Technology

It's possible that Venus and Earth once simultaneously existed as pleasant worlds hosting mild temperatures and oceans.

Then, something went awry.

In new research, planetary scientists simulated how Venusian conditions today — with pizza oven-like temperatures, a crushing atmosphere, and past evidence of widespread volcanism — came to be. The results suggest that Venus, over a series of massive volcanic outgassing events and other geologic changes, transitioned from an Earth-like world to the hellish land we see today. Even the longest-lived robot sent to Venus survived for just two hours.

"It's hot enough to melt lead," Matthew Weller, a planetary geophysicist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who coauthored the new research, told Mashable. "It's a very unpleasant place to be."

The study has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances.

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

Venus and Earth, although they've taken two dramatically different climatic roads, are considered sibling planets. They're about the same size. They're made out of the same rocky stuff. They both dwell in the inner part of the solar system. So what happened?

"You have these two planets sitting there, and then one spins off in another direction," Weller explained.

We can't, of course, go back in time to find out why. Nor can we send geologists there to sleuth the Venusian past. But the researchers used advanced computer simulations — which created 3D spherical models of geologic activity on Venus— of how the hot rock convecting beneath the surface, called the mantle, broke Venus' crust and ultimately drove the harsh outcomes present today. "Venus basically baked itself," Weller said.

"Venus basically baked itself."

Running the models showed that a once temperate, Earth-like Venus experienced a series of "stairstep" events, wherein deep interior motions rupturing the crust allowed for volcanism to reach Venus' surface. This led to molten rock resurfacing the planet and massive volcanic outgassing to fill the atmosphere, creating immense surface pressure. Over multiple periods of some 60 million years, each outgassing episode could have added three to 10 times more atmospheres (an atmosphere, or atm, is a unit of pressure representing one atmosphere on Earth) to Venus' atmosphere. Today, the pressure on the Venusian surface is 92 bars, or 1,350 psi. "To put this into context, imagine having 1,350 pounds (over 600 kilograms) resting on one square inch of your body; it would be like having a small car sitting on your thumbnail," the Planetary Society explains.

A conceptual illustration showing expansive oceans on Venus long ago. Credit: NASA Venus as viewed from NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft in 1974. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

It's unknown when, exactly, these planet-altering events began. It could have been several billion years ago, or much more "recently" at hundreds of millions of years ago. But, for many eons, both Earth and Venus may have hosted expansive oceans and balmy temperatures, with water rippling onto shorelines. And they would have been just some 67 million miles apart from each other (a minute cosmic distance).

"It's possible both were habitable," Weller said.  

Importantly, the Venus-Earth dichotomy reveals how much a planet can change. An exoplanet we see today, many light-years away in deep space, may look completely different in the future. Or Earth, without being pummeled by a colossal asteroid, could markedly transform, too. "Planets change dramatically over time," Weller emphasized. "It shows how easy it is for an Earth-like planet to become like Venus."

"It shows how easy it is for an Earth-like planet to become like Venus."

The "million-dollar question," however, is what initially pushed Venus onto this trajectory of repeated episodes of extreme volcanism, surface rupturing, and prodigious outgassing. It could have been an extremely large eruptive event at the wrong time that fed into a runaway cycle. Geologically, a world's atmosphere and inner-workings are inextricably connected, as conditions in the atmosphere influence what transpires below a planet's surface. For example, on Earth, rock weathering, over hundreds of millions of years, removes heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the air, acting to stabilize the climate. On Venus, dramatically cranking up surface temperature can kill plate tectonics, Weller explained, shutting off a planet's ability to stabilize itself.

This could have pushed Venus to veer sharply from its Earthly environs. And as the researchers simulated, it couldn't turn around.

