Category Archives: Blog

I’m walking down San Francisco’s Market Street toward a coffee shop using Google Maps when giant arrows pop up on my phone.

I’m supposed to turn right on Front Street. The directions are hard to miss in the new Google Maps augmented reality mode. The large animated arrows make it clear with a glance which direction I should head. It looks something like this:

The feature came out Monday for select “local guides” who add new locations, rate businesses, take photos, and more for Google Maps. It’ll be on more guides’ phones in the coming days, although regular users shouldn’t expect it soon. For now, it’s being tested for feedback, and the look and feel of the feature is expected to change. It’s also strictly for walking directions — not for driving. Read more…

More about Walking, Google Maps, Ar, Directions, and Navigation Apps

Google can now help you prepare for your next HQ trivia game.

The search giant is teaming up with the creators of the popular trivia app HQ to create HQ University, a dedicated trivia game made for Google Assistant. The new game is now available in the Google Assistant app, Google Home speakers, and smart displays like the Home Hub. 

To start, all you have to say is “Okay Google, get me ready for HQ.”

No, the Google-enabled version of HQ won’t let you play for cash like the live games. Instead, it’s meant to help you hone your trivia skills in between games, and give you a way to play on your own schedule. Read more…

More about Tech, Google, Google Assistant, Hq Trivia, and Tech

All right, Disney fans. You asked for it and now you got it. 

The new trailer for the live action Aladdin shows a lot of awesome new footage, including the Cave of Wonders, Abu, Jasmine’s dope fashion, and most importantly a truly blue Will Smith as the genie. You ain’t never had a friend like this!

Disney’s Aladdin is set to release on May 24, 2019. Read more…

More about Disney, Trailers, Aladdin, Live Action Aladdin, and Entertainment

The Grammys are always a sure bet for out-there looks.

All eyes were on Lady Gaga, who was up for a swag of awards in 2019, the first appearance by Korean megastars BTS, and the tight race in the rap categories between Cardi B, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Travis Scott, to name a few.

The rest of us have been watching the red carpet, where the who’s who of music stood out with plenty of weird and brilliant looks.

Here’s a look at the highlights of this year’s Grammys red carpet.

Cardi B

More about Entertainment, Music, Celebrities, Fashion, and Grammys

Oh, you thought the Infinity Stones were accounted for in the powerful, gauntleted hand of Thanos?

Think again — looks like Cate Blanchett has them.

The Thor: Ragnarok star rocked up to the the 72nd British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Sunday.

Blanchett donned a stunning black dress by Scottish designer Christopher Kane, while also sporting a familiar-looking feature. 

The centrepiece of the dress was a collection of gem-like pieces, which many fans noted resembled the Infinity Stones accumulated by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.  Read more…

More about Cate Blanchett, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers Infinity War, Baftas, and Entertainment

If you want to know about the stuff that really scares people, you could do a lot worse than asking R.L. Stine.

The Goosebumps author has been terrifying kids for decades. The first book in his series, Welcome to Dead House, was released in 1992. Over a quarter of a century later, the stories are still going strong.

Stine recently signed on to do six more books, the second Goosebumps movie is about to come out on DVD, and the series has sold a staggering 400 million+ copies.

“It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?” Stine tells Mashable over the phone. “I don’t really understand it. We just keep going and I get to scare new generations.” Read more…

More about R.L. Stine, Goosebumps, Entertainment, Movies Tv Shows, and Books

The battle to claim the streaming throne continues to heat up. This time it’s with the launch of Epix Now, which is essentially the MGM-owned premium cable company’s exact copy of HBO Now.

Starting on Feb. 10, you can subscribe to Epix Now for $5.99 a month for access to a substantial library of classic and blockbuster films, live TV, and a slowly growing catalog of originals. For now, the app is only available on Apple TV, iOS, and Android. Later, it’ll come to Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

The app comes in tandem with the roll-out of the network’s slate of new original series, including an origin story show about Batman’s butler called Pennyworth; the Forest Whitaker-starring Godfather of Harlem; the biblical noir featuring Sir Ben Kingsley, Perpetual Grace, LTD.; the Iggy Pop docu-series PUNK; and a docu-series on famous filmmakers titled Elvis Goes There, featuring longtime critic Elvis Mitchell.  Read more…

More about Entertainment, Mgm, Streaming Services, Epix, and Epix Now

If you can’t find love on Valentine’s Day, you might as well have revenge.

Texas’ El Paso Zoo can now fill that primitive need. Beginning Feb. 11, people can send the first name and last initial of their ex-partner to the zoo through its Facebook page. The zoo pledges to name the cockroaches after people’s exes, then feed the roaches to the facility’s meerkats on Feb. 14, aka Valentine’s Day.

The entire horror show will be live streamed.

“What’s the perfect Valentine’s Day gift? Naming a cockroach after your ex, of course,” the zoo wrote on Facebook. “Watch on Facebook Live or on our website’s Meerkat webcam on Valentine’s Day at 2:15 pm to see them devour these little bugs!” Read more…

More about Culture, Zoo, Meerkat, Cockroach, and Culture

Instacart heard the cries of an angered internet and took action. Amazon and DoorDash, on the other hand, seem content to dig in.

It was online anger that led Instacart to change its policy on tips, which were previously used to pay the base wages of the company’s gig-economy delivery workers. As anyone who has ever worked in a service industry will tell you, tips are additive; it’s money you’re paid on top of your base wage.

“Tips should always be separate from Instacart’s contribution to shopper compensation,” Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta wrote in an email to employees.  Read more…

More about Tech, Doordash, Instacart, Amazon Flex, and Tech

It’s a scientifically proven fact that dogs love you. Yes, you! 

It’s also known that dogs experience homesickness whenever we’re away for too long. Oof, ouch, you hear that? That’s the sound of my heart breaking into a million pieces. 

But you know what’s incredibly healing? Seeing people utilize apps like FaceTime to chat with their furry friends. Finally, a near perfect use of smartphone technology. Below are some examples of the most uplifting interactions between humans and dogs over video call.  Read more…

1. A couple of good boys right here

More about Twitter, List, Dogs, Culture, and Facetime