Blogroll

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law Wednesday a major safety bill that effectively prohibits artificial intelligence chatbots from offering a range of standard features to users under the age of 18.

Among the blocked behaviors are pretending to be a real person or feel human emotions; offering "people-pleasing" or flattering responses; and asking unprompted emotional questions or referring to a child's private health information from earlier conversations.

The law also addresses features that are particularly dangerous for young users.

SEE ALSO: What to do when your teen replaces you with a chatbot

Once the bill goes into effect, minors will not be able to converse with chatbots that promote or give advice related to drug or alcohol use, eating disorders, self-harm, or suicide. Chatbots will also be banned from encouraging kids to keep secrets, as well as discussing sexually explicit content or child sexual abuse material with minors.

"No company should be peddling chatbots to kids encouraging self-harm or pretending to be their friend or more," Hochul said in a press release.

Companies subject to the law must verify user age and offer more than one method of doing so, including verification that doesn't solely require government identification.

Among the leading chatbot providers, only Anthropic prohibits minors from creating an account. Google and OpenAI, which operate Gemini and ChatGPT, respectively, both allow children ages 13 and older to use their chatbots. Kids under 13 can even access Gemini apps. OpenAI also offers ChatGPT for Teens, which independent researchers recently said should be turned off until certain safety concerns are resolved.

Violations of the law could result in a civil penalty up to $25,000 for each instance. The bill also establishes a public website where New Yorkers can file complaints against chatbot companies for potential violations.

Hochul has supported several bills related to digital and AI safety, including legislation on AI transparency and AI companions, as well as a law that restricts addictive social media features.

Jim P. Steyer, founder and CEO of the nonprofit advocacy group Common Sense Media, described the legislation signed Wednesday as the "strongest kids' AI safety bill in the country."

SEE ALSO: Gov. Hochul, Sec. Clinton lead push for screen-free New York schools

The absence of federal AI regulations has prompted policymakers across the country to develop their own laws.

In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law designed to enforce stronger safety requirements for AI companies. The legislation was named for Adam Raine, a young teen who died by suicide after consulting with ChatGPT. Raine's parents filed the first wrongful death lawsuit against an AI company for alleged harmful chatbot behavior.

Adam's Law requires developers of companion chatbots to conduct and publish annual child safety risk assessments and to submit their products to independent audits. Developers must create crisis response processes for chatbots, as well. Many companies already have safety measures in place, but guardrails have consistently failed to fully prevent chatbot behavior harmful to teens.

Matthew and Maria Raine, the parents of Adam Raine, supported the New York legislation.

"The loss of our son did not need to happen," they said in a statement. "He would be here with us today but not for a harmful relationship with an unregulated AI chatbot. This new law is a significant step forward to reduce the risks to the children and teens of New York, so many of which are now communicating with AI chatbots every day."

UPDATE: Oct. 28, 2026, 10:40 a.m. PDT This story has been updated to include comments from Jim P. Steyer and Matthew and Maria Raine.

Additional reporting by Chase DiBenedetto.

The parents of a 31-year-old Seattle woman are suing OpenAI, alleging the company's AI chatbot led to her death, according to a new report from The New York Times.

Per the Times' report, the parents of Bowen Wan allege ChatGPT helped their daughter taper off the medication that controlled her severe epilepsy, and helped her hide the plan from her doctors in the weeks before she died. In February, Wan was found dead in her apartment; her official cause of death was sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy, the NYT reported. Her parents, Qun Wan and Meiqin Xu, filed the lawsuit the same day.

According to the Times, Wan had come to lean heavily on ChatGPT. Wan worked as a software engineer for Amazon; however, her worsening epilepsy symptoms forced her to take disability leave. After learning she would be laid off from Amazon, she grew worried that her medication was slowing her speech. She feared it would hurt her in the job interviews she needed to pass to stay in the U.S. Wan averaged more than 1,500 messages a week in 2025 while calling her parents less often.

