Technology

Google’s default keyboard app can do a lot more than basic touch typing or swipe typing. You won’t find them unless you go looking or stumble upon them, but the Gboard app comes with a bunch of features that make texting and writing better.

Apple’s new iOS 26 update is finally rolling out to the masses after a months-long beta. Paired with the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup, you’d expect fireworks. But so far, the reception to Apple’s so-called “biggest iOS update in years” has been… meh. To be fair, that’s par for the course with iOS updates. Apple can never please everyone. But if you’re staring at that update notification wondering whether to pull the trigger, here’s what you should know.

What Mashable is saying

As the proud owner of a battered iPhone 13 Pro, I went ahead and upgraded. My biggest gripe has been the battery life. It feels shorter than usual — though, to be fair, that might just be the "new iOS tax" while my phone re-indexes and chews through storage. I’m hoping a few days (and maybe a little spring cleaning) will fix that. Beyond that, iOS 26 feels… fine. Nothing groundbreaking, just some quality-of-life tweaks dressed up as revolution. Apple’s obsession with rearranging the furniture and calling it progress is, as always, a little maddening.

I’m not alone, either. Tim Marcin, our associate digital culture editor, loves the new charging feature that tells you how long it’ll take to hit 80% — and he swears his phone charges more efficiently now. But he also finds the Safari redesign clunky and irritating.

Meanwhile, Tech Reporter Alex Perry summed up his feelings bluntly: to him, iOS 26 is basically Apple “just changing some colors.”

What the internet is saying

Over on Reddit, opinions on iOS 26 are mixed but leaning positive. Scroll through threads in the iPhone and iOS subreddits and you’ll find the full spectrum: some users swear the update feels half-baked and laggy, while others report everything running smoothly and say they’re loving it. As always, it kind of depends on who you ask — and whether they’ve been living with the beta for weeks already.

"I’m honestly disappointed with nearly every design decision they made. It seems Apple prioritized flashy mimicry over actual functionality, which feels like the least Apple-like direction I’ve ever seen," one user said. Another on the same thread stated that "My screen time has been cut in half with the same amount of drainage."

In other threads, plenty of users were less than impressed. Some complained the update "feels almost exactly the same," while others roasted the redesign, saying the "visual style was designed and approved by a bunch of people who don’t use dark mode."

Still, it’s not all grumbling. A chunk of users say they’re genuinely enjoying iOS 26. And honestly, that tracks: with any big iOS overhaul, a lot of the frustration just comes down to retraining your muscle memory. Give it time, and what feels jarring today usually becomes second nature tomorrow.

SAVE $50: The DJI Osmo Action 4 essential combo is on sale at Amazon for $239, down from the list price of $289. That's a 17% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Osmo Action 4 Essential Combo $239 at Amazon
$289 Save $50 Get Deal

We're only a handful of weeks away from the mountains opening for snowy winter sports and that means it's time to check on your recording set-up. Even if you're not a professional YouTuber or TikTok creator, it's likely you'll want to capture footage of adventures. One of the best ways to do just that is with a DJI camera, and a great model is on sale today.

As of Sept 22, the DJI Osmo Action 4 essential combo is on sale for $239 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $289. That's a 17% discount that takes $50 off.

If you're looking to make life easier, the DJI Osmo Action 4 essential combo is perfect since it's a one-click purchase that includes everything you'll need for recording. The bundle includes the DJI Osmo Action 4 camera, the Osmo locking screw, anti-slip pads, the action lens hood, a protective frame, the Osmo Action Extreme battery, and a quick-release adapter mount.

SEE ALSO: DJI has a new mini drone coming soon — and you can't have it

The DJI Osmo Action 4 is ready for all sorts of adventures from underwater exploration that goes as deep as 18 meters to cycling during autumn foliage to skiing this winter. The Osmo Action 4 can record in temperatures as low as -4 Fahrenheit and it's also designed to be great in low-light settings.

While DJI does have a camera coming soon that'll record in 8K, the Osmo Action 4 records in 4K at 120fps with a 155-degree ultra-wide field of view. It also has stabilization features that makes for smoother footage while filming is done while moving.

