Mashable

In the wake of xAI losing two of its co-founders and other prominent employees, Elon Musk held an all-hands meeting at his his AI company, which recently merged with SpaceX.

And in an unusual move, xAI posted the entire 45-minute meeting online.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

No time to watch or listen? We've got you. Here are the main takeaways:

xAI splits into teams

The most consequential news from the meeting: xAI is splitting into four different teams. 

"Grok Main & Voice" will handle the Grok chatbot. "Coding" will maintain the apps's backend systems. "Imagine" is all about AI-generated video capabilities.

And then there's "Macrohard," which is a new Musk project seeking to "simulate" software companies with AI. Macrohard is a play on Microsoft's name, just in case you couldn't tell.

X updates and stats

There was also some news about Musk's social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter, which was itself merged with xAI.

X product head Nikita Bier said that the company has 1 billion users, and brings in $1 billion in annual revenue from X Premium subscriptions. Users also spend 55 percent more time on the app than they did 6 months ago, Bier claimed, adding that January was the platform's best month ever for user engagement.

X plans to launch a standalone app for X Chat, the site's new private messaging system. X Money, the platform's cash-sending app, will also begin testing in the coming months.

Bier also stated that X does not have plans to display ads on Grok. OpenAI began rolling out ads for ChatGPT this month.

Musk's predictions — and aliens

Naturally, Elon Musk had plenty to say — and a few grand predictions regarding the combined SpaceX and xAI company.

Musk said he'd like Earth to utilize one million times more of the sun's energy than it currently does. In order to do that, Musk said, we need to move "the next step beyond Earth data centers" which are "Earth orbital data centers."

When SpaceX acquired xAI, Musk's reasoning was that it would help his plan to send AI data centers into outer space.

The next step beyond that, Musk said: AI satellite-building factories on the moon, and a sci-fi-esque system to launch those AI satellites into deep space. Essentially, Musk was talking about building a giant catapult on the moon.

The combined company would then build a civilization on the moon, then Mars (which is 20 years away, Musk now says, after having previously claimed we'd get there by 2025).

This may all culminate into humans meeting aliens or discovering ancient alien civilizations, Musk concluded.

"Maybe we’ll meet aliens. Maybe we’ll see some civilizations that lasted for millions of years. And we’ll find the remnants of ancient alien civilizations. But the only way we’re gonna do that is if we go out there and we explore. And this is a path to making it happen," Musk said.

ICE", surrounded by snow-covered flowers.">

In the ongoing struggle between 2,700 immigration agents sent to Minneapolis this winter, and the large majority of Minnesotans who oppose them, it was supposed to be ICE that had technology on its side.

ICE agents have been using battlefield tech to make arrests. They've boasted about using facial recognition (made by Clearview AI as well as the controversial Mobile Fortify app) on neighborhood observers as well as undocumented immigrants. The agency is using 24/7 social media surveillance tools and Israeli spyware that can hack into phones. Palantir, having been awarded $30 million for "ImmigrationOS," an AI system designed to track individuals for deportation, built a database of real-time locations for ICE's Minneapolis operation.

"The conglomeration of all these technologies together is giving the government unprecedented abilities," a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, which is suing the Department of Homeland Security on civil rights grounds, told the New York Times.

But if all that technological terror was supposed to intimidate the people, someone forgot to tell the people — who are feeling more empowered than ever. In part, that's because every neighborhood in the Twin Cities has developed its own conglomeration of technologies — on regular smartphones.

ICE tracking apps were banned in app stores under government pressure. Nevertheless, the cameras, apps and wikis in their pockets let residents follow, frustrate, and most importantly broadcast ICE's excesses — including the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — to a stunned world. Late night hosts, awards shows, and some big names in Silicon Valley took note, even as tech's top leaders stayed mute.

Now there are signs that this basic-tech coalition is turning the tide. Last week Homeland Security announced a reduction in force, to the tune of 700 ICE agents. The remaining 2,000 officers have seen no let-up from a determined, neighbor-loving, highly-connected populace.

As ICE continues to ramp up operations at breakneck speed across the U.S., many among the two-thirds of Americans who oppose those operations will be looking to learn what worked this winter in the frozen north.

Civil disobedience with high (and low) tech A woman filming a man flipping the bird to ICE agents. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

"What we’ve seen in Minneapolis has been hugely inspiring, and there has been a ton of creativity that has come out of the movement," says Mark Engler, longtime activist and co-author (with his brother, Paul) of This is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt is shaping the 21st Century.

The book's 10th anniversary edition hits stores this month. In a new afterword on the second Trump administration, the Englers call for "continued evolution in organizing practice ... movements in this country must be clearer than ever that their goal is to win over a majority of the public."

But Minneapolis was way ahead of them; it's the evolution of organizing around the sentiment of a majority, on steroids. "There are all sorts of new tools and tactics that activists are innovating," Engler notes, from the high tech of Signal all the way down to low-tech whistles. "The creativity of people coming together, including a ton of people who have never been a part of something like this before, should not be underestimated."

So how exactly has Minneapolis' creative resistance to ICE used modern tech? Everything listed below has been a part of the puzzle — starting with the one piece that federal forces have found the most frustrating.

Signal chats and calls: The secret sauce An ICE resistance organizing sign sits in front of a home. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

"Over four percent of every single neighborhood is in a Signal chat," Minneapolis organizer Aru Shiney-Ajay told one labor writer. And that was just the Signal chats her organization, the Sunrise Movement, was tracking as of Jan. 26. The real percentage — Sunrise being only one part of a growing community resistance puzzle — is now very likely much higher. But it's in the nature of the encrypted app that we don't know how many: Perfect for a decentralized movement.

Sunrise starts each day creating a new "rapid response" Signal group chat for each neighborhood — and they're such a hit, you often can't get in if you're not an early bird. Shiney-Ajay gave the example of one highly organized St. Paul neighborhood, Frogtown: "Every day by 11 a.m., that chat hits its limit of a thousand people — which is to say that, at any given moment in one neighborhood, there are 1,000 people out patrolling."

Much of that patrol, according to ride-along reports in the Atlantic and Mother Jones, is in constant voice contact as well. Dispatchers use Signal group calls to stay in touch with "commuters," volunteer drivers who are directed to where they're most needed, and offer license plates of suspected ICE vehicles for the dispatcher to look up.

SEE ALSO: What is Signal? The basics of the most secure messaging app.

"The calls have the feel of an amateur police radio," Mother Jones summarized. "Volunteers use quirky aliases and the military alphabet but sometimes don’t remember—a caller might say something along the lines of, "This is Cheese Curd, and I’d like a plate check on Texas plate One Three Four Six Charlie, uh, Robert.""

Government vehicles are required by law to identify themselves clearly. Looking up license plates of taxpayer-funded vehicles is self-evidently legal. More dubious was FBI Director Kash Patel's announcement (on a podcast, no less) that he was personally investigating Minneapolis Signal chats. Patel's investigation met with head-scratching from constitutional scholars on the right as well as the left.

But Minneapolis hasn't quit on Signal. Nor does it need to worry about the prying eyes of the FBI, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital privacy and free speech nonprofit.

"Signal is the best in class encrypted chat app, and yes, it is still secure," Cooper Quintin, EFF Senior Staff Technologist, told Mashable. "The people who work at Signal can't read them and the FBI can't compel them to decrypt them, even with a warrant."

But Quintin also offered a word of caution: "ICE [or other] law enforcement can and will make their way into large group chats. If you are on a large group chat where you don't personally know everyone, the safest thing to do is to not say anything that you wouldn't want read back to you in court." 

Smartphone video: The eyes of the world A man's hands holding a smartphone takes video of federal officers. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

You can see it in the eyes of ICE agents caught in the glare of smartphones: Being recorded from multiple angles is simply unnerving, especially if you're trying to hide your identity. You can also see it in the other residents, a sense of the phone as a shield — a powerful aid to nonviolent protest. Simply recording video can be a superior alternative to chanting slogans or pumping fists.

"Filming ICE," Engler says, "can be a way of defiantly showing the authorities that lots of people are watching what they do, and that the community is not intimidated."

Thousands of Twin Cities residents have undergone constitutional observer training that instructs them to not "interfere, obstruct or escalate a situation" — and the peacefulness of the result is encouraging others. "The communities of people who are showing up for each other are not acting in the way that the administration wants, and that is adding to the power of the popular mobilization," Engler says. "People are not taking the bait."

But recording was also what Alex Pretti was doing just before ICE agents shot him. So how can smartphone-wielding observers stay safe? "The biggest question here is physical safety," the EFF's Quintin says. For which he advises: Keep your distance from ICE, keep your fellow observers close. Engler theorizes that "a solid wall of observers" could record from closer range, especially with burner phones and cameras that could be snatched.

As for digital safety, Quintin says, "disabling face unlock and fingerprint unlock and having a strong password are important for keeping ICE out of your phone. If you can record while your phone remains locked, for example by using the camera button on the lock screen, that is a better option for safety. If you can leave your phone powered off and record with a different device that is the most safe option."

Was streaming sidelined? A masked observer behind a fence in Minneapolis. Credit: Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

So far, straight-up video footage of outrageous ICE acts in Minneapolis has grabbed most of the media attention. "Recording might be better than live streaming for preserving the evidence," notes the EFF's Quintin. That doesn't mean live streamers haven't had a role in the resistance; one journalist was arrested by federal agents while live streaming a church protest. A handful of Twitch streamers can be found tackling the topic. Some streamers have been accused of inflaming the situation.

But in general, this isn't a streaming situation. Following and recording ICE seems too haphazard a process to alert a wide audience before any encounter; streaming has mostly acted as a way of discussing the issue rather than documenting it.