SEE ALSO: Lawsuit alleges OpenAI 'stole' children's user data

The Times reports that ChatGPT drafted schedules that would take her off lamotrigine — a medication that treats epilepsy and bipolar disorder — entirely within weeks. It also endorsed cutting her pills without telling her doctor, and cast physicians’ caution as mere risk aversion. When she described symptoms resembling seizures, the chatbot repeatedly reassured her. The Times’ analysis found she raised concerns about the taper at least 158 times. Her neurologist told the Times he would never have considered tapering a patient with her history.

The lawsuit claims ChatGPT practiced medicine without a license and portrayed her doctors as obstacles. It also alleges the chatbot may have been less likely to refuse her requests for medical advice because she was chatting in Chinese.

An OpenAI spokesperson told the Times that the case was heartbreaking and that it involved an earlier version of ChatGPT that is no longer available. Wan used GPT-4o, which OpenAI pulled from the consumer app on Feb. 13, 2026, the day after the medical examiner believes she died. The spokesperson told the Times that newer models are better at recognizing when a situation needs urgent attention.

GPT-4o has a long record of complaints about sycophancy. In April 2025, OpenAI rolled back an update to the model after CEO Sam Altman admitted it had become "too sycophant-y and annoying," as Mashable reported. At the time, users warned that a chatbot that agrees with everything could validate delusions and deepen mental health crises.

The Wan case joins a growing list of wrongful death lawsuits against OpenAI. The family of 16-year-old Adam Raine sued in August 2025, alleging ChatGPT validated his suicidal thinking. In a court filing, OpenAI denied responsibility and pointed to his mental health history and his violations of its usage policies, Mashable reported. That November, seven more lawsuits alleged ChatGPT contributed to wrongful deaths and assisted suicides.

If you’re feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems. The New York Times has also sued OpenAI.

Excel has hundreds of functions, and nobody needs to know them all. But a few are worth keeping in your back pocket because they save you headaches as your data changes. TRIMRANGE is a great example. When you build a spreadsheet that's going to grow, you usually leave room for data you haven't entered yet. Those empty cells can turn dynamic array results into a mess, but TRIMRANGE quietly trims the blank edges off a range and keeps things tidy.

Apple just debuted a swanky and seriously expensive new MacBook Pro, its first-ever Mac with a touchscreen or OLED display, and you can see it in video form right now.

In a new promo video posted to YouTube on Wednesday afternoon, Apple debuted the new touchscreen-equipped MacBook Pro, with what Apple is calling a "PROLED" display. In the video, Apple refers to the device as a "portable reference" monitor because its display is so good and color-accurate. Apple also boasted about the laptop's speaker quality, selection of ports, and horsepower, even though it uses an older M5 Pro or M5 Max chip.

You can get all of that for a starting price of $2,899.

In a video posted to X, new Apple CEO John Ternus revealed one more surprise: the new MacBook Pro features a glowing Apple logo on the top/back of the device, a feature we haven't seen in years.

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

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today. 

GET $50 OFF: As of Oct. 28, you can get the Beats Pill for $99.95, down from $149.95, at Amazon. That's a 33% discount, or $50 in savings.

Beats Pill $99.95 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $50.00   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy

Summer might be in the rearview, but now it's spooky szn. To me, that means roasting marshmallows, swapping scary stories, and blasting some good tunes by the bonfire. (Can you tell I grew up in the boondocks?) If you haven't found a portable speaker that can handle your funk (or survive being dragged out into the yard), we just found a Beats deal that's definitely worth a look.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday speaker deals are trickling in, but we're still waiting for more notable price drops

Right now, you can get the Beats Pill for $99.95, down from $149.95, at Amazon. That's a 33% discount, or $50 in savings. It's not the lowest price we've ever seen, but it's within 10 bucks of it (it hit $88.99 last September).

You'll get 24 hours of battery life (more than enough to keep you partying through the night) and a built-in racetrack woofer that displaces 90 percent more air than the previous generation. It's also IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, so you can take it just about anywhere.

In a sharp reversal of a long-held company ethos, Apple announced a thinner, lighter MacBook Pro with a tandem OLED touchscreen today at its "Pro and Tell" event in Los Angeles. The new "MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display" runs on the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, has a glowing Apple logo on its lid, and comes in 14- and 16-inch sizes starting at $2,899. It's set for release on Friday, Nov. 6, and preorders are now live.

