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TL;DR: Pok Pok is a calm, Montessori-inspired app that gives kids meaningful screen time parents can feel good about, no ads, no pressure, just play — and lifetime access is on sale for $59.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $59.99For many parents, screen time can feel like a constant balancing act. You want something engaging for your child — but not loud, addictive, or filled with ads. That’s exactly the space Pok Pok was designed to fill.
Pok Pok is a Montessori-inspired app created for children ages 2–8, offering a digital playroom full of open-ended games that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and independent exploration. There are no levels to beat, no points to rack up, and no overstimulating sounds competing for attention.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!Instead, kids learn through curiosity, cause and effect, and imaginative play at their own pace.
Inspired by the Montessori philosophy developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, Pok Pok focuses on hands-on discovery and self-directed learning. Each “toy” inside the app supports foundational skills like early STEM thinking, numbers, spatial awareness, language development, and emotional growth without feeling like a lesson.
The experience is intentionally calm. All artwork, animations, sounds, and music are hand-crafted in-house to create a peaceful environment that doesn’t overwhelm young minds. Pok Pok is also completely ad-free and offline-friendly.
Kids can explore themed worlds like space, dinosaurs, puzzles, dress-up, music, and islands, with new content added regularly. One subscription works across all family devices, and everything is intuitive enough for even toddlers to navigate independently, though many kids love exploring alongside a caregiver.
A Pok Pok Lifetime Subscription is available for $59.99 (reg. $250) for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: If you’re tired of time-wasting language apps, Babbel’s lifetime plan is just $129.99 (reg. $646.20) thanks to the StackSocial code LEARN.
Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $129.99If you’ve bounced between language-learning apps before, you already know how easy it is to spend time without actually building confidence. Babbel takes a more practical, adult-focused approach — one that prioritizes real conversation over endless tapping and guessing.
Babbel works across desktop and mobile, with progress synced automatically, so you can learn wherever it makes sense. Lessons can also be downloaded for offline use, making it easy to practice on a commute, while traveling, or anytime WiFi isn’t available.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!With access to 14 languages and more than 10,000 hours of learning content, the platform is designed for long-term progress, not quick wins. Each language course is broken into 10- to 15-minute lessons built around situations people actually encounter — ordering food, navigating transportation, handling everyday conversations, or communicating in professional settings.
The curriculum was developed by over 100 expert linguists and informed by academic researchers from institutions such as Yale University.
Babbel also includes speech recognition technology to help fine-tune pronunciation and an AI-powered conversation partner that encourages learners to respond naturally in real time. Personalized review sessions reinforce what you’ve learned, so progress feels steady and measurable.
For anyone serious about learning a language — and actually using it — Babbel offers a thoughtful, proven path to fluency.
StackSocial is offering a Babbel Lifetime Language Learning subscription with access to all 14 languages for $129.99 (reg. $646.20) when you use code LEARN for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
The pressure is mounting on social media companies to enforce their rules and protect children on the platforms. Australia recently instituted a ban on children under the age of 16 from social media platforms. Gaming platforms like Roblox are now using facial recognition technology to prevent kids from interacting with adults in chats.
And now TikTok, the social media platform well known for its popularity with young people, will be rolling out its own age verification system in Europe to detect underage users on its site, according to a Reuters report.
TikTok's age-detection system analyzes a user's profile information, published videos, and behavioral signs to estimate if a user is under the age of 13. Per TikTok policy, users must be at least 13 to sign up for the platform. Once the age detect system flags an account, the user will be reviewed by specialist moderators. User accounts will not be banned automatically.
TikTok told Reuters the age-detection system will be rolled out across Europe in the coming weeks after testing the program in Britain for the past year. The system was specifically designed to comply with European regulatory requirements.
EU regulators have been pushing for social media platforms to act on child safety issues, including ensuring users are of the minimum age required for a platform. The European Parliament is looking into potentially instituting a social media ban similar to the one in Australia for children under the age of 15.
As Mashable covered earlier this week, some online platforms are discovering the difficulties with online age verification. Roblox users, for example, have been uncovering simple workarounds to the platform's age verification, which involved simply uploading animated avatars or even drawing facial hair on their image with a Sharpie.
TikTok's method is bound to pick up some false positives on users who are over 13 but mistakenly get flagged or even removed for being underage. We'll have to see just how accurate it is, and how many disgruntled users it leaves in its path once it rolls out more broadly.
