Mashable

If you were one of the hundreds of millions of people watching Super Bowl LX on Sunday evening, you saw Bad Bunny, all the other Halftime Show celebrities, some viral commercials, and of course the Seahawks beating the Patriots in the football game.

One of the commercials that had people talking was for a new website called AI.com. The commercial informed users to go to the website so they can reserve a username of their choice, even suggesting that names like "Elon" were available. The site went down almost immediately after the Super Bowl commercial aired as it struggled with the influx of traffic.

And, that might make sense when you find out the story behind the domain name AI.com, which sold to its new owners for a record-breaking amount shortly before the Super Bowl.

What is AI dot com?

AI.com is a new website from the co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com, Kris Marszalek.

As of right now, users can simply go to the website, sign up with a Google login, and claim their own @ handle along with a separate handle for their AI. After finding two available handles, the user must then confirm their identity with a credit card. However, the site doesn't charge users anything for the transaction confirmation. After that, users are informed that their handles are reserved.

There is a footnote on the website that says they will verify users who are a "celebrity with more than 100,000 followers" and allow them to reserve a handle that matches their X account.

Marszalek shared that AI.com will be an AI assistant platform, and it seems like there is some social media aspect, but anything more regarding AI.com unclear right now.

How much did AI dot com sell for?

Marszalek paid $70 million for the AI.com domain name, as confirmed by the domain name broker Larry Fischer of Get Your Domains. 

In March 2025, Fischer announced that AI.com was for sale with an asking price of $100 million. The domain sold for $30 million less than that price. Perhaps the seller made even less than that, as the purchase was made entirely with cryptocurrency, which has seen prices fall dramatically in recent weeks.

Regardless, $70 million is still a new record high for a sale involving nothing more than a domain name. (No website or other assets were included in the sale. Just AI.com, the domain name.)

AI.com's $70 million selling price shattered the record previously held by CarInsurance.com, which sold for $49.7 million in 2010.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Marszalek first publicly announced the acquisition of the domain on his X account last week, saying he acquired the domain in April. The site went live, however, on the same day as the Super Bowl, just hours before the AI.com commercial aired.

Marszalek is no stranger to big acquisitions regarding domain names or even naming rights. The Crypto.com domain name was reportedly acquired for his crypto company's use in 2018 for between $10 and $12 million. And, in 2012, Crypto.com acquired the naming rights for the Staples Center for a whopping $700 million.

Mashable previously reported on a prior sale of AI.com in 2021, after it became public knowledge in 2023. It first appeared as if OpenAI acquired the domain name, as the URL forwarded to ChatGPT's website. However, AI.com later was updated to forward to Elon Musk's xAI website, further muddying the waters surrounding its ownership.

With the latest $70 million sale to Marszalek, it appears that the mystery around the previous acquisition has been resolved. Early Bitcoin investor Arsyan Ismail is the current seller and appears to have been the person who last acquired the domain name for $10 million from domain name portfolio company Future Media Architects.

The messaging platform Discord announced Monday that all user accounts will default to teen safety settings beginning in March.

Discord, which has more than 200 million global monthly active users, will age-gate content and communication tools unless an individual verifies their age or if the platform has independently assessed their account as having a high likelihood of belonging to an adult.

Discord will use the third-party verification service k-ID for age and identification checks and rely on an inference model with hundreds of signals to detect the accurate age of an account holder.

SEE ALSO: Discord launches new safety features following lawsuits

"We would like the experience to feel more like you are on Main Street," Savannah Badalich, head of product policy at Discord, told Mashable. "If you're going into an adult space, you do ID verification or something like that, whereas the Main Street itself is built for just generally [everyone]."

Badalich suggested to Mashable that users will not be able to circumvent the safety measures by relying on a virtual private network, or VPN, that conceals their location, since the default settings will be universal.

Discord under pressure on teen safety

The new policy arrives in the wake of sustained pressure on social media platforms to improve safety for minors.

A 2025 lawsuit filed against Discord and the gaming platform Roblox alleged that together the platforms created a "breeding ground for predators." At the heart of the complaint is an anonymous 11-year-old girl who was allegedly groomed, sexually exploited, and raped by a perpetrator who used Roblox and Discord to communicate with her.

In late 2025, the platform launched a hub that allows parents or guardians to view the top five users a teen messaged and called, the servers they messaged most frequently, their total call minutes in voice and video, and all the purchases they've made.

At the time, Haley McNamara, executive director and chief strategy officer of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, told Mashable in a statement that Discord's new safety features fell short by placing the burden of youth safety on parents rather than implementing fundamental design changes.

Age-gated content and experiences on Discord

Badalich said that though Discord will have teen safety settings for all users by default, the platform will preemptively assess accounts that seem to belong to adults and permit them to access age-gated content and features.

While Discord hopes to keep false positives to a minimum, Badalich did not share the platform's confidence in accurately predicting user age.

Beginning in March, any user whose age is unverified or whose account has been placed in teen settings will need to either submit an ID or go through the facial estimation process in order to have full access to Discord.

Only adults will be able to unblur sensitive content, or turn off the setting; access age-gated channels and servers; receive message requests directly, instead of to a separate inbox; and speak on a "stage" in a Discord server.

Badalich described the new policy as "a foundational change to how we think about Discord."

Age verification on Discord

Discord began using age assurance measures in the UK and Australia last year, though not without challenges.

In the UK, some users also initially bypassed the age check requirement by submitting a realistic-looking selfie of a video game character, which was deemed adult. Badalich told Mashable that Discord and k-ID worked "tirelessly" to patch that vulnerability, and that the experience has informed its subsequent age assurance efforts.

Discord's new age-assurance efforts will restrict adult servers. Credit: Courtesy of Discord

"[W]e know that teens are creative," Badalich said. 'They're going to try to find ways around it."

There are privacy concerns, too. In October, Discord announced a third-party customer support vendor had been hacked, breaching 70,000 government IDs provided by users.

When users submit identity documents to k-ID, the documents will be deleted quickly, if not immediately, according to Discord.

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Texas with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

More than a third of U.S. states have introduced age verification laws for online adult content, including Texas. In response, Pornhub banned access for users in those locations. That means millions of users in Texas are now unable to access Pornhub.

There are complicated reasons for this restriction, but the workaround is simple. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Texas, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Texas

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

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 Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, 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 always secure

• Fast streaming 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.

Unblock Pornhub for free in Texas with ExpressVPN.

