IT General

The messaging platform Discord announced Monday that all user accounts will default to teen safety settings beginning in March. The policy, meant to create a safe environment for teens, restricts adult content and spaces without verification or assurance of a user's age.

Following significant criticism from users skeptical of the platform's age-assurance efforts, Discord updated its announcement Tuesday to clarify that the "vast majority of people can continue using Discord exactly as they do today, without ever being asked to confirm their age."

Discord, which has more than 200 million global monthly active users, said that it's relying on an inference model with hundreds of signals, like account tenure and activity data, to detect the age of an account holder. Users identified as adults will not need to go through an age assurance process.

SEE ALSO: Discord launches new safety features following lawsuits

New and existing users who aren't assessed as adults must verify their age to access adult spaces and content.

Discord will use facial scans to help establish age, and the third-party verification service k-ID for age and identification checks.

"We would like the experience to feel more like you are on Main Street," Savannah Badalich, head of product policy at Discord, told Mashable. "If you're going into an adult space, you do ID verification or something like that, whereas the Main Street itself is built for just generally [everyone]."

Badalich suggested to Mashable that users will not be able to circumvent the safety measures by relying on a virtual private network, or VPN, that conceals their location, since the default settings will be universal.

Discord under pressure on teen safety

The new policy arrives in the wake of sustained pressure on social media platforms to improve safety for minors.

A 2025 lawsuit filed against Discord and the gaming platform Roblox alleged that together the platforms created a "breeding ground for predators." At the heart of the complaint is an anonymous 11-year-old girl who was allegedly groomed, sexually exploited, and raped by a perpetrator who used Roblox and Discord to communicate with her.

In late 2025, the platform launched a hub that allows parents or guardians to view the top five users a teen messaged and called, the servers they messaged most frequently, their total call minutes in voice and video, and all the purchases they've made.

At the time, Haley McNamara, executive director and chief strategy officer of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, told Mashable in a statement that Discord's new safety features fell short by placing the burden of youth safety on parents rather than implementing fundamental design changes.

Age-gated content and experiences on Discord

Badalich said that though Discord will have teen safety settings for all users by default, the platform will preemptively assess accounts that seem to belong to adults and permit them to access age-gated content and features.

While Discord hopes to keep false positives to a minimum, Badalich did not share the platform's confidence in accurately predicting user age.

Beginning in March, any user whose age is unverified or whose account has been placed in teen settings will need to either submit an ID or go through the facial estimation process in order to have full access to Discord.

Only adults will be able to unblur sensitive content, or turn off the setting; access age-gated channels and servers; receive message requests directly, instead of to a separate inbox; and speak on a "stage" in a Discord server.

Badalich described the new policy as "a foundational change to how we think about Discord."

Age verification on Discord

Discord began using age assurance measures in the UK and Australia last year, though not without challenges.

In the UK, some users also initially bypassed the age check requirement by submitting a realistic-looking selfie of a video game character, which was deemed adult. Badalich told Mashable that Discord and k-ID worked "tirelessly" to patch that vulnerability, and that the experience has informed its subsequent age assurance efforts.

Discord's new age-assurance efforts will restrict adult servers. Credit: Courtesy of Discord

"[W]e know that teens are creative," Badalich said. 'They're going to try to find ways around it."

There are privacy concerns, too. In October, Discord announced a third-party customer support vendor had been hacked, breaching 70,000 government IDs provided by users.

When users submit identity documents to k-ID, the documents will be deleted quickly, if not immediately, according to Discord.

UPDATE: Feb. 10, 2026, 10:47 a.m. PST This story was updated to include new information provided by Discord on Feb. 10.

Last month, YouTube TV announced that cheaper “genre-specific” packages would be coming soon. However, it didn’t share the pricing or any information about the actual channel bundles. The first batch of packages has finally been revealed, and they might not be as cheap as you expected.

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Texas with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

More than a third of U.S. states have introduced age verification laws for online adult content, including Texas. In response, Pornhub banned access for users in those locations. That means millions of users in Texas are now unable to access Pornhub.

There are complicated reasons for this restriction, but the workaround is simple. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Texas, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Texas

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub 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 Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 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 peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock Pornhub for free in Texas with ExpressVPN.

It wasn't long ago where the phrase "integrated GPU" would evoke a rolling of the eyes and flashbacks to performance levels that struggled to even power dragging a windows across the screen. However, if you haven't been paying attention, you might have missed that iGPUs have been improving by leaps and bounds.

