IT General

Apple Siri deal drives Google past historic trillion-dollar milestone: Big tech gets even bigger

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 23:05

On Monday, Apple announced a huge new deal with Google — the AI version of Siri will be powered by Google Gemini. Not long after, Google achieved something very few other Big Tech companies have.

Specifically, Google's parent company Alphabet became just the fourth company to hit a $4 trillion stock market valuation, following Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, per CNBC.

The other three companies all reached that threshold less than a year ago, so this is a recent phenomenon in the stock market. It should be noted that Apple and Microsoft are both back below the $4 trillion line, so Google could easily lose this honor at any time, for any reason.

So, how much money is four trillion dollars?

If you were to convert the $4 trillion into one dollar bills and stack them on a football field, the resulting pile would be about half a mile high, roughly equivalent to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. If you were to simply stack one bill on top of the other, the resulting pile would reach far past the moon.

SEE ALSO: Apple picks Google Gemini over ChatGPT for Siri's AI overhaul

The news comes just hours after Google announced a multi-year collaboration with Apple that will make Google's Gemini AI model the backbone for Apple's future AI efforts. As CNBC noted, Alphabet's shares went up by about 1 percent after the news dropped, so it seems like that was more of a "the fly that broke the camel's back" situation than something monumental that got Alphabet to $4 trillion by itself.

Anyway, between Google's continued search dominance and its growing AI and hardware businesses, it seems like Alphabet is doing just fine.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your SSD isn't too small, you are just using it wrong

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 22:30

SSD prices have been rising sharply lately, in part due to global memory shortages and high demand. For many PC users, upgrading storage has become a pricey proposition, which makes now the perfect time to get creative and make the most of the space you already have.

Categories: IT General, Technology

His & Hers shocking ending explained

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 22:20

Cheers to Netflix. Hot on the heels of HBO Max's Heated Rivalry making streaming steamy, the service gives us His & Hers, a miniseries with sex, smoking hot stars, and a climax that has audiences screaming. Totally different vibes, though, as this is less a romantic drama with occasional hockey scenes and more a crime thriller where violence is guaranteed along with vengeance. 

Adapted from Alice Feeney's mystery novel into a 6-episode series, His & Hers stars Tessa Thompson and John Bernthal as an estranged married couple who are weirdly brought back together by a homicide in their hometown of Dahlonega, Georgia. Anna Andrews is a news reporter based in Atlanta who's determined to make this murder big news, while he's police detective Jack Harper, tasked with solving the case. As each investigates, they not only get in each other's way, but also unearth each other's dark secrets. Could it mean one of them is the murderer? 

Below, we'll dig into the case's suspects and red herring, and the ending, where the killer was revealed and viewing audiences went wild. Spoilers ahead! 

Do Anna or Jack have a hand in the killings in His & Hers?  Credit: Netflix

Filmmaker William Oldroyd has previously made such critically heralded movies as Lady Macbeth and Eileen, both of which involve deadly women and dangerous partnerships. So, as the secrets begin to spill in this Dahlonega murder case, you may well have had meta reasons to suspect Jack and Anna. After all, that's the kind of story Oldroyd seems to favor. And from the start, the show itself gives you plenty of reasons to suspect either character. But things get tricky as the bodies pile up. 

The first victim in the His & Her murder spree is rich white local Rachel Hopkins (Jamie Tisdale), who has a bad reputation and ties to both Jack and Anna. The brooding cop was the secret lover Rachel met out in the woods, where her corpse was found. So, had her cuckolded husband guessed right, and she said something so nasty during sex that it got her killed? Or, did Anna axe the woman who was not only sleeping with her husband, but also tormented her to a hellish (and frankly criminal) degree when they were friends back in high school?

What might have initially seemed a crime of passion or jealousy soon looks like one of vengeance as Rachel's bff Helen Wang (Poppy Liu) turns up murdered in the school where they were once a part of the same friend group — along with Jack's screw-up sister Zoe (Marin Ireland). But when Zoe also turns up dead, Jack's policing partner, Priya Patel (Sunita Mani), begins to suspect the long-lost girl from this toxic circle, Catherine Kelly, could be the sneaking killer. 

Catherine Kelly was a red herring.  Rebecca Rittenhouse as Lexy Jones. Credit: Netflix

In flashbacks over the course of the series, His & Hers reveals that Rachel, Helen, and Zoe weren't just any mean girls. They were downright vicious, luring their friends Anna and Catherine to the woods for a horrible 16th birthday party. Essentially, Helen nonconsensually pimped out Anna and Catherine to three men, who crashed the party to commit sexual assaults on the teen girls. That would definitely give Catherine motive to kill Rachel, Helen, and Zoe, who watched while it happened. But where's Catherine been all these years?

