IT General

I love a free drink. I also love the premise of asking an AI to invent a cocktail based on a vague flavor profile and a dream. For the truly rudderless among us, the kind of people who walk up to a bar and say "surprise me" with full confidence, the AI Barmen might be your new best friend.

The AI-powered bartender is being showcased at CES 2026, and at first glance, it appears to be yet another piece of liquor-filled kitchen technology. But the pitch is a little more ambitious than that. According to its founders, the AI Barmen is meant to behave like an actual bartender that sees you, talks to you, remembers you, and adjusts accordingly.

That starts before you even order a drink.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

As demonstrated on the CES show floor, the "ritual" for getting served begins with the machine scanning your face and attempting to estimate your age. You don't hand over an ID at first. You just…stare into the camera. The system estimates your age within a broad range, and if it believes you're under 21, it automatically switches into a non-alcoholic mode, offering zero-proof cocktails and juices.

For the record, it guessed I was 30. I'm 27. Talking to other attendees, early-to-mid-30s seemed to be the most common range it landed on.

Once you pass that check, you're prompted to either talk to the AI directly or select from a list of pre-made cocktails. The company says AI Barmen can theoretically generate thousands of drink combinations based on mood, taste preferences, and conversation, but for CES, the menu was limited to tequila- and whiskey-based drinks only.

Voila! This is the Peach Boom. Credit: Mark Stetson / Mashable

This is where the concept is supposed to shine. AI Barmen is designed for "convo bartending," meaning you can tell it how you're feeling, what kind of night you're having, or what flavors you want, and it will craft a drink while explaining its choices in real-time. It also claims to recognize returning guests, remember preferences, and even slow things down if it thinks you're ordering too quickly, with a built-in sobriety check that will cut you off.

In theory, it's thoughtful. In practice, CES is very loud.

Featured Video For You Samsung First Look: Go up close with Galaxy Z TriFold, the futuristic foldable only available in Korea

A recurring theme at tech events like this is that the environments are almost hostile to anything involving voice recognition, and AI Barmen was no exception. Not realizing there was no gin in the machine (rookie mistake), I asked for "a gin base that's sweet but not too sweet." Somewhere, my coworkers at the bar I work at are absolutely laughing at me — and that's why I'm just a barback.

The machine couldn’t hear me properly, got confused, reset the flow, and asked for age authentication again. Moments later, a staff member politely asked to see my ID because the system now thought I might be underage.

Honestly? Thank you. I'll take the compliment.

Despite the hiccups, the AI Barmen did make me a drink — a Peach Boom, a sweet peachy cocktail with Jack Daniels and grenadine. It was served quickly and tasted good, although a bit diluted for my liking. The company envisions it handling up to 180 drinks a night while also remembering guests across locations. I'm curious to know how the machine will function in environments where it will be loud.

But as someone who loves a free drink, vague instructions, and the chaos of a CES demo barely holding together, I have to admit: I was intrigued.

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

The day before CES officially starts, Mashable got the chance to preview a trio of new products from Jackery, including two surprising firsts for the brand — a solar-powered gazebo for the home and an autonomous robot that harvests solar power. Jackery helped popularize portable power stations, and the brand is also celebrating its 10-year anniversary at CES.

Jackery is showing three new products at CES 2026, the annual tech conference in Las Vegas. The first is an ultra-rugged version of the brand's flagship power station, dubbed the Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra. The company is also introducing the Jackery Solar Gazebo and the Solar Mars Bot.

Mashable got the chance to demo the new products ahead of their official launch at CES.

The Jackery Solar Mars Bot

The Solar Mars Bot is Jackery's first robot, and it's essentially a power station on wheels. The autonomous rover will move around your home or campground to seek out optimal sunlight, and the upper body houses retractable 300W solar panels that can tilt to follow the sun. In a demo at CES, the bot sought out a UV light and angled its panels directly in the beam of light.

The Solar Mars Bot also has a follow-me mode, and it successfully followed me around the CES showroom floor. A Jackery representative said that you could bring the bot camping, and it could follow you around to provide instant power wherever and whenever you need it. At home, the bot can periodically roam your yard to recharge, so it's always ready to provide power.

I don't know that it's the most practical product, but the idea of owning my own rover is appealing, I have to admit. A Jackery rep said the Solar Mars Bot will be available later this year, with pricing to be announced later.

