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OpenAI is quietly testing its advertising future as it heads into 2026, according to insiders who have heard of revived plans to pilot sponsored content in ChatGPT.

The new rumors stem from comments reportedly made by OpenAI's CEO of applications Fidji Simo, who recently published a breakdown of OpenAI's R&D goals in a post on Substack. Offline, sources say Simo mentioned an additional plan to begin testing ads on internal, employee-only chat models in the new year, reported Alex Heath, journalist and author of blog Sources. Simo has been laying a strong commercial foundation for ChatGPT's advertising future, including partnerships with Walmart, Instacart, Target, and Shopify.

SEE ALSO: Robots at CES: A history in photos

OpenAI has been relatively tight-lipped about its plans to inject public-facing ads directly into chatbot responses or chat windows, despite forward momentum from its competitors like Google and leaked references to ad functionality already being built into the ChatGPT app. In December, user outrage over responses that appeared to read as undisclosed advertisements for products like Peloton exercise bikes and fitness classes, led OpenAI team members to disclose that while the chatbot may make related product "suggestions" to users, there was no monetary advertising model in place. For now.

That same month, CEO Sam Altman told employees that plans for app advertising were on hold while the company entered a "code red" and redefined its priorities for the upcoming year, which included delaying the release of a new personalized assistant model called Pulse.

But the company hasn't fully shelved its ad business goals, which could provide a more stable source of funding for the company (and a profitable use case for the store of personalized user data its compiled). According to reporting by The Information, employees have in recent weeks tested various ad layout mockups and floated disclosures for sponsored responses in ChatGPT conversations, with the goal of creating "a new type of digital ads" that wouldn't immediately turn users away and into the arms of competitors.

"As ChatGPT becomes more capable and widely used, we're looking at ways to continue offering more intelligence to everyone," an OpenAI spokesperson told the publication. "People have a trusted relationship with ChatGPT, and any approach would be designed to respect that trust."

When I was in a band, performing on stage in front of hundreds of people fundamentally changed my relationship with music. It turned it into work. Instead of getting lost in the experience of a concert, I got hung up on the mechanics of playing the music and putting on a show. I lost the excitement a little bit. 

Today, I review phones. I have reviewed every flagship phone launched in the U.S. for the past five years (and many others before that), and it's fair to say it has changed my relationship with phones, making it harder to get excited.

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, which I got to try at CES 2026, makes me excited.

Book-style foldables have been great up until this point, don't get me wrong. There is a reason I don't walk onto a trade show floor with anything other than a foldable. It's great to be able to see more information at once as you try to navigate the streets of Las Vegas, or the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES. But previously foldables have always felt like half-tablets. They were never really big enough to give you that full tablet experience. The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is definitely big enough.

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

This is a phone that fits in your pocket and expands into a full 10-inch display with a roughly 4:3 aspect ratio. That's large enough that it begins to feel like a computer screen, which is just remarkable. You can finally sit down with a phone, bust out a foldable keyboard such as my favored Protoarc XK01 TP Foldable Bluetooth keyboard, and just get some work done. Another key selling point of the Galaxy Z TriFold, beyond the additional screen space, is the fact that DeX can run on the device, giving you a full windowed interface. It's like walking around with a small laptop in your pocket.

How thick is the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold?

Now, let's address the elephant in the room: the phone is extremely thick, though, right? Well, that depends on how you look at it. The Z TriFold is 12.9mm thick when fully closed. That's a lot compared to the 8.9mm Z Fold 7, but still less than the 13.4mm Z Fold 5, which is just two generations old. Users managed that just fine, and there are still people walking around today with the Z Fold 5 in their pocket. So really, the Z TriFold isn't that thick.

Just like the Z Fold 7, the Z TriFold's cover screen measures 6.5 inches. It's very comfortable to use when closed, being wide enough to type on with ease, which isn't something that could be said for any Samsung Galaxy Z Fold prior to 2025. The Z TriFold also uses the same camera setup as the Z Fold 7, including a 200-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide, and 10-megapixel telephoto lens. You can read our full review of the Z Fold 7 to get a sense as to what the camera experience will be like. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold runs on the same Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor featured in the Z Fold 7. Qualcomm has since announced a new generation of mobile processor in September — the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — but few phones in the U.S. are using it today. The Z TriFold is available with 16GB of RAM along with 512 GB or 1TB of storage. We don't yet know what pricing will look like in the U.S., but it's fair to say it will be north of $2,000 and likely in the neighborhood of $2,500 or higher. Innovation comes at a price.

The Galaxy Z TriFold transforms from phone to workstation 

As far as using the Galaxy Z TriFold is concerned, there is one pain point that seems unavoidable for Samsung, even if some other manufacturers have managed it thus far. 

