IT General

SAVE 25%: As of Dec. 5, you can get the PlayStation VR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle for $299.99, down from $399.99. That's a 25% discount and a $100 savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: PlayStation PlayStation VR2 'Horizon Call of the Mountain' bundle $299.99 at Best Buy
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If you've been waiting to buy a PlayStation VR2, now's your chance to get a bundle deal for just $299.99.

As of Dec. 5, you can get the PlayStation VR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle for $299.99, down from $399.99. That's a 25% discount and a $100 savings. But, you'd better hurry, Best Buy is listing this as a "3-Day Deal," so time's running out.

SEE ALSO: The 3 best gaming laptops with Nvidia GPUs in 2025, so far

This headset is the next generation of VR. It features 4K HDR visuals, 110-degree field of view, and advanced VR2 Sense technology (which includes eye tracking, headset feedback, and 3D audio). The best part? It's the complete bundle, so you get the headset, the Sense controllers, and Horizon Call of the Mountain to jump straight into conquering those "colossal peaks." This is the lowest we've seen this bundle, so don't miss the deadline.

Bluetooth is a well-worn technology that you might be tempted to write off in your smart home, especially if your server doesn’t already have Bluetooth capabilities. I wasn’t going to bother, but then I saw an opportunity to pick up a cheap adapter and gave it a shot.

On Friday, Netflix announced it would be buying Warner Bros. for a whopping $82.7 billion.

The deal, which still needs to be approved by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), would see Netflix acquiring Warner Bros. and its film and TV studios, along with HBO and HBO Max. Netflix will now also own the Warner Bros. catalogue, including major film franchises like DC and the Monsterverse. How will the theatrical releases of upcoming Warner Bros. film look now that they're owned by a streaming service? Here's what we know.

SEE ALSO: Netflix is officially buying Warner Bros. What happens next? The good news: Theatrical releases of Warner Bros. films aren't going anywhere yet.

Don't worry, the next Dune film won't be zapped straight to streaming. According to the SEC filing and a statement from Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, "Netflix expects to maintain Warner Bros.' current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films."

According to Variety, Warner Bros. currently has contracts in place to release films in movie theaters through 2029. Bloomberg also reported that continued theatrical releases were a major part of Netflix's bid to acquire Warner Bros., so the streamer appears committed to keeping Warner Bros. films in cinemas.

SEE ALSO: How much does Netflix cost per month? The bad news: Those Warner Bros. theatrical releases could look shorter.

However, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has made comments that could point to shorter theatrical runs for Warner Bros. films, not unlike Netflix's limited releases of its own films.

"It’s not like we have this opposition to movies in theaters," Sarandos said in a Friday conference call with press and investors, Variety reported. "My pushback has been mostly in the fact of the long exclusive windows, which we don’t really think are that consumer friendly, but when we talk about keeping HBO operating, largely as it is, that also includes their output movie deal with Warner Bros., which includes a life cycle that starts in the movie theater, which we’re going to continue to support.”

He continued, saying, "I think, over time, the windows will evolve to be much more consumer friendly, to be able to meet the audience where they are quicker."

On Dec. 4, Variety reported that a group of anonymous Hollywood A-listers are lobbying Congress about the acquisition, with theatrical releases being a top concern. Sources told Variety that Netflix's proposal for the acquisition included theatrical windows as short as two weeks prior to a streaming release. Another source denied this shorter timeline, saying release periods would actually be longer.

Netflix's current theatrical release plan for its own films involves shorter release periods in limited theaters. You won't find films like Frankenstein or Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery at big movie chains like AMC or Regal.

Netflix has moved into wider theatrical releases in 2025, with KPop Demon Hunters and the Stranger Things Season 5 finale both getting releases in AMC and Regal theaters. However, those runs are limited to two to three days, with Netflix continuing to prioritize streaming exclusivity.

