TikTok owner reportedly planning its own smartphone

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, could soon be launching yet another ambitious project: their own smartphone. 

The Financial Times reported the new project, citing "two people familiar with the project," on Monday. The plan is to focus on launching the phone with the company's many apps pre-installed to lure buyers into choosing their phone over competitors. 

Besides TikTok, ByteDance also owns news app Jinri Toutiao, its Chinese version of TikTok called Douyin, and new messaging app Flipchat. It is reportedly also looking into its own music streaming service to compete with the likes of Apple Music and Spotify.  Read more...

More about Smartphones, Tiktok, Bytedance, Tech, and Consumer Tech

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-phone/
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The best 'Game of Thrones' secrets revealed in 'The Last Watch'

Warning: Spoilers for Game of Thrones lie ahead.

On a set where dragons live and the dead walk again, even the most mundane of details can seem pretty magical. Luckily, Game of Thrones: The Last Watch didn't settle for good enough — instead hunting down the best of the best behind-the-scenes nuggets to feed our mourning fandom.

On Sunday night, HBO aired the two-hour making-of special, chronicling the end of Thrones from the perspective of its creators and through the lens of documentarian Jeanie Finlay. From Kit Harington's big finale reaction to those ridiculous makeup jobs, there's plenty for Thrones fans to obsess over. So here are just eight of our favorite moments from The Last Watch. Read more...

More about Hbo, Game Of Thrones, Game Of Thrones Season 8, The Night King, and Entertainment

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/game-of-thrones-the-last-watch-behind-the-scenes/
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IHOP annoys everyone again with another name change

So we're doing this again, huh, IHOP?

A year after the restaurant chain caused a stir by changing its name to "IHOb" to tease its new burgers, and experienced some pretty hilarious burns as a result, it's right back to teasing a new name. 

But, this time, no one's having it.

On Monday, IHOP shared the following tweet:

It's hard to make sense of this because the chain actually reverted back to its original IHOP name only a month after the June 2018 "IHOb" stunt, even shuttering its "IHOb" Twitter account. So is it doing something special with pancakes or is there more tomfoolery afoot? 

Maybe the "P" will now stand for "Pancizza," their bizarre pizza-pancake hybrid they created for a special promotion in select cities in February.  Read more...

More about Brands, Ihop, International House Of Pancakes, Culture, and Food

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/ihop-name-change/
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Teen who hacked Apple told to use 'gifts for good rather than evil'

One sharp Australian teen caught a break this week after being caught hacking tech giant Apple. 

The 17-year-old Adelaide student was one of two teens who were charged with hacking Apple twice, once in 2015 and once in 2017, and downloading a digital ton of internal documents. 

After putting the teen on nine months of probation instead of jail time, Magistrate David White said, according to ABC News Australia: "He is clearly someone who is a gifted individual when it comes to information technology, that being said, those who have this advantage of being gifted doesn't give them the right to abuse that gift ... You must remain on the straight and narrow and use your gifts for good rather than evil." Read more...

More about Apple, Australia, Hacking, Tech, and Cybersecurity

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/australia-teen-apple-hack/
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'Observation' is a gripping, thought-provoking sci-fi thriller that anyone can play

Everything is creepy in outer space.

It's a dark, hostile environment where sound doesn't travel and death comes quickly for those who lack the proper protection. Habitable spaces can be built, but these costly creations are cramped on the inside and fraught with danger. Even the smallest malfunction can turn deadly.

This is familiar ground for sci-fi thrillers, but none have taken quite the same approach as Observation, from No Code (published by Devolver Digital). The title is the name of a space station where most of this story unfolds, but it's also a reference to how you spend the bulk of your time in the game. Read more...

More about Observation, Devolver Digital, Entertainment, and Gaming

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/observation-game-review-no-code/
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Google Doodle marks Memorial Day with grayed-out look and 'Taps'

It's Memorial Day and Google is doing its part to encourage users to remember those who've died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

All day long, Google's logo on its homepage will be posted in gray. And starting at 3 p.m. locally, the official National Moment of Remembrance, the entire desktop version of the page will turn gray. Users will also be able to play "Taps," the bugle call performed at Armed Forces memorials and funerals. 

Clicking a U.S. folded flag featured on the homepage will take users to this blog post by Google Veterans Network Lead Nick Ralston, who shares his thoughts on the holidays.  Read more...

More about Google, Memorial Day, Taps, Tech, and Big Tech Companies

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/google-doodle-memorial-day-taps/
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Adult swipes foul ball from kid, but there's a happy ending

Adults are the worst but, thankfully, there was karmic justice for one baseball-loving kid.

