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This week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark social media trial , claiming the company only wanted to make Instagram useful and not addictive. In this episode, we chat about Zuck's testimony and the potential implications of this trial for social media companies. Also, we dive into the latest effects of the RAMaggedon RAM shortage, including a potential PlayStation 6 delay and a dire future for practically every consumer electronics company. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts

The US State Department is building a web portal, where Europeans and anyone else can see online content banned by their governments, according to Reuters . It was supposed to be launched at Munich Security Conference last month, but some state department officials reportedly voiced their concerns about the project. The portal will be hosted on freedom.gov , which currently just shows the image above. Freedom is Coming, the homepage reads. Information is power. Reclaim your human right to free e

Los Angeles County has sued Roblox for unfair and deceptive business practices, claiming the platform's moderation and age-verification systems are inadequate. Roblox portrays its platform as a safe and appropriate place for children to play, the complaint states. In reality, and as Roblox well knows, the design of its platform makes children easy prey for pedophiles. Representatives accused Roblox of failing to implement adequate platform safety features to prevent child endangerment. Specifica

Its a big month for Pokmon , with February 27 marking 30 years since the worlds highest-grossing media franchise first introduced itself in the shape of two Game Boy games. Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green , which later arrived in the West as Pokmon Red and Pokmon Blue , kicked off a craze in Japan that would soon spread worldwide. And to mark the series 30th anniversary, the little turn-based RPGs that started it all are being re-released on Nintendo Switch. Well, sort of. The vers

Apple has lined up its first event of the year. Already! Its taking place in New York City on March 4 at 9AM ET, but the company hasnt confirmed if it will stream the media event. It seems likely the event will be mainly iPads and MacBooks so business as usual. However, it could include new entry-level MacBooks in a fresh array of colors. I think thats what everyones reading into the lemon-and-lime tinged invitation. Im very much up for a return of the colorful Mac. The first Mac I ever used wa

Google has announced that with the help of AI, it blocked 1.75 million apps that violated its policies in 2025, significantly down from 2.36 million in 2024. The lower numbers this year, it said, are because its AI-powered, multi-layer protections are deterring bad actors from even trying to publish bad apps. Google said it now runs more than 10,000 safety checks on every app and continues to recheck them after they're published. Its use of the latest generative AI models helps human reviewers d

Streaming has become the default way most of us watch TV and movies, but the sheer number of services now available can make choosing what to subscribe to feel like a chore. Each platform leans into something different, from original shows and blockbuster films to comfort rewatches and niche libraries, and not all of them earn a permanent spot in your monthly budget. This guide focuses on the on-demand streaming services that are the most worthwhile to live with day to day. Whether youre lining

Getting a solid Android phone doesnt necessitate spending a small fortune. The best budget models strike a great balance between price and performance, giving you smooth everyday use without cutting too many corners. Whether youre scrolling social media, streaming your favorite shows or snapping photos of a night out, theres an affordable Android phone that can handle it all. Cheaper phones have come a long way in recent years. Many now feature bright, fast displays, reliable cameras and battery

Formula 1 has been receiving star treatment from Apple for awhile, and now the racing series will literally be getting even bigger. Apple is partnering with IMAX to show five races from the 2026 season. The Miami Grand Prix on May 3, the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, the British Grand Prix on July 5, the Italian Grand Prix on September 6 and the United States Grand Prix on October 25 will be aired live at select IMAX theaters in the US. Apple landed a five-year deal for the US broadcast rights to

Meta is formally sectioning off Horizon Worlds, the closest thing it has to a metaverse, from its Quest VR platform, according to a new blog post from Samantha Ryan, Meta's VP of Content, Reality Labs. While the decision runs counter to Meta's original plan to own an immersive virtual world that could serve as the future home for all online interaction, it fits with the recent cuts it made to its costly Reality Labs division, and Mark Zuckerberg's public commitment to focus the company on AI har

