Mashable

Updated at 6:15 p.m. ET on Jan. 22: Microsoft shared a new update on its recovery efforts Thursday evening.

On the Microsoft 365 status page, the company wrote: "We're carefully rebalancing traffic across all affected infrastructure in the region, while monitoring the corresponding health telemetry, to ensure the environment enters into a balanced state as our remediation efforts continue. We’re proceeding as quickly as possible and this incremental approach will also help us identify whether any additional actions may be required to ensure longstanding recovery."

As of this writing, there is still an active alert for Microsoft 365: "Users may be seeing degraded service functionality or be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services."

Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, are experiencing heavy downtime today. Users have been reporting outages since the afternoon on social media and on Downdetector.

"Users may be seeing degraded service functionality or be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services," an update on Microsoft's status page reads.

Microsoft has now released a more detailed statement on the issue, letting users know that they are working on fixing the problem and acknowledging which services are facing outages.

"We're investigating a potential issue impacting multiple Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Purview," reads a Microsoft statement posted on X. 

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"We've identified a portion of service infrastructure in North America that is not processing traffic as expected," the company said in a follow-up statement. "We're working to restore the infrastructure to a healthy state to achieve recovery."

Microsoft's ongoing updates continued to detail that the company was working on mitigating the issues in order to restore the affected services.

"We're continuing to review what actions are required to restore the affected infrastructure to a healthy state and rebalance the service traffic to achieve recovery," Microsoft posted on the official @MSFT365Status X account.

Microsoft's final update seemed to suggest that the underlying issue was fixed, but problems stemming from the outage are currently persisting. 

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"While we've restored the affected infrastructure to a healthy state, further load balancing is required to mitigate impact," Microsoft said. "We're directing traffic to alternate infrastructure to achieve recovery."

Mashable will continue following the Microsoft 365 outage and provide more detailed updates on what happened as we find out.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows $19.97
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Updated on Jan. 22 at 5:31 p.m. ET: Microsoft said it was working toward fixing a 365 outage on Thursday, though noted users may still be experiencing issues.

"We're carefully rebalancing traffic across all affected infrastructure in the region," read a statement on its 365 status page. "We’re proceeding as quickly as possible and this incremental approach will also help us identify whether any additional actions may be required to ensure longstanding recovery."

Microsoft 365 suffered an outage on Thursday, affecting U.S. users going about their workday.

"Users may be seeing degraded service functionality or be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services," the company wrote on its 365 status page.

Microsoft users reported being unable to send or receive email through Outlook, and services such as Teams and Defender may also be affected. Ironically, even the Microsoft 365 status page is having trouble loading for some users.

"Users may be receiving a '451 4.3.2 temporary server issue' error message when attempting to send or receive email through Outlook," read the Microsoft status page.

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User-reported issues for Microsoft 365 spiked on Downdetector on Thursday afternoon. The reports appeared to be going down as evening, Eastern time, approached. (Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by Ziff Davis, the same parent company as Mashable.)

Microsoft noted it was working toward restoring services.

"While we've restored the affected infrastructure to a heathy state, further load balancing is required to mitigate persistent impact," read its 365 status page. "We've identified and are implementing additional actions to direct requests and traffic to additional healthy sections of infrastructure to achieve withstanding recovery."

Not being able to send or receive emails is, obviously, a major pain for workers. Lots of folks took to social media to voice their frustrations and, of course, make jokes.

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Microsoft has been no stranger to outages lately. It saw two major outages in October alone, with both 365 and Azure crashing that month. There was also the infamous, massive outage in 2024, ultimately caused by an issue with the cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike.

This story is developing and will be updated as necessary...

For Lego fans, winter is a great time to focus on building new sets. While you wait for spring weather and returning outside, Lego is a nice way to keep busy from the comfort of your home. And Lego has recently revealed a whole new batch of builds for January, so there's plenty of options to check out right now. Among them are a variety of new floral sets, which are perfect for adding a bit of color to your home ahead of spring.

There's a nice assortment of new arrangements available right now, including a delightfully colorful Tulip Bouquet and a lovely Peace Lily, but there's also some sweet smaller builds. If you're not looking to piece together a big bouquet, there are options with lower piece counts to look through, including Sunflowers, Cherry Blossoms, Roses, and more.

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No matter which Lego flower set catches your eye, it's sure to be a bright addition to your home as you wait for spring to roll around. Check out Lego's latest floral sets below.

Tulip Bouquet (11501) Credit: Lego

Lego's Tulip Bouquet is bursting with bright colors. It's a set that's recommended for adult builders and comes with 576 pieces that create five varieties of tulips in different colors and stages of bloom. There's vibrant red, yellow, and pink opened tulips in the arrangement, alongside purple closed tulips and green buds with green leaves. Put it in a vase once completed and it'll be an instant reminder that spring isn't too far away.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Tulip Bouquet #11501 $59.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Peace Lily (11504) Credit: Lego

The Lego Peace Lily is a wonderful set for a shelf or cabinet. Again, it's one that's recommended for adults, with a piece count of 474. These bricks combine to produce a variety of lilies in three stages — there's two furled buds in the arrangement, plus two partially open flowers, and two in full bloom — alongside green leaves and a little plant pot. Whether it's on a desk, shelf, or table, it's sure to be a standout display in any room.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Peace Lily #11504 $49.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Flowering Cactus (11509) Credit: Lego

Lego's Flowering Cactus is a set recommended for younger builders than the two above (those who are aged nine and up can jump into it), though it still comes with a fairly high piece count of 482. Situated in a blue plant pot, this set builds two cacti: one is larger and in full bloom with a pink flower at the top, while the other is smaller and has little pink buds. If you're looking for something a little different to the flower sets above, this is a fun option to have on display.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Flowering Cactus #11509 $34.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Daisies (11508) Credit: Lego

If you're not interested in one of those bigger sets with a lot of pieces, Lego's Daisies set comes with just 133 pieces and sets you up with a sweet little flower arrangement to put in a small vase. It's another build that's recommended for those aged nine and above, and comes with a nice variety of flowers, including three large daisies, two stems of smaller daisies, and three lavenders, all of which are on green stems. There's even a little ladybug piece.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Daisies #11508 $14.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Sunflowers (40524) Credit: Lego

Sunflowers are always a nice reminder of sunshine and warmer weather, which is what makes the Lego Sunflowers set such a great build to work on during the winter. Recommended for builders aged eight and up, it comes with 191 pieces that create two sunflowers with adjustable stems and leaves. While they're nice to have on their own, these sunflowers are worth combining with some of the other floral sets for a big vibrant bouquet of colorful flowers.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Sunflowers #40524 $14.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Cherry Blossoms (40725) Credit: Lego

The Lego Cherry Blossoms set is another that's recommended for builders aged eight and up, but it comes with many more pieces in comparison to the Sunflowers, with a total count of 430. These create two cherry blossom twigs that are filled with a variety of white and pink buds. This set is another that could be displayed either on its own or combined with other floral sets, if you're curious to create your own arrangement.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Cherry Blossoms #40725 $14.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Roses (40460) Credit: Lego

Similar to the Sunflowers and Cherry Blossoms sets, the Lego Roses set is one that can be displayed either on its own or combined with other floral arrangements. Plus, with Valentine's Day right around the corner, there's no better time to grab this classic romantic offering. Again, it's recommended for those aged eight and up, and comes with just 120 pieces to create two red roses with adjustable leaves and stems.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Roses #40460 $14.99 at Lego
  Shop Now

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The fallout over Kumma the bear, a stuffed toy initially powered by ChatGPT and designed to interact with children, began in November.

