IT General

SAVE 56%: As of Dec. 15, the 3i G10+ robot vacuum and mop combo is $199.99, down from $449.99. That's a 56% discount or $250 in savings.

3i G10+ robot vacuum and mop combo $199.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $250   Get Deal at Amazon

If you've been holding out on buying a robot vacuum because you couldn't stomach the $500+ price tag, this deal is for you. I found a top-notch vacuum-mop combo that our Senior Shopping Reporter (and vacuum expert!), Leah Stodart, calls the "most impressive robot vacuum under $500," for 56% off.

SEE ALSO: I tested 25 robot vacuum and mop combos and found 6 that actually scrub

Right now, the 3i G10+ robot vacuum and mop combo is on sale for $199.99, down from $449.99. That's a 56% discount or $250 in savings. It's also a Black-Friday-level price.

The reason this one is a must-buy is the features you get for the price. The 3i G10+ uses patented debris compression that packs dirt quietly into the 1L dustbin, so you'll get 60 days of hands-free cleaning without a huge, bulky self-empty dock. (You can store the unit under your bed, a chair, or wherever else, which is a big win for small apartments.)

It also has 18,000 Pa of suction power, which is only 2,000 Pa less than a $1,600 Roborock model — that's seriously high suction for this price range. Plus, you get a full suite of flagship-level tech: smart mapping with LiDAR, obstacle avoidance that steers around socks and pet messes, and even a livestream camera for checking on pets (a feature usually seen on vacuums over $1,000).

Waze is great for shaving minutes off your commute and avoiding those pesky speed traps, but it’s always been just a few steps behind Google Maps. One small feature that can be surprisingly helpful is traffic light icons along your route. Waze may finally be getting this feature, too.

The fall from grace is now legally binding: iRobot has finally filed for bankruptcy after years of tanking revenue. Current Roomba owners, who once thought that they owned the pinnacle of robot vacuum, probably have one unanimous follow-up question: Will my Roomba still work?

The short answer is yes, but I'd tack "for now" onto the end of that.

Usability of the app, future bug fixes, and customer service were all concerns I had in the fall, when it was revealed that Roomba's parent company was in danger due to the lack of buyout interest. An acquisition was pretty desperately needed for iRobot to avoid going under — but instead, iRobot's only option was to surrender ownership to Picea, the company that currently manufactures Roombas. But in its Dec. 15 press release, iRobot assured that it does not expect the company's restructuring to disrupt app functionality, customer programs, or ongoing product support.

Still, I'm not yet convinced that there's no unplanned obsolescence afoot for the current wave of Roombas.

Are they going to stop selling Roombas?

No, bankruptcy for iRobot doesn't mean that Roombas will stop being made. iRobot just isn't the sole governor of Roomba manufacturing anymore. "iRobot expects to be better positioned to execute on its long-term innovation strategy under Picea's ownership," the press release says. It's all business as usual on iRobot's website, where the whole Roomba lineup is severely discounted for the holiday sale.

SEE ALSO: How long should a vacuum last? The lifespan to expect from corded, cordless, and robot vacuums.

While you will still be able to buy a Roomba, that doesn't mean that you should. The newest Roombas haven't been selling well since they were released in March 2025, when iRobot overhauled the entire lineup in an (unspoken) attempt to get people excited about Roombas again. I tested several of them and didn't have any major complaints — there are just better robot vacuums out there at better prices. (For instance, I'd tell anyone to buy the budget 3i G10+ robot vacuum over any cheap Roomba. 3i happens to be owned by Picea as well.)

This steep competition is exactly why I advised to think twice before buying a Roomba on Black Friday, and why you probably shouldn't gift anyone a Roomba this year.

But iRobot is apparently still planning to "innovate" under Picea, so it's possible that we could see more worthwhile iRobot vacuums released down the line. For a Roomba revival to stick, iRobot and Picea would need to really focus on pricing. For years, Roombas have been way too expensive for the features they offer — competing robot vacuum brands like Roborock and Eufy were undercutting iRobot left and right, and recent U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods definitely didn't help matters. But until we see what new offerings Picea and iRobot may have, Roombas aren't worth it.

iRobot, maker of Roomba robot vacuums, is making some big changes to stay in business. The company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and it plans to be fully acquired by Picea Robotics.