Elon Musk's X may still be permitting the posting of Grok-generated, sexualized images of real people, despite the company’s recent announcement that such content had been banned, according to reporting by The Guardian.
The British newspaper reported that its journalists were able to generate and upload videos depicting real women being undressed into bikinis, using images of fully clothed individuals.
SEE ALSO: Grok ban: The nations considering blocking AI chatbot over nonconsensual sexual contentIn its reporting, The Guardian wrote:
"The Guardian was able to create short videos of people stripping to bikinis from photographs of fully clothed, real women. It was also possible to post this adult content on to X’s public platform without any sign of it being moderated, meaning the clip could be viewed within seconds by anyone with an account."
According to the newspaper, the sexualized images were created using the standalone Grok app and then successfully posted to X. Earlier this week, X said it had banned AI-generated, sexualized images of real people.
"We have implemented technological measures to prevent the [@]Grok account on X globally from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis," the X safety account wrote in an update. "This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers."
X has faced criticism in recent weeks over the circulation of sexualized, AI-generated images on the platform. Earlier this month, governments in multiple countries said they were investigating or moving to restrict Grok following reports that it had enabled the creation of sexualized images of minors. X's safety update also stated that the company maintains a "zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content."
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 AmazonOpen 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).
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 AmazonNow 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.
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 AmazonWhether 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.
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 BuyIf 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.
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.
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 $49.99With 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.
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 AmazonEven 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.
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 AmazonIf 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.
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.
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 AmazonA 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.
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.
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...
SAVE $100: As of Jan. 16, the DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo is on sale for $599. That saves you $100 off its $699 list price for 14% savings. That brings the device down to its lowest price ever.
Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo $599 at AmazonThere's been so much news about DJI drones being banned in the United States, but are they actually? Technically, yes, however, there's still plenty of ways around the ban. If you already own a foreign made drone you can still operate it. Plus, already imported drones can still be sold, like the DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo, which happens to be on sale.
As of Jan. 16, the DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo is down to $599. That saves you $100 off its $699 price tag. That's some pretty good savings and actually, the devices lowest price ever.
The DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo is a lightweight and easy to use drone. It features palm takeoff and landing, so it'll come right to you after it finishes flying. As we expect in DJI drones, it has stunning 4K image capturing. The Fly More combo includes the DJI RC Motion 3, DJI Goggles N3, DJI Neo 2 Digital Transceiver, three batteries, a charging hub, and propeller guards.
Get the DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo for $599 at Amazon and save $100.
SAVE $903: As of Jan. 16, the LG 86-inch 85A QNED Mini-LED 4K TV is on sale for just $1,396.99 at Amazon. That's a savings of over $900 or about 39% off — its lowest price on record.
Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 86-inch 85A QNED Mini-LED 4K TV $1,396.99 at AmazonTV deals tend to pop off at this time of year, but they also move pretty fast. So it’s worth jumping on those that catch your eye. One we're looking at heading into the weekend is an all-time low price on a massive 86-inch Mini-LED TV from LG, one of our favorite TV brands.
As of Jan. 16, the LG 86-inch 85A QNED Mini-LED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for just $1,396.99. While Amazon's listing might make it look like a price drop of only a couple hundred dollars, it's actually a savings of over $900 (about 39% off). Its actual list price is between $2,299.99 and $2,499.99 — as seen as Best Buy and LG's own website — so Amazon cuts itself way short.
Debuted at CES 2025, the LG Class 85A is a mid-range Mini-LED option that leans heavily into AI to improve your picture and audio. Thanks to its Alpha 8 AI Processor Gen2, AI can find the perfect HDR and brightness settings for whatever you're watching, while boosting dialogue over background noise and refining your sound to suit your preferences. The AI Magic Remote also provides content recommendations and viewing choices, picture and audio customizations, and even a generative AI gallery to turn your TV into art. Gamers will also appreciate its 120Hz native refresh rate and VRR 144Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium, and LG Game Optimizer.
Ultimately, if you want a massive screen with stunning picture quality that won't put a major dent in your wallet, the LG 86-inch 85A Mini-LED is a great pick.
