Going home for the holidays isn't all turkey, holiday decorations, and political arguments discussions. It also comes with requests for tech support and questions like "Why does my computer do this?" and "I read about this AI - what is that?"Think of it as an opportunity rather than a burden. If you're like many people, you get tech support calls from frustrated parents or grandparents all year long. This is your chance to make sure things are set up so that, when you do get that call in a month or two, you can more easily fix things - or help your parents fix it themselves.Make sure everything is updatedIt's important to keep computer …Read the full story at The Verge.

After the Online Safety Act's onerous internet age restrictions took effect this summer, it didn't take long for Brits to get around them. Some methods went viral, like using video game Death Stranding's photo mode to bypass face scans. But in the end, the simplest solution won out: VPNs.Virtual private networks have proven remarkably effective at circumventing the UK's age checks, letting users spoof IP addresses from other countries so that the checks never appear in the first place. The BBC reported a few days after the law came into effect that five of the top 10 free apps on the iOS App Store were VPNs. WindscribeVPN shared data show …Read the full story at The Verge.

After growing tired of listening to the hype, I finally caved and bought a 32" OLED to replace my 27" IPS display. There was nothing wrong with it, though I did want something that was easier on my eyes for both work and play. I've seen and used them briefly at trade shows, other people's houses, and have an OLED TV, so I'm not a complete stranger. Despite that, I still wasn't fully prepared for just how massive the shift was, and these are the 5 biggest things that caught me off guard after I made the switch from IPS to OLED.

I praise NotebookLM a lot, and the reason why is simple: it's filled with features that are genuinely useful. Given how impressive all its past updates have been, I've naturally started having high expectations for each new release. Unfortunately, the Deep Research feature Google recently added to NotebookLM didn’t live up to those expectations.

Since NotebookLM first launched, one thing that seems not to be Google's priority is adding any real organizational features. The only way to "organize" your work in NotebookLM is with notebooks, and you basically need to create a notebook for everything. Want to ask a simple question about a document you uploaded and get a fully cited, source-grounded answer? Create a notebook. Want to generate an Audio Overview, Mind Map, Slide Deck, or any of the other tools? Yeah, create a notebook.

Despite its small size, the Mac Mini manages to deliver an impressive experience. We loved it in our review, praising Apple for making a computer that's nearly dead-silent, while also being able to handle pretty much anything we could throw at it.

Stop me if I'm sounding crazy here, but I have a slight hunch that the Back to the Future movies set an unrealistic expectation for the 2020s. We don't have self-tying shoes, we don't have hoverboards, and we definitely don't have Jaws 19. However, where reality has let us down, tinkerers have stepped up to make our dreams come true.

