Author Archives: Carol Edwards

The best early Prime Day Kindle deals:

• BEST DEAL: The Kindle Paperwhite (2018) is everything you need in an e-reader, and it’s waterproof to boot — $69.99 $129.99 (save 46%)

• BEST REFURBISHED OPTION: This Certified Refurbished Kindle (the no-frills 10th-gen model released in 2019) is just as functional as a new one and costs half as much — $39.99 $79.99 (Prime members save 50%)

• BEST ESSENTIALS BUNDLE: The Kindle Essentials Bundle features the Paperwhite (2018) version as well as a fabric cover to protect your screen and a power adapter — $124.97 $139.97 (save 10%)

• BEST SPLURGE BUNDLE: The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle includes a fabric cover and charging stand with the best Kindle yet, featuring automatically adjusted self-lighting and wireless charging — $229.97 $249.97 (save 8%)

If you’re adding books to your reading list way faster than you’re finishing them, you might want to try an e-reader. Its convenience might give you one fewer reason to flake on your annual reading goals — plus, there’s nothing like seeing that Goodreads number go up.

Prime Day doesn’t start until July 12, but there are a few solid Kindle deals on Amazon already. The retail giant has been particularly generous with its own devices, including Fire TVs, gaming controllers, and fitness trackers.

Though the latest Kindle discounts are limited mostly to bundles along with a few older models, last year for Prime Day every Kindle was on sale, so it’s likely that we’ll see more and more of the line featured as we head toward July 12 and 13.

Check out some of our favorites below.

BEST DEAL: Kindle Paperwhite (2018) — $69.99

While not its newest model, Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite from pre-pandemic years was a solid choice back then, and still is. In Mashable’s review of it at the time, we noted its thin and light design, handy features like instant word search (for those fancy-schmancy terms) and family libraries.

It was also the first Kindle to let you sync your reading/playing progress across other Kindles and devices with Audible, so that you can start reading a book in bed one night and pick up the audio version the next morning on your commute.

The Kindle Paperwhite comes in four colors and is also waterproof, so you can read by the pool without fear of splash-back.

BEST REFURBISHED OPTION: Certified Refurbished Kindle — $39.99

If you don’t mind not being the first person to own your Kindle, Amazon has an amazing Prime Savings deal for you — an OG Kindle for more than half off, for Prime members only.

This is the 10th-gen Kindle, which was released in 2019. It’s both older and less high-tech than the Paperwhite: There’s no waterproofing, anti-reflection coating, or search browser, but it’s smaller and lighter. Plus, why not save a perfectly good device?

BEST ESSENTIALS BUNDLE: Kindle Essentials Bundle — $124.97

Although Kindle Essentials Bundles can include a bunch of different covers — printed, leather, cork — our pick is the one with the fabric cover. It’s a mere $5 more than the printed version but much cuter, significantly less expensive than either leather or cork, and comes in four colors to seal the deal.

The bundle comes with a power adapter and a Kindle cover designed by Amazon to securely attach and modify for easy reading and grip. The devices recognizes when the cover is on, and goes to sleep to conserve battery, waking up automatically when it’s folded back.

The Kindle included is the 10th-gen, no-frills-but-functional model mentioned above.

BEST SPLURGE BUNDLE: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle — $229.97

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is the best in the game right now, as our review describes. Besides standard upgrades like a longer-lasting battery, faster processing speed, and a USB-C port, it’s also got wireless charging, more memory, and an automatically-adjusting front light (and warm light option).

Its 300 ppi glare-free display also claims to read like real paper, even in direct sunlight, which is no small feat. As the upgraded version, the Paperwhite Signature also only comes in WiFi-enabled form, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to download books before you tote your device around.

The bundle includes a fabric cover (in just the one color this time) and, unlike previous Kindles, a wireless charging dock that also doubles as a stand for when you don’t even want to hold the Kindle up to read.

For the first time in 18 years, you can see five planets in the sky at the same time. Set your alarms for early morning skywatching June 24.