Best early Presidents' Day deals as of Feb. 9: Best Apple deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 (save $100) Get Deal Best Amazon device deal Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025 release) $179.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best TV deal Insignia 55-inch Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV (NS-55F501NA26) $179.99 (save $170) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Q10 S5+ robot vacuum-mop combo $299.99 (save $250) Get Deal

If you missed out on last year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Presidents’ Day is the next major sales event worth shopping — and the first big opportunity of 2026 to save. Historically, this holiday is known for its discounted prices on large appliances, mattresses, and furniture, but if you know where to look, you can find some pretty good deals on smaller home goods and tech.

SEE ALSO: The best Presidents' Day streaming deals: Starz, YouTube TV, Hulu, and more

Here’s everything we know so far about Amazon’s Presidents’ Day sale, including the deals you can shop right now.

When is Amazon’s Presidents’ Day sale?

Presidents’ Day is Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. While Amazon has yet to announce an “official” sale event, the retailer typically treats the holiday as a long-weekend clearance event, and there are tons of deals already available. As we get closer to the weekend, we anticipate even more markdowns, particularly on Amazon devices (e.g., Echos, Kindles, Fire Sticks) and floor-care brands like Roborock and Dyson.

When does Amazon’s Presidents’ Day sale end?

As with previous sales events, Amazon’s Presidents’ Day deals will run through the three-day weekend, likely capping off late Monday night. In true Amazon style, we expect some Lightning Deals to pop up in the days leading up to the holiday, but don't expect the best inventory to linger past Monday.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best early Presidents’ Day deals we could find as of Feb. 9:

Best Presidents' Day Apple deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 at Walmart
$399 Save $100   Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) is down to $299 right now. That’s a $100 discount, which isn't too shabby for a deal this early in the year. It's the lowest price we’ve tracked on this model (according to CamelCamelCamel, it last hit this price on Dec. 30, 2025).

The Series 11 is a Mashable Choice Award winner that features advanced health tracking, up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge (normal use), and a more durable exterior that’s 2x more scratch-resistant than the previous generation.

More Apple deals

• Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC) — $99 $129 (save $30)

• Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) — $139.99 $179 (save $40)

• Beats Studio Pro — $169.95 $349.99 (save $180.04)

Best Presidents' Day Amazon device deal Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025 release) $179.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $40   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025 release) was just announced this past October as part of Amazon’s big smart home refresh, and it’s already hitting its lowest price ever. Right now, you can grab it for $179.99, which is an 18% discount off the list price of $219.99.

It features a vibrant 11-inch Full-HD display (offering 60% more viewing area than the Echo Show 8) and room-filling spatial audio, making it a legitimate kitchen TV for streaming Netflix or Prime Video while you cook. It runs on the AZ3 Pro chip for faster responses and includes Alexa+ integration. Plus, the camera is upgraded with auto-framing and zoom for better video calls.

More Amazon device deals

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)

• Amazon Echo Dot Max — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)

• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) — $269.99 $319.98 (save $49.99)

Best Presidents' Day TV deal Insignia 55-inch Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV (NS-55F501NA26) $179.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $170   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Insignia 55-inch Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV (NS-55F501NA26) is 49% off right now, bringing its price down to an impressive $179.99. That’s a solid deal for a 55-inch TV with smart capabilities (it’s also an Amazon’s Choice product with a 4.3-star rating from over 6K+ Amazon reviews).

The F50 Series includes an Alexa Voice Remote and features a 4K Ultra HD display with dynamic range, DTS Virtual:X sound, and Amazon’s Fire TV experience built in for seamless streaming. You’ll find your favorite streaming platforms, including Netflix and HBO Max, plus millions of free movies and TV episodes.

More TV deals

• Insignia 32-inch Class FE Series Smart Fire TV (NS32-FEFL26) — $99.99 $129.99 (save $30)

• Insignia 50-inch Class F50 Series Smart Fire TV (NS-50F502NA26) — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

• Hisense 43-inch E6 Cinema Series Smart Fire TV (43E6QF) — $187.99 $209.99 (save $22)

Best Presidents' Day robot vacuum deal Why we like it

Right now, you can get the Roborock Q10 S5+ robot vacuum-mop combo for $299.99, down from $549.99. This is the lowest price we've ever tracked for this model, and it's our all-time favorite "quietest" robot vacuum.

Mashable's vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, says this combo vac offers the best bang for your buck. With 10,000 Pa of suction and an auto-lift feature for the mop (so it doesn't wet your carpets), you honestly can't go wrong with the Q10 S5+.

More robot vacuum deals

• eufy 11S MAX — $139.99 $279.99 (save $140)

• Shark AV753 ION — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• Shark AV2501S AI Ultra — $299.99 $549.99 (save $250)

SAVE $500: As of Feb. 9, the Hisense 85-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV is on sale for only $799.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's 38% off its list price of $1,299.99 and just $2 away from its best-ever Black Friday price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 85-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $799.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $500   Get Deal

If the Big Game really highlighted how much you need to upgrade your TV, we've got some good news for you. It's still one of the best times to buy a new one, as several 2025 models are on sale — including this 85-incher from Hisense.

As of Feb. 9, you can get the Hisense 85-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV for only $799.99 at Amazon or Best Buy. That's 38% or $500 off its list price of $1,299.99 and only $2 away from its best-ever price from Black Friday.

This deal really highlights why Hisense is one of our favorite TV brands; you can get top-notch features for a wallet-friendly price. Our friend at CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) named the QD7 model the best budget TV, thanks to its full array local dimming, excellent contrast, and fully saturated picture. TV expert Ty Pendlebury says it offers "the best price-to-performance ratio of any model I have ever reviewed" and heartily recommends it.

It's built with the Fire TV operating system and has Alexa built in, so you can press a button on the remote and ask it for content recommendations, sports scores, or to adjust your smart home lighting. Its native 144Hz panel with Motion Rate 480, Game Mode Pro, and AMD FreeSync Premium offer gamers a smooth, lag-free gaming experience. Plus, an AI upscaler and Filmmaker Mode ensure your streaming sessions look as good as possible.

If a TV upgrade is in order, but you don't want to spend a ton of money, the Hisense QD7 is an excellent value.

Bad Bunny promised good vibes and a whole lot of dancing during his Super Bowl halftime show, and he didn’t disappoint. But beneath the perreo-ready hits and viral clips was something deeper.

The performance unfolded as a densely layered visual essay, moving from Puerto Rico's sugar cane fields to New York bodegas, from reggaetón history to quiet political protest, and packing decades of memory, migration, and resistance into just 13 minutes of television.

SEE ALSO: Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show: See it now if you missed it

From set pieces referencing the island's ongoing infrastructure collapse following Hurricane Maria to cameos honoring small-business legends and community elders, nearly every frame carried meaning. Some references were immediately legible. Others were designed for the fans who know where to look.

