Technologies

MoviePass Beta Goes Nationwide, Tests a New Unlimited Plan

All-you-can-watch movies might come back, but not for $10.

The new MoviePass is expanding its beta nationwide, and it’s considering bringing back the hallmark all-you-can-watch plan that made it famous… just this time at a price that’s higher than $10.

The nationwide beta is currently available to anyone who signed up for the service’s waitlist last summer. MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes told Insider that those joining the beta may experience some glitches that engineers are working on, and a wider relaunch is expected this summer. MoviePass has confirmed the launch details with CNET, and Spikes announced the expansion with a YouTube video sent to the waitlist.

«We previously opened in 10 markets, but now we’re letting everyone [on the waitlist] in nationwide,» Spikes said.

This new version of MoviePass uses a credit-based system instead of flat-rate pricing, with plans varying based on geographic region. The New York City-based plans that I’m able to see start at a $20 Basic level for 68 credits, which MoviePass says should translate to one to three films per month. The most expensive plan offered is the $60 Pro level, which MoviePass says should allow for one movie per day under the equivalent of 1,240 credits. Unused credits will roll over, up to a maximum of two months’ worth based on the selected plan. Outside of New York, MoviePass says its cheapest plan could be as low as $10.

For New York, these prices aren’t bad. It’s not unusual for one movie ticket to cost $17 or more in Manhattan, so even getting two films out of the service is still a discount. However since the service is in beta, it’s worth keeping in mind that these prices could still shift as the service heads toward its eventual wide release.

For an occasional theatergoer, the $20 starting price undercuts rival services in New York, but someone looking to go three or more times a week to a specific theater could be better served looking into programs owned by movie theater chains like AMC A-List ($25 in New York), Regal Unlimited ($24) or Alamo Drafthouse Season Pass ($30). Still, it’s worth noting that MoviePass allows access to a much wider variety of theaters, using either the app to get tickets for MoviePass-partnered theaters or the MoviePass credit card for theaters that aren’t partnered. Spikes told Insider that pricing for its unlimited tier is being tested at a variety of levels during the beta.

The nationwide expansion is the latest step toward the rebirth of MoviePass after Spikes purchased the brand in November 2021. MoviePass famously flamed out in 2019 after burning through money when it offered a $10 unlimited plan. Spikes helped found MoviePass in 2011 with partner Hamel Witt, and the service went through iterations that included a $50 per month unlimited plan at one point. Spikes was fired from the company in 2018 when it was helmed by then-Helios CEO Ted Farnsworth and then-MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe. Now that Spikes is back in the MoviePass driver’s seat, he said that plans for the service include integrating an optional advertising program to subsidize costs for customers. He’s also eying the metaverse as a possible area for MoviePass to grow.

Technologies

Tinder Users Must Start Logging In With Their Faces, Starting Nationwide

The social app now has new US requirements including face identification to help quell longstanding problems with catfishing and more.

US Tinder users will find a new feature when they open up the dating app starting Wednesday: A mandatory Face Check on their phones will be required before they can log into their profiles.

The Face Check step will begin with a new request to record a video of your face, a more casual version of setting up Apple’s Face ID login. Tinder will then run checks comparing your face data to your current profile pics and automatically create a small face badge for your profile. We already know how it works, because Tinder has already launched the feature in Canada and California before the full US rollout.

The technology, powered by FaceTec, will keep biometric data of the user’s face in encrypted form but discard the scanning video for privacy. Tinder will be able to use the face data to detect duplicate accounts, in an effort to cut down on fake profiles and identity theft.

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Tinder’s facial recognition rollout is also made to prevent catfishing, or people pretending to be someone else on Tinder to scam or blackmail them. But that also points to a deeper problem on the rise in dating apps — a growing number of bots, many controlled by AI, are designed to glean personal information or fool users into scammy subscriptions, among other problems.

Tinder’s working against these bots on several fronts, including this Face Check push as well as ID Check, which requires a government-issued ID and other types of photo verification.

The dating app also recently released a feature in June to enable double-dating with your friends, which Tinder reports is especially popular with Gen Z users. If you’re worried about the latest hazards on Tinder, we have guide to safety practices.

A representative for Tinder did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Oct. 23

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 23.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Like some weather, memories and I.P.A.s
Answer: HAZY

5A clue: Statement that’s self-evidently true
Answer: AXIOM

7A clue: Civic automaker
Answer: HONDA

8A clue: What fear leads to, as Yoda told a young Anakin
Answer: ANGER

9A clue: Foxlike
Answer: SLY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Verbal «lol»
Answer: HAHA

2D clue: Brain signal transmitter
Answer: AXON

3D clue: Hits with a witty comeback
Answer: ZINGS

4D clue: Sing at the top of a mountain, maybe
Answer: YODEL

6D clue: Name of the famous «Queen of Scots»
Answer: MARY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 23 #599

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 599.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle might be Halloween-themed, as the answers are all rather dangerous. Some of them are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Please don’t eat me!

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Remember Mr. Yuk?

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

POND, NOON, NODE, BALE, SOCK, LOVE, LOCK, MOCK, LEER, REEL, GLOVE, DAIS, LEAN, LEAD, REEL

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: