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How to watch Forge vs. Monterrey online for free

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 22:11

TL;DR: Live stream Forge vs. Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on Tubi. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup showcases some really interesting matchups, including Forge vs. Monterrey. The Hamilton side is hosting this first-leg fixture, and they'll be hoping for an upset.

If you want to watch Forge vs. Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Forge vs. Monterrey?

Forge vs. Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 5. This fixture takes place at Tim Hortons Field.

How to watch Forge vs. Monterrey for free

Forge vs. Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on Tubi.

Tubi is the exclusive home of the Concacaf Champions Cup in Mexico, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Mexico, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Forge vs. Monterrey 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 Mexico

  4. Visit Tubi

  5. Live stream Forge vs. Monterrey for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Forge vs. Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Tubi?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including Mexico

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Forge vs. Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

47 unique gift ideas for men who say they have everything

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 20:55

Whiskey stones, funny T-shirts, and cheap cologne — these might be classic man gifts, but unique gifts for men, they are not. The special guys in your life deserve better. While searching for the perfect gift, you may have learned the hard way that finding unique gifts for men isn’t always such a simple task, especially if they have more eclectic, off-the-beaten-path tastes. To find the perfect present for these types of guys — whether they’re your dad, brother, best friend, boyfriend , or husband — you’ll need to do some creative thinking and get something they would have never thought of buying for themselves. For Christmas, birthday gifts, Valentine's Day, and anniversary gifts, these are our picks for the most unique and interesting gift ideas for your favorite guy.

Categories: IT General, Technology

6 Ways I Use Siri With Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT That Don't Suck

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 20:15

The much-hyped Apple Intelligence features have been a bit disappointing so far. While the features work mostly as intended, they often have little use on a daily basis. Fortunately, Siri with ChatGPT introduces some new practical uses that weren't possible with the old version.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Netflix Parental Controls: How to Create a Kid-Friendly Streaming Experience

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 20:00

Netflix has a huge catalog of shows and movies, with content suitable for adults and kids. As a parent, you want to be sure that if your kids are watching Netflix, they're not accessing content that isn't suitable for them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Take $250 off the Samsung Music Frame and get a fun speaker/photo display combo

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:35

SAVE $250: As of Feb. 5, get the Samsung Music Frame for $149.99, down from its usual price of $399.99. That's a discount of 63%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Samsung Music Frame $149.99
$399.99 Save $250.00 Get Deal

You might not have heard of it before, but the Samsung Music Frame is a smart speaker that doubles as a photo frame that you can customize to your liking. And it's on sale today at Woot so you can grab one and add it to your home ASAP.

As of Feb. 5, get the Samsung Music Frame for $149.99, down from its usual price of $399.99, at Woot. That's $250 off and a discount of 63%.

SEE ALSO: The best smart speakers in 2025

This smart speaker and frame has space for a photo that you can swap in and out like a regular photo frame, but you can change out its bezel color and play music from it. It holds photos that are 10" x 8" or 8" x 8" on the front panel, so you've got options to show off your favorite photo or piece of art.

It's compatible with Dolby Atmos, syncs up with your Samsung TV and speakers, and has the ability to stream music wirelessly with WiFi or Bluetooth-enabled devices. So if you want to use it to listen to a podcast or play your Spotify playlist, you can do that as well.

This is a fun little frame with a powerful speaker that's great for any living space. And at this price, it makes a great gift, too.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Advances to low-bit quantization enable LLMs on edge devices

Microsoft Research - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:32

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly being deployed on edge devices—hardware that processes data locally near the data source, such as smartphones, laptops, and robots. Running LLMs on these devices supports advanced AI and real-time services, but their massive size, with hundreds of millions of parameters, requires significant memory and computational power, limiting widespread adoption. Low-bit quantization, a technique that compresses models and reduces memory demands, offers a solution by enabling more efficient operation.

Recent advances in low-bit quantization have made mixed-precision matrix multiplication (mpGEMM) viable for LLMs. This deep learning technique allows data of the same or different formats to be multiplied, such as int8*int1, int8*int2, or FP16*int4. By combining a variety of precision levels, mpGEMM strikes a balance among speed, memory efficiency, and computational accuracy. 

