Technology

SAVE $13 PER MONTH: YouTube TV is on sale for $69.99 per month for your first 6 months, down from the usual price of $82.99 per month. That's an overall savings of $78 for new users.

Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube YouTube TV $69.99 at YouTube
$82.99 Save $13.00 Get Deal

"What should we watch?" The question reverberates through living rooms across the country every night. Sometimes even more than once per night. If you're running out of options or you have plans to watch the most exciting games of the season, check out this streaming deal.

Until March 31, new subscribers to YouTube TV can get the first six months for $69.99 per month, marked down from the normal monthly price of $82.99. That's an overall savings of $78.

We're less than two weeks away from the biggest football game of the year (according to some people). If you're looking for a way to watch it live, YouTube TV has you covered. In fact, the streaming service is a great option for those who like to keep up with the latest sports season.

But of course, YouTube TV offers plenty more than game-day excitement. The base plan comes with over 100 live channels like ABC, NBC, Bravo, PBS, Disney, and more. Plus, you get unlimited DVR abilities, so you can record to your heart's content.

Each YouTube TV subscriptions allows for six household accounts and three streams at a time, so you're free to share your password with a few lucky people.

As long as you're a new subscriber, you're eligible to snag this deal that'll save you $78 over your first six months of YouTube TV.

If the thought of spending $82.99 per month for TV seems too steep, why not make it a a $69.99 per month deal? In a month with 31 days, that boils down to just $2.25 per day. Keep in mind that after your first six months, the plan will automatically continue at the usual price of $82.99 per month, but you're free to cancel at anytime.

You have until March 31 to snag this deal, but if you're hoping to catch the end of the NFL season, you'll want to jump on this deal soon.

SAVE $50 AND GET A FREE WATCH BAND: As of Jan 28, get the OnePlus Watch 2 for $50 off with promo code SHADOW25. Plus, get a free OnePlus Watch 2 Strap with your purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: OnePlus Watch 2 OnePlus Watch 2 $249.99 at OnePlus
$299.99 Save $50.00 Promo Code SHADOW25 Get Deal

If you haven't yet decided on the smartwatch that's right for you, you've got plenty of options. You could opt for an Apple Watch or even something from Samsung. But if you aren't so keen on either one of those lines, you might want to grab the OnePlus Watch 2. It's a great contender that's made even better by the low price you can get it for, as well as the additional gift you get when you purchase one right now.

As of Jan. 28, get the OnePlus Watch 2 for $50 off with promo code SHADOW25. That brings it down from $299.99 to $249.99. You also get a free OnePlus Watch 2 Strap with your purchase. Just scroll down to the "Free Gift" section and choose between the Brown Leather or Solid Black Fluoro-rubber option. Then just check out as usual.

The OnePlus Watch 2 runs on Google's Wear OS 4 and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chipset as well as the BES2700 chip. It uses a speedy OS under the hood as well that tackles background activity to give it a lengthier battery life of up to 100 hours in Smart Mode without heavy usage.

It can handle all your calls and notifications, sure, but it can also work as a fitness watch if you need it to track workouts and other info as you use it. It also comes with apps like Maps, Pay, Wallet, and Calendar as well as Android phone integration so you can have everything you need at your fingertips.

This is a great price made even greater by the free item you get with your purchase. If you're ready to take the plunge, now's a good time.

Black Panther and Creed director Ryan Coogler reunites with longtime collaborator Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year. The director's first foray into horror, it's also a genre film shrouded in mystery, with rumours of vampires and Mississippi blues swirling around the internet.

Interviewed in a press conference by Juju Green on Monday, the director gave more details about what to expect from his first film back on celluloid since Fruitvale Station, as well as the movies that influenced Sinners, and the connection between the supernatural and the history of blues, where deals with the Devil are said to be made.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

So, we've summarised what we learned about Coogler's much-anticipated new film — including what you should watch before it comes out.

1. What is Sinners about?

Set in the 1930s Jim Crow-era South, Sinners blends history and horror with the power of the blues.

Jordan stars as twins Elijah and Elias, two men who return to their hometown and the lively music venue that provides a respite for segregated Black residents from the ever-present white threat. But there's something supernaturally monstrous encroaching on the joint, and it could have something to do with the blues roaring from the stage.

Here's the latest trailer:

Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O'Connell, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo also star, as well as Hailee Steinfeld who looks positively vampiric in the trailer. Plus, Coogler recruited longtime collaborators for the project, including cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, production designer Hannah Beachler, and costume designer Ruth E. Carter, so expect Oscar-worthy detail here.

But wait, is Sinners all about vampires as the rumours say?

2. Sinners is more than a vampire film

There's been talk of vampires appearing in Sinners, and Coogler confirmed it during the press conference on Monday. However, the director described the film as "genre fluid," and insisted there was more to the film than the usual bloodsuckers-by-numbers path.

"There are vampires in the film but it's really about a lot more than just that," Coogler said. "It's one of many elements, and I think we're gonna surprise people with it."

"When you think about the vampire as it exists, it's got an association and a counterpart in almost every culture, but it is the supernatural creature that's most associated with seduction, that's most associated with choice," he added later. "You know, in that aspect, it's something that's very present in, you know, blues music was often called the devil's music."

"There are vampires in the film but it's really about a lot more than just that." - Ryan Coogler

During the interview, Coogler unpacked the duality of blues, often torn between secular and spiritual spaces, and mentioned the stories associated with blues legends Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson in which the musicians were said to have sold their souls to the Devil. And if you watch the new Sinners trailer, a voice over speaks of "legends of people with the gift of making music so true they can conjure spirits from the past and future." It’s a gift that "can bring fame and fortune but it also can pierce the veil between life."

The film's historical setting also meant Coogler's team enlisted consultants of Hoodoo culture, the ancestral religion and spiritual practice created by enslaved African Americans during the period, which plays a major part in the film.

3. Sinners' Mississippi setting is personal to Ryan Coogler

Sinners is set in Mississippi, a place with personal connection to Coogler and his family, particularly his grandfather and his uncle.

"My maternal grandfather is from Mississippi and my Uncle James, who passed away while I was finishing up Creed, also from Mississippi. It was a place that I had never been. My maternal grandfather passed before I was born. We grew up in a house that he built in Oakland after he had moved to California. And I was fortunate to have a really, really close relationship with my Uncle James," said Coogler.

"This movie, the seed of it started with that relationship with my uncle. He would listen to blues music all the time — he would only talk about Mississippi when he was listening to that music. And he had a profound effect on my life. I got a chance to kind of dig into my own ancestral history with this film, and it's been extremely rewarding."

The blues, a genre born in the Mississippi Delta, plays a massive part in Sinners, with the film's music consultants' list "a mile long" and composer Ludwig Göransson at the helm.

"Before [Göransson] was a composer he was a guitarist because his father is a guitarist and taught him," said Coogler. "His father was obsessed with the musicians from this era, from this region. We actually did the Blues Trail when we were researching the film and doing some early location scouting. His dad came along, we went to B.B. King's club in Indianola, Mississippi, and played on the stage."

4. What to watch before you see Sinners

Sinners is Coogler's first foray into horror himself, stemming from a lifelong love of the genre.

"It was my first time experimenting with the genre head on and I loved it, man. I got to dig into the films that I loved coming up and get to analyze why I loved them, what drew me to them and try to really lean on those influences and figure out a way, you know, how to tell my story in that space," said Coogler.

Coogler mentioned a whole host of influences, films, TV shows, and books you should absolutely get into before seeing Sinners. This includes Coen brothers movies Inside Llewyn Davis, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Fargo, and No Country For Old Men, as well as Stephen King's legendary vampire novel, Salem's Lot.

"Robert Rodriguez is a big one. I think it'd be on the nose, it'd be very easy to make comparisons, but it's actually quite close to to The Faculty, quite a bit, which is a remake of The Thing, which is one of my favorite movies, definitely my favorite horror movie," said Coogler. "So it's a lot of [John] Carpenter in the film as well."

"But truthfully, the biggest influences are not in a cinema. The [Stephen King] novel, Salem's Lot, that's a massive influence on the film. And then there's a real deep cut influence — my favorite thing ever made is Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, OK? My favorite episode of that is an episode called "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank." You know, Salem's Lot and "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" are probably the biggest influences."

5. Sinners sees Ryan Coogler back on celluloid

Coogler dug into the actual film cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw worked with for Sinners, which will delight photography and film nerds.

"It's my first film back on celluloid since Fruitvale. I'm a big fan of the medium, so I was excited to be back working there, and it made a lot of sense for the time period to bring it back to that kind of analog capture," said Coogler.

