Technology

Roborock at CES 2026: Smart cleaning grows into full smart living

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 16:27

CES has always been about showcasing big ideas, but Roborock is getting quite “meta” with its “The Greatest Meeting the Greatest” theme for CES 2026.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Gear up for winter with the DJI Power 2000 portable power station while its $500 off

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 16:24

SAVE $500: The DJI Power 2000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $799, down from the list price of $1,299. That's a 38% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 2000 portable power station $799 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $500   Get Deal

The world of content creation is pretty great. From our couch, we can now join people on a cruise that goes around the world, step into a grocery store in Sweden, or watch incredible drone footage of winter skiing. If you happen to be one of these content creators, you know the struggle of keeping everything powered up, but there's a simple solution in a portable power station. If you're looking for a model that's great for creators, check out this Amazon deal.

As of Jan. 7, the DJI Power 2000 portable power station is on sale for $799 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $1,299. That's a 38% discount that takes $500 off the usual price.

If you're a fan of DJI drones, you'll love the two SDC ports on the Power 2000. In addition, it comes with four AC ports, four USB-A, and four USB-C options (140W max) for recharging everything you'll need to create content. In total, the DJI Power 2000 offers up 2,048Wh of battery life with long-lasting LiFePO4 battery cells.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for the big chill with the Bluetti Pioneer Na(Sodium) portable power station while it's $500 off

DJI mentions this is also a great model for using at home during power outages. You'll be able to recharge a phone, tablet, and a 2100W oven all at the same time with the DJI Power 2000. Other scenarios include keeping the WiFi router on for over 150 hours, or the refrigerator cooling for 40 hours.

Another major benefit of the DJI Power 2000 is its expansion ability. The station can connect with up to 10 DJI expansion batteries, which would offer a grand total of 22,528Wh. In real-life terms, DJI says that can power a whole house for four to six days.

Before you head off on the next content creation project, upgrade to the DJI Power 2000 to ensure your tech can stay charged up. Today's sale price at Amazon means you can save $500 on the station that will also be great at home during power outages.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Please stop buying these "new" NVIDIA GPUs: They are e-waste

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 16:15

The GPU market includes GPUs of all shapes, sizes, and price points. The cheapest ones can range from pretty good to actual trash, though.

Categories: IT General, Technology

6 things Windows users always get wrong about Linux (and what’s actually true)

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 16:00

There are many misconceptions about Linux, and some I've believed myself. Long ago, I stuck with Windows because I misjudged Linux. Now, I wish to clear up some misunderstandings; here are 6 things that people often get wrong.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Don't buy a small 3D printer until you've read this

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 15:30

Are you debating getting a smaller 3D printer to save some money? I made that choice nearly two years ago, and I’m just now recovering from it. Here’s my first-hand experience advice on how to make sure you don’t repeat my mistake and buy the wrong size 3D printer.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The new Star Trek is finally here: What to watch on Paramount+ in January 2026

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 15:00

The New Year is here, and with it comes a bevy of new Paramount+ originals to stream. As it stands, January looks to be full of psychological thrillers, a jaw-dropping true crime docuseries, and a Canadian edition of an MTV reality show phenomenon. This month also sees the return of School Spirits and the highly anticipated premiere of the Star Trek spinoff, Starfleet Academy.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop chasing frameworks: 9 reasons you should focus on the fundamentals instead

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 14:31

Frameworks change fast, but core skills persist and pay off in every stack. Before you reach for that framework, whether it’s familiar or untested, consider the strengths of building your own solution first.

Categories: IT General, Technology

CES 2026: Lollipop Star is a speaker that plays music through your teeth. Yes, really.

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 14:01

How does your music taste? Or, perhaps, how does your lollipop sound?

These have just become legit questions as one company just launched a lollipop at CES 2026 that doubles as a loudspeaker.

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

Called the Lollipop Star and created by a company called Lava Tech Brands (the company is based in the U.S., but the lollipops are made in China), this unusual combo isn't the type of speaker you buy once and use for years. Instead, they're affordable, quick, sweet bites that play a tune while you eat them.

At nine bucks a piece, these are going to be hard to say no to. Credit: Lava Brand

The company said it's teamed up with global pop icons for the music, and that each Lollipop Star, priced at $8.99, will carry its own beat, flavor and vibe. Examples include a peach-flavored lollipop that plays music from Ice Spice, or a blueberry-flavored one that plays Akon.

