Technology

After three seasons of waltzing around it, Bridgerton has finally taken a lesson from Downton Abbey and properly addressed the c-word: class. But it's complicated.

Though Shonda Rhimes' Netflix series has long luxuriated in the ballroom gowns, glimmering tea sets, and manicured lawns of the nobility, it has avoided any direct confrontation with the complicated social structure of Regency society, instead living in a fantasy for three seasons. The show's multiracial casting has raised conversations about historical context, but class politics hasn't played a major part in the narrative, only being glimpsed fleetingly through characters like Lady Whistledown's printing press staff and the Featheringtons' fiercely loyal housekeeper, Mrs. Varley (Lorraine Ashbourne). The bourgeoisie have had their moments — the Mondriches' (Martins Imhangbe and Emma Naomi) social standing rose in Season 3 — but the working class has never starred in their own storyline.

So Season 4 comes as a refreshing surprise, as Bridgerton actually gives airtime (and names) to the folks who keep the Ton and the houses of nobility running. Namely, the sublime Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), a Cinderella-channelling maid in disguise who meet-cutes Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) at his family's own fancy masquerade ball. She knows who he is. He doesn't have the foggiest.

Featured Video For You ‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 has the internet upset for all the wrong reasons

"Having one half of a Bridgerton couple be a servant immediately injects the show with new energy," Mashable's Belen Edwards writes in her review. "The Downton Abbey-esque move offers up a much-needed new perspective on the Ton, one where we see the work that goes into maintaining its lush fantasy. It also prepares the audience to see the world through Sophie's eyes."

Though it wasn't perfect in its representation of class divide, Julian Fellowes' Downton Abbey became synonymous with its social commentary on the overlap between the aristocracy and their servants under the same roof, the "upstairs" and the "downstairs." Like Bridgerton, Downton somewhat unrealistically presents members of the English nobility as benevolent pals of their servants, while the social line between them remains — this becomes an issue in Bridgerton this season with Mrs Varley's treatement by Portia Featherington (Polly Walker). The storylines involving the upper classes are undeniably prioritised in both series, with everyone else constantly dreaming of moving up, of "bettering" themselves. As Lady Whistledown writes in Season 4, episode 1 of Bridgerton, "This author knows best that a small amount of make-believe often has the power to remake reality to lift us up from the drudgery of a humdrum existence." Girl, steady on.

Yerin Ha and Luke Thompson in "Bridgerton." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

This season, our lovers are from two households, both alike in dignity, but they're sleeping on different floors — one upstairs, one downstairs. Through Sophie's socially complicated backstory and Benedict's flippant privilege, the show asks interesting questions about class, inheritance, and Regency society. And it's not just because Benedict cannot marry someone from a lower social class; we've seen this love story before in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (though heroine Elizabeth Bennet hails from the country gentry, not the working class). Bridgerton leans more into the practical implications of a class divide between protagonists. Sophie needs stable employment to survive, period — Season 3 also examined the sexist links between romance and "financial security" for women. When Benedict saves Sophie from an abusive employer, she's frustrated knowing she has little chance of finding another job. Yes, Bridgerton is a fantasy, but it makes contextual sense for this woman to fear losing her role, despite the open threat within her workplace. Benedict jumps into saviour mode, employing Sophie in his own home while foolishly pretending the unequal power dynamic won't impact their crush. He's wrong. And don't even get me started about the amount of Bridgertons shocked over Sophie being an educated maid.

Wait, this isn't a still from "Downton Abbey"? Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

With this Cinderella story afoot, it's prudent for showrunner Jess Brownell to take a leaf from Downton and spend actual time "downstairs." (Even Jane Austen herself made room to acknowledge the inability of the rich to function without servants.) So, we meet the Bridgerton House staff, including housekeeper, lady's maid, and event manager Mrs. Wilson (Geraldine Alexander). From director of photography Jeffrey Jur and editor David Greenspan, we're given shots of the servants fluffing pillows, dusting pianos, folding sheets. We follow Mrs. Wilson into the kitchen, pantry, and scullery where napkins are being pressed, pheasants plucked, dough rolled, and staff reprimanded for leaving bootprints in the hall. We observe who delivers the desserts and dance cards for the Bridgertons' masquerade ball. "Thrilling for them, chaos for us," Footman John (Oli Higginson) remarks.

