Tech
Rooster review: Steve Carell finds himself in feel-good college comedy
Between projects like Ted Lasso and Shrinking, showrunner Bill Lawrence has cornered the market on feel-good coming-of-middle-age comedies. His new HBO comedy Rooster, created with Matt Tarses (Scrubs), is the latest entry into that subgenre. It's also the most literal on the "coming-of-age" front, with its college setting evoking ideas of students discovering themselves and their independence.
However, the focus here is not really on the students but on the faculty, including new writer-in-residence Greg Russo (Steve Carell) and his daughter, art history professor Katie (Charly Clive). Just like their pupils, these teachers have a lot of soul-searching to do. Their ensuing stories of college reinvention prove sweetly warm, even if they tread familiar ground by Lawrence standards.
What's Rooster about?
Credit: Patrick Wymore / HBO
A best-selling author of gripping beach reads, Greg never expected to teach. The only reason he visited New England's quaint Ludlow College in the first place was to check in on Katie. Her husband, fellow professor Archie (Phil Dunster), has left her for grad student Sunny (Lauren Tsai)… and everyone on campus knows it. Faced with all this humiliation and scrutiny, Katie has a perfectly reasonable crash out and burns Archie's house down. OK, maybe it's not that reasonable, but it was an accident!
With Katie about to lose her job, college president Walter Mann (John C. McGinley) offers Greg a deal: He'll let Katie keep teaching if Greg teaches a creative writing course for the semester. This way, Ludlow gets a boost from having a best-seller in its classrooms, and Katie's life doesn't implode any further. Greg accepts, hoping to get more involved in Katie's life, while also unknowingly launching himself into the trials and tribulations of modern academia.
Rooster is a sweet father-daughter comedy.
Credit: Katrina Marcinowski / HBO
Rooster marks a journey of self-discovery for both Katie and Greg.
Katie has to reckon with the trauma of Archie's betrayal, which tanked her self-esteem and sense of place on campus. Her father's new, consistent presence at Ludlow is both a comfort and a claustrophobic reminder of why he came to see her in the first place, resulting in a push-and-pull between exasperation and genuine thankfulness. Clive walks that line perfectly, acting as the slightly prickly foil to Carell's overeager father figure.
Similarly to Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso and Jason Segel in Shrinking, Carell's Greg is often enthusiastic to the point of overbearing. Yet his meddling in Katie's life is tempered with just enough sweetness to turn those overbearing qualities endearing, and Carell's performance bursts with warmth and self-effacing charm.
In addition to helping Katie through the roughest of rough patches, Greg also realizes that his new role at Ludlow could be a fresh start for him. He didn't go to college as a young adult, but as Rooster proves, it's never too late to embrace college's transformative power. For Greg, that means a chance to step out of his meeker shell and become more like Rooster, the suave hero of his books. So begins his party era, complete with beer pong with students, hookups with Walter's assistant Cristle (a delightful Annie Mumolo), and a pair of cool guy shades.
While it's fun to watch Carell cut loose, he and Rooster are at their best when they zero in on Katie and Greg's complicated relationship and Ludlow's departmental shenanigans, brought to life by an incredible ensemble cast. McGinley's gossip-loving Walter is a hoot, taking most of his meetings in a sauna so hot that his colleagues have no choice but to sweat out their emotional hang-ups. Danielle Deadwyler shines as poetry professor Dylan, whose dry wit and experience at Ludlow make her the perfect guide for Greg's first semester. And Dunster exudes nauseating pretentiousness as Archie, the one character who can truly turn Greg venomous. ("You're a bad person, and I hate you," Greg spits at him, recalling Michael Scott's pure hatred of Toby in The Office.)
Elsewhere, Rooster and Tsai focus in on Sunny's aspirations to make her more than just the Other Woman in Katie and Archie's marriage. (While she was not Archie's actual student, I still think he deserves jail time for being the worst to both women!) Even minor characters like Sunny's roommate (Robby Hoffman) and a local cop (Rory Scovel) become instant scene-stealers, and the students we encounter at Ludlow, while often archetypal try-hards or slackers, still feel real enough to give the campus a lived-in feel.
Rooster tackles intergenerational divides on college campuses.
Credit: Katrina Marcinowski / HBO
Greg has a tough time adjusting to life on a small liberal arts campus, as students are a lot more vigilant than he is about what is appropriate to do or say. Greg calling a stubborn student his "white whale" as a Moby Dick reference won't fly here. Nor will performing the "Walk Like an Egyptian" dance in an awkward attempt to salvage an embarrassing fall.
