IT General

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 11 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Board certified

These words are things you might use to build something.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are essential for working with wooden boards.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Woodworking.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for December 11

• Plane

• Lathe

• Drill

• Vise

• Chisel

• Jigsaw

• Sander

• Woodworking

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

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

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

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for December 11 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: Key stats on the ice

• Green: Sports to win gold in the summer

• Blue: Countries that have hosted a major sports event

• Purple: The rule of three's in sports

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: Hockey statistics

• Green: Summer Olympic sports

• Blue: Last four Men's World Cup hosts

• Purple: Events or plays that involve three of something

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 #79 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Hockey statistics - ASSISTS, GOALS, PLUS/MINUS, SAVES

• Summer Olympic sports - FENCING, GOLF, HANDBALL, ROWING

• Last four Men's World Cup hosts - BRAZIL, QATAR, RUSSIA, SOUTH AFRICA

• Events of plays that involve three of something - HAT TRICK, STRIKEOUT, TRIATHLON, TURKEY

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.

Not all gender stereotypes about science, technology, engineering, and math are the same, according to a new study.

The research analyzed dozens of previous studies on the beliefs that children hold about gender and STEM. One common assumption is that kids view girls as bad at math, a perception that many educational initiatives try to counter.

But, surprisingly, the researchers found that math stereotypes are far less gendered than assumptions suggest.

In fact, children show far less male bias about math. Instead, kids tend to believe that girls are worse at engineering and computer science than boys, and develop such stereotypes as early as six.

SEE ALSO: 7 skills to teach your daughter by age 13

Dr. David I. Miller, the study's lead author, said the finding should affect the way experts and educators try to reduce gender stereotypes in STEM in and out of the classroom.

Miller, a senior researcher in STEM education at the American Institutes for Research, noted that negative stereotypes about what girls can accomplish in engineering and computer science can deter them from entering the fields at a time when technology, science, and culture are transforming the world.

"Programs that are focused in girls in STEM broadly might benefit from a really targeted focus on computing and engineering," Miller said, "given the importance of how that might shape girls' later trajectories, in terms of who goes into emerging tech fields, like artificial intelligence."

Miller said it was also important to better understand how children as young as six develop nuanced beliefs about gender stereotypes in different STEM fields.

For some children, that may happen by accident. Miller and his co-authors noted that in research conducted in English-speaking countries, some young children confuse the term engineer and engineering with the word engine, thus associating the latter professions with the male-dominated field of auto mechanics.

But Miller also said that children may absorb media coverage and popular culture representations of male tech billionaires, leaving them with the false impression that girls and women aren't interested in or competent in engineering and computer science.

Miller said correcting those stereotypes over time might require universal classroom exposure to computer science and engineering, rather than making them optional or accessible only through extracurricular programs.

Dr. Allison Master, an assistant professor at the University of Houston who studies gender stereotypes in STEM, said the new research paints a clearer picture of how children "see the world." Master was not involved in Miller's study.

She noted that it's important to recognize that not all six-year-olds have STEM stereotypes. Yet Master is aware of how damaging stereotypes can be; her own research focuses on how they can become "self-fulfilling prophecies" for kids.

Master said that parents and educators should evaluate their own stereotypes, mindful that their words or actions may send the message, unintentionally or not, that STEM isn't for girls.

She added that general language about boys and girls can reinforce stereotypes. Qualifying language by saying "some girls" or "lots of boys" can help children avoid overgeneralizing about their own abilities.

"Stereotypes can change the way girls see themselves," Master said in an email. "Stereotypes can make girls doubt their own ability and belonging, so they choose to avoid STEM opportunities."

Just like the continuous stream of new Kindles and Fire TV devices, Amazon has an ever-growing list of Echo devices — Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Auto, and now the Echo Spot alarm clock. Many of these devices also have multiple generations, and it's a lot to keep straight. So, we're here to help pull you out of that Echo chamber and find the best Echo devices for your smart home.

Keep in mind, you don't need to buy these devices at full price. They're guaranteed to go on sale during events like Prime Day and Black Friday. During Black Friday sales, we saw discounts of up to 58% on devices like the Echo Pop, Dot, and Spot. So if you are going to buy an Amazon smart home device, it's worth holding out until the next big event.

