Feed aggregator

From the "please not this again" department comes the news that China is looking to sell TikTok's U.S. operations to (who else?) Elon Musk.

According to Bloomberg, Chinese officials are "evaluating" this option as TikTok gets increasingly close to getting banned in the U.S.

TikTok tried to fend off the ban, which goes into effect on Jan. 19, through legal means, with no luck so far. To stop the ban, ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, would have to find a buyer for TikTok's U.S. arm, as President Biden's administration deemed Chinese state influence over TikTok too large to continue operating in the U.S.

This, apparently, is where Musk could step in. According to Bloomberg, Beijing officials "strongly prefer" to keep TikTok under ByteDance ownership, but if that proves impossible, one option is to sell it to Musk, who could consolidate it under his X brand.

All of this is still very preliminary, and it's unclear whether any real talks between Musk and ByteDance even happened. Also – officially at least – the Chinese government only controls ByteDance's Chinese subsidiary Douyin, and cannot influence what ByteDance does outside of China.

Tweet may have been deleted

Last April, Musk did publicly say that "TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform," as this is "contrary to freedom of speech and expression." And President-elect Donald Trump, who is on very good terms with Musk these days, recently said he wants to "keep TikTok around."

SEE ALSO: TikTok ban update: Trump wants to 'keep this sucker around'

Musk acquired X (then Twitter) in October 2022 after a highly publicized back and forth, in which he gave up on the acquisition midway but ultimately closed the deal, paying $44 billion for the platform. X's user base has been on a decline since the acquisition, and advertising revenues have plummeted.

It's unclear whether a potential acquisition of TikTok by Musk would go in a similar fashion, or if the site would even be up for sale publicly — perhaps it's most likely for China and ByteDance to arrange everything behind closed doors. Musk isn't the only potential byer, however. Microsoft, for example, tried to acquire TikTok earlier, and failed.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

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

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

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Avoid a hit

• Green: Race team sponsors

• Blue: Ring leaders in basketball

• Purple: Time that share a color scheme

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

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

• Yellow: Move to avoid a defender

• Green: F1 teams

• Blue: Teams with most NBA championships

• Purple: Teams whose primary colors are black and silver

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #113 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Move to avoid a defender - DODGE, DUCK, SIDESTEP, SWERVE

• F1 teams - ASTON MARTIN, FERRARI, MCLAREN, RED BULL

• Teams with most NBA championships - BULLS, CELTICS, LAKERS, WARRIORS

• Teams whose primary colors are black and silver - KINGS, RAIDERS, SPURS, WHITE SOX

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

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

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

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

California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched California Fire Facts, a new webpage to combat misinformation and debunk rumours about the Los Angeles fires. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer quite as much clarity as it could.

False and misleading information about the L.A. fires has swiftly been circulating on social media, with many users pointing fingers and attempting to assign blame for the disaster. At least 24 people have been killed in the fires so far, while more than 12,000 buildings have been destroyed.

SEE ALSO: Los Angeles fires: How to help from afar

One of the most persistent rumours circulating about the L.A. fires is that millions of dollars was cut from the fire department's funding months prior to this crisis. Responding to such reports, the California Fire Facts website states that "the number of CalFIRE [California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection] personnel has nearly doubled since 2019 (from 5,829 to 10,741)," and that "CalFIRE’s budget has nearly doubled since 2019 ($2 Billion to $3.8 Billion)."

Tweet may have been deleted

Though the numbers don't line up perfectly, such increases are somewhat corroborated by California's Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO). The LAO is a nonpartisan organisation which offers independent analysis of California's state budget as well as fiscal and policy advice to lawmakers. It states that CalFIRE was allocated $2.525 billion and authority for 7,182.5 personnel in the 2018-19 budget, while the 2024-25 budget gave it $4.249 billion and authority for 12,511.5 personnel.

However, this doesn't actually address the information Newsom's trying to debunk. Specifically, California Fire Facts doesn't directly tackle the allegation that the state cut $100 million from the fire budget just last year, focusing instead on its history since 2019.

It makes sense that Newsom would opt for clear, straightforward messaging in order to reach as many people as possible. But with no explanation or sources, it seems unlikely that California Fire Facts' current iteration will significantly ease speculation or the spread of rumours.

California's $100 million wildfire funding 'cut', explained Credit: Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images

Newsweek reported last week that an analysis by the LAO found Newsom's 2024-25 state budget had reduced funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million. This may sound damning, but LAO's Environment and Transportation Deputy Legislative Analyst, Rachel Ehlers, explained to Mashable that the situation is not quite so straightforward. 

Ehlers clarified that the LAO report Newsweek referenced was a summary of Newsom's proposed 2024-25 budget, rather than the one which was actually implemented. Though this proposed budget did suggest a $101 million reduction to California's wildfire funding, this cut would have come from a special $2.4 billion package of one-time wildfire funding which had been previously agreed upon. This Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package is to be spread across four years.

The 2024-25 budget that was ultimately passed actually reduced the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package by $144 million — $43 million more than Newsom had proposed. Ehlers noted that such changes were made to address California's $55 billion budget deficit, and were needed for the state to pass a balanced budget.

However, even this larger $144 million cut still left California's wildfire funding higher year on year, merely reducing extra funding that had been planned.

"To underscore: these were reductions to one-time augmentations, not reductions to CalFire’s ongoing base programs and funding," said Ehlers. "[M]ost of these reductions were to planned augmentations to departments other than CalFire, such as for forest and fire resilience activities on state-owned land at state conservancies and parks." 

Credit: Benjamin Fanjoy / Bloomberg via Getty Images

The largest cut was to the Department of Conservation's biomass to hydrogen/biofuels pilot, which will now receive $5 million in the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package instead of $50 million. While CalFIRE's share of the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package was reduced by $30 million across various programs, it will still receive $1.73 billion of the additional funding.

LAO estimates that total CalFIRE expenditure has grown from $2.74 billion in the 2019-20 fiscal year to $4.43 billion in 2023-24 (not adjusted for inflation). In 2024-25, $4.59 billion has been spent to date, however this does not yet include additional costs associated with the L.A. wildfires.

