Technology

Honda retired the Prelude back in 2001, leaving a hole in the sporty two-door lineup that combined style, reliability, and everyday usability. Seeing it back at the 2026 Detroit Auto Show makes the revival feel real in a way photos never could.

Every top brand has its own take on ANC earbuds, each with a unique style and a plethora of features. Since you can't possibly try all the latest earbuds, the Mashable team has taken on the task of reviewing the best ANC earbuds for you.

We've recently updated this guide with our new favorite picks, including the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. The latter have already gone on sale ahead of Black Friday, but don't worry if the others haven't just yet — our team will be tracking the best headphones and earbuds deals all the way up to and through the shopping holiday.

SEE ALSO: I found 30+ early Black Friday tech deals I'd recommend to friends and family: Save on Apple, Samsung, DJI What are the best noise-cancelling earbuds? Not all earbuds are created equal — some are far more comfortable than others. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

While there are plenty of audio brands that provide good sound quality and noise cancellation, audio leaders Bose and Sony are in a league of their own. Not only do they offer phenomenal ANC, but they also make music and podcasts sound better. On a good pair of headphones, "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter sounds even catchier, somehow.

Earbuds usually aren't as comfortable as over-the-ear headphones. I know this well, as I've found many pairs of earbuds that just plain don't fit in my ear. Others are downright uncomfortable. Once again, Bose offers the most comfortable headphones and earbuds. However, Bose and Sony aren't the only brands out there. That's why we set out to test the best the market offers and see what makes a great pair of wireless earbuds.

How do noise-cancelling earbuds work? Noise-cancelling earbuds are small enough to slip in your pocket. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

All noise-cancelling headphones, including earbuds, have some passive noise cancellation. While over-the-ear headphones naturally block out noise by wrapping around the ears, earbuds don't block sound as effectively. Instead of covering your ears, wireless earbuds deliver sound directly into the ear canal to drown out other noises. They rely more on active noise cancellation (ANC) to reduce environmental noise.

ANC is an electronic process within the headphones. Internal microphones listen to your surroundings and then invert the sound, effectively canceling it. Sometimes, with noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds, you'll hear a slight buzzing or humming in the background, and that's the ANC at work. The best ANC earbuds shouldn't have this buzzing, however.

A pair of cheap earbuds is a compact alternative to over-the-ear headphones, but let's be clear, just because these earbuds are affordable, it doesn't mean they skimp on features. Two of the best earbuds we've tested are nearly $300 — Apple AirPods Pro costs $249.95, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds come in at $299 — but we've found models for even less. You don't need to spend $300 on a pair of great earbuds; in fact, you don't even need to spend $100.

Among all the earbuds we've tested, which is an extensive list, these are the best budget earbuds.

What's considered budget?

Budget is a relative term, so for this list, we're looking at earbuds under $200, but mostly under $100. Our top pick is the EarFun Air Pro 4, which have a list price of $79.99, and have the noise cancellation of a much more expensive pair of earbuds. Going the budget route might mean making compromises, but not sacrifices. For under $100, you can still get active noise cancellation and self-charging cases.

We do include a couple of models closer to $200, which we get isn't exactly everyone's idea of budget-friendly. For those models, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds and the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC, we consider them budget pairs, relatively speaking. Compared to premium options, the Bose QC earbuds offer an awfully similar experience for significantly cheaper. In the case of Apple, AirPods' entire line runs at higher price points than most of the consumer audio market. That's why we recommend the AirPods 4 both with and without ANC for folks who want to stay in the Apple ecosystem, enjoy AirPods' quality sound, but aren't quite ready to make the jump to the Pros.

Currently testing

Another pair of earbuds that are currently in consideration for this list are the CMF Buds 2. We're currently testing these earbuds and will update this guide once complete.

Other models we've tested

The models on this list are pulled from our extensive testing here at Mashable. Our previous top pick on this list was the Apple AirPods 3; however, the AirPods 4 have replaced them, making them more expensive, and they also lack great Android compatibility.

Another pair of headphones we considered for this list were the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds with sound by Bose. We tested these buds, and while they're pretty good for $100, they have a bad case design and just aren't that comfortable compared to other models on this list — plus, the $100 introductory price went up to $129.99.

What are the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying?

