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When will Wicked: For Good be streaming?

Mashable - 8 hours 45 min ago
The best ways to watch 'Wicked: For Good' at a glance: Watch now Buy or rent 'Wicked: For Good' on Prime Video $19.99 or $29.99 Shop Now Watch now Buy or rent 'Wicked: For Good' at Apple TV $19.99 or $29.99 Shop Now Watch later Peacock Premium yearly subscription $109.99/year (save $21.89) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Students and Young Adults $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Best for military personnel Peacock Premium for Active Military and Veterans $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $109.99/year) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium free for Walmart+ subscribers Get Deal

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande returned to the big screen to conclude Elphaba and Glinda's story this fall with Wicked: For Good.

Directed by Jon M. Chu once again, Wicked: For Good continues the story from the Broadway musical adaptation Wicked, which absolutely dominated the box office in 2024. Part one also picked up 10 Academy Award nominations, winning two for production design and costume design, and setting the bar extremely high for part two.

Besides Erivo and Grande, Wicked: For Good also stars Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, and Marissa Bode. It hit theaters in November 2025, but it is now officially available to watch at home as of January 2026. Here's everything you need to know to tune in — including when and where it's streaming.

What is Wicked: For Good about?

Wicked: For Good picks up where Wicked leaves off — in the wake of Elphaba's (Erivo) showdown with the Wizard of Oz (Goldblum). Having been labeled as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba now lives in hiding. Glinda, on the other hand, has become a symbol of good as well as a public figure. Glinda hopes to protect Elphaba from an actual witch hunt, all the while, an outsider (Dorothy) arrives in Oz. The second act follows Dorothy and her Yellow Brick Road-trekking pals from the perspective of Elphaba.

Check out the official trailer below.

Is Wicked: For Good worth watching?

It's tough for a sequel to live up to its predecessor, and Wicked: For Good struggles to match the magic of the first movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, for instance, Wicked holds an 88 percent critic score. Wicked: For Good, on the other hand, holds just a 66 percent. Audiences are pretty enthralled with both, though. Both films have over a 90 percent audience rating, though many people have debated whether two separate films were necessary in the first place.

"In the end, Wicked: For Good is sure to enthrall fans of the Broadway show, the first movie, and just about anyone who loves a splashy movie musical. Despite its faults, it's still good," writes Mashable's entertainment editor, Kristy Puchko.

Check out our full review of Wicked: For Good.

How to watch Wicked: For Good at home Credit: Universal Pictures

There are a couple of different ways you can watch Wicked: For Good at home as of Dec. 30, 2025. You can buy it or rent it at digital-on-demand retailers for as low as $19.99, or you can stream it on Peacock at a later date. See the details below.

Buy or rent it on digital

Wicked's second act is available as of Dec. 30, 2025, to buy or rent at digital-on-demand retailers. If you choose to rent, you'll get 30 days to watch the film and just 48 hours to finish it once you start. If you choose to buy it instead, then it's yours to keep with no watch limits.

Here are some quick links to rent or purchase the film:

Stream it on Peacock (at a later date)

As a Universal Pictures film, we know Wicked: For Good will join Wicked on Peacock. If it follows its predecessor's timeline, part two of the Wicked saga will likely arrive on Peacock in March 2026. We'll keep you updated.

If you don't have a Peacock subscription, you can sign up for $10.99 per month with ads or $16.99 per month without (thanks to the most recent price hike). Before you get ahead of yourself, though, be sure to check out the best ways to save some money on a subscription below.

The best Peacock streaming dealsBest Peacock deal: Save 17% on an annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription $109.99 per year or $169.99 per year (save 17%) Get Deal

The best Peacock deal for most folks is the annual subscription deal. You'll get 12 months of streaming for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. That's a total of $109.99 with ads (which breaks down to just $9.17 per month compared to $10.99) or $169.99 without ads (which breaks down to $14.16 per month compared to $16.99). That's about $21.89 in savings on the ad-supported tier or $33.89 on the ad-free tier.

Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers: free Peacock Premium for eligible accounts Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock / Xfinity Peacock Premium Free for select Xfinity customers Learn More

Xfinity customers should check the eligibility details below before signing up for Peacock, as you might be able to score a subscription for free. Check out the breakdown of who is eligible to get Peacock for free through Xfinity below (or head to Xfinity.com for more details).

  • Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.

  • NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.

  • New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.

Best Peacock deal for students and young adults: Save $5/month for one year Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Students $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for young adults $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal

Students and young adults can save $5 per month on a Peacock Premium subscription all year long. Just verify your student status via SheerID and retrieve the unique promo code to knock the cost down to just $5.99 instead of $10.99. Note that after the promo year is up, you'll be charged full price again unless you cancel.

Best for first responders, medical professionals, military, and teachers: Save $4/month Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $6.99 per month (save $4 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Military $6.99 per month (save $4 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4 per month) Get Deal

First responders, medical professionals, military personnel, and teachers can all secure a Peacock Premium subscription (with ads) for a discounted rate of $6.99 per month by verifying their professional status via SheerID. Unlike the student deal, however, it's not limited to a year. Those who continue to meet verification qualifications can renew their subscription at a discounted rate each year — although you may have to go through the verification process each time and receive a new promo code. Rates are also subject to change year to year.

Best for Instacart users: free Peacock Premium for Instacart+ subscribers Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart / Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $109.99/year) Get Deal

An Instacart+ membership ($99.99 per year) unlocks a free Peacock Premium subscription ($109.99 per year value) on top of free grocery delivery, lower fees, and credit back on eligible pickup orders. Plus, if you're new to Instacart+, you'll get a free two-week trial to kick things off. Just be sure to cancel before you're charged the full amount — do yourself a favor and set a calendar alert.

Best for Walmart shoppers: free Peacock Premium for Walmart+ members Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Walmart+ $98 per year Get Deal

Walmart now offers Walmart+ members the ability to choose Peacock Premium (or Paramount+) as a free perk. A $109.99 value, your $98 Walmart+ membership is already a better deal than paying for Peacock on its own. Add in free shipping (with no order minimums), fuel discounts, a Scan & Go checkout tool, and early access to deals during Walmart's major shopping events, and you've got yourself a pretty sweet subscription. Amazon Prime who?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Betelgeuses elusive co-star left a trail of clues for astronomers

Mashable - 9 hours 44 sec ago

For more than a century, Betelgeuse has looked like a star with a secret.

