Technology

If you enjoy a great sound system, the debate between soundbars and surround sound systems is a popular topic in home entertainment. If you're wondering which one is best for your home theater, we hope to help you decide.

In 2026, finding a new car under $30,000 that still delivers value, reliability, and modern features is tougher than it used to be, but there are still smart choices for U.S. drivers who want sensible transportation without overspending. With average new-car prices climbing, this price bracket emphasizes practicality, fuel efficiency, and everyday comfort over luxury trimmings, making these models ideal for first-time buyers, commuters, and budget-minded households.

The Google Chrome browser on desktop platforms is getting three more productivity upgrades. Thankfully, it's a break from the usual AI-powered enhancements.

While USB-C thumb drives aren’t expensive compared to other types of external storage, they’re pricey given the storage capacity and transfer speeds they offer. If you’re already in the market for one, make sure it supports USB 3.2.

Are you ready for another bout of Raspberry Pi projects to try this weekend? Today, I’m showing you how to run your own git server, get your subscriptions under control, and even build your own Wi-Fi travel router.

Data corruption is a silent killer. On the surface of it, your drive might be looking as healthy as ever. In reality, trouble could be brewing without you even knowing, and the worst outcome is complete, irreversible data loss.

SAVE $64: The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is on sale for $439 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $499. That's a 13% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Osmo Pocket 3 $439 at Amazon
$499 Save $60   Get Deal

Maybe you just started out on your content creation journey or maybe you've been uploading to YouTube for years. In either case, you know the power DJI has on the industry, but it's for good reason. DJI has become one of the most content-creator friendly brands in the industry. Just look around for how many creators are using the DJI Mic Mini. If you've been looking for a great vlogging camera from a standout brand, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Feb. 19, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is on sale at Amazon for $439, marked down from the normal price of $499. That's a 13% discount that shaves $64 off the price. It's also the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo is down to a record-low price at Amazon — save over $300 right now

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth got to review the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and wrote, "The new DJI Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal camera should replace whatever vlogging camera you're currently using." It's waterproof, durable, lightweight, has motion stabilization, and DJI makes it a breeze to upload footage.

DJI equipped the Osmo Pocket 3 with a one-inch CMOS sensor which is an asset when filming in low-light situations. It'll record your content in 4K and that includes the slow-motion feature that captures at 120fps in 4K. There's also object and face tracking that make this vlogging camera a breeze for everyone from beginners to experienced pros.

The two-inch screen on the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 can sit either horizontally or vertically on the gimbal, making it ideal for all types of recording. The three-axis stabilization is also awesome for getting smooth footage without extra effort.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is priced at $499 and Beck Werth noted, "If you're a full- or part-time video creator, livestreamer, or influencer, then the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is definitely worth the price of admission." But now that the vlogging camera is on sale for a record-low price of $435, it's an even better deal. Snag it before this sale price vanishes.

Last October, Amazon announced Blue Jay, a new robotic arm system that was supposed to act as "an extra set of hands" for its warehouse workers. This week, Amazon decided Blue Jay is no longer needed.

The news was reported first by Business Insider and then corroborated by TechCrunch. Blue Jay was meant to be a multi-arm helper system for same-day delivery facilities, and it was being tested in South Carolina at the time of its announcement last fall. After six months, though, Amazon is winding down project Blue Jay and moving its core tech and employees to other projects.

Look at it go! Credit: Amazon SEE ALSO: Last chance to grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for under $40 at Amazon

While this was not made explicitly clear when Blue Jay was first announced, an Amazon spokesperson told TechCrunch that it was always meant as a prototype.

“We’re always experimenting with new ways to improve the customer experience and make work safer, more efficient, and more engaging for our employees,” the spokesperson told TechCrunch. “In this case, we’re actually accelerating the use of the underlying technology developed for Blue Jay, and nearly all of the technologies are being carried over and will continue to support employees across our network.”

Blue Jay was not the only warehouse robotics initiative Amazon has under its belt, and it won't be the last. But for whatever reason, this one just didn't work out as planned.

Google Maps has potentially rolled out a change that could vastly change the user experience, depending on whether you're logged in to a Google account.

Google-focused tech website 9to5Google spotted a change where non-logged-in users apparently now get a "limited view" version of Maps, which is missing lots of key features, including displays of nearby businesses, more detailed info on nearby attractions, and user reviews. In "limited view" mode, for instance, when clicking on a restaurant — which doesn't display on the side of the page — users wouldn't get key info like user reviews, busiest hours, or dine-in/take-out status, 9to5Google noted.