Before winter sports begin, snag the DJI Osmo Action 4 essential combo is on sale for $239 at Amazon. It comes with all the accessories to get you started on a content creation journey as we head into the end of 2025.

The AMD-powered Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 had me asking myself, “Is this illegal? It feels illegal.” TikTok trends aside, this laptop seamlessly merges affordability with great performance and stellar battery life, all wrapped up in a beautiful navy blue chassis.

Additionally, it has an excellent variety of ports (albeit both USB-C ports reside on the laptop’s left side), boasts a fairly comfortable keyboard, and it’s well-built, which is essential for convertible laptops that are constantly utilizing the hinges to flip between laptop, tent, and tablet modes.

The Dell 14 Plus in tent mode. Credit: Sarah Chaney

That said, a budget-friendly laptop has to cut corners somewhere to preserve its affordability. This laptop lacks a decent webcam, comes with a set of bottom-firing speakers that leave you searching for bass, and features a display that’s unfortunately capped at a 60Hz refresh rate. Even with those minor negatives, the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is still one of the best cheap laptops when you consider how many fantastic features it offers at such a low price.

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (AMD) price and specs

Intel has dominated the laptop space for quite a while, but I’ve always had a slight preference for AMD processors. They’re just as powerful in most scenarios, offer excellent battery efficiency, and usually stay budget-friendly. The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 highlights those strengths at an impressive price.

Our Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 review unit is $949.99 via Dell and comes with the following specs: 

• AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor

• Integrated Radeon 860M graphics

• 16GB RAM

• 512GB of SSD storage 

• 14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) touch display

There’s another AMD-powered Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 configuration for $999.99 at Best Buy that bumps SSD storage up to 1TB and downgrades slightly to Radeon 840M integrated graphics. With both the Best Buy configuration and our review unit configuration at Dell, I’d highly recommend waiting for a sale because I’ve seen them dip to $599.99 and $699.99, respectively.

An aluminum-plastic mix for an affordable, yet durable build

Despite being a budget-friendly laptop, Dell’s 14 Plus 2-in-1 avoids the typical boring gray or black colorway. Instead, its chassis comes in an attractive deep navy finish called midnight blue, which covers the lid, base, edges, keyboard, and trackpad.

The laptop has an attractive design. Credit: Sarah Chaney

The lid features a subtle Dell logo and, along with the base, is made with aluminum to help resist fingerprints. Opening the laptop, however, the palm rest area is plastic, which can get greasy during use and feels like a budget-friendly material with slight give when pushed.

The laptop’s hinges are smooth and sturdy when flipping between tablet and laptop modes. Combining this durable, convertible form factor with its compact dimensions (12.4 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches) and a fairly light weight of 3.5 pounds, the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is a great companion laptop for frequent travelers or commuters.

A great display for a budget-friendly laptop

The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 features a 14-inch FHD+ (1920 × 1200) touch display that's best described as passable. It’s a decent display, but it won’t blow you away with vivid colors or deep blacks, which isn’t surprising for a budget-friendly config.

The screen delivers a sharp, well-lit picture, but colors come across muted and blacks appear more gray. Using the touchscreen to download Spotify and type with the on-screen keyboard, response time was excellent, though the display’s refresh rate is capped at 60Hz.

Overall, for consuming content and browsing the web, the display works great. But if you need high color accuracy for graphic design or creative work, this laptop’s display won’t be up to the task.

Great port variety, but it’s missing one vital feature

For a budget laptop, Dell’s 14 Plus 2-in-1 offers a solid port selection — with one big caveat.

On the left, you’ll find:

• HDMI 1.4 port

• Two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports

The left side ports. Credit: Sarah Chaney

And on the right:

• Audio jack

• USB-A Gen 1 port

The right side ports. Credit: Sarah Chaney

From a laptop at this price, I’m not complaining about the lack of an Ethernet port, a higher quality HDMI port, or even multiple USB-A ports. However, what really gets my goat is Dell failing to divvy up this laptop’s USB-C ports between the left and right sides. C’mon, we’re almost in 2026. Shouldn’t all laptops have USB-C ports on both sides for charging convenience?