The Jackery Solar Gazebo Credit: Jackery

The upcoming Solar Gazebo features a solar roof that harvests power that can be stored in a Jackery power station or home battery. It's meant to be a permanent outdoor structure for the home, not a portable camping gazebo. It features retractable screens to provide some protection from the elements, and Jackery says one of the screens can function as a projector screen.

"The Jackery Solar Gazebo reengineers what an outdoor living structure can be," states a Jackery press release.

"Equipped with industrial-grade, high-efficiency solar panels delivering 2,000 watts of capacity and generating up to 10 kilowatt-hours per day, the Jackery Solar Gazebo supports a wide range of lifestyles, from those seeking fresh air to self-professed homebodies who want comfort without compromise. Its ultra-durable 6063 T5 aluminum frame and louvered roof provide long-lasting shade and comfort that can transform the space into a multi-purpose outdoor hub. Use it as a space for relaxation and entertainment with its pull-down projector screen and built-in IP5-rated dual-AC solar power outlet, or even repurpose it as a sheltered storage space for hobbies, like keeping and charging a golf cart, while protecting your gear from the sun."

The Solar Gazebo passes what I call the Malibu Dreamhouse test. As a New Yorker who lives in a 1-bedroom apartment, a lot of the gadgets at CES 2026 would never fit inside my home — or my budget. But if I owned a Malibu beachhouse, would I consider buying this product? Absolutely.

Now, is it a problem that a lot of CES products seem designed for the One Percent? Yes, but that's another story entirely.

The Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra Credit: Jackery

Finally, Jackery is also introducing a more traditional product for CES. The Explorer 1500 Ultra is a more rugged, heavy-duty version of the popular Explorer 1500 V2 power station. A company spokesperson told Mashable that it's designed for serious camping environments, and it's the most rugged power station the brand has ever made. Jackery says it's the "lightest and most compact IP65 all-weather power station in its class," and it's capable of operating in a wide temperature range.

Additionally, Jackery is releasing a limited-edition orange collection to commemorate its 10-year anniversary. These new power stations come in a high-visibility orange.

The new Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable The new Orange Collection from Jackery Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Jackery says that all of the new CES 2026 products will be available in 2026, and we'll update this post as soon as we know more about pricing and availability.

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

No matter what I do, I always seem to find myself in a peculiar situation at CES. That’s how I ended up at Lepro's booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center this year, staring at Lepro Ami, a device the Chinese company openly markets not just as an AI companion, but an AI soulmate. There was no live demo as the show floor was too loud, according to staff, which felt oddly fitting for a product meant to simulate emotional intimacy. Even silent, Ami drew a crowd.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

Unlike the flood of AI companion apps already on the market, Lepro Ami is a physical device: a small, curved OLED screen meant to sit on your desk, track your eyes, and simulate the feeling that something is actually there with you. Lepro says users often describe it as feeling "in the room," not tucked away behind a phone screen or buried in a chat interface.

Personally, I remain deeply unconvinced that anyone needs an AI friend or, worse yet, a soulmate. The entire category still feels, at best, awkward and, at worst, like a shortcut around real human connection. But standing there at CES 2026, watching people linger longer than expected in front of a device that wasn’t even fully operational, I understood the hook.

In a sense, this was AI, right in front of me, not a chatbot.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026: Do AI companions need jobs? Ludens AI's Cocomo and INU don't think so.

AI companionship isn’t new, and it's certainly no longer niche. According to a report from Mashable's Rebecca Ruiz, companion apps have been downloaded more than 220 million times globally as of mid-2025, with teens and young adults leading the adoption. Platforms like Character.AI, Replika, Nomi, and Kindroid are explicitly designed for emotional intimacy, not productivity. Experts interviewed by Mashable describe AI companions as "always-on relationships," which is both the appeal and the risk.

Critics worry about dependency, social atrophy, and what happens when people choose an endlessly agreeable machine over the messy complexities of human relationships. All valid concerns — and ones that feel especially relevant as loneliness continues to shape how people interact with technology.

Which is why I didn’t expect Lepro Ami to land differently. To be fair, Ami isn't trying to live inside your phone. The company describes Ami as empathetic, emotionally aware, and capable of forming lasting connections with its users.

Lepro says Ami will one day be fully customizable. Credit: Chance Townsend / Mashable

The hardware handles a significant amount of that work. Ami uses a curved 8-inch OLED display, dual front-facing cameras for eye tracking, and a rear camera to visually anchor its avatar within your real environment. The result is designed to create depth without the need for VR headsets or glasses, giving the illusion that the character occupies physical space.

