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LibreELEC transformed my Raspberry Pi into the ultimate Roku replacement
LibreELEC is a Linux-based operating system that’s designed purely with media consumption in mind. Pair it with an old (or new) Raspberry Pi and hide it behind the TV for an invisible and highly capable media center setup.
This American minivan challenges SUVs in off-roading performance
Minivans and off-road capability don’t usually belong in the same sentence, but one American people-mover concept is challenging that assumption. With a focus on rugged design, enhanced traction systems, and adventurous styling cues, it pushes the idea of what a family van can do, not just on pavement, but on unpaved backroads too. It turns heads not because it debuted at a major show, but because it signals a new direction in how minivans can be configured for modern lifestyles.
Try Soundcores C30i open earbuds while theyre down to their best price ever
SAVE $35: As of Jan. 16, the Soundcore C30i open earbuds are on sale for only $34.99 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount from their usual cost and the lowest price on record.
Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore C3i open earbuds $34.99 at Amazon$69.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal
Open earbuds are everywhere at the moment. Several new pairs debuted during CES 2026, but they've been on the market for awhile now (check out our roundup of the best ones). If you've been curious about these air conduction-based earbuds, but don't want to spend a fortune, the Soundcore C30i open earbuds are majorly discounted at Amazon so you can give them a shot.
As of Jan. 16, the Soundcore C30i open earbuds are on sale for only $34.99 at Amazon. That's 50% or $35 cheaper than usual and their lowest price on record.
Open earbuds are designed for folks who want to actually stay in tune with the world around them and/or find in-ear designs uncomfortable. Instead of sitting inside of your ear canal, they use air conduction to transmit sound to your ears. While they come in several different varieties, the Soundcore C30i feature a clip design (similar to the popular Bose Ultra Open earbuds). They attach to the outer edge of your ears like a cuff and stay in place with the help of attachable ear grips.
Since they don't sit in your ear canal, the C30is don't offer noise cancellation. So in order to boost sound, they offer a surround sound mode through the Soundcore app to make listening more immersive. If you're a runner, cyclist, commuter, or anyone who wants to stay in tune with the outside world, the Soundcore C30is are a low stakes way to see if open earbuds are right for you (without breaking the bank).
Get a leg up on the competition with the Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED gaming monitor for its lowest price yet
SAVE $199.01: As of Jan. 16, get the Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED gaming monitor for $499.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $699. That's a discount of 28% and the lowest price we've seen.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED gaming monitor $499.99 at Amazon$699 Save $199.01 Get Deal
Now that we're at the start of a new year, we're facing down plenty of new games coming down the pipelines in 2026. Why not be ready with a monitor that can handle all the action with ease? You can do just that with this deal on one of our favorite gaming monitors right now, as it's available for its lowest price yet.
As of Jan. 16, get the Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED gaming monitor for $499.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $699. That's a discount of 28% and the lowest price we've seen.
SEE ALSO: The Samsung Odyssey G5 ultra-wide gaming monitor just dropped to under $300 at AmazonThis 34-inch curved OLED monitor is all about making you feel like you're right in the middle of your favorite games. It offers a gorgeous, crisp picure with sharp details, deep hues and contrasts, and two HDR modes to offer the best possible performance: HDR 400 True Black and HDR Peak 1000.
It boasts 1,000 nits of brightness with a 0.1ms respnse time as well as AMD FreeSync and VESA AdaptiveSync. It's perfect for twitchier games where you need to make sure you're as precise as possible, so if you need a bit of help improving your game, this very well may do it for you.
You can customize the look and feel of the monitor thanks to its RGB lighting, and adjust and tilt it to your liking when placed on a desk. All of these features come together to give you one of the most comprehensive suites possible in terms of gaming monitors, which almost certainly means you'll be seeing some true improvement with your games. Just be sure you grab it now before it's no longer on sale.
4 Fedora-based Linux distributions that are better than Fedora
If you've been following me for a while, you know Fedora Linux is not one of my favorite distributions. There are many spin-off distributions though that base themselves on Fedora, though, that I would recommend.
DJIs customer-fave smartphone stabilizer is under $90 right now
SAVE 18%: As of Jan. 16, the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is $89, down from $109, at Amazon. That’s an 18% discount, or $20 in savings.
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 $89 at Amazon$109 Save $20 Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy
Whether you're determined to become a TikTok star by year's end or you just genuinely like filming life, a gimbal (aka support so your videos don't look like they were filmed during an earthquake) could do you some good.
