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The electric car company run by Elon Musk is facing increasing competition, but investors have focused mostly on the prospects for Tesla’s self-driving technology.

You’ve heard the outrage, you’ve read the reports, and you’ve seen the headlines: social media may be harming your child. What now? You gave your child a phone years ago and nothing short of the jaws of life could extract that thing from your kid’s grip now. You’d like to keep your child safe, but it’s a tug of war between you and an industry that has thousands of brilliant minds, and has invested billions of dollars, just to keep your child online as long as possible. You feel hopeless, guilty, exhausted, and maybe even angry.

I get it. I have done research on technology and adolescent mental health for 25 years, delivered hundreds of presentations of our findings to parents, schools, state legislative offices, and even to the Senate and at the White House. In fact, I am writing this piece on a flight back from Switzerland, where I presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos among dozens of companies unveiling even more sophisticated versions of AI-driven platforms that are designed to occupy our children’s attention for even more hours per day.

I am well aware of the potential benefits and harms of social media. But I am also a parent of two teenagers. I talk about this research all day, and then I spend each evening engaged in that same tug of war. It is almost impossible to raise a child today when tech titans have as much influence as parents in guiding our kids’ behavior.

But they haven’t won yet. You are still your child’s parent, and you still have tremendous power.

Here are four relatively easy things you can do today to help guard your children from the most dangerous risks on social media. Note – it’s best if you can do each of these thingsalong with some friends; we have added power when we work together as parents to create a united front, so our children don’t feel like they are the only ones with different rules for using tech.

Create tech-free zones in your child’s life

Your child will never admit this to you, but our research shows: Kids actually want limits on their device, but they want to be able to blame their parents or schools for “having to log off now.” Do them a favor and help them get some tech-free time. Research shows that about 50% of kids report at least one symptom of clinical dependency on social media (i.e., they can’t stop even when they want to), and in our work with college-aged students, about the same percent tell us that they wish their parents had not given in to them when they asked (begged?) for a phone at age 12.

You can do this in several ways:

• Use parental controls to set up “downtime” or “sleep time” on your child’s device for periods throughout the day. “Sleep” mode will often even post a label so your child’s friends will understand why they are not writing back. You can shut down devices during the day, too. When your child has friends over, tell their parents not to bring the devices along – make it a tech-free playdate. Same for sleepovers, and ask instructors or coaches for extracurricular activities to apply the same rule.

• Adolescence is the second most important period in our lives for brain development behind the first year of life; eight to nine hours of sleep a night is absolutely mandatory. Make a house rule that all devices are shut off and put away at 10 p.m. on a school night (yours, too!). Remember when it was rude to call someone after 10 p.m.? Time for us to set that norm again. I know this can be hard to enforce, but scientific studies show that social media use is the number one reason for teens’ delayed sleep start and disrupted sleep, both of which have significant implications for how large your child’s brain grows in adolescence, and how well it functions. Tech titans may be able to get our kids to spend more time online than we would like, but we should absolutely refuse to let them affect how large our children’s brain will grow.

• Tell your school district that you want phones out of the classroom for instructional time (go to joinmama.org for resources).

Visit the app store with them

When I speak to middle and high school students, I conduct a simple exercise. Open the app store. Type in the name of your favorite social media platform. Now scroll down. Keep scrolling. There it is: the “Privacy” section. There’s a list of all the data the companies are collecting from your device once you download the app. This is the moment that the kids’ jaws drop, and their hands raise dramatically. “Wait, my internet searches are being sent to the company? My location? My contact list? My payment method?!” Yep. “Hold on, is this only when I am using the app?” Nope – it is everything you do from the moment you download the app and accept its terms. “What if my profile is set to ‘private’?” Doesn’t matter – that only affects what other users see. The company gets all your data no matter what. “Hey, if they are selling my data, do I get a cut of the profits?” Oh, bless your heart, no, you do not. Try this exercise at home. Create the space for an educated child to become a wise decision-maker for themselves.

Talk, talk, talk

Our research shows: Your kids will be exposed to content that teaches them how to engage in disordered eating behavior, how to cut themselves and hide it from their parents.They will see live suicide attempts and drug use among teens, they will see hateful and discriminatory posts against others based on their race, religion, or identity. They will be encouraged to “like” or “repost” this content, and for many, this content will make them more likely to engage in the same behavior themselves. Don’t wait for your child to volunteer that they saw this content. Talk to them about it, assuming that they have already seen or will soon see it. “Why do you think people posted that content? What would you do if you saw someone from your school posting that content? Why do you think some people “like” that content? Have you ever thought about doing some of the things you saw in those posts?”