It swells and fades on a six-year rhythm that never quite made sense. The star, about 650 light-years away in space, is old, bloated, and unstable, but not unstable enough to explain its slow pulse. 

The answer might be simpler than expected. Betelgeuse, pronounced "Beetlejuice" just like the Tim Burton film, appears to have company, traveling within its own atmosphere.

Astronomers have previously speculated that the red supergiant, once thought to be on the brink of supernova, has a companion. Another star circling it could explain its strange changes in brightness. 

Though researchers continue to seek a direct detection of the star that will prove its existence beyond a shadow of a doubt, scientists are celebrating new evidence from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. A team led by Andrea Dupree, a Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics scientist, observed ripples in Betelgeuse’s atmosphere, like the wake from a speed boat, caused by a passing star.

SEE ALSO: Astronomers have just found one of the universe's earliest mistakes

If this new finding, soon to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, holds up to further scrutiny, it would change how astronomers understand one of the sky’s most famous stars. Betelgeuse would no longer be thought of as a solitary giant drifting toward its final collapse. It would be part of a binary system — a Goliath with its own David: a star smaller than the sun is having an outsize impact on the giant. 

The companion star, recently dubbed Siwarha, solves a major problem for scientists, said Dupree, who presented the research at the 247th American Astronomical Society meeting in Phoenix this week. 

"Betelgeuse is spinning too rapidly for a supergiant. It should slow down as it becomes large, but it has a fast rotation," she told Mashable in an email. "The companion is believed to have sped up Betelgeuse by transferring angular momentum to the big star."

Angular momentum is the measure of an object's spinning power, which remains steady unless something pushes or pulls on it. 

On its own, Siwarha is nothing too dramatic. Perhaps it's a red dwarf, dim and diminutive compared to Betelgeuse. 

"The companion is thought to be a low-mass star," said Dupree, estimating its mass as somewhere between half and 1 ½ times that of the sun. "There are no X-rays detected, so it is not a black hole or neutron star or accreting young star. By the way stars evolve, it is not thought to be a white dwarf, either."

A NASA-led team announced it got a picture of the companion with the Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii, but the complicated imaging technique the researchers used left room for doubt, Dupree said. 

A separate team of researchers used a complicated technique to image a companion star around Betelgeuse, but some astronomers say those results were uncertain. Credit: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / M. Zamani

What makes the star remarkable is its location. Siwarha appears to orbit so close that it never leaves Betelgeuse’s atmosphere. It sails through a turbulent sea of hot gas that extends far beyond the star’s visible surface.

As it moves, the companion leaves a trail. Gas piles up behind it, thickens, heats, and slowly expands across Betelgeuse’s face. From Earth, that wake obscures the star, reducing the light it sends out. Halfway through the orbit, when the wake has peaked, Betelgeuse is at its faintest point. Then the gas thins out, the star brightens again, and the cycle continues.

The entire star seems to react to the pattern. The surface, the atmosphere, and the surrounding gas all change on the same six-year schedule. That kind of coordination is hard to explain with solar storms alone. A companion provides a single, consistent source.

The team detected Siwarha’s wake by tracking changes in Betelgeuse's starlight over eight years.

The significance goes beyond Betelgeuse itself. If confirmed, this would be one of the clearest examples of catching a star as it spirals into its companion. Astronomers think many stars die this way, but the brief phase is easy to miss. 

The companion is currently hidden behind Betelgeuse, lost in the glare. But astronomers expect it to reappear in 2027 as its orbit carries it back into view. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

CES 2026: I got a first look at Tensor’s Robocar

Mashable - 9 hours 44 sec ago

Tensor Auto is very confident about its Robocar. It's the most succinct way I can describe how I felt after getting a look under the hood at this very luxurious electric vehicle at CES 2026, just a day before the show opened.

Here is Tensor's pitch: a personal, privately owned autonomous vehicle designed from the ground up for Level 4 driving, not retrofitted after the fact (like how Waymo uses Jaguar vehicles). According to Amy Luca, Tensor's chief marketing officer, that distinction matters.

"This wasn't built by taking an existing car and adding autonomy," she told me. "It was designed as an autonomous vehicle first, and then designed to be something you’d actually want to own."

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

Tensor positions the Robocar as an agentic vehicle that communicates with its owner. In theory, the car can notify you about traffic before you leave, respond to voice commands, and make decisions based on context, not just routes. Luca emphasized that the company’s background in robotaxi development heavily informed the system, but that private ownership was always the end goal.

The Tensor Robocar on display features a sleek, silver sedan-like body with a low, aerodynamic profile and a prominent halo LiDAR unit mounted on the roof. Camera-based side mirrors, flush lighting, and subtle black accents give it a futuristic but restrained look.

Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Mashable

Under the hood, and on the roof, that intent is obvious. The Robocar is equipped with numerous sensors, including five LiDAR units, the aforementioned halo-style sensor mounted on top, more than a dozen cameras, radar, and over 100 sensors in total. All of that data is processed onboard using Nvidia hardware, with Tensor opting for an internal hard drive rather than relying entirely on the cloud — a choice Luca framed as a privacy decision as much as a technical one.

Tensor's foldable steering wheel. Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Mashable

The interior reinforces the car's dual nature. It supports both manual driving and fully autonomous operation, thanks in part to a foldable steering wheel developed in partnership with Autoliv. The company boasts that it has the world's first folding steering wheel. In autonomous mode, the wheel retracts entirely, opening up the front cabin and shifting safety systems accordingly. In manual mode, it functions like a conventional wheel. "People still want the option to drive," Luca said. "We didn't want autonomy to mean giving that up."

Featured Video For You Samsung previews futuristics TVs and display technology at CES First Look event

The Robocar also leans unapologetically into luxury. The massage seats, Dolby Atmos sound system, large displays, and spacious cabin layout create a lounge-like atmosphere that feels more relaxed than cockpit-focused. Tensor isn't disclosing pricing yet, but Luca acknowledged it will land at the high end of the market, reflecting both the hardware and the long-term autonomy roadmap. Production is expected to ramp up in the second half of 2026.

Walking away, what stood out wasn't any single feature, but how finished the whole thing felt.

