Technology

There are hundreds of different headphones and earbuds in varying shapes, sizes, styles, colors, and of course, prices. These days, you can grab a random pair off the digital shelf without too much research and find that they do the job just fine.

However, if you're tired of settling for "just fine" when it comes to the gadgets that you use for hours every day, then it's worth investing in the best headphones. Through hours and hours of listening, we sorted through dozens of headphones to find the very best models.

How to choose the best headphones

We won't beat around the bush: There's no definitive "best" product here. Sure, elite headphones brands like Bose, Sony, and Apple put out high-quality products across the board, but even within each of those brands, you'll find different tiers of products. Some will deliver better value, and some will deliver better hardware and performance.

SEE ALSO: Review: Dyson's new headphones have awe-inspiring features and a clunky design

All this to say, the best pair of earbuds or headphones largely comes down to personal preference and how you plan to use them. Some listeners swear by over-ear headphones while others prefer the minimalism of earbuds — one is not necessarily better than the other. Athletes who like to use headphones at the gym will appreciate waterproof materials and certifications, while frequent fliers will prefer devices with long battery life, comfort, and portability. Finally, music lovers and audiophiles will want to invest in premium features like a custom equalizer, spatial audio, or best-in-class active noise cancellation.

To help you pick, we tested all of the headphones in this guide (and a lot that didn't make the cut) to bring you the best for noise cancellation, music, budget shoppers, and wired connections. So, read on to find the best new pair of headphones or earbuds for you.

What are the best Bluetooth headphones of 2025?

With the exception of the Marshall Mode earbuds, this list is entirely Bluetooth headphones and earbuds. While wired headphones have their time and place, and many of the over-the-ear models here have the option to be wired, wireless headphones are just easier. You can move through your day enjoying a comfortable fit without getting tangled up, plus, Bluetooth headphones and earbuds also feature ANC to keep your surroundings tuned out.

Save $70: As of Jan 14, Samsung 65-inch DU7200B Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV is down to $398 at Walmart, saving you $70 off its usual price of $468.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-inch DU7200B Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV $398.00 at Walmart
$468.00 Save $70.00 Get Deal

If you’ve been holding out for a big-screen TV that won’t wreck your budget, this 65-inch Samsung Crystal UHD TV might be the deal you’ve been waiting for. At just under $400 at Walmart, it delivers sharp 4K resolution, vibrant colors, and some handy smart features that make it a fantastic upgrade for your living room or gaming setup.

The PurColor tech ensures the picture pops with a wider range of hues than your average display. Buyers can stream a dramatic sunset or watch the big game in lifelike colors. It also packs HDR support, so even dark, moody scenes keep their fine details intact — perfect for your late-night movie marathons.

SEE ALSO: The Withings Omnia Smart Mirror offered to connect me to a specialist for a health issue

Gamers and sports fans will love the Motion Xcelerator feature, which smooths out fast-moving action for a seamless viewing experience. And thanks to 4K upscaling, even older shows and movies look sharper than ever. On the audio side, Object Tracking Sound Lite gives you virtual surround sound that follows the action on screen. It’s not Dolby Atmos, but it’s a solid touch for this price.

The Tizen OS makes navigating your favorite apps and streaming services a breeze. Plus, Samsung TV Plus comes built-in, offering over 250 free channels — no subscriptions required. If you’re pairing it with a Samsung soundbar, the Q-Symphony feature syncs the TV’s built-in speakers with the soundbar for a more immersive sound experience.

At this price, you’re getting a lot of screen for your money and features that usually appear in pricier models. Thinking of upgrading for movie nights, gaming sessions, or to catch up on your favorite shows? This Samsung Crystal UHD TV is a steal. Don’t wait too long, though. At $398, it might not stay in stock for long.

Save $150: As of Jan 14, LG 55-inch QNED 85 Series Smart TV is down to $596.99 at Walmart. That’s a $150 discount from its regular price of $746.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 55-inch QNED 85 Series Smart TV $596.99 at Walmart
$746.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal

Alright, gamers and binge-watchers, listen up. The LG QNED 85 Series is here to brighten your living room (literally) with its QNED contrast and 120Hz refresh rate, now at a price that won't make you wince. Blast through levels in your favorite game or stream the latest season of your go-to show; this TV has the stones to keep up with the newest gaming and streaming tech. In fact, that's also built in.

First up, the QNED tech. It combines quantum dots with NanoCell to deliver sharp colors, rich contrast, and impressive clarity, even if your room isn't perfectly dim. Pair that with the α8 AI Processor, and you have a TV that optimizes sound and picture on the fly, making everything look and sound a little better.

