IT General

It's tempting to blame a slow Excel spreadsheet on a weak processor, but the fix usually lives in the formula bar. By removing the hidden bottlenecks inside your formulas and data structure, you can make Excel feel brand new. Here's why your sheets are slow and how to repair them.

While these days Samsung is all about 200MP camera sensors, folding screens, and AI-integrated everything, I find myself looking at my S21 Ultra not as an aging relic, but as the last time a phone felt truly complete.

One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is binge a good miniseries. I'm passionate about miniseries, whether they're based on real-life individuals, fictionalized interpretations of true events, book adaptations, or stories that portray both past and contemporary life.

When smartwatches first hit the scene over a decade ago, they were expensive, often costing a few hundred dollars. While many still do, a range of third-party options now offer similar functionality—especially for fitness and health tracking.

JSON is a hugely popular format, used for configuration, API responses, game save data, and much more. But it has its critics, and JSON is not the only option.

Just a few months ago, I deemed SATA SSDs all but obsolete. HDDs had their uses, but mostly outside of a PC instead of inside it.

In today’s world, you can never be too cautious when driving and staying aware of your surroundings. While keeping your eyes on the road, you also need to monitor other vehicles in case they suddenly merge or stop.

The landscape of AI is changing faster than anything in tech ever has. As such, the “best” AI tool is constantly changing from one company to another, and back again at dizzying speeds. I’ve stopped caring, and that’s the best thing that I’ve ever done in the world of AI.

ESP32 boards are great for a whole range of projects because they often come with onboard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This means you can use them for projects that require an internet connection, but there are plenty of ESP32 projects that will work even when the internet is down.

I recently went to see the third Avatar film, and, of course, I saw it in 3D, since Jim Cameron’s blue space cats are the pinnacle of 3D filmmaking.

Despite the improvements since it was released, Windows 11 still feels a bit rough around the edges—almost unfinished. It has few customization options, and several basic features that you'll find in competing operating systems are missing completely.

I love solar panels, but using them isn't as simple as plugging a rechargeable battery into the wall. 400W panels often provide 200 watts of power, and that number can get even lower if you're not using them properly. Fortunately, with the right knowledge, it's easy to give those panels a boost.

Amid the second phase of a high-profile child safety trial in New Mexico, Meta is announcing new measures designed to ensure teens on its platforms are subject to age-related protections.

Meta announced in a blog post Tuesday that parents in the U.S. on two of its social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, will receive a notification with details about how to check and confirm their teens' ages on the company's apps.

All users that Meta has identified as a parent, not just adults who supervise a Teen Account, will receive the notification. The notification will include a link to a blog post Meta published a year ago on how to talk to teens about the importance of providing their correct age.

Meta hopes to raise parent awareness of age confirmation on Instagram and Facebook. Credit: Meta

Meta also announced that age-detection technology will roll out to 27 countries in the European Union and Brazil. Additionally, the technology will apply to U.S. Facebook users for the first time.

In April 2025, Meta began using AI to identify teen users who listed an adult age in their account. The technology re-assigns those users to Meta's Teen Account product, which the company says has more stringent safety protections.

In the fall, independent experts who tested Teen Accounts published a report alleging that the product doesn't work as advertised. Among their findings, the researchers documented instances in which the guardrails failed to prevent inappropriate contact with strangers.

SEE ALSO: EU says Meta hasn't done enough to prevent minors under 13 from using Instagram and Facebook

On Tuesday, Meta said that its AI technology would begin to analyze user profiles for "contextual clues" of their age, simplify the process for reporting suspected underage accounts, and strengthen its ability to stop underage users from opening new accounts.

Meta noted in its blog post that it believes lawmakers should require app stores to verify user age and provide that information to apps and developers.

Meta back on trial

Meta lost the first phase of the New Mexico trial in March when a jury found the company liable for misleading consumers about the safety of its platforms and endangering children. The suit was filed by the state's attorney general.