"This action does not reflect a year-to-year cut from 2023-24 to 2024-25," said Ehlers, speaking on the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package's reductions. "What this reflects is a $144 million reduction from a cumulative $2.8 billion in planned one-time surplus allocations that were going to be provided over four years to a variety of departments for a variety of wildfire and forest resilience activities [emphasis original]."

Did L.A. Mayor Karen Bass cut the LAFD's funding by $17.6 million? Credit: David Swanson / AFP via Getty Images

Some attention has also been drawn to L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who has been accused of cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department's (LAFD) funding by $17.6 million. 

The LAFD was given a budget of $819.6 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year, down $17.6 million from the previous year's allocation of $837.2 million. Both these figures were increases from Bass' initially proposed budgets of $814.3 million and $835.4 million respectively.

This cut has also been particularly criticised when compared to funding allocations in the rest of L.A.'s 2024-25 budget. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) received a significant funding increase, being bumped up from $1.86 billion last year to $1.98 billion this year. That's a budget increase of $125.9 million — over a sixth of the LAFD's budget.

However, the Los Angeles Times reports that the 2024-25 budget did not take into account a major pay increase for firefighters, which had still been in negotiation at the time it went into effect. The LAFD ultimately received an extra $53 million for firefighters' salaries, as well as $58 million for new fire trucks and other equipment. Once this funding is factored in, the LAFD's budget has actually grown since last year.

Credit: Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images

Even so, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley claims that the LAFD has been underfunded for years, the additional boost apparently still not enough to resolve the ongoing problem.

"Any budget cut is going to impact our ability to provide service," Crowley told Fox News affiliate KTTV. "We are screaming to be properly funded to make sure that our firefighters can do their jobs so that we can serve the community."

Crowley previously expressed frustration at the $17.6 million cut in a memo last December, stating that the included $7 million reduction in overtime staffing "has severely limited the Department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires." This memo was issued after the aforementioned additional funding had been approved.

Still, Bass has maintained that further funding for the LAFD would not have changed the outcome of the current L.A. fires, noting the "unprecedented windstorm" which has fuelled the disaster. Extreme winds of up to 100 mph (160km/h) have been fanning the wildfires, making them extremely difficult to contain.

"I think if you go back and look at the reductions that were made, there were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation that we were dealing with over the last couple of days," Bass said in a recent press conference.

TL;DR: For just £32.76 (reg. £884.61), get a lifetime subscription to Undetectable Humanizer, your go-to tool for transforming AI content into authentic, human-like text.

Opens in a new window Credit: Undetectable Humanizer Undetectable Humanizer: Lifetime Subscription £32.76 at the Mashable Shop
£884.61 Save £851.85 Get Deal

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a block of AI-generated text and thought, This just doesn’t sound human enough, you’re not alone. While AI has made content creation faster and easier, it often lacks the natural tone and style that resonates with readers. Enter Undetectable Humanizer, the ultimate tool to transform robotic output into human-quality content — and for a one-time payment of £32.76 (reg. £884.61), you can have lifetime access.

In today’s digital world, high-quality content is more important than ever. Whether you’re a marketer trying to boost your SEO rankings, a student crafting an academic essay, or a blogger aiming to engage your audience, your words need to feel authentic. Undetectable Humanizer takes your AI-generated content and refines it, ensuring it bypasses AI detection tools while maintaining human-like readability and flow.

With 24,000 words per month and access to powerful models like GPT 3.5 Turbo, GPT 4, and GPT 4o, this tool goes beyond simple rewriting. It adjusts tone, improves clarity, and ensures your message is tailored to your audience. Plus, it’s built on custom-trained AI models that incorporate multiple readability formulas, making your content both accessible and engaging.

Ideal for content creators, copywriters, and marketers, it allows you to stop worrying about AI detection and focus on creativity. Undetectable Humanizer helps you craft blog posts, social media captions, and ad copy that feel genuine.

Plus, the user-friendly interface and included templates mean you can start humanizing your content immediately — whether generating ideas, creating ads, or fine-tuning long-form content.

Jump on the chance to get lifetime access to the Undetectable Humanizer Basic Plan (other plans available) for just £32.76 at the Mashable Shop.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Australia vs. England in the 2025 Women's Ashes for free on 7Plus. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This year of sport has started off so strongly. We've already been treated to a number of tennis tournaments including the Australian Open, the Dakar Rally, and the NFL playoffs. And there's no slowing down, because the 2025 Women's Ashes is here to deliver weeks of top-quality cricket.

If you want to watch the 2025 Women's Ashes for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the 2025 Women's Ashes?

England's tour of Australia consists of one Test match, three One Day Internationals, and three Twenty20 Internationals. The full schedule is as follows (in Australia):

• 1st ODI — Jan. 12 at North Sydney Oval

• 2nd ODI — Jan. 14 at Junction Oval

• 3rd ODI — Jan. 17 at Bellerive Oval

• 1st T20I — Jan. 20 at Sydney Cricket Ground

• 2nd T20I — Jan. 23 at Manuka Oval

• 3rd T20I — Jan. 25 at Adelaide Oval

• Test — Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 at Melbourne Cricket Ground

Fans can live stream every match in this series without spending anything.

How to watch the 2025 Women's Ashes for free

The 2025 Women's Ashes is available to live stream for free on 7Plus in Australia.

7Plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2025 Women's Ashes from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 Women's Ashes for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 7Plus

5. Stream the 2025 Women's Ashes for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the Women's Ashes without committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream every match before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 7Plus?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live cricket on 7Plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the 2025 Women's Ashes for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Bypass geo-restrictions to unblock TikTok from anywhere in the world. The best service for unblocking TikTok is ExpressVPN.

Will TikTok actually get banned in the U.S.? It has always seemed like a far-fetched idea, but the Jan. 19 deadline is fast approaching without a resolution. Donald Trump wants to keep TikTok, but he doesn't become president until the day after the ban goes into effect.

If there's no workaround, you better come prepared.

