Mashable

Best Valentines Day gifts for her: How to skip the clichés without skipping the romance

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:05:00 +0000

When shopping for a Valentine's Day gift for the woman in your life, remember that romance doesn't stem from the amount of money you spend (or the number of stems in the bouquet).

The real sparks fly when your gift shows that you pay attention. Think about what type of gift could satisfy her latest obsession, or what type of gift could alleviate her latest pet peeve. Of course, heart-shaped or romantic Valentine's Day gifts are never a bad idea — we're just here to make sure they're not too cliché. Here are our picks for the best Valentine's Day gifts for her in 2026. Thoughtful, practical, whimsical, or appropriately mushy, these unique gift ideas go beyond the classic flowers and jewelry that you've already thought of.

Why everyone on TikTok is using punch cards to hit their goals

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 10:05:00 +0000

TikTok's newest goal-setting trend borrows from an old retail trick: the loyalty punch card. But instead of free coffee, these handmade cards offer users a small, tangible sense of accomplishment.

The appeal may be less about self-improvement and more about the ritual. For millennials and Gen Z —generations raised on sticker charts, gold stars, and achievement tracking — the punch card offers a familiar feedback loop. Creating the card, decorating it, and punching each hole delivers a hit of accomplishment that can feel meaningful even before the goal is fully realized.

Media theorists might recognize this as a form of interpassivity, in which the gesture of progress stands in for the thing itself: by turning goals into punchable milestones, users externalize motivation, letting the card do some of the work, while the satisfaction of the punch becomes its own reward.

"Making punch cards is such a fun way to make goals feel like a game," creator @caro.fields wrote in the caption of her TikTok. In a follow-up video, she added, "They're a whimsical way to make your goals feel more approachable." Creators like her highlight one of the trend's biggest draws: the act of designing, crafting, and punching the card can feel just as satisfying, and sometimes more immediate, than completing the goal itself.

These punch cards run on a kind of retail psychology. They don't just offer the promise of a future reward, but proof that you're getting closer to your goal. The difference is that instead of earning a free drink, users are tracking micro-goals that feel manageable in a chaotic day — five workouts, ten walks, seven days of journaling, a month of language practice broken into punchable steps.

But discipline isn't the only appeal. In an era of burnout, these cards function more like comfort objects than productivity systems. It's a tiny routine that makes effort feel tangible and maybe even fun.

And like many productivity trends on TikTok, punch cards often double as aesthetic objects. Unlike apps, no cards look the same. The careful lettering, color coding, and reward sections are as much part of the appeal as the goals themselves, blurring the line between tools meant to be used and objects designed to be seen.

The punch-card trend also reflects a broader shift toward analog tools in online spaces. From paper planners and bullet journals to analog bags and "dumbphone" experiments, TikTok has increasingly embraced tactile, offline objects as a response to digital overload — and often turning them back into content in the process.

The cards may not guarantee follow-through, but they do offer something immediate: a quick punch, a moment of satisfaction, and the feeling that progress, however small, has been made.

The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 09:45:00 +0000

What to know before you swipe

My number one rule is to be brutally honest about what you’re looking for. You’re here for a good time, not a long time — so own it. That also means staying in your lane; don't go looking for a one-night stand on an app like eharmony.

"Hookup apps help prevent situations where people are on mainstream dating sites with the intention of having a casual hookup but are unclear about these intentions," Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for Biird and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, tells Mashable. "They also give women a space to be openly sexual creatures without judgment."

This safe space is more important than ever. According to Feeld, "heteroflexible" is the fastest-growing sexuality (up 193 percent), and interest in kinks like pegging has surged by 200 percent. People are getting more curious, and these apps are the playground where you can explore those specific desires without the awkwardness of bringing them up at a bar.

And here's a little insider secret I picked up from Alexander Liebisch, the CEO and founder of TinderProfile.ai: Timing is everything. He found that people messaging on Tinder's "free tonight" feature after 10 p.m. on a weekend had a 45 percent higher chance of hooking up.

So, whether you're looking for a one-night stand, a regular FWB situation, or just a space to explore your sexuality, I've got you covered. Based on all my hands-on testing and expert consultations, I’ve broken down the best hookup app for every type of person and mood.

Recent updates to this guide

Hinge: Hinge just keeps getting better, so I’ve bumped it up higher on my list as of October 2025. Its user base is growing, and my own recent tests on the app have been surprisingly positive.
Sniffies (added September 2025): I've added Sniffies, the map-based app for queer men, because it's been gaining a lot of traction. (It got a little too spicy for Apple and was pulled from the App Store, so it's now technically a dating site.) Don't say I didn't warn you about the NSFW content.
FetLife (added September 2025): FetLife is my new favorite "Honorable Mention." It's not your typical hookup app; it's more of a social network for the kink community (and, oddly enough, the best hookup app for gamers). Just remember: it's a community, so don't treat it like Tinder.

Why some popular hookup apps didn't make the cut

You might notice a few apps that pop up in ads or other lists are missing here. That’s intentional. I swipe through the good, the bad, and the downright sketchy so you don’t have to. For an app to make my list, it has to be effective, safe, and worth your time.

Here's a shortlist of apps that didn't make the cut this year:

Wild: You’ve probably seen ads for this one. On paper, Wild sounds like the perfect casual dating app. In practice, the paywalls are aggressive, the distance filter doesn't work, and you have to pay for anything that's even remotely useful. Unless you're willing to spend serious cash upfront (and hope for the best), the experience feels limited compared to more open apps like Tinder.
DOWN: This app (formerly "Bang With Friends") is known for its simple "Get Down" vs. "Get Date" feature. It sounds clever, but in reality, the experience is messy at best. Many users report feeling scammed by subscriptions that don't deliver matches, or finding that the few real people on there are... let's say "odd." It’s hard to recommend an app when the main user complaint is "Is anyone real?" Hard pass.
Facebook Dating: Yes, Facebook has a dating section, and it’s surprisingly massive (and completely free, which is huge). While it's a decent option for casual dating, the vibe tends to be a bit more "friends of friends" and "relationship-focused" than the anonymous, no-strings energy you get from apps like Pure or Feeld. (For Mashable's Chance Townsend, signing up was "the most uneventful dating experience" of his life.) It's worth a shot if you're already on Facebook, but it didn't quite crack my top tier for hookups specifically.

Apps I've cut from the list

Plenty of Fish (removed January 2025): POF went through a rebrand recently, and honestly, I'm not impressed. My latest tests showed they got rid of key features like free messaging for non-matches, and I kept running into the same old profiles. At the end of the day, it just doesn't offer anything special that other apps aren't already doing better, so it's off the list.
Match (removed August 2025): I know some people say they've found casual hookups on Match, but that's not what it's for. Match is where you go to find a serious, long-term relationship, and I still recommend it for that. But for a hookup? You're just fishing in the wrong pond, so I've removed it from this guide to avoid any confusion.

Babbel helps you travel beyond tourist mode

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: Learning the local language makes travel more immersive — and you can learn all 14 of Babbel’s languages for one $159 payment (reg. $646.20) when you use StackSocial’s code LEARN at checkout.

Credit: Babbel

Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages)

$159
$646.20 Save $487.20

Anyone who wants to get more out of their travels — whether that’s next month or years down the road — learning the language can change everything.

Being able to order food, ask for directions, or hold a simple conversation instantly makes trips feel more immersive and authentic. That’s how Babbel Language Learning shines.

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Thanks to the StackSocial coupon LEARN, new users in the U.S. can get lifetime access to all 14 Babbel languages for $159 (reg. $646.20). It’s a one-time payment that gives you the freedom to learn now, later, or whenever travel calls.

Babbel is designed around real-life conversation, not endless drills. Lessons are only about 10 to 15 minutes and focus on situations you actually encounter while traveling, like transportation, dining, shopping, and meeting people.

You can use Babbel on your phone, tablet, or desktop, and your progress syncs automatically across devices. Heading somewhere without Wi-Fi? Download lessons ahead of time and keep learning offline.

You’ll have access to 14 languages, including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and more. Babbel also uses speech recognition technology to help fine-tune pronunciation and an AI conversation partner to practice speaking in real time. Both are helpful for building confidence before you arrive.

Developed by more than 100 linguists and backed by academic research, Babbel is built to help you speak and understand languages faster. With lifetime access, you’re not racing a subscription clock — you’re learning on your own timeline, trip by trip.

Get lifetime access to all Babbel languages for just $159 (reg. $646.20) with StackSocial’s exclusive code LEARN for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Behold, the Lego x Crocs footwear collab that dreams are made of

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 20:37:35 +0000

Lego and Crocs announced the beginning of a new partnership with the launch of the spectacular Lego Brick Clogs ($149.99), which look more like Legos than Crocs.

Described as a "multi-year global partnership," the brands will follow the new limited-edition Crocs with more product launches throughout 2026, starting in the spring. The future products will include "Crocs’ largest licensed assortment of unique Jibbitz charms" and more unspecified products for kids and adults.

“The Lego Group’s boundless imagination makes them the perfect match to Crocs’ wonderfully unordinary spirit,” said Carly Gomez, Chief Marketing Officer at Crocs, in a blog post. “We are both brands that pride ourselves in being built different, in celebrating self-expression, and in fueling creativity. I can’t wait for our fans to see what we’re creating together — we’ve truly broken the mold in a way that we never have before.”

The Lego Brick Clogs truly have to be seen to be believed. They're, dare I say it, brick-tacular.

The new Lego Brick Crocs in all their glory. Credit: Lego / Crocs

Left: Enhance... Credit: Lego / Crocs

Right: ...enhance! Credit: Lego / Crocs

Introducing the Crocs x Lego Brick Clogs

The Lego website describes the Brick Clogs as "a new and imaginative silhouette, constructed with the playfulness of Crocs and the boundless creativity of the Lego brick." Shaped like Lego bricks, they feature four logo-stamped studs, Lego and Crocs branding, and a pivotable heel strap. The product description also states that the clogs are made with an easy-to-clean and quick-dry material.

These are definitely collectibles more than practical footwear, and a description on the Crocs website clearly states they're "not intended for all-day wear."

My favorite detail? The new Lego Crocs come with a Lego Minifigure — who is wearing his own pair of Lego Crocs. In fact, the Minifigure comes with mini Lego Crocs of his own in four different colors.

Swap out your Minifigure's mini Crocs. Credit: Lego / Crocs

They're not practical, but we're here for them. Credit: Lego / Crocs

Crocs is known for its cross-brand collaborations and unique, limited-edition designs. The iconic ugly footwear brand has partnered with everyone from General Mills Cereal and 7/11 to Balenciaga. But this might be my favorite yet.

How to buy the Crocs x Lego Brick Clogs

The shoes are online now at both the Lego and Crocs websites, but they're listed as unavailable in all sizes. A "Coming Soon" notice says the shoes will be available Feb. 16. In the meantime, you can sign up for email notifications. The Lego announcement blog post also teases a second drop in the spring.

Credit: Lego / Crocs

Crocs Lego Brick Clogs

$149.99 at Lego

Credit: Lego / Crocs

Crocs Lego Brick Clogs

$149.99 at Crocs

Just think, if you get your hands on these once-in-a-lifetime Crocs clogs, you too could look this cool:

Credit: Lego / Crocs

Snag a Magic: The Gathering March of the Machine booster box for below market value

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:42:16 +0000

SAVE $26.54: As of Jan. 23, get the Magic: The Gathering March of the Machine Booster Box for $123.45 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $149.99. That's a discount of 18% and below market value.

Credit: Amazon

Magic: The Gathering March of the Machine Booster Box

$123.45 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $26.54

There are always a ton of Magic: The Gathering expansions floating around at any given moment, and more on the way. If you want any hope of getting all the cards on your wish list or you just want to make great decks, you'll want to wait for some great sales, like this one going on at Amazon.

As of Jan. 23, get the Magic: The Gathering March of the Machine Booster Box for $123.45 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $149.99. That's $26.54 off and a discount of 18%. It's also well below market value.

This booster box contains 36 packs, which equates to 540 additional Magic: The Gathering cards. That breaks down to 15 cards per booster, with at least 1 Multiverse Legend card per pack, 1-2 cards of rarity Rare or higher, and 1 traditional foil in every pack. You can also look forward to 3-5 Uncommons, 8-9 Commons, and 1 Land card each pack.

The set itself explores the fall of planes in the Magic: The Gathering Multiverse to the Phyrexian invasion. That means corrupted Planeswalkers and devious machines, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

Whether you're building new decks for play or you're ready to add a whole new set to your collection, this is a good deal to go ahead and snag and get started cracking those packs.

The Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box has dropped below market price on Amazon

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:05:33 +0000

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box has dropped to just $139.99 at Amazon, nearly matching its lowest-ever price and undercutting its usual price by $25.

Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box (30 Packs)

$139.99 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $24.71

Amazon has cut this in-demand booster box to close to its best-ever price. As of Jan. 23, the Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box is available for $139.99. That's $25 off its $164.70 list price, and is just $1.01 away from its historical low on the platform — according to price tracker camelcamelcamel.

For anyone who skipped this space-themed expansion at launch, this is an especially tempting moment to jump in. Edge of Eternities is Magic’s first full-on space opera set, sending players to distant planets and collapsing star systems with brand-new mechanics like Station, Warp, Landers, and Void. The Play Booster Box includes 30 Play Boosters, each containing 14 cards and a token, with 1-4 rares or better per pack and a guaranteed Traditional Foil in every booster. There’s even a very slim chance of pulling a borderless foil mythic, making the box appealing to both trading card collectors and players.

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What really makes this deal stand out is how it compares to the wider market. Over on TCGplayer, Edge of Eternities Play Booster Boxes are currently listed as low as $159.69, with shipping costs adding to this figure. The platform’s market price sits around $151.85, meaning Amazon’s current offer undercuts both typical listings and overall market value by a noticeable margin.

If you’re excited for Magic: The Gathering’s newly launched Lorwyn Eclipsed expansion, you can still grab the Play Booster Box on sale for around $14 off. For beginners or Avatar fans, the MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box is also down to its best-ever price on Amazon.

Dreame doesnt just want to be a top vacuum brand. It wants to be a top everything brand.

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:05:00 +0000

Dreame (pronounced like "dreamy") is not letting your favorite brands rest. And it's not just Roborock that should be worrying.

After promising growth in 2025 and a monumental showing at CES 2026, it's clear that we're going to be seeing the Dreame name pop up a lot in 2026. So, who is this robot vacuum company looking to master the rest of the home tech industry?

What is Dreame?

Dreame is a Chinese brand making headway in various product markets in the U.S. It was founded in 2015 and is a member of the Xiaomi Ecological Chain, which also has ties with Roborock. Though Xiaomi is one of Dreame's investors, Xioami is not considered to be the parent brand of Dreame. Dreame also owns robot vacuum brand Mova.

What does Dreame make?

If you've heard of Dreame before, it probably stemmed from a hunt for the best robot vacuums or a good Dyson Supersonic dupe. Despite the upcoming expansion of its product line, Dreame certainly hasn't taken its foot off the gas of these established categories — the new vacuums and hair stylers coming in 2026 are the picture of ingenuity, as we've learned to expect from Dreame.

SEE ALSO: The best smart glasses of CES 2026

The part that wasn't expected? Dreame put down roots in a ton of new product categories at CES 2026. Dreame showcased kitchen appliances (from countertop gadgets to full dishwashers, ovens, and refrigerators), a smart air conditioner, smart rings and a health-monitoring watch, a series of mini LED TVs, AI glasses and an AI action camera, a red light therapy mask, and a pet-specific air purifier. Dreame also showcased a range of smart home devices under the name Navo Home, including smart locks and a smart security camera. The Dreame robotic lawnmower and robotic pool cleaner lines also received upgrades.

See the FizzFresh fridge? It has a built-in sparkling beverage system. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The Dreame smart ring, smart glasses, and AI waterproof action camera can work together. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

It's like a mashup of Samsung and Dyson with a pinch of Oura, Meta, and a few more. There's something for every room in the home (plus the yard) in the eclectic range, which Dreame is calling a "whole-home smart ecosystem."

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth, who was on the floor at CES, was "shocked by how many things they had on display." According to reactions across the internet, most everyone who stopped by Dreame's booth was just as perplexed. That includes various CES judges and panelists who crowned Dreame with more than 50 awards over CES weekend.

Not all of the products that debuted are actually set to be released in 2026, of course, nor will all of them be available to buy in the U.S. As of January 2026, the new cordless Dreame vacuum mop, stick vacuums, robot vacuums, hair tools, air purifiers, pool cleaners, and lawnmowers are solidified in the North America market, and the Dreame TVs are supposedly launching globally sometime this year.

Are Dreame robot vacuums good?

At this point at least, Dreame's pièce de résistance is still the robot vacuum.

As Mashable's resident vacuum expert, I've found Dreame robot vacuums to be consistently reliable across the board. Most recently, I tested the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller that just came out in August, naming it the best robot vacuum right now. Its 30,000 Pa of suction power was a new high for the market at the time, beating the Roborock Saros models that were previously on top.

Hot take: Roborock vs. Dreame is the new Shark vs. Roomba. Dreame's flagship robot vacuums have been going spec for spec with Roborock since CES 2025. Dreame hit the 30,000 Pa milestone with the Aqua10 Ultra Roller months before Roborock did. The existence of the upcoming Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra means that the Roborock Saros Z70 will no longer be the only robot vacuum with a folding mechanical arm, and Dreame's sounds like it'll be the better option.

The Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller has been great for cat hair on my rugs. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra has a debris-sensing blue light. Credit: Dreame

Most intriguing to me personally, the 3.1-inch tall Dreame X60 Max Ultra isn't letting the new and improved Roborock Saros vacuums be the lone title holders of strongest robot vacuums of 2026. It's going to be a battle of the 35,000 Pa robot vacuum mop combos with two different takes on heated scrubbing — and I can't wait for it all to go down in my apartment. The X60 Max Ultra is also equipped with a proactive light that senses the debris ahead and adjusts the cleaning strategy accordingly. It sounds similar to the Dyson laser, which I've been waiting forever to see on a Dyson robot vacuum.

All of that incredible innovation aside, what's so endearing about the Dreame vacuum lineup is that there's something for everyone. The high-end Dreames aren't ridiculously expensive given their top-of-the-line specs. Mid-range Dreame options are also incredibly powerful for the $500 to $700 spectrum, like the Dreame L40 Ultra: Its 25,000 Pa of suction power is more than twice as strong as the most powerful Roomba's 13,000 Pa, and the Roomba Max 705 Combo costs more. It's a similar story with the most budget-friendly options like the Dreame D10 Plus, which offers 6,000 Pa of suction power, automatic emptying, mopping, and smart mapping for less than $200 on sale.

With iRobot going bankrupt and Shark taking forever between robot vacuum releases, Dreame is inarguably a frontrunner in the conversation about the best robot vacuum brands.

Are Dreame hair tools good?

Dreame hair care really keeps Dyson and Shark on their toes. My colleague, lead shopping reporter and resident hair tool expert, Bethany Allard, gives frequent props to Dreame devices for combining the best elements from other popular hair tools.

In August, Dreame announced the $229.99 Miracle Pro hair dryer, an affordable Dyson Supersonic alternative that meshes the T3 Aire IQ's smart digital display and the Supersonic Nural's scalp-sensing heat protection, plus red light therapy. The summer 2025 drop also included the $299.99 (or $179.99 on sale) Dreame Dazzle, a Shark FlexStyle dupe that adds smart nozzle recognition and a digital display.

At CES, Dreame debuted the AirStyle Pro HI, an elevated version of its Dyson Airwrap dupe that recognizes your hair type, and the Aero Straight Pro, an air straightener that uses AI to detect your hair type and level of moisture to minimize heat damage in a whole new way.

Like Shark, the hair tool to skincare device pipeline was imminent for Dreame. One of the lesser talked-about beauty products at Dreame's CES booth was the wireless Dreame Chrona face mask, which will allegedly have 280 LEDs and four modes. It's quietly mentioned near the bottom of Dreame's beauty-specific CES page, but we don't know much more past that.

CES goers got to try on the Dreame LED mask. Credit: Dreame

The Dreame Chrona mask doesn't have a remote attached to it. Credit: Dreame

Dreame's big weakness isn't its products or prices

It doesn't seem that many customers have complaints about the quality of Dreame products. Looking at vacuums in particular, Dreame is relatively transparent about its approach to quality assurance. Dreame's official blog posted a pretty thorough breakdown of its vacuum testing process in December 2025. In a virtual media briefing I attended ahead of CES, Dreame showed some clips of the rigorous testing process for its Cyber 10 Ultra — further confirmation that such fancy new vacuums aren't released until Dreame is confident that they'll hold up in any household.

But it seems like far less effort is going into the quality assurance behind Dreame's customer support, and that's obviously a big red flag to potential future buyers.

The vibes are bad in discussions about it online. Upon Googling "Dreame customer service Reddit" (the only place to look if you want the real honest tea), three different users described their experience as "a nightmare," "pure horror," and "pure hell." People cited long wait times to get a response and dead-end conversations when a response does finally come through. One anecdote encapsulates the unanimous takeaway well: "I love their products, but their service is absolutely horrible for the price we pay."

One glaring theme I noticed was how impossible it feels to talk to a real person. Countless Reddit users wondered if Dreame has actual human customer service reps at all. It's a position most of us are all too familiar with: Arguing with an incoherent customer support chatbot, Tim Robinson in The Chair Company-style. That part just feels scammy to folks, even if the company itself is completely legitimate.

It's not uncommon for customer service to be at its best in the company's base country. But customers care about feeling distant from the company they're buying from — not geographically, but in terms of a customer relationship.

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The longevity of the company is comforting here, as Dreame has been around for more than a decade. But it'd be a shame if bad customer service was scaring U.S. buyers away from Dreame when the products themselves are so solid.

Granted, even entrenched mega brands like Samsung have their fair share of poor customer service reviews — that clearly hasn't hindered Samsung's success. If Dreame wants to be taken as seriously as Samsung is in such a wide array of categories, prioritizing trust from customers could be a real secret weapon.

Where are Dreame products sold?

Dreame does seem to be making an effort to concretize itself to U.S. customers, beyond being just another brand on the internet. Dreame has opened a handful of brick-and-mortar stores in California and one in New Jersey. You can also check out Dreame vacuums in person at more than 175 Target stores in various states across the U.S.

Online, you can buy Dreame products at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, Walmart, and dreametech.com.

Credit: Dreame

Explore dreametech.com

Shop products on the Dreame website

The Shark vs. Roomba debate is old news. Heres how both robot vacuum brands got dethroned.

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:02:13 +0000

But first, the elephant in the room

The lukewarm rivalry between Shark and iRobot heated up for a second in March 2025, when iRobot went rogue and overhauled the entire Roomba lineup outside of its usual release schedule. But the last ditch effort to get people excited about Roombas again didn't work. Once iRobot's lack of acquisition interest dwindled down to zero potential buyers, iRobot filed for bankruptcy in December 2025. Ownership of the brand was surrendered to its manufacturer Picea.

Let's break down why Roombas were considered the best for so long, and where iRobot went wrong.

Where Roomba wins: Small obstacle avoidance and more options

iRobot simply has more robot vacuums than Shark, and that variety alone will make it a more palatable brand to more people. The variety in the Roomba lineup offers flexibility for mixing and matching staple features like smart mapping, mopping pads that automatically avoid carpet, self-empty docks that also wash and dry the mopping pads, and small obstacle avoidance technology.

There are more Roombas to choose from because iRobot releases new robot vacuums more frequently than Shark — for the past few years prior to bankruptcy, at least. The Roomba range seriously widened when iRobot randomly overhauled the Roomba lineup with eight new models in March 2025. That was certainly an interesting move, considering new Roombas had typically been announced in August in years past.

iRobot released a bleak financial report that same week, and I couldn't help but feel like the surprise spring drop was tainted with a sense of urgency. Still, at the time, I thought it'd be interesting to see if these new Roombas could make iRobot a competitive brand again.

The 2025 Roombas all have LiDAR towers — a first for iRobot. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Yes, you can still buy a Roomba online despite the bankruptcy filing. Here's a quick look at the main new models that were all introduced last March:

Roomba 105 for as low as $149 on sale (standalone model with smart mapping)
Roomba 205 Combo for as low as $269.99 on sale (space-saving dust-compacting model with smart mapping)
Roomba Plus 405 Combo for as low as $399.99 on sale (self-washing and -drying mopping pads, no small obstacle avoidance)
Roomba Plus 505 Combo for as low as $599 on sale (self-washing and -drying mopping pads, small obstacle avoidance)
Roomba Combo 10 Max for as low as $599.99 on sale (stronger suction power, self-washing and -drying mopping pads, and small obstacle avoidance)
Roomba Max 705 Combo for $1,299.99 (self-washing roller mop, stronger suction power, and small obstacle avoidance)

iRobot thankfully diverted from the traditional flat mopping pad with its 2025 overhaul. Now, the Roomba Plus 405 and 505 Combo use dual spinning mopping pads — a design that the majority of iRobot customers prefer, iRobot told me in a press briefing. The Roomba Max 705 Combo was actually one of the first mainstream roller mop robot vacuums, which debuted months before that became a major trend of the best robot vacuum and mop combos out of CES 2026.

Not for nothing, iRobot heard the cries of the anti-mop crowd on Reddit and released a vacuum-only version of one of its more powerful models, the Roomba Max 705 Vac. A lot of people simply don't want to deal with tanks or anything soggy at all, but finding a vac-only robot vacuum typically means settling for a super basic model — all of the most advanced robot vacuums are automatically hybrids nowadays.

The Roomba Max 705 Combo has a paint roller-esque mop and a wooden dock. Credit: iRobot

The new Roomba Plus 405 Combo has two spinning mopping pads — a first for iRobot. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

iRobot's mastery of small obstacle avoidance gives it serious leverage over Shark — it's some of the best small obstacle avoidance I've experienced from any brand I've tested at home. The Roomba Combo 10 Max, the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, and both 705 models have the special small obstacle detection camera system, which helps to avoid small obstacles that less-advanced robot vacuums would typically eat, like a phone charger, extension cord, rogue sock, or pet waste. In short, it solves the main gripe that many robot vacuum non-believers have: robot vacuums get stuck so often that they're more trouble than they're worth. I first experienced it when reviewing the Roomba j7+ and Combo j7+ and could never go back to the habit of pre-tidying.

