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Callaway’s Good Good generationally stupid golf ad has left the internet horrified

Mashable - 3 hours 34 min ago

Some advertisements make you want to buy the product. Others make the entire internet ask, "Who on Earth approved this?"

A promotional video from golf equipment giant Callaway and popular YouTube brand Good Good Golf has landed firmly in the latter category. The since-deleted ad showed the brand's co-founder Garrett Clark charging toward female golfer Alexis Miestowski, shoving her to the ground, and standing over her before warning, "Do not touch my new driver."

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The clip was apparently intended to be part of a horror-inspired story about Clark becoming dangerously obsessed with the new Good Good-branded Callaway Quantum driver. Instead, viewers saw a man knock a woman down over a golf club — and reacted accordingly.

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"This is a generationally stupid ad," one X user wrote. "Absolutely incredible that no one in the room said 'guys hold on,'" Golf Digest reporter Christopher Powers added.

Powers' disbelief reflected a defining response to the commercial. People were not only upset by what appeared onscreen, but baffled by how many people must have encountered the idea before it reached them.

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Good Good and Callaway removed the video from their social media accounts on Aug. 21, but, as brands repeatedly learn, deleting something does not make it disappear from the internet. Copies continued circulating, bringing the ad to an even larger and increasingly incredulous audience.

"This is so much worse than I thought it was going to be," one X user wrote. Another asked whether any women had been involved in pitching, approving, or producing it.

Over in the r/golf subreddit, where a discussion of the controversy attracted more than 1,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments, golf fans were equally unimpressed. "The ad had a school project production value and lacked any real humor," one commenter wrote. "How this passed by anyone at Callaway with the slightest bit of media proficiency or common sense is mind boggling."

"The way to normally do these things as 'jokes' is to make it so over the top that it’s clearly not intended to be serious," one user explained. "What you don’t do is have them realistically tackle a woman and then stand over them aggressively and deliver the line."

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For some viewers, especially women, the ad represented more than one spectacularly misguided creative decision, but embodied the exclusionary "golf bro" culture that the sport has spent years attempting to move beyond.

"As a female golfer, I already feel excluded from the golf world in some ways. They crossed the line,” one Reddit user commented. Another TikTok commenter said they were tired of the "bro culture" and "frat boy mentality" surrounding golf both online and on the course.

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Women working within golf pushed back, too. "They didn’t just create an ad that makes golf non-inclusive to women, but it endorses violence against women in the scariest and most threatening way," Skratch social media director Nicole Rae said, calling the video "wildly disappointing."

CNN Living Golf host Jasmine Sanders, known online as The Jazzy Golfer, pointed to the contradiction between the industry’s stated goals and what two of its prominent brands had approved: "Golf keeps talking about making the game more welcoming to women," Sanders said in a LinkedIn video. "You can’t say that matters and then make violence towards a woman the punchline."

Golfer and former Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Katie Ginella said she was "in shock" after watching the ad. Ginella, who has spoken publicly about her own experience with domestic violence, said she would no longer support Good Good or Callaway.

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None of these women aren't wrong — there is a large contradiction in the sport of golf. Women and girls have accounted for 60 percent of the growth in on-course golf participation since 2019, yet much of golf’s most prominent internet content remains built around groups of men, competitive challenges, and rowdy banter. Good Good itself was founded by male creators and only launched a separate women’s channel in late 2025.

Ironically, by partnering with Good Good to make golf feel younger and more internet-native, Callaway — one of golf's biggest institutions — ended up legitimizing the very "golf bro" culture that makes women feel unwelcome in the sport in the first place.

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Founded as a YouTube channel in 2020, Good Good has grown into a major golf media and merchandise business with more than 2 million YouTube subscribers. Callaway partnered with the group back in 2023, and the brand is now the title sponsor of a PGA Tour tournament scheduled for November.

In an apology posted to X, Good Good said the video "ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand." Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick also issued a longer statement on LinkedIn, saying the commercial was intended to parody a scene from the horror movie Obsession but that its execution "missed the mark." "Regardless of what we intended, we are responsible for what we put into the world and how it is received," Kendrick wrote. "We got this one wrong."

