Technology

When smart bulbs first hit the market, I wanted in. However, the prices made that hard to justify. If you wanted something that works with Google Home, you had to pay around $30 a piece for something like the Philips Hue, and that was (and still is) a tough pill to swallow.

It's been years since flagship phones ditched the headphone jack, yet I can't stop thinking how nice it'd be if they'd replace that old jack with a second USB-C port. Some gaming phones already offer this feature, and it's a standard thing for handheld PCs, but mainstream smartphones from brands like Apple and Samsung need to adopt the dual-port design.

This isn't a story I expected to write. As a longtime eReader owner, I never saw the appeal of reading books on a phone. Yet I've slowly transformed into someone who reads books on their phone almost every day (and my wife does, too). Here's why I ditched by eReader and decided my smartphone was the better option.

While you might think you need a high-powered machine to learn to code, your current machine or even an older laptop will likely be all you need to get started. Here's why.

Maintenance and repair costs are one of the biggest factors that affect long-term vehicle ownership, but few shoppers research them until it’s too late. In 2025, one SUV stands out above the rest for having the lowest average maintenance costs in its class, making it an ideal choice for buyers who want peace of mind and minimal expense over years of ownership. Whether you’re commuting daily, shuttling families, or hauling gear on weekend trips, lower upkeep means more savings down the road.

Netflix has released the trailer for the last episode in Stranger Things' fifth and final season, teasing the end of the Duffer Brothers' hit series after a decade-long run. We've come a long way since the vanishing of Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) in November 1983. 

It's been four years since Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) first encountered Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the Upside Down, and now their battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is finally coming to a head. 

Having learned more about the Upside Down's true nature and Venca's ultimate plan, the Hawkins teens are on a mission to stop him once and for all, fighting alongside allies Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), Max (Sadie Sink), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve (Joe Keery), and Robin (Maya Hawke). It won't be an easy task though, and victory may require painful sacrifices.

The series finale of Stranger Things premieres Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Netflix.

TCL just unveiled its latest tablet — the Note A1 NXTPAPER. The e-note tablet delivers a distraction-free workspace powered by AI so you can focus more on taking notes and less on organizing them.

Launching on Kickstarter first, the TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER is a tablet resembling the likes of ReMarkable's Paper Pro or the Kindle Scribe. It won't be the device for streaming or gaming, as it aims to keep you focused on note-taking or reading.

The TCL Note AI NXTPAPER comes with an 11.5-inch NXTPAPER Pure display, which delivers flicker-free visuals and paper-like clarity that's gentler on the eyes. TCL claims that the e-note tablet doesn't ghost (leaving remnants of erased pen marks or text on a previous page). It features color displays with a 16.7 million color range.

Record and transcribe meetings on the TCL A1 NXTPAPER. Credit: TCL

Where the tablet goes above and beyond is with its AI productivity tools. Wish your handwriting were neater? It'll "beautify" it. Plus, it can convert handwriting to text, do real-time transcription and translation with its included eight microphones.

The TCL Note AI NXTPAPER launches in late February of 2026, retailing for $549. Early access will be available through Kickstarter.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL Note AI NXTPAPER $549 at Kickstarter
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The idea of using your Android phone as a mouse or keyboard might sound gimmicky, but it actually works pretty well. With the right software, your phone becomes a wireless trackpad that's always on hand when you need to deal with awkward setups or when your regular devices let you down.

The most dangerous thing you do every day is getting behind the wheel of a car, and that's true even if it's just your econobox on the commute to work or on the way to the grocery store. But some cars, especially those designed for performance, are notorious for setting your GPS destination to "Valhalla" in the blink of an eye.

A smart home device without power is just an expensive paperweight. The trouble is, getting power to your smart home devices isn't always easy, depending on where you want to locate them. The good news is that there's a relatively simple way to supply both power and connectivity to many smart home devices.

