Technology

Earbuds and headphones aren't getting any cheaper, folks.

Audio brands keep proving it: over the past year, Bose, Sony, and Bowers & Wilkins matched or beat record-high list prices with their flagship launches.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are the latest addition to that list, launching Feb. 12 at $329.99. Yes, they're really expensive — just $20 cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort headphones. And while my budget-buy-loving heart is loathe to admit it, they're also unfortunately really excellent earbuds.

SEE ALSO: I tested sleep earbuds for months: Here are the 3 I'd buy, and the one I'd skip

Upfront, I want to make it clear — Sony didn't exactly reinvent the wheel here. In fact, the brand pretty much took a page out of its own playbook. Like their XM6 headphones counterparts, the upgrades on these earbuds come down to some design changes and small boosts to noise cancellation and sound quality. Sprinkle in a few quality of life updates and, well, you've got the XM6 earbuds. By improving on an already-great product, Sony has created a standout pair of earbuds — if you can shell out.

Before we get into the specifics of what exactly makes them so great, I do want to note that I was only granted access to the companion app one day before they launched, so I didn't get to test all the features on these buds as extensively as I usually do. I'll be testing the earbuds further and updating my thoughts ASAP. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce the new XM6 earbuds.

Sony WF-1000XM6: Price and specs The XM6 are Sony's new flagship wireless earbuds. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are $329.99, the highest-ever launch price for a pair of Sony earbuds.

For comparison, the Sony WF-1000XM5 launched in 2023 at a price of $299, but jumped late last year to $329.99. While expensive, the XM5s have almost always been marked down to about $250 (or lower).

I doubt the XM6 earbuds will get the same generous discount off the bat, making them some of the most expensive flagship earbuds. Bose and Technics aren't too far behind, with the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra and EAH-AZ1000 earbuds retailing for $299 and $299.99, respectively. Apple's AirPods Pro 3 are the surprising affordable option at $249.

• Processor: QN3e

• Equalizer: 10-band custom equalizer with app

• Battery life: 8 hours per charge, 24 hours with case

• Microphones: 8 mics

• IP rating: IPX4

• Charging: USB-C and Qi wireless charging

• Bluetooth codecs: SBC/AAC/LDAC/LC3

• Colors: Platinum silver and black

In the box, in addition to the earbuds and case, you'll get a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and four sizes of earbud tips, ranging from XS to L. The earbuds also have redesigned drivers for improved bass, high-frequency, and clarity.

The Sony sound difference These earbuds are equally great for listening to on the go as they are for sitting at your desk all day. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

I've tested the XM5 earbuds, the XM5 headphones, and the XM6 headphones — each of them was a standout in audio performance, but so far the WF-1000XM6 are the most impressive of the bunch.

Having tested my fair share of premium earbuds, I know that most new earbuds sound really good these days, and that the gap between earbuds and over-ear headphones is shrinking. Still, I couldn't believe the depth of sound produced by the XM6 earbuds, the richness of quality across genres, and how immersive it all felt. And that was my listening experience out of the box.

Once I toggled on settings to prioritize audio quality and set the equalizer to my liking, I found myself legitimately distracted by how good the music sounded. Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" feels like a good benchmark of how dynamic these earbuds can sound — shrieking guitar rifts put the highs of these earbuds to good use, yet they just as adeptly handle perfectly compressed and isolated vocals. Somehow, they handled the operatic background vocals and soft piano at the end of the song just as well.

The sound will not disappoint you. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable SEE ALSO: The 11 best noise-cancelling headphones we use, love, and recommend

Daft Punk's live performance of "One More Time/Aerodynamic" proved how big these earbuds could make music sound. The iconic guitar riffs could've sounded crunchy, or the bass blown out; instead, both elements came through clearly, with an excellent blend. The result? I felt like I was as close as I could be to being in the middle of a crowd of screaming fans, without actually being there.

I also tested these earbuds as the 2026 Winter Olympics aired, and as a figure skating fan, I don't know that there's a pair of earbuds better suited for hours of listening to the music of iconic programs from the past and present. These earbuds helped me appreciate the swelling strings in Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43: Variation 18" and the hits of the orchestra in Stravinsky's "The Firebird," both of which came through with equal precision and clarity.