It’s easy to forget that Nissan was an early trailblazer in both EVs and advanced driver-assist systems. The original Leaf hit the market in 2011 as one of the first affordable, mass-produced electric cars, and ProPilot Assist arrived in 2016 as one of the earliest widely available auto-steering systems.

Users who have switched from Google Assistant to Gemini have a lost a pretty important feature on smart home devices, and they aren't happy about it.

As detailed in this Reddit thread, if you're using Gemini on a smart home device such as a smart speaker or display, Continued Conversations no longer work — unless you upgrade to Gemini Home Premium.

SEE ALSO: Google is bringing Gemini live translation to your headphones (unless you're using an iPhone, of course)

That means you can't just keep talking to Gemini via a smart speaker in your home. Instead, you need to utter the "Hey Google" phrase before each inquiry.

The Continued Conversation features is now called Gemini Live, and is only available to Google Home Premium subscribers — a plan that starts at $10 per month. To add insult to injury, this feature was previously free with Google Assistant, and reverting back to the old Google Assistant isn't possible.

This seemed to be one of those rare instances in which it made sense to query Gemini for the purpose of a news article, so I asked it about it.

"No, the traditional "Continued Conversation" feature is currently not available for free users who have switched from Google Assistant to Gemini," it wrote. But the "catch," according to Google's AI, is that "even with the paid version, 'Live' mode on speakers is mostly for chatting and information. It often cannot perform smart home actions (like 'turn off the lights') while in that active chat mode."

Fortunately, as Gemini pointed out, Continued Conversations are still available for free on mobile and on the Gemini web app.

The AI downplayed the importance of the feature, but a lot of folks in that Reddit thread disagree. "So annoyed," said one Redditor. "Stopped working after the gemini update, need to say hey google all the time and its slow too, hate it so far," said another.

PCWorld's Ben Patterson also highlighted the lack of this feature, saying that for him it wasn't a dealbreaker, but it's feeling "like a step backward rather than forward."

Ubuntu Studio, a Linux distribution meant for creative work, is showing off a new layout for its desktop experience and also asking whether the default layout should be changed. The poll results will affect how the upcoming Ubuntu Studio 26.04 LTS release will look when you first install it.

In the evening of Dec. 14, a large crowd of people gathered on Australia's Bondi Beach to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, and were instead met with violence, as two gunmen opened fire on the group. As of today, 15 people have been killed.

One of the assailants was taken down by bystander Ahmed Al Ahmed, whose brave decision to grapple with the shooter and take over his weapon was captured on video and shared widely across social media platforms. Informed by an epidemic of gun violence that has turned many bystanders into heroes, it's clear on camera that the man in the white shirt is potentially saving dozens of lives. The long-barreled gun is in clear view as he wrests it from the hand of a man clad in black, who then topples over and ambles away.

SEE ALSO: Los Angeles woman discovers man hiding in Waymo trunk

But X's Grok, the AI chatbot designed by Elon Musk's AI venture xAI, didn't see it as such.

As users stumbled across the harrowing video of Ahmed the following morning and asked the chatbot to explain, Grok described the scene as "an old viral video of a man climbing a palm tree in a parking lot, possibly to trim it." X users have since added a fact-check to the bot's reply. In another response, Grok mislabeled the video as footage from the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, and credited it to the Tropical Cyclone Alfred in another, Gizmodo reported.

X hasn't yet explained why this glitch occurred, or why Grok has made similar fumbles beyond queries about Bondi Beach.

But watchdogs know why, and it's very simple. Chatbots are bad at breaking news. In the wake of the killing of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk, Grok exacerbated conspiracy theories about the shooter and Kirk's own bodyguards, telling some users that a graphic video clearly showing Kirk's death was just a meme. Other AI-powered search sources, including Google AI Overview, also gave false information in the immediate aftermath of Kirk's death.

