Technology
I finally found out how much Facebook thinks my privacy is worth
This week, a message popped up on my wife's Facebook page. It asked her if she wanted to continue seeing ads on Facebook and Instagram, or whether she would prefer to remove ads by paying a monthly fee. I was intrigued by how much Meta was charging for the ad-free service.
Colin Jost makes gasp-worthy Epstein joke on SNL Weekend Update
SNL hasn't hesitated to evoke Epstein, and last night's Weekend Update was no different.
SEE ALSO: 'SNL' Cold Open features Pete Davidson as Border Czar Tom HomanAnchor Colin Jost mentioned Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's comparison of ICE's presence in the state to the Nazi occupation described in Holocaust victim Anne Frank's diaries. "But remember, this administration has always ignored the stories told by young girls," Jost said as the photo switched to one of Epstein. The audience ooohed so hard that Jost himself had a visual reaction.
Weekend Update was full of other political references this week, including the killing of Alex Pretti and the release of the Melania documentary.
Winter is here: 8 easy ways to prep your car for snowfall
Winter is tough on your car. Snow and ice make driving more challenging, cold temperatures can cause starting issues, and, more often than not, frozen doors leave you scrambling to find another way to get to work in the early morning hours.
8 unique things you can do with the Amazon Kindle Scribe
Own a Kindle Scribe and looking for avenues to use it beyond reading and jotting down notes? Here are eight things you can do with it that go beyond its battle-tested use cases.
You don't need to pay for third-party antivirus software to protect your PC anymore
Do you still pay for third-party antivirus software like Norton or McAfee? You may be surprised to learn that there’s no real benefit to doing so. Software like this is mostly obsolete today.
SNL Cold Open features Pete Davidson as Border Czar Tom Homan
Former SNL cast member Pete Davidson returned to 30 Rock last night as the White House's Border Czar, Tom Homan, whose name has been in the news a lot in recent weeks, considering the surge of ICE in Minnesota.
SEE ALSO: Alexander Skarsgård's 'SNL' promo sees him helping the cast in 1 specific areaIn usual fashion, SNL tried to make light of the horrors we're seeing on our screens daily, this time referencing the shooting of American citizens, the arrest of journalist Don Lemon, and ICE's use of force.
"I'm Tom Homan, okay?" Davidson's Homan said, trying not to break character. "I'm the 'separating families at the border' guy. I'm the 'on film taking a $50,000 bribe' guy, and y'all are making me look like the upstanding, reasonable adult in the room. That's crazy!"
SNL also took the opportunity to take another jab at the Epstein files, saying that the White House's Minneapolis operation was meant to distract from that initial drop, while the latest Epstein files released Friday are, ironically, distracting from Minneapolis.
5 new Excel features to master this February
In recent weeks, Microsoft has focused on improving Excel's end-to-end efficiency. Whether you're looking to create complex files more efficiently, import data via formulas and clean it in the cloud, get help to fix errors, or send your analysis as PDF reports, these updates are set to transform your February workflow.
I invited hackers to attack my home server, and the results were a wake-up call
Self-hosting is both an entertaining hobby if you like computers, and a reasonable way to save a few dollars if you swap out your subscription services for something you host yourself. It does come with a bit of risk, however, if you put your self-hosted services online so they're accessible from the internet. I was curious about what kind of attacks my server was getting, so I set up a honeypot to see what happened.
The most common Home Assistant smart home terms you need to know
Home Assistant can feel intimidating, especially when there are a whole bunch of extra terms that you need to understand. Here’s a cheat sheet so that you can quickly get up to speed.
OnlyFans might sell majority stake to investment firm Architect Capital
Adult content creator platform OnlyFans is in talks to sell nearly 60 percent of its business to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, the Wall Street Journal first reported.
The deal would be valued at around $3.5 billion, putting OnlyFans' valuation at $5.5 billion, including debt. The platform brings in almost $1.6 billion in annual net revenue, according to a presentation seen by the Wall Street Journal.
SEE ALSO: What it takes to make six figures a month on OnlyFans, according to Tiffany WisconsinThe presentation also apparently stated that Architect sees a way to build an infrastructure at OnlyFans to pay "under-banked" creators. For years, some adult creators have claimed to be financially discriminated against and debanked, or have had their accounts closed at financial institutions, due to their work being "high risk."
The firm also believes that OnlyFans has an opportunity to go public in 2028, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Tech firm Fenix International currently owns OnlyFans, with Leonid Radvinsky as the majority owner. In May 2025, the New York Post reported that Radvinsky wanted to sell OnlyFans but was having trouble finding buyers.