It was a case of storytelling: a reminder that Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio didn't just bring Puerto Rico to the Super Bowl. He brought its history with him. Here are some of the Easter eggs you may have missed.

Returning to the roots of the sugar cane fields

Before fireworks, choreography, or surprise cameos, Bad Bunny began his Super Bowl halftime show in a quiet, sunlit sugar cane field, worlds away from the stadium spectacle to come.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Sugar cane fields are deeply woven into Puerto Rico's history, tied to colonial exploitation and the agricultural labor of generations of working-class people. By opening the performance there, Bad Bunny grounded his global moment in the island's past, honoring the people whose work and resilience built Puerto Rico long before it became a cultural export. It was a reminder that everything that followed grew from this soil first.

Bad Bunny's "Ocasio 64" jersey carries history

When Bad Bunny stepped onto the Super Bowl stage in a custom Zara jersey stitched with the name "Ocasio" and the number "64," it immediately sparked speculation. The name referenced his full surname, Martínez Ocasio. The number, however, carried a heavier weight.

SEE ALSO: Bad Bunny's 'Ocasio 64' jersey meaning explained

On a personal level, "64" honors his late uncle, who once wore the same number as an athlete. But it also echoes the Puerto Rican government’s initial claim of just 64 deaths after Hurricane Maria in 2017 — a figure later revealed to be a devastating undercount.

Falling into YHLQMDLG

Midway through "Party," Bad Bunny plunged through the roof of the casita into a family's blue living room, a moment that felt both unexpected and deeply intentional.

The visual mirrored the aesthetic of his 2020 album YHLQMDLG, whose blue-hued visualizers defined an era fans never got to see live. The pandemic canceled that tour, making the Super Bowl moment a belated love letter to longtime listeners who’ve been riding with him since the beginning.

Toñita's surprise cameo

Among the star-studded spectacle, one of the night's most meaningful appearances belonged to someone far from the pop spotlight: Maria Antonia "Toñita" Cay, the beloved owner of Caribbean Social Club.

A fixture of Puerto Rican life in Williamsburg for decades, Toñita has been name-checked in Bad Bunny's lyrics and embraced by the Nuyorican community. Her presence in the show was about honoring the everyday institutions that keep culture alive.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Victor Villa and the power of the side hustle

Another blink-and-you'll-miss-it guest was Victor Villa, the founder of Villa's Tacos. You'll see Benito pass a Villa's Tacos truck during "Tití Me Preguntó."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Villa's journey — from selling tacos in his grandmother's yard to running acclaimed brick-and-mortar locations — mirrors Bad Bunny's own narrative of grassroots success. His cameo not only celebrated immigrant hustle but also spoke to Bad Bunny's larger message of believing in where you come from, a belief he made explicit when he told Super Bowl viewers that he never stopped believing in himself and that others should believe in themselves, too.

Coco frío and island street life

During "Tití Me Preguntó," Bad Bunny moved past dancers gathered around a coco frío cart, a small detail loaded with nostalgia. Fresh coconut water, sold by street vendors across Puerto Rico, is part of daily life on the island. By centering it in a Super Bowl spectacle, Bad Bunny elevated an ordinary ritual into a symbol of home.

"Gasolina" and the lineage of reggaetón

No, your ears did not deceive you. After blending "Yo Perreo Sola" and "Voy a Llevarte Pa’ PR," Bad Bunny pivoted into a snippet of "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee, a defining anthem of the genre.

The track, inducted into the Library of Congress in 2023, helped globalize reggaetón in the 2000s. Bad Bunny's performance also sampled Tego Calderón's "Pa’ Que Retozen" and Don Omar's "Dale Don Dale," situating himself within a living musical lineage.

Concho the toad makes an appearance

Before launching into "Monaco," the camera cut to an image of Concho, the animated amphibian mascot of Bad Bunny's latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Modeled after the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad, Concho represents environmental fragility and cultural survival.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Jíbaros, power lines, and "El Apagón"

Men in straw hats (pavas) and white clothing — jíbaros, Puerto Rico’s traditional mountain farmers — appeared climbing power lines, blending folklore with modern crisis.

Historically associated with rural life and folk music, jíbaros symbolize resilience. Here, their placement on broken infrastructure referenced post–Hurricane Maria privatization, rolling blackouts under LUMA Energy, and the economic displacement explored in the song "El Apagón." It was a visual essay on who gets left behind when "progress" arrives.

Ricky Martin's Spanish-language reclamation

When Ricky Martin joined to perform "Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii," the moment felt both nostalgic and quietly radical. For an artist long associated with English-language crossover hits like "Livin' la Vida Loca" and "She Bangs," returning to a Spanish-language ballad on the Super Bowl stage carried its own symbolism.

The song reflects on migration and loss. Singing entirely in Spanish, sitting in a monobloc chair, marked how far Latin music has pushed the mainstream. What once felt risky now feels inevitable.

The light blue flag of Puerto Rican independence

At one point, Bad Bunny held la bandera con azul celeste, the light-blue version of Puerto Rico's flag linked to the independence movement.

Once associated with calls for Puerto Rican sovereignty and traced back to pre-U.S. colonial revolts, the light-blue variant of the Puerto Rican flag has become a symbol of resistance and cultural pride. Historians identify azul celeste as the original shade tied to late-19th-century independence movements, and its use today often signals a deeper conversation about the island's identity.

Bad Bunny previously featured it in "La Mudanza," and bringing it to the Super Bowl transformed a political statement into a global broadcast.

A quiet nod to Haiti's visual history

In one of the show's most subtle visual callbacks, a woman waving Haiti's flag wore a green-and-orange ribbed knit top that closely echoed Jay Maisel's 1973 Haiti series, particularly "Haiti No. 59." The styling — easy to miss amid the spectacle — felt deliberately precise, mirroring the texture, color, and composition of Maisel's iconic image.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Lady Gaga and the maga flower

Lady Gaga’s baby-blue dress, paired with a red floral brooch resembling Puerto Rico's national maga flower, was more than a fashion moment. Designed by Luar founder Raul Lopez, the look wove national symbolism into couture, reinforcing the night’s emphasis on Puerto Rican pride.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. "La Marqueta" and the roots of diaspora

During "NUEVAYoL," Bad Bunny walked past a New York–style streetscape featuring a storefront labeled "La Marqueta."

The real La Marqueta in East Harlem was once a hub for Latino immigrants, helping shape Spanish Harlem in the mid-20th century. Its inclusion honored the diaspora communities that carried Puerto Rican culture beyond the island — and brought it back, amplified, to the global stage.

