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If you've considered learning Python but didn't follow because you weren't planning to get into development, then it's time to rethink. Python has diverse applications, fun experiments to personal use cases. Here are all the reasons to start learning today.

Toyota vehicles have long been known for commanding higher resale prices than most of their competitors, often retaining thousands more in value after several years of ownership. While many assume this advantage comes purely from brand loyalty or reputation, the real explanation runs much deeper. Behind Toyota’s strong resale performance is a carefully built foundation of engineering consistency, long-term durability, and buyer trust that few automakers have managed to replicate.

Hollywood has always had the power, the money, the talent, and the drive to bring the ideas of the world's greatest storytellers to life. But what it has often lacked is the restraint to get the hell out of the way and let those visionaries do their jobs.

If your phone is being blow up by the Xbox app right now, you're not alone.

Around 12:30 p.m. ET, users began receiving a flurry of pop-up app alerts that all read:

This is a dummy test message sent via braze. please capture a screenshot once you receive it. This should take you to the recently added gallery.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog: See the latest updates

App users, of course, flocked to reddit to discuss the wave of seemingly endless notifications. In one post that has since been removed by moderators, users suspected the issue was internal. "Someone pushed Test to Prod. The entire app is broken," one user wrote. Others, noting the message referred to the dev tool Braze, explained it was probably a fluke test message intended to be sent only to internal teams. "It doesn’t mean anything, It doesn’t mean your account was hacked, compromised, or targeted, it’s most likely just a backend testing error that slipped through," said one Reddit user.

"Took me to the 'uninstalling this app ASAP headspace' is what it did," wrote another disgruntled user.

Credit: Mashable / Screenshot What is Braze?

Braze is a customer engagement and audience platform. It offers tools and quality assurance services that allow companies to test and send messaging campaigns — what many users assume led to the Xbox app spam.

What is going on at Xbox?

Last week, Xbox fans were surprised to hear that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer was retiring from his role at the company. Xbox president Sarah Bond also announced she was resigning, writing in a follow up statement that she would stay on as special advisor to incoming Xbox head Asha Sharma. Bond said the move was both a personal and professional decision.

Mashable reached out to Xbox for comment and will continue to update this story.

Best mini PC deals to run OpenClaw at a glance Best Apple deal Apple Mac mini (M4, 16GB, 156GB SSD) $569 (save $30) Get Deal Best Kamuri deal Kamuri Pinova P2 Mini PC (16GB, 512GB SSD) $299.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best Beelink deal Beelink Mini PC (24GB, 500GB SSD) $439 (save $30) Get Deal

OpenClaw is the latest AI attempting to make our lives (maybe?) easier. The open-source AI assistant runs locally on your device that operates on your behalf, scanning your email inbox, messages, calendar, Slack notifications, and more. On top of this, OpenClaw can alert you of especially important items that come across your virtual desk. Use OpenClaw with ChatGPT and you could be scheduling flights, replying to messages, and plenty more.

So long as you're cool with using AI and the inherent security risks that come with OpenClaw, you might want a mini PC dedicated to running the lobster AI assistant. For a time, the OpenClaw hype was so real that Silicone Valley buyers were depleting the supply of the Mac Mini. That initial bump has settled down (for now) and we have the Mac Mini in stock and on sale today, plus a few other mini PCs that could be ideal for OpenClaw.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Mac Mini (M4, 16GB, 256GB SSD) $569 at Amazon
$599 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're in the Apple ecosphere, the Mac mini with M4 chip could be awesome for running OpenClaw. The version with 16GB of memory and 256GB SSD usually sells for $599, but it's on sale today at Amazon for $569.

The Mac Mini has two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, ethernet connection, HDMI, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports. Like the name suggests, Apple went small with this mini PC and it weighs under two pounds and measures five inches in width and length, and just two inches in height. It'll be easy to travel with the Mac mini or find a spot for it on your desktop.

Best Kamuri deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kamuri Kamuri Pinova P2 Mini PC (16GB, 512GB SSD) $299.99 at Amazon
$319.99 Save $20   Get Deal Why we like it

Coming in at a smidge smaller than the Mac Mini, the Kamuri Pinova 2 Mini PC is another great option for OpenClaw. Today's sale price of $299.99 applies to the model with 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD, which is expandable to up to 4TB.

Since the Kamuri Pinova 2 Mini PC will be powered on 24/7 to run OpenClaw, it'll be nice to have the under 38 decibel fan noise. Plus, Kamuri includes a VESA mount and screws so you can easily keep your desktop clear and affix the mini PC to the back of a monitor.

Best Beehive deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beelink Beelink Mini PC (24GB, 500GB SSD) $439 at Amazon
$469 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

With support for WiFI 6, the Beelink Mini PC is more than capable of operating OpenClaw. Plus, Beelink gets major bragging rights for being incredibly lightweight. The Beelink weighs just 400 grams which works out to 0.88 pounds, or about half the weight of the Apple Mac Mini.

Today's sale price of $439 earns you 24GB RAM and 500GB SSD, running AMD Ryzen 7. Beelink incorporated two fans on this model — one for the system itself and an additional SSD fan.