"Working with Warner Brothers, they allowed us to shoot the film on large format. So it's the first film I've ever done like this. It alternates between Ultra Panavision, which is a 2.76:1 aspect ratio; we also filmed quite a few scenes with 1.43:1 IMAX, 15-perf. But every shot is large format photography and it makes for a really unique look. It's intimate. It feels old and and fresh at the same time. And this format is capturing some of our finest craftspeople in Autumn [Durald Arkapaw], Hannah [Beachler], and Ruth [E. Carter], so it's been phenomenal to see the work shine."

Notably, Coogler said Sinners is a movie made to be seen in cinema with a crowd, and paid tribute to the film as one meant to be commentated aloud on.

"Horror films, specifically in Black culture, we’re known for talking to the screen. This film was made to be talked to," he said.

6. Sinners has twin consultants

In the film, Jordan stars as twins Elijah and Elias, playing both characters with their unique characteristics.

"What we are dealing with in the film is a lot of archetypical characters, you know? And these are identical twins, but they also are like that concept of twins," said Coogler, pointing out that twins in a community can often be "notorious, kind of local celebrities."

Sinners wouldn't be the first film to use one actor to play twins, a technique that often really bugs me as a twin myself, but at least Coogler had actual twins consulting on the film.

"It's unique in that they are identical twins, but they are two different people. It's not as simple as two sides of the same coin in that there's a dynamic that exists with identical twins. It's kind of known," said Coogler.

"We had twin consultants on this movie — two friends of mine that are actually filmmakers as well, Logan and Noah Miller, from Northern California where I'm at — and they were able to consult and work with Mike on the mindset of sharing a womb with somebody, you know. And growing up with them and how unique of a dynamic that is — but at the same time not making it a caricature. So the differences between these two guys are slight but they are there."

Sinners opens in theaters March 7.

I don't think I've ever changed my mind about a show as quickly as I did with Paradise, which took me from "meh" to "this rocks, actually" within the span of its very first episode.

SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

The logline for Hulu's series, which reunites This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown and creator Dan Fogelman, reads, "Paradise is set in a serene community inhabited by some of the world's most prominent individuals. But this tranquility explodes when a shocking murder occurs and a high-stakes investigation unfolds."

The murder in question is the death of President Cal Bradford (James Marsden, Jury Duty), and his head of security, Xavier Collins (Brown), quickly becomes the main suspect. Not only was he the last person to see Cal alive — Xavier also wished for Cal's death in their very last interaction.

Based on that — as well as the show's trailers and super vague logline — you might expect Paradise to be a run-of-the-mill conspiracy thriller that positions Xavier as an unreliable narrator. Did he kill Cal, or is he innocent? Will this mystery be dragged out over an entire season of TV?

That was the sense I got from most of the show's premiere episode, which was engaging enough but did nothing to boost my confidence in a premise I already found to be lackluster. However, the episode's last three minutes changed that entirely, ushering in a twist that raises Paradise's stakes, switches its genre, and most importantly, proves that the show isn't afraid to get a tad goofy. I highly recommend you watch episode 1 of Paradise to experience the vibe shift for yourself — for my part, my jaw was on the floor — but if you still need convincing, read on to hear more about Paradise's bonkers twist. (And why it's only the beginning.)

What is the big plot twist in Paradise's premiere? James Marsden and Sterling K. Brown in "Paradise." Credit: Disney / Brian Roedel

For almost all of Paradise's first episode, it seems like the "serene community" of Paradise that Xavier calls home is just a peaceful, sunny town, complete with a town square that wouldn't look out of place in Gilmore Girls. But in reality (and here's your last chance to turn away before we hit spoiler central), Paradise is the world's largest underground city built to withstand a global calamity. Its sun is just a massive heat lamp, its sky is just projections on a massive dome, and its citizens are all that's left of humanity.

That's right: Paradise is actually This Is Us meets Silo — and the sci-fi element only made me more excited to keep watching.

Paradise's underground city twist is just the first of many. Sterling K. Brown, Sarah Shahi, and Julianne Nicholson in "Paradise." Credit: Disney / Brian Roedel

Just like with the show itself, nothing in Paradise is what it seems. The city may have been built to weather the apocalypse, but inside this strange utopia, a storm is brewing. Residents hide their true intentions and dark pasts behind facades — something Paradise cleverly acknowledges by naming several episodes after characters' code names or assumed identities.

We get to know these characters in both the present day, when Xavier is investigating Cal's death, and the past. Flashbacks reveal Xavier and Cal's first interactions, their blooming friendship, and how their relationship soured to the point of Xavier wishing for Cal's demise. The series also introduces us to Paradise's master planner, Samantha (Julianne Nicholson, Janet Planet), a tech mogul with a killer survival instinct and a suitably sad — if clichéd — backstory that lends depth to her master plan. Other players in this game include Sinatra's right-hand woman, Gabriela (Sarah Shahi), and Secret Service agents Robinson (Krys Marshall), Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom), and Billy (Jon Beavers).

SEE ALSO: Should you sign up for Hulu? Our film critics weigh in.

In the race to discover who killed Cal, each of these characters' true agendas come to life — often in the form of major reveals that rival that of underground city. Truly, Paradise being an absurdly large apocalypse bunker is just the start of Paradise's twisty narrative, and thankfully, Fogelman never lets a a question dangle for too long before hitting us with a wild reveal.

Paradise's plot twist offers up intriguing commentary — along with some goofiness. James Marsden in "Paradise." Credit: Disney/Brian Roedel

That Paradise takes place in a community built for the wealthy to withstand the apocalypse gives it room for commentary about the climate crisis, and who will be able to weather its impacts the most. Most everyone in Paradise is a billionaire or world leader, continuing to live their lives as normally as possible despite the apocalypse. Meanwhile, the workers who built Paradise likely never got to actually live in it.

Paradise itself is also modeled off of quaint American towns for a sentimental reason we learn down the line but said designs also give the illusion of normalcy when the situation is anything but. (Contrast Paradise's production design with Silo's brutalist underground shelters to see two very different approaches to post-apocalyptic survival.)

But as Paradise's core conceit opens the show up for ever-relevant messaging about challenging authority and the ways in which the rich and powerful seek to help only themselves, it also creates opportunities for comedy. (Some intentional, some not.)

Take, for example, the worldbuilding of Paradise, some details of which are strangely funny yet telling. Paradise's citizens — the last 25,000 people on Earth —often discuss eating fake meat and cheese alternatives due to the need to conserve resources. Then, a few episodes down the line, we get an episode set at a carnival, where people can win small tchotchkes like rubber ducks. You're telling me there was room for rubber ducks and a whole Ferris wheel in the apocalypse bunker, but not more people? All in the spirit of maintaining the status quo, right?

Some details feel less intentionally funny, like the somber, slowed-down covers of various '80s bangers. Sure, they're tied to Cal's love of the music of the '80s, but my goodness, are they clunky ways to end almost every episode. Yet despite all that, I found myself reacting to each needle drop similarly to my reaction to Paradise's initial twist: my mouth open in confusion, my mind desperately trying to process what in the world was happening. The latter finally settled on the simple truth that Paradise is fun as all get out, and that fun begins with its twist.

The first three episodes of Paradise are now streaming on Hulu, with a new episode every week.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Jan. 28: OUR TOP PICK Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) $399 (save $100) Get Deal BEST TAX SOFTWARE DEAL H&R Block Deluxe + State 2024 tax software $29.99 (save $30) Get Deal BEST BLUETOOTH TRACKER DEAL eufy Security SmartTrack Card $16.88 (save $13.11) Get Deal BEST PORTABLE MONITOR DEAL LG Gram + View 16-inch IPS portable monitor $259.99 (save $90) Get Deal BEST STREAMING DEVICE DEAL Roku Ultra $79 (save $20.99) Get Deal

Looking to do some deals shopping? Amazon's daily deals page is chock-full of impressive discounts on Jan. 28. You just have to spend some time sifting through them to find the gems. Fortunately for you, we've already done that part and handpicked a few we think are worth grabbing.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these catch your eye, be sure to take a look back at our picks from yesterday, Jan. 27. Many of those deals are still live, including the 11-inch iPad Air at its best price ever.

Our top pick: iPad Mini Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) $399.00 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

After three years of waiting, we finally got a new iPad Mini in October 2024, which features a handful of welcome (yet predictable) upgrades: a new A17 Pro chip, more starting storage (128GB), an increase in RAM, and compatibility with Apple Intelligence. As Mashable's Stan Schroeder put it in his review, "If you're new to the iPad, and you want the most compact one around (or any compact tablet), the new iPad mini 7 is the best choice." It's not the most exciting iPad around, but it's great if you're looking for something to stream shows, read e-books, and do some casual scrolling. As of Jan. 28, the base model is back down to just $399 — its lowest price on record. That's 20% in savings.

