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In a segment where complexity often leads to costly repairs and unpredictable ownership costs, one hybrid SUV stands out in 2026 for its exceptional reliability. While many electrified crossovers still struggle with long-term dependability, this Japanese-built model combines proven engineering with low maintenance needs, making it one of the smartest choices for buyers who want efficiency and peace of mind.

Windows 11 has been progressively getting worse with every feature update since last year. Here's how I've been doing some damage control to keep it usable.

Last year at the Consumer Electronics Show, a solidly built Windows laptop that weighed just over two pounds was an exciting and novel concept. The 2.18-pound, Qualcomm-powered Asus Zenbook A14 took tech's biggest showcase by storm as the thinnest and lightest Copilot+ PC in the world at the time. Among other accolades, it clinched our Best of CES award in the laptop category for its feathery yet rigid design, pretty OLED display, and all-day battery life. Even Oprah was a fan.

Soon, the Zenbook A14 won't be an outlier: Almost every PC maker had an exceptionally thin and light model in tow at CES 2026. Like the Zenbook A14, which got a subtle next-gen update (and a sibling), the new laptops have premium magnesium alloy chassis, OLED displays, and builds that hover around 2.2 pounds. They make the 2.7-pound Apple MacBook Air feel chonky.

If 2025 was the year of the ultra-thin phone, then 2026 is shaping up to be the year of the ultra-ultraportable Windows laptop.

A chip from Intel's new Ultra Core Series 3 line, previously code-named "Panther Lake." Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Most of these super-svelte Windows laptops run on new Intel Ultra Core Series 3 chips, which offer broader app compatibility than ARM-based Qualcomm models and promise up to 27 hours of battery life. The refreshed Zenbook A14 and the new HP OmniBook Ultra 14 will come with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X2 chips, and the former is rated for up to 35 hours of stamina. (The 2025 model held out for about 22 hours in our testing.) The OmniBook's spec sheet just lists "multi-day" battery life for now.

SEE ALSO: Best of CES 2026 awards announced: See all the winners and nominees

Stay tuned for final pricing and availability info for most of these CES laptops — and brace for impact, as the ongoing RAM shortage is expected to jack up costs. We hope to test as many of them as possible in the near future.

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI Acer's Swift Edge 14 AI is super light yet super durable. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Acer's new ultra-ultraportable offering features a 14-inch 2K or 3K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, "multi-day" battery life, and up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor. Its chassis is made from a stainless steel-magnesium alloy that meets the U.S. MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability standard, yet it comes in at just 2.18 pounds and 13.9 millimeters thin. There's a laser-etched geometric design on its lid, but it's otherwise a humble little silver laptop. Look for it sometime in Q2.

Asus ExpertBook Ultra The Asus ExpertBook Ultra will come in Jet Fog (left) and Morn Grey. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Asus' new 14-inch business laptop is configurable with up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 processor, Intel's new high-end chip, and it comes standard with a 3K tandem OLED display featuring a variable 120Hz refresh rate and a matte finish. (Sort of like Apple's nano-texture upgrade for the MacBook Pro, but it doesn't cost extra.)

Impressively, it only weighs 2.18 pounds and measures 10.9 millimeters thin, yet it manages to cram in a haptic touchpad; Asus' rep told me that there's a divot in its battery to make room for it.

Here's that bad boy from the side. It's SO thin. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The ExpertBook Ultra features a wind tunnel-like thermal design with large fans that can spin slowly for minimal noise. The chassis itself is made from a strong magnesium-aluminum alloy that has a "Nano Ceramic" coating, which is also used in airplanes and Formula 1 cars, the rep said. It's a slightly different material than the Ceraluminum on the Zenbook A14, but it uses the same bonding process and is also scratch-resistant.

Asus's rep said the EliteBook Ultra "will be on the upper end of the price spectrum." It doesn't have a launch date yet.