If you're looking for the best way to unblock TikTok for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock TikTok for free

VPNs are powerful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location. With a VPN, you can change your digital location to somewhere that supports the use of TikTok. That means you can bypass geo-restrictions to retain access to your favourite app from anywhere in the world.

Follow these simple steps to unblock TikTok:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to TikTok

4. Visit TikTok

5. Use the app from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at Express (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trial periods or generous money-back guarantees. Using these money-back guarantees is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can temporarily unblock TikTok and then recover your investment at a later date.

If you want to retain permanent access to TikTok from an unsupported location, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for TikTok is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for TikTok?

There are a number of VPNs that can reliably unblock TikTok, but ExpressVPN is probably the best:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock TikTok from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for January 14 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Alive and kicking

• Green: A length of time

• Blue: Objects you'd find in a camera bag

• Purple: Bird is in the word

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

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

• Yellow: Operating

• Green: Term

• Blue: Things in a Camera Kit

• Purple: Bird Plus Letter

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #583 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Operating: ACTIVE, FUNCTIONAL, RUNNING, WORKING

• Term: MEETING, PERIOD,. SESSION, SITTING

• Things in a Camera Kit: BODY, FLASH, LENS, STRAP

• Bird Plus Letter: CROWD, GULLY, PUFFING, SWANK

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 14

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for January 14 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for January 14, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Elegant or elaborate.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no repeating letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

FANCY.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 14

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

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 14 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 14 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Bundle up

These words are clothes for cold weather.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are clothes to be layered to keep warm.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is WinterClothes.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 14

• Mittens

• Scarf

• Jacket

• Parka

• Gloves

• Beanie

• WinterClothes

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

The lawsuit accuses Arity, an Allstate subsidiary, of collecting data about people’s driving behavior through mobile phone apps, leading to increases in drivers’ insurance rates.

In 2020, amid a global pandemic that highlighted a staggering digital divide among Americans, the federal government pledged to do something. 

Its solution? Some promising tech subsidies and a wave of funding for internet access initiatives, specifically high speed broadband. This money included the government's promise to fix the missing middle miles of fiber optic connections that have for decades kept many Indigenous areas offline.

At the time, the round of funding was a history-making investment in supporting this internet infrastructure, filling a long-simmering institutional gap. Since then, much of the funding has been allocated and many government subsidized programs have run their course. But, years later, American Indian and Alaska Native households living on tribal lands still have one of the lowest broadband subscription rates in the United States, at 71 percent, with the national average at 90 percent, according to recent census data. 

Connection to high speed internet at home is increasingly considered a social determinant of health. According to the White House, it's also the cornerstone of educational opportunities, economic growth, and full participation in "modern American life."

SEE ALSO: Moments of digital organizing that defined 2024 The state of internet connectivity in 2024

The American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI) reports that 18 percent of tribal reservation residents have no internet access, while 33 percent rely on their smartphones for internet service — unreliable internet connections plague around 31 percent of residents who responded. 

According to a July 2023 study by academics at the University of Illinois at Urbana, University of Victoria, and the Center for Indian Country Development, the share of households with Internet access in tribal areas is 21 percentage points lower than in neighboring non-tribal areas. Even when connected, the study found, download speeds are approximately 75 percent slower in these areas. Meanwhile, the lowest price for basic Internet services is 11 percent higher than other areas. While historic measures like geography, population density, and household income may explain the discrepancy in price, they don't explain the differences in access or speed, the study found. "A sizable amount of the variation in the access and home connection gap between tribal and non-tribal is left unexplained."

In a world now dependent on the internet — with lifesaving resources behind an online gate — Indigenous communities are at a digital disadvantage. According to a study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, tribal communities members are less likely to receive Social Security benefits, despite having higher poverty rates. The report attributes this to the movement of resources online, and an increasingly large broadband divide within households on tribal lands.  

Given its social complexity, the lack of Indigenous internet access isn't one that can be solved quickly — although the solutions are there. 

While some private companies, including major phone carriers and internet service providers, have pledged to do their own work to connect rural and Indigenous communities to high speed internet, they are limited by the demands of the market and long-standing tribal and federal negotiations. Meanwhile, Indigenous communities and their leaders are navigating their own solutions. At stake are the hard to predict repercussions of Native communities tying themselves to private interests, calling into question the politics of internet ownership, tribal sovereignty, and digital privacy. 

The state of broadband funding for 2025

One obvious solution, it seems, is to tear down the financial barriers to getting rural areas better internet services. 

In 2009, the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute published the first major report on tech use and access among Indigenous communities, prompting a new wave of attention on the digital divide. Despite this, the federal government appropriated just $179.2 million to tribal lands and organizations within a major $7.2 billion package for the expansion of rural broadband. This trend would continue. It took another year, as part of the government's Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan, before the FCC was finally directed to prioritize tribal broadband.

Funding that could actually help connect these communities didn't come for yet another four years, after the federal government opened a tribal priority for e-rate funding (used to subsidize educational tech). In 2020, regulators finally opened a historic Tribal Priority Window, which helped Indigenous areas and broadband projects obtain their own spectrum licenses, or permits that grant the right to use a frequency band for telecommunication purposes. Communities, however, were still required to find the resources to build out their networks. 

There's a lot of tribal members that are champing at the bit to get hooked up. Technology changes, and you got to be prepared for it. - Stephen Cope, Chairman of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians

But broadband funding saw a shift soon after. In Dec. 2021, the U.S. government launched the Affordability Connectivity Program, a successor to the previous Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) that offered 9 million Americans internet subsidies during the COVID-19 lockdown. Under the Affordability Connectivity Program, $14.2 billion was allocated to additional internet subsidies, including additional monthly funding for qualifying households on tribal lands. It was just one of several funding efforts under the Internet for All initiative, a Biden administration pool of resources stemming from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Another Internet for All outcome: The historic Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, which saw an initial $3 billion allocated to projects working on broadband infrastructure deployment and widespread adoption. It was the first time funding was specifically earmarked for tribal connectivity. The Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act added an additional $2 billion to the program, and a second round of $980 million in funding opened up for additional projects in 2023. 

