Technology

5 borderline genius ways to repurpose an obsolete 250GB hard drive

How-To Geek - 49 min 37 sec ago

In the midst of the ongoing storage shortage, who can afford to just throw away an old HDD? Even if you can, don't do it. There are better things you can use those old hard drives for.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Everything we know about Dune 3

How-To Geek - 1 hour 35 min ago

When it comes to modern movie franchises, there are plenty we could point to, like Marvel and Star Wars. Today, everyone is talking about Dune, the latest and greatest in the world of book-to-movie adaptations. It also happens to be one of the best sci-fi movie franchises of the last decade.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Home Assistant has to-do lists—here are 5 clever ways to use them

How-To Geek - 1 hour 50 min ago

Home Assistant provides native to-do list integrations such as Local To-Do and Shopping List, as well as third-party integrations for Todoist, Google Tasks, and more. You can use them as traditional to-do lists, but there are some clever ways to get a lot more out of them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

20 fitness tracker deals to shop ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 19 min ago
The best Amazon Big Spring Sale fitness tracker deals at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 (save $100) Get Deal Best Garmin deal Garmin vívoactive 5 $174.28 (save $125.71) Get Deal Best Google deal Google Pixel Watch 4 (WiFi, 41mm) $289.99 (save $60) Get Deal Best Nothing deal Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro $79 (save $20) Get Deal Best Samsung deal Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (Bluetooth, 46mm) $369.99 (save $130) Get Deal

Amazon's third annual Big Spring Sale kicks off next week (officially running March 25 through 31), but deals are already starting to roll in. You can find deal stamps across Apple products, robot vacuums, speakers, and even high-end fitness trackers, including Garmin, Google, and of course Apple Watches. Whether you need a new watch to track that 5K you're training for or simply monitor your sleep habits, there will surely be a fitness tracker deal for you during the sale.

Deals are starting slow, with the biggest discounts so far on last-gen Garmin watches, but we'll be updating this list as new price drops appear. There are a few big names that seem to be holding out until the official sale, like Whoop, Fitbit, and Oura. So we'd hold off on buying those brands until the Big Spring Sale commences.

Below, we're tracking all the best fitness tracker deals at Amazon leading up to and throughout the official Big Spring Sale 2026.

Best early Amazon Big Spring Sale fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $174.28 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $125.71   Get Deal Why we like it

While it's since been replaced with the newer vívoactive 6, the Garmin vívoactive 5 is still an excellent choice. It's a perfect all-rounder for someone who wants a fitness tracker with plenty of smartwatch features. It can track everything from long runs and rides to stress, sleep, and body battery, has a bright and responsive AMOLED display, and boasts 11 days of battery power (Apple could literally never). I personally gifted this watch to my boyfriend (he loves it) after snagging an epic Black Friday discount, but it's now even cheaper. At $174.28, it's over 40% off and is down to the lowest price we've ever seen.

Best Apple Watch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for a solid Apple Watch deal, this $100 price drop on the Series 11 makes it a pretty stellar value. It's been chilling at this price for awhile now, so we're hoping to see the Big Spring Sale drop it down even lower. But even if it doesn't, $299 for the newest Apple Watch ain't bad. It brings significant battery improvements over its predecessor, which alone makes it worth the upgrade. It also has a tougher design with more durable glass that's twice as resistant to scratches, 5G capability for seamless connectivity, and a Sleep Score and hypertension tool for flagging high blood pressure.

More fitness tracker deals

Apple

Garmin

Google / Fitbit

Nothing

Samsung

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best early gaming deals to shop ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 19 min ago

TL;DR: Ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, gamers can already score some standout early discounts, including the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G5 gaming monitor for $349.99, down from $549.99, and NBA 2K26 on PS5, Xbox, and Switch 2 for just $19.93 instead of $69.99.

A quick look at the best Amazon Spring Sale gaming deals: Best Hardware Pick 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 (G50SF) Gaming Monitor $349.99 at Amazon (Save $200) Shop Now Best Game Pick NBA 2K26 (PS5) $19.93 at Amazon (Save $50.06) Shop Now

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is nearly here, but gamers don’t have to wait for the official kickoff to start saving. 