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Callaway CEO Chip Brewer, on the other hand, said it was "disappointed by the content that was posted" and thanked Good Good for addressing it (language that appeared to place the responsibility primarily on its partner.)

He also admitted that although Good Good produced the video, Callaway had approved it before publication: "That approval should never have happened," Brewer wrote. "Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously." Brewer added that Callaway was conducting internal and external investigations, and announced changes to the company’s approval processes.

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Yet, many viewers — and brand partners — were not satisfied with that explanation. Even the Golf Channel postponed the Aug. 25 premiere of Big Break x Good Good until Sept. 1, saying it needed time to make "necessary production updates" after a sponsor requested that its branding be removed from the series (rumored to be retailer "Golf Galaxy").

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Dick’s Sporting Goods also removed Good Good merchandise from their websites and store floors, along with Target and several PGA Tour Superstore locations. Callaway, meanwhile, removed the Good Good Quantum driver from its own website, although the club remained available directly through Good Good.

Even competitors saw an opening: Golf club brand PXG posted a video of professional golfers Olivia Cowan, Gina Kim, and Auston Kim with the caption, "Our drivers play nice with everyone."

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The uproar surrounding this ad did not happen in a vacuum. In 2021 alone, an estimated 34 percent of murdered women were killed by an intimate partner. The CDC also reports that nearly one in four women has experienced physical violence from an intimate partner, and that more than half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former male partner.

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In that light, pushing a woman to the ground and standing over her is far too familiar an image to land as a harmless punchline.

If the ad was supposed to show that Callaway’s new driver was worth fighting over, it failed. Instead, it showed how easily violence against women could survive pitching, filming, editing, and corporate approval — all to sell a driver.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text “START” to 88788, or visit TheHotline.org to chat with an advocate. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 new shows to watch this weekend across Netflix, Hulu, and more (August 27-30)

How-To Geek - 3 hours 53 min ago

Looking for something to watch this weekend? There are shows premiering on streaming services over the next few days. Apple TV builds on its strong sci-fi reputation with the return of its Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly thriller. It's our No. 1 ranked show on this list.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Senator launches investigation into Flocks surveillance

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 23:53

Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri is investigating Flock Safety, the maker of the now-ubiquitous AI-powered Flock cameras, demanding answers from the company about how it captures and retains data on millions of Americans.

With over 120,000 cameras in 49 states, Flock has been under scrutiny from the American public for weeks, with some vigilantes destroying the automated license plate readers (ALPR). Now, the Atlanta-based company has to contend with a Senate investigation demanding troves of documentation on its policies, as well as details on how some of the data it captured has been misused. 

In his letter to Flock, Hawley pointed out that its cameras conduct more than 20 billion vehicle scans monthly, while "the overwhelming majority of the Americans captured in those records did nothing wrong" and all that information is searchable in a national database for Flock’s customers.

Hawley also laid out numerous cases of misuse of Flock’s data, including police officers using the database for stalking rather than crime investigation.

SEE ALSO: Have you been Flocked? This website lets you find out

The letter also highlighted cases of Flock cameras providing incorrect information on cars its surveilled; mistakes that have led to people being wrongfully imprisoned.

"A Florida woman spent 13 days in jail and faced eight felony counts, including three counts of vehicular homicide, after investigators arrested an owner based on their search of Flock’s network for a vehicle description,” Hawley wrote. "Prosecutors dismissed the charges seven months later when law enforcement discovered the error and arrested a different person. One California police department found that a staggering 71% of its alerts were wrong, and the Los Angeles Police Department dropped its Flock contract after an audit showed officers had stopped 161 vehicles incorrectly flagged as stolen in the space of two months."

Hawley also wants clarity on how Flock handles the data it captures.

"Flock’s $8.3 billion valuation comes with enormous pressure to find new commercial applications," Hawley wrote. "Americans demand a full accounting for how their driver data is stored or sold."