Where Roomba loses: No recent innovations, still too expensive

iRobot isn't the pioneer it once was.

The self-emptying, smart mapping Roomba S9+ was a huge deal when it came out in 2019, and the Roomba j7+'s small obstacle avoidance set a new standard for robot vacuum navigation in 2021. Its star power was so influential that "Roomba" became the colloquial generic term for any robot vacuum.

But somewhere down the line, iRobot stopped innovating in the ways that justified its steep price points. Roombas started costing way too much for the brainpower or cleaning performance they offered. I saw the Roomba flop era coming from a mile away. iRobot tried to rectify its overpriced tendencies with the eight new Roombas in March, but even those didn't sell well enough to save iRobot from bankruptcy.

Neither basic nor premium Roombas are super cost-efficient

So while I'll give credit to Roomba for getting more practical with its prices, Shark still does budget-friendly better. For instance, I think that the perfect starter robot vacuum is one with smart mapping and self-emptying, with suction power being less of a priority as long as it's sufficient for light daily upkeep. In Roomba world, the cheapest option for this is the Roomba 105 + AutoEmpty Dock, going for $449.99 at full price or around $299.99 on sale. In Shark world, the same capabilities can be secured for as low as $199.99 on sale with the Shark IQ RV2302AE.

Either way, there are definitely more powerful cheap robot vacuums than both of those out there. It's the same story on the premium end of the spectrum: The fanciest Roombas still cost way too much given their skills. The Roomba Plus 505 Combo that I tested comes to mind, which retails for $999.99 but goes on sale for $849.99. While it didn't have any glaring drawbacks, it also doesn't exist in a vacuum — $849.99 could get you significantly stronger suction power with Roborock or Dreame, plus extras like a livestream pet camera in some cases.

Even the most powerful Roomba doesn't stand a chance against the most powerful contenders from other brands. On its face, the Roomba Max 705 Combo sounds like a beast: It has "175 times the suction power of a 600 Series Roomba" and is coined as the most powerful 2-in-1 Roomba. But iRobot, who is quietly revealing Pa suction power measurements for the first time, has confirmed that the Roomba Max 705 Combo has 13,000 Pa suction power.

The Roomba Plus 505 Combo. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

That means that even the best Roomba for pet hair or carpet is significantly weaker than the other flagship robot vacuums out there — still a relevant point, even if it's not a direct comparison to Shark. The 2025 Roborock Saros line had 22,000 Pa, while the 2026 Roborock and Dreame flagship vacuums both hit a new record of 35,000 Pa. It's not hard to find a robot vacuum with 15,000+ Pa with self-washing and drying mopping pads for less than $700. As a refresher, the Roomba Max 705 Combo costs $1,299.99.

Will my Roomba still work now that iRobot went bankrupt?

iRobot does not expect the company's restructuring to disrupt app functionality, customer programs, or ongoing product support. That's comforting news to people who already have a Roomba. But for those still deciding if they should buy a Roomba, that's not a worthwhile option right now.

Where Shark wins: Spot cleaning and affordability

Shark has historically been in tune with what the average person is willing to spend on a robot vacuum. The brand consistently offers core capabilities like smart mapping and mopping at affordable price points, topped with a straightforward user experience that doesn't involve a million high-level app functions. It's a particularly enticing brand for first-time robot vacuum owners.

The Shark Matrix RV2310 is a reliable little vacuum. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Shark's more approachable price points don't necessarily mean it skimps on cleaning performance, though. Shark Matrix vacuums clean in a grid pattern, approaching the area several times from multiple angles to grab anything it may have missed in the first pass or two. According to Shark, Matrix mode dishes out 30 percent better carpet cleaning than the older RV Shark models. For Shark 2-in-1 robot vacuums, a mop in Matrix mode vibrates 100 times per minute to scrub at stains that likely wouldn't budge from a single pass of a cheaper robot mop or a paper towel. Matrix mopping always comes in clutch for keeping up with the constant layer of shoe prints by my front door.

Shark even extends the Matrix cleaning mechanism to most of its super-affordable models, making any of the RV2310 or RV2300 models a solid choice for a budget robot vacuum. Shark's spot cleaning has been such a streamlined, reliable feature in every Shark robot vacuum I tried. My ultimate spot cleaning test is the area outside either of my cats' litter boxes — even the cheap Shark robot vacuums always got to the right spot and cleared the kitty litter before I walked in there with bare feet.

In September 2024, Shark finally caught on to the whole "self-sustaining mopping pads" thing with the release of the Shark PowerDetect robot vacuums. They originally cost between $999.99 and $1,199.99, which seemed quite reasonable (at the time) compared to the models that cost $1,599.99. They can often be found on sale between $499.99 and $699.99.

The Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For good measure, the PowerDetect models are also equipped with large wheels that hoist the vac over carpet to keep it dry during mopping mode. Those hydraulics also helped the PowerDetect to be one of the only robot vacs I've tested that's never gotten stuck on a rug corner or scrambled up my bath mats.

Where Shark loses: Small obstacle avoidance and slow releases

Shark's biggest shortcoming is that it takes forever to release new robot vacuums, and that staggered schedule often leaves it playing catch-up with other brands. Brands like Roborock and Dreame seem to drop new crops of robot vacuums twice in the time period that Shark introduces a single new model. Overall, Shark's entire lineup feels a little basic compared to its competitors.

The PowerDetect line was in desperate need of a successor for a while. When Shark did finally "revamp" the series in fall 2025, the upgrades were criminally underwhelming. The major difference is heated mop washing and drying for improved sanitation between mopping sessions, hence "ThermaCharged" in the title. That's not exactly a front-page headline when the vacuum is still so far behind other brands' models in the same price range.

The purple lights indicate "Dirt Detect" mode. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Another lesser-known late 2025 model, the Shark Stratos NeverTouch robot vacuum, is similarly bland. Its description mentions "ultra-powerful suction" and states that the Stratos delivers twice the suction power of the Roomba i5 Combo. A $799.99 robot vacuum is more powerful than an entry-level Roomba that came out in 2023? Yeah, I would hope so.

Shark is the lone major robot vacuum brand that hasn't really invested in small obstacle avoidance, and that seriously cramps the "premium" feel. This is such a staple feature in my life, as I'm sure it is for anyone whose floor might be ~~cluttered~~ lived in from time to time. In my testing, the Shark ThermaCharged was so inept at diverting obstacles (even large ones) that it gave up on cleaning missions instead of simply driving around a tote bag of groceries or a cordless Dyson vacuum attachment laying on the ground.

In the same vein of too-basic navigation, only the most premium Shark robot vacuums automatically stop mopping when carpet is sensed. This means vacuum and mop mode aren't possible at the same time with any of the 2-in-1 Shark Matrix models, and a person needs to manually attach the water tank to switch to mopping mode. That's enough of a pain to make someone want to skip mopping altogether. Even the cheap Roomba 105 Combo can detect carpet — the first time in recent memory where a base-tier Roomba outshines a base-tier Shark.

Shark's sonic mopping system feels outdated now

Shark also has yet to grow out of the D-shaped mopping pad while every other major brand has graduated to dual rotating mops or roller mops. The sonic vibrations of the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro and PowerDetect ThermaCharged did a solid job of wiping up small spills and shoe stains on my apartment's hardwood, but they weren't able to scrub in corners and along edges like the Roomba 405 or 505 Combo's flexible spinning mops can.

If Shark doubles down on the D-shaped pad design in its next release, it should at least give the pad more mobility to scoot out past the circular body of the vacuum — similar to what Roborock did with the Saros 20 Sonic that it announced at CES 2026.

Shark doesn't do itself any favors by refusing to list its vacuums' suction power in Pascals (Pa). Almost every other major robot vacuum brand measures suction power in Pa (even iRobot now), which makes comparing options easy. Shark still insists on keeping an air of mystery by solely comparing suction power to other vacuums in its own family tree, or by making vague claims like "50% better suction than the best-selling iRobot."

Where iRobot and Shark both lose: Their apps suck

Ironically, two of the most longstanding names in the robot vacuum game have the two most outdated-feeling apps. The bare bones home maps in both the Roomba Home and Shark Clean apps are far less intricate than the color-coded maps that Roborock or Eufy offer. Pausing a clean or adding an extra room to the queue is similarly clunky on both.

Our winner: Neither

Still not sure which side to take in this debate? Here's my take as a professional robot vacuum reviewer: Neither iRobot nor Shark is the best robot vacuum brand. Dreame vs. Roborock is the new Shark vs. Roomba, and I highly recommend taking a look at all of the Dreame robot vacuums and Roborock robot vacuums within your budget. You're probably going to find an option that's smarter and more powerful than the Roomba and Shark vacuum cleaners in your cart.

Before I knew just how bleak things were looking for iRobot, I crowned iRobot as the better robot vacuum brand for most people. Shark takes forever to release new robot vacuums, so there are simply more Roombas to choose from. Those Roombas offer more meticulous mopping and accurate obstacle avoidance than Shark's array, making Roombas the more capable robot vacuums from a technical standpoint. Plus, even Shark's most premium robot vacuum feels basic compared to flagship vacuums from most other brands.

But Shark recently earned an inherent leg up on iRobot: Shark isn't bankrupt. In fact, SharkNinja is a brand is flourishing. It just needs to divert some attention from cordless vacuums, beauty tech, kitchen tech back to its robot vacuum line. While the premise of new Roombas under Picea ownership hasn't been ruled out, Shark is clearly in a more cushioned financial position to keep putting out new products. If the next new Shark robot vacuum masters small obstacle avoidance and corner mopping, it'll have officially regained the traction lost to the Roomba 405, 505, and 705 Combos.

Credit: Roborock

Roborock robot vacuums

Credit: Dreame

Dreame robot vacuums

Credit: Shark

Shark robot vacuums

Credit: iRobot

iRobot Roomba robot vacuums

Why the algorithm serves you wedding content when you just got divorced

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Long before social media feeds or targeted ads, my mother used to say that life tends to show you the thing you're looking for. Or the thing you're afraid of. Or the thing you keep insisting you don't want.

If you were trying to get pregnant, suddenly everyone around you was pregnant. If you wanted out of your relationship, magazines on the grocery store rack were filled with tips on "spicing up your marriage." If you were single, you noticed couples everywhere.

At the time, it felt like a kind of folk psychology, an observation about attention, projection, and the stories we tell ourselves during moments of transition. Nothing mystical. Just the mind's tendency to organize the world around its current preoccupations.

But today, that feeling is no longer just in our heads — it's computational, built into the systems we use every day. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Google don't just reflect what we notice; they actively infer who we are and what comes next, based on demographics such as age and gender, as well as behavioral patterns. And once they decide what life stage you're in, they keep showing it to you, whether it fits or not.

Across social platforms, users describe being quietly ushered through a narrow, linear life script, one that often resembles something like dating → engagement → wedding → pregnancy → parenting. These systems assume users are progressing along an expected trajectory. When lives diverge from that path, for instance, after a breakup, during infertility, following divorce, or by choice, the algorithm often fails to recalibrate.

What looks like a coincidence or annoyance is something more structural: platforms building a version of identity that won't update, even as a person's life changes.

Trapped in a life phase you never chose

On social platforms, users may still encounter content they don't want, despite repeatedly muting keywords or clicking "not interested." Research shows that recommendation algorithms often rely far more on implicit engagement, such as watch time and clicks, than on explicit feedback signals, like hiding or muting, meaning the system can continue serving the life someone once searched for — or was assumed to want.

Elizabeth Losh, a media theorist, digital rhetoric scholar, and professor of English and American Studies at the College of William and Mary, said this persistence is rooted in how recommendation systems are built.

"Sites like TikTok and Instagram depend on targeted advertising and data harvesting models that emphasize demographic segmentation," said Losh, who is also the author of Selfie Democracy: The New Digital Politics of Disruption and Insurrection. "[They] slice and dice audiences by gender, age, political loyalties, and other categories, manufacturing needs and desires for each stage of life."

Those stages often reflect cultural expectations rather than real user diversity. Advertisers treat transitions like marriage, fertility, and parenting as high-value consumption moments, incentivizing platforms to sort users into life-phase categories that are difficult to exit once assigned.

"You can see how those assumptions get locked in," Losh said. "The persuasive power of the recommendation algorithms themselves continues to reinforce standardized life trajectories."

How the algorithm decides who you are

Platforms rarely explain how they infer a user's "life phase," but scrolling itself is data.

TikTok has acknowledged that time spent watching a video is weighted more heavily than most other signals in its recommendation system. Even a pause due to curiosity, confusion, or discomfort can be interpreted as interest. Once a system associates a user with a category, similar content can quickly snowball.

Lauren Klein, professor of Data & Decision Sciences and English at Emory University and co-author of Data Feminism, says these inferences reflect historic gender norms far more than neutral "user data."

"In many cases, age and gender are the only data points companies know about their users," Klein said. "In the absence of [a] meaningful signal, designers default to what they assume someone of a particular age and gender would want to see."

Those assumptions are shaped by long-standing cultural expectations about users' lives, including those around beauty, partnership, reproduction, and caregiving.

Because recommendation and ad systems are profit-driven, Klein added, there is little incentive to challenge defaults that appear to perform well.

"These companies are motivated by their own bottom line," she said. "If default life-phase content seems to generate engagement or purchases, there's no obligation to consider other desires or preferences."

When the TikTok feed contradicts reality

Emerging research suggests that algorithmic systems do more than match users with content; they're also shaping people's identities.

Researchers describe this phenomenon as "algorithmic persistence," in which systems continue to serve content tied to a presumed identity long after it is no longer applicable. Klein notes that because recommender systems are optimized for engagement rather than accuracy, they have little incentive to recalibrate unless user behavior changes significantly, something many people don't know how to do, or even realize is necessary.

"There's an added social reinforcement mechanism," Klein said, adding that users already receive constant messages about what they should care about. "The algorithm amplifies that pressure."

Over time, this creates a kind of ambient discipline, technology nudging users toward a version of adulthood they might not want, can't access, or have already outgrown.

"The isolation of personal scrolling is a kind of 'technology of the self,'" Losh said. "It subtly encourages people to regulate themselves according to dominant social scripts."

Performance, play, and structural limits

If algorithmic persistence explains why users get "stuck" seeing irrelevant content, performance helps explain why pushing back doesn't necessarily free them.

Short-form video platforms are built around visibility and play. Users duet, stitch, parody, and perform alternative selves. Queer creators experiment with gender; others engage in what Losh calls "generation-swapping," performing exaggerated versions of parents or elders. Comedy and remix culture offer highly legible ways to critique dominant life scripts.

That visibility is not meaningless. Losh notes that these platforms have created space for experiences once considered rare or invisible: intersex parents documenting their lives, people speaking openly about ectopic pregnancy or asexuality, sex workers sharing the unglamorous realities of their labor. Other forms of relational storytelling — like content about lavender marriages or the rise of "guncles" — quietly challenge heteronormative family scripts through humor and affection rather than argument.

But visibility, Losh cautions, is not the same as structural change. Even as platforms become increasingly adept at identifying and amplifying counter-narratives, they continue to circulate within algorithms optimized to sort users into marketable categories. That means wedding content becomes queer wedding content, or family content becomes nontraditional family content. The identity may shift, but the life-phase logic remains intact. In that sense, personalization doesn't eliminate the script so much as adapt it.

Within recommendation systems, critique does not reliably trigger corrections. Because engagement itself is the primary signal — watch time, interaction, repetition — even content meant to challenge a life-cycle narrative can be absorbed as evidence of interest in it. A parody of wedding culture may still be logged as engagement with wedding content; a rebuttal to parenting norms may circulate alongside the very material it critiques.

Why is it so hard to reset your algorithm?

Algorithmic identity is not something users can update with a single click. Training data reflects the past. Profit incentives favor broad categories. And recommender systems are built to optimize engagement loops, not to reflect the complex, nonlinear lives of their users.

Designing for people who don't want children, who co-parent, who are queer or polyamorous, or who move in and out of relationships requires time, care, and a willingness to challenge default assumptions.

"It takes more work to design for users at the margins," Klein said. "But those users often reveal where systems break down."

When asked what a more feminist or equitable recommender system might look like, Klein was skeptical.

"I'm not sure there's such a thing as a feminist advertising mechanism," she said. "But one feminist principle we can take seriously is refusal."

For platforms, that would mean letting users opt out of targeted ads, allowing them to withhold their age or gender without penalty, avoiding punitive privacy defaults, and giving users ways to signal life changes without automatically triggering new assumptions.

For now, most platforms offer limited transparency and little meaningful control.

Living with the algorithmic lag

The algorithm lags behind real life. It clings to who someone was — or who it decided they were — because updating that identity is less profitable than nudging it forward.

For users, that lag often mirrors the same narrow life script society has long imposed. What's new isn't the pressure, it's the infrastructure delivering it.

The feed doesn't reflect reality. It reinforces a familiar script — whether it fits or not.

The Pokémon TCG Unova Heavy Hitters Premium Collection is $25 off at Amazon

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:59:04 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Unova Heavy Hitters Premium Collection is on sale for $134.87 at Amazon. That's $25 off its usual $159.99 list price.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Unova Heavy Hitters Premium Collection

$134.97 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $25.02

Premium Pokémon TCG collections rarely see meaningful discounts around their launch window, but we’re starting to see discounts on the Black Bolt and White Flare expansions more regularly. As of Jan. 23, the Pokémon TCG: Unova Heavy Hitters Premium Collection is available for $134.87, making it one of the better-value large-format Pokémon releases you can pick up right now.

The last expansions of the Scarlet and Violet set, this Generation Five Unova-based collection gives you a generous amount for just under $135. If you’re an avid trading card collector who missed out when both these expansions launched in July 2025, it’s a perfect set to help you catch up.

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Inside the Pokémon TCG’s Unova Heavy Hitters Premium Collection, you’ll get 12 boosters total — six Black Bolt packs and White Flare packs, a code card for Pokémon TCG Live, four foil promo cards — Zekrom ex, Reshiram ex, Victini, and Zoroark — and an oversized Kyurem ex foil promo card designed for display.

In terms of raw value, that pack count alone makes this deal more than worth your money. On Amazon right now, individual packs of both White Flare and Bolt Bolt are being sold for around $15. Based on the Heavy Hitters Collection’s 12 packs alone, this deal is saving you $45 compared to buying them separately. The added promo cards essentially feel like a great bonus prize on top.

For more multi-pack bargains, you can still buy an eight-pack lot of the Pokémon TCG’s Journey Together expansion at $16 off. For another high-end collection, the Pokémon TCG: Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection is still $100 off at Amazon.

The best new floral Lego sets to brighten up your home

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:00:00 +0000

For Lego fans, winter is a great time to focus on building new sets. While you wait for spring weather and returning outside, Lego is a nice way to keep busy from the comfort of your home. And Lego has recently revealed a whole new batch of builds for January, so there's plenty of options to check out right now. Among them are a variety of new floral sets, which are perfect for adding a bit of color to your home ahead of spring.

There's a nice assortment of new arrangements available right now, including a delightfully colorful Tulip Bouquet and a lovely Peace Lily, but there's also some sweet smaller builds. If you're not looking to piece together a big bouquet, there are options with lower piece counts to look through, including Sunflowers, Cherry Blossoms, Roses, and more.

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: This lifetime subscription to Pok Pok is a great introduction to screen time for kids, offering a non-addictive, educational app, and it’s on sale now for just $59.99 (reg. $250).

Credit: Pok Pok

Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription

$59.99
$250 Save $190.01

Screen time is a stressful topic for today’s parents. If you’re looking for an app that you won’t have to worry about, look no further than Pok Pok. This Montessori-based app is not only educational, but it’s also gentle and non-addictive, and right now you can get a lifetime subscription for only $59.99 (reg. $250).

Pok Pok is the low-stimulation app parents dream of. Geared towards children ages 2 to 8, this award-winning app provides screen time that is both educational and entertaining. Hand-drawn animations and in-house-made gentle sound effects create a calm app experience, all while kids learn topics like STEM, numbers, and language.

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This app uses Montessori-based teaching, a child-centered educational approach that emphasizes hands-on learning, independence, and natural development. It’s built for kids to navigate on their own, with no winning or losing, and no rules, levels, or objectives.

Pok Pok is COPPA-certified, so kids won’t be tricked into making purchases, and there are no ads to distract them. This lifetime subscription gives you permanent access to unlimited games and regular updates, which include new seasonal and cultural content. You’ll also receive an exclusive gift mailed to your home with purchase.

Unlock safe screen time forever with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, on sale for just $59.99 (reg. $250).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum just dropped to a record low price at Amazon — save $200 with this deal

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:19:40 +0000

SAVE $200: The Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $199.99, down from the list price of $399.99. That's a 50% discount and the best price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Credit: Shark

Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum

$199.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $200

Some people hate vacuuming. If that's you, have you tried vacuuming with an effortless stick vacuum? These excel in being lightweight, easy to maneuver, and simple to empty debris. As a special mid-January doldrums treat, Amazon just put a premium model on a major discount.

As of Jan. 22, the Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $199.99, marked down from the standard price of $399.99. That's a 50% discount that shaves $200 off the price. If you love to score a good deal, this is the best price we've ever seen at Amazon.

If you have pets at home, you know the struggle of trying to remove pet hair from the carpet. Shark takes aim at those stubborn stuck-in hairs with the PowerPro Flex Pet Plus which comes with up to 50 minutes of runtime.

This Shark stick vacuum has tons of features that you won't be able to live without once you've experienced the convenience. For one, the LED headlight will illuminate dust and debris in a way that will make you want to vacuum everyday just for the satisfaction. It can also easily convert into a handheld vacuum. Plus, the wand feature's Shark's MultiFlex technology which allows it to bend in half, reaching under the couch or the bed with ease.

Shark also equipped the PowerPro Flex Pet Plus with the brand's floor detect technology. This automatically senses the floor type and adjusts the speed of the brush roll to get the best clean. There's also the extra large dust cup capacity so you won't need to empty it out as often.

Before this low sale price disappears, gift yourself the convenience of a powerful stick vacuum with the Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum. It's on sale for under $200 at Amazon, which is the lowest price we've ever seen.

This Dreame vacuum is nearly 50% off — shop at Amazon and save $450

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:46:00 +0000

SAVE $450.51: As of Jan. 22, get the Dreame L40s Ultra robot vacuum for just $549.98. That saves you $450.51 off its $999.99 list price for 45% savings at Amazon

Credit: Dreame

Dreame L40s Ultra Robot Vacuum

$549.98 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $450.01

Robot vacuums are sneaky little tools, moving around the home and sweeping up messes. But not all robot vacuums are created equal, some are far better than others. Luckily, we've tested our way through robot vacuums to find the best one. Currently, the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller tops our list of the best robot vacuums. Unfortunately, that model is out of stock, but there's another great Dreame model on sale to shop now.

The Dreame L40s Ultra robot vacuum debuted in summer 2025, and even though it's one of the brand's newest models, it's already on sale. As of Jan. 22, get the Dreame L40s robot vacuum for just $549.98. That saves you $450.01 off its $999.99 price tag. That's nearly 50% off.

No matter what type of floors you need cleaned, the Dreame L40s Ultra keeps your floors clean. This dual robot vacuum and mop has removable and liftable mop pads so you can navigate over carpets. With Vormax suction, it's a powerful cleaner sweeping up even large debris.

Shop the Dreame L40s Ultra robot vacuum at Amazon for just $549.98 and save $450.01.

Want cleaner floors? Grab the Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni for $300 off.

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:32:52 +0000

SAVE $300.99: As of Jan. 22, the Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni robot vacuum and mop is down to just $399 at Amazon. That's 43% off its list price of $699.99 and its best price on record.

Credit: Ecovacs

Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni robot vacuum and mop

$399 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $300.99

Tons of new robot vacuums were released at CES earlier this month, which means it's high time to sell the "old" but still great models from last year to make way for the new. In other words, it's a great time for bargain shoppers to score a robot vacuum at an epic price.

For instance, the Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni robot vacuum and mop is on sale at Amazon for just $399 as of Jan. 22. That's 43% or over $300 off its list price of $699.99. That's also its lowest price on record.

This 2025 model not only vacuums your floors with 15,000 Pa suction power, but also auto-lifts to scrub them clean as a mop. Not all mopping robot vacuums can wash and dry their own mop pads — which is a total dealbreaker in our eyes — but luckily, the T50 Pro Omni does everything for you. The 10-in-1 Omni station takes care of all the annoying maintenance, thanks to 167°F hot water mop washing, 113°F hot air drying, auto dustbin emptying, water refilling, dirt detection, and cleaning solution auto-dispensing.

Other must-have features are smart mapping and small obstacle avoidance and the T50 Pro Omni packs both. AIVI 3D 3.0 smart navigation can detect and avoid obstacles with 1mm precision, so it can cruise around your charging cables, dog toys, and furniture with ease. It can even recognize over 100 different household objects to make fewer stops without intervention.

If you're having a hard time deciding which robot vacuum to buy, the Deebot T50 Pro Omni makes a great case for itself — especially when it's 43% off.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Missouri

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:19:16 +0000

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Missouri with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

More than a third of U.S. states have introduced age verification laws for online adult content, including Missouri. In response to the introduction of these new requirements, Pornhub has restricted access to millions of potential users. And now we're seeing a similar situation play out in other parts of the world.

It's a complicated situation with many moving parts, but the workaround is straightforward. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Missouri, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Missouri

VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure server in another location. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub
Visit Pornhub

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for porn is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free with ExpressVPN.

Spotifys Prompted Playlist lets you micromanage your own algorithm

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

For years, Spotify's recommendation engine has felt like a mind reader. It quietly tracks what you play, skip, save, and replay, then serves up Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and an endless stream of algorithmically generated playlists designed to know your taste better than you know it yourself.

With its new feature, Prompted Playlist, Spotify is experimenting with a different idea: What if users didn't just receive recommendations, but actively shaped them?

Prompted Playlist, now launching for Spotify users in the U.S., is a new way to create playlists using personalized prompts, allowing listeners to guide Spotify's algorithm with greater intent and context. Instead of starting with a blank playlist or relying entirely on automated suggestions, users can describe what they want and let Spotify build from there.

