Mashable

Apple CEO Tim Cook should be celebrating, and not just because he turned 65 in November. Instead, he's beset by questions about a retirement he hasn't announced yet — and stories about his executives heading for the exits.

We'll get to the who, but first of all: Why? Why would anyone with executive-level stock options want to leave Apple right now?

Cook's company may not be be the world's most valuable (after a remarkable run), but it has been growing steadily and is worth more than $4 trillion — within hailing distance of world leader NVIDIA, now that the latter's stock is sliding. By the time you read this, Apple might well be wearing the crown again.

And why is Apple so resilient, such a safe, steadily increasing bet for stock pickers? Three words: global iPhone sales.

The iPhone continued to massively outperform Android models in the third quarter of 2025, a report by analysts Counterpoint revealed. In fact, smartphone sales paint an picture of perpetual global popularity unlike any product before it — well, unless you count the Beatles as a product.

Like the Fab Four at their height, all four models of the iPhone 16 occupy the top four slots in the top 10. (Last year, for comparison, iPhone 15 models occupied the top 3 slots). Rounding out the top 10 are the Galaxy A16 5G, four other Galaxy models, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

That too is new. The just-released iPhone 16 models didn't penetrate the top 10 in last year's third quarter. But the just-released top-of-the-line iPhone 17 cracked the top 10 even though it had "limited availability" at the end of the period, Counterpoint notes.

Who's out at Apple?

An unprecedented flurry of executive departure announcements roiled Apple in the last week, and each seemed to portend something bad for the company's direction — until you dug deeper into each one of them.

First came John Giannandrea, Apple Senior VP of Machine Learning and AI. At a time when Apple Intelligence is racing to catch up (and may soon be driven by Android nemesis Google and its Gemini model), and given that Meta has poached a lot of Apple AI talent this year, that didn't sound good!

But Giannandrea may not be any great loss, and not just because he's responsible for Siri in its current iteration. Check out his replacement, Amar Subramanya — one of the people responsible for releasing Google Gemini in 2023.

In other words, Cook is doing exactly what you'd expect if you were forced to use Gemini for now, but really wanted to nail your in-house AI model. The fact that Subramanya was hired to work on AI at Microsoft six months ago, but left for Apple regardless, is a pretty big vote of confidence in Cook's company (especially given Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI).

Then came Apple design chief Alan Dye, who gave the world Liquid Glass — the translucent icon thing in iOS 26 that has, to say the least, divided users. Dye is departing to become head of design at Meta, news which itself divided longtime Apple watchers. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who broke the story, called it "a big loss for Apple."

SEE ALSO: What is Liquid Glass? Apple debuts a beautiful new interface for iOS and iPadOS

But again, this is only half the story of an executive departure. Dye's replacement, Stephen Lemay, is wildly popular at Apple; "everyone I’ve spoken to is happy — if not downright giddy — at the news," John Gruber, another veteran Apple watcher, wrote.

Gurman also reported that Apple chip chief Johny Srouji was heading for the exit — but in what may be a rare miss for Gurman, Srouji shot down the rumors by telling staffers Monday he wasn't planning on leaving "anytime soon."

Who else has actually headed for the exits this fall? There's general counsel Kate Adams — but she's retiring, just a little ahead of Cook. Then there's Lisa Jackson, the former EPA head who's spent a decade fighting the good fight on recycling Apple product components and nudging its operations towards being 100 percent carbon free.

If anyone deserves a break, it's Jackson.

Who's replacing Tim Cook?

Underlying all this supposed uncertainty at Apple, of course, is Tim Cook — the man who took the company from a market cap of $450 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion now — turning 65 this year and reportedly stepping back from the company in some way in 2026.

Officially, Cook isn't retiring anytime soon; in interviews, he presents himself as the kind of CEO who'd like to work long into retirement. And that has left some uncertainty about his successor, who can't be officially announced if Cook isn't officially leaving.

SEE ALSO: 5 potential successors for Tim Cook at Apple

Except ... well, the fact that Cook's successor feels like the worst kept secret in Silicon Valley. Spoiler alert: It's almost certainly John Ternus, 50, Apple's senior VP of hardware engineering, and a 24-year veteran of the company who's worked on every iPhone and iPad model.

Evidence is legion. Gurman calls Ternus the heir apparent; so does Fortune. Ternus is featuring more frequently in Apple keynotes. He's understated and charismatic, very much a team player.

That's important for Cook, who can't abide ego-driven executives (unless they make fun of themselves, Craig Federighi style). The last sharp-elbowed kind of executive at Apple was Scott Forestall in 2012, and that didn't turn out well.

In other words, things are a lot more stable at the old reliable iPhone company than the surface-level executive departure stories make it appear. To get behind the news at Cook's highly secretive company, to borrow an old Apple slogan, it's necessary to think different.

A space explosion detected this summer burned for days on end, making it the longest and most unusual gamma-ray burst ever seen.

Gamma-ray bursts are the universe’s most powerful explosions. They usually flare for just seconds or minutes, triggered when massive stars collapse or when ultra-dense dead stars called neutron stars collide. But this particular event — known as GRB 250702B — defied all expectations.

Satellites, including NASA’s Fermi and Swift telescopes, along with instruments on other spacecraft, spotted the explosion on July 2. No single observatory could track the full event, so scientists stitched together data from multiple sources to capture the entire outburst.

Researchers think the long, record-breaking explosion may reveal a new way black holes destroy stars — something not covered by existing theories — putting this gamma-ray burst in a league of its own.

