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How to watch Switzerland vs. France in mens ice hockey online for free

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:01

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

Men's international ice hockey started with a couple of entertaining games from Group B. Slovakia vs. Finland and Sweden vs. Italy got things going, and now the remaining teams are prepared to take things up a notch. The next batch of games starts with Switzerland vs. France. It's not got the same level of interest as the games involving USA and Canada, but there are plenty of star players on show here.

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

When is Switzerland vs. France?

Switzerland vs. France in men's ice hockey takes place at 6:10 a.m. ET on Feb. 12. This fixture takes place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

How to watch Switzerland vs. France for free

Switzerland vs. France 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 Switzerland vs. France 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 Switzerland vs. France 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 Switzerland vs. France in men's ice hockey for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Astronomers discover the surprising reason for a stars disappearance

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

The steady beam of a star twice the size of the sun played a trick on astronomers about a year ago: It vanished. 

Then some nine months later, it reappeared in the constellation Monoceros, about 3,200 light-years away in space.

Now researchers think they've solved the mystery of one of the longest star-dimming events ever recorded. The star, called ASASSN-24fw, may have disappeared behind a giant planet with an enormous system of rings, according to new research, blocking most of its light from reaching Earth for nine months. 

The study, which appears in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, serves as a reminder that worlds around other stars can have ring systems far larger and more complex than anything in our own solar system.

"Long-lasting dimming events like this are exceptionally uncommon as they require very perfect line-ups," said Sarang Shah, lead author at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in India, in a statement. "The dimming began gradually because the outer parts of the rings are thin, and only became obvious when the denser regions passed in front of the star."

SEE ALSO: These 'avatars' will fly around the moon with NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts

Near the end of 2024, astronomers noticed the star suddenly grew faint. Rather than brighten in days or weeks like most dimming events, ASASSN-24fw faded for nearly 200 days. The star's cheeky name comes from the All Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae, a robotic telescope based in Hawaii nicknamed "Assassin." 

After trying various computer models to explain the event, the team concluded the culprit was either a brown dwarf or a super-Jupiter planet, both large objects that are smaller than stars but bigger than most worlds. Experts sometimes refer to brown dwarfs as failed stars because they're not quite massive enough to generate their own nuclear power. 

Researchers believe a brown dwarf or super-Jupiter blocking ASASSN-24fw formed a nearly opaque saucer covering the star, through which only a tiny amount of its light could escape. Credit: S. Shah et al. / DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staf2251 illustration

The team's top explanation involves a brown dwarf surrounded by humongous rings, similar in shape to Saturn's but vastly larger, eclipsing the star. In this case, the rings are estimated to stretch about 15.8 million miles from the brown dwarf, about half the distance between the sun and Mercury.

As the ring system moved in front of the star, it blocked about 97 percent of ASASSN-24fw's light. By studying changes in the star's brightness and light patterns — methods astronomers use to infer mass and motion — the team estimates the hidden object weighs more than three times as much as Jupiter.

The data also suggest the star itself has leftover material close by, possibly debris from past or ongoing planetary collisions. That is unusual for a star believed to be more than a billion years old.

Researchers think the brown dwarf or giant planet that eclipsed the star had a ring system similar to Saturn's, seen here, though vastly larger. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute

"Large ring systems are expected around massive objects, but they are very difficult to observe directly to determine their characteristics," said Jonathan Marshall, a coauthor affiliated with Academia Sinica in Taiwan, in a statement. 

The researchers now want to measure the star's temperature, makeup, age, and life stage. They plan to gather more data using powerful observatories, including the Very Large Telescope in Chile and the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's leading infrared observatory.

They expect the star to dim again in roughly 42 years, when the ringed object returns, offering another chance to study this unusual system, said Marshall, whose expertise is in circumstellar material and debris disks.

"This rare event allows us to study such a complex system in remarkable detail," he said. "In fact, while studying this dimming, we also serendipitously discovered that ASASSN-24fw also has a red dwarf star in its vicinity."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bart Layton on how Crime 101 compares to The Imposter and American Animals

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

For my money, Bart Layton is among the most exciting true crime documentarians out there. The English filmmaker first caught my attention in 2012 with The Imposter. This stranger-than-fiction documentary follows a Texas family who took in a French con artist who claimed to be their missing son. Interviews with both the family and the con artist mean the movie turns into a battle over their respective narratives, leaving the audience to answer for themselves what's true. 

In 2018, Layton tackled another true crime case, but with elements of a narrative feature. To unfurl the bizarre and fascinating story of the Transylvania University book heist, he cast hot young actors like Evan Peters and Barry Keoghan to portray privileged college boys who fantasize about being Tarantino-style criminals. Rather than classic re-enactments, Layton folded in interviews with the real thieves, sometimes having them appear alongside the actors. Together, they'd regard the moment, recreated and so less real, interrogating as we watch where the truth lies and what lies exist to preserve their visions of themselves. 

Now Layton takes his big Hollywood swing with Crime 101, an adaptation of the Don Winslow crime novel, starring Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, and Barry Keoghan (again). Departing from true crime, Layton translates a novel into a cinematic tale of high stakes and heartaches. 

Hemsworth stars as a mysterious jewel thief who targets Los Angeles's 101 freeway for his strikes. However, he's careful to steal from those who can afford it (or are insured), and though he carries a gun, never enacts violence against his victims. This intrigues the detective on his tail (Ruffalo), and tempts a frustrated insurance broker (Berry) to go in with him on one last job. However, a mercurial rival thief (Keoghan) might ruin all of the above's carefully laid plans. 

 So how does he feel his latest film compares to his previous stunners? In an interview for Crime 101, I sat down with Layton to ask exactly that. 

What attracts Bart Layton to crime stories?  Bart Layton, Halle Berry, and Chris Hemsworth at the "Crime 101" World Premiere in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images

For Layton, it's less about the crime and more about how it allows for a structure to enthrall an audience. "You're always looking for a way to smuggle in the layers," he explained. "Crime capers or especially the structure of a heist film is great because you're kind of positing a question at the beginning that an audience knows they're not getting the answer to until like the third act. So within that, you've got a framework that you can hopefully try to hang other ideas or more complicated things on."

He continued, "I'm looking for something that delivers the thing that we all want from a night out at the movies: the roller-coaster ride. I'm looking at how some of those stories will allow this opportunity for exploring. Like in this, there's a lot about the wealth divide and that chasm that is growing. There's also a lot about other things, the gray area of who's really the criminal? Is it the insurance industry? Is it the institutions? Is it the jewel thief? I suppose I'm more drawn to the idea of human beings who live outside the norms or cross a line that they probably shouldn't or never expected to cross than I am specifically in just crime or true crime. We get to vicariously look at what happens when we step outside of those conventions."

Bart Layton on the pressure of going mainstream.  Corey Hawkins and Mark Ruffalo in "Crime 101." Credit: Merrick Morton / Amazon MGM

True crime fans and critics cheered his previous films, but Crime 101 is undoubtedly his biggest movie yet, aiming to appeal to a broad audience. Layton spoke to the challenge of expectations there. "As you get into bigger Hollywood [movies]," he explained, "There's more pressure to deliver what a big, mainstream audience wants. That said, I do feel like maybe we've got a little less respectful of audiences in recent times. Because most audiences are really smart, and they do want a full meal, not like a bit of junk food or candy floss that's then disappeared."

