Social Security recipients get a raise soon. Scammers are on notice.

The Social Security Administration announced last month that it’s implementing Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) for the agency’s 72.5 million beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income recipients. With the 2.5% bump expected in January and informational letters going out next month, scammers are already trying to take advantage of the change, according to SSA officials.

"Be wary of any communication that asks you to take extra steps or provide personal details for this increase, as...

25 Practical Things From Lowe’s That Would Instantly Improve Any Household

You never think you need a pull bar until you get one.

View Entire Post ›

Trump Picks Kristi Noem for Homeland Security Secretary

Ms. Noem, the governor of South Dakota, would play a major role in carrying out the president-elect’s promises to crack down on the border and deport millions of people.

Trump Picks Pete Hegseth, a Veteran and Fox News Host, for Defense Secretary

The choice of Mr. Hegseth, a dedicated supporter of the president-elect in his first term, is outside the norm of the traditional choice for the post.

National Guard Discord leaker sentenced to 15 years in prison

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

After pleading guilty in March to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act, former Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for posting “hundreds of pages” of classified military documents on Discord.

Some of the leaked information included sensitive details about troop movements in Ukraine and previously unknown information about US...

Here are the best Black Friday deals you can already get

Google’s new Pixel Buds Pro 2 have already fallen to $179 ahead of the holiday. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Can’t wait until Black Friday to start your holiday shop or score a killer deal on a gadget you’ve been eyeing? You may not have to. Although Black Friday isn’t until November 29th, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target have begun rolling out their holiday discounts, many of which are available elsewhere. Some retailers will even refund you the difference if an item drops...

Is T-Mobile down? Users report widespread outages

Tuesday afternoon wasn't a great time to be a T-Mobile customer.

Users of the self-proclaimed "un-carrier" reported widespread outages for both the main T-Mobile network and Mint Mobile, its subsidiary that focuses primarily on prepaid phones. According to DownDetector (a sister site of Mashable), both T-Mobile and Mint started malfunctioning for customers at around 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

X rival Bluesky sees more than 700,000 new users after the U.S. election

Typically, after a presidential election in the U.S., search queries about leaving the country spike as supporters of the losing candidate consider what to do next.

While physically moving out of the country may be a bit complicated, finding a new social media home is a much simpler task. And it appears that hundreds of thousands of people have decided to flee Elon Musk's X in the wake of the U.S. election results.

According to Bsky Stats, a website that tracks Bluesky signups, posts, and...

T-Mobile, Mint Mobile outage maps: See which regions are affected

T-Mobile customers were in for an unwelcome surprise on Tuesday afternoon as the carrier experienced a widespread service outage, leaving many unable to make calls, send texts, or access data.

According to DownDetector (a sister site of Mashable), the blackout has affected major cities across the U.S., sparking a wave of complaints on social media from frustrated users, including customers of Mint Mobile, T-Mobile’s prepaid subsidiary.

3 AI-enhanced PCs that stand out from the rest

AI PCs have jumped to the top of holiday wishlists, and it’s no shock to learn why. For efficient productivity and access to new frontiers of creativity, these computers — powered by an Intel Core Ultra chip — offer a major leap forward in nearly all categories. They’re even more secure, with smart defense against data cyberthieves among the many functions enabled by an NPU (neural processing unit).

But which one to choose? Here’s a closer look at what you can expect from a top...

27 Affordable Beauty Products That’ll Keep Your Skin Fresh And Your Wallet Padded

Nothing on this list is over $20. You can look amazing without angering your bank account.

View Entire Post ›

Kristi Noem Is Emerging as Trump’s Nominee for Homeland Security Secretary

Ms. Noem, the governor of South Dakota, is a loyalist who has vocally supported Donald J. Trump’s pledges regarding undocumented immigrants.

Trump Picks Mike Huckabee, Former Arkansas Governor, for Ambassador to Israel

If confirmed, Mr. Huckabee, a former pastor who has never served as an overseas diplomat, would play a crucial role in helping Mr. Trump try to end the war in Gaza.

Trump Picks John Ratcliffe, His Former Intelligence Director, for C.I.A. Chief

Mr. Ratcliffe, who was also a former Texas congressman, fought fiercely for Mr. Trump during his first term.

Triumphant Republicans Grapple With Trump’s Influence as They Return to Capitol

The president-elect is to visit Capitol Hill on Wednesday as Republican senators elect a majority leader. His staffing decisions are already depleting the narrow majority the G.O.P. expects in the House.

Apple’s rumored six-inch ‘AI wall tablet’ could control your smart home by March 2025

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

For months now, there have been rumors about a smart home display Apple is supposedly working on. Now Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the display will be wall-mounted and control smart home devices, attend video calls, and more, similar to the Amazon Echo Hub, and works on its own but requires an iPhone to complete the initial setup.

The iPad-like device, which will reportedly be available as soon as next March, has a six-inch display with thick edges,...

MKBHD got himself in trouble again

A screen grab of the video titled “How My Video Gear is Changing!” | Image: MKBHD

Marques Brownlee is dealing with another commenter backlash. Fans of Brownlee are furious that his latest video, titled “How My Video Gear is Changing!” on the MKBHD YouTube channel, is a fully sponsored segment for DJI, rather than an editorially independent review. The video also contained a clip of Brownlee driving a sports car way over the speed limit on a suburban road.

Commenters have...

Here's All The Info On The Final Season Of "Yellowstone," Including What Spinoffs Are Already In The Works

I would watch a Beth Dutton spinoff in a heartbeat.

View Entire Post ›

Crisis calls to a suicide prevention group for LGBTQ+ youth jumped 700% after Trump’s victory

“This election is taking a toll on the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people in a major way,” the Trevor Project said.

Donald Trump has yet to take office as president for a second time, but vulnerable groups of Americans are already responding to his election victory.

Trump’s new EPA pick wants to make the U.S. the AI ‘capital of the world’

AI is notorious for being an energy sucker, as it requires massive compute to train systems.

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency plans to “pursue energy dominance” to “make the United States the artificial intelligence capital of the world,” he said in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.