SAVE $998.01: As of Jan. 16, get the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station for $999.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,998. That's a discount of 50%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station $999.99 at AmazonLosing power is never fun. Whether you're dealing with an emergency or you prefer to go off-grid, you want to make sure you're always covered where electricity is concerned. A good way to do that is by having a portable power station to make sure you're covered at all times. Right now, you can grab a fantastic deal on an Anker portable power station, but this is your last chance to get it before it's no longer on sale.
As of Jan. 16, get the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station for $999.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,998. That's $998.01 off and a discount of 50%.
SEE ALSO: The Jackery HomePower 3000 power station is $1,400 off at Amazon — act fast to save hugeThe C2000 Gen 2 has a 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery that offers 1,056Wh of power. It's pretty massive at around 28 pounds, so this is a big power station you'll need to account for, but it'll keep you afloat for a long time, which is worth that tradeoff. It can handle a 30amp plug and has a sustained power output of 2,400W with a peak at 4,000W, so it's a great pick for powering your life until you get electricity back or for camping trips.
Plus, you can use the included 200W solar panel to charge it back up to 100% when a wall charger just isn't an option. It can be fully charged in just 58 hours when you need to top it up, which means you won't be left waiting long when you finally deplete it.
If you're looking for a solid portable power station without spending the kind of cash one demands, don't wait. Get yours before it's out of stock and back up to its normal price.
Forget Team Black versus Team Green. When it comes to House of the Dragon, the bigger conflict appears to be Team George R.R. Martin versus Team Ryan Condal.
In a Hollywood Reporter interview, the Song of Ice and Fire author revealed that his relationship with the House of the Dragon showrunner is "worse than rocky. It's abysmal."
SEE ALSO: George R.R. Martin hints at a 'tragic' end for Tyrion in 'A Song of Ice and Fire' booksThe pair co-created the Game of Thrones prequel together, but during Season 2, cracks in their relationship began to surface. In an Aug. 30, 2024 post on his Not A Blog blog, Martin wrote, "I do not look forward to other posts I need to write, about everything that’s gone wrong with HOUSE OF THE DRAGON."
That post came just days later, on Sept. 4. In a now-deleted post titled, "Beware the Butterflies," Martin argued that, by removing Helaena (Phia Saban) and Aegon II Targaryen's (Tom Glynn-Carney) baby Maelor from the show's infamous Blood and Cheese sequence, House of the Dragon had unleashed a butterfly effect that would negatively impact its adaptation of plot points from the rest of Martin's Targaryen history Fire and Blood.
SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood'According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Beware the Butterflies" was meant to be the first of six posts Martin would write about House of the Dragon. However, the other five never saw the light of day.
The post was a culmination of what appears to be a strained creative partnership.
"I thought Ryan and I were partners," Martin told The Hollywood Reporter. "And we were all through the first season. I would read early drafts of the scripts. I would give notes. He would change some things. It was working really well — I thought."
Then came Season 2.
"He basically stopped listening to me," Martin said. "I would give notes, and nothing would happen. Sometimes he would explain why he wasn't doing it. Other times, he would tell me, 'Oh, OK, yeah, I'll think about that.' It got worse and worse, and I began to get more and more annoyed. Finally, it got to a point where I was told by HBO that I should submit all my notes to them and they would give Ryan our combined notes."
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Martin and Condal's falling-out escalated in a Zoom meeting with producers and HBO executives where Condal outlined his season plan. Following that, Martin allegedly told him, "This is not my story any longer."
Following the call, Martin reportedly stepped back from House of the Dragon at HBO's request. However, a few months later, he returned to the show for reasons he told The Hollywood Reporter he "can't talk about."
Featured Video For You Sorry to break it to you, the dragons in 'House of the Dragon' are actually wyvernsIn a March 31, 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Condal gave his side on Martin's critiques of Season 2, citing practical needs for the adaptation changes.
"I will simply say, I made every effort to include George in the adaptation process. I really did. Over years and years. And we really enjoyed a mutually fruitful, I thought, really strong collaboration for a long time," Condal told EW. "But at some point, as we got deeper down the road, he just became unwilling to acknowledge the practical issues at hand in a reasonable way. And I think as a showrunner, I have to keep my practical producer hat on and my creative writer, lover-of-the-material hat on at the same time.
"At the end of the day, I just have to keep marching not only the writing process forward, but also the practical parts of the process forward for the sake of the crew, the cast, and for HBO, because that's my job. So I can only hope that George and I can rediscover that harmony someday."
House of the Dragon Season 3 premieres this summer on HBO and HBO Max.
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