IT General
10 Awesome Games You Can Play Right Now In Your Browser
Sometimes you have the urge to play some video games, but you don't have the right hardware with you. Perhaps you're stuck at work or school, or you have a basic device like a Chromebook. The good news is that there are a lot of games out there where you need nothing more than a web browser to play. I've picked out ten of the most interesting ones, but it's just the tip of the iceberg.
The Best 2-in-1 Laptops of 2024
If you're stuck between choosing a laptop and a tablet, you can get the best of both worlds with a 2-in-1 laptop. It functions like an ordinary laptop, but with a quick fold, it's suddenly a tablet.
How to Hide Posts From Someone on Instagram
Is someone following you on Instagram, but you don't want them to see your posts? There are a few things you can do to hide your posts and stories from them. Here's how to do that on your iPhone and Android phone.
OpenAI announces o3 and o3 mini reasoning models
OpenAI just announced o3 and o3 mini, its next-gen reasoning models.
In the livestream, SVP of Research Mark Chen showed o3's performance on certain benchmarks, compared to o1, like competition math (96.7 percent) and PhD-level science (87.7 percent). OpenAI and the ARC Prize competition also shared how o3 scored 76 percent on the ARC-AGI benchmark, which includes novel unpublished datasets. The ARC-AGI benchmark is designed to test ability to learn new and distinct skills on the fly with every new task.
Tweet may have been deletedThe announcement caps the 12 Days of OpenAI marathon, which debuted something new everyday. Over the past 12 business days, OpenAI has launched its AI video generator Sora, vision with Advanced Voice Mode, in addition to a slew of products and features designed to make ChatGPT more seamless to use in work and daily life.
SEE ALSO: OpenAI now lets you call ChatGPT on your phoneThe o3 mini model is designed to be a cost-efficient model that balances performance. It has three different effort levels and cap adapt its amount of reasoning time based on the difficulty of the problem. "An incredible cost-to-performance gain," said CEO Sam Altman.
So, o3 and o3 mini have achieved amazing intelligence breakthroughs according to OpenAI. But they're not ready to be released to the public yet. But OpenAI is granting early access to o3 and o3 mini for safety testing starting today. Applications to join the model testing program are accepted on a rolling basis and close on Jan. 10.
How to Disable Mail Categories on iPhone
The Mail app on your iPhone now sorts emails into four categories, with the intent of making it easier to find and manage messages. If you're not a fan of categorizing emails, however, you can disable categories and restore the Mail app to its original form.
Hawk Tuah girl Haliey Welch has disappeared from public view after crypto rug pull
UPDATE: Dec. 20, 2024, 11:10 a.m. EST Less than 24 hours after Mashable published this story, Hailey Welch has broken her silence with a statement on the failed $HAWK memecoin.
Read our latest story on Welch's statement.
Mashable's original report continues below.
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Haliey Welch has gone MIA.
The "Hawk Tuah" girl has not released a new episode of her popular weekly podcast, Talk Tuah, in two weeks. There was no previously announced hiatus of the show. Welch also has not posted on her social media channels in weeks either.
Welch became a viral sensation over the summer after dropping what would go on to become her catchphrase "Hawk Tuah" in a video clip that spread across the internet like wildfire. Welch capitalized on her internet fame by selling merchandise like t-shirts and then eventually launching a weekly podcast called Talk Tuah, which rocketed to the top of the Spotify podcast charts.
Everything appeared to be coming up roses for Welch. And then she launched her own cryptocurrency. She hasn't been heard from by the public since.
'Anywho, I'm gonna go to bed'On Dec. 4, Welch announced that her Hawk Tuah memecoin, $HAWK, had gone live. The memecoin exploded in value, with a market cap in the hundreds of millions of dollars – before quickly collapsing. Many who bought $HAWK had lost a significant sum of money in a matter of minutes.
Welch's fans who had invested started to blame those directly involved in the project. Investigations into the memecoin found that the vast majority of the tokens were held by just a few wallets, with those that had invested claiming that insiders received pre-launch access to the cryptocurrency before it went on sale to the public. After it launched, some said, those insiders dumped $HAWK for a profit, leaving Welch's fans holding the bag.
Welch and OverHere, the crypto team she partnered with, held a public Spaces stream on X, formerly known as Twitter. During the live audio chat, Welch and her partners were heavily criticized by listeners, including the popular YouTube crypto scam investigator Coffeezilla.
