IT General

3 apps Microsoft killed, even when users loved them

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 15:15

Not every discontinued app was a failure. Some of them worked exactly the way they were supposed to. They were fast, focused, and dependable. People built habits around them. They slipped into daily routines naturally and just did their job. Then one day they were gone.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Buy a NAS for the hardware, not the operating system

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 15:00

Are you trying to figure out if it's worth it to buy a premium NAS? What if I told you the hardware was mostly the same across most units, and there was only one main difference between most brands? Here's why you shouldn't focus on NAS hardware, and instead should focus on the OS.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I regret waiting so long to factory reset my Android phone

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 15:00

Everybody knows that one of the simplest ways to keep an Android phone feeling fresh is to factory reset it. What puts people off is the fear that it'll take ages and you might lose your data in the process. So when I was left with no choice but to reset my Pixel recently, I was surprised to find that it wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Scream 7 review: Kevin Williamson makes Ghostface fun again

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 15:00

The Scream franchise just got fun again, thanks to Scream 7

When it comes to churning out sequels, the horror series has a higher bar to clear than its sisters in slasher. It's not enough to make a movie that's scary and funny, with a big reveal-the-killers moment at the end. They also have to be smart, speaking to fans who not only made 1996's Scream a genre-shifting success but also fans who've grown up on these movies and demand they keep up with the genre critique across 30 years of evolution.

SEE ALSO: The best horror movies of 2025, and where to watch them

Where Scream introduced "the rules" of the slasher as a means to break them, its sequels built a box that became increasingly constrained by lore and meta commentary. This pushed the film series farther away from Woodsboro — to college (Scream 2), to Los Angeles (Scream 3), to New York (Scream VI), getting to a point where Final Girl Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) was no longer the hero, but either a supporting character (Scream 4 and 5 — which was confusingly titled Scream) or absent altogether (Scream VI).

Scream 7 brings Campbell back to the center of the story, restoring some of the original concept's simplicity. But you can never go home again, and Scream 7 recognizes that with a fiery opening, as teased in the trailers.

Kevin Williamson is back, and back in Woodsboro.  Neve Campbell in "Scream 7." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Williamson earned his first screenplay credit in 1996 for Scream, swiftly defining a brand of horror where teens weren't stupid victims, but snarky, smart, and still susceptible to homicide. He'd go on to pen Scream 2 and 4. For Scream 7, he teamed up on the screenplay with James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, who penned 5 and VI. And Williamson also takes the helm of this one. Out the gate, you can feel Williamson's influence in the cracking dialogue between a quarreling couple at a taboo Airbnb.

Scott (Jimmy Tatro) is a devoted "Stab head," meaning a fan of the films-within-the films that turned the "true" story of the Woodsboro murders into a profitable slasher franchise. His girlfriend Madison (Michelle Randolph) knows her horror movies, but is less charmed by Scott's idea for a fun getaway: staying at Stu Macher's house. Now an "experience destination," the iconic home of one of the Woodsboro murderers has been decked out with memorabilia from the Stab movies and crime scene details, including outlines of where the killers fell dead and plaques about who got killed where.

From this moment, Scream 7 doesn't just wink at the long-time Scream fans, who are greedily eying every frame for Easter eggs. It waves at us with a fervent reminder that knowing about these movies doesn't mean you'd survive them. (RIP Randy, the first to teach us this lesson.) 

Featured Video For You 'Scream VI' writers and Jasmin Savoy Brown reveal the most crucial horror movie survival rules

However, the Macher house murders at the start of 7 aren't simply fan-service. They are also a declaration: Don't get stuck in the past.

Scott's fatal mistake was chasing nostalgia. But beyond that, Williamson's first kills here are more vicious than those in Scream. They're more on par with the graphic violence seen in the torture porn trend that would follow the release of Scream 3 — a trend that is part of the reason this franchise went fallow for 11 years.