As is often the case with such changes, users posted about noticing the change on Reddit.

There are some indications that perhaps the change could be a glitch of some sort, rather than a wholesale shift. Tech site Tom's Guide noted an error message received by some users indicated the issue could be network problems, a Chrome extension, or other problems. The error message does state that the issues could be fixed by logging in. The writer for Tom's Guide noted, however, that they saw a stripped-back version of Maps while logged out with no error message.

Mashable has reached out to Google and will update this story with any clarification or further details.

In Crime 101, Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry play a game of cat and mouse, as his mastermind jewel thief and her fed-up insurance broker plot a heist that's drawing the attention of a determined detective (Mark Ruffalo) and a mercurial robber (Barry Keoghan). So, what better way to toast the latest crime thriller from writer/director Bart Layton than to play a new game?

Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down with Hemsworth and Berry for a portmanteau game. She's combined the plotlines of two movies whose titles share a word in common. Can these stars name the new mashed-up titles?

Here are a few of the challenges put before the Crime 101 stars. Can you find the answer faster than them? As a bonus clue: One movie in each mash-up stars Halle Berry or Chris Hemsworth.

• Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry co-star in a heist thriller about a non-violent thief facing off against a fur-loving fashionista named Cruella de Vil.

• This superhero sequel from director Brett Ratner follows Wolverine, Storm, and four young boys as they learn life lessons while searching for the body of a missing kid. Adapted from a Stephen King novel, River Phoenix co-stars.  

• An all-girls a cappella group must survive a deadly pair of honeymooners in this musical thriller, where Chris Hemsworth appears as a mysterious hitchhiker.

• Kevin Kline won an Oscar for his comedic turn as an apoplectic jewel thief called Otto in this cyber-thriller, which co-stars Halle Berry and John Travolta.

• A fairy tale princess and an iconic comedian collide in this action-packed reimagining of the life of Andy Kaufman.

For the answers, watch the video above.

Crime 101 is now playing in theaters.

Raspberry Pis are some of the most reliable SBCs out there for hobbyist electrical projects and lightweight self-hosting. Here are 5 commands or utilities that every Pi user should know.

Most desktop software and web browsers have left Windows 7 and Windows 8 in the past, but Firefox still gets security updates on those versions. That's now changing, as Mozilla is ending all support for versions before Windows 10.

Linux is flexible, but it can’t contort itself into a perfect Windows replica. Linux comes with its own set of pros and cons, and expecting it to behave like Windows will lead to disappointments. Instead, appreciate Linux for what it is, and you’ll understand why so many people love the Penguin OS.

Squid Game is the most successful South Korean Netflix show to date, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea. The good part is you don't have to restrict yourself to the dystopian story if you want to explore Korean dramas (K-dramas).

Did you know that a weather forecast almost changed the course of World War II?

That's the true story at the heart of upcoming drama Pressure, directed by Anthony Maras and starring Andrew Scott and Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser. Maras co-wrote the film with David Haig.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 teaser gives fiery glimpse of the Battle of the Gullet

Fraser plays General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who's just 72 hours out from launching the D-Day invasion of Normandy. It will be the largest seaborne invasion in history, and it could secure victory for the Allied Forces in their fight against the Axis.

For the landings to go smoothly, though, Eisenhower and the tens of thousands of Allied troops will need perfect conditions. Enter Captain James Stagg (Scott), a British meteorologist. Eisenhower asks him to provide the forecast for D-Day, and Stagg's findings are less than encouraging.

As the film's trailer shows, according to Stagg, two aggressive storms are approaching. If the Allies go through with the invasion now, the Axis forces will be the least of their concerns — it's really Mother Nature they should be worrying about. Now, Eisenhower is faced with a difficult choice. If he continues with D-Day as is, he risks failure in the face of the storms. If he delays the invasion, he could risk the fate of the entire war. The pressure is on — and I'm not just talking about the air pressure in the storm systems.

Pressure also stars Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, and Damian Lewis.

Pressure opens in theaters May 29.

SAVE $27.49: As of Feb. 19, you can sign up for a BritBox streaming subscription as a Prime Video add-on for just $82.50 for your first year. That's 25% off the usual price of $109.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: BritBox / Prime Video BritBox Prime Video add-on subscription $82.50/year for your first year (save $27.49) Get Deal

There's a whole other world of streaming out there beyond your Netflix account. If you're interested in expanding your content beyond U.S. borders, BritBox streaming subscriptions are on sale for 25% off.

