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TL;DR: Give yourself a productivity boost with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC for only $159.97 (reg. $249.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License $159.97
$249.99 Save $90.02   Get Deal

Want to get ahead on your 2026 goals? If you want to organize your digital life and really streamline your workflow, Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business can help. It works for both Mac and PC, so everyone can take advantage of this suite that gives your device five essential apps.

Right now, you can get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC for just $159.97 (reg. $249.99).

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Now is the perfect time to get prepared before the new year sneaks up on us. Take the first step to make things a little easier on yourself with this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business license. It gives you five tools to tackle personal and professional projects, and it’s available for both Mac and PC.

Want to get your inbox nice and organized for the new year? Outlook can help you do that. If you want to make sure you’re sticking to your budget and keep your finances in order, Excel is there for you. And if you’re looking to really wow at the first meeting of 2026, create a stunning presentation with PowerPoint.

If you need to draft a document, you can always turn to Word. This license also includes OneNote, an easier way to keep your digital notes organized.

Unlike subscription-based plans that charge monthly fees, this license lets you own all five apps. You won’t need to rely on the cloud either because you can download the apps directly to your device and work offline.

This version also includes new features like presentation recording with voice narration and video in PowerPoint, an updated accessibility checker in Outlook, AI-powered writing suggestions in Word, and enhanced data analysis and visualization tools in Excel.

Take advantage of this deal on a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC for just $159.97 (reg. $249.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Yesterday, just as OpenAI celebrated its 10-year anniversary, the AI company launched GPT-5.2, its latest series of AI models to power ChatGPT. The latest release is allegedly in response to OpenAI’s rumored “code red” state, as the AI market share leader is reportedly bleeding users to Google's Gemini 3 and other AI chatbots. 

The main competition appears to be between Gemini 3 and GPT-5.2, as Google’s Gemini 3 has made pretty big waves since it launched in mid-November. Gemini 3 and GPT-5.2 appear to be neck and neck in most metrics, showing that OpenAI still has the chops to compete with the top dogs. However, Grok 4.1 is also a mainstay on leaderboards, and it's put up some pretty good scores of its own. 

So, if you’re curious how GPT-5.2 compares to Grok 4.1, we can offer an initial assessment. Keep in mind that GPT-5.2 is still fresh out of the box. This means that the benchmark scores will certainly change over time as more people get their hands on it to run it through its paces. 

GPT-5.2 vs. Grok 4.1: LMArena rankings

GPT-5.2 isn’t ranked on most of LMArena’s leaderboards at the time of this writing. Thus, it makes it difficult to compare the two directly from here. That doesn’t mean that we can’t try. According to OpenAI, GPT-5.2 is a few percentage points higher in almost every metric compared to GPT-5.1, which is ranked on LMArena. 

Assuming GPT-5.2 usurps GPT-5.1 in every category, we can conclude that GPT-5.2 will either be at or very close to the top of the leaderboards. In the one metric where GPT-5.2 exists on LMArena at this time — which is WebDev — OpenAI’s model is currently ranked second overall (above Grok). 

So, we can conclude that GPT-5.2 will probably rank higher than Grok in almost every category, although Grok may retain its second-place finish on the Text leaderboard, where it places just below Gemini 3.

GPT-5.2 vs. Grok 4.1: Benchmark tests

Since GPT-5.2 is so new, it hasn’t shown up on a lot of independent benchmark tests yet. For the time being, we have to rely on OpenAI's self-reported benchmark scores. Keep in mind that these scores are part of a press release and have not been independently verified. 

• Creative Writing v3 - GPT-5.2 vastly outperforms Grok 4.1 here, with an ELO Score of 1675.5 versus Grok 4.1’s 1268.6.

• GDPval-AA - GPT-5.2 also wins this one, scoring a 1474 versus Grok’s 1041.

• GPQA Diamond - GPT-5.2 pulls out another win here, but the gap is much lower, with GPT-5.2 scoring a 90.3% and Grok 4 scoring an 87.7%.

• AIME 2025 - GPT-5.1 beats Grok with a score of 95.7% to 92.7%. It stands to reason that GPT-5.2 will top the leaderboards here and beat Grok as well. 

• FrontierMath - Another big win for GPT-5.2 here, with a much higher accuracy than Grok 4.

