemented by the general fit and finish and smooth performance of iOS.Nevertheless, the OnePlus 13 offers a gorgeous and elegant design thats even more refined than before, plus fun colors with unique finishes. If previous models are anything to go on, the Hasselblad-tuned camera system is sure to be excellent. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip offers performance to spare with new photographic capabilities, and few smartphones can charge up as quickly as anything that OnePlus makes. OxygenOS 15 may not be quite as refined as wed like yet, but theres a lot to like here and its more ready for prime time than ever before.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsSetting up Mixed Reality LinkMore and bigger monitorsMixed Reality Link UIBeta issuesMixed Reality Link has great potentialMicrosoft and Meta teamed up on a new feature that lets me use my Windows PC while wearing a Quest 3 or 3S, and its super easy to connect and use. I simply glance at my computer and tap a floating button to use Windows in VR on large displays only I can see.Metas new Quest 3 and 3S are among the best VR headsets for standalone gaming and media consumption. When I want more performance or need to run one of the best Windows apps that arent yet available in VR, I can connect to a much more powerful Windows PC.Recommended VideosScanning Microsofts Mixed Reality Link QR code with a Meta Quest 3 Photo by Tracey Truly / Digital TrendsMeta says the software that allows this quick connection will be built into Windows in the future. I already had the necessary Quest update to Horizon OS v72, but I needed to install Microsofts Mixed Reality Link from the Microsoft Store. Theres an initial step to link my PC and headset. Thereafter, I can simply look at my computer keyboard to find a floating Connect button. If I select it, a large virtual window appears and my PC monitor goes dark. This happens in about five seconds and feels almost seamless.RelatedMeta Quests cinematic mode gives Mixed Reality Link a giant curved screen. Digital TrendsMixed Reality Links virtual display appears bigger than my current 24-inch physical monitor, more like a 27-inch screen in its default size and position. It has the standard 16:9 aspect ratio and appears to hover in 3D space within the Quest 3s dual 2064 x 2208-pixel displays. I can also use cinematic mode to make it a very large curved screen. Its so big that its hard to capture in a screenshot.On a Quest 3S or older Quest, the resolution is about 30% lower, and the Fresnel lenses arent as clear. To enjoy sharper visuals than a Meta Quest can provide, youd need a high-performance PC VR headset or an ultra-premium Apple Vision Pro. Mixed Reality Link wont work with those headsets, but there are other solutions.Adding more VR windows is simple. I point at the lower-right corner to reveal a menu and pinch the plus sign twice to add one another to the right and left sides. Weve seen this trick before with Horizon Workrooms and VR apps like Immersed and Virtual Desktop.Whats different is these are Horizon OS windows that I can move and scale with Quest hand tracking or controllers. I can open Quest 2D apps alongside Windows in a blended environment.I can use passthrough mode to see my surroundings filled with up to six floating windows or I can switch to a virtual environment, which is more fun. As I type, Im surrounded by schools of fish, sea turtles, manta rays, and whales in Metas Oceanarium. Its quite peaceful and can help with focus when working in a busy or crowded space.My Quest 3 can show my Windows desktop within immersive apps like OpenBrush. Digital TrendsI can even enter an immersive app like OpenBrush to paint a 3D shape, then press the Meta button to switch to my Windows desktop without leaving that environment. It feels like the future.When I want to reach for my coffee, I can easily switch to passthrough mode with a double-tap to the side of the Quest 3 or by selecting a button on the dock.Photo by Tracey Truly / Digital TrendsMicrosofts Mixed Reality Link is in beta, but its already a good solution for using Windows in my Quest 3. Mixed Reality Links user interface is nice. I like the way the connect button appears above my keyboard and how quickly I can connect to my PC. I still use my keyboard and mouse to interact with Windows and apps on my computer, but I control Horizon OS with my hands.When I lift my hands away from the keys, the Quest 3 tracks them and responds to pinch and drag gestures. I can resize and reposition windows, add more virtual displays, and open Horizon OS apps alongside Windows apps.In passthrough mode, I can see my room and desk with virtual screens and the dock hovering in space. In immersive mode, Im surrounded by a mountaintop campsite, a misty valley with waterfalls, an Old West mining town at night, or any Horizon OS environment.When Im fully immersed, my keyboard looks like a light gray outline. If I move my hands near the keys, a rectangular portal reveals my keyboard. I can see a portion of my mousepad and mouse, enough to grab it without searching.Microsofts Mixed Reality Link let me arrange virtual monitors but didnt save the layout. Digital TrendsMixed Reality Link is currently in beta testing and there are a few issues with VR display arrangement and the keyboard portal. These arent serious bugs, but unexpected annoyances can add up and become frustrating. I have a few tips that should help.When I resized the VR windows, I was disappointed to see black bars appear at the sides or top and bottom if I didnt get a perfect 16:9 shape. Theres no snapping so its difficult to avoid getting black borders.The default display arrangement is OK, but I prefer vertically stacked monitors, so I set the main display at eye level and moved one below. The Horizon OS dock got in my way so I moved it to the side and manually positioned two displays exactly where I wanted.The magic of hand tracking is very good but it was difficult to place the lower window since it kept switching to the keyboard. Keep the dock and virtual displays away from your keyboard for more reliable operation.I worked very comfortably for a few hours, then stepped away briefly, leaving my headset behind. When I returned, the link had timed out so I reconnected. Thats quick and easy, so no worries there. However, Horizon OS didnt save my custom window arrangements. I didnt feel like re-creating my ideal placement, so I just used the default settings.I really enjoyed Mixed Reality Link, and it has great potential. Im happy to finally see the Meta and Microsoft partnership bear fruit. Earlier efforts like Microsoft Office on Quest were disappointing.Already, Mixed Reality Link is a quick way to use Windows in a virtual environment adding even more value to my Quest 3. If custom display arrangements were saved, it would be a great way to work at a computer in VR. Third-party apps like Immersed, Virtual Desktop, and others are still more versatile productivity solutions since I can pair a keyboard and mouse to my headset and connect to my PC from anywhere.You can use Mixed Reality Link for gaming, but for PC VR gaming, its hard to beat wired headsets like the Pimax Crystal Light that feature sharp 2880 x 2880 resolution and uncompressed visuals for a more realistic and immersive experience.Editors Recommendations

Googles ongoing antitrust tussle spawned a list of sweeping policy suggestions including a proposed sale of the Chrome business by the Department of Justice. The focus of the lawsuit centers on the Search monopoly, but it has serious ramifications for Android and the overall browser situation.Now, Google has shared its own remedies proposal to the DOJs recommendations, which it claims are going far beyond what the Courts decision is actually about.Recommended VideosThe first remedy would be that partners like Apple will have the freedom to choose a browser engine of their choice. Google pays billions of dollars to top companies like Apple and Samsung so that they can push Google Search as the automatic default on their respective products.Please enable Javascript to view this contentIn the name of flexibility, Apple allows users to change the default search engine on their iPhones. And last year, an Apple executive confirmed that with iOS 17, users can set separate search engines for browsing in regular and private mode with the Safari browser.RelatedGoogle also pays rivals of the Chrome browser to favor its search engine. For example, Google funnels hundreds of millions of dollars to Mozilla each year, and that hefty sum has actually helped keep the browser-maker on its feet.The fresh proposal notes that the company would offer separate search engine deals to these companies for each platform. That means Google and Apple would ink distinct search deals for iPhone (iOS) and iPad (iPadOS) platforms, as well as browsing modes.Another interesting element of Googles proposal is the freedom to renew the partnership each year, which means the likes of Apple will have the chance to look elsewhere in the pool.[Theres] the ability to change their default search provider at least every 12 months, explains Lee-Anne Mulholland, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Google. As mentioned above, the Search situation is tied deeply to Android, and that could change dramatically if the terms are accepted.Denny Mller / UnsplashOur proposal means device makers have additional flexibility in preloading multiple search engines and preloading any Google app independently of preloading Search or Chrome, says Google.The key here is what you can call conditional licensing, where a brand has to embrace one Google service to access the other. Googles licensing deal with Android device makers for Google Mobile Services (GMS) includes certain preinstallation clauses and agreements for rival search engines.Android partners would not need to license Google Search (or Chrome) in order to preload Google Play or other Google applications on Android devices, addressing the Courts concerns about device manufacturers options to preload a rival search engine, including on an exclusive basis, says Google in its filing.Googles proposal also notes that it wont restrict its partners from preloading rival search engines or browsers on their devices. That also covers the AI field. In order to access core Google products like Search, Google Play, or Chrome, Android device makers wont have to mandatorily bundle the Gemini AI assistant.Moreover, Google also wont push for any exclusive distribution or licensing hurdles if a device-maker bundles a generative AI product that rivals Gemini. The broad idea is that Google will not impose Search as the licensing criteria for accessing other products like Play services on a device.Notably, all the remedial proposals would cover a span of three years instead of the 10-year spell requested by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. We dont propose these changes lightly, says Google, adding that they would come at a cost to its partners but still address the courts core concerns.Editors Recommendations

It seems to be yet another sign that hybrids are leading the charge forward as sales of electric vehicles (EVs) slow.Giant auto group Stellantis is reshuffling the planned launches of two much-awaited Ram models. The brands first electric pickup truck has been postponed to 2026, while the Ramcharger plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will take center stage next year.Recommended VideosThe decision to launch Ramcharger first was driven by overwhelming consumer interest, maintaining a competitive advantage in the technology and slowing industry demand for half-ton (battery EV) pickups, Stellantis says in a statement.Please enable Javascript to view this contentOrders for the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger will open in the first half of 2025.RelatedSales of hybrids powered gains in overall EV sales in the third quarter, reaching a record 10.8% of U.S. light-duty vehicle sales. And hybrids are now considered to be as reliable as gas-powered vehicles, according to a Consumer Reports survey. They also offer a more affordable option than purely electric vehicles while freeing drivers from having to worry about finding available chargers.Meanwhile, consumer hesitations over EV charging and lifestyle changes explain why RAM delayed the launch of its all-electric pickup truck, seen as a potential rival to Teslas Cybertruck and the Ford F-150 Lightning, to 2026.As for the new Ramcharger, it promises innovations, even in the realm of plug-in hybrids. Its basically an EV with an electric range of 145 miles, but its gas generator extends the range up to 690 miles. It features a 92-kilowatt-hour battery pack, paired with an onboard 130 kW generator, sending power to 250 kW front and 238 kW rear electric drive modules (EDMs).The new Ramcharger also allows vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-home bidirectional charging, giving it the flexibility to charge another Stellantis battery EV or provide power back to the grid.Editors Recommendations

Google is on a quest to push its Gemini AI chatbot in as many productivity tools, as possible. The latest app to get some generative AI lift is the Files by Google app, which now automatically pulls up Gemini analysis when you open a PDF document.The feature, which was first shared on the r/Android Reddit community, is now live for phones running Android 15. Digital Trends tested this feature on a Pixel 9 running the stable build of Android 15, and the latest version of Googles file manager app.Recommended VideosWhen users open a PDF document in the Files app and pull up Gemini via a screen gesture or the power button shortcut the chat overlay now shows an Ask about this PDF chip above it.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsTapping on this chip integrates the PDF attachment in the chatbot, readying it for the AI model to process it. Next, all you have to do is type in the relevant query, and Gemini will pull up the response in natural language after reading through it.Please enable Javascript to view this contentDigital Trends tried scientific research papers and the whole system worked flawlessly. This is one of the more thoughtful implementations of Gemini and also saves users the hassle of importing PDF files in other standalone AI apps, including the Gemini mobile app.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsHowever, if the feature is yet to appear in the Files app, users can still pull off a similar trick within the Gemini mobile app. Just open the app, tap on the + icon in the Ask Gemini chat bubble, and attach the requisite PDF file.RelatedUsers can pick a PDF file from the local storage drive, or even pull one from their Google Drive. The AI chatbot, thanks to its multi-modal capabilities, can also access and comprehend media assets lifted from the on-device gallery.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsThere is, however, a caveat. The Gemini-powered PDF analysis facility is only limited to devices running Android 15 and Google accounts that pay for Gemini Advanced access.Thankfully, you can avoid the payment hassle and still benefit from similar AI convenience by ditching Gemini. Instead, you should check out NotebookLM, one of the best AI tools from Google, which is free and can parse information from files, URLs, and even YouTube videos.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe Verdict (1982)A Time to Kill (1996)My Cousin Vinny (1992)There is nobody like Clint Eastwood. The 94-year-old legend is still working, and his latest film, Juror #2, might be his best in 15 years. The Orders Nicholas Hoult stars as Justin Kemp, a Georgia resident called for jury duty on a high-profile murder case. Kemp holds a dark secret: he may have unknowingly played a hand in the murder. Kemps moral dilemma eats at him, as it could influence the decision of the trial.The release rollout from Warner Bros. forJuror #2 has beenextremely baffling.Juror #2was originally supposed to hit streaming. However, the studio gave the movie a limited theatrical release with no plans to expand nationwide. Now, Juror #2is finally streaming on Max, so do yourself a favor and watch it. Afterward, keep the courtroom theme going and watch one of these three excellent movies.Recommended Videos20th Century FoxSidney Lumet could have stopped making courtroom dramas after 12 Angry Men, and no one would blame him. How can you follow up on a masterpiece? Twenty-five years later, Lumet returned to the courtroom with 1982s The Verdict, a legal drama featuring David Mamets rapid-fire dialogue and a tour-de-force performance from Paul Newman.RelatedBoston lawyer Frank Galvin (Newman) used to care about the law. Now, hes an ambulance chaser who spends more time drinking than defending clients. Franks former partner, Mickey Morrissey (Jack Warden), sends him a medical malpractice case involving a Catholic hospital. It should be an easy settlement, but Frank elects to bring the case to court after feeling sympathy toward the victim. The Verdictplays like an invigorating sports movie in the courtroom, with Newman as the underdog who must overcome numerous obstacles to do the impossible.Buy or rent Verdict on Prime Video, Apple, YouTube, and Google.Warner Bros.John Grisham knows a thing or two about crafting legal thrillers. One of Grishams novels,A Time to Kill, was adapted into a 1996 feature film by Joel Schumacher. In Mississippi, an African American father named Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) takes the law into his own hands and kills the two rapists who assaulted his young daughter. Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey), an inexperienced white lawyer, agrees to defend Carl.Jake faces an uphill battle in this segregated town. This predominantly white town is full of racists, with several members of the Ku Klux Klan trying to sabotage the trial. Still, Jake prepares his defense, knowing that if he fails, Carl Lee will likely receive the death penalty. While the movie has received criticism for its white savior complex, A Time to Killremains a stimulating drama backed by strong performances from McConaughey, Jackson, and Sandra Bullock.Buy or rent A Time to Kill on Pluto TV.20th Century FoxMy Cousin Vinnyis one of the rare comedies to be set inside a courtroom. Joe Pesci stars as Vinny Gambini, a Brooklyn personal injury lawyer who has never won a case. Vinnys cousin Bill (Ralph Macchio) and his friend Stan (Mitchell Whitfield) are charged with first-degree murder in Alabama. With little money to his name, Bill asks Vinny to defend him in court.Despite his lack of experience, Vinny accepts and drives to Alabama with fiance Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei). Its an immediate culture shock for Gambini, as the Italian American clashes with the Southern way of living. Vinny might not be a good lawyer, but his charisma is a sight to see. The lasting memory belongs to Tomei, whose magnetic monologue about cars probably won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.Stream My Cousin Vinny on Hulu.Editors Recommendations