The B-plot for Anna was all about her rivalry with bubbly blonde anchorwoman Lexy Jones, who took Anna's spot at the news desk while she was on bereavement leave. In their professional battle, Anna used some pretty unprofessional mean girl tactics, like asking that Lexy's husband, Richard Jones (Pablo Schreiber), be her cameraman, and then promptly seducing him. But it turns out Richard was more loyal to Lexy than we thought. 

However, Lexy didn't just come to Dahlonega to steal the murder story from Anna. She seemingly did it to wreak some revenge of her own, because Lexy is Catherine Kelly, slimmed down, dyed blonde, renamed, and seething with rage. It seems she and Richard plotted together to get Anna to the Kelly home, remote and private, for a deadly end. Anna calls Jack for help, and ends up facing off with the incensed couple. But before Catherine can kill Anna, Catherine is shot dead by Detective Patel. That happens with nearly a half an hour to go on the show. So what else can there be to reveal? 

Well, for starters Anna finally is able to tell Jack what happened to her when she was 16. From there, Jack and Anna reunite and adopt Zoe's orphaned daughter. A flash-forward shows them back at home in Dahlonega. They are a family again, ready and willing to care for each other, their upcoming baby, and Anna's mother, Alice (Crystal Fox), who's been suffering from dementia. Little do they know, Alice is more than capable of caring for herself. And she's capable of much, much more. 

Who is the serial killer of His & Hers?  Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

It's Alice, Anna's seemingly dementia-addled mother, who killed Rachel, Helen, and Zoe. 

In episodes 1 through 5, much of Alice's screentime was her making confused mistakes, like preparing eggs with shells in them or forgetting that Jack and Anna had separated. Anna got reports that her mother would wander at night. Her cognitive issues seemed another element of loss that Anna was eager to avoid, in part because of the guilt she may hold for leaving her family after the pain of her own child's unexpected death. 

However, Anna finds out how intense Alice's love for her is when she comes across a curious letter midway through episode 6. 

Through voiceover, Anna muses on whether anger is a destructive force or a sustaining one as she finds an envelope sitting on her vanity that has her name written on it. "It all comes down to how you use your anger, and who you aim it at," she muses as she unfolds delicately handwritten pages. 

"There are at least two sides to every story," the letter begins, "Yours and mine, ours and theirs. His and hers. Which means someone is always lying."  

Notably, this quote is how Anna's voiceover begins in episode one, after she's gotten home late at night, soaked, and scrambled to clean herself and her apartment. Early on, that made Anna seem suspicious. But later, it's clear she was distraught not because she'd just killed Rachel, but because she'd accidentally caught her husband cheating with her ex-bestie, while she was grieving the loss of their daughter. Who could possibly understand the pain Alice was in at that moment? Her mom. 

Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

Like mother like daughter, her mom was in the cemetery too, quietly watching her love. She witnessed Anna witnessing Jack banging Rachel. And while this might have been reason enough to ambush Rachel, Alice had more reasons. 

In a thorough series of flashbacks, episode 6 reveals how Alice got away with murders. Phrases previously played out in the voiceover take on new meaning as her daughter comes to understand what really happened. 

For years, Alice was happy to see her daughter thrive as a news anchor. She was proud of her marriage and motherhood. Then the baby Charlotte died while Alice was watching her. 

Heartbroken, Anna fled her husband, house, hometown, and mother for parts unknown. In her absence, Alice made regular visits to Charlotte's grave, both in mourning and in hopes of seeing Anna there. And as Anna took time off from her news broadcast, Alice turned to a box of Anna's old self-tapes for some way to see her. In seeking Anna, she ended up discovering things about Rachel. 

While in the cemetery at night, she spotted Rachel meeting up with her fling of the week on the dirt road nearby. Then, after six months of rationing out watching Anna's old tapes, Alice found the video shot on Anna's 16th birthday, where Rachel lured her and Catherine to the woods. 

All these years later, Alice watched her daughter rescue Catherine, only to be abandoned and raped while Rachel, Helen, and Zoe watched and sang "Happy Birthday." (Taking a beat because all that happened and Anna still married Zoe's brother! I'm not sure if that's a testament to true love or deep denial, because how are you going to family events with that woman stumbling in like nothing happened?!)

Anyhow, it was on the anniversary of Charlotte's death that Anna came to the cemetery, and like her mother before her, saw not only the baby's grave but also Rachel having car sex. But this time, it was with Jack.

How Alice got away with murder in His & Hers.  Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

"I wanted to shout at you, 'Leave this place. Come home to me now,'" Alice's letter continues, as the flashback shows Anna in the graveyard, drop-jawed in agony. "Your Momma's here now. [Rachel] can't hurt you anymore." The flashback then reveals how Alice came out of the woods after Jack had driven off. "Whoever said two wrongs can't make a right lacked imagination, and a sharp knife," Alice writes as the murder of Rachel plays out onscreen. 

A professional cleaning woman, Alice knew how to clean up after herself. She clipped the fingernails to get rid of her DNA. She stripped off her own clothes, bloodied from Rachel's wounds, and walked naked home, in the rain, in the dark, in the street. No one stopped her. 

