IT General

TL;DR: No need for a time machine — turn any car into a smart ride with this wireless, 10-inch car display for $99.97 (reg. $199).

Opens in a new window Credit: Mesay 10-inch Touchscreen WiFi/Bluetooth Wireless Car Display with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Support $99.97
$199.99 Save $100.02 Get Deal

Your car might not hit 88 miles per hour often, but that doesn’t mean it can’t feel like it belongs in the future. With this 10-inch wireless touchscreen car display, you can ditch the outdated dashboard and give your ride a $99.97 tech upgrade Doc Brown himself would approve of.

No flux capacitor required. Just plug it in and, great Scott, you’ve got Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at your fingertips. Stream music, pull up Google Maps, take hands-free calls, and send messages without fumbling with your phone. Everything runs seamlessly on the crisp, user-friendly 10-inch display, and you don’t even need roads (well, cords) thanks to its wireless connectivity.

WiFi and Bluetooth keep your setup clean and simple, while voice control ensures you stay focused on the road — or, you know, the space-time continuum. Whether you’re driving a 1985 DeLorean or a “modern” car that skipped the smart tech, this display works with virtually any vehicle, so no one gets left behind in the past.

So, hello, McFly, what are you waiting for? Great tech upgrades happen when you put the pedal to the metal.

On sale for $99.97, this 10-inch touchscreen wireless car display with CarPlay and Android Auto is the perfect way to bring your car out of the dark ages and into the future — no time machine required.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $10: As of Jan. 9, the Waterpik Cordless Pulse is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% saving on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Waterpik Waterpik Cordless Pulse $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

As far as trending products go, we didn't expect to see water dental flossers going viral online. After kicking off on TikTok in 2024, we can only imagine that dentists are feeling a whole lot of relief that people are now taking flossing seriously.

A water dental flosser is a fantastic way to remove plaque and debris from hard-to-reach areas between teeth and along the gum line, and as of Jan. 9, you can get a great deal on the Waterpik Cordless Pulse Flosser at Amazon. Reduced by 20%, it's now $39.99. This deal is available in all three colors: gray, white, and blue.

SEE ALSO: 12 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

This is a great all-rounder water flosser, featuring two tips and two settings (low and high) for your personal dental needs, a rechargeable battery, and a portable design that makes it handy for travel. It's even safe to be used in the shower. Waterpik is also the first water flosser brand to earn the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance for safety and effectiveness.

This flosser works by using PrecisionPulse technology to deliver a combination of water pressure and pulsations, removing plaque and bacteria from the teeth and gums. This helps reduce the risk of issues such as gingivitis, cavities, and bad breath.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so move fast so you don't miss out.

SAVE $370: As of Jan. 9, the roborock Q5 Pro+ is on sale for $329.99 at Amazon. That's a 53% saving on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: roborock roborock Q5 Pro+ $329.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $370.00 Get Deal

If a robot vacuum has been on your wishlist for quite some time, we don't doubt you've been following the sales and tracking discounts. While they are fantastic products (no more manual vacuuming, what could be better?), they almost always come with a high price tag, so you want to get the most for your money. We get it, and that's why we're always on the hunt for great deals and bargains. And we love this latest Amazon deal on the roborock Q5 Pro+.

As of Jan. 9, you can grab a 53% discount on this popular model. Previously priced at $699.99, it is now down to just $329.99, saving you $370 on list price.

SEE ALSO: Our favorite (mostly weird) robots we saw at CES 2025

As the name suggests, this model is equipped with a DuoRoller system, meaning it can pick up dirt, dust, and pet hair easily, whether it's on carpet or hard floors. It boasts a 5500 Pa HyperForce suction power, meaning it can pick up pretty much all kinds of dirt.

The best part of this robot vacuum however is how low-maintenance it is — not only does it self-empty, but the dustbin has a 2.5-liter storage, so you'll only need to empty it around every seven weeks. The voice controls are also a big plus: Whether you use Alexa, Google Home, or Siri, it'll work for them all.

It even uses PreciSense LiDAR Navigation to map out paths in your home. The clever 3D mapping allows the vacuum to navigate its way around your home with no help, avoiding obstacles and convenient cleaning routes.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don't miss out.

