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SAVE 60%: As of Feb. 11, save 60% on select Jackbox Games titles at Steam and Jackbox Games.

Opens in a new window Credit: Steam 60% off select Jackbox Games titles Get Deal

Valentine's Day is days away. Have you created the perfect date night yet? If you're looking for some last-minute fun, you might consider a Jackbox Games night. The developer is known for its hilarious Party Packs as well as the insanely popular trivia game series You Don't Know Jack. And right now, you can save big on some of the brand's biggest party games so you and your Player 2 (or your best friends) can have some serious fun for the holiday.

As of Feb. 11, you can save up to 60% off select Jackbox Games titles over at Steam as part of the Steam Co-Op Couch Fest, and as Jackbox's Pal-entine's Day Sale, respectively.

On offer are the Jackbox Party Pack games, most of which are on sale separately, and some available as special bundles. You can also pick up some of the games that come as part of the Jackbox Party Packs, like Quiplash and Drawful, solo.

These are some of the most fun you'll have with whoever you choose to play with. From classic trivia to robot rap battles and hilarious word games, there's a little bit of everything to the Jackbox Party Packs. And best of all, anyone can join in, no PC or console required. Anyone who wants to be a part of the fun can use their phone, so no one has to feel left out.

There are plenty of family-friendly options, and even an adult pack, so you can jump in when Mom and Dad are around. This sale makes the collection pretty affordable, so if you need a quick Valentine's fix or just want some new games to play, these are some great picks.

SAVE UP TO 30%: Amazon has several versions of TurboTax tax software on sale for up to 30% off — get max deductions and file early this year.

Best 2024 tax software deals Best overall TurboTax Deluxe 2024 Tax Software (federal and state) $55.99 (save $24) Get Deal Best deal for self-employed folks TurboTax Home & Business 2024 Tax Software (federal and state) $95.99 (save $34) Get Deal Best deal for business owners TurboTax Business 2024 Tax Software (federal) $143.99 (save $46) Get Deal Best deal for investors TurboTax Premier 2024 Tax Software (federal and state) $82.99 (save $32) Get Deal

We haven't quite yet broken out the Valentine's Day candy yet, but that means spring is right on our heels. Sure, warmer temps, flowers, and the allure of summer all come with spring, but it also means there's a stressful event coming up: Tax Day.

This year we're all on the hook for the Tuesday, April 15 deadline, which means we have just two months to get all our paperwork gathered and start crunching numbers. Instead of having a mini freak-out session on April 14, why not get taxes done early this year?

The IRS is already accepting returns, which means that if you're in line for a refund, there's no reason to wait on filing. Doing so will likely mean your money will get back you soon(er) than if you wait to file until April.

SEE ALSO: Tax season is here: All the details on IRS Free File

If you're not in line for a refund, why not rip the Band-Aid off and get it over with ASAP? Amazon has digital versions of TurboTax software up to 30% off. That means you'll not only be filing early this year, you'll be getting an impressive discount on the software to make it happen (correctly).

Here are the best tax software deals to shop at Amazon.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: TurboTax TurboTax Deluxe 2024 Tax Software (federal and state) $55.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $24.00 Get Deal Why we like it

At 30% off, Turbo Tax Deluxe is ideal for anyone who owns a home, has tax-deductible charitable donations, paid high medical expenses, or those who need to file both state and federal returns in 2025 for the 2024 tax year. Normally, TurboTax Deluxe costs $79.99, but Amazon has it discounted to just $55.99 for a digital version of the software that's suitable for both PC and Mac.

This version of TurboTax is designed to get you the maximum refund possible, including over 375 potential deductions and credits. You'll be able to import W2 forms, investments, mortgage information, and more from participating companies which will streamline the process.

Keep in mind that this deal gives you five federal e-files and one state file, meaning you can share the federal filing option with family members or friends to get their taxes done early, too.

Best deal for self-employed folks Opens in a new window Credit: TurboTax TurboTax Home & Business 2024 Tax Software (federal and state) $95.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $34.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Filing taxes as a freelancer or self-employed person can get complicated. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, pick up TurboTax Home & Business 2024 Tax Software (federal and state). This version focuses on filing for contractors, small business owners, sole proprietors, and other self-employed folks.

Typically, TurboTax Home & Business comes in at $129.99, but the software is on sale at Amazon for $95.99 as of Feb. 11. This version of TurboTax is well-equipped to deal with new business start-up costs, refinances, business expenses, and rental property income, making the task of filing much less daunting. There's also protection that checks your return for audit triggers, helping you sleep better after filing.

