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TL;DR: Live stream England vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations for free on ITVX. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Six Nations is always unpredictable, but this year's tournament feels especially open.
France are probably favorites to win, but England and Ireland won't be far behind. And England are coming into this competition on the back of some promising wins in the Autumn Internationals. Borthwick's team secured big wins against Australia and New Zealand in November. They'll be looking to build on that success and start strongly against Wales.
If you want to watch England vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is England vs. Wales?England vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations starts at 4:40 p.m. GMT on Feb. 7. This fixture takes place at Twickenham Stadium.
How to watch England vs. Wales for freeEngland vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations is available to live stream for free on ITVX.
ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX from anywhere in the world.
Live stream England vs. Wales from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit ITVX
Live stream England vs. Wales for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch England vs. Wales without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream most of the 2026 Six Nations before recovering your investment.
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Live stream England vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations for free with ExpressVPN.
The Moon is appearing a little less illuminated each night as we move toward the next stage of the lunar cycle, the Third Quarter. During this phase, any visible features on its surface will be lit on the left side.
What is today’s Moon phase?As of Saturday, Feb. 7, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 71% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
Looking up with just your naked eye, you should be able to see the Mares Vaporum and Imbrium and the Aristarchus Plateau. With binoculars, you'll also be able to see Clavius, Gassendi, and the Archimedes Craters. If you have a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Apollo 12 and 11 landing spots as well as the Linne Crater.
When is the next Full Moon?The next Full Moon will be on March 3.
What are Moon phases?NASA says that a complete lunar cycle takes about 29.5 days, which is the time the Moon needs to orbit Earth once. During this cycle, it goes through eight distinct phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the visible portion that is illuminated changes as the Moon travels along its orbit. The varying amount of sunlight reflected off the Moon is what causes it to appear fully lit, partially lit, or nearly dark at different stages. The eight phases of the Moon are:
New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're great at reading symbols.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. 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 today's 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?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.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.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.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: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 7, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Roll them
Green: Math signs
Blue: Found in a sentence
Purple: Not capitalized
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Pips on a die
Green: Symbols used in arithmetic
Blue: Punctuation marks
Purple: Lowercase letters
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 #972 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayPips on a die: FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO
Symbols used in arithmetic: DIVIDED BY, EQUALS, MINUS, PLUS
Punctuation marks: COLON, ELLIPSIS, PERIOD, QUOTATION MARK
Lowercase letters: I, L, T, X
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 7, 2026Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
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.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're easily bored.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 7, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 7, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Boo-o-o-o-ringThe words are related to free time.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words describe a lack of excitement.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Watching Paint Dry
NYT Strands word list for February 7Watching Paint Dry
Dreary
Dull
Mundane
Tiresome
Humdrum
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 Strands.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're an animal lover.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. 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 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 7, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 7, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Baaa.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no recurring letters.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
BLEAT
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle 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.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 7, 2026Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
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 Wordle.
Are investors already getting weary of tech's golden goose, artificial intelligence?
On Friday, tech stocks took a hit on Wall Street, and the underlying cause seems to be alarm over record AI infrastructure spending. Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, and Oracle were among just some of the companies whose falling shares accounted for $1 trillion in losses from Big Tech stocks, as CNBC reported.
Big tech companies like Amazon and Google have been furiously ramping up capital expenditures to build AI data centers and shifting focus to AI products and services.
The immediate spark for the Friday sell-off was the Amazon fourth-quarter earnings report. The e-commerce giant projected that its capital expenditures would reach $200 billion in 2026. CNBC reported that Amazon's Capex figure was $50 billion higher than expected, and the stock market reacted accordingly.
Speaking to CNBC, GAM Investments' investment director Paul Markham explained why AI would affect these companies on the stock market.
“Questions over the extent of capex [capital expenditures] as a result of LLM build-outs, the eventual return on that, and the fear of eventual over-expansion of capacity will be persistent,” Markham told CNBC.
However, the cold feet from investors regarding AI seems to be a fairly recent development, at least when it comes to stock market results. Just a few weeks ago, Facebook and Instagram owner Meta announced it planned to allocate an additional 73 percent of its capital spending, or roughly $115 billion to $135 billion, to AI development. Unlike the recent Amazon announcement, Meta's stock went up 10 percent on this news.
There are also reasons to be skeptical of an AI bubble, however.
Also on Friday, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang insisted that massive increases in capital expenditures are "justified," as the tech leader told CNBC's "Halftime Report" hosts. After making these comments, CNBC reported that NVIDIA shares rose 8 percent.
NVIDIA is often seen as a bellwether for a possible AI bubble, as the company sells the chips used by AI companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Google. At Davos, Huang said that the massive investment in AI seemingly proves it's not a bubble. NVIDIA would be a massive loser if AI did prove to be a bubble, of course.
Still, there were signs that Amazon's stock was rebounding slightly after Huang's comments.
Deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein cultivated a network of powerful tech leaders and executives in the early to mid-2010s, according to Mashable's review of some of the documents contained in the Department of Justice's latest release of Epstein files.
A number of boldface names show up in his inbox during that time, including Bill Gates, Reid Hoffman, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos. None of the individuals have been accused of participating in Epstein's abuse and trafficking of minors.
Based on the reviewed documents and previously reported information, Epstein demonstrated a longstanding interest in not only socializing with the tech elite, but also making influential investments and behind-the-scenes moves to influence technological innovation.
SEE ALSO: Seth Meyers has a blunt response to Elon Musk's email to EpsteinThe New York Times reported Thursday that he had access to startups and venture capital funds, and the executives leading them, well after he pleaded guilty for soliciting a minor for prostitution in Florida, in 2008. Epstein was, for example, an early investor in the cryptocurrency startup Coinbase, in 2014, according to the records.
Epstein's unusual deal required him to register as a sex offender, and he ultimately served roughly 13 months in jail.
The charge and Epstein's incarceration weren't secrets; The Daily Beast reported on the financier's deal and criminal behavior in 2010. (Former Daily Beast editor Tina Brown recently recounted Epstein's high-pressure legal campaign against the coverage prior to its publication.)
Still, those revelations didn't stop tech leaders from befriending Epstein as e-commerce, social media, and the beginnings of artificial intelligence reshaped the internet, the economy, and society. Per the documents Mashable was able to review, Epstein had different relationships with big players in tech.