A researcher for U.S. PIRG Education Fund tested the product, alongside other AI toys, and published the alarming findings. Sweet, soft Kumma would happily tell its conversation partner how to light a match as well as discuss sexual kink. 

The bear's maker, FoloToy, had licensed OpenAI's technology to program Kumma's responses. FoloToy temporarily stopped Kumma sales to conduct a safety audit. The revelations prompted OpenAI to indefinitely suspend FoloToy's developer access — even though the toy may still be relying on ChatGPT to produce the stuffed bear’s responses.

SEE ALSO: What to know before you buy an AI toy

Meanwhile, ahead of the holiday shopping season, child advocacy groups expressed urgent concern over AI toys. In December, two U.S. senators sent letters to companies inquiring about their designing and manufacturing of AI toys. In January, a California state senator introduced legislation that would put a four-year moratorium on the sale of AI chatbot toys for anyone under 18. On Thursday, Common Sense Media declared AI toys unsafe for children 5 and younger.

As for Kumma, the bear's fate is a complicated tale about what can happen when an AI toy hits the market before families, companies, and regulators have fully considered the ramifications. Legal experts interviewed by Mashable say AI toys exist in unclear and unfamiliar legal territory.

There is no obvious answer — yet — to the question: Who exactly is responsible if a child is harmed when engaging with an AI toy? 

Of course, that assumes toymakers can and will be transparent about the technology their product relies on. OpenAI no longer permits its licensees to publicly disclose that their product uses the company's technology, including ChatGPT, unless they've received "express prior written permission in each instance." 

This concerns R.J. Cross, director of the Our Online Life program for U.S. PIRG Education Fund. Cross was the researcher who discovered Kumma's "failure points." 

"When you have OpenAI specifically saying you can't publicly disclose this without our permission, that's just going to make it harder for everyone — parents, caretakers, regulators – to know what's really happening, and that's not a good thing," said Cross.

How did ChatGPT get into Kumma? 

Consumers who saw the headlines about Kumma might have wondered how ChatGPT, an AI chatbot with more than 800 million weekly users, ended up in a stuffed bear sold online by a company without household-name recognition. 

The explanation might surprise consumers unfamiliar with the licensing agreements that OpenAI makes with developers to access and integrate its large language models into their own products. Such agreements are standard and strategic in the technology industry, particularly for companies looking to scale their business quickly. 

In 2025, OpenAI inked a deal with Mattel, but the toymaker didn't launch an AI product by year's end. The AI companies Perplexity and Anthropic have been previously linked to children's toys designed and manufactured by a third party, according to Cross' research. 

Yet OpenAI's commitment to youth safety is under tremendous scrutiny. The company faces multiple wrongful death lawsuits related to ChatGPT use. Some of the plaintiffs are parents of teens who allege that ChatGPT coached their children to conceal mental health problems and take their own lives in moments of extreme distress. 

"We now know — and we think the lawsuit puts a pretty fine point on the fact — that ChatGPT is not a safe product," said Eli Wade-Scott, a partner at Edelson PC and a lawyer representing parents suing OpenAI for the suicide death of their son, Adam Raine. The company had denied the allegations in that case.   

Cross has struggled to understand why OpenAI licenses ChatGPT to developers who use it in children's products, given that the company's own terms of service prohibit chatbot use by minors under 13. 

OpenAI told Mashable that any developer that deploys one of the company's large language models in products for younger users must obtain parental consent and comply with child safety and privacy law. (Cross said FoloToy now asks for parental consent to collect a child's data via its web portal settings.)

Developers are also required to follow OpenAI's universal usage policies, which include the prohibition of exposing minors to sexual and violent content. OpenAI does run algorithms to help ensure its services are not used by licensees to harm minors, and gives developers free access to its proprietary moderation tools. 

OpenAI told Mashable that its "managed customers" work with the company's sales team on deployment strategies and safety. When OpenAI becomes aware of a user who's developed a toy or product designed for a minor that violates its usage policies, the company either warns or suspends them.

"You can put into a contract how serious you are about them using it in an ethical and safe way." - Colleen Chien, professor of law at U.C. Berkeley School of Law

Colleen Chien, a professor of law at U.C. Berkeley School of Law, told Mashable that companies can be more careful when licensing their technology by creating a "vetted partner" program that places key restrictions on the licensee. This process could include requiring licensees to complete certification or training to ensure they're using the technology safely and appropriately.

"You can put into a contract how serious you are about them using it in an ethical and safe way," said Chien, who is also co-director of the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology. "Or you can be much more loose about it." 

With the latter approach, the company might suspend a licensee if it discovers violations of the contract or receives allegations of improper use. 

"At that point, the damage has already been done, and you're not really taking responsibility ex ante for what might happen downstream," Chien said. 

What happens when AI toys harm? 

If a child has a harmful or dangerous experience with an AI toy powered by ChatGPT, OpenAI is very clear about who's to blame. The company told Mashable that its licensees are solely responsible for their product's outputs.

In addition, OpenAI's services agreement appears to absolve the company and its licensees against liabilities, damages, and costs related to a third-party claim. The agreement also prohibits class action lawsuits to resolve disputes, which could include claims related to an AI toy. 

Chien notes that consumer safety law doesn't require companies to sell a "perfectly safe" product. Instead, a company must take reasonable precautions and not subject its customers to outsized risk. Laws requiring a perfect safety record, she said, could stifle innovation, particularly in technology. 

Still, Chien said some liability should probably remain with OpenAI, because its size and resources give the company a clear advantage in detecting and avoiding risks to downstream users, like families who purchase AI toys powered by their technology. 

Either way, she acknowledges that the rapid adoption of large language models in consumer products raise novel issues about who's liable when things go wrong. Product safety laws, for example, currently emphasize physical harm, but what if a child's stuffed AI toy tells her how to lie to her parents or subjects her to conversational sexual abuse? 

Aaron P. Davis, co-managing partner of the commercial complex business and personal injury firm Davis Goldman, said he doesn't believe OpenAI should be responsible for every incident that might have involved consultation with ChatGPT. Yet he does think extra caution regarding AI toys is warranted, given their unique ability to earn the trust of vulnerable users, like a therapist, doctor, or teacher might. 

