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The magic of DisplayPort MST: How to daisy-chain multiple monitors from a single cable

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 23:30

Most people think of DisplayPort as the premium alternative to HDMI on PCs. But, although it is generally the best connection to use with a computer monitor, there's far more to DisplayPort than meets the eye.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Charge up your new Pixel phone with the Google Pixel Flex Dual Port Charger for its lowest-ever price

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 23:30

SAVE $24: As of Feb. 18, get the Google Pixel Flex Dual Port Charger for $35.99, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's a discount of 40% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Pixel Flex Dual Port Charger $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20   Get Deal

Whether you already have a Google Pixel phone or are planning on picking up the Pixel 10a, you're going to need a charger. You could feasibly use any USB-C charger to make sure your phone is ready to tackle the day, but why do that when Google has a perfectly good official option? You can pick it up right now, in fact, for an excellent price.

As of Feb. 18, get the Google Pixel Flex Dual Port Charger for $35.99, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's $24 off and a discount of 40%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Get a free $100 gift card when you preorder the new Google Pixel 10a

This dual port 67W charger is the perfect companion for your Pixel phone and other Google devices. It offers fast charging for two gadgets at once, but it charges and prioritizes Google devices. That way you can get your new phone ready to go as soon as possible.

It's a compact charger with folding prongs, and it resembles most of Google's products, so you won't be mistaking it for another charger. That makes it simple to remember to pack. And if you're concerned about heat, it does stay cool while restoring your phone or other devices to 100% battery life.

If you're making plans to get a new Google Pixel phone or you're just a fan of the Google tech aesthetic, this charger is worth picking up, especially at this discount. Be sure you don't miss it while it's at its lowest ever price.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 5 most efficient new cars in 2026 under $30,000

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 23:00

Affordable, fuel-efficient vehicles are harder to find in 2026 as new-car prices climb, but even within a $30,000 budget, there are still a handful of standout models that deliver impressive mileage without forcing buyers to overspend. These efficient newcomers prove you don’t have to choose between practicality and everyday affordability, you can have both.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Score the Shark PowerDetect robot vacuum for over $200 off at Amazon

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 23:00

SAVE $220: The Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum is on sale for $329.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $549.99. That's a 40% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum $329.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $220   Get Deal

We're still engrossed with the Winter Olympics and outside temps are chilly in much of the U.S., but spring is on its way. Soon we'll be throwing open the windows to let warmth and fresh air inside. Unfortunately, that's an invitation for pollen to drift inside and settle onto floors. Instead of welcoming the allergens, enlist the help of a robot vacuum to keep your home clean. There's a nice deal in store at Amazon today on a self-emptying model.

As of Feb. 18, the Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum is on sale for $329.99 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $549.99. In total, you'll be saving $220 from the 40% discount.

We've made massive leaps in the world of robot vacuums in the last decade. While older models tumbled down the stairs, modern versions are more than capable of keeping the carpet and hard floors free of dust, debris, and hair. The Shark PowerDetect comes with the advantage of being a self-emptying model. Shark says it can store up to 30 days worth of debris before you'll need to help the lil' friend out by emptying the base.

SEE ALSO: The Breville Barista Touch espresso machine is $200 off at Amazon — upgrade your daily brew

Shark mentions this model is also great for homes that have varying floor types. The PowerDetect can lift and lower itself to get over larger thresholds or get onto higher-pile carpets for cleaning. The self-empty base also serves as the robot vacuum's charging station, and Shark equipped it with a HEPA filter, so there's no risk of the dust, dander, and pollen that just got cleaned up leaking back into the air.

Instead of stressing about another chore on the list, enlist the help of the Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum while it's on sale at Amazon for $220 off. Let the robot map your home's floor layout, set a cleaning schedule, and check in on it just once a month.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Microsoft says Copilot was summarizing confidential emails without permission

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 22:50

A bug in Microsoft 365 and Copilot has been causing the AI assistant to summarize emails that were explicitly labeled as confidential, according to a report from Bleeping Computer. The Copilot security bug reportedly bypassed organizations' data loss prevention (DLP) policies, which are used to protect sensitive information.