Just like the famous bell board of Downton, we see just how many rooms the staff in Bridgerton must manage, with various shots of the bells connected to Lady Violet's (Ruth Gemmell) room, the dressing room, and the children's bedrooms. We later see the same bell service setup in the servants' quarters of Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung)'s home, Penwood House. In these quarters, we meet servants like Celia (Sophie Lamont) of Bridgerton House, and Sophie's fellow servants Alfie (David Moorst) and Irma (Fiona Marr), who get their own scenes largely making fun of their employers — once, Mrs. Wilson remarks that the Bridgertons having children means more work for the servants: "They're sweet as long as you are not the one who has to look after them and mind their cries." And the Crabtrees (Susan Brown and Billy Boyle) should know — the pair who turn up in episode 3 manage Benedict's "cottage" have basically raised him since working at Bridgerton House.

Oli Higginson, Sophie Lamont, and Geraldine Alexander in "Bridgerton." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

Crucially, servants see behind the curtain in pristine Regency households (they're the ones drawing them, after all). The value of keeping up appearances can easily make way for gossip between household staff — and as Lady Whistledown can attest, information is power, especially in the marriage mart. Mrs. Varley would do anything for the Featheringtons to shield them from public ruin, and has. In Season 4, we see Bridgerton staffers, including valet Hatch (Esh Alladi), covering for Benedict's rakish behaviour on more than one occasion. Mrs. Wilson is Lady Violet's closest confidante, becoming the ultimate wingwoman. In fact, Bridgerton champions the value of servants so hard this season it muscles in a storyline referred to by Lady Whistledown as "the Maid War," in which staff are in such short supply that households are fighting over them — and Lady Araminta pretty much wins this war by offering higher wages. Shocking.

Make no mistake, Bridgerton Season 4 still holds the aristocracy as its core, covetable class, just as Downton did. In fact, Lady Araminta tells Sophie that impersonating nobility is a "crime." However, it's high time the show gives its working class characters dialogue and importance to the series narrative. It's not perfect, but it's a start.

Bridgerton Season 4, Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Part 2 premieres Feb. 26.

Bridgerton has never met a romance trope it didn't love.

Season 1 introduced us to the fake relationship-turned-true love of Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). Season 2's Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) ushered in Bridgerton's swoon-worthy take on enemies-to-lovers, and Season 3 paid off Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton's (Luke Newton) slow burn friends-to-lovers arc.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to remember before 'Bridgerton' Season 4

Now in Season 4, Bridgerton turns to another timeless romance trope: that of the Cinderella story. And the results, like any good fairy tale love story, will sweep you off your feet.

What's Bridgerton Season 4 about? Yerin Ha and Luke Thompson in "Bridgerton." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

Playing the role of Bridgerton Season 4's Prince Charming is none other than Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). The family's second son and eternal rake spent the first three seasons pursuing an art career, exploring his queerness, and just mostly having a fun, if irresponsible, time about town. In Season 4, he steps into the spotlight, albeit through no desire of his own. Bridgerton matriarch Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell) is tired of her son's carousing and demands that he set his sights on marriage. Just like that, Benedict is on the market — and he's Queen Charlotte's (Golda Rosheuvel) favorite prospect.

So who is our Cinderella to Benedict's Prince Charming? Newcomer Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), the servant to widow Lady Araminta Penwood (Katie Leung) and her two daughters.

SEE ALSO: 'Bridgerton' Season 4 finally wants to talk about class

Having one half of a Bridgerton couple be a servant immediately injects the show with new energy. Throughout the series, we've primarily seen the "upstairs" of the Bridgerton household. That all changes in Season 4's first moments, which bring us "downstairs," where all manner of servants toil away to make sure the Bridgertons' teas and balls go off without a hitch. We see them fashioning showstopping desserts, debating dance card logistics, and even gossiping about the Bridgerton family while waiting on them. The Downton Abbey-esque move offers up a much-needed new perspective on the ton, one where we see the work that goes into maintaining its lush fantasy. It also prepares the audience to see the world through Sophie's eyes.

