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I've used Excel for years, and it does almost everything I need it to do. But there's a difference between organizing information in a spreadsheet and building an interface that makes it easy to manage. Creating dashboards, linking related information, and automating workflows can take considerable effort, even with Copilot. Excel is excellent at handling data, but sometimes I want something designed specifically for managing it.

For a long time, I mainly used my desktop PC at home for work. I have always had an old laptop, but haven't had much use for it. Recently, however, I started to travel around a bit more and needed to work more while I was on the move. I quickly found out just how slow and outdated my laptop was, and it didn't take long before I gave up on it. Looking for a quick solution, I decided to break out my Galaxy tablet and revisit an old Samsung feature that I hadn't thought about in a long time.

Updated on Friday, Nov 13 at 09:35am ET: Microsoft continues to work on the global outage that brought down Outlook and other Microsoft 365 services on Thursday (and into Friday morning).

The company's latest update says that they're "continuing to see improvements in service availability, with email queues significantly reduced and approaching normal levels." However, the problem is still not entirely fixed, as Microsoft says "some users may still experience intermittent access issues or delayed email delivery as recovery continues."

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Updated on Friday, Nov 13 at 07:35am ET: Microsoft's latest update confirms they've made "additional progress toward recovery" and that traffic is "being gradually restored" — although "some users may still experience intermittent issues."

Yep, the Microsoft Outage is still ongoing as of Friday morning — but there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

The global issues affecting Outlook, Teams, Copilot, Microsoft 365, and other major services began on Thursday and brought many people's workdays to a swift halt.

SEE ALSO: When will the global Microsoft Outlook outage be fixed? What we know.

At 4:24 a.m. ET, a Microsoft post on X indicated that the company was finally seeing signs of "early stabilization" and taking steps to preserve people's email. The company extended email timeout to 48 hours to ensure that messages that failed to deliver on Thursday aren't totally lost.

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At the start of the workday, major services including Outlook remained unavailable for many users. At 9:17 a.m. ET, the company reported that it was "continuing to see improvements in service availability, with email queues significantly reduced and approaching normal levels."

By 10:00 a.m., user error reports on the platform DownDetector had plateaued, though they were still elevated from baseline levels. As of this writing, Microsoft's Service Health Status page still lists both Microsoft 365 (business and enterprise) and Microsoft Consumer Products as experiencing "service degradation."

Microsoft is still investigating the cause of the outage, but Microsoft has previously said it is "not aware of any malicious activity that is causing this incident."

How the Microsoft outage began

The outage began in the early afternoon on Thursday, impacting Microsoft 365 Enterprise products and causing a massive spike in reported user issues for services like Outlook, per Downdetector.

Microsoft shared updates on X and on its status page, providing hourly reports suggesting they were working towards a resolution. Clearly, though, the fix has been more complicated than they'd hoped. As the issues continued into the night, the company confirmed on X that changes it had made to try and "improve serviceability" were not "taking as expected".

The internet reacted by touching grass, and – given that the outage is ongoing as of Friday morning – the UK is currently doing the same.

This is a developing story...

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Microsoft Outlook’s widespread service outage that began yesterday has entered its second day. The disruption affects individuals and businesses who rely on Microsoft’s tools, with Teams, OneDrive, and other Microsoft365 services caught up in it too. There are early signs of improvement, but still no concrete timeline for full recovery. The extended Microsoft outage shows what happens when several connected services relying on the same infrastructure become unreliable at the same time. Here’s what this means for you and what you should do.

Back in 2025, Dell had decided to retire the XPS branding for its laptops, instead calling the former line simply ‘Dell’ or ‘Dell Premium’ laptops. However, earlier this year, the company decided to bring the popular brand back, and the new Dell XPS 13, XPS 14, and XPS 16 have the hardware and software we’ve come to enjoy under the familiar name.

We live in an attention economy, where everything is pleading for your attention all of the time. This usually means that you spend way too much time on your phone and get distracted by social media feeds.

Linux users love to talk about how much faster their systems are compared to Windows, and you might wonder what kind of performance boosts they're actually talking about. I decided to do a few of my own tests to get some answers.

