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Elon Musk's medical technology company Neuralink has reportedly implanted a brain chip into its first human subject. After years of assurances that human trials were imminent, it seems as though they're finally actually happening.

Musk announced the development on his Twitter/X account on Monday. Though he was light on details, Neuralink's CEO appeared optimistic about the results, and stated that the patient seemed to be doing fine after the surgery.

"The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well," Musk wrote. "Initial results show promising neuron spike detection."

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The identity of Neuralink's first human trial subject hasn't been made public. However, the company's call for volunteers stipulates that trial participants must be within the U.S., over 18, and have a disability. Specifically, Neuralink is interested in implanting brain chips in people with "quadriplegia, paraplegia, vision loss, hearing loss, the inability to speak, and/or major limb amputation (affecting above or below the elbow and/or above or below the knee)."

For its first human trial, Neuralink sought volunteers who have quadriplegia caused by a cervical spinal cord injury, or who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink says the FDA has approved human trials

Musk has also revealed that Neuralink's first product is called Telepathy, and is designed to allow disabled people to operate electronic devices with their brain. 

"[Telepathy] Enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking," Musk claimed. "Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal."

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Revealed last September, Neuralink's Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (PRIME) Study aims to assess the safety of its N1 brain implant as well as that of the R1 surgical robot designed to implant it. 

"During the study, the R1 Robot will be used to surgically place the N1 Implant’s ultra-fine and flexible threads in a region of the brain that controls movement intention," Neuralink wrote in a blog post about its first human trial. "Once in place, the N1 Implant is cosmetically invisible and is intended to record and transmit brain signals wirelessly to an app that decodes movement intention. The initial goal of our BCI is to grant people the ability to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone."

Such technology could be a gamechanger for many people with disabilities once perfected. Unfortunately, its development thus far has not been without gruesome controversy.

A September report by Wired found that the monkeys Neuralink experimented on suffered torturous conditions before they were eventually killed, despite Musk's claims that none had died as a result of the company's implants. Neuralink has also come under investigation by the U.S. government for potentially violating animal welfare laws, facing allegations that Musk's rushed timelines have led to botched experiments and unnecessary pain, suffering, and death on a significant scale.

As such, reasonable apprehension remains about allowing Musk's company to implant chips into people's delicate grey matter, despite Neuralink receiving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s approval to proceed with human trials last May.

It's likely that Neuralink will take more care to avoid mistakes now it's implanting devices into human brains. Even so, its recent history with live subjects should prompt potential candidates to have a good long think before signing up to be Neuralink's next brain chip recipient.

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to vidBoard Creative AI Presenter is on sale for £39.28, saving you 88% on list price.

Whether you create presentations for potential clients or help introduce new processes or products to your team, they are a valuable tool in the workplace. With that being said, they can be time-consuming and costly to create if they are being done correctly. One way to cut production costs is to utilise tools like this vidBoard Creative AI Presenter. Fortunately, a lifetime subscription is on sale for £39.28.

You'll have a choice of 70 digital AI avatars to use as your presenter. And you get your choice of 20 templates before you customise your presentation with text, graphics, music, and uploaded videos and images. And because vidBoard supports more than 125 languages, your videos will have a multilingual reach.

This handy app makes it easy to create a professional-style video with these simple steps: 

1. Pick a template and an avatar to be your presenter

2. Enter your script

3. Add any multimedia enhancements like videos, images, graphics, or music

You'll be able to customise your brand with built-in tools, including future upgrades, and lean into the power of artificial intelligence, with AI transcripts and voiceovers to enhance your message.

Save yourself some time and streamline your marketing, teaching, or sales efforts with a lifetime subscription for £39.28.

Opens in a new window Credit: vidBoard vidBoard Creative AI Presenter (Lifetime Subscription) £39.28 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

The billionaire said his company’s first product, called Telepathy, would let a person control a phone or computer “just by thinking.”

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Jan. 30's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

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

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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Remove.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No letters appear twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter E.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

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 Wordle #955 is...

EXPEL.

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.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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 January 30's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

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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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Big hit

• Green: Derivative newspaper names

• Blue: Half-circle shaped objects

• Purple: 1-UP

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Hit Hard

• Green: Newspaper Names

• Blue: Crescent-Shaped Things

• Purple: Powers-ups In Super Mario World

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 Connections #233 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Hit Hard: BANG, HAMMER, POUND, SLAM

• Newspaper Names: CHRONICLE, HERALD, REGISTER, SUN

• Crescent-Shaped Things: BANANA, CROISSANT, MOON, SICKLE

• Power-ups In Super Mario World: FEATHER, FLOWER, MUSHROOM, STAR

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.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

SAVE $10.12: As of Jan. 27, JLab Go Air Sport wireless workout earbuds are down to $19.88 at Amazon. That's a discount of 35%.

Opens in a new window Credit: JLab JLab Go Air Sport wireless workout earbuds $19.88 at Amazon (save $10.12) Get Deal

Sometimes when you're on the go, you just want a simple pair of headphones that get the job done. And you don't want to worry about them falling out when you're in the middle of a long run or tough workout. The good news is you can grab a pair of wireless headphones that wrap around your ears for less than the cost of lunch today at Amazon.

