Technology

Now that video games have a substantial history, there are plenty of developers (and publishers) that want to bring older games to modern audiences. The options are generally to remake or remaster the game, but what's the difference?

One of the most recent, and useful, improvements we've seen on Android phones is the addition of Circle to Search, which lets you circle anything on your screen to search it on the web. Now, thanks to Google Lens, iPhones are getting pretty close to that.

The early days of the iPhone were a golden era for mobile gaming, where one-off purchases and simplicity reigned supreme. Thankfully, many of these games are still alive and well today.

The cancelation of The Last of Us Factions, was really surprising, but it turns out it was the best possible outcome. Some details from a previous PlayStation executive help explain why the cancelation happened.

Elon Musk may be the biggest beneficiary of Donald Trump's re-election, surpassing even Trump himself.

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Musk's social media platform X is currently looking to raise money from investors at a valuation of $44 billion. If that number sounds familiar, it's because that's precisely what Musk paid for the company formerly known as Twitter when he acquired it in October 2022.

In the years since Musk took over and rebranded the entire platform as X, its revenue has plummeted by nearly half of what it made as Twitter. That's billions of dollars in lost revenue.

Musk, alongside his financial backers, now seems to have overpaid for the company. One investor, Fidelity, calculated in September of last year that its investment had lost 79 percent of its value compared to when Musk acquired it.

However, the U.S. presidential election changed the game. Musk threw his support behind Trump, establishing a PAC to back the Republican candidate with hundreds of millions of dollars. That investment paid off when Trump won. Now, Trump has appointed Musk to oversee the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), granting him significant influence over federal spending.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's DOGE.gov website can apparently be edited by anyone

Musk's companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, have secured billions of dollars in government funding over the years. However, his close relationship with President Trump is now benefiting his businesses in ways beyond government contracts.

Since Musk took over X, the platform has seen a significant loss in advertisers due to content issues and some of Musk's own controversial statements. Nevertheless, after the election, some advertisers have signaled their return. While it's unclear how much they'll spend compared to previous campaigns, notable brands like Apple have begun running ads on X for the first time in years.

Additionally, some investors in Musk's X, who were struggling to sell off their debt, recently found success. Bloomberg reports that some were able to offload billions of dollars of this debt at "no discount to face value," meaning they likely got back most if not all of what they put in.

With X preparing to enable financial transactions on the platform and integrate Musk's AI company, xAI, and its Grok chatbot, the company is now seeking funds at the same $44 billion valuation Musk originally "overpaid." Thanks to Trump's election, Musk is now in a stronger position to raise the necessary capital.

If you’re a first-time buyer looking for a new SUV, it makes sense that you would be drawn to the super competitive midsize segment. These SUVs offer the best blend of comfort and practicality, with super spacious interiors and a slew of standard features.

Need to take a call on your Mac in a busy environment? Apple’s built-in microphone modes can help. Here’s what they do and how to access them.

Meta announced some new policies for Facebook live broadcasts and it's going to lead to a lot of deleted videos.

On Tuesday, the company announced in a blog post that all Facebook live broadcasts will only stay on Facebook Pages or profiles for 30 days, after which they'll be deleted and removed from Facebook. The new policy goes into effect starting on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

All user's live videos older than 30 days won't immediately be deleted and removed from Facebook but users will need to act fast if they want to keep them.

"Before your archival live videos are deleted, you will be notified by email and in the app, and from then you'll have 90 days to download or transfer your content," the blog post read, noting that the platform is "launching new tools to make downloading your previous live videos easier."

SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on Meta's submission to Trump

If you'd like to keep your live videos, you have a few options. You can download them to your personal device individually or in bulk, transfer them to your cloud storage individually or in bulk, or convert the videos into a new Reel.

It's unclear why Meta is making this change, but it comes at a time in which the company is prioritizing vertical videos and Reels. Pressuring users into converting their live videos into reels lest they be lost forever could be seen as a pretty transparent move.

NVIDIA has stopped supporting 32-bit CUDA applications. Now, many games, including Mirror's Edge, Borderlands 2, and the Batman: Arkham series, can no longer use GPU acceleration for PhysX.

