Technology

Luxury used to be simple: slap a German badge on the hood and everyone assumed it was top tier. That perception stuck for years, even when the actual car didn’t always justify the price.

LibreOffice might be the best free and open-source office suite, but it still doesn't have a web app version, like Google Docs or Microsoft 365. That might finally change, as the LibreOffice Online project is coming out of retirement.

Every month, a new selection of movies departs Netflix for other streaming services. Not all movies leaving Netflix are equal, especially those from from a visionary like Quentin Tarantino. On March 1, Pulp Fiction will leave Netflix, meaning February 28 will be the last day to watch Tarantino's masterpiece.

Is a lackluster season the greatest sin a TV show can make during its run? Is the test of a truly great show how it locks in season after season of supremely satisfying episodes? Netflix has produced hundreds of originals since House of Cards debuted in 2013, and while it has had countless behemoths, its track record is certainly uneven. For every hit, there's been a show that's lost the plot along the way—even one of its more recent poster children, Ozark, had a less-than-stellar first season, and fans were not thrilled at all with the final season of the most-watched show in Netflix's history, Squid Game.

So you're thinking about setting up your own self-hosted streaming solution using Plex, but when you go online looking for advice on how to do it right, just about everyone suggests buying a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device.

Discord announced earlier this month that it would roll out age verification measures globally, even in states and countries where it's not legally mandated. Now, those plans are on hold, and Discord is addressing some of the most pressing issues.

If there's anything grandparents and older relatives love, it's getting photos of the kids. That's why the Aura Frame has been my favorite gift to give in recent years.

It lets me upload new photos whenever I want and have them show on loved ones' frames, no matter where they are. It's an easy way to help relatives to stay connected across generations, even when we're physically far apart.

I can send snapshots from my phone to my parents' Aura frame and surprise them with photos while on the go. When you upload photos to the app, you can control whose frames you want to send them to, and they'll appear in the rotation. I love that my parents don't have to look up anything on their phone or set up anything complicated. Other perks include unlimited storage and no subscription fees.

If you're looking for a great gift for a family member that doubles as a conversation starter, the Aura Frame is a tech-y gift suitable for family members of all ages.

This story is part of Holidays With Heart, a series in which Mashable and other CNET Group Perspectives contributors share personal stories involving technology.

When shoppers think of a BMW SUV, they usually picture larger, more expensive models packed with luxury features and performance credentials. The smallest option in the lineup is often dismissed as an entry-level compromise rather than a true representation of the brand. Yet BMW’s most compact SUV has quietly evolved into one of the most well-rounded vehicles in its segment, offering far more than its size and price suggest.

Heated Rivalry fans, I know you've quoted Ilya Rozanov's "I'm coming to the cottage" a thousand times over. Now you can make that quote a reality, because the actual cottage seen in the series is for rent on Airbnb.

SEE ALSO: Trump celebrated the men's hockey gold. The women were the punchline.

The Barlochan Cottage, located in Torrance, Canada, will be available for rent starting March 3. The property can host up to six guests. It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with sunset views, lakefront access, kayaks, canoes, and a fire pit. Yes, the very same fire pit that prompts Ilya's unimpressed "Canada is fun" in Heated Rivalry's Season 1 finale.

According to the listing, the cottage is also a 30-minute drive from Muskoka Airport and a 90-minute drive from Toronto Pearson Airport.

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(In the understatement of the century, the listing also says that "Barlochan Cottage was featured on a TV-hit show this season.")

Owned by Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) in Heated Rivalry, the cottage is the setting of the Season 1 finale, where Shane and Ilya have a sweet, private vacation together and work out what comes next for their relationship. Since then, the word "cottage" has never been the same.

So, what new stories will the cottage's upcoming Airbnb rentals bring? Heated Rivalry watch parties? People looking for their own Hollanov-style romantic getaway? Someone who's never heard of the show but just loves the house's vibe?

Check out the full Airbnb listing here.

Heated Rivalry is now streaming on HBO Max.

As the mobile world awaits the big upcoming announcement from Samsung about its new line of smartphones, a new leak has provided some disappointing news.

Mobile news outlet Ytechb have just acquired the EU labels for the still-unannounced, brand new Samsung Galaxy S26 series of mobile devices. Unfortunately, it seems these new Samsung devices have received a downgrade in battery health.

According to the ratings on the labels, the Samsung Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra each have 1,200 charge cycles. This means that the battery will fall to 80 percent health after 1,200 charge cycles.