As of Jan. 29, the JLab Go Air Sport wireless workout earbuds are just $19.88 in several colorways, down from their regular price of $30. That's a discount of $10.12, or 35% — and makes an affordable pair of earbuds a downright steal.

SEE ALSO: Get $40 off Beats Studio Buds+ noise-canceling earbuds at Amazon

These earbuds are no frills (you'll have to pay more to get noise cancellation), but there's no risk in picking up a pair of headphones for twenty bucks. They loop around the ears and have three interchangeable gel tip sizes for a comfortable and secure fit, and they're IP55 certified, meaning they're dust- and water-resistant — so sweat away. They last for eight hours on a single charge and get 32 hours in total from the included charging case.

You can use these earbuds together or one bud at a time when you need to grab a call while you're out doing errands. You can control the volume, play and pause music, and answer calls with simple touch commands, and access three sound modes: JLab Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost modes.

For twenty bucks, what are you waiting for? Score these grab-and-go earbuds for under $20.

Is Roomba in trouble?

On Monday, Amazon announced it would be scrapping its plans to acquire iRobot, the consumer home electronics company best known for its line of robotic vacuum cleaners.

The e-commerce giant's decision to back out of its previously announced $1.7 billion acquisition is due to pushback from regulators in the European Union. However, the company also faced challenges with the FTC in the U.S. regarding the deal. 

Mashable had previously reported on the concerns surrounding user privacy violations. Amazon's deal with iRobot made it clear that an Alexa voice assistant integration feature would be a major feature in an Amazon-owned Roomba. Regulators were concerned about the potential for Amazon to obtain data on users' homes with this technology. 

SEE ALSO: Amazon vacuums up Roomba maker iRobot, sparking immediate privacy concerns

In addition, there were antitrust issues. Regulators worried that Amazon would be able to push out competition within the smart home market. For example, it would be difficult for Roomba competitors to compete on Amazon if the company was able to promote its own line of smart robot vacuums over others in its marketplace.

Bad news for iRobot

Amazon will be fine after the termination of this deal. However, the same cannot be said for iRobot. When Amazon first announced its intention to acquire the Roomba-maker in August 2022, it was seen as somewhat of a bailout for iRobot. (After Amazon's original $1.7 billion offer, the company lowered its purchase price to $1.4 billion after iRobot took on additional debt.)

iRobot has been struggling post-pandemic. Roomba's saw a sudden and sharp spike in popularity amid the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns. With so many people staying home, there was a boom within the home appliance industry.

As Bloomberg points out in its report, iRobot has been profitable since its 2005 IPO. However, in iRobot's press release following Amazon's cancellation of the deal, it says the company is expecting a 2023 fourth-quarter operating loss between "$265 and $285 million."

And that's not the only unfortunate news coming out of iRobot following Amazon's decision to walk away from the deal.

SEE ALSO: The best robot vacuums unveiled at CES 2024 go where Roombas still haven't

iRobot announced it would be cutting 350 jobs, or around 31 percent of its workforce, as part of its restructuring plan. In addition, iRobot co-founder and CEO Colin Angle announced he'd be stepping down from his role with the company.

Following the news, iRobot's stock tanked to its lowest price since 2009.

It's unclear what the future holds for iRobot. The company is far and away the global leader in the robot vacuum space. However, its market share has declined over the years as competition heats up in the industry.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, I thought, would surely win my heart. 

After all, I’ve been a Samsung stan since I owned the Galaxy S21 Ultra and S22 Ultra. I loved hearing my ugh-you-have-green-bubbles iPhone friends say, “Wow, your phone takes amazing photos” as they frowned at their own overprocessed, iDevice-taken selfies.

People watched in awe as I whipped out my S Pen to jot down my drink order for the bartender when the music was too loud.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

In an iPhone-loving world, I felt like my S22 Ultra was an underdog that was better than its Apple rival — people just needed to wake up to its incredible capabilities.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, the numbers don’t lie. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra shines with (some) Galaxy AI features, my testing shows that the Samsung phone has some serious competition with the iPhone 15 Pro Max on the market.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra price

The Galaxy S24 Ultra base model has an MSRP of $1,299 — $100 more than the starting price of the Galaxy S23 Ultra when it launched in 2022.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, Samsung is running a pre-order promo that lets you snag a 256GB or 512GB phone for just $549 with an eligible trade-in. (Since these two models have the same promo price, you’d be selling yourself short if you didn’t grab the 512GB variant.) If you want 1TB of storage, you’ll have to shell out $669.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra $549.99 with eligible trade-in Get Deal What I love about the Galaxy S24 Ultra

I can’t speak for everyone, but in my circle of tech friends, there's been a growing sense of AI fatigue. 

With countless companies hawking AI-powered gizmos, plus the ongoing discourse of job displacement anxiety, privacy and ethical concerns, and more, my intuition tells me that consumers were damn-near "over it" when Samsung announced Galaxy AI.

However, contrary to the AI fatigued, I found myself being quite intrigued. Here’s my experience with it so far. 