Before $HAWK holders could get any real answers about why $HAWK had crashed, Welch interrupted the stream.
Tweet may have been deleted"Hey guys!" Welch said on the late night Dec. 5 stream. "I hate to interrupt you, Nick, but hello there. Anywho, I'm gonna go to bed and I'll see you guys tomorrow."
And that was the last the public has heard from Welch since.
Not the end for the Hawk Tuah coin sagaWhile Welch has yet to make a statement, her partners at OverHere have recently attempted to address the situation. The group placed the blame on Alex Larson Schultz, also known as Doc Hollywood, who OverHere claims "'controlled all token decisions, fees, treasury." Schultz is a music producer, DJ, and crypto promoter who is best known to the public as comedian Howie Mandel's son-in-law.
Schultz has yet to comment on OverHere's statement. Mashable attempted to reach out to Welch but has yet to hear back.
The Talk Tuah podcast was launched on Sept. 3 and has released a new episode every week since. The last episode of Talk Tuah was released on Dec. 3, one day before the launch of $HAWK.
Welch also has not posted on social media since the failed cryptocurrency launch on Dec. 4.
However, we may hear from Welch or at least other members of her $HAWK team soon. Hawk Tuah memecoin investors filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the creators of $HAWK, alleging that they had unlawfully sold unregistered securities.
Kindle Rewards is offering double points for one day only — heres how it works
We couldn't think of a better way to spend the holiday season than curled up by the fire with a good book. Well, ebook, that is. You could go with a classic hardcover, but then you wouldn't be able to take advantage of double Kindle Rewards points on your purchase, would you?
That's right, for one day only (although they've done this already recently), Amazon is offering double Kindle Rewards points when you pick up any Kindle books. Rather than the usual three, you'll now get six points for every dollar spent on Kindle books and one point for print books. For every 300 points you accrue, you'll get $3 towards your next Kindle book purchase. Prime and non-Prime Amazon customers are eligible to participate in Kindle Rewards, so you've really got nothing to lose.
SEE ALSO: I’ve tried every Kindle and the Paperwhite is the only one you needSo, get yourself signed up before the offer ends at 2:59 am ET on Dec. 21. And while you're at it, check out some of our favorite Kindle book deals this week to get you started on earning your Kindle Rewards points.
Best Kindle book deals this week:A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney — $1.99 $18 (save $16.01)
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton — $2.99 $19 (save $16.01)
The Boys by Katie Hafner — $1.99 $18 (save $16.01)
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson — $1.99 $17.99 (save $16)
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver — $2.99 $19.99 (save $17)
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey — $1.99 $15.99 (save $14)
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig — $2.99 $18 (save $15.01)
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware — $2.99 $17.99 (save $15)
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson — $2.99 $17 (save $14.01)
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman — $2.99 $18 (save $16.01)
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood — $1.99 $17 (save $15.01)
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — $2.99 $17 (save $14.01)
Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese — $1.99 $17 (save $15.01)
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (The Kane Chronicles book one) — $1.99 $15.99 (save $14)
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas —$2.99 $15.20 (save $12.21)
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel — $2.99 $17 (save $14.01)
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert — $1.99 $18 (save $16.01)
Splinters by Leslie Jamison — $3.99 $29 (save $25.01)
The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan (The Kane Chronicles book two) — $1.99 $15.99 (save $14)
West with Giraffes by Lydia Rutledge — $2.99 $4.99 (save $2.50)
World Travel by Anthony Bourdain — $1.99 $22 (save $20.01)
Get this 77-inch LG TV for $800 less at Best Buy
SAVE $800: As of Dec. 20, you can get an LG 77-inch Class C3 Series OLED TV (2023) for $1,499.99 at Best Buy. That's $800 off the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 77-inch Class C3 Series OLED TV (2023) $1,499.99 at Best Buy$2,299.99 Save $800.00 Get Deal
I don’t really know anyone who needs a 77-inch TV, but if you want one, you can get a pretty good deal on one at Best Buy right now.
As of Dec. 20, you can get the LG 77-inch Class C3 Series OLED evo 4K UHD Smart webOS TV (2023) for $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99. That’s a hefty $800 discount and an almost irresistible price for a premium OLED TV of this size. It also comes with three months of Apple TV+ and 30 days of FurboTV.
