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Save $500: As of Nov. 22, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the Apple M1 Pro chip is on sale for $1999 at Best Buy. That's a savings of 20%. MacBook Pros have become standard laptops for people in creative industries. With Apple software such as GarageBand, iMovie, and more, it's no wonder fans always find it worth the price. Of course, everything is better at a discount. As of Nov. 22, the 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro is on sale at Best Buy for $1999 thanks to the retailer's Black Friday deals. The price drop represents a savings of $500, or 20% off. This compares favorably to Amazon's current price of $2199, which is a discount of only 12%. This particular MacBook Pro has been praised for its high-quality graphics display, great battery life, and the removal of the much-derided touch bar. The MacBook Pro includes an M1 or M1 Pro chip, Liquid Retina XDR display, 16 GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD space. HDMI, MagSafe 3, and Thunderbolt ports have returned. At $1999, the price of a MacBook Pro is still quite hefty for people who only need to use a computer for basic tasks. (If that's the case, we suggest you bookmark our page of Black Friday laptop deals this week.) However, editors, musicians, and graphic designers are in for a treat. Opens in a new tab Credit: Apple MacBook Pro 16" Laptop - Apple M1 Pro chip - 16GB Memory - 512GB SSD (Latest Model) - Silver (opens in a new tab) Save $500 at Best Buy Get Deal (opens in a new tab) Explore more MacBook deals for Black Friday Apple MacBook Pro M1 Chip 256GB SSD 13" Retina Laptop (Opens in a new window) — $1,149.00 (List Price $1,299) Apple MacBook Air M1 13” Laptop (Opens in a new window) — $799.00 (List Price $999) Apple MacBook Pro M1 Chip 14" 512GB SSD Laptop (Opens in a new window) — $1,859.00 (List Price $1,999) Apple MacBook Pro M2 Chip 256GB ​​​​​​​SSD 13" Laptop (Opens in a new window) — $1,249.00 Apple MacBook Air M2 Chip 256GB 13.6" Laptop (Opens in a new window) — $1,049.00 (List Price $1,199) Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro 512GB SSD 16" Laptop (Opens in a new window) — $2,199.00 (List Price $2,499) View the full article

Save up to $80: The 9th-Gen Apple iPad is available for $269 on Best Buy and Target through Nov. 22, which is $60 lower than its MSRP and its joint-lowest ever price. Its 256GB version is on sale at Walmart for $399 — also a record low. It's Thanksgiving week, and with that comes a plethora of tech deals. One beneficiary of the holiday season is the ninth-generation Apple iPad, which is back to its October Amazon Prime Day pricing — also its lowest-ever price. The iPad 9th Gen (64GB) is available at Best Buy and Target for $269.99, while the 256GB version is on sale at Walmart for $399. If you're looking to get your hands on this tablet, now would be a good time. The ninth-generation tablet from Apple boasts a 10.2-inch display with true tone technology that adjusts the tone of images to make them look more natural. The A13 Bionic chip is faster and more power efficient than Snapdragon chips like the 855, so this tablet can help you zoom through your daily workload. The 10-hour battery life is decent, and a 20W fast charging can provide you with some necessary power boosts when the battery begins to drain. The Center Stage feature is a useful upgrade during video chats, as it zooms the camera onto your face to ensure that you are always in the frame. This iPad is also compatible with existing products such as the first-generation Apple Pencil, which can be used for sketching and other creative activities. In case the 64GB version feels a little low on space, the 256GB might be a better fit. Opens in a new tab Credit: Apple Apple's10.2-Inch iPad with Wi-Fi (9th Gen, 64GB) (opens in a new tab) $269 at Best Buy (save $60) Get Deal (opens in a new tab) Opens in a new tab Credit: Apple Apple's10.2-Inch iPad with Wi-Fi (9th Gen, 256GB) (opens in a new tab) $399 at Walmart (save $80) Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

"Only leaving the house to get groceries. Nobody outside of my home to talk to or spend time with." This is how one anonymous woman responded to the question, "What does loneliness feel like to you?" As part of a survey done by Peanut, a community app for women at different stages of motherhood and menopause, over 4,900 women shared their experiences with loneliness. It's a shred of insight into the difficulty parenting amid the pandemic, compounded by a loneliness epidemic impacting people overall. Peanut asked women whether they've ever been so lonely. It's a leading question, but the responses are nonetheless jarring: 73 percent of people trying to conceive say they're lonelier than any other life stage. The numbers aren't much better for women at other stages of parenthood: 70 percent of mothers and 55 percent of pregnant people said the same thing. Furthermore, 78 percent of those in menopause are also the loneliest they've been. "When my son is busy being a kid, exploring and learning [on] his own, I’m not sure what to do with my own time," said another anonymous woman on what loneliness feels like. "When I’m not being a mom, I don’t know what to do really." A third woman responded with simply, "Empty." Loneliness doesn't occur because you're alone, said psychotherapist Laura Greenwood. You can be alone and surrounded by people (or your children!). Loneliness comes from feeling disconnected. "We are all hardwired to connect with others," Greenwood said, "and so feeling disconnected can lead to so many struggles with mental health." Peanut's friendship expert and author of The Friendship Cure Kate Leaver told Mashable that in her five years of speaking and writing about loneliness publicly, the group she most often hears from is new mothers. "It’s a uniquely lonely time," she said, "and I always tell them this: first, it’s so, so common so in that sense, you’re not alone." "It's clear that loneliness truly is a public health crisis affecting women everywhere," said Peanut CEO and founder Michelle Kennedy, who started the app amid her own experience with loneliness after having her first child. There are no doubt systematic issues at play here. Many mothers don't receive help with childcare at home for a variety of reasons, one being that domestic labor is seen as "women's work." Outside childcare is unaffordable for many, and they can't afford to take time off work, as the U.S. lacks paid parental leave. That being said, there are some steps an individual can take to combat loneliness. Greenwood suggests connecting with yourself, in order to create meaningful connections with others. This may be easier said than done — and might require you to see a mental health professional — but once you accept who you are, it may be easier to be your authentic self with other people. It can be overwhelming to piece together a social life — or solve a deep sense of existential confusion — when you're sleep deprived, hormonal, and exhausted, said Leaver. So, she advises to start small. "If leaving the house is too much, text your old friends, be active on the mothers' group WhatsApp, send stupid memes to someone who gets you, or join an app like Peanut," she said. Passive social media scrolling (rather than posting or interacting) can exacerbate feelings of loneliness, Leaver continued, but being active can actually help. Talking to people, joining groups, and interacting on posts can make us feel like we're a part of things, even if you're too tired or overwhelmed to leave the house. Peanut, for example, has forums to talk about a range of topics, from grief of infertility to sex after childbirth. "Mothers are sort of silently linked by this deeply private but also universal experience of having a child," Leaver said. Know that if you're a lonely mother, that it's not just you, and that thankfully, there are spaces where you can be open about your experience. View the full article

