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Sometimes you encounter a technical issue on an iPhone that makes you chuckle more than anything else.

That's what's currently happening to some photos in the iOS Photos app, per 9to5mac. Various reports on places like Reddit have confirmed that some photos originally snapped on Android phones are showing up with a horrifying red filter applied to them when you look at them in the Photos app. You won't see the filter until you tap on the image, for some reason, so you can't tell that something is wrong from the thumbnail.

SEE ALSO: Android now lets you share live video on emergency calls

It's seemingly not yet known how this is happening, but the good news is that there's an easy fix. According to 9to5mac, just open an affected photo, hit the Edit button, and then hit Revert. That should remove the red filter. Again, this apparently only applies to photos taken on Android phones and saved to iPhones for whatever reason, so you may not even have any of these in your library. I certainly couldn't find any in mine.

At any rate, this is more goofy than problematic. Just make sure you fix any affected photos before sharing them with someone else.

The UK government wants tech giants like Apple and Google to block nude photographs if there is no age verification from the user.

The Financial Times reported (via 9to5 Mac) on the new policy from the British government, which will reportedly ask both Google and Apple to block users on iOS and Android devices from both sharing and accessing nude photos sans age verification.

Age verification is a major issue in the tech world right now, and tech giants like Meta are actively lobbying for regulations that require Google and Apple to take responsibility for this process.

Wrote the Financial Times:

"Ministers want the likes of Apple and Google to incorporate nudity-detection algorithms into their device operating systems to prevent users taking photos or sharing images of genitalia unless they are verified as adults […]

[Additionally,] the Home Office wants to see operating systems that prevent any nudity being displayed on screen unless the user has verified they are an adult through methods such as biometric checks or official ID."

The UK government, at least for the time being, will not require this of devices sold in Britain but rather encourage it of the tech companies, noted Apple-focused site MacRumors.

Mashable has regularly covered the rapid spread of age-verification laws. While these policies may stem from the desire to protect kids, experts say they often prove ineffective while raising serious privacy concerns. Though, as Mashable's Anna Iovine reported, device-level filters might be the most ethical and effective way of enforcing age restrictions.

I have a lot of Windows PCs in my life. Some are dedicated to work, others run media servers around the house, and one of my favorites is an old machine I turned into a retro gaming arcade cabinet. When you manage that many systems, you end up collecting all kinds of utilities over the years. My toolbox is full of apps for repairs, maintenance, diagnostics, and the usual experiments that come with being a lifelong tinkerer.

There is something beautifully ironic about creating an AI companion that looks almost identical to a Tribble.

The iconic alien from Star Trek made its television debut in the 1967 episode "The Trouble with Tribbles," in which these tiny, fluffy balls quickly turned from "adorable alien that purrs" into "really annoying invasive nuisance."

Nearly six decades later, enter: the Fuzozo. This AI emotional companion that looks remarkably similar to the Star Trek alien is debuting at CES 2026. The Fuzozo recognizes its owner and responds when the owner talks to it. It purrs when you pet it, moves closer to you when you're sitting on the couch, and waits for you by the door when you're gone. One review of the previous model says it "feels alive."

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According to Forbes, agentic and physical AI, like the Fuzozo, is a potential multi-trillion-dollar industry, so it's no surprise that the emotional companion is going to be a highly anticipated drop at the upcoming CES. Oftentimes, AI companions are stuck in a users' home, because without WiFi, they're effectively useless.

"True companionship should follow you everywhere," reads a press release from Tuya Smart, which launched the companion along with Robopoet. "The golden era of AI companions will arrive when they become as always connected and mobile as your smartphone."

The Fuzozo isn't the only, or first, AI companion to pull from mobile connections. The much-disputed AI companion and wearable called "Friend" also works off of an internet connection via your phone's WiFi or cellular data to function. This seems to me like a combination of the Friend and a Labubu.