SEE ALSO: The best time to buy a TV: A guide to the times of year that you'll find the best TV dealsThis model has an α9 AI Processor Gen6, made exclusively for LG OLED. It also has a Brightness Booster, so you can watch anything from the big game to your favorite movies in vibrant colors (even in the brightest rooms). Plus, with the webOS 23, LG ThinQ AI, and Magic Remote, you can find whatever you want in seconds.
With hundreds of LG channels and Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, this TV is great for the living room or home theater. It also has NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, and VRR for a smooth, stutter-free gaming experience.
Capture your best moments with $120 off the DJI Action 2 camera
SAVE $120: As of Dec. 20, get the DJI Action 2 for $159 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $279. That's a discount of 43%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Action 2 Camera $159.00 at Amazon$279.00 Save $120.00 Get Deal
Thinking about getting out into the world and doing some fun things in the new year? Maybe your resolution is to get up off the couch and try some new sports or physical activities. If you want to document all that while you're getting into it, you need a great action camera. And there's one on sale right now thanks to Amazon that can be your constant companion. Not only is it affordable, but it's also more than capable of capturing all those action-packed moments.
As of Dec. 20, you can get the DJI Action 2 Camera for just $159, down from its usual price of $279. That's $120 off and a discount of 43%.
This camera has a special magnetic design that lets you add accessories by snapping them on and off. It's small and compact as well, and you can add a magnetic lanyard or headband to wear it on your head or around your neck to capture everything that's going on around you.
It records in 4K at 120fps and has an ultra-wide FOV to make sure it doesn't miss a detail either, with an AI editor that can automatically compile your best moments while adding music and transitions. It's also waterproof and dustproof, so you can take it into water up to 10 meters to make sure you get all your best moments even when you're splashing around.
If you're ready to add a capable action camera to your arsenal or just want to start getting out there more and sharing it with the world, this is a deal you should hop on quickly, lest it go away just as fast.
Need last minute Christmas toys? Macys One Day Sale has you covered
Dec. 20th, save up to 60% on last minute toy deals like the Discovery Marble Run at Macy's One Day Sale.
The best toy deals at Macy's One Day Sale The best toy deal for builders Discovery #MINDBLOWN Glow Roll Marble Run Light-Up Construction Set $19.99 (Save $60) Get Deal The best toy deal for plush lovers Geoffrey's Toy Box 22" LED Light-Up Plush Bear $19.99 ($40) Get Deal The best gift for siblings Sharper Image Two Player Laser Tag Set $27.99 ($42) Get DealSometimes we drag our heels on that final push before the holidays. If you need one final gift to complete the list (or 10), the Macy's One Day Sale is right on time. Shop now to find great toys for up to 75% off that will still arrive before Christmas.
Whether it's a robotic RC T-Rex you can control with with a remote, a two-player laser tag set, or a customizable marble run, Macy's has plenty of exciting toys that are showing surprisingly generous discounts.
The best toy deal for builders Opens in a new window Credit: Discovery Discovery #MINDBLOWN Glow Roll Marble Run Light-Up Construction Set $19.99 at Macy's$79.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why we like it:
Kids love to build. The Discovery Marble Run is an endlessly customizable roller coaster for their marble collection. Set it up to launch marbles into the air, shoot them through chutes, and jump them from one part of the set to the next. At 75% off, this marble building set is only $19.99. Don't miss out.
SEE ALSO: There's still time to score last-minute gifts at Amazon — here are our top picks The best toy deal for plush lovers Opens in a new window Credit: Geoffrey's Toy Box Geoffrey's Toy Box 22" LED Light-Up Plush Bear $19.99 at Macy's$59.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it:
Umm... this bear is big. It's also anything but ferocious, with an interstellar, cosmic fur pattern in pink, yellow, and blue that lights up. The Geoffrey's Toy Box Light-Up Plus Bear is 22 inches tall — prime hugging dimensions for a kid. On sale for just $19.99, it's currently 67% off and arrives before Christmas.