Sophie Baek and Benedict Bridgerton have impeccable chemistry. Yerin Ha and Luke Thompson in "Bridgerton." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

When you first meet Sophie, you won't know right away that she's a servant. That's because she's at the Bridgertons' lavish masquerade ball to open the season. Hidden behind a silver mask and matching gown, she could be anyone. Yet even a disguise can't hide Sophie's wonder at the spectacle of the ball, an appreciation that endears her immediately to Benedict, who's already tired of the advances of young women clamoring for marriage. It's not long before sparks fly between the two as they share a private dance lesson full of witty repartee, longing glances, and sensuous glove touches. Gentle reader, I was kicking my feet so much during this scene, you might be fooled into thinking I was a soccer player.

Of course, like all good Cinderella stories go, the clock must strike midnight, and the mysterious princess must run back to her humble beginnings, but not before leaving behind a token of sorts. Don't fret: Benedict and Sophie will cross paths again. This time there are no masks between them, yet this makes their blooming romance all the more difficult. Benedict cannot marry a woman below his social class, nor can he fully forget the Lady in Silver he fell for at the ball. So begins what feels like a love triangle between two people: Benedict, Sophie, and Sophie's alter ego.

SEE ALSO: 'Bridgerton' Season 4 soundtrack, song-by-song

The hidden identities of it all risks becoming infuriating. (How many times did I yell, "Just tell him!" at Sophie? Too many to count!) Yet Ha and Thompson's performances manage to sell even the most ridiculous plot contrivances.

Let's start with Benedict's seeming inability to recognize a woman's voice or face. What could be sheer stupidity transforms into daffy unawareness thanks to Thompson's affable turn as a (mostly) oblivious noble man. Sorry to the Benedict haters, but for all his faults, the man is impossibly charming, and a damn delightful romantic lead.

Where Benedict is charming and free-spirited, treating the world as an adventure, Sophie is cautious. As a servant to a cruel family, she can't afford to take anything for granted, and Ha carries the weight of that harsh reality in every scene. Yet when she and Benedict cross paths, she lights up, and he learns to listen better — even empathizing with the young débutantes he used to scorn. People use the phrase "they complete each other" often in romances, and here, it's triply true. Sophie brings Benedict some much-needed seriousness, while he brings her some much-needed joy, and what follows is a potent cocktail of sweet banter and quiet yearning.

Bridgerton still suffers from too many side plots. Golda Rosheuvel and Hugh Sachs in "Bridgerton." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

Bridgerton Season 4 is blessed with an enchanting central couple and two luminous lead performances. So why does it keep cutting away from them?

Bridgerton's glut of subplots isn't a new problem, although it became exceptionally glaring in Season 3, when it robbed us of further development of Penelope and Colin's relationship. That issue persists in Season 4, with Bridgerton overstuffing its episodes fit to bursting.

Some of these subplots work well. Everything Leung does as Lady Araminta is delightfully sinister, and Violet's tentative courtship with Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) is a moving examination of finding love long after the loss of a partner. Others, on the other hand, are less successful. A growing rift between Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) nicely complicates one of the show's longest standing relationships, but it's not long before it feels like Bridgerton is spinning its wheels with these two. The same goes for Francesca's (Hannah Dodd) sexual dissatisfaction with her husband, Lord John Stirling (Victor Alli). While the story leads to some funny, then downright sweet moments, it also suffers from being a relationship caught in the shadow of Sophie and Benedict's. To paraphrase The Simpsons, whenever Sophie and Benedict aren't on screen, everyone should be asking, where are Sophie and Benedict?