SAVE $25: As of Dec. 5, get the Razer Kraken Kitty V3 X for $34.99 at Woot, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's a discount of 42%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Razer Kraken Kitty V3 X $34.99 at Woot
$59.99 Save $25   Get Deal

If you're looking for a good way to interact with your teammates or co-op partners in the year's biggest games, you can't go wrong with an affordable headset. That goes double when the headset has kitty ears. Cyber Monday may have come and gone, but that doesn't mean you can't still save some serious cash on a great headset, especially if you like to walk on the cute side.

As of Dec. 5, get the Razer Kraken Kitty V3 X for $34.99 at Woot, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's $25 off and a discount of 42%.

SEE ALSO: Razer's new cat-ear gaming headset is sleeker, better connected, and $20 cheaper

This lightweight gaming headset is compatible with PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Switch, and more. It's meant for long-term wear, with a comfortable headband that features fun kitty ears that'll look positively "purrfect" when you're playing your favorite game. But they go far beyond looking cute. They're also a great pick when it comes to gaming headsets.

They feature a hyperclear carotid mic with an improved pickup pattern from the previous Razer Kraken headset, with 40mm 3-part drivers for better audio as well: clearer highs, richer mids, and improved, deeper lows. They also support 7.1 surround sound and can connect across platforms.

This is a fantastic option for anyone who values great comms and audio in-game but wants a bit of flair in their gaming headset. It's super affordable, looks cute, and a fun twist on the typical "gaming" aesthetic. Get yours before Woot sells out of this absolutely adorable peripheral.

If you're anything like me, you've already hastily consumed the first four episodes of Stranger Things 5. Don't sit there twiddling your thumbs, though. Netflix has plenty more shows to keep you entertained.

SAVE 49%: As of Dec. 5, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones (with ANC) for just $179, down from $349, at Amazon. That's a 49% discount and a $170 price cut.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones (with ANC) $179 at Best Buy
$359 Save $180   Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Amazon

You don't need to splurge on the flagship model to get great sound and legendary noise cancellation from Bose. Our editors at Mashable recently tested every pair of Bose headphones and earbuds, and we named the standard Bose QuietComfort Headphones our Runner-Up for Best Headphones. And right now, you can get 'em for nearly half the price.

SEE ALSO: Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones: How the first and second generations compare

As of Dec. 5, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones (with ANC) for just $179, down from $349, at Amazon. That's a 49% discount and a $170 price cut. It's also the lowest price we've ever tracked for these headphones.

They feature active noise cancellation, which Mashable's shopping reporter Samantha Mangino says "was phenomenal," noting that she felt like she was in her "own world without the chaos of my fellow travelers interrupting" her peaceful ride. Plus, they’re seriously comfortable. The plush cushions are designed for long listening sessions, and they last up to 24 hours on a single charge.

While the Ultra version includes spatial audio, the standard QuietComfort delivers "full, rounded sound" that'll please most listeners, especially students who need reliable noise-blocking and a long-lasting battery. So, if you want great audio without paying a premium, this deal is the one to jump on.

As we march toward one of the last weekends of the year, it’s time again to take a look at some homelab projects you should tackle. This weekend, I think it’s time you get your network in order. From setting up VLANs and configuring static IPs to having a VPN available to access your network when out of the house, here’s three homelab projects to tackle this weekend.

You need a plan for when disaster strikes, and I don’t just mean being prepared for a hurricane or wildfire. What do you do to stay connected and preserve your data when your phone is shattered or, worse, lost for good?

As Microsoft continues giving everyone reasons to drop Windows in favor of a more reliable and open platform, there's no better time to explore what Linux has to offer. Here are a few good apps worth your time if you've got a Linux computer to play with this weekend.

The weekend is so close I can almost smell it—and that means it’s time for another roundup of Raspberry Pi projects to try out over the next few days. This weekend, I’m focusing on building out self-hosted media servers and controllers to help simplify audio listening and controlling.

It's official: Netflix is buying Warner Bros. in a sale worth a towering $82.7 billion.