SAVE $150: As of Nov. 22, the Dyson V12 Detect cordless vacuum is for sale at $499.99. That's a savings of 23%. As Doctor Evil discovered, lasers make everything better. Dyson's engineers had the same thought when they put a laser on their most popular cordless upright vacuum: Designed to highlight microscopic pieces of debris that can't be seen by the naked eye, this future-tech shows you spots that need your cleaning attention. This is already Dyson's cheapest laser-equipped vacuum, but Best Buy has it before Black Friday at $150 off. The list price is usually $649.99, but now it's $499.99. We love lasers, and we love trick future-tech, and we love anything that makes our regular boring chores easier. That's why we made the Dyson V12 Detect a Mashable Choice when we reviewed it. The Motorbar can fight its way through pet hair without getting tangled up. It converts easily to a handheld vacuum and comes in a cool gray and yellow color scheme, which adds to the futuristic look. The laser light show is a "game changer", especially on bare hardwood floors, showing just how much dust can accumulate without you realizing it. Plus, if you love stats, the V12 Detect has a digital display that tells you the size and amount of particles encountered. We'd prefer it if the battery lasted longer, but it's this reduced capacity that allows Dyson to price this model at the lower end of its laser-equipped vacuum range. Best Buy has deals on nearly all Dyson vacuums, but at $499.99 this is still the cheapest one with a laser. Check it out at Best Buy before Black Friday. Opens in a new tab Credit: Dyson Dyson V12 Detect Slim Cordless Vacuum (opens in a new tab) $499.99 at Best Buy (save $150) Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

It’s always a good feeling when three super talents link up on a smashing house tune. Vassy, Disco Fries and Bingo Players have done just that on the latest summer nostalgic track, ‘Pieces’. Linking up on the infamous Spinnin Records these 3 put together a track with crisp vocal production, clean grooving basslines and a massive hook. This track is definitely spinning all day until summer 2023. Enjoy! This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Vassy Joins Forces with Super Talented Bingo Players and Disco Fries for the Nostalgic, ‘Pieces’ View the full article

“I will actually pick musicians that have some gut-wrenching quality,” says the artistView the full article

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North Americans are about to start carving into some turkeys, and shoppers everywhere (including here in Australia) are about to enjoy what has now become a global phenomenon: Black Friday sales. What is Black Friday?Black Friday was originally a U.S. tradition, but has become bigger and bigger in Australia over the past few years. Since the 1950s, shops in the U.S. have offered big discounts on their stock the day after Thanksgiving, and people would often get ahead of all their holiday shopping on this weekend. That tradition has gone global in the past decade, and now Black Friday is a global shopping event. Cyber Monday is a recent addition to the holiday weekend, as online retailers sought to offer their own take on the Black Friday goodness. But as the lines blur between commerce and e-commerce these days, Black Friday/Cyber Monday has become one connected week of deals. When is Black Friday in 2022?Black Friday 2022 technically takes place on Friday, Nov. 25, and Cyber Monday takes place on Monday, Nov. 28. However, the whole week prior has now become informally known as 'Black Friday Week', and early deals begin to pop up throughout this week and even earlier. Amazon, for example, kicked their sale off on Nov. 21, and are running deals all the way up to Nov. 30. What are the best items to buy on Black Friday/Cyber Monday?You should expect huge discounts on big-ticket items like laptops, Hi-Fi, consoles and TVs. There also seems to be a slant towards gadgets and gift items, which makes sense with the holidays around the corner. Online retailers like Amazon, Kogan and Ebay will have strong deals in all categories. However, keep an eye out specifically for the following products: Appliances: Retailers like The Good Guys and Bing Lee always go big on Black Friday, dropping prices on pretty much everything they stock. You can expect deals on washing machines, fridges, freezers, kettles, toasters, and much more. If you're looking to stock up on appliances for your home, these sites should be your first stop. Games consoles: Finding console availability has been a total over the last couple of years, but things are definitely improving in Australia, with PS5 bundles being readily available on Amazon. That means there should be opportunities to pick up deals games and accessories for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PS5 this year. Smartphones: Amazon always offers plenty of impressive deals on all sorts of smartphones. Toys: Black Friday is probably the best time of the year to shop for toys. The most in-demand toys will sell out fast in the run-up to Christmas, so this is a great opportunity to get in early. We recommend checking out Amazon for the best deals on Lego, especially for the massively popular Star Wars and Harry Potter sets. TVs: Black Friday is all about big deals on the biggest products, and that means TVs. We expect pretty much all of the leading retailers to offer fantastic deals on TVs of all sizes from top brands like Sony, Samsung, LG, and Panasonic. It's best to shop around for the best TV deals, because there are going to be so many, but you can't go wrong with The Good Guys, Bing Lee or Kogan. VPNs: Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, are a fairly new addition to the Black Friday shopping scene, but there are some good deals available, especially by Cyber Monday. Cybersecurity is increasingly important, and VPNs offer online protection for your identity and data. All the leading services are likely to offer discounted rates over the week, and you should be able to find good deals on the likes of NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and CyberGhost VPN. Be sure to also be on the look out for deals on travel, subscription services, and laptops, because these are likely to feature heavily throughout this shopping season. View the full article

