Technology

SAVE $329: As of Jan. 15, you can grab the NETGEAR Nighthawk AXE11000 WiFi 6E Router for $270.99 on Amazon, saving a whopping $329 off its $599.99 list price. With 12 streams, tri-band WiFi, and support for up to 60 devices, this router is perfect for 4K/8K streaming, gaming, and more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Netgear NETGEAR Nighthawk AXE11000 WiFi 6E Router $270.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $329.00 Get Deal

If your WiFi setup struggles to keep up with modern demands, the NETGEAR Nighthawk AXE11000 might be the upgrade you’ve been waiting for. At $270.99, this 55% discount on one of the most powerful routers on the market is hard to ignore.

Let’s start with the basics: this router uses WiFi 6E technology, introducing a shiny new 6GHz band that’s built for speed. Think 4K and 8K streaming, virtual reality gaming, and HD video calls — all without a stutter or buffering wheel in sight. This router keeps your connection rock solid across its 3,500 square feet of coverage for streaming, gaming, or working from home. It’s powerful enough to handle up to 60 devices, so go ahead and connect your phone, laptop, console, smart speakers, and more.

SEE ALSO: How to get free Peacock, Paramount+, and Max streaming through services you might already have

The tech specs here are impressive. You’re looking at a 1.8GHz quad-core processor delivering speeds up to 10.8Gbps — nine times faster than WiFi 5. It’s got four 1G Ethernet ports and a 2.5G port for wired devices, so you can hook up your gaming console or streaming box and enjoy lag-free performance. Features like OFDMA, MU-MIMO, and Beamforming ensure your WiFi signal is distributed efficiently, so everyone in your household gets a seamless experience.

The Nighthawk app makes setup a breeze, letting you manage everything from WiFi settings to speed tests right on your phone. On the security front, you’ve got NETGEAR Armor (with a 30-day free trial) to protect all your connected devices from cyber threats. Smart Parental Controls help you manage screen time and create healthy internet habits for your family.

At $270.99 from Amazon, this deal offers top-tier performance at a mid-tier price. Ready to upgrade your outdated system or set up a new home network without the stock router? Nighthawk AXE11000 is ready to handle anything you throw at it — and then some.

SAVE $500: As of Jan. 15, TCL QM85 65-inch QLED Mini LED TV is on sale at Amazon for $999.99, down from $1,499.99. With cutting-edge QD-Mini LED ULTRA technology, Dolby Vision IQ HDR, and a 144 Hz refresh rate, it’s a stellar choice for gamers and home theater enthusiasts alike.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL QM85 65-inch QLED Mini LED TV $999.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $500.00 Get Deal

Suppose you’re hunting for a TV that feels just as at home hosting movie nights as it does crushing leaderboard runs in your favorite game. In that case, this TCL QM85 65-inch QLED Mini LED TV deserves your attention. At $999.99, you’re saving $500 on a 2024 model that packs some serious tech muscle.

Let’s talk visuals: the QM85’s QD-Mini LED ULTRA backlight tech combines deep blacks with blazing whites, offering 5,000 local dimming zones and a ridiculous 5,000 nits of peak brightness. Translation? This TV laughs in the face of glare and makes HDR content pop like never before. Quantum Dot Technology (QLED ULTRA) ensures colors are vibrant and accurate, with nearly full coverage of the DCI-P3 color spectrum — perfect for everything from colorful animated films to gritty thrillers.

SEE ALSO: How to get free Peacock, Paramount+, and Max streaming through services you might already have

For gamers, this is where things really get interesting. A 144 Hz variable refresh rate, Game Accelerator 240, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro mean your favorite titles will look smooth, play fast, and feel more responsive. There’s even an auto low latency mode (ALLM) to make sure input lag isn’t holding you back during high-stakes matches. QM85 has your back gaming solo or flexing your skills in co-op.

On the smart side, this TV runs Google TV, giving you easy access to your streaming apps, live TV, and voice commands via the included remote. Alexa compatibility is a nice touch, too, letting you control your entertainment setup without lifting a finger. Plus, with four HDMI inputs, you won’t be juggling cables every time you switch between your gaming console, soundbar, or Blu-ray player.

At under $1,000, this TV’s a beast of a deal. After an upgrade for your living room setup or building the ultimate game station? TCL QM85 has the features to make it happen — and then some.

TL;DR: As of Jan. 15, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Surging Sparks Zapdos blister for $20.69 (31% off the $29.99 list price). With three booster packs and a foil Zapdos promo, this is your shot at pulling set heavyweights like Pikachu ex and Milotic ex.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Surging Sparks Triple Blister $20.69 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $9.30 Get Deal

The Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet: Surging Sparks Zapdos blister is back at Amazon for just $20.69. If you’re even halfway serious about Pokémon cards, this is one you don’t want to skip. It has three Surging Sparks booster packs (arguably one of the hottest sets since 151) and a foil Zapdos promo card to sweeten the deal. But let’s be real — you’re not here for the Zapdos. You’re here for the packs and what you might pull.