It's a subtle shift, but one built around the idea of less passive consumption and more collaboration.

How Spotify's Prompted Playlist works

At its core, Prompted Playlist lets users generate playlists by entering a written prompt — anything from a mood or activity to a more imaginative musical direction. Think: "moody indie tracks for a rainy Sunday," "upbeat pop for a post-work walk," or even, "What would my listening look like if I were raised in Argentina?"

Credit: Spotify

What sets the feature apart is what happens behind the scenes. Prompted Playlist draws from a user's entire Spotify listening history, not just recent habits or popular tracks, pulling in years of data — from teenage emo phases to current hyperpop obsessions — to shape something that feels as personal and maleable as your own tastes.

Users can also choose to refresh playlists daily or weekly, allowing them to evolve over time as new music is released, trends shift, and listening habits change, rather than going stale after a few plays.

How is Promptd Playlist any different than Spotify's AI Playlist feature?

At first glance, Prompted Playlist may sound similar to Spotify's existing AI Playlist, which also lets users generate playlists with written prompts. But the two features are built for different kinds of listening and different relationships with the algorithm.

AI Playlist is largely about instant creation, whereas Prompted Playlist is designed to evolve over time.

According to Spotify, Prompted Playlist draws not only on prompt-based input but also on world knowledge, cultural relevance, and the full depth of a listener's platform history. In practice, that means the system matches keywords and interprets context.

When I asked Prompted Playlist to create a reading playlist to accompany This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska, I specified that I wanted something mystical and soft, serene, with elements of Slavic folklore. As the playlist generated, Spotify surfaced its process in real-time, displaying notes like "analyzing cultural motifs" and "filtering for instrumental sound."

The result was a playlist titled "Slavic Folklore Reading Mix" that leaned heavily on atmospheric, instrumental tracks, alongside classical selections like Tchaikovsky's "Mélodie, Op. 42 No. 3." The emphasis on texture over lyrics made it well-suited for reading, while the Eastern European influences suggested the system was interpreting cultural tone.

Credit: Spotify

Prompted Playlist's access to a listener's full platform history also opens the door to more personalized experiments. When I asked it to generate a playlist featuring the first 25 songs I ever listened to on Spotify, arranged in chronological order, it did exactly that, pulling from my own listening data. (For the record, the first song I ever played on my account on Sept. 12, 2011, was Cher Lloyd's "Swagger Jagger," which feels, in retrospect, deeply on brand.)

How do I make a Prompted Playlist on Spotify?

In the Spotify app, users can start by navigating to the Create Playlist option, where Prompted Playlist will appear as a new choice. From there, Spotify asks for a written prompt describing what you’re looking for — whether that's a mood, activity, aesthetic, or specific listening context.

First step: Navigate to "Create Playlist" on the app and select "Prompted Playlist" Credit: Crystal Bell / Mashable

Next step: Enter your prompt Credit: Crystal Bell / Mashable

Once the prompt is submitted, Spotify generates a playlist in real-time, showing brief notes about how it's interpreting your request. After the playlist is created, users can choose to schedule automatic refreshes, setting it to update daily or weekly so the playlist continues to evolve with new music and changing tastes.

Now let Prompted Playlist cook. Credit: Crystal Bell / Mashable

And here's your playlist! Credit: Crystal Bell / Mashable

The playlist can also be edited like any other Spotify playlist: tracks can be removed, reordered, or saved, and those interactions help fine-tune future updates.

Grab eight Pokémon TCG Journey Together Booster Packs at $16 off on Amazon

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:41:20 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Journey Together 8 Booster Pack Lot is down to $64.45 at Amazon. This deal saves you $16 off its $79.99 list price.

Credit: The Pokemon Company

Pokemon TCG Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together 8 Booster Pack Lot

$64.45 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $15.54

Amazon has quietly been rolling out some new Pokémon TCG deals for collections and premium boxes, but this latest deal is perfect if you just want to stock up on a particular set. As of Jan. 22, the Journey Together 8 Booster Pack Lot has dropped to $64.45, marking a 19% discount on one of the most popular Scarlet & Violet-era expansions.

This bundle includes eight sealed booster packs, each containing 10 cards, for a total of 80 cards pulled directly from the Journey Together set. With individual Journey Together boosters selling for $15 on Amazon (a very expensive price for single boosters), you’ll save around $55 compared to buying eight individual — at a saving of just under $7 per pack.

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The deal also comes with free delivery, with faster shipping available depending on location, and will likely sell out fast among keen trading card collectors. Released in March 2025, multi-pack products with Journey Together boosters have become rarer with the release of newer expansions and the launch of the Mega Evolution set. That’s made what were already some valuable chase cards — Lillie’s Clefairy ex, Salamance ex, N’s Zoroark ex, and Iono’s Bellibolt ex — just as expensive and worth pulling as ever.

Recently, this set has only been reliably available at a reasonable price as part of collections, bundled with packs of other expansions. If you’ve been eager for a new chance to pull some of its valuable chase cards, now’s the time.

For more Pokémon TCG deals, you can still get $100 off the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection. You can also buy the Pokémon TCG’s Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck for only $19.93.

How to qualify for the new and exclusive Lego Mini Pokémon Center

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:02:13 +0000

TL;DR: Lego Insiders can exchange Insiders points for the Mini Pokémon Center. Points are available to redeem from Feb. 27, while stocks last.

Credit: Lego

Mini Pokémon Center

Only available as a Lego Insiders Reward

The release of the first-ever Lego Pokémon sets has naturally caused a stir. Whether or not you like what you see, you just know that these sets are going to sell like mad. We regularly see huge interest in anything released by Lego and Pokémon, so any sort of collaboration between these two brands was always going to send the world into a frenzy.

There are three main sets in this initial launch, featuring fan-favorites Pikachu, Eevee, Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise in Lego brick form. That's where most of the focus has been directed since preorders went live on Jan. 12, but there's more for fans to consider if you cast your net a little wider.

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From Feb. 27, Lego Insiders can redeem 2,500 Lego Insiders points for the brand-new Mini Pokémon Center. This member-exclusive build is filled with mini-scale details inspired by all the different versions of the Pokémon Center from the Pokémon games, including sliding doors that open and close using lever functions, a healing station, seating area, and PC. It's recommended for ages 18+ and contains 233 pieces.

Not already a Lego Insider? Don't panic, you can sign up here for free.

This set is available in select markets, while stocks last. Members will get a code to add to their next order. The code is valid for 60 days and must be entered during checkout in the field labelled "enter promo code."

Snatch up the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box for market value at Amazon

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:46:11 +0000

TL;DR: As of Jan. 22, get the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Play Booster Box for market value at Amazon.

Credit: Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box

$107.94 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $56.76

Whether you're looking to create some wicked decks or you just want all the cards you can get your hands on, a shiny new box of Magic: The Gathering boosters is always a good idea. They're an even better idea if you can save money. Amazon has another great deal on a booster box you'll want to scoop up ASAP, hailing from the Tarkir: Dragonstorm expansion.

As of Jan. 22, get the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Play Booster Box for $107.94 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $164.70. That's a discount of over $50 and is now at market value compared with TCGplayer.

This booster box nets you 30 packs of Play Boosters from the Tarkir Dragonstorm expansions, with 15 cards in each pack. Packs are comprised of 14 regular cards and one Token or Art card, with 1-4 cards of rarity Rare or higher and 3-5 Uncommon. 6-9 Common, and 1 Land cards. One card of any rarity will be a potential Traditional Foil, with a Traditional Foil land replacing a land in about 20% of the packs.

Released earlier in April 2025, this expansion is all about Magic's plane of dragons and its five clans, with cards like the powerful Ugin, Eye of the Storms and Elspeth, and Storm Slayer to collect. Even if you aren't a collector, this booster box is still a good idea both to add some bulk to what you already have and to help you find some fun rare cards as showpieces.

Regardless of why you decide to buy, you should do it soon, as this booster box will likely sell out fast.

The Pokémon TCG Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck has hit a record-low price on Amazon — save over $30

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:26:47 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck is now just $19.93 on Amazon. That’s a massive 64% off its original $52.99 list price.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck

$19.98 at Amazon
$52.99 Save $33.01

If you’ve been eyeing a competition-ready Pokémon TCG deck without paying tournament-level prices, this is one of the best deals we’ve seen in the trading card game space for a while. As of Jan. 22, the Pokémon TCG: Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck has dropped to a new all-time low of $19.93 on Amazon, marking a steep 64% discount from its original $52.99 list price.

This not only brings it closer to market price, but also undercuts TCGplayer massively, with the lowest listing at $63.94 when shipping is added on.

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League Battle Decks are designed as a step up from beginner products, and this leans hard into one of the most well-known villain duos in Pokémon. The deck comes fully assembled and ready to play right out of the box, with other solid cards like Team Rocket’s Crobat ex — making it a solid pickup for intermediate players or returning fans who want something stronger than a starter deck without diving straight into deckbuilding.

For under $20, you’re getting a 60-card ready-to-play deck, along with six damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, two condition markers, a deck box, and a strategy sheet to help you pilot the deck effectively. There’s also a code card for Pokémon TCG Live, letting you take the deck online and start playing digitally right away.

For more money off packs and high-level accessories, Amazon has also chopped $100 off the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection. And the Phantasmal Flames booster bundle has recently dropped to its lowest-ever price.

The Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds are the best sleep earbuds available now

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:10:02 +0000

I can't say reviewing the Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds was particularly challenging.

After all, it was just about four months ago that I reviewed the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds upon their release. Those were the earbuds that added active noise cancellation to sleep earbuds — a feature not available on any other options on the market at the time. Their performance impressed me enough that I considered them the standard for premium sleep earbuds, despite their few flaws.

That is, until now. With the Sleep A30 Special earbuds, Soundcore doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, but the few changes they do make are noticeable improvements over the original Sleep A30 buds.

The Sleep A30 Special earbuds look identical to their predecessors, but have a couple of key differences. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The result is that the Sleep A30 Special earbuds aren't just better than their predecessors — they officially sit head and shoulders above all other available sleep earbuds. Let's get into what makes them the best.

What's new about the Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds?

The Special earbuds came as a surprise to me, as Soundcore's addition of ANC already felt like a big enough upgrade to tide them over for at least a year, especially considering their complete lack of competition on that particular front.

Better battery life

That said, the ANC didn't come without a cost. The 14-hour battery life of the Sleep A20 earbuds — Soundcore's 2024 release — dropped all the way down to about seven-and-a-half hours with ANC on the Sleep A30 buds.

While that's more than enough for some people, it's not impossible to imagine a scenario where someone whose environment is loud enough that they want sleep earbuds with active noise cancellation might also want a full eight hours of coverage with that noise cancellation. Especially if you're relying on the earbuds' built-in alarm at the end of those eight hours. For earbuds that cost $229.99, it felt like a surprisingly limiting factor.

Soundcore directly addresses this issue by adding an hour of battery life to the Special earbuds, giving you anywhere from around eight to 10 hours of battery life. The variation depends on your settings, but in my week testing the earbuds, I found that leaving the ANC on and switching to local audio (without ANC) or leaving ANC and Bluetooth audio on all night comfortably got me through eight hours, which wasn't consistently the case when I tested the regular A30 buds.

The auto-switch options of playing local audio, pausing Bluetooth audio, and keeping Bluetooth audio on affect the battery life of the earbuds differently. Credit: Soundcore / Screenshot

A lower, and very competitive, price point

Typically, better features mean a higher price point, but Soundcore surprises again on this front. Rather than tacking on to the $229.99 price point of the Sleep A30 earbuds, the brand lowered the price to a more reasonable $199.99. While this is still not exactly chump change, it's an asking price that suits these single-purpose earbuds better.

In my original review of the A30 earbuds, I wrote:

I do need to acknowledge that $229.99 is a lot to ask for earbuds used just for sleep. Granted, they're far cheaper than the $349 Ozlo Sleepbuds, and they do come with ANC — the price makes sense. However, it's still steep, and far from your only option for effective noise blocking. The Sleep A20 are still a great (more) affordable option at $179.99.

Not only does the $199.99 price point widen the gap between Soundcore's ANC earbuds and the Ozlo Sleepbuds (which offer no ANC), but it also shortens it between the 2022-released Sleep A20 earbuds. Though those buds are still a great value (when on sale), at full price the Sleep A30 Specials are worth the additional $20.

Calm app integration

As a final bonus, the Sleep A30 Special earbuds also feature a Calm app integration within their companion app, giving users the choice between 20 sleep stories and five sleep-focused meditations to listen to as they drift off to bed. Among the sleep stories, you'll get options from categories including fiction, train and travel, and nature.

Listen to a bedtime story... Credit: Soundcore / Screenshot

...or a meditation with the Calm on the Soundcore app. Credit: Soundcore / Screenshot

This feature is less notable, as thanks to an update, it's also available via the Soundcore companion app for the regular Sleep A30 earbuds.

As for the content itself, I was a little disappointed that there was no option to change the voice of the narrator. I could also see the options getting repetitive (though that might not be the most pressing issue, as they're intended to help you get to sleep). The lack of options does stand out more when you consider the partnership between Ozlo and Calm, which gives users a year free of the $80 meditation service. But, again, the Ozlo buds cost $349 — you could buy the A30 Special buds, purchase a Calm subscription separately, and still have about $69 left over.

Small issues aside, the integration itself feels like a natural pairing between the two brands. And as someone with a brain that likes to think every thought possible the second my head hits the pillow, the addition of more white noise-style options is always welcome.

Soundcore Sleep A30 Special: Sound, noise cancellation, and performance

Excluding the upgrades mentioned above, the Sleep A30 Special earbuds perform nearly identical to the Sleep A30 earbuds. The Sleep A30 buds have had some firmware updates since their release in August, which improved the touch control accuracy, sleep detection options, and ANC.

All in all, that adds up to a pair of sleep earbuds that perform very well. The triple noise reduction system (Soundcore's term for the combination of ANC, passive noise reduction, and their snore masking tech) works well on all fronts, the battery life of the case and earbuds feel reasonable for daily use, they're comfortable with plenty of wear options, the app easy to navigate, the white noise varied, the sleep tracking a neat feature, and the touch controls didn't fail me once during my week of testing (which I appreciated extra while snoozing my alarm). The lower price point from the previous generation makes all of these features stand out even more.

Are they absolute perfection? Not quite yet. It would be nice to be able to set more than five alarms, and I find that the sleep tracking doesn't always work accurately — it occasionally detected an earlier bedtime than I had, or registered an especially early wakeup time if one of my earbuds loosened during the night (which, granted, really only happened as I tested out ear tip sizes).

However, those gripes are relatively minor and do very little to detract from the overall experience of using the earbuds.

Soundcore Sleep A30 Special specs

As a final roundup, here's everything you'll be getting on the Sleep A30 Special earbuds:

Active noise cancellation
Adaptive snore masking powered by microphones in charging case
Approximately eight to ten hours of battery life per use, depending on settings
Approximately five days of battery life in case per charge
Seven total ear tip options (four sizes of silicone ear tips and three sizes of memory foam), plus three sizes of ear wings
Customizable soundscapes for white noise, including Calm app sleep stories and meditations
Customizable touch controls
Built-in alarm with snooze
Sleep tracking
Two colorways: mist lilac and lunar white

Should you get the Soundcore Sleep A30 or Sleep A30 Special?

As much as I love the Sleep A30 Special earbuds, there's no need to upgrade if you already own the Sleep A30 buds, unless you're very, very unhappy with the battery life.

Minus their colorways, the Sleep A30 and Sleep A30 special buds are identical. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

For anyone who's yet to purchase either pair, both are currently available for $199.99 (with the Sleep A30 earbuds technically on a markdown from their list price). With that, there's no reason not to opt for the better earbuds.

All of that said, don't sleep on the Sleep A20 earbuds sale prices if you're looking for a more affordable option. Ask yourself if you actually need ANC. If at most, you're trying to block out the sound of an air conditioning unit or simply prefer to fall asleep to videos titled things like "Deep Sleep Music ★︎ FALL ASLEEP IMMEDIATELY ★︎ Melatonin Release," likely you don't actually need any additional noise cancellation. I personally picked up a pair of the Sleep A20 buds over Black Friday as a gift for my dad, and spent all of a whopping $107.99.

Are the Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds worth it?

The Soundcore Sleep A30 Specials are, without a doubt, the best sleep earbuds to get if you need the maximum possible noise cancellation. (Even though they are really your only option on the ANC front).

Despite providing a unique feature in their ANC, at $199.99, they're priced fairly, and much more competitively than the $350 Ozlo Sleepbuds, the other major contender for premium sleep earbuds.

Though they have some very minor quirks here and there, they ultimately set the bar for other sleep bud brands to beat. Though it seems Soundcore's intentions are to just keep improving on a good thing.

Soundcore Sleep A30 Special sleep earbuds

$199.99 at Amazon

Pranksters and pickup artists are using Meta Ray-Ban glasses to harass strangers for content

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Across Instagram and TikTok, influencers and would-be content creators are churning out low-effort prank and pickup artist videos using the discreet recording features of Meta Ray-Bans and other smart glasses. Many of these clips cross from cringe into outright troubling, with creators harassing women, service workers, and the homeless. In some videos, creators pretend to be mentally disabled, trans, or gay just to provoke reactions from unsuspecting people.

All of these videos have one thing in common: They show that anyone can become the unwitting star of someone else's social media video. Consent doesn't enter into it at all.

The glasses' inconspicuous nature is used to create all kinds of content that regularly pulls in hundreds of thousands of views on Instagram and TikTok. The severity and intrusiveness vary from creator to creator. Some accounts produce more positive content, sometimes referred to as "joybait," by complimenting strangers.

Other videos cross over into outright harassment. Some focus specifically on trying to get women’s phone numbers, with comment sections often dogpiling on the women based on how receptive or unreceptive they are to the advance. The BBC recently documented multiple cases in which women were approached by men wearing smart glasses, unknowingly recorded, and later subjected to sexualized and abusive comments online. Other accounts center on smaller but deliberately irritating interactions, like saying nonsense to a drive-thru worker, trapping cashiers in circular conversations, or showing up minutes before a store closes to try and place a large order.

"I know it’s legal. I don’t care...That’s not the discussion. I think it’s weird and creepy, and it shows a very predatory mindset."

The general setup is largely the same: go to a public place and say or do something intentionally off-putting solely to elicit a reaction. In one recurring example, a creator has posted multiple videos approaching women in beauty supply stores like Ulta or James Avery and pretending to shop for a gift for an underage girlfriend.

View this post on Instagram

However, other accounts lean into far more socially transgressive behavior. Accounts like kemobandz1 and bootyworshipping produce sexually suggestive content involving unsuspecting women. The former records himself inside massage parlors, teasing viewers through captions that his visit will end in a sexual experience, later uploading the full videos as explicit pay-per-view content on sites like No Fans. (This has also been documented by 404 Media.) The latter account is largely self-explanatory, with the creator’s Reels page filled with videos of him non-consensually filming women’s bodies and posting the footage to Instagram for thousands of views.

While reporting this article, I contacted Meta about the ways its smart glasses are being used. After I provided multiple examples, including the two accounts mentioned above, Meta disabled the Instagram accounts for violating its policy on Adult Sexual Exploitation.

In a statement, a Meta spokesperson said that users "are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and for using Ray-Ban Meta glasses in a safe, respectful manner." It continued, "as with any recording device, people shouldn't use them for engaging in harmful activities like harassment, infringing on privacy rights, or capturing sensitive information."

According to a Reuters report, Meta has sold more than 2 million pairs of smart glasses since the product’s launch in 2023, with sales tripling in 2025.

Legal doesn’t mean ethical

Credit: Screenshot courtesy of TikTok

Crucially, these activities, whether it’s rizz accounts, hassling service workers, or pretending to be mentally disabled to exploit the kindness of firefighters, don't break the law.

"[The] law has not changed, meaning that you do not have an expectation of privacy in public spaces," said Julian Sarafian, a California-based attorney who represents online content creators. "That means you can be recorded in those spaces and have limited legal recourse, if any, against people who publish content that includes you."

According to Sarafian, even when it’s not immediately obvious that cameras are present, the focus of any legal claim is where the recording takes place. That’s why many of these videos are filmed in fast food restaurants, shopping malls, or on busy streets around bars and nightlife areas.

"Some states, like California, are also two-party consent states, meaning that recording conversations where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy is not allowed unless both parties consent," Sarafian said. "With prank videos, it comes down to context. A public park? No two-party consent required. A private dining room in a restaurant? Two-party consent required."

But for some creators and observers, the fact that this content is legal misses the point entirely.

Brad Podray, a content creator who formerly went by the name Scumbag Dad, argues that videos filmed with smart glasses rely on people, particularly women, not knowing they are being recorded. In his view, legality has become a convenient shield for predatory and exploitative behavior.

"I know it’s legal. I don’t care," Brad said. "That’s not the discussion. I think it’s weird and creepy, and it shows a very predatory mindset."

According to Podray, the issue is not whether filming in public is technically legal, but how creators extract value from people who never consented to being part of the content. He describes this dynamic as turning unsuspecting subjects into unpaid labor.

He added that creators gravitate toward women and service workers because they are more likely to produce usable reactions and less likely to push back in ways that threaten the content.

"I always thought that was very cowardly, because the women don’t know they’re on camera,” said Podray, who has made several satirical, staged videos critiquing this type of behavior. "The women would roll into the comments section once the video went viral and say, ‘I was just being nice, I wanted you to leave me alone,’ and then the comments would absolutely dogpile them."

View this post on Instagram

Podray says the appeal of smart glasses is not just their discretion, but how cheaply and efficiently they allow creators to produce content at scale. Because the people being filmed are not acting, their reactions feel more authentic, which he says makes the videos perform better with audiences.

"They want people who are good on camera, so they’re going to hit fast food employees, and they’re going to hit pretty girls,” Podray said. "A lot of random women walking around aren’t going to want to participate in a skit if you ask them to, so they remove the agency entirely by just running the glasses."

He argues that this dynamic is rarely understood by viewers, who often assume everyone on camera has agreed to participate. When those assumptions are challenged, he says the response is frequently hostile.

"The audience believes everybody on camera is an actor meant for their entertainment," he said. "Any attempt to humanize them is met with cynicism or outright aggressiveness."

For Podray, that disconnect is what makes the trend so troubling. The law allows creators to film in public, and creeps know it.

Creators say it’s just "entertainment"

Image pixelated and blurred for privacy reasons. Credit: Screenshot courtesy of TikTok

Troll content like prank channels or pickup artist videos is nothing new. For a time, prank channels were among the most popular on YouTube, starting with prank-call-focused channels like Ownage Pranks. As technology evolved and smartphones became more widespread, prank creators shifted toward street content, with channels like Roman Atwood, fouseyTUBE, and LAHWF gaining massive followings.

Over time, prank channels on YouTube began to fall out of favor as larger creators pushed increasingly outrageous stunts for views. It also became clear that many of these channels were hiring actors or staging their content, undermining the original appeal of pranks that were supposedly spontaneous and authentic.

Smart glasses have made it easier than ever to capture the kind of authentic, outlandish reactions that largely disappeared when YouTube prank channels fell out of favor. While Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses include an LED indicator meant to signal when recording is taking place, outlets like 404 Media have reported that wearers can pay third-party services to disable the light. Some creators, including accounts like minddecaycam, have openly admitted to blocking the indicator light.

A screenshot from a recent @minddecaycam video. Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Instagram

Mashable reached out to several smart glasses creators for comment. While many did not respond in time for publication, one account, HeyMetaGuy, said he views his content as entertainment first.

"Realistically, I’ve made a few other pages for things that are not in the same field, but I just saw content in this way," HeyMetaGuy said. "I was like, I want to make content like this myself, because I know how to edit and whatnot, and just generally pranking people, messing with people, getting their reactions is cool."

When asked about the ethics of filming people who may not realize they’re being recorded, HeyMetaGuy compared the practice to the everyday surveillance already present in public life.

"For the ethical standpoint, I believe no matter where we go nowadays, we’re being recorded," he said. "Whether you walk into an establishment, there’s security cameras everywhere. We’re being recorded."

HeyMetaGuy said he does not disable the LED indicator on his glasses, though he acknowledged that most people don’t understand what the light signifies when they notice it.

"It’s not really hidden," he said. "It’s just more the fact that people don’t know what’s going on. Like, when they see a light, they don’t really know what’s going on."

HeyMetaGuy added that while most people he records laugh about his trolling, he has faced at least one threat of legal action, but he states that filming in public places is clearly permitted.

A serious threat to privacy

For privacy and civil liberties advocates, that growing adoption raises deeper concerns about how easily wearable cameras can blend into everyday life. Jake Laperruque, the deputy director of the Security and Surveillance Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said the rise of prank and "social experiment" content filmed with smart glasses highlights how difficult it is to recognize these devices in use.

"It’s very concerning that these and other interactions seem to show these glasses are too inconspicuous to be recognized when they’re recording people," Laperruque said. "Being able to easily buy and use tech to secretly record people creates serious dangers."

While Laperruque does not believe wearable cameras represent a fundamental shift in surveillance culture just yet, he said pushback may come from the public rather than lawmakers.

"People and places of public accommodation might decide this isn’t the type of social engagement they want and push back," he said, adding that he would not be surprised if gyms, bars, and other businesses began banning wearable recording devices altogether.

Looking ahead, Laperruque said the biggest concern is how discreet recording could intersect with other technologies.

"I’m most worried about the risk of people wanting anonymity in sensitive situations and being doxxed," he said. "If devices are able to record secretly and combined with facial recognition, it could be a serious threat to privacy and civil liberties."

The first-ever Lego Pokémon sets have arrived — where to pre-order Pikachu, Eevee, and more

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Where to pre-order Lego Pokémon sets at a glance:

Pikachu and Poké Ball

$199.99 at Lego

Eevee

$59.99 at Lego

Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise

$649.99 at Lego

The first-ever Lego Pokémon sets are here. Well, almost. Everyone's favorite Danish toy company revealed the highly anticipated sets on Monday and they're officially available for preorder as of Jan. 12.