Other phones which fold like the Z TriFold give you choices. For example, the Huawei Mate XT allows you to use it closed, with one screen open, or with all the screens open, and the operating system dynamically adjusts with how you're using the phone. In contrast, Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold gives you two options — open and closed — and that's it. Depending on your use case, the U-shaped closure of the phone might also not be ideal. 

I'm actually okay with this design decision. I use my foldables while they're closed most of the time, and consider protecting the Z TriFold's delicate inner screen a higher priority.

Credit: Adam Doud

Personally, I see the Galaxy Z TriFold as a phone that expands into a workstation. I'm good with that. 

Others might want that square screen that a current foldable gives you, but that isn't possible here. If you try to open just one screen, nothing happens until you open both. Then, if you try to close the wrong screen first, the phone buzzes and warns you that you're closing it incorrectly. That's a good safety feature, but it also emphasizes that the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is not for the same audience as single-fold phones.

As for using the phone, like most foldables, it takes a bit of an adjustment period to get used to holding it and using it on the screen. The most startling thing about the Z TriFold is how thin and light it is when unfurled. At its thinnest when unfolded it is 3.9 millimeters thick. That is not a typo. It’s ridiculous how thin this phone is.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026: Lollipop Star is a speaker that plays music through your teeth. Yes, really.

The Galaxy Z TriFold is thick when folded, measuring the same as the Z Fold 5, however it has a very usable cover screen that's a comparable width to the X Fold 7. This is still a tad too narrow for my taste, but it’s light years better than Samsung foldables prior to the Fold 6.

As for usability, I'd need a full review period to adequately figure out how the Galaxy Z TriFold integrates into my workflow. Still, the extra screen space is amazing and I can fully buy into using this phone as a sort of mini laptop. The one bummer is that the phone case with the stand is not included in the box, though I’m pleased to report that, at least in overseas models (the only ones currently available), a charger is included. So, that’s a pleasant surprise.

Samsung DeX on the device is really solid. I did not have the opportunity to pair a mouse and keyboard to the device, which in my mind will be the real "killer app" here. But the expansive canvas that you get will make this very close to a laptop experience. What’s more, Samsung gives you the ability to have up to four desktop layouts and switch between them in the multitasking interface. You can have both a productivity layout and a gaming layout, for example.

There are some oddities that I noticed during my time with Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold. Notably, the ability to continue what you were doing from the small screen to the larger one and vice versa is missing. I asked Samsung about that and am awaiting further details— stay tuned for our full review.

Another strange quirk is that Samsung’s own news app would not resize or move into a side-by-side mode because it wouldn’t change the aspect ratio. This seems like a weird miss considering this is Samsung’s app on Samsung’s phone. Not a great look.

Even so, these were the only potential issues I identified during my brief time with the Z TriFold. I desperately want to take this phone out for a spin to find out what it’s capable of, and explore everything that a 90-minute hands on experience won’t reveal. 

Put simply, I am genuinely excited to use the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, and you should be too.

SAVE $300: As of Jan. 7, get the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold for $1,499 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,799. That's a discount of 17%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold $1,499 at Amazon
$1,799 Save $300   Get Deal

New year, new you. If that also extends to your smartphone, it might be time to go ahead and upgrade. Luckily, we've found one that's on sale for a significant discount. And if you're an Android user or plan to become one, you'll want to pounce on this deal.

As of Jan. 7, get the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold for $1,499 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,799. That's a discount of 17%.

SEE ALSO: The Google Pixel 9 is back to its lowest-ever price at Amazon — save $300 right now

This unlocked smartphone is Google's version of the folding device. It boasts the largest and brightest screen of the Pixel lineup at eight inches, and is built to utilize Google's Gemini AI features. It features a high-strength hinge that Google claims will give you up to 10 years of folding, as well as Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 that protects the screen.

It has the Google Tensor G5 processor on board, with an improved TPU and CPU, and a 24-hour battery life with support from Qi2 wireless Pixelsnap magnetic charging. And with its high-quality camera array, you can manage some seriously impressive photos.

Mashable's Alex Perry took the Pixel 10 Pro Fold for a spin and praised its "bigger battery and a stronger chip powering it" in comparison to last year's model. Perry also appreciated its "solid performance".

If it's time for a big smartphone upgrade, it might be time to go ahead and lock in this deal.

SAVE $144: The DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo is on sale at Amazon for $575, down from the list price of $719. That's a 20% discount and the best price we've seen since 2024.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo $575 at Amazon
$719 Save $144   Get Deal

For months now, it's been a struggle to get hold of a DJI drone. The brand that makes content-creator approved drones, mics, and portable power stations, has run into issues with getting product into the U.S., but it's not totally impossible. You can still find models at Amazon from trustworthy third-party sellers. That's the case today but with an added bonus of coming with a great discount.

As of Jan. 7, the DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo is on sale for $575 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $719. That works out to a savings of $144 from a 20% discount. It's also the best price we've seen since 2024.

The DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo is a great model for both experienced drone fliers and beginners. It comes in at under 249 grams which make it safe to fly without a license in most areas, not to mention making it easy to pack along on adventures.

SEE ALSO: Gear up for winter with the DJI Power 2000 portable power station while it's $500 off

DJI added other great features to the Mini 3 like the ability to transmit video from over six miles away and wind resistance for gusts that measure up to 23 miles per hour. And all of this comes while recording in 4K.

Beginner-friendly attributes include easy one-tap take off and landing, plus a return to home function. You can also take advantage of easy edits, a map that indicates no-fly areas, and a library of beginner tutorials.

The combo includes the DJI Mini 3, three DJI Intelligent Flight batteries, a DJI RC, three spare propellers, a shoulder bag for easy transport, and plenty more. Before this sale price vanishes, get the comprehensive DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo for $575 at Amazon. You'll be on your way to capturing epic footage in no time.

SAVE $20: As of Jan. 7, the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro is down to just $79 at Amazon as a Lightning deal. That's 20% off the $99 list price and matches the best price ever for the noise-cancelling headphones.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing CMF Headphone Pro $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20   Get Deal

If you're in the market for new noise-cancelling headphones, the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro should be on your radar — especially if you're looking to save some cash.

As of Jan. 7, the CMF Headphone Pro noise-cancelling headphones are down to only $79 at Amazon as a Lightning deal. That's 20% off the usual $99 list price and matches the best-ever price from the holiday season. Lightning deals disappear once all units have been claimed or the deal timer runs out — whichever comes first. So you'll want to add it to your cart ASAP if you want to get the discount.

While we haven't had a chance to test the CMF Headphone Pro, released just a few months ago, we truly adored the British brand's other 2025 releases — like the retro-inspired flagship headphones and the CMF Watch 3 Pro. Why would the Headphone Pro be any different? Like other products from the CMF line (Nothing's budget brand), they have top-notch specs at an absurdly low price point. The CMF Headphone Pro noise-cancelling headphones feature a mighty impressive 100-hour battery life (50 with ANC turned on), up to 40db of adaptive noise cancellation, spatial audio, custom EQ, intuitive on-ear controls, and comfy interchangeable ear cushions.

Typically, specs such as these would cost you well over $100. At only $79, the CMF Headphone Pro wireless cans are honestly a steal. They come in two shades of gray and a fun light green.

SAVE 14%: As of Jan. 7, you can get the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16, 128GB, WiFi) for $299, down from $349, at Amazon. That's a 14% discount or $50 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 11-inch Apple iPad (A16, 128GB, WiFi) $299 at Amazon
$349 Save $50   Get Deal

If you missed out on the holiday tech sales, Amazon is keeping the momentum going with a solid discount on Apple's newest entry-level tablet.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Air M3 review: The smallest of upgrades

As of Jan. 7, the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) is on sale for $299 at Amazon. That's a $50 discount off its $349 list price. While we saw it hit $274 during Black Friday, this is the best price we've tracked since the calendar turned to 2026.

Apple announced this 11th-generation model in March 2025 as a pretty substantial "freshening up" for the base iPad. It uses the A16 Bionic chip, which Apple says is roughly 30 percent faster than the A14 found in the previous generation. The most practical change, though, is the storage boost. Apple finally killed off the 64GB base model and started this one at 128GB. That alone makes it a much easier recommendation since you won't have to spend your life deleting old photos just to download a movie for a flight.

You'll also get an 11-inch Liquid Retina display and a 12MP front camera that's already positioned on the landscape edge. It still uses Touch ID on the top button and charges via USB-C, so it’ll work with the cables you probably already have lying around.

SAVE 36%: As of Jan. 7, you can get the Star Wars: Unlimited TCG Spark of Rebellion Booster Display (24 Booster Packs) for $76.10, down from $119.76. That's a 36% discount, or $43.66 in savings.

Star Wars: Unlimited TCG Spark of Rebellion Booster Display (24 Booster Packs) $76.10 at Amazon
$119.76 Save $43.66   Get Deal at Amazon

If you’re still trying to fill the holes in your first-edition collection or just want to feel the rush from cracking open a fresh pack, this is your chance to grab a box without paying the usual "out of print" tax.

As of Jan. 7, the Star Wars: Unlimited TCG Spark of Rebellion Booster Display (24 Packs) is on sale for $76.10 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount off the $119.76 list price. For context, the current market value for this display is $80.97, so you're snagging it for about $5 under the going rate.

SEE ALSO: Star Wars goes quiet. How long will the Dark Times last?

Each of the 24 booster packs comes with 16 cards, including a guaranteed foil and a leader card. If the Force is actually on your side, you might even pull a Showcase variant — some of which, like the Leia Organa or Emperor Palpatine cards, have been known to trade for hundreds of dollars.

