Technology

Recently, Mashable sat down with Sarah Bond, president of Xbox, who said that the next-gen Xbox console would offer a premium, high-powered experience. Now, Windows Central reports that the future console "will indeed run full-bore Windows, with a TV-optimized, console-style experience layered on top."

In effect, the next Xbox console would combine a traditional console experience with the benefits of both cloud and PC gaming, allowing gamers to access a wider variety of experiences and, crucially, a wider variety of storefronts. So, rather than being locked into Xbox Game Pass or Xbox-compatible games, players could also access Steam and other gaming libraries.

When Mashable spoke to Bond, we asked about the rumors that the next Xbox will be more like a gaming PC than a console.

“Well, I can tell you you're right that the next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end, curated experience. You're starting to see some of the thinking that we have in this handheld. But I don't want to give it all away," Bond said.

In its report, Windows Central cites "trusted sources" at Microsoft, who reportedly confirmed that the console will offer a full Windows gaming PC experience.

As Bond told Mashable, the newly released (and currently sold out) ROG Xbox Ally shows the overall direction Xbox is heading. And in our conversation, Bond emphasized the importance of not locking players into a single storefront or type of experience. Likewise, she stressed the importance of Xbox Play Anywhere titles, as well as cross-platform games in general.

The ROG Xbox Ally looks and feels like an Xbox console, only in a handheld form factor. However, users can also switch between this Xbox UI and a traditional Windows experience.

Look closely, and you can see the Windows experience available in the ROG Xbox Ally. Credit: Matt Fornwald / Mashable

Some gamers were initially surprised to find that the new ROG Xbox Ally came with tools like Microsoft Teams and OneDrive. However, a closer integration between Windows and Xbox makes sense, considering their common parentage.

Likewise, as Xbox focuses less on exclusives (Bond called exclusives "antiquated" in our interview), Xbox will need an OS that allows users to access games outside the Xbox ecosystem, and Windows would make that possible.

LMAOOO WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE NEW XBOX HANDHELD COMES WITH MICROSOFT TEAMS AND ONEDRIVE INSTALLED??? this is the fucking goofiest company in games

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— Jai (@lowercasejai.bsky.social) October 15, 2025 at 3:24 PM

For those nostalgic for the days of big Xbox exclusives like Halo: Combat Evolved, this may be a disappointing direction. But based on the popularity of the ROG Xbox Ally and cloud gaming platforms like Xbox Game Pass, despite recent price increases, this could help futureproof Xbox for a new era of gaming.

On the downside, given how often the word "premium" is mentioned in conversations about the new Xbox, gamers should probably prepare themselves for a high price tag.

Xbox can't seem to stay out of the news lately, with the announcement that Halo: Combat Evolved is coming to PlayStation next year and, in response, a detente called in the console wars. Things took a darker turn on Sunday night when President Trump launched into an AI slop meme war with GameStop that has now spiraled into the Department of Homeland Security using Halo imagery to compare undocumented immigrants to parasitic aliens.

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Early Monday morning, the official DHS X account — already infamous for its cruel, brain-rotting posting history — shared an image of Xbox's iconic mascot, Master Chief, standing on a Warthog with the Halo ring world in the background. The caption read, "Finishing this fight," a nod to the final line of Halo 2 and the marketing tagline for Halo 3. The image itself included the phrase "Destroy the Flood," alongside a link to an ICE recruitment page.

SEE ALSO: For Trump officials, social media is war

The post is problematic on several levels — the most glaring being that DHS appears to be equating the Flood, the main antagonists of the Halo series, with immigrants. For context, the Flood are a parasitic alien species that infect and consume sentient life across the galaxy.

This isn't the first time ICE has co-opted video game imagery for its recruitment posts on social media. Just last month, the agency used the "Gotta catch 'em all" Pokémon theme for videos of arrests, complete with custom-made cards of individuals captured by ICE. That's on top of the many crass, bizarre, and meme-heavy "Dark MAGA" posts the agency has shared — including ones featuring Trump with laser eyes or reposts originating from neo-Nazi accounts.

SEE ALSO: President of Xbox Sarah Bond talks Ally X, next-gen console, and recent price increases

It's not clear why Trump and DHS are fixated on Halo as of late. It is worth noting that Microsoft, which owns Xbox, is one of several tech giants that reportedly helped fund construction of Trump's $300 million ballroom — a project that has already required the demolition of the East Wing. Critics say the investment is part of a broader push by major tech firms to stay in favor with the administration as they compete for lucrative federal contracts.