After a less-than-exciting launch with the OnePlus Watch 2, its time for a change and hopefully a wearable that more closely matches modern devices. We expect the OnePlus Watch 3 to release on January 7, but now new details suggest it might come with a rotating crown.This update is a big win for OnePlus Watch fans. The crown has been a long-requested feature that will make it easier to navigate through the interface, and improved sensors give access to ECGs and other features that were missing in the previous generation, according to Yogesh Brar.Recommended VideosThe OnePlus Watch 3 might also come with the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1. Although an older model chip, the W5 series is touted to extend battery life and provide fast performance. The OnePlus Watch 3 is also tipped to come with Googles Wear OS, making it easy to connect your new smartwatch to existing Android devices.Please enable Javascript to view this contentYour first look at the OnePlus Watch 3, due to launch early next year. It now has a rotary dial to navigate the UI. An updated HR sensor suite with ECG Smaller bezels Snapdragon W5 chip Wear OS + RTOSThoughts?via: SmartPrix pic.twitter.com/YFKCrwIYaX Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) December 20, 2024RelatedThe wearable is also expected to land with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, alongside a 500mAh+ battery.Unfortunately, the OnePlus Watch 3 isnt compatible with iPhones. If youre an Apple user, your main option is the Apple Watch; the OnePlus Watch will only work with standard Android devices.The given launch date of the OnePlus Watch 3 lines up with the release of the OnePlus 13, the companys latest entry in its lineup. Thats an exciting combination, especially when you consider how powerful the OnePlus 13 is on its own. With incredible durability, a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, this phone is a powerhouse. Its also launching alongside the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, too.Editors Recommendations

Between Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, and even Nintendo Switch Online, it feels like every company has its own subscription. Throw in Ubisoft+, EA Play, and multiple other companies and you have a veritable free-for-all. Now Segas new president Shuji Utsumi says the beloved company is considering a similar offer, although he remained tight lipped on details.In an interview with the BBC, Utsumi said, Were thinking something and discussing something we cannot disclose right now, he said. The statement followed Utsumi saying the subscription services were very interesting.Recommended VideosOf course, the community response to the news has been mixed. Many gamers already chafe at the number of subscription services and the ever-rising costs of each. With Sega titles on nearly every platform, it raises the question: if Sega opens its own service, would Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, and other streamers lose access to those games?Guinness World RecordsThe answer isnt clear. However, during the interview, Utsumi said I want to make Sega really shiny again, referencing the so-called golden days of the company in the 90s. Sega has focused more heavily on its domestic market than an international market, and to break out of that rut and raise the companys standing, he wants to bring a rock and roll mindset back to gaming.Please enable Javascript to view this contentAnyone who lived through the 90s will remember the bitter rivalry between Nintendo and Sega, when Sonic the Hedgehog was positioned as an edgy, cool character versus the mustachioed plumber.RelatedIf Sega launches a streaming service, the company certainly has a lot to pull from. Recent releases like Sonic X Shadow Generations,Shin Megami Tensei V, and theLike a Dragon series all bring their own appeal to the table. If those are yanked from other platforms and isolated into a Sega-only subscription, it would drive customers to it but perhaps at the cost of community goodwill.Utsumi disclosed next to no details in the interview, often saying that he couldnt say more. It isnt clear what direction Sega will choose to go in, but if the company plans to enter the already-crowded streaming market, it will need to stand out from the crowd.Editors Recommendations

The Brutalist Score DetailsThe Brutalist is a beguiling, awe-inspiring epic that feels like it could have been made 50 years ago. It's one of 2024's best films.ProsAdrien Brody and Guy Pearce's career-best performancesLol Crawley's transportive cinematographyDaniel Blumberg's epic, heart-swelling scoreConsA third act that occasionally borders on ham-fistedThe Brutalist is a big film with big questions and a gargantuan 215-minute runtime to match the size and scope of its ambition. It is a drama with characters who feel like they could have been pulled straight out of the pages of a Great American Novel, and it is set in a post-WWII period of America that it so lovingly recreates that you fall easily and seamlessly into its formalistic, dreamlike embrace. It openly invites comparisons to past, iconic American epics like The Godfather, Heavens Gate, The Master, and There Will Be Blood, despite being made for considerably less money than all of those movies.It is a film covered in the fingerprints of auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson, whose past explorations of the oppressiveness of certain social, economic, and industrial systems seem to have not just influenced The Brutalist, but guided its entire creation. Some will argue that its debt to its spiritual predecessors is too obvious and that its attempts to recreate the aesthetic and look of other, similarly ambitious epics are too self-conscious. But the self-conscious nature of The Brutalists cinematic endeavor is the point. It is a film that wants to root viewers in a visual language they know and yet may have forgotten, especially during a time when Hollywoods interest in expansive adult dramas like those that inspired The Brutalist seems to be at an all-time low.Recommended VideosIts a big movie about the value and the cost of pursuing big artistic visions. Its hero is an immigrant whose dreams are too large for a man with so little existing social and economic standing to achieve on his own. In order to bring them to life, he must concede a portion of himself and his life. Such is the case in a world where big dreams so often require more money than their dreamers themselves possess.A24The Brutalist begins where so many other immigrant stories before it have: within the dark, cramped confines of a creaking metal boat. As the ships horns blow, Lszl Tth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, struggles to climb his way out of its pitch-black lower quarters and into the light of its upper deck. When he eventually does, he looks up to see the Statue of Liberty towering over him in a handheld camera pan masterfully executed by director Brady Corbet and cinematographer Lol Crawley that initially captures the American symbol a welcome to all immigrants crooked and upside down. This moment, striking enough to provoke a shocked gasp in the theater, is as close to a mission statement as The Brutalist comes, a warning that the dreams we pursue more often than not turn out differenty than we imagined them to be.RelatedThe Brutalist follows Lszl as he makes his way from New York to Philadelphia to live with his cousin, Attila (Kravens Alessandro Nivola), who owns a fledgling furniture store with his wife, Audrey (Emma Laird). In the first of many moments in which Lszls conception of America is marred, he is understandably left aghast when he discovers the lengths Attila has gone to cover up his Jewish identity, as well how casually his cousin seems to have accepted his perceived need to do so. Lszl nonetheless begins working for Attila and, before long, the two men are commissioned by Harry Lee Van Buren (a suitably arrogant Joe Alwyn) to renovate the dusty personal library of his wealthy industrialist father, Harrison (Guy Pearce).Despite its 3-plus-hour runtime, The Brutalist cruises through its first hour at a disarming speed. Corbet and co-writer Mona Fastvolds screenplay does a remarkable job of keying viewers into not only Lszls immigrant journey, but also his talent. You sit back and wait in anxious anticipation for the moment when someone will discover his potential. That moment comes when Harrison seeks out Lszl to apologize for his initial, negative reaction to his and Attilas renovation and also ask him about his work in Europe before the war. As he looks upon images of the buildings that he designed before he was deemed undesirable by the Nazis, Lszl is brought to tears. Harrison, whose curiosity is further piqued by Lszls emotional reaction, quickly ingratiates the brutalist architect into his high-society circles and commissions him to design a new building in rural Pennsylvania.A24The job quickly consumes Lszls every waking moment, even when his wife, Erzsbet (Felicity Jones), whom he was forcibly separated from by the Nazis, emigrates from Europe and joins him in the States. In his partnership with Harrison, Lszl sees a chance to create another building that wont just as he remarks during one key conversation in The Brutalists first act defy the erosion of time and politics, but also stand as a monument to the pain that he and his people suffered during the Holocaust. In order to bring this vision to life, though, he must navigate Harrisons many mood swings and reminders of the financial control he holds over Lszl and his latest dream. The Brutalist, notably, doesnt frame this conflict so much as a There Will Be Blood-esque battle of wills as it does another process that an immigrant artist like Lszl must simply endure and survive.The Brutalist treats Harrisons manipulation and long-unaddressed abuse of Lszl with a fatalistic touch that, unlike the heroin Lszl takes to cope with the pain of an injury he suffered during his boat trip to America, doesnt numb you to the films heart-wrenching power. Instead, it only envelopes you further in your sympathy for Lszl and Erzsbet, two people whose past traumas, as Jones and Brody both convey in different, thorny ways, have affected them on a physical, bone-deep level. Opposite his two co-stars, Pearce nearly runs away with The Brutalist, playing Harrison at first with such an astonishing level of self-confidence that you are, for a time at least, swept up in his charm. The full extent of his desire to control Lszl is finally revealed in The Brutalists best and most sickening sequence a brief trip to the mountains of Italy that hauntingly captures the difference between those who wish to respect and honor the beauty of the world and those who wish to merely own it themselves.A24As a filmmaker, Corbet has never been one to shy away from a big swing. His two previous features, 2015s The Childhood of a Leader and 2018s Vox Lux, are proof of that. Never before, though, has Corbet managed to combine his always admirable artistic ambitions and his cynical, sometimes limiting perspective as successfully as he does in The Brutalist. It is a film that, like Vox Lux, is made with a level of technical skill that is impossible to deny. In addition to Corbets steady, calculated direction and Crawleys atmospheric, surreal cinematography, The Brutalist also benefits greatly from composer Daniel Blumbergs percussive score, which chugs assuredly along at all times, propelling the film forward and imbuing it with swells of emotion and grandeur that make the titanic scope of its story all the more effective.Here, Corbet has captured a kind of frustrated hopelessness that feels as specific to its characters and their story as it does timeless. They do not want us here! Lszl screams at Erzsbet during one climactic argument, assuaging her of her belief that theyll ever truly be welcomed in America. The problem is that they were not wanted in Europe, either. Erzsbet does her best to hold on to her dream of Israel as a potential haven for her and Lszl, but what The Brutalist taps into with devastating precision is the sense that there isnt anywhere any of us can go to feel valued and safe. That is a dark thought, but one that has felt true for decades and continues to.A24Even if this is a world that does not want our ideas, though, that does that mean we must give up on them. There are still ways to bring even the grandest of our dreams into being. The Brutalist, a film that took six years to make, is proof of that. The question we must all ask ourselves, and which The Brutalist does, is how much pain we are willing to endure to make our dreams reality. At what point does the cost overtake the reward? How much of a victory, in other words, is creation alone?The Brutalist opens in select theaters Friday, December 20.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe Master of DisasterIt has an all-star castThe practical effects still hold upThe stakes keep getting higherIn the 1970s, disaster movies were the superhero cinema of their day. In other words, these were the films that brought movie fans into theaters, which led to blockbusters like Earthquake, Airport, and The Poseidon Adventure. But the genre reached its zenith 50 years ago this month with the release of The Towering Inferno.Ironically, The Towering Infernos influence can be felt in the disaster films of the 90s, including Titanic and Independence Day, both of which featured large ensemble casts and special effects extravaganzas. During and after its release, The Towering Inferno was recognized for its achievements (the film nabbed eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture). It ended up winning Best Original Song, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. Yet, the bigger prize for the studios behind the film is that The Towering Inferno made $203.3 million against a $14 million budget. Even now, those are the kind of results that get film executives celebrating with cartwheels and champagne.The Towering Inferno (1974) - Trailer #2But five decades later, this film isnt readily available to stream or rent online, which means audiences have either forgotten about it or they never knew it existed in the first place. Rather than let the 50th anniversary of The Towering Inferno pass unnoticed, its time to share the reasons why it came to define the disaster genre.Recommended Videos20th Century Studios and Warner Bros. PicturesThe primary architect of The Towering Infernos success was producer Irwin Allen, who made his name in the 60s with science fiction TV shows like Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. By 1972, Allen had reinvented himself as a disaster film producer on The Poseidon Adventure, and The Towering Inferno was his chance to make an even bigger splash at the box office.RelatedPerhaps the smartest thing that Allen did in the preproduction of this movie is that he convinced 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. Pictures to team up for The Towering Inferno. Each studio had optioned similar novels for the big screen Fox had the rights to Richard Martin Sterns The Tower, while Warner Bros. secured The Glass Inferno by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson. Allen realized that competing movies would have cannibalized the audience. Once both studios were on board, The Towering Inferno was able to pull characters and stories from both books, which probably went a long way toward the films nearly three-hour runtime. But it also gave Allen the best of both stories to choose from.The Towering Inferno (1974)-Fire StartsIn an unusual move which he also did for The Poseidon Adventure Allen directed the action scenes and made sure that he had a special credit for that. John Guillermin directed the rest of the film. Allen also reunited with composer John Williams who had scored several of Allens previous projects including Lost in Space and The Poseidon Adventure before Williams career reached an even higher level with Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and many others. Williams music for The Towering Inferno may not be among his most iconic scores, but it does give the film a timeless quality.20th Century Studios and Warner Bros. PicturesReportedly, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman both wanted top billing in The Towering Inferno, and the studios found a way to give it to both of them. This is one of the first films to feature staggered but equal billing, where the names of both stars appear diagonally on the screen at the same time during the opening credits. McQueen was arguably a bigger star, but this film belongs to Newman, who appears far more frequently as Doug Roberts, the architect of the Glass Tower who heroically tries to save as many people as possible after a fire breaks out in the high-rise building. McQueens character, San Francisco Fire Department 5th Battalion Chief Michael OHallorhan, doesnt show up until the blaze is well under way, but his character is the last person featured on-screen in the film.Silver-screen icons Fred Astaire and Jennifer Jones have an affecting subplot that plays throughout most of the film. Astaire portrays a con artist, Harlee Claiborne, who tries to romance Lisolette Mueller (Jones), a woman who still cares for him even after he reveals who he really is. This was Jones final role before her retirement from the industry, and she made the most of it, as does Astaire. Their arc ends at the conclusion of the story, which we wont spoil here.The Towering Inferno (1974)- Where there is smoke there is fireThe rest of the cast was also very impressive, and includes William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, and others. And because of the nature of this story, many of the main characters dont make it out alive.20th Century Studios and Warner Bros. PicturesThe Towering Inferno takes the better part of an hour before the plot literally heats up, but the disaster was the prime attraction for this movie. People came to the theater to watch the building burn, and they werent disappointed. While the design choices of the 70s offices seem laughable in 2024, the fire effects still look really good 50 years later.This film was made in an era long before the advent of CGI, and its practical effects still look pretty convincing. When characters and parts of the building catch on fire, chances are good that real and controlled flames were used in the process.20th Century Studios and Warner Bros. PicturesModern audiences may be put off by the fact that The Towering Inferno doesnt jump right into the disaster. Instead, it follows Roberts as he realizes that the buildings wiring is faulty and potentially dangerous. The fact that he was proven right in less than 24 hours doesnt make him feel any better. During the first 45 minutes, the film also takes the time to establish the burgeoning relationship between Claiborne and Lisolette, as well as an illicit affair between Dan Bigelow (Wagner) and his secretary, Lorrie (Susan Flannery).Among the major characters, Dan and Lorrie are some of the first to meet their tragic ends during the fire. And the movie doesnt show much sympathy for the lovers as theyre separately engulfed in flames. Its a horrible way to die, and they arent the only ones who meet untimely ends before the conclusion of the film. The stakes feel very personal for Roberts, as he puts his own life on the line to help a mother and her children escape. But OHallorhans heroics are also important in the film, as hes also risking his life on the frontlines of the fire. This film does a great job of putting the characters into increasingly dire straits. Even after things have already gone horribly wrong, they can and will get worse.THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974) Clip - Steve McQueen & Paul NewmanThe Towering Inferno does have a satisfactory conclusion, and the death toll from the fire leads to some emotional moments near the end. Guillermin and Irwin didnt forget to give this movie some heart, and that may be why it still makes an impact 50 years later.Buy The Towering Inferno on Prime Video.Editors Recommendations

