Mashable

SAVE $600: The Roborock Saros 10R is on sale at Amazon for $999.99, down from the list price of $1,599.99. That's a 38% discount that matches the record low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros 10R $999.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $600   Get Deal

Tis the season to get behind on household chores. It's hard enough to stay on top of cleaning during non-holiday periods, but now it seems quite nearly impossible. There's glitter on the living room floor, flour on the kitchen floor, and leaves in the entryway. Instead of worrying about vacuuming that yourself, enlist the help of a capable robot vacuum that's on a major discount.

As of Dec. 16, the Roborock Saros 10R is on sale for $999.99 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $1,599.99. That works out a savings of $600 from a 38% discount. Today's sale price matches the record low we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Mashable's vacuum expert Leah Stodart has tested over 30 models. Some have a grabby arm to collect your socks while others are excellent at mopping. When testing the Roborock Saros 10R, Stodart wrote, "It doesn't do everything perfectly, but it's still probably the most reliable robot vacuum I've ever tested."

Understandably, dishing out about $1,600 for a vacuum feels intense. But now that it's under $1,000, things feel a bit better. The Saros 10R comes with an impressive 22,000Pa suction power, and Stodart found other qualities that set it apart from other premium models.

SEE ALSO: Our favorite vacuum under $500 is now even cheaper

For starters, it's barely over three inches tall. This slim and low-profile means it'll have no issue getting under the couch, the bed, and the side tables, cleaning up areas that can be a struggle to reach with a stick vacuum. Stodart also mentioned it has the quietest self-empty system that she's ever heard, and it never gets lost.

Adding to the standout features on the Saros 10R is its ability to clean corners really well. It also has a livestream pet camera which allows you to see what the robot vacuum is seeing through the app. There's also an option to "search for pet." In Stodart's review, she wrote, "A ton of people have standalone security cameras to keep tabs on their pets when they're not home, so adding that pet sitter-like feature to an appliance that's already roving your house is actually pretty practical."

If you could use some help with chores, the Roborock Saros 10R is a reliable robot vacuum and mop. Its normal price of $1,600 feels scary but today it's down to $999.99 at Amazon. Considering how much time and hassle it could save you over several years, it might be well worth the investment.

If you don't play Roblox, your introduction to the online virtual world might be through less-than-stellar stories in news outlets about the company's legal woes due to child safety issues.

Roblox is quickly making moves to address that and looking at the company's 2025 user data, it's easy to see why that's the case: Roblox is extremely popular among young people.

As Roblox previously boasted, half of the U.S. population under the age of 16 were on the platform. A whopping 151 million users login to Roblox every day and the average user spends around 2.8 hours a day on the platform. User avatar updates happen 274 million times daily. One Saturday morning this past August saw 45 million users concurrently playing games on the platform.

And what Roblox games were they playing?  According to Roblox, "Grow a Garden" hit a record with 21.6 million users playing at the same time in July. In September, "Steal a Brainrot" broke that record with over 25 million users playing simultaneously. These feats are even more incredible when you consider both games were released in March and May, respectively, this year.

SEE ALSO: Roblox: A parent's guide to keeping your kids safe

Even so, "Grow a Garden" and "Steal a Brainrot" only take the second and third place when it comes to popular Roblox games searches. The top search is still for the classic "Brookehaven," released in 2020. The platform's users take part in an average of 21 Roblox games or experiences per month.

Another interesting data point in the Roblox 2025 Replay: the correlation between device and type of Roblox experience. Mobile phone gamers preferred horror or escape games. Tablet users were more creative types, choosing games like "Build a Plane." Console gamers, on platforms like Xbox or Playstation, were more likely to search out licensed action titles like Sonic, and play sports-based games.

Roblox users with VR headsets, unsurprisingly, would seek out virtual reality worlds and immerse experiences. And PC gamers are most likely to search out complex RPG-like titles on the Roblox platform.

The Roblox 2025 Replay also notes how the "67" trend and KPop Demon Hunters often spiked in popularity on the platform; there's a survey of Roblox's Gen Z users which can be found here.

The dating app Coffee Meets Bagel found a few contradictions in its first Dating Realness Report — which seems to sum up dating in 2025.

Over nine in 10 daters are looking for something serious, according to a survey of over 1,000 21-35 year-olds in the U.S. (who are working professionals either actively looking for a relationship or aren't actively searching but are open to one).

Specifically, 61 percent are seeking a spouse, and 31 percent are looking for a long-term partner. But 93 percent think dating is challenging, and nearly half (45 percent) think a relationship is harder to commit to than a job.

SEE ALSO: Tinder's predictions for dating in 2026

Some of the biggest pain points when dating are endless swiping without meaningful matches (54 percent), getting ghosted or unmatched (47 percent), and figuring out what to say or how to start a conversation (43 percent).

Now, take AI. Eighty percent of survey respondents are comfortable with AI assisting with dating tasks. However, if they found out they used AI to write their profile or message, around 65 percent would be less likely to engage with them, have a negative impression of them, or wouldn't be sure what to think.

Coffee Meets Bagel also found that while Gen Z was more comfortable with AI than millennials, they're also less likely to engage with a profile that used AI compared to their older counterparts.

This is similar to what Hinge found in its latest report as well: while Gen Z wants deeper connections, some are using AI to date.

And CMB's survey found that emotional connection and chemistry are a must-have for a majority of daters (73 percent), even higher than physical attraction (63 percent).

Shared values and beliefs (59 percent) rounded out the top three must-have qualities, followed by ambition/drive (57 percent) and shared interests (53 percent).