"I got a massive W [win] recently because I managed to refuse sex during a wet dream," 26-year-old Aaron tells Mashable. "So I’m the No Nut November king, heavy are the balls that wear the crown." Akin to monthly events centred on health-based challenges like Sober October or Movember, No Nut November is where people resist partnered sex and masturbation, with the aim of not ejaculating for 30 days. The challenge has developed into something of an online community, with hundreds of Discord servers and online forums acting as digital pseudo support groups for those taking part, and the No Nut November Reddit community totalling 137,000 members, called "nut comrades." While some are there to share memes and have a laugh, others are there to take the challenge very seriously, believing it will better them in some way. And some members have darker intentions. Aaron, who works in digital advertising, says he partakes in No Nut November annually, and has done since 2017. He’s an avid Reddit user, which is where he came across the movement, and was led to believe it would come with an array of health benefits. "Better mental health," "improved will power," and "being better in bed" are just a few reasons he cites for signing up to the challenge. "Frequent ejaculation is good for prostate health and masturbation is a healthy behaviour." The No Nut November community centres ideas like these. It has even been suggested by people in support of the challenge that abstinence can increase testosterone. But experts and actual research have presented data that suggests the complete opposite of this. Sexologist and author of Sexology: The Basics Silva Neves tells Mashable that there are "literally no benefits to giving up masturbation for a month, or even a week. None. Frequent ejaculation is good for prostate health and masturbation is a healthy behaviour." SEE ALSO: What is the virility myth? Read an extract from Sophia Smith Galer's book 'Losing It' In fact, masturbation is often used by many for stress relief and tension, and for better sleep. Neves explains stopping masturbation can increase people's stress and people can have less good quality sleep, which can impact on their work, their relationships, and their overall well-being. Sex educator and author of All the F*cking Mistakes Gigi Engle adds that giving up masturbation will also likely make you sexually frustrated. "It will make you more irritable if you’re not getting that release. If you stop masturbating, it can also make you more anxious. You don’t need to masturbate for a month if you don’t want to, but there’s no real pros to giving it up," she explains. "Turning down sex and giving up wanking is a big thing for a man," Aaron adds. "There’s just something about resisting it for an entire month and having your boys big you up that feels like a good accomplishment. I need to know I’m able to do it, so I know I’m not addicted." There’s an ongoing narrative in the No Nut November movement that these side effects of a lack of masturbation are a "symptom" that men are "hooked" on sexual pleasure. This feeds into the myth of sex addiction, which is not actually recognised by science. "It does not make you a failure to masturbate. The idea that it does comes from purity culture where masturbation is considered about as 'dirty' and 'sinful.'" Neves adds that many members of the community will use this misconception as a reason why men should try harder to stop. "But those symptoms are an indication that they become dysregulated because they have lost one central and healthy and harmless way to manage their stress." The movement is also underpinned by ideas of "winning" and "losing". A quick scroll through the No Nut Subreddit reveals disturbing posts of misogyny and intense, public group shaming towards those who share their "failures". One Reddit user shared that he got an erection over Amy Schumer which received thousands of downvotes (the dislikes of Reddit) and shame-fuelled comments like "man down" and sexist replies like "come on, if you’re going to break NNN, do it for someone hotter than that." Engle explains that this language focused on showing your power and "winning" is rooted in misogynistic purity culture. "It does not make you a failure to masturbate. The idea that it does comes from purity culture where masturbation is considered about as 'dirty' and 'sinful' and that taking part in it makes you weak or perverted. None of this has any scientific basis or evidence." SEE ALSO: How to perform cunnilingus like a pro Neves says that associating masturbation with failure can have a severe impact on the person’s mental health. "It can be detrimental to people's psychological well-being," he explains. "Having the goal of restraining masturbation for one month as a 'win' can increase shame, stress, anxiety, a sense of failure, impacting on self-esteem and they often feel 'not man enough' or even 'broken' if they don't succeed. Those who do succeed put themselves on a pedestal looking down on those who don't." Basically, the whole movement is pretty shame-drenched, and at times, just plain cruel. A better challenge, Neves suggests, would be trying not to judge other people’s sex lives for one month. Unfortunately, sexual health misinformation and toxic masculinity displays are not the only problems with the movement. What began as an online challenge for a bit of fun or an opportunity to shitpost online at best, has been co-opted by the far-right. Racism, misogyny and anti-semitism runs rife on the No Nut November subreddit and other #NNN discussions on social media platforms like Twitter. A deeper message propelling No Nut November is an anti-porn and anti-sex worker agenda. Most [cisgender] men use visual aids for sexual stimulation. So, for many, abstaining from masturbation means refraining from pornography use. And rather than take this into their own hands, many in the community have harassed sex workers online, projecting blame. SEE ALSO: The best sex toys for men "Some of those No Nut November forums have been found to be misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic," Neves adds. "They incite violence towards pornographers and women who are sexual. There is a nasty underbelly to these movements." Back in 2018, for example, porn company xHamster tweeted against No Nut November, albeit playfully, implying that the movement shared misinformation and that porn wasn’t the bad guy. The fallout from this pretty innocent tweet, were violent anti-sex worker replies like “capital punishment for pornographers now” and anti-semitic images suggesting that Jewish people control pornography. Similar messages of sexism and anti semitism remain four years later, both on the #NoNutNovember hashtag on twitter, and in Reddit spaces. 29-year-old copywriter Sanjai tells Mashable he took part in No Nut November four years ago after hearing some of his favourite podcasts talk about how freeing it was for them. "They talked about it like it was a fitness challenge which is something I’ve always loved doing and liked the feeling of accomplishing. I didn’t really wank that much anyway, not compared to my mates anyway, so I thought 'why not?'" Sanjai did come across anonymous forums for the challenge like the Subreddit along with a couple of Ddiscord servers. "I wasn’t there long. It was fucking disturbing to be honest. These men are really weird," he shares. SEE ALSO: Men need to talk about sex differently. Here's how. "[I saw] sexism, racism, conspiracies. You name it. I just wanted to see how long I could go without wanking, man," he laughs. Aaron says he’s aware of this part of the No Nut November community, but doesn’t get involved. "I don’t know anyone personally, that's part of all of that stuff. It’s nothing to do with abstinence anyway so I don’t know why it’s there but I guess racists will use whatever [they can]." Neves says a lot of people have received misinformation about masturbation, often accompanied by misinformation about watching porn, and they feel shame about their masturbation behaviours. This is likely what initially attracts so many men to take part in the movement, along with the element of community and support that’s visible from the outside. But when they get there, they’re introduced to alt-right propaganda, misinformation, and violence instead. Being exposed to shameful language around sex is also no small enemy. Engle points out that engaging in sex negativity can make people feel like they can’t talk about sex (which creates problems around consent and managing sexual boundaries), make them avoidant in sexual exchanges because they’re worried about their performance (a common cause of erectile dysfunction) and encourage misogynistic ideas. If you’ve participated in No Nut November this month or you’ve caught wind of it and were thinking about it for next year, consider that you’re likely to interact with intense shame, sex negativity, discriminatory behaviour and inaccurate sexual health information. You certainly won’t learn anything about who you are as a man, person, or lover of any kind. Close your Reddit tab and have a wank instead. View the full article

If you're the type of person that doesn't like the idea of jumping from the top board at the swimming pool, you might want to give the video above a skip. YouTuber Tom Scott — who is no stranger to heights — visits the Montreal Olympic Sports Centre in the clip, following acrobat and high diver Lysanne Richard up to the pool's custom-built 20 metre board before filming her plunging off of it. Brace yourself. View the full article

In April 2020, Columbia Pictures, Amazon Content Services, Disney Enterprises, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, plus three companies owned by Universal, filed a copyright infringement complaint at a California district court. The plaintiffs alleged that Nitro TV offered subscription packages consisting of thousands of live and title-curated television channels available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the United States and abroad. The Office, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Toy Story 3, Star Trek Beyond, Homecoming and Joker, were among the many titles owned by the plaintiffs and illegally distributed by Nitro. The complaint initially featured Alejandro (Alex) Galindo as the sole named defendant but in time Galindo family members Anna, Martha and Osvaldo also found their names on the docket. Richard Horsten (aka ‘Rik de Groot’), Raul Orellana (aka YouTuber ‘Touchtone’) and his company Firestream LLC, completed the set. Just a handful of years ago, Nitro TV was among the most recognized pirate IPTV brands online, but will be remembered for the huge damages awards it now faces. Judge Awards Studios $51.6 Million In a judgment handed down on November 18, 2022, California District Court Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong found the Nitro defendants jointly and severally liable for $51,600,000 in statutory damages. “This reflects an award of the statutory maximum of $150,000 per work for the Nitro Defendants’ willful infringement of each of Plaintiffs’ identified 344 representative works,” Judge Frimpong’s judgment reads. (sample below) “This damage award also reflects an award of $27,200.84 per work for the Nitro Defendants’ willful infringement of Plaintiffs’ identified 1,872 Works,” the Judge added. Interest, Costs, Fees Given that interest is allowed on money judgments in civil cases, the Judge also held the defendants jointly and severally liable for an additional $1,976,280 under 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a). The movie and TV show companies were further awarded $88,080 in attorneys’ fees and costs relating to their discovery motion plus $93,000 associated with a sanctions motion, both against Alex Galindo, as previously reported. Permanent Injunction The plaintiffs obtained a preliminary injunction in 2020 and with this judgment, that was made permanent. It restrains the defendants and third-party companies, including those in control of various Nitro-related domains such as TekkHosting.com, NitroIPTV.com, Lalaluhosting.com, and Nitro.ltd. Tucows, Namecheap, Domain.com, and Peter Sunde’s Njalla, must prevent any of the domains from being modified, sold, or deleted, until they are transferred to the plaintiffs. Two Years of Litigation The plaintiffs’ victory comes as no surprise but the case itself presented many interesting moments. Alex Galindo was accused of violating the preliminary injunction and withholding and destroying evidence, including 1,500 emails from his Gmail account. He also pleaded the Fifth Amendment, ostensibly due to fears of a follow-up criminal prosecution. Earlier this year, Galindo called for the case to be dismissed on the basis that the plaintiffs weren’t prosecuting him quickly enough. Meanwhile, Galindo’s attorney asked to be excused from the case after his client went quiet after failing to pay his defense bills. It’s claimed that Nitro TV generated at least $7 million from illegal subscriptions, with YouTuber ‘Touchtone’ (Raul Orellana), receiving more than half a million dollars for marketing Nitro online. Judge Frimpong’s judgment and order granting default can be found here (1,2, pdf) From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article