"We chose to partner with Tuya Smart on the cellular edition of Fuzozo because of Tuya's robust global cloud service capabilities, which ensure stable, seamless emotional companionship," Joe Sun, the CEO of Robopoet, said in the press release. "This partnership enables us to concentrate on advancing core innovations in emotional interaction and delivering distinctive AI companion experience to users around the world."

An image in the press release shows a partial look at the new generation of Fuzozo AI companions.

Credit: Tuya Smart / Robopoet

SAVE $61.99: As of Dec. 15, the Sony WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones are down to just $398 at Amazon. That's a 13% drop from their usual list price and matches their Black Friday price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones $398 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $61.99   Get Deal

When Sony dropped its newest WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones earlier this year, we were a little disappointed in the price increase over their predecessor. Though Mashable's tech editor Timothy Beck Werth believes the steep cost is mostly justified by their robust specs, we definitely appreciate a solid discount.

As of Dec. 15, the Sony WH-1000XM6s are back down to just $398 instead of their usual list price of $459.99. That's $61.99 or 13% in savings and matches the record-low Black Friday deal we saw on the headphones.

Sure, that's still a lot of dough to drop on a pair of headphones, but they are wildly impressive. They're our top pick for sound quality amongst all brands of headphones, and our reviewer says they "elevate wireless audio to heights that no other rival has yet to match." Our shopping team has tested a ton of headphones and found that the XM6s sound great right out of the box, though with fine-tuning on the equalizer they somehow sound even better.

Beyond sound quality, they also offer phenomenal noise cancellation, a comfortable fit, and a travel-friendly folding design (unlike the XM5s). The battery life is the same as their predecessor, but that's not a bad thing necessarily. 30 hours is pretty dang solid. If you need some influencing, check out our full review of the 2025 Sony flagship headphones.

The XM6s are in a league of their own, but if you can't fathom spending that much on a pair of headphones — even when they're on sale — the XM5s are still a great option as well.

SAVE $92.89: The Meta Quest 3 (512GB) is on sale at Amazon for $407.10, down from the usual price of $499.99. That's 19% discount and it comes with a free $100 digital credit with code QUEST30.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Meta Quest 3 (512GB) $407.10 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $92.89 use code QUEST30 at checkout to get a free $100 digital credit Get Deal

Tis the season to go big. Whether you're shopping for the ultimate holiday gift or looking for an end-of-the-year present for yourself, there are some great deals out there. Some of these extend to items that might ordinarily be out of price range but have become much more reasonable thanks to a special sale. If you've always wanted to dive into the world of virtual reality, this could be your shot.

As of Dec. 15, the Meta Quest 3 (512GB) is on sale at Amazon for $407.10, marked down from the usual price of $499.99. That works out to a savings of $92.89 from a 19% discount. But even more exciting is that you can enter code QUEST30 at checkout to get a free $100 digital Amazon credit.

Maybe you were holding out with early models, but the Meta Quest 3 is said to have a 30% sharper resolution. Pair this with the ample 512GB of storage and 8GB RAM, and we're in line for epic gaming. The VR headset also comes with free access to Meta Horizon+ for three months which gives access to over 40 games with new drops each month.

SEE ALSO: Get the Bose Ultra open-ear earbuds for under $200 at Best Buy

The Meta Quest 3 is designed with a lightweight and slim design and it has bragging rights of using two RGB cameras which helps virtual objects blend into your physical space. In Kimberly Gedeon's Mashable review of the Meta Quest 3, battery life came up as one of the only negatives. In testing, it only stayed powered up for about an hour and 20 minutes. While that's not super impressive, maybe it's a nice time limit on a gaming session.

If you've been on the fence about investing in the Meta Quest 3, the nearly $100 discount could be your sign. On top of this, checkout code QUEST30 earns you a free $100 Amazon digital credit. Since Amazon is noting this is a limited-time deal, it's best to jump on this one quickly.

KolibriOS is an open-source project that brings you an entire operating system in just over a megabyte. The operating system has a graphical interface and lots of neat utilities and games. Let's boot into it.