So much is discounted during this Steam Winter Sale that it can be hard to decide what to pick up. If youre one of those people and are also someone who enjoys games that arent afraid to experiment with their gameplay mechanics and visual aesthetics, then I have the perfect bundle for you. Its the Okami + Kunitsu-Gami Bundle, which nets you a Capcom classic that just had a sequel announced at The Game Awards as well as one of the years most underrated titles. Pick this bundle up for $40 and youll get two wildly creative, beautiful video game experiences for the price of one.Okami HD - Launch Trailer (PC, PS4, Xbox One)Okami was originally released for PS2 by Capcom in 2006 and remastered with Okami HD in 2017. In it, players control the sun goddess Amaterasu, who takes the form of a white wolf after being summoned to defeat a demon besieging the world of Nippon. Two things made Okami a cult classic: its gorgeous art style and Celestial Brush mechanic. Okamis cel-shaded art style is heavily influenced by Japanese ink-wash paintings, also referred to as Sumi-e. This gives Okami a vibrant look thats full of color and thick black in-lines. While some games have tried to emulate that, none have been able to nail the aesthetic quite like Capcom did.Recommended VideosComplimenting the Sumi-e art style is the Celestial Brush mechanic, which allows players to pause the game and paint the screen with ink. Depending on what players draw, they can do everything from attacking enemies to controlling the elements to solve puzzles. It was an innovative mechanic in 2006 and still feels unique to Okami today. While it began its life as a cult classic, it has transformed into a more widely known and beloved classic over time. Thats why it was surprising to learn at The Game Awards 2024 that, after nearly 20 years, a sequel was in the works. The announcement also gives all of us a perfect reason to revisit Okami or check it out for the first time.Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess - Announce TrailerIf you enjoy Okami, I also think its likely that youll love Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. Theyre very different, but on a spiritual level, they feel like theyre connected thanks to their focus on artistry and innovative game mechanics.RelatedReleased in July 2024, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddessmixes tower defense and strategy game mechanics. The goal of most levels is to guide a maiden from one side of the level to another. To do that, players have to fight off waves of demons called Seethe every night until they gather enough energy to get the maiden to the next Torii gate.Players can fight the demons head-on like in a character action game, but its also critically important to command and place units, tower defense style, around each level to protect the maiden. Its a funky hybrid of gameplay styles, but one that works shockingly well as its intuitive to hop between fighting enemies head-on and commanding units to make sure the maiden is OK. On top of all that, it features a similarly colorful art style influenced by ink-wash paintings, woodblock prints, and Japanese puppet theater.Kunitsu-Gami is one of the best games to release this year, but unfortunately, it didnt meet Capcoms sales expectations. Ironically, thats yet another way its spiritually similar to Okami, which didnt sell well upon its initial PS2 release. The two share a deep connection, and Capcom seems to recognize that considering Kunitsu-Gami has Okami DLC. Simply put, this is a bundle for an excellent, experimental Capcom game power couple you should all check out.CapcomThe Okami + Kunitsu-Gami Bundle will typically cost $60, but it has been discounted to $40.19. While that may be more expensive than some of the other dirt-cheap Steam Winter Sale discounts that draw attention, its a steal if you look at what youre actually getting. Normally, Kunitsu-Gami alone costs $50, and Okami HD is $20. With this bundle deal, youre essentially saving nearly $10 on the game while getting Okami HD free of charge. Kunitsu-Gami standalone is discounted to $40 during the Steam Winter Sale, so from that perspective its worth paying just 19 cents more to also get Okami HD.If you decide to pick up the Okami + Kunitsu-Gami Bundle, you wont regret it. These are two truly fantastic games from Capcom that are unlike anything else youve ever played.Editors Recommendations

NetflixTable of ContentsTable of ContentsDetroiters (2017-2018)Mindhunter (2017-2019)Receiver (2024)The weekend before Christmas can come with stress for those who celebrate, but whether you do or not, you might find yourself looking for a great way to not think about the holidays. Netflix has hundreds of ways for you to avoid that particular topic, and weve picked three of its most underrated shows for you to watch.From hilarious comedies to searing, serious dramas, this list has a little something for everyone. No matter what youre into, you should hopefully find something that has the right vibe with our choices below. And we promise, theres not a snowmen or reindeer in any of them.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedDetroiters - Brand New Comedy | Comedy CentralBefore I Think You Should Leave, there wasDetroiters, a short-lived gonzo comedy series that is beloved by comedy nerds everywhere, and rightly so. The series stars Sam Richardson and Tim Robinson as two up-and-coming ad men who are working to build a mini-empire in the Motor City.The series is really about their friendship, but it also sees them get into a number of absurd situations. Anyone familiar with Robinsons sense of humor probably wont be surprised to discover thatDetroitersis rowdy, hilarious, and over the top.You can watchDetroiterson Netflix.MINDHUNTER | Trailer 2 | NetflixOne of the great two-season shows in the history of Netflix, Mindhunter was gone far too soon. The series follows a few FBI agents who begin interviewing serial killers with the goal of understanding what motivates them to commit the crimes theyre imprisoned for. If you like David Fincher movies, then you should like this show as the auteur is the main creative lead behind it.Featuring brilliant central performances from Jonathan Groff and The Iron Claws Holt McCallany, the 19702/80s-set series is a brilliant reflection of our present-day obsession with serial killers. The show gets even more riveting in its second season when our agents head to Atlanta in the hopes of finding a real-life serial killer who murdered dozens of children there in the 1970s.You can watch Mindhunter on Netflix.Receiver | Official Trailer | NetflixAlthough Netflix couldnt quite make the second season of its showQuarterbackhappen,Receiverproved to be just as interesting. This documentary series follows some of the best receivers in football, including Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, as they live through the 2023 season.For each of these players, the season has a different trajectory, but even knowing how things ended, youll still find yourself riveted by some of the most charismatic people playing football today, and the ways they describe their own talents.You can watch Receiver on Netflix.Editors Recommendations

A new report suggests that Apple may be lining up its plans for the launch of its more budget-friendly Vision headset. As spotted by Wccftech, the report comes from analyst firm TrendForce, which indicates a move away from the high-end micro-OLED panels used in the Vision Pro.The new options include glass-based OLED displays, as well as a different form of OLED known as LTPO backplane technology, which was first used on the Apple Watch Series 4 back in 2018. Since then, its become a familiar display technology thats been applied broadly across the industry in smartphones and watches.Recommended VideosThis would mean moving away from Sony, which supplied the micro-OLED screens for the Vision Pro. The production of micro-OLED is still costly and inefficient, and according to consulting firm YoleGroup, requires heavy investments in equipment and dedicated production lines to handle increased volumes.Zeke Jones / Digital TrendsThe report from Trendforce reconfirms that the Vision Pro 2 will continue to use micro-OLED and will even have resolution beyond 3,000 pixels per inch. But even there, Apple will be looking beyond Sony to get costs down. Based on the name alone, the implication was always that Apple would release a more affordable version of the Vision Pro. But now were starting to see one element of Apple may approach reducing the price. After all, Apple could only reduce the quality by so much before the headset would lose what made it so special.RelatedThe Vision Pros price was always its Achilles heel. Even Apple knew that. No one knows, but rumors say that both the lower-priced Apple Vision and next-gen Vision Pro 2 are expected to launch in 2025. The base Vision may come in under $2,000, while some reports indicate that Apple will reduce the price of the original Vision Pro and continue to sell it alongside the others.But will that be low enough to make a break into the mainstream for these headsets? With the Quest 3 and even more affordable Quest 3S holding down the sub-$1,000 category, Apple would need to make quite a strong case that its base model offers a significant step up from the $500 Quest 3.Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is beginning to ramp the production of mixed-reality headsets back up again, with Samsung and Sony leading the charge. Even Microsoft has hinted at getting back in the game. Both Meta and Google are expanding the ecosystem of mixed-reality headsets too, opening up both the new Android XR and HorizonOS to brands like Lenovo and Asus.Editors Recommendations