Look at yourself

The world has been discussing the effects of tech on youth. But here’s a hard truth that folks don’t want to say out loud: It’s not just youth. Do you ever spend more time on your device than you would like? Ever pick up your phone to check a quick message only to scroll for way longer than you expected? Ever get excited about how many likes your post got? Your child is watching you. Research on “technoference” even shows that toddlers are jealous that you may spend more time looking at your phone than at them. Here’s a tough pill to swallow: We are complicit every time we show our kids that notifications must be answered immediately, that posts with many “likes” are to be celebrated, that people’s opinions matter just because they have many followers, or that scrolling on our phone is more exciting to us than watching our children play on the field.

The fact is – we are part of this, too, so let’s all be part of the solution together. Have a tech-free dinner with the family while leaving all devices in the other room. Maybe a tech-free hike, or device-less stop for frozen yogurt as a group. And here’s the important part: Talk about how hard this is for you, too. Discuss with your child how you cope with missing your phone. Discuss how it’s natural to worry that we may be missing out on a juicy new development online. Then discuss why your family values some tech-free time to make genuine human connections. Talk with your kids about how you develop emotional intimacy with friends so they can learn that there are relationships to be had that make us less lonely, as compared to the incessant scrolling of “friends’” profiles or the collection of followers that seems to increase loneliness. As hard as it is to acknowledge that we have been hooked, too, we must practice what we preach. 


SEE ALSO: Nearly half of U.S. teens say they're online 'almost constantly' “I’m exhausted.”

Maybe you are far too busy to follow the tips suggested here. That’s fair. How many of us actually have time for deep conversations with our teenagers these days? And let’s be honest, the longer the kids are on screen, the easier it is for us to find time to do what we need to feed them fed, keep them in clean clothes, and give ourselves an occasional, needed break. That’s OK. Don’t beat yourself up for just making it through the day. Maybe instead of following all of the steps here, just try one. Maybe just once. Or maybe just start a conversation with another parent and compare notes on how they are managing this. Even the smallest steps forward can help change begin. I’m sad to say, although parents have the least time and energy to fix this issue, it may be up to us to do so.

You are not alone. We can make this change if we decide to do it together. Let’s not blame our kids, or each other, when we fail to resist the urge to look at our phones. Let’s support, commiserate, and share tips on what we have found that can help. And let’s use the most powerful tool we have – our collective power as parents. It was parents who made designated drivers “a thing.” We fought back against companies trying to make tobacco look cool to kids. We pushed back against those making a profit by putting sugary snacks and drinks in our kids’ schools. And we can do this! Demand that parental controls are easier to set. Select products that prioritize child safety. Abandon companies that advertise on platforms with the weakest protections for youth, and support nonprofit groups that advance a tech-healthy youth agenda. We are the market that tech companies need to survive, and your child has the data they want to make a profit. We may feel helpless in the struggle to keep our kids safe, but there may be some small things we can do today and some big things we can do together to save a generation from risk.

Mitch Prinstein, PhD is the chief of psychology for the American Psychological Association.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump dangled a "buyout" offer in front of 2 million federal workers, encouraging them to resign en masse. The mass email blast from the Office of Personal Management (OPM), designed to rattle employees into quitting, aligns with a key objective of Project 2025 — clearing the ranks of federal workers to install MAGA loyalists.

The move is already backfiring.

On r/fednews, the Reddit hub for federal employees, workers are rejecting what they see as an intimidation tactic. Posts urge colleagues to stand their ground and resist being pushed out. The consensus remains clear: don’t take the bait.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk and the Roman salute: What it is and why it doesn't matter what you call it

"We took an oath to serve our country and fellow Americans. They can drag me out," says the title of one such post.

"They can’t fire us as easily as they thought, so they are trying to scare us into quitting, don’t fall for it!"

"To my fellow Feds, especially veterans: we’re at war"

Tensions between federal employees and the Trump administration are at a boiling point in D.C., fueled by an email sent Tuesday from OPM titled "A Fork in the Road." The message, tied to a Trump executive order, mandates all agencies end remote work.

The email laid out two choices: return to the office full-time or resign with a supposed buyout and severance pay through September 30. But federal employees on r/fednews quickly picked apart the offer. According to the fine print, there’s no actual buyout. Instead, it’s a “deferred resignation” allowing employees to keep their telework status until September 30 before being forced out.

Reddit Reddit Reddit

“If you resign under this program, you will retain all pay and benefits regardless of your daily workload and will be exempted from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025 (or earlier if you choose to accelerate your resignation for any reason),” the email states.

On r/fednews, users flagged the inconsistencies, with Senator Tim Kaine bluntly calling it “a scam.” The federal budget only stretches to March, leaving no funding allocated for buyouts. The Trump administration has not guaranteed that workers who resign will see any severance pay.

Right out of the Musk playbook

If this resignation ploy feels familiar, that’s because "A Fork in the Road" is the same headline Elon Musk used when he took over Twitter in 2022. In that email, Musk gave employees two choices: resign immediately with severance or brace for “hardcore” work under his leadership.

Those former employees had to sue Musk to try and get the severance pay he promised them if they resigned.

Now, Musk’s influence has extended beyond tech and into federal staffing. While he was appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — formerly the U.S. Digital Service — several of his close allies have landed prominent roles within OPM, as WIRED previously reported.