The new MacBook Pro marks the biggest redesign to Apple's premium laptop since 2021. The company is positioning it as a device for creative professionals with "the most demanding workflows," according to a press release.

Credit: Apple

"The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is a monumental step forward for the Mac," said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer. "PROLED XDR is the world’s best laptop display. ... And with the magic of Touch coming to MacBook Pro, combined with the game-changing performance of M5 Pro and M5 Max, we’ve created a whole new way for pros to interact with their content, taking their workflows to a completely new level."

Srouji added: "The new MacBook Pro is the result of the deep integration between Apple silicon, hardware, and software, and there’s simply nothing else like it."

The announcement isn't a total surprise. Apple insiders have been circulating rumors of an OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro since early 2023. But it's certainly a twist, given that prominent Apple executives have spent over a decade and a half dismissing the idea of a touch-enabled MacBook (including now-CEO John Ternus).

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

It's not clear what inspired Apple's change of heart, though the logical explanation is that it's simply meeting the competition. Many premium Windows laptops have had OLED touchscreens for years.

The touchscreen MacBook Pro caps off a busy few days of Apple announcements. Earlier this week, the company unveiled an OLED iPad Mini, a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip, an M6-powered iMac, and updates to the Apple Creator Studio suite.

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display: Specs and features Credit: Apple

The new MacBook Pro's PROLED XDR display has a 10 to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, and a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio for ultra-deep blacks. Apple said its touch sensor is located inside the display panel, not on top of it, to reduce lag. It also has a stronger hinge so it doesn't wobble when you tap it.

Compared to Apple's standard MacBook Pro, which has a non-touch "Liquid Retina XDR" mini-LED display, the new PROLED XDR model has a brighter, sharper picture. It also supports the Adobe RGB color space, not just P3, and has slightly smaller bezels for more usable screen space. Users can still upgrade it with an etched nano-texture (matte) coating for $150 extra.

The new MacBook Pro has a 12MP Center Stage webcam that lives in a hole-punch cutout within the Dynamic Island, an interactive pill-shaped notification area at the top of its screen. (It borrowed this feature from modern iPhones.) Yes, the notch is gone.

Credit: Apple

The new MacBook Pro is powered by the high-end M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which Apple rolled out in an updated non-touch MacBook Pro this spring. (It's not available with the newer M6 chip.) It's configurable with the same amount of memory — 24GB to 128GB RAM — but its storage maxes out at 16TB SSD, up from 8TB. The beefiest configuration costs a whopping $14,549.

Both sizes of the new MacBook Pro have slimmed down by up to about a millimeter, and they weigh up to 0.7 pounds less than their non-touch counterparts. (The 14-incher is only three pounds.) Apple said it reworked their thermal system so they still run cool despite being so much lighter. They still come in the same two finishes: space black and silver.

Credit: Apple

On the speaker front, the new MacBook Pro has new woofers and tweeters for better bass and clearer sound, respectively. Connectivity-wise, you still get three Thunderbolt 5 ports, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0.

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 with an M5 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. The 16-inch version starts at $3,399 with the same specs.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,899 at the Apple Store
  Preorder at the Apple Store Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $3,399 at the Apple Store
  Preorder at the Apple Store

I use Android Auto almost every day, and a few things about it drive me absolutely nuts. My wireless connection drops out, message notifications interrupt my music, Gemini struggles with commands, and some apps I want aren’t even on the launcher.

TL;DR: The new 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro goes live on Oct. 28 at Apple. Apple's latest MacBook is set to launch on Nov. 6 with prices starting at $1,999.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple M6 MacBook Pro $1,999 at Apple
  Preorder at Apple

The kids are excited about costumes and candy this week, but if you're an Apple fan, we have something that's equally special for you. There's a new MacBook Pro launching early next month, and it's equipped with the M6 Chip.

Preorders for the new 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro go live at Apple on Oct. 28. Prices start at $1,999 for the M6 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and a standard display. Going with more RAM or storage, or upgrading to the nano-texture display, are all options during preorder. Apple has the launch date set for Nov. 6.

For creatives who need top performance and portability, the new MacBook Pro with the M6 chip could be awesome. In Mashable's lineup of the best MacBooks, the previous M5 MacBook Pro won the award as being the best model for artists, content creators, and casual gamers.

