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Giving a Kindle this holiday season? Here are all the cases, stocking stuffers, and extras to go with it.

Mashable - Sun, 12/14/2025 - 11:00

Giving a Kindle this holiday season? If so, we're giving you the best gifter of the year. An e-reader is for both the bookworm and the techie, looking for a more portable library. The Kindle itself is a spectacular gift, but if you're looking to build out your present a little more, you have some options.

Kindles are one of our favorite devices here at Mashable, so we rounded up a list of gifts perfect for the Kindle user. These are gifts we'd actually want to receive with our Kindle, not just something that gets shoved in a back corner.

Amazon Gift Card

To be fair, gift cards are usually a cop out gift, but in the case of a Kindle, we actually recommend it. To purchase books for your Kindle, you'll do that on Amazon or the Kindle app, and either way, it's connected to your Amazon account. So an Amazon gift card means money to fill your Kindle library.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Gift Card   Get Deal Kindle Unlimited

Ever dreamed of a streaming service but for books? That's basically Kindle Unlimited. For $11.99 a month, you get access to millions of titles and are able to borrow up to 20 books at once. Current titles in the Kindle Unlimited collection include bestselling and acclaimed titles like The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, and The Bee Sting by Paul Murray. You can gift Kindle Unlimited to your recipient for six, 12, or 24 months, starting at just $65.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Unlimited $65.95
Gift six, 12, or 24 months of Kindle Unlimited Shop Now USB charging block

Included in the box of your Amazon Kindle will be a USB-C to USB-A cord, but there's no charging block included. Adding on an Anker charging block helps complete the package, plus this one includes both a USB-C and USB-A port so your recipient can charge multiple devices at once.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker USB-A and USB-C Charger Block $18.99 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $6   Shop Now Page-turning remote

The newest trend in Kindle accessories is all about the remote page turner. When paired with a stand, you can keep your hands tucked under the blankets and away from the cold. Kobo released a remote for their e-readers, but Kindle is behind the curve, so in the meantime, you'll have to go for a third-party brand. Not to worry, we've tried the Datafy remote page turner, and it's a superb choice for bookworms looking to get cozy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Datafy Datafy Remote Page Turner for Kindle $15.19 at Amazon
$19.99 Save $4.80   Shop Now Tablet stand

To go with your page-turning remote, you'll need a stand to go truly hands-free. Popular options include a floor stand or gooseneck stand, but while lurking on the Kindle subreddit, I found that some people prefer a bean bag tablet stand where you can store even more goodies, like your remote page turner.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ergonov Ergonov Bean Bag Tablet Stand $53.98 at Amazon
  Shop Now A book cover that makes it feel like a real book

While most book lovers have come around to the e-reader, it's still hard to let go of the feeling of holding a hardcover book. To emulate that feel, you can gift them a case that feels like a book. KleverCase's e-reader cases are ornamental and vintage-inspired. Some pay homage to classics like Alice in Wonderland or homage to Wicked with a Grimoire-inspired cover.

Opens in a new window Credit: KleverCase KleverCase E-Reader Cover $24.95 at Amazon
$27.95 Save $3   Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

Working with AI can be even more efficient with this all-in-one platform

Mashable - Sun, 12/14/2025 - 11:00

TL;DR: Use AI more efficiently with this lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan, on sale now for just $74.97 (reg. $540) for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $74.97
$540 Save $465.03   Get Deal

Sure, AI can improve your workflow. But what happens when you have to pause to figure out which model is best for image generation, or jump between tabs trying to see which one can help with coding? 1min.AI solves this problem, offering a one-stop shop for all your AI needs.

You can score a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan for just $74.97 (reg. $540), but only for a limited time.

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If you want AI to really streamline your workflow, don’t miss adding 1min.AI to your routine. This powerful platform combines multiple AI models, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Mistral, Grok, and more, in one convenient spot.

Curious how it works? With 1min.AI, you enter your inquiry and receive help with everything from image generation to coding to copywriting. It helps anyone who often works with AI, making it easier to chat with numerous assistants and receive help with your daily tasks — just make sure to always review the output, as light editing may still be needed with any AI platform.

With 1min.AI’s Advanced Business plan, you’ll receive an unlimited prompt library, unlimited storage, and unlimited brand voice options. It also includes 4,000,000 credits per month, which can be used to write 1,112,500 words, research up to 5,933 SEO keywords, generate up to 1,186 images, and create up to 37 videos, all per month.