The bug specifically affected Copilot Chat. According to Microsoft's documentation, it caused emails with a confidential label to be "incorrectly processed by Microsoft 365 Copilot chat.”

For context, Copilot Chat, which rolled out to Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint for enterprise customers last fall, is pitched as a content-aware AI assistant. Tech companies like Microsoft are integrating AI assistants into virtually all of their products, creating new types of cybersecurity risks in the process. Businesses using AI assistants could be at risk from prompt injection and data compliance violations, for instance.

SEE ALSO: Moltbook is a 'security nightmare' waiting to happen, expert warns

The Copilot Chat issue, tracked internally as CW1226324, was first detected on Jan. 21 and impacts Copilot’s "work tab" chat feature, Bleeping Computer reports. Per Microsoft’s advisory, Copilot Chat was incorrectly pulling in and summarizing emails from users’ Sent Items and Drafts folders — even when those messages had sensitivity labels designed to block automated access. In other words, emails and sensitive information that were supposed to be off-limits weren’t.

Microsoft confirmed to Bleeping Computer that a code issue was responsible and said it began rolling out a fix in early February. The company is continuing to monitor deployment and reach out to some affected users to verify the patch is working. Additionally, Microsoft hasn’t disclosed how many organizations were impacted, noting that the scope may change as the investigation continues.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ever wanted your own theme song? Google introduces Lyria 3 for Gemini, a free AI music generator.

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 22:30

Google just keeps on releasing new AI tools.

On Wednesday, Google rolled out a new AI music generator called Lyria 3. It's a fairly big upgrade over earlier versions of the model, as it makes music generation a lot easier for users. Lyria 3 can create high-fidelity, 30-second audio tracks in a variety of genres, from short jingles and lo-fi beats to more complex arrangements and songs.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How to try Lyria 3 for free

Google says that Lyria 3 is available now in the Gemini desktop app (it will be rolling out into the mobile app in the coming days), and it's free for all users 18 and up. Lyria can be used in English, German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese, with support for additional languages to come.

To get started, simply head to the Gemini app. In the "Tools" dropdown menu, look for the "Music" option, which is accompanied by a music note icon. Google also released a Lyria 3 prompt guide to help users get started.

How Lyria 3 works Google provided this example of Lyria 3 music generation. Credit: Google

Lyria 3 can generate a short 30-second song based on a simple text, image, audio, or video prompt. Users can control the music style, vocals, and tempo all within the prompt. In addition, users no longer have to provide their own lyrics. Lyria 3 can create them based on the prompt. Nano Banana will even generate album artwork to go with it.

If users want to create music to go along with a specific photo or video, they can upload it along with their prompt. For instance, social creators could upload a video and generate a custom music track to go along with it in seconds.

Furthermore, there is a template option with dynamic suggestions for people who'd like to create an AI song but need some inspiration.

According to Google, all tracks that are generated within the Gemini app have a SynthID watermark embedded, which marks content as AI-generated.

While free users will have access to Lyria 3, paying Google AI Plus and AI Ultra subscribers will receive higher usage limits.

What about copyright concerns?

Many musicians and music publishers have criticized the AI industry for training models like Lyria 3 on copyright-protected works without permission or payment, and multiple lawsuits are working their way through the court system based on these concerns. Most AI companies argue that training models on copyrighted works is protected by fair use.

While Big Tech companies generally decline to comment on the specific training materials used for their frontier models, Google did say that it was "mindful" of musical copyrights. A Google blog post announcing the new model said the company has "been very mindful of copyright and partner agreements as we've trained Lyria 3.

Further, Google says that Lyria is not designed to mimic existing artists, and musicians can report content if they believe it violates their rights.

The blog post states:

Music generation with Lyria 3 is designed for original expression, not for mimicking existing artists. If your prompt names a specific artist, Gemini will take this as broad creative inspiration and create a track that shares a similar style or mood. We also have filters in place to check outputs against existing content. We recognize that our approach might not be foolproof, so you can report content that may violate your rights or the rights of others. Additionally, in order to use our products, users must adhere to our Terms of Service and Gen AI prohibited use policies, which prohibit violations of others’ intellectual property and privacy rights.