Free 3-D printed whistles work An observer backs away from an ICE agent as he holds a whistle in his mouth. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The use of whistles to warn of ICE raids began in Chicago in 2025, but has been enthusiastically embraced in Minneapolis. For example, the woman who filmed a crucial video of the Alex Pretti shooting was in the area because she heard whistles.

But those whistles are not all as low tech as you might think. Free 3-D printed whistles are being distributed by multiple individuals and groups around the U.S., with one "whistle crew" claiming to have shipped 200,000 in the first week of February alone. A Whistle Crew Wiki exists to get anyone with a 3-D printer started on fulfilling local requests.

The resistance will be advertised Activists run billboards that read "Ice agents aren't about Minnesota law. Illegal conduct can be prosecuted." Credit: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Democracy for America Action Fund

Smartphones and 3-D printed whistles are not the only 21st century means to alerting the public. One donation-funded group bought time on a bunch of electronic billboards — including one at the Minneapolis airport, above, where ICE agents arrive. "ICE agents aren't about Minnesota law," the sign reminds viewers, advising them to call 911 if they see crimes being committed. "Illegal conduct can be prosecuted."

A made-for-social-media event A man in front of a line of masked officers. Credit: Photo by Arthur Maiorella/Anadolu via Getty Images

There's much about social media in 2026 that's highly toxic, and the discussions around Minneapolis, rife with AI-based misinformation, are no exception. One analysis at the end of January found that bots were driving more than one-third of online conversations about ICE, both in English and Spanish.

But as for the social media posts coming from ICE observers and protestors in the Twin Cities? In many cases, Hollywood couldn't have scripted them better. Many residents are so dedicated to observing ICE activities on the fly, they're grabbing phones and going out in their bathrobes in the snow — including one iconic bathrobed local public radio journalist filming armed federal agents at the scene of a crash.

For a big Hollywood finale, however, there's nothing better than a choir trying to sing the ICE agents out of town outside their hotel:

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Minnesota. Nice. Minnesota's residents are politically active. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Ultimately, all the technology in the world won't help a movement as much as fostering a culture of helping friends and neighbors. And that, as Minnesotans have been telling journalists repeatedly, is the state's real secret sauce.

No one does civic engagement like Minnesota, with or without smartphones. The state lead the nation in voter participation; around 80 percent of registered voters here participated in 2020, and just a hair under that in 2024. The Twin Cities have strong, proud labor unions, plenty of faith-based activism, and a history of "happy warriors" for civil rights — not to mention the national movement protesting the police killing of George Floyd that kicked off here in the summer of 2020.

"Networks developed in those previous waves of protest have fueled the current round of resistance," Engler notes. "Ultimately, this creates the conditions where you can win elections, and where all of the institutions of society help to impede the authoritarian program that the Trump administration is trying to impose."

PlayStation 5 owners might want to have YouTube open on Thursday afternoon.

As announced earlier this week, PlayStation is holding one of its State of Play livestreams on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET. These events are basically Nintendo Directs but for PlayStation, and this is a particularly beefy one at about 60 minutes in length. You can watch it on the PlayStation YouTube channel when the time is right.

SEE ALSO: The PlayStation DualSense Edge controller is still marked down to its best-ever price at Amazon

As for what to expect, it's difficult to say without diving into the realm of unsubstantiated internet rumors. Based on developer comments, it seems fairly certain that Marvel's Wolverine from Insomniac Games will not make an appearance, which is somewhat surprising for a game that is supposed to launch this year. Aside from that, it really is open season for PlayStation. The stream could showcase just about anything, which makes its 60-minute length particularly exciting.

If you're on the East Coast, this will be a great way to wind down the workday. If you're working a 9-to-5 anywhere else in the U.S., just make sure you switch to a different tab if anyone else walks by.

TL;DR: Live stream Dortmund vs. Mainz in the Bundesliga for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

For a long time it has seemed like Bayern Munich would walk towards the Bundesliga title, but the gap at the top has been closing in recent weeks. Now Dortmund are only six points behind the leaders. They face Mainz at home this weekend, a game they'll expect to win. Mainz have the talent to shock the Westfalenstadion, but they'll need to be at their very best to beat a confident Dortmund.

If you want to watch Dortmund vs. Mainz in the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Dortmund vs. Mainz?

Dortmund vs. Mainz in the Bundesliga kicks off at 7:30 p.m. GMT on Feb. 13. This fixture takes place at the Signal Iduna Park.

How to watch Dortmund vs. Mainz for free

Dortmund vs. Mainz in the Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Dortmund vs. Mainz for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Dortmund vs. Mainz for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Dortmund vs. Mainz without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the Bundesliga before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Dortmund vs. Mainz in the Bundesliga for free with ExpressVPN.

If you've been patiently awaiting Nintendo's pastel purple and green Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers since their unveiling last month, you can now officially add them to your cart.

Officially called "Light Purple" and "Light Green" — though the green is definitely more of a pastel teal — the new set is available for $99.99 as of Feb. 12. Aside from the color, the controllers are an exact match to the ones that come with the Switch 2. They feature the same magnetic connectors, wrist straps, HD rumble, C button for GameChat, and can be used as a mouse for compatible games.

Credit: Nintendo

Many are already criticizing the controller variant online, as the purple and green shades are only visible on the inner rails. In other words, you can't even see the colors when connected to a Switch 2 console, unlike previous Joy-Con variants that covered the whole shell. Still, if you have $100 to spare and want to give your Switch 2 some new life, the pastel controllers add a fun (yet subtle) pop of color. You can officially purchase them at Nintendo, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and GameStop, as of Feb. 12.

Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con color variant: Nintendo Nintendo Joy-Con 2 Light Purple / Light Green $99.99 Shop Now Amazon Nintendo Joy-Con 2 Light Purple / Light Green $99.99 Shop Now Best Buy Nintendo Joy-Con 2 Light Purple / Light Green $99.99 Shop Now Target Nintendo Joy-Con 2 Light Purple / Light Green $99.99 Shop Now GameStop Nintendo Joy-Con 2 Light Purple / Light Green $99.99 Shop Now

It's been a big week for Sony. The brand just launched the new XM6 earbuds which have proven to be some of the most well-rounded noise-cancelling earbuds Mashable has ever tested. But if you're more of an over-the-ear headphones type of person, Sony has something exciting in store for you.

If you're a fan of pink, the new colorway can do no wrong. Credit: Sony

On Feb. 12, Sony introduced the Sand Pink colorway to the lineup of XM6 headphone options. Previous colorway options included Black, Midnight Blue, and Platinum Silver, so this pink addition adds nice variety to the much-adored headphones.

The Sand Pink stands out among the other options for the XM6 heaphones. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

In Mashable's testing, the Sony XM6 headphones got major points for overall sound quality and noise-cancellation. Plus, Sony added a foldable earcup designed to this model, making them more travel friendly compared to the previous XM5 headphones. The XM5 colorway options include a Smoky Pink, but the new Sand Pink XM6 has a warmer and brighter pink hue.

Sony XM5 on the left in Smoky Pink with the new Sand Pink XM6 on the right. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable Sony XM5 on the left in Smoky Pink with the new Sand Pink XM6 on the right. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Maybe best of all, the new Sand Pink is already on sale at Amazon. The XM6 headphones come with a list price of $459.99, but they're already on sale for $398, or a 13% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony XM6 headphones (Sand Pink) $398 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $61.99   Get Deal

If you're not one who likes to sport black or white headphones, this new Sand Pink option adds a major pop of color to the lineup. Plus, we're pretty obsessed with it as spring rolls around with Valentine's Day right around the corner.

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President's Day is upon us and while it means a three day weekend, it also means one of the first big sale events of the year. President's Day, which falls on Monday, Feb. 16, is already bringing the savings. All our favorite retailers — Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart — have launched sales, bringing major savings to headphones, laptops, and much more.

The real darlings of Presidents' Day are mattresses and TVs. The savings on both are abundant, including savings up to 50% off a Mashable Choice mattress. So if you're ready to shop this weekend, we've rounded up all of the best deals across retailers and categories, finding you the best savings available over Presidents' Day weekend.

Best Apple deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 at Walmart
$399 Save $100   Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) is down to $299 right now. That’s a $100 discount, which isn't too shabby for a deal this early in the year. It's the lowest price we’ve tracked on this model (according to CamelCamelCamel, it last hit this price on Dec. 30, 2025).

The Series 11 is a Mashable Choice Award winner that features advanced health tracking, up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge (normal use), and a more durable exterior that’s 2x more scratch-resistant than the previous generation.

More Apple deals

AirPods

• Apple AirPods 4 — $99 $129 (save $30)

• Apple AirPods 4 with ANC — $139.99 $179 (save $39.01)

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $209.99 $249 (save $39.01)

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Apple Watches

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MacBooks

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Macs

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AirTags

• Apple AirTag (1st Gen), 4-pack — $64 $99 (save $35)

Apple Pencils

• Apple Pencil (USB-C) — $69 $79 (save $10)

• Apple Pencil Pro — $94.99 $129 (save $34.01)

iPhone cases and accessories

• Apple iPhone Air Bumper — $17.72 $39 (save $21.28)

• Apple Crossbody Strap — $29.74 $59 (save $29.26)

• Apple iPhone Air Case with MagSafe — $39.99 $49 (save $9.01)

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• Apple iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe — $50.99 $59 (save $8.01)

• Apple iPhone Air MagSafe Battery ​​​​​​​— $79 $99 (save $20)

Apple chargers, charging cables, and adapters

• Apple 60W USB-C to USB-C Woven Charge Cable (1 m) — $14.99 $19 (save $4.01)

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• Apple 240W USB-C to USB-C Woven Charge Cable (2 m) — $18 $29 (save 11)

• Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max — $27.30 $39 (save $11.70)

• Apple MagSafe Charger (1 m) – $34.99 $39 (save $4.01)

• Apple 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter — $39 $59 (save $20)

Best headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon and Walmart
$129 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

The non-ANC AirPods are some of our top budget earbuds. They connect seamlessly with iPhones, sound great, and last for up to five hours at a time. (Their included charging case offers up to 30 total hours of juice.) Amazon and Walmart both have them on sale for $99, or 23% off. They're 99 cents pricier at Best Buy.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods 4.