SEE ALSO: Everything to expect at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: New phones, more AI features

The Galaxy S26 line's predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S25, had 2,000 charge cycles, meaning the battery maintained as close to full health for significantly longer.

On the bright side, however, the Galaxy S26 line of batteries does appear to be much more energy efficient than the Galaxy S25 line, according to the EU labels.

In an EU-standarized battery test, the Samsung Galaxy S26 battery lasted 51 hours. That's 14 hours longer than the Galaxy S25's 37 hours.

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ and S26 Ultra each lasted 55 hours, whereas their predecessors lasted 43.5 hours and nearly 45 hours, respectively.

So, maybe the downgrade in the battery charge cycles is more like a near-even trade off? We will find out a lot more about the new Samsung Galaxy S26 line at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked.

We tend to think of Google Maps as a straight-up navigation tool, like a digital compass that gets us from point A to point B without getting hopelessly lost. But no, there's more you can use it for.

The last time we talked about YouTube Premium Lite, Google was putting more ads in front of subscribers, making it feel even less “Premium.” Thankfully, the latest update is doing the opposite, and some nice Premium features are trickling down.

If the lack of background play or downloadable offline content was one of the reasons you were holding off on subscribing to YouTube's most affordable paid subscription plan, then YouTube has some good news for you today.

In an announcement on its website, YouTube shared that both the ability to play content in the background and the ability to download content for offline viewing are coming to its $7.99 per month YouTube Premium Lite subscription plan.

YouTube's ad-free paid subscription plan, YouTube Premium, has been massively successful for the company. 

For $13.99 per month, viewers can have a completely ad-free YouTube experience with YouTube Premium. They also receive subscriber-only features such as background play and content that can be downloaded for offline viewing. YouTube's streaming music service, YouTube Music, is also provided at no additional cost, also completely ad-free.

SEE ALSO: YouTube TV will soon offer cheaper bundles, including a new sports plan

Last year, the company shared that more than 125 million people subscribe to the service. Around the same time, YouTube also announced that it was rolling out a new, more affordable tier of YouTube Premium called YouTube Premium Lite.

YouTube Premium Lite offers an ad-free experience on most of YouTube's content. Ads still appear on YouTube Shorts, music content, and when a user is searching or browsing for content on the platform. The trade-off is that this cheaper tier is only $7.99 per month.

However, YouTube Premium Lite was also missing those additional features — until now.

YouTube Premium Lite subscribers can now play most YouTube content in the background as well as download most YouTube content for offline viewing. The restrictions on which content can be played in the background or downloaded are the same as the ad-free experience. (YouTube Shorts and music content cannot be viewed with background play or downloaded, for instance). Also, ad-free access to YouTube Music remains a YouTube Premium exclusive.

Still, YouTube says that a significant number of users were requesting that background play and downloadable content features be added to YouTube Premium Lite, and now they are.

I love trying out productivity apps, but it's not often that I come across new gems. One app that has impressed me with its diverse feature set has snuck its way into being my regular task manager. It replaced Todoist, and I'm not looking back.

Yellowstone fans looking for the next family drama from Taylor Sheridan won't have to wait much longer. The next show in Sheridan's growing empire at Paramount+ will be The Madison, a neo-Western starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell.

Physical media is having a bit of a revival at the moment, and vinyl is getting a lot of attention with claims about its supposed superiority over digital audio. Music CDs, on the other hand, have received a more muted revival.

At this point, Punch the monkey no longer belongs to the zoo. He belongs to the internet.

The 7-month-old macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo first went viral for clinging to a stuffed animal after being abandoned by his mother. (She was just stressed out!) People projected onto him immediately — his loneliness, his resilience, his need for comfort. They rooted for him as if he were the Chosen One in a modern fantasy novel.

SEE ALSO: The internet is worried about Punch the monkey. The zoo says he's OK.

And like any good main character, people want updates. Lots of them. So we're here to provide them to you. For example, just look at this recent clip of Punch jumping into his enclosure:

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Concern for Punch reached such a fever pitch that even joking criticism of him hasn't gone over well. When comedian Jon Stewart mentioned Punch during a recent taping of The Daily Show, audience members booed at the mere suggestion of anything negative happening to the baby monkey. The moment was brief, but telling.

Despite his name, people don't want the little monkey to be a punchline. They want him to be safe. They want him to be happy. Mostly, they want him to be OK.

So, what is Punch doing now?

According to the most recent updates from visitors to the Ichikawa City Zoo, Punch is continuing to slowly integrate with the other macaques.