Announced by Netflix on Friday, the two companies have reached a "definitive agreement" in which Netflix will acquire Warner Bros. and all its film and TV studios, including HBO and its streaming platform HBO Max. According to the SEC filing, the sale was "unanimously approved" by both Netflix and WBD's boards.

The sale's total equity value (what Netflix pays for WBD's shares) sits at $72 billion with an enterprise value (what Netflix pays for WBD plus debt) of $82.7 billion, with Netflix valuing WBD at $27.75 per share.

SEE ALSO: What does Netflix's purchase of Warner Bros. mean for theatrical releases?

Netflix landed the winning bid after WBD rejected three offers from Paramount Skydance, and a bid from Comcast to merge NBC Universal with Netflix. The landmark sale is expected to close after WBD's Global Networks division, Discovery Global (a separate company from WBD's Streaming and Studios, they were split in June 2025), becomes a new publicly-traded company in Q3 2026.

Next, Netflix and WBD need to have their filed agreement approved by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

"Our mission has always been to entertain the world," said Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos in a press statement. "Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling." Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters added that the acquisition "will improve our offering and accelerate our business for decades to come."

"Today’s announcement combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most,” said WBD CEO and president David Zaslav in a statement.

What does this mean for your streaming services?

Essentially, the Netflix/WBD deal means the same streamer that owns mega hits Stranger Things and KPop Demon Hunters will also own HBO's library, including the Game of Thrones and Harry Potter universes, as well as DC Comics and Warner Bros. Games. That's a lot of IP. The deal is the biggest streaming move for Warner Bros. Discovery since it merged HBO Max with Discovery+ in 2023.

In its release, Netflix said it "expects to maintain Warner Bros.' current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films." Mashable's Belen Edwards examined what Netflix's purchase of Warner Bros. mean for theatrical releases.

As for your personal streaming habits, the company described the titles of HBO and HBO Max as "a compelling, complementary offering" for Netflix customers, which sounds like we'll probably be seeing bundles or merged content libraries up ahead.

"By adding the deep film and TV libraries and HBO and HBO Max programming, Netflix members will have even more high-quality titles from which to choose," the company said. "This also allows Netflix to optimize its plans for consumers, enhancing viewing options and expanding access to content."

Netflix also mentions the acquisition would allow the company to expand studio production capacity and increase investment in original content.So until the SEC approves the deal, nothing will change in either of your streaming services. For now.

The European Commission on Friday issued a landmark €120 million fine to Elon Musk-owned X for breaching transparency requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA).

The fine, the equivalent of about $140 million and the first issued under the European Union's DSA, is linked to the "deceptive design of its ‘blue checkmark', the lack of transparency of its advertising repository, and the failure to provide access to public data for researchers," the EU release states.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's X rolls out feature that shows users' country of origin – then suddenly removes it

The "blue checkmark" is front-and-center in the ruling, stating that the once-free, now-paid checkmark deceives users and violates the DSA requirement to prohibit deceptive design practices. The blue checkmark now makes it difficult to verify authentic accounts and makes it easier for users to be scammed, according to the ruling.

"While the DSA does not mandate user verification, it clearly prohibits online platforms from falsely claiming that users have been verified, when no such verification took place," the ruling states.

The ruling also cites a lack of transparency within X's ad repository, stating that it has limited information about the content of advertisements and who is paying for them, which makes it difficult for researchers and the public to scrutinize.

X also failed to provide researchers access to public data as required by DSA.

The ruling follows a nearly two-year investigation launched in December 2023 to determine whether X violated DSA requirements related to the spread of illegal content and the effectiveness of its efforts to combat misinformation, the release states.

"Deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring information on ads and shutting out researchers have no place online in the EU," said Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.

X now has 60 business days to bring forward plans to address its use of blue checkmarks, 90 days to address EU concerns regarding its ad repository and public data access to researchers or face further fines, according to the ruling.

Tesla's cheapest Model 3 is now available in Europe.