More headphones and earbuds deals

• JLab Go Air Pop earbuds — $19.99 $29.38 (save $9.39)

• JLab Flex Open earbuds — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• JBL Tune 245NC — $59.95 $179.99 (save $50)

• Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 — $129.99 $179.99 (save $50)

• Beats Solo 4 wireless headphones — $129.99 $199.95 (save $70)

• Apple AirPods 4 with ANC — $139.99 $179 (save $39.01)

• Bose QuietComfort earbuds — $149 $179 (save $30)

• Shokz OpenDots One — $169.99 $199.99 (save $30)

• Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro — $199.99 $249.99 (save $50)

• Sony WH-1000XM5 — $298 $398 (save $100)

• Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) — $449 $549 (save $100)

Best laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo 16-inch Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $649.99 at Best Buy
$1,049.99 Save $400   Get Deal Why we like it

The Yoga 7i gives you enough screen real estate for multitasking while also being portable enough to throw in your bag, and the 360-degree hinge lets you prop it up for movies without the keyboard getting in the way. At $400 off, the specs are hard to beat: you get the snappy Intel Core Ultra 7 and a 1TB SSD, which is double the storage you typically see in this price bracket. It's a little heavy to use as a handheld tablet for long, but as a flexible workstation, it’s solid.

More laptop and tablet deals

• HP 14-inch Chromebook (Intel Celeron N4500, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $139 $329 (save $190)

• LG 27-inch UltraGear FHD gaming monitor — $139 $169 (save $30)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ (WiFi, 64GB) — $159.99 $219.99 (save $60)

• HP Stream 14-inch laptop (Intel Processor N150, 4GB RAM, 128GB eMMC) — $179 $229 (save $50)

• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus tablet (WiFi, 256GB) — $224 $249 (save $25)

• ASUS 15-inch Vivobook Go (Intel i3-N305, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $249 $296 (save $47)

• Apple 11-inch iPad (A16 chip, WiFi, 128GB) — $299 $349 (save $50)

• HP 15.6-inch Full HD Touch-Screen Laptop (AMD Ryzen 5 752OU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $319.99 $599.99 (save $280)

• Samsung 15.6-inch Galaxy Book4 (Intel Core 7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $499.99 $899.99 (save $400)

• HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 (AMD Ryzen AI 340, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $549.99 $849.99 (save $300)

• Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $899 $999 (save $100)

• ASUS 16-inch ROG Strix G16 (AMD Ryzen 9, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,229 $1,749.99 (save $450.99)

• Lenovo Legion 5i (Intel Core i9 14900HX, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,399 $1,849.99 (save $450.99)

Gaming deals

• Meta Quest 3S + Batman: Arkham Shadow bundle — $249 $299 (save $50)

• PlayStation 5 Fortnite Flowering Chaos bundle — $449 $549.99 (save $100.99)

Best TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 85-inch QM7K QD-Mini LED QLED 4K TV $1,798 at Walmart
$2,499.99 Save $701.99   Get Deal Why we like it

According to our pals at ZDNET (also owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis), "This QD Mini-LED display delivers stunning brightness and impressive contrast on par with OLED TVs at a far more accessible price." It combines QLED and OLED technologies to deliver a picture that's rich, deep, and bright in any circumstance. It also features a 144Hz refresh rate, Game Accelerator 288, Dolby Atmos Audio elevated by Bang & Olufsen speakers, and AIPQ Processor PRO. All in all, the 85-inch model is an excellent value for under $1,800.

More TV deals

• Insignia 24-inch F20 Series LED HD TV — $59.99 $79.99 (save $20)

• Insignia 32-inch F20 Series LED HD TV — $79.99 $129.99 (save $50)

• Insignia 32-inch Class FE Series Smart Fire TV (NS32-FEFL26) — $99.99 $129.99 (save $30)

• TCL 43-inch F35 Series 4K UHD LED TV — $139.99 $249.99 (save $110)

• Insignia 50-inch Class F50 Series Smart Fire TV (NS-50F502NA26) — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

• Insignia 55-inch Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV — $179.99 $349.99 (save $170)

• Hisense 43-inch E6 Cinema Series Smart Fire TV (43E6QF) — $187.99 $209.99 (save $22)

• Vizio 50-inch 4K TV — $198 $268 (save $70)

• LG 55-inch UA7050 Series LED AI 4K UHD TV — $249.99 $389.99 (save $140)

• Hisense 65-inch R6 4K TV — $295 $378 (save $83)

• Samsung 65-inch U7900F 4K TV — $328 $429.99 (save $101.99)

• Samsung 65-inch U7900 UHD 4K TV — $329.99 $469.99 (save $140)

• Samsung 43-inch Q8F QLED 4K TV — $427.99 $549 (save $121.01)

• Samsung 75-inch U7900 UHD 4K TV — $449.99 $649.99 (save $200)

• Hisense 75-inch E6 Cinema Series Hi-QLED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV — $497.99 $599.99 (save $100)

• Samsung 65-inch Q7F QLED 4K TV — $499.99 $649.99 (save $150)

• TCL 65-inch QM6K QD-Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $529.99 $999.99 (save $470)

• Hisense 65-Inch Class QLED 4K S7N CanvasTV — $896.99 $1,097.99 (save $201)

• Samsung 75-Inch Class QLED Q8F 4K UHD Smart TV — $897.98 $1,297.99 (save $400)

• Hisense 75-inch U7 Mini-LED 4K UHD Google Smart TV — $996.99 $1,297.99 (save $301)

• Samsung 65-inch LS03D The Frame QLED 4K TV — $999.99 $1,999.99 (save $1,000)

• Samsung 85-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV — $1,697.99 $2,099 (save $401.01)

Best Presidents' Day streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Starz Starz $2.99/month for 3 months (save $8/month) Get Deal Why we like it

One of the most slept on streaming services, this Starz Presidents' Day offer allows you to diversify your movie and TV lineup for only $2.99 per month for three months. It typically costs $10.99 per month, so you'll save about $24. Not only does Starz have its own original series like Sweetpea and Three Women, but it's also the first stop Lionsgate theatrical releases make in the streaming circuit. Recent additions include The Long Walk and The Strangers: Chapter 2, while upcoming films include The Housemaid and Greenland 2: Migration.

More Presidents' Day streaming deals

• DirecTV MySports — $59.99/month for 2 months $69.99/month (save $10/month)

• Disney+ and Hulu bundle — $9.99/month for 1 month $12.99/month (save $3/month)

• NFL Sunday Ticket — $16/month for 12 months $31.50/month (save $186)

• Spotify Premium — Free for 2 months $12.99/month (save $12.99/month)

• Sundance Now — $3.99/month for 3 months $7.99/month (save $4/month with code SN50)

• YouTube TV — free 10-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months $82.99/month (save $23/month)

Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Q10 S5+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop $299.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $250   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Right now, you can get the Roborock Q10 S5+ robot vacuum-mop combo for $299.99, down from $549.99. This is the lowest price we've ever tracked for this model, and it's our all-time favorite "quietest" robot vacuum.

Mashable's vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, says this combo vac offers the best bang for your buck. With 10,000 Pa of suction and an auto-lift feature for the mop (so it doesn't wet your carpets), you honestly can't go wrong with the Q10 S5+.

More robot vacuum deals

• eufy 11S MAX — $139.99 $279.99 (save $140)

• Shark AV753 ION — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• Shark AV2501S AI Ultra — $299.99 $549.99 (save $250)

More cordless vacuum deals

• Dreame Z20 Cordless Vacuum — $169.99 $389.99 (save $220)

• Levoit LVAC-300 Cordless Vacuum — $269.95 $349.99 (save $80.04)

• Dyson V9 Motorbar Cordless Vacuum — $299.99 $599.99 (save $300)

• Roborock H60 Hub Ultra — $329.99 $599.99 (save $270)

• Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty — $399.99 $549.99 (save $150)

• Tineco Pure One S70 Cordless Vacuum — $419 $569 (save $150)

Best home deal Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025 release) $179.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $40   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025 release) was just announced this past October as part of Amazon’s big smart home refresh, and it’s already hitting its lowest price ever. Right now, you can grab it for $179.99, which is an 18% discount off the list price of $219.99.

It features a vibrant 11-inch Full-HD display (offering 60% more viewing area than the Echo Show 8) and room-filling spatial audio, making it a legitimate kitchen TV for streaming Netflix or Prime Video while you cook. It runs on the AZ3 Pro chip for faster responses and includes Alexa+ integration. Plus, the camera is upgraded with auto-framing and zoom for better video calls.

More Amazon device deals

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)

• Amazon Echo Dot Max — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)

• Amazon Echo Show 15 — $254.99 $299.99 (save $45)

• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite two-pack (16GB) — $269.99 $319.98 (save $49.99)

More home deals

• Dreo 1500W space heater — $35.99 $59.99 (save $24)

• Bissell Little Green portable upholstery cleaner — $87.94 $129.99 (save $42.05)

Best overall mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: DreamCloud DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress $1,099 at DreamCloud
$2,496 Save $1,397   Get Deal Why we like it

Last spring when I tested the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid mattress, I was shocked by the quality to price ratio. It feels like a luxury mattress you'd encounter at a 5-star hotel, but its price falls into the affordable range. In fact, a single night's stay at some 5-star resorts would cost more than this mattress.