The glory days of SATA SSDs are well and truly gone by now. These drives, stuck between an HDD and a much faster NVMe SSD, don't have much to offer that the other two don't cover.

The best ways to watch 'Wicked: For Good' at a glance: Watch now Buy or rent 'Wicked: For Good' on Prime Video $19.99 or $29.99 Shop Now Watch now Buy or rent 'Wicked: For Good' at Apple TV $19.99 or $29.99 Shop Now Watch as of March 20 Peacock Premium yearly subscription $109.99/year (save $21.89) Get Deal Watch as of March 20 Peacock Premium for Students and Young Adults $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal Watch as of March 20 Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch as of March 20 Peacock Premium for Active Military and Veterans $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch as of March 20 Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch as of March 20 Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $109.99/year) Get Deal Watch as of March 20 Peacock Premium free for Walmart+ subscribers Get Deal

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande returned to the big screen to conclude Elphaba and Glinda's story this past fall with Wicked: For Good.

Directed by Jon M. Chu once again, Wicked: For Good continues the story from the Broadway musical adaptation Wicked, which absolutely dominated the box office in 2024. Part one also picked up 10 Academy Award nominations, winning two for production design and costume design, and setting the bar extremely high for part two.

Besides Erivo and Grande, Wicked: For Good also stars Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, and Marissa Bode. It hit theaters in November 2025 and is now officially available to watch at home. Here's everything you need to know to tune in — including when and where it's streaming.

What is Wicked: For Good about?

Wicked: For Good picks up where Wicked leaves off — in the wake of Elphaba's (Erivo) showdown with the Wizard of Oz (Goldblum). Having been labeled as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba now lives in hiding. Glinda, on the other hand, has become a symbol of good as well as a public figure. Glinda hopes to protect Elphaba from an actual witch hunt, all the while, an outsider (Dorothy) arrives in Oz. The second act follows Dorothy and her Yellow Brick Road-trekking pals from the perspective of Elphaba.

Check out the official trailer below.

Is Wicked: For Good worth watching?

It's tough for a sequel to live up to its predecessor, and Wicked: For Good struggles to match the magic of the first movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, for instance, Wicked holds an 88 percent critic score. Wicked: For Good, on the other hand, holds just a 66 percent. Audiences are pretty enthralled with both, though. Both films have over a 90 percent audience rating, though many people have debated whether two separate films were necessary in the first place.

"In the end, Wicked: For Good is sure to enthrall fans of the Broadway show, the first movie, and just about anyone who loves a splashy movie musical. Despite its faults, it's still good," writes Mashable's entertainment editor, Kristy Puchko.

Check out our full review of Wicked: For Good.

How to watch Wicked: For Good at home Credit: Universal Pictures

There are now a few different ways you can watch Wicked: For Good at home. You can buy it or rent it at digital-on-demand retailers for as low as $19.99, or you can stream it on Peacock. See the details below.

Buy or rent it on digital

Wicked's second act is available as of Dec. 30, 2025, to buy or rent at digital-on-demand retailers. If you choose to rent, you'll get 30 days to watch the film and just 48 hours to finish it once you start. If you choose to buy it instead, then it's yours to keep with no watch limits.

Here are some quick links to rent or purchase the film:

• Prime Video — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• Apple TV — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• Fandango at Home — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• Google Play — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• YouTube — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

Stream it on Peacock

Following the same timeline as its predecessor, Wicked: For Good will start streaming on Peacock on March 20, 2026. That's almost exactly a year to the day since Wicked part one made its streaming debut.

If you don't have a Peacock subscription, you can sign up for $10.99 per month with ads or $16.99 per month without. Before you get ahead of yourself, though, be sure to check out the best ways to save some money on a subscription below.

The best Peacock streaming dealsBest Peacock deal: Save 17% on an annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription $109.99 per year or $169.99 per year (save 17%) Get Deal

The best Peacock deal for most folks is the annual subscription deal. You'll get 12 months of streaming for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. That's a total of $109.99 with ads (which breaks down to just $9.17 per month compared to $10.99) or $169.99 without ads (which breaks down to $14.16 per month compared to $16.99). That's about $21.89 in savings on the ad-supported tier or $33.89 on the ad-free tier.

Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers: free Peacock Premium for eligible accounts Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock / Xfinity Peacock Premium Free for select Xfinity customers Learn More

Xfinity customers should check the eligibility details below before signing up for Peacock, as you might be able to score a subscription for free. Check out the breakdown of who is eligible to get Peacock for free through Xfinity below (or head to Xfinity.com for more details).

• Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.

• NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.

• New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.

Best Peacock deal for students and young adults: Save $5/month for one year Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Students $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for young adults $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal

Students and young adults can save $5 per month on a Peacock Premium subscription all year long. Just verify your student status via SheerID and retrieve the unique promo code to knock the cost down to just $5.99 instead of $10.99. Note that after the promo year is up, you'll be charged full price again unless you cancel.

Best for first responders, medical professionals, military, and teachers: Save $4/month Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $6.99 per month (save $4 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Military $6.99 per month (save $4 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4 per month) Get Deal

First responders, medical professionals, military personnel, and teachers can all secure a Peacock Premium subscription (with ads) for a discounted rate of $6.99 per month by verifying their professional status via SheerID. Unlike the student deal, however, it's not limited to a year. Those who continue to meet verification qualifications can renew their subscription at a discounted rate each year — although you may have to go through the verification process each time and receive a new promo code. Rates are also subject to change year to year.

Best for Instacart users: free Peacock Premium for Instacart+ subscribers Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart / Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $109.99/year) Get Deal

An Instacart+ membership ($99.99 per year) unlocks a free Peacock Premium subscription ($109.99 per year value) on top of free grocery delivery, lower fees, and credit back on eligible pickup orders. Plus, if you're new to Instacart+, you'll get a free two-week trial to kick things off. Just be sure to cancel before you're charged the full amount — do yourself a favor and set a calendar alert.

Best for Walmart shoppers: free Peacock Premium for Walmart+ members Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Walmart+ $98 per year Get Deal

Walmart now offers Walmart+ members the ability to choose Peacock Premium (or Paramount+) as a free perk. A $109.99 value, your $98 Walmart+ membership is already a better deal than paying for Peacock on its own. Add in free shipping (with no order minimums), fuel discounts, a Scan & Go checkout tool, and early access to deals during Walmart's major shopping events, and you've got yourself a pretty sweet subscription. Amazon Prime who?

UPDATE: Feb. 9, 2026, 11:51 a.m. This article has been updated with new streaming details.

Self-hosting is becoming more popular by the day. If your friends have finally convinced you to get a NAS (they’re good friends, by the way), maybe it’s time to take the plunge.

Monday, Feb. 9 is National Pizza Day. What's that? This is news to you? You don't have us fooled. This is one of the biggest days of the year for foodies. Don't pretend for a second that you haven't been eyeing up this date for months.

The great news for lovers of dough and melted cheese is that a bunch of popular retailers run promotions on National Pizza Day, including Chuck E. Cheese, Grubhub, Papa Johns, and Pizza Hut. That means you can celebrate this occasion with a cheap slice. We've tracked down everything that's out there and lined up a selection of standout offers for your consideration.

If you want to make the most out of National Pizza Day 2026, check out some of the best freebies and discounts we found below.

National Pizza Day deals7-Eleven

7Rewards and Speedy Rewards members can buy one pizza and get another for just $3. Plus, use the code DELIVERY10 to get $10 off any first-time orders of $20 or more on the 7NOW Delivery app.

California Pizza Kitchen

Get $10 off $40+ orders at select California Pizza Kitchen locations with the code WINTER10 at checkout.

Cheez-It

On National Pizza Day, get Cheez-It Duoz Pesto and Mozzarella and Cheez-It Snap’d Margherita Pizza for 20% off plus free shipping with the code PIZZA20.

Chuck E. Cheese

Until Feb. 12, celebrate National Pizza Day with a $5 large one-topping pizza with a games purchase. Fun Pass holders can score this deal without a games purchase.

Grubhub

On National Pizza Day, enjoy BOGO on six-piece wings with orders of at least $15 at Popeyes, get $7 off orders of $30+ at Pizza Hut, and get 25% off orders of $30+ at 7-Eleven. Plus, all Amazon Prime Grubhub+ members can use the code GET10 at the checkout to get $10 off a $30 order.

Papa Johns

Get the XL NY Style Pizza for $11.99 on National Pizza Day.

Papa Murphy’s

Get $10 off $25+ orders with the code PZDAY26.