Are you weighing buying a new car or more RAM for your NAS? Maybe not, but it feels like it these days. Your NAS likely needs less RAM than you think it does—here’s how to figure out just how much RAM your NAS actually needs.

Have you noticed that you're getting better at using Linux? Everyone learns at their own pace, but if you've been using Linux for a while, here are the five signs that prove you're starting to become an advanced user.

The holiday season brings a festive dose of gift-giving, party hosting, and much-needed vacations. If you are traveling at the end of the year or around New Year's, I recommend getting on board with my obsession: real-time flight tracking.

If your Christmas present this year is watching Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2 right when it drops, you're in luck. Netflix has dropped a trailer for the show's next three episodes, making for a pre-Christmas gift you can watch (and theorize over) for the next 10 days.

The trailer picks up in the aftermath of Vecna's (Jamie Campbell Bower) attack on the Hawkins MAC-Z. Despite Will (Noah Schnapp) going full sorcerer on a Demogorgon army and saving his friends' lives, our Hawkins heroes still failed to rescue the children Vecna planned to kidnap. Now, they're trapped in Vecna's lair, and their minds will be stuck in his mindscape alongside Max (Sadie Sink) and Holly (Nell Fisher).

SEE ALSO: 11 burning questions we have for 'Stranger Things' Season 5, Volume 2

Obviously, this failure is demoralizing for everyone involved. But will the Hawkins crew give up? Never! On top of Will's new powers, the squad also has Eleven's (Millie Bobby Brown) sister Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) on their side. Plus, based on the trailer, it looks like Max and Holly will be making a mad dash to escape the Camazotz-esque prison of Vecna's mind. With their escape on the horizon, things could be looking up. Right?

Well, trust the Duffer Brothers to throw more curveballs at us. Case in point: the massive ball of roiling red energy Steve (Joe Keery) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) discover in the Upside Down. What new fresh hell is this? Notably, the trailer also teases a much-needed reconciliation between these two. Steve and Dustin have been at odds since the start of the season, with Eddie's (Joseph Quinn) death hanging heavy between them. However, that reconciliation also resurrects one of the best Steve and Dustin exchanges from the show: Season 3's, "I die, you die."

Look, I get where the two are coming from, as they're surely about to embark on some perilous mission. But hear me out: How about neither of you die? Sound good? Great, glad we're all on the same page.

Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. Volume 2 premieres Dec. 25, and the series finale premieres Dec. 31, both at 8 p.m. ET.

Are you staring at the Linux Mint download page wondering which edition to choose? Do terms like Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE feel confusing? Here are the honest pros and cons of each desktop environment so you can choose confidently.

SAVE $30: As of Dec. 15, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select is back down to its $9.99 Black Friday price when you use the coupon code HOLFTV4K at checkout. That's $30 or 75% off its list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $9.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $30 with coupon code HOLFTV4K Get Deal

If you missed out on the best streaming device deal from Black Friday, it's back, baby.

As of Dec. 15, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select is back down to just $9.99 when you use the coupon code HOLFTV4K at checkout. That's $30 or 75% off its list price. We saw this deal pop up a few times during Cyber Week and disappear just as fast, but it still managed to become one of Mashable readers' top buys on Black Friday. If there's a streaming stick on your shopping list, we suggest grabbing it ASAP as the code is fleeting.

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The newest streaming stick in the Fire TV lineup and also the most affordable 4K option, the 4K Select offers vibrant 4K quality with HDR10+ support and an ultra-responsive and fast new operating system called Vega. We haven't tested it yet ourselves, but we weren't thrilled with the old operating system, so we're totally on board with the upgrade. The plug-and-play design mirrors all other Fire TV Sticks and it will instantly put all of your favorite apps in one place — with Prime Video at the forefront, of course. It offers support for Xbox Game Pass, Amazon Luna, NordVPN, and IPVanish, and Alexa+ and Amazon Kids+ are also coming soon.

It doesn't offer Dolby Atmos or Vision and it can't turn your TV into an art TV like the 4K Max, but for everyday streaming, it's a pretty hard deal to beat for 10 bucks.