All this to say, I'm confident the XM6 earbuds can handle whatever genre you throw at them, and they're certainly the best-sounding earbuds I've ever tested. My editor, Timothy Beck Werth, also agreed that the sound on these buds is "really darn good," but he maintained that the clarity of the Technics EAH-AZ1000 earbuds is better on balance. Still, I'm sure even picky audiophiles won't be disappointed with the XM6s.

The best noise cancellation you can find in earbuds Four microphones in each earbud help provide the best noise cancellation possible. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

In their press materials, Sony claimed that the active noise cancellation on these wireless earbuds is 25 percent better than the XM5 earbuds. In my experience, Sony headphones and earbuds have great ANC, but not necessarily the best of the best. With these earbuds, though, it's clear Sony is making some changes.

While I've considered the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds the best of the best for ANC, the Sony XM6 earbuds provide a real challenge to Bose's supremacy. Like the Bose buds, Sony's come packed with eight microphones (four in each bud) for adaptive noise cancellation, and it shows.

The ANC worked well in all the typical scenarios — on walks, working in crowded areas, and in my home office while my family goes about their day. Whenever I took the earbuds out or toggled off the ANC, I was pleasantly surprised by how much sound I wasn't hearing from the world around me. Still, it wasn't until I worked on a café patio about 100 feet away from a train track that I realized just how good the ANC on these earbuds was. Forget the sound of the other customers or music from the café — I could barely hear the arrival of a literal Amtrak. Of course, some sound came through — I could still hear the crossing bell and the muffled rumble of the train — but it was significantly less than I expected to hear, even with the best noise-cancelling earbuds.

The redesigned charging case may be a bit awkward in your pocket. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Compared to the Bose buds, the noise cancellation of the XM6s felt less noticeable. As much as I love the QC Ultras, I have noticed some hissing with the ANC activated, especially when I wasn't playing music. Though it's not totally absent on the XM6s, I have to listen for it. When playing music, the XM6s create a perfect cocoon of silence, just for me and my music. My only real critique? I wish the ANC was manually adjustable at this price point, but for how well it works without any adjustability, I'm not really complaining.

The transparency mode also worked well enough, not over-amplifying or peaking the sounds of the environment. They still fell prey to that hissing sound you find on most transparency modes, but that's not necessarily a Sony-specific issue.

While I'm not finished testing their sound, I can back these buds as the best new noise-cancelling option out there.

The redesign was the right choice The XM6 earbuds have a longer, more oval-shaped design. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Sony deviated from the design of the previous generation, making the charging case taller, with more defined edges. The earbuds themselves also got a narrower, more oval shape compared to the circle design of the XM5 earbuds.

Despite the earbuds themselves having roughly the same profile, they stuck out less from my ear than the XM5s. Sony went with a slimmer shape to better fit the inner ear. While I had no real issues with the XM5 buds, I do feel like I get an even closer fit with the XM6s, which helps both in improving sound quality and noise cancellation.

The redesigned earbuds and charging case. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable SEE ALSO: Sony WH-1000XM6 vs. Sony WH-1000XM5: Is it worth the upgrade?

The charging case is slightly bigger, but I didn't find that it took up that much more room in my bag (you may notice the difference in your pockets, however). If anything, I think the bigger flaw of the new design is the learning curve of the touch controls. While the smaller surface area of the earbuds allows for a sleeker look and better fit, I struggled to find the right spot to activate the touch controls, unlike with the XM5s. Once I figured it out, I had minimal difficultly (though sometimes the double-tap to switch songs didn't always register). Yes, this feels nitpicky, but these earbuds are $330, so I find the nitpicking justified.

On the comfort front, I could wear these earbuds for hours on end easily. On some occasions, I felt minor soreness for maybe a minute when I took them out, but it was very manageable, and they still felt comfortable than most other earbuds (full disclosure: I find over-ear headphones more comfortable). Bose still takes the comfort cake here, with the QC Ultras' stability band providing a really nice seal, without sacrificing wearability, but Sony is certainly a close second.

