Articles by Erin Brady
Aftersun Is The Best Movie Of 2022 That No One Knows How To Talk About
Earlier this year, I wrote about perhaps one of my favorite movies of 2022, Charlotte Wells' "Aftersun," and how it masterfully weaves together a story of grief and closure. An earlier draft of that piece included anecdotes from my life, and while my experience with losing a parent is not exactly comparable to the film, I connected with it in a more intense and unique way than my peers.
In Defense of Dev Patel's Zuko in M. Night Shyamalan's 'The Last Airbender' Original
Dev Patel delivers a standout performance as Zuko in The Last Airbender , showcasing the character's internal conflicts and complexities. Despite the film's shaky script, Patel puts effort into his role and tries to make the best out of it, bringing depth and authenticity to Zuko. While The Last Airbender 's reception was largely negative, Patel's career has continued to thrive with notable roles and even his own directorial debut.
Is BeReal The Future of Human Brand Engagement?
One of the biggest obstacles that brands and companies often face when creating a marketing campaign is how they can best connect with their audience. Identifying a target audience is one piece of this puzzle, but what about marketing to them? This can certainly be challenging for a few different reasons, especially as, according to Sprout Social, only 64% of consumers want brands and companies to “connect” with them on a personal level.
How to Watch the ‘John Wick’ Movies: Here’s Where You Can Stream Keanu Reeves’ Action Movies Original
John Wick redefined action films with its inventive sequences and tight continuity, making it highly rewatchable. The first three John Wick movies are available to stream on Netflix, while Chapter 4 is exclusive to Starz. A spin-off titled Ballerina, featuring returning cast members and new additions, is scheduled to release in 2024. When it comes to high-energy action franchises, you can’t go wrong with John Wick.
5 Years Ago, Nicolas Cage Made a Wild Action Thriller — And Saved His Own Career
From the meme-spawning Wicker Man remake, to the bizarre religious epic Left Behind, to all the direct-to-video slop in between, Nicolas Cage had one of the most bizarre career paths of any Oscar-winning actor. From the late 2000s to the mid-2010s, it was clear Cage wasn’t getting the meaty and dynamic roles he’d become known for embodying. He did enjoy some successes.
2023's Most Potent Religious Thriller Reveals the Flaws of the MCU Franchise Model
The Conjuring Universe is a pretty strange one in terms of consistency. For each series high, you get an equally passionate low, and 2018’s The Nun was one of those lows. There are a few different reasons why this is, but perhaps its biggest sin is that it was just dull. Mostly reliant on jump scares to keep viewers invested, it was certainly a movie that came out, and that’s all one could really say about it. You can call its sequel, The Nun II, many things, but dull won’t be one of them.
2023's Most Potent Religious Thriller Reveals the Flaws of the MCU Franchise Model
The Conjuring Universe is a pretty strange one in terms of consistency. For each series high, you get an equally passionate low, and 2018’s The Nun was one of those lows. There are a few different reasons why this is, but perhaps its biggest sin is that it was just dull. Mostly reliant on jump scares to keep viewers invested, it was certainly a movie that came out, and that’s all one could really say about it. You can call its sequel, The Nun II, many things, but dull won’t be one of them.
How To Minimize YouTube On iPhone Using Background Play
Have you ever wanted to listen to a YouTube video while scrolling on social media? Perhaps you are trying to follow a phone tutorial and need to follow the video as you work it out. There are a lot more situations where people have found themselves wanting to both use their phone and watch a YouTube video. However, for a long time, it was impossible to do both at the same time. This isn't the case now, though.
Why Haven’t Twitter Alternatives Taken Off?
Social Media Why Haven’t Twitter Alternatives Taken Off? A number of Twitter-like social networking sites have appeared online since Elon Musk’s acquisition and rebrand, but market familiarity is what’s preventing them from succeeding. Adriana Lacy Consulting // Staff Design When Twitter officially began rebranding to X in July 2023, the future of its user base was thrown into question.
