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This isn't a story I expected to write. As a longtime eReader owner, I never saw the appeal of reading books on a phone. Yet I've slowly transformed into someone who reads books on their phone almost every day (and my wife does, too). Here's why I ditched by eReader and decided my smartphone was the better option.

While you might think you need a high-powered machine to learn to code, your current machine or even an older laptop will likely be all you need to get started. Here's why.

Maintenance and repair costs are one of the biggest factors that affect long-term vehicle ownership, but few shoppers research them until it’s too late. In 2025, one SUV stands out above the rest for having the lowest average maintenance costs in its class, making it an ideal choice for buyers who want peace of mind and minimal expense over years of ownership. Whether you’re commuting daily, shuttling families, or hauling gear on weekend trips, lower upkeep means more savings down the road.

Netflix has released the trailer for the last episode in Stranger Things' fifth and final season, teasing the end of the Duffer Brothers' hit series after a decade-long run. We've come a long way since the vanishing of Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) in November 1983. 

It's been four years since Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) first encountered Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the Upside Down, and now their battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is finally coming to a head. 

Having learned more about the Upside Down's true nature and Venca's ultimate plan, the Hawkins teens are on a mission to stop him once and for all, fighting alongside allies Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), Max (Sadie Sink), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve (Joe Keery), and Robin (Maya Hawke). It won't be an easy task though, and victory may require painful sacrifices.

The series finale of Stranger Things premieres Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Netflix.

TCL just unveiled its latest tablet — the Note A1 NXTPAPER. The e-note tablet delivers a distraction-free workspace powered by AI so you can focus more on taking notes and less on organizing them.

Launching on Kickstarter first, the TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER is a tablet resembling the likes of ReMarkable's Paper Pro or the Kindle Scribe. It won't be the device for streaming or gaming, as it aims to keep you focused on note-taking or reading.

The TCL Note AI NXTPAPER comes with an 11.5-inch NXTPAPER Pure display, which delivers flicker-free visuals and paper-like clarity that's gentler on the eyes. TCL claims that the e-note tablet doesn't ghost (leaving remnants of erased pen marks or text on a previous page). It features color displays with a 16.7 million color range.

Record and transcribe meetings on the TCL A1 NXTPAPER. Credit: TCL

Where the tablet goes above and beyond is with its AI productivity tools. Wish your handwriting were neater? It'll "beautify" it. Plus, it can convert handwriting to text, do real-time transcription and translation with its included eight microphones.

The TCL Note AI NXTPAPER launches in late February of 2026, retailing for $549. Early access will be available through Kickstarter.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL Note AI NXTPAPER $549 at Kickstarter
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The idea of using your Android phone as a mouse or keyboard might sound gimmicky, but it actually works pretty well. With the right software, your phone becomes a wireless trackpad that's always on hand when you need to deal with awkward setups or when your regular devices let you down.

The most dangerous thing you do every day is getting behind the wheel of a car, and that's true even if it's just your econobox on the commute to work or on the way to the grocery store. But some cars, especially those designed for performance, are notorious for setting your GPS destination to "Valhalla" in the blink of an eye.

A smart home device without power is just an expensive paperweight. The trouble is, getting power to your smart home devices isn't always easy, depending on where you want to locate them. The good news is that there's a relatively simple way to supply both power and connectivity to many smart home devices.

A smart home device without power is just an expensive paperweight. The trouble is, getting power to your smart home devices isn't always easy, depending on where you want to locate them. The good news is that there's a relatively simple way to supply both power and connectivity to many smart home devices.

Are you getting ready to start a server using Linux? You have tons of distribution options to choose from, but I can show you which ones I prefer. Soon enough, you'll be running services on your computer like best of them.

Are you getting ready to start a server using Linux? You have tons of distribution options to choose from, but I can show you which ones I prefer. Soon enough, you'll be running services on your computer like best of them.

When I bought the original Raspberry Pi all those years ago, it never even crossed my mind that it would need some form of active cooling, or that it would make any difference. However, as every generation of Pi gains more powerful CPU and GPU cores, and increases the total number of those cores, physics inevitably catches up.

When I bought the original Raspberry Pi all those years ago, it never even crossed my mind that it would need some form of active cooling, or that it would make any difference. However, as every generation of Pi gains more powerful CPU and GPU cores, and increases the total number of those cores, physics inevitably catches up.

