Blogroll

The DOJ details a $15 billion pig butchering scam ring bust: Phone farms, forced labor camps, and an ill-gotten Picasso

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 21:14

A Cambodian “pig butchering” scam ring has been relieved of $15 billion in Bitcoin courtesy of the Department of Justice, according to a DOJ press release issued on Tuesday. The scam’s alleged ringleader, UK and Cambodian national Chen Zhi, has also been indicted for his role in the scam, though he remains at large. Prosecutors say that the scam ring relied on human trafficking and violence to maintain its operations, and that it stole billions of dollars from people all over the world since 2015. 

In a 68-page indictment unsealed on Tuesday in a Brooklyn federal court, prosecutors accused Zhi and his associates of running a massive "phone farm" that operated 1,250 mobile phones, which controlled more than 76,000 social media accounts around the clock. The group reportedly also ran 10 “violent forced labor camps" across Cambodia, where human trafficking victims were coerced into stealing Bitcoin from unsuspecting victims. According to prosecutors, the people who worked in these camps were migrant workers who traveled to Cambodia in search of work but were instead trafficked and forced to work in these industrial scam compounds. 

The indictment reads like something you might see on TV or in a Hollywood movie, and government officials said it's the largest forfeiture action in the history of the Department of Justice.

A picture of a phone farm with 1,250 mobile devices appeared in the indictment. Credit: Department of Justice

For the uninitiated, a pig butchering scam works in two steps. The scammer creates a relationship with the victim, either through a traditional romance scam or some other means. Once the metaphorical “pig” has been “fattened,” the scammer will make their move and manipulate the victim into sending Bitcoin, often under the guise of a phony investment opportunity. Some victims will liquidate their entire life savings.

SEE ALSO: What are pig butchering scams? How to protect yourself from online con artists.

“Today’s action represents one of the most significant strikes ever against the global scourge of human trafficking and cyber-enabled financial fraud,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a press release. “By dismantling a criminal empire built on forced labor and deception, we are sending a clear message that the United States will use every tool at its disposal to defend victims, recover stolen assets, and bring to justice those who exploit the vulnerable for profit. We are grateful for the hard work of Director Patel and the men and women of the FBI.”

International pig butchering rings, often located in Southeast Asia, operate massive phone farms and call centers to enact scams at an industrial scale. In Cambodia alone, the scam industry steals $12.5 to $19 billion annually, per the indictment. However, prosecutors said the accused scammers didn't just steal money. Prosecutors said they also used violence to "further their criminal schemes," and the indictment contains bloody images of alleged victims of the gang's activities.

The indictment accused Zhi and his associates of bribing officials to stay ahead of law enforcement raids. One section of the indictment detailed how Zhi and his co-conspirators allegedly hunted down an associate who fled with stolen money, leveraging contacts in the government and mob to locate the thief.

Zhi is publicly known as the leader of the Prince Group, a multinational corporation that does business in over 30 countries. The group was “ostensibly focused” on real estate development and financial services, but the DOJ alleged it provided cover for the sophisticated scam operation. The indictment describes how Zhi and Prince Group executives allegedly used their ill-gotten gains to buy mansions, luxury yachts, expensive watches, private jets, and even rare artwork, "including a Picasso painting purchased through an auction house in New York."

The gang's operations even took place on U.S. soil, prosecutors claimed. The group reportedly used shell companies and financial institutions located in Brooklyn and Queens, New York to facilitate their schemes and defraud U.S. victims.

If located, arrested, and convicted, Zhi faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Zhi is currently at large, with a sizable amount of his assets in the DOJ's hands. According to a U.S. Treasury Department press release, the Treasury and the UK’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) have also imposed sweeping sanctions against the Prince Group.

In total, officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Justice Department National Security Division filed a civil forfeiture complaint for 127,271 Bitcoin, worth an estimated $15 billion.