She notes all the elements of her identity that urged others to look away from her. "No one expects a woman to be a serial killer," her letter goes on, "Add the sin of age, mistake determination for dementia, there I am, the picture of frailty." While her naked wandering at night drew attention from the authorities, no one expected this habit to be dangerous to anyone but Alice, who faked dementia as a smokescreen. 

Beyond this, flashbacks show how Alice worked as a cleaning woman at the Kelly home. So, she recognized the glowed-up "Lexy" on the news, and Alice still had a key to the family house, just as she did the school, where she killed Helen. "Like back doors and the workers who use them, we're usually forgotten, ignored, invisible," she muses as the Black woman who's long been ignored by folks younger, wealthier, and whiter (or closer in proximity to whiteness) than herself.  

Alice goes on to note not everything went to plan at first. She'd plotted to kill Rachel, Helen, and Zoe for the rape they brought upon Anna. Catherine she planned to frame by leaving evidence in the Kelly home. "I thought prison for abandoning you that night was fair." 

Masterful multitasker she is, Alice also notes that Catherine being the killer would give Anna "a juicy story" and assure Lexy would no longer be a professional rival. And to make sure Anna would find her way to Catherine, it was Alice who canceled Richard and Anna's hotel reservation — not Lexy/Catherine! 

Why does Alice go on a killing spree? Tessa Thompson plays Anna in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

It wasn't just revenge. It was Alice's path to restorative justice, vigilante style thought it may be. 

Alice rightly deduced Jack would save Anna — though she admits Patel fatally shooting Catherine was not part of the plan. "But I'd be lying if I said I lost any sleep over it," she writes. 

"Killing Rachel brought you home. Killing Helen kept you here," Alice continues, before delivering maybe the wildest revelation, "And killing Zoe gave you the family you lost." 

Yep. Alice murdered Zoe — who knew her and smiled as she approached her in the tub — not only for revenge, but so Anna could adopt Zoe's neglected daughter as her own. 

Why does Alice confess to Anna?  Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in"His and Hers." Credit: Netflix

Alice sees this all as a life lesson that Anna can apply to raising her own children. 

"I'm writing this now, baby, because soon you'll be a mother again," she concludes in the letter, "Love my grandbabies as I've loved you. Teach them the value of hard work and planning. Prepare them for a life both ugly and beautiful, unpredictable, always changing — except for one thing. Show them that a mother's love never dims, never weakens." 

All this sounds lovely. It's the kind of speech that could play over a montage of a mom's long commute, scrubbing floors, and hugging her children. However, Alice's montage also includes scenes from the murders she committed for her daughter. Here is Alice puncturing Rachel's tire, so she'd be stranded and defenseless. There Alice is holding Zoe down in the bathtub, as she thrashes helplessly below the bloody water. 

And as Alice signs off with "All my love, my precious girl," she and Anna make eye contact. A tear runs down Anna's cheek, but she smiles at her mom, seemingly in appreciation. And His & Hers ends. 

Will there be a His & Hers Season 2?  Jon Bernthal plays a police detective in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix.

Well, narratively Oldroyd leaves us on a curious cliffhanger. Anna nows knows the truth. But will she ever tell it? Having finally broken down the lies between her and Jack, will she hide another? Or will she tell him and risk him trying to collar his mother-in-law? Or perhaps the couple could figure out their path forward with this troubling truth while exploring a new case together? 

Well, that currently seems unlikely. Feeney's His & Hers was a standalone novel. So unlike the recent mystery thriller The Housemaid, which is based on a novel that has a follow-up in The Housemaid's secret, Feeney hasn't penned a clear path forward for Anna and John. 

Plus, Netflix released this as a limited series, suggesting one season is all that was intended. So, it is unlikely His & Hers will see a Season 2. 

His & Hers is now streaming on Netflix.

Categories: IT General, Technology

See the tech trends that will define 2026, a CES Special Report from Mashable, IGN, and CNET

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 22:13

CES 2026 is officially in the books.

There was a lot of news at the big Vegas tech convention, with highlights including everything from new foldable phones to talks on the future of AI to all kinds of smart glasses. And, yes, as is tradition at CES, there were plenty of truly odd gadgets, too.

At 6 p.m. ET, you can join journalists from Mashable, IGN, and CNET for a live recap of our favorite tech trends we saw on the ground at CES. We'll be discussing all the products we expect to hit it big this year. If you miss the live video podcast, you can still watch the livestream on YouTube to catch up on all things CES.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to tell if an Instagram password reset email is real

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 22:08

Instagram users had a scare over the weekend after many users were sent mysterious password reset emails that seemed to come directly from Instagram. Some users thought this might be a phishing email, but as Mashable reported earlier today, many of the emails are legitimate.