"Together We Are America"

Toward the end of the halftime performance, Bad Bunny — notably speaking in English — said, "God Bless America." He then expanded the phrase to encompass all the countries of the Americas, not just the United States, re-framing it as a message of unity and belonging. Holding up a football emblazoned with "Together We Are America," he made the point explicit.

Then, switching back to Spanish, he added: "seguimos aquí" ("we’re still here"), before spiking the ball and launching into "DtMF." The moment crystallized the show's larger thesis: presence as resistance, visibility as power, and community as the foundation of everything.

Best Dyson beauty deals Dyson Supersonic Nural $399.99 (save $150) Get Deal Dyson Airwrap i.d. $499.99 (save $150) Get Deal

Valentine's Day is less than a week away, but if you haven't bought a gift just yet, Dyson's giving last-minute shoppers a pretty sweet deal.

Well, technically two deals. As of Feb. 9, you can grab the Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer for $399.99, saving you $150 on the $549.99 list price. The same discount is also available on the Dyson Airwrap i.d. multi-styler, which comes down to $499.99 from its full price of $649.99.

At the time of writing, neither tool is on sale at Amazon, and while the Airwrap i.d. is on sale at Best Buy for the same price, the Supersonic Nural is still at full price. Sephora, on the other hand, has both the Airwrap i.d. and Supersonic Nural on sale, but only in the amber silk colorway, whereas Dyson's site offers more variety.

So which is the best to pick up for your boo (or yourself)? As Mashable's beauty tech expert, I broke it down below.

Dyson Airwrap i.d. deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Airwrap i.d. $499.99 at Dyson
$649.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

I've tested every Supersonic model available, and while I maintain the supremacy Shark FlexStyle in a pure value sense, the Airwrap i.d. is the multi-styler that made me most get Dyson's popularity. Typically, the curling barrels on multi-stylers provide more of a blown out than truly curled look — and if your hair has trouble holding a style, the wave you do get might not last.

The Airwrap i.d. makes this process better by including a conical barrel in the attachments for tighter curls, and automatic temperature cycling — meaning the hair is hit with properly timed hot then cool air with the press of a button — making styling with this tool as mindless as it should be. In addition to the conical curling attachment, you'll get five more attachments (which vary slightly depending on whether you opt for the straight and wavy or curly and coily model).

Dyson Supersonic Nural deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic Nural $399.99 at Dyson
$549.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

This is not the hair dryer for the dupe lover. This is the hair dryer for the person who rarely air drys, and wants one of the fastest and easiest hair dry experiences on the market. It comes with smart attachments that automatically adjust temperature and air speed, a scalp protect mode for closer and more comfortable drying, and automatic pausing. For textured hair folks, the diffuser has a removable center that's especially useful for pixie diffusing and maximizing your volume potential.

SAVE $800: The 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $1,499.99, down from the normal price of $2,299.99. That's a 35% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor $1,499.99 at Amazon
$2,299.99 Save $800.00   Get Deal

Sometimes, bigger is better. Think that bag of potato chips from Costco, getting upgraded to the seats with extra legroom on the plane, or streaming your favorite Olympic sports on a giant TV. The same can be applied to gaming on a giant monitor. If you need something bigger (and better), check out this Amazon deal.

As of Feb. 9, the 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor is on sale for $1,499.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $2,299.99. That's a 35% discount that slashes $800 off the price.

So long as your computer desk has room, gaming on a giant 57-inch curved monitor could be incredible. Samsung makes some top-tier gaming monitors that'll massively level up your experience. Of course, it comes with a nice 240Hz refresh rate, a 1 millisecond response time, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. There's also something to be said about gaming on a Quantum Mini-LED display.

SEE ALSO: This stunning LG UltraGear gaming monitor is over $300 off at Amazon

Nice extras include the ergonomic stand from Samsung and the DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1, and USB hub. There's also the Samsung Picture-by-Picture feature which gives you access to viewing two sources at the same time in their native resolution.

While we're still in the depths of winter, upgrade your gaming set up with the 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 curved gaming monitor. Since you'll be saving $800 thanks to Amazon's sale price, you'll be able to snag new game titles or maybe even an ultra-comfortable gaming chair.

YouTube Music is rolling out new community-focused features aimed at superfans and expanding its use of paywalls, including a requirement that users subscribe to Premium to view full song lyrics.

According to reporting from 9to5Google, YouTube Music has begun enforcing a lyrics paywall globally after months of testing. Free users are now limited to viewing lyrics only a handful of times before being prompted to subscribe to either YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium. Once that limit is reached, lyrics are partially blurred and cannot be scrolled unless the user upgrades.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps adds Gemini to a major feature in new test

The company offers five free lyric views before the restriction takes effect, signaling a clear shift toward monetizing features that were previously free. Mashable reached out to YouTube for comment, but did not receive a response before publication.

The move comes as YouTube Music is simultaneously positioning itself as a more social and fandom-driven platform. As Mashable previously reported in August, the service recently introduced Spotify-like features such as comments on albums and playlists, shared "taste-matching" playlists that update daily, and artist-focused tools like milestone badges and live event notifications through a partnership with Bandsintown.

YouTube Music Premium currently costs $10.99 per month in the U.S., while the broader YouTube Premium subscription runs $13.99 and includes ad-free viewing across YouTube, background playback, offline downloads, and access to experimental AI features. Google has reported more than 325 million paid subscriptions across its consumer services, with YouTube playing a major role in that growth. In 2025 alone, YouTube generated more than $60 billion in revenue from ads and subscriptions combined.

Still, the decision to gate lyrics behind a paywall may feel like a step backward for some users, particularly as competitors like Spotify continue to offer full lyrics for free.

Apple just released a new AirTag model, but it's reportedly not done with product launches for the first part of 2026 yet.

By the end of March, we could have new revisions of the iPhone E-series, new iPads, and new MacBooks to play around with, according to Mark Gurman's latest newsletter at Bloomberg. The prolific Apple reporter claimed a product launch could come as soon as March 2. Without wasting any more time, let's get into all of the major products Apple could launch by the end of March.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone 17e to launch 'imminently,' report claims iPhone 17e

Last year, the iPhone 16e offered great battery life and modern Apple software features for the relatively low price of $599. People who bought one didn't get high-end camera support or anything like that, but they did get the ability to stay in the contemporary Apple ecosystem for a long time without breaking the bank. According to Gurman, we're getting another one of those very soon.