What can an Echo smart speaker do? Tring out the new Echo Spot smart alarm clock. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

All Echo devices are designed to utilize Amazon Alexa's AI superpowers — it's just a matter of which form you want your Echo to take. The Echo and Echo Dot are smart speakers, which you can use for music, phone calls, calendar reminders, or news alerts. Amazon Echo Show devices, on the other hand, can do all of the aforementioned audio stuff, but they also boast colorful displays for making video calls, streaming entertainment, or managing your day. Think of Echo Shows as tiny and more affordable tablets, essentially.

Most Echo devices are designed to act as smart hubs within your home, but some Echo devices can also be taken on the road. Echo Auto brings hands-free Alexa functionality to the car, while Echo Buds and Echo Frames can travel with you anywhere.

Read on for the 10 best Amazon Echo devices of 2024 so that you can make an informed, stress-free Echo purchase.

OpenAI Sora is limiting depictions of real people and taking other strict safety measures to prevent misuse.

The video generator, which was announced on Monday as part of its 12 Days of OpenAI event, has all sorts of editing capabilities for users to create and customize AI-generated videos. But there are certain things you aren't allowed to do with Sora, as users soon discovered.

Tweet may have been deleted

According to its system card, "the ability to upload images of people will be made available to a subset of users," meaning most users can't create videos of people based on an uploaded image. Those users are part of a "Likeness pilot" that OpenAI is testing with a select few. An OpenAI spokesperson said AI-generated videos of people is limited in order to "address concerns around misappropriation of likeness and deepfakes." OpenAI "will actively monitor patterns of misuse, and when we find it we will remove the content, take appropriate action with users, and use these early learnings to iterate on our approach to safety," the spokesperson continued.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI's Sora first look: YouTuber Marques Brownlee breaks down the problems with the AI video model

Limiting the depiction of people in Sora videos makes sense from a liability standpoint. There are all sorts of ways the tool could be misused: non-consensual deepfakes, the depiction of minors, scams, and misinformation to name a few. To combat this, Sora has been trained to reject certain requests from text prompts or image uploads.

It will reject prompts for NSFW (Not Safe For Work) and NCII (Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery) content and the generation of realistic children, although fictitious images are allowed. OpenAI has added C2PA metadata to all Sora videos and made a visible watermark the default, even though it can be removed, and implemented an internal reverse image search to assess the video's provenance.

Despite the fact that many guardrails have been put in place to prevent misuse, the question of how Sora will respond to mass stress-testing remains. Currently, access to Sora is unavailable due to high demand.

This week, we got an early look at the potential details of Bluesky+, the social media site's planned premium subscription offering.

Still, don't get ready to shell out your cash just yet. Bluesky seems to be relatively early in the process, but the company did reveal a mockup of its plans for the subscription service on its official Github page.

As Techcrunch noted, the mockup on the site indicated Bluesky listed paid features such as custom app icons, a Bluesky+ profile badge, inline post translations, profile customizations, better quality video uploads, post analytics, and bookmark folders. The mockup showed prices of $8 per month or $72 per year for the subscription offering.

The mockups were reportedly posted to Bluesky this week by the user @saeri.xyz, whose profile appears to have since been deactivated.

Bluesky subscriptions coming soon? 👀 These were spotted by @saeri.xyz on the official #Bluesky GitHub.

[image or embed]

— Ross McCulloch (@thirdsectorlab.co.uk) December 10, 2024 at 5:07 AM

Bluesky warned on its Github page that the mockup was just that — a mockup — and would likely not match the eventual list of features when it's released.

SEE ALSO: Bluesky is developing paid subscriptions — but will always be free to use, it says

Bluesky announced in October that it was working on a subscription service while assuring users that the site would always remain free to use.

While the work on Github may indicate that we could soon get a subscription service, we still don't know much about how it will look or when we'll get access to it.

In response to the mockups, bluesky software engineer Dan Abramov posted: "[Just] flagging that this is a UI mockup and the list of features doesn’t necessarily match what will be released. [We] need to get better at avoiding setting expectations via mockups since it’s open source so people poke at every branch"

Abramov also reiterated what Bluesky promised back in October, that subscribers would not get prioritization or special verification, aka some of what subscribers get on Elon Musk's X.

OpenAI has continued its marathon of announcements with full availability of its canvas tool.