Thus, it’s hardly a stretch to suspect Musk’s fingerprints on the OPM email blast. By Wednesday, as backlash erupted on Reddit, Musk was amplifying the narrative on X, retweeting posts that cast federal employees as lazy. Meanwhile, the DOGE agency’s official X account framed the deferred resignations as a "paid vacation" where workers could "just watch movies and chill."

Tweet may have been deleted

It’s unclear how many workers will take the deferred resignation offer, but one thing is certain: the most vocal federal employees on Reddit are standing firm against Musk and Trump’s attempt to reshape the government in their image.

Reddit

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot, swiftly rose to the top of app stores this week, and it's just as swiftly rising in priority for data protection watchdog agencies worldwide. 

DeepSeek's privacy policy has many aspects that might concern users, but governments are particularly interested in the fact that the company's data is stored in China and, therefore, subject to Chinese data laws.

A data protection watchdog in Italy, Euroconsumers, comprising a coalition of consumer groups throughout Europe, filed a complaint to the Italian Data Protection Authority earlier this week that asks DeepSeek for more details about how the company will process its citizens' data, saying, in Italian, according to TechCrunch, "The data of millions of Italians is at risk." The Irish Data Protection Commission quickly followed suit.

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that DeepSeek could not be accessed in Apple and Google app stores in Italy.

SEE ALSO: What DeepSeek knows about you — and why it matters

"The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has written to DeepSeek requesting information on the data processing conducted in relation to data subjects in Ireland," a spokesperson for the Irish Data Protection Commission told TechCrunch.

DeepSeek collects information you provide, like your birthday and email address and anything you send in the chat; information like your IP address, keystroke patterns or rhythms, and payment information; and information from other sources, like if you sign in using Google or Apple. This information is stored "in secure servers in the People's Republic of China." This, of course, is all coming when TikTok is battling a ban in the U.S. due to ties with "foreign adversaries."

GET $15 OFF $50 OR MORE: As of Jan. 29, get $15 off your Costco delivery order of $50 or more through Feb. 23 using promo code WINTERSAMEDAY25. Limit 1 discount per membership number.

Opens in a new window Credit: Costco $15 off Costco delivery orders $50 or more Promo Code: WINTERSAMEDAY25 Get Deal

Do you love shopping at Costco, but dislike the actual "shopping" part? Good news: You can just get everything delivered to you. Yes, it's available with the magic of Instacart, which means if you want your chicken bakes sent to your door, all you have to do is order them, and they will come (for a slightly higher price than if you did it yourself). But that's where today's deal comes in. You can save a decent chunk of change with a promotion going on now.

As of Jan. 29, you can save $15 on Costco delivery orders of $50 or more with promo code WINTERSAMEDAY25. Limit 1 order per membership number, and the deal is valid through Feb. 23. You must be a Costco member to qualify.

SEE ALSO: The best flower delivery deals ahead of Valentine's Day

To use this discount, just add $50 or more of items to your cart and use the promo code at checkout. Your discount will automatically be applied. You'll also need to make sure you have a sameday.costco.com account, so be sure to sign up before you log in through Instacart. The discount can't be used on alcohol or prescription co-pays, and it can only be applied to a single transaction.

If you've been meaning to stock up on certain items but just don't want to go out in the cold, this is a good reason to stay inside. Just be sure to use your discount before it expires in February.

The San Francisco start-up claims that its Chinese rival may have used data generated by OpenAI technologies to build new systems.

SAVE 43%: The Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones (black) are on sale at Amazon for just $28.49, down from the typical price of $49.99. That's a savings of $21.50 and the lowest price we've seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones (black) $28.49 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $21.50 Get Deal

Earbuds are the new sunglasses. Forget them at home, and you're in for a painful day. The fancy, high-quality pairs are expensive and not-to-be-lost, kept in a safe place at all times. But we all need that one pair that's durable, comfortable, and doesn't cost so much that we're hesitant to wear them outside. If you could use some new earbuds that don't cost a fortune, but still perform well, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Jan. 29, the black Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones are on sale at Amazon for only $28.49, marked down from the usual price of $49.99. That's a 43% discount on the black colorway that'll save you $21.50. If you prefer a white or blue option, they're a bit more than the black, at $29.99, but still a great deal. The $28.49 sale price on the black headphones is the lowest we've ever spotted at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: Our favorite budget earbuds are on sale for just $20

The dust- and water-resistant Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones makes this pair suitable to be your daily drivers — the pair that can get tossed in your backpack or work bag, ready for any adventure. Soundcore designed the V20i to have an open-ear fit, sitting on the ear rather than in the ear for a pressure-free feel. They can also rotate into four different positions, offering you several options to find the most comfortable fit. The soft hook wraps around the ear for a comfortable but secure fit.