The news comes days after the latest class action lawsuit was filed against OnlyFans. The complaint claims that OnlyFans "baits and switches" customers by offering all a creator's content after they pay a subscription, only to be met with upselling behind the paywall.
Stop treating your daily driver Linux PC like a science experiment
Linux has a somewhat contradictory reputation. On the one hand, it's known as a rock-solid operating system that never goes wrong and offers countless hours of uptime. On the other hand, it's also known for being easy to break in the wrong hands when you start digging around under the hood.
You can plug a desktop GPU into your SSD slot (Yes, really)
We tend to think of the M.2 NVMe slots on our computer motherboards as "SSD" slots used only for storage. However, fundamentally, these are just a different form factor for the PCIe slots we plug all sorts of peripherals into. Most of the time these days, an M.2 NVMe slot offers four lanes of PCIe connectivity, which makes it equivalent to a PCIe 4X slot in its full-size form.
The biggest home appliance upgrades nobody talks about
When we think "high-tech" we tend to think of devices like smartphones that have a short life cycle. When it comes to home appliances that we don't replace often, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the latest washing machines, vacuums, stoves, and other mundane devices are still pretty much the same as they've always been.
3 insider tricks to get VIP treatment at any car dealership
Among all automakers today, there is a renewed focus on customer service and the dealership experience. Not unlike many industries, legacy auto manufacturers and their dealer networks face the same headwinds in attracting consumers. They are competing against emerging brands, negative public perceptions, and the background noise of everyday life.
Linux has a price, it's just not money
If you don't have $100 (or more) for a standalone Windows license, then you can download any distro of Linux for free right now and have a working computer in just a few minutes. However, the cost of something can be measured in more than just dollar bills, and there are more than a few ways Linux ends up costing you more than a commercial operating system like Windows or macOS.
6 new shows and movies on Paramount+ in February 2026
Paramount+ has released its February lineup, and tucked amongst all the glowing mid-season TV premieres are new shows and movies worth highlighting. Most notably, the month kicks off with the 68th Annual Grammy Awards and features the series finale of Showtime’s frantically thrilling character study Coldwater.
3 Best Linux Distros for Laptops
Tired of your laptop crawling with Windows updates? Considering switching to Linux on your laptop but overwhelmed by hundreds of distro options? Well, here are the three best Linux distros for laptops that promise excellent hardware compatibility and user experience.
4 ways eReaders are objectively better than paper books
I adore books, and not just reading them. I mean, I truly adore the physical nature of books. How they smell, how they feel to read, and I like seeing them on a shelf. It's a promise of knowledge or adventure to come. As I write this, I own a few hundred physical books. Enough to take up three or four moderate bookshelves, and a few boxes on top of that.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K review: Not the future of mechanical keyboards to look forward to
I'm always excited to try out a new sort of keyboard, so when the "world's first ceramic keyboard" came around, I couldn't resist reviewing it. Unfortunately, the Keychron Q16 HE 8K is an awful keyboard by even basic metrics, let alone as a new and unique build.
Don’t count your old PC out — give it a refresh with this $10 Windows 11 Pro license
TL;DR: You only have until midnight to score serious savings on a Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license — it’s on sale for $9.97 through tonight (Feb. 1) at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97$199 Save $189.03 Get Deal
Don’t count your old PC out. You would be surprised how revitalizing a new operating system can be. This Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license totally refreshes your device, and right now you can get it for only $9.97. But you need to act fast, this deal only runs through tonight (Feb. 1) at 11:59 p.m. PT.
It’s time to spoil your old PC with a brand new operating system, Windows 11 Pro. This OS was created for the modern professional, so it can help you get a serious productivity boost with all its new features. It doesn’t matter if you’re an entrepreneur, an artist, or a developer — these tools are ready to work for you.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!From a seamless, easy-to-navigate interface to snap layouts, easy redocking, improved voice typing, and a more powerful search experience, Windows 11 Pro can save you time and make your workday a little easier.
Your Windows 11 Pro license includes a Microsoft Office staple, Microsoft Teams, which can help you stay connected to family, friends, and coworkers. It also gives you access to Copilot, your very own AI-powered assistant. With Copilot on your desktop, you can get answers to your questions and even let it take actions like summarizing web pages, opening apps, or changing your settings.
Windows 11 Pro also takes your cybersecurity more seriously, offering features like biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and enhanced antivirus protection so you can rest easier knowing your data stays private. It also includes Azure AD, Windows Sandbox, and BitLocker device encryption.
Get this Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license for $9.97 through tonight (Feb. 1) at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.