However, most hardware supports only symmetric computations—operations on data of similar formats—creating challenges for mixed-precision calculations during General Matrix Multiplication (GEMM), a critical operation for LLMs. Overcoming these hardware limitations is essential to fully benefit from mpGEMM and support asymmetrical computations. 

To unlock the potential of low-bit quantization on resource-constrained edge devices, hardware must natively support mpGEMM. To address this, we developed the following three approaches for computing kernels and hardware architectures: 

  • Ladder data type compiler: Supports various low-precision data types by converting unsupported types into hardware-compatible ones without data loss, while also generating high-performance conversion code. 
  • T-MAC mpGEMM library: Implements GEMM using a lookup table (LUT) approach, eliminating multiplications to significantly reduce computational overhead. Optimized for diverse CPUs, T-MAC delivers several times the speed of other libraries. 
  • LUT Tensor Core hardware architecture: Introduces a cutting-edge design for next-generation AI hardware, tailored for low-bit quantization and mixed-precision computations.

The following sections describe these techniques in detail.

Ladder: Bridging the gap between custom data and hardware limits

Cutting-edge hardware accelerators, such as GPUs, TPUs, and specialized chips, are designed to speed up computationally intensive tasks like deep learning by efficiently handling large-scale operations. These accelerators now integrate lower-bit computing units, such as FP32, FP16, and even FP8, into their architectures.  

However, constraints in chip area and hardware costs limit the availability of these units for standard data types. For instance, the NVIDIA V100 Tensor Core GPU supports only FP16, while the A100 supports int2, int4, and int8 but not newer formats like FP8 or OCP-MXFP. Additionally, the rapid development of LLMs often outpaces hardware upgrades, leaving many new data formats unsupported and complicating deployment.

Additionally, while hardware accelerators may lack direct support for custom data types, their memory systems can convert these types into fixed-width data blocks that store any data format. For instance, NF4 tensors can be converted into FP16 or FP32 for floating-point operations.

Building on these insights, we developed the Ladder data type compiler, a method to separate data storage from computation, enabling broader support for custom data types. It bridges the gap between emerging custom data formats with the precision types supported by current hardware.

Ladder offers a flexible system for converting between algorithm-specific and hardware-supported data types without data loss. For low-bit applications, it optimizes performance by translating low-bit data into the most efficient formats for the hardware being used. As shown in Figure 1, this includes mapping low-bit computations to supported instructions and efficiently managing data storage across the memory hierarchy. 

Figure 1: The Ladder architecture Evaluating Ladder

Evaluations of Ladder on NVIDIA and AMD GPUs show that it outperforms existing deep neural network (DNN) compilers for natively supported data types. It also handles custom data types not supported by GPUs, achieving speedups of up to 14.6 times. 

As the first system to support custom low-precision data types for running DNNs on modern hardware accelerators, Ladder provides researchers with flexibility in optimizing data types. It also enables hardware developers to support a wider range of data types without requiring hardware modifications. 

T-MAC: Table-lookup for mpGEMM without multiplication

Deploying low-bit quantized LLMs on edge devices often requires dequantizing models to ensure hardware compatibility. However, this approach has two major drawbacks: 

  1. Performance: Dequantization overhead can result in poor performance, negating the benefits of low-bit quantization.
  2. Development: Developers must redesign data layouts and kernels for different mixed precisions.

To address these challenges, we introduce T-MAC, a novel LUT-based method that enables mpGEMM without dequantization or multiplication. 

T-MAC replaces traditional multiplication operations with bit-wise table lookups, offering a unified and scalable solution for mpGEMM. It incorporates techniques to reduce the size of tables and store them directly on the chip, minimizing the overhead of accessing data from memory. By eliminating dequantization and lowering computational costs, T-MAC enables efficient inference of low-bit LLMs on resource-constrained edge devices. Figure 2 illustrates T-MAC’s architecture. 

Figure 2. Overview of the T-MAC system Evaluating T-MAC

Performance evaluations of T-MAC on low-bit models demonstrated substantial benefits in efficiency and speed. On the Surface Laptop 7 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset, T-MAC achieved: 

  • 48 tokens per second for the 3B BitNet-b1.58 model 
  • 30 tokens per second for the 2-bit 7B Llama model 
  • 20 tokens per second for the 4-bit 7B Llama model

These speeds far exceed average human reading rates, outperforming llama.cpp by 4–5 times and doubling the speed of a dedicated NPU accelerator. Even on lower-end devices like the Raspberry Pi 5, T-MAC made it possible for the 3B BitNet-b1.58 model to generate 11 tokens per second. It also proved highly power-efficient, matching llama.cpp’s generation rate while using only 1/4 to 1/6 of the CPU cores.