The best gift for siblings Opens in a new window Credit: Sharper Image Sharper Image Two Player Laser Tag Set $27.99 at Macy's$69.99 Save $42.00 Get Deal Why we like it:
When you want to encourage group play, an interactive game set is a great gift. The Sharper Image Two Player Laser Tag Set equips kids with the gear they need for home-brewed laser tag games. The set is complete with two laser blasters and two chest targets that light up and keep score.
Other Macy's One Day Sale toy deals we loveDiscovery Kids RC T Rex Dinosaur Electronic Toy Action Figure — $27.99 $69.99 (save $42)
Sharper Image 2.4GHz RC Glow Up Stunt Drone with LED Lights — $31.99 $79.99 (save $48)
Discovery #MINDBLOWN Crystal Aquarium Tank DIY Underwater Garden — $15.99 $39.99 (save $24)
Discovery #MINDBLOWN 2 in 1 Planetarium Space Projector — $23.99 $59.99 (save $36)
The 13-inch M2 iPad Air beats its Black Friday price as a Best Buy Drop
SAVE $140: The Dec. 20 Best Buy Drop of the day is the 13-inch M2 iPad Air (WiFi, 128GB). Usually $799, the newest Air is on sale for $659 (compared to $699 on Black Friday) as long as you go through the Best Buy mobile app.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 13-inch iPad Air (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $659.00 at Best Buy$799.00 Save $140.00 Get Deal
The Best Buy Drop for Dec. 20 proves what the big deal about Best Buy Drops is. When else would you casually see an Apple product beat its own Black Friday price less than a month after Black Friday?
As long as inventory's still there when you see this on Dec. 20, you can snag the 13-inch iPad Air with M2 chip (WiFi, 128GB) for $659 through the Best Buy app. You'll be saving an extra $40 over anyone who bought this iPad on sale during Black Friday and Cyber Week, when it was only $100 off at $699. (That sale price lingered at Best Buy through Dec. 20, when the Drop shaved an extra $40 off.)
SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Air 2024 (13-inch) review: More space for the 'I use it as a laptop' folksThe 2024 iPad Air is much more of an iPad Pro competitor than it was years ago. In fact, unless you're a hardcore designer who needs the ultimate efficiency and graphics, it's hard to think of someone who wouldn't find the Air to be the best fit for them. With Apple's M2 chip fueling every move, the Air makes a better laptop replacement than nearly any other tablet — in Mashable's testing, it dished out the same processing power as a MacBook Air with the same chip. The 13-inch version also simply feels like more of a legit laptop screen than the 11-inch version.
Despite pumping out more juice than previous Airs, the 2024 model can still squeeze out 13 hours of battery life on one charge. It's not the 16 hours clocked by the M4 iPad Pro, but when the difference in price is several hundred dollars, you may not care.
Snag a four-pack of AirTags for $69.99 at Best Buy and Amazon
SAVE $29.01: As of Dec. 20, you can get a four-pack of AirTags for just $69.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. That's a savings of $29.01.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (4-Pack) $69.99 at Best Buy$99.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal
AppleAir tags are super handy, especially if you’re a frequent flyer or forget where you've left your keys, wallet, or other valuables. These tiny gadgets attach to whatever you need to keep tabs on, and the Find My app on your iPhone can locate them within seconds.
SEE ALSO: 50 last-minute gifts that will actually arrive on timeRight now, you can get a four-pack for just $69.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. That’s a savings of $29.01 and a great reason to stock up.
Apple AirTags are compatible with most iPhone models and iPads. Once you’ve paired them with a device, you can use the Find My app to track their location — it’ll even play a little tune to help you find the tag. The replaceable battery lasts about one year, and they’re IP67 dust and water-resistant. And, if you’re worried about privacy, Apple says the location data and history aren’t stored on the AirTag itself.
Google Fiber Is Revamping Its Internet Plans
Google Fiber has streamlined its internet service offerings in Huntsville, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee. The company has introduced three new plans to replace the previous tiered system in some service areas.
Sabrina Carpenters Tiny Desk Concert is short n sweet
Sabrina Carpenter had a lot to celebrate in 2024.
SEE ALSO: Sabrina Carpenter's 'Espresso' is the internet's Song of the SummerHer hit single "Espresso" was Spotify's most-streamed song of the year, and she picked up six nominations for the 2025 Grammys thanks to her album Short n' Sweet.
To cap off her breakout year, the "Please Please Please" and "Taste" singer dropped by NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series to perform a number of songs from Short n' Sweet. Jam along above.