Hawley wants Flock to provide answers on:

  • Which customers are allowed to conduct statewide or nationwide searches of vehicle or driver data

  • The retention period of its data

  • All the times Flock cameras have been misused, and whether Flock caught the misuse itself

  • What a Flock user has to do to justify a search on another person’s vehicle

  • What restrictions exist on vehicle searches, and whether those restrictions can be circumvented

  • What are Flock’s own measures of accuracy when it comes to capturing vehicle information

  • Specifics on how Flock captures data, e.g., photos, videos, audio, wireless signals

  • Details on whether Flock ever linked captured data to an external source, like a data broker

  • Whether vehicle searches require multi-factor authentication and, if Flock is not currently requiring it, when it will

  • "Describe in detail whether Flock has the capability to biometrically track individuals"

Hawley wants Flock to answer all its questions by Sept. 8.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This once-overlooked Ford SUV is now a great buy

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 23:30

The Ford Edge never became the go-to midsize SUV that models like the Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot did. It was easy to overlook, even though it offered a roomy two-row cabin, standard all-wheel drive, useful technology, and a choice of turbocharged engines.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Lenovos latest gaming tablet is now under $700 — save big on the Legion Tab Gen 5

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 23:00

SAVE $160: As of Aug. 26, the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 (8.8-inch, Snapdragon) is down to $689.99. That's an 18% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 $689.99 at Lenovo
$849.99 Save $160   Get Deal

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 just dropped to $689.99 at Lenovo, down from $849.99 — an 18% discount that knocks $160 off Lenovo's gaming-focused tablet. The Legion Tab Gen 5 packs a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, 12GB of memory, and 256GB of storage, wrapped in a 3K display that hits 800 nits of brightness.

It runs Android 16 and lasts over 12 hours on a charge, which is a lot for a tablet built to handle gaming. Mashable recently tested this one, giving it a 4.5 out of 5 and a Mashable Choice Award. Reviewer Samantha Mangino was impressed by its processing power, noting its Geekbench 6 scores put it "into the leagues of a MacBook."

At 8.8 inches, it's smaller and more portable than the standard 11-inch iPad, which makes a difference for handheld gaming sessions. Mangino also called out its two USB-C ports as a standout feature, letting gamers plug in a controller or headphones while the tablet charges, something most tablets don't offer.

Battery life held up too, lasting over 12 hours in testing, and it handled livestreaming without any stuttering or slowdown, even during a WNBA game. Overall, Mangino called the tablet worth it for anyone who wants a gaming-specific tablet.

Snag the Legion Tab Gen 5 before the memory crisis pushes the price right back up.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Kia’s updated $25k Seltos makes expensive compact SUVs hard to justify

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 22:30

Finding a new SUV for around $25,000 usually means accepting a stripped-down interior, limited technology, and a cramped cabin. This newly redesigned crossover challenges that expectation, combining a surprisingly upscale interior with a long list of standard tech and more passenger and cargo space than you'd normally expect at this price.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Android apps will be forced to use less memory in 2027—here's why

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 22:17

Android phone makers are offering less RAM in their latest devices to keep costs down. Now, Google is calling on Android app makers to limit the performance hit. As of February 2027, Android apps on the Play Store will have to meet "bad behavior thresholds" to stay on Google's good side.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to support Dolly Partons Imagination Library

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 22:10

When Dolly Parton died Tuesday, her family asked for something other than flowers in her memory. Instead, they requested donations to Parton's Imagination Library.

Though Parton was known around the world as an icon of music and movies, her beloved literacy program cemented her legacy as a humanitarian.

SEE ALSO: The internet mourns Dolly Parton, country music’s brightest light How Imagination Library started

Parton founded Imagination Library in 1995 to encourage a love for reading and learning among the children of Sevier County, Tennessee, where she was raised. She famously dedicated Imagination Library to her father, who grew up in rural poverty and never attended school.

