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GET A FREE $5 STARBUCKS GIFT CARD: Buy a $25 Starbucks gift card and receive a free $5 Starbucks e-gift card while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Starbucks Starbucks gift card buy $25 worth of Starbucks gift cards and receive a free $5 Starbucks e-gift card Get Deal

Last week, we were all buzzing with news that Starbucks was releasing more viral Bearista Cups via the app. Fast-forward to today and we're all virtually running around Milan collecting red Starbucks cup in an attempt to win big. If you're not having much luck with the Starbucks Merrython, there's another way to feel like you're winning with the coffee giant.

From now until Dec. 19, purchase a $25 Starbucks gift card and receive a free $5 Starbucks eGift card. You can qualify for this deal by buying one $25 gift card or five $5 gift cards. Supplies are limited to the first 400,000 customers, so it's possible this offer will sell out before the Dec. 19 deadline. The promo is limited to one free $5 gift card per person.

SEE ALSO: Ben & Jerry's is launching Ice Cream Bars — how to get free Cookie Dough bars

Getting something for nothing in 2025 feels like a huge win. Since many of us are already stopping by Starbucks for a pick-me-up, this is a great deal to jump on. Buy one $25 gift card for a friend of five $5 gift cards, and you'll get a free $5 e-gift card for yourself. In either case, you'll be snagging a stocking stuffer almost anyone will love.

If your daily morning routine involves stopping by Starbucks and you're done with holiday shopping, grab this deal for yourself since a free $5 is a free $5. It might not buy you an entire 16-ounce drink, but it'll make a nice dent in the price.

While Starbucks is giving us a few days to snag this free gift card deal, the fine print mentions it's limited to the first 400,000 people who take advantage of the deal. Given how popular the coffee chain is, this deal could sell out before Dec. 19, so snatch it up quickly.

Oh, you don't want an AI chatbot on your TV? That's too bad, buddy, because you're getting one. Well, if you have an LG smart TV, at least.

Tech site Tom's Hardware spotted that users began complaining that a recent software update to LG TVs included the addition of Microsoft Copilot and it could not be deleted. The complaints first surfaced on Reddit's r/mildlyinfuriating, which feels right. The post has racked up some 36,000 upvotes and thousands of comments, most of which expressed annoyance.

Reddit

Tech site Endadget wrote that two staffers with LG TVs confirmed that, yes, Copilot had been installed and was not removable. At best, you could hide it from the home screen.

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

Why would you want an AI assistant app on your TV? Good question. I don't necessarily have the answer. But guess what? If you own an LG smart TV, it looks like you have it, whether you want it or not.

Food delivery can get tricky in the wee hours of the night.

That was the case in McCracken County, Kentucky earlier in December for one couple, anyway. According to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office, a local husband and wife ordered delivery via DoorDash "shortly after midnight," but when they started eating the food, they experienced burning sensations in their noses and mouths. A glance at security doorbell footage revealed that the Dasher had sprayed a substance on the food before handing it off to the customers.

SEE ALSO: DoorDash unveils new delivery robots that yawn, wink, and travel 20 mph

The accused Dasher in question, Kourtney N. Stevenson, told investigators that she was attempting to pepper spray a spider due to her fear of arachnids. As the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office pointed out in its press release, it would be extremely unlikely to see a spider outdoors in the 35-degree weather the area was experiencing that night. Stevenson was arrested on felony charges of battery and consumer product tampering.

Whatever the case may be, the lesson here is to always make sure your food looks, smells, and seems OK to eat before chowing down.

After an unprofitable 2025, it might be the end of an era for iRobot

Roombas, as we know them, might cease to exist at this time next year. It sounds like iRobot is planning on continuing the product line under Picea ownership, but we don't know when the next new Roombas can be expected. Here's how we got here.

SEE ALSO: How to make your robot vacuum work better: 3 setup tips to do right now

Amazon and iRobot called it quits with their pending acquisition back in 2024, and things have only gone downhill for iRobot from there. Soon after that, iRobot randomly overhauled the Roomba lineup in March 2025 — an interesting deviation from its usual release schedule, in which the biggest Roombas of the year typically come out in August. It felt like a last-ditch effort to keep the company afloat after struggling to profit in 2024.