Categories: IT General, Technology

IT: Welcome to Derry red band trailer reveals the return of Pennywise

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 21:08

The new red band trailer for HBO's IT: Welcome to Derry has everything fans of Stephen King's It could want. Children heading into sewers! Terrifying visions courtesy of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård)! And so, so, so much blood.

SEE ALSO: Is 'IT: Welcome to Derry' based on Stephen King's book?

Developed by Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, the sibling team behind IT and IT: Chapter Two, the upcoming IT prequel series transports viewers to Derry, Maine in 1962. That's 27 years before the first film takes place, meaning it's perfectly timed to Pennywise's last awakening before the events of IT. (King's novel kicks off in 1957, but the films moved the time period up several decades.)

Based on IT: Welcome to Derry's latest trailer, Pennywise's 1962 feeding cycle will play out similarly to his 1988 cycle. He's going to terrorize a group of Derry children and feed on their "tasty, tasty, beautiful fear." Of course, the Derry children are making his mission easier for him, because they keep going into the sewers where he lives! Given how many times I yelled, "Don't go in there" at this trailer, I can only imagine how many times I'll yell it at the TV during the actual series.

The red band trailer for IT: Welcome to Derry gives a haunting glimpse at the kind of scares that lay in store for Derry's citizens, including a gnarly, zombified take on Uncle Sam. But it's the image of Pennywise's clown form that proves an eternal terror — especially when he unhinges his jaw.

In addition to Skarsgård, IT: Welcome to Derry also stars Jovan Adepo, Taylour Paige, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, and Rudy Mancuso.

IT: Welcome to Derry premieres Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I’ve Been Typing on My Phone Wrong, but This Simple Change Fixed It

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 21:00

Ever since I moved from a larger Android phone to a slightly smaller iPhone, I've been struggling to type the words I mean to type. It seems no matter how hard I try, I keep hitting the keys next to the one I thought I was hitting.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 Are Dead

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 20:44

Today is the day we've been waiting for, as Microsoft has officially ended support for the Office 2016 and Office 2019 suites, standalone apps, and servers. That means if you are still running any of these versions, you won't be getting any more fixes or technical support from Microsoft.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your TV’s ‘AI Picture Mode’ Isn’t as Smart as You Think

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 20:00

Following the explosion in popularity of services like ChatGPT, the term "AI" was suddenly in everything. Much like the dot com boom and bursting bubble, simply adding the word "AI" to your company or product could boost sales and stock prices.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Windows 11 Has a New Way to Find System Settings

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 19:22

A significant feature is making its return to the Windows Copilot app. You can give direct links to the operating system’s Settings. The new capability, officially called "Direct Settings Access," is beginning to roll out to users in all Windows Insider Channels.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Linux Mint Debian Edition 7 Drops Support for Older PCs

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 19:22

The Linux Mint team has announced the arrival of a new Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) release, LMDE 7 with the nickname "Gigi." This full release, following the LMDE 7 beta just over a month ago, is the first in the series to drop 32-bit support. It also updates the LMDE experience to keep up with other Linux Mint releases.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Portugal vs. Hungary online for free

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 19:00

TL;DR: Live stream Portugal vs. Hungary in World Cup qualifiers for free on RTP Play. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Portugal are sitting at the top of Group F in World Cup qualification, having won every game so far. Hungary are second behind Portugal, and now these two sides meet at the Estádio José Alvalade. If Hungary can secure a huge victory away from home, they'll move to just two points behind Roberto Martínez's side.

If you want to watch Portugal vs. Hungary in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Portugal vs. Hungary?

Portugal vs. Hungary in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 7:45 p.m. BST on Oct. 14. This fixture takes place at the Estádio José Alvalade.

How to watch Portugal vs. Hungary for free

Portugal vs. Hungary in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on RTP Play.