There are also visible privacy controls — physical shutters for cameras and microphones — which feel like a quiet acknowledgment of how uneasy people are about emotionally intimate tech that's always watching. It should be noted that one of the spokespersons for Lepro told us that all data collected from your interactions with Ami is stored locally on the device.

Is it still strange? Absolutely. But it’s a different kind of strange.

Featured Video For You Samsung First Look: Go up close with Galaxy Z TriFold, the futuristic foldable only available in Korea

Most AI companions today live where everything else already lives: your phone, your browser, your notifications. They blur into the same infinite scroll that's already exhausting us. Lepro Ami, by contrast, asks for a dedicated spot on your desk. It doesn’t follow you everywhere. You have to choose to keep it around.

If AI soulmates are slowly growing mainstream, the least deceptive version might be the one that doesn't hide what it is.

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

Most gadgets we've encountered so far at CES 2026 aim to excite and dazzle, but Ambient's Dreamie succeeds if it helps you snooze.

Not to be confused with the robot vacuum brand Dreame, the Dreamie is a sunrise alarm clock that can serve as a flashlight and play music, podcasts, or ambient sounds. It aims to replace your phone at your bedside, eliminating the temptation to doomscroll while you're trying to wind down. It doesn't even require an app for setup.

It kind of reminds me of a chic electric pencil sharpener. Anyone else? Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Dreamie made an appearance at the Pepcom media showcase Monday, where I checked it out and chatted with Ambient CEO and co-founder Adrian Canoso. He told me that he came up with the idea for the Dreamie during a particularly stressful point in his life a couple years ago. He was suffering from insomnia while working an intense robotics job amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and he happened to become a dad around the same time.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

While researching sleep tech for his son, Canso thought some of the devices he encountered might help him deal with his own sleep problems. His idea for the Dreamie arose out of a particular desire for one that kept him off his phone while he was trying to get his brain to settle down for a good night's rest.

The Dreamie has a circular touchscreen on one end of it where you can schedule alarms and play your choice of calming audio. It comes with its own sleep content library that includes environmental noises and guided relaxation — no subscription required. It has a built-in speaker, but it also works with Bluetooth headphones. That way, you're not disturbing anyone you're sharing a room or bed with.

The colorful LED light surrounding the Dreamie's screen can brighten gradually in warm tones to simulate sunrises for gentle wake-ups. You can adjust it via touch controls. And if you need a more intense glow to find something in the dark, you can concentrate its illumination to one side of the device.

The Dreamie's built-in speaker gives it a little bit of heft. Credit: Haley Henschel

Canso said the Dreamie will add support for contactless sleep tracking at the end of Q1 2026. Its data will stay encrypted right on the device, not in the cloud.

The Dreamie is now available for purchase following a successful Kickstarter campaign that wrapped up in November. It retails for $249.99 on helloambient.com.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ambient Dreamie $249.99 at helloambient.com
  Shop Now

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

In the beginning, not all amateur galaxies were winners. Scientists have now found one of the duds that just couldn't hack it in the wild early days of the universe. 

Near the spindly spiral galaxy Messier-94, about 14 million light-years away in space, astronomers have found a small, spherical ghost town. For years, scientists have looked for evidence of such a phantom, proposed by theory. It wasn’t until they pointed NASA's Hubble Space Telescope at the cloud that they discovered the first example of a primitive galaxy that never had the gumption to form stars. 

Radio telescopes first picked up its faint signal of neutral hydrogen in 2023. Scientists gave it a name, Cloud-9 — and it was indeed the ninth cloud detected around M94 — then wondered what exactly held this thing together.

Before Hubble, researchers could rationalize that the object was merely a tiny dim galaxy whose stars were just too faint to see through the eyes of ground-based telescopes, said Gagandeep Anand, a staff scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. 

"But with Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys, we're able to nail down that there's nothing there," he said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: A planet as hefty as Saturn wanders the galaxy in exile

Neutral hydrogen — that's ordinary hydrogen whose electrons haven't been stripped away — could not hold Cloud-9 together. The mysterious object, about 4,900 light-years wide, contains about 1 million suns' worth of hydrogen — not nearly enough to keep the cloud from scattering. 

