Technology

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."

If you want to improve the sound in your home theater, sound absorption panels are a great option. Whether you need them and where you place them depends greatly on your circumstances. Here's what you need to know.

Parallels Desktop, a popular application for running Windows and Linux virtual machines on Mac, can now run 64-bit x86 operating systems on Apple Silicon Macs. That means more versions of Windows and Linux can run on the latest M1, M2, M3, and M4 Mac computers.

When it comes to upgrading your TV’s sound, the choice often boils down to two contenders: a space-saving soundbar or a room-filling home theater system. But how close are these two options performance-wise?

Amazon previously allowed people to get select clothing and accessories shipped to them before actually buying anything, mirroring how many in-person stores work. Unfortunately, this is now going away.

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.

SEE ALSO: 13 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now, plus 1 coming soon

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.

SEE ALSO: I love LUCI: This lifelogging camera pin seriously impressed me at CES

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.

Putting your PC to sleep is a great way to save energy while still making sure you can resume work quickly. But what can you do if your PC keeps waking up on its own? Here's how to figure out what's waking it up, and how to prevent it.

SAVE UP TO 44%: As of Jan. 13, every Amazon Fire tablet is back on sale. Find the new Fire HD 8 for 35% off, the budget-friendly Fire 7 for 44% off, and much more.

The best Amazon Fire tablet deals at a glance: BEST OVERALL Amazon Fire HD 8 $64.99 (save $35) Get Deal BEST BUDGET DEAL Amazon Fire 7 $44.99 (save $35) Get Deal BEST FOR KIDS Amazon Fire 7 Kids $59.99 (save $40) Get Deal

We've said it before, but it bears repeating: iPads are not your only tablet option. Unless you're a diehard Apple fanatic or you want your tablet to double as a laptop, the iPad is probably much more sophisticated than most people even need. If you just want a device that can do the basics like stream content and browse the web, you can save a whole lot of money by opting for an Amazon Fire tablet instead.

Even at full price, Fire tablets are significantly cheaper than most major tablet brands on the market. But as of Jan. 13, you can find every model on sale for up to 44% off, making it a particularly great time to grab one.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card Best Amazon Fire tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 $64.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal

Amazon sneakily released a brand new Fire HD 8 tablet in October to coincide with its fall Prime Day event and it's already seen a slew of discounts in the months since. As of Jan. 13, it's on sale for just $64.99 — that's 35% in savings and just $10 away from its best price ever. Its biggest upgrades over the previous generation from 2022 are a boost in RAM (3GB instead of 2GB), an improved camera (5MP instead of 2MP), and new generative AI-powered features (of course). Otherwise, it packs the same solid battery life, storage options, and display.

Best on a budget Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 $44.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal

If you're looking to spend the least amount of money on a new tablet, the Fire 7 checks all the right boxes. It's not going to blow you away; as Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel wrote in her review, it's a "deeply average tablet." But for the price, it's hard to complain. It's a solid pick for travel with an ultra-portable build, hands-free Alexa support, up to 1TB of expandable memory, and decent battery life (up to 10 hours). It's only $79.99 at full price, but as of Jan. 13, it's on sale for only $44.99. That's 44% in savings and "basically a Get Out of Jail Free card for all of its faults."

Check out our full review of the Amazon Fire 7 tablet.

Best for kids Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 Kids $59.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal

Our top pick for a tablet for preschoolers, the Amazon Fire 7 Kids is a durable first device that's packed with parental controls. Its rubbery case was built to withstand drops and spills, but if your toddler does manage to break it, Amazon will send you a new one anytime within two years. Its intuitive parental controls are built right into the system, making it simple to customize screen time limits, age filters, limited access to specific apps, and schedules. It comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, which unlocks access to over 20,000 kid-appropriate apps. It doesn't have an HD screen, but does your 3-year-old actually care about that? It's usually $99.99, but you can snag it for just $59.99 as of Jan. 13 and save 40%.

