IT General

Maybe it's me, but it sure doesn't seem like a good idea to drive the wrong way on a road. I'm just a measly human being, however, not the technological marvel that is a driverless car.

A recent viral video shows a driverless Waymo robotaxi driving straight into oncoming traffic in Austin, Texas. The post has garnered lots of upvotes on Reddit. In the video, you see that the robotaxi crawls to a halt facing the wrong direction, staring down oncoming traffic. Obviously out of sorts, it has its right turn signal on before whipping left into a gas station. "Just another day in Austin," reads the caption.

Perfectly executed maneuver, no notes.

Reddit

The incident happened on a frontage road near I-35 in Austin, according to MySanAntonio. The local news source reported that neither the Austin Police Department nor the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department had received reports on the issue.

"Safety is our highest priority at Waymo, both for people who choose to ride with us and with whom we share the streets," wrote a Waymo spokesperson in an email to Mashable. "We take situations like this seriously and are committed to improving road safety through our ongoing learnings and experience."

It's been a rough month for Waymo and safety concerns. Earlier this month, it issued a software recall after reports its robotaxis were illegally passing school buses. A a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation found Waymos had passed buses in at least 19 incidents in Austin.

SAVE $250: As of Dec. 19, get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 for $849.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,099.99. That's a discount of 23% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 $849.99 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $250   Get Deal

We're on the precipice of 2026, and that means new starts and fresh reboots. Why not get a new phone to celebrate the occasion? It's time to shed the old and bring in the new, and you can do just that with an affordable Android phone that's made it to the most affordable price it's ever been.

As of Dec. 19, get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 for $849.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,099.99. That's $250 off and a discount of 23%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The best smartphones of 2025 include some surprises

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a modern version of the quintessential flip phone. It boasts Samsung's powerful Exynos 2500 processor, which makes it a zippy and capable device for calls, video, and all other types of media. It also has 256GB of storage, a 50MP wide angle camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera and a 1-year manufacturer warranty with your purchase.

Mashable's Adam Doud took the phone for a spin and awarded it a 4.4 out of 5 score, praising its "excellent build quality and improved hinge" as well as its "excellent camera".

"If you're a fan of the form factor, this is the most compelling foldable on offer here in the United States," Doud proclaimed. "I like what Samsung has finally done here, catching up to its contemporaries and restarting a competition war in which the consumer will ultimately win."

You can pick up the phone for its lowest sale price yet, so grab it while it's still available.

SAVE $452.06: As of Dec. 19, get the Philips 4400 Series espresso machine for just $747.93. That knocks $452.06 off its $1,199.99 list price for 38% savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Philips Philips 4400 Series Espresso Machine $747.93 at Amazon
$1,199.99 Save $452.06   Get Deal

When it's chilly outside and warm under the covers, getting out of bed feels like an impossible task. So having a morning ritual to motivate you to start your day really makes a difference. For most of us, that means coffee. If your regular old coffee maker just isn't doing it for you anymore, you deserve an upgrade and an espresso machine turns your kitchen into a café. If you're looking for a new machine but want to score a good deal, check out the Philips 4400 Series.

As of Dec. 19, get the Philips 4400 Series espresso machine for 38% off. It's a luxe machine, retailing for $1,199.99, but with this deal you can score it for just $747.93. That saves you a ton, $452.06 to be exact.

The Philips 4400 Series is the ultimate automated machine. If you want your coffee at the press of a button and aren't looking to perfect your grind or microfoam, the 4400 Series is the answer. It comes with 12 presets and will automatically grind, tamp, and pull your coffee. Plus, it'll foam and steam your milk.

Get the Philips 4400 Series espresso machine for $747.93 and save $452.06 at Amazon.

YouTube has shut down two high-profile channels, Screen Culture and KH Studio, for repeatedly violating its spam and misleading metadata policies by publishing AI-generated, fake movie trailers, Deadline reports.

Together, the channels had amassed over 2 million subscribers and more than 1 billion views.

Both channels were known for creating highly realistic "trailers" for unreleased or non-existent films by mixing official studio footage with AI-generated visuals, often misleading viewers into believing the projects were real. One example included Screen Culture's 23 versions of a fake Fantastic Four trailer, some of which outranked Marvel's official release.

