Mashable

There’s just a few days left of 2025, and tonight is one of the last Moons of the year. If we're lucky enough to have a cloudless sky, there's plenty we can see when we look up tonight.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Dec. 30, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Observation, 79% of the moon will be lit up tonight.

With just your naked eye, you'll be able to see the Mares Fecunditatis and Serenitatis, and Imbrium. If you add binoculars, you'll also see the Endymion Crater, the Alps Mountains, and the Apennine Mountains. With a telescope, you'll also see the Apollo 11 landing spot, the Descartes Highlands, and the Rima Hyginus.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3. The last full moon was on Dec. 4.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, it takes roughly 29.5 days for the Moon to complete a full cycle, known as the lunar cycle. During this period, the Moon moves through a series of phases as it orbits the Earth. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight illuminating its surface changes over time. This is why the Moon appears fully lit, partially illuminated, or not visible at all at different stages of the cycle. The lunar cycle is divided into eight main phases:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

TL;DR: Live stream Tanzania vs. Tunisia in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free on Channel 4 Sport YouTube. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage is almost done and dusted, but there are a handful of games left to see out the year and set up the Round of 16.

Today's action sees Tanzania and Tunisia competing in Group C. Tunisia are a decent side, with Premier League player Hannibal Mejri in the squad, so Tanzania enter this final group game as a relative underdog. Be sure to keep your eyes on these final group games as the tournament rolls on in Morocco.

If you want to watch Tanzania vs. Tunisia in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Tanzania vs. Tunisia?

Tanzania vs. Tunisia in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off at 11 a.m. ET on Dec. 30. This fixture takes place at Stade Olympique de Rabat.

How to watch Tanzania vs. Tunisia for free

Tanzania vs. Tunisia in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is available to live stream for free on Channel 4 Sport YouTube.

Channel 4 Sport YouTube is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock Channel 4 Sport YouTube to stream AFCON for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Tanzania vs. Tunisia for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit Channel 4 Sport YouTube

5. Watch Tanzania vs. Tunisia for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 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 access free live streams of AFCON without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Tanzania vs. Tunisia (plus more 2025 Africa Cup of Nations fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Channel 4 Sport YouTube?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Channel 4 Sport YouTube, 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 includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Tanzania vs. Tunisia in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Benin vs. Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free on Channel 4. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Group D has been one to watch in the early stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations thanks to the presence of the impressive DR Congo and Senegal. Both teams are potential contenders to win the whole tournament.

With superstar player Sadio Mané in the fold, Senegal now have one final test in the group stage — Benin, a team that's not as highly rated but are capable of causing an upset on any given day. However it plays out, this should prove to be an exciting contest.

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!

If you want to watch Benin vs. Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Benin vs. Senegal?

Benin vs. Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off at 2 p.m. ET on Dec. 30. This fixture takes place at Stade Ibn-Batouta.

How to watch Benin vs. Senegal for free

Benin vs. Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is available to live stream for free on Channel 4.

Channel 4 is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock Channel 4 to stream AFCON for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Benin vs. Senegal for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit Channel 4

5. Watch Benin vs. Senegal for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 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 access free live streams of AFCON without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Benin vs. Senegal (plus more 2025 Africa Cup of Nations fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Channel 4?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Channel 4, 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 includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Benin vs. Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free with ExpressVPN.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you think outside the box a bit.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Green ball

• Green: To play cricket

• Blue: World champions

• Purple: Gymnasts

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Make a Shot, In Basketball

• Green: Cricket Equipment

• Blue: Last Four Winners of The Men's World Cup

• Purple: Famous Gymnasts, Minus A Letter

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #461 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Make a Shot, In Basketball - DRAIN, DRILL, SINK, SWISH

• Cricket Equipment - BAIL, BALL, BAT, STUMP

• Last Four Winners of The Men's World Cup - ARGENTINA, FRANCE, GERMANY, SPAIN

• Famous Gymnasts, Minus A Letter - BILE, CHILE, LE, MILLE

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

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

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

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

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 30, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 30, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 30 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this orange space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this green space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this orange space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 30 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this red space must add up to 6. The answer is 16-1, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this purple space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this orange space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this green space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 30 Pips