"Daddy was a really smart man ... but he was ashamed that he couldn't read and write," Parton told Oprah in 2020, "That always bothered me that he felt like he couldn't learn after he was grown. I remember thinking, 'I need to do something about that. I can. I'm in a position now where I can do something.'"

What Imagination Library does

Parton asked her father to help with the initiative, which delivers free, age-appropriate books to children every month from birth to age 5.

By the time a child finishes the program, they've received 60 books, according to Imagination Library.

The Dollywood Foundation covers some costs and negotiates book pricing. Its local partners help pay for mailing costs and the books themselves. Families that participate in Imagination Library pay nothing.

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The Imagination Library says it has registered 3.2 million to participate in the program and given away 332 million books since its founding. Imagination Library now operates throughout the U.S, as well as in Canada, Australia, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

In 2018, Parton donated her 100 millionth book to the U.S. Library of Congress.

Upon Parton's passing, the Dollywood Foundation said in a statement that her legacy will continue "when a child opens a book addressed especially to them; when a parent and child read a favorite story together; and when a young person begins to imagine a future bigger than the circumstances into which they were born."

How you can support Imagination Library

The Imagination Library accepts online donations via its website.

The program posted on Instagram that it would steadfastly continue its work.

"For decades, Dolly and the team at The Dollywood Foundation — home of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library — worked to build something that would last for generations. So it will," the post said.

In her 2020 conversation with Oprah, Parton said that her father got to see the Imagination Library's success before he died in 2000.

"My daddy got to live long enough to see that doing really well," she said. "So I just always know he's up there somewhere thinking, 'You go, girl. You done good.'"

Categories: IT General, Technology

GTA 6 Cyberleek update: Everything leaked so far, what might be next

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 21:34

With just one more day to go before Grand Theft Auto VI makes its big official debut (of sorts) on Netflix, the leaker known as Cyberleek is still on a tear. Shortly after Rockstar Games issued a statement about the GTA 6 leaks on Wednesday, Cyberleek released story spoilers for the first time by uploading an extended clip of a prologue introducing the Lucia Caminos character.

Over the past week, someone (or perhaps a group of people) called Cyberleek has been busy sharing short gameplay clips of GTA 6 left and right. On Aug. 20, Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of GTA-maker Rockstar Games, filed subpoenas against Microsoft and Discord to try to unmask the leaker, followed soon after by subpoenas against Google and X Corp. Those filings specifically cited "stolen content," seemingly confirming that at least some of the Cyberleek videos are legitimate.

The GTA 6 leaks represent the first glimpse of gameplay from the hotly anticipated title. In addition, countless AI-generated videos posing as "leaks" are also circulating widely on social media. So, we've put together a quick list of everything Cyberleek has released so far. We're not going to embed or link to any of these clips; however, they're easy enough to find on X or Reddit if you look hard enough.

SEE ALSO: What is Cyberleek? Everything we know about the alleged GTA 6 leakers. Every GTA 6 leak from Cyberleek so far

At the time of publication, 16 gameplay clips and three map screenshots have been posted by Cyberleek that show different aspects of GTA 6, including glimpses of cutscenes. The leaker has so far avoided posting major plot spoilers started posting story spoilers in the most recent release, so be careful if you want to avoid them.

Here are the GTA 6 leaks Cyberleek has shared so far:

  • Map sneak peek 1: A small, cropped portion of the in-game world map, showing a location called Dalton Island.

  • Map sneak peek 2: Another cropped portion of the map showing locations called Tequesta Retreat, Gloriana Key, and Catalan Key.

  • Basketball video: A clip of protagonist Jason Duval throwing a basketball into a hoop in a mini-game.

  • Full map: An alleged view of the entire in-game map.

  • Random video 1: A clip of Jason driving around for a little bit before beating up a truck driver.

  • Taser video: A clip of Jason driving at night, stealing a security guard's taser, and using it on him. Jason then repeatedly kicks the guard while he is on the ground.

  • Junkies video: A clip that appears to show a healing drug called Zombix. A tooltip indicates that Zombix's effects will weaken over time if the player uses it too much.