Bottom-firing speakers are no bueno

A budget-friendly laptop, unfortunately, can’t have it all, and one of the areas where Dell sacrificed quality for affordability with the 14 Plus 2-in-1 is with the speakers. The laptop features two 2.5-watt, bottom-firing speakers that have zero bass and can be muffled, depending on where you set the laptop down.

I fired up “cliché” by MGK in the Spotify app, and the bass was nonexistent. All the atmospheric hums in the intro and punchy bass notes in the chorus were gone, leaving the audio feeling very empty and one-note.

The one perk these speakers do have is volume. They can get pretty loud with minimal distortion up until around 80% volume — it’s just not high-quality audio.

A relatively comfortable keyboard paired with a mid trackpad

I wouldn’t necessarily say the 14 Plus 2-in-1 has a stellar keyboard, but there are pleasant elements to it that I wasn’t expecting from an affordable laptop. 

The keys are large, well-spaced, and feel as though they have a decent amount of travel, providing a fairly good, comfortable typing experience overall. However, as a self-proclaimed keyboard snob, the keys are a little mushy for me and don’t deliver quite as much clickiness as I’d like.

It features a comfortable keyboard and a mid trackpad. Credit: Sarah Chaney

Moving on to the trackpad, it failed to impress, to say the least. 

Dell’s 14 Plus 2-in-1 has a mylar trackpad, which is naturally less smooth than glass trackpads, but this laptop’s trackpad was worse than other mylar trackpads I’ve tried. My fingers stutter across its surface awkwardly, unless I’m deliberately trying to move my fingers super lightly, and clicking feels wimpier than I’d like. In short, the trackpad is usable, but I didn’t love using it.

Its webcam delivers muted colors and a grainy picture

The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 falls victim to a problem far too many laptops share: having a terrible webcam. 

It’s equipped with a 1080p camera that has the potential to look fine in the right lighting, but in practice, it delivers grainy images with poor color accuracy. My light green eyes may as well have been gray in all of the selfies I snapped.

The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1's webcam delivers grainy images with poor color accuracy. Credit: Sarah Chaney

I also noticed pesky motion blur, with a trailing effect behind my face and objects as I moved the laptop around. While this effect can look artistic when intentional, it’s not something I want in a video call or work presentation.

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (AMD) benchmarks and performance

Powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 delivers reliable performance, easily handling a daily workload of flipping between 20+ Chrome tabs with Spotify streaming music in the background.

Even with all those Chrome tabs open — including two YouTube videos running on mute — I experienced no lag when typing in Google Docs or loading new pages. While this laptop can’t handle intense video editing or native gaming, it can tackle daily internet-based tasks with grace.

When loading up multiple new pages, the fans do kick up, but they’re pretty quiet, and they die down once tabs are fully loaded. That said, expect slightly noisier fans and increased surface temperature when the laptop is plugged in.

Like all review laptops, we put this laptop through a standard performance benchmark. On the Geekbench 6 test, Dell’s 14 Plus 2-in-1 churned out a multi-core score of 11,301, which I’d say is pretty impressive at its affordable price. 

It’s a higher score than what we’ve seen on a few of Dell’s more expensive, older models, like the Dell XPS 13 9350, but pales slightly in comparison to modern laptops with Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which generally deliver scores of 12,000 to 13,000. For example, the Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 9) and the HP Spectre x360 14 earned scores of 12,345 and 12,955, respectively.

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (AMD) battery life

The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 lasted a jaw-dropping 20 hours and 52 minutes on a full charge during our battery test, which consists of looping a 1080p video at 50% brightness and 50% speaker volume. 

Even the new 15-inch M4 MacBook Air pales in comparison, notching just over 10 hours on the same battery test. AI-powered processors are finally allowing Windows laptops to deliver better battery results, and the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is proof.

Is the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (AMD) worth it?

For everything this laptop offers at just $949.99 full price (and often even less if you catch it on sale), the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is absolutely worth it for those looking to get the best bang for their buck. 

Sure, it has a lousy webcam, middling speakers, and a trackpad that gives me the ick. But it’s powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor that provides impressive performance and assists in delivering jaw-dropping battery life — and those two features alone are objectively more important than a good webcam, set of speakers, or trackpad.