For Crime 101, that meal involves the characters' motivations. Whether cop or criminal, each of them is striving for the same thing on some level. "It's not unique to L.A. but the pressure to have a certain image of success and status drives a lot of behavior," Layton said, "So a lot of what I was trying to think about was how these characters have got to a place where almost all of what they've done up until this point has been driven by that status anxiety. 'If I just get to here, if I have this, then maybe other people will see me as a success, and then I'll see myself that way.'" It's that desire that pushes Crime 101's curious cadre of characters to cross those lines of social propriety or legality. And the audience gets the vicarious thrill of watching those lines trampled.

"With American Animals," Layton said, "the motivation was, like, the promise of a special life." He notes one of the gang in that story did just want the money. But the others, who idolized movies like Reservoir Dogs and Fight Club, dreamed of being special in this hyper-masculine and antisocial way. "There was this other thing of, like, 'Oh, here I am. I'm a privileged, white, upper-middle-class kid. I got all of this opportunity, and yet, wasn't I supposed to be like a somebody?' And if you're not a somebody, you're a nobody."

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Layton tied this back to Crime 101, saying, "I think there is a connection to that, what's happening in some of these characters' lives. Which is the thing of, if you get to that number or that car or that apartment, you'll feel like you're a value in the world. And maybe you get there and you realize maybe it's not going to be that."

Asked if the English filmmaker felt that such status-chasing was distinctly American — as all of his movies have been largely set in the U.S. — he said it's not "limited to" this nation. But he admitted that in L.A., he feels the pressure to posture, specifically through car culture. 

"I've never thought twice about [cars] — like if I'm hiring a car, I could not give a shit what car it is," he said. "But when I go to L.A., I'm like, 'Oh, maybe I need to think about [this]. Like I need to arrive in a car that makes me look, at least like I'm not a joker. So I definitely don't think it's limited, but it may be primarily an American experience, which is definitely spreading." 

Crime 101 opens in theaters on Feb. 13. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

The rise of Anti-Valentines Day online

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

As any hardcore fan — stan — of a famous musician or actor knows, they also have haters. "Antis," if you will. As it turns out, Valentine's Day is no different.

Love Day is almost here, and your algorithm might be spitting up videos about the best restaurants to go to, recipes to try, or gifts to shower your loved one with. Or, it might be showing you the opposite: posts railing against Valentine's Day, and even events celebrating "anti Valentine's Day."

SEE ALSO: 15 romantic Valentine's Day gifts that go beyond tired clichés Why are some people anti-Valentine's Day?

"For a lot of people, Valentine's Day represents old or stale values, like heteronormativity, the commercialization of love, this sort of monogonormativity of it all," sex therapist and founder of therapy practice The Expansive Group, Casey Tanner, told Mashable. 

"It makes total sense to me that the sort of response to that is, 'Why not create some community around that experience, instead of only centering people who are on the relationship escalator?'" Tanner said.

According to recent YouGov data, only 37 percent of 1,114 U.S. adults surveyed plan to celebrate Valentine's Day, and only 52 percent in a romantic or sexual relationship do, too.

February 14 can be isolating if you're single, and it also props up romantic and sexual relationships as superior to platonic ones. (Maybe you celebrate Galentine's Day instead to buck this notion.)

Anti-Valentine's Day festivities

Amanda Badeau, founder of bookstore, cafe, and wine bar The Archive in South Carolina, told Mashable she puts a lot of pressure on herself to be unique and perfect, especially around holidays. Valentine's Day carries a lot of pressure, and she also mentioned it can be isolating. Instead of forcing a more "traditional" event, The Archive is hosting a "Shred Your Ex" anti-Valentine's Day night instead.

View this post on Instagram

Badeau wanted to take a lighthearted approach and create an event that felt inclusive, supportive, and relatable (and just a bit petty). "Shred Your Ex grew out of the idea of turning a moment that's often heavy or awkward into something communal, a little playful and empowering," she added.

In addition to having shredders at the ready, Badeau and the all-female staff team are also putting on "red flag bingo." 

The reaction so far has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic, Badeau said. "We've heard from customers who feel relieved to see an event that acknowledges heartbreak and singlehood with humor instead of pressure, and a lot of individuals are already planning to come with friends — which is exactly the kind of energy we hoped for."

Meanwhile, over in New York, the Bronx Zoo is holding its 15th annual Name a Roach initiative. For $15, you can symbolically name one of the zoo's thousands of Madagascar hissing cockroaches.

View this post on Instagram

Executive director of membership and digital at the Wildlife Conservation Society and the team lead for Name a Roach, Debbie Schneiderman, told Mashable that, given roaches' longevity, most people name one for someone they love, like their partner or child. "But we do get a fair number" that name a roach after their exes or people they like…less than their partner or child.

"The majority are sent with love," Schneiderman said.

But even naming a roach after your beloved isn't the same as buying flowers. In 2026, people might want to celebrate Valentine's Day differently. The day has historically been a test for relationships, Tanner said, like using the caliber of the gift to gauge how much value your partner gives you. 

Anti-Valentine's Day is "also a rejection of using any one day to make a value judgment about somebody's life, somebody's relationship," she said. 

"It's an anti-capitalist move," Tanner said of anti-Valentine's Day. "It's a rejection of the pressure to  buy into a particular script, or to be sold on the marketing of it all."

"More people start to see behind the curtain of why days like this exist, and sort of understand the ways that we've been tricked into commercializing love," Tanner continued. She compared this to how people question days like New Year's, when we now know that many cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year at different times.

If you're into Valentine's Day, there are a lot of pink and red hearts out there for you. But if your style is more black this Saturday, there's room for that as well.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Texas

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Texas with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

More than a third of U.S. states have introduced age verification laws for online adult content, including Texas. In response, Pornhub banned users in those locations. That means millions of users in Texas are now unable to access Pornhub.

There are complicated reasons for this restriction, but the workaround is simple. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Texas, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Texas

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a 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 a location that supports access to Pornhub

  4. Visit Pornhub

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 unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, 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 always secure

  • Fast streaming 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).

Unblock Pornhub for free in Texas with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get access to hidden Mac features with this $30 tool

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

TL;DR: Take your Mac to the next level with this lifetime license to MacMagic, on sale now for $29.99 (reg. $99.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Koingo MacMagic: Lifetime Upgrades License $29.99
$99.99 Save $70   Get Deal

You’ve probably invested a lot in your Mac — but are you really getting everything out of it? If you have the right tools, you can unlock hidden Apple features and make the most out of your device. MacMagic makes that happen, and right now a lifetime license can be yours for only $29.99 (reg. $99.99).

Looking to tap into your Mac’s full potential? MacMagic can help, serving as an all-in-one utility app that unlocks hidden macOS features that allow your device to work even harder for you. You probably don’t even know your Mac can do most of these things, but this tool makes it possible.

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Curious what MacMagic can do? It finds missing features, like an image converter that can batch scale, rotate, and convert your images to over 100 formats. It also makes it easy to find and delete large app caches and logs, and to erase recent application history. You’ll be able to show or hide your desktop icons, make certain files and folders visible or invisible, or easily see all your hidden files.

