Blogroll

The long-awaited foldable iPhone — rumored to be called the iPhone Fold — could be here soon.

Tech enthusiasts and early adopters already love foldable phones — and they have plenty of options — but Apple's been notably absent from the genre. But that's reportedly due to change in 2026, when Apple is expected to release the iPhone Fold. Here's everything we know about the future addition to the iPhone lineup, including the latest rumors and pricing information.

When will the iPhone Fold be released?

We think the iPhone Fold is coming in 2026. Chinese site UDN (via MacRumors) reported last month that the phone was coming next year and that it would, indeed, be called the iPhone Fold. That's far from a guarantee, but as Mashable's Stan Schroeder wrote, it is a bit of comfort for Apple fans who'd seen other reports that it could be pushed to 2027.

That's also in line with new rumors that hit the internet this week, suggesting Apple had purchased about 11 million OLED panels from Samsung Display — a much higher than expected figure — for its new foldable. That bit of rumored news could be misleading, however, because the original report — from a Korean site called ET News — has since been deleted.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone Fold is on track, but it might be pricier than we thought How much will the iPhone Fold cost, and will people buy it?

The iPhone Fold is likely to be expensive. A recent estimate from research analyst Arthur Liao suggested the price tag for the Fold — gulp — could come in around $2,399. That's in line with expectations in a new report from International Data Corporation (IDC). I

Despite the sizable cost (the flagship Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is priced at $1,999.99), sales expectations remain high. The IDC report estimated Apple would siphon one-third of the spending in the foldable market in 2026.

"But the real game-changer for the category comes at year-end when Apple enters the foldable space, projected to capture over 22% unit share and a staggering 34% of the foldables market value in its first year, thanks to an expected average price point of $2,400,” read the report.

What will the iPhone Fold specs look like?

The iPhone Fold remains a mystery to some extent, of course, but we do have a very rough idea of what it could offer. The report from UDN noted the iPhone Fold could be creaseless, which means you wouldn't see that awkward line when it was folded open.

In August, Mashable also reported on predictions from Apple reporter Mark Gurman, who said that the foldable iPhone would be a book-style foldable with four cameras — two on the back, one on the inside, and one front selfie camera. Gurman also predicted it would use Touch ID, even though iPhones typically use Face ID.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported earlier this year that the iPhone Fold would have a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, and measure in at just 9 to 9.5mm of thickness. We heard another rumor in September, which claimed the iPhone Fold would look like two iPhone Airs put together, with a similar thickness of 5.6mm. Why the discrepancy between the two reports? It could be the difference between the device's thickness when folded and unfolded.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold vs Apple foldable iPhone: Specs and rumors

Mashable's Alex Perry also compared the potential specs of the iPhone Fold with the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, which we know a lot more about. Obviously, the Samsung trifold will be larger and thicker than the iPhone Fold. Otherwise, we're still waiting on official details. But if recent rumors prove true, the wait shouldn't be too much longer.

Sometimes the right tool for the job is whatever is within arm's reach, like a utility knife that's always in your pocket. While Milwaukee is most known for its wide array of M12 and M18 power tools, the company also makes some great hand tools, including this Milwaukee multi-function utility knife.

One of the downsides of Home Assistant is that, because it can do so much, it's all too easy to completely miss some of the most useful features. You may never have ventured into the "Developer tools" section, for example. If so, you're missing out, as it holds some incredibly useful tools.

TL;DR: Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns in the NBA Cup for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA Cup quarter finals promise some really interesting matchups, including Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns. The vibes are pretty great with the Suns this season, but vibes won't help you beat the Thunder. This could be a historic season for SGA and co.

If you want to watch Thunder vs. Suns in the NBA Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Thunder vs. Suns?

Thunder vs. Suns in the NBA Cup starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 10. This game takes place at the Paycom Center.

How to watch Thunder vs. Suns for free

Thunder vs. Suns in the NBA Cup is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S., but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA Cup before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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 two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% 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 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

You may have noticed people discussing GitHub alternatives recently. In particular, several projects have migrated to a competitor called Codeberg. Having investigated further, I’m convinced it’s a solid alternative, and it’s not the only one.

Spotify is rolling out what could be a game-changing feature for new and loyal users after years of waiting. With this new integration, Spotify will be eliminating a major point that has proved an obstacle for users of other music platforms from finally making the switch.

YouTube Rewind may have ended back in 2019, but it seems like YouTube has finally put the nail in the coffin by just unlisting every single one of its annual recap videos.