Surging Sparks is basically the “greatest hits” album of the Scarlet & Violet series so far. Over 250 cards, tons of Trainer staples, and some of the most collectible Pokémon ex cards we’ve seen in years. Remember when pulling a chase card actually felt special? This set delivers that thrill. Cards like Pikachu ex (yes, the Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare) are commanding ridiculous prices. Still, it’s not just about the value. That card is straight-up stunning. Resolute Heart as an ability is bonkers for gameplay, too, letting Pikachu hang on with 10 HP instead of Getting Knocked Out.

SEE ALSO: How to get free Peacock, Paramount+, and Max streaming through services you might already have

The fun doesn’t stop with Pikachu, though. How about Milotic ex, with artwork so beautiful you’d swear it belongs in a gallery? Not to mention its Sparkling Scales ability, which shuts down damage from Tera Pokémon, making it a meta pick for certain matchups. And then there’s Hydreigon ex — a special illustration rare that turns the darkness aesthetic up to eleven. Pulling off its Obsidian attack feels ridiculously satisfying, hitting multiple targets and shredding your opponent’s setup.

If dragons are your vibe, don’t sleep on Alolan Exeggutor ex. It’s colorful, tropical, and capable of doing some wild damage swings. But maybe you’re more into the classic duo of Latios and Latias? Both cards have connected artwork that collectors are losing their minds over, with Latias ex even offering free Retreat Costs for all your Basics in play.

And let’s not forget the Trainer cards. Lisia’s Appeal, one of the set’s Special Illustration Rare cards, is already gaining attention as a potential replacement for Boss’s Orders in future formats. On the cheaper end, you’ve got staples like Mesprit and the ACE SPEC Tera Orb to give your deck some competitive edge.

This blister isn’t just another way to crack packs; it’s a chance to pull cards that could end up defining this era of Pokémon TCG. And with Surging Sparks flying off shelves like it’s 1999, this restock might not stick around long.

RESTOCK: As of Jan. 15, Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Surging Sparks Build and Battle Box is available on Amazon for $46.83 (previously $49.99). Inside, you’ll find a 40-card preconstructed deck featuring one of four unique foil promo cards, four Surging Sparks booster packs, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Surging Sparks Build and Battle Box $46.83 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $3.16 Get Deal

Diving into Pokémon TCG or fine-tuning your deck for competitive play? This Build and Battle Box is a solid pick — and Amazon’s got it at a slight discount. While it’s not the biggest price drop, Surging Sparks boxes have been flying off the shelves since restocking, so snagging one without paying a premium is already a win.

The Build and Battle format is excellent for quick, low-prep matches or deck-building. Each box includes one of four unique promo cards: Zapdos, Milotic, Hydreigon, or Sylveon. These promos come with artwork exclusive to the box, making them tempting pickups for collectors.

SEE ALSO: How to get free Peacock, Paramount+, and Max streaming through services you might already have

But the real treasure? The four Surging Sparks booster packs. With over 250 cards in the set, the thrill of unwrapping one of those secret illustration rares (SIRs) is unmatched. Chase cards like Pikachu ex (SIR) or Latias ex (SIR) are currently commanding hefty prices, with Pikachu ex topping $450. Milotic and Hydreigon ex aren’t far behind, either, with stunning artwork and competitive potential that make them favorites in tournaments and trade circles.

Surging Sparks offers plenty of utility for those who prefer building decks over hoarding chase cards. Staple cards like Tera Orb are cheap and easy to find, while new ACE SPEC Trainer cards bring exciting options for tactical plays. The set’s theme of lightning-fast battles and flashy effects makes it a joy to explore, whether you’re in it for the competition or just the aesthetics.

This box is a no-brainer if you’re already itching to crack some packs and chase after shiny cardboard. At $46.83, it’s not the deepest discount, but with Surging Sparks restocks disappearing almost as fast as they arrive, it’s worth grabbing one while you can.

After a year of pretty practical innovations initially kicked off at CES 2024, it was tricky to predict the direction that CES 2025 robot vacuums would head in.

Welp, there wasn't really a theme at all. This year, robot vacuums were finally on par with the weirdness of the rest of CES.

Robot vacuums are on a whole new level in 2025

Last year, one big feature seemed to take over: self-washing and -drying mopping pads (among other expected upgrades like stronger suction power and more precise small obstacle avoidance). Now that most brands have at least one model that can pretty much take care of vacuuming and mopping without daily human intervention, smart map the home, and avoid obstacles without human intervention, the direction these brands would go in for 2025 felt... open-ended.