Interestingly, when broken down, more millennials (76 percent) chose emotional connection as a must-have than Gen Z (68 percent). Yet, more Gen Z chose ambition/drive than millennials (61 percent versus 52 percent).

And in this time of economic uncertainty, the highest life priority ranked was financial stability (54 percent), followed by health and wellness (49 percent), then love and relationships, which tied with family (47 percent each).

Coffee Meets Bagel also asked about the top challenges after matching. Gen Z and millennials differed only slightly in their answers: mixed signals (42 percent Gen Z, 44 percent millennial), starting or keeping conversations going (40 percent Gen Z, 38 percent millennial), and getting ghosted (38 percent Gen Z, 40 percent millennial).

Post-apocalyptic shows give me a sense of both anxiety and calm.

Anxiety because, obviously, the world has ended. When I think of anxiety-inducing things to put on screen, societal collapse and environmental destruction are tough to beat. The calm, on the other hand, comes from knowing that as bad as things get in the show, at least it's just that: a show. There is no zombie fungus out to get me like in The Last of Us, no alien virus hive mind like in Pluribus, no Arctic volcano-mega tsunami-nuclear war combo like in Paradise. (At least, my anxiety would tell me, not yet there isn't.)

SEE ALSO: 'Fallout' Season 2 is premiering early. Here's when.

But lately, as the state of our world grows more and more dystopian, even that calmness has evaporated. Between a U.S. government that seems hell-bent on rolling back human rights and massacres playing out across the globe in real-time on social media, the bleakness can feel overwhelming, to the point that I'd rather face down a Clicker than exist under the current administration. With that feeling in mind, apocalyptic media can serve as a road map for navigating a continually awful moment. Who steps up and fights for a new, better way of living, and who accepts this awful reality?

These questions are on full display in Fallout Season 2, which stages an ideological showdown against the backdrop of an increasingly bizarro — and immaculately realized — nuclear apocalypse.

What's Fallout Season 2 about? Johnny Pemberton and Aaron Moten in "Fallout." Credit: Lorenzo Sisti / Prime

Picking up right on the heels of Season 1, Season 2 sees Fallout's core three scattered across the wasteland. Lucy (Ella Purnell) and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) are tracking Lucy's father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), to New Vegas. Meanwhile, Maximus (Aaron Moten) has returned to the Brotherhood of Steel, now with more status — and more disillusionment about the way the Brotherhood operates. Hovering over it all is the game-changing technology of cold fusion, a limitless power source that could improve life across the wasteland, if it doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

Season 1 already did an admirable job of building out the world of Fallout, from its retro-futuristic vaults to the ruins of Shady Sands. In Season 2, though, it goes for broke, with stellar results. New Brotherhood of Steel factions offer up a more comprehensive look at the chaos that reigns across the U.S., while tensions between Vaults 32 and 33 gift us further Vault-Tec intrigue, all wrapped up in a chipper Vault Dweller smile. But it's New Vegas that's undeniably the star of the show.

SEE ALSO: Amazon pulls error-filled 'Fallout' AI video recaps from Prime Video

As someone who's less familiar with the Fallout games, I've had New Vegas, both the setting and the game itself, hyped up to me by Fallout fans. Thankfully, the show delivers on the hype with a bold, bonkers new post-apocalyptic playground, all neon lights and sleazy storefronts.

New Vegas and the surrounding environs pop with colorful new factions, some of which have been altered from their game appearances. Members of the Kings gang are now ghouls, shambling around in their Elvis getups. Unsurprisingly, zombies rocking leather jackets and pompadours is a sight gag that pays off in spades. Elsewhere, the Roman-inspired Caesar's Legion's fanaticism is equal parts frightening and funny. (Bonus points for how they so confidently butcher the word "Caesar.")

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These groups, along with others Lucy and the Ghoul cross paths with on their journey to New Vegas, all have their own unique approaches to existing in the wasteland. And as Lucy explores more of the madcap world she's spent most of her life living beneath, she must repeatedly choose between succumbing to the unspoken laws of the wasteland, or sticking by her all-important Golden Rule of treating others the way she'd like to be treated.

Fallout Season 2 stages an ideological battle that feels all too real. Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins in "Fallout." Credit: Prime Video

Lucy's tug-of-war between wild wastelander and goody two-shoes Vault Dweller was a key component of Fallout Season 1, but Season 2 throws it into sharper relief thanks to her alliance with the Ghoul. 

On one side of this partnership, you have the optimistic, if naive, Lucy, who wants to bring wrongdoers like her father to justice. On the other side, you have the grizzled Ghoul, a nihilist who's seen all the evils the wasteland and Vault-Tec have to offer and who's accepted the chilling fact that war changes. The two spend much of the first six episodes sent to critics locked in an ideological battle, with Lucy's hopes for peaceful resolution often getting ground down by the Ghoul's knowledge of the brutal truths of the wasteland.

If Lucy and the Ghoul are polar opposites, then Maximus serves as a midpoint between their worldview. He's still enamored with Lucy, deeming her the one truly good person he's met. By contrast, the overly masculine posturing of the Brotherhood of Steel seems even more ridiculous now, prompting some golden, totally over-it reaction shots from Moten. Yet Maximus still has much to unlearn from his time in the Brotherhood, and he, like Lucy, finds himself caught between surrendering to the way things are and striving to make something better.