"Instead of declining to answer, models now pull from whatever information is available online at the given moment, including low-engagement websites, social posts, and AI-generated content farms seeded by malign actors. As a result, chatbots repeat and validate false claims during high-risk, fast-moving events," NewsGuard researcher McKenzie Sadeghi told Mashable at the time.

Social media platforms have also scaled back human fact-checking across the board, and chatbots may instead prioritize frequency over accuracy in real-time news responses.

AI companies know this is a glaring gap for their bots, and it's why they've courted news publications into larger and larger licensing deals to better their products. Earlier this month, Meta signed multiple commercial AI agreements with news publishers, including CNN, Fox News, and international publication Le Monde, adding to its existing partnership with Reuters. Google is running a pilot program with participating news publishers to expand AI-powered features, including article summaries, to Google News.

Hallucinations and accuracy also remain a big problem for large-language models and AI chatbots in general, which often confidently provide false information to users.

SAVE 31%: As of Dec. 15, you can get the ASUS ROG Swift OLED (PG32UCDM) 32-inch gaming monitor for $899, down from $1,299, at Amazon. That's a 31% discount or a $400 price cut.

ASUS ROG Swift OLED (PG32UCDM) 32-inch gaming monitor $899 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $400   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Newegg

If you're on a quest to level up your gaming setup, I just found a deal that's too good not to check into.

Right now, you can grab the ASUS ROG Swift OLED (PG32UCDM) 32-inch gaming monitor for $899, down from $1,299, at Amazon. That's a 31% discount or a $400 price cut (it's also the lowest price we've ever tracked for this model), but you'll need to hurry. Amazon's got this one listed as "selling fast."

SEE ALSO: Asus ROG Ally X review: 3 ways it beats the Steam Deck

This monitor runs at 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) with a 32-inch QD-OLED panel. It also has a 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time. ASUS was smart about this build, too. It uses a custom heatsink and graphene film to manage heat, reduce the risk of burn-in, and improve the panel's longevity. You can even charge your gaming laptop directly using the USB-C port, which provides 90W Power Delivery. Plus, the ergonomic stand is specially designed to tilt, swivel, and adjust in height so you can see the game from every angle.

Sometimes you encounter a technical issue on an iPhone that makes you chuckle more than anything else.

That's what's currently happening to some photos in the iOS Photos app, per 9to5mac. Various reports on places like Reddit have confirmed that some photos originally snapped on Android phones are showing up with a horrifying red filter applied to them when you look at them in the Photos app. You won't see the filter until you tap on the image, for some reason, so you can't tell that something is wrong from the thumbnail.

SEE ALSO: Android now lets you share live video on emergency calls

It's seemingly not yet known how this is happening, but the good news is that there's an easy fix. According to 9to5mac, just open an affected photo, hit the Edit button, and then hit Revert. That should remove the red filter. Again, this apparently only applies to photos taken on Android phones and saved to iPhones for whatever reason, so you may not even have any of these in your library. I certainly couldn't find any in mine.

At any rate, this is more goofy than problematic. Just make sure you fix any affected photos before sharing them with someone else.

The UK government wants tech giants like Apple and Google to block nude photographs if there is no age verification from the user.

The Financial Times reported (via 9to5 Mac) on the new policy from the British government, which will reportedly ask both Google and Apple to block users on iOS and Android devices from both sharing and accessing nude photos sans age verification.

Age verification is a major issue in the tech world right now, and tech giants like Meta are actively lobbying for regulations that require Google and Apple to take responsibility for this process.

Wrote the Financial Times:

"Ministers want the likes of Apple and Google to incorporate nudity-detection algorithms into their device operating systems to prevent users taking photos or sharing images of genitalia unless they are verified as adults […]

[Additionally,] the Home Office wants to see operating systems that prevent any nudity being displayed on screen unless the user has verified they are an adult through methods such as biometric checks or official ID."

The UK government, at least for the time being, will not require this of devices sold in Britain but rather encourage it of the tech companies, noted Apple-focused site MacRumors.

Mashable has regularly covered the rapid spread of age-verification laws. While these policies may stem from the desire to protect kids, experts say they often prove ineffective while raising serious privacy concerns. Though, as Mashable's Anna Iovine reported, device-level filters might be the most ethical and effective way of enforcing age restrictions.