ICE's goal seems to be grabbing the attention of younger audiences — ostensibly for recruiting — but also to continue dehumanizing undocumented immigrants and other groups targeted by the administration.

It's a bold strategy for an agency hoping to look heroic, but it seems ICE missed the part where the good guys fight to protect all of humanity.

Mashable has contacted Xbox for comment, but has yet to receive a response as of this writing.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

The Galaxy S20 FE was a very popular phone. It was a cheaper alternative to the Galaxy S20 series that still had some flagship qualities, but at a considerably lower price. Now, though, it has officially reached the end of its lifespan.

Google first teased its new AI-powered Health Coach feature during the launch of the Pixel 10 and Pixel Watch 4 in August, and now it's ready to roll out as a limited beta. Starting tomorrow, October 28th, Google will open the first public preview of its Gemini-powered Personal Health Coach for select users in the United States.

While other scripting languages have gained popularity, Perl remains a popular choice due to its robust text processing capabilities. It's easy to create "one-liners," or very short scripts, that can even replace standalone Unix utilities. Here are some tools you can create right from the command line.

Is there anything better than being engrossed in a film? I love dimming the lights, getting comfortable, and losing myself in a different world. If you feel the same, I've rounded up four movies that I think make for perfect viewing this week—with a few spooky selections for Halloween.

Despite U.S. regulators currently investigating Tesla over "Full Self-Driving" traffic violations and safety concerns, Elon Musk's EV company rolled out a new full self-driving (FSD) mode earlier this month, ominously called "Mad Max."

Now, according to a new report from Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has contacted Tesla to inquire about the newly released "Mad Max" mode. 

"NHTSA is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information," the agency said in a statement. "The human behind the wheel is fully responsible for driving the vehicle and complying with all traffic safety laws."

An NHTSA inquiry would be the first step into a formal investigation of Mad Max mode.

What is Tesla's new Mad Max Mode?

Mad Max is a reference to the film franchise of the same name, which originally starred Mel Gibson but has since been revived with actors such as Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Anya Taylor-Joy. In the Mad Max movies, "road warriors" navigate an apocalyptic wasteland, and the movies are famous for their fiery car stunts and chase sequences.

It's an unsettling name for a self-driving car mode, to say the least.

Electrek reported that the Mad Max driver assistance mode allows the vehicle to ignore speed limits and navigate through traffic more quickly.

"Introduced new speed profile MAD MAX, which comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than HURRY," reads the Tesla release notes for the feature, according to Tesla Oracle.

One Tesla owner on X posted a video of their vehicle in Mad Max mode and noted how it is "going to speed like crazy" on an open road. The video also showed the Tesla rolling through a stop sign while in Mad Max mode.

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Another Tesla owner published a YouTube video of their vehicle hitting up to 79 miles per hour in a 50-mile-per-hour zone. They noted that their Tesla was passing all of the other vehicles on the road.

As previously mentioned, Tesla is already being investigated by the NHTSA over vehicles in FSD mode allegedly running red lights and driving the wrong way down roads.

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As the EV news site Electrek points out, Musk teased a version of Mad Max mode back in 2018 when FSD was in its development stage.

"We considered going beyond Mad Max to 'LA Freeway' level, but that’s too loco," Musk said at the time.

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Seven years later, Tesla has decided to publicly release Mad Max mode in the midst of an ongoing safety investigation.

Affordable SUVs don’t always get the attention they deserve, especially when they combine sharp styling, comfort, and modern tech in a budget-friendly package. This small American SUV breaks that mold, offering the kind of refinement and practicality usually reserved for higher-priced imports.

Have you ever wished the TV in your hotel room was better, had a more user-friendly interface, or was similar to what you have at home? If so, you might be in luck. Your next hotel stay might have a TV worth using thanks to DirecTV, which has partnered with Google TV to overhaul its platform in hotels starting in 2026.

The Razer Pro Click Humanscale Wireless Mouse is at its lowest price ever right now. It's on sale for a surprisingly low price of $50 at Woot, down from its original price of $100. This is a massive 50% discount on a great mouse by a trusted name like Razer.

Got a new Apple Watch and wondering what to do with the old one? The most obvious path forward is to sell it. Your new Watch does everything that the old one can, and there’s a decent second-hand market for Apple’s trendy wearable.