Noise-cancelling headphones are at their most useful on airplanes. It's difficult to find a moment's peace when so much is going on around you. Frequent flyers may prefer to rest or work, and the best way to prepare for either is by using the best ANC headphones to block out the chaos. 

SEE ALSO: The best MacBooks in 2025: Which should you buy?

Because shopping for headphones shouldn't be as stressful as heading to the airport, we've done extensive testing to bring you the top options. Our top pick is the second-gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, but read on to see other great picks for the best noise-cancelling headphones for airplanes in 2026 — all based on Mashable's hands-on testing.

How much should I spend on noise-cancelling headphones?

If you want to find the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying, you should be prepared to pay $200 to $450 for most options. Premium headphones offer improved active noise cancellation, customizable settings, and transparency modes that allow you to hear those all-important gate announcements.

Many cheap headphones claim to offer "noise-cancelling" features, but a random pair of $50 over-ear headphones with passive noise cancellation will let a lot of sound through. They'll also struggle to connect and switch between devices easily, or simply feel uncomfortable.

SEE ALSO: What does Airplane Mode do?

At the end of the day, going for that good all-around pair is worth it, because on a flight, ANC on its own won't save the day — otherwise, we'd just direct you to our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones. For long flights, comfort is also key. It won't matter if your headphones block sound if you only want to wear them for two out of five hours of your flight. And because this is a flying-focused roundup, we did give extra points to headphones with thoughtful design that makes storage easy.

If that $200-plus price range feels totally out of the question, we've included a couple of budget earbuds and headphones in the under-$100 category, but they come with tradeoffs. If you're okay with a mid-range pick, consider buying wireless earbuds with ANC instead of over-ear headphones.

If the cost of a pair of headphones is off-putting, you can always wait for a sale to start. We see headphones from Bose, Sony, and Apple get marked down year-round — if you don't want to keep your eyes peeled yourself, Mashable's deals coverage is a great place to find any noteworthy headphone deals.

SEE ALSO: The best gifts for people who love to travel Recent testing updates

In July 2025, we swapped the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for the newer Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones.

After testing them for a few weeks, we decided in February 2025 that the EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds earned a spot on our guide as our top budget pick, knocking out the cheaper but inferior Anker Soundcore P3i earbuds. Shortly after, we added the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones as one of our recommendations, thanks to their long battery life.

For September 2024, we didn't change our lineup, deciding against including the Dyson OnTrac headphones — although we really like their long battery life, the 55 hours of charge might be overkill for air travel. Plus, they're a little too bulky and expensive to recommend as travel headphones.

After finally making moves to stop its Grok AI from creating nonconsensual sexualized images and CSAM, Elon Musk's X has announced another major platform overhaul today.

X's head of product Nikita Bier announced on Thursday that the social media platform was going to ban apps that reward users for posting on the site. Bier specifically mentioned it was going to block "InfoFi" apps and developers from accessing its API. 

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InfoFi stands for Information Finance and has become popular in the Web3 space for rewarding users for engaging with online communities and posting on social media.

Why is X banning these types of apps? According to Bier, these apps were encouraging users to post low-quality content solely to receive crypto tokens.

"We are revising our developer API policies: We will no longer allow apps that reward users for posting on X (aka 'infofi')," Bier posted on X. "This has led to a tremendous amount of AI slop & reply spam on the platform."

According to X, many users of these InfoFi apps appeared to be posting spammy, low-quality AI-generated content solely to get paid in crypto tokens by these apps. The mass posting of this kind of content on a social network harms the platform's overall quality.  

SEE ALSO: AI slop is killing the internet

Bier went on to say that X has "revoked API access from these apps, so your X experience should start improving soon (once the bots realize they’re not getting paid anymore)." X's head of product then joked that if a developer had their account terminated, they could reach out, and X would help get them set up on competitor platforms like Threads and Bluesky.

X's Bier has recently butt heads with the cryptocurrency community on X over low-quality engagement. Earlier this month, Bier was critical of users who just mass reply "gm," a common phrase within the crypto community, and then complain that the X algorithm doesn't boost their content. 

This latest decision is likely to cause an uproar with X's crypto users as well. As Decrypt noted, the token for the popular InfoFi platform Kaito dropped by more than 15 percent shortly after Bier's announcement.

As a result of Bier's announcement, Kaito shared that it was sunsetting its Yaps app, which paid users to post on X.