The company started offering a stripped-down version of the model across its European markets on Friday, notifying its users via an in-app message.

SEE ALSO: Tesla just dropped a free 40-day FSD trial to 1.5 million car owners

The Model 3 Standard is "our most affordable vehicle," Tesla wrote in the message. "(It) gives you all the best Tesla features with a lower cost of ownership over time."

The price of the Model 3 Standard varies by market. In Germany, it starts at €37,970, while in France and Italy, it's a bit cheaper at €36,990.

While that's roughly €8,000 cheaper than the next trim (which is now called Premium), you do lose quite a lot in terms of features.

We've covered the details for both the Standard trims of Model Y and Model 3 on Mashable. In short, compared to Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Premium trim, you get lower range, slower acceleration, no additional display for passengers in the rear, no heated seats in the back, less fancy decorative elements, partially textile seats, and fewer colors on offer, among other reductions.

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Some good news: Unlike in the U.S., the Model 3 Standard keeps Basic Autopilot with Autosteer; and unlike the Model Y Standard, it keeps the Panoramic Glass Roof. There are other, subtle differences between trims in Europe compared to America. For example, in Europe both the Standard and the cheapest Premium trim have seven loudspeakers; in the U.S. the Premium variant gets two speakers more.

The new model comes amidst a painful slump in sales across most European markets for Tesla, likely because of CEO Elon Musk's politics, but also due to strong competition from China's BYD and other electric vehicle makers.

Another bit of good news that may entice users to choose Tesla, though, is the latest Consumer Reports' auto brand ranking, which puts Tesla in the 10th place for the first time, a big jump from the 18th place last year. On the other hand, Germany's TÜV association recently highlighted some of Tesla's models as the least reliable it ever tested.

It's been nearly 15 years since Bob's Burgers launched on Fox with a pilot called "Human Flesh." Since then, the charmingly chaotic cartoon has blossomed into 16 seasons, hitting its 300th episode this year. For Bob's Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, the show's continued success — which included The Bob's Burgers Movie spinoff — has been a joy and a responsibility.

In a virtual interview with Mashable Entertainment Editor (and Bob's Burgers fan since its start), Kristy Puchko, Bouchard joined Say More to talk about the show's evolution and the fandom that spurred it on. In this clip, he reminisces about the show's start, when the numbers weren't great, but the love from fans could not be ignored.

"What Bob's was was...maybe a bubble show," Bouchard said, "It wasn't a disaster, but it wasn't a ratings smash. I liked those days. And I'll say why. I don't like it from the point of view of just the sheer fear, you know, you make so many decisions a day, working on a show like this. And you don't want to have the fear that if you make the wrong decision, everyone loses their job. That's an uncomfortable amount of stakes, I would say. But it does make you sharper. I think it adds a little adrenaline."

He continued, explaining how every detail feels crucial in that headspace: "It's that emergency room vibe, where it might be the stupidest thing — we're in the AVID editing suite, and we're moving a fart two frames to the left or to the right. But you know what, at that moment, where that fart goes is like, feels life-threatening and life-saving."

In the longer form interview, which you can watch on YouTube, Bouchard also spoke about what drives him now that the fear of being cancelled is gone. It's the fans, especially those who were there from the start. He doesn't want to let us down.

In the clip above, he shared, "I will say something about you early fans: That was amazing for us to know that we were just starting out, but that we could still pack the room at Comic Con. It meant a lot to us. It meant a lot to the network and the studio too. They were witness to, not necessarily these, you know, boffo ratings, but incredible love."

He went on, "When it became clear that we had passionate fans, even though we weren't a ratings hit, I saw the network in the studio basically say something along the lines of, 'Don't worry. We'll try and keep you on the air. We want this. This is what we want when the fans react like this.'

"So thank you," Bouchard said, speaking to the fans, "Thank you to you, early fans. You helped, you know, make it possible for us to be here now."