  • Plane video: A clip of Jason flying a plane over Vice City, with much of the game world visible below. At the end, whoever is playing the game in the clip shoots the word "LEEK" into a wall with bullets, suggesting the leaker has a playable build of the game.

  • Hypercar part 1: A clip of Jason driving a high-end sports car around Vice City.

  • Hypercar part 2: A clip of Jason driving the sports car some more, before committing armed robbery.

  • Strip club: Jason wanders around a strip club, then a short clip of an in-game cutscene is shown.

  • Gas station: Jason causes trouble at a gas station, steals a truck with a bed full of gasoline, and crashes and dies; more of the previous cutscene is shown.

  • Plane video 2: Jason flies a plane over Vice City at night.

  • Nudist colony: Jason explores a nudist hangout spot (where the NPCs are, obviously, nude) and attacks NPCs.

  • Nightclub: A pretty uneventful video of Jason walking around the interior of a nightclub.

  • Beach cycling: Jason riding a bicycle on a beach full of NPCs.

  • Video game store: Jason walking around a video game store with shelves full of fake video game boxes.

  • How does Cyberleek drive?: Jason steals a hotrod and evades the police; the clip ends with a cutscene showing Lucia Caminos, the game's second playable character, for the first time. Caminos talks about someone who "drives like a bitch."

  • Lucia prologue: A four-and-a-half-minute video of a prologue introducing Caminos; the clip includes minor story spoilers.

We can't authenticate any of the Cyberleek videos, and we live in a world where it's easy to generate convincing AI videos. That said, as someone who has played nearly every GTA game, they all seem fairly convincing. GTA games all move in a certain way, and that movement appears to be recreated remarkably well in these videos. Everything from character movement to NPC interactions looks relatively on-brand for a modern Rockstar game.

On top of that, Rockstar Games finally acknowledged the leak in a statement, calling it "heartbreaking." The statement all but confirms the leaked gameplay clips are the real deal.

What could Cyberleek release next?

Cyberleek has been running polls on its website that allow people to pay in cryptocurrency to vote on what should be leaked next. In recent days, Cyberleek teased footage featuring the Lucia Caminos character, in particular. On Wednesday, Cyberleek made good on those promises and released a short cutscene with Caminos, followed by an extended look at the character's prologue.

Cyberleek doesn't have any active polls online as of this writing. Their most recent comments suggest more videos featuring Caminos are coming, and soon.

Of course, you can also wait for real, official gameplay footage, which is set to debut on Netflix on Aug. 27.

Mashable has contacted Rockstar and Take-Two repeatedly with questions about the leaks, and we'll update this story if we receive a response.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Updated on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 3:20 p.m. ET — We've updated this story with details on Rockstar's statement and additional GTA 6 leaks.

Updated on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 11:40 a.m. ET — We've updated this story to reflect the latest Cyberleek videos.

Updated on Monday, Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m. ET — We've updated this story to reflect the latest Cyberleek leaks.

Updated on Friday, Aug. 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET — Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the parent company of Grand Theft Auto-maker Rockstar Games, has filed two subpoenas naming Microsoft and Discord as it hunts the leaker known as Cyberleek. The legal filings specifically cite "stolen content," seemingly confirming that the leaks are legitimate. Take-Two is also requesting the removal of leaked material that violates its copyrights, as well as information that could unmask the leakers. Read more about the Microsoft and Discord subpoenas.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Hyundai's 600-mile EREV could finally end range anxiety for EV buyers

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 21:30

Hyundai thinks it has found a solution to one of the biggest problems holding EVs back. Its first extended-range electric vehicle is due in 2027, promising more than 600 miles of total range by combining electric motors with a gasoline engine that works as a generator.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Cyberleek posts first major GTA 6 spoilers in Lucia prologue leak

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 21:24

For the past week, a mystery leaker calling themselves Cyberleek has been busy posting gameplay clips from the unreleased video game Grand Theft Auto VI, one of the most highly anticipated video games of all time.