Just how much does one phone change in a year, anyway?

That's what we're here to find out. Samsung just launched its Galaxy S26 Ultra flagship handset at a Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco, which means it's time to see how it compares to the Galaxy S25 Ultra from a year ago. Both phones are powerful Android devices, but one would hope that an extra year has given Samsung some time to refine and improve the S26 Ultra.

We've only gotten a little hands-on time with the newest flagship, and we'll have a full review coming soon. In the meantime, here's how the two phones compare in terms of price, specs, and feature set.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: Price The new Galaxy S26 Ultra. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

This one's easy. The S25 Ultra launched at $1,299.99 last year, and so did the S26 Ultra this year. Samsung didn't increase the price year-over-year, which will make this comparison easier. (The S26 and S26 plus did get a price increase, however.)

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog: See the latest updates Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: Specs and display

Here are the basic specs of the Galaxy S25 Ultra:

• 6.9-inch AMOLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and 3120x1440 resolution

• Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor

• 256GB/512GB/1TB storage options

• 12GB RAM

• 5,000mAh battery

And here are the same specs for Galaxy S26 Ultra for simple comparison's sake:

• 6.9-inch AMOLED display with adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate and 3120x1440 resolution

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor

• 256/512GB/1TB storage options

• 12/16GB RAM

• 5,000mAh battery

As you can see, Samsung didn't rock the boat with this annual upgrade. Both phones seemingly have almost the exact same display specs, as well as the same battery sizes. That said, Samsung did make some changes for 2026. The processor is newer and theoretically more powerful, and the 1TB storage model also comes with an increase to 16GB RAM. That means performance should be better on the new phone, though it remains to be seen just by how much.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: Top new features

As for what's new with the S26 Ultra, the biggest answer would probably be Privacy Display. This is a new, built-in feature at the device level that will dim the screen to anyone looking at it from an off angle, hopefully giving users some peace of mind as they look at...whatever they're looking at in public. We don't yet know how well this works due to a lack of direct testing, but the S25 Ultra didn't have this, and the S26 Ultra does.

Beyond that, the S26 Ultra brings 60-watt fast charging to the mix. If you have a compatible charger and are tired of waiting around for your phone to fill up, this is great news.

The new Privacy Display feature in action. Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra hands-on: Privacy Display is the coolest innovation by far Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: Cameras

Both the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and its predecessor feature four rear cameras: 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, 10MP with 3x optical zoom. Both devices also have a front-facing 12MP selfie camera.

However, according to Samsung, the new Galaxy S26 Ultra features wider camera apertures, allowing more light to enter and resulting in clearer and more detailed photos. The company also says the Galaxy S26 Ultra has upgraded Super Steady capabilities for smoother 4K video and Enhanced Nightography Video to enhance output in lowlight settings.

Overall, you can expect a better camera system with the S26 Ultra, which is no surprise.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: More AI features Like the S25 Ultra, the S26 Ultra will generate a daily briefing. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

Samsung has made some upgrades to the overall AI feature set with the S26 Ultra. Unsurprisingly, the S26 is being called an "agentic" phone with a unified artificial intelligence experience across all your devices, and Galaxy Unpacked focused heavily on AI. As one example, the S26 Ultra will offer AI call screening, answering calls and taking notes when you're too busy to answer. Users can also choose between Samsung's Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity.

In addition, the S26 Ultra has a new suite of AI image and video editing tools, dubbed Creative Studio. A new AI image editor is also built directly into the camera app. Users can describe the edits they want, and the AI will take care of the rest.

Where to preorder the new Samsung Galaxy Buds4: Samsung.com Samsung Galaxy Buds4 $179.99 Pre-Order Here Samsung.com Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro $249.99 (exclusive Pink Gold color available) Pre-Order Here Amazon Samsung Galaxy Buds4 $179.99 Pre-Order Here Amazon Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro $249.99 Pre-Order Here Best Buy Samsung Galaxy Buds4 $179.99 Pre-Order Here Best Buy Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro $249.99 Pre-Order Here

Samsung has updated its flagship earbuds for 2026, announcing the new Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds4 Pro during its Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday. Preorders are now open at Samsung.com ahead of their March 11 launch alongside new Galaxy S26 smartphones.

The Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro retail for $179.99 and $249.99, respectively, the same price as their predecessors from mid-2024. Both variants come in matte black and white finishes, but Samsung's website carries the upgraded Galaxy Buds4 Pros in a third pink gold colorway. You can also preorder the earbuds from Amazon and Best Buy.

The Galaxy Buds4 Pro come in black, white, and a Samsung.com-exclusive pink gold finish. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

In a press release, Samsung said it redesigned the Buds4 series with smaller, more ergonomic earbud heads for a comfier fit. The vanilla Galaxy Buds4 still have an open-ear design like Apple's AirPods, while the Buds4 Pros have a canal-fit shape like the AirPods Pro. But the stems on both buds now have a metal finish and an engraved pinch control area that makes it easier to feel when you go to adjust settings.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S26 series announced, including S26 Plus and Ultra

Features-wise, the Galaxy Buds4 series has improved noise cancellation and an enhanced Adaptive Equalizer tool that adjusts the ANC based on the user's ear shape. They also add hands-free support for new AI assistant integrations, including Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity.