SEE ALSO: 22 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can buy right now

It turns out that big brands like Roborock, Eufy, and Dreame all had different ideas of how to ramp up robot vacuum autonomy. I'm comparing the best three robot vacuums and their most unique newfangled features below, plus any information we have on prices, preorders, and release dates so far.

Not necessarily set on buying a CES 2025 drop? Whether you don't feel like waiting or don't feel like paying that much, I'm listing an alternate robot vacuum from last year's crop that I think would offer a similar experience as each of these top three new robot vacuums.

Roborock Saros Z70 Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable Credit: Roborock

• Price: Set to retail for "around $2,000," though no official price is confirmed

• When you can buy it: Set to come out in April

• Biggest wow factor: It has a robotic grabby arm that can pick up small obstacles

Let's kick things off with the feature that probably wasn't on anyone's CES Bingo card: a robot vacuum with an arm.

The Roborock Saros Z70 puts a new spin on small obstacle avoidance technology by not only steering around things like socks or shoes, but picking them up completely and putting them in a designated area like a basket. The claw machine-style OmniGrip arm unfolds from the top of the robot vacuum and can pick up obstacles in four categories as long as they weigh less than 300 grams: socks, paper, small towels, and lightweight shoes. Support for pet toys would be particularly clutch in my household.

The Saros Z70 has another huge headline: 22,000 Pa of suction power. The robot vacuum world hasn't seen a number like that before — that's 3,500 Pa more powerful than the Roborock's previous strongest contender, the viral Roborock Qrevo Curv, and even 2,000 Pa more powerful than the 20,000 Pa clocked by the next-most powerful CES 2025 robot vacuum, the Dreame X50 Ultra. People who are in search of the most thorough carpet clean by a robot vacuum possible could easily be sold by this stat alone.

Though the cool factor of the grabby arm is pretty inarguable, the practicality is still iffy when considering the proposed $2,000-ish price tag. IMO, the Saros Z70 would have to be pretty perfect at literally everything else — actual vacuuming and mopping, navigating, you know the drill — to prove itself worth that kind of money. (In the words of my fellow Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel, "If you can afford it, ask yourself this: Why don't you just hire a maid?"

After struggling to return to its dock several times at the live demo at CES, the verdict on whether this new technology is more of a pain than it's worth is still up in the air. As soon as I review this bad boy in my own apartment, I'll let you know.

The best Roborock Saros Z70 alternative from 2024

If you like the idea of a super perceptive robot vacuum with meticulous cleaning skills — and definitely aren't paying $2,000 for the Saros Z70 when it comes out in the spring — consider the Roborock Qrevo Master. A CES 2024 release, the Qrevo Master ended up being my favorite robot vacuum that I tested in 2024 for a few reasons, many of which are premium features shared with the Saros Z70. First and foremost, there's no arm that tidies up for you, but the Qrevo Master's small obstacle detection has been pretty flawless in my home.

I've never seen a robot vacuum clean corners better than the Qrevo Master does. It's armed with two FlexiArms: no, they're not the OmniGrip arm that picks stuff up, but they do sweep and scrub in 90-degree angles and along edges much more precisely than a side brush or a mop that can't reach much farther than the diameter of the vacuum. Roborock baked these two features into the Saros Z70 as well, but with the Qrevo Master, you can secure that ASMR-like corner cleaning for significantly less money.

10,000 Pa of suction is no 22,000 Pa, but it has still been quite enough to keep up with my two cats. Speaking of cats, the Qrevo Master also has the livestream pet camera that Roborock put on the Saros Z70.

The Roborock Qrevo Master retails for $1,399.99 but has been on sale for as low as $899.99.

Eufy E20 Credit: Eufy Credit: Eufy

• Price: Can be preordered for $499.99 now, but will retail for $549.99

• When you can buy it: Officially comes out on Feb. 10

• Biggest wow factor: It's a robot vacuum that can transition into a cordless stick or handheld vacuum

There are always going to be those spots that even the most detail-oriented robot vacuums simply can't clean — they'll never be able to tackle the crumbs in your computer keyboard or pet fur-covered couch cushions or car seats. This is why I always say that the ideal vacuum setup is one that involves both a robot vacuum and a cordless stick vacuum, rather than putting your entire budget toward the absolute fanciest version of one or the other you can find.

This is the dilemma Eufy aimed to solve with its CES 2025 contender. The 3-in-1 Eufy E20 lets you skip the stress of shopping around for two vacuums by literally building a cordless handheld vacuum into the body of the robot vacuum. You can attach the full-size extender and cleaning head to make it a legit cordless stick vacuum or use it in handheld mode. The robot vacuum maxes out at 8,000 Pa of suction power: the same as the more-expensive Eufy X10 Pro Omni that I loved, but much less power than the other two CES releases in this story. Suction boosts to 30,000 Pa in handheld mode.