A couple of strong early gaming deals have already landed, and they’re the sort of offers that are great for whether you’re upgrading your setup or you’re just looking to catch up on the big releases of years past without paying full price — with plenty more still to come across PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, and peripherals like monitors, headsets, mice, and much more. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Our best hardware pick: 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 (G50SF) gaming monitor $349.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $200   Get Deal

As of March 17, the standout hardware deal is the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G5 gaming monitor, which has dropped to $349.99 from its $549.99 list price. That’s a 36% discount, or $200 off, on a QHD QD-OLED display with specs that are a lot more premium than this new price would suggest. This is even the OLED G5’s lowest price ever on Amazon, as confirmed via price tracker camelcamelcamel.

This model packs a 180Hz refresh rate, a 0.03ms response time, Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, and AMD FreeSync support, which is a strong mix for anyone who wants smooth gameplay without moving into the much more expensive OLED monitor tier. Samsung also highlights glare-free tech, HDR10, and Pantone validation, so this one looks particularly appealing if you want your games to pop as much as your frame rates.

Opens in a new window Credit: 2K Best game pick: NBA 2K26 (PS5) PlayStation 5 $19.93 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $50.06   Get Deal Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

As for cheaper games, though, NBA 2K26 is down to just $19.93 from $69.99 on PS5 — its lowest price ever, as confirmed with camelcamelcamel, as well. That’s 72% off the full game that includes ProPLAY-enhanced gameplay, MyCAREER, MyTEAM, and MyNBA modes, giving basketball fans plenty to dig into whether they mostly play solo or jump online with friends.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale gaming deals

PlayStation games

Nintendo Switch 2 games

Xbox games

Gaming mice

Gaming headsets

Gaming monitors

Categories: IT General, Technology

How a single Linux command unlocked my Ugreen NAS to become the center of my homelab

How-To Geek - 2 hours 20 min ago

I wanted to use my Ugreen NAS as a central hub for my homelab—but that required mounting external storage servers to it. For some reason, Ugreen doesn’t let you do this within the operating system, but I found a way around it with just one command.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Comeback Season 3 review: Lisa Kudrow warns us of the AI apocalypse

Mashable - 2 hours 20 min ago

Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King's cult comedy gem The Comeback has always been a frighteningly prescient satire of Hollywood.

Season 1, which aired in 2005, was ahead of its time in its portrayal of the manipulative tactics that power reality TV. Season 2, coming almost a decade later in 2014, poked fun at prestige antihero dramedies. Now, The Comeback makes its second (and supposedly final) comeback with a third season that's all about Hollywood's hottest topic: AI.

SEE ALSO: 'The Audacity' tears Silicon Valley a new one: Review

That AI focus lends The Comeback Season 3 an urgency that sets it apart from its prior two outings. Yes, it's still hilarious, cynical, and a remarkable showcase for Kudrow in her best role. But on top of all that, it's also something else: a warning.

What's The Comeback Season 3 about? Zane Philips, Brittany O’Grady, Barry Shabaka Henley, Lisa Kudrow, Tim Bagley, and Matt Cook in "The Comeback." Credit: Erin Simkin / HBO

The warning signs begin early, as The Comeback Season 3 picks up during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

"AI is coming after all of us," then-SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher (in one of The Comeback's many celebrity cameos) tells a crowd of striking actors and writers.

The Comeback's embattled sitcom star Valerie Cherish (Kudrow) nods along, but in true Valerie fashion, she's more focused on the optics of her presence at the strike than the strike itself. Now trying to master the social media game to stay relevant, she's too busy directing her Gen Z social manager Patience (Ella Stiller) to truly take in the gravity of the situation. (Kudrow is already on Emmy watch for Valerie's posing with the picket sign alone.)

SEE ALSO: 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' review: An alien OnlyFans is the highlight of Apple's family dramedy

Flash forward to 2026: Valerie is struggling to get a podcast (Cherish the Time) off the ground, and she's taking bit roles in the lowest of low budget films. But her luck is set to change when she's offered the lead of new multi-cam sitcom How's That?!. It's everything she's ever wanted, with one huge catch: It's completely written by AI.

The Comeback Season 3 examines the role of AI in show business. John Early and Abbi Jacobson in "The Comeback." Credit: Erin Simkin / HBO

On paper, How's That?!'s showrunners are two humans, Mary and Josh (Abbi Jacobson and John Early). But in reality, their only job is to babysit the AI program that's actually churning out the show's scripts, sending the two of them down a disillusioned spiral.