Rolf van Root / UnsplashTable of ContentsTable of ContentsDay 1: OpenAI unleashes its o1 reasoning model and introduces ChatGPT ProDay 2: OpenAI expands its Reinforcement Fine-Tuning Research programDay 3: OpenAIs Sora video generator has finally arrived. Huzzah?Day 4: OpenAI expands its CanvasDay 5: ChatGPT teams up with Apple IntelligenceDay 6: Advanced Voice Mode now has the power of sight and can speak SantaDay 7: OpenAI introduces Projects for ChatGPTDay 8: ChatGPT Search is now available to everybodyDay 9: the full o1 model comes to OpenAIs APIDay 10: 1-800-ChatGPTDay 11: ChatGPT now works with even more coding appsDay 12: OpenAI teases its upcoming o3 and o3-mini reasoning modelsOpenAI kicked off its inaugural 12 Days of OpenAI media blitz on December 5, each day unveiling new features, models, subscription tiers, and capabilities for its growing ChatGPT product ecosystem during a series of live-stream events.Heres a quick rundown of everything the company announced.Recommended VideosOpenAI o1 and o1 pro mode in ChatGPT 12 Days of OpenAI: Day 1OpenAI kicked off the festivities with a couple major announcements. First, the company revealed the full-function version of its new o1 family of reasoning models and announced that they would be immediately available, albeit in limited amounts, to its $20/month Plus tier subscribers. In order to get full use of the new model (as well as every other model that OpenAI offers, plus unlimited access to Advanced Voice Mode), users will need to spring for OpenAIs newest, and highest, subscription package: the $200/month Pro tier. Reinforcement Fine-Tuning12 Days of OpenAI: Day 2On the events second day, the OpenAI development team announced that it is expanding its Reinforcement Fine-Tuning Research program, which allows developers to train the companys models as subject matter experts that excel at specific sets of complex, domain-specific tasks, according to the programs website. Though it is geared more toward institutes, universities, and enterprises than individual users, the company plans to make the programs API available to the public early next year.RelatedSora12 Days of OpenAI: Day 3On the third day of OpenAI, Sam Altman gave to me: Sora video generation. Yeah, OK, so the cadence for that doesnt quite work but hey, neither does Sora. OpenAIs long-awaited and highly touted video generation model, which has been heavily hyped since February, made its official debut on December 9 to middling reviews. Turns out that two years into the AI boom, being the leading company in the space and only rolling out 20-second clips at 1080p doesnt really move the needle, especially when many of its competitors already offer similar performance without requiring a $20- or $200-per-month subscription.Canvas12 Days of OpenAI: Day 4OpenAI followed up its Sora revelations with a set of improvements to its recently released Canvas feature, the companys answer to Anthropics Artifacts. During its Day 4 live stream, the OpenAI development team revealed that Canvas will now be integrated directly into the GPT-4o model, making it natively available to users at all price tiers, including free. You can now run Python code directly within the Canvas space, enabling the chatbot to analyze it directly and offer suggestions for improvement, as well as use the feature to construct custom GPTs.ChatGPT x Apple Intelligence12 Days of OpenAI: Day 5On day five, OpenAI announced that it is working with Apple to integrate ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence, specifically Siri, allowing users to invoke the chatbot directly through iOS. Apple had announced that this would be a thing back when it first unveiled Apple Intelligence but, with the release of iOS 18.2, that functionality is now a reality. If only Apples users actually wanted to use Apples AI.Santa Mode & Video in Advanced Voice12 Days of OpenAI: Day 62024 was the year that Advanced Voice Mode got its eyes. OpenAI announced on Day 6 of its live-stream event that its conversational chatbot model can now view the world around it through a mobile devices video camera or via screen sharing. This will enable users to ask the AI questions about their surroundings without having to describe the scene or upload a photo of what theyre looking at. The company also released a seasonal voice for AVM which mimics Jolly Old St. Nick, just in case you dont have time to drive your kids to the mall and meet the real one in person.Projects12 Days of OpenAI: Day 7OpenAI closed out the first week of announcements with one that is sure to bring a smile to the face of every boy and girl: folders! Specifically, the company revealed its new smart folder system, dubbed Projects, which allows users to better organize their chat histories and uploaded documents by subject.Search12 Days of OpenAI: Day 8OpenAIs ChatGPT Search function, which debuted in October, is now available to all logged-in users, regardless of their subscription tier. The feature works by searching the internet for information about the users query, scraping the info it finds from relevant websites, and then synthesize that data into a conversational answer. It essentially eliminates the need to click through a search results page and is functionally identical to what Perplexity AI offers, allowing ChatGPT to compete with the increasingly popular app. Be warned, however: a recent study has shown the feature to be confidently wrong in many of its answers.Dev Day Holiday Edition12 Days of OpenAI: Day 9Like being gifted a sweater from not one but two aunts, OpenAI revealed on day nine that it is allowing select developers to access the full version of its o1 reasoning model through the API. The company is also rolling out real-time API updates, a new model customization technique called Preference Fine-Tuning, and new SDKs for Go and Java.1-800-CHAT-GPT12 Days of OpenAI: Day 10In an effort to capture that final market segment that it couldnt already reach specifically, people without internet access OpenAI has released the 1-800-ChatGPT (1-800-242-8478) chatline. Dial in from any land or mobile number within the U.S. to speak with the AIs Advanced Voice Mode for up to 15 minutes for free.Work with Apps12 Days of OpenAI: Day 11Last month, OpenAI granted the Mac-based desktop version of ChatGPT the ability to interface directly with a number of popular coding applications, allowing its AI to pull snippets directly from them rather than require users to copy and paste the code into its chatbots prompt window. On Thursday, the company announced that it is drastically expanding the number of apps and IDEs that ChatGPT can collaborate with. And its not just coding apps; ChatGPT now also works with conventional text programs like Apple Notes, Notion, and Quip. You can even launch Advanced Voice Mode in a separate window as you work, asking questions and getting suggestions from the AI about your current project.OpenAI o3 and o3-mini12 Days of OpenAI: Day 12For the 12th day of OpenAIs live-stream event, CEO Sam Altman made a final appearance to discuss what the company has in store for the new year specifically, its next-generation reasoning models, o3 and o3-mini. The naming scheme is a bit odd (and done to avoid copyright issues with U.K. telecom, O2) but the upcoming models reportedly offer superior performance on some of the industrys most challenging math, science, and coding benchmark tests even compared to o1, the full version of which was formally released less than a fortnight ago. The company is currently offering o3-mini as a preview to researchers for safety testing and red teaming trials, though theres no word yet on when everyday users will be able to try the models for themselves.Editors Recommendations

GoogleIt is match point Google as the tech giant prepares to introduce a new AI Mode for its search engine, which will allow users to transition into an atmosphere that resembles the Gemini AI chatbot interface.According to a report from The Information, Google will add an AI Mode tab to the link options in its search results, where the All, Images, Videos, and Shopping options reside. The AI Mode would make Google search more accessible and intuitive for users, allowing them to ask follow-up questions pertaining to the links in the results via a chatbot text bar, the publication added.Recommended VideosPrior reports from Android Authority uncovered the APK for the AI Mode feature within a beta version of the Google Search mobile app in early December. Notably, in the publications screenshots, the icon for AI Mode is denoted as a magnifying glass with a plus sign. Additionally, 9to5Google previously uncovered that the AI Mode feature would have a speech option, allowing users to input queries with their voice. While Google has not made any comment about the development, the brand is notably in competition with OpenAI, the creator of the ChatGPT chatbot. When OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Search in late October, many noted how Google Search could have its closest rival due to the tools quickly growing popularity.RelatedThird-party researchers indicated that ChatGPT has seen exponential traffic with 3.7 billion visits to its site worldwide, compared to Google Chromes 3.45 billion users. This sparked murmurs of the parent company potentially developing an AI-powered browser to go head-to-head with Google. OpenAI executives have denied that it has a browser in the works. Meanwhile, OpenAI has discussed plans to ramp up AI development efforts to reach a goal of 1 billion ChatGPT users in 2025. The company recently marketed its 12 days of OpenAI where it introduced several AI developments for ChatGPT consumers, enterprise users, and Apple integration, among other interesting announcements.Conversely, pundits note Googles primary development in its search engine has included AI summaries in Google Search. The brand has now begun to introduce support for this feature to several additional markets. So far, the companys AI strategy has appeared to be integrating Googles legacy features into Gemini instead of the other way around.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTiers and pricingFeaturesSupportPrivacy and securityWhich is the best long-term VPN?Surfshark and VPN Unlimited each offer good long-term value on virtual private networks (VPNs). Whether you want a VPN to stream global videos, browse overseas websites like a local, or strengthen your cybersecurity, those needs dont go away at the end of the month.Whileall the best VPNs reward customers who keep using their services, Surfshark and VPN Unlimited have particularly compelling offers when you sign on for a year or more.Recommended VideosSurfsharks annual plan is good but the two-year subscription is the best deal. SurfsharkSince were discussing long-term value, affordable pricing is essential. Surfsharks shortest subscription is expensive. At $15.45 monthly, youd pay more than $185 each year.RelatedFortunately, Surfshark offers much more affordable prices when you pay for one or two years in advance. The annual plan costs $48, and the price drops to $56 if you commit to two-years of service.Surfshark adds four extra months for new subscribers, reducing the average monthly cost to $3 with an annual subscription and just $2 with a two-year plan.Those prices make Surfshark one of the best VPN deals available. However, the four-month bonus is only for new subscribers.VPN Unlimiteds annual subscription rates are reasonable but the lifetime plan offers long-term savings. VPN UnlimitedVPN Unlimited has a surprise in its price structure. You can subscribe monthly for $10, annually for $60, or pay a one-time fee of $200 to get a lifetime subscription and keep using the VPN forever.The equivalent monthly cost for an annual subscription is $5, which is OK but not great. The average cost of VPN Unlimiteds lifetime plan drops every day you use the service.In the first year, your average monthly cost is $16.67 but falls to $5 a third of the way into year four. Since you only pay once, your savings increases over time.If you dont want to pay at all, there are some very good free VPN services with only a few restrictions.Surfshark showed impressive speed when connected to a nearby server. Digital TrendsThe best price in the world means nothing if you get poor speeds and limited features services. Ive reviewed Surfshark and VPN Unlimited so I can share my experience with both to help you decide which has enough performance and options for your needs.I found Surfshark to be the fastest, reaching 728Mbps download speed, which is quite fast for a VPN. My native speed without a VPN is 900Mbps, and most VPNs reduce that by more than half.VPN performance is best when connecting to nearby servers, but Surfshark barely slowed when I chose servers in the U.K., France, and Germany. Download speeds averaged 620Mbps for those locations.My VPN Unlimited connection to a nearby U.S. server was quite fast. Digital TrendsVPN Unlimiteds best speed was a fast 595Mbps for a U.S. server. Overseas connections were significantly slower. I measured 278Mbps for U.K., 205Mbps for France, but only 79Mbps for Germany.While Surfshark was faster worldwide in my testing, download speeds can vary, and VPN Unlimiteds performance was good enough for streaming.Latency was good for both VPNs, around 20 to 40 for local servers, 100+ for European countries, and 200+ for distant locations like Australia. I noticed VPN Unlimited took longer to connect, up to 30 seconds, while Surfshark was ready within five seconds.Both VPNs offer advanced features like kill switches to stop unprotected internet use, split-tunneling to exclude select apps from the VPN for optimal speed, and more.Surfsharks around-the-clock customer service was fast and helpful. Digital TrendsSurfshark offers quick, friendly live chat thats available all day, every day. You start off with a well-informed AI chatbot, but can ask for a human at any time. In my testing, I was immediately connected to a live agent who provided personal assistance.VPN Unlimited offers 24/7 email support. That usually means waiting 24 hours for a reply. However, I got an answer in just six minutes. Thats fast for email, but if theres any back-and-forth required, the minutes add up and take much longer than a live chat.Both VPNs have privacy policies that state none of you personal data is shared or sold to third-party advertisers. Surfsharks no-log policy has been verified by an independent auditor, but VPN Unlimited has not.That could simply be a cost-savings measure, but it leaves some doubt about VPN Unlimiteds claim that your activity isnt logged. With Surfshark, theres a greater assurance of robust privacy.Neither VPN service has suffered security breaches. With the ongoing threat of hackers, a clean record is impressive, and both have done a good job of maintaining good cybersecurity.Surfshark provides quicker connections, faster downloads, unlimited connections, and 24/7 live chat. Its one of thebest VPNs for streaming videosand unblocking global content.VPN Unlimited has the potential to be the most affordable VPN ever. You can use it on five devices simultaneously so you dont need to disconnect before switching between your phone and computer. If you buy the lifetime plan and use it for 17 years, the average monthly cost drops to less than a dollar.However, you have to keep using it for many years to recover your initial investment. VPN Unlimiteds owner, KeepSolid, started in 2013. Theres no reason to expect an established company to disappear, but crowded servers and slowdowns could become an issue if too many people choose the lifetime plan.Youd need to use VPN Unlimiteds $200 lifetime plan for over four years to beat the price of Surfsharks $48 annual subscription and for more than seven years to beat its $56 two-year subscription.Overall, Surfshark is my top pick for the best long-term VPN, but if neither sounds like the right solution, there are plenty more to choose from. Its worth doing some research to find the best VPN for your particular needs.Editors Recommendations