Contrast Bridgerton's desire to heavily populate its world beyond its lead romance with the hottest show right now, Heated Rivalry. (Spoiler alert: Both shows involve key trips to a "cottage" that is actually a big-ass house.) That series succeeds thanks to its tight focus on its central couple, to the point that the rest of the world fades away to give them more space. In Bridgerton, the rest of the world is often overbearing. Not in a "These societal expectations are crushing us!" kind of way, but more in a "Wait, we're leaving Benedict and Sophie behind again?" kind of way.

Thankfully, the power of Sophie and Benedict remains strong enough to fuel the first half of Bridgerton's otherwise captivating Season 4. As Cinderella stories go, it's downright enchanting.

Bridgerton Season 4, Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Part 2 premieres Feb. 26.

TL;DR: Live stream Sabalenka vs. Svitolina in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Only a handful of players are still in contention to win the 2026 Australian Open. We've reached the semi-final stage of the first Grand Slam of the season, with Sabalenka vs. Svitolina serving up the first game of this round.

Elena Svitolina has never made a Grand Slam final, but she's fresh from beating Coco Gauff in straight sets. She'll need to carry that impressive form into this matchup, as top seed Sabalenka is incredibly tough to beat. Sabalenka has already won this competition twice before, and will be looking to move on from last year's final defeat to Madison Keys.

If you want to watch Sabalenka vs. Svitolina in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Sabalenka vs. Svitolina for free

Sabalenka vs. Svitolina in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

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

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

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

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Sabalenka vs. Svitolina in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Smooth.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SLEEK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A small fish.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 29, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GUPPY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A large horned mammal.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 29 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 29, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

RHINO

Hurdle Word 4 hint

That one.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

WHICH

Final Hurdle hint

A baby cat.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

KITTY

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

Home Assistant has come a long way since the days when all your automations had to be written in YAML. These days, you can build automations in the automation editor without seeing a single line of code. With so many actions to choose from in the automation editor, it's easy to miss some of the most useful ones.

Meta leadership knew that the company's AI companions, referred to as AI characters, could engage in inappropriate and sexual interactions and still launched them without stronger controls, according to new internal documents revealed on Monday (Jan. 28) as part of a lawsuit against the company by the New Mexico attorney general.

The communications, sent between Meta safety teams and platform leadership that didn't include CEO Mark Zuckerberg, include objections to building companion chatbots that could be used by adults and minors for explicit romantic interactions. Ravi Sinha, head of Meta’s child safety policy, and Meta global safety head Antigone Davis sent messages agreeing that chatbot companions should have safeguards against sexually explicit interactions by users under 18. Other communications allege Zuckerberg rejected recommendations to add parental controls, including the option to turn off genAI features, before the launch of AI companions shortly thereafter.

SEE ALSO: TikTok settles as Meta and Google face jury in social media addiction suit

Meta is facing multiple lawsuits pertaining to its products and their impact on minor users, including a potential landmark jury trial over the allegedly addictive design of sites like Facebook and Instagram. Meta's competitors, including YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat, are under tightening legal scrutiny, as well.

The newly released communications were part of court discovery in a case against Meta brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. Torrez first filed a civil lawsuit against Meta in 2023, alleging the company allowed its platforms to become "marketplaces for predators." Internal communications between Meta executives were unsealed and released as the case heads to trial next month.

In November, a plaintiff’s brief from a major multidistrict lawsuit filed in the Northern District of California alleged a lenient policy toward users who violated safety rules, including those reported for "trafficking of humans for sex." Documents also showed that Meta execs allegedly knew of "millions" of adults contacting minors across its sites. "The full record will show that for over a decade, we have listened to parents, researched issues that matter most, and made real changes to protect teens," a Meta spokesperson told TIME.

SEE ALSO: After settling lawsuit, Snapchat adds new parental controls for teens

"This is yet another example of the New Mexico Attorney General cherry-picking documents to paint a flawed and inaccurate picture," said Meta spokesperson Andy Stone in response to the new documents.