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Heated Rivalry fans, weve got your next must-see MLM romance

Mashable - 9 hours 44 sec ago

Heated Rivalry has audiences hot and bothered and hungry for more. But it'll likely be two years before rival hockey pros Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) return with Season 2. So what are we to do until then?

Fans are split on this. Some will tell you to plunge into the source material, Rachel Reid's Game Changer book series, which offers several spicy, hockey-centered MLM novels. Others might suggest Ember & Ice, a Quinn audio erotica drop, which reunites Williams and Storrie as winged fairies yearning for each other. (It debuted so big, the app crashed.)

Still others will recommend the "gay fever dream" that is the Interview with the Vampire TV series, as it shares an enemies-to-lovers plotline and Ilya definitely has his Brat Prince moments. However, as a big fan of the Anne Rice-inspired series, I'll warn that Interview with the Vampire is much more about tragedy and trauma than it is queer joy. So, my top recommendation for those thirsting for more of a Heated Rivalry vibe would be the upcoming A24 offering Pillion.

SEE ALSO: Why is the sex in 'Heated Rivalry' so hot? How do Heated Rivalry and Pillion compare? Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in the finale of "Heated Rivalry." Credit: Sabrina Lantos / HBO Max

An adorably eager Harry Melling stars as Colin, a timid virgin, who falls hard for a BDSM leather daddy named Ray — played by a strapping Alexander Skarsgård. This English romantic drama has earned buzz on the film festival circuit in 2025. In his review out of Cannes, Siddhant Adlakha called it "some of the most entertaining drama and comedy you're likely to see this year."

It's also hot, funny, and moving. But even at a glance, Pillion and Heated Rivalry have some striking similarities. Both Heated Rivalry and Pillion are based on novels; the former Rachel Reid's book of the same name, the latter Adam Mars-Jones's Box Hill. As Heated Rivalry was created by Jacob Tierney and Pillion written and directed by Harry Lighton, both adaptations are not only queer MLM romances with graphic sex scenes, but are also made by gay men.

Beyond that, their plotlines have a lot in common: A dark-haired young man who is very close to his parents falls for a swaggering, macho blonde who seems his polar opposite. To the surprise of others, they become lovers, thanks to the blonde initiating their first sexual encounter and being his new partner's first top. Though their relationship is initially about sex, they will grow to care for each other, leading to an awkward family meal where the blonde gets to know his lover's parents (for better or worse!).

However, from this meet-the-parents point Pillion speeds down a different path. While Colin and Ray won't ride off into the sunset like Shane and Ilya, Pillion is nonetheless a story of queer joy — but also kink.

Pillion offers BDSM kink, yearning, and heart. Harry Melling's "Pillion character poster." Credit: A24 Alexander Skarsgård's "Pillion" character poster. Credit: A24

Who says BDSM can't be sweet? Often, in the media, the kinks that involve bondage, dominance, discipline, submission, sadism, or masochism are painted with a scandalous brush that regards them as depraved and dangerous. The Fifty Shades trilogy was released with much hand-wringing over a woman surrendering herself to BDSM dominance by a man. House of Hammer, a documentary exposé about Armie Hammer, misrepresented the BDSM community by positing it as a space ripe for misogynistic abuse. And the Hellraiser franchise has been turning BDSM gear and the pleasure/pain dynamic into nightmare fuel since 1987. Occasionally, however, a movie comes along that showcases such kinks without condemnation, instead celebrating the pleasure found in the pain, the joy found in giving in, and the intimacy that can bloom between a dominant and a submissive. Following in the footsteps of such pro-BDSM film as Secretary and Babygirl comes Pillion. But unlike its sisters in kink, this offering has men in the dom and sub roles.

Like Heated Rivalry, Pillion is a tale of opposites attract that is hot, hilarious, and heartwarming. (But first and foremost: hot!) From the very start of Lighton's film, the stark contrast between his lovers is comically clear in how they present themselves to the world.

Their meet-cute is at an English pub, where Colin (Melling, who famously played Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter movies) is crooning in a tweed hat and pastel-striped blazer, performing as part of a barbershop quartet alongside his dad (Douglas Hodge). It's a wholesome hobby that actually reflects the earnestness of Colin in all things, even his emerging interest in kink. Which is piqued by the tall, strapping blonde called Ray (Skarsgård) who's playing darts in the corner with a gang of rowdy bikers, all snug in leather, metal, and fetish gear.

When Ray makes a move on Colin, he's as shocked and titillated as a blushing Shane was when Ilya got randy in the showers. Unlike Shane Hollander, Colin is out to his family, so he is quick to tell his parents that he has a date with a biker. (They're so supportive that Colin's dad lends him a leather jacket to wear — ill-fitting though it may be!)

Where meeting the parents is the emotional climax of Heated Rivalry, it's the midway point of Ray and Colin's journey. With a firm hand, Ray leads Colin by the dog collar into a dom-sub relationship, demanding the young man be submissive, including cooking, cleaning, dressing to Ray's liking (in leather and metal), and surrendering his body for wrestling foreplay and anal sex.

New to this BDSM scene, Colin is often wide-eyed and awkward, but always consenting. Their first sexual encounter is subversive, sensual, and so fumbling that it's laugh-out-loud funny. Yet Pillion never urges the audience to laugh at Colin. Instead, the deep empathy of Lighton's approach and Melling's vulnerable performance urge us all to imagine ourselves in Colin's shoes. Who among us hasn't had a crush that made us willing to risk looking like a fool? Like Shane, Colin is earnest and vulnerable in his longing and eventually loving of his partner. But unlike Shane, Colin never experiences any shame for his queerness or desires.

Pillion and Heated Rivalry use sex as a tool of self-discovery. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams share a shower in "Heated Rivalry." Credit: Sabrina Lantos / HBO Max

Both romances portray lovers who learn more about themselves through their sexual relationship with each other. Colin's journey, however, is not about coming to terms with being queer. It's about opening himself up to new experiences, and then setting boundaries as he understands what he wants.

For much of the film, he's happy to go along with whatever Ray wants. But as their relationship evolves, Colin doesn't just "yes and" all of Ray's commands, but pushes back, demanding more emotional intimacy. Now, their "cottage" moment is less private, more provocative — involving full frontal nudity and group sex — but still sweet. On a picnic table at a camping retreat, Ray gives in to Colin's need for more romance while meeting his need for BDSM kink. And watching them both thrill in this moment is as exciting as when Ilya says he's going to Shane's cottage.