As of Jan. 16, the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is $89, down from $109, at Amazon. That’s an 18% discount, or $20 in savings.
SEE ALSO: DJI Osmo Mobile 8 review: A phone gimbal for content creators on a budgetThe Osmo Mobile 6 is super easy to use. Just unfold it, and it's ready to go. It uses ActiveTrack 6.0 to lock onto subjects, which is perfect for keeping up with energetic kids or pets. You can even use it to track yourself, making it much easier to film solo without needing someone else to hold the camera.
It features a built-in extension rod for better selfie angles or crowd shots, and it only weighs about 305g, so it’s easy to toss in a bag. And, if you have an Apple Watch, you can use it as a remote to view your camera feed and adjust the gimbal’s angle from your wrist.
Score the 65-inch TCL QM5K 4K UHD TV for $450 off at Best Buy
SAVE $450: As of Jan. 16, get the 65" TCL QM5K 4K UHD TV for $450 at Best Buy, down from its usual price of $899.99. That's a discount of 50%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy 65" TCL QM5K 4K UHD TV $449.99 at Best Buy$899.99 Save $450 Get Deal
If you've been thinking about adding a new TV to your home entertainment setup, Best Buy has your number. A big display can do a lot for you when you want to add a new screen for your favorite shows and movies, and you can get one now for an excellent price.
As of Jan. 16, get the 65" TCL QM5K 4K UHD TV for $450 at Best Buy, down from its usual price of $899.99. That's $450 off and a discount of 50%.
SEE ALSO: Level up your living room with $400 off this TCL 85-inch QLED TVThis 65-inch UHD QD-Mini LED TV boasts 4K resolution (2160p) with a crisp screen that brings you a crystal clear picture. It has up to LD500 precise dimming series with black levels of up to 500 with QLED hues and high HDR brightness as well to give you the most realistic image possible. Thanks to its AIPQ processor, it can even upscale content and control contrast, clarity, color, motion, and more all on its own.
It has an Onkyo 2.1 speaker system with subwoofer built in, and support for Dolby Atmos audio as well, so it's not just your eyes that get a treat. Gamers also get a leg up on the competition with Game Accelerator 144 with a 144 VRR, so games go lag-free.
What's more, all this comes with Google TV support, so you can watch and stream your favorite content directly from the display. That means no need for an additional streaming device or anything of the sort.
If you're ready for a new TV that ticks all the boxes for you while remaining budget-friendly, don't miss out on this Best Buy deal.
5 renter-friendly smart home upgrades that won’t violate your lease
A smart home might feel out of reach if you're renting. However, there are several smart home upgrades that you can make that don't involve changing fixtures, drilling holes, or messing with wiring. You may find that there's a lot you can do without violating the terms of your rental agreement, and you can easily take everything with you if you move.
No Other Choice skewers the job market. Heres why Park Chan-wook made it.
Boasting a corporate jargon title associated with evading responsibility, Park Chan-wook's anti-capitalist parable No Other Choice might feel too real to those burned by modern employment.
Based on Donald E. Westlake's 1997 novel The Ax and written by Park, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee, and Don McKellar, the film provides biting social commentary by asking the question: Is killing for the role you want a morally sound choice in this economy?
Mashable UK Editor Shannon Connellan sat down with Park and No Other Choice star Lee Byung-hun to discuss the film's skewering of the hyper competitive job market.
"We all live in the capitalist system, we all comply to it, and we're all trying very hard to survive in it as well. And we don't often question the system itself," Park told Mashable. "But when we do come upon the question of 'what if we could live in a different situation?' it leads to a very tricky state where you're considering ideas of getting rid of the system, or we're brainstorming ideas to take action to destroy the system. It's a very difficult state to be in.
"Regardless, in order to maintain the system, we still need to question the system as well. So in the film, I didn't want to make it too theoretical. I wanted to follow the individual and through that process, lead the audience to ask themselves their own questions about the system."
SEE ALSO: 'No Other Choice' review: Park Chan-wook's anti-capitalist parable skewers the job marketSaid individual in No Other Choice is paper company employee Yoo Man-soo (Lee), who loses his job in a cruel company restructure. With his family to provide for, including his wife Mi-ri (Crash Landing on You's Son Ye-jin) and two kids, Man-soo scrambles to find work — and when an opportunity arises, he takes drastic measures.
