Author Archives: Carol Edwards

To gently land a rocket ship on the surface of Mars one must overcome the most ornery physics.

When a spacecraft returns to Earth, the relatively thick atmosphere helps slow down that speeding bullet. But on Mars, the aerodynamics are not so friendly. The atmosphere is much thinner, with the densest Martian air only about as thick as what you’ll find on Earth at 100,000 feet above sea level, more than three times the altitude of Mount Everest’s peak.

Of over 40 missions sent to Mars, fewer than half have been successful, according to NASA.

And they want to send people there?

“I call it the anti-Goldilocks atmosphere,” said Jim Reuter, NASA associate administrator for the space technology mission directorate. “It’s thick enough that it causes you problems and not thin enough to help you.”

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But space scientists think they’ve figured out how to pull more drag out of literal thin air.

Engineers have developed new hardware — an inflatable heat shield — that might be the key. Called a Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator, or HIAD, the technology could help NASA land astronauts and massive cargo loads on the Red Planet in the late 2030s.

Now a team at the space agency’s Langley Research Center in Virginia is ready to test its mettle in space. Earlier this week, scientists and engineers gathered to see the heat shield inflated for the final time on Earth before it shoots into orbit on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in November.

The mission, known as the Bernard Kutter Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator — LOFTID for short — will take the experiment up with a weather satellite on a trip around Earth that passes over the North and South poles. The heat shield will stay put until after the satellite’s delivery, then will inflate as the spacecraft returns to Earth.

At a small demo on Wednesday, the gunmetal-gray-shrouded heat shield, looking like a giant mushroom cap, ballooned out in a cavernous laboratory. The contraption was 20-feet-wide, about the size of a small carousel, with a catwalk stretched overtop for scientists and engineers to cross it.

NASA Langley researchers demonstrate the inflation of a heat shield for the final time on Earth before it undergoes a test in space this November.
Credit: Elisha Sauers

Since NASA began in 1958, the agency has relied on rocket engines and rigid aeroshell heat shields to land spacecraft. The aeroshell is a protective cover, shielding the lander from the scorching heat of reentry.

From the first crewless Viking mission in the 1970s to NASA’s most recent Curiosity rover launched in 2011, engineers have used the same heat shield technology to get to Mars.

But the classic technology is limiting. A hard aeroshell can only be as big as the diameter of a rocket’s nose cone, which holds the lander. The larger the aeroshell, though, the heavier the loads can be. For sending astronauts to Mars, scientists say they’ll need to land about 20 to 45 tons. So far, they’ve only landed less than two tons on the Martian ground.

Reliance on the old method has also constrained spacecraft landings to Mars’ northern lowlands, below the base elevation level on the Red Planet, said Joe Del Corso, the project manager at Langley.

NASA has used the same classic heat shield technology to land on Mars since the Viking mission in the 1970s.
Credit: NASA

“I call it the anti-Goldilocks atmosphere.”

That’s how an inflatable heat shield could come in handy.

The system is composed of a stack of inner-tube-like rings strapped together. Its synthetic material is 15 times stronger than steel and able to withstand temperatures over 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit. The idea is to deploy it higher up in Mars’ atmosphere, expanding NASA’s touchdown options throughout the Martian southern highlands.

It’s a more realistic solution than bundles of parachutes the size of football fields or tens of extra tons of rocket fuel, the experts said.

“With classic technology, you can land about 1.5 metric tons. That’s the equivalent of a well-instrumented golf cart,” Del Corso told Mashable. “With 20 to 40 metric tons, we’re talking about a ranch house, fully furnished with a car in the carport. That’s what you have to have.”

A demonstration mission for the inflatable heat shield will launch in November.
Credit: NASA

The $93 million mission is a partnership with United Launch Alliance, which will provide the ride and the recovery of the NASA equipment after the launch. The rocket will take off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If all goes according to plan, the heat shield will slow down the LOFTID vehicle from over 25 times the speed of sound to under 610 mph.

The inflated system will then separate and splash down into the Pacific Ocean with a parachute near Hawaii. During the descent, it will eject a data recorder storing information about the flight that a boat will retrieve from the water.

There’s something in the mission for ULA, too. The new heat shield technology could help them recover spent boosters for reuse, said Barb Egan, the company’s civil space program director, referring to a notoriously expensive aspect of space travel. The business hopes to one day use it for its Vulcan heavy-lift rocket, whose thrusters make up about 60 percent of each launch cost.

“This is a giant leap in aeroshell technology,” Egan said, “to be able to bring our engines back quickly, easily, safely, and reuse that technology rather than throw it away.”

It’s summertime and you know what that means: time to sit inside, hide from the sun, and read tweets online.