Galaxy AI’s ‘Chat Translation’ is phenomenal

I have family in Puerto Rico who don’t speak a lick of English. And as for me, despite years of taking Spanish classes, my rough grasp of the language would make the Duolingo bird consider early retirement.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

I once relied on third-party apps like Google Translate to communicate with my Spanish-speaking kin, but that was — quite frankly — a pain in the ass.

Now, thanks to Galaxy AI, I can text my Puerto Rico-based cousin — sans Google Translate — directly in WhatsApp via the keyboard. It works in Google Messages, too. (I used it to text my French-speaking mom.) I haven’t had issues with it so far; it translates all texts with expert precision and rapidity. 

However, as you’ll see in this review, not all Galaxy AI features are as polished.

Galaxy AI’s “24 hr time lapse” is badass

Take a look at the GIF below. Galaxy AI did that. Initially, this was just a photo (you can see the original photo below the GIF).

via GIPHY

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

But Galaxy AI worked its magic and transformed a photo into a 12-second time-lapse video — and you’d never know it was nothing but a static picture in its original form.

S Pen continues to shine

The Galaxy S24 Ultra continues to be a top selling point for the Galaxy S series phones. Sure, you can use it to scribble and draw on the display, but it’s also a pen-shaped remote.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

For example, I can press and hold the button on the S Pen, which, by default, fires up the camera app. By pressing the button once, the shutter button is triggered, allowing me to take photos without touching the screen.

Air actions, including flinging the pen to the left and zig-zagging the S Pen, can launch video mode and the Notes app, respectively. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what the S Pen can do.

Again, none of these features are new, but it’s one of the best aspects of the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

My only wish is that it’d be nice if the S Pen could have some sort of locator sensor inside — this stylus is easy to misplace. (On the plus side, the Galaxy S24 Ultra alerts you when the S Pen is not in its silo.)

Search your scribbled notes in the Notes app

One thing that irks me about my Galaxy S22 Ultra is that I have a large library of scribbled documents in the Notes app. But unfortunately, I'm unable to search through my massive portfolio of notes for particular messages or words.

Credit: Screenshot: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The Galaxy S24 Ultra changes all of that. It can, indeed, “read” my chicken scratch, allowing me to search through documents inside the Notes app — even if it was written with the S Pen.

Design beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max

As I mentioned in my hands-on experience of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, this phone is ergonomic heaven. Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s stiff edges, which uncomfortably dig into my soft palms, the Galaxy S24 Ultra continues to boast soft, rounded edges that conform to my hand.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The 6.8-inch, 3,120 x 1440-pixel resolution display still has that hole-punch camera that houses a 12MP selfie camera, which delivers visually pleasing, gloriously spacious screen real estate — more than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which features the Dynamic Island (i.e., a glorified notch).

Unfortunately, Samsung gave Mashable the titanium violet color, which is, in my opinion, quite mid, but that titanium yellow is elite. It looks like it’s wrapped in glitzy gold.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Other colors include titanium black, titanium gray, titanium blue, titanium green, and titanium orange. As the names indicates, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a titanium frame, similar to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, that supposedly makes the phone more durable than its predecessor.

Durability is damn good

At one point, I got up from my couch, and suddenly, I heard a loud smack. I looked down, and to my horror, the Galaxy S24 Ultra was on my hardwood floor.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

I gasped and I quickly grabbed the Samsung phone. In a panic, I looked at the display and searched for scratches and cracks. Fortunately, I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized it looked good as new.

Samsung wasn’t kidding about its durability. How did it pass this unexpected drop test? Thank the display's Corning Gorilla Glass Armor, which boasts cutting-edge scratch-and-shock resistance.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra zoom is elite

When I first heard that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is ditching its 10MP, 10x telephoto camera for a 50MP, 5x variant, I was skeptical. Yes, the resolution has increased, but the optical zoom suffered a reduction. Could this hurt the Galaxy S24 Ultra?

As it turns out, the Galaxy S24 Ultra's zoom is one of its best features. In fact, when I blind-tested iPhone owners, most of them picked the Galaxy S24 Ultra's 10x shot — not the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 10x capture.

Left: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: iPhone 15 Pro Max Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

It's worth noting that the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 12MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom.

SEE ALSO: Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max blind photo test: I asked 10 iPhone users which they prefer What’s ‘eh’ about the Galaxy S24 Ultra

Unfortunately for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, it’s up against some stiff competition. Numbers aren’t everything, but after running some benchmarks on both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Samsung phone has a tough rival to beat.

Battery life is long — but not as enduring as iPhone 15 Pro Max

As you’ll see in the battery life section, the Galaxy S24 Ultra can last more than 10 hours, which is impressive.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a better runtime by nearly two hours.

Object eraser is hit or miss

I’ve gushed about the Galaxy AI camera features, particularly the time-lapse utility. However, perks like Object Eraser can be hit or miss.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

For example, the Galaxy S24 Ultra seamlessly removed that pesky passerby in the red coat in front of the U.S.S Maine National Monument. Get outta there!

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, when I tried to remove the red bucket in the photo above, Galaxy AI struggled to reproduce the horse's hoof, which is admittedly a more complex task.

Performance doesn’t beat iPhone 15 Pro Max, but this isn’t a big deal

I ran the Geekbench 6 benchmark on both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Max. Unfortunately, as you’ll find out in the performance section, the former couldn’t catch up to the latter.