People buy Apple products for many reasons, but they stick around because of the ecosystem. Thing is, Android has an ecosystem that is just as complete and just as good. One could even say there is a vast galaxy of Android-powered Samsung devices that provide the same kind of integration we've come to expect from Apple products.

Paramount+ subscribers are almost spoiled for choice when it comes to its library of crowd-pleasing blockbusters. For this week, and since we're edging closer to the holidays, I've been in the mood for huge popcorn flicks that are easy to watch.

I’ve been using iTerm2 ever since I discovered there was a better alternative to macOS’s built-in Terminal.app. But I didn’t pay it much mind beyond that: after all, if it ain’t broke...

As we inch closer and closer to the big day of presents—I mean, family, love, togetherness, and all that good stuff—we also inch closer to more time off to do what we entertainment nerds love to do most, which is consume. This week, we’re taking in a mouthful, so be sure to work up an appetite.

BEST PRICE: As of Dec. 15, the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Play Booster Box is on sale for $124.99 on Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Magic: The Gathering Store Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Play Booster Box $124.99 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $84.71   Get Deal

The trading card market is still absolutely wild. We're really trying to stay on top of the Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering situation as we creep towards Christmas, but tracking stock, prices, and availability is not easy. It's incredibly tough for fans to secure a good price these days, so we're doing what we can to help you out.

We know that Amazon doesn't generally offer the best prices for sealed product, but we also know that a lot of buyers appreciate the convenience and speed that comes with the retailer. That being said, we should flag that the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Play Booster Box has hit a new low price at Amazon.

As of Dec. 15, the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Play Booster Box is on sale for $124.99 on Amazon. That's over $80 off the list price on Amazon.

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This popular set contains 30 Play Boosters, each with 14 cards and at least one shiny Traditional Foil card and 1–4 cards of rarity "Rare" or higher. Feeling lucky? There's a chance you could also get special cards featuring beautiful borderless alternate art. The chances are obviously slim, but never say never.

Get the best-ever price on the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Play Booster Box at Amazon.

TL;DR: Ben & Jerry's is launching Ice Cream Bars. More than 150 Scoop Shops are handing out free Cookie Dough bars on Dec. 17.

We're coming at you with a double dose of good news.

First, you should know that Ben & Jerry's is officially launching Ice Cream Bars. This exciting new product line features five delicious flavors arriving as soon as January 2026. We're getting Cookie Dough, Strawberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Peanut Butter Pretzel, and Caramel Blondie in handy-on-the-go-bars. What a time to be alive.

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But that's not all. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Ben & Jerry's is hosting some huge giveaways. On Dec. 13, the Droppin' Bars event in Venice Beach provides an awesome opportunity for fans to get the very first free try of the Ice Cream Bars. Then on Dec. 17, over 150 participating Scoop Shops nationwide will be handing out free Cookie Dough bars (while supplies last).

Over 20,000 of these new bars are being given away in total. Get to your nearest location nice and early to avoid missing out.

Free ice cream simply cannot be ignored. Find participating locations and further info here.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box is on sale for $69.81 at Amazon. That's 12% off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box $69.81 at Amazon
$78.99 Save $9.18   Get Deal

The Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box was finally released on Dec. 5, offering one foil promo card featuring Mega Venusaur ex, one oversize lenticular promo card featuring Mega Venusaur ex, one tech sticker featuring Mega Venusaur, and eight Pokémon TCG booster packs. Collectors have been buying this item in huge numbers, so any price drop is worth considering.

As of Dec. 15, the Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box is on sale for $69.81 at Amazon. That's 12% off the list price. The Amazon price is still elevated compared to TCGplayer, but a lot of buyers still opt for the convenience of Amazon over the very best price.

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It's worth noting that this item is being sold by Collectors Expedition. We generally don't recommend third-party sellers on Amazon, but this is Pokémon we're talking about. Reviews for Collectors Expedition are decent and stock is limited right now. We'll take what we can get.

Score the Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box for under $70 at Amazon.