"One of my friends is turning 25 in December and has booked a very fancy venue for a birthday party costing each guest £70 ($83.26)," Serena* tells Mashable, adding that this cost is completely unaffordable for her. "I messaged her privately and explained that I'm embarrassed to say in the group that I’m unable to attend as I cannot afford it, so she offered to cover my expenses to have me there. I simply could not allow her to do this again, I politely declined and told her I would see her another time." SEE ALSO: Why affairs are on the rise in the cost of living crisis Serena’s honesty was met with a passive aggressive message from her friend, who got upset and told her she wanted to cancel the entire thing. "I saw the same group of friends recently for coffee, and listening to them talk about their lives made me feel completely alienated as I could not relate to a single thing because of my own financial struggles." Saying no to plans 26-year-old India Chambers, an assistant editor in book publishing agrees with Serena, that birthday celebrations can put our bank accounts under real pressure. "I’ve started saying no to going to the birthdays of people I’m not super close with," she says. India recently went to a dinner for a new friend’s birthday. She was down to her last £120 ($142.76) and it was the week before payday. "We all knew what we were going to pay as it was a set menu, but someone suggested that we all chip in to pay for the birthday girl’s portion." "I wanted to say no but I didn’t, which pushed me over what I budgeted for the meal." India explains she’d normally be happy to pay, but being short for money that week means it wasn’t ideal. "I’m definitely being more selective with my friends and which work events I go to," she adds. When we speak, India is working from home and tells me she has an author’s work event she has decided to miss out on to save money on travel. "I feel like it’s those little costs like transport and buying a snack on the journey that all add up," she says. India also tells me that her job often revolves around "wining and dining" authors and agents, to create connections and build relationships. It has raised important conversations at work about the need for a company card. "I can’t afford to use my personal card for work related costs anymore, because it takes too long to get those expenses back." SEE ALSO: How the cost of living crisis is impacting the way we date She adds: "The cost of living crisis is changing the way we do things, and making people with privilege question the structures in place and how they affect employees on a budget." Prices are going up and wages are standing still, with food, rent, gas and electricity bills at a record high. 93 percent of adults in the UK say they saw an increase in their outgoings between August and September 2022, and it means young people are having to change the way they socialise. Businesses are charging more for their goods and services because of the higher costs they face, that includes spaces we would typically socialise in. Think: cinemas, restaurants, bars, hotels. It’s understandable that we feel obligated to celebrate our friend’s birthdays, and the result is either attending and experiencing anxiety if you’ve spent money on the celebration that you’d put aside for something else, or guilt if you turn the invite down because you can’t afford it and feeling like you're a bad friend. The odd one out in a group of rich friendsA study by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) revealed that 55 percent of people don’t feel comfortable opening up when they have worries about their financial situation. Like Serena, who is reluctant to tell some of her friends about her money struggles. "I have a group of friends that have grown up wealthy and privileged," she says. "I've always felt like the odd one out because that has never been the case for me with having to support my family." Serena comes from a single parent background and is also the eldest child. "Relationships are critical to good mental health and having financial differences in friendships can most definitely affect mental health and well-being," Michael Throckmorton, a financial expert at Merchant Cash Advance which provides business loans that don't need to be repaid within a fixed term or at a fixed rate explains. SEE ALSO: People can't afford their findom kink in the cost of living crisis "You might feel lonely or isolated, or like you can’t afford to do the things you want to do which can have a negative impact as it’ll result in missing out on social events or even losing friends," he continues. "But it’s important to try and put this aside and be honest and upfront with your friends if you cannot afford to pay for the activity that they are interested in. A true friend will listen and find activities that you can both enjoy without breaking the bank, and will help you stop worrying about anything money related with friends." The high cost of living can also mean that we’re seeing our friends less frequently, leading to loneliness. Sure, you can socialise in a cost effective way, but seeing friends normally requires us to spend at least a "small amount" of money, and when people are living paycheque to paycheque, finding a "small amount" of money to spare (relative to you) can be really difficult. Plus, there are only so many free walks you can go on with friends before things start to get boring. Owning your lonelinessThe Campaign To End Loneliness reported that 45 percent of adults feel occasionally, sometimes or often lonely in England. That equates to twenty five million people. Charlotte Fox Weber is a psychotherapist and author of What We Want, which explores the power of articulating our desires as a path toward greater mental health and self-actualization. She says that loneliness can be debilitating. "It’s within all of us, and is a deceptive state of mind. It has a way of being utterly convincing that this is how life will always feel," she tells Mashable. Fox Weber believes in owning our loneliness: "Saying ‘I’m lonely’ aloud is powerful. There are so many people in the world who do care and who will connect." She suggests telling someone when you’re experiencing the feeling of loneliness. "Try to say it when it’s happening, to someone, and if not to another person, even to yourself. Being there for yourself and being compassionate internally does help. Fox Weber also suggests reading books, writing letters, journalling, and even texting to get your feelings out, as well as picking up the phone and connecting with someone. Cole*, 28, doesn’t see his friends as often as he’d like. "I used to see my friends everyday [when the costs were more affordable], so that might be dinner or a night out. But now it’s a bit more like once a week." "I’ve always been selective with the people I spend time with. Now, I’m not going partying unless you’re my family or part of my core circle," he adds. He tells Mashable it’s something he has been open with his friends about. "If your bills double, you can’t ignore that. I definitely have had to say no to certain things." It's only natural that we are changing the way we socialise as everything gets more expensive. To save money, India has found herself doing more home cooked dinners with friends and hasn’t booked any social events too far in advance, which allows her to be sure she’ll have the money to spend when the time comes around. "A friend suggested going to see a pantomime before Christmas and I thought, 'that’s gonna be expensive.'" "Whilst I want to do that, it’s not a priority. It’s more of a nice-to-have or nice-to-do." Our social lives are being affected in a big way. But with the cost of living set to slow down in the second half of 2023, it might be helpful to know that there could soon be a light at the end of the tunnel. *Some names have been changed at the request of sources. View the full article