Equal (6): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this red space must be equal to 5. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this green space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this green space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a frequent flyer.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for December 30, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Purpose

• Green: Counting instruments

• Blue: Plane intervals

• Purple: Found on a two-wheeler

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Intention

• Green: Measuring devices

• Blue: Parts of a flight

• Purple: Bike accessories

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #933 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Intention: AIM, GOAL, OBJECT, POINT

• Measuring devices: CLOCK, COMPASS, RULER, SCALE

• Parts of a flight: CLIMB, TAKEOFF, TAXI, TOUCHDOWN

• Bike accessories: BASKET, BELL, RACK, REFLECTOR

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 30, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you keep up with the latest music.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 30, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 30, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: 2025 Top Twenty

The words are related to music.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe popular tunes.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is diagonal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Hit Songs.

NYT Strands word list for December 30

• Daisies

• Abracadabra

• Golden

• Hit Songs

• Manchild

• Ordinary

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love interior design.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 30, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for December 30, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Interior garnishes.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

DECOR

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 30, 2025

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

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

A leg.

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

SHANK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To dodge.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 30, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ELUDE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A hand covering.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 30 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 30, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GLOVE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A shack.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 30 Hurdle Word 4 answer

HOVEL

Final Hurdle hint

Spoken words.

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

QUOTE

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

TL;DR: PromptBuilder is an AI tool that creates, refines, and organizes prompts for all sorts of AI tools, and a lifetime subscription is now on sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: PromptBuilder PromptBuilder - AI Prompt Engineer: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $199
$1,764 Save $1,565   Get Deal

Getting useful output from AI tools often depends more on the prompt than the model. PromptBuilder is a browser-based prompt assistant that takes short ideas and turns them into structured prompts for chat and image models, so you spend less time tinkering with wording. With support for 10 AI models, including options like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, it sits in front of the tools you already use instead of replacing them. It’s also only $199 for a lifetime subscription (reg. $1,764) during this limited-time sale.

Using PromptBuilder is easy. First, start by describing what you want in plain language. PromptBuilder turns that into a formatted prompt in seconds, or lets you pick from more than 1,000 templates for writing, coding, marketing, support messages, data work, and more. There’s also a prompt optimizer, so if you already have something that works, you can paste it in and refine it instead of starting from scratch every time.

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!

Prompts can be organized in a private library with tags, so you can keep separate sets for clients, projects, or channels and reuse them as needed. The same workspace can generate text prompts for chat models, social posts tailored to Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok, and detailed image prompts for tools like DALL-E, Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion.

The Unlimited Plan gives lifetime access in a modern browser with no hard cap on prompt generations and a history of what you have created. That suits writers, marketers, developers, and support teams who use AI often and want repeatable results without guessing at phrasing every time.

Stop banging your head against the wall trying to find a prompt that works.

Get a PromptBuilder Lifetime Subscription on sale for $199.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

China is drafting new, stricter AI regulations that could set the country on its way to becoming the first to regulate the emotional repercussions of chatbot companions.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT is changing the abortion landscape

Detailed in a new draft proposal written by China's Cyberspace Administration and translated by CNBC, the policy would require guardian consent for minors to engage with chatbot companions as well as sweeping age verification. AI chatbots would not be allowed to generate gambling-related, obscene, or violent content, or engage in conversations about suicide, self-harm, or other topics that could harm a user's mental health. In addition, tech "providers" must institute escalation protocols that connect human moderators to users in distress and flag risky conversations to guardians.

Chinese regulators say the aim is to focus not only on content safety but emotional safety, including monitoring chats for emotional dependency and addiction.

It's one of the first set of laws designed to control anthropomorphic AI tools specifically, experts say. To that end, the rules will apply to any AI tool designed to "simulate human personality and engage users emotionally through text, images, audio or video," CNBC reports.

SEE ALSO: Make 2026 the year your kid gets off their device

China's proposed rules mirror several provisions in a recently passed California AI law, known as SB 243, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October. The law requires stronger content restrictions, reminders to users that they are speaking to a non-human AI, as well as emergency protocols for discussions of suicide. Some experts have critiqued the bill for not going far enough to protect minor users, leaving room for tech companies to dodge oversight.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has stalled further AI regulation at the state level in favor of a "national framework on AI safety." The executive order withholds federal infrastructure funding from states that strengthen AI oversight. Federal leaders argue that increased regulation of AI will stall domestic innovation and put the U.S. behind China in the perceived global AI race.