Get this lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan for just $74.97 (reg. $540) during this holiday sale.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The legendary "podcaster mic" finally has a cheaper version for gamers

How-To Geek - Sun, 12/14/2025 - 06:00

There are a ton of gaming-centric microphones on the market. However, you just don’t get the same level of recording quality that comes from a specialist audio brand that knows what it’s doing. And few brands in the world of microphones are as respected or as trusted as Shure.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Hurdle hints and answers for December 14, 2025

Mashable - Sun, 12/14/2025 - 06:00

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

Forward.

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

FORTH

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Charming.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 14, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SUAVE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Homey.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 14 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 14, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

COMFY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A mark.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 14 Hurdle Word 4 answer

NOTCH

Final Hurdle hint

Tied up.

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

BOUND

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

Moon phase today: What the moon will look like on December 14

Mashable - Sun, 12/14/2025 - 06:00

As we get closer to the New Moon, there'll be less to see on the surface of the moon each night. For now, however, there's still enough lit up that we can spot a few features. Keep reading to find out what you can see.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Sunday, Dec. 14, the moon phase is Waning Crescent. This means 25% of the moon is lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Tonight, without any visual aids, you'll be able to see Kepler Crater and the Oceanus Procellarum. If you have binoculars, you'll also be able to see the Grimaldi Basin, and the Mare Humorum. With a telescope, Reiner Gamma, Schiller Crater, and Gassendi Crater will also become visible.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3.

What are moon phases?

NASA says the Moon goes through a cycle of about 29.5 days, and during that time we see its different phases. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the sunlight hitting it changes as it orbits Earth. That’s what makes it look full, half-lit, or sometimes completely hidden. The cycle has eight main 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

Turn a few words into a high-quality image with this $35 AI-powered tool

Mashable - Sun, 12/14/2025 - 00:00

TL;DR: Bring anything to life with this lifetime subscription to Imagiyo AI Image Generator’s Standard Plan, now only $34.97 (reg. $495) through Dec. 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Imagiyo Imagiyo AI Image Generator: Lifetime Subscription (Standard Plan) $34.97
$495 Save $460.03   Get Deal

From wild fantasies to depictions of daily life, Imagiyo AI Image Generator is ready to make all of your artistic dreams come true. If you can think it up, Imagiyo can create it, and you don’t even have to sharpen your pencil.

Right now, a lifetime subscription to Imagiyo AI Image Generator’s Standard Plan is just $34.97 (reg. $495) through Dec. 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Whether you’re familiar with creating AI-generated images or this still feels like science fiction, Imagiyo AI Image Generator makes the process simple with a user-friendly interface. Just type in a prompt and sit back and relax while this powerful platform gets to work.

No matter what you ask Imagiyo to design, the results will be high-quality and ready to print, thanks to the power of FLUX AI. You can request a specific size if needed, and you won’t ever have to deal with watermarks or ads.

The designs you create are totally yours and can be used for commercial purposes, like on social media or as a brand logo (as long as there are no copyright issues). You can also use them for personal use, like a totally customized gift for a loved one.

Unlike most AI image generators, Imagiyo doesn’t give you any restrictions. You have total creative freedom and can even design a NSFW image if you’d like. If you do, just set the privacy settings for that image to private.

This lifetime subscription to the Imagiyo AI Image Generator Standard Plan lets you create 500 images per month, with up to two images per request, for life.

Act fast to get this lifetime subscription to Imagiyo AI Image Generator’s Standard Plan, now just $34.97 (reg. $495) through Dec. 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The "RAM-pocalypse" is spreading to storage: Buy an SSD while you still can

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 22:01

Let's face it: now is not exactly a great time to shop for PC upgrades. With the RAM-pocalypse in full swing, it's not just RAM that's getting pricey—many components are. Those who were hoping to score a thrilling piece of tech this holiday season are in for a disappointment.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple Music was driving me crazy, and this new feature was to blame

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 21:30

When I first heard about AutoMix and saw tech bloggers posting about it on social media, I was excited to try the new feature. I’ve had Crossfade enabled since it was introduced and thought AutoMix would be a great way to enjoy my playlists—especially those with a variety of genres.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 ways to reuse an old Raspberry Pi

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 21:01

Raspberry Pis have been popular for small self-hosting jobs and tinkerers for years, and it is pretty common to have a few old ones forgotten in a drawer somewhere. Here are a few great ways to put those old Raspberry Pis to use.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 iPad features your old model is missing out on

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 20:30

Apple does a great job of keeping older iPads up to date. However, just because an iPad is compatible with the latest version of iPadOS doesn’t mean you’ll get every feature it offers. Here are four features you won’t get if you don’t have one of the newer iPad models.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This DJI Power 2000 portable power station is 46% off this weekend (and it makes a great gift)

Mashable - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 20:20

SAVE $600: As of December 13th, Amazon has this DJI Power 2000 portable power station for $699; that's 46% off $1,299.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station $699 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $600   Get Deal

DJI is well known for its microphones and drones, but they also specialize in portable power stations. This particular power station isn't your temporary, charge-a-few-phones battery.