Since this is the first set in the Unlimited series, supply has been notoriously spotty since it launched. Finding a sealed display box for under $80 is a solid win, especially since prices have been known to creep back up toward the $100 mark whenever stock gets thin.

SAVE $500: The DJI Power 2000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $799, down from the list price of $1,299. That's a 38% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 2000 portable power station $799 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $500   Get Deal

The world of content creation is pretty great. From our couch, we can now join people on a cruise that goes around the world, step into a grocery store in Sweden, or watch incredible drone footage of winter skiing. If you happen to be one of these content creators, you know the struggle of keeping everything powered up, but there's a simple solution in a portable power station. If you're looking for a model that's great for creators, check out this Amazon deal.

As of Jan. 7, the DJI Power 2000 portable power station is on sale for $799 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $1,299. That's a 38% discount that takes $500 off the usual price.

If you're a fan of DJI drones, you'll love the two SDC ports on the Power 2000. In addition, it comes with four AC ports, four USB-A, and four USB-C options (140W max) for recharging everything you'll need to create content. In total, the DJI Power 2000 offers up 2,048Wh of battery life with long-lasting LiFePO4 battery cells.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for the big chill with the Bluetti Pioneer Na(Sodium) portable power station while it's $500 off

DJI mentions this is also a great model for using at home during power outages. You'll be able to recharge a phone, tablet, and a 2100W oven all at the same time with the DJI Power 2000. Other scenarios include keeping the WiFi router on for over 150 hours, or the refrigerator cooling for 40 hours.

Another major benefit of the DJI Power 2000 is its expansion ability. The station can connect with up to 10 DJI expansion batteries, which would offer a grand total of 22,528Wh. In real-life terms, DJI says that can power a whole house for four to six days.

Before you head off on the next content creation project, upgrade to the DJI Power 2000 to ensure your tech can stay charged up. Today's sale price at Amazon means you can save $500 on the station that will also be great at home during power outages.

How does your music taste? Or, perhaps, how does your lollipop sound?

These have just become legit questions as one company just launched a lollipop at CES 2026 that doubles as a loudspeaker.

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

Called the Lollipop Star and created by Indian company Lava Brand, this unusual combo isn't the type of speaker you buy once and use for years. Instead, they're affordable, quick, sweet bites that play a tune while you eat them.

At nine bucks a piece, these are going to be hard to say no to. Credit: Lava Brand

The company said it's teamed up with global pop icons for the music, and that each Lollipop Star, priced at $8.99, will carry its own beat, flavor and vibe. Examples include a peach-flavored lollipop that plays music from Ice Spice, or a blueberry-flavored one that plays Akon.

So how does it work? Lollipop Star uses bone conduction tech to deliver the sound, with the electronics hidden in the stick. As you bite down on the lollipop, vibrations travel from your jaw to your inner ear. You probably shouldn't expect too much in terms of sound quality, but at nine bucks a piece, it won't break the bank, either. It's the type of product that makes it near impossible to say no to once your kids first encounter it.

Featured Video For You Motorola is entering the wearable AI game

Lollipop Star isn't available yet, but it should launch after CES. If you're interested, you can head on to the company's website and join the waitlist to get updates about the product.

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

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is on sale for $98.68 at Amazon. That's below market value compared to TCGplayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Store Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box $98.68 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $66.02   Get Deal

We're usually content with finding trading cards at close to market value on Amazon, so we're extremely pleased to see something considerably below what the market is willing to pay. It doesn't happen regularly, so we feel the need to make some noise about the fact that the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is under $100 at Amazon.

As of Jan. 7, the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is on sale for $98.68 at Amazon. That's over $60 off and close to the lowest-ever price at the retailer. It's also lower than the market value we're seeing over on TCGplayer, which is really something. Amazon doesn't usually compete with the market, so collectors should take note.

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The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box includes 30 play boosters that each contain 14 cards plus a single Token or Art card. Of the 14 cards in each play booster, one will be a shining Traditional Foil card, 1-4 will be "Rare" or better, and you could even pull a Special Guest Mythic Rare. That's not likely, but you could get lucky.

Pick up the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box for below market value at Amazon.

SAVE $10: As of Jan. 7, the Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311) is marked down to $39.98 at Amazon. This is $10.01 off its list price of $49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311) $39.98 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.01   Get Deal

The Lego Botanicals collection features a variety of beautiful brick-built floral arrangements that are perfect for grabbing if you want a little extra color in your home. What's even better is some sets, like the Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311), are on sale at the moment.

As of Jan. 7, the Lego Botanicals Orchid is on sale for $39.98 at Amazon, which is just over $10 off its usual list price of $49.99. It's one of our favorite Lego sets — thanks to its "gorgeous" design and the fact that it's "unkillable" — so why not scoop it up now while the deal is still available?

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The Lego Botanicals Orchid is recommended for adults and comes with 608 pieces to create this lovely display piece. It features five leaves at the base, two wandering air roots alongside the blooms, and a blue vase to keep them all in, which can all be customized and rotated so you can find your preferred style for display.