The Eufy E20 does have small obstacle avoidance technology but doesn't mop. It's not the most powerful robot vacuum or handheld vacuum, but if you don't have the space or patience to have two different types of vacuums in your home, this design might be the efficient middle ground you've been wishing existed.

The best Eufy E20 alternative from 2024

If you like the idea of the robot-to-cordless versatility but wish the robot vacuum itself was a little more intense of a cleaner, consider the Ecovacs T30S Combo. Released in summer 2024, it's an all-in-one cleaning hub that adds a cordless handheld vacuum to a premium robot vacuum that mops, washes and dries its own mopping pads, and cleans with 11,000 Pa of suction.

Rather than removing the cordless vac from the body of the robot vac like the E20, the T30S station features dual charging docks: one for the robot vacuum and one for the handheld vacuum. This means you'll be skipping the full-size stick vacuum of the E20. But if you're fine with leaving the floor to the robot as long as you have handheld control for the areas a robot can't go, this is a slightly more powerful option than the E20.

The Ecovacs T30S retails for $1,199.99 but has been on sale for as low as $799.99.

Dreame X50 Ultra Credit: Dreame Credit: Dreame

• Price: Can be preordered for $1,309.99 with a coupon now, but will retail for $1,699.99

• When you can buy it: Officially comes out on Feb. 14

• Biggest wow factor: It can climb thresholds up to 2.36 inches

The rumor floating around asserting that the Dreame X50 Ultra could climb stairs is a bit of a reach. Sorry. But it does still have more rugged driving capabilities than most other robot vacs thanks to special wheels that hoist it over blockages up to 2.36 inches. This'll be huge in homes that have higher thresholds between floor types in doorways, thick rugs, or even sliding doors that a regular robot vacuum would probably get stuck on.

The Dreame X50 Ultra also clocks 20,000 Pa of suction power — and that should be just as big of a story as the wheel situation. That number easily makes it one of the most powerful robot vacuums on the market, only to be bested by the Roborock Saros Z70's 22,000 Pa. And compared to the Saros Z70, predicted to cost around $2,000, the Dreame X50 Ultra's $1,699.99 price tag is quite modest for such a tenacious cleaner that also takes care of its own dust bin and mopping pads. A $390 preorder coupon brings that price down to $1,309.99, and you definitely won't find a robovac more powerful in the sub-$1,500 price range.

The best Dreame X50 Ultra alternative from 2024

If you like the idea of a brawny robot vacuum that won't get stuck on floor-type changes in your home, consider the Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1. While it may not offer the official 2.36-inch clearance that the X50 Ultra does, it still has large lifting wheels that give it some serious air over the rugs and doorway thresholds in my apartment. It's actually the only robot vacuum I've ever tested that lifts high enough to not flip up the corners of my bath mats every single time.

The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is also Shark's first robot vacuum to wash and dry its own mopping pad. The only thing is that this Shark won't vacuum carpets or rugs if its current cleaning cycle involves vacuuming and mopping hard floors — instead, it'll come back to the soft floors once it removes its own washing pad at the dock.

The Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1 retails for $1,199.99 but has been on sale for as low as $699.99.

Unless you're an audio nerd, you might not be familiar with Technics, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary with the launch of new flagship earbuds — the EAH-AZ100 wireless earbuds. The buds debuted at the CES 2025 show in Las Vegas, and I've been testing them for the past few weeks.

Technics made the turntable used by DJs since the earliest days of hip-hop and electronic music. More recently, the Panasonic brand has focused on HiFi products for audiophiles. They make studio-quality wired earphones for professional musicians and engineers, as well as luxury speakers, amplifiers, and turntables.

With the AZ100s, Technics wants to bring true high-fidelity, reference-class music quality to an everyday product. But you don't have to be a pretentious audiophile (and I say that will all due respect to the pretentious audiophiles of the world) to appreciate these new wireless earbuds.

Because, damn, do they sound good.

The Technics AZ100 earbuds alongside a miniature turntable. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable Technics EAH-AZ100 wireless earbuds specs

You can start listening to music with these buds minutes after unboxing them. I've had no issues with pairing, dropped connections, or lag — even while using multi-point connections. They've also got an impressive feature set:

• Speaker Driver Unit: 10mm

• Frequency Response: 20 to 40 kHz

• Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation

• IPX4 water resistance

• 10 hours of battery with ANC / 28 hours of battery with charging case

• 15-minute quick charge provides 90 minutes of ANC listening

• Supports LDAC lossless audio

• USB-C and Qi wireless charging

• Charging case dimensions: 69 x 36 x 27 mm

• Earpiece sizes: XS, S, M, M/L, L

• Colors: Black and silver

Unboxing the AZ100 earbuds from Technics. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable The AZ100 earbuds with eartips. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The Technics Audio Connect app is also super user-friendly, and the custom ANC, EQ settings, and Voice Focus AI features are simple to set up. Personally, I found the "Dynamic" audio setting worked best for music. When using the buds, I found the touch controls responsive — but not so responsive that I accidentally paused or skipped tracks.