Soundcore mentions the V20i get about eight hours of battery life, but that increases to 36 hours with the included charging case. With the Soundcore app, you can customize the sound as well as the external light color on the V20i headphones, which gives these a fun advantage over many options.

If you could use a new pair of earbuds or an extra set for your gym bag that are comfortable enough to wear all day, today's deal at Amazon on the Soundcore V20i is a great opportunity.

Alibaba, the Chinese tech giant, released a new version of its AI model and made big claims — notably that it outperforms OpenAI's ChatGPT and the newly ascending DeepSeek.

"Qwen 2.5-Max outperforms ... almost across the board GPT-4o, DeepSeek-V3 and Llama-3.1-405B," Alibaba's cloud unit wrote in a statement, according to Reuters. Those are OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Meta's latest AI offerings, respectively.

There are precious few other details about the release from Alibaba. It does come at a time, however, where the AI world is scrambling amid the Chinese-owned DeepSeek rocketing in popularity. Its model is purportedly as good, or better, than its competitors despite being cheaper and requiring fewer chips.

SEE ALSO: DeepSeek AI: What you need to know about the ChatGPT rival

Despite privacy concerns, DeepSeek quickly shot to the top of Apple's app store. Amid the burgeoning popularity, OpenAI — perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not — dropped its latest release, a government focused GPT tool. This announcement came as tech stocks took a major hit due to DeepSeek. It would stand to reason Alibaba could feel the heat as well.

Wrote Reuters: "The unusual timing of the Qwen 2.5-Max's release, on the first day of the Lunar New Year when most Chinese people are off work and with their families, points to the pressure Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's meteoric rise in the past three weeks has placed on not just overseas rivals, but also its domestic competition."

DeepSeek has everyone in AI scrambling, it seems. Brace for even more news.

SAVE $20: As of Jan. 29, Amazon has the Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds on sale for just $19.99. That's half off their list price of $39.99, which is their biggest discount to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore P20i $19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

Big Tech has trained us to expect to pay a premium for good wireless earbuds, and in certain cases, it feels justified: Models like Apple's AirPods Pro, Sony's WF-1000XM5, and Bose's QuietComfort Ultras cost a couple hundred dollars because they offer best-in-class sound quality, industry-leading noise cancellation, and unrivaled comfort. But after testing myriad earbuds over the years, we can confirm that splurging isn't mandatory if you just need a nice pair for everyday listening. In fact, one of our favorite options now costs a mere $20.

The Anker Soundcore P20i are the best budget earbuds we've tried, and as of Jan. 29, they're on sale for just $19.99 on Amazon. That's a full 50% off their $39.99 MSRP and a match of their lowest price ever, according to the Amazon price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel. (Notably, they haven't been this cheap since Sept. 2024.)

Take your pick from three finishes: black, blue, or white. The Soundcore P20i are also available in light blue and pink, but both variants were $5 more expensive at the time of writing.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best earbuds to buy in 2025

Mashable Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino was most impressed by the Soundcore P20i's "impressive array of features," which includes support for up to three touch controls per bud and a "find device" feature à la Apple Find My. But "[unlike] Apple AirPods, which only play a sound from the case when you're trying to find your earbuds," Mangino wrote, "the Soundcore earbuds each play a loud tone when you activate this feature, making it easier to locate a single bud."

The Soundcore P20i's battery life was another high point in our testing. They lasted about 10 hours on a single charge, and their included charging case offers up to 30 hours of extra juice on top of that.

Mangino wasn't blown away by their sound quality at first, but after playing around some settings on their companion mobile app, the Treble Boost option "produced the kind of well-rounded sound we expect from pricier earbuds," she said.

Anker made two more obvious sacrifices to keep these buds at their ultra-low price point, and they were to omit ANC and multipoint pairing. If either of those are dealbreakers, we recommend looking into the Soundcore Life P3i or the JBL Vibe Beam, respectively. Both have our seal of approval and come in at just under $50.

SAVE $10: As of Jan. 29, you can grab the TP-Link Tapo indoor security camera for just $14.99, down from $24.99, at Amazon. That's a 40% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: TP-Link TP-Link Tapo indoor security camera (Tapo c100) $14.99 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

If you’re a pet parent or just want to keep an eye on your home when you’re not around, then you should definitely invest in a reliable indoor security camera. They’re super affordable, and honestly, peace of mind is priceless — especially when it only costs $15.

As of Jan. 29, you can get the TP-Link Tapo indoor security camera for $14.99, down from $24.99, at Amazon. That's a 40% discount, and only 70 cents from its lowest price to date.

SEE ALSO: The best home security cameras for staying safe and secure

The TP-Link Tapo indoor camera has a 1080p HD video resolution, so you'll get super clear footage of whatever's going on in your home. Thanks to its built-in night vision, it can also see up to 30 feet away in the dark. With a 110-degree field of view and two-way audio, you can check in on your pets, see what's happening, and even talk to them through the camera.