If you're hoping to bring some flower arrangements into your home without having to worry about watering them, this Lego Botanicals Orchid is worth a look, especially while it's discounted. It's not the only Lego Botanicals set on sale right now, either. If you want more, the Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet is also on sale right now.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $88.30 at Amazon. That's over $10 off and close to market value.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box $88.30 at Amazon
$106.89 Save $18.59   Get Deal

The trading card market is, frankly, all over the place. We're desperately trying to keep pace with market fluctuations, but it's hard, OK? Prices climb and fall seemingly without warning, and big box retailers often offer inflated prices disguised as deals.

With all of that in mind, when we find something on Amazon that's actually close to market value, we're pretty pleased. And that's exactly what we've got with the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box. This popular set is on sale for $88.30 at Amazon. That's over $10 off and close to market value compared to listings on TCGplayer.

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The Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box includes nine booster packs, one full-art foil promo card featuring Charcadet, and 65 card sleeves. This collection also comes with 40 Pokémon TCG Energy cards, a player’s guide to the expansion, six damage-counter dice, one competition-legal coin-flip die, one plastic coin, and a collector’s box with six dividers to keep everything organized.

Get the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box for close to market value at Amazon.

Roblox, the global youth gaming platform currently under fire for widespread child safety concerns, is rolling out mandatory age checks for all users who want to chat on the platform.

Roblox's site-wide age estimation feature was announced in November, utilizing AI age estimation tech provided by third-party vendor Persona that relies on on-device cameras. The system then assigns users to one of six categories: Under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. The tech was initially launched as part of a verified chat tool for users 13-17 years old.

Starting today (Jan. 7), that process will be required for all users in areas where chat functions are available.

SEE ALSO: What would ethical age verification look like online?

"As the first large online gaming platform to require facial age checks for users of all ages to access chat, this implementation is our next step toward what we believe will be the gold standard for communication safety," wrote Matt Kaufman, Roblox Chief Safety Officer, and Rajiv Bhatia, head of user and discovery product, in a blog post.

According to the platform, millions have already completed voluntary age checks since the feature launched. In regions where age checks were already required — Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands — Roblox says more than 50 percent of all users have opted in to age-verified chat.

Roblox says it plans to expand mandatory age estimation to real-time collaboration features in Roblox Studio, and will be updating its Roblox community policies.

Credit: Roblox

The site, which saw 151 million daily users in 2025, is home to nearly half of the entire U.S. population under 16 years old.

Roblox has been systematically overhauling its chat features and bulking up its parental control tools in response to safety concerns, including activity monitoring, expanded blocking options, and chat moderation.

Still, many are skeptical that Roblox's expanded age checks and other safety features will effectively tamp down the proliferation of child exploitation and predators on the platform. Some contend that the technology has too much room for error — developers Persona and Roblox executives say age estimation is accurate within a margin of two years, and works better for younger users.

In addition to multiple lawsuits filed by state attorneys general, Roblox is facing nearly 80 lawsuits by victims and parents that allege the platform did not do enough to prevent child sexual exploitation or warn users of risks. Several of the cases also name Meta, Discord, and Snapchat, sites where victims were directed to continue inappropriate conversations started on Roblox. The cases are set to be centralized before a single district judge in a San Francisco. Roblox has disputed the claims.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 7, the Soundcore Space Q45 headphones have dropped to $99.99 at Amazon. This is $50 off their list price of $149.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Space Q45 Headphones $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

If new headphones are on your shopping list for 2026, Amazon has some exciting deals to check out. At the moment, our favorite well-rounded budget headphones, the Soundcore Space Q45 headphones, have dipped below $100 at the retailer, but only for a limited time.

Amazon has dropped the price of the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones down to $99.99, making for $50 in savings from their list price of $149.99. Considering they're listed as a limited-time deal, it's better to act fast to pick them up at this low price.

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The Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones have quite a lot to offer for under $100. They boast adaptive noise cancelling to help you block out any noises around you while you listen, up to 50 hours of playtime in noise cancelling mode (which is a massive bonus for those wanting headphones for long travel periods), and great sound quality.

When it comes to the latter, our roundup of the best budget headphones — which highlights these as the most well-rounded budget headphones — says "Bass dominates the soundstage in a positive way. Headbangers will salivate over the Space Q45’s boomy and energetic low-end presence. Customized settings (e.g., EQ, music presets) make room for crisp highs and rich mids."

If you're looking for a sleek sound upgrade for the new year, look no further than this deal on the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones. If you're curious what other options are worth grabbing this year, have a look at our overall roundup of the best headphones to see some of our top picks.

If you want to get a flavor of Donald Trump's latest speech made to Republicans on Tuesday, just watch the 57-second montage in the Jimmy Kimmel Live! video above — which is so all-over-the-place it's difficult to summarise in words.