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Both these instances result in behavioral write-ups for insensitivity. Yet somehow, Rooster manages to play off this divide between Greg and Ludlow's students in a way that's neither patronizing of the students' social consciousness, nor scolding of Greg's lack of awareness. It lightly ribs all parties involved, while still finding validity in their positions. The students can be too much, but they're also eager to change the world for the better. And Rooster highlights that Greg is coming from a good place of wanting to listen and learn, something he shares with Lawrence's other recent heroes.
To that end, it's hard not to think of Ted Lasso and Shrinking throughout Rooster. Workplace patter-turned-therapy sessions abound, and the often-cheerful Greg is, like Ted and Jimmy, harboring a deeper hurt. His close relationship with troubled student Tommy (Maximo Salas) also feels reminiscent of Jimmy's dynamic with patient Sean (Luke Tennie) in Shrinking.
That familiarity risks feeling cloying at times, but the college satire element gives Rooster just enough bite to set itself apart. It's a charming tale of finding yourself again and helping others along the way, and that's certainly worth crowing about.
Rooster premieres March 8 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
Google is doing away with its 30 percent fee in the Android App Store, which could potentially ease costs for everyday users.
The news dropped this week that Google planned to revamp its app store's inner workings amid a settlement with Epic, the gaming company that makes Fortnite. (Google and Epic have been involved in a years-long legal feud, which ended in Epic's favor.)
Now, the tech giant has announced it's cutting service fees to 20 percent and, in some cases, 15 percent. It also cut its subscription fee to 10 percent. Note that these savings are for developers and companies that make apps and not, necessarily, for the end user.
The cuts were announced a host of other changes within the Android App Store. It's not entirely clear what those changes will mean for everyday users, but we have an idea.
First of all: With Google cutting the service fee, you'd hope the companies on the other end would pass those newfound savings back to users. I wouldn't hold my breath, but it is a possibility.
But Google also noted that developers will be allowed to guide users away from their app store, which could end up creating savings for users in other ways. Cutting out the middleman entirely could allow app developers to offer lower prices via direct sales.
Wrote Google in a blog post:
"Mobile developers will have the option to use their own billing systems in their app alongside Google Play’s billing, or they can guide users outside of their app to their own websites for purchases. Our goal is to offer this flexibility in a way that maximizes choice and safety for users."
So, in short, nothing really changes too much for you, the user, yet. At best, you might be able to save a bit of cash down the line.
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Tech
The new Apple products are finally live at Amazon: Shop the new MacBooks, iPads, and more right now
MacBook Neo (256GB)
M5 MacBook Air (13-inch, 16GB, 512GB)
M5 MacBook Air (15-inch, 16GB, 512GB)
M5 MacBook Pro (14-inch, 24GB, 1TB)
M5 MacBook Pro (16-inch, 24GB, 1TB)
Apple Studio Display
Apple Studio Display XDR
M4 Apple iPad Air (11 inch, WiFi, 128GB)
M4 Apple iPad Air (13 inch, WiFi, 128GB)
What a week for Apple. We have new MacBooks, iPads, a new budget-friendly iPhone, and fresh Apple Studio Display models. We all have to wait until next Wednesday, March 11 to get these new Apple devices in our hands, but preorders are live.
You have retailer options when to comes to preorders, but if Amazon is your preferred shopping site, you can snag nearly every new Apple product with one-click at Amazon. Here's a quick guide to pre-order new Apple devices from Amazon.
Pre-order the MacBook Neo at Amazon
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If you're in the market for a MacBook but don't want to spend major dollars, the new MacBook Neo might appeal. With prices starting at $599, it's the least expensive MacBook on the market.
"The MacBook Neo marks Apple's first dedicated entry in the low-cost laptop space. It replaces the M1 MacBook Air that Apple started selling through Walmart for $699 in March 2024, then eventually discounted to $649. That model has been out of stock in new condition since early 2026, fueling reports of the MacBook Neo's arrival," wrote Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel.
The MacBook Neo comes with a 13-inch display and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Amazon is listing a delivery date of March 12 for preorders.
Pre-order the MacBook Air at Amazon
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This year, the MacBook Air got the zippy M5 chip upgrade. Apple also ditched the 256GB storage option, so the base MacBook Air now comes with 512GB of storage.
Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel explained one of the biggest shocks with the M5 MacBook Air is the pricing. "The 512GB base models will retail for $1,099 and $1,299, respectively, which is the biggest news here. Those prices represent $100 discounts compared to the M4 MacBook Airs with the same amount of storage. They started with 256GB at $999; that configuration option is no longer available," she wrote.
Pre-order the MacBook Pro at Amazon
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More power and quicker processing is essential for professions. The new MacBook Pro line, as expected, brings both of these elements to the party. "Mashable gave the MacBook Pro M5 a stellar review, and these long-awaited MacBook Pros with the M5 Pro and M5 Max are basically just more powerful versions of that device for professional users with advanced computing needs," wrote Mashable contributor Matt Binder.
