Tech Boys

Lists tend to go viral. That fact defined  an entire era  of the internet. Lately, though, a bizarre new type of list has been blowing up on TikTok . The best way to describe these lists is incoherent . Here's the formula, obviously generalized: An anonymous account with a username that consists of a mishmash of letters and numbers posts a clip of a TV show, movie, or similar piece of media. During that clip — which is typically longer than a minute — a numbered list is revealed one at a time. The listed text is utter nonsense. At best, it's vaguely related to the clip. Mostly, it's just words or phrases slowly being revealed. These videos have insidiously wormed their way onto FYPs, in some cases racking up millions of views. If your brain is half turned off, that TikTok might seem normal. But what does "compromise" or "question" have to do with the dialogue of that scene from This Is Us ? These sorts of videos are everywhere, and they...

Reddit is suing companies SerApi, OxyLabs, AWMProxy and Perplexity for allegedly scraping its data from search results and using it without a license, The New York Times reports . The new lawsuit follows legal action against AI startup Anthropic, who allegedly used Reddit content to train its Claude chatbot.  As of 2023, Reddit charges companies looking access to posts and other content in the hopes of making money on data that could be used for AI training. The company has also signed licensing deals with companies like Google and OpenAI , and even built an AI answer machine of its own to leverage the knowledge in users' posts. Scraping search results for Reddit content avoids those payments, which is why the company is seeking financial damages and a permanent injunction that prevents companies from selling previously scraped Reddit material. Some of the companies Reddit is focused on, like SerApi, OxyLabs and AWMProxy, are not exactly household names, but they've all ...

Rumors of a foldable iPhone and iPad have persisted for years now. In fact, the latest rumors say that a foldable iPhone is still on track for a 2026 release. However, there's a new report from Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman that may rain on the parade of any Apple fan awaiting a foldable iPad. If you were holding your breath for a foldable iPad, please don't. Because, according to Gurman's report, that foldable iPad is at least four years away, which is a lifetime in tech years. Apple has been working with Samsung to develop a panel for the foldable iPad. This panel, according to Gurman, would reportedly give the folding tablet a whopping 18-inch display when unfolded. However, there are some issues with the panel's development, namely its cost and weight. The still-under-development foldable iPad is expected to weigh around 3.5 pounds, and Apple's projected cost for the device is in the $3,000 range. SEE ALSO: Review: The new M5 iPad Pro is a ...

In a world where the Samsung Galaxy XR exists, Apple suddenly has some stiff competition in the XR headset space. Is the newly upgraded Vision Pro headset enough of an improvement to justify its still-enormous $3,500 price? Mashable has not gotten proper hands-on time with the new Vision Pro with the M5 chip and some added comfort features yet (though we have been impressed with the M5 chip so far). But early reviews are rolling in. Without wasting any more time, let's find out if these seemingly modest upgrades are enough to make the Vision Pro less of a niche product two years after its launch. What do critics have to say about Apple's expensive new headset? It's got better performance and battery life First things first, the biggest update to the new Vision Pro is the addition of an M5 chip powering it. This is Apple's latest in-house silicon, and every review I read noted that performance is improved on this new device. There are also a couple of related ...

Ever since the rollout of the first M-series chips in 2020, the best MacBooks have dominated our guides to the top laptops . Thanks to the latest Apple silicon, the company's signature laptops have consistently offered impressive performance and long battery lives (which Windows laptops have only begun to touch). Granted, MacBooks can be expensive — especially as you add more RAM and storage — but their premium price tags accurately reflect their premium, oft-imitated design and quality. Apple's hot streak continues with the latest M4- and M5-powered models, some of the best MacBooks (and some of the best laptops) ever. Which MacBook should you buy? Apple just debuted the M5 MacBook Pro , but I think this year's 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is the best choice for most people because of its big display and quiet, Pro-level power. Its 13-inch counterpart is the best option for students since it's cheaper and a little more portable. Pro tip: you almost never have to pa...

Artists are pulling their music off Spotify , and users are deleting their accounts in protest of the company's many controversial decisions. Why are artists removing their music from Spotify? Critics say Spotify's algorithm has turned music lovers into " lazy listeners ," while artists argue the platform fails to fairly compensate them for their work. CEO Daniel Ek's investment in a company developing AI for military use has sparked further backlash. Most recently, Spotify faced public outrage for running recruitment ads for ICE — and refused to pull them. In response, bands like Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Hotline TNT, The Mynabirds, WU LYF, Kadhja Bonet, Young Widows, and many others have left the platform, with most citing Ek’s ties to AI-driven defense tech as the final straw. "We don't want our music killing people. We don't want our success being tied to AI battle tech," Deerhoof told NPR in a statement...

Brian Haidet, a scientist creating videos on YouTube under the handle AlphaPhoenix , showed off a camera in a new video that can capture footage of a laser pointer at the speed of light. The camera is an update on a previous design that could capture footage at one billion frames per second, but it comes with a major caveat: it can only shoot one pixel at a time. Haidet's camera is made from a gimbal-mounted mirror, two tubes, a simple lens, a light sensor and some Python code to tie it all together. Pointed at a laser pointer, the camera's able to capture a beam of light at two billion frames per second, showing it smoothly traveling between mirrors, with speeds that vary depending on where the camera is in relation to the laser pointer. "Light moves about six inches, or 15 centimeters, per frame of this video," Haidet says. "This beam of light is traveling at the Universe’s speed limit. Light in any reference frame will never move any faster or any slower ...

Just last week, Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10, pushing users to upgrade to its latest operating system Windows 11. That makes the timing of a recent Windows 11 issue very awkward for Microsoft. Unfortunately, Microsoft's most recent Windows 11 update appears to have caused problems with numerous different applications and hardware peripherals, according to a multiple reports from different outlets , including our sister site, CNET. Many devices using Windows 11 will now require a follow-up emergency update to fix issued caused by the previous mandatory update. The October Windows 11 update "breaks localhost (127.0.0.1) HTTP/2 connections," according to Windows Latest, which also listed a number of issues that users are facing. For example, apps that were hosted locally were no longer able to connect to the network. Windows users were also finding that some hardware by Logitech was no longer working on their PCs. In addition, some users reported ...

For the best listening experience possible, you should familiarize yourself with the sound settings on your audio products. In particular, the equalizer (aka the EQ). Understanding how to operate this tool can vastly enhance a sound profile when done correctly. No, a PhD in audio engineering isn’t mandatory. Anyone can create an effective EQ directly on their media player or via third-party software. Need some guidance with the process? Say no more — Mashable’s got you. We gathered a few professionals from legacy audio brands to teach you how to properly customize the EQ settings on your headphones, earbuds, portable speaker, and car sound system.  Before we jump in, let’s get you caught up on some basics. A crash course in frequency ranges All those numbers on an EQ can be intimidating to look at. Don’t freak out. They’re easy to grasp once you read a breakdown. Depending on your device, the sound frequencies are often listed as numbers above or below the sliders, with number...

TL;DR: Check out this lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro for just $14.97 (reg. $199) — the smartest way to modernize your PC with a clean UI, better multitasking, and improved security. Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $14.97 $199 Save $184.03   Get Deal You know the upgrades you mull over for months? This isn’t one of them. If your system’s showing its age, consider this your green light: Windows 11 Pro is just $14.97 for a limited time. It’s an easy, affordable way to refresh performance, polish your desktop experience, and add modern protections in one move. This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security — all in a one-time lifetime license. SEE ALSO: Windows 10 life support ends Oct. 14. Here’s what will happen. Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and sudde...