If you’re using this camera to deter intruders, there’s a siren alert feature that will scare off any potential bad guys. You can also view live footage on an Echo Show or Chromecast device, or get alerts sent to your phone whenever motion is detected. (It also detects crying babies if you want to place one in the nursery.)

SAVE $300: The Dyson HEPA Big + Quiet air purifier with formaldehyde filtration (BP06) is on sale at Amazon for $599.99, down from the normal price of $899.99. That's a 33% discount and the lowest price we've spotted at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson HEPA Big + Quiet Formaldehyde air purifier (BP06) $599.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal

We all have plenty to worry about. There's erratic weather, the disappearing hours in the day, and also that dog we saw online that needs surgery. But thanks to Amazon's sale today, you can check "indoor air quality" off your list of concerns.

As of Jan. 29, the Dyson HEPA Big + Quiet air purifier with formaldehyde filtration (BP06) is marked down at Amazon to $599.99 which saves you $300 compared to the list price of $899.99. That's a 33% discount that also happens to be the lowest price we've seen at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: The best smart speakers in 2025

Like the name suggests, the Dyson HEPA Big + Quiet air purifier focuses on cleaning the air in a large space while operating at a quiet noise level. The 1.44-inch LCD screen displays the current carbon dioxide reading, giving you better insight into the health of your indoor air. With one touch on the LCD screen, control the purifier's airflow mode, choosing between a low and high setting.

The HEPA filter used in the Dyson is designed to capture indoor air pollutants like dust, pollen, dander, and traffic emissions. It can also help rid your home of virus particles that are so common during winter.

This Dyson air purifier is also designed to cut down on formaldehyde, which can cause indoor air problems and is a known carcinogen. Common household items like furniture fabrics can emit formaldehyde into the air. Cigarette smoke is also a contributor to formaldehyde, according to the American Lung Association, as are some paints.

A catalytic converter in the Dyson HEPA Big + Quiet traps and breaks down formaldehyde into water and carbon dioxide. Plus, this element of the air purifier never needs to be replaced.

If you live in an area that's prone to wildfire smoke, investing in the Dyson HEPA Big + Quiet air purifier could make a huge difference when it comes to breathing clean air inside your home. Snag it while it's in stock and on sale for 33% off the normal price.

As Mark Zuckerberg and other tech titans have embraced President Trump and muffled internal dissent at their companies, their mostly left-leaning employees have objected with subtle acts of defiance.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Jan. 29: OUR TOP PICK Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds $19.99 (save $20) Get Deal BEST VALENTINES DAY GIFT DEAL Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses $47.99 (save $12) Get Deal BEST SPEAKER DEAL Beats Pill x Kim Kardashian $99.99 (save $49.96) Get Deal BEST PORTABLE MONITOR DEAL ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-inch portable monitor $149 (save $50) Get Deal

Got retail therapy on the mind? Head over to Amazon to save some money on your splurges. Whether you're looking for a Bluetooth speaker to drown out the latest news cycle or a Valentine's Day gift that'll impress your lover, there's something in the mix for you.

We've sorted through the chaos and handpicked some impressive discounts to shop on Jan. 29. Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these catch your eye, be sure to take a look back at our picks from Jan. 27 and Jan. 28. Many of those deals are still live, including the 11-inch iPad Air at its best price ever and half-price tax software from H&R Block.

Our top pick: Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds $19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

If you aren't trying to drop a ton of money on headphones, our favorite budget earbuds — the Soundcore P20i buds — are on sale for only $19.99 at Amazon as of Jan. 29. That's 50% off and matches their best price ever. We tested these babies out and were shocked at how impressive they were for the price. Thanks to equalizer presets on the companion app, they're able to produce the kind of well-rounded sound you'd expect from pricier earbuds. The app also lets you set up to three touch controls on each earbud and locate each one using a "find device" feature. Not to mention, they bested AirPods in battery life, with up to 10 hours of playback per charge.

Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal

Those grocery store blooms will wilt, but Lego building blocks will last forever. Whether you're looking for a Valentine's Day gift or some quirky decor for your home, the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses set is a solid pick — and it's on sale for just $47.99 instead of $59.99. That's 20% in savings. It includes 822 pieces that build out to a dozen roses with four sprigs of baby's breath to complete the bouquet. For accuracy, the roses vary in stages of flowering — four are in full bloom, four are blossoming, and four are buds.

Beats Pill x Kim Kardashian Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill x Kim Kardashian $99.99 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $49.96 Get Deal

The Beats Pill got a much-needed upgrade last year and addressed all of the downfalls of its predecessor. The new model features angled drivers, hefty bass, a capable speakerphone, a waterproof design, and impressive 24-hour battery life. Our pals at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) tested it and gave it an Editors' Choice award, "thanks to its portable, outdoor-ready design, high-quality wired and wireless sound, and seamless compatibility with Apple's product ecosystem." As of Jan. 29, it's back down to just $99.99, its lowest price on record. That's 33% in savings.

ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-inch portable monitor Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-inch portable monitor $149.00 at Amazon
$199.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

An extra monitor to spread out your work on is a total game changer, particularly when you're on the go and stuck with just a 13-inch laptop screen. The ASUS ZenScreen offers an extra 15.6 inches of screen real estate in a slim 10.5 mm package that you can bring along with you to work on the go. It simply plugs into your laptop's USB-C or USB-A port for connectivity, so you won't need to charge it, and extends your workspace instantly. Its built-in kickstand makes it easy to prop it up on any surface, and the protective sleeve will keep it unharmed in transit. As of Jan. 29, you can snag it on sale for just $149 at Amazon and save 25%. That matches its best price on record.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 29, grab the Levoit cordless vacuum cleaner for just $149.99, down from $199.99, at Amazon. That's a 25% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: LEVOIT Levoit Cordless Vacuum Cleaner $149.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $50.00 with on-screen coupon Get Deal

Vacuums can be expensive, but they’re a necessity if you have carpets, pets, or children (or all three). If you’re looking for a cheaper cordless vacuum that’ll get the job done without emptying your bank account, Levoit has a cordless option that comes with two attachments, and it’s on sale right now for $50 off.

As of Jan. 29, you can score the LVAC-200 cordless vacuum for $149.99 at Amazon. It typically retails for $199.99, but with an on-screen coupon, you can get it for $50 off. That's a 25% discount.

SEE ALSO: The 4 best self-emptying robot vacuums for hands-off cleaning in 2025

This vacuum is ideal for anyone with a small to medium-sized home who wants a lightweight, maneuverable vacuum that won’t die before you're finished. It runs for up to 50 minutes on a single charge using Eco mode and the crevice or pet tool, or 30 minutes with the vacuum head. That should be enough time to clean your floors, furniture, and hard-to-reach areas. Plus, the five-stage filtration system is 99.9% effective at filtering particles down to 0.3 microns in size.

It has a one-touch emptying feature (which pet owners will appreciate) and a wall-mounted charging base to keep it powered up and ready to go.

Levoit isn't a big-name brand like Dyson or Shark, and it's mostly known for its air purifiers, but it makes high-quality vacuums at affordable prices, too — and this discount is a great reason to scoop one up.

SAVE $400: As of Jan. 28, get the Google Pixel 8 Pro for $599 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $999. That's a discount of 40%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Pixel 8 Pro $599.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $400.00 Get Deal

If you've been holding off on grabbing a new phone for a while, it might finally be time to go ahead and do it. Put your old phone to rest and move on with something new and flashy that you can save some big bucks on today: the Google Pixel 8 Pro. You can head over to Amazon right now to score a significant discount, and get a great new phone in the process.

As of Jan. 28, you can get the Google Pixel 8 Pro at Amazon for $599. That's $400 off its usual price of $999 and a discount of $40. This price currently applies to the Bay and Obsidian colorways.

SEE ALSO: Samsung's new Galaxy S25 smartphones come with free gift cards worth up to $200 at Amazon and Best Buy

The Pixel 8 Pro is a powerhouse of a phone, with a 6.7-inch 120Hz display powered by the Google Tensor G2 processor under the hood, as well as 12GB of RAM. It has a 50MP camera and a 5,050mAh battery, so you can use it for lengthy periods of time without having to stop and recharge.

Mashable's Alex Perry found it to be a great performer and praised its "good battery life" as well as its options in terms of AI features, particularly for anyone who loves to take photos (and has fun editing them, too). It doesn't feature a wide variety of upgrades from the previous Google Pixel 7 Pro phone model, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth putting the cash down on.

If you're ready to give a new phone a try, you should capitalize on this discount soon, before like the last time it appeared for this price, it went away in the blink of an eye.

Scientists poring over a sample brought back from the asteroid Bennu have detected amino acids and complex mineral compounds, some of which have never been found in space rocks.

A team at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History discovered a salty residue left over from an ancient brine. Through evaporation, it formed minerals rich in sodium, carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, and fluorine. Finding these ingredients shows that the conditions to make them existed earlier and more widely in the solar system than previously thought.

Another study led by NASA scientists identified several different types of amino acids — tiny building blocks that make up proteins essential for life — in the asteroid material. Those findings included 14 of the 20 amino acids that Earth life uses to build proteins. These same amino acids have also been found in meteorites.

The new research helps build the case that space rocks brought chemicals necessary for life to emerge on this planet through collisions in ancient cosmic history. The pair of papers were published separately in Nature and Nature Astronomy on Wednesday. 

"If water-rich asteroids were commonly producing these elements, and we know that asteroids bombarded the surfaces of planets and moons early in their history," Tim McCoy, one of the Smithsonian paper's lead authors, told Mashable, "these primitive asteroids almost certainly delivered both water and prebiotic organics to Earth, Mars, and other planets and moons in our solar system."