With 64 games to be played in the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in November, the last thing anyone needs is to stop the games to review penalties. FIFA’s newest bit of nifty tech should hopefully help out with that. The international soccer governing body announced that it would start using what it calls “semi-automated offside technology” to figure out if a player is offside or not, without a lengthy review. For those (like me) who aren’t soccer experts, that’s the rule stating that a player attacking the opponent’s goal cannot be closer to the goal than both the ball and the second-closest opposing player. In other words, if the only thing between you and the goal is the goalkeeper while you don’t have the ball, you’re offside. It’s the kind of thing that regularly stops play and can be difficult to determine since all it takes is half an inch of someone’s knee to be closer to the goal than his opponent for it to count as offside. FIFA is installing 12 special tracking cameras around the stadiums (and putting a sensor inside the ball itself) to measure both the positions of players and the position of the ball. If this new tech detects that an offside penalty occurred, the guys in the video operations room get an alert, take a few seconds to verify it, and report it to an on-field referee. Once it’s confirmed by all parties, a 3D animation showing the offside penalty is created on the fly, before being shown to the people in the stands and those watching on TV at home. Personally, I can’t wait to see one of those 3D animations glitch out terribly and show a guy’s knee where his head should be or something. Even as a non-soccer fan, the potential benefits of this new system are super obvious. I follow several Americans who wake up at odd hours on weekends to watch English soccer on Twitter, and they’re constantly pissed off about the video assistant referee (or VAR) system currently in place for reviewing calls. It not only slows the games down, but a reliance on human referees reviewing frame-by-frame footage can result in calls that are, to some, a little subjective. In fact, a 2021 study found that only 26 percent of the English Premier League (the top level of English soccer) support the use of VAR. Getting the remaining 74 percent of English soccer fans to agree on anything will be a real feat. The hope is that using AI and clear visual data to determine offside calls will get rid of many of the gripes around VAR. If it doesn’t, my Twitter feed is going to be even more of a mess than usual come this November. SEE ALSO: 30 NBA Twitter accounts you should follow View the full article

TL;DR: Through Nov. 23, you can get the Stand-O-Matic Fast Wireless Charger and Stand for just $39.99 instead of $129.95 — that's a 69% discount. Running around during the holiday season is stressful enough. Add in a fading phone battery, and you’ve got a recipe for anxiety. Keep your phone charged with the Stand-O-Matic Fast Wireless Charger. This portable charger has wireless and wired charging capabilities, so you can keep in contact with your visiting family or friends. Keep your battery charged and phone handy wherever you go Power up your phone on the go with this sleek, portable 10,000mAh battery. Attach iPhones 12 and up to the magnetic charger, or use standard wireless charging for iPhone X, XR, 11, or compatible Samsung devices. You can also pop on your AirPods 2, 4, or Pro for a quick charge. Devices that don’t support wireless charging can still get a power boost using the wired Type-C connection. The Stand-O-Matic isn’t just a convenient charger. Unfold the stand at the bottom of the charger to create a convenient portrait or landscape view and keep streaming and browsing while your phone charges. If you’re traveling for the holidays, keeping a charging stand with you means you can keep your battery full and your phone available. That’s especially important if there’s competition for a limited number of power outlets. Carry a full battery through the holidays From now until November 23 at 11:59 pm PT, get a Stand-O-Matic Fast Wireless Charger and Stand in white, black, or blue for just $39.99 — no coupon needed. Prices subject to change. Opens in a new tab Credit: Vista Shops Stand-O-Matic Fast Wireless Charger and Stand (opens in a new tab) $39.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

TL;DR: Through Nov. 23, you can get the 2023 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle for just $24.99 instead of $2,786 — that's a 99% discount. Learning to code is a lot more than building websites or apps, though the right language can equip you to do that too. If you master something like Python, you could end up working in machine learning, AI, academic research, cybersecurity, and beyond. And that’s just one language. If you want to learn Python, Ruby, Javascript, C++, and more, then you should try the 2023 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle. We’re showing thanks this season by offering early access to some amazing deals, and that’s how you can get this premium coding bundle for just $24.99 through November 23. Get a thorough introduction to coding If you’re completely new to coding, the hardest choice will be deciding where to start. If you’ve already mastered one language, there’s more to learn because these courses cover a broad range of topics. Learn the basics of Python in Learn to Code with Python 3, then apply your skills to an actual project in a course that has you building a medical diagnosis bot. Just these two courses total 18 hours of instruction, and that’s just the start. There are 14 courses totaling 244 hours of material included in this bundle. All of it is yours to learn for life, so you can go at a crawl or race through. You could bounce between the beginner courses for Python, Java, Javascript, Django, and C++, or you could focus on one language. Stick to the Python courses, and you could be building your own digital escape room in no time. These courses are taught by a mix of experienced professionals like Joe Ghalbouni, the founder of LearningWhilePracticing, and Tony Staunton, a developer and productivity consultant. Learn to code in 14 courses Until November 23 at 11:59 pm PT, get the 2023 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle for just $24.99 (reg. $2,786) — no coupon needed. Prices subject to change. Opens in a new tab Credit: Tony Staunton 2023 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle (opens in a new tab) $24.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

TL;DR: Through Nov. 23, you can get the E.P. Lights Block Resin Aurora Lamp for just $58.99 instead of $79 — that's a 25% discount. During a stressful time like the holiday season, it’s important to make sure you have a peaceful sanctuary. An E.P. Lights Block Resin Lamp is a great way to add some art and some light to a room. There’s a lot to be thankful for this season, and until November 23 at 11:59 pm Pacific, you can get an Aurora Block Resin Lamp on sale for $58.99 (reg. $79) — a deal you can be thankful for. A mesmerizing light to help you relax There’s nothing wrong with needing a place to retreat if you’re a little worn out from all the fun of the holidays, and an Aurora Lamp could give you a comforting place to return to. Get lost in gentle swirls of light and color that are completely unique to your lamp. Each one is individually handcrafted from eco-friendly resin, so yours will be one of a kind. You might get a warm, fuzzy feeling looking at the soft white LED, but you don’t have to worry about burning yourself. LEDs generate very little heat, so you can enjoy it up close. Each LED bulb could last for up to 100,000 hours of illumination. Even if you drop your lamp, they’re built to be drop-resistant and can withstand small falls. Don’t stress about cable clutter either. The Resin Lamp is rechargeable and could last up to 12 hours on a three-hour charge, or you could leave it plugged in. Soothing art for your bedroom We’re thankful for great deals that help us be our best selves. Treat yourself or someone on your gift list to a comfortable space and get the E.P. Lights Block Resin Aurora Lamp for $58.99 (reg. $79) now through November 23 at midnight (Pacific time) — no coupon needed. Prices subject to change. Opens in a new tab Credit: Lamp Depot E.P. Lights Block Resin Aurora Lamp (opens in a new tab) $58.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