Best deal for business owners Opens in a new window Credit: TurboTax TurboTax Business 2024 Tax Software (federal) $143.99 at Amazon
$189.99 Save $46.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Feeling nervous to file your 2024 return as a business owner? Understandable, but enlist the help of TurboTax Business 2024 Tax Software (federal) and you'll be taking major steps in the right direction. With easy-to-navigate guidance, TurboTax helps business owners with maximizing industry-specific credits and deductions. It'll also let you create K-1 forms electronically.

TurboTax recommends opting for this version if you own an S- or C-Corp, have a partnership, manage a trust, or have a multi-member LLC.

Best deal for investors Opens in a new window Credit: TurboTax TurboTax Premier 2024 Tax Software (federal and state) $82.99 at Amazon
$114.99 Save $32.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Taxes can get tricky if you're active in trading stock or bonds. Instead of worrying about your investments when working on your 2024 tax return, opt for the guidance of TurboTax Premier 2024 Tax Software (federal and state). The software usually sells for $114.99, but Amazon has it discounted to $82.99 as of Feb. 11.

This version is also ideal if you're a trust beneficiary or you own rental property. Plus, it can handle returns for those who sold employee stock in 2024.

TurboTax Premier scans your return for over 375 potential deductions and credits, plus it has additional help for retirement tax and includes IRA tools.

After two seasons examining the interplay of class, privilege, sex, and fidelity, Mike White's The White Lotus turns its gaze on wellness and spirituality in its Thailand-set third season.

SEE ALSO: 'The White Lotus' Season 3 trailer teases debauchery in Thailand

That's because the White Lotus hotel we venture to this season isn't just a luxury resort — it's also a world-renowned spa and wellness retreat. Massages, guided meditations, and personalized health plans are all a part of the package, offering guests the promise of a new, better them by the end of their stay. (Given the personalities we meet this season, a lot of them could use it!) But a vacation isn't a cure-all, and the outside world inevitably comes crashing into the guests' perfect vacation bubbles.

Like the prior two White Lotus seasons, what follows is a pressure cooker of social tensions and personal crises, all leading up to a deadly conclusion. But where Seasons 1 and 2 felt more thematically focused and physically contained — the latter more so in Season 1 due to COVID-19 restrictions — Season 3 threatens to spiral into bloat, only thinly skimming the surface of its heady themes.

The White Lotus Season 3 welcomes a few too many guests. Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, and Leslie Bibb in "The White Lotus." Credit: Fabio Lovino/HBO

That bloat kicks off with Season 3's extensive cast, a White Lotus staple from season to season. On this outing, though, the disparity between which group of guests gets the most airtime is much higher, making for a more disjointed season.

Among our main groups is the Ratliff family, headed up by businessman Timothy (Jason Isaacs, Baldur's Gate 3) and his Lorazepam-loving wife Victoria (Parker Posey, Beau Is Afraid). They've headed to Thailand so their daughter Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook, First Kill) can work on her college thesis about Buddhism, and their sons Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger, Gen V) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola, White Noise) are along for the ride.

If you thought Season 2's Cameron (Theo James) was a nightmare, you aren't ready for the toxic finance bro energy Schwarzenegger brings to Saxon. Lochlan, for his part, seems torn between which two of his eldest siblings to emulate. Should he try to be more like the spiritual yet naive Piper? Or should he embrace Saxon's protein shake-chugging masculinity?

SEE ALSO: 'White Lotus' star Meghann Fahy reveals what she thinks really happened in THAT scene

Lochlan's identity crisis isn't the only one at the White Lotus. When Timothy learns he's been implicated in a major white collar crime, he reflects on who he could be if he loses everything, and how he might break the news to his family. Elsewhere, conflicted traveler Rick (Walton Goggins, Fallout) grapples with long-ago family trauma, while his younger girlfriend, Chelsea, (Aimee Lou Wood, Sex Education) encourages him to take in everything the wellness resort has to offer. Maybe he's one life-changing massage away from being less stressed-out. Questions of identity extend to the White Lotus staff too, with security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) trying to decide what kind of man he wants to be in order to impress his crush, hotel health mentor Mook (Lalisa Manobal, also known as BLACKPINK's Lisa).

White spends the meat of the season with the Ratliffs and Rick and Chelsea, each of whom use different coping mechanisms, from drugs to meditation, to be "well." Ironically, many of these guests seem to get little relief from the treatments they traveled thousands of miles to receive.