SEE ALSO: The Withings Omnia Smart Mirror offered to connect me to a specialist for a health issue

HDMI 2.1 connectivity and GeForce NOW compatibility are standout features for gamers, with Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming coming in February. The Game Optimizer lets you tweak settings quickly, so you're always ready for the action. Plus, the 120Hz refresh rate keeps fighting bosses or racking up kills silky smooth while supporting the best high-end features of this console generation.

The webOS 24 interface is as user-friendly as it gets. You can customize the experience with Quick Cards to organize your apps. Oh, and let's not forget the Magic Remote — use your voice, click a button, or point-and-click to navigate like a pro.

With LG Channels, you've got access to over 300 free channels. That's 300 reasons to procrastinate on whatever else you should do today. And, with up to five years of software updates, this TV will stay relevant longer than most impulse buys.

At $596.99 at Walmart, this TV is a steal for anyone looking to upgrade their home entertainment setup. Whether you're a gamer, a streamer, or someone who loves a sharp, colorful picture, this deal is hard to pass up. Grab it while you can!

Save $200: As of Jan 14, Amazon Fire TV 55-inch 4-Series 4K UHD Smart TV is down to $319.99 at Amazon. That’s 38% off its usual $519.99 price tag.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV 55-inch 4-Series 4K UHD Smart TV $319.99 at Amazon
$519.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal

Amazon Fire TV 55-inch 4-Series is sitting at $319.99 (down from $519.99), and if you’ve been putting off a TV upgrade, this deal’s worth a look. It’s not trying to blow your mind with bells and whistles. Still, it’s a solid, reliable 4K TV that delivers the essentials without burning a hole in your wallet.

First, you’ve got 4K Ultra HD resolution, so everything you watch looks crisp and detailed. Toss in HDR10 and HLG; you get colors that pop just enough to make your Netflix binges or game nights feel a little extra. The Dolby Digital Plus sound is decent enough for most setups, though a soundbar wouldn’t hurt.

SEE ALSO: The Withings Omnia Smart Mirror offered to connect me to a specialist for a health issue

What really makes this TV worth considering is how easy it is to use. The Fire TV OS comes baked in, so you can stream right out of the box (Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video). Plus, you can ditch the endless scrolling with Alexa built into the remote. Just say, “Alexa, find comedy movies,” and you’re good to go. Simple and effective.

The four HDMI ports are a big plus for anyone with a pile of devices. There’s room for your console, a Blu-ray player, or even a streaming box if you’re feeling fancy. And if you’re into sports or fast-moving action scenes, the Motion Xcelerator feature helps keep things smooth, so you won’t miss a single detail.

At $319.99, this TV is perfect for someone looking to upgrade without splurging on all the latest tech. It’s great as a main screen for your living room or as a second TV for a bedroom or gaming corner. It’s not pretending to be the fanciest option on the market. Still, it’s reliable, easy to use, and does the job without making your wallet cry. If you’ve been looking for a no-fuss upgrade, this is the deal to snag before it’s gone.

From the "please not this again" department comes the news that China is looking to sell TikTok's U.S. operations to (who else?) Elon Musk.

According to Bloomberg, Chinese officials are "evaluating" this option as TikTok gets increasingly close to getting banned in the U.S.

TikTok tried to fend off the ban, which goes into effect on Jan. 19, through legal means, with no luck so far. To stop the ban, ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, would have to find a buyer for TikTok's U.S. arm, as President Biden's administration deemed Chinese state influence over TikTok too large to continue operating in the U.S.

This, apparently, is where Musk could step in. According to Bloomberg, Beijing officials "strongly prefer" to keep TikTok under ByteDance ownership, but if that proves impossible, one option is to sell it to Musk, who could consolidate it under his X brand.

All of this is still very preliminary, and it's unclear whether any real talks between Musk and ByteDance even happened. Also – officially at least – the Chinese government only controls ByteDance's Chinese subsidiary Douyin, and cannot influence what ByteDance does outside of China.

Tweet may have been deleted

Last April, Musk did publicly say that "TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform," as this is "contrary to freedom of speech and expression." And President-elect Donald Trump, who is on very good terms with Musk these days, recently said he wants to "keep TikTok around."

SEE ALSO: TikTok ban update: Trump wants to 'keep this sucker around'

Musk acquired X (then Twitter) in October 2022 after a highly publicized back and forth, in which he gave up on the acquisition midway but ultimately closed the deal, paying $44 billion for the platform. X's user base has been on a decline since the acquisition, and advertising revenues have plummeted.