RTP Play is geo-restricted to Portugal, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Portugal, meaning you can access free live streams on RTP Play from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream Portugal vs. Hungary for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Portugal

  4. Visit RTP Play

  5. Stream Portugal vs. Hungary for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Portugal vs. Hungary in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for RTP Play?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including Portugal

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Portugal vs. Hungary in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Ultimate Ears Everboom Bluetooth speaker is the cheapest its been since Prime Day

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:58

SAVE $67.49: As of Oct. 14, the Ultimate Ears Everboom portable speaker is on sale for just $202.50 as a Lightning Deal at Amazon. That's a savings of 25% and its best price since Prime Day in July.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Everboom Bluetooth speaker $202.50 at Amazon
$269.99 Save $67.49   Get Deal

If you missed out on the Bluetooth speaker deals during Prime Big Deal Days, this Lightning Deal on the Ultimate Ears Everboom might make up for it.

As of Oct. 14, the Ultimate Ears Everboom portable speaker is on sale for just $202.50 in cobalt blue. That's a savings of 25% and the best price we've seen since Prime Day in July. As a Lightning Deal, it will disappear once all units have been claimed or the deal timer runs out — whichever comes first. In other words, if you're in the market, you may want to grab it ASAP.

We haven't tested the Everboom specifically, but we've spent some time with plenty of other Bluetooth speakers from Ultimate Ears and they're some of our absolute favorites. We love the Hyperboom, Epicboom, and the Wonderboom, in particular. The Everboom falls in between the Wonderboom and the Epicboom in size, making it portable enough for travel and powerful enough for the outdoors. It's fully loaded with two full-range transducers with augmented magnets and two customized passive radiators. Translation: it packs big bass and crisp clarity. There’s also specific EQ modes for every party scenario you can select from in the Boom app and an Outdoor Boost setting for extra oomph.

The battery will last for up to 20 hours and its rugged build will endure just about anything you throw at it. It's dust proof, water proof, drop proof up to one meter and can even float in water. Our only real complaint is the price tag. But fortunately, if you grab the Lightning Deal at Amazon, the price isn't as much of an issue.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 leak points to big redesign

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:48

Samsung evidently went back to the drawing board for its next pair of Galaxy Buds wireless earbuds.

Android Authority spotted some iconography in the latest leaked build of Samsung's upcoming One Ui 8.5 OS update that point to redesigned Galaxy Buds coming potentially in the near future. Specifically, an icon with the file name "list_ic_earbuds_buds4" can be found in the One UI 8.5 build, which shows an illustrated silhouette of a pair of earbuds that Samsung has not actually announced yet. For reference, the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro came out in summer of 2024, so a refresh might be in the cards soon.

SEE ALSO: Samsung TriFold phone: Everything we know

Anyway, the icon shows a wireless earbud with an AirPods-like stem (maintained from previous Galaxy Buds models), though the body of the earbud is angled differently from before. Interestingly, there's also what I assume to be a silicone ear tip, which is something the base Galaxy Buds 3 lacked. The Galaxy Buds Pro had those, so maybe Samsung is bringing some design parity to the next base model of Galaxy Buds.

Aside from that, there's very little to glean from this leak. There's no telling when the next Galaxy Buds will be announced or launched, though the existence of this iconography certainly suggests it's going to happen at some point.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Viral Hinge hack to escape Rose Jail isnt worth it

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:40

Unfortunately, just like everything else, our love lives are at the mercy of algorithms. That's given rise to a cottage industry of dating coaches, forums, and self-proclaimed pickup artists all claiming to know the secret to "hacking dating app algorithms" and finding your soulmate — or at least clearing the goblins and trolls out of your queue.

Hacks for Hinge (and other dating apps) have exploded in popularity as people look for ways to game the app's algorithm to get better matches, and maybe even find a real connection. But some of the so-called tricks circulating right now are… well, kind of dumb.

SEE ALSO: All your Hinge questions, answered

Case in point: the viral "Hinge hack" for women recently covered by The Cut that promises to free hot men from "Rose Jail." (More on what that is below.) The method — credited to LA influencer and lawyer Eve Tilley-Coulson — is supposed to push attractive matches from Hinge's Standouts section into your Discover feed, where you'll see them more often.