The Galaxy Buds4 series offer up to 30 total hours of music playback with their charging cases. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

The Galaxy Buds4 Pro tack on a wider woofer for improved sound quality and new AirPods-y head gesture controls. They also last slightly longer than the Buds4, offering up to six hours of music playback per charge with the ANC off and seven hours with it on. (That increases to 26 hours and 30 hours, respectively, with their charging case.) The standard Galaxy Buds4 can play music for up to five hours with the ANC on and six with it off, for a total listening time of 24 hours and 30 hours, respectively, when the case is involved.

The Galaxy Buds4s are IP54 rated for dust and splash resistance. The Buds4 Pros' IP57 rating takes that slightly further: They can withstand temporary submersion.

For more on this new generation of earbuds, we broke down the upgrades between the Buds4 and Buds3 line.

Head to Mashable's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog for the latest updates as the newest Samsung products and features are unveiled.

Where to preorder the new Samsung Galaxy S26 series smartphones: Samsung.com Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB) $899.99 Pre-Order Here Samsung.com Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus (256GB) $1,099.99 Pre-Order Here Samsung.com Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB) $1,299.99 Pre-Order Here

After months of extensive leaks and teasers, Samsung officially unveiled its latest AI-forward smartphones at Galaxy Unpacked Wednesday. The new Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra are set for release on March 11 alongside some new Galaxy Buds4, and preorders are now live on Samsung.com. Starting prices range from $899.99 to $1,299.99, and buyers can save up to $900 with a trade-in.

Amazon, Best Buy, and major phone carriers will open their Galaxy S26 preorders shortly. (Their deals are often better than Samsung's — think free gift card offers or entirely free phones with a new line and data plan.) This story will be updated as soon as their listings appear.

The new Samsung Galaxy S26 smartphones and Galaxy Buds4 earbuds both launch on March 11. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

The Galaxy S26 series runs on a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 4 for Galaxy chipset, and all models now start with at least 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Their design is slimmer and less boxy than their predecessors, last year's Galaxy S25 series, and they're made from aluminum instead of titanium. They all offer integration for Google Gemini and Perplexity alongside an upgraded Bixby assistant.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S26 series announced, including S26 Plus and Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra got the most noteworthy updates, including a redesigned vapor chamber for better heat dissipation, faster charging, Corning Gorilla Armor 2, and an industry-first Privacy Display feature. (No need for a physical screen protector.)

All retailers will sell the Galaxy S26 series in four colors: cobalt violet, sky blue, black, and white. Samsung will carry two additional finishes called silver shadow and pink gold.

Samsung Galaxy S26: Specs and pricing Samsung's entry-level phone is no longer available with 128GB of storage. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

The standard Galaxy S26 is configurable with 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage, and it starts at $899.99. That's not a price bump from the previous generation, by the way: The Galaxy S25 base model was $799.99, but it only had a 128GB storage capacity.

Here's what that gets you:

• Display: 6.3-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ (2340 × 1080) resolution and 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• Camera setup: 50MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide lens, and 10MP telephoto lens

• Battery capacity: 4,300mAh

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Specs and pricing The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus is the only model that got a true price hike from the previous generation. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

The mid-tier Galaxy S26 Plus has the same memory and storage options as well as the same camera setup. It starts at $1,099.99, which is a $100 increase from the Galaxy S25 Plus. Compared to the vanilla Galaxy S26, it has a bigger, nicer display and a larger battery:

• Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED display with with a QHD+ (3120 x 1440) resolution and a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• Battery capacity: 4,900mAh

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Specs and pricing The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will compete with Apple's iPhone 17 Pro. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

The high-end Galaxy S26 Ultra comes in three configuration options: 12GB RAM/256GB storage, 16GB RAM/512GB storage, or 16GB RAM/1TB storage. It has the same $1,299.99 starting price as the 2025 Galaxy S25 Ultra despite its upgrades. (Read our deeper dive into their differences.)

Compared to the other Galaxy S26 phones, the Ultra has the biggest display, added stylus support, the biggest, fastest-charging battery, and an extra telephoto lens:

• Display: 6.9-inch AMOLED display with with a QHD+ (3120 x 1440) resolution and a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• Camera setup: 200MP main camera, 50MP ultra-wide lens, and 50 and 10MP telephoto lenses with up to 5x optical zoom

• Battery capacity: 5,000mAh with 60w charging

Head to Mashable's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog for the latest updates as the newest Samsung products and features are unveiled.

Following months of rumors and leaks, Samsung has officially revealed the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. They seem like great upgrades for anyone with an older phone, but if you have an S24 or S25, you can probably sit this one out.

It's time for another round of Google vs. Samsung.

Google launched the Pixel 10 phone last summer, while Samsung's newest flagship, the Galaxy S26, is making its grand debut in the new year. These two Android heavyweights have plenty in common, but also enough points of divergence to make it a real decision for anyone looking to upgrade their non-iOS handset.