A day after OpenAI dropped its AI video generator Sora, the company shared that Canvas has moved out of beta. Additionally, users can run python code inside a canvas document, and canvas is also available for custom GPTs.

Canvas was introduced in October as a editing tool for writing and coding. It's a notebook interface that sits beside the user's ChatGPT chatbot conversation, which allows users to edit responses and "collaborate" with ChatGPT. New to canvas is the ability to get feedback and edits in the form of comments. From here, users can make changes based on ChatGPT's suggestions.

Tweet may have been deleted

OpenAI has also made programming improvements. By copying and pasting code into ChatGPT, it can recognize the code and switch to code editor mode to help debug or find any errors. Users can also run the code directly within the interface and identify any problems.

Today's announcement was the fourth day of "12 Days of OpenAI" where every business day, the AI company shares something new. So far, we've seen the introduction of a ChatGPT Pro plan for $200 a month, reinforcement fine-tuning for developers, and of course, Sora.

The Sora release has been the biggest news so far, courting hype and controversy ever since its introduction last February. The AI video generator is capable of rendering photorealistic sequences from simple text prompts and has new features for editing AI-generated footage. OpenAI says it was trained on publicly available data, although critics argue data should have been obtained with credit and compensation of the original creators.

Sora's debut continues to attract lots of attention online, which has overshadowed some of the more minor releases like the Canvas announcement. What else OpenAI plans to share over the next eight days is unclear. But users are speculating about an AI agent preview, o1 with vision capabilities, and remain hopeful for GPT-5.

Tweet may have been deleted

Whatever the occasion that has you looking for dad gifts (Father's Day, the winters holidays, for example), stay far away from clichés like whiskey stones and pocket knives and try to think outside the box. Unless your dad is an avid tie collector and seriously *lives* for ties, then avoid this played-out gift. Instead, get him something that says, “I see your hobbies and I respect them."

Even if your dad says he doesn't need anything, he deserves something cool and special, like a new gadget, a subscription box, or something that will keep him looking ageless for years to come. That’s why we've rounded up plenty of ideas for all types of dads, whether he has a green thumb, an affinity for craft beer, a massive music collection, or a deep appreciation for learning new skills and hobbies.

Wicked fans, it's almost time for your moment in the spotlight.

Tickets are now on sale for special Christmas sing-along screenings of Wicked, so you can belt out "Defying Gravity," "Popular," and "The Wizard and I" in theaters. (Please, please do not do this in non-sing-along screenings, I beg you.)

SEE ALSO: How director Jon M. Chu made 'Wicked' with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo

The announcement comes after weeks of runaway success for the movie musical, directed by Jon M. Chu. Not only did Wicked pick up four Golden Globe nominations — including Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) and acting nods for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande — it also became the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation ever.

Wicked sing-alongs hit theaters Dec. 25. Wicked (without any singing involved) is now in theaters.

Apple is once again facing a billion dollar lawsuit, as thousands of victims come out against the company for its alleged complicity in spreading child sex abuse materials (CSAM).

In a lawsuit filed Dec. 7, the tech giant is accused of reneging on mandatory reporting duties — which require U.S.-based tech companies to report instances of CSAM to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) — and allowing CSAM to proliferate. In failing to institute promised safety mechanisms, the lawsuit claims, Apple has sold "defective products" to specific classes of customers (CSAM victims).

Some of the plaintiffs argue they have been continuously re-traumatized by the spread of content long after they were children, as Apple has chosen to focus on preventing new cases of CSAM and the grooming of young users.

"Thousands of brave survivors are coming forward to demand accountability from one of the most successful technology companies on the planet. Apple has not only rejected helping these victims, it has advertised the fact that it does not detect child sex abuse material on its platform or devices thereby exponentially increasing the ongoing harm caused to these victims," wrote lawyer Margaret E. Mabie.

SEE ALSO: 'Abysmal' working conditions, exploitation of webcam models exposed

The company has retained tight control over its iCloud product and user libraries as part of its wider privacy promises. In 2022, Apple scrapped its plans for a controversial tool that would automatically scan and flag iCloud photo libraries for abusive or problematic material, including CSAM. The company cited growing concern over user privacy and mass surveillance by Big Tech in its choice to no longer introduce the scanning feature, and Apple's choice was widely supported by privacy groups and activists around the world. But the new lawsuit argues that the tech giant merely used this cybersecurity defense to skirt its reporting duties.