While you might think gaming at 4K in 2025 is an easy feat, I still recommend 1440p for most setups. It's easier to run, and the monitors are far cheaper. Here's why I think 1440p is the sweet spot for most gaming setups.

SAVE UP TO 70%: We found the best post-V-Day sex toy deals. Save up to 70% on products from Lovehoney, Lovers, Babeland, FemmeFunn, and more.

If you’ve been feeling underappreciated since Valentine’s Day (it happens to the best of us), a little retail therapy could be the pick-me-up you need.

Right now, you can find discounts of up to 70% off vibrators, dildos, cock rings, lube, and more at major online retailers, including some of my personal faves like Lovers and Le Wand.

Here are the best sex toy deals to shop now and cure that V-Day hangover:

Lovehoney Opens in a new window Credit: Lovehoney Get up to 70% off at Lovehoney Shop Now Why we like it

If you’re looking for a deal on sex toys, Lovehoney is the place to shop. This retailer has literally hundreds (if not thousands) of options, all for an affordable price. Right now, you can get up to 70% off clearance items, including bestsellers like the Lovehoney Extra Powerful Multispeed Wand Vibrator and Womanizer Premium Clitoral Stimulator.

Lovehoney is great for finding a wide variety of toys at all price points (for beginners and pros). Plus, they have fast and discreet shipping — which is free on orders of $49 or more.

Lovers Opens in a new window Credit: Lovers Get up to 20% off at Lovers Shop Now Why we like it

Lovers is one of my absolute favorite online sex toy retailers, full stop. The selection is always top-notch, the prices are reasonable, and the site is super user-friendly. Plus, the Playboy Pleasure collection keeps me coming back for more (pun definitely intended).

Speaking of, now through March 1, you can get up to 15% off all Playboy Pleasure items with the code PLAY15 and 20% off sex chocolates with the code SWEET. There’s also one more day left to get 20% off solo toys with the code FORME.

FemmeFunn Opens in a new window Credit: FemmeFunn Discounted bundles at FemmeFunn Shop Now Why we like it

This brand’s kind of an honorable mention on this list. FemmeFunn’s been around for 10 years, but they don’t get nearly enough credit for their really well-made, innovative toys. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re responsible for creating the first-ever fully silicone bullet vibrator — no seams for bacteria to hide in, just power and fun.

Right now, you can score the Happy Hour Bundle (a panty vibe and double cock ring) for just $99.99 (originally $134.74), or you can get the Intro to Funn Bundle (a rabbit vibe, wand vibe, and bullet vibe) for $209.97 (originally $259.97).

More sex toy deals

• Adam & Eve: Get 45% off one item with code TAKE45 + clearance sale

• Babeland: Get up to 70% off sex toys

• Good Vibes: Get up to 70% off sex toys

• Le Wand: Get up to 70% off sex toys

• MysteryVibe: Get up to 35% off sex toys

• pjur: Get up to 25% off lube and accessories

• ZALO: Get up to 15% off sitewide with code ZALOLOVE

• Zumio: Get up to 30% off sitewide

It seems like there's been a new air-travel incident every day under President Donald Trump's new administration.

Most notably, last month, a U.S. Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people. It was the first fatal crash of a U.S. airliner in some 16 years. On Monday, a Delta flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport flipped as it landed in Toronto. There was the deadly high-profile crash of a medical jet in Philly, a fatal wreck in Alaska, and, just today, a fatal plane collision in Arizona.

SEE ALSO: Why Elon Musk is part of the controversy involving D.C.'s deadly plane crash

This is happening as Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) fire hundreds of employees at the Federal Aviation Administration. So, naturally, folks are a bit nervous about flying. And since it's 2025, they're expressing their anxiety through jokes and memes online.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

folks my flight is about to take off and it's been an honor to be woke with you

— Sen. Lemon Gogurt (@ugarles.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 2:05 PM

"hey siri, what is the quickest path i could take to destroy the confidence that keeps commercial passenger flight viable?"

[image or embed]

— jamelle (@jamellebouie.net) February 17, 2025 at 8:27 AM

Maybe I wasn’t clear about this. I wanted more egg and no plane crash, not many plane crash and no egg.