Customizing the touch controls. Credit: Screenshot: Technics Customizing the adaptive ANC. Credit: Screenshot: Technics The AZ100s produce high-fidelity audio for music lovers

In December, Panasonic invited a group of journalists to the Technics Design Studio in Kyoto, Japan, where we got to demo these new earbuds ahead of their CES debut. They deliver richer, fuller, more detailed sound than any earbuds I've ever tested. The only buds I've tried that achieved similar clarity and sound separation were next-gen in-ear monitors that used ultrasound technology.

That means when you're listening to a really layered track — think symphonies from Beethoven or "National Anthem" by Radiohead — you can distinctly hear all the various layers of sound. Instead of notes blurring into each other, you clearly hear each individual chord just as it was recorded.

Basically, they pass the "bop" test. As in, how much do I bop my head and play air drums while using them? It can be hard to articulate exactly why HiFi music sounds so much better, but you know it when you hear it.

I found this to be true across the entire audio range, from bass to treble. I've seen some Reddit reviews that complain these buds have weak bass. In reality, they have incredibly clear bass, whereas too many audio products simply blow out the bass beyond all reason.

These buds are so good they even compare favorably to over-ear headphones and luxury speakers.

Wearing the AZ100 earbuds. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The difference is obvious when switching back and forth between the AZ100s and other buds. Music just sounds more complete. They also produce incredible resonance, giving you a real sense of space.

And if you like to crank up the volume to 11, these earbuds get loud. (Loud enough that sound leaks slightly to the people around you.)

These earbuds made me wonder how close we are to achieving peak earbuds. Beyond incremental improvements to battery life, noise cancellation, and comfort, where do we go from here?

Introducing the Magnetic Fluid Driver

The new Technics AZ100s use a proprietary Magnetic Fluid Driver to produce high-resolution, low-distortion sound that's as close to the original source as possible.

What is a Magnetic Fluid Driver? Per Technics, the driver includes a ring of oily magnetic liquid between the driver magnet and voice coil (the part of the speaker that moves the diaphragm that produces sound waves). This creates more stable movement, higher clarity, and lower distortion. The new driver also uses an ultra-thin aluminum diaphragm for improved detail and sound separation.

I got the chance to demo this tech at a Panasonic demonstration in Kyoto, Japan in Dec. 2024. Here's what the new driver looks like in action:

This Magnetic Fluid tech previously appeared in the Technics EAH-TZ70 in-ear monitors — professional monitors with a $1,199.99 price tag. The new AZ100s feature a miniaturized version of that tech, plus a much more reasonable $299.99 price tag, the same as Bose's flagship QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.

I previously reviewed the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds for Mashable, and I've consistently rated them as the best wireless earbuds of the moment. So, how do they compare in a head-to-head test with the AZ100s?

Comparing the AZ100 to other headphones and earbuds

I've reviewed a lot of audio products for Mashable and other publications. I was surprisingly impressed with the audio quality of the Dyson OnTrac over-ear headphones, and I've previously praised the Bose QuietComfort Ultra line.

Now, premium over-ear headphones have advantages over wireless earbuds — a more comfortable form factor (and no ear wax gumming up the buds), a tighter seal around your ears, and larger speaker components. But unless you splurge on $1,000 in-ear monitors made for professionals, I don't know where you'll find better-sounding earbuds.

That said, I found the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds to be more comfortable for extended use. After three to four hours of wearing the AZ100s, I experienced some ear fatigue. The Bose buds are lighter and use a unique stability band that hugs the contour of your outer ear, and I find this provides a tighter seal and better fit. On the plus side, the AZ100 buds don't stick out too much from your ears, making them relatively comfortable when leaning against a pillow or surface.

A look at the AZ100s' fit. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

In terms of active noise cancellation, the AZ100s are as good as the very best noise-cancelling earbuds I've tested. They filter out human voices extremely well. While testing, I couldn't hear my partner unlocking, opening, and closing a door just seven feet away from me, nor did I hear her yelling my name. They dampened the clamor of the New York City subway, too.

Additional features justify the high price point

If you have an Android smartphone or compatible digital audio player, the AZ100 buds support the LDAC codec, aka lossless audio. Now, I'm just a lowly iPhone and Spotify user, but if you're a true connoisseur of sound, you'll appreciate this.

The AZ100s also support multi-point connection on three Bluetooth devices at once. In my experience, lots of brands claim to offer multi-point connection, but in reality, you have to do a lot of annoying manual switching. Here, multipoint works seamlessly. As I write this, the buds are connected to my iPhone and Macbook, and I can switch back and forth to audio on either device.

Surely, this will be the standard in the years ahead, and I can only hope other brands figure it out.

There are two other features I have to call out.