It's unclear whether a potential acquisition of TikTok by Musk would go in a similar fashion, or if the site would even be up for sale publicly — perhaps it's most likely for China and ByteDance to arrange everything behind closed doors. Musk isn't the only potential byer, however. Microsoft, for example, tried to acquire TikTok earlier, and failed.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Avoid a hit

• Green: Race team sponsors

• Blue: Ring leaders in basketball

• Purple: Time that share a color scheme

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Move to avoid a defender

• Green: F1 teams

• Blue: Teams with most NBA championships

• Purple: Teams whose primary colors are black and silver

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #113 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Move to avoid a defender - DODGE, DUCK, SIDESTEP, SWERVE

• F1 teams - ASTON MARTIN, FERRARI, MCLAREN, RED BULL

• Teams with most NBA championships - BULLS, CELTICS, LAKERS, WARRIORS

• Teams whose primary colors are black and silver - KINGS, RAIDERS, SPURS, WHITE SOX

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Connections.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched California Fire Facts, a new webpage to combat misinformation and debunk rumours about the Los Angeles fires. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer quite as much clarity as it could.

False and misleading information about the L.A. fires has swiftly been circulating on social media, with many users pointing fingers and attempting to assign blame for the disaster. At least 24 people have been killed in the fires so far, while more than 12,000 buildings have been destroyed.

SEE ALSO: Los Angeles fires: How to help from afar

One of the most persistent rumours circulating about the L.A. fires is that millions of dollars was cut from the fire department's funding months prior to this crisis. Responding to such reports, the California Fire Facts website states that "the number of CalFIRE [California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection] personnel has nearly doubled since 2019 (from 5,829 to 10,741)," and that "CalFIRE’s budget has nearly doubled since 2019 ($2 Billion to $3.8 Billion)."

Tweet may have been deleted

Though the numbers don't line up perfectly, such increases are somewhat corroborated by California's Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO). The LAO is a nonpartisan organisation which offers independent analysis of California's state budget as well as fiscal and policy advice to lawmakers. It states that CalFIRE was allocated $2.525 billion and authority for 7,182.5 personnel in the 2018-19 budget, while the 2024-25 budget gave it $4.249 billion and authority for 12,511.5 personnel.

However, this doesn't actually address the information Newsom's trying to debunk. Specifically, California Fire Facts doesn't directly tackle the allegation that the state cut $100 million from the fire budget just last year, focusing instead on its history since 2019.

It makes sense that Newsom would opt for clear, straightforward messaging in order to reach as many people as possible. But with no explanation or sources, it seems unlikely that California Fire Facts' current iteration will significantly ease speculation or the spread of rumours.

California's $100 million wildfire funding 'cut', explained Credit: Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images

Newsweek reported last week that an analysis by the LAO found Newsom's 2024-25 state budget had reduced funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million. This may sound damning, but LAO's Environment and Transportation Deputy Legislative Analyst, Rachel Ehlers, explained to Mashable that the situation is not quite so straightforward. 

Ehlers clarified that the LAO report Newsweek referenced was a summary of Newsom's proposed 2024-25 budget, rather than the one which was actually implemented. Though this proposed budget did suggest a $101 million reduction to California's wildfire funding, this cut would have come from a special $2.4 billion package of one-time wildfire funding which had been previously agreed upon. This Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package is to be spread across four years.

The 2024-25 budget that was ultimately passed actually reduced the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package by $144 million — $43 million more than Newsom had proposed. Ehlers noted that such changes were made to address California's $55 billion budget deficit, and were needed for the state to pass a balanced budget.

However, even this larger $144 million cut still left California's wildfire funding higher year on year, merely reducing extra funding that had been planned.

"To underscore: these were reductions to one-time augmentations, not reductions to CalFire’s ongoing base programs and funding," said Ehlers. "[M]ost of these reductions were to planned augmentations to departments other than CalFire, such as for forest and fire resilience activities on state-owned land at state conservancies and parks." 

Credit: Benjamin Fanjoy / Bloomberg via Getty Images

The largest cut was to the Department of Conservation's biomass to hydrogen/biofuels pilot, which will now receive $5 million in the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package instead of $50 million. While CalFIRE's share of the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package was reduced by $30 million across various programs, it will still receive $1.73 billion of the additional funding.

LAO estimates that total CalFIRE expenditure has grown from $2.74 billion in the 2019-20 fiscal year to $4.43 billion in 2023-24 (not adjusted for inflation). In 2024-25, $4.59 billion has been spent to date, however this does not yet include additional costs associated with the L.A. wildfires.