The tongue-in-cheek advice "just download more RAM" has been a part of tech circles for as long as the internet has been around, but why can't you download more RAM? It turns out you kind of can, if you're willing to jump through a few hoops. However, there are better options available.

Microsoft Teams might just be the new office snitch, thanks to a feature rolling out soon that can track a worker’s location.

The update, set to arrive in December, will let Microsoft’s communication platform automatically detect when an employee arrives at the office by monitoring their connection to the building’s Wi-Fi. If you’re working on-site and step out, Teams will automatically change your work location once it notices you’ve disconnected.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Copilot’s version of Clippy gets a name

It sounds a little unsettling, but according to Microsoft’s 365 roadmap, the feature will be off by default. However, tenant admins will have the option to enable it and require users to opt in — meaning your boss could still decide how closely Teams keeps tabs on you.

On one hand, it could be convenient for managers who don’t want to wander the office looking for coworkers. On the other, as the return-to-office trend continues, it also gives employers an easy way to see who’s actually showing up. Details on how precisely the feature determines your location are vague, but a similar Amazon policy sparked pushback when employees spoofed their home Wi-Fi SSIDs to mimic the company network. Don’t expect that trick to work this time.

The location tracking tool is just one of several new Teams features rolling out soon, alongside the ability to save messages in chats and customizable keyboard shortcuts.

SAVE $100: As of Oct. 27, the Google Pixel Watch 3 is on sale for $199.99 at Amazon, down 33% from its new list price of $299.99. That's a new record-low price for the 45mm smartwatch with WiFi connectivity.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Watch 3 (45mm, WiFi) $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100   Get Deal

A new Google Pixel Watch debuted a few months ago at the Made by Google 2025 event, which means the previous generation Google Pixel Watch 3 got a huge price drop. The starting price for the third-generation smartwatch in the larger 45mm option is now just $299.99 instead of $399.99. And that's not all. As of Oct. 27, it dropped to a new record-low price at Amazon, making it perhaps the best smartwatch deal we've seen since Prime Day.

You can grab the 45mm Google Pixel Watch with WiFi connectivity for just $199.99 instead of $299.99 for a limited time. That's $100 or 33% in savings and its best price ever by a long stretch.

While the Google Pixel Watch 3 isn't the most revolutionary pick when it comes to smartwatches, we are more inclined to recommend it at this ultra-low price. The third-generation didn't make any sweeping hardware changes compared to its predecessor, but Google did go all out with improving the software — particularly with workout features and more personalized AI enhancements. It also features a brighter display with better clarity in different lighting conditions. "Although I was standing in a brightly lit room with sunlight pouring in, the smartwatch screen was still remarkably clear," Mashable's Kim Gedeon wrote in her hands-on review.

The newer Pixel Watch 4 promises better battery life, faster charging, more advanced health and fitness features, and new color options. However, it'll cost you $399.99. If you'd rather save $200 and can deal with not having the latest and greatest device, we recommend going with the older generation.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4)   Shop Now

Apple MacBooks have been on sale all year at Amazon. Over the last few months, the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air has come down in price on a regular basis, reaching the all-time low of just $799. With Black Friday fast approaching (yep, it's that time of year again), we're hoping for an even better discount.

Why we love the MacBook Air

The MacBook Air has always offered a sleek design, perfect for working on the go, and this latest model is no different. Weighing just 2.7 pounds, the 13-inch version is super lightweight and portable. And it comes in four signature Apple colors: starlight, sky blue, silver, and midnight. It starts with 16GB of memory and has SSD options ranging from 256GB to 2TB, so it's even suited for heavy storage needs.

The current MacBook Air is powered by Apple's M4 chip, so it's faster than previous models. This really comes into its own when you're working across different apps, multitasking through multiple tabs, or editing lengthy videos.

SEE ALSO: Apple M4 MacBook Air review: A really good deal

Display wise, the M4 MacBook Air is stellar. It has a bright Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2560 x 1664 pixels and support for 1 billion colors, so everything looks sharp and vibrant. The 12MP camera with Center Stage is impressive, too, and ensures you always look your best on video calls, automatically keeping you in the center frame. This goes hand in hand with the three studio-quality mics and four speakers with Spatial Audio, so you get a really professional sound at all times. (If you want even better audio quality, upgrade to the 15-inch model, which has six speakers.)