That means something unseen must provide the weight. The simplest answer, according to the research team, is dark matter, the invisible scaffolding thought to manage nearly all cosmic construction. Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Left: Swipe the slider bar to the left to reveal Cloud-9 amid this blank field of space. Credit: NASA / ESA / VLA / Gagandeep Anand / Alejandro Benitez-Llambay / Joseph DePasquale Right: The Very Large Array telescope detected radio emissions from Cloud-9, indicated here in magenta. The circled area, where scientists found peak radio data, contained no stars. The specks of light in this image come from background galaxies. Credit: NASA / ESA / VLA / Gagandeep Anand / Alejandro Benitez-Llambay / Joseph DePasquale

Because studies strongly indicate that Cloud-9 is a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter halo, it provides precious insight into the mysterious-yet-pervasive substance in the universe, said Andrew Fox, a co-author affiliated with the European Space Agency. 

"This cloud is a window into the dark universe," Fox said in a statement. "We know from theory that most of the mass in the universe is expected to be dark matter, but it’s difficult to detect this dark material because it doesn’t emit light."

Scientists have theorized that dark matter clumps exist in staggering numbers, far more than the galaxies we see. Only clumps that exceed a certain threshold in mass should hold onto gas and ignite stars. Below it, gravity loses its tug-of-war with heat and radiation, and star formation can't occur. 

Based on this prediction, many galaxy failures — gassy spheres devoid of stars — should exist. Astronomers have hunted for proof for years. Most candidates reveal themselves, sooner or later, as ordinary gas clouds in the Milky Way or as faint galaxies hiding their stars. 

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

But Cloud-9 is different. Its gas moves serenely through space. It shows no sign of spinning into a disk, which usually means stars are around. Its mass places it close to that theoretical boundary where a galaxy should either eke out — or not form at all.

The team did not stop at Hubble. They ran many computer simulations, planting fictitious galaxies of varying sizes into the data to test whether the observatory could have detected them. If Cloud-9 contained even a paucity of stars, the telescope would have seen it, according to the study.

No glittering swarm. No smear of light. Researchers calculated that Cloud-9’s dark matter must be equal to about 5 billion suns in mass. It appears to stand at the very precipice of galaxyhood, said Alejandro Benitez-Llambay, the study's principal investigator. 

"In science, we usually learn more from the failures than from the successes," said Benitez-Llambay, a scientist at Milano-Bicocca University in Italy, in a statement. "In this case, seeing no stars is what proves the theory right." 

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

The online world is full of restrictions and blockades, but you can stay one step ahead with a simple hack. It's possible to secure access to restricted content from anywhere in the world with a VPN. And anyone can follow these simple steps.

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

How to unblock XVideos for free

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

Unblock XVideos by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

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

4. Unblock XVideos

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

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

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

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like XVideos, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock XVideos for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Unblock porn sites like xHamster with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

Your access to porn sites like xHamster is not guaranteed in many locations around the world. There are obvious and legitimate reasons for online restrictions, but there is also something to be said for retaining your right to online freedom. When the time is right, you should be able to access your favorite sites without hassle.

Fortunately, it's possible to bypass content restrictions in a few simple steps. f you're looking for the best way to unblock porn sites like xHamster for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock xHamster for free

VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions to secure access to porn sites like xHamster from anywhere in the world. It sounds complicated, but the process is actually really simple.

Unblock xHamster by following these 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 xHamster

4. Unblock xHamster

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

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're traveling to a location without access to your favorite sites.

If you want to retain permanent access to free porn sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like xHamster, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock xHamster for free with ExpressVPN.

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

The online world is full of content restrictions and blockades. It might not always seem like that, but look around. More and more restrictions on your movement are coming into force.

Porn naturally comes with a lot of restrictions, but there's really nothing wrong with adults visiting their favorite sites at entirely appropriate moments. When the time is right, you should be able to bypass content restrictions to access sites like XNXX from any network and location. And fortunately, you can do exactly that with a quick and easy hack.

If you want to unblock porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to unblock XNXX for free

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 can bypass geo-restrictions to access porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Pornhub for free

Unblock porn sites like XNXX 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 XNXX

4. Visit XNXX

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

The best VPNs for bypassing content restrictions are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like XNXX without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can retain access to porn sites when temporarily away from a secure network.