Pizza Hut

Join Hut Rewards to get a free large one-topping pizza on your next order through the Pizza Hut app. Place a qualifying order through the app or online with a minimum purchase of $7.99 and Hut Rewards members will get a coupon for the free pizza within 24-48 hours in the app.

SAVE $500: As of Feb. 9, the Hisense 85-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV is on sale for only $799.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's 38% off its list price of $1,299.99 and just $2 away from its best-ever Black Friday price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 85-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $799.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $500   Get Deal

If the Big Game really highlighted how much you need to upgrade your TV, we've got some good news for you. It's still one of the best times to buy a new one, as several 2025 models are on sale — including this 85-incher from Hisense.

As of Feb. 9, you can get the Hisense 85-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV for only $799.99 at Amazon or Best Buy. That's 38% or $500 off its list price of $1,299.99 and only $2 away from its best-ever price from Black Friday.

This deal really highlights why Hisense is one of our favorite TV brands; you can get top-notch features for a wallet-friendly price. Our friend at CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) named the QD7 model the best budget TV, thanks to its full array local dimming, excellent contrast, and fully saturated picture. TV expert Ty Pendlebury says it offers "the best price-to-performance ratio of any model I have ever reviewed" and heartily recommends it.

It's built with the Fire TV operating system and has Alexa built in, so you can press a button on the remote and ask it for content recommendations, sports scores, or to adjust your smart home lighting. Its native 144Hz panel with Motion Rate 480, Game Mode Pro, and AMD FreeSync Premium offer gamers a smooth, lag-free gaming experience. Plus, an AI upscaler and Filmmaker Mode ensure your streaming sessions look as good as possible.

If a TV upgrade is in order, but you don't want to spend a ton of money, the Hisense QD7 is an excellent value.

Bad Bunny promised good vibes and a whole lot of dancing during his Super Bowl halftime show, and he didn’t disappoint. But beneath the perreo-ready hits and viral clips was something deeper.

The performance unfolded as a densely layered visual essay, moving from Puerto Rico's sugar cane fields to New York bodegas, from reggaetón history to quiet political protest, and packing decades of memory, migration, and resistance into just 13 minutes of television.

SEE ALSO: Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show: See it now if you missed it

From set pieces referencing the island's ongoing infrastructure collapse following Hurricane Maria to cameos honoring small-business legends and community elders, nearly every frame carried meaning. Some references were immediately legible. Others were designed for the fans who know where to look.

It was a case of storytelling: a reminder that Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio didn't just bring Puerto Rico to the Super Bowl. He brought its history with him. Here are some of the Easter eggs you may have missed.

Returning to the roots of the sugar cane fields

Before fireworks, choreography, or surprise cameos, Bad Bunny began his Super Bowl halftime show in a quiet, sunlit sugar cane field, worlds away from the stadium spectacle to come.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Sugar cane fields are deeply woven into Puerto Rico's history, tied to colonial exploitation and the agricultural labor of generations of working-class people. By opening the performance there, Bad Bunny grounded his global moment in the island's past, honoring the people whose work and resilience built Puerto Rico long before it became a cultural export. It was a reminder that everything that followed grew from this soil first.

Bad Bunny's "Ocasio 64" jersey carries history

When Bad Bunny stepped onto the Super Bowl stage in a custom Zara jersey stitched with the name "Ocasio" and the number "64," it immediately sparked speculation. The name referenced his full surname, Martínez Ocasio. The number, however, carried a heavier weight.

SEE ALSO: Bad Bunny's 'Ocasio 64' jersey meaning explained

On a personal level, "64" honors his late uncle, who once wore the same number as an athlete. But it also echoes the Puerto Rican government’s initial claim of just 64 deaths after Hurricane Maria in 2017 — a figure later revealed to be a devastating undercount.

Falling into YHLQMDLG

Midway through "Party," Bad Bunny plunged through the roof of the casita into a family's blue living room, a moment that felt both unexpected and deeply intentional.

The visual mirrored the aesthetic of his 2020 album YHLQMDLG, whose blue-hued visualizers defined an era fans never got to see live. The pandemic canceled that tour, making the Super Bowl moment a belated love letter to longtime listeners who’ve been riding with him since the beginning.