"This is going to be taken on a case by case basis, and I think that it's sort of a dangerous avenue that we're going down," he said of the product's potential risks. 

Davis, who reviewed OpenAI's services agreement for Mashable, said he wasn't sure whether key clauses related to publicity and liability would be enforceable. 

Prohibiting licensees from sharing that their product incorporates ChatGPT could impinge on fair use law, he noted. Davis was also skeptical of OpenAI's motivation for including this clause. 

"The reason [OpenAI] is doing this is because they don't want people to be able to figure out who made the AI so they get sued," Davis said. 

Confusingly, OpenAI does permit licensees to reference a specific model if their product leverages the company's developer platform.

"I think the conflicting policies underlie the platform's intention to insulate itself from liability while maintaining the utility of the product," he said.

The agreement's clause related to class actions also gave Davis pause. He argued that it effectively prevents a customer who's discovered a product defect from publicizing it widely. 

In general, Davis found the language favorable to OpenAI in ways that could significantly shield it from consumer transparency and accountability. 

What happened to Kumma?

Kumma is available for sale online again, but its return to the market comes with yet more questions.

Larry Wang, FoloToy's founder and CEO, told Mashable that the company's internal safety review led to strengthened age-appropriate content rules and tightened topic constraints, among other safety measures.

Indeed, when R.J. Cross tested Kumma again in December, it deflected the same questions she originally asked about kink and how to light a match. 

"We're glad to see that," Cross said. "It's kind of the bare minimum."

Yet Cross also noticed something inexplicable: Despite FoloToy's indefinite suspension from OpenAI's developer API, users could still select ChatGPT-5.1 and 5.1 Chat from a dropdown menu of large language models to program Kumma's responses.

Wang did not respond to Mashable's questions about whether the company continued to use ChatGPT for Kumma. OpenAI told Mashable it had not reversed FoloToy's suspension, but didn't provide further details about why or how ChatGPT could appear functional for Kumma.

As a researcher, Cross is dependent on transparency from manufacturers. Without it, she can't as easily connect problems with AI toys that rely on the same large language model. But consumers need it too, she argues. 

If a toy uses the model xAI's Grok to respond, for example, a consumer might make a different choice upon learning that the product created sexual abuse imagery using pictures of real women and children. 

"[T]hey deserve to have information available if they do want to look into things more carefully," she said. 

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

On Wednesday, Ubisoft canceled several games and shut down multiple studios in a major company restructure. At the same time, the studio pledged to double down on generative AI in game development moving forward. On Thursday, the stock market treated the company accordingly.

Specifically, Ubisoft shares tumbled by 34 percent on Thursday morning, per CNBC. As of this writing, Ubisoft shares are now down 39.83 percent.

The company has been struggling financially for some time now, with flagship franchises like Assassin's Creed demanding huge budgets and prolonged development cycles, and other titles not necessarily making the kind of sales impact Ubisoft hoped for. Given that Ubisoft recently had to shutter studios in places like Halifax (a Canadian union argued this move was a case of union-busting) and Stockholm, on top of the litany of game cancelations announced on Wednesday, it's no surprise that the market is losing faith in the longtime games publisher.

SEE ALSO: Ubisoft axes 'Prince of Persia: Sands of Time' remake, announces major company restructure

Most of the canned projects were unannounced titles with no real information to speak of yet. However, the cancelation of the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake dominated headlines, and justifiably so.

The project was announced in 2020 with a 2021 release date, then went radio silent for several years before being unceremoniously killed six years later. It's not clear from the outside looking in how a remake of a PlayStation 2-era game could miss its due date by five years, but it feels emblematic of everything going wrong with Ubisoft and big-budget game development writ large right now.

In any case, hopefully those affected by these cancelations and studio closures can land on their feet.

The true scale of Grok's deepfake problem is becoming clearer as the social media platform and its AI startup xAI face ongoing investigations into the chatbot's safety guardrails.

According to a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and a joint investigation by the New York Times, Grok was able to produce an estimated 3 million sexualized images, including 23,000 that appear to depict children over a 11-day period between Dec. 29 to Jan. 8, amid xAI's supposed crackdown on deepfake "undressing." The CCDH tested a sample of responses from Grok's one-click editing tool, still available to X users, and calculated that more than half of the chatbot's responses included sexualized content.

SEE ALSO: Grok ban: The nations considering blocking AI chatbot over nonconsensual sexual content

The New York Times report found that an estimated 1.8 million of 4.4 million Grok images were sexual in nature, with some depicting well-known influencers and celebrities. The publication also linked a sharp increase in Grok usage following public posts by CEO Elon Musk depicting himself in a bikini, generated by Grok.

"This is industrial-scale abuse of women and girls," chief executive of the CCDH Imran Ahmed told the publication. "There have been nudifying tools, but they have never had the distribution, ease of use or the integration into a large platform that Elon Musk did with Grok."

Grok has come under fire for generating child sexual abuse material (CSAM), following reports that the X chatbot produced images of minors in scantily clad outfits. The platform acknowledged the issue and said it was urgently fixing "lapses in safeguards."

Grok parent company xAI is being investigated by multiple foreign governments and the state of California for its role in generating sexualized or "undressed" deepfakes of people and minors. A handful of countries have even temporarily banned the platform as investigations continue.

On Jan. 14, xAI said it was blocking Grok from editing user uploaded photos of real people to feature revealing clothing, the original issues flagged by users earlier this month. However, recent reporting from the Guardian found that Grok app users were still able to produce AI-edited images of real women edited into bikinis and then upload them onto the site.

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In reporting from August, Mashable editor Timothy Beck Werth noted problems with Grok's reported safety guardrails, including the fact that Grok Imagine readily produced sexually suggestive images and videos of real people. Grok Imagine includes moderation settings and safeguards intended to block certain prompts and responses, but Musk also advertised Grok as one of the only mainstream chatbots that included a "Spicy" setting for sexual content. OpenAI also teased an NSFW setting, amid lawsuits claiming its ChatGPT product is unsafe for users.

Online safety watchdogs have long warned the public about generative AI's role in increased numbers of synthetically generated CSAM, as well as non consensual intimate imagery (NCII), addressed in 2025's Take It Down Act. Under the new U.S. law, online publishers are required to comply with takedown requests of nonconsensual deepfakes or face penalties.

A 2024 report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) found that generative AI tools were directly linked to increased numbers of CSAM on the dark web, predominately depicting young girls in sexual scenarios or digitally altering real pornography to include the likenesses of children. AI tools and "nudify" apps have been linked to rises in cyberbullying and AI-enabled sexual abuse.

UPDATE: Jan. 22, 2026, 3:33 p.m. This story was updated to include more details on the report's timeline and testing dates.

Samsung usually launches its next wave of flagship devices over the winter, and all signs point to an early-ish 2026 launch for the Samsung Galaxy S26 — and hopefully the Galaxy Z TriFold. The Galaxy S25 was released in early February, and the Galaxy S24 before it came in late January. Thus, it stands to reason that the Galaxy S26 will come around the same time in 2026.