Slay the Spire 2 will launch in early access next month. This sequel to the hugely popular 2019 roguelike deckbuilder hits early access on Steam beginning March 5, 2026. Along with releasing the teaser trailer above, developer Mega Crit shared some details about its goals for this phase ahead of the game's official release. Slay the Spire requires a lot of player feedback so we can balance content, add quality of life features, and make sure the game runs without issues, the developers explaine

Sony is closing Bluepoint Games, the studio behind the Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls remakes, Bloomberg reports . Bluepoint's last major project was God of War: Ragnarok from 2022, which it co-developed with Sony Santa Monica. According to Bloomberg , Sony decided to shut down the studio following a recent business review. Around 70 employees will lose their jobs as part of the studio closure, which will officially happen in March. Bluepoint Games is an incredibly talented team and th

Meta is shutting down the standalone Messenger website, according to a company help page . The website will disappear in April, though web users will still be able to send and receive messages within Facebook. After messenger.com goes away, you will be automatically redirected to use facebook.com/messages for messaging on a computer, the help page reads. You can continue your conversations there or on the Messenger mobile app. Users will be able to restore their chat history after switching to t

Toy Fair 2026 just wrapped earlier this week and while I would have liked to spend even more time there, I have my own kids (and all their toys and trinkets) to look after. That said, there were a ton of cool new products on display at the Javits Center in New York City that set the stage for the rest of the year, so here's a quick look at some of the most interesting releases from the largest toy show in the Western Hemisphere. Transformers: The Movie 40th anniversary figures ($28 to $60) To ce

Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff has indicated that the company's controversial Search Party feature might not always be just for lost dogs, according to emails obtained by 404 Media . A creepy surveillance tool being used to surveil. Who could have predicted that ? I believe that the foundation we created with Search Party, first for finding dogs, will end up becoming one of the most important pieces of tech and innovation to truly unlock the impact of our mission, Siminoff wrote in an email to staffers

YouTube's Ask button is making its way to the living room. The Gemini-powered feature is now rolling out as an experiment on smart TVs, gaming consoles and streaming devices. 9to5Google first spotted a Google support page announcing the change. Like on mobile devices and desktop, the feature is essentially a Gemini chatbot trained on each video's content. Selecting that Ask button will bring up a series of canned prompts related to the content. Alternatively, you can use your microphone to ask q

At the start of the month, Elon Musk announced that two of his companies SpaceX and xAI were merging , and would jointly launch a constellation of 1 million satellites to operate as orbital data centers. Musk's reputation might suggest otherwise, but according to experts, such a plan isn't a complete fantasy. However, if executed at the scale suggested, some of them believe it would have devastating effects on the environment and the sustainability of low Earth Earth orbit. Musk and others arg

The office of the Attorney General for West Virginia announced Thursday that it has filed a lawsuit against Apple alleging that the company had knowingly allowed its iCloud platform to be used as a vehicle for distributing and storing child sexual abuse material. The state alleges this went on for years but drew no action from the tech giant under the guise of user privacy. In the lawsuit, the state repeatedly cites a text from Apple executive Eric Friedman, in which he calls iCloud the greatest

Last years Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition was significant for a few reasons. It was the final major first-party Switch game ahead of the Switch 2s arrival in June, and the last doomed Wii U game to be granted a second life on Nintendos infinitely more successful console. Nearly a year on, a Switch 2 update for one of the most technically impressive games Nintendo has ever published has finally arrived. Somewhat hilariously titled Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition - Nintendo

Proton VPN is running a solid deal right now, dropping its two-year Proton VPN Plus plan to $2.99 per month. That works out to $72 billed upfront for the first 24 months, which represents a 70 percent discount compared to its regular pricing. Weve rated Proton VPN highly thanks to its strong privacy credentials, transparent nonprofit backing and consistently fast performance. Its one of the services we recommend in our guide to the best VPNs , and this deal also shows up alongside other standout