However, this isn’t a big deal. Both scores far exceed the performance threshold needed to run everyday tasks on a smartphone. I’d argue that the iPhone 15 Pro Max has too much power for its own good — so much so that it beats the likes of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 in performance.

As such, even though the Galaxy S24 Ultra doesn’t beat the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it’s still packed with plenty of power to handle any of your tasks — and then some.

What I don’t like about Galaxy S24 Ultra

While I love that Samsung kept the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s signature round edges and hole-punch display, there are other tweaks that I don’t love.

The flat display isn’t for me

I may be in the minority, but I adore how my Galaxy S22 Ultra's screen bleeds into the edges. It’s often affectionately called a waterfall display; I always found it to be beautifully futuristic.

However, I understand that it’s not practical. For example, putting a screen protector on a waterfall display is a little more difficult (e.g., getting the air bubbles out is a pain).

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Still, I’m going to miss the waterfall display. It was an Android-esque design, and now, alongside the new titanium feature, the Galaxy S24 Ultra getting a little too iPhone-y for my tastes.

Selfie camera has stiff competition in iPhone 15 Pro Max

For a long time, I’ve always praised the Galaxy S series for its stunning selfie photos.

However, it looks like my preference is changing. I took selfies with the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max (both have 12MP front-facing cameras) at a Starbucks in Manhattan, and to my surprise, I ended up preferring the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 15 Pro Max (left) vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (right) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon

But when it comes to the wide camera, I still dig the Galaxy S24 Ultra's 200MP lens over the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 48MP shooter.

Left: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: iPhone 15 Pro Max Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The ultra-wide shots (both feature 12MP shooters) look better with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, too.

Left: Galaxy S24 Ultra Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: iPhone 15 Pro Max Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Galaxy AI ‘Call Assist’ needs improvement

What’s Call Assist? It’s an AI interpreter that steps in to translate your calls.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

For example, if you’re speaking English, Call Assist can translate your statement into Spanish for the receiver. And when the person on the other end replies, their response is translated back to English.

I tested Call Assist with my French-speaking father and I spotted some issues:

• You have to quickly tap on two options (“Call Assist” and “Live Translate”) before the other person picks up or the feature will not launch.

• Call Assist translates conversations well, but sometimes, it doesn’t allow slow-talking users to finish their sentences.

• On rare occasions, Call Assist stops translating altogether.

Call Assist was the Galaxy AI feature I was most excited about, but now I’m feeling a bit disillusioned. However, this doesn’t mean that it can’t be improved. For the next-gen Galaxy AI, Samsung should produce a more patient AI interpreter.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra battery life

As we reported, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a battery runtime of 13 hours and one minute, nearly two hours short of the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s runtime of 14 hours and 53 minutes.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Geekbench score

On Geekbench 6, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, packed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, produced a Geekbench 6 score of 7,078.

For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, equipped with an A17 Pro chip, delivered a score of 7,359.

Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra worth it?

The Galaxy S24 Ultra still has a chokehold over me with its slithery-smooth S Pen, cutting-edge on-device translation for texting, brilliant time-lapse feature, impressive durability, and iPhone-beating photos.

However, as much as it pains me to say it, the Galaxy S24 Ultra appears to be losing ground in energy efficiency. Battery life, one of the most significant aspects of a smartphone, is still pretty good on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is slightly better.

I'm also not the biggest fan of the selfies the Galaxy S24 Ultra produces.

Still, because I have a multicultural family, the Galaxy S24 Ultra appeals to me. Galaxy AI features like Chat Translation and Call Assist are a must for me. The Galaxy S24 Ultra still takes the throne as the best Android phone. However, for the first time ever, I’m questioning my pro-Samsung stance. Great selfies and long battery life are too alluring to pass up.

Amazon walked away from the $1.7 billion acquisition of iRobot as it faces questions from regulators in the European Union and United States.

Google Assistant is the search engine tech giant's answer to Siri that responds to "Hey Google!"

In case you missed it, "Google Assistant with Bard" is now in the works, which is set to underpin the assistant with Bard (i.e., Google's AI-powered chatbot). And now, thanks to a new leak, we're seeing some semblance of its existence.

'Google Assistant with Bard' demo found in Pixel Tips app

Since October, Google hasn't said much about its plan to enhance its voice assistant with its powerful Bard artificial intelligence. However, we finally have a glimpse of how Assistant with Bard will work from a very unlikely source: the Pixels Tips app (h/t Android Police).

Spotted by an eagle-eyed X user, it looks like Android users will be getting a new native Bard app that will replace the Assistant app. The demo, which showed up in the Pixels Tips app that's available to most Google Pixel phones, gives us the most complete look of what Assistant with Bard can do.

SEE ALSO: New 'Assistant with Bard' combines Google Assistant and Bard into one. Here's what that looks like. Demo shows what 'Assistant with Bard' can do with photos

For example, in the video, users can upload a picture of a plant with the instructions "I just bought this plant. Give me tips and YouTube videos to help me take care of it." Bard will then follow up with videos and detailed tips on plant care.