H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe + State 2024 Opens in a new window Credit: H&R Block H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe + State 2024 $29.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal

Tax season is upon us. If you plan on filing your own taxes, H&R Block's Tax Software Deluxe + State 2024 is on sale for only $29.99 as of Jan. 28 — 50% in savings — and can help you maximize your credits and deductions. It includes five free federal e-files for your personal return, unlimited federal preparation and printing, one state program download included ($39.95 value), step-by-step guidance on credits and deductions, mortgage and real estate tax guidance, and a special Amazon-exclusive offer of an extra 2% refund bonus when you receive your refund as an Amazon gift card. If you're an online shopping addict, this is a solid way to maximize your refund and get a little extra spending money this season.

Eufy Security SmartTrack Card Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Eufy Security SmartTrack Card $16.88 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $13.11 Get Deal

If you want to keep track of your stuff, but AirTags are out of your price range, the Eufy Security SmartTrack Card is a solid budget-friendly alternative at its current discount. The size of a credit card, it can slip inside of your wallet, luggage, backpack, and more. It works just like an AirTag, using Apple's Find My network to locate your lost belongings. Sadly, though, it's not compatible with Android devices. We haven't had a chance to test it out ourselves, but our friends over at PCMag (also owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) have, and they dubbed it "a good AirTag alternative if you own an iPhone." Snag one on sale for just $16.88 as of Jan. 28. That's 44% in savings.

LG Gram +View 16-inch IPS Portable Monitor Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG Gram +View 16-inch IPS Portable Monitor $259.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $90.00 Get Deal

An extra monitor can add even more convenience to your already portable work setup. The 16-inch LG Gram +View offers a gorgeous, high-resolution 16:10 display that plugs in via USB-C. That means there's no need to switch tabs or squeeze all of your work onto your tiny laptop screen. It weighs just 1.5 pounds and features horizontal and vertical viewing modes for versatility. As of Jan. 28, it's down to just $259.99 at Amazon, which is 26% in savings and just a few bucks shy of its best price ever.

Roku Ultra Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Ultra $79.00 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20.99 Get Deal

Our favorite Roku streaming device, the Roku Ultra, is back down to just $79 at Amazon as of Jan. 28. That's 21% in savings. The premium streamer features a quad-core processor for smooth HD, 4K, and HDR streaming on a zippy interface. It also packs Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support, a microSD slot for storing and streaming external media, an Ethernet port, and the Roku Voice Remote Pro with customizable shortcut keys.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

SAVE 20%: Amazon has several Lego floral bouquets and botanical sets on sale, the perfect gift for your Valentine that'll never wilt or require watering.

Best Lego set deals at Amazon for Valentine's Day Best overall Lego deal Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet $47.96 (save $12.03) Get Deal Best potted flower Lego deal Lego Botanicals Orchid $39.99 (save $10) Get Deal Best multi-plant Lego deal Lego Botanicals Tiny Plants $39.99 (save $10) Get Deal

Flowers have been a long-time Valentine's Day gifting tradition. But if you're looking to gift something that'll last longer than a week and doesn't require any care, floral Legos are perfect. Not only does gifting a Lego set give your Valentine something fun to do during the depths of winter, Legos never decay or wilt or release pollen into the air.

If your special someone or a great friend could use a cheery Lego floral build, check out these great deals at Amazon that'll arrive in time for Valentine's Day gifting.

Best overall Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Wildflower Bouquet $47.96 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.03 Get Deal Why we like it

A bouquet of wildflowers is irresistible, especially in February when we could all use something bright and pretty. This Valentine's Day, you can snag the Lego Wildflower Bouquet on sale at Amazon for only $47.96, instead of the usual price of $59.99. With the steep price of a real floral bouquet, this Lego set is a heck of a deal. Not only will it last infinitely longer than live flowers, it doesn't require a green thumb to keep it looking fresh.

The Lego set has almost 1,000 pieces and 16 individual stems that are adjustable in height, so you're free to create a bouquet that matches your personality.

Best potted flower Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Orchid $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Orchids are some of nature's most fickle bloomers when trying to grow them indoors. They can be pretty particular about humidity, temperature, light, and water amount. Ignore all of that with the Lego Botanicals Orchid build, which can thrive anywhere. With today's sale at Amazon, the potted orchid can be yours for $39.99, saving you $10 off the usual price of $49.99.

The Lego Orchid build includes about 600 pieces with blooming plant and buildable pot. You can rearrange the plant's stems, roots, blooms, and leaves to keep things looking new. Overall, the orchid measures about 15 inches high and 11.5 inches wide.

SEE ALSO: Lego just dropped a Twilight-inspired build that'll arrive in time for Valentine's Day Best multi-plant Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Tiny Plants $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

What's better than one bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day? A set of nine tiny plants that'll last forever. Snag the Lego Botanicals Tiny Plants set at Amazon for only $39.99, down from the typical price of $49.99. This set of tiny plants focuses on the beauty and color of succulents, cacti, and carnivorous plants. Each of the nine plants comes with its own buildable terra cotta container. Display them all together or spread them out over the house in nine areas to add a pop of color.

More Valentine's Day worthy Lego deals at Amazon:

• Lego Daffodils — $10.46 $14.99 (save $4.53)

• Lego Icons Plum Blossom — $23.95 $29.99 (save $6.04)

• Lego Botanicals Chrysanthemum — $25.50 $29.99 (save $4.49)

• Lego Icons Succulents Plant Set — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

• Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses — $56.99 $59.99 (save $3)

GET $64 OFF: Jan. 28th, get the Denon DHT-S218 2.1 Channel Soundbar for $185 at Amazon and save $64, or 26%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Denon Denon DHT-S218 2.1 Channel Soundbar $185.00 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $64.00 Get Deal

When you want the real cinematic experience, TV Speakers just don't cut it. That's when you spring for a soundbar and add in directional sound with powerful highs and lows.

The Denon DHT-S218 2.1 Channel Soundbar is currently on sale for $185 at Amazon, get it now to save 26% — that's $64 off the ticket price.

SEE ALSO: Elevate your home audio with 52% off the JBL Bar Soundbar system

This Denon Soundbar pumps out 120Watt sound with two main channels and a built-in bass channel. Connecting with Bluetooth and HDMI, it isn't constrained to movie night, but will also improve music and podcasts, whether connecting via your smart TV or pairing wirelessly.

When you want to feel like you're right in the action, surround sound processing creates the illusion of 3D sound. The soundbar also includes other processing effects like dialogue enhancement and a Pure Sound mode meant for playing true-to-mix music, without extra audio processing.

Right now, the Denon DHT-S218 2.1 Channel Soundbar is on sale for $64 off, get it for $185 at Amazon and save 26%.

Gamers, film fanatics, and and music connoisseurs will all get a kick out of the clarity and immersion that this Denon Soundbar provides.

GET FREE E-BOOKS: Shop the Romance Book Blast and find romance titles completely free during the Stuff Your Kindle Day event, including plenty of romantic comedies.

Best romantic comedy deals Best romantic comedy deal 'Highland Games' by Evie Alexander $0 at Amazon (Save $4.99) Get Deal More great deals 'Modern Persuasion' by Sara Marks $0 at Amazon (Save $0.99) Get Deal More great deals 'Lost and Found' by Katharine Sadler $0 at Amazon (Save $5.99) Get Deal Shop Kindle ereader Kindle Paperwhite with three months of Kindle Unlimited $159.9 at Amazon (Save $35.97) Get Deal

Romance Book Lovers is back with another Stuff Your Kindle Day event. On Jan. 28, the Romance Book Blast is bringing hundreds of discounted e-books to the Kindle Store, and this time, all the books are totally free.

If you're looking for something to put you in a good mood, look to romantic comedies that will make you swoon and laugh. These are the best romantic comedies to get — totally free — during the Romance Book Blast. Romance is a behemoth of a genre, offering plentiful subgenres from steamy romances to fantasy romances.

Best romantic comedy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 'Highland Games' by Evie Alexander at Amazon
Get Deal Why we like it

With nearly 2,000 fans on Goodreads, Highland Games is a romp of a good time. Taking place in the Scottish Highlands, Zoe inherits a supposedly "cozy" cabin that turns out to be a total disaster. Meanwhile, Rory, her grumpy next door neighbor, just wants peace and quiet. Their clashing personalities make for a laugh-out-loud comedy that will give you all the feels.

Right now, you can get it totally free in the Kindle Store, saving you its usual $4.99 price tag.

More romantic comedy deals

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As DeepSeek rattles the tech industry, OpenAI is charging ahead with a new product release: ChatGPT Gov.