Gurman said the iPhone 17e is "due imminently," with the iPhone 17's A19 chip and MagSafe charging as two big new features. On top of that, it will reportedly still cost $599, so it's just a straightforward upgrade over last year's model without a higher price point. It's still not as cheap as the old iPhone SE was, but good things rarely last forever.

New iPads

According to Gurman, we're also getting minor revisions to the iPad family soon. There will be a new entry-level base iPad and a new iPad Air, both of which will have new processors powering them. The former will be powered by the A18 chip and the latter by the M4 chip. Per Bloomberg's report, the A18 chip in the basic iPad will enable Apple Intelligence features on that device for the first time. Sadly, it sounds like that's about all you can expect from these devices.

New MacBooks

As for MacBooks, this product category has the most potential action of any of them for the first half of the year. Gurman reported that there will be new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models and a new MacBook Air with an M5 processor. Gurman also referenced a new Mac Studio desktop and even a new Studio Display monitor, though it's unclear if all of these are going to launch in the March window described above, or just vaguely before the halfway point of 2026.

Perhaps the most intriguing new Mac computer that we could see in the first half of the year is the alleged budget MacBook. Gurman says it will have a 13-inch display and an iPhone-caliber chip inside of it, all for a price that should be significantly less than $1,000. Given the price of a decent laptop these days, that would be huge. As someone whose slightly older MacBook badly needs a battery replacement, I wouldn't say no to one of these at all.

Scams are unfortunately ubiquitous in the digital age — and a new survey suggests that a growing number of bad actors are pretending to be your loved ones.

Phone number verification tool ClarityCheck just conducted a survey of around 1,900 adults in the U.S., UK, and European Union, and found that 64 percent of respondents have encountered a suspicious message or call that seemed to come from someone they knew.

SEE ALSO: Beware Instagram reset password scams that users report are on the rise

Of those, nearly half involved impersonating a former romantic partner or close friend. Thirty-eight percent initially believed the scammer was genuine for several days or longer — even when the scammer asked for money or sensitive information.

The survey results highlight how scammers prey on people's vulnerability. Romance scammers and pig butchering schemes attempt to build trust with their targets before requesting money or data. ClarityCheck found that respondents who recently went through a breakup, relocation, or period of prolonged isolation were 52 percent more likely to engage with someone suspicious for an extended period.

"When someone appears to know your emotional history, the usual warning signs are displaced by recognition and trust," Ihor Herasymov, managing director of ClarityCheck, stated in a press release. "The damage is not only financial. It often reshapes how people perceive their past relationships and their own judgment."

"This type of fraud works because it does not feel like fraud," said Herasymov.

In recent months, lawmakers have attempted to curb romance scams. Back in September, two senators urged the CEO of Match Group to act on these types of cons, but no update has been made public. In the meantime, Tinder has implemented required facial scans for new users, and Hinge plans to test them as well.

The best Presidents' Day streaming deals at a glance: Starz $2.99 per month for 3 months (save $24) Get Deal YouTube TV free 10-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months $82.99/month (save $46) Get Deal Disney+ and Hulu bundle $9.99 for 1 month (save $3) Get Deal Mubi $1 for 3 months (save $43.97) Get Deal

While we typically see the best streaming deals of the year around Black Friday, it's not the only time streaming services offer discounts. With Presidents' Day around the corner, we've got our eyes locked on our favorite streamers for any potential deals that pop up. To my surprise, several have already landed.

These discounts aren't technically labeled as Presidents' Day streaming deals, but they're live for a limited time around the holiday, so that's what we're calling them. While the prices won't wow you quite like Black Friday, we could all use any savings we can get. If you're looking to sign up for a streaming service this season, you might as well save some money, right?

We'll be sure to update this list with any new streaming deals that may arise this week. For now, here are all the best Presidents' Day streaming deals live — as well as some evergreen deals we think are worth snagging.

Best Presidents' Day streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Starz Starz $2.99/month for 3 months (save $8/month) Get Deal Why we like it

One of the most slept on streaming services, this Starz Presidents' Day offer allows you to diversify your movie and TV lineup for only $2.99 per month for three months. It typically costs $10.99 per month, so you'll save about $24. Not only does Starz have its own original series like Sweetpea and Three Women, but it's also the first stop Lionsgate theatrical releases make in the streaming circuit. Recent additions include The Long Walk and The Strangers: Chapter 2, while upcoming films include The Housemaid and Greenland 2: Migration.

More Presidents' Day streaming deals

• DirecTV MySports — $59.99/month for 2 months $69.99/month (save $10/month)

• Disney+ and Hulu bundle — $9.99/month for 1 month $12.99/month (save $3/month)

• Mubi — $1 for 3 months $14.99/month (save $43.97)

• NFL Sunday Ticket — $16/month for 12 months $31.50/month (save $186)

• Spotify Premium — Free for 2 months $12.99/month (save $12.99/month)

• YouTube TV — free 10-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months $82.99/month (save $23/month)

Evergreen streaming deals

• Apple TV and Peacock Premium bundle — $14.99/month $23.98/month (save $8.99/month)

• Apple TV and Peacock Premium Plus bundle — $19.99/month $29.98/month (save $9.99/month)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max (with ads) — $19.99/month $34.97 (save $14.98/month)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max (no ads) — $32.99/month $56.47 (save $23.48/month)

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited — $35.99/month $53.97 (save $17.98/month)

• HBO Max Basic with ads — $109.99/year $131.88/year (save $21.89)

• Hulu (with ads) — $119.99/year $143.88/year (save $23.89)

• Paramount+ Essential — $89.99/year $107.88/year (save $17.89)

• Paramount+ Premium — $139.99/year $167.88/year (save $27.89)

• Peacock Premium — free with $98 Walmart+ subscription (save $109.99/year)

Best early President's Day mattress deals at a glance: Best overall deal DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress with free accessories (queen) $1,099 (save $1,397) Get Deal Best organic mattress deal Naturepedic Serenade Organic Hybrid Mattress (queen) $1,599.20 (save $399.80) Get Deal Best foam mattress deal Bear Original Mattress (queen) $649 (save $349) Get Deal

As much as we try to ignore it, sleep is a major part of life. Ask any parent of a young child or someone who's dealing with jet lag and they'll confirm that sleep makes a big difference. It impacts our mood, cognitive ability, and even the immune system.

We have tons of great tech that helps us get restorative slumber like sleep earbuds that are comfortable enough for side sleepers, smart beds that adjust temperature automatically, and air purifiers that help with breathing in healthy air. But those probably won't help all that much if your mattress is uncomfortable. A good bed is both supportive of your back, shoulders, and hips while also being comfortable enough to keep you sound asleep. If that's not happening, it might be time for a new bed.