That internal battle feels all too real right now, especially since the show's fictional antagonists, like RobCo Industries' CEO Robert House (Justin Theroux), bear striking similarities to very real tech companies that put profit over people in increasingly dystopian ways. Watching his and Vault-Tec's plans play out is enough to send a creeping sense of all-too familiar dread running up your spine.

So, Fallout asks, what will you do with that dread? Accept and feed into it? Or try to push for something hopeful? I won't lie, I've been feeling pretty Ghoul-ish lately. But watching Fallout Season 2, with its own guidebook to the apocalypse, has made me hope I can make my outlook a tad more like Lucy's.

Fallout Season 2 premieres Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with a new episode every week.

With the first two films in the Avatar franchise, Cameron delivered a glorious new sci-fi world I adored getting lost in. I went gaga for every new piece of Pandoran flora and fauna the films introduced. Bioluminescent trees? Stunning. Floating mountains? Sign me up. Benevolent space whales? I think I'm in love.

These wondrous creations came to life through groundbreaking technology, much of it, like Avatar: The Way of Water's underwater motion capture, completely new as well. That's a lot of "new" to go around.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' trailer: James Cameron sets Pandora ablaze in stunning first look

So why is Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in the series, such a retread of what came before?

Detractors of the franchise might find that question funny. After all, a common complaint about Avatar is that it's just FernGully or Pocahontas or Dances with Wolves, but in space. (While there are several solid criticisms of Avatar, these comparisons by themselves do not strong critiques make, but I digress.) However, Fire and Ash cannibalizes prior Avatar films' best set pieces and story beats, resulting in a film that, while undeniably spectacular, relies too heavily on its prior installments, as opposed to the new Pandoran elements that could make it truly special.

What's Avatar: Fire and Ash about? Zoe Saldaña in "Avatar: Fire and Ash." Credit: 20th Century Studios

Fire and Ash gets off to a promising start. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) are still mourning their son Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), who passed away in Avatar: The Way of Water's climactic battle. His younger brother Lo'ak (Britain Dalton) takes the loss especially hard, believing it to be his fault.

While strong characterization is frankly the last thing I come to Avatar for, this sense of familial grief proves a grounding moment to open the film. Cameron lets the characters sit in their loss, exploring the varying degrees of rage and anguish that come with Neteyam's death. Neytiri skews more towards the former, while Jake and Lo'ak skew towards the latter. The dynamic between them is tense as can be, as they hope to rebuild their life with the ocean-dwelling Metkayina clan without one of their core pieces.

SEE ALSO: 7 magic school series to buy young readers that aren't 'Harry Potter'

But it's not long before danger comes for the Sullys. This time, it's not just in the form of humans, including Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), still in his resurrected Na'vi body. Instead, it's also in the form of the Mangkwan, or Ash People, a Na'vi clan that has forsaken Pandoran goddess Eywa and conducts hostile raids on other clans.

The Ash People are the most exciting part of Avatar: Fire and Ash. Oona Chaplin in "Avatar: Fire and Ash." Credit: 20th Century Studios

The Mangkwan clan offers Cameron a way to further expand on the peoples of Pandora, in the way the Metkayina clan did in The Way of Water. But while the Metkayina at least bore some resemblances to Avatar's forest-dwelling Omatikaya clan in terms of how they lived in harmony with Pandora, the Mangkwan are a shock to the system.

Following a disastrous volcanic eruption that wiped out their home, the Ash People turned their back on Eywa. Now, they only worship the destructive power of fire. With their ash-gray skin, striking red body paint, and warring ways, they're a sharp contrast to the other Na'vi we've met.

Leading them is Varang (Oona Chaplin), a scene-stealing sorceress who immediately takes Fire and Ash to a new level. At times slinky and seductive, at others downright terrifying, Chaplin's performance creates a sci-fi villainess for the ages.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' trailer: Get your best look yet at Pandora's Ash People

She only gets better when she and the Mangkwan join forces with Quaritch. Lang reliably turns in the most fun performances in the Avatar films (nothing but respect for my Papa Dragon), and the trend continues here. He chews the scenery and spits out Southern-tinged one-liners like nobody's business, and Chaplin more than matches his energy. As the two become more than just allies, they also morph into an intoxicating — and much more fun — foil to Jake and Neytiri's own relationship.

Disappointingly, though, the Mangkwan get far less development than the Omatikaya or Metkayina clans. We don't get to know a single member of the tribe in depth beyond Varang. Nor do we spend much time in their village, an impressively desolate wasteland broken up by barren trees and the jagged ruins of their volcano. For a film called Avatar: Fire and Ash, there's far less fire and ash than I would have liked.

Avatar: Fire and Ash recycles the best parts of Avatar: The Way of Water. I think I've seen this film before... Credit: 20th Century Studios

As the Ash People fade into the background, Cameron resurfaces storylines from The Way of Water that perhaps would have been better left in the depths. Why do we need a replay of Payakan the tulkun's undersea rescue of a trapped Lo'ak? Or of the RDA's tulkun brain-harvesting plot? How, for that matter, did cartoonishly evil poacher Mike Scoresby (Brendan Cowell) survive getting mauled by Payakan?

These storylines worked wonders in The Way of Water. New villains in the poachers and new creatures in the tulkun set the stage for a show-stopping naval battle that still gets my heart pounding and lungs aching just thinking about it. Here, though, Cameron tries to do all that again, but bigger. Yet all I could think about for the entirety of the third act was how much it felt like The Way of Water's stellar conclusion — right down to the appearance of certain sets — and how much better The Way of Water pulled it off.