SEE ALSO: Apple just announced a new iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED display — how to preorder

The upgrade to the M6 chip in the 2026 model means this machine is even more powerful. And as a bonus, the new M6 MacBook Pro didn't see a price hike compared to the M5 MacBook Pro. Both start at $1,999.

Great news: Apple says the M6 MacBook Pro can get up to 24 hours of battery life. While we haven't tested it, a true all-day battery life would be a major benefit for creators, students, or busy people.

The base model of the M6 MacBook Pro comes with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, but you can upgrade to 24GB or 32GB of RAM and up to a 4TB SSD. An additional $150 gets you the nano-texture display, which Apple says helps reduce glare and might be ideal for those who work outdoors often.

Get ready to preorder the powerful new M6 MacBook Pro from Oct. 28. The new MacBook officially launches on Nov. 6.

TL;DR: Preorder the new Apple iMac with M6 starting on Oct. 28 so it arrives on its Nov. 6 release day. Prices start at $1,499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iMac (M6)   Preorder

If you've been looking for the right time to upgrade your desktop computer, Apple just dropped a new iMac for the first time since 2024. The company has launched the new desktop, MacBook Pro, and iPad mini as part of the "Pro and Tell" event.

The new iMac skips the M5 chip altogether and opts for the outrageously fast M6 chip. "Everything feels extra snappy and responsive for families managing busy calendars, students putting the finishing touches on a project, and small business owners running their companies," Apple writes in a press release.

As for how speedy it actually is, here's the breakdown:

• Up to 2.5 times faster performance in apps like Microsoft Excel compared to M1 iMac, up to 1.5 times faster than M4 iMac

• Up to 3.3 times faster graphics performance compared to M1 iMac, up to 2 times faster than M4 iMac

• Up to 12 times faster AI performance compared to M1 iMac, up to 5 times faster than M4 iMac

• Up to 2 times higher gaming performance compared to M4 iMac

Aside from the addition of the M6 chip, the new iMac also has the Apple N1 wireless networking chip, alongside Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 on the base model. Otherwise, it's not all that different from the previous M4 iMac from 2024. It still features a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, a 12MP Center Stage camera, up to four USB-C ports, and support for connecting up to two 6K external displays.

The M6 iMacs start at $1,499 for the 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU configuration, while the 12-core CPU and GPU model starts at $1,699. In the age of RAMageddon, these prices come as no surprise. The M6 iMac comes in the same shades of green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and standard silver as the M4 iMac.

Where to buy the Apple M6 iMac

The new Apple M6 iMac is available for preorder from Apple starting at 1:10 p.m. ET on Oct. 28. Other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy will likely join the fray shortly after. The desktop computer will be fully available in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers on Friday, Nov. 6.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iMac (M6) starting at $1,499 Preorder

TL;DR: The new Apple iPad mini is available to preorder starting Oct. 28. Prices start at $699, and Apple has set the launch date for Nov. 6.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad mini $699 at Apple
  Preorder at Apple

Apple has a slew of new products to keep us happy as we head into the finale of 2026. We have the foldable iPhone Duo, a new Apple smart speaker, and now we get to look forward to a new iPad mini. If you loved the old iPad mini or you're looking for a tablet that isn't gigantic, here's how to get your hands on the new iPad mini.

The new Apple iPad mini launches on Nov. 6, and preorders go live at Apple on Oct. 28. Prices start at $699 for the 128GB version with standard glass. You can also go with more storage and get the 256GB model or max out at 512GB. Apple is also offering the iPad mini with nano-texture glass, which starts at $899 for the 256GB model, the smallest offering with the upgraded glass.

SEE ALSO: The Apple iPhone 18 Pro is (almost) free before Black Friday — how to claim

The iPad mini is the perfect tablet for anyone who wants a model that's easy to hold and travel-friendly. The 8.5-inch display is larger than the previous model, but the tablet itself is the same size. Apple simply thinned the bezel to make this possible.