Meta paused teen use of its chatbots in August, following a report by Reuters that found Meta's internal AI rules permitted chatbots to engage in conversations that were "sensual" or "romantic" in nature. The company later revised its safety guidelines, barring content that "enables, encourages, or endorses" child sexual abuse, romantic role play when involving minors, and other sensitive topics. Last week, Meta once again locked down AI chatbots for young users as it explored a new version with enhanced parental controls.

Torrez has led other state attorneys general in seeking to take major social media platforms to court over child safety concerns. In 2024, Torrez sued Snapchat, claiming the platform allowed sextortion and grooming of minors to proliferate while still marketing itself as safe for young users.

If reliability is at the top of your shopping list but you don’t want to pay near-new prices for a Toyota, the used SUV market has a surprising alternative. One affordable Japanese crossover has earned a reputation for dependability that rivals, even matches, what many buyers expect from Toyota’s storied reliability. That makes it a standout choice for budget-minded drivers who want years of trouble-free ownership without sacrificing practicality.

SAVE 25%: As of Jan. 28, the TCL 85-inch Class QM7K Series Mini LED TV is on sale for $1,497.97, down from $1,999.99 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount, or $502.02 in savings.

TCL 85-inch Class QM7K Series Mini LED TV (85QM7K) $1,497.97 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $502.02   Get Deal at Amazon

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, it’s arguably the best time of year to look for deals on big screens. If you want to turn your living room into a stadium for the big game, this 85-inch TCL is the way to go.

As of Jan. 28, the TCL 85-inch Class QM7K Series Mini LED TV is on sale for $1,497.97, down from $1,999.99, at Amazon. That's a 25% discount, or $502.02 in savings.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The biggest selling point here (aside from its size) is the Mini LED panel. It uses up to 2,500 local dimming zones to control contrast, so you get deep, inky blacks instead of that washed-out gray look common on budget big screens. It also has an anti-glare screen, which is a major plus if you're watching the game during the day and don't want to stare at a reflection of your window.

TL;DR: The Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 gaming monitor is now down to just $159.99 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount off its regular $249.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Saming 27-inch Odyssey G5 G53F QHD Gaming Monitor $159.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $90 Get Deal

You don’t usually see a high-refresh QHD gaming monitors from top brands drop to such a low prices, so this Samsung deal is a perfect opportunity for a gaming setup upgrade. As of Jan. 28, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 G53F QHD gaming monitor has dropped to just $159.99 at Amazon, marking its lowest price to date — with a 36% discount off its usual $249.99 list price. 

As far as Samsung monitors go, this model's specs tell us that the 27-inch Odyssey G5 is built for players who want smoother gameplay without stepping up to ultra-premium prices. For instance, the QHD resolution (2560 x 1440) offers noticeably sharper detail than standard 1080p, while the IPS panel aims to provide consistent colors and clarity across wide viewing angles. Whether you’re gaming on Arc Raiders, streaming, or juggling multiple apps, it's a clear upgrade from entry-level displays.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Performance is where this monitor really earns its stripes. A blazing-fast 200Hz refresh rate paired with a 1ms response time means motion will be kept smooth and responsive, even during fast-paced competitive play. Added AMD FreeSync Premium support helps reduce screen tearing and stutter, while HDR10 adds extra depth with brighter highlights and deeper shadows.

Samsung also includes gamer-focused extras like Black Equalizer for better visibility in dark scenes and Auto Source Switch+, which should make jumping between devices effortless. At under $160, it’s one of the most affordable ways to step into high-refresh 1440p gaming right now.

If you’re open to spending a bit more and would like a curved model, the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 is $300 off. Plus, the LG UltraGear 34-inch OLED gaming monitor is almost half price at Amazon. 

TL;DR: Invest wisely and confidently with a lifetime subscription to this OpenAI-powered app, Sterling Stock Picker, now just $55.19 (reg. $486) through Feb. 15.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sterling Stock Picker Sterling Stock Picker: Lifetime Subscription $55.19
$486 Save $430.81   Get Deal

Too cautious to invest in the stock market? Being risk-aware shouldn’t bar you from investing — you just need the right tools. Sterling Stock Picker is an app with a personal finance coach, powered by OpenAI, ready to help you invest in stocks that align with your personal goals and risk preferences.