Sony XM5 vs. XM6 earbuds A battle of the buds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

I'll have a more in-depth comparison of these two earbuds coming soon, so I'll keep this brief. Here's a basic rundown of their major differences and similarities:

• Sound and ANC: The XM6s are not leaps and bounds better, but they're noticeably better on both fronts. More sound is blocked out, and audio is richer, fuller, and warmer.

• Wear and design: The aesthetics between the two is up to user preference, but the XM6 earbuds definitely fit better in my ears. I notice myself adjusting the XM5 earbuds frequently to get a tighter seal, whereas the XM6s stay in place once I put them in.

• Companion app experience: Again, I haven't spent much time with the app on the XM6s, but from a quick look, it's largely the same.

• Battery life: You get the same battery life on both buds — eight hours per charge and 24 hours with the case. Not the best we've seen on flagship ANC earbuds, and not the worst.

Are the Sony WF-1000XM6 worth it?

While I wouldn't say you need to upgrade from the WF-1000XM5 model, if you're in the market for a brand-new pair of premium wireless earbuds, I'm struggling to think of a better all-around performer than the WF-1000XM6 earbuds.

The keyword here, of course, is premium — these earbuds don't come cheap, and there are plenty of budget options you could choose instead and still get a really solid experience. For Apple users, the $250 price point of the latest AirPods Pro 3 feels a lot more reasonable.

However, if the priority is to experience the best possible noise cancellation and stellar audio quality, well, I don't hesitate to recommend these earbuds.

Sony WF-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds $329.99 at Amazon
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When Ryan Murphy gets his hands on a landmark event in American history, you can never be quite sure how it will translate to TV. Will it be a canny re-examination of how the moment shaped American culture, in the vein of The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story? Or will it follow the more exploitative path of Netflix's Monster anthology? 

SEE ALSO: 'The Beauty' review: Ryan Murphy's latest is gorgeous, unhinged ridiculousness

That's the question facing Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, the beginning of a new anthology series created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Murphy. Over the course of nine episodes (eight of which were given to critics for review), Love Story offers viewers an intimate look at the rise of one of the most iconic '90s It Couples, as well as the extensive media pressure they faced. The show crafts a fittingly whirlwind romance, but the latter element hangs over said romance at all times. Because of this, the real fascination of Love Story becomes watching how the series avoids — and sometimes falls right into — the very pitfalls of obsessive media coverage it's trying to critique.

Love Story dramatizes the relationship between JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon in "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette." Credit: FX

From its opening moments, Love Story had me worried that it would veer into the callous depictions of tragic past events that often plague Murphy productions.

The series begins on July 16, 1999, as John F. Kennedy Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly), his wife Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon), and her sister Lauren Bessette (Sydney Lemmon) prepare to take off in the plane flight that will eventually take their lives. Thankfully, the show cuts away before dramatizing the actual crash, but the hint of tragedy (and concerns over how Love Story might eventually handle it) do persist as the show continues.

From here, Love Story flashes back to John and Carolyn's lives before they met. He's the presumed next in line to continue the Kennedys' political dynasty, not to mention America's most sought-after bachelor. She's the ultra-confident, self-assured Calvin Klein publicist who doesn't immediately fall at his feet.

SEE ALSO: 'Industry' Season 4 review: HBO's criminally underrated drama thrills in most ambitious season yet

While it takes a while for the pair to begin dating in earnest, their chemistry is palpable from the start. Newcomer Kelly brings a nervy charm to John's early flirtations with Carolyn, rarely slipping into Kennedy caricature. (Naomi Watts' Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis voice fits that criteria far more.) Pidgeon anchors the relationship in a pragmatic cool, although at a certain point her constantly deployed hair tousles and lip bites read less as natural mannerisms and more as an actor's heightened performance of a cool girl archetype.

Where Pidgeon really shines is the show's latter half, when John and Carolyn may be committed to one another, but the press is committed to hounding them. Here, Pidgeon turns every moment Carolyn spends in public into a kind of social calculus. You can see her working out just how much her presence is impacting those around her, and almost always making the heartbreaking call that she's too much of a burden.

