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For as long as Android phones have existed, people have dreamed of using them as the brains inside a desktop computing setup. Samsung accomplished this nearly a decade ago, but the rest of the Android world has been left out. Android 17 is finally changing that with a new desktop mode, and I tried it out.

If you enjoy a great sound system, the debate between soundbars and surround sound systems is a popular topic in home entertainment. If you're wondering which one is best for your home theater, we hope to help you decide.

In 2026, finding a new car under $30,000 that still delivers value, reliability, and modern features is tougher than it used to be, but there are still smart choices for U.S. drivers who want sensible transportation without overspending. With average new-car prices climbing, this price bracket emphasizes practicality, fuel efficiency, and everyday comfort over luxury trimmings, making these models ideal for first-time buyers, commuters, and budget-minded households.

The Google Chrome browser on desktop platforms is getting three more productivity upgrades. Thankfully, it's a break from the usual AI-powered enhancements.

The AI Impact Summit 2026 is currently underway in New Delhi, India. Some of the biggest tech companies in the world are in attendance to speak about the state of artificial intelligence, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who spoke at the event on Thursday.

Pichai had some interesting things to say in his speech, and you can read a transcript of Pichai's prepared remarks at the Google blog. The prepared remarks differ slightly from the live speech, which was posted to YouTube by Reuters.

1. New connections between the U.S. and India — literally

Google is building a "vast network of subsea fiber optic cables," according to Pichai. 

Google's undersea cable network may not be entirely new, but the company's investments in expansion are. Pichai shared that Google is creating a "full-stack AI hub" as part of the company's $15 billion infrastructure investment in India. This includes four new subsea fiber optic cable systems that are part of Google's America-India Connect Initiative.

2. Like SpaceX, Google is exploring sending data centers into space.

The idea of data centers orbiting the Earth just got a quick mention from Pichai, but it is still notable, as Elon Musk recently said this idea was one of the primary reasons his space exploration company, SpaceX, acquired his AI company, xAI.

While discussing previously unimaginable technological advances in India, where Pichai grew up and went to school, the Google CEO mentioned how he also never imagined he'd "one day be spending time with teams figuring out how to put data centers into space."

As Mashable covered when Musk was floating the idea, we are in very early days for the concept, but it's certainly interesting to hear that Google is having similar discussions.

3. Novel uses for AI in medicine

Pichai also spent some time discussing the use of AI for medical purposes and new drug discovery. For example, Pichai highlighted Google DeepMind's AlphaFold, an AI system that predicts a protein's 3D structure from its amino acid sequence. It's notable that, at least in the U.S., works produced by AI are not copyrightable so there's still question over who would own the patent. Yet, Google's CEO highlighted this aspect of AI regardless.

4. How Google thinks about AI responsibility

And that brings us to Pichai's closing, which heavily focused on AI responsibility. Responsible AI has become a cliche in the tech world, especially considering AI's very real dangers, both social and otherwise. However, Pichai said Google has made moves to address such issues.

For example, to fight deepfakes, AI content generated by Google's platforms features an invisible SynthID embedded into the output, which makes it possible to ID the content as AI-generated. Pichai also mentioned the importance of "navigating profound economic shifts" as "AI will undeniably reshape the workforce." Pichai mentioned how the company has been providing AI training to users as well as highlighting the important role governments can and will play in regulating the technology.

While USB-C thumb drives aren’t expensive compared to other types of external storage, they’re pricey given the storage capacity and transfer speeds they offer. If you’re already in the market for one, make sure it supports USB 3.2.

Google released its latest core reasoning model, Gemini 3.1 Pro, on Thursday. Google says that Gemini 3.1 Pro achieved twice the verified performance of 3 Pro on ARC-AGI-2, a popular benchmark that measures a model's logical reasoning.

Google originally released Gemini 3 and 3 Pro in November, and this new release shows just how fast AI companies are introducing new and updated models. Gemini 3.1 Pro is the new core model powering Gemini and various Google AI tools, such as Gemini 3 Deep Think. Google says it's designed to provide more creative solutions.