So far, the leaker has shared only brief, spoiler-free glimpses of cutscenes or gameplay footage showing the game's world and mechanics, but on Wednesday, that changed. Shortly after Rockstar Games issued a statement about the leaks, Cyberleek made good on a threat to release clips of the game's prologue featuring the playable character Lucia Caminos. Cyberleek posted four and a half minutes of the Lucia prologue in a Telegram channel and promised to release more footage featuring Lucia soon.

The video shows a flashback featuring Caminos in prison, which isn't itself a spoiler. The original GTA 6 trailer, released two years ago, showed Caminos in an orange jumpsuit, as did an official image released by Rockstar Games. However, Cyberleek's latest video goes further by revealing plot details about the character's experiences in and out of prison.

This official still shows the character Lucia in an orange prison jumpsuit. Credit: Rockstar Games

That's all we're going to say about that particular clip, as we don't want to spoil the game for anyone. However, official details about the game were also revealed today by Dazed magazine, providing even more information about how Lucia fits into GTA 6.

The exclusive preview feature in Dazed reveals that players will be able to switch seamlessly between the protagonists Jason Duval and Caminos, who is described as "a fighter fresh out of prison." Dazed reported that players can have the characters act independently or as a couple.

For gamers trying to avoid GTA 6 spoilers, consider this your warning: Cyberleek has stepped up their campaign and is actively sharing spoilers.

For an official, Rockstar-approved preview of the upcoming game, tune into the extended look that premieres on Netflix tomorrow.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The first 5 Android settings I turn off before using a new phone

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 21:00

There’s a certain thrill in opening a brand-new phone. You peel off the plastic, transfer your photos, sign in to your Google account, and start taking your first picture. But in all that excitement, we often forget to check a few important settings that can make our phone better.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How I rescued 388GB of data using junk drawer tech (instead of buying a new drive)

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 20:45

The universe really wants me to buy another external hard drive or sign up for an online storage service. I currently have a Western Digital My Passport, with 1 TB of storage. I should have bought a second one before the AI boom, but I never got around to it. I'm kicking myself for that (poor) decision right about now. So, now I'm going to try to save all of that data. But we have a big problem: the price for storage media is higher than ever, and I'm not sure how many read/write cycles this drive has left in it. So I improvised a solution that, surprisingly, worked.

Categories: IT General, Technology

7 discontinued Linux projects I still miss today

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 20:30

Linux has never been short of ambitious projects. Some became major parts of the ecosystem, while others disappeared after only a few years. What makes some of them worth remembering is not simply that they were popular. They represented ideas that made Linux feel experimental, unusual, and genuinely exciting.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Everything we expect at Apples September iPhone launch event

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 20:24

Apple has finally sent out invitations for its next hardware event, titled "Surprise and shine," set for Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park.

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This year's keynote carries extra weight beyond the usual hardware reveal as it will be John Ternus' first Apple product event as CEO, following Tim Cook's planned exit from the top job. Ternus is set to take over on Sept. 1, and given his background in running hardware engineering, some reports suggest Apple's industrial design group is being pulled closer to the center of decision-making under his leadership.

SEE ALSO: Meet incoming Apple CEO John Ternus: Everything to know

For the hardware itself, all signs point to a narrower lineup than usual, with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max all expected to headline, alongside Apple's first foldable phone, widely rumored to be called the iPhone Ultra. Missing the event, however, will likely be the standard iPhone 18, 18e, and next-gen iPhone Air, which are reportedly being pushed to a spring 2027 event instead. New Apple Watches are also expected to make an appearance.

Here's everything we know heading into the keynote.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

Per Mashable's ongoing iPhone 18 coverage, Apple is expected to keep this launch focused on its Pro model iPhones.

In terms of design, the Pro models aren't expected to stray far from last year's look. In Mashable's rumors thread, leaks suggest a couple of tweaks rather than a full overhaul, including a smaller Dynamic Island cutout and a more unified, single-tone back glass in place of last year's two-tone finish.

Color-wise, Apple will mix up this year's finishes to include a silver, dark gray, light blue, and a new shade called "dark cherry."