These results establish T-MAC as a practical solution for deploying LLMs on edge devices with standard CPUs, without relying on GPUs or NPUs. T-MAC allows LLMs to run efficiently on resource-constrained devices, expanding their applicability across a wider range of scenarios.

LUT Tensor Core: Driving hardware for mpGEMM

While T-MAC and Ladder optimize mpGEMM on existing CPU and GPU architectures, improving computational efficiency, they cannot match the performance of dedicated hardware accelerators with built-in LUT support. Achieving significant improvements in performance, power, and area (PPA) requires overcoming four key challenges:

  1. Table precompute and storage: Precomputing and storing LUTs add overhead, increasing area usage, latency, and storage requirements, which can reduce overall efficiency gains.
  2. Bit-width flexibility: Hardware must support various precision levels, such as int4/2/1 for weights and FP16/8 or int8 for activations, along with their combinations. This flexibility is crucial for accommodating diverse model architectures and use cases.
  3. LUT tiling shape: Inefficient tiling shapes can raise storage costs and limit reuse opportunities, adversely affecting performance and efficiency.
  4. Instruction and compilation: LUT-based mpGEMM requires a new instruction set. Existing compilation stacks, designed for standard GEMM hardware, may not optimally map and schedule these instructions, complicating integration with LLM inference software.

In response, we developed LUT Tensor Core, a software-hardware codesign for low-bit LLM inference. To address precomputation overhead in conventional LUT-based methods, we introduce techniques like software-based DFG transformation, operator fusion, and table symmetrization to optimize table precomputation and storage. Additionally, we propose a hardware design with an elongated tiling shape to support table reuse and a bit-serial design to handle various precision combinations in mpGEMM.

To integrate with existing GPU microarchitectures and software stacks, we extended the MMA instruction set, added new LMMA instructions, and developed a cuBLAS-like software stack for easy integration into existing DNN frameworks. We also created a compiler for end-to-end execution planning on GPUs with LUT Tensor Core. This design and workflow, illustrated in Figure 3, enabled the quick and seamless adoption of LUT Tensor Core.

Figure 3. The LUT Tensor Core workflow Evaluating LUT Tensor Core

Testing LUT Tensor Core on low-bit LLMs, such as BitNet and Llama, showed significant performance gains, achieving 6.93 times the inference speed while using just 38.3% of the area of a traditional Tensor Core. With nearly identical model accuracy, this results in a 20.9-fold increase in computational density and an 11.2-fold boost in energy efficiency. As AI models grow in scale and complexity, LUT Tensor Core enables low-bit LLMs to be applied in new and diverse scenarios.

We believe the LUT technique could drive a paradigm shift in AI model inference. Traditional methods rely on multiplication and accumulation operations, whereas LUT implementations provide higher transistor density, greater throughput per chip area, lower energy costs, and better scalability. As large models adopt low-bit quantization, the LUT method could become the standard for system and hardware design, advancing the next generation of AI hardware innovation.

Unlocking new possibilities for embodied AI

Low-bit quantization improves the efficiency of running large models on edge devices while also enabling model scaling by reducing the bits used to represent each parameter. This scaling enhances model capabilities, generality, and expressiveness, as shown by the BitNet model, which starts with a low-bit configuration and expands.

Technologies like T-MAC, Ladder, and LUT Tensor Core provide solutions for running low-bit quantized LLMs, supporting efficient operation across edge devices and encouraging researchers to design and optimize LLMs using low-bit quantization. By reducing memory and computational demands, low-bit LLMs could power embodied AI systems, such as robots, enabling dynamic perception and real-time environmental interaction.

T-MAC (opens in new tab) and Ladder (opens in new tab) are open source and available on GitHub. We invite you to test and explore these innovations in AI technology with Microsoft Research.

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The post Advances to low-bit quantization enable LLMs on edge devices appeared first on Microsoft Research.