That final sequence, which also bears shades of Avatar's climactic showdown, begins to show the limits of the Avatar series. There's only so many times we can watch Jake and Quaritch square off, or witness Pandora's wildlife pull off a deus ex machina. Three movies in, and the stakes need to change.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is still a jaw-dropping spectacle. Tell me that's not the coolest thing you've seen. Credit: 20th Century Studios

Here's the thing: If I had seen Fire and Ash without having seen The Way of Water, I would have been in nonstop awe. The entire final battle is tremendous in a void — it just pales in comparison to the strangely similar set piece from its predecessor.

Thankfully, Fire and Ash gifts us with some exquisite new developments on Pandora. The Mangkwan stand out, as do the Windtraders, a nomadic people who roam around with the help of airborne medusae and windrays. When combined, these opalescent stunners form organic airships that are glorious to behold. I freaked out seeing them in the film's first trailer, and I freaked out even more seeing them onscreen. Their skin rippling in the wind, their veins shining just underneath... Like everything else on Pandora, they're astounding technical achievements, and I wish we got more time with them.

On the other end of the beauty scale, we have the human city on Pandora, a bustling industrial nightmare. Its hulking buildings and factories, as well as its hordes of colonizing forces, speak to an increasingly dark dystopia. A daring mission to the city gives us a deeper look at this dystopia and sparks a grittier action sequence than anything else we've seen in the Avatar films. Like the Ash People's village, it's a compelling aesthetic break from the lushness of Pandora, and a reminder of the natural beauty and ecosystems the Na'vi are fighting to preserve. It's also a high point because it's so different, and it's tempting to imagine a world where this is Fire and Ash's finale as opposed to The Way of Water remix that we get.

Instead, Cameron returns to familiar ground, relegating all of Fire and Ash's most exciting newcomers except Varang (who, I can't stress enough, still rules) to the background.

In the end, it feels greedy to ask for more from the Avatar series, with its maximalist world-building and take-no-prisoners action sequences. But after watching Fire and Ash, and with the knowledge that fourth and fifth films may be on the way, I don't want to settle for further derivatives of the preceding films. I want the greatness I know that Avatar is capable of, so asking for more is exactly what I'm going to do.

Avatar: Fire and Ash hits theaters Dec. 19.

SAVE $31.60: Pokémon TCG's Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection is just $46.39 at TCGplayer, a massive $31.60 less than Amazon's current price tag of $77.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection $46.39 at TCGplayer
$77.99 Save $31.60   Get Deal

You can't beat that feeling of trust when buying from an online retailer you know. Amazon is a solid example thanks to its next-day Prime delivery, but they're not always the cheapest. The problem is the whole “you get what you pay for” mentality only goes so far when a retailer is charging you $77.99 but an independent seller with glowing reviews is selling the same product for $46.39.

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A couple of dollars extra is usually worth it for the quick service, but over $30? I know which side my bread is buttered. The Mega Venusaur Premium Collection is packed with the following booster packs alongside a Mega Venusaur ex promo card and jumbo card:

• 4 x Destined Rivals

• 2 x Journey Together

• 2 x Mega Evolution

Oh, and don't forget the reusable sticker!

The best chase cards you can pull from this collection Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

If you're buying this Premium Collection just to chase your holy grail Pokémon cards, it's probably going to cost you less buying single cards considering the general price crash the hobby has had on the secondary market. Here's the best chase cards from Destined Rivals and Mega Evolution with up-to-date value data and links to buy from TCGplayer:

Destined Rivals

1. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex - 231/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $390
   Market price: $424.44
   Most recent sale: $394.48

2. Cynthia's Garchomp ex - 232/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $192.91
   Market price: $194.86
   Most recent sale: $180

3. Ethan's Ho-Oh ex - 230/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $177.98
   Market price: $172.69
   Most recent sale: $181.10

4. Team Rocket's Moltres ex - 229/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $118.72
   Market price: $123.39
   Most recent sale: $124.99

5. Team Rocket's Crobat ex - 234/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $65.75
   Market price: $65.79
   Most recent sale: $65.98

Mega Evolution / Phantasmal Flames

1. Mega Charizard X ex - 125/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $514
   Market price: $535.60
   Most recent sale: $514

2. Mega Charizard X ex - 130/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $360.48
   Market price: $386.07
   Most recent sale: $369.59

3. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $320
   Market price: $385.01
   Most recent sale: $323

4. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $278
   Market price: $302.38
   Most recent sale: $281.97

5. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $195.73
   Market price: $206.79
   Most recent sale: $191.99

SAVE $36.33: The Lugia ex & Latios ex Premium Collection is $62.99 on TCGplayer. That's $36.33 cheaper than Amazon's current $99.32 listing, showing the sorry state of big box retailer inflated pricing.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Lugia ex & Latios ex Premium Collection $62.99 at TCGplayer
$99.32 Save $36.33   Get Deal

Pokémon TCG has a pricing problem in 2025, and it's not just scalpers and stock shortages causing the problem. Big box retailers such as Amazon are charging way over MSRP for most products. The best case scenario is market value. Collector markets such as TCGplayer are seriously undercutting Amazon, the world biggest online retailer.

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We have independant vendors undercutting Amazon on this Lugia ex & Latios ex Premium Collection by over $35. Do me a favour and vote with your wallet. TCGplayer isn't an online store, it's a market place owned by Amazon that gives independant sellers a big platform to sell sealed and single Pokémon TCG, complete with full reviews so you can be confident asbout your purchase.