In the coming years, Venus may grow much less mystifying. A NASA mission called DAVINCI — short for Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging — will drop a three-foot-wide titanium sphere through Venus' thick clouds. Over the course of just an hour, the probe will ingest gases, run experiments, and show us what Venusian mountains actually look like. It will dramatically improve our understanding of Venus, and why it's so unlike its rocky "twin," Earth.

PowerPoint is a desktop productivity veteran, a constant in Microsoft's ever-changing suite of apps since 1987. However, Microsoft consigning some of its well-known programs to the scrapyard over the past couple of years made me wonder: will PowerPoint reach its 40th birthday?

Microsoft will start automatically installing its new Outlook email app on Windows 10 devices. It's already pre-installed on most Windows 11 PCs and rolled out to some existing Windows 11 systems.

Mechanical keyboards have come a long way in the past ten years. Today's budget options blow the old premium stuff out of the water. Regardless of whether you're a typist, gamer, or both, there's a healthy variety of budget-friendly keyboards and customization options that you shouldn't miss out on.

BUY $35 OF SELECT GROCERIES, SAVE $10: As of Jan. 10, spend $35 on select groceries at Amazon and get $10 off your purchase. The discount will automatically be applied at checkout.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Buy $35 of select groceries, save $10 Get Deal

Looking to refill your pantry and fridge with some much-needed groceries? You don't have to move from your couch. Just head to Amazon and browse through the retailer's massive selection of food and staple pantry items. And while you're at it, you can save some cash on things you're already going to be adding to your cart, thanks to a limited-time deal.

As of Jan. 10, you can save $10 when you buy $35 of select groceries at Amazon. Just add items from the promotional page to your cart, then check out as you normally would. The offer will automatically be applied when you pay for your items.

There's plenty to choose from, though this sale covers more of items like Twinings tea, cheddar cheese puffs, Skinny Pop popcorn, garlic powder, coffee, and seasonings – as well as an assortment of similar items that you might fancy. You won't be able to shop for everything on your list as part of the sale, but there's plenty on offer there to make it worth your while.

Just make sure you fill your cart with enough items for the discount to apply. You can check your progress toward the reward at the top of the screen on the promotion's page.

The last thing I came across at this year's CES was LUCI, an AI-powered wearable video camera created by OpenInterX for lifelogging and vlogging. Tucked away in a quiet corner of the convention center, LUCI felt like a hidden gem waiting to be uncovered.

It might be my favorite discovery at CES 2025 — and I nearly missed it.

Extended recording time

The LUCI Pin is a compact square pinnable wearable device with an ultra-wide 12MP camera that captures up to 4K video. Unlike other wearables with a built-in camera, like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, LUCI can shoot video for an extended period of time. By comparison, Meta's smart glasses can only record videos up to 3 minutes long. On the other hand, the LUCI Pin can record or livestream up to 4 hours of video, according to OpenInterX.

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

That limitation is only a function of the LUCI's battery life. The LUCI can be plugged into any external battery pack and charged while being used for essentially unlimited streaming and recording time.

OpenInterX's LUCI Pin and LUCI Hub Credit: Mashable

With this functionality, the LUCI Pin presents itself as a lifelogging device. Whether you're a vlogger or want to track what you do in a typical day without keeping a written journal, that's the audience that OpenInterX appears to be going after. As a parent, it's easy to see the draw of the LUCI Pin. You want to both capture a special moment and enjoy it without having your face looking through a screen.

Processing power

According to OpenInterX founder Shawn Shen, many of the recording limitations in other camera products are essentially due to too much processing happening within the device, which causes the camera's sensors to overheat. The LUCI Pin tackles this issue by processing it on your smartphone or an optional secondary add-on device called the LUCI Hub. The Hub is a square smartphone-sized computer that acts as a dedicated processor, storage, and display for the LUCI Pin. It can also snap to the back of your iPhone via MagSafe, so users don't have to carry two separate devices.