Alright, maybe you shouldn’t do that. For real, after you read this post you should go outside. Feel the sun. Go for a walk. Touch grass, as the kids say.

But first, read this post. Because hey, balance is the key to life or something like that. A little bit of being online never hurt anyone. Anyway, here they are, the 11 funniest and best tweets of the week.

1. It’s one trip to the dry cleaners, how much could it possibly cost, $800?

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2. Whatever Cher is up to in this tweet, I want some more of it, please.

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3. We used to build things in this country. We used to make things beautiful for beauty’s sake. Somewhere along the way we lost that.

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4. I don’t have to come out of anywhere, copper. I can do whatever I damn well please.

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5. An obligatory dril post for you to enjoy.

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6. This is a fantastic Stranger Things-related joke.

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7. We need to give this poor artist a rest. But the art is pretty good…

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8. OK, this is a very real thing. And I didn’t believe the eels would ever show up. It had been such a journey. But guess what? My guy actually got his eels. And it was beautiful.

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9. This isn’t weird. This is perfectly normal.

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10. One of many good memes about Ryan Gosling as Ken.

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11. And finally, this. If you don’t get it, I am sorry. But if you get it, it has been a long time coming.

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If you’re burning through your 2022 movie watchlist, you’re not alone. We’ve watched some killer sci-fi. We’re making our way through TV from the ’90s. We signed up for Peacock and Paramount+. Yet still we crave more content!

Luckily for truly everyone involved, streaming libraries are constantly in flux. That can be sad when your favorite show or movie leaves a known platform, but feels like a personal victory every time you see something new you were dying to watch. We looked at one of streaming’s overlooked movie libraries on Amazon Prime Video to find the best movies added in the last six months. It’s an exciting mix of new releases, old favorites, and Amazon originals, and we can’t wait to devour it.

Here are our favorite top-reviewed new movies that were recently added to Prime Video streaming:

1. Tombstone

In the realm of modern Westerns, Tombstone has few rivals. The “based on true events” story of Wyatt Earp and his brothers taking down the last of the notorious Cowboy gang is a wild ride at every turn. And we haven’t even mentioned the cast yet.

Kurt Russell stars as history’s most famous Earp, with Bill Paxton and known “B-I-T-C-H” Sam Elliott playing brothers Morgan and Virgil. Riding at their side is another historic Wild West figure, John Henry “Doc” Holliday, who is played by Val Kilmer in one of his most beloved and memorable roles. They face off against a gang of Cowboys led by William “Curly Bill” Brocious, an infamous real-life outlaw played here by Deadwood fave Powers Boothe.

How to watch: Tombstone is now streaming on Prime Video.

2. Good Morning, Vietnam

‘Good Morning, Vietnam’ was a major breakout moment for Robin Williams.
Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock

Robin Williams had a tremendous talent for comedy, but his best work as an actor was often more complex and nuanced. Good Morning, Vietnam is when the wider world of moviegoers first started to see that. Director Barry Levinson’s war film is a little bit comedy, a little bit drama, and a whole lot of tremendous acting from the late star and co-star Forest Whitaker.

Williams stars as Adrian Cronauer, a radio DJ who heads to Saigon in 1965 for a job with the Armed Forces Radio Service during the Vietnam War. Cronauer’s big personality and irreverent sense of humor are a hit on air, but censorship struggles at work and a growing connection with the local population reveal to him some darker truths about the war and the U.S. role in it.

How to watch: Good Morning, Vietnam is now streaming on Prime Video.

3. A League of Their Own

For sports comedies, it doesn’t get much better than A League of Their Own. This classic tells a fictionalized account of the beginning of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which ran in the ‘40s and ‘50s as women were replacing men in many occupations during and after World War II. A League of Their Own follows the beginnings of the league and the newly forming team, the Rockford Peaches, on their journey to the league’s first World Series.

The movie is both heartwarming and hilarious with great performances by legendary actors including Geena Davis, Madonna, and Tom Hanks. — Kellen Beck, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: A League of Their Own is now streaming on Prime Video.

4. Black Swan

Star Natalie Portman received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress thanks to this role.
Credit: Fox Searchlight/Kobal/Shutterstock

Thirsty for a sensational and sexy psychological thriller? Then you’ll want to leap into the thrall and frenzy of Darren Aronofsky’s universally heralded Black Swan. In an Academy Award-winning role, Natalie Portman stars as a ballerina poised to snatch the coveted lead in Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. However, the New York Ballet scene is one of brutality and ferocious competition.