Toñita's surprise cameo

Among the star-studded spectacle, one of the night's most meaningful appearances belonged to someone far from the pop spotlight: Maria Antonia "Toñita" Cay, the beloved owner of Caribbean Social Club.

A fixture of Puerto Rican life in Williamsburg for decades, Toñita has been name-checked in Bad Bunny's lyrics and embraced by the Nuyorican community. Her presence in the show was about honoring the everyday institutions that keep culture alive.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Victor Villa and the power of the side hustle

Another blink-and-you'll-miss-it guest was Victor Villa, the founder of Villa's Tacos. You'll see Benito pass a Villa's Tacos truck during "Tití Me Preguntó."

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Villa's journey — from selling tacos in his grandmother's yard to running acclaimed brick-and-mortar locations — mirrors Bad Bunny's own narrative of grassroots success. His cameo not only celebrated immigrant hustle but also spoke to Bad Bunny's larger message of believing in where you come from, a belief he made explicit when he told Super Bowl viewers that he never stopped believing in himself and that others should believe in themselves, too.

Coco frío and island street life

During "Tití Me Preguntó," Bad Bunny moved past dancers gathered around a coco frío cart, a small detail loaded with nostalgia. Fresh coconut water, sold by street vendors across Puerto Rico, is part of daily life on the island. By centering it in a Super Bowl spectacle, Bad Bunny elevated an ordinary ritual into a symbol of home.

"Gasolina" and the lineage of reggaetón

No, your ears did not deceive you. After blending "Yo Perreo Sola" and "Voy a Llevarte Pa’ PR," Bad Bunny pivoted into a snippet of "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee, a defining anthem of the genre.

The track, inducted into the Library of Congress in 2023, helped globalize reggaetón in the 2000s. Bad Bunny's performance also sampled Tego Calderón's "Pa’ Que Retozen" and Don Omar's "Dale Don Dale," situating himself within a living musical lineage.

Concho the toad makes an appearance

Before launching into "Monaco," the camera cut to an image of Concho, the animated amphibian mascot of Bad Bunny's latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Modeled after the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad, Concho represents environmental fragility and cultural survival.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Jíbaros, power lines, and "El Apagón"

Men in straw hats (pavas) and white clothing — jíbaros, Puerto Rico’s traditional mountain farmers — appeared climbing power lines, blending folklore with modern crisis.

Historically associated with rural life and folk music, jíbaros symbolize resilience. Here, their placement on broken infrastructure referenced post–Hurricane Maria privatization, rolling blackouts under LUMA Energy, and the economic displacement explored in the song "El Apagón." It was a visual essay on who gets left behind when "progress" arrives.

Ricky Martin's Spanish-language reclamation

When Ricky Martin joined to perform "Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii," the moment felt both nostalgic and quietly radical. For an artist long associated with English-language crossover hits like "Livin' la Vida Loca" and "She Bangs," returning to a Spanish-language ballad on the Super Bowl stage carried its own symbolism.

The song reflects on migration and loss. Singing entirely in Spanish, sitting in a monobloc chair, marked how far Latin music has pushed the mainstream. What once felt risky now feels inevitable.

The light blue flag of Puerto Rican independence

At one point, Bad Bunny held la bandera con azul celeste, the light-blue version of Puerto Rico's flag linked to the independence movement.

Once associated with calls for Puerto Rican sovereignty and traced back to pre-U.S. colonial revolts, the light-blue variant of the Puerto Rican flag has become a symbol of resistance and cultural pride. Historians identify azul celeste as the original shade tied to late-19th-century independence movements, and its use today often signals a deeper conversation about the island's identity.

Bad Bunny previously featured it in "La Mudanza," and bringing it to the Super Bowl transformed a political statement into a global broadcast.

A quiet nod to Haiti's visual history

In one of the show's most subtle visual callbacks, a woman waving Haiti's flag wore a green-and-orange ribbed knit top that closely echoed Jay Maisel's 1973 Haiti series, particularly "Haiti No. 59." The styling — easy to miss amid the spectacle — felt deliberately precise, mirroring the texture, color, and composition of Maisel's iconic image.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Lady Gaga and the maga flower

Lady Gaga’s baby-blue dress, paired with a red floral brooch resembling Puerto Rico's national maga flower, was more than a fashion moment. Designed by Luar founder Raul Lopez, the look wove national symbolism into couture, reinforcing the night’s emphasis on Puerto Rican pride.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. "La Marqueta" and the roots of diaspora

During "NUEVAYoL," Bad Bunny walked past a New York–style streetscape featuring a storefront labeled "La Marqueta."

