Blogroll

Kindle eReaders are obviously great for reading books, but that’s not all they can do. One of the coolest lesser-known features is the ability to send web articles to your Kindle. Instapaper is a great way to do this, but starting next month, the app’s "Send to Kindle" feature will no longer be free.

If you have been seeing the infuriating "This content isn't available, try again later" error on YouTube recently, you are certainly not alone. It looks like this widespread issue may be the platform's newest, more aggressive attempt to break ad-blocking extensions.

Stellantis just hit the eject button on hybrids in the U.S., pulling every plug-in from its lineup—including the Wrangler 4xe and the Pacifica—in one clean sweep. That move basically wiped out the plug-in minivan conversation overnight.

TL;DR: Learning the local language makes travel more immersive — and you can learn all 14 of Babbel’s languages for one $159 payment (reg. $646.20) when you use StackSocial’s code LEARN at checkout.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159
$646.20 Save $487.20   Get Deal

Anyone who wants to get more out of their travels — whether that’s next month or years down the road — learning the language can change everything.

Being able to order food, ask for directions, or hold a simple conversation instantly makes trips feel more immersive and authentic. That’s how Babbel Language Learning shines.

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Thanks to the StackSocial coupon LEARN, new users in the U.S. can get lifetime access to all 14 Babbel languages for $159 (reg. $646.20). It’s a one-time payment that gives you the freedom to learn now, later, or whenever travel calls.

Babbel is designed around real-life conversation, not endless drills. Lessons are only about 10 to 15 minutes and focus on situations you actually encounter while traveling, like transportation, dining, shopping, and meeting people.

You can use Babbel on your phone, tablet, or desktop, and your progress syncs automatically across devices. Heading somewhere without Wi-Fi? Download lessons ahead of time and keep learning offline.

You’ll have access to 14 languages, including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and more. Babbel also uses speech recognition technology to help fine-tune pronunciation and an AI conversation partner to practice speaking in real time. Both are helpful for building confidence before you arrive.

Developed by more than 100 linguists and backed by academic research, Babbel is built to help you speak and understand languages faster. With lifetime access, you’re not racing a subscription clock — you’re learning on your own timeline, trip by trip.

Get lifetime access to all Babbel languages for just $159 (reg. $646.20) with StackSocial’s exclusive code LEARN for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

While I have a 60TB server sitting next to my desk, I actually keep my backups in the cloud. I know that might sound counterintuitive, but let me explain why I choose cloud-based backups instead of local-first approaches.

Time flies when there’s so much good stuff to binge. I mean, can you believe it’s almost the end of January? I can’t. I blinked, and it was here, and that’s largely due to my obsessive binges with some of Amazon Prime Video’s best TV shows. This weekend, I've got some must-see recommendations for you.

They call it the Friday news dump — companies posting embarrassing news on a day the media is least likely to bother covering it. But Meta just took the Friday news dump to a whole new level with this announcement: It's disabled its AI characters for teen accounts, at least until the characters can behave themselves.

The news wasn't just dropped on Friday — it was dropped in an update to a blog post from last October.

"We’ve started building a new version of AI characters, to give people an even better experience," the note from Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram and Alexandr Wang, Chief AI Officer, now reads — an upgrade Meta has long promised. Then came the part that would give many kids a very un-Rebecca Black Friday.

"While we focus on developing this new version, we’re temporarily pausing teens' access to existing AI characters globally. Starting in the coming weeks, teens will no longer be able to access AI characters across our apps until the updated experience is ready. This will apply to anyone who has given us a teen birthday, as well as people who claim to be adults but who we suspect are teens based on our age prediction technology."

SEE ALSO: OpenAI launches age prediction for teen safety

The Instagram and Facebook maker wants to stress "it is not abandoning its efforts" on AI characters, according to TechCrunch. Still, this is clearly an admission that something has the potential to go very wrong with the current version of its AI characters, where teen safety and mental health is concerned.

Meta isn't alone in this discovery. Character.AI and Google both settled lawsuits this month, brought by multiple parents of children who died by suicide. One was a 14-year-old boy who was in effect groomed and sexually abused, his mother says, by a chatbot based on the Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen.

Blasted by a report from online safety experts, Character.AI shut down all chats for under-18 users back in October, two months after Meta simply decided to start training its teen chatbots to not "engage with teenage users on self-harm, suicide, disordered eating, or potentially inappropriate romantic conversations." Evidently, that training wasn't enough.