Pillion won't probe Ray's psyche as deeply as Heated Rivalry does Ilya's. There will be no tragic backstory and little idea of what Ray does outside of Colin. Yet Ray doesn't feel unknowable because of Skarsgård's nuanced performance. While Melling offers a portrait that is so vulnerable you may well blush to see his exposed wanting, Skarsgård seems initially a snarling sex god. But as Ray lets Colin into his home, Skarsgård works a glint of softness and excitement into Ray's aloof demeanor. In these moments of flickering vulnerability, we get a sense of who Ray is outside of his persona as a dom. And surprisingly, it'll be Colin who pushes Ray out of his comfort zone.

Lighton's script bonds us to Colin, urging us to understand the thrill of discovery of kink, the swoon of being under the grip of an astoundingly hot lover, and the trembling fear of not being enough to keep them happy. But it's when Colin brings Ray into his world that a new side of this smoldering dom unlocks. It's a sequence that feels more rom-com than anything in Heated Rivalry, the kind of sequence you could imagine in a Richard Curtis movie, climaxing in a gleeful, affectionate tumble in a public park. And then comes a moment, small and unspoken but definitive. Their relationship will never, can never, be the same.

Alexander Skarsgård dominates in the kinkiest and sweetest movie of the year. Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård go on a first date in "Pillion." Credit: A24

But it's Melling who makes Pillion a marvel. Scenes of Ray's seduction will make the audience swoon, yet it's Melling's dedicated openness that makes Pillion feel authentic instead of like some splashy Hollywood fantasy. This isn't 50 Shades of Gray sleek and glamourous. This is wilder, richer, and infinitely more enthralling. Pillion is not only sexy and exciting, but also funny, poignant, and a shining beacon to all those trembling about letting their freak flag fly. 

Perhaps Ray is how we might wish to seem to a new partner, mysterious and breathtakingly cool. Colin is how we might fear being seen, so earnest that it’s “cringe.” Like Heated Rivalry, these two very different lovers represent mystique and openness. One will draw you in, but you need the other to keep a relationship growing. Whether it's Shane and Ilya or Colin and Ray, this is the lesson of both romances.

This tricky emotional growth is often glossed over in Hollywood sex scenes with a sweeping orchestral score and chaste coverage. Yet, these stories of gay men in love offer nudity, graphic sex, romantic fantasy, and in the end, an earnest, unapologetic reality. The English film and Canadian series are bolder and yet more delicate, and thereby electrifying and life-affirming.

Both these queer relationships begin with a risky hook-up, then grow through chemistry and an embrace of sex and exploration. Through these steamy and ardent romances, Pillion and Heated Rivalry challenge us: What more might we experience and enjoy if we — like the lovers themselves — dared to open ourselves up? 

Heated Rivalry is now on HBO Max. Pillion opens in theaters on Feb. 6.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch the 2026 Six Nations online for free

Mashable - 9 hours 44 sec ago

TL;DR: Stream the 2026 Six Nations for free on BBC iPlayer and ITVX. Access these free streaming services from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Six Nations really is tough to beat. Want to see incredible speed and skill on display from supremely talented athletes? Check out the Six Nations. Want to experience intense passion from heated rivalries? The Six Nations offers that in abundance. Enjoy the sight of absolutely huge men smashing into each other? Yep, the Six Nations is for you.

It's a tournament like no other, and fans can follow all the action from the latest edition without spending anything. If you want to watch the 2026 Six Nations for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Six Nations?

The Six Nations Championship is an annual international men's rugby union competition between England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. Each team plays every other team once, with home ground advantage alternating from one year to the next.

The current champions are France. England and Wales have won the competition most often (39 titles).

When is the 2026 Six Nations?

The 2026 Six Nations Championship is the 132nd edition of the competition. This year's competition will take place from Feb. 5 to March 145.

How to watch the 2026 Six Nations for free

The 2026 Six Nations is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

BBC iPlayer and ITVX are both geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in the UK. This quick and easy action makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can stream on BBC iPlayer and ITVX from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer and ITVX by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX

  5. Stream the 2026 Six Nations for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to BBC iPlayer or ITVX without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to stream most of the 2026 Six Nations before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to all your favorite streaming platforms, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Six Nations?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream sport for free, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 Six Nations for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Trade tantrum-inducing apps for peaceful, purposeful play with Pok Pok for a one-time $40

Mashable - 9 hours 44 sec ago

TL;DR: Get Pok Pok for life for just $39.97 with code PLAY20 — a Montessori-style app for calm, creative play.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $39.97
$250 Save $210.03   Get Deal

If screen time ever feels like a battle, Pok Pok is the exception you’ll actually feel good about. This app swaps loud, mindless gameplay for gentle, open-ended activities based on Montessori learning for ages 2 to 8. And from now until Jan. 11, you can score lifetime access for its lowest price ever at just $39.97 (reg. $250) with code PLAY20.

Pok Pok was built by parents who were tired of overstimulating kids’ games and wanted something that wouldn’t leave toddlers melting down or begging to buy add-ons. Everything is ad-free, offline-ready, and designed to be intuitive enough for even a two-year-old to explore without help (though they might still want to show you what they built).

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Inside the app, kids can explore playful digital toys — like a dinosaur world, radio station, puzzle board, number games, and dress-up closet — with no goals, levels, or loud nonsense. It’s all about gentle discovery, tapping into curiosity instead of competition. And with new content added regularly, the fun keeps evolving as your child grows.

The handcrafted visuals and sound design are intentionally mellow, and it’s COPPA-certified so there’s no sneaky data collection or shady ads. It works on up to 10 devices, so you can pass the time peacefully on a road trip, plane ride, or that long grocery line where snacks have already failed.

For $39.97 with promo code PLAY20 through Jan. 11, you’ll get a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, plus a surprise bonus gift shipped to your door.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How is Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 different from the books?

Mashable - 9 hours 44 sec ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Episode 1: Chiron is fired for different reasons.

