Mashable

Eating fast food may not be the fanciest way to spend date night, but McDonald's is upping the ante for Valentine's Day.

In a first-of-its-kind luxury collab, McDonald's is teaming up with Paramount Caviar to offer customers McNugget Caviar kits for the most romantic weekend of the year. Each kit includes a one-ounce tin of Baerii Sturgeon caviar, a $25 McDonald's gift card (to buy plenty of McNuggets), creme fraiche, and a Mother of Pearl caviar spoon, according to a press release. And the best part is it's completely free.

Why McNugget Caviar?

While it might feel incredibly random to some folks (including me), the chicken nugget and caviar combo is actually a fine dining trend. Korean-inspired fried chicken restaurant COQODAQ served up a dish of nuggets topped with Petrossian caviar, creme fraiche, and chives at the U.S. Open last year in New York City. Despite the outlandish cost ($100 for chicken nuggets!), it was a hit. The combo has been an ironic luxury treat for years, though. Trendsetter Rihanna even posted about it back in December 2024.

"What makes this pairing so iconic? The crispy, golden goodness of our signature McNuggets and the salty, savory, black pearls of Paramount’s Baerii Sturgeon caviar make for a true match made in heaven for the special occasions in life," the fast food chain said in the announcement.

How to get the McDonald's McNugget Caviar kit The McNugget Caviar kit makes for a fancy fast food date night. Credit: McDonald's

McDonald's McNugget Caviar kits will be available exclusively at McNuggetCaviar.com (not available in stores) starting Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. ET. Mark your calendars. The company has not said how many kits will be available, only that supplies are limited. So you'll want to act quickly.

As noted above, the kits are completely free of charge. Considering a single ounce of Paramount’s Baerii Sturgeon caviar typically costs $95, this is one helluva deal. Looks like fast food can be fancy after all.

SAVE $29.01: As of Feb. 3, get the Apple AirPods 4 for $99.99, down from their usual price of $129. That's a discount of 22%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods 4 $99.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $29.01   Get Deal

If you're ready for a serious earbud upgrade, you can't go wrong with a pair of AirPods, specifically the affordable but great-sounding Apple AirPods 4. You can get them for a discount today at Amazon, so be sure to snag yours while they're available.

As of Feb. 3, get the Apple AirPods 4 for $99.99, down from their usual price of $129. That's $29.01 off and a discount of 22%.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best earbuds of 2026, tested by audio experts

These wireless earbuds offer easy Bluetooth connectivity and are especially simple to connect with via iPhone. They're sweat and water-resistant, and come with a USB-C charging case, so you can get up to 30 additional hours of battery life when you deplete what the earbuds have in them.

Most impressive is the personalized spatial audio they offer, so you can feel like you're right in the middle of your favorite music. It's important to note that this more affordable model doesn't offer noise cancellation, so if you're looking for that, you'll have to go up in price a bit. But for a simple pair of headphones with excellent audio, these AirPods are a great choice that you'll be satisfied with.

Just be sure to get yours quickly, since Apple discounts usually end up going fast.

SAVE $404.02: The Bluetti Elite 100 V2 portable power station is on sale for $394.98, down from the list price of $799. That's a 51% discount that matches the record low price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 100 V2 portable power station $394.98 at Amazon
$799 Save $404.02   Get Deal

The storms keep rolling it. It feels like every week, there's another winter weather warning that threatens to knock out power. While it sounds cozy to curl up on the couch under every blanket in the house with an e-reader, it's not convenient when your phone goes dead or you consider the food spoiling. Stay equipped with a portable power station. If you don't have one yet, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Feb. 3, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 portable power station is on sale for $394.98, down from the list price of $799. That works out to a savings of $404.02 from a 51% discount. It also matches the record low price at Amazon.

During the next power outage, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 will keep your gadgets charged up and the lights on. It comes with 1,024Wh of battery capacity while only weighing 25 pounds. In real-world terms, that power can keep a light on for over 51 hours, a phone recharged 52 times, or a WiFi router online for over 45 hours.

The Bluetti Elite 100 V2 also recharges in a whizzingly quick time. Plug it into standard wall AC power and it can go from dead to 80% power in just 45 minutes. You can also connect it to up to 1,000W of solar panel which will get the power station back to 100% with 70 minutes of charging time.

