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Vehicle thefts in the United States fell 23% during the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to the latest analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). The organization credits the collective efforts of law enforcement, automakers, and insurers for the drop, yet some common everyday vehicles still top the list of the most stolen vehicles.

NASA will trade the Artemis mission that was expected to land astronauts on the moon for a new plan intended to increase launch frequency of the agency's mega rocket.

At a news briefing on Friday, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman described a vast overhaul to the moon-to-Mars program. The changes scrap the Artemis III lunar landing and instead make it a flight in low-Earth orbit for a crew to practice meeting up with either the SpaceX or Blue Origin-built lunar landers — or, perhaps, both. 

Those efforts also will impact the U.S. space agency's timeline for the future Artemis missions, moving up the revised Artemis III flight to the middle of 2027, which could make way for Artemis IV and Artemis V at the beginning and end of 2028. Under the new direction, Artemis IV would be the first mission to put astronaut boots on the lunar surface. 

The sweeping revisions to the agency's program came during an update on repairs to the Space Launch System rocket, which will launch Artemis II, a 10-day lunar flyby mission with a crew, as early as April. 

"There has to be a better way in line with our history," Isaacman said. "We did not just jump right to Apollo 11. We did it through Mercury, Gemini, and lots of Apollo missions, with a launch cadence every three months. We shouldn't be comfortable with the current cadence. We should be getting back to basics and doing what we know works."

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

NASA leaders said the shakeup is meant to address a larger underlying problem: the U.S. agency is flying its most powerful rocket too infrequently and repeating some of the same technical issues from one mission to the next.

Isaacman pointed to hydrogen leaks on Artemis I and helium flow problems on Artemis II as signs that a three‑year gap between launches is not sustainable. When teams only fly every few years, he said, they lose "muscle memory" — the routine, hands-on experience required to handle a complex rocket safely and efficiently.

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To fix that, NASA is redefining the Artemis campaign as a step‑by‑step test program. The agency now aims to launch roughly once every 10 months, standardize its rocket configuration, and rebuild in‑house expertise that has withered over time.

Increasing the Artemis launch cadence

A major change is the decision to treat Artemis III as a practice mission in Earth orbit rather than a landing attempt. That mission will let astronauts and engineers test how the Orion spaceship and the landers find each other, fly together, and possibly dock. It will also allow crews to start checking life‑support systems and other hardware inside the landers before sending them all the way to the lunar surface. Officials said they may even try limited tests of the new moonwalking suits in weightlessness, if schedules allow.

NASA leaders argued that it makes more sense to uncover problems and practice operations close to home, in Earth orbit, rather than discovering them for the first time while attempting a landing on the moon. If the faster launch tempo holds, Artemis IV and Artemis V together could give NASA two opportunities in 2028. Officials stressed that the timeline still depends on hardware readiness and safety reviews.

Work toward Gateway, a small space station that would orbit the moon and serve as a staging point for future missions, is not going away, officials said. But they made clear the agency’s priority is getting Artemis flights off the ground more often before building out that lunar outpost.

Not far from their minds is the reality that China is also attempting to land its own crew on the moon before 2030 and may be able to get there before the United States. NASA hasn't sent humans to the lunar surface since Apollo 17 in 1972. And though no other nation has followed in the giant leap for humankind, that won't always be true.

NASA leaders announced an overhaul to the Artemis program's timeline, trying to simplify the missions and created a stepped approach from one launch to the next. Credit: NASA infographic

"[In] the 1960s [it] turned out, in hindsight, we had a near-endless schedule margin there," Isaacman said. "That is certainly not the case today. I'd say this is very, very close from a timeline perspective."

Artemis 2 works toward April launch

The revised campaign comes as engineers work through immediate issues on Artemis II, the first crewed flight of the program. After a successful "wet dress rehearsal" — a full countdown test that loads the rocket with super‑cold fuel — teams discovered that helium was not flowing correctly to the engines in the rocket's upper stage.

Helium is used to pressurize tanks and help push fuel into the engines. Without proper helium flow, the rocket cannot safely fly. Because the upper stage is hard to reach at the launchpad, NASA rolled the stacked rocket back into the Vehicle Assembly Building, the sky-scraping hangar where it was originally put together.