Lee Byung-hun in "No Other Choice." Credit: BFI London Film Festival"When [Park] approached me to say, 'let's tell the story together,' I really enjoyed the message [of the film] and the questioning. I found it very meaningful to tell as an actor," Lee told Mashable. "To play this very ordinary man, a family man who faces a very tragic reality, and is scrambling desperately to make things work, and eventually ends up making this very extreme decision."
Notably, the film makes a modern nightmare out of the job interview, as Man-soo faces the dreaded, often dehumanising process in his search for work.
"I guess I haven't gone on a lot of job interviews, personally, but I have been in many instances in which I have to evaluate actors for auditions, so I've seen how nervous people are when they are in the state of getting evaluated," said Park. "In addition, earlier in my career, I had a lot of meetings with producers to pitch my stories to them, which is also like an interview. So because I've been on both sides of a so-called interview, I know how difficult it is to be in that situation.
"Especially as an Asian, we are always taught to be humble, and humility is considered a very important trait in our lives. So to be in a situation where you have to sell yourself and hide your weakness while also being humble, it's even harder, which I think is especially harder for us in Eastern culture more than people in the West."
Watch the full interview above. No Other Choice is now in cinemas in the U.S., with the UK release set for Jan. 23.
Watch every out-of-market NBA game the rest of the season for just $50
SAVE $60: As of Jan. 16, you can get NBA League Pass for only $49.99 for the rest of the season. That's about 55% off the usual cost of $109.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: NBA NBA League Pass $49.99$109.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal
With new broadcast partners for the first time since 2002, watching NBA games got a lot more complicated this season — but only if you want to watch your home team. For those looking to watch every out-of-market game, NBA League Pass has you covered. And as of Jan. 16, you can sign up for the rest of the season for only $49.99.
Typically, the NBA League Pass costs $16.99 per month or $109.99 per season, but since we're about half way through the regular season, the league has lowered the price by about 55%. The 82-game regular season wraps up April 12, 2026, so you'll still get access to about 12 weeks of games for just under $50. That's just over $4 per week. You can sign up via Prime Video or directly through NBA League Pass.
Similar to NFL's Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass gives fans access to live out-of-market games, as well as games from the NBA's archive, analysis, documentaries, highlights, and more. Local games on NBA TV, as well as nationally broadcast games, will be blacked out live. So, if you live in New York City, you'll be able to watch every team except the Knicks and Nets. You can tune into locally blacked-out games three days after the live broadcast and nationally broadcast games three hours after.
The basic League Pass allows you to watch on one device with commercials, but if you spend a bit more on League Pass Premium (which is discounted from $159.99 to $74.99 for the rest of the season), you'll get to watch on up to three devices with in-arena streams instead of commercials.
These affordable earbuds are the perfect AirPods alternative, and now theyre $30 off
SAVE $30: As of Jan. 16, get the Soundcore P41i earbuds for just $49.99. That saves you $30, knocking 38% off its list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore P41i earbuds $49.99 at Amazon$79.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal
Even as an iPhone user, I'm not the biggest fan of AirPods. Unless you go for the AirPods Pro, the standard AirPods have a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn't work for me. As an alternative, I tried the Soundcore P41i earbuds, and think they're the perfect replacement. And they're even better when they're on sale for 38% off.
As of Jan. 16, the Soundcore P41i earbuds are just $49.99. That saves you $30 off its $79.99 list price, and the earbuds lowest price ever. Less than $50 is an extremely affordable price to pay for earbuds with active noise cancellation.
The Soundcore P41i earbuds are a compact earbud with up to 12 hours of battery life. With active noise cancellation, it blocks out sound and keeps you focused and in the zone. Once you connect them to your phone, they reconnect every time as soon as you put them in, just like AirPods. But the best part is its many different sizes of ear tips so you can make sure they have a secure, snug fit. Oh and did we mention the case can even charge your phone?
Grab the Soundcore P41i earbuds for just $49.99 and save $30 when you buy them at Amazon.
This new premium Linux laptop has up to 128GB RAM and 16TB storage
Slimbook has sold PCs with desktop Linux for a while now, and today the company announced a premium Linux-powered laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor and up to 128GB RAM. Say hello to the Slimbook Executive.
I canceled all my streaming services and rolled my own, here's how
If you're like me, you're tired of seeing the phrase "price hike" in headlines about the streaming services you're paying for. I got so tired I decided to use my movie collection to build what you might call a personal streaming service. Here's what it involved.