At the Big Ten baseball tournament in Omaha, Nebraska on Sunday, one young Ohio State fan thought he was about to snag the ultimate game token, a foul ball, when a grown-up Iowa fan swooped in to swipe the ball for himself.

The moment stirs memories of this drama that unfolded last year when an adult fan took a foul ball from a youngster at a Chicago Cubs game. There turned out to be more to that particular story, but the sight of an adult nabbing the souvenir from a kid is one that triggers a lot of reactions.  Read more...

More about Big Ten, Foul Ball, College Baseball, Culture, and Sports

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/adult-steals-foul-ball-from-kid-ohio-state-iowa-big-ten-baseball/
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Watch a 96-year-old veteran wow a packed stadium with his harmonica skills

Even before the U.S. National Women's soccer team's match with Mexico kicked off on Sunday, the crowd at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey was brought to its feet by Pete DuPré, a 96-year-old World War II vet and his pregame harmonica performance of the national anthem.

While the crowd began the anthem in relative silence, they started sing along about halfway through before roaring as DuPré brought the anthem to a close. 

DuPré served as a medic during World War II and his parents were both part of the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War I. He also already had a pretty sterling reputation for his harmonica performance even before Sunday's nationally televised performanceKnown as "Harmonica Pete," DuPré has performed the anthem for a variety of sporting events and ceremonies over the years.  Read more...

More about National Anthem, Uswnt, Culture, Sports, and Web Culture

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/pete-dupre-harmonica-uswnt-national-anthem/
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Welcome to the Talking Animal Cinematic Universe

You know the Star Wars universe. You know the DC Extended Universe. You know the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

How about the Talking Animal Cinematic Universe?

Movies and television shows allow us to peer inside other worlds, worlds where almost anything is possible. Sometimes these worlds are real. Sometimes they’re fiction. Sometimes they are shared worlds set across multiple features or series.

What if — and stay with us for a minute here — the live action movies and TV shows starring talking animals are all part of a shared universe?

How? We have three conflicting theories, each of them completely plausible and foolproof. One of them is a biological miracle. One of them is horrifying for the animals. And the last one is terrifying for humans. Read more...

More about Movies, Entertainment, Animals, and Movies Tv Shows

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/talking-animal-cinematic-universe/
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Asus' new dual-screen laptop is totally bonkers

Imagine taking an Apple MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, then stretching that Touch Bar down to occupy nearly half of the space where the keyboard usually resides. 

That's pretty much what Asus' new ZenBook Pro Duo laptop looks like, and while we're not quite sure about the concept's usefulness yet, we have to give Asus credit for the sheer bravado it takes to launch such a product. 

The concept is similar to HP's Omen X 2S laptop, which also has a smaller screen below the regular screen and above the keyboard. But while HP's secondary screen measures a meager 6 inches, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo has an ultra-wide, 4K touchscreen with a 14-inch diagonal, which can easily fit several apps side-by-side.  Read more...

More about Laptop, Asus, Tech, and Consumer Tech

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/asus-zenbook-pro-duo-dual-screen/
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The dancing in 'Aladdin' is an excruciating missed opportunity

Disney's highly anticipated Aladdin is here, but we know better than to expect anything groundbreaking from another needless live-action adaptation. While remake has pleasantly surprised most critics with colorful costumes and charismatic leads, Aladdin's signature songs are its biggest disappointment.

From Mashable's own Angie Han: "Guy Ritchie and his team seem to have no idea how to stage and shoot a musical number," which is precisely the opposite of what you want to hear about the director of a movie musical (much less one who was married to Madonna).

So, where and how did Aladdin botch its opportunities for movie musical greatness? Let us count the ways. Read more...

More about Dance, Aladdin, Entertainment, and Movies Tv Shows

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/aladdin-dancing/
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How to keep your phone safe at the beach this summer

Let's be real. You're going to take your phone to the beach. How could you not? So let's make sure it doesn't meet its untimely end there.

There are three main issues to consider when beach-proofing your device: sun, sand, and moisture. You don't want your phone to overheat, you don't want it to get sand in its ports and crevices, and you definitely don't want it to get wet. 

Take these precautions and you'll be able to enjoy your beach day in peace. Unless you get sand under your swimsuit, in which case ... may god be with you.