The M4 MacBook Air comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack. Plus, WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 will make sure you're getting fast, reliable wireless connections. And if you like to extend your screen setup, open-lid support for up to two external displays means you can easily expand. And it has an incredible all-day battery life, promising to last up to 18 hours.

Product integration is a big plus for Apple, and if you're already deep in the eco-system, this MacBook will fit in seamlessly, especially with your iPhone. With Mirroring, you'll be able to control your iPhone directly from your laptop, reply to messages, and use apps. You can even copy text, images, or files on your iPhone and instantly paste them on your Mac, answer FaceTime calls, and send texts straight from your laptop. My favorite feature is being able to share a web page directly from my phone to Mac, handy for filling out forms or tasks that need a bigger screen.

Black Friday deal we hope to see on the MacBook Air M4

The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air M4 has been priced as low at $799 in 2025, but we think Black Friday can do better. Based on recent pricing during October Prime Day, we hope to see this model hit $799 at the very least. If you do see this record-low price (or better), we recommend jumping on the deal and not looking back.

The whole point of Spotify Wrapped has become to show your friends — and, often, the internet at large — that you have impeccable taste in music. The question is: How long does the company track your listening for the super-popular year-end product?

We don't know, exactly, when Wrapped will be released — though we do have a good idea — but there clearly isn't too much time left to affect your top songs.

Unfortunately, Spotify has been tight-lipped about when it stops tracking your listening habits to include them in your Wrapped. The best practice would be to assume Spotify is including your listening up until the day of Wrapped, but we do have more info about when they might actually stop tracking.

SEE ALSO: Why artists are leaving Spotify — and how you can, too When does Spotify stop tracking for Wrapped?

There was a persistent rumor that Spotify stopped tracking listening habits for Wrapped once October ended. The streaming giant outright denied that rumor a few years back, so it feels safe to assume the tracking goes into November.

We here at Mashable have actually asked Spotify about the tracking period and, well, the company is not sharing the exact timeline. It does say, however, that it tries to include as much time as possible.

"We start at the beginning of January with all of your listening that begins right then at the beginning of the year, and it goes all the way through collecting data up until a few weeks before we launch the Wrapped product," Molly Holder, the senior director of product for personalization at Spotify, told Mashable last year.

"We aim to get as much of your year in listening covered as possible," Holder added.

We do know for sure that the period after Wrapped is released and before Jan. 1, 2026, is an untracked no-man's land. So once Wrapped does drop, feel free to fire up your guilty pleasures.

SAVE 20%: As of Oct. 27, the NatureNova Personal Water Filter Straw (1 Pack) is on sale for $10.38, down from a typical price of $12.99, at Amazon. That's a 20% discount and $2.61 in savings.

NatureNova Personal Water Filter Straw (1 Pack) $10.38 at Amazon
$12.99 Save $2.61   Get Deal at Amazon

Having a way to get safe drinking water is a must for any emergency kit or serious hiking trip, and personal filter straws are a pretty popular solution. While LifeStraw tends to dominate the conversation (it's always a top-seller during Prime Day), there are other, often much cheaper, options out there if you're looking to stock up without spending a ton.

As of Oct. 27, the NatureNova Personal Water Filter Straw (1 Pack) is on sale for $10.38, down from a typical price of $12.99, at Amazon. That's a 20% discount and $2.61 in savings.

SEE ALSO: Sip safely with a discounted LifeStraw Go water bottle

For just over $10, this NatureNova straw uses a four-stage filtration system (including hollow fiber membrane, activated carbon, and PP cotton) that claims to remove 99.999999% of tiny contaminants down to 0.01 microns. According to the product page, each straw can filter up to 1,500 liters (or 396 gallons) of water, which is a pretty standard lifespan for these types of filters.

It's designed to be super portable and weighs less than 3.5 ounces, so it's easy to stash in a bag. It also comes with a few handy accessories you don't always get with budget straws: an extension tube so you don't have to get quite so close to the water source, and a backwash syringe to help clear out the filter and potentially extend its life. You can also screw it onto standard water bottles.

There aren't a lot of portable speakers that are as legendary as the Beats Pill is. And right now, you can score a neat price on the latest model.

Samsung just released the Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2, and the best part is that it's designed to keep your smart home running even if your internet drops out. Aeotec has made sure that your automations can continue operating as long as they don't require the internet itself.

Ever seen those screenshots of terminals showing off colorful ASCII art alongside machine specs? Feeling a sense of FOMO? Longing to get in on the game?