Here is how the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 compare, with the caveat that we've only had a little hands-on time with the S26 so far.

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Google Pixel 10: Price Last year's Pixel 10 phones. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Our first category is the easiest to figure out. The Galaxy S26 is launching at $899.99, while the Pixel 10's MSRP is $799. However, while that might make it seem like the Pixel 10 has the edge, it's not so simple. For the S26, Samsung eliminated the 128GB option, and the starting version now has 256GB of storage. The equivalent Pixel model is priced at $899, only a $0.99 difference.

We typically recommend people get at least 256GB of storage anyway. However, if you're OK with 128GB and want the cheapest possible price, then the Pixel 10 does technically offer the lower price.

SEE ALSO: Does the S26 have a price increase over the S25? Yes and no. Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Google Pixel 10: Specs

Here are the basic specs for the Pixel 10:

• 6.3-inch display with 1080x2424 resolution and 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• 12GB RAM

• 128GB/256GB storage

• Google Tensor G5 chip

• 4,970mAh battery

And here are the equivalent specs in the Galaxy S26:

• 6.3-inch display with 1080x2340 resolution and 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• 12GM RAM

• 256/512GB storage

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

• 4,300mAh battery

There are some notable differences here, but let's start with the similarities. Both devices have the same display size and resolutions that are close enough to be more or less indistinguishable to the average person's eyes. Samsung has a slight edge in terms of refresh rate, but only on the lower end; the ability to go all the way down to 1Hz might help with battery life, but in terms of how things actually look, that's not going to be a huge difference for most folks. Both devices also have the same amount of RAM. We'll have to wait and see how the Tensor G5 compares to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip inside Samsung's devices, but generally speaking, Google's in-house Tensor chips aren't powerhouses on benchmark tests, even if daily performance is usually not a problem for them.

As previously noted, there are some differences worth exploring. Samsung's slightly higher price tag might be explained by the larger storage options on the S26. Its max capacity is twice that of the Pixel 10's, which is huge for prolific mobile photographers and videographers. However, Pixel 10's battery size is substantially larger than the S26's. It remains to be seen what kind of practical difference this makes, but it's something to look out for as real testing begins.

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Google Pixel 10: Design Samsung's color array this year. Credit: Chris Taylor/Mashable

Neither of these phones marks much of a departure from their immediate predecessors. The Pixel 10 retains the same basic look as the Pixel 9, sticking with Google's signature Cyclops-like horizontal camera bar on the back. Google's latest Pixel comes in four colors: Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, and Obsidian. The Indigo color is especially nice to look at, in my opinion.

Galaxy S26 also looks pretty similar to the Galaxy S25, with three vertically oriented camera lenses on the upper left corner of the phone's backside. They do jut out a little more this year than they did before, so the S26 might be a tad more awkward on a flat surface than the S25 was. Lastly, the S26 comes in six colors: Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold. Those last two are online exclusives.

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Google Pixel 10: AI features Magic Cue in action. Credit: Screenshot: Alex Perry/Mashable

The AI arms race has led both the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 to fairly similar places, at least in terms of which features fit onto a bullet point list for each device. How the features actually work will, at least in the case of the S26, have to wait until a real review.

Pixel 10 introduced live language translation during phone calls, which is also supported in Samsung's AI ecosystem. It also brought in Magic Cue, a context-dependent system that will surface certain information from your emails or text messages if they happen to come up during regular use. If someone texts you about an event in your calendar, that information will helpfully pop up right in front of you, for example. Galaxy S26 introduces something that sounds pretty similar in Now Nudge, but we don't yet know how (or if) it differs in function from Magic Cue.

Both devices also feature AI mainstays like Google's Circle to Search, as well as support for Gemini. Samsung's phone also comes with a newly enhanced version of the Bixby voice assistant, as well as access to Perplexity, if that's what you prefer.

While the S26 and Pixel 10 both feature plenty of AI image and video editing tools, Samsung has gone a step further this year by putting them all in one app, called Creative Studio. It's a one-stop shop for AI editing, rather than having to switch between two or three apps. Again, we don't yet know how this differs in practice from the Pixel 10 AI experience, but it's a good idea nonetheless. Aside from editing existing images, Creative Studio will also let users generate new images from text prompts.

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Google Pixel 10: Cameras The signature Pixel camera bump. It's like that X-Men guy. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Of course, everyone wants a good camera setup on their smartphone. Here are the basic camera specs for the Galaxy S26:

• 50MP main lens

• 12MP ultra-wide lens

• 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom

• 12MP selfie lens

And here are the equivalent specs for Pixel 10:

• 48MP main lens

• 13MP ultra-wide lens

• 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom

• 10.5MP selfie lens

Purely as far as numbers are concerned, there aren't many big differences here. It's great that both of these base model phones have telephoto lenses, as that was, until recently, something you could only expect to get on Pro-level phones. The biggest advantage either phone has over the other in regard to camera specs is that the Pixel 10's telephoto lens is capable of greater optical zoom than the S26's. Google has been a winner in terms of mobile zoom capabilities for a few years now, and that seemingly hasn't changed here, though we'll have to wait until we do further testing to definitively declare a winner.