There are three main sets in the launch, based on some of the most iconic, fan-favorite creatures from Pokémon's 30-year history. Those include Pikachu, of course, as well as Eevee, Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise, all recreated in Lego brick form. Pokémon fans young and old can continue their trainer journey and catch (build?) them all brick by brick.

“As a lifelong Pokémon fan, it's been an incredible honor to help bring these Pokémon to life in LEGO brick form for the first time,” said Siddharth Muthyala, Design Director on LEGO Pokémon in a press release. “Pokémon has inspired generations of fans around the world, so our team approached the design of these sets with immense care and passion, ensuring every detail and pose truly celebrates what makes these characters so beloved."

To coincide with Pokémon Day (yes, that's a real thing), all three sets will officially launch on Feb. 27, 2026. If you want to secure your sets in advance, here are all the preorder details.

Pikachu and Poké Ball

Shark vacuums shine at spot cleaning, but have a big blind spot

Scheduled full-room cleanings are a huge part of the convenience of a robot vacuum. The other half has to do with unexpected messes that need to be dealt with right now with as little clicking around in an app as possible.

In my at-home testing, Shark robot vacuums are extremely straightforward and reliable spot cleaners. Setting a zone for a one-time clean in the Shark app is as black and white as dragging a square in the designated spot cleaning tab. The Shark knows to shift itself into Matrix cleaning mode for any spot cleaning situations, and automatically goes over the spot multiple times from multiple angles. Many other budget robot vacuums won't take a second look unless you remember to toggle the number of cleaning passes from one to two. Matrix cleaning automatically covers one of my tips for making your robot vacuum work better.

Is dependable spot cleaning a Shark-only skill? Of course not. But Shark robot vacuums still get credit for do it while staying firmly in the budget robot vacuum category, and they're on sale frequently.

On the other hand, Shark's one big blind spot (literally) is small obstacle avoidance technology. Shark is forever being upstaged by frequent new releases from iRobot, Roborock, Eufy, and Dreame, who all have models at Shark prices that can steer clear of obstacles like cords and pet waste. Based on my experience, Shark hasn't mastered this skill yet. But Shark is due for a major update to its lineup, and has been due for a while — Shark takes forever to release new robot vacuums. A highly-agile Shark robot vacuum has to be on the way in 2026... right?

New robot vacuums announced at CES 2026

Shark didn't participate in CES 2026. But several other top robot vacuum brands did, and their new flagship robot vacuum and mop combos are going to create major room for improvement for Shark's flagship PowerDetect robot vacuums, which desperately need a successor. The top robovacs to look out for are the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic and Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, and the Narwal Flow 2. I will be testing these at home as soon as possible and will update this guide accordingly once all are officially available for purchase.

Add playing piano to your party tricks with this AI-powered app

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 23:30:00 +0000

TL;DR: Secure a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons and master an instrument in your free time for just $99.97 (reg. $299.99) through Feb. 1.

Credit: Skoove

Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription

$99.97
$299.99 Save $200.02

Looking to give yourself an upgrade in 2026? How about learning to play the piano? You can now add the impressive skill to your bag of party tricks without ever leaving your house, thanks to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. This app lets you learn from home — all you need is a piano or keyboard and your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

Right now, you can score a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for just $99.97 (reg. $299.99) until Feb. 1.

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If you want to really make a splash at your next dinner party, imagine how cool it would be to sit down at a piano and impress the room with a song or two. Skoove Premium Piano Lessons can make it happen, allowing you to pick up piano in your spare time with help from this AI-powered app.

Learn piano from the comfort of your own space, as Skoove Premium Piano Lessons hears what you play, recognizes your notes, and provides real-time feedback so you can improve as you go. The app works on any device, so all you need is a smartphone, tablet, or laptop to learn anywhere there’s a piano or keyboard.

Skoove Premium Piano Lessons lets you jump in at any level, with lesson options from beginner to advanced. You can also learn while playing your favorite music — choose from Adele to the Beatles to Beethoven.

This lifetime subscription gives you permanent access to over 400 lessons and thousands of instructional videos, with new ones added every month. Real music instructors are also available for one-on-one support whenever you need it.

Master piano from home with this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, now just $99.97 (reg. $299.99) through Feb. 1.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

A handful of Satisfyer toys are on sale at Amazon right now

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:00:00 +0000

UP TO 50% OFF: As of Jan. 21, you can get up to 50% off select Satisfyer toys at Amazon, including the cult-fave Satisfyer Pro 2 and the Double Joy.

Satisfyer Pro 2

$49.93 at Amazon
$69.95 Save $20.02

If you’re looking for an excuse to get yourself a *little treat*, now’s the time to do it. With V-Day on the horizon, hundreds of sex toy retailers have hard-launched holiday sales (some New Year’s discounts are still lingering, too), making it a great time to buy a new vibrator, dildo, cock ring, or whatever else gets you going.

Even Satisfyer, the brand famous for its air-pulse tech, is offering up to 50% off select toys via its Amazon storefront. Right now, you can score some of its most popular models, including the oh-so-famous Satisfyer Pro 2 and the Satisfyer Double Joy, at a hefty discount.

How to cancel your Bumble subscription

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:38:04 +0000

There comes a time when paying for a dating app just isn't in the budget anymore, and it's time to cancel your subscription. If you're a Bumble user forking over cash monthly for Boost, Premium, or Premium+, and you don't want to anymore, here's how to cancel. The method will depend on how you subscribed.

SEE ALSO: All your Bumble questions, answered

How to cancel Bumble subscription through the app

Choose this method if you're using Apple Pay, a credit or debit card, or PayPal

Total Time

2 minutes

What You Need

Bumble app

Step 1: Open the Bumble app

Step 2: Tap your profile icon

Credit: Screenshot: Bumble

Step 3: Go to "Subscription details"

Step 4: Tap "Manage your subscription" and choose to cancel

How to cancel Bumble through the App Store

If you subscribed to Bumble through the App Store, try this.

Total Time

2 minutes

What You Need

iPhone

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone, then tap your name

Step 2: Go to Subscriptions and select Bumble

Credit: Screenshot: Apple

Step 3: Tap "Cancel Subscription"

Credit: Screenshot: Apple

How to cancel Bumble subscription through Google Play

If you subscribed through Google Play on your Android, use this method to cancel.

Total Time

2 minutes

What You Need

Android phone

Step 1: Open the Google Play Store app and tap your profile icon

Step 2: Go to Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions

Step 3: Select Bumble, then tap "Cancel subscription"

Get over half off the Anker Solix C1000 portable power station with this coupon code

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:35:18 +0000

SAVE $700: As of Jan. 21, you can get the Anker Solix C1000 portable power station with a 200W solar panel for just $599 at Amazon when you enter the code ANKER610 at checkout. That's a savings of around 54% or $700 and the lowest price on record.

Credit: Anker

Anker Solix C1000 portable power station with 200W solar panel

$599 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $700

with code ANKER610 at checkout

You've probably at least considered investing in a portable power station by now. Also known as a solar generator or backup home power, these reliable and movable power sources can keep your essentials up and running when you don't have access to standard wall power. Of course, they don't come cheap. But for a limited time, a special discount code knocks over 50% off one of our favorite options: the Anker Solix C1000.

As of Jan. 21, when you use the coupon code ANKER610 at checkout (enter it under payment method), you'll knock an extra $90.99 off the Anker Solix C1000 bundled with a 200W solar panel. Already on sale for just $689.99 from $1,299.99, that brings the final price down to only $599. That's a total savings of $700 or 54%, marking a new best-ever price for the bundle.

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This do-it-all power station is a Mashable Choice Award winner, thanks to its portability, versatility, and impressive performance. It weighs less than 30 pounds, which is kind of like carrying around a stocked cooler — not exactly lightweight, but maneuverable. Its up to 2,400W output and 11 versatile ports (two USB-C, two USB-A, and six three-pronged AC outlets) can keep plenty of your essential gadgets up and running during tailgates, camping trips, or even if you lose power at home. It's not going to power up your entire home, but it'll deliver power to a space heater, coffee maker, and even a refrigerator. It recharges in less than an hour via wall power, but you can also connect it to the included solar panel if you're off the grid.

Even at full price, our reviewer thinks the Solix C1000 is worth it — at less than half price, it's a helluva deal.

Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box preorders are $14 off at Amazon

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:24:30 +0000

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box is down to $150.90 on Amazon. That's around $14 off the list price.

Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box

$150.90 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $13.80

Locking in a good price on a new Magic: The Gathering expansion can be tough, depending on demand. Thankfully, the Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box preorder has dropped in price at Amazon. As of Jan. 21, The Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box is down to $150.90 on Amazon.

This deal drops the Play Booster Box to market price vs. TCGplayer.

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This is a great deal for a bundle of 30 booster packs from a new trading card game expansion like this. And this preorder also qualifies for Amazon’s preorder price guarantee. That means if the price drops again before release day, Amazon will automatically charge you the lowest price offered between now and when the box ships. There’s very little downside to reserving a box early.

Lorwyn Eclipsed officially releases on Jan. 23, 2026, and revisits the fan-favorite in a split form — balancing the radiant harmony of Lorwyn with the chaotic darkness of Shadowmoor. The Play Booster Box includes 30 Play Boosters, designed for Limited formats and casual openings alike, with a guaranteed foil in every pack.

Each booster can contain multiple rares, and there’s even a slim chance of getting borderless foil mythics for collectors chasing premium pulls.

For more deals on Magic: The Gathering boxes, Foundations Jumpstart 2025 boosters are 23% off at Amazon right now. Plus, the MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box is down to its best-ever price at the retailer.

Last chance to score the DJI Power 2000 power station for its best-ever price at Amazon — save $600

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:07:04 +0000

SAVE $600: As of Jan. 21, the DJI Power 2000 portable power station is back to its lowest-ever price of $699 at Amazon. This is $600 off its list price of $1,299.

Credit: DJI

DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station

$699 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $600

No matter if its for future camping trips or backup power in the event of a storm, a portable power station is always worth checking out. One option that's crossed our radar is the DJI Power 2000 portable power station, which has returned to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Amazon has knocked $600 off the price of the DJI Power 2000, bringing it down to $699. The clock is ticking to take advantage of this deal. Amazon's only running this deal through Jan. 21, so now is the time to make a move.

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The DJI Power 2000 is one of our favorite portable power stations. More specifically, it's our top pick for content creators. This is because it "packs in 2,048Wh capacity with great features for content creators. It comes with three standard AC ports, a 30-amp plug, four USB-A ports, four USB-C ports, and two SDC ports for quick recharging of drones." On top of that, it even has a "quiet operation, which won’t disrupt work."

Alongside its helpful handles for portability, it also has a sturdy, safe build with a 2,048Wh LFP battery, smart Battery Management System, sub-nano coating, and flame-retardant housing. So no matter where you go, it's built to handle the adventure.

Act fast to save $600 on the DJI Power 2000 portable power station at Amazon.

The Pokémon TCG Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection has hit a record-low price at Amazon

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:14:42 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection is down to $149.99 at Amazon. That's a massive 40% discount off its $249.99 list price.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection

$149.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $100

Since its launch alongside the Phantasmal Flames era of releases, the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection has regularly been marked up well above market value due to limited stock and strong collector demand. But the picture is finally changing.

As of Jan. 21, the Pokémon TCG: Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection is available to buy for only $149.99 at Amazon, with a Snorlax-sized cut of $100 off its $249.99 list price. This is the cheapest we’ve seen the set listed at Amazon, and undercuts TCGplayer once shipping is factored in. In fact, it's only just above market value.

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For that bargain price, you’re getting one of the most packed Pokémon TCG bundles available. Inside the box are 18 booster packs pulled from a range of modern sets (Phantasmal Flames, Mega Evolution, Destined Rivals, Journey Together, and Surging Sparks) along with two foil promo cards — Mega Charizard X ex and Oricorio ex. You’ll also find a full set of premium accessories, including 65 Mega Charizard X card sleeves, a themed playmat, deck box, metal coin, six damage-counter dice, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.

To get even more Pokémon TCG packs at a steal, the Phantasmal Flames booster bundle is also on sale at Amazon.

Score the Roborock Q8 Max robot vacuum and mop for its best-ever price at Amazon — save $90

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:15:03 +0000

SAVE $90: As of Jan. 21, the Roborock Q8 Max robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $169.99 at Amazon. This is $90 off its retail price of $259.99.

Credit: Roborock

Roborock Q8 Max Robot Vacuum and Mop Cleaner

$169.99 at Amazon
$259.99 Save $90

Buying a robot vacuum doesn't have to break the bank. If you've been curious about getting something to help with the constant cleaning around the house, there are some nice options available that are kinder on your budget. The Roborock Q8 Max robot vacuum and mop is one that's worth considering, and it's even on sale right now at Amazon.

Not only has the Roborock Q8 Max dropped to $169.99 at Amazon, saving you $90 off its list price of $259.99, but this drop marks a return to its lowest-ever price. Keep in mind that this is a limited-time deal, so the clock is ticking to score it at this price.

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No matter if there's dirt on the floor or hair stuck in the carpet from your pets, the Roborock Q8 Max can handle it. It features 5,500 Pa suction, complete with dual rubber brushes for cleaning up hair while minimizing tangles. Its mopping system, which features 30 adjustable water flow levels, also works to get out stains on harder surfaces.

There's no need to worry about it running into any obstacles, either. The Roborock Q8 Max features PreciSense LiDAR navigation that maps out your home to find the best cleaning path.

Don't miss out on this limited-time deal on the Roborock Q8 Max robot vacuum and mop at Amazon. And if you're curious to see other budget-friendly picks we recommend, check out our breakdown of the best cheap robot vacuums.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Indiana

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Indiana with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

More than a third of U.S. states still have restrictions in place for online adult content, leaving users searching for a solution.

Millions of users in Indiana are unable to access popular sites like Pornhub after the introduction of age verification laws. The reasons for this situation are complicated, but the workaround is quick and easy. In just a few simple steps, users in Indiana can secure access to Pornhub without spending anything.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Indiana, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Indiana

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub
Visit Pornhub

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

Unblock Pornhub for free in Indiana with ExpressVPN.

10 free dating apps to try for winter 2026

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:49:33 +0000

What dating apps are completely free?

Mainstream dating apps like Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge all have robust free membership tiers that compete with paid subscriptions. Some free, more niche dating apps, like Archer and Lex, are also worth checking out. It just depends on what you're looking for and how much work you're willing to put in to get it.

These days, some people argue that big-name dating apps (read: Match Group apps, such as Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge) are all the same and have formed a single, amorphous dating platform. However, these apps still have distinct differences between them, as you can see below.

And even though a lot of daters want to meet someone IRL, let's face it: Dating apps aren't going anywhere. Whether you're an introvert, a college student, or just looking for some steamy sexting action, we've got you covered.

Below, find our top picks for the best free dating apps. Use them to find your forever partner, a casual encounter, or something in between — all without paying a dime.

Note: All the free dating sites listed below offer a free membership option that allows you to talk and match with people at no cost. Though most offer paid premium memberships, these aren't apps like Match or eharmony, where you need to pay to match or chat with other users.

Jimmy Kimmel recaps first year of Trumps presidency with embarrassing montage

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:15:44 +0000

Jimmy Kimmel has marked the first year of President Donald Trump's second presidential term with an embarrassing supercut, recapping a few of the lowlights of the past 365 days.

"You really almost have to hand it to him, he can do so much damage in one three-day weekend," Kimmel said, beginning by reviewing the last few days alone. "I don't know if anybody has ever done more. Every country hates us now. It's official. All of them hate us."

Speaking on Trump's moves to take Greenland from NATO ally Denmark, Kimmel addressed the president's statement that he "no longer feel[s] an obligation to think purely of peace" simply because a Norwegian organisation did not give him the Nobel Peace Prize. Lambasting Trump, the late show host observed that ironically the U.S. is now "on the verge of going to war over the Nobel Prize for peace."

"It's like we armed a real housewife with nuclear weapons," said Kimmel. "This man is crashing the plane because the stewardess didn't bring them a bag of peanuts, okay? This is what happens to children who get anything they want. This is how they grow up. President Veruca Salt. 'I want Greenland! I want it now!' All because he didn't get a little medal around his neck. He's a child."

Kimmel then ended with a montage of dubious moments from Trump's current presidency, covering everything from renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, to his Tesla ad at the White House, to his messy breakup with Elon Musk, to his derogatory comments about other countries.

Archive of Our Own will go down today, but dont freak out

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:08:57 +0000

Archive of Our Own (AO3) will be offline for over half a day on Wednesday as it implements some updates. Users of the popular fan fiction platform are being about as chill about it as expected.

Fan fiction fans were warned of this week's AO3 outage well in advance, with its official X status account offering a heads up on Monday. A yellow banner at the top of the AO3 website also alerted users to the planned outage, ensuring those who weren't on X also received plenty of notice.

The scheduled downtime is to allow AO3 to implement improvements to its bookmarks and series search functions, including adding the ability to filter and sort works by word count. Other updates include fixing bookmark search results when a work's tags contain letters and numbers, and ensuring series' blurbs can't use tags that were only used on draft works.

However, this means that the Hugo Award-winning fan fiction cornucopia will be down for the count while such upgrades are taking place. AO3 states that the outage will last for about 15 hours, leaving fan fiction readers bereft of material for much of Wednesday.

The good news is that AO3 will return within the day, and theoretically will be better than ever when it does. The bad news is that, unless you already downloaded your favourite fics or are willing to scrounge around alternative platforms, you'll just have to endure our harsh reality without your comfort hurt/comfort WIP for a while.

When will AO3 be back up?

The AO3 outage is scheduled to begin at 3:00 a.m. ET / 12:00 a.m. PT on Wednesday, and is expected to last for approximately 15 hours. As such, AO3 will be back up at around 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT at the earliest.

Of course, it's possible that AO3 will be up earlier if updates go more smoothly than anticipated. It might also be down for a little longer if AO3's team encounters complications. Your best bet is to keep checking in around the time it's expected to return, and follow AO3's official Tumblr, Bluesky, X, or status page for updates.

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Though this week's downtime is notable due to its length, AO3 veterans have staunchly endured various outages over the years — including a 2023 DDoS attack which took the beloved archive offline for almost two days. It has become a unifying tradition for AO3's community to take to social media during such downtime, flexing their creativity to humorously lament the event and commiserate with each other in these trying times. Fortunately, such desolate times haven't lasted thus far, and aren't expected to do so any time soon.

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Make memory training a 2026 habit with this app

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: Make 2026 the year you sharpen up your mind with a 5-year subscription to memoryOS Expert Plan, on sale now $142.97 (reg. $749.95).

Credit: memoryOS

memoryOS Expert Plan: 5-Year Subscription

$142.97
$749.95 Save $606.98

Want to finish out the year with a better memory? There’s now an app for that — memoryOS. This brain-training tool makes improving your memory fun with bite-sized lessons scientifically proven to be effective.

Right now, you can secure a 5-year subscription to the memoryOS Expert Plan for just $142.97 (reg. $749.95).

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If self-improvement is one of your 2026 resolutions, you need to add memoryOS to your routine. This app offers plenty of fun via gamified mini-lessons that use proven methods to improve your memory. All you need is some free time and a smartphone.

Over 100,000 users are already taking advantage of memoryOS, and they’ve seen an average increase of 70% in memory recall. You’ll quickly see why it was the most funded app on Kickstarter, as you’re guided by the app’s co-founder, Jonas von Essen, a two-time World Memory Champion.

memoryOS digitizes time-tested ways to improve your memory, like mnemonics to help you store and recall information, along with spaced repetition, a proven method for helping your brain retain information more effectively. The Mind Palace technique has actually been used for more than 2,000 years, as it changes how we encode, store, and recall data.

Aside from letting you take advantage of this new proprietary virtual Mind Palace technology, this 5-year memoryOS subscription also gives you exclusive access to the Early Adopters private group, so you can connect with others who have the same goal of memory improvement.

Secure a 5-year subscription to memoryOS Expert Plan for just $142.97 (reg. $749.95).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The best Pokémon TCG deals to shop this week

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:06:42 +0000

The best Pokémon TCG deals this week, at a glance:

Best Pokémon TCG Elite Trainer Box Deal

Pokémon TCG Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box

$79.94 (Save $26.95)

Best Pokémon TCG Booster Bundle Deal

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Booster Bundle

$52.70 (Save $12.29)

Best Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest Deal

Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest Fall 2025

$37.99 (Save $20)

Whether you're a longtime Pokémon TCG player and collector or just getting into the game, it's always good to save some cash when you can. These cards are hotter than ever, years after their debut, with demand at an all-time high for sets that released years ago, let alone those with more recent debuts.

So when you can snag a deal that works in your favor and nets you a set of awesome cards, it's a good idea to pounce on it, as is usually the case with most Pokémon-related things. With that in mind, however, how do you find some of the best deals on offer in the world of Pokémon TCG?

This fun collector chest comes in a special illustrated tin, which already makes it eye-catching and lucrative if you enjoy Pokémon as a fan or just as someone who likes special sets. And of course, saving $20 on the set is a good reason to be excited about it as well. This chest comes with six booster packs: three Mega Evolution, two Journey Together, and one Destined Rivals. Additionally, you get three foil promo cards of Ralts, Kirlia, and Riolu as well as a Mega Lucario coin, four sticker sheets, and a mini portfolio for your cards. All this lets you savor a great deal as well as some fun goodies without having to pay $50 to $60 for a booster bundle or booster box. Plus, you can store it all in the same place you got all the goodies.

More Pokémon TCG deals

Pokémon TCG: Paldean Fates Great Tusk ex & Iron Threads ex Premium Collection — $174.93 ~~$219.99~~ (save $45.06)
Pokémon TCG: Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection — $149.99 ~~$249.99~~ (save $100)
Pokémon TCG: Holiday Calendar (2025) — $69.99 ~~$74.89~~ (save $4.90)
Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet 10.5 Black Bolt Binder Box — $62.94 ~~$67.89~~ (save $4.95)
Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection — $58.94 ~~$67.99~~ (save $6.91)
Pokémon TCG: Charizard ex Special Collection — $57.99 ~~$64.90~~ (save $6.91)
Pokémon TCG: Trainer’s Toolkit — $34.95 ~~$56.90~~ (save $22.04)
Pokémon TCG: Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck — $19.79 ~~$52.99~~ (save $33.20)

The best Lego deals this week deals take up to $20 off Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel builds

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:34:34 +0000

Best Lego deals this week at a glance

Best Lego Star Wars deal

Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable Model

$67.97 (save $17.02)

Best Lego Pokémon deal

Lego Pokémon Pikachu and Poké Ball

$199.99

Best Lego Disney deal

Lego Disney Lilo and Stitch Beach House

$79.99 (save $10)

Best Lego Technic deal

Lego Technic Mack LR Electric Garbage Truck

$26.49 (save $6.50)

Best Lego Marvel deal

Lego Marvel Iron Spider-Man Bust Collectible

$47.95 (save $12.04)

What's one to do to keep busy in the winter? If you're looking for a non-screen form of entertainment, building a Lego set certainly fits the bill. It's a highly enjoyable activity and it leaves you with something fun to add to your desk or a bookshelf. Plus, some upcoming Lego sets are about to get a major upgrade since Lego just announced Smart Play sets that have interactive lights, sounds, and motions.

$849.99 at Roborock
$999.99 Save $150

The first of Roborock's CES robot vacuums is officially out. Here to help kick off the great roller mop robot vacuum flood of 2026 is the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow — not only available to buy right now, but on sale. Early shoppers can save $150 and bring it home for $849.99. That's probably the cheapest CES robot vacuum you'll come across this year.

The $849.99 price tag looks extra sweet compared to the other new roller mop robot vacuum that just came out this week: The $1,599.99 Eufy Omni S2. That's similar to what I expect the Narwal Flow 2 roller mop model to cost when it drops in April, as the first Narwal Flow debuted at $1,499.99.

The Qrevo Curv 2 Flow stops mopping on carpet and rugs. Credit: Roborock

The Qrevo Curv 2 Flow mop adapts to corners and walls automatically. Credit: Roborock

Granted, those Eufy and Narwal models have 30,000 Pa of suction power compared to the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow's 20,000 Pa, but the $500+ difference isn't pocket change. Plus, Roborock was charging $1,599.99 for its big bad flagship robot vacuums with 20,000 Pa suction power last year. So you're still getting quite a high-octane robot vacuum for carpet. The Qrevo Curv 2 Flow's livestream camera — hands down my favorite extra feature if you live with pets — sets it apart from the Eufy E28, a more affordable Eufy roller mop vacuum.

The Qrevo Curv Flow 2's most noteworthy feature is mopping, of course. The roller mop rinses itself in real time as it's mopping, making it much less likely to drag residue around and leave the floor stickier than it was before. Personally, I appreciate that Roborock gave special attention to the Curv Flow 2's ability to clean along edges. When a corner or wall is sensed, the roller mop extends out from the vacuum's circularly body to scrub right up against the flat part — something that the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller wasn't very good at.

The best free ChatGPT courses you can take online this month

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:35:37 +0000

TL;DR: A wide range of ChatGPT courses are available to take for free on Udemy.

You can find online courses on just about everything at Udemy. Want to master Python programming? Looking to get more out of Microsoft Excel? How about learning how to make ChatGPT work for you? Udemy is the place to be.

And better yet, some of the most popular examples of these online courses are available to take for free. You can learn about a large selection of useful topics without spending anything, including chatbots like ChatGPT. We have checked out everything on Udemy and lined up a selection of standout free ChatGPT courses to get you started:

The only catch is that these free online courses do not offer certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging. You still get unrestricted access to all the video content, so you can start learning at your own pace. Seriously, what's stopping you from enrolling right now. We know you've not got big plans at this time of year.

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Find the best free ChatGPT courses on Udemy.

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Booster Bundle is down to its lowest-ever price on Amazon

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:29:32 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Booster Bundle is available to buy for only $52.58 at Amazon. That's $12 off its current $64.99 list price.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Booster Bundle

$52.78 at Amazon
$64.99 Save $12.21

When new Pokémon TCG sets and expansions are launched, older expansions either drop in price due to fan demand going elsewhere or spike as they become rarer. Fortunately, it looks like Phantasmal Flames is becoming cheaper.