Cell notes are the clutter of the Excel world—they block your view and get in the way of formulas. That's why you should adopt the developer mindset by tucking notes inside your formulas, keeping your logic clean, your data visible, and your spreadsheets professional.

Throughout the years, my job has had me bouncing between project management tools like Asana, Trello, and Basecamp, and to be fair, they all do certain things well. Trello is great for simple visual boards. Asana shines once tasks and dependencies start piling up. Basecamp keeps communication tidy. The problem is that none of them stay lightweight for long, and the moment you need anything beyond the basics, you likley hit a paywall. What starts as a helpful tool quickly turns into another monthly expense, with your projects and data living entirely on someone else’s servers.

Samsung's next journey into the foldable frontier is underway in the form of the Galaxy Z TriFold, a foldable smartphone featuring two folds instead of just one. 

Just a few months after launching the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 foldables, Samsung has officially announced the TriFold, a smartphone that has two folding screens, resulting in three panels of usable phone. The internal screen measures a whopping 10 inches, comparable in size to a Galaxy Tab, while it folds down into a normal-sized 6.5-inch phone once fully closed. 

SEE ALSO: Did the foldable iPhone just get leaked? Seems like it.

So, what exactly do we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold? Let's get into it.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: Specs Credit: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images

According to the official announcement, here are the specs coming on the Galaxy Z TriFold:

• Cover screen: 6.5-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

• Interior screen: 10-inch QXGA (2160 x 1584)  Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 

• RAM and Storage: 16GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB of storage

• Rear cameras: 12 MP ultra-wide / 200 MP wide-angle / 10 MP telephoto

• Front cameras: 10 MP selfie camera (cover screen) / 10 MP selfie camera (main screen)

• Battery size: 5,600 mAh three-cell battery

• Dimensions (folded): 159.2 x 75.0 x 12.9mm

• Dimensions (unfolded): 159.2 x 214.1 x 3.9mm / 4.2mm / 4.0mm (screen with SIM tray, center screen, and screen with side button, respectively)

• Weight: 309 grams

In terms of processors, cameras, RAM, and all that other fun stuff, these specs are pretty similar to what you'd find in a Z Fold 7. The 6.5-inch cover display stands out especially, as the one on the Z Fold 7 is the exact same size. The 10-inch interior display, however, will be significantly larger than the 8-inch equivalent in the Z Fold 7. That's the big selling point here: When it's folded, this is sized like a bigger traditional smartphone, but when you unfold it, you're unlikely to find any phone with a bigger display.

Initially, thickness was a potential issue, as a trifold smartphone was bound to be a hair bit thicker than anything else on the market. At 12.9mm, it is a thick smartphone. For reference, the super-thin Galaxy Z Fold 7 is just 8.9mm when folded, which makes the Galaxy X TriFold about a third thicker than its closest sibling. Whether or not that’s a dealbreaker depends exclusively on how thick or thin you want your smartphone to be. 

That’s about the only complaint in an otherwise stellar spec sheet. The battery is nice and big, with Samsung stuffing 5,600 mAh into its three-cell system we first saw in a Korean phone patent. Each cell is hidden in each screen of the display, and it's a 1,200 mAh improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 7. 

SEE ALSO: Samsung and LG preview new Micro RGB TVs. OK, but what are Micro RGB TVs? Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: Pricing

In terms of price, be prepared for this. Samsung announced that the price would be 3,594,000 won. This translates to roughly $2,450 (which Samsung will likely round up to $2,500). That’s quite a lot higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at $1,999.99. For availability, Samsung states that it will be first introduced in South Korea, followed by China, Taiwan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and then eventually the United States. Per Bloomberg, Samsung is expected to ship a very limited volume, so it won’t be widely available everywhere.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: U.S. release date

Samsung officially released the Galaxy Z TriFold on Dec. 12 in South Korea, so it is in the wild now. The other regions where the phone is expected to launch, including the United States, are most likely going to see a launch in Q1 2026. That’s also when the Samsung Galaxy S26 is expected to launch, so the two may be released in tandem at an upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event.

If you can’t wait, there are plenty of unboxing videos on YouTube from the usual suspects, such as Mr. Who's the Boss and SuperSaf. The videos showcase the phone, including what it looks like when folded and unfolded, and demonstrate its general functionality, along with some other cool features. 

What do people think of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold?

