Technology

Contact from unwanted numbers has become more common in the modern era of smartphones. Many people receive at least a few text messages or spam phone calls every week, with some people receiving calls daily.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are edging closer to the mainstream, but they still have one big obstacle: emotion. Specs and range matter, sure, but for many diehard gearheads, nothing compares to the sound, feel, and connection of a gas-powered engine.

When you watch YouTube videos or TikToks of student influencers taking notes or going through their day at school, you’ll sometimes see them using fancy (and possibly sponsored) third-party apps. While these apps look enticing, you’ll soon discover they are not free and will cost you.

A few years ago, a launcher would be the first app many people installed on a new Android phone. Yet as the native phone software has gotten better, launchers have become less essential. But that's not to say that they don't still deserve a place on your phone.

A day after Reuters reported that Meta's AI rules permitted children to have "sensual" chats, a Republican senator launched an investigation into the tech giant.

On Friday, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley posted a letter he sent to Mark Zuckerberg along with the announcement of the investigation.

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"Is there anything - ANYTHING - Big Tech won't do for a quick buck?" Hawley asked on X. "Now we learn Meta's chatbots were programmed to carry on explicit and 'sensual' talk with 8 year olds. It's sick."

SEE ALSO: Meta’s AI rules permitted suggestive behavior with kids

The letter goes into more detail on this point:

To take but one example, your internal rules purportedly permit an AI chatbot to comment that an eight-year-old's body is "a work of art" of which "every inch… is a masterpiece—a treasure I cherish deeply." Similar conduct outlined in these reports is reprehensible and outrageous—and demonstrates a cavalier attitude when it comes to the real risks that generative Al presents to youth development absent strong guardrails. Parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection.

Further in the letter, Hawley demands that Meta produce every draft of its AI standards, products involved, risk reviews, and incident reports, communications with public claims and regulatory agencies like the FTC, and the individuals involved in changing the policy by Sept. 19.

Hawley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, wrote that the subcommittee will look into whether Meta's generative AI products "enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards."

Reuters also reported other disturbing rules in Meta's AI policies, such as allowing users to argue racist beliefs about Black people. Hawley's letter doesn't call this out explicitly. It does note that the rules "green-[light] other harmful content behind legal word games."

Meta declined to comment on Hawley's letter to Mashable, but sent a statement about the Reuters article:

We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors. Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios. The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed.

This isn't the first time Hawley has targeted tech. Earlier this year, the Republican introduced a bill to make downloading DeepSeek, the Chinese AI app, a crime. In 2023, he supported banning TikTok and had criticized TikTok for years prior. In 2019, Hawley introduced a bill to ban autoplay videos and infinite scrolling.

Whenever a new book-style foldable comes out, people balk at the price. With an MSRP of two grand, it's understandable. But the newest foldable, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, doesn't actually cost most folks $2000. Here's what the people who buy one are actually paying.

Despite the ubiquity of iPhones and Android smartphones, some people have tried to resist the pull of the endless scroll by adopting old-school "dumbphones" or modern "minimalist" phones. While it might be fun to go back to the 2000s, I think dumbphones are a dumb idea in 2025.

You're starting a new school year, and you need to get up to scratch. You're wondering what tools are out there or what you're missing. There are thousands, but if you're new to the subject, it's not spelled out in black and white. Here are eight types of tools I know you will need.

This fall, your Apple TV is getting more personal and connected with a sleek new design, stunning aerials, iPhone call alerts, upgraded FaceTime features, and a brand-new Games app. Follow along as we explore everything coming to your screen with the tvOS 26 update.

On Thursday, TikTok announced updates to its Community Guidelines in an effort to make its rules clearer and easier to follow, TikTok's global head of trust and safety, Sandeep Grover, wrote in a blog post. The changes will go into effect on Sept. 13.

The Community Guidelines will now have a top-line summary for each policy. But it's not just the format that will change. According to the blog post, TikTok will introduce new rules for misinformation, consolidate rules for gambling, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, firearms, and other weapons into one policy, refine its bullying policy, and more.

SEE ALSO: Is this TikTok story about falling for a psychiatrist real or engagement bait?