Head to Mashable's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog for the latest updates as the newest Samsung products and features are unveiled.

There's a new base model in town.

At Galaxy Unpacked 2026, Samsung officially unveiled the standard Galaxy S26 — and on paper, it looks a lot like last year's Galaxy S25. But as always, the devil's in the details.

Let's not waste time: Here's how the base Galaxy S26 compares to the base Galaxy S25 in terms of price, design, specs, camera, and battery life.

Credit: Mashable / Joseph Maldonado Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Price

Samsung will be giving the Galaxy S26 a notable bump from the S25's launch price, which started closer to the traditional $799 base tier.

S25:

• 128GB/12GB RAM: $799.99

• 256GB/12GB RAM: $859.99

S26:

• 128GB/12GB RAM: $899.99

• 256GB/12GB RAM: $959.99

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Design and display

At first glance, the S26 doesn't reinvent the wheel. It sticks with a compact footprint and flat edges, measuring 71.7 x 149 x 7.2mm and weighing 167 grams. That’s slightly thicker and heavier than the S25, which came in at 5.84mm thick and 162 grams.

Display-wise, the S26 gets a 6.3-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The S25 featured a slightly smaller 6.2-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz support. In other words: marginally bigger screen, same smooth scrolling.

S25:

• 6.2-inch display

• 120Hz refresh rate

• Thickness: 5.84mm

• Weight: 162g

• Colors: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold, Navy, Mint, Icy Blue, Silver Shadow

S26:

• 6.3-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display

• 120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• Thickness: 7.2mm

• Weight: 167g

• Colors: Black, White, Sky Blue, and Cobalt Violet

You're getting a slightly bigger screen and a touch more heft, but the overall footprint still firmly sits in "compact flagship" territory. If you liked the S25’s one-handed feel, the S26 won’t shock you.

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Performance and software

Here's where the S26 makes a more meaningful leap.

The base Galaxy S26 is powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, with some regions expected to get Samsung's in-house Exynos 2600 processor instead. Either way, this is a generational bump over the S25's Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon, promising better efficiency, stronger sustained performance, and more AI headroom.

S25:

• Snapdragon 8 Elite

• 12GB RAM

• 128GB or 256GB storage

• Android 15 at launch (One UI 7)

S26:

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

• Exynos 2600

• 12GB RAM

• 256GB or 512GB storage

• Android 16 with One UI 8.5

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Camera

Here’s where things feel almost identical.

The S26 features:

• 50MP wide

• 12MP ultra-wide (F2.2)

• 10MP telephoto

• 12MP front camera

That's the same core setup as the base S25, which also packs a 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto, and 12MP selfie camera. So no megapixel jump this year. If there are improvements, they'll likely come down to image processing and Galaxy AI enhancements rather than new hardware.

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Battery and charging

Battery capacity gets a modest bump.

The S26 ships with a 4,300mAh battery. The S25 had a 4,000mAh cell. That's not massive, but it's meaningful — especially if paired with software optimizations in Android 16 and One UI 8.5.

Samsung also claims the S26 can reach up to a 55 percent battery charge in 30 minutes. The S25 offered strong battery life for its size, but charging speeds weren’t a headline feature. This could be one of the more practical upgrades for everyday users.

Head to Mashable's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog for the latest updates as the newest Samsung products and features are unveiled.

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphone at Samsung Unpacked on Wednesday — or as the tech giant put it, their new "AI phone." Coming in at 0.3 millimetres thinner and four grams lighter than last year's S25 Ultra, Samsung's 2026 flagship phone continues to lean heavily into AI, aiming to transition machine learning from a feature to an integral part of its infrastructure.

Yet despite this, one of the S26 Ultra's most exciting features has nothing to do with generative AI. Say hello to Samsung's Privacy display, a feature that makes it easier than ever to read smutty fanfiction on public transport.

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Advertised as a world first, the S26 Ultra's Privacy display reduces its screen's viewing angle so that curious bystanders will have a harder time seeing which part of Heated Rivalry you're rewatching. The display does this by using a combination of wide and narrow pixels, which are separated by partition walls. Activating Privacy display turns these wide pixels off, making the display only visible from a more acute angle than usual. You can also narrow this angle even further by turning on Maximum privacy protection mode. 

SEE ALSO: See Samsung Galaxy S26's Privacy Display feature in action

I had the opportunity to try the new Privacy display at a recent Samsung briefing, and found it remarkably effective — particularly its Maximum mode. Activating the Privacy display made the S26 Ultra's screen appear noticeably darker when viewed from wide angles, rendering it more difficult to read if not facing it head-on. However, the display really impressed when the stronger Maximum privacy protection mode was turned on, which immediately made the S26 Ultra's screen appear almost as if the phone had been shut down.

Both the Privacy and Maximum privacy protection modes slightly affect the display, washing out the colours. This is more pronounced in the latter, but still isn't particularly noticeable or bothersome in either when using the S26 Ultra for standard activities. Many users will likely become accustomed to it quickly, and I had to switch the modes on and off to properly appreciate the difference. 

