Category Archives: Blog

Prayer beads are a fashion must-have for a certain type of Professional. You know the kind. They don’t drink alcohol for reasons relating to “energy,” probably worked in private equity at some point, and “practice” meditation and fasting.

They were out in force at Summit LA: an ideas festival-meets-rager that has a reputation for extravagance and exclusivity, although the company says it’s trying to become more diverse.

Summit has been putting on events since 2008, but  Summit LA is its largest, flagship event, now in its third year. 

More about Los Angeles, Wellness, Summit, Tech, and Silicon Valley

The six-hour movie continues, and we like where it’s going. 

Having set out its stall with a cinematic first chapter that disregarded the normal structure of TV episodes and ended with a stunning character introduction out of left field, The Mandalorian continued defying convention with a mostly silent, simple and (dare we say) artsy chapter 2, released on Disney+ Friday.

If like me you’ve been haunted all week by the perfect closing shot of chapter 1 — the Mandalorian, having just shot his temporary partner IG-11, lifting a finger out to touch the finger of Baby Yoda like a confused version of God with Adam — then you were no doubt delighted to find chapter 2 offered plenty of that mood.  Read more…

More about The Mandalorian, Entertainment, and Star Wars

The following contains spoilers for Netflix’s Earthquake Bird. 

Earthquake Bird seems like a great movie. 

It’s beautifully shot, hauntingly scored, and wonderfully acted. Alicia Vikander leads superbly, and Riley Keough and Naoki Kobayashi offer dynamic supporting performances. The 1980s Japanese setting is enticing, and nearly every scene seems fitting of an exquisitely rendered whole. 

The problem here is the story, a slow-burn narrative of jealousy and betrayal that fizzles out in the final act. (Warning: Heavy spoilers to follow.)

Earthquake Bird centers on Lucy Fly (Vikander), a stony Swedish woman living in Japan. She’s strange, stand-offish, a kind of Amy Dunne wannabe minus the snappy monologues. Lucy meets Teiji (Kobayashi), a Japanese chef and photographer, with whom she is instantly enamored. Their conversations play out like chess matches, two vexing sapiophiles as interested in uncomfortable silences as they are in banging the hell out of each other. Read more…

More about Netflix, Alicia Vikander, Earthquake Bird, Entertainment, and Streaming Services

You’re probably not going to get everything on your Christmas list, you might as well shoot for the stars. 

Not sure where to start? Take notes from this 10-year-old, whose Christmas list is the most luxurious list of items ever compiled.

The girl’s dad, clearly awestruck by his child’s knowledge of luxury goods, tweeted the list on Wednesday. “My 10 year old daughter must be out of her mind with this Christmas list,” he wrote.

More about Twitter, Christmas, Holidays, Kids, and Culture

A private equity firm will soon run the internet’s top domain name extension for nonprofits after purchasing the nonprofit organization that runs it.

Public Interest Registry (PIR), which runs the .org domain registry, has been sold to private equity firm Ethos Capital, according to the registry’s parent organization, Internet Society. The price of the acquisition is still unknown.

The .org domain name has been maintained by PIR since 2002. Internet Society was awarded the contract by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) and created PIR to run the extension.

Earlier this summer, Mashable covered the ongoing battle between ICANN and .org domain registrars and registrants after the organization that oversees the web domain system decided to lift the long-established price cap in its .org contract with PIR. Read more…

More about Domains, Icann, Registrar, Registry, and Domain Names

Google’s hand has been caught in the cookie jar of your personal health data. And now, Congress is trying to slam that lid shut. 

This week, multiple reports came to light showing that Google is very much in the business of acquiring data about our health — from government bodies, health institutes and our own Google searches. That’s caused alarm because, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a person’s health information is supposed to have strict privacy protections. However, it turns out that HIPAA loopholes, and the digital nature of a lot of that information, have punctured a gaping hole in our protective shield.  Read more…

More about Google, Apple, Fitbit, Health Data, and Tech

A smart headband, NeoRhythm claims to help you de-stress, get a better rest, and boost your energy. Read more…

More about Tech, Health, Mashable Video, Future Blink, and Neorhythm

The scam uses “crowdfunded products” to attract new users to spend money. The users will then get ghosted or sent a fake product after paying. Read more…

More about Tech, Facebook, Mashable Video, Ad Scams, and Shopping Scams

LABFRESH pants are made from manipulated cotton fibers, the pants are shielded from liquids and bacteria, preventing stains and odors. Read more…

More about Tech, Mashable Video, Pants, Future Blink, and Labfresh

Walmart and Target are both slashing prices in the hopes that you’ll spend your hard-earned Black Friday dollars with them this year. But we’re not made of money; let’s see which retailer has the best deals in some key categories.

When Do the Deals Start?

Walmart’s official Black Friday event begins online at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and in stores on Thanksgiving Day, beginning at 6 p.m. local time. For those who can’t wait, Walmart.com has some “Buy Now” Black Friday deals today, and more “Pre-Black Friday” deals on Nov. 22.

Target will kick off its in-store event at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Stores will be open until 1 a.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 29, then reopen at 7 a.m. Of course, you can always skip the in-store hassle and shop online. Read more…

More about Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Tech