"I feel like even he knows what he's saying's nuts, because just about every time he goes off on these tangents, he then makes it clear that he isn't actually scatterbrained, it's just a 'weave,'" says host Jimmy Kimmel. He then cuts back to the U.S. president explaining the importance of returning to an original point after going off on tangents so that you're "in good shape."

"That's right," says Kimmel. "No one is in better shape than he is."

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is available to pre-order for $159.99 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price at the retailer.

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$209.70 Save $49.71   Get Deal

We're busy keeping tabs on all the new Magic: The Gathering collections set to launch. Partly because what's to come is seriously cool, but also because we're waiting for the best deals to drop. We've already highlighted the upcoming release on the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box, but there's more to come in the early stages of 2026.

The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is set to release on March 6. As of Jan. 7, this booster box is available to pre-order for $159.99 at Amazon. That's close to market value compared to listings on TCGplayer, but we'd still like to see Amazon's price come down a little more. So are we saying you should wait for a better price? No, actually.

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Amazon's pre-order price guarantee protects you against missing out on a better deal. Whenever you pre-order a product with Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, the price you get charged when it ships will be the lowest price offered between the time you placed your order and the end of the day on the release date. So there's no risk of buying early.

The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is perfect for building decks and playing Limited games with friends, and they're just a lot of fun to open up. Each booster contains 14 cards, 1-4 rares or mythics, 3-6 uncommons, 6-9 commons, and a chance of pulling Full Boarderless or Mythic Rare Turtles. Feeling lucky?

Secure Amazon's best price on the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box before it launches in March, 2026

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI has raised $20 billion in an upsized Series E funding round, the company announced on Tuesday. The news comes days after the company's next generation intelligent assistant Grok came under scrutiny for generating nonconsensual sexualized images.

The original target for the funding round was $15 billion, xAI said, but ended up raising $5 billion more from an A list of investors including Fidelity, Valor, Stepstone, Baron, Qatar Investment Authority, MGX, as well as Nvidia's and Cisco's investment arms.

SEE ALSO: xAI admits that Grok generated images of 'minors in minimal clothing,' part of a larger problem with deepfakes

The company is currently training its next generation intelligent assistant, Grok 5, and is also working on "innovative new consumer and enterprise products that harness the power of Grok, Colossus, and 𝕏 to transform how we live, work, and play."

The money raised will be used for infrastructure buildout, new research, and hiring, with the company saying it's "aggressively" hiring to build a team "focused on making a transformational impact on the future of humanity."

In a blog post announcing the funding round, xAI highlighted some of its successes in 2025, including launching Grok 4 series, Grok's voice mode, image generation tool Grok Imagine, and using Grok to leverage the X platform to "understand what's happening in the world in real-time."

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

The announcement comes days after X users noticed that the platform's AI chatbot Grok will readily generate nonconsensual sexualized images, including those of children. These images were incredibly easy to find — all one had to do was check Grok's "Media" tab on X and see that it basically consists of sexualized images of women, both celebrities and private citizens.

Following the outrage from users, several foreign governments, including those of Malaysia, India, and France, launched investigations into Grok. Musk responded to the issue by tweeting that "anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content."

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As of writing time Grok's Media tab on X has gotten better in this regard, but still contains numerous sexualized images of various people.

SAVE $150: As of Jan. 7, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is down to its lowest-ever prices of $499.98 at Amazon. This is $150.01 off the list price of $649.99.

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$649.99 Save $150.01   Get Deal

The start of a new year is a good opportunity to plan out some of your health and fitness goals. A smartwatch can help you keep an eye on them, and right now there's quite a few discounts to check out. If you're looking to splash out on a fancy high-end model, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is among the options on sale.

As of Jan. 7, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra ismarked down to its lowest-ever price of $499.98 at Amazon. This is just over $150 off its usual price of $649.99, which is a pretty nice deal to jump on.

SEE ALSO: The top 6 CES 2026 trends I expect to see at tech's biggest show

The heavy duty Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra boasts a durable titanium design and plenty of features, including an Energy Score to see how ready your body is for the day and a Running Coach for athletic individuals wanting to plan out a run for the day. It also features Advanced Sleep Coaching to get a better idea of your sleeping habits and Vascular Load monitoring to keep an eye on your stress levels.

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These are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If you're looking for a sleek smartwatch upgrade, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is worth a look, especially while it's still on sale.

Curious what other smartwatches are worth checking out right now? Have a look at our breakdown of the best smartwatches to see more top picks that we believe are worth your time and money.

It was easy to get excited by, or fearful about, the future suggested by at least one robot that debuted at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas.

Hyundai, better known for cars, chose this spot for the first public outing of Atlas, the previously lab-bound robot that came out of its 2020 purchase of dystopian robot manufacturer Boston Dynamics. Atlas, a humanoid with a flashlight face and kinda weirdly ripped torso that can lift 110 pounds, could not have looked more dystopian if they'd hung a sign around his neck reading "I'LL BE BACK (FOR YOUR JOB)."