SAVE $26: As of Jan. 9, Beats Studio 3 are on sale for $149.95 at Amazon, saving you 15% off the original price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio 3 $149.95 at Amazon
$175.95 Save $26.00 Get Deal

Beats headphones are some of the best out there. They've long been known for their incredible sound quality and punchy bass, and they're stylish look. With the holiday season and its correlating sales over, you may think you've missed your chance to snag a pair of new headphones, but think again. Amazon's Daily Deals saves the day with this great discount on Beats Studio 3.

As of Jan. 9, this model is reduced by 15% to $149.95. Not only that, this is the lowest they have ever been priced. This price is specific to the shadow gray color.

SEE ALSO: 12 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

Like most Beats products, these headphones benefit from pure adaptive noise canceling (Pure ANC) technology, a feature that helps to block out distractions while you enjoy your music, podcasts, or calls. The sound quality is powerful and immersive.

They're powered by the Apple W1 chip meaning you get seamless pairing with Apple devices and impressive battery life — up to 22 hours with noise canceling avtive. Plus, the Fast Fuel setting gives you three hours of playback from just a 10-minute charge.

Head to Amazon now to get this deal.

If you're on TikTok (or my FYP, anyway), you know Pilates is all the rage. Pilates is a full-body workout that can be done on a reformer machine to help with resistance, or on a mat with accessories like hand weights. Millions of videos showcasing women in aesthetically pleasing workout sets doing planks and squats with just as aesthetically pleasing equipment are across the internet. 

The lure of the "Pilates body" being too good to pass up, I started looking for classes in New York City — only to learn that I'd have to drop $30 per hour for the group fitness experience. Thankfully, there's a plethora of free Pilates workouts on YouTube that I can do in my living room.

SEE ALSO: A dozen products to help you kickstart your New Year's resolutions

I already had a yoga mat, which is all you need to work out at home. I've been doing home workouts long before COVID lockdown, as they're cost-effective and perfect for bad weather or low-effort days when I just want to roll out a mat and get some movement in. 

When wellness brand Stakt sent me its adjustable hand weights, it seemed like my TikTok-aesthetic home Pilates dreams were coming true. Stakt Weights have a two-pound base with two-pound ends that can twist off on either or both sides, so you can adjust (or "stack") them to be two-, four-, or six-pound dumbbells. Judging from Stakt's Instagram account, the weights are exactly for (aspiring) Pilates girlies.

Stakt Weights come in four colors: iron (gray), dune (beige), seafoam (pastel green), and rosewater (pastel pink), and are made of silicone on the outside and metal on the inside. A set of two six-pound weights retails for $98.00.

Stakt is a fitness company that started by producing its Stakt Mat, a foldable mat featured on Shark Tank in 2022. In September of last year, Stakt introduced Stakt Weights. 

I received my weights at the end of September and have been testing them for three months as I'm writing this review. I've been mostly doing Pilates workouts (shout out to the Move With Nicole YouTube channel) several times a week with Stakt Weights, but I've also done standard weight-lifting movements like squats and shoulder presses with them. Overall, I love using Stakt Weights, but there are some key issues — like screwing the weights and the material — that make me hesitate to recommend them. 

Stakt Weights make me want to work out

A huge pro — but not the only one — is that these weights are aesthetically pleasing. If you're one to post about working out, these will surely fit into your next fitness flatlay.

But these weights are also useful. They feel nice in my hand (something I will never say for metal dumbbells), and I love that I can adjust the weights. Altogether one weight is around 10 inches, a bit longer than my forearm, and the base by itself is around half of that. I've used both the base and the ends by themselves if I needed two-pound weights, and I enjoyed the experience of them both. I've also used the weights in four- and six-pound variations and feel the same about both. From weighted ab twists to tucking a weight behind my knee for donkey kicks, I've enjoyed using Stakt Weights.

A big plus is that I can use either the ends or the base weight (which is the longest and has the Stakt branding on it) as a two-pound weight. Sometimes I'm in the middle of a workout with just a two-pound weight and think I can go heavier, so I quickly screw an end onto the main one. Or, the opposite: By the end of the workout I need something lighter, so I screw an end off. 

All three Stakt Weight pieces. Credit: Anna Iovine / Mashable

Stakt Weights are compact and don't take up too much space in my one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment, which is more than I can say for other clunky non-adjustable dumbbells I own.

