OpenAI and Instacart are bringing grocery shopping to ChatGPT.

The two companies announced Monday that the Instacart app is being directly integrated into ChatGPT, meaning you can browse for groceries and check out, all within the popular chatbot.

The aim is that users can ask ChatGPT for meal ideas or help with a recipe, then boom: buy everything they need from Instacart.

"With the Instacart app directly in ChatGPT, users can go from meal planning to checkout in a single, seamless conversation," said Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT, in a statement.

"It's another step toward bringing our vision to life—where AI delivers helpful suggestions and connects directly to real-world services, saving people time and effort in their everyday lives."

Curious culinary customers should, however, keep in mind that AI tools do have a habit of being confidently wrong — meaning the recipes might not always be perfect.

Reviews of ChatGPT-generated recipes online, for instance, are a mixed bag — but mostly middling.

Also worth noting: the AI model can hallucinate when it comes to recipes, and we're not just talking about the infamous "glue on pizza" bit made up by Google's AI overviews in 2024.

As recently as August 2025, one person was hospitalized after reportedly following ChatGPT dietary advice that suggested replacing table salt with sodium bromide, which is toxic for human consumption.

So if any user wants to take advantage of recipe ingredients via the OpenAI-Instacart partnership this holiday season, they would be well-advised to make like Santa Claus — and check their list at least twice.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

A bizarre video of one of Tesla's Optimus robots appearing to malfunction and fall over while serving drinks at an event is going viral online.

The incident happened at an "Autonomy Visualized" event at its Miami store. As Electrek writes, the Tesla event was promoted as a way to showcase the company's “Autopilot technology and Optimus.” 

The fall is a potential embarrassment for Tesla chief Elon Musk, who has highlighted recent demos of Optimus — including one in which the robot appears to be performing Kung Fu.

"AI, not tele-operated," Musk claimed in a reply to a video showcasing the robots skills.

Musk was referring to the fact that previous showcases of Optimus actually involved the robot being operated remotely by a human. Still, Optimus did not seem to be in control of itself at the "Autonomy Visualized" event.

The video was first posted on Reddit and is now going viral across social media, including on Musk's own X platform. It shows an Optimus robot serving water bottles at the event.

The robot's hands knock into the table, causing water bottles to fall. Then, suddenly, the robot seems to completely malfunction and falls back.

The weirdest part of the video, though, may be the motion the robots arms and hands make while it begins to tip backwards.

The Optimus robot lifts its arms upwards as its hands make a motion as if removing something — rather like someone removing a VR headset from their head. 

As Electrek points out, VR headsets are exactly what Tesla teleoperators use to control the robots.

A headset fail wouldn't be the first setback for Tesla's Optimus robots, which Musk has referred to as his "robot army." But when it comes to assessing just how effective this army would be in practice, this video is an eye-opener.

So, while Musk touts autonomous robots, it appears Optimus may still be remotely operated — at least, at public events that aim to promote their autonomy. 

Petco has confirmed that its data security breach exposed sensitive customer information. 

The company initially acknowledged a breach without detailing what was compromised, legal notices that were required in several states are starting to show the scope of the hack.

In filings submitted to the Texas attorney general — echoed in notifications to officials in California, Massachusetts, and Montana — Petco disclosed that exposed data included customers’ names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, and financial information such as account and card numbers.

In two states, Petco reported only a handful of affected residents, but California’s disclosure threshold (which only kicks in when 500 customers or more are affected) suggests the actual number of victims there is significantly higher.

As first spotted by TechCrunch, Petco declined to answer detailed questions about how many customers were impacted, whether any unauthorized parties accessed or stole the exposed files, or which application was responsible for the issue.

The company has previously reported serving more than 24 million customers in 2022, giving a sense of the potential scale of the hack.

A sample notification, published by California’s attorney general, indicates the breach stemmed from a misconfigured setting in one of Petco’s software applications, which inadvertently made a number of files accessible online.

Petco says it has corrected the setting, removed the exposed files, and implemented additional security measures.

The company is offering free credit and identity monitoring services to affected individuals in states where such support is required by law when highly sensitive data — like SSNs or driver’s license numbers — is compromised.

Still to be determined: whether Texas residents will receive the same level of protection.

Apple and Google are working together to make it easier for customers to switch ecosystems.

The newest Android Canary build (basically a beta) started planting the seeds for easier device switching, according to 9to5google. Apple and Google told 9to5google that a quicker transfer process will be available during the new device setup phase after you buy a phone. At some point, this will be baked into both Android and iOS after future software updates to both platforms.

Unfortunately, it's not super clear what, specifically, this means just yet. 9to5google said these updates will support transfer of additional data types between phones, but we'll probably need to be much closer to launch before we know what all of that will entail. Both platforms have officially supported data transfer apps you can download right now, but it sounds like the end goal might be to make all of that magic happen right when you turn on a new phone for the first time.

That would certainly be convenient, and would probably lessen the drama of going between Android and iOS.

Local pro-environment groups in all 50 states delivered a blunt message to the U.S. Congress: Put a moratorium on new power-hungry AI data centers, or face the wrath of voters everywhere.

"The harms of data center growth are increasingly well-established, and they are massive," read the letter, signed by more than 350 nonprofit groups, from Alabama Climate Reality to West Virginia Citizen Action Group. That includes the swing state of Michigan, where the OpenAI-led Stargate project is already running into local opposition on a $7 billion data center built on farmland.

Focusing on kitchen-table issues as much as the use of fossil fuels (which power an estimated 56 percent of U.S. data center electricity), the letter noted that electricity bills have shot up by more than 21 percent since 2021 — "driven largely by the rapid build-out of data centers."

If nothing is done to stop a proposed tripling of data centers in the next five years, these vast server farms will end up requiring as much electricity as 30 million households, and as much water as 18.5 million households, the group estimates. (For context, the entire U.S. has just over 130 million households.)

The letter, convened by Food & Water Watch, calls for "a national moratorium on new data centers until adequate regulations can be enacted to fully protect our communities, our families, our environment and our health from the runaway damage this industry is already inflicting."

The estimates are speculative, of course — in part because tech companies still aren't providing the data needed to understand just how much energy and water data centers use. Or more importantly, how hungry the AI model training process has become.

U.S. representatives should be aware how little is known about AI's environmental harms, given that the legislature's own nonpartisan General Accounting Office released a report this summer on this very topic.

"Training and using generative AI can result in substantial energy consumption, carbon emissions, and water usage," the GAO report stated.

The European Commission just recently slapped Elon Musk's X with a historic $140 million fine. 

But, it turns out that Europe hit X with a double whammy here. According to X, the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU that enforces its laws, took advantage of a flaw in its advertising platform which helped further spread the reach of the EU's announcement that it was fining X.

As a result, X's head of product Nikita Bier is escalating the company's feud with the EU, saying that X has terminated the European Commissions' advertising account with X.

What happened?

On Friday, the European Commission's official account shared a post on X announcing the fine, which is the very first penalty issued as a result of the EU's Digital Services Act.

The fine was issued against X, formerly Twitter, due to a number of changes the platform implemented after Musk acquired the company. The European Commission announcement says it doled out the penalty as a result of X's "deceptive design of its ‘blue checkmark', the lack of transparency of its advertising repository, and the failure to provide access to public data for researchers."

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"Bullshit," Musk replied on X to the announcement.

However, days later Bier posted on X to share that Musk's company was closing the European Commission's ad account on the platform. Bier says that the European Commission exploited the platform's Ad Composer by using a