"Child sexual abuse material is abhorrent and we are committed to fighting the ways predators put children at risk," wrote Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz in response to the lawsuit. "We are urgently and actively innovating to combat these crimes without compromising the security and privacy of all our users. Features like Communication Safety, for example, warn children when they receive or attempt to send content that contains nudity to help break the chain of coercion that leads to child sexual abuse. We remain deeply focused on building protections that help prevent the spread of CSAM before it starts."

Tech companies have struggled to control the spread of abusive material online. A 2024 report by UK watchdog National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) accused Apple of vastly underreporting the amount of CSAM shared across its products, with the company submitting just 267 worldwide reports of CSAM to NCMEC in 2023. Competitors Google and Meta reported more than 1 million and 30 million cases, respectively. Meanwhile, growing concern over the rise of digitally-altered or synthetic CSAM has complicated the regulatory landscape, leaving tech giants and social media platforms racing to catch up.

While Apple faces a potential billion-dollar lawsuit should the suit move to and be favored by a jury, the decision has even wider repercussions for the industry and privacy efforts at large. The court could decide to force Apple into reviving its photo library scanning tool or implement other industry features to remove abusive content, paving a more direct path toward government surveillance and wielding another blow to Section 230 protections.

It's already easy to spend hours staring at YouTube, and now it's about to get slightly easier.

According to a list of upcoming "experimental" features on YouTube, multiplayer gaming is coming to the home for videos on the internet. No, that doesn't mean you'll be able to play any of 2024's biggest hits with your friends via YouTube. But it does mean that simple puzzle games like Magic Tiles 3 and Ludo Club will be playable with other users on the site.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI's Sora first look: YouTuber Marques Brownlee breaks down the problems with the AI video model

At the moment, those are the only two titles with multiplayer on YouTube. There are actually more than 100 playable games on YouTube under the "Playables" banner, but it took until now for users to be able to play them with other users.

Hey, at least you have something else to do while watching four-hour video essays about crappy hotels.

SAVE: As of Dec. 10, the Lenovo Legion Go handheld gaming PC is $549.99, or $150 off the original price, which falls just shy of its $170-off discount we saw during Black Friday 2024. Snag one just before the holidays.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Legion Go (512GB) $549.99 at Best Buy
$699.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal

While the Steam Deck is certainly a fantastic handheld gaming PC, it has its limitations. Mainly, it doesn't support a lot of games because you're locked into using the Steam OS — unless you possess a bit of Linux know-how, you're not going to be able to access other game launchers. Thankfully, it's not the only handheld of its kind on the market today.

The Lenovo Legion Go is an alternative option that'll allow you to use your other favorite game launchers like PC Game Pass, and it's $150 off the usual price just ahead of the holiday season. This is close to the price we saw it hit during Black Friday, which was $170 off. So, $549.99 for the 512GB model isn't too shabby.

SEE ALSO: Asus ROG Ally X review: 3 ways it beats the Steam Deck

The Legion Go is a portable powerhouse that comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU and 16GB of RAM, which should be enough horsepower to ensure that most (if not all) of your favorite games will run smoothly on the handheld console. It also has a massive 8.8-inch display with a 2560x1600 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, so the specs are great all around. And if 512GB of storage ends up not being enough for you down the line, the Legion Go also features a microSD expansion slot.

Google's annual Year in Search is always a fascinating look at what we’re exploring online, but one of the more overlooked trends is what we’re humming to find on the internet.

Hum to Search, a lesser-known but delightful feature of Google’s search engine, is both entertaining and incredibly useful. So much so that Google has compiled a list of the 10 most hummed songs in the US and worldwide, a perfect nod to all of us who can’t shake that earworm and need a little help identifying it.

Here's the top 3:

1. "Beautiful Things" by Benson Boone

It’s no surprise that Benson Boone’s pop ballad clinched the number one spot on both the US and global top 10 Hum to Search lists. The Washington-raised singer-songwriter went viral on TikTok this year during the rollout and release of “Beautiful Things,” amassing over 4.1 million videos created with the track.

With more than 1.6 billion streams on Spotify, “Beautiful Things” has become one of the year’s most-played songs, even earning Boone a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. It’s easy to see why this track has been stuck in so many heads.