On Tuesday evening, YouTube users in the r/YouTube community on Reddit noticed something odd. YouTube's official channel had marked every single one of its previous YouTube Rewind videos as "unlisted." This basically means that unless you have the actual link to the specific video, the YouTube Rewind videos are now much harder to find on the YouTube platform. They do not show up on the channel page or in YouTube search results, though we did find a user playlist with links to all of the Rewind videos.

Reddit

Why did YouTube do this? It's unclear, especially given that it's been six years since the last YouTube Rewind. However, YouTube creators have been speculating about the change. 

Spotify reinvented the yearly recap with Spotify Wrapped, which gives each individual user a highly personalized look back at their year on the app. Other apps, like YouTube, have since followed that path and provide users with their own personal year-in-review.

However, way back in 2011, YouTube arguably started the whole social media recap trend with its annual series of highly-produced annual recap videos called YouTube Rewind. The last YouTube Rewind video was in 2019, with the company opting not to make one in 2020. 

From 2011 to 2018, YouTube Rewind videos looked back at the biggest memes, videos, creators, and anything else that defined YouTuber culture that year. The company produced original content for these videos with breakout YouTube stars celebrating the year in YouTube. 

While the videos were popular for a time, the 2018 edition of YouTube Rewind became the most disliked video on the platform at the time after blowback from YouTube users. Many popular and somewhat controversial YouTube creators were not included in the recap, which included more mainstream YouTube stars. 

The company dropped its long-running format in 2019, instead creating a countdown montage of the year's top moments, before dropping YouTube Rewind completely.

In response to a question from Mashable, a YouTube spokesperson provided the following statement regarding the company unlisting its YouTube Rewind videos.

"As our 20th birthday year comes to a close, we've decided to blow out our Rewind candles," YouTube said. "It was a great tradition, but we have new ways to close out the year in style."

But there's also speculation online regarding the timing of YouTube's change.

Former YouTuber turned Twitch streamer Ryan ‘NigaHiga’ Higa recently shared on a stream that YouTube had previously "lied" to him regarding his involvement in a YouTube Rewind video he took part in. He was originally asked to dance in a YouTube Rewind video, which he turned down. YouTube still brought Higa in to film other segments, but then, according to Higa, the company tried to pressure him into performing the dance once he was on set. Higa says he walked out on the shoot at the time. Higa last posted on YouTube in 2020, leaving behind his more than 20.8 million subscribers to stream daily on Twitch to his 860,000 followers.

UPDATE: Dec. 10, 2025, 4:31 p.m. EST This article has been updated with a statement from YouTube.

In a rare piece of good news for streaming subscribers, HBO Max is actually getting cheaper for certain Verizon customers who currently use the service as an add-on perk. Seeing a price cut in the streaming world is almost unheard of these days, but this price cut is rolling out now.

Instagram has begun automatically generating headlines and descriptions for users’ posts that appear in Google Search results — often without users’ knowledge and, in some cases, with misleading or inaccurate framing, according to reporting from 404 Media.

The issue first surfaced after author Jeff VanderMeer noticed that one of his caption-less Instagram posts — a simple video of a bunny eating a banana — appeared in Google search results with a clickbait-style headline that he did not write. Other posts, including one from a Massachusetts public library, were similarly given promotional headlines unrelated to the original content.

Google has included more social media content in its search results over the years. Starting on July 10, Instagram made public posts from professional accounts searchable in Google.

SEE ALSO: Instagram's AI can now Restyle your Stories — text, video, and all

404 Media confirmed that this behavior affects multiple users. In another example, a cosplayer’s video appeared in search results with a headline about discovering cosplay locations in Seattle, despite the user never writing anything resembling that description. Google informed 404 Media that it is not generating these headlines and instead pulls the text directly from Instagram.

Meta, in a statement to the outlet, later confirmed that Instagram has recently started using AI to generate titles for posts shown in search engines, stating that the feature is intended to help people better understand content, while acknowledging that the titles are not always accurate. The company directed users to a Help Center page that explained how to opt out of search engine indexing.

Experts cited by 404 Media say the headlines appear to be generated specifically for search bots and are embedded in the page’s title tags, meaning regular visitors don’t see them on Instagram itself. Users and creators have criticized the practice for stripping their posts of context, misrepresenting their work, and contributing to low-quality, spam-like search results.

The reporting raises broader questions about how AI-generated metadata could distort online content and impact creators' reputations.

