Author Archives: Carol Edwards

Flexible, foldable phones are about to become a reality.

Samsung finally unveiled its long-rumored foldable phone, which uses a new type of display technology the company has dubbed an “Infinity Flex Display.” Google also announced that Android will support these devices, saying it expects several more to be announced from other Android makers. 

But these devices also mean we’ll have to relearn how to use our phones — again. Just as edge-to-edge bezel-less displays forced us to relearn basic navigation, phones that can fold up will also require a major behavioral shift. 

More about Tech, Google, Android, Samsung, and Smartphones

It isn’t easy being MoviePass right now.

Over the past few months, the subscription-based movie ticket service has lost millions of dollars, run out of money, limited its titles, and changed its pricing models more times than we could count. It’s lost customers (some of whom found it exceedingly difficult to get out) and been hit with an investigation by the New York Attorney General.

Somehow, they’ve survived — but their reputation has taken a serious hit in the process. Naturally, then, they’re eager to get back into the good graces of their understandably disgruntled customers.  Read more…

More about Moviepass, Entertainment, and Movies Tv Shows

Apparently there’s no spell to protect yourself from getting swindled.

J.K. Rowling was robbed by one of her former assistants, according to a recent BBC report. The Harry Potter author is now suing Amanda Donaldson for making unauthorized purchases totaling about £24,000 (or $30,000).

If true, Donaldson sounds like a real Mundungus Fletcher, having worked for the author from February 2014 until April 2017 all simultaneously stealing from her. She denies all charges. 

To add insult to injury, the list of stolen items cited are incomprehensibly stupid.  Read more…

More about J.K. Rowling, Entertainment, and Harry Potter

A video of a horrified girl giving a middle aged man the hand after he says something to her at a watch party for Dan Crenshaw went viral on Tuesday night. 

But the girl from the video wants everyone to chill — it’s just her dad. 

In the video posted by @gina_lolz, the man says something to the girl before she turns to him, clearly offended. She throws up a hand before he can finish and struts away.

“Please find this girl I have to know what that guy said to her,” the OP tweeted.

Ellie Delgado, a high schooler from Houston, set the record straight.  Read more…

More about Viral Videos, Twitter Reactions, Dads, Culture, and Web Culture

In this episode of Technically Speaking with Michael Nuñez, we analyze how Techtober hype feeds into holiday gadget shopping and increasing e-waste culture, unregulated election meddling via social media platforms, and Amazon’s media stunt to find a home for its new HQ2. Read more…

More about Amazon, Mashable Video, Social Media, E Waste, and Tech News

Good job everyone: Americans took a break from looking at porn long enough to watch the midterm erection election results roll in. 

According to Pornhub’s ever-insightful analytics, traffic in the United States was up as much as 20 percent on Tuesday morning. 

The report theorizes that Americans jerked off early before hitting the polls, or “perhaps they woke up more anxious than usual and needed to relax.” 

Traffic dipped between 4 to 7 p.m. and then again between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. as results rolled in across the nation. Strangely, traffic was up 1.7 percent at 8 p.m. — maybe it was too late to vote but too early for results?  Read more…

More about Pornhub, Midterm Elections 2018, Culture, and Web Culture

After two years of waiting for the chance to rebuke President Trump and the Republican Party at the polls, voters from across the political spectrum finally got their chance Tuesday night. 

By flipping the House, several statewide offices and legislatures, and hundreds of state legislature seats to Democratic control, voters sent an undeniable message: They knew the stakes of the midterms, and they were prepared to fight aggressively for their vision of inclusive, equitable America. That included electing a record number of women to Congress, shattering several glass ceilings for women, people of color, and LGBTQ people along the way.  Read more…

More about Politics, Women, Trump, Midterm Elections 2018, and Social Good

On Wednesday, Donald Trump ended the midterms news cycle by effectively firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The acting Attorney General is now Matt Whitaker, Sessions’ former chief of staff and a man who used to mooch WiFi from a taco restaurant.

We know the latter thanks to his old tweets, which he has not deleted.

There are many reasons to feel uneasy about Whitaker’s new role: his use of the phrase “Mueller lynch mob,” his disturbing fixation on Hillary Clinton, and the fact that he (unlike Sessions) probably won’t be recused from the Russia investigation.  Read more…

More about Twitter, Social Media, Culture, Web Culture, and Politics

Steve Carell will host Saturday Night Live for the third time on Nov. 17 with musical guest Ella Mai. 

Carell is currently promoting Beautiful Boy and leaning into his silver fox phase, while Mai is fresh off her self-titled studio album debut in October. 

Besides Beautiful Boy, Carell will also appear in December’s Vice, about Dick Cheney. He’ll portray Donald Rumsfeld. 

Watch Carell and Mai on SNL Nov. 17. There will be plenty of politics to discuss.  Read more…

More about Entertainment, Television, Steve Carell, Saturday Night Live, and Entertainment

The accusations of gender discrimination against Riot Games, creator of League of Legends, has now entered the legal sphere.

A few of months ago, an extensive Kotaku investigation brought a litany of allegations from former and current employees detailing a toxic “bro culture” that fostered systemic sexism at the company. Soon after, even more allegations were reported, this time spanning sexual harassment and misconduct.

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, one former and one current employee officially filed a class action lawsuit for gender discrimination and harassment against Riot on grounds of the company violating the California Equal Pay Act.  Read more…

More about Entertainment, Video Games, League Of Legends, Riot Games, and Sexual Misconduct