What is the viral Hinge hack?

For the uninitiated, Standouts is a feature that Hinge introduced in 2020, curating a small selection of your "best potential matches" and refreshing every 24 hours. To like someone there, you need to use a Rose (Hinge's version of a Super Like). You get one free Rose every Sunday, or you can buy extras for $3.99 each. Users call it "Rose Jail" because you only have one chance per week to like one of the best options for you (according to Hinge's algorithm), or else you have to fork up cash.

However, the profiles in Standouts are grabbed from the same pool as the usual Discover feed, so users curated for the former on Monday may appear in the latter on Tuesday after the refresh.

Now, the hack itself is… complicated, to say the least. According to Tilley-Coulson, in a three-part series on TikTok, you have to delete your account and remake it exactly at noon on Sunday. Once you've rebuilt your profile with photos and prompts, you buy a $29.99 Superboost, which keeps your profile highly visible for 24 hours. Then, this is key: you don't touch the app during that time. For the next week, you reject everyone in both your Standouts and regular feed (it's unclear whether this also means people who've already liked you). Supposedly, this shows the app that you're active but picky, forcing it to serve you better matches.

And just like that — if the TikTok theory is to be believed — you'll be swimming in hot men.

"Hinge is a business. It thus uses all the data you give it about your 'type,' 'patterns' etc. to hide those individuals behind a paywall," Tilley-Coulson told Mashable over email. "Thus, the less information you give Hinge, the more control you have over the individuals you see and are able to match with."

"Hinge limits the people you see and can like without paying...so there is no success without paying something," Tilley-Coulson stated.

A Hinge spokesperson told Mashable that the app prioritizes quality over quantity, saying Hinge aims "for users to experience fewer, but more meaningful, potential matches that lead to real dates."

"With Hinge's algorithm, we leverage deep learning to understand daters on a deeper level and deliver more thoughtful recommendations," the spokesperson continued. "We show you who you are most likely to match with based on predicting mutual interest in each other." Recommendations are based on factors such as who meets your preferences, who meets your "dealbreakers" (preferences that are non-negotiable), and profiles that you like, skip, or match.

Don't waste $30 on this 'hack'

Wanting to game the algorithm to make an already miserable experience slightly better is completely understandable. In recent years, dating apps have become notorious for annoying users into buying in-app purchases. And if the goal here is simply to get a better batch of potential matches, you're better off just paying for one of Hinge's premium tiers — Hinge+ at $19.99 or HingeX at $24.99 for a week. At least then you get unlimited likes and access to all the filters (height, politics, education level, the works). If your goal is to rack up likes, you don't need to spend $30 on a Superboost and waste a week pretending to be ultra-selective.

Having written about dating app "hacks" before — and, embarrassingly, having been on and off these apps for the last decade (I can even be found on Tinder.com's homepage) — I can confidently say you don't need to waste your money trying gimmicks like this. At least when straight guys were "gaymaxxing" the algorithm (pretending to be gay) to get more likes, they didn't have to pay to look like tools.

Even buying a boost and not swiping, so the app can't gauge your preferences, is based on old Tinder hacks from years past.

Hinge's algorithm (and Tinder's and Bumble's, for that matter) isn't some impenetrable black box. A mix of factors determines how you're ranked in other people's queues.

It's well-known that new accounts with fresh numbers on new devices perform better, thanks to the "new user boost" (formerly known as the "noob boost") that these apps provide to hook you early. Thus, part of the hack involves creating a new account to receive the "bump" — and doing so on Sunday at noon, as data shows that activity peaks late in the weekend.

But that effect fades quickly — especially if you reuse an old number or device tied to a deleted account. The apps also use facial recognition to detect repeat users and are heavily influenced by location. From personal experience, I've found that creating an account in a new city nets far more likes than recreating one in a place I've lived before (and yes, I delete and remake my accounts often).