The DreamCloud Premier is a hybrid bed that combines a plush pillow-top with ultra supportive memory foam and coil layers. The edge-support is also noteworthy. When testing, I felt like this was a great option for couples thanks to the motion isolation or anyone who's a combination sleeper and needs support in several positions.

The DreamCloud Presidents Day Sale tosses in a mattress protector, bamboo sheet set, and two cooling pillows. If you're shopping for a queen-size, you'll be able to get the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid with these accessories for $1,099.

More mattress and bedding deals

• Amerisleep — save $1,000 on a mattress with code PD2026

• Avocado — take up to 20% off organic mattresses and 10% off organic bedding and pillows

• Awara — save 50% on select mattresses

• Bear — save 35% off sitewide

• Beautyrest — save up to $1,000 on select mattress and adjustable base sets

• Big Fig — get $500 off any mattress + 25% off everything else with code PRES

• Birch — take 25% off sitewide with code PRES25

• Brooklinen — take 20% off sitewide

• Brooklyn Bedding — save up to 35% on mattresses

• Bryte — save up to $1,000 off sitewide

• Casper — take up to 30% off on mattresses and 35% off bedding bundles and pillows

• Coop Sleep Goods — save up to 40% sitewide

• Helix — take 25% off sitewide with code PRES25

• Eight Sleep — save up to $350

• Essentia — take 21% off sitewide

• Eli & Elm — buy one pillow, get a second for 50% off

• FluffCo — take 20% off sitewide

• Layla — take up to $200 off mattresses and get two free Layla Pillows and free bamboo sheet set

• Leesa — take 30% off mattresses and 25% off bedding

• Lull — save 60% on all mattresses and get free sheets, pillows, and a mattress protector

• Naturepedic — take 20% off sitewide

• Nectar — save up to 60% on mattresses and 66% on bundles

• Nest — save up to 15% on mattresses and 20% on pillows

• Nolah — take 35% off sitewide with free in-home set-up and removal on qualifying orders

• Puffy — save up to $1,350

• Purple — take up to $500 off a mattress and earn up to $300 in gift credit

• Silk & Snow — get a free sleep bundle with mattress purchase

• Sleep Number — 50% off Limited Edition mattress

• Tempur-Pedic — save up to $500 and get $300 in free accessories; BOGO pillows and sheets bundles

• Tuft & Needle — save 20% sitewide

• WinkBeds — save 30%

• Woolroom — save up to 40%

Best kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Cuisinart Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Machine $93.40 at Amazon
$129.95 Save $36.55   Get Deal Why we like it

It might still be cold in your area in mid February, but we promise spring is on its way and once the warmer weather hits, it's time for an ice cream celebration. Make your own sweet treats this year with the fan-favorite Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Machine. Thanks to Amazon's coupon, the ice cream maker is on sale for just $93.40, marked down from the normal price of $129.95.

The insulated freezer bowl means you'll be on your way to a frozen treat in under 30 minutes. Each batch can produce two quarts of your favorite ice cream, gelato, sorbet, or sherbet.

More kitchen deals

• Stanley Quencher Flowstate tumbler (30-ounce) — $24.97 $40 (save $15.03)

• Keurig K-Express Essentials single-serve coffee maker — $49 $54.97 (save $5.97)

• Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker (7-quart) with Party Dipper food warmer — $54.99 $89.99 (save $35)

• Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker (8.5-quart) — $98 $119 (save $21)

• Cuisinart FastFreeze 5-in-1 Dessert Maker — $101.95 $119.94 (save $17.99 with on-page coupon)

• Ninja Crispi — $119 $139 (save $20)

• Ninja Mega Kitchen System — $149.99 $219.99 (save $70)

• Ninja Creami Deluxe — $219.99 $249.99 (save $30)

• KitchenAid Deluxe tilt-head stand mixer (4.5-quart) — $279 $449.99 (save $170.99)

• Ninja Slushi — $299 $349.99 (save $50.99 + get a $14.01 Amazon credit)

• Breville Barista Express Impress — $649.95 $799.95 (save $150)

• De'Longhi La Specialista Touch Espresso Machine — $699.95 $999.95 (save $300)

Best outdoor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 portable power station $397 at Amazon
$999 Save $602   Get Deal Why we like it

Before we know it, we'll be back to spending weekends at the campground. But this year, upgrade your setup with a portable power station. This will allow you to keep phones charged up, recharge the drone batteries, and have a functional coffee maker. I've tested dozens of power stations and it's hard to go wrong with the Anker Solix C1000. It has plenty of ports for keeping gadgets charged up while camping, and there's even a lightbar for better illumination.

On Anker's website, the Solix C1000 has a list price of $999, but it's on sale at Amazon for only $397. Grab a solar panel to also pack along while camping, and you'll be in line for unlimited battery power.

More outdoor deals

• Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System — $23.87 $28.99 (save $5.12)

• Owala FreeSip (32 ounce) — $32.99 $34.99 (save $2)

• Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight One Pot Cook Set — $59.96 $79.95 (save $19.99)

• Rumpl Original Puffy National Park Blanket — $74.95 $99.95 (save $25)

• Solo Stove Pi Prime Pizza Oven — $379.99 $449.99 (save $70)

• Ooni Koda 12-inch Gas Pizza Oven — $398.95 $449 (save $50.05)

• Bote Wulf Aero Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Kit — $449 $559 (save $110)

• Solo Stove Yukon 27-inch Smokeless Fire Pit — $466.99 $559.99 (save $93)

Best Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet $47.98 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Spring is on its way and with it will come stunning blooms. If you feel like bringing some of that inside without worrying about keeping it alive (or pollen), Amazon is full of Lego deals this Presidents' Day. The Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet is on sale for 20% off, bringing it down to $47.98 compared to the list price of $59.99.

The bouquet features eight species of wildflowers, all on adjustable stems. You'll be adding lavender, poppies, daisies, lupins, and larkspur to your home thanks to this cheery Lego set.

More Lego deals

• Lego Looney Tunes Sweetheart Tweety Bird — $23.99 $34.99 (save $11)

• Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box — $24.88 $34.99 (save $10.11)

• Lego Botanicals Tiny Plants — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

• Lego Star Wars Rebel U-Wing Starfighter — $55.99 $69.99 (save $14)

• Lego Bluey: Bluey’s Family House — $58.99 $69.99 (save $11)

• Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable Model — $67.99 $84.99 (save $17)

• Lego Technic Kawasaki Ninja H2R Motorcycle — $72.99 $84.99 (save $12)

Now would be a good time to ensure your Windows OS is up to date. Microsoft recently patched a serious vulnerability in Windows 11 related to Notepad, its text-editing tool.

The company said it fixed a "remote code execution" vulnerability. As technology website Techradar noted, the vulnerability had to do with Markdown — in which users can employ symbols to format text (e.g., asterisks to create italics) — which could allow bad actors to insert a dangerous link.

"An attacker could trick a user into clicking a malicious link inside a Markdown file opened in Notepad, causing the application to launch unverified protocols that load and execute remote files," Microsoft wrote in a security bulletin. "The malicious code would execute in the security context of the user who opened the Markdown file, giving the attacker the same permissions as that user."

Tech site Bleeping Computer tested the vulnerability and found that Microsoft now displays a warning before allowing such a link to be clicked. It's pretty much the standard "this link may be unsafe" message most users have seen before.

The vulnerability should have been automatically fixed via a patch, but it's worth double-checking to ensure Windows 11 has been updated recently on your device.

Focus Features is coming to freak you out. While Obsession doesn't hit theaters until May, the movie's promotional team is taking advantage of Valentine's Day fervor (or loathing) to zero in on the film's creepy premise.

Yesterday, Mashable shared in our Instagram stories the unnerving Valentine's Day surprises that Obsession sent our way, ranging from traditional gifts like roses, chocolates, and valentines, to less conventional romantic gifts, like a hank of hair and a brick. Just a real heavy brick. Today, we've got a new look at Obsession, and the twisted relationship at the heart of it.

Obsession begins with a lonely guy (Michael Johnston) who's crushing hard on his friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette). Dare we say he's obsessed? So, when he gets his hands on a "One Wish Willow" that promises to make one dream come true, he wishes for her to love him more than anyone in the entire world. But be careful what you wish for. Based on the love tokens we got and the latest trailer, Obsession doesn't seem like the kind of love story most couples will want to revisit on Valentine's Day. But horror fans may fall hard for this twisted tale.

Obsession opens nationwide on May 15.

SAVE $100: As of Feb. 12, get the iPad mini (A17 Pro) for $399 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $499. That's a discount of 20%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon iPad mini (A17 Pro) $399 at Amazon
$499 Save $100   Get Deal

Time to pick up a new tablet? You've got plenty to choose from out there, especially with President's Day around the corner. But as you're probably well aware by now, iPads are sometimes your best options, depending on what you want to get done. And even better than that is the fun little iPad mini, which gives you what you like in the iPad in a smaller form factor.

As of Feb. 12, get the iPad mini (A17 Pro) for $399 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $499. That's $100 off and a discount of 20%.

SEE ALSO: The best Presidents' Day Apple deals — huge discounts on AirPods, iPads, Apple Watches, and more

This iPad mini comes packing the A17 Pro chip, so it gives you plenty of power in a smaller package. Not only can you work or play on the go, but it suppors multitasking and gives you the ability to get a lot done at once, all on a great-looking screen. The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display has plenty of real estate, and more than your phone, so you've got a ton of room to utilize.

Additionally, it has a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with CenterStage, WiFi 6E compatibility, and USB-C connectivity. If you have an Apple Pencil and want to doodle or take notes, you can do that with this smaller form factor iPad as well. It makes a great tablet for doing all that on the go, especially for creative types.