This isn't the first time Meta has had to backtrack on its ambitions for AI character accounts. In 2024, it removed AI personas based on celebrities. In January last year, it took down all its AI character profiles after a backlash over perceived racism.

The teen usage problem isn't a small one, either. More than half of teens 13-17 surveyed by Common Sense Media last year said they used AI companions more than once a month. For now, they'll have to do so somewhere other than Meta.

Lego and Crocs announced the beginning of a new partnership with the launch of the spectacular Lego Brick Clogs ($149.99), which look more like Legos than Crocs.

Described as a "multi-year global partnership," the brands will follow the new limited-edition Crocs with more product launches throughout 2026, starting in the spring. The future products will include "Crocs’ largest licensed assortment of unique Jibbitz charms" and more unspecified products for kids and adults.

“The Lego Group’s boundless imagination makes them the perfect match to Crocs’ wonderfully unordinary spirit,” said Carly Gomez, Chief Marketing Officer at Crocs, in a blog post. “We are both brands that pride ourselves in being built different, in celebrating self-expression, and in fueling creativity. I can’t wait for our fans to see what we’re creating together — we’ve truly broken the mold in a way that we never have before.”

The Lego Brick Clogs truly have to be seen to be believed. They're, dare I say it, brick-tacular.

The new Lego Brick Crocs in all their glory. Credit: Lego / Crocs Left: Enhance... Credit: Lego / Crocs Right: ...enhance! Credit: Lego / Crocs Introducing the Crocs x Lego Brick Clogs

The Lego website describes the Brick Clogs as "a new and imaginative silhouette, constructed with the playfulness of Crocs and the boundless creativity of the Lego brick." Shaped like Lego bricks, they feature four logo-stamped studs, Lego and Crocs branding, and a pivotable heel strap. The product description also states that the clogs are made with an easy-to-clean and quick-dry material.

These are definitely collectibles more than practical footwear, and a description on the Crocs website clearly states they're "not intended for all-day wear."

My favorite detail? The new Lego Crocs come with a Lego Minifigure — who is wearing his own pair of Lego Crocs. In fact, the Minifigure comes with mini Lego Crocs of his own in four different colors.

Swap out your Minifigure's mini Crocs. Credit: Lego / Crocs They're not practical, but we're here for them. Credit: Lego / Crocs

Crocs is known for its cross-brand collaborations and unique, limited-edition designs. The iconic ugly footwear brand has partnered with everyone from General Mills Cereal and 7/11 to Balenciaga. But this might be my favorite yet.

How to buy the Crocs x Lego Brick Clogs

The shoes are online now at both the Lego and Crocs websites, but they're listed as unavailable in all sizes. A "Coming Soon" notice says the shoes will be available Feb. 16. In the meantime, you can sign up for email notifications. The Lego announcement blog post also teases a second drop in the spring.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego / Crocs Crocs Lego Brick Clogs $149.99 at Lego
  Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Lego / Crocs Crocs Lego Brick Clogs $149.99 at Crocs
  Learn More

Just think, if you get your hands on these once-in-a-lifetime Crocs clogs, you too could look this cool:

Credit: Lego / Crocs

Do you have any old, outdated gas-powered tools you'd like to give a new lease on life? If so, Makita has a neat new product you'll absolutely love. Makita is launching a 40V max XGT electric motor unit, which is a 25 to 50cc gas engine replacement electric motor you can drop in, bolt on, and go.

So you’ve decided to take your first steps towards building a smart home. The biggest hurdle ahead of you is deciding which platform you should use, and this likely depends on a few factors, like which ecosystems you’re already familiar with and comfortable using.

Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, has changed a lot since it launched, including introducing the Starlink Mini alongside more affordable options. However, it looks like one of its best plans, the $10 Roam 10GB, is being discontinued.

German SUVs are often praised for luxury and performance, but reliability isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind, especially for smaller models. That makes this compact German SUV’s track record all the more surprising. Despite its premium badge and spirited driving dynamics, it consistently delivers dependable performance and lower-than-expected maintenance costs, setting it apart in a segment where reliability varies widely.

Once upon a time, there was an online video platform called Vimeo that internet users knew as the high-brow alternative to YouTube. If YouTube was known for its vloggers and amateur comedy skits, Vimeo was known as the place for well-produced short films by actual indie filmmakers. It had its own version of YouTube Premium, produced its own originals, and even received an Emmy nomination.

