Mushroom fans rejoice. Adult Swim has ordered a second season of its animated hit Common Side Effects. This is happening just ahead of the finale of the first season, which airs this weekend.

For the uninitiated, Common Side Effects is something of an odd duck. It’s a cartoon, but it’s more of a thriller than a comedy. Mike Judge (Silicon Valley, King of the Hill) and Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation) are onboard as executive producers, so there are some jokes. I guess it could be called a dramedy, but comedic thriller seems more apt.

The plot follows two former high school lab partners who discover a mystical mushroom that can cure just about every disease. This forces them to go on the run from the DEA, big pharma and shadowy business entities. The animation style is certainly unique, and may not be for everyone, but the show really comes into its own after a few episodes.

The voice cast includes Mike Judge, who played both Beavis and Butt-Head, and Martha Kelly, who starred in the animated Carol & the End of the World. She’s also fantastic in Baskets and absolutely terrifying in the second season of Euphoria. The remaining cast includes Joseph Lee Anderson, Dave King and Emily Pendergast.

Along with the renewal announcement, Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen called the show a “boundary-pushing and genre-defining piece of television.” He also praised fans for “lighting up socials to spread the word.”

Common Side Effects was created by Steve Hely, who wrote for American Dad and 30 Rock, and Joe Bennett, who made the criminally underrated (and now cancelled) Scavenger’s Reign. The pair said their goal for the show is “to transform planet Earth and restore the human spirit” but that they’ll “settle for a second season.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/common-side-effects-has-been-renewed-for-a-second-season-by-adult-swim-173256630.html?src=rss

When I reviewed the Kindle Colorsoft, one of my biggest points of criticism was how simple the tablet itself is. There’s no stylus support or page turn buttons, even though Amazon previously had buttons on the now discontinued Kindle Oasis, and competitors like the Kobo Libra Colour and Boox Go Color 7 are still using them. Until now, that meant that turning the page required you to physically touch the screen, potentially leaving behind a distracting fingerprint.

Personally, that’s not a major issue to me—I just tap the margins. But it’s a major distraction to my husband, who’s taken to reading all of his books on his Kobo instead. With its most recent Kindle update, though, Amazon has now introduced an alternative way to turn your page, albeit with some limitations.

As part of the 5.18.1 Kindle Software update, the Kindle Colorsoft and the 12th Generation Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition now let you turn the page by double-tapping pretty much anywhere on the device itself, whether that’s the sides or the back. After updating, you’ll get a brief intro screen, and then you’re free to open a book and try it out. And don’t worry—tapping once on the screen instead still works.

It can be a bit tricky to get the timing down at first, but keeping the window for a double tap short also helps prevent accidental skips forward. It only took me a couple of minutes to land on a cadence that works every time, and I wouldn’t say double tapping requires too much force or is too uncomfortable. That said, I mostly tested it out on a novel. If you advance your pages more frequently than once every minute or so, I could see the gesture getting tiresome.

As for the downsides, double tapping only lets you move your page forward. There’s no double tapping to go back, which is a bit of a bummer. My guess is that the Kindle just doesn’t have the tech to differentiate between taps on the left side of the device vs. taps on the right side, so Amazon opted to map all double taps to moving forward a page instead. Still, you might have to retrain your muscle memory a little bit—using your left hand for this won’t suddenly make you start rewinding.

If you’re on your Kindle’s home screen, the double tap gesture will also scroll down slightly, which is a nice touch.

The 5.18.1 software update is available now, and you can theoretically access it under Settings > Device Options > Software updates. That said, my Kindle didn’t show it as an over-the-air update option, instead saying I was “on the latest software” when I was clearly still on version 5.18.0.01. If this happens to you, you can instead manually download the update to a computer through Amazon’s website, then transfer it to your Kindle using the instructions below.

1. Download the 5.18.1 software update for your device using the above link.

2. Turn on your Kindle.

3. Connect your Kindle to your computer (Amazon suggests using the included charging cable, but this wasn’t necessary for me).

4. Using your computer’s file manager app, drag and drop the software update to your Kindle. Note that, if you’re on Mac, you might need a separate app to actually see your device.

5. Tap “Disconnect” on your Kindle (or eject it from your computer) and unplug it from your cable.

6. Navigate to Settings > Device Options and tap Software Updates. Your Kindle will restart and apply the update.

With that, you should be all set. Your Kindle will show the double tap tutorial and automatically enable the feature. That said, if you do find yourself accidentally double tapping a little too much, you can toggle it off under Settings > Device Options > Double tap.