Stellar performance and efficiency aren’t the only two things the 14 Plus 2-in-1 has going for it, either. During testing, I enjoyed typing at my normal lightning-fast pace on its keyboard, found its plentiful ports to my liking (though I wished one of the left-side USB-C ports would scooch over to the right side), and loved how sturdy the hinges felt, even after multiple mode switches.

All in all, this budget-friendly laptop is a fantastic option for students, frequent travelers, or anyone who simply needs a reliable performer for daily productivity tasks.

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM) $699.99 at Dell
$949.99 Save $250 Shop Now

Your Raspberry Pi is already a pretty compact and complete package, and if you get smart with it, it's also very, very expandable. Now, this compact daughterboard can add NVMe to your Raspberry Pi without greatly increasing its size.

The first step towards Apple's long-awaited foldable iPhone might have already been taken this year.

According to Mark Gurman's latest Power On newsletter at Bloomberg, the basic design of the iPhone Fold (that's just what we're calling it for now, it doesn't have a real name yet) should be pretty easy to visualize right now. That's because it's apparently, per Gurman's sources, similar to two iPhone 17 Air models strapped together. Of course, it would be one large folding screen with a hinge rather than two separate displays attached to one another, but you get the point.

SEE ALSO: People are already breaking their new iPhones (and not always on purpose)

One reason why that's an interesting comparison is the thickness. Apple's new ultra-thin handset measures in at just 5.6mm of thickness, and the iPhone Fold is reportedly about that thick when unfolded. Gurman also went on to say the iPhone Fold might run consumers at least $2,000 when it is planned to launch late next year. It should be noted, though, that we had at least one report over the summer claiming the phone would cost a bit less than that, so perhaps the price is a moving target at the moment.

Previous reports also indicated the iPhone Fold would have a 7.8-inch inner display when unfolded and a 5.5-inch outer display. We'll see if any of that holds true if/when the phone launches a year from now.

Some cars may look tempting on the lot, offering strong performance, plush interiors, or a badge that signals prestige. But when it comes time to sell or trade in, their value can drop far faster than expected, leaving owners with a painful financial hit. Depreciation is one of the biggest hidden costs of car ownership, and certain models lose value at an alarming rate, sometimes far more quickly than competitors in the same class.

The federal government is taking Amazon to task over the difficulty of canceling a Prime subscription.

It's a particularly modern problem: You sign up for a service, perhaps intending to run out the clock on a free trial, then forget to cancel the subscription — or can't even figure out how to cancel in the first place. This issue is so common that there are services that help you cancel unwanted subscriptions — and yes, these services themselves often require a subscription.

This particular case was brought by the Federal Trade Commission, which alleges that the tech giant's Prime subscription may rope in some unsuspecting customers and also proves especially difficult to cancel. The FTC claims that as many as 40 million users have been affected by these practices.

The jury trial begins this week, and as The Wall Street Journal reported, the FTC first sued Amazon in 2023, under the Biden administration:

"The FTC, which sued Amazon in 2023, alleges the company tricked people into signing up for the service without their knowledge or consent, including by obscuring details about billing and the terms of free trials. It says Amazon created a labyrinth to make it hard to cancel, which the company dubbed 'Iliad,' a reference to Homer’s epic about the long, arduous Trojan War. Several individual Amazon executives are also named as defendants."

Jury selection was set to begin Monday, with opening arguments following not long after. The trial should last about a month, The Verge noted.

The FTC alleges that, at one point, Amazon required users to navigate four webpages and 15 options to cancel a Prime subscription. An Amazon spokesperson denied any wrongdoing, telling the Journal that "the bottom line is that neither Amazon nor the individual defendants did anything wrong."

The FTC brought a similar case against Uber earlier this year. In that suit, the FTC claimed that Uber signed up some customers for an Uber One membership without their knowledge, while also making it unnecessarily difficult to cancel the monthly subscription.

So, take this as a reminder to be wary of free trials — that auto-renew really can sneak up on you.