2. "Axel F" by Crazy Frog

The Crazy Frog remix of “Axel F” had its moment back in the quirky days of 2005 (not to make you feel old, but I was seven then). However, thanks to a wave of nostalgia sparked by Netflix for the release of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the viral hit has made a surprising comeback.

To be fair, it was the best-selling ringtone of its time and has somehow maintained its odd cultural grip on Americans, at least. Strangely enough, “Axel F” didn’t manage to secure a spot in the global top 10.

3. "Wellerman" by Santiano

TikTok has been obsessed with “Wellerman” and other sea shanties for a couple of years, but it’s surprising to see Santiano’s version of “Wellerman” break into the top three. The popular New Zealand folk song first went viral in 2021 after Scottish singer Nathan Evans’s cover, sparking hundreds of subsequent renditions.

SEE ALSO: Youtube Music 2024 recap: How to get yours

It seems that, much like how Pandora operates, Google’s Hum to Search feature relies on its database for matches. As a result, the German band Santiano gets the recognition for a viral trend that might otherwise have pointed to someone else.

Rounding out the rest of the list we have:

4. Past Lives - sapientdream & Slushii

5. Too Sweet - Hozier

6. Die With A Smile - Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

7. Lovely - Billie Eilish

8. Thick Of It - KSI

9. Not Like Us - Kendrick Lamar

10. Dubidubidu - Christell

Global top 10

Globally, here's what everyone around the world was humming:

1. Beautiful Things - Benson Boone

2. Bling-Bang-Bang-Born - Creepy Nuts

3. Die With A Smile - Lady Gaga

4. Past Lives - Slushii

5. Wellerman - Santiano

6. Lovely - Billie Eilish

7. Dubidubidu - Christell

8. Until I Found You - Stephen Sanchez

9. nadaaniyan - Akshath

10. MASHA ULTRAFUNK - HISTED

The best gift card deals at a glance as of Dec. 10: OUR TOP PICK Hulu $100 gift card $85 (save $15) Get Deal BEST FOOD DELIVERY GIFT CARD DEAL Instacart $100 gift card $85 (save $15) Get Deal BEST RIDESHARE GIFT CARD DEAL Lyft $100 gift card $85 (save $15) Get Deal BEST RESTAURANT GIFT CARD Panera Bread $50 gift card $40 (save $10) Get Deal BEST TECH GIFT CARD DEAL Meta Quest $50 gift card $45 (save $5) Get Deal

While gift cards might have a bad rep as lazy or impersonal, you can't argue with their practicality. As least you know they'll be used, right?

If you're at a loss for gift ideas this year, we've found some solid gift card deals as of Dec. 10 that'll help you snag something to fit the bill for just about anyone on your list. From tech to streaming to rideshare services, there's a little something for everyone (even yourself). The best part? They'll be delivered via email, so you don't have to worry about delayed shipping.

Best gift card deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu gift card $85.00 at Best Buy
$100.00 Save $15.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Streaming costs continue to rise with no remorse, including Hulu, which recently jumped from $7.99 to $9.99 per month. With a $100 gift card, you'll be able to give someone in your life an entire year of streaming on Hulu (currently $99.99 per year) — even if that someone is you. Better yet, you'll only have to pay $85. With digital delivery, you'll have immediate access to your gift card after purchase and redemption information will be emailed to your inbox.

Best rideshare gift card deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lyft Lyft gift card $85.00 at Amazon
$100.00 Save $15.00 with on-page coupon Get Deal Why we like it

A $100 Lyft gift card can go a long way. It's especially useful on those days when fare hikes are out of control (like after an NFL game or when Taylor Swift is in town). If you're looking for a last-minute gift for someone in your life, this is truly the gift that keeps on giving long after the holiday season. Just check the on-page coupon and save $15 at checkout, dropping the price to only $85.

Best food delivery gift card Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart Instacart gift card $85.00 at Amazon
$100.00 Save $15.00 Get Deal Why we like it

It may not be the most glamorous gift in the world, but everyone needs groceries. And with the astronomical grocery prices lately, a $100 Instacart gift card could really help someone in your life. And the best part is you only have to pay $85 for it. Just add the $100 gift card option to your cart and the savings will be applied automatically.