The buds with their metal charging case. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable The charging case and USB-C port. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

First, the Voice Focus AI. These earbuds use AI to isolate the sound of human voices, which is helpful when listening on ambient mode. It's also very handy for phone calls and online meetings. Truly, it made other sounds disappear like magic on calls. You can activate it on either end of a call, or both.

Lastly, the adaptive aspect of the active noise cancellation is much appreciated. We haven't really seen custom tuning available for ANC since the Bose 700 noise-cancelling headphones disappeared. With the AZ100s, you can fine-tune the ANC to your liking, providing an even better audio experience.

I haven't even mentioned the Dolby Atmos, the 10-hour battery life (with ANC engaged), or the IPX4 water resistance.

If you're curious, here are some of the tracks I used to test out these buds. I listened to these songs repeatedly with the Technics buds and other premium buds and headphones.

The verdict: Wow.

Personally, if I'm being asked to pay $300 or more for a product, I expect more than plastic. And in keeping with the premium tech inside these buds, the AZ100s use a metal charging case and metal accents on the buds themselves. The precision-cut details are a nice touch, especially compared to the all-plastic design of the competition.

Of course, what really matters here is the sound quality. While Bose retains an edge on overall comfort, I'm not aware of any wireless earbuds in the world that offer better, fuller, more accurate sound.

The Technics Reference Class HiFi Wireless Earbuds are priced at $299.99 and are available now at Amazon, Crutchfield, and Panasonic.

Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 wireless earbuds $299.99 at Amazon
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TL;DR: Live stream Draper vs. Kokkinakis in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top tennis players from around the world are battling it out to progress in the Australian Open. Winning the trophy might be too much to ask for Draper and Kokkinakis, but both players will be confident of making it through to the next round.

If you want to watch Draper vs. Kokkinakis in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Draper vs. Kokkinakis for free

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TL;DR: Live stream Gauff vs. Burrage in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Aryna Sabalenka is favorite to win the 2025 Australian Open, but if anyone can stop her from claiming her third title in three years, it's Coco Gauff. The third seed faces off against Jodie Burrage in the second round.

If you want to watch Gauff vs. Burrage in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Gauff vs. Burrage for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Gauff vs. Burrage.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Gauff vs. Burrage without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Gauff vs. Burrage in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sued Elon Musk, alleging that the billionaire failed to disclose his acquisition of Twitter stocks within the legally required timeframe in 2022. The most surprising aspect of this lawsuit is that it took so long to arrive.

Filed in the District Court of Columbia on Tuesday, the lawsuit concerns Musk's actions in the lead up to his reluctant $44 billion purchase of microblogging platform Twitter three years ago (which he has since rebranded to X). By March 14, 2022, Musk had purchased enough Twitter shares to place him in possession of over five percent of the publicly traded company. As such, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Musk was legally obligated to file a report informing the SEC of his acquisition within 10 days.

SEE ALSO: Twitter shareholder Elon Musk is reportedly being investigated by the SEC. Again.

However, rather than disclosing his purchase by March 24, Musk allegedly waited 11 days past the deadline before finally notifying the SEC on April 4. He also reportedly spent over $500 million to purchase even more Twitter shares in the interim, increasing his stake to 9.2 percent.

Once Musk did report his purchase, Twitter's stock price skyrocketed, pushing the value of Musk's shares up to $2.89 billion. Twitter's stock ended the day 27 percent higher than the previous day's closing price, driven up by news of the billionaire's investment. 

As such, Musk's delay in disclosing enabled him to purchase additional shares at a lower price than they would have sold for if he had fulfilled his reporting obligations. According to the lawsuit, this saved him at least $150 million. Musk's delay also prevented other investors who sold their shares from benefiting from an increased price, the SEC stating that they "suffered substantial economic harm."

The SEC is seeking a fine, as well as for Musk to be forced to give up the profit he gained from his alleged violation.

Reports that the SEC was investigating Musk's Twitter stock purchase first arose in 2022, less than a month after the deal was initiated. It now seems the securities regulator is now ready to act, though whether Musk will take the lawsuit seriously is another matter. The billionaire has made no secret of his disdain for the SEC.

This isn't the only lawsuit Musk is facing due to his delay in reporting. A class action suit was also filed against Musk in 2022 by former Twitter shareholders who sold their stocks during the gap between the billionaire's purchase and disclosure. The case is still ongoing.

Mark Zuckerberg wrapped up a very busy week of policy shifts — from scrapping DEI initiatives at Facebook to introducing recommendations for political content on Threads and Instagram — by appearing on Joe Rogan's podcast for three grueling hours and claiming that the corporate world needs more "masculine energy" akin to the discipline of martial arts.

"A lot of our society has become very...neutered or emasculated," Zuckerberg said before noting that he does, indeed, have sisters and daughters, removing any questions that what he is about to say might be rooted in sexism.