SEE ALSO: The Bluetti Elite 10 mini portable power station is down to a record-low price — save over $86 before the next storm hits

More highlight features include an under 30 decibel noise level when powering up under 600W. That'll be useful if you plan to use the power station to keep a CPAP machine going. There's also an under 10 millisecond switching time should grid power cut out. That's also important for CPAP wearers or if you'll be using the power station to keep your desktop setup up online.

While the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is on a massive 51% discount, make your life much more enjoyable during the next power outage. You'll be able to keep your phone charged, a lamp on, and even keep the refrigerator cooling.

In 2026, it's difficult to detangle love with tech, given the rise of dating apps and now AI. But an evolutionary biologist doesn't think it's changed the fabric of how relationships form.

"I think that these technologies are becoming more popular and more pervasive and more advanced, but they're still not at a place where they're overturning four million years of evolution in terms of our desire to form intense bonds," said Dr. Justin Garcia, executive director of the Kinsey Institute, in an interview with Mashable. 

SEE ALSO: Adult creators are still getting debanked — but it doesn't just impact them

Garcia is the author of the just-released book The Intimate Animal, all about the science behind sex and love. He sat down with Mashable to discuss AI, dating apps, and Gen Z daters — just in time for Valentine's Day. 

AI relationships as 'training wheels'

Singles are using AI in different ways to date. Some use it to optimize their photos and bios, while others skip over human relationships entirely and date AI. In a survey last year, AI companion company Joi found that eight out of 10 Gen Zers would "marry" an AI.

Garcia sees AI as somewhat helpful if you think of it as "training wheels" — if you want a bit of advice or want to build confidence and practice. 

"The thing about training wheels is the best case, you take them off at some point," he said. 

There are elements of a relationship that aren't replicated in chatting with an LLM (as of this publication, anyway — who knows what advances can be made). One that Garcia identified is the reciprocal nature of relationships. "Part of what we want in a relationship is 'I want to do good things for you. I want you to do good things for me,'" he said. 

The psychology of a couple's relationship includes the dyadic (consisting of two parts) process of whether you're growing together and making each other's lives better. For example, waking up early when you don't want to and making breakfast for you and your partner. 

Three elements of a relationship are me, you, and us, Garcia explained. "I'm not convinced at current that people interacting with these AIs think there's an 'us.'"

AI relationships seem more transactional. "If I have a relationship with AI, yeah, it's going to tell me every day that I'm smart and I'm handsome…there's something nice about that," he said, "but do I really think I'm making its life better?" Part of a happy, satisfying relationship is making your partner's life better. 

Pluses and minuses of dating apps

Garcia has worked with Match as a scientific adviser since 2010, but he's not afraid to be critical of the apps. 

"The challenge with the apps is they're divorced from how we've engaged in courtship for millions of years," he said. When we meet a potential partner, we want to hear their voice, see their body language, smell them, feel them, know their social network — you can't get that from an app (OK, maybe their voice if you're using Hinge's voice note feature). 

That's not to say apps haven't been a boon to different groups of people, such as those who are neurodivergent or daters who want something very particular, whether it's a certain religion or fetish. You can find someone with an app. "That's so incredible to me, that we have that ability," he said.

But its positives don't erase the negatives of dating apps, like distraction, attention, and overoptimization. Ghosting and bad user behavior are other gripes. 

And dating app burnout doesn't exist in a vacuum. People have reported burnout in other areas of life, not just dating, and Garcia sees that as adaptive in some ways to our current political, financial, and environmental climates.

But even with these challenges, courtship has always been a competition, Garcia said, and it wasn't any more fun 100 or 200 years ago. So the real question of dating apps is, how do we use them better?

"We can think about being more intentional. We can think about filling out our own profiles, thinking about engaging with a profile," he said. And remember that dating is also a dyadic process, meaning between two people, so more intentional choices are not going through 1,000 people swiping, going on second dates, even though there are other options on your phone. 

"Similar to AI, [apps are] tools that we can use. When we let them run the show, we get ourselves into trouble," Garcia said. 