The best chase cards you can pull from this collection Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

If you don't want to risk opening hundreds of Booster Packs trying to find your chase card, why not just buy the single card you need instead? You're going to be opening Destined Rivals and Mega Evolution packs in this Premium Collection, so here's the top cards from each:

Destined Rivals

1. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex - 231/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $390
   Market price: $424.44
   Most recent sale: $394.48

2. Cynthia's Garchomp ex - 232/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $192.91
   Market price: $194.86
   Most recent sale: $180

3. Ethan's Ho-Oh ex - 230/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $177.98
   Market price: $172.69
   Most recent sale: $181.10

4. Team Rocket's Moltres ex - 229/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $118.72
   Market price: $123.39
   Most recent sale: $124.99

5. Team Rocket's Crobat ex - 234/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $65.75
   Market price: $65.79
   Most recent sale: $65.98

Mega Evolution / Phantasmal Flames

1. Mega Charizard X ex - 125/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $514
   Market price: $535.60
   Most recent sale: $514

2. Mega Charizard X ex - 130/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $360.48
   Market price: $386.07
   Most recent sale: $369.59

3. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $320
   Market price: $385.01
   Most recent sale: $323

4. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $278
   Market price: $302.38
   Most recent sale: $281.97

5. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $195.73
   Market price: $206.79
   Most recent sale: $191.99

MARKET VALUE: Pokémon TCG's Destined Rivals Booster Bundle is currently $58.29 on Amazon, which is down to market value when compared to TCGplayer listings starting at $58.49.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Destined Rivals Booster Bundle $58.29 at Amazon
$65.88 Save $7.59   Get Deal

Destined Rivals is the best-looking set to collect in the Scarlet and Violet era, in my opinion.

While Journey Together brought back Trainer Pokémon, Destined Rivals nailed it by bringing back fan favorites Giovanni and Team Rocket alongside Ethan, the protagonist from Pokémon Gold and Silver. The Secret Illustration Rares in this set just pop, such as Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex screaming nostalgia vibes from Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back (The First Movie) and Ethan's Ho-Oh ex throwing Generation One trainers back to Ash's first steps out of Pallet Town, witnessing the then-unannounced Pokémon Gold legendary Pokémon flying above.

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My favorite card from Destined Rivals is actually quite cheap, as a regular Illustration Rare. I'm talking about Ethan's Typhlosion - 190/182, a masterclass in how Illustration Rares are done. There's so much action and emotion behind this cracking bit of artwork by GIDORA. The Destined Rivals Booster Bundle is a great way to grab six booster packs to rip open, and this is one of the cheapest ways to do it right now.

The best chase cards you can pull from Destined Rivals Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

I love ripping open booster packs, but it can get ridiculously expensive quickly if you're looking for the grail cards of Destined Rivals. Of course, you could just get lucky and find what you're looking for, but it's a slim chance. With single Pokémon cards finding a new floor price-wise, it's a great time to just buy the cards you need and potentially save a small fortune.

1. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex - 231/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $390
   Market price: $424.44
   Most recent sale: $394.48

2. Cynthia's Garchomp ex - 232/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $192.91
   Market price: $194.86
   Most recent sale: $180

3. Ethan's Ho-Oh ex - 230/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $177.98
   Market price: $172.69
   Most recent sale: $181.10

4. Team Rocket's Moltres ex - 229/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $118.72
   Market price: $123.39
   Most recent sale: $124.99

5. Team Rocket's Crobat ex - 234/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $65.75
   Market price: $65.79
   Most recent sale: $65.98

TL;DR: iBUYPOWER is offering an an extra discount on any RDY Prebuilt PC with code 12DEALS. This is part of its 12 Deals of Christmas promotion that's running until Dec. 24.

Opens in a new window Credit: iBUYPOWER iBUYPOWER 12 Deals of Christmas: Save extra with 12DEALS   Get Deal

'Tis the season to treat yourself to some sleek new tech for the holidays. If a PC upgrade has been on your mind, iBUYPOWER is holding a 12 Deals of Christmas sale event until Dec. 24. This event features 24-hour Flash Sales each day on various prebuilt gaming PCs, including a stellar deal on iBUYPOWER’s RDY Element 9 R07.

This build is currently on sale for $500 off its list price, down to $1,549. That's not all, though. You can save an extra $50 by applying the code 12DEALS at the checkout. That's a fantastic saving for a PC that's fitted with an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, RTX 5070 12GB GPU, 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM, and 2TB of storage. And the saving don't stop there.

SEE ALSO: The 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025: Find unique gift ideas you'd never think of on your own

This code can be used on any RDY Prebuilt PC from iBUYPOWER, allowing you to save up to $200 off RDY Prebuilt PCs priced over $2,999, $100 off RDY Prebuilt PCs over $1,999, and $50 off RDY Prebuilt PCs over $999. That's quite the bonus to take advantage of before Christmas hits, especially with component prices surging. So why not treat yourself to a new build today to take you into the new year?

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Remember, these are limited-time deals as part of iBUYPOWER's 12 Deals of Christmas, which only runs until Dec. 24. So, if one of those PC builds has caught your eye, now is your chance to save a little bit extra with code 12DEALS.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 15, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 15, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 16 Pips

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 16 Pips

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this red space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 16 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this yellow space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically; 1-0, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed horiontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know your defunct football.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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: Sounds painful

• Green: Protects

• Blue: Same first name

• Purple: Former footballers

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Injury verbs

• Green: Defends

• Blue: Baseball Matts

• Purple: Teams in the original USFL

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 #449 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Injury verbs - FRACTURE, PULL, STRAIN, TEAR

• Defends - BLANKETS, COVERS, GUARDS, MARKS

• Baseball Matts - CARPENTER, CHAPMAN, HOLLIDAY, OLSON

• Teams in the original USFL - BANDITS, EXPRESS, GENERALS, WRANGLERS

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025:

AcrossIt has a trunk

• The answer is Car.