If all that sounds up your alley, go ahead and pick up your iPad mini while it's on sale now. Saving $100 is a great reason to lock in.

SAVE $550: The Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller robot vacuum and mop is on sale at Amazon for $1,049.99, down from the normal price of $1,599.99. That's a 34% discount and the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller $1,049.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $550   Get Deal

It used to be that robot vacuums got lost with every cleaning session. Even worse, some of them tumbled down stairs. But we now have little cleaning helpers that are super smart, and more and more models are coming with the ability to both vacuum and mop. If you're hoping to grab a combo model and don't want to mess around with lesser-than models, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Feb. 12, the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller robot vacuum and mop is on sale at Amazon for $1,049.99, down from the normal price of $1,599.99. Today's sale shaves $550 off the price thanks to a 34% discount. It's also the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Presidents' Day sales are notorious for being a great time to make home upgrades. From espresso machines to mattresses, it's an ideal time to snag sale prices that co-inside with the beginning of spring cleaning season. Amazon's Presidents' Day sale is loaded with home improvements and the all-time low price on the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller is especially exciting.

Mashable's resident vacuum tester Leah Stodart has tested dozens of models and says the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller is her current top recommendation. For starters, it comes with 30,000 Pa of suction power which is the highest in the industry, for now.

SEE ALSO: The Eufy X10 Pro Omni robot vacuum has dropped to its lowest-ever price — save $250 at Amazon

When putting the Dreame to the test, Stodart wrote, "The Aqua10 Ultra Roller's strength has really translated to pet hair pickup, large crumb pickup, and even fine powder pickup across various rugs in my apartment," she said. "It fully cleared a mess I made on purpose on my plush Tumble fur rug involving crushed Goldfish crackers, spilled dry rice, and tough tufts of cat hair collected from the cat tree. I think the parallel spinning roller brushes underneath really help its efficacy on dry debris."

Stodart also gives the Dreame points for having relatively quiet cleaning and self-emptying noise levels. There's also the 3.15-inch threshold level which means it shouldn't have issues getting over taller thresholds in your home.

If you've been thinking about getting a robot vacuum and mop, today's sale price on the only model to come with 30,000 Pa of suction power is surely a sign that it's time to make the upgrade. You'll be saving a hefty $550 by snagging today's deal on the Dream Aqua10 Ultra Roller at Amazon.

Apple's big Gemini-powered upgrade for Siri won't be ready for the next iOS update.

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple may have internally pushed back the release of the AI-enhanced Siri, which was supposed to at least partially launch with iOS 26.4 in March. This is a bit of a surprise because, as recently as a couple of weeks ago, Bloomberg also reported that Apple would reveal the new Siri in February. Per the newest report, we might have to wait until May or September to see the beginnings of Siri's AI journey.

SEE ALSO: Siri might become an AI chatbot in iOS 27

This is all apparently due to problems that keep occurring in internal testing. The new Siri is supposed to be able to use personal data like text messages to answer queries from users, but, per Bloomberg, Apple is running into issues with that. It is supposedly sometimes slow to respond or doesn't respond properly, and it can even run into problems when a query is spoken too quickly. Sometimes it even falls back on Siri's existing ChatGPT integration, which it is not supposed to do in these circumstances.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's Presidents' Day sale is live — score huge deals on Apple, Lego, Roborock, and more

Apple's struggles with making an AI-enhanced Siri work are a bit surprising given that this initiative was announced almost two years ago, in the summer of 2024.

It's not typical of Apple to publicly announce a product or service that then undergoes significant delays; there's an AirPower every now and then, but for the most part, when Apple reveals something, that means it's going to happen on something resembling a normal schedule.

SAVE $150: As of Feb. 12, the base model Apple M5 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage is on sale for $1,449 instead of $1,599. That's just shy of 10% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,449 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $150   Get Deal

Apple's M5 chip arrived in all its glory towards the end of 2025 and we're still reeling over its speed and performance. Where it really shines is the MacBook Pro, which Mashable's tech editor says "doesn't just surpass the competition; it actually laps the competition." Even at full price, we think it's worth it for the right user, but on sale, it's an even better value.

As of Feb. 12, you can upgrade to the base model 2025 Apple MacBook Pro (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for just $1,449 instead of $1,599. That's $150 or just shy of 10% in savings.

Yes, the M5 MacBook Pro is a whole lot like its predecessor (that's the case with most upgrades in recent years). It features the same 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, 24-hour battery life, 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker sound system. Its only major upgrade is, of course, the super-charged M5 chip, which absolutely dazzles in performance. In its Geekbench GPU test, it scored a 17,470 compared to the M4's 15,199 and the Surface Laptop 7's 14,548. As Mashable's laptop specialist noted, "The only models in our database that outperform it are the 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro and a few gaming laptops."

If you're a more casual laptop user looking to save money, we'd personally recommend the M4 MacBook Air, but for power users looking for the best laptop Apple has to offer, there's no denying the M5 MacBook Pro is it.

One of the many, many highlights of 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was hearing Nicolas Cage go full grizzled detective mode as Spider-Man Noir.

Cage's scene-stealing Spider-Man variant showed up in black and white, with the wind following him wherever he went. As he revealed in his backstory, he's a private eye with a passion for egg creams and punching Nazis. What more do you need to be obsessed?

SEE ALSO: 2026 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

While audiences tragically didn't get to hear Cage in 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as Spider-Noir only showed up at the end in a non-speaking role, we do get to reunite with the character before Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse comes out. Cage takes on a new version of the role in Prime Video's live-action series Spider-Noir. From the looks of the trailer, Cage, Spider-Man, and film noir remain a match made in heaven.

Just like in Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Noir sees Cage playing Ben Reilly, a down-on-his-luck private investigator in 1930s New York City. After a personal tragedy strikes, he's forced to reckon with his past, all while serving as New York's only superhero.

That sounds heavy, but the Spider-Noir trailer itself is nonstop fun. Cage swings across the New York skyline in a trench coat and fedora, snaps and claps while fighting goons in a bar, then delivers the single best reading of the word "plastered" I have heard in my life.

The trailer is also full of sumptuous black and white cinematography, but you can also view it in color below. The series will be presented in both formats.

In addition to Cage, Spider-Noir also stars Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston, and Brendan Gleeson.

Spider-Noir premieres May 27 on Prime Video.

UPDATE: Feb. 12, 2026, 11:37 a.m. EST An earlier version of this article said that Cage would be reprising his role from "Into the Spider-Verse." Cage's role in "Spider-Noir" is different from that of the film.

Earbuds and headphones aren't getting any cheaper, folks.

Audio brands keep proving it: over the past year, Bose, Sony, and Bowers & Wilkins matched or beat record-high list prices with their flagship launches.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are the latest addition to that list, launching Feb. 12 at $329.99. Yes, they're really expensive — just $20 cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort headphones. And while my budget-buy-loving heart is loathe to admit it, they're also unfortunately really excellent earbuds.

SEE ALSO: I tested sleep earbuds for months: Here are the 3 I'd buy, and the one I'd skip

Upfront, I want to make it clear — Sony didn't exactly reinvent the wheel here. In fact, the brand pretty much took a page out of its own playbook. Like their XM6 headphones counterparts, the upgrades on these earbuds come down to some design changes and small boosts to noise cancellation and sound quality. Sprinkle in a few quality of life updates and, well, you've got the XM6 earbuds. By improving on an already-great product, Sony has created a standout pair of earbuds — if you can shell out.

Before we get into the specifics of what exactly makes them so great, I do want to note that I was only granted access to the companion app one day before they launched, so I didn't get to test all the features on these buds as extensively as I usually do. I'll be testing the earbuds further and updating my thoughts ASAP. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce the new XM6 earbuds.

Sony WF-1000XM6: Price and specs The XM6 are Sony's new flagship wireless earbuds. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are $329.99, the highest-ever launch price for a pair of Sony earbuds.

For comparison, the Sony WF-1000XM5 launched in 2023 at a price of $299, but jumped late last year to $329.99. While expensive, the XM5s have almost always been marked down to about $250 (or lower).

I doubt the XM6 earbuds will get the same generous discount off the bat, making them some of the most expensive flagship earbuds. Bose and Technics aren't too far behind, with the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra and EAH-AZ1000 earbuds retailing for $299 and $299.99, respectively. Apple's AirPods Pro 3 are the surprising affordable option at $249.

• Processor: QN3e

• Equalizer: 10-band custom equalizer with app

• Battery life: 8 hours per charge, 24 hours with case

• Microphones: 8 mics

• IP rating: IPX4

• Charging: USB-C and Qi wireless charging

• Bluetooth codecs: SBC/AAC/LDAC/LC3

• Colors: Platinum silver and black

In the box, in addition to the earbuds and case, you'll get a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and four sizes of earbud tips, ranging from XS to L. The earbuds also have redesigned drivers for improved bass, high-frequency, and clarity.

The Sony sound difference These earbuds are equally great for listening to on the go as they are for sitting at your desk all day. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

I've tested the XM5 earbuds, the XM5 headphones, and the XM6 headphones — each of them was a standout in audio performance, but so far the WF-1000XM6 are the most impressive of the bunch.

Having tested my fair share of premium earbuds, I know that most new earbuds sound really good these days, and that the gap between earbuds and over-ear headphones is shrinking. Still, I couldn't believe the depth of sound produced by the XM6 earbuds, the richness of quality across genres, and how immersive it all felt. And that was my listening experience out of the box.

Once I toggled on settings to prioritize audio quality and set the equalizer to my liking, I found myself legitimately distracted by how good the music sounded. Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" feels like a good benchmark of how dynamic these earbuds can sound — shrieking guitar rifts put the highs of these earbuds to good use, yet they just as adeptly handle perfectly compressed and isolated vocals. Somehow, they handled the operatic background vocals and soft piano at the end of the song just as well.