So how does it work? Lollipop Star uses bone conduction tech to deliver the sound, with the electronics hidden in the stick. As you bite down on the lollipop, vibrations travel from your jaw to your inner ear. You probably shouldn't expect too much in terms of sound quality, but at nine bucks a piece, it won't break the bank, either. It's the type of product that makes it near impossible to say no to once your kids first encounter it.

Featured Video For You Motorola is entering the wearable AI game

Lollipop Star isn't available yet, but it should launch after CES. If you're interested, you can head on to the company's website and join the waitlist to get updates about the product.

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

I can't live without this underrated Android gesture

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 14:00

As phone screens have gotten more unwieldy, we’ve been forced to rely more on gestures for navigation. While some gestures are obvious, there are others that aren’t as well-known. One lesser-known Android gesture, in particular, has become essential in my daily life.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Booster Box is below market value at Amazon

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 13:55

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is on sale for $98.68 at Amazon. That's below market value compared to TCGplayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Store Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box $98.68 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $66.02   Get Deal

We're usually content with finding trading cards at close to market value on Amazon, so we're extremely pleased to see something considerably below what the market is willing to pay. It doesn't happen regularly, so we feel the need to make some noise about the fact that the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is under $100 at Amazon.

As of Jan. 7, the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is on sale for $98.68 at Amazon. That's over $60 off and close to the lowest-ever price at the retailer. It's also lower than the market value we're seeing over on TCGplayer, which is really something. Amazon doesn't usually compete with the market, so collectors should take note.

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The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box includes 30 play boosters that each contain 14 cards plus a single Token or Art card. Of the 14 cards in each play booster, one will be a shining Traditional Foil card, 1-4 will be "Rare" or better, and you could even pull a Special Guest Mythic Rare. That's not likely, but you could get lucky.

Pick up the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box for below market value at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

6 Excel problems Microsoft should finally fix in 2026

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 13:30

As we move into 2026, it's time Microsoft finally addressed some pain points all Excel users have experienced for far too long. The software's modern features are great, but I'm tired of the paper-cut bugs that haven't changed in decades. Here are the six fundamental changes I want to see implemented this year.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Lego Botanicals Orchid is one of our favorite sets, and its currently over $10 off at Amazon

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 13:28

SAVE $10: As of Jan. 7, the Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311) is marked down to $39.98 at Amazon. This is $10.01 off its list price of $49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311) $39.98 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.01   Get Deal

The Lego Botanicals collection features a variety of beautiful brick-built floral arrangements that are perfect for grabbing if you want a little extra color in your home. What's even better is some sets, like the Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311), are on sale at the moment.

As of Jan. 7, the Lego Botanicals Orchid is on sale for $39.98 at Amazon, which is just over $10 off its usual list price of $49.99. It's one of our favorite Lego sets — thanks to its "gorgeous" design and the fact that it's "unkillable" — so why not scoop it up now while the deal is still available?

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The Lego Botanicals Orchid is recommended for adults and comes with 608 pieces to create this lovely display piece. It features five leaves at the base, two wandering air roots alongside the blooms, and a blue vase to keep them all in, which can all be customized and rotated so you can find your preferred style for display.

If you're hoping to bring some flower arrangements into your home without having to worry about watering them, this Lego Botanicals Orchid is worth a look, especially while it's discounted. It's not the only Lego Botanicals set on sale right now, either. If you want more, the Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet is also on sale right now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is close to market value at Amazon

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 13:23

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $88.30 at Amazon. That's over $10 off and close to market value.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box $88.30 at Amazon
$106.89 Save $18.59   Get Deal

The trading card market is, frankly, all over the place. We're desperately trying to keep pace with market fluctuations, but it's hard, OK? Prices climb and fall seemingly without warning, and big box retailers often offer inflated prices disguised as deals.

With all of that in mind, when we find something on Amazon that's actually close to market value, we're pretty pleased. And that's exactly what we've got with the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box. This popular set is on sale for $88.30 at Amazon. That's over $10 off and close to market value compared to listings on TCGplayer.

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The Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box includes nine booster packs, one full-art foil promo card featuring Charcadet, and 65 card sleeves. This collection also comes with 40 Pokémon TCG Energy cards, a player’s guide to the expansion, six damage-counter dice, one competition-legal coin-flip die, one plastic coin, and a collector’s box with six dividers to keep everything organized.

Get the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box for close to market value at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Roblox rolls out mandatory age checks for all users

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 13:00

Roblox, the global youth gaming platform currently under fire for widespread child safety concerns, is rolling out mandatory age checks for all users who want to chat on the platform.