That same year, the Biden administration announced a $42 billion plan to expand broadband access across the U.S. under its BEAD program. The funds were to be divided up between the states, with 19 of them receiving more than $1 billion. At the same time, the Biden administration announced $1 billion explicitly invested in building out the missing miles of broadband connections in rural communities. 

"The Middle Mile program will invest more than $900 million in the infrastructure needed to connect communities, military bases, and tribal lands to the Internet, lower the cost of access, and increase bandwidth," said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in a statement. "Much like how the interstate highway system connected every community in America to regional and national systems of highways, this program will help us connect communities across the country to regional and national networks that provide quality, affordable high-speed Internet access."

There's a will, but the way is slow

So, with billions allocated, why are the numbers still showing so many disconnected Indigenous communities?

"Billions of dollars flew out the window to go build broadband. Most fiber projects are four years. So we're not even halfway through that, in most cases. We're coming up on halfway at the end of this year, " explained Matthew Rantanen, director of technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association and director of technology for the Tribal Digital Village, a self-sustained internet initiative. Rantanen has been involved in Indigenous internet connectivity for nearly a quarter-century, interacting with the FCC and acting as co-chair of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) first Tech and Telecom Subcommittee, developed in 2001. 

As Rantanen explains, these projects go through phases of approval before construction can even begin. Obtaining rights of way and easement on a fiber project is a minimum of 18 to 24 months, for example. The forestry department and Bureau of Land Management are consulted. State reserves and trusts may be involved. Once design and engineering plans are formulated and contracted, communities have to submit for approval from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. Projects under the first round of Tribal Connectivity Program funding are just now being deployed, which means results of this funding will be seen under the second Trump administration, years after they were announced. 

"There's a misunderstanding from the general public, and on the politician level. They are like, 'Hey, where's the results from this? We spit out all this money, but where's the results?' Well, you know, Rome wasn't built in a day. You invested long term in a solution that is going to start making a difference in the next couple of years. But don't cut it off before it happens."

The same applies for major companies trying to connect their services. "It could take close to a year before we actually get shovels in the ground, maybe even a little more than a year," explained AT&T's California Tribal Liaison Julio Figueroa. Figueroa has worked for AT&T for 26 years, starting first as a call center service representative in the days of Pacific Bell (now owned by AT&T). In 2021, Figueroa was appointed as the tribal liaison for California, and now Nevada, the first person to hold such a position at the company.    

Meanwhile, just as their resulting construction projects begin, many of the early Biden administration programs have evolved or been phased out. Instead of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which was cut off from additional funding  in June, those seeking out more accessible internet options are now directed to an Federal Communication Commission (FCC) program called Lifeline, which connects low-income, displaced, and otherwise disconnected individuals to discounted broadband and telephone service under participating providers. People living on tribal land can apply for a special discounted benefit of $34.25 per month, but programs like these can only help those with the ability to get connected in the first place. 

If I were them, I would do everything in my power to contract those dollars and obligate those dollars prior to Inauguration Day. - Matthew Rantanen, Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association

Earlier this year, the FCC under Biden and Chair Jessica Rosenworcel redefined broadband speed requirements, bumping up the paltry 25 mbps minimum to 100mbps. In doing so, the agency would be better able to pinpoint areas with poor internet access, especially among low income and rural communities, and get them on par with communities running above 100mbps. 

The state of federal funding under Trump administration 2.0, led by its cost cutting "Department of Government Efficiency" and its new FCC chair, looms over those dependent on such funding streams. Previous FCC heads, and other Republican politicians, have pushed back on updated broadband speed requirements and increased federal spending, prompting further concern about the future of Indigenous connectivity. Indigenous community advocates are wary that the former administration's funding legacy will continue. 

"The biggest concern that I'm hearing throughout Indian Country is that they're worried about the money that they've already been granted. Is it going to go away? Is he going to put people in place that are intentionally going to be disruptive, and intentionally going to seek opportunities to draw that funding back?" said Rantanen. "There's no support for tribes in the next administration. There's a track record [with Trump]. What we're led to believe, or to expect, is that that is par for the course and he is going to be more effective at it. If I were [an Indigenous leader], I would do everything in my power to contract those dollars and obligate those dollars prior to Inauguration Day."

Private companies addressing the digital divide 

Complicating the tenuous funding future Rantanen describes, there's a growing divide among tribal leaders as to what role internet service — and data privacy — plays in the push for tribal sovereignty. Should they take this on themselves, or should they call in the help of telecom companies with more might and more connections? The latter is an increasingly viable option as the market changes. Where there has historically been little draw to companies who don't see a profit bump in these communities, some telecommunications companies have now found value in supplying their services to get rural and tribal areas connected with devices and broadband at lower costs — helped in part by federal funding that can beef up the margins. 

Like the middle miles that are supposed to connect rural and tribal areas to the larger internet, Figueroa, the tribal liaison at AT&T, acts as an interlocutor between the vision of internet connectivity among tribal communities and a telecommunications giant like his employer. He is the single point of contact for leaders interested in working with the company to connect their communities to mainline phone service, broadband, and physical technology, like computers. 

Figueroa has formed connections with the regional tribal chairpersons associations of California and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), part of a larger goal of building trust with Indigenous leadership and their constituents before the timeline of construction begins. "Even if it's a tribal citizen that's having issues with their bill, they can come to me," says Figueroa. 

"There's some nations that want to be their own internet provider on their tribal land. They want to exercise their sovereignty and be self-reliant. If there is no middle mile connection, AT&T can provide a connection to the internet," Figueroa explained. "We place a fiber circuit to the border of the reservation, and from then on, they take it over. They're fully responsible. They operate it. They service it for their tribal members." 

Other communities, however, don't want to self-sustain their internet connections, instead entering into agreements with private companies, like AT&T, that will bring broadband internet to their areas – those connections remain owned and operated by the service providers. 