Pre-order the Apple Studio at Amazon
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Apple's fresh 2026 lineup didn't ignore those of us who love monitors. We got an update to the Apple Studio Display and got a brand new Apple Studio Display XDR. "Studio Displays are premium monitors designed for creative professionals such as video editors and 3D artists. Apple says the more advanced Studio Display XDR features the 'world’s best pro display,' and it has a 27-inch 5K mini-LED backlight display," explained Mashable Associate Editor Tim Marcin.
Pre-order the Apple iPad Air at Amazon
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Starting at just $599, the new iPad Air comes with the M4 chip in an 11 and 13-inch size. Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beth Werth noted, "The M4 processor and enhanced wireless/cellular connectivity will undoubtedly deliver performance upgrades. Apple promises the new iPad Air will be 30 percent faster than the M3 model, with '50 percent more unified system memory.'"
The previous iPad Air with M3 chip is listed as Mashable's favorite iPad. While we haven't tested the new model just yet, we expect to remain a favorite with snappier performance from the updated chip
Tech
Best Buy has launched a huge Apple Shopping Event: Shop new MacBooks, iPads, and more all weekend
GET A $100 GIFT CARD: As of March 5, Best Buy kicked off a major savings event on Apple products. The sale includes savings on the recently released MacBook Neo, Air, and Pro models. Right now, get the Apple MacBook Neo for $599 and get a $25 gift card with your purchase.
Apple MacBook Neo (A18, 8GB RAM, 256GGB SSD)
Apple MacBook Air (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)
Apple MacBook Pro (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)
Apple iPad (M4, 128GB, WiFi)
(save $40)
It's been a big week for Apple. The brand had a week of announcements, dropping six new or upgraded products. Among the new products announced were the iPhone 17e and MacBook Neo, two brand new and budget-friendly devices. To cap off all the excitement, Best Buy is launching a massive Apple sale event (live until March 8), marking down the brand's products across multiple categories.
The deals from Best Buy aren't just on previous MacBook and iPad generations. In fact, there are special savings on nearly all of the devices announced this week. So while Apple's latest products aren't technically available until March 11, pre-ordering now guarantees you some extra savings.
Here are all the best deals to shop during the Best Buy Apple Shopping Event.
Best MacBook Deal
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at Best Buy
Why we like it
This week, Apple dropped an array of new devices across categories: iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. While most of the drop was upgraded existing models, there was one totally new product: the MacBook Neo. With an A18 chip, it's the most affordable MacBook yet, the same starting price as the iPad Air. If you're eager to get your hands on the new budget-friendly MacBook then Best Buy has the best deal.
During Best Buy's Apple sale event, when you purchase the new MacBook Neo for $599, receive a $25 gift card. So while the laptop itself isn't technically discounted, that $25 gift card is basically free money.
More MacBook and Best Buy gift card deals
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Apple MacBook Air (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — Get $50 gift card with purchase of MacBook Air
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Apple MacBook Pro (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — Get $100 gift card with purchase of MacBook Pro
Best iPad Deal
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Why we like it
This week, Apple finally gave the iPad Air the M4 treatment. Now, its midrange tablet is as powerful as the MacBook Air, just in a more compact device. Unlike the new MacBooks, which Best Buy is running a gift card deal on, the new iPad Air is discounted outright. Apple didn't raise the price of the new iPad Air with M4 chip, so it still starts at $599.
However, during Best Buy's Apple event, you can preorder the new iPad Air with M4 chip for just $559. That saves you $40 off, the new iPad's first discount.
More Apple deals at Best Buy
AirPods deals
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Apple AirPods 4 — $99.99 $129.99 (save $30)
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Apple AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation — $149.99 $179.99 (save $30)
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Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $219.99 $249.99 (save $30)
Apple accessory deals
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Apple Pencil USB-C — $69 $79 (save $10)
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Apple AirTag 4-pack — $69.99 $99 (save $29.01)
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Apple Pencil Pro — $99 $129 (save $30)
Apple Watch deals
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Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS + Cellular) — $599 $799 (save $200)
iMac deals
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Apple iMac, 24-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,149 $1,299 (save $150)
iPad deals
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Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, 128GB, WiFi) — $329 $349 (save $20)
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Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) — $399 $499 (save $100)
iPhone deals
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Apple iPhone 15 (128GB, unlocked) — $529.99 $629.99 (save $100)
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Apple iPhone Air (256GB, unlocked) — $949.99 $999.99 (save $50)
MacBook deals
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Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $899 $999 (save $100)
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Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,099 $1,199 (save $100)
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