Kentucky senator ___ Paul

• The answer is Rand.

They have branches

• The answer is Banks.

Nowhere to be found

• The answer is AWOL.

It has a trunk and branches

• The answer is Tree.

DownSomething that's carried while portaging, perhaps

• The answer is Canoe

___ breaker, basketball move that causes the defender to fall over

• The answer is Ankle.

Two in a fork?: Abbr.

• The answer is RDs.

Sound that imitates a lion or dinosaur

• The answer is Rawr.

Symbol in the night sky over Gotham

• The answer is Bat.

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

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

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

Seth Meyers dedicated a slot on Monday's Late Night show to join the many stars of the film and TV industry in paying tribute to Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, who were found dead at their home on Sunday.

Like Jimmy Kimmel, Meyers also had a response to Donald Trump, whose post about Reiner on Truth Social has been widely criticised.

"I feared this was something he was going to do, and I was pretty certain it would cast a shadow on what was already a really dark day, but it was even worse than I could have imagined," Meyers says in the clip above. "The president made it about himself, because he's incapable of making it about anything else."

Meyers finishes by talking about his own experiences with Reiner, and his love of the director's work.

"Both his work that I was lucky enough to experience, and then the few times I got to interact with him as a person, he was a man who set an example," Meyers says. "And there's such a value in that. And we have to do everything we can to not make setting an example a lost art. So I just want to send my condolences to the Reiner family and just say Michele and Rob, rest in peace."

SAVE $16: As of Dec. 16, the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is on sale for $18.99. That's a 46% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick HD $18.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $16.00   Get Deal

The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is back on sale at Amazon, and if you're wanting to upgrade your streaming device before Christmas, now is the time. As of Dec. 16, you can save $16 with the new price of $18.99. That's a 46% savings on list price.

This streaming stick is designed for HD TVs and supports Full HD playback. It's easy to set up (just insert it into your TV's HDMI port) and easy to use, bringing the Fire OS to your TV, meaning all your favorite shows and movies are easy to access. You'll have access to the top streaming apps too, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more. And if live TV is more your thing, enjoy access with Sling TV, YouTube TV, and other popular options.

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You can even use Alexa voice commands to search and launch content across multiple apps, watch live TV, news, or even have it search the web. Simply hold down the blue Alexa button on the remote control and speak. It can even be used to control other smart home devices, like your lights or robot vacuums.

Get this Fire TV Stick deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $40: As of Dec. 16, the Amazon Fire TV 2-Series is on sale for $109.99 at Amazon. That's a 27% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV 2-Series $109.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $40.00   Get Deal

Looking to upgrade your TV in time for Christmas? You still have time, because as of Dec. 16, there's a great deal on the Fire TV 2-Series at Amazon. The 32-inch model is currently on sale for $109.99, saving you $40.

And you're getting so much with this TV, including 720p resolution with support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Audio. The Fire TV OS also keeps all of your entertainment easily accessible, with access to live TV, video games, and streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more.

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If you have several Amazon TV devices, like a Fire TV Stick, content will stay in sync across each device, meaning you can move from room to room and pick up watching where you left off. The TV also supports Alexa voice control with the remote, allowing you to search for content, check sports scores, and manage compatible smart home devices like robot vacuums or lights.

Connectivity-wise, you'll get two standard HDMI inputs, an HDMI ARC port for audio equipment, Bluetooth support, and access to games through the app store, Amazon Luna, and Twitch.

Pick up this great TV deal from Amazon now.

The best streaming deals to watch "The Life of Chuck" at a glance: WATCH NOW Rent or buy "The Life of Chuck" at Prime Video $5.99 or $19.99 Shop Now WATCH NOW Rent or buy "The Life of Chuck" at Fandango at Home $5.99 or $19.99 Get Deal WATCH NOW Rent or buy "The Life of Chuck" at Apple TV $5.99 or $19.99 Get Deal Watch as of Dec. 23 Hulu annual subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal Watch as of Dec. 23 Hulu and Disney+ bundle $10.99 per month (save $8.99 per month) Get Deal Watch as of Dec. 23 Hulu Student $1.99 per month (save $8 per month) Get Deal Watch as of Dec. 23 Hulu (with ads) free for select T-Mobile customers (save $9.99 per month) Get Deal

When you hear about a Mike Flanagan and Stephen King collab, you automatically assume it's a horror flick. But The Life of Chuck is far from it.

Part post-apocalyptic thriller, part feel-good coming-of-age drama, and part ghost story, The Life of Chuck is based off a short story of King's and it's one of our favorite films of the year. Starring Tom Hiddleston as Chuck Krantz and a wonderful ensemble cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Annalise Basso, Benjamin Pajak, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan, Harvey Guillén, Jacob Tremblay, Kate Siegel, and Mark Hamill, it weaves a tale of love, loss, and joys in living. It's a real crowd pleaser.

If you didn't catch it in theaters, now's your chance to stream it at home. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch The Life of Chuck.

What is The Life of Chuck about?

Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, The Life of Chuck marks his third Stephen King adaptation following 2017’s Gerald’s Game and 2019’s Doctor Sleep. Based on the King novella of the same name, it begins in a world plagued by catastrophe. School teacher Marty Anderson (Ejiofor) is dealing with an onslaught of bad news, from natural disasters to the internet going down for good. As he's trying to make sense of things, he's distracted by a billboard honoring Charles "Chuck" Krantz (Hiddleston) for "39 great years." Who is this mystery man, and why are these billboards appearing in what seems to be the end of the world as we know it?

The Life of Chuck blends genres in three chapters to explore the life of an average guy, Chuck, and his profound impact on the world.

Check out the full trailer:

Is The Life of Chuck worth watching?

While it didn't get the biggest crowd at the box office, those who did show up for The Life of Chuck loved it. It holds an 81 percent critic rating and 88 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned the coveted People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024, beating out Oscar winner Anora and nominee Emilia Pérez.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week?

"The Life of Chuck is masterfully told. Like King's most moving adaptations, it doesn't play by standard rules of structure or audience expectations. It demands we follow the winding road through playful dialogue, painful lows, and rollicking highs, to an unknown beyond," Mashable's Kristy Puchko writes. "It's surprising and upsetting, funny and profound. I laughed hard, cried 'til my eyes ached, and once gasped so loud that I heard it echo across a theater struck silent by a moment both shocking and tender."

Simply put, it's one of our favorite movies of 2025. Even King himself praised the adaptation, calling it "one of the good ones."

Read our full review of The Life of Chuck.

How to watch The Life of Chuck at home Credit: Neon

The Life of Chuck opened in theaters nationwide on June 13, 2025, after premiering at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. If you missed out, no biggie; it's now officially available to watch at home. You'll have three different ways to watch as of Dec. 23: buy it on digital video-on-demand retailers, rent it from digital video-on-demand retailers, or stream it. See the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

The Neon film officially made its at-home debut via video-on-demand retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV on July 29. And as of Dec. 12, the rental price has dropped to just $5.99. You can purchase The Life of Chuck for your own digital library or rent it for 30 days. Just keep in mind that with rentals, you'll only have 48 hours to finish watching once you start.

Here are some quick links to buy or rent the film on digital:

• Prime Video — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

• Fandango at Home — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

• Apple TV — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

• Google Play — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

Stream it on Hulu

As a Neon film, it's no surprise that The Life of Chuck is set to make its streaming debut on Hulu as of Dec. 23. We were expecting a late fall release in November 2025, based on the theater-to-streaming windows for other Neon films, but Neon took its time with this one. Fortunately, it's worth the wait.

Hulu subscriptions start at $11.99 per month (thanks to a recent price hike), but there are a few different ways you can save. We've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.

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The best way to cut the price of a Hulu subscription is to opt for an annual plan instead of a monthly plan. By paying for a year upfront for $119.99 (which breaks down to $9.99 per month), you'll save about 16% or just shy of $24. Sure, it's not a ton of money, but every dollar counts.

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One of the best deals in the streaming world is Disney's bundle plan. You can get both Disney+ and Hulu with ads in the Duo Basic bundle for just $12.99 per month. That's only a dollar more than paying for one streamer on its own, saving you about 45% total. You could also throw HBO Max into the mix for an extra $7 per month. That's $19.99 per month for three different services, which saves you about 42%.

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College students can save 83% or $10 per month on a Hulu with ads subscription. Sign up through the Hulu Student promotional page and verify your college email address via SheerID, and the price will drop from $11.99 to just $1.99 per month.

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Aside from the free trial, the only way you can get Hulu for free in 2025 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans. Better yet, you'll also get Netflix and Apple TV+ for free. If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. You'll just have to enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu. If you're not on the Go5G Next plan or Experience Beyond plan, make the switch to start taking advantage of the best free streaming lineup around.

SAVE $40: As of Dec. 16, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are on sale for $139.95 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shokz Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 $139.95 at Amazon
$179.95 Save $40   Get Deal

If you're still on the hunt for the perfect Christmas gift for the runner in your life, take a look at this latest Amazon deal on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2. This pair of bone conducting earbuds is currently on sale for $40, and as of Dec. 16 you can purchase for just $139.95.

Bone conduction headphones sit on your cheekbones and transmit sound through vibrations directly to your inner ear, rather than through the ear canal (air conduction, which is the traditional way sound reaches your ears). They keep ears open, so you can still hear background sounds like traffic or conversations. They’re especially useful for running and cycling, keeping the user safe and aware of their surroundings.

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The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 combine bone conduction with air conduction technology using dual drivers to give you a powerful sound. You can adjust the listening experience using dedicated EQ modes in the Shokz app, too. These modes include a Classic Mode and a Volume Boost option for noisier environments. If you use your earbuds for calls or voice notes, dual wind-resistant microphones and AI noise reduction are designed to reduce background noise, including wind, so your voice is picked up nice and clear.

The battery life is impressive too, with a single charge promising to last up to 12 hours, and it only takes an hour to charge up.

Get this Shokz deal from Amazon in time for Christmas.

TL;DR: Live stream New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA Cup final is finally here, and no, it doesn't involve the Oklahoma City Thunder. They were dumped out at the semi-final stage by Wemby's San Antonio Spurs, setting up a final showdown with the New York Knicks. It's going to be an electric contest between two star-studded teams.

If you want to watch Knicks vs. Spurs in the NBA Cup final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Knicks vs. Spurs?

Knicks vs. Spurs in the NBA Cup final starts at 8;30 p.m. ET on Dec. 16. This game takes place at the T-Mobile Arena.