While Samsung hasn't announced any upcoming Galaxy Unpacked events, we fully expect the new generation of Samsung phones to make their debut soon (leakers say you should mark Feb. 25 on your calendar). As per usual, ahead of the official launch, we're getting a steady drip of leaks on the new Samsung phones.

So, what do we know so far? A lot, actually. Catch up on the Samsung Galaxy S26's possible specifications, colors, pricing, and release date.

SEE ALSO: CES is over, but I'm still lusting for the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold What will the Galaxy S26 phones look like?

Recently, leaker @onleaks posted a gallery and video on X that claims to show dummy units of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. We can't verify the authenticity of the video, but it looks plausible, at least.

Overall, it looks very similar to the S25 Ultra, as expected, with one notable change — it has a camera bump similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7. As 9to5Google points out, because this bump is on the left side of the phone, it will make the phone wobble when placed down on a table or desk. (The TriFold has the same problem.) In comparison, the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max has a more symmetrical shape and thus no wobble.

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However, we would be a little skeptical of this leak. Android Police recently posted its own alleged S26 Ultra leaks, only without the camera bump.

As for colors, leaker Evan Blass posted what could be the full list of color options on X. The colors are:

• Black

• White

• Silver Shadow

• Sky Blue

• Cobalt Violet

• Pink Gold

Those all sound pretty standard for a Samsung phone, so it doesn't seem like the company is doing anything wildly bold this year in terms of colors. That's either a relief or a disappointment to you, depending on how you felt about the controversial cosmic orange iPhone last year.

What models will be included in the S26 lineup?

We're expecting three phones at the next Galaxy Unpacked event:

• Samsung Galaxy S26

• Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus

• Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Just a few months ago, rumors and leaks pointed to a significant shakeup in the Galaxy S26 line. It was said that Samsung would rename the base model to S26 Pro, drop the Plus model that sat in the middle of the annual lineup for years, and replace that with a new Edge phone modeled after last year's S25 Edge (which was something of a flop). However, that's apparently no longer happening, and you can thank Apple for that, per Korean outlet NewsPim (via 9to5google).

This is the S25 Ultra. Credit: James Martin / Mashable

Due to Apple's success in offering significant year-over-year upgrades to the base iPhone 17 (such as a 120Hz display) without raising the price, Samsung has reportedly dropped the Pro branding for the base model and reverted it back to just the Galaxy S26, which was corroborated by a separate report from SamMobile. According to that report, you can expect a retread of the usual S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra lineup in 2026. That may be disappointing to anyone who was expecting a big shakeup based on previous reporting, but if nothing else, it makes it easier to keep track of what's going on.

As for the previously rumored S26 Edge, it's unclear what's going to happen with that. It might be dead, or it might come out later in the year as a separate release like the S25 Edge did. Given that phone's relative lack of success, it might be smart to assume there won't be an S26 Edge at this point.

Galaxy S26 rumored specs

For specs, the rumors aren't particularly surprising. The Galaxy S26 series is currently rumored to have the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip, which Qualcomm rebranded to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. There is also a rumor that Samsung will equip some S26 models with an Exynos chip, which Samsung fans hope is the Exynos 2600, which has also been making some noise in the rumor mill lately.

In terms of the small stuff, like storage and RAM, there have been some small rumblings. One rumor says that the Galaxy S26 (all models) will feature 16GB of RAM, a 4GB increase from the last few years, and the most a Galaxy phone has had since the Galaxy S21 Ultra. In terms of storage capacity, there are no rumors that anything will change, so the 128GB base (256GB on the Ultra) is likely to remain in place for now, with upgraded storage available as an option. 

Galaxy S26: Is a price hike coming?

We're in the midst of a major global memory shortage, and this has been very bad news for smartphone and laptop shoppers (you can blame the AI industry for hogging all the RAM). And according to leaker @kro_roe, this could not only lead to an S26 price hike, but also the end of a popular launch offer.

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Typically, when Samsung launches a new phone, customers who pre-order or purchase at launch can claim double the storage at no extra cost. But with RAM in short supply, that may no longer be the case. The most recent rumors suggest that Samsung hasn't landed on a final price for the S26 phones, however.

That last part is important because it's very possible that the prices won't change after all. At least one new report suggests Samsung is trying to make sure the prices don't increase from last year, even if that means the company has to eat some of the cost of each unit sold.

Battery and charging

Based on early rumors, this may be one of the most interesting changes coming to the S26 lineup. Samsung has been working on a stacked battery design that would allow for more dense batteries in the same physical space. This could bring a long-awaited bump to battery size. According to early rumors, the S26 Ultra is slated to come with a 5,500 mAh stacked battery, a 10 percent increase from the S25 Ultra.

Samsung reportedly experimented with removing a camera to add even more battery capacity, but that doesn't mean it's certain to happen in the mass-produced model. While the S26 Pro was rumored to have a bigger 4,900mAh battery compared to previous base model Galaxy phones, NewsPim's report claimed that the base S26 (now that it's no longer a Pro device) has been adjusted down to a more modest 4,300mAh cell.

For charging, it’s unlikely that the Galaxy S26 series will get a serious upgrade. Samsung is definitely working on 60W wired charging, but so far, it seems that Samsung will wait for the Galaxy S27 series (or later) to implement it. This could change as we get closer to launch for the S26 series, but for now, it seems that 45W will be around for at least one more year. There are also rumors that wireless charging may see a bump to the Qi2 standard

Galaxy S26: What about the cameras?

The camera system in the Galaxy S26 series may change quite a bit, and there are a few different rumors that say different things. Jumping right in, one older rumor says that the S26 series will have the same megapixel count but will feature a new, as-of-yet unannounced sensor from the same ISOCELL GN series as prior Samsung models. On the Galaxy S26 Ultra, a 200MP camera is rumored, as is a 324MP lens with a 50MP, 3x telephoto lens. It’s more likely that Samsung will do the 200MP with a new sensor, but all leaks are being considered right now. 

S25 Ultra with its five cameras. Credit: James Martin / Mashable

In addition, there are rumors that Samsung will bring back its variable aperture on the main shooter, which Samsung hasn’t included on its camera system since the Galaxy S10 series back in 2019. As previously mentioned, Samsung may be considering dropping the number of cameras to three instead of four, like on prior models, to make space for a larger battery. Other rumors about the camera include a dual periscope design that’ll magnify to 8x, but that is just speculation at this time.

However, many of these rumors come from the time when we thought Samsung was significantly altering the S26 lineup. Newer reports indicate that, at least for the base S26 and S26 Plus, things won't change that much from previous years. According to Korean outlet The Elec, those two phones will have the exact same megapixel count on the triple-lens rear array as previous Galaxy models: a 50MP wide lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP 3x telephoto lens. Those have been the specs going all the way back to the Galaxy S22. If you were hoping for big changes in the cheaper S26 models this year, you have our condolences.