"This is certainly an outburst unlike any other we’ve seen in the past 50 years," said Eliza Neights, a NASA researcher based at George Washington University, in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Webb telescope found a Milky Way lookalike 12 billion light-years away

Follow-up observations traced the burst to a galaxy about 8 billion light-years away, meaning it erupted long before Earth even existed. Images from the James Webb Space Telescope and others revealed the radiation shining through thick bands of dust, providing a rare, detailed view of the hosting galaxy. 

And it definitely is a galaxy, albeit a strange one, said Andrew Levan, an astrophysics professor at Radboud University in the Netherlands who led the Hubble study. It's either two galaxies merging or one really massive one with a dark band of dust dissecting its core. 

The explosion released as much energy as 1,000 suns shining for 10 billion years, all within a few days, scientists say. The initial burst of energy lasted at least seven hours — more than double any previous gamma-ray burst.

“The resolution of Webb is unbelievable," said Huei Sears, a Rutgers University researcher who led some of the observations, in a statement. "We can see so clearly that the burst shined through this dust lane spilling across the galaxy."

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

The Neights-led gamma-ray paper will appear in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society journal. Other findings have already appeared in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, with more to come. 

Most scientists agree the prolonged flash likely occurred when a black hole ate a star, but two other ideas can't be ruled out yet. One involves a medium-size black hole, thousands of times heavier than the sun, tearing a wandering star apart. Gravity would stretch and rip the star before swallowing it.

Scientists used ground and space telescopes to pinpoint the galaxy where the prolonged gamma-ray burst originated in the universe. Credit: NASA Goddard / A. Mellinger / CMU

The second scenario envisions a smaller black hole orbiting a nearby companion star. Over time, the black hole siphoned gas from its partner, then plunged into the star itself, consuming it quickly.

In both cases, gas stripped from the star swirled into a superheated disk around the black hole. As material fell inward, the system fired narrow jets of energy at nearly the speed of light — jets responsible for the gamma-ray glow detected from Earth.

The event broke other norms. X-rays appeared a full day before the main burst and continued flaring for two days after, behavior never seen in typical gamma-ray bursts. Astronomers also detected no clear supernova, the bright explosion usually left behind by collapsing stars.

Those peculiar details strengthen the idea that scientists may be witnessing a new type of blast. But catching more of these phenomenons will be essential to crack the case.

Over the course of 16 seasons and over 300 episodes, Bob's Burgers has developed a deeply devoted fandom, rich with cosplays, fan theories, and TikTok videos lip-syncing to their favorite scenes. This community also obsesses about the tiny details on the animated family sitcom that some might miss — including the show's creator Loren Bouchard.

SEE ALSO: 'Bob's Burgers' creator Loren Bouchard credits 'early fans' for the show's success

In Mashable's Say More interview with Bouchard, he and Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko talked about the show's growth, what drives him, how the character of Marshmallow has evolved, Bob being embraced by queer fans as a bicon, and of course how the Belcher kids eat tacos. Much to Puchko's surprise, even after 15 years of promoting Bob's Burgers on junkets and numerous conventions, Bouchard hadn't been asked about why the Belchers eat their tacos from the top down.

In case you missed it, here's the exchange from Say More:

While Puchko laid out the most popular fan theories, Bouchard admitted he didn't know the origin of this Belcher eccentricity, but promised he'd look into it. Well, he's gotten back to us.

Here is Bouchard's official follow-up to the taco question:

"This first happened in 'Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl' and was an accident we decided to keep. As many suspected, we boarded the scene with burgers, then changed the prop to tacos so we ended up with the odd-looking 'top down taco eating' animation."

This means the idiosyncratic taco-eating dates back to Season 5, episode 1, where Gene and Courtney had dueling musicals based on '80s hit movies, Die Hard and Working Girl. It's a sensational episode in many respects, including the clever practical effects for Die Hard's most iconic action scenes, and now, also the start of the Belchers eating tacos top-down.

Shout out to all those fans in our comments who speculated correctly, and a special cheers to those of you who insist top-down is the best way to eat a taco. You, Gene, Tina, and Louise clearly have a deep connection.

Bob's Burgers is now streaming on Hulu.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is setting course for the Sea of Monsters, and just like in Season 1, there are bound to be a few adaptation changes ahead.

SEE ALSO: 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 2 review: Rough waters ahead for 'Sea of Monsters' adaptation

Whether it's adding new characters or tweaking major book events entirely, some of these changes from Rick Riordan's original books fall flat, while others enrich the world of the show. Here are all the biggest changes between Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 and The Sea of Monsters. We'll be updating every week, so be sure to come back for more adaptation breakdowns.

Episode 1: Grover meets new characters, like Alison Simms. Aryan Simhadri in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Season 2 kicks off with Percy having a nightmare about Grover in danger, just like The Sea of Monsters does. However, there are some key differences: Grover isn't in Florida, meaning we don't get him running into St. Augustine Bridal Boutique. (Don't worry, though, the show doesn't abandon the wedding dress storyline.) Instead, he's in the jungle, where he meets a crew of demigods like Alison Simms (Beatrice Kitsos). They're new characters who have allied themselves with Luke (Charlie Bushnell) and Kronos, meaning Percy and his crew will have even more rogue demigods to contend with.

Episode 1: Basically everything about Tyson is different. Daniel Diemer in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 introduces Tyson (Daniel Diemer), Percy's Cyclops half-brother. In the books, he is unhoused, and while he attends Meriwether College Prep with Percy, no one gives him any extra support outside of school. That changes in the series, as Sally Jackson (Virginia Kull) meets him while volunteering at a shelter, takes him in, and gets him into Meriwether. That means she and Percy already know he's a Cyclops, as opposed to in the book, where the Mist disguises his true nature to Percy.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

SEE ALSO: Watch Phineas and Ferb recap 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 1

I'm always happy to see Sally get to showcase her kindness and empathy, and I'm intrigued by whether she's aware of Tyson also being Poseidon's (Toby Stephens) son. Based on her telling Percy that they might have more in common than they think — hence the "two sides of the same coin" talk — it seems like she's got a pretty good idea, giving her more investment in Percy and Tyson's relationship.