Aside from these hidden features, MacMagic also offers hacks that make your workflow easier, such as a force-delete button, a batch-rename tool, and the ability to lock files with a single click. You’ll be able to combine and compress PDFs in seconds, view file locations on a map using GPS metadata, and create custom QR codes.

Unlock new features in your Mac with this lifetime license to MacMagic, on sale now for just $29.99 (reg. $99.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

Maybe you’ve found your special someone and want to demonstrate your commitment by officially delisting yourself as a single person, or maybe you just need a break from online dating in general — whatever your motivation, AdultFriendFinder makes it easy to delete your account and scrub your profile data for good.

First, understand that deleting your account is a distinct action from cancelling your Gold membership. If you want to continue using AdultFriendFinder for free, or just want to stop your monthly payments, you can do so without deleting your entire account. The action of account deletion is considerably more permanent. You’ll lose all of your profile info, all of your chat history, and all of your settings.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for discreet NSFW chats

If you still want to proceed, you can choose whether to delete your account via a web browser or on your phone. The steps are different but the result is the same. But one big heads up for phone users: merely deleting your AFF app is not enough to delete your account.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More How to cancel your AdultFriendFinder Gold subscription

If you have a Gold subscription, you’re going to want to cancel that membership before you undergo the steps necessary to delete your account:

Total Time
  • 2 minutes
What You Need
  • AdultFriendFinder account

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: If you are a Gold member, you will see a "Billing History & Credit Card" info section

Step 4: Turn the auto-renew switch to "Off"

Step 5: Verify that your subscription was cancelled by checking your email for confirmation

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account on the web

If you primarily use AdultFriendFinder on a web browser, here are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Total Time
  • 2 minutes
What You Need
  • Web browser

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: Under the "Manage My Account" heading, select "Close Account"

Step 4: You’ll be prompted with a confirmation message offering alternatives to account deletion, including hiding your profile or turning off email notifications

Step 5: Select "Please Delete My Account"

Step 6: You’ll be prompted to enter your password one last time, to confirm your identity and intention

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account on your phone

AFF doesn’t have an official app in either the Apple App or Google Play store, owing to their NSFW content, but lots of AFF users still use phone-based workarounds for AdultFriendFinder, often via a web-based shortcut on their home screens. 

Simply deleting your AFF app icon will not delete your account and the data and history pertaining to it. To delete your account via your phone, follow these steps:

Total Time
  • 2 minutes
What You Need
  • Smartphone

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: Under the "Manage My Account" heading, select "Close Account"

Step 4: You’ll be prompted with a confirmation message offering alternatives to account deletion, including hiding your profile or turning off email notifications

Step 5: Select "Please Delete My Account"

Step 6: You’ll be prompted to enter your password one last time, to confirm your identity and intention

Account deletion is final and irrevocable, so be sure that you’re prepared to lose all of your contacts, chat history, and profile information permanently before you click that final confirmation. And if, for any reason, the above steps haven’t worked for you, you can always visit the AFF Help Center, where they have visual guides for common on-site activities, including account deletion.

Categories: IT General, Technology

MWC 2026: What to expect at the worlds largest phone show

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

I've been writing about phones for a long time, and don't remember when I expected to see so many new phones in such a short time span. I'm talking late February to early March, when we could see more than a dozen new devices within a week or two.

Samsung typically launches its new Galaxy flagships in January, but this time it's probably happening in late February. This year, Apple is also reportedly launching its new iPhone 17e in that same time frame. And the Mobile World Congress, an annual mobile industry event taking place in Barcelona, Spain, kicks off on March 2, with some announcements probably coming a day or two earlier.

MWC is always about phones, with some tablets, laptops, and other gadgets thrown into the mix. So what's different this year? Well, there's just gonna be a little more of everything, we suspect.

This year marks the Mobile World Congress' 20th year in Barcelona. The event was badly hurt during the Covid pandemic years, but it managed to rebound, once again attracting numerous large phone manufacturers which will show their new devices in Barcelona for the first time.

Judging by the invites we have, and the reports we've seen, there will be a lot of those. Here's what we know right now.

Xiaomi could bring a surprise or two Remember when Xiaomi brought its SU7 Ultra supercar to Barcelona? Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Xiaomi is the largest consumer electronics company that typically unveils its entire new lineup of mobile products at MWC. Think phones, tablets, earbuds, watches, and a bunch of accessories.

In the past couple of years, Xiaomi also spiced things up by bringing its latest electric vehicles to the show, as well as showing off cool gadgets like this cute, back-flipping robotic dog. We've got big expectations for the company's MWC booth, and Xiaomi always manages to surpass them.

Honor's Robot phone highly anticipated The Honor Robot phone is real, and we'll probably get a closer look at it during MWC. Credit: Honor

Honor is a company that quietly ships devices with specs that beat most other phones out there. Last year, Honor mostly focused on strategy, which isn't the most exciting topic from the consumer's standpoint. This year, however, Honor's booth is going to be a lot more interesting.

First, the company is bringing a new foldable, the Honor Magic V6, to the show. It follows the Magic V5 which globally debuted in August 2025; hopefully, Honor's got a good reason to show us the V6 so much earlier in the year.

We'll also likely see new tablets and laptops from Honor at MWC. But the real star of the show could be the Honor Robot phone, a concept device with a robotic gimbal camera that extends from the rear of the phone. The idea extends a smartphone's functionality into a unique blend of a home smart companion, a tripod, and a baby monitor. The Robot Phone has been spotted in the wild before, but at this year's MWC, we could get a really close look at what it can do.

Samsung likely to bring Galaxy S phones Can Samsung top the Galaxy Z TriFold with something even crazier? Credit: Timothy Werth/Mashable

This is an odd one. In the past couple of years, Samsung has revealed its Galaxy S flagships in January, leaving a little space between the launch and MWC. This January the company showcased an entirely new category of devices with its triple-folding Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold, but the Galaxy phones are likely coming in late February.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is set for Feb. 25, just days before MWC kicks off. We'll definitely cover Unpacked, but perhaps the MWC gives a chance to have a second look at some of the new Samsung phones, or maybe the company is saving a surprise or two for the Barcelona show. Remember the Samsung Galaxy Ring? We (unexpectedly) got a first glimpse of it in Barcelona, a few years back.

Lenovo/Motorola might bring a fun concept Last year, Lenovo brought a laptop with a see-through display. Can the company top that with something even wieirder? Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Lenovo likes to bring bold new concepts to MWC, and we're expecting something similar this year. Think laptops with rotating displays, flip laptops, laptops with transparent display...well, you get the idea.

Lenovo's phone brand Motorola probably won't launch anything major during MWC, but we'll be on the lookout for new concepts and prototypes.

TCL will likely bring it all TCL's NXTPAPER is still unique on the market. Credit: TCL

China's TCL keeps building on its interesting NXTPAPER tech, which turns a regular-looking smartphone's display into something much easier on the eyes and akin to an e-ink display.

The company typically brings its entire lineup to Barcelona. Often, these are phones that have already launched in China, but it's always cool to get an overview of what the company has in store (and when it plans to launch the latest devices globally).