If it feels like there's a lot of AI slop on YouTube, that's because there is a lot of AI slop on YouTube.

That's according to new research from video-editing company Kapwing (as reported by the Guardian), which found that more than one in every five videos that the YouTube Shorts algorithm shows new users is low-quality, AI-generated content, also known as AI slop.

SEE ALSO: Merriam-Webster names "slop" the word of the year, and boy was 2025 sloppy

One of the most interesting parts of the Kapwing study is that of the first 500 YouTube Shorts videos in a brand-new, untouched YouTube Shorts algorithm, 104 were AI-generated, and 165 were "brainrot" — a whopping 21 percent and 33 percent, respectfully. (Combined, that's 54% of content in total.) Per Kapwing, brainrot content refers to "nonsensical, low-quality video content that creates the effect of corroding the viewer’s mental or intellectual state." Brainrot content is often AI-generated, too.

Of course, the love of AI slop differs depending on the country. Kapwing found that AI slop channels in Spain have a combined 20.22 million subscribers, more than any other country, but has fewer AI slop channels among its top 100 channels than other countries. The U.S. has nine channels among its top 100 channels, and the third-most slop subscribers at 14.47 million.

YouTube isn't the only social media beast whose content is falling to the depths of AI slop despair, but the Kapwing study makes it clear that AI slop isn't going anywhere. As Mashable's Tim Marcin reported earlier this month, AI slop is taking over our feeds, from fake animals on surveillance tapes to heavy machinery cleaning barnacles off whales.

It seems certain at this point that laptop and smartphone prices are going to go up even more in 2026.

Case in point: modular PC maker Framework just announced yet another price hike on DDR5 RAM components. Framework says that it's charging customers "as close as possible to the actual purchase prices we have with our suppliers," and that it will now be charging roughly $10 per gigabyte.

Why? Demand for memory hardware, as a result of the AI boom, has led to a global memory shortage, which has in turn forced companies like Framework to raise their prices. Earlier this month, we reported that Samsung had warned its manufacturing partners that it was doubling prices on DDRM RAM, and laptop makers like Lenovo, Dell, and HP have all warned of looming price increases in the new year.

The most recent price hike from Framework adds $10 per GB for the 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB options, with prices going up even higher for RAM modules 48GB and up. And, again, this is yet another price increase on top of previous "price adjustments."

The Verge provided some examples of Framework's new memory pricing, with 8GB of RAM increasing from $60 to $80. Consumers will now pay $160 for the 16GB option instead of the previous price of $120. And 32GB of RAM now costs $320, up from $240.

The price increase really becomes substantial when you get to the larger memory options. In June, for example, 48GB of RAM cost $240. Now? A whopping $620. 

And, as Framework itself says, it doesn't look like the memory shortage is getting better next year.

"All indications we’ve received from suppliers is that prices will continue to increase going into early 2026," the company wrote in a blog post on its website. "We have absorbed and continue to absorb some of the price increases to be able to offer this new pricing, but it is very likely we’ll need to adjust module prices again within the next month."

In fact, without a major disruption, the AI industry will continue to affect the global memory supply well into 2027. Unfortunately for laptop and smartphone shoppers, in many cases, these memory-related price increases follow inflation and tariff-related price hikes from earlier in 2025.

So, if you've been wondering when is the best time to buy a new laptop, you probably don't want to wait too long.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CEO Dr. Lisa Su will help get CES 2026 underway on Monday, Jan. 5 by delivering a keynote address.

AMD is a major player in the tech world, if perhaps not a household name like Apple or Samsung. It's one of the preeminent chipmakers on the globe, making it increasingly powerful and important in the AI era. OpenAI, in fact, just announced a massive partnership with AMD in an effort to build out AI infrastructure.

AMD wrote on its site that Su will take the "CES stage in Las Vegas to highlight, alongside partners and customers, the AMD vision for delivering future AI solutions – from cloud to enterprise, edge and devices."

You can watch the keynote address on YouTube. It's scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 5. We've also embedded the livestream below.