And thats a wrap for production on Stranger Thingsseason 5. Netflix announced that filming for the fifth and final season ofStranger Thingshas been completed.Thats a wrap onStranger Things,the caption reads on the shows X account. See you in 2025. Along with the announcement, numerous behind-the-scenes photos of the cast and crew from season 5 were posted, which you can view below.Recommended VideosThats a wrap on Stranger Things. See you in 2025 pic.twitter.com/29htbnDf7E Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) December 20, 2024Please enable Javascript to view this contentpic.twitter.com/mWwgnuB633 Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) December 20, 2024RelatedStranger Things season 5 will take place in 1987, about a year after the events of the season 4 finale, when the Upside Down invaded Hawkins. On the 2024 edition of Stranger Things Day, Netflix released the titles for the eight episodes in season 5. The titles areThe Crawl, The Vanishing of___,The Turnbow Trap,Sorcerer, Shock Jock,Escape from Camazotz,The Bridge,andThe Rightside Up.The Vanishing of___is the only incomplete title, as the show has not revealed the name of the person who will be disappearing.Stranger Thingsseason 5 ensemble includes Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair, Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman, Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler, and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna.New cast members include Nell Fisher, Alex Breaux, Jake Connelly, and The Terminators Linda Hamilton.Stranger Things premiered in 2016 and instantly became one of Netflixs most popular TV shows. The sci-fi series spawned a stage play and an animated series.Stranger Thingsseason 5 arrives on Netflix in 2025.Editors Recommendations

SonyTable of ContentsTable of ContentsSingle White Female (1992)Mona Lisa Smile (2003)Sweet Dreams (1985)Its almost Christmastime, and now is typically the time for most people to panic. Have all the presents been bought? Has all the work been completed before your break? And if youre part of the McCallister family, did you remember to bring all your children with you when you left for Christmas vacation? (Probably not.)Im here to tell you to chill out. Breathe, relax, and treat yourself to a good movie or two. But why go to the movie theater when you can stay at home and take advantage of your Max subscription? The streamer has hundreds of movies, and the following three are criminally underrated and worth your time.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedSingle White Female (1992) - Clip: Surprise Twins (HD)The early 90s were dominated by erotic thrillers, and one of the best was Single White Female. After catching her boyfriend having an affair with his ex-wife, chic yet vulnerable software designer Allie Jones (Bridget Fonda) kicks him to the curb and places an ad for a single white female roommate to co-habit her ridiculously great New York City apartment. She eventually chooses Hedra Carlson (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a shy, mumbly woman who likes wearing hats and at first helps Allie get over her breakup.Things slowly turn sinister as Hedra becomes possessive, manipulative, and deadly. Soon, Hedra is copying Allie, from her clothes to her crimson bob to even her ex. Who is Hedra, really? Why does she like going to sex clubs at night? And how can Allie detach herself from someone who doesnt want to let go?ColumbiaThe premise has fueled dozens of cheap Lifetime thrillers, but what makes Single White Female special is the stylish direction by Barbet Schroeder (the man loves his blues and grays), the icy, creepy score by Howard Shore, and the terrific performances by Fonda and Leigh. The film ends like a slasher, and while thats disappointing, it doesnt discredit all that came before it. Watch it, and if you have a roommate, keep him or her away from your cute puppy.Single White Female is streaming on Max.MONA LISA SMILE (2003) - Official Movie TrailerIgnore the horrible title Mona Lisa Smile is a peppy middlebrow drama thats practically extinct nowadays, and its more entertaining and surprising than you might think. The story is pure Dead Poets Society hokum, with less poetry and more talk about art. Thats because a new Art History professor, Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts), has arrived to shake things up at the all-female Wellesley College.She finds resistance at first, particularly with Betty Warren (Kirsten Dunst), a snobby senior student who is hellbent on becoming the perfect wife and mother. But through Katherines lectures about art, especially modern artists like Rothko and Pollock, and what it means to her young students, Betty and several others re-think what they want in life.SonyMona Lisa Smile zigs when you expect it to zag, and yes, even though this is a traditional maverick teacher who inspires her students tale, its told with efficiency and intelligence. Roberts is solid as the vaguely bohemian professor, and Dunst is deliciously nasty as Betty. Look for a fresh-faced and bespectacled Ebon Moss-Bachrach as a geeky suitor and cherish Marcia Gay Hardens specific performance as a helpful spinster who is set in her ways.Mona Lisa Smile is streaming on Max.1985 Sweet Dreams Official Trailer 1 TriStar PicturesMusic biopics are back in style again. Earlier this year, Bob Marley: One Love was a winter hit, and soon, well get the Bob Dylan movie A Complete Unknown with Timothe Chalamet, Elle Fanning, and Edward Norton. But the genre has always been popular with audiences and critics alike, and one of the better ones is Karl Reiszs Sweet Dreams, which chronicles the short life of country singer Patsy Cline.Jessica Lange plays Cline, and you can see why she was nominated for an Academy Award in 1986. She breathes vital life into the singer, and doesnt make her an untouchable icon like others do in the genre. (Im not naming names.) Her Patsy is moody, disagreeable, and tempestuous; thats especially true whenever shes in the same room with Charlie Dick (Ed Harris), who would eventually become her husband. Harris is just as good as Lange, and the two share a dynamite chemistry that sells you on their bond.TriStarThe ending is, of course, inevitable, but no less shattering. Sweet Dreams makes you feel the full weight of what Charlie, and by extension us, all lost when Cline passed away, but it also makes you appreciate the music she left behind. Thats the mark and measure of not only a great artist but a great musical biopic as well. (Do yourself a favor and listen to Clines great Sweet Dreams song. It still casts a woozy spell.)Sweet Dreams is streaming on Max.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTesting the testIn the labApple made waves when it announced that its AirPods Pro 2, when combined with iOS 18.1, could fulfill the role of OTC hearing aids. Given that OTC hearing aids can often run as much as $1,500, it seemed too good to be true that the same hearing benefits could be had for just $249 or less. Better yet, given the popularity of Apples wireless earbuds, theres an excellent chance that those who could benefit already own them (if you live in a country where Apples hearing aid feature has been approved).So how good are the AirPods Pro 2 as OTC hearing aids?Recommended VideosTo find out, I looked at two key performance criteria: the accuracy of Apples software-driven hearing test, and their ability to provide speech enhancement.RelatedTypically, prescription hearing aids are provided by a licensed audiologist. Before you get them, the audiologist will test your hearing using professionally calibrated instruments in a sound-proof booth. The results, known as an audiogram, are used to customize the hearing aids for you. At-home OTC hearing aids perform a similar test via software, and rely on the user to find a suitably quiet location.Related:How to take the AirPods Pro 2 hearing testMy maternal grandfather struggled with hearing after he turned 60, and my father has moderate hearing loss in one ear. With that kind of family history, I get my hearing professionally checked annually to monitor my own health.Heres how Apples audiogram of my hearing (December 2024) compares to my most recent audiologist exam (October 2024).While the Apple audiogram slightly overestimated my high-frequency loss (possibly because my test environment wasnt quiet enough), it accurately measured my sensitivity across other frequencies, including the slight differences between my left and right ears.I shared the Apple result with my audiologist, and she agreed that it looked fairly accurate, exceeding her expectations for an at-home test.HearAdvisorIn an ideal world, wed evaluate the AirPods Pro 2s speech enhancement using both qualitative results (gathered from peoples real-world assessments) and quantitative results (lab-based testing).Unfortunately, I wasnt able to gather qualitative data, but I did get in touch with HearAdvisor, an independent hearing aid testing company. HearAdvisor has lab-tested a variety of OTC and prescription hearing aid models, including the AirPods Pro 2, and maintains a published list of the best products.For OTC products, the testing methodology evaluates devices based on five major criteria using the initial settings created by the software-based hearing test. When possible, those settings are professionally tuned and the tests are repeated to see if theres a difference in the results.The AirPods Pro 2 received a B grade, placing them in the second tier of HearAdvisors rankings. While that doesnt seem especially noteworthy, the tests revealed a substantial difference between the initial and tuned results. Speech in quiet and speech in noise arguably the most important criteria for any hearing aids both increased by more than double (111% and 225%, respectively) after being tuned.This suggests that while Apples audiogram generation may be accurate, the companys tuning undercuts the potential of the AirPods Pro 2 to deliver the best hearing enhancement.Why would Apple do this, when presumably it has access to the same (or better) assessment technology as HearAdvisor? They may do this because new hearing aid users often prefer less-than-prescribed gain (probably to preserve naturalness, at the cost of intelligibility), HearAdvisor scientific adviser Andrew Sabin told me.Curiously, the current king of the OTC hearing aid hill according to HearAdvisors tests is Sonys CRE-E10, with an A grade, and a perfect 5/5 overall score for both their initial and tuned results. Still, the CRE-E10 sell for between $898 and $1,199 (260%-480% more than the AirPods Pro 2) and yet they dont deliver similarly large increases in performance.The CRE-E10 proved 18.4% better than the AirPods Pro 2 in speech in quiet, and 73% better in speech in noise. Arguably, this makes the AirPods Pro 2 an excellent value, and a great way to experiment with hearing enhancement if youre on the fence. Even if you end up turning the feature off, youre still getting a very good set of wireless noise-canceling earbuds for music and phone calls.Editors Recommendations