On Tuesday, OpenAI announced a "tailored" ChatGPT version for government agencies with enhanced cybersecurity frameworks that can be deployed on Microsoft Azure's government cloud servers or Azure commercial.

"Self-hosting ChatGPT Gov enables agencies to more easily manage their own security, privacy, and compliance requirements," the announcement states. Additionally, OpenAI believes "this infrastructure will expedite internal authorization of OpenAI’s tools for the handling of non-public sensitive data."

SEE ALSO: DeepSeek collects keystroke data and more, storing it in Chinese servers

The timing of OpenAI's announcement coincides with the wave of DeepSeek news that has challenged OpenAI's position as the dominant AI force. Last week, the Chinese company released its DeepSeek R1 model that is just as good as ChatGPT, free to use as a web app, and has an API that's significantly cheaper to use. Then there's the claim that it cost DeepSeek $6 million to train its model, compared to OpenAI's $100 million, a cost efficiency that's making Wall Street question how much money is needed to scale AI.

DeepSeek represents a threat to the U.S.'s current market dominance in the AI space, but also national security. Much like the concerns about TikTok, the China-based ChatGPT competitor raises questions about the how the U.S. government will respond to the LLM which stores its data locally on Chinese servers, potentially exposing it to the Chinese government.

From a tactical standpoint, OpenAI seems to be positioning itself as a safe and secure ally to take on Chinese threats.

Whether the ChatGPT Gov announcement was pre-planned or prompted by the DeepSeek mania is unclear. But OpenAI CEO Sam Altman remains unfazed — at least publicly. "Deepseek's R1 is an impressive model, particularly around what they're able to deliver for the price," said Altman in an X post on Monday. "We will obviously deliver much better models and also it's legit invigorating to have a new competitor! We will pull up some releases."

ChatGPT Gov has many of the same features as ChatGPT Enterprise, including GPT-4o access, the ability to save and share conversations internally, custom GPT builds, and an "administrative console" for IT teams for more customization.

"Kamala loves a Venn diagram, right? So in one circle, you've got Swifties, who love Taylor, and in the other circle, you've got people who love Kamala. In the middle, you have us — you have these people who support Taylor and support Kamala," Lexa Hayes, the friendship bracelet coordinator of the new organizing group Swifties for Kamala, tells Mashable. 

SEE ALSO: Is it 'Kamala' or 'Harris'? The answer is complicated.

Hayes is one of many Taylor Swift fans who have joined Swifties for Kamala, a coalition of fans campaigning for presidential hopeful and current Vice President Kamala Harris that operates independently of Swift herself, who still has not offered an endorsement of either candidate in the upcoming election. Born out of a tweet, the organization takes advantage of Swift fans' pre-existing passion and online savvy and aims to use it to turn the presidential election blue. 

Tweet may have been deleted

Always interested in politics, Hayes never knew how to get involved, but Swifties for Kamala gave her an accessible, unintimidating introduction to the space. "It's talented people that I already know and am comfortable with," she said of the group. 

Behind the constant Swift lyrical references, glittering 47s on their hands, and friendship bracelets is a legitimate organization helmed by Swifties with professional experience working on campaigns. April Glick Pulito, the coalition's political director, worked on the 2020 presidential election for the Wisconsin State Democratic party and on the Georgia Senate race runoff in 2022. The group's campaign manager, Annie Wu Henry, is a digital and political strategist who was instrumental in Senator John Fetterman's TikTok campaign strategy.

The Democratic Party immediately embraced Swifties for Kamala. The group's Aug. 27 Zoom rally featured speakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ed Markey, as well as recording artist Carole King and members of the House of Representatives. Indivisible, the organization that led the run-of-show, back-end, and registration for other affinity groups for Harris, like White Women Answer the Call, AAPI Communities for Harris, and Female Lawyers for Harris, similarly supported Swifties for Kamala. 

Leah Greenberg, the co-executive director of Indivisible, thinks Swifties for Kamala has a ton of potential — organic potential that doesn't come from outside organizations.

"We've been seeing this big surge of different affinity groups, interest groups, and communities coming together to support Vice President Harris, and we've been trying to be supportive wherever we can," Greenberg told Mashable. 

SEE ALSO: 'Kamala is a relaxing thought': Swifties for Kamala raise $100,000 for the Harris campaign

The Swifties for Kamala Zoom rally saw an estimated 27,000 participants and raised over $100,000 for the Harris campaign. Those are not insignificant numbers, but when compared to affinity groups politicians already appeal to, like Win With Black Women, Win With Black Men, White Women Answer the Call, and White Dudes for Kamala, which raised $1.5 million, $1.3 million, $2 million, and $4.2 million, respectively, Swifties for Kamala only made a fraction of the impact.

Fandom as an affinity group

Swifties for Kamala is similar to other Zoom coalition calls in that they bring together large, diverse groups of people with different lived experiences and issues they're voting around, coming together not necessarily over policy but for an individual candidate. 

However, while other coalitions like White Women Answer the Call and White Dudes for Kamala organized in response to their demographic's role in and history of electing conservative and racist leaders, Swifties don't have as clear a lineage in the nation's voting history. Some Swifties say they have organized in defiance of groups of men on the right who belittle them. For others, it's a callback to their idol's past political stance.

For example, a rallying point among Swifties for Kamala is a tweet from the Republican Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee. After Swift broke her political silence and came out against Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn in 2018, Huckabee wrote, "So @taylorswift13 has every right to be political but it won't impact election unless we allow 13 yr old girls to vote. Still with #MarshaBlackburn."

After the Zoom rally, the Swifties for Kamala account quote-tweeted Huckabee, writing, "Guess who's old enough to vote now." It received 90,000 likes. Another fan quote tweeted it with, "This aged like milk because those 13 year old girls in 2018 can vote in this election. We smile and smile." The post garnered 14,000 likes. But "Swiftie" isn't a political stance. 

Tweet may have been deleted

When asked about conservative Swifties, Glick Pulito alluded to their idol's few outspoken moments, saying, "Once you get deep enough into this fandom and have watched Miss Americana…" — a reference to Swift's 2020 documentary, implying that conservative fans aren't true fans. Swift's decision to talk about politics was a major focus of the film. It shows her, her father, and her team heatedly discussing her choice to come out in favor of Tennessee U.S. Senate candidate Bredesen. On the verge of tears, she expresses regret over not using her voice against Trump in 2016. "I can't change that...I need to be on the right side of history," she said in the documentary. 

The conversation resulted in her first political endorsement, in which she called on fans to support Bredesen in 2018 and called his opponent, Blackburn, "Trump in a wig." In 2020, a month before the presidential election, she endorsed President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris in a V Magazine article. She also posted a photo of herself holding Biden-Harris 2020 campaign cookies to social media. 

For fans, her outspokenness was consistent with the larger messaging of her Lover era. The album featured the pro-LGBTQ rainbow anthem "You Need to Calm Down," and her go at a feminist takedown of the male-dominated system, "The Man."

In the years since she's uploaded several Instagram posts about Black Lives Matter, tweeted about her terror after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and encouraged her followers to vote, resulting in 35,000 new voter registrations. 

"There are so many Swifties for Kamala because there's a real inclusiveness [to Swift's music]. Like all of Lover," continued Glick Pulito. "Her art does not lend itself to putting people down or moving backward. Loving this artist who strives to continue to make the world better, who strives to create good art, and who strives to constantly show up for her fans and herself and her family and her community — I'm not surprised that so many Swifties are committed to building a better future."

Swifties for Kamala define their eight policy stances as "equality, freedom, and safety," with nods to common sense gun reform, reproductive freedom, and a "permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas." Post Lover and Miss Americana, Swift's image aligned fairly well with these vague policy areas.

The tension between Swifties for Kamala and Taylor Swift

However, in the past couple of years, Swift, with her chart-topping albums, re-recordings, and The Eras Tour, has reached unprecedented levels of stardom, giving her unprecedented reach to millions. But she has yet to endorse Vice President Harris, a major reckoning point among Swifties for Kamala. 

Swifties for Kamala organizes over a personal identity marker, liking Swift, with no inherent political attachments. They are also organizing around Swift, someone who can attach herself to policies and people outside of Swifties for Kamala's goals, further complicating their group. Unlike other interest-based affinity groups, like the public transit-oriented Train Lovers for Kamala, there's no apparent policy the group can immediately agree on, and Swift's recent public actions don't necessarily align with Harris' campaign. 

For example, last October, Swift officially reached billionaire status and came under fire for her use of a private jet and its environmental impact. Meanwhile, Swifties for Kamala lists "climate change is taken seriously" as one of their eight policies. In a recent public outing, Swift was photographed hugging Trump supporter Brittany Mahomes at the U.S. Open, much to the disappointment of many of her fans. 