You can stream the Seth Rogen comedy The Studio on Apple TV. | Image: Apple TV Plus The holidays are a great time to see family, exchange gifts, and enjoy a good meal. It’s also the perfect time to gather around a TV and catch up on must-see shows and movies. Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus is a fantastic new sci-fi series, while Hulu is the only place you can catch the buzzy Alien: Earth. Thankfully, multiple streaming services are offering big discounts on subscriptions for Black Friday, helping to mitigate the many price hikes that have swept the industry in 2025.Right now, for instance, you can sign up for six months of Apple TV for just $5.99 a month, which is over 50 percent off the usual price. You can also snag a year of HBO Max with ads for $2.99 a month, saving you nearly $100 over the course of 12 months. These aren’t the only deals, either. We’ve rounded up a selection of other streaming discounts below. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear Netflix — which is the only place you can catch the latest season of Stranger Things — is participating in Black Friday this year. Maybe next time.Disney Plus and HuluHBO MaxApple TVParamount PlusAmazon Prime Video (add-ons)YouTube TVStarzFubo TVDisney Plus and HuluDisney Plus, Hulu Bundle (with ads)Where to Buy: $12.99 $4.99 at Disney Plus (monthly)You can entertain both parents and kids with a subscription to Hulu and Disney Plus. Now through December 1st, new and returning subscribers can get an annual ad-supported subscription to both streaming services for just $4.99 a month ($8 off), saving you nearly $100 over 12 months. If you’d rather not have ads interrupting episodes of Bluey — trust me, there’s no quicker way to make your toddler throw a Muffin-level tantrum — you can also get an annual ad-free subscription to Hulu and Disney Plus for $14.99 per month ($5 off), saving you a cool $60 over the course of a year.Both discounted plans provide access to TV shows and movies from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and the Star Wars franchise. Over on Hulu, you can watch Hulu originals like The Handmaid’s Tale and classics like Gilmore Girls, along with The Bear, Alien: Earth, and the latest season of King of the Hill. You’ll also get access to holiday favorites, including Home Alone, The Santa Clause, and The Polar Express. You can watch everything offline with the ad-free tier, too, which is handy when you don’t have access to a consistent cellular or Wi-Fi connection, like when you’re stuck at the airport.Sports fans can also throw ESPN Unlimited into the mix with discounts on ad-supported and ad-free bundles, which you can choose from the drop-down menu when selecting your plan. A subscription to the Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Ultimate Bundle is up to 44 percent off for Black Friday, with an annual ad-supported bundle available for $29.99 a month, down from $53.97 per month. Meanwhile, you can grab the same bundle without ads for $38.99 a month for a year (about $29 off). For those who need a refresher, ESPN Unlimited provides access to all ESPN networks and ESPN Plus, with sports like NFL, NBA, MLB, and more.HBO MaxHBO MaxWhere to Buy: $10.99 $2.99 at HBO Max (monthly, with ads) $109.99 at HBO Max (annual, with ads) $184.99 at HBO Max (annual, ad-free)If you’re in the mood for prestige television, HBO Max is offering one of the best Black Friday deals we’ve seen this year. New and returning subscribers can sign up for an annual subscription to HBO Max with ads for $2.99 a month ($8 off) through December 1st, saving you about $100 over 12 months. Like Apple TV, HBO Max received yet another price hike about a month ago, so this deal is particularly welcome right now.It’s worth noting that the deal provides access to HBO Max Basic, which only allows you to stream TV shows and movies in HD quality on up to two screens at once. If you prefer to watch in 4K, you’ll need to step up to a Premium subscription, which costs $22.99 per month and is currently not on sale. Bah, humbug! No matter which tier you go with, though, you’ll be able to watch TV shows like House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, and It: Welcome to Derry. On the movie front, you can stream James Gunn’s Superman and the horror sensation Weapons.Apple TVApple TV (six-month subscription)Where to Buy: $12.99 $5.99 at Apple (monthly)Apple TV is home to TV shows like Ted Lasso, The Studio, Pluribus, and Severance, and it’s the only place you’ll be able to stream Joseph Kosinski’s F1 when it drops on December 12th. And if you have a taste for the sport, Apple TV will also be the exclusive home for Formula 1 racing beginning in 2026. In other words, it’s a great time to subscribe, especially now that new and returning subscribers can lock in six months of the service at just $5.99 a month ($7 off). Apple raised the monthly subscription price of its streaming service a few months ago, so this Black Friday deal is a great way to save.Paramount PlusParamount Plus (two months)Where to Buy: $7.99 $2.99 at Paramount Plus Essential $12.99 $2.99 at Paramount Plus PremiumBefore the price hike hits Paramount Plus early next year, you can save for Black Friday. Now through December 2nd, new and returning subscribers can sign up for any plan for two months for just $2.99 a month (up to $10 off). No matter which tier you choose, you’ll get access to over 40,000 TV shows and movies, including the latest seasons of Landman and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, along with movies like The Naked Gun reboot and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. A subscription also includes a few Showtime titles, like the original Dexter, as well as live sports, including every single UEFA Champions League game and select NFL games.If you opt for the Premium Plan, you’ll be granted access to the full Showtime library, which includes TV shows like Dexter: Resurrection, every season of Yellowjackets, and movies like The Substance, Talk to Me, Gladiator II, and Top Gun: Maverick. A Premium plan also provides support for streaming select titles in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision or HDR10 Plus, 24/7 live CBS news via your local station, and the ability to download shows and movies for offline viewing.Amazon Prime Video (add-ons)Amazon Prime Video (monthly, with ads)Where to Buy: $8.99 at AmazonIf you already have an Amazon Prime Video subscription, you can save on add-ons.HBO Max is down to $2.99 a month ($8 off) for 12 months, saving you nearly $100 on an annual subscription.A six-month subscription to Apple TV is going for $5.99 ($7 off) a month through December 1st, saving you a total of $42 over the course of the promo window.Now through December 1st, you get two months of Starz for $2.75 a month instead of $5.99, which equates to about $9 in savings.The ad-supported version of AMC Plus is down to $1.75 a month for two months instead of $6.99 (a total of about $11 off). Meanwhile, AMC Plus Premium is available for $2.50 a month for two months, saving you about $15 during the promo period.You can grab two months of MGM Plus for $1.99 a month instead of $7.99 (a total of $12 off).Now through December 1st, Hallmark Plus is available for $2 a month for two months, saving you about $12 with the promo.If you want two months of Crunchyroll, you can currently sign up for $2.99 a month instead of $11.99 (a total of $18 off).PBS Kids is available for $1.25 a month for two months instead of $4.99 (a total of about $7 off). You can also save on PBS Documentaries, which is down to $1.25 a month for two months instead of $4.99, saving you about $7.YouTube TVYouTube TVWhere to Buy: $82.99 $72.99 at YouTube (monthly)If you watch a lot of live TV, there will be plenty to watch over the holidays, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a handful of NFL games on Thanksgiving. And now through January 4th, you can get a YouTube TV Base Plan for $72.99 a month ($10 off) for the first three months.A YouTube TV Base Plan includes over 100 live channels and all the perks the service has to offer, including unlimited DVR space and up to six household accounts with three simultaneous streams. You also get special features during live sports, like a stats view and the ability to quickly catch up on important highlights you might have missed. And, yes, the YouTube TV Base Plan includes ESPN and other Disney-owned channels, which are back on the service following a two-week outage.You can also save on NFL Sunday Ticket through December 1st, either by adding it to your YouTube TV Base Plan or getting a season pass by itself. No matter which option you choose, NFL Sunday Ticket is $12 a month for four months or $48 for an annual pass. A subscription provides all out-of-market Sunday regular season games from every NFL team.StarzStarzWhere to Buy: $69.99 $23.99 at Starz (annual) $10.99 $2.99 at Starz (monthly)You can get a Starz subscription for $2.99 ($8 off) for the first three months or an annual subscription for $23.99 ($46 off). The streaming service features a variety of shows and movies, including John Wick: Chapter 4, the John Wick spinoff Ballerina, and shows like Blood of My Blood and Hostile Takeover. Both plans allow you to stream on up to four devices simultaneously and download content for offline viewing.Fubo TVFubo TV (one month)Where to Buy: $94.99 $64.99 at Fubo TV (Elite plan)If you’re a diehard sports fan, you can save up to $30 on a month of Fubo TV. The streaming service is offering discounts across its four tiers, including Fubo TV Elite, which is down to $64.99 ($30 off) for one month. After that, it goes back up to the regular price of $94.99 per month. The Elite plan provides access to 277 channels and includes ESPN Unlimited, ABC, CBS, and Fox, along with local NBA, NHL, and MLB games — all in glorious 4K. All of the plans come with unlimited Cloud DVR space at no extra cost, while three of the four (except the Latino plan) can stream on up to 10 devices simultaneously.