Some appeared to be collaborators or friends, such as Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel, and LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman. Some, like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Google cofounder Sergey Brin, were cc'd on emails to numerous tech executives that Epstein also received. Others, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, were mentioned in Epstein's schedule, by his assistant, or in conversation with a third party.
The documents give startling insight into how Epstein operated with tech executives.
Epstein and tech execs: Professional, sometimes friendly and familiarIn Sept. 2012, Epstein emailed Musk to ask about "the Al guy in London that you thought was smart." Musk simply replies, "Demis Hassabis". Hassabis is now the co-founder & CEO of Google Deep Mind. Google acquired Hassabis' company DeepMind Technologies in 2014.
Musk's exchanges with Epstein weren't limited to professional matters. Epstein invited Musk to his infamous Caribbean private island home, where Epstein engaged in the rape and sexual abuse of minors, and provided trafficked minors to other powerful men. Over the course of a year, Musk tried to schedule a visit to the island.
In Nov. 2012, Musk asked, "What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" He had planned to attend with his wife at the time and suggested on X that, as a result, he didn't anticipate anything "actually shady."
In the months of email exchanges, Musk appears to have had scheduling conflicts that prevented him from visiting. Musk recently said on X that he "declined repeated invitations" from Epstein and had never been to his island or on his private plane.
Musk claims that "nobody has fought harder for full release" of the Epstein files than him.
Epstein also emailed Hoffman directly a number of times between 2013 and 2018. Hoffman acknowledged on social media that he met Epstein at his island home for a "fundraising visit." Hoffman has published on X a list of dates he met with Epstein to discuss a "fundraising relationship" he had with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Epstein contributed $850,000 to MIT between 2002 and 2017. Hoffman said on X that "interacting with Epstein post-conviction is something I deeply regret."
In one email from Dec. 2014, Hoffman wrote Epstein to say that he sent two gifts to his New York City address: "1- ice cream. if you have any interest, you should try — else for the girls." It's unclear who Hoffman is referencing when he mentions "girls." (The dash in Hoffman's writing appeared originally; it is not a redaction.)
Mashable reached out to Hoffman for comment about the identity of the girls he referenced.
"The victims of Epstein’s abhorrent and vile actions deserve all the information they are seeking, and I continue to call on President Trump to deliver that for them," Hoffman wrote on X.
The nature of their respective relationships with Epstein has become the source of an accusatory back-and-forth between Musk and Hoffman on Musk's social media platform X.
The Epstein files contain 6,500 references to "the girls." Epstein's will did not appear to name any biological dependents or beneficiaries aside from his brother.
Epstein wrote personally about "the girls" in a February 2013 email to a contact, noting that "the girls and i are going to see elon musk at space x tomorrow".
In 2014, an email with redacted correspondents discusses arrangements for "the girls.
"Can you help?," reads the email addressed to a person named Richard. "As I did not hear back from [redacted] and I think that JE wants me to reach out to the girls regarding their individual spaces." The exchange, which includes more detail, is eventually forwarded to Epstein.
A 2015 email involving Epstein's assistant details "cleaning" arrangements for the girls and their apartments. The redacted respondent says, "Okey (sic) me and Leo's back to weelkly (sic) cleaning with the girls…We apologize for not cleaning the girls this week but we can clean some girls today if you want…" A 2017 email with redacted respondents goes into detail about a cleaning schedule and anticipating guests for the apartments.
"Get the girls apartments done and 7J for our guest arriving tonight," the email reads.
A list of tech titans who appear in the Epstein filesAn appearance by a major tech executive in the files does not imply or indicate that they participated in illegal or criminal behavior. This list is organized in alphabetical order. The number of appearances can include duplicate documents and references.
1. Jeff Bezos: 194 referencesBezos' name appears in the files relatively infrequently compared to people like Gates and Hoffman. In one 2018 email, a contact of Epstein's asked if he should attend a talk given by Bezos. Epstein replies, "yes you can say hello from me".
In a 2010 email, Bezos is cc'd along with several high-profile tech executives (Brin, Musk, Google cofounder Larry Page) in an email from the literary agent John Brockman related to a book that he'd championed.
Bezos is also mentioned as a potential dinner party guest in a 2011 email to Epstein from investor and inventor Boris Nikolic. Similarly, a 2018 email involving Epstein's assistant listed Epstein as a guest at a 2014 dinner where the RSVPs included Bezos, Brin, and Page.
In 2016, Epstein received a text message from director Woody Allen, who declared, "I think Jeff Bezos is my idol." Epstein replies, "I was with him yesterday".
Mashable reached out to Amazon for comment.
2. Sergey Brin: 265 referencesBrin shows up in the files as early as 2003, years before Epstein pleaded guilty to prostituting minors. Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell met Brin at a TED Conference that year, then reached out via email.
"Just incase (sic) I need to jog your memory as to who I am - I am the crazy girl with short dark hair who flew a Black Hawk in Colombia and a friend of Jeffrey Epstein and [redacted]," she wrote in March 2003.
Brin responded that he traveled to New York City a few times a year and planned to be there in April. Maxwell invited Brin to dinner. The plans ultimately changed locations to Epstein's Manhattan home. "[D]inners at Jeffrey's are always happily casual and relaxed," Maxwell wrote. Brin responded with his availability.
Brin also authored a May 2003 email with the subject line "aircraft carrier" to Maxwell. The body of the message is blank. Similar messages, addressed to Maxwell by Brin but with a blank body, appear in the files.
In a long, heavily redacted letter apparently written by an Epstein survivor, Brin is named as an individual the victim met while on Epstein's island at an unspecified time. The victim does not accuse Brin, who allegedly visited with his then-fiancée, Anne Wojcicki, of any crimes.
Mashable reached out to Google for comment.
3. Tim Cook: 152 references*Cook appears in the files because news articles or briefings mention his name in relation to Apple. The documents also contain email messages between Epstein and individuals working to arrange meetings with Cook.
In a Nov. 2012 exchange, someone who meets with Cook tells Epstein that Cook would be "excited" to meet with Epstein but has heard Epstein is forming a company that would require him to decline the invitation.