A bitter has-been (Winona Ryder), a relentless artistic director (Vincent Cassel), a sensual rival (Mila Kunis), and a harping stage mom (Barbara Hershey) push her body and mind to their breaking points. Bones crack, synapses snap, and…are those feathers sprouting out from her back? Swirled with surreal sequences, this fascinating film ushers audiences into its heroine’s splintering psyche, which bleeds with lust, ambition, and nightmares. The result is beguiling, haunting, and uniquely exciting. Dare you join the dance? — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Black Swan is now streaming on Prime Video.

5. White Men Can’t Jump

In 1992, Hollywood served audiences a sports team-up for the ages: Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. In White Men Can’t Jump, the two star as street ballers who are friends and frenemies in equal measures. Harrelson is Billy Hoyle, a former college phenom with big dreams who survives day to day by hustling his way through games where people assume they’ll get an easy win from the tall and lanky white guy. But Sydney Deane (Snipes), one of the best players around, sees Billy for who he is.

A contentious friendship forms between the two naturally competitive men as they agree to join forces and stage a bigger con than Hoyle could manage solo. But Billy’s proclivity for self-sabotage is an albatross he carries everywhere, from owing money to the mob to constantly letting down his brilliant trivia whiz of a wife, Gloria (Rosie Perez), who just wants to live the dream of being a Jeopardy! contestant.

How to watch: White Men Can’t Jump is now streaming on Prime Video.

6. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

New Orleans bluesman Chris Thomas King plays a character who riffs on the real-life blues legend Robert Johnson.
Credit: Gordon/Touchstone/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock

Pick any movie from sibling filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, and you’re bound to have a good time. But O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a clear all-timer. The Coens’ wry retelling of Homer’s Odyssey plays out against the banjo-picking backdrop of backwoods Mississippi during the Great Depression. It’s a beautifully composed and shot production that’s crammed wall-to-wall with toe-tapping folk music.

George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson star as Ulysses Everett McGill, Pete, and Delmar O’Donnell, a trio of chain gang escapees who hit the road together and have a series of adventures as they try to evade the long arm of the law. They’re ostensibly on a hunt for Everett’s long-lost buried treasure, but O Brother is less about the treasure than it is the journey it takes to get there.

How to watch: O Brother, Where Art Thou? is now streaming on Prime Video.

7. Enemy of the State

What an upsettingly prescient story Enemy of the State turned out to be.

Director Tony Scott’s 1998 political thriller about a man who sees something he shouldn’t have is a terrifying consideration of the U.S. surveillance state. The unlucky citizen is labor lawyer Robert Dean (Will Smith) and the thing he shouldn’t have seen is an NSA official (Jon Voight) overseeing the politically motivated murder of a sitting Congressman. When those nefarious powers-that-be learn that Dean was unexpectedly (and unknowingly) handed a video of the incident, he’s quickly marked for public ruination and death.

This is vintage ’90s-era Smith, with Enemy of the State capping off a four-year run of hit blockbusters, following Bad Boys, Independence Day, and Men in Black. (The less we speak of 1999’s Wild Wild West, the better.) He’s a more subdued version of himself than he was in the three preceding releases, but this underrated classic — which also features Regina King, Lisa Bonet, and an early career appearance from Jack Black — is still a gripping must-see.

Where to watch: Enemy of the State is now streaming on Prime Video.

8. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

The performances from stars Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves are the reason ‘Bill & Ted’ have become so memorable.
Credit: ORION/Moviestore/Shutterstock

The epic time-twisting journeys of Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted “Theodore” Logan (Keanu Reeves) should need no introduction. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and its two sequels — Bogus Journey and Face the Music are both also available on Prime Video — are forever burned into our pop culture consciousness.

When the two music-loving, airhead high schoolers find themselves under the gun on an end-of-year history project, all seems lost — until a mysterious visitor arrives. Rufus (George Carlin) was sent back from the future in a phone booth-shaped time machine to get Bill and Ted back on track with their lives. Turns out, these two bozos are going to one day use their music to bring out world peace. But that’s not going to happen if they don’t finish high school, and putting together a killer project with contributions from historic figures like Billy the Kid (Dan Shor), Beethoven (Clifford David), and Socrates (Tony Steedman) is the only way to pull it off.

How to watch: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is now streaming on Prime Video.

9. The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense is where we learned that filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan knows how to mess with an audience.

The movie’s central twist is a well-executed shock if you can somehow manage to go in unspoiled more than two decades after its 1999 release. But The Sixth Sense is a capable and creepy thriller beyond that.

Bruce Willis stars as Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist whose latest patient, Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), claims to possess a unique ability: he can talk to the dead. Or, to quote Cole himself in the movie’s most iconic line, “I see dead people.” Crowe’s efforts to help the child take him to some spooky places as a growing number of questions pile up about what the hell is actually going on here.

There is an answer. If you don’t know it, you really should set aside the time to watch The Sixth Sense and find out.