Right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription to Sterling Stock Picker for only $55.19 (reg. $486) through Feb. 15.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Sterling Stock Picker is an AI-powered app that helps you invest confidently thanks to its North Star Rating System. This patent-pending technology shows you whether to buy, sell, hold, or avoid certain stocks, with AI-powered insights you can trust. The highest North Star rankings are stock rockets, companies with over 50% quarterly revenue growth, making them easy to identify.

Though it’s powered by the makers of ChatGPT, this app keeps things personal. A five-minute questionnaire will provide Sterling Stock Picker with information about your values, investment goals, and risk preferences, helping you find the best stocks for your portfolio. And if you’d prefer not to weigh in, there’s a Done-for-You Portfolio option.

If you’d like to be more hands-on, learn more about the stock market with your own personal finance coach, Finley. This OpenAI-powered tool can answer questions about your portfolio, an individual stock, or the market as a whole. There’s also a community chat forum where you can discuss investment strategies and ask questions to fellow investors.

Secure your lifetime subscription to Sterling Stock Picker for just $55.19 (reg. $486) now through Feb. 15.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Scan documents right from your smartphone or tablet with a lifetime subscription to the iScanner App, now just $27.99 with code SCAN through Feb. 15.

Opens in a new window Credit: iScanner iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription $27.99
$199.90 Save $171.91   Get Deal

Thanks to our laptops, many of us can work from anywhere. That means our office tools need to travel, too. Since you can’t pack up a clunky scanning machine, there’s now iScanner App. This helpful tool turns your smartphone or tablet into a portable scanner, and right now, a lifetime subscription is all yours for just $27.99 with code SCAN through Feb. 15.

Since we almost always have a smartphone nearby, the iScanner App lets you also carry around a scanning device at all times. Over 55 million people are already using it to transform their iPhone or iPad into a digitizing machine, taking physical documents and scanning them in just a few taps.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Whether you have to submit a form with your signature or you’re trying to save something sentimental, like a handwritten note, iScanner makes it easy to scan. All you have to do is point your camera at the page, and the app’s AI-powered features detect and adjust the borders to deliver a top-quality scan.

Once you scan, you can edit within the app with color-correction and noise-removal tools. You can save your scans as different file types — choose from PDF, JPG, DOC, XLS, PPT, or TXT.

Speaking of PDFs, the iScanner App lets you edit them if needed. It has tools for signing, adding text, and auto-filling PDFs. It also has scanning modes for text translation, object counting, measurements, and more.

If it wasn’t multitasking enough, you can also use the iScanner App as a document manager. It organizes your scans into folders, and you can use the drag-and-drop feature to sort them, or lock folders and files with a PIN for privacy.

Get a lifetime subscription to the iScanner App, now just $27.99 with code SCAN through Feb. 15.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

There's so much going on in February in entertainment that I don't even know where to begin. Not only are we up against the day of sugar highs—i.e., Valentine's Day—but we also have awards season and the 2026 Winter Olympic Games to contend with. That's not affecting HBO Max, though, which is gearing up for a hot and heavy month, according to its latest list of everything coming to the platform in February.

While most people are happy with 1 Gig internet speeds, if they even get that, Google isn't, and wants to give faster speeds to all of its Fiber customers. Today, the company announced that GFiber's cheapest Core 1 Gig plan will triple to 3 Gig in select cities, and it'll still be only $70 per month. Whoa!

Samsung's next journey into the foldable frontier is underway in the form of the Galaxy TriFold, a foldable smartphone featuring two folds instead of one. 

Just a few months after launching the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 foldables, Samsung officially announced the TriFold, a smartphone that has two folding screens, resulting in three panels of usable phone, plus an external cover display. The internal screen measures a whopping 10 inches, comparable in size to a Galaxy Tab, and it folds down into a normal-sized 6.5-inch phone once fully closed. 