Mars Might Have Been More Habitable Than We Thought
By Mars has always been considered the next best choice for human life if we decide to colonize other planets. In fact, research into just how habitable Mars could potentially be has been underway for years. Although concrete plans for colonization are still a long way out, the research is promising, and a new tidbit of information is likely the biggest advancement we've had in years to understanding our future on the Red Planet.
How To Uninstall Apps On Apple CarPlay Original
A ton of apps are now being created on the App Store that support Apple CarPlay. If you are unfamiliar with this feature, it comes with all newer-model iPhones and can be activated when plugging it into your car's front console USB port. You can listen to music, follow maps, and charge your phone through this feature, and for many, it is essential on the road. Whenever you plug in your phone to enact CarPlay, you can access a menu of compatible apps on your car's dashboard.
5 Of The Best White Noise Apps For iPhone Original
By Many people likely get by just fine working in silence. However, many people enjoy audio stimulation to get through difficult projects or fall asleep. One of these noises is called white noise, a sound emitted as a result of a signal experiencing different frequencies of the same volume.
TikTok Head Dent Debunked: Why You Don't Have To Worry About Your Headphones Original
By With the rise of streaming and what can only be described as professional Internet usage, more people are finding themselves wearing headphones throughout the day. Whether you are listening to music or just need to block out outside noise, headphones can be an essential workday item for many people. However, there have been renewed fears over whether prolonged headphone usage will affect not only your hearing but your actual head.
Why Apple's First Laptop Was A Terrible Failure
The MacBook is arguably one of the most successful laptop brands ever, and it's not hard to understand why. We here at SlashGear have reviewed various MacBooks as they hit the market -- our most recent review on the MacBook Pro M2 Max scored a 9 out of 10 on our rating scale! Many people can comfortably say that Apple has solidified the MacBook formula and will continue to further hone its craft for years to come. However, it took a while for the company to get to this point.
Why Apple's First Laptop Was A Terrible Failure Original
By The MacBook is arguably one of the most successful laptop brands ever, and it's not hard to understand why. We here at SlashGear have reviewed various MacBooks as they hit the market — our most recent review on the MacBook Pro M2 Max scored a 9 out of 10 on our rating scale! Many people can comfortably say that Apple has solidified the MacBook formula and will continue to further hone its craft for years to come. However, it took a while for the company to get to this point.
The Google Barge Explained: What Happened To Google's Offshore Showrooms
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images By Erin Brady/Aug. 9, 2023 11:00 pm EST We all have seen cartoons or shows where an important character has a not-so-secret base off the coast of a major city. However, what if there was a real-world equivalent to these hideouts? That was essentially what the Google Barge tried to do, but instead of housing the Teen Titans, it was meant to be an exclusive showroom for VIPs and a retail center.
8BitDo's Latest Retro Receiver Lets You Play PS1 & PS2 With Modern Controllers
By Erin Brady/Aug. 9, 2023 7:30 pm EST We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. One of the most difficult aspects of playing your old consoles is using their controllers. It can be challenging to get reaccustomed to playing with wired controllers instead of the wireless ones that have become the industry norm. Thankfully, if you're a retro PlayStation enthusiast, you no longer have to deal with that hassle.
AI Can Crack Jokes, But Does It Really Understand Humor? Here's What New Research Says
By Erin Brady/Aug. 7, 2023 2:00 pm EST Artificial intelligence programs are being trained to mimic human writing and speaking patterns. However, while some programs are improving, there are still some uniquely-human emotions that can't be taught. One of these responses is humor, according to a team of researchers.
AI Can Crack Jokes, But Does It Really Understand Humor? Here's What New Research Says
76 Of The Wittiest Dad Jokes That May Help You Finally One-Up Your Own Dad We love our dads endlessly. Dads have certain behavior stereotypes, like how they act at the airport, while watching football, or teaching us to …
Why TEMU's Prices Are So Low, And Why You Shouldn't Fall For It
Temu has become the latest online marketplace offering a staggering amount of products for equally staggeringly low prices. It's a niche but also increasingly saturated market previously dominated by the likes of Wish, Shein, and Alibaba. However, the appeal is clear: in a time when inflation is soaring, finding a site that offers almost everything you could ever want or need at low prices could take off a lot of shopping stress. There is, of course, a double-edged sword to this.