The two six-pound dumbbells are perfect for the kind of workouts I'm doing, and I find myself wanting to use them. I can psyche myself into wanting to work out with the "look good, feel good" mentality just like wearing cute workout clothes versus old sweats. I'll continue using my Stakt Weights long after this review — with a few caveats.

Screw-on problems with Stakt Weights

My biggest gripe about these weights is the screeching noise the ends make going in and out of the base. It's unavoidable. (I noticed that videos of Stakt Weights on the brand's Instagram have music playing over footage of folks screwing on the weights).

While my partner and my cat haven't expressed annoyance at this sound, evoking the New York City subway as it grinds to a halt during my workout isn't my favorite. When I made this video for the purpose of this review, I also managed to get one end stuck to one base. My partner and I both tried to free the end, but we couldn't. It might be stuck forever now…

Stakt? Stuck. Credit: Anna Iovine / Mashable

There is also one base and one end weight that simply won't fit in with each other. As I often take ends off during workouts and screw them back to store them, I swap bases and ends and can't figure out which one won't fit until it happens (I suppose I could mark them, but wouldn't that ruin the look?).

A lesser problem is that hair and dust stick to the weights' silicone. I store them on the floor of my living room and I have the aforementioned cat, so maybe this is just a "me problem," but I do find myself having to wipe the weights before I use them. 

Lint or cat hair stuck to Stakt Weight. Credit: Anna Iovine / Mashable Are Stakt Weights worth it?

Given these issues, it's difficult to justify the $98 price tag. You're mostly paying for style here. Granted, there isn't another product like Stakt Weights that I can easily find with a Google search. Many adjustable weights, like on Amazon for example, are for much heavier weight and look more utilitarian than Stakt. 

Most comparable to Stakt are these $33.24 light adjustable weights that come in several pastel colors and range from two to five pounds. I haven't used these or seen them in real life, but they seem a bit bulkier than Stakt. While Stakt Weights twist on and off in two-pound intervals, these weights have half-pound discs that snap on and off the base. While Stakt looks more sleek, they are also around three times the price. 

There is an option on the Stakt website to pay with an HSA/FSA (health savings account/flexible spending account), a pre-tax medical benefit, where you can apparently save up to 30 percent on Stakt Weights. If you have an HSA/FSA, that might be worth looking into. 

I use Stakt weights often and I really hope I can manage to get the stuck end off — but even if I can't, I can still use the other pieces for my workouts without too much of a disruption. I'm not sure if the pros would outweigh this con if I paid for these, however.

If you value looks over high-pitched metal and can swing $98, purchase Stakt Weights. If not, look elsewhere. It's not all about aesthetics. 

I promise that headline isn't a Mad Libs.

The Canadian company Plantaform introduced its eponymous smart indoor garden powered by "fogponics" at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, marking its hard launch in the U.S. CEO Alberto Aguilar plugs it as a "Nespresso for your vegetables" that uses an ultra-fine vapor to hydrate plants, resulting in faster growth and 30 to 50 percent less water usage compared to standard hydroponic systems.

The Mashable team caught the Plantaform at CES' Pepcom media showcase Monday night, and it's easily one of the neatest smart home gadgets I've seen here all week. The Consumer Technology, the trade show's organizer, shares my enthusiasm: It's a 2025 CES Innovation Awards Best of Innovation winner in the Food and AgTech category.

Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Not too shabby for NASA leftovers, mind you. Aguilar told me that the Plantaform's fog-based watering technology was originally developed (then ditched) by the administration as a way to grow plants in space.

SEE ALSO: I bent LG's new 5K2K bendable gaming monitor at CES 2025

Design-wise, the Plantaform is a 26-inch-tall egg-shaped vessel (available in midnight black or frost white) with removable windows, full-spectrum LED lights, and a central chamber filled with holes for up to 15 individual soil-free seed pods. The Plantaform tends to the plants throughout their entire growth cycles using an algorithm-determined combination of water, light, and nutrients, per the company's website.

Via Giphy

The fog in question hits the plants right at their roots from inside the Plantaform's chamber. Some of it inevitably leaks out and floats among their leaves, humidifiying the system's immediate surroundings while looking cool as hell.

Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

As far as maintenance goes, users need to do little more than make sure the Plantaform is topped off with water dosed with fertilizer every two to three weeks. Its companion mobile app offers setup guidance and care reminders. Notably, the system features a self-cleaning cycle, eliminating a tedious between-plants chore. Popular indoor hydroponic systems like the Gardyn and the Lettuce Grow Indoor Farmstand need to be emptied, taken apart, scrubbed of algae and grime, and then reassembled before new rounds of seed pods go in.

Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

While not exactly cheap, the Plantaform is competitively priced at $499.99. (For comparison's sake, Gardyns and Lettuce Grows start at $499 and $973, respectively.) Plant pod packs are $29.99 each and available in mixes of lettuces, cherry tomatoes, and cocktail herbs.

Aguilar said the Plantaform will also support users' own seeds by the end of the year.

Opens in a new window Credit: Plantaform Plantaform $499.99 at Plantaform
Shop Now

Airbnb is offering free temporary housing to people impacted by the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. Here's how to get help.

California's wildfires have been raging out of control this week, with at least five people dead, over 1000 buildings destroyed, and more than 100,000 residents ordered to evacuate. The fires remain largely uncontained despite local firefighters' best efforts, burning thousands of acres with no signs of slowing. Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency while President Joe Biden has approved a Major Disaster declaration, and agencies across the country are sending assistance in fighting the flames.

SEE ALSO: How to protect your pets from wildfire smoke

However, with so many people evacuating, it raises the question of where they should go. Information on evacuation centers can be found on the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and Los Angeles Fire Department's websites, with the Westwood Recreation Center, Pan Pacific Recreation Center, and Ritchie Valens Recreation Center a few of the options available. The Los Angeles Equestrian Center will temporarily house large animals.

Now Airbnb.org has partnered with non-profit 221 LA County to offer free temporary housing as well, helping more evacuees find a safe place to stay. A non-profit founded by short-term rental platform Airbnb, Airbnb.org coordinates discounted or free emergency housing during crises. It previously ran a similar program in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

"Stays are completely free for guests and are funded by Airbnb.org and the generosity of Airbnb hosts — many of whom offer their home for free or at a discount through Airbnb.org," said Airbnb in its announcement on Wednesday. The company has also stated that it is waiving all service fees for both hosts and guests.

How to get free Airbnb housing if you're fleeing the L.A. wildfires Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

To be eligible for Airbnb's free temporary housing, you must currently reside in an evacuation zone and have been displaced due to the current wildfires. This means that either your home has been destroyed, or you've been forced to evacuate. You must also be over 18 and have an Airbnb account. 

If you fulfill these requirements, you can apply for Airbnb's housing support by filling out a form on 211 LA County's website. As of writing, all available Airbnb locations have already been allocated. Nevertheless, 211 LA County is still encouraging people to sign up in case more space becomes available.

Airbnb's housing offer is currently focused on people in Altadena, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Sylmar areas, however the company states that it may expand to other areas as well.

Hosts can visit Airbnb.org if they would like to offer free or discounted stays to people impacted by the wildfires.

The Los Angeles Fire Department's map of evacuation areas as of Jan. 9, 1 a.m. EST / Jan. 8, 10 p.m. PST. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / The Los Angeles Fire Department

The announcement of this initiative coincided with notable criticism of Airbnb on social media, after the company reportedly told a user that her cancellation of a booking close to the ongoing Palisades Fire wasn't covered by its Major Disruptive Events Policy. 

"To clarify, I called Airbnb to request help with rebooking accommodations farther from the danger zone," wrote Ana Mostarac, providing further context to her widely-shared post on X. "As always, their policies failed to account for context."

The company later told CNN that it has since offered Mostarac a full refund.

Mashable has reached out to Airbnb for comment.

TL;DR: Help them preserve cherished photos, videos, and important files with 1TB of Koofr cloud storage for life for just £88.98, with no recurring fees.

Give your loved ones the gift of secure, lifetime cloud storage with Koofr’s 1TB plan — just £88.98 (reg. £655.38) through 12 January. Because it's made to be user-friendly, it's ideal for parents, grandparents, or anyone who wants to keep photos, videos, and important files safe (even if they're not all that comfortable with digital files).

Koofr makes digital organisation simple and worry-free. Unlike other storage services, Koofr’s one-time payment model means no monthly fees, ever. Once you’re in, you’re set for life.

More than just a place to park files, it’s a thoughtful solution built to make digital storage easy, accessible, and secure. With 1TB of space, you can store up to 250,000 photos, 500 hours of HD video, or millions of documents. And if you’re already using services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive, Koofr lets you connect them all in one place for simplified access to all your files.