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

If the washed-out display bothers you, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra also allows you to set Privacy display to automatically activate only when using specific apps, entering passwords and PIN numbers, and when receiving notifications. This applies the Privacy display solely to the notification itself, leaving the rest of the screen visible to any snoopers in your vicinity. It's a cool feature that lets users fully enjoy the Samsung Galaxy's brightest-ever display while still maintaining their privacy. 

For others, simply having Maximum privacy protection turned on all the time may offer more peace of mind. Why hide your notifications while leaving your spicy BookTok preferences open for scrutiny? Fortunately, keeping this mode activated shouldn't drain your phone's battery either. A Samsung spokesperson couldn’t definitively say whether Privacy display has any impact on the S26 Ultra's battery life. However, considering that it involves turning pixels off, it seems reasonable to speculate that it may even have a small beneficial effect.

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

To activate the Galaxy S26 Ultra's Privacy display, simply swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open the Quick Settings panel. Tap the "Privacy display" button, and you'll be taken to a menu where you can toggle Privacy display on or choose the conditions for it to activate. Either "Turn on Privacy display," "Conditions for turning on," or both must be activated for Maximum privacy protection to work.

Samsung's new Privacy display is only available on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, so you'll have to spring for the flagship if you want it. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is available for pre-order now, starting at $1,299. It's scheduled to ship on March 11.

Samsung has just announced its latest flagship smartphone line for the year, the Samsung Galaxy S26.

Many eyes are going to be on the most powerful device in the lineup, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. In fact, some of those smartphone users looking at the S26 Ultra may even be iPhone owners who are considering defecting to Android.

So, how does the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra stack up to Apple's most powerful current-generation iPhone, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which was released last fall? Let's take a look at how these two phones compare.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Price Meet the new flagship Galaxy S26 AI smartphone. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

Let's start with what will likely be one of the most important considerations when choosing between the two devices: Pricing.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has the lowest intro price at $1,199 for the 256GB storage model. For the same amount of storage space, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra comes in at $100 more, with a price of $1,299.99.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Maxed out specs The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in cosmic orange. Credit: CNET

If price isn't a concern and you're just looking to get the most powerful smartphone possible, this is where you'll have to make a more decisive choice.

If you want the most storage space possible, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is for you. 

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is only available in three different storage configurations: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, however, has four options: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and a whopping 2TB.

If you're looking for the most memory though, which should speed up your device's performance, then you might want to take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. The iPhone 17 Pro Max comes with 12GB RAM, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra provides two options of 12GB or 16GB of RAM.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Cameras The camera array on the new Galaxy S26 Ultra. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

This is another major factor in your decision-making process.

When it comes to the number of cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the iPhone 17 Pro Max beat. 

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has four rear cameras: 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. It also has a forward-facing 12MP selfie camera.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max, on the other hand, has three 48MP lenses on the rear of the device – wide, ultrawide, and telephoto – along with an 18MP selfie camera on the front of the smartphone. 

When it comes to picture quality, a lot more factors in, such as how each device processes the images and videos, so a hands-on comparison will be necessary before determining which is a better fit for your needs.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Performance and battery life

This one is going to require a hands-on experience in order to tell exactly which device provides the best performance. However, we can still look at the specs.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max uses Apple's A19 Pro processor. Samsung has the custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy powering the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Judging by the Galaxy's predecessor, which was powered by the previous Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, both phones are likely top of the line in terms of performance. We'll share more performance results in a full review soon.

Battery life is another important issue that will require further testing. Apple says the iPhone 17 Pro Max runs on 39 hours of battery life for video playback. In Mashable's review of the device, we were ecstatic over the longevity of the iPhone 17 Pro Max battery.

A leaked EU label for the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra found that it lasted for 55 hours, which is incredible. But, again, we still need to test it out.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Display and Design Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra on display. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

Both Samsung and Apple's devices have a big 6.9-inch display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. However, right off the bat, the Galaxy S26 Ulra has one big advantage. Samsung has introduced the industry's first built-in Privacy Display, which hides the content of the phone from anyone nearby. It's a unique and innovative feature that can be turned on and off.

However, Apple has some advantages. Apple's display can be brighter than Samsung's, especially for outdoor usage. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has 3,000 nits peak brightness, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has 2,600 nits peak brightness. 

In terms of design, the biggest difference will be found on the rear of the device. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a camera bump housing the rear lenses that extends across the entire device. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a stacked camera lens design without any noticeable bump.

Samsung also provides more color choices for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. Consumers can pick between cobalt violet, sky blue, black, and white. In addition to those, there are two online-exclusive colors: Pink gold and silver shadow.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max only has three color options: Cosmic orange, silver, and deep blue. And don't forget about the new iPhone's Scratchgate problems.

New Samsung earbuds are here, following announcements at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026.

Samsung announced two models — the Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds4 Pro, which will retail for $179 and $249, respectively. The earbuds were released alongside the new Galaxy S26 phones and will be available to buy starting March 11, with preorders starting today in select markets.