Meta has been ordered to pay the maximum penalties for each violation of New Mexico’s consumer protection laws, amounting to $375 million. The company has said it plans to appeal the decision.

In the bench trial, New Mexico's Department of Justice is seeking injunctive relief requiring Meta to pay additional damages of $3.75 billion and implement specific changes to protect children.

The proposed policies include effective age verification, blocking children under 13, limits on end-to-end messaging encryption for minors, and permanent bans for adult users who engage in or facilitate child exploitation.

Last week, Meta threatened to shut its platforms down in New Mexico in response to the state's demands.

"Many of the requests are technologically or practically infeasible and would essentially force Meta to build entirely separate apps for use only in New Mexico," the company said in its court filing, according to The Guardian. "Therefore, granting onerous relief could compel Meta to entirely withdraw Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp from the state as the only feasible means of compliance."

In court on Monday, Meta's counsel Alex Parkinson reiterated that stance, arguing that granting the state's injunctive relief in full would "genuinely make it untenable to continue offering Meta's products" in New Mexico.

State Attorney General Raul Torrez said that Meta is putting advertising revenue and profit ahead of the "safety of children."

"We know Meta has the ability to make these changes," Torrez said in a statement. "This is not about technological capability."

Samsung's upcoming foldable phones have been revealed in a leak again, but this leak is different, because it comes directly from Samsung.

Android Authority dug through Samsung's new One UI 9 software and discovered images of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, as well as the entirely new foldable phone which will probably be called Samsung Wide Fold.

Don't expect photographs; the images are just simple graphics, but they do tell us a lot about these new phones. In particular, the Samsung Wide Fold looks significantly wider than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which looks really skinny in comparison.

That's a large cover display. Credit: Samsung/Android Authority

The images also reveal that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will have a triple rear camera, while the Wide Fold will only have a dual camera on the back.

Hello, skinny. Credit: Samsung/Android Authority

The designs are in line with previous leaks, renders, and mockups, including the dummy units that surfaced in late April.

Samsung's Wide Fold is widely (no pun intended) expected to clash with Apple's rumored, upcoming foldable iPhone, which will likely have a similar, wide design. This design might make the phone feel a little clunkier in the hand, but should pay off when you unfold it, as you'll get something akin to a small tablet.

As for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, it looks more or less unchanged compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy A57 5G falls short of other mid-range options

The rumored specs for the Samsung Wide Fold include a dual, 200/50-megapixel camera, a 10-megapixel selfie camera, a 5.4-inch cover display, a 7.6-inch foldable display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and 12/16GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 will probably have similar specs as the Z Fold 7, but it should get a larger, 5,000mAh battery, as well as 45W charging.

Samsung is likely to unveil its new foldable phones in July.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

I spend a lot of time trawling through the depths of the online world to find deals that are genuinely worth your time and money. And no, I'm not talking about those heavily discounted products that have actually been stuck at that "low price" for months. I'm talking about limited-time discounts on the products that I'd actually recommend to a friend.

That's the aim of the game for Mashable's team of shopping experts. We're constantly scanning leading retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy to bring you new opportunities to save your precious cash. But we're not satisfied with the current state of affairs. We don't want you to miss a thing, and that's why we landed on the Mashable Deals text group.

Become a subscriber of the Mashable Deals text group and I'll send you the very best deals directly to your phone. You don't need to pay anything to get access to these deals. Simply sign up above and you'll be the first to know about huge savings on MacBooks, limited-time discounts on AirPods, price cuts on items under $50, and all of those other deals that drop throughout the week.

I'll send a Deal of the Day most days. During major shopping events like Prime Day and Black Friday, we may bump this up to a couple of sends per day. But that's only if we come across multiple offers that are truly worth the send. If we track down a bunch of impressively low prices during a busy shopping event, we'll drop those in a single text.

We're not going to spam you. The daily deals that we send to the Mashable Deals text group will have been researched and assessed by the team with the same level of care that we dedicate to the rest of our shopping content.

Signing up for the Mashable Deals text group is quick, safe, and totally free. You can also opt out anytime you like. I hope you give it a try.