TL;DR: Through Nov. 23, you can get the MEAZOR Six-in-One Digital Laser Measurement Tool for just $149.99 instead of $229 — that's a 34% discount. Take your holiday decorations to a new level by giving your toolbox an upgrade. MEAZOR is a six-in-one multifunctional digital laser measurement tool that can give you precise measurements at the push of a button. Usually, it’s $229, but during a sale called Thankful Deals, prices are dropping for a ton of bestsellers ahead of Black Friday, so you can get it for $149.99 until November 23 at 11:59 pm Pacific. Measure things with the power of lasers MEAZOR is an Indiegogo-funded tool that packs six measurement functions into a pocket-sized form. Create 2D floor plan scans in seconds with point-and-shoot measurements or use the rolling measurer to record arcs and curves. Measure distances up to 82 feet with the push of a button, and replace your bubble level, protractor, and curve scanner with something that fits in your pocket. All MEAZOR measurements appear on a 184ppi touchscreen made of durable tempered glass. It’s responsive like a standard touchscreen, but it’s about four times harder than standard glass. On a single charge, MEAZOR could provide up to 16 hours of measurements. Analog tools may not run out of power, but you also can’t point a tape measure at a wall 80 feet away and know exactly how far it is in seconds. Pair MEAZOR with its corresponding app and save all your measurements and data on your phone. Users can also draw, edit, and save as many measurements as they want and export vector drawing and measurement data in a variety of formats. Take the measurements of your yard, export them into a CAD program, and create a 3D rendering of the optimum holiday decor layout for maximum jolly festivities. Or see how big of a tree you could fit in your living room. A modern take on the classic tape measure The deal on this MEAZOR Six-in-One Digital Laser Measurement Tool for just $149.99 (reg. $229) is one to be thankful for. No code is needed, but the sale ends November 23 at 11:59 pm Pacific. Prices subject to change. Opens in a new tab Credit: Hozo Design MEAZOR Six-in-One Digital Laser Measurement Tool (opens in a new tab) $149.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

Grief and mourning are complicated emotions to navigate, made even more so when combined with the ever-changing social conditions of digital culture. You want to post about your friend who passed away, but you don't want to post about them too much. You want to grieve with a community of friends, but you don't know if your relationship with the person you’ve lost is close enough to warrant sorrow on your part. You want to show support to other loved ones who are grieving their losses, but you don't know what is appropriate. Grief is all-encompassing and inescapable — both IRL and online. Everything shifted in how we participated in mourning someone's death once the COVID-19 pandemic struck. We couldn't meet up in person; couldn't hold wakes; couldn't even say goodbye to our loved ones in person in the hospital. Unable to mourn in the ways we were used to, for months, we had to grieve online, where communities for grief thrived due to the unprecedented circumstances. A plethora of communities specifically dedicated to grief exist online: GriefTok on TikTok, dozens of pages on Instagram, r/grief on Reddit, pages on Facebook, you name it. The lyrics "take her name out of your mouth / you don't deserve to grieve" are highlighted in the more than 87,000 TikTok videos using CRAWLERS' "Come Over (Again)." Like all pieces of life that take the dangerous road from reality to social media, something shifts in how we feel, relate to, and examine our grief when we share it online. This can be good, bad, and complicated — much like the process of grief itself. SEE ALSO: After a death in my family, I now understand why we use social media to mourn Jensen Moore's cousin died in 2011. Almost immediately following her death, Moore noticed that everyone — family, friends, anyone who knew her — was posting about her cousin on her cousins' Facebook page. A page that had once glistened with life from Moore's cousin now served as a memorial. "I attended the funeral and the wake, and even people who were at those events were on her page eulogizing her there," Moore, who is now an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma, remembers. "The in-person event almost seemed as though it was meant more for the family than to share about her." It got Moore thinking about how the internet has changed the way we grieve. She began tapping into some of the research coming out of clinical psychology about how people who are dying use social media as a sort of diary to post about their last days, knowing it will live on after them. This "opened up a whole venue for me to look at the actual mourner, and how the mourner was going to respond versus the person who was trying to share their life before they died." Moore set out to study this space herself. In one of her research papers, Social Media Mourning: Using Grounded Theory to Explore How People Grieve on Social Networking Sites, she found that people preferred grieving on social media for a variety of reasons. It allows them to be able to reflect without having to be forced into face-to-face interactions; to mourn and grieve privately, but to connect with a community immediately when they were ready. That's the same reason one of my Instagram followers told me she prefers grieving on Instagram. She said it was "easy for friends to send words of support without being in awkward long conversations where you don't know what to say." Another follower said it was helpful to know you have the love and support of your friends and that it's "nice to have a way to let everyone know without having to individually reach out to people." At the same time, that follower told me it's "also frustrating because everyone says the same thing, 'sorry for your loss.' [It's] helpful that they are thinking about you but also not, because thinking is not a hug." How do people grieve on Instagram? One way people grieve on Instagram is to refer to a page like a memorial. If someone you know has passed away, immediate, verified family members can request that the page be removed. But anyone can submit a request to Instagram to memorialize the account instead, according to Instagram. Instagram does require proof of death — like a link to an obituary or news article — before it will memorialize an account, and immediate family members can override a request. As Vice pointed out in a piece on how COVID-19 impacted grief, memorializing people on social media is just the latest iteration of a tradition we've been participating in for centuries. "New media technology will inevitably be used to memorialize the dead. It’s just what we do," John Troyer, the director of Bath University’s Centre for Death & Society, told Vice. "Now, this does not devalue the grief, which is always the risk of any new technology — because it is new it will initially be described as being inappropriate to use. I remember, many years ago, the gnashing of teeth over the use of Facebook to remember someone who died, and how that cheapened the experience of grief. Which, of course, was not true." SEE ALSO: When a loved one dies, their Facebook profile is both a blessing and a curse Desmond Patton, a professor at the Columbia School of Social Work and Department of Sociology, told Mashable that Instagram has introduced "new ways of extending how we have traditionally grieved." Before Instagram, we still wrote messages to our loved ones to comfort them in grief, connected with our community, shared information, and shared obituaries. But Patton says that what makes Instagram different is that it "allows us to bring others into that experience." That convening power of Instagram, while it is so basic, is critically important, because it allows people to share and to be in community when things are getting really hard. "It allows you perhaps a space to process because you may not have the words or you may not feel that you have the physical community to be able to process this," Patton said. "There is something that happens behind the keyboard that allows for various levels of vulnerability that I think are really important as well. And then it allows you to find others that are grieving. And that convening power of Instagram, while it is so basic, is critically important, because it allows people to share and to be in community when things are getting really hard." Insta-grief as a form of activismOftentimes, we aren't just grieving our loved ones alone. In some cases, we're grieving someone who was lost due to violence — police violence, violence at the hands of the state, and more. In those cases, grieving on Instagram can be a form of activism, too. Jolene Holgate, the training and education director for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, told Mashable that social media is a powerful tool for movement-building and education. She said that when Native communities experience a huge loss, Instagram allows them to reach more people. "Grieving George Floyd, our Asian relatives who are being attacked, and things like that [which] were happening in the last couple of years and even today not only allows us to connect with one another and to feel for and sympathize and empathize with the families and those involved, but I think it also activates people to want to do something, say something, repost it and re-share it on their page and educate one another," Holgate said. "And that's all a part of movement-building." That kind of activism can make some people feel obligated to post, something we should probably investigate internally. "Some people feel pressure, particularly when the grief is one at the societal level. So for example, if we're grieving Breonna Taylor, if we're grieving George Floyd, and you are not commenting on that death and the effect that it has on you and on our society and our culture, then you might get questions about the legitimacy of your political nature," Patton said. "I think at an individual level, it gets really complicated, because there's a question about oversharing and folks seeking support in perhaps more disingenuous ways. Maybe you didn't have the relationship with the individual that you're claiming to." Oftentimes, our social media posts in the immediate aftermath of a public incident are compared back to what — and how — we posted in the past. If you never posted about racial inequity before George Floyd's death but are now posting as if you're an expert, it can be off-putting, and feel fake, for followers who have been active in the movement for years. There might not be a perfect answer for what users should do in situations like this, but consistency is important; caring when it isn't comfortable is important; and bystander intervention is important. Otherwise, you run the risk of being as tone-deaf as the FBI mourning Martin Luther King Jr.'s death. Grief hypejacking, grief trolls, and grief tourists In a study published in May 2022 that looked into the commodification of grief on Instagram, author Crystal Abidin coined the term "grief hypejacking” to refer to the phenomena in which everyday users and influencers bandwagon on internationally trending social media hashtags about grief to "redirect attention to themselves or hawk wares." There are also grief trolls, who go onto grief memorials and "basically try to stir things up," Moore said. Grief trolls typically set their sights on public memorials for tragic events. Then there are the grief tourists, who Moore says are "people who go on memorial pages just to see the mourning that's happening." Grief tourists are, in a way, participating in emotional rubbernecking — turning to see how others are reacting to tragedy. While many of us are guilty of morbid curiosities, grief tourists take this a step further by taking up space in others' grief. "In some cases [grief tourists] will interject themselves and talk about, 'Well, I lost somebody myself,' or, 'Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss,' but they're not really mourning," Moore said. "They're just joining in so that they can see what's happening and they can see the emotional roller coaster that others are going through." On the other side is grief policing, which is when people try to control how others should or should not be mourning online. "For example, [after] Kobe Bryant's death a lot of people were online saying, 'Well, you didn't know him, so why are you so worked up about this and why are you grieving about it?'" Moore said. "There is this idea that if you're really not close to a person [who has died] or if that person isn't in your network or sphere, then you shouldn't be grieving." But that kind of policing isn’t useful, Patton argues, "because it doesn't help us to understand why this person is here in the first place." And everyone does have a right to grieve public figures — they can be losses to our communities whether we knew them personally or not. "Folks should have organic and healthy spaces to grieve," Patton said. "We need to imagine these domains as places where people feel that they're having healthy and healing grieving spaces. But the idea that we need to figure out who's grieving how and why, I don't think that's a great use of our time or our skill or our capacity in these spaces." There's no guidebook for grief. There's no shortcut to feeling better or overcoming. But Instagram can be a tool to create community, and that might be what we need most. View the full article