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

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

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

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

Episode 3: Percy Jackson and the Olympians shows off a different side of Clarisse. Dior Goodjohn in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Episode 3 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 makes a few tweaks to Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson's encounter with Luke aboard the Princess Andromeda, getting new characters like Alison involved, and even having Tyson set off a bomb in totally badass fashion.

The biggest change in the episode, though, is that we get more of Clarisse's perspective as she sets out on her quest. We witness firsthand her trip to the Oracle, along with her father, Ares (Adam Copeland), gifting her a ship and a zombie crew. Unlike in the book, these are losing soldiers from a vast variety of wars, as opposed to simply Confederate soldiers. For a number of reasons... Good call, Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

But Ares' gift is a double-edged sword. He immediately undermines her field experience to the soldiers and threatens Clarisse should she fail. Dad of the Year, he is not. That scene fuels Clarisse's insecurities heading into her mission, which only get worse as the soldiers repeatedly ignore her.

By the episode's end, though, she's won them over by promising them a place in Elysium once they die. Is this a check she can actually cash? I'm not sure yet. However, her rousing speech is proof of her burgeoning leadership skills. Plus, seeing Clarisse actually struggle with the beginning of her quest is something we don't get much of in The Sea of Monsters, beyond a tense conversation Percy overhears between her and Ares. That's one of the benefits of a TV adaptation that isn't a book narrated in first person: We get to take in other perspectives. As a result, Clarisse gets more layers this episode, and Goodjohn gets to truly shine as a more prominent member of Percy Jackson and the Olympians' ensemble.

Episode 4: Percy Jackson and the Olympians gives us flashbacks to Annabeth, Luke, and Thalia's journey to Camp Half-Blood. Tamara Smart in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Following in the footsteps of episode 3's focus on Clarisse, episode 4 continues Percy Jackson and the Olympians' trend of showcasing new, non-Percy perspectives. This time, we get that in the form of flashbacks to Annabeth's time traveling with Luke and Thalia (Tamara Smart), daughter of Zeus (Courtney B. Vance), to Camp Half-Blood. A dangerous encounter between young Annabeth and a band of Cyclopes prompts Thalia's decision to find sanctuary at Camp Half-Blood, as opposed to continuing to live life on the road. In Annabeth's mind, this was the fatal decision that led to Thalia's death on the edges of camp. If she hadn't been captured by the Cyclopes in the first place, then Thalia would still be alive.

The actual Cyclopes encounter plays out differently in the show than in the books, which saw 7-year-old Annabeth saving a trapped Luke, Thalia, and Grover from a Brooklyn-based Cyclops' house of horrors. That fateful meeting led to Annabeth's deep hatred of all Cyclopes. However, in the show, Annabeth's ire is directed less at the Cyclopes, and more at herself for getting captured in the first place and slowing Thalia and Luke down. It's a poignant shift, one that emphasizes her survivor's guilt. It also gives us our first look at Smart in action as Thalia, getting us ready for Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 3 adaptation of The Titan's Curse.

Episode 4: The Scylla and Charybdis fight gives Clarisse a moral crisis.

Just like in the books, Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Clarisse face off with Scylla and Charybdis in order to enter the Sea of Monsters. But the show adds in a trolley problem-esque twist, courtesy of Annabeth's battle strategy. To get past Scylla, all Clarisse needs to do is sacrifice six of her men, one for each tentacle. Should she knowingly send these soldiers to their doom in order for guaranteed success? Or should she try her original plan of getting past Charybdis?

In the end, Clarisse follows Annabeth's plan. Yet the guilt of sacrificing her crew members overwhelms her, and she joins them on deck. Once again, the added depth to Clarisse works wonders here. It's great to see that as she's stepped up in terms of importance, the show has stepped up just as much in terms of letting audience members into her inner world.

Episode 5: Percy Jackson and the Olympians mashes up Circe and the Sirens. Walker Scobell and Leah Sava Jeffries in "Percy Jackson and the Olypmians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Episode 5 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians mashes up two key encounters from The Sea of Monsters, those with sorceress Circe (Rosemarie DeWitt) and the Sirens. Here, instead of immediately turning Percy into a guinea pig the way she does in the books, Circe tries to keep Percy and Annabeth at her island resort with the promise that she can train them — and the other many demigods staying on her island — to get past the Sirens. Of course, she's lying and merely trying to keep people around to avoid the loneliness she's experienced for centuries.

The end result of the Circe encounter is the same: She turns Percy into a guinea pig, Annabeth saves him, and the two leave the island. But along the way, we get a new perspective on a legendary antagonist of Greek mythology, as well as some fascinating discussion of Percy and Annabeth's fatal flaws. As far as adaptation changes go, I'm not mad at it — especially since we still get to see Percy in guinea pig form.

Episode 5: That encounter with the Sirens looks way different.

Percy and Annabeth's meeting with the Sirens looks nowhere near how it looks in The Sea of Monsters. In the book, Percy plugs his ears with wax and ties Annabeth to the mast, as she wants to hear what the Sirens have to sing. In the show, after some drama about ear wax, Percy winds up on the mast, but Annabeth still falls under the Sirens' spell. 

Annabeth's vision differs between page and screen. In the book, she sees herself having a picnic with her father and Luke in a New York that she's designed. The show features a vision of Grover needing her to solve conflict between Luke and Percy, which then gives way to another vision of Annabeth slaying the Sirens and impressing her mother, Athena (Andra Day). 

As for Percy's vision? All he says he saw was Annabeth, which grounded him and led him to save her. But if his ears weren't blocked, and the Sirens' songs show you your greatest desire, and all he saw was Annabeth… Then that means for Percabeth fans, this sequence was a treat.

Episode 5: Clarisse and Grover team up against Polyphemus.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians introduces the unlikely team-up of Clarisse and Grover, who try to work together to escape Polyphemus' (Aleks Paunovic) cave. While their partnership isn't something we get to see in the books due to Percy's first-person narration, it's fun to witness in the show. The real switch-up here, though, is the reveal that thanks to his sense of smell, Polyphemus has known who Grover is the whole time. Plus, he's been using him as bait to lure Percy Jackson to his island. That's new territory for the show to tread, so what's Polyphemus' endgame?

Episode 6: Luke crashes the Golden Fleece party.

Several elements of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, episode 6 differ from The Sea of Monsters, from Polyphemus planting a decoy Golden Fleece to Hippocampus Rainbow's late introduction. But the biggest difference is undoubtedly Luke's arrival on Polyphemus' island. While he never shows up there in the book, his appearance there in episode 6 creates one of the show's most fascinating moral dilemmas.