More Amazon Fire tablet deals

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids — $94.99 $149.99 (save $55)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro — $94.99 $149.99 (save $55)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 —$94.99 $139.99 (save $45)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus with charging dock — $99.98 $169.98 (save $70)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids — $139.99 $189.99 (save $50)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro — $139.99 $189.99 (save $50)

• Amazon Fire Max 11 — $184.99 $229.99 (save $45)

If the U.S. government wants to ban TikTok, Americans might flock to a different Chinese social media app. About a week before the potential ban, TikTokkers are posting about moving to RedNote, known in China as Xiaohongshu. So many are migrating to the app that it hit No. 1 on Apple's U.S. App Store on Monday.

Yes, TikTok might really be on its way out. It's unclear exactly what would immediately happen to the app on the Jan. 19 deadline — it'll likely at least disappear from app stores and stop receiving updates. The government could also ask internet service providers to block access, or TikTok itself could choose to leave. So perhaps it could be time to move to RedNote if that's indeed where TikTokkers are headed. 

But don't worry, we've got the details on what you need to know about RedNote.

What is RedNote?

In short: It's a short-form video social media site. Well, duh. But it's not precisely the same thing as TikTok. As dupes like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels have shown, it's difficult for any site to copy the success and addictive nature of TikTok, exactly.

However, Xiaohongshu is quite popular and growing. It's currently topping Apple's App Store in downloads as people rush to find a replacement for TikTok. 

Tweet may have been deleted

TechCrunch noted that while RedNote is laid out more like Pinterest and is sometimes seen as China's version of Instagram, it does rely on short-form video content like TikTok. Many folks use it for shopping or the type of content you might already see on TikTok, such as beauty tutorials. TechCrunch reported that it has 300 million monthly active users, which is a large figure but still many hundreds of millions less than TikTok. 

Why is RedNote blowing up?

As we've noted, RedNote is gaining popularity because TikTok might be on its way out in the United States. However, the Chinese site might be gaining popularity, partly, to spite the U.S. government's attempt to ban TikTok, an app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. After all, how better for TikTokkers to stick it to "the man" than to popularize a different Chinese app?

Look across TikTok and other social media sites, and you'll see people posting about RedNote. Many of the posts have generated large numbers of views.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

It's difficult to project if RedNote will actually sustain popularity in the U.S. And, of course, Reels, Shorts, as well as other upstarts like Lemon8 will look to siphon TikTokkers.

But it'll certainly be interesting to track where folks head if the ban does happen in just a few days.

If, like me, you have an old TV without Bluetooth built in, you might wonder what the best way is to add this feature. I was stuck in the same situation, and surprisingly my conclusion was to add an entire streaming box to the setup.

You may have heard that CD Projekt RED have announced their Witcher 4 trailer was "pre-rendered" on an NVIDIA RTX 5090, which is (as of this writing) an upcoming top-tier GPU. While it's certain to be a beast of a card, this pronouncement is pretty much meaningless—here's why.

Severance is finally back! Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards is here to walk you through everything you need to remember going into season 2.

SAVE 70%: Shop Kohl's Ultimate Clearance Event and save up to 70% on clothing, home goods, and more.

Best Kohl's clearance deals as of Jan. 13: Best fitness deal Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best tablet deal Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet (32GB) $94.99 (save $45) Get Deal Best speaker deal JBL Charge 5 $139.99 (save $40) Get Deal

Kohl’s just snuck up on us with an unexpected sales event: the Ultimate Clearance Event, where you can score up to 70% off everything from home goods to electronics.

A lot of the discounted items are leftover holiday-themed merch, but we’ve spotted some great deals on everyday essentials, too, like clothing, kitchen gadgets, and bedding. Kohl’s also has a surprisingly impressive selection of pet supplies (I buy my two beagles toys from there all the time), and a bunch of those items are on sale right now.