Despite the high price tag, the Galaxy Z TriFold quite literally sold out in minutes. In South Korea, at least, the hype train is real, and Samsung can barely put these things on the shelves fast enough. The next batch is scheduled for Dec. 17th on Samsung’s website, and after that, we don’t know if they’ll have to continue rationing these out like they are now. 

Impressions online have been generally positive, with the few people who have actually had the opportunity to play with the smartphone stating that it’s certainly one of the most interesting smartphones in a while. Online and written impressions from publications are generally very positive, with complaints being fairly mild and often related to refinement, which is understandable given that this is a first-generation product. 

Here's what tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss said after trying out the phone: "So, honestly, I don't think the Trifold is this experimental quirky phone option. I actually think that this phone has immediately become the definitive Samsung foldable. You will have to handle it with care and you'll definitely have to pay for the privilege."

Social impressions were mixed, with some folks saying that this is the coolest new smartphone in years, while others are a little more guarded. 

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"This is the true tablet killer," said one Redditor. Another stated that they were pleased to see Samsung innovating, and pontificated on when Apple would eventually release its first foldable. "Sign me up for one," another Redditor said. "[I’m] bored of my Folds." The most common sentiment among the excited was how absurd it would feel to be able to put a 10-inch tablet in your pocket. 

In terms of complaints, they fell into two camps. Excited people from Europe who are currently experiencing difficulties measuring their disappointment at not receiving a release there, and those wondering how the first-generation device will hold up over the long term. Some expressed worry about screen durability, especially since Samsung is offering a 50 percent discount on the first screen repair. Others are concerned with battery life, believing that the 10-inch display will chew through the 5,600 mAh battery rather quickly. 

With that said, very few people have gotten their hands on a Z TriFold, so we’ll have to wait a little bit longer to hear first-hand accounts on how it feels to use it day-to-day.

The New Year is right around the corner, which also means we’re already neck-deep in CES season. For 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics show returns to Las Vegas and is expected to lean heavily into robots and "living with AI" — a direction car enthusiasts may not be thrilled about after last year’s vehicle-heavy spotlight.

SEE ALSO: LG to unveil a new home robot helper at CES 2026

That said, the biggest car manufacturers on the planet will still be there as the industry continues its full-speed pivot toward AI, much like everyone else. As with last year, expect far more software reveals than actual new car announcements, which — depending on who you ask — is either encouraging progress or a major letdown.

So, here’s everything you need to know about cars heading into CES 2026.

Sony-Honda is back again

At CES 2025, we covered the debut of the Sony–Honda joint venture’s first EV, the AFEELA 1. While we didn’t get to see it in motion, Sony-Honda Mobility Group did walk us through a demo of the car’s infotainment system. For 2026, the company plans to return with what it’s calling a "pre-production" version of the AFEELA 1, alongside an all-new concept vehicle.

What’s less clear is what Sony-Honda actually considers pre-production at this point. The version shown in 2025 already looked fairly road-ready, at least from a visual standpoint, making the distinction feel more semantic than substantive.

According to the SHM Group, their EVs are expected to start production sometime in 2026 and will initially be available only in California.

Software-defined vehicles take center stage (again)

If there’s one theme that will quietly dominate CES 2026, it’s the continued shift toward software-defined vehicles. This isn’t new, but it is becoming unavoidable. Automakers are less interested in showing off the vehicles themselves and more focused on proving their cars can evolve after they leave the factory.

That means operating systems, over-the-air updates, and modular software stacks will be everywhere. Companies like P3 are using CES to highlight Android Automotive — based platforms that let automakers roll out features, apps, and services long after a vehicle ships. For consumers, this could mean improved infotainment and enhanced features over time. For automakers, it’s about speed, flexibility, and, ultimately, new revenue streams.

The bigger shift is toward "agentic AI." For reference, these are AI systems that actively make decisions on behalf of the user, rather than just responding to commands.

At CES 2026, expect to see AI utilized for route planning, energy management, and driver assistance systems that adapt in real-time rather than follow fixed rules. On the surface, it's a meaningful attempt at innovation, but it raises some questions about privacy and how much control drivers are willing to relinquish.

Don't expect much spectacle

If CES 2025 was about big promises, CES 2026 looks more like a reality check. Several analysts have noted that automakers are now in the less glamorous phase of turning previous announcements into actual products. That's just how the state of the auto industry is right now, especially given the development of the EV industry in 2025.