And it's not just the level of gore in this opening sequence, which echoes the malicious and prolonged assault on Jenna Ortega at the start of Scream 5. It's that Madison, with her pink hoodie and long blonde hair, may not look like a stereotypical horror fan, but she knows her stuff — and she's a fighter. Watching her subvert the expectations of a "dumb blonde" and still wind up very dead sets the standard for Scream 7. Williamson keeps the tension and creepy quality high to the very final frame.

Scream 7 recaptures the thrills of the first film without being precious about them.  McKenna Grace, Celeste O'Connor, and Isabel May in "Scream 7." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Filling in the blanks of Sidney's personal life, Scream 7 picks up in Pine Grove, a cozy small town where Sidney is married to police chief Mark Evans (Joel McHale) and raising three children including her 17-year-old daughter Tatum (Isabel May), named for her childhood best friend. Nowadays, Mrs. Evans — as she prefers to be called — runs a cute coffee shop and argues with her eldest about why it's not smart to let your horny boyfriend crawl through your window at night. ("Hypocrite!" a seething Tatum hurls in response.) However, these very common mother-daughter conflicts are deprioritized when Sidney gets a call from a familiar voice that threatens her kid. 

Will history repeat itself? Not only is Sidney once more facing off against a serial killer in a Ghostface mask, but also it's a slasher that wants to kill her Tatum all over again. However, from the first act, Scream 7 does something none of the previous entries have done before: it shows who's on the other end of the menacing call. 

If you've followed casting news or paid attention in the trailers, you know Matthew Lillard, who played Stu Macher in Scream, is back for Scream 7. It's what some fans (this one included) have been waiting for — especially after Skeet Ulrich started popping up as a delusion/ghost dad Billy Loomis in 5-VI.

In a video call, Lillard's manic energy explodes in threats and taunts, all the more menacing because of the gnarly scars on his face. Naturally, Sidney is shocked. By all accounts, Stu died by a TV to the head in 1996. Everyone tells Sidney it can't be him. It must be AI or a deepfake, suggests the hard-to-kill franchise mainstay Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox). However, her self-described "hot interns," resilient twins Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), point out that crazier things have happened in this franchise.

SEE ALSO: It's time to add AI protections to your will

Cleverly, Williamson and his co-writers have weaponized the Stu lives fan theory to be a mystery within the mystery. It's not enough to unmask the killer. This Stu business needs to be settled. And along the way to a climax that is surprising and astounding in its violence, fans of Lillard will have plenty of opportunity to thrill over his return. His rambunctious energy and explosive charisma hasn't faded in thirty years, and it's wild fun to see him pissing Sidney off all over again.

Scream 7 offers Easter Eggs and a wise revision of form.  Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown in "Scream 7." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Scream lovers will notice the reprisal of songs like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand" and a slow, sexy cover of Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper," the latter playing over the teen heroine kissing her boyfriend (like mother like daughter). There's also a cheeky nod to Scream 2, thanks to a framed photo of Tori Spelling, who canonically played Sidney in the first Stab movie. And content creators who love horror will relish doing shot-by-shot comparisons, as Williamson wisely apes director Wes Craven's iconic cinematography from the first Scream. Then, this sequel makes terrific departures from the franchise's weakest points. 

For one thing, there's the Tatum of it all. This franchise demands Sidney subtly mourn her losses, because to wallow in them would ruin the cat-and-mouse fun, right? In Scream, Sidney was given space to express the pain of losing her mother in a scene with Billy, recreated in Scream 2 and then mocked in Scary Movie.

By Scream 3, she wears her pain in the form of a necklace that her slain Scream 2 boyfriend (Jerry O'Connell) gave her. But as the movies go on, Sidney needs to be tough, not sad, lest the fun be lost amid the grief. Here, at last, the Scream franchise gives her the space to talk about her trauma outside of platitudes. Through striving to rescue Tatum, Sidney is processing the loss of her friend, and coming to understand how she can share this horrific part of her life with her daughter in a healing way. 