Why TEMU's Prices Are So Low, And Why You Shouldn't Fall For It
T. Schneider/Shutterstock By Erin Brady/Aug. 6, 2023 9:00 am EST Temu has become the latest online marketplace offering a staggering amount of products for equally staggeringly low prices. It's a niche but also increasingly saturated market previously dominated by the likes of Wish, Shein, and Alibaba. However, the appeal is clear: in a time when inflation is soaring, finding a site that offers almost everything you could ever want or need at low prices could take off a lot of shopping stress.
'Passages' - Film Cred
Sexuality is a difficult thing to pin down because of its individual nature. For many, it is rigid and strict, only preferring a specific gender or type of person. For others, sexuality is fluid, their preferences and desires changing from person to person. As such, putting a strict definition to the concept of sexuality is near impossible, no matter how popular media attempts to put each sexuality into neat boxes.
'Barbie' - Film Cred
The cultural impact of the Barbie doll cannot be undersold, and outside of direct-to-video stories involving twin switcharoos and mermaids, it’s hard to imagine that there hasn’t been a true Barbie blockbuster before — after all, it’s been almost 65 years since the first Barbie was sold to the public. It seems bizarre that it took Mattel and Warner Bros. this long to release a film on the dynamic and influential doll, especially one directed and co-written by Greta Gerwig.
Reddit's Latest Major Outage Hit Both Desktop And Mobile
If you tried logging into Reddit today and received an error message instead, you aren't alone. On Wednesday, the controversial social network updated its Status website to indicate it was experiencing "elevated error rates," which it labeled as a major outage without any additional details.
AI Could Be Coming To A White Castle Near You
By Erin Brady/Aug. 2, 2023 5:56 pm EST If you have ever had issues ordering in a drive-thru, you could be in luck. That's because White Castle is expanding its artificial intelligence drive-thru experiment that started earlier this year. In a press release, the fast food chain announced that it has partnered with SoundHound AI to bring voice-recognition technology to 100 locations across the United States. These bots are expected to run 24/7.
You Can Now Purchase Xbox Repair Parts Through Microsoft
By Erin Brady/Aug. 1, 2023 7:17 pm EST Microsoft's warranty program can range from one to three years, and afterward, you're typically not able to receive any of the program's benefits. That's about to change, however, as Microsoft has begun selling Xbox parts for standard issue and Elite Wireless Series 2 controllers. The company recently launched its "Xbox repair & replacement parts" page on the Microsoft Store, which includes nearly every part a gamer could need for their Xbox controller.
Elon Musk's 'X' Sign On Twitter HQ Is Coming Down As Fast As It Went Up
After both a residential and social media controversy, the newly-installed X sign on top of Twitter's headquarters has been taken down. ABC7 confirmed that contractors have been spotted removing the sign as well as a vertical, non-flashing version previously installed on the side of the building.
Elon Musk's 'X' Sign On Twitter HQ Is Coming Down As Fast As It Went Up
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images By Erin Brady/July 31, 2023 5:45 pm EST After both a residential and social media controversy, the newly-installed X sign on top of Twitter's headquarters has been taken down. ABC7 confirmed that contractors have been spotted removing the sign as well as a vertical, non-flashing version previously installed on the side of the building.
Nintendo's Rumored Next Console Is Closer Than We Thought Original
By Erin Brady/July 31, 2023 4:41 pm EST The Switch is still popular among consumers and Nintendo hasn't yet announced a next-generation console to follow it. That may change soon, however, as multiple industry sources told VGC that Nintendo will release a new console in the second half of 2024. The same report claims that partner game studios have already received the new console in the form of development kits. As expected, Nintendo hasn't commented on the leak.
The New iPhone Emojis We Expect To See In 2023 Original
By Erin Brady/July 30, 2023 10:00 am EST Emojis are some of the most anticipated additions to any major iOS update, even more so than many new features. While most people might not communicate entirely in emojis, they are still essential in expressing emotions in a way that words cannot entirely convey. After all, a picture says a thousand words, even a tiny yellow one that depicts a specific movement or emotion.