Nothing expected to have a new phone to show off Nothing's phones were the coolest looking devices at last year's MWC. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Nothing, the brand that makes those see-throughy phones that look like nothing else on the market, launched its Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro during MWC last year.

We're not sure whether the company will follow up with successors this year, but we do know that it will have a presence in Barcelona. Fingers crossed.

Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, ZTE, Nubia, Tecno, and others to bring phones, cameras, more Long before the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, there was Tecno Phantom Ultrimate 2 Credit: Christian de Looper/Mashable

Yes, a lot of Chinese companies have a strong presence at MWC, and a lot of them are bringing new devices to the show this year.

We're not aware of any specific major flagship that's about to launch in Barcelona this year, but that doesn't matter, because concept phones and prototypes that we see at these companies' booths often end up being more exciting than your standard candy bar phones. Think ultra-thin foldables, bendy displays, phones with incredibly powerful cameras, and other off-the-charts stuff. Will all of them ever actually make it to market, especially the U.S. market? Probably not, but they're really cool to look at.

Mobile World Congress 2026 is officially held in Barcelona from March 2 to 5, 2026, with press days starting on February 28. Mashable will be there to cover all the news coming out of the event.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Mavericks vs. Lakers online for free

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

TL;DR: Live stream Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers 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.

If you want to watch NBA action this week, look no further than Prime Video. One exciting game scheduled for Prime is the Western Conference showdown between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers.

The Mavericks have had a tough season, racking up a losing record and trading away Anthony Davis. The Lakers are very much in the running for the playoffs, but they're not without their problems. This game could put the Lakers one step closer to securing a postseason spot.

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

When is Mavericks vs. Lakers?

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA starts at 10 p.m. ET on Feb. 12. This game takes place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA.

How to watch Mavericks vs. Lakers for free

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers 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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Bucks vs. Thunder online for free

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

TL;DR: Live stream Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 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 is back on Prime this week, with coverage of the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on offer.

On paper this game should belong to the Thunder, who are ranked first in the Western Conference by a comfortable margin right now — but recent performances haven't all been winners, with a few games dropped. The Bucks are hovering at the bottom of the Eastern Conference but anything can happen on the court on any given day. Either way, this game is not to miss.

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

When is Bucks vs. Thunder?

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA starts at 7.30 p.m. ET on Feb. 12. This game takes place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK.

How to watch Bucks vs. Thunder for free

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 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) $12.95 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 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 $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 for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Whats new to streaming this week? (Feb. 13, 2026)

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

SEE ALSO: 25 best romantic comedies on Prime Video perfect for cuddle season 16. Love is Blind, Season 10

Love Is Blind has so many international iterations by this point, but the original U.S. series is back with a 10th season. The concept remains the same: Strangers looking for love enter an experiment in which they date in pods without seeing each other. If they want to meet IRL, they must propose, committing to further stages of the experiment like a holiday "pre-honeymoon period," moving in together, meeting the family, and getting hitched in the space of about six weeks. You'll start off vaguely interested and end up hooked — just like the experiment.* — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

How to watch: Love is Blind Season 10 is now streaming on Netflix.

15. Is This Thing On?

As a follow-up to A Star is Born (2018) and Maestro, actor/director Bradley Cooper offers another drama about where art and love lives collide. Will Arnett stars as a man on the verge of divorce who finds newfound joy in giving stand-up comedy a try. He not only finds a venue to vent his frustrations, but also an unexpected way to reconnect with his wife (Laura Dern).

However, for a movie about stand-up, Is This Thing On? isn't all that daring or funny. In my review out of the New York Film Festival, I jeered, "I wasn't rooting for this marriage to work out or fall apart. I was just waiting for someone to flash the light and bring this exasperating set to an end." — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Bradley Cooper, Andra Day, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes, Christine Ebersole, and Ciarán Hinds

How to watch: Is This Thing On? is now available for purchase on Prime Video.

14. Like Water For Chocolate, Season 2

Based on Mexican author Laura Esquivel's 1989 book, HBO's Like Water for Chocolate returns for its second (and final) season. Set during the Mexican Revolution, the show centers on Tita (Azul Guaita) and Pedro (Andres Baida), whose path from childhood love to heartbreak in adulthood is woven through a historical period of violence and unrest at the turn of the century. Salma Hayek Pinault executive produces this through her production company, Ventanarosa. — S.C.

Starring: Irene Azuela, Azul Guaita, Ana Valeria Becerril, Andrea Chaparro, and Andres Baida

How to watch: Like Water For Chocolate Season 2 premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Feb. 15.

13. Honey Bunch

Love means sacrifice. But whose? After Diana (Grace Glowicki)) survives a horrible accident, her husband Homer (Ben Petrie) takes her to a remote recovery facility, where experimental treatments could help her get back to the way she was. But what was that? Her memory is foggy, and she's seeing strange visions. What could it all mean?

For counter-programming this Valentine's Day, skip the romantic comedies, and choose this horror thriller, which is all about love, 'til death do they part. — K.P.

Starring: Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie, Jason Isaacs, Kate Dickie, India Brown, Patricia Tulasne, and Julian Richings

How to watch: Honey Bunch debuts on Shudder on Feb. 13.

12. Primate

Remember that part in Nope where a chimpanzee went ape on a bunch of TV actors? Well, Primate leans into this fear of cute and cuddly animals going feral. Like any slasher worth its blood spatter, Primate begins with a group of young, pretty friends going on a tropical vacation. And one of them has a pet chimp named Ben, who has been like a member of the family. Until one dark night changes everything. Be warned: This one gets wild. — K.P.

Starring: Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter, Benjamin Cheng, and Troy Kotsur

How to watch: Primate is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

11. The Artful Dodger, Season 2

The Artful Dodger returns for a second season, with the characters of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist living in the fictional colony of Port Victory in New South Wales, Australia. The former Dodger himself, Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), thought he left his days of swindling behind in Season 1 for a life of surgery — until the dastardly Fagin (David Thewlis) showed up. It put a spanner in the works for Jack, who fell in love with the governor's daughter, Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell) and found himself in a pickle with the law. In Season 2, Jack lands under the watch of Inspector Henry Boxer (Luke Bracey), who also has his sights set on Lady Belle. Can he dodge the gallows and clear his name? Well, Fagin has a plot to hatch... — S.C.

Starring: Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Susie Porter, Luke Bracey, Tim Minchin, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Damien Garvey, Damon Herriman, Aljin Abella, Brigid Zengeni, Albert Latailakepa, Jeremy Sims, and Zac Burgess

How to watch: The Artful Dodger Season 2 is now streaming on Hulu.

10. Can You Keep a Secret?

Dawn French and Mark Heap headline this wacky Brit-com that has Only Murders in the Building vibes. Except no one has died. But sssshhhh! That's the secret at the core of this kooky comedy.

In the premiere episode, Debbie Fendon (French) is consoling her son (Craig Roberts), who's mourning the passing of his dad, William (Heap). There's just one thing: William accidentally faked his own death. Now, he and Debbie are retirees with a bit more financial comfort because of the insurance money, but they have to keep William's whole living status as a secret or risk going to jail. Tricky that, especially since their daughter-in-law (Mandip Gil) is a cop! Silly and occasionally macabre, Can You Keep A Secret? is a treat. — K.P.