"Masculine energy is good, and obviously, society has plenty of that, but I think corporate culture was really trying to get away from it," Zuckerberg continued. "I think having a culture that celebrates the aggression a bit more has its own merits that are really positive."

It should go without saying that framing masculinity as inherently tied to aggression is harmful and normalizes violent stereotypes — but apparently, it needs to be said. Zuckerberg went on to claim that corporate America "used to be very masculine" and "hyper-aggressive," acknowledging that this might have made women feel the systems were biased against them, which he conceded was "not good either."

SEE ALSO: 8 ways Mark Zuckerberg changed Meta ahead of Trump’s inauguration

"It's one thing to say we want to be welcoming and make a good environment for everyone, and I think it's another to basically say that masculinity is bad," Zuckerberg told Rogan. "And I think we swung, culturally, to that part of the spectrum where [people think] masculinity is toxic [and] we have to get rid of it completely. It's like, no. Both of these things are good."

Zuckerberg's claim that masculinity in corporate America is a thing of the past is demonstrably false. Men currently hold about 90 percent of CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies — the highest number of female representation we've ever seen, yet still overwhelmingly male-dominated. His remarks come across as a transparent gender-based dog whistle, conveying the idea of masculinity as a cultural value under threat.

The concepts of masculinity and femininity have been used to keep women out of the workplace for centuries, and, as Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, the author of Seven Steps to Leading a Gender-Balanced Business wrote in the Harvard Business Review in 2016, "perpetuate the rigid strictures of masculinity."

"While gender biases and inflexible systems still hold back working mothers, research has found that fathers who take time off to care for their families may be even more harshly penalized at work," Wittenberg-Cox wrote. "Even a short absence results in lower performance evaluations and fewer awards, something that doesn’t happen when men take time off for other, more 'macho' reasons (such as taking a vacation or training for a marathon)."

These biases reinforce oppressive systems that disadvantage women, nonbinary, and trans people — compounding challenges like the widening gender pay gap, the erosion of reproductive rights, and the resurgence of traditional gender roles via the tradwife trend. Corporate views on masculinity and femininity continue to undermine progress, with their harmful effects playing out in real-time.

SEE ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg criticizes Apple for lack of innovation on Rogan podcast appearance

Zuckerberg’s rhetoric also ignores decades of scholarship on the social construction of gender. Judith Butler, for instance, argues that gender is a construct and a verb more than a noun. You aren't ruled by some essence of a man or a woman inside you, but the expression itself is what constitutes your gender. If Zuckerberg were following this logic — which he is not — he might acknowledge that corporate environments perpetuate rigid and harmful power structures under the guise of gender binaries.

But lest we forget, Facebook began as a platform created to rate women based on their looks.

Butler's exploration of gender performance isn't just a matter of communication: It is explicitly used as a mechanism of oppressive power dynamics. They argue that sex and gender are socially constructed, and they are ultimately just different facets of the same arbitrary demand system leveraged against us all.

Moreover, what does "masculine energy" or "feminine energy" even mean? One of the most glaring problems with Zuckerberg's duality is that he fails to account for the diversity of experiences among men and women across different identities. As Elizabeth Spelman, a philosopher and professor at Smith College, pointed out nearly 40 years ago (when Zuckerberg was just two years old), such unitary gender notions assume gender is constructed independently of race, class, ethnicity, and nationality. If gender were separate from race and class, for example, all men would experience manhood in the same way, and all women would experience womanhood in the same way.

Zuckerberg’s framing erases these nuances, reducing complex dynamics to simplistic stereotypes.

It's no coincidence that Zuckerberg feels comfortable saying this now. President-elect Donald Trump, a notorious sexist, is about to take office, something the Meta CEO no doubt took notice of as he went on a tirade of removing safety protocols for protected people this past week.

When Zuckerberg, one of the richest and most powerful people in the world, tells Joe Rogen, one of the most popular and influential podcast hosts in the world, that companies need more "masculine energy," he is saying they need more men. He says this as he lifts prohibitions on Meta platforms against some hate speech, including allowing users to post content that calls women property. He says this as he gets rid of fact-checkers on Meta platforms in favor of Community Notes, a decision faced with incredible backlash from civil and human rights organizations. He says this as Meta ends its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, which studies show have had a positive impact on women in the workforce overall. He says this as he instructs facilities managers to remove tampons from men's bathrooms in Meta’s offices in California, Texas, and New York. He says this as Meta deletes trans and nonbinary themes on its Messenger app.

His remarks — and the actions backing them — serve as a reminder that power, unchecked, will always seek to maintain itself, even, and especially, at the expense of progress.

An important date is approaching: Sunday, Jan. 19, also known as Edgar Allan Poe's birthday.

I'm just kidding. That heartbeat in the floorboards? It's TikTok's. The Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of a law that would ban TikTok in the U.S. If the court upholds the law, it will go into effect on Jan. 19.