How to watch: The Sixth Sense is now streaming on Prime Video.

10. Road to Perdition

For as much as ‘Road to Perdition’ is a visual feast, it’s also anchored by top-tier performances from an ensemble that’s led by Tom Hanks.
Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock

Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes’ follow-up to his Oscar-winning breakout, American Beauty. It tends to get overlooked as a result, but you shouldn’t miss this noir-vibed crime drama starring Tom Hanks and featuring a powerhouse ensemble that includes Tyler Hoechlin, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Stanley Tucci, and Daniel Craig.

Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a Great Depression-era mobster who is forced to go on the lam with his son Michael Jr. (Hoechlin) after a partially successful attempt on his family’s life leaves his wife (Leigh) and younger son dead. But it’s a complicated situation. Michael was very close with his boss, John Rooney (Newman), but that closeness became a sore subject for John’s adult son Connor (Craig) — so much so that he organized the hit himself. Michael, meanwhile, is left to grieve and seek vengeance while he also tries to figure out for the first time how to really be a parent.

Based on a graphic novel and shot with all the beautiful intensity that source material would suggest, Road to Perdition is a dark, stylish, and thoroughly engrossing examination of loss, father-son relationships, and cycles of violence.

How to watch: Road to Perdition is now streaming on Prime Video.

11. Top Gun

It feels like 35 years since Tom Cruise announced the plan for a Top Gun sequel — but that’s actually how long it’s been since we got the original! Now, Top Gun: Maverick is here (it’s extremely Top Gun) and the classic blockbuster from which it springs is streaming on Prime Video.

Tony Scott’s 1986 classic introduced us to Maverick (Cruise), Iceman (Val Kilmer), and the whole crew, delivering unforgettable movie moments like “I feel the need…the need for speed” and the coolest low-budget Halloween costume you’ll never stop seeing at parties. — Proma Khosla, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Top Gun is now streaming on Prime Video.

Earlier this week, a Twitter user shared pictures of what she thought looked like cameras disguised as fire sprinklers scattered throughout her Airbnb in Philadelphia. This prompted other users to begin sharing their Airbnb horror stories on Twitter. While an investigation conducted by the Philadelphia police concluded that there were no hidden cameras in the Airbnb, the social media damage had already been done.

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Airbnb has strict guidelines on cameras and recording devices, requiring hosts to disclose which devices are on the premises. These devices are also only allowed in common spaces, such as front doors or driveways. 

“Our policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras and we take forceful action in the exceptionally rare circumstances where this has been reported, including assisting law enforcement to help them hold criminals accountable,” an Airbnb spokesperson tells Mashable. “Our Safety Team is available 24/7 to support guests with safety concerns.”

From the stream of tweets and posts this week, it seems like most of the negative experiences at Airbnbs seem to be attributed to the hosts, rather than the accommodations. Many cite high cleaning fees, in addition to rules that  require paying guests to clean the units anyway, some even enforcing chore lists before checkout and strict accommodation rules. 

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The Airbnb versus hotels debate has been ongoing, and with the increasing demands of hosts and ever-rising prices of rentals, people are contemplating ditching Airbnb altogether. This goes for both guests and former Airbnb hosts.

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UPDATE: Jun. 17, 2022, 3:00 p.m. EDT This list has been updated to reflect pricing and availability as of June 17.

• BEST SAMSUNG DEAL: Samsung Galaxy Book Pro, a nice alternative to the similarly priced MacBook Pro — $909.99 $1,099.99 (save $190)

• BEST GAMING DEAL: Razer Blade 15, a powerful gaming laptop that’ll keep you playing on the go — $1,598.05 $2,599.99 (save $1,001.94)

• BEST 2-IN-1 DEAL: Asus Chromebook Flip C434, an affordable 2-in-1 for those who want the basics of a laptop and a tablet at once — $411 $569.99 (save $158.99)

What’s better than a great laptop? A great laptop that’s cheap. Nowadays, even budget machines can pack the punch to carry you through whatever’s on your to-do list, whether it’s work, watching Netflix, or endlessly browsing social media. If you’re looking to pick up a new laptop but don’t necessarily want to drop your life savings in one go, we’ll be compiling a list of the best deals on cheap laptops right here, each and every week.

Best Samsung deal

Why we like it

We love Apple, but MacBooks aren’t the only laptops out there. The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro is a nice alternative to the similarly priced MacBook Pro, with a stunning display, a speedy 11th-gen Intel Core processor, a 20-hour battery life, WiFi 6E support, and a sleek, ultra-thin design.

