IT General

Luxury and frugality don’t usually go hand in hand. Most people assume a luxury vehicle comes with indulgence, not savings—but some SUVs are proving you can have both.

Valentine’s Day is only a week away (and hallelujah, it’s on a weekend this year). As one of Mashable’s sex and dating experts, my apartment is basically a revolving door of delivery boxes filled with the latest pleasure tech. I see most of these products months before they even launch, so I have a pretty good idea of what's worth your money and what's not.

Because I track pricing year-round, I can tell you which Valentine's "sales" are legit and which ones are just standard prices with a red bow on top. Now that we’re approaching the biggest vibrator sales day of the year, I’m sharing the best discounts you can grab right now.

SEE ALSO: Lovehoney has tons of V-Day goodies on sale: Get 50% off vibrators, lingerie, and more

You’ll notice most of these links go directly to the brands rather than Amazon. While I love Prime for convenience, buying direct is the best way to guarantee you’re getting a safe, authentic product — plus, the direct-to-consumer sales are usually stronger for V-Day anyway.

With that said, here are the best sex toy sales to shop right now. I’ll keep adding to this list as we get closer to the big day.

Lovehoney: Get up to 70% off everything

Lovehoney has a little bit of everything for everyone. Its toys are affordable (there’s almost always a sale going on), reputable (it’s one of the largest online retailers out there), and diverse — you can find everything from strap-ons to clit vibrators to bondage gear. Right now, the brand is throwing a huge Valentine's sale with up to 70% off sitewide. That means almost every item on the site is marked down, so there’s no excuse not to get a little something for your partner (or yourself).

What to buy: Looking to get the best bang for your buck? I recommend splurging on the Lovehoney Romance Gift Set. It includes 12 items, like the We-Vibe Jive 2 (which is worth $139 alone) and fun accessories, for just $99. That’s a 69% discount (a pretty good number, right?).

Opens in a new window Credit: Lovehoney Lovehoney Romance Gift Set (12 Piece) $99 at Lovehoney
$321.88 Save $222.88   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lovehoney Lovehoney Rose Glow Pleasure Air Toy $62.99 at Lovehoney
$69.99 Save $7.00   Get Deal Good Vibes: Get up to 15% off sitewide (ends Feb. 4!) + 70% off clearance

Good Vibes usually has some pretty solid deals, but this year, the brand is being strict about the Valentine’s Day cutoff. Right now, you can take 15% off sitewide, but that deal technically ends Feb. 4. As long as you order by this evening, your stash will arrive by V-Day (shipping is free on orders of $85+). If you miss the deadline, you can still get it in time with second-day shipping if you order by Feb. 10. And of course, the clearance section is still stacked with items up to 70% off.

What to buy: There are honestly so, so many delicious options at Good Vibes, and what you buy really depends on the kind of night you’re trying to have, but here are some of the best deals that caught my eye:

• Good Vibes Valentine’s Pleasure Bundle — $95 $170 (save $75)

• Good Vibes Radiant Rose — $48.99 $69.99 (save $21)

• Candy Heart Dildo — $59.49 $69.99 (save $10.50)

Hello Nancy: Get up to 50% off select items

If you’re looking for something a little more discreet than a Candy Heart Dildo (it’s cute, but I get it), I highly recommend shopping Hello Nancy’s Valentine’s Day Sale before it’s over. The brand is offering up to 50% off select toys, and you don't even need a coupon code.

What to buy: The cutest toy I own is the Lem (it looks like a lemon, hence the name), and right now you can snag it for $89 ($70 off). This adorable device is all over social media for a reason: It’s super powerful, whisper-quiet, and uses air-pulse technology to make you come over and over again. It also makes for a great Galentine's Day gift — your bestie will love it (I gave one to my sister).

Opens in a new window Credit: Hello Nancy Lem Clitoral Massager $89 at Hello Nancy
$159 Save $70   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hello Nancy Berri Edging Clitoral Massager $95 at Hello Nancy
$189 Save $94 Get 25% off with code BERRI25 Get Deal Le Wand: Get up to 30% off with code LWVDAY30 + 85% off clearance

Le Wand is known for its luxe wand vibrators, but the brand sells so much more than that, and right now you can take 30% off best-sellers with code LWVDAY30, which brings plenty of saucy gifts down to under $25. And if you’re really pinching pennies, the clearance section is currently seeing price cuts as deep as 85% off.