Just like how there's a best time of the year to buy a new TV, mattresses have a few standout sale times. President's Day happens to be one of the best times to score a major discount on a new mattress, bedding, and pillows. If you bedroom or your guest room has been asking for a refresh, check out these deals.

Best overall mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: DreamCloud DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress (queen) $1,099 at DreamCloud
$2,496.01 Save $1,397.01 mattress protector, sheet set, and two cooling pillows included Get Deal Why we like it

Last spring when I tested the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid mattress, I was shocked by the quality to price ratio. It feels like a luxury mattress you'd encounter at a 5-star hotel, but its price falls into the affordable range. In fact, a single night's stay at some 5-star resorts would cost more than this mattress.

The DreamCloud Premier is a hybrid bed that combines a plush pillow-top with ultra supportive memory foam and coil layers. The edge-support is also noteworthy. When testing, I felt like this was a great option for couples thanks to the motion isolation or anyone who's a combination sleeper and needs support in several positions.

The DreamCloud Presidents Day Sale tosses in a mattress protector, bamboo sheet set, and two cooling pillows. If you're shopping for a queen-size, you'll be able to get the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid with these accessories for $1,099.

Best organic mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Naturepedic Naturepedic Serenade Organic Hybrid Mattress (queen) $1,599.20 at Naturepedic
$1,999 Save $399.80   Get Deal Why we like it

If you shop for organic food and look for clothing made of natural materials, you might want to opt for an organic mattress. The Naturepedic Serenade Organic Hybrid Mattress is on sale for 20% off during the brand's winter refresh sale. The eight-inch tall mattress uses certified organic latex, wool, and cotton, which eliminates the need to use chemical-derived foam or flame retardants.

Aside from the all-organic materials and glue-free design, one of the highlights of the Naturepedic Serenade Organic Hybrid Mattress is its customization options. You can get the mattress in plush, cushion-firm, or firm to best suit your sleeping style and needs. Plus, wool and cotton are naturally breathable materials, so this could be excellent if you tend to sleep hot.

Best foam mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bear Bear Original Mattress (queen) $649 at Bear
$998 Save $349 mattress protector and two pillows included Get Deal Why we like it

An all-foam bed is a great option for tons of people, and Bear makes some of the best if you're looking for an excellent value. In a queen size, the Bear Original Mattress usually costs $998, but it's on sale for $649 during the Bear Presidents Day Sale. Plus, the brand is throwing in two free pillows and a free mattress protector.

Bear uses three layers of foam on the Bear Original that are designed to provide great support and comfort to pressure points. This could also be a great option for a kids' room thanks to its affordability. In a twin size, the Bear Original is on sale for $463.

More mattress and bedding deals

• Amerisleep — save $1,000 on a mattress with code PD2026

• Avocado — take up to 20% off organic mattresses and 10% off organic bedding and pillows

• Awara — save 50% on select mattresses

• Beautyrest — save up to $1,000 on select mattress and adjustable base sets

• Birch — take 25% off sitewide with code PRES25

• Brooklyn Bedding — save up to 35% on mattresses

• Casper — take up to 30% off on mattresses and 35% off bedding bundles and pillows

• Coop Sleep Goods — save up to 40% sitewide

• Helix — take 25% off sitewide with code PRES25

• Eight Sleep — save up to $350

• Essentia — take 21% off sitewide

• Nectar — save up to 60% on mattresses and 66% on bundles

• Nest — save up to 15% on mattresses and 20% on pillows

• Nolah — take 35% off sitewide with free in-home set-up and removal on qualifying orders

• Puffy — save up to $1,350

• Purple — take up to $500 off a mattress and earn up to $300 in gift credit

• Silk & Snow — get a free sleep bundle with mattress purchase

• Tempur-Pedic — save up to $500 and get $300 in free accessories; BOGO pillows and sheets bundles

Save $109.99: As of Feb. 9, you can find brand-new Apple AirPods Pro 2 earbuds for just $139.99, slashing an impressive 44% off their $249 price tag. This puts them just 99 cents away from their lowest price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $139.99 at Woot
$249 Save $109.01   Get Deal

As a shopping reporter on the headphones and earbuds beat, I take notice when Apple earbuds drop down to record-low prices.

And while we're not quite back down to a record low, 99 cents away feels close enough — especially when it's on a previous generation model that can be harder to find brand new. That's exactly the case with the Apple AirPods Pro 2 at Woot, which are on sale for $139.99, knocking $109.99 off their $249 list price.

SEE ALSO: Sony’s new LinkBuds Clip open earbuds embrace pastel colors and a clip style design

Though Woot is often a retailer for refurbished products, these buds are brand new, which isn't a given considering their discontinued status: at the time of writing, they're sold out at Amazon and Walmart and more expensive than the Pro 3 earbuds at Target and Best Buy.

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

It is worth noting that the AirPods Pro 2 hit the market in 2022, with a USB-C port refresh in 2023. While they're not exactly top of the line anymore, they are a great option, especially for users in the Apple ecosystem who don't want to shell out $200 or more for the newer AirPods Pro 3 (with the Pro 3 being a 2025 release, I'm not holding my breath for price drops lower than that for at least the next few months).

These earbuds still have solid active noise cancellation, interchangeable silicone ear tips, personalized spatial audio, and house the same H2 chip as the Pro 3 earbuds. You'll sacrifice mostly on not having the best of the best — the battery life is six hours to the Pro 3's eight, the noise cancellation isn't as powerful, and features like heart rate monitoring and live translation aren't available on the older buds.

Still, for $140, they're a great buy if you're not looking to pay premium prices. You'll want to grab this deal while it's live for the next seven days on Woot — or until supplies last.

Did you catch the Dunkin' ad during the Big Game? Dunkin' reimagined Good Will Hunting as a sitcom, including cameos from the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Jason Alexander, Ted Danson, Alfonso Ribeiro, Jaleel White, and Jasmine Guy. It was a welcome hit of '90s nostalgia.

During the commercial, Dunkin' announced that it would be giving away 1.995 million free iced coffees of any size to customers who use the code GOODWILLDUNKIN in the Dunkin’ app on Feb. 9. Simply download the Dunkin' app to your smartphone (it's free) and use the code at the checkout. It's that easy.

View this post on Instagram

It's worth noting that this offer is only valid while supplies last and you're limited to a single redemption.