For example, AT&T has entered into a partnership with the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians to launch one of its biggest broadband connection projects yet, connecting 500 residents to a AT&T Fiber and 5GB network speeds, expected to go live in early 2025. The company is working with three other groups on similar projects, including California's Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, currently waiting on grants to be approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 

"Once these tribal nations start deploying fiber optics, word is going to travel to other tribal nations," said Figueroa. "They're going to start hearing about the successes of being connected. And I think the government will need to look at another round of funding for the tribal nations that now want to adopt and get funding for construction."

Speaking to Mashable at the end of 2024, San Pasqual Chairman Stephen Cope explained that the decision to work with AT&T came from the accessibility and resources the company could offer — and a specific concern for getting younger residents connected and supported as soon as possible. 

"It's a great opportunity for San Pasqual," explained Cope. "A lot of rural areas and reservations are limited in what they have, as far as broadband internet. We didn't know where to really start." Talking to other tribal leaders, Cope discovered many had signed deals with AT&T, and that's when he reached out to Figueroa. The project began in early 2023, and its been a learning curve for both parties, Cope said, but it will also set a precedent for similar projects of its magnitude in southern California.

Tribes should be defining their digital sovereignty playbook. - Matthew Rantanen

"There's a lot of tribal members that are champing at the bit to get hooked up. Technology changes, and you got to be prepared for it. My goal is to make sure that we stay at least equal or ahead of the game, and provide what we need to provide," said Cope, who described the AT&T deal as a predominantly equal partnership. "It's moving, and I'm encouraging as many leaders as possible to take the opportunity."

Retaining control over digital lives 

Rantanen, on the other hand, is spearheading the movement for fully Indigenous-owned and controlled internet service. 

When Mashable first spoke to Rantanen in 2021, the Tribal Digital Village was operating tech centers and its own community-based network, TDVNet, for hundreds of households within the oversight of the Southern California Tribal Chairman's Association. Now, Rantanen leads more than a dozen tribal communities across California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and even New York in building their own internet networks through the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, a program started at the beginning of the 2021 funding boom and held in Rantanen's own home to help guide leaders in application and development. The bootcamp has expanded with help from the Internet Society and inspired by the organization's Indigenous Connectivity Summit.

There's also the Tribal Resource Center, a hub of validated articles, links, videos, and even people to assist tribal nations with adopting broadband technologies. The center's three liaisons connect tribes with resources, operating under the concept of  "sovereign nations, sovereign networks." 

Earlier this year, the American Indian Policy Institute and the National Congress of American Indians launched the Center for Tribal Digital Sovereignty. "The center is intended to support tribes in defining parameters around all aspects of digital sovereignty, not just data sovereignty," explained Rantanen. The concept of tribal digital sovereignty encompasses not just the network itself, but the transport of data, the mechanism of transport, the legality of storing tribal information on a cloud server not overseen by tribal leaders, protocols for handing over tribal data to law enforcement, and more. The rise of AI, and the notion of using tribal data to train models, poses ethical and political quandaries. 

Rantanen urges Indigenous communities, whether supported by federal dollars or the assistance of major companies, to retain control over their networks whenever possible. "It could be delayed control," he said. "It may be something like three years so they can recover their losses and then they hand it over, but contractually set up your system so that the infrastructure on your sovereign territory is yours."

In addition to simply connecting these areas to broadband, Rantanen explains, "There's a lot of definitions that need to be put into place about tribal sovereign data and tribal sovereign space — space that is being dictated by the federal government, dictated by corporations, dictated by people that are not us. Tribes should be defining their digital sovereignty playbook, and should be promoting that to the federal government, to the state government, to the county governments, and to the people they interact with."

Over the past few years, the market has been flooded with VR headsets, including the Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, and numerous other contenders, as companies race to establish themselves in the space.

At CES 2025, Sony unveiled the latest addition to this landscape — a brand-new VR headset and an entire line dedicated to spatial 3D content: Sony XYN.

SEE ALSO: 13 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now, plus 1 coming soon

What sets the Sony XYN headset apart from the competition is its focus. Unlike other VR headsets aimed at consumers for gaming or media consumption, the XYN line is designed specifically for creators working in 3D content development.

Mashable had the exclusive opportunity to preview the Sony XYN headset at CES, where it explored the headset's cutting-edge spatial capture solutions and got a first look at the company’s latest motion capture studio.

The Sony XYN headset

Sony already has a presence in the VR space with its PlayStation VR line, so introducing a new headset might surprise some. However, the Sony XYN headset isn’t aimed at the average consumer — it’s designed specifically for creators working with 3D spatial content.

Equipped with 4K OLED microdisplays and advanced video see-through capabilities, the XYN headset allows content creators to fully immerse themselves in 3D worlds. This makes it easier for them to interact with and manipulate 3D models in a platform optimized for spatial content development.

SEE ALSO: I love LUCI: This lifelogging camera pin seriously impressed me at CES

The headset is lightweight and comfortable, making it suitable for extended use — ideal for creators who need to work for long periods of time. However, it's important to note that the Sony XYN is still in the prototype phase. For instance, Sony has indicated that the controllers will likely undergo a complete redesign before the final version is released.

XYN Spatial capture Credit: Mashable

While the Sony XYN headset certainly received attention, Sony's XYN Spatial capture solution was the real standout at CES.

This innovative tool allows users to easily create 3D models of real-world objects. The XYN Spatial capture solution can transform those images into photorealistic 3D CG assets by simply taking a few photos with a mirrorless camera.

It was fascinating to see how seamlessly the two products — XYN headset and Spatial capture — work together. You can capture images of a physical object, convert them into a 3D model, and then interact with the model in VR, all within a streamlined workflow.

Credit: Mashable

Sony is also developing a mobile app that will allow creators to use their smartphone cameras for the same process, enabling even more flexibility and accessibility for 3D content creation.

XYN Motion Studio

Out of the three products Sony unveiled in its new XYN line, XYN Motion Studio was, without a doubt, my favorite.

Credit: Mashable

Sony already offers a motion capture product called mocopi, a set of 3D motion capture sensors that users wear on their bodies to track movement. However, Sony has taken its XYN Motion Studio a step further by offering full-fledged motion capture studio software.