If youre struggling to come up with last-minute gift ideas, an Amazon Fire TV Stick makes for a great stocking stuffer, and it wont break the bank. And while these streaming devices are pretty cheap, to begin with, the following offer makes buying one all the more appealing:For a limited time, when you purchase the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K through Amazon or Best Buy, youll only pay $28. At full price, this model sells for $50. We tested this tried and true streamer all the way back in 2020, and reviewer Ryan Waniata said, Amazons Fire TV Stick 4K offers killer features at a great price.With its simple plug-and-play connectivity, intuitive controls, and fast performance, the Fire TV Stick 4K gives you access to a massive library of streaming apps, including popular platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support also means your favorite movies and shows get a significant boost in brightness and colors when streamed through your Fire TV Stick 4K (must be paired with an HDR-compatible TV).RelatedWhen it comes to voice activation, the included Alexa Voice Remote lets you summon the Amazon companion just by pressing the mic button. Youll be able to use Alexa to search for content to watch, check up on Amazon orders, control smart home devices, and more. Other noteworthy features include Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Atmos support. Wed love to say this sale is going to last until the new year, but that may not be the case.Thats why you should consider buying today if this sounds like a good deal to you. Take $22 off the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K when you order through Amazon or Best Buy. You may also want to check out our lists of the best TV deals, best Amazon deals, and our roundup of top Best Buy deals.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHe has a powerful weaponPair of acesAnother poor victimMore so than any other entertainment franchise, the James Bond movie series is the most uneven, bouncing from remarkable highs to absurdly embarrassing lows. For every On Her Majestys Secret Service, theres aMoonraker, and for everyCasino Royale, theres aQuantum of Solace. I wouldnt go as far as to call the 007 series the most inconsistent franchise out there, but its undeniable that its not exactly trustworthy. Whereas other franchises let you know what you can expect from them every Transformers is awful, every Mission: Impossible is spectacular, the MCU is, well, the MCU 007 keeps you on your toes, unsure if youll get a banger or a turd.The Man with the Golden Gun | 1974 | Theatrical TrailerGenerally, we know what those turds are. Bond has produced 25 movies, and about five or six are simply terrible. However, one in particular stands out as the epitome of the elusive so-bad-its-good-genre:The Man with the Golden Gun. Released on December 20, 1974, the film is perhaps the single-most bizarre Bond movie ever, a confused mess of ideas, tones, and performances that cant quite commit to the campy fun of other entries, yet cant be taken seriously either. The Man with the Golden Gun is a particular kind of bad its truly terrible, but weirdly enjoyable. On its 50th anniversary, its a great time to look back on this gem of bad taste and wonder if it really is as middling as we remember (spoiler: yes, it is).Recommended VideosUnited ArtistsThe Man with the Golden Gun was Roger Moores second movie as James Bond, following the equally puzzling, but far more consistent Live and Let Die. The film abandons the more grounded approach of its predecessor an outright Blaxploitation tale that remains the biggest outlier in the sagas 25 movies in favor of a classic spy story that sees Bond back in familiar territory. The plot follows Bond as he aims to retrieve the Solex Agitator, a new technology meant to fix the worlds energy shortages. However, his task is complicated when the infamous and deadly assassin Francisco Scaramanga (Sir Christopher Lee) becomes involved, starting a game of cat and mouse between the rivals.RelatedAt first glance,The Man with the Golden Gun offers the standard Bond schtick. Theres a valuable item to recover, a deadly villain in pursuit, and a few beautiful women who cross paths with Bond. However, all these elements are even lazier here the Solex Agitator hardly works as a MacGuffin; its more an idea than an actual item, and Bond is barely interested in it. The Man with the Golden Gun also has the misfortune of having one of the worst Bond Girls ever, Britt Eklands Mary Goodnight. Now, the Bond Girl is not exactly a model for three-dimensional depictions, particularly during the early decades of the Bond saga, but Goodnight is a particularly ineffective and embarrassing example. For lack of a better word, Goodnight is quite stupid, a stereotypical dumb blonde whose incompetence increases from scene to scene.United ArtistsLike most other Bond movies of this time, The Man with the Golden Gun is full of unfunny and sometimes offensive double-entendres one of the Asian women is called Chew Mee, get it? All these details amount to a truly ugly movie that is never as funny or as thrilling as it wants to be. In fact, The Man with the Golden Gun is quite boring at several points, especially whenever Bond is on-screen.No disrespect to Sir Roger Moore, but it really must be said: hes among the weakest aspects of this movie, and his bizarre blend of transatlantic accent and Kentucky drawl can get a little grating at times. All this considered, one would think this is the worst Bond movie ever, and it comes close, too! However, it has one saving grace that not only rescues it from mediocrity, but actually elevates it to turn it into something enjoyable against all odds well, two saving graces, actually.MGMAs its often mentioned, the real star ofThe Man with the Golden Gun is the titular character. Played to perfection by Sir Christopher Lee, Francisco Scaramanga is in close contention with No, Blofeld, Silva, and Le Chiffre as one of the best villains in the 007 saga. World-renowned for his imposing presence and deep, booming voice, Lee effortlessly dominates every scene hes in, bringing charm and flair to a film that often goes for both, only to fall flat in its face. The Hammer Horror icon embodies all the debonair sophistication one would expect from Bond, further making poor Moore feel like an outlier in his own movie. Its hard to stand next to Lee and try to out-suave him; he was one of those men who made all others seem, if not lesser, then certainly more plain.Joining Lee is Herv Villechaize as Scaramangas henchman, Nick Nack. In the grand tradition of other Bond henchmen, Nick Nack is as scene-stealing as Scaramanga himself, and Villechaize makes the best of every scene. The duo perfectly balances each other; whereas Lee opts for chilling and devastatingly charming restraint, Villechaize is openly chewing scenery left and right. The two inject this lifeless movie with a jolt of electricity that not only revitalizes it, but actually sends it into overdrive, making up for how dull everyone else is.United ArtistsContemporary and modern critics often agree that Lee outright stole the film from Moore, and its hard to disagree. Whenever they share the screen, Lee is such an overwhelming magnet that its nearly impossible for anyone else to compete. Villains outshining the heroes is not uncommon, and the Bond franchise is familiar with the trope Javier Bardem pretty much chews and spits Craig in Skyfall, for example. ButThe Man with the Golden Gun is unique in that the plot is just as much about Scaramanga as it is about Bond, to the point where Bond often seems like the antagonist in Scaramangas story rather than the other way around. For that novel approach alone, The Man with the Golden Gun deserves some respect.MGMFifty years later, its clear that The Man with the Golden Gun suffered from the same growing pains as Live and Let Die. The 007 franchise was going through a crisis of identity, trying to keep up with the new trends of the 70s while attempting to escape from Sean Connerys looming shadow. Overall, Moores tenure as the spy with a license to kill is quite inconsistent, but his first two efforts are perhaps the most puzzling.And yet, its hard to faultThe Man with the Golden Gun, largely because of how great Lee is as the titular character. This film lives and dies with Lees now-iconic performance, and whenever hes on-screen, it roars with style and appeal; even the jokes land! Sure, its not great that James Bond is the least interesting aspect of a James Bond movie, but what are you going to do? The Man with the Golden Gun is not a good movie: the plot is weak and repetitive, the heroes are frustrating, and even the song is notoriously terrible and borderline silly. But leave it to Christopher Lee, the real-life James Bond, to save this film and make it sing and, occasionally, soar. What a gift he was to cinema, and what a joy it is to watch him in The Man with the Golden Gun, perhaps the only Bond movie where youre actively rooting for the villain to win.The Man with the Golden Gun is available to stream on PlutoTV.Editors Recommendations

Happy holidays! Sling TV got you a present, and its a $6-per-month price increase. As we reported last month, today marks the beginning of the new pricing for all of Slings packages Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and the combo Sling Orange and Blue package. Costs per month for the three packages are now $46, $51, and $66, respectively, with half off your first month.Sling attributes the increase to rising costs of programming well above the price of inflation. It also points out these increases are industry wide and Sling continues to be the most affordable option with offerings more than $20 less per month versus other providers. Its worth noting that Sling has been adding features throughout 2024, including 4K streaming of major sporting events such as the MLB All-Star Game, postseason, and World Series, the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and the U.S. Open in select major markets.Recommended VideosStill, a price increase is sometimes more than we want to deal with, especially during the holiday season. There are other options for streaming live TV, and if you do want to make the switch, we can show you how to cancel your Sling TV subscription.Please enable Javascript to view this contentIt also might be worth re-evaluating if the Sling TV package youre currently subscribed to is the best Sling TV package for you. The Orange and Blue packages offer a different selection of channels, with Sling Orange including ESPN, ESPN, and ESPN 3 making it a better fit for sports fans, while Sling Blue will deliver your news fix from MSNBC, HLN, and Fox News.Editors Recommendations

With the introduction of the new OG mode, Fortnite has brought back the traditional Battle Royale gameplay. This mode returns players to the island they were on during the first season of Chapter 1. Not only has the island been brought back but the original art style, loot pool, weapon sounds, and even some of the original techniques that players use to win the coveted Victory Royale battle also returned.One of the most well-known broken tricks that gave rise to a powerful meta in the early days of Fortnite was the Double Pump. Despite the fact that the game still allows you to Rocket Ride your buddies toward an adversary and perform one-shot sniper kills, the most popular option remains the OG Double Pump.Recommended VideosOn the other hand, if you are new to Fortnite and are not aware of how to make use of the Double Pump meta, we have you covered right here with a detailed explanation of how to utilize it in the OG game mode.RelatedEpic GamesTo kick things off, if you want to master the Double Pump technique, your first step is to track down two Pump Shotguns in Fortnite OG mode. Finding them isnt too challenging, as you can easily snag a common-rarity shotgun from a loot chest or floor loot on the Chapter 1, Season 1 island to execute the current meta.Now that youve secured two Pump Shotguns in your inventory, its time to strategically place them side by side in your slots. After stacking them up, take a shot with the first shotgun, then quickly switch to the next slot for the second shotgun and fire away. Next, return to the previous slot where the first shotgun is placed and take a shot using that. Keep running this loop until you achieve a rapid-fire sequence of two shotguns blasting away in perfect harmony.For PC players, utilizing the scroll wheel on your mouse is a smart move to swiftly toggle between the two shotguns positioned side by side. Console gamers can take advantage of the L1-R1 or LB-RB button combos for seamless transitions.While it may take a few attempts to master, we recommend honing your skills in a Creative map or a public non-ranked Fortnite OG lobby. Once youve got the hang of it, youll be effortlessly dishing out 200 damage with a Double Pump, taking down foes in the blink of an eye.You can also check out our weapons tier list, which has the best recommended loadout you need to dominate lobbies in Fortnite OG Chapter 1, Season 1 game mode.Editors Recommendations

I suspected to see some new handheld gaming PCs this year at CES, but it looks like something even more exciting is in store. AMD and Lenovo are hosting an event during the week of the show, and itll have two special guests in attendance: Valves Pierre-Loup Griffais and Microsofts Jason Ronald.Ill be attending the event on January 7, about which Sean Hollister over at The Verge initially shared out the details. There are a couple of reasons why this event could be significant. First, Valve. Since the launch of the Asus ROG Ally, there have been a handful of these types of events featuring spokespeople from AMD, Microsoft, and the company making a handheld Lenovo or Asus. Valve hasnt ever been in attendance, and considering Valve makes the Linux-based Steam Deck, it would be odd for the company to have a presence.Recommended VideosLike most Valve employees, Pierre-Loup Griffais wears a lot of hats, but hes been focused on the Steam Deck for a while. In fact, hes one of the people I spoke to about the origins of Proton in the Steam Deck. The Lenovo Legion Go is a Windows-based handheld, so the fact that Griffais will be in attendance says quite a lot.Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming That brings us to the second interesting detail. A couple of weeks ago, Valve updated its branding guidelines with a handful of logos that say Powered by SteamOS. Alongside this, Even Blass leaked various images of a black Lenovo handheld with a button showing the Steam logo. Valve has been clear that its working to bring SteamOS to other handheld devices, and this convolution of different factors paints a pretty clear picture of whats coming.Evan Blass / XIts not confirmed, but its just about as close to a confirmation as were going to get before January 7.RelatedId stop short of calling this the Steam Deck 2, however. Valve says its working on a Steam Deck 2, and itll make one whenever theres a big upgrade in performance available. There are still reasons to get excited about this handheld, though. The Lenovo Legion Go uses the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, which is more powerful than the chip inside of both the Steam Deck and the Steam Deck OLED. In addition, AMD confirmed that its next-gen Ryzen Z2 Extreme will arrive early next year.Its impossible to say right now what this mystery handheld will be packing, but either way, itll be more powerful than the Steam Deck. Add on top of that the lightweight performance of SteamOS, and the true wizardry of Proton, and we might have a very compelling handheld.Thankfully, its just a few shorts weeks before we know for sure. Ill be at the event, and Lenovo is promising an opportunity to play with the latest Lenovo Legion Go lineup. You can bet Ill be shouldering my way through the crowd to see whatever device is there in person.Editors Recommendations

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim has been part of the rumor mill for a while now. If youve missed it, heres what you need to know: It almost certainly does exist, and its expected to launch sometime during the middle of 2025, instead of next month like the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup. And now, we have a better idea of just how thin this phone might actually be.Well-known tipster Ice Universe shared the information on Weibo, stating that its thickness may be 6.x mm. In other words, the leaker isnt sure of the exact thickness, but expects it to fall between 6mm and 6.9mm.Recommended VideosThe thinnest model of a Galaxy phone currently available is the Galaxy S24, coming in at 7.6mm thick. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus also come in at that same thickness. Even if the S25 Slim is only 6.9mm thick, thats still a significant decrease over whats currently available.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsIt wouldnt be Samsungs first attempt at a slender phone, either. Back in 2015, Samsung launched the Galaxy A8, a handset that was just 5.9mm thick. It remains one of the thinnest Samsung phones ever created, and while we expect the S25 Slim to be small, we dont expect it to be that small.Please enable Javascript to view this contentFor comparison, the Apple iPhone 16 is 7.8mm thick, while the Google Pixel 9 comes in at 8.5mm. The Galaxy S25 lineup already looks to be thinner than much of the competition.RelatedAnd as far as the thinnest phone goes, that honor falls to the Honor Magic V3. This folding handset measures only 9.2mm when closed an already impressive size but is just 4.4mm when opened. For reference, thats less than two-tenths of an inch.How much of a practical benefit will come from the Galaxy S25 Slims thin design remains to be seen. However, assuming this latest leak is accurate, itll certainly be an impressive technical feat, if nothing else.Editors Recommendations

Google Photos for Android is introducing a new feature that simplifies photo editing right before sharing. A tipster from Android Authority first reported this tool.The new Quick Edit tool lets users easily enhance or crop individual photos before sharing them. It features an Enhance button, which functions similarly to the Enhance effect in the standard photo editing options. Additionally, a crop button is similar to the one in the regular photo editor. When multiple photos are selected before hitting the share button, the typical share sheet appears instead of the new Quick Edit screen.Recommended VideosSimple, one-click photo enhancement tools in Google Photos are not new. At least four different options are currently available. The Enhance tool automatically analyzes your photo and adjusts the brightness, contrast, and color. Additionally, Suggested Edits may appear, providing personalized recommendations such as cropping or rotating that can be applied with just one click.Android AuthorityYou can also apply various filters instantly to change the mood and style of your image. Basic adjustments like Crop and Rotate are available with a single click, offering presets for common aspect ratios.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe tipster says the new Quick Edit tool works on his Pixel 6 Pro running version 7.10.0 of the Google Photos app. Interestingly, my Pixel 9 Pro XL is running Google Photos 7.11.0, and I dont see the new feature, so perhaps its being rolled out to Android devices on a rolling basis.RelatedGoogle Photos is accessible on various devices. In addition to Android, the Google Photos app can be found in the App Store for iPhone and iPad. It is also available on the web.Editors Recommendations