For more on Bob's Burgers, including Bouchard's thoughts on Bob as a bicon and the development of fan favorite Marshmallow, check out the full interview on YouTube.

Bob's Burgers is now streaming on Hulu.

I spend most of my time in Windows, so I’m used to thinking about malware as a fact of life. You stay patched, you avoid sketchy downloads, and you accept that a bad attachment or sloppy update can ruin your day. macOS has always felt different to me. I only use it when work requires it or when I’m in my home studio recording, and in all the years I’ve owned a Mac, it has stayed blissfully untouched by anything resembling a virus.

Picture this: yet another Excel report lands in my inbox, and, once again, it's a nightmare of leading spaces, inconsistent spelling, and useless rows. Previously, I would spend hours fixing it manually. Now, however, I use Power Query to profile the mess, sanitize the text, clean up the structure, and remove all the needless clutter.

Spotify is back with its highly anticipated annual recap, Spotify Wrapped, which rounds up your top songs and albums, favorite artists, listening time, and more interesting music insights for 2025.

After launching Gemini 3 in late November, Google is rolling out its latest Deep Think mode to AI Ultra subscribers.

Now available in the Gemini app for anyone shelling out $250 a month for the pro plan, Gemini 3 Deep Think is the supercharged mode of Google's latest large language model (LLM), designed to tackle more complex problems. According to the company, it "uses advanced parallel reasoning to explore multiple hypotheses simultaneously."

SEE ALSO: OpenAI in “code red” after losing 6% of its users in a week due to Gemini 3, report says

The latest update after Gemini 2.5, Gemini 3 Deep Think has a few bragging rights, as Google says it scored 41 percent on the extremely difficult LLM benchmark, Humanity’s Last Exam.

If you're paying for AI Ultra, you can try Gemini 3 Deep Think in the Gemini app by hitting the prompt bar and selecting the dropdown option.

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Demand is high for Google's AI tools of late, despite the company joining competitors like Anthropic and OpenAI in taking home an average AI safety report card this week. The rollout comes days after Google had to cap access to its next gen image generator, Nano Banana, temporarily dropping the number of free image prompts from three to two (this didn't affect Google AI Pro or AI Ultra plan subscribers). Google says its Gemini app is used by 650 million users every month, and with the arrival of Gemini 3, rival OpenAI reportedly lost 6 percent of its users in a week.

I've never been a fan of Christmas lights, but I do love Matter, and that's the only reason I had any interest in the Govee Christmas Sparkle String Lights. But it's the fun I had with this product that makes it a welcome addition to this year's tree.

I test new robot vacuums on a regular basis and compare them to the top performers from previous months, with all my evaluations taking place in my own home on various rugs, tile, and hardwood floors. As I test each robot vacuum and tweak its settings for optimal performance, I keep notes on its overall suction power and scrubbing efficacy (if it's a robot vacuum and mop combo), pet hair pickup, the convenience of its automatic emptying and self-washing mopping pads, accuracy of smart mapping and small obstacle avoidance, and the overall user experience. But the final boss here is cost efficiency — I'll be the first one to point out when a cheap robot vacuum actually works well for the price, or when a high-end robot vacuum is actually worth the splurge or not.

SEE ALSO: iRobot could be facing bankruptcy. But as a vacuum tester, I saw the Roomba flop era coming from a mile away. Other robot vacuums I've tested recently

I tested several other top robot vacuums in the past that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra, and various versions of the Roomba j7 were my top recommendations at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck.

I've also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but ultimately aren't a top pick for me. The Dreame X50 Ultra grabbed attention during its CES 2025 debut for its ability to "climb," though the fine print is that it can't scale thresholds taller than 6 millimeters (about 2.36 inches). A slew of new Dreame robot vacuums are slated to come out in fall 2025, among them a model with improved climbing abilities and a model whose self-empty dock can hold three sets of mopping pads. I'll be getting my hands on these as soon as possible and updating my top picks for this list accordingly.