BEST PRICE: As of Dec. 10, the Magic: The Gathering deal: Edge of Eternities Commander Deck Bundle is on sale for $132.24 on Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price for this set.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Magic: The Gathering Store Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Play Booster Box $132.24 at Amazon
$179.96 Save $47.72   Get Deal

Another day, another record-low price on trading cards. We're keeping tabs on the trading card market because something new seems to drop every day. We're finding a bunch of deals on Pokémon, but this time, the focus is on Magic: The Gathering.

As of Dec. 10, the Magic: The Gathering deal: Edge of Eternities Commander Deck Bundle is on sale for $132.24 on Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price for this set. The price has been steadily falling since November, but we've never seen anything like this. And it couldn't be better timed, because you can order well ahead of Christmas.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

This bundle includes four items, with two Edge of Eternities World Shaper Commander Decks and two Edge of Eternities Counter Intelligence Commander Decks. Every Edge of Eternities Commander Deck includes two Traditional Foil Legendary Creature cards featuring Borderless art and each deck introduces 12 never-before-seen Commander cards.

Get the best-ever price on the Magic: The Gathering deal: Edge of Eternities Commander Deck Bundle at Amazon.

Picking between the 2025 Kia K4 and K5 can feel like choosing between siblings—same family, but very different personalities.

SAVE $60: As of Dec. 10, get the DJI Neo three-battery combo for $229 at Amazon. That's a discount of 21% and the lowest price we've ever seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Neo (3-Battery Combo) $229 at Amazon
$289 Save $60   Get Deal

The future may be uncertain for DJI drones, especially with the U.S.'s potential drone ban this month due to trade and security issues. That means it's been tough to find or purchase any DJI drones in the country, with supply that's less than simple to locate. If you're still on the lookout, however, you can nab a DJI model today for an all-time low price.

As of Dec. 10, get the DJI Neo three-battery combo for $229, down from its usual price of $289. That's $60 off and a discount of 21%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Power 2000 portable power station is at its lowest price ever — almost half off

The DJI Neo is a portable drone that's perfect for taking on the go and for lightweight, easy excursions. But it's no slouch in the content creation department. It's outfitted with a 4K UHD camera and comes with a three-battery combo so you should be able to stay in the air much longer than usual.

It's feature-rich beyond that as well, with the option for palm takeoffs, stable subject tracking, and voice control, all of which make it great for beginners as well as drone experts.

Of course, none of that is as important as the fact that it's in stock and very affordable right now. You'll want to go ahead and grab it while you can at this price, because you'll want to lock in your drone purchase as soon as possible.

There's an overwhelming number of file managers on the Google Play Store, but a good chunk of those are riddled with ads, proprietary, or both. File managers have access to the entire user file system, so you want to be sure you can trust them with all your data. Here are four open-source, privacy-friendly file managers you can try.

Anyone who uses AI systems knows the frustration: a prompt is given, the response misses the mark, and the cycle repeats. This trial-and-error loop can feel unpredictable and discouraging. To address this, we are excited to introduce Promptions (prompt + options), a UI framework that helps developers build AI interfaces with more precise user control.

Its simple design makes it easy to integrate into any setting that relies on added context, including customer support, education, and medicine. Promptions is available under the MIT license on Microsoft Foundry Labs (opens in new tab) and GitHub.

Background

Promptions builds on our research, “Dynamic Prompt Middleware: Contextual Prompt Refinement Controls for Comprehension Tasks.” This project examined how knowledge workers use generative AI when their goal is to understand rather than create. While much public discussion centers on AI producing text or images, understanding involves asking AI to explain, clarify, or teach—a task that can quickly become complex. Consider a spreadsheet formula: one user may want a simple syntax breakdown, another a debugging guide, and another an explanation suitable for teaching colleagues. The same formula can require entirely different explanations depending on the user’s role, expertise, and goals. 

A great deal of complexity sits beneath these seemingly simple requests. Users often find that the way they phrase a question doesn’t match the level of detail the AI needs. Clarifying what they really want can require long, carefully worded prompts that are tiring to produce. And because the connection between natural language and system behavior isn’t always transparent, it can be difficult to predict how the AI will interpret a given request. In the end, users spend more time managing the interaction itself than understanding the material they hoped to learn.

Identifying how users want to guide AI outputs 

To explore why these challenges persist and how people can better steer AI toward customized results, we conducted two studies with knowledge workers across technical and nontechnical roles. Their experiences highlighted important gaps that guided Promptions’ design.