Love Story critiques the media frenzy around JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette — but isn't it part of it? Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly in "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette." Credit: Kurt Iswarienko / FX

Carolyn's struggles with the press drive much of Love Story, and the result is undeniably compelling. The series may as well be called American Horror Story at parts thanks to the way it turns the paparazzi into a zombie-like horde. Once friendly enough to trade jokes with John (or even jump into a football game with him and his friends), they become vicious when Carolyn is in the mix. They swarm over the Kennedys' car and camp outside their building, even going as far as to try to buzz into their loft. In one scene, the buzzer rings out like a jump scare. In others, the creeping flash of camera bulbs serve a similar purpose.

But as much as Love Story highlights the strain all this press attention put on Carolyn, it still occupies a similar space to that same media circus, just 30 years later.

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After all, the paparazzi were trying to expose some inner workings of Carolyn and John's relationship to the public, to offer up their marriage as entertainment to the masses. Is that not Love Story's goal too? Even though the show emphasizes it's a fictionalized account of history, it still painstakingly recreates several public moments from its subjects' lives, including a 1996 fight that was caught on camera. At times, it also uses footage of the actual Kennedy family, blurring the line between fiction and reality.

Given how today's media landscape works, it won't be long before viewers are searching up the specifics of these moments, leading them down a rabbit hole of articles and TikToks dissecting the minutiae of the show's historical accuracy. It's the media frenzy of the '90s, resurrected in a new form. (The Kennedy family was not consulted about the series.)

To its credit, Love Story approaches its leads with far more empathy than the paparazzi. The show rejects salaciousness in favor of glossy romance, while also focusing on Carolyn's struggles to define herself beyond her husband and on John's efforts to define himself beyond his father. These choices help make for a better, more well-rounded portrait of the couple, but crucially, they also allow Love Story to avoid becoming a downright villain in its own story.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette premieres Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on FX and Hulu.

BTS will not only stream their first tour back after a hiatus on Netflix, but they're also bringing it to cinemas.

Announced on Thursday, the Bangtan Boys will bring their 'ARIRANG' world tour concerts to movie theatres. It's a collaboration between HYBE, BigHit Music, and Trafalgar Releasing, the team that brought Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour to theaters.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Netflix will livestream BTS' first concert after hiatus

BTS' first tour together in four years will hit 34 cities across the world with a total of 82 shows, starting with Goyang, Korea on Apr. 9 — and at this point, almost every show with tickets on sale is sold out or on last seats.

The live-streamed concerts will be Goyang's second show on Apr. 11 and the second Tokyo show on Apr. 18. Tickets are available through the event website from Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. KST / 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. GMT / 8 p.m. ICT. Specific cities and cinemas aren't listed at this point, but the release will be global.

All seven members of BTS — RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — will perform songs from their upcoming fifth album ARIRANG as well as the huge BTS catalogue.

BTS announced a hiatus for the group in June 2022 in order to fulfill South Korea's mandatory military service (which they'd all completed by June 2025) and spend time on solo projects.

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I was at a funeral a few months ago when something was said to me that threw my status as my family's perennial singleton into sharp relief.

I was holding my cousin's new baby when a relative called out, "Get a good look at this. Because it'll be the last time you ever see Rachel holding a child."

My aunts, uncles, cousins, and even family friends turned their heads to do precisely as they'd been instructed: have a good gawp at me. Someone even took a photo to memorialise this moment.

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It was the first good laugh I'd had during what had been an otherwise upsetting day.

That was the umpteenth time that day I'd had a comment about my absence of a partner. "Are you not married yet?" one relative asked me during the wake. "They haven't made the man for Rachel," someone else interjected. "Is that so?" I retorted.

This year, I'm celebrating 10 years of being single. A decade since I broke up with my last serious boyfriend and never looked back. This time has been an invaluable period of learning and personal growth.

That may well sound trite, but I've been reflecting on the knowledge this decade has brought me; the hard lessons reaped in moments of painful heartbreak, the experiences that brought with them unparalleled insights about myself. It's hard to distill 10 years of being boyfriend-free into one article, but I thought I'd share some of the most meaningful lessons I've learned during this time.

Some people are uncomfortable around single-by-choice women

The first lesson I learned is twofold.

The moment at the family funeral is one of innumerable interactions I've had the displeasure of enduring. In learning that my protracted singledom leaves some people scratching their heads, I also developed strategies for deflecting those comments and feeling decidedly unbothered by them. Need I remind these people that they were the ones instructing me to "D-U-M-P" the last time I had a boyfriend. Like seriously, what do you want from me?