This is a video highlighting the ball-loving life of golden retriever Finley Molloy, who holds the Guinness World Record for most tennis balls held in a dog’s mouth, with a very respectable six. For reference, that’s six more than I can hold, and I’ve tried. Just getting one past my teeth is difficult, then when I do I immediately start to panic I won’t be able to get it back out. My parents have since hidden all the sports balls in the house, but I know they’re in the attic. I’m just not going up there because of the ghosts. They’re not the friendly kind like Casper, they want to inhabit my vessel!

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Dutch ovens are heavy duty cast iron behemoths ready to take on your next cooking challenge whether it’s steamed, braised, boiled, or fried. But usually with that much power comes (you guessed it) a ridiculous price tag. It’s important to note, while Staub and Le Creuset can retail for $200 to $500, other brands are just as effective. Here are three good options—well below $100—on sale right now for Amazon’s Big Spring Sale.

For a smaller Dutch oven

I’m a fan of Lodge—I’ve had a 12-inch cast iron skillet that’s been a fabulous helper for nearly a decade—and their 3-quart Dutch oven has been deeply discounted. Normally this petite Lodge Dutch oven retails for over $100, but you can get it for $55.17. (Note that some of the different colors might come up at $60.)

While a 3-quart pot isn’t very large, you can still cook three to four servings of side dishes, stews, and soups in this size pot. Here are some of my favorite things to cook in my Dutch oven. This size is great for smaller storage situations, and considerably lighter if you’re not interested in hoisting a 15-pound hunk of metal onto your stove. This heavy duty piece of cookware can last a generation if you take care of it, and look snazzy while doing it.

Larger options 

Overmont. While I’m not familiar with Overmont, this Dutch oven is a good option if you’re looking for a larger pot. This highly rated Dutch oven is a 5.5-quart pot, which is better for baking loaves of bread or making six to eight servings of soups and stews. It’s also good for braising roasts or thick cuts of meat, and can withstand temperatures up to 500°F, moving seamlessly from stove top to oven for braising, or high-temperature bread baking. It’s $59.49 with a $5 coupon right now. 

Lodge. If there’s a Lodge option for a bigger pot then I’m going to find it—and I have. This is their 6-quart Dutch oven on sale for $67.49. Granted, it’s a few bucks more expensive than the 3-quart above, but with that extra space you can do a whole lot more. 

Facebook wants to be your friend again, by showing you what your real friends are up to. In an attempt to save itself from the AI slop and clickbaity images that are all over its algorithmic feed, Facebook is now updating its mobile app’s dedicated Friends tab to be a whole feed, showing you updates only from the real people that you actually care about. That’s a pretty big change, since before, all the Friends tab did was show you friend requests and people you may know.

According to Facebook, the new Friends tab is one of “several ‘OG’ Facebook experiences” that are set to be released throughout the year, so this is just the beginning. That said, while the new feature started rolling out yesterday in the US and Canada, there’s no timeline for a global rollout yet.

How does the new Friends feed work?

Credit: Meta

In addition to having buttons up top for viewing friend requests, birthdays, and suggestions for people to follow, the Friends tab will now let you scroll down to see your friend’s stories, reels, and posts, just like in the good old days. It still doesn’t seem entirely chronological—Facebook hasn’t been clear about how posts on this tab are organized—but hey, it’s a start.

How to pin the Friends feed to the tab bar

By default, the new Friends feed is quite hidden. Don’t expect to see it front and center simply because you updated the Facebook app. You should find it in your home feed’s navigation bar on the very bottom of your screen, hidden behind an icon depicting one person standing in front of another. But if you don’t see it, you can also pin it your navigation bar manually. To do that, click your Profile picture and go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Tab Bar. Here, click the button next to Friends and choose the Pin option.

Credit: Meta

Now, the Friends feed will be available in the tab bar. You can press and hold the Friends tab to unpin it if you don’t want to use this feature down the line.

Hey, you can’t turn off Meta AI, but getting to see your friend’s life updates is at least something.

The College Board, described as a $2 billion nonprofit, functions as the primary gatekeeper for academic success within American higher education, according to an analysis by Bloomberg. The organization significantly shapes university admissions by controlling not only who gains entry to college but also influencing what students know upon arrival.

This central role in managing and defining higher education admissions positions the Board uniquely. The story adds: The College Board writes the curriculum for 40 AP courses, administers and grades the exams, oversees the PSAT and SAT, and offers a variety of free and paid resources to help prepare for the courses and tests. Many students will wind up paying the company north of $1,000 over the course of their high school career. “If the same people can create the content and create the tests, that’s a really great business model where you’ve got the whole public secondary education system wrapped up in one little company,” says Jon Boeckenstedt, the vice provost of enrollment management at Oregon State University and a prominent critic of the College Board.