It's been a couple of years since Samsung last released its standard earbuds and Pro models, so we rounded up everything you need to know, from what's new to pricing and specs.

Opens in a new window Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Pro Starting at $179 Learn More Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Pro: Price and specsGalaxy Buds4

• Retail for $179.99

• Five hours of battery life per charge, six with ANC off (24 hours in case with ANC, 30 hours without)

• 11mm dynamic speaker

• 360 audio

• Adaptive equalizer and noise control

• Adaptive ANC

• Bluetooth 6.1

• Three digital microphones

• IP54 water- and sweat-resistant

• Colors: black, white

Galaxy Buds4 Pro

• Retail for $249.99

• Six hours of battery life per charge, seven with ANC off (26 hours in case with ANC, 30 hours without)

• Enhanced two-way speaker (11mm SuperWide woofer and 5.5mm planar tweeter)

• 360 audio

• Adaptive equalizer and noise control

• Adaptive ANC 2.0

• Bluetooth 6.1

• One HSNR digital microphone, two digital microphones

• IP57 water- and sweat-resistant

• Colors: black, white, pink gold

What's new about the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Pro?

The main improvements for the Buds4 and Buds4 Pro come in the form of improved audio quality and some design upgrades.

The Buds3 line introduced the Apple AirPods-like look, and now Samsung is streamlining it. Both the Buds4 and Buds4 Pro will feature smaller earbud heads, with the intention of providing more comfortable all-day wear. The stem of the earbuds leans into Samsung's blade design, featuring a metal finish, with an engraved area for easier access to the on-ear pinch controls. The final change is the transparent carrying case.

SEE ALSO: YouTuber claims he bought a Galaxy S26 early: Everything revealed

The Buds4 Pro come with an audio improvement in the form of a wider woofer. Up from a 10.5mm DD woofer on the Buds3 Pro, the newer gen will feature an 11mm SuperWide woofer. It is worth noting, however, that the Buds3 Pro featured a 6.1mm planar tweeter, while the Buds4 Pro feature a 5.5mm planar tweeter.

Both the Pro and standard models can now be used in tandem with Galaxy devices for hands-free access to AI features from Bixby and Gemini.

What's the same with the Galaxy Buds4 and Pro?

The Galaxy Buds3 and Buds3 Pro were released in the summer of 2024, at $179.99 and $249.99, respectively — the exact same price points found on the new Buds4 line.

Also the same between the lines is the battery life per charge and in the case, as well as the design differences between the standard and Pro earbuds. The standard earbuds come without a silicone tip and sit just outside the ear canal, while the Pro earbuds do feature a silicone tip for an in-canal fit.

Both generations of buds also feature adaptive noise control, noise cancellation, Auracast, and 360 audio. Between the standard Buds3 and Buds4, both feature an 11mm speaker. However, between those same earbuds, the older generation features an IP57 water- and dust-resistance rating, while the newer earbuds drop to IP54.

Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Pro

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Pro will be available from Samsung on March 11. Preorders start Feb. 25 in select markets.

Head to Mashable's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog for the latest updates as the newest Samsung products and features are unveiled.

The question of how to make hard drives faster has always been a challenge for hard drive makers. Yet we've never figured out how to.

You might have to pay a bit more for a new Samsung Galaxy — but it depends on the model you're planning to purchase.

The tech giant dropped its new line of Galaxy phones at its marquee Unpacked event on Wednesday. Samsung will start shipping the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra on March 11, and all three are available for pre-order now.

Unfortunately, the S26 and S26 plus do arrive with small price increases. Between a global memory shortage, tariffs, and inflation, the news is disappointing but not surprising.

Are there Samsung Galaxy S26 price increases?

Short answer: Yes and no.

The S25 lineup was priced at $799.99, $999.99, and $1,299.99, respectively. And here is the officially pricing for the S26 phones, via Samsung:

• Galaxy S26: $899.99

• Galaxy S26 Plus: $1,099.99

• Galaxy S26 Ultra: $1,299.99

However, there's only one true price increase in the S26 lineup. The S26 Plus is $100 more than the S25 Plus, which was priced at $999.99. For the base model S26, Samsung has simply eliminated the low-memory version of the phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

With the Galaxy S25, the 128GB model started at $799.99, which is, obviously, $100 less than the cheapest S26. However, the Galaxy S26 now starts with 256GB of storage for $899.99, the same price as the equivalent version of the S25. So, the company simply cut the lowest-tier option in lieu of a true price increase.

The S26 Ultra, meanwhile, saw no price increases.

Why did Samsung Galaxy S26 prices increase?

Well, first of all, most things don't get cheaper over time, in general. (TVs are a bizarre exception.) But it's a particularly difficult time for tech products. AI's proliferation has sparked a global memory shortage that shows no signs of abating, which, in turn, has driven up prices. There's also President Donald Trump's tariffs, which has caused a spike in tech prices, too.

So it's no surprise Galaxy prices went up, but at least the increases were relatively small.

In addition, Samsung has eliminated its standard launch deal, which let customers who pre-ordered the new phones get double the storage at no extra cost.

Head to Mashable's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog for the latest updates as the newest Samsung products and features are unveiled.