Categories: Microsoft

How to Avoid Buying the Wrong Mac

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:30

You can't upgrade a Mac after you've bought it, so it's important to work out which model and spec you need before you reach for your credit card. Here's how to make sure you buy the right Mac.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Earths updated satellite images of Gaza show a fractured reality

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:28

Visible on both Google Earth and Google Maps, the updated satellite images of Gaza show destruction mostly in the area around the Beit Hanoun neighborhood in the north. Though recently added, the images date back to October and November 2023, meaning Google still doesn't have current satellite mapping of Gaza.

The lack of up-to-date visuals on Google Earth is not unique to views of Gaza. From war-torn countries such as Ukraine to the central parts of busy mega cities like New York and London, satellite imagery is usually around two years old. Still, satellite companies have reportedly been delaying the release of their images from Gaza, with a Semafor investigation from late 2024 describing restricted access to visuals of the Gaza Strip from satellite imagery company Planet Labs, which supplies Google.

Up until 2020, the 1997 Kyl-Bingaman Amendment to the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act restricted American companies from publishing satellite images from over Israel and occupied Palestine with resolution higher than two meters per pixel. In June 2020, the U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office began allowing commercial satellite companies to produce higher quality images, but the current satellite photos don't come close to communicating the realities on the ground.

Not knowing what remains of their lives in northern Gaza, displaced Palestinians are now returning to their homes and searching fort their loved ones for the first time after the start of the 15-month war. As part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Israel allowed the first crossing point in central Gaza to open after Hamas agreed to release Israeli civilian Arbel Yehoud. The temporary truce is meant to last for 42 days, and it is still uncertain whether there will be a deal permanently ending hostilities. Recently Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been issued an arrest warning from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, became the first foreign leader to visit the White House since the start of Donald Trump's second term as U.S. president. During a joint press conference, Trump proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza, suggesting that Palestinians should flee Gaza to "countries of interest with a humanitarian heart."

Since Oct. 7, 2023, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 46,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, though these numbers only account for people killed by bombs and bullets, and research published in The Lancet medical journal estimates that the actual death toll could be up to 40 percent higher. The report also says that 59.1 percent of those who died from dramatic injuries were women, children, and elderly people.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Try out YouTube TV for 21 days for the low, low price of free

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:23

GET YOUTUBE TV FREE FOR 21 DAYS: YouTube TV is offering a free trial for 21 days. A month typically costs $82.99, which means this deal saves you about $60.

Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube Free 21-day access to YouTube TV base plan at YouTube
Get Deal

Running out of shows to stream? Us too. Winter months have us endlessly scrolling the selection at all the major streaming services while asking friends for recommendations. If you could use a fresh selection of streaming options that include live channels, check out this great free deal.

As of Feb. 5, the YouTube TV base plan is free for your first 21 days. The typical price is $82.99 per month, which means this deal saves you about $60 over the three weeks. You're free to cancel at any time.

SEE ALSO: Get 3 months of MUBI for just $1

Consider YouTube TV a one-stop streaming platform when it comes to live TV. It includes over 100 live channels that you can either watch live or record with unlimited DVR privileges. It's a bit like standard cable used to be, but with a better selection.

YouTube TV includes channels like ESPN, ABC, NBC, HGTV, AMC, bravo, National Geographic, NFL network, and many more. The exact selection will depend on your location, and you can browse the full list of channels here.

YouTube TV is also pretty generous when it comes to sharing passwords. Unlike some streaming platforms, YouTube allows up to six individual accounts with unlimited DVR for all. You'll be able to stream on three devices at the same time with the base plan, which means three family members or housemates can be watching their own streams at the same time.

You're free to tune into YouTube TV from your phone, tablet, TV, gaming console, or computer, which gives you nice flexibility since we're almost always around at least one of these devices.

If you're in the mood for upping your viewing options for the next three weeks, jump on the free 21-day trial of YouTube TV. While the plan usually costs $82.99 per month, you might very well decide it's well worth it since it adds over 100 live channels to your viewing selection.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Shop NordVPNs birthday sale and save up to 72% on safe browsing

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:17

SAVE 72%: Shop NordVPN's birthday sale and save up to 72% on annual and two-year plans. Sign up for NordVPN's two-year Prime plan and get it for just $201.36. That saves you $542.40 for safe internet browsing.