If you want to retain permanent access to everything the online world has to offer, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for porn is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the best service for fast and reliable unblocking of porn sites like XNXX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock XNXX for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Compare multiple AI models in one spot with this lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan, now for just $79.00 (reg. $619) through Jan. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $79
$619 Save $540   Get Deal

Whether you’re totally new to the world of AI or a total veteran who knows the strengths of different models, every AI user can benefit from ChatPlayground AI. This handy service lets you see multiple AI models’ results in one convenient spot, so you don’t have to tab hop or second-guess which model you’re using.

Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for just $79.00 (reg. $619) through Jan. 11.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

AI is a powerful tool that can help you save a lot of time — if you know how to use it correctly. If you want to cut the guesswork out of which models are best for which task, ChatPlayground AI is here to help. This platform lets you compare the results from top AI models side-by-side, so you can pick the best result and skip tab-hopping.

Need to generate an image? How about getting help with coding or content creation? You’ll have access to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude Sonnet, DeepSeek, Llama, and dozens more top AI models in one convenient window with ChatPlayground AI. There are also advanced tools like image or PDF chat, prompt engineering, and saved conversations to improve your workflow even further.

Use ChatPlayground AI seamlessly with the Chrome web browser extension. If you run into any issues, there’s priority customer support to help when needed.

This Unlimited Plan gives you access to unlimited messages every month for life, making it particularly helpful for prompt engineers, startups, and teams who constantly run experiments. It also includes priority access to new features and future models.

Get an lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for just $79.00 (reg. $619) through Jan. 11.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a three-year subscription to Surfshark VPN Starter Plan for just $67.19 (reg. $430) with code SURF through Jan. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: Surfshark Surfshark VPN Starter Plan: 3-Yr Subscription $67.19
$430 Save $362.81   Get Deal

Just because you can’t see hackers and cybercriminals doesn’t mean they’re not out there. If you want to stay safer online this year, a VPN is an easy and effective way to do it. The Surfshark VPN Starter Plan is great for beginners, and right now you can secure a three-year subscription for just $67.19 (reg. $430) with code SURF until Jan. 11.

Hoping to upgrade your cybersecurity in 2026? The Surfshark VPN Starter Plan is a great choice, offering an easy way to stay protected and browse the web without worry.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

If you’re new to the world of VPNs, they allow you to experience the internet safely and in total privacy. Hackers won’t be able to steal your data, and you’ll enjoy access to CleanWeb, which blocks cookie pop-ups, ads, and malware and allows you to experience a faster internet.

Surfshark VPN offers military-grade AES-256 encryption and hides your online location so you can’t be tracked. It also bypasses geographical restrictions, allowing you to browse freely and access content from anywhere. Surfshark has a no-log policy, so your activity remains private.

Choose from over 3,200 servers worldwide, in more than 100 different countries. You’ll also have Surfshark Search at your fingertips, so you can peruse the web more easily and receive unbiased, organic search results.

You can use this three-year subscription on an unlimited number of devices, including tablets, smartphones, and laptops.

Secure a three-year subscription to Surfshark VPN Starter Plan for just $67.19 (reg. $430) with code SURF through Jan. 11.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

And don't give up. Despite the burnout, apps are still one of the main ways people connect. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus found that 65 percent of people aged 18 to 29 have used a dating app, and a 2023 Pew Research Center report found that one in 10 partnered adults met their significant other on one.

You just need the right tool. That's why I've put in the hours, the swipes, and the subscription fees to find the best options for every kind of single person. To help you find your match, these are the best dating apps worth downloading in 2026.

If you need even more personalized advice, check out our guides to the best dating apps for men, women, and the LGBTQ community.

The dating apps I'd skip (and why)

You'll probably notice a few popular apps are missing from my list. That’s intentional. Part of my job is to filter out the platforms that aren't worth your time, money, or sanity. An app doesn't get my recommendation just because it's well-known — it has to be effective and safe.

Here are a few popular dating apps I'd skip:

• Plenty of Fish (POF): I know this one shows up on a lot of lists, but in my opinion, it's a dating app ghost town. POF launched as a dating site back in 2003, and it shows. In my experience (and based on widespread user feedback), the platform is filled with bots and scams, and the odds of finding a quality connection are stacked against you. Unless you enjoy sifting through fake profiles, I think your time is better spent elsewhere.

• Raya: Raya is basically the Soho House of dating apps. It's exclusive, expensive, and not for the average person. You have to fill out an application to use it, and the vetting process can take anywhere from a few days to a few years. While it might be great for networking or bagging an influencer, it's just not a practical recommendation for most people who are simply looking for a date. (See also: The League.)