Other features and hardware

Android Police recently alerted us to a very interesting feature that could make its debut with the S26: A new mode called Privacy Display. This rumored feature would make the display resemble a frosted screen protector, except it would be built into the UI. This leak comes from Samsung itself, so it's all but confirmed.

Other details on the Galaxy S26 lineup are pretty predictable. It’ll come with the latest One UI out of the gate with the latest version of Android. That is no surprise, and we don’t need rumors to predict that one. The S26 series will likely get One UI 8.5, which is slated for a rather large redesign along with a host of new features, including the aforementioned privacy screen feature. According to rumor, the redesign emulates Apple’s Liquid Glass in some ways with transparent UI elements. 

The only other piece of hardware we haven’t talked about is the S-Pen. Samsung appears to be set to do something big with the S-Pen. The rumors speculate that the S-Pen is sticking around and will come with some upgrades. The new functionality may have something to do with how magnetic accessories work, and this seems to be linked to the aforementioned Qi2 wireless charging upgrade. 

We'll find out how much (if any) of this is true in just a matter of weeks, going by previous Samsung announcement timelines.

Samsung has some new phones to show off, and by all accounts, we'll see them pretty soon.

The Korean tech giant just got done showing off its vision for an AI-powered future at CES 2026, but it isn't done. Rumors are swirling around about an upcoming Unpacked showcase that will theoretically focus on at least the new Galaxy S26 phones. However, two big questions remain: When exactly is the Samsung Unpacked showcase for early 2026? And will we get a confirmed U.S. release date for the long-awaited Galaxy TriFold?

Let's dig in and find out.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold hands-on: I'm excited, but it's got quirks Samsung Unpacked 2026 rumors: When is it?

This question is (seemingly) pretty easy to answer. We don't have a confirmed date yet, but some of the more reliable tipsters in the mobile world have already nailed down a supposed date for Samsung Unpacked. One of them is Evan Blass, who has a pretty sterling record of being right on the money with this stuff. On X, Blass corroborated some Korean media reports that the next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place on Feb. 25, saying that date is "100 percent correct."

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Another extremely reliable Samsung leaker, Ice Universe, also took to X in late January to offer a more comprehensive product launch timeline. According to Ice Universe, Unpacked will take place on Feb. 25 (just as Blass said). Beyond that, the pre-order and pre-sale periods will reportedly last between Feb. 26 and March 10, with the device hitting store shelves on March 11. That would be pretty late by Samsung standards, but given that it's late January and Samsung still hasn't said a word about Unpacked, it also feels like it could be true. The ongoing global memory shortage could also be a factor here.

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Samsung typically does its early-year Unpacked events in January or early February, but if it were happening in January this year, we would've heard something official by now. For the time being, Feb. 25 is a safe bet.

Samsung Unpacked 2026 rumors: What will be shown? Expect this year's S26 lineup to look a lot like the S25, pictured here. Credit: Michaela Vatcheva/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The question of what will be shown at this Unpacked event is also fairly easy to answer based on precedent from previous years. In short, expect a lot of information about the Galaxy S26 phones. Just like in previous years, early leaks suggest there will be three new S26 smartphones:

• A base Galaxy S26

• A middle-ground Galaxy S26 Plus

• A premium Galaxy S26 Ultra

Recent reports point to a pretty incremental refresh of the Galaxy S line this year, which is interesting because there were rumblings several months ago that Samsung would shake things up in 2026. The company was allegedly going to replace the Plus model with a new ultra-thin Edge phone, but Apple's success with the iPhone 17 — putting pro-level features in the base phone without raising the price — reportedly caused Samsung to pull back and stick to what worked in previous years.

We also have a list of potential color options courtesy of Blass. The leaker said the colors will be Black, White, Silver Shadow, Sky Blue, Cobalt Violet, and Pink Gold. At least two or three of those might be online exclusives, which is what Samsung has done in the past. Finally, some early reports indicate that Samsung is going to try to keep the prices of the phones the same as they were last year, even amidst the ongoing RAM shortage that is threatening to increase tech prices, or in some cases already actively doing so.

Unfortunately, we've also heard that Samsung will no longer offer its usual pre-order offer, which lets early shoppers get double the storage at no extra price.

Are we finally going to get the TriFold? Mashable went hands on with the TriFold at CES 2026. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Last year's early Unpacked event was almost entirely focused on Galaxy phones and AI features for said phones, with a very brief surprise appearance by Samsung's XR headset at the end. I would expect this year's showcase to be similarly focused on Galaxy S26 phones, but the fact that the Galaxy TriFold is also set to launch in early 2026 in the United States could justify some time being given to that phone, as well. Samsung has already shown off that device in Korea and at CES, though, so maybe it gets a quicker mention with a price and release date instead of a full, blown-out debut.

At any rate, we've apparently got several weeks to sit and think about it.

SEE ALSO: CES is over, but I'm still lusting for the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold

New ways to monitor your teen's phone use are coming to Snapchat, as the app adds new screen time and contact monitoring tools for parents.

Starting today, parents and guardians linked to teen accounts will be able to see a weekly breakdown of the average amount of time users spent on the app, as well as the types of activity the teen engages in on the app, including chatting, taking pictures, or scrolling through their Snap Map. Parents will also be able to view additional details about their teen's new contacts, such as mutual friends lists and the Snap communities they've joined.

SEE ALSO: Child experts: AI toys too risky for young kids

Snap launched its Family Center parental monitoring hub in 2022, and has debuted additional safeguards for users, including content and AI restrictions, friends list visibility, and location alerts as it cracks down on inappropriate content and predatory behavior by adult users.

"Family Center is designed to reflect the dynamics of real-world relationships by providing visibility into what teens are doing and allowing parents to adjust key settings, without showing the content of their private conversations," wrote Snap in a press release regarding the new parental controls. "We work diligently to protect teens on our platform while giving parents and caregivers the tools to play an active role in their teen’s experience on Snapchat."

Just yesterday (Jan. 21), the social media giant avoided a trial by jury and settled a lawsuit brought forth by a 19-year-old user who alleged the platform's algorithm — and those of its competitors, including Meta, YouTube, and TikTok — is dangerously designed to foster addictive behavior and mental health issues. Snapchat employees had previously warned of mental health risks to young users, court documents revealed. The case follows a similar pattern found among social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, which have faced an onslaught of lawsuits accusing the companies of not doing enough to protect young users, even when flagged by internal leadership.

Last year, the platform joined other companies, including the embattled Roblox, backing the 2025 Take It Down Act, aimed at providing legal recourse for victims of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) and deepfakes. The company has previously partnered with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

The best Samsung deals this week, at a glance: Best Samsung Monitor Deal Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Curved Gaming Monitor $699.99 (Save $300) Get Deal Best Samsung Smartphone Deal Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra $1,129 (Save $287) Get Deal Best Samsung Laptop Deal Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 $943.82 (Save $406.17) Get Deal

It's officially over halfway through January 2026, and most of the biggest savings events of the year are still months away. But that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of deals to be found in the interim, especially on some of your favorite Samsung tech.