Part of that comes from the fact that The Comeback initially approaches AI writing as somewhat competent. It churns out tens of alternate lines before Mary and Josh can think of one. Its jokes resonate more with How's That?!'s live studio audience than the one or two gags Mary and Josh manage to sneak in themselves. In terms of speed and sheer writing volume, it's impressive, and Valerie certainly seems to agree. That she has to deal less with difficult writer types like her past antagonist Paulie G. (Lance Barber) also seems to sweeten the deal.

However, as Season 3 continues, How's That?!'s shiny new tool begins to lose its sheen. AI hallucinations turn scripts incomprehensible, and the program's hastily-produced alts prove unsurprising and dull. Of course they would — they're just scraping other writers' work for inspiration.

That's what The Comeback Season 3 hammers home. AI can crank out script after script, but it's completely soulless. It has no sense of what will truly resonate with an audience. That, The Comeback says, can only come from writers pitching in the crucible of production, grinding it out until they find the perfect one-liner.

According to How's That?!'s network's CEO (played to skeezy perfection by Andrew Scott), the use of AI will help cut costs and optimize the show for maximum audience enjoyment. (Or really, just throwing it on in the background.) Ironically, he asks Valerie to keep it a secret from the cast and crew, a process that requires more effort than simply bringing more human writers onboard.

Featured Video For You Ethan Hawke, Andrew Scott, and Bobby Cannavale bring Broadway history to the big screen

Valerie has never been great at keeping things to herself, which is why she lets How's That?!'s AI use slip to The Comeback documentarian Jane (Laura Silverman). The slip brings Jane back into the fold for a new documentary project: exploring the making of the first-ever AI-written show.

It's clear from the start that Jane understands the existential threat AI poses to the entertainment industry. Things are already awful for the majority of workers in the field. Now an Academy Award winner, Jane's main job isn't filmmaking, but rather working as a cashier at Trader Joe's. Crew members on How's That?! have worked on films whose production has been drastically shortened due to AI, robbing them of over 10 weeks of pay. Elsewhere, The Comeback populates entire coffee shops with talented writers who have to pivot because the industry is a mess. As one writer notes in the show, the normalization of AI in TV won't just be an evolution of the form, it'll be "an extinction event."

Yet somehow, Valerie is the rare example of someone in the entertainment industry benefitting from AI. It's given her the job of a lifetime, and in her mind, she's willing to set aside a lot of her misgivings in exchange for a lead role and a shiny executive producer credit. But really, Valerie is the proverbial frog in a slowly boiling pot of water. She doesn't realize that the danger is coming for her too, even as The Comeback works its way up towards a Black Mirror-esque conclusion.

The Comeback Season 3 isn't all AI doom and gloom, though. It's full of standout running gags, including Valerie's obsession with her under-viewed show Mrs. Hatt. (Nobody watched it because it was on Epix, a cutting jab at the sheer amount of streaming shows.) It also provides a touching send-off to Valerie's hair stylists and closest friend Mickey, whose actor Robert Michael Morris passed away in 2017. Trust The Comeback to make me tear up and belly laugh all at once.

Kudrow's performance remains pure comedic excellence, managing to make even Valerie's most selfish moments endearing. That The Comeback plays more loosely with its documentary format helps here as well: We tend to see Valerie through the lens of Jane's camera, Patience's phone, or security footage in her and Mark's (Damian Young) apartment. Often, though, The Comeback Season 3 allows us to see parts of Valerie's life that the cameras don't capture, a tactic that closed out its touching Season 2 finale. In keeping it up, Season 3 offers up the most humanized view of Valerie yet, and Kudrow is spectacular through each high and low.

Of course, much of those lows revolve around AI. The Comeback can occasionally get uncharacteristically heavy-handed about the subject matter, but then again, in a world where entertainment giants like Disney are investing in OpenAI, it's not wrong to sound the alarm about something that could so thoroughly decimate the industry.

In The Comeback's eyes, bringing AI into TV will result in nothing but lowest common denominator "content," and that's about as far from the show's sharp, superb swan song as you can get.

The Comeback Season 3 premieres March 22 at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Spotify is rolling out a new UI and gestures to its Wear OS app

How-To Geek - 2 hours 24 min ago

Spotify has quietly had a very impressive start to the new year. Over the last three months, the streaming service has released a handful of genuinely great features. The most recent update is headed to Wear OS devices, and it makes the app nicer to look at and easier to control.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt online for free

Mashable - 2 hours 35 min ago

TL;DR: Live stream Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The next round of Champions League fixtures includes some really interesting matchups, including Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt.