The clock is ticking, and the seven members of BTS are seconds away from discovering who the spy is in their game of Mafia. A moderator timidly points to one member, and the band volcanically erupts into screams and accusations. Insults are thrown, friendships are questioned, and the world's most famous boy band suddenly looks like your typical group of friends on a Friday game night. It’s a common scene on Run BTS, the boy band's variety show. The web series, initially launched in 2015 on V Live, features weekly episodes of the septet getting into all kinds of mayhem. Whether it's migrating to the kitchen for cooking challenges or playing a game of badminton with pots and pans, Run BTS is a goldmine of comedic chaos. And I shamelessly relish every second of it. The idea of giving the biggest band in the world their own wacky variety show may seem bizarre at first, but it makes so much sense after watching just one episode. As fans, we often get to see BTS performing or promoting new music, but watching them struggle with a complicated recipe humanizes the group in a way that can feel even more intimate than music alone. The world of K-pop typically emphasizes a clean, cookie-cutter image for its performers, but Run BTS completely shreds those carefully crafted impressions and introduces you to the seven wildly hilarious men behind the icons. This is a real photo of the Grammy-nominated, record-breaking band of living icons known as BTS. Credit: Screenshot Weverse/HYBE Corporation Through the show we learn that Jin is the crowned king of dad jokes, whipping out puns and wit in a single breath just like his flawless falsettos. Suga is apparently a master in both the studio and the kitchen, swooping in at any time to save a recipe (or a song) from disaster. J-Hope can brave any crowd and command every stage, but his fierceness falls short in the face of heights and roller coasters (although he’s always still willing to try, bless him). RM, the team's leader who's brilliantly intelligent and usually perfectly poised, is actually a clumsy klutz who will mistake salt for sugar just like any of us. Jimin is a bundle of love who'll bend over backwards to help his bandmates, whether on stage or in a game of cards, ceaselessly rooting for them even though he may be losing. V's smoldering death stare emboldens both his choreography and his tactics in Mafia, with his secret acting chops coming through every time. The band's youngest, Jungkook, shines as a jack of all trades; he's like a golden key who can unlock the secret to winning any game, whether it's Pictionary or paintball. The general public often stands dumbfounded at the success of BTS, and perhaps more importantly, their ride-or-die fanbase, ARMY. But one needs to look no further than Run BTS to understand why their fanbase loves them the way they do. Yes, they're ridiculously talented, but they’re also endlessly charismatic, and the show allows them to present that side of themselves. It's so endearing to watch seven of the singlehandedly most talented people on Earth struggle with foot volleyball or flapping helplessly in an introductory aerial yoga class, despite the athletic prowess needed to perform their demanding choreography onstage. They're millionaires who will fight as if their life depended on it to win a gift card or a basic kitchen set. It's hilarious, it's chaotic, and it's all too relatable. Leo and Kate could never. Credit: Screenshot VLive/HYBE Corporation There's an unmatched joy in watching BTS concerts, and an even greater joy in starting off your Tuesdays with an episode of Run BTS. Whether they're galavanting around a water park or anxiously running away from a horde of zombies, the show is a quick shot of humor that we all need. As a young adult, being a fan of something, particularly something like Run BTS, is a rare allowance for my inner child to run free, let loose, and breathe. And the real charm of the show is that it does the same thing for BTS themselves. With the team recently announcing their fulfillment of their mandatory military enlistment, it's been made clear that while they will be releasing solo albums, Run BTS remains a place for the group to reassemble as seven. The show has become a safe haven, or a magic shop if you will (fans will get the reference), for both ARMYs and BTS. It's a shared platform and experience between the two, resonant of a forever bond. SEE ALSO: The never-ending rise of K-pop megastars BTS At the end of every episode, BTS delightfully announce that "Run BTS will continue." It’s a promise that they've kept for over 150 episodes, but it's more importantly a promise that the band itself will always be there. In a time that's arguably been turbulent since the group’s initial announcement of their temporary solo work in their 2022 festa, Run BTS has remained a steady meeting ground that grows alongside them and their fans. Who knows? Maybe future Run episodes will feature the group getting up to dad tasks. I know I'd tune in for that. View the full article

SAVE £60: The Xbox Series S is on sale for £189.99 this Black Friday, saving you 24% on list price. Gaming deals are always popular during Black Friday, and a contender for the best Black Friday gaming deal has already dropped. The Xbox Series S has just gone on sale on Amazon, and it has never been cheaper. The Xbox Series S is on sale for £189.99 this Black Friday, saving you 24% on list price. This £60 discount is live until Nov. 29, but we would be surprised to see stocks last this long. That means you might need to act fast to secure this console at this reduced rate. This all-digital and disc-free console lets users experience everything that next-gen technology has to offer, without breaking the bank. You can play thousands of digital games from four generations of Xbox with backward compatibility, with next-gen speed and performance powered by a custom SSD and integrated software. This heavily discounted console comes with a wireless controller, high-speed HDMI cable, and power cable. You get everything you need to start playing without delay. Save £60 on the Xbox Series S this Black Friday. Opens in a new tab Credit: Microsoft Xbox Series S (opens in a new tab) £189.99 at Amazon Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