The XYN Motion Studio uses 12 mocopi sensors to capture and integrate the user’s movements into a comprehensive editing suite. Creators can then fine-tune these movements and apply them to 3D models of their choice, giving them precise control over the captured animation.

Credit: Mashable

The app is designed to make motion capture more accessible, allowing content creators — whether in animation, gaming, or virtual production — to use this advanced technology without needing access to a large-scale, physical motion capture studio.

The most impressive feature of XYN Motion Studio is its ability to fill in motion gaps. For instance, if the mocopi sensors miss a specific movement in a 3D model's running sequence, the software can intelligently generate a realistic motion based on the surrounding movements to fill the missing segment. This feature makes the motion-capture process smoother and less reliant on perfect, uninterrupted tracking.

SAVE UP TO 44%: As of Jan. 13, every Amazon Fire tablet is back on sale. Find the new Fire HD 8 for 35% off, the budget-friendly Fire 7 for 44% off, and much more.

The best Amazon Fire tablet deals at a glance: BEST OVERALL Amazon Fire HD 8 $64.99 (save $35) Get Deal BEST BUDGET DEAL Amazon Fire 7 $44.99 (save $35) Get Deal BEST FOR KIDS Amazon Fire 7 Kids $59.99 (save $40) Get Deal

We've said it before, but it bears repeating: iPads are not your only tablet option. Unless you're a diehard Apple fanatic or you want your tablet to double as a laptop, the iPad is probably much more sophisticated than most people even need. If you just want a device that can do the basics like stream content and browse the web, you can save a whole lot of money by opting for an Amazon Fire tablet instead.

Even at full price, Fire tablets are significantly cheaper than most major tablet brands on the market. But as of Jan. 13, you can find every model on sale for up to 44% off, making it a particularly great time to grab one.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card Best Amazon Fire tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 $64.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal

Amazon sneakily released a brand new Fire HD 8 tablet in October to coincide with its fall Prime Day event and it's already seen a slew of discounts in the months since. As of Jan. 13, it's on sale for just $64.99 — that's 35% in savings and just $10 away from its best price ever. Its biggest upgrades over the previous generation from 2022 are a boost in RAM (3GB instead of 2GB), an improved camera (5MP instead of 2MP), and new generative AI-powered features (of course). Otherwise, it packs the same solid battery life, storage options, and display.

Best on a budget Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 $44.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal

If you're looking to spend the least amount of money on a new tablet, the Fire 7 checks all the right boxes. It's not going to blow you away; as Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel wrote in her review, it's a "deeply average tablet." But for the price, it's hard to complain. It's a solid pick for travel with an ultra-portable build, hands-free Alexa support, up to 1TB of expandable memory, and decent battery life (up to 10 hours). It's only $79.99 at full price, but as of Jan. 13, it's on sale for only $44.99. That's 44% in savings and "basically a Get Out of Jail Free card for all of its faults."

Check out our full review of the Amazon Fire 7 tablet.

Best for kids Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 Kids $59.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal

Our top pick for a tablet for preschoolers, the Amazon Fire 7 Kids is a durable first device that's packed with parental controls. Its rubbery case was built to withstand drops and spills, but if your toddler does manage to break it, Amazon will send you a new one anytime within two years. Its intuitive parental controls are built right into the system, making it simple to customize screen time limits, age filters, limited access to specific apps, and schedules. It comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, which unlocks access to over 20,000 kid-appropriate apps. It doesn't have an HD screen, but does your 3-year-old actually care about that? It's usually $99.99, but you can snag it for just $59.99 as of Jan. 13 and save 40%.

More Amazon Fire tablet deals

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids — $94.99 $149.99 (save $55)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro — $94.99 $149.99 (save $55)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 —$94.99 $139.99 (save $45)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus with charging dock — $99.98 $169.98 (save $70)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids — $139.99 $189.99 (save $50)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro — $139.99 $189.99 (save $50)

• Amazon Fire Max 11 — $184.99 $229.99 (save $45)

If the U.S. government wants to ban TikTok, Americans might flock to a different Chinese social media app. About a week before the potential ban, TikTokkers are posting about moving to RedNote, known in China as Xiaohongshu. So many are migrating to the app that it hit No. 1 on Apple's U.S. App Store on Monday.

Yes, TikTok might really be on its way out. It's unclear exactly what would immediately happen to the app on the Jan. 19 deadline — it'll likely at least disappear from app stores and stop receiving updates. The government could also ask internet service providers to block access, or TikTok itself could choose to leave. So perhaps it could be time to move to RedNote if that's indeed where TikTokkers are headed. 

But don't worry, we've got the details on what you need to know about RedNote.

What is RedNote?

In short: It's a short-form video social media site. Well, duh. But it's not precisely the same thing as TikTok. As dupes like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels have shown, it's difficult for any site to copy the success and addictive nature of TikTok, exactly.

However, Xiaohongshu is quite popular and growing. It's currently topping Apple's App Store in downloads as people rush to find a replacement for TikTok. 

Tweet may have been deleted

TechCrunch noted that while RedNote is laid out more like Pinterest and is sometimes seen as China's version of Instagram, it does rely on short-form video content like TikTok. Many folks use it for shopping or the type of content you might already see on TikTok, such as beauty tutorials. TechCrunch reported that it has 300 million monthly active users, which is a large figure but still many hundreds of millions less than TikTok. 

Why is RedNote blowing up?

As we've noted, RedNote is gaining popularity because TikTok might be on its way out in the United States. However, the Chinese site might be gaining popularity, partly, to spite the U.S. government's attempt to ban TikTok, an app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. After all, how better for TikTokkers to stick it to "the man" than to popularize a different Chinese app?

Look across TikTok and other social media sites, and you'll see people posting about RedNote. Many of the posts have generated large numbers of views.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

It's difficult to project if RedNote will actually sustain popularity in the U.S. And, of course, Reels, Shorts, as well as other upstarts like Lemon8 will look to siphon TikTokkers.

But it'll certainly be interesting to track where folks head if the ban does happen in just a few days.