Bodo/Glimt have been the story of this Champions League. They've already created history, beating some of the biggest names in European football. And now they hold a 3-0 advantage coming into this huge second-leg matchup with Sporting. The Portuguese side will need to produce something special to come back into this contest, but we've seen it all before. Anything is possible in this competition.

If you want to watch Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt?

Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on March 17. This fixture takes place at the Estádio José Alvalade.

How to watch Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt for free

Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

  4. Visit Virgin Media Player

  5. Watch Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

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

Watch Sporting vs. Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

FFmpeg 8.1 upgrades the best open-source media converter with a splash of Vulkan

How-To Geek - 2 hours 45 min ago

Even if you’ve never used FFmpeg, you’ve almost certainly used a video editor or media conversion tool based on it. FFmpeg is one of the most popular tools for recording, converting, and streaming audio and video, and version 8.1 has arrived with some Vulkan-powered enhancements.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 Windows "features" that are basically just spyware

How-To Geek - 2 hours 50 min ago

If you're using Windows, there's a good chance Microsoft is collecting all kinds of telemetry data from your PC to help improve your user experience, fix bugs, and troubleshoot errors.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop driving your hybrid like a gas car: 5 proven ways to boost MPG

How-To Geek - 3 hours 4 min ago

Buying a hybrid is a major step toward saving money at the pump, but simply owning the vehicle is only half the battle. While the hybrid system and its corresponding technology do most of the work, you can put a few more fuel economy points on the board by having a thorough understanding of how to strategically use that technology to your advantage while driving.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Chrome for Android is getting a classic desktop feature

How-To Geek - 3 hours 9 min ago

If your bookmarks folder is stacked with saved sites, you’ll know the struggle of finding anything on Chrome for Android isn’t exactly quick. Unlike on desktop platforms, where everything sits neatly in a bookmarks bar, phones have a multi-step process just to open any bookmark. Google is finally fixing that friction with a desktop-style bookmarks bar that’s rolling out now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 5 most annoying Android Auto problems (and how to fix them)

How-To Geek - 3 hours 20 min ago

Android Auto is easily the coolest feature your car can have if you're an Android user. It turns your car's head unit into an extension of your smartphone, and when it works correctly, it's perfect for displaying your maps, music, and messages all on a large screen that doesn't distract you during driving.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Pragmata combines thrilling sci-fi action with endearing uncle energy

Mashable - 3 hours 20 min ago

For far too long, video games have been besieged by the scourge of Dad Games. Things like the recent God of War entries and The Last of Us have popularized the idea of giving players some kind of paternal duty over a young, mostly helpless companion. It's played out and boring, among other things.

That's one of the reasons why I'm so into what I've seen of Capcom's upcoming Pragmata so far. This sci-fi third-person shooter, originally announced six years ago, has a similar enough premise to those other games I mentioned. You play as a guy named Hugh who finds himself needing to protect and work with a strange little girl named Diana as they try to escape a space station full of angry robots.

The difference, though, is that I would categorize Pragmata as more of an Uncle Game than a Dad Game. I got to play about 90 minutes of Pragmata at a press event recently, and it seems like a totally kick-ass action game with a really neat hacking-based hook, but the lighthearted interplay between Hugh and Diana was also significantly more endearing than the heavy-handed self-seriousness of something like The Last of Us.

SEE ALSO: How Resident Evil Survived Itself Pragmata is basically Resident Evil 4 with an air dash The hacking aspect of 'Pragmata' is extremely sick. Credit: Capcom

In case you haven't been following along with Pragmata's marketing (there's also a free demo available on every platform), the main thing to know is that it's a space-based third-person shooter with similar gameplay guts to that of the more action-oriented entries in Capcom's Resident Evil series.

Of course, Pragmata is not a horror game, so the vibe is pretty different. But at its core, this is still a game about carefully positioning yourself in the middle of overwhelming fights and trying to precisely line up shots on the weak points of enemies who (mostly) creepily move towards you in a slow manner. An obvious difference is that Hugh can also sprint, jump, and dash around the environment, giving it a much more fast-paced feel than you'd get as Leon S. Kennedy of the Resident Evil series.

These guys suck to fight. Credit: Capcom

The real meat of Pragmata's combat comes from Diana's hacking abilities. She sits on Hugh's shoulder at all times, and aiming at an enemy will bring up a square-based hacking grid that you navigate using the face buttons. In essence, you're doing a hacking mini-game while also running and shooting, and successfully hacking an enemy can open up weak spots or stun/slow them down. It is absolutely key to success, and the first time you do it, you'll immediately understand why it's a cool idea.