You can compare the current Community Guidelines with the new ones going into effect next month. The general rules for Safety and Civility, Mental and Behavioral Health, Sensitive and Mature Themes, Integrity and Authenticity, Regulated Goods, Services, and Commercial Activities, and Privacy and Security are now plainly on the page.

Previously, the main page only contained a section on Content Moderation, which remains largely the same but with some copy changes. As TechCrunch noted, the soon-to-be-former Content Moderation section said that, "Keeping our platform safe, trustworthy, and vibrant requires balancing creative expression and preventing harm." It will now say, "We want TikTok to be a safe, fun, and creative place for everyone" — removing "trustworthy" from these guidelines.

The section on Misinformation, nestled in Integrity and Authenticity, is mostly the same but with some language edits. For example, the previous guidelines state that unverified information about emergencies is ineligible for the For You Feed; the new ones say the same about "crises and major civic events."

TikTok also changed the Accounts and Features section, which includes rules about features like TikTok LIVE, search, external links, comments, direct messages, and monetization. (You can also compare the current Accounts and Features page with the upcoming one.) TikTok expanded this section, such as explicitly stating what constitutes a violation of its rules.

SEE ALSO: 'Hamilton' TikTok trend goes viral as musical marks 10th anniversary

For example, on the TikTok LIVE section, the guidelines now state that LIVE creators are responsible for anything that happens during sessions, even if it includes third-party tools like voice-to-text. If voice-to-text reads out a harmful comment, the creator is responsible for enabling the tool.

The expansions on what LIVES aren't eligible for the For You Feed include if a session shows "low quality content" like a blank screen, or if there's "potentially distressing material that may cause anxiety or fear, such as scary make-up."

The section on comments was also expanded. TikTok states that comments may be sorted lower if they "don't add to the conversation," like if they include profanity or offensive statements.

Grover said these changes are informed by conversations with creators, experts, and organizations, including the app's regional Advisory Councils. The app has trained human and AI moderators to apply these new rules. Grover specifically states that the app will continue to invest in "modern technologies," including AI, to enforce its policies.

These Community Guidelines edits come shortly after TikTok introduced fact-checking Community Notes and parental blocking features last month.

Transcription tool Otter AI has long had an "assistant" service to transcribe video meetings. "Otter Notetaker" can enter a Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams call and jot down what participants are saying in real-time. Now, a class action lawsuit filed Friday claims Otter's Notetaker doesn't just record people who want the recordings, but also those who haven't subscribed to its services or consented to being recorded.

Not only that, but the suit states that Otter doesn't disclose to those who set up Otter Notetaker that the transcriptions are used to train Otter's automatic speech recognition and machine learning models.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI took away GPT-4o, and these ChatGPT users are not okay

California resident Justin Brewer is filing this lawsuit on behalf of himself and other Californians and Americans, saying Otter intercepted his conversations. The suit claims Otter violates both federal and California law, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 and the California Invasion of Privacy Act.

The suit states that Brewer doesn't have an Otter account but participated in a Zoom meeting in February where Otter Notetaker was used. He wasn't aware that Otter would obtain and keep that data and wasn't informed that the service would use this data to train its speech recognition and machine learning tools. Brewer didn't consent to this and "had his privacy severely invaded and been exposed to the risk and harmful conditions created by Otter’s violations of federal and California law," the suit reads.

Otter's privacy policy states that it trains its AI technology on "de-identified" audio recordings. It also says it gains explicit permission to access the conversation for training, yet the suit claims that Otter Notetaker asks for consent to join and record a meeting from the meeting host (if the host doesn't have an Otter account). It doesn't ask to join the meeting from any other participant, nor does it allow anyone but the meeting host to disable Otter Notetaker, according to the filing.

Mashable has reached out to Otter for comment.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, August 16, 2025:

AcrossSomething to check before a flight

• The answer is Bag.

One road to recovery

• The answer is Rehab.

"The Good Samaritan" or "The Rich Fool"

• The answer is Parable.

"___ now or never"

• The answer is Its.

Angora cat's splendor

• The answer is Fur.

North American frogs that sing in a shrill chorus

• The answer is Peepers.