More than 20 Roombas have come out since the first Roomba hit homes in 2002, but the newest wave of Roombas saw the ingenuity that made its predecessors stand out. As someone who tests robot vacuums for a living, I've been saying for a year now that Roombas were struggling to stay relevant in a sea of smarter, stronger, more fairly-priced robot vacs from the likes of Roborock and iRobot's biggest Google search competition, Shark. Like sure, it's great to finally see a mopping Roomba with spinning mopping pads or a Roomba self-washing and -drying mopping pad dock that's relatively affordable. But the best robot vacuum mop combos from other brands have been on top of that for years.

If there's any hope for the Roomba's reputation, iRobot and Picea need to find a way to be more realistic about price points. If new Roombas are ever released, they need to be much more affordable in relation to other robot vacuums on the market that offer the same features. If iRobot and Picea insist on maintaining premium prices, they really do need to "innovate" as mentioned in the Dec. 15 press release — as in, find a way to stand out from all of the incredible robot vacuum advancements that we'll be seeing from competing brands at CES 2026.

How to tell the difference between the Roomba models

The iRobot Roomba 105. The Roomba Combo i5+. The Roomba Combo j7+ (not to be confused with the Roomba j7). The arbitrary numbers and letters of the Roomba family tree are confusing at face value, but we can teach you.

When shopping for a Roomba, you'll choose from what I call iRobot's core lineup: the group of three to five Roomba series sold on iRobot's website. Any Roomba whose title includes a letter and a number (like j9+ or i5) or the word Max is more advanced than a Roomba with just numbers in the title (like 105, 205, or 692) or just words (like Roomba Vac or Essential).

A plus sign (like j9+) denotes that the model comes with a self-emptying dock, and Roombas that mop will have "Combo" in the title. "Max" is a new Roomba term introduced with the Roomba Combo 10 Max — it refers to the ability of a hybrid Roomba to wash and dry its own mopping pad within the self-empty dock. On the other end of the spectrum, "Essential" means "most basic" in the Roomba family, meaning no smart mapping.

Other Roombas I've tested

I've tested several Roombas that are no longer main players in the Roomba guide for 2025. The Roomba Combo j9+ doesn't wash or dry its mopping pad, and is simply too expensive to be worth buying over its siblings like the Roomba Combo 10 Max, Roomba Plus 505. or Roomba Max 705. Plus, the j9's increasing obsoleteness has pretty much halted its ability to get a noteworthy discount nowadays.

I have also removed any 600 series Roombas from this guide for a similar reason: They just can't compete with the newer cheap Roombas that have stronger suction and smart mapping. When I tested the Roomba 694, it pissed me off more than it impressed. The Roomba 694 and Roomba 692 are hard to find in stock, anyway, and it's rarely for less than the Roomba 105 (my new top pick for the best cheap Roomba).

The first-ever U.S. TikTok Awards are officially taking over Hollywood on Dec. 18, 2025 — and Mashable will be on the red carpet and inside the venue, covering the night as it unfolds in real time.

Designed to honor the creators, trends, and cultural moments that defined TikTok this year, the show marks the platform’s biggest attempt yet to turn internet virality into a full-scale awards spectacle. Think: the For You Page, but live, loud, and happening all at once at the Hollywood Palladium.

SEE ALSO: How to vote for the TikTok Awards 2025 — plus date, nominees, and how to watch

And now, we know who’s headlining.

Ciara will headline the first U.S. TikTok Awards

GRAMMY-winning global superstar Ciara will headline the inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards, bringing her signature choreography and stage presence to the Palladium. The multi-platinum artist, whose music and dance moves have long thrived on TikTok, is set to perform a mix of her biggest hits during the live show.

"There’s nothing like performing for a community that loves movement, music, and expression as much as I do," Ciara said in a statement, per TikTok. "The TikTok Awards are all about celebrating that spirit, and I’m honored to hit the stage for the first-ever show in the US."

What to expect from the TikTok Awards

If you’re wondering what this show will actually feel like, imagine the chaos and creativity of TikTok brought to life in physical space. Hosted by La La Anthony, the U.S. TikTok Awards promises creator-led segments, live performances, and moments designed to be experienced and immediately shared, clipped, and stitched.

The theme for the night — "New Era, New Icons" — celebrates creators across beauty, fashion, music, sports, education, and entertainment whose influence extends far beyond the app itself.

In other words: Expect meme-by-morning moments and at least one reaction GIF that lives online forever.