SEE ALSO: It's time to reclaim singledom as a symbol of power

It's not just my extended family. I've noticed friends attempting to explain my status as an unattached human, inserting their own narrative each time. "I think I've figured it out," one friend informed me. "You just text guys without ever going on dates with them."

"You're so weird," another friend told me. "It's just not a priority for you right now, that's all," another concluded. The latter statement is closest to the truth. But, why is my lack of boyfriend something that requires an explanation or excuse? When was the last time you heard a couple explaining why they're not single?

When was the last time you heard a couple explaining why they're not single?

I've become very skilled at deflecting the inane questions about my singledom with vaguely witty quips. "I've actually opted for a life of feminist separatism!" is my current favourite. But mostly I just laugh loudly and drink my wine.

During a recent family gathering, a younger female relative brought up the comments I get about my lack of boyfriend. "Does it not make you really angry? Because it annoys the hell out of me." The truth is, it really doesn't. "Oh I honestly couldn't give a fuck," was my reply.

Perhaps the absence of a boyfriend makes my family and friends uneasy. Perhaps they ponder how this peculiar anomaly ended up in their family. But the only opinion I care about on this particular subject is my own. And frankly, I feel chill as fuck about being single.

There is no 'if' and 'when'

For much of my teens and twenties I told myself I’d go on a date once I’ve lost weight. I'd feel good about myself once I shed a few pounds. When I'm thin, I’ll be desirable and therefore "girlfriend material".

I, like many women and girls, ingested the patriarchal idea that to be desirable means to be thin. I have battled the perilously close relationship my weight and self-worth have had since girlhood. At school, I longed to switch places with someone else. I looked at other girls in my year who carried themselves with an air of confidence. I longed to be them. I yearned to know what it felt like to like the skin you're in. But the truth is, those girls may well have been fighting their own inner battles.

Those thoughts didn't go away. They got louder, more difficult to drown out. Sometimes they quietened down, but there was always a low hum thrumming in the background. I tried to address them in the worst way possible — by limiting my food intake. But the self-worth I had promised myself never arrived. I waited for it but it never came. I realised the change didn’t need to come from outside — it wasn’t the flesh on my body that needed to change, but the thoughts within it. My relationship with food is better now. But from time to time those thoughts rear their heads.

Loving yourself is hard. But it's the most important relationship any of us will ever have.

A few months ago, I uttered some of those thoughts aloud to two of my dearest friends. That since adolescence I'd been promising myself a life that could only be unlocked if I looked a certain way. Like a video game with a level I just couldn't get to. "Man, the patriarchy has really done a number on us," one friend replied.

"One day," my other friend cut in. "You will look back at photos of yourself and realise just how hot you once were." When she said this, I started to cry. I'd already experienced the beginnings of that during one meandering down memory lane. I'd looked through photos of myself from several years ago and felt unspeakably sad that I hadn't realised how lovely I had looked.

Like Lizzo said: "It's so hard trying to love yourself in a world that doesn't love you back."

Loving yourself is hard. But it's the most important relationship any of us will ever have.

Alone time is a precious commodity

An older man once told me to make the most of my writing career while I'm young and child-free. "Because once you have kids, you won't have time." I wondered if he'd ever say that to a male journalist.

Speaking of gender and writing, a recent Guardian piece — entitled "A woman's greatest enemy? A lack of time to herself" — really crystallised everything I've felt as a woman with a desire to write.

"A few months ago, as I struggled to carve out time in my crowded days for writing, a colleague suggested I read a book about the daily rituals of great artists," writes Brigid Schulte in the piece. "But instead of offering me the inspiration I’d hoped for, what struck me most about these creative geniuses – mostly men – was not their schedules and daily routines, but those of the women in their lives." Schulte concluded that in order to create, long stretches of alone time are vital, but "that’s something women have never had the luxury to expect."

SEE ALSO: How to move on after a situationship ends

Since I started writing creatively during my childhood and adolescence, I have struggled with a feeling of antsy nervousness that someone was going to come along and tell me to get up and make myself useful. Even when you have two feminist parents, it takes decades of work to unlearn the socially imposed idea that writing time is a guilty pleasure — time you've stolen from other more deserving tasks.