Starring: Dawn French, Mark Heap, Craig Roberts, and Mandip Gill

How to watch: Can You Keep A Secret? is now streaming on Paramount+.

9. Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association

If you're into sports and history and three-pointers, clear your calendar for Prime Video's new docuseries that charts the course of the American Basketball Association.

Directed by Kenan Kamwana Holley and executive produced by Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Common, and George Karl among others, Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association is a four-part docuseries about the rival league that helped shape the NBA we know today. From its launch in 1967, through the introduction of inextricable elements like the three-point shot, the ABA's more inclusive dress code, and the ABA's 1976 merger with the NBA, Soul Power examines the short-lived but mighty league through basketball legends (including George Gervin, Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Larry Brown, Spencer Haywood, Walt Frazier, and Ralph Simpson), historians, authors, and more. — S.C.

How to watch: Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association is now streaming on Prime Video.

8. Neighbors

If you love a good "Am I the Asshole" Reddit story, then you need to check out HBO and A24's Neighbors. This documentary-style series from Harrison Fishman and Dylan Redford takes viewers into the homes of feuding neighbors, beefing with each other over everything from feeding stray cats to private beaches. The grievances often spiral out of control, leading to stand-offs, cyberbullying, and even threats of murder. (And that's just the first episode!) The neighbors you'll meet are among the most bizarro characters you'll see on TV, fictional or not, and their interactions serve up a comedic (and frankly, distressing) look at the state of affairs in modern America. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Neighbors premieres Feb. 13 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

7. Good Fortune

Imagine if Keanu Reeves were your guardian angel. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, in the new comedy written, directed, and starring Aziz Ansari, it's more a wacky misadventure.

Reeves stars as Gabriel, a well-meaning but inept guardian angel who's trying to make a big difference in the life of a struggling gig worker named Arj (Ansari). So, he pulls a Trading Places, swapping Arj's circumstances with a wealthy tech bro, played by Seth Rogen.* Hijinks ensue.

In my review out of the film's TIFF premiere, I cheered ,"Good Fortune is a good time, and Keanu Reeves in Good Fortune should not be missed." —K.P.

Starring: Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, and Keanu Reeves

How to watch: Good Fortune debuts on Starz on Feb. 14.

6. Predator: Badlands

Do you want to set a record for the most times you say "hell yeah" over the course of 90 minutes? Then you need to watch Predator: Badlands, the latest film from the franchise's excellent new shepherd, Dan Trachtenberg (Prey).

Predator: Badlands marks the first time in Predator history that a Yautja is a film's protagonist. The lead in question is Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a runt by Yautja standards who decides to prove himself to his cold-hearted father by hunting the "unkillable" Kalisk. His quest takes him to Genna, a planet brimming with deadly flora and fauna. There, he'll find an unlikely companion in Weyland-Yutani android Thia (Elle Fanning). The two join forces in an unlikely partnership that's as surprisingly sweet as it is badass, and what follows is a pulse-pounding adventure brimming with awesome new aliens, bold action, and one of 2025's best onscreen friendships. Predator fans and franchise newcomers alike, you're in for a treat. — B.E.

Starring: Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning

How to watch: Predator: Badlands is now streaming on Hulu.

5. Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette

It's only fitting that FX's Love Story, a new anthology series created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, premieres just in time for Valentine's Day. This season focuses on the relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon). He's the presumed heir to the Kennedy political dynasty, she's a self-assured publicist at Calvin Klein, and together, their romance will set the world ablaze.

That's the last thing Carolyn wants, though. As paparazzi hound her and John at every waking moment, Love Story dives into the media frenzy that strained their marriage. This angle proves the most fascinating part of Love Story (although Pidgeon and Kelly deserve props for their chemistry), as the show critiques those who would make entertainment out of this relationship by… making entertainment out of the relationship. Despite this tension, Love Story manages to turn in a glossy romance that's fairly empathetic towards its subjects — not to mention a serious time capsule of '90s New York. — B.E.

Starring: Sarah Pidgeon, Paul Anthony Kelly, Naomi Watts, Grace Gummer, Leila George, and Noah Fearnley

How to watch: Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette premieres Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on Hulu and FX.

5. Song Sung Blue

"Sometimes you just need a feel-good movie and a good tearjerker, and writer/director Craig Brewer delivers both with Song Sung Blue," I wrote in my review.

Based on the incredible true story of Lightning and Thunder, a Neil Diamond cover band out of Milwaukee, Song Sung Blue tells a story of love, music, and how both can help us overcome incredible tragedy. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as the married musical couple at the film's center. Together they craft electric chemistry, rousing song numbers, and a love story that hits with the force of a runaway car.

As I concluded in my review, "All this makes for a feel-good movie that can be jarringly intense, because the bad times can come out of nowhere. (C'est la vie!) But like a great Neil Diamond song, Song Sung Blue will find its way into your heart, where it will linger."* — K.P.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir, Jayson Warner Smith, Hudson Hensley, Fisher Stevens, and Jim Belushi

How to watch: Song Sung Blue debuts on Peacock on Feb. 14.

4. Sentimental Value

One of the year's most Oscar–nominated films is now streaming. Joachim Trier's (The Worst Person in the World) acclaimed drama introduces the dysfunctional Borg family: film director Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård) and his daughters, Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas). Gustav wants Nora to star in his next film, but she has misgivings due to their strained relationship.

What follows is a wrenching, understated look at a broken family and the memories that shaped it, fueled by tremendous performances from Reinsve, Skarsgård, Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning, all of whom received Oscar nominations. It's worth the watch for one tear-jerking conversation between Nora and Agnes alone, but there's more to love where that came from (including some lovely, plot-relevant home decor). — B.E.

Starring: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning

How to watch: Sentimental Value debuts on MUBI on Feb. 13.

3. Marty Supreme

Timothée Chalamet is on fire in Mary Supreme, which at first glance might look like a sports drama. But under its greasy and gritty surface, it's much, much more.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best movies of 2025, and where to stream them

Co-written and directed by Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme takes the true story of a charismatic ping-pong player and makes it the stuff of New York legends. Chalamet stars as Marty Mauser, a skilled pro table tennis player whose mouth is regularly writing checks his ass can't cash. Though set in the 1950s, Safdie chooses an '80s soundtrack of synth pop that makes Marty feel like an anti-hero ahead of his time, with a hustle and frenetic energy better suited to an era of big egos and bigger ambitions. Chalamet and an incredible ensemble build on this energy to the point where at times, as in Safdie's Uncut Gems, Marty Supreme can feel like a masterfully orchestrated panic attack.

As I roared in my review, "This zinging dialogue, racing score, and electric cast collide to create cinema that celebrates New York, while recognizing its warts with a bleeding grin. All of this makes Marty Supreme an unusual crowdpleaser. Full of wild humor and shocking turns, it has its audience in a chokehold of tension and surprise, rarely letting up for us to breathe. And yet, what a thrill to be breathless."* — K.P.

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher

How to watch: Marty Supreme is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

2. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Rejoice! John Oliver is back to cover mind-snapping news with cackle-pulling punchlines. Last season on Last Week Tonight, Oliver and his incredible team of writers and researchers dug into election interference conspiracies, RKF Jr.'s plans, and Chuck E. Cheese. He also got into a spat with a bakery and rebranded a baseball team to hilarious effect. So, what's next? We can't wait to find out. — K.P.