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Hisense has a little pre-CES 2025 teaser for us, and it looks like the company is taking a page from Sonys home theater playbook. The new Hisense HT Saturn is a 4.1.2 Dolby Atmos wireless home theater system with four speakers and a single subwoofer, which uses a small HDMI ARC/eARC breakout box as a transmitter a similar configuration to Sonys Bravia Theater Quad.Hisense hasnt released pricing or availability for the HT Saturn yet.HisenseHisense has equipped the Dolby Atmos soundbar alternative with two features that should make it especially appealing to some Hisense TV owners: an automatic room calibration system that gives you flexibility of placement for the speakers, and in another move that mimics the Bravia Theater Quads S-center channel tech, Hisenses Hi-Concerto feature lets a Hisense TVs speakers share the audio duties with the wireless speakers.Recommended VideosThese features only work with some Hisense TVs, but we havent received an official list of the compatible models.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe system itself is compatible, however, with any TV that has an HDMI ARC/eARC or optical output (it also works with Bluetooth), but as with Hisenses other soundbar offerings, youll be able to control and configure the HT Saturn using a Hisense TV remote, once again making the system feel much more integrated for Hisense TV owners.RelatedThe system also works with DTS:X and has a total of 13 speakers. Hisense hasnt given us a breakdown of the kinds and sizes of drivers, other than the 6.5-inch subwoofer. It can be tuned using one of five available EQ modes, including presets for movies, music, sports, and more.Hisense hasnt said if, like the Bravia Theater Quad, the transmitter box includes an HDMI input(s) to offset the HDMI port that the system will occupy on your TV.Our first chance to see and hear the HT Saturn will be at CES 2025, where we also expect to see Hisenses latest TVs, laser TVs, and other audio and video products.Editors Recommendations

MGMTable of ContentsTable of Contents10. Quantum of Solace (2008)9. Road to Perdition (2002)8. Logan Lucky (2017)7. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)6. Skyfall (2012)5. Layer Cake (2004)4. Munich (2005)3. Knives Out (2019)2. Casino Royale (2006)1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)This month, Daniel Craig earned the best reviews of his career for Luca Guadagninos acclaimed drama Queer. But the veteran English actor has always had an interesting career, from his early roles in The Power of One and Tales from the Crypt to his more recent films like the Knives Out mysteries. A reconsideration of his filmography is, therefore, expected and warranted not dismissing his revolutionary 15 years as James Bond but putting them in the context of the variegated career out of which they sprang. So prep those martinis (shaken or stirred) and sharpen those knives as here are the 10 best Daniel Craig films.Recommended VideosMGMRegarded as a disappointment at the time of its release, Quantum of Solace, Craigs second outing as James Bond, is easily the third-strongest of his Bond pictures.RelatedTheres a distinct, hazy visual style thanks to director Marc Forster (the youngest helmer in the franchises history), a killer spycrafty set piece at an ultra-modern opera house, and the always-excellent Gemma Arterton as a secondary Bond girl named, in the classic tradition of the franchise, Strawberry Fields. Her murder by being covered in crude oil (sure, why not?) brings to mind a parallel sequence from Goldfinger (1964), another of the films nods to Bonds past.DreamWorksCraig and Tom Hanks both play against type Hanks as an as amoral Chicago mobster, Craig as his bosss neer-do-well son in Sam Mendess adaptation of the 1998 graphic novel Road to Perdition. With its stark blacks and whites and eerie static shots, it anticipates Zack Snyders more self-consciously comic-book-adjacent films of the middle 2000s.This one is of interest as a necessary precursor to Mendes and Craigs later collaborations on Skyfall and Spectre, as Paul Newmans last on-screen role, and as a showcase for Craig in his early days as a character actor/heavy. Craig, as Connor, a mobsters son no one has any particular interest in keeping alive, makes use of the highly questionable American accent hed later supplant with his Benoit Blanc Foghorn Leghorn drawl.Bleeker StreetIn the sixth of Stephen Soderberghs (thus far) seven heist movies (the guy just loves heists!), the thickheaded robbers are yokel brothers Jimmy (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver), the target is the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Craig is the demolitions expert who blows a hole in its vault.The film, Soderberghs first since his short-lived retirement in 2012, may ultimately have a bit too much on its mind. But its still a candy-colored carousel of outrageous cameos and Bible Belt-isms, a working-class Oceans Eleven (or, as its winkingly referred to in the film, Oceans Seven-Eleven).Paramount PicturesAn utterly bizarre relic of early 2010s culture, The Adventures of Tintin was meant to be the first in a long-running animated franchise co-spearheaded by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. That no sequel has since appeared is perhaps thanks to its conspicuous use of the now-archaic motion-capture technology pioneered by Robert Zemeckis in the early 2000s, or Spielbergs schedule, or Jacksons (utterly superfluous Hobbit sequels wont make themselves).But its not for lack of charm on the part of this light-stepping lark of an adventure pic, nor for lack of a memorable villain, as Craig plays the malevolent treasure hunter Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine, surely the only man in history thus named with a British accent.Is it, as has been suggested, the best Bond movie ever? Absolutely not its not even Craigs best Bond film ever (see below). But Skyfall is an action extravaganza that also manages to be a reckoning with mortality and its own franchises mythos, a subtle retelling of The Odyssey, and the mantelpiece for what is unequivocally the best Bond theme ever. (Adeles Skyfall tune is so good that it managed through pure residual staying power to win Oscars not just for itself but also for Sam Smiths and Billie Eilishs textureless and odorless themes for the next two Bond films.)Sony Pictures ClassicsThe directorial debut of future Kingsman doyenne Matthew Vaughn, Layer Cake is a conscious throwback to an all-too-brief era of British crime films that was already over by the time of its release. (Im referring to dialectically incomprehensible bits of scenery-chewing and gunplay like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and Sexy Beast, the former two also produced by Vaughn.)Craigs a gangster and drug dealer, name never revealed, who makes his way through an ensemble of British heavy hitters including but not limited to Michael Gambon, Ben Whishaw, Tom Hardy (eons before Venom: The Last Dance), Sally Hawkins, and Sienna Miller Miller at her best in the femme fatale/damsel in distress blend shed come to perfect. Often credited as the deciding factor in Craigs Bond casting, this fleet crime drama is a delectable mishmash of high and low, the alleyway and the country club.Universal PicturesCraig came to Steven Spielbergs Tintin through this earlier collaboration, the story of a Mossad-sponsored team of freelancers hunting down those responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Munich ranks high among Spielbergs historical dramas thanks to its star-studded (if dubiously Jewish) team of Craig, Eric Bana, Ciarn Hinds, and Geoffrey Rush.As a South African Jewish driver for the team of agents, Craig embodies the surging moral motivation for the crusade but also the ambiguity in an officially unaffiliated team of killers taking out radicals around the world.Lionsgate FilmsThe new film characters strong enough to carry a franchise that have been created in the past decade can be counted on the fingers of one hand actually, now that I think about it, on one finger.That honor goes to Benoit Blanc, the consulting detective with the high-camp southern accent and the proclivity for Stephen Sondheim, who debuted in Rian Johnsons excellent 2019 whodunit Knives Out and was played by whats this! James Bond himself, seeking an escape from a straitjacketing identification with a single character. As Blanc jump-started an ongoing Netflix franchise that looks likely to go on for years, perhaps it was a mixed blessing.MGMBond was, simply, never better, not in the 60s and not since, than in Craigs muscular debut in Casino Royale, the latest and perhaps last Bond film to be explicitly adapted from an Ian Fleming novel (of the same name).Yes, this Bond is grittier, yes, hes a street brawler with a face that looks as if its taken one too many punches, and yes, hes blond, but Bond himself matters less in these movies than the sumptuous plots and circumstances with which the filmmakers manage to surround him. Casino Royale, set in the world of high-stakes gambling and featuring both an all-time Bond girl (Eva Green) and an all-time baddie (Mads Mikkelsen), gives the character stakes and heart and humanity but never ceases to be pure red-meat fun.SonyMiles better than its Swedish-language adaptation from 2009, director David Finchers take on the 2005 Swedish mystery novel by Stieg Larsson is as maneuverable and sinuous as its protagonist, hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). Craigs crusading journalist is manifestly in over his head in this story of serial murders linked by eerie familial connections.But Craig himself is magisterially brooding and plays off Mara with aplomb. That the film never spawned the franchise it deserved itself can likely be blamed on Bond. But then, so can everything.Editors Recommendations

Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, has just announced his selection for best smartphone of 2024 and, no, its not an iPhone.In a new video that dropped for his 19.7 million followers on Thursday, Brownlee began by giving a shout-out to some of his top selections in the smartphone space, saving his top choice until the very end.Recommended VideosMy philosophy here is, Im rewarding overall greatness, the YouTuber said while sitting at a table laden with smartphone releases from the last 12 months.Please enable Javascript to view this contentRunners-up included the Vivo X200 Pro for being in the got it all territory its got the awesome, super bright screen, its got the great chipset, its got these incredible cameras and that shooting experience, great battery life, superfast charging, he said. What it doesnt have is maybe just the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip at this point, although it does have a pretty great MediaTek chip thats no slouch.RelatedBrownlee also singled out Googles Pixel 9 Pro Fold for being such a big comeback story for the Pixel Fold series and being such a good phone.The base iPhone 16 not the Pro version also caught the YouTubers attention for being the most complete base iPhone ever made, adding that this was a really good year for not spending $1,500 on an iPhone.Before announcing his winner, he also gave a nod to his current daily driver, the Googles Pixel 9 Pro XL. I use the XL over the smaller one just because of the extra battery life, Brownlee said.So, with those phones out of the way, can you guess which device he announced as the best smartphone of 2024?Drumroll, please! The winner is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.This phone is just so good at everything, literally everything, Brownlee said. He loves it for its great screen, a great chip a great battery, great cameras, great software, great support, great durability, even the anti-reflective coding on the screen is way above average. Even the vibration motor is good, even the speakers are good. Yes, he really likes the Galaxy S24 Ultra.The YouTuber added that over the last seven or so years of reviewing smartphones, this is the phone that hes returned to more than any other after reviewing a handset.However, he added that the selection might be the most boring choice here, in part because the phones design hasnt changed since the Galaxy S22 Ultra.In its own review of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Digital Trends called it the best Ultra ever, noting that its not a refreshed design that makes a true upgrade, its new features, new technology, and lifestyle-enhancing alterations and, as Brownlee would agree, it clearly delivers on these points.Editors Recommendations