What to buy: Almost everything in Le Wand’s sale is add-to-cart-worthy. To help you choose, I’ve handpicked some of the best deals:

• The Rose Suction Vibrator — $14.99 $99.99 (save $85)

• Heart Suction Vibe — $28 $69.99 (save $41.99)

• Le Wand Point — $36.99 $129.99 (save $93)

More Valentine's Day sex toy deals

Here's a shortlist of other sidewide sales to have on your radar.

Opens in a new window Credit: Adam & Eve Adam & Eve Valentine's Day Sale Get 50% off two items with code REWARD50, plus half-off shipping. Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Babeland Babeland Valentine's Day Sale Get 15% off sitewide, plus up to 70% off clearance. Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: b-Vibe b-Vibe Valentine's Day Sale Get 30% off with code BLOVE30, plus up to 85% off clearance. Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Boutique Voila Boutique Voila Valentine's Day Sale Get up to 60% off select sex toys. Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: bellesa boutique bellesa boutique Valentine's Day Sale Get up to 60% off + FREE AirVibe & Rose! (on orders $89+). Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: biird biird's Clearance Sale Get up to 40% off best sellers. Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: The Handy The Handy Get $30 off The Handy masturbator. Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: KIIROO KIIROO Valentine's Day Sale Get up to 25% off select toys. Shop Now

Today's the big day: Home Assistant 2026.2 is now rolling out. It includes a new default Home Dashboard, a redesigned quick search, opt-in data collection for the new device database, and much more.

Google looks to be adding AI to yet another popular Google product. In a new test, Gemini appears in a popular crowdsourced Google Maps feature.

As first discovered by Android Authority, Google is working on a chatbot conversation-style overhaul of the community edits feature.

Currently, users can click on "Suggest an edit" within Google Maps to submit relevant information about a location. For example, users can suggest an edit for a business and add updated store hours or correct a website URL related to the business. To do this, users navigate dropdown menus and input information into text boxes. Google then reviews the edits before pushing them live. With the crowdsourced feature, Google Maps is able to provide the most up-to-date information about locations to its users.

However, with the new Gemini-powered feature that's currently undergoing testing, "Suggest an edit" will receive a revamp that brings Gemini to the feature and provides a chatbot-type workflow. Users will be able to use natural language to share new information about locations and businesses, meaning they can provide the information as if they were having a conversation with another person. 

Gemini will even ask follow-up questions related to the crowdsourced information shared by Google Maps users. In the example provided by Android Authority, a user informs Gemini through the "Suggest an edit" feature that the opening hours for the Eiffel Tower are incorrectly listed. Gemini asks the user for the correct hours and then submits the info to Google once the user provides the chatbot with their answer.

This may not seem like a big change, but it is a significant update to a crucial feature in Google Maps. 

In recent weeks, Google has been updating various products across the company — from Google Search and now to Google Maps — in order to directly add Gemini-powered AI features. Google clearly wants to make Gemini a standard part of all of the company's services instead of a standalone product that consumers can choose to avoid.

As streaming has become the preferred way to listen to music, buying physical CDs has grown less common. Yet this isn’t new; physical music purchases began to decline when digital downloads became available through services like iTunes.

Visual Studio Code releases major updates once a month, and right on schedule, version 1.109 is now rolling out to desktop platforms. It's the continuation of Microsoft's push for making VS Code "the home for multi-agent development," but there are some non-AI improvements as well.

In a segment crowded with practical four-doors, one affordable family sedan has quietly built a reputation for reliability that outpaces many of its rivals. While competitors focus on style, tech, or brand prestige, this model delivers consistently dependable performance and low ownership costs, making it a smart choice for buyers who want peace of mind alongside everyday usability.

The old-school flashlight is legendary. It was heavy, dependable, and ate up those big, bulky D-cell batteries. I used to think the weight of a metal tube meant quality, and that the sputtering yellow glow from an incandescent bulb showed you were really ready for anything. In reality, these old flashlights that seem so dependable are outdated.

Nintendo Direct is happening this week, so it's time to round up all our speculation about what the games giant will unveil.

The livestream will air on Nintendo's YouTube Channel at 6am PT/9am ET on Thursday, Feb. 5. It's listed as a Nintendo Direct partner showcase for third-party games, which means the likelihood of seeing any first-party Nintendo games is pretty low, if not zero.

That doesn't mean we can't expect excitement, however. The show is 30 minutes long and features games for both Switch and Switch 2.

Here's what we expect to see, and would like to see, from the showcase.