I have a lot of Windows PCs in my life. Some are dedicated to work, others run media servers around the house, and one of my favorites is an old machine I turned into a retro gaming arcade cabinet. When you manage that many systems, you end up collecting all kinds of utilities over the years. My toolbox is full of apps for repairs, maintenance, diagnostics, and the usual experiments that come with being a lifelong tinkerer.

There is something beautifully ironic about creating an AI companion that looks almost identical to a Tribble.

The iconic alien from Star Trek made its television debut in the 1967 episode "The Trouble with Tribbles," in which these tiny, fluffy balls quickly turned from "adorable alien that purrs" into "really annoying invasive nuisance."

Nearly six decades later, enter: the Fuzozo. This AI emotional companion that looks remarkably similar to the Star Trek alien is debuting at CES 2026. The Fuzozo recognizes its owner and responds when the owner talks to it. It purrs when you pet it, moves closer to you when you're sitting on the couch, and waits for you by the door when you're gone. One review of the previous model says it "feels alive."

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According to Forbes, agentic and physical AI, like the Fuzozo, is a potential multi-trillion-dollar industry, so it's no surprise that the emotional companion is going to be a highly anticipated drop at the upcoming CES. Oftentimes, AI companions are stuck in a users' home, because without WiFi, they're effectively useless.

"True companionship should follow you everywhere," reads a press release from Tuya Smart, which launched the companion along with Robopoet. "The golden era of AI companions will arrive when they become as always connected and mobile as your smartphone."

The Fuzozo isn't the only, or first, AI companion to pull from mobile connections. The much-disputed AI companion and wearable called "Friend" also works off of an internet connection via your phone's WiFi or cellular data to function. This seems to me like a combination of the Friend and a Labubu.

"We chose to partner with Tuya Smart on the cellular edition of Fuzozo because of Tuya's robust global cloud service capabilities, which ensure stable, seamless emotional companionship," Joe Sun, the CEO of Robopoet, said in the press release. "This partnership enables us to concentrate on advancing core innovations in emotional interaction and delivering distinctive AI companion experience to users around the world."

An image in the press release shows a partial look at the new generation of Fuzozo AI companions.

Credit: Tuya Smart / Robopoet

SAVE $61.99: As of Dec. 15, the Sony WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones are down to just $398 at Amazon. That's a 13% drop from their usual list price and matches their Black Friday price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones $398 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $61.99   Get Deal

When Sony dropped its newest WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones earlier this year, we were a little disappointed in the price increase over their predecessor. Though Mashable's tech editor Timothy Beck Werth believes the steep cost is mostly justified by their robust specs, we definitely appreciate a solid discount.

As of Dec. 15, the Sony WH-1000XM6s are back down to just $398 instead of their usual list price of $459.99. That's $61.99 or 13% in savings and matches the record-low Black Friday deal we saw on the headphones.

Sure, that's still a lot of dough to drop on a pair of headphones, but they are wildly impressive. They're our top pick for sound quality amongst all brands of headphones, and our reviewer says they "elevate wireless audio to heights that no other rival has yet to match." Our shopping team has tested a ton of headphones and found that the XM6s sound great right out of the box, though with fine-tuning on the equalizer they somehow sound even better.

Beyond sound quality, they also offer phenomenal noise cancellation, a comfortable fit, and a travel-friendly folding design (unlike the XM5s). The battery life is the same as their predecessor, but that's not a bad thing necessarily. 30 hours is pretty dang solid. If you need some influencing, check out our full review of the 2025 Sony flagship headphones.

The XM6s are in a league of their own, but if you can't fathom spending that much on a pair of headphones — even when they're on sale — the XM5s are still a great option as well.

SAVE $92.89: The Meta Quest 3 (512GB) is on sale at Amazon for $407.10, down from the usual price of $499.99. That's 19% discount and it comes with a free $100 digital credit with code QUEST30.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Meta Quest 3 (512GB) $407.10 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $92.89 use code QUEST30 at checkout to get a free $100 digital credit Get Deal

Tis the season to go big. Whether you're shopping for the ultimate holiday gift or looking for an end-of-the-year present for yourself, there are some great deals out there. Some of these extend to items that might ordinarily be out of price range but have become much more reasonable thanks to a special sale. If you've always wanted to dive into the world of virtual reality, this could be your shot.