Presenters revealed

TikTok has also announced a new slate of presenters spanning creators, cultural icons, and community favorites:

• Breakthrough Artist of the Year — Presented by KPop Demon Hunters star REI AMI (@rei.ami)

• Okay Slay Award (Beauty) — Presented by Tan France (@tanfrance)

• Video of the Year — Presented by Tefi Pessoa (@hellotefi)

• I Was Today Years Old Award (Education) — Presented by Justin Danger (@justin_danger_nunley)

• Immediately Added to Cart Award (TikTok Shop) — Presented by Patrick Starrr (@patrickstarrr)

• CapCut Creator of the Year — Presented by Carter Gregory (@thecarterb)

• Live Creator of the Year — Presented by Ashby Florence (@ashbyflorence)

Additionally, e.l.f. Cosmetics joins as a title sponsor, presenting the Rising Star of the Year Award.

Mashable’s live TikTok Awards coverage

Mashable will be covering the TikTok Awards live from Los Angeles, with our team on the red carpet capturing arrivals, GRWM-to-carpet transformations, and creator interviews — plus inside-the-room coverage of performances, wins, and the moments you'll be seeing all over your feed the next morning.

The red carpet livestream kicks off at 5 p.m. PT, followed by the main ceremony at 6 p.m. PT, streaming live on @TikTok and Tubi, the official streaming partner of the TikTok Awards 2025. The show will also be available on demand on Tubi the next day.

Red carpet hosts and correspondents for the livestream include:

• Dylan Kevitch (@dylan.kevitch)

• Hannah Kosh (@hannahkosh)

• Taylor King (@tksjuicypolls)

When and where to watch the TikTok Awards

• Red carpet: 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET on TikTok LIVE

• Main ceremony: 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on TikTok and Tubi

• Location: Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles

Whether you’re tuning in for the performances, rooting for your favorite creator, or just waiting to see what breaks the internet next, Mashable will be there tracking it all, from red carpet chaos to the final award.

And yes: If something wild happens backstage, it'll probably hit your For You Page within minutes.

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 16, the Sonos Era 100 is on sale for $169 at Amazon and other retailers. That's about 22% off the full list price of $219 and matches its Black Friday price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Era 100 $169 at Amazon
$219 Save $50   Get Deal

With the exception of Black Friday, Sonos doesn't offer many big discounts on its products throughout the year. So when you see a good price, you should snag it. For instance, now's the time to grab the Sonos Era 100, as it's on sale for about 22% off.

As of Dec. 16, you can get the Sonos Era 100 for just $169 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Sonos.com. While that's about $20 shy of its best price ever, it matches its recent Black Friday deal. And although Amazon has deflated the list price, it's a full $50 off its usual $219 tag.

Released in 2023 as a direct replacement for the Sonos One (which we loved), the Sonos Era 100 is "the best smart speaker for the money," as our sister site CNET noted in their review. It's slim and sleek and can seamlessly fit on a bookshelf, kitchen counter, desktop, or nightstand, but its sound is as powerful as a speaker twice its size. It packs two tweeters and can produce a stereo sound on its own, unlike its predecessor. It also has refreshed controls on top with a capacitive volume control and a new button to turn off the voice assistant.

Connect to WiFi, Bluetooth, or hardwire it for your preferred sound and use the Sonos app to optimize it to your space. It features both Amazon Alexa and Sonos' own voice assistant, so you can ask your speaker to manage your calendar, set alarms, control the lights and other smart home devices, and so much more. Or you can toggle it off if you want some privacy.

Unfortunately, it doesn't offer spatial audio (you'll need the Era 300 for that, which is $200 more). But as our friends at CNET wrote, "If you want a smart speaker that's compact and sounds great, the Sonos Era 100 is an excellent choice and an easy recommendation." And at $169, it's a pretty great deal.

Pornhub suffered a hack of information related to its Premium members and is reportedly being extorted with sensitive member data, according to the tech site BleepingComputer.

The porn company confirmed the hack with a statement on the support section of its website. Wrote the company:

"A recent cybersecurity incident involving Mixpanel, a third-party data analytics provider, has impacted some Pornhub Premium users. Specifically, this situation affects only select Premium users. It is important to note this was not a breach of Pornhub Premium’s systems. Passwords, payment details, and financial information remain secure and were not exposed."

Mixpanel has denied that the information came from a recent November hack, however, that involved other major companies like OpenAI. Regardless, any hack would naturally prove concerning for Pornhub Premium users, considering the sensitive nature of the site. And while financial information does not appear to be part of the hack, some concerning data was reportedly stolen.