Instagram said in a weekend statement that it had fixed a bug that allowed an external party to trigger unnecessary password reset emails. The good news: no one’s accounts were actually impacted. The social media giant urged people to simply delete the emails and move on. 

Still, we thought we’d take a close look at the email that was sent to people to see if we could identify any red flags. Phishing emails can almost always be identified with a little patience and know-how, so we put that knowledge to the test to see if there was anything wrong with the email itself. If what Instagram said is accurate (spoiler: it was accurate), then we shouldn’t spot anything untoward. 

In any case, here is one of the emails in question, received by a Mashable editor on Saturday, Jan. 10, with the account information blurred out for privacy reasons. 

One of the password reset emails received by Instagram users. Credit: Mashable

Okay, so let’s go through a checklist of the most common ways to spot a phishing email and see how this one holds up.

First, a phishing email will usually come from an unknown email with no ties to the real company. In this case, the email is from security@mail.instagram.com, which is a real Instagram email address. Please note that scammers will often try to dupe legit email addresses by using variations and alternative domains, such as "instagram.password.net".

Next, I check the footer, which also looks clean. I actually signed out of my own Instagram account and had a password reset link sent to me, and I can verify that the footer is exactly identical to the one in the above email. So, we’re off to a great start. 

Phishing emails can often look legitimate, though, so the next step is to see where this email sends you if you were to click the link. However, instead of clicking the link, hover your mouse over the link to see the URL destination. In this case, hovering over the “Reset password” button does, in fact, show a real Instagram link, as seen in the screenshot below. 

Credit: Mashable

Remember: You should check every link in an email from an uknown sender before clicking. So, I checked the “let us know” link, which also shows an official Instagram URL.

Many phishing emails also contain spelling or grammar errors. However, after a close reading of the email, there aren’t any red flags, and all of the logos are correct. 

The only other thing I could think to check was if this was a user-generated password reset request. So, as I said earlier, I signed out and had one sent to me, and I confirmed the emails are identical.

There is one more step you can take to verify if the email is legitimate, but it actually doesn't work in this particular case.

In your Instagram account settings (go to your account settings, then click "Accounts Center," then "Password and security," then "Recent emails"). Normally, this section would show all recent emails from Instagram. However, for unknown reasons, the weekend's mysterious password reset emails do not show up, even though they appear to be legitimate.

This discrepancy is one reason the emails seemed so suspicious at first, and why some experts determined they were phishing emails.

When you receive a suspicious email, never click the links.

In this case, the best thing you can do is simply ignore the email entirely.

Is the Instagram email a scam?

Kind of, just not in the way you would think. The emails were sent, albeit indirectly, by a third party. However, the email our editor received was real and sent by Instagram. Clicking the links and buttons would not harm the recipient, and the worst thing that could happen is that you'd wind up with a new password.

However, if you did open this mysterious Instagram email, click the link, and change your password without verifying its authenticity, you got lucky this time.

We recommend checking out this guide on identifying phishing scams, just in case. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

Everyone’s ignoring this used luxury hybrid—but they shouldn’t

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 21:30

Scrolling through used luxury cars, the same names keep popping up. The loud ones, the obvious ones, the brands that’ve spent decades bragging about how premium they are.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The one YouTube Music feature that finally made me cancel Spotify

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 21:00

I’ve paid for Spotify. I’ve paid for Amazon Music. On top of that, I already pay for YouTube Premium, mostly to get rid of ads and keep YouTube usable. For a long time, YouTube Music was just part of the package. I didn’t really think of it as a serious competitor, and I definitely didn’t expect it to replace a service I’d been paying for on purpose.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Obsidian 1.11 is a massive update for desktop, iPhone, and Android

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 20:41

Obsidian, the excellent cross-platform notes app, is rolling out another helpful update. Obsidian 1.11 is now available for desktop and mobile platforms, with new widgets and design updates for mobile platforms, and some smaller changes for the desktop app.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Golden Globe attendees wore pins to protest ICE. Here are the celebrities who took part.

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 20:09

On Jan. 7, Rene Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother exercising her right as a legal observer to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, was shot and killed by federal agent Jonathan Ross while in her car.

She was the second death at the hands of ICE in the new year, following the killing of Keith Porter Jr. by an off-duty ICE agent. Three days after Good, two more people were shot and injured by border patrol agents attempting an arrest in Portland, Oregon.

Over the last year, at least 32 individuals have died while in ICE custody, the deadliest year on record for the agency. Under direction from the Trump administration, ICE and border patrol agents ramped up aggressive tactics intended to meet elevated deportation demands, including conducting raids of protected areas like school grounds, hospitals, and places of worship.

SEE ALSO: The biggest moments of the 2026 Golden Globes

Many Americans have protested ICE's actions, with some pundits likening the agency's actions to those of a domestic militia.

Last night, the protests finally hit the entertainment industry, as celebrities attending the annual Golden Globe Awards joined a much more subtle declaration of anti-ICE sentiment in the form of small lapel pins emblazoned with the phrase "Be Good" and "ICE Out."