Genmoji Is My New Favorite Apple Intelligence Feature: Hands On With iOS 18.2
A new iOS update means new Apple Intelligence features, but are they any good? I took the new AI-infused features for a spin and while some features impressed me, some still need work.
Google is tracking your digital fingerprints again
Google is tracking your online behavior in the name of advertising, reintroducing a data collection process that ingests all of your online signals (from IP address to complex browser information) and pinpoints unique users or devices, also known as "digital fingerprinting."
The company's updated platform program policies include relaxed restrictions on advertisers and personalized ad targeting across a range of devices, an outcome of a larger "advertising ecosystem shift" and the advancement of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) like on-device processing and trusted execution environments, in the words of the company.
A departure from its longstanding pledge to user choice and privacy, Google argues these technologies offer enough protection for users while also creating “new ways for brands to manage and activate their data safely and securely." The new feature will be available to advertisers beginning Feb. 16, 2025.
SEE ALSO: Supposed expert reviews of Google Gemini outputs are coming from non-experts"With new innovations like PETs to mitigate risks, we see an opportunity to set a high privacy bar on the use of data like IP. We can do this by applying privacy-preserving protections that help businesses reach their customers across these new platforms without the need to re-identify them," writes Google. "And because we’re looking to encourage responsible data use as the new standard across the web, we’ll also partner with the broader ads industry and help make PETs more accessible."
In July, Google announced it was backtracking on a decision to kill third-party cookies, instead putting the role of privacy watchdog in the hands of users by adding personalized privacy options to a new product known as the Privacy Sandbox.
Contrary to other data collection tools like cookies, digital fingerprinting is difficult to spot, and thus even harder for even privacy-conscious users to erase or block. On Dec. 19, the UK's Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) — a data protection and privacy regulator — labeled Google "irresponsible" for the policy change, saying the shift to fingerprinting is an unfair means of tracking users, reducing choice and control over their personal information. The watchdog also warned that the move could encourage riskier advertiser behavior.
"Google itself has previously said that fingerprinting does not meet users’ expectations for privacy, as users cannot easily consent to it as they would cookies. This in turn means they cannot control how their information is collected. To quote Google’s own position on fingerprinting from 2019: 'We think this subverts user choice and is wrong,'" wrote ICO executive director of regulatory risk Stephen Almond.
The ICO warned that it will intervene if Google cannot demonstrate existing legal requirements for such tech, including options to secure freely-given consent, ensure fair processing, and uphold the right to erasure: "Businesses should not consider fingerprinting a simple solution to the loss of third-party cookies and other cross-site tracking signals."
The Steam Winter Sale is here — check out some of the best deals
It's the most wonderful time of the year: The Steam Winter Sale (not to be confused with the second most wonderful time of the year, which is the Steam Summer Sale).
Running from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, the sale features deep savings on tons of games, from popular titles to hidden gems that may have flown under your radar. Steam's big sale events don't come around all that often, so if you own a gaming PC or Steam Deck and you're looking to stock up on new stuff to play, now is the best time to do that.
SEE ALSO: Alienware m16 R2 review: The best RTX 4070 gaming laptopThere are too many deals to list fully, but we've gathered up some of the best discounts we could find from what's on offer. Check out our favorite deals from the Steam Winter Sale 2024, and go to Steam's website for even more.
Best Steam Winter Sale dealsAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora — $27.99 $69.99 (save $42)
Baldur's Gate 3 — $47.99 $59.99 (save $12)
Cyberpunk 2077 — $26.99 $59.99 (save $33)
Dave The Diver — $13.39 $19.99 (save $6.60)
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut — $9.99 $39.99 (save $30)
Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition — $3.99 $39.99 (save $36)
Elden Ring — $35.99 $59.99 (save $24)
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth — $48.99 $69.99 (save $21)
Firewatch — $1.99 $19.99 (save $18)
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition — $5.99 $19.99 (save $14)
Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition — $14.98 $39.98 (save $25)
Helldivers 2 — $31.99 $39.99 (save $8)
Inscryption — $7.99 $19.99 (save $12)
It Takes Two — $7.99 $39.99 (save $32)
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes — $1.49 $14.99 (save $13.50)
Mad Max — $2.99 $19.99 (save $17)
Metro Exodus — $2.99 $29.99 (save $27)
No Man's Sky — $23.99 $59.99 (save $36)
Okami HD — $4.99 $19.99 (save $15)
Outer Wilds — $14.99 $24.99 (save $10)
Planet Coaster — $2.24 $44.99 (save $42.75)
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — $3.99 $39.99 (save $36)
Star Wars Outlaws — $45.59 $69.99 (save $24.40)
State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition — $2.99 $29.99 (save $27)
Tales from the Borderlands — $1.99 $19.99 (save $18)
Tekken 8 — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)
Terraria — $4.99 $9.99 (save $5)
Titanfall 2 — $2.99 $29.99 (save $27)
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth — $4.94 $14.99 (save $10.05)
UFO 50 — $21.24 $31.98 (save $10.74)
Vampire Survivors — $3.49 $4.99 (save $1.50)
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — $44.99 $59.99 (save $15)
Who is the Hawk Tuah girl, and what does it mean?
