mashable-rss

As of Nov. 15, you can score early deals on Xbox consoles, games, and more, with deals unlocking all the way up to Black Friday proper.

Black Friday is almost upon us, and that means it’s time to start keeping an eye out for all the deals floating around that you can take advantage of right now. That goes double if you’re a big video game fan. The deals come fast and furious for gamers, and this year Xbox is kicking things off early. That means it’s time to start seizing the early discounts you can score from the retailer right now.

We’ve pored over the offerings from Xbox you can land right now as well as the ones unlocking over the next couple of weeks to bring you some of our favorite picks. Whether you’re in the market for a new console or you just want to scoop up a new controller, Xbox has you covered with plenty of great options that’ll tide you over until the rest of the Black Friday gaming deals commence.

Best console deal

Why we like it

The most powerful Xbox you can get, the Xbox Series X comes packing a hefty 1TB HD so you can store more than a few games – those install sizes are getting bigger all the time. It’s $50 off right now through December 2, and serves up graphics at up to 120FPS with crisp visuals and faster load times than the standard Xbox Series S. Alternatively, get the 512GB Xbox Series S for $50 off as well starting November 21 through December 2.

Best controller deal

Why we like it

This standard Xbox wireless controller comes in just about any color you could imagine, and it boasts a hybrid D-pad, textured triggers and bumpers, and Bluetooth connectivity. You get one with your console purchase, but if you could use another, you can save $10 off one controller at Xbox starting November 21 through December 2 and December 13 through December 23, on select designs only. If you don’t see one you like, head to the Xbox Design Lab to create your own and get free engraving on all controller purchases from November 28 through December 5.

Best game deal

Why we like it

This Diablo IV expansion is a massive addition to the core game, set in the new region of the jungle terrain Nahantu. It introduces the new Spiritborn class as well as a new endgame dungeon, additional abilities, items, and other changes. You can pick it up right now for $29.99, but Xbox has sweetened the deal considerably. If you buy now through December 2, you’ll get a promotional $5 Xbox gift card and the Sound of Slaughter bundle, which adds a few cosmetic items to your coffers.

Read More 

As of Nov. 15, a ton of portable SSD deals are live ahead of Black Friday 2024. Check out our top picks for gaming consoles and beyond.

Nobody likes playing the “storage shuffle.” You know, the dreadful game we have to play when we run out of space on our consoles for new games, so we have to carefully select which ones to delete to make room? Talk about killing your darlings. Luckily, there’s a fix for that problem, and it’s an SSD — either internal or external.

These SSD storage expanders are maintaining a big presence in the days leading up to Black Friday 2024, with many of them sitting at deep discounts at the time of this writing. SSDs aren’t cheap, and you’ll probably need to buy one eventually anyway, so getting one at a price cut is usually your best bet.

Below, take a look at the best SSD deals we could find ahead of Black Friday.

Best Xbox SSD deal

Why we like it

Xbox owners, installing one of Seagate’s SSD expansion cards is one simplest things you can do to enhance your gaming experience, and ahead of Black Friday, you can get a two-terabyte version for just $199.99. Now, that’s still not cheap, but it’s a whole $160 off the original price, so to us, it’s a steal.

Best PlayStation SSD deal

Why we like it

Installing an internal SSD in your PlayStation 5 is a bit more of a complicated process compared to other consoles, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. Western Digital makes some of the best PS5 SSDs on the market, and their flagship model is $50 off leading up to Black Friday. You’ll probably need one eventually, so pick one up while it’s discounted.