The pins are part of a new #BeGood campaign, launched by a grassroots coalition of civil rights and immigration organizations in an effort to honor the memory of Good, Porter, and others who have faced violence at the hands of ICE agents. The coalition includes ACLU, Working Families Power, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Maremoto, MoveOn, and entertainment industry leaders.

In an interview with NPR, organizers explained that they relied on a network of fellow activists with ties to Hollywood to distribute pins at industry events and get celebrities on board. "There is a longstanding tradition of people who create art taking a stand for justice in moments. We're going to continue that tradition," Nelini Stamp, organizer with Working Families Power, told the publication.

Celebrities use Golden Globes to show support for immigrant communitiesMark Ruffalo

Nominee Ruffalo, a vocal activist who also donned pins calling for ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza strip at last year's Oscars ceremony, told interviewers that he couldn't pretend that the situation was "normal."

"This for [Rene Good]. This is for the people in the United States who are terrorized and scared today. I know I'm one of them," said Ruffalo. "I love this country and what I'm seeing here happening is not America... I don't know how I can be quiet."

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

Smart, who took home an award for her role in Hacks, told interviewers: "I feel like we're kind of at a turning point in our country and I hope people can keep their heads, because I think that's actually going to be the hardest thing, to keep our heads, but that's going to take a lot of courage and a lot of restraint." While accepting the Globe, Smart continued: "There’s so much that could be said tonight. I said my rant on the red carpet, so I won’t do it here. Let’s all do the right thing. I think everybody in their hearts knows what the right thing is to do, so let’s do the right thing."

Credit: Tommaso Boddi / 2026GG / Penske Media via Getty Images Wanda Sykes

"Of course this is for the mother who was murdered by an ICE agent, and it’s really sad," Sykes told reporters. "I know people are out marching and all today, and we need to speak up. We need to be out there and shut this rogue government down, because it’s just awful what they’re doing to people."

Credit: Christopher Polk / 2026GG / Penske Media via Getty Images Natasha Lyonne

Lyonne added the pin to a small clutch toted around the carpet. When asked about the pin, Lyonne said: "I just think it’s important that we don’t normalize what’s going on in this country right now. I love America. I love our communities, free speech, the Trevor Project, and all that. So I think it’s important. Rene Good. Say her name."

Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor / FilmMagic via Getty Images Tessa Thompson

Like Lyonne, Thompson pinned two #BeGood campaign pins to her coordinating bag. The Best Actress nominee also reshared images of the pins to her Instagram account. Earlier this year, Thompson joined Los Angeles protests against mass deportations.

Credit: Michael Buckner / 2026GG / Penske Media via Getty Images Ariana Grande

The Wicked: For Good star didn't appear to wear the pin during the red carpet photo call, but did put an "ICE Out" pin in center focus during the ceremony, along with other stars who waited until the live broadcast started. Grande is also listed by the ACLU as a campaign participant.

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

Ramsey, who has been outspoken about industry inclusivity and joined last year's calls for a ceasefire in Palestine, also donned an "ICE Out" pin once in the Golden Globes ceremony.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: The complete list of winners at the 2026 Golden Globes
Categories: IT General, Technology

I de-Googled my Android phone and actually liked it

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 20:00

It's no secret that Google is the heart and soul of every Android phone that has the Play Store. Even if you manage to delete all Google apps—which isn't easy—Google's background services remain active. I wanted to experience Android without any Google services or apps whatsoever, and it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These performance wagons are beating SUVs at their own game

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 19:30

SUVs have been the default family car for so long that most of us barely question it anymore. They promise space for people and gear, an upright driving position, and the idea that you’re ready for anything—even if most of that “anything” is just groceries and school runs.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple picks Google Gemini over ChatGPT to power the new AI Siri

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 19:08

Apple just made a big decision about the future of its in-house AI assistant.

In a statement posted to X, Google and Apple confirmed that the former's Gemini AI models will serve as the basis for the future of Apple Intelligence. That means Gemini will "help power future Apple Intelligence features" including the long-awaited AI upgrade for Siri, set to launch this year.

SEE ALSO: Gmail launches AI inbox and overviews with Gemini This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This is a big deal because, in the past, Apple has worked with other AI models, most notably including ChatGPT. The OpenAI flagship model was integrated with Siri in late 2024, as a sort of stopgap solution as Apple continues to work on the AI-infused version of Siri that has been in development for a few years now. However, over the past year or so, Gemini overtook ChatGPT as the model of choice according to various benchmarks and rankings. Given that Apple is considered to be well behind the rest of the competition on AI features, it makes sense for the iPhone maker to choose Google's model over OpenAI's.