*Some of Epstein's shipping invoices are addressed to a Tim Cook, care of a yacht harbor in the British Virgin Islands, in the early 2000s. The number of references includes shipping invoices with that Tim Cook's name on them. Mashable has reached out to Apple to determine whether that Tim Cook is the same as the Apple CEO.
4. Bill Gates: 2,527 referencesThe Microsoft cofounder has admitted, with regret, to a friendly relationship with Epstein. His spokesperson also unequivocally denied salacious allegations contained in the latest batch of files. In two July 2013 emails that Epstein sent to himself, he addresses the messages to Gates and describes a rupture in what he viewed as a close relationship.
Epstein claims that Gates asked him to delete emails "regarding your std, your request that I provide you antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda [French Gates], and the description of your penis. You also made it clear to me that I am not to refer to [redacted] as that is another topic that must remain between the two of us."
Epstein also tries to lay out a financial resolution to a business partnership they formed. Gates has said the email was never sent.
"These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false," Gates' spokesperson told NPR. "The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein's frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame."
Gates' relationship with Epstein reportedly played a role in Melinda French Gate's 2021 divorce from her husband. She told NPR that the new allegations in Epstein's files brought up painful times in her marriage.
"Whatever questions remain there of what — I can't even begin to know all of it — those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband," French Gates said. "They need to answer to those things, not me."
5. Reid Hoffman: 2,638 referencesAs much as Hoffman emphasizes his fundraising ties to Epstein, he appears close to him in emails exchanged over several years, and they also set up Skype calls.
In addition to the aforementioned exchanges, Hoffman wished Epstein well in May 2018 and said, "loo= (sic) forward to being in the same area of the world at some point. ☺" He suggested a Skype call to discuss Epstein investing in a fund, to which Epstein replied, "always can make time for a reid skype. :)"
Years earlier, in Jan. 2014, Epstein wrote to Hoffman, "have some inquiries from some interesting people, re a bitcoin type currency, wait until you hear". Hoffman replied with interest.
Mashable reached out to Greylock Partners, where Hoffman is a partner, for comment.
6. Elon Musk: 1,086 referencesAside from Musk's early 2010s exchanges with Epstein about visiting his island, a number of references to his name are from bulletins or news aggregators that Epstein's email account received, even as recently as last year. Musk is also referred to in passing as a potential event attendee or briefly as a subject of conversation.
7. Larry Page: 293 referencesPage appears at roughly the same frequency as his Google cofounder Sergey Brin.
In 2009, for example, Epstein is included in a forwarded email correspondence that attempts to explain Page's thinking about the emergence of general artificial intelligence.
In one 2010 email, it appears as though Page requested use of Epstein's helicopter through a third party during a trip to St. Barts. A follow-up email from a third party instructs Epstein to disregard the request as Page has chosen to use a boat instead.
In 2014, a redacted sender shared Page's email address to Epstein. Like many of the tech executives, Page is included in guest lists of dinners or events that Epstein might attend, well after his plea deal. Media mentions of Page also account for references to him.
Mashable reached out to Google for comment.
8. Peter Thiel: 2,273 referencesPeter Thiel, a venture capitalist and Republican mega donor, seemed to have a close business relationship with Epstein, according to the documents.
In July 2025, a Times review of Epstein's estate identified $40 million investments that Epstein made into funds operated by Valar Ventures, a firm backed by Thiel. Epstein also consulted Thiel for investing advice.
His spokesperson told the New York Times that Thiel did not visit Epstein's private island. Thiel has yet to comment on his communication with Epstein.
According to the newest documents, they appeared to be in frequent contact in the mid- to late 2010s.
In 2014, Thiel sent a text message to note that he'd just tried calling Epstein. A 2017 message from Epstein's assistant that appears to double as a scheduling alert, simply reads, "August 14, 2017 11:45 AM : Peter Thiel Friday sometime". Other scheduling reminders indicate that Thiel and Epstein met and spoke to each other on the phone with some regularity. They remained in touch, trying to pin down each other's whereabouts, as late as 2019.
9. Mark Zuckerberg: 280 referencesIn Aug. 2015, an assistant to Epstein sent a message to Zuckerberg's email address noting that the Facebook founder had recently spoken to Epstein at a dinner party hosted by Hoffman and Thiel.
"At the party Mark requested Jeffrey send his contact details to him...could you please pass the below on to Mark?" the assistant wrote, including Epstein's phone number and email address. In a message sent soon after that, Epstein's assistant sent Zuckerberg an hour-long YouTube lecture on the meaning of math.
Zuckerberg appears years earlier in the files, when a contact of Epstein's discusses with his assistant possible meetings in Silicon Valley during a trip in Aug. 2012. Epstein appeared interested in bringing "Woody" along to a meeting with Zuckerberg at Facebook, or for them to meet Zuckerberg at dinner.
It's unclear if the Woody cited is the film director, who communicated often with Epstein and whose name is referenced 7,260 times in the files.
Mashable reached out to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, for comment.
TL;DR: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is available for $12.97 (reg. $199), offering a lower-cost upgrade for compatible PCs through March 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $12.97If your PC is starting to feel laggy or your operating system no longer keeps up with current demands, upgrading to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro unlocks a faster, more modern experience. At $12.97 through March 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT, this upgrade is a wallet-friendly way to access the latest features and security enhancements without buying a new device.
Microsoft has announced that support for Office apps — including Word, Excel, and Outlook — on Windows 10 will end in October, making this a timely moment to consider an upgrade. Windows 11 Pro stands out as the logical next step for anyone who wants to keep their system secure and compatible, particularly for those who need a standalone license rather than an update through Windows Update.
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 Windows 11 Pro, you’ll notice a streamlined, contemporary interface and tangible speed gains from day one. Boot times are faster and navigating the system feels more responsive. Features like Snap Layouts and virtual desktops help you organize windows and multitask with ease, while the revamped search function means less time hunting for files, apps, or settings.
Security also gets a notable boost. Windows 11 Pro adds biometric login, TPM 2.0 support, Smart App Control, and BitLocker encryption, all of which are crucial for small businesses, remote workers, and anyone managing sensitive files. For power users and IT professionals, features like Azure AD integration, Hyper-V virtualization, and Windows Sandbox offer more advanced options without complicating everyday use.
There are also productivity and quality-of-life updates. Voice typing, enhanced multitasking tools, and DirectX 12 Ultimate for improved graphics support gaming and creative workloads. Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot, is built in to help with tasks like summarizing information and navigating settings, which may be useful for school or professional learning environments.
