Author Archives: Carol Edwards

Save $200: Grab the M2 MacBook Air with 256GB of built-in storage at its new record-low price of $899. This 18% discount on the laptop’s $1,099 MSRP is only available at Best Buy.

Just a couple short weeks ago, the M2 MacBook Air was available for only $949. It was the first time we’d seen the laptop’s price dip that low, and we wouldn’t have been surprised if it would be the best price we saw on this MacBook during the back-to-school season.

In this case, we’re more than happy to have our expectations shattered. As of Aug. 28, Best Buy dropped the price of the M2 MacBook Air with 256GB of built-in storage yet again to just $899, slashing $200 off its $1,099 MSRP. That 18% discount brings makes this laptop the best MacBook deal available right now.

As a reminder, the M2 Air’s MSRP dropped $100 following the release of the 15-inch MacBook Air, so while this isn’t the first time we’ve seen it get a $200 markdown, it is the first time a $200 markdown has brought it down to such a low price. (We also were excited to see a refurbished version of this laptop down to $919 at Woot last week, but it’s since sold out.)

For context, the M1 MacBook Air is on sale (and has been for a couple months now) for $749. Compared to the older model, the M2 Air got a sleek redesign that did away with the tapered edge and upgraded the display size from 13.3 inches to 13.6 inches — according to Mashable tech reporter Alex Perry in his review, the difference is definitely noticeable.

These design upgrades, paired with zippy M2 power, 18 hours of battery life, and a keyboard we’re obsessed with make this laptop a lightweight powerhouse, which makes it one of the best choices for students, and honestly, the best MacBook for most people (and a Mashable Choice pick).

If you already have an M1 MacBook, upgrading isn’t a necessity (though at this price, it could be worth it for you). For everyone else, as Perry put it in his review, “Anyone who’s been rocking an older MacBook for a while should upgrade to this one ASAP.”

Thanks to the digital economy, it’s never been easier for educators, subject matter experts, and hobby instructors to reach new audiences. But monetizing your content is easier said than done, especially when you also have to worry about marketing your services and keeping your website up to date. 

Squarespace Courses is designed to help you tackle all of the above with numerous creator-focused features that make packaging and promoting your content a lot more manageable on your own.

Here are just a few reasons why Squarespace Courses is a game-changer for your creative business:

Stand out from the crowd

Whether your content is focused on teaching customers about fitness, cooking, or professional development, odds are that you aren’t the only creator trying to attract new clients. That’s why having an attractive website that looks and feels professional is a big differentiator for many newly minted entrepreneurs — and this is doubly true for content creators who primarily sell their goods and services online.

Squrespace Courses gives you an edge with premium design and branding options that allow you to create beautiful course layouts that automatically match the esthetics of your website.

Cater to every client

As a creator, one of the most important decisions you make is choosing how to package your content in a way that appeals to as many potential customers as possible. 

Squrespace Courses lets you easily package your content into several product offerings with different monetization options. These include the ability to combine courses with access to other paywalled content, offer a class with flexible or cohort-based signups, and reward paid subscribers with members-only content.

Grow your business

Marketing your content is key to growing and retaining your customer base, and knowing how to best deploy your resources can have a significant impact on your bottom line. 

Squrespace Courses is integrated into Squarespace’s all-in-one platform that lets you take advantage of powerful digital marketing features that include email campaigns, SEO tools, and social media integrations to help you stay top of mind among your existing and prospective customers. 

Squarespace Courses lets you easily take your creator business to the next level with feature-rich course design tools, beautiful templates, and integrated marketing features. Plans start at $9 per month, and you can save 10% on an annual subscription with code MASHABLE10.

Everyone knows the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the speech he gave 60 years ago today that rang out over Washington D.C. Not as many people know about Bayard Rustin.

The March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963, while a stunning showcase for Dr. King’s legendary oratory powers, was organized by Rustin and A. Phillip Randolph Jr. — two leaders in the civil rights movement, who still haven’t been given their due in mainstream culture. That’s starting to change this year with the release of Netflix’s Rustin, a biopic starring Colman Domingo (Euphoria and the upcoming The Color Purple) as the influential leader. It’s directed by George C. Wolfe (who is, like both Rustin and Domingo, a gay Black man). And the film’s executive producers include former Washington residents Barack and Michelle Obama, through their Higher Ground productions.