SEE ALSO: The could-have-been 'Scream 5' ending that keeps me up at night

Death is not taken lightly in Scream 7, even as the kills get outrageous. By the time the franchise got to Scream 3, it began giving into an ugly slasher cliche: making most of the victims unlikable before they die. Presumably, this is so the audience can enjoy the violent spectacle, rather than being saddened as the body count grows. In Scream 3, this series turned abruptly misogynistic, featuring a blonde actress (Jenny McCarthy) who is depicted as "nagging" before being slaughtered, then a sweet ingénue (Emily Mortimer) who, before being killed, is slutshamed for sleeping with a producer to get the role of Sidney in Stab 3. (See also Alison Brie's wickedly opportunistic PR agent in Scream 4.)

Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell in "Scream 7." Credit: Paramount Pictures

In Scream 7, Williamson and his co-writers offer a collection of kids who are spirited, funny, quirky, and creepy. They are distinctive and not casually disposed of, but are brutally killed. This reflects the first film, which didn't take itself that seriously. As the franchise switched hands to directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett with Scream 5 and 6, the new heroine's (Melissa Barrera) brooding over being the offspring of Billy Loomis dragged the franchise into a suffocatingly grim terrain.

In this way, Scream 7 is a return to form. Between the comic relief of the Meeks-Martin twins, Lillard's irrepressible energy, and the kinetic crew of new teens (including McKenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O'Connor, and Sam Rechner), there's a levity that makes this movie wildly and unapologetically fun. This frivolity contrasts all the more sharply with the intense kill scenes, making their stabs hit home all the harder. Then, the close-ups on spilled entrails and destroyed faces doesn't let us escape the impact. Each loss is sensationally scary, building tension and anticipation for vigilante justice, Final Girl style. (Go get 'em, Sid!) 

Simply put, I was elated with Scream 7. Williamson smartly surveyed the whole of the franchise, working in lore — and even fan theories — where appropriate. But his film doesn't feel weighed down by them. He has delivered wild kills, a meta monologue about horror conventions, and enough comic relief to make this sequel a devilish roller coaster ride — the kind that sparks the audience to gasp, scream, cackle, and even yell to the characters onscreen as if we can help them.

As someone who has long counted Scream as the best of the batch, I yearned for a sequel that recaptured that feeling of discovery but also shared in my affection for the first film. Scream 7 does that, paying homage without being beholden to audience expectation or constrictive lore. Incredibly, Williams gives us a hearty dose of nostalgia and Easter eggs while providing new ideas, weird reveals, and fresh chills.

In the end, Scream 7 may not be the best of the bunch, but it's damn close. 

Scream 7 opens only in theaters on Feb. 27.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Samsung 85-Inch Class QLED Q8F 4K UHD TV is down to $1,399.99 at Amazon — save over $200

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 14:57

SAVE $300: As of Feb. 26, the Samsung 85-inch Class Q8F QLED 4K TV is on sale for $1,399.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you over $200 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 85-inch Class Q8F QLED 4K TV $1,399.99 at Amazon
$1,697.99 Save $298   Get Deal

We see you, Amazon. You couldn't let Best Buy have its moment to shine? You couldn't sit back and watch another retailer get all the glory? You had to go and match the price cut on the Samsung 85-inch Class Q8F QLED 4K TV, didn't you?

In a move that has surprised absolutely nobody, Amazon has price-matched Best Buy's impressive deal of the day from earlier this week. So as of Feb. 26, the Samsung 85-inch Class Q8F QLED 4K TV is on sale for $1,399.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you almost $300 on list price.

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The Samsung 85-inch Class Q8F QLED 4K TV boasts excellent quality across the board thanks to the 4K QLED display and AI-optimized color-boosted picture and audio, delivering incredible colors, contrast, and sharp clarity. This popular TV also supports VRR games at up to 4K at 144Hz, so gamers should be more than satisfied.

The slim design is also a nice touch. Sure, this TV looks slick, but you still don't want it drawing all the attention.