Opens in a new window Credit: NordVPN NordVPN two-year plans $201.36 at NordVPN
$743.76 Save $542.40 Save up to 72% and get one year free Get Deal

With the constant chaos happening online, it's hard to feel secure while browsing. Plus, with the brief TikTok ban, VPNs are on our mind as a way to keep using the app — and there's a great deal on one of our favorites today.

As of Feb. 5, our preferred premium VPN, NordVPN, is offering a major discount during its annual birthday sale. The best deal you can get on NordVPN's services is on their two-year plans, which are up to 72% off. For even more savings, with the purchase of plus ($105.36 for two years), complete ($129.36 for two years), and prime plans ($201.36 for two years), you'll receive one year of NordVPN free. After your purchase, NordVPN will send you a coupon to redeem one year of their service free. One year plans are also on sale, but the savings aren't as steep, so if you want to make the most of your purchase, swing for a two-year plan.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops you can get for under $500 in 2025

Accessible to both novice and pro VPN users, NordVPN has an easy-to-use platform that offers a variety of features including a password manager, malware protection, and identity fraud insurance in addition to protected browsing.

Shop NordVPN's birthday sale now and get up to 72% off.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Uber and Waymo start the countdown for Austin launch next month

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:08

With the Uber and Waymo robotaxi launch next month, users in Austin can sign up now for priority access to the new AVs.

On Wednesday, Uber announced the addition of an Interest List on the app. This feature lets users indicate whether they'd like to receive updates from Uber and "increase their chances of being matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle at launch by opting into the AV preference." The ride-hailing app also unveiled a co-branded Uber x Waymo vehicle, signaling their partnership, which brings Waymo autonomous vehicles exclusively to the Uber fleet. 

Signing up to the Interest List gets you a better chance of being matched with a Waymo AV. Credit: Uber

In its Q4 2024 earnings call on Wednesday morning, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said Uber plans to launch with Waymo "in Austin next month and Atlanta this summer." Uber has been investing heavily in the robotaxi market in the past few years. "I am more confident than ever that Uber is uniquely positioned to capture the $1 trillion+ opportunity that autonomy will unlock in the US alone," said Khosrowshahi about Uber's opportunities in the AV industry.

To date, Uber has partnered with 14 AV companies, which include manufacturers of consumer-facing AVs, sidewalk delivery robots, and autonomous freight trucks.

Austin residents: prepare to start seeing this everywhere. Credit: Uber

Soon, Austin residents calling an Uber might see a driverless car pulling up to greet them. Waymo Ubers will initially cover 37 square miles within Austin and expand coverage in the future. Pricing for Waymo AVs is the same rate as a traditional Uber (UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric), and when it arrives, you can unlock the vehicle with the Uber app and hop in.

To sign up for the Interest List, make sure you have the most up-to-date version of the Uber app. Then, go to Account > Settings > Ride Preferences > Autonomous vehicles > Join interest list.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Satechi’s M4 Mac Mini Hub Is Now Available

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 19:00

Satechi's exisitng Mac Mini and Mac Studio hub has been a great way to add more ports and storage to those computers. Now, an updated version for the latest M4 Mac Mini is arriving.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Maps update will let some users customize their cars virtual icon

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:57

Some Google Maps users can now access more ways to customize their car's icon while using the app.

As it stands, Google Maps only lets you choose one of four icons: an arrow, a red car, a yellow SUV, or a green truck. But, as 9to5Google spotted, some Android users are now prompted about "early access to customize your vehicle icon's style [and] color." When inputting driving directions, they get a notice about setting up "your ride, your way." 

There are a lot more options rolling out. There are five new cars: an off-road pickup, a sports car, a sedan, a hatchback, and an SUV. The are eight new colors, too: white, black, gray, red, blue, yellow, green, and purple.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps is adding new color options for your virtual vehicle icon

We at Mashable covered planned icon additions to Google Maps for iOS in November, but now the changes appear to be rolling out for Android. The new icons are available for Android users running Google Maps beta version 25.06.x.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps will rename Gulf of Mexico to America following Trump's order
Categories: IT General, Technology

Get a free Heart Cocotte at Le Creuset with $250+ purchase

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:49

SAVE $220: As of Feb. 5, get a free Le Creuset Heart Mini Cocotte (a $220 value!) with a $250+ purchase. Use code VALENTINE at checkout. Offer ends Feb. 12.