Best gaming deal

Why we like it

The Razer Blade 15 Advanced model is packed with solid internals that’ll work well for PC gaming newbies and seasoned players alike. Under the hood, you’ll get a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H processor with up to 5.0 GHz max turbo and 8 cores, as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card that has the power to run some pretty visually intense games. The 300Hz screen provides buttery-smooth frame rate performance and offers full HD visuals within a bezel-less display. It’s all housed within a thin, compact body that you can take anywhere.

Best 2-in-1 deal

Why we like it

Having your laptop and your tablet in one place is a convenience you need in your life. The Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is a fantastic budget 2-in-1 device, with speedy performance, a full HD touchscreen, and components that should be able to handle all of your daily tasks.

More great laptop deals

• Dell Inspiron 3510 — $479 $525 (save $46)

• Lenovo Flex 5 — $591.03 $849.99 (save $258.96)

• Lenovo IdeaPad 3 — $127.50 $219.99 (save $92.49)

• Lenovo IdeaPad S340 — $659 $799.99 (save $140.99)

• Acer Swift 3 — $562.70 $849.99 (save $287.29)

• HP 14 Laptop — $219 $299.99 (save $79.99)

• HP Pavilion 15-inch gaming laptop — $819.99 $899.99 (save $80)

• HP 15-inch Laptop — $506 $659.99 (save $153.99)

• HP Chromebook 11 — $138.80 $259.99 (save $121.19)

How to shop for a new laptop:

Choosing a laptop is entirely dependent on what you’ll be using it for. Beginner laptop owners need something user-friendly and straightforward, frequent travelers need something light with a long battery life, designers and gamers need top-notch 4K graphics and quick central processors, and everyone needs something that will last. 

The first thing you should do is ask yourself a simple question: PC or Mac? This is an important question, as it’s going to make a world of difference in what you can and can’t do with your computer. Are you a gamer? A video editor? A business professional? An Apple device owner? The answer to any of these will probably point you towards your final answer. If you’re constantly buying the new iPhone every year, editing YouTube videos, recording a podcast, or other creative endeavors of the sort, your best bet may be a Mac laptop. Apple obsessives will be happy with their Mac’s compatibility with their other Apple products, and everyone can benefit from Macs’ propensity to have better virus protection than that of a PC. 

That brings us to the perks of picking up a PC. You can still complete a number of creative projects on a personal computer, but where PCs really shine are their options for customization. PCs are much easier to upgrade part-by-part, as they aren’t constrained to Apple-manufactured products (like Macs). And because there is a seemingly endless supply of PC manufacturers, there are a lot more options from what brand you chose, to the software you buy, to the type of graphics card you pick out for your gaming rig. Yes, gamers should always go the PC route — they are far more powerful than what a Mac laptop can handle, and also give you the option to connect VR headsets, if you’re into that sort of thing.  

What size laptop should you get?

This really comes down to two things: Personal preference and lifestyle. Personal preference is self-explanatory, really — do you like having a huge display, or do you prefer something more compact? Lifestyle is where practicality comes into play. If you’re traveling often and usually have your computer on your back in some way, you’re going to want to go with something more light and compact (thin, 11-inch models will most likely be the best). But if you’re a huge movie buff who doesn’t normally take their laptop on the road with them, spring for a 15-inch (and higher) screen with a bulky construction so you can have epic Netflix sessions. If you’re getting a gaming laptop, you should probably “go big or go home,” as well.  

How much should you spend on a new laptop?

This is much more subjective, and at the end of the day, it’s really going to come down to your budget. But, if money isn’t the number one concern for you, you should really think hard about what you’re going to use your laptop for. Need a device with lots of power under the hood and bountiful storage space? Aim for something in the $800 and beyond range. Only using your laptop to edit the occasional Google Doc? Then you can probably get away with spending way below the $500 mark. In other words, don’t blow your savings if you don’t need to. And if you’re looking to go all out, meaning buying a laptop with every bell and whistle imaginable, you can get a monster of a machine for somewhere closer to $2,000.

Are cheap laptops worth it?

You know the old saying: You get what you pay for. But thanks to the technology boom of the last few decades, a cheap laptop can actually take you pretty far and won’t break down immediately. It’s all about knowing which one to select. Depending on what you use your laptop for the most, staying stingy might be your best option. Check out our roundups for the ones that we think are worth it — here are our favorite cheap laptop models under $500, and the best under $300.  

What does it mean when a laptop is certified refurbished?

Don’t let the words “refurbished” or “renewed” scare you away — these types of devices are usually perfectly viable options and can end up saving you a lot of money without sacrificing much of anything.

A refurbished device, in its simplest terms, is a product that has been bought, but then returned for some reason. Notice that we didn’t necessarily say that it was returned due to some sort of fault on the device’s part. While that can certainly be true in some cases, it isn’t always. Oftentimes, a certified refurbished laptop never even left its original packaging.

