Australian authorities will make it much harder to keep up with the latest on Game of Thrones. They're expected to crack down hard on dozens of pirate websites that serve unauthorized movies and TV shows within the next couple of weeks. That's because federal courts down under have handed down rulings for two separate cases, both ordering major telcoms and internet service providers (ISPs) to block a total of 59 websites and 127 domains. That's a huge number to block in one go and might actually help mitigate piracy in the country. In the first case filed by entertainment company Village Roadshow, the judge said the websites, especially those that come with tutorials on how to evade legal action, "reflect a blatant disregard for copyright owners." Roadshow specifically named 13 shows and movies available on pirate providers, including The Lego Movie, Kingsman: The Secret Service and The Big Bang Theory.The … [Read more...]

Five months. That's how long it's been since Mass Effect: Andromeda launched, and that's how long it took BioWare Montreal to admit that nothing more can be done with the ailing game's story mode. Technically, it wasn't even a full five months, as Andromeda launched on March 21. SEE ALSO: 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' reviews are in: Bad game is bad BioWare confirmed the decision in an update on the Mass Effect website. The Andromeda corner of the game's universe won't be tossed, but continuing stories will be relegated to special multiplayer missions and other forms of media. "Our last update, 1.10, was the final update for Mass Effect: Andromeda," the note reads. "There are no planned future patches for single-player or in-game story content." The multiplayer side of the game — which, it should be noted, is a source of continuing income thanks to a loot box-driven virtual economy — will live on. Sometime "in the coming weeks," Andromeda's multiplayer team will have news to … [Read more...]

Hello. Get ready to cry! Saturday marked the third annual Clear the Shelters event, a day when animal shelters nationwide waive or lower adoption fees in hopes that as many pets will find homes as possible.  To encourage others to participate, Chelsea Handler posted a video relaying one of her own adoption stories. (Handler has adopted two dogs from local shelters.)  SEE ALSO: Spoiled doggo with 5 dog beds prefers the floor Today is Clear the Shelters Day. That means you should get to your local shelter and rescue a pet. #ClearTheShelters pic.twitter.com/Wz82PUCSDf — Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) August 19, 2017 "I went into the [Long Beach] pound," she says, "and I found the ugliest-looking dog I could find. And that was Tammy." Handler goes on to describe how Tammy, a senior dog, "blossomed" under her care, becoming the very good girl fans saw on her exquisitely-run Instagram page. Tammy passed away last week after a bout of illness, but Handler says she's just … [Read more...]

BioWare vowed to fix Mass Effect: Andromeda's numerous teething troubles shortly after launch, but there's apparently only so much it can do. The studio has revealed that its 1.10 patch is the last single-player update for the game -- in a confirmation of rumors, there won't be any solo-focused patches or (more importantly) downloadable content. The game was meant to expand on the Pathfinder story though multiplayer missions, BioWare says, and other stories will be told through comics and novels. The company will talk about multiplayer add-ons, support and N7 Day (November 7th)in the "coming weeks."While the decision against DLC wasn't a spur-of-the-moment choice (EA previously shot down a rumor that it had cancelled extra content), the halt to single-player patches says a lot about the state of Andromeda. BioWare and EA aren't happy with the game, and they aren't about to sink more time into the solo side … [Read more...]

So you spent your weekend bingeing The Defenders and no spoilers, but Danny Rand is still the worst. Meeting Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage brings him down a few notches from his high horse of channeling chi, but only after his fellow heroes repeatedly roast him for being an idiot. Snarky dialogue spoilers for The Defenders ahead, but nothing more. SEE ALSO: What are critics saying about Marvel's 'The Defenders'? Luke: “Who’re you?” Luke: “Just some skinny white kid.” Luke: “What’s the deal with that fist?Danny: “I earned it.”Luke: “You what?” Danny: “I’m the immortal Iron Fist.” (this isn’t a burn, but try to keep a straight face when he says it) Luke: "I'm not some billionaire white boy who takes justice into his own hands and slams a black kid into the wall because of his personal vendetta." Jessica: "Who's the Karate Kid?" Danny: "Hi, I'm Danny."Jessica: "Jessica."Danny: … [Read more...]