Sheath or muumuu

• The answer is Dress.

Kit ___ Club ("Cabaret" setting)

• The answer is Kat.

DownWildly out of control

• The answer is Berserk.

"I've got it!"

• The answer is Aha.

Scintillating gossip sesh

• The answer is Gabfest.

Gave three stars, say

• The answer is Rated.

Becomes hazy, as a picture

• The answer is Blurs.

Dot on a domino

• The answer is Pip.

Sounds of indecision

• The answer is Ers.

Tiny source of torment for a storybook princess

• The answer is Pea.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Mini Crossword.

If there was anything in college that could help you succeed in your courses, and even beyond, it could be learning Linux. Here are the ways that Linux can help you, even if you're not a computer science student.

Buying a used crossover on a budget can feel a bit depressing. As we grow, our lives demand a level of practicality, and this often comes at the cost of fun. However, in the dreariness that is the subcompact crossover segment, there is one used model that grabbed my attention from the moment I took it out on the road.

Another week is in the books, and while big Android news is on the horizon (hello, Pixel 10), there's still exciting stuff happening while we wait. A Chinese company is reviving old BlackBerry Classics with Android, Google Messages has a very weird bug, and T-Mobile launched a budget friendly phone. Much more!

Strap on the backpacks and get ready for a year full of new experiences, new classes, and the dreaded H-word: homework! It can be an overwhelming time, but don't let it fill you with dread. There’s still plenty of time for some comedic entertainment in your academic days.

This was another busy week in tech news, with new hardware from Razer and HyperX, a Linux Mint beta release, another upgrade for Home Assistant, and much more. Here are the biggest stories you might have missed.

If you're using a Linux computer, you may think many games you want to play, especially a vintage classic, is going to require futzing with compatibility layers and other nonsense—if it's playable at all. In reality, right at your fingertips are many fun and free games that emulate the ones you remember.

I have to admit I’m not sold on flip phones. The original Galaxy Z Flip is what first got me excited about foldables, but I didn’t like using it in real life. Since then, I’ve tried several other flip phones from Samsung and Motorola. I’m still not sure if I’m sold, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is trying hard to convince me.

Weddings can be a test on your sanity and bank account, but as a product tester, they're also a ripe time for speaker testing. This year, I married my wife at a family home, which was the most beautiful and memorable backdrop for our wedding. However, it also meant that we didn't have the privilege of a venue with included amenities — in other words, we had to bring everything in ourselves. That's how, one day about two months out from the big day, I panicked, remembering we needed a speaker for the ceremony.

Like any experienced host (and product tester), we have a few Bluetooth speakers around the house, but these devices usually support our parties of 10 to 20 — not 150 people. Plus, we needed a party speaker with wireless microphone compatibility to take us from the ceremony to cocktail hour. That's how I stumbled into the new JBL PartyBox 520.

The 520 is the brand's newest and most expensive party speaker that's hefty but remains wireless and portable. From our bachelorette party to our outdoor wedding, the JBL PartyBox 520 kept the good vibes going all weekend long.

The sound is crisp and booming — indoors or outside The JBL PartyBox 520 delivered great sound in the back room of a bar or against the backdrop of my mother-in-law's gardens. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

No matter where we stationed the JBL PartyBox 520, the sound rang out in clear, well-rounded sound. When in the low-ceilinged back room of a bar for our bachelorette party, we could turn up the volume and have it fill up the space without ever feeling tinny or blown out. However, when we didn't have the acoustics of an indoor space, the speaker still delivered smooth sound.

When we used it in the outdoor garden, the sound was beautiful. It worked equally well on older tracks like God Only Knows by the Beach Boys and modern pop like Love You For A Long Time by Maggie Rogers. And even among the crowd of 150 people who were chatting and mingling during cocktail hour, the speaker was still loud enough to hear the music soundtracking the afternoon.

It has adjustable treble, bass, and echo for audiophiles looking for a specific sound, as well as bass boost for any bass enthusiasts. Not to mention, you can pair multiple 520 speakers together with Auracast for even bigger events.