A smart home device without power is just an expensive paperweight. The trouble is, getting power to your smart home devices isn't always easy, depending on where you want to locate them. The good news is that there's a relatively simple way to supply both power and connectivity to many smart home devices.

Are you getting ready to start a server using Linux? You have tons of distribution options to choose from, but I can show you which ones I prefer. Soon enough, you'll be running services on your computer like best of them.

Are you getting ready to start a server using Linux? You have tons of distribution options to choose from, but I can show you which ones I prefer. Soon enough, you'll be running services on your computer like best of them.

When I bought the original Raspberry Pi all those years ago, it never even crossed my mind that it would need some form of active cooling, or that it would make any difference. However, as every generation of Pi gains more powerful CPU and GPU cores, and increases the total number of those cores, physics inevitably catches up.

When I bought the original Raspberry Pi all those years ago, it never even crossed my mind that it would need some form of active cooling, or that it would make any difference. However, as every generation of Pi gains more powerful CPU and GPU cores, and increases the total number of those cores, physics inevitably catches up.

Cell notes are the clutter of the Excel world—they block your view and get in the way of formulas. That's why you should adopt the developer mindset by tucking notes inside your formulas, keeping your logic clean, your data visible, and your spreadsheets professional.

Throughout the years, my job has had me bouncing between project management tools like Asana, Trello, and Basecamp, and to be fair, they all do certain things well. Trello is great for simple visual boards. Asana shines once tasks and dependencies start piling up. Basecamp keeps communication tidy. The problem is that none of them stay lightweight for long, and the moment you need anything beyond the basics, you likley hit a paywall. What starts as a helpful tool quickly turns into another monthly expense, with your projects and data living entirely on someone else’s servers.

Samsung's next journey into the foldable frontier is underway in the form of the Galaxy Z TriFold, a foldable smartphone featuring two folds instead of just one. 

Just a few months after launching the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 foldables, Samsung has officially announced the TriFold, a smartphone that has two folding screens, resulting in three panels of usable phone. The internal screen measures a whopping 10 inches, comparable in size to a Galaxy Tab, while it folds down into a normal-sized 6.5-inch phone once fully closed. 

SEE ALSO: Did the foldable iPhone just get leaked? Seems like it.

So, what exactly do we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold? Let's get into it.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: Specs Credit: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images

According to the official announcement, here are the specs coming on the Galaxy Z TriFold:

• Cover screen: 6.5-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

• Interior screen: 10-inch QXGA (2160 x 1584)  Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 

• RAM and Storage: 16GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB of storage

• Rear cameras: 12 MP ultra-wide / 200 MP wide-angle / 10 MP telephoto

• Front cameras: 10 MP selfie camera (cover screen) / 10 MP selfie camera (main screen)

• Battery size: 5,600 mAh three-cell battery

• Dimensions (folded): 159.2 x 75.0 x 12.9mm

• Dimensions (unfolded): 159.2 x 214.1 x 3.9mm / 4.2mm / 4.0mm (screen with SIM tray, center screen, and screen with side button, respectively)

• Weight: 309 grams

In terms of processors, cameras, RAM, and all that other fun stuff, these specs are pretty similar to what you'd find in a Z Fold 7. The 6.5-inch cover display stands out especially, as the one on the Z Fold 7 is the exact same size. The 10-inch interior display, however, will be significantly larger than the 8-inch equivalent in the Z Fold 7. That's the big selling point here: When it's folded, this is sized like a bigger traditional smartphone, but when you unfold it, you're unlikely to find any phone with a bigger display.

Initially, thickness was a potential issue, as a trifold smartphone was bound to be a hair bit thicker than anything else on the market. At 12.9mm, it is a thick smartphone. For reference, the super-thin Galaxy Z Fold 7 is just 8.9mm when folded, which makes the Galaxy X TriFold about a third thicker than its closest sibling. Whether or not that’s a dealbreaker depends exclusively on how thick or thin you want your smartphone to be. 