As of Jan. 20, the Pokémon TCG Phantasmal Flames Booster Bundle is $52.58 on Amazon. That’s $12 off and the lowest we’ve ever seen at Amazon (confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel). Containing six Phantasmal Flames booster packs (currently priced around $10 each on Amazon), you’ll be saving almost the cost of a whole pack with this Booster Bundle vs. buying individually.

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There's a chance of pulling the Mega Evolution set expansion’s most valuable chase cards, like the Mega Hyper Rare Charizard X ex that’s currently worth $354 on TCGplayer. The chances are slim, but there's always hope.

Amazon’s new price drop also undercuts TCGplayer’s listing for the Phantasmal Flames Booster Bundle, going as low as $77.95 with shipping included. We expect keen-eyed collectors to start buying out stock at the $52.58 price quickly, so jump on this deal while you can.

You can also grab the Mega Kangaskhan ex Box for only $29 at Amazon. Also, the Fall 2025 edition of the Pokémon TCG Collector Chest is on sale at Amaon for a limited time.

How to unblock Pornhub for free

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from anywhere in the world with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

Access to Pornhub is in turmoil. Early in 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws. In response, Pornhub banned visitors from those states from accessing their website. The same situation then took place in France, and although Pornhub is complying with the UK's age verification law, users are now required to provide personal information to access the site.

The situation is constantly changing, but you can stay one step ahead with a quick and easy hack. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from anywhere in the world, we have the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free

VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure server in another location. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access adult sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub
Visit Pornhub

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

If you want to retain permanent access to your favorite site, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free with ExpressVPN.

Save hundreds on lifetime access to Jillian Michaels: The Fitness App

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: Pay $149.99 once (reg. $449.95) and get lifetime access to Jillian Michaels’ personalized fitness app—no subscription fees, no gym, just workouts that adapt to you.

Credit: Jillian Michaels

Jillian Michaels: The Fitness App (Lifetime Subscription)

$149.99
$449.95 Save $299.96

Staying consistent with fitness is hard when workouts feel generic or disconnected from real life. Jillian Michaels: The Fitness App is built to change that by creating workouts that adapt to your goals, schedule, and fitness level instead of forcing you into a one-size-fits-all plan.

For a limited time, new users can get lifetime access for $149.99 (reg. $449.95) — turning a personalized, expert-led fitness program into a one-time investment rather than another monthly obligation.

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Built around a dynamic workout engine, the app creates personalized routines based on your fitness level, goals, available equipment, and even how much time you have.

What you get with lifetime access:

1,000+ workout videos, from HIIT and strength to targeted routines
Personalized workout plans based on your goals and fitness level
Audio-only workouts for walking, running, or outdoor training
Pre- and postnatal programs designed for different life stages
Advanced meal planner system to support overall wellness
Meditations and self-care content for a more balanced approach
Ability to swap or ban exercises you don’t like or can’t do
Adjustable transition times between moves
Option to select available equipment or go equipment-free
Play your own music, with Beat Sync matching tempo to your workout

Instead of locking you into rigid routines, the app gives you flexibility — short workouts, longer sessions, quiet audio guidance, or full video coaching.

Get lifetime access to Jillian Michaels: The Fitness App while it’s just $149.99 (reg. $449.95).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TikToks new deeply silly trend? Impersonating owls.

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:31:55 +0000

Sometimes TikTok is political. Sometimes it's practical. And sometimes it's just deeply silly.

The latter awaits you on your FYP in the latest trend to hit the platform: people impersonating owls. But reader, TikTokkers aren't just impersonating owls; they're also impersonating people impersonating owls.

Take @lukefranchina for example, giving an impression of an owl if said owl was Jennifer Coolidge. It's spot on.

There's @diaryofdevin as an owl, if that owl's hips did not lie. And @the_nickdarnell presents an owl of Chris Tucker proportions.

Things are getting deeply specific, with @bemoregaytho doing a perfect impression of an owl untucking backstage at RuPaul's Drag Race while the judges deliberate.

And then there's @ashleybluedefxo who just runs the whole gamut of pop girly owls from Ariana Grande to Charli xcx.

Many on TikTok are also opting for impressions of owlish "hoo" sounds with various accents from around the world, which feels like risky business on thin ice. But there's plenty of fun, situational comedy rolling out — even Netflix is getting into it. At the time of writing, #owl has over 561,000 videos, which is slowly being taken over by impersonations of the noble nocturnal birds but still includes your regular TikTok owl content.

With the 24-hour news cycle being what it is of late, we're going to just lean into this outstandingly goofy TikTok trend with all the escapism of John Hamm on a dancefloor.

Gift the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses this Valentines Day — save over $10 at Amazon

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:52:19 +0000

SAVE OVER $10: As of Jan. 19, the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses is on sale for $47.95 at Amazon This is 20% off its list price of $59.99.

Credit: Lego

Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses (10328)

$47.95 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.04

The countdown to Valentine's Day has begun, and if you've been shopping around for gift ideas, you can't go wrong with Lego. The Botanicals line, in particular, features an excellent variety of floral arrangements that make for great gifts. If you're hoping to pick up something classic for someone special this Valentine's Day, the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses is on sale right now.

Over at Amazon, the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses is on sale for $47.95. This saves you $12.04 off its usual list price of $59.99, but more importantly, it's the lowest-ever price at Amazon. If you've had it in mind, now is a great time to grab it and make sure you have it in time for Valentine's Day.

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The Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses is sure to look lovely once it's set up. The set (which is recommended for adults) comes with 822 pieces that create a dozen red roses, complete with long green stems for display, alongside four sprigs of baby’s breath to place in between. There's different variations of the roses as well — four in full bloom, four blossoming, and four in bud — so you'll have a nice variety to tweak to your liking.

Sort your Valentine's Day gift ahead of time this year and save a little cash with this deal on the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses at Amazon. If you're curious what other Lego sets are worth gifting this year, have a look at our breakdown of the best Lego sets for Valentine’s Day.

National Popcorn Day 2026 deals: How to get free popcorn on Jan. 19

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:06:54 +0000

We know you've only just got over the excitement of National Bagel Day, but there's no rest when it comes to free or heavily discounted food deals that celebrate a somewhat silly occasion. We're all about making the most of these events, and that means the schedule is pretty packed. Don't like free food? Get out of here.

The good news for anyone keen to properly celebrate National Popcorn Day is that there are already a bunch of confirmed promotions. We've lined up some of the best freebies and discounts below. We'll be updating this list with any new deals that drop as we approach Jan. 19.

National Popcorn Day deals

AMC Theatres

With the AMC Popcorn Pass, members can save 50% on large popcorn every day through 2026.

Cinemark

On Jan. 18-19, Moviegoers can bring their own bucket on National Popcorn Day. For $5, customers can get up to 400 ounces of popcorn. The only exception to this rule is if you bring a 5-gallon Lowe's bucket as your container. Cinemark has teamed up with Lowe's and agreed that you can fill the whole thing up (approximately 650 ounces of popcorn).

City Pop

Sspend $50 or more through Jan. 19 and get a free 32-cup Butter Popcorn bag.

Doc Popcorn

Get a free 12-ounce serving of Better Butter popcorn at participating locations on Jan. 19 — no purchase necessary.

Emagine Theaters

Get $5 popcorn buckets of any size on National Popcorn Day.

Evo Cinemas

Customers can get a free regular sized popcorn when they buy a movie ticket on National Popcorn Day.

Marcus Theaters

Ticket holders can pick up a free large popcorn on National Popcorn Day.

NCG

Reward members can get a free 46 ounce popcorn on National Popcorn Day.

Popsmith

Get 30% off Cream and Butter Poppers between Jan. 16-31.

Regal

Score one large popcorn serving for free on National Popcorn Day. There's only one catch. To qualify for this freebie, you need to arrive in costume. Tell someone at the concession stand what you're dressed as and you'll get free popcorn as a reward.

Showcase Cinemas

Starpass Members get a free small popcorn with any purchase on National Popcorn Day.

The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box is down to its best-ever price on Amazon

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:11:40 +0000

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box is now just $26.99 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price for this product.

Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering | Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box

$26.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $8.00

The Avatar: The Last Airbender expansion is one of MTG’s best of 2025, and newcomers can't get started with the trading card game in a better way. As of Jan. 19, Magic: The Gathering’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box is at a new low price of $26.99 on Amazon — that’s a 23% cut from its current $34.99 list price.

This MTG beginner box is not only at its best-ever price (confirmed by price tracker camelcamelcamel), but is also one of the best ways to get into the game. Here’s everything that’s included in the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box:

Two 20-card starter decks — themed around Aang and Zuko
Eight themed Avatar: The Last Airbender decks, 20 cards each
Two playmats
Two Spindown Life Counters
Two Learn-to-Play Guides
Five double-sided tokens
Rules Reference booklet

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This deal almost brings this Beginner Box down to market value vs. TCGplayer. Whether you’re an Avatar fan wanting to give Magic: The Gathering a try or you’re an MTG veteran wanting to dive into one of the most popular franchises, this is definitely the best deal going.

For more MTG bargains, you can also pick up the Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box at a price closer to market value on Amazon. You can also master the One Piece TCG with its Learn Together Deck Set for $36.99 — a great way to get into another rising trading card game.

The Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet 151 Booster Bundle is below market price at Amazon

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:01:55 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 151 Booster Bundle is now $108.87 at Amazon. That's $12 off and below market value.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet 151 Booster Bundle

$108.87 at Amazon
$120.79 Save $11.92

There’s no better example of short-supply Pokémon TCG expansions jumping up in price than the Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet 151 Booster Bundle. So any sort of discount is more than welcome.

As of Jan. 19, the Pokémon TCG 151 Booster Bundle is now $108.87 at Amazon — with a rare 10% chopped off its original $120.79 price tag. Including six booster packs from the original 151 Kanto Pokémon, this collection is popular for a reason. And this new price brings the booster bundle below its market value of $109.51 on TCGplayer.

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Released in 2023, the Pokémon TCG 151 expansion was one of the most popular selections due to its massive nostalgia power, dedicated to the original 151 Pokémon and packed with gorgeous illustration rares of the various Pocket Monsters. With such high demand and more priority being given to newer sets, getting 151 at a half-decent price is incredibly rare.

For more Pokémon TCG deals, the Mega Kangaskhan ex Box is almost at market price at 37% off on Amazon. What’s more, the Fall 2025 Edition of the Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest is on sale at over $20 off.

The Roborock Q10 S5 robot vacuum and mop is back to its lowest-ever price at Amazon — save over $100

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:54:40 +0000

SAVE OVER $150: As of Jan. 19, Amazon has marked the Roborock Q10 S5 robot vacuum and mop down to $229.99. This is 43% off its list price of $399.99, saving you $170.

Credit: Roborock

Roborock Q10 S5 Robot Vacuum and Mop

$229.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $170

A robot vacuum can be helpful to have at home, especially if you're hoping to get a headstart on spring cleaning this year. At the moment, quite a few are on sale, so it's a good time to shop around. If you're not looking to invest in one of the super pricey models, the Roborock Q10 S5 robot vacuum and mop is a more budget-friendly option that's worth a look, especially now that it's back to its lowest-ever price.

As of Jan. 19, the Roborock Q10 S5 robot vacuum and mop has dropped back to its lowest-ever price of $229.99 at Amazon. Usually it's listed for $399.99, so you'll be able to pocket $170, which is a pretty sweet deal. Act fast, as it may not stay at this price for long.

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Whether you're dealing with dirt, crumbs, or pet hair, the Roborock Q10 S5 features 10,000 Pa suction power to clear up your floors. There's no need to worry about hair slowing it down either, as it has a JawScrapers Comb main brush and an anti-tangle side brush that help to reduce tangles and keep it running smoothly. It even features obstacle avoidance technology that detects obstructions and helps the robot navigate around any items in its way as it cleans.

On top of that, the Roborock Q10 S5 has a VibraRise 2.0 Vibrating Mop System, which cleans up stains on harder surfaces as well. The mopping system even automatically lifts when it detects carpet, so you can get a full clean done around your home without having to manually adjust the vacuum.

Again, keep in mind this is a limited-time deal. Now is a great time to make a move on the Roborock Q10 S5 robot vacuum and mop while it's still on sale. Curious what other options are worth your time and money? Have a look at our roundup of the best robot vacuums to see some of our favorite picks.

Lego is giving away exclusive Burger Bike Carts for free — here’s how to get yours on Jan. 18

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:40:33 +0000

BEST LEGO DEAL: Lego is running make and take events on Jan. 18. A limited quantity of Burger Bike Carts will be available for free at participating stores.

Credit: The Lego Group

Lego Burger Bike Carts: Free Malke and Take Event

Lego has been in the news a lot lately.

Preorders for the new Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets have landed alongside preorders for the first-ever Lego Pokémon sets. There's only one downside with these exciting new launches, and that's the wait. These new sets are available for preorder, but what are we all supposed to do until release dates? We can't just sit here reading early-access reviews and angry conversations on Reddit about how Pikachu looks weird. Instead, we should all make plans to attend our nearest Lego store this weekend.

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Visitors to select Lego Stores on Jan. 18 (from 12-2 p.m.) can participate in a Lego Burger Bike Cart make and take event. During this special event, participants can build and bring home this fun model for free. This event is intended for participants aged 6+ years, and the model is available on a first-come-first-serve basis, at participating locations, while supplies last.

It's important to note is that this Lego Burger Bike Cart is not available for purchase. So by taking part in this event, participants can take home something that money literally cannot buy. The only catch is that you're limited to one build per participant, but that seems fair to us.

Head to your nearest Lego store to get the Burger Bike Cart without spending anything.

25+ gadgets to totally level up your junk journaling game

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 10:03:23 +0000

If you're a junk journaler (or have one in your life), you probably have a proclivity for swiping a crisp cocktail napkin into your bag when you’re out for drinks or saving a particularly cute flyer from a museum event that you went to. Maybe your first thought is even, “I should grab some for my junk journal” at the sight of confetti exploding over an arena during your favorite artists’ concert or a stray plastic flower petal that blew onto your picnic blanket. Junk journaling can be quite special and meaningful to those who really jive with this creative practice.

Junk journaling is also an awesome analog activity to take up if you're looking to cut down on screen time and spend less of your day doomscrolling.

What is junk journaling?

“The number one rule of junk journaling is that there are no rules,” Martina Calvi says in her book A Year of Junk Journaling: 52 creative prompts to transform the scraps of your life into art. In case you haven't heard about it, junk journaling is a practice of saving "trash" or ephemera from your daily life and gluing it down in a physical journal. Some folks also have robust digital junk journals and collages on their iPad in programs like Procreate or Freeform.

“No matter how mundane you think your life is, there are beautiful memories worth preserving, and your future self will thank you for collecting these in a tangible form,” Calvi writes. “The simple joys of sharing a coffee with your friend, walking through the park on your day off, or having dinner with your parents.”

In her book, Calvi encourages folks to get creative with what they see in their daily life. Fans of junk journaling emphasize that the practice of noticing the meaning behind small objects can have a ripple effect of appreciation for the minutiae of your life.

For example, junk journalers often commemorate things like a stray grocery receipt from a first Thanksgiving in a new home or a matchbook from a memorably bad date. As opposed to scrapbooking, which often spotlights traditionally important events, anything goes in junk journaling.

Save receipts, stickers, takeout bags, coasters, and whatever other physical "junk" you can collect throughout your day. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

What are the best gadgets for junk journaling?

Junk journalers on TikTok and Pinterest have a healthy self-awareness that our little hobby can be a bit unusual or extra. It seems like many junk journalers often must find a way to strike a balance between saving memorabilia for our hobby and letting things just go into the trash or recycling. Antics aside, junk journaling can be super fun. Something that makes any crafting practice more fun is snagging the best tools to enhance it.

You can call me inspector because I truly love a gadget. Picking up a new tool or gadget related to your artistic hobby can be so inspiring. It can renew your love of the practice because you suddenly have new and inventive ways to create. Below, we rounded up some of the absolute best tools and essentials for junk journalers and crafters, et al.

A journal

Credit: Leuchtturm1917

Leuchtturm1917 notebook

$25.50 at Amazon

First and foremost, you need a journal to house all your junk. The blank Leuchtturm1917 notebook is one of the most popular among junk journalers on TikTok. Just note that the pages are a bit see-through, so you'll want to glue them together for each new spread to avoid bleeding.

A Year of Junk Journaling

'A Year of Junk Journaling' by Martina Calvi

$23.29 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $1.70

This book is such an amazing resource for avid junk journalers or folks who are curious about the art form. It inspired me so much about things I wasn’t even considering for my spreads, like fruit stickers, restaurant matchboxes, receipts, candy wrappers, and handwritten things from loved ones, like grocery lists. The spreads are so colorful and inspiring in this book, too.

A photo sticker printer

Canon Ivy 2 mini photo printer

$109.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $10

Kodak Step wireless mini printer

$79.99 at Amazon

HP Sprocket 2x3 instant smartphone printer

$89.99 at Amazon

HP Sprocket Panorama label and photo printer

$129.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $20

A mini photo printer is the perfect sidekick for someone who wants to fill their junk journal with pictures to correspond with their spreads. Some of our favorites are the Canon Ivy 2, Kodak Step, HP Sprocket, and HP Sprocket Panorama. Just connect the printers to your smartphone or social media accounts and print photo stickers on demand.

Bench organizer

Credit: Amazon

Bench Organizer for Art Supplies Tools

$68.56 at Amazon

This is the perfect addition to a junk journaler’s desk. There are so many compartments for organizing postcards, pencils, pens, stickers, scissors, and notebooks. Junk journaling can get pretty chaotic and disorganized with all of the random scraps that you save.

Epson EcoTank printer

Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless Cartridge-Free Printer

$199.99 at Amazon
$239.99 Save $40

For serious crafters and junk journalers who want to print to their hearts' content, the Epson Ecotank series is a complete game-changer. At varying price points, Epson has revolutionized printing in color. The EcoTank printer comes with bottles of ink that barely run out after printing many pages of full, vibrant color.

Chompsaw

Credit: Chompsaw

ChompSaw: The Ultimate Kid-Safe Power Tool for Cutting Cardboard

$249.99 at Amazon

The Chompsaw is an exciting new invention directed primarily at children, but the brand emphasizes that it's safe for ages 3 to 103 for a reason. The Chompsaw acts like a “bench saw” for cardboard and thicker paper products. Intended to be completely safe for tiny and adult fingers, it allows folks to get really creative with their trash.

Toddler digital instant camera

Credit: Dylanto

Dylanto Kids Camera Instant Print

$31.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $8.00

This might sound so bananas, but this toddler digital camera with instant print capability is an amazing tool for junk journalers because the cameras use thermal printing, meaning the film is not as precious as Instax or Polaroid (though those are super fun to use as well). While some instant print cameras that use film cost around $16 for a box of 20 photos, rolls of paper for these cameras cost around $10 for six rolls. Each roll for these “toddler” cameras can print 70 photos. The photos are only in black and white, but can add a fun pop of creativity to your junk journaling spreads.

Pen hot glue gun

Credit: Dremel

Dremel Pen Hot Glue Gun Cordless

$47.99 at Amazon

This cordless pen glue gun from Dremel is seriously innovative with its easy-squeeze trigger. The glue gun is designed to be held like a pen for easier maneuvering and grip strength. This is awesome for junk journalers who like to include unique and hard-to-glue-down objects like fake flowers, pennies, and other truly random treasures. Eschew the annoying features of the classic glue gun with its limiting cord, constant tipping over, and clunky application design.

Dremel electric scissors

Credit: Dremel

Dremel Electric Scissors

$64.99 at Amazon

For folks who work with many different materials, from fabric to cardboard, these electric scissors from Dremel might come in super handy. Cut through tons of material for your junk journal spread without tiring out your hands.

Kodak nice digital camera

Kodak PIXPRO FZ55-BK 16MP CMOS Sensor Digital Camera

$139.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $20

A friend to many junk journalers is the classic digital camera. Yes, many, if not most, of us have phones that can take pictures. However, having a digital camera can offer a different texture and aesthetic to the photos that you’re snapping.

Polaroid camera

Polaroid Now 3rd Generation I-Type Instant Camera + Film Bundle

$144.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $15

For folks who want higher-quality photos in their spreads, a classic Polaroid camera can’t steer you wrong. This Polaroid Now 3rd-generation I-type instant camera also comes with two packs of eight film sheets. Add that classic nostalgic touch to your junk journal spreads with vivid snaps of your favorite places, people, or things.

Portable scanner

Portable Document Scanner

$60.99 at Amazon

This portable scanner tool is so cool. It is specified for documents, but many folks will use it on surfaces, signs, posters, and textures they see when out and about. Scan textures you see on your travels or in your neighborhood and save them for your next digital or IRL collage. Graphic designers rave about the scanner’s ability to capture texture more than a simple smartphone photo.

Artist and content creator lamp

Credit: Canvas

Canvas Lamp

$172.99 at Canvas

If content creation is an essential part of your creative or artistic practice, artists have raved in the avalanche of positive reviews for this lamp. The lamp clamps onto your desk and can move around and change its brightness level. It also has a convenient mount for placing your phone in and recording your crafting session.

Letter stamps

36-piece small wooden rubber stamps

$9.99 at Amazon

If your handwriting looks better in your head than it does on paper, you might have fun with an alphabet stamp set. Create cohesive titles for your spreads or stamp out words and numbers that fit the theme of your junk.

iPad

Apple iPad (128GB, A16 chip, 11-inch)

$329 at Walmart

For folks who vibe with the concept of junk journaling but not with the mess of scissors, tape, paper, and glue, you can still be a junk journaler! Celebrate those photos that just sit in your camera roll by giving them another life in a digital collage with Procreate or Freeform.

Apple Pencil Pro

$94.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $34.01

Digital junk journalers all over TikTok are rarely seen without an Apple Pencil. This stylus is so compatible with iPads, it can allow you to digitally collage, illustrate, and junk journal to your heart’s content.

Band.do stickers

Ban.do sticker booklet

$12.95 at Amazon

Sticker lovers can rejoice with this booklet from Ban.do. The brand has tons of different artists contribute to each booklet it releases. Stickers can always be a fun addition to junk journaling, even though they’re not “found objects.”

Flow, the Book for Paper Lovers

'Flow, the Book for Paper Lovers'

$29.99 at Amazon
$35 Save $5.01

Sometimes you just don't have enough junk to fill up all of the white space in your journal — or you simply want some fun paper as the backdrop for your spread. Flow is an awesome book full of paper, stickers, illustrations, and even journaling ideas.

Double-sided tape dispenser

Credit: Amazon

Double-sided tape dispenser

$24.95 at Amazon

Double-sided tape dispensers can make your junk journaling session go super smoothly. This set comes with two dispensers and eight refills, so you can get a lot of stuff taped down.

Fiskars circle cutter

Credit: Fiskars

Fiskars circle cutter

$26.19 at Amazon

This Fiskars circle cutter can punch out precise circles from various materials. Cut out different sizes of circles with this cutter that comes with three separate replacement blades.

Funky scissors

Mr. Pen craft scissors

$6.85 at Amazon
$9.99 Save $3.14

Give your junk a fun, decorative edge with this set of six scrapbooking scissors.

Mini embosser kit

Sizzix Sidekick Starter Kit

$64.99 at Amazon

This mini embosser machine is something that could elevate or add a dash of creativity to your practice. Roll paper through this machine to emboss the material with unique shapes, patterns, or words. The opportunities for creativity are pretty much endless.

X-Acto knife set

Credit: DIYSELF

DIYSELF Exacto Knife

$6.99 at Amazon

This scrapbooking knife set speaks for itself when it comes to junk journaling. It’s an excellent tool for isolating certain images in a pamphlet or paper that you want to cut out with more precision than the average pair of household scissors.

Heated ribbon cutter

Memory keepers heated ribbon cutter

$19.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $10

This tool is super helpful for cutting ribbon or other materials that are likely to fray. It seals the end of the cut material with heat.

Label printer

Phomemo D30 Label Maker Machine

$16.19 at Amazon
$28.98 Save $12.79

Label printers are such an unsung hero of the junk journaling game. Instantly print labels for your spreads that can indicate any info you’d like. Print out labels for the date of your spread, explain an inside joke, or even decoratively incorporate song lyrics or lines from your favorite poem.

Thermal laminator

Scotch TL901X Thermal Laminator

$26.97 at Walmart
$54.99 Save $28.02

A laminator might be a great score for someone who wants to junk journal in a more practical sense. Make bookmarks or reusable calendars out of your junk journaling spreads by creating your masterpiece and feeding it through the laminator for enhanced permanence.

Accordion file folder

Credit: Sooez

Sooez Expanding Accordion Organizer

$14.99 at Amazon

This accordion file folder on Amazon is perfect for the junk journalers who are running out of room for storing all their unused ephemera. It’s expandable, so it can grow and shrink with the ebbs and flows of your collection of things.

Phone app limiter

Credit: Brick

Brick

$59 at Brick

This might be a surprising inclusion on this list, but the Brick phone-locking device could be a really helpful tool for your creativity. Tap your phone against the Brick to lock your access to the apps of your choosing and fully focus on your artistic project. (Many of our staff members use and love the Brick.)

Pok Pok is a calmer way to introduce kids to screen play

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: Pok Pok is a calm, Montessori-inspired app that gives kids meaningful screen time parents can feel good about, no ads, no pressure, just play — and lifetime access is on sale for $59.99.

Credit: Pok Pok

Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription

$59.99
$250 Save $190.01

For many parents, screen time can feel like a constant balancing act. You want something engaging for your child — but not loud, addictive, or filled with ads. That’s exactly the space Pok Pok was designed to fill.

Pok Pok is a Montessori-inspired app created for children ages 2–8, offering a digital playroom full of open-ended games that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and independent exploration. There are no levels to beat, no points to rack up, and no overstimulating sounds competing for attention.

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Instead, kids learn through curiosity, cause and effect, and imaginative play at their own pace.

Inspired by the Montessori philosophy developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, Pok Pok focuses on hands-on discovery and self-directed learning. Each “toy” inside the app supports foundational skills like early STEM thinking, numbers, spatial awareness, language development, and emotional growth without feeling like a lesson.

The experience is intentionally calm. All artwork, animations, sounds, and music are hand-crafted in-house to create a peaceful environment that doesn’t overwhelm young minds. Pok Pok is also completely ad-free and offline-friendly.