Save over $200 on the Samsung 85-inch Class Q8F QLED 4K TV at Amazon. For more Samsung news, check out our extensive coverage of Samsung Unpacked.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why your Nvidia Shield TV keeps buffering—and 6 fixes that actually work

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 14:45

The Nvidia Shield TV is one of the best Android product lines in history, including phones. That’s why people are still using models that are nearly a decade old. However, keeping a device running smoothly for that long requires some upkeep.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 Arch-based Linux distros that actually solve real problems—not just reskins

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 14:30

Are you tired of Arch-based distros that are just reskins with slightly different system defaults? Are you looking for a distro that actually tackles a real pain point the average user can’t solve on their own? Well, here are three Arch distros that genuinely solve real problems.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Zigbee2MQTT is the weakest link on your Home Assistant server—here's the easiest fix

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 14:15

Zigbee2MQTT is one of the most popular ways to enable Zigbee devices to communicate with Home Assistant. When Zigbee2MQTT is working well, you mostly won't even notice it's there, but if it stops working, your Zigbee devices effectively disappear from Home Assistant. Running Zigbee2MQTT on a separate device from your Home Assistant server can solve a number of common issues.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I tried using a CarPlay wireless adapter—here's 3 reasons I went back to a wired connection

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 14:00

I really want to use wireless CarPlay, but my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica doesn’t offer that—it only has wired CarPlay. Over the years, I’ve tried multiple wireless CarPlay adapters, and I always go back to a wired connection at the end of the day.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Daily Show critiques Trumps endless State of the Union address

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 13:33

Donald Trump's lengthy State of the Union address has been one of the top subjects for late night hosts this week, from Stephen Colbert to Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers.

The Daily Show's Desi Lydic also watched the U.S. president's one hour and 47-minute speech so you don't have to, unpacking the address on Wednesday night.

"Donald Trump gave the longest State of the Union address in history, just beating out Harry Truman's performance of The Vagina Monologues," Lydic joked. "But honestly, it didn't feel long. It felt endless."

SEE ALSO: Jimmy Kimmel reacts to Fox News praising Trump's State of the Union

The Daily Show host unpacked Trump's speech including his visceral, gory descriptions — "Oh my god, the violence. Was this a State of the Union speech or a Quentin Tarantino movie?" — and his dramatic reaction when Democrats didn't stand to applaud him.

"One reason that the speech went so long was because Republicans kept interrupting with applause breaks, which Trump would just bask in, rotating back and forth like he was stuck on oscillating fan mode. Guys, he's stuck. How do I get him back to regular? Push or pull?" Lydic said.

"But the Democrats stayed seated almost the entire night, and you could tell it started to get under Trump's skin," she continued, showing footage of Trump being outwardly angry at seated members of Congress. "Mr President, I will have you know that the Democrats are not standing because they are outraged by your tyranny and lawless behavior, and also they are asleep right now. Shhhhh!"

Categories: IT General, Technology

Connor Storries SNL promo shows off a truly impressive range of accents

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 13:28

Connor Storrie is clearly a man of many talents.

Fresh off his Heated Rivalry success — a show so popular you can now book a stay at the Heated Rivalry cottage — the actor is hosting SNL this Saturday, and in the promo skit above he debuts his impressive range of accents in an "accent duel" with SNL's James Austin Johnson.

For a while it seems as though it might be close, but Storrie's Ilya Rozanov-style Russian accent ultimately proves too much for Austin Johnson to handle.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch India vs. Zimbabwe in the 2026 T20 World Cup online for free

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 13:24

TL;DR: Live stream India vs. Zimbabwe in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 T20 World Cup is really ramping up. The group stage built some momentum, and now the Super 8 stage is taking off. Places in the semi finals are up for grabs as the best international T20 sides battle it out.

India and Zimbabwe lost their opening games in this stage of the competition. Now that they come together at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, it's all or nothing for these exciting teams as they compete to advance from Group 1. A defeat for hosts India would be unthinkable. Fans always expect India to walk away as winners. Losing their title like this would be a huge disappointment.

If you want to watch India vs. Zimbabwe in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is India vs. Zimbabwe?

India vs. Zimbabwe in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 8:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 26. This game takes place at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.