Finally, after weeks of waiting, the full Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup is here: The Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra are all available for pre-order now and scheduled to launch on March 11.

The Korean phone maker announced its latest series of Android flagships during a Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The S26 Ultra is Samsung's slimmest Ultra series phone yet, and it introduces the world's first-ever built-in Privacy Display. All three phones arrive with various improvements and new AI features, but the S26 and S26 Plus also bring a $100 price increase over the S25 models. In a hands-on demo, we found that the phones are slightly less boxy and lighter than the S25, and we'll be sharing a full review in the weeks ahead.

Mashable is providing live updates from Galaxy Unpacked, so let's dive into everything we learned about the new S26 lineup.

The new Galaxy S26 lineup: Pricing and specs The new Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus phones on display. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable SEE ALSO: Leak: Samsung Galaxy S26 batteries include a surprising downgrade

The new Galaxy S26 line delivers some key upgrades over Samsung's previous-gen phones. The phones feature a custom chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy.

The Galaxy S26 goes for $899, the S26+ for $1,099, and the S26 Ultra for $1,299. The S26 no longer offers a 128GB option, which is why the starting price is now $100 higher. However, the S26 memory and RAM options remain unchanged, yet the price is still $100 higher than last year. A global memory shortage, not to mention tariffs, has been putting upward pressure on phone prices.

The new Samsung phones are available in six colors: Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold. Those last two colors are online exclusives, as is normal for Samsung. Here are some of the other basic specs:

• Galaxy S26 display: 6.3-inch AMOLED with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• Galaxy S26+ display: 6.7-inch AMOLED with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• Galaxy S26 Ultra display: 6.9-inch AMOLED with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate and S-Pen support

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

• Galaxy S26 and S26+: 12GB RAM and 256/512GB storage

• Galaxy S26 Ultra: 12/16GB RAM and 256/512GB/1TB storage

• Galaxy S26: 4,300mAh battery

• Galaxy S26+: 4,900mAh battery

• Galaxy S26 Ultra: 5,000mAh battery

The new Galaxy S26 lineup: Cameras The camera array on the S26 Ultra. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

As for cameras, the S26 Ultra is clearly the choice for pro-level photographers. Here are the cameras included with each handset this year:

• Galaxy S26: A 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 10MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP front camera

• Galaxy S26 Plus: A 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 10MP telephoto lens, and 12MP front camera

• Galaxy S26 Ultra: A 200MP main shooter, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, 50 and 10MP telephoto lenses with up to 5x optical zoom, 12MP front camera

What's new this year? Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

There isn't a lot in terms of super exciting new flagship features, but the two most worth talking about are Creative Studio and Privacy Display. The former is a new, unified home for all your AI image and video editing needs. Rather than putting all of those things into separate apps, Samsung has grouped them all together in one place. Privacy Display, on the other hand, is an industry-first. The display technology will make the screen dark for people who aren't looking at it head-on, hopefully giving users more peace of mind when using their phones in public.

Other highlights include:

• Corning Gorilla Armor 2 on Ultra

• A redesigned vapor chamber to dissipate heat on the Ultra

• All S26 cases will include magnets

• Redesigned Document Scanner built into the camera app

• 60w charging for the first time ever in the S26 Ultra

Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

For those interested in using AI assistants, S26 users will be able to choose between Google Gemini, Samsung Bixby, and Perplexity.

In all, this looks to be a fairly incremental upgrade cycle for Samsung. Stay tuned for our reviews of these devices.

If you're ready to pre-order, head to Samsung to see the latest launch offers.

Head to Mashable's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live blog for the latest updates as the newest Samsung products and features are unveiled.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Nancy Lem Clitoral Massager $66.75 at Nancy
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Remember when Tracy’s Dog launched its OG suction vibrator and the internet basically broke? (That was back in 2019.) The only other vibe I’ve seen come close to that kind of notoriety is the Rose, but now the market is flooded with knock-offs. Enter the Lem Clitoral Massager. It's taken over TikTok feeds and landed in the hands of countless influencers, sex educators, and journalists (including me!).

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Ryobi makes hundreds of tools and accessories perfect for homeowners and professionals alike. With the warm summer months quickly approaching and DIY projects stacking up, you're probably ready to get to work. One tool you probably haven't thought about buying but should is a Ryobi clamp fan or misting fan.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum $299.99 at Amazon
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Tired of spending all your extra time cleaning up your home? The kids leave crumbs everywhere, the dog makes a mess, and dust settles on everything. It can get old. Good news: it's 2026, and you don't have to spend your entire day vacuuming behind anyone or tidying up. Not when a perfectly good robot vacuum can handle it. We've found one that's more than easy enough to set up to clean your floor -- and it can respond to your voice.

As of Feb. 25, get the Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum for $299.99, down from its usual price of $599. That's $299.01 off and a discount of 50%.

SEE ALSO: The powerful Roborock Qrevo Curv S5X Robot Vacuum and Mop is on sale at Amazon for a major $500 off

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It's time to stop doing all that work when a robot can tackle it. Don't miss this lucrative deal and grab one before it's out of stock.