The White Lotus is doing too much in Season 3. Natasha Rothwell in "The White Lotus." Credit: Fabio Lovino / HBO

But in the midst of the Ratliff and Rick and Chelsea storylines, The White Lotus loses focus on some of its other compelling new additions. The story of longtime friends Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan, MaXXXine), Kate (Leslie Bibb, Juror #2), and Laurie (Carrie Coon, His Three Daughters) reuniting for vacation is rife with juicy power dynamics, commentary on aging, and sniping gossip — all of which are heightened by Jaclyn's status as a famous TV actress. Yet there's little connective tissue between the trio and the rest of the goings-on at the White Lotus, to the point that Monaghan, Bibb, and Coon often feel like they're in a bubble off to the side.

SEE ALSO: Sex workers are the heroes in 'The White Lotus' Season 2

Suffering the same fate is The White Lotus Season 1's spa manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell, How to Die Alone), who's in Thailand to learn more about their world-class offerings. The first six episodes sent to critics for screening make it clear that her story is building to something major, but for now, her presence feels like too little, too late. (Especially considering how wonderful Rothwell is in the role.)

Belinda and the trio aren't the only characters who seem to be getting the short end of the stick this season. Hotel manager Fabian (Christian Friedel, The Zone of Interest) doesn't get much to do compared to his predecessors Armand (Murray Bartlett) and Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore). Plus, his dreams of singing at the hotel feel like leftovers from Season 2, when Mia (Beatrice Grannò) begged Valentina to let her perform in the White Lotus lounge.

The White Lotus Season 3 still offers up great performances and juicy drama. Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood in "The White Lotus." Credit: Fabio Lovino / HBO

Despite its many shortcomings, The White Lotus Season 3 still nails many aspects of its formula. Its cast (even the underused members) is aces across the board, with special shout-outs in order to Posey and Wood. Even though Victoria and Chelsea's partners are the ones who go on the most emotionally fraught journeys, neither Posey nor Wood fade into the background as accessories to tortured men. Instead, the pair are delightful mirrors to one another: Victoria experiences life through a lens of judgment and old money, while Chelsea is a free spirit raring to go wherever life takes her. Their differences aside, these characters both end up with some of the funniest lines and scenes of the show.

The White Lotus continues to gift us with outrageous moments ready for internet notoriety this season, although nothing so far has topped, "These gays, they're trying to murder me." Dinner scenes remain rife with awkward conversations and nasty one-liners (most of them from Saxon), with White clearly reveling in skewering out-of-touch wealthy people, no matter where they fall on the political spectrum. White also pushes the envelope further this season, exploring new threats and taboos that left me freaking out.

Overall, though, the season so far feels like The White Lotus is floundering in its attempts to both expand on its formula and stay true to it at the same time. It wants to have everything at once: soapy drama and spiritual commentary, the resort's claustrophobia and a long side excursion to Bangkok. Unfortunately, the result is at once overstuffed and underdeveloped, albeit with a slim glimmer of hope that the finale can pull all these disparate threads together in spectacular fashion.

The White Lotus Season 3 premieres Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

Think tanks and universities have helped expose problematic Chinese business practices. Now, those businesses are accusing them of defamation.

SAVE $80: As of Feb. 11, get a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $169 at Amazon. That's a discount of 32%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods Pro 2 $169.00 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

A good pair of earbuds can be hard to find. There are tons of choices out there, but you've got to make sure the pair you buy fit in your ears first and foremost. And if you like the fit, you also want to make sure they sound good. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are an excellent pick all around. But while they can be a bit pricey for some budgets, they're on sale right now at a great price that make them a no-brainer when it comes to audio.

As of Feb. 11, get a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $169 at Amazon. That's $80 off their normal price of $249. That's a discount of 32%.

These earbuds are top of the line, and net you fantastic noise cancellation, crystal clear sound quality, and quick and painless integration with any Apple device you use with them. Their H2 chip gives them better clarity, improved battery life, and zippiness that the previous models were a bit lacking in. Plus, Apple's Adaptive Transparency mode helps to cut down on any background noise you may be hearing at any given time.

They're not just good for listening to music or podcasts in silence, though. They're the perfect choice for whipping out and talking to friends and family on the phone if you need to do so hands-free. You can adjust the ear tips size with four different tips that are included, and you also get up to six hours of use with Active Noise Cancellation on. That number jumps to 30 when you re-up with the included USB-C charging case.

Whether you're an Apple user or not, you'll find that these earbuds are just about everything you're looking for and more, and at a great price right now.

Simone Ashley stole our hearts as Kate Bridgerton (née Sharma) in Bridgerton. Now, she takes on a modern romantic comedy in Prime Video's upcoming Picture This.