5 Of The Strangest Xbox Controllers We've Ever Seen Original
By Erin Brady/July 29, 2023 7:00 am EST The Xbox is undoubtedly one of the most important devices in video game history. Being one of the few American hardware developers in the business, it continues to disrupt the industry by offering new experiences to gamers. Among these experiences are the controllers, which have the standard buttons and features but are designed in a unique way. As such, entire communities are dedicated to collecting or modding Xbox controllers.
Elon Musk Says Twitter Is Permanently Switching To Dark Mode
By Erin Brady/July 27, 2023 7:28 pm EST As part of Twitter's ongoing and controversial rebrand into X, the social media network will be going dark — as in dark mode. That's because owner Elon Musk recently tweeted that he is looking to permanently be set to dark mode, removing the default light mode in the process.
Twitter Updates X Logo, But The New Design Is Easy To Miss Original
By Erin Brady/July 25, 2023 7:54 pm EST The logo for X, the ongoing rebrand of Twitter, has been updated just two days after it was officially revealed. The new version of the controversial logo is now slightly bolder than the initial interim version, and it's easy to overlook the change. However, this version apparently won't be sticking around for long. Twitter owner Elon Musk initially revealed the updated logo on July 25 by reposting a video from user @DogeDesigner.
The Disastrous Cost Of Elon Musk's Twitter Rebrand
The rise of generative AI technology could have productivity benefits for many workers. But OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says some jobs are "definitely going to go away." New jobs could be created in their place, but not all displaced workers will benefit. Generative AI technology like ChatGPT could boost productivity for many workers in the years ahead. But some Americans are likely to lose their jobs in the process. That's according to Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
The Disastrous Cost Of Elon Musk's Twitter Rebrand Original
By Erin Brady/July 25, 2023 4:30 pm EST After months of teases, the Twitter brand is being phased out by owner Elon Musk. The rebrand officially began on July 23 with the announcement that the social media giant would soon become "X," described on Twitter by CEO Linda Yaccarino as "a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities." However, this ambitious retooling might come at a hefty cost.
How To Create A New Apple ID (And Why You Might Need To)
If you own an Apple product, you likely are able to use it because of an Apple ID. Not unlike most services and platforms in use today, Apple ID is the account that allows your devices to be connected to each other via iCloud. It also helps users customize their user experience through app and entertainment downloads, as well as store personal data. However, this might be a bit daunting if you are a first-time Apple user.
How To Create A New Apple ID (And Why You Might Need To)
23 hours ago The company’s chatbot reportedly helps its employees work, and Apple GPT may be considering using it to help with customer support. Apple is using an internal chatbot to help its employees “prototype future features, summarize text and answer questions based on data it has been trained with,” says …
How To Change The Margins In Google Docs Or Microsoft Word Original
IB Photography/Shutterstock By Erin Brady/July 22, 2023 11:47 am EST A good word processor can do more than just allow you to type words. It can help you plan out drafts for publications, construct comprehensive reports, detail engaging presentations, and many other things. To say that a word processing program is essential in our digital world is a vast understatement.
The Reason Old Record Players Are Making A Big Comeback Original
By Erin Brady/July 21, 2023 11:00 pm EST If you are an audiophile, you likely either own a record player or know where to find one. The record player was a revolutionary invention that helped bring music into the homes of millions of people starting in the 19th century. It had remarkable staying power for decades until other inventions, such as the casette player, radio, CD player and other portable music devices, began hitting the market.
How To Delete Picsart Video Files On Android Original
By Erin Brady/July 21, 2023 2:04 am EST If you are looking for a handy photo and video-making app for your Android device, you can't go wrong with Picsart. Being chock-full of editing and AI tools, it can be used by both editing novices and experts. However, the fact that it is an editing app specifically designed to be used to its maximum capabilities makes it stand out.