Dunkin’ has also dropped a collection of authentic vintage and ’90s-inspired clothing that very much fits the vibe of the commercial. This exclusive drop features vintage windbreakers, denim jackets, workout sets, and much more. The entire collection is available to shop now but items are selling out fast.

Monday, Feb. 9 is National Pizza Day. What's that? This is news to you? You don't have us fooled. This is one of the biggest days of the year for foodies. Don't pretend for a second that you haven't been eyeing up this date for months.

The great news for lovers of dough and melted cheese is that a bunch of popular retailers run promotions on National Pizza Day, including Chuck E. Cheese, Grubhub, Papa Johns, and Pizza Hut. That means you can celebrate this occasion with a cheap slice. We've tracked down everything that's out there and lined up a selection of standout offers for your consideration.

If you want to make the most out of National Pizza Day 2026, check out some of the best freebies and discounts we found below.

National Pizza Day deals7-Eleven

7Rewards and Speedy Rewards members can buy one pizza and get another for just $3. Plus, use the code DELIVERY10 to get $10 off any first-time orders of $20 or more on the 7NOW Delivery app.

California Pizza Kitchen

Get $10 off $40+ orders at select California Pizza Kitchen locations with the code WINTER10 at checkout.

Cheez-It

On National Pizza Day, get Cheez-It Duoz Pesto and Mozzarella and Cheez-It Snap’d Margherita Pizza for 20% off plus free shipping with the code PIZZA20.

Chuck E. Cheese

Until Feb. 12, celebrate National Pizza Day with a $5 large one-topping pizza with a games purchase. Fun Pass holders can score this deal without a games purchase.

Grubhub

On National Pizza Day, enjoy BOGO on six-piece wings with orders of at least $15 at Popeyes, get $7 off orders of $30+ at Pizza Hut, and get 25% off orders of $30+ at 7-Eleven. Plus, all Amazon Prime Grubhub+ members can use the code GET10 at the checkout to get $10 off a $30 order.

Papa Johns

Get the XL NY Style Pizza for $11.99 on National Pizza Day.

Papa Murphy’s

Get $10 off $25+ orders with the code PZDAY26.

Pizza Hut

Join Hut Rewards to get a free large one-topping pizza on your next order through the Pizza Hut app. Place a qualifying order through the app or online with a minimum purchase of $7.99 and Hut Rewards members will get a coupon for the free pizza within 24-48 hours in the app.

SAVE UP TO $30: Amazon has tons of gift cards on sale for up to 20% off, including Dave & Buster's, DoorDash, Ulta, and more.

Best gift card deals as of Feb. 9: Best dining deal DoorDash e-gift card $42.50 (save $7.50) Get Deal Best self-care deal Ulta Beauty physical gift card $45 (save $5) Get Deal Best date night deal Dave & Buster's e-gift card $40 (save $10) Get Deal

Valentine's Day is this Saturday, which means we have officially entered the "panic buy" window. If you're still scrambling to find a little something for your bestie or soulmate (or just want to treat yourself to what is essentially free money), Amazon is currently running a sale on digital and physical gift cards.

SEE ALSO: Best gift ideas for people in long-distance relationships

Right now, you can score 10% to 20% off brands like Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart. Since many of these are e-gift cards, they can be delivered instantly to your giftee's inbox. Just make sure you double-check which delivery method is selected before checkout; if you accidentally choose a physical card, you might be cutting it too close for the holiday. (Though most offer overnight delivery with Prime.)

More gift card deals at Amazon

• Bath & Body Works physical gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Spafinder physical gift card — $40 $50 (save $10)

• Uber e-gift card — $45 $50 (save $5)

• Fanatics e-gift card — $85 $100 (save $15)

• Instacart e-gift card — $90 $100 (save $10)

Need a pick-me-up after Sunday's Big Game? Head to your local Starbucks: The coffee chain is giving out free drinks to its Starbucks Rewards members today (Monday, Feb. 9).

Members of the loyalty program can score a free tall (12-ounce) iced or brewed coffee with the purchase of any other beverage, so bring a friend — or your very tired, possibly hungover self. Note that any customizations you make to the free drink might cost extra, per a press release.

Opens in a new window Credit: Starbucks Starbucks Rewards Join for free Learn More

Starbucks is also debuting special-edition green paper cups and launching a new 1971 Roast coffee blend on Monday, according to the release. The cups will be available at participating U.S. Starbucks stores through February while supplies last.

This is the second year in a row that Starbucks has poured free coffee after the Big Game, marking what it's calling "Starbucks Monday."

View this post on Instagram

Last month, Starbucks announced that it was updating its Starbucks Rewards program with a new tiered membership structure — which isn't going over well with customers, judging by some Reddit threads. The changes won't go into effect until Tuesday, March 10.

How to sign up for Starbucks Rewards

If you're not a Starbucks Rewards member yet, you can join for free online or in the Starbucks app. Every purchase earns you "Stars" that you can redeem for free drinks, snacks, merch, and drink customizations. (Registering a gift card or preloading money on the app will earn you double the Stars per dollar.) Additionally, you'll get a free drink or food item on your birthday.

Some fine print: You had to be signed up for Starbucks Rewards before today in order to be eligible for your free tall coffee. You'll also need the Starbucks app on your phone. A coupon for the free coffee will appear in the "Offers" tab.

If you don't see the coupon, the company recommends ordering in-store and letting your barista know that you're a Starbucks Rewards member.

Long ago, back when I was single, I lamented — as those who are in the midst of unrequited love are wont to do — to some friends in a group chat.

It was one of those situations where I was sick of hearing myself (or reading myself, as it were) talk about this unrequited love, so I knew my friends had to be sick of me talking about it, too. It was to the point where I even curtailed myself talking about this person with my therapist for fear that she was sick of the subject, even though I pay her to listen to my problems.

“Sorry to bring this up again, but…” became a running refrain over iMessage and in real life.

SEE ALSO: What we're getting wrong about dating, according to a Kinsey scientist

My friends, being the angels that they are, did not complain about my “circling back” to this issue or about trying to suss out the reasons this relationship imploded. At the same time, they did not really know how to help me.

Until one day, a then-coworker of mine made a suggestion I would never forget.

“Dude,” she said over text, “Just write out a list of all the ways they suck. It really helps.”

It was so simple, and yet it had never crossed my mind before. I propose this as something to add to your “toolbelt of getting over someone who doesn’t deserve your grief,” along with blocking on social media and distracting yourself with movies or TV.

Writing down a list of someone’s flaws may sound petty. And that’s because it is — but when heartbroken, a simple exercise that enables one’s pettiness without actually reaching out to the person who deserves said pettiness is a win. When I want to text someone about how much they suck, about how they hurt me — me! A wonderfully unique, hot, gainfully employed person — do I actually text them?