Mashable will be on the ground reporting at CES 2026 — make sure to follow our coverage. You can expect lots of news from the big stories to the weird gadgets.

If your pup could talk, what would they tell you? That they want to play fetch 24/7 and love it when you feed her people food? Yes, and yes.

As you’re setting healthy New Year’s resolutions for yourself, maybe it’s time to make some positive changes in your best buddy’s life, too. Right now, you can save 50% off your first box of human-grade The Farmer’s Dog pet food, so that’s a great start. Here’s how a fresh-food diet and healthy lifestyle can help keep their tail wagging for years to come. 

Opens in a new window Credit: The Farmer's Dog The Farmer's Dog Take 50% off your first box of human-grade pet food Get Deal Fresh food vs. processed kibble

While the picture on your go-to bag of dog food might suggest the kibble inside was made with a juicy chicken breast, the reality is likely different. Pet food production in the U.S. is held to alarmingly low quality standards, and even “premium” kibble brands can contain diseased chicken parts and starchy fillers. Yuck.

If that isn’t enough for you to switch from kibble to fresh, a new study from The Farmer’s Dog shows that fresh food can support healthier aging in dogs — and who doesn’t want more good years with their pup? 

What’s in The Farmer’s Dog?

The Farmer’s Dog makes fresh dog food that’s formulated by on-staff, board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Each batch is made from gently cooked, human-grade meats and vegetables, has no added fillers or preservatives, and is quickly frozen to lock in nutrients. 

Unlike bagged kibble that can sit on the shelf for months, The Farmer’s Dog is shipped right to your door while it’s still fresh and nutrient-dense.

Personalized plans and portions

Keeping your pup at a weight that your vet deems healthy is another way to support your dog’s well-being — and The Farmer’s Dog plans can help you with that. Each plan is tailored to meet your pup’s particular needs, based on their weight, body condition, activity level, and other factors. The food is also delivered in pre-portioned packs, so there’s no guesstimating on your part.  

Want to help your pup feel their best in 2026 and beyond? Start by saving 50% on your first box of The Farmer’s Dog, then give them fresh veggies like mini-carrots as healthy treats, take them on plenty of walks, and always remind them they’re a very good dog.

Samsung has a more sentimental vision for AI in your living room. In a Monday press release, the company announced plans to bring Google Photos to its Samsung AI TV lineup, transforming televisions into oversized digital frames that showcase your most meaningful memories.

The integration, currently slated to begin rolling out in 2026, is positioned as a first-of-its-kind experience. Samsung says its TVs will be the first to support Google Photos’ Memories feature on the big screen, offering curated photo stories organized by people, places, and moments. Instead of digging through your phone to relive a vacation or birthday, those highlights could soon greet you directly from your couch.

SEE ALSO: Samsung debuts smart home speaker that looks like a giant eye

Samsung is framing this partnership less as a utility and more as an emotional upgrade to the TV experience. In the release, Kevin Lee, executive vice president of Samsung’s Visual Display Business, described the goal as helping families "rediscover and relive cherished moments" together — language that leans heavily into nostalgia and togetherness rather than raw specs or performance.

Beyond Memories, Samsung and Google plan to roll out additional features later in 2026. These include AI-powered creation tools that can remix photos, apply stylized templates, or even transform still images into short videos, as well as personalized photo slideshows generated around themes like travel or hobbies.

All of this is designed to be integrated into Samsung’s broader Vision AI Companion system, allowing photos to appear contextually throughout the day rather than being confined to a single app.

Visiting Austin, Texas and planning to hop into a Tesla robotaxi after a night at the bar? Just don't barf inside the autonomous vehicle or that ride may cost you an extra $150.

According to a report from longtime Tesla influencer Sawyer Merritt, Tesla has rolled out a new cleaning fee system for its robotaxi service, which is currently only available in Austin. Basically, if you make a mess in a robotaxi, it's going to cost you a pretty penny.

Merritt reports that Tesla now has two tiers of potential fees for cleaning up a Tesla after a ride. If a rider makes a "moderate mess," which is described as "food spills, significant dirt and minor stains" then they will be charged an extra $50 for their ride.