Artemis II Core Stage Moves to High Bay 2Although it wont be blasting off until mid-2026 at the earliest, preparations are already well underway for the launch of NASAs highly anticipated Artemis II mission.Recommended VideosThe endeavor will involve the Orion spacecraft carrying its first-ever crew toward the moon after being launched by NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The Orion will come within 80 miles of the lunar surface before circling the moon and returning home.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThis week, NASA shared a time-lapse video (top) showing the rockets 212-foot-tall core stage being moved from a horizontal position to an upright position in High Bay 2 at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.RelatedWith the move to High Bay 2, NASA and Boeing technicians now have 360-degree access to the core stage both internally and externally, the space agency said in a comment accompanying the video.The core stage of NASAs SLS rocket inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAThe core stage of NASAs SLS rocket is a key component of the vehicle as its the main booster of three that propels the rocket and spacecraft or whatever other payload it might be carrying into space. It plays a critical role in supporting the entire structure of the SLS rocket, carrying the weight of both the payload and the upper stages, while also housing avionics systems that control flight operations.The core creates around 1.6 million pounds of thrust at launch, while its two side boosters generate around 3.6 million pounds of thrust, creating a total thrust of about 8.8 million pounds. This makes it one of the worlds most powerful rockets, though its significantly less powerful than SpaceXs Starship rocket, which generates a colossal 17 million pounds of thrust when it leaves the launchpad.NASAs SLS rocket has flown only once to date, in the Artemis I mission in 2022 that was essentially an uncrewed rehearsal for the upcoming Artemis II mission.The SLS is at the center of NASAs Artemis program, and following a successful Artemis II mission will carry a crew to lunar orbit, after which theyll transfer to a SpaceX Starship spacecraft for the first visit by NASA astronauts to the surface of the moon since 1972. The mission, Artemis III, had been targeting 2026 but was recently pushed by NASA to no earlier than 2027.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHow QuickBooks can help you with your small businessWho should use QuickBooks?Right now, you can save 50% on QuickBooks Online. That means, instead of $35 per month, youll pay $17.50 per month for the first three months of service. The powerful accounting software from Intuit can streamline your small business financial tasks. If you dont have an accountant or bookkeeper on retainer, its your next best thing to use for invoicing, expense tracking, and tax prepjust to name a few. The platform, which is available in desktop or cloud-based versions, can also help you get organized while assessing where your business stands. No shoebox of receipts and spreadsheets that require manual upkeep required!How QuickBooks can help you with your small businessIf you havent used QuickBooks yet, here are the different ways it can enhance your business operations:Bookkeeping: QuickBooks can automate many of the manual processes involved in bookkeeping (like recording transactions, categorizing expenses, and reconciling accounts).Tracking Cash Flow: The software offers real-time tracking of income and expenses, so you can monitor your cash flow as if you have a finance team on staff. You can also connect your bank accounts and credit cards directly to QuickBooks so transactions can be logged automatically (and accurately!). It can also provide financial reports (such as profit and loss statements).Invoicing: QuickBooks allows you to create and send invoices and estimates to clients, partners, and customers. It can also track payments, so you can follow up with customers if they need a nudge.Handling Payroll and Taxes: The payroll feature on QuickBooks simplifies paying employees and contractors, calculating wages, and filing taxes. Compliance and tax regulations are woven through the platform, so you can accurately calculate, collect, and file sales tax when the time comes. to use QuickBooks if you need the above accounted for in your business operations. In addition to the tasks it can perform, you can also use the reports and insights it provides to make informed decisions.RelatedWho should use QuickBooks?If you have your own small business and need to streamline accounting tasks but dont have the skill set to do it or a budget to hire an accountant, QuickBooks is a great solution for your financial needs.Freelancers, consultants, and entrepreneurs who work on their own can also find a lot of use for QuickBooks.And overall, whether youre operating a small business or working a solo contributor, if you want to stay compliant with tax laws and get ahead of the game come tax season, a comprehensive tool like QuickBooks can be beneficial.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThis is a serious threatExpensive is not always goodJust over a year ago, a study published in the Advances in Infectious Diseases journal detailed that 95% of the wearable straps for smartwatches and fitness bands were infected with different kinds of harmful bacteria.Now, another research published in a reputed journal has revealed an even more sinister trend in straps sold for wrist-worn smart wearables. The paper, published in the ACS Environmental Science & Technology Letters, highlights the presence of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in fluoroelastomer bands offered by various top brands.Recommended VideosThe bands tested as part of the chemical analysis include those offered by big names like Google, Samsung, Apple, Fitbit, and CASETiFY. Interestingly, Samsung and Apple both sell watch bands made out of fluoroelastomers, the core problematic chemical at the center of the research, and even mention its benefits on their websites.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe research paper raises concern about the very high concentration of PFHxA that can be readily extracted from the surfaces of watch bands made from fluoroelastomers. The more worrisome part is that people wear these smart devices for more than daytime activities.RelatedNOTE: The American Chemical Society (ACS) provided Digital Trends with a copy of the research paper and the supporting information covering the test protocol and analysis methodology for their assessment.As features like sleep-quality monitoring and sleep apnea detection enter the mainstream, people are supposed to wear them even while sleeping. Wearing these items for more than 12 hours per day poses an opportunity for significant transfer to the dermis and subsequent human exposure, surmises the research team.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsThe research highlights how multiple straps were advertised to sports and fitness enthusiasts, which means they are worn during exercise. It could lead to increased sweat contact and open skin pores.Apple, Samsung, and Google sell bands made out of fluoroelastomers.Thats concerning because related research suggests that a staggering 50% of PFHxA exposure is absorbed through the skin, and over a third enters the bloodstream. One study reported PFHxA was the third highest PFAS concentration measured in whole blood samples, says the research team.PFHxAs fall in a particularly dangerous class of chemicals known as forever chemicals, and have gained the infamous name because they persist and avoid the regular cycle of environmental breakdown. Whats worrisome is that their detrimental impact is yet to be explored fully.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsA frequent presence in everything from cosmetics and cookware to clothing and electronics, they have been used for decades in consumer as well as industrial items, particularly owing to their resilience against heat, water, oil, and grease exposure. However, in recent years, their destructive impact has gained widespread recognition.A significant percentage could pass through human skin under normal conditions.Forever chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health issues, including cancer, and their presence has been documented in potable water supplies, soil, and even food items. As per the United States Environmental Protection Agency, PFHxA is one of the breakdown outcomes of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).Apple sells watch bands made out of fluoroelastomers. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsAs part of the research, the team focused on fluoroelastomers, which are essentially a class of synthetic rubbers made from PFAS, looking for the presence of fluorine and over a dozen other harmful chemicals. Interestingly, the more expensive bands exhibited a stronger presence of harmful chemicals than the cheaper ones.Of the 22 bands and straps analyzed by the team, all the fluoroelastomer bands showed the presence of fluorine. Interestingly, bands that were not even explicitly made out of fluoroelastomer revealed the presence of fluorine, which is a strong sign of PFAS presence.A subsequent chemical extraction process revealed the presence of PFHxA as the most common forever chemical in nine out of the 22 straps. On average, the PFHxA concentration came in at 800 parts per billion (ppb), which is four times higher than cosmetics. In one case, the concentration was as high as 16,000 parts per billion (ppb).As per the research team, the high levels of PFHxA detected in the wristbands may be due to the use of this compound as a surfactant during the fluoroelastomer manufacturing process.A high portion of these chemicals pass through the skin, and enter the bloodstream.Alyssa Wicks, co-author of the research paper, recommends that customers should focus on lower-priced bands for their smartwatches and fitness bands if they seek to avoid PFHxA exposure.If the consumer wishes to purchase a higher-priced band, we suggest that they read the product descriptions and avoid any that are listed as containing fluoroelastomers, Wicks was quoted as saying. She suggests that the next time you go shopping for straps and bands, look for the word fluoroelastomer and avoid them, if possible.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsWhat makes the Sansui IPS Eye Care Monitor a game changerWhat makes the Sansui Gaming Monitor a game changerDont worry about buyers remorseIn the market for a new gaming monitor? Sansui has two great options for you to choose from, and for a limited time, theyre on sale! The is $77.99 40% off right now on Amazon. It was $129.99. The is $139.99 26% off right now also on Amazon. It was $189.99. Dont sleep on these savings if you are ready to upgrade your home setup with a new, quality monitor.What makes the Sansui IPS Eye Care Monitor a game changerThe can enhance your home setup whether your primary use is for work, gaming, or streaming. Its Full HD 1080p resolution provides vibrant and sharp visuals that are ideal for watching your favorite shows and movies, playing your favorite video games, or even doing video or photo editing. The IPS panel serves a wide 178-degree viewing angle, so colors stay true from every direction. The monitors 75Hz refresh rate showcases smooth performance for a range of activities (think: sports and action movies).Beyond those features, this monitor stands out because of its eye-care technology, which is said to reduce eye strain during long hours of use. Those Netflix binges will be as comfortable as they are engaging. The monitors ergonomic design also includes a tilt range of -5 degrees to 22 degrees to hit just the right angle.RelatedAnd if youre mounting this lightweight monitor instead of setting it on your desktop, its VESA compatible. Connectivity will also be hassle-free with the standard HDMI and VGA ports, plus an included HDMI cable for immediate setup.Lastly, youll appreciate the frameless design, which is as modern-looking as they come.What makes the Sansui Gaming Monitor a game changerThe is a powerhouse display built for gamers who demand exceptional views. Its stunning WQHD resolution delivers sharp, vibrant visuals, while the 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time ensure buttery-smooth gameplay with no lag.This monitors Adaptive Sync technology also provides tear-free and seamless motion, whether youre in an intense FPS match or a high-speed racing game. Your eyes will thank you!Youll also appreciate its IPS panel, which provides excellent color accuracy. For you content creators, this can enhance your work beyond game play. The monitors HDR compatibility also enhances contrast and detail, while its anti-flicker and low blue light features protect your eyes during extended use. Gamers will also love the customizable CrossHair and timer tools for enhanced precision.Connectivity options in this gaming monitor includes two HDMI 2.0 ports and two DP 1.2 ports, plus an audio jack.Use the tilt adjustments in its metal stand to optimize your viewing. Its also VESA mount compatible, so you have different setup options.Dont worry about buyers remorse For whatever reason, if you need to return either Sansui monitor after purchase, you have options. Its backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to send it back. While we believe youll want to keep it because its awesome, you never know what life has in store. Rest assured, youll also have lifetime technical support should you need help with setup or fixes long after purchase.Editors Recommendations

Dell laptop deals love to tempt us all year round, and today were seeing a great option to help prepare you for the new year. Today, you can buy the Dell Inspiron 15 for $330 instead of $450. We consider it to be one of the best laptops around for anyone working from home and keeping costs down. Read on and well take you through what it has to offer, but remember, that $120 discount wont stick around forever.Check out our extensive guide to the best laptops for working from home and youll see the Dell Inspiron 15 riding high up top. The range is well priced while offering just the hardware you need for a great experience when working. This particular model has an AMD Ryzen 5 7520U CPU as well as 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. Basic stuff, sure, but the design of the laptop is built to last and very robust for the price.A bigger highlight is a reminder of why Dell is one of the best laptop brands: its high quality display. It has a 15.6-inch full HD screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 250 nits of brightness. While that wont look so good in bright conditions, its otherwise a great screen for the price and we really appreciate the high refresh rate to enjoy smooth browsing.RelatedThis isnt one of the best laptops for high performance, but the Dell Inspiron 15 is a good all-rounder for anyone seeking a robust business laptop. It has a built-in HD webcam which is useful, roomy keycaps, a numeric keypad, a neat lift hinge for more comfortable typing, and thermals which adapt to how youre working, such as if youre at your desk or working on your lap. It all comes together to be pretty appealing, with the last highlight being the ability to charge up to 80% in just 60 minutes.Usually $450, the Dell Inspiron 15 is down to a super affordable $330 right now at Dell. The $120 price cut makes now the ideal time to buy, especially if youre looking ahead to working on the move in 2025. Buy it now so you dont miss out on the sweet discount.Editors Recommendations

Apples wearable devices, and specifically its smartwatches, are often deemed the default best. The ecosystem around the Apple Watch is often cited as the core convenience, but theres no doubt that Apple deserves merit for health innovation and technical prowess, too.It, therefore, comes as a surprise that a sanction-battered company with a far smaller presence in the West has managed to topple Apple and nab the crown of the worlds biggest wrist-worn device brand. The company in question is Huawei.Recommended VideosActually, the Chinese electronics giant has managed to beat Apple for the second consecutive time this year, based on quarterly market data from IDC.Please enable Javascript to view this contentAs per the research companys latest Worldwide Wearables Quarterly Tracker report, between the first and third quarters of 2024, Huawei shipped more wearables than Apple, commanding a market share of 16.9% (23.6 million units shipped) compared to Apples 16.2% portion (22.5 million units shipped) on the global front.HuaweiInterestingly, compared to last year, Huaweis market position has strengthened by a massive 44.3%, while Apples has witnessed a decline of 12.8% in the global markets. Notably, even Samsung has recorded growth, and so have other major Chinese brands, such as Xiaomi.RelatedHuaweis growth can also be attributed to the fact that China has emerged as the largest wearable market in the world, one where Huawei commands a strong presence. As per IDCs tracker, Huawei was ahead of Apple in the second quarter as well, snagging one-fifth of the global market, compared to Apples 13.% share.The Huawei Watch D2 can measure blood pressure levels using a stack integrated within the strap. HuaweiIt is worth keeping in mind that Apple still leads the smartwatch segment, while IDCs report tracks a combination of fitness bands and smartwatches. Interestingly, Huawei doesnt lag behind Apple in the smartwatch innovation game, either. It actually leads the game at numerous parameters.Take, for example, theHuawei Watch D2, which enables Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring. Instead of using a sensor stack that reads blood flow movement using light and requires calibration (hello, Samsung Galaxy Watch), Huaweis TruSense system has fitted a high-precision pressure sensor, mini pump, and inflatable airbag in the strap.The smartwatch can measure blood pressure levels at any time of the day and during activities like sleeping, walking, and more. Users can also customize it to take the readings at regular intervals, set up a 24-hour auto-monitoring plan, keep an eye on the average SBP and DBP (Systolic Blood Pressure and Diastolic Blood Pressure) numbers, combine them with heart rate insights, and more.And here is the surprising part. Hauweis website clearly mentions that it can be used as a reference in clinical practice. In fact, the wearable portfolio is quite expansive, covering varied aesthetic styles and form factors across different price brackets and health stack levels. Or, as the saying goes, something for everyone.Huaweis health sensing and fitness tracking stack is also pretty impressive, and it also beats the likes of Samsung and Apple at offering fashionable smartwatches tailored to the female audience. However, the global market dynamics might change in Apples favor during the holiday season, but well have to wait a few weeks for those figures to arrive.Editors Recommendations

Honda and Nissan, Japans second- and third-largest automakers, are holding merger talks to create a structure that would enable them to better withstand fierce competition from the likes of Tesla and Chinese electric vehicle (EV) rivals, according to reports.News agency Nikkei first reported that the two companies were holding merger talks to determine how they could cooperate more closely on technology. According to Reuters, the talks aim to set up an umbrella holding company and not necessarily merging the two companies together.Recommended VideosMitsubishi, which Nissan has a 24% stake in, is also considered to be included in the partnership.Please enable Javascript to view this contentWhats for sure is that the two automakers have stepped up their cooperation in recent months as they seek a common strategy to address a fast-changing EV landscape.RelatedBoth Honda and Nissan separately issued a statement confirming this much. As announced in March of this year, Honda and Nissan are exploring various possibilities for future collaboration, leveraging each others strengths, the statement says.Analysts believe Hondas strengths in developing powertrains, notably for hybrids, could combine with Nissans experience in electric vehicles, which goes back to the LEAF in 2010.The two automakers partnership has been centering on technology for EVs, including components and software.What started as an alliance to face intense price competition from the likes of Chinas BYD only intensified through the year as the global auto industry also recorded slowing sales in Europe and the U.S.In addition, the industry is now facing the potential reversal of pro-EV policies in the U.S. with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.The merger might also face scrutiny from the Trump administration, which has taken an aggressive stance on imported vehicles, including threats to impose steep tariffs.A Honda/Nissan merger would yield one of the largest auto groups in the world, with combined sales of about 8 million.Editors Recommendations