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

Ashley stars as Pia, a struggling single photographer who receives a staggering prediction: She'll find true love in her next five dates. As her sister's wedding approaches, her family will set her up with new suitors — played by an ensemble including Starstruck's Nikesh Patel and Ted Lasso's Phil Dunster — in the hopes that she finds her perfect match.

But things get complicated when Pia's first love (and ex) Charlie (Hero Fiennes Tiffin, The Woman King, After) re-enters the picture. According to the trailer, he still thinks about Pia, an admission which throws her love life into chaos. Will Pia and Charlie be able to work things out and have their own happily ever after?

Picture This premieres March 6 on Prime Video.

Speaking in Paris at an artificial intelligence summit, the vice president gave an America First vision of the technology — with the U.S. dominating the chips, the software and the rules.

Male bonding moves way too fast in the trailer for Andrew DeYoung's Friendship, starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson.

The upcoming A24 comedy promises a nightmare of friendship between the I Think You Should Leave and Only Murders in the Building stars. Robinson plays Craig, a man encouraged by his wife (Kate Mara) to befriend his charming neighbour (Rudd), who appears to collect male friends like baseball cards and ditch any he's done with.

When the friendship suddenly comes to a halt, Craig's sense of self and connection is thrown into the air, and signature Robinson yelling begins.

Friendship hits cinemas in May.

Naomi Watts and Bill Murray lead The Friend, an adaptation of Sigrid Nunez's novel about a woman who adopts her late best friend's Great Dane.

Directed and written by David Siegel and Scott McGehee, The Friend sees Watts starring as Iris, whose mentor Walter (Murray) leaves four-legged pal Apollo (played by a Great Dane called Bing) to her in his will. He's a large dog and an even larger reminder of the person she's mourning, so their bond is a little rocky to start. But, as the Sharon Van Etten-scored trailer indicates, isn't that always the start of a beautiful friendship?

The cast also features Carla Gugino (The Fall of the House of Usher), Constance Wu (Hustlers), Noma Dumezweni (The Undoing), Ann Dowd (The Handmaid's Tale), Felix Solis (Unfrosted), Sarah Pidgeon (Tiny Beautiful Things), and Owen Teague (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes),

The Friend hits select New York cinemas on March 21 before its U.S. release on April 4.

The Witcher fans know how to wait.

It's been six months since we farewelled The Witcher in Henry Cavill mode, with Liam Hemsworth's Geralt gauntlet expected later this year. We've been lightly thriving on news of the fourth RPG game in The Witcher franchise, the first since 2015's The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but it's going to be a while before we're roaming the Continent, as Ciri this time.

So, for those missing The Witcher, there's a new animated Netflix film that's quite the crossover between the books, the voice talents of the games, and the live action series. The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep sees Doug Cockle, who voiced titular witcher Geralt of Rivia in the games, returning to the role alongside Joey Batey and Anya Chalotra, who played Jaskier and Yennefer in the TV show.

SEE ALSO: How does Henry Cavill finish up as Geralt in 'The Witcher'?

Directed by The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf's Kang Hei Chul and animated by South Korean animation studio Studio MIR, Sirens of the Deep functions like a side quest for Geralt and his unrelentingly chipper bard pal Jaskier, sending them into a simmering, potential war between humans and merpeople, with spectacular fight scenes, impressive monsters, and characteristically awkward love scenes in store. And it's more than close to the tale of The Little Mermaid.

What is The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep about? Credit: Netflix

Sirens of the Deep is set in Season 1 of the Netflix series, between episodes 5 and 6, after Geralt meets Yennefer for the first time amid the whole djinn business. Written by Mike Ostrowski and Rae Benjamin, produced by The Witcher series showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich with The Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski as a creative consultant, Sirens of the Deep effectively functions as a canon side story, based on the short story "A Little Sacrifice" from the second Witcher book, Sword of Destiny. 

Geralt and Jaskier investigate the seaside kingdom of Bremervoord, run by King Usveldt (Simon Templemen), where violence between sea creatures and humans is on the rise, threatening all-out war. The conflict could be resolved through the wedding of the merprincess Sh'eenaz (Emily Carey) and human prince Agloval (Camrus Johnson), but instead their union is scorned by their families — aside from the princess' scheming aunt Melusina (Mallory Jansen) — and folks on both sides keep turning up dead.

