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All good things must come to an end, on Earth and even in space.  NASA announced on Tuesday that the Kepler mission — which has transformed how we understand planets outside of our solar system — is officially over. According to the space agency, Kepler has run out of fuel in space, ending its 9.5-year planet hunting mission. "Before we launched Kepler, we didn't know if planets were common or rare in our galaxy," Paul Hertz, NASA's Astrophysics Division director, said in a press call Tuesday. Thanks to Kepler's data, which was all safely beamed back to Earth before the end of the mission, we now know that planets are, in fact, exceedingly common.  Read more... More about Space , Science , Astronomy , Exoplanets , and Planets from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/kepler-space-telescope-mission-end/ via IFTTT

Star of Johnny English Strikes Again Rowan Atkinson sits down with Mashable to discuss how his James Bond–wannabe character is both foolish and admirably brave. Read more... More about Entertainment , Movies , Celebrities , Funny , and Mashable Video from Mashable https://mashable.com/video/rowan-atkinson-johnny-english/ via IFTTT

It’s getting even more expensive to use Apple products. At Tuesday’s Apple event in Brooklyn, the Cupertino-based tech giant unveiled the next generation of the iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini. Each updated device is more powerful than ever, with multiple add-on options that further enhance performance. Of course, those higher-end features come at a price. And Apple’s base pricing for the entry-level version of each of its products is rising, too. SEE ALSO: Everything announced at the 2018 Apple iPad event Take the new iPad Pro . This generation of Apple’s flagship tablet is faster, thinner, and has more screen space than ever. The most affordable model, the new 11-inch iPad Pro, starts at $799. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro comes in at $999. Not bad for tablets that Apple puts up against competitors’ full-fledged laptops. But if you take a look at the base pricing of the previous generation of iPad Pros, you’ll find the cost for a 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro wh

The prequel series to HBO's Game of Thrones has its first star: Naomi Watts. Watts has signed on as "a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret," though all other details, including her character's name, remain a mystery. The casting brings to an end to what Deadline describes as the "lengthy negotiations" that led to the show's first cast member signing on. SEE ALSO: 6 people who might show up in the 'Game of Thrones' Age of Heroes prequel As we previously learned , the prequel series is set thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones . It unfolds during the late stages of Westeros's so-called "Age of Heroes," a time that featured — among other things — humanity's first clash with the White Walkers. Read more... More about Entertainment , Tv , Hbo , Game Of Thrones , and Age Of Heroes from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/game-of-thrones-naomi-watts-prequel-age-of-heroes/ via IFTTT

When Apple finally delivered its very long awaited MacBook Air upgrade , I was one of many MacBook Air devotees relieved to see that the laptop was finally getting some much needed attention. That is, until I realized it might spell the end of the one Apple accessory I've been using non-stop for more than a decade. I'm talking, of course, about Apple's MagSafe chargers. Because while the new MacBook Air is smaller and faster than ever (and finally has a Retina display), it comes not with the magnetic MagSafe connector of every other MacBook Air, but with two Thunderbolt 3.0 ports, the same USB-C ports on the rest of the MacBook line.  Read more... More about Tech , Gadgets , Apple , Macbook , and Consumer Tech from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/apple-dont-kill-magsafe-macbook-air/ via IFTTT

This is Ode To... , a weekly column where we share the stuff we're really into in hopes that you'll be really into it, too. Poorly Drawn Cats is a Twitter account dedicated to, as the name suggests, poorly drawn cats. But calling these charming little pictures "poorly drawn" doesn't seem like a fair description considering how beloved they've become by the account's many followers. The crude, contour-line drawings created by a Brazilian artist named Heloísa, who started the account in 2016 , capture the distinct personalities of cats — not always an easy task. The drawings featured on the account are of cats featured in photos submitted by fans of the account. Read more... More about Twitter , Cats , Portrait , An Ode To , and Culture from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/poorly-drawn-cats-twitter/ via IFTTT

Warning: If you thought shopping for women in general was hard, just know that it gets harder. Try shopping for a teenage girl. Juuls, Tide Pods, Converse (but only the white ones), and saying LOL (ironically) — yup, we’re talking about the ever-changing hell that is teenage girl trends. It can be tricky to choose a gift that she’ll like and use for longer than a month, but does that mean you throw in the towel and plop a gift card in an envelope? That’s basically code for “I don’t get you at all.”  Instead of resorting to looking like an old, there is a way to show the teenage girl on your gift list that you “get them.” We’re talking music tech, phone accessories, room decor, artsy cameras, and more — all things to help her live her best life with her friends, branch out and be social, and help her figure out her passions. (Also known as gifts that won’t be met with an eye roll or her tweeting about you.)  Read more... More about Girls , Gift Ideas , Teenagers , Mashable Shop