Developed by OpenAI, DALL-E is an AI program trained to generate images from text descriptions. It was originally launched back in January of 2021, but now the second generation of the artificial intelligence system, DALL-E 2 is in the works. DALL-E 2 is not yet publicly available, but features some impressive new upgrades including a 4x greater image resolution allowing it to generate photorealistic images.

If you’ve been waiting to see what Lena Dunham would get up to next in film and TV, today’s your day.

The first trailer for Sharp Stick is here. Dunham directed the 2022 Sundance entry, which stars Kristine Froseth as Sarah Jo, a sensitive and wide-eyed 26-year-old caregiver from Los Angeles who’s just trying to find her way. That uncertainty leads her right into the arms and bare chest of her married boss (Jon Bernthal) and the chaotic life lessons that follow.

Sharp Stick stars Froseth, Bernthal, Dunham, Luka Sabbat, Scott Speedman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Taylour Paige, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. It’s set for a limited release in New York and Los Angeles on July 29, followed by a wide release on Aug. 5.

Emmy Raver-Lampman, Tom Hopper, Robert Sheehan, and cast of The Umbrella Academy, bring us up to speed on what has happened to our superheroes up to the moment season 3 begins. The new season premieres June 22nd on Netflix.

You don’t need us to tell you that the past few years were a challenging time for the global healthcare system. You likely gleaned it from the headlines with every refresh — the shortage of hospital beds, a deluge of news and complicated medical information, and patients being turned away for annual wellness exams, mental health visits, and even chemotherapy treatments.

This is where patient advocacy groups, or PAGs, have stepped up to meet the evolving needs of patients. Patient advocacy groups are organizations that provide education, resources, support services and more to patients and their caregivers. Basically, PAGs play the all-too-important role of bridging the gap between patients and the medical system.

Patient advocacy groups around the world have long been a source of community and support for patients. At the onset of the pandemic, if a patient couldn’t get the care they needed because of lockdowns, isolation or even loss of income, or if they were overwhelmed by confusing medical guidance, a PAG could serve as a touchstone for navigating their care. Fast forward to the now, and the demand for the additional support that PAGs provide shows no signs of letting up. Here’s a look at how a few PAGs, along with corporate partners such as Pfizer, upgraded their programs and resources to meet the challenges and needs of today’s patients.

State-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence and mental health

Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) is a PAG that works to give Canadians diagnosed with mood disorders better access to treatment. Pfizer has a longstanding history of collaborating with MDSC, but when the pandemic hit, Pfizer jumped in to help MDSC leverage cutting-edge technology to address the rise in anxiety, burn-out, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The result was MIRA, a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to provide patients with information on mental-health services. According to Dave Gallson, the National Executive Director of MDSC, MIRA was invaluable during the lockdowns. “MIRA leveraged technology to help Canadians find mental-health resources that had been pre-vetted,” he said. “We were able to meet folks where they were and when they needed it most.”

Updated digital tools for cancer information & care

Pfizer is also a proud partner of the Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC), a leading PAG for early prostate-cancer detection. When the pandemic started, PCEC and Pfizer collaborated to update their digital toolkit to include information on coronavirus and to update the resource to accommodate a pan-tumor patient audience. With the help of more than 20 advocacy partners, Pfizer and PCEC developed a digital resource that provided a wide range of cancer patients with information on COVID-19, plus tips on navigating the ins and outs of the new telehealth system. PCEC’s Vice President & Director of Early Detection and Awareness Programs, Renee Savickas, believes these digital tools helped patients feel in control of their health during confusing times. “Our resources provided vital information during a huge transition from in-person to virtual doctor visits,” she said. “By helping patients utilize telehealth visits, they were able to feel more confident in their treatment access.”

Hands-on COVID-19 care for underserved populations

Doctors For You (DFY) is a nonprofit that works to improve public health across the globe. It is especially invested in advancing health equity and its efforts include everything from natural-disaster relief to COVID-19 support. When the second wave of COVID-19 hit India and there was a dire shortage of hospital beds and oxygen, Pfizer supported DFY’s work to create a care center at the Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi.

The new facility offered medical and mental health care, as well as yoga and games to help patients deal with their fear. Additionally, Pfizer and DFY collaborated on a special space for children who were infected with the virus. Many praised the hands-on care at the center and DFY President, Dr. Rajat Jain, believes this is because the patients were put first. “A patient’s voice can open a door to reform medical care towards a better quality of health care,” he said, pivoting from the traditional doctor-knows-best mentality.