One of the more thoughtful features is the Koofr Duplicate Finder. Say goodbye to duplicate files taking up unnecessary space. Koofr makes it easy to keep storage neat and organised. And it's good to know that Koofr takes privacy seriously. It doesn’t track your activity, and all files are encrypted during transfer and at rest, so you can rest assured your data is private.

Koofr is ideal for anyone who wants to keep their digital files safe and accessible, especially those who might not be very tech-savvy. It’s a useful gift for backing up photos, archiving family memories, or securing important work documents.

Grab a lifetime access to 1TB of Koofr Cloud Storage while it's on sale for just £88.98 (reg. £655.38) through 12 January at the Mashable Shop.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Koofr Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB) £88.98
£655.38 Save £566.40 Get Deal

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

We know there's a chance that AI is going to take over the world, but before we get to that point, we should all learn how to make the most out of this technology. We might as well get what we can before things turn sour.

The good news is that a wide range of online courses covering AI can be found on Udemy. And better yet, some of the best examples can be taken for free. We've checked out everything on offer and lined up a selection of standout courses to get you started.

These are the best online AI courses you can take for free this month:

• A Gentle Introduction to Generative AI

• AI-900: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals

• AI Art Generation Guide: Create AI Images For Free

• AI Filmmaking

• AI for Beginners: Learn The Basics of ChatGPT

• AI for Everyone

• AI-Powered Chatbot: Build Your Own with No Code

• AI Product Strategy

• Artificial Intelligence for Accountants

• Artificial Intelligence for Humans: AI Explained

• Artificial Intelligence: Preparing Your Career for AI

• Become an AI Accelerated Engineer Using ChatGPT

• Become an AI-Powered Engineer: ChatGPT, Github Copilot

• Become an AI-Powered Engineer: Cursor, the AI-First IDE

• Business Analyst: Digital Director for AI and Data Science

• Canva AI: Master Canva AI Tools and Apps 2024

• ChatGPT 101: The Complete Beginner's Guide and Masterclass

• ChatGPT in 30 Minutes: New Prompt Engineering and AI Skills

• ChatGPT, Midjourney, Firefly, Bard, DALL-E, AI Crash Course

• ChatGPT Security: Privacy Risks and Data Protection Basics

• Create Faceless YouTube Videos Using Free AI Tools Only

• Deep Learning and AI with Python for Beginners

• Digital, Virtual and AI Photography

• Gemini AI Course for Beginners

• Generative AI and Prompt Engineering

• Generative AI For Leaders

• Google Gemini AI with Python API

• How To Make YouTube Automation Videos in 20 Minutes Using AI

• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

• Learn Basics About AI

• Master Gemini AI

• Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals: Get Started with AI

• Midjourney and ChatGPT: Unleash AI for Unique Image Generation

• Prompt Engineering+: Master Speaking To AI

• Prompt Engineering Principles: ChatGPT & DALL-E

• Unleash your Creativity with Stable Diffusion AI

These free online courses don't include certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but you still get unrestricted access to all the video content. So what's stopping you from enrolling? You can learn at a pace that suits you, so there's no pressure.

Find the best free AI courses on Udemy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Udemy AI and ChatGPT Courses Free at Udemy Get Deal

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

Imagine a scenario where your access to your favorite online sites is restricted. This isn't a horrible nightmare that we've conjured up purely to torment you. This is the reality for a lot of people around the world.

In an effort to preserve your online freedom, we're giving you the information you need to bypass online restrictions and access sites like XVideos from anywhere in the world. You can thank us later.

Looking for the best way to unblock porn sites like XVideos for free from anywhere in the world? We have the information you need.

How to unblock XVideos for free

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

Unblock XVideos by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to XVideos

4. Access XVideos from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-year subscription + 3 months free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're temporarily away from home on an unsecured network.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like XVideos, 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

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock XVideos for free with ExpressVPN.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Members of

• Green: Cities with with an original hockey team

• Blue: Share the same mascot

• Purple: Related to game played on the green

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Team

• Green: Original six NHL teams

• Blue: Panthers

• Purple: Golf ______

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #108 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Team - CREW, GROUP, SIDE, SQUAD

• Original six NHL teams - BOSTON, MONTREAL, NEW YORK, TORONTO

• Panthers - CAROLINA, FLORIDA, NORTHERN IOWA, PITTSBURGH

• Golf _____ - CART, CLAP, CLUB, COURSE

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

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

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

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

Robots are everywhere at CES 2025. We've been waved at by a robot stool, watched a droid do our laundry, hugged an adorable furry monster bot, and fact-checked a robot who claims to be able to climb stairs while vacuuming. Here's some of the highlights from the consumer tech show floor, where Mashable has walked among our future bot overlords.