In Mashable's review of the previous model, the iPad mini 7th Gen, Senior Tech Editor Stan Schroeder wasn't impressed with Apple's decision to use the A17 Pro chip instead of the A18 Pro. But that's no longer a concern with the new model, because the 2026 iPad mini has the A20 Pro chip.

The OLED display on the new iPad mini 8th Gen has over twice the peak brightness of the 7th Gen, reaching up to 1,200 nits. Additionally, the 12MP center camera will be great for video calls this holiday season. Plus, it's water- and dust-resistant.

In Mashable's review of the best iPads, the 7th-gen iPad mini earned the top spot for reading.

Now's your chance to preorder the 8th-gen iPad mini. Given its small size and portability, it'll be the perfect companion for upcoming holiday travel.

Reddit is following in the footsteps of TikTok (and virtually every other social media app), even if it's a few years later than the rest.

In a company blog post, Reddit announced the rollout of a new "For You" feed for users, which appears on the Reddit homepage.

Reddit says this will start popping up on users' feeds globally in the coming weeks, and it's already live for many users in the United States.

With this change, the Reddit homepage experience will now be divided into two tabs: Following and For You, similar to how other apps like X and TikTok work. The Following tab will strictly show you posts from communities you follow, while For You will blend those with posts from communities you might be interested in.

Often abbreviated to FYP, these "For You" feeds are common across many social media apps.

Credit: Screenshot: Reddit SEE ALSO: Reddit will block 'Old Reddit' for users who don’t use it for six months

"At Reddit, good recommendations should help people follow an interest into a community, and from there, into a conversation," the blog post said. "Across thousands of communities, discovery can help people find others who get them, encounter perspectives that broaden their own, and take part in something bigger while sharing their own experiences."

The new feed seems fairly self-explanatory if you've ever used X, Instagram, or Threads, and Reddit's blog post didn't expand much beyond what we've revealed here. As with those other apps, you can freely choose to ignore it if you don't like it, and the app will default to the last one you looked at when you open it next time.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today. 

The best early Black Friday Dewalt deals Best Early Black Friday Dewalt Deal Dewalt 20V MAX Drill and Impact Driver $129 (Save $110) Get Deal Best Early Black Friday Dewalt Cordless Tool Deal Dewalt Cordless Screwdriver $81.10 (Save $10.88) Get Deal Best Early Black Friday Dewalt Tool Kit Deal Dewalt 20V MAX 5Ah 9-Piece Brushless Power Tool Set $749 (Save $150) Get Deal

Need to tackle some jobs around the house? Grab the right tools to handle them ahead of Black Friday. Early Black Friday discounts on Dewalt tools and accessories have already started rolling in, and we're seeing a variety of discounts you can shop right now ahead of the official shopping event.

That makes this the right time to fill out a toolbox, whether it's your own or you're shopping for someone who's been borrowing your drill for too long. A DeWalt kit is a safe bet for a new homeowner, a kid moving into their first apartment, or a relative who's hinted at a home project they never get around to.

These tools tend to sell out fast, so you'll want o grab whatever you need now rather than waiting for the week of Thanksgiving and hoping it goes back on sale (and comes back in stock).

Here are the best early Black Friday DeWalt deals we've found so far.

Best early Black Friday Dewalt deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Dewalt 20V MAX Drill and Impact Driver $129 at Amazon
$239 Save $110   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

This kit is a great option for anyone looking to build out their own tool set. It has a 1/2-inch drill/driver and 1/4-inch impact driver, plus two 20V MAX batteries, a charger, and a contractor bag. The drill has a two-speed transmission and a 16-setting clutch for everything from pilot holes to driving long screws, while the impact driver puts out up to 1,400 in-lbs of torque and loads bits one-handed.

Best early Black Friday Dewalt cordless tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Dewalt Cordless Screwdriver $81.10 at Amazon
$91.98 Save $10.88   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

This cordless tool is the perfect companion for jobs that require a screwdriver, but not necessarily a massive one. Just twist your wrist to the right to drive and to the left to back a screw out, and the harder you turn, the faster it spins, up to 430 RPM. The kit comes with two 8V MAX batteries and a charger, so you're ready to handle just about any project that comes your way.

