IT General

Good ideas can come from anywhere, so why not take UX inspiration from a video game? Well, if you're going to do it, it better be one of the best games created by certified geniuses, so what better choice than the still-legendary Quake?

If you live in the United States, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to crush that Netflix series you've always wanted to watch. Nearly 30 states will get hit with snow, sleet, and freezing rain. As much as I love to get outside, the better move right now is to stay indoors and fire up some television.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Jan. 23, 2026:

AcrossAttach, as one plant to another

• The answer is Graft.

Email button with a backward-facing arrow

• The answer is Reply.

Make very excited

• The answer is Amp up.

Two-time Best Actor nominee Nick

• The answer is Nolte.

Total dork

• The answer is Dweeb.

DownWord that can precede piano, total or staircase

• The answer is Grand.

Cut again, as a lawn

• The answer is Remow.

Company whose logo has a bite taken out of it

• The answer is Apple.

Champagne glass

• The answer is Flute.

Laid-back kind of personality

• The answer is Type B.

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

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

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

Don't let that extra "S" fool you—ROW and ROWS do completely different jobs in Excel. One tells you where you are, while the other tells you how much space you have. If you're tired of formulas breaking when you delete a row, it's time to master the difference between these two tools.

Teyana Taylor is hosting SNL this week alongside musical guest Geese, and the teaser is wonderfully weird.

The Oscar-nominated One Battle After Another star appeared with the Brooklyn band and SNL's Marcello Hernández to promote the upcoming show, and the sheer awkwardness is my kind of energy.

"Dream brunch rotation" indeed.

Anker’s latest Prime Wireless Charging Station makes some bold claims—and lives up to them. I really love this wireless charging station, but I do have one thing about it that I don’t like. Is it worth $230 of your hard-earned money? I’m not quite sure.

Donald Trump launched his "Board of Peace" at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, the president's committee that will function as "transitional administration" in the reconstruction of Gaza. 60 nations have been invited to join, with each member guaranteed a seat for the sky-high cost of $1 billion.

Stephen Colbert unpacked Trump's new billion-dollar board on The Late Show Thursday, including reports that Trump will be its chairman for life (even after he is no longer U.S. president) and hold the only veto over any matter. But he also landed a blow on his own network CBS (Colbert's show was controversially cancelled after the host accused CBS' parent company Paramount of paying a "big fat bribe" to Trump during a monologue.)

"Admittedly, the idea of paying a billion dollars to obey Donald Trump seems a little steep," Colbert said of the Board of Peace admission fee. "After all, CBS got to do it for just $16 million. Check my math on that one."

Someone call the fire department.

SAVE $550: As of Jan. 23, the Roborock Qrevo CurvX is on sale for $949.99 at Amazon. That's a 37% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: roborock Roborock Qrevo CurvX $749.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $750   Get Deal

Our love for robot vacuums has well and truly followed us into 2026, and if you've been looking for a great model that can vacuum and mop your floors, the Roborock Qrevo CurvX is a great choice. And as of Jan. 23, it's on sale for $949.99, taking $550 off the list price.

This robot vacuum is built to tackle all kinds of mess. With a 22,000Pa suction and a zero-tangle design, it can deal with everything from stubborn carpet debris to pet hair. The built-in mop means it can also scrub away at any stains or spills. It’s also the slimmest Roborock yet, so it can get into the low spaces under couches and cupboards where dust is hard to reach.

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Part of this vacuum's design is the dock. This is where it charges, empties, and does all its maintenance. The mops are washed here using 80°C hot water, and the dock handles drying, emptying, and refilling automatically. The navigation doesn't need any help from you either. It has obstacle recognition via structured light and an RGB camera, and the AdaptiLift chassis lets it adjust height up to 4cm to get over door thresholds and around furniture.

And it can all be controlled from the Roborock app, including cleaning modes and settings. It even a two-way voice interaction so you can talk to your pet when you're away from home.

Get this robot vacuum deal from Amazon now.

SAVE OVER $400: As of Jan. 23, the Kamrui Pinova P2 Mini PC is on sale for $292.46 at Amazon. Get 10% off and use code 12600KAMRUI at the checkout.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kamrui Kamrui Pinova P2 Mini PC $292.46 at Amazon
$759.94 Save $467.48   Get Deal

If you're in need of a new gaming setup, but your desk space won't allow it, this deal on the Kamrui Pinova P2 Mini PC is the answer. A small, compact unit, this model is the ideal pick for gamers with not much space to spare. And as of Jan. 23, it's on sale for a new record-low price. You can find it at Amazon right now for $292.46 by stacking the 10% off code and 12600KAMRUI at the checkout.