SEE ALSO: 8 mind-blowing gadgets at CES 2025 I need in my life AI-Powered footage organization

One cool feature demonstrated to me at CES is how the LUCI Hub or LUCI app on your smartphone can immediately sift through your footage and create stylized videos from your content. It's easy to see how TikTok and Instagram Reels creators who would like to quickly upload some of their day before sitting down to edit a long-form video version would love this. 

Now, I did mention that there is AI functionality. AI-powered wearables, especially in pin form, have become a big thing over the past year or so, even though every single product that comes out seems to fail. 

However, the LUCI is different. There's no silly AI assistant to ask questions that could have easily been Googled. Since its main functionality is as a lifelogging camera, the integrated AI features are only there to help creators utilize what they record.

LUCI Pin and LUCI Hub's AI functionality Credit: Mashable

For example, a quick text search for "dog" on your LUCI Hub or smartphone app will pull up all video shots with the LUCI Pin featuring a dog. OpenInterX showed how specific you could get by asking the LUCI Hub what they ate for breakfast yesterday. LUCI could share text describing the meal by simply using the video that the LUCI Pin shot the day before. In another demo, LUCI even reminded the user who they ate that breakfast with.

Privacy features

Privacy concerns always arise with wearable cameras. LUCI addresses this in two ways. First, a small light turns on to let everyone know the device is recording. Second, a physical cover built into the LUCI Pin slides directly in front of the camera lens to ensure nothing is being picked up.

OpenInterX tells me that the LUCI Pin will retail for $99 and that the first LUCI Pins should ship out in the next few months. The LUCI Hub add-on should launch sometime after the LUCI Pin, but there's no confirmed timeframe yet.

If this wearable pin functions as well as it did during the demo, many people will love LUCI.

GET 3 FREE WEEKS: As of Jan. 10, YouTube TV is offering new users a 21-day free trial to test out the live TV streaming service. After that, you'll pay just $59.99 per month for your first three months of the YouTube TV Base Plan — that's $69 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube YouTube TV Free 21-day trial, then $59.99 per month for three months Get Deal

The fight to make it to the Big Game — aka the NFL playoffs — is arguably more exciting than the actual season finale. But aside from one game airing on Prime Video (the Ravens vs. Steelers on Saturday night), you're going to need local networks. If you already cut the cord on cable, live TV streaming services are the best way to access NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX. The problem is they aren't cheap. That's where this game-changing extended free trial to YouTube TV comes in.

As of Jan. 10, new users can get three weeks of the YouTube TV Base Plan for free. That means you can watch most of this weekend's wildcard games, plus the divisional round and conference title round without spending any money. Once the free trial wraps up, the introductory offer kicks in for $59.99 per month for your first three months. Usually $82.99, that saves you $69 total. The introductory offer is set to expire on Jan. 12, so we recommend securing it stat.

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

Of course, YouTube TV's Base Plan gets you a whole lot more than just NFL games. It unlocks access to over 100 different live channels, including local broadcast stations, news channels like CNN and Fox News, specialty networks like Discovery and Bravo, sports channels like FS1, ESPN, Golf, and NFL Network, and kids networks like Nickelodeon and Disney. You can check your local lineup before you commit. Unlimited DVR space, special features like Key Plays View, six different household accounts, and three simultaneous streams are also included.

After the promotion period ends, you'll automatically be charged full price, which is now — gulp — $82.99 per month, unless you cancel.

SAVE $37.99: As of Jan. 10, you can snag a 14-inch HP Laptop (Intel Quad-Core, 8GM RAM, 64GB eMMC+, 128GB Ghost Manta SD Card) for just $212 at Amazon. That's a 15% discount and $37.99 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP 14-inch HP Laptop (Intel Quad-Core, 8GM RAM, 64GB eMMC+, 128GB Ghost Manta SD Card) $212.00 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $37.99 Get Deal

Finding a laptop that’s affordable and worth buying can be a challenge if you’re on a budget, but with a little research and patience, it isn’t impossible.