"This action does not reflect a year-to-year cut from 2023-24 to 2024-25," said Ehlers, speaking on the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package's reductions. "What this reflects is a $144 million reduction from a cumulative $2.8 billion in planned one-time surplus allocations that were going to be provided over four years to a variety of departments for a variety of wildfire and forest resilience activities [emphasis original]."

Did L.A. Mayor Karen Bass cut the LAFD's funding by $17.6 million? Credit: David Swanson / AFP via Getty Images

Some attention has also been drawn to L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who has been accused of cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department's (LAFD) funding by $17.6 million. 

The LAFD was given a budget of $819.6 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year, down $17.6 million from the previous year's allocation of $837.2 million. Both these figures were increases from Bass' initially proposed budgets of $814.3 million and $835.4 million respectively.

This cut has also been particularly criticised when compared to funding allocations in the rest of L.A.'s 2024-25 budget. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) received a significant funding increase, being bumped up from $1.86 billion last year to $1.98 billion this year. That's a budget increase of $125.9 million — over a sixth of the LAFD's budget.

However, the Los Angeles Times reports that the 2024-25 budget did not take into account a major pay increase for firefighters, which had still been in negotiation at the time it went into effect. The LAFD ultimately received an extra $53 million for firefighters' salaries, as well as $58 million for new fire trucks and other equipment. Once this funding is factored in, the LAFD's budget has actually grown since last year.

Credit: Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images

Even so, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley claims that the LAFD has been underfunded for years, the additional boost apparently still not enough to resolve the ongoing problem.

"Any budget cut is going to impact our ability to provide service," Crowley told Fox News affiliate KTTV. "We are screaming to be properly funded to make sure that our firefighters can do their jobs so that we can serve the community."

Crowley previously expressed frustration at the $17.6 million cut in a memo last December, stating that the included $7 million reduction in overtime staffing "has severely limited the Department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires." This memo was issued after the aforementioned additional funding had been approved.

Still, Bass has maintained that further funding for the LAFD would not have changed the outcome of the current L.A. fires, noting the "unprecedented windstorm" which has fuelled the disaster. Extreme winds of up to 100 mph (160km/h) have been fanning the wildfires, making them extremely difficult to contain.

"I think if you go back and look at the reductions that were made, there were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation that we were dealing with over the last couple of days," Bass said in a recent press conference.

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In today’s digital world, high-quality content is more important than ever. Whether you’re a marketer trying to boost your SEO rankings, a student crafting an academic essay, or a blogger aiming to engage your audience, your words need to feel authentic. Undetectable Humanizer takes your AI-generated content and refines it, ensuring it bypasses AI detection tools while maintaining human-like readability and flow.

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TL;DR: Live stream Australia vs. England in the 2025 Women's Ashes for free on 7Plus. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This year of sport has started off so strongly. We've already been treated to a number of tennis tournaments including the Australian Open, the Dakar Rally, and the NFL playoffs. And there's no slowing down, because the 2025 Women's Ashes is here to deliver weeks of top-quality cricket.

If you want to watch the 2025 Women's Ashes for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the 2025 Women's Ashes?

England's tour of Australia consists of one Test match, three One Day Internationals, and three Twenty20 Internationals. The full schedule is as follows (in Australia):

• 1st ODI — Jan. 12 at North Sydney Oval

• 2nd ODI — Jan. 14 at Junction Oval

• 3rd ODI — Jan. 17 at Bellerive Oval

• 1st T20I — Jan. 20 at Sydney Cricket Ground

• 2nd T20I — Jan. 23 at Manuka Oval

• 3rd T20I — Jan. 25 at Adelaide Oval

• Test — Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 at Melbourne Cricket Ground

Fans can live stream every match in this series without spending anything.

How to watch the 2025 Women's Ashes for free

The 2025 Women's Ashes is available to live stream for free on 7Plus in Australia.

7Plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2025 Women's Ashes from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 Women's Ashes for free 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 7Plus

5. Stream the 2025 Women's Ashes 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the Women's Ashes without committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream every match before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 7Plus?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live cricket on 7Plus, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• 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 the 2025 Women's Ashes for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Bypass geo-restrictions to unblock TikTok from anywhere in the world. The best service for unblocking TikTok is ExpressVPN.

Will TikTok actually get banned in the U.S.? It has always seemed like a far-fetched idea, but the Jan. 19 deadline is fast approaching without a resolution. Donald Trump wants to keep TikTok, but he doesn't become president until the day after the ban goes into effect.

If there's no workaround, you better come prepared.

If you're looking for the best way to unblock TikTok for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock TikTok for free

VPNs are powerful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location. With a VPN, you can change your digital location to somewhere that supports the use of TikTok. That means you can bypass geo-restrictions to retain access to your favourite app from anywhere in the world.