Windows 11 Pro is intended for users ready to move on from older operating systems and take advantage of Microsoft’s latest platform features. At $12.97, the current deal lowers the cost of upgrading, making it easier to consider the switch before Windows 10 support winds down. Get it at its discounted price through March 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Give your kids guilt-free screen time with a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, on sale for just $44.97 with code PLAY now through Feb. 15.
Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $44.97Want to make learning fun? Pok Pok is a Montessori-inspired app full of entertaining activities for your little ones, in a calm, non-addictive format, so you can feel good about their screen time.
Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok for only $44.97 with code PLAY through Feb. 15.
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!If you want to inspire learning without it feeling like a chore, it’s time to check out Pok Pok. This award-winning app gives kids a gentle introduction to screen time, with low-stimulation, hand-drawn animations, and in-house-made gentle sound effects. It was even made in collaboration with early childhood experts, so you can rest easy knowing every experience has been thoughtfully designed.
Pok Pok is geared toward children ages 2 to 8, offering a Montessori-based teaching style that emphasizes hands-on learning, independence, and natural development. Thanks to this style of learning, kids will be able to navigate the app all on their own while learning STEM concepts, numbers, and language, all without rules, levels, objectives, or winners and losers. They just open the app and tap on a toy to get started.
You don’t have to worry about ads or kids being tricked into making a purchase, as Pok Pok is compliant with COPPA and GDPR regulations. Your lifetime subscription also includes new content, with seasonal and cultural updates, and an exclusive surprise gift mailed directly to your door.
Get a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, on sale now for just $44.97 with code PLAY through Feb. 15.
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Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency markets are rebounding on Friday after hitting lows not seen in years.
As of publication, Bitcoin has since soared back over $70,300 following yesterday's crash.
But is the worst really over? Or is the worst yet to come? Despite the recent rebound, one of the experts we talked to warned of further decreases to come.
In a statement provided to Mashable before today's bounceback, early Bitcoin investor Michael Terpin foresaw an uptick in the market before another potential downturn.
"Most likely we will have a bounce back over $80k before the final plunge, exhausting weary ETF investors into capitulation, despite how oversold we are right now," Terpin said. "It would be awesome if we could rip the band-aid off quickly and hit the bottom this week or month, but there is really strong buying resistance at $65k and $60k. If we lose that support, price could drop all the way to $45k."
Other analysts have also predicted that Bitcoin could drop as low as $40k if the current market trends continue.
According to a CryptoQuant analysis, investors should still proceed with caution as crypto whales are currently very active and "account for a disproportionately large share of total deposits."
"This behavior typically signals that whales are aggressively moving funds onto the exchange, a precursor often associated with heavy selling (dumping) or hedging activities," the report says.
Head of Bitfire Research Allen Ding told Mashable in a statement that a rebound in the market is "likely to be constrained by the pace of institutional capital returning and the unwinding of market leverage risks."
With big holders still actively selling, analysts say crypto prices could continue to fluctuate and even start to plunge once again.
The current price range, even after the rebound, also provides a challenge for Bitcoin miners. As CoinDesk reports, the current Bitcoin price is well under the average cost of $87,000 to mine a single Bitcoin. The outlet notes that this has traditionally been one of the signs of a bear market.
There's no better way to pregame the Patriots vs. Seahawks game on Sunday than with a puppy palooza. The longest-running call-to-adoption television event is back in 2026 with Puppy Bowl XXII. This year's event includes 150 dogs from 72 shelters across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands, which marks a new record.
The reigning champions, Team Fluff's lineup includes Benito, a Siberian Husky-Chihuahua from Puerto Rico, Showgirl, a Chow Chow-Rottweiler, and Chappell Bone, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. They'll take on Team Ruff, which includes Lobster Roll, a Bulldog-Border Collie, Brûlée, a Boston Terrier-French Bulldog, and Miso, an American Cattle Dog-Beagle, to get their paws on the "Lombarky" trophy. Prepare for adorable puppies, heartwarming adoption stories, and play-by-play commentary from sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks. A special halftime exhibition game (new this year) with senior dogs on Team Oldies and Team Goldies will also surely tug at your heartstrings.
If you need some cozy and comforting content before the chaos of the Big Game, here's what you need to know to watch the Puppy Bowl.
When is the 2026 Puppy Bowl?Puppy Bowl XXII kicks things off on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. ET, making it the perfect pregame for the Big Game at 6:30 p.m. ET. A Puppy Combine pre-show will air just before the 22nd annual adoption awareness event at 1 p.m. ET.
How to watch Puppy Bowl XXIIGot cable? You can watch the 2026 Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet, TBS, or TruTV — take your pick. Those without cable have options as well. The event will simulcast on both HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming services. You can also opt for a live TV cable replacement service, which usually will give you a free trial. We've rounded up the best (and cheapest) ways to watch below.
Best way to watch without cable: Get a free 7-day trial to Discovery+ Opens in a new window Credit: Discovery+ Discovery+ free 7-day trial, then starting at $5.99/month Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Discovery+ Discovery+ Prime Video add-on free 7-day trial, then starting at $5.99/month Get DealHands down the best option to watch the Puppy Bowl without spending a cent is to sign up for a free seven-day trial to Discovery+, either through Discovery+ directly or as a Prime Video add-on. After your trial, it'll cost you either $5.99 per month with ads or $9.99 per month without ads unless you cancel first.
Best way to watch the Puppy Bowl and Super Bowl live: Get a Hulu + Live TV free trial Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV free 3-day trial, then $89.99/month Get DealIf you want to watch both the 2026 Puppy Bowl and the football game, you're going to need a live TV cable alternative. Fortunately, most options offer free trials — including Hulu + Live TV. While you'll only get three days for free, you really only need it for Sunday, Feb. 8, so that's plenty. Just be sure to cancel your subscription before the three-day trial ends, or else you'll be charged full price — *gasp* $89.99 per month. Other options include YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream.