More early Black Friday SSD deals

Samsung 990 EVO Internal SSD (1TB) — $69.99 $149.99 (save $80)

Corsair MP600 Pro LPX Internal SSD (1TB) — $79.99 $109.99 (save $30)

SanDisk Portable SSD (1TB) — $89.95 $99.99 (save $10.04)

Samsung 980 Pro Internal SSD (1TB) — $89.99 $164.99 (save $75)

Seagate Game Drive Internal SSD for PS5 (1TB) — $99 $134.99 (save $35.99)

Western Digital P40 Game Drive External SSD (1TB) — $119.99 $139.99 (save $20)

WD_BLACK SN850X Internal SSD (2TB) — $139.99 $189.99 (save $50)

Seagate FireCuda 530R Internal SSD with Heatsink for PS5 (2TB) — $139.99 $244.99 (save $105)

WD_BLACK SN850X Internal SSD (2TB) — $139.99 $189.99 (save $50)

Seagate Game Drive Internal SSD with Heatsink for PS5 (2TB) — $159.99 $259.99 (save $100)

Samsung 980 Pro Internal SSD (2TB) — $169.99 $206.55 (save $36.56)

Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD (2TB) — $169.99 $284.99 (save $115)

Corsair MP600 Pro Internal SSD with Heatsink for PS5 (2TB) — $169.99 $209.99 (save $40)

Samsung 990 Pro Internal SSD with Heatsink for PS5 (2TB) — $179.99 $264.99 (save $85)

Samsung T9 Portable SSD (4TB) — $292.52 $549.99 (save $257.47)

SanDisk Extreme Pro External SSD (4TB) — $309.99 $477.99 (save $168)

Read More 

Jimmy O. Yang and Chloe Bennett star in “Interior Chinatown.” All episodes premiere Nov. 19 on Hulu.

“I feel like I’m a background character in someone else’s story.”

So goes the internal monologue of Interior Chinatown protagonist Willis Wu (Jimmy O. Yang), who works as a waiter in Chinatown. While Willis’ musings about his role in life could just be the result of aimless angst, they are actually 100-percent true.

That’s because this Chinatown is not what it seems. It’s part of the fictional town of Port Harbour, which is the setting of the cop show Black & White. Willis and everyone around him in Chinatown are simply bit players in a larger story. They just don’t know it.

That tension between Willis’ reality and the reality of Black & White drives Interior Chinatown, which showrunner Charles Yu adapts from his National Book Award-winning novel of the same name. Like the novel, Interior Chinatown dissects Asian representation in media, focusing on tropes and archetypes that often relegate Asian stories to the background. The result, which often takes the form of a spot-on pastiche of police procedurals, is one of the most ambitious, meta shows of the year.

What’s Interior Chinatown about?

Unknowingly trapped within a police procedural, Willis is a devotee of cop shows himself. But he never thought he could be the hero of one. The way he sees it, someone who looks like him is usually a waiter, a witness, or a victim. Very rarely is a Chinatown resident a winner — unless they’re his older brother (Chris Pang), whose skills as “Kung Fu Guy” earned him heroic renown. At least, until his disappearance, which remains unsolved.

But when Wilson witnesses a crime himself, he finds himself inching closer and closer to that coveted hero status. He’ll join forces with the eternally cool Detective Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) in order to solve the crime, only to realize something much larger and stranger is going on in Chinatown — and it may all link back to his brother.

Interior Chinatown offers up killer style and substance.

Given that it lifts its name from the formatting of screenplay scene headings, it’s a given that Interior Chinatown (or Int. Chinatown) takes a deeply meta approach to media. Its fake intro sequence for Black & White — centered on Black detective Turner (Sullivan Jones) and white detective Green (Lisa Gilroy) — is a nearly one-to-one riff on Law & Order SVU. Scenes involving Turner and Green are bathed in a piercing blue light to denote we’re in an episode of Black & White. As soon as they head out, Interior Chinatown reverts to a warmer look.

The ever-changing cinematography — which bears shades of other genre-switching shows like The Afterparty and Kevin Can F**k Himself — isn’t the only way Interior Chinatown signals which storytelling mode we’re in. Willis tends to be front and center when Turner and Green aren’t in the picture. But as soon as they pop up, they become the focus. Willis is either pushed far to the back or rendered completely invisible. Turner and Green will have full discussions while Willis is next to them, all without noticing him once.