How to watch India vs. Zimbabwe for free

India vs. Zimbabwe in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream India vs. Zimbabwe in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

  4. Visit ICC.TV

  5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the 2026 T20 World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stephen Colbert reacts to missing Epstein files about Trump

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 13:20

We already know that Donald Trump's name comes up many, many times in the Epstein files, but the biggest story at the moment is the times his name reportedly is missing.

"It is well known that big, incriminating stuff has been redacted from what Pam Bondi released," says Stephen Colbert in the Late Show clip above. "And yesterday we got confirmation that the DOJ has withheld or taken down more than 50 pages of material from the Epstein files related to Donald Trump. And it's totally on brand for the DOJ — this DOJ especially — to be protecting Trump. It's the least surprising headline since 'Youngest Child Becomes Theatre Major'."

Colbert goes on to say that we don't know exactly what's in the files, and that whatever it is Trump denies wrongdoing. "But it's weird that these files specifically are missing, because the law prohibits redacting anything on the basis of embarrassment or reputational harm. And according to the New York Times, the missing files are FBI memos summarizing interviews they did in connection to claims made in 2019 by a woman who alleged she had been sexually assaulted by both Trump and Epstein when she was 13 to 15 years old," Colbert says.

"Holy unholy, this would be the worst scandal in presidential history. That the files are missing should be the biggest story in the world, but we're all so worn down by this turd in a tie we go, 'Oh no that's terrible, I wonder if that baby monkey made friends yet.'"

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Buy Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collections for close to market price at Walmart — save vs. Amazon

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 13:01

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collections have dropped to $37.99 at Walmart, landing close to market price and undercutting recent $44+ Amazon listings.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG:Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collections (Charmander & Gastly) $37.99 at Walmart
  Shop Now

The Ascended Heroes expansion in the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Evolution set has seen huge prices due to massive demand, but Walmart has offered yet another solid discount in the build-up to Pokémon Day 2026

As of Feb. 26, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collection (randomly selected Charmander or Gastly) is available for $37.99 at Walmart — a noticeable drop from the $44.95 pricing we’re seeing at Amazon. Each Tech Sticker Collection includes one foil promo card (featuring either Charmander or Gastly), a themed tech sticker sheet spotlighting Mega Charizard Y or Mega Gengar, and three booster packs from the Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes expansion, each containing 10 Pokémon trading cards as standard. 

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Granted, Amazon’s higher-priced listings give you a choice between the Gastly and the Charmader edition, which is ideal if you’re after a specific promo card or sticker sheet. The biggest draw, however, is how much this deal saves you compared to buying Ascended Heroes booster packs individually.

Single booster packs of Ascended Heroes are in especially high demand, making its usual prices jump even higher than normal: $19.44 each at Walmart, $20.99 each at Target, and $49.99 each at TCGplayer.

While Walmart’s $37.99 listing gives you a random selection between Charmander and Gastly’s Tech Sticker Collection, their three-pack contents mean you’re only paying $12.66 per pack — a bargain compared to buying them as single boosters.

If it’s the expansion’s ETB you’re seeking, the best price for getting the Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box is just under $120 at Amazon. As for the next expansion, you can still pre-order a Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Booster Box for only $211.24 at TCGplayer.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Instagram to alert parents when teens search for suicide

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 13:00

Instagram will soon notify parents of teens who search for suicide or self-harm content on its platform, company officials announced Thursday.

Repeated searches for terms linked to suicide or self-harm over a short duration will trigger the parental alert. The feature is only available through Instagram's parental supervision tool. That is separate from, but can be combined with, a Teen Account, which is designated for youth between the ages of 13 and 17.

Though Instagram attempts to block such search results and direct teens to helplines, it has never notified parents about their children's activity. Parents will receive the alert via an app notification and a separate email, text, or WhatsApp message, depending on the contact information they provided.

SEE ALSO: Instagram Teen Accounts are now rated PG-13

Parents will also be able to view expert-designed content to talk to their teen about suicidal feelings, if they so choose. In cases of imminent physical harm, Instagram will notify emergency services, a long-standing policy.