The solar-compatible DJI Power 2000 portable power station is designed to handle 99% of everyday appliances and devices. Think: power tools, RV basics, projectors, and more. This portable power station is ideal for off-grid living, RV (or regular) camping, and other projects, such as projector-requiring outdoor performances or small business vending.

At 21kg (47.4 lbs), this station is hefty. For what it lacks in lightness, it makes up for in power and speed. The portable power station can recharge up to 80% in 55 minutes. It’s also designed with safety in mind, including a water-resistant and flame-retardant design that makes the station usable in wet, muddy, and rugged conditions. It’s also an ideal backup tool for power outages with 10ms UPS switchover (in the event of an outage), it can run select important devices.

This DJI Power 2000 portable power station is the whole package when it comes to a backup power source and portable battery. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple Podcasts is finally good again thanks to these new features

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 20:00

When it comes to podcast streaming, Apple and Spotify both have their own unique offerings for listeners. But Apple Podcasts is not for everyone, as the app can feel very challenging to use at times, given its organization and categorization.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Shopping for a gamer? Save $100 on this LG 34-inch Ultragear curved gaming monitor this weekend

Mashable - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 19:58

SAVE $100: As of December 13th, this LG 34-inch ultragear curved gaming monitor is $299, down 25% from its list price of $399 on Amazon. 

Opens in a new window Credit: LG 34-inch curved gaming monitor LG 34G600A-B 34-inch Ultragear Curved Gaming Monitor $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100   Get Deal

This weekend on Amazon has this LG 34-inch Ultragear curved gaming monitor on sale for 25% off. The monitor comes packed with features that make it an amazing gift for a gamer in your life or yourself (you know, you deserve a little treat, too). The curve of the monitor and picture clarifying features allows gamers to be totally immersed within their game of choice. The monitor also has an adjustable height, swivel, and tilt for nailing the perfect angle. 

This monitor is an excellent option for gaming, but it can also level up any work from home setup, as well. The curved monitor is designed to have fast, crystal clear picture with a 160hz frame rate, 1ms motion blur reduction and a built-in stereo speaker. The monitor also has “dynamic action sync” which minimizes input lag as much as possible so you can catch every move and shot when it counts.

Reviewers on Amazon praise the monitor for being excellent for gaming and general use. They also praise the picture quality, value for the money, and overall quality.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How open source quietly won the software wars

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 19:30

It might be hard to imagine now, but not too long ago the idea of free software with source code that anyone can modify wasn't one with much enthusiasm behind it. How could that be safe? What about support? Could you trust mission-critical stuff to this software?

Categories: IT General, Technology

The prologue of Christopher Nolans The Odyssey is now in theaters. Heres how to watch.

Mashable - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 19:21

There are, tragically, seven months standing between audiences and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. But if you can't wait that long to get your dose of Nolan, you're in luck: You can catch the first six minutes of the historical epic in theaters this month.

SEE ALSO: 'Euphoria' Season 3 gets first look in HBO Max's 2026 trailer

The prologue is showing ahead of the IMAX 70mm re-releases of two of this year's biggest awards contenders: Ryan Coogler's Sinners and Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another. These re-releases, which began Friday, will run for a week.

Only 10 theaters in the world — eight in the United States, one in Canada, and one in the United Kingdom — show films in IMAX 70mm, which, according to Variety, is Nolan's preferred format for the film. That makes sense, given that The Odyssey will be the first blockbuster shot only on IMAX film cameras.

However, you'll still have a chance to see The Odyssey's prologue even if you don't live near a theater with IMAX 70mm capabilities. Starting Dec. 19, The Odyssey's prologue will play in front of all IMAX screenings of James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash, not just those in 70mm.

The non-IMAX Avatar: Fire and Ash screenings will be showing a full-length trailer for The Odyssey, but not the entire prologue.

What's in the prologue for The Odyssey?

If you can't make it to any of these screenings but still want to know what goes down in The Odyssey's prologue, we've got you covered. According to outlets like Variety and World of Reel, the prologue recreates the end of the Trojan war, when the Greek forces snuck into the city of Troy inside a massive wooden horse disguised as a peace offering. The architect of that scheme? None other than Odysseus (Matt Damon).