All of that had been known about Pragmata prior to this recent hands-on opportunity, though. One major new thing I got to see this time around was the game's hub area, which you can travel to from any checkpoint in the world. It's got a training range, upgrade stations, and even a friendly robot named Cabin who exists to help you do whatever you need to do in that space. Just from the demo I played, Pragmata seems like it's got a pretty satisfying upgrade loop to it. You collect different kinds of currency from exploring levels and defeating enemies, which you then use to upgrade Hugh's core functions like health, as well as all the different guns he uses along the way.

It's straightforward enough, but Capcom is one of the best purveyors of this type of single-player action game. I think they know a thing or two about player progression, and it showed in the demo I played.

Pragmata also has a ton of personality Of course, there are fun costumes to unlock. Credit: Capcom

While the actual gameplay side of the demo didn't show me a ton I didn't already know about Pragmata, it was set in a substantially more interesting environment than we had seen previously. Specifically, I got to run around a weird, 3D-printed simulacra of Times Square in New York City, but inside a space station. Billboards and ads were full of fun references to other Capcom games like Ghouls 'n Ghosts, while the buildings and storefronts sometimes faded halfway out of existence because they clearly weren't fully completed before...whatever happened in this space station.

Going back to the whole "Uncle Game" thing, what impressed me most about Pragmata is the amount of heart there is in all of Hugh and Diana's interactions. She's never been to Earth, so Hugh spends most of the NYC level explaining various Earth concepts to her to sate her infinite curiosity on the subject. I especially dug a bit where Hugh mentioned that the fake NYC wasn't nearly as dirty as the real one.

Cabin's a cool dude. Credit: Capcom

Most importantly, I didn't get a ton of paternal energy from what I saw between Hugh and Diana. There was one scene where he had to save her from her own curiosity, but other than that, what I played was bereft of Hugh scolding, lecturing, or otherwise acting like much of a parent towards Diana. Rather, he feels a bit more like an uncle who's been tasked with watching a kid for a weekend. Just like any good uncle, you can even find gifts in the world and give them to Diana in the hub area, at which point she will adorably go and play with them.

At this point I've only played about two combined hours of Pragmata at various press events, but every time I see it, I want to play the final game more and more. I really think Capcom has stumbled onto something very cool here, between the sweaty, stressful sci-fi combat and the cute interplay between its two leads. We'll find out pretty soon whether or not it holds up over the course of a full game.

Pragmata launches on April 17 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 things you may have missed about Apples AirPods Max 2

Mashable - 3 hours 23 min ago

It took Apple six years to properly update the AirPods Max, and at first glance, it might seem like a fairly minor update. After all, the new AirPods Max 2 still look the same, come with the same case, and are even sold in the exact same five colors as their predecessor.

The new features mainly revolve around Apple's H2 chip, which has unlocked several smart features, as well as improved active noise cancellation (check our initial coverage for a rundown of what's new).

SEE ALSO: Apple launches AirPods Max 2 with improved noise cancelling and smart features

Having browsed through Apple's official tech specs, however, we've found that the new AirPods Max 2 have quite a bit new functionality that might not be apparent at first glance. Here's five hidden features we've found:

1. It's 'Siri' not 'Hey Siri'

When you need to invoke Apple's smart assistant on the new AirPods Max 2, you can just say "Siri" to do so. On AirPods that sport the old H2 chip, you need to say "Hey Siri." It's a small difference, but it saves time (for some, at least; I've gotten so accustomed to the "hey" part that I'll probably just keep saying it).

The buttons are the same as before. But you might not need to touch them as often, as Siri Interactions are now supported. Credit: Apple

You can now also respond to Siri via head gestures; just nod or shake your head for a "yes" or "no" answer.

2. Loud Sound Reduction

The Loud Sound Reduction feature, already present in the latest AirPods Pro, helps you prevent exposure to loud environmental noise, such as a car horn.

While Apple highlighted this one in its press release accompanying the AirPods Max 2 launch, we're mentioning it here because it does not show up in Apple's comparison tool. It is, however, listed in the official tech specs for AirPods Max 2.

The Loud Sound Reduction feature is on by default in Transparency and Adaptive Audio listening modes.