• Niche "hookup" sites (like BeNaughty, Fling, etc.): There's a chance you've seen ads for sites like these, which promise quick, no-strings-attached fun. Based on my research and countless user reviews, I'd advise you to steer clear. These platforms are notorious for being overrun with bots and having questionable billing practices, with users reporting unexpected and hard-to-cancel subscription charges.

Stranger Things may be over, but the theories and speculation live on. And while the show itself leaves the question of whether Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is alive or dead at the end open to interpretation, Sadie Sink is pretty clear which side she lands on.

"I think she's dead, I don't know," Sink, who plays Max in the Netflix series, says in The Tonight Show clip above. And the audience groans. "Is that like a hot take or something? I think Mike's story is just one last story, and then they say goodbye to childhood. But that's just one final tale. And that's it. I think it's just like a coping thing."

Maybe the upcoming Netflix documentary, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, will give us some clearer answers.

CES 2026 was AMD's moment to shine in the light of the ongoing AI boom, offering more chips to drive AI compute and bringing industry luminaries on stage to talk about the future.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker has already surpassed local rival Intel in revenue. But if it's ever going to catch its other local rival, Nvidia — now the world's most valuable company, thanks to its data center-friendly GPU chips — AMD has to prove it is just as relevant to big tech's big moment, if not more so.

The world's largest tech show was a chance to prove that. After all, Nvidia didn't unveil any new GPU chips, just a forthcoming family of chips named Rubin. Dr. Lisa Su, AMD CEO, was given the spotlight of the show's main keynote. As she noted, AMD products — the Helios rack introduced in 2025, the Epyc CPU chips — are used by every major AI company already. And she had some new PC-level AI-friendly processors, the Ryzen AI 400, waiting in the wings.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

But as we've seen over the past three years, elbowing your way into the AI boom isn't just about new product. It's about making bombastic predictions, and showing lots of charts where the line goes up. And in this respect, Su delivered.

"You ain't seen nothing yet" when it comes to AI, Su said — showing off a graph that predicted AI would go from 1 billion active users to 5 billion active users within 5 years. She didn't explain where either figure came from (expert estimates vary wildly, with at least one 2030 estimate coming in below one billion users).

OpenAI makes a cameo appearance

Of course, no company can make huge hopeful predictions like OpenAI, makers of ChatGPT. Su brought an OpenAI luminary up on stage before she announced any brand-new chips. Not its CEO Sam Altman (who isn't at CES, but did offer an endorsement of Nvidia's Rubin), but co-founder Greg Brockman. "I would love to have a GPU running in the background for every single person in the world," Brockman says, explaining why he's constantly asking Su for "more compute."

More compute is what Su had to offer, along with multiple attempts to make strips of silicon seem exciting. "Helios is a monster of a rack," she said, showing off a "double-wide design" developed in collaboration with Meta. She noted it weighed 7,000 pounds, or "more than two compact cars."

The announcement follows an October 2025 report that OpenAI is making an investment worth "tens of billions of dollars in revenue" in AMD, relying on the company to provide six gigawatts of AI infrastructure in the years ahead as part of a deal that could see the AI giant owning up to 10 percent of AMD.

SEE ALSO: At CES 2026, Samsung’s AI Living vision leaves no device un-AI’d

On the "bigger is better" front, Su invited White House science advisor Michael Kratsios on stage to talk about how AMD was helping the U.S. "win" the "AI race" via the Genesis Mission, a public-private partnership that aims to use AI for scientific discoveries. Kratsios was short on specifics on what exactly an AI race is and how any country can win it.

And then there was "AI for everyone," AMD's tagline for its PC processors. The Ryzen AI 400 is an upgrade to the Ryzen AI 300, announced in 2024 and finally arriving in on-sale PCs this quarter. AMD says the new chip will allow for 1.3x faster multitasking and is 1.7x faster at "content creation" than its competitors.

What that means exactly, we'll have to wait and see. But in the meantime, Su offered a dizzying array of guest CEOs to talk up how AI will transform everything from healthcare to spaceflight. None of that seems to have made much difference to investors, at least. They drove AMD stock down slightly earlier in the day; it flatlined in after-hours trading.

Seth Meyers has weighed in on the U.S.' attack on Venezuela and abduction of President Nicolás Maduro, theorising about what President Donald Trump's motivations could possibly be.