Keep it cool

Your phone runs the risk of overheating on a hot day, especially if it's sitting out in direct sunlight. To keep it safe, store it under a bit of shade — your beach umbrella, perhapsPopular Science suggests keeping it under a t-shirt or a corner of your beach towel (but not in the sand!). Whatever you do, don't leave it in your car or in an enclosed, compact space like your pocket. Too hot! Read more...

More about Lifestyle, Culture, and Work Life

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/how-to-protect-your-phone-at-the-beach/
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New iPhones might get dual Bluetooth audio, report claims

Upcoming iPhones might get the ability to send Bluetooth audio to two different devices. 

This is according to a report by Japanese blog Mac Otakara (via MacRumors), which cites sources from the Asian supply chain. 

You can already connect one iPhone to several Bluetooth devices — a watch, a speaker, a car — but you currently cannot send Bluetooth audio to two different audio devices. 

With this new functionality, two users could listen to tunes on one iPhone using two pairs of AirPods. Or you could have the phone send GPS directions to a car's audio system, while transmitting audio to a pair of headphones at the same time.  Read more...

More about Iphone, Bluetooth, Tech, and Smartphones

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/iphone-dual-bluetooth-audio/
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Get an extra 25% off the Private Internet Access VPN with this code

The fact that there's a multitude of potential threats to your personal information whenever you connect to the internet isn't really a surprise these days. It actually might be more shocking that you're not using a VPN yet to protect your data — including your location (creepy) and other sensitive information (like your credit card data or your SSN).

If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet, there's no better time than the present to do so: Private Internet Access VPN is a PCMag Editor's Choice service that's on sale in the Mashable Shop — and for a limited time, you can use coupon code WEEKEND25 for an extra 25% off.  Read more...

More about Cybersecurity, Computers, Vpn, Mashable Shopping, and Tech

from Mashable https://mashable.com/shopping/may-27-pia-vpn-on-sale/
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10 game-changing car gadgets, all on sale

Summer is just around the corner, finally. And that means so are vacations, weekends spent outside, and, if you're the proud owner of a vehicle, a few road trips. As you make the necessary preparations to navigate the road for long periods, don't forget to stock up on trinkets that will make your trip infinitely safer and more convenient.

This Memorial Day weekend, we're holding a sale on car chargers, dash cams, smartphone mounts, and more for an additional 15% discount. Just make sure to enter the code WEEKEND15 at checkout.

Hudway Cast Dashboard Heads-up Display

Keep your eyes on the road and not on the GPS of your phone. This portable display that you can place directly on your dash mirrors your smartphone screen so you won't have to keep craning your neck to look at directions. You can also use it to manage calls, switch tracks, share your location, and more. Read more...

More about Travel, Cars, Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Tech

from Mashable https://mashable.com/shopping/deal-may-27-car-gadgets-on-sale/
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Apple AirPods, iPad Pro, Apple MacBook Pro, and more deals for May 27

AMD's new 12-core, $499 processor is a pretty big deal

Nowadays, most computer users don't need to worry about the exact specifications of the chips running in their machines — a mid-range processor will run the majority of common tasks without issues. 

But every once in a while comes a processor that promises to make everyday computers far more powerful without breaking the bankAMD's new Ryzen 9 3900X, launched at the Computex trade show on Sunday, is one such processor. 

The Ryzen 9 3900X is a 12-core, desktop processor built on AMD's 7-nanometer architecture; it performs a little better (according to AMD) than Intel's top-of-the-line Core i9-9920X processor. Despite the performance boost, AMD's chip has better power efficiency than Intel's offering, with a 105W TDP (thermal design power), compared to Intel's 165W TDP.  Read more...

More about Processors, Amd, Tech, and Big Tech Companies

from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/amd-ryzen-7/
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Get 20% off in the B&Q Bank Holiday outdoor event: garden furniture, BBQs, lawnmowers, plants, and more on sale in the UK

We're into the final day of the Bank Holiday weekend, but don't be down about it, because if these last few days have taught us anything it's that summer is on its way.

If we are to expect more great weather, we ought to get the garden in order. Nobody wants to spend the whole day stuck inside, especially when the sun is shining and it's hot outside. That's why B&Q's outdoor and garden sale couldn't have come at a better time. 

This is your last chance to save 20 percent on a wide range of outdoor essentials, including plants, BBQs, furniture, and lawnmowers. The sale ends at midnight on May 27, so hurry. Read more...

More about Furniture, Garden, Mashable Shopping, Shopping Uk, and Uk Deals

from Mashable https://mashable.com/uk/shopping/best-deals-b-and-q-outdoor-garden-sale-may-27/
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