And despite its size, it's powerful. It's powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12600H processor, giving you up to 4.5GHz turbo performance. It comes with 16GB of dual-channel RAM and a 512GB SSD, with support for up to 4TB storage, so it's more than capable of handling multitasking and heavy gaming without lagging or slowing down.

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The mini PC also supports triple 4K displays at 60Hz via HDMI, so you can extend your setup for a more immersive experience. It also includes WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and Gigabit Ethernet for fast connectivity, and has multiple USB ports for connecting extra devices or headsets.

Get this mini PC deal from Amazon.

The best streaming deals to watch "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" at a glance: WATCH NOW Rent or buy "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" at Prime Video $19.99 or $24.99 Shop Now Watch as of Jan. 23 Hulu annual subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal Watch as of Jan. 23 Hulu and Disney+ bundle $9.99 for your first month (save $3) Get Deal Watch as of Jan. 23 Hulu Student $1.99 per month (save $10 per month) Get Deal Watch as of Jan. 23 Hulu (with ads) free for select T-Mobile customers (save $11.99 per month) Get Deal

Move over, A Complete Unknown, a new biopic just hit the streaming world. This time around, Jeremy Allen White trades The Bear's kitchen for the recording studio in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, where he plays The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.

The biopic also stars Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Odessa Young, Marc Maron, and David Krumholtz. It hit theaters last fall, but if you missed it, now's your chance to stream it at home. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

What is Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere about?

Written and directed by Scott Cooper and based on Warren Zanes' book Deliver Me From Nowhere, Springsteen follows Bruce Springsteen (White) during a pivotal moment in his life: recording his 1982 album Nebraska, just as he was on the cusp of global stardom. Rather than charting his life and career from beginning to end, Springsteen is already a star when Deliver Me From Nowhere opens. Like 2024's Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, it chronicles him grappling with his success and the ghosts of his past.

Check out the full trailer:

Is Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere worth watching?

While it didn't earn a spot on our list of the best movies from 2025, White's performance has stirred up awards season hype. He was already nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture.

The Springsteen biopic currently holds a 60 percent critic rating at Rotten Tomatoes, but a more positive 82 percent audience rating.

Mashable's own film critic writes, "While the film's music remains classic as ever, and while White does an admirable job channeling Springsteen, Deliver Me From Nowhere fails to deliver anything revelatory about the actual emotions behind the music."

Still, if you're a Bruce Springsteen or Jeremy Allen White fan, it's certainly worth a watch.

Read our full review of Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

How to watch Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere at home Credit: 20th Century Studios

Springsteen opened in theaters nationwide on Oct. 24, 2025, after premiering at the 2025 Telluride Film Festival. If you missed out, no biggie; it's now officially available to watch at home. You'll have three different ways to watch as of Jan. 23, 2026: buy it on digital video-on-demand retailers, rent it from digital video-on-demand retailers, or stream it. See the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

The 20th Century Studios film officially made its at-home debut via video-on-demand retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV on Dec. 23, 2025. You can purchase Springsteen for your own digital library or rent it for 30 days. Just keep in mind that with rentals, you'll only have 48 hours to finish watching once you start.

Here are some quick links to buy or rent the film on digital:

• Prime Video — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy

• Fandango at Home — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy

• Apple TV — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy

• Google Play — $24.99 to buy

• YouTube — $24.99 to buy

Stream it on Hulu

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere made its streaming debut on Hulu on Jan. 23, 2026, just three months after its theatrical debut.

Hulu subscriptions start at $11.99 per month (thanks to a recent price hike), but there are a few different ways you can save. We've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.

The best Hulu streaming dealsBest Hulu deal for most people: Hulu annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (with ads) annual subscription $119.99 per year (save $23.89) Get Deal

The best way to cut back on the cost of a Hulu subscription is to opt for an annual plan instead of a monthly plan. By paying for a year upfront for $119.99 (which breaks down to $9.99 per month), you'll save about 16% or just shy of $24. It's not the biggest discount, but every dollar counts.