The origin of this hack stems from a common misunderstanding about how Hinge ranks user "attractiveness." The theory borrows from Tinder's old chess-style rating system — the idea that the more likes you get, the higher your internal score climbs, and the more the algorithm pairs you with other high scorers. That's why this hack focuses so heavily on maximizing likes: the logic goes that if the app sees you as more "desirable," it'll start freeing the hot guys from Rose Jail and dropping them into your regular queue.

That rating system has long been "old news," however, according to Tinder. Hinge's algorithm is based on a system of finding optimal pairs that money can't buy (like organ donations), its director of relationship science, Logan Ury, revealed in 2020. An example is, if you have 10 men and 10 women, and you ask one group to rank their top choices, try to match with their first choice. If they get rejected, move to their second choice, and so on, until no one wants to match anymore.

None of the hack's elements is revolutionary, and it also shouldn't cost you money. Could you argue that these dating apps are deliberately blocking your blessings, hiding their so-called "high-value" users to tank your self-esteem and push you toward paid boosts and subscriptions? Yeah, probably. Many people do so online. Are these hacks, for both men and women, just the end result of a situationship culture that's created a paradox of choice? Also, yeah, probably.

But everyone's experience on a dating app is different. Attractiveness is subjective, and what works for one person won't necessarily work for another. And as The Cut rightly points out, even for the women this hack supposedly "worked" for, getting to (and beyond) the first date is the real challenge. One that no $30 Super Boost is ever going to solve.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

UPDATE: Oct. 15, 2025, 4:44 p.m. EDT This article has been updated with comments from Tilley-Coulson.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Live the foldable phone life with the Motorola Razr+ for its lowest price yet

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:31

SAVE $300: As of Oct. 14, get the Motorola Razr+ for $699.99, down from its usual price of $999.99. That's a discount of 30% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Motorola Razr+ $699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300   Get Deal

Looking to buy a new phone? How about going back in time and experiencing your flip phone era again? You can do that with the modern take on the Motorola Razr+, which you can get right now at Amazon for its lowest sale price yet. So if you're not sure you want an iPhone and Samsung's lineup isn't catching you, this is a great alernative.

As of Oct. 14, get the Motorola Razr+ for $699.99, down from its usual price of $999.99 That's $300 off and a discount of 30%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: I relived my high school days and used the Motorola Razr+ for a week

The 2025 Razr+ is a sleek device that boasts a compact flip design that's IP48 water resistant, has a titanium-reinforced hinge, and an internal and external display that might just change the way you use your phone. You can stay on the outside of your phone to text, make calls, and even take pictures before ever opening it up into what is essentially a "typical" smartphone. It does all this and more, and is especially snappy thanks to its Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor.

With a 4000mAh battery it has all-day battery life with 45W TurboPower charging to top you back up when you're running low, so you don't have to sit around and wait for your phone to have enough juice for the day. And the glossy exterior is colorful with textured backing so it doesn't slip out of your fingers.

Mashable's RJ Andersen took the phone for a spin and awarded it a 4.3 out of 5, praising it for being "super convenient and pocket friendly" and appreciating its "upgraded external screen".

"For casual users — or diehard fans of foldable phones — it’s definitely worth considering. Retailing at $999 (and frequently on sale), it’s definitely a better phone than any of its predecessors, enough so that it feels like a worthy opponent to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5," wrote Andersen.

Pick up yours now if you're looking to either make a change to a new phone or upgrade your old Razr.

Categories: IT General, Technology

What Makes BMW’s Most Affordable Crossover a Hidden Gem

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:30

BMW’s most affordable crossover may not grab headlines like its larger, more powerful siblings, but it’s quietly one of the smartest buys in the luxury segment. It delivers the premium feel and driving dynamics BMW is known for, just in a more compact, efficient, and accessible package.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Bluetti Elite 30 v2 portable power station that comes in awesome colorways is down to a record-low at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:27

SAVE $100: The Bluetti Elite 30 v2 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $199 in select colorways, down from the standard price of $299. That's a 33% discount and the lowest we've ever seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 30 v2 $199 at Amazon
$299 Save $100   Get Deal

A portable power station is awesome in so many situations. It can keep your phone, laptop, and WiFi router going during a power outage at home. It's also a must-pack for camping trips. But it's a hard stretch to say a portable power station is a fun device. Sure, they're absolutely useful but they're box-shaped and come in black and greys. Bluetti, however, it changing the game and if you like fun colorways, check out this deal.