Tweet may have been deleted

This, by and large changes, the personal assistant experience previously on offer by the current Google Assistant. Google Assistant, as it stands now, primarily functions as a reactive tool, responding to direct queries and commands. However, the integration with Bard marks a shift towards a more proactive and contextual understanding.

It'll also work in much the same way as the current Google Assistant, as Bard can also be accessed by saying "Hey Google" or long-pressing the home button.

Tweet may have been deleted

We might even have a potential release date for the new personal assistant as well. According to a post from Android expert Mishaal Rahman, the source code in the Pixel Tips app shows a March 2024 date that'll supposedly be timed with a planned Pixel feature drop.

Additionally, the video and tips about Assitant with Bard can't be viewed on non-Tensor chip-powered Pixel devices. So if you own a Pixel Tablet or Fold, and are itching to see the video yourself, sorry.

Facebook is a behemoth so large, so absolute, that just 20 years after its creation, it's difficult to imagine a world in which its power doesn't reach the most desolate of civilizations. Because it's a platform that spans the entire globe, but one that is commanded from Silicon Valley, it's easy to assume that it looks the same in every place you can access it. 

However, legislators in the EU are working to ensure that there are at least some protections for the people who use the platform.

The European Union's Digital Markets Act is a significant regulation that addresses antitrust concerns with big tech companies, giving the EU regulatory power that has affected the way some social media platforms function. That means that Facebook, and its parent company Meta, look a bit different in Europe than it does in the U.S., including, primarily, its protections for users. 

Pay to opt out of ads  SEE ALSO: I tried out Facebook's ad-free tier. Here's what it's like.

Facebook makes a ton of money off advertising on its platforms, and for good reason. Three billion people use the platform, and it has a system that tracks users when they're logged on, even if they aren't scrolling on Facebook. Because of that, Facebook can provide incredibly precise advertising to users — which advertisers love because it means they're only giving ads for products people are more likely to buy. Their money travels further. Yet it also means Facebook can get inundated with ads for users who might just want to see fewer of them.

And, of course, users might not want Facebook to sell so much of their data. 

In November 2023, despite Facebook's best attempts to stop it, regulators forced Meta to start offering a monthly subscription fee to use its platforms without any ads for users in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. It costs users €9.99 per month and is entirely optional — you can continue using the app for free and get the ads, or you can pay and have an ad-free experience.

Unlink Facebook and Instagram accounts SEE ALSO: How to unlink Facebook and Instagram

Facebook and Instagram users in the EU will be able to unlink their accounts in March.

Tim Lamb, Meta's competition and regulatory director, said in a Jan. 22 blog post that users in the EU, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland will be notified "over the next few weeks" of "their ability to choose whether they would like to share information between our services," including new abilities to limit data-sharing across Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Gaming, Ads, and Instagram. The most significant change is the ability for users to keep their Instagram and Facebook accounts linked or to manage the accounts separately "so that their information is no longer used across accounts." 

Linking your Instagram and Facebook accounts has some benefits to the user, like allowing them to be able to find people they know more easily. For the company, linking gives Meta more data for ad targeting.

It's unclear if any of these tools will ever become available for users in the U.S., but it sure would be nice if U.S. regulators started caring about citizens' digital privacy as much as EU regulators seem to.

SAVE $300: As of Jan. 29, you can score an Apple MacBook Air, 15.3-inch (Apple M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for just $999 (its lowest price) at Best Buy. That's a $300 discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15.3-inch (Apple M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $999 at Best Buy (save $300) Get Deal

If you're on the hunt for a new laptop, we recommend sprinting to the nearest Best Buy to scoop up this deal on the Apple MacBook Air, 15.3-inch (Apple M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD).

As of Jan. 29, you can snag this top-notch laptop for just $999. That's the lowest price we've seen since last December and a $300 discount off the original listing price. This deal is so good that Amazon sold out almost immediately after publishing it. (Now, you can only find used, refurbished, or third-party listings at slightly higher prices.)

The Apple MacBook Air, 15.3-inch (Apple M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD), features a 16-core neural engine, a stunning Retina display, and an impressive battery life (up to 18 hours). It also has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera and a three-microphone array for crystal clear video calls and recordings, so you can stay connected with friends, family, and work colleagues without worrying about background noise.

This MacBook is so feature-packed that it made Mashable's East Coast tech editor Kimberly Gedeon ditch Windows for good.

"The 15-inch MacBook Air is a power-efficiency beast," writes Gedeon. "I got sick and tired of seeing the “battery low” errors on my Windows laptops, so I switched on over to macOS. After spending a month with the 15-inch MacBook Air, I’d recommend it in a heartbeat."

SAVE 25%: Normally $599, the Apple iPad Air (WiFi, 64GB) is on sale for $449.99 at Best Buy as of Jan. 29 — a $149.01 savings and its lowest price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 10.9-inch (WiFi, 65GB) $449.99 at Best Buy (save $149.01) Get Deal

Apple's iPad Air is reportedly poised for a spring hardware refresh involving the M3 chip and a second larger size, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Needless to say, those interested in upgrading should simply bide their time until it drops (supposedly in March). But if you're good with forgoing next-gen specs in favor of a great deal, head to Best Buy in the immediate future.