This early in the year, we're still seeing significant price cuts on some of Samsung's biggest tech, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone if you're looking to upgrade, or the massive 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 gaming monitor for some serious desk candy.

Whether you're looking to go on a new tech shopping spree or you just want to splurge on some great discounts, we've rounded up some of the best you'll find this week on Samsung tech. Check out some of our favorite picks below and happy shopping!

Best Samsung gaming monitor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Curved Gaming Monitor $699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

This massive monitor sits at a huge 49 inches. It's a 32:9 curved display that's about the size fo two 27-inch monitors, meaning it gives you some serious desk real estate to work with. It has a Dual QHD resolution of 5120 x 1440 and a 1,000R curve, so when you're working or gaming, you feel the immersion, like you're right in the middle of the action. With a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro as well as VESA DisplayHDR 600, it's perfect for all your favorite games and then some. This is the wraparound monitor experience you've been waiting for.

More Samsung monitor deals

• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G55C Series QHD Monitor — $273.83 $329.99 (save $180)

• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G50D Series QHD Monitor — $249.99 $429.99 (save $180)

• Samsung 32-inch Flat Computer Monitor — $199 $149 (save $50)

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 G53F Gaming Monitor — $159.99 $249.99 (save $90)

• Samsung 27-inch Essential Monitor — $119.99 $149.99 (save $30)

Best Samsung smartphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra $1,129 at Amazon
$1,419 Save $290   Get Deal Why we like it

One of Mashable's favorite smartphones from 2025, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is still very much a fantastic option if you're looking to lock in a new smartphone. In addition to having crystal clear call quality, it's absolutely loaded with fantastic features, all colored by AI. That includes camera options that'll blow you away, with actions powered by the most powerful processor Samsung has added to a phone yet: the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Plus, it's a good-looking phone, if that matters to you.

More Samsung smartphone deals

• Samsung Galaxy S25 FE — $509.99 $709.99 (save $200)

• Samsung Galaxy A36 5G — $375 $399.99 (save $24.99)

• Samsung Galaxy S21 (Renewed) — $166.10 $267.72 (save $101/62)

Best Samsung laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 $943.82 at Amazon
$1,349.99 Save $406.17   Get Deal Why we like it

This is a zippy little laptop you'll absolutely love using. It comes packed with a 15.6-inch Full HD display, an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. It offers a 19-hour battery life on a single charge, and when you do deplete the battery, you can use fast charging to get you up to 30 to 35% battery again in under an hour. It can connect to all your other Samsung devices as well, much like Apple products do across the Apple ecosystem.

More Samsung laptop and tablet deals

• Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360— $1,299.99 $1,699.99 (save $200)

• Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 — $269.08 $298.98 (save $200)

• Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go — $251.99 $288.98 (save $37.99)

SAVE $200: The Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $199.99, down from the list price of $399.99. That's a 50% discount and the best price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum $199.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $200   Get Deal

Some people hate vacuuming. If that's you, have you tried vacuuming with an effortless stick vacuum? These excel in being lightweight, easy to maneuver, and simple to empty debris. As a special mid-January doldrums treat, Amazon just put a premium model on a major discount.

As of Jan. 22, the Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $199.99, marked down from the standard price of $399.99. That's a 50% discount that shaves $200 off the price. If you love to score a good deal, this is the best price we've ever seen at Amazon.

If you have pets at home, you know the struggle of trying to remove pet hair from the carpet. Shark takes aim at those stubborn stuck-in hairs with the PowerPro Flex Pet Plus which comes with up to 50 minutes of runtime.

SEE ALSO: This Dreame vacuum is nearly 50% off — shop at Amazon and save $450

This Shark stick vacuum has tons of features that you won't be able to live without once you've experienced the convenience. For one, the LED headlight will illuminate dust and debris in a way that will make you want to vacuum everyday just for the satisfaction. It can also easily convert into a handheld vacuum. Plus, the wand feature's Shark's MultiFlex technology which allows it to bend in half, reaching under the couch or the bed with ease.

Shark also equipped the PowerPro Flex Pet Plus with the brand's floor detect technology. This automatically senses the floor type and adjusts the speed of the brush roll to get the best clean. There's also the extra large dust cup capacity so you won't need to empty it out as often.

Before this low sale price disappears, gift yourself the convenience of a powerful stick vacuum with the Shark PowerPro Flex Pet Plus Cordless Vacuum. It's on sale for under $200 at Amazon, which is the lowest price we've ever seen.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been on a tear lately. The French RPG, known for its gorgeous visuals, turn-based gameplay, and compelling narrative, swept the Game of the Year Awards, with a record eight wins and 12 nominations.

Now, Clair Obscur has set yet another record: It's surpassed Elden Ring as the most award-winning video game of all time.

There's no official body that tracks total wins in game awards, nor an official list of what counts toward the totals. (For instance, do you count Mashable's guide to the best video games of 2025? Spoiler alert: Clair Obscur only earned an honorable mention from our team.) However, fans have been closely tracking wins and losses at the ResetEra forum, and the evidence is clear: Clair Obscur now has more game of the year wins than any other game, topping previous record holders like Elden Ring.

SEE ALSO: 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' review: Final Fantasy vibes and emotional maturity

In years past, Elden Ring collected 435 GOTY wins; The Last of Us Part II earned 326; and Baldur's Gate III got 288. When Wccftech released its list of the best games of the year this week, Clair Obscur surpassed Elden Ring's total with 436 wins and counting.

That's right — there are still plenty of game awards yet to be announced. Per our colleagues at IGN, Clair Obscur can still pick up even more awards at the BAFTAs, DICE, and GDC Awards.

Clair Obscur likely would have reached this record sooner had it not been for a controversial snub at the Indie Game Awards, which takes a hard line against the use of generative AI. French studio Sandfall Entertainment was accused of using generative AI to create background textures, such as posters that appeared on a street lamp, claims that Sandfall Interactive denied.

Considering that generative AI is now a standard tool used by the vast majority of computer programmers, it seems extremely unlikely that no AI was used in the development of other popular video games. However, the Indie Game Awards stripped Sandfall Interactive and Clair Obscur of their Game of the Year and Debut Game awards.

While some video game players have also taken a hard line against the use of generative AI in game development, it's not clear that the average gamer cares. For instance, Arc Raiders faced fierce criticism for its use of generative AI back in November, and yet by January, it had become a hugely successful best-seller.

Controversies aside, Clair Obscur seems poised to pick up even more GOTY wins in the months ahead, setting a new high bar for critically acclaimed video games.