Unfortunately, the statement on X didn't feature any other information about the AI Siri upgrade beyond a reiteration of the promise that it is launching in 2026. Hopefully it isn't long before we see the fruits of this unique collaboration between Apple and Google.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Lego Icons Balrog Book Nook is a dollar away from its lowest price ever

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 19:03

Save 14%: Amazon has a rare deal on the Lego Icons The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook Kit as of Jan. 12. You can grab the set for $111.41, down $18.58 from the $129.99 list price.

Lego Icons The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook $111.47 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $18.52   Get Deal at Amazon

It's not everyday we see Lego sets get great markdowns, especially if they're sets included on Mashable's favorite Legos list.

It looks like then, Jan. 12 is not like every other day, as the Lego The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook set, a favorite pick by Mashable UK Editor Shannon Connellan, is on sale for $111.41. Usually, the set runs for $129.99, so while this $18.58 isn't huge, it is rare. It also puts the set just about one dollar away from its lowest price ever of $110.33.

SEE ALSO: The first-ever Lego Pokémon sets have arrived — where to pre-order right now

It's easy to see why Connellan has this set on her wishlist (though its a favorite, she hasn't yet been able to bite the bullet due to the price). Though the LotR has many an iconic moment, Gandalf's encounter with the Balrog and the resulting line of "You shall not pass!" is perhaps one of the most recognizable. Lego captures it, quote and all, in this book nook.

This set is 1,201 pieces, making it relatively sizable build. It measures over 8.5 inches high, 17.5 inches wide, and 6.5 inches deep. When not in use as a book nook, you can expand it to reveal the Bridge of Khazad-dûm scene.

Categories: IT General, Technology

7 programming techniques that quietly make you elite

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 19:00

Programming requires a varied skill set, from low-level coding to high-level tasks like communication. The following tips have helped me to improve over the course of my programming career.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Anker Solix just launched the E10 whole-home backup system, and preorders come with major perks

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 19:00

The Anker family of brands went hard at CES 2026. The Soundcore branch debuted new Sleep A30 Special earbuds for those who want uninterrupted sleep in 2026 and the Aerofit Pro 2, which offers both an open design and active noise cancellation, something new to the market. But Anker Solix also packed along something quite exciting to Las Vegas.

The new Anker Solix E10 is a powerful and versatile whole-home backup system that's customizable to your needs. In testing portable power stations, I've come to love Solix models because of their thoughtful design and ease of use. Solix applied both of the attributes to the E10 but with a serious upscale.

Here are the hefty specs to know about the Solix E10 system. And as a major plus, preorders are already live.

Opens in a new window Credit: Solix Anker Solix E10 Prices start at $4,299. Preorders get a $500 coupon and a gift pack worth $1,500 which includes a 400W solar panel. Pre-order Here Powering up the big stuff

The Anker Solix E10 doesn't mess around with powering up your home, including high-powered appliances like a five-ton AC unit. Each E10 gives off 37.2kW of power, and stacking two will get you 66kW. There's also the turbo output, which can pack up to 10kW per E10 unit for up to 90 minutes. That'll allow you to use even heavy-duty appliances during a power outage without concern.

If you want to go big, three E10 units provide 90kW of power, which Solix says will provide whole-home backup for up to 15 days. If you live in an area that's prone to ice storms, hurricanes, or other major weather events, this could be a massive upgrade from relying on a standard generator.

And there's no concern about weather because the E10 uses an all-metal enclosure with both UV protection and the ability to operate in temperatures ranging from -4 all the way up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Since you can choose either floor or wall mounting, it's even possible to utilize this system in flood zones.

The E10 with the Solix Smart Generator 550 and Power Dock. Credit: Solix Get the E10 your way, and do a DIY install

Solix made the E10 a highly customizable whole-home power solution. You can stack up to three E10 units for ultimate power, but you can also incorporate the Solix Power Dock or the Smart Inlet Box.

SEE ALSO: The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 power station is an upgraded and refined version of the original

The Power Dock earns you a seamless auto switch from standard grid power to the E10 system in the event of a power outage to every circuit in your home. With a 20-millisecond auto switch time, it's unlikely you'd even notice the transfer to pulling power from the E10. That's critical for gadgets like the WiFi router or medical devices like a CPAP.

The Smart Inlet Box offers an alternative to the Power Dock and gives you a manual switchover option. It can charge from grid power with an existing solar panel system, and that could spell much lower electricity bills.

Speaking of solar, each E10 unit is capable of harnessing 9kW of solar per unit, or up to 27kW if you go with three E10 units. Solix made the E10 compatible with all solar panels, even third-party panels. Anker even says this system is so intuitive that you can do a DIY installation. If that's not your idea of a fun time, purchases of the E10 system will come with an optional installation service.