You know, I have wondered why tech companies are so keen to shove a ton of AI tools into our apps and services. Well, it turns out that it's because they honestly, genuinely believe that adding AI to everything is the best thing since sliced bread. As such, the AI race seems to be born from a mix of wanting to be the best in the market, alongside a CEO who truly adores using LLMs.

One of the longest-standing memes in the gaming world is simple: "If it has a screen, it can run Doom." We've seen the classic FPS run on a ton of strange devices, and there's bound to be more in the future.

PC hardware is in an interesting place heading into 2026. The market is flooded with CPUs and GPUs at every tier and price point. Between last-gen bargains, mid-cycle updates, and new architectures landing almost yearly, enthusiasts are now spoiled for choice, and that can make picking the right pairing tougher than it looks.

The Kuxiu S3 adds a kickstand for hands-free smartphone use. | Image: Kuxiu Seven months after launching its first semi-solid state battery that used a safer and longer-lasting solid-liquid mixed electrolyte, Kuxiu is introducing a new version with some welcome upgrades. The S3 has twice the capacity of the S2 at 10,000mAh – 5,000mAh at 7.7V (38.5Wh) – that the company says is enough to nearly double an iPhone’s battery life, but that will vary depending on the model.The Kuxiu S3 is also Qi2.2-compatible so it can wirelessly charge compatible devices at up to 25W. Its larger battery means it’s over 100g heavier than the 145g S2, but Kuxiu has increased the number of N52 magnets it uses from 16 to 18 to help reduce the risk of the power bank being accidentally knocked off your phone. There’s an integrated kickstand now on the back, a small display showing its remaining capacity and charging status, and a built-in cable for charging other devices through a USB-C port with power delivery rated at up to 35W.As with the previous model, the S3 is more expensive than traditional wireless power banks offering similar capacity, charging rates, and features, but the cost of the technology should drop over time as manufacturing improves and increases. It’s available now for $149.98, but temporarily discounted to $68.99. If that seems hard to stomach, remember that while the capacity of most power banks will start to degrade after 300 to 500 cycles, the S3 should only see a drop to about 80 percent capacity after 1,000 charging cycles. It will have a much longer lifespan, and is less at risk from issues like fire and thermal runaway should you accidentally drop it.