Asus Zenbook A14 (and A16) Asus had the 2026 Zenbook A14 on display in Iceland Gray at CES, but a rep told me that U.S. models will only come in Zabrinskie Beige. (See the Zenbook A16, background.) Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Asus has given my beloved MacBook Air rival a minor next-gen rework. The 2026 version of the 14-inch, Ceraluminum-clad Zenbook A14 will have a new Snapdragon X2 Elite chip with more AI processing power, up to 35 hours of battery life, thinner bezels, 24GB of base RAM, and a new matte keycap coating. It still starts at just 2.18 pounds and 13.5 millimeters thin with a 2K 60Hz OLED display.

The Zenbook A14 is also getting a 16-inch counterpart. The new Zenbook A16 will be the first next-gen laptop to market with the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, Qualcomm's most powerful processor yet. It will have a 3K 120Hz OLED touchscreen and an extra SD card reader slot, and it will only weigh 2.65 pounds — making it nearly an ounce lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air and over half a pound lighter than the 15-inch model. It should get at least 21 hours of battery life.

Asus hasn't set a price or release date for either Zenbook A-series size yet.

HP EliteBook X G2i The lightweight HP EliteBook X G2i comes in Atmospheric Blue. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The new HP EliteBook X G2 series of 14-inch business laptops includes a lightweight clamshell-style Intel model (the G2i) with an Atmospheric Blue chassis that's mostly made of magnesium. It's only 2.2 pounds and measures 14.4 millimeters in the back, but only 9.2 millimeters in the front. It comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 or 7 processor (in business or consumer configurations), an anti-glare 3K 120Hz tandem OLED display, and a haptic touchpad. Its price will be announced closer to when it goes on sale in February.

HP OmniBook Ultra 14 Here's the Qualcomm-powered HP OmniBook Ultra 14 in Stone Blue. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

This 14-inch consumer model from HP has a forged (read: very strong) anodized aluminum chassis with gorgeous metallic accents around its edges; it's a really stylish and elegant machine. It's the only model on this list that doesn't weigh 2.2 pounds or less — it comes in at 2.81 pounds — but it deserves a spot because of how skinty it is.

Measuring 10.7 millimeters in the back and just 7.4 millimeters in the front, it's the thinnest laptop I saw at CES 2026. Come to think of it, it just might be the thinnest laptop I've seen, like, ever.

The OmniBook Ultra 14 is configurable with an Intel Core Ultra 3 chip in Eclipse Gray and Silk Sand finishes, or with a Snapdragon X2 Plus or Elite chip in Stone Blue. All variants have a 3K OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz variable refresh rate. Its pricing and release timeline aren't available yet.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition will come in Seashell (pictured) and Cosmic Blue. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

"Whoa." That's what one of my coworkers said when he first held the 14-inch Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition in Lenovo's private showroom. It's 13.9 millimeters thin and a mere 2.15 pounds, making it the lightest laptop we encountered at CES.

It's equipped with a 2.8K 120Hz POLED (flexible Plastic OLED) display and up to a top-tier Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 processor. It also has a "Force Pad" trackpad that you can draw on with a stylus (sold separately). Its magnesium alloy chassis comes in fingerprint-resistant Cosmic Blue and Seashell finishes.

This one actually has an estimated price point: It's slated to start at $1,649 when it drops this June.

Honorable mention: Dell XPS 13 A silver finish and an island-style keyboard... yeah, it's giving MacBook Air. Credit: Dell

Dell's new XPS 14 and XPS 16 don't come with discrete graphics anymore, so they're way slimmer than the previous generation. (Haven't you heard? XPS is back from the dead.) But Dell promises its thinnest, lightest, and cheapest XPS laptop ever in a forthcoming 13-inch model, which will come in under 13 millimeters. For reference, the 2023 XPS 13 weighed 2.6 pounds, measured 15.3 millimeters thick, and started at $1,299.99.