That’s about the only complaint in an otherwise stellar spec sheet. The battery is nice and big, with Samsung stuffing 5,600 mAh into its three-cell system we first saw in a Korean phone patent. Each cell is hidden in each screen of the display, and it's a 1,200 mAh improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 7. 

SEE ALSO: Samsung and LG preview new Micro RGB TVs. OK, but what are Micro RGB TVs? Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: Pricing

In terms of price, be prepared for this. Samsung announced that the price would be 3,594,000 won. This translates to roughly $2,450 (which Samsung will likely round up to $2,500). That’s quite a lot higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at $1,999.99. For availability, Samsung states that it will be first introduced in South Korea, followed by China, Taiwan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and then eventually the United States. Per Bloomberg, Samsung is expected to ship a very limited volume, so it won’t be widely available everywhere.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: U.S. release date

Samsung officially released the Galaxy Z TriFold on Dec. 12 in South Korea, so it is in the wild now. The other regions where the phone is expected to launch, including the United States, are most likely going to see a launch in Q1 2026. That’s also when the Samsung Galaxy S26 is expected to launch, so the two may be released in tandem at an upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event.

If you can’t wait, there are plenty of unboxing videos on YouTube from the usual suspects, such as Mr. Who's the Boss and SuperSaf. The videos showcase the phone, including what it looks like when folded and unfolded, and demonstrate its general functionality, along with some other cool features. 

What do people think of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold?

Despite the high price tag, the Galaxy Z TriFold quite literally sold out in minutes. In South Korea, at least, the hype train is real, and Samsung can barely put these things on the shelves fast enough. The next batch is scheduled for Dec. 17th on Samsung’s website, and after that, we don’t know if they’ll have to continue rationing these out like they are now. 

Impressions online have been generally positive, with the few people who have actually had the opportunity to play with the smartphone stating that it’s certainly one of the most interesting smartphones in a while. Online and written impressions from publications are generally very positive, with complaints being fairly mild and often related to refinement, which is understandable given that this is a first-generation product. 

Here's what tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss said after trying out the phone: "So, honestly, I don't think the Trifold is this experimental quirky phone option. I actually think that this phone has immediately become the definitive Samsung foldable. You will have to handle it with care and you'll definitely have to pay for the privilege."

Social impressions were mixed, with some folks saying that this is the coolest new smartphone in years, while others are a little more guarded. 

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

"This is the true tablet killer," said one Redditor. Another stated that they were pleased to see Samsung innovating, and pontificated on when Apple would eventually release its first foldable. "Sign me up for one," another Redditor said. "[I’m] bored of my Folds." The most common sentiment among the excited was how absurd it would feel to be able to put a 10-inch tablet in your pocket. 

In terms of complaints, they fell into two camps. Excited people from Europe who are currently experiencing difficulties measuring their disappointment at not receiving a release there, and those wondering how the first-generation device will hold up over the long term. Some expressed worry about screen durability, especially since Samsung is offering a 50 percent discount on the first screen repair. Others are concerned with battery life, believing that the 10-inch display will chew through the 5,600 mAh battery rather quickly. 

With that said, very few people have gotten their hands on a Z TriFold, so we’ll have to wait a little bit longer to hear first-hand accounts on how it feels to use it day-to-day.

The New Year is right around the corner, which also means we’re already neck-deep in CES season. For 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics show returns to Las Vegas and is expected to lean heavily into robots and "living with AI" — a direction car enthusiasts may not be thrilled about after last year’s vehicle-heavy spotlight.

SEE ALSO: LG to unveil a new home robot helper at CES 2026

That said, the biggest car manufacturers on the planet will still be there as the industry continues its full-speed pivot toward AI, much like everyone else. As with last year, expect far more software reveals than actual new car announcements, which — depending on who you ask — is either encouraging progress or a major letdown.

So, here’s everything you need to know about cars heading into CES 2026.