How to watch: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Season 13 premieres on Feb. 15.

Best of Streaming this week:
How to Get to Heaven From Belfast

Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee returns with a (sort of) grown-up mystery-comedy-drama series that's proper craic. How to Get to Heaven From Belfast follows three childhood friends — played by Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, and Caoilfhionn Dunne — now in their late 30s and living their own lives, who are reunited and called home when their other school friend dies in mysterious circumstances. But something about this "accidental" death doesn't sit right with the trio, who are bonded by a dark secret they buried in the woods years ago.

Cue a wild, hilarious, and moving journey across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and beyond, as our amateur sleuths follow the trail of clues. I loved this series, calling it in my review "hilarious, haunting, and heavenly in every way." Absolute class, down to the final twist. — S.C.

Starring: Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Emmett J. Scanlan, Tom Basden, Ardal O'Hanlon, Michelle Fairley, Josh Finan, Bronagh Gallagher, Darragh Hand, and Natasha O'Keeffe

How to watch: How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is now streaming on Netflix.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch India vs. Namibia online for free

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

TL;DR: Live stream India vs. Namibia in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 T20 World Cup group stage continues with India vs. Namibia. The defending champions will be focused on their upcoming match against Pakistan, but they'll need to do the business here. Namibia won't be expected to get anything from this game, but there's always a chance. It's a tiny chance, but never say never.

If you want to watch India vs. Namibia in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is India vs. Namibia?

India vs. Namibia in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 8:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 12. This game takes place at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium.

How to watch India vs. Namibia for free

India vs. Namibia in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream India vs. Namibia in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup 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 a location with access

  4. Visit ICC.TV

  5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup 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 every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup (plus the Winter Olympics) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, 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 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).

Watch the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best open earbuds in 2026: These picks stay put, sound great, and keep you aware of the world

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:00

Though open earbuds share the common feature of sitting on the exterior of the ear, they come in many shapes and sizes, from clip models to ear hook models. Some are more geared toward working out, while others are better for everyday use. The Bose Ultra Open earbuds are an especially popular pick thanks to their sound quality and many colorways, but at $299, they're far from your only (or most affordable) option.

SEE ALSO: We've found the 9 best headphones of 2025 after extensive testing

Below, we've compiled some of the best open earbud models available in 2026.

Note: This guide is a work in progress. As of Feb. 2026, we're testing the new Sony LinkBuds Clip, Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro, a selection of open earbuds from Shokz, as well as budget-friendly models from a variety of brands.

What are open earbuds?

Open earbuds allow you to get as close as you possibly can to the feeling of not wearing earbuds at all. Unlike in-ear earbuds which sit in your ear canal, open earbuds sit just outside your ears (as the name would suggest). Some models hold the speaker component in place with an ear hook while others opt for an ear cuff.

SEE ALSO: We tested the top fitness trackers of 2025: See our favorite wearables and smart rings

People generally opt for open earbuds for three main reasons:

  1. They provide a private listening experience while leaving you almost completely aware of the world around you. It's like the best transparency mode you've ever used.

  2. For some people, not having an earbud physically in their ear is generally more comfortable.

  3. The hooks and cuffs (along with the general awareness of your surroundings) make them a great option for keeping them in place, and keeping you alert, while you're working out, working, or simply existing in the world.

What are the drawbacks of open earbuds?

As you may have gathered from the section above, open earbuds don't come with active noise cancellation. That's mostly thanks to how much sound they let in (by design) and the difficulty of cancelling out sound without having the device covering your actual ear canal.

Also thanks to the whole open ear-canal situation, these aren't going to be the earbuds for audiophiles. That's not to say open earbuds sound bad — if you've never tried them, we promise they sound much better than you're imagining — but you will lose out on some of the nuance of a song without having the earbud actually in your ear.

SEE ALSO: I tested sleep earbuds for over a month: Here are the 3 I'd buy

That said, many pairs still have equalizers on their companion apps to help you make them sound their best. Our best picks for sound, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds and Shokz OpenFit Pro earbuds, even have spatial audio features that work surprisingly well.

Most open earbuds will also boast some form of special technology that keeps them from leaking too much sound. While these pairs do pretty well in keeping the sound just to you, most pairs (including our picks) while be prone to some leakage, especially at higher volumes.

Finally, some open earbuds — mainly those with ear hooks — tend to have slightly bulkier cases. If you like to travel especially light, it's something to be aware of.

What about bone conduction headphones?

Bone conduction earbuds work exactly like the name implies they do — they use your skull to conduct sound waves, instead of projecting the sound into your ear, like most of the picks are on list. Typically, a band runs from either side of the users head to help hold the headphones in place.

Shokz, the brand behind our top pick, is a popular maker of these kinds of headphones. While we do consider them open earbuds, we have yet to test any bone conduction earbuds — look out in the future for that update. On that note:

What's next in our testing pipeline

The open earbuds market is rapidly expanding, so we'll be testing more as we can get our hands on them. Up next, we'll be trying out budget pairs of open earbuds under $100, more pairs from Shokz, the Sony LinkBuds Clip, and Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro.

In addition to the earbuds that made our final guide in May 2025, we tested out the Nothing Ear (Open) earbuds ($149), the Sony Linkbuds Open ($199.99), the Anker Soundcore AeroClip earbuds ($169.99), and the Shokz OpenFit Air ($119.95). While none of the above were bad earbuds by any means, we found our picks to outshine them in their comfort and sound quality, especially when considering their respective prices.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to unblock XVideos for free

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 10:37

TL;DR: Unblock XVideos from anywhere in the world with a VPN. The best VPN for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The online world is full of restrictions and blockades, but you can stay one step ahead with a simple hack. It's possible to secure access to restricted content from anywhere in the world with a VPN. And that includes popular sites like Pornhub, xHamster, and XVideos.

Want to unblock porn sites like XVideos for free from anywhere in the world? We have the information you need.

How to unblock XVideos for free

VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect to a secure server in another location. This straightforward process bypasses content restrictions so you can access porn sites like XVideos from anywhere in the world.

Unblock XVideos by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a 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 a location that supports access to XVideos

  4. Unblock XVideos

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The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're temporarily away from home on an unsecured network.

If you want to retain permanent access to the online world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like XVideos, 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

  • Fast streaming 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).

Unblock XVideos for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stuff Your Kindle Day is live — download 100s of free romance books for your Kindle

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 10:32

FREE BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place until Feb. 13. The Free Romance Book Blast offers romance books in a variety of subgenres for your e-reader.

Have you got big plans for Valentine's Day? Cancel them, because a new Stuff Your Kindle Day just dropped.

The Stuff Your Kindle Day schedule has been predictably hectic in 2026. We had a number of free giveaways in January, but February is on another level. We count nine events this month. Not all of them are huge, but between the niche events and massive drops, bookworms are going to be kept busy.