Dell showed a prototype of the XPS 13 to me behind glass in its CES showroom, and while I can't tell you anything about it yet, I can confirm it's real and set for release later this year. I will point out that the early product photo Dell provided appears to show an island-style keyboard rather than the XPS line's traditional lattice-style keyboard. If that makes it to production, it will look very MacBook Air-y.

If you’re in the market for an affordable phone, an iPhone is probably not your first thought. There are several reasons why a lower-cost Apple device is better than an entry-level Android phone, so here are the three top reasons you should go team iPhone when saving money.

Are you curious about terminal file managers but overwhelmed by the options? Wondering which one won’t require memorizing 100 keybindings just to copy a file? Well, here’s my list of the five best Linux terminal-based file managers and how they rank against one another.

All it took for me to take wireless charging seriously was a MagSafe charging stand on my desk. Unless I need a fast-charging top-up, this is now how I choose to charge my phone 90% of the time.

TL;DR: Live stream Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free on Channel 4. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has been everything we wanted it to be. We've seen some incredible fixtures, magical individual performances, and passionate stadiums, and we're not done yet. Senegal take on Egypt in the first semi-final matchup. All eyes will be on Mohamed Salah as he looks to lead his side into another final.

That's not going to be an easy task. Senegal have scored 11 goals in the five games they've played so far. They're stacked with talent, including Salah's old teammate Sadio Mané. This is going to be an evenly-matched contest between two talented and motivated squads.

If you want to watch Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Senegal vs. Egypt?

Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Jan. 14. This fixture takes place at the Tangier Grand Stadium.

How to watch Senegal vs. Egypt for free

Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is available to live stream for free on Channel 4.

Channel 4 is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock Channel 4 to stream AFCON for free from anywhere in the world.

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Live stream Senegal vs. Egypt for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit Channel 4

5. Watch Senegal vs. Egypt for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of AFCON without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Senegal vs. Egypt (plus more 2025 Africa Cup of Nations fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Channel 4?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Channel 4, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 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).

Watch Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free with ExpressVPN.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a shopaholic.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 14, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Locked

• Green: Buyer

• Blue: Precipitation

• Purple: Quiet

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Fixed

• Green: Receiver of goods or services

• Blue: Starting with weather conditions

• Purple: Silent ___

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #948 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Fixed: FAST, FIRM, SECURE, TIGHT

• Receiver of goods or services: ACCOUNT, CLIENT, CONSUMER, USER

• Starting with weather conditions: FROSTY, MISTY, RAINMAKER, SNOWMAN

• Silent ___: AUCTION, MOVIE, PARTNER, TREATMENT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 14, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always hype.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 14, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 14, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: "Oh boy!"

The words are related to elation.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe being exhilarated

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Let's Do This.

NYT Strands word list for January 14

• Fervent

• Eager

• Zealous

• Let's Do This

• Excited

• Enthusiastic

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're dodgy.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 14, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 14, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To divert.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

AVOID

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 14, 2026

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

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.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box $107.94 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $56.76 Get Deal

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.

We're nearing the end of the current lunar cycle, with just a few days of visibility left. However, there's still a sliver visible tonight, so grab your binoculars or telescope and see what you can spot.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 17% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

With no visual aids tonight, you should be able to spot the Aristarchus Plateau. This is positioned to the far left of the moon, in the middle. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, it'll be the right side of the moon. If you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope, these will help you to see the Grimaldi Basin.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.

What are Moon phases?

Moon phases are what make up the lunar cycle, a phase that NASA tells us takes about 29.5 days. This is the time that the Moon takes to complete a full orbit. As it moves around Earth, it goes through a series of eight distinct phases. The same side of the Moon always faces our planet, but the sunlight hitting it changes depending on its position in orbit. This is why the Moon can sometimes appear full, partially lit, or completely dark. The eight phases that make up the lunar cycle are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

In an era dominated by SUVs and crossovers, it’s easy to assume that sedans are a thing of the past, but the sales figures for the Toyota Camry tell a very different story. Even as buyers flock to taller, truck-based vehicles, this enduring Japanese sedan continues to find its footing in the American market, proving there’s still strong demand for traditional four-door cars.

Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have spread across America, demanding justice after the killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis last week.

But as Jimmy Kimmel noted in his monologue on Tuesday night, Donald Trump gave a speech in at the Detroit Economic Club this week in which he "attempted to convince those in attendance that the protests in Minneapolis are not real," calling these very real demonstrations "fake riots."

"First, they want us to believe that we did not see what we all saw happen overnight," said Kimmel in the clip above. "Now he wants us to believe the protests aren't real. It's like The Emperor's New Clothes in reverse; he's telling us we're the ones who are naked while they do their best to cover everything up."

Meanwhile, fellow late night host Stephen Colbert also spent time during his monologue unpacking the Trump administration's deployment of thousands of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, despite Minneapolis officials urging them to leave.

Smart home technology is meant to save you time and effort, and it can definitely do so when used well. However, it's all too easy to fall into habits that can end up wasting time rather than saving it.

I'm a fan of the open-source philosophy, and given the price of Microsoft 365, the push for desktop alternatives to Microsoft Excel is louder than ever. Yet, I can't make the leap. While these local apps look the part, they lack the deep architectural features that make modern data analysis possible on my PC.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Special Collection is now $57.99 at Amazon, bringing it closer to market value at 11% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Special Collection $57.99 at Amazon
$64.90 Save $6.91 Get Deal

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.

The Trump administration has over 2,000 federal immigration agents in Minnesota, with 1,000 more to be deployed by the Department of Homeland Security, despite local officials in the city of Minneapolis urging them to leave.

On The Late Show Tuesday night, host Stephen Colbert called it out: "So he's clearly invading Minnesota. Has anyone told him that they don't have oil? Because the best he’s going to get is 50 million barrels of cream of mushroom soup."

Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have spread across America after the killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis last week, which Colbert called "just the latest and most horrifying abuse of that great city by Homeland Security."

"If you've been on social media, you've seen all the terrible activities these officers have been up to, pulling people from vehicles, raiding homes and schools, both threatening and then delivering violence," said Colbert during his monologue, then turning to a viral clip doing the rounds on social media. "You may also have seen this, an ICE officer running on the sidewalk and then absolutely eatin' duke."

The Apple Watch Series 11 isn't just a fantastic smartwatch, it's a top fitness tracker too.

If your goal this year is to run a half marathon or the whole thing, this watch is ideal for helping to track your progress, monitor your heart rate, and plan your workouts. It's obviously not a dedicated running watch like Garmin's Forerunner range, but this watch has plenty of features to guide your training and keep you motivated along the way.

Why the Apple Watch Series 11 is a great running aid

The Apple Watch Series 11 thrives as a lifestyle watch. If you have an iPhone, the connection between the two is seamless, especially when it comes to notifications and phone calls. But it's also built with incredible fitness tracking metrics, like built-in GPS (for accurate distance, pace, and route mapping), heart rate monitoring, and cadence tracking. All of these stats make for a very happy runner, covering that basics you'll want to track when training for any race, including a marathon.

Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

It also comes with training support in the form of the Workout Buddy. This uses a text-to-speech model to generate personalized pep talks based on voice data from an Apple Fitness+ trainer to keep you motivated during your workout. It’s like having a coach in your ear. There's also the Training Load function that shows you how much stress your workouts are putting on your body over time. It makes it easier to see when you can push yourself and when you might need to take it easy, helping you avoid overtraining. It also has built-in pacing alerts and split notifications that will help to keep you in your target range during workouts. The Series 11 also measures your VO₂ max (a stat that shows how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise) to track your aerobic improvement over time.