Are you ready to dive into some fun Raspberry Pi projects? From creating your own off-grid long-range mesh texting system to building a microscope, here are three Raspberry Pi projects sure to keep you busy this weekend.

TL;DR: Live stream Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Oklahoma City Thunder no longer look like an unstoppable force. They still look great, but they can bleed. And that's good news for the NBA.

Next, the defending champions take on the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have the talent to beat any team on their best day, but they've been steadily sliding down the standings lately. Can they produce a huge performance and beat the Thunder? You can find out without spending anything.

If you want to watch Rockets vs. Thunder in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Rockets vs. Thunder?

Rockets vs. Thunder in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 15. This game takes place at the Toyota Center.

How to watch Rockets vs. Thunder for free

Rockets vs. Thunder in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S. and UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S. or UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S. or UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

There is not much that can stop a dedicated fandom.

Not paywalls, not cancellations, and certainly not even the source of their fan fervor itself, as was the case in several high profile instances of extreme parasocial behavior. And as queer hockey romance Heated Rivalry has dominated social feeds, it has once again proved that federal laws are not going to dissuade a fan from their idols of worship.

Fans of the show living in Russia, for example, have risked jail time in order to engage with the viral phenomenon, writes Russian reporter Mikhail Zygar for Vanity Fair (the show chronicles the same-sex love affair between a Russian hockey player and his Canadian rival). Fans have flooded dedicated Telegram channels to share encrypted links and bumped up its ratings to the top spot on Kinopoisk, a Russian media review site. They're leaning on VPNs to obscure their IP addresses and engaging in online piracy. You wouldn't steal an enemies-to-lovers romance, would you?

SEE ALSO: A new 'Heated Rivalry' book is on the way — preorder 'Unrivaled' by Rachel Reid now

Despite the collective joy attached to the series, the stakes are serious. The Russian Federation has some of the most extreme anti-LGBTQ laws on record, including an outright ban on LGBTQ content. Russian leaders have attacked and censored what they call the "International Public LGBT Movement," convicting more than 100 individuals for the crime in 2025 and imprisoning at least two. Violators can also face fines of 400,000 rubles ($5,111) to 5 million rubles ($63,898), PinkNews reported.

As of today (Jan. 15), the government has officially charged Russian streaming services with the crime of violating the country's propaganda laws, which prohibit the amplification of "nontraditional sexual relationships" to Russian citizens. The charges target domestic sites and cloud sharing services like Beeline TV, Kinopoisk, Wink, Ivi, Amediteka, 24TV, and Digital Television.

The determination of Russian fans to stream the hot new show mirrors a general trend in online fandom and among Heated Rivalry fans, specifically, who initially shared ways to torrent the series using VPN services and links pulled from its parent network, Crave Canada, and licensing network HBO Max US. HBO Max reportedly only signed on to the project after successful pitches from employees who were fans of the show's book series. They said they felt they needed to "do their civic duty" and get the show to the masses.

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The success of Heated Rivalry — and the formidable sports romance book industry from which its source material gained its following — lies partially in the compelling, often erotic, juxtaposition of an extremely masculine sport and the emotional stakes taken on by its characters. At large, cisgender male erotic fiction (also called slash fic, MLM romance, boylove, or yaoi, for anime lovers and the chronically online) has historically offered an outlet for sexual exploration, community, and LGBTQ acceptance. Fandom scholars and Heated Rivalry show runner Jacob Tierney have explained its popularity with cis women is due in part to the ability of writers to ignore the gendered power dynamics of heterosexual pairings and lean into the rarity of sexual partners being on equal footing — although much of the genre relies on stereotypical tropes that critics say still feeds into gender and racial binaries.

Hockey, in particular, is one of the most popular sports depicted in the genre. As of 2025, the National Hockey League has had no active, out LGBTQ players. So subverting that reality is particularly appealing to fans, especially those in restrictive, patriarchal environments.

One former hockey player, Jesse Kortuem, made headlines just this week, posting a statement about feeling empowered to come out after seeing the success of Heated Rivalry. Kortuem didn't compete for the NHL but told reporters that the homophobia rampant in the sport eventually led him to retire. "I know many closeted and gay men in the hockey world are being hit hard by Heated Rivalry's success," Kortuem told Out. "Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport."

If you're looking for a weekend watch session that covers all the feels—excitement, bittersweetness, and some creepy shivers, I dug up a few documentaries on Prime Video I think you'll like.