The other benchmarks pretty much tell the same story. GPT-5.2 beats Grok 4.1 on benchmarks, and the margins aren’t typically very close. Real-world results may vary, though, as benchmarks only really tell part of the story. 

GPT-5.2 vs. Grok 4.1: Availability

Both AI models are generally available to the public via OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Grok’s chat platform, respectively. In terms of features, both have AI chatbot functionality and the ability to generate images directly from the AI chatbot. ChatGPT can make videos with the help of Sora 2, while Grok can generate videos and images from its Grok Imagine platform. Both Sora and Grok Imagine lag far behind rivals like Google's Veo 3 and LumaAI's Ray3, however.

Availability is largely the same, as most people interact with ChatGPT and Grok directly through their interfaces. However, ChatGPT is integrated into more products than Grok, giving it a leg up in terms of overall availability. 

GPT-5.2 vs. Grok 4.1: Pricing

For GPT-5.2, you have to get the pro version of ChatGPT, which starts at $20 per month or $200 per month, depending on what you want. Grok’s free version also limits you to Grok 4, and not Grok 4.1, so you also need a subscription for Grok 4.1. A SuperGrok subscription starts at $30 per month and goes up to $300 per month if you want more access. 

That gives GPT-5.2 the edge, as everyone who passed the first grade knows, $20 is less than $30. 

As for which one is worth it more, you’ll have to try out both AI platforms for yourself and see which one performs better for the kind of work you want them to do. Benchmarks and price tags don’t mean much if one of them simply doesn’t work as well as the other for your particular use case. 

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

In November, Amazon announced that it was launching AI video recaps for TV shows.

In theory, this could be useful, as now that fans often have to wait years in between seasons of a show, plot recaps are often very necessary before binge-watching a new season. In practice, however, viewers have spotted several errors in a video recap for the first season of the Fallout TV series, which is gearing up for Season 2.

GamesRadar pointed out that the show's AI video recap incorrectly identifies the time period of the show's flashbacks, telling viewers they take place about 120 years earlier than they actually take place in the show's chronology. On top of that, the recap mischaracterizes a pivotal plot point at the end of Season 1, completely botching the main character's primary motivation.

It's a real, "You had one job!" situation for Amazon's AI technology.

When the feature was announced in February, an Amazon blog post hailed the AI-powered recaps as "groundbreaking." Yet anyone familiar with the limitations of large-language models knows that they are famously prone to hallucinations and inaccuracies.

An AI video recap for the TV series 'Tom Clancy.' Credit: Amazon

“Video Recaps marks a groundbreaking application of generative AI for streaming,” Gérard Medioni, vice president of technology at Prime Video, said in a November press release. “This first-of-its-kind feature demonstrates Prime Video’s ongoing commitment to innovation and making the viewing experience more accessible and enjoyable for customers.”

And here's how Amazon says the AI recaps are created:

Creating each video recap is a multistep process. With the help of generative AI, the Video Recaps feature analyzes a season’s key plot points and character arcs to deeply understand the most pivotal moments that will resonate with viewers as they enter the next season.

Then, the AI finds the most compelling video clips and pairs them with audio effects, dialogue snippets, and music. These are all stitched together with an overarching AI-generated voiceover narration to deliver a theatrical-quality visual recap.

Unfortunately, fact-checking or human review doesn't seem to be one of the steps.

After gaming journalists started writing about the error-filled AI videos, which featured an AI voice-over and clips from the show, Amazon seemingly pulled the feature from Fallout and other Prime Video series, as The Verge reported.

For AI critics in gaming media, this was a prime opportunity to make puns about the "fallout" from another failed AI tool. Many creative professionals are extremely hostile to generative AI in all its forms, as Mashable has reported.

Yet Amazon has given no indication that the feature is gone for good, and it may yet return. Amazon is all-in on generative AI, after all, as are millions of AI users.

In the meantime, you can always rely on human-created season recaps from publications like, say, Mashable.

While Waymo continues its expansion across America's roads (and highways), some concerns about the self-driving cars persist. The worries mostly concern autonomous vehicles hallucinating or disobeying traffic rules — such as driving past stopped school buses — but a new anxiety was unlocked this week in Los Angeles, when a female Waymo customer discovered a man hiding in the car's trunk.

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As reported by the local Fox affiliate, the woman recorded the incident, confronting the man. "Why are you in it?" the unnamed woman asks. "They just put me in it," the man responds. "Who put you in it?" the female customer says. "The people," he says.