Severance is finally back! Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards is here to walk you through everything you need to remember going into season 2.

SAVE 70%: Shop Kohl's Ultimate Clearance Event and save up to 70% on clothing, home goods, and more.

Best Kohl's clearance deals as of Jan. 13: Best fitness deal Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best tablet deal Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet (32GB) $94.99 (save $45) Get Deal Best speaker deal JBL Charge 5 $139.99 (save $40) Get Deal

Kohl’s just snuck up on us with an unexpected sales event: the Ultimate Clearance Event, where you can score up to 70% off everything from home goods to electronics.

A lot of the discounted items are leftover holiday-themed merch, but we’ve spotted some great deals on everyday essentials, too, like clothing, kitchen gadgets, and bedding. Kohl’s also has a surprisingly impressive selection of pet supplies (I buy my two beagles toys from there all the time), and a bunch of those items are on sale right now.

Here are some of the best deals we've found so far in the Kohl's Ultimate Clearance Event:

Best fitness deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.99 at Kohl's
$99.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is only $79.99 (originally $99.99) at Kohl’s right now. That’s a pretty good deal for an already affordable fitness tracker that monitors your heart rate, sleep, steps, and more. (It’s also a Mashable Choice Award winner!) While this product isn’t eligible for coupons, you can still earn Kohl's Cash and Kohl's Rewards on this purchase to save even more.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has a 10-day battery life and includes six months of Fitbit Premium access at no extra cost.

Best tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet (32GB) $94.99 at Kohl's
$139.99 Save $45.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet is $94.99 at Kohl’s, $45 off the list price. This is a solid tablet for entertainment, browsing the web, checking email, and more. (Like Fitbit Inspire 3, it’s also a Mashable Choice Award winner.)

This tablet has a 10.1-inch 1080p full HD display, a 5 MP front camera, up to 13 hours of battery life (with a four-hour recharge time), and 32GB of internal storage. It’s also 25 percent faster than previous generations.

Note: The Amazon Fire 8 (32GB) is $64.99 if you want to spend even less.

Best speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Charge 5 portable Bluetooth speaker $139.99 at Kohl's
$179.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The JBL Charge 5 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $139.99 at Kohl’s. That’s $40 off the list price and a great deal for an IP67 waterproof speaker with up to 20 hours of playtime.

The JBL Charge 5 has a built-in power bank to charge your other devices, it connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and it delivers big, bass-heavy sound, making it the ideal speaker for parties, the beach, and other outdoor activities.

Save $100: Best Buy has USB-C Apple AirPods Pro down to $149.99 as a deal of the day on Jan. 13. That means this deal is available for today only, and nets you a 40% discount over buying new AirPods at their $249.99 full price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished USB-C Apple AirPods Pro $149.99 at Best Buy
$249.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Apple AirPods Pro are expensive, but they go on sale more than you'd think, so we almost always recommend buying them on sale. If the $179.99 sale price they're currently sitting at on Amazon isn't quite low enough for you, Best Buy is giving you another option.

As of Jan. 13, the retailer is offering refurbished USB-C Apple AirPod Pros for just $149.99 as a deal of the day. That means that come Jan. 14, these savings will no longer be live. Considering a new pair of AirPods at full price will run you $249.99, buying refurbished can save you a good chunk of change. We have seen new AirPods Pro drop down to $153.99 (at their lowest price ever), but as that was their Black Friday pricing, we're not counting on seeing it all that often, making this a decent alternative.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C review: About time

As for the earbuds themselves, they're some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds you can get, especially if you're a devoted Apple user. They connect and switch between devices with some of the lowest lag time on any earbuds we've tested, have noise cancellation that sits just behind the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, and sound quality that sits on the higher end of the earbud spectrum (even if there's no custom equalizer). When Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder reviewed the AirPods Pro, he called them, "the first pair of earbuds I'd actually consider taking on an airplane."

GET $800 OFF: The Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $599.99, saving you 57%, or $800.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum $599.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $800.00 Get Deal

Vacuum it and mop it, all without lifting a finger. The Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is a multi-functional robot vacuum that self deploys to take care of cleaning your home.

Right now the Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for a whopping $800 off — get it now for $599.99 and save 57%.

SEE ALSO: The 4 best robot vacuums for apartments, condos, and other small spaces in 2024

This mop is built for multiple cleaning cycles. Set how it uses its vacuum and mop functions: in tandem, one at a time, or to mop or vacuum only. It has 7000Pa suction, so it shouldn't need too many passes.

The Dreame L20 uses Lidar technology and position sensitive detection to map your home in 3D, bypassing obstacles and cleaning in straight rows. When the robot vacuum encounters a rug or carpet, it automatically raises its mop to prevent damage or scuffing. When the robot encounters an edge it can't get under, it will even extend the mop out to the side, to clean under the surface.

Right now, the Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale for $800 off at Amazon, for a price of only $599.99.

The Dreame is built to self deploy and auto empty, day after day, for up to 75 days. The app gives you deep customization options as well as reports on the robot's cleaning habits.

SAVE UP TO 50%: Shop Best Buy's Outlet sale and find headphones, laptops, appliances, and more up to 50% off.

Best Outlet Sale Deals Best Apple Deal Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation $144.99 at Best Buy (Save $35) Get Deal Best laptop deal Alienware m16 (AMD Ryzen 9 7000 Series, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,239.99 at Best Buy (Save $560) Get Deal Best smart watch deals Apple Watch Ultra (49 mm, GPS + Cellular) $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $299.01) Get Deal

Start the new year off right, by shopping exceptional deals during Best Buy's Outlet Event. The retailer is offering up to 50% off on clearance, refurbished, and open-box items. With the plethora of holiday returns coming in, there are plenty of great items that are simply discounted because the box has been opened.