Heading into CES 2026, the EV industry is in a noticeably more sober place than it was even a year ago. After years of aggressive timelines and all-in commitments, automakers are recalibrating as demand has proven softer and more uneven than expected. U.S. EV sales peaked in late 2025 ahead of the expiration of federal incentives, then dropped sharply, forcing companies like GM and Ford to pull back billions in planned EV spending while refocusing on hybrids, trucks, and SUVs that actually move volume.

Automakers are now operating in what industry analysts have called an era of "EV realism," where electrification is still the long-term goal, but the path there is slower, more fragmented, and far less ideological. Expect CES 2026 to reflect that shift.

That’s why the show may feel quieter from a car-news perspective, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. CES has always been a supplier-driven event, and this year will likely highlight chips, sensors, robotics, and manufacturing tech that won’t grab headlines.

A new year is almost here, and you know what that means: The world's largest annual tech event is starting in just a few days.

Yep, CES 2026 is scheduled to kick off on January 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada, gathering tens of thousands of enthusiasts to see what's new in the world of consumer tech. We'll see an entirely new breed of TVs, new foldable phones, self-driving cars, weird gadgets, powerful chips, and many, many AI and robotics-related announcements. Unsurprisingly, those are some of the top tech trends we're anticipating in 2026.

Mashable will be on the ground in Las Vegas to cover CES 2026 as it unfolds. For now, let's take a look at what we expect to see from the biggest exhibitors this year.

Micro RGB TVs Can these achieve OLED-like picture quality at a lower price? It remains to be seen. Credit: LG

Forget OLEDs and QLEDs – this year you'll mostly be hearing about Micro RGB TVs. Two TV giants, Samsung and LG, have pre-announced their lineups of Micro RGB TVs, which are hitting the market in a variety of sizes this year. We don't have a verdict on how good these are just yet, but you can read about the technology that drives them in our handy explainer.

Of course, all of the other major TV manufacturers will be at CES 2026 as well. Sony is likely to show off its True RGB TVs, a new take Mini-LED TVs that promises higher brightness and contrast with more accurate colors (don't they all?).

We're also likely to hear a lot of talk about new HDR formats; Samsung announced its HDR10+ Advanced, the company's answer to Dolby Vision 2, back in October, with a launch scheduled for early 2026.

Foldable phones Why fold a phone once when you can fold it twice? Credit: Samsung

CES isn't exactly a phone show, with most major companies choosing to launch their flagships at standalone events. That doesn't mean we won't see a bunch of new devices, though, and we're betting that a lot of them will be foldable.

Samsung, for example, has freshly launched its first tri-folding phone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, but the company is rumored to be working on yet another foldable device that isn't a new iteration of its Galaxy Z Fold. We don't know whether that one will show up at CES 2026, but we're sure Samsung's booth will feature at least a couple new devices with folding displays.

Motorola is also rumored to launch a book-style foldable phone at CES; a first for the company (Motorola already sells the flip phone-style foldable Motorola Razr).

Robots, robots everywhere Roborock's Qrevo Curv 2 Flow already combines a vacuum with a self-cleaning roller mop, but we bet the company has something even more advanced up its sleeve. Credit: Roborock

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is banking on the company's Optimus robot to be the next big thing, and other tech companies are taking notice.

One major company that's already announced a new robot is LG. The company will launch its CLOiD home helper robot, designed to improve your quality of life by performing a "wide range of indoor household tasks". We don't have photos, specs, or a release date for this one, so forgive us for not being too enthusiastic until we find out more about CLOiD.

Samsung has a robot called Ballie which it keeps re-launching at CES (it originally launched in 2020, followed by a 2024 remake), and we wouldn't be too surprised if the company brought a new version to CES 2026.

Companies such as Roborock are likely to show off even more advanced robot vacuum cleaners. Since we're on the topic of smart home, we're also likely to see new, smarter home security cameras, among other clever house-bound gadgets.

And while we cannot reveal more at this stage, we definitely know there will be several companies bringing new, humanoid and non-humanoid robots to the show.

Self-driving cars These would look good in front of my garage. Credit: Honda

Look, it's CES. There will be cars. And if you're launching a car these days, it better be capable of autonomous driving.

We already know that Sony and Honda's joint venture (Sony Honda Mobility or SHM) will bring its retro-futuristic electric cars to the show. These will feature Level 3 autonomy, and we'll likely find out more about specs such as range and charging times.