SEE ALSO: Can Waymo reduce America's shocking number of road deaths?

No arrests were made since no crime was technically committed, according to Fox11.

A Waymo spokesperson explained to Mashable that the man climbed into the trunk after a previous rider left it open. Waymo added that police helped remove the man after the female passenger alerted them, and Waymo's Rider Support team assisted the woman during the process. The spokesperson said that the support team already has protocols for addressing situations like these and is implementing changes to improve them.

"We're committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate," a Waymo spokesperson tells Mashable. "This experience was unacceptable, and we are actively implementing changes to address this." 

One of the touted benefits of Waymo is the safety it offers lone passengers, especially women; hundreds of thousands of Uber and Lyft customers have allegedly been victims of sexual assault.

The Fox11 report also noted that a Waymo recently drove through an LAPD standoff, slowly cruising between a suspect on the ground and police officers with their guns drawn.

Google just made whatever pair of headphones you own a bit more useful.

As part of a broader expansion of Google Translate, the company is rolling out a beta for live language translation using headphones, Google announced in a blog post. Google says the feature supports more than 70 languages and, most importantly, works with "any pair of headphones," presumably provided that they have a microphone on them in some capacity.

"We’re bringing Gemini’s most powerful translation capabilities to Google Translate for text, launching a beta experience for live speech-to-speech translations with headphones, and adding new languages to the app for practice and skill building," the blog post reads.

And according to Google VP of product and search Rose Yao, Gemini doesn't just translate each word you hear; it provides meaningful translation to capture the meaning and intent of the speaker.

"Say you’re trying to translate an English idiom like 'stealing my thunder.' Now, it's easier than ever to get a more natural, accurate translation, instead of a literal word-for-word translation. Gemini parses the context to give you a helpful translation that captures what the idiom really means," Yao wrote in a blog post.

You can try the new live translation feature by opening the Google Translate mobile app with your headphones paired and tapping the "Live translate" button.

Apple got a lot of press when it introduced live translation with AirPods at the September iPhone event, and previously, this Google Translate feature was only available for users with Pixel Buds, the company's wireless earbuds. Now that Android users can use live translation on their preferred headphones or buds, Google has taken a big step closer to universal live translation.

SEE ALSO: Android now lets you share live video on emergency calls

But, as I said, this is a beta, so it's not fully cooked yet. As such, it's only available in the U.S., Mexico, and India right now, and crucially, only Android users have access at the moment. Google says the feature will come to iOS in 2026, but for now, iPhone users are stuck with Apple's more limited live translation.

Large-language models like ChatGPT and Gemini often excel at language translation, and live translation is one of the more promising use cases for the technology.

The Emmy–winning medical drama The Pitt returns to HBO Max on Jan. 8, but you can watch its opening scene right now.

SEE ALSO: 'Euphoria' Season 3 gets first look in HBO Max's 2026 trailer

HBO Max has released the first 90 seconds of Season 2, which returns viewers to the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Like in Season 1, every episode represents one hour in a 15-hour shift. This time, though, the shift takes place on July 4, so you can bet you'll see grill burns, firework accidents, and more making their way through the Pitt's doors.

None of that chaos is on display in The Pitt Season 2's opening scene, though. Instead, these 90 seconds showcase Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch's (Noah Wyle) commute to work. It's a beautiful sunny morning as he rides his motorcycle across Pittsburgh's bridges, and — wait a second, sorry, Dr. Robby, who works in an emergency department, is riding a motorcycle? Without a helmet? Has this man not seen enough motorcycle and bike accidents to know this is a bad idea? What in the midlife crisis is this?

It's not long before The Pitt says goodbye to those sunny summer skies, though, because once Dr. Robby checks in, he and his staff are locked in on whatever July 4 will throw their way. Still, with Dr. Robby's apparent destructive streak shining through, I'm not just worried about the incoming patients. I'm also worried whatever's going on with him.

The Pitt Season 2 premieres Jan. 8 on HBO Max.

Sony's perpetually upcoming electric vehicle is going to allow for a degree of license plate customization never thought possible before.

According to TechRadar, Sony's Afeela EV (which has been showcased at multiple CES events in previous years but still isn't on sale) will pioneer something new: digital license plates. Sony is partnering with a company called Reviver to incorporate its RPlate technology, which allows you to customize what's on your license plate with a smartphone app.