SEE ALSO: Google reportedly takes down AI videos of Disney characters following cease and desist

Their pages now display a standard YouTube removal notice.

Earlier in 2024, YouTube had demonetized the channels following a Deadline investigation into the rise of AI-generated fake trailers. According to Deadline, the creators later regained monetization by labeling videos as "fan trailers," "parodies," or "concept trailers," but eventually removed those disclaimers and returned to their earlier practices. Deadline reports that this reversion led directly to their termination from YouTube.

The Deadline investigation also found that instead of requesting takedowns, some major studios — including Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony — quietly asked YouTube to redirect ad revenue from these AI-heavy videos to themselves.

SEE ALSO: Google's Veo 3 AI video generator is unlike anything you've ever seen. The world isn't ready.

Adding to the pressure, Disney recently sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google, alleging that its AI training models infringe Disney copyrights "on a massive scale."

The channel takedowns have been welcomed by parts of the fan-trailer community, with one content creator telling Deadline, "The monster was defeated."

For some reason, I've really been immersing myself in detective and mystery series lately. I think it's because the experience is less passive—you have to pay attention, or else you might miss a key piece of the puzzle as you try to get to the bottom of the crime yourself, making the watch more fun.

SAVE $66.48: As of Dec. 19, get the Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Collector Booster Box for $389.40 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $455.88. That's a discount of 15% and comparable to the market value at TCGPlayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Collector Booster Box $389.40 at Amazon
$455.88 Save $66.48   Get Deal

If you're an avid Magic: The Gathering collector and want to add some new cards to your stash, now's a good time to do it. Now that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection is dropping on March 6, you can save on the previous Universe Beyond collaboration and snap up some of the Avatar: The Last Airbender cards you may be missing.

As of Dec. 19, get the Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Collector Booster Box for $389.40 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $455.88. That's a discount of 15% and comparable to the market value at TCGPlayer.

SEE ALSO: The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is now below market value at Amazon

This booster box contains 12 packs of Collector Boosters, each of which containing 15 cards per pack. They also come with 5 cards of guaranteed rarity Rare or higher. They could come with special alt-art and alt-border cards featuring characters from the series and special moments with them as well.

Collector Boosters are some of the only booster packs that come with special foil treatment cards and ultra-rare headline cards as well, with additional chase cards you can only get in these particular packs. That's a total of 180 cards, so you'll get more than enough to build decks and chances to own some of the rarer cards in the set.

Whether you're an avid collector or want to surprise one this holiday season, now's the time to pounce on this particular set.

If you want one vehicle that can juggle daily life, road trips, and a little ego-boosting comfort, a luxury SUV is usually the move. Big cabin, big cargo space, and the kind of cushy ride that makes you feel at least adjacent to royalty.

SAVE 29%: Score the Breville Barista Express for just $499.95, down from $699.95, at Amazon. That's a 20% discount or a $200 price cut.

Breville the Barista Express Espresso Machine (BES870XL) $499.95 at Amazon
$699.95 Save $200.00   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy

If you’ve been waiting for the "perfect" time to stop spending $7 on lattes, this is it. The Breville Barista Express (BES870XL) is currently on sale for $499.95 at Amazon. That's a $200 discount (29% off) and matches the record-low price we saw during Black Friday.

This machine is an all-in-one setup; it has everything you need to get started, including a built-in conical burr grinder (which can easily cost another $200+). The grinder delivers the right amount of fresh coffee directly into the portafilter for bean-to-espresso results in under a minute. And unlike cheaper machines with "frothers," this has a real manual steam wand that lets you create the kind of microfoam needed for latte art.

SEE ALSO: The best coffee machines for modern kitchens

One quick tip: There's a slight learning curve here. You’ll spend your first afternoon "dialing in" your grind size and dose, but once you find the sweet spot for your favorite beans, it’s remarkably consistent.

Ethernet has been around for a long time. Invented in the '70s, commercialized in the early '80s, and it's still the fastest and most reliable network technology you can have in your home.