As of Feb. 19, you can sign up for an entire year of BritBox independently or as a Prime Video add-on for just $82.50 for your first year. Typically $109.99, that's just shy of $28 in savings. After your first year, the price will jump back up, so be sure to cancel before then if you want to avoid the $109.99 hit to your bank account.

BritBox is home to the best of British television and movies. It's where you'll find the original version of The Office, popular British dramas like Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife and Shetland, quirky comedies like Chewing Gum and The Cleaner, and so much more. You can tune into live BBC channels like BBC First, BBC Entertainment, and BBC Select, or watch on-demand whenever your heart desires right from your Prime Video account.

If you want to broaden your horizons in 2026 with British TV and movies, a BritBox subscription is the way to go. And for just $82.50, it's cheaper than a year of almost any other popular American streaming service.

Looking to fill the Westeros-shaped hole in your heart after A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wraps up this Sunday? Worry not: House of the Dragon Season 3 is coming this June, and its first teaser promises a fiery, bloody showdown between Team Black and Team Green.

House of the Dragon Season 2 ended with the promise of great changes coming down the line. Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) went to Dragonstone and told Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) that she would surrender the Red Keep to her if Rhaenyra and her new dragonriders came to King's Landing.

Elsewhere, forces from the Triarchy sailed towards Westeros in the hope of breaking Corlys Velaryon's (Steve Toussain) naval blockade. In George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, the ensuing clash becomes known as the Battle of the Gullet, and based on the teaser, it's finally coming to the screen.

The teaser shows Rhaenyra's forces, including her son Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and his dragon Vermax, opening fire on the Triarchy ships. The sight is as terrifying as it is glorious.

That's not the only action House of the Dragon Season 3's teaser promises. From a battle in an open field to Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) locked in combat with the forces of House Hightower, it seems like Westeros is trapped in an inevitable spiral of war. I might just have to watch Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) hanging out again in order to de-stress.

House of the Dragon premieres this June on HBO and HBO Max.

SAVE $30: The Petlibro Automatic Pet Feeder (5 liter) is on sale at Amazon for $69.99, marked down from the standard price of $99.99. That's a 30% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Petlibro Petlibro Petlibro Automatic Pet Feeder (5 liter) $69.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $30   Get Deal

All pet owners know the cat or dog is arguably the most important member of the family. Taking care of their needs is a high priority. If you won't be home during feeding times, there's an easy way to keep pets fed, and it's on a great sale today at Amazon.

As of Feb. 19, the five-liter Petlibro Automatic Pet Feeder is on sale at Amazon for $69.99, marked down from the standard price of $99.99. That's a 30% discount.

The Petlibro Automatic Pet Feeder can hold five liters of food for your furry friend. Petlibro mentions that's about a weeks worth of food for dogs and up to 20 days of meals for cats. In Mashable's review of the best automatic pet feeders, the Petlibro earns the top spot as the best model for portion control.

From the Petlibro app, you'll be able to schedule up to 10 meals per day at designated times. And as an extra fun bonus, you can record a message that'll play to your pets at each feeding time. Adding to that feature, you can record up to 10 customized messages to play during different feeding times and set each at an appropriate volume. That'll be great for late-night cat meals when the kids are already asleep.

SEE ALSO: I ran the Dyson HushJet 24/7 for a week. It's so quiet that I forgot it was on, but I did notice fresher air.

The pet food sits in a stainless steel container that's designed to keep food fresh. Knowing some pets would love to sneak in an extra meal, Petlibro designed the automatic feeder with a twist locking lid.

When food is getting low, the Petlibro app will send an alert to your phone so you can top up supply before your pet misses a meal. You can also share the feeder in the app with up to five users, so several family members have access to the feeder. That's also a great feature to share with a pet sitter when you'll be on vacation.

While it's on sale for under $70, upgrade to the five-liter Petlibro Automatic Pet Feeder. It's perfect for keeping meals on scheudle without having to worry about if you'll be home on time.

These days, it is very hard to do deliberate, focused work. Digital distractions are everywhere, and you're constantly bombarded with communications, so you need to schedule time and make it count. Focus Time and Automatic Scheduling are great because they solve that problem.

Back in the day, the presence of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) cache was more or less a requirement if you wanted a well-performing SSD that won't choke under pressure. But thanks to one improvement, modern SSDs don't need a DRAM cache anymore to stay competitive.