Technology news

Former President Barack Obama dropped his annual Best Of list for 2025 — his top movies, music, and books — and the internet, of course, was ready to react. In case you missed it, Obama posted the year-end list to social media. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Personally, I appreciate the inclusion of Jay Som, Laufey, and Jason Isbell — but "Ordinary"...come on. Anyway, the internet, of course, was quick to respond to all of Obama's

ChatGPT has launched its app directory — meaning you can now connect to some of your favorite services without leaving the OpenAI platform. The idea is that moving forward, the chatbot can suggest apps or you can easily access them (using the @ command) during a conversation. For instance, if you connect Adobe Photoshop to your account, you will then be able to utilize Photoshop tools when making image requests. In our testing, this works even if you don't have an existing Photoshop accoun

Meta AI glasses are getting a software update designed to help wearers hear the person they're talking to in noisy environments. The "conversation focus" feature, which Meta announced on Wednesday, amplifies the sound of another person's voice when there's competing noises, such as chatter in a restaurant or the auditory chaos of a public transit commute. The amplified voice will be slightly louder, and wearers can adjust the level through the glasses' device settings or by swiping the right tem

OpenAI has faced enormous pressure in recent months to address concerns that its flagship product, ChatGPT, is unsafe for teens. The AI chatbot is at the heart of multiple wrongful death lawsuits alleging that it coached teens to take their own lives or didn't appropriately respond to their suicidal feelings. A public service announcement recently depicted some of these exchanges, imagining the chatbots as creepy humans that harm kids. OpenAI has denied the allegations in one case — the su

Apple's next public iOS beta is here.That would be the public beta for iOS 26.3, to be more specific. It launched this week, shortly after the launch of iOS 26.2 to the public, and with the expectation that the full release of the update will happen in early 2026. The new beta brings with it a few small (but still noteworthy) new features, and you can try them out for yourself. Here's how.SEE ALSO:Apple's new iOS feature is huge for people with non-Apple smartwatches
How to download the iOS 26.3

Building an enterprise AI company on a "foundation of shifting sand" is the central challenge for founders today, according to the leadership at Palona AI. Today, the Palo Alto-based startup—led by former Google and Meta engineering veterans—is making a decisive vertical push into the restaurant and hospitality space with today's launch of Palona Vision and Palona Workflow. The new offerings transform the company’s multimodal agent suite into a real-time operating system for re

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 18, the JBL Flip 7 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for just $99.95 at Amazon. That's a savings of 33% and marks its lowest price on record.Opens in a new windowCredit: JBLJBL Flip 7$99.95 at Amazon $149.95 Save $50.00 Get DealLooking for a last-minute gift under $100? JBL's iconic Flip 7 portable Bluetooth speaker just dropped below that threshold for the first time. As of Dec. 18, you can pick up the JBL Flip 7 speaker for just $99.95 at Amazon in any colorway. T

SAVE $70: As of Dec. 18, get the DJI Power 1000 V2 portable power station for $399, down from its usual price of $469. That's a discount of 15%. Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonDJI Power 1000 V2 portable power station$399 at Amazon $469 Save $70 Get DealWinter weather is here for most of the country, and that means potential power outages, bad signal, and other frustrating ways to mess up your day. If you don't particularly enjoy being without electricity, there are ways to overcome that

SAVE $600: As of Dec. 18, get the Ecovacs Deebot X11 for $899.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,499.99. That's a discount of 40% and the lowest price we've seen.Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonEcovacs Deebot X11$899.99 at Amazon $1,499.99 Save $600 Get DealA robot vacuum is a quick and easy way to solve a big problem for the holidays: keeping everything clean. If you're looking for something to help you tackle the big messes in your home that you routinely face before and aft

SAVE $300: The Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $249.99, down from the normal price of $549.99. That's a 55% discount.Opens in a new windowCredit: SharkShark AI Ultra robot vacuum$249.99 at Amazon $549.98 Save $299.99 Get DealThe Shark/Ninja brand has become a household favorite in recent years. Under the same family, the two brands impress in categories that include cleaning implements, hair care, kitchen appliances, and cooling + heat fans. If you're looking to add a S

SAVE $120: As of Dec. 18, shop the Apple Mac Mini with M4 chip for $479. It's back down to its Black Friday price, saving you $120 off its $599 list price.Opens in a new windowCredit: AppleApple M4 Mac Mini$479 at Amazon $599 Save $120 Get DealIt's hard to believe Black Friday was nearly a month ago, and as we get closer to the end of the year, those prices are popping back up. Or I suppose I should say, dropping back down. If you're hunting for a last minute holiday gift, especially for th