The real La Marqueta in East Harlem was once a hub for Latino immigrants, helping shape Spanish Harlem in the mid-20th century. Its inclusion honored the diaspora communities that carried Puerto Rican culture beyond the island — and brought it back, amplified, to the global stage.

"Together We Are America"

Toward the end of the halftime performance, Bad Bunny — notably speaking in English — said, "God Bless America." He then expanded the phrase to encompass all the countries of the Americas, not just the United States, re-framing it as a message of unity and belonging. Holding up a football emblazoned with "Together We Are America," he made the point explicit.

Then, switching back to Spanish, he added: "seguimos aquí" ("we’re still here"), before spiking the ball and launching into "DtMF." The moment crystallized the show's larger thesis: presence as resistance, visibility as power, and community as the foundation of everything.

The messaging app Discord says it will start requiring people to verify their age with identity documents, face scans, even in regions where age checking is not legally required. The change is planned for next month.

Best Dyson beauty deals Dyson Supersonic Nural $399.99 (save $150) Get Deal Dyson Airwrap i.d. $499.99 (save $150) Get Deal

Valentine's Day is less than a week away, but if you haven't bought a gift just yet, Dyson's giving last-minute shoppers a pretty sweet deal.

Well, technically two deals. As of Feb. 9, you can grab the Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer for $399.99, saving you $150 on the $549.99 list price. The same discount is also available on the Dyson Airwrap i.d. multi-styler, which comes down to $499.99 from its full price of $649.99.

At the time of writing, neither tool is on sale at Amazon, and while the Airwrap i.d. is on sale at Best Buy for the same price, the Supersonic Nural is still at full price. Sephora, on the other hand, has both the Airwrap i.d. and Supersonic Nural on sale, but only in the amber silk colorway, whereas Dyson's site offers more variety.

So which is the best to pick up for your boo (or yourself)? As Mashable's beauty tech expert, I broke it down below.

Dyson Airwrap i.d. deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Airwrap i.d. $499.99 at Dyson
$649.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

I've tested every Supersonic model available, and while I maintain the supremacy Shark FlexStyle in a pure value sense, the Airwrap i.d. is the multi-styler that made me most get Dyson's popularity. Typically, the curling barrels on multi-stylers provide more of a blown out than truly curled look — and if your hair has trouble holding a style, the wave you do get might not last.

The Airwrap i.d. makes this process better by including a conical barrel in the attachments for tighter curls, and automatic temperature cycling — meaning the hair is hit with properly timed hot then cool air with the press of a button — making styling with this tool as mindless as it should be. In addition to the conical curling attachment, you'll get five more attachments (which vary slightly depending on whether you opt for the straight and wavy or curly and coily model).

Dyson Supersonic Nural deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic Nural $399.99 at Dyson
$549.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

This is not the hair dryer for the dupe lover. This is the hair dryer for the person who rarely air drys, and wants one of the fastest and easiest hair dry experiences on the market. It comes with smart attachments that automatically adjust temperature and air speed, a scalp protect mode for closer and more comfortable drying, and automatic pausing. For textured hair folks, the diffuser has a removable center that's especially useful for pixie diffusing and maximizing your volume potential.

SAVE $800: The 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $1,499.99, down from the normal price of $2,299.99. That's a 35% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor $1,499.99 at Amazon
$2,299.99 Save $800.00   Get Deal

Sometimes, bigger is better. Think that bag of potato chips from Costco, getting upgraded to the seats with extra legroom on the plane, or streaming your favorite Olympic sports on a giant TV. The same can be applied to gaming on a giant monitor. If you need something bigger (and better), check out this Amazon deal.

As of Feb. 9, the 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor is on sale for $1,499.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $2,299.99. That's a 35% discount that slashes $800 off the price.

So long as your computer desk has room, gaming on a giant 57-inch curved monitor could be incredible. Samsung makes some top-tier gaming monitors that'll massively level up your experience. Of course, it comes with a nice 240Hz refresh rate, a 1 millisecond response time, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. There's also something to be said about gaming on a Quantum Mini-LED display.

SEE ALSO: This stunning LG UltraGear gaming monitor is over $300 off at Amazon

Nice extras include the ergonomic stand from Samsung and the DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1, and USB hub. There's also the Samsung Picture-by-Picture feature which gives you access to viewing two sources at the same time in their native resolution.