Follow these simple steps to unblock TikTok:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

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

4. Visit TikTok

5. Use the app from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trial periods or generous money-back guarantees. Using these money-back guarantees is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can temporarily unblock TikTok and then recover your investment at a later date.

If you want to retain permanent access to TikTok from an unsupported location, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for TikTok is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for TikTok?

There are a number of VPNs that can reliably unblock TikTok, but ExpressVPN is probably the best:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is 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 discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock TikTok from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

I waste so much of my life searching for household items that I've put away in "safe places" that I can no longer remember. Item tracking systems I've used in the past have been a disappointment, but I may have finally found what I was looking for in ChatGPT.

AI chatbots may not be the tireless 24/7 assistants that tech companies promised, but with the right approach, they can still help you be more productive and get more done. Here's what you need to know to use AI chatbots as virtual assistants.

CES is the time of year to expect tech that isn't always, well, actually marketable. Sometimes the premise doesn't make sense, like a robot vacuum that can not only clean floors but also deliver drinks. And yet I kind of want one anyway.

While companies have been putting displays on PC cases for many years, MSI's new gaming tower takes this aesthetic up a notch. There is a built-in 1080p touchscreen on the front, and I absolutely love it.

In 2020, amid a global pandemic that highlighted a staggering digital divide among Americans, the federal government pledged to do something. 

Its solution? Some promising tech subsidies and a wave of funding for internet access initiatives, specifically high speed broadband. This money included the government's promise to fix the missing middle miles of fiber optic connections that have for decades kept many Indigenous areas offline.

At the time, the round of funding was a history-making investment in supporting this internet infrastructure, filling a long-simmering institutional gap. Since then, much of the funding has been allocated and many government subsidized programs have run their course. But, years later, American Indian and Alaska Native households living on tribal lands still have one of the lowest broadband subscription rates in the United States, at 71 percent, with the national average at 90 percent, according to recent census data. 

Connection to high speed internet at home is increasingly considered a social determinant of health. According to the White House, it's also the cornerstone of educational opportunities, economic growth, and full participation in "modern American life."

SEE ALSO: Moments of digital organizing that defined 2024 The state of internet connectivity in 2024

The American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI) reports that 18 percent of tribal reservation residents have no internet access, while 33 percent rely on their smartphones for internet service — unreliable internet connections plague around 31 percent of residents who responded. 

According to a July 2023 study by academics at the University of Illinois at Urbana, University of Victoria, and the Center for Indian Country Development, the share of households with Internet access in tribal areas is 21 percentage points lower than in neighboring non-tribal areas. Even when connected, the study found, download speeds are approximately 75 percent slower in these areas. Meanwhile, the lowest price for basic Internet services is 11 percent higher than other areas. While historic measures like geography, population density, and household income may explain the discrepancy in price, they don't explain the differences in access or speed, the study found. "A sizable amount of the variation in the access and home connection gap between tribal and non-tribal is left unexplained."

In a world now dependent on the internet — with lifesaving resources behind an online gate — Indigenous communities are at a digital disadvantage. According to a study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, tribal communities members are less likely to receive Social Security benefits, despite having higher poverty rates. The report attributes this to the movement of resources online, and an increasingly large broadband divide within households on tribal lands.  

Given its social complexity, the lack of Indigenous internet access isn't one that can be solved quickly — although the solutions are there. 

While some private companies, including major phone carriers and internet service providers, have pledged to do their own work to connect rural and Indigenous communities to high speed internet, they are limited by the demands of the market and long-standing tribal and federal negotiations. Meanwhile, Indigenous communities and their leaders are navigating their own solutions. At stake are the hard to predict repercussions of Native communities tying themselves to private interests, calling into question the politics of internet ownership, tribal sovereignty, and digital privacy. 

The state of broadband funding for 2025

One obvious solution, it seems, is to tear down the financial barriers to getting rural areas better internet services. 

In 2009, the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute published the first major report on tech use and access among Indigenous communities, prompting a new wave of attention on the digital divide. Despite this, the federal government appropriated just $179.2 million to tribal lands and organizations within a major $7.2 billion package for the expansion of rural broadband. This trend would continue. It took another year, as part of the government's Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan, before the FCC was finally directed to prioritize tribal broadband.

Funding that could actually help connect these communities didn't come for yet another four years, after the federal government opened a tribal priority for e-rate funding (used to subsidize educational tech). In 2020, regulators finally opened a historic Tribal Priority Window, which helped Indigenous areas and broadband projects obtain their own spectrum licenses, or permits that grant the right to use a frequency band for telecommunication purposes. Communities, however, were still required to find the resources to build out their networks. 