As of Jan. 29, the electronics store has the entry-level configuration of the current iPad Air marked down to just $449.99. (Meanwhile, it's completely sold out on Amazon.) That's 25% off its $599 MSRP — a savings of just under $150 — and its lowest price to date, trouncing its Black Friday 2023 deal by $50.

SEE ALSO: iPad Air, iPad Pro: The rumored release date window for the ‘biggest revamp ever’

A 2022 release, this fifth-gen iPad Air is a lightweight tablet featuring Apple's M1 chip, a 10.9-inch Retina display, a 12MP rear camera that can capture 4K video, and a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage support; the base model comes with 64GB of storage and no cellular connectivity.

Mashable's Stan Schroder said it's "elegant, powerful, and versatile enough for both casual users and professionals," and noted that it sports "all the key features of the 11-inch iPad Pro." We wish it started with a bit more storage, but overall, it's nice enough to nab a Mashable's Choice Award and a spot on our list of the best tablets.

4 FOR $214 + FREE GIFT: Fun Factory's Anti-Valentine's Day sale is a four-for-$214 (plus a FREE gift) bundle featuring a range of their best-selling toys and accessories.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fun Factory Fun Factory Anti-Valentine's Day Sale 4 FOR $214 + FREE GIFT Get Deal

German sex toy manufacturer Fun Factory is promoting self-love and empowerment this Valentine's Day with an anti-Valentine's Day campaign. (It may sound counterintuitive, but hear us out.)

The message: "Fuck Valentine's Day. Fuck every day." Now, that's a statement we can get behind.

Instead of pushing the traditional narrative of romantic love, Fun Factory wants you to embrace self-pleasure by prioritizing self-care, self-exploration, and unapologetic self-indulgence.

SEE ALSO: The best sex toy deals to shop this week

To help you get there, they're offering a four-for-$214 (plus a FREE gift) bundle featuring a range of their best-selling self-love toys and accessories, ensuring that you have everything you need to go fuck yourself this Valentine's Day and beyond. To be clear, this means you'll get three sex toys, one accessory, and a mystery gift for $214. That's basically a 45% discount.

Click the Valentine's Day tab and choose your experience: Going solo or partnered up. From there, you can start creating your kit. Each step of the bundle-building process is based on stimulation.

First, pick your power player:

• Harness Joque

• Cobra Libre II

• Jewels Big Boss

• Jewels Manta

• Jewels Miss Bi

• Jewels Tiger

• Jewels Volta

• VIM (featured in our best sex toys for women roundup)

• Sundaze

Then, choose an enhancer:

• Fascinator Throw by Liberator

• Bed Buckler by Liberator

• Duke

• Laya III

• NŌS

• Wedge by Liberator

Add an all-silicone essential:

• Amor

• Bi Amor

• Bootie

• Bootie Fem

• Bootie Ring

• Limba Flex

• Magnum

• The Boss

Finish off with some fun accessories:

• SUTIL lube

• Boyslut by Zachary Zane

• Fun Factory Toybag

• Shameless Sex by Amy Baldwin and April Lampert

Once you have an item from each category, the site will auto-apply the discount to your bundle at checkout.

Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs have made it to the end game. Following Sunday night's AFC Championship victory, the Chiefs are officially headed to the 2024 Super Bowl — and for Swifties, it's the start of something new.

SEE ALSO: Will Taylor Swift attend the Super Bowl? Tokyo 'Eras Tour' concert will complicate things

Taylor Swift became a mainstay at Chiefs games back in September, and Sunday night was no exception. After clinching their Super Bowl spot, the tight end and the pop star celebrated on the field with a kiss, much to the delight of people with parasocial relationships everywhere.

Of course, fans had a lot to say.

SEE ALSO: Deepfakes of Taylor Swift have gone viral. How does this keep happening?

Fans were quick to point out how packed the next two weeks are for the couple. Swift is set to perform at the Grammys next Sunday, then she kicks off the next leg of her international Eras Tour dates in Tokyo, and the next day is Super Bowl Sunday. Her jam-packed schedule led to much speculation about whether she'd make it from Tokyo to Las Vegas in time to cheer on Kelce.

One Swiftie wrote on X / Twitter, "The fact that Taylor actually has plenty of time to make it to the Super Bowl because her final Tokyo Dome show on The Eras Tour is the previous night AND she’s on the correct side of the international date line to arrive AND be rested is the closest I’ve felt to believing in god." Another said, "grammys > tokyo shows > superbowl is gonna be wild. my girl better be resting up in that private jet i’ll plant the trees for you queen."

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Others were less concerned about the logistics and more obsessed with what the couple represents.

Fans called the couple "the closest thing to American royalty" and their relationship "the plot of a rom com." Many likened the pair to High School Musical high school sweethearts Troy and Gabriella. An X user wrote, "Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce having the Grammys, the Eras Tour Tokyo and the SuperBowl all in one week is literally the plot of high school music but if Gabriella had a jet." Another posted the lyrics to Troy's most iconic song, "Get'cha Head in the Game."

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High School Musical lyrics weren't the only verses shared in celebration. Fans pulled from Swift's extensive catalog to refashion lines to fit the moment.