Here are some of the best deals we've found so far in the Kohl's Ultimate Clearance Event:

Best fitness deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.99 at Kohl's
$99.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is only $79.99 (originally $99.99) at Kohl’s right now. That’s a pretty good deal for an already affordable fitness tracker that monitors your heart rate, sleep, steps, and more. (It’s also a Mashable Choice Award winner!) While this product isn’t eligible for coupons, you can still earn Kohl's Cash and Kohl's Rewards on this purchase to save even more.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has a 10-day battery life and includes six months of Fitbit Premium access at no extra cost.

Best tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet (32GB) $94.99 at Kohl's
$139.99 Save $45.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet is $94.99 at Kohl’s, $45 off the list price. This is a solid tablet for entertainment, browsing the web, checking email, and more. (Like Fitbit Inspire 3, it’s also a Mashable Choice Award winner.)

This tablet has a 10.1-inch 1080p full HD display, a 5 MP front camera, up to 13 hours of battery life (with a four-hour recharge time), and 32GB of internal storage. It’s also 25 percent faster than previous generations.

Note: The Amazon Fire 8 (32GB) is $64.99 if you want to spend even less.

Best speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Charge 5 portable Bluetooth speaker $139.99 at Kohl's
$179.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The JBL Charge 5 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $139.99 at Kohl’s. That’s $40 off the list price and a great deal for an IP67 waterproof speaker with up to 20 hours of playtime.

The JBL Charge 5 has a built-in power bank to charge your other devices, it connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and it delivers big, bass-heavy sound, making it the ideal speaker for parties, the beach, and other outdoor activities.

When the first iPad launched, it was a bit of a joke, but the second generation of Apple's mega-successful tablet line got its hooks into me, and I've always had an iPad ever since.

Save $100: Best Buy has USB-C Apple AirPods Pro down to $149.99 as a deal of the day on Jan. 13. That means this deal is available for today only, and nets you a 40% discount over buying new AirPods at their $249.99 full price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished USB-C Apple AirPods Pro $149.99 at Best Buy
$249.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Apple AirPods Pro are expensive, but they go on sale more than you'd think, so we almost always recommend buying them on sale. If the $179.99 sale price they're currently sitting at on Amazon isn't quite low enough for you, Best Buy is giving you another option.

As of Jan. 13, the retailer is offering refurbished USB-C Apple AirPod Pros for just $149.99 as a deal of the day. That means that come Jan. 14, these savings will no longer be live. Considering a new pair of AirPods at full price will run you $249.99, buying refurbished can save you a good chunk of change. We have seen new AirPods Pro drop down to $153.99 (at their lowest price ever), but as that was their Black Friday pricing, we're not counting on seeing it all that often, making this a decent alternative.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C review: About time

As for the earbuds themselves, they're some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds you can get, especially if you're a devoted Apple user. They connect and switch between devices with some of the lowest lag time on any earbuds we've tested, have noise cancellation that sits just behind the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, and sound quality that sits on the higher end of the earbud spectrum (even if there's no custom equalizer). When Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder reviewed the AirPods Pro, he called them, "the first pair of earbuds I'd actually consider taking on an airplane."

GET $800 OFF: The Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $599.99, saving you 57%, or $800.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum $599.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $800.00 Get Deal

Vacuum it and mop it, all without lifting a finger. The Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is a multi-functional robot vacuum that self deploys to take care of cleaning your home.

Right now the Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for a whopping $800 off — get it now for $599.99 and save 57%.

SEE ALSO: The 4 best robot vacuums for apartments, condos, and other small spaces in 2024

This mop is built for multiple cleaning cycles. Set how it uses its vacuum and mop functions: in tandem, one at a time, or to mop or vacuum only. It has 7000Pa suction, so it shouldn't need too many passes.