Best early Black Friday Dewalt tool kit deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Dewalt 20V MAX 5Ah 9-Piece Brushless Power Tool Set $749 at Amazon
$899 Save $150   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

This deluxe tool kit is the perfect option for setting up your own projects at home or for helping someone get started with a set of accessories to tackle their own home improvements. It comes with a brushless 1/2-inch drill/driver, a 1/4-inch impact driver, a brushless reciprocating saw, a 6-1/2-inch brushless circular saw, a three-speed oscillating multi-tool, a brushless grinder, a 5-inch random orbit sander, a 1/2-inch impact wrench, and an LED work light. It's everything you need and then some.

More early Black Friday Dewalt deals

• Dewalt 20V MAX Air Inflator — $141.95 $179 (save $37.05)

• Dewalt 20V Max Cordless Impact Wrench — $196.25 $239.99 (save $43.74)

It appears that Discord has some users spooked.

On Tuesday, Mashable reported on Discord's upcoming changes to its platform, which will see tens of thousands of public servers get indexed on Google Search, along with some of the messages in the servers' channels. That means some Discord conversations may soon appear in Google Search results, similar to how Reddit threads and comments can surface in Google.

The reason for the change is to make Discord's public Discoverable Servers, well, more discoverable, helping those communities grow. However, some Discord users who value the privacy aspects of the platform are concerned about this change. Until Discord made this change, the only way to see messages in a server, regardless of whether it was public or private, was to sign up for Discord and join the specific server.

Looking to delete your Discord message history so that it's not included in Google Search? You don't have to do that. Discord is providing users with a simple way to opt out of their messages being searchable.

Also, if you did want to delete all your Discord messages, you'd have to go through the servers and delete each and every one of your messages individually. Even deleting your Discord account won't remove your past messages.

How to remove your Discord messages from Google 

Discord users can go to their User Settings > Data and Privacy and change their Channel Messages settings. This will ensure that your Discord messages cannot be seen on publicly accessible Server Web Pages that are indexed by search engines. 

Discord may still use the content of users' messages for Channel Summaries on Server Web Pages. However, those summaries will not be connected to specific users, and usernames and avatars won't be shown next to messages on these public Server Web Pages.

How to remove your public Discord server from Google 

If you're a server admin, you can also opt your server out of Google Search indexing. Admins can go to Server Settings > Web Presence on their public server and choose which channels to make searchable. Admins can change these settings to opt out of every one of their server's channels. 

If an admin does not opt out, though, all public channels will be added to the Server Web Page when it goes live next month. Admins can also choose to turn off channel summaries on their Server Web Page. In order to ensure a Server Web Page isn't created for their server, admins must make these changes by Nov. 16, 2026. 

If you're worried about your private server or private messages, there's no need to be. These changes do not affect those servers and messages. They remain completely private and excluded from search engines. Private servers also continue to require an invite to join.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today. 

The coolest tech gifts may look like the most boring box in the present pile... until they're unwrapped. But in a second, you'll both unlock a new favorite memory: They get to gush over owning one of the most sought-after gadgets of the year, and you get to watch their face light up.

Our tech gift guide for 2026 includes some of the best new releases of the year from Apple, Amazon, Bose, Shark, and Sony, most of which we personally reviewed. We're obviously loving the latest upgrades, like the refreshed Kindle and the second-gen QuietComforts. But even if you're not shopping for an early adopter, we've still found some awesome under-the-radar gadgets that'll speak to their niche interests. The cool teenager on your list may not care about Apple's new smart home devices, but they will freak over the Camp Snap 2. (It's one of our top Gifts of the Year.)

To find the best holiday gifts for the techies in your life, Mashable's tech and shopping reporters have come together to curate a guide to our favorite gift-worthy gadgets of the year — the true "I can't believe you got this for me" gifts. So, whether you're splurging on a MacBook or searching for stocking stuffers, here are the best tech gifts for 2026.

Terminal-based apps are awesome, but if you’ve ever tried to use them, you’re probably already aware of their biggest annoyance: you have to open a terminal and type a command every time. They don’t show up in your dock or app launcher the way regular desktop apps do. Thankfully, there’s a quick and easy fix for that. It’ll hardly take a few minutes, and you’ll be able to give your terminal apps their own icons and entries in your application launcher.