Some owners of LG smart TVs were unpleasantly surprised to see unwanted shortcuts for Microsoft Copilot suddenly pop up on their smart TVs this month. Even worse, these shortcuts were impossible to delete; best you could do is hide them, but the actual Microsoft Copilot app would remain installed on the TV.

Now, Engadget reports that LG has relented in its pursuit of forcing Copilot down its users' throats. According to an LG representative, the company will "take steps to allow users to delete the shortcut icon if they wish."

SEE ALSO: Samsung and LG preview new Micro RGB TVs. OK, but what are Micro RGB TVs?

The idea behind the Copilot shortcut was, reportedly, to launch it in the web browser on LG TVs, instead of as a native smart TV app.

However, placing a Microsoft Copilot shortcut on the smart TV's shortcut bar is probably a bad idea. I've tried out my share of phones full of bloatware, and I was never too happy about having pre-installed app that I didn't need, especially if I was unable to delete it.

It's unclear when LG will allow users to remove Copilot from their TVs, but it's likely coming via a future software update.

Looking for a TV show you can sink your teeth into this weekend? One that doesn't take a ton of commitment and that you can binge a pile of episodes of in one sitting, maybe even the whole darn lot?

How do you feel about Hallmark movies?

Hallmark, as you might guess, is divisive. But what you might not know is that Hallmark is more than a TV channel slash greeting card company…it’s a powerhouse. A genuine phenomenon. Hallmark Cards has been in the TV business since 1951! And in 2024, Hallmark Channel was the #1 cable entertainment channel. Hallmark Mystery — which is its own channel, just so you know — was number #3 with women 18+ in Q4. Hallmark is also a convention…and a CRUISE.

No matter your opinion on Hallmark movies, you probably don't know the story behind why Hallmark movies really hit. Video producer Matt Fornwald takes us on a mind-bending journey through (mostly) every 2025 Hallmark holiday movie to discover the formula behind what draws so many people to Hallmark holiday movies every year.

If you'd like to take a deeper dive, check out the extended video on YouTube.

For years, I've shared my Amazon account with my wife. When it was time to buy presents for each other for Christmas or birthdays from Amazon, we used to archive the order so that it wasn't displayed in the main list of recent orders. Amazon has removed this feature, however, so keeping gifts secret on Amazon is no longer so simple.

No Linux operating system is complete without a suite of handy software. This week I found some legitimately useful apps you can install on your system, including a planetarium for stargazing, a library of internet radio, and a way to learn terminal commands faster.

Time flies when you’re busy watching worthy content. Can you believe the year is almost over? I can’t. As you head into the biggest weekend of the year, then roll right into the biggest week of the year, take some time for yourself and prep for the holidays by preserving your energy and engaging in some non-holiday content. This weekend, laugh a lot, get lost in a supernatural saga, then burn enough calories to eat whatever you want in the coming weeks with a heart-pounding medical drama.

SAVE OVER $80: As of Dec. 19, the Lego Technic NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (42182) has hit its lowest-ever price of $137.99. This is 37% off its list price of $219.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Technic NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle LRV Building Set (42182) $137.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $82   Get Deal

Amazon has been dropping some great deals on select Lego sets recently in the lead-up to the holidays. If you have an adult Lego fan on your seasonal shopping list, this discount on the Lego Technic NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (42182) is worth a look. Particularly because it's hit its lowest price yet at the retailer.

For a limited time, Amazon has knocked the price of the Lego Technic NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle set down to $137.99 from $219.99. This saves you a whopping $82, which is an excellent offer to take advantage of. Not to mention, it'll even arrive before Christmas if you pick it up now, according to the Amazon sale page. So why wait?

SEE ALSO: The 30 best new Lego sets run the gamut from Game Boy to 'The Goonies' and the U.S.S. Enterprise

This 1,913-piece Lego set creates a detailed display model of the lunar rover module that was carried by Apollo 17, alongside three attachable equipment sets that each have their own information plaque. Given its very detailed assembly and piece count, it's a set that's recommended for adults to build. If you know someone with a love of space, this is a great gift to give them for the holiday season that'll arrive just in time.

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!