The Dreame L20 uses Lidar technology and position sensitive detection to map your home in 3D, bypassing obstacles and cleaning in straight rows. When the robot vacuum encounters a rug or carpet, it automatically raises its mop to prevent damage or scuffing. When the robot encounters an edge it can't get under, it will even extend the mop out to the side, to clean under the surface.

Right now, the Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale for $800 off at Amazon, for a price of only $599.99.

The Dreame is built to self deploy and auto empty, day after day, for up to 75 days. The app gives you deep customization options as well as reports on the robot's cleaning habits.

It's easy to be cynical about the cost of gaming hardware these days, but at least you only have to buy one set of hardware to use with many games. At one particular moment in gaming history, however, you might have been buying more than just some data on a cartridge when you brought a new game home.

SAVE UP TO 50%: Shop Best Buy's Outlet sale and find headphones, laptops, appliances, and more up to 50% off.

Best Outlet Sale Deals Best Apple Deal Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation $144.99 at Best Buy (Save $35) Get Deal Best laptop deal Alienware m16 (AMD Ryzen 9 7000 Series, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,239.99 at Best Buy (Save $560) Get Deal Best smart watch deals Apple Watch Ultra (49 mm, GPS + Cellular) $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $299.01) Get Deal

Start the new year off right, by shopping exceptional deals during Best Buy's Outlet Event. The retailer is offering up to 50% off on clearance, refurbished, and open-box items. With the plethora of holiday returns coming in, there are plenty of great items that are simply discounted because the box has been opened.

Plus, there are plenty of refurbished items that are certified by Geek Squad so they're up to peak performance. While plenty of folks might be trading in their old tech, there are also great deals on the latest items, including the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

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

Best Buy's Outlet Event has officially kicked off and runs until Jan. 19, 2025. However, some deals might not last the week as there are a limited number of refurbished and open-box items. If you see something you like, scoop it up.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation $144.99 at Best Buy
$179.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple released the newest AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. At their list price of $179.99, they're a cheaper alternative to the AirPods Pro. In our review, we found that the AirPods 4 stood up exceptionally well to all the commotion of an airplane, delivering delicious audio quality while blocking out noise.

You can find a pair of Geek Squad-refurbished AirPods 4, for just $144.99 at Best Buy during the Outlet Event. That saves $35, one of the biggest discounts we've spotted on the latest Apple tech.

Best laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Alienware Alienware m16 (AMD Ryzen 9 7000 Series, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,239.99 at Best Buy
$2,799.99 Save $560.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Our favorite gaming laptop is the Alienware m16 R2, but the brand's higher-end model of the m16, is on clearance during Best Buy's Outlet sale. You can find this stacked laptop, loaded with an AMD Ryzen CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, for just $2,239.99, knocking off $560.

This deal comes at a prime time, as Alienware just announced its most advanced gaming laptops at CES, which are slated to come out in a few months. In the meantime, the Alienware m16 is one of the best gaming laptops to shop now.

More Best Buy Outlet deals

• Beats Studio Buds+ (Refurbished) — $89.99 $169.99 (save $80)

• Apple Pencil (2nd generation, refurbished) — $99.99 $129 (save $29.01)

• Beats Fit Pro (Refurbished) — $119.99 $199.99 (save $80)

• Beats Powerbeats Pro — $119.99 $199.99 (save $80)

• Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (Refurbished) — $189.99 $299 (save $109.01)

• Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS, 45mm) — $249.99 $429 (save $179.01)

• Apple iPad Mini (64GB, refurbished) — $349.99 $499.99 (save $150)

• Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum — $359.99 $599.99 (save $240)

• Apple iPad Mini (256GB, refurbished) — $399.99 $649.99 (save $250)

• Apple Watch Ultra (49 mm, GPS + Cellular) — $499.99 $799 (save $299.01)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, refurbished) — $849.99 $1,299 (save $449.01)

• DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Plus Drone (Refurbished) — $1,049.99 $1,159.99 (save $110)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M3, 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD, refurbished) — $1,499.99 $1,999 (save $499.01)