TL;DR: Watch France vs. South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship for free on ITVX. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Nations Championship consistently features high-profile matchups between elite international sides. That's the aim of the competition.

We've been blessed by weeks of fascinating contests, but there's still something special about France vs. South Africa. This feels like a real battle between two sides that are likely to be competing for the World Cup trophy next year. We can't pick a winner, but South Africa are probably slight favorites. They are pretty much always favorites, and France will need to deliver an incredible performance to take the win at the Stade de France. It's going to be a lively evening.

If you're interested in watching France vs. South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is France vs. South Africa?

France vs. South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship kicks off at 3:10 p.m. ET on Nov. 13. This fixture takes place at the Stade de France.

How to watch France vs. South Africa for free

France vs. South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can livestream the 2026 Nations Championship for free from anywhere in the world.

Livestream France vs. South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch France vs. South Africa for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch France vs. South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream multiple weekends before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream France vs. South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

I was a late adopter, but I've come to acknowledge the benefits of a smartphone that doubles as a digital wallet. Most Android phones come with Google Wallet, and while it's by far the best option for most people, it isn't the only one.

TL;DR: Hasbro's $39.99 Blooms by Play-Doh Rose Bouquet Kit lets adults craft 20 display-ready faux roses with baby's breath. It launches exclusively at Walmart on Nov. 13, before expanding to other retailers in early 2027.

Opens in a new window Credit: Play-Doh Blooms by Play-Doh Rose Bouquet Kit $39.99 at Walmart
  Shop Now at Walmart

Play-Doh is officially getting into home decor. With the launch of the Blooms by Play-Doh Rose Bouquet Kit, the brand has expanded its adult crafting lineup to offer a hands-on project with a display-worthy payoff: a complete, permanent vase of red roses and baby's breath made entirely by hand.

Designed for crafters of all skill levels, the all-in-one box packs everything you need to build an arrangement of 20 bold red roses accented with sprigs of baby's breath. Instead of fiddling with florist wire or messy hot glue, the set comes loaded with Play-Doh compound, flower-making extruder tools, faux greenery, a vase, and step-by-step instructions.

You simply use the blooming tool to press and shape the petals into full blossoms, let the compound dry, mist them with finishing spray to lock everything in place, and arrange the bouquet in the included vase.

SEE ALSO: The 93 best Christmas gifts for 2026: Our favorite gift ideas from Apple, Lego, Kindle, and brands you've never heard of

Once everything dries, you have a solid, display-ready centerpiece that will not droop after three days on your table. It is an easy, low-maintenance craft whether you are putting it together for a party or just want a relaxing creative project that does not involve a screen.

You can pick up the Blooms by Play-Doh Rose Bouquet Kit now for $39.99 exclusively at Walmart. If you are eyeing one for holiday gifting, Walmart holds the exclusive run through the season before it arrives at other retailers in early 2027.

Documentaries are back in a big way, with there being some incredibly impactful releases over the last couple of years. While the ones on Netflix are often thrust into the limelight, there is another platform that has some pretty interesting and engaging picks. Paramount+ delivers a wide array of films covering everything from the dark world of true crime to stories of survival and overcoming adversity.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $141.97 at Amazon, down from its $179.95 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box $141.97 at Amazon
$179.95 Save $37.98   Get Deal at Amazon

After spending much of the year at eye-watering prices due to the massive market values for particular chase cards, the Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box is finally becoming easier on your trading card budget — now back under $145 in an early Black Friday deal.

As of Nov. 13, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box costs just $141.97 at Amazon, a $37.98 drop from the latest $179.95 list price. At 21% off, you’ll also get free delivery set for Nov. 24 at the time of writing, and it is only $16.52 off its $125.45 TCGplayer market price. 

SEE ALSO: Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections: Live restock updates at Amazon, Walmart, and Target (Nov. 13)

This new deal from third-party seller Thumbs Up Distribution undercuts the $150.81 Amazon deal we covered just over a week ago and is the lowest price this ETB has seen on Amazon since April — right before its market price skyrocketed. 

Each Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box includes nine titular booster packs, a full-art foil N's Zekrom promo card, 65 sleeves, Energy cards, and extra accessories.