Tech lovers: Bigger price tags may be on the horizon.

The incoming Trump administration has proposed a sweeping economic agenda that includes controversially high tariffs on imported goods, and while the plan has reportedly fluctuated over the last month, the President-elect argues increased tariffs on imports is the best way to pay for sweeping tax cuts and reduce the amount of drugs and immigrant workers coming into the U.S. 

The more likely result? Higher prices for consumers and their favorite foreign-made goods. 

Analysts and businesses themselves have warned about the potential price surge, and predict that Trump's current tariff plan would have disproportionate effects on consumer goods and electronics made in China, as the President-elect proposes blanket tariffs on all imports and a levy on Chinese goods that could be upwards of 60 percent. 

SEE ALSO: CES 2025 highlights: What we've seen so far

According to reports from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), this policy path would have a net negative effect on purchasing power for U.S. consumers in the tech market, which could see a $90 to $143 billion decline over the next year. 

Meanwhile, the consumer tech industry is still on track for multi-billion dollar revenues in 2025, with the Consumer Technology Association predicting a $537 billion market in 2025. This year may see a reverse of the previous, which recorded dismal sales in its first half. For now, the industry's innovators and sales-folk aren't slowing down. 

The annual Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES), which is produced by the CTA, unveiled everything from stair-climbing robot vacuums (well, sort of) to a laptop that unrolls itself into a bigger display.

But Trump's tariff crackdown may affect the kinds of products that make up CES' bread and butter, including the non-automobile lithium-ion batteries powering portable electronics, televisions, computer accessories, PCs, laptops, tablets, and other connected devices, among others, writes Business Insider. Around a quarter of CES exhibitioners are made up of Chinese AI hardware and robotics firms this year, the Information reports, amid an ongoing tech and AI race between the U.S. and China. In a statement to the Global Times, China's display maker BOE explained it has doubled its exhibition area since 2024, with more than 1,000 registered Chinese companies in attendance.

Speaking in Las Vegas this week, CES organizers made an indirect jab at Trump's economic plan to the international crowd: "To keep our economies thriving and inflation in check, we need policies that enable startups, allow businesses to flourish, and create the next generation of tech leaders — policies that create rules of the road for tech companies and offer guardrails to protect safety, privacy, and fairness," said CES CEO Gary Shapiro. "Here in the U.S., that means finding a way to break through the gridlock and pass sensible immigration reforms to promote highly skilled immigration and recognizing that tariffs are taxes paid for by American businesses and the American people and the world.”

Companies and brands at the showcase are taking a much less vocal approach to the looming levies, either avoiding discussion of tariffs or taking a "wait and see" stance as they debut new products. 

"We will keep monitoring global regulations and will take strategic actions that increase our operational resilience, which includes being closer to the markets with a shorter supply chain so that we can act faster," said Lisa Emard, Acer's Director of Media Relations, in a comment to Mashable. "We work with ODMs (original design manufacturers) for manufacturing of our computers and in some regions, we have our own final assembly lines to increase our flexibility to meet local customer needs. Currently we also have manufacturing and assembly capacity in Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, South Africa, and the United States." 

Behind the scenes, some, like Apple, have tried to shift away from Chinese-dependent supply chains in recent years, with mixed results. 

Consumers, on the other hand, are raring to go in a market full of shiny new products. Here's where some of CES' most anticipated showings fit into the country's potential economic future.

SEE ALSO: 12 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now Vacuum cleaners

With Chinese companies quickly taking over the market for home cleaning electronics, consumers may first feel the tariff pinch as they shop for increasingly more expensive vacuum cleaners — including the robotic ones. 

And CES exhibitors showcased a veritable army of new robotic vacuums this year. The Roborock Saros Z70 has an extendable arm that can help pick up obstacles in its path, while the Dreame X50 Ultra can breeze over thresholds that other vacuums balk at — as long as they're not taller than two inches. 