As of Oct. 14, the Bluetti Elite 30 v2 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $199 in select colorways including pink, green, and purple. That's down from the standard price of $299 which takes $100 off the normal price from the 33% discount. This is the lowest (and first) discount we've seen on this new model from Bluetti.

Some portable power stations are designed to keep big appliances going like a window AC or the refrigerator. Others, like the Bluetti Elite 30 v2, are perfect for smaller gadgets like your phone and laptop, providing 228Wh of capacity. And while the majority of portable power station are bland, Bluetti introduced great colorways with the Elite 30 v2.

SEE ALSO: The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 just dropped to a record-low price at Amazon

This compact portable power station is easy to carry around the house or the campground since it weighs under 10 pounds and has a built-in handle. It comes with versatile port options including two AC outlets, two USB-C, and two USB-A.

In real-life scenarios, Bluetti says the 228Wh can keep a fan going for over 16 hours or recharge a phone 16 times. If you plan to use it at home during a power outage, it'll keep the WiFi router online for almost 15 hours.

While it's down to a all-time low price, snag the colorful Bluetti Elite 30 v2. It'll be perfect for winter storms and summer camping.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 Netflix Movies You Need to Watch This Week (October 13 - 19)

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:27

I'm fond of going to the theater and soaking up the big-screen experience, but there's also much to be said for staying in and enjoying a movie in the comfort of your own home. That's one of the reasons I subscribe to Netflix, as the streaming service offers a great catalog.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Firefox 144 Arrives With New Tab Features, Profile Management, and More

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:21

Mozilla Firefox receives major updates roughly every four weeks, giving the web browser a steady stream of bug fixes, new features, and security enhancements. Firefox 144 has now arrived with new options for tabs and profiles, a Google Lens shortcut, and other improvements.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Dyson V12 Detect Slim on sale: Get the best Dyson vacuum for most people for $399.99

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:12

SAVE $330: As of Oct. 14, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim cordless stick vacuum is on sale for $399.99 at Walmart. That matches its Black Friday price from 2024 and also beats the $429.99 sale price seen at Walmart's anti-Prime Big Deal Days sale last week.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V12 Detect Slim $399.99 at Walmart
$729.99 Save $330   Get Deal

After an October Prime Day filled with less-than-thrilling Dyson deals, Walmart is quietly going Black Friday mode — with the best Dyson vacuum for most people, at least. As of Oct. 14, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is on sale for $399.99 at Walmart (and Dyson's website), matching record-low pricing from Black Friday 2024. Last week, during Walmart's anti-Prime Big Deal Days sale, this same vacuum was $429.99. Hey, $30 is $30.

The V12 Detect Slim's $399.99 sale price looks even sweeter when plopped next to the $349.99 sale price seen on the Dyson V8. Everyone thinks of the V8 as the go-to budget Dyson vac, but I'd argue that such a title is more deserved by the V12 Detect Slim when that negligible extra $50 gets you 150 Air Watts of suction power versus the V8's 115 AW, and of course, the laser. Dyson's green laser lights up more than the path ahead, like the LED bulb on a Shark stick vacuum does. The laser also lights up all of the invisible dust, pet dander, kitty litter, and hair that have accumulate without you noticing. I test new robot vacuums every single month, and use my V12 Detect Slim laser to check their work on every hard floor my apartment.

SEE ALSO: Will the laser-equipped Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai solve Dyson's robot vacuum problem?