Kids can explore themed worlds like space, dinosaurs, puzzles, dress-up, music, and islands, with new content added regularly. One subscription works across all family devices, and everything is intuitive enough for even toddlers to navigate independently, though many kids love exploring alongside a caregiver.

A Pok Pok Lifetime Subscription is available for $59.99 (reg. $250) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

For learners who want confidence, Babbel is the way to go

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: If you’re tired of time-wasting language apps, Babbel’s lifetime plan is just $129.99 (reg. $646.20) thanks to the StackSocial code LEARN.

Credit: Babbel

Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages)

$129.99
$646.20 Save $516.21

If you’ve bounced between language-learning apps before, you already know how easy it is to spend time without actually building confidence. Babbel takes a more practical, adult-focused approach — one that prioritizes real conversation over endless tapping and guessing.

Babbel works across desktop and mobile, with progress synced automatically, so you can learn wherever it makes sense. Lessons can also be downloaded for offline use, making it easy to practice on a commute, while traveling, or anytime WiFi isn’t available.

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With access to 14 languages and more than 10,000 hours of learning content, the platform is designed for long-term progress, not quick wins. Each language course is broken into 10- to 15-minute lessons built around situations people actually encounter — ordering food, navigating transportation, handling everyday conversations, or communicating in professional settings.

The curriculum was developed by over 100 expert linguists and informed by academic researchers from institutions such as Yale University.

Babbel also includes speech recognition technology to help fine-tune pronunciation and an AI-powered conversation partner that encourages learners to respond naturally in real time. Personalized review sessions reinforce what you’ve learned, so progress feels steady and measurable.

For anyone serious about learning a language — and actually using it — Babbel offers a thoughtful, proven path to fluency.

StackSocial is offering a Babbel Lifetime Language Learning subscription with access to all 14 languages for $129.99 (reg. $646.20) when you use code LEARN for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

X reportedly still allows Grok-created, sexualized images despite new ban

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:17:25 +0000

Elon Musk's X may still be permitting the posting of Grok-generated, sexualized images of real people, despite the company’s recent announcement that such content had been banned, according to reporting by The Guardian.

The British newspaper reported that its journalists were able to generate and upload videos depicting real women being undressed into bikinis, using images of fully clothed individuals.

In its reporting, The Guardian wrote:

"The Guardian was able to create short videos of people stripping to bikinis from photographs of fully clothed, real women. It was also possible to post this adult content on to X’s public platform without any sign of it being moderated, meaning the clip could be viewed within seconds by anyone with an account."

According to the newspaper, the sexualized images were created using the standalone Grok app and then successfully posted to X. Earlier this week, X said it had banned AI-generated, sexualized images of real people.

"We have implemented technological measures to prevent the [@]Grok account on X globally from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis," the X safety account wrote in an update. "This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers."

X has faced criticism in recent weeks over the circulation of sexualized, AI-generated images on the platform. Earlier this month, governments in multiple countries said they were investigating or moving to restrict Grok following reports that it had enabled the creation of sexualized images of minors. X's safety update also stated that the company maintains a "zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content."

Pokémon TCG: Mega Kangaskhan ex Box is almost at market price at 37% off on Amazon

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:19:16 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Kangaskhan ex Box is now only $29.45 at Amazon, with 37% cut off its usual $46.99 list price.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: Mega Kangaskhan ex Box

$29.45 at Amazon
$46.99 Save $17.54

A lot of the recent Pokémon TCG sets on sale have only been able to offer a bit of extra value, a symptom of the trading card game’s short supply vs demand, but one surprising box seems to be a proper bargain.

As of Jan. 16, the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Kangaskhan ex Box is 37% off at $29.45 at Amazon through various merchants doing business on the site. As confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel, that’s the best price we’ve seen through third-party sellers yet.

That’s a $17.54 price cut from its standard $46.99 price tag, and a nice saving, considering what you’re getting.

To start, here’s exactly what you get with the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Kangaskhan ex Box:

One Mega Kangaskhan ex foil promo card
Four Pokémon TCG boosters — two Mega Evolution and two Destined Rivals, based on provided imagery, but the final product’s mixture may be different
One oversized version of said Mega Kangaskhan ex foil promo card

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While there aren’t any more of the usual flashy extras with some special collections, like a Pokémon TCG coin or a figure, this Mega Kangaskhan ex box is still a great value when you compare market prices.

Firstly, Amazon’s undercuts TCGPlayer’s listings as usual — with the latter’s cheapest listing being for $64.49 total ($34.49 plus $30 shipping).

Secondly, due to market conditions, individual booster packs from most modern sets are currently priced between $10 and $15 each. With four included in this box, you’re realistically saving at least $10, and you’re getting a stunning Mega Kangaskhan ex card on top.

This particular deal is slightly hidden on Amazon right now, as you’re unable to see it on the product page until you select the ‘See All Buying Options’ button. When more Pokémon TCG collectors catch on, though, we expect this to sell out quickly.

Speaking of solid Pokémon TCG deals, you can still buy the Fall Edition of the 2025 Collector Chest at over $20 off. Meanwhile, you can also save big on the Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection that’s on sale, too — containing five boosters, a titular promo card, and much more.

X outage: Elon Musks site is down, heres what we know

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:42:02 +0000

Updated on Jan. 16 at 11:21 a.m. ET: X appeared to be recovering from its earlier outage. User-reported issues eased on Downdetector. We were successfully able to load the site and browse, about an hour after it went down.

Elon Musk's X appeared to suffer a major outage on Friday.

User-reported issues for X on Downdetector spiked shortly after 10 a.m. ET. (Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by Ziff Davis, the same parent company as Mashable.)

Upon trying to open the social media site, we received an error message that read: "Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot." It was not immediately clear what caused the outage.

The error message on X. Credit: Screenshot: X

X also suffered a relatively brief outage earlier in the week. In fact, it's been quite the week for outages, with Verizon suffering a huge outage, with folks across the U.S. losing cell service for a long stretch.

Users on Bluesky, especially, reacted strongly to X being down, dunking on the site amid the ongoing issue of its AI tool, Grok, being used to create nonconsensual, sexual images. Some users have migrated away from X over time amid its rightwing shift.

X-Twitter is down Oontz oontz oontz oontz
— Ms . Penny Oaken, SkyWitch 🧙‍♀️ (@skywitches.net) January 16, 2026 at 10:47 AM

Brace position BlueSky - X is down
— Tom Jamieson (@tomjam.bsky.social) January 16, 2026 at 10:44 AM

X is completely down, now is BlueSky's chance to shine. So, we're replacing one letter in song titles today?
— Michael Kupperman (@mkupperman.bsky.social) January 16, 2026 at 10:52 AM

This story is developing and will be updated as necessary...

Its your last chance to save 50% on the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:21:43 +0000

SAVE $998.01: As of Jan. 16, get the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station for $999.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,998. That's a discount of 50%.

Credit: Amazon

Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station

$999.99 at Amazon
$1,998 Save $998.01

Losing power is never fun. Whether you're dealing with an emergency or you prefer to go off-grid, you want to make sure you're always covered where electricity is concerned. A good way to do that is by having a portable power station to make sure you're covered at all times. Right now, you can grab a fantastic deal on an Anker portable power station, but this is your last chance to get it before it's no longer on sale.

As of Jan. 16, get the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station for $999.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,998. That's $998.01 off and a discount of 50%.

The C2000 Gen 2 has a 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery that offers 1,056Wh of power. It's pretty massive at around 28 pounds, so this is a big power station you'll need to account for, but it'll keep you afloat for a long time, which is worth that tradeoff. It can handle a 30amp plug and has a sustained power output of 2,400W with a peak at 4,000W, so it's a great pick for powering your life until you get electricity back or for camping trips.

Plus, you can use the included 200W solar panel to charge it back up to 100% when a wall charger just isn't an option. It can be fully charged in just 58 hours when you need to top it up, which means you won't be left waiting long when you finally deplete it.

If you're looking for a solid portable power station without spending the kind of cash one demands, don't wait. Get yours before it's out of stock and back up to its normal price.

Admin night is the most responsible fun you can have in 2026

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:49:19 +0000

Admin night doesn't look like much at first glance. A few friends on a couch. Laptops open. Phones out. Someone lights a candle. Someone else orders takeout. And then, quietly, the work begins: canceling subscriptions, paying overdue bills, booking dentist appointments, opening long-avoided emails, and finally setting up that high-yield savings account you've been meaning to deal with "next week."

On TikTok, admin night is emerging as one of 2026's most relatable low-key hangout trends — a structured, communal way to tackle the invisible labor of adulthood together. Less party, more parallel productivity. And in a cultural moment defined by financial anxiety, burnout, and an appetite for quieter socializing, it makes a surprising amount of sense.

At its core, admin night reframes productivity as a social activity. Instead of carving out solo time to face overwhelming to-do lists, friends gather with the shared understanding that everyone has life tasks they've been avoiding. The hang isn’t about grinding through work; it's about making those tasks feel finite, survivable, and, crucially, less lonely.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, journalist Chris Colin framed admin night as a response to "the isolation fanned by our collective overwhelm," arguing that our drift from one another isn't just about screens, but "the endless micro-obligations that keep us tethered to them." In that sense, admin night offers a small but meaningful interruption to that cycle.

The timing isn't accidental. In 2026, low-key hangs have fully replaced nights out as the default social currency. Rising costs, post-burnout fatigue, and a collective reassessment of what "fun" should look like have led people toward gatherings that are more affordable, quieter, and more intentional. Admin night fits neatly into that shift: no reservations, no cover charges, no pressure to perform. Just snacks, companionship, and a shared goal of getting your life slightly more together.

But admin night isn't just about saving money. It's also about emotional relief. Modern adulthood is administratively overwhelming in ways previous generations didn't experience. Subscription creep, fragmented healthcare systems, digital bureaucracy, and financial tools that assume a baseline literacy most people were never taught — all of this creates a constant background hum of stress. Ignoring those tasks can spiral into shame. Facing them alone can feel paralyzing.

Doing them together changes the equation.

There's also a real psychological mechanism at play. Admin night taps into a concept known as "body doubling," a practice that involves completing tasks alongside others to enhance focus and follow-through. Often used by people with ADHD, body doubling reduces task avoidance by providing gentle accountability and lowering the emotional barrier to starting. You don’t need advice or supervision; you just need someone else there, doing their own thing, reminding your nervous system that you're not in this alone.

Friends check in on each other’s progress. Celebrate small wins. Normalize how behind everyone feels. Someone asks, "Did you cancel it yet?" and suddenly the task feels doable.

Admin night also fits into a longer lineage of peer support that challenges the notion that personal worth is tied to productivity. In a 2021 Mashable story by Chase DiBenedetto about mutual aid communities like Extra Spoons, executive skill coach Lisa Joy Tuttle explained how peer support helps de-stigmatize the so-called "inability to adult" — a cycle in which anxiety, depression, or burnout makes everyday tasks feel impossible, and unfinished tasks then amplify shame. The goal of these communities, Tuttle noted, isn't to become a "shinier machine," but to create more space for connection, ease, and a life that feels enjoyable rather than optimized.

On TikTok, the aesthetic reflects that softness. There's no hustle-coded urgency. Admin night videos favor candles over timers, cozy couches over desks, wine or tea over energy drinks. The tone isn't "optimize your life" — it's "let's survive it together." In that way, the trend quietly rejects grind culture's obsession with individual discipline and replaces it with something more humane: shared responsibility.

There’s something subtly radical about that shift. Admin night acknowledges that being "bad at adulthood" isn't a personal failing. In reality, it's a structural one. It treats bureaucratic competence as communal knowledge, not a moral virtue. And it redistributes invisible labor by making space for people to admit what they don’t know without embarrassment.

Admin night won't magically fix your finances or cure burnout. But it does something smaller and maybe more important: It turns the most isolating parts of adult life into a reason to gather. In 2026, when fun increasingly looks like sustainability — and TikTok's own trend forecasting suggests the era of fantasy escapism is giving way to a return to reality — that might be the point.

After all, if adulthood is mostly admin, then admin night is just friendship adapting to reality.

The Lego Art Love set is down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon ahead of Valentines Day

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:11:38 +0000

SAVE OVER $10: As of Jan. 16, the Lego Art Love set has dropped to its lowest-ever price of $63.99 at Amazon. This is $16 off its list price of $79.99.

Credit: Lego

Lego Art Love Collectible Building Set (31214)

$63.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $16.00

Valentine's Day is a little under a month away, and if you're looking for fun gift ideas, Lego sets are always a great choice. Some sets are perfect for the occasion as well, like the brick-built Lego Art Love set that recreates Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture. As of Jan. 16, it has even hit its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Usually, the Lego Art Love set comes with a price of $79.99, but for a limited time it's dropped to $63.99. This saves you $16 and, again, marks its lowest price yet. If you've had your eye on it, now is a great time to make a move on it.

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Recommended for adult Lego fans, the Lego Art Love set comes with 791 pieces that build up a small recreation of the sculpture with all of its red, blue, and green colors. It even comes with two building instructions so you can piece it together alongside someone else, if you want.

Limited-time deals like this don't tend to last very long. Don't miss out on the Lego Art Love set while it's down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Looking for more Lego sets to gift for Valentine's Day this year? Our roundup of the best Lego sets for Valentine’s Day features plenty of other options we think are worth picking up.

The Pokémon TCG Masks of Ogerpon Premium Collection is down to market value at Amazon

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:07:23 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Masks of Ogerpon Premium Collection is on sale for under $70 at Amazon. That's down to market value vs. TCGplayer.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Masks of Ogerpon Premium Collection

$69.89 at Amazon
$74.99 Save $5.10

The world of Pokémon TCG is still going absolutely wild. Interest is continuing to climb, stock is often in short supply, and prices are usually inflated with leading retailers like Amazon. It's still possible to find value for money, but you've got to put in the work. Or alternatively, you could let us find the opportunities for you.

The Pokémon TCG Masks of Ogerpon Premium Collection is on sale for under $70 at Amazon. It's only a few dollars off its list price, but that brings it down to market value vs. TCGplayer. When you factor in shipping and convenience, shopping with Amazon in this case makes a lot of sense.

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The Pokémon TCG Masks of Ogerpon Premium Collection includes one foil card featuring Hearthflame Mask Ogerpon ex, one foil card featuring Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex, one oversize foil card featuring Hearthflame Mask Ogerpon ex, 10 Pokémon TCG booster packs, and a code for Pokémon TCG Live.

You get a lot for your cash, which is often the case with these collections. If you're just starting out on your trading card journey, these collections are a great way to get going for less.

Get the Pokémon TCG Masks of Ogerpon Premium Collection for around market value at Amazon.

Hack your cleaning routine with the Eufy C10 robot vacuum — over $90 off at Amazon

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:40:05 +0000

SAVE OVER $90: As of Jan. 16, the Eufy C10 robot vacuum is down to $206.99 at Amazon. This is $93 off its list price of $299.99.

Credit: Eufy

Eufy C10 Robot Vacuum

$206.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $93

Some robot vacuums come with very high price tags, but if you're not looking to drop a ton of cash on a model, there are still some great budget options available. In fact, one of our favorite cheap robot vacuums, the Eufy C10, has received a discount of over $90 at Amazon.

As of Jan. 16, the Eufy C10 robot vacuum is on sale for $206.99 at Amazon. Overall, this is $93 off its list price of $299.99, but it's also incredibly close to its lowest-ever price of $197.99. If you've been looking for extra cleaning assistance ahead of spring, but with a more affordable price tag, this robot vacuum deal is well worth checking out.

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Alongside its budget-friendly price tag, the Eufy C10 is a robot vacuum we consider to be a great pick for small spaces, noting in our roundup of the best cheap robot vacuums that "For folks who live in apartments and smaller homes, the self-emptying Eufy C10 is sized (and priced) just right."

It features a 4,000 Pa suction power to pick up crumbs, dirt, pet hair, and more on your floors alongside a self-empty station that only needs replacing every 60 days. On top of that, the Eufy C10 has a slim design that's just 2.85-inches high to allow it to slip underneath furniture, and comes with LiDAR navigation that helps it to map out your home for an effective clean.

This limited-time deal may not stick around for long, though. Act fast to save on the Eufy C10 robot vacuum at Amazon. Looking for more options worth checking out? Our overall roundup of the best robot vacuums can point you towards some of our top picks as well.

The One Piece Learn Together Deck Set is now around market price at Amazon

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:17:34 +0000

TL;DR: The One Piece Card Game’s Learn Together Deck Set is now only $36.99 at Amazon. That's 8% off its $39.99 list price.

Credit: Bandai

One Piece: Learn Together Deck Set (LT-01) by Bandai

$36.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $3

The One Piece Card Game has really taken off since launching about three and a half years ago. It's accessible and fun, so it's no wonder why. Now, the perfect starter kit is at its best price this year.

As of Jan. 16, One Piece: Learn Together Deck Set is now only $36.99 on Amazon, with $3 cut off its list price. That’s the best price this set has been this year, and is the best way to jump in and see what the card game is all about. The set comes with three constructed decks, based around Zoro, Luffy, and Nami, each with 51 cards plus 10 DON!! Cards, and a unique deck case.

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Essentially, this means you and up to two friends could open this set up, take a deck each, and learn the One Piece card game while you learn together. Alongside three included booster packs to optimize each deck, this comes with three unique guidebooks: one for each deck, so you can even master each specific theme.

This new price is still about $4 higher than market price, but is still the best price going compared to TCGplayer — the lowest-priced listing there is at $78.98.

For more great deals from the world of trading cards, the Fall 2025 edition of the Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest is still on sale at over $20 off. The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is now below market value on Amazon, as well.

Lego Pokémon are officially available for preorder, plus more of the best new Lego sets available now

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:05:06 +0000

The new year is officially here, and with it, a brand new batch of available Lego sets, plus a few extra for preorders.

Even though building Legos may make you feel like a kid again, they cost very real adult money to actually purchase, plus a fair bit of time to look through if you're keeping up with the latest sets.

That's why I spent my time combing through all of the best new Legos of 2026 to pick out the best of the best, from the affordable options to larger investments. A sneak peek at what January has in store: open preorders for the first-ever Lego Pokémon collaboration, sets with brand-new interactive bricks with tech never before seen from the brand, and nine sets under $100.

You can find them below, along with more of the best releases from 2025, including the Lego Game Boy and a Star Wars set that's officially the largest Star Wars Lego model of all time.

Best new Lego sets as of January 2026

Lego Pokémon

Lego Pikachu, we choose you. Credit: Lego

The first-ever Lego Pokémon release actually is made up of three sets, all of which are available for preorder and set to ship out on Feb. 27. Each exists in a different price tier: there's the adorable and affordable Eevee, which clocks in at $59.99 for a 587-piece set, the more involved Pikachu and Poké Ball with 2,050 pieces for $199.99, and finally the massive Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise set, which is a whopping $649.99 for 6,838 pieces.

Credit: Lego

Lego Pokémon (3 sets)

Ranging from $59.99 to $649.99, depending on the set

Lego Smart Play Star Wars sets

Charge up your Smart Bricks before adding them to the set to add an extra element of interactivity. Credit: Lego

Lego Disney Kevin & Dug

$59.99

Coming March 1

Lego Technic BMW M4 GT3 EVO Race Car

$64.99

Coming March 1

Lego Technic Jeep Wrangler Rubicon SUV

$64.99

Best new Lego sets as of December 2025

Lego Creator 3-in-1 Space Exploration Telescope

A tripod telescope is one of three available builds in this one set. Credit: Lego

What's just as cool as space? The fact that this 278-piece set can be built into three different configurations, including an adjustable telescope on a tripod, an adjustable microscope, or a UFO. It's the perfect set for the space enthusiast in your life, young or old, and best of all, it's just $34.99. Preorders ship out on January 1, 2026.

Credit: Lego

Lego Creator 3-in-1 Space Exploration Telescope

$34.99 at Lego

Lego Fortune Firecracker

Legos that serve as wall decor are elite. Credit: Lego

Lunar New Year isn't until February, but you can get prepared by pre-ordering this Lego Fortune Firecracker. The eight firecrackers "crackle" when they're moved, and the entire set can be mounted on the wall. The center can also be opened to reveal one of two scenes of your choice — a firework display or God of Fortune celebration scene. Preorders will ship out on January 1.

Credit: Lego

Lego Fortune Firecracker

$89.99 at Lego

Lego Editions FIFA World Cup Official Trophy

Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / Lego

In classic Lego style, this replica brings you more than meets the eye. The 2,842-piece set functions as a 14.5-inch brick version of the iconic World Cup trophy, but unlike the real deal, the top can also be opened to reveal a World Cup scene. The actual World Cup isn't until July of next year, but preorders for this set ship out on March 1, 2026.

Credit: Lego

Lego Editions FIFA World Cup Official Trophy

$199.99 at Lego

Lego Ideas The Goonies

The Goonies Legos 'R' Good Enough. Credit: Lego

The Goonies turned a whopping 40 years old this year — what better way to celebrate than building this nearly 3,000 piece set, featuring the iconic Inferno pirate ship housing vignettes from the film? And unlike the full-scale ship built for the movie, it won't be devastating if you want to scrap this one and build it all over again. At the time of writing, this set is on backorder, but should be ready to ship out (no pun intended) 60 days from purchase.

Credit: Lego

Lego Ideas The Goonies

$329.99 at Lego

Lego Icons Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D

Your living room: The Final Frontier. Credit: Lego

The crew of the Lego U.S.S. Enterprise may be used to more exciting voyages than the one to your office shelves or living room sideboard, but the Star Trek fans will probably appreciate being greeted by the display every single day.

This Next Generation-themed 3,600-piece set comes with nine minifigures, a detachable command saucer, secondary hull, warp nacelles with distinctive red and blue detailing, an opening shuttlebay, 2 mini shuttlepods, and an angled display stand with a schematic and ship statistics. Also currently on backorder, it will ship out 60 days after purchase.

Credit: Lego

Lego Icons Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D

$399.99 at Lego

Lego Icons Tropical Aquarium

All the aquarium essentials are in this set, including a treasure chest. Credit: Lego

Heated Rivalry fans in Russia are breaking antigay laws to stream the show

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 21:59:56 +0000

There is not much that can stop a dedicated fandom.

Not paywalls, not cancellations, and certainly not even the source of their fan fervor itself, as was the case in several high profile instances of extreme parasocial behavior. And as queer hockey romance Heated Rivalry has dominated social feeds, it has once again proved that federal laws are not going to dissuade a fan from their idols of worship.

Fans of the show living in Russia, for example, have risked jail time in order to engage with the viral phenomenon, writes Russian reporter Mikhail Zygar for Vanity Fair (the show chronicles the same-sex love affair between a Russian hockey player and his Canadian rival). Fans have flooded dedicated Telegram channels to share encrypted links and bumped up its ratings to the top spot on Kinopoisk, a Russian media review site. They're leaning on VPNs to obscure their IP addresses and engaging in online piracy. You wouldn't steal an enemies-to-lovers romance, would you?

Despite the collective joy attached to the series, the stakes are serious. The Russian Federation has some of the most extreme anti-LGBTQ laws on record, including an outright ban on LGBTQ content. Russian leaders have attacked and censored what they call the "International Public LGBT Movement," convicting more than 100 individuals for the crime in 2025 and imprisoning at least two. Violators can also face fines of 400,000 rubles ($5,111) to 5 million rubles ($63,898), PinkNews reported.

As of today (Jan. 15), the government has officially charged Russian streaming services with the crime of violating the country's propaganda laws, which prohibit the amplification of "nontraditional sexual relationships" to Russian citizens. The charges target domestic sites and cloud sharing services like Beeline TV, Kinopoisk, Wink, Ivi, Amediteka, 24TV, and Digital Television.

The determination of Russian fans to stream the hot new show mirrors a general trend in online fandom and among Heated Rivalry fans, specifically, who initially shared ways to torrent the series using VPN services and links pulled from its parent network, Crave Canada, and licensing network HBO Max US. HBO Max reportedly only signed on to the project after successful pitches from employees who were fans of the show's book series. They said they felt they needed to "do their civic duty" and get the show to the masses.

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The success of Heated Rivalry — and the formidable sports romance book industry from which its source material gained its following — lies partially in the compelling, often erotic, juxtaposition of an extremely masculine sport and the emotional stakes taken on by its characters. At large, cisgender male erotic fiction (also called slash fic, MLM romance, boylove, or yaoi, for anime lovers and the chronically online) has historically offered an outlet for sexual exploration, community, and LGBTQ acceptance. Fandom scholars and Heated Rivalry show runner Jacob Tierney have explained its popularity with cis women is due in part to the ability of writers to ignore the gendered power dynamics of heterosexual pairings and lean into the rarity of sexual partners being on equal footing — although much of the genre relies on stereotypical tropes that critics say still feeds into gender and racial binaries.

Hockey, in particular, is one of the most popular sports depicted in the genre. As of 2025, the National Hockey League has had no active, out LGBTQ players. So subverting that reality is particularly appealing to fans, especially those in restrictive, patriarchal environments.

One former hockey player, Jesse Kortuem, made headlines just this week, posting a statement about feeling empowered to come out after seeing the success of Heated Rivalry. Kortuem didn't compete for the NHL but told reporters that the homophobia rampant in the sport eventually led him to retire. "I know many closeted and gay men in the hockey world are being hit hard by Heated Rivalry's success," Kortuem told Out. "Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport."

Instagram is nostalgic for 2016 again (yes, really)

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:02:18 +0000

It's 2016 all over again on Instagram. Well...if only.

There's been a bubbling nostalgia for 2016 for the past few weeks. Chance Townsend wrote here at Mashable about Gen Z growing especially nostalgic for 2016 as the last good year. Sure, it might not have felt that great at the time, but for Gen Z, it was their last great summer.

I'd argue that, in many ways, we've been living in late 2016 for a decade now — the political atmosphere, how social media became real life, crisis after crisis.

But, anyway, the internet has now exploded into a full-blown nostalgia bomb for 2016. It's an extension of the trend we spotted on TikTok earlier this month, paired with folks who want to show how much they've grown over the last 10 years. Yes, as if it were 2016, we're bringing back the humblebrag and self-deprecating-but-not-really posts. As with most trends, it's migrated from the kids on TikTok to the normies and celebs on Instagram, who're mostly using it as an excuse to post decade-old photo dumps. (Remember Snapchat filters?)