I am not very good at multitasking. I am prone to distractions. I am, in short, a writer. In order to get any writing done outside of my 9-5 workday, I basically need enormous swaths of uninterrupted creative alone time. My weekends and evenings are spent writing, punctuated with coffee or drinks with friends. As a writer, I find that aloneness is key. Both in terms of having space to think and plan, as well as unbroken periods of free time to just sit and write the damn thing.

NO. TIME. Credit: vicky leta / mashable

As my friend pointed out, I have prioritised writing above all else in my life — with the exception of my immediate family. But that often feels like it has come at a cost. Broken friendships. Cancelled dates. Endless guilt and feelings of complete selfishness.

Corollary statement: I know it's possible to do both. There are women writers in loving relationships. I just haven't yet figured out how to do both.

The reality for me, at least, is that I find dating one enormous distraction. One that I tend to dip my toe in and out of when I have the time and energy. Maybe I'm selfish. Or maybe I'm just doing what male writers have been doing for centuries — maybe even millennia.

But avoiding distraction is not always easy, and it teaches you some brutal lessons.

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A man I used to love came to stay at my flat three months ago. What ensued was probably one of the worst things I've ever put myself through.

We'd had a fling three years ago. But that fling was re-flung one or two more times after the first fling ended. I fell in love. I usually preface that sentence with "stupidly," but I know it didn't feel stupid at the time. Those feelings, it would appear, were not returned. Against the advice of my friends and family, I said yes to seeing him during a visit to London. In hindsight, I should have heeded their warnings.

As we sat drinking wine in the wee small hours, he veered the conversation in the dangerous territory of his love life. "The thing is, I'm just really difficult to love," he told me. I — a person who had, unbeknown to him, loved him once upon a time — told him he wasn't. He snapped at me: "you don't know my experience." Perhaps not, but I do know my own.

Sometimes you feel things. Sometimes other people don’t. Don’t take it personally.

What happened next sparked an epiphany. He reeled off the important romances he'd had in recent years. My name was notably absent from the list. "Before my ex, there was no one for three years."

I nodded and made all the right noises, but my head was quietly totting up the maths. In this equation, the answer was clear: I was "no one". What had been a fallow period of unromance for him had been a phase of unparalleled heartbreak and self-torture for me.

Later, I cried down the phone to a friend as he slept peacefully on the sofa downstairs. It was a moment of realisation that I had lived an alternate reality in which I'd deluded myself that I'd mattered to someone. The truth of the matter was that I didn't make the cut of memorable romances.

Realising that he'd meant a lot more to me than I had to him was a necessary realisation, albeit a painful one.

Sometimes you feel things. Sometimes other people don’t. Don’t take it personally.

When to dump him

A few days ago I was rooting through my old things at my parents' house when I found my old diary from the year I turned 21 — which coincided with my last serious relationship.

Several pages into the diary, I came across an entry dating back to 2009, around the time I decided to end things with my last boyfriend. "Had, at this stage, decided that I needed to dump Nick," I wrote. "What a bore. Don't understand why I hadn't done it already??!"

If you'll excuse the unabashedly heartless tone of the writing (I was 21), I think I might have been onto something. Not that I took that lesson remotely to heart back then, of course. Nope, it's taken me 10 years of lingering too long in toxic situationships and turbulent casual flings to finally get the hint: you should have dumped him a long time ago.

There was the guy who was so emotionally abusive that I used to throw up after I spent time with him. That same guy who would shake his head at me when I asked a question and say my name in admonishment. That same guy who would shush me and roll his eyes at me. Needless to say, I never want to see or hear from him ever again.

There was the guy in another city who invited me to come stay with him for a few days who casually dropped in one evening that he had a girlfriend — only after we'd slept together, of course! There was even a guy this summer who didn't listen when I said I wasn't free for a date that very afternoon, who promptly showed up at my house declaring "I've come to collect you, let's go!" Sorry, what?

If there's one thing you learn from a decade of dating, it's boundaries. Boy, do I have some serious boundaries now.

Being single has taught me to be kinder to myself. Credit: vicky leta

These men all outstayed their welcomes in my love life. The one blessing is that I now know what I will and will not put up with. I know the red flags. I know the things to be wary of. And crucially, I know when to utter those delicious three words: "We are done."