Informing and innovating the future

PAGs not only have a history of helping patients champion their healthcare needs through public health crises like COVID-19, but they’re also helping to shape the future of public health. These advocacy groups champion the patient perspective and offer valuable first-hand insights across the medical community from healthcare providers to government health agencies, and pharmaceutical companies. Through collaboration and partnership, PAGs voice community needs, improve access to treatment and outcomes, and provide critical support to patients when they need it most.

From ad trackers to algorithms that monitor your online activity, it can be difficult to remain truly anonymous. You can make your social media profiles private, but it doesn’t change the fact that every post, tweet, and comment is tied to a name. NGL is a new app that allows you to share your thoughts and opinions with your followers anonymously. 

“NGL” is a social media abbreviation that stands for “not gonna lie,” a phrase that people use before confessing a thought or opinion. Launched in 2021 and available worldwide on both Apple and Android, NGL hopes to provide a safe space for young people online. 

NGL might remind folks of ask.fm, also a website used to ask questions and share thoughts anonymously. However, since ask.fm doesn’t have a tracker or any monitoring, it was often used to bully and harass people with no consequences. NGL prioritizes safety by using AI content moderation. NGL has built-in algorithms that can detect and filter out harmful content associated with hate speech and cyberbullying. The app also offers the option to report and block users. 

“This means we stay on trend, we understand lingo, and we know how to filter out the bad stuff,” says NGL on their webpage. 

To use NGL, users must connect the app to their Instagram handle. NGL will then provide a link that you can copy and paste onto your Instagram Story, which your mutuals can tap on to respond. The questions and comments will show up on NGL’s “Inbox” feature.

While NGL does claim to be completely anonymous, the app does provide “hints” on who the responding users might be. The app is free, but there are also different subscription tiers.

Ready to know what your mutuals really think of you? Here’s how to get started with NGL:

1. First, download the app onto your phone either through the App Store or Google Play.

Credit: Rizwana Zafer

2. When you open NGL, you will be prompted to enter your Instagram handle.

Credit: Rizwana Zafer

3. After you’re linked to Instagram, NGL will present you with a link that you can copy and paste onto your Instagram story. While the default prompt is “send me anonymous messages,” you can change the prompt by clicking the icon of a die in the prompt box.

Credit: Rizwana Zafer

4. To share the NGL prompt to your Instagram story, all you have to do is tap on the “Create” option on your story page and add the link.

Credit: Rizwana Zafer

5. After you’ve shared the prompt to your story, you can access the responses in the “Inbox” tab on the NGL app.

UPDATE: Jun. 22, 2022, 3:55 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with the latest 4K and 8K TV deals.

• The Samsung 85-inch Q900A QLED TV is a huge Neo QLED masterpiece that’s super affordable during the “Discover Samsung” event — $2,599.99 $4,999.99 (save $2,400)

• The LG 65-inch NanoCell 99 QNED 8K TV has double the pixels of a 4K TV and utilizes smaller-than-usual LEDs for more precise contrast — $1,999.99 $2,699.99 (save $700)

• This Toshiba 75-inch M550 4K TV deal scores Prime members a huge screen for 50% off — $699.99 $1,399.99 (save $700)

Large 4K TVs no longer have to cost an exorbitant amount of money. These high-quality TVs featuring punchy colors, decipherable shadows, and smooth transitions are actually affordable for regular consumers. And to make them even more budget-friendly, we’ve gathered up the best deals on 4K and QLED TVs from top brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, and more.

Samsung TV deals

Why we love it

A massive TV that was once $5,000 is barely over $2,500 for a limited time. The “Neo” part represents an upgrade to Samsung’s QLED technology, which is made up of thousands of sand-sized LED particles that light themselves. Now, the bright and colorful quantum dot display is even more vivid with even more precise brightness.