Computers, tablets, and smartphones

In its most recent report, the CTA estimates that Trump's economic plan could bump up the average price of laptops and tablets as high as 47 percent — that's a $200 to $350 margin. Due to rising prices, laptop sales overall could take a 68 percent hit in 2025, according to the CTA. 

Those in the market for their own Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable (a laptop that can enlarge itself) or Nvidia's personal AI supercomputer may be inclined to get in early, then. New products from brands like Alienware and Acer could also feel the pressure later on, and monitors, like LG's buzzy 5K2K bendable gaming monitor, aren't safe from price hikes. 

Gaming consoles 

The CTA estimates that gaming consoles will see an average $250 increase from their current sales price, which, at the extreme, could drop sales by as much as 58 percent. 

Notable CES showings include the handheld hybrid Acer Nitro Blaze 11 and the third-party SteamOS powered Lenovo Legion Go S. 

Smart TVs 

With AI set to innovate the somewhat bloated market of smart TVs, the products themselves may see up to a nine percent price increase in prices under the new tariff plan. 

At CES, Samsung's Neo QLED, OLED and QLED, and The Frame models, as well as LG's OLED evo lineup debuted with a new suite of AI features. Samsung and LG also announced partnerships with Microsoft's Copilot AI, and Google unveiled it would be bringing Gemini AI to TVs, too. 

Battery-powered TVs, like LG's StanByMe 2, could also take a hit.

Tech-boosted vehicles

Trump's tariff plan could also bump up the price of vehicles in the U.S., including from American-made brands, with some experts estimating a $600 to $2,500 price increase per vehicle. And while Canadian, Mexican, and Chinese assembled vehicles would certainly be hit by a country-specific tariff plan, the fate of other foreign vehicles is up-in-the-air.  

CES audiences were introduced to the AFEELA 1 Signature, a brainchild of Sony and Honda, that debuted at CES this year with LiDAR cameras, touchless doors, and a Sony PlayStation 5 controller that you can literally game with. It's already sitting pretty with a six figure price tag.

Haley Henschel contributed to this report.

At the Nvidia keynote at CES 2025, CEO Jensen Huang didn't waste anytime showing off the new GeForce RTX 50 Series. Huang walked onstage carrying the graphics card to a round of applause.

This was the most anticipated moment of the Nvidia event, but not the only big announcement. The AI computing company integral to the rise of generative AI had many more cards to play at the Las Vegas tech conference. Nvidia is now building its own AI models, fueling robotics and autonomous vehicle development, and bringing some of the most powerful computing tools to the masses. Here's everything that was announced at the Nvidia keynote.

GeForce RTX 50 series

The big news of course was Nvidia's new GPUs, the GeForce RTX 50 Series. The graphics cards are underpinned by Nvidia's new RTX Blackwell architecture and consist of the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 as well as the GeForce RTX 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5070. The RTX 50 series is powered by 92 billion transistors, which gives it 3,352 trillion AI operations per second (TOPS) and boasts 1.8TB/s of memory bandwidth. Mashable's Chance Townsend and Alex Perry have the full details on specs, availability, and pricing, but rest assured, it's "just a beast," as Huang put it.

Cosmos World Foundation Models

The graphics card giant is getting into the world model game with the introduction of Nvidia Cosmos. World models are the underlying technology for robotics training. And Nvidia has made its Cosmos World Foundation Models (Cosmos WFM) available as an open license platform available on Github, granting broader access to robotics developers that previously lacked these resources or expertise. "The ChatGPT moment for general robotics is just around the corner," said Huang.

AI foundation models for RTX AI PCs, Llama Nemotron

Nvidia also introduced AI foundation models for LLM development. AI foundation models for RTX PCs are "offered as Nvidia NIM microservices" and use the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs. Additionally, Huang shared the top manufacturers are launching PCs that support NIM with its new graphics cards, adding "AI PCs are coming to a home near you."

Another NIM microservice announcement introduced Llama Nemotron family of LLMs. Llama Nemotron uses Meta's open-source Llama models are primed for agentic capabilities and "excel at instruction following, chat, function calling, coding and math, while being size-optimized to run on a broad range of NVIDIA accelerated computing resources," according to the announcement. Llama 3.1 Nemotron 70B is now available in Nvidia's API catalog.