Hawk Tuah Girl became a breakout internet star over the summer, and her viral origin story is all too common in the digital age. It started with one of those man-on-the-street interviews designed to go viral. The questions were sexual in nature, and that, combined with the setting (a.k.a. the party scene in Nashville), was a recipe for success.
In case you somehow, some way missed it, Hawk Tuah Girl — real name Haliey Welch — first surfaced in a Tim & Dee TV video. She was asked, "What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?"
In a Southern accent, she answers, with enthusiasm and in a ridiculous way: "Aw, you gotta give 'em that 'hawk TUAH' and spit on that thang! You get me?" She says this while miming, well, spitting on that...thang...in the form of a microphone angled toward her.
This clip, in turn, went wildly viral on TikTok with videos featuring the moment, reacting to it, or updating folks on it, gaining millions and millions of views. Of course, not everything was peachy for Welch upon her newfound fame. It's not always a smooth process becoming a viral star. As the internet is wont to do, people began digging and starting random rumors.
SEE ALSO: 'Hawk Tuah' girl Haliey Welch has disappeared from public view after crypto rug pullChief among them? That Welch was a teacher and fired for the viral clip. That started with a parody account that fooled people online. Now, months later, the world knows quite a bit about the real Welch. And against all odds, she has become something of a household name.
And while Welch initially seemed a bit hesitant to cash in on the viral moment, she quickly reversed that course — perhaps to a fault. Welch began by selling merchandise, which is a pretty foolproof way to pull in money as an influencer. She's worked with a local Tennessee company called Fathead Threads to sell merchandise capitalizing on all the Hawk Tuah virality. Among the items: a "Hawk Tuah 2024" trucker hat, graphic tees, and New Jersey-Boardwalk-esque shirts making crude Hawk Tuah jokes.
Soon enough Welch expanded into another space lucrative for influencers: podcasting. Her pod, aptly named Talk Tuah, actually did pretty well on the charts and on YouTube. But then what was once a feel good story — turning a potentially embarrassing moment into a well-paying career — went south.
SEE ALSO: Haliey Welch releases first statement after going MIA following 'Hawk Tuah' crypto crashAs Mashable's Matt Binder covered in detail, this month Welch launched a crypto memecoin called $HAWK, which rocketed in value before plummeting, perhaps leaving her fans in a financial hole. She, and the team behind the coin, have been accused of a rug pull, which is effectively ballooning a coin's value in an effort to cash out at other folks' expense. It didn't help that Welch logged-off a public Spaces stream on X about $Hawk in a frankly cartoonish manner. She's not surfaced in public since that moment on Dec. 5.
Tweet may have been deletedThe lesson seems that as quickly as the internet can build you up, it can bring you down — though it stands to reason Welch's bank account still has far more zeroes than it did that night of the fateful interview.
Get an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $80 less at Best Buy
SAVE $80: As of Dec. 20, you can score an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $719 at Best Buy. That's $80 off the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS+Cellular) $719.00 at Bes Buy$799.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal
If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, now’s your chance to snag one for less at Best Buy.
As of Dec. 20, you can get an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $719 at Best Buy. That’s $80 less than the usual $799 price tag. Sure, it’s still a little pricey, but definitely worth it for what you’re getting. (You can also save up to $250 by trading in an old device.)
SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Ultra 1 vs. Ultra 2: We'll make this simpleThe Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS+Cellular) with a titanium case and black ocean band is built for sports, adventure, and outdoor excursions. It has a rugged and durable exterior and is water resistant up to 100 meters, so you can take it diving with you.
With the freedom of cellular, you can leave your phone at home and still stay connected. Take calls, send messages, stream music, and more right from your wrist. It also has features for cyclists, hikers, and swimmers, including offline maps, elevation tracking, and automatic stroke detection. And with the new Action button, you can customize one-touch access to your favorite apps and workouts.
Amazon deal of the day: Record-low price alert on the fabulous Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones
Last-minute shoppers have been rewarded with some of the best deals of the season. Seriously — after sorting through Amazon's daily deals, we've found discounts on gadgets from Apple, Sony, Roku, and more that either match Black Friday or beat it. In other words: run, don't walk.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Dec. 20. Don't see anything that sparks your interest? Check out our selections from Dec. 18 and Dec. 19. Most of those deals are still live, including a Prime-exclusive 38% discount on the 55-inch Omni Fire TV and a coupon that drops the 10th generation Apple iPad down to a record-low.
Our top pick: Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones $279.99 at Amazon$399.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal
We've tested tons of headphones at Mashable and we're huge fans of the Sony WH-1000XM5s. With impeccable sound quality, great noise cancellation, and customizable sound, it's no surprise that our Deputy Reviews Editor Miller Kern gave them a nearly perfect rating and a Mashable Choice award. The WH-1000XM5s also pack 30 hours of battery life, crisp call clarity, voice assistant support, comfortable ear cushions, and an ambient mode that lets you tune into your surroundings in an instant (like when your flight attendant asks for your drink order). They're usually $399.99 and have been sitting at their sale price of $299.99 for a couple weeks now. However, as of Dec. 20, they dropped to a new record-low of $279.99. All you last-minute shoppers have been rewarded with a 30% discount.
Apple AirTag 4-pack Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTags (4-pack) $69.99 at Amazon$99.00 Save $29.01 Get Deal
Record-low price alert: the four-pack of Apple AirTags just dropped back down to its best price ever from Black Friday. These babies are a must-have for iPhone users who travel a lot — or those who just tend to lose things often. As long as there's an Apple device nearby with Find My turned on, you'll be able to keep track of whatever you attach your AirTag to, from your suitcase and backpack to your keys and laptop case. You'll be able to see where you are in proximity to your stuff with a pretty impressive accuracy of just a few feet. Save 29% and snag a pack for only $69.99 at Amazon as of Dec. 20.
Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 $74.99 at Amazon$139.99 Save $65.00 Get Deal
The Amazon Fire HD 10 is still hanging out at its best-ever Black Friday price of $74.99 if you need a last-minute gift idea. That's 46% in savings. It's not the fanciest tablet on the market, but the no-frills design is ideal for browsing the web, watching new shows, answering emails, or even reading on the go. Mashable reviewer SaVanna Shoemaker says it's "lighter and faster than its predecessors, with a long battery life and vivid picture that makes it great for on-the-go entertainment."
Check out our full review of the Amazon Fire HD 10.
Roku Streambar SE Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streambar SE $69.00 at Amazon$99.99 Save $30.99 Get Deal
If multitasking gadgets are your bread and butter, then you'll love the Roku Streambar SE. It's part soundbar and part Roku streaming device, meaning it can boost the sound while you stream all of your favorite shows, movies, and events. It can also automatically adjust the volume to make voices clearer and commercials quieter. Win-win. Usually $99.99, it's on sale at Amazon for just $69 as of Dec. 20. That's 31% in savings.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Play Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Play $47.49 at Amazon$89.99 Save $42.50 Get Deal
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is our favorite sub-$100 Bluetooth speaker — and just last week we featured it as our Amazon deal of the day at $59.99. If you're looking for a similar speaker, but want to spend less than $50, check out its nearly identical sibling, the Wonderboom Play. Built with twin dimensions, the Play can also fit in the palm of your hand and pump out truly impressive sound. It has a slightly shorter battery life (10 hours vs. 14 hours), no podcast mode (which we weren't particularly fans of anyway), and directional sound versus 360-degree sound. However, it's price definitely makes up for it. Regularly $89.99, the Wonderboom Play is on sale at Amazon for just $47.49. That's 47% in savings.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.