Best HBO Max deal for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max annual subscriptions Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Basic with ads annual subscription $109.99 per year (save $21.89) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Standard annual subscription $184.99 per year (save $36.89) Get DealIf you don't qualify for the trials above, or if you just want to commit to HBO Max for more than the Puppy Bowl, we recommend signing up for the annual plan over the monthly plan. The HBO Max Basic plan with ads typically costs $10.99 per month, but if you pay for an entire year upfront, that price drops down to just $9.17. You'll pay $109.99 total for the year, which saves you about 16% compared to paying each month.
Rather go ad-free? The annual HBO Max Standard or Premium plans will also save you about 16% over their monthly counterparts. The Standard tier costs either $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year (about $15.42 per month), while the Premium tier costs either $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year (about $19.17 per month). Both tiers unlock ad-free viewing, but the Premium tier also adds 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.
Best way to get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max / Cricket HBO Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the Supreme Unlimited plan Get DealOne of the best ways to get HBO Max for free in 2026 is to switch your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month Supreme Unlimited plan. It includes HBO Max Basic with ads for free — a $10.99 per month value. When you open up the HBO Max app or website, you'll just select Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in.
Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Student $5.49 per month for 12 months Get DealCollege students can sign up for an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half price. Just verify your student status through UNiDAYS and use the unique discount code to drop the price from $10.99 to just $5.49 per month. After 12 months, the price will jump back up to the full $10.99 monthly fee unless you cancel.
Best HBO Max bundle deal: Get HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 42% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / HBO Max Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max $19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads) Get DealThe Disney+ bundle deal that includes Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max is one of the best deals in streaming. That lineup of streamers would usually cost you $34.97 per month if you paid separately for each, but you can bundle them for only $19.99. If you prefer to watch without ads, the bundle will run you $32.99 per month as opposed to $56.47. That's up to 42% in savings for unlimited access to all three streaming libraries.
The internet loves a comeback tour, but it adores one with puppet fleece and impeccable comedic timing. Case in point: The Muppet Show special, which returned to the Muppet Theatre on Feb. 4 for a one-night event on Disney+ and ABC — and promptly took over everyone’s feeds.
Seriously. I didn't know I needed a Rizzo the Rat cover of The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" until I saw it, and now I don't ever want to live in a world without it.
The Muppet Show originally ran from 1976 to 1981, pioneering the variety format with a blend of vaudeville silliness, celebrity guest spots, and backstage chaos anchored by Kermit the Frog's perpetually frazzled calm. The new special revives that spirit with all the familiar faces, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, and Statler and Waldorf, along with a lineup of contemporary guests, from Maya Rudolph and Seth Rogen (who also serve as executive producers) to pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
But it's the clips that have really sent fans and group chats into a frenzy, proof that the Muppets understand how to play the internet better than most human celebrities.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Leading the pack is a truly unexpected cover: Rizzo belting out The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" on rat-infested streets. The contrast between the sleek, synth-pop hit and Rizzo's nasally bravado is instant comedy, and social media has embraced it wholeheartedly.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Then there's Sabrina Carpenter's performance of "Manchild," which has been circulating widely for its playful integration into the Muppet universe. Rather than feeling like a standard guest slot, the performance leans into the show’s absurdity, letting Carpenter spar with the chaos around her — which includes a flock of chickens on backup vocals.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.And then there's the press run. Kermit and Miss Piggy have been popping up together in interviews (including a hilarious episode of Vanity Fair's Lie Detector Test), bantering like a couple who’ve been married, divorced, remarried, and media-trained for decades. Their chemistry feels untouched by time.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Long before algorithms and engagement metrics, Kermit and company mastered the art of attention. So, really, the Muppets were built for virality long before the concept of virality existed. The internet is just their latest stage.
If you’ve lost your job to AI, Briarcliff Entertainment wants to give you a gift: free tickets to see the highly anticipated sci-fi thriller Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die. Because "Who better to see a film about AI’s impact than those already experiencing it firsthand?" as Tom Ortenberg, the company's CEO, noted.
Directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) and written by Matthew Robinson (The Invention of Lying), Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die is set to hit cinemas Feb. 13. It stars Sam Rockwell as a man from the future who comes to warn of impending global doom from an AI apocalypse. It's not too far off from reality, TBH. For some, the AI revolution hits a little too close to home, and Briarcliff Entertainment, in partnership with Fever, wanted to give those folks a little something special.
"If you or someone you know has been quietly replaced, sidelined, or optimized in the name of progress, tell us your story and receive a pair of tickets, on the house," a letter on the movie's social pages states.
The first 1,000 folks to sign up will get two free tickets. Just head to the Fever promotional page, log in or sign up using your email or social accounts, and you'll be directed to a checkout page where you can "Tell your story or share your LinkedIn" to secure the tickets. The promotional period ends on Sunday, Feb. 8, so you'll want to act fast. If you're within the first 1,000 signups, you'll receive your coupon to get two free tickets within two days.
Opens in a new window Credit: Briarcliff Entertainment Get 2 free tickets to 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die' Learn MoreThe movie doesn't hit theaters until next week, but check out the trailer for a glimpse into the bonkers comedy. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die also stars Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry, and Juno Temple.
Fans of HBO's Industry know that Sweetpea Golightly (Miriam Petche) has a bit of a detective streak.
In Season 3, she leveraged her wide web of connections to figure out that Pierpoint & Co. was on the verge of collapse, well before anyone else on the trading floor. Now, in Season 4, she and her colleagues at SternTao are pursuing a new lead: the potential fraudulence of fintech company Tender.
SEE ALSO: 'Industry's Sagar Radia dishes on Rishi's literal downfallSweetpea, in particular, is tenacious in her desire to take Tender down. There's a personal angle to this drive: Tender served as a payment processor for adult sites like OnlyFans and the fictional Siren. Sweetpea's anonymous account on those sites got leaked, making her the target of further scrutiny and harassment in the finance world.
Since then, Industry has presented sex work, especially Sweetpea's, in a new light. In Season 3, they highlighted it as empowering. ("I love a woman who doesn't leave money on the table," Harper Stern (Myha'la) says of it in the season 3 finale.) But in Season 4, Industry ponders the exploitative side of Sweetpea's work as well, coinciding with her exposure and her subsequent focus on taking Tender down.
"She feels that this is the most defining thing for her," Petche told Mashable in a video interview. "[She thinks,] 'If I get this right, how bad can it be? If I make myself indispensable at work, then the worst situation can't happen.' She's driven by this desperate need to prove herself, to prove that she's okay and good at what she's doing."