However, if a rider makes a "severe mess," which is described as "biowaste or smoking in the vehicle," then that charge is bumped up to an extra $150 for the ride.

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

"We prioritize maintaining a clean and comfortable environment for all riders and promoting responsible rider behavior," Tesla said in a statement to Merritt. "To address incidents where vehicles require additional cleaning after a trip, we will assess the type and severity of the mess and apply the appropriate fee. Once a fee is assessed, you’ll receive an email notifying you that additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. An updated ride receipt will also be available under the Ride History section of the Robotaxi app. If you believe a charge was made in error, call the Customer Support team and follow the prompts for option 7."

While fee specifics have not yet been posted by Tesla on their Robotaxi Rider Rules page, it does say that dirtying a vehicle will result in an "additional fee" at "Tesla's discretion."

Gizmodo compared Tesla's robotaxi cleaning fees with other car sharing and car rental services. Waymo, the most comparable autonomous car service to Tesla's, charges $50 for a cleaning if the rider self-reports the mess to the company. If they don't report it, Waymo charges $100 for the first incident and then "up to the cost of cleaning" if there are future cases. Recurring incidents can also affect a user's account with Waymo. The largest fine Gizmodo found was a $400 fee for smoking inside a Hertz vehicle.

Tesla's robotaxi service, although promoted as an autonomous experience, actually very much requires human intervention. Texas requires that Tesla provide a human safety monitor be present inside the robotaxi for certain types of trips. And, while we're on the topic of cleaning fees, you can guarantee that a human is going to have to scrub that vomit out of the robotaxi seat.

SAVE 30%: As of Dec. 29, you can grab TurboTax Desktop Deluxe 2025 (Federal & State) for $55.99, down from $79.99, at Amazon.

TurboTax Desktop Deluxe 2025 (Fed + State Tax Return, Digital Download) $55.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $24.00   Get Deal at Amazon

As a freelancer, tax season is a multi-week dread that starts as soon as the first 1099 hits your inbox. If you’re like me and literally hate everything about tax time, the goal is always the same: get it over with as quickly and painlessly as possible without leaving money on the table.

Right now, you can grab TurboTax Desktop Deluxe 2025 (Federal & State) for $55.99 at Amazon. That’s 30% off the $79.99 list price, which is a solid way to use some holiday gift card balance on something you're actually going to need in a few weeks.

SEE ALSO: How to manage quarterly taxes as a solopreneur

This version is specifically designed for people who need to maximize deductions. It searches for over 375 deductions and credits (including home office expenses and charitable donations) to make sure you're getting your biggest possible refund. It also includes five federal e-files and one state download, and it can import your info from last year's return, so you don't have to manually retype every detail.

Just a heads up for my fellow early birds: while the software is available to download now, some specific tax forms might not be finalized by the IRS until mid-February, so you might see a "pending" message on certain sections if you try to file today.

SAVE $10 PER BOOK: Each of the six titles in the Rachel Reid "Game Changers" series which inspired the show "Heated Rivalry" are on sale in Kindle version for $8.99 each, down from the standard print price of $18.99 each. You can also snag all six titles in a set for $53.94.

Opens in a new window Credit: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp. "Heated Rivalry" by Rachel Reid (Kindle version) $8.99 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $10.00   Get Deal

If you don't know how to proceed with life after watching all six episode of "Heated Rivalry" on HBO Max, you're in good company. We're all left with a void in our lives now that season 1 of "Heated Rivalry" is complete and we have no idea how long we'll have to wait until season 2 drops. But in the meantime, you can get back into the wonderful world of Ilya and Shane, and Kip and Scott, among others with this epic deal at Amazon.

As of Dec. 29, all six titles in the Rachel Reid "Game Changers" series are on sale in e-reader format for $8.99 each, marked down from the standard print price of $18.99 each. You can also snag all six titles in a set for $53.94.