Another big change with Tyson is how he speaks. In The Sea of Monsters, he has a more childlike speech pattern, as Cyclops age more slowly than humans. Here, though, he sounds like any of the other characters. Perhaps this was a case of the book dialogue simply not translating well to screen, for fear of infantilizing or stereotyping Tyson. Still, it seems like book Tyson's loyalty and enthusiasm carry over into show Tyson.

Episode 1: The Laistrygonian giant dodgeball scene gets a big change.

The Sea of Monsters opens with a monster attack in the form of a deadly gym class. Laistrygonian giants posing as visitors from Detroit sneak into Meriwether and wreak havoc during a dodgeball game, hurling fireballs at Percy, Tyson, and their classmates. Percy Jackson and the Olympians moves this fight scene from Meriwether to Camp Half-Blood, with the Laistrygonians ambushing Percy, Tyson, and Annabeth on their way to camp. In moving the scene, the attack winds up replacing the book's Colchis Bull fight.

SEE ALSO: 7 magic school series to buy young readers that aren't 'Harry Potter'

While there's still a fiery dodgeball element to the Laistrygonian sequence, it misses a lot of the charm from the book's version. Gone are the Laistrygonians' weak disguises, along with the name tags reading Joe Bob, Skull Eater, and Marrow Sucker. These disguises, along with the high school setting of the scene, are a huge part of the appeal of Riordan's series in the first place: seeing Greek mythology transposed into our day-to-day world. I understand wanting to fold two monster attacks into one due to time and budget constraints, but there's still a lot lost when you rip away one of the defining elements of the book series.

Episode 1: Chiron is fired for different reasons.

Rounding out the biggest changes from episode 1 is Chiron's (Glynn Turman) firing from Camp Half-Blood. In the show, he's fired because he's the son of Kronos, which makes the Greek gods wary about his allegiances. The book takes it a step farther: In The Sea of Monsters, Chiron's connection to Kronos makes him a prime suspect in the poisoning of Thalia's (Tamara Smart) tree. He's already fired by the time Luke poisons the tree in the show, though. Percy sees Luke attack the tree in person, furthering the animosity between the two.

Episode 2: Whoa, there's a lot of drama between Percy and Annabeth. Walker Scobell and Leah Sava Jeffries in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Percabeth shippers, buckle up, because this episode delivers so much angst. Chiron reveals the Great Prophecy to Annabeth before telling her that she can't let Percy go on any quests. Cue Annabeth planning to sabotage Percy in the chariot race should it come down to the two of them. Later, she suggests she go on Clarisse's (Dior Goodjohn) quest for the Golden Fleece without Percy. All of this is new, and it's stressful, adding more distrust between the pair.

Despite all the new twists in how the quest comes together, the end result is the same: Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson set out for the Sea of Monsters. However, Percy and Annabeth are more at odds than ever before, setting a more adversarial tone for the quest ahead.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+, with a new episode every week.

Memes are few and far between in 2025, but there are still some good ones.

Why are memes so rare? Simply put: TikTok. The heart of digital culture has migrated to TikTok, which is a short-form video platform. So there remain memes of a sort — they're mostly called TikTok trends — but the text-and-image-based memes of years past? Those are harder to come by.

Another reason for that? Twitter (RIP). When Elon Musk bought the app and then reimagined it as X, well, that fractured the central text-based social platform. Previously, a meme was born on Twitter, then worked its way to Reddit, then Instagram, then, weeks later, Facebook. With X becoming increasingly difficult to use and less popular, that lifecycle has mostly disappeared.

But memes, to some extent, persist. On TikTok, Bluesky, Instagram, and, yes, even X. We've tracked them closely and collected 12 of the best memes of 2025.

1. The endless 6-7 of it all

I personally cannot wait until we exit the era of 6-7. Dictionary.com made it their word of the year, for better or worse (worse...definitely worse). In case you missed it, we explained the origins and meaning, but the TL;DR is that it means nothing. It's just a fun thing to say. And kids, especially, find it hilarious. It's so prevalent that it made it onto South Park.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: What does '6-7' mean? Here's why kids are saying 'six, seven' over and over. 2. Trump take egg

Just before President Donald Trump's extreme tariffs sent the U.S. economy into a tailspin, the internet had jokes...jokes about egg. It was a bit of classic internet absurdism, poking fun at people who voted for Trump for lower egg prices...as egg prices skyrocketed.

Trump take egg

[image or embed]

— Sean T. Collins (@seantcollins.com) March 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM

Trump take egg

[image or embed]

— Thor Benson (@thorbenson.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 12:11 AM SEE ALSO: The 'Trump take egg' meme is an absurdly layered joke 3. The Anthropologie rock

The internet collectively created a bit that the famously pricey retailer Anthropologie was selling rocks for four figures. It was all based on a joke from TikTokker @phoebeadams112, who pranked their boyfriend by claiming she paid $150 for a rock from Anthropologie. It eventually grew so large that the brand itself began joking about it.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. 4. The Duke-White Lotus debacle

It was the (missed) shot heard round the world: Duke crashed out of 2025's March Madness in a stunning chokejob. It was kismet: In this year's season of HBO's The White Lotus, Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs) spirals out of control, often in a Duke t-shirt. The memes practically made themselves.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. 5. Get me to God's country

Morgan Wallen inspired one of the best memes of 2025 after he stormed off the stage at Saturday Night Live as the credits rolled. He later, hilariously, posted an image of a private jet to his Instagram stories, captioning it, "Get me to God's country."