Opens in a new window Credit: Le Creuset Free Le Creuset Heart Mini Cocotte with $250+ purchase at Le Creuset
with code VALENTINE at checkout Get Deal

This Valentine’s Day, Le Creuset is giving away a free Heart Cocotte with any purchase of $250 or more.

Now through Feb. 12, customers can receive this limited-edition enameled cast iron heart-shaped cocotte, a $220 value, with a qualifying purchase of $250 (which shouldn’t be hard to do). You’ll also get free shipping on orders of $99+.

SEE ALSO: 30 Valentine's Day gifts for all the sweethearts in your life

The Heart Cocotte is perfect for baking, roasting, and serving up intimate side dishes, dips, and desserts. Think creamed corn, scalloped potatoes, roasted vegetables (especially root vegetables cut into smaller pieces), or a small portion of mac and cheese.

Here are a few discounted items to get to that $250 threshold and earn the free Heart Cocotte:

Categories: IT General, Technology

Score $100 off the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook and supercharge your multitasking

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:43

SAVE $100: As of Feb. 5, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook is $399, down from its usual price of $499 at Lenovo. That's a discount of 20%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook $399.00 at Lenovo
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

If it's time to upgrade your daily driver laptop, or you just want to pick one up that's a little more dynamic, you might want to go with a Chromebook. These versatile computers can do it all and then some, and usually come in lightweight, perfectly portable packages that make it easy to work from anywhere. Today's an especially good day to pick up a Chromebook, since you can get one for a fantastic price.

As of Feb. 5, get the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook for just $399 at Lenovo, down from its usual price of $400. That's $100 off and a discount of 20%.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops you can get for under $500 in 2025

Lenovo is particularly good at putting out Chromebooks that feel great to use, and this model is no exception. It can convert between multiple modes, so you can use it like a regular tablet, a tent-like folding mode, or keep it in its laptop form factor. It comes packing a 13th Gen Intel Core i3 processor, Intel UHD graphics card, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, so it's beefy enough to handle just about any task, too.

For the price, you're getting a reliable, versatile computer that can change and shift with you as your needs evolve. It's a great buy at this discount, and well worth even putting away for the kids for their homework needs. It's a limited-time sale, so pounce on it while you can.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Book today: Alaska Airlines three-day winter sale with flights as low as $49 ends tomorrow

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:34

BOOK ONE-WAY FLIGHTS FOR AS LOW AS $49: The Alaska Airlines three-day winter sale has flights for as low as $49 each way. But you'll want to book quickly, since the sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on Feb. 6.

Opens in a new window Credit: Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines winter sale Flights start at $49 each way Get Deal

Travel is full of unexpected costs. Suddenly there's a resort fee, a hotel parking fee, and an eye-watering bill for airport food when the plane gets delayed. In order to compensate for those surprise fees, book flights that don't break the bank. Instead of paying full price, check out the winter sale at Alaska Airlines.

Until 11:59 p.m PT on Feb. 6, the Alaska Airlines winter sale has flights for as low as $49 each way. The specific dates for each flight depends on the origin and destination, but most include travel dates into May, with blackout dates between the middle of March into the mid-April. You'll need to travel at least 21 days beyond the date of booking to score the sale price.

SEE ALSO: The best noise-cancelling headphones for flying make air travel suck a little less

If you're in need of a getaway before we reach summer vacation, Alaska Airlines has you covered. Serving plenty of destinations in the continental U.S., Hawaii, Alaska, and Mexico, there's something for everyone on the Alaska Airlines route map.

The winter sale brings flights down to just $49 each way. Fly from San Francisco to Las Vegas for that price or head from Seattle to sunny San Diego for just $89 each way. Los Angeles residents can fly to the tropical Nassau, Bahamas for just $129 each way.

Alaska's sale includes destinations that'll take you to sunny beaches or mountain slopes. It's also a great time to snag a sale price on a flight home to visit before the chaotic summer travel season hits.