Sports coupes often force buyers to choose between exhilarating performance and everyday usability, but one model in 2025 strikes a rare balance between the two. It delivers high-octane fun with sharp handling and strong acceleration, yet retains the practicality that many drivers need from a daily driver. With its four-door design and usable rear seats, it bridges the gap between performance car and sensible sedan in a way few rivals manage.

Microsoft Excel is getting two new functions for importing data from other files, without the need to use Power Query or other more complex tools. They're now being tested in Excel for Windows, and they should come to other platforms in the future.

I've been on a little bit of a self-hosting kick since last year. It started with a simple self-hosted replacement for Trello, but ever since, I've been trying to replace my everyday apps with self-hosted alternatives. It recently hit me that I'm paying for Spotify Premium, but I rarely ever open the app because I don't like the recommendations Spotify serves me. Most of the time, I just listen to the music I have saved on my phone. So I spent the last few days looking for an app to stream my small music collection. It took some trial and error, but I found one that I'm pleased with. Here's how I self-hosted a Spotify-like app for my music library.

It's 2016 all over again on Instagram. Well...if only.

There's been a bubbling nostalgia for 2016 for the past few weeks. Chance Townsend wrote here at Mashable about Gen Z growing especially nostalgic for 2016 as the last good year. Sure, it might not have felt that great at the time, but for Gen Z, it was their last great summer.

I'd argue that, in many ways, we've been living in late 2016 for a decade now — the political atmosphere, how social media became real life, crisis after crisis.

But, anyway, the internet has now exploded into a full-blown nostalgia bomb for 2016. It's an extension of the trend we spotted on TikTok earlier this month, paired with folks who want to show how much they've grown over the last 10 years. Yes, as if it were 2016, we're bringing back the humblebrag and self-deprecating-but-not-really posts. As with most trends, it's migrated from the kids on TikTok to the normies and celebs on Instagram, who're mostly using it as an excuse to post decade-old photo dumps. (Remember Snapchat filters?)

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Let me make it clear, 2016 wasn't all that great. It was super Not Chill to be starting a career and have the world order upended via elections, Brexit, celebrity deaths, and a climate agreement that seemed impossible to hold.

But things always seem rosier looking back. And it's fun to post your younger self, so naive and unaware of what was to come. Let's hope, however, that 2026 doesn't seem so great when we look back in 2036.

It’s that time again—time for you to work on more homelab projects! Today, I’m focusing on security in the homelab, plus moving some of your resources away from virtual machines to containers uniquely. Here are three projects you can try in the homelab this weekend.

On the morning after a day of massive, countrywide outages for Verizon customers, the telecom giant has offered an apology and a little bit of credit to address the loss of service.

In an announcement posted on social media, Verizon announced that customers affected by the downed services can cash in on a $20 credit voucher. According to the company, that amount should cover multiple days of service, "on average." It followed other statements by Verizon that as soon as the issue was resolved, the company would "make it right" with affected users.

"This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging your time and showing that this matters to us," the company wrote.

SEE ALSO: Verizon outage map: How to check your area

Verizon had not yet issued a full explanation for the incident, but Mashable has now received confirmation from the company that the outage was caused by a software issue. The service drop was severe enough to grab the attention of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which said it was monitoring the situation. Its not the first service outage for the company over the past year.

Read the full statement below:

Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence you expect and that we expect of ourselves. To help provide some relief, we are giving you a $20 account credit that can be easily redeemed by logging into the myVerizon app to accept. On average, this covers multiple days of service. Our business customers will be contacted directly about their credits.

This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging your time and showing that this matters to us.

If you’re still having trouble connecting, please restart your device (power down and power back on). This is the fastest way to reconnect your phone to the network.

We are sorry for what you experienced and will continue to work hard day and night to provide the outstanding network and service that you expect from Verizon.

Customers logging into their account on the myVerizon app should see an option to claim the offer, although some customers have reported the offer has yet to appear. Mashable reporters have also experienced problems logging onto the myVerizon app.

UPDATE: Jan. 15, 2026, 9:59 a.m. This story was updated to include Verizon's confirmation of a software issue causing the outage.

Verizon has confirmed that the extreme service outage was not caused by a cybersecurity breach but was some kind of software problem. Details are still being reported.

"This was a software issue and we are conducting a full review of what happened. As of now, there is no indication that this was a cyber security issue," the telecom giant said in a statement sent to Mashable.