Pricing and preorder benefits

Unlike plenty of tech at CES, the entire E10 system and extras are already available to the public for preorders with full pricing details already available. Here's a sample of the options:

  • E10 base system (one inverter + one battery): starts at $4,299

  • E10 + Smart Inlet Box: starts at $4,599

  • E10 + Power Dock: starts at $5,799

  • E10, Solix Smart Generator 5500, and Power Dock: starts at $7,399

Preorders are live until Feb. 4, and they come with some significant benefits. A $10 preorder deposit earns you a $500 coupon and a free gift pack that Anker says has a value of $1,500. Details of the full gift pack contents aren't stated, but we do know it comes with a 400W solar panel. Preorders also get an additional three-year warranty on the E10 system, on top of the standard five-year warranty.

Opens in a new window Credit: Solix Anker Solix E10 system Starting at $4,299 Pre-order Here
Categories: IT General, Technology

Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams, and Seventeens Joshua are the Golden Globes most viral meet-cute

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 18:47

The 2026 Golden Globes had no shortage of memorable moments, but the one that broke the internet this year happened backstage. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams — the breakout stars of Heated Rivalry — snapped photos with K-pop star Joshua Hong, and the crossover instantly became one of the night's most viral moments.

So what happens when three of the internet's most buzzed-about stars link up in one place? A clip that's already racked up 1.8 million views and counting

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When Joshua introduced himself backstage, Williams — who is half Korean — immediately lit up, greeting him with a delighted, "A fellow Korean," before the two shook hands, all smiles. From there, the interaction only got cuter. In the video and resulting photographs, the trio lean into the moment, flashing playful hand gestures and even kicking their legs out in sync.

The crossover felt especially fitting given the moment all three are having. Heated Rivalry and its stars have become the talk of awards-season weekend, dominating timelines and pre-show chatter despite the series itself being ineligible for Golden Globes contention.

Joshua, meanwhile, arrived at the ceremony already primed for the collision. On the red carpet earlier in the night, the Seventeen member shared with Gold Derby that fans had been enthusiastically recommending Heated Rivalry to him, adding that he was excited to meet the cast and planned to check out the show.

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Fans were more than enthusiastic about the meet-cute.

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One photo explains pop culture in 2026: borderless, cross-industry, and powered by fandom. For their first Golden Globes, Storrie, Williams, and Joshua owned the night online, where the real awards-season energy lives anyway.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Every foldable phone planned or rumored for 2026

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 18:44

Just a few years ago, the idea of foldable phones felt like science fiction nonsense. Now, there are so many that we have to write this article.

2026 is set to be a big year for foldables, which have ballooned into a legitimate market category of their own. Every major smartphone player in the west like Samsung, Apple, Google, and Motorola is either certain or likely to release a foldable in 2026, if rumors are to be believed. Some of these will be refreshes of existing phones, while others will be bold new products entirely.

Here are the foldable phones coming in 2026 that we know about right now.

SEE ALSO: Apple surpasses Samsung to become the world's number one smartphone maker Every foldable phone planned or rumored for 2026

Don't be surprised if this list grows as the year goes on.

Several from Samsung That's a thin phone for how big it is. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Samsung has been the king of the foldable market outside of China for a while now, committing to the form factor harder than anyone else in the past five or six years. That should continue in 2026, with at least three new foldables potentially coming from Samsung this year.

First up is the Galaxy Z TriFold, which came out in Asia late last year and is slated for a still-unspecified early 2026 launch in the west. It's got the same 6.5-inch cover screen, Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor, and triple camera setup as last year's Z Fold 7, but the similarities end when you actually unfold the phone. Rather than being a book-style foldable with one hinge in the middle, it's got two hinges, allowing for a much larger interior display, making it Samsung's biggest foldable yet and the first of its kind in the west. Again, we don't have a release date or price for this one yet, but expect it to be out soon, and to be expensive.

Beyond that, Samsung will most likely update the Z Flip and Z Fold lines, which have been ongoing for several years now. We don't know a lot about the clamshell-style Z Flip 8 or book-style Z Fold 8 yet, but early reports suggest they will be lighter than last year's models and carry extra battery capacity, too. Samsung is also reportedly working on a new "Wide Fold" phone that will allegedly be like the Z Fold line, but with a bigger tablet-style unfolded display paired with a smaller exterior display.

So, in total, Samsung might have four foldables in 2026. Buckle up, folks.

Motorola is expanding the Razr lineup Motorola is in on book-style foldables. Credit: Timothy Werth/Mashable

Last year, Motorola released three clamshell-style Razr foldables: The Razr, the Razr Plus, and the Razr Ultra. While it's possible and perhaps even likely that there's some kind of update to that lineup this year, maybe in late spring or early summer as in previous years, there don't seem to be a lot of rumors or leaks about that right now. That doesn't mean Motorola is sitting out 2026, though.

At CES, Motorola announced the Razr Fold, the company's first book-style foldable phone. It has a 6.6-inch cover display and an 8.1-inch internal display to go along with a trio of 50MP rear cameras and a whole suite of Motorola AI features. It was just an initial announcement without a lot of other specifics to chew on, so we don't know pricing or availability yet, but this is one to keep an eye on as the year marches on.

iPhone Fold

This is the big one. Until now, Apple has sat out the foldable wars, opting to refine its regular iPhone series instead. However, persistent rumors and reports indicate that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone, and it could come out as soon as late 2026.