As of Dec. 15, the Meta Quest 3 (512GB) is on sale at Amazon for $407.10, marked down from the usual price of $499.99. That works out to a savings of $92.89 from a 19% discount. But even more exciting is that you can enter code QUEST30 at checkout to get a free $100 digital Amazon credit.

Maybe you were holding out with early models, but the Meta Quest 3 is said to have a 30% sharper resolution. Pair this with the ample 512GB of storage and 8GB RAM, and we're in line for epic gaming. The VR headset also comes with free access to Meta Horizon+ for three months which gives access to over 40 games with new drops each month.

SEE ALSO: Get the Bose Ultra open-ear earbuds for under $200 at Best Buy

The Meta Quest 3 is designed with a lightweight and slim design and it has bragging rights of using two RGB cameras which helps virtual objects blend into your physical space. In Kimberly Gedeon's Mashable review of the Meta Quest 3, battery life came up as one of the only negatives. In testing, it only stayed powered up for about an hour and 20 minutes. While that's not super impressive, maybe it's a nice time limit on a gaming session.

If you've been on the fence about investing in the Meta Quest 3, the nearly $100 discount could be your sign. On top of this, checkout code QUEST30 earns you a free $100 Amazon digital credit. Since Amazon is noting this is a limited-time deal, it's best to jump on this one quickly.

KolibriOS is an open-source project that brings you an entire operating system in just over a megabyte. The operating system has a graphical interface and lots of neat utilities and games. Let's boot into it.

Are you weighing buying a new car or more RAM for your NAS? Maybe not, but it feels like it these days. Your NAS likely needs less RAM than you think it does—here’s how to figure out just how much RAM your NAS actually needs.

Have you noticed that you're getting better at using Linux? Everyone learns at their own pace, but if you've been using Linux for a while, here are the five signs that prove you're starting to become an advanced user.

The holiday season brings a festive dose of gift-giving, party hosting, and much-needed vacations. If you are traveling at the end of the year or around New Year's, I recommend getting on board with my obsession: real-time flight tracking.

If your Christmas present this year is watching Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2 right when it drops, you're in luck. Netflix has dropped a trailer for the show's next three episodes, making for a pre-Christmas gift you can watch (and theorize over) for the next 10 days.

The trailer picks up in the aftermath of Vecna's (Jamie Campbell Bower) attack on the Hawkins MAC-Z. Despite Will (Noah Schnapp) going full sorcerer on a Demogorgon army and saving his friends' lives, our Hawkins heroes still failed to rescue the children Vecna planned to kidnap. Now, they're trapped in Vecna's lair, and their minds will be stuck in his mindscape alongside Max (Sadie Sink) and Holly (Nell Fisher).

SEE ALSO: 11 burning questions we have for 'Stranger Things' Season 5, Volume 2

Obviously, this failure is demoralizing for everyone involved. But will the Hawkins crew give up? Never! On top of Will's new powers, the squad also has Eleven's (Millie Bobby Brown) sister Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) on their side. Plus, based on the trailer, it looks like Max and Holly will be making a mad dash to escape the Camazotz-esque prison of Vecna's mind. With their escape on the horizon, things could be looking up. Right?

Well, trust the Duffer Brothers to throw more curveballs at us. Case in point: the massive ball of roiling red energy Steve (Joe Keery) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) discover in the Upside Down. What new fresh hell is this? Notably, the trailer also teases a much-needed reconciliation between these two. Steve and Dustin have been at odds since the start of the season, with Eddie's (Joseph Quinn) death hanging heavy between them. However, that reconciliation also resurrects one of the best Steve and Dustin exchanges from the show: Season 3's, "I die, you die."

Look, I get where the two are coming from, as they're surely about to embark on some perilous mission. But hear me out: How about neither of you die? Sound good? Great, glad we're all on the same page.

Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. Volume 2 premieres Dec. 25, and the series finale premieres Dec. 31, both at 8 p.m. ET.