Right now, you can score a 14-inch HP laptop (Intel Quad-Core, 8GM RAM, 64GB eMMC+, 128GB Ghost Manta SD Card) for just $212 at Amazon. That's a 15% discount and $37.99 off the list price of $249.99.

SEE ALSO: I've tested over 59 laptops: this is the best laptop of 2024

This 14-inch laptop is lightweight and portable, making it a great option for students, remote workers, or anyone who needs a reliable computer on the go. It comes with Windows 11 Home pre-installed, has 11 hours of battery life, and has 8GM of RAM and 128GB of storage, which should be more than enough for most everyday tasks (especially if you keep everything in a cloud storage service). You'll also get a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365.

While this computer is three years old (it was originally released in 2022), it still has a lot of great features that make it a worthwhile purchase, especially at this price point.

FREE UBER RIDES: As of Jan. 10, teens who fail their driver's test can get free rides from an Uber Teen account for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Uber Free Uber Teen Rides Up to six Uber Teen rides at up to $20 per ride Get Deal

Getting your driver's license can be a difficult process. There's all that practice, going out on the road, and figuring out parallel parking, not to mention having to learn how to deal with other drivers. If you or your teen recently took their driver's test and ended up coming away empty-handed without a license, it can be frustrating and demoralizing to have to go through the whole process again. That's why Uber has your back.

As of Jan. 10, Uber is offering free rides for Uber Teen accounts, with up to six rides at up to $20 per ride through March 31. This discount expires 30 days from the day you create your account, and it's only availbale for new Uber Teen users. It doesn't apply to rides requested by adult accounts on behalf of a teen.

This is a great way to help ensure your teen (or you!) has a way to get from point A to point B while waiting in the wings for that coveted license. Though the deal is only good for six rides for a limited time, those expenses can certainly add up, and giving your teens a way to be mobile with safe rides through Uber is still a good idea, especially for members of the family who may not have jobs or have already spent their allowance for the month.

Keep in mind that you'll have to sign them up or have your teen create their own account, so don't just hand over your credentials and leave it at that.

TL;DR: Live stream Aston Villa vs. West Ham United in the FA Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The FA Cup third round includes some really interesting matchups, like Aston Villa vs. West Ham United. This battle between two Premier League sides is arguably the biggest game of the round of fixtures. It's certainly not an easy one to call, with only six points separating these teams in the league.

If you want to watch Aston Villa vs. West Ham United in the FA Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Aston Villa vs. West Ham United?

Aston Villa vs. West Ham United in the FA Cup starts at 8 p.m. GMT on Jan. 10. This fixture takes place at Villa Park.

How to watch Aston Villa vs. West Ham United for free

Aston Villa vs. West Ham United in the FA Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

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

Access a free live stream of Aston Villa vs. West Ham United 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 the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Live stream Aston Villa vs. West Ham United 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 Aston Villa vs. West Ham United without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream this game before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• 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.

Stream Aston Villa vs. West Ham United in the FA Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

A group of authors, including Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sarah Silverman, alleged in a court filing that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg approved "Meta's torrenting and processing of pirated copyrighted works" to train the company's AI models.

The California filing, which was made public on Wednesday, claims that Zuckerberg supported the use of the LibGen dataset, an archive that originated in Russia and contains a library of pirated books, to train its Llama AI. In a document submitted to the court, Meta admitted that it "removed [ed] all the copyright paragraphs from the beginning and the end" of scientific journal articles, Engadget reported. The suit alleges that this was explicitly done to hide the fact that Meta was using copyrighted materials. 

SEE ALSO: Meta ditches fact-checking for community notes ahead of second Trump term

Clearly, Meta did not want this information to be made public. The Guardian reported that the filing stated: "Media coverage suggesting we have used a dataset we know to be pirated, such as LibGen, may undermine our negotiating position with regulators."

All the while, Meta has been integrating Llama AI further into its apps and services.