It was assumed that country star Wallen, who had a previous SNL appearance cancelled for violating COVID protocols and, soon after, faced major ire when footage of him saying the N-word surfaced, was signaling to his fans he was ready to leave the liberal big city. People mostly poked fun at the idea, since, you know, the super-rich guy was leaving NYC in a private jet.

Get me to God's country

[image or embed]

— Hayden Clarkin (@thetransitguy.com) March 30, 2025 at 9:22 PM This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. 6. The little French fish

There was a period of time in 2025 when FYPs everywhere were dominated by a little French fish. It was just a little orange fish named Steve. That was really it. But it ruled.

7. The conclave memes

There were few bigger internet moments in 2025 than the conclave to decide the new pope. That seems odd, and it was. But the memes and jokes about the conclave were hilarious and constant. We got Brat edits, fancams, and breathless coverage online. It was great and quite strange.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. 8. Holy airball

To keep things on the holy side, TikTok had lots of memes about holy f-ing airballs in 2025. In essence, posters would use the phrase to subvert people's expectations — often in a braggy way.

9. 100 men vs. 1 gorilla

And, finally, we have perhaps the biggest meme of 2025: 100 men vs. one gorilla. The internet has long loved to imagine silly, man vs. animal fights. And in 2025, we really focused on 100 dudes taking on a gorilla. Real scientists even weighed in, which is fantastic. (In general, if the guys stay organized and selfless, they'd win.) It became a meme for days.

SEE ALSO: The internet can’t stop arguing over 100 men fighting 1 gorilla This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The whole gorilla debate was unserious and funny, just how memes should be.

10. The Weapons run

Not to spoil the movie Weapons — but to mildly spoil Weapons — a scene features kids running in a very specific manner. People quickly started copying the run, making it an IRL meme in no time at all. People also posted images of the scene, adding funny or relatable captions.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. 11. The Group 7 fad

Speaking of memes involving the number seven, remember the whole Group 7 thing? It stemmed from the promotion of the song "So Unfair" by singer Sophia James. She posted seven promotional videos, grouping folks by which video they saw. Weirdly, the Group 7 TikTok took off, and people made jokes about how elite that group was.

It was random and an interesting flash in the pan.

"I was just trying to promote my song. That's all it was," James told Mashable over email.

12. Bobby Hill's wabi-sabi

There's beauty in imperfection, and there's beauty in Bobby Hill's voice. It's no wonder a clip from King of the Hill featuring Bobby waxing about wabi-sabi took off. It became a meme on TikTok to use that sound and show off the imperfect things in life, such as crooked teeth or bad haircuts.

So sure, we didn't get as many memes this year, but we certainly had a decent amount of fun online. And as Bobby Hill taught us, perfection is overrated.

There's a lot of pressure when brainstorming good gift ideas for your mom. She sacrificed a lot for you, and you'd like to show some appreciation back. Part of our larger series dedicated to finding the best gifts for everyone, this list of gifts for your mom (or any mom or mother figure, for that matter) attempts to think outside of the same old generic suggestions that have plagued moms at major holidays for decades.

SEE ALSO: The 71 absolute best stocking stuffers for 2025

Does she have a unique interest or pastime that's a huge part of her life? You could look for hyper-specific items that speak directly to her passions, or pick up an item to finally get her started on that dream hobby. If she'd appreciate a more practical gift, rack your brain for a frustration that she's mentioned more than once — perhaps her coffee machine sucks or she's having trouble sleeping. You can't go wrong with gifting something that'll make her life easier.

Either way, the best Christmas gifts for mom will make her feel listened to, valued, or straight-up pampered. Consider what she does when she has no one putting demands on her time — then shop for those moments. And if you get stuck, visit our guide to the best gifts under $50 for even more winning ideas.

SAVE $120: As of Dec. 10, the Insignia 50-inch Class F50 TV is on sale for $179.99 at Amazon. That's a 40% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Insignia Insignia 50-inch Class F50 TV $179.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $120   Get Deal

If you like to spend the festive season cozy on the couch with a good movie, now is a great time to upgrade. The Insignia 50-inch Class F50 TV back on sale. As of Dec. 10, this impressive TV is only $10 up from its Black Friday price, now at $179.99.

With this TV you'll get 4K Ultra HD resolution with HDR10, so your movies, TV shows, and games will look sharper with a huge range of colors. Sound quality is unmatched too, thanks to the DTS Virtual-X which gives a much more immersive experience.

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!

It has built-in Fire TV too, so you can easily stream apps like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and more. You'll also get free options like Pluto TV, Tubi, and Fire TV Channels. And it's super easy to navigate, too. The remote control even has an Alexa button. Hold it down to search through different platforms at once or search the web. You can also use it as a smart home hub to check cameras, control lights, or tinker with your thermostat.

It has plenty of connectivity options too, especially for home theater devices like a Blu-ray player, game console, speakers, and more. General connections also include three HDMI ports, composite (AV) jacks, digital optical output, USB port, headphone jack, coaxial jack, Ethernet port, and WiFi technology.

Pick up this great TV deal from Amazon.

SAVE $20: As of Dec. 10, the JBL Clip 5 is on sale for $59.95 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Clip 5 $59.95 at Amazon
$79.95 Save $20   Get Deal

If you're in need of a reliable, great-sounding speaker, you can't go wrong with JBL.

