Tech Boys

There are many ways to build a sustainable career as a content creator, but starting off can be really tough. One of the swiftest ways to break into the algorithm is by creating viral content. The definition of "viral" varies depending on who you ask. For one creator, 100,000 views on a video is viral; for another, virality isn't accessed until the one million viewership threshold is passed. For an individual creator, a good rule of thumb is that a video goes viral when the views on that video is significantly higher than the views on a creator's typical content. Ultimately, viral videos are measured in impact, and there are dozens of ways to measure that , too. SEE ALSO: 6 ways to measure your metrics as a creator Creators with viral success often say that making a video reach a new audience is up to luck, and the real work lies in maintaining those views. All the experts agree: You need a good story, you need to lead with curiosity, and you need a solid hook...

To consume the news is no longer a simple matter of opening the newspaper or turning on the television. Now, more than ever, America's number one news source is social media . But in a sea of infographics, how is one to find trusted sources? V Spehar , perhaps better known by their handle UnderTheDeskNews, provides thorough and informative news in a comforting package. While V used to take news hits from under the safety of their desk, they've come out from under the desk and are encouraging their audience to do the same. To no longer be scared of the world and instead come out of hiding. As both a journalist and a content creator, V made a promise to their audience to deliver the news in a safe way to protect everyone's emotional health. Nearly five years on the job, they're still holding up their end of the bargain even as the news cycle gets heavier each day. At VidCon 2025, we sat down with V to discuss how they've grown their platform without losing audience...

One of the scariest films of the year, 28 Years Later , used iPhones to film key scenes. Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland reunite almost 28 years after their groundbreaking 2002 film 28 Days Later , delivering a gloriously horrifying cinematic experience in their latest film. SEE ALSO: Review: '28 Years Later' is a triumphant return, one of the scariest films of the year Also returning is cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, whose use of digital camcorders defined 28 Days Later. Here, Boyle and Mantle use a host of cameras, including 20 adapted iPhone 15 s, all deployed to capture Boyle's go-to 2.76:1 widescreen aspect. But what effect does this produce in 28 Years Later , and what does it mean for the actors in front of the many lenses? Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko sat down with Boyle for Mashable's Say More podcast , and UK editor Shannon Connellan spoke to 28 Years Later stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Alfie W...

Remedy has shared its plans to improve FBC: Firebreak, the new multiplayer Control spinoff, following a string of less-than-stellar reviews that criticized the game's rough early hours. FBC: Firebreak was announced in October 2024 as the first online multiplayer game from Remedy, and another pitstop on the way to an eventual Control 2 . The full patch notes for Remedy's first update are available to view on Steam, but in brief, the biggest change the developer is making is to how missions are unlocked. Previously, Firebreak required players to play a simpler, shorter version of the game's missions (like dealing with multiplying post-it notes or pink goo, for example), before a more complex version of the mission became available. Now those full-fat missions are available from the start, and completing one unlocks the next type. Remedy's update also rebalances the cost of cosmetics and makes it easier to see and find in-game collectibles, among other tweaks. Th...

The long-promised launch of Tesla's robotaxi service in Austin is scheduled for June 22 , and it sounds like the company's initial offering will be modest at best. The Financial Times writes that Tesla will only have around 10 cars available for rides and that the company plans to make them "avoid the city’s most challenging intersections." If issues arise, remote operators will also reportedly be able to take control of the cars to make sure they reach their final destination. Tesla CEO Elon Musk told CNBC in May that the robotaxi service might launch with less than a dozen cars, so that's not necessarily a surprise, but the actual scope may be even smaller. Analysts The New York Times   spoke to believe rides in Tesla's robotaxi will only be available to "company employees or invited guests." It could take months before the service is made available to the wider public. Musk formally introduced the company's robotaxi service and its self...