While the rocket is inside, technicians will remove and inspect suspected helium system components, update any faulty hardware, and perform other work. That includes replacing batteries in the flight termination system — the emergency system that can destroy the rocket if it strays off course — swapping out a seal on the line that feeds liquid oxygen into the rocket, refreshing items inside Orion, and giving the closeout crew more practice sealing the capsule.

NASA wants to streamline that work to preserve a chance to launch Artemis II on April 1, April 3 through 6, or April 30. They have not provided potential launch dates beyond April, despite many requests from reporters to do so. 

Technicians are trying to diagnose a helium flow problem in the upper stage of the moon rocket ahead of Artemis II, which could launch as early as April. Credit: NASA Back to the Apollo-era approach

Beyond the near-term, Isaacman said NASA will standardize the current moon rocket configuration instead of evolving the design after only a few flights, as originally planned. The goal is to avoid turning each booster into a bespoke project and instead fly a simpler, repeatable version that industry can achieve quicker.

Isaacman also highlighted a push to rebuild NASA's workforce, shifting some key roles from contractors — who today make up about 75 percent of the agency's technical labor — back to in-house expertise. NASA leaders say that will give them more control over launch preparations, as it did in the Apollo and space shuttle eras.

The White House, Congress, and major contractors support the new approach, he said. The bigger question is whether the American public will get on board. Many people are unaware that NASA is just weeks away from launching astronauts into deep space for the first time in over a half-century.

"It's a different environment than the 1960s. There's more than three channels on a TV, so capturing people's attention at times can be challenging," Isaacman said. "I have no doubt when Artemis II takes flight, the world will take notice to that."

Smart plugs are a great way to start your smart home journey. They can turn almost any device from dumb to smart, allowing you to turn them on and off remotely or as part of an automation. However, there's a lot more you can do with smart plugs beyond turning things on and off.

Android’s history with tablets is filled with failures. Ironically, one of the most sought-after Android tablets didn’t actually launch with Android at all, but it had a lasting impact on the platform. This is the story of the HP TouchPad.

Don't you just love it when technology just won't cooperate? That sinking feeling when you realize you're going to need to reinstall the OS, and no amount of quick fixes is doing the trick, and everything's going to take forever to fix (if it even can be fixed). Been there, done that.

The cross-platform notes tool Obsidian just received a massive update. Obsidian 1.12 on desktop platforms includes a command line interface for scripting and automating with your notes, and the mobile apps have a few new tricks as well.

Three-row family SUVs are designed to excel at space, comfort, and everyday versatility, and the Toyota Grand Highlander has quickly become one of the segment’s strongest benchmarks. It promises generous passenger room, efficient powertrains, and the kind of practicality modern families demand. But in 2026, a familiar rival is quietly outperforming it in the very areas that matter most to buyers looking for maximum value.

Pokémon Day is here!

On this day, 30 years ago, the original Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, were first released in Japan. 

SEE ALSO: Warning: The Gen 10 Pokémon starters will give you major cute aggression

And today, Feb. 27, 2026, The Pokémon Company held a special event broadcast on its YouTube channel to share some news and updates regarding upcoming Pokémon games and products.

Here's everything you need to know about what was announced on Pokémon Day on Pokémon's 30th anniversary.

Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves 

Let's start with the biggest news up at the top.

The event started with the President and CEO of The Pokémon Company recalling how there were only 151 Pokémon when Pokémon Red and Green were released. Now, there are 1,025 Pokémon.

The event ended with the introduction of the 10th generation of the Pokémon mainline games: Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves.

And with those new games come brand new Pokémon.

A brief teaser video was shown at the end of the event for Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, and based on fans' reactions, it's clearly the biggest news to come out of the Pokémon event.

Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua Credit: The Pokémon Company

The games feature 3 new starter Pokémon: a bird-like Pokémon called Browt, a dog-eque Pokémon called Pombon, and a Pokémon that looks like a gecko called Gecqua.

Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves will come out in 2027.

Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue Game Music Collection

The Pokémon event didn't start with the big news of a new game, though. The event began with a new product celebrating the now-iconic music of the Pokémon games.

Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue Game Music Collection Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue Game Music Collection is a small music player jukebox that looks like a mini old-school Game Boy. The jukebox plays all 45 songs from the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue games. Users choose their songs by just swapping out cartridges that look like Pokémon games.

Pokémon World Championships and Pokémon XP

Next up was the announcement that this year's Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco will be held simultaneously alongside the inaugural Pokémon XP.

Pokémon XP is a brand new fan fest for Pokémon aficionados, which will include all sorts of interactive events, workshops, panels, meet and greets, and more.

Pokémon Trading Card Game: 30th anniversary

While details were sparse, the Pokémon event announced that the Pokémon Trading Card Game will also be celebrating Pokémon's 30th anniversary.

Special Pokémon Trading Card Game products for the 30th anniversary will be released worldwide later this year.

Pokémon GO

To celebrate 30 years of Pokémon, the popular Pokémon GO mobile game will see the return of a "huge range of Pokémon" that have previously appeared in the game.

Pokémon Masters EX

Speaking of mobile games, Pokémon Masters EX is also receiving an update with Red (1996) & Pikachu, Florian (Anniversary 2026) & Ogerpon, and Juliana (Anniversary 2026) & Terapagos all arriving in the game.

Pokémon Café ReMix

The mobile puzzle game Pokémon Café ReMix is getting in on the 30th anniversary action too with a "roundup of first partner Pokémon in special outfits."

Pokémon Sleep

Yes, there's a Pokémon mobile game that collects Pokémon while you sleep called Pokémon Sleep. Whether you've already been playing or just looking to get into it, as part of the 30th anniversary, Pokémon is launching new Mew missions that begin tonight.

Pokémon United

The popular Pokémon United game is seeing new character additions as part of the 30th anniversary of Pokémon.

Pokémon United Credit: The Pokémon Company

The legendary Pokémon known as Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno, as well as others, are being added to the Pokémon United game.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket players will be able to earn some freebies to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pokémon.

Players can complete "30 Days of Gifts" missions, which will earn them enough pack hourglasses to open 10 packs.

Pokémon XD Gale of Darkness 

If you've been itching to play Pokémon XD Gale of Darkness on the GameCube but haven't owned a GameCube in years, you're in luck

The 2005 Pokémon title is coming to Nintendo GameCube Classics on the Nintendo Switch 2 in March.

Pokémon Fire/Red and Pokémon Leaf/Green 

Looking for something to play today? Pokémon Fire/Red and Pokémon Leaf/Green, remakes of the original Japanese Pokémon games now available as downloadable titles on Switch and Switch 2. 

The titles will also soon be made compatible with Pokémon Home, so you can transfer your Pokémon from other games into these titles, too.

Pokémon Champions

The month of April will see the release of Pokémon Champions, the battle-centric, multiplayer-focused Pokémon game.

A mobile version of Pokémon Champions will also be released later this year.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Mega Dimensions

If you have the Mega Dimensions DLC for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, then there's a brand new challenge for you.

The Pokémon event announced that Mega Garchomp Z has been "discovered" in the game. Players can claim this mystery gift starting today. 

Pokémon Pokopia

And, finally, before showing us the teaser for the upcoming Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, the Pokémon event gave us a good look at Pokémon Pokopia, which comes out on March 5.

The game is less classic Pokémon and more like Pokémon meets Animal Crossing. Players assume the character of a Ditto, which transforms into its old human master. From there, they can build their home, farm, and town.

Digging for great documentaries on Prime Video is a little like rummaging through a giant media closet—you know there's a treasure trove in there, but you just have to move a few dusty boxes around to find them. Well, I've found three near-perfectly scored choices for you this weekend.

TL;DR: As of Feb. 27, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Day 2026 Collection in stock for $38.95, but you can currently snag it for a few bucks cheaper at TCGplayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Store Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Day 2026 Collection $38.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Store Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Day 2026 Collection $25.49 at TCGPlayer
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It's Pokémon Day, which means you're probably seeing a ton of hype around the franchise's 30th anniversary. But before you blindly add the official commemorative TCG collection to your Amazon cart, you should know you can get it way cheaper somewhere else.