Our first study involved 38 professionals across engineering, research, marketing, and program management. Participants reviewed design mock-ups that provided static prompt-refinement options—such as length, tone, or start with—for shaping AI responses. 

Although these static options were helpful, they couldn’t adapt to the specific formula, code snippets, or text the participant was trying to understand. Participants also wanted direct ways to customize the tone, detail, or format of the response without having to type instructions.

Why dynamic refinement matters

The second study tested prototypes in a controlled experiment. We compared the static design from the first study, called the “Static Prompt Refinement Control” (Static PRC), against a “Dynamic Prompt Refinement Control” (Dynamic PRC) with features that responded to participants’ feedback. Sixteen technical professionals familiar with generative AI completed six tasks, spanning code explanation, understanding a complex topic, and learning a new skill. Each participant tested both systems, with task assignments balanced to ensure fair comparison.  

Comparing Dynamic PRC to Static PRC revealed key insights into how dynamic prompt-refinement options change users’ sense of control and exploration and how those options help them reflect on their understanding. 

Static prompt refinement

Static PRC offered a set of pre‑selected controls (Figure 1) identified in the initial study. We expected these options to be useful across many types of explanation-seeking prompts.

Figure 1: The static PRC interface  Dynamic prompt refinement

We built the Dynamic PRC system to automatically produce prompt options and refinements based on the user’s input, presenting them in real time so that users could adjust these controls and guide the AI’s responses more precisely (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Interaction flow in the Dynamic PRC system. (1) The user asks the system to explain a long Excel formula. (2) Dynamic PRC generates refinement options: Explanation Detail Level, Focus Areas, and Learning Objectives. (3) The user modifies these options. (4) The AI returns an explanation based on the selected options. (5) In the session chat panel, the user adds a request to control the structure or format of the response. (6) Dynamic PRC generates new option sets based on this input. (7) The AI produces an updated explanation reflecting the newly applied options. 

video series

On Second Thought

A video series with Sinead Bovell built around the questions everyone’s asking about AI. With expert voices from across Microsoft, we break down the tension and promise of this rapidly changing technology, exploring what’s evolving and what’s possible.

Explore the series Opens in a new tab Findings

Participants consistently reported that dynamic controls made it easier to express the nuances of their tasks without repeatedly rephrasing their prompts. This reduced the effort of prompt engineering and allowed users to focus more on understanding content than managing the mechanics of phrasing.

Figure 3. Comparison of user preferences for Static PRC versus Dynamic PRC across key evaluation criteria. 

Contextual options prompted users to try refinements they might not have considered on their own. This behavior suggests that Dynamic PRC can broaden how users engage with AI explanations, helping them uncover new ways to approach tasks beyond their initial intent. Beyond exploration, the dynamic controls prompted participants to think more deliberately about their goals. Options like “Learning Objective” and “Response Format” helped them clarify what they needed, whether guidance on applying a concept or step-by-step troubleshooting help.

Figure 4. Participant ratings comparing the effectiveness of Static PRC and Dynamic PRC 

While participants valued Dynamic PRC’s adaptability, they also found it more difficult to interpret. Some struggled to anticipate how a selected option would influence the response, noting that the controls seemed opaque because the effect became clear only after the output appeared.

However, the overall positive response to Dynamic PRC showed us that Promptions could be broadly useful, leading us to share it with the developer community.    

Technical design

Promptions works as a lightweight middleware layer that sits between the user and the underlying language model (Figure 5). It has two main components:

Option Module. This module reviews the user’s prompt and conversation history, then generates a set of refinement options. These are presented as interactive UI elements (radio buttons, checkboxes, text fields) that directly shape how the AI interprets the prompt.

Chat Module. This module produces the AI’s response based on the refined prompt. When a user changes an option, the response immediately updates, making the interaction feel more like an evolving conversation than a cycle of repeated prompts. 

Figure 5. Promptions middleware workflow. (1) The Option Module reads the user’s prompt and conversation history and (2) generates prompt options. (3) These options are rendered inline by a dedicated component. (4) The Chat Module incorporates these refined options alongside the original prompt and history to produce a response. (5) When the user adjusts the controls, the refinements update and the Chat Module regenerates the response accordingly. Adding Promptions to an application

Promptions easily integrates into any conversational chat interface. Developers only need to add a component to display the options and connect it to the AI system. There’s no need to store date between sessions, which keeps implementation simple. The Microsoft Foundry Labs (opens in new tab) repository includes two sample applications, a generic chatbot and an image generator, that demonstrate this design in practice.  