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

But take heart, humanity. The future of this CES nightmare fuel could yet look a lot like past CES robot nightmare fuel — which is to say, a lot of trade show sizzle that ultimately failed to sell a lot of steak. I'm one of many veteran CES reporters who encountered humanoids (plus canine-oids, and, uh, dino-oids?) at the top tech show over many years in the early part of this century.

In retrospect, it's pretty clear why so few survived, while human reporters still stalk the halls looking to bag the next one. Come with us now on a photographic journey through the weird and wonderful history of CES and its ominous robot prototypes that didn't quite pan out. All the way back to...

CES 2004: The Sony Qrio says hello Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Hard to remember now, but this cute Sony Qrio robot was once taken seriously as a harbinger of doom. In one of the biggest TV hits of the 2000s, Battlestar Galactica, Qrio is the star of a series finale scene showing how (mild spoiler alert for a 20-year old show) Cylon-like tech is developing on Earth. The Qrio never went on sale — although of an unknown number of prototypes, four did achieve pop stardom in a Beck video.

CES 2006: Google's robot car rides in Credit: Neal Ulevich / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Yep, that's Google co-founder Larry Page in his nerdier youth, riding onto the CES stage atop a very, very early Google prototype self-driving "robot" car — better known to you kids as a Waymo. Now, 20 years later, Waymo is doing its robotaxi thing in five cities in the U.S. Not bad, but not exactly "rise of the machines" territory.

CES 2007: That's one small step for Asimo ... Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Humanoid robots started looking uncannily good with the Honda Asimo. This guy could walk around pretty well (especially if walking in circles is your thing), and even run at a very good six miles per hour. But like the Daleks in Doctor Who, it was defeated by stairs: one small misstep in a human-operated CES demo led to a giant leap of early YouTube videos featuring Asimo pratfalls. Well, look what you did, YouTubers. You killed the Asimo, which Honda ceased producing in 2018, with its last working appearance in Disneyland now a distant memory. Happy now?

CES 2009: Anybots makes its presence known Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

RIP, telepresence robot from Anybots, never produced commercially. Who could have foreseen that people wouldn't jump at the chance to see their colleagues on tiny screens in the chests of weird white cyborgs? Even Anybots reps' suggestion on the CES 2009 show floor — that American bosses could use these things to oversee production in Chinese factories remotely — failed to warm many global capitalist hearts.

CES 2011: Robovie busts a move Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Dance break! No, but seriously, pour one out for this poor Robovie line, from a Japanese company called Vstone. Its main claim to fame in later versions was to feature in experiments where kids literally beat them up.

Featured Video For You The humanoid so real they had to cut it open CES 2012: The Bieber machine Credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Here's Justin Bieber at CES 2012 pointing a microphone at a moving speaker by Vietnamese company TOSY Robotics called the mRobo Ultra Bass, which dances to the beat. This product seems to have lasted a few more years after its encounter with Bieber before going all "where are you now."

CES 2014: Pretty in Pleo Credit: Joe Klamar / AFP via Getty Images

The first version of this robot dinosaur (full disclosure: I owned one) crashed and burned company Ugobe into bankruptcy in 2009. This pink version, the Pleo RB "robotic lifeform" represented its all-too-brief second coming.

CES 2015: Would you leave your kid with this robot? Credit: Britta Pedersen / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

The intent of Medi was much like that of Baymax, the healthcare robot in Big Hero 6 (2014): to help sick children get healthy. But there's a reason Baymax wasn't animated in this posture of, uh, let's call it robospreading. Regardless of what happened to the company behind it, RxRobots, Medi robots crop up in news reports with sick kids every now and again.

CES 2015: Hey now, Aiko Credit: Michael Nagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Aiko Chihira was Toshiba's "communication android." She was sometimes pitched as an android receptionist, but also demonstrated sign language. Amazingly, she did not come for any ASL interpreters' jobs.

CES 2016: The Segway robot is...a choice Credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Remember when Segway completely turned around its image, from a comedy vehicle that George W. Bush fell over on, into the future of transportation? And it was all because Intel CEO Brian Krzanich rode into his CES keynote on a self-balancing Segway personal transportation robot? No, me neither. Segway, now owned by a Chinese company, has pivoted to delivery robots, which might be taking a few jobs from hardworking Taskrabbits.

CES 2017: Nvidia talks robot cars Credit: Andrej Sokolow / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Wait, who's this fake leather-jacketed gentleman talking about how Nvidia is going to help Audi build robot cars that wouldn't make it far beyond the concept stage? Surely not Nvidia president and CEO Jensen Huang, the same guy who stood on the stage at CES in 2026 and talked about Nvidia's ambition to build robot cars with Mercedes. (Admittedly, he's a lot closer to production this time.)