Gen Z daters need to stop self-optimizing 

There are other challenges that don't have to do with dating apps, but might be the fault of technology. Newly published research from Match Group and the Kinsey Institute suggests that young adults want love, but believe they're not ready for it. Only 55 percent of 18-29 year-olds feel prepared to pursue a romantic relationship, while 80 percent believe they'll find true love. (This is according to a survey of 2,500 U.S. singles conducted by The Harris Poll between September and October 2025.)

"We're seeing a generation of people who are too focused on self-actualization."

"We're seeing a generation of people who are too focused on self-actualization," Garcia told Mashable, such as the belief that you have to work on yourself before you enter a relationship.

"You think our ancestors 'worked on themselves'?" he joked. We, young adults in particular, are focused on the idea that we have to "work on ourselves" in isolation, then show up to a potential date ready. And some self-improvement can happen on one's own, but Garcia said, "working on yourself happens in the context of a relationship." 

"That relationship is the container for making mistakes and finding yourself and having a trusted co-pilot to pick you up and to support each other," he said. 

Young people might have too much emphasis on "I need to be perfect, and you need to be perfect, and we have to go figure out what we want in a corner," he said. "I don't think it's helpful."

Match Group's Human Connections Lab researcher Amelia Miller believes tech plays a role in these feelings among young adults. 

"Social media and AI companions are teaching Gen Z that the messiness of human relationships is something to be tamed, not embraced, but vulnerability and friction are essential ingredients of intimacy," Miller said in the press release for the data. "The self-actualization that Gen Z is seeking out solo is actually unlocked through relationships with others."

So maybe in 2026, we don't need more tech to optimize ourselves; we don't need to optimize at all. Maybe to find love, we need to be a bit more human. 

In September 2025, Nintendo announced something I never thought I would see: The triumphant return of the Virtual Boy. This was easily the biggest and most embarrassing hardware failure in the company's history.

Thirty years is apparently long enough to get over the shame, though, because Nintendo is bringing Virtual Boy games to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service on Feb. 17. You won't be able to play them on your TV. Instead, you'll need a $99 add-on that recreates the console's two-legged original form factor, which you shove your Switch or Switch 2's handheld screen into. There's also a $24.99 cardboard alternative, in case $99 is too much for you.

I got hands-on time with the more expensive Virtual Boy accessory at a Nintendo preview event, and I'm pleased to report that all of the cornerstones of the Virtual Boy experience are present ... for better and worse.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025: the hot console's first year evaluated What matters is that it's faithful

Nintendo launched the Virtual Boy in 1995, when the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was in its twilight and the next-generation Nintendo 64 still a year away.

The Virtual Boy sat between a home console and a fully portable handheld device like the Game Boy; it didn't plug into a TV, but it stood on two legs and needed a flat surface to play on, as well as several batteries or a power adapter. It promised stereoscopic 3D gaming, at a time when the mere notion of a third dimension was relatively novel.

And yet, few bought it. Those who did complained of neck and eye strain, because you had to shove your face into the module to play games on it. Games were only displayed in red and black, which was not the most pleasing aesthetic. Only 22 Virtual Boy games were ever released, and few were memorable. Nintendo withdrew the product in 1996.

Fast forward to 2026, and the Virtual Boy is back on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Even a few minutes with the peripheral told me basically everything I needed to know. I got to sample the Feb. 17 launch lineup, which includes Wario Land (generally considered the best game on the platform), Teleroboxer, 3-D Tetris, and a game called The Mansion of Innsmouth that was previously only released in Japan.

Go on, shove your face in there. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

The Virtual Boy add-on for Switch works exactly like it should. You set it on a table in front of you, grab a controller, and stick your face into the machine. By default, games are displayed faithfully in red and black (though there are some new options that let you adjust that) and the stereoscopic 3D effect that defined the original hardware is in full force.

I suspect that's the reason why you can't just play these games on a TV — and after seeing them in action, I get it. These games were designed to only be seen in 3D, and as much as it sucks to charge $99 for the ability to play them correctly, I don't think the novelty would exist to the same extent on a flat display.

Wario Land definitely seemed neat, especially with 3D background elements being relevant to gameplay sometimes, while The Mansion of Innsmouth was completely inscrutable.