— Tim Onion (@bencollins.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM

me in 2077: what people forget is that there were a half dozen plane crashes each month before the Great AI Plane Skyfall of 2025 grandson: wow so everybody thought AI was going to fix all of that? me: haha what? oh. no. not even kind of. No

— Tim Onion (@bencollins.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 7:57 PM

So yes, everyone is nervous about plane crashes. But at least the internet has jokes.

It's the AI age, and companies want to bake AI into everything right now. Google, for its own part, has just announced a brand new tool for... applying to jobs using AI, apparently. We're not sure this is the best idea.

From Woman of the Hour to Apple Cider Vinegar, movies and TV shows based on true crime stories have become a staple of the entertainment landscape, for better or for worse. Hulu's upcoming Good American Family is yet another addition to the genre, dramatizing the true story of Natalia Grace.

Good American Family introduces us to Kristine and Michael Barnett (Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass). The two adopt Natalia Grace (Imogen Faith Reid), a Ukrainian-born orphan with a rare form of dwarfism. In the trailer above, Kristine becomes unnerved by Natalia Grace's behavior and soon raises questions about her true age.

This story has already been the subject of the documentary series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which examined Natalia Grace's time with multiple families and the abuse she faced there. How will Good American Family tackle these tricky themes? According to Hulu, the series is "told from multiple points of view, as a means to explore issues of perspective, bias, and trauma."

Good American Family premieres March 19 on Hulu.

TL;DR: Learn ethical hacking, penetration testing, and cybersecurity with lifetime access to 18 courses, on sale for A$55 until 30 March at the Mashable Shop.

This ethical hacking bundle offers a lifetime of learning for those eager to master this critical and in-demand skill set. With 18 courses and 132 hours of content, this A$55 online course bundle (sale ending 30 March) covers a wide variety of cybersecurity topics, from beginner-friendly basics to advanced penetration testing.

Dive into practical lessons that teach real-world techniques, like exploiting vulnerabilities, safeguarding networks, and building custom tools using Python. Courses such as "Complete Python 3 Ethical Hacking" walk you through coding your own backdoor tools and automating repetitive security tasks, while "Hacking Wireless Networks" teaches you to identify and protect against vulnerabilities in WiFi environments. These are hands-on experiences tailored for those who want to go beyond theory and practice in safe lab environments.

For those interested in web security, the bundle offers in-depth training in tackling vulnerabilities like SQL injections and cross-site scripting, using tools like Burp Suite to run penetration tests and secure applications. You’ll also explore Metasploit, the industry-standard framework for penetration testing, giving you the skills to identify and fix system weaknesses.

Even if you’re just starting out, courses like "Ethical Hacker Certification" make it easy to build foundational skills while setting you up for common industry certifications. Meanwhile, "Bug Bounty: Web Hacking" introduces you to earning money by identifying and fixing vulnerabilities for major companies.

Whether you’re an IT professional, a cybersecurity enthusiast, or a beginner ready to jump into the field, this bundle gives you the tools to succeed.

With a one-time payment of A$55, you’ll gain lifetime access to a wealth of knowledge and resources in this comprehensive ethical hacking course bundle — all designed to help you protect, analyze, and improve systems like a pro.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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TL;DR: Get a PDF Converter Pro lifetime license for A$37 with code SAVE20 at checkout for a limited time (reg. A$157). Works on Windows and Mac.

PDFs are supposed to make life easier, but anyone who’s ever touched one can testify the opposite. Like when you need to convert a PDF for editing, more often than not the format turns into a jumbled mess, especially if you’re using those free online tools.

We know paying for a PDF tool probably isn’t what you had in mind when becoming an adult, but it’s a necessary evil. PDF Converter Pro keeps your file formats intact and gives you other essential features without recurring fees. Use code SAVE20 at checkout to download it to your PC or Mac for life for just A$37 (reg. A$157).

No more PDF-related headaches

So, you’re back in the job market and found your old resume, but it’s saved as a PDF. Instead of wrestling with other tools or retyping your job experience in Word, just use PDF Converter Pro to convert the PDF to Word without losing formatting. Then, update your resume in peace.

Another option is to update your resume using the basic PDF editing tools instead of converting the format. You can edit text, add and remove images, and leave annotations.