When it comes to streaming video games, a $500 microphone won't get you 500 viewers. Most new game streamers are lucky to have 100 people watching in their first few months.

It helps to know what makes a difference on day one, whether you're buying gear for yourself or someone on your gift list.

Not even the best gear will make you a good streamer -- personality, practice, and becoming comfortable talking to an audience from an empty room will do that. Start with what you have, and upgrade to better equipment when your audience gives you a reason.

You can watch me walk through the essential streaming gear, along with other holiday shopping advice for the gamers on your list, in a new CNET Group video franchise called Holiday Office Hours From the Labs.

Here’s the short list of what you need to start streaming video games.

Your PC

If your computer already runs your games well, it can probably stream them too. If you’re shopping for a new one, look for three things: At least 16GB of RAM, an SSD instead of a hard drive, and a modern graphics card.

These are important because your PC needs to handle both streaming and gaming. With an SSD, your games can load faster, and a decent-quality graphics card can do the bulk of the work. We recommend the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060.

Opens in a new window Credit: GIGABYTE / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 $459.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $40   Shop Now at Amazon

All the current graphics cards from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel have a built-in hardware encoder, which turns your gameplay into a video stream without slowing down the game. NVIDIA’s encoder is the most widely supported and best-regarded option in free streaming software like OBS. That makes the RTX 5060 the easiest card to set up and forget.

A word of warning: demand from the AI boom has pushed up the prices of RAM and graphics cards, so compare prices before you buy. A prebuilt PC that costs about $1,000 should cover everything above. Used and refurbished listings are worth a look too. I bought my own prebuilt on Facebook Marketplace for $800, and it came with an RTX 5080 Founders Edition card. Deals like that are out there.

Credit: Mashable/Cole Kan Capture card

If you’re gaming and streaming on the same PC, you can skip a capture card. Free software like OBS captures your gameplay directly. You’ll need one only if you’re streaming from a console or if you use a second PC just for streaming.

If that’s you, our pick is the Elgato 4K S, at about $160.

Opens in a new window Credit: Elgato Elgato 4K S $159.67 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy Microphones

This is the one place we’d tell most new streamers to spend a little extra effort. Your webcam is a small box in the corner of the screen, but your voice carries the whole stream. Viewers will forgive a grainy picture long before they forgive bad audio.

Our pick is a Logitech Creators Blue Yeti, a plug-and-play USB mic that sounds good without extra equipment.

Opens in a new window Credit: Logitech Logitech Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone $99.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $40.00   Shop Now at Amazon

But you don’t need a dedicated mic right away. The headset you already own can sound surprisingly good with some basic noise removal and EQ, and there are plenty of free tutorials that show you how. I don’t own a standalone mic myself. When I need to record, I use my Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.

Webcam and lighting

For a webcam, a 1080p model is plenty. The Logitech C920x, at about $70, is our pick.

Opens in a new window Credit: Logitech Logitech C920x $69.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

Lighting is what makes a cheap camera look expensive. Our pick is the Philips Hue starter kit, at about $140, at the time of this writing. It includes two smart bulbs and the Hue Bridge, the hub that connects them to your Wi-Fi so you can control them from your phone. Govee makes good options for less.

Opens in a new window Credit: Phillips Philips Hue Smart Light Starter Kit $139.86 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $60.13   Get Deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Govee Govee Smart Light Bulbs $39.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

You can also skip smart lighting entirely. Pointing an inexpensive desk lamp at your face, so your monitor isn’t your only light source, goes a long way.

Stream deck

The Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 is a grid of programmable buttons for switching scenes, muting your mic, playing sound effects, and more. It’s great, and it’s our pick when you’re ready for one. But it’s built for people who stream regularly, so you don’t need it on day one.

Opens in a new window Credit: Elgato Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 $119.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $30.00   Shop Now at Amazon

Best early Black Friday unlocked phone deals at a glance Best Google Pixel deal Google Pixel 10 Pro $749 (save $250) Get Deal Best Samsung deal Samsung Galaxy S26 $789 (save $210.99) Get Deal

As much as we try to ignore it, having a phone has become a necessity. You can Brick it to stay off doomscrolling apps, but you'll need a phone to accomplish life's most basic tasks these days.