When Volkswagen unveiled the ID Buzz, the assumption was that it would meet the same fate as many concept cars: it'd look good at an auto show, and promptly disappear when cold economic realities set in. Thankfully, the Buzz won't suffer that fate. VW has announced that it will put the Microbus-inspired EV into production, with a launch expected by 2022. We wouldn't expect everything about the Buzz to remain intact (those large wheels are likely the first things to go), but the '60s-inspired styling, semi-autonomous driving and all-wheel drive option will carry over. VW is even teasing a cargo variant, so couriers may have a clean (and slightly kitschy) alternative to the usual vans. The EV is primarily targeted at China, Europe and North America.The melding of a nostalgic vibe with electric transportation is the primary allure, of course, but VW notes that going electric should make it very practical. … [Read more...]

The term mansplaining came from an author who had a man explain her own book to her. Now, men are explaining not just the contents of books ... but the act of writing a book itself.  Author Laura Kalbag shared on Twitter on Saturday that her new book Accessibility for Everyone, about the accessibility of websites to users, was coming out soon.  SEE ALSO: JK Rowling just roasted Donald Trump again with one incredibly ironic observation If you missed it:I’ve written a book! It’s coming out very soon, sign up to get it firsthttps://t.co/y0sMW97Xyjhttps://t.co/sWWrIFzQub — Laura Kalbag (@laurakalbag) August 18, 2017 Twitter user Erik Spiekermann responded in the most pedantic way possible.  Actually, you wrote a text. It took a few other people & skills to make that into a book. — erik spiekermann (@espiekermann) August 18, 2017 "Actually, you wrote a text," he tweeted at Kalbag. "It took a few other people & skills to make that into a … [Read more...]

A few dozen attendees showed up for Saturday's planned "free speech" rally in Boston. But counter-protesters showed up in the thousands. Per local news reports, over 10,000 people gathered at Boston Commons to protest the right-wing gathering, which quickly fell apart after it became clear the planned speaking schedule would not come to fruition.  In fact, police were seen taking down rally flags and decor before 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. (The rally was scheduled for 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.) Whoops! SEE ALSO: How you can take action against white supremacy after Charlottesville At around the same time, Twitter was flooded with images from the counter-protest. In one clip, crowds can be heard chanting "Not in Boston" — a reference to last week's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. Democracy in action. Counter protesters with #FightSupremacy groups gather on MLK Blvd in #Roxbury before heading to the #BostonCommon. #counterprotest #WCVB pic.twitter.com/qKO9WoCa95 — … [Read more...]

You might feel like it's too soon to think about the Game of Thrones spinoffs HBO has in the pipeline, but consider this counterpoint: It's not.  Screenwriter Jane Goldman, who will pen at least one of the prequels planned for after Thrones concludes in 2018, spoke to IGN about what her series would include — and she kept it deliberately, maddeningly vague. SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' is proving itself to be leak-proof "I think as a book reader or as someone who watched the series, you would say, 'Oh, that! OK.'" Goldman said of her series. "Yeah, it would be recognizable as a past event, but I think that’s probably as far as I can go." Her interviewer asked if the series would contain any fantastical creatures, likely referring to the bloody history of the Targaryen family. Goldman remained coy, pointing out that fantasy elements like creatures are part of the world George R.R. Martin built and that they could appear in any of the spinoffs. She did confirm that she'd … [Read more...]

Though it's still in preproduction, Steven Soderbergh's upcoming series Mosaic is already unlike anything HBO has ever done. In an extensive, new interview with Lincoln Center's Film Comment, Soderbergh shared more about the project and how it will tie in to an app due out in November — an app that lets users familiarize themselves with the story of Mosaic and choose how it unfolds. SEE ALSO: Apple’s Instagram account reeks of desperation "Branching narratives have been around forever, but technology now allows, I hope, for a more elegant, intuitive form of engagement than used to be possible," Soderbergh said in the interview.  "We spent a lot of time on how you touch this thing. I wanted to make sure that it was beautiful and simple, so that when the opportunity arises for you to decide whose perspective you want to follow, it feels organic and not like an interruption—like the thing is just stopping cold. So there was just a lot trial and error about how that … [Read more...]