While we're still in the depths of winter, upgrade your gaming set up with the 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor. Since you'll be saving $800 thanks to Amazon's sale price, you'll be able to snag new game titles or maybe even an ultra-comfortable gaming chair.

DeWalt is known for its bright yellow drills, high-torque impact drivers, and powerful reciprocating saws, the heavy-duty gear essential for construction and carpentry. However, just focusing on its core power tools means you're missing out on where the brand has expanded.

UPDATE: Feb. 10, 2026, 3:40 p.m. EST After publication, YouTube clarified that the lyrics restriction is part of a limited experiment affecting only a small percentage of ad-supported users.

YouTube Music is rolling out new community-focused features aimed at superfans and expanding its use of paywalls, including a requirement that users subscribe to Premium to view full song lyrics.

According to reporting from 9to5Google, YouTube Music has begun enforcing a lyrics paywall globally after months of testing. Free users are now limited to viewing lyrics only a handful of times before being prompted to subscribe to either YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium. Once that limit is reached, lyrics are partially blurred and cannot be scrolled unless the user upgrades.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps adds Gemini to a major feature in new test

The company offers five free lyric views before the restriction takes effect, signaling a clear shift toward monetizing previously free features. The change isn't for every free user, and YouTube says the limit on lyrics access will change weekly or monthly.

"We are running an experiment with a small percentage of ad-supported users that may impact their ability to access the lyrics feature repeatedly," a YouTube spokesperson told Mashable over email. "We often run experiments on YouTube Music to better inform our decisions around feature improvements. The majority of our global users will not see any changes to the lyrics feature."

The move comes as YouTube Music is simultaneously positioning itself as a more social and fandom-driven platform. As Mashable previously reported in August, the service recently introduced Spotify-like features such as comments on albums and playlists, shared "taste-matching" playlists that update daily, and artist-focused tools like milestone badges and live event notifications through a partnership with Bandsintown.

YouTube Music Premium currently costs $10.99 per month in the U.S., while the broader YouTube Premium subscription runs $13.99 and includes ad-free viewing across YouTube, background playback, offline downloads, and access to experimental AI features. Google has reported more than 325 million paid subscriptions across its consumer services, with YouTube playing a major role in that growth. In 2025 alone, YouTube generated more than $60 billion in revenue from ads and subscriptions combined.

Still, the decision to gate lyrics behind a paywall may feel like a step backward for some users, particularly as competitors like Spotify continue to offer full lyrics for free.

UPDATE: Feb. 10, 2026, 2:20 p.m. EST This article was updated to include a response from a YouTube spokesperson.

If you’ve noticed a Wi-Fi signal blind spot in a corner of your home, you’ve probably thought about buying a Wi-Fi repeater to fix it. But did you know that the old Android phone sitting in your drawer could actually help bridge the gap? It’s a super-easy way to extend connectivity without spending a cent.

Apple just released a new AirTag model, but it's reportedly not done with product launches for the first part of 2026 yet.

By the end of March, we could have new revisions of the iPhone E-series, new iPads, and new MacBooks to play around with, according to Mark Gurman's latest newsletter at Bloomberg. The prolific Apple reporter claimed a product launch could come as soon as March 2. Without wasting any more time, let's get into all of the major products Apple could launch by the end of March.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone 17e to launch 'imminently,' report claims iPhone 17e

Last year, the iPhone 16e offered great battery life and modern Apple software features for the relatively low price of $599. People who bought one didn't get high-end camera support or anything like that, but they did get the ability to stay in the contemporary Apple ecosystem for a long time without breaking the bank. According to Gurman, we're getting another one of those very soon.

Gurman said the iPhone 17e is "due imminently," with the iPhone 17's A19 chip and MagSafe charging as two big new features. On top of that, it will reportedly still cost $599, so it's just a straightforward upgrade over last year's model without a higher price point. It's still not as cheap as the old iPhone SE was, but good things rarely last forever.

New iPads

According to Gurman, we're also getting minor revisions to the iPad family soon. There will be a new entry-level base iPad and a new iPad Air, both of which will have new processors powering them. The former will be powered by the A18 chip and the latter by the M4 chip. Per Bloomberg's report, the A18 chip in the basic iPad will enable Apple Intelligence features on that device for the first time. Sadly, it sounds like that's about all you can expect from these devices.