The latest giveaway is hosted by the Indie Author Collective. Be My Valentine is a romance book blast, offering (you guessed it) free romance books from a variety of subgenres. Everything that you download for free is yours to keep forever, so don't hold back. So what if you've already got a huge stack of books waiting to be read. Add to your virtual pile without guilt.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best Kindles to help you find the perfect e-reader

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Be My Valentine takes place on Feb. 9-13. Recent Stuff Your Kindle Days have only lasted 24 hours, meaning participants have needed to act fast. That's stressful, so this five-day event is a welcome change. You can take stock of your options, pick your favorites, and download without getting worked up. It's much more civilized.

Which ebooks are free?

Be My Valentine is all about romance titles. There's a helpful hub page put together by the Indie Author Collective with filters for major tropes, spice levels, content levels, and representation. Here you can peruse the 100s of options or filter to find something that perfectly lines up with your preferences.

It's important to note that anyone can participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day. Kindle and Kobo readers can download these romance books for free.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + Kindle Unlimited (3 Months) $109.99 at Amazon
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These popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. Plus, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast review: A must-watch for Derry Girls fans

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 09:01

If you've lamented the absence of our dear Derry Girls from TV, Lisa McGee has a new Netflix series for you that's (sort of) grown up and just as gloriously chaotic.

Set across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and beyond, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast is the writer/creator's new dark comedy series, and her latest mystery after the 2020 psychological thriller The Deceived. Playful, strange, and surreal, the series, like its complex characters, refuses to be put into any kind of box (not even a sparkly one with a combination lock).

SEE ALSO: 'Derry Girls' portrayal of Northern Irish women is a breath of fresh air

Not only celebrated for her portrayal of Northern Irish women, McGee is in a league of her own when writing about female friendship, whether in adolescence or adulthood: the flabbergasted silliness, the brutal honesty, the fierce loyalty. At the heart of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast is a group of childhood friends who've grown somewhat apart in their late 30s, no small thanks to a terrible secret that bonds them forever. It's here we're gifted a divine trio of comedy excellence — Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, and Caoilfhionn Dunne — and enough twists and turns to flip a Land Rover Discovery.

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast is proper mystery craic What happened to Greta, really? Credit: Christopher Barr / Netflix

Like many mystery writers, McGee begins How to Get to Heaven From Belfast with the tragic death of an enigmatic woman, whose high school friends are summoned back for her wake to the fictional village of Knockdara in County Donegal, Ireland (the same setting as McGee's The Deceived; the show is actually filmed in Carnlough, Northern Ireland). Knockdara has one hotel (with many, many theme nights), one taxi, one Garda station, and regular traffic jams caused by cows.

Several mysteries fight for the front seat at once. What happened that night in the woods? What happened to Greta (Natasha O'Keeffe) 20 years later? And what isn't her strangely synchronised family telling us? While this mystery series is anchored in the "dead girl" trope, with homecoming anxiety, hot cops, investigative journalists, and small town secrets aplenty, McGee, along with director Michael Lennox, subverts these elements and puts her own stamp on the genre through a razor-sharp script, wild production design, a nostalgic '00s soundtrack, and golden casting.

SEE ALSO: 'Deadloch' is the feminist Australian buddy-comedy-murder-noir you didn't know you needed

Something about Greta's "accidental" death doesn't sit right with Saoirse (Gallagher), a crime show writer drawn to sinister plots who finds herself visited by ghosts, even at the BAFTAs. Less enthusiastic to join Saoirse's amateur sleuthing are Robyn (Keenan), a glam, no-nonsense mother of three, and Dara (Dunne), a pious lesbian who cares for her less-than-appreciative mother. They're an unlikely investigative force by their own measure: "We're not the fuckin' A-Team, Saoirse!" Robyn declares.

Not one of these three will admit it aloud to each other, but they're craving hijinks, so when mysterious red letters turn up, they're visibly loath to return the site of their terrible secret, while covertly enjoying seeing their daily lives in the rearview. Here, their story transcends time, reconnecting them with their teen selves, diaries, matching tattoos, and a long-buried secret.

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast's cast is divine Sinéad Keenan, Caoilfhionn Dunne, and Roisin Gallagher. Credit: Christopher Barr / Netflix

As far as leading trios go, Gallagher, Keenan, and Dunne are a heaven-sent mismatch, as thrown together as childhood friends can be. Whether dealing with their own anxieties or spitting home truths at each other in a creepy, dilapidated caretaker's cottage, a glamorous Portuguese resort, or in Robyn's flimsily held-together Land Rover, the trio's lived-in connection is the series' remarkable strength.

A simmering pot of rage, Keenan's Robyn is a dastardly scene-stealer, throwing down formidable moments of parenting on her same-aged friends so fierce you feel like going to your own room. Gallagher's jaded, flustered Saoirse channels her life events into her show Murder Code while gritting her teeth through meetings with her diva lead actor (Leila Farzad) and near-constant praise for Jesse Armstrong. And Dara, the moral compass of them all who might burst from her own guilt, benefits from Dunne's savvy physical comedy — honestly, just watching Dara peer around a door is TV gold.

Don't mess with Booker (Bronagh Gallagher). Credit: Christopher Barr / Netflix

As in Derry Girls, McGee excels at crafting an ensemble cast around the leads that all have their own quirks, comedy opportunities, and varying levels of reverence for their hometown. O'Keeffe is haunted as the elusive Greta. Darragh Hand is charming as local Garda Liam, as ethical and dedicated to the job as he is handsome, not that Saoirse has noticed. Bronagh Gallagher brings formidable feminist No Country for Old Men energy to Booker, a fixer and fierce Dolly Parton fan who is not to be trifled with. Derry Girls' Saoirse-Monica Jackson is a delightfully unhinged surprise as an underground figure whose love for kawaii style hides a dark reality, babes.

Beyond these main characters, the series' supporting cast boasts gem after gem, from the core four's teen selves (Emma Canning, Emily Flaim, Chara Aitken, and Maria Laird) to James Martin as gruff petrol station owner Tommy, Starstruck's Nikesh Patel as Saoirse's long-suffering agent, Niamh Finlay as Knockdara's rudest waiter, and Kerr Logan as a creepy hotel owner unfortunately called Norman.

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast builds a bizarre noir through production design Uhhhh, guys? Credit: Christopher Barr / Netflix

Undeniably, the secret stars of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast are Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland themselves. Captured by director of photography Ashley Barron through soaring overhead landscape shots (a must for mystery series these days), extreme Dutch angles, and fish-eye shots, the characters and the Irish landscapes of Donegal, Cork, and Belfast (of course) are gloriously framed, an extension of each other and just as weird and wonderful.

When not optimising natural splendour, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast sees production designer Tom Conroy plunging locations into surrealist hyper-colour at every opportunity, rendering the series a bizarre noir. Supported by some whimsical get-ups by costume designer Cathy Prior and hair and makeup designer Robyn Wheeler, McGee cooks up a neon-hued setting for this dark tale. Bright pink hotel signs flicker reflected in puddles on dark and stormy nights, pub dance floors are lit with purple and red gels, late night car rides shine with strange hues.

Checking in. Credit: Christopher Barr / Netflix

Being a story of digging into the past, the series jumps between time periods from the '90s to '00s to now, with nostalgia the main direction for tunes here. Music supervisor Catherine Grimes continues McGee's Derry Girls perfect throwback playlist with more needle drops worthy of a burned CD. Eternal bangers from Girls Aloud, Vengaboys, Nelly, DJ Sammy, Junior Senior, Atomic Kitten, Black Eyed Peas, and B*Witched will unlock a very specific moment of adolescence for millennial viewers in particular.