SEE ALSO: It's official: The Switch is Nintendo's highest-selling console ever More fantasy ports This would be a great Switch 2 game. Credit: Square Enix/Steam

Since this Direct will be largely focused on third-party games, it's reasonable to expect a decent chunk of it to be dedicated to ports of existing games. From Software (we'll come back to them later) has already announced a Switch 2 port of Elden Ring with a 2026 release, so I wouldn't be shocked if we got a precise launch date during this Direct.

There may be at least one more critically acclaimed RPGs getting Switch 2 ports. Nintendo YouTuber NateTheHate has predicted that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will show up during the Direct with a 2026 release date. Publisher Square Enix just released the Switch 2 version of that game's prequel, Final Fantasy VII Remake, in January, and it's apparently selling quite well.

Given that Square has already confirmed Rebirth would come to Switch 2 at some point, it would make sense for the next installment in the series to show up now.

The 2024 smash hit Metaphor: ReFantazio would also be a reasonable candidate for a Switch 2 release.

A second look at The Duskbloods? You should probably get that checked out. Credit: From Software/Nintendo

Near the end of the first big Switch 2 showcase last year, Nintendo announced The Duskbloods, a brand new Switch 2-exclusive game from the creators of Elden Ring, From Software.

Since then, we have not seen or heard anything about The Duskbloods, despite its announced 2026 release date. Given that this is technically not a first-party Nintendo game, it could, and arguably should, get prominent placement in this Direct.

007: First Light Finally, Gen Z James Bond. Credit: IO Interactive/Steam

I got a quick peek at 007: First Light, an upcoming James Bond game from the makers of Hitman. It seems an interesting mix of set-piece action sequences and creative stealth levels. And it is confirmed for a Switch 2 release when it launches on May 27.

It would be a pretty big deal for Nintendo if First Light showed up in any capacity during this Direct, but there's also an argument that we've already seen all we need to see of this game prior to release.

Resident Evil: Requiem and other Capcom games 'Monster Hunter Stories' rules. Credit: Capcom/Steam

Speaking of upcoming multiplatform releases with Switch 2 versions, Resident Evil: Requiem launches at the end of February. Capcom probably doesn't need to do much more marketing for this game, which seemed fantastic when I played it a few weeks ago, but it couldn't hurt to at least remind people that it exists and that it's coming to Switch 2.

The same goes for Pragmata, an exciting-looking science fiction shooter with a unique hacking mechanic. It's launching on Switch 2 (and everything else) in April.

I also wouldn't mind seeing more of Monster Hunters Stories 3, a new entry in what is lowkey one of the better spin-off series in gaming right now.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 turns the action game series on its head. It offers really fun turn-based combat and a distinct take on Pokémon-style monster collecting mechanics. This is one of my most anticipated games of 2026, and I'd love to see more of it during this Direct.

At least one thing we won't see coming

As with every Nintendo Direct, leave room for the unexpected. There will probably be a "one more thing..." announcement at the end that could be anything listed here, or something absolutely nobody has predicted.

Nobody in this business is better than Nintendo at preventing leaks and hiding secrets, which is part of what makes Nintendo Direct so compelling. We'll find out together on Thursday morning.

Madonna's iconic hit “Vogue" is all over the new trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2, but a much more obscure song of hers is currently en vogue on social media: 1992's "Thief of Hearts."

The house-inflected diss track from Madonna's divisive Erotica album is making the rounds via user dances and posts on TikTok and Instagram — and the star herself acknowledged the tune’s virality. Wearing sunglasses and a leopard-print jacket, The Queen of Pop lip-synched a few bars of “Thief” on Instagram recently and captioned the post, "Hearts are meant to be broken."

SEE ALSO: How TikTok is rewriting the soundtrack of music discovery View this post on Instagram

As seductive and danceable as the song is, it was never released as a single from Erotica, an album that, according to Madonna, never got its due from critics or the public, since it arrived alongside the artist’s controversial coffee table book, Sex. So, the song’s embrace by social media — it trended on TikTok and recently posted its biggest streaming day ever on Spotify — is satisfying for Madonna fans and the Queen herself, as evident in her Instagram post.

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

Featuring the sound of glass crashing and angry interludes, "Thief of Hearts" takes aim at a woman who allegedly stole Madonna’s man (how is that possible?). Whether the song is truly autobiographical is not clear, though Queerty posits that a certain Oscar-nominated actress may be the tune’s intended target. 