"Even the most astute observers remain perplexed as to what could have possibly motivated this attack given that the Trump administration has played its cards so close to the vest," Meyers said.

He then immediately launched into a supercut of Trump and his supporters blatantly stating their desire to seize Venezuela's significant oil reserves.

"Dammit, I just wish there were clues," quipped Meyers.

The Late Night host also aired a montage of Trump claiming to be against foreign wars and regime changes, an assertion which seems at odds with his actions as of late.

"I still can't actually believe anyone thought Trump was telling the truth about being anti-war," said Meyers. "You really thought Donald Trump, the most thin-skinned, impulsive man on the planet, would suddenly discover the concept of restraint once he gained control of the world's most powerful military? Giving Donald Trump control of the U.S. military is like giving the cast of The Real Housewives an open bar and a 'one free slap' coupon."

Open earbuds are having a moment at CES 2026. First came a batch of releases from JBL, then Anker Soundcore's dual-form open earbuds. Shokz, one of the biggest players in the open earbuds space, is no exception, bringing a new release aimed at improving the open earbud listening experience.

Meet: the Shokz OpenFit Pro. The earbuds are the first from Shokz to feature open-ear noise reduction, which lowers the volume of the environment so users can hear audio with more clarity. As of Jan. 6, they're available for preorder in two colorways — black and white — from Shokz's website and Best Buy for $249.95. According to Shokz, they'll be available for purchase from Amazon starting in March.

Now that CES 2026 has kicked off, brands like Shokz are unveiling a ton of new products, so head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shokz Shokz OpenFit Pro $249.95 at Shokz and Best buy
  Pre-order Here Shokz OpenFit Pro noise reduction tech

The headline news of the OpenFit Pro is an upgraded listening experience. This starts with the Open-Ear Noise Reduction technology, which quiets external noises for a better listening experience. The feature must be manually enabled via the on-ear controls or through the app, and can be adjusted by levels from within the app. At its default setting of 50 percent power, Shokz estimates it reduces noise by about 12 to 16dB — roughly the same as a pair of Loop Engage 2 earplugs.

SEE ALSO: Open earbuds guide: What they are, who should buy them, and why they're popping up everywhere

This feature is designed to give wearers more flexibility in which environments they can use their earbuds in, whether it be the gym, an office, or a noisy cafe. It should be noted that this is not the same as noise cancellation, which aims to quiet the world around you. The OpenFit Pros are designed to maintain situational awareness, provided by open earbuds, while utilizing a quieter environment to help music come through clearer for the listener.

Alongside the noise reduction, these Shokz earbuds are also optimized for Dolby Atmos to provide a spatial audio listening experience, and feature two speakers per ear (as compared to one on other Shokz models) for an improved audio quality.

Shokz OpenFit Pro specs

In addition to the noise-reduction tech, here's what users will find in the OpenFit Pro specs:

• Ultra large 11 × 20 mm synchronized dual-diaphragm driver

• 10-band custom equalizer

• Five preset equalizer modes (standard, vocal, bass boost, treble boost, privacy mode) and two custom equalizer slots

• Bluetooth 6.1

• 12 hours of listening per charge (50 hours with case) or six hours with noise reduction (and 24 hours with the case)

• 10-minute quick charge for four-hour listening time

• IP55 rating

• Triple microphone system with AI voice recognition and custom wind-control technology

• Multipoint pairing for two devices

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A stench.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SMELL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To frown.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SCOWL

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Vulgar.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CRUDE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A small sweet fruit.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for January 6 Hurdle Word 4 answer

BERRY

Final Hurdle hint

An art stand.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

EASEL

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is widely regarded as the best gaming desktop processor available today, with its 3D V-Cache providing an extra performance boost in many games and applications. Now, there's a slightly better version: meet the Ryzen 7 9850X3D.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is widely regarded as the best gaming desktop processor available today, with its 3D V-Cache providing an extra performance boost in many games and applications. Now, there's a slightly better version: meet the Ryzen 7 9850X3D.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max series is already an excellent option for compact and powerful PCs, and now AMD introducing more of them at CES 2026. The company just revealed the Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and AI Max+ 388, coming to a compact PC near you.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max series is already an excellent option for compact and powerful PCs, and now AMD introducing more of them at CES 2026. The company just revealed the Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and AI Max+ 388, coming to a compact PC near you.