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast is as much a classic mystery as it is a uniquely Lisa McGee-penned celebration of girlhood and adulthood, of lifelong friendship and repressed trauma, edited memories, and the connection to home many of us end up running from. It's hilarious, haunting, and heavenly in every way.

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast is streaming Feb. 12 on Netflix.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast has a perfect Derry Girls Easter egg

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 09:00

Derry Girls writer and creator Lisa McGee has a brand new series out, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, but don't even think for a second she's left the crew from Our Lady Immaculate College behind.

The Netflix mystery comedy drama boasts a perfect Easter egg honouring the five leads of Derry Girls, but you'll have to watch all the way to the final episode to spot it.

SEE ALSO: 'How to Get to Heaven From Belfast' trailer teases childhood friends on an eerie adventure

Without spoiling anything about the plot of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, in the eighth and final episode of the series, the characters end up in Derry for a moment. On a city wall, you can see an enormous mural of Derry Girls protagonists Erin Quinn (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), Clare Devlin (Nicola Coughlan), Michelle Mallon (Jamie-Lee O'Donnell), Orla McCool (Louisa Harland), and James "The Wee English Fella" Maguire (Dylan Llewellyn) all in their school uniforms. It's class.

Plus, it's a real mural. Commissioned in 2019 by Channel 4 as part of its marketing campaign for Derry Girls Season 2, the mural is the work of Derry not-for-profit social enterprise group UV Arts. And it's still there.

The 'Derry Girls' mural in Derry. Credit: Channel 4

In a bit of a mind-bender, Jackson actually appears as a character in How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, which has my multiverse brain turning inside out.

Channel 4's Derry Girls finished up in 2022, after three seasons of '90s music nostalgia, brilliant representations of Northern Irish women, and importantly, a reflection on personal experiences of the Troubles, the sectarian conflict between nationalists and unionists.

'Derry Girls' 4eva. Credit: Netflix

If you're a Derry Girls fan, check out How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, a series I called in my review "hilarious, haunting, and heavenly in every way."

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast and Derry Girls are now streaming on Netflix.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Ubisoft workers strike in protest of job cuts and return-to-office mandate

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 08:58

Ubisoft's struggles continued this week, with hundreds of employees across France and Italy participating in a three-day strike. This comes weeks after the company announced a major restructure resulting in job losses, as well as issued an unpopular return-to-office mandate.

Kicking off on Feb. 10, the industrial action is in response to Ubisoft announcing a massive restructure last month, including the cancellation of six games (once of which was the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake). According to the company, the restructure was designed to improve both its growth and its finances.

Ubisoft had already reduced its headcount from almost 21,000 in 2022 to 17,097 by last November, conducting ongoing layoffs intended to reduce costs. Now this new structural shakeup is expected to result in even more job losses. Less than a week after the restructuring was announced, Ubisoft revealed that it would implement a voluntary departure plan at its Paris headquarters to cut approximately 200 employees.

"We were informed of this at the same time as the press — as none of these changes had been discussed during the mandatory consultations with the works councils a few days earlier!" the unions claimed in a joint statement shared on Bluesky.

🇬🇧✊🌀 Ubisoft : enough is enough! Faced with the arbitrary decision of the CEO who doesn’t even dare talking to employees anymore, unions are calling for a strike on February 10th, 11th and 12th.

[image or embed]

— Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (@stjv.fr) January 28, 2026 at 11:10 PM

As such, the unions are calling for an end to "top-down decisions" and cost-cutting plans which they state have employees shouldering the brunt of the consequences. Ubisoft's cost-cutting measures have thus far included the closure of its Halifax and Stockholm studios, as well as job losses at its Abu Dhabi and Massive studios.

"[I]t seems clear today that management has lost sight of the very driving force behind our industry: its workers," wrote the unions. "The announced transformation claims to place games at the heart of its strategy, but without us, these games cannot exist."

In addition to these concerns, unions are also protesting Ubisoft's return to mandatory in-office working revealed with the restructure, which now requires employees to come in five days a week. Demanding an end to "coercive control" of working conditions as well as Ubisoft's "anti-remote-work obsession," the unions have accused the company of creating a work environment unpleasant enough that employees will want to quit.

"We are told about responsibilities, but those who wield this word so easily do not take any responsibility for the consequences of their catastrophic management, the latest result being the elimination of 200 jobs at Ubisoft's headquarters," the unions wrote. "We are not fooled: rather than taking financial responsibility for layoffs, [Ubisoft's management] prefer to push us out by making our working conditions unbearable."

In a statement to Mashable, Ubisoft claimed that its restructure is aimed at "sustainably strengthening team autonomy and creativity.... in a demanding economic and industrial environment." The company also refuted reports that 1,200 employees have joined the strike, stating that 538 have declared themselves involved in the industrial action.

"We understand these changes, particularly those affecting work organization, are generating strong feelings. Since the announcement, we have held a series of discussions and information sessions at multiple levels to help teams better understand the new organization and to give them the opportunity to share their questions and concerns," said Ubisoft.

"Ubisoft’s leadership remains committed to maintaining an open and constructive dialogue with employees and employee representatives, in order to support this transformation and to build a stable and clear working framework for everyone."

Ubisoft employees protest outside its Paris offices on February 10, 2026. Credit: Adnan Farzat / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Though Ubisoft's cost-cutting plans involve reducing its head count, the company simultaneously announced last month that it will be making "accelerated investments behind player-facing Generative AI." Ubisoft's stock plummeted by at least 39 percent after announcing its restructuring plans, and have still not recovered three weeks on.

The strike was organised by five French Ubisoft unions: the French Confederation of Management – General Confederation of Executives (CFE-CGC), Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT), Printemps Écologique, Solidaires Informatique, and the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV). Though most of the striking employees are in France, some at Ubisoft Milan are also participating.

UPDATE: Feb. 13, 2026, 9:07 a.m. AEDT This article has been updated with comment from Ubisoft.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Pips hints, answers for February 12, 2026

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 07:59

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 12, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

  • Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

  • Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

  • Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

  • Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

  • Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for February 12, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 12 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this green space must be equal to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this red space must be equal to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 12 Pips

Equal (2): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this green space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 12 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 6. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this green space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 12-4, placed horizontally.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 12, 2026

Mashable - Thu, 02/12/2026 - 07:44

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easy if you have a lot of athletic wear.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

  • Yellow: Plays in Vice City

  • Green: Athletic wear

  • Blue: Accomplished NBA family

  • Purple: Last name Green

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

  • Yellow: Miami Teams

  • Green: Logos of Athletic Brands

  • Blue: Curry Family Members

  • Purple: ___Green

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #507 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
  • Miami Teams - DOLPHINS, HEAT, HURRICANES, MARLINS

  • Logos of Athletic Brands - JUMPMAN, PUMA, SWOOSH, THREE STRIPES

  • Curry Family Members - AYESHA, DELL, SETH, STEPH

  • ___Green - A.C., DRAYMOND, MEAN, PUTTING

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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