If you're looking for daily workout suggestions, this is lacking on the Apple Watch. If you want recommendations on types of runs based on your fitness and recovery levels, the Garmin Forerunner 55 and other running-specific watches will give you that.

Extended battery life is what keeps me going back to Garmin, but the Apple Watch Series 11 can keep up. The Apple Watch Series 11 can last up to 24 hours of normal use, so it’ll comfortably get you through a long training day or a series of runs. Plus, with fast charging, just 15 minutes on the charger gives you up to eight hours of use, so it's easy to top up between sessions.

Can the Apple Watch Series 11 support marathon training?

The Series 11 is a great choice of fitness tracker if you want the stats to assist your training as well as lifestyle features. Built-in GPS, training support, and heart rate monitoring all give you the information you need to see how you're training. And Apple's "close your rings" feature might be the push you need to tick off your training plan.

Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The lack of personalized daily workouts is worth noting, but as a fitness tracker, the Apple Watch Series 11 still has a lot going for it in this space.

Where to buy the Apple Watch Series 11

The Apple Watch Series 11 can be purchased at many large retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.

Apple Watch Series 11 $329 at Walmart
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Where to pre-order Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets: Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing $159.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing $89.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter $69.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here

CES is always one of the most exciting weeks in the world of tech. This year we got announcements of new smart glasses, a $9,000 smart purse, and plenty of robots. But on a more practical level, we got a major Lego upgrade with the arrival of Lego Smart Play sets.

We didn't need another reason to be obsessed with building Lego sets, but the Danish brand has gone ahead and provided it. The Lego Smart Play system introduces an interactive aspect to a build with sounds, lights, and behaviors that add a new layer of fun. Plus, all you need to enter this new realm is a single Smart Play brick.

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Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth attended the Lego announcement ahead of the official CES kickoff in Las Vegas. Lego demonstrated highlights of the new smart bricks and Beck Werth wrote, "With a single smart brick, the CES demo brought Lego creations, characters, and playsets to life. Lego cars revved their engines, a Lego duck quacked and even snored when placed on its side, and a Lego airplane pilot exclaimed 'woah!' to being flipped upside down."

Lucky for us Star Wars fans, the new Smart Play sets debut with a Star Wars theme. The three builds launch the first two days of March and they're all available for preorder at Amazon. Here are the details.

Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing $159.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

The largest of the Lego Star Wars Smart Play builds takes us back to an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi. The 962-piece Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing recreates the legendary Luke Skywalker lightsaber battle with Darth Vader. But unlike a standard Lego build, this Smart Play set will hum like a real-life lightsaber battle would. The set also comes with five Lego Smart Tags which add to the interactive experience with extra lights and sounds.

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play Throne Room Duel was on-hand at CES 2026. Credit: Mashable

Each Smart Brick battery life is about 45 minutes and the set comes with the charger you'll need to continue playing. The Star Wars build comes with a release date of March 1.

Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing $89.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

Enter Luke's world with this 581-piece build that's a great showcase of the new Lego Smart Play features. A Smart Play block on Luke's X-Wing means it'll come with lifelike sounds and lights like engine sounds, lights, and even repair noises. Smart Luke Skywalker and Smart Princess Leia minifigures are on hand for more interactive and responsive play.

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing at CES. Credit: Mashable

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing comes with a price of $89.99 and has a release date of March 1.

Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter $69.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

The most affordable of the new Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets is Darth Vader's TIE Fighter build with a price tag set at $69.99. The set has 473 pieces which features Darth Vader, his TIE Fighter, a fuel station, a Rebel Fleet Trooper, and more. In terms of the smart features and interactive additions, you'll get motion-activated engine sounds, lights, and laser-shooting because it simply wouldn't be Star Wars without those sounds. It also has refueling and repair sounds for the TIE.

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter on display at CES. Credit: Mashable

Like the other Lego sets, this comes with a March 1 release date. This set is designed for Lego builders aged eight and up.