SEE ALSO: 'Industry' Season 4 tackles age verification and OnlyFans — and it's just getting startedThat need to prove herself brings Sweetpea center stage in Season 4, episode 5, "Eyes Without A Face," which sees her and co-worker Kwabena Bannerman (Toheeb Jimoh) heading to Accra to investigate Tender's workings in Ghana. In Sweetpea's words, what they find is "a feedback loop of fakery." Tender, and its cash and clients, is nothing, but it's passing itself off as something quite valuable.
Sweetpea is on fire on the path towards this discovery, embracing her inner Erin Brockovich as she pins down Tender's fraud and even secures a potential whistleblower.
"The things that are compasses to her are her intelligence and her curiosity, and when her curiosity and intelligence are stimulated, it's like a thread that pulls her, and she cannot turn away from it," Petche said.
Miriam Petche in "Industry." Credit: Simon Ridgway / HBOYet as fulfilling as pulling on that thread is, this episode also puts Sweetpea through hell. She's violently attacked in a bathroom, with the perpetrator smashing her head into a mirror and breaking her nose in hopes of warning her off the investigation. It doesn't work, and Sweetpea sports a bruised face throughout the rest of the episode, even removing her sunglasses to show it off like a badge of honor.
For Petche, so much of Sweetpea is about how she weaponizes her hyper-competent work persona. "She's someone who has to perform that she's great all the time, and perform that she's productive and of value," Petche said.
However, in "Eyes Without A Face," audiences see Sweetpea's armor slip. Upon arriving home, Sweetpea sits silently by herself before breaking down, all the events and adrenaline of the past episode catching up to her.
"This is someone who believes they have to handle everything on their own," Petche explained. "When things are great, she'll handle it on her own, and when things are bad, I think she thinks that it's her own fault. So that moment was everything unraveling."
The scene is one of the rare moments when audiences see Sweetpea alone, and the effect is sobering. Gone is the usual self-assured clip of one-liners and financial savvy, replaced with gut-wrenching sobs.
Sweetpea's breakdown is made all the worse by the fact that just moments ago, she turned away Harper's offer to comfort her. On top of that, she pushed Harper away further, reminding her of their employer-employee boundary before letting her know that she and Kwabena hooked up in Ghana.
According to Petche, the move comes from a place of Sweetpea wanting to protect herself, but it might not be the right one in the long run.
"She only feels truly safe when she's alone," Petche said. "She has an offer from someone else to come and sit with her, and she says, 'No, please don't.' That might be what she thinks she needs, but what she needs is to be held when she's not performing. That really stuck with me."
New episodes of Industry Season 4 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
Trials by combat are out, and trials of seven are in.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' fourth episode, aptly titled "Seven," introduces the latter concept, a twist on Game of Thrones' classic trial by combat. And if Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall (Peter Claffey) wants to make it out of Ashford Meadow alive, he's going to have to get very familiar with the trial of seven very quickly.
SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Targaryen family tree: How everyone connects What is a trial of seven? Peter Claffey and Finn Bennett in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." Credit: Steffan Hill / HBOWhile a trial by combat sees two champions facing off to determine the guilt of an accused party, a trial of seven ups the ante sevenfold, with 14 champions battling it out. This more archaic form of trial is rooted in Andal tradition. They believed that having seven champions on each side — a number corresponding to the number of gods in the Faith of the Seven — would result in more divine justice.
In "Seven," Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett) demands a trial of seven to judge Dunk's guilt. Dunk stands accused of attacking a Targaryen prince, which he did do, but only because Aerion was harming innocent puppeteers. Will the gods (rightfully) deem Dunk's actions as honorable, as he was defending the defenseless?
SEE ALSO: Every time 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' hinted at that big Egg revealAerion's brother Daeron (Henry Ashton) has also accused Dunk of kidnapping their younger brother Aegon, also known as Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). While this is patently false, as Egg himself will tell anyone who bothers to listen, the trial will go on. With the Targaryen family against him, the odds are decidedly not in Dunk's favor.
Remembering who all 14 champions are in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no small feat. As we head into the actual trial of seven, here are the champions you need to know, on both Dunk's side and Aerion's.
Who is on Aerion's side in the trial of seven? Finn Bennett in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." Credit: Steffan Hill / HBOAt one end of the jousting lists, we have Team Aerion (Boo! Hiss!), also known as Team Targaryen. This squad is packing some serious royal power, including Aerion himself and his father, Maekar (Sam Spruell). Also taking the field is Daeron Targaryen, but given that he tells Dunk he plans to hang back, and even asks him to give him a knock on his helmet, I don't see him as being much of a threat.
Also fighting for Aerion are three members of the Kingsguard: Ser Donnel of Duskendale (Bill Ward), Ser Roland Crakehall (Wade Briggs), and Ser Willem Wylde, who is not credited in the show but appears in George R.R. Martin's novella The Hedge Knight.
Rounding out the team is the extra dishonorable Ser Steffon Fossoway (Edward Ashley), who claims he'll fight with Dunk only to switch up at the last second in order to get a lordship from Aerion. This un-knightly move leaves Dunk in the lurch, because if he doesn't get seven champions, he'll automatically be found guilty and receive a dire punishment: losing his hand. Luckily for him, he winds up with six other champions after all. Here's who.
Who is on Dunk's side in the trial of seven? Dexter Sol Ansell in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." Credit: Steffan Hill / HBOWith the help of Egg, Dunk recruits a motley crew of knights. His new bestie, Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) is raring at the opportunity to participate in the first trial of seven in a century, claiming he doesn't want "to miss a chance to bloody up the Kingsguard."
Ser Humfrey Hardyng (Ross Anderson), who broke his legs and lost his horse in a joust against Aerion, has also joined up hoping to settle his score with the tyrant prince. His brother by marriage, Ser Humfrey Beesbury (Danny Collins), has also pledged his help to Dunk. Sure, Aerion has three Targaryens, but Dunk has two Humfreys, so who's really winning here?
One-eyed knight Ser Robyn Rhysling (William Houston) is also on Dunk's side, saying that while he'll always be a faithful servant to the crown, "when the crown goes against the gods, Ser Robyn goes against the crown."