Images of the pair celebrating the Chief's win on the field have been steadily circulating on social media with Swift lyrics as captions. There's "Flash forward and we're taking on the world together" from Speak Now; "Our secret moments in a crowded room" from Reputation; and Midnights' "Do I really have to tell you how he brought me back to life," to name a few.

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Fearless hit "You Belong With Me" got its time in the spotlight as well as the images were reminiscent of the song's football-centric music video. One user referred to Swift as a "manifestation queen" for going from "on bleachers" to the field.

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And what does it mean that the Super Bowl date (Feb. 11) adds up to Swift's lucky number, 13? Whatever it may be Swifties are...ready for it.

It's almost new iPad season, reportedly.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a prominent Apple prognosticator, doubled down on a previous report, stating that Apple will launch new iPads by the end of March. Beyond that release window, Gurman added that this could be the "biggest revamp ever" for Apple's tablets.

SEE ALSO: iOS 17.4 code may have accidentally revealed new iPad Pro camera feature

As for what that specifically means, we have only a few crumbs of information to go on at this point. Gurman has said since last year that Apple is planning on making 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pros with new M3 chips, and for the first time, OLED displays. There may also be a new 10.9-inch iPad Air and a larger 12.9-inch Air, which would put it on par size-wise with the Pro. However, those will likely not have OLED displays.

We could also see the new iPad Pros ditch the current camera orientation (the front camera sits on top if you hold the iPad Pro vertically right now). Some stray code found in iOS 17.4 more or less confirms that Apple is planning on putting the front camera on the tablet's longer side so it'll be more conducive to video calls. We may also see a new Magic Keyboard accessory, per Gurman.

If you've been waiting for a new iPad upgrade, you may not have to wait much longer.

Here's the TL;DR: Taylor Swift can probably make it to the Super Bowl to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, take on the San Francisco 49ers. It'll just take some effort.

Swift is scheduled to stop in Tokyo to perform her Eras Tour show from Feb. 7 through Feb. 10. The Super Bowl, meanwhile, is scheduled to take place Sunday, Feb. 11 in Las Vegas. It's roughly a 12 or 13 hour flight from Tokyo to Vegas, which would make you think it'll be hard to get to Vegas in time for the big game.

But now I'm going to do my best to explain time zones in writing.

Essentially, Tokyo is in the future compared to Las Vegas. It's 17 hours ahead. So, assuming Swift hops on a plane right after the show, she should actually be able to arrive in Vegas the night before the big game.

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However, that is — in laymen's terms — a long-ass day. And there are often complications in traveling like bad weather, traffic getting to the airport, delays at the concert, etc.

SEE ALSO: TikTok convinced me I had seen the best of Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour.' Until I saw it in theaters.

But still, it seems likely Swift should be able to make it the Super Bowl. After all, she's been along for the ride with Kelce and the Chiefs for weeks now. At this point, if you're a Kansas City fan, you'd have to be worried the vibes would be off is she didn't attend the championship game.

SAVE $20: As of Jan. 29, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 noise-cancelling headphones are down to just $39.98 at Amazon instead of the usual $59.99. That's a savings of 33% and their lowest price to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Noise-Cancelling Headphones $39.98 at Amazon (save $20.01) Get Deal

Looking for a solid pair of travel headphones that won't break the bank? The Anker Soundcore Life Q20s are our favorite budget headphones for flying and they're down to a new all-time low price.

As of Jan. 29, you can snag a pair of Soundcore Life Q20 noise-cancelling headphones at Amazon for only $39.98 instead of $59.99. That's a savings of 33% and the lowest price we've seen on these bad boys. That price is only available on the black pair, however. If you prefer the blue or silver options, you'll have to pay a few more bucks. They're sitting at $43.99 at Amazon, down from $65.99 — that matches their previous all-time low.

You're not going to get top-quality noise cancellation on a budget pick like the Life Q20s, but that doesn't mean they're bad headphones. As Mashable's Bethany Allard wrote in our best noise-cancelling headphones roundup, "Overall, these headphones epitomize the word decent — but that's not a knock against them at all."

The built-in ANC can block out some background noise, but extreme highs and lows will most likely break through. But what it lacks in ANC power, it makes up for in actual power. With 40 hours of playtime in ANC mode and a comfortable fit, the Q20s make a superb flying companion.

The latest trailer for Ghostbuster: Frozen Empire is a parade of familiar faces.

Not only do we get the return of OG Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Akyroyd, and Ernie Hudson — we also get more Slimer, a bunch of teeny tiny Stay Puft Marshmallow Men, and Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz (this time all suited up).

They've teamed up with the new generation of Ghostbusters from Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace) to stop an icy new threat known as the Death Chill — described by Murray's Venkman as "tall, dark, and horny." As the streets of New York City freeze over in a second Ice Age, will these Ghostbusters, new and old, be able to save the day?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire hits theaters March 29.

Looking back on the moment in time that The Greatest Night in Pop captures is a dizzying thing. Even in 1985, the recording of the single "We Are The World" was inexplicable. Out of nowhere, some of the biggest recording artists in contemporary American music were joined in a chorus for charity. Thinking back on the music video, the collection of famous faces seems like a fever dream more than a memory: Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Bette Midler, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, for some reason Dan Aykroyd, and many, many more. 