The most vital aspect of all of this: after just a few minutes, my eyes and neck began to hurt and I had to back away. I got the same feeling of being disconnected from the physical world around me and needing to re-integrate with it as soon as I was done that I normally get from using modern VR headsets.

We've come so far in terms of VR tech, but for me that sense of dislocation hasn't changed at all.

Playing a Virtual Boy after decades of just hearing about it was fascinating, if nothing else. I love that Nintendo is doing this, though I'm not sure $99 is worth it for the full experience, or that most of those games are worth playing for longer than five minutes.

There's genuine historical value to Nintendo's biggest gaming failure, and we should take it as a victory that Nintendo isn't running away from it anymore.

French prosecutors have raided the Paris officers of Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) as part of a preliminary investigation into child abuse images and deepfakes proliferating on the platform.

The investigation was opened in January 2025, with charges including "complicity" in "in possessing and spreading pornographic images of minors, sexually explicit deepfakes, denial of crimes against humanity and manipulation of an automated data processing system as part of an organized group," the AP reported Tuesday.

The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed the news via its own X account on Tuesday.

"A search is carried out at X's French premises by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office, with @CyberGEND and @Europol as part of the investigation opened in January 2025."

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Paris prosecutor's office also said it would be leaving X, inviting followers to find it on LinkedIn an Instagram.

Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino, which served as X CEO from May 2023 to July 2025, are summoned for "voluntary interviews," on April 20, the Paris prosecutor's office said in a statement.

“At this stage, the conduct of the investigation is based on a constructive approach, with the aim of ultimately ensuring that the X platform complies with French law, as it operates on the national territory,” said the statement.

In a message posted in July 2025, X called the investigation "politically motivated," and said it would not cooperate.

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Grok, xAI's AI assistant which has a prominent place on X, has recently come under scrutiny as it was being used to produce millions of sexualized images of adults and children. Grok later took measures to address these concerns, primarily via limiting image generation to paid subscribers, though several regulators and governments called the move insufficient.

There are few things more casual than professional climber Alex Honnold calmly describing his latest life-or-death escapades in interviews, and the footage above with Jimmy Kimmel is no exception.

Following his live Netflix free solo ascent of Taipei 101, the 11th tallest structure in the world, Honnold sits down on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to describe the experience, including the reason why the climber hung by his legs no-handed near the top of the building.

"Style points. You have to play around just a little bit," says Honnold. "I mean that was near the top of the building, so I'd already done most of the really hard stuff, and you're kind of having a good time, you're enjoying the view. It's like, you've got to play around a little bit."

Kimmel's reaction says it all.

Apple TV is offering up sneak peeks at its 2026 TV and film slate, and Mashable has all the details for you.

At its 2026 Press Day, the streaming service behind Emmy-winning hits like Pluribus, Severance, The Studio, and Ted Lasso is unveiling first looks at what could become your next TV obsessions. New titles include the Elle Fanning-led adaptation of Rufi Thorpe's Margo's Got Money Troubles and Anya Taylor-Joy's heist thriller Lucky, while returning shows include MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Jon Hamm's meme-spawning Your Friends and Neighbors. On the film side, keep an eye out for Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill's team-up Outcome and Jake Johnson and Mary Steenburgen's pickleball comedy The Dink.

We'll be updating this live blog all day to give you the latest updates on the event, including release dates, teasers, and any other surprises that may come our way.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is now just $91.80 at Amazon. That's $15 off its usual $106.89 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box $91.80 at Amazon
$106.89 Save $15.09   Get Deal

Elite Trainer Boxes tied to high-demand Pokémon TCG expansions don’t tend to hang around at discounted prices for long, and Phantasmal Flames has been no exception. As of Feb. 3, the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is down to $91.80 at Amazon. That's $15 off its usual $106.89 list price. 

Currently undercutting the cheapest listings available at TCGplayer by over $52, a Phantasmal Flames ETB at this price — compared to current market demand — is offering solid value for Pokémon trading card collectors and players alike. 

Like other Elite Trainer Boxes, this contains nine Phantasmal Flames booster packs, along with a full-art foil Charcadet promo card. You’ll also get 65 themed card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide to the expansion, six damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, and a sturdy collector’s box with dividers to keep everything organized.