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Let me make it clear, 2016 wasn't all that great. It was super Not Chill to be starting a career and have the world order upended via elections, Brexit, celebrity deaths, and a climate agreement that seemed impossible to hold.

But things always seem rosier looking back. And it's fun to post your younger self, so naive and unaware of what was to come. Let's hope, however, that 2026 doesn't seem so great when we look back in 2036.

The premium Ozlo Sleepbuds are back down to a record-low price at Amazon — make sleep your top priority this year

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:38:49 +0000

SAVE $75: The Ozlo Sleepbuds are on sale at Amazon for $274, down from the list price of $349. That's a 21% discount that matches the lowest on record at Amazon.

Credit: Ozlo

Ozlo Sleepbuds

$274 at Amazon
$349 Save $75

Now that we're halfway through January, lots of us are honing in on how we want this new year to look. Some people have fitness goals, some people have intentions of becoming a great home chef, and others are focused on self-care. But if you don't get good sleep, it'll be nearly impossible to reach any of those goals. Instead, make getting better sleep the number one goal, and this deal at Amazon could be a gamechanger.

As of Jan. 15, the Ozlo Sleepbuds are on sale at Amazon for $274, marked down from the normal price of $349. That's a 21% discount that shaves $75 off the price. It also matches the lowest on record at Amazon.

When it comes to sleep earbuds, comfort is a huge priority. But you also want them to sound great, which is convenient since ex-Bose employees designed the Ozlo Sleepbuds. Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard reviewed the Ozlo Sleepbuds and explained, "Ozlo Sleepbuds are basically the Bose Sleepbuds that allow you to stream audio. While they can't yet track sleep data, they are highly customizable sleep earbuds that work (mostly) as promised."

Of note, the list price of the Ozlo Sleepbuds feels off compared to the industry standard, but today's sale price helps ease that concern. Still, the new Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 Special come in at a more affordable price, if that's a priority.

However, if you're interested in the design and features on the Ozlo Sleepbuds, they could be a perfect match. Tap into the Ozlo app's range of sleepy sounds or stream your own sleep tracks to the sleep earbuds. The wingtip design on these sleep earbuds help ensure they stay snugly in place throughout the night. They're even designed to be comfortable enough for side sleepers. Plus, they track your sleep.

For anyone who wants to get better sleep this year, the Ozlo Sleepbuds could be a simple solution to getting higher-quality rest. Snag them while they're back on sale for $274 at Amazon.

Walmart has the Ninja Foodi Everyday PossibleCooker for a total steal — get it for only $74

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:54:34 +0000

SAVE $55.99: As of Jan. 15, the Ninja Foodi Everyday PossibleCooker (6.5 quart) is on sale for only $74 at Walmart. That's a savings of 43%.

Credit: Ninja

Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker (6.5 quart)

We're mega fans of Ninja appliances at Mashable. Not only do they deliver excellent performance with beginner-friendly designs, but they're also reasonably priced. And one of our favorites just got even more affordable.

As of Jan. 15, the 6.5-quart Ninja Foodi Everyday PossibleCooker is on sale for only $74 at Walmart. That's 43% or $55.99 cheaper than usual. For what it's worth, it's still full price over at Amazon (not to mention from a third-party seller) and Ninja's own website.

The Everday PossibleCooker — the smaller version of our favorite Ninja multicooker (the PossibleCooker Pro) — replaces up to 10 different appliances in your kitchen. Mashable shopping reporter Sam Mangino writes, "This device doesn't look like a lot, essentially a hot plate and non-stick pot, but it's incredible how much it can do."

Besides cooking up to four cups of rice in a flash, it's also capable of slow-cooking food to perfection, searing and sautéing, boiling up to a pound of pasta, or roasting a seven-pound chicken. The pot itself can be transferred directly to the oven (up to 500 degrees), essentially acting as a dutch oven, and be used as a serving dish. The 6.5-quart option is ideally sized for family meals and won't take up a ton of counter space. Plus, its cool-touch handles make it a breeze to bring to potlucks.

It's usually a solid deal at $129.99, but for only $74, it's a total steal.

The Mega Pokémon Kanto Region Trio build is on sale for under $20 at Amazon

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:18:51 +0000

SAVE $15.34: The Mega Pokémon Kanto Region Trio build is on sale at Amazon for $19.62, down from the list price of $34.96. That's a 44% discount.

Credit: Mega

Mega Pokémon Kanto Region Trio build

$19.62 at Amazon
$34.96 Save $15.34

It's been an exciting January for toy brick builders. Lego debuted the new Smart Play Star Wars sets at CES 2026 and we also have the first ever Lego Pokémon builds coming next month. But if you're not in the mood to wait on a Lego Pokémon build and you don't feel like spending Lego prices, there's a nice deal in store today at Amazon.

As of Jan. 15, the Mega Pokémon Kanto Region Trio build is on sale for only $19.62 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $34.96. That's a 44% discount that shaves a solid $15.34 off the price. Since the set includes three character builds, that works out to just $6.54 per figure.

Designed for builders and fans aged seven and up, the Mega Pokémon Kanto Region Trio build lets you create your very own Pikachu, Charmander, and Meowth figures. Each character stands at four inches tall once built, and you're able to pose them as you see fit during play. In total, the trio has 529 bricks that are compatible with other name-brand bricks.

While this trio build is on sale for a major discount, snag the set (or two) to have one for yourself and one to give as a gift. At this price, it might even be worth considering birthday presents in the upcoming year. You can't go wrong with the Mega Pokémon Kanto Region Trio build.

Lock in your Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box for its lowest-ever price at Amazon

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:48:19 +0000

SAVE $61.50: As of Jan. 15, the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is available to pre-order for $148.20 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $209.70. That's a discount of 29% and the lowest price we've seen.

Credit: Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box

$148.20 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $61.50

There have been a wide variety of Magic: The Gathering collections coming out as of late, and plenty of reasons to jump on each one. One of the most exciting for fans of both Magic and nostalgic toons is the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box, which is set to arrive on March 6. If you've yet to lock yours in, now's the time to do it with this Amazon deal.

As of Jan. 15, the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is available to pre-order for $148.20 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $209.70. That's $61.50 off and a discount of 29%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

You're guaranteed to get the booster box at this price thanks to Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, which means this is the deal you'll get. This is what's charged when your product actually ships, so you don't have to worry about buying early and seeing another outlet undercut your price point.

This booster box has 30 packs of cards featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with 14 cards per pack. Each pack contains 1-4 Rares or Mythic rarities, 3-6 Uncommons, 6-9 Commons, and a potential Full Borderless or Mythic arc card.

If you're going to want to get in on this expansion, now's the time to do it. Get yours before it sells out at this price.

National Bagel Day 2026 deals: Score free bagels from Panera, Bruegger’s Bagels, Target, and more

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:42:23 +0000

Bagel lovers, unite. Thursday, Jan. 15 is National Bagel Day. Don't act like you haven't had this date circled in your calendar. We know this is the highlight of your year. OK, maybe that's a bit much. Maybe it's the highlight of your month. There's not much else going on right now.

So how should you celebrate this special occasion? By eating as many bagels as possible, of course. And the good news is that there are plenty of promotions going live today to help you do exactly that. If you're looking to involved, check out some of the best freebies and discounts we found below.

National Bagel Day deals

Albertsons

Buy one get one free on Thomas’ Bagels for National Bagel Day.

Bagel Boss

Get an extra 15% off on your Bagel Boss order when you use the promo code BD15 at the checkout. This offer is valid for purchases through Goldbelly.

Barry Bagels

Rewards Members can get a free bagel with cream cheese when purchasing a bagel with cream cheese or flavored cream cheese and any drink. There is a limit of one per customer.

Biggby Coffee

Get your hands on a bagel and cream cheese for just $1 on National Bagel Day at Biggby Coffee. To qualify, you need to purchase any 20-ounce or 24-ounce specialty beverage.

Bruegger’s Bagels

Bruegger's Rewards members can get a free bagel and cream cheese with any purchase on National Bagel Day.

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Get a free Bagel & Shmear with any purchase on National Bagel Day. To qualify, mention "National Bagel Day" when ordering in-store.

Essa Bagels

Buy 24 bagels get six free when you order through Goldbelly.

Goldbergs Fine Foods

Get a free bagel with cream cheese included with any purchase.

H&H Bagels

H&H Rewards members can get a free bagel and spread sandwich on National Bagel Day. Order online or in the app to qualify.

Kroger

Buy one get one free on Thomas’ Bagels for National Bagel Day.

Noah’s NY Bagels

Rewards Members can get a free bagel and shmear. Simply sign up for their rewards program to grab this freebie.

Panera Bread

For National Bagel Day, when you buy an Asiago Bagel Stack you can get a second stack of your choice for free with code BOGOSTACK.

Publix

Buy one get one free on Dave’s Killer Bread Bagels for National Bagel Day.

Stop & Shop

Get a free bagel when you check in on your GO Rewards account (limit of one bagel per household). Not already a member? Sign up for free in store.

Target

$1 off One Mighty Mill Bagels for National Bagel Day.

Western Bagel

Get a 13 bagels for $15 with this special National Bagel Day deal.

The EcoFlow Delta 3 1000 Air power station is under $310 for the first time

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:31:17 +0000

SAVE $190: As of Jan. 15, the EcoFlow Delta 3 1000 Air portable power station is on sale for just $308.99 at Amazon instead of $499. That's a savings of 38% and its best price on record.

Credit: EcoFlow

EcoFlow Delta 3 1000 Air portable power station

$308.99 at Amazon
$499 Save $190.01

When you think of a backup generator for your home, you probably don't picture something that fits on your countertop. But that's exactly what the EcoFlow Delta 3 1000 Air — a new addition to the brand's portable power station lineup — is. And for the first time, it's on sale for 38% off.

As of Jan. 15, the EcoFlow Delta 3 1000 Air is on sale for just $308.99 at Amazon. That's $190 off its list price of $499 and the lowest price since its late fall release.

The Delta 3 1000 Air power station is only about the size of a rice cooker, yet powerful enough to keep 99% of home-essential appliances up and running with its 960Wh battery capacity and 500W power output (1000W surge). So not only does it make a ceonvenient home backup power solution, but it's also portable enough (just 22 pounds) to power up a campsite or RV.

It sports AC, USB-C, and USB-A ports to cover your connectivity needs, with an indicator light on front to display your grid voltage stabilization. When it's time to charge up the power station itself, you can choose from four different options. A standard AC outlet will charge it up in just two hours, but if you don't have access to an AC outlet, you can utilize solar panels, gas generators, or your car's auxiliary port.

Between the huge surge in camping and off-grid living to the ongoing threat of extreme weather, portable power stations are having a moment. This is a smart opportunity to invest in one for your home and adventures without breaking the bank.

Gossip app Tea is back — but not on the App Store

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Tea, the platform designed for women to discuss the men they date and potential "red flags," is relaunching today — but it won't be on the App Store.

Tea is part of an online ecosystem of whisper networks for women to find information ("tea") on potential suitors, similar to Are We Dating the Same Guy Facebook groups. Last July, Tea made headlines when two hacks exposed thousands of user images (including selfies and photos of ID cards like drivers' licenses) as well as personal chats and phone numbers. Then, in October, Apple removed Tea from the App Store (as well as its rival app for men, TeaOnHer) for not meeting its content moderation and user privacy requirements.

Now, Tea is back as a website: app.teaforwomen.com.

Asked about how Tea intends on protecting users following the 2025 leaks, Tea's vice president of trust and safety, Jessica Dees, told Mashable, "We have taken meaningful steps to strengthen the platform's safety and security posture, including enhancing internal safeguards, reinforcing access controls, and implementing additional review and monitoring processes designed to protect sensitive information and support responsible participation."

Credit: Tea

Dees went on to say that the relaunch "reflects a deliberate focus on strengthening and expanding access to Tea's safety and verification tools while reinforcing accountability across the platform." Following the incidents, Tea began working with third-party security teams to understand how they occurred and implemented additional security controls.

Screenshots of the website experience shared with Mashable make the website appear Instagram-like, featuring images of men alongside captions about women's (usually negative) experiences with them, complete with comments from other users. You can even react with green or red flags.

As for Android users, Tea remained on Google Play despite the App Store removal and is still available to download. Tea also announced today that the Android app is getting new community features: an "elevated" forum experience with interactive spaces like a virtual speakeasy and an in-app AI dating coach. According to images shared with Mashable, the AI dating coach chats are "private and secure," and an upcoming feature is the ability to use the AI to analyze the vibes of a dating app conversation (like "playful" and "casual").

Credit: Tea

Online whisper networks, often led by women, have emerged in the dating app era as users encounter bad actors, ranging from scammers to assaulters. They're unlikely to go away, but whether women will come back to Tea following what happened last year remains to be seen.

The Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest is down to market value on Amazon

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:03:30 +0000

TL;DR: The Fall 2025 edition of the Pokémon TCG Collector chest is now only $37.10 at Amazon. That's 36% off its $57.99 list price.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest Fall 2025

$37.10 at Amazon
$57.99 Save $20.89

Pokémon TCG’s inflated pricing due to short supply is not going anywhere, so sometimes the best bargains come from collections you wouldn’t expect. In this case, it’s the latest Collector Chest becoming more affordable. As of Jan. 15, you can buy the Pokémon TCG’s Fall 2025 Collector Chest for just $37.10 at Amazon, with $20.89 chopped off its price of $57.99. That brings it to just $2.50 over its current market price on TCGplayer.

The Collector Chest contains the following:

A mixture of six booster packs — three Mega Evolution, two of Journey Together, and one Destined Rivals
Three foil promo cards of Ralts, Kirlia, and Riolu
One Mega Lucario Pokémon coin
Four sticker sheets
A mini portfolio to store your cards in

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In a market where you currently need to pay upwards of $50 for a booster bundle containing six packs of in-demand Pokémon trading card expansions, like Phantasmal Flames — $37 for the same amount plus promo cards, a coin, and a mini portfolio and tin to store them all in is an amazing deal by comparison.

Granted, the six boosters are a mixture of three different expansions rather than one, but if you’re like most Pokémon TCG collectors who are trying to complete multiple sets, this is a must-buy.

Speaking of Pokémon TCG deals, you can also grab the Lugia ex and Latias ex Premium Collection for $30 off. If ETBs are what you’re seeking, you can also find both Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Boxes at around market price at Amazon.

Get the Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection for $9 off at Amazon

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:50:39 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection is now only $58.99 at Amazon.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection

$58.99 at Amazon
$67.99 Save $9.00

If Mega Lucario is your Pokémon of choice and you’ve been missing out on the latest TCG expansions, Amazon just dropped a solid deal that’s worth a look.

As of Jan. 15, you can grab the Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection for $58.99 at Amazon. While still over market value, it still massively undercuts what’s available on TCGplayer right now. Altogether, $58.99 is a great price considering what you get in the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection:

Mega Lucario ex figure
Mega Lucario ex foil promo card
Five Pokémon TCG booster packs — two Destined Rivals, two Mega Evolution, and one Journey Together
Oversized Mega Lucario ex foil promo card
Code card for Pokémon TCG Live

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Each booster pack from the included expansions usually go for $10-$15, so you’ll essentially get the Mega Lucario ex promo card, figure, and oversized card for the same price as buying them on their own.

For more Pokémon TCG deals, the Charizard ex Special Collection is also on sale at Amazon right now. What’s more, the Fall 2025 edition of the Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest is 36% off for a limied time.

Build the love: The best Lego sets for Valentine’s Day 2026

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is coming up fast, and if you're trying to find something special to give to someone this year, Lego is always a great pick. Sure, flowers and chocolates are a solid choice, but why not give Lego flowers that don't require any watering or care? Or why not give a gift that you can create together? With Lego, there's plenty of options to explore.

Whether you're searching for a bigger set to build together or something small and sweet, Lego has something perfect for Valentine's Day this year. Sets like the Bouquet of Pink Roses, the Paris – City of Love, and much more should be carefully considered if you know someone with a passion for Lego. There really is something for everyone.

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 22:00:00 +0000

SAVE $150: The Ninja Slushi Max is on sale at Amazon for $349.99, down from the standard price of $499.99. That's a 30% discount that matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Credit: Ninja

Ninja Slushi Max

$349.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $150

We're down to the final weeks of football season. That means just a few more opportunities to host the football party of all football parties. If you've mastered the snacks, upgraded to a massive TV, and have the most comfortable couch ever, there's only one upgrade left — turn every beverage into a slushy. Thankfully, there's a great deal on an at-home slushy machine today.

As of Jan. 14, the Ninja Slushi Max is on sale at Amazon for $349.99, down from the standard price of $499.99. That works out to a savings of $150 from a 30% discount. This sale price also matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

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Ninja makes some of our favorite kitchen appliances, and the Ninja Slushi is a highlight. In testing the original Slushi machine, Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodart found it to be "a serotonin booster worth trying." She slush-ified White Claws, protein shakes, a pre-workout electrolyte drink, and straight Pepsi, finding the machine to get weekly use in her home.

But Ninja went ahead and outdid themselves with the Ninja Slushi Max. It's a steroid-ridden version of the original with a much larger capacity and more versatility in terms of what it can turn into a slushy. For starters, Ninja considers this the party drink machine, crafting up to 150 ounces of frozen dreams.

Perfect for particular parties, the Ninja Slushi Max is also a much better bartender compared to the original. This model can slush cocktails that contain up to 20% alcohol. Ninja notes that'll get you access to enjoying a slushy version of mudslide cocktail, a cosmo, or a Long Island iced tea. On the non-alcoholic side, the machine has a setting for the perfect milkshake or frozen juice. The kids will be thrilled about this treat on warm summer days.

While hosting the final few football parties of the year, impress your guests with the Ninja Slushi Max. You'll be able to get 150 ounces of frozen goodness from each batch and be able to wash most elements in the dishwasher come cleanup.

Lovehoney has tons of V-Day goodies on sale: Get 50% off vibrators, lingerie, and more

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:30:56 +0000

UP TO 70% OFF: Lovehoney's Valentine's Day Sale is live. Get up to 50% off select sex toys (including vibrators, male masturbators, and butt plugs), $25 and under lingerie, and a free gift when you spend $89 or more. Bonus: You can still get up to 70% off clearance items.

Credit: Lovehoney

Lovehoney Valentine's Day Sale

Get up to 50% off select sex toys and more

Valentine’s Day is exactly one month away, and if you haven’t planned anything yet, now’s the time to do it. Tons of sex toy retailers still have New Year’s sales going on, but Lovehoney is getting a head start on V-Day with discounts on vibrators, lingerie, and more.

PSA: You don’t have to have a partner to buy yourself a little treat for V-Day. Valentine’s is for everyone, and sometimes, having a sexy solo date at home is the best way to celebrate.

Here’s the lowdown on how to get the best bang for your buck.

Select vibes are up to 50% off

Lovehoney still has quite a few items that aren’t on sale, but the dedicated sale page and clearance section have hundreds of products available for unbelievable (not to be dramatic) prices. For example, you can get the Lovehoney Romance Gift Set (12 Piece) for just $129 — that’s 60% off the list price and a damn good deal for a 12-piece set that includes heavy hitters like the We-Vibe Jive 2. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more festive, the Lovehoney Rose (with 1,500+ reviews) is only $42.99.

Credit: Lovehoney

Lovehoney Romance Gift Set (12 Piece)

$129 at Lovehoney
$321.88 Save $192.88

Credit: Lovehoney

Lovehoney Rose Clitoral Suction Stimulator

$42.99 at Lovehoney
$59.99 Save $17

Lingerie is $25 and under

Believe it or not, lingerie is a super effective way to get in the mood, whether you’re alone or with a partner. An everything shower, some candles, and a new set of sexy lace (or whatever you’re into) is the perfect setup for a saucy evening (or afternoon!).

Right now, Lovehoney has a wide selection of intimate apparel, from teddies to crotchless bodysuits to “wet look” BDSM-inspired sets, all available for $25 and under. I’m literally adding this Escante Stretchy Wet Look Body Set to my cart as we speak.

Get up to 70% off clearance, plus a free gift

The clearance section has even steeper deals. Some standouts include the ROMP Switch for $24.99, the Womanizer Starlet 2 for $39.99, and many, many more. And, if you spend $89 (which shouldn’t be hard to do), you’ll get a free gift. This could be a Lovehoney dildo, G-spot vibrator, bullet, textured stroker, or butt plug. (There are also a few Fifty Shades of Grey items on offer.)

Score free shipping when you spend $59+

One thing to love about Lovehoney is that they keep things low-key. Every order is sent in plain, discreet packaging, so your nosey neighbors won't have a clue what’s inside.

If you're aiming for that Feb. 14 deadline, keep in mind that standard shipping is free when you spend $59 or more. It usually takes about four to six working days to arrive, so ordering now means you won't be sweating it out as the holiday gets closer.

TikTok says the era of delulu is over. Its time to lock in to reality.

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Maladaptive daydreamers, I have some bad news. TikTok just released its annual TikTok Next trend forecast for marketers in 2026, and the headline takeaway is blunt: fantasy is out — and reality is in.

In TikTok's telling, 2026 will be less about fantasizing your way out of life and more about intentionally engaging with it. After years dominated by "romanticizing," "delulu," and digital escapism, users are shifting toward discipline, routine, and shared accountability as ways to cope with an increasingly unstable world.

TikTok frames this moment as a turn toward collective processing of life's chaos. Instead of aestheticizing adulthood from afar, users are documenting what it actually takes to get through it. Trends like #TheGreatLockIn, alongside rising keywords such as #lockedin, #hygiene, and #joblife, point to a growing appetite for structure, maintenance, and realism.

This doesn't mean joy is gone. It means joy is being redefined. Rather than cinematic fantasies or perfectly curated lives, users are finding satisfaction in progress, consistency, and small, tangible wins. Content that acknowledges both the highs and the lows, and finds humor in imperfection, is now resonating more deeply than polished escapism.

In other words, the fantasy era may be coming to an end, but reality is gaining its own aesthetic. And daydreamers, look, we still have Heated Rivalry. That counts for something.

The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is now below market value on Amazon

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:56:28 +0000

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is currently available for $107.94 at Amazon. That's 34% off its list price.

Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box

$107.94 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $56.76

We’ve been seeing some much-needed price cuts on trading card game products lately. Most have been for Pokémon TCG, so it’s nice to see Magic: The Gathering joining in. As of Jan. 14, the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is priced at $107.94 on Amazon. That’s $57.06 off its current list price and down to below market value.

The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box includes 30 Play Boosters, each containing 14 cards plus a Token or Art card. Within each pack, you’re guaranteed one Traditional Foil, along with one to four Rare or higher cards, and there’s even a small chance of pulling a Special Guest Mythic Rare with Borderless artwork. It’s not something you should expect, but it’s a nice bonus if luck’s on your side.

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Play Boosters are designed to work just as well for opening packs as they are for Limited formats, making this box a solid option whether you’re drafting with friends, building decks, or simply adding to a collection.

You can get money off other Magic: The Gathering booster boxes right now, with the MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box on sale for $104.97 and the Play Booster Box for Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man expansion down to $104.99 at Amazon.

The Pokémon TCG: Charizard ex Special Collection is now under $60 at Amazon

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:18:40 +0000

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Special Collection is now $57.99 at Amazon, bringing it closer to market value at 11% off.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Special Collection

$57.99 at Amazon
$64.90 Save $6.91

In light of Pokémon TCG’s supply-and-demand issues, the best way to get a good price on booster packs can be with collections that include special promo cards bundled in. As of Jan. 14, the Pokémon TCG: Charizard ex Special Collection is available to buy for $57.99 at Amazon; that’s $6.91 off its current list price of $64.90.

For that price, the Charizard ex Special Collection gives you a mix of multiple Pokémon Trading Card Game boosters and promo cards, including:

Dark-type Charizard ex etched foil promo card
Charmander and Charmeleon foil promo cards
Five mixed Pokémon TCG booster packs
Oversized lenticular version of the Charizard ex card
Code card for Pokémon TCG Live

Individual booster pack prices for each of those expansions currently sit at around $10-$15 each across Amazon and TCGplayer, so you’ll be effectively gaining three gorgeous promo cards from the Charizard evolution line (plus an oversized card) for the same price.

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Against market price, this Amazon price for the Charizard ex Special Collection is still around $8 higher, but it's important to factor in shipping costs and convenience. On TCGplayer, for instance, the lowest-priced listing sits at $69.97, plus shipping.

For another great deal on trading card game collections, you can pick up the Fall 2025 edition of the Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest for $37.10 at Amazon. If you’re only after one particular set from the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the Mega Evolution ETBs are closer to market price right now at Amazon.

16 of the best MIT courses you can take online for free

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: A wide range of online courses from MIT are available to take for free on edX.

This feels like a poorly kept secret at this stage, but in case you weren't already aware, there's a massive bank of free online courses sitting on edX. And we're not talking about any old online courses. We're talking about online courses from some of the biggest educational institutions in the world, including MIT.

MIT is hosting free lessons on useful topics like AI, Python programming, investing, and so much more. There's a lot on offer, so we've got you started with a hand-picked selection of the best free online courses from MIT. These are the best free online courses from MIT this month:

These free courses do not come with a shareable certificate of completion or graded assignments/exams, but that's the only catch. You can start learning at a pace that suits you, so there's nothing stopping you from getting started.

Find the best free online courses from MIT on edX.

18 of the best AI courses you can take online for free

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: A wide range of AI courses are available to take for free on Udemy.

The world of AI is constantly developing. If you're feeling the need to keep pace with this ever-changing landscape, there are a number of online courses you can take. You can learn all about chatbots, AI agents, and machine learning with Udemy. And better yet, a number of the best online courses are totally free.

There's a lot to consider on Udemy. We recommend taking some time to properly check out all the options, but to get you started, we've lined up a selection of standout courses on AI:

These free online courses don't include certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but you still get unrestricted access to all the video content. That means there's nothing stopping you from enrolling righy away.

Find the best free AI courses on Udemy.

This OpenAI-powered app can help you invest confidently

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

TL;DR: Invest smarter with this lifetime subscription to Sterling Stock Picker, on sale now for just $68.99.