Or maybe you have a paper resume you don’t feel like typing up. Scan it, upload it to PDF Converter Pro, and extract text using OCR technology. That means AI recognizes the text, so you can copy and paste it into programs like Microsoft Word.

Get this all-in-one PDF converter software for A$37 with code SAVE20 at checkout (reg. A$157) at the Mashable Shop.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker PDF Converter Pro: Lifetime License A$37.00
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TL;DR: Live stream Real Madrid vs. Manchester City in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first leg of the Champions League playoff matchup between Real Madrid and Manchester City was electric, and expectations are high for the rematch in Madrid. Manchester City will need to deliver an exceptional performance to overturn the 3-2 deficit, but anything is possible.

Can Pep Guardiola's side produce a shock result and progress to the knockout rounds? You can find out without spending anything at all.

If you want to watch Real Madrid vs. Manchester City in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Real Madrid vs. Manchester City?

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Feb. 19. This fixture takes place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Manchester City for free

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ 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 free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Real Madrid vs. Manchester City on RTÉ Player 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. Sign in to RTÉ Player

5. Watch Real Madrid vs. Manchester City for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Real Madrid vs. Manchester City (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

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• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Real Madrid vs. Manchester City in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

2025 is a big year for presidential crises in film and TV.

SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

Hulu's Paradise opens with a president's murder. The upcoming thriller G20 sees a U.S. president fighting through a hostage crisis. Captain America: Brave New World ends with the president hulking out and wrecking the White House. Now, Netflix and Shondaland's upcoming whodunnit The Residence adds to that trend by focusing on a murder that takes place at the White House during a state dinner.

This time, the victim isn't the president. It's A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), the White House's chief usher. On the case is Detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), who must reluctantly join forces with FBI agent Edwin Park (Randall Park) in order to crack the case. Check out the trailer above for a taste of The Residence's delicious screwball vibes and its sprawling cast, which includes pop icon Kylie Minogue as herself.

The Residence premieres March 20 on Netflix.

SAVE $300: As of Feb. 19, get the Asus ProArt PZ13 Laptop for $799.99, down from its usual price of $1,099.99 at Best Buy. That's a 31% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Asus ProArt PZ13 Laptop $799.99 at Best Buy
$1,099.00 Save $299.01 Get Deal

Whether you're working on a slide deck or you need to mock up a homepage design, having a laptop that can do everything you need it to while on the go is important. A 2-in-1 can handle all of those things and more, and can transform into a more portable form factor like a tablet if you need it to. The Microsoft Surface lineup is great for that reason, but if you find it a bit too expensive, there's another option you might want to turn to, and it's on sale right now.

As of Feb. 19, you can get the Asus ProArt PZ13 Laptop for just $799.99, down from its usual price of $1,099.99 at Best Buy. That's $300 off and a discount of 31%.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2025 no matter your budget

This Copilot+ PC is detachable, meaning you can remove the keyboard and turn it into a tablet, or use it like a regular laptop, so you've got options when it comes to portability. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus under the hood with 16GB of RA and a 1TB SSD to hold all your documents and files, so it's spacious with plenty of power to handle whatever you need it to do.

It features an OLED touchscreen, great for art-centric tasks, and Qualcomm X Elite Adreno graphics to ensure all your colors are crisp and accurate, and any other visuals look great, too. Plus, its AI-enhanced creative features and beefy battery ensure you've got plenty of time to work on all the things your heart desires.

If you're tired of lugging around a regular laptop with its size constraints, it might be time to make the switch, especially when you can score this Surface-like alternative at a lower price.

Everyone on all of my social feeds is going wild for Avowed, the new open-world RPG from Obsidian, the folks behind Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. A lot of people playing a fairly hardcore RPG means a lot of people having anxiety over character creation, though, so allow me to help.

When you start up a new game in Avowed, you're given some choices that seem extremely meaningful, and thus, are kind of scary to make. Specifically, you choose a fictional background for your character, which confers role-playing bonuses, starting stats, and even affects which weapon you start the game with. Sounds important, right?

Well, the good news is that your starting background doesn't matter that much in Avowed. That needs to be said and emphasized as much as possible before we get into what you get from each background. You can choose any background and still have the experience with Avowed that you want to have. Here's how it all works.