SAVE $1,300: As of Jan. 22, the Hisense 100-inch U7 Mini LED ULED 4K TV is on sale for $2,197.99 at Amazon. That's a 37% price drop — its biggest discount ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 100-inch U7 Mini LED ULED 4K TV $2,197.99 at Amazon
$3,497.99 Save $1,300   Get Deal

It's a big season for sports. Not only is it playoffs for the NFL, with the Big Game a few weeks away, but it's also the second half of the NBA and NHL seasons (where things really start to get interesting), and almost time for the Winter Olympics. If you haven't already replaced your dull TV, it also happens to be one of the best times to upgrade your TV for less.

As of Jan. 22, you can get a massive Hisense 100-inch U7 Mini LED ULED 4K TV on sale for $2,197.99 at Amazon. That's a 37% drop from its list price of $3,497.99 — its biggest discount on record, matching its all-time low from Black Friday.

The U7 Mini LED is Hisense's "ultimate mid-premium" model from 2025, combining Mini LED technology with a 165Hz refresh rate for a smooth, brilliant picture quality. It also features an AGLR-Antiglare low-reflection panel, up to 3,000 nits of brightness, and HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos. For those who don't speak TV, those specs all help ensure that the massive 100-inch screen looks vibrant, with deep shadows and contrast in any lighting scenario.

Besides the 165Hz refresh rate, gamers will also appreciate the U7's Game Mode Ultra, as well as AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Auto Low Latency Mode and Low Latency MEMC to minimize tearing and lag.

If you want to catch every single play in all its glory, a massive TV is the ticket. Get the 100-inch Hisense U7 TV for its best price ever just in time for this heavy sports season.

The 2026 Oscar nominations have arrived! Sinners, One Battle After Another, Marty Supreme, and Hamnet have plenty to celebrate. Casting made its debut as the Academy's brand-new category. And incredibly some much-raved about films got nothing at all.

We've shown you the nominees. We've bemoaned the snubs. Now, let's look at the pleasant surprises that came out of the 98th annual Academy Awards nomination announcements.

SEE ALSO: Oscars 2026: Who got snubbed? Oscar surprise: Sinners breaking Oscar history Michael B. Jordan plays twins Smoke and Stack in "Sinners." Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Some Oscar prognosticators have been saying for months that Best Picture is a lock for One Battle After Another. However, Ryan Coogler's Sinners scored more nominations that the Paul Thomas Anderson thriller, and set a new record for Oscar nominations with a whopping 16 nods! As someone who's been rooting for Sinners since I first saw that barnburner of "I Lied to You" last spring, I was cheering at these nominations like I did when Sammie escaped Remmick's clutches! Sure, some nominations at this point seemed a guarantee, including Best Picture and Best Song. But seeing so much of the cast get recognized along with Coogler as writer, director, and producer? I'm ecstastic.

Featured Video For You Ryan Coogler and 'Sinners' cast on their vampire musical being 'genre-fluid' Oscar surprise: Delroy Lindo, Sinners Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Sinners." Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Some might not be surprised that Delroy Lindo was among Sinners nominations. But unlike Michael B. Jordan and Wunmi Mosaku, who both got Critics Choice nominations and various guild awards, Lindo has been largely overlooked. And not just this past year! Lindo has been a mesmerizing actor for decades, working with Spike Lee (Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Da 5 Bloods), Danny Boyle (A Life Less Ordinary), and Barry Sonnenfeld (Get Shorty). So, you better believe we whooped with excitement when Lindo finally scored his first Academy Award nomination at 73 years old for our favorite movie of 2025.

Oscar surprise: The Ugly Stepsister Elvira wears a nose brace in "The Ugly Stepsister." Credit: Shudder

Makeup and Hairstyling is often a curious pocket of Oscar nominations, where movies that are weirder and wilder get a chance to shine. So when I heard The Ugly Stepsister called out among Frankenstein, The Smashing Machine, and Sinners, I cheered in excitement. This twisted fairytale made Mashable's list of the best horror movies of 2025, because of its stomach-churning and thought-provoking reimagining of Cinderella. And as this nomination suggests, what this step-sibling goes through in pursuit of beauty is grisly business. Beauty hurts, or so I've been told.

Oscar surprise: F1 for Best Picture Brad Pitt stars in F1. Credit: Apple Original Films

F1 landing a Best Picture nomination is the kind of curveball that immediately lights up the group chat. On paper, it's a sleek, star-driven racing film anchored by Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, the kind of polished spectacle that can feel more surface than story — not the most obvious Academy pick. Still, I'll happily accept any Oscars scenario that includes Lewis Hamilton, seven-time F1 champion and producer, getting his moment on Hollywood’s biggest stage. — Crystal Bell, Culture Editor

Oscar surprise: Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue Kate Hudson as Claire Stengl and Hugh Jackman as Mike Sardina in director Craig Brewer's "Song Sung Blue." Credit: Sarah Shatz / Focus Features

Admittedly, this one isn't the most stunning surprise. Kate Hudson is riveting in Song Sung Blue, a moving biopic about a Neil Diamond tribute band called Lightning and Thunder, who gets through their darkest moments through the power of song. Her portrait of Claire "Thunder" Sardina has been critically acclaimed — in part for her masterful delivery of a Milwaukee accent — and scored a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. However, Hudson has been falling behind in the Best Actress conversation, as awards prognosticators focused on Hamnet's Jessie Buckley and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You's Rose Byrne. So, she must be singing a happy tune this morning.

Oscar surprise: It Was Just an Accident Credit: NEON

Iranian writer/director Jafar Panahi's latest It Was Just An Accident has been collecting accolades and awards since it took home the Palme D'Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. So, we weren't remotely surprised to see this compelling revenge drama score a nomination for Best International Feature Film, alongside The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sirāt, and The Voice of Hind Rajab. However, in this American awards show, it's rare to see a screenwriting nomination for a screenplay that's not in English. Yet Panahi, alongside script collaborators Nader Saïvar, Shadmehr Rastin, and Mehdi Mahmoudian, achieved this! Previous foreign language screenplays to earn this nomination include Anatomy of a Fall, Parasite, and A Separation.

However, some film fans online have suggested that It Was Just An Accident deserved more, declaring it was snubbed in Best Director and Best Picture.

How to watch: The 98th Oscars airs live on March 15 on ABC and Hulu.

A group of hundreds of artists — including big names like Scarlett Johansson, the band R.E.M, and Cate Blanchett — endorsed a campaign against AI slop, railing against "theft at a grand scale" from the major artificial intelligence companies.

The campaign, dubbed Stealing Isn't Innovation, is backed by the Human Artistry Campaign, an advocacy group that works with artists and performers. You can see the full list of signees at the movement's website — but it's an impressive collection of more than 800 folks. Johansson was involved in a famous, public spat with OpenAI over accusations that it improperly used her voice. And funnily enough, rapper/actor Common is on the list after starring in memorable AI commercials for years.