The final two members of Dunk's side are surprises, in different ways. Upon hearing of his cousin's treachery, Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas) steps up to be knighted on the spot by Lyonel. He's not the only last-minute addition to Dunk's team, though. The final honor goes to none other than Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) himself, who values Dunk's honor.
With that, the battle lines are drawn and the stage is set for a divine trial, one with the potential for serious Targaryen-on-Targaryen violence. Which side will come out on top in this once-in-a-century smackdown?
Uber will pay millions in damages following a decision by a Phoenix jury that deems the company liable for rape and violence perpetrated by drivers against passengers.
The case sets a legal precedent for more than 3,000 pending sexual assault and sexual misconduct lawsuits against the ride share company, the New York Times reports, following a California court decision that found Uber wasn't liable for a rider's assault. Instead, the Phoenix jury found that Uber can still be held to account for the misconduct of drivers even if they pass background checks and safety benchmarks.
SEE ALSO: What is Lockdown Mode on iPhone and how do you enable it?The suit was brought by passenger Jaylynn Dean, who first reported her Uber driver had isolated and raped her in Nov. 2023, and accused Uber of failing to implement safety provisions that could have prevented the assault. Her team presented internal documents that showed Uber flagged the potential for a "serious safety incident" before she was picked up, but she did not receive a warning from the app.
Despite agreeing to liability, the jury didn't find that the company's actions were “outrageous, oppressive, or intolerable” or "created substantial risk or significant harm," reducing the requested $144 million in damages to $8.5 million. The driver was previously banned from the app, but isn't facing criminal charges.
"This verdict affirms that Uber acted responsibly and has invested meaningfully in rider safety. We will continue to put safety at the heart of everything we do," said Uber spokesperson Matt Kallman. The company says it plans to appeal the decision.
Previously sealed court documents, submitted as part of several lawsuits leveled against Uber in recent history, show a pattern of safety failures and a rise of sexual assault reports between 2017 and 2022. A recent investigation found that drivers with violent felony convictions were allowed on the platform in at least 22 states. In response, Uber has added additional safety tools, including gender-specific ride matching. A cohort of male drivers later sued the company for alleged discrimination.
"I’m doing this for other women who thought the same thing I did, that they were making the safe and smart choice — but that, you know, there are risks of being assaulted," Dean said on the witness stand.
Dark scenes being too dark is a common frustration of avid TV watchers. The ironic point of contention famously sent Game of Thrones fans into a spiral when the 2019 episode, literally titled "The Long Night," was borderline indecipherable. The cinematographer said it back then, and it's worth reiterating now: The cinematic content isn't always too dark. Your TV just isn't tuned properly.
It's the same reason why Skinamarink didn't hit as hard for me when other people were mesmerized by it. That was partly my decrepit 2019 4K Roku TV's fault for being basic — from a technical standpoint, the best 4K TVs you can buy can simply render dark scenes better than cheap TVs. I witnessed it firsthand when I ditched that old LED TV for the mid-range TCL QM6K mini LED TV.
But if you'd prefer to just work with the TV you have right now, there are ways to toggle your current TV settings to optimize dark content.
SEE ALSO: 4 coolest TVs at CES 2026 are from Samsung, LG, and TCL and feature wildly different techIf you're a serious film person doing a lot of movie watching in the dark, your best bet is to upgrade to OLED at some point soon. But whether you're waiting for TVs to go on sale or are convinced that your current TV has potential to improve, there's no harm in tinkering — your TV's default or AI-enhanced settings could actually be doing you dirty. And in most cases, the changes don't even require a nitty-gritty understanding of TV specs.
Select viewing modes vary by brand, and some newer models may let you get more granular than older models. (Samsung's Shadow Detail bar, for example.) But there are a handful of universal tweaks that can be made to most TVs to make dark scenes look better:
Turn off any light sensorsBefore anything else, make sure the room you're watching TV in is as dark as possible. We've all seen how distracting glare from a lamp or a window can be. Plus, limited external light gives blacks and grays the best shot at being, well, contrasted.
Still, some TVs try to correct their own displays by assessing the lighting in the room and adjusting their brightness, shadows, and highlights accordingly. Many folks find that ambient light sensors in their TVs actually wind up overcompensating for dim environments, brightening the screen so much that the picture becomes inaccurate (and, physically, a headache to look at). Reddit sees several queries about how to optimally handle a TV's auto-dimming setting or light sensors, to which many Reddit users have a short, sweet solution: Just turn it off.
SEE ALSO: Review: I can't stop playing my Switch 2, a fabulous follow-up to an all-time legend Turn off HDRHDR, or high dynamic range, is a technology that can "translate" color and contrast data from the original source (what was originally seen through the camera lens) that a more basic technology, like SDR (standard dynamic range), can't fully interpret. The biggest advantage here is that certain content can get brighter and more contrasted. That's awesome for scenes that are supposed to be vivid, or watching a football game where the field is green and the jerseys are saturated.
But because it relies on your TV to output high nits of brightness, HDR isn't one-size-fits-all magic. For dark scenes, HDR is often a disadvantage. The reliance on backlight and hyper-fixation on differentiating black and white hues often have low-light settings end up looking... gray. It's tricky when a show or movie you're watching flows back and forth between colorful and shadowy, so some calibration might be required to make the TV look better. PCMag's guide on how to calibrate your TV is super straightforward, though many people just have a professional come do it for them. (Mashable and PCMag are owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)
SEE ALSO: Everything coming to Apple TV in 2026But at the end of the day, there's something so freeing about simply watching stuff in SDR. Standard dynamic range doesn't require such steep peak brightness, making it a much more comfortable situation for many low-to-mid-range TVs or dark scenes. Remember, 4K SDR is absolutely a thing. You can enjoy the resolution-related benefits of 4K upscaling without the risk of HDR creating overly-pixelated shadows in non-HDR content.
Not all streaming services even support HDRIt sounds obvious, but ensure that the content you're watching or playing actually supports HDR. This could even come down to the streaming service you're watching on. For instance, only Netflix's Premium tier offers HDR content, and Hulu doesn't have much content with the HDR badge outside of some Hulu originals. If you've been sitting through some borderline unwatchable stuff lately, it's quite possible that your newer TV is trying to force HDR on content that literally doesn't support it — a prime example of HDR makes things worse instead of better.
Experiment with Filmmaker ModeWhen being viewed in the right environment, Filmmaker Mode gets dark scenes as close as possible to how awesome they'd look in a theater.