We don't know a lot about it so far, but expect it to have a smaller exterior display that unfolds into a wider form factor. It will reportedly have a 5.5-inch outer display that unfolds into a 7.8-inch inner display. It will apparently look like two iPhone Air phones fused together, to give you an idea of what to expect when it's unfolded. Aside from that, it might have four cameras: two on the rear, one on the inside, and one on the front.

Unfortunately for the purposes of this article, Apple has done a good job of keeping any other unique features a secret up to this point. But it's starting to feel more and more real, and we might actually finally see it before the year is done.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold Will Google change the look from the Pixel 10 Pro Fold? Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Last year, Google re-entered the foldable fray with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, a perfectly fine (if unremarkable) device whose name suggests that it could get the same kinds of annual iterations as the regular Pixel family. The good news is that is, by all accounts, going to happen. The bad news is that we don't know much else yet.

Android Authority reported all the way back in January 2025 that the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is in development at Google, with the internal codename "yogi." Sadly, we don't have much else to go on right now. The phone seemingly exists and we should learn more in the summer when Google does its annual Pixel refresh, but for the moment, all we have to go on is this one report confirming the phone's existence from a year ago. You can probably expect the next generation of Google Tensor chips to power it, as well as some camera upgrades, but anything beyond that is speculation.

More options if you're in China

All of the above phones will almost certainly be sold in the west, but there's a vibrant selection of foldables that only come out in Asia, too, courtesy of companies like Huawei, Oppo, and Honor.

For instance, Oppo is rumored to have two foldables coming in 2026, the Find N6 and N7. The former is going to follow up on the N5 and be a book-style foldable in the same vein as the Galaxy Z Fold line, while the N7 is said to be more of a wide-style foldable like the iPhone Fold. Those same rumors point to an early 2026 release date for the N6 and a launch date later in the year for the N7, probably closer to when the iPhone Fold comes out.

Meanwhile, Honor put out the ultra-thin Magic V6 phone a year ago, only to be outdone in thinness by the Galaxy Z Fold 7. There will apparently be a Magic V7 this year with a better chip and a bigger battery, but we'll have to wait and see on how thin it ends up being. Huawei is also reportedly working on the Pura X2, a unique flip-style foldable with a big 16:10 aspect ratio on its inner display. That's set for launch in the second quarter of 2026.

Of course, there will probably be more than just these as the year goes on. Even as a starting point, though, it's clear that 2026 is going to be huge for foldables.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Older Mac computers are about to lose Google Chrome

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 18:44

Google Chrome is preparing to drop support for macOS 12 Monterey, meaning older Mac users will need to upgrade their operating system soon if they want to keep their browser secure. The change is happening when the upcoming Chrome 151 release rolls out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Even Dell admits that nobody cares about AI PCs

How-To Geek - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 18:15

I'm tired of everything being "AI." AI smartphones, AI fridges, AI tablets, AI vacuum cleaners, and most of all, AI PCs. I've seen enough of those to last me a lifetime.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Gamers: The Asus ROG Strix monitor is on sale for its lowest price ever

Mashable - Mon, 01/12/2026 - 18:06

Save $110: As of Jan. 12, Amazon marked down the 27-inch Asus ROG Strix XG27UCG monitor to $339, saving you 24% on the $449 list price.

27-inch Asus ROG Strix XG27UCG $339 at Amazon
$449 Save $110   Get Deal at Amazon

Good gaming peripherals can seriously change your setup, but high price tags don't make it easy to invest in those upgrades.

That's why taking advantage of deals year-round is the way to go, and as of Jan. 12, there's a solid gaming monitor deal worth checking out. The 27-inch Asus ROG Strix XG27UCG is on sale at Amazon for $339, bringing it's price down $110 from its $449 list price. That 24% discount also marks the best price we've ever seen on this monitor.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026: Asus' ROG Zephyrus Duo is finally a proper dual-screen gaming laptop

The monitor has a 4K display, with an excellent resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. The Dual Mode gets you access to a refresh rate of 160Hz for 4K gaming or 320Hz at 1080p, making it an especially intriguing option for anyone who enjoys both AAA games, as well as competitive games where a faster refresh rate is more important than a higher resolution. The response time isn't the best we've seen on a gaming monitor, but decent for the price at 1 ms.

The display also has a 95% DCI-P3 color gamut — it won't be the most vibrant display on the market, but it's decent for the price point. Port-wise, this monitor is more limited with one DisplayPort 1.4, one HDMI port, and one USB-C port that has 15 watts of power delivery.

If you aren't quite ready to invest in a premium gaming monitor that can run you upwards of $1,000, the Asus ROG Strix comes with some cons, but is ultimately a solid get for under $350.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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