SEE ALSO: Did the foldable iPhone just get leaked? Seems like it.

Mashable got to go hands-on with the Galaxy TriFold at CES 2026, and we haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. Plus, because the phone has been released in Korea, we know pretty much everything about this unique foldable, including the U.S. release date and price.

Samsung Galaxy TriFold: Pricing

Samsung has finally made the U.S. price for the TriFold official. Are you ready for this? You better sit down, first.

Samsung recently announced that the Galaxy TriFold will cost U.S. shoppers a whopping $2,900. Yes, that's the right number. It's not a typo. We hope you've been saving up.

Rumor has it that Samsung is losing money with each TriFold it sells, which might explain why the price is even higher than we expected.

Samsung Galaxy TriFold: U.S. release date

Additionally, alongside the price, Samsung announced that the TriFold will finally be available for U.S. shoppers starting Jan. 30. Again, you'll have to spend a lot of money, but it'll be there.

Samsung Galaxy TriFold: Specs Credit: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images

According to the official announcement, here are the specs coming on the Galaxy TriFold:

• Cover screen: 6.5-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

• Interior screen: 10-inch QXGA (2160 x 1584)  Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 

• RAM and Storage: 16GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB of storage

• Rear cameras: 12 MP ultra-wide / 200 MP wide-angle / 10 MP telephoto

• Front cameras: 10 MP selfie camera (cover screen) / 10 MP selfie camera (main screen)

• Battery size: 5,600 mAh three-cell battery

• Dimensions (folded): 159.2 x 75.0 x 12.9mm

• Dimensions (unfolded): 159.2 x 214.1 x 3.9mm / 4.2mm / 4.0mm (screen with SIM tray, center screen, and screen with side button, respectively)

• Weight: 309 grams

In terms of processors, cameras, RAM, and all that other fun stuff, these specs are pretty similar to what you'd find in a Z Fold 7. The 6.5-inch cover display stands out especially, as the one on the Z Fold 7 is the exact same size. The 10-inch interior display, however, will be significantly larger than the 8-inch equivalent in the Z Fold 7. That's the big selling point here: When it's folded, this is sized like a bigger traditional smartphone, but when you unfold it, you're unlikely to find any phone with a bigger display.

Initially, thickness was a potential issue, as a trifold smartphone was bound to be a hair bit thicker than anything else on the market. At 12.9mm, it is a thick smartphone. For reference, the super-thin Galaxy Z Fold 7 is just 8.9mm when folded, which makes the Galaxy X TriFold about a third thicker than its closest sibling. Whether or not that’s a dealbreaker depends exclusively on how thick or thin you want your smartphone to be. 

That’s about the only complaint in an otherwise stellar spec sheet. The battery is nice and big, with Samsung stuffing 5,600 mAh into its three-cell system we first saw in a Korean phone patent. Each cell is hidden in each screen of the display, and it's a 1,200 mAh improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 7. 

SEE ALSO: Samsung and LG preview new Micro RGB TVs. OK, but what are Micro RGB TVs? What do people think of the Samsung Galaxy TriFold?

Despite the high price tag, the Galaxy TriFold quite literally sold out in minutes. In South Korea, at least, the hype train is real, and Samsung can barely put these things on the shelves fast enough. The next batch is scheduled for Dec. 17th on Samsung’s website, and after that, we don’t know if they’ll have to continue rationing these out like they are now. 

Impressions online have been generally positive, with the few people who have actually had the opportunity to play with the smartphone stating that it’s certainly one of the most interesting smartphones in a while. Online and written impressions from publications are generally very positive, with complaints being fairly mild and often related to refinement, which is understandable given that this is a first-generation product. 

Here's what tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss said after trying out the phone: "So, honestly, I don't think the Trifold is this experimental quirky phone option. I actually think that this phone has immediately become the definitive Samsung foldable. You will have to handle it with care and you'll definitely have to pay for the privilege."

Social impressions were mixed, with some folks saying that this is the coolest new smartphone in years, while others are a little more guarded. 