Autonomous driving powerhouse Mobileye will also have a keynote on January 6, with CEO Amnon Shashua talking about the company's tech roadmap going forward.

Overall, we expect a lot of announcements related to self-driving tech, be it in the form of new cars, new AI smarts and chips powering autonomous driving, or further expansion of robotaxi services.

Powerful new chips Intel's Core Ultra series 3 (codenamed Panther Lake) chips will go on sale in January 2026. Credit: Intel

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is delivering a keynote on January 5, and while that doesn't necessarily mean we'll see major new products, we're likely to find out more about Nvidia's strategy on powering the AI revolution going forward. One rumor claimed that Nvidia might launch new GeForce RTX 50 Super series graphics cards during CES, but later reports said the launch was delayed until later in the year.

AMD is probably introducing new Ryzen chips, including the new Ryzen 7 9850X3D. Intel has pre-announced the announcement of its Panther Lake chips, which will officially launch at CES. Qualcomm is launching its Snapdragon X Elite and X Elite Extreme chips inside laptops for the first time. In short, you shouldn't worry about your next computer, phone, or tablet being underpowered (if you can afford the RAM, that is).

AI everything

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Every tech event in the past couple of years has had a strong artificial intelligence focus or at least undertone, and we expect to see even more of that this year. AI will be mentioned by the chip makers. It will be sworn on by the automakers. Every robot, phone, tablet and home security camera we see at CES 2026 will likely have a brand new AI brain powering it. Heck, even the news TVs will boast AI smarts for upscaling and intelligence picture enhancement.

New year, new love? Maybe not, according to Mashable's dating predictions for 2026. 

With 2026 within kissing distance, many of us will be mulling over our resolutions for the year ahead. Will I fall in love this year? Will dating continue to be a dumpster fire? Will we enter a post-dating era? Will we all be dating chatbots by Christmas 2026?

Mashable's resident dating experts, journalists Rachel Thompson and Anna Iovine, have made five predictions for what lies ahead in the dating realm. 

You can't spell dating without 'AI'

2025 was a seminal year when it came to AI implementations in different industries, and dating is no exception. Dating apps like Hinge and Tinder have begun to bake AI into new features, like Hinge's Convo Starters, which uses AI to nudge users to send better first messages. Tinder is also testing an AI matchmaker called Chemistry.

Then there are the people actually dating chatbots. We saw AI used in dating and as "daters" themselves last year, and we can only guess it'll continue this year. There may be an AI bubble, but it's doubtful detractors can put the genie back into the bottle — especially when it comes to AI companions. Some adults have grown so attached to their ChatGPT-4 companions, for instance, that when OpenAI upgraded to GPT-5 they freaked out and sought to revert it back to the previous generation, which was more glazing and less analytical. 

SEE ALSO: How many people think flirting with AI chatbots is actually cheating? People will turn away from dating entirely

Dating? Tired. Daters? Exhausted. No, seriously: nearly 80 percent of all dating app users are feeling burnt out by the apps. 

People — women who date men, in particular — are decentering dating from their lives, choosing instead to prioritize self-fulfilment, friendships, hobbies, and personal growth. Could this be the beginning of a post-dating era?

So, if you're single and loving it, you're officially an icon. As a lifelong single gal, this is not new information to me. But if you've ever felt pressured by your friends to "fix" your singleness and find yourself a partner, well, tell them that dating is terribly passé these days, donchaknow. Then there's the fact that posting your boyfriend on social media is basically loser behaviour now, according to a viral British Vogue article. Then there's the burgeoning single positivity movement, which Mashable has been reporting on for many years. If dating isn't sparking joy, then why bother? 

Offline will be cooler than ever

While a faction of the population will be using AI in their everyday lives, including as one's partner, we predict that another faction will be so turned off by technology that they want to quit. Young adults have already started "luddite clubs," attended offline dating events, and weaned themselves off smartphones, and this trend may continue as life becomes more like science fiction daily.

SEE ALSO: 5 ways dating changed in 2025

Because being online is so normal and frictionless that being offline might actually be cool and attractive. Not having an Instagram? So hot. Not being on any dating apps? Even hotter.

Dates on the cheap

With food and drink costs on the rise in the U.S., singles will be getting creative with their love lives to keep romance alive but costs to a minimum. We think that house parties and one-on-one setups will boom in 2026. Instead of expensive speed dating events or comedy shows with a two-drink minimum, you might try hosting your own flirting party. Tell your friends to bring a single pal. Perhaps you'll opt for a walk in the park as a cute first date (you might need your scarf and gloves in winter).