Roblox's site-wide age estimation feature was announced in November, utilizing AI age estimation tech provided by third-party vendor Persona that relies on on-device cameras. The system then assigns users to one of six categories: Under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. The tech was initially launched as part of a verified chat tool for users 13-17 years old.

Starting today (Jan. 7), that process will be required for all users in areas where chat functions are available.

SEE ALSO: What would ethical age verification look like online?

"As the first large online gaming platform to require facial age checks for users of all ages to access chat, this implementation is our next step toward what we believe will be the gold standard for communication safety," wrote Matt Kaufman, Roblox Chief Safety Officer, and Rajiv Bhatia, head of user and discovery product, in a blog post.

According to the platform, millions have already completed voluntary age checks since the feature launched. In regions where age checks were already required — Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands — Roblox says more than 50 percent of all users have opted in to age-verified chat.

Roblox says it plans to expand mandatory age estimation to real-time collaboration features in Roblox Studio, and will be updating its Roblox community policies.

Credit: Roblox

The site, which saw 151 million daily users in 2025, is home to nearly half of the entire U.S. population under 16 years old.

Roblox has been systematically overhauling its chat features and bulking up its parental control tools in response to safety concerns, including activity monitoring, expanded blocking options, and chat moderation.

Still, many are skeptical that Roblox's expanded age checks and other safety features will effectively tamp down the proliferation of child exploitation and predators on the platform. Some contend that the technology has too much room for error — developers Persona and Roblox executives say age estimation is accurate within a margin of two years, and works better for younger users.

In addition to multiple lawsuits filed by state attorneys general, Roblox is facing nearly 80 lawsuits by victims and parents that allege the platform did not do enough to prevent child sexual exploitation or warn users of risks. Several of the cases also name Meta, Discord, and Snapchat, sites where victims were directed to continue inappropriate conversations started on Roblox. The cases are set to be centralized before a single district judge in a San Francisco. Roblox has disputed the claims.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Soundcore Space Q45 headphones are on sale for under $100 at Amazon — save $50 right now

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:53

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 7, the Soundcore Space Q45 headphones have dropped to $99.99 at Amazon. This is $50 off their list price of $149.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Space Q45 Headphones $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

If new headphones are on your shopping list for 2026, Amazon has some exciting deals to check out. At the moment, our favorite well-rounded budget headphones, the Soundcore Space Q45 headphones, have dipped below $100 at the retailer, but only for a limited time.

Amazon has dropped the price of the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones down to $99.99, making for $50 in savings from their list price of $149.99. Considering they're listed as a limited-time deal, it's better to act fast to pick them up at this low price.

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The Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones have quite a lot to offer for under $100. They boast adaptive noise cancelling to help you block out any noises around you while you listen, up to 50 hours of playtime in noise cancelling mode (which is a massive bonus for those wanting headphones for long travel periods), and great sound quality.

When it comes to the latter, our roundup of the best budget headphones — which highlights these as the most well-rounded budget headphones — says "Bass dominates the soundstage in a positive way. Headbangers will salivate over the Space Q45’s boomy and energetic low-end presence. Customized settings (e.g., EQ, music presets) make room for crisp highs and rich mids."

If you're looking for a sleek sound upgrade for the new year, look no further than this deal on the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones. If you're curious what other options are worth grabbing this year, have a look at our overall roundup of the best headphones to see some of our top picks.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Jimmy Kimmel recaps Trumps latest unhinged speech with 57-second montage

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:50

If you want to get a flavor of Donald Trump's latest speech made to Republicans on Tuesday, just watch the 57-second montage in the Jimmy Kimmel Live! video above — which is so all-over-the-place it's difficult to summarise in words.

"I feel like even he knows what he's saying's nuts, because just about every time he goes off on these tangents, he then makes it clear that he isn't actually scatterbrained, it's just a 'weave,'" says host Jimmy Kimmel. He then cuts back to the U.S. president explaining the importance of returning to an original point after going off on tangents so that you're "in good shape."

"That's right," says Kimmel. "No one is in better shape than he is."

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:39

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is available to pre-order for $159.99 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price at the retailer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box $159.99 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $49.71   Get Deal

We're busy keeping tabs on all the new Magic: The Gathering collections set to launch. Partly because what's to come is seriously cool, but also because we're waiting for the best deals to drop. We've already highlighted the upcoming release on the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box, but there's more to come in the early stages of 2026.