"What would they need to get our vote? They don't need to have a favorite Taylor Swift song, but it certainly helps,"

Swift's lifestyle appears increasingly inconsistent with the political change one might expect a digitally active fan to want. But, as Henry reminded Mashable, "Swifties are not a monolith." 

The diversity among fans calls into question the effectiveness of Swifties as a voting coalition, though. None of the organizers had specific ideas when pressed on how a politician might "court" the Swiftie vote as part of their own campaigns. They spoke in vague terms, as believers in Vice President Harris first and foremost. Not even the dissolution of monopolies, which could be used to rally the troops as it was a central rallying point for Swifties due to Ticketmaster's fumbling of selling Eras Tour tickets, was brought up as a core tenant of Swiftie beliefs. Politicians in support of the group were more specific. Senator Warren brought up taking on corporations like Ticketmaster during the Zoom rally, and Senator Markey referenced the climate crisis. 

SEE ALSO: Meet the Swifties trying to take down Ticketmaster

"What would they need to get our vote? They don't need to have a favorite Taylor Swift song, but it certainly helps," joked Glick Pulito. 

Across their social media presence, on their website, and at the Zoom rally, Swifties for Kamala repeats, "Not affiliated with Taylor Swift," but she's still their bonding force and inspiration. 

"We're not waiting for any one person anywhere to call people to action," explained Henry. "So much of what the Swiftie community does happened organically and not because they were told you should be doing this thing."

Hayes pointed to Swift's aptly-titled third album Speak Now as a point of inspiration. "[Swift] is this force in our lives that gives us confidence to be the people that we want to be and to fight for the change we want in the world. It's not about getting her attention, but the community that we built and using that force for good," she said. 

Is fandom the future of campaigning?

Despite the political tension between Swift and her fans, the organization is still a glimpse into the potential future of fandom and politics. "One of the things that keeps [organizers] going is being in community with each other," Greenberg said of her work at Indivisible. "It's only natural that a group of people — who are brought together by their passion for and excitement around Taylor Swift — are also sustaining their political work and weaving their political work together with their excitement and passion, as members of an incredibly engaged fan community."

SEE ALSO: How fandom is shaping the 2024 presidential election

Similarly, Henry told Mashable, "It's potentially a blueprint for how we can mobilize and invest in other digital communities just as we do in geographical areas. We should be reaching out to online spaces because, for better or worse, people are more online and dependent on online spaces."

For now, the group hopes to be present at Swift's remaining U.S. tour dates in Florida, Louisiana, and Indiana before the election. Many of those are after the voter registration deadlines, so until then, Swifties for Kamala plans to focus on encouraging people to vote. "We want to remind people that every vote counts, especially since she has an upcoming date in Florida," said Hayes. 

The friendship bracelet coordinator is also set to launch her brainchild in the coming weeks, an effort known as the "You're Not Alone, Kid Campaign." Hayes says, "It's basically a motivation campaign to remind people to get to the polls and to not let motivation wane." 

Tweet may have been deleted

Hayes hopes to get volunteers in every state to make bracelets and place them around public spaces in the community. Each bracelet will have a QR code that directs the scanner to the Swifties for Kamala website, where voter information is available. On Oct. 13, the group plans to launch the campaign to the public by posting photos of the hidden bracelets to its social media accounts. It will track where the bracelets are found. 

"Getting a beer with a political candidate is a little outdated," Glick Pulito said. Now, it's about memes. It's about viral posts. It's about harnessing the power of the internet, as Swifities for Kamala does so well. "It makes [politics] more accessible, and the more accessible you make it, the more people are gonna engage with it."

Like it or not, fandoms are a central part of digital natives' lives. Swifties for Kamala are harnessing that power for the election—friendship bracelets and all. It doesn't matter who Swift endorses; look what she already made them do.

"I met Taylor Swift because of Twitter," Kayla, a 29-year-old financial services worker at a university in Jacksonville, Florida, told Mashable. She's one of many fans who has spent over a decade communing over Swift on the platform. Now she's leaving X/Twitter for Bluesky.

SEE ALSO: Swifties for Kamala: How Taylor Swift fans are creating a new blueprint for political organizing

Fed up with Elon Musk's relationship with President-elect Donald Trump, she joined Bluesky the day after the 2024 presidential election — and hasn't posted to her 25,000 X followers since. 

"I couldn't be a part of it anymore. I didn't want to be on a platform that uplifts right-wing propaganda and grifters and makes money for Musk. By staying on the platform, I was contributing to it," she explained. 

Stan Twitter, the community of users dedicated to constantly posting about their favorite celebrities and pop culture — of which Swifties are one of its biggest factions — has long been the backbone of the platform. And while fans are still active on X (a Financial Times report estimates the platform to have 251 million global daily active users as of the second quarter of 2024), growth has reportedly been stagnant since Musk acquired the company. More recently, X has been losing users in record numbers. Meanwhile, Bluesky just hit 20 million users. While that remains significantly less than those on X, it also represents a vibe shift that people seem eager to take part in. Swifties moving over may be an essential marker for Bluesky's growth and sustainability.

Stan Twitter, in particular, took a major hit in September when X was banned in Brazil due to a feud between Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre Moraes. The ban meant that over 20 million people lost access to the app, and fan accounts dedicated to everyone from Harry Styles to Cardi B went silent. Brazilians were pivotal to the development of fan culture on the platform. A testament to their impact is the popularity of the "Come to Brazil" meme, which pokes fun at Brazilians incessantly posting the phrase in response to their faves' tweets.

While X was reinstated in Brazil in October, after Musk surrendered to the Brazilian Supreme Court and paid millions of dollars in fines, the incident signaled that X might no longer be the best home for stan culture; after all, it couldn't be relied on. Bluesky, which promises to be "billionaire proof" and to cultivate a welcoming environment, saw "strong growth," according to the company, in Brazil during this period.

Swifties' rocky relationship with X

While no fandom is a monolith, it isn't surprising that there's a movement among Swifties to leave X. A coalition of fans organized under Swifties for Kamala to campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris, and X and its owner have repeatedly wronged their idol. Fans dedicated to Swift's success aren't quick to forget those who have mistreated her. 

In January, AI-generated, pornographic deepfakes of Swift went viral on X with little recourse. Swifties stepped in as protectors, flooding related tags with positive posts and images and trending #ProtectTaylorSwift on X. Meanwhile, it took days for the platform to disable search for Swift's name. 

After the pop star endorsed Harris, Musk took to X to, in the eyes of many, sexually harass Swift. He wrote, "Fine Taylor … you win … I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life."

Tweet may have been deleted

"After the election, my whole timeline was either people talking about being upset about the state of the world or [people posting] 'Hey, here's my new account, follow me over there,'" SJ, another Swiftie, told Mashable.

The 22-year-old in Rhode Island first made a Bluesky account 10 months ago, but there wasn't much of a community there, so she posted twice and deleted the app. But since the election, she's back on Bluesky. "I thought if everyone else is going, then there will actually be a community this time," said SJ. 

She's hopeful about the Swiftie community on Bluesky. "It's already better, even though it's not been a long time. There's more real people here. Twitter got to a point where you weren't seeing actual community spaces there," she said. She says she's seen way more engagement on her posts and has almost the same following she spent seven years building on X. 

But SJ will never delete her X account because she doesn't want to lose nearly a decade of tweets and memories. "Assuming Bluesky keeps growing, and people stay active, I'll just slowly start using Twitter less and less until I become inactive," explained SJ.

SEE ALSO: Every surprise song Taylor Swift has performed on 'The Eras Tour'

Like SJ, Noah Levy, a fellow Twitter Swiftie, sees the online community in transition. "It's not like everyone just quit Twitter and moved to Bluesky," the 26-year-old customer support worker in St. Louis, Missouri, told Mashable. "I'm interested to see how long it'll take for everyone to move over there, if that'll even happen, or if we're gonna keep using Twitter too."

He posted several times on X asking fellow fans to follow him on Bluesky, but unlike SJ, he hasn't seen his Bluesky account grow to his sizable X following of over 31,000. "[Bluesky] grew really fast when I first made my account because I followed everyone on lists, and a lot of them followed back, but since then, it's been pretty steady," said Levy.

Taylor Nation keeps some Swifties from fully departing X

While some accounts key to the stan ecosystem, like pop culture news aggregators Pop Base and Discussing Film, have made the leap to Bluesky, others have not, keeping fans tied to Twitter.

Parts of the Swift extended universe have moved to Bluesky — Kayla excitedly DMed me to share that Swift collaborator Maren Morris opened a Bluesky account. Yet Taylor Nation, Taylor Swift's official management account, which engages with fans and coordinates special opportunities for her most dedicated Swifties, has yet to move to the platform (though they do have a Threads account). "It will be tough for everybody to move over because of Taylor Nation," explained Kayla.