SEE ALSO: A meteorite fell at their doorstep. The doorbell camera caught it all. A crew wheels the OSIRIS-Rex asteroid sample return capsule into a cleanroom on Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: NASA / Keegan Barber

NASA's $800 million OSIRIS-Rex mission, short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security Regolith Explorer, launched in 2016. The robotic spacecraft completed its 4-billion-mile trip when it dropped the capsule from 63,000 miles above Earth onto a patch of Utah desert seven years later. It's the first U.S. mission to grab a sample of an asteroid. 

These are the most precious space souvenirs NASA has obtained since the Apollo moon rocks, gathered between 1969 and 1972. The mission succeeded in bringing home about a half-cup of crushed Bennu rocks and dirt. So far researchers haven't been disappointed with their bounty. 

All forms of Earth life have specific chemicals in their makeup, such as amino acids and sugars. Scientists have known that asteroids hold molecules believed to be the precursors to these chemicals. By studying the Bennu samples, they hope to gain more insight into how these ingredients could have evolved. 

An important reason NASA selected Bennu for the sample return mission is because of its relatively close proximity, making the endeavor achievable. It also has a very remote chance of hitting Earth in the coming centuries. Learning about the asteroid could be helpful in future efforts to redirect it. 

The Bennu rocks are the most precious space souvenirs NASA has obtained since the Apollo moon rocks, gathered between 1969 and 1972. Credit: Robert Markowitz

But the team also chose Bennu to investigate the chemical origins of life. Some of its mineral fragments could be older than the 4.6 billion-year-old solar system. These grains of stardust could have come from dying stars or supernovas that eventually led to the formation of the sun and planets.

The museum team was especially surprised to find traces of water-bearing sodium carbonate compounds, commonly known as soda ash, in the Bennu sample. These chemicals have never been found in asteroids or meteorites before. They naturally crust in dried lake beds, such as Searles Lake in the Mojave Desert.

But a key difference between the brine and soda lakes is an abundance of phosphorus in the former, and scientists have been keen to follow the phosphates for more clues on the genesis of life. These compounds are crucial, forming the backbone of DNA, yet they're relatively rare compared to the other five main elements — hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur — in biology. 

Scientists propose that similar brines probably still exist in other distant worlds, including Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, where spacecraft have detected sodium carbonate.

The museum team was especially surprised to find traces of water-bearing sodium carbonate compounds, commonly known as soda ash, in the Bennu sample. Credit: Rob Wardell / Tim Gooding / Tim McCoy / Smithsonian

"From a biological perspective, phosphate is one of the essential building blocks – along with sugar – of the single and double helix that make up RNA and DNA," McCoy said. "Without a phosphate-rich system, these complex molecules that make up living things simply could have never formed."

In the NASA-led study, scientists detected multiple protein-building amino acids and five nucleobases that make up RNA and DNA. 

The researchers think Bennu may have come from a larger icy source, perhaps like the dwarf planet Ceres. This is because Bennu contains chemicals like ammonium and carbonate salts, as well as organic carbon, suggesting liquid water once ran through it, even in the asteroid's extremely cold conditions. 

Some of asteroid Bennu's mineral fragments could be older than the 4.6 billion-year-old solar system. Credit: NASA

The paper posits that minerals found in the rocks formed in stages as water carried dissolved substances: first calcium and magnesium carbonates, phosphates, then sodium carbonates, followed by salts like table salt and sulfates. High amounts of ammonium salts in Bennu may have kept the water flowing, even at temperatures as low as -143 degrees Fahrenheit. This means important chemical reactions for life could have continued long after the asteroid’s heat faded. 

Previously, Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-Rex's principal investigator, said his dream discovery from the Bennu rocks would be evidence of peptides, signaling protein evolution.

"While the detection of amino acids in the Bennu samples is an important discovery," he told Mashable, "we have not yet detected peptides — amino acids linking together — within the samples." 

But scientists say this is only the beginning, with the Bennu rocks likely yielding decades of more discoveries.

The first trailer for director Dito Montiel's Riff Raff promises heaps of dark gangster comedy — and a highly uncomfortable family reunion.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

Riff Raff, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, centers on ex-criminal Vincent (Ed Harris, Love Lies Bleeding), who's established a new, loving life with his wife Sandy (Gabrielle Union, The Perfect Find) and son DJ (Miles J. Harvey). But their peaceful winter break takes a turn when Vincent's ex-wife Ruth (Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus), his disowned son Rocco (Lewis Pullman, Salem's Lot), and Rocco's girlfriend Marina (Emanuela Postacchini) crash the party. They've got some bad news for Vincent: Gangsters Leftie (Bill Murray, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) and Lonnie (Pete Davidson, Bupkis) are on their way to take out the family.

Watch the full trailer above to see Murray and Davidson's bickering odd-couple gangsters in action, along with Coolidge's Ruth's misguided attempts to seduce Vincent in the face of danger.

Riff Raff hits theaters March 7.