Credit: Sterling Stock Picker

Sterling Stock Picker: Lifetime Subscription

$68.99
$486 Save $417.01

For those of us who aren’t super into taking risks, the stock market can be pretty intimidating. If investing is on your 2026 resolution list, Sterling Stock Picker is a handy app that can help you make more informed and confident decisions. Right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription to this informative tool for just $68.99 (reg. $486).

Whether you’re totally new to the world of investing or a seasoned stock market pro, everyone can take advantage of Sterling Stock Picker’s insights. This award-winning app is powered by OpenAI, the company that powers ChatGPT, and it’s designed to support confident investing.

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Curious how an app can help you invest? Sterling Stock Picker has a North Star Rating System that helps you pick the best time to buy, sell, hold, or avoid stocks.

Despite being AI-based, this app makes things personal by keeping your preferences in mind. Just answer a five-minute questionnaire to determine your values and risk preferences to find the best stocks for your portfolio. You can also be totally hands-off thanks to a Done-for-You Portfolio Builder feature that creates your own diversified portfolio with your goals in mind.

Sterling Stock Picker also includes your own OpenAI-powered personal finance coach, Finley. Finley can answer questions about your portfolio, an individual stock, or the market in general. You can also connect with fellow investors on the community chat forum.

Invest in your future with this lifetime subscription to Sterling Stock Picker, now only $68.99 (reg. $486).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

How to get 4 free heart-shaped bowls at Le Creusets massive winter sale

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:14:45 +0000

SAVE UP TO $120: Le Creuset's Winter Savings Event features discounts up to 45% on their famous enameled cast iron dishes, including the Signature Oval Casserole and Traditional Heart Cocette. Through Feb. 12, you'll get a free set of four heart-shaped mini bowls with purchases of $250.

Credit: Le Creuset

Le Creuset Winter Savings Event

Save up to 45%, plus get a free gift on $250 purchases with code LOVEALWAYS

Maybe one of your 2026 resolutions was to cook more. Maybe you're cooking more because it's too cold to go out to eat. Either way, it's hard to not be itching to try new recipes when you have a Le Creuset dish waiting for you. Conveniently, a ton of best sellers are on super sale at Le Creuset's winter sale.

Before you scramble in the search bar, yes, the Traditional Heart Cocette is on sale, along with other Valentine's Day-ish kitchenwear. Speaking of which, adding code LOVEALWAYS will get you a free set of four heart-shaped mini bowls when you spend $250. That's not a hard number to scratch at Le Creuset, even if you are saving up to 45% on a premium baking dish.

Get four cute red bowls for free. Credit: Le Creuset

You scroll past it every year. It's time to get your own. Credit: Le Creuset

The famous Dutch Oven isn't on sale, but other staple members of the enameled cast iron family are. Some dishes have more color options in stock than others. Our favorite deal has to be the Signature Oval Casserole for $219.99 — not only is its $120.01 discount the most savings dollar-wise, but it has the widest color palette by far. Shop classics like cerise (red) or azure (royal blue) or rarer shades like shallot (very pastel pinkish purple) or sea salt (a grayish turquoise). Here are some of the best Le Creuset deals at a glance:

Heart Mini Cocette — $19.50 ~~$26~~ (save $6.50)
Heart Acacia Wood Serving Board — $33.75 ~~$45~~ (save $11.25)
Signature Round Braiser with glass lid — $164.99 ~~$280~~ (save $115.01 in four colors)
Traditional Heart Cocette — $172.50 ~~$230~~ (save $57.50)
8-piece Baking Dish Set — $184.80 ~~$308~~ (save $123.20 in two colors)
Traditional Shallow Round Oven — $211.40 ~~$302~~ (save $90.60 in 10 colors)

Snag a Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Play Booster Box at close to market value

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:15:59 +0000

SAVE $51.70: As of Jan. 13, get the Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Play Booster Box for $158 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $209.70 at Amazon. That's 25% off and close to its market value.

Credit: Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Play Booster Box

$158 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $51.70

There have been a ton of new Magic: The Gathering releases over the past year, and very recently, the card game made a stop over in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. If you missed the expansion when if debuted, now's the time to add some of the set to your collection, thanks to this deal.

As of Jan. 13, get the Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Play Booster Box for $158 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $209.70 at Amazon. That's $25% off and close to its market value.

This set of Play Boosters comes with 30 packs of cards to dive into and rip open. Each booster contains 6-7 Common cards, 3 Uncommons, 1 Wildcard of any rarity, 1 Rare or Mythic Rare, 1 traditional foil card of any rarity, 1 Land, and 1 non-foil double-faced helper or token card.

These boosters contain a wide variety of different cards of varying rarities and are perfect for building a new deck or just trying to fill the gaps in your collection. Since you're paying close to market value for the set, it's an economical way to see what the expansion has to offer, bolster your cards for new decks, and have fun tearing into packs.

Grab your booster box while it's on sale and see what all you get to add to your stash.

Celebrate Lunar New Year with the Lego Spring Festival Good Fortune build while its over $37 off

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:05:29 +0000

SAVE $37.39: The Lego Spring Festival Good Fortune set is on sale at Amazon for $52.60, down from the list price of $89.99. That's a 42% discount.

Credit: Lego

Lego Spring Festival Good Fortune set (80117)

$52.60 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $37.39

Spring Festival is quickly approaching and if you're looking for a fun way to celebrate, consider a Lego build. Not only are Legos an interactive activity that can be fun for all ages, the finished build makes for a great display as we welcome in a fresh beginning. If this sounds ideal, check out today's Amazon deal.

As of Jan. 13, the Lego Spring Festival Good Fortune set is on sale at Amazon for $52.60, down from the list price of $89.99. That's a 42% discount.

This 1,021-piece Lego build is designed to both celebrate the Spring Festival while also being educational. The objects in the set are symbolic of love, good health, joy, and prosperity, which can help kids learn the traditions of Lunar New Year.

The fan element of the build has a customizable element that lets builders decide from two design options. The calligraphy pen and scroll depict the Chinese text that means "spring," and the three golden ingots are a symbol of abundance.

It's an exciting time for Lego fans since the Danish brand just announced the new Smart Play bricks at CES. These new bricks bring on an interactive aspect to a build by introducing sounds, lights, and behaviors. The first three Lego Smart Play sets are Star Wars themed and already available for preorder.

But before those new sets drop, celebrate the Spring Festival with this Lego Good Fortune build. It's on sale for 42% off at Amazon and it'll make for a bright display that'll be lovely to look at as we enter a new season.

Grow your card cache with 13% off the Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:55:09 +0000

SAVE $9.44: As of Jan. 13, get the Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box for $64.94, down from its usual price of $74.49 at Amazon. That's a discount of 13%.

Credit: Amazon

Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box

$64.94 at Amazon
$74.49 Save $9.55

Whether you're an avid collector or a newbie to the Pokémon TCG, a great deal on cards is really something to see. If you've been looking for an affordable way to treat yourself to some new additions to your growing cache of cards, we've got a fun deal at Amazon you won't want to miss.

As of Jan. 13, get the Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box for $64.94, down from its usual price of $74.49 at Amazon. That's $9.44 off and a discount of 13%.

This collection comes with one special foil promo card, an oversize lenticular promo card, and a tech sticker, all featuring Mega Venusaur. It also comes with 8 regular Pokémon TCG booster packs, which give you some additional cards that don't necessarily revolve around the Bulbasaur evolution.

Each regular booster pack comes with 10 game cads, including 4 commons, 3 uncommons, and 3 foils, with at least one of rare or higher rarity. You also get 1 Energy card and 1 code card to use in Pokémon TCG Live. So this set nets you some fun additions to your stash even if you aren't looking for Mega Venusaur goodies.

This is a great deal and an affordable way to make new decks or just collect more cards. Be sure to grab it while it's still on sale, as Pokémon cards that are discounted always go fast these days.

The Dreame L50 Ultra robot vacuum and mop has never been cheaper — save over $500 at Amazon

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:45:38 +0000

SAVE OVER $500: As of Jan. 13, the Dreame L50 Ultra robot vacuum and mop has been marked down to $849.98 at Amazon. This is $550.01 off its list price of $1,399.99.

Credit: DREAME

Dreame L50 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop

$849.98 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $550.01

Looking for a little cleaning assistance ahead of the spring? Robot vacuums can help, and quite a few are on sale right now. If you've been looking for offers on high-quality models, Amazon has some great discounts, including the Dreame L50 Ultra robot vacuum and mop.

Amazon has dropped the price of the Dreame L50 Ultra from $1,399.99 to $849.98, marking a return to its lowest-ever price at the retailer. The white model is also on sale for just a cent more at $849.99, so you can pick out your favorite between the two models.

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The Dreame L50 Ultra is a powerful pick to keep your floors nice and tidy. It boasts 19,000Pa Vormax Suction to grab any dirt, dust, or debris, and its mopping system helps to scrub up any annoying stains. And for when it comes across hair, the HyperStream Detangling DuoBrush helps to make sure tangles don't slow it down. It also features a smart obstacle detection system that helps avoid any items in its way.

If it sounds like the kind of robot vacuum you've been hoping to grab for your house, now is the time to save on the Dreame L50 Ultra robot vacuum and mop at Amazon. It's currently marked as a limited-time deal, so act fast to grab it for this discounted price.

If you're curious what other robot vacuums are worth checking out, have a look at our roundup of the best robot vacuums.

A tale of two robot vacuums with arms: How the Dreame Cyber 10 could beat the Roborock Saros Z70

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 10:05:37 +0000

Of all of the new robot vacuums from CES 2026, Dreame probably has the most diverse batch. The two newest Dreame models that are available now, the Aqua10 Ultra Roller from August and the X60 Max Ultra that's open for preorders, offer exciting yet expected upgrades in the cleaning power department. But we were also formally introduced to the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra: the fully-realized version of Dreame's robot vacuum with an arm first teased at CES 2025. It's set to go on sale later this year.

The Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra should handily beat the Roborock Saros Z70

With those shortcomings in mind, the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra has a crystal clear path to transcending the Roborock Saros Z70. The first promising difference in specs is the Cyber 10 Ultra's arm's strength: It can allegedly pick up items as heavy as 500 grams (just over one pound) compared to the Saros Z70's 300-gram limit. Upon first glance, the Dreame arm already looks sturdier than the Saros Z70's bony build.

The Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra. Credit: Dreame

The Roborock Saros Z70. Credit: Roborock

The variety of items that the Cyber 10 Ultra can grab isn't totally clear yet, but if Dreame really didn't come to play, pet toys and kid toys should be at the tippy top of the "yes" list.

At Dreame's CES demo, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth got some footage of the Cyber 10 Ultra successfully picking up a small rubber-ish ball. It moved so slowly that I kept thinking the video was glitching, but it did work. Hopefully, that glacial pace can be attributed to some last-minute bugs, and that it's a swifter tidy-er upper by the time it's officially released to the public.

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Dreame's foldable arm is also supposedly able to pick up brush attachments and vacuum nozzles at its dock and use them to clean tricky spots that a robot vacuum can't reach, like in narrow gaps behind furniture. (This wasn't part of the CES demo.) Dreame's calling it "autonomous tool-utility technology," saying that the Cyber 10 Ultra will be able to "take out and use tools like a human and to execute with robotic perfection." I'm picturing the goal as being a capable replacement for handheld vacuum attachments. If it actually works as described, this could make the decision between a robot vacuum and a cordless stick vacuum much easier. But that's a huge "if."

Arm capabilities aside, the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra will be an all-around more powerful vacuum than the Roborock Saros Z70. The Cyber 10 Ultra's 30,000 Pa of suction power surpasses the 22,000 Pa of the Saros Z70, though 22,000 Pa was an impressive feat last year at this time. For reference, the new Dreame X60 Max Ultra and Roborock Saros 20 models clean with 35,000 Pa, while 30,000 Pa matches the cleaning power of the new Narwal Flow 2 and Eufy Omni S2. Both mop with dual rotating pads and can wash and dry those pads in the base station.

If Dreame's arm is as unhelpful as the Saros Z70's was, I'll definitely be telling everyone to simply opt for one of those more practical premium robot vacuum and mop combos instead. We don't know how much the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra will cost yet, but it'll likely cost more than the Dreame X60 Max Ultra's $1,699.99 price tag. The Roborock Saros Z70 originally debuted at a laughable $2,599.99, but has dropped as low as $1,299.99. Dreame would be wise to keep the Cyber 10 Ultra under $2,000.

Stair-climbing robot vacuums will probably take over CES 2027

Dreame and Roborock are also in a race to see who can officially release the first robot vacuum that can actually climb stairs — stairs as in actual staircases with steps up to 10 inches tall, not just small thresholds or floor type changes. Both brands teased the concept for theirs at CES 2026: The Dreame Cyber X (not to be confused with the Cyber 10 Ultra) and the Roborock Saros Rover. The Eufy MarsWalker is also in the mix. We don't have much intel on their releases past the fact that they exist, but CES 2027 seems like the most likely bet.

Mattel reveals first autistic Barbie, complete with fidget spinner

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:13:36 +0000

Mattel has launched its first ever autistic Barbie, the latest addition to its diverse Barbie Fashionistas collection.

Designed in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), the new Barbie is intended to reflect real autistic people's experiences, with Mattel stating that it "invites more children to see themselves represented" in the doll.

"Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we’re proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work," said Mattel's global head of dolls Jamie Cygielman.

As such, the autistic Barbie comes wearing a loose fitting lavender and white striped dress, flat-soled shoes, and pink noise-cancelling headphones — clothing informed by the sartorial choices people may make when managing sensory processing issues. As fitting her focus on fashion, Barbie's headphones are colour coordinated with her tablet (which shows symbol-based apps designed to enable communication without speaking) and her fidget spinner (which actually spins).

Credit: Mattel

Barbie's body also features articulated elbow and wrist joints so she can stim, while her gaze is deliberately shifted slightly off-centre. Mattel states that this design choice "reflects how some members of the autistic community may avoid direct eye contact." Her hair is also worn loose, "as autism can impact fine motor skills."

"It is so important for young autistic people to see authentic, joyful representations of themselves, and that’s exactly what this doll is," said ASAN executive director Colin Killick. "We're honored to see this milestone come to life, and we will keep pushing for more representation like this that supports our community in dreaming big and living proud."

Mattel has further announced it will donate over 1000 autistic Barbie dolls to various U.S. children's hospitals that provide special services for autistic children.

This autistic Barbie isn't the first doll in the Barbie Fashionistas collection with a disability. The company previously released a Barbie with Down syndrome in 2023, as well as both a blind doll and one with type 1 diabetes last year. The Barbie Fashionistas collection includes over 175 dolls, spanning across different skin tones, body types, and disabilities.

Autistic Barbie is available now for $10.99 at Amazon and Target, and $10.97 at Walmart.

The Lego Icons Balrog Book Nook is a dollar away from its lowest price ever

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:03:36 +0000

Save 14%: Amazon has a rare deal on the Lego Icons The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook Kit as of Jan. 12. You can grab the set for $111.41, down $18.58 from the $129.99 list price.

Lego Icons The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook

$110.43 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $19.56

It's not everyday we see Lego sets get great markdowns, especially if they're sets included on Mashable's favorite Legos list.

It looks like then, Jan. 12 is not like every other day, as the Lego The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook set, a favorite pick by Mashable UK Editor Shannon Connellan, is on sale for $111.41. Usually, the set runs for $129.99, so while this $18.58 isn't huge, it is rare. It also puts the set just about one dollar away from its lowest price ever of $110.33.

It's easy to see why Connellan has this set on her wishlist (though its a favorite, she hasn't yet been able to bite the bullet due to the price). Though the LotR has many an iconic moment, Gandalf's encounter with the Balrog and the resulting line of "You shall not pass!" is perhaps one of the most recognizable. Lego captures it, quote and all, in this book nook.

This set is 1,201 pieces, making it relatively sizable build. It measures over 8.5 inches high, 17.5 inches wide, and 6.5 inches deep. When not in use as a book nook, you can expand it to reveal the Bridge of Khazad-dûm scene.

Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams, and Seventeens Joshua are the Golden Globes most viral meet-cute

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:47:10 +0000

The 2026 Golden Globes had no shortage of memorable moments, but the one that broke the internet this year happened backstage. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams — the breakout stars of Heated Rivalry — snapped photos with K-pop star Joshua Hong, and the crossover instantly became one of the night's most viral moments.

So what happens when three of the internet's most buzzed-about stars link up in one place? A clip that's already racked up 1.8 million views and counting

View this post on Instagram

When Joshua introduced himself backstage, Williams — who is half Korean — immediately lit up, greeting him with a delighted, "A fellow Korean," before the two shook hands, all smiles. From there, the interaction only got cuter. In the video and resulting photographs, the trio lean into the moment, flashing playful hand gestures and even kicking their legs out in sync.

The crossover felt especially fitting given the moment all three are having. Heated Rivalry and its stars have become the talk of awards-season weekend, dominating timelines and pre-show chatter despite the series itself being ineligible for Golden Globes contention.

Joshua, meanwhile, arrived at the ceremony already primed for the collision. On the red carpet earlier in the night, the Seventeen member shared with Gold Derby that fans had been enthusiastically recommending Heated Rivalry to him, adding that he was excited to meet the cast and planned to check out the show.

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Fans were more than enthusiastic about the meet-cute.

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One photo explains pop culture in 2026: borderless, cross-industry, and powered by fandom. For their first Golden Globes, Storrie, Williams, and Joshua owned the night online, where the real awards-season energy lives anyway.

Leonardo DiCaprios animated Golden Globes side conversation is the nights biggest mystery

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:38:18 +0000

Leonardo DiCaprio didn't leave the 2026 Golden Globes with a trophy on Sunday night, but the One Battle After Another star did leave the internet with a question it desperately wants answered: Who was he talking to?

A brief, off-stage clip of the actor mid–animated storytelling at the event has gone viral, turning a half-seen joke into a full-blown pop culture whodunit. Here is the clip in question, from New York Times awards season columnist Kyle Buchanan:

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In the short video, DiCaprio can be seen pointing across the room, motioning to his own eyes as if to say, 'I saw that,' before launching into what looks like an exaggerated, somewhat goofy reenactment of a moment from the ceremony.

The identity of the person DiCaprio is addressing remains unclear, though that hasn't stopped social media from trying to solve the puzzle anyway. Amateur lip readers seemed convinced he's talking about KPop Demon Hunters, the Netflix animated hit that took home two Golden Globes, translating his animated gestures as something along the lines of: "I was watching you with the K-pop thing — you were like, 'Is that, who is that, oh, K-pop.'"

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Whatever the backstory, the moment has struck a chord precisely because it's so unscripted, instantly adding yet another iconic Leo meme to the cultural canon.

In an awards show built around carefully crafted speeches and polished appearances, DiCaprio's animated, off-stage persona is a reminder that the most compelling Golden Globes moments often happen when no one's technically watching.

Check out the whole list of Golden Globes award winners and nominees and Mashable's round-up of the night's biggest moments.

A beginners guide to sexting

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:37:37 +0000

Sexting can be pretty fun and downright hot if done right. The rub is that the act can also be an awkward minefield. Thoughts may cross your mind, like: Is now a good time to sext? What do I even say?

To answer these questions, we asked the sexperts. As it turns out, sexting (like sex itself) is an opportunity for you to liberate yourself, explore what you want in bed, and get to know your partner better.

How to sext

Sexting can benefit both you and your budding relationship (or hookup, or however you define it).

By sharing your desires and boundaries together, you're forging a deeper connection. Texting feels lower stakes than talking in person, especially if your relationship is new. Thus, it's a great option if you're shy about sex and have difficulty vocalizing what you want, said Casey Tanner, a certified sex therapist and then a sex expert for toy brand LELO.

Make no mistake, though: Sexting is legitimate communication, even if it's through screens.

Sending saucy messages back and forth can even be a kind of foreplay. It can build suspense and anticipation for when you see each other in person next, even if that won't be anytime soon.

How to ask for consent while sexting

Before anything else, get consent — both about sexting in general and for individual sessions.

Ask yourself if you trust your partner enough to sext, advised Edwina Caito, a head writer at sex/sex toy blog BedBible. Decide if you're comfortable with the activity in the first place.

If yes, Tanner offered more questions to self-reflect: Is your style more flirty, raunchy, or suggestive? Are you OK sending nudes, and if so, what body parts do you want to photograph?

Have conversations about these boundaries before your first roll around in the digital hay. Set ground rules, said Caito, whether they be time-related — such as, don't send nudes before 6 p.m. when someone may be at work — or about what kind of media and messages you will and won't send.

You can even set a boundary for which messaging services you prefer to use to sext. Apps like Snapchat and Signal have features like disappearing chats, and the former sends a notification when the other person screenshots your messages. Alternatively, turn on Instagram's vanish mode for the same features.

As sexuality educator Jamie J. LeClaire wrote for sex wellness shop Unbound's blog, set an expectation for language used in sexts, too. If you're uncomfortable with some words — say ones that describe genitalia — tell your partner, and encourage them to share any words they dislike in turn.

Furthermore, consent at one time doesn't extend to every time. Always make sure it's OK to send through a naughty text or photo before doing it. A tip from Unbound is having a go-to emoji that serves as a way to ask, "Is now a good time for you to receive some smut?"

And never, ever share messages or other media that a partner sent to you (unless they ask you to, that is).

Sexting is a lower-stakes way to express your desires to your partner. Credit: Bob Al-Greene / Mashable

How to start sexting conversations

Tanner advised keeping your messages pithy if you're just starting out. "Keeping messages on the shorter side gives you a little more leeway to ease into something new," she said. "You also give yourself more space to reflect in between texts about what feels good and where your boundaries are."

Your first message can be coy while sparking your partner's interest and making them think (about you, or an experience you both had in the past).

A couple of examples Caito gave to get things rolling are:

"I'm lying in bed and can't stop thinking about you."
"I can't stop thinking about what we did the other night."

Another option is to ask your partner questions, like:

"What would you do if you were here right now?"
"What was your favorite part about the other night?"

These texts are suggestive enough to gauge how your partner feels at the moment and get the conversation going. Feel free to be more direct if that's your style, though. You can let your partner know that, say, you've just gotten out of the shower and haven't put anything on yet. There's also the classic, "What are you wearing?"

Tips for great sexting

Now that you're engaging in textual coitus, where do you go from here?

Be as explicit as you want to be. You don't need to even refer to actual body parts if you don't want to, euphemistically or not. "I'm so wet" has the same impact as literally describing the state of your crotch, for instance.

Caroline Spiegel, founder of audio porn site Quinn, suggests contextualizing your sexy messages by telling your partner how you feel about them, what you want to do with them, and what you believe are their hottest features.

You can ask your partner to share fantasies, but don't feel pressure to reveal everything about your sexuality in one go, said Tanner. Texting your partner that they'll "just have to wait and see" can be just as tantalizing as revealing your desires.

To that end, you don't need to talk about activities you don't want to do. Instead, guide the conversation back to what gets you going, said Caito.

Compliment your partner, said Spiegel, to show you're really paying attention to them. Some examples she said are:

"I love the way you look at me when you…"
"I can't stop thinking about that time when you said…"

Another tip of Spiegel's is to use your partner's actual name as opposed to a pet name. "You might be surprised how hot it is to be called by your real name in a spicy context," she said.

How to send sexy voice notes and videos

Texts are great, but you can also incorporate different mediums to produce a multimedia sexting experience.

With iMessage and WhatsApp, for instance, you can send sexy voice notes. "I hear all the time from women how they wish their boyfriends or significant others would send audio notes or videos instead of dick pics," said Spiegel.

The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box is close to market value on Amazon

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:01:09 +0000

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box is on sale for $104.98 at Amazon.

Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box

$104.98 at Amazon
$167.76 Save $62.78

2025 was an astounding year for Magic: The Gathering expansions, and the Avatar: The Last Airbender set was a match made in heaven with the long-running trading card game — right alongside Final Fantasy. However, huge demand has kept stock low and prices high in some cases, requiring collectors to keep an eye out for new deals.

As of Jan. 12, you can buy the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box for only $104.98, following a drop from its $167.76 list price of 37%. This set gives you 24 booster packs from Magic: The Gathering’s Avatar expansion altogether — each containing 20 cards, for a 480-card grand total.

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Granted, over $100 still seems quite a lot, but this does fall in line with this Avatar Booster Box’s market value in the MTG space right now, with TCGplayer currently estimating it at $94.52. Yes, the Amazon listing is $10 higher, but that’s still the best price you can find right now. Compared to TCGplayer, for instance, you’ll be saving around $57 — with its lowest-price listing at $161.95 when shipping costs are added on.

If you’re a keen Magic: The Gathering player who wants the best bang for their buck but hasn’t tried the Avatar: The Last Airbender cards yet, this is one of the best ways to jump in. For more Magic: The Gathering savings, you can also score the Innistrad Remastered Play Booster Box at $70 off. As for the Marvel fans out there, MTG’s Spider-Man Play Booster Box is now only $104.99.

Score $250 off the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop at Amazon

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:50:27 +0000

SAVE $250: As of Jan. 12, the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $349.99 at Amazon. This is $250 off its retail price of $599.99.

Credit: Eufy

Eufy Omni C20 Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo

$349.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $250

Having a fresh, clean house is a great way to start out a new year, and robot vacuums can help keep it that way.

Amazon is offering up some great deals on select models. Among the retailer's selection is the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop, which has dropped to $349.99 for a limited time. The Eufy Omni C20 is usually listed for $599.99, so this deal saves you $250 overall. Not to mention, it's only $20 away from its lowest-ever price of $329.99.

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Boasting 7,000 Pa suction, alongside a rolling and side brush, the Eufy Omni C20 can tackle any dust or crumbs that have dropped onto your floor. It even features a Pro-Detangle Comb that helps get rid of tangled up hair it comes across. And if you've been dealing with annoying stains on harder surfaces, its mopping system offers up 180 rotations per minute and 6N of pressure to scrub them clean.

Its small size — coming to just 3.35-inches tall — allows it to easily move underneath furniture in your home. That way, you can feel content knowing every corner is getting an efficient clean. This deal may not stick around for long, so be quick to save on the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop.

If you're curious to see other robot vacuums we'd recommend, check out our roundup of the best robot vacuums.