While fans may not yet be able to chase a Taylor Nation notice on Bluesky, that hasn’t stopped a community from thriving there. For Kayla, it feels like a return to the early days of being a Swiftie.

She first joined Twitter in 2008, following along with the Fearless, Speak Now, and Red tours on the app. Now, Bluesky evokes those early experiences. "The first night of the Eras Tour on Bluesky was so special; it reminded me of OG Twitter back in 2013, when it was all rainbows, sparkles, and unicorns," Kayla said.

GET A FREE POWER TOOL WITH PURCHASE: As of Jan. 28, The Home Depot is offering free power tools of up to $219 in value with the purchase of select tool combo kits. Shop brands like Milwaukee, Ryobi, and Dewalt to take advantage of the deal and get a free tool — like a brushless jigsaw or a brushless planar tool — with your purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot / Ryobi / Milwaukee / Dewalt / Makita The Home Depot Power Tool and Battery Deals Get a free tool when you purchase a power tool or battery combo pack. Shop Now

Whether you're a DIY-dad, forever fixing up your home, or a contractor out on the job each day, tools and battery packs are crucial to getting the job finished. If you need to re-up on your work kit, it's a great time to buy.

As of Jan. 28, the Home Depot is currently offering free power tools of up to $219 in value with combo deals from brands like Milwaukee, Dewalt, Ryobi, and Makita. To take advantage of this deal, shop from select combo deals, then click the 'Free' box next to your product — you'll find it on the right of the page. Once you do, you'll be able to scroll through a selection of free tools that are available with your purchase and add the tool to your cart.

SEE ALSO: Get $60 off the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in Best Buy's 48-hour flash sale

Each brand offers an array of free tool types. We saw the biggest value from Dewalt, which included freebies up to $219 in value, including a brushless jigsaw and brushless planar tool. On the other hand, Ryobi offered the lowest overhead price to take advantage of the deal, with a $99 battery pack bundle that gets you a free tool with up to $79 of value.

Whether you're looking for new batteries to keep your drills running, or you need a variety of new tools that will open up new sources of work, this Home Depot tool sale offers a great opportunity to maximize your tool purchasing power.

SAVE $119.01: As of Jan. 28, get the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for just $179.99. That's 43% off and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Bose Ultra Open Earbuds $179.99 at Woot
$299.00 Save $119.01 Get Deal

Ready to upgrade your current pair of earbuds? Or maybe you don't have a pair and want to snag some for a great deal. Whatever the case may be, if you're in the market, you can't go wrong with earbuds from Bose. And thanks to a deal that's going on today from Woot, you can score an affordable model that you'll want to use everywhere from the gym to relaxing in bed at night.

As of Jan. 28, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are $179.99 at Woot, down from their usual price of $299. That's a discount of 43% and the lowest price we've seen.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are a little different than some of the others on the market. They rest on the outside of your ears instead of giving you a perfect seal. That lets them direct sound toward your inner ear so you can still enjoy music and podcasts without blocking out all the sounds you need to hear.

This design makes the Ultra Open Earbuds excellent for working out, running, or taking a walk — they're perfect for activity. They're also water-resistant in the event you sweat or take a short dip in the pool (but don't dunk your head under the water). All this, and they still sound excellent. They might take a little getting used to, but they're very much worth it, especially at this price.

SHOP E-BOOKS AT BOOKSHOP.ORG: Bookshop.org launched its e-book store, and every purchase supports local, independent bookstores.

Shop ebooks on Bookshop.org 'Onyx Storm' by Rebecca Yarros $14.99 at Bookshop.org Shop Now 'We Do Not Part' by Han Kang $13.99 at Bookshop.org Shop Now 'Intermezzo' by Sally Rooney $14.99 at Bookshop.org Shop Now

Launched in 2020, Bookshop.org's mission has always been supporting local bookstores. Every purchase directly supports the local bookstore of your choice (even if you're across the country from your favorite hometown shop) while still allowing you the freedom to shop online. Today, the platform has a new way for you to shop local online — as of Jan. 28, Bookshop.org has launched its e-book platform, empowering independent bookstores to sell digital copies.

If you've been looking for a Kindle Store alternative, Bookshop.org is offering you just that. Now you can buy e-books on Bookshop.org's digital platform to read on your smartphone or tablet. You can purchase e-books directly from the Bookshop.org or the Bookshop.org e-book app and read them on the app or directly on your web browser (not on Kindle).

SEE ALSO: 1,000 romance books are available for free in the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day

Bookshop.org's e-book platform is now live. You can purchase new releases like the much anticipated Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros or bestsellers like Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. There's also a selection of $3 e-books. Make sure you select a bookstore of your choice to support; otherwise, your purchase profits will go toward a split pool for all bookstore participants.

SAVE $13.98: The 40-ounce Hydro Flask Travel Tumbler in pink Valentine's Day shades like Zinnia, Camilla, and Bayberry Ombre are on sale at Amazon for just $25.97, down from the normal price of $39.95. That's a 35% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hydro Flask Hydro Flask Travel Tumbler (40-ounce, select colorways) $25.97 at Amazon
$39.95 Save $13.98 Get Deal

We're about two weeks away from Valentine's Day on Feb. 14 which means it's time to start shopping. To avoid any stress of shipping delays or missed package delivery, we're in an ideal week to snag all those pretty pink gifts, for all of the Valentine's in your life. If your partner, mom, sister, or best friend could use some hydration motivation, check out this great gifting option at Amazon that's on a stellar discount.

As of Jan. 28, the 40-ounce Hydro Flask Travel Tumbler in fun Valentine's Day colorways like Zinnia, Camilla, and Bayberry Ombre are on sale at Amazon for only $25.97, marked down from the standard price of $39.95. That's a 35% discount that'll save you $13.98 on the stainless steel bottle.

Hydration is one of life's simple success hacks. It's oh so simple to drink water, but it's also impossible to stay hydrated. Somehow, almost all of us tend to forget that we need water (and plenty of it) to thrive. If your Valentine tends to always be parched, gifting a stylish Hydro Flask is a thoughtful present.

SEE ALSO: Lego just dropped a Twilight-inspired build that'll arrive in time for Valentine's Day

Today's deal extends to colorways that are sure to satisfy the pink-themed holiday. And we love the large, 40-ounce capacity.

The Hyrdro Flask comes with an ergonomically-designed handle and a leak-resistant lid with flexible straw. It's also safe to clean in the dishwasher. Plus, the double-wall vacuum insulation means your chilled drinks will stay cold longer.

If you've been browsing for a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift that your sweetheart will use everyday, the Hydro Flash Travel Tumbler is perfect. And thanks to the sale price at Amazon, you'll be saving 35% off the normal price. A sweet deal for everyone involved.

Though 2025 won't mark the return of astronauts into deep space as NASA had hoped, launchpads still will be scorching-hot from a procession of robotic spacecraft attempting to land on the moon. 

How many of these moon landings will succeed? Will the number top the two-ish (one of which made a heckuva comeback) last year? 

Giant commercial rockets, such as SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's New Glenn, will likely also have several uncrewed orbital test launches as they iron out the kinks in their hardware. And while people await scientific missions to distant solar system destinations, a few probes will send home close-up pictures of planets as they snag gravitational boosts from flybys. 

Here's a round-up of space missions and cosmic events just around the bend. Bookmark this calendar and look for updates from Mashable throughout the year. 

SEE ALSO: NASA leader doubts Elon Musk will push Trump to axe moon rocket BepiColombo makes final Mercury flyby: Jan. 8

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, but it's perhaps the most overlooked of the rocky worlds in the solar system. Hot and harder to reach than Saturn, it hasn't enjoyed the level of study that other worlds have.

But BepiColombo, a joint mission of the European and Japanese space agencies, seeks to change that. The spacecraft makes its sixth and final flyby on Jan. 8 before returning to enter orbit around the planet in late 2026. Closest approach will take the spacecraft just 160 miles above the surface of Mercury. Mission controllers will release images of the event on Jan. 9.

Two moon landers on one rocket: Jan. 15

Two small uncrewed spacecraft, one of which is carrying several NASA instruments, will try to land on the moon with a boost from the same rocket. 

Both Firefly Aerospace and Japan's ispace will ride a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket slated to leave Earth as early as 1:11 a.m. ET Jan. 15. Firefly's Blue Ghost lander was originally scheduled to lift off in late 2024, and the launch will mark its maiden voyage. The spacecraft is slated to travel for 45 days before trying to touch down in early March. 

Firefly's flight will be the first Commercial Lunar Payload Services mission of the year. The NASA program has recruited vendors from the private sector to help deliver instruments to the moon and send back crucial data.