3. Bluetooth 5.3 vs. 5.0

The AirPods Max 2 come with Bluetooth 5.3, as opposed to Bluetooth 5.0 on the AirPods Max with USB-C. In theory, this should mean lower power usage, improved connectivity, and quicker connections with other devices. Wireless audio latency has also been reduced, which is great news for music creators and gamers.

Featured Video For You How TikTok is Changing the Music Industry 4. New high dynamic range amplifier: Yes, but, what can it do?

Apple mentioned that the AirPods Max 2 have a new high dynamic range amplifier, but the company only said this enables "even cleaner audio while maintaining the incredible sound signature of AirPods Max".

Cleaner sound at higher volumes. Credit: Apple

While that's pretty vague, we can tell you that the high dynamic range amplifier's job is to amplify an audio signal while keeping noise and distortion low. We can also take a look at the latest AirPods Pro 3, which also feature a new, custom high dynamic range amplifier. In our review, we found they sound significantly better than their predecessor.

Based on that, and given that the AirPods Pro 3 also feature Apple's H3 chip, we can predict that the AirPods Max 2 will not only have cleaner audio, but also an improved soundstage, accurate sound reproduction at higher volumes, and the benefits should also be audible in Spatial Audio.

If you dig into Apple's "learn more" bits on the AirPods Max 2 official page, you'll find an explanation that matches the above. "Modeled after those in high‑end floor‑standing speakers, the driver’s dual‑neodymium ring magnet motor minimizes total harmonic distortion across the entire audible range. With the new high dynamic range amplifier, the result is consistently clear playback, even at higher volumes," it says.

5. Your old case still fits

Perhaps the worst, or at least most divisive, features of the AirPods Max are their odd, bra-like case that doesn't really do a great job of protecting the headphones. Yes, you get it included in the price, but it's just...odd. Fortunately, there's a number of great, third-party cases that are compatible with Apple's sleep mode, meaning the AirPods Max won't drain too much battery when they're in the case.

If you have the old AirPods Max and are thinking of upgrading, and you're wondering whether your old third-party case will fit the new ones, we've got good news. We've compared the weight and size specs for the AirPods Max 2 and the original AirPods Max headphones, and they're exactly the same: 187.3 x 168.6 x 83.44 mililmeters, weighing exactly 386.2 grams. We'd prefer it if Apple shed some of that weight, but at least your old case will fit.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Check out the best early Lego deals to shop before Amazons Big Spring Sale starts

Mashable - 3 hours 32 min ago
The best early Amazon Big Spring Sale Lego deals Best Lego Botanicals Deal Lego Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree (#10348) $47.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best Lego Nintendo Deal Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant (#71426) $41.99 (save $18) Get Deal Best Lego Star Wars Deal Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable Model (#75375) $67.99 (save $17) Get Deal

Amazon's celebrating the arrival of springtime weather with the return of its Big Spring Sale. If you love finding discounted Lego sets during these kinds of sale events, we have good news: there's already some exciting deals to jump on ahead of its start date on March 25. Whether you're searching for a new Star Wars set to build or a delightful botanical display to put up for spring, we've gathered up a variety of options to look through below.

And remember, these are just early deals. The sale doesn't officially start until March 25, so there's bound to be plenty more discounts that pop up. When they do, we'll be sure to add them here.

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Note: You don't need to be a Prime member to shop the sale, but Prime members will receive exclusive deals on a variety of items.

Best Lego Botanicals Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree (#10348) $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12   Get Deal Why we like it

Lego's Botanicals sets are always a delight to have up on display, and this Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree is sure to add a lovely pop of red, orange, and green into your home. At the moment, it's on sale at Amazon for $47.99, which is just pennies away from its lowest-ever price point of $47.95, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. What better time to scoop up this 474-piece set if its caught your eye?

Best Lego Nintendo Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant (#71426) $41.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $18   Get Deal Why we like it

MAR10 Day may be behind us, but The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on the horizon, so it's a great time in general to be a Mario fan. If you're looking for a fun new set to build ahead of the upcoming film, this 540-piece Super Mario Piranha Plant set is a very fun option to have up on display. It's currently down to $41.99 at Amazon, so you can save $18 ahead of the Big Spring Sale.