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Considering that individual Phantasmal Flames booster packs on Amazon currently cost $9.87, you’re essentially getting the Charcadet promo card and all the other bonuses from the ETB for only an extra $2.97 — a great deal if you’re both aiming to get caught up on the expansion and be equipped for real-life play at the same time. 

While shopping for Pokemon TCG deals, you can still get the Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box for almost $22 off at Amazon. For multiple packs, eight-pack lots of Pokémon TCG: Journey Together boosters are on sale at Amazon.

SAVE OVER $20: As of Feb. 3, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones are on sale for $48 at Amazon. This is $21.99 off their list price of $69.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones $48 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $21.99   Get Deal

If you've had a new pair of headphones on your shopping list this year, but don't want to drop a lot of cash on something fancy, there are plenty of great budget options to consider. The Sony WH-CH520 headphones are included in that bunch — we even consider them the best on-ear budget headphones — and they're on sale right now at Amazon.

As of Feb. 3, every available color of the Sony WH-CH520 headphones is discounted to $48 at Amazon. Considering they're usually listed for $69.99, this deal allows you to save just over $20. On top of that, some colors are even back at their lowest-ever prices right now, such as the blue and white models.

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The Sony WH-CH520s boast solid sound quality and a battery life that can last up to 50 hours on a single charge. Our review from writer Alex Bracetti said they're the "best headphones under $50 — period." He continued on to say that they "surpass expectations by delivering broad connectivity, energetic sound, and longer playtimes than most luxury models."

While they don't come with noise-canceling features, and our roundup of the best budget headphones notes they feel "quite flimsy", they are worth grabbing for their sound alone. In that regard, the roundup states that the "the audio quality of this Sony pair certainly packed a punch."

If you're looking for headphones that offer great sound with a lighter price tag, this deal on the Sony WH-CH520 headphones is worth a look.

The latest batch of Epstein files have caused some uncomfortable questions to be asked of Elon Musk, who — despite asserting on X that he "always declined" invitations to the convicted sex offender's island, reportedly also emailed Epstein about a potential visit, writing in one message: "What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?"

"You know sometimes I think Elon Musk is a lump with no charisma, but then he writes a line of poetry like 'What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?' and I stand corrected," says Seth Meyers in the Late Night clip above. 'What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?' is not a question you should ever ask anyone, but especially not a guy who, at that point, was already a registered sex offender."

Elsewhere, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert also unpacked the latest Epstein files.

Elon Musk's AI company xAI, which includes Elon Musk's social media platform X, has just been acquired by Elon Musk's space company SpaceX.

The merging of all of Elon Musk's "X" companies has now created a single entity with a valuation of $1.25 trillion. SpaceX has reportedly been planning to hold an initial public offering (IPO) later this year. The news of SpaceX's acquisition of xAI was first reported by Bloomberg and then confirmed by SpaceX with a statement posted on its website on Monday.

"SpaceX has acquired xAI to form the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, space-based internet, direct-to-mobile device communications and the world’s foremost real-time information and free speech platform," reads SpaceX's statement. "This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission: scaling to make a sentient sun to understand the Universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars!"

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's xAI raises $20 billion as Grok is investigated for deepfakes

The statement makes reference to all of the products now under the SpaceX umbrella, including its satellite internet service Starlink.

Musk's AI company xAI acquired the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, in an all-stock transaction last March. The deal valued X at $33 billion, or $11 billion less than what Musk paid for then-Twitter in 2022.

As Bloomberg points out, xAI, alongside its chatbot product Grok, spends around $1 billion each month in operation costs. The SpaceX merger helps pool each company's resources. 

SEE ALSO: AI chatbots like ChatGPT are using info from Elon Musk's Grokipedia, report reveals

In addition, the combination of SpaceX and xAI may also help move along Musk's intent to put AI data centers in space. SpaceX made a filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week seeking permission to launch "a million satellites" for the endeavor.

In the statement posted on the SpaceX website, Musk specifically made mention of the project when discussing the merger.

"In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale," Musk said. "To harness even a millionth of our Sun’s energy would require over a million times more energy than our civilization currently uses! The only logical solution therefore is to transport these resource-intensive efforts to a location with vast power and space. I mean, space is called 'space' for a reason."

Musk ended that statement with a cry laughing emoji.