Teen Account users and their parents will start receiving information about the program next week, with official alerts beginning in early March. The feature will roll out to the U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada first. Instagram's announcement also acknowledged that Instagram's parent company, Meta, is developing similar parental alerts for certain AI experiences.

Last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified at a trial focused on the allegedly dangerous defects and addictive nature of social media platforms. Meta has also been sued by parents of Instagram teen users who died by suicide after being sextorted on the platform.

Teens will receive advance notification from Instagram. Credit: Courtesy Instagram Instagram will send parents an alert when one is triggered. Credit: Courtesy Instagram

Dr. John Ackerman, an expert on youth suicide prevention who was not involved in Instagram's alert feature, told Mashable that it appeared to be carefully considered. Instagram said it relied on feedback from a group of experts it assembled on suicide and self-harm. (Instagram does not publicize the members of its advisory group.)

"I like that they're expanding protections. I like that they're letting parents know," said Ackerman, clinical manager for the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Still, Ackerman said he was interested in learning more about the search terms that can trigger an alert, and whether the list accounts for common words and phrases teens use to avoid algorithmic detection of suicide discussion.

Instagram said that phrases showing an intent or desire to harm one's self, along with terms that promote or glorify suicide and self-harm, would trigger an alert.

Ackerman also noted that the feature could amount to "lip service" if notifications are inaccessible, difficult to navigate, or don't lead to "actionable change."

What to do if you get or trigger an Instagram alert

For parents who receive an alert, Ackerman recommended remaining calm and acknowledging that it may be difficult to hear, especially if the notification is unexpected. Ackerman added that parents don't need to try to fix everything in the moment. Instead, they should focus on being present for their teen and determining next steps while making their support clear. (Ackerman suggests these tips for talking about suicide from The Kids Mental Health Foundation.)

Teens whose searches trigger an alert might feel frustrated, Ackerman said. While that's a normal emotion in the circumstances, Ackerman encourages a teen feeling that way to focus on getting help. If their parent is unsupportive or doesn't follow up on an alert, Ackerman urges them to seek help from a trusted adult, like a teacher or coach.

This is the message Ackerman shares with youth during outreach at schools and elsewhere.

"[W]e let them know that it's okay if the first adult you reach out to isn't as supportive as you would have hoped," Ackerman said. "You continue to be persistent ... there are definitely supportive adults out there."

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Pokémon TCG Journey Together 3-Pack Blisters are now only $24 at Walmart — save vs. Amazon

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 12:55

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Journey Together 3-Pack Blisters for Scraft and Yanmega are now selling at Walmart for under $25 — available for non-Walmart+ members and undercutting any listings available at TCGplayer.

Pokémon TCG: Journey Together 3-Pack Blisters at Walmart Best Yanmega deal Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Journey Together Three-Booster Blister (Yanmega) $23.95 at Walmart Get Deal Best Scrafty deal Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Journey Together Three-Booster Blister (Scrafty) $23.98 at Walmart Get Deal

Even as new expansions in the Pokémon trading card game come out, older sets continue to sell for prices higher than market value. However, Walmart seems to be leading the way in making Journey Together more affordable ahead of Pokémon Day 2026

As of Feb. 27, the Pokémon TCG: Journey Together 3-Pack Blisters are now available for only $23.98 (Scrafty edition) and $23.95 (Yanmega edition) at Walmart. This is not only a good deal in light of modern Pokémon TCG Blisters usually being priced between $28 and $45, but it also puts both sets at close to TCGplayer's market price.

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Each containing three Journey Together booster packs (each with 10 cards, as standard), and a foil promo version of its titular card, Amazon has alternative listings that are slightly more expensive: $24.91 for the Yanmega blister and $25.89 for the Scrafty Blister, which still makes these solid backups if Walmart runs out of stock. 

One reason for these price drops is that the value of its most expensive chase cards has fallen since this Scarlet and Violet set expansion launched in March 2025. Be that as it may, there are still some nice cards worth pulling (that are also available as singles on TCGplayer) — such as Lillie’s Clefairy ex, Salamence ex, and N’s Zoroark ex.