"3.1 Pro is designed for tasks where a simple answer isn't enough, taking advanced reasoning and making it useful for your hardest challenges," a Google blog post states. "This improved intelligence can help in practical applications — whether you’re looking for a clear, visual explanation of a complex topic, a way to synthesize data into a single view, or bringing a creative project to life."

SEE ALSO: GPT-5.2 vs Gemini 3 — How the two heavyweight models compare on benchmarks, price, and feature set

Here's everything we know so far about Gemini 3.1 Pro, including how it compares to the latest models from Anthropic and OpenAI, and how to try it yourself.

How to try Gemini 3.1 Pro

Starting today, Google is rolling out Gemini 3.1 Pro in the Gemini App, the Gemini APIA, and in Notebook LM. Free users will be able to try 3.1 Pro in the Gemini app, but paid users on Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans will have higher usage rates. Within Notebook LM, only these paid users will have access to 3.1 Pro, at least, for now. Coders and enterprise users can also access the new core model via developers and enterprises can access 3.1 through AI Studio, Antigravity, Vertex AI, Gemini Enterprise, Gemini CLI, and Android Studio.

Gemini 3.1 Pro was already available for Mashable editors using Gemini. To try it for yourself, head to Gemini on desktop or open the Gemini mobile app.

Left: Two results of the same animation prompt. Credit: Google Right: Credit: Google Why Gemini 3.1 Pro matters

When Google released Gemini 3 Pro in November, the model was so impressive that it allegedly caused OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to declare a code red. As Gemini 3 Pro surged to the top of AI leaderboards, OpenAI reportedly started losing ChatGPT users to Gemini. The latest core ChatGPT model, GPT-5.2, has tumbled down the rankings on leaderboards like Arena (formerly known as LMArena), losing significant ground to competitors such as Google, Anthropic, and xAI.

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Gemini 3 Pro was already outperforming GPT-5.2 on many benchmarks, and with a more advanced thinking model, Gemini could move even further ahead.

Gemini 3.1 Pro: Benchmark performance

Google released benchmark performance data showing that Gemini 3.1 Pro outperforms previous Gemini models, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Claude Opus 4.6, and GPT-5.2. However, OpenAI's new coding model, GPT-5.3-Codex, beat Gemini 3.1 Pro on the verified SWE-Bench Pro benchmark, according to Google itself.

Notable highlights from Gemini 3.1 Pro's benchmark results include:

• 44.4 percent on Humanity's last exam, compared to 40.0 percent for Claude Opus 4.6 and 34.5 percent for GPT-5.2

• 77.1 percent on ARC-AGI-2, compared to 31.1 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 68.8 percent for Claude Opus 4.6, and 52.9 percent for GPT-5.2

• 94.3 percent on GPQA Diamond, compared to 91.9 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 91.3 percent for Claude Opus 4.6, and 92.4 percent for GPT-5.2

• 80.6 percent on SWE-Bench Verified, compared to 76.2 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 80.8 percent for Claude Opus 4.6, and 80.0 percent for GPT-5.2

• 54.2 percent on SWE-Bench Pro (Public), compared to 43.3 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 55.6 percent for GPT-5.2, and 56.8 percent for GPT-5.3-Codex

• 92.6 percent on MMLU, compared to 91.1 percent for Claude Opus 4.6 and 89.6 percent for GPT-5.2

Google released an image showing the full benchmark results for Gemini 3.1 Pro:

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

TL;DR: Live stream Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Next up this week in the NBA is an East vs. West face-off as the Boston Celtics go on the road against the Golden State Warriors.

While the Warriors have a home court advantage, the Celtics will prove seriously tough competition. Indeed, they're placed second in the Eastern Conference standings with a winning conference record of 24-13. The Warriors meanwhile are smarting from last week's loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Can they back on track or will the Celtics present too much of a challenge?

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

When is Celtics vs. Warriors?

Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors in the NBA starts at 10 p.m. ET on Feb. 19. This game takes place at the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA.

How to watch Celtics vs. Warriors for free

Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors in the NBA 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. and UK, 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. or UK, 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 UK

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

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA action this week includes a blockbuster showdown between two of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference, as No. 1 team the Detroit Pistons visit No. 3 team the New York Knicks in the Garden. Their previous meeting earlier this month was a decisive win for the Pistons, so the Knicks are looking to avenge that loss on their home court. Can the Knicks get the job done this time around?