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Prime Video is about to bring the best part of physical media to streaming

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 22:00

For years, streaming has been holding out on us. One of the best perks of physical media isn't a limited-edition slip cover or box set; it's the options. Director's cuts, alternate editions, versions that changed the mood of the film, or revealed the filmmaker's real intent, not squashed by the studio. The problem is that all those extras have traditionally lived in plastic—bonus discs, collector sets, and under layers of menus.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Over Your Dead Body trailer: Samara Weaving and Jason Segel are a totally toxic couple

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 21:31

Do you like your comedy dark? If so, good news: The Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone has a new movie just for you.

The director behind such outrageous and hilarious movies as MacGruber and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping has teamed up with Shrinking's Jason Segel and Ready or Not 2: Here I Come's Samara Weaving for a darkly funny action thriller about a romance that has festered. Sure, there was presumably a time when this couple was deeply enamored with each other. But by the time they trek to a remote cabin in the woods for a relaxing getaway, they want each other dead more than they want to just break up. Well, at least that's one thing they still have in common?

But, wait — the trailer above also features Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis. So what else is going on here? Well, fans of Tommy Wirkola's gnarly comedy The Trip may have some idea. This is Taccone's remake of that Scandinavian offering, which had the warring couple interrupted by a trio of dangerous home invaders. However, having seen The Trip, I suspect Taccone will make Over Your Dead Body his own, based on this trailer alone.

Ahead of Over Your Dead Body's theatrical release on April 24, this comedy will premiere at the SXSW film festival next month. Look for Mashable's coverage out of the fest, starting March 12.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Over Your Dead Body trailer: Samara Weaving and Jason Segel are a totally toxic couple

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 21:31

Do you like your comedy dark? If so, good news: The Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone has a new movie just for you.

The director behind such outrageous and hilarious movies as MacGruber and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping has teamed up with Shrinking's Jason Segel and Ready or Not 2: Here I Come's Samara Weaving for a darkly funny action thriller about a romance that has festered. Sure, there was presumably a time when this couple was deeply enamored with each other. But by the time they trek to a remote cabin in the woods for a relaxing getaway, they want each other dead more than they want to just break up. Well, at least that's one thing they still have in common?

But, wait — the trailer above also features Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis. So what else is going on here? Well, fans of Tommy Wirkola's gnarly comedy The Trip may have some idea. This is Taccone's remake of that Scandinavian offering, which had the warring couple interrupted by a trio of dangerous home invaders. However, having seen The Trip, I suspect Taccone will make Over Your Dead Body his own, based on this trailer alone.

Ahead of Over Your Dead Body's theatrical release on April 24, this comedy will premiere at the SXSW film festival next month. Look for Mashable's coverage out of the fest, starting March 12.

Categories: IT General, Technology

53% of PC gamers are stuck at 1080p (even when 1440p monitors cost $150)

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 21:30

1080p has been the mainstream PC gaming resolution since the early 2010s. Just as it seemed like we were finally ready to move on to 1440p and 4K monitors, we’ve hit an unexpected wall this year. Rather than fading into obscurity, all signs point to 1080p remaining the dominant resolution now—and likely for years to come.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Toyota vs Honda vs Lexus: which hybrid SUV is most reliable?