While yes, saving money is a huge benefit of buying a “refurb,” it’s far from the only reason to consider getting one. What’s great about refurbished devices is that they undergo rigorous performance tests to ensure that they are still in good condition (sometimes more strictly than the stuff coming right off the production line). There’s also a chance that any refurbished laptop you buy may have been so lightly used, that it could almost be considered brand-new (just way cheaper).

We’re big fans of buying refurbished gear for kids, especially when it comes to electronics. If you’re shopping for a laptop for a kid who is under the age of 15, then refurbished is really the way to go. For kids of high school age and beyond who are a bit more careful with their digital gear, then a new laptop isn’t as risky. Of course, it depends on the kid.

Explore related content:

• Our picks for the best 2-in-1 laptops of 2020

• The best blue light glasses for combatting digital eye strain

• 13 cheap laptops you can get for under $500

PREORDER: The new 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is set for release on June 24. In the meantime, you can reserve one at Amazon, Best Buy, or the Apple Store starting at $1,299 for the 256GB base model.

It took Apple a few weeks, but the newly updated 13-inch MacBook Pro is finally available for preorder.

As of June 17, you can reserve one at Amazon, Best Buy, or directly from the Apple Store ahead of its formal launch on Friday, June 24. Prices start at $1,299 for the 256GB base model with 8GB of RAM and go all the way up to $2,499 if you splurge on 2TB of storage with 24GB of RAM.

Announced at WWDC 2022, this laptop expands upon the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro from early 2021 with a 40 percent faster CPU and GPU, an active cooling system, and support for Apple’s ProRes video engine, but otherwise retains the same design, ports, 720p FaceTime HD camera, and 20-hour battery life. (We’re sorry to report that the Touch Bar is still there, too.) Current M1 users probably won’t notice a massive difference, but it would make a nice upgrade from the early-2020 MacBook Pro that lacks Apple silicon.

The most powerful MacBook Pros in existence are still last year’s 14- and 16-inch models, which have the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, so don’t bother buying this new M2 machine if you need the nicest possible portable workstation. That being said, those things are total overkill for the average user (and way out of most people’s price range); the 13-inch one may not be able to zip through video and graphics production as swiftly, but it’s still a highly competent, well-rounded laptop for browsing, word processing, streaming, and light photo editing.

A quick PSA that there’s still no sign of the newly redesigned M2 MacBook Air, which also announced at WDDC, but that was largely expected given reports of Apple’s current supply chain snafu. We’ll keep you posted when preorders for that guy go live.

Despite the repeated assurances that TikTok’s parent company, the China-based ByteDance, isn’t checking out data collected about users in the U.S., it looks like the company did.

According to recordings reviewed by BuzzFeed News, over a dozen separate statements from nine different TikTok employees showed that engineers in China had access to U.S. data from at least September 2021 through January 2022. One member of TikTok’s Trust and Safety department said, in September 2021, that “everything is seen in China,” according to BuzzFeed News. Apparently, there’s even one Beijing-based engineer who “has access to everything” — they call them a “Master Admin.”

That means some signs are now pointing to former President Donald Trump potentially being correct in his assessment of the app when he said in an August 2020 executive order that TikTok’s “data collection threatens to allow” China to “access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information.” TikTok repeatedly said it has never and would never share U.S. user data with the Chinese government.

In response to BuzzFeed News’ investigation, a TikTok spokesperson said the app is “among the most scrutinized platforms from a security standpoint” and that it plans to “remove any doubt about the security of U.S. user data.”

TikTok has already come under fire for its data collection, and this is just another step in yet another app collecting information on its users and doing whatever it pleases with it. It seems being online in 2022 is becoming more and more difficult to do while maintaining some semblance of privacy and data autonomy.

In the near future, your finger may no longer need to press up against an inkpad in order to provide your identity.

A recent report from Wired takes a look at “contactless fingerprinting” technology, a growing space that is starting to see some concerning real-world use applications, namely law enforcement and surveillance.

One such contactless fingerprinting technology company, Telos, explained to Wired how it works. Basically, using this tech, one can scan an individual’s hand with a smartphone camera with a resolution as little as two megapixels. The camera can scan the individual’s fingers from around 2 inches away and produce a “traditional fingerprint image.”

Teslos, along with five other fingerprint technology companies, won a U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) competition last week called the Mobile Fingerprinting Innovation Technology (mFIT) Challenge. The contest was specifically designed to test the “performance of contactless fingerprint systems and how they can be used by law enforcement.”

According to Biometric Update, which covered the competition, “experts say the evaluation shows touchless fingerprint biometrics are now ready for practical deployments.”