The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is set to release on March 6. As of Jan. 7, this booster box is available to pre-order for $159.99 at Amazon. That's close to market value compared to listings on TCGplayer, but we'd still like to see Amazon's price come down a little more. So are we saying you should wait for a better price? No, actually.

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Amazon's pre-order price guarantee protects you against missing out on a better deal. Whenever you pre-order a product with Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, the price you get charged when it ships will be the lowest price offered between the time you placed your order and the end of the day on the release date. So there's no risk of buying early.

The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is perfect for building decks and playing Limited games with friends, and they're just a lot of fun to open up. Each booster contains 14 cards, 1-4 rares or mythics, 3-6 uncommons, 6-9 commons, and a chance of pulling Full Boarderless or Mythic Rare Turtles. Feeling lucky?

Secure Amazon's best price on the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box before it launches in March, 2026

Categories: IT General, Technology

UNIX V4 is back: I booted into the 1973 OS and it made me weirdly happy

How-To Geek - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:30

Last year, researchers at the University of Utah found a copy of Unix lying around on a 9-track magnetic tape. It's special because that version of Unix was lost until it was recovered from that magnetic tape 52 years later. The researchers managed to successfully reconstruct it, and then they made the copy public. Anyone can download it and run it inside a virtual machine. So I did just that, and it made me so giddy to use it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Elon Musks xAI raises $20 billion as Grok is investigated for deepfakes

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:29

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI has raised $20 billion in an upsized Series E funding round, the company announced on Tuesday. The news comes days after the company's next generation intelligent assistant Grok came under scrutiny for generating nonconsensual sexualized images.

The original target for the funding round was $15 billion, xAI said, but ended up raising $5 billion more from an A list of investors including Fidelity, Valor, Stepstone, Baron, Qatar Investment Authority, MGX, as well as Nvidia's and Cisco's investment arms.

SEE ALSO: xAI admits that Grok generated images of 'minors in minimal clothing,' part of a larger problem with deepfakes

The company is currently training its next generation intelligent assistant, Grok 5, and is also working on "innovative new consumer and enterprise products that harness the power of Grok, Colossus, and 𝕏 to transform how we live, work, and play."

The money raised will be used for infrastructure buildout, new research, and hiring, with the company saying it's "aggressively" hiring to build a team "focused on making a transformational impact on the future of humanity."

In a blog post announcing the funding round, xAI highlighted some of its successes in 2025, including launching Grok 4 series, Grok's voice mode, image generation tool Grok Imagine, and using Grok to leverage the X platform to "understand what's happening in the world in real-time."

Featured Video For You Samsung previews futuristics TVs and display technology at CES First Look event

The announcement comes days after X users noticed that the platform's AI chatbot Grok will readily generate nonconsensual sexualized images, including those of children. These images were incredibly easy to find — all one had to do was check Grok's "Media" tab on X and see that it basically consists of sexualized images of women, both celebrities and private citizens.

Following the outrage from users, several foreign governments, including those of Malaysia, India, and France, launched investigations into Grok. Musk responded to the issue by tweeting that "anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content."

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

As of writing time Grok's Media tab on X has gotten better in this regard, but still contains numerous sexualized images of various people.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Score the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra for its lowest-ever price at Amazon — save over $150

Mashable - Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:16

SAVE $150: As of Jan. 7, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is down to its lowest-ever prices of $499.98 at Amazon. This is $150.01 off the list price of $649.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) $499.98 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $150.01   Get Deal

The start of a new year is a good opportunity to plan out some of your health and fitness goals. A smartwatch can help you keep an eye on them, and right now there's quite a few discounts to check out. If you're looking to splash out on a fancy high-end model, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is among the options on sale.

As of Jan. 7, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra ismarked down to its lowest-ever price of $499.98 at Amazon. This is just over $150 off its usual price of $649.99, which is a pretty nice deal to jump on.

SEE ALSO: The top 6 CES 2026 trends I expect to see at tech's biggest show

The heavy duty Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra boasts a durable titanium design and plenty of features, including an Energy Score to see how ready your body is for the day and a Running Coach for athletic individuals wanting to plan out a run for the day. It also features Advanced Sleep Coaching to get a better idea of your sleeping habits and Vascular Load monitoring to keep an eye on your stress levels.

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These are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If you're looking for a sleek smartwatch upgrade, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is worth a look, especially while it's still on sale.

Curious what other smartwatches are worth checking out right now? Have a look at our breakdown of the best smartwatches to see more top picks that we believe are worth your time and money.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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