For vanity plate fans, life may never be the same.

SEE ALSO: Motorola might announce a book-style foldable phone at CES 2026

Per TechRadar, it's a simple HD display that allows you to switch between black and white backgrounds, with the additional ability to write custom messages along the bottom of the plate, presumably while maintaining your given license plate number above those. Examples of possible messages include social media handles or catchphrases, though as TechRadar pointed out, it's not yet clear if profanity will be allowed.

Many U.S. states also have various laws governing how license plates must appear on vehicles, and a technology like this would have to comply with a lot of various state laws and regulations.

These, and other questions about the Afeela, will have to wait for the car's launch to be answered. It still isn't out, despite first appearing at CES in 2023, and it's rumored to cost nearly $90,000 for U.S. drivers. That's a lot of money to spend for goofy license plate capabilities.

If you're an AT&T customer who was impacted by the company's data breaches in 2019 and/or 2024, then you still have time to file a claim in the $177 million class action settlement. In October, the deadline to file was extended to Dec. 18, so you have a little less than a week.

The first of the two large-scale breaches was discovered in March 2024, after customer data appeared on the dark web. AT&T later explained in a statement that the breach compromised the addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes of users in a database dating back to 2019. An even larger data breach was uncovered in late 2024. This second breach exposed the telephone numbers and records of calls and texts of nearly every AT&T customer, and took place between approximately May 1 and Oct. 31, 2022, and on Jan. 3, 2023. 

SEE ALSO: 5 big tech settlements you might be eligible for in 2025

Following a class action lawsuit, courts ruled in June that the company would dole out $177 million to affected AT&T customers who had accounts between 2019 and 2024. Claimants were divided into two classes: account holders affected by the March 2024 breach would split $149 million, while customers whose communications were downloaded in the July incident would share $28 million. Direct payments to users who suffered financial losses were paid first — up to $5,000 for the first class or $2,500 for the second — according to the company.

Now, everyone else whose data was exposed is splitting the pile.

How much money is available in the AT&T settlement?

Technically, an AT&T customer who suffered proven financial losses because of both incidents could be eligible to receive up to $7,500. However, those larger payments were paid early. AT&T should have contacted you directly if you qualified, so if you think you were impacted by the breach but haven't been notified, you'll want to check your spam folder. Per our colleagues at PCMag, look for emails from Kroll Settlement Administration LLC or the email address attsettlement@e.emailksa.com.

As is usually the case in these class action settlements, manage your expectations. After those initial payments to customers who experienced financial losses, the remaining $177 million will be divided among a much larger pool of customers.

Often, the final payment amount in big tech settlements like this is under $30.

How to claim your AT&T settlement money

According to the settlement website, affected customers have until Dec. 18 to claim their cut, and impacted users should have already received a settlement notice containing a Class Member ID. If you would like to opt out of the settlement, or want to object to your classification under the settlement, you were required to physically mail in a request by Nov. 17.

The settlement's final approval hearing will be held on Jan. 15.

To be paid, you must fill out the settlement claim form. You will need your Class Member ID, as well as an email address, AT&T account number, or full name. Be prepared to fill out payment information, such as a direct deposit or checking information.

Who is eligible for the AT&T settlement?

There are different eligibility requirements for the two settlement classes in the case:

• For Class 1: eligibility extends to any living person whose personal identification information was exposed by the March incident

• For Class 2: eligibility extends to AT&T account owners or "line or end users" whose numbers or direct communications were downloaded by bad actors

How much money will I get in AT&T settlement?

We can't provide an exact dollar amount. In a much larger Amazon settlement, affected customers were expected to receive up to $42.86 per person. And in the YouTube privacy settlement, affected customers are expected to get between $30 to $60.

Customers will be paid based on the severity of the data breach.

• For Class 1: Individuals who had their Social Security Numbers exposed (Tier 1) will receive five times more money than those who did not (Tier 2)

• For Class 2: Individuals who did not prove a documented financial loss will receive a share of the remaining settlement funds (Tier 3)

Have questions? You can call the settlement hotline (833) 890-4930 to get answers or visit the settlement website.