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He still carries his stuffed animal — his emotional support orangutan from IKEA and the object that made him famous — but he's also spending more time exploring his enclosure and interacting with other monkeys. He's even found himself a bit of a bodyguard within the enclosure.

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According to a Feb. 23 update from one of his keepers, Punch has been having a lot more fun with the other baby monkeys in the enclosure.

"From what I could see, there were no scenes of him being scolded, and he was observed playing with the other baby monkeys," the keeper wrote on the zoo's official X account. "During mealtime, he came down from the keeper’s foot on his own and started eating by himself. He continues to do well."

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That last detail is especially significant. For the first five months of his life, Punch was hand-raised by zoo staff, forming a close bond with the keepers who fed and cared for him. During meals, he often clung to them for comfort instead of eating alongside the other monkeys. Now, he's starting to let go.

Choosing to eat on his own may seem like a small step. But for Punch, it's a sign of something much bigger: independence. A growing confidence. Proof that he's slowly learning how to be a monkey among other monkeys.

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There are other small but meaningful signs of progress, too. In recent videos shared by zoogoers, Punch can be seen learning to groom by observing a larger monkey carefully picking through another's fur and mimicking the social behavior that helps macaques bond with one another.

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In another clip, Punch wobbles forward on two legs, a stick in hand. The posture is tentative, almost childlike. And it's really adorable.

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He's also learned to open doors — a fantastic new skill.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How can you help Punch?

The outpouring of concern for Punch has been so intense that people have begun asking how they can help or donate directly to Ichikawa City Zoo.

In a recent post on its official social media accounts, the zoo said it has received "a large number of inquiries" about sending money or goods to support Punch and the zoo. Details about an official donation system will be announced soon, the zoo said.

But officials also issued a clear warning: any fundraising efforts not announced through the zoo's official channels are not authorized.

SEE ALSO: Punch the monkey's emotional support plushie is from IKEA. Buy it before it sells out.

"Apart from the announcements made here, the various support activities for our zoo or Punch that are currently being called for in different forms are not officially endorsed,” the zoo wrote. “Please be aware that we cannot take responsibility for any troubles that may arise."

Punch's story has become so global that the zoo says it's now receiving a surge of phone calls from overseas. Staff noted they're unable to respond to inquiries in languages other than Japanese, a sign of just how far concern for the tiny macaque and his Oran Mama plushie has spread.

So, TL;DR — Don't harass the zoo. Punch is doing OK. You can all exhale now.

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

The first legs of the Champions League playoff round delivered drama, entertainment, and bags of goals.

Newcastle United scored six in their first-leg victory over Qarabag. Their place in the first knockout round is all but guaranteed, but they'll still want to deliver a confident performance at St James' Park. Qarabag will be looking to defend their honor in this second-leg clash. Expect an improved performance from the Azerbaijan Premier League champions.

If you want to watch Newcastle vs. Qarabag in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Newcastle vs. Qarabag?

Newcastle vs. Qarabag in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Feb. 24. This fixture takes place at St James' Park.

How to watch Newcastle vs. Qarabag for free

Newcastle vs. Qarabag 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 Newcastle vs. Qarabag 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 Newcastle vs. Qarabag for free from anywhere in the world

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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 Newcastle vs. Qarabag 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 Newcastle vs. Qarabag in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE UP TO 30%: Through Feb. 26, Southwest promo code ONBOARD saves you up to 30% on select base fares for Southwest flights to the continental U.S. and inter-island HI between April 7 and May 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Southwest Southwest sale: Up to 30% off base fares   Get Deal

A ray of hope for the northeast U.S. population who has really had enough of the snow, thank you: Through Feb. 26, Southwest plane tickets are up to 30% off for travel this spring break season. Of course, you don't have to be flying from (or flying to) the blizzard zone to take advantage of this Southwest sale — the deal applies to the whole continental U.S. and inter-island Hawaii. Use code ONBOARD to see flight discounts for travel between April 7 and May 20, 2026.

Yes, Southwest makes you pay for bags now. But you could end up saving enough on roundtrip tickets that it ends up covering the $35 each way you would have paid for luggage. Once you plug your destination in and enter code ONBOARD, you can use Southwest's Low Fare Calendar to get an overview of daily fares for a two-month window. The lowest fares will appear crossed out with the new discounted cost. In my own personal research (Philly to Orlando or Philly to Las Vegas), I'm seeing a ton of flights for $40 off each way on multiple days of the week.

Geely might not be a household name yet, but you’ve almost certainly come across its work. The group sits behind brands like Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus, and now it’s bringing its own badge to Europe.