More gift card deals

• Bath & Body Works $50 gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Panera Bread $50 gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Vudu $50 gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Fandango $50 gift card — $42.50 $50 (save $7.50)

• Cracker Barrel $50 gift card — $42.50 $50 (save $7.50)

• Barnes & Noble $50 gift card — $42.50 $50 (save $7.50)

• Meta Quest $50 gift card — $45 $50 (save $5)

• PetSmart $100 gift card — $90 $100 (save $10)

• DoorDash $100 gift card — $90 $100 (save $10)

• Uber $100 gift card — $90 $100 (save $10)

• Get $10 in promo credit when you spend $100+ on Lowe's gift cards using code LOWES

• Get $5 in promo credit when you spend $50+ on Google Play gift cards using code GOPLAY

• Get $20 in promo credit when you spend $100+ on Razer Gold gift cards using code RAZERGOLD

Don't see what you're looking for? Check out even more gift card deals over at Amazon.

SPEND $100, SAVE $25: As of Dec. 10, spend $100 on select toys at Target and save $25. Alternatively, spend $50 and save $10 on select toys at Target.

Opens in a new window Credit: Target Spend $100, Save $25 on Select Toys Get Deal

If you didn't stock up on everything you need for holiday gifting during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, now's the time to shop for everything that's left. If you have some little ones you have to find the perfect gift for, you might need to grab some toys and games on the double. Target is making that super easy for you with a deal that's going on right now that'll let you fill your cart and save some serious cash at the same time.

As of Dec. 10, spend $100 on select toys at Target and save $25. You can also spend $50 and save $10 when you shop select Target toys. This Target Circle deal will automatically be applied to your cart once you hit the purchase threshold. All you have to do is find what you want and add it to your cart, then purchase it. You must be a Target Circle member to apply these deals.

As far as what you can choose from, there's a wide variety of goodies you can get this discount on. Everything from Barbie dolls to board games is included, with deals on Miniverse toys, Hot Wheels cars, Play-Doh sets, and plenty of other options that should work for all ages. Many of the toys that will work with this deal are also on sale, so you get additional savings.

This is a great way to stock up on all your last-minute toy and game gifts, or just grab some goodies that you might have had your eye on for a while. The more you buy, the more you can save, and this deal will apply both online and in-store, just in case you'd rather go see what's available at your local Target. Either way, you'll want to shop fast – this deal will end within the next 48 hours.

SAVE $20: The Amazon Kindle Kids is on sale for $109.99 at Amazon, down from the usual price of $129.99. That's a 15% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Kids $109.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

The screen time battle is never-ending, but there's one screen that's much less deserving of time limits. While kids can get glued to the screen watching shows or playing games, one particular screen is the gateway into the imaginative and educational world of books. And thanks to Amazon's sale price, you can gift it this holiday season for less.

As of Dec. 10, the Amazon Kindle Kids is on sale for $109.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $129.99. That's a savings of $20 and a $15 discount.

Like the awesome Amazon Kindle, the kids' version brings a glare-free reading experience to younger people. With 16GB of storage, kids will be able to download their favorite books for reading at home during quiet times or to stay entertained while traveling. For parents or grandparents looking to cut down on screen time with kids, rest assured the Amazon Kindle Kids has no apps, videos, or games — nothing but books on this device.

Amazon gives each device six months of free access to Amazon Kids+ which means kids have access to thousands of digital books, arranged into age-appropriate categories. These include chapter books and graphic novels, designed for use by kids between the ages of 3 and 12.

The Kindle Kids screen measures six inches and it's just as bright as the Kindle Paperwhite, our favorite version of the device for adult readers. Plus, the Kindle Kids can get up to six weeks of battery life before it'll need recharging. The Kindle Kids comes with an included kid-friendly cover including Space Whale, Ocean Explorer, and Unicorn Valley.

In addition to coming with free access to Amazon Kids+, the Kindle comes with another major benefit — an awesome warranty. Like many Amazon devices designed for kids, the Kindle Kids comes with the two-year worry-free guarantee. This states that should the Kindle Kids break within the first two years of ownership, Amazon will replace it for free.

What's more, the Parent Dashboard on the Kindle Kids allows parents to add books from their own accounts into the Kindle Kids' library. Parents can also view reading progress, filter books based on age, and even set a bedtime.