Famed for their high-quality earbuds, headphones, and speakers, JBL is definitely one of the most recognizable names in the audio field. And as of Dec. 10, you can get a great deal on a portable option, the JBL Clip 5. For a limited time, Amazon has knocked $20 off the list price, bringing it down to $59.95; a nice discount if you want something small and durable with great sound.

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!

Despite being a small, portable speaker, this model gives solid sounding audio with a powerful driver and a passive radiator. But its selling point is its built-in carabiner that you can clip onto a bag, backpack, or belt loop when you’re on the move. And for listening on the go, it offers up to 12 hours of battery life on a full charge, and you can extend that by a few hours with Playtime Boost if you’re out for the day and don’t want to think about charging.

It's also IP67 rated, which means it’s fine around water, sand, or dust, perfect for beach or pool days. And if you ever want a bigger setup, you can pair two Clip 5 units together, or connect it with other JBL speakers that support Auracast.

You can pick up this speaker deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $120: As of Dec. 10, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is on sale for $129.99 on Amazon. That's a 49% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 $129.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $120   Get Deal

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is back on sale at Amazon, and as of Dec. 10, you can get it for its lowest-ever price. It’s currently $120 off, bringing it down to $129.99, a solid deal if you’ve been eyeing an everyday smartwatch with reliable fitness tracking and all the Galaxy lifestyle features without the premium price tag.

This watch does a bit of everything. For a fitness tracker, you'll get great stats and plenty of tracking modes. It even uses Galaxy AI to track how your runs or rides compare to your last effort, giving you a better understanding of how your training is going.

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!

For general health tracking, it offers stats like the daily Energy Score, a figure based on how well you recovered, slept, and responded to any stress. Plus, it has heart-rate tracking that filters out movement for a more accurate reading.

Sleep tracking is advanced too, and it keeps an eye on your sleep levels at night so it can pick up signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. Galaxy AI comes into play here too, with the watch learning your sleeping habits so it can suggest better habits for more restorative sleep.

Grab this great Galaxy watch deal from Amazon.

Sony has jumped on the end-of-year recap trend, introducing the new PlayStation Wrap-Up. Debuting this year, the Wrap-Up offers a summary and statistics on your PlayStation gaming habits for 2025.

What is the PlayStation Wrap-Up?

Available from today, the PlayStation Wrap-Up offers a summary and statistics on how you used your PlayStation console over the past year. This includes such information as the number of games you've played, which titles you played the most, which genres you spent the most time with, how many trophies you won, and the total hours you spent in-game. Interestingly, the PlayStation Wrap-Up also includes statistics on your hardware, such as the design of the DualSense wireless controller you used the most. 

The 2025 PlayStation Wrap-Up is available from now until Jan. 8 next year, and will continue to be updated until the end of the year. As such, even if you look at yours now, you'll probably want to check it again closer to its expiry date for a more complete summary of your 2025 PlayStation habits.

How to get your PlayStation Wrap-Up 2025 Credit: PlayStation

To see your 2025 PlayStation Wrap-Up, you simply visit the official website and sign into your PlayStation account. Once you've viewed it, you'll be given a summary card which you can share on social media, as well as a glass-themed avatar.

Not everyone will have a PlayStation Wrap-Up. In order to get one, you must be an adult with a PlayStation account who has played games on PlayStation 4 or 5 for at least 10 hours this year. You must also have consented to PlayStation collecting your "Full Data" in your PlayStation 5's system settings, or "Additional Data" in your PlayStation 4's settings.

If you're really disappointed you didn't get a Wrap-Up, you could switch on such data collection and smash out 10 hours in a game before the end of the year. Of course, the data will only cover the next three weeks of your PlayStation use, which will probably be much less interesting.

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

Not a frown.

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

SMILE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To explode.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 10, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ERUPT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Fell to the knees.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 10 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 10, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

KNELT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Lighter

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 10 Hurdle Word 4 answer

PALER

Final Hurdle hint

To inspect.

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

AUDIT

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 moon is changing each night as it moves through the lunar cycle. The lunar cycle is a series of eight phases of the moon's visibility. Today, we're on day 20 of the cycle. Keep reading to find out what this means for tonight's moon.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Wednesday, Dec. 10, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. This means 64% of the moon is lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

If you don't have any visual aids, don't worry, there's still lots for you to spot tonight. Features like the Mare Vaporum, Copernicus Crater, and Aristarchus Plateau should all be visible. If you have binoculars, you'll also be able to see the Grimaldi Basin, Clavius Crater, and the Alps Mountains. For the lucky ones with a telescope, even more comes into sight, with potential glimpses of the Caucasus Mountains, Fra Mauro Highlands, and the Rima Ariadaeus.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3.

What are moon phases?

NASA says the Moon goes through a cycle of about 29.5 days, and during that time we see its different phases. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the sunlight hitting it changes as it orbits Earth. That’s what makes it look full, half-lit, or sometimes completely hidden. The cycle has 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.

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 6, 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 9, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 10 Pips

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

Number (30): Everything in this space must add up to 30. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 10 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (30): Everything in this space must add up to 30. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 30. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 10 Pips

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this red space must be equal to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this red space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this green space must be equal to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easy if you're familiar with Miami beach legends.

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: He got that on

• Green: South Beach legends

• Blue: Mr. 3000

• Purple: Located in San Diego

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Be Dressed In

• Green: Miami Heat Greats

• Blue: Members of the 3,000-Hit Club

• Purple: San Diego____

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 #443 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Be Dressed In - DON, PUT ON, SPORT, WEAR

• Miami Heat Greats - BOSH, JAMES, MOURNING, WADE

• Members of the 3,000-Hit Club - BOGGS, MUSIAL, SUZUKI, YOUNT

• San Diego____ - CHARGERS, CHICKEN, PADRES, WAVE

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 today's Connections.