VidCon has always been a crash course in internet fame. It's a place where creators trade advice, swap war stories, and figure out how to survive (and thrive) online. And this year, as algorithms shift, platforms evolve, and audiences grow ever more discerning, the creator playbook is being rewritten in real-time. This year's VidCon schedule reveals what it actually takes to make it as a digital creator in 2025. Whether you’re just starting out or already juggling brand deals and burnout, there’s wisdom to be found at every panel, Q&A, and meet-and-greet. SEE ALSO: VidCon 2025 liveblog: All the latest from your favorite creators We’ve rounded up the most useful, surprising, and brutally honest takeaways from today’s VidCon sessions. From niche-building to mental health boundaries to turning content into a long-term career, these are the lessons creators are walking away with — and the tips you’ll want to bookmark, screenshot, and maybe even live by. Curiosity is...

YouTube kicked off VidCon 2025 with a panel breaking down how to engage with the platform's algorithm and busting myths on video engagement. The discussion featured panelists Jenny Hoyos, a creator with 9+ million subscribers on YouTube , Rene Ritchie, creator liaison for YouTube, and Todd Beaupré, senior director of growth and discovery at YouTube. Beaupré, who has a hand in designing YouTube's homepage, said the platform optimized for clicks in the early years, which they discovered was driving superficial engagement. SEE ALSO: VidCon 2025 liveblog: All the latest from your favorite creators Now, the YouTube algorithm uses a system of collaborative filtering that takes everything it knows about a user — both short and long-term history — to rank videos that will appear on suggested feeds. In addition to user data, it pulls from users with similar watch histories to suggest new content. With this information, Beaupré says it's important for content creators to rea...

Adobe launched its own take on how smartphone cameras should work this week with Project Indigo , a new iPhone camera app from some of the team behind the Pixel camera. The project combines the computational photography techniques that engineers Marc Levoy and Florian Kainz popularized at Google, with pro controls and new AI-powered features. In their announcement of the new app, Levoy and Kainz style Project Indigo as the better answer to typical smartphone camera complaints of limited controls and over-processing. Rather than using aggressive tone mapping and sharpening, Project Indigo is supposed to use "only mild tone mapping, boosting of color saturation, and sharpening." That's intentionally not the same as the "zero-processing" approach some third-party apps are taking. "Based on our conversations with photographers, what they really want is not zero-process but a more natural look — more like what an SLR might produce," Levoy and Kainz writ...

Best Buy has announced its plans to host a weeklong "Black Friday in July" sale from July 7 to 13. The event will directly overlap with Amazon 's members-only Prime Day event, which is scheduled for July 8 through 11. A representative for Best Buy told Mashable via email that its Black Friday in July sale will usher in "deals on TVs, laptops, headphones, video games, electric bikes, and more." The retailer will also offer "Doorbusters — some of the hottest deals on top tech" for the first time during the event, cribbing from its Black Friday programming last fall. SEE ALSO: Amazon announces Prime Day 2025 dates, and the 4-day rumors are true Best Buy will drop new Black Friday in July deals every day of the sale, which will be available in stores, on its website, and in the Best Buy mobile app . Mashable has reached out to Best Buy's rep to confirm whether any offers will be exclusive to shoppers who have joined its My Best Buy membership...

Hades II announced its third update today. The sequel to 2020 indie game darling Hades is technically still in early access on PC and Mac, but has been getting some beefy updates ahead of its expected official release later this year. The Unseen Update is a free, automatic update that mostly focuses on new combat development. There's a new Vow of Rivals that allows players to challenge more powerful Guardian foes. All of the main weapons have received hidden aspects that offer new forms and fighting styles. There's also new hexes and blessings, some fresh artwork, and new story events to help grow your relationships with the many members of the ancient Greek pantheon. When Hades II does exit early access with the launch of v1.0 — and developer Supergiant said that it doesn't have a timeline for that yet — the game will follow its predecessor's launch schedule. Switch 2 and Switch will be the first consoles to get the full release alongside PC and Mac, with Pl...