SEE ALSO: Conduent data breach exposed data of 10.5 million people, including Social Security numbers What information was stolen in the Pornhub hack?

Tech-focused site BleepingComputer reported that it had received confirmation from the group ShinyHunters that it was behind the hack, which it claims included "201,211,943 records of historical search, watch, and download activity for the platform's Premium members." BleepingComputer reported that the hacker group sent extortion emails to Pornhub and that it claims the info includes a "PornHub Premium member's email address, activity type, location, video URL, video name, keywords associated with the video, and the time the event occurred."

So, basically, the hacker group could try to extort Pornhub with the claims that it can release detailed information about what compromised Premium member accounts watched and when. That would obviously be sensitive info for someone using Pornhub that they may not want to be released.

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 16, get the Oral-B iO Electric Toothbrush for $59.99, down from its usual price of $109.99, at Amazon. That's a discount of 45%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Oral-B iO Electric Toothbrush $59.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

If a whiter smile and cleaner teeth are important to you, you're not alone. Lots of folks would love to improve their oral hygiene, and that's something simple you can do by swapping out your toothbrush. Our recommendation? Toss the manual brush for an electric option that can give you a gorgeous set of chompers by helping you to polish what you have.

As of Dec. 16, get the Oral-B iO Electric Toothbrush for $59.99, down from its usual price of $109.99, at Amazon. That's $50 off and a discount of 45%.

SEE ALSO: The best electric toothbrushes for upping your oral hygiene game

This electric brush comes with three cleaning modes to help you achieve a brighter smile with cleaner teeth: Daily Clean, Sensitive, and Whitening. Oral-B claims it can also help you have healthier gums in just a week while removing more plaque than a manual brush.

It can help you figure out whether you're pressing too hard while brushing with a pressure sensor as well, and a lightning timer that helps you make sure you're brushing for the recommended amount of time: twominutes. It also has a lengthy battery and a special refill change alert to let you know when you change your brush head. Paired with two brush heads and a travel case, this brush will last for quite a while to come.

If it's time to trade up for a better quality brush, this is a great and affordable option you'll want to snag before it goes off sale.

SAVE $600: The Roborock Saros 10R is on sale at Amazon for $999.99, down from the list price of $1,599.99. That's a 38% discount that matches the record low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros 10R $999.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $600   Get Deal

Tis the season to get behind on household chores. It's hard enough to stay on top of cleaning during non-holiday periods, but now it seems quite nearly impossible. There's glitter on the living room floor, flour on the kitchen floor, and leaves in the entryway. Instead of worrying about vacuuming that yourself, enlist the help of a capable robot vacuum that's on a major discount.

As of Dec. 16, the Roborock Saros 10R is on sale for $999.99 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $1,599.99. That works out a savings of $600 from a 38% discount. Today's sale price matches the record low we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Mashable's vacuum expert Leah Stodart has tested over 30 models. Some have a grabby arm to collect your socks while others are excellent at mopping. When testing the Roborock Saros 10R, Stodart wrote, "It doesn't do everything perfectly, but it's still probably the most reliable robot vacuum I've ever tested."

Understandably, dishing out about $1,600 for a vacuum feels intense. But now that it's under $1,000, things feel a bit better. The Saros 10R comes with an impressive 22,000Pa suction power, and Stodart found other qualities that set it apart from other premium models.

SEE ALSO: Our favorite vacuum under $500 is now even cheaper

For starters, it's barely over three inches tall. This slim and low-profile means it'll have no issue getting under the couch, the bed, and the side tables, cleaning up areas that can be a struggle to reach with a stick vacuum. Stodart also mentioned it has the quietest self-empty system that she's ever heard, and it never gets lost.

Adding to the standout features on the Saros 10R is its ability to clean corners really well. It also has a livestream pet camera which allows you to see what the robot vacuum is seeing through the app. There's also an option to "search for pet." In Stodart's review, she wrote, "A ton of people have standalone security cameras to keep tabs on their pets when they're not home, so adding that pet sitter-like feature to an appliance that's already roving your house is actually pretty practical."

If you could use some help with chores, the Roborock Saros 10R is a reliable robot vacuum and mop. Its normal price of $1,600 feels scary but today it's down to $999.99 at Amazon. Considering how much time and hassle it could save you over several years, it might be well worth the investment.