SEE ALSO: Pokémon Presents February 2026 livestream: Watch live on Pokémon Day

As of Feb. 27, the Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Day 2026 Collection (which actually launched back in January) is sitting on Amazon for $38.95. However, the exact same box just dropped to a surprisingly low $25.49 (plus an additional $5.99 for shipping) over on TCGplayer. That means you have a choice: Save a few bucks on the secondary market, or pay a bit more at Amazon for fast Prime delivery and a better return policy, you know, just in case.

To celebrate the milestone, this collection features an exclusive foil Pikachu promo card stamped with the official Pokémon Day logo. You'll also get a metallic 30th-anniversary coin and three assorted booster packs to rip open. It's a fun commemorative pickup for the holiday — just make sure you weigh whether you care more about getting the absolute lowest price or the easiest shipping experience.

Not everything needs to be an hours-long project. Sometimes you just want to 3D print an item and have it in your hands in an hour or less. Sometimes the “project” is little more than bulk-printing a bunch of items and putting them all around your house.

SAVE $269: As of Feb. 27, the Anker Solix C800x portable power station is on sale for just $379.99 at Amazon. That's over 40% off its list price of $649.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C800x portable power station $379.99 at Amazon
$649 Save $269.01   Get Deal

There may still be snow on the ground outside, but spring is only a few short weeks away. That means camping season is just around the corner. You can prepare yourself for those off-grid adventures to come by snagging a portable power station. Better yet, you can save some money by thinking ahead.

As of Feb. 27, the Anker Solix C800x portable power station is down to just $379.99 at Amazon. That's $269 cheaper than usual and almost down to its record low, making it an excellent time to grab it.

With a built-in lightbar, a three-mode camping light that packs into the top of the power station, 768Wh and 1200W rated power, and enough ports to plug in up to 10 devices at once, the Solix C800x makes a great companion for off-grid living. You can charge it up with a traditional outlet, a solar panel (sold separately), or a car port for convenience. And since it's just 24 pounds, it's easy to take with you on the move.

If you want to stay powered up this camping season, a portable power station is a smart investment. While it's not exactly cheap, this 41% off deal makes it much easier on the wallet.

Hybrid SUVs are usually marketed as fuel-saving alternatives, but affordability often takes a back seat to technology and features. In today’s market, finding a vehicle that delivers outstanding efficiency without pushing past budget limits is becoming increasingly rare. Yet one compact hybrid SUV manages to lead on both fronts, offering class-leading fuel economy while remaining the most affordable option in its segment.

Spotify is obviously best known for music streaming, but it’s recently been making a huge push into audiobooks. Over the last year, the streaming service has added several features that bring it up to speed with and even go beyond Audible. The latest addition lets you see charts for books just like you can for podcasts.

Netflix is the world's largest streaming service, chock full of its own award-winning original movies and shows, as well as titles it picks up from other studios. But when things get crowded each month with all the lovely new content coming in, and some of the licensed stuff starts to expire, it's time to trim things down. And that means you'd better hop to it and watch all these movies and shows leaving the service in March, before it's too late.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box is being sold for $119.99 at Amazon — marking the lowest-ever price for the expansion’s newly released ETB.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box $119.99 at Amazon
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Getting the latest ETB in the Pokémon trading card game is as challenging as it’s ever been, but Amazon is currently the best of the leading retailers out there. As of Feb. 27, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box is available for $119.99 at Amazon, landing at its lowest price since launch.

Prices have been fluctuating compared to the other big retailers, but Amazon currently has the competition beat by far — along with only being $2.46 above market price at the time of writing. Walmart is selling Ascended Heroes ETBs for $149.99, TCGplayer for $199.95, and Target for a massive $299.99.

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Centered around Mega Dragonite ex and the dawn of Mega Evolution in the Pokémon X & Y and Pokémon Legends: Z-A eras of the Kalos region, Ascended Heroes brings back Mega Evolved Pokémon ex cards alongside Trainer’s Pokémon and Stellar Tera Pokémon ex cards. 