New MacBooks

As for MacBooks, this product category has the most potential action of any of them for the first half of the year. Gurman reported that there will be new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models and a new MacBook Air with an M5 processor. Gurman also referenced a new Mac Studio desktop and even a new Studio Display monitor, though it's unclear if all of these are going to launch in the March window described above, or just vaguely before the halfway point of 2026.

Perhaps the most intriguing new Mac computer that we could see in the first half of the year is the alleged budget MacBook. Gurman says it will have a 13-inch display and an iPhone-caliber chip inside of it, all for a price that should be significantly less than $1,000. Given the price of a decent laptop these days, that would be huge. As someone whose slightly older MacBook badly needs a battery replacement, I wouldn't say no to one of these at all.

Scams are unfortunately ubiquitous in the digital age — and a new survey suggests that a growing number of bad actors are pretending to be your loved ones.

Phone number verification tool ClarityCheck just conducted a survey of around 1,900 adults in the U.S., UK, and European Union, and found that 64 percent of respondents have encountered a suspicious message or call that seemed to come from someone they knew.

SEE ALSO: Beware Instagram reset password scams that users report are on the rise

Of those, nearly half involved impersonating a former romantic partner or close friend. Thirty-eight percent initially believed the scammer was genuine for several days or longer — even when the scammer asked for money or sensitive information.

The survey results highlight how scammers prey on people's vulnerability. Romance scammers and pig butchering schemes attempt to build trust with their targets before requesting money or data. ClarityCheck found that respondents who recently went through a breakup, relocation, or period of prolonged isolation were 52 percent more likely to engage with someone suspicious for an extended period.

"When someone appears to know your emotional history, the usual warning signs are displaced by recognition and trust," Ihor Herasymov, managing director of ClarityCheck, stated in a press release. "The damage is not only financial. It often reshapes how people perceive their past relationships and their own judgment."

"This type of fraud works because it does not feel like fraud," said Herasymov.

In recent months, lawmakers have attempted to curb romance scams. Back in September, two senators urged the CEO of Match Group to act on these types of cons, but no update has been made public. In the meantime, Tinder has implemented required facial scans for new users, and Hinge plans to test them as well.

You might think that SSDs are the perfect storage solution. They’re lightweight, compact, and offer blazing-fast read and write speeds. I do think they’re the perfect storage solution for everything but one use case. Here’s where traditional hard drives still reign supreme.

Save $109.99: As of Feb. 9, you can find brand-new Apple AirPods Pro 2 earbuds for just $139.99, slashing an impressive 44% off their $249 price tag. This puts them just 99 cents away from their lowest price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $139.99 at Woot
$249 Save $109.01   Get Deal

As a shopping reporter on the headphones and earbuds beat, I take notice when Apple earbuds drop down to record-low prices.

And while we're not quite back down to a record low, 99 cents away feels close enough — especially when it's on a previous generation model that can be harder to find brand new. That's exactly the case with the Apple AirPods Pro 2 at Woot, which are on sale for $139.99, knocking $109.99 off their $249 list price.

SEE ALSO: Sony’s new LinkBuds Clip open earbuds embrace pastel colors and a clip style design

Though Woot is often a retailer for refurbished products, these buds are brand new, which isn't a given considering their discontinued status: at the time of writing, they're sold out at Amazon and Walmart and more expensive than the Pro 3 earbuds at Target and Best Buy.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C review: About time

It is worth noting that the AirPods Pro 2 hit the market in 2022, with a USB-C port refresh in 2023. While they're not exactly top of the line anymore, they are a great option, especially for users in the Apple ecosystem who don't want to shell out $200 or more for the newer AirPods Pro 3 (with the Pro 3 being a 2025 release, I'm not holding my breath for price drops lower than that for at least the next few months).

These earbuds still have solid active noise cancellation, interchangeable silicone ear tips, personalized spatial audio, and house the same H2 chip as the Pro 3 earbuds. You'll sacrifice mostly on not having the best of the best — the battery life is six hours to the Pro 3's eight, the noise cancellation isn't as powerful, and features like heart rate monitoring and live translation aren't available on the older buds.

Still, for $140, they're a great buy if you're not looking to pay premium prices. You'll want to grab this deal while it's live for the next seven days on Woot — or until supplies last.