Rustin releases on Netflix globally on November 17.

When you look up at the stars, what do you think about? That we may be not be alone? The vastness of it all?

There’s a lot to wonder about space. The fact is we don’t know all the answers about it. We know it’s vast and beautiful, but we’re not really sure how vast (or how beautiful, for that matter).

Some of the things we do know, however, are downright mind-boggling. Here, we’ve collected some of the most amazing facts about space, so when you look up at the stars you can be ever more wowed by what you’re looking at.

This versatile soundbar is actually multiple speakers in one. The JBL Bar 1300 offers the ability to function as a variety of speaker devices. Two smaller speakers can detach from the soundbar and be used to create surround sound, or portable bluetooth players. The 12” wireless subwoofer has 1700w of total output power. JBL’s Bar 1300 has built-in wifi with airplay, Alexa multi-room music, and chromcast. Paired with a single app that controls and customizes your speakers create your ideal audio experience for movies, music or games.

Alicia Silverstone might be best-known for ’90s romps like Clueless, Excess Baggage, and Blast from the Past. But the Californian actress who defined the era’s idea of cool has been exploring darker realms in cinema, appearing in Yorgos Lanthimos’s twisted thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer; Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz’s freaky follow-up to Goodnight Mommy, The Lodge; and now Jennifer Reeder’s blood-dripping, coming-of-age monster movie, Perpetrator. 

Pulling in polarizing reviews on its film festival run, Perpetrator centers on a teen girl named Jonny (Kiah McKirnan), who on her 18th birthday inherits a strange new power that pushes her to better understand the world around her through truly radical empathy. Silverstone stars as Jonny’s hard-as-nails and hot-as-hell mentor, Hildie. Together, they will forge a path of female bonding…while investigating a spade of missing person cases afflicting the local high school. 

In a paired interview with Mashable, conducted ahead of the SAG/AFTRA strike, Alicia Silverstone and Jennifer Reeder shared how they came to collaborate, the power of wardrobe, and the secrets of one particularly shocking scene that spurred Silverstone to sign on to the project — though it was later cut from the final film.

How did Alicia Silverstone get involved in Perpetrator?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 11: (L-R) Christopher Lowell, Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, and director Jennifer Reeder attend the “Perpetrator” premiere during the 2023 Tribeca Festival at SVA Theatre on June 11, 2023, in New York City.
Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

When Silverstone’s agent came to her with the offer to play Hildie, Reeder had already earned a reputation as one to watch. Not only had her eerie 2019 horror-musical Knives and Skin won praise from critics, but it also snagged her a spot on Parasite director Bong Joon Ho’s 2020 list of 20 filmmakers who would define the coming decade of cinema.

In addition to coming highly recommended, Reeder won Silverstone over with a personal letter that accompanied the Perpetrator script. “I would have said yes to the movie right off of the letter,” Silverstone said, “because I just felt such an artist [in the writing].” 

“The way she talked, the way she communicated, everything that she said about the character,” Silverstone continued, noting that Reeder went into detail about her vision of Hildie’s wardrobe. “It was just so exciting to have somebody describe wardrobe to you. I don’t think that’s ever happened [before]. She just said right away, ‘Hildie is wearing tight, tight black skirts, with her hair pulled very tightly back and turtlenecks,’ which is not unlike how Jennifer Reeder dresses, by the way. When I first met her I was like, ‘Oh, hi, Hildie.'” 

At this, Reeder chuckled and concurred, “That’s true.” 

From there, Silverstone read the script and fell in love. “There were so many beautiful moments in the script. One of my favorites didn’t make it in the film.”

What was the cut scene that made Alicia Silverstone want to make Perpetrator?  

Kiah McKirnan splattered in blood in “Perpetrator.”
Credit: IFC/Shudder

After getting approval from Reeder to spill the details, Silverstone painted the scene. 

“Jonny has broken into this house and she’s stealing stuff, right?” the actress began. “Now, she hears a person coming into the house. She hides under the bed. And while she’s hiding under the bed, this asshole guy comes in with this young girl. And he’s trying to have sex with her.” 