Looking for cheaper alternatives to pricey dating app subscriptions? Be sure to check out Mashable's guide to the best free dating apps.

Looks will matter even more

Let's face it: Perceived attractiveness has always been important in dating and our society as a whole. "Pretty privilege" is real! But in 2026, we think it'll, unfortunately, matter even more to daters. We're at a time when GLP-1 medications are all the rage, and there are also new innovations in hair loss treatments that may make men stop flying to Turkey to fix their hairlines. Combine that with social media shallowness as a whole as well as trends like "looksmaxxing" and women measuring their face lengths, and daters may be scrutinizing their matches' photos more than ever. 

It's been a long year, but it's almost over.

And since January, a lot has happened in the tech world. It's a fickle, fast-paced industry, and some major products and services haven't survived 2025.

Some of the entries on our in memorium list lived long, fruitful lives and contributed lasting legacies to the ever-evolving technology space. (RIP, Skype.) Others were flash-in-the-pan features or straight-up flops (we're looking at you, Humane AI Pin), destined to meet an early death. Regardless, they're all worthy of remembering for the way they impacted our lives — even if that impact was just as a punchline.

Join us as we look back at the year so far and say goodbye (or good riddance) to the tech that died along the way.

TiVo boxes

Yes, TiVo was still making boxes and yes, the company did kill them off this year. It may feel hard to believe, but TiVO DVRs survived all the way into 2025, long past the product's heyday.

The company quietly removed the DVRs from its website in October. The company is not dead, however. It has pivoted to being a software company that is mostly used by TVs sold in Europe.

Microsoft passwords

Microsoft really didn't want you using passwords in 2025. It killed off its password manager in stages, instead migrating its users to passkeys.

A passkey, for the uninitiated, is essentially a more secure way of logging in that combines a password and two-factor authentication into a single step. Often, that involves something like a thumbprint or secure PIN.

"It's the difference between using a codeword to open a door and using a physical key that only you have," Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Werth explained. "Passkeys are only stored on your devices, not a Microsoft server, and they also eliminate the kind of user errors that result in weak passwords. Plus, password managers are becoming a really popular target for hackers, so Microsoft is definitely onto something."

Humane AI Pin 

Oh, AI Pin, we hardly knew ye. After less than a year, Humane's attempt to replace the smartphone with a screenless, AI-powered wearable pin came to an untimely end. In theory, the concept of an AI assistant that projected a screen on your hand or a surface sounded pretty intriguing. But Humane's execution of the AI pin was all wrong. From the beginning, reviewers panned the $700 device for myriad reasons, including its faulty projector, finicky response to hand gestures, inaccurate AI responses, and overheating issues. Returns of the AI Pin soon flooded in, and Humane shut down support in February 2025.

Humane may have failed to develop a useful AI wearable, but OpenAI is taking a crack at it. Sam Altman was an investor in Humane, and under his direction, OpenAI announced a partnership with Jony Ive, the iconic designer of the iPhone, in May to create an AI device. That project, however, has reportedly hit delays already — producing a product at scale has proven difficult — and we might not see it until 2027.

Skype

Ubiquitous video calling apps like Zoom and FaceTime owe a debt of gratitude to Skype. Twenty-two years ago, the only way to call someone was through an (often) expensive phone plan. Long-distance calls were an extravagance, only made for special occasions or emergencies.

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Then, along came Skype in 2003, offering free calls between users over the internet. Not only did it disrupt the telecom industry, it made video calling a thing when it added video support in 2006. Eventually, Skype was acquired by Microsoft in 2011, and it lived an increasingly irrelevant existence as other video calling apps from Apple, Google, and the aforementioned Zoom came on the scene. In February, Microsoft announced that it would retire Skype by May and migrate users to its other video platform, Teams.

Forced retirement is a bittersweet ending. But Skype lived a good, long life, and we'll always have its legacy.

Pocket 

The OG bookmarking app said goodbye this year. Mozilla, which has owned Pocket since 2017, shut down the read-later platform in July.

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Pocket launched in 2007 as Read It Later and grew to 30 million users, according to Mozilla. As Mashable's Matt Binder wrote, the app quickly became a popular service "just as social news and social bookmarking began to take off." But according to Mozilla, "the way people use the web has evolved, so we’re channeling our resources into projects that better match their browsing habits and online needs."