Activated charcoal—the trendy margarita ingredient and cleaning agent—is nothing compared to a matte black latte.  The new drink from Round K in New York City is even darker than the activated charcoal recipes that swept the internet a few months ago.  SEE ALSO: A rare white moose has been spotted and if you wanna freak out, that's cool The nondairy drink contains coconut ash, almond milk, espresso, 98 percent Dutch process cacao, and a coconut cream and marzipan topping. Coconut ash, a type of activated charcoal, is the ingredient that gives the drink its color. It's popular in ice cream too.  ″[Customers are] always surprised and shocked [when they first try the drink]. No one expected it to be actually black, so when I serve people the drink, their first response is often, ‘Wow, it really is black,’” the drink's creator, Ockhyeon Byeon, told the Huffington Post.  Roundk's summer with this matte black latte introduced by … [Read more...]

Ever since Uber ousted CEO Travis Kalanick, there's been one overriding question: just who would be daring enough to replace him and salvage the ridesharing outfit's tattered reputation? At last, an answer is emerging. Recode sources hear that former GE chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt (above) is the "frontrunner" out of the three candidates to lead Uber out of the darkness. Reportedly, the company's board of directors believes Immelt is the most capable of quickly fixing Uber's toxic culture, including sagging employee morale and abundant legal troubles. There's no certainty that Immelt will take the top spot. The other two (as yet unnamed) candidates are still under consideration. If the report is accurate, however, Uber's board is expected to vote on a new CEO within two weeks.We've asked Uber for comment. However, Immelt could be one of the better choices. A Recode insider notes that Immelt isn't … [Read more...]

A staple of coastal California’s towns, the Volkswagen Microbus will be reincarnated as an electric vehicle. VW announced that it will build a version of its I.D. Buzz concept bus, which it hopes to begin selling by 2022. Unveiled earlier this year the Detroit Auto Show, the vehicle is a clear homage to the iconic vehicle that the company sold in North America between 1950 and 1980. The production version of the concept is expected to deviate little from the blunt-faced original, because all of the batteries will be mounted under the floor. Think of a longer, more van-like Chevrolet Bolt and you can get an idea of what the electric VW might be like to drive. Which means the production I.D. Buzz (VW didn’t announce what it will name the vehicle) should appeal to buyers who are interested in a lot of passenger space, as well as those who get nostalgic for the original, rear-engined, gasoline-powered Microbuses. Like the original ‘bus, the I.D. Buzz will also be … [Read more...]

Even princes want to be Jedi.  Princes Harry and William got significantly closer to that dream with a Star Wars set visit in 2016, and John Boyega confirmed Friday that they did indeed film a cameo — and that they weren't the only visitors on set. SEE ALSO: John Boyega on Carrie Fisher's 'Last Jedi' appearance: 'She lives forever' The royals made a highly publicized visit to the set and studios in 2016, when it was rumored they filmed Stormtrooper cameos. Star Wars is notorious for its secrecy, and in an interview with BBC Radio 4 "Today", John Boyega decided he was done. After Boyega spoke candidly about race relations and his film Detroit, the host asked him to treat the royal cameo rumors with the same candor: "When you last spoke to us on the program, you sort of intimated that yes, Prince Harry and Prince William were in the movie as Stormtroopers. I wonder, can you tell us — do they have lines in the movie? What can you tell us?" "I think they took that scene … [Read more...]

Tech giants like Apple and Intel have vocally opposed both the racist violence in Charlottesville and President Trump's equivocating response to it, but former manufacturing council member Dell has remained silent. Where's its statement? Well, company founder Michael Dell has finally spoken. The CEO has sent a brief email to employees condemning both the Charlottesville violence and the terrorist attack in Barcelona, but in generic terms. His message declares that "hate is evil" and stresses that Dell is a company where "everyone is welcome," pointing to the company's culture code. And... that's it. The low-key message stands in contrast to Apple chief Tim Cook's email to staff, which specifically addressed the President's remarks and vowed concrete action by donating to anti-racism causes. Uber offered its own modest statement (it only promised customers that it would uphold its existing guidelines and … [Read more...]

Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. There's no doubt about it: tech is king when it comes to the industry with the most dynamic, innovative opportunities on the market. There's only one drawback — when innovation is paramount, your skill-set needs to be as adaptive as the market. And in 2017, there are a few skills you would benefit by developing, especially if you're looking to switch careers: Mobile app development Digital marketing / business analytics Web development Which all make sense, considering mobile is crucial to the success of companies to make their products and services visible to customers. And since more than 26% of companies are looking for qualified candidates who possess these skills, we've rounded up four different courses focused on sharpening your expertise, making you stand out to any recruiter. Taught by highly regarded online instructor Rob Percival, you're sure to negotiate your way to … [Read more...]

Most people know about In-N-Out Burger's animal style fries, Jamba Juice's gummy bear smoothies, and Starbucks' infamous pink drinks. But what about the secret menu items of other restaurants—high-end places? Enter Off the Menu Club, a foodie's dream app.  SEE ALSO: The McDonald's Secret Menu: Stop dreaming, start ordering The app is a members-only club for discovering secret-menu items from new and trending restaurants in Los Angeles, according to its website. Lawrence Longo, the app's CEO and co-founder, is a self-described foodie who spent years compiling a list of secret menu items from restaurants all across the United States. The app has a subscription fee of $20 per month, which lets you access new dishes every Sunday. A portion of your subscription also goes to feeding hungry children, so you get to feel good while you're chowing down, too.  The best part, though, is that once you're a member of the Off the Menu Club, you get redeem one complimentary secret … [Read more...]

The six flags of Six Flags are looking a little different this weekend. Parks in Georgia and Texas have removed the Spanish, Mexican, French, Confederate, and Texas state flags that once flew over its grounds, choosing to only fly the American flag instead. The switch-up is intended to minimize feelings of division in the wake of last week's deadly violence perpetrated by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia. SEE ALSO: By supporting Confederate monuments, Donald Trump shows how poorly he understands history From 6 Flags to 1 flag. As a result of criticism over its confederate flag, , Six Flags Over Texas removed all but the U.S. flag. pic.twitter.com/xhZ0QHz7ud — Jeff Brady (@kens5jbrady) August 18, 2017 “We always choose to focus on celebrating the things that unite us versus those that divide us,” Six Flags spokeswoman Sharon Parker told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Friday. "As such, we have changed the flag displays in our parks to feature American … [Read more...]

Apple Maps isn't the first app most people are clamoring for when they're lost on a road trip. It's actually one of the first apps I deleted when iOS finally let you get rid of native iPhone apps.  SEE ALSO: GBoard now supports YouTube and Google Maps for faster texting But since the iOS 10 update, there are some features that can make Apple Maps an app you'd want to use. Here's why you might want to consider keeping it around.  Let Apple Maps tell you when to leave for events. Image: Molly sequin/mashable Apple cross checks its native apps to be as helpful as possible. This means that any events you have saved in your calendar will trigger a traffic notification via Apple Maps. It'll give you the event time and location while telling you when to leave based on current traffic patterns. This feature could help you avoid showing up late for your next important event.  Apple Maps color codes the city. Image: molly sequin/mashable Apple Maps pinpoints landmarks … [Read more...]

The day we've all been waiting for is almost upon us, the day of the great solar eclipse seen cross the country, but ... what happens if you don't see it?  Work, illness, or, worst of all, CLOUDS could prevent you from basking in the glorious shadow cast by the moon passing between earth and the sun, and sharing this historic eclipse with the nation. SEE ALSO: How to watch the total solar eclipse from anywhere on Earth We already know that eclipse FOMO is a thing but what if it comes to pass for YOU? First of all: take a deep breath. There's hope! Because planetary and lunar orbits are so consistent, and thanks to the amount of data that we have, NASA wizards are able to easily plot out when the next eclipses will occur for years down the line.  For instance, if you live in the Midwest, you're in luck as you won't have to wait too long (well, a few years) for your next shot. And Tallahassee, Florida, of all places, will find itself the center of the eclipse universe twice in … [Read more...]