This comes just a few days after Zuckerberg announced that he is replacing fact-checkers with Community Notes, lifting prohibitions against some discriminatory and hateful rhetoric on its platforms, and pushing more political content on Instagram and Threads.

SAVE $100: Be the first to know about Samsung's 2025 TVs and audio lineup. Sign up for exclusive updates and receive a $100 credit towards your preorder.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Sign Up + Get $100 Credit Get Deal

Samsung’s offering a pretty sweet incentive for customers looking to get their hands on the company’s 2025 product line-up: For a limited time, anyone who signs up to receive Samsung’s latest news and updates will receive a $100 credit towards a qualifying preorder of one of Samsung's 2025 TVs or audio devices.

SEE ALSO: Samsung confirms Unpacked date, where the Galaxy S25 awaits

All you have to do is sign up for Samsung’s mailing list, and you’ll be eligible to redeem a $100 credit when you place a preorder for one of Samsung's new TV or audio products slated for release in 2025. (If you’re tired of newsletters clogging up your inbox, you can always unsubscribe after you've redeemed your credit or use a secondary email address.)

Here’s how it works:

1. Visit the Samsung website and sign up to receive their email updates.

2. Keep an eye out for announcements about the 2025 TV and audio lineup.

3. Once the preorder period begins, use the same email address you signed up with to secure your purchase.

4. Your $100 credit will be automatically applied at checkout.

SAVE $150: As of Jan. 10, the Insignia 65-inch F50 Series 4K HD Fire TV is just $299.99 at Best Buy, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's a 37% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Insignia 65-inch F50 Series 4K HD Fire TV $299.99 at Best Buy
$449.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal

Miss out on all the holiday TV deals? Still want a new set for your living room or maybe another area in your home? Don't sleep on Insignia's line of Fire TVs, particularly one that's on sale today at Best Buy. If you're interested in leveling up your home entertainment center, or just want a new TV in some other part of your home, this deal comes right on time for you.

As of Jan. 10, the Insignia 65-inch F50 Series 4K HD Fire TV is just $299.99 at Best Buy, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's $150 off and a discount of 37%.

This 4K display offers UltraHD resolution with direct LED backlighting for better contract and brighter colors, especially with its support for HDR via Dolby Vision. It also supports Dolby Atmos for better sound and advanced spatial audio processing.

But most interestingly, and what will likely sway most buyers, is its built-in Fire TV support. That means you can access Alexa via voice control (integrated into its included remote) and watch thousands of different shows and movies by way of Prime Video as well as other streaming servicdes like Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney Plus, and more.

If you want an affordable addition to your home with a great picture and plenty of features, you'll want to jump on this deal pronto.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Jan. 10: OUR TOP PICK Apple AirPods Pro 2 $179.99 (save $69.01) Get Deal BEST SPEAKER DEAL Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 $145.99 (save $54) Get Deal BEST FITNESS TRACKER DEAL Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.95 (save $20) Get Deal BEST TV DEAL Amazon 50-inch Omni QLED Fire TV $379.99 (save $90 with Prime-exclusive code QLED50) Get Deal

Whether you're hoping to use up the funds on that gift card you received for the holidays or simply want to do a little retail therapy heading into the weekend, you can save up to 28% at Amazon today on top brands like Apple and Fitbit. We've already scoured the pages of deals to find the best ones worth your money on Jan. 10.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. None of these lighting you up? Check out our picks from Jan. 8 and Jan. 9. Lots of those deals are still live, including a $69 Apple Pencil and $40 off the Instant Vortex air fryer.

Our top pick: AirPods Pro 2 Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $179.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $69.01 Get Deal

If it wasn't obvious from our multiple headphone buying guides, we're huge fans of the AirPods Pro 2. Why? They produce rich and well-balanced sound, offer best-in-class noise cancellation for earbuds, seamlessly slip into the Apple ecosystem, and offer decent enough battery life. We regularly see these earbuds drop to $199 and $189, but we'll take that extra $10 price drop any day. It's not quite the lowest price we've seen, but we'd still recommend snagging a pair at this price.