Promptions is well-suited for interfaces where users need to provide context but don’t want to write it all out. Instead of typing lengthy explanations, they can adjust the controls that guide the AI’s response to match their preferences.

Questions for further exploration

Promptions raises important questions for future research. Key usability challenges include clarifying how dynamic options affect AI output and managing the complexity of multiple controls. Other questions involve balancing immediate adjustments with persistent settings and enabling users to share options collaboratively.

On the technical side, questions focus on generating more effective options, validating and customizing dynamic interfaces, gathering relevant context automatically, and supporting the ability to save and share option sets across sessions.

 These questions, along with broader considerations of collaboration, ethics, security, and scalability, are guiding our ongoing work on Promptions and related systems.

Tool Explore Promptions on Microsoft Foundry Labs 

By making Promptions open source, we hope to help developers create smarter, more responsive AI experiences.

Explore Promptions on Microsoft Foundry Labs (opens in new tab)

Opens in a new tab

The post Promptions helps make AI prompting more precise with dynamic UI controls appeared first on Microsoft Research.

SAVE UP TO $30: Amazon has a selection of both physcial and e-gift cards on sale for up to 20% off including Fandango, Eddie Bauer, Spafinder, and more.

Best gift card deals at Amazon Best dining deal Bloomin' Brands eGift Card $42.50 (save $7.50) Get Deal Best entertainment deal Fandango at Home eGift Card $42.50 (save $7.50) Get Deal Best clothing deal Eddie Bauer eGift Card $42.50 (save $7.50) Get Deal

'Tis the season to freak out about last-minute gifts. But thanks to our modern world, you actually might still be in great shape for holiday gifting, so long as you pick an item that'll arrive soon. Gift cards always make for nice presents or stocking stuffers and Amazon is coming through with a 20% sale on a great variety. You'll be able to snag a savings on a gift card for those who love to go to the movies, book a spa day, or shop for a new wardrobe.

This sale applies to both physical and e-gift cards. Just be sure to double check with method of delivery you're going with. If it's physical, take a second to make sure it's estimated to arrive on time. If you prefer the e-gift card route, most options give you the ability to select a delivery date and whether you want it to go to the recipient's email or phone via text message.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Keep in mind this might be a great opportunity to snag one for yourself. Since all of these options are on sale, you're essentially getting free money, and that's a blessing in 2025.

More gift card deals at Amazon

• California Pizza Kitchen $50 physical gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Chuck E. Cheese $50 physical gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Cracker Barrel $50 e-gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• IHOP $50 e-gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Lazy Dog Restaurants $50 physical gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Rubio's $50 e-gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• White Castle $50 physical gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Aeropostale $50 e-gift card — $42.50 $50 (save $7.50)

• Bloomin' Brands $50 physical gift card — $42.50 $50 (save $7.50)

• inKind Restaurant e-gift card — $70 $100 (save $30)

• Tommy John $100 e-gift card — $85 $100 (save $15)

Home Assistant and Nabu Casa released the ZBT-2 adapter back in November, which adds Zigbee, Thread, and Matter to any Home Assistant server. Now you can buy one right on Amazon.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is the hottest video game console of the 2025 holiday season... or so we thought. Recently, Nintendo has been facing some competition from an unexpected source — a brand called Nex.

Recent sales data show that a "new" entrant has overtaken heavyweights like the PlayStation 5 in the U.S. market. Specifically, we're talking about the Nex Playground, a little box that, according to games industry analyst Mat Piscatella on Bluesky, outsold the PS5 in late November in the U.S. The Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World was the top overall seller, but the Nex Playground made its mark and raised a lot of eyebrows by showing up on the list at all, especially since it launched back in 2023.

One important note: Piscatella's sales numbers break down sales by SKU, and PlayStation 5 consoles are sold under multiple SKUs based on the type of console (digital or disc), whether it's part of a bundle, and internal memory. Still, Nex's numbers are much higher than expected.

US best-selling hardware SKUs for week ending Nov 22, 2025, ranked on units sold: 1) NS2 Mario Kart World Bundle 2) NEX Playground Interactive Gaming System 3) PS5 Slim Digital 1 TB So that's neat. Source: Circana Retail Tracking Service

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) December 3, 2025 at 5:25 PM SEE ALSO: The 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025: Find unique gift ideas you'd never think of on your own What is the Nex Playground?