SAVE $598: As of Dec. 12, the Hisense 65-Inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV is down to just $699.99 at Amazon. That's 46% off its list price of $1,297.99 and a new best price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-Inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV $699.99
$1,297.99 Save $598   Get Deal

Black Friday TV deals never disappoint. This year, we saw plenty of record-lows on QLEDs in just about every size, with 65-inchers really making a splash. But somehow, one of our favorite 65-inch TVs has now surpassed that Black Friday price weeks later.

As of Dec. 12, the Hisense 65-Inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV is down to just $699.99 at Amazon. That's 46% off its list price and a new best price ever, beating its Black Friday price by nearly $200.

Essentially Hisense's dupe of Samsung's The Frame TV, the 2025 Canvas TV has a matte finish that makes it look like a giant piece of artwork, rather than a giant hunk of tech hanging on your wall. It has a better refresh rate over The Frame at 144Hz versus 120Hz, making it a better pick for gamers. Plus, it supports Dolby Vision and has a 4K display with Quantum Dot technology (check out our guide to TV specs for more information on QLED displays). Mashable's TV expert Leah Stodart calls it a "well-liked underdog in the market previously dominated by Samsung."

Of course, it's real selling point is that it turns your screen into famous works of art. Deputy Shopping Editor Miller Kern owns this TV and said it "looks stupid good in a gallery wall and really does blend in with other artwork and wall hangings, especially in art mode."

At full price, it's a bit of a splurge, but at nearly 50% off, it's a major steal. We can't imagine it dropping any further in price, so if you have an art TV on your wishlist, add the 65-inch Hisense Canvas TV to your cart ASAP.

SAVE UP TO $140: As of Dec. 12, Kindles are back on sale. Find the basic Kindle for as low as $89.99, or score major savings on the Kindle Scribe, which is down to $309.99, saving $140. But don't worry, the fan favorite Kindle Paperwhite is also on sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle $89.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $20   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Paperwhite $134.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $25   Get Deal

Amazon went all out during Black Friday with its Kindle deals. Every e-reader hit its lowest price ever, including the basic Kindle down to $79.99 and the Kindle Paperwhite down to $124.99. The savings were so good, we expected them to be the last sale of the year on the devices, but Amazon always has some tricks up their sleeves.

As of Dec. 12, we've spotted the entire Kindle collection back on sale. Temper your expectations though. The prices aren't as good as we saw during Black Friday: to be exact, prices are about $10 higher. So while these aren't the lowest price ever, they're still pretty good deals that we recommend shopping, especially if you're looking to gift a Kindle this holiday season.

The Kindle Paperwhite, our favorite Kindle here at Mashable, is discounted down to $134.99. That brings the device down to $25, saving you 16% off its $159.99 list price. For a budget pick, the equally great budget Kindle is down to $89.99. That's not quite as sweet as its $79.99 Black Friday price but still makes it the only Amazon e-reader under $100.

The biggest savings are on the Kindle Scribe (64GB) which is all the way down to $309.99, saving you $140 off its $449.99 price. But there are plenty of deals to shop across the Kindle line-up. And don't wait to buy, Black Friday prices came and went fast and this surprise sale is sure to follow suit.

More Kindle deals Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Signature Edition $159.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $40   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Colorsoft $189.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $60   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB) $309.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $140   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Kids $99.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $30.00   Get Deal

SAVE 50%: As of Dec. 12, the DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station is on sale for $349 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount off the $699 list price, making this the best price we’ve ever seen for a power station with these specs.

DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station $349 at Amazon
$699 Save $350   Get Deal at Amazon

I’m not a doomsday prepper or anything, but living on the water in a hurricane-prone area has taught me to be prepared. My internet goes out if the wind blows the wrong way, and dealing with a dead laptop and a dark apartment while waiting for power to return is not my idea of a fun weekend. So, I've been shopping around for a portable generator to keep those unpredictable weather patterns at bay, and I just found a killer deal on the DJI Power 1000.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Power 2000 portable power station is down to its lowest-ever price — almost half off

Right now, the DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station is on sale for $349 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount off the $699 list price, making this the best price we’ve ever seen for a power station with these specs. (It's also a DJI Direct product, so you won't have to worry about sketchy, third-party sellers.)

It offers 1024Wh of capacity, an unbeatable 2200W continuous output (with a 2600W Peak), and features the superior, long-lasting LiFePO4 battery technology rated for 4,000 cycles. But the best feature is the speed: using grid power, the Power 1000 gets back to 100 percent charge in just 70 minutes (or 0-80 percent in 50 minutes). Plus, it is ultra-silent at just 23 dB during operation.