Featured Video For You Henry Cavill dug deep into 'The Witcher' games and fantasy fiction to get his Geralt just right

How does Geralt get caught up in this political mess? As he always does: by being hired to kill a monster, avoiding doing so thanks to his moral compass, and finding himself hauled into a pompous royal throne room full of bearded accusations and knee-jerk declarations of retribution. Writers Ostrowski and Benjamin include plenty of banter between Geralt and Jaskier between these moments, and importantly bring one of Sapkowski's less known characters to the screen: Jaskier's Bremervoord bard bestie Essi Daven (the closest we've come to seeing Essi onscreen was through the character of Priscilla in Wild Hunt).

In what feels like an unexpected turn for The Witcher universe, Sirens of the Deep mirrors Disney's version of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairy tale The Little Mermaid right down to an undeniably "Poor Unfortunate Souls" moment between Sh'eenaz and Melusina. However, the film pushes the story of a mer-human romance into more violent territory, probably more akin to the dark mood of the original tale, sending the humans and merfolk into a brutal war after several bloody attacks. Just as Ursula made a whirlpool of aquatic hell, Melusina has her tentacles stirring an evil plan.

The fight scenes in Sirens of the Deep are phenomenal Credit: Netflix

Throughout Sirens of the Deep there's some dabbling in a lukewarm romantic storyline between Geralt and Essi, and a middlingly moving reflection on Jaskier's childhood in Bremervoord. But the real star is the action scenes.

Seizing on the gravity-defying benefits of animation, Sirens of the Deep features some truly magnificent fights. Brutal, bloody, and artfully choreographed, these scenes outshine the film's narrative and allow Geralt to do some pretty damn fancy footwork — the film opens with an acrobatic battle with an Allamorax sea monster that would cost a mint in live action. South Korean animation studio Studio MIR, who've worked on The Legend of Korra, Dota: Dragon's Blood, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge and the first Netflix Witcher animation, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, really show off those skills in these scenes of pure violence. Eyeballs bulge, bodies are unceremoniously ripped in half, and giant tentacles are hacked at.

But aside from these chaotic chapters of combat, what makes it truly feel like a win for Witcher fans is the return of one very familiar voice.

It's damn good to hear Doug Cockle's voice Credit: Netflix

The instant satisfaction that comes from hearing Cockle's voice as Geralt of Rivia is honestly worth watching Sirens of the Deep for. Cavill took cues from Cockle for his own characterisation, so it's deeply fulfilling to hear Game Geralt's gravelly vocals within the Netflix series. No one quite delivers the line "Fuck" quite like Cockle, and Sirens of the Deep knows it. And while several moments in the film hinge on cringeworthy and cheesy, not one moment of Cockle's delivery misses. 

Cockle's performance combined with Studio MIR's spectacular animated fight scenes make Sirens of the Deep a worthy watch for The Witcher fans. If you can survive the awkwardness of the romance scenes, can run with The Little Mermaid parallels, and have long yearned for a Joey Batey bard banger moment, you'll have a decent time.

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is now streaming on Netflix.

BBC Radio One's "Unpopular Opinion" game – in which radio callers phone in with their unpopular opinions celebrities share their thoughts – has a history of inciting some entertaining bickering — and Anthony Mackie's appearance is no exception.

In the clip above, the Captain America: Brave New World star and host Greg James react to opinions on everything from donuts needing to be banished to concert encores being pointless.

Come for the debate, stay for Mackie's British accent.

SAVE $600: As of Feb. 11, the 55-inch Samsung The Frame TV is on sale for $899.99 in Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale. This is $600 off its list price of $1,499.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 55-inch LS03D The Frame QLED TV $899.99 at Best Buy
$1,499.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal

Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale is full of excellent discounts on tech. If you've been on the lookout for a new TV, there are plenty on sale at the retailer right now that are worth a look, including the Samsung The Frame TVs. These sleek little two-in-one TVs and art displays have gotten some very nice deals, but the 55-inch model is one that definitely caught our eye with a $600 discount.

This has dropped the price of the 55-inch Samsung The Frame TV to $899.99 from its list price of $1,499.99, which is definitely worth taking advantage of while the deal is still live. Not to mention, your purchase also comes with one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so gamers can have a test run on this new TV with Game Pass's massive library for free for a month.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's Presidents' Day sale is live — find all the best deals here

As mentioned earlier, The Frame's are known for being both a high-quality TV and a display for art. When it comes to the former, it boasts 4K resolution that makes images on your screen appear crisp and vibrant so you can savor every detail. It also features a matte display that reduces glare so you don't have to deal with any annoying light reflecting off it. This is especially helpful with the art you can put up.

There's a wide variety of art pieces you can choose from to display in your home as well, including a selection of pieces from New York's Museum of Modern Art. Some of the artworks included in this collection are from the likes of Vincent van Gogh, Henri Rousseau, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Frida Kahlo, so you can have plenty of amazing options to show off.

Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale comes to an end on Feb. 17, so act fast to save on this 55-inch Samsung The Frame TV.

To see even more TV deals, have a look through our breakdown of Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale event, which features discounts on other Samsung models, Toshiba TVs, and a few from LG.

You get two Jo(h)n's for the price of one in the latest episode of The Daily Show, with host Jon Stewart being joined by Last Week Tonight host John Oliver for a cameo at the end of the monologue.

The topic in hand? The way Donald Trump's America is quickly regressing, going so far back in time that Oliver encourages Stewart to embrace his country's "monarchy era".

"I'm here to gloat," Oliver says. "America had its little fun, experimenting with democracy. You fought so hard to get away from us. Acting up, throwing all that tea into the harbour — you still owe us for that, by the way."

Stewart's tearful realisation, after Oliver lays the current state of affairs out plainly for him? "We really have become our father."

SAVE $10: As of Feb. 11, the Echo Dot is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. That's 20% off its list price of $49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Dot $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

With Valentine's Day right around the corner and Presidents' Day sales starting to kick off, there are plenty of deals to look through right now. Over at Amazon you can save on quite a few of the retailer's own devices, including the Echo Dot smart speaker.

The Echo Dot smart speaker — in charcoal, deep sea blue, and glacier white — has dropped from its list price of $49.99 to $39.99, saving you 20%. Amazon has this listed as a limited-time deal, which means it may not stick around for long. If you've had the Echo Dot on your shopping list, now's the time to grab it.

SEE ALSO: 30 Valentine's Day gifts for all the sweethearts in your life

Alongside offering excellent sound quality, the Echo Dot can serve as a hub to control compatible smart devices. We also rank it in our roundup of the best Amazon Echo devices as the best pick for smaller spaces, saying that "the Echo Dot is just about the same as its spherical older brother, except in a smaller form." In our breakdown of Echo Dot vs. Echo Pop we also found that, "The Echo Dot is the quintessential budget smart home assistant, allowing you to summon Alexa with your voice and control other smart gadgets in your home."

Don't miss out on this limited-time deal on the Echo Dot at Amazon.

There are a few more deals on Amazon devices that are worth checking out right now, too. You can also save on the latest Kindle Paperwhite and the Echo Show 5 has gotten a nice discount as well.

When tech luminaries talk about their Christian faith, people listen.

TL;DR: This week only, get a Microsoft Office 2024 lifetime license for PC or Mac at $139.97 (reg. $149.99).

You know those tasks that eat up way more time than they should, like rewriting a paragraph in Word, creating a graph in Excel, and perfecting formatting in PowerPoint? Microsoft’s newest AI features could mean these struggles are finally over.

Office 2024 is loaded with built-in AI tools that don’t take over your workflow but complement it. And, unlike a Microsoft 365 subscription that comes with recurring fees, this version only requires a one-time payment. Own it now for PC or Mac for $139.97 (reg. $149.99).

Another way AI is making your life easier

The newest version of Office includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, each with its own AI features. But first, know that you won’t have to re-learn any of your favorite apps — they all have a fresh look, but they’re still familiar.

Let’s start with Word. Smart Compose will help you brainstorm ideas when staring at a blank page with a blinking cursor. And for those times when you’re stumped on how to finish a sentence, it can suggest text based on the context of your writing.

AI in Excel now eliminates the need to memorize how to create those complicated charts and graphs manually. Plus, you’ll get AI-powered insights on your data.

When you’re working in PowerPoint and OneNote, you’ll get intelligent suggestions for text, formatting, and design elements. Whether you’re creating a presentation or organizing your notes, let AI do the heavy lifting.

Download Microsoft Office 2024 for PC or Mac while it’s $139.97 this week only (reg. $149.99). No coupon is needed to get this price.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time Purchase $139.97
$149.99 Save $10.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Save 81% on a 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan lifetime subscription with our unbeatable offer.

ChatGPT-5 is coming … eventually. But why wait for an updated version of a single AI model when there’s a tool that combines all top AI models into one platform? It’s called 1min.AI, and its lifetime subscription may be a better investment than an OpenAI subscription. Here’s why:

• 1min.AI gives you lifetime access to GPT, Gemini, Llama, Midjourney, and more AI models for a one-time payment

• All of these AI models allow you to generate AI articles, images, video, music, and code

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• Each month, you get credits to spend on AI content. This subscription tier gives you enough to generate about 1.1 million words or 1,100 images every month

Get lifetime access to this all-in-one AI tool for $99.99 (reg. $540). You won’t find a better deal anywhere else.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1min.AI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $99.99
$540.00 Save $440.01 Get Deal

Frustration with dating apps isn't hard to find in 2025. Between talk of dating app fatigue and dating apps becoming increasingly similar online, you can hardly swipe on your FYP without some complaint about being on "the apps."