Life, as we all know, is brimming with lessons. Some of those lessons are harder than others.

There have been the lightning-flash epiphanies that arrived at my lowest ebbs. Moments like the time I stood crying on a New York City sidewalk, I made a promise to myself about how I should be treated by future men in my life. There have also been more gradual educational opportunities — things that have taken years to figure out, and others I'm still working on.

Most important of all, this decade of being single has taught me to be kinder to myself.

Knowing when to silence the inner critic, how I deserve to be treated, that my value lies not in whether or not I have a partner, that alone time is precious. These are the pieces of wisdom I will carry with me for decades to come.

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This article was first published in 2019 and republished in 2026.

Well, that was fast. Just a day after Samsung finally decided to give us the date for its big Samsung Galaxy S26 series unveiling, the entire lineup leaked online.

Yes, the Galaxy Unpacked event is set for Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. PT (9 a.m. ET). And thanks to leaker Evan Blass, we just got an early glimpse of what the phones will look like.

Well, it's more than a glimpse: Blass actually obtained official-looking photos of the entire lineup. Don't get too excited, though; the phones look very similar to how they did last year.

The specs for the lineup, which consists of the Samsung Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, have leaked as well, so there's very little left to the imagination before the official unveiling.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will be available in four colors: White, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, and black (pictured). Credit: Samsung/Evan Blass

Starting with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, it's still gonna be a camera powerhouse, with a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom camera, coupled with a 12-megapixel selfie camera. It has a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, 12/16GB of RAM, 256/512/1024GB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus share pretty much the same specs. The big differences are battery and display size. Credit: Samsung/Evan Blass

The Galaxy S26 Plus (above) will have a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an Exynos 2,600 chip, 12GB of RAM, 256/512GB of storage, and a 4,900mAh battery. It will have a triple rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel main camera, 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom telephoto camera, and a 12-megapixel camera, with a 12-megapixel selfie camera on the front.

Samsung Galaxy S26 is the smallest of the three devices, with a 6.3-inch display. Credit: Samsung/Evan Blass

The Galaxy S26 will have nearly the same specs as the S26 Plus, the biggest differences being a smaller, 6.3-inch AMOLED display, and a 4,300mAh battery.

SEE ALSO: Samsung finally sets a date: Galaxy Unpacked is coming Feb. 25

Of course, none of this is official, but it looks as accurate as rumors get. Hopefully, Samsung still has a surprise or two up its sleeve for its Unpacked event.

Do you ever feel like navigating your Windows system is like a never-ending scavenger hunt? You click through endless menus and folders, just trying to find that one file or setting. That's where these commands come in. It’s like having a secret shortcut to get things done faster. Master these 10 basic Windows commands, and you'll not only streamline your workflow but also channel your inner hacker.

Once you've been self-hosting for a while, you quickly get used to having access to your services at your fingertips. When a service glitch beyond your control happens, however, you can lose access. This is how I ensure I have access as long as the internet itself is still working.

I didn’t set out to find a new note-taking app. I wasn’t comparing features or building a workflow. I just stumbled on Iotas, and it ended up filling a small but very real gap in my daily Linux setup for note-taking.

One of the staples of the Super Bowl is the halftime show between the second and third quarters, often referred to as “music’s biggest stage” when promoting the headlining artist.

After so many years as the world's most popular operating system, Windows doesn't really need you to go very far beneath the surface to accomplish most things. If you can find your way around the Settings app, Task Manager and Windows Explorer, you're pretty much set.

You have put off your homelab journey for too long, and now it’s time to get your foot in the door. The good news is that it’s never been easier. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on racks and enterprise-grade equipment; you can start small for next to nothing and scale up from there.

It's hard to miss the giants of coding because they show up everywhere in college courses, dominate job postings, and run huge, enterprise-level systems. However, there are more options than just the big names, and they deserve a lot of attention too.

The dinner reservation is just the preamble. Valentine’s Day is the one night of the year you have a calendar-official excuse to shut the door and focus entirely on each other. But true romance shouldn't mean buying cheap novelty gags or uncomfortable lingerie you only wear once. There are much more impactful spicy gift ideas out there, and we narrowed down a list of the best sexy Valentine's Day gifts for your boyfriend, girlfriend, someone more permanent, or someone more casual.