Sony-Honda is back again

At CES 2025, we covered the debut of the Sony–Honda joint venture’s first EV, the AFEELA 1. While we didn’t get to see it in motion, Sony-Honda Mobility Group did walk us through a demo of the car’s infotainment system. For 2026, the company plans to return with what it’s calling a "pre-production" version of the AFEELA 1, alongside an all-new concept vehicle.

What’s less clear is what Sony-Honda actually considers pre-production at this point. The version shown in 2025 already looked fairly road-ready, at least from a visual standpoint, making the distinction feel more semantic than substantive.

According to the SHM Group, their EVs are expected to start production sometime in 2026 and will initially be available only in California.

Software-defined vehicles take center stage (again)

If there’s one theme that will quietly dominate CES 2026, it’s the continued shift toward software-defined vehicles. This isn’t new, but it is becoming unavoidable. Automakers are less interested in showing off the vehicles themselves and more focused on proving their cars can evolve after they leave the factory.

That means operating systems, over-the-air updates, and modular software stacks will be everywhere. Companies like P3 are using CES to highlight Android Automotive — based platforms that let automakers roll out features, apps, and services long after a vehicle ships. For consumers, this could mean improved infotainment and enhanced features over time. For automakers, it’s about speed, flexibility, and, ultimately, new revenue streams.

The bigger shift is toward "agentic AI." For reference, these are AI systems that actively make decisions on behalf of the user, rather than just responding to commands.

At CES 2026, expect to see AI utilized for route planning, energy management, and driver assistance systems that adapt in real-time rather than follow fixed rules. On the surface, it's a meaningful attempt at innovation, but it raises some questions about privacy and how much control drivers are willing to relinquish.

Don't expect much spectacle

If CES 2025 was about big promises, CES 2026 looks more like a reality check. Several analysts have noted that automakers are now in the less glamorous phase of turning previous announcements into actual products. That's just how the state of the auto industry is right now, especially given the development of the EV industry in 2025.

Heading into CES 2026, the EV industry is in a noticeably more sober place than it was even a year ago. After years of aggressive timelines and all-in commitments, automakers are recalibrating as demand has proven softer and more uneven than expected. U.S. EV sales peaked in late 2025 ahead of the expiration of federal incentives, then dropped sharply, forcing companies like GM and Ford to pull back billions in planned EV spending while refocusing on hybrids, trucks, and SUVs that actually move volume.

Automakers are now operating in what industry analysts have called an era of "EV realism," where electrification is still the long-term goal, but the path there is slower, more fragmented, and far less ideological. Expect CES 2026 to reflect that shift.

That’s why the show may feel quieter from a car-news perspective, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. CES has always been a supplier-driven event, and this year will likely highlight chips, sensors, robotics, and manufacturing tech that won’t grab headlines.

A new year is almost here, and you know what that means: The world's largest annual tech event is starting in just a few days.

Yep, CES 2026 is scheduled to kick off on January 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada, gathering tens of thousands of enthusiasts to see what's new in the world of consumer tech. We'll see an entirely new breed of TVs, new foldable phones, self-driving cars, weird gadgets, powerful chips, and many, many AI and robotics-related announcements. Unsurprisingly, those are some of the top tech trends we're anticipating in 2026.

Mashable will be on the ground in Las Vegas to cover CES 2026 as it unfolds. For now, let's take a look at what we expect to see from the biggest exhibitors this year.

Micro RGB TVs Can these achieve OLED-like picture quality at a lower price? It remains to be seen. Credit: LG

Forget OLEDs and QLEDs – this year you'll mostly be hearing about Micro RGB TVs. Two TV giants, Samsung and LG, have pre-announced their lineups of Micro RGB TVs, which are hitting the market in a variety of sizes this year. We don't have a verdict on how good these are just yet, but you can read about the technology that drives them in our handy explainer.

Of course, all of the other major TV manufacturers will be at CES 2026 as well. Sony is likely to show off its True RGB TVs, a new take Mini-LED TVs that promises higher brightness and contrast with more accurate colors (don't they all?).