Alphabet's Waymo just raised a ton of cash to finance massive expansion of its self-driving taxi fleet to over 20 more cities.

In a blog post Monday, Waymo said it raised a $16 billion investment, valuing the company at $126 billion. The round was led by Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global, and Sequoia Capital, and included a who's who of investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Mubadala Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Silver Lake, Tiger Global, and T. Rowe Price.

SEE ALSO: Waymo launches robotaxi service in Miami

The new capital will be used to scale Waymo to a "commercial reality," which includes expansion to more than 20 additional cities in 2026, including Tokyo and London.

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Incidentally, a Waymo was recently spotted testing the waters in London, anecdotally annoying drivers as it was one of the few vehicles actually obeying speed limits.

The company recently kicked off its robotaxi operation in Miami and expanded San Francisco coverage to include the San Francisco International Airport.

Featured Video For You I took a ride in a robotaxi: How close are we to a driverless future?

While Waymo has been slowly rolling out its self-driving taxis in a small number of U.S. cities for years, it's been expanding far more rapidly in recent months. This probably has something to do with Tesla, which launched its own robotaxi service in several U.S. cities, prompting CEO Elon Musk to proclaim that Waymo "never really had a chance" in the robotaxi race. Whether that's true remains to be seen, but at least now Waymo has a big pile of cash it can use to increase its chances.

TL;DR: The Logitech G305 wireless gaming mouse is down to $34.99 at Amazon. That's 30% off its usual $49.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Logitech Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse $34.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $15 Get Deal

If you’ve been eyeing a dependable wireless gaming mouse to upgrade your setup without overspending, Logitech has a reputation for being one of the most affordable brands in the tech space. As of Feb. 3, the Logitech G305 wireless gaming mouse is down to just $34.99 at Amazon.

This is a safe bet for competitive PC gamers. By keeping things lightweight at just 99 grams, the G305 is easy to handle during fast-paced matches and longer gaming sessions. 

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Under the hood, Logitech’s Hero 12K optical sensor delivers up to 12,000 DPI with reliable, pixel-precise tracking — more than enough for shooters like Fortnite, MOBAs along the lines of League of Legends, and everyday play alike. The Lightspeed wireless technology should keep latency to a minimum, as well: offering a 1ms report rate that feels comparable to a wired connection.

Battery life is another standout feature, as the G305 can run for up to 250 hours on a single AA battery, meaning you can go months without thinking about recharging. It also includes six programmable buttons and onboard memory, letting you save settings directly to the mouse.

For more gaming mouse deals, you can still get the Razer Orochi V2 for around half price. Meanwhile, you can snag the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro gaming mouse near its lowest-ever price.

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, Feb. 3, 2026:

Across"That's incredible!"

• The answer is Wow.

Makes a mistake

• The answer is Errs.

"Piece of cake" or "spill the beans"

• The answer is Idiom.

Cool in a throwback kind of way

• The answer is Retro.

See 1-Down

• The answer is Dream.

DownWith 9-Across, something you might wake up from and go "Huh?!"

• The answer is Weird.

What's spoken into a fast-food intercom

• The answer is Order.

Pen

• The answer is Write.

OpenAI product that creates video clips based on prompts

• The answer is Sora.

1-Across, flipped upside down

• The answer is Mom.

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.

There's been another bulk release of Epstein files, and one of the prominent names to pop up is Elon Musk.

In the monologue above, Late Show host Stephen Colbert mocks the world's richest man, who has previously said he "always declined" Epstein's invitations to visit his island.

"He's publicly bragged that Mr Epstein 'tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED,' says Colbert. "But really. Did you?"

The host goes on to read an email reportedly sent from Musk to Epstein in 2012, asking if he had "any parties planned" and saying he wanted to "let loose."

"An email which was sent at 6:07 a.m. on Christmas morning," says Colbert. "Hey, say what you want, but he's a high achiever."

Elsewhere, Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel also dug into the latest Epstein files release.