Jonny is hidden under the bed, a silent witness. “They’re fucking and on the floor. He wants to do it on the floor because he doesn’t want his wife to find out by, like, messing up the bed,” Silverstone explained. “So, he’s on the floor fucking her. And the girl underneath the bed looks at Jonny, and Jonny looks back at her, and they say to each other, they mouth, ‘Are you okay?’ And this made me just go: What is this womanness? That they both checked in on each other? Are you okay? That happening? Just what an incredible insight and feeling about these women, and so unusual. Often, we are pitted against each other [in movies]; it’s not that, and that was just such a loving, beautiful moment.” 

“We shot that scene,” Reeder noted. “We cut it just for pace. But I stand by that scene. I’m recycling it for something else. Another thing.” 

Still, Silverstone feels the message of this scene survives in Perpetrator, even with it being cut out. “It’s still there,” she said. “It’s throughout the whole thing. That was just really the moment that made me feel like I get where she is, because [Reeder] loves blood, and she loves girls. And that’s in all of her movies.” 

“That’s true,” Reeder replied. 

What was in the letter Jennifer Reeder sent Alicia Silverstone? 

Jennifer Reeder, director of “Perpetrator.”
Credit: Shudder/IFC

The filmmaker felt it was important to introduce herself and her idea. “I didn’t want the script to be a surprise,” Reeder explained. Having seen Silverstone in such daring thrillers as The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Lodge, “I knew that you were game to do some gnarly stuff,” she said to Silverstone. Still, the actress beloved for her “blonde and breezy” persona was being asked to do something very different for the savage and stern Hildie. 

Reeder drew a comparison between her movie’s matriarch and the vampire queen Catherine Deneuve played in The Hunger, Miriam Blaylock. “That reference was so everything,” Silverstone said of the moody 1983 film, which co-starred Susan Sarandon and David Bowie. “That’s why I wanted to play Hildie. But I just thought, what an exciting role, and the fact that there was a clear reference of sort of this matriarch. Catherine Deneuve carried herself in this very elegant, graceful [way and was] quiet in the way she spoke.”

Silverstone drew inspiration from Deneuve’s performance but made clear she didn’t set out to mimic the French actress. “[I wanted to] give a sense of what she was doing, the essence of it,” she explained, “and bring it to this matriarch who’s trying to take care of this young girl and is perceived as a witch or a monster, but really is very loving… She wants everybody to get their shit together and come into their power and be their fierce, beautiful selves.”

Beyond a description of Hildie’s look and her Hunger vibe, Reeder wrote to express to Silverstone why she was perfect for the role. “Not just saying kind of, like, ‘Because you’re iconic,’ which is true,” Reeder said.

“Even when we were casting for Knives and Skin, I was really interested in Alicia,” Reeder revealed. “Certainly knowing that she could carry any role” — at this point she spoke to Silverstone directly — “because you’re truly a brilliant actor. But I love that you take chances. I think that makes a big difference. But it also made the most sense for Hildie, who is this matriarch of really powerful women, and especially a woman who’s guiding this teenager through this transition, that your own sort of, like, meta-story involves being introduced to the world as a teenager, and then being able to evolve in front of us. I mean, I feel like you really are so iconic that there are people [who] have never met you [but] you are such an important part of their life. I know that directly, having people just message me all the time. They’re kind of like, ‘Tell her I love her.’ And I’m like, ‘Maybe, if she’s behaving that day.'” Silverstone laughed. “That was not lost on me,” Reeder continued, “your professional provenance.”

“But, I mean, like, woman-to-woman, person-to-person, artist-to-artist,” Reeder explained, “I’ve got the ability to be as articulate as I want, and you might have just one shot to get somebody to say, like, ‘I’ll read this girl’s script.’ Something like that matters.

“I’m a woman who deeply values my friendships with other women,” Reeder continued, recapping the letter’s secrets. “And so, I don’t want this to be a one-off, like, I want to be your friend. And I want you to trust me when you get on set. And it starts with just writing something that feels like it’s totally coming from my heart, because then you read the script, and it is kind of gnarly. But I wanted Alicia to know from the tone of that letter that I was a caring, smart filmmaker, who, if she said yes to coming on this journey with me, she wouldn’t regret it.”

Perpetrator debuts in select theaters and on Shudder Sept. 1.