In The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, viewers will witness the first sparks of the revolution that eventually catch fire in The Hunger Games trilogy. But if Sunrise on the Reaping stars Mckenna Grace and Ben Wang had to lead their own revolution, which franchise characters would they want by their sides?

SEE ALSO: The first 20 minutes of 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' blew me away

To find out, Grace and Wang, who play District 12 tributes Maysilee Donner and Wyatt Callow, stopped by Mashable's Say More studio to play a game of Choose Your Squad. They drafted their own revolutionary teams from a list of characters from the original Hunger Games trilogy, as well as Sunrise on the Reaping and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. That's right, everyone from Katniss Everdeen to Lucy Gray Baird is in play.

Which character will be the first draft pick? Which squad would pull off the best revolution? And will either Grace or Wang pull the ultimate wild card move and draft President Snow to their side?

Find out by watching the whole video above, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters Nov. 20.

Your laptop battery shouldn't feel like it's racing against a countdown timer. Yet sometimes, even with a relatively light workload, you watch the percentage drop faster than expected. Closing a few apps, lowering screen brightness, and enabling Battery Saver might help, but they don't necessarily address the root cause.

Look, I'm out here stressing about my Spotify Wrapped, and there's another damning trail of user-behavior evidence lurking on my phone: my distinct lack of mathematical ability.

In case you hadn't stared directly at the corner of the Calculator app, you might be surprised to learn there's a History feature. Introduced with iOS 18 in 2024, the feature might have gone under the radar for most.

Perhaps the tool would be useful for those needing to refer to their previous sums for budget reasons or their calculations for deeper research. But as content creators Jess Walton and Sammy Day have proved, the feature is deeply effective for absolutely roasting the people you love.

SEE ALSO: Why Jordan Klepper thinks we're living in "dumb McCarthyism"

I checked my Calculator History and found I'd asked technology to do very basic sums for me, and, reader, I'm a busy person. I left math behind in high school, and I'm deeply unmotivated to learn it again on Duolingo. But I can appreciate your complete permission to roast me for asking an app what 20 divided by 5 is. I was in a hurry.

How to find one's Calculator History (for roasting purposes or general interest) Total Time

• 1 min

What You Need

• iPhone
• Calculator app

Step 1: Open Calculator on iPhone.

Step 2: Tap the clock icon in the top left.

Step 3: Behold your brilliance.

Don't bully, just lightly roast. A gentle searing, even.

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"Did I make a mistake in choosing my UniFi network over building my own?" That's a thought that has gone through my mind many times before. So, I decided to put it to the test by deploying my own DIY router in my homelab. The goal was to see how capable OPNsense was and if it could reasonably replace my UniFi setup. It honestly had way more features than I expected it to—more features than my UniFi system has, actually.

Updated on Friday, Nov. 13 at 4:59 a.m. ET / Thursday, Nov. 13 at 1:59 a.m. PT — Microsoft says it's "seeing early stabilization and capacity improvements as recovery actions continue." The company also said it has extended email timeout to 48 hours to help preserve delayed mail during this event.

Updated on Friday, Nov. 13 at 1:08 a.m. ET / Thursday, Nov. 12 at 10:08 p.m. PT — Microsoft is still looking into the cause of the outage, but states that at present it is "not aware of any malicious activity that is causing this incident."

Updated on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 10:58 p.m. ET / 7:58 p.m. PT — Unfortunately, Microsoft's efforts to bring servers back online aren't going as planned. It appears to have been unable to address the issue of them becoming unresponsive again, and has stated it is now searching for different ways to increase traffic capacity.

"We've monitored the status of the changes applied to improve serviceability and confirmed they're not taking as expected," Microsoft wrote in an update on X.

Updated on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 8:07 p.m. ET / 5:07 p.m. PT — Microsoft has revised its list of features and services impacted by this outage, stating that it is affecting ones that interact with Exchange Online and email services. Microsoft Outlook, SharePoint Online, Teams, Copilot AI, and 365 are all continuing to have various issues, though Azure appears to be operational.