SAVE $400: As of Dec. 12, get the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop for $499.99, down from its usual price of $899.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 44% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop $499.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $400   Get Deal

It's high time you invested in a robot vacuum. Take it from us: they can make all of those household chores you dread doing a much less annoying task. They can not only vacuum but mop as well, and some of the best ones even clean up after themselves and empty their own debris. It's a win win, really, and you can get a great Roborock model on sale at Amazon right now.

As of Dec. 12, get the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop for $499.99, down from its usual price of $899.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 44% and the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: 7 gadgets to help keep your home clean, from robot vacuums to electric scrubbers

This combo robot vacuum and mop is an all-in-one option that not only sucks up dirt and debris and washes hardwood flooring, but dries the floor after it's done. It can also empty debris into its own base, so you don't have but minimal interaction with the unit itself. The result? A cleaner home and less overall work for you.

The mess is transferred to a special tank in the vacuum and it can hold it there for up to 7 weeks, which is long enough for you to forget it's there, then drop it into a trash can and start the cycle all over again. Of course, it also includes your typical robot vacuum amenities as well, with custom path creation, cleaning schedules, compatibility with all your smart home apps and setups, and more, which means you're getting a fully-featured setup here that can do it all.

Stop spending all your time cleaning and let a robot handle it. You've spent enough years of your life flying solo with the tidying tasks.

AI has loomed large in the realm of love in 2025. And it's set to loom even larger in 2026, according to a major sex toy retailer's predictions for the year ahead.

Twenty-five percent of Gen Z and 26 percent of millennials have already spoken to AI about sex, per the TwentyTwentySex report by Lovehoney, the UK's leading sexual wellness retailer.

In fact, more people are turning to AI for advice (52 percent) over speaking to their friends (32 percent) or their partners (22 percent), according to the brand, which surveyed 2,022 nationally representative respondents.

SEE ALSO: 4 reasons not to turn ChatGPT into your therapist

People are treating AI as their sex therapists, per the report. Interestingly, the data shows that young men are more likely to have spoken to AI about sex (30 percent of Gen Z men and 34 percent of millennial men). While getting a bit of sex advice from ChatGPT might sound harmless, experts warn against using AI as a therapist, stating that the risks of doing so (like it becoming a harmful feedback loop) are not worth it.

Lovehoney's report states that "2026 is expected to mark a major shift in how we seek guidance, validation, and connection." The sex toy brand is calling this trend "digital threesomes," although I don't think that means anyone will be jumping into bed with an LLM anytime soon.

At the same time, daters are also shifting their love lives away from the digital realm, turning instead to real-life connections. We've seen the rise of offline dating events, with singles flocking to singles' nights, including speed dating, coffee shop dates, run clubs, and many more activity-based socials.

Lovehoney states that "with dating app fatigue at an all-time high, more singles will turn to real-world connections." Thirty percent of Gen Z have met a sexual or romantic partner through dating apps, compared with 35 percent of millennials.

Sexologist Elisabeth Neumann, head of user research at Lovehoney, said: “With dating apps in decline, we're seeing the return of analogue intimacy, from office romances to speed-dating nights."

"This trend could unfold in stark contrast to technological advancements, with technology itself seducing us through AI dating coaches, digital threesomes, and fantasy-fuelled escapism."

Motorola already has a foldable on the market with the revived Razr, a flip phone-style foldable, but rumor has it the mobile company has more coming soon.

Motorola sent a physical invite to Android Central in the mail that heavily suggests a book-style foldable, perhaps similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series (and eventually the long-rumored iPhone Fold), will debut at CES 2026 in January.

The big tells in the package are a small folding book with a wooden finish (the Motorola Razr Ultra was available with a wood finish as well), and a card that rather unsubtly says "We're getting ready to unfold new perspectives at Lenovo Tech World," which is a CES-adjacent showcase on Jan. 6 in Las Vegas.

SEE ALSO: All the foldable phones you can buy in 2025: Are these smartphones finally worth buying?

There isn't much more to the invite than that, but it's still enough to make the mind wander a bit.

Motorola has been steadily releasing clamshell-style Razr foldables for a few years now, but it has yet to dip into the Z Fold-esque world of book-style foldables. Both kinds of devices fill different market niches, so it makes sense that Motorola would want to expand its customer base.