More Samsung TVs on sale

• Samsung 32-inch The Frame QLED TV — $499.99 $599.99 (save $100)

• Samsung 43-inch The Sero Rotating QLED TV — $1,499.99 $1,999.99 (save $500)

• Samsung 50-inch QN90A Neo QLED TV — $899.99 $1,199.99 (save $30)

• Samsung 55-inch TU8300 4K TV — $497.99 $599.99 (save $102)

• Samsung 55-inch Q60A Series QLED TV — $699.99 $849.99 (save $150)

• Samsung 55-inch Q70A Series QLED TV — $899.99 $1,099.99 (save $200)

• Samsung 55-inch Q80A Series QLED TV — $899.99 $1,299.99 (save $400)

• Samsung 65-inch The Frame QLED TV — $1,599.99 $1,999.99 (save $400)

• Samsung 65-inch QN900A 8K TV — $2,999.99 $4,999.99 (save $2,000)

• Samsung 75-inch Q70A Series QLED TV — $1,699.99 $2,299.99 (save $600)

• Samsung 85-inch Q70A Series QLED TV — $2,399.99 $3,299.99 (save $900)

• Samsung 85-inch Q900A Neo QLED TV — $4,999.99 $8,999.99 (save $4,000)

LG TV deals

Why we love it

In 2021, LG dropped a mid-range line of 4K TVs featuring its NanoCell technology, which amps up color depth using an extra light filter. In 2022, that line is becoming more affordable.

More LG TVs on sale

• LG 50-inch UP8000 Series 4K TV — $379.99 $429.99 (save $50)

• LG 55-inch NanoCell 80 4K TV — $496.99 $799.99 (save $303)

• LG 65-inch NanoCell 90 4K TV — $859.99 $1,399.99 (save $540)

• LG 65-inch NanoCell 99 QNED 8K TV — $1,999.99 $2,699.99 (save $700)

• LG 65-inch C1 Series OLED TV — $1,596.99 $2,499.99 (save $903)

• LG 77-inch G1 Gallery Series QLED TV — $2,999.99 $3,799.99 (save $700)

• LG 82-inch Up8770 Series 4K TV — $1,099.99 $1,299.99 (save $200)

• LG 83-inch C1 Series OLED TV — $3,999.99 $4,999.99 (save $1,000)

• LG 86-inch NanoCell 90 4K TV — $1,799.99 $2,199.99 (save $400)

Sony TV deals

Why we love it

One of Sony’s high-end OLED TVs from 2021 is seeing a considerable price drop — probably because the 2022 lineup entered the chat. This isn’t your average OLED, either: Instead of relying on AI to optimize brightness, the Cognitive Processor XR chip customizes adjustments to things like skin tone or background light, depending on the angle from which a scene is filmed.

More Sony TVs on sale

• Sony 48-inch A9S OLED TV — $999.99 $1,299.99 (save $300)

• Sony 50-inch X80K 4K TV — $649.99 $749.99 (save $100)

• Sony 55-inch X80K 4K TV — $699.99 $799.99 (save $100)

• Sony 55-inch X90K 4K TV — $1,099.99 $1,399.99 (save $300)

• Sony 55-inch A80J OLED TV — $1,299.99 $1,699.99 (save $400)

• Sony 65-inch X80K 4K TV — $799.99 $999.99 (save $200)

• Sony 65-inch X95J 4K TV — $1,499.99 $1,799.99 (save $300)

• Sony 65-inch A90J OLED TV — $2,799.99 $3,299.99 (save $500)

• Sony 75-inch XR Z9J 8K TV — $3,999.99 $5,499.99 (save $1,500)

Other TV deals from TCL, Vizio, and more

Why we love it

After years of exclusively outsourcing the Fire TV platform to brands like Insignia and Toshiba, Amazon finally debuted its very own smart TV in fall 2021. The beloved Omni series is well-reviewed for crisp performance and ease of use.

