Blogroll
The Toyota hybrid that makes the Kia Telluride hard to justify
Hyundai and Kia basically struck gold with two SUVs that families can’t seem to stop buying. The Palisade leans into the more polished, comfortable, almost upscale vibe, while the Telluride has always played the slightly cooler, more aggressive sibling.
Is Reddit down? Why Reddit is not showing images, saying ‘no internet connection’
Reddit services are disrupted, and the company says it has identified the problem and is working on a fix.
According to Reddit's status page, the platform began investigating elevated site errors and issues accessing media around 1:39 p.m. ET Monday.
By 2:06 p.m. ET, Reddit confirmed it had identified the issue, warning users they may encounter errors and general loading issues across feeds, posts, and search in the meantime. Recently uploaded images and videos are also affected and may not appear as expected. Desktop web, mobile web, and native mobile apps are all showing degraded performance.
The most commonly reported issues are app-related, followed by website problems, and then feed and timeline issues, according to DownDetecto (formerly owned by Mashable's parent company, Ziff Davis).
No timetable has been given for a full resolution. We'll update this story as more information becomes available.
How to watch Google I/O 2026
Google I/O 2026 kicks off tomorrow, May 19, and you won't need a ticket to catch any of it. The entire two-day event is livestreamed, and you can register to watch for free at io.google/2026.
How to watch Google I/O 2026The main Google keynote starts at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m ET on May 19. The focus will be big-picture announcements, product reveals, and whatever CEO Sundar Pichai wants the world to walk away talking about (mostly Gemini, Google's AI product). You can find an embed to the YouTube stream of the keynote below:
In addition, our sister site CNET will be hosting a Google I/O live viewing party, also on YouTube, with live updates from reporters on the ground in Mountain View, California and a pre- and post-show. You can also ask questions and participate in the live chat.
A developer-focused keynote follows the same day at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m ET, which tends to get into the weeds on APIs, tools, and what's actually coming for builders. From there, breakout sessions run through May 20, covering Google AI, Android, Chrome, and cloud infrastructure, including one billed around agent-first workflows.
Based on everything that's leaked and quietly rolled out in the days leading up to the show — new Gemini Live models, a mysterious video generation tool called Gemini Omni, expanded thinking controls, and fresh third-party app integrations — Gemini is going to be at the center of almost everything. The smart glasses situation should get some stage time, too.
3 exciting Netflix thrillers to watch this week (May 18-24)
Netflix has a new animated champion in Swapped. The body-swap comedy starring Michael B. Jordan set the single-week viewing record for a Netflix animated original with 38.7 million views during the May 4-10 period. While it won't reach the heights of KPop Demon Hunters, Swapped is a win for Netflix and its animated slate.
The forgotten network setting making your internet feel slow
The worst thing about internet issues is that they can be caused by any number of reasons. That makes troubleshooting so very tedious.
5 high-stakes Prime Video movies to watch this week (May 18 - May 24)
As summer approaches, so does the excitement of watching thrilling movies that are fast-paced, easy to binge, and widely appealing. From pulse-pounding thrillers to emotionally charged dramas, exhilarating high-stakes storytelling thrives on conflict, risk, and consequence, and that’s the sandbox we’re playing in this week.
Why old Craftsman tools refuse to die
Craftsman used to have tools that could survive decades of heavy abuse, and you feel that durability the moment you pick them up. If you buy basic modern hand tools from a big box store, you already know they lack that heavy feel. They have shiny finishes and high-tooth ratchets, but the computer designs trim weight to save on manufacturing costs, leading to weak steel that breaks under pressure.
5 new movies to watch this week across Netflix, Hulu, and more (May 18-24)
With all due respect to the new movies added on streaming last week, this week's selections blow last week's additions out of the water. Lurker on HBO Max and The Crash on Netflix were definitely highlights. However, this week is so good that those two might not have made the cut.
Google Gemini app to get deeper thinking and more third-party app support, report says
According to 9to5Google, the Gemini app is already rolling out a new "Thinking level" option for some users, letting them choose between Standard and Extended reasoning modes when using Gemini 3 Flash or Gemini 3.1 Pro.
The Extended setting, the outlet notes, is designed for more complex topics that benefit from additional processing time — a consumer-facing version of the thinking level controls Google AI Studio already offers developers. Gemini is also expanding its roster of third-party apps. GitHub, OpenStax, Spotify, and WhatsApp are already supported, but 9to5Google found support documentation pointing to the additions of Canva, Instacart, and OpenTable.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!