They'd come together to create a fundraising single to fight famine in Africa, and they achieved awe-inspiring success in collaboration and philanthropy. But looking back, it feels even more impossible to imagine something so sincere and star-stuffed coming together at all. 

The documentary The Greatest Night In Pop is fueled by this sense of awe. Director Bao Nguyen offers interviews from a long list of the single's contributors alongside behind-the-scenes footage that takes us into the recording session that was as stressful as it was surreal. The result is a documentary that is undeniably enchanting — even if willfully naive. 

SEE ALSO: The 21 best music documentaries on Netflix Lionel Richie is The Greatest Night in Pop's MVP.  Credit: Netflix

Lionel Richie, who serves as a talking head as well as a producer here, returns to the recording studio where they all convened on January 25, 1985. With the help of colleagues like Kenny Loggins, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Smokey Robinson, Sheila E., and Dionne Warwick, he constructs the incredible story of how the song came together. 

Each of the interview subjects brings interesting perspectives and engaging anecdotes, many of them painting a picture of music producer Quincy Jones — who does not participate in the doc — as brilliant, patient, and inspiringly ambitious. But as Richie was involved with the single early on, co-writing it with Michael Jackson, he shoulders much of the story. 

Far from having a Behind the Music vibe, The Greatest Night in Pop is not interested in the scandals and shocks that would come later in some of these musicians' careers. There will be no dramatic music stings as someone says something shady. No syrupy narrator will thread in foreboding or stoke drama from a vague comment. Nguyen keeps the story relatively focused and easy to watch by keeping to the topic at hand, with little to no interest in the future. This gives Richie the space to play storyteller comfortably; he regales us with details about what an eccentric Jackson was, busting out stories about how the King of Pop's animal menagerie became an unwelcome distraction during the writing phase. Aside from being a dynamic storyteller, Richie also proves a solid mimic. His impression of Jackson is as good as that of the large python who intruded on a brainstorming session. 

The Greatest Night in Pop gives affable access.  Huey Lewis, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson in "The Greatest Night in Pop." Credit: Netflix

Richie is our charismatic tour guide through titular historical event, offering winsome stories and an attitude that we're being allowed beyond the velvet rope. In this space far from fans and paparazzi, the stars are not just glamorous — they're geeking out to meet their idols. Charming anecdotes and matching archival photographs are shared of artists exchanging their sheet music to be autographed like a high school yearbook. Several interviewees recall how in awe they were to be in the same room as the living legends on this track. 

Here, Huey Lewis proves a standout, acknowledging that he was a relatively new kid on the block, drop-jawed to be in the same session as Billy Joel, Smokey Robinson, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. His arc within the story is among the most satisfying, both sweet and grateful. Elsewhere, Springsteen has a great line trying to sum up Bob Dylan, whose folk stylings struggled in this group setting. Where technicians from that night give structure to how everything came together, talent like Dionne Warwick provides colorful commentary that is gleeful fun, as if told in a conspiratorial cackle over cocktails. 

In general, these interviews paint The Greatest Night in Pop to be a magical moment where a bunch of big stars overcame their egos for the betterment of the world — in a time when that didn't earn derision. The film's joyful tone invites us to join in on the lovefest, though there is a frisson of drama that threatens to overshadow everything else.

Prince stands out by staying out of The Greatest Night in Pop. 

The closest the film gets to drama is Prince. Though the iconic artist chose not to participate in the event, the will-he-won't-he of it all becomes an intriguing theme. Specifically, the drama tangles around Sheila E., Prince's then-girlfriend and musical colleague as well as the Queen of Percussion. She was really excited to be involved with "We Are the World." However, in her interview, she recalls how the producers on the night of the recording repeatedly pushed her to call Prince and invite him to come. "The Glamorous Life" singer began to feel that she wasn't invited on her own merit, but only because of her famous lover. All these years later, that feeling of rejection clearly still stings as she hangs her head in her interview.

To Nguyen's credit, the documentarian does not dismiss Sheila E.'s experience, but he doesn't press the other producers and musicians on this point either. And so, Sheila E. is left to dangle on a sullen note. Though this arc does give the film a low moment, it doesn't so much detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. However, her story does push us to wonder about the other angles that are not explored — troublesome behavior that was laughed off or whispers that won’t be spoken of.

This is not the kind of documentary that digs particularly deep, looking for the dark corners of the shiny pop story. As its title suggests, The Greatest Night in Pop is a celebration, full of nostalgia for a supposedly simpler time when star power might sweetly combat the evils of the world. The final act notes cheerily how this single inspired benefit concerts like Farm Aid and Live Aid. So, this is propaganda for the power of pop music — popaganda, if you will. And sure, what the artists accomplished that night should be lauded, as they donated their time and talent to the greater good. On reflection, there's something uneasy in only calling upon participants to proclaim the night's greatness. But it’s something that won’t be explored in this documentary.

In the end, The Greatest Night In Pop is a good documentary for Netflix viewing. Fun and fluffy with famous faces, brisk pacing, and plenty of playful tales, it's something you could put on casually while folding laundry. And it is very satisfying on that front.

The Greatest Night in Pop was reviewed out of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival; the documentary debuts is now streaming on Netflix.