SAVE $330.02: The Jackery Explorer 500 portable power station with a 100W solar panel is on sale at Amazon for $468.98, down from the list price of $799. That's a 41% discount that matches the record-low at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 500 portable power station with a 100W solar panel $468.98 at Amazon
$799 Save $330.02 Get Deal

Welcome to the official beginning of fall. The season packs in plenty of fun with Halloween (and Skelly's return,) Amazon's October Prime Day sale, a holiday centered around eating, and Black Friday. But while these are usually fun events, fall also comes with some tumultuous weather. Autumn storms tend to come with power outages, and if you're not up for dealing with the fear of a dead phone every time to wind kicks up, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Sept. 22, the Jackery Explorer 500 portable power station with a 100W solar panel is on sale for $468.98 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $799. That works out to a 41% discount, slashing $330.02 off the normal price. Today's deal matches the record-low at Amazon.

Before the winds and rain arrive, it's smart to have a plan in place should the power go out. Instead of relying on weather reports and keeping your phone plugged in 24/7, a portable power station gives you the reassurance that you can stay connected without grid power.

The Jackery Explorer 500 gives you 518Wh of portable power. In real life terms, that will recharge a phone about 23 times or keep a TV on for about 7.5 hours. It'll also allow you to use the coffee maker in the morning, get some toast for breakfast, or whip up a smoothie.

Today's deal also comes with a Jackery SolarSaga 100W portable solar panel that will be great for recharging the Explorer 500. Plus, you can charge devices while recharging the Explorer 500 with the solar panel.

SEE ALSO: EcoFlow is giving away free gear with select power station purchases — here's how to claim it

Keep in mind the Jackery Explorer 500 uses lithium ion battery cells which is an older technology compared to the battery in every model on Mashable's list of the best portable power stations. That's not to say a lithium ion Jackery isn't a good option, but it does mean it'll have a shorter lifespan before the batteries start losing power.

Jackery says the Explorer 500 should have about 800 cycles before it'll recharge to about 80 percent capacity. The latest technology in portable power stations involves using LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. Those get about 3,000 to 4,000 cycles before they'll only recharge to 80 percent capacity.

The Jackery Explorer 500 with the 100W solar panel, however, could be great for those who plan to use the portable power station for recharging phones during a power outage or weekend camping trips. Realistically, 800 cycles from a lithium ion battery is still over two years of using all battery capacity in the power power station everyday.

While it's back at a record-low price, get the Jackery Explorer 500 ahead of fall storms. You entire household will benefit from keep phones charged and the ability to make coffee in the morning.

Think Linux email clients can’t find a balance between aesthetics and functionality? Want a professional-looking email client with professional features? Well, Mailspring is my go-to free and open source (FOSS) email client that combines sleek design with powerful features!

SAVE 40%: As of Sept. 22, you can get the Bluetti AC200L Solar Generator (plus two 200W solar panels) for $1,499, down from $2,499, at Amazon. That's a discount of 40%, or a savings of $1,000.

Bluetti AC200L Solar Generator + 2 200W solar panels $1,499 at Amazon
$2,499 Save $1,000 See It

Smaller power stations are great for a weekend camping trip, but sometimes you need serious power, especially for home backup during an outage. Bluetti's AC200L is built for emergency situations, and this deal gets you the generator plus two portable solar panels.

As of Sept. 22, you can get the Bluetti AC200L Solar Generator (plus two 200W solar panels) for $1,499, down from $2,499, at Amazon. That's a discount of 40%, or a savings of $1,000.

SEE ALSO: I never go camping without this $24 portable charger

The AC200L has a 2,048Wh capacity and a 2,400W output (with a 3,600W Power Lifting mode) that can run 99 percent of home appliances, including refrigerators, window AC units, and microwaves. It's even expandable up to 8,192Wh with extra batteries if you're looking to build out a more robust system.

One of the most impressive features is its charging speed. You can get it from 0 to 80 percent in just 45 minutes when plugged into a wall outlet, or in under two hours using the included solar panels. It also has a lightning-fast UPS mode that switches over in under 20 milliseconds, so if the power goes out, your computer and other devices won't even flicker.