The sound will not disappoint you. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable SEE ALSO: The 11 best noise-cancelling headphones we use, love, and recommend

Daft Punk's live performance of "One More Time/Aerodynamic" proved how big these earbuds could make music sound. The iconic guitar riffs could've sounded crunchy, or the bass blown out; instead, both elements came through clearly, with an excellent blend. The result? I felt like I was as close as I could be to being in the middle of a crowd of screaming fans, without actually being there.

I also tested these earbuds as the 2026 Winter Olympics aired, and as a figure skating fan, I don't know that there's a pair of earbuds better suited for hours of listening to the music of iconic programs from the past and present. These earbuds helped me appreciate the swelling strings in Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43: Variation 18" and the hits of the orchestra in Stravinsky's "The Firebird," both of which came through with equal precision and clarity.

All this to say, I'm confident the XM6 earbuds can handle whatever genre you throw at them, and they're certainly the best-sounding earbuds I've ever tested. My editor, Timothy Beck Werth, also agreed that the sound on these buds is "really darn good," but he maintained that the clarity of the Technics EAH-AZ1000 earbuds is better on balance. Still, I'm sure even picky audiophiles won't be disappointed with the XM6s.

The best noise cancellation you can find in earbuds Four microphones in each earbud help provide the best noise cancellation possible. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

In their press materials, Sony claimed that the active noise cancellation on these wireless earbuds is 25 percent better than the XM5 earbuds. In my experience, Sony headphones and earbuds have great ANC, but not necessarily the best of the best. With these earbuds, though, it's clear Sony is making some changes.

While I've considered the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds the best of the best for ANC, the Sony XM6 earbuds provide a real challenge to Bose's supremacy. Like the Bose buds, Sony's come packed with eight microphones (four in each bud) for adaptive noise cancellation, and it shows.

The ANC worked well in all the typical scenarios — on walks, working in crowded areas, and in my home office while my family goes about their day. Whenever I took the earbuds out or toggled off the ANC, I was pleasantly surprised by how much sound I wasn't hearing from the world around me. Still, it wasn't until I worked on a café patio about 100 feet away from a train track that I realized just how good the ANC on these earbuds was. Forget the sound of the other customers or music from the café — I could barely hear the arrival of a literal Amtrak. Of course, some sound came through — I could still hear the crossing bell and the muffled rumble of the train — but it was significantly less than I expected to hear, even with the best noise-cancelling earbuds.

The redesigned charging case may be a bit awkward in your pocket. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Compared to the Bose buds, the noise cancellation of the XM6s felt less noticeable. As much as I love the QC Ultras, I have noticed some hissing with the ANC activated, especially when I wasn't playing music. Though it's not totally absent on the XM6s, I have to listen for it. When playing music, the XM6s create a perfect cocoon of silence, just for me and my music. My only real critique? I wish the ANC was manually adjustable at this price point, but for how well it works without any adjustability, I'm not really complaining.

The transparency mode also worked well enough, not over-amplifying or peaking the sounds of the environment. They still fell prey to that hissing sound you find on most transparency modes, but that's not necessarily a Sony-specific issue.

While I'm not finished testing their sound, I can back these buds as the best new noise-cancelling option out there.

The redesign was the right choice The XM6 earbuds have a longer, more oval-shaped design. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Sony deviated from the design of the previous generation, making the charging case taller, with more defined edges. The earbuds themselves also got a narrower, more oval shape compared to the circle design of the XM5 earbuds.

Despite the earbuds themselves having roughly the same profile, they stuck out less from my ear than the XM5s. Sony went with a slimmer shape to better fit the inner ear. While I had no real issues with the XM5 buds, I do feel like I get an even closer fit with the XM6s, which helps both in improving sound quality and noise cancellation.

The redesigned earbuds and charging case. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable SEE ALSO: Sony WH-1000XM6 vs. Sony WH-1000XM5: Is it worth the upgrade?

The charging case is slightly bigger, but I didn't find that it took up that much more room in my bag (you may notice the difference in your pockets, however). If anything, I think the bigger flaw of the new design is the learning curve of the touch controls. While the smaller surface area of the earbuds allows for a sleeker look and better fit, I struggled to find the right spot to activate the touch controls, unlike with the XM5s. Once I figured it out, I had minimal difficultly (though sometimes the double-tap to switch songs didn't always register). Yes, this feels nitpicky, but these earbuds are $330, so I find the nitpicking justified.

On the comfort front, I could wear these earbuds for hours on end easily. On some occasions, I felt minor soreness for maybe a minute when I took them out, but it was very manageable, and they still felt comfortable than most other earbuds (full disclosure: I find over-ear headphones more comfortable). Bose still takes the comfort cake here, with the QC Ultras' stability band providing a really nice seal, without sacrificing wearability, but Sony is certainly a close second.

Sony XM5 vs. XM6 earbuds A battle of the buds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

I'll have a more in-depth comparison of these two earbuds coming soon, so I'll keep this brief. Here's a basic rundown of their major differences and similarities:

• Sound and ANC: The XM6s are not leaps and bounds better, but they're noticeably better on both fronts. More sound is blocked out, and audio is richer, fuller, and warmer.

• Wear and design: The aesthetics between the two is up to user preference, but the XM6 earbuds definitely fit better in my ears. I notice myself adjusting the XM5 earbuds frequently to get a tighter seal, whereas the XM6s stay in place once I put them in.

• Companion app experience: Again, I haven't spent much time with the app on the XM6s, but from a quick look, it's largely the same.

• Battery life: You get the same battery life on both buds — eight hours per charge and 24 hours with the case. Not the best we've seen on flagship ANC earbuds, and not the worst.

Are the Sony WF-1000XM6 worth it?

While I wouldn't say you need to upgrade from the WF-1000XM5 model, if you're in the market for a brand-new pair of premium wireless earbuds, I'm struggling to think of a better all-around performer than the WF-1000XM6 earbuds.

The keyword here, of course, is premium — these earbuds don't come cheap, and there are plenty of budget options you could choose instead and still get a really solid experience. For Apple users, the $250 price point of the latest AirPods Pro 3 feels a lot more reasonable.

However, if the priority is to experience the best possible noise cancellation and stellar audio quality, well, I don't hesitate to recommend these earbuds.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WF-1000XM6 $329.99 at Sony
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Sony's latest flagship audio product, the WF-1000XM6 earbuds, is officially here as of Feb. 12.

Just like last year's XM6 headphones, these earbuds feature better active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and an upgraded design. Also like their headphones counterpart, those updates come at a cost — Sony bumped up the starting price to $329.99, which is $30 more than the release price of the WF-1000XM5 earbuds released three years ago.

After spending a week testing out the earbuds, I can see why Sony raised the price point — they're some of the most well-rounded noise-cancelling earbuds I've ever tried. Still, $329.99 is no small chunk of change, so to help you make any purchasing decisions, I've broken down what's new, what's the same, and where to pick up Sony's latest release.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WF-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds $329.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Sony WF-1000XM6: The specs The XM6 come with a redesigned case and earbud shape. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

So what do you get for $329.99? Here's the basic breakdown:

• Processor: QN3e

• Equalizer: 10-band custom equalizer with app

• Battery life: 8 hours per charge, 24 hours with case

• Microphones: 8 mics

• IP rating: IPX4

• Charging: USB-C and Qi wireless charging

• Bluetooth codecs: SBC/AAC/LDAC/LC3

• Ear tips: XS, S, M, L

• Colors: Platinum silver, black

If you've been paying attention to the recent leaks, these specs won't be a surprise. The headline is that these buds offer a zippier performance thanks to the new QN3e chip and better noise cancellation thanks to the eight microphones, up from six on the XM5 earbuds.

Sony WF-1000XM6: What's newAn updated design The XM6s bring a few minor, but important, changes. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

One of the bigger changes on these earbuds is also one of the more visually apparent. The case loses some of the rounded sides of the XM5 for sharper edges (with rounded ends on either side). The earbuds themselves also take on a new, more oval shape, as compared to the circular design of the XM5s. Sony made this change so the earbud could better fit the inner ear.

I was able to achieve a more flush fit with these earbuds without sacrificing comfort, which I attribute in part to their shape. It's not significantly smaller — Sony says the buds are 11 percent slimmer than the XM5 buds — but less surface area means there's slightly more of a learning curve in using the touch controls.

Better noise cancellation

These earbuds also get a noticeable upgrade in their ANC power. While some parts of the system have remained the same from their predecessor (more on that shortly), the XM6 earbuds come equipped with eight microphones (four are housed in each bud) to the XM5's six. The result is ANC that's truly incredible — so much so that I find it to be some of, if not the best, I've ever tried.

On top of that, Sony says the ANC is now so good that even if you wear the buds more loosely in your ear, they still block out the majority of sound.

Improved sound quality

Sony's best headphones and earbuds are known for their stellar sound quality, and the XM6 earbuds are no exception. When listening side-by-side to the XM5 earbuds, it's easy to hear a jump in the depth and clarity of the sound. The newer earbuds evoke a richness and attention to detail, whether you're listening to pop, rock, R&B, classical, or a podcast. (You can learn more about how they compare to other earbuds in my full review, and a more in-depth comparison to the XM5 earbuds is on its way.)

To power the improved audio features, the XM6 buds have a new processor. They also have a new driver with a high-rigidity dome and notched edges, which provides better clarity and clearer high-frequency audio.

The XM6 earbuds come with the best sound quality we've heard from Sony buds so far. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Clearer call quality

More mics equal better call quality, and the difference is clear in the XM6 earbuds. In addition to the eight microphones, these earbuds use a new bone conduction sensor, two microphones for AI beamforming, and AI noise reduction to make sure your voice comes through as clear as possible on calls.