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 20:31

Hybrid SUVs are everywhere right now, and buyers have more solid options than ever. Automakers are going all-in on electrification, but traditional hybrids are still the sweet spot for most people who want better efficiency without changing their daily routine.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 reasons to start using the Linux command line

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 20:00

You can use Linux without mastering the command line and messing around in terminal windows. But if you do, you’ll miss out on the command line’s speed, power, and low-level fine-grained control.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 6 Spotify gestures every subscriber should know

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 20:00

The Spotify mobile app includes a number of gestures that speed up and simplify various actions. Instead of digging through menus, you can swipe to add or remove songs from the queue, like tracks, jump to artist and album pages with a single tap, and more.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Windows is getting automatic recaps for PC games

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 19:41

The next time you play a PC game, you might get a recap showing achievements, screenshots, and other game data after you're done. Microsoft is starting to test the feature on the Insiders channels, ahead of a wider rollout.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Lee Cronins The Mummy trailer combines creepy kids and Egyptian mythology

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 19:34

Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin has another horror reboot on his hands, with Lee Cronin's The Mummy. Yes, that's the full title, not to be confused with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's 1999 adventure film (or its upcoming sequel), nor Tom Cruise's 2017 bomb that failed to kickstart the Dark Universe. (RIP.)

SEE ALSO: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' trailer promises classic Star Wars adventure... and a weirdly buff Hutt

Instead, Lee Cronin's The Mummy reimagines the classic Universal Monsters tale, turning the titular bandaged baddie into a creepy child.

That child is Katie (Natalie Grace). She disappeared on a trip to Egypt with her parents (Jack Reynor and Laia Costa) eight years prior, only to suddenly turn up in a sarcophagus.

"What was our daughter doing in a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus?" her father wonders.

Great question! The answer: Clearly nothing good, because as the trailer reveals, Katie is now a mummified husk who bites people's hands and talks about how fun it is to be dead. Her parents, just happy to have her back, wind up bringing her home. Personally, I would be staying far, far away from her, but then again, I'm not overcome with parental love and the relief of reuniting with my lost child. Still, there's no way this ends well for anyone, right?

Lee Cronin's The Mummy has the backing of modern horror movie heavy hitters, with James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw) and Jason Blum of Blumhouse serving as producers.

Lee Cronin's The Mummy also stars Moon Knight's May Calamawy and Veronica Falcón.

Lee Cronin's The Mummy hits theaters April 17.

Categories: IT General, Technology

PCIe Gen 5 and DRAM are a waste of money: Capacity is the only SSD spec that matters

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 19:30

When shopping for an NVMe SSD for your PC, you'll frequently come across long lists of buzzwords and specifications. However, not all specs are equally important, and even the ones that matter are often less relevant to most users than you might think. Here are a few tips I follow when buying NVMes to get the best deal every time.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch USA vs. Sweden in mens ice hockey online for free

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 19:10

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Sweden in men's ice hockey for free on CBC Gem. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The international ice hockey we've all been enjoying over the last few weeks is coming to an end. That's sad, but the good news is that the remaining games are all massive.

USA vs. Sweden is the final quarter-final matchup on the schedule. USA are favorites to advance to the semi finals, but Sweden are a talented side that can beat anyone on their best day. Sweden trounced Latvia 5-1 in the playoff round, so they'll be coming into this game high on confidence. We're expecting an entertaining battle between two strong sides.

If you want to watch USA vs. Sweden in men's ice hockey for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Sweden?

USA vs. Sweden in men's ice hockey takes place at 3:10 p.m. ET on Feb. 18. This fixture takes place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

How to watch USA vs. Sweden for free

USA vs. Sweden in men's ice hockey is available to live stream for free on CBC Gem.

CBC Gem is geo-restricted to Canada, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Canada, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 winter sports ice hockey from anywhere in the world.

Live stream USA vs. Sweden in men's ice hockey for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

  4. Visit CBC Gem

  5. Watch USA vs. Sweden for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the ice hockey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for CBC Gem?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Canada

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • 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 USA vs. Sweden in men's ice hockey for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI must stop using ‘Cameo’ term in Sora app, judge rules

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 19:00

OpenAI may soon have to find a new name for the "Cameo" feature in its AI video generator app Sora.

A judge has just issued a preliminary win to Cameo, the online platform where consumers can purchase custom videos from celebrities, regarding its trademark infringement lawsuit against OpenAI.

Cameo, the company, argued that OpenAI's Cameo feature would likely cause confusion among consumers. U.S. District Judge Eumi Lee agreed, at least, preliminarily. Previously, OpenAI renamed the feature "Characters" after the same judge issued a temporary restraining order, according to Tech Crunch.