Project Digits

In keeping with the theme of empowering developers with access to powerful computing tools, Nvidia unveiled Project Digits. The device is a supercomputer about the size of a Mac mini that easily sits on a desk and plugs into a keyboard and monitor. With its GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, Digits can run up to 200-billion-parameters LLMs without the need for cloud infrastructure. And it's $3,000 a pop, which in the grand scheme of things, is a pretty accessible price point for small businesses and solo developers. Project Digits is expected this coming May.

DRIVE Hyperion AV platform

Nvidia has also been working hard in the autonomous vehicle department, introducing the DRIVE Hyperion AV platform, powered by the AGX Thor system-on-a-chip (SoC). DRIVE Hyperion is an "end-to-end autonomous driving platform," that includes the SoC, sensors, safety systems, and a DriveOS operating system that car manufacturers can use to build their autonomous vehicles. Nvidia also shared that Toyota joins its growing list of partners that includes Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, and Volvo using its AV platform.

Mashable is on the ground live at CES 2025! We’re covering all the wildest and most important developments this week, so please keep checking back in with us. Want to submit a product you represent for our teams’ consideration as we identify the Best of CES? Here’s more info on how to do it.

Samsung has revealed the Galaxy Book5 Pro and Galaxy Book5 360 at CES 2025. The new laptops have Intel’s latest processors, with the usual assortment of generative AI-powered features.

Does your Windows laptop take ages to charge? Slow charging can be frustrating. Unless your laptop battery is near the end of its lifespan, you can follow a few simple practices to get your laptop powered up faster. So what are these practices, and how do they boost charging speed?

MSI has announced the Cubi NUC AI Series, which includes the Cubi NUC AI+ 2M and the Cubi NUC AI 1UM. These are small but powerful mini PCs that come with built-in AI features.

LG has always commanded an audience at CES with their latest televisions and displays. Last year, they stole the show with their transparent TV screens. (The transparent TVs are back this year too, by the way).

This year, LG cemented itself as the king of CES by having so much to show, they didn't even bring one of their new most-anticipated products, the LG UltraGear GX9 series bendable OLED gaming monitor, to the public show floor.

The LG 45GX990A, better known as the world's first 5K2K bendable gaming monitor, has already scored three Innovation Awards at CES 2025. And Mashable scored a sneak peek from LG at CES and we got to bend the bendable screen ourselves.

SEE ALSO: 12 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

First off, just as an ordinary computer monitor, it's massive as a 45" OLED display with a 5K2K resolution and 21:9 aspect ratios for incredible picture quality. The screen also features LG's Dual Mode, which lets users easily switch between aspect ratios and picture size with the push of a button.

But, LG wasn't done when it came to the 45GX990A because this is the model that's bendable. Here's the part you were waiting for.

This LG UltraGear GX9 model bends automatically, converting the monitor from a flat screen monitor into a curved one and back again. And it's all done with the push of a button, no manual bending required.

At the demo, LG had two big red buttons on the table that bent the screen back-and-forth. However, the model that consumers will be able to purchase will come with a remote that lets users bend the screen with the push of a button.

SEE ALSO: CES 2025 highlights: What we've seen so far

And with that push of a button, the flat screen LG monitor bent and turned into an 800R curved display. The difference is stark in-person. LG had both a flat screen and curved monitor next to the bendable display during the demo too, which really helped accentuate the changes when the bendable screen worked its magic.

Now, a curved monitor isn't for everyone, and it's mostly used to give gamers a more immersive playing experience. This LG monitor fills a niche for users who may want both a flat screen and curved monitor for different use cases or just can't decide between the two.

SEE ALSO: A look at LG's award-winning bendable 5K2K gaming monitor

It's obviously not quite ready yet as the company didn't even have the remote at the event. However, it was shown alongside the company's other soon-to-be-released consumer products, so this certainly isn't some far-out prototype on display either. However, LG currently does not have any release date or price point to provide for the bendable gaming monitor.

It's tradition to poke fun at Apple for adopting features from Android, but if there's one feature Apple stubbornly doesn't want to adopt, it seems to be Android's volume mixer. This leads to some very annoying and un-Apple like frustration, so where's my volume mixer Apple?

HMD, the manufacturer behind the Barbie Flip Phone and many Nokia-branded smartphones, just released the HMD OffGrid. It’s designed to add two-way satellite messaging capabilities to any phone or tablet.