Check out our full review of the AirPods Pro 2.

Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 $145.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $54.00 Get Deal

Want a speaker that can go wherever you go, but still produce surround sound with impressive bass? Meet the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4. While we haven't tested this specific speaker, we did spend some time with its pint-size sibling (the Wonderboom) and it's one of our absolute favorites. It can pump out tunes for up to 20 hours on a single charge, is virtually indestructible thanks to IP67 waterproofing, and packs a full range driver for powerful 360-degree sound with balance and clarity. It's regularly $199.99, but as of Jan. 10, the blue colorway is on sale for only $145.99. That's a savings of 27%.

Fitbit Inspire 3 Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.95 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $20.00 Get Deal

"For anyone new to fitness or any dedicated gym rat, the Fitbit Inspire 3 gets you more than you pay for," Mashable's reviewer writes. If you're hoping to focus on health and wellness this year, the Fitbit Inspire 3 offers a comprehensive suite of tracking features — from sleep and steps to stress levels and blood oxygen. Plus, it has an intuitive, low-profile design, a straightforward user interface, an impressive app suite, workout insights, and decent battery life. And at just $79.95 as of Jan. 10, it's friendly for your wallet, too. That's 20% in savings and just $10 shy of its lowest price on record.

Check out our full review of the Fitbit Inspire 3.

Amazon 50-inch Omni QLED Fire TV Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 50-inch Omni QLED Fire TV $379.99 at Amazon
$469.99 Save $90.00 with Prime-exclusive code QLED50 Get Deal

Want to boost your TV setup before the Big Game next month? Amazon's dupe of Samsung's The Frame is on sale for Prime members. The Omni QLED Fire TV offers an "Ambient Experience" mode that pulls up artwork, photos from your personal collection, or a selection of handy Alexa widgets. Plus, its QLED display features local dimming, adaptive brightness, and support for Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive. Ultimately, it's Amazon's best-looking Fire TV minus the brand-new (and more expensive) Omni Mini-LED series. The 50-inch model is usually $469.99, but Prime members can use the code QLED50 to drop the price to $379.99. That's just shy of 20% in savings.

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

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, January 10, 2025:

AcrossHybrid utensil popularized by Kentucky Fried Chicken in the 1970s

• The answer is Spork.

Cassowary's claw

• The answer is Talon.

Genre with a "subs vs. dubs" debate (subtitles vs. dubbed dialogue)

• The answer is Anime.

Opponent

• The answer is Rival.

Feature of a scratch-and-sniff sticker

• The answer is Scent.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 10, 2025 DownThere are seven in the Big Dipper

• The answer is Stars.

Freak out

• The answer is Panic.

Sliced, black pizza topping

• The answer is Olive.

Times New ___ (typeface)

• The answer is Roman.

Prepared to propose, perhaps

• The answer is Knelt.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

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

SAVE $70: As of Jan. 10, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are down to $179.99 at Best Buy as its Deal of the Day. This is $70 off their list price of $249.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $179.99 at Best Buy
$249.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are my favorite earbuds, and being able to scoop them up at a discounted price makes them even better. If you've had your eyes on these earbuds, Best Buy's offering a very nice discount on them as part of its Deal of the Day. But as its name suggests, you won't have long to get them at their discounted price.

The AirPods Pro 2 are currently on sale for $179.99, $70 off their list price of $249.99. Your purchase also comes with a couple of bonus offers: up to three months free of Apple Music and three months free of Apple Fitness+.

SEE ALSO: Save $80 on the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro

My personal favorite aspect of these earbuds is the active noise cancelation, which I frequently use while I'm working or just want to zone in on something I'm listening to. For the opposite effect, Transparency mode makes me more aware of my surroundings, which is incredibly helpful while I'm on the move. I also think the sound quality is excellent, no matter if I'm listening to music or getting very invested in an audiobook.