While many books are educational on their own, the Kindle Kids includes Vocabular Builder and Word Wise to help build reading skills. Those with dyslexia might prefer to read with OpenDyslexic, a font that some readers find easier.

If you're looking for great tech gifts for kids this holiday season, but want something educational, the Kindle Kids is perfect. Thanks to today's sale at Amazon, the Kindle Kids is 15% off and sure to be a gift enjoyed for years to come.

The suspect in the high-profile killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was taken into custody Monday morning at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee recognized him from NYPD-released surveillance photos. Now that McDonald's is being bombarded with negative Google reviews.

The negative comments tend to focus on saying there are "rats" in the restaurant, a not-so-subtle nod to snitching. It's part of a larger trend known as "review bombing," in which people leave reviews for everything from restaurants and stores on Yelp and Google to books on GoodReads that don't have much to do with the actual restaurant, store, or book.

SEE ALSO: As some on the internet celebrate a CEO's murder, content moderators are at a crossroads

"This location has rats in the kitchen that will make you sick and your insurance isn't going to cover it," one reviewer wrote, according to Axios.

In response, Google has taken action to remove the negative reviews. "These reviews violate our policies and have been removed," a Google spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Reuters. Their policy specifies that reviews "should reflect a genuine experience at a place or business," which these reviews clearly did not. The policy states that "content that has been posted from multiple accounts to manipulate a place's rating" will be removed.

These negative reviews come from people who appear to sympathize with Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspected shooter of the UnitedHealthcare CEO.

UnitedHealthcare has been at the center of a national debate regarding the American health insurance industry. According to CBS News, health insurance costs are far outpacing inflation, and Americans are paying more for healthcare than ever. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation reports that U.S. healthcare spending reached $4.5 trillion in 2022, averaging $13,493 per person.

GET $130 OFF: As of Dec. 10th, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Intel Celeron 4GB RAM 64GB eMMC laptop is on sale for $119, down from $249, at Best Buy for a savings of $130.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Intel Celeron 4GB RAM 64GB eMMC laptop $119.00 at Best Buy
$249.00 Save $130.00 Get Deal

Laptops are there for you when you're looking through job listings for a new career, finishing up a course for a teaching certificate, or simply diving into the zeitgeist on YouTube. But they can also be pricey, which is why we're psyched about this laptop deal for less than $150.

If you need a laptop on the cheap, this deal is not to be missed. As of Dec. 10, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Intel Celeron 4GB RAM 64GB eMMC laptop is currently on sale for only $119, down from $249, at Best Buy. That's a 52% discount.

SEE ALSO: I love finding gaming laptop deals, and $300 off the HP Omen is one of the best

Sure, this laptop isn't the most powerful machine we've written about. It might not be up to snuff to run modern high-end games or perform pro-grade edits on video, however it's got more than enough power to get you into productivity software and onto the web. Its Intel UHD graphics may even be able to run contemporary games on lower settings.

With 4GB of RAM and an Intel Celeron processor, expect to be able to stream video in HD and check social media without a hitch. 64GB of storage means you'll be able to hold onto a collection of photographs, documents, and music without constantly deleting files to make room. A 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 screen is spacious and pixel-rich enough for you to enjoy video, read, and work on documents.

This standout laptop deal is a wonderful chance to get access to the web, productivity tools, and digital content on a budget laptop that looks like it costs $400 more than its asking price.

On Monday, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione was named the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. And, almost immediately, the internet was brazen about its thirst for him.

When news broke out about the shooting last Wednesday, the internet also wasn't shy about its lack of sympathy about the killing.

Jokes and memes popped up, fueled by Americans' anger toward the healthcare system and the elite class.

SEE ALSO: As some on the internet celebrate a CEO's murder, content moderators are at a crossroads

As more details emerged — from "deny," "defend," and "depose" etched on the ammunition (the words are shorthand for insurer tactics) to an early photo harkening comparisons to Timothée Chalamet — the killer became more of a star online. He was called "The Adjuster" by fan fiction writers and a folk hero by others.

The release of the suspect's name only increased the online frenzy. He is young, conventionally attractive, and has photos of himself shirtless online. (The latter is only a portion of his social media footprint, having allegedly been a fan of controversial podcaster Andrew Huberman and a wannabe reader of Ayn Rand, whose work influenced today's conservatives.) 