While Vimeo still technically exists, that version of Vimeo no longer does. Last September, Vimeo was acquired by the Italian tech company Bending Spoons. And now Bending Spoons has just laid off a significant number of Vimeo's employees.

Bending Spoons has confirmed the layoffs to TechCrunch but did not disclose just how many employees would lose their job. However, a former senior Vimeo engineer who left the company last month after 13 years, according to his LinkedIn, says the layoffs have nearly cleared out Vimeo entirely.

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

"Reviving this account to say: Almost everyone at Vimeo was laid off yesterday, including the entire video team," Derek Buitenhuis posted to his account on social media platform X. "If you're looking for talented engineers, there are a few on the market."

"Sucks to see something I built killed by private equity in a technology company skin suit," Buitenhuis continued.

Vimeo’s now-former VP of Global Brand and Creative, Dave Brown, also confirmed on LinkedIn that they were part of the layoffs and a "large portion of the company" was impacted.

Vimeo was founded in 2004, and while it never quite reached YouTube's levels of success, it carved out a respectable position as the number two video platform by focusing on artists and the art of filmmaking. However, as TechCrunch points out, in recent years, Vimeo attempted to pivot into artificial intelligence, offering new AI tools to screenwriters and video editors.

In September 2025, Vimeo announced that it was being acquired by Bending Spoons for $1.38 billion.

The name Bending Spoons may sound familiar to you. In 2024, a Bloomberg article described the company as "private equity hipsters" for the app store generation. The company has been on a buying spree over the past few years, acquiring legacy tech brands like AOL, Evernote, MeetUp, and WeTransfer. The company has also acquired other video platforms like StreamYard and Brightcover, too. By now, Bending Spoons is known in the tech industry for buying up underperforming legacy brands, firing employees, hiring cheaper labor, and raising prices, a familiar private equity playbook.

Vimeo as a service continues to exist, providing paid video hosting subscriptions for ad-free uploads. As of now, it's unclear what changes Bending Spoons has in store for the platform.

Raspberry Pi devices are popular among retro enthusiasts looking to emulate old computers and consoles, but this usually only goes as far as software. What you might not have considered is that the Raspberry Pi can also play a role in reviving old hardware.

You might have a dangerous browser extension monitoring your browser history and not even know it.

As the good folks at Lifehacker reported, cybersecurity researchers with LayerX identified 17 malicious browser extensions across Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, with some active for up to five years. (Disclosure: Lifehacker is owned by Ziff Davis, the same parent company as Mashable.) These malware-infected browser extensions are part of the GhostPoster campaign, first identified in December by Koi Security.

The Koi Security researchers originally identified 17 malicious browser add-ons, for a total of 34 dangerous extensions. The extensions are no longer available, but if you've already downloaded them, they remain active and must be manually deleted as soon as possible.

As Koi Security found, the extensions hide "a multi-stage malware payload that monitors everything you browse, strips away your browser's security protections, and opens a backdoor for remote code execution." LaxerX further reports that the malware can weaken websites’ security measures, hijack affiliate traffic, inject iframes and scripts that track users, and inject malicious scripts onto a user’s device.

Here's the full list of extensions, via LayerX and Lifehacker:

• Google Translate in Right Click

• Translate Selected Text with Google

• Ads Block Ultimate

• Floating Player – PiP Mode

• Convert Everything

• Youtube Download

• One Key Translate

• AdBlocker

• Save Image to Pinterest on Right Click

• Instagram Downloader

• RSS Feed

• Cool Cursor

• Full Page Screenshot

• Amazon Price History

• Color Enhancer

• Translate Selected Text with Right Click

• Page Screenshot Clipper

Some of these were quite popular extensions. Google Translate in Right Click, for instance, had more than half a million installs, according to LayerX researchers.

The malware in the extensions is known as GhostPoster, which hides malicious code in the extension's PNG logo. The researchers say the malware campaign relied on sophisticated methods that let it evade detection for years. So if you've downloaded any of these extensions, it's best to delete them right away.

Read more about the GhostPoster campaign at Lifehacker.

"Isn't it wonderful to be back in the theater and giving people what they truly want: moi?" So asks Miss Piggy in the trailer for The Muppet Show, which returns for a special episode on Disney+ and ABC this February.