In their skirmish with Polyphemus, Annabeth and Percy get separated. He winds up trapped in Polyphemus' cave with Clarisse and Grover, while Annabeth gets injured just outside it. Luke discovers her there and realizes she's dying. The only thing that can save her is the Golden Fleece inside the cave. Percy realizes that if he gives it to Luke, he'll save Annabeth but doom the quest to save Camp Half-Blood. Even knowing that, he does it anyway.

The whole sequence is a show-only creation, but it's a strong payoff to the discussion of Percy's fatal flaw from episode 5: He cares so deeply for his friends that he will always put them first, no matter the cost. What consequences will Percy's choice have as the show heads into episode 7?

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get the best preorder price for the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box on Amazon

Mashable - 9 hours 8 min ago

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box is available to pre-order for under $150 on Amazon. Pre-order now to secure Amazon's pre-order price guarantee.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box $147.26 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $17.44   Get Deal

Interest in Magic: The Gathering continues to climb. Has it reached Pokémania levels yet? Probably not, but we're getting there slowly.

With interest spiking, you can expect new products to sell quickly. That's why it can pay to pre-order a product before release and a potential jump in price as stock vanishes from shelves. The Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box is a prime example. This set is going to be released on Jan. 23. Sure, you could wait for the release to buy. But with Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, you might as well lock in the best price.

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Whenever you pre-order a product with Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, the price Amazon charges when it ships to you will be the lowest price offered between the time you placed your order and the end of the day on the release date. Everyone knows that feeling when you see a lower price after you've already bought something. There's no chance of that here.

The Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box is available to pre-order for under $150 on Amazon. That's around market value compared to the listing on TCGplayer, which is somewhat rare for Amazon.

Secure Amazon's best price on the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box before its Jan. 23 launch.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Shark Matrix Plus robot vacuum just got a $400 discount at Amazon — act fast to save

Mashable - 9 hours 28 min ago

SAVE $400: As of Jan. 7, the Shark Matrix Plus robot vacuum is on sale for $299.99 at Amazon. That's a 57% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Matrix Plus Robot Vacuum $299.22 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $400.77   Get Deal

Robot vacuums are growing in popularity, and it’s no surprise why; anything that can reduce your cleaning list is a big plus in our book. If you’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing one for a while, let this deal on the Shark Matrix Plus be your sign that 2026 is the year of the robot vacuum.

As of Jan. 7, this model has a whopping $400 off the list price, bringing it down from $699.99 to $299.99 — that’s more than half off. And, according to camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest price for this model (give or take two cents), so it really is a great deal.

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It’s a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that can handle whole-home cleaning with minimal effort. It has both a strong suction and sonic mopping so it can vacuum debris and scrub hard floors at the same time, with no effort required from you. It uses matrix-style cleaning patterns to make multiple passes over floors, targets edges and corners more effectively, and maps your home with LiDAR navigation, so it can clean methodically while avoiding obstacles like furniture or stray cables. 

And the impressive stats don’t end there. This model also has a self-emptying base that holds up to 60 days of dirt and uses HEPA filtration to trap dust and allergens. And when the robot runs out of battery, it automatically recharges and resumes cleaning when needed. 

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don’t miss out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Amazon Fire TV 4-Series just dropped to its lowest-ever price — save over $100 for a limited time

Mashable - 9 hours 32 min ago

SAVE $160: As of Jan. 7, the 55-inch Fire TV 4-Series is on sale for $299.99 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 55-inch Fire TV 4 Series $299.99 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $160   Get Deal

If 2026 means time for a new TV, this Amazon deal on the 55-inch Fire TV 4-Series has come around at the right time. As of Jan. 7, the 2024 release of this TV is now down to its best-ever price. Normally $459.99, you can now make it yours for just $299.99, a saving of $160.

It's a great TV, perfect for everyday streaming. It has an ultra-slim bezel and support for 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus, so everything you watch, from the latest blockbuster releases to kids' cartoons, will be vivid and high quality.

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As you'd expect from an Amazon device, it comes with built-in Fire TV and Alexa. Alexa makes it easy to search for shows, check the weather, or control smart home features, while the Fire TV OS makes navigating and general use easy. Fire OS also means you can stream from major services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, watch live and free TV, play games, or listen to music, all from the TV's home screen.

This deal is available at Amazon, get it now before the deal runs out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The MacBook Air M4 is back under $800 at Amazon — save $200 right now

Mashable - 9 hours 39 min ago

SAVE $200: As of Jan. 7, the 2025 Apple MacBook Air is on sale for $799 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 2025 Apple MacBook Air M4 $799 at Amazon
$999 Save $200   Get Deal

Amazon has kicked off the new year with another discount on the 2025 Apple MacBook Air. As of Jan. 7, you can save $200 on the 13-inch model, which is now down to $799. This is for the 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage option, and is available in all colors.

The 2025 MacBook Air is seriously impressive (its 15-inch counterpart was even our best laptop of 2025), created to make both life and work easier. No matter what you're using it for — video editing, writing, long hours with data — it gives a smooth performance that doesn't give up, even when you're jumping between multiple apps. It also supports Apple Intelligence, with built-in features for writing, organization, and productivity.

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The battery life is great, lasting up to 18 hours. And your eyes won't tire either, thanks to the 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display which is sharp, colorful, and comfortable for long sessions. It also includes a 12MP Center Stage camera, a multi-mic and speaker setup with Spatial Audio, so video calls will look and sound clear and professional.

You can find this MacBook deal at Amazon right now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Save almost $300 on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra at Amazon

Mashable - 9 hours 41 min ago

SAVE $290: As of Jan. 7, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is on sale for $1,129.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra $1,129.99 at Amazon
$1,419.99 Save $290   Get Deal

Ready to kick off the new year with a new phone? Well you're in luck, because Amazon has a great discount on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. As of Jan. 7, this smartphone is down to $1,129.99, that's almost a $300 saving on the list price ($290 to be exact). This price is specific to the titanium whitesilver model, but you can find all color options reduced.