Housing so many parts of the high school experience under one roof has made the New York-based organization immensely wealthy, with more than $1 billion in annual revenue — on which it pays no taxes as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. But mere money isn’t the biggest source of the College Board’s might. Twelve decades after its creation, it’s now the closest thing the fragmented American educational system has to a central governing body, with a huge amount of authority over what students are expected to know when they get to college. Higher education is arguably the most important driver of social mobility, as well as the most powerful force in selecting which members of the next generation will set the political and cultural agenda. By controlling who gets in and what they know when they get there, the College Board has become the chief gatekeeper of academic success in America.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Google revealed the Pixel 9a last week, but its release plans were put on hold by a mysterious “component quality issue.” Whatever that was, it’s been worked out. Google now says its new budget smartphone will arrive as soon as April 10. The date varies by market, but the wait is almost over.

The first wave of 9a releases on April 10 will include the US, Canada, and the UK. On April 14, the Pixel 9a will arrive in Europe, launching in Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, France, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Czechia, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Finland. On April 16, the phone will come to Australia, India, Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia.

You may think that takes care of Google’s launch commitments, but no—Japan still has no official launch date. That’s a bit strange, as Japan is not a new addition to Google’s list of supported regions. It’s unclear if this has anything to do with the previous component issue. Google says only that the Japanese launch will happen “soon.” Its statements about the issue that delayed release are also vague, with representatives noting that the cause was a “passive component.”

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Google’s Pixel 9a, a candidate to be the “midrange smartphone king,” was announced last week but delayed at the last second due to a component problem. Today, we finally know when the handset will arrive: April 10 in North America.

In an update to a Pixel 9a support page (via 9to5Google) on Friday, Google wrote that the phone will arrive on April 10 in the US, Canada and the UK. On April 14, it will land in a long list of European countries: Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, France, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Czechia, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Finland. Meanwhile, Australia, India, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia have to wait until April 16.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Pre-announcement reports suggested the phone would arrive on March 26, but Google said on the day of its unveiling that it was delayed into April. An unverified leak hinted that the pushback was related to camera-related heating problems, but Google only said it was to address a “component quality issue that’s affecting a small number of Pixel 9a devices.” Regardless of the specifics, at least the problem ultimately only amounted to a short delay.

The Pixel 9a has dual cameras, a Tensor G4 chip and AI tools like Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, Best Take and Photo Unblur. (However, an Ars Technica report suggests it runs an “extra extra small” version of Gemini.) In his hands-on, Engadget’s Sam Rutherford found the midrange phone to offer compelling features and performance relative to its $499 and up pricing. The phone isn’t yet available for pre-order.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-pixel-9a-launches-on-april-10-in-the-us-161940732.html?src=rss

Jennifer Salke is stepping down as the head of Amazon MGM Studios, according to reporting by Deadline. She’s been at the post for over seven years, which is a ripe old age for a studio head. Before Amazon, Salke was president of NBC Entertainment.

She will not be replaced. Instead, the head of studio role will be eliminated as part of a new structure for the division. Prime Video honcho Mike Hopkins said in a memo that the company “decided to flatten our leadership structure a bit.” The studio will split into two distinct arms, with one focusing on TV and the other handling films.

“We will be taking a couple of weeks to have thoughtful conversations with Jen’s directs and others to finalize the ideal long-term structure for the Amazon MGM Studios organization as a whole, and we’ll have more to share on that work soon,” Hopkins said.

Salke isn’t leaving the studio entirely. She’s transitioning to a first-look film and TV deal with the company. However, industry rumors suggest that it’s more like a firing than a voluntary career change. She was largely absent from the deals that brought in Amy Pascal and David Heyman as the producers of the next James Bond film.

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson sold creative control of 007 to Amazon for around $1 billion earlier this year. Insiders have suggested that Broccoli and Salke didn’t get along, which Jeff Bezos allegedly caught wind of. It has been reported that one condition of Pascal and Heyman signing on was that the pair would not report to Salke.

We don’t know what any of this means for James Bond, other than new movies are most definitely coming. It’s also been suggested that the platform could be prepping an affiliated TV show.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/jennifer-salke-steps-down-as-head-of-amazon-mgm-studios-161856700.html?src=rss

An anonymous reader shares a report: Staff at the Federal Trade Commission have been instructed to no longer refer to the agency as “independent” in complaints, according to an email obtained by The Verge.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.