Plus, there are plenty of refurbished items that are certified by Geek Squad so they're up to peak performance. While plenty of folks might be trading in their old tech, there are also great deals on the latest items, including the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Best Buy's Outlet Event has officially kicked off and runs until Jan. 19, 2025. However, some deals might not last the week as there are a limited number of refurbished and open-box items. If you see something you like, scoop it up.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation $144.99 at Best Buy
$179.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple released the newest AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. At their list price of $179.99, they're a cheaper alternative to the AirPods Pro. In our review, we found that the AirPods 4 stood up exceptionally well to all the commotion of an airplane, delivering delicious audio quality while blocking out noise.

You can find a pair of Geek Squad-refurbished AirPods 4, for just $144.99 at Best Buy during the Outlet Event. That saves $35, one of the biggest discounts we've spotted on the latest Apple tech.

Best laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Alienware Alienware m16 (AMD Ryzen 9 7000 Series, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,239.99 at Best Buy
$2,799.99 Save $560.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Our favorite gaming laptop is the Alienware m16 R2, but the brand's higher-end model of the m16, is on clearance during Best Buy's Outlet sale. You can find this stacked laptop, loaded with an AMD Ryzen CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, for just $2,239.99, knocking off $560.

This deal comes at a prime time, as Alienware just announced its most advanced gaming laptops at CES, which are slated to come out in a few months. In the meantime, the Alienware m16 is one of the best gaming laptops to shop now.

More Best Buy Outlet deals

• Beats Studio Buds+ (Refurbished) — $89.99 $169.99 (save $80)

• Apple Pencil (2nd generation, refurbished) — $99.99 $129 (save $29.01)

• Beats Fit Pro (Refurbished) — $119.99 $199.99 (save $80)

• Beats Powerbeats Pro — $119.99 $199.99 (save $80)

• Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (Refurbished) — $189.99 $299 (save $109.01)

• Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS, 45mm) — $249.99 $429 (save $179.01)

• Apple iPad Mini (64GB, refurbished) — $349.99 $499.99 (save $150)

• Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum — $359.99 $599.99 (save $240)

• Apple iPad Mini (256GB, refurbished) — $399.99 $649.99 (save $250)

• Apple Watch Ultra (49 mm, GPS + Cellular) — $499.99 $799 (save $299.01)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, refurbished) — $849.99 $1,299 (save $449.01)

• DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Plus Drone (Refurbished) — $1,049.99 $1,159.99 (save $110)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M3, 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD, refurbished) — $1,499.99 $1,999 (save $499.01)

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Jan. 13: OUR TOP PICK Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) $399 (save $100) Get Deal BUDGET TABLET DEAL Amazon Fire 7 tablet $79.99 (save $35) Get Deal BEST SMART DISPLAY DEAL Amazon Echo Show 5 $69.99 (save $20) Get Deal BEST HOME DEAL AeroGarden Harvest Elite $60 (save $59.99) Get Deal BEST SMARTWATCH DEAL Garmin Instinct $179.99 (save $70) Get Deal

Another week, another opportunity to snag some tech at discounted prices. We've scoured Amazon's daily deals pages to find a few we think are worth your money on Monday, Jan. 13, including gadgets from top brands like Apple and Garmin.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. None of these lighting you up? Check back tomorrow for a whole new slew of deals.

Our top pick: Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) $399.00 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

The latest iPad Mini hit shelves in October 2024 with a handful of welcome — yet predictable — upgrades: a new A17 Pro chip, more starting storage (128GB), an increase in RAM, and compatibility with Apple Intelligence features. It's not going to blow your mind or anything, but it's still pretty great. As Mashable's Stan Schroeder put it in his review, "If you're new to the iPad, and you want the most compact one around (or any compact tablet), the new iPad mini 7 is the best choice." It's regularly $499 for the base model, but as of Jan. 13, it's down to only $399. That's 20% in savings and its lowest price on record.

Check out our full review of the iPad Mini 7.

Amazon Fire 7 tablet Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 tablet $44.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal

The Fire 7 tablet certainly isn't the most flashy tablet around. As Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel put it in her review, it's a "deeply average tablet." But its ultra-low price point, expandable memory, and ultra-portable build make it a solid pick for travel or if you're looking for a tablet for your teen. It's usually $79.99, but as of Jan. 13, it's on sale for only $44.99 — its best price ever.

Check out our full review of the Amazon Fire 7 tablet.

AeroGarden Harvest Elite Opens in a new window Credit: AeroGarden AeroGarden Harvest Elite $60.00 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $59.99 Get Deal

The AeroGarden Harvest Elite lets you grow your own herbs and veggies from your kitchen counter. If you're curious about gardening or homesteading, it's a great place to start. It's just 10.5 inches wide and 17.4 inches tall (including the adjustable light height), so it doesn't demand a ton of counter space. However, it has enough room to grow up to six different plants using its hydroponic system. No need to buy soil or nutrients; it comes with liquid plant food and otherwise just requires water. Regularly priced at $119.99, you can save 50% as of Jan. 13 and grab it for only $60 at Amazon.

Amazon Echo Show 5 Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Show 5 $69.99 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

The third-generation Echo Show 5 features an upgraded speaker system with double the bass of the previous generation and clearer sound for music, audiobooks, podcasts, and whatever else you like listening to. It also includes an AZ2 Neural Edge processor and a reengineered microphone array. The display is on the small side at just 5.5 inches, but that's why we like it for a nightstand or desktop. Slash 22% off at Amazon as of Jan. 13 and pick it up for only $69.99.

Check out our full review of the Echo Show 5.

Garmin Instinct Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Instinct $179.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal

"The Instinct is ideal for serious navigators, ultra-athletes, and solo trekkers who spend a lot of time outside and in rugged conditions," Mashable's review states of the Garmin Instinct smartwatch. It's not your average fitness tracker; this thing goes above and beyond when it comes to sports tracking, navigation, and health monitoring. There's four different profiles alone for just running (classic, indoor track, trail, and treadmill). It's hefty, so if you have smaller wrists, it's maybe not the best pick. But otherwise, it's got extremely good battery life, is strong in the navigation and safety department, and can withstand pretty much whatever you throw at it. And as of Jan. 13, it's down to just $179.99 at Amazon, which is 28% cheaper than usual.

Check out our full review of the Garmin Instinct.

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