Best bundle deal: Get Hulu and Disney+ for 45% off Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Hulu and Disney+ (with ads) $12.99 per month (save $10.99 per month) Get Deal

One of the best deals in the streaming world is Disney's bundle plan. You can get both Disney+ and Hulu with ads in the Duo Basic bundle for just $12.99 per month. That's only a dollar more than paying for one streamer on its own, saving you about 45% total. Better yet, through Feb. 17, you can save an extra $3 on your first month of this bundle plan if you've never subscribed before.

Best for students: Hulu Student Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu Student (with ads) $1.99 per month (save $10 per month) Get Deal

College students can save 83% or $10 per month on a Hulu with ads subscription. Sign up through the Hulu Student promotional page and verify your college email address via SheerID, and the price will drop from $11.99 to just $1.99 per month.

Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) free for select customers Opens in a new window Credit: T-Mobile / Hulu Hulu (with ads) free for select T-Mobile customers Get Deal

Aside from the free trial, the only way you can get Hulu for free in 2026 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans (you'll also get Netflix and Apple TV+ for free). If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. You'll just have to enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu. If you're not on the Go5G Next plan or Experience Beyond plan, make the switch to start taking advantage of the best free streaming lineup around.

Tesla now operates Robotaxis in Austin, Texas without human safety monitors in the driver's seat.

While the above sentence is technically correct, the company may have just moved the safety monitors to another car that follows the first one.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the news on X on Thursday. "Just started Tesla Robotaxi drives in Austin with no safety monitor in the car," he wrote. The official Tesla account on X went a step further, calling the ride "full unsupervised."

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk: Tesla FSD will soon become subscription-only

One "unsupervised" Robotaxi ride in a Tesla Model Y is detailed in a video by Joe Tegtmeyer, retweeted by Musk and Tesla. At one point, we see that a black Tesla Model Y is following the Robotaxi. "You'll also notice behind the Model Y is a chase car, I think they're using that for validation," Tegtmeyer says. The black car keeps following the Robotaxi throughout the ride.

Neither Musk nor Tesla have explained what the second car is for, so it's hard to make any definitive statement about it. It is, however, very possible that the car carries humans who are ready to intervene if something goes wrong with the Robotaxi ride, which sounds a lot like safety monitors.

Featured Video For You 'Admin night' is the most responsible fun you can have in 2026

We'll see whether Robotaxis in Austin will start making autonomous rides without another Tesla following them. For now, this could just be a cool trick that allows Musk to brag about Robotaxis making autonomous rides with "no safety monitor in the car."

Meanwhile, Tesla's chief competitor Waymo is carrying out fully autonomous rides in six major cities in the U.S., having added Miami to the list just days ago.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 23, the Apple AirPods Pro 3 have dropped to $199.99 at Best Buy as part of the retailer's Deal of the Day. This is $50 off their list price of $249.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 at Best Buy
$249.99 Save $50   Get Deal

Best Buy's Deal of the Day page has quite a nice surprise for Apple fans today. For those who have had their eye on the AirPods Pro 3 — which earned spots on both our lists of the best earbuds and best headphones — the retailer has marked them down to $199.99 on Jan. 23.

This deal saves you $50 off their standard list price of $249.99, but again, it only lasts through the rest of the day. If you've been hoping to pick up these earbuds for a discounted price, now is a great time to do it.

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The AirPods Pro 3 are an upgrade well worth considering. Our review from writer Adam Doud called them "a remarkable upgrade in functionality over their predecessors, with better battery life and ANC, as well as a new heart rate sensor." Compared to the Pro 2s, these cancel up to twice as much outside noise, so you can feel fully focused on what you're listening to.

Along with great sound quality, they also boast a battery life that lasts up to eight hours on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation turned on, or up to 10 hours if you're in Transparency mode or using the Hearing Aid feature. If they tick all the boxes for what you've been looking for in new earbuds, now is your chance to grab the AirPods Pro 3 for $50 off at Best Buy.

If you're curious which other earbuds are worth checking out right now, our roundup of the best earbuds can point you in the direction of some more of our favorite picks.

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.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box (30 Packs) $139.99 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $24.71 Get Deal

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 (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.

SEE ALSO: My cats and I found the 8 best vacuums for pet owners, from powerful hair pickup to livestream cameras

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.

SEE ALSO: Shark CryoGlow mask review after 10 months: The only way I'll ever stop using this is if Shark releases a new one

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.