Ever wanted to try out Plex? Typically, the discounts we see are for a lifetime plan, but I'm sure many of you are not sure if you're willing to commit all the way. If all you want is to try it out, Plex's yearly subscription is currently heavily discounted, so you can check it out and see if you want to commit more time from there.

SAVE $10: As of Sept. 22, Amazon dropped the list price of Apple's brand-new AirPods Pro 3 to $239 instead of $249. That's the first-ever discount for the earbuds, which hit shelves just a few days ago.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $239 at Amazon
$249 Save $10 Get Deal

Apple's AirPods Pro 3 have only officially been on shelves for three days, but thanks to Amazon, you can already find them at a discount.

As of Sept. 22, the AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $239 at Amazon. Although it's not listed as a deal on the product page, that's $10 off their actual list price and cheaper than you'll find them at any other retailer. Sure, it's not the biggest discount in the world, but it's their first discount ever. And $10 is $10 — especially in this economy.

SEE ALSO: Every Apple product announcement we still expect in 2025 and beyond — AirTags, Macs, and HomePod

One of the biggest announcements from Apple's annual September event, the AirPods Pro 3 are a much-needed upgrade. The last time the Pros got an update was in 2023 and it wasn't much to write home about, with Apple only adding a USB-C port to the 2022 rendition. This time around, Apple delivered the goods. The Pro 3s feature better noise cancellation that's supposedly twice as effective as the second-generation earbuds, as well as better battery life (eight hours with ANC, 10 hours in transparency mode). They also added the heart rate monitoring tech from the Powerbeats Pro 2, Fitness app compatibility, and new foam-infused eartips that fit more snugly in your ears, making the new AirPods Pro a solid contender to overtake our favorite workout earbuds. Apple also finally jumped on board the live translation train (Samsung Galaxy Buds and Google Pixel Buds already have this feature).

In a world where everything is getting more expensive, the most surprising aspect of the AirPods Pro 3 is the price tag. The new earbuds retail for the same price as the previous earbuds: just $249. And for some reason, Amazon already has them on sale for $10 off.

Combining two or more arrays in an Excel workbook used to be a complicated and tedious task. However, the introduction of the VSTACK and HSTACK functions in late 2022 was a game-changer that made this process much easier.

It’s officially that time of year when watching The Holiday on a Sunday huddled under a blanket on the sofa is not only acceptable but compulsory. There's a chill in the air, which means one thing: cuffing season is here. Your Instagram feed will soon be awash with couples cosying up at festive markets, and festive soirées together, it can feel like everyone apart from you has done the unthinkable and found someone to love. 

What is cuffing season?

So, what exactly is cuffing season? And is it a real thing, or merely a marketing slogan designed to get singletons swiping while they lie under a blanket watching Gilmore Girls for the 10th time? If you, like me, reside in the camp of single, flirty and (mostly) thriving, you may find this time of year either overwhelming or mentally strenuous. Cuffing season typically starts in mid-October and ends after Valentine’s Day, with the term originally coined in 2011 when it began appearing in college newspapers. The term comes from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), stemming from the term "cuffed" which means you’re dating someone. This was around the time it was entered into the Urban Dictionary, too. 

Dating app Bumble told Mashable that this time of year sees an influx of users logging in and swiping to find a match. So if your dating app profile is suddenly popping off, this could be why. 

What's behind this sudden surge in swiping? This need to couple up and find a mate in the colder months comes down to our biology, too, with a drop in serotonin levels causing us to seek out connection. In the northern hemisphere, our days are getting shorter, nights are longer, and temperatures are dropping. Historically, the colder seasons are when humans would be looking for an additional mate or people to spend that time with, as strength came in numbers to forage for food and get through the tough months with. 

SEE ALSO: Welcome to the 'Lover Girl' dating era. It's time to embrace romance.

The shift in seasons can also trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) for some people, a type of depression people experience when the seasons change due to the colder, darker weather. This change in weather and temperature can influence how we feel, due to the fact that our serotonin and melatonin levels change. Serotonin is the ‘happy’ chemical our body produces, so a lack of this could mean we feel lonelier and thus pursue more companionship or physical touch from others. Researchers think that this drop in serotonin could be linked to why we go in search of a mate, and why cuffing season has become commonplace in modern dating. 