The price point

While the XM5 earbuds are technically priced at $329.99, they weren't released at that price. In fact, it wasn't until September 2025 that their price jumped up from its initial list price of $299.99. While not unheard of in the tariff economy, the price point makes slightly more sense on this new and improved model.

For comparison, Apple's AirPods Pro 3 were released last year at $249, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds were released at $299.

Sony WF-1000XM6: What's the same Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

In this era of iterative improvements, Sony didn't completely reinvent the XM6 earbuds, so naturally, they have some overlap with the XM5 earbuds. Here's what they have in common:

1. The same battery life: Both earbud generations come with eight hours of battery life per charge, with 24 hours in the case.

2. Noise isolation earbud tips: Unlike other buds that opt for super smooth silicone ear tips, Sony's noise isolation earbud tips have a more grippy, foam-like feel to help provide the best fit and passive ANC possible. Though parts of the design have changed, Sony hasn't touched the earbud tips between the XM5 and XM6 earbuds.

3. The same fine print: Like their predecessor, the XM6 have IPX4 water resistance and multipoint connection with two devices.

Where to buy the Sony WF-1000XM6 headphones

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are available in platinum silver and black for $329.99 at Sony's website. They'll be available for sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers as well.

Where to buy the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds Sony Sony WF-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds $329.99 Shop Now Amazon Sony WF-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds $329.99 Shop Now Best Buy Sony WF-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds $329.99 Shop Now The previous gen Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds $329.99 Shop Now

When Ryan Murphy gets his hands on a landmark event in American history, you can never be quite sure how it will translate to TV. Will it be a canny re-examination of how the moment shaped American culture, in the vein of The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story? Or will it follow the more exploitative path of Netflix's Monster anthology? 

SEE ALSO: 'The Beauty' review: Ryan Murphy's latest is gorgeous, unhinged ridiculousness

That's the question facing Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, the beginning of a new anthology series created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Murphy. Over the course of nine episodes (eight of which were given to critics for review), Love Story offers viewers an intimate look at the rise of one of the most iconic '90s It Couples, as well as the extensive media pressure they faced. The show crafts a fittingly whirlwind romance, but the latter element hangs over said romance at all times. Because of this, the real fascination of Love Story becomes watching how the series avoids — and sometimes falls right into — the very pitfalls of obsessive media coverage it's trying to critique.

Love Story dramatizes the relationship between JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon in "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette." Credit: FX

From its opening moments, Love Story had me worried that it would veer into the callous depictions of tragic past events that often plague Murphy productions.

The series begins on July 16, 1999, as John F. Kennedy Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly), his wife Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon), and her sister Lauren Bessette (Sydney Lemmon) prepare to take off in the plane flight that will eventually take their lives. Thankfully, the show cuts away before dramatizing the actual crash, but the hint of tragedy (and concerns over how Love Story might eventually handle it) do persist as the show continues.

From here, Love Story flashes back to John and Carolyn's lives before they met. He's the presumed next in line to continue the Kennedys' political dynasty, not to mention America's most sought-after bachelor. She's the ultra-confident, self-assured Calvin Klein publicist who doesn't immediately fall at his feet.

SEE ALSO: 'Industry' Season 4 review: HBO's criminally underrated drama thrills in most ambitious season yet

While it takes a while for the pair to begin dating in earnest, their chemistry is palpable from the start. Newcomer Kelly brings a nervy charm to John's early flirtations with Carolyn, rarely slipping into Kennedy caricature. (Naomi Watts' Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis voice fits that criteria far more.) Pidgeon anchors the relationship in a pragmatic cool, although at a certain point her constantly deployed hair tousles and lip bites read less as natural mannerisms and more as an actor's heightened performance of a cool girl archetype.

Where Pidgeon really shines is the show's latter half, when John and Carolyn may be committed to one another, but the press is committed to hounding them. Here, Pidgeon turns every moment Carolyn spends in public into a kind of social calculus. You can see her working out just how much her presence is impacting those around her, and almost always making the heartbreaking call that she's too much of a burden.

Love Story critiques the media frenzy around JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette — but isn't it part of it? Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly in "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette." Credit: Kurt Iswarienko / FX

Carolyn's struggles with the press drive much of Love Story, and the result is undeniably compelling. The series may as well be called American Horror Story at parts thanks to the way it turns the paparazzi into a zombie-like horde. Once friendly enough to trade jokes with John (or even jump into a football game with him and his friends), they become vicious when Carolyn is in the mix. They swarm over the Kennedys' car and camp outside their building, even going as far as to try to buzz into their loft. In one scene, the buzzer rings out like a jump scare. In others, the creeping flash of camera bulbs serve a similar purpose.

But as much as Love Story highlights the strain all this press attention put on Carolyn, it still occupies a similar space to that same media circus, just 30 years later.

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After all, the paparazzi were trying to expose some inner workings of Carolyn and John's relationship to the public, to offer up their marriage as entertainment to the masses. Is that not Love Story's goal too? Even though the show emphasizes it's a fictionalized account of history, it still painstakingly recreates several public moments from its subjects' lives, including a 1996 fight that was caught on camera. At times, it also uses footage of the actual Kennedy family, blurring the line between fiction and reality.

Given how today's media landscape works, it won't be long before viewers are searching up the specifics of these moments, leading them down a rabbit hole of articles and TikToks dissecting the minutiae of the show's historical accuracy. It's the media frenzy of the '90s, resurrected in a new form. (The Kennedy family was not consulted about the series.)

To its credit, Love Story approaches its leads with far more empathy than the paparazzi. The show rejects salaciousness in favor of glossy romance, while also focusing on Carolyn's struggles to define herself beyond her husband and on John's efforts to define himself beyond his father. These choices help make for a better, more well-rounded portrait of the couple, but crucially, they also allow Love Story to avoid becoming a downright villain in its own story.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette premieres Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on FX and Hulu.

BTS will not only stream their first tour back after a hiatus on Netflix, but they're also bringing it to cinemas.

Announced on Thursday, the Bangtan Boys will bring their 'ARIRANG' world tour concerts to movie theatres. It's a collaboration between HYBE, BigHit Music, and Trafalgar Releasing, the team that brought Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour to theaters.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Netflix will livestream BTS' first concert after hiatus

BTS' first tour together in four years will hit 34 cities across the world with a total of 82 shows, starting with Goyang, Korea on Apr. 9 — and at this point, almost every show with tickets on sale is sold out or on last seats.

The live-streamed concerts will be Goyang's second show on Apr. 11 and the second Tokyo show on Apr. 18. Tickets are available through the event website from Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. KST / 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. GMT / 8 p.m. ICT. Specific cities and cinemas aren't listed at this point, but the release will be global.

All seven members of BTS — RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — will perform songs from their upcoming fifth album ARIRANG as well as the huge BTS catalogue.

BTS announced a hiatus for the group in June 2022 in order to fulfill South Korea's mandatory military service (which they'd all completed by June 2025) and spend time on solo projects.

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I was at a funeral a few months ago when something was said to me that threw my status as my family's perennial singleton into sharp relief.

I was holding my cousin's new baby when a relative called out, "Get a good look at this. Because it'll be the last time you ever see Rachel holding a child."

My aunts, uncles, cousins, and even family friends turned their heads to do precisely as they'd been instructed: have a good gawp at me. Someone even took a photo to memorialise this moment.

SEE ALSO: The history of the single positivity movement goes back further than you think

It was the first good laugh I'd had during what had been an otherwise upsetting day.

That was the umpteenth time that day I'd had a comment about my absence of a partner. "Are you not married yet?" one relative asked me during the wake. "They haven't made the man for Rachel," someone else interjected. "Is that so?" I retorted.

This year, I'm celebrating 10 years of being single. A decade since I broke up with my last serious boyfriend and never looked back. This time has been an invaluable period of learning and personal growth.

That may well sound trite, but I've been reflecting on the knowledge this decade has brought me; the hard lessons reaped in moments of painful heartbreak, the experiences that brought with them unparalleled insights about myself. It's hard to distill 10 years of being boyfriend-free into one article, but I thought I'd share some of the most meaningful lessons I've learned during this time.

Some people are uncomfortable around single-by-choice women

The first lesson I learned is twofold.

The moment at the family funeral is one of innumerable interactions I've had the displeasure of enduring. In learning that my protracted singledom leaves some people scratching their heads, I also developed strategies for deflecting those comments and feeling decidedly unbothered by them. Need I remind these people that they were the ones instructing me to "D-U-M-P" the last time I had a boyfriend. Like seriously, what do you want from me?

SEE ALSO: It's time to reclaim singledom as a symbol of power

It's not just my extended family. I've noticed friends attempting to explain my status as an unattached human, inserting their own narrative each time. "I think I've figured it out," one friend informed me. "You just text guys without ever going on dates with them."

"You're so weird," another friend told me. "It's just not a priority for you right now, that's all," another concluded. The latter statement is closest to the truth. But, why is my lack of boyfriend something that requires an explanation or excuse? When was the last time you heard a couple explaining why they're not single?

When was the last time you heard a couple explaining why they're not single?

I've become very skilled at deflecting the inane questions about my singledom with vaguely witty quips. "I've actually opted for a life of feminist separatism!" is my current favourite. But mostly I just laugh loudly and drink my wine.

During a recent family gathering, a younger female relative brought up the comments I get about my lack of boyfriend. "Does it not make you really angry? Because it annoys the hell out of me." The truth is, it really doesn't. "Oh I honestly couldn't give a fuck," was my reply.

Perhaps the absence of a boyfriend makes my family and friends uneasy. Perhaps they ponder how this peculiar anomaly ended up in their family. But the only opinion I care about on this particular subject is my own. And frankly, I feel chill as fuck about being single.