SAVE £68: The Fire HD 8 Kids tablet is on sale for £81.99 this Black Friday, saving you 45% on list price. The Fire HD 8 Kids tablet is one of the very best tablets for little ones. With its 8-inch hi-def display, literally countless hours of entertainment, and a kid-friendly protective case, there’s no end to how much this device will entertain and occupy children. The problem for parents, of course, is the price. The Fire HD 8 Kids tablet usually sells for £149.99 — a significant amount of money. But thankfully it's Black Friday once again, because the Fire HD 8 Kids tablet is down to just £81.99. That’s a saving of 45% — an impressively low price for such a popular device. What sets this apart from other Fire Tablets is the larger, sharper display. At the heart of this device, though, is learning, playing, and creative skills. The Amazon Kids+ subscription service provides a near-endless number of books, movies, cartoons, apps, games, and other entertainment — all catered towards kids aged 3 to 7. Seriously, it’s almost impossible for kids to exhaust the entertainment possibilities on the Fire HD 8 Kids tablet. There are parental controls that allow you to set safe parameters — not to mention bedtimes — and ensure that kids have access to the right content. It can also withstand plenty of rough play thanks to its robust plastic case. All you need to know is that this Black Friday deal only lasts until Nov. 29, so make sure you don’t miss it. This will keep them playing, learning, and entertained through Christmas and beyond. Opens in a new tab Credit: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet (opens in a new tab) £81.99 at Amazon Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

SAVE £20: The Xbox wireless controller is on sale for £34.99 this Black Friday, saving you 36% on list price. It has been difficult to find wireless controllers for the Xbox this year. Stock has clearly been running low, but that situation seems to have changed just in time for Black Friday. The Xbox wireless controller is on sale for £34.99 this Black Friday, saving you 36% on list price. This deal is live until Nov. 29, and you can save on a range of colours. This deal really is special, because this controller has never been cheaper on Amazon. This popular controller features sculpted surfaces and refined geometry for improved comfort and control, with textured grip on the triggers, bumpers, and back case, and a new hybrid D-pad for familiar and accurate input. Whether or not you have upgraded to a next-gen console yet, this controller remains the top choice for every level of gamer. Save £20 on the Xbox wireless controller this Black Friday. Opens in a new tab Credit: Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller (opens in a new tab) £34.99 at Amazon Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

TL;DR: The Premium Microsoft Office training course and lifetime license of MS Office Professional for Windows 2021 bundle is on sale for £70.21, saving you 95% on list price. One of the first things you should buy a university student is a laptop. Next, that computer needs to be outfitted with essential productivity software they know how to use. Uni can be demanding, so knowing how to save time using everyday software could be a massive boon. You can purchase a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows for £70.21, and it even comes with a comprehensive Office training bundle. This license provides unlimited access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. Not only are these programs helpful for everyday word processing and responding to emails, but Pearson suggests that "employers expect employees to have a working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint." So as your kids get acquainted with these tools in school, they can be one step closer to succeeding in the workplace after graduation. Learning Office's advanced functions could also save students time, especially when working in Excel and PowerPoint. That's where the eight learning courses come into play. The classes are led by experts with years of experience in their respective industries. For instance, Microsoft Excel: Data Analysis With Pivot Tables is led by Chris Dutton, an analytics consultant and certified Microsoft Excel Expert. The bundle offers a course for each app in Professional 2021. For example, if your student needs to analyse vast data sets for science or statistics classes, the aforementioned Pivot Table course could prove valuable. But if they need to share information with fellow students, PowerPoint From Beginner To Advanced Level can teach them how to create engaging, animated presentations. If you want to get a university student a gift that saves them time and makes school more manageable, you can purchase lifetime access to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and the Premium Microsoft Office training bundle for just £71.21. Opens in a new tab Credit: Microsoft Premium Microsoft Office Training Course + MS Office Professional for Windows 2021 (Lifetime License) (opens in a new tab) £70.21 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

SAVE £12: The Fire TV Stick 4K Lite is on sale for £17.99 this Black Friday, saving you 40% on list price. How about this for a Black Friday bargain. As much entertainment as you can watch in a lifetime — seriously — all for less than £20. That’s exactly what you’ll get with the Fire TV Stick 4K Lite. The pared-down, still-hugely-impressive version of the Fire TV Stick is just £17.99 — a saving of 40%. This Black Friday deal is available until Nov. 29, so there’s still time to grab this bargain even after Black Friday is finished. The Fire TV Stick 4K Lite matches up to more expensive models with hours upon hours of entertainment — as many movies and shows as you can devour from the likes of Netflix, Prime, Disney, and YouTube. Not to mention access to live television via subscription services, plus audio platforms such as Amazon Music, Audible, and Spotify. The only real differences between the Lite version and other Fire TV Sticks is that this model doesn’t support 4K and its remote control won’t work on your actual TV. They might sound like negative points, but all that means is that this is the perfect device for casual viewers — anyone who doesn’t need the latest, most advanced home cinema setup. And even if the remote is limited, it still has Alexa. Just tell Alexa what you want to watch and she’ll search it out and stick it on the TV for you. Opens in a new tab Credit: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Lite (opens in a new tab) £17.99 at Amazon Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

SAVE £48: The Fire 7 Kids Tablet is on sale for £61.99 this Black Friday, saving you 44% on list price. Black Friday is here again. For parents — or anyone buying for kids this Christmas — Black Friday comes with a sigh of relief. It’s the opportunity to stock up on all those items from the kids’ Christmas lists, but at dramatically reduced prices. Here’s a gift that pretty much all kids will love — the Fire 7 Kids tablet. It has now been reduced to £61.99 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That means a 44% saving on the regular price. That's seriously impressive for a device as good as this. The deal will be live until Nov. 29. The Fire 7 Kids tablet is a perfect gift for kids aged between 3 and 7. It comes with a protective case, meaning it can withstand all kinds of rough play. It’s also jam packed with kid-friendly content. That all comes via Amazon Kids+, a huge subscription service filled with books, movies, music, games, and educational tools — all geared towards younger children. Parents can have peace of mind too, thanks to parental controls that allow you to manage content, set screen time limits, and even manage bedtimes via the tablet. The Fire 7 Kids tablet is usually listed at over £100, making this a bargain deal. And believe us, it’s a gift that keeps giving. There's enough entertainment to keep kids occupied for years. Opens in a new tab Credit: Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet (opens in a new tab) £61.99 at Amazon Get Deal (opens in a new tab) View the full article

A new trailer for James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water has arrived, and continues to promise a visual spectacle that aims to surpass its 2009 predecessor. It also provides a better look at the reef-dwelling Na'vi clan Metkayina, who probably have some connection to the film's title. Set over 10 years after the previous film, Avatar: The Way of Water sees the return of former human and current giant blue alien Jake Sully (Sam Worthington). Joined by his giant blue wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and their giant blue family, the Na'vi now face new dangers and must fight to keep each other safe. The film will also star Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, and Kate Winslet. It will run for over three hours as well, which is a long time to listen to ocean sounds without having to run to the bathroom. Avatar: The Way of Water arrives in cinemas Dec. 16. View the full article