The discovery of the suspect's online presence and shirtless photos led to, as one can expect, more memes, jokes, and even a fancam:

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

A man being attractive is enough for online horniness to ensue — but about an alleged murderer? Well, yes. People have had the hots for killers for decades, including abhorrent serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy. The term for such infatuation is called hybristophilia, and the American Psychological Association defines it as a "sexual interest in and attraction to those who commit crimes." There are various theories as to why hybristophilia happens, such as women believing they can "fix" the killer or it being an extreme form of fanaticism. 

The suspect is white, as are the aforementioned serial killers. The internet would likely be having a different conversation if the suspect wasn't white due to implicit bias of who people believe commits crimes (people of color).

The victim also made a difference in the public response. On the same day the suspect's name was released, Daniel Penny was found not guilty of the death of homeless man Jordan Neely. While the internet is sympathetic towards the CEO murder suspect, the same isn't true for Penny.

This might be because, in addition to potential hybristophilia, people online are also drawn to the alleged political motivations of the suspect. The New York Times reported that he had a manifesto on him that railed against healthcare companies for valuing profit over people. A spokesperson for someone who knew the suspect told the Associated Press that the suspect experienced severe back pain for years. This may have contributed to these resentments. Difficulty receiving healthcare and anger towards the system are experiences many Americans relate to — regardless of their political affiliation. In a politically polarized time, people on either side of the political spectrum have rallied around this "folk hero."

Given that there's still much to learn about the killing and an eventual trial to be had, the thirst for the suspect may not die down anytime soon.

As we approach the Jan. 19 deadline for the potential TikTok ban, there have been several significant developments: a federal appeals court panel upheld the Biden-era law; creators are now encouraging their followers to head to other platforms; and TikTok is begging courts to let a new administration weigh in.

SEE ALSO: TikTok requests emergency injunction to delay U.S. ban

So, what does this mean for the future of the app in the U.S.?

How would the TikTok ban work?

The latest attempt at banning TikTok in the U.S. is also the only one that has stuck. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law in April that gave ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, nine months to get a new buyer or be banned in U.S. app stores — and the clock is running out.

The ban wouldn't simply delete the app off your phone or erase the site from the internet but would rely on internet hosting companies and app stores like Apple and Google. If they distribute or update TikTok, they'll face penalties.

When will TikTok get banned?

The deadline for Biden's law is Jan. 19 — the day before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

What can be done to slow — or outright stop — the ban?

A few things can be done to change the tide of the TikTok ban.

The path of least resistance would be for TikTok to comply with Biden's law and divest from ByteDance. Plenty of wealthy folks and companies, from Steven Mnuchin to Rumble to Kevin O’Leary, have tossed their hats in the ring. So far, it's unclear who's in the lead to buy the app reportedly worth billions — or where TikTok truly stands on selling.

But TikTok is still fighting the potential sale. On Friday, Dec. 6, a federal appeals court panel upheld the Biden-era law. TikTok is expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, but it's not a given that the court will take the case — and TikTok would like some time to get their case through. So, on Monday, Dec. 9, the platform asked an appeals court for an emergency injunction to block Biden's law until the U.S. Supreme Court has time to weigh in.

SEE ALSO: As the 2025 TikTok ban deadline looms, here's what we know

An injunction would also punt the law to the Trump administration, and Trump has been newly interested in keeping TikTok around without a necessary sale. Lest we forget, he did attempt to ban it through an executive order in 2020, but he asserted during his 2024 campaign that he is "gonna save TikTok."

Why are we doing this?

Lawmakers argue that TikTok poses a national security threat because its parent company is based out of China and is subject to Chinese intelligence laws. According to lawmakers, China could theoretically (and hypothetically) force ByteDance to give its data to China. TikTok has denied the claims that this could happen and argues that the ban violates the First Amendment right to free speech because it "subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide." TikTok has its free speech supporters; the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement to Reuters that it sets a "flawed and dangerous precedent."

"Banning TikTok blatantly violates the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans who use this app to express themselves and communicate with people around the world," Patrick Toomey, the deputy director of the ACLU's National Security Project, told Reuters.

For now, we wait. We'll find out soon — at least before Jan 19 — if TikTok hopes to continue in the U.S. without selling.