We found the iPhone Air to have a pretty decent battery life for such a thin-and-light phone, somewhere in the region of 27 hours if youre continuously streaming video. But it's still a phone, arguably your most used device on a daily basis, so you may need to top it up during the day if you're using it constantly. Thats where Apples iPhone Air MagSafe battery pack comes in, and its currently on sale for $79. This accessory only works with the iPhone Air, but much like the phone it attaches to,

Anker rolled out a bunch of new chargers and other gear at CES 2026 , including a cute one that's already on sale. The new Nano charger with smart display, which is an upgrade to the existing Nano charger in Anker's lineup, is on sale for $30 right now for Prime members. That's $10 off the regular price. The 45W charger includes a smart display that shows real-time data like power flow, temperature and charging status. It also features fun animations to keep things cheerful. Anker says it can re

A decision to ban Telegram on home soil may have backfired on the Kremlin. Last week, Russia went on a blocking spree , banning a number of Western apps in an effort to push domestic users towards Max, an unencrypted state-owned app. One of the restricted apps was WhatsApp (which was also blocked) rival Telegram, a move that drew rare internal criticism from soldiers and pro-war bloggers, with the army being heavily reliant on the cloud-based messaging service for communications. As reported by

Good deals on Apple products arent as frequent as wed like them to be, but if theres one of the companys products that does seem to enjoy pretty regular price cuts, its the AirTag . Right now you can pick up a four-pack of Apples diminutive first-generation Bluetooth trackers for $64, which translates to 35 percent off and a near record low price. Bear in mind that this deal brings the price per AirTag down to about $16 if you were to buy them individually, and when not on sale they usually cost

If you're an iPhone user who likes to keep tabs on where your stuff is, you can't go far wrong with an AirTag . The second-gen model that Apple just released outpaces the original in every way (aside from the galling lack of a keyring hole, that is). While it's easy enough to replace the battery in both versions of the AirTag, you might not want to have to worry about the device's battery life for a very long time. Enter Elevation Lab's extended battery case for the AirTag, which is currently on

Meta is reportedly gearing up to enter another segment of the wearables market. According to The Information , the company is planning to release its first smartwatch sometime this year. Meta has revived its smartwatch initiative internally called Malibu 2, The Information says, which will come with Meta AI and health tracking. The same publication reported back in 2021 that Meta was working on a smartwatch powered by an open-source version of Android. Over the next year, more details of its pos

Portable Bluetooth speakers have become an easy default for listening away from your desk or living room. Theyre the kind of tech you grab without thinking, whether youre heading outside, cleaning the house or packing for a weekend away. The best portable options manage to sound bigger than they look, delivering clear audio without weighing down your bag. Battery life and durability matter just as much as sound quality now. Many modern speakers are built to survive splashes, dust and the occasio

Mark Zuckerberg took the stand Wednesday in a high-profile jury trial over social media addiction. In an appearance that was described by NBC News as combative, the Facebook founder reportedly said that Meta's goal was to make Instagram useful not increase the time users are spending in the app. On the stand, Zuckerberg was questioned about a company document that said improving engagement was among company goals, according to CNBC . But Zuckerberg claimed that the company had made the conscious

Last year Dyson introduced the PencilVac , which it immediately declared the worlds slimmest vacuum cleaner. Presumably, then, the title of worlds slimmest wet floor cleaner goes to the newly unveiled PencilWash. Promising a lighter, slimmer and smaller solution to wet cleaning without compromising on hygiene, the PencilWash is designed to let you clean everywhere you need to with minimal hassle. Like the vacuum cleaner with which it shares the first part of its name, the handle measures just 1.