The best streaming deals this week at a glance:Best bundle dealHulu, Disney+, ESPN Unlimited bundle$29.99/month for one year(save $6/month)Get DealBest live TV streaming dealDirecTV Signature Entertainment package$49.99/month for your first month(save $40)Get DealBest music streaming dealSpotify Premiumfree for 4 months(save $11.99/month)Get DealBest for returning customersParamount+ Premium$0.99/month for 2 months with code RM2KN3(save $12/month)Get DealBest streaming device dealFire TV Stick 4

Anthropic said on Wednesday it would release its Agent Skills technology as an open standard, a strategic bet that sharing its approach to making AI assistants more capable will cement the company's position in the fast-evolving enterprise software market.The San Francisco-based artificial intelligence company also unveiled organization-wide management tools for enterprise customers and a directory of partner-built skills from companies including Atlassian, Figma, Canva, Stripe, Notion, and Zapi

SAVE $850: The 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $1,449.99, down from the list price of $2,299.99. That's a 37% discount.Opens in a new windowCredit: Samsung57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor (G95NC)$1,449.99 at Amazon $2,299.99 Save $850.00 Get DealWe're nearing the end of 2025. It's been quite the year. If you have some funds available and you're hoping to have the best winter gaming season of your life, you might be interested

The next Android 16 update could make apps more transparent about location tracking, giving users more insight into their privacy.The feature showed up in the beta for Android 16 QPR3 (QPR meaning quarterly platform release), set to launch early next year. According to 9to5google, the beta adds a blue dot with a map icon next to the battery meter on the upper side of the display, which will only appear if an app is actively tracking your location for any reason. You can tap the dot in the notifi

OpenAI has begun accepting submissions from third-party developers for their apps to be accessible directly in ChatGPT, and has launched a new App Directory (don't call it a "store"!) that can be opened from the ChatGPT sidebar and at the URL chatgpt.com/apps.This means the 800 million+ users of OpenAI's hit chatbot can search for, discover and begin using newly approved third-party apps immediately. Once installed, apps can be triggered during conversations by mentioning them by name (using @)

Are you a creator who shares links on Facebook? Be sure not to go over your monthly quota.Some creators on Facebook are receiving a notification that they will be limited to posting a certain number of links in organic posts each month, unless they subscribed to Meta Verified for $14.99 per month.Here's the Meta link-sharing limit test notification currently going out to select creators.Credit: Matt Navarra / Threads
“This is a limited test to understand whether the ability to publish an i

Everyone knows the tales of Sherlock Holmes, but who was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famed detective before he donned the deerstalker? That's what Prime Video's upcoming Young Sherlock endeavors to find out.SEE ALSO:'Disclosure Day' trailer offers first look at Steven Spielberg's sci-fi alien film
Directed and executive produced by Guy Ritchie, who also helmed the Robert Downey Jr.-led Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Young Sherlock stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin (After) in the ti

As Agatha Christie once wrote, "The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances." Dear reader, in the trailer for The Sheep Detectives, the impossible jumps right over the fence and into my heart.Adapted from Leonie Swann's 2005 novel Three Bags Full by Craig Mazin (The Last of Us, Chernobyl) and Minions director Kyle Balda, The Sheep Detectives is a frankly wild tale of mystery and animalian investigative practices, starring Hugh Jackman

SAVE $90: As of Dec. 18, get the DJI Mic Mini for just $79, officially its lowest price ever. Shop now at Amazon and save $90 for 53% off.Opens in a new windowCredit: DJIDJI Mic Mini$79 at Amazon $169 Save $90 Get DealGot a budding influencer in your life? It might be you, looking to capture life in 4K. Anyone can get started as long as they have a phone, but a microphone levels up the content creation game. It provides clear, vibrant sound whether you're sitting and talking to the camera o

SAVE $110: As of Dec. 18, get the Monster Persona headphones for $49.99 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $159.99. That's a discount of 69% and the lowest price we've seen. Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonMonster Persona headphones$49.99 at Amazon $159.99 Save $110 Get DealLooking for a new pair of headphones? The usual suspects from brands like Bose, Apple, and Samsung are great options, but have you ever considered Monster? This brand may not be top of mind when it comes to goo