However, civil liberties experts and privacy groups are understandably worried about the use of such technology. Mashable has covered the issues with biometrics use by law enforcement over the years, although the technology usually being discussed is facial recognition. A few years ago, Amazon was slammed by human rights organizations for selling its facial recognition technology to law enforcement. Studies have found that such technologies are flawed and have high rates of providing false positives, especially when it comes to people of color. Simply put, these technologies sometimes would wrongly identify an individual.

More of a direct issue with contactless fingerprinting from its critics appears to be just how easy it will now be for law enforcement to gather and collect even more data on the civilian population. As Wired pointed out, in a 2020 investigation, the outlet discovered that a fingerprint scanning technology that connects to smartphones was being used to primarily target ethnic minorities in the UK.

Contactless fingerprinting may seem like less of an intrusion than facial recognition, but the same problems remain. The surveillance state is easily scooping up your personal identifying information.

Using a virtual private network (VPN) is one of the best ways to protect your online data and stay anonymous on the web, whether you’re trying to stream movies abroad, torrent, bypass geo-restrictions, or just plain browse. Most providers’ plans cost anywhere from $2 to $12 per month, though many lure customers in with discounted introductory rates that skyrocket after your initial term. To help you lock in a plan that’ll fit your budget in the short and long term, we’re compiling a weekly roundup of the best deals on all the VPNs we’ve personally tested. Below, you can check out our top picks as of June 17.

ExpressVPN — save 49% on a 15-month plan

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

A reliable server network, a user-friendly app, a strong commitment to data protection, and a headquarters in the privacy-forward British Virgin Islands make ExpressVPN our favorite full-featured VPN on the market. It also happens to be one of the most expensive VPNs out there, which is why we highly recommend taking advantage of the sale it’s been running since early June: You can enroll in a 15-month plan at just $6.67/month, which is 49% off its standard $12.95/month rate. (Bonus: Your purchase is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee and comes with a year’s worth of unlimited cloud backups from Backblaze — that’s a $7/month value by itself.) You’ll switch to an $8.32/month annual plan after the first term is up. Bitcoin is accepted.

NordVPN — save 61% on a 25-month plan

Read our full review of NordVPN.

Power users shouldn’t think twice about signing up for NordVPN, another industry giant based in British Virgin Islands that packs robust security features like double encryption, obfuscated servers, dark web monitoring, malware protection, ad and tracker blockers, and Onion Over VPN, a tool that combines your VPN connection with the Tor network for an extra layer of privacy. It’s currently offering a Father’s Day promotion where you can score a 25-month plan for an introductory rate of just $3.16/month, or 61% off its usual usual $11.99/month pricing. That comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and switches over to an annual plan at $8.29/month after two years. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP are accepted.

Optional upgrades include:

• NordVPN Plus (with cross-platform password manager and data breach scanner) — $3.99/month $10.58/month (save 62%) for two years

• NordVPN Complete (with cross-platform password manager, data breach scanner, and 1TB encrypted cloud storage) — $5.29/month $16.57/month (save 68%) for two years

Proton VPN — save 50% on a two-year Plus plan

Read our full review of ProtonVPN.

The Swiss-based Proton VPN is another great pick for privacy wonks, with open-source apps and critical infrastructure that’s stored inside a datacenter requiring biometric access. We recommend its Plus plan, which gets you full access to its server network, streaming service and P2P support, ad/tracker/malware protection, and a Tor over VPN tool that lets you direct traffic through the Tor network with a single click. Monthly subscriptions go for $9.99, but you’ll pay just $4.99/month if you commit to two years (with a 30-day money-back guarantee) — that’s a 50% savings. Bitcoin is accepted.

CyberGhost VPN — save 83% on a 40-month plan

Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.

This Romania-based provider lays claim to the biggest, most globally diverse network we’ve seen, with special severs optimized for streaming, gaming, and P2P to maintain consistent connections. It’s currently celebrating its 17th anniversary with a limited-time sale that nabs you 40 months of coverage for only $2.23/month (or 83% off its standard monthly fee of $12.99), which renews as a 36-month plan at $2.48/month. Like all of CyberGhost’s multi-year plans, that’s protected by a 45-day money-back guarantee and includes free access to its ID Guard and Privacy Guard tools. Bitcoin is accepted.

Optional add-ons include:

• Dedicated IP — $3.75/month $5/month (save 25%) for three years

• CyberGhost Password Manager — $2/month $3.49/month (save 43%) for one year

TunnelBear — save 67% on a three-year Unlimited plan

Read our full review of TunnelBear.

Our go-to recommendation for anyone who’s never used the technology before, TunnelBear is simple, lightweight VPN with an intuitive (and adorable) interface. Though it’s incapable of unblocking streaming sites and based in Canada, a Five Eyes country, it should serve you well if you’re just surfing the web. We recommend its Unlimited plan over the free version for unlimited browsing and priority customer service, which goes for just $3.33/month when you enroll for three years — that’s 67% off its usual $9.99/month rate and a fixed price that won’t increase after your first term. Bitcoin is accepted and refunds are offered on a case-by-case basis.

Private Internet Access (PIA) — save 80% on a 39-month plan

Read our full review of PIA.

It’s nothing particularly special (and its U.S. headquarters location isn’t ideal), but for users in search of a basic VPN with open-source apps, built-in ad blocking, and a free email breach monitor, PIA is worth a look. Take advantage of its limited-time summer sale to score 39 months of coverage for only $2.03/month, which shaves 80% off its regular rate of $9.95/month (with a 30-day money-back guarantee). That switches over to an annual plan at $4.75/month after the term is up, which still isn’t terrible. Crypto and third-party gift cards are accepted.

Optional add-ons include:

• Dedicated IP — $4/month $5/month (save 20%) for two years

• Antivirus by PIA — $1.45/month $4.50/month (save 68%) for two years

IPVanish — save 64% on a one-year plan

Read our full review of IPVanish.

Another middle-of-the-road pick with a U.S. headquarters (boo), IPVanish makes up for a lack of advanced security features with a minimalist, straightforward app and support for unlimited simultaneous connections. You can get your first term of its annual plan for just $3.99/month (or 64% off its standard monthly rate of $10.99), which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and free antivirus protection from VIPRE. After that first year is up, you’ll get bumped to $7.50/month. Bitcoin is not accepted.

Editor’s Note: IPVanish and VIPRE are owned by Ziff Davis, Mashable’s publisher. Any Ziff Davis products featured on Mashable are covered independently by our editorial team.

PureVPN — save 82% on a 27-month plan

Read our full review of PureVPN.

We don’t have a ton of nice things to say about PureVPN — our review turned up slow download speeds, buggy apps, iffy Netflix support, and a questionable privacy policy — but hey, it’s cheap! Enroll in a 27-month plan and you’ll pay only $1.99/month, which is an 82% discount on its normal monthly rate of $10.95. (Don’t be afraid to take advantage of its 31-day money-back guarantee if necessary.) You’ll switch to a $4.50/month yearly plan at the end of that initial term. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin are accepted.

Optional add-ons include:

• Dedicated IP — $2.99/month

• Port forwarding — $0.99/month

• Dedicated IP with port forwarding — $3.49/month

• DDoS protection — $3.99/month

Thursday! What a concept! And what a day to solve a brand new Wordle. While technically the idea is to figure it out using your own personal brain and/or arcane letter-math, but if you get stuck and start to get nervous about your streak, we’ve got some tips and hints to nudge you towards the solution.

If you want, you can skip to the very end of this article for the answer to the June 16 Wordle, which is puzzle #362 — or scroll down in a more leisurely fashion for a few tips and strategies to help you every day, as well as similar puzzles to play while you wait for tomorrow’s Wordle.

Wordle was created by former Reddit engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his puzzle-loving partner, but soon went mega-viral. Thousands of people around the globe now play this game each day, and fans have even created alternatives to Wordle inspired by the original format. This includes music identification game Heardle, Hollywood nerd faves Actorle and Framed, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

In fact, the word puzzle game has proved so popular that the New York Times eventually bought it, and TikTok creators livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you’re after? You’ll find the Wordle answer for June 15 here.

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

We have some ideas to help you pick the perfect first move (or as close to perfect as you can get without just magically guessing the exact right word). Such tips include choosing a word with at least two different vowels in it, plus a few common consonants such as S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

While you could once play the entire archive of past puzzles, the archive was taken down at the request of the New York Times, according to the site.

Is Wordle getting harder?

If you’ve been finding Wordle too easy, there is a Hard Mode you can enable to give yourself more of a challenge. But unless you activate this mode, we can assure you that Wordle isn’t getting harder. 

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

The whole point of Wordle is that everyone’s solving the same puzzle, with the same answer, no matter where you are in the world. However, occasionally the puzzle game will accept two different correct solutions on the same day, in apparent defiance of Wordle law.

This aberration is due to changes the New York Times began making after it acquired Wordle earlier this year. To make sure you’re always getting the same puzzle as everyone else, refresh your browser before you play — don’t worry, the site will keep your streak.

A subtle hint for the June 16 Wordle answer:

It’s an article of clothing… sort of.

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

The letter A!

What’s the answer to Wordle on June 16?

Enough teasing!

We’ll tell you the answer now.

Ready?

Today’s Wordle answer is…

APRON.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Amanda Yeo and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.