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Under the hood, the Pro models are expected to move to Apple's A20 and A20 Pro chips, paired with a new C2 modem that could bring 5G satellite support and an N2 chip aimed at improving WiFi and AirDrop reliability. Korean outlet The Bell has also reported that Apple plans to standardize RAM across the Pro lineup at 12GB, doing away with the base-versus-Pro memory split that's defined recent generations. Battery life should get a boost too, with capacity expected to land around 5,000mAh, which will appear the norm for the lineup.

The "biggest" change is within the camera. Several rumors have called the changes among the most significant camera hardware upgrades in the iPhone's history, due in part to a larger telephoto aperture and the introduction of variable aperture. That said, leaker Ice Universe has suggested the variable-aperture system might be exclusive to the Pro Max, leaving the standard Pro without it.

The Pro Max is also rumored to be very slightly larger and heavier than its predecessor, a tradeoff tied to fitting in a bigger battery.

iPhone Ultra A hypothetical rendering of the iPhone Ultra. Credit: Mashable / Zain bin Awais

The event's biggest wildcard is Apple's first foldable phone, widely expected to be called the iPhone Ultra (previously referred to in our reporting as the iPhone Fold). In our rumors guide on the Ultra, we noted that while Apple hasn't confirmed the device, code references in the iOS 27 beta, including strings tied to fold angles and screen states, plus macOS 27 features for resizing iPhone-mirroring windows, have made its existence something of an open secret.

Early testers cited by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reportedly liked the device's hinge quality and more iPad-like interface, though they were less impressed by the missing telephoto camera.

Expected specs, based on analyst and supply-chain reporting:

  • A book-style design with a roughly 7.8-inch inner OLED display and a 5.5-inch outer display

  • Touch ID rather than Face ID

  • Four cameras total — two rear, one inner, one front-facing — though without a telephoto lens

  • A liquid-metal hinge intended to improve durability

  • A price above $2,000, with some estimates around $2,399

  • A battery of at least 5,088mAh

Analysts, leakers, and even Gurman have been going back and forth for weeks about when the Ultra will actually release. Some reports say that the Ultra will be announced but won't hit shelves later, similar to the iPhone X. Others, like Gurman, have pushed back on this.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

Rounding out the hardware slate are reports that the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are also expected in September, likely with new health and fitness features and fresh color and band options rather than a major redesign this cycle.

It'll be a more substantial overhaul that may include a return to ceramic cases. Apple is also exploring a screen-free model for the minimalist wearable market, targeting late 2026 or 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

How to watch the iPhone 18 event

Apple's event kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, with a livestream on Apple's website and YouTube channel for those not attending in person.

Mashable will be there on the ground, so look out for our coverage and hands-on impressions once the keynote wraps.

Categories: IT General, Technology

It's time to buy an adjustable desk while this premium model is $120 off

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 20:11

Want an adjustable desk? Then Secretlab's Labor Day sale is for you, offering $100 off the MAGNUS Pro desk.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Super Cruise vs. BlueCruise: GM's bigger network doesn't guarantee a better experience

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 20:00

Hands-free highway driving has grown from a novelty feature into a full subscription business over the past decade, with GM's Super Cruise and Ford's BlueCruise combining for more than 1.8 billion hands-free miles driven so far. Both systems handle steering, acceleration, and braking on compatible highways with a driver-facing camera to confirm the person behind the wheel is still watching the road.

Categories: IT General, Technology

GTA VI Cyberleek update: Everything leaked Wednesday and earlier this week

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 19:32

Leaked gameplay clips of Grand Theft Auto VI keep appearing on the internet.

After a few clips came out over the weekend and into Monday, there are now even more circulating online, courtesy of the now-notorious leaker known as Cyberleek. As Rockstar and Take-Two step up their efforts to find and stop Cyberleek, clips keep coming at an even more rapid pace.