SEE ALSO: China drafting first of its kind 'emotional safety' regulation for AI

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.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Explore dreametech.com Shop products on the Dreame website Shop Now

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.

SEE ALSO: Robot vacuums vs. stick vacuums: Shopping advice from someone who has both 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.

SEE ALSO: As an anxious cat mom, I love my robot vacuum with a livestream camera

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.

SEE ALSO: Will the laser-equipped Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai solve Dyson's robot vacuum problem? 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.

SEE ALSO: I found the most impressive robot vacuum under $500. You've never heard of it.

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.

SEE ALSO: Shark CryoGlow mask review after 10 months: The only way I'll ever stop using this is if Shark releases a new one

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.

SEE ALSO: A tale of two robot vacuums with arms: How the Dreame Cyber 10 could beat the Roborock Saros Z70

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.

SEE ALSO: The Roborock Saros 10R aces one thing that most other robot vacuums can't

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.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock robot vacuums   Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame robot vacuums   Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark robot vacuums   Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba robot vacuums   Shop Now

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 just ended, but star Walker Scobell is already eager for the future of the show.

In a Say More interview with Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards, Scobell revealed that Season 3, which is currently shooting and set to release this year, is "even better than I imagined."

SEE ALSO: The 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' cast drafts the ultimate capture-the-flag teams

As a massive fan of Rick Riordan's original book series, Scobell's appreciation for Season 3 stems from his deep fandom of the source material — especially The Titan's Curse, which Season 3 will adapt.

"Listen, I love Season 2, and I love Season 1. Perfect, I love them so much," Scobell told Mashable. "But there's something about The Titan's Curse to The Last Olympian that's just a completely new level, and it's just so different."

From The Titan's Curse onwards, Riordan's books get considerably darker, a challenge that Scobell relishes as he and his castmates grow up alongside Percy and his crew of heroes.

"They're getting older, and things are getting pretty serious with this Great Prophecy," Scobell explained. "It think it gets really difficult for them, because now things are real. They're not invincible — not like they weren't before, but they've seen how they're not invincible."

Thankfully, amid Season 3's emotional damage (and book fans know there's a lot of that to go around), audiences will also be getting some levity. That includes one iconic scene from The Titan's Curse: all those Hoover Dam puns.

"We're gonna be getting a lot of good dam jokes," Scobell revealed. "That's the only thing I'm gonna confirm. As a fan, before we got episode 5, Aryan [Simhadri] and I were like, 'There's no way they take that out.' Because it's my favorite part of that book. There's no reason for them to laugh at that point. But I love how they're just sitting there, laughing about these dam jokes."

Sounds like we're in for a dam good time, right?

"It's gonna be a dam great season," Scobell said.

For more of Mashable's interview with Scobell, including a deep dive into finale fight scenes, changes between Riordan's book and the show, and what's next for Percy and Thalia (Tamara Smart), check out the full video on YouTube.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+. Season 3 arrives later in 2026.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

More than three years since the Orion capsule's inaugural voyage, NASA is about to shoot the capsule into space again — but this time four astronauts will ride it to the moon.

Artemis II — which mission leaders say could happen as early as two weeks from now in February — is a crucial practice run for NASA's hardware that turns Artemis I's uncrewed success into a fully human mission.

"While Artemis I was a great success, there are new systems and new capabilities that we will be demonstrating on Artemis II, including the life support systems, the display capabilities, software, and et cetera," said Lakiesha Hawkins, NASA's acting deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development. "This is a stepped approach, and all that we learned from Artemis II, we will build upon that to prepare us for our first crewed landing on the surface of the moon for Artemis III."

Though the crew won't ever leave the confines of the spaceship during their 10-day mission, the four members will hold a place in history as the first space travelers of Artemis, the new exploration program named after Apollo's goddess twin. It's the beginning of NASA's ambitious plan to send astronauts to Mars by the late 2030s, preparing for a world far less hospitable than Earth.

This second Artemis mission — the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years — raises the stakes. Instead of just proving that the Space Launch System rocket and capsule can survive, NASA must show that the vehicles can keep people alive on a 10‑day trip around the moon and back. The mission will test crew controls and emergency options that future astronauts will rely on when NASA tries to land on the lunar surface and eventually push on toward Mars.

SEE ALSO: Artemis 2: Next steps for NASA's moon rocket after historic roll to pad

Artemis II will carry Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Hammock Koch and Jeremy Hansen. Hansen, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, will be the first international crewmate on a lunar mission. 