Change is hard, but if you want to keep your bookmarking habits, Binder recommended a bunch of great Pocket alternatives. Just think of Pocket every time you hit "save."

Zelle (kind of)

The Venmo alternative shut down its mobile app in April, but it lives on through your bank. Announced in October 2024, Zelle said it would phase out the standalone app since it only facilitates around two percent of transactions. Instead, it will focus on its money exchange service through the many financial institutions it has partnered with.

"Today, the vast majority of people using Zelle to send money use it through their financial institution’s mobile app or online banking experience, and we believe this is the best place for Zelle transactions to occur," according to the 2024 press release. And now, this plan has gone into effect.

Meta fact-checking program 

At the start of President Donald Trump's second non-consecutive term in office, Mark Zuckerberg launched his MAGA makeover. This began with ending Meta's fact-checking program for being "too politically biased," according to a video announcement on Facebook. President Trump has accused social media sites of censoring right-wing content, and Zuckerberg seemingly endorsed this viewpoint in killing the program. "What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it’s gone too far," said Zuckerberg in the video.

Instead, Meta has implemented a crowd-sourced community notes approach, like Elon Musk's X. Meta began implementing community notes across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in March.

TikTok Creator Marketplace (kind of)

This is another entry that's not so much a true death but a reincarnation, if you will. TikTok shut down its Creator Marketplace, a valuable tool for creators to connect with brands for ad campaigns. Instead, it folded the marketplace into TikTok One, a new platform geared towards advertisers with a whole bunch of generative AI tools.

One of those tools is an AI avatar feature, which lets brands create AI-generated people showing off their products. How that impacts creators looking for partnerships remains to be seen. But creators have also proven to be resilient through the looming ban and trade wars.

Mr. Deepfakes

Ding dong, Mr. Deepfakes is dead. We'll gladly celebrate the shutdown of the notorious site known for hosting nonconsensual deepfake porn. As first spotted by 404 Media, the Mr. Deepfakes URL redirected to a "Shutdown Notice" in early May.

According to the message, the shutdown was forced by a service provider that "has terminated service permanently." It also said Mr. Deepfakes "will not be relaunching" and "this domain will eventually expire and we are not responsible for future use."

Just a week before, Congress passed the Take It Down Act, which made posting nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII) a federal crime and gives stronger recourse for victims of such content. It's unclear if the shutdown was related, but regardless, regulators are paying attention to the widespread issue.

Google Assistant

We didn't quite say goodbye to Google Assistant in 2025, but we did learn the approximate day of its demise. An official Android Auto support forum revealed it'll be dropped in March 2026. This is just part of a much wider push from Google — and, to be fair, most tech giants — to integrate AI tools into products. So with that comes no more Google Assistant and, in its place, Gemini, the company's AI-powered tool.

The ChatGPT-powered teddy bear

Maybe having ChatGPT power a children's toy was never a good idea, considering chatbots' propensity to hallucinate, give questionable advice, and delve into subject matter that's inappropriate for kids.

Toymaker FoloToy pulled its AI-powered teddy bear called Kumma from shelves in November. The decision followed a troubling report from the consumer watchdog organization Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). That report from PIRG found that the toy gave detailed instructions for lighting a match, talked about sexual kinks, and gave tips for "being a good kisser."

It feels like an obvious decision not to sell that product to children.

Twitter dot com

Obviously, Twitter was killed off a long time ago, replaced by Elon Musk's X. But X moved to cancel the Twitter domain this year, so much so that folks who used a security key had to migrate to X.com instead of remaining tied to Twitter.com. In short: It was a move to kill off the last vestiges of what was once Twitter. You can still access the social media site by typing, "Twitter.com" but, for all intents and purposes, that website is fully Elon Musk's X.

We've said goodbye to Twitter a thousand times at this point, but it is well and truly dead at the end of 2025.

Google Dark Web reports

Google is famous for experimenting with new products and unceremoniously sunsetting them. There's even a website dedicated to the Google Graveyard called Killed by Google, which includes classic Google fails like Google Glass as well as new casualties.

Most recently, Google decided to shut down its Dark Web Report, which gave Google users a heads-up if any of their personal information ever surfaced on the dark web. This service just launched in 2024, and it could have been a useful, common-sense cybersecurity tool.

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