We're also likely to hear a lot of talk about new HDR formats; Samsung announced its HDR10+ Advanced, the company's answer to Dolby Vision 2, back in October, with a launch scheduled for early 2026.

Foldable phones Why fold a phone once when you can fold it twice? Credit: Samsung

CES isn't exactly a phone show, with most major companies choosing to launch their flagships at standalone events. That doesn't mean we won't see a bunch of new devices, though, and we're betting that a lot of them will be foldable.

Samsung, for example, has freshly launched its first tri-folding phone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, but the company is rumored to be working on yet another foldable device that isn't a new iteration of its Galaxy Z Fold. We don't know whether that one will show up at CES 2026, but we're sure Samsung's booth will feature at least a couple new devices with folding displays.

Motorola is also rumored to launch a book-style foldable phone at CES; a first for the company (Motorola already sells the flip phone-style foldable Motorola Razr).

Robots, robots everywhere Roborock's Qrevo Curv 2 Flow already combines a vacuum with a self-cleaning roller mop, but we bet the company has something even more advanced up its sleeve. Credit: Roborock

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is banking on the company's Optimus robot to be the next big thing, and other tech companies are taking notice.

One major company that's already announced a new robot is LG. The company will launch its CLOiD home helper robot, designed to improve your quality of life by performing a "wide range of indoor household tasks". We don't have photos, specs, or a release date for this one, so forgive us for not being too enthusiastic until we find out more about CLOiD.

Samsung has a robot called Ballie which it keeps re-launching at CES (it originally launched in 2020, followed by a 2024 remake), and we wouldn't be too surprised if the company brought a new version to CES 2026.

Companies such as Roborock are likely to show off even more advanced robot vacuum cleaners. Since we're on the topic of smart home, we're also likely to see new, smarter home security cameras, among other clever house-bound gadgets.

And while we cannot reveal more at this stage, we definitely know there will be several companies bringing new, humanoid and non-humanoid robots to the show.

Self-driving cars These would look good in front of my garage. Credit: Honda

Look, it's CES. There will be cars. And if you're launching a car these days, it better be capable of autonomous driving.

We already know that Sony and Honda's joint venture (Sony Honda Mobility or SHM) will bring its retro-futuristic electric cars to the show. These will feature Level 3 autonomy, and we'll likely find out more about specs such as range and charging times.

Autonomous driving powerhouse Mobileye will also have a keynote on January 6, with CEO Amnon Shashua talking about the company's tech roadmap going forward.

Overall, we expect a lot of announcements related to self-driving tech, be it in the form of new cars, new AI smarts and chips powering autonomous driving, or further expansion of robotaxi services.

Powerful new chips Intel's Core Ultra series 3 (codenamed Panther Lake) chips will go on sale in January 2026. Credit: Intel

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is delivering a keynote on January 5, and while that doesn't necessarily mean we'll see major new products, we're likely to find out more about Nvidia's strategy on powering the AI revolution going forward. One rumor claimed that Nvidia might launch new GeForce RTX 50 Super series graphics cards during CES, but later reports said the launch was delayed until later in the year.

AMD is probably introducing new Ryzen chips, including the new Ryzen 7 9850X3D. Intel has pre-announced the announcement of its Panther Lake chips, which will officially launch at CES. Qualcomm is launching its Snapdragon X Elite and X Elite Extreme chips inside laptops for the first time. In short, you shouldn't worry about your next computer, phone, or tablet being underpowered (if you can afford the RAM, that is).

AI everything

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Every tech event in the past couple of years has had a strong artificial intelligence focus or at least undertone, and we expect to see even more of that this year. AI will be mentioned by the chip makers. It will be sworn on by the automakers. Every robot, phone, tablet and home security camera we see at CES 2026 will likely have a brand new AI brain powering it. Heck, even the news TVs will boast AI smarts for upscaling and intelligence picture enhancement.