Oh, baby! The new 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pros are  really nice. The last time I was this excited about an iPad was when Apple released the iPad Air 2 . Each iteration since then, including the original iPad Pro, has been iterative. The iPad Pro's screen has grown over the years, but this is the first time the hardware (inside and outside) has changed so drastically, the tablet feels entirely new again. This is the iPad's redefining moment, ushering in a new design and features that set it up for building upon for the next decade. SEE ALSO: iPhone XR review: For once, cheaper is better Since the iPad Pro launched in 2015 , Apple has tried year after year to position it as "real" computer. With faster processors, better display technologies (like the 120Hz refresh rate ProMotion), and more powerful features introduced in iOS 11 like drag-and-drop and being able to open up to three apps at once, the iPad has inched closer towards being more Mac-like. Read more.

Ordering a car ride is becoming more like Spotify Premium or Amazon Prime. You pay in advance for something extra — in this case, guaranteed cheaper rides, even if there’s heavy traffic or bad weather. Instead of paying per ride at whatever rate comes up, Uber is offering a monthly subscription service called Ride Pass that guarantees discounted rides and protection from surge pricing.   SEE ALSO: Uber will offer a 'Get to the Polls' button on Election Day In Austin, Orlando, Denver, and Miami starting Tuesday, you can lock in discounted prices for UberX, Uber Pool, and Uber Express Pool rides for the monthly rate of $14.99. In Los Angeles, it's $24.99 per month, but that will eventually include e-bike and scooter access. Uber estimates in a month you'll save 15 to 20 percent on how much you'd normally spend on rides. You can cancel the monthly program anytime.  Read more... More about Uber , Lyft , Ride Hailing Apps , Subscription Services , and Tech f

What most people find horrifying: Bugs, ghosts, dead phone batteries, etc. What people who cook find horrifying: Needing a nonstick pan just to realize that the only one you have is dirty in the sink. Make life easier with this great, 17-piece nonstick set from Farberware. It's on sale for over half off at Macy's, rolling in at just $65.23. That's less than four bucks for each piece. (Math!) SEE ALSO: 10 of the best toaster ovens according to reviewers on Amazon Finding a decent sale on a nice kitckenware set isn't rare (we would know, we geek out over every single one ). However, those sets usually don't exceed 11 or 12 pieces, and that's including lids. The fact that this deal includes 17 pieces is a one-in-a-million find and true foodie heaven. Read more... More about Cooking , Mashable Shopping , Shopping Linkshare , Holiday Deals 2018 , and Lifestyle from Mashable https://mashable.com/shopping/deal-oct-30-nonstick-kitchenware-macys/ via IFTTT

Apple's MacBook line has clarity again. The MacBook Air, formerly the neglected stepchild among Apple laptops, is reborn : It's still basically the same wedge-shaped computer Steve Jobs introduced in 2008, but it's sporting USB-C ports, a retina display, and a modern chip inside. Importantly, it fills another hole in Apple's lineup: the midrange. When Apple refreshed its MacBook Pros in the summer, it didn't bother updating the non-Touch Bar model, meaning for anyone who didn't want to shell out $1,800+ didn't really have an option if they wanted something with the latest Intel chip tech. SEE ALSO: Is Apple's iPhone XR the best premium phone value of 2018? — Mashable Reviews Read more... More about Apple , Hands On , Macos , Macbook , and Macbook Air from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/apple-macbook-air-2018-hands-on/ via IFTTT

There was a big Apple event on Oct. 30. Perhaps you watched it.  If you did tune in, you would have caught all kinds of Mac Mini , iPad , Apple Pencil , and Lana Del Rey news. What you would not have seen, however, is any announcement regarding AirPower or the next generation of AirPods.  SEE ALSO: Everything announced at the 2018 Apple iPad event Despite announcing AirPower , "an Apple-designed wireless charging accessory," in September 2017 , we've yet to see any inclination that the product will be available before the end of this year. And the glaring omission of any AirPower mention during today's promotional event only serves to drive home the message that we're likely not getting the charging pad anytime soon. Read more... More about Airpods , Airpower , Ipad Event 2018 , Tech , and Big Tech Companies from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/apple-brooklyn-airpower-airpods/ via IFTTT