SEE ALSO: Verizon outage today: Verizon reveals how to fix ongoing issues, offers $20 credit

Following a countrywide service outage that resulted in millions of error reports, prompted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to respond, and could have impacted emergency services for costumers across states, some online speculated that the scale of the event could have been caused by a breach of its systems.

At the time, Verizon kept mum about the cause, instead saying it was focused on reinstating service as it had teams on the ground. The company didn't include any details on where Verizon teams were working. "We know this is a huge inconvenience, and our top priority is to get you back online and connected as fast as possible," the company said in a social media post.

Verizon then issued an apology and offered affected customers a $20 credit the morning after the outage, writing in a post on X: "

Verizon is now issuing a $20 account credit to customers who were affected by the massive, nearly day-long cellular service outage that crippled voice and data services earlier this week. It is working to provide financial relief for the disruption, but it won't be automatic.

Excel's UNIQUE function is a game-changer for cleaning data, but it has a frustrating limitation: it only works with adjacent columns. But by nesting additional functions inside it, you can create a dynamic, custom list that ignores the columns you don't want to include.

SAVE $600: As of Jan. 15, get the DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station for $699 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,299. That's a discount of 46% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station $699 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $600   Get Deal

Whether you live somewhere that's prone to losing power or you want to go off-grid, a portable power station is a great thing to have in your pocket. You never know when you could be without electricity, so make sure you never have to be with this DJI deal we found at Amazon.

As of Jan. 15, get the DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station for $699 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,299. That's $600 off and a discount of 46%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The EcoFlow Delta 3 1000 Air power station is under $310 for the first time

This massive power station comes from the same DJI that you know for its popular mics and drones, though it's having difficulty at the moment fighting for the right to launch new products in the U.S. It has a 2,048Wh LFP battery with a 3000W stable output that can power your laptop, refrigerator, space heater, or one of many other devices you may need in an emergency.

Once you've depleted the battery, this fast-charging power station can charge from 0 to 80 percent in just under an hour with a wall outlet, so you won't be left waiting when you need access to power, and fast. It's rated for 3,000 usage cycles as well, so even if you decide you're going to need to use this thing every day, you'll be covered for a long, long time to come.

If you want the peace of mind that you have electricity even during tough situations, this is a great buy either way. Get yours while it's still around and for this massive discount.

SAVE $75: The Ozlo Sleepbuds are on sale at Amazon for $274, down from the list price of $349. That's a 21% discount that matches the lowest on record at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ozlo Ozlo Sleepbuds $274 at Amazon
$349 Save $75   Get Deal

Now that we're halfway through January, lots of us are honing in on how we want this new year to look. Some people have fitness goals, some people have intentions of becoming a great home chef, and others are focused on self-care. But if you don't get good sleep, it'll be nearly impossible to reach any of those goals. Instead, make getting better sleep the number one goal, and this deal at Amazon could be a gamechanger.

As of Jan. 15, the Ozlo Sleepbuds are on sale at Amazon for $274, marked down from the normal price of $349. That's a 21% discount that shaves $75 off the price. It also matches the lowest on record at Amazon.

When it comes to sleep earbuds, comfort is a huge priority. But you also want them to sound great, which is convenient since ex-Bose employees designed the Ozlo Sleepbuds. Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard reviewed the Ozlo Sleepbuds and explained, "Ozlo Sleepbuds are basically the Bose Sleepbuds that allow you to stream audio. While they can't yet track sleep data, they are highly customizable sleep earbuds that work (mostly) as promised."

SEE ALSO: From Oura to Whoop, we tested the best sleep trackers of 2026

Of note, the list price of the Ozlo Sleepbuds feels off compared to the industry standard, but today's sale price helps ease that concern. Still, the new Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 Special come in at a more affordable price, if that's a priority.

However, if you're interested in the design and features on the Ozlo Sleepbuds, they could be a perfect match. Tap into the Ozlo app's range of sleepy sounds or stream your own sleep tracks to the sleep earbuds. The wingtip design on these sleep earbuds help ensure they stay snugly in place throughout the night. They're even designed to be comfortable enough for side sleepers. Plus, they track your sleep.

For anyone who wants to get better sleep this year, the Ozlo Sleepbuds could be a simple solution to getting higher-quality rest. Snag them while they're back on sale for $274 at Amazon.