How to turn your phone into a security camera for free
If you're new to setting up security cameras from scratch, the task of home security can seem daunting. But luckily, you can have a trial run with free-to-use security camera apps that only require your phone and one spare device that you probably have on hand.
This $25 Amazon find is the fastest way to upgrade your TV to 4K
SAVE 38%: As of Jan. 16, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale for $24.99 at Amazon, down from $39.99. That’s a 38% discount, or $15 in savings.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $24.99 at Amazon$39.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal at Amazon
If you’re still using a regular TV that isn't exactly "smart," or if your current setup is just painfully slow, this is the easiest way to fix it.
As of Jan. 16, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale for $24.99 at Amazon, down from $39.99. That’s a 38% discount, or $15 in savings.
SEE ALSO: 4 coolest TVs at CES 2026 are from Samsung, LG, and TCL and feature wildly different techWhat makes this "Select" model different is that it runs on a leaner operating system. It’s designed to be fast without needing massive specs, and it currently holds the title for the fastest 4K stick you can find for under $40 (according to Amazon). It also features AI-powered search, which is great for indecisive or passive viewers. Just ask Alexa to find something to watch instead of scrolling through endless menus.
You'll get the standard 4K Ultra HD with HDR10+ support, plus access to several streaming platforms, like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and Disney+. It even supports cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass, so you can play titles like Hogwarts Legacy directly on your TV without actually owning a console.
It’s small enough to hide behind your TV and setup takes about two minutes — just plug it in and connect to your WiFi.
iPhone 18 lineup specs leak reveals potential changes to Dynamic Island
Apple's big annual event, which traditionally unveils the new iPhone, isn't until September. Yet, rumors and leaks surrounding what Apple has in store for the iPhone 18 continue to swirl on the internet.
Is the upcoming iPhone lineup going to bring about a big change to the Dynamic Island? It seems like it.
The latest news about what could potentially be the iPhone 18 lineup comes from leaker Digital Chat Station on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, as noticed by 9to5Mac.
According to the leaker, the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 will continue to have the standard Dynamic Island design. However, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models will get a new "under-display cutout area."
SEE ALSO: Leaker reveals iPhone 18 color options. Think purple, red, and that's that me espresso.This could mean that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models will receive a miniaturized version of the pill-shaped Dynamic Island. Or those more premium iPhone 18 models could get a "hole-punch" design that completely drops the Dynamic Island as we know it.
In addition to the Dynamic Island-related leaks, the leaker also shared that the screen sizes for the iPhone 18 models should match those of the iPhone 17 line.
The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro should both offer 6.27" displays. The iPhone Air 2 will have a 6.55" screen. The iPhone 18 Pro Max will continue to offer the largest display at 6.86", according to the information shared. And much like the iPhone 17 lineup, the iPhone 18 family of smartphones will have LTPO 120Hz screens.
SEE ALSO: Should you hold out for iPhone 18? What we know about the next-gen Apple phones.While the iPhone 18's screen specs don't seem to offer any upgrades from the iPhone 17, it is interesting to see an iPhone Air 2 currently listed as part of the iPhone 18 lineup. Reports suggested that the iPhone Air, introduced last year, had not been selling as well as the rest of the iPhone 17 devices.
This latest leak also doesn't include any news or updates regarding the long-awaited foldable iPhone, which is expected to launch with the rest of the iPhone 18 line.
There's bound to be many more iPhone-related leaks in the coming months as Apple's annual iPhone event gets closer, so more updates should clear up exactly what Apple fans should expect from the iPhone 18 lineup.
Pokémon TCG: Mega Kangaskhan ex Box is almost at market price at 37% off on Amazon
TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Kangaskhan ex Box is now only $29.45 at Amazon, with 37% cut off its usual $46.99 list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Kangaskhan ex Box $29.45 at Amazon$46.99 Save $17.54 Get Deal
A lot of the recent Pokémon TCG sets on sale have only been able to offer a bit of extra value, a symptom of the trading card game’s short supply vs demand, but one surprising box seems to be a proper bargain.
As of Jan. 16, the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Kangaskhan ex Box is 37% off at $29.45 at Amazon through various merchants doing business on the site. As confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel, that’s the best price we’ve seen through third-party sellers yet.
That’s a $17.54 price cut from its standard $46.99 price tag, and a nice saving, considering what you’re getting.