Here, and throughout the show, Yu gestures to the ways in which Asian stories are flattened or pushed aside in American media and real life. Willis has to fight his way into the narrative of Black & White after the doors to the police precinct mysteriously shut him — and only him — out. The only way in is to assume stereotypical roles, going from “Generic Asian Man” to “Delivery Man” to “Tech Guy.” To live in Black & White‘s Chinatown is to be an archetype. Embody the “right” one and you may find yourself assimilating.

Willis isn’t the only person in Interior Chinatown to struggle with the roles they’ve been conditioned to inhabit. As the only Asian American detective on the police force, Lana is tokenized as the “Chinatown expert,” even though she knows very little about the neighborhood. Willis’ friend and fellow waiter Fatty Choi (Ronny Chieng) learns that his anger at white customers can be commodified and celebrated as authenticity by those same customers. Meanwhile, Willis’ mother Lily (Diana Lin) hopes to accomplish her dreams of becoming a successful real estate agent, even though everyone around her is doubtful.

In the first five episodes sent to critics, these latter two subplots occasionally threaten to bloat Interior Chinatown and drag focus away from its central mysteries. However, they also do the very opposite of what Black & White does, which is create space for its Asian side characters as more than just props.

Interior Chinatown is a blast.

That audiences already know the “twist” of Interior Chinatown — that it’s all in a TV show — doesn’t detract from the show’s wild ride. The characters aren’t aware that their reality is a curated fantasy, so watching them try to put the pieces together adds an extra layer of fun. Plus, there are more mysteries for the audience to unravel, like what happened to Willis’ brother, and what’s going on with the mysterious street gang known as the Painted Faces.

Interior Chinatown also finds plenty of fun in satirizing cop shows and the TV landscape at large. Everything from corny detective one-liners to extras’ background movements (why are they always moving boxes?) gets sent up.

Between these parodies and its musings on identity, Interior Chinatown already proves that it’s a sharply constructed show with a lot to say. But with the help of its dizzying genre switch-ups and some dynamic direction from episode directors like Taika Waititi, Alice Wu (The Half of It), and more, the show jumps into the realm of fearlessly unique, making a place all for itself.

All episodes of Interior Chinatown premiere Nov. 19 on Hulu.

Read More 

‘Cobra Kai’ creators Jon Hurwitz Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg break down the arcs of Johnny, Kreese and Tory heading into the 2nd installment of the hit series’ final season.

‘Cobra Kai’ creators Jon Hurwitz Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg break down the arcs of Johnny, Kreese and Tory heading into the 2nd installment of the hit series’ final season.

Read More 

Don’t miss Stuff Your Earbuds Day (Nov 15-16)! Grab free audiobooks for 48 hours only.

GET FREE AUDIOBOOKS: Stuff Your Earbuds Day is here! Get free audiobooks on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16.

If you thought Stuff Your Kindle Day was exciting, get ready for its audio equivalent: Stuff Your Earbuds Day. This lesser-known shopper’s holiday is the best way to score free audiobooks and treat yourself to a cozy Autumn night in.

Here’s how to make the most of Stuff Your Earbuds Day.

What is Stuff Your Earbuds Day?

Stuff Your Earbuds Day is an annual event hosted by romance author Rebecca Hefner via the Romance Audiobookworms website. During the event, booklovers can snag hundreds of free audiobooks from romance authors across genres, including sci-fi and historical romance.

The deals are live for 48 hours, and there’s no limit to how many you can download.

When is Stuff Your Earbuds Day 2024?

Stuff Your Earbuds Day takes place on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2024. If you want updates and reminders, you can sign up for Romance Audiobookworms’ newsletter via Substack.

Who can participate in Stuff Your Earbuds Day?

Unlike most shopping events, this isn’t a members-only affair. Anyone can participate in Stuff Your Earbuds Day. All you have to do is find the audiobook you want (you can find the list on Hefner’s site) and download it from whatever platform you normally use to listen to audiobooks (e.g., Google Play Books, Apple Books, Spotify, Chirp, Kobo, BookFunnel, and Barnes & Noble Nook). Note: These audiobooks aren’t available on Audible.