We rank the AirPods Pro 2 among the best earbuds of 2024 because they "produce a sound that's rich and well-balanced, they have excellent noise cancellation (that falls just behind the Bose QC Ultras), and they work seamlessly within the Apple ecosystem." Don't miss out on this $70 discount on the AirPods Pro 2 at Best Buy.

Looking to save on even more Apple devices? There are quite a few on sale right now to kick off 2025. In the world of headphones, Best Buy's also offering a discount on the AirPods Max (Lightning). Or, if you're looking for a smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 10 is discounted right now at Amazon.

The online world can be a dangerous place, with hackers, viruses, and surveillance software lurking in every corner of the web. We're not trying to scare you, but have you ever considered just how much of your personal data is exposed to this sort of thing whilst you're browsing? If not, you probably should. You might be surprised by the results.

Your data is seriously valuable stuff these days, and everyone is looking to get their hands on it. Once you come to understand that the internet is insecure, it's perfectly normal to feel a little concerned about how much of your data is up for grabs. There's no need to panic though, because there is a simple and effective way that you can stay protected.

To stay safe online and keep all of your data and personal information secure, you really should consider investing in a VPN.

What is a VPN?

VPNs provide protection for your data and identity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address (digital location). All of your activity is untraceable and secure because everything passes through an encrypted tunnel. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside is protected against online threats. This means that hackers, governments, and your internet service provider will be unable to access any of your information.

Do you need a VPN?

Investing in a VPN is one of the best ways to ensure your safety and anonymity online. VPNs are vital tools in the fight against scammers and cybercriminals, but there's another reason you might consider these security services. And it has nothing to do with security.

SEE ALSO: The best VPNs for remaining anonymous online

VPNs can be used to unlock streaming services from around the world, including the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. How do they do this? It's actually a really simple process, and it can significantly boost your content options. All you need to do is open up your preferred VPN, connect to a server from another country in order to spoof your IP to another address, and then head to your preferred streaming site. This process tricks the site into thinking you are based in another country, meaning you can watch all that great content that is normally blocked.

VPNs are really useful for cybersecurity and streaming, which means they should be a worthwhile investment for just about everyone.

What should you know before subscribing to a VPN?

Selecting a VPN that is right for you is not easy, because there are a lot of options all offering similar packages. To make the decision a little simpler, we have highlighted a selection of the most important things to consider before making any sort of purchase:

• Connection speed — This is absolutely vital whether you're looking to use a VPN for online security or streaming. It's normal for a VPN to result in a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept anything significant.

• Encryption — We know that a lot of people will be using VPNs for streaming, but these services are primarily designed to provide cybersecurity, so encryption is important. The best VPNs will offer powerful protection for your data, meaning that everything is unreadable and untraceable.

• Number of connections — You should seek out a VPN that offers multiple simultaneous connections, so you can stay protected on all your devices at the same time. This is also beneficial for large families or households with multiple people likely to be online at the same time.

• Privacy policy — The best VPNs should be very clear about how they handle, store, and use your data. These practices should be laid out in a privacy policy, and if they aren't super clear, you should look elsewhere.

• Server network — The best VPNs provide access to thousands of servers located all around the world. This is useful as you should always be able to find a stable and speedy connection for streaming, shopping, or browsing.

There are plenty of other things that are worth considering, like bandwidth, apps for certain operating systems, and customer support, but these are probably the most important features to keep in mind.

Should you use free VPNs?

With free versions of popular VPNs and free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan, why would you ever pay? As with most things in life, you get what you pay for with VPNs.

There tends to always be a catch with free versions, and it's normally in the form of limited data usage. If you're just an occasional user, these plans will work fine. But if you're going to be streaming or downloading, this isn't going to work. Free trials are a little bit different: they come with everything you get in a paid plan, but obviously they don't tend to last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.