Hinge's founder and CEO, Justin McLeod, is stepping down to launch Overtone, an AI-driven dating service.

McLeod launched Hinge in 2012, according to its website, and relaunched the popular dating app in 2016 "with a renewed commitment — helping people find love."

McLeod mentions the relaunch in a blog post on Overtone's website, stating that public sentiment was turning on dating apps at the time, and so was his. So he made the decision "to tear down Hinge as we knew it and rebuild from scratch."

SEE ALSO: Gen Z daters want deeper connections, but some use AI to date, Hinge reports

"And yet, as the cultural tides shift again, I've begun to feel a stir familiar to the one that sparked our reinvention ten years ago," McLeod writes, harking to the degrading public opinion of dating apps (even though Hinge has monetarily grown between 2024 and 2025).

McLeod then goes on to discuss the rise of AI connections and how they can't compare to human relationships — but that "AI, if used correctly, can help us invent an entirely new way for people to find their partners that is far more personal, far more efficient, and far more effective."

For the last year, McLeod and a small team within Hinge have been developing Overtone, which a Hinge spokesperson described to Mashable as an "AI-driven venture backed by Match Group" (the dating app conglomerate that acquired Hinge in 2018).

"Think less like a social platform, more like the experience of working with an all-star personal matchmaker," McLeod says in the blog post. "A service that prioritizes getting to know you — and everyone else — so it can make curated, personalized introductions to people on your wavelength."

Jackie Jantos, formerly president and chief marketing officer, will become Hinge's new CEO, according to a press release. Tamika Young will be Hinge's chief marketing and communications officer after previously serving as senior vice president of global communications. McLeod will remain as an adviser to Hinge through March.

Hinge, like many dating and hookup apps, has been leaning into AI recently. This month, it launched Convo Starters, an AI feature designed to help break the ice with a first message that's better than "hey." In January, Hinge released AI-driven prompt feedback to encourage users to write more thoughtful responses to prompts.

Hinge's own users are using AI to date, according to a report released by the app in November.

Overtone won't be the first AI-driven "matchmaker." Earlier this year, Mashable interviewed Nandini Mullaji, founder of AI matchmaking app Sitch. Another matchmaking service, Three Day Rule, launched an AI-powered matchmaking app this fall.

TL;DR: Live stream Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks in the NBA Cup for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA Cup quarter finals are here, featuring some fascinating matchups including Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks. The Raptors have been one of the most interesting stories of the season. The Knicks started slowly, but have been looking pretty slick of late. This quarter-final matchup is difficult to predict.

If you want to watch Raptors vs. Knicks in the NBA Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Raptors vs. Knicks?

Raptors vs. Knicks in the NBA Cup starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 9. This game takes place at the Scotiabank Arena.

How to watch Raptors vs. Knicks for free

Raptors vs. Knicks in the NBA Cup is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S., but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA Cup before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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 two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also 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).

Live stream the NBA Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

The best streaming deals to watch 'One Battle After Another' at home: Watch now Rent or Buy "One Battle After Another" on Prime Video $19.99 or $24.99 Shop Now Watch now Rent or buy on Apple TV $19.99 or $24.99 Shop Now Watch later HBO Max (With Ads) $109.99/year (save $21.89) Get Deal Watch later Max Standard $184.99/year (save $36.89) Get Deal Watch later HBO Max Student $5.49 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Get Deal Watch later HBO Max Basic With Ads Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $10.99/month) Get Deal Watch later HBO Max Basic With Ads Free for DashPass annual plan subscribers (save $10.99 per month) Get Deal Watch later Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max $19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 41%) Get Deal

Paul Thomas Anderson, 11-time Academy Award nominee, returned to theaters this fall with an epic father-daughter story dubbed One Battle After Another. It stars some big names, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, and Teyana Taylor, as well as newcomer Chase Infiniti in her feature film debut.

Mashable's reviewer called it "ferocious, funny, and jam-packed with provocation," and with all the wild praise, it's a clear frontrunner for the 2026 awards season. If you missed it in theaters, you can now get in on the action at home. Here's what you need to know to watch One Battle After Another — including when and where it's streaming.

What is One Battle After Another about?

Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland, One Battle After Another follows Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio) as an ex-revolutionary who's living off the grid with his teen daughter Willa (Infiniti). When his former nemesis and military antagonist Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Penn) resurfaces and Willa goes missing, Bob must jump into action to find and protect her.

It's part political thriller, part parenthood comedy in the best way. "Action scenes that are truly dizzying are followed by slapstick and almost vaudevillian banter," Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko writes, adding that "Whatever you're anticipating from Anderson's latest, this movie is more."

Check out the official trailer for a glimpse at One Battle After Another:

Is One Battle After Another worth watching?

Already the most nominated movie for the 2026 Golden Globes and Critics' Choice Awards, One Battle After Another is poised to win big this awards season. As Puchko writes in her review, "It will undoubtedly be declared one of the best films of the year, not only for what it brings to cinema in terms of spectacle and spirit, but also what it has to say about America today."

Even at nearly three hours long, Puchko says the movie flies by like a thriller should. "Rarely has a movie with so much to say been so damned entertaining," she writes.

Other critics largely agree, as the film holds a 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with over 400 critic reviews. Even Taylor Swift couldn't help but gush over it.

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

Check out Mashable's full review of One Battle After Another.