Excel makes it easy to turn numbers into visuals, but "easy" doesn't always mean "accurate." Some chart types do more to hide your data than highlight it. If you want your reports to be readable and professional, stop using these confusing layouts right away.

SAVE $60: As of May 5, the DJI Neo is on sale for $139 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Neo $139 at Amazon
$199 Save $60   Get Deal

A drone for under $200 is always great deal, and a top drone for its best-ever price is even better. And that's exactly what you're getting right now with the DJI Neo at Amazon — on sale for $139 right now.

You may have heard about recent restrictions on DJI products in the U.S., but this only applies to future imports, so you can still purchase and use drones that are already available through retailers like Amazon. If you've been eyeing up a DJI drone for a while, take this as your sign to buy.

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This drone is a great choice for beginners. Not only is it an affordable option, but it weighs just 135g, meaning it's flexible and doesn't require FAA registration or Remote ID. It can take off and land from your palm with a single button and can be flown without a controller or via voice control, mobile app, or remote.

It uses subject tracking and includes eight QuickShots modes for capturing footage. It also benefits from DJI stabilization technology and level-4 wind resistance support for smoother filming during less than perfect conditions. The drone has full-coverage propeller guards for added protection during flight and comes with a battery and other essentials for use out of the box.

This drone deal is available right now at Amazon.

SAVE OVER $100: As of May 5, the Breville Barista Express Impress is on sale for $549.95 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Breville Breville Barista Express Impress $549.95 at Amazon
$688.99 Save $139.04   Get Deal

Life is too short to settle for average coffee, especially when the Breville Barista Express Impress espresso machine is on sale at Amazon.

As of May 5, this advanced machine is reduced by almost $140, bringing the price down to $549.95. You can choose from different colors to help it blend into your kitchen. The brushed stainless steel, black sesame, and black truffle are all at the same discounted price.

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This espresso machine is designed for a truly perfect coffee. It has a built-in conical burr grinder that grinds beans directly into the portafilter. It uses low pressure pre-infusion to gradually increase pressure during extraction, alongside digital temperature control to regulate water temperature. The machine includes a grind size dial and allows adjustment of grind amount, with options for single or double shots.

It also includes a steam wand for texturing milk, so it's the perfect choice if you prefer a latte over an espresso. And it comes with a wide range of accessories so you can start enjoying great coffee on delivery day. These include a 54 mm stainless steel portafilter, single and dual wall filter baskets, a razor dose trimming tool, coffee scoop, integrated tamper, stainless steel milk jug, cleaning disc, tablets, brush tool, Allen key, and a water filter with holder.

Get this Breville deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $50: As of May 5, Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are on sale for $199.95 at Amazon. That's a 20% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 $199.95 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $50.04   Get Deal

These days earbuds are beyond clever. With a new pair you won't just get the standard noise cancellation — many leading models now offer features like heart rate monitoring, including the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. As of May 5, these earbuds are reduced from $249.99 to $199.99, saving you $50 and giving you the lowest price in almost a year.

These earbuds are the perfect choice for working out. They have a secure earhook fit, helping them stay in place even during intense training. In fact, they were developed with over 1,500 hours of athlete testing to make sure they give a comfortable and reliable fit. They include active noise cancelling and a transparency mode, along with heart rate monitoring sensors that track your pulse.

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They have an IPX4 rating, so they are both sweat and water resistant. And thanks to the Apple H2 chip, they offer up to 45 hours of battery life with the charging case. And this chip doesn't mean they are for Apple users only, these are compatible with both Apple and Android devices. With both types of device you'll get features such as one-touch pairing, device switching, and more that can be controlled in the Beats app.

These earbuds are only on sale for a limited time, so don't miss out.

The ASUS Zenbook A16 (2026) is so close to perfection that I'd buy one tomorrow and tell all my friends to do the same. Not only does it pack fantastic power into a feather-light chassis, but it also boasts a gorgeous OLED screen, AI features, and an impressive speaker system.