Nolan invites viewers into Odysseus and his soldiers' tense wait inside the Trojan Horse. Then, once they leave the horse, Nolan unleashes a full-scale battle, complete with Damon shooting his enemies with a bow and arrow.

The sequence is framed as a story passed from Sparta's King Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) to Odysseus' son Telemachus (Tom Holland). Other members of The Odyssey's star-studded cast include Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Mia Goth, although none show up in the prologue. But you know what does appear? An animatronic cyclops. From promises of Nolan battles to practical monster effects, July can't come soon enough.

The Odyssey hits theater July 18.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 9 best dating apps for men who are tired of being alone

Mashable - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 19:13
Do dating apps still work in 2025?

We get it, though. Dating as a man in 2025 is tough. It's not just the pressure to make or the fear of rejection if you do — it's the endless swiping through fake profiles, scammers, AI-generated thirst traps, bots posing as potential matches, relentless Instagram models trying to lure you into their OnlyFans scam, and matches with impossibly high expectations (yes, the "6-6-6 rule" is a real thing).

But despite the challenges, dating apps do work. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus survey found that nearly 39 percent of all U.S. adults have used a dating app at some point. The numbers are even higher for young people and the LGBTQ+ community.

SEE ALSO: The dating app glossary: The A to Z of terms you need to know

While the experience isn't always perfect, plenty of guys find success. According to an older, 2023 Pew Research survey, 53 percent of people who've used a dating app said they had a positive experience, with 14 percent rating it as "very positive." And there's more good news — 57 percent of guys reported positive experiences and results compared to 48 percent of women.

The best dating apps for guys who know what they want

This guide is your cheat sheet for the best dating apps for men in 2025. We've done the research and found the apps that are actually worth your time. Whether you're looking for something casual or something serious, we have a dating app to recommend.

Pro tip: Don't be afraid to experiment. Try out a few different apps and see what works for you. And most importantly, don't get discouraged! Sometimes, the occasional bad date or disappointing flirtation is just the price you pay to meet the match of a lifetime.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This Roborock Q10 S5+ made our list of the best robot vacuums for every budget and it’s on sale right now

Mashable - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 19:08

SAVE $220: As of December 13th, the Roborock Q10 S5+ robot vacuum is $329 at Amazon, down 40% from its list price of $549.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Q10 S5+ robot vacuum $549.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal

This weekend, Roborock is offering the Q10 S5+ robot vacuum at 40% off. This model is one of the lowest-cost vacuum-and-mop combo robot vacuums on the market. Roborock boasts 70 days of hands-free cleaning with its large dust bag situated neatly in its fairly small, self-emptying dock station. 

This dual mop and vacuum robot cleaner comes equipped with many features, including Smart Carpet Care, which detects carpet and automatically lifts mopping modules to protect your carpet.

"This Roborock robot vacuum is ideal for those who don't want to spend much more than $500, but who also don't want to settle for the most basic cleaning possible," says senior shopping reporter Leah Stoddart, in her roundup of the best robot vacuums for every budget and floor. "This 2025 entry-level model is the rare cheap robot vacuum and mop combo with legitimate pressurized scrubbing — a nice upgrade for hardwood floors or entryways with high foot (or paw) traffic."

Stoddart praised the model for its quiet presence, cost, high suction for its price, pet waste detection, sonic mopping, and LiDAR smart mapping. Some downsides to this model, according to Stoddart, include that its mopping pad soils quickly and that the physical robot isn't super petite. There are certainly many pluses compared to the minimal flaws of the product. If you're looking for a budget-friendly robot vacuum with higher-end features, this might be the model for you. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

Please stop torturing your fingers with membrane keyboards

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 19:00

Are you like me and type thousands of words per day on your keyboard? Is the keyboard that you’re using one of those cheap membrane-style ones? Here’s why you should stop using a membrane keyboard if you type all day and switch to mechanical.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Transform your Android phone into a webcam for your computer

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 18:30

Webcams in laptops aren’t great, and even external webcams struggle unless you pay for a high-end model. Before you look for an upgrade, think about the much better camera that’s already in your pocket. You can turn your Android phone into a high-definition webcam with shocking ease.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The apps everyone complained about in 2025

How-To Geek - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 18:16

Enshittification is an inescapable fact of life. Apps and services that were once good fall foul of the constant need to maximize shareholder profits, which comes at the cost of user experience. Very few apps escape the march of enshittification, but there are some that have gotten significantly worse this year.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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