Ispace's new Hakuto-R mission will be its second try, after it ran out of fuel and crashed on the lunar surface in April 2023. The Resilience lander, a partnership with Japan's space agency JAXA, is taking a long way to the moon to save on fuel, arriving about four to five months after launch.

Blue Origin's first flight for New Glenn: Jan. 16

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will soon get a chance to see his giant rocket New Glenn launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. 

His aerospace company Blue Origin started a countdown on Jan. 13, but launch controllers waved off the opportunity when a technical issue arose. The company will try again no earlier than Jan. 16, targeting a three-hour launch window that opens at 1 a.m. ET.

Blue Origin's goal is to reach orbit, and the company will also try to land its booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean so that it can be reused on future flights, though executives admit doing so would be "ambitious" on the first try. 

Tweet may have been deleted SpaceX tests upgraded Starship: Jan. 16

SpaceX is preparing to launch another uncrewed Starship test, this time with an upgraded spacecraft and 10 mock satellites to practice a payload deployment in space. 

This SpaceX launch would mark the seventh Starship test and feature a reused engine from the booster returned from the fifth test. Weather-related postponements have made it possible that Starship and Blue Origin's New Glenn will lift off for these tests on the same day. Starship's one-hour launch window opens at 4:00 p.m. CT.

NASA moon rover and orbiter delivery: Feb. 26

Intuitive Machines made history last year as the first company to reach the moon intact — though its lander, Odysseus, broke landing gear and touched down tilted. 

The Houston-based company is now gearing up for a second moon landing — this time with the Athena lander. The mission, referred to as IM-2 or PRIME-1, will carry a NASA rover. The spacecraft will test a drill and mass spectrometer, a device that identifies the kinds of particles in a substance. Liftoff is targeted for a four-day launch window that opens no earlier than Feb. 26.

Another spacecraft, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer, will also hitch a ride on this flight. The small satellite will orbit the moon to map out the locations of lunar water. 

Europa Clipper flies by Mars: Feb. 27

After a successful October 2024 launch, the Europa Clipper spacecraft has been hurtling through space. It's on schedule to make its first flyby of Mars on Feb. 27, where it will get a gravity assist to continue its journey. The craft won't arrive at Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, for its mission until 2030. 

Scientists are intrigued by Europa because they believe it could hold double the water held by Earth's oceans. Could this small world in the outer solar system have conditions capable of supporting life? If NASA finds that Europa is a habitable place, a second Europa mission could return to determine if there are indeed any inhabitants. 

Launch of new astrophysics observatory: Feb. 27

NASA intends to launch an astrophysics observatory to create a map of the entire sky in 3D. The mission, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), will orbit Earth while studying hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies, showing them in 102 invisible "colors." 

One of the main goals of the mission is to learn more about cosmic inflation, a brief but crucial phase of the Big Bang that contributed to the universe's expansion. It will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California as early as Feb. 27.

Tweet may have been deleted Firefly attempts moon landing: March 2

Following a successful launch in January, Firefly Aerospace will target a robotic landing in the Mare Crisium region of the moon, an ancient hardened lava flow, on March 2. Prior to descent onto the surface, the uncrewed spacecraft, the Blue Ghost lander, will spend 16 days in orbit around the moon. 

Landing on the moon remains onerous. The moon's exosphere provides virtually no drag to slow a spacecraft down as it approaches the ground. Furthermore, there are no GPS systems on the moon to help guide a craft to its landing spot.

Blue Ghost shared a ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Japanese company ispace, which will try to land on the moon after a failed attempt in 2023. Its Resilience lander is taking a longer route than Blue Ghost to save on fuel, arriving in May or June. 

European spacecraft Hera flies by Mars: March

Back in 2022, NASA deliberately crashed a spacecraft into a harmless asteroid to practice thwarting a space rock, should a hazardous one ever be on a collision course with Earth.

The European Space Agency is providing a follow-up to that test, known as Hera. The mission's spacecraft launched in October 2024 and will rendezvous with Dimorphos, the slammed asteroid, in 2026. But this March, it will also have a quick pop-in with Mars and one of the Red Planet's two moons, Deimos. Mission controllers will use the opportunity to collect data on the Martian moon.

Boeing astronaut crew returns home: March NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been waiting for their ride since the space agency decided not to send them home on Boeing's Starliner spaceship. Credit: Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Two astronauts whose eight-day visit to the International Space Station turned into a more than eight-month layover are expected to return to Earth in March. 

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been waiting for their ride since the space agency decided not to send them home on the spaceship they rode in on. That test vehicle, Boeing's Starliner, landed empty without any problems, but NASA hadn't wanted to risk it after the capsule experienced propulsion issues in space. 

The pair was supposed to return in a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February, but NASA announced at the end of 2024 that the flight would likely be pushed back to March. Wilmore and Williams, who were integrated into Crew-9, will fly back to Earth after Crew-10 arrives at the space station. 

NASA and India join forces on a satellite: March

NASA is teaming up with India's space agency on a mission to study Earth's land and ice. 

This mission involves the NISAR satellite, which will scan all of the planet's surfaces twice every 12 days to measure changes. The satellite will launch from the Indian Space Research Organisation's space port, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, on India's southeastern coast.

Private astronauts fly to ISS: no earlier than spring

Private astronauts will launch to the International Space Station for Axiom Space's fourth such mission. The four crew members are awaiting approval to fly to the orbiting lab and will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, no earlier than this spring. 

When Axiom flew its first private mission in 2022, it redefined the word "astronaut." For decades, that title was reserved for government space pilots and crew. More recently, uber-rich space tourists earned the distinction by breaching Earth's atmosphere. But with Axiom's private mission came a third possible description: Someone privately trained and sent into space to perform commercial scientific research. Axiom crews receive 750 to over 1,000 hours of training. 

Twin spacecraft go to Mars: no earlier than spring The Escapade mission will involve two Mars orbiters built by Rocket Lab. Credit: Rocket Lab

A NASA-funded science mission seeks to get to the bottom of how solar radiation strips away the tattered Martian atmosphere. Called Escapade, the mission will involve two Mars orbiters built by Rocket Lab.

The flight was previously scheduled for October aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which would have been its first launch. But, as rockets are wont to do, the inaugural flight was delayed. NASA and Blue Origin are now in talks for a new launch date for that mission, no earlier than spring 2025.

Lucy spacecraft flies by asteroid: April 20

NASA launched the Lucy spacecraft on a grand 12-year asteroid tour last fall with plans to fly by several space rocks that share Jupiter’s orbit. On April 20, Lucy will encounter a small main-belt asteroid, Donaldjohanson, as a sort of test sequence before it visits seven Trojan asteroids. The asteroid, called DJ for short, is only 2.5 miles wide, with an extremely slow rotation that takes more than 10 days to complete. 

Tweet may have been deleted Peak of Lyrids meteor shower: April 21-22

Meteor showers happen every year or at regular intervals as Earth passes through the dusty wake of previous comets. Each time a comet zips through the inner solar system, the sun boils off some of its surface, leaving behind a trail of debris. When the planet intersects with the old comet detritus, the result can be a spectacular show, with sometimes up to hundreds of meteors visible per hour. The debris that creates the Lyrid meteor shower originates from comet Thatcher. The Lyrids, best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, will be active from April 17 to 26.

Peak of Eta Aquariids meteor shower: May 3-4

The Eta Aquariids meteor shower, best viewed from the southern tropics, produces strong "persistent trains" of shooting stars. The shower is the first of two each year created by Halley's Comet debris. The celestial event will be active from April 20 to May 21.

Perseids meteors streak across the sky over Bishop, California, in 2024. Credit: NASA / Preston Dyches Peak of Delta Aquariids meteor shower: July 29-30

The Delta Aquariids are another shower best observed from the southern tropics. Conditions will be favorable for viewing meteors in the morning. Astronomers suspect the interacting debris causing the event came from the strange Comet Machholz. The event will be active from July 18 to Aug. 12. 

Peak of Perseids meteor shower: Aug. 12-13

The popular Perseids, made up of remnants of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, is usually a spectacular show for the Northern Hemisphere. The meteor shower is active from July 17 to Aug. 23. But don't get your hopes up this year: Experts say the waning gibbous moon, more than 80 percent full, will allow only the brightest meteors to be seen. 

Astrobotic attempts moon landing, again: fall

Astrobotic Technologies tried to become the first commercial company to land on the moon last year, but it lost its chance just a few hours into the flight because of a fuel leak. The company will try again this fall with its Griffin lander. 

Originally, this mission was supposed to carry a NASA rover to drill for ice at the lunar south pole. But VIPER — short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover — was cancelled due to cost overruns. Griffin will still launch without the rover as a flight demonstration of the lander and engines.