Whilst using apps to date and find a match has become the most common method of meeting someone, that doesn’t mean it’s made it any simpler. Eimar Draper is a dating coach and believes this time of year can see us run the risk of settling for situations that don’t serve our true needs and desires. 

"If you're looking for something serious, don’t deviate from that path," Draper says. "It's tempting to agree to just hook up with someone new for the sake of getting to know them, but if you know it’s not what you want long term, then your emotional and mental capacity for handling something casual potentially isn’t quite there."

SEE ALSO: Is Seasonal Affective Disorder impacting your sex life? Here's how to cope. Avoiding situationships during cuffing season

If you’ve been in the dating sphere for the last few years, you’ll know all too well either through lived experience or watching friends go through it that it’s very easy to find yourself a situationship — whether that's what you're looking for or not. With the language of heartbreak more focused on that of people coming out of long-term relationships, the pain of post-situationship heartache is something that doesn't get the validation it deserves. 

In fact, almost 65 percent of singles surveyed by the dating app eharmony admitted to having their heart broken from a short-term relationship or situationship, with 56 percent sharing that their situationship heartbreak was equally or more painful than what they experienced after ending a longer, committed relationship.

SEE ALSO: How to move on after a situationship ends

Draper believes this is due to the fact that we allow things on our deal-breaker list to fall by the wayside when we enter dynamics that lack clear boundaries and expectations. "Sometimes if you're entering into a situationship with the hope of it turning into commitment, you’re not really living in alignment with your values," she says. "I think going against what our needs and wants are from a relationship creates quite a bit of shame for us, which is a difficult emotion to process and one we’re reluctant to honestly share."

Why do we seek connection during the colder months?

So, why does this time of year cause us to seek out and form attachments that perhaps don’t fully serve our needs emotionally? "It's ingrained in us to seek that human connection, but there’s also loads of different societal pressures in the world of dating now, too," Draper explains. "I feel like there's a lot of pressure on women especially now to stand strong in their independence and claim they don't need anybody, and at the same time, there’s an equal pressure for them to be okay with something casual and surface level. Yet, we’re still slut-shamed and judged for doing so."

"It's ingrained in us to seek that human connection, but there’s also loads of different societal pressures in the world of dating now, too."

Open communication and spending time with yourself, she believes, is key to making a healthy and happy relationship dynamic come to fruition. "Spend some time with yourself to figure out and get clear on what it is that you expect out of a relationship," she says. "Unpacking that will naturally give you the boundaries that you are going to need or want to achieve."  

Boundaries also go beyond what you expect from someone face-to-face. Placing digital boundaries is also key to forming a healthy connection. Caitlin Begg is a sociology researcher, with a vested interest in how our communication and digital lives impact our relationships. 

"The way we communicate now is over-saturated and blurs the lines between real life and hyperreality," she says. "Hypercommunication is the notion that the amount of excess inbound and outbound comms we consume is impacting our brains and social behaviours. Which in turn, impacts how we navigate our relationships, too."

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

Begg’s work has led her to believe that the excessive way we connect now has put our dating timelines in reverse. "Take dating in the '60s, let's say. You had maybe two channels maximum to communicate with someone — the telephone, or through a letter," she says. "Now, there are so many different channels to do so that we’ve fallen into cycles of overcommunication. This causes us to form attachments and ideas of a person before we even meet them, rather than getting to know them in person first and then figuring out their digital communication pattern."

Cuffing season, Begg believes, is a time of year where we collectively focus on the expectations, thinking ahead to how the relationship we form will end up, rather than staying focused on the connection with the individual.

"The way we speak to one another when it comes to dating has changed so much thanks to the advancement of technology," she says. "We need to be careful about how much we let our online presence and perceptions intercede our relationships in real life. Don’t let notification culture force you to project something private that you’re still figuring out into the public sphere just to be seen as successful."

Dating with intention

Cuffing season isn’t just for flings and surface-level connection, though. There’s still an opportunity to seek out a match who’s looking for the same thing as you. Dr. Caroline West, Bumble's sex and relationships expert, believes the low pressure and focus on the fun of the season could see us ending up with a genuine connection, no matter how long it lasts. 