SAVE OVER $50: As of Feb. 3, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is on sale for $259.99 at Amazon. This saves you $90 off the list price of $349.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (2025) $259.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $90   Get Deal

Looking to make the jump to owning a smartwatch? If you're a Samsung phone user, you can't go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, which we consider to be our favorite Samsung smartwatch. And it's on sale at Amazon at the moment.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is usually priced at $349.99, but Amazon has dropped it down to $259.99 for a limited time. This deal allows you to save $90 on the smartwatch, but that's not all: both the graphite and silver models are down to this price, so you can have your pick of whichever style you like.

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The fact that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 "has a well-rounded feature set that offers everything you need in a smartwatch, fitness tracker, and sleep tracker" helped earned it the title of 'Best Samsung Smartwatch' in our roundup of the best smartwatches. Some of the features include an activity tracker, step tracking, a heart rate monitor, Advanced Sleep Coaching, Vascular Load monitoring for tracking your stress levels, and much more.

At the time of its release, our review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 from writer Adam Doud had high praise, even if the battery life was a bit of a letdown. In regard to this, he said "There's no question this watch can last you a full day on a charge. It definitely won't last you two days." However, ultimately, he said "I really like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, despite the battery life. I love the classy look, the software is really tight, and the Google Gemini integration is a big perk."

Don't wait, now is as good a time as any to grab the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 for $259.99 at Amazon.

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

More than a third of U.S. states still have restrictions in place for online adult content after the introduction of age verification laws, meaning millions of potential users are locked out of sites like Pornhub and YouPorn. That number looks set to grow over the next few years, so a solution is desperately needed.

Fortunately, the workaround is straightforward. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Kansas, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Kansas

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 (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free in Kansas with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: The Acer Nitro 27-inch WQHD gaming monitor is now down to just $199.99 at Amazon. That's 33% knocked off its usual $299.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Nitro 27-Inch WQHD $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100 Get Deal

If you’ve been waiting to upgrade from a basic 1080p screen, Acer has just dropped a solid deal that makes a compelling case for jumping to QHD without blowing your budget. As of Feb. 3, the 27-inch Acer Nitro WQHD gaming monitor (XV272U model) has dropped to $199.99 at Amazon, marking a $100 discount off its $299.99 list price. That’s a 33% price cut on a high-refresh 1440p gaming display.

It’s not only the best price we’ve seen for this particular monitor yet (confirmed by price tracker camelcamelcamel), but it also undercuts many competing high-refresh monitors by a wide margin — making it a great go-to if you’re open to brands outside of LG and Samsung.

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At the core of the appeal is its 2560x1440 resolution, which will deliver noticeably sharper detail than Full HD while still being easier to drive than 4K. The IPS panel covers 99% of the sRGB color space, so it’s not just a gaming upgrade; it’s also well-suited for everyday work, streaming, and light creative tasks.

Where this monitor really flexes is speed. A blistering 300Hz refresh rate paired with up to a 0.5ms response time should also help keep fast-paced games — like Fortnite, Arc Raiders, and the new Highguard — looking smooth and responsive. AMD FreeSync Premium support works to reduce screen tearing and stutter, while DisplayHDR 400 adds a modest boost to highlights and contrast. 

If you’re willing to spend a bit more on full 4K, the LG UltraGear 27-inch gaming monitor has also just hit a record-low price. For more from Acer, the 49-inch Acer Nitro curved gaming monitor is also at its lowest-ever price on Amazon.

After a long wait, the DOJ has finally released thousands more Epstein files — and there's a lot of disturbing stuff in there.

In the monologue above, Jimmy Kimmel unpacks mentions of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, leading in to the latter with a reminder of Musk's post on X last year, accusing the president of being in the files.

"What [Musk] neglected to mention is he is in there too," says Kimmel. "His name comes up more than a thousand times, including in 2012 when he and Epstein were planning a visit to the island. Elon claims he never went to Epstein island, he says his correspondence is being deliberately misinterpreted by his enemies. For example, when he wrote Jeffrey Epstein — a registered sex offender, by the way — to ask 'What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?', he was asking so he could avoid that night. He had a lot of work to do, he didn't want to be distracted by wild parties, you understand?"

Elsewhere, Kimmel responds to Trump saying there's "nothing on me" in the Epstein files.

"I'm almost surprised he's not bragging about how much he's mentioned in the Epstein files," says Kimmel, launching into a Trump impression. "I'm in there more than any other pr...more than Abraham Lincoln!"