Best Lego Star Wars Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable Model (#75375) $67.99 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $17   Get Deal Why we like it

There are plenty of exciting Lego Star Wars sets to piece together, but this Millennium Falcon build is a must for your collection if you're a fan. This 921-piece set sees you recreating the Millennium Falcon, as seen in A New Hope, and it's currently on sale for $67.99 at Amazon. Similar to the Lego Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree, this set is also just pennies away from its lowest-ever price of $67.95, so this is an excellent time to pick it up and save.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

3 movie remakes that were actually better than the original

How-To Geek - 3 hours 35 min ago

Most of the time when I hear that a movie I like is getting remade, my first reaction isn't excitement. It's confusion. I find myself asking the same question: why? If the original worked, why revisit it at all? Hollywood doesn't exactly have a great track record here. More often than not, the remake ends up feeling like a thinner, louder, or more unnecessary version of something that was already good the first time around.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon greenlights 1-hour and 3-hour delivery in select US cities ahead of its spring sale

Mashable - 3 hours 38 min ago

Have you ever wished that you could simply make a run to the Amazon store instead of waiting *shudders* a business day? Well, Amazon just announced the next best thing — or the first best thing, if you'd prefer to not leave your house: Depending on where you live, three-hour or one-hour Amazon delivery could be a thing now.

Three-hour Amazon delivery is available for folks in more than 2,000 cities and towns in the US, and one-hour Amazon delivery is available in hundreds. (Head to amazon.com/getitfast to see your delivery options.)

Eligible items are the types of things for which you'd typically make a Target run: pantry staples, cleaning supplies, health and beauty items, baby essentials, and over-the-counter medications. Other categories include electronics, toys, clothing and accessories, and home and garden.

SEE ALSO: The best robot vacuum deals to shop ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale: Dreame, Shark, and Eufy

The March 17 news comes the week before Amazon's Big Spring Sale kicks off on March 25 (and runs through March 31). A huge chunk of items in the categories we just listed will be on sale.

You don't need to be a Prime member to get access to most Big Spring Deals, nor do you have to be a Prime member to get one-hour or three-hour delivery as an option. However, speedy delivery is much cheaper for Prime members: One-hour costs $9.99 with Prime or $19.99 without Prime, and three-hour costs $4.99 with Prime or $14.99 without Prime.

It'd be nice if Amazon revived its free $5 delivery driver tip from the holidays in honor of this new delivery milestone. But either way, don't forget to tip your driver.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best early Pokémon deals to shop ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 3 hours 42 min ago

TL;DR: Ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, Pokémon fans can already grab the Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest – Fall 2025 for $47.30, down from $57.99, and lock in a preorder for the Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 1 for $59.99 before its March 20 release.

A quick look at the best Amazon Spring Sale Pokémon deals: Our Top Pick Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest - Fall 2025 $47.30 at Amazon (save $10.69) Shop Now Best Preorder Pick Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 1 $59.99 at Amazon Shop Now

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is almost here, but if you’re a keen Pokémon collector who’s already hoping to save money both on the trading card game, video games, and more, there are plenty of bargains already going right now — starting with the Pokémon TCG. 

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Our pick: The Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest - Fall 2025 $47.30 at Amazon
$57.99 Save $10.69   Get Deal

The early standout is the Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest – Fall 2025, which is marked down to $47.30 from its $57.99 list price. That’s an 18% discount, or $10.69 in savings, on a bundle that packs in more than just booster packs. 

The tin includes six Pokémon TCG booster packs, three foil cards featuring Ralts, Kirlia, and Riolu, a Mega Lucario coin, four sticker sheets, and a mini portfolio for storage. 

The included six booster packs, according to imagery, are two each of Destined Rivals, Journey Together, and Mega Evolution — each costing between $10 and $15 individually. With that, you’re saving at least $12.70 on the booster packs alone, even before you take the promo cards and storage case into account. 

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Best preorder pick: Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 1 $59.99 at Amazon
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The second option is less of a markdown and more of a strategic preorder for anyone trying to get ahead of the rush. The Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 1 is available to preorder for $59.99 and is set to release on March 20. 

This set, along with a booster pack each of Phantasmal Flames and Mega Evolution, includes one booster pack containing three of nine illustration rare-style promo cards themed around first partner Pokémon from the Kanto, Sinnoh, or Alola regions, plus a sticker sheet. 

Currently, this only sits $5 above market price on TCGplayer — and is nearly $5 cheaper than any listing available there, as well. Because this is a limited collection, we expect the value of the First Partner Illustration Collection to go way up once there’s less availability after its release date. 

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Categories: IT General, Technology
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