"If you’re dating with intentionality, this time of year is a great opportunity to date and meet new people without the pressure of making it a long-term thing," she says. "Even short-term relationships can be a fulfilling and positive experience, so if you can, I’d recommend trying to see breakups in a new light."

Whilst short-term flings can be fun and serve a purpose, this time of year also brings with it a suddenly very heavily laden social calendar. From family events to work Christmas parties, sometimes the time to date and pursue multiple people is actually hard to find. 

"The pressure to not be seen alone at these events can lead people to enter into situationships, just so they don’t feel embarrassed in front of loved ones."

"People can feel pressured around this time to have a plus one, and having a consistent partner — no matter how long they’ve been on the scene — can make them easier to navigate," West says. "The pressure to not be seen alone at these events can lead people to enter into situationships, just so they don’t feel embarrassed in front of loved ones."

But being alone doesn’t hold the same negative connotations the romcoms would lead you to believe. Recent research from Bumble reveals that many people are now embracing a "Consciously Single" mindset when it comes to dating, with over half of them (53 percent) realizing that it can be empowering to be alone after a breakup.

Regardless of what your goals are for dating right now, the most important thing is to remember that nobody will see you as "less than" if you rock up to the pub solo for festive drinks. Your great aunt at the family Christmas party is only asking if you’ve met someone because she’s curious about your life away from home, and your friends who are coupled up and in love aren’t showing off, they’re just happy. So don’t let the green-eyed monster or fear of being alone lead you down the path of forced connections and half-baked intimacy with someone new for the sake of getting cuffed.

This article was first published in 2023 and republished in 2025.

SAVE 37%: As of Sept. 22, you can get the Eufy Omni S1 Pro robot vacuum-mop combo for $949.99, down from $1,499.99, with an on-screen coupon at Amazon. That's a 37% discount and a $550 savings.

Eufy Omni S1 Pro $949.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $550 Get Deal

Amazon’s second Prime Day is just around the corner, and this year the retail giant isn’t holding back on the early deals (you can literally find “Early Prime Deals” in the main shopping menu right now). One of the craziest pre-Prime Day deals I’ve found so far is on the Eufy Omni S1 Pro robot vacuum and mop combo.

As of Sept. 22, the Eufy Omni S1 Pro robot vacuum-mop combo is selling for $949.99, down from $1,499.99, with an on-screen coupon at Amazon. That's a 37% discount and a $550 savings. This is a new all-time low price and an even better price than it was during last year's Prime Big Deal Days October event.

SEE ALSO: Will the laser-equipped Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai solve Dyson's robot vacuum problem?

What makes this robovac worth the splurge is its advanced cleaning system. The S1 Pro has an "Always-Clean Mop" feature that continuously washes its roller mop with purified water while it's cleaning your floors. It keeps the clean and dirty water in separate tanks on the robot itself, so it's not just dragging a dirty pad around your house. The all-in-one base station handles everything from emptying the dustbin to refilling the water take and uses ozone to purify the water and sterilize the mop, which is some next-level stuff (especially for under $500).

With a powerful 8,000Pa of suction and an advanced obstacle avoidance system, it’s a top-tier cleaning machine for anyone ready to make a serious upgrade without spending a fortune.

The iPhone Air is arguably Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. And despite the fact that there are some shortcomings compared to other iPhones, it's thin and surprisingly sturdy, which is the whole point of it. As it turns out, the thinness actually means this iPhone is more repairable than usual.

Can't choose the best power bank for your use? I was also in your shoes. There are so many things in the specifications. Which ones matter most? After careful research, I found my perfect power bank. Here are the qualities I searched for when buying.

If you're a longtime Samsung Galaxy user who recently switched to a Google Pixel, you likely noticed that stock Android doesn't let you customize the on-screen navigation buttons. While many manufacturers have switched to gesture controls, three-button navigation is still a thing. And now, it looks like Android 16 will finally match Samsung and let you flip the back button to the other side of the screen.

The Google Messages app comes with many exciting features, one of which is the ability to pin important conversations to the top of the timeline. Here's when you should use this feature and how to use it.