Google has announced that using its newly incorporated Lyria 3 model, Gemini users will be able to generate 30-second music tracks based on a prompt, or remix an existing track to their liking. The new model builds on Gemini's pre-existing ability to generate text, images and video, and will also be available in YouTube's Dream Track feature, where it can be used to generate detailed backing tracks for Shorts. Like some other music generation tools, prompting Gemini doesn't require a lot of deta

The long-awaited cyberpunk platformer Replaced just got hit with a short delay . The pixel-art game was supposed to come out on March 12 , but will now be released on April 14. That's just a month, which isn't that big of a deal considering this game has been on our radar for five years . Why the delay? Developer Sad Cat Studios notes that the game is technically finished but the team needs a few more weeks for polish. The company says it wants the day-one release to be polished, stable and true

The Winter Olympics have been a blast so far, and there are still four days left. It's the perfect time to get ahold of a virtual private network (VPN) and check out how the games are broadcast in other countries all while improving your cybersecurity . By connecting to a VPN every time you get online, you can keep your activity hidden from your ISP and anyone to whom it may sell that data, while streaming sports and TV from across the globe. We strongly recommend using a VPN , but shopping for

Nevada is taking action against the rapidly growing Wild West of prediction markets. The state's gambling regulators and attorney general sued Kalshi on Tuesday. They accuse the company of bypassing Nevada law by operating a sports gambling market without proper licenses. In addition, they say Kalshi provides services to individuals under 21, which violates state law. The lawsuit follows a federal appeals courts rejection of Kalshi's request to prevent the state from pursuing legal action. And i

Apple has scheduled a product launch event, dubbed an Apple Experience, for March 4 at 9AM ET . The company is reportedly holding this event in NYC, London and Shanghai . Everyone loves shiny new products, so what can we expect to see at Apple's first launch event of 2026? We don't know anything for certain, but we have plenty of educated guesses that have been sourced from industry reports and speculation from analysts. Budget-Friendly MacBook There have been rumors swirling that Apple is prepa

Ticketing marketplace SeatGeek has announced a partnership with Spotify that will direct an artist's fans to its platform from the Spotify app. The integration is currently limited to a few participating venues for which SeatGeek is the primary ticket seller. While SeatGeek is one of the largest online marketplaces for the secondary ticketing market, the company's announcement makes clear that this Spotify integration only applies to venues where it's the primary ticketing company. For now, that

Google's A-series phones have offered some of the best value among midrange handsets for years, and after checking out the new Pixel 10a , I don't see that trend stopping anytime soon. Let's start with the specs. Starting at just $499, you get a vivid 6.3-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3,000 nits of peak brightness, 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage. The phone also features a durable aluminum frame along with a stronger Corning Gorilla Glass 7i panel in fron

Google debuted the Pixel 10a phone today. Pre-orders are open now and the smartphone will be available starting March 5. Although it's the new 2026 addition to the A series lineup, the Pixel 10a invites many comparisons with last year's Pixel 9a . For starters, the price is identical at $499. Design-wise, not much as changed. The back of the phone can lay flat, which has become a hallmark of the Pixel A collection, rather than wobbling around on a bulky camera housing. The screen is still 6.3 in

Now that pre-orders are open for the Google Pixel 10a, its time to see how it stacks up against last years Pixel 9a . At first glance, the two phones look very similar, and thats not a bad thing. Google hasnt tried to reinvent its budget-friendly formula this year, sticking to the same compact design, clean software experience and camera-first approach that made the 9a such a good value. Both phones share a lot in common, including 120Hz OLED displays, Googles Tensor G4 chip, strong computationa

Polestar is gearing up to launch three new models in the next two years, including a station wagon (estate or shooting brake) version of the Polestar 4 that harkens back to the company's Volvo roots. The Geely-owned Swedish company sold a record 61,000 EVs in 2025, but hopes that the new models will help it take an even bigger bite out of the market. We want to get more volume out of a bigger cake, CEO Michael Lohscheller said. Polestar currently offers two models in the US, the Polestar 3 and P

NordVPN is offering a significant discount on its two-year plans, with 70 percent off its Complete tier and up to 74 percent off overall. For the Complete tier, the deal brings the total cost down to $130 for 24 months. NordVPN regularly appears on Engadgets list of the best VPN services thanks to its wide server network, strong security tools and consistent performance across devices. NordVPNs latest promotion puts one of its most comprehensive plans at a price that undercuts many competing pre