It's a great phone with a whole lot going for it, and it even made it onto our list of the best smartphones in 2025. Standout features include built-in AI which is used to handle multiple tasks at once, and quicker. Even the camera is AI-powered, using it to improve low-light video and reduce background noise for cleaner clips. Portrait photos are designed to look natural, with tools that balance skin tones and keep textures realistic.

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And if you’re switching from another phone, the Smart Switch feature will make it easy to move your photos, apps, messages, and contacts across in just a few steps.

It has an average battery life of 14 hours, so you'll be set for long days out of the house. And with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, you're getting Samsung's smoothest performance yet.

Pick up this Samsung deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Fallout Season 2, episode 4 unveils mighty beast from the games

Mashable - 11 hours 44 sec ago

Fallout's second season is full of Easter eggs and references to the post-apocalyptic Bethesda games it's based on, including the enemies you try valiantly to avoid. Cooper (Walton Goggins) and Lucy (Ella Purnell) faced down radscorpions early this season, but in Season 2, episode 4, there's no getting around one of Fallout's mightiest foes.

The Deathclaw is HERE.

SEE ALSO: 'Fallout' Season 2 is full of game details. Here's a handy guide.

At the start of the fourth episode of Prime Video's series, we find ourselves back before the global nuclear holocaust, on the Alaskan Front during the war against the People's Liberation Army of China — the Chinese invasion of America is a major event in the Fallout games. Here, Cooper (Walton Goggins) is on the front line testing out that familiar T-45 power armor for the U.S. Marines. He orders his friend Dallas Goldtooth (Charles Whiteknife) back to base before hearing something in the chaos, an animal sound, as a horned beast emerges from the flames. As enemy troops pin Cooper down, the creature takes them all out, then shows its reptilian face, sharp claws, and long tail while giving Coop a major whiff of that maw.

Fans will probably recognise that face instantly as that of a Deathclaw, one of the apex predators that appear in basically every Fallout game. Not a boss you'd want to stumble across in the Wasteland, they're tough as nails — and extremely hard to beat without the games' signature aim-support V.A.T.S. system (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System).

Featured Video For You What tech would the 'Fallout' cast steal from the show?

Unluckily for our protagonists in the Fallout TV series, they don't have V.A.T.S., and it's not the last we see of the Deathclaws, with Cooper and Lucy unfortunately encountering one of the towering creatures on arrival in New Vegas in the same episode. Outside the Gomorrah Hotel and Casino, a key location from Fallout: New Vegas, the pair find the place strangely devoid of people — and full of irradiated, long-hatched eggs. Oh dear.

Out of the casino's illustrated flames emerges a mighty Deathclaw. This Reddit thread might help our heroes?

Fallout Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video with a new episode every week.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stephen Colbert gleefully mocks Trumps record-setting low Kennedy Center Honors ratings

Mashable - 11 hours 29 min ago

Stephen Colbert has hit President Donald Trump where it hurts: in the ratings. Trump hosted the Kennedy Center Honors for the first time late last month, having boldly declared that the event would attract its highest ratings ever. As Colbert gleefully noted, the reality fell far short of that. Trump's hosting gig ultimately attracted just 3 million viewers on CBS — an all-time low

"Now, it is beneath me to gloat. But if it weren't beneath me, I'd call him no talent, low-rated Donald Trump," quipped Colbert, echoing Trump's frequently used turns of phrase.

Putting that viewer number into context, Colbert gleefully compared Trump's ratings to his own when he first hosted the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015. The Late Show host had attracted over three times as many viewers as Trump, with around 9.25 million people tuning in at the time.

"Trump's terrible numbers hurt more when you remember that he predicted it would be 'the highest rated show they've ever done,'" said Colbert. "Well, that's about as far off as a prediction could possibly be. Next to Amelia Earhart's famous words, 'One thing's for sure, I ain't getting lost.'"

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Lead When You Disagree with the Strategy

Havard Management Tip of the Day - 13 hours 59 min ago

You’ve been asked by senior leadership to execute an approach you fundamentally oppose. You can’t stop it—but you can choose how you lead through it. Here’s how to preserve your integrity, protect your team, and stay effective under pressure.  Stabilize yourself. Before rushing into action, take time to process your reaction. Accept that the decision may not change, then shift from resistance to […]

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Categories: Management

Hurdle hints and answers for January 7, 2026

Mashable - 14 hours 44 sec ago

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Insane.

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

CRAZY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Glue.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 7, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

EPOXY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To rescind.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 7 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 7, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

QUASH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A common American last name.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for January 7 Hurdle Word 4 answer

SMITH

Final Hurdle hint

Two on a dice.

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

DEUCE

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics online for free

Mashable - 14 hours 44 sec ago

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This is shaping up to be an absolutely huge year for sport. Sure, the World Cup is probably the biggest event on the calendar. But there are so many other massive moments to get excited about. And there's really no need to wait, because the action starts early in 2026.

The 2026 Winter Olympics is kicking things off in February with a host of top events including alpine skiing, ice hockey, bobsleigh, snowboarding, and so much more. You can stay warm and dry whilst the best of the best compete for medals. And better yet, you can follow all the action from Lombardy without spending anything.

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If you want to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Winter Olympics?

The Winter Olympics is a major international event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. Eight sports and 15 disciplines will feature on the programme for the 2026 Winter Olympics 2026: Biathlon, Bobsleigh (Skeleton, Bobsleigh), Curling, Ice Hockey, Luge, Skating (Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Short Track Speed Skating), Ski Mountaineering, and Skiing (Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle Skiing, Snowboard).

Norway leads the all-time medal record for the Winter Olympics.

When is the 2026 Winter Olympics?

The 2026 Winter Olympics is the 25th edition of the famous event. This year's event will take place on Feb. 6-22 at sites across Lombardy and Northeast Italy.

How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics for free

The 2026 Winter Olympics is available to live stream for free on a number of services:

These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can acvcess free live streams of the 2026 Winter Olympics from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Winter Olympics by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free access

  4. Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the 2026 Winter Olympics?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on January 7

Mashable - 14 hours 44 sec ago

From our view, the Moon is changing every night, shifting through the lunar cycle as different portions of its sunlit side become visible. But what does that mean for tonight's Moon? Keep reading to find out.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Wednesday, Jan. 7, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 80% of the moon will be lit up tonight.