There's a lot of tribal members that are champing at the bit to get hooked up. Technology changes, and you got to be prepared for it. - Stephen Cope, Chairman of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians

But broadband funding saw a shift soon after. In Dec. 2021, the U.S. government launched the Affordability Connectivity Program, a successor to the previous Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) that offered 9 million Americans internet subsidies during the COVID-19 lockdown. Under the Affordability Connectivity Program, $14.2 billion was allocated to additional internet subsidies, including additional monthly funding for qualifying households on tribal lands. It was just one of several funding efforts under the Internet for All initiative, a Biden administration pool of resources stemming from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Another Internet for All outcome: The historic Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, which saw an initial $3 billion allocated to projects working on broadband infrastructure deployment and widespread adoption. It was the first time funding was specifically earmarked for tribal connectivity. The Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act added an additional $2 billion to the program, and a second round of $980 million in funding opened up for additional projects in 2023. 

That same year, the Biden administration announced a $42 billion plan to expand broadband access across the U.S. under its BEAD program. The funds were to be divided up between the states, with 19 of them receiving more than $1 billion. At the same time, the Biden administration announced $1 billion explicitly invested in building out the missing miles of broadband connections in rural communities. 

"The Middle Mile program will invest more than $900 million in the infrastructure needed to connect communities, military bases, and tribal lands to the Internet, lower the cost of access, and increase bandwidth," said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in a statement. "Much like how the interstate highway system connected every community in America to regional and national systems of highways, this program will help us connect communities across the country to regional and national networks that provide quality, affordable high-speed Internet access."

There's a will, but the way is slow

So, with billions allocated, why are the numbers still showing so many disconnected Indigenous communities?

"Billions of dollars flew out the window to go build broadband. Most fiber projects are four years. So we're not even halfway through that, in most cases. We're coming up on halfway at the end of this year, " explained Matthew Rantanen, director of technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association and director of technology for the Tribal Digital Village, a self-sustained internet initiative. Rantanen has been involved in Indigenous internet connectivity for nearly a quarter-century, interacting with the FCC and acting as co-chair of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) first Tech and Telecom Subcommittee, developed in 2001. 

As Rantanen explains, these projects go through phases of approval before construction can even begin. Obtaining rights of way and easement on a fiber project is a minimum of 18 to 24 months, for example. The forestry department and Bureau of Land Management are consulted. State reserves and trusts may be involved. Once design and engineering plans are formulated and contracted, communities have to submit for approval from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. Projects under the first round of Tribal Connectivity Program funding are just now being deployed, which means results of this funding will be seen under the second Trump administration, years after they were announced. 

"There's a misunderstanding from the general public, and on the politician level. They are like, 'Hey, where's the results from this? We spit out all this money, but where's the results?' Well, you know, Rome wasn't built in a day. You invested long term in a solution that is going to start making a difference in the next couple of years. But don't cut it off before it happens."

The same applies for major companies trying to connect their services. "It could take close to a year before we actually get shovels in the ground, maybe even a little more than a year," explained AT&T's California Tribal Liaison Julio Figueroa. Figueroa has worked for AT&T for 26 years, starting first as a call center service representative in the days of Pacific Bell (now owned by AT&T). In 2021, Figueroa was appointed as the tribal liaison for California, and now Nevada, the first person to hold such a position at the company.    

Meanwhile, just as their resulting construction projects begin, many of the early Biden administration programs have evolved or been phased out. Instead of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which was cut off from additional funding  in June, those seeking out more accessible internet options are now directed to an Federal Communication Commission (FCC) program called Lifeline, which connects low-income, displaced, and otherwise disconnected individuals to discounted broadband and telephone service under participating providers. People living on tribal land can apply for a special discounted benefit of $34.25 per month, but programs like these can only help those with the ability to get connected in the first place. 

If I were them, I would do everything in my power to contract those dollars and obligate those dollars prior to Inauguration Day. - Matthew Rantanen, Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association

Earlier this year, the FCC under Biden and Chair Jessica Rosenworcel redefined broadband speed requirements, bumping up the paltry 25 mbps minimum to 100mbps. In doing so, the agency would be better able to pinpoint areas with poor internet access, especially among low income and rural communities, and get them on par with communities running above 100mbps. 

The state of federal funding under Trump administration 2.0, led by its cost cutting "Department of Government Efficiency" and its new FCC chair, looms over those dependent on such funding streams. Previous FCC heads, and other Republican politicians, have pushed back on updated broadband speed requirements and increased federal spending, prompting further concern about the future of Indigenous connectivity. Indigenous community advocates are wary that the former administration's funding legacy will continue. 