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

When is Pistons vs. Knicks?

Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks in the NBA starts at 7.30 p.m. ET on Feb. 19. This game takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

How to watch Pistons vs. Knicks for free

Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks in the NBA 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. and UK, 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. or UK, 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 UK

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

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

When we last left the Toy Story gang, Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Bo Peep (voiced by Annie Potts) had split off from the rest of the crew in order to help the abandoned toys of the world. Now, in Pixar's upcoming Toy Story 5, they've returned to 8-year-old Bonnie's (voiced by Scarlett Spears) house in order to save her from a new technological threat.

SEE ALSO: 'Toy Story 5' teaser pits toys against their biggest enemy yet: An iPad

The technology in question is a tablet device named Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee). Bonnie is instantly smitten, spending all her time gazing at the screen instead of inventing new stories with her toys. How will the low-tech toys take on a high-tech toy who is, quite literally, always listening to their every word?

Toy Story 5's latest trailer teases this growing conflict, seeing toys like Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) and Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) feeling increasingly abandoned. The trailer also reveals Woody's new look as a more adventuresome toy. He's rocking a poncho now, as well as a bald spot, which answers a question I never even knew I had about toy patent balding.

In addition to Toy Story mainstays like Woody and Buzz, Toy Story 5 will also introduce new toys. New characters include potty training toy Smarty Pants (voiced by Conan O'Brien), hippo GPS Atlas (voiced by Craig Robinson), cheerful camera Snappy (voided by Shelby Rabara), and tech-fearing Dr. Nutcase (voiced by Matty Matheson). Will these toys play nice with the rest of the crew?

Toy Story 5 hits theaters June 19.

Are you ready for another bout of Raspberry Pi projects to try this weekend? Today, I’m showing you how to run your own git server, get your subscriptions under control, and even build your own Wi-Fi travel router.

Data corruption is a silent killer. On the surface of it, your drive might be looking as healthy as ever. In reality, trouble could be brewing without you even knowing, and the worst outcome is complete, irreversible data loss.

SAVE $64: The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is on sale for $439 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $499. That's a 13% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Osmo Pocket 3 $439 at Amazon
$499 Save $60   Get Deal

Maybe you just started out on your content creation journey or maybe you've been uploading to YouTube for years. In either case, you know the power DJI has on the industry, but it's for good reason. DJI has become one of the most content-creator friendly brands in the industry. Just look around for how many creators are using the DJI Mic Mini. If you've been looking for a great vlogging camera from a standout brand, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Feb. 19, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is on sale at Amazon for $439, marked down from the normal price of $499. That's a 13% discount that shaves $64 off the price. It's also the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo is down to a record-low price at Amazon — save over $300 right now

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth got to review the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and wrote, "The new DJI Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal camera should replace whatever vlogging camera you're currently using." It's waterproof, durable, lightweight, has motion stabilization, and DJI makes it a breeze to upload footage.

DJI equipped the Osmo Pocket 3 with a one-inch CMOS sensor which is an asset when filming in low-light situations. It'll record your content in 4K and that includes the slow-motion feature that captures at 120fps in 4K. There's also object and face tracking that make this vlogging camera a breeze for everyone from beginners to experienced pros.

The two-inch screen on the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 can sit either horizontally or vertically on the gimbal, making it ideal for all types of recording. The three-axis stabilization is also awesome for getting smooth footage without extra effort.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is priced at $499 and Beck Werth noted, "If you're a full- or part-time video creator, livestreamer, or influencer, then the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is definitely worth the price of admission." But now that the vlogging camera is on sale for a record-low price of $435, it's an even better deal. Snag it before this sale price vanishes.

Last October, Amazon announced Blue Jay, a new robotic arm system that was supposed to act as "an extra set of hands" for its warehouse workers. This week, Amazon decided Blue Jay is no longer needed.