How To Freeze A Row In Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is one of those programs that can be daunting to navigate on your first try. If you aren't particularly numbers-oriented or math-savvy, working with the different equations can be confusing without a guide. However, Excel is also very easy to utilize if you know a handful of key features to make your workflow easier. Whether you want to alphabetize your data or generate a comprehensive graph, Excel has your back.
How To Freeze A Row In Microsoft Excel
By Erin Brady/July 20, 2023 12:50 pm EST Microsoft Excel is one of those programs that can be daunting to navigate on your first try. If you aren't particularly numbers-oriented or math-savvy, working with the different equations can be confusing without a guide. However, Excel is also very easy to utilize if you know a handful of key features to make your workflow easier. Whether you want to alphabetize your data orĀ generate a comprehensive graph, Excel has your back.
How To Clean Your Car's Headlights With Lemon And Baking Soda
By Erin Brady/July 20, 2023 10:56 am EST Your headlights are arguably one of the most essential parts of your car. Without them, driving at night or in turbulent weather could have major consequences. If you find that your headlights have been damaged, it's imperative to get it to a mechanic as soon as possible. However, you shouldn't put off caring for your headlights until they break. The cleanliness of your car has a direct effect on how bright your headlights can be while in use.
How To Use Your iPhone Widgets On Your Mac
Introducing widgets on iOS systems was a dream come true for some people. They are a great way to easily access important apps and customize your iPhone or iPad screen. Whether you categorize your widgets by purpose or simply have them all around your home screen, widgets have proven useful for many Apple users. However, for many, the widget experience on Macs greatly differed from its mobile counterpart. Fewer apps on the Mac App Store include widget capabilities.
How To Use Your iPhone Widgets On Your Mac Original
Yalcin Sonat/Shutterstock By Erin Brady/July 13, 2023 11:00 pm EST Introducing widgets on iOS systems was a dream come true for some people. They are a great way to easily access important apps and customize your iPhone or iPad screen. Whether you categorize your widgets by purpose or simply have them all around your home screen, widgets have proven useful for many Apple users. However, for many, the widget experience on Macs greatly differed from its mobile counterpart.
Elon Musk Files $1 Million Lawsuit Over Twitter Data Scraping
Elon Musk is cracking down on data scrapers. The billionaire's company X Corp. recently filed a lawsuit in Texas that alleges that four scrapers flooded Twitter with false and automated sign-ups in an attempt to obtain user data. While the targets of this lawsuit have not been identified, they are distinguished by their IP addresses, which can be fairly easy to change.
How To Turn On Low Data Mode On Your iPhone (And Why You Might Want To) Original
goffkein.pro/Shutterstock By Erin Brady/July 10, 2023 6:41 pm EST If you don't have an unlimited data plan, you understand how precious each gigabyte can be. Besides, realizing that you are about to run out of your data for the month at a time when you can't get Internet service is the worst. Statista found that around 46 percent of Americans have unlimited data plans – this means that the majority of Americans, 54 percent, still have some sort of data cap on their phone plans.
5 Of The Best Task Management Apps Worth Checking Out In 2023
To kick this list off, here is a tried and true classic. Todoist has been around since 2007 and is still going strong today, thanks to its streamlined user interface. You can plan out your entire week in one convenient layout while also being able to divide your tasks into different sections and projects to avoid confusion. You can also assign subtasks to your regular tasks to ensure you are as productive as possible.
4 Of The Best Free Audiobook Streaming Apps
Sometimes, we just want to get immersed in a story in a way that can't entirely be achieved by reading. Other times, we don't have time to sit down with a book -- but you might just have the time to listen to it. This is the beauty of audiobooks, as they are novels and stories we can get immersed in no matter where we are or what we are doing. Unfortunately, with competition between audiobook providers ramping up, it can be difficult to find the right audiobook for your current needs for free.
4 Of The Best Free Audiobook Streaming Apps
Many book apps, both free and paid, often divide their libraries by books and audiobooks. After all, audiobooks aren't for every reader, and neither are ebooks. However, Loyal Books does things differently. It is a combined ebook and audiobook app, and users can choose their preferred method of reading. You can do this by either selecting the Play or Read buttons, which you can access by clicking on the book you're the most interested in.
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