More TVs from TCL, Vizio, and more

• Hisense 50-inch A6 Series 4K TV — $289.99 $499.99 (save $210)

• TCL 55-inch 4-Series 4K TV — $319.99 $599.99 (save $280)

• Toshiba 65-inch C350 Series 4K TV — $429.99 $569.99 (save $170)

• Amazon 65-inch Omni Series 4K Fire TV – $499.99 $829.99 (save $330)

• Hisense 65-inch U6G ULED TV — $549.99 $849.99 (save $300)

• TCL 65-inch 5 Series QLED TV — $599.99 $1,099.99 (save $500)

• Insignia 70-inch F30 Series 4K TV — $499.99 $649.99 (save $150)

• Insignia 70-inch F50 Series QLED TV — $549.99 $749.99 (save $200)

• Vizio 70-inch V-Series 4K TV — $599.99 $699.99 (save $100)

• Toshiba Toshiba 75-inch MM50 4K TV — $699.99 $1,399.99 (save $700)

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Tokyo scientists have coated a robotic finger in self-healing human skin, creating a huge leap forward for humanoid robotics.

What do you do when you’re a centuries-old secret society looking to grow your membership? Make a Facebook group.

Centuries ago, Rosicrucians were only able to maintain their society through their ability to be invisible. But over the past several hundred years, the world has changed — and, along with it, so has the need for Rosicrucians to stay shielded from the public. Now, they’re finding new ways to connect, by pivoting away from secrecy with the help of the most public tools they could find: Facebook, Zoom, and YouTube.

A beginning in science fiction or reality?

When it was first founded in the early 1600s, the deadly 30 Year War was ravaging Europe. It was being fought primarily over religion, and, while the Rosicrucian Order is not exactly a religion, it is a system of study to understand natural laws. Some of its doctrine includes references to Kabbalah, Hermeticism, alchemy, and Christian mysticism. So, like other religions at the time, they had to keep their organization private for fear of persecution.

“It was a very challenging time in Europe’s history,” Julie Scott, the Grand Master of the Rosicrucian Order, told Mashable. “It was just so superstitious. And so the Rosicrucian manifestos were published anonymously.”

In the early 17th century, the first bits of Rosicrucianism began popping up in the form of anonymous pamphlets in Germany, which claimed that a group of people were secretly working to transform European politics and religion. But there’s a lot of drama surrounding whether, when the pamphlets were written, Rosicrucians actually existed, or if it was just some elaborately written pamphlet of science fiction.

Jon Crowley, a novelist who studied Rosicrucianism for some of his many books based off of the order, has argued that the books were likely works of fantasy, not based off of lived experiences. But he acknowledges that it’s difficult to know one way or another.

“Nobody could really track them down because nobody would admit to being one.”

“The idea of an organized body of people who all belong to this group and kept themselves secret, even though they might have announced that they know about a story about a group that is the Rosicrucians — they can announce that that body or that group exists, but they never admit that they belong to it. It’s very hard to figure it out,” Crowley told Mashable. “And that’s what made it even more mysterious that there were these bodies of very scholarly, possibly magical or magician-like persons. And nobody could really track them down because nobody would admit to being one.”

Beyond the rumors

Whether they started as a secret society or as a work of fantasy, the result is the same: A group began to form that believed the pamphlets to be true. They were influenced by mystical Christian orders, and they are also linked to the beginnings of the Freemasons. More than 400 years later, there are still members today — just check Facebook.

“We’re a philosophical organization and, Rosicrucians, we have members all over the world where people are free to practice the tradition of their choice,” Scott said. “And we study natural laws so that we can live in harmony with them. So, we learn about the best time to do things, the best way to approach things, whether it’s meditation or developing our intuition, so that we get into the natural rhythm of whatever it is we’re approaching.”

“We study natural laws so that we can live in harmony with them.”

As the years passed, the invisibility that once provided the group with an armor of protection was no longer necessary. Eventually, they moved fully into the public eye, complete with glossy magazine ads in the 1970s. Today, you can watch their public talks on YouTube, Zoom into an experiment, or join one of dozens of regional and national Facebook groups.

While many of the Facebook groups are private, members can join any of them. And anyone can become a member.

“Anyone can be a member and we have moderators who make sure that somebody who’s not a member is not joining in order to sell their product or something like that,” Scott said. “So the main thing is we want people to feel welcome and included and just to be able to observe what Rosicrucians do and how we approach the world.”