How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs for free

Knicks vs. Spurs in the NBA Cup final is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S., but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA Cup before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• 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 free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has found the strongest evidence yet that a small, rocky planet outside our solar system has air, even though it orbits precariously close to its star.

The exoplanet, called TOI-561 b, is less than 1.5 times as wide as Earth and circles its star in less than 11 hours. That's so close — less than 1 million miles away from it in space — one side always faces the star. Having that permanent daylight likely causes the hemisphere to get hot enough to melt rock, bathing the world in a hellish lava ocean.

But what surprised scientists is the alien planet’s lightness. 

"What really sets this planet apart is its anomalously low density," said Johanna Teske, a Carnegie Science Earth and Planets Laboratory researcher and the study’s lead author, in a statement. "It’s not a super-puff, but it is less dense than you would expect if it had an Earth-like composition."

If TOI-561 b has an atmosphere, it would mean even rocky exoplanets exposed to the harshest conditions can have air, providing new insights for scientists on the hunt for habitable worlds elsewhere in the galaxy.

SEE ALSO: A NASA spacecraft is piercing the sun's scorching atmosphere right now

At first, the team wondered whether TOI-561 b, a world 280 light-years away, formed with unusual materials. The exoplanet's host is a G-type star like the sun and only slightly smaller, but it's very old with relatively little iron. That may mean the planet has similar chemistry to that of worlds born early in the universe. But that alone could not explain the measurements.

The researchers then tested another idea: What if the planet has a thick atmosphere? To do this, Webb measured how much heat the planet gives off by tracking changes in infrared light as the planet passed behind its star. This method lets scientists estimate surface temperature.

The James Webb Space Telescope is on the hunt for rocky worlds elsewhere in the galaxy with atmospheres. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

If the planet were a bald rock with no air to circulate heat, its dayside should reach about 4,900 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead, Webb measured a much cooler temperature of about 3,200 degrees — still cooking, but far lower than expected. The research team's findings appear in the The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

"We really need a thick volatile-rich atmosphere to explain all the observations," said Anjali Piette, a coauthor from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, in a statement.

An atmosphere could cool the planet by driving strong winds that move heat to the dark side. Gases such as water vapor could also block some heat from escaping, making the planet appear cooler to the telescope. Bright clouds made of rock-like material may reflect some starlight as well.

The team plans to keep studying the planet to map temperatures across its surface and learn what its atmosphere is made of. Scientists don't yet know how a small planet could hold onto its atmosphere under such intense radiation. One idea some have proposed is that gases may constantly cycle between the lava ocean and the air hanging over it. 

"This planet must be much, much more volatile-rich than Earth," said Tim Lichtenberg, another coauthor. "It’s really like a wet lava ball."

TL;DR: From Dec. 16-18, Back Market is running a 72-hour flash sale on a wide range of refurbished tech. Mashable readers can enjoy limited promo codes on select refurbished Apple and gaming devices.

The best deals from the Back Market 72-hour Flash Sale Best Apple Watch Series 9 Deal Apple Watch Series 9 $15 off at Back Market Get Deal Best Apple Watch Series 10 Deal Apple Watch Series 10 $20 off at Back Market Get Deal Best AirPods Pro 2 (2022) Deal AirPods Pro 2 (2022) $10 off at Back Market Get Deal Best AirPods Pro 2 (2023) Deal AirPods Pro 2 (2023) $15 off at Back Market Get Deal Best PlayStation 5 Deal PlayStation 5 Digital Edition $35 off at Back Market Get Deal Best PlayStation 5 Slim Deal PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition $35 off at Back Market Get Deal Best Nintendo Switch Deal Nintendo Switch (2019) $15 off at Back Market Get Deal Best Nintendo Switch OLED deal Nintendo Switch OLED $20 off at Back Market Get Deal

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great opportunities to save on high-end tech, but if you're still shopping for more deals before the holidays kick off, Back Market is here to help. The retailer — a popular hub for refurbished tech — is holding a huge 72-hour flash sale from Dec. 16-18, and Mashable readers can save on a selection of items by using promotional codes, activated by clicking the product links below.

These promo codes apply to a variety of top tech products and will auto-apply the full discount at checkout. They're only available while supplies last, or until the end of the sale on Dec. 18. It's also important to note that only one code can be used per customer per order during this period, and they can't be combined with any other discounts.

SEE ALSO: The 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025: Find unique gift ideas you'd never think of on your own

Check out the selection of promo codes below. There's a limited amount of each, so act fast to grab your favorites while supplies last.

The best deals on wearables and audio

• Apple Watch Series 9: Limited codes. $15 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

• Apple Watch Series 10: Limited codes. $20 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

• AirPods Pro 2 (2022): Limited codes. $10 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

• AirPods Pro 2 (2023): Limited codes. $15 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

The best deals on consoles and gaming

• PlayStation 5 Digital Edition: Limited codes. $35 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

• PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition: Limited codes. $35 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

• Nintendo Switch (2019): Limited codes. $15 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

• Nintendo Switch OLED: Limited codes. $20 off, auto-applied. Ends Dec. 18 or while supplies last.

If you're curious to learn more about Back Market, they're all about making sure high-end tech finds a long-lasting home, rather than being thrown away. According to their website, their mission is to "make refurbished tech the mainstream choice, by extending the life of devices, fighting electronic waste, and challenging today's throwaway culture."

Again, this flash sale only runs from Dec. 16-18 and there are limited codes available for each item. Be quick to pick up the items that catch your eye, as this is a great opportunity to score some last-minute gifts ahead of the holidays.