CES 2017: Breaking news, robot plays chess Credit: Rob Lever / AFP via Getty Images

To be fair, this one from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) was pretty cool. Not just chess-playing software, but a demo robot using an intelligent vision system to see the pieces, with arms to move them. Similar concept models have since come to CES since to play Scrabble and tic-tac-toe. Do challenge one to a game if you see them, they often seem lonely.

CES 2018: Aibo! Is that you, buddy? Credit: David McNew / AFP

Ah, good old Aibo the robot dog! (Full disclosure: I had one of the original 2001 Aibo models until it fell down the stairs and, sickeningly, broke its neck. I am a bad robot dog parent.) This is the fourth generation Aibo, which has not advanced techologically since 2018. That didn't stop Sony from releasing it in a new series of colors in 2025.

CES 2018: The robot stripper Credit: Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images

Here we see an actual case of robots taking jobs — if the job in question was to perform as an exotic dancer on these particular CES 2018 poles at the Sapphire club for a night or two.

CES 2018: Breaking news, robot uses vacuum Credit: David Becker / Getty Images

Sometimes, CES robots take jobs from other robots. This Aeolus robot shown at CES 2018 can use an actual vacuum cleaner. In your face, Roomba! Aeolus, indeed, is still in business post-pandemic. Roomba is not.

CES 2019: Four legs bad Credit: David McNew / AFP

This is ANYbotics and Continental's ANYmal quadrupedal delivery robot, which now has a second career as a factory inspector.

CES 2020: Digit gets packing Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

Here we have it, finally: the world's first commercially deployed humanoid robot, Digit. Since the pandemic, the company has inked a deal with Amazon and built its first robot factory. Still not quite taking over the world just yet.

CES 2020: You're Terminated Credit: David Becker / Getty Images

When all else fails, build a robot that looks and talks uncannily like a human. This is the Robo-C at CES 2020, and its makers, Promobot, are still in business with a sequel.

CES 2020: TP robot tells the future Credit: Mario Tama / Getty Images

Little did attendees in January 2020 — some of whom, like me, were starting to suffer from a curiously strong winter flu — know that this Charmin TP delivery self-balancing "Rollbot", a mere concept, still pointed the way to the future. As the world locked down against the COVID-19 pandemic three months later, rolls like this would be in short supply in supermarkets.

CES 2022: This robot sucks Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

When CES finally returned two years later, the Amagami Ham Ham play-biting cat was one of the show's most popular robots. What can I say, the pandemic made us all a little strange. (And yes, you can still get one.)

CES 2022: Hyundai sees Spot run Credit: Andrej Sokolow / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Spot, Boston Dynamics' first commercial robot, was first shown to the world in 2016 — but that didn't stop Hyundai from showing it off at CES six years later. It seems to be finding success in a few niche roles: as an inspection robot, and in some bomb disposal squads.

CES 2022: OK, getting a little creepy now Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

Uncanny Valley ahoy: it's the Ameca, which bills itself as "the world's most advanced social humanoid robot" with AI gestures and a library of 50 facial expressions. You still have to ask the manufacturers for a quote if you want to build one, suggesting they're not exactly flying off the shelves.

CES 2023: Pour one out for Adam Credit: David Becker / Getty Images

Adam the bartender is a popular productivity bot to have returned to CES several times, based on AI-driven factory robots you can actually buy, and yet your neighborhood bartender persists in having a job. (Unless your neighborhood bar is Botbar in Oakland, where Adam is currently serving. Breaking news: was serving. Botbar is permanently closed as of January 2026. Sorry, Adam.) However, AI robot bartenders are still serving at CES.

CES 2025: TOMO takes over Credit: Artur Widak / Anadolu via Getty Images

This keyboard-playing concept robot shown by EMage group at CES 2025 might take your job, if your job is "coolest being in a Kraftwerk tribute band."

CES 2026: When Jensen met Grek Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

Now as in 2017, Jensen Huang of Nvidia is selling a vision of a robotics-driven future. That little guy with him at CES 2026 is Grek, developed by Disney Research with Nvidia support. Alas, Grek — which Huang has been taking to trade shows since mid-2025 — doesn't even have his own Disney movie deal yet, let alone your job.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know west coast schools.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Hockey

• Green: Gear

• Blue: Baseball leaders

• Purple: College characters

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: NHL teams with singular nicknames

• Green: A bit of track and field equipment

• Blue: MLB managers

• Purple: Mascots for University of California Schools, in the singular

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #471 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• NHL teams with singular nicknames - AVALANCHE, KRAKEN, LIGHTNING, MAMMOTH

• A bit of track and field equipment - BATON, HURDLE, JAVELIN, POLE

• MLB managers - CASH, COUNSELL, MARMOL, VOGT

• Mascots for University of California Schools, in the singular - BANANA SLUG, BRUIN, GAUCHO, GOLDEN BEAR

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.