SEE ALSO: 'Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii' review: A nautical delight How backgrounds in Avowed work

When you create a character in Avowed, you're given a choice between five backgrounds:

• Court Augur

• Arcane Scholar

• Vanguard Scout

• Noble Scion

• War Hero

Each of these backgrounds gives you a few sentences of backstory to work with, but that's not all. Every background has a default set of stats spread across the six primary attributes you'll level up in Avowed: Constitution, Might, Intellect, Dexterity, Perception, and Resolve. On top of that, your selected background dictates what weapon you start the game with in the tutorial zone.

There are a couple of crucial things to note before we move on. First, the starting stats for each background are merely suggestions; like any old-school RPG, you can fiddle with these during character creation as you see fit, so you're not locked into your background's default statistical profile. Second, the point about backgrounds dictating your starting weapon is only a concern during the 45-minute tutorial sequence. After that, you can use whatever weapons and wear whatever armor you want.

SEE ALSO: The best 'Starfield' traits and background to pick for your new character

Once Avowed properly gets started, you have total freedom over how you allocate skill points and approach combat. Your background doesn't necessarily have anything to do with that, unless you want it to for role-playing reasons. Role-playing should be your primary motivator for picking a background, because the most meaningful thing it gets you over the course of a full playthrough is occasional an dialogue choice you wouldn't get if you chose another background.

What each background in Avowed gets you

With all of that in mind, let's talk about which background is right for you. Again, this is primarily a role-playing choice, so I can't tell you what to choose, exactly. But I can at least lay out what each background does and give some broad recommendations.

Court Augur

Is your favorite Lord of the Rings character Grima Wormtongue? Court Augur might be the background for you. The backstory here is that you're a supernaturally perceptive sort who wound up as the emperor's personal mystic, with a penchant for influencing matters from the shadows. Your starting weapon will be a mace, so I hope you enjoy bashing dudes in the head.

Court Augurs get small bonuses to Perception, Dexterity, Intellect, and Resolve. If you stick to those attributes, your character will be best suited for agile, ranged confrontations rather than brute force. Speaking from personal experience, that's kind of a tough way to play Avowed because you can die rather easily, but it's a lot of fun, too.

Arcane Scholar

Arcane Scholar is probably the easiest background to explain: you're a nerd. This is the background I chose because it gives you a lot of dialogue options where you get to be a know-it-all egghead about basically anything. Arcane Scholars start with daggers.

Statistically, an Arcane Scholar starts with bonuses to Might, Perception, Dexterity, Intellect, and Resolve. It's a pretty well-rounded background, and might be my personal recommendation if you simply can't make a choice on your own. You can turn that statistical profile into basically any style of play.

Vanguard Scout

Do you tire of court intrigue and just wish you could hang out in the woods instead? Vanguard Scout might be the background for you. As the emperor's personal hunter and tracker, nothing will get past your keen senses of perception. Vanguard Scouts start with axes.

If you go this route, you'll get small bonuses to all six base attributes, but mostly Constitution, Dexterity, and Perception. Vanguard Scouts are survivable and smart, in other words.

Noble Scion

Do you live for court intrigue? Allow me to introduce you to Noble Scion, the rich kid starting background in Avowed. Noble Scions start with swords in the tutorial area.

This is another background that gets stat points in all six attributes to start, but the main points of emphasis are Might, Constitution, Dexterity, and Perception. You'll have a little bit of brawn to go along with your brains, making this a pretty good starting background for any type of player, as well.

War Hero

Last but not least, War Hero is exactly what you think it is. You're an elite spearman in service of the emperor, with a distinguished record of battlefield successes. Obviously, your starting weapon will be a spear.

War Heroes get big bonuses right away to Resolve, Might and Constitution, so this is definitely the background for aggressive, in-your-face fighters who don't want to bother as much with magic or ranged weapons.

Again, it needs to be said that none of these choices are necessarily binding when it comes to the Avowed gameplay experience. You can play however you want to play with any starting background. All it changes, in the aggregate, are dialogue choices. But if you've been struggling to make a choice, hopefully this helped.