The news was reported first by Business Insider and then corroborated by TechCrunch. Blue Jay was meant to be a multi-arm helper system for same-day delivery facilities, and it was being tested in South Carolina at the time of its announcement last fall. After six months, though, Amazon is winding down project Blue Jay and moving its core tech and employees to other projects.

Look at it go! Credit: Amazon SEE ALSO: Last chance to grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for under $40 at Amazon

While this was not made explicitly clear when Blue Jay was first announced, an Amazon spokesperson told TechCrunch that it was always meant as a prototype.

“We’re always experimenting with new ways to improve the customer experience and make work safer, more efficient, and more engaging for our employees,” the spokesperson told TechCrunch. “In this case, we’re actually accelerating the use of the underlying technology developed for Blue Jay, and nearly all of the technologies are being carried over and will continue to support employees across our network.”

Blue Jay was not the only warehouse robotics initiative Amazon has under its belt, and it won't be the last. But for whatever reason, this one just didn't work out as planned.

Google Maps has potentially rolled out a change that could vastly change the user experience, depending on whether you're logged in to a Google account.

Google-focused tech website 9to5Google spotted a change where non-logged-in users apparently now get a "limited view" version of Maps, which is missing lots of key features, including displays of nearby businesses, more detailed info on nearby attractions, and user reviews. In "limited view" mode, for instance, when clicking on a restaurant — which doesn't display on the side of the page — users wouldn't get key info like user reviews, busiest hours, or dine-in/take-out status, 9to5Google noted.

As is often the case with such changes, users posted about noticing the change on Reddit.

There are some indications that perhaps the change could be a glitch of some sort, rather than a wholesale shift. Tech site Tom's Guide noted an error message received by some users indicated the issue could be network problems, a Chrome extension, or other problems. The error message does state that the issues could be fixed by logging in. The writer for Tom's Guide noted, however, that they saw a stripped-back version of Maps while logged out with no error message.

Mashable has reached out to Google and will update this story with any clarification or further details.

In Crime 101, Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry play a game of cat and mouse, as his mastermind jewel thief and her fed-up insurance broker plot a heist that's drawing the attention of a determined detective (Mark Ruffalo) and a mercurial robber (Barry Keoghan). So, what better way to toast the latest crime thriller from writer/director Bart Layton than to play a new game?

Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down with Hemsworth and Berry for a portmanteau game. She's combined the plotlines of two movies whose titles share a word in common. Can these stars name the new mashed-up titles?

Here are a few of the challenges put before the Crime 101 stars. Can you find the answer faster than them? As a bonus clue: One movie in each mash-up stars Halle Berry or Chris Hemsworth.

• Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry co-star in a heist thriller about a non-violent thief facing off against a fur-loving fashionista named Cruella de Vil.

• This superhero sequel from director Brett Ratner follows Wolverine, Storm, and four young boys as they learn life lessons while searching for the body of a missing kid. Adapted from a Stephen King novel, River Phoenix co-stars.  

• An all-girls a cappella group must survive a deadly pair of honeymooners in this musical thriller, where Chris Hemsworth appears as a mysterious hitchhiker.

• Kevin Kline won an Oscar for his comedic turn as an apoplectic jewel thief called Otto in this cyber-thriller, which co-stars Halle Berry and John Travolta.

• A fairy tale princess and an iconic comedian collide in this action-packed reimagining of the life of Andy Kaufman.

For the answers, watch the video above.

Crime 101 is now playing in theaters.

Raspberry Pis are some of the most reliable SBCs out there for hobbyist electrical projects and lightweight self-hosting. Here are 5 commands or utilities that every Pi user should know.

Most desktop software and web browsers have left Windows 7 and Windows 8 in the past, but Firefox still gets security updates on those versions. That's now changing, as Mozilla is ending all support for versions before Windows 10.

Linux is flexible, but it can’t contort itself into a perfect Windows replica. Linux comes with its own set of pros and cons, and expecting it to behave like Windows will lead to disappointments. Instead, appreciate Linux for what it is, and you’ll understand why so many people love the Penguin OS.

Squid Game is the most successful South Korean Netflix show to date, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea. The good part is you don't have to restrict yourself to the dystopian story if you want to explore Korean dramas (K-dramas).