On Wednesday morning, Rockstar broke its silence on the situation, calling the leaks "heartbreaking" for its team. Around the same time, Cyberleek posted yet another gameplay clip, then soon followed it up with a four-and-a-half-minute video of a prologue featuring Lucia Caminos, the second playable character in the game. In recent days, Cyberleek has been threatening to release clips featuring Caminos, and the leaker teased further GTA 6 leaks featuring the character.

SEE ALSO: GTA 6 makers subpoena X, Google in hunt for Cyberleek

We're not going to embed or link directly to any of these clips, but they are easy to find on social media. The most recent Cyberleek videos include:

  • A clip of the player exploring a nightclub with scantily clad women

  • A clip of protagonist Jason riding a bicycle on a beach packed with civilian NPCs

  • A clip of Jason looking around a fictional video game retailer, complete with a bunch of fake video game boxes

  • A clip of Jason stealing a hotrod and being chased by the police, as well as a short cutscene featuring Lucia

  • Four and a half minutes of Lucia's prologue, featuring Lucia in prison and minor story spoilers

That brings the total number of leaked GTA 6 clips to 16, at the time of publication. To be clear, their authenticity has not been totally verified, but Rockstar's recent statement and parent company Take-Two's legal efforts to identify Cyberleek go a long way in confirming the clips are legit. In subpoenas, Take-Two has referred to the Cyberleek videos as "stolen content" and "leaked gameplay videos."

As a reminder, Rockstar is set to officially show an extended look at GTA VI gameplay on Netflix on Thursday.

UPDATE: Aug. 26, 2026, 3:30 p.m. EDT This story was originally published on Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. ET; we have updated this article with information on the latest Cyberleek videos and a statement issued by Rockstar Games.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I ran the one command in Linux you should never run. Here's what happened

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 19:15

Of all the Linux commands, rm is notorious. It's easy to completely wipe out your system with one mislaid rm command as root. I knew not to, but I ran that command on purpose anyway. Here's why.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple officially announces September iPhone launch event: Surprise and shine

Mashable - Wed, 08/26/2026 - 19:11

Apple has finally announced the date, time, and tagline for its annual iPhone launch event. The company said today that a "Surprise and shine" Apple event will take place on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. PT, and viewers will be able to watch the keynote live on YouTube, the Apple website, and Apple TV. At the event, Apple is widely expected to release the new iPhone 18 lineup, as well as a foldable smartphone, rumored to be called the iPhone Ultra.

As with past events, Apple released artwork to promote the occasion, which shows the tagline and the Apple logo with a glowing neon effect. The image evokes the white neon glow of the Siri AI beta announced earlier this year at WWDC 2026.

Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win!

A Mashable reporter also received an invitation to the Apple event, and we'll be reporting live from Apple Park. The invitation reads, "Surprise and shine. Please join us in person for a special Apple event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park."

Credit: Apple / Stan Schroeder

The company declined to provide any additional information on the "special event," and we didn't expect them to. But we do have some idea of what Apple's working on.

Apple traditionally hosts an event in early September to announce the new iPhone lineup and other products. At last year's September keynote, Apple announced the iPhone 17, the Apple Watch Series 12, and the AirPods Pro 3. However, we expect this year's event to be unique in several ways, as the tagline seemingly suggests.

First, long-time Apple CEO Tim Cook is scheduled to step aside on Sept. 1 to make way for incoming CEO John Ternus, who currently works as Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. This will be Ternus's first keynote, and the world will be watching to see how he sets the tone for a new era at Apple Park.

Second, Apple could release the first-ever foldable iPhone, the biggest change to the iPhone in years. Apple's smartphone competitors have been making foldable phones for years, but Apple has so far left the market to Google and Samsung. However, that's not unusual for Apple. The company didn't release the first smartphone or MP3 player, but when it finally entered the market, the company crushed the competition.

SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly preparing iPhone price hikes (because of course they are)

Finally, the Siri AI beta will take one step closer to a public release, bringing Apple into the AI era at last.

We will be very interested to see if history repeats itself with the folding iPhone, or if the device goes the way of the Vision Pro.

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Categories: IT General, Technology
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