Shop Stuff Your Earbuds Day deal

Why we like it

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of audiobooks available this Stuff Your Earbuds Day, but if you’re looking for somewhere to start, might we suggest Let It Be Me.

In this story, Emerson Aldridge became a mother very early in life. Once her daughter is old enough to leave for college, Aldridge isn’t sure what to do with herself. Not remembering what life was like before motherhood, she sets out on a journey of self-discovery (which includes canoodling with her firefighting neighbor).

Read More 

Answers to each clue for the November 15, 2024 edition of Arkadium daily mini crossword on Mashable.com.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there’s no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you’re done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Friday, November 15, 2024:

Across

____ on the side of caution

The answer is Err.

Protect

The answer is Guard.

Not affiliated with a major company

The answer is Indie.

Motionless

The answer is Still.

Under the weather

The answer is Ill.

Down

Emblematic of Zeus and Athena

The answer is Egis.

Litter’s littlest

The answer is Runt.

Pie cuts, essentially

The answer is Radii.

Small stream

The answer is Rill.

Farmer’s place, in song

The answer is Dell.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Mini Crossword.

Read More 

Hints and answers to today’s Hurdle all in one place.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it’ll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Flowing water making its way toward the sea.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

RIVER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A handle that switches something on or off.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

LEVER

Hurdle Word 3 hint

What you call a baby pigeon.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

SQUAB

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A color or a flag.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

BEIGE

Final Hurdle hint

To destroy with pressure.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

CRUSH

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Read More 

Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the puzzle.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for Nov. 11’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT‘s latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication’s sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: Fewest strokes win

Green: Football players

Blue: Soccer pros

Purple: Cool sport terms

Here are today’s Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow – Golfing outcomes

Green – NFL teams in singular form

Blue – NWSL teams

Purple – Curling lingo

Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today’s Connections Sports Edition #53 is…

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

Golfing outcomes: BIRDIE, BOGEY, EAGLE, PAR

NFL teams in singular form: COMMANDER, GIANT, JET, STEELER

NWSL teams: COURAGE, REIGN, SPIRIT, WAVE

Curling lingo: BONSPIEL, HOUSE, SHEET, STONE

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.

Read More 

Answers to each clue for the November 15, 2024 edition of NYT’s The Mini crossword puzzle.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times‘ revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT’s The Mini for Friday, November 15, 2024:

Across

What a vacuum cleaner sucks

The answer is Dirt.

“Clam up” or “chicken out”

The answer is Idiom.

Rigatoni, radiatori or rotelle

The answer is Pasta.

Trim wool from

The answer is Shear.

“If I had ___ known!”

The answer is Only.

Down

Quick jumps in the pool

The answer is Dips.

State where much of the Snake River flows

The answer is Idaho.

Up and out of bed

The answer is Risen.

Number at the bottom of a receipt

The answer is Total.

American Impressionist painter Cassatt

The answer is Mary.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Mini Crossword.

Read More 

Live stream the 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Watch the 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There’s only one MotoGP race left this season, and Jorge Martín leads the standings with a 24-point advantage over defending champion Francesco Bagnaia. The good news for fans is that it is possible to live stream this finale from anywhere in the world.

If you’re interested in watching the 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.

When is the 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona?

The MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona takes place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona race starts at 8 a.m. ET on Nov. 17.

How to watch the 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona for free

Every MotoGP 2024 race is available to live stream for free on ServusTV in Austria.

If you’re abroad for the next race, you might need to use a VPN to unblock ServusTV. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV by following this simple process:

Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria

Connect to ServusTV

Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn’t a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch the 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for MotoGP?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking ServusTV, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including Austria

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 MotoGP Grand Prix of Barcelona for free with ExpressVPN.

Read More