SEE ALSO: 'The Muppet Show' teaser: Kermit returns to the Muppet Theatre for new Disney special

The one-night event revives the beloved Muppets variety series, which originally ran for five seasons from 1976 to 1981. All your favorites are back, from Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear to Gonzo and Statler and Waldorf. Plus, they'll be greeting new guests like Maya Rudolph, Seth Rogen (who also executive produces), and Sabrina Carpenter.

Carpenter already has history with the Muppets — specifically, with Miss Piggy herself. On the final stop of her Short n' Sweet tour, Miss Piggy was the Grammy winner's "Juno" arrest, which means that Carpenter was arresting her for being "too hot." We're sure that was music to Miss Piggy's ears.

You know what's not music to Miss Piggy's ears? What Carpenter tells her in the trailer: that her grandparents used to watch The Muppet Show. Maybe just stick to telling her she's hot!

For more of Carpenter and Miss Piggy's glamorous get-together (as well as more general Muppet chaos), check out the full trailer above.

The Muppet Show will also see the return of veteran Muppet performers Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, David Rudman, and Matt Vogel.

The Muppet Show premieres Feb. 4 on Disney+ and ABC.

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That (probably) familiar connector you see up there is known as a "Molex" connector, and modern power supplies and computer peripherals rarely of ever still have this type of power connector—and for good reason.

SAVE $1,500: As of Jan. 23, the 65-inch TCL QM9K Mini LED QLED TV is on sale for $1,499.99 at Best Buy — a full 50% drop from its usual $2,999.99. All other sizes have significant discounts as well.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 65-inch QM9K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $1,499.99 at Best Buy
$2,999.99 Save $1,500.00   Get Deal

TCL has already generated some serious buzz in 2026. The TCL X11L was one of the most talked about CES 2026 TVs, and as of Jan. 20, Sony has handed its TV business to TCL. But there was one big TCL announcement from the fall that may have slipped under your radar: TCL quietly released a new mini LED flagship TV, the QM9K, in Sept. 2025. Every single size is at least 40% off at Best Buy now, including a full 50% discount on the 65-inch TCL QM9K. That $1,499.99 price tag looks so much better than the original $2,999.99.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Jan. 23, 2026)

The QM9K is a slight step up from the TCL QM8K, which is also seeing a jaw-dropping discount (60% off) at Best Buy. As our current pick for the best QLED TV for most people, the QM8K clearly gets plenty bright enough for most situations. Yet the QM9K manages to outshine even that, with peak brightness beaming up to 6,500 nits compared to the QM8K's 5,000.

The other big jump happens between the number of dimming zones: The QM9K packs up to 6,000 dimming zones (depending on how big the screen is), while even the largest QM8K maxes out at 3,800 dimming zones. The QM9K also features Bang & Olufsen audio. All of these tweaks add up to quite the immersive HDR and graphically-demanding gaming experience.

The other QM9K sizes on sale include 75, 85, and 98 inches.

SAVE $723: As of Jan. 23, get the LG 39GX90SA-W 39-inch Ultragear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor for $876.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,599.99. That's a discount of 45%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon LG 39GX90SA-W 39-inch Ultragear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor $876.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $723   Get Deal

The right gaming monitor can completely change the way you experience your favorite games. So if you can splurge on one that rocks your world, you very well should. Thanks to this deal from Amazon, it's the perfect time to treat yourself and save some money while you're at it.

As of Jan. 23, get the LG 39GX90SA-W 39-inch Ultragear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor for $876.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,599.99. That's $723 off and a discount of 45%.

SEE ALSO: Shop the best Samsung deals this week: monitors, smartphones, and more

This immersive 39-inch curved OLED panel is all about keeping you in the middle of the action. It boasts a 3440 x 1440 resolution with deep, satisfying darker hues and eye-popping colors. It has a 240Hz refresh rate that promises smooth motion as well as a 0.02ms response time. Plus, it's compatible with NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, both of which combat screen tearing.

Additionally, the monitor has a built-in WebOS platform that lets you skip the additional streaming device. You can use apps like Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and more straight from the screen, so if you prefer simply to watch content on this big boss of a monitor, you can do that with no strings attached.

Whatever you use it for, this is an excellent price for the monitor and you should lock yours in now if you're ready to spend on a gaming monitor that delivers.

Google is making a significant change to how you manage your email accounts. The company announced it will be ending support for two long-standing features, Gmailify and the traditional POP fetching method, starting this month.