"The biggest concern that I'm hearing throughout Indian Country is that they're worried about the money that they've already been granted. Is it going to go away? Is he going to put people in place that are intentionally going to be disruptive, and intentionally going to seek opportunities to draw that funding back?" said Rantanen. "There's no support for tribes in the next administration. There's a track record [with Trump]. What we're led to believe, or to expect, is that that is par for the course and he is going to be more effective at it. If I were [an Indigenous leader], I would do everything in my power to contract those dollars and obligate those dollars prior to Inauguration Day."

Private companies addressing the digital divide 

Complicating the tenuous funding future Rantanen describes, there's a growing divide among tribal leaders as to what role internet service — and data privacy — plays in the push for tribal sovereignty. Should they take this on themselves, or should they call in the help of telecom companies with more might and more connections? The latter is an increasingly viable option as the market changes. Where there has historically been little draw to companies who don't see a profit bump in these communities, some telecommunications companies have now found value in supplying their services to get rural and tribal areas connected with devices and broadband at lower costs — helped in part by federal funding that can beef up the margins. 

Like the middle miles that are supposed to connect rural and tribal areas to the larger internet, Figueroa, the tribal liaison at AT&T, acts as an interlocutor between the vision of internet connectivity among tribal communities and a telecommunications giant like his employer. He is the single point of contact for leaders interested in working with the company to connect their communities to mainline phone service, broadband, and physical technology, like computers. 

Figueroa has formed connections with the regional tribal chairpersons associations of California and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), part of a larger goal of building trust with Indigenous leadership and their constituents before the timeline of construction begins. "Even if it's a tribal citizen that's having issues with their bill, they can come to me," says Figueroa. 

"There's some nations that want to be their own internet provider on their tribal land. They want to exercise their sovereignty and be self-reliant. If there is no middle mile connection, AT&T can provide a connection to the internet," Figueroa explained. "We place a fiber circuit to the border of the reservation, and from then on, they take it over. They're fully responsible. They operate it. They service it for their tribal members." 

Other communities, however, don't want to self-sustain their internet connections, instead entering into agreements with private companies, like AT&T, that will bring broadband internet to their areas – those connections remain owned and operated by the service providers. 

For example, AT&T has entered into a partnership with the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians to launch one of its biggest broadband connection projects yet, connecting 500 residents to a AT&T Fiber and 5GB network speeds, expected to go live in early 2025. The company is working with three other groups on similar projects, including California's Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, currently waiting on grants to be approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 

"Once these tribal nations start deploying fiber optics, word is going to travel to other tribal nations," said Figueroa. "They're going to start hearing about the successes of being connected. And I think the government will need to look at another round of funding for the tribal nations that now want to adopt and get funding for construction."

Speaking to Mashable at the end of 2024, San Pasqual Chairman Stephen Cope explained that the decision to work with AT&T came from the accessibility and resources the company could offer — and a specific concern for getting younger residents connected and supported as soon as possible. 

"It's a great opportunity for San Pasqual," explained Cope. "A lot of rural areas and reservations are limited in what they have, as far as broadband internet. We didn't know where to really start." Talking to other tribal leaders, Cope discovered many had signed deals with AT&T, and that's when he reached out to Figueroa. The project began in early 2023, and its been a learning curve for both parties, Cope said, but it will also set a precedent for similar projects of its magnitude in southern California.

Tribes should be defining their digital sovereignty playbook. - Matthew Rantanen

"There's a lot of tribal members that are champing at the bit to get hooked up. Technology changes, and you got to be prepared for it. My goal is to make sure that we stay at least equal or ahead of the game, and provide what we need to provide," said Cope, who described the AT&T deal as a predominantly equal partnership. "It's moving, and I'm encouraging as many leaders as possible to take the opportunity."

Retaining control over digital lives 

Rantanen, on the other hand, is spearheading the movement for fully Indigenous-owned and controlled internet service. 

When Mashable first spoke to Rantanen in 2021, the Tribal Digital Village was operating tech centers and its own community-based network, TDVNet, for hundreds of households within the oversight of the Southern California Tribal Chairman's Association. Now, Rantanen leads more than a dozen tribal communities across California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and even New York in building their own internet networks through the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, a program started at the beginning of the 2021 funding boom and held in Rantanen's own home to help guide leaders in application and development. The bootcamp has expanded with help from the Internet Society and inspired by the organization's Indigenous Connectivity Summit.