Considering Amazon has it listed as a limited-time deal, it likely won't stay at this price for long. Now is a great opportunity to save $82 on the Lego Technic NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle set while it's still on sale at Amazon.

Christmas is coming up fast, but if you're looking for more gift ideas, our roundup of the 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025 highlights some more options worth giving this year.

With Wake Up Dead Man, writer/director Rian Johnson brings a third fascinating Benoit Blanc murder-mystery to movie fans. But what inspired this heady blend of faith, fear, and dogged logic?

Johnson spoke with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko in a Say More interview. Their conversation began on Broadway, weaving in Johnson's long-held love of the theater — including his hopes for Miss Piggy doing Oh, Mary! From there, he talked his love of genre, blending highbrow and lowbrow elements. They dug into that neck tattoo of Josh O'Connor's "hot priest" — and how the internet is thirsting hard over it.

Fun fact for fans: O'Connor created the design himself. Johnson wrote the neck tattoo into the script, and apologized to O'Connor, saying, "I know this is going to be a lot of work. We'll barely glimpse it, and nobody might even notice it, but I feel like this says volumes. This is like the key to this guy."

An AI slop bucket piece of shit was never going to be able to have that connection with an audience because it's never lived.

He continued, "It's something that Josh designed. Because that was another thing, all I wanted to see is one little tiny peek of it. [I told him], 'I want you to pick what it is, and I want you to design it.' And I can't remember exactly what it was. It was some kind of like symbol or something. It wasn't like a word or something, but it was something that Josh kind of came up with a backstory that involved what this thing actually meant."

Beyond being "happy" that fans spotted the tattoo, Johnson is also hopeful about the future of film. While the possible Netflix/Warner Bros. merger has some worried about the fate of movie theaters, and the rise of AI has Hollywood in an uproar, this heralded filmmaker expressed a calm certainty that human-made art in theaters will survive.

"I'm not afraid," Johnson began, "Because I go to the movies, and what I see at the movies are young people. And I see young people showing up to movies. I see them getting excited to go with friends and have that experience. And I mean, AI is a bunch of slop bullshit...I don't care how good it gets. I think there is some element of the movie-going process where it's a bit like theater, where the audience is aware they're engaging with another person, even if that person is the filmmaker, when they're watching something."

SEE ALSO: The internet is drowning in AI slop. Here's how we got here.

He continued, "And I think that's the reason why you're seeing directors like Guillermo [del Toro] and directors like Director Bong [Joon Ho] and directors like PTA [Paul Thomas Anderson]. And I'm seeing fan bases growing up around them because they are voices, and the audience is having a connection with them when they're watching their movies. An AI slop bucket piece of shit was never going to be able to have that connection with an audience because it's never lived. So no, I think these are crazy times, and I think there are really hard things about these times. But ultimately, I feel secure that people are going to keep wanting to get together and watch stories."

For more from our Say More interview with Johnson, check out the full interview on YouTube.

Wake Up Dead Man is now playing on Netflix.

If there’s one thing car buyers consistently want, it’s an engine they never have to worry about. And while the market is full of complex hybrids, turbos, and high-strung performance motors, one humble Japanese four-cylinder has quietly built a reputation that outlasts most of the vehicles it’s been installed in. After more than 25 years on the market, its track record for reliability, longevity, and low running costs has made it one of the most trusted powerplants still in production.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you know a lot about ships.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for December 19, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Stats

• Green: What to eat

• Blue: Government agencies

• Purple: Naval terms

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Findings

• Green: Dinner options

• Blue: U.S. Cabinet departments

• Purple: Homophone of places to park a ship

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #922 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Findings: DATA, DETAILS, INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE

• Dinner options: COOK, DELIVERY, GO OUT, LEFTOVERS

• U.S. Cabinet departments: COMMERCE, EDUCATION, ENERGY, LABOR

• Homophone of places to park a ship: BIRTH, DOC, PEER, WORF

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 19, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a good cook.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 19, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 19, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On the chopping block

The words are related to cooking.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ways to cut food.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Immune Boosters.

NYT Strands word list for December 19

• Julienne

• Cube

• Making the Cut

• Slice

• Mince

• Chiffonade

• Dice

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.