SEE ALSO: What to expect from Google I/O 2026: Gemini news, Android XR glassesThe Canva integration would let users generate and edit designs directly through Gemini prompts, while Instacart support would allow users to add ingredients to a shopping cart from a recipe link or a simple list. OpenTable would bring restaurant search, booking, and reservation management into the chat window — including the ability to hand off a confirmed reservation directly to Google Calendar.
None of the three new integrations has rolled out yet, per the report. However, the timing is notable given that Google's I/O developer conference is literally a day away.
Perhaps the rollout marks the start of Google transitioning Gemini AI toward an agentic AI rather than a simple chatbot.
Don't pay for multi-gig internet. Fix your LAN instead.
We’ve had multi-gig networking for several years now, but where does it actually make sense? I think that multi-gig internet is a waste of money, as most servers can’t serve you files at those speeds anyway. However, a multi-gig LAN absolutely changed how I use my homelab.
Lanterns trailer promises jade DC action with Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler
It's Green Lantern but not as fans know it, with a new teaser dropped for Lanterns on Monday. Based on the DC Comics and created by Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindelof, the HBO series is one of the TV shows to look forward to this summer.
Aaron Pierre leads as new Lantern Corps recruit John Stewart, who is tasked with solving a strange murder in Nebraska alongside veteran Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler). That's right, the Green Lanterns aren't cruising around the galaxy this time, instead brought right down to Earth. But all the same, they're equipped with those all important powerful rings, dubbed by Hal as "the greatest weapon in the universe," along with their signature verdant light sources.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favourite creator today.
The cast is massive for this one, with Kelly Macdonald, Nathan Fillion, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, Sherman Augustus, Chris Coy, Paul Ben-Victor, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Cary Christopher, and Jasmine Cephas Jones starring.
What are those heartbeats on Hinge?
Hinge users may have noticed something subtle next to a potential date's profile: a tiny purple heart next to their name.
Hinge's new Signals feature. Credit: HingeYour eyes don't deceive you. This is a new feature called Signals, and it's currently in testing, according to a page on Hinge's Help Center. The badge indicates that the user demonstrates thoughtfulness and follow-through.
SEE ALSO: Hinge's latest feature makes date planning a little easierUsers can't buy a Signals badge. It's based on baseline requirements:
A complete profile (with photos and prompt responses)
The user's profile must be in good standing, meaning they follow Hinge's Community Guidelines
The profile must be over a week old
Completed selfie verification
If any of these aren't checked off, your profile won't have a Signals heart. Additionally, users must exhibit three of five behaviors Hinge calls "Thoughtful Participation," all of which involve actively engaging with other profiles.
These behaviors include sending comments when Liking, actually sending messages to matches, and confirming a date. Hinge also considers "looking before liking" a thoughtfulness factor: reading prompts, and scrolling past the first photo before sending a Like, suggesting that Hinge can detect all these behaviors. Reviewing one's Likes and matching or skipping (instead of leaving folks in limbo) is another point of thoughtfulness.
Credit: Hinge Credit: Hinge"With Signals, we are testing a new feature that would make it easier for your small but meaningful actions to stand out to people viewing your profile," Hinge's chief product and technology officer, Ben Celebicic, said in an emailed statement to Mashable. "It's based on the behaviors daters have told us matter to them, like taking time to notice the small details on a profile or keeping the conversation going."
Signals is dynamic and based on activities over the last 30 days on the app. It refreshes daily, but doesn't reflect real-time activity. The Help Center page states that the heart reflects in-app patterns only; it's not a background check or ID verification (other than requiring selfie verification), and it also doesn't guarantee how someone will act with you.
Recent Hinge features typically nudge users towards better behavior, like Date Ideas for actually figuring out what to do on a first date, and Conversation Starters so singles aren't hit with the dreaded "hey" message.
Microsoft Teams won’t put everyone in a virtual room anymore — no more Together-ness
Microsoft Teams is losing a feature that was launched back when many people were working remotely during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Microsoft, the company is saying "goodbye" to Together mode in Microsoft teams and "moving to a simpler layout experience."
For those unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams, it's a cloud-based communication and collaboration platform that many businesses use as its part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Along with messaging and file sharing features, Microsoft Teams also provides Zoom-like video conferencing.
In the summer of 2020, when remote work was at all-time highs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Microsoft rolled out Together mode in order to help users "feel like you're sitting in the same room with everyone else in the meeting or class." The feature basically removed the background for every user on a video meeting and put them in a virtual room. Basically, the feature gave everyone a shared background so it looked like they were in the same space.
An example of Together mode that Microsoft provided when the feature was first introduced in July 2020 can be seen in the image at the top of the article.
Microsoft says it's removing Together mode for a few reasons. The company says it "increases cognitive load for users," "fragments the meeting experience across desktop, web, mobile, and Teams Rooms," and "adds implementation complexity across platforms."