To save even more on Journey Together packs, Walmart is still selling Pokémon TCG Journey Together Boosters for only $34.97. If it’s the latest Mega Evolution expansion you’re seeking, the Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Boxes are still selling for $119.99 at Amazon. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

Nothing teases Headphone (a) ahead of launch next week

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 12:49

Nothing has decided to slowly drip product teasers ahead of launch, and the latest in line are a pair of over-the-ear headphones.

A first for the brand, the Nothing Headphone (a) will launch alongside Nothing Phone 4a (and, potentially, other products) on March 5, during this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

SEE ALSO: The Nothing Phone 4a will be available in pink, and we have pictures and a video

The company revealed very little about the headphones, besides saying that they'll come in "bold colourways" and deliver "the longest battery life of any Nothing audio product to date."

One of those bold colourways is seen in the first teaser image shared by Nothing (see above), a fancy shade of yellow. Given Nothing's trademark semi-transparent product designs, we're pretty excited what the company will do with the new headphones.

Nothing actually offers a couple of earbuds, as well as full-sized headphones, including the Nothing Headphone 1 and Nothing Headphone Pro. The Headphone (a) name indicates that these are an entirely new product line.

Featured Video For You Samsung first look: Go up close with Galaxy Z TriFold, the futuristic foldable only available in Korea

Right now, the Nothing Headphone Pro lead the pack as far as playback time goes with up to 100-hour battery life. Per Nothing, the new Headphone (a) will go on for even longer.

The official reveal of Nothing Headphone (a), as well as the new phones, will be livestreamed on nothing.tech, starting on March 5, at 10:30 a.m. GMT (5:30 a.m. ET).

As for the rest of MWC, check out Mashable's guide to what you can expect this year.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Seth Meyers takes A Closer Look at Trumps State of the Union tantrum

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 12:44

Donald Trump's State of the Union address, sitting at one hour and 47 minutes, has been a main subject for late night hosts this week, from Stephen Colbert to Jimmy Kimmel.

On Wednesday, Seth Meyers joined their ranks, using his deep dive "A Closer Look" segment to summarise the U.S. president's speech in the Capitol, delivered on Tuesday amid consistently poor approval ratings. The Late Night host mocked the record-breaking length of Trump's speech and his "tantrum" when attending Democrats didn't stand to applaud him — this happened specifically when Trump proposed to bar states from allowing teen gender transition treatment without parental consent.

"Despite the fact that it strained everyone's attention spans, Trump expected everyone to leap to their feet and applaud for him, including the Democrats. And his feelings were very hurt when they didn't," said Meyers.

"Trump used this speech the way he uses all of his speeches: as a vehicle to attack anyone who doesn't bend the knee," Meyers concluded, "and since that's the majority of the country, his polling is terrible."

Categories: IT General, Technology

What is Q4OS, and should you install it?

How-To Geek - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 12:30

There are tons of Linux distros out there, but one that's been around for a while, offers a unique experience, and doesn't get much coverage is Q4OS. So what is this four-character operating system, and is it worth trying?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bridgerton fans, watch the Season 4 end credits

Mashable - Thu, 02/26/2026 - 12:01

Bridgerton fans, smash that "watch credits" button at the end of Season 4.

If your heart has survived Shondaland/Netflix's Regency romance for another season, and you've followed the trials, tribulations, and baths of Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) in Part 2, the end credits hold a secret scene.

SEE ALSO: 'Bridgerton' Season 4, Part 2 review: Love does not always look how one expects

We're not going to tell you what happens in it, just that it exists, and you should watch it. Most of the Bridgerton cast members appear in it, and it's worth your time. Just don't let Netflix send you automatically to another show as the credits start rolling.

Meanwhile, if you're a keen-eared Bridgerton fan, Mashable's got every pop string cover in one spot. And make sure you read our review for Bridgerton Season 4, Part 2.

How to watch: Bridgerton Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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