No. No. That would be embarrassing and only exacerbate the heartbreak. Instead, I type it furiously in my Notes app or, better yet, I text it to my own number.

Writing down a list of your ex’s flaws is another iteration of that. You are releasing your rage into a flurry of bullet points, all about how, actually, this person’s breath smells, and they don’t change their sheets often enough, and they have terrible taste in music. By writing it down, you are not bottling up your emotions, but you’re also not involving the other person. You still care about this person, but the key is you’re not letting them know.

There’s evidence that journaling helps manage stress and anxiety. Just the act of getting your feelings out of your head helps — it’s one reason why talk therapy is so helpful for many. They become tangible, more real. Furthermore, writing by hand commits what you’re writing to memory more so than typing. While the Notes app is my go-to for lists — to-do lists, grocery lists — a “flaws list” is fun to actually write in a journal. Or both! Go nuts!

What’s more, there’s nothing wrong with performing self-improvement out of spite. It’s petty. It’s silly, and probably won’t “cure” you of your affliction overnight. But if nothing else, it’s a step in the right direction: of realizing this person is not deserving of your love. So get your favorite pen and your Muji notebook and get writing.

This article was originally published in 2020 and updated in 2026.

You know you've got it bad when you start crying in public.

It happened on the District Line as I made my way home, weary and emotionally bruised. Many moons ago, I boarded the train and sat in the end carriage on purpose, so I could have my emotional breakdown around fewer people. I tried to hide the tears as soon as they coursed down my cheeks, but I couldn't conceal the sharp intakes of breath that come when you're trying so hard not to weep audibly. My chin was doing that ugly uncontrollable wobble that happens when you're having a massive sobbing session.

Women sitting in the same carriage as me shot furtive, concerned glances my way. I wanted to tell them, "Don't worry, nothing terrible has happened, not really. I'm just crying over a man I never even dated." That last detail — the fact I couldn't even call this man my ex-boyfriend — made me feel I didn't have the right to feel heartbreak.

SEE ALSO: How to get over a breakup

It was a lonely time. A time where I felt I couldn't really talk about what had happened, a time where I felt I needed to apologise every instance I brought up my pain and the thoughts that paced back and forth through my mind. "Sorry to keep going on about this," was the caveat that preceded all statements concerning the heartbreak I deemed invalid.

During a habitual pre-bedtime scroll through TikTok, I stumbled across a glut of videos that put into words the lonely state of getting over someone you never dated. I hit the heart so fast. Finally! A TikTok trend that speaks to my soul! But watching these videos made me wonder why we don't talk about this type of heartache more.

As an anxiously attached girlie with a tendency to fall too hard, too soon, I've gone down the heartbreak-over-someone-I-never-dated road more times than I can remember. Whether it's a situationship, an intense fling, a friends-with-benefitship, or an unrequited crush, each occasion is accompanied by a low-level feeling of stupidity, a kind of "I can't believe I'm back here again" as if I should have learned my lesson by now. Perhaps I should have. But as I'm learning through therapy, beating myself up for feeling something deeply only amplifies the existing hurt. There's no need to add more pain to the mix.

In the run up to my 30th birthday, I found myself embroiled in a very confusing talking stage with a guy. We'd been emailing back and forth (very You've Got Mail of us, tbh) and eventually we started messaging over Instagram. While chatting to this person, and spending time with them IRL, I started to like the guy and wonder where things were headed. It eventually became clear that this talking stage would be where things were going to stay. Or rather, that's where things ended.

SEE ALSO: How to separate romantic rejection from your self-worth

I felt rejected, and began questioning my self-worth, and wondering what I needed to change about myself in order to be deemed lovable. Not only that, I felt naive and angry at myself for allowing myself to feel something without even so much as kissing the guy. I wondered how I could have possibly misread this situation so badly – had I read too much into the emails and messages? A few years later, and with a much better relationship with my self-worth, I know my feelings were real and valid. I'm not a mindreader and I can't speak to the other person's motivations for behaving in that way, but I know it has nothing to do with me.

SEE ALSO: I haven't had a boyfriend for a decade. Here's what I've learned.

As someone who's not had a long-term relationship for over a decade, my status as a perennial singleton who's actively dating doesn't mean I've been spared heartbreak during that time. Far from it. I know from my experience, and from that of my friends, that you can feel tremendous heartbreak, pain, and grief from any kind of relationship — be it in the very early stages of dating someone, the talking stage, or after sleeping with someone a couple of times. Just because you can't call them your boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, whatever, doesn't mean you don't have the right to feel sorrow and heartache over something ending. Your feelings are valid no matter the duration of that connection.

Match’s dating expert, Hayley Quinn, says short romances and flings are easy to invalidate, but grieving over situationships is becoming increasingly common. "Modern dating often means that commitment takes time to form, and it’s often found that by the time you have 'the conversation' about what you are, you're already attached — even if someone doesn't want the same level of relationship as you do," says Quinn. If you're in a situationship that suddenly ends, just remember that time will heal. "Even if you don't understand their reasons, and never get closure, the fact that they're no longer present in your life is telling enough about what they can offer you," she says. "Remember, you will grow out of believing this person is the only one for you, and there will be many other people who can give you the same level of connection as they did, whilst bringing more to the relationship, matching your wants and needs too."

SEE ALSO: Just in time for V-Day — the best dating apps for serious relationships

Rachael Lloyd, relationship expert at eharmony, says the amount of time spent together and the type of relationship are immaterial if you've caught feelings for someone that aren't reciprocated. "All too often we are presented with the narrative that ‘breakup blues’ are only valid if you’ve been with a partner for years, experienced significant milestones or if the relationship ended badly," says Lloyd.

"In my view, that’s nonsense. What about the guy you never heard from after two amazing dates? The girl who ghosted you despite the great sex, the funny back and forth online that suddenly becomes one sided. All still sting." Lloyd says it's important to acknowledge and sit with those emotions in order to get over such knock-backs. "It’s not silly to be sad about something that hurt you and dismissing these experiences could lead to you becoming more emotionally unavailable later down the line," says Lloyd. "As with any breakup — focus on self-care, look to your friends for support and go easy on yourself."

Recently I found myself saying the words "I hate myself for feeling this way" to my therapist. She stopped me in my tracks and told me, "What we resist persists." How can you move on from a feeling if you're fighting its very existence? With time, you'll feel differently. But just know, your feelings are valid and you have every right to feel sad.

This article was first published in 2021 and republished in 2026.