"Driven by fierce competition for leadership in the new GenAI technology, profit-hungry technology companies, including those among the richest in the world as well as private equity-backed ventures, have copied a massive amount of creative content online without authorization or payment to those who created it," a press release reads, via The Verge. "This illegal intellectual property grab fosters an information ecosystem dominated by misinformation, deepfakes, and a vapid artificial avalanche of low-quality materials ['AI slop'], risking AI model collapse and directly threatening America’s AI superiority and international competitiveness."

As we've covered at Mashable, low-quality AI materials — aka slop — have spread widely on social media feeds. And AI companies have used the work of artists to train AI models. The Stealing Isn't Innovation campaign calls for licensing agreements, better enforcement, and the right for artists to opt out of their work being used to train generative AI. The Verge reported the campaign will run ads in news outlets and on social media in an effort to spread its message.

Publishers and content owners have agreed to a number of licensing deals — Disney, for instance, inked a $1 billion deal with OpenAI — but artists still take issue with models training on vast amounts of content online. The AI companies have argued that they're protected by fair use, while artists have said the companies should be required to get permission and pay for using works.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Best portable power station deals at a glance Best Jackery deal Jackery HomePower 3000 with two SolarSaga 200W solar panels $1,598.99 (save $1,400.01) Get Deal Best Anker Solix deal Anker Solix C800X with 100W solar panel $449.98 (save $849.02) Get Deal Best Bluetti deal Bluetti Elite 10 $113 (save $86) Get Deal

If you live in an area that's prone to winter storms, you understand the inconvenience of dealing with power outages. The most traditional solution is to grab a generator to keep your house going. But those pose some problems like being noisy and smelly. Instead, we have the awesome tech of portable power stations.

They're excellent for keeping your gadgets powered up during an outage or for taking along on summer camping trips. Some are large enough to power your refrigerator for days or allow you to run the washing machine. Plus, you can recharge them with solar panels.

In the depths of winter, we're seeing some excellent discounts on portable power stations to keep you online during the next storm. Snag one to keep your food cold, power up the WiFi router, and keep a light on in the bathroom. Here are this week's best deals on portable power stations.

Best Jackery deal Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery HomePower 3000 with two SolarSaga 200W solar panels $1,598.99 at Amazon
$2,999 Save $1,400.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Coming with a hefty 3,072Wh of battery capacity, the Jackery HomePower 3000 is a great backup option for when the power cuts out. The brand mentions this power can keep your refrigerator cooling for up to two days or keep the WiFi router online for almost three days. Today's deal on the Jackery HomePower 3000 includes two 200W SolarSaga solar panels to help with recharging the power station. With 400W of solar input, the power station can recharge to 80% in nine hours. If you take the station camping this summer, that means you could be in line for infinite power.

More Jackery deals

• Jackery Explorer 300 — $199 $259 (save $60)

• Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra — $898.99 $1,399 (save $500.01)

• Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus — $1,598.99 $2,799 (save $1,200.01 with on-page coupon)

Best Anker Solix deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix C800X with 100W solar panel $449.98 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $849.02   Get Deal Why we like it

If you tend to head out on camping and hiking adventures but like to stay powered up, the Anker Solix C800X is a stellar model. It comes with 768Wh, a built-in lightbar, and a three-mode camping light that neatly nests into the top of the power station. As if we needed more reason to love this model for camping, today's deal at Amazon includes a 100W solar panel that folds up into the size of a standard sheet of printer paper.

On its own, the Solix C800X is on sale for $399 at Amazon. Today's deal that bundles with C800W with the super portable 100W solar panel comes in at $449.98, which means the solar panel costs just $50 more, which is an incredible deal.

More Anker Solix deals

• Anker Solix C300 — $179.99 $249.99 (save $70)

• Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 — $449.99 $799 (save $349.01)

• Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 — $799 $1,499 (save $700)

• Anker Solix F2000 — $849 $1,999 (save $1,150)

Best Bluetti deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 10 $113 at Amazon
$199 Save $86   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for an ultra portable power station to keep your phone charged up during outages or at the campground, the Bluetti Elite 10 is your best friend. It's affordable, lightweight, can recharge via solar, and it comes in a lovely green colorway.

You'll be able to recharge your phone about six times with the 128Wh packed into the Bluetti Elite 10, which weighs just four pounds. Connect it to a 100W solar panel, and you can get a full recharge in just 90 minutes.

More Bluetti deals

• Bluetti X30 CPAP Battery Backup — $279 $399 (save $120)

• Bluetti Elite 100 V2 — $399 $799 (save $400)

• Bluetti AC200L — $749 $1,599 (save $850)

• Bluetti Elite 200 V2 — $899 $1,299 (save $400)

SAVE $70: As of Jan. 22, get the DJI Mic 2 for just $199. That saves you $70 off its list price for 26% in savings. Shop this deal at Amazon now.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic 2 $199 at Amazon
$269 Save $70   Get Deal

Whether you're a professional behind the camera or an amateur looking to improve your content, there's one device that can set you apart: an incredible microphone. Good quality audio is essential no matter what you're filming on, whether it's a smart phone or camera. If you're looking to make the upgrade, now is the right time as DJI's Mic 2 just dropped back down to its lowest price ever.

As of Jan. 22, the DJI Mic 2 is down to $199. That's $70 off its $269 list price for 26% off. Historically, that's the device's lowest price ever, according to Camelcamelcamel.

The DJI Mic 2 captures sound wirelessly and is perfect for even beginners. DJI's transmitters and receivers are pre-linked so you don't have to worry about getting things paired when you need to film quickly. Plus, don't fear for lost audio as the microphone lavalier serves as a standalone recorder, too. With a charging case, these microphones will go for hours at a time—up to 18 hours in fact!

Shop the DJI Mic 2 for $199 at Amazon and save $70.

If you ask Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Waymo "never really had a chance" in the robotaxi race.

However, in reality, Waymo is extending its lead over Tesla. The company just launched its autonomous taxi service in Miami, bringing the number of U.S. cities where it operates to six.

SEE ALSO: Smooth, silent, strange: What it's really like to hail a robotaxi

Initially, the company will cover a 60-square-mile area of Miami, and Waymo says it plans to expand to Miami International Airport "soon."

Waymo will expand to Miami International Airport soon. Credit: Waymo

Waymo says the service is fully autonomous, and that 10,000 residents have already signed up, with new riders being invited on a "rolling basis."

The company currently operates its robotaxi service in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area. There is, however, a pretty long list of cities which are getting Waymo next, including Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, San Antonio, San Diego, and Washington DC in the U.S., as well as London in the UK.

Featured Video For You I took a ride in a robotaxi: How close are we to a driverless future?

The company also offers a "driving experience" program in a number of other cities, including Boston, New York, and Seattle in the U.S., and Tokyo in Japan.

Meanwhile, Tesla only offers autonomous Robotaxi rides in Austin; in the San Francisco Bay Area, the rides are only available with human "safety monitors" in driver's seats.

While Waymo is ahead, its autonomous ride-hailing service isn't entirely without issues. Most recently, Waymo cars stalled and caused traffic jams amidst a San Francisco blackout.