"In sum, OpenAI uses ‘cameo’ as the app-defining feature to promote the Sora application; it uses it in a manner derived from Plaintiff’s CAMEO® mark; it is employing a nearly identical marketing strategy; and it is using ‘cameo’ to describe realistic AI-videos that are, at times, indistinguishable from Plaintiff’s authentic Cameo Videos," the judge wrote in the preliminary order.

The judge also highlighted some of the questionable content produced using Sora’s cameo feature.

SEE ALSO: I've been using Sora 2, and it's SpongeBob, memes, and deepfakes all the way down

“Plaintiff’s concern is based on troubling content already generated on the Sora application. For example, within the first few weeks of launching Sora 2, users began generating and sharing ‘hyper-realistic deepfake videos’ of Martin Luther King, Jr. doing 'crude, offensive or racist things,' including videos of him stealing from a grocery store and fleeing from police.”

Within Sora, users can opt in to a feature that allows their likeness to be used in AI-generated content. This is the feature that OpenAI has called Cameo. The AI giant has continued to use the Cameo name so far, regardless of the lawsuit.

Cameo lets consumers pay celebrities to record real custom videos as personal greetings, holiday gifts, and birthday messages. Cameo has argued that an AI product with the same name that generates videos would likely cause brand confusion.

However, it appears that OpenAI isn't giving up on the term "cameo" without a fight.

SEE ALSO: IShowSpeed slams AI deepfakes after watching Sora 2 videos of himself

"We disagree with the complaint's assertion that anyone can claim exclusive ownership over the word ‘cameo,’ and we look forward to continuing to make our case," said an OpenAI spokesperson, according to Reuters.

OpenAI has faced several legal issues related to copyright infringement. After a backlash over rampant copyright infringement on the Sora video app, OpenAI introduced an opt-out option for copyright holders.

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop buying your Ryobi tools from Home Depot, here's where to buy instead

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 19:00

Have you ever wanted to pick up a new Ryobi tool, but saw the price and slowly (or quickly) backed away? There’s a much better place than Home Depot to buy your Ryobi tools, where you'll pay lower prices and still get a warranty.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google’s ‘Project Toscana’ could bring Face ID to Pixel phones

Mashable - Wed, 02/18/2026 - 18:43

Google may finally be ready to fix one of the Pixel’s most frustrating flaws.

According to an exclusive report from Android Authority, Google is developing a new advanced facial recognition system internally dubbed "Project Toscana." The feature is reportedly being tested on Pixel phones and Chromebooks, with early testers in Mountain View, California, using prototype devices under various lighting conditions. Per the outlet’s anonymous source, Toscana performed just as quickly as Apple’s Face ID and, crucially, worked reliably in low light.

SEE ALSO: Google announces dates for I/O 2026

This would be a meaningful upgrade for Android users. Google has taken multiple swings at face unlock over the years. The Pixel 4 used radar and IR sensors before the company abandoned the approach. More recent Pixels reintroduced camera-based face unlock with improved machine learning, and starting with the Pixel 8, it could authenticate for payments and secure apps — but it still struggles in darker environments.

Android Authority notes this aligns with its previous reporting that Google has been exploring IR-based solutions for future Pixel devices, potentially as soon as the Pixel 11. Whether Toscana ends up with a display hole or sticks with a traditional hole-punch camera remains unclear.

The timing is interesting given the recent launch of the Pixel 10a. As Mashable tech reporter Alex Perry writes, the $499 mid-range device sticks with the Tensor G4 processor and delivers AI feature parity with the Pixel 10, despite the flagship moving to Tensor G5. Hardware changes were modest — a flatter back, improved durability, slightly brighter display — but no dramatic biometric upgrades.

If Project Toscana is real and ready for primetime, it likely won’t debut in the budget-friendly 10a, which arrives March 5. Instead, it could signal that Google is once again trying to build the Android answer to Face ID — and this time, maybe stick with it.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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