SEE ALSO: Golden Globes nominations 2026: 'One Battle After Another' and 'Sentimental Value' lead the pack How to watch One Battle After Another at home Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

We're still waiting for an official streaming date announcement for One Battle After Another, but you can still tune in at home by purchasing or renting via digital video-on-demand as of Nov. 14. We've broken down the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

As of Nov. 14, One Battle After Another is available to purchase or rent on digital video-on-demand platforms. You can buy the movie for your digital library and watch it whenever you want or rent it, which gives you 30 days to watch and only 48 hours to finish watching once you begin.

You can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:

• Prime Video — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Fandango at Home — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• YouTube — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Google Play — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Rent or Buy 'One Battle After Another' at Prime Video $19.99 or $24.99 Get Deal Stream it on HBO Max (at a later date)

We know that as a Warner Bros. Pictures film, One Battle After Another will make its streaming debut on HBO Max. Based on the theater-to-streaming trajectory (about two to two-and-a-half months) of other recently released Warner Bros. movies — like Superman and Weapons — we can estimate that One Battle After Another will hit HBO Max in mid-to-late December. Stay tuned.

HBO Max subscriptions start at $10.99 per month (thanks to a recent price hike), but there are some ways to save some money on your plan. Check out the best HBO Max streaming deals below.

SEE ALSO: What does Netflix's purchase of Warner Bros. mean for theatrical releases? The best HBO Max streaming dealsBest for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max Basic annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Basic with ads annual subscription $109.99 per year (save $21.89) Get Deal

The HBO Max Basic plan with ads typically costs $10.99 per month, but if you pay for an entire year up front, that price drops down to just $9.17. You'll pay $109.99 total for the year, which saves you about 16% compared to paying each month.

Best deal with no ads: Save up to 16% on HBO Max Standard annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Standard annual subscription $184.99 per year (save $36.89) Get Deal

Rather go ad-free? The annual HBO Max Standard or Premium plans will also save you about 16% over their monthly counterparts. The Standard tier costs either $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year (about $15.42 per month), while the Premium tier costs either $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year (about $19.17 per month). Both tiers will give you access to ad-free viewing, but the Premium tier also features 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.

Get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max / Cricket HBO Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the Supreme Unlimited plan Get Deal

Want to get HBO Max for free? Switch your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month Supreme Unlimited plan. It includes HBO Max Basic with ads for free — a $10.99 per month value. When you open up the HBO Max app or website, you'll just select Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in.

Get HBO Max for free: Sign up for DashPass annual plan Opens in a new window Credit: Dashpass / HBO Max HBO Max (with ads) Free with DashPass annual plan ($8/month) Get Deal

Another way to get HBO Max for free in 2025 is to sign up for the DoorDash DashPass annual plan for $96 per year ($8 per month) — but you'll have to act fast. This deal is only around until Dec. 16, so activate your plan ASAP.

DashPass memberships include $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders all year long, plus a complimentary HBO Max subscription (with ads). That means you'll pay just $8 per month for both DashPass and HBO Max, which is cheaper than a typical HBO Max with ads monthly subscription on its own. Activate the subscription through your DoorDash account by Dec. 16, 2025.

Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Student $5.49 per month for 12 months Get Deal

College students can watch One Battle After Another when it hits streaming by signing up for an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half price. Verify your student status through UNiDAYS and retrieve the unique discount code to drop the price from $10.99 to just $5.49 per month.

Best bundle deal: Get HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 42% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / HBO Max Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max $19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

You'll get the most bang for your buck if you opt for the Disney+ bundle deal that includes Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max for just $19.99 per month with ads. That lineup of streamers would usually cost you $34.97 per month if you paid separately for each, so you'll keep an extra $15 in your pocket monthly. If you prefer an ad-free experience, the bundle will run you $32.99 per month as opposed to $56.47. That's up to 42% in savings for unlimited access to all three streaming libraries.

Best add-on deal: Add HBO Max to Hulu for $1 off per month Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max / Hulu HBO Max (Hulu add-on) $9.99 per month (with ads), $16.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

Already have Hulu? You can add HBO Max's full library to your Hulu account for just $9.99 per month with ads. That's $1 off the usual price per month. Sure, it's not much, but it still beats paying full price. The ad-free add-on is also cheaper at $16.99 per month as opposed to the usual $18.49. I'm not sure if Hulu just missed the memo on HBO Max's latest price hike or is intentionally keeping the price low to score more subscribers, but it's a welcome discount nonetheless.

ICEBlock, an app designed to document and alert users to the movements of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is suing the Trump administration for violating free speech protections after federal officials reportedly pressured tech companies like Apple to remove the app from online marketplaces.

In the lawsuit, the app's developers argue that the actions of White House officials to pressure private tech companies amounts to unlawful censorship and a violation of the First Amendment, contesting a claim made by officials that ICEBlock did not fall under forms of protected speech.

"The Bill of Rights — including the First Amendment — was crafted precisely to safeguard the People’s ability to question authority, expose governmental abuse, and hold public officials accountable: a reflection of the founders’ belief that an informed and vocal citizenry is the ultimate guardian of liberty," the complaint reads.

SEE ALSO: Trump to sign order prohibiting state AI regulation

White House officials argued that the app was a threat to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials and an "incitement to violence" against ICE agents. In response, Apple removed ICEBlock as well as other apps that let individuals record, document, and map the movements of immigration enforcement, including Eyes Up, which is intended as a non real-time archive of ICE activity to be used in legal defenses and other testimony.

Broadly, the administration has put pressure on marketplaces like the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to remove apps that let individuals document the conduct of federal DHS officers and related law enforcement. Last week, leaders of the House Committee on Homeland Security and Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability sent letters to said companies detailing an ongoing investigation into the creation, dissemination, and promotion of such apps.