SAVE $500: The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen 8945HS, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) is on sale for just $1,099.99 at Best Buy as of Jan. 29. That's 31% off its $1,599.99 MSRP, $100 lower than its Cyber Monday deal, and the lowest price we've ever seen it hit.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen 8945HS, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,099.99 at Best Buy
$1,599.99 Save $500.00 Get Deal

Until MacBooks get better for gaming, at least we have the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. The 2024 model was one of the best gaming laptops we tested last year, largely in part because it looks a lot like an Apple computer (while packing enough power for Triple-A games): thin, light, and sleek in aluminum. "[It] has a MacBook Pro-esque design, allowing it into blend into office spaces for work," wrote former Tech Editor Kim Gedeon, "but it transforms into a gaming beast by night."

As of Jan. 29, one configuration of the ROG Zephyrus G14 is on sale at its best price to date. The Platinum White model with an AMD Ryzen 8945HS processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics, 16GB of memory, and 1TB of storage is marked down to just $1,099.99 at Best Buy — a 31% discount on its $1,599.99 sticker price, and a $100 one-up of its Cyber Monday deal from December.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops in 2025 for every budget

Design aesthetics aside, Gedeon was also impressed by the ROG Zephyrus G14's ample port selection, detailed 3K OLED display, springy RGB keyboard, great speakers, and solid mid-range performance. Overall, she rated it at 4.3/5, knocking it down a few tenths of a point for its slightly dim screen and tendency to get hot underneath. (That's your main trade-off for such a slim machine.) Its battery life also kind of sucks — it lasted an hour and 17 minutes in our testing — but that's hardly abnormal for a gaming laptop.

For those who want slightly better graphics and more memory, an RTX 4070 model with 32GB of RAM was on sale for $1,649.99 at Best Buy, or 18% off. (We haven't tested that one.)

A quick FYI that a newer ROG Zephyrus G14 with a next-gen AMD CPU, GeForce RTX 50-series graphics, and a new cooling setup is set to launch sometime later this year, having debuted at CES 2025. It'll probably be a really nice machine, but it also probably won't cost anywhere near $1,100: At the time of writing, two configurations were "coming soon" to Best Buy for $2,199.99 and $2,999.99.

BUY ONE PUZZLE AND GET A SECOND FOR 50% OFF: In honor of National Puzzle Day, shoppers can but one jigsaw puzzle at Amazon and get a second at half price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Galison / Ravensburger Buy one puzzle, get a second for 50% off Get Deal

We've made holidays out of almost any event, hobby, and phenomenon known to man. While some feel like a stretch, others are downright fun and give us a reason to celebrate. Today, Jan. 29, is one of the fun days. We're celebrating National Puzzle Day, which means it's time to replenish your stack — and you're in for a sweet deal.

As of Jan. 29, buy one jigsaw puzzle at Amazon and get a second for half price. Qualifying puzzle options in the deal include high-quality brands like Galison and Ravensbuger. To score this deal, add two qualifying option to your cart. The discount will automatically show up when you check out.

SEE ALSO: Amazon deal of the day: The new iPad Mini is back down to its best price on record

Does life get any better than working on a jigsaw puzzle on a chilly night? Anyone who's sat down with a few puzzles understands that not all are created equal. Some are of a quality that becomes infuriating when the thin pieces tear, while others are made with thick, high-quality materials.

The quality is one of the reasons we're excited to see so many Galison and Ravensburger options included in this Amazon deal. And not only are these puzzles some of the best around, they come in designs are also awesome, whether you love Disney movies, flowers, woodland scenes, or cats lounging on bookshelves.

Amazon makes no mention of how long this promo lasts, but since today is National Puzzle Day, we recommend jumping on this as soon as you can decide on just two. Below are some of our favorite options included in the sale, but you can browse the full list. Happy puzzling!

Best jigsaw puzzle options part of Amazon's sale:

• Galison Japanese Tea Garden (300 pieces) — $13.99

• Galison Woodland Pass (500 pieces) — $14.99 $15.78 (save $0.79)

• Galison USA State Flowers Puzzle (1000 pieces) — $17.99

• Ravensburger The Dog Walker (1000 pieces) — $24.99

• Ravensburger Disney-Pixar Movies (1000 pieces) — $29.99

• Ravensburger Peanuts Moments (1000 pieces) — $29.99

Valentine’s Day can be a weird holiday to shop for, especially because every gift option seems to be covered in hearts. Ew. Skip the heart-shaped jewelry this year and get your girlfriend something she really wants for Valentine’s Day. Whether she’s a plant mom, into tech, or a beauty guru, you'll be able to find a gift she loves. And look, we know V-Day is a sexy holiday — we've got you there, too. We dug around the internet to help you find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your girlfriend. You can still opt for traditional V-Day gifts like red roses or lingerie, but seriously: Steer clear of the heart-shaped stuff this year. Get your girlfriend something that suits her personality and shows you really know her and care about her interests. P.S. If you're looking for Valentine's Day gifts for your boyfriend, check out our gift guide for him.