We're only a few weeks away from finding out, at any rate.

SAVE $10: As of Dec. 12, Game of the Year winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is down to $39.99. That's 20% off its $49.99 list price, saving you $10. That brings it back down to its lowest price ever, previously seen during Black Friday.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10 Deal available on PC online game code. Get Deal

At the 2025 The Game Awards, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 set records winning nine awards, beating the record previously held by The Last of Us: Part Two. You'd think that such an acclaimed game wouldn't see a discount, but you'd be wrong. To celebrate its big wins last night, you can find the fantasy RPG back down to its Black Friday price.

As of Dec. 12, get Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for just $39.99 at Amazon. That saves you $10 off its list price of $49.99 for 20% off. This deal is only available on the PC online game code. But other versions are available, in the PlayStation store you can find the PS5 version on sale for the same price.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes place in the Belle Époque France-inspired fantasy world where players must set out to defeat the Paintress. The looming antagonist Paintress wakes every year to paint a cursed number, and anyone that age vanishes from the earth. This year, the number is 33, and players must defeat her so she can never paint death again.

At The Game Awards, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took home nine awards, winning Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score & Music, Best Performance, Best Role Playing Game, Best Independent Game, and Best Debut Indie Game.

Get Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for just $39.99 at Amazon now — shop before the deal ends.

Reddit is suing the Australian government over its newly enacted social media ban, which prevents children aged 16 and younger from accessing most social media platforms.

Reddit argued that the ban impinges on the right to free political discourse implied by the country's constitution, according to a Reuters report. In essence, blocking the youths from Reddit would block their freedom of speech, the company said. Reddit also argued that it was not, primarily speaking, a social media site, but rather a place for exchanging information and ideas.

"Reddit enables online interactions about the content that users post on the site. It facilitates knowledge sharing from one user to other users," the filing reads, via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The filing added:

"It is not a significant purpose of the site to enable interactions engaged in because of a particular user's relationship with or interest in another user as a person; indeed, in most cases, the identity of a user on Reddit is not even known to other users."

The social media ban went into effect on Wednesday, pulling children's access to sites like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, and more. Most platforms complied with the ban by blocking access to any account with a user 16 and under — though, of course, that's a relatively easy barrier to dodge for tech-savvy young people. But it would, perhaps, keep kids from unfettered access to algorithmic suggestions.

SEE ALSO: Australia's banning social media for kids this week. Here's how it's being enforced.

"Delaying children's access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features such as opaque algorithms and endless scroll," said Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant in a statement last month. 

SAVE $339.99: Through Dec. 23, Verizon will give new home internet customers a free Nintendo Switch console as part of their holiday deals. Here are all the details you need to know to qualify.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Free Nintendo Switch console with select new Verizon home internet plans Get Deal

You can typically find some pretty sweet gaming console deals around the holidays. But even the biggest discounts on record can't beat free.

If you're in the market for new home internet service, Verizon will give you a gift by signing up for select plans: a free Nintendo Switch, which is a $339.99 value. Already own a Nintendo Switch? Use the free console as a gift for someone else in your life or choose another one of Verizon's free holiday offers: a Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G tablet or a 43-inch Samsung Q7F QLED 4K TV. The console offer is only live through Dec. 23 and supplies are limited, so if you like free stuff (who doesn't?), be sure to secure your Nintendo Switch in the next week and a half. The Samsung tablet and TV offers must be redeemed by Jan. 7, so you'll have a bit more time to decide.

So, what's the catch? Well, you can't just sign up for Verizon home internet and then cancel. New home internet customers will need to activate/install and keep eligible Fios 2 Gig, Fios 1 Gig, 5G Home Ultimate, or LTE Home Plus plans in good standing for 14 days and redeem the offer within 60 days in order to secure their free gift. If you do cancel your service within 180 days, Verizon will charge you the full retail value of whichever promotional device you chose — up to $599.99.

How to get your free Nintendo Switch

Head over to Verizon's Deals page and enter your address to check whether Verizon home internet service is available in your area. If it is, scroll down to the home internet deals and select the Nintendo Switch (or whichever one you prefer). Choose a Fios, 5G Home Ultimate, or LTE Home Plus internet plan, which start at just $35 per month, activate, and keep it in good standing. Redeem your offer within 60 days and a Nintendo Switch will appear on your doorstep.