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you’ve come to the right place for hints. There aren’t just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you’ll get what you need.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it’s not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30. Meyer’s creation was covered in The Guardian six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like “curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can’t afford to waste guesses unless you’re eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn’t the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it’s a normal part of the player’s strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We’ve had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If strategy isn’t helping, and you’re still stumped, here are some hints:

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

One word has a double letter.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

No.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

P, A, F, and F.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK, you asked for it. The answers are:

1. PAINT

2. ALLOY

3. FORTY

4. FIBER

Last year, Republicans sued Google, alleging that Gmail unfairly filters their fundraising messages to the spam folder. Less than 12 months later, it’s basically a wrap.

U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Calabretta dismissed the Republican National Committee’s lawsuit on Thursday, per the Washington Post. According to Calabretta, it was a “close case” but there wasn’t sufficient evidence on the RNC’s part to prove that Google had acted in bad faith. Calabretta did allow the RNC to amend and refile the case, which the organization said it would do, according to the Post.

In case you missed the lawsuit when it first popped up last October, the specific accusation was that conservative fundraising emails get sent to the spam filter in Gmail more than liberal ones. It was based on a study from North Carolina State University, whose authors later claimed that the Republicans had taken the results out of context.

Mashable has done some of our own reporting on this and found that Gmail spam filtering has a lot more to do with sender behavior than political affiliation. In short, sending a lot of unopened emails in a short period of time increases your chance at getting sent to the spam folder. It’s not a stretch to imagine that’s what’s happening to these fundraising emails.

TL;DR: As of Aug. 27, you can get the three-in-one USB-C, iPhone, and Apple Watch Lightning charging cable for just $18.99 (reg. $39.99) in the Mashable Shop — a savings of 52%.

Whether you’re at work or on the road, it can be really annoying to need a separate charger for each of your devices. A simpler alternative is just to carry one charger that can connect to all your daily tech. And iOS users could get a whole lot of mileage out of the three-in-one USB-C, iPhone, and Apple Watch Lightning charging cable. Plus, it’s 52% off.

Apple gave iPads a USB-C port but hasn’t done the same for iPhones yet, so now you can’t use the same cable for your tablet and your phone. Add in an Apple Watch, and that’s three separate chargers unless you have one of these. Power all three of your devices with this one cable that has connectors for Lightning, USB-C, and Apple Watch. 

This three-headed cable is 48 inches long with a sturdy build that might put your fraying stock Apple cables to shame. The build quality is especially important when you’re relying on one cable for all your devices. This one is designed to be heat-resistant and is made from braided nylon, TPE plastic, and an aluminum shell. Plus, it’s lightweight, and the charger heads only split close to the end to limit tangles. 

Whether you’re packing up for vacation or getting ready for a long workday, you should only need to bring one charger to power your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. 

For a limited time, get the three-in-one USB-C, iPhone, and Apple Watch Lightning charging cable on sale for $18.99 (reg. $39). 

Prices subject to change.

TL;DR: As of Aug. 27, you can get the AquaSonic Black Series toothbrush and travel case with eight DuPont brush heads for just $29.97 (reg. $59.95) in the Mashable Shop — that’s a savings of 49%.

Whether you’re heading back to school or gearing up for a busy holiday season, the change from summer to fall marks a great time to start a new routine. If you want to change your dental habits, an electric toothbrush is a great way to take better care of your chompers.

According to its manufacturers, the AquaSonic Black Series toothbrush could help you remove up to ten times more plaque than a regular old toothbrush. During our Labor Day promotion, you can score this powerful electric toothbrush and its travel case with eight DuPont brush heads for just $29.97 (reg. $59.95). But you’ll need to act fast — this deal only lasts through September 4. 

If you’ve been brushing with a basic drugstore toothbrush, it’s time to elevate your teeth-cleaning routine. The AquaSonic offers customization when it comes to brushing, with mode options like soft, whiten, massage, and cleaning. Its 40,000 VPM motor is made to give you a thorough, deep clean that also helps dissolve stains and whiten your teeth simultaneously. 

Less plaque means healthier gums. Plus, you can rest easy knowing this brush is ADA-approved. And with this deal, you’ll receive the brush handle and charging dock, eight brush heads, and a handy travel case to keep up your brushing routine even while you’re away. 

Upgrade your brushing routine with the AquaSonic Black Series toothbrush and travel case with eight DuPont brush heads, on sale for just $29.97 (reg. $59.95), no coupon code required, through September 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Prices subject to change.