SEE ALSO: TikTok ban countdown: See the latest updates as time runs short

The app won't be automatically deleted from your phone, but, as NPR reports, it might not be as great as you're used to. Maybe you'll get a prompt indicating the service isn't available in the U.S., and videos won't load. Maybe you can use the app, but it'll be buggy. It's difficult to know what, exactly, that will look like. Still, we know you won't be able to update the app or delete and redownload it because app stores on Apple and Google and internet hosting companies will be penalized by the government if they offer those services.

If you've spent the past few years curating a perfect collection of TikTok videos in your favorites folder, you can still save them to your device. However, this method requires a Chrome extension, and the videos will take up a significant amount of space, so you might want an additional hard drive.

Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• TikTok app
• optional hard drive
• MyFaveTT

Step 1: Add the Chrome extension

Find MyFaveTT or another Chrome extension that will save your TikTok apps.

Credit: MyFaveTT browser extension

Step 2: Log into your TikTok account and download away

MyFaveTT offers three options: Download all my Likes, Download all my Favorites, and Download from people I follow. Choose the option that works best for you, and follow the prompts.

Credit: MyFaveTT browser extension

If you'd like to download your data from TikTok, you can do that without a Chrome extension. The process is fairly straightforward.

Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• TikTok app

Step 1: Navigate to privacy

Click the settings button on your profile and navigate down to privacy.

Credit: TikTok privacy

Step 2: Request your data

Now you'll request your data. You can download all of your data, or you can specifically only download your Profile and posts, Activity, or Messages. Click request once you've decided how to move forward. Once your data is ready to be downloaded, it will be available for four days under the "download data" tab.

Credit: Request data from TikTok

Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

I'm not a PC gamer, but I like to glance at gaming monitors occasionally. Enthusiasts get the good stuff, and if you want to see a pretty display, see one made for gamers. That's why I'm excited to see Samsung unveil the first 4K OLED monitor that's only 27 inches, even if it's aimed at gamers.

Apple’s peripherals are sleek and compact, so it’s easy to fit more than one on your desk. Find out how much better your Mac experience can be with a trackpad in one hand and a mouse in the other.

In the early 2010s, Australian influencer Belle Gibson built a wellness empire off of a lie. She claimed that she had brain cancer, and that she had cured it through healthy eating, exercise, and natural medicine. Yet Belle had never been diagnosed with brain cancer, nor any of the many other cancers she later claimed to have.

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

Now, Gibson's story gets the Netflix true crime treatment in Apple Cider Vinegar, a limited series starring Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, The Last of Us Season 2) as Gibson.

Apple Cider Vinegar's first trailer shows Belle's rise to fame, as well as her competing with fellow wellness influencer Milla Blake (Alycia Debnam-Carey, It's What's Inside) who, unlike Belle, actually has cancer. The two vie for the most attention on social media, with Belle's cookbook and app grating on Milla until she tells someone over the phone, "I want to destroy her."

Bring on the battle of the influencers.

Apple Cider Vinegar premieres Feb. 6 on Netflix.

Apple's Family Sharing lets you share subscriptions and purchases with your family, but it’s also a great way to monitor and restrict children’s purchases. Here's how to enable and use the feature.

A new app has a seemingly odd goal for people — that they use apps less. But the people behind the iOS app Steppin accept the reality that many modern individuals need technology to wean themselves off technology.

iOS app Steppin was created by Paul English, the cofounder of the travel site Kayak (purchased by Priceline in 2012 for $1.8 billion). Steppin, which dropped Tuesday on the app store and has the tagline "Escape the Scroll," allows users to block access to sites and apps — with an emphasis on social media — until they complete a self-regulated amount of steps. English's concept, according to The Verge, came after a family trip to Spain that found the clan looking down at their timelines instead of up at the museums and cathedrals.

SEE ALSO: What to know about new research on screen time and kids' mental health

Steppin users determine how many steps they need to take to unlock, say, a minute of TikTok or five minutes of Instagram. English sees the app as a way to promote both mental and physical health for kids and adults.

Online controls aren't limited to social media, but also video games and entertainment sites like Netflix. Eventually, Steppin users will be allowed to get creative with what physical exertion unlocks screen time, like yoga or Pilates classes.

Soon to be available on Android as well as iOS, Steppin is free for now, but will likely follow a subscription model (probably around $20 monthly) in the future.

OpenAI has released a new feature called "Tasks" for ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro subscribers. This feature lets you set reminders and schedule regular tasks within the ChatGPT interface.

One of the great advantages of smart home technology is being able to tie multiple devices together through automation. Here’s how to better use a smart video doorbell with some of the other gadgets in your home.

Dell has revealed a bunch of new laptops at CES 2025, including two workstation PCs ready for anything you can throw at them. Meet the Dell Pro Max 14 and Pro Max 16.