So, what the heck is a Nex Playground? Put simply, it's a spiritual successor to the old Xbox Kinect, which used the motion generated by players' bodies for input instead of a traditional controller. Nex Playground appears to be hyper-targeted at kids and families, and that seems to be working, based on sales data. According to IGN, it has a bunch of games based on properties like How to Train Your Dragon and Peppa Pig, as well as some more adult-oriented fitness games.

Where to buy the Nex Playground

If that sounds appealing to you, you can get one for $249.99 at basically every major retailer. However, the Nex website notes that stock is limited at Target, and we found limited availability at Amazon as well. If you want to find the Nex Playground console in stock, it seems like Walmart and Best Buy are your best bet at the time of publication.

I have to admit that, even as someone who covers video games for a living, I had no idea the Nex Playground existed. If I had kids, though, I'd definitely consider getting one.

Nex Playground $250 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy See It at Walmart

In general, most Chromebooks (especially modern ones) are whisper-quiet. So it can be a little surprising to hear the fans on your laptop spin up. In particular when there's no obvious reason for it. The good news is that sometimes a laptop needs extra cooling and it doesn't mean something is wrong. In some cases, you do however need to do something about it.

SAVE $11.80: The Brick is on sale for just $47.20 as of Dec. 10. That's 20% off its usual price of $59, a discount normally reserved for students.

Opens in a new window Credit: Brick The Brick $47.20 at getbrick.app
$59 Save $11.80   Get Deal

I live in Chicago — which is to say, I know how depressing winters can be. An infinite, dopamine-inducing TikTok FYP or Instagram Reels feed becomes a salve when the sun starts setting at 4 p.m., and before you know it, your daily screen time numbers are hitting the double digits. If you're having trouble breaking free from your smartphone's clutches, allow me to introduce you to the Brick.

The Brick is a palm-sized device that blocks certain apps until you tap your phone to it. It creates a physical separation between you and your restricted apps — you actually have to get up and go to the device to unlock them — so it's more difficult to bypass than digital screen time tools. After using it for a few months, Mashable Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino found that it cut her screen time in half.

SEE ALSO: The Brick taught me how to be bored again

"With all my most distracting apps blocked, I'm finally bored again," said Mangino. "When I have some downtime, rather than defaulting to scrolling, it motivates me to spend more time reading or finally tackle those errands I've been putting off."

The Brick is normally 20% off year-round for students, but right now, that discount is open to everyone for the holidays. It's usually priced at $59, but you'll pay just $47.20.

Note that shipping is free if you buy two Bricks (otherwise it's $7.99) — one for you and one for someone on your holiday shopping list. It makes a great stocking stuffer or gift idea under $50 for any TikTok junkies you know.

AVAILABLE NOW: As of Dec. 10, get the Virtual Boy for Nintendo Switch 2/Nintendo Switch for $99.99 from Nintendo. You must be a Nintendo Switch Online member to purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Virtual Boy for Nintendo Switch 2/Nintendo Switch $99.99 at Nintendo
  Shop Now

Looking to play games like Telereboxer and Galactic Pinball on the Virtual Boy? That may be an odd question to ask modern-day gamers, but these are exciting times for retro enthusiasts. You can now get the Virtual Boy for Nintendo Switch 2/Nintendo Switch from Nintendo's digital storefront to do just that. Yes, in the year 2025, you can buy a brand new Virtual Boy accessory for your Switch or Switch 2. It truly is a great time to be a gamer.

As of Dec. 10, get the Virtual Boy for Nintendo Switch 2/Nintendo Switch for $99.99 at Nintendo's online shop. You must be a Nintendo Switch Online member to purchase. There's a limit of one per purchase.

SEE ALSO: All 2025 Nintendo Switch 2 game releases confirmed with preorder details

During a Nintendo Direct in September, Nintendo announced that select Virtual Boy games would be coming to the Nintendo Classics section for Nintendo Switch Online members. Those games require Joy-Con or Joy-Con 2 controllers and the special Virtual Boy accessory, made to look exactly like the original system that supports stereoscopic 3D. So if you want to play classic Virtual Boy titles like Mario's Tennis, this is a peripheral you're going to need. Alternatively, there will be a cardboard version available in the future.

This add-on accessory is only available for anyone with a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership. You'll need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership if you want to access the games as well when they debut alongside the Virtual Boy itself on Feb. 17, 2026. You'll also need a standard Switch or Switch 2, as the Nintendo Switch Lite cannot be used with this replica.

If you're ready to jump in when February rolls around, order your Virtual Boy now so you can get started when the games become available.