SAVE $34.02: The Apple AirTag 4-pack is on sale at Amazon for only $64.98, down from the standard price of $99. That's a 34% discount.Opens in a new windowCredit: AppleApple AirTags 4-pack$64.98 at Amazon $99 Save $34.02 Get DealIf you're a last-minute kind of person and you've held off on holiday purchases, you're gonna be just fine. Black Friday and Cyber Monday were honestly impressive this year with major discounts, but if you didn't score those deals, there are a few return discounts t

SAVE OVER $200: As of Dec. 17, you can get a free pair of earbuds when you buy the Sony XM5 headphones at Amazon. Opens in a new windowCredit: SonySony WH-1000XM5 + Sony WF-C700N $248 at Amazon $519.98 Save $271.98 Get DealIf you're looking for a pair of headphones and earbuds, you might be prepared to spend a small fortune. Thankfully, with Amazon's latest Sony bundle, there's no need. When you purchase the Sony XM5 headphones, you'll also get a pair of the WF-C700N noise cancelling earbud

SAVE $30: As of Dec. 18, the Fire TV Cube is on sale for $109.99 at Amazon. This is a 21% discount off its list price of $139.99.Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonFire TV Cube$109.99 at Amazon $139.99 Save $30.00 Get DealIf you're hoping to catch up on some of the best TV shows and films of this year, it's helpful to have a high-quality streaming setup to watch everything on. For those looking to invest in something new, Amazon is offering a discount at the moment on its Fire TV Cube, drop

SAVE $68.29: As of Dec. 18, the Magic: The Gathering Commander Master Play Booster Box is $456.49 at Amazon. That's below market value compared to TCGplayer's price of $524.78.Opens in a new windowCredit: Wizards of the CoastMagic: The Gathering Commander Master Play Booster Box$456.49 at Amazon $489.70 Save $33.21 Get DealIf you’re a big fan of playing the Commander format in Magic: The Gathering, this is the set for you. Commander Masters is the first Masters set created specificall

Apple's iPhone is a great smartphone, but it's strangely hostile towards people who own smartwatches that aren't called Apple Watch.While most Bluetooth smartwatches can connect to the iPhone, even the most basic functions aren't supported, including the ability to see iPhone notifications on your watch (on the Apple Watch, of course, this works flawlessly).Now, this is finally changing, but with a big caveat.SEE ALSO:The 7 best smartwatches of 2025 include some surprises
The new beta version of

TL;DR: Live stream Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks for free on 7Plus. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.Thursday Night Football has rolled around again, this time with a game to decide the top spot of NFC West — the Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks. Both franchises are at 11-3 though Seattle, who have the home advantage, are on a more impressive streak of four wins vs. Los Angeles' two-game streak. Los Angeles, however, scored a narrow win a

The Duffer Brothers were never going to drop any major Stranger Things spoilers during their appearance on The Tonight Show, but they may have given us a hint or two.In the clip above the twins arrange Stranger Things Funko dolls on Jimmy Fallon's desk, supposedly in a pattern that points to how it's all going to end.SEE ALSO:Finn Wolfhard teases the final 4 'Stranger Things' episodes with a word each
The key takeaways? Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is submerged in water, Steve Harrington (Joe Kee

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken

SAVE $70: As of Dec. 18, the JBL Tune 770NC headphones are still marked down to their lowest-ever price of $79.95 at Amazon. This is $70 off their list price of $149.95.Opens in a new windowCredit: JBLJBL Tune 770NC Adaptive Noise Cancelling Headphones$79.95 at Amazon $149.95 Save $70.00 Get DealIf 2026 is looking like a big year of travel for you, it's worth having reliable headphones on-hand to keep you busy during long journeys. Thankfully, now is a great time to buy with plenty of disco

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a sports fanatic.If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.SEE ALSO:Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO:NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 18, 2025
Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by en

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you seek holistic solutions.Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through ea

SAVE $80: As of Dec. 18, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ tablet has dropped to $139.99 at Amazon. This is $80 off its list price of $219.99.Opens in a new windowCredit: SamsungSamsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Tablet$139.99 at Amazon $219.99 Save $80 Get DealChristmas is coming up next week, and if you're in a hurry to find some last-minute gifts, Amazon is a great place to look. The retailer has a wide variety of deals available right now, with some that can even be delivered to you before the holiday. Th