Inside the box, you’ll get nine Ascended Heroes booster packs, a full-art foil promo card featuring N’s Zekrom, 65 themed card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, six damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, a plastic coin, a player’s guide, and a collector’s storage box with dividers. There’s also a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.

We expect these to sell out very soon, so act fast to secure this low price.

To save even more on Elite Trainer Boxes, you can still grab The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution ETB for just under $95 at Amazon. Meanwhile, the Pokémon TCG Pokémon Day 2026 Collection is still available for under $40 at Amazon — a great collection for celebrating the franchise’s 30th anniversary.

Three hot new bombshells have entered the Pokémon villa.

During its 30th anniversary Pokémon Presents livestream, The Pokémon Company officially unveiled two new paired games, Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, the franchise's 10th mainline generation. Within minutes of the reveal, the online conversation swerved hard in one direction: the adorable starters.

SEE ALSO: 10 of the weirdest little freaks in Pokémon history

Set in a brand-new, island-dotted region surrounded by a vast, glittering sea, Winds and Waves promise open-water exploration and tropical flair. But while the developers were showing off sweeping ocean vistas, fans were busy zooming in on three small, extremely marketable creatures.

Meet the new icons.

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Browt, the grass-type starter, is a round little bird with the energy of someone who's already read your text and decided not to reply. This is an angry little puffball with full Eugene Levy-level eyebrows, aggressively arched with "say that again" energy, and fans immediately clocked it as the chaotic contender of the trio. It's giving Angry Birds. It's giving tiny union rep. It's giving "don't talk to me before I photosynthesize."

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Then there's Pombon, the fire-type Pomeranian who looks like it would absolutely commit arson but in a cute way. All fluff and spark, Pombon feels genetically engineered to dominate plush sales and social media edits. The fire-dog lineage is a sacred one in Pokémon history, and fans were quick to declare this tiny blaze ball their ride-or-die little guy.

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And finally, Gecqua, the water-type lizard with eyes nearly the size of its head and lashes that deserve their own beauty sponsorship. Gecqua doesn't blink; it poses. It's wide-eyed but fierce, adorable but dramatic. If confidence were a starter stat, Gecqua would be maxed out.

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Even the reveal of two tropical-styled versions of Pikachu — one rocking sunglasses, a floral shirt, and a sunhat, the other sporting a cap and dress — struggled to compete with the starter frenzy. Normally, special Pikachu forms would dominate the discourse. This time? Supporting cast.

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Thirty years after Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green first launched in Japan, Generation 10 has arrived with island vibes and ocean horizons. But if the immediate internet reaction is any indication, the real waves are being made by one grumpy grass bird, one chaotic fire pom, and one water lizard diva.

Netflix has more documentaries and docuseries than you can shake a remote at, and there are always new ones being added, which is awesome when you're in a curious mood, but brutal when you just want to find something to watch. I'm here to make that easy for you.

SAVE $59: As of Feb. 27, get the Soundcore Work, a pocket-sized translator and transcription tool, for just $99.95. That takes 37% off its list price of $159, saving you $59.05.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Work $99.95 at Amazon
$159 Save $59.05   Get Deal

Being a reporter fills my days with fast-paced work, spotting trends, tracking new product releases, and testing the latest tech. Perhaps my favorite part of the job is when I get to talk to people, getting background or interviewing for a feature. Unfortunately, once the rush of the interview is over, I have to face the tedious task of transcribing. That's why the Soundcore Work is such a genius device.

The Soundcore Work is a coin-sized voice recorder powered by AI. It records conversations, translating and transcribing them as needed. All recording are encrypted with AES-256 and stored locally on the device. But best of all, you can find the device on sale now.

The Soundcore Work is now $99.95 at Amazon. That knocks $59.05 off its $159 list price. That's the best price we've spotted on the device, meaning it's a great time to buy.

The Soundcore Work comes with a six free months of a pro membership, which you need to operate the device. After the trial, it's $15.99 a month or $99.99 a year, which gets you 1,200 minutes of transcription every month.

Shop the Soundcore Work at Amazon now and get it for its lowest price ever of $99.95.

More and more people are looking for a break from screens and endless notifications. The good news is you might already have everything you need to build your own “minimalist phone,” and it’s already right there in your pocket.