It runs for hours at a time wirelessly — plus it's waterproof

With an outdoor wedding, we knew we needed the fine balance of a wireless speaker, so that we didn't have to lay a power cord that someone might trip on, that was still big enough to fill the space without having blown out sound. The PartyBox 520 checked all of those boxes, quite literally functioning as the biggest Bluetooth speaker I've ever interacted with.

It runs for up to 15 hours when fully charged. While we didn't need the speaker to run for that long, it did give peace of mind that the speaker wouldn't suddenly kick it mid-vows.

Another factor while partying in the outdoors? Rain. The JBL PartyBox 520 has a waterproof rating of IPX4, designating it as splash-proof. Essentially, that means it's not meant to handle full downpour but a light sprinkle might handle it.

In true New England fashion, our beautiful sunny day turned to a light rain shower in just ten minutes, and thanks to the IPX rating, we didn't have to stress about the water.

With wireless mics, it becomes the ultimate karaoke machine Unfortunately if you want to use mics with the JBL PartyBox 520, you'll need to purchase them separately. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

While looking for a wireless wedding speaker, we had one wild card need, the ability to plug in wireless mics to utilize during our ceremony and for karaoke. Luckily, JBL is well-equipped to handle this with their PartyBox mics that seamlessly connect to the brand's PartyBox speakers. Unfortunately, you do have to buy the mics separately.

On the rear of the JBL PartyBox 520 are to auxiliary inputs for a receiver. It's beyond easy to use the mics with the PartyBox as you just plug in the receiver and turn on the mics. The speaker and microphones work together to bring distinct sounds without any annoying feedback. During our ceremony, the crowd could hear our officiant perfectly; no one yelling to turn up the volume.

The best part is that you can even use multiple mics at a time. This was perfect for our joint bachelorette, where we wanted to do karaoke but the bar didn't have a setup. The JBL PartBox 520 was the perfect answer as it was able to play music and project the mics at the same time, allowing for both solos and duets. During our hours of karaoke, the mics and speakers did have occasional moments of sharp feedback, something to be aware of while using the two close together.

My wife and I dueting 'Silver Springs' on the JBL PartyBox 520. A questionable choice ahead of our wedding. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable Added lights and sound effects make it a real party All of the JBL PartyBox 520's controls sit on top of the speaker. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

In addition to the mics, the PartyBox 520 has two standout features to pump things up. It comes with a built-in light display that syncs to whatever music you're playing and performs a little light show. If you're not so into the lights or find it distracting for your event, you can also turn off the light feature.

For those looking to get into the DJ-ing spirit, the JBL PartyBox 520 comes with three built-in sound effects. Are they particularly useful? No. Are they extremely fun to press while you're having a good time and feeling silly? Oh, yeah.

Even with the wheels, it's a heavy lift Wife pictured for scale. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

When you think of a Bluetooth speaker, you're probably thinking of an ultra-portable device that you can move around your home or even toss in a bag to take to your next party. While the PartyBox 520 is a wireless Bluetooth speaker, it is not that. This speaker is a big boy. At 30 inches tall, it's large and stands on its own. But more than its physical size, it's extremely heavy at 64.8 lbs..

Luckily, it does come on wheels with a handle, sort of like a suitcase. It moves easily on smooth surfaces; however, when pushing it over grass or rougher terrain, it tends to stick, and you really feel its weight.

Plus, if you're trying to transport it from place to place, it's a big lift and might not be feasible for the average person.

The price makes it an investment

Another hindrance with the PartyBox 520 is its price. At $879.95, it's quite the investment. If you're just looking for a big Bluetooth speaker, I think there are more affordable options. However, if you're looking for a party speaker that essentially functions as a sound system, it's a great investment.

Is the JBL PartyBox 520 worth it? Is the JBL PartyBox 520 worth it? Depends on what you're looking for. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

If you want to seriously invest in a sound system for your parties, the JBL PartyBox 520 is a great investment, and the best party speaker I've tested to date. It has a dazzling light show that syncs to music and the ability to use mics with it. Not to mention, it delivers really stellar sound with adjustable bass, treble, and echo.

However, if you don't need anything as heavy-duty, there are cheaper and more portable options like the JBL PartyBox 320, which has similar dimensions to the 520 but only weighs 36 pounds instead of 64.