Cameo, the platform where celebrities sell short, personalized videos, has scored a preliminary win in a trademark lawsuit against OpenAI. A California judge has ruled that the AI company's video generation tool Sora cannot use the term 'cameo' or any variation likely to cause confusion. A temporary restraining order in the case was originally granted in November of last year. The suit was first brought in response to a feature available within the Sora app at launch called 'Cameo' that allowed

Tesla has stopped using the term Autopilot to sell its cars in California, thereby avoiding a 30-day sales and manufacturing ban in the state. If youll recall, a California administrative law judge ruled in December that the automaker misled consumers by using the terms Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. The judge recommended the suspension, but the California DMV gave Tesla 60 days to remove any untrue and misleading language in its marketing materials. In its announcement, the DMV said Tesla has

Meta just announced a deal to buy millions of NVIDIA Blackwell and Rubin GPUs in a new long-term partnership. As part of that, the social media giant will deploy NVIDIA's Confidential Computing for WhatsApp, enabling AI-powered capabilities across the messaging platform while ensuring user data confidentiality and integrity. As part of the deal, Meta committed to using NVIDIA's Confidential Computing for WhatsApp messaging to allow AI inside the app while guaranteeing user data confidentiality.

Whether youre lifting, running or squeezing in a quick session between errands, the last thing you want is a cable getting in the way or earbuds that wont stay put. The best wireless headphones make it easier to focus on your workout, but not every pair is built to handle sweat, motion and long sessions. Fitness-focused headphones put different demands on design and performance. Secure fit, water resistance and dependable battery life matter just as much as sound quality, especially if you plan

Drones are no longer just niche toys for enthusiasts. Todays models are compact, increasingly affordable and capable of capturing sharp aerial photos and video with minimal effort. Whether youre curious about flying for the first time or looking to upgrade to a more advanced camera drone, the options available in 2026 are broader and more approachable than ever. Entry-level drones now offer features like GPS-assisted flight, return-to-home safety systems and automated shooting modes that take mu

YouTube is experiencing an outage across the United States, with users in other countries like Canada, India, the Philippines, Australia and Russia also having problems with accessing the website. The issue seems to have started at around 8 PM Eastern time and reached 338,000 reports on Downdetector before starting to taper down. More users reported having issues accessing the app, but I personally lost access to the web homepage first. As of 9:22 PM, users are still reporting being unable to ac

Texas is suing Wi-Fi router maker TP-Link for deceptively marketing the security of its products and allowing Chinese hacking groups to access Americans' devices, Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced . Paxton originally started looking into TP-Link in October 2025. Texas Governor Greg Abbott later prohibited state employees from using TP-Link products in January of this year. TP-Link is no longer owned by a Chinese company and its products are assembled in Vietnam, but Paxton's lawsuit clai

Well soon get a closer look at a bunch of features and updates Google has planned for Android and its other services. The company has confirmed that Google I/O 2026 will take place on May 19 and 20 . As always, Google will stream some of the keynotes and sessions for free, including the opening keynote (during which the company makes the bulk of its major I/O announcements). Although I/O is primarily a conference for developers, its typically where we first learn about major upcoming Android cha

Netflix has been in the game adaptation business for a while now, but until recently most of its attention had been on adapting video games. Thats still very much happening , but the streaming giant is also now buying up rights for board game IP too, with the latest being Asmodees Ticket to Ride . Netflix will look to greenlight a number of projects spanning TV, film and additional formats, it wrote in a press release. The first of these will be a feature film written by Ben Mekler and Chris Ami

ExpressVPN is back on sale again, and its two-year plans are up to 81 percent off right now. You can get the Advanced tier for $88 for 28 months. This is marked down from the $392 that this time frame normally costs. On a per-month basis, it works out to roughly $3.14 for the promo period. Weve consistently liked ExpressVPN because its fast, easy to use and widely available across a large global server network. In fact, it's our current pick for best premium VPN . One of the biggest drawbacks ha