Dating app executives seem to be aware of this. Both Hinge's CEO and Bumble's former CEO mentioned burnout and exhaustion, respectively, and Tinder is enlisting influencers to try to entice young adults into swiping. 

SEE ALSO: How does orientation affect the dating app experience?

Increasingly, new feature drops utilize AI, at least in their marketing. Could AI be the way to save dating apps?

Why dating sucks right now

Tinder launched in 2012, and since then, it and other dating apps have reshaped how singles meet. Now, according to the Pew Research Center, one in ten partnered adults met their partners on a dating app, and that figure increases for adults under 30 and LGBTQ people.

Despite some people having success on dating apps (if success to you means meeting a partner), users complain about them for multiple reasons. 

One is "swipe fatigue," the feeling that you're repeating the motions and it's not leading to meaningful outcomes, according to sexologist, sociologist, and relationship expert Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullus. 

Then there's the issue of having an amazing interaction with someone on the app, but then you meet them in person and they can't carry a conversation. "I could see how dating apps could feel less and less authentic because they're more and more curated," Gunsaullus said. "That gets frustrating."

Gunsaullus also mentioned the paradox of choice: When presented with many options, we can have more trouble deciding on one than if we were only presented with two or three options. 

This abundance of choice, coupled with how photo-focused the most popular apps are, can lead to feeling like these interactions are superficial. Snap judgments about a whole person based on a profile can lead to bad behavior (like ghosting) and feelings of rejection and jadedness, said Gunsaullus, a PhD in sociology.

Trust in dating apps has also waned in recent years. Last year, Match Group was sued in a class action lawsuit claiming that its platforms are "addictive" and "predatory" and that it prioritizes spending more time and money on the app than facilitating matches. (Match Group is a conglomerate that owns Tinder, Hinge, and other dating apps.) The lawsuit has since been sent to arbitration.

A common gripe in recent years is that dating apps paywalled good features that used to be free.

"Match Group has slowly put more and more things behind the paywall, removed useful features, and a lot of the apps have become homogenized," said custom software developer and dating app user Ben Smith. Like other app users, Smith blamed encroaching paywalls on companies' incentives to monetize. 

Match Group, like Bumble, is publicly traded, and waning public opinion for dating apps may be reflected in the stock market: Prices for Match Group and Bumble have fallen in the last year as of publication. Despite Bumble's stock price being up in the last six months, its CEO is out after a year to be replaced by founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, and Match Group just announced a new CEO too. (Grindr, which is also publicly traded, is also up in the last year.)

In the UK, major apps also saw a decrease in users year-over-year from 2023 to 2024: Tinder lost 600,000 users, while Bumble lost 368,000, and Hinge lost 131,000, according to UK communications watchdog Ofcom.

A spokesperson for Bumble said they had nothing to share with Mashable about the stock market or user loss. Match Group wouldn't confirm or deny third-party data, but did share that Hinge's monthly active users are up 20 percent year over year. Tinder's monthly active users are down, which it attributes to safety enhancements.

Additionally, distrust about AI has entered the mix: How are apps training AI? What data is it using? What data is it storing? These answers are sometimes answered in an app's privacy policy, but not always.

Dating coach Erika Ettin said daters she knows aren't comfortable using Tinder's Photo Selector tool. According to Tinder's Photo Selector FAQ, the tool requires access to a user's partial or full camera library to pick out the "best" photos. This is done on-device, and Tinder only stores photos you pick to go on your profile, but Ettin said it "creeps [her] out a little."

"On Tinder, users can take advantage of Photo Selector when they're having trouble picking a profile pic. We found that 52 percent of singles struggle with choosing the perfect photo, and this AI-driven feature takes the hassle out of the process," a Tinder spokesperson told Mashable. "And at the end, you still have the final say on which photo gets uploaded."

But maybe dating apps suck because dating itself sucks.

"All of this shifting attention from 'the apps don't work in terms of long-term relationship building' is really just a smokescreen for what really has been going on forever," said relationship and online dating expert Dr. Jess Carbino, "which is people have frustrations with dating."

There hasn't been a significant innovation in the online dating space since Tinder's development in 2012, Carbino said. Carbino, a PhD in sociology, used to work as a sociologist for Tinder and Bumble. "This [AI] is truly the new frontier."