There is no 'if' and 'when'

For much of my teens and twenties I told myself I’d go on a date once I’ve lost weight. I'd feel good about myself once I shed a few pounds. When I'm thin, I’ll be desirable and therefore "girlfriend material".

I, like many women and girls, ingested the patriarchal idea that to be desirable means to be thin. I have battled the perilously close relationship my weight and self-worth have had since girlhood. At school, I longed to switch places with someone else. I looked at other girls in my year who carried themselves with an air of confidence. I longed to be them. I yearned to know what it felt like to like the skin you're in. But the truth is, those girls may well have been fighting their own inner battles.

Those thoughts didn't go away. They got louder, more difficult to drown out. Sometimes they quietened down, but there was always a low hum thrumming in the background. I tried to address them in the worst way possible — by limiting my food intake. But the self-worth I had promised myself never arrived. I waited for it but it never came. I realised the change didn’t need to come from outside — it wasn’t the flesh on my body that needed to change, but the thoughts within it. My relationship with food is better now. But from time to time those thoughts rear their heads.

Loving yourself is hard. But it's the most important relationship any of us will ever have.

A few months ago, I uttered some of those thoughts aloud to two of my dearest friends. That since adolescence I'd been promising myself a life that could only be unlocked if I looked a certain way. Like a video game with a level I just couldn't get to. "Man, the patriarchy has really done a number on us," one friend replied.

"One day," my other friend cut in. "You will look back at photos of yourself and realise just how hot you once were." When she said this, I started to cry. I'd already experienced the beginnings of that during one meandering down memory lane. I'd looked through photos of myself from several years ago and felt unspeakably sad that I hadn't realised how lovely I had looked.

Like Lizzo said: "It's so hard trying to love yourself in a world that doesn't love you back."

Loving yourself is hard. But it's the most important relationship any of us will ever have.

Alone time is a precious commodity

An older man once told me to make the most of my writing career while I'm young and child-free. "Because once you have kids, you won't have time." I wondered if he'd ever say that to a male journalist.

Speaking of gender and writing, a recent Guardian piece — entitled "A woman's greatest enemy? A lack of time to herself" — really crystallised everything I've felt as a woman with a desire to write.

"A few months ago, as I struggled to carve out time in my crowded days for writing, a colleague suggested I read a book about the daily rituals of great artists," writes Brigid Schulte in the piece. "But instead of offering me the inspiration I’d hoped for, what struck me most about these creative geniuses – mostly men – was not their schedules and daily routines, but those of the women in their lives." Schulte concluded that in order to create, long stretches of alone time are vital, but "that’s something women have never had the luxury to expect."

SEE ALSO: How to move on after a situationship ends

Since I started writing creatively during my childhood and adolescence, I have struggled with a feeling of antsy nervousness that someone was going to come along and tell me to get up and make myself useful. Even when you have two feminist parents, it takes decades of work to unlearn the socially imposed idea that writing time is a guilty pleasure — time you've stolen from other more deserving tasks.

I am not very good at multitasking. I am prone to distractions. I am, in short, a writer. In order to get any writing done outside of my 9-5 workday, I basically need enormous swaths of uninterrupted creative alone time. My weekends and evenings are spent writing, punctuated with coffee or drinks with friends. As a writer, I find that aloneness is key. Both in terms of having space to think and plan, as well as unbroken periods of free time to just sit and write the damn thing.

NO. TIME. Credit: vicky leta / mashable

As my friend pointed out, I have prioritised writing above all else in my life — with the exception of my immediate family. But that often feels like it has come at a cost. Broken friendships. Cancelled dates. Endless guilt and feelings of complete selfishness.

Corollary statement: I know it's possible to do both. There are women writers in loving relationships. I just haven't yet figured out how to do both.

The reality for me, at least, is that I find dating one enormous distraction. One that I tend to dip my toe in and out of when I have the time and energy. Maybe I'm selfish. Or maybe I'm just doing what male writers have been doing for centuries — maybe even millennia.

But avoiding distraction is not always easy, and it teaches you some brutal lessons.

SEE ALSO: Access to this intuitive writing app is on sale for 50% off Some people mean more to you than you do to them

A man I used to love came to stay at my flat three months ago. What ensued was probably one of the worst things I've ever put myself through.

We'd had a fling three years ago. But that fling was re-flung one or two more times after the first fling ended. I fell in love. I usually preface that sentence with "stupidly," but I know it didn't feel stupid at the time. Those feelings, it would appear, were not returned. Against the advice of my friends and family, I said yes to seeing him during a visit to London. In hindsight, I should have heeded their warnings.

As we sat drinking wine in the wee small hours, he veered the conversation in the dangerous territory of his love life. "The thing is, I'm just really difficult to love," he told me. I — a person who had, unbeknown to him, loved him once upon a time — told him he wasn't. He snapped at me: "you don't know my experience." Perhaps not, but I do know my own.

Sometimes you feel things. Sometimes other people don’t. Don’t take it personally.

What happened next sparked an epiphany. He reeled off the important romances he'd had in recent years. My name was notably absent from the list. "Before my ex, there was no one for three years."

I nodded and made all the right noises, but my head was quietly totting up the maths. In this equation, the answer was clear: I was "no one". What had been a fallow period of unromance for him had been a phase of unparalleled heartbreak and self-torture for me.

Later, I cried down the phone to a friend as he slept peacefully on the sofa downstairs. It was a moment of realisation that I had lived an alternate reality in which I'd deluded myself that I'd mattered to someone. The truth of the matter was that I didn't make the cut of memorable romances.

Realising that he'd meant a lot more to me than I had to him was a necessary realisation, albeit a painful one.

Sometimes you feel things. Sometimes other people don’t. Don’t take it personally.

When to dump him

A few days ago I was rooting through my old things at my parents' house when I found my old diary from the year I turned 21 — which coincided with my last serious relationship.

Several pages into the diary, I came across an entry dating back to 2009, around the time I decided to end things with my last boyfriend. "Had, at this stage, decided that I needed to dump Nick," I wrote. "What a bore. Don't understand why I hadn't done it already??!"

If you'll excuse the unabashedly heartless tone of the writing (I was 21), I think I might have been onto something. Not that I took that lesson remotely to heart back then, of course. Nope, it's taken me 10 years of lingering too long in toxic situationships and turbulent casual flings to finally get the hint: you should have dumped him a long time ago.

There was the guy who was so emotionally abusive that I used to throw up after I spent time with him. That same guy who would shake his head at me when I asked a question and say my name in admonishment. That same guy who would shush me and roll his eyes at me. Needless to say, I never want to see or hear from him ever again.

There was the guy in another city who invited me to come stay with him for a few days who casually dropped in one evening that he had a girlfriend — only after we'd slept together, of course! There was even a guy this summer who didn't listen when I said I wasn't free for a date that very afternoon, who promptly showed up at my house declaring "I've come to collect you, let's go!" Sorry, what?

If there's one thing you learn from a decade of dating, it's boundaries. Boy, do I have some serious boundaries now.

Being single has taught me to be kinder to myself. Credit: vicky leta

These men all outstayed their welcomes in my love life. The one blessing is that I now know what I will and will not put up with. I know the red flags. I know the things to be wary of. And crucially, I know when to utter those delicious three words: "We are done."

Life, as we all know, is brimming with lessons. Some of those lessons are harder than others.

There have been the lightning-flash epiphanies that arrived at my lowest ebbs. Moments like the time I stood crying on a New York City sidewalk, I made a promise to myself about how I should be treated by future men in my life. There have also been more gradual educational opportunities — things that have taken years to figure out, and others I'm still working on.

Most important of all, this decade of being single has taught me to be kinder to myself.

Knowing when to silence the inner critic, how I deserve to be treated, that my value lies not in whether or not I have a partner, that alone time is precious. These are the pieces of wisdom I will carry with me for decades to come.

Featured Video For You 'I was cloaked.' What it's like to be blocked and stood up by your Hinge date.

This article was first published in 2019 and republished in 2026.

Well, that was fast. Just a day after Samsung finally decided to give us the date for its big Samsung Galaxy S26 series unveiling, the entire lineup leaked online.

Yes, the Galaxy Unpacked event is set for Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. PT (9 a.m. ET). And thanks to leaker Evan Blass, we just got an early glimpse of what the phones will look like.

Well, it's more than a glimpse: Blass actually obtained official-looking photos of the entire lineup. Don't get too excited, though; the phones look very similar to how they did last year.

The specs for the lineup, which consists of the Samsung Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, have leaked as well, so there's very little left to the imagination before the official unveiling.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will be available in four colors: White, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, and black (pictured). Credit: Samsung/Evan Blass

Starting with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, it's still gonna be a camera powerhouse, with a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom camera, coupled with a 12-megapixel selfie camera. It has a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, 12/16GB of RAM, 256/512/1024GB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus share pretty much the same specs. The big differences are battery and display size. Credit: Samsung/Evan Blass

The Galaxy S26 Plus (above) will have a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an Exynos 2,600 chip, 12GB of RAM, 256/512GB of storage, and a 4,900mAh battery. It will have a triple rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel main camera, 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom telephoto camera, and a 12-megapixel camera, with a 12-megapixel selfie camera on the front.

Samsung Galaxy S26 is the smallest of the three devices, with a 6.3-inch display. Credit: Samsung/Evan Blass

The Galaxy S26 will have nearly the same specs as the S26 Plus, the biggest differences being a smaller, 6.3-inch AMOLED display, and a 4,300mAh battery.

SEE ALSO: Samsung finally sets a date: Galaxy Unpacked is coming Feb. 25

Of course, none of this is official, but it looks as accurate as rumors get. Hopefully, Samsung still has a surprise or two up its sleeve for its Unpacked event.