Once you get over how quickly your floors get gross in between vacuum days, using the V12 Detect Slim legitimately turns into some weird adult version of a game — "just two more minutes," you say to the rest of your household who is begging you to stop vacuuming at 11 p.m. If any cordless vacuum cleaner is going to convince someone to buy a manual vacuum over a robot vacuum, it's this one.

The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is a joy to use past the laser. Weighing just over five pounds, it's the most lightweight stick vacuum I've ever tried, and is super easy to grab and zip around. It won't be the slimmest Dyson vacuum anymore when the new Dyson PencilVac comes out in 2026, but you can definitely expect the PencilVac to cost considerably more than this $399.99 sale price.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Therabody introduces new, budget-friendlier LED face mask

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:08

Therabody announced four new products on Oct. 14, and among them is the TheraFace Mask Glo. This is the brand's second foray into red light LED face masks, and it comes at a more affordable price point than the original TheraFace Mask.

Where to buy TheraFace Mask Glo TheraFace Mask Glo $379.99 at Therabody Shop Now TheraFace Mask Glo $379.99 at Nordstrom Shop Now

The TheraFace Mask Glo retails for $379.99 and is available now. It features 504 red, red plus infrared, and blue LED lights to target wrinkles, acne, and skin elasticity. Treatments range from four to 12 minutes, and you can choose if you want the full cycle or just specific light colors. When used regularly, the TheraFace Mask Glo should visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles, firm skin, and even skin texture in as little as eight weeks.

Choose your treatment to target different skin ailments. Credit: Therabody

In addition to LED light therapy, the mask has vibrating technology in the head strap for a gentle scalp massage. The original TheraFace Mask has vibrating plates on the face mask itself for a full head massage, so that's what you're missing out on in the more affordable version.

I tested the OG TheraFace Mask, and my big hold-up with it was its $650 price. So, I'm excited to see Therabody offer a more budget-friendly LED treatment without skimping on features. I saw improvements in my skin after using the TheraFace Mask, and it's still a staple in my skincare routine (I even gave it a Mashable Choice Award).

SEE ALSO: TheraFace PRO is the ultimate 'it girl' skincare tool

Therabody differs from other LED masks in its design. The mask is one solid sheet with only eye holes — Shark's CryoGlow and CurrentBody's Skin both have nose and mouth cutouts — so it targets the entire face. It's also totally cordless and doesn't require a remote. Instead, a button on the side of the mask triggers and controls the treatments.

Along with the TheraFace Mask Glo, Therabody introduced the Theragun Mini Plus, Theragun Sense (2nd Gen), and Theragun Prime (6th Gen). All of the new products are available now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Python 3.15 Gets Its First Alpha Build: Here's What's New

How-To Geek - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:07

The release of Python 3.15.0 alpha 1 on GitHub marks the beginning of the official preview and testing phase for the next feature version of the language. This alpha release gives the first look at the new changes that will make the language faster and much easier to work with.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 5 best portable power stations to stay charged up at home and on the go

Mashable - Tue, 10/14/2025 - 18:01

By now, you’ve probably heard that a portable power station is the new must-have item. Unlike plenty of new tech, power stations are, in fact, useful for almost every home. Essentially, they’re a large, reliable battery that’ll keep your gadgets and even appliances operating without standard wall power.

Portable power stations are great to take camping, on van adventures, out on content creator assignments, or to the worksite. If you live in an area that’s prone to power outages, a portable power station can keep your phone charged, your CPAP machine on while sleeping, and some can even power the refrigerator, so you won’t have to worry about food spoilage. 

Portable power stations come in tons of varieties. Some are great for camping, while others weigh hundreds of pounds, powering up an entire house, and really push the limit of what we could consider portable. The market has seen serious expansion in the last few years, and we have tons of great models to choose from these days, so you're allowed to be as picky as you’d like in terms of power provided, port options, and nice extras. Here are Mashable’s favorite portable power stations.

Categories: IT General, Technology
Syndicate content

eXTReMe Tracker