"The Committee is concerned that these apps not only jeopardize the safety of DHS personnel but also enable malicious actors to incite violence and obstruct lawful government operations," the letter reads. That same argument was used by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who later threatened to prosecute news outlets who popularized ICE tracking apps. Attorney General Pam Bondi also threatened legal action against ICEBlock creator Josh Aaron, who filed the recent lawsuit.

In response to widespread protest across communities nationwide — focused on the often illicit actions of immigration officials in schools, residences, and other historically protected areas — the House committees have also been investigating "the rise in anti-law enforcement sentiment," and the "damaging impacts of doxing on morale and operational effectiveness" on immigration enforcement.

GET IT AT AMAZON FOR $299.99: On Dec. 9, Hisense debuted the 32-inch S5 DécoTV QLED Fire TV at Amazon for $299.99. Featuring an art-inspired white fluid central stand, it's a chic budget-friendly alternative to the Samsung's 32-inch The Frame.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 32-inch S5 Hisense DécoTV $299.99 at Amazon
Available now Shop Now

Hisense unveiled a unique new TV on Dec. 9, and it's something we haven't really seen before: A premium-looking QLED TV for small spaces that doesn't have a premium price point. The 32-inch Hisense S5 DécoTV Fire TV, complete with a stunning white curved stand, is already available at Amazon for $299.99.

The DécoTV feels like it has filled a gap in the TV market in a few ways. There aren't a lot of 32-inch QLED TVs to begin with. You have Samsung's 32-inch The Frame at $599.99 and another 32-inch Samsung QLED for $499.99, and then a 32-inch TCL QLED TV that goes on sale for as low as $139.99. Otherwise, there's not much in between those price points — so before the DécoTV, you could either spend $500+ on a tiny TV or buy the cheapest possible small QLED option. (The two Samsung models are 4K, however, while the TCL and Hisense DécoTV have 1080p resolution.)

The Fire TV platform is the most intuitive of all to me, so I'm psyched that this is a Fire TV. Credit: Hisense

Because the DécoTV isn't 4K, I wouldn't go as far as to call it a Frame Dupe — that's the Hisense CanvasTV's role. But I would call the DécoTV a really strong affordable Frame alternative. There's definitely a niche for small space TVs that don't just look like a dark, plasticky hunk of technology. After all, if a room is a tight squeeze, the TV could easily be the focal point of the room. If The Frame and its wall art-esque bezels aren't in your budget, the white bezels that flow right into the DécoTV's chic stand are much more affordable, but still aesthetically pleasing.

I'd also argue that you should prioritize brightness for a kitchen or bedroom TV, and that's exactly what opting for QLED over regular LED does. In my own apartment and at my parents' house, the smaller non-living room TVs get a majority of their use during the day. It's always someone folding laundry in a bedroom while watching TV or doing some sort of kitchen chore while watching TV. The layer of quantum dots (the "Q" in QLED) that lies over the TV's LED backlight panel is responsible for boosting brightness, contrast, and color vibrancy to best the natural light pouring in through the windows.

SEE ALSO: If dark scenes are too dark on your TV, play around with these settings

That's why QLED TVs are the best TVs for watching sports in daylight — imagine watching the playoffs whilst being productive on a Sunday and actually being able to tell what's going on.

Tesla this. Tesla that. Are you interested in EVs and autonomous vehicles, but tired of hearing about Elon Musk and company?

Then you'll probably want to tune into Rivian's upcoming "Autonomy and AI Day" on December 11 at 12pm ET. 

Rivian, the California-based electric vehicle manufacturer founded by its CEO RJ Scaringe, hasn't shared too much information aside from the not-so-subtle name of the event. Although "Autonomy and AI" could be somewhat broad, the outlet RivianTrackr has some predictions concerning what the company seems likely to unveil during the event.

One announcement that is almost guaranteed at the event is the Universal Hands Free feature. Scaringe previously shared last month that he has spent hours in a Gen 2 Rivian R1 driving through Palo Alto, California with the car handling the road. RivianTrackr believes that this will be a practical feature, likely one promoted as handling highway driving, and not one marketed as a Tesla-like robotaxi service.

SEE ALSO: Tesla Robotaxis are crashing more than Waymo, even with human safety monitors

RivianTrackr predicts that the company will spend some time discussing its sensor technology. As the outlet points out, Rivian doesn't solely depend on cameras and will likely walk through its combination of technologies such as radar and ultrasonics alongside camera improvements. RivianTrackr also says the company could discuss LiDAR technology for future vehicles, even if the company is not prepared to unveil one equipped with it just yet.

A release rollout, such as a phased roadmap, alongside pricing discussions are also potential topics during the event. RivianTrackr says that Rivian hasn't provided much on either end yet and could provide some clarity to Rivian owners. RivianTrackr believes the autonomous features will be priced at a premium and not really attempt to compete with Tesla's pricing. They could be offered at either a one-time purchase or subscription model.

As Engadget points out, Rivian previously said that 2026 would see "a hands-off/eyes-off feature" that is "for controlled conditions with our current Gen 2 vehicles" so we could hear more about that as we're about to head into the new year. 

Lastly, RivianTrackr expects for Rivian to share more about AI with its vehicles in terms of "data collection, fleet learning, continuous improvement through over-the-air updates, and how Rivian’s vehicles will get better over time."

All seem like strong possibilities for Rivian to discuss on Dec. 11, especially the Universal Hands Free feature. Most importantly though, as RivianTrackr says, is the company's ability to show that it has credibility in the EV and self-driving space. We'll see in just a few short days.