To start, here’s exactly what you get with the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Kangaskhan ex Box:
One Mega Kangaskhan ex foil promo card
Four Pokémon TCG boosters — two Mega Evolution and two Destined Rivals, based on provided imagery, but the final product’s mixture may be different
One oversized version of said Mega Kangaskhan ex foil promo card
While there aren’t any more of the usual flashy extras with some special collections, like a Pokémon TCG coin or a figure, this Mega Kangaskhan ex box is still a great value when you compare market prices.
Firstly, Amazon’s undercuts TCGPlayer’s listings as usual — with the latter’s cheapest listing being for $64.49 total ($34.49 plus $30 shipping).
Secondly, due to market conditions, individual booster packs from most modern sets are currently priced between $10 and $15 each. With four included in this box, you’re realistically saving at least $10, and you’re getting a stunning Mega Kangaskhan ex card on top.
This particular deal is slightly hidden on Amazon right now, as you’re unable to see it on the product page until you select the ‘See All Buying Options’ button. When more Pokémon TCG collectors catch on, though, we expect this to sell out quickly.
Speaking of solid Pokémon TCG deals, you can still buy the Fall Edition of the 2025 Collector Chest at over $20 off. Meanwhile, you can also save big on the Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection that’s on sale, too — containing five boosters, a titular promo card, and much more.
The hidden router setting that is quietly slowing down your internet
When you type a web address (aka a URL) in the address bar of your browser, that's not actually the address of the server your computer connects to. That's a "friendly" name that humans can remember, but it has to be translated into an IP address. An IP address is the exact address of a specific device on a network, which would be a web server, when visiting a website.
Samsung will pay you $50 to leave your non-Samsung watch party
Samsung has a pretty hilarious escape plan for you if you’re stuck watching the national championship on a screen that’s seen better days. The brand just launched its first-ever TV Transfer Portal, which is basically a bribe to get you to a watch party with a better TV.
SEE ALSO: 4 coolest TVs at CES 2026 are from Samsung, LG, and TCL and feature wildly different techOn Jan. 19 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET, you can "transfer" out of a bad viewing situation. If you’re among the first 900 people to DM @SamsungUS on Instagram or X with a photo of your current non-Samsung setup and your Venmo handle, they’ll send you $50 for a rideshare to a party that actually has a Samsung TV.
Here's the fine print:
It has to be a real photo of a non-Samsung TV in a home setting. Stock or AI photos will get you disqualified immediately.
Commercial spots like bars or public spaces don't count (this is for home setups only).
You can only enter once per person/Venmo account, but a single household or party can have up to three different people submit.
If you're one of the lucky 900, the money should hit your Venmo on or around Jan. 20.
If you’d rather just be the host with the better setup so your guests don't ditch you, Samsung is also knocking up to 50% off select TVs through Feb. 8.
X outage: Elon Musks site is down, heres what we know
Updated on Jan. 16 at 11:21 a.m. ET: X appeared to be recovering from its earlier outage. User-reported issues eased on Downdetector. We were successfully able to load the site and browse, about an hour after it went down.
Elon Musk's X appeared to suffer a major outage on Friday.
User-reported issues for X on Downdetector spiked shortly after 10 a.m. ET. (Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by Ziff Davis, the same parent company as Mashable.)
Upon trying to open the social media site, we received an error message that read: "Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot." It was not immediately clear what caused the outage.
The error message on X. Credit: Screenshot: XX also suffered a relatively brief outage earlier in the week. In fact, it's been quite the week for outages, with Verizon suffering a huge outage, with folks across the U.S. losing cell service for a long stretch.
Users on Bluesky, especially, reacted strongly to X being down, dunking on the site amid the ongoing issue of its AI tool, Grok, being used to create nonconsensual, sexual images. Some users have migrated away from X over time amid its rightwing shift.
X-Twitter is down Oontz oontz oontz oontz
— Ms . Penny Oaken, SkyWitch 🧙♀️ (@skywitches.net) January 16, 2026 at 10:47 AMBrace position BlueSky - X is down
— Tom Jamieson (@tomjam.bsky.social) January 16, 2026 at 10:44 AMX is completely down, now is BlueSky's chance to shine. So, we're replacing one letter in song titles today?
— Michael Kupperman (@mkupperman.bsky.social) January 16, 2026 at 10:52 AMThis story is developing and will be updated as necessary...