There's also the Tribal Resource Center, a hub of validated articles, links, videos, and even people to assist tribal nations with adopting broadband technologies. The center's three liaisons connect tribes with resources, operating under the concept of  "sovereign nations, sovereign networks." 

Earlier this year, the American Indian Policy Institute and the National Congress of American Indians launched the Center for Tribal Digital Sovereignty. "The center is intended to support tribes in defining parameters around all aspects of digital sovereignty, not just data sovereignty," explained Rantanen. The concept of tribal digital sovereignty encompasses not just the network itself, but the transport of data, the mechanism of transport, the legality of storing tribal information on a cloud server not overseen by tribal leaders, protocols for handing over tribal data to law enforcement, and more. The rise of AI, and the notion of using tribal data to train models, poses ethical and political quandaries. 

Rantanen urges Indigenous communities, whether supported by federal dollars or the assistance of major companies, to retain control over their networks whenever possible. "It could be delayed control," he said. "It may be something like three years so they can recover their losses and then they hand it over, but contractually set up your system so that the infrastructure on your sovereign territory is yours."

In addition to simply connecting these areas to broadband, Rantanen explains, "There's a lot of definitions that need to be put into place about tribal sovereign data and tribal sovereign space — space that is being dictated by the federal government, dictated by corporations, dictated by people that are not us. Tribes should be defining their digital sovereignty playbook, and should be promoting that to the federal government, to the state government, to the county governments, and to the people they interact with."

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Over the past few years, the market has been flooded with VR headsets, including the Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, and numerous other contenders, as companies race to establish themselves in the space.

At CES 2025, Sony unveiled the latest addition to this landscape — a brand-new VR headset and an entire line dedicated to spatial 3D content: Sony XYN.

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What sets the Sony XYN headset apart from the competition is its focus. Unlike other VR headsets aimed at consumers for gaming or media consumption, the XYN line is designed specifically for creators working in 3D content development.

Mashable had the exclusive opportunity to preview the Sony XYN headset at CES, where it explored the headset's cutting-edge spatial capture solutions and got a first look at the company’s latest motion capture studio.

The Sony XYN headset Credit: Mashable

Sony already has a presence in the VR space with its PlayStation VR line, so introducing a new headset might surprise some. However, the Sony XYN headset isn’t aimed at the average consumer — it’s designed specifically for creators working with 3D spatial content.

Equipped with 4K OLED microdisplays and advanced video see-through capabilities, the XYN headset allows content creators to fully immerse themselves in 3D worlds. This makes it easier for them to interact with and manipulate 3D models in a platform optimized for spatial content development.

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The headset is lightweight and comfortable, making it suitable for extended use — ideal for creators who need to work for long periods of time. However, it's important to note that the Sony XYN is still in the prototype phase. For instance, Sony has indicated that the controllers will likely undergo a complete redesign before the final version is released.

XYN Spatial capture Credit: Mashable

While the Sony XYN headset certainly received attention, Sony's XYN Spatial capture solution was the real standout at CES.

This innovative tool allows users to easily create 3D models of real-world objects. The XYN Spatial capture solution can transform those images into photorealistic 3D CG assets by simply taking a few photos with a mirrorless camera.

It was fascinating to see how seamlessly the two products — XYN headset and Spatial capture — work together. You can capture images of a physical object, convert them into a 3D model, and then interact with the model in VR, all within a streamlined workflow.

Credit: Mashable

Sony is also developing a mobile app that will allow creators to use their smartphone cameras for the same process, enabling even more flexibility and accessibility for 3D content creation.

XYN Motion Studio

Out of the three products Sony unveiled in its new XYN line, XYN Motion Studio was, without a doubt, my favorite.

Credit: Mashable

Sony already offers a motion capture product called mocopi, a set of 3D motion capture sensors that users wear on their bodies to track movement. However, Sony has taken its XYN Motion Studio a step further by offering full-fledged motion capture studio software.

The XYN Motion Studio uses 12 mocopi sensors to capture and integrate the user’s movements into a comprehensive editing suite. Creators can then fine-tune these movements and apply them to 3D models of their choice, giving them precise control over the captured animation.

Credit: Mashable

The app is designed to make motion capture more accessible, allowing content creators — whether in animation, gaming, or virtual production — to use this advanced technology without needing access to a large-scale, physical motion capture studio.

The most impressive feature of XYN Motion Studio is its ability to fill in motion gaps. For instance, if the mocopi sensors miss a specific movement in a 3D model's running sequence, the software can intelligently generate a realistic motion based on the surrounding movements to fill the missing segment. This feature makes the motion-capture process smoother and less reliant on perfect, uninterrupted tracking.