Like HDR, other modern picture processing features don't always do content justice. So, at its core, Filmmaker Mode is kind of exactly what it sounds like: There aren't any noise reduction or motion smoothing effects happening on the set of the movie IRL, so Filmmaker Mode essentially strips back those after-the-fact enhancement settings (that go too hard sometimes) to show the viewer what the filmmaker originally wanted to capture. Most TVs do allow settings like color and tone mapping to be tweaked, even if Filmmaker Mode is on, which can balance out some of the lacking vibrancy from automatic enhancements.
SEE ALSO: Sony hands TV business to TCL. What it means for you.If you're pro movie theater — and pro pitch black living room when movie nights do take place at home — try turning on Filmmaker Mode. And, if Filmmaker Mode has ever made your screen a little too dark, consider the lighting situation of that room. Even the glow of a dim vibey lamp can muddy dark scenes in Filmmaker Mode.
What TVs have the best dark scene performance?OLED TVs are unanimously recommended for watching in any environment that's not broad daylight. Unlike QLED TVs, which are characterized by a layer of nanocrystals that reflect the light coming from behind them, OLED TVs don't use a backlight at all. OLED screens are made up of Organic Light-Emitting Diodes, or self-lit pixels that can completely turn themselves off when the scene calls for shadows. This allows for deeper blacks and more contrasted dark scenes than what a QLED TV can achieve.
There aren't as many OLED TV options to choose from as there are QLED TVs, but the purchase decision is still a big one — OLED TVs are generally the most expensive type of TV. There are a handful of OLED models that consistently show up as "the best OLED TV" on Google, and they align with the few OLED TVs that people in r/hometheater on Reddit are always hyping up.
A few of the best OLED TVs to buy in 2026 Best budget OLED LG 65-inch B4 OLED 4K TV $1,299.99 Shop Now Best OLED TV for most people LG 65-inch C5 OLED 4K TV $1,599.99 Shop Now Best OLED TV for bright rooms Samsung 65-inch S95F QD-OLED 4K TV $2,799.99 Shop Now LG 65-inch G5 OLED 4K TV $2,296.99 at Amazon Shop NowSAVE $700: As of Feb. 6, get the Sony 85-inch Bravia 3 TV for $899.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,599.99. That's a discount of 44% and the lowest price we've seen.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Sony 85-inch Bravia 3 TV $899.99 at AmazonThere are just a couple of days left before the big game, and if you need a new, larger TV, STAT, you're in luck. You can score a massive TV upgrade that should still arrive for the biggest sports event of the year if you head over to Amazon right now, and save some serious cash while doing so.
As of Feb. 6, get the Sony 85-inch Bravia 3 TV for $899.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,599.99. That's $700 off and a discount of 44%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.
SEE ALSO: Save up to $6,000 on Samsung's best TVs before the big gameThis massive 85-inch TV is a media powerhouse. Not only does it offer excellent picture quality with deep dark hues and plenty of different shades of color, but it also supports Triluminos Pro to make it all a bit sharper. It also features Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode, so it has presets ready to go for watching sports or whatever else you happen to be into. It also rocks powerful audio that you can enhance with a soundbar if needed.
If you're into streaming movies and TV shows, it's useful for that as well. It has built-in Google Assistant support, which lets you summon things like apps (Netflix, Prime Video, you name it) via voice and without needing a separate streaming device. And if you prefer to play your own sports or other titles as a gamer, there are tons of preset supports for it as well.
Save big on this TV and and go ham for the big game before it starts, and you'll be in one very popular household.
SAVE 17%: As of Feb. 6, the 55-inch Samsung "The Terrace" outdoor Smart TV (QN55LST7DAFXZA, 2024 model) is on sale for $2,891.96, down from $3,497.99, at Amazon. That's a 17% discount or $606.03 savings.
55-inch Samsung "The Terrace" outdoor Smart TV (QN55LST7DAFXZA, 2024 model) $2,891.96 at AmazonIf you've been dreaming of a movie setup for your patio, the "off-season" is the smartest time to buy. While everyone else waits for the first warm day of spring (when prices are high), Amazon is quietly clearing out premium outdoor tech.
SEE ALSO: Save up to $6,000 on Samsung's best TVs before the big gameRight now, you can get the 55-inch Samsung "The Terrace" outdoor Smart TV (QN55LST7DAFXZA, 2024 model) on sale for $2,891.96, down from $3,497.99, at Amazon. That's a 17% discount or $606.03 savings.
Unlike a regular TV that you have to panic-drag inside when it starts to sprinkle, this screen is built to handle the elements. It carries an IP56 rating for water and dust resistance, and the "Partial Sun" model uses a Neo QLED 4K panel to boost brightness so you can watch clearly in daylight. It also features anti-reflection technology to reduce glare and a 120Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for watching sports.
Just remember: This model is designed for shaded areas, like a covered deck or pergola, rather than direct sunlight. If you're planning on placing it in direct sunlight, be sure to choose the "Full Sun TV" option.
SAVE $100: As of Feb. 6, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are on sale for $199 at Amazon. That's $100 or 33% off their list price and the best price on record in most colors.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Ultra Open earbuds $199 at AmazonIf you're curious about open-ear earbuds, but don't want to sacrifice sound quality, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are the best option. And now that they're $100 off, they're an incredible value.
As of Feb. 6, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are down to just $199 at Amazon in every color. That's 33% off their list price of $299 and their best price ever in most color options.
The Ultra Open buds curl around the edges of your ears like earring cuffs instead of going directly into your ear canal. This "open" design helps to keep you in touch with your surroundings while you listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts, etc., which makes them a particularly good pick for runners, cyclists, or commuters who need to stay aware and alert. Most open earbuds can sound muddied because of this design, but Mashable contributor RJ Andersen said that's not the case with the Bose earbuds.
"The sound was well-balanced, and even with my ear completely uncovered, I didn’t notice any issues with the audio sounding distant or muddy. Instead, the Ultra Open Earbuds sounded clear, natural, and pretty lush," Andersen noted in her review.
You'll get over seven hours of listening time and an extra 2.5 charges from the case — not the best, but decent. If you're not into AirPods-style earbuds and want to try something a little different, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are real treat (especially when they're $100 cheaper than usual).
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