The Facebook page the Rosicrucian Order AMORC, which anyone can like and follow, has more than 300,000 followers. The largest private Rosicrucian Facebook group, which you have to be granted permission to join, has 17,000 members. Not all of the followers are members of the Order, and it’s mostly a place to do what you do on any other community-based Facebook group: set up meetups, post quotes written in cursive script on stock image backgrounds, and argue playfully in the comment sections about the artistry of Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Then there are the dozens of pages made for Rosicrucians in specific areas, which, Scott says, are really where the power of Facebook lies for them. “The strength of Facebook is it connects people locally,” Scott, who joined the Rosicrucian Order in 1993, said.

Olisa Okanime runs the organization’s local social media in Georgia and moderates a few thousand people on social media, she told Mashable. She loves the work she does with the Order, but is striving to increase their social media reach — “especially to nonmembers.”

“We have blockbuster online events right now that cater to the needs of members and nonmembers alike,” she said. “For example, we have a weekly teleconference that is hosted by our adorable Grand Master, Soror Julie Scott. It’s an amazing experience. You should check it out — nonmembers can attend.”

Karen Wark, a member who works on the Rosicrucian Order’s national social media presence, told Mashable via email that “Facebook has given us a way to connect with seekers who we would not have been able to before,” like those who live in rural areas. And, according to Wark, their membership has “increased significantly” since they launched their main Facebook page in 2009.

“We have Rosicrucian members from all over the world and being able to connect with each other in Facebook groups has been really wonderful for our members,” Wark said. “Before this, we would only see each other at world conventions, which not everyone would be able to attend.”

“Facebook has given us a way to connect with seekers who we would not have been able to before.”

Facebook also helps connect people with the formerly secret society’s other online programs, like the YouTube and Zoom sessions they host weekly, where a class master from their department of instruction presents on different topics, like pythagoras or labyrinth. Once a quarter, they have a symposium on those platforms, where members watch several different presentations and participate in an experiment or meditation at the end.

What comes next?

It’s not clear what the future of organizations like the Rosicrucians will be, as membership in voluntary associations has been steadily falling in everything from church groups to Greek organizations. According to a 2019 Joint Economic Committee congressional report, membership rates in some of these organizations fell from 75% in 1974 to 62% in 2004. But Scott says the involvement of social media has actually helped memberships grow for Rosicrucians.

“We began presenting the Wednesday teleconferences in 2015,” Scott said. “Two of our class masters felt that this would be a great way to reach members who were in more remote areas. And we would regularly have maybe 75 to 85 participants every Wednesday for a number of years. And since the pandemic, on the Wednesday teleconferences, we have usually between 400 and 500 participants now, and for our symposiums that we present once a quarter, we usually max out at 1000.”

Okanime also says social media is helping to increase their numbers.

“With a global pandemic and no in-person activities, coupled with seasoned and coordinated expertise from our Grand Lodge, we are experiencing exponential growth in both membership and online participation,” she said.

The pandemic appears to be one of the big pushes to put the Order online. That’s why they hired Jason Lopez, who joined the organization in 2015, to be the communications manager in California.

“It’s a new role created by the Order to address the growing need to adapt during the pandemic,” Lopez said. “Our lodges were closed but we still wanted to connect our members the best way we can, [by] making sure that every moment spent in these trying times are alleviated by the lessons from the lectures we host and the content that we produce, that can ultimately create a sense of community online, if not in person.”

But even with the vaccine rolling out, and in-person gatherings becoming more and more likely, Lopez and Okanime are confident their online outreach will continue to increase membership.

“The trend has always been upward, even before I took on the role,” Lopez said. “It’s a confirmation that more people online are looking into esotericism, philosophy, and ancient wisdom teachings. Hopefully they can find some answers to their questions with the Rosicrucian Order.”

With committed social media managers and members across multiple states and countries, it makes sense that a pivot online could serve as a savior of sorts to their community. But their transition from existing only in the shadows to working within one of the most infamously public spaces in the world is a fascinating choice. With what we know about the lack of privacy on Facebook, their willingness to embrace the platforms shows that the group is more dedicated to the “society” aspect of secret society than they ever were to the “secret.”

This article was originally published in April 2021 and was updated in June 2022.