Notable Nintendo Switch deals

If you snag a free Nintendo Switch and aren't sure which games to grab to kickoff your gaming journey, two Fall 2025 releases just went on sale for the first time: Final Fantasy Tactics and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. The Grinch Christmas Adventures is also 50% off if you're in the holiday spirit. Check out Mashable's Nintendo Switch hub for any new notable deals we recommend.

SAVE $405: As of Dec. 12, get the Eufy X10 Pro Omni robot vacuum and mop for $494.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $899. That's a discount of 45%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Eufy X10 Pro Omni $494.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $405   Get Deal

Tired of spending all your time vacuuming and mopping your floors? It's 2025 and you don't have to worry about that anymore. Both of those tasks can now be pawned off to robot vacuums instead. If you haven't joined the craze and picked one up yourself, now's a great time: you can get a Mashable-approved model for nearly half off today.

As of Dec. 12, get the Eufy X10 Pro Omni robot vacuum and mop for $494.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $899. That's $405 off and a discount of 45%.

SEE ALSO: 7 gadgets to help keep your home clean, from robot vacuums to electric scrubbers

This model made it on to Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodart's list of best robot vacuums, earning specific praise for its affordable price and self-washing and drying mopping pads. It's a higher-end model at its normal price, but for this discounted rate, it's a much more palatable buy, especially becaus of its bells and whistles.

It's both a vacuum and mop with a self-washing and drying moppng system that means you don't have to worry about doing much of anything, really, when this unit is deployed. It has 8,000 Pa of suction for a satisfying deep clean, and a mop supported by pads that self-clean with fresh water and dry quickly with 45-degree heated air. It can mop up to 2,000 square feet multiple times before refilling, which makes it great for hands-off cleaning.

With AI obstacle avoidance and map customization, it's truly a great option if you just want to set things up one time and let this bad boy take care of all the tidying up. Now's the time to grab this model for a gift to some lucky person in your life or yourself, so be sure to lock yours in while you still can.

SAVE 35%: As of Dec. 12, the Anker Prime Docking Station (14-Port, 160W) is on sale for $174.99, down from $269.99, at Amazon. That's a 35% discount or $95 in savings.

Anker Prime Docking Station (14-Port, 160W) $174.99 at Amazon
$269.99 Save $95   Get Deal at Amazon

If your desk setup is currently a nightmare of charging bricks and tangled wires, I just found an affordable solution to help you get the mess under control.

Right now, the Anker Prime Docking Station (14-Port, 160W) is on sale for $174.99, down from $269.99, at Amazon. That's a 35% discount or a $95 price cut.

SEE ALSO: The best portable chargers and power banks in 2025

It has 11 ports with speeds up to 10Gbps, and delivers 160W of total output. It's capable of charging up to four devices at once, including up to three USB-C ports at 100W max each. It's compatible with USB-C, USB4, and Thunderbolt connections, which is definitely a plus. You can connect to dual HDMI ports for two external 4K displays.

Just a heads-up: if you're on a Mac, both external monitors will show the same content (you won't be able to "extend" your desktop across both screens).

SAVE $190: As of Dec. 12, get the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G5 gaming monitor for $359.99, down $190 from its $549.99 list price. That takes 35% off, bringing it down to its lowest price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G5 Gaming Monitor $359.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $190   Get Deal

Last night at The Game Awards, the top games of the year were honored, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 absolutely sweeping the awards and taking home Game of the Year. To celebrate The Game Awards, Amazon is offering exclusive deals to prime members on nominated games and gear. Gaming monitors are on sale, including sophisticated Samsung OLED models.

As of Dec. 12, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G5 gaming monitor is on sale for $359.99. That saves you $190 off its list price of $549.99. Those 35% savings are massive and brings the monitor down to its lowest price ever.

The 27-inch gaming monitor is an exceptional model with OLED displays. It has realistic visuals and a 180Hz refresh rate and G-Sync compatibility with AMD FreeSync to reduce screen lag and image tearing. It has a Pantone Validated screen for the most accurate colors and the OLED screen has a safeguard to keep the screen cool and prevent burn-in.

But this deal won't last. Amazon's The Game Awards deals are live through Dec. 12 at 5 pm PT/8pm ET, so if you want to shop the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G5 gaming monitor, do it fast.