But having a phone isn't all bad. We can use them to take photos, keep in touch with friends, and watch endless hours of Christmas movies. But if your phone can barely hold a charge, has cracks across every angle of the screen, or takes lame photos, it's time for an upgrade.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday home improvement deals save big on power tools, smart lights, home security, and more.

As an early Black Friday treat, we're seeing nice discounts on models from Samsung, Google, Motorola, and more. Here are the best deals to shop if you're in need of a new phone.

Best Google Pixel deal Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 10 Pro (128GB) $749 at Amazon
$999 Save $250   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Google Pixel 11 is Mashable's top pick for the best Android phone, but we can't ignore the previous generation. The older but still great Google Pixel 10 Pro is on sale for a major 25% off before Black Friday. The Pixel 10 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, a battery that can last for over 24 hours, and an impressive camera that's great even in low-light.

Best Samsung Galaxy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S26 $789 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $210.99   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Unlocked and with 256GB of storage for all your photos and videos, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is already on sale ahead of Black Friday shopping chaos. The Samsung uses the powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor for speedy operations across the board.

More unlocked phone deals

• TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro (128GB) — $279.98 $329.99 (save $50.01)

• Motorola Razr (2025, 256GB) — $549.99 $699.99 (save $150)

• Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (512GB) — $1,349.99 $1,599.99 (save $250)

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 — $1,699.99 $1,899.99 (save $200)

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

Behold, fellow period drama lovers, the trailer for the much-anticipated Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is finally here.

Adapted for the screen by Dolly Alderton and directed by Euros Lyn, the six-part series stars Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet, Jack Lowden as Mr. Darcy, and Olivia Colman as Mrs. Bennet. The other Bennet sisters are played by Hopey Parish (Mary), Hollie Avery (Kitty), Rhea Norwood (Lydia), and Freya Mavor (Jane). Daryl McCormack is Mr. Bingley, Jamie Demetriou plays Mr. Collins, and Louis Partridge is Mr. Wickham. Fiona Shaw plays the esteemed patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

For those of us who cherish previous adaptations of the beloved Austen novel, we have high hopes for this six-part series. No pressure, Netflix. Though one can't judge from the trailer alone, my initial impressions (as an Austen devotee) are that it looks faithful to the story, romantic at its heart, and the period drama treat that we're all craving this cosy season.

Pride and Prejudice hits Netflix on Dec. 3.

TL;DR: Score up to 50% off during LELO's fall sale. Plus, get a free MIA 3 when you spend $199+.

Opens in a new window Credit: LELO Get up to 50% off plus a free toy when you spend $199+ Shop Now at LELO

Halloween is just a few days away, but retailers are still dropping thrills for the ghouls and gals who want all the treats this year.

Right now, you can get up to 50% off top-rated vibes during LELO's fall sale. Just be sure to use the promo code PUMPKINSPICE10 (how fitting) for an additional 10% off at checkout. (Note: This code doesn't work on bundles, and it expires on Oct. 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET!)

SEE ALSO: LELO just released its 2026 Couples Calendar and it's luxe AF

If you spend $199+, you'll get a free MIA 3 — a travel-sized lipstick vibrator with eight settings. It's waterproof, USB rechargeable, and has a travel lock, so you can toss it in your bag without worrying about it turning on by accident.

Unsure of what to buy? Here are a few of my favorites:

• ENIGMA Double Sonic (or any of the Enigma toys, honestly) for G-spot and clitoral stimulation

• SONA 3 Cruise for intense clitoral suction

• GIGI 3 for targeted G-spot pleasure

LELO also has a handful of male sex toys and, of course, bundle deals for those of you who want more for less (just remember that promo code won't apply to the bundles).

Hot on the heels of Apple’s HomeView launch, Amazon has unveiled a massive 16-inch Echo Show and updated the Echo Studio with a built-in camera. Both devices are worth your attention as they aim to make Alexa more useful around the home, whether you want to manage connected gadgets, monitor your living room, or keep your daily schedule organized. The new Echo Studio and Echo Show lean on the latest Alexa with natural conversations and the ability to handle complex, multistep requests.