"Today, the core need Together mode was designed to support, namely seeing the people who matter in a meeting, can now be fully met by the modern Gallery view, which can display up to 49 participants at once," Microsoft said in its announcement.
Microsoft Teams will now focus on Gallery mode as the view option in video conferencing. This is the traditional boxed view in video meetings, popularized by Zoom. Microsoft says doing so will "simplify the meeting interface," "deliver higher and more stable video quality across meetings," and "free up service capacity that can be reinvested into foundational video improvements."
Microsoft said it's also removing scenes and custom scenes, including seat assignments, along with Together mode in Microsoft Teams as well.
I wanted to love Gemini in Android Auto, but these 5 failures make it impossible
I love Gemini in Android Auto; there are so many times it is better than the old Assistant. However, there are too many issues Google did not solve before putting it in cars. It's as if the company wanted to put it in cars before making sure everything worked. Some things make me really wish I could go back to Google Assistant, especially when I need a true assistant, and not just a conversation partner. I handle most things from my phone before driving off, so I don't need the extra help on the road.
Older Kindles lose support this week: What you can still do with them
If you've been using a trusty Kindle device for the past 15 years, this week might be tough for some of you.
In case you hadn't heard, Amazon announced recently that it is ending support for many older Kindle models on May 20. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to stop using the device entirely, but it does mean you need to be prepared for what comes next. Here is all the info you need for the old Kindle shutdown this week, including what you can still do with the device once it happens.
SEE ALSO: Durobo's Krono e-reader is the perfect palm-sized e-reader — and a great Kindle and Kobo alternative Amazon Kindle shutdown: What you can still doFor starters, it would be good to know exactly which devices are being affected this week:
Kindle (1st generation)
Kindle (2nd generation)
Kindle DX
Kindle DX Graphite
Kindle Keyboard
Kindle 4
Kindle Touch
Kindle 5
Kindle Paperwhite (1st generation)
Kindle Fire (1st generation)
Kindle Fire (2nd generation)
Kindle Fire HD 7
Kindle Fire HD 8.9
In other words, basically every Kindle released before 2013 is included in the list. As I said, this will mostly apply to people who have been hanging onto the same device for a decade and a half.
Anyway, let's talk about what "ending support" means in this context. According to Amazon, all of the Kindle models listed above "will no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download new content via the Kindle Store." They'll still turn on, and you can still use them to read books already installed on the device, but you will no longer be able to purchase or download new ones directly from the Kindle Store.
As for what you can do from here, there are a few options. Your first option is to just download as many books as you possibly can on the device in advance of this coming Wednesday, and live with the fact that those are the only books you can have on that particular Kindle.
Some users are finding ways to sideload books or jailbreak their devices, according to PCMag, though it's important to note that doing so almost certainly violates Amazon's terms of service.
If none of those options sound particularly appealing, your last and best bet will be to check out our list of the best e-readers of 2026 so far and purchase a new one. Spending money on a new e-reader isn't especially fun, but Amazon has sorta backed old Kindle owners into a corner here.
You don't need a new router to use 2.5GbE on your NAS
While multi-gig WAN (wide area network, your connection to the outside world) sounds great, it’s entirely unnecessary right now, at least, for getting multi-gig speeds on your LAN. A LAN is a local area network, and you can easily achieve multi-gig speeds using various other methods instead of replacing your router. In fact, replacing your router is the most expensive way to achieve 2.5GbE speeds on your LAN.
Your Raspberry Pi is a better Plex server than you think (but change these 3 settings)
A Raspberry Pi is a decent self-hosting server if you're careful about what services you host. Unfortunately, Plex's default settings tend to be too much for even a Raspberry Pi 5 to handle.
Samsung Browser is finally on Windows–here's 5 reasons I'm using it instead of Google Chrome
Most people pick a browser once and never think about it again, which is how Chrome ends up with a hundred extensions, a cluttered toolbar, and a memory footprint that slows everything down. Samsung Browser on Windows is worth a serious look at because the integration between the two is genuinely useful in ways that go beyond basic bookmark syncing. Samsung Browser left Galaxy phones, and I'm so happy about it.
3 smart home upgrades you can make with a $24 Arduino board
Fancy taking on some at-home projects to create smart gadgets without splashing too much cash? Here are 3 upgrades you can make to your tech to create a smart home, while only spending $24 on an Arduino board.
6 simple Excel automations you can do in under 5 minutes
Excel automation doesn't have to mean writing macros or learning VBA. With a few built-in tools, you can make formulas expand automatically, clean up messy data, and speed through repetitive tasks in minutes. These simple tricks put your spreadsheets on autopilot.