We're talking about lubes that won't ruin your sheets, toys that do the heavy lifting, and games that help you skip the small talk. If they get turned on by the real sentimental stuff, just know that these DIY photo gift ideas aren't as innocent as they appear. Whether you're looking to break out of a routine or just want to see what happens when you introduce a projector to the bedroom, these are the gifts that pay off long after February.

Ways to watch Daytona 500 at a glance: Fox One free 7-day trial, then $19.99/month Get Deal Fox One (Prime Video add-on) free 7-day trial, then $19.99/month Get Deal YouTube TV free 10-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months Get Deal Best Buy Essentials Ultra-Thin Indoor HDTV Antenna $24.99 Get Deal

The biggest annual event in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, Daytona 500, kick-starts the auto-racing calendar this weekend. This year marks the 68th year of The Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway. This year, 41 drivers will compete in the 200-lap (500-mile) race. So far, 37 are locked and loaded and eight drivers must compete for the final four spots.

Want to tune in live? Here's what you need to know about the 2026 race and how to watch it for free.

When is the Daytona 500?

The 68th Daytona 500 will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET and will run through 6:30 p.m. ET.

The final four spots have yet to be decided. Two will lock in through single-car qualifying on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 8:15 p.m. ET and the final two will get in through the duels on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. ET.

What channel is the Daytona 500 on?

The kickoff of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, a.k.a The Great American Race, will be aired live on Fox for those with cable or an over-the-air antenna. To watch the qualifying and duels on Wednesday and Thursday, you'll need FS1.

How to watch the Daytona 500 without cable

Lucky for NASCAR fans (and other sports fans for that matter), Fox finally launched its own direct-to-consumer streaming service in 2025. Previously, cord-cutters would need a pay TV provider like YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, or Sling to watch live Fox channels, but the new streaming service Fox One offers a more affordable option. And if you only want to watch the Daytona 500, you can get it for free with a seven-day trial.

Fox One is essentially a one-stop shop for the entirety of the Fox TV portfolio, giving subscribers access to live local Fox stations, as well as Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Weather, Fox Deportes, and Fox Network. It costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year and you can choose between subscribing directly through Fox or signing up as a Prime Video add-on. Plus, as mentioned above, you'll get your first week free if you're a new subscriber. That means you can watch Sunday's race for free.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One free 7-day trial, then $19.99/month Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One (Prime Video add-on) free 7-day trial, then $19.99/month Get Deal

If you've already exhausted your free trial for Fox One and are looking for another way to watch Daytona 500 for free, you could sign up for a free trial of cable replacement services like YouTube TV (10-day trial), Fubo (3-day trial), or Hulu + Live TV (3-day trial). Just be sure to cancel before the trial is up or you'll be hit with a hefty monthly subscription cost.

Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube YouTube TV free 10-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months Get Deal

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention digital antennas as an alternative way to watch. Digital antennas give you access to your local Fox, CBS, NBC, and ABC stations for free. As long as you live decently close to your local TV station broadcast towers, you'll be able to watch for free — just be sure to check the distance and range before making a purchase. Our friends at PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) have a few recommendations, including this basic one from Best Buy that retails for just $24.99. It's reversible to match your decor, multidirectional, and has a range of 50 miles.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Best Buy Essentials Ultra-Thin Indoor HDTV Antenna $24.99
  Get Deal

U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi faced questions from Democrats about her department's handling of the Epstein files on Wednesday, and things quickly escalated into shouting and chaos.

In the clip above Jimmy Kimmel commentates on clips from the hearing, from Bondi clashing with various lawmakers to avidly defending Donald Trump and describing him as "the most transparent president in the nation's history."

"That's right. He's so transparent you had to black out his name like a thousand times," says Kimmel.

"Seriously, there's nothing to defend here. This Department of Justice is hiding the names of people who are not victims. Why are they doing that? If they have nothing to hide, why are they hiding names? That's the only question anybody needs to ask. It's maddening."

I'm here to bring you news. You probably didn't know, but not only do SSDs have firmware, they actually get updated every so often.