Peak of Orionids meteor shower: Oct. 22-23

The Orionids meteor shower marks the return of activity caused by Halley's Comet debris. In recent years, the displays have been pretty lackluster, but a waning crescent moon rising near dawn means moonlight won't obscure the shower in 2025. The celestial event will run from Oct. 2 to Nov. 12.

Peak of Southern Taurids meteor shower: Nov. 3-4

The Southern Taurids make up a complex meteor shower. Usually the displays are weak, but Taurid meteors are more numerous sometimes. Known as a "swarm year," 2025's event could offer more fireballs as Earth plows through a group of pebble-sized fragments from the Comet Encke. But given the moon's phase, there's a good chance moonlight will interfere with viewing most Taurids. Activity will go from Oct. 13 to Nov. 27. 

A Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, is expected to launch to the International Space Station in 2025. Credit: Sierra Space Peak of the Leonids meteor shower: Nov. 16-17

The Leonids are some of the fastest-moving meteors, traveling up to 44 miles per second. The debris that causes the show comes from Comet Tempel-Tuttle, but the displays are usually pretty weak. The exceptions are years when the showers become so-called "meteor storms," but that won't likely happen again until perhaps 2035. The shower will be active from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2. 

Peak of Geminids meteor shower: Dec. 12-13

Widely regarded as the best meteor shower of the year, the Geminids can be seen from most any part of the world, especially the Northern Hemisphere. The Geminids are denser meteors, allowing stargazers to see them as low as 29 miles above ground before the cosmic dust burns up. The shower will be active between Dec. 1 and 21.

This year the moon will have a waning crescent phase, which rises around 2 a.m. local time. Prior to that, views should be moon-free. You could glimpse bright meteors by facing a direction with the moon at your back, according to the American Meteor Society.

Peak of Ursids meteor shower: Dec. 21-22

The Ursid meteors are caused by debris from Tuttle's Comet, which orbits every 13 years. This shower, often overlooked because of its close timing to Christmas, can only be observed in the Northern Hemisphere. Because of a new moon at the shower's peak, moonlight won't interfere with the show. The event will be active from Dec. 16 to 26. 

Other possible missions in 2025

• ESA will send a satellite into orbit around the moon to serve as a communications relay for lunar navigation and telecommunications. Called Lunar Pathfinder, the satellite is expected to ride along with a Firefly Aerospaces Blue Ghost vehicle. The Blue Ghost lander will continue to the moon's far side and deploy a communications terminal as well as a radio telescope experiment. The launch could happen as early as this year. 

• Sierra Space has been working on a spacecraft with the nostalgia of NASA's space shuttle program. Dream Chaser, a cargo space plane capable of runway landings, is set to launch for the first time to the International Space Station for a resupply mission sometime this year. 

• Following Intuitive Machines' second mission in early 2025, the company will also shoot for another later in 2025 or early 2026. If successful, the lunar landing mission, IM-3 or PRISM, will deploy rovers and study a so-called "lunar swirl."

U.S. tech companies are known to stockpile as much user data as they can, but DeepSeek's privacy policy makes Meta, Google, and OpenAI look tame. 

Over the past few days, China-based AI startup DeepSeek has catapulted into tech consciousness with an open-source model that many claim is just as good, if not better, than OpenAI models and API costs for a fraction of the price. DeepSeek R1 might be significantly cheaper to run, but your privacy and security are the actual cost.

Looking through the fine print of DeepSeek's Privacy Policy, numerous red flags worth examining before you sign up.

SEE ALSO: DeepSeek AI: What you need to know about the ChatGPT rival DeepSeek's collected data is subject to local Chinese laws

"The personal information we collect from you may be stored on a server located outside of the country where you live. We store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China," the privacy policy reads.

In another section about how DeepSeek shares user data, the company states that it may share user information to "comply with applicable law, legal process, or government requests."

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As with the ongoing TikTok ban — initially enacted due to concerns about privacy, national security, surveillance, and propaganda — DeepSeek's privacy policy raises concerns about a U.S. foreign adversary's ability to access U.S. user data. Users are familiar with the massive amounts of data U.S. tech companies collect, but China's cybersecurity laws make it much easier for the government to demand data from its tech companies. Additionally, DeepSeek users have reported instances of censorship, when it comes to criticizing the Chinese government or asking about Tiananmen Square.

Tweet may have been deleted DeepSeek collects extensive data, including keystrokes

Not only does DeepSeek collect "text or audio input, prompt, uploaded files, feedback, chat history, or other content that [the user] provide[s] to our model and Services," but it also collects information from your device, including "device model, operating system, keystroke patterns or rhythms, IP address, and system language."

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Companies with AI models like Google, Meta, and OpenAI collect similar troves of information, but their privacy policies do not mention collecting keystrokes. There's also the added issue that DeepSeek sends your user data straight to Chinese servers.

Tweet may have been deleted DeepSeek retains user information for as long as they want

DeepSeek's privacy policy states that the company retains user information "for as long as necessary to provide our Services and for the other purposes set out in this Privacy Policy." 

For context, Google Gemini could can retain your data for up to three years, so, not great. OpenAI saves your deleted data for 30 days or 90 days for Operator. However, Meta also has an indefinite data retention period in the U.S.

If knowing that Meta saves your data indefinitely makes you uneasy, DeepSeek's policy is even more of a cybersecurity red flag because of China's governmental authority over its private sector. An undefined retention period exposes user data to even more risk to security breaches.

Other DeepSeek privacy and security questions left unanswered

In DeepSeek's privacy policy, there's no mention of the security of its servers. There's nothing about whether data is encrypted, either stored or in transmission, and zero information about safeguards to prevent unauthorized access.

DeepSeek also doesn't say whether users can opt out of sharing their data to train its models. Although Google and Meta have this in common with the LLM, which is to say it's not completely unfounded, it's always worth mentioning: Whatever you share with the chatbot, you share with the internet — and maybe the Chinese government in this instance.

Mashable has reached out to DeepSeek for further clarification about its policies and will update this story with a response.

Featured Video For You 3 ways to detect AI generated images

Visible from space, the world’s largest iceberg is headed towards a remote Antarctic island, threatening local animals.

A23a, the trillion-ton megaberg, which is 40 meters tall, twice as broad as London, and viewable through satellites, could either collide with the island of South Georgia, or get trapped in ocean currents revolving around it. Past iceberg collisions on the island, which is home to King penguins and about half of the world’s population of Southern elephant seals, have led to mass animal deaths due to starvation.

A23a first broke off from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986, when it measured around 3,900 square kilometers, and some of its sides extended up to 400 meters tall. The warming of waters near Antarctica have been shrinking it slowly, and scientists expect it to eventually break into multiple vast pieces.

SAVE $100: As of Jan. 28, the Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) is on sale for $399 at Amazon. That's 20% off its list price of $499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) $399.00 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

It doesn't need to be a big sale event for an exciting deal to drop. There have been quite a few deals appearing at numerous retailers that have been well worth jumping on after the holidays, and this discount on an Apple iPad Mini is no different.

The Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) has dropped to $399 at Amazon. This is $100 off its list price of $499 and marks a return to its lowest-ever price, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. If you've had your eye on this tablet and have been waiting for the best time to grab it, now's a great time to do so.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Alongside its portable design, this tablet boasts a Liquid Retina display that makes images pop on its 8.3-inch screen and the new A17 Pro chip for powerful performance. In our review, Mashable's Stan Schroeder says, "If you're new to the iPad, and you want the most compact one around (or any compact tablet), the new iPad mini 7 is the best choice."

This deal likely won't stick around for long, so don't miss out on the Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) back at its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

If you're curious to see even more Apple deals that are available right now, have a look at this discount on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in Best Buy's 48-hour flash sale. Outside of that flash sale, you can also save on an Apple Watch Series 10 right now at Best Buy.

Move over ChatGPT, there's a new contender to the throne. Chinese startup DeepSeek AI blasted its way to the top of Apple's App Store this week, hammering U.S. tech stocks in the process — and reacting to the news on The Daily Show, Jon Stewart was shocked and appalled.

"I was promised a new era of American prosperity and greatness!" says the host in the clip above. "DeepSeek? DeepSeek? We're getting our asses kicked by DeepSeek? Who names an AI company after the thing it actually does? Where are your random letters? Where's your GPT, your Grok? DeepSeek sounds like what you might use it for — China's even beating us at naming shit."

Luckily, Stewart is able to find some light at the end of the tunnel. "I do know this is bad news financially, but is anyone else somewhat excited that AI had its job replaced by AI?"

If you're interested in why DeepSeek is getting so much attention, here's what it does better than OpenAI's ChatGPT.