The astronauts will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, atop the 322-foot mega moon rocket, loop around the moon on a roughly four‑day outbound trip, fly about 4,600 miles beyond it, and return to a splashdown off the coast of California.

The Artemis II mission will take four astronauts on a 10-day voyage around the moon. Credit: NASA infographic

That distance could set a new human spaceflight record, exceeding the one set by Apollo 13, which traveled 248,655 miles from Earth in 1970. Whether Artemis II reaches its planned 257,000 miles depends on when exactly the mission launches.

Koch said she had recently met Fred Haise, now in his 90s and the last surviving Apollo 13 crew member. 

"He said, 'I heard you're going to beat our record,' and it made me realize maybe he's paying attention to it more than we are. I think that sometimes when we talk about superlatives, we may inadvertently ignore the real story of what's going on in our mission," she said. "It's not about farthest, first, fastest, longest. It's about the teamwork."

A major change from the 25-day Artemis I mission in 2022 is the path the crew will take. Artemis II will use what NASA calls a "free return trajectory," which means once Orion heads toward the moon, gravity from Earth and the moon will naturally bend the spaceship's course back home, even if later engine burns fail.

Another big difference comes right after launch. Before committing the astronauts to deep space, NASA will park Orion in a high Earth orbit that takes about a day to complete. That gives the team time to thoroughly check the spacecraft while it remains relatively close to home.

"When we get off the planet, we might come right back home, we might spend three or four days around Earth, we might go to the moon," Wiseman said. "That's where we want to go, but it is a test mission, and we are ready for every scenario."

During this phase, the crew will perform a test of how Orion handles when astronauts steer it — practice for later missions that must dock with a lunar lander. Once the ship separates from the upper stage, they'll turn Orion around and manually fly near the spent propulsion section, using cameras and windows to approach and back away. 

From left, NASA pilot Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, NASA astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, and NASA Commander Reid Wiseman climb the crew access arm at the launchpad for an Artemis II test. Credit: NASA / Frank Michaux

For the return home, NASA has tweaked its original re-entry plan after discovering damage to Orion's heatshield following Artemis I. Engineers have since adjusted the flight path so the capsule doesn’t plow through the atmosphere as hard or as long. By aiming closer to San Diego, California, versus Baja California, Mexico, they can shorten the hottest part of the ride. 

While the agency has committed to launching Artemis II no later than April 2026 and is working toward a possible February window, which opens Feb. 6, mission leaders stressed that schedule will never outrun safety.

"I've got a good eye for launch fever," said John Honeycutt, head of the mission management team. "I'm not going to tell the agency that I'm ready to go fly until I think we're ready to go fly."

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.

SEE ALSO: TikTok's algorithms knew I was bi before I did. I'm not the only one.

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.

SEE ALSO: Spotify's Prompted Playlist lets you micromanage your own algorithm

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.

TL;DR: Live stream Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This week's NBA action includes a replay of the 2025 NBA Finals as the Indiana Pacers go on the road to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Oklahoma won those games but the more interesting story was Indiana's incredible playoffs run, which defied the odds. But the Eastern Conference champions have had a tough 2025-26 season so far — they're currently sat at the bottom of the conference, while Thunder are at the top of the Western Conference with the best record in the league. Can the Pacers pull off another improbable result? Or is their season a write-off?

If you want to watch Pacers vs. Thunder in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Pacers vs. Thunder?

Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 23. This game takes place at the Paycom Center.

How to watch Pacers vs. Thunder for free

Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S. and UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S. or UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S. or UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, 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 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 $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 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This week's must-watch NBA action sees the Houston Rockets visit Eastern Conference leaders the Detroit Pistons. The Rockets will have their work cut out — the Pistons have an excellent win-loss record and have impressed b-ball fans with their robust defense. That said, Houston are considered an on-the-up franchise and a playoffs contender.

The game is also featured as part of Rivals Week, a recent NBA concept that highlights key rivalries across the conferences. This one's particularly interesting because it features a brotherly rivalry, with twins Ausar and Amen Thompson playing on opposite teams — Ausar for the Pistons, Amen for the Rockets.

If you want to watch Rockets vs. Pistons in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Rockets vs. Pistons?

Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons in the NBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 23. This game takes place at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI.

How to watch Rockets vs. Pistons for free

Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S. and UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S. or UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S. or UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, 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 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 $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 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.