Updated on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7:53 p.m. ET / 4:53 p.m. PT — Microsoft has issued a new update stating that the servers they've brought back online may become unresponsive again when they receive traffic. The company is currently investigating the issue, though in the meantime it's limiting the types of traffic going to these servers in some locations.

Updated on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6:23 p.m. ET / 3:23 p.m. PT — Microsoft states that it is bringing some servers back online, and "they remain stable so far." Users should expect a "gradual recovery."

"We're also shifting traffic to alternate routes wherever possible and observing limited recovery," Microsoft wrote in an update on X. "In parallel, we've streamlined the process of returning the remaining affected servers to service."

Microsoft is experiencing a significant global outage today, resulting in Outlook, Teams, Copilot, Microsoft 365, and other popular services going down for an extended period of time.

While Microsoft deals with the outage, many users have been left wondering, "Just when will I be able to access my emails, messages, and calendars again?"

SEE ALSO: Microsoft 365 outage: Outlook is down, and the internet is touching grass

Unfortunately, Microsoft has yet to share an estimated timeframe in which users can expect Microsoft 365 products to be up and running again. In an update posted to X at 4:00 p.m. ET, Microsoft struck an optimistic tone, saying that some affected servers were already back online. But by 5:09 p.m. ET, the company acknowledged its services were still down.

"We’re opening all available pathways to restore service, as our actions taken thus far have not provided the anticipated relief," the company wrote on X and a status page.

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

This isn't the first time Microsoft services have experienced outages. Most recently, Microsoft Outlook went down on Aug. 31 of this year.

That Aug. 31 Outlook outage began around noon, and according to our reporting at the time, service had been fully restored by 11 p.m. ET that night. If Microsoft is able to deploy fixes in a similar timeframe, then today's Microsoft Outlook outage should be fixed around 11:30 p.m. ET tonight.

However, the timeframe for this particular outage could be very different, depending on the issue involved and what Microsoft needs to do to get services up and running again.

Mashable reached out to Microsoft with questions about the outage, but the company had not responded at the time of publication.

This is a developing story...

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We know that Phoebe Bridgers can sing, but it appears she may also have a future in roast battles.

In the SNL promo above the Lost Weekend artist and Primetime star appears alongside this week's host John Mulaney and cast member Ben Marshall, who is convinced that Mulaney's about to start roasting him at any second.

"No seriously, I mostly do observational stuff about municipal arcana," Mulaney explains, before Marshall inexplicably storms off.

"What was his problem?" Mulaney asks Bridgers. The response? "He's just mad he looks like Temu Ron Weasley." Ouch.

IPv6 has been around for decades, and most of us have probably heard the same explanation about why we need it. We are running out of IPv4 addresses; IPv6 has an almost unimaginable number of addresses, and eventually, everything will move over to it. That is usually where the conversation ends, which is a shame because IPv6 has some pretty interesting features up its sleeve.

SAVE $92: As of Nov. 13, the Dyson Supersonic Travel is on sale for $299.99 at Amazon. That's a 23% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic Travel $299.99 at Amazon
$391.99 Save $92   Get Deal at Amazon

Sometimes packing for a weekend trip can be as challenging as a full-on vacation. You need to pack the same toiletries, beauty products, and styling tools, but with much less luggage space. That's where the Dyson Supersonic Travel comes in handy.

It's designed to deliver the same powerful drying performance as its full-sized counterpart, but 32% smaller and 25% lighter than the regular Dyson Supersonic Nural.

But don't be fooled by its compact size. The Supersonic Travel doesn't skimp on features. It still uses Dyson's intelligent heat control technology to help protect hair from extreme heat damage, as well as its Air Multiplier technology, which delivers powerful airflow for faster drying. There are three heat settings and two speed settings to choose from, plus a travel concentrator attachment for more precise styling. It also automatically adapts to different voltages, so you won't have to worry about using it abroad, which is often a concern with Dyson styling tools.

And as an added bonus, this kit comes bundled with Dyson's Omega leave-in conditioning spray. This product helps to detangle, smooth frizz, and protect hair against heat and humidity — the typical vacation hair concerns.

You can find this Dyson deal available on Amazon right now.