To gain access to advanced security features without limitations on usage, you need to pay up. The best VPNs are generally the most expensive, but there are plenty of cheap plans out there, especially if you're willing to commit to a lengthy contract.

What is the best VPN?

There are a lot of VPNs out there, and we recommend taking some time to carefully access all your options. Once you have established exactly what you need, you can turn your attention to finding the best deals on all the top VPNs.

We have reached out to partners in order to line up a list of the best deals on the most popular providers, to help you save big. You can find all the best deals on the likes of ExpressVPN, NordVPN, PureVPN, and more.

These are the best VPN deals in 2025.

It’s CES time once again, and that means the tech industry is showing off endless tech knickknacks to tickle our fancies. The one sector of these I don’t think I’ll ever understand is smart clocks, though.

SAVE $15: As of Jan. 10, the Kindle essentials bundle is on sale for $146.97 at Amazon. This is 9% off the cost of each item bought separately, $161.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Essentials Bundle $146.97 at Amazon
$161.97 Save $15.00 Includes matcha colored fabric cover and a 9W power adapter Get Deal

During Black Friday I was interested in picking up the latest model of Kindle to keep me busy on my long journey back home, and I'm so glad I did. It's one of my favorite investments from last year, and it felt even better to get it on sale. While the individual model isn't marked down right now, you can still take advantage of an excellent Kindle bundle that Amazon currently has discounted, which is definitely worth considering for avid readers.

The Kindle essentials bundle comes with the latest 2024 Kindle release in matcha alongside a fabric cover in the same color and a power adapter, setting you up with everything you need for $146.97, $15 off its overall value of $161.97. This is a bundle well worth investing in so you can have everything right away without having to come back and spend more cash to get each item individually.

SEE ALSO: Amazon deal of the day: The new Kindle Scribe has its first big discount

This e-reader features a small, lightweight design that fit perfectly into my backpack. Reading is a joy thanks to the glare-free display and adjustable light. Whether I was reading during the day or late at night, it felt like I could settle into my book just a little bit easier. Not to mention, the battery life is excellent and can last for weeks. It's a perfect companion for those who travel frequently or even if you just enjoy digging into a good book at home on your couch.

Our review of the 2024 Kindle had high praise for it as well, with Mashable's Samantha Mangino saying, "The Amazon Kindle is a phenomenal value. If you're looking to spend about $100 on an e-reader, the Kindle will deliver quick page turns and 16GB of storage to hold thousands and thousands of books." We also think it's the best for the basics in our roundup of the best Kindles.

If you're a book lover looking to make the jump to a digital library, the Kindle is a great way to do it. Don't miss out on this Kindle essentials bundle deal at Amazon.

If audiobooks are more your style than reading off a page, Audible's offering an excellent deal at the moment for new subscribers to its Premium Plus plan. For a limited time until Jan. 21, you can get your first three months for under $1 per month. That's a worthwhile deal to jump on if you enjoy listening to your favorite novels instead.

Parody accounts on X (formerly Twitter) are about to become more obvious.

SEE ALSO: X's declining user base: Elon Musk's platform projected to lose millions of users in 2025

On Thursday, X's official Safety account shared a post announcing that labels for parody accounts are rolling out.

Tweet may have been deleted

"We’re rolling out profile labels for parody accounts to clearly distinguish these types of accounts and their content on our platform," it reads.

"We designed these labels to increase transparency and to ensure that users are not deceived into thinking such accounts belong to the entity being parodied. Parody labels will be applied to both posts and accounts on X to clearly demonstrate the source of the content you’re seeing. We’ll share details soon on when the label will become mandatory for parody accounts."

Musk announced back in 2022 that parody accounts would need to mark themselves as such or risk a permanent suspension, presumably because such parody was made easier – and harder to distinguish – by the sudden ability for anyone to buy a blue checkmark.