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

"This is the true tablet killer," said one Redditor. Another stated that they were pleased to see Samsung innovating, and pontificated on when Apple would eventually release its first foldable. "Sign me up for one," another Redditor said. "[I’m] bored of my Folds." The most common sentiment among the excited was how absurd it would feel to be able to put a 10-inch tablet in your pocket. 

In terms of complaints, they fell into two camps. Excited people from Europe who are currently experiencing difficulties measuring their disappointment at not receiving a release there, and those wondering how the first-generation device will hold up over the long term. Some expressed worry about screen durability, especially since Samsung is offering a 50 percent discount on the first screen repair. Others are concerned with battery life, believing that the 10-inch display will chew through the 5,600 mAh battery rather quickly. 

With that said, very few people have gotten their hands on a TriFold, so we’ll have to wait a little bit longer to hear first-hand accounts on how it feels to use it day-to-day.

At a time when SSDs are already wildly overpriced and getting worse by the minute, is now really the time to pay extra for brand tax?

LM Studio is one of the best tools for running generative AI models locally on your computer, giving you something comparable to ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Google Gemini without using cloud services. Now, LM Studio 0.4.0 has arrived with an overhauled interface and new options for self-hosted servers.

In a segment where efficiency and refinement both matter, one hybrid SUV is carving out a niche by offering surprising levels of luxury without the luxury price tag. While the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is often the go-to choice for buyers seeking fuel savings and utility, this rival delivers a more upscale interior, refined ride quality, and premium touches that put it closer in feel to a Lexus, yet it still costs noticeably less. That combination of efficiency and near-luxury comfort makes it one of the most compelling choices in the hybrid SUV category.

Khaby Lame, the most-followed creator on TikTok, has sold a controlling stake in his core business to Rich Sparkle Holdings in a deal that values the company at roughly $975 million, marking one of the largest and most ambitious efforts yet to turn creator influence into a full-scale commercial platform.

SEE ALSO: The Mashable 101: The creators shaping the internet in 2025

Under the agreement, Rich Sparkle secures exclusive global rights for 36 months to manage and monetize Lame’s digital presence. That includes livestream income, short-form video strategy, supply chain operations, and brand partnerships. The company says Lame will also become a controlling shareholder.

According to reporting from Mint, the transaction positions Rich Sparkle to expand Lame’s brand into categories like beauty, fragrance, and apparel, while also developing an AI-powered digital twin using his likeness, voice, and gestures to produce multilingual content at scale.

The company projects that this closed-loop commerce model (where everything is discovered, bought, and shipped within the same ecosystem) could generate more than $4 billion in annual sales, though that figure remains aspirational.

Did you take advantage of the huge tool deals at Home Depot over the holidays? If not, you're running out of time to score a free battery through buy-one-get-one deals, free Makita battery packs, or nearly 40% discounts. That's because all the best Home Depot power tool deals end on February 1st, and here's what you need to know.

Samsung is cooking up a fresh new privacy feature for the next Galaxy phones.

The company announced in a pretty vague blog post that it's getting ready to show off new security functions that work "at a pixel level" for Galaxy phones in the near future. We don't have a strict date for when we'll learn more yet, but the smart money would be on the next Galaxy Unpacked event, which is rumored to take place in late February.

We'll presumably see the new Galaxy S26 lineup at Unpacked, and with it, a look at this new privacy shield.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy XR review: A great Vision Pro alternative, but for whom?

Again, Samsung didn't go deep into how all of this works, but the company claimed it'll be a way for you to do things like enter sensitive passwords in public spaces without strangers peering over your shoulder to see what you're doing. It apparently has granular options that allow you to make the privacy feature work only with certain apps or to censor notification pop-ups.

In a probably-related development, recent leaks all but confirmed that an innovative "Privacy Display" feature is coming to the S26 phones. It seems pretty likely that the features are one and the same, but if so, it would be fairly underwhelming, since we already know about Privacy Display.

Ideally, by the end of February, Samsung will be able to talk more freely about all of this without being so vague.