For those who've been contemplating a last-minute spring trip, look into the Alaska Airlines winter sale where roundtrip travel might cost you just $100.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Best gifts under $50 that are great for absolutely everyone

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:32

Some people possess an innate talent for finding gifts on a budget. No matter the occasion (anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day) or recipient (wife, boyfriend, teens, in-laws), they somehow nail it every time — winning the unofficial "best gift-giver" award among those who are lucky to know them. If you're not the most intuitive gift giver, fear not. We've put together a list of the best gift ideas for under $50. These unique, budget-friendly gifts won't break the bank, and you might even see some solid discounts on them if you're lucky.

Categories: IT General, Technology

If You Use Spotify's Desktop App, You Need to Read This

How-To Geek - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:30

If you use Spotify's desktop app, there's one thing that it does better than the mobile app: organization. This can save you time and transform the way you use the service. Here is all you need to know.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Looking for an affordable robot vacuum? Get the Lefant M210 for its lowest price ever at Amazon.

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:20

SAVE 56%: As of Feb. 5, the Lefant robot vacuum cleaner (M210) is available at Amazon for its all-time low price of $88.88. That's $111.11 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lefant Lefant Robot Vacuum M210 $88.88 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $111.11 Get Deal

Robot vacuums are super convenient (I love my Shark!), but they’re usually expensive — especially if you want one with smart features. But sometimes, a deal comes along that’s actually worth jumping on.

As of Feb. 5, you can get the Lefant Robot Vacuum (M210) for just $88.88. That’s an all-time-low price and a $111.11 discount.

SEE ALSO: Best vacuum cleaners 2025, from cordless stick vacuums to robot vacuums

The Lefant M210 is packed with features, including FreeMove Technology to prevent getting stuck, six cleaning modes (zigzag, random, spot, edge, scheduled, and manual), and voice control compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

This little vac offers a lot for the price: 120 minutes of runtime on a single charge, 1800Pa suction power to tackle dirt, dust, and pet hair, and consistently high ratings from over 14,000 users. The only trade-off? No self-emptying base, but the 500ml dustbin should last at least a few days of cleaning.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bookshop.orgs e-book shop just dropped $2 deals on Emily Henry, Julia Quinn, and more

Mashable - Wed, 02/05/2025 - 18:15

SAVE UP 78%: Shop e-books at Bookshop.org for a major discount. Get bestselling titles like Book Lovers by Emily Henry for just $2.99, saving 78% for $11 off.

Best Bookshop.org e-book deals Best e-book deal 'Book Lovers' by Emily Henry $2.99 at Bookshop.org (Save $11) Get Deal Best non-fiction deal 'All About Love' by bell hooks $2.99 at Bookshop.org (Save $11) Get Deal Best romance deal 'Romancing Mister Bridgerton' by Julia Quinn $1.99 at Bookshop.org (Save $6) Get Deal

Bookshop.org has entered the e-book market, disrupting the space long held by Amazon and its Kindle Store. If you're planning on switching over platforms, you might be bummed to be missing Amazon's good deals on books that often offer up to 90% in savings. But don't think that Bookshop.org is letting Amazon get away that easy.

With the launch of Bookshop.org's online platform, there's also a new place to hunt deals. You can find e-books deals under $4 at Bookshop.org. While Amazon typically offers pages and pages of deals on e-books, Bookshop.org takes a quality over quantity approach to its deals. You can find bestsellers and modern classics for just a few dollars at the retailer.

Here are the best e-book deals to shop a Bookshop.org.

Best book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bookshop.org 'Book Lovers' by Emily Henry $2.99 at Bookshop.org
$13.99 Save $11.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The queen of romance is undeniably Emily Henry. The bestselling author is known for her outrageously popular titles Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. Her 2022 release, Book Lovers, tells the story of Nora Stephens, who escaped New York to go on a one-month vacation with her sister, Libby, to the town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. But when Charlie Lastra, a notoriously grumpy book editor from back in the city, shows up, Nora finds herself at the center of her own love story.

If you've yet to jump on the Emily Henry train, Book Lovers is a great place to start. Right now you can find it for just $2.99, saving you $11 for 78% savings at Bookshop.org. Already read Book Lovers? There are plenty of other deals to explore for as low as $1.99.

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Categories: IT General, Technology
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