Pros of AI features on dating apps

What AI can be useful for is weeding out spam and inappropriate messages. Bumble's Deception Detector (which weeds out spam and fake accounts) and Private Detector (which finds and blurs lewd images) are examples. The app told Mashable that it blocked over 2.2 million spam, scam, and inauthentic profiles in 2024. Tinder has several ways to red flag bad behavior, like "Are You Sure?" (to stop a user from sending a potentially harmful message) and "Does This Bother You?" (to let a user on the receiving end report a harmful message). Hinge has similar features to detect harmful or illegal behavior on the app.

Carbino is hopeful that AI features and development will help apps deliver better matches to people and initial messaging between strangers. "I think that this is just a way of enhancing the experience that's fundamental and the steps that are necessary to do what dating apps are meant to do, which is to create connections," she said. "And then people have to take it from there."

Gunsaullus agrees that AI algorithms could lead to better matches. She also likes the idea of using AI as a coach to help daters learn some communication skills.

Potential drawbacks of AI dating features

While Gunsaullus thinks AI has the potential to be a helpful coach, the initial use of AI in dating isn't as helpful. When you have ChatGPT write messages for you, for example, you're not developing skills of talking to strangers — and you're not presenting your true self to a match. It's like posting highly-filtered photos of yourself.

"We have filters now for people's personalities and communication skills or lack of skills," Gunsaullus said, and those skills take time, commitment, and a willingness to be bad at first to learn.

It's understandable why young people are especially drawn to AI features during COVID lockdowns, given their reliance on phones for social interaction. While face-to-face interaction is best for combatting loneliness, according to experts, digital interactions fill in the gaps when you can't be around each other in person. Early research suggests that this has had negative impacts on social skills. 

Putting yourself out there in person is vulnerable and can be awkward, and young people may not want to do it. But, because of this, digital dependency may continue to get worse due to AI, Gunsaullus said. While relying on technology like AI is easy and convenient and allows us to be less vulnerable and awkward, that may not breed happiness and well-being in the long run.

Ettin personally doesn't like AI features on dating apps and doesn't think they've greatly improved their usage. 

"In my opinion, all of the sites would be better off hiring a bunch of me's or a bunch of experts on how to use the apps and coaches to do a seminar or help people in a group setting," she said. "It'd save a lot of money and it would be a lot more personal."

SEE ALSO: A mindfulness-themed browser is (calmly) shaking up search

Smith, meanwhile, is very pro-AI and believes it's going to transform the world to a greater extent than the internet did. However, he also believes we're currently in the trough of disillusionment stage of the hype cycle around AI, meaning interest is waning as early adaptation of AI fails to deliver.

"Right now, we are in the painful buzzword phase where everyone is just tossing it into their products and hoping that it makes the number go up," Smith said. "But once we get through this, the trough of disillusionment, we'll start getting actual innovation that actually makes them better."

Both Tinder CEO Faye Iosolatuno and Hinge CEO Justin McLeod mentioned the use of AI at Match Group's Investor Day back in December, suggesting that AI features aren't going away on the major dating apps. 

Can we even meet 'offline'?

You might see someone on TikTok bemoan that they just want to meet their partner "organically" — aka having an offline meet cute. But it may not be that easy. 

Social, economic, and demographical reasons make technology the mechanism or institution we rely upon to meet people, Carbino said. For example, fewer people live in their neighborhood of origin as they did in the past, breaking the social ties they have there. Fewer people are going to religious places of worship, which used to be a prime place to meet a partner. 

At the same time, young adults have less financial independence than in years past. They live at home with parents longer than previous generations, making it potentially harder to date in-person.

Not to mention that people just spend a lot of time on their phones.

"I think that technology is going to be more and more present because no other institution that we have seen historically has intervened or developed in a way in recent years to overcome that," Carbino said.

Despite daters' frustrations, Ettin doesn't think they'll quit the apps. Dating apps aren't at fault for the issues people have with them — like people looking at you more like a commodity than an individual, or people thinking there's someone better around the corner, she said. 

"I think it's human nature," said Ettin, "and technology and wanting instant gratification."

Even though there is annoyance over meeting people online, where else do singles find supper clubs, speed dating events, or ClassPass's Valentine's Day singles event? Online.

"What's ironic to me is that the ways people are now trying to meet in person are harnessing technology," Carbino said. "Digital is IRL, and IRL is digital. You can't divorce the two."

Daters are inherently curious about AI and are open to the idea that it can be helpful. "I think that people want to be hopeful," said Carbino. "That's why they stay on the apps."

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