If you got a Kindle or a Kobo e-reader for Christmas, it's time to stock up on titles to keep you busy for the winter. The Libby app gives you access to free titles from your local library but the wait times can be lengthy for hot titles. If you're feeling truly lost after the cottage and simply cannot wait the 17-or-whatever weeks until "Heated Rivalry" becomes available for free from your library, you can snag the e-book version for only $8.99 at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: The glorious, easy-to-miss moments in Heated Rivalry's finale

The Rachel Reid series "Game Changers" series features Scott and Kip's storyline in book one, "Game Changer" while the second book, "Heated Rivalry," explores Ilya and Shane's complicated romance. Of course, you need to read both after binging the show. If you still crave more, get all six e-books for under $54. Keep in mind the sixth book, "The Long Game," picks up on Shane and Ilya's story ten years after "Heated Rivalry," so this title is a must-have.

If you have some time set aside week or plan to read more in 2026, today's sale prices at Amazon offer a great opportunity to dive deeper into the Rachel Reid series that we cannot stop thinking about.

We may be in that weird timeframe known to most as “Betwixmas,” but that hasn’t stopped brands from launching new ideas and releasing products just before the new year hits. Just last week, Samsung introduced its 2026 sound device lineup. It’s not available to purchase just yet, so if you’d like to see it in person, you’ll have to go to CES 2026 in Las Vegas (Jan. 6-9).

SEE ALSO: If your Samsung TV sounds underwhelming, it’s because you haven’t applied these cool hacks

The higher-ups are pretty stoked about the newest designs. “For more than a decade, Samsung has shaped the evolution of home audio through advanced acoustics, intelligent features, and thoughtful design,” Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, said in a press release. “We’re continuing that legacy with next-generation sound devices designed to deliver a rich, expressive performance for any space and moment."

Whether these new devices are actually revolutionary remains to be seen, but here’s everything we know so far.

There are two new soundbars

Samsung’s 2026 audio lineup includes two new soundbars: the HW-Q990H and the HW-QS90H.

The first is supposed to deliver Samsung’s most “immersive soundbar experience yet,” with an 11.1.4-channel system, a 7.0.2 main bar, 4.0.2 rear speakers, and a dual eight-inch driver with a built-in compact active subwoofer. This soundbar also features “next-generation AI tuning,” though we’re not entirely sure what that entails just yet. This is the first Samsung soundbar to have “Sound Elevation” technology, which Samsung says “lifts dialogue toward the center of the screen.” This soundbar also debuts Samsung’s “Auto Volume” feature, so there’s consistent volume across channels and content.

The second soundbar (the HW-QS90H) is an all-in-one setup that focuses on “aesthetic versatility.” It’s a 7.1.2-channel system with 13 drivers (including nine wide-range speakers) and a built-in Quad Bass Woofer system, so you shouldn't need a separate subwoofer with this one. It also features a “Convertible Fit” design that gives you the option to mount it on the wall or set it on a table — the built-in gyro sensor auto-adapts based on its orientation.

There are two new WiFi speakers

In addition to the soundbars, Samsung is expanding its portfolio with two WiFi speakers, the “Music Studio 5” and “Music Studio 7." These speakers are designed to fit your decor with what Samsung calls a “timeless dot concept” (designed by Erwan Bouroullec), but they definitely look Pixar-coded — like a giant, sleek eye.

The Music Studio 7 will be available in black. Credit: Samsung

The Music Studio 7 offers 3.1.1-channel spatial audio through left, front, right, and top speakers. There’s also an AI Dynamic Bass Control system that gives you the ability to play high-res audio (up to 24-bit/96kHz) with minimal distortion. It's black (there aren’t any other colorways at the moment) and works as a standalone or can be paired with compatible speakers, soundbars, or TVs.

The Music Studio 5 (model LS50H) is a smaller, “gallery-inspired” design for more compact spaces. It features a four-inch woofer and dual tweeters with a built-in waveguide for balanced sound. This speaker also includes the AI Dynamic Bass Control and supports WiFi casting, streaming services, and Bluetooth connectivity.

A more connected ecosystem

While each of these devices is designed to stand on its own, the real goal here seems to be total integration. Samsung is leaning heavily into Q-Symphony, the tech that allows your TV speakers and external audio gear play at the same time rather than fighting for control. For this new lineup, they’ve bumped the limit to allow up to five sound devices to pair with a single TV at once. The system also uses AI to map out your room and calibrate the sound based on where you’ve actually placed the speakers, which should theoretically make that "eye" on your bookshelf and the bar under your TV feel like parts of the same immersive setup.