There's lots to see tonight when you look up. Without any visual aids you'll be able to spot the Mares Imbrium and Tranquillitatis as well as the Kepler Crater. With binoculars you'll also see the the Gassendi and Alphonsus Craters, and the Mare Nectaris. Add a telescope to your lineup if you want to spot even more, including the as the Apollo 15 landing spot, the Schiller Crater, and the Descartes Highlands.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon completes one full orbit of its phases in around 29.5 days, a period referred to as the lunar cycle. As the Moon travels around the Earth, it passes through a sequence of distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the portion lit by the Sun changes depending on its position in orbit. This variation in sunlight is what causes the Moon to appear fully illuminated, partly lit, or completely dark at different points in the cycle. The lunar cycle is made up of eight phases:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Categories: IT General, Technology

CES 2026: Motorola unveils Razr Fold, a book-style foldable phone

Mashable - 15 hours 50 min ago

Motorola is taking another swing at foldables. The company announced the Razr Fold at CES 2020's Lenovo Tech World, introducing its newest flagship and a more ambitious take on the Razr formula.

Instead of leaning into nostalgia with the flip-style Razrs, the Razr Fold is marketed as a productivity device. Closed, it looks and feels like a standard smartphone thanks to a large 6.6-inch external display. Open it up, and it unfolds into an 8.1-inch 2K LTPO screen meant for multitasking.

SEE ALSO: Hands on at CES 2026: Lenovo debuts two new rollable concept laptops, including one that grows wider

Motorola is also pushing its on-device AI harder here. Features like Catch Me Up and Next Move are designed to surface reminders, context, and suggested actions without requiring constant switching between apps. It’s all part of Motorola Qira, the company’s new unified AI platform which ties Motorola and Lenovo devices together under one assistant.

Camera specs are predictably stacked: a triple 50MP rear setup, including a periscope telephoto, plus separate internal and external selfie cameras. There’s Dolby Vision video, stabilization, and a Sony LYTIA sensor doing most of the heavy lifting. Motorola also confirmed stylus support, which makes the foldable pitch feel a little more serious.

This wasn’t the only Razr news. Motorola also showcased a FIFA World Cup 2026 Edition Razr, featuring custom branding and software enhancements. Pricing and availability haven’t been detailed yet, but it's clear that Motorola wants the Razr to be not only cool, but useful as well.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Hands on at CES 2026: Lenovo debuts two new rollable concept laptops, including one that grows wider

Mashable - 17 hours 25 min ago

Six months after sending the world's first rollable laptop to market, Lenovo is back with two new concept PCs that have expanding screens. The tech giant unveiled the business-oriented ThinkPad Rollable XD Concept and the gaming-ready Legion Pro Rollable Concept at CES 2026 Tuesday, arriving on the heels of extensive leaks. Mashable was among the first to demo Lenovo's new laptops in the company's private showroom.

SEE ALSO: Hands on at CES 2026: Lenovo's voice-controlled twisting laptop arrives

Like last year's ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable AI, these two Windows laptops were birthed from Lenovo's desire to play around with OLED panels, which are super thin and bendy. Both devices seem quite polished even though they're just prototypes, so I'd imagine getting them market-ready would just involve some further durability and stability testing. (Lenovo mentioned that they were delicate before letting us get our hands on them.)

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Even if that never happens, I think we can already chalk up these rollables as a win for the company's engineering team. They already work as intended and look sick while they're at it.

Lenovo's ThinkPad Rollable XD boasts an extendable double-sided screen Credit: Lily Kartiganer / Mashable

The ThinkPad Rollable XD has an expandable display that can grow from 13.3 to nearly 16 inches tall, bumping its screen real estate by 50 percent in seconds. It looks a lot like the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 when you're facing it straight-on, but it has an extra gimmick. Its OLED display wraps 180 degrees over the top edge of its lid to create a second "world-facing" display on the back.

Lenovo said it developed a transparent glass cover in partnership with Corning to protect the portion of the OLED panel that curves behind its main "user-facing" display. This has an aesthetic bonus: You can see the fiber cables and motors that power its "rolling" mechanism. (This is now housed in the device's lid instead of its base.) It's such a flex on Lenovo's part.

Credit: Lily Kartiganer / Mashable

You can control the height of the ThinkPad Rollable XD's display by pressing a button or by swiping a finger across the edge of its lid — every part of it has touchscreen capabilities. It doesn't respond to voice commands or hand gestures like last year's rollable, but remember: It's just a concept for now. Both control options could wind up on a market-ready model eventually.

Credit: Lily Kartiganer / Mashable Lenovo's Legion Pro Rollable practically has an entire hidden monitor

Lenovo's second new concept laptop at CES, the Legion Pro Rollable, has a 240Hz OLED display that expands from both sides. It can grow from 16 inches in "Focus Mode" (its standard "unrolled" size) to 21.5 inches in "Tactical Mode," and expands a full two feet in "Arena Mode." It's basically producing an external monitor out of nowhere. For those who need more screen real estate, I think it would feel more instinctive than a dual-screen gaming laptop like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo.

Credit: Lily Kartiganer / Mashable

I noticed some skid marks on the Legion Pro Rollable's screen when it unfurled (seemingly from an internal mechanism), but they were superficial and wiped off easily. There was some subtle creasing where the OLED panel retreated into its housing. Like I said, any market-readiness polishing will probably entail some build quality improvements. Lenovo states that it's currently rated to last 25,000 roll cycles.

The Legion Pro Rollable will be configured like Lenovo's Legion Pro 7i, a premium 16-inch laptop for competitive PC gamers. Think high-end Intel Core processors, a Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, and a ton of ports.

Credit: Lily Kartiganer / Mashable

Aesthetically, it's decked out with RGB accent lighting: There's an RGB keyboard, a glowy "Legion" logo on its lid, and dynamic rainbow LED strips lining its chunky rear fan vents. It's almost Lisa Frankian in its gaudiness — you can't look away.

Heft and heat are two obvious downsides to making a laptop this flashy. It was blasting out hot air while we demoed it, and we didn't even have a game pulled up.

Credit: Lily Kartiganer / Mashable

While neither prototype is guaranteed to hit shelves, the arrival of the original Lenovo rollable laptop two years after its conceptual debut gives me hope that we'll able to buy them in a couple years. Considering the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 retailed for $3,499.99, I would start saving now.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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