Madonna's viral reach isn't a recent phenomenon. Songs like "La Isla Bonita" and "Frozen" have already been reborn on TikTok and Reels, fueling millions of videos and introducing her catalog to new generations.

The Discord messaging application is getting a much-needed speed boost on desktop platforms. There are also new improvements to screenshots and game streams, a new way to share times, and much more.

The dating app Hinge is testing the facial recognition feature Face Check in a number of countries this quarter. That's according to its parent company, Match Group, which announced the test during its 2025 Q4 earnings call.

Tinder has required Face Check for all new U.S. users since October 2025, after making it mandatory for California users. By the end of this first quarter in 2026, Match Group expects Tinder to launch Face Check globally.

Where it has been rolled out, the company claims the face-checking feature has led to a more than 50 percent reduction in interactions with bad actors (accounts that engage in deceptive or harmful behaviors like spam and scam attempts).

SEE ALSO: Is Hinge really 'designed to be deleted'? I tested it to find out.

Hinge says it will test the feature in Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Canada this quarter. More details about the U.S. rollout of Face Check are coming soon, with testing beginning as early as next month, a spokesperson told Mashable.

Hinge is also preparing to test Direct to Date, "which clarifies intent to accelerate IRL plans," according to the Q4 2025 prepared remarks.

Hinge told Mashable that the app is exploring a new way to help daters start planning for a first date as soon as they match — including sharing their availability, as well as date activities they're interested in. The test is planned for this spring.

Hinge continues to be the darling of Match Group's array of apps, as shown by the Q4 results. Paying users and direct revenue increased again quarterly and yearly, while Tinder's have decreased.

In December, Hinge founder Justin McLeod announced he was leaving Hinge to launch an AI dating service, which has yet to be unveiled.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has sharply escalated his long-running feud with Elon Musk, responding to newly filed court documents and recent public comments with a series of posts on X, tracking their ongoing legal and business disputes.

This latest round of the feud began after court filings in Musk's lawsuits against OpenAI and Apple became public. Jason Kwon, OpenAI's chief strategy officer, wrote that Musk and his AI company, xAI, produced almost no substantive internal documents during discovery, allegedly relying instead on disappearing messages.

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

Altman reposted those claims, along with what has become a Musk catchphrase: "Concerning!"

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

Screenshots of the filings posted online by Kwon appeared to support OpenAI's argument that key communications were not preserved.

Altman didn't stop there. He followed up with a more direct jab, writing that he was "really excited to get Elon under oath in a few months." He called the prospect "Christmas in April."

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

Altman and Musk are involved in several lawsuits challenging OpenAI's governance changes, including its restructuring from a nonprofit into a for-profit business. Musk has argued those moves betray OpenAI's original mission, while OpenAI has called Musk's suits frivolous.

Early last year, Musk led a $97 billion bid to acquire OpenAI, which Altman publicly rejected.

The posts build on years of tension over OpenAI's direction. Just two weeks ago, Altman was pushing back against Musk on X due to the latter's claim that ChatGPT posed a mental health risk to users. Altman noted Musk's criticism was inconsistent, and explained the difficulty of balancing safety with access for a massive user base.

In the same exchange, Altman pointed to Tesla's autopilot safety record as an example of Musk's own company facing public scrutiny.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Once, each new generation of graphics card promised to bring large performance gains, and if you wanted to play the latest and greatest AAA games at high resolutions, you needed to upgrade or be left behind. However, NVIDIA's continued improvements to DLSS have made upgrading less important than it used to be.

On Linux, pipes and redirection let you use the output from commands in powerful ways. Capture it in files, or use it as input with other commands. Here’s what you need to know.

Keeping a hard drive on a drawer is probably the most common approach to storing files over the long term. A lot of people don't do it properly, though, to the point I've actually discouraged this practice previously.

Welcome to the film and television capital of the country. Thanks to Hollywood, Los Angeles continues to be directly associated with the entertainment industry. Many of the major studios, including Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures, still have production lots either in Los Angeles or the surrounding cities.

It’s that time of year when Google releases a budget version of its most recent “flagship” phone. The Pixel 10 series launched last Fall, and now we’re getting our first official look at the Pixel 10a. Google is teasing us with some close-up shots, but not much else.

IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, PhpStorm, and other JetBrains IDEs are finally adopting Wayland. That means sharper text and better performance on most Linux systems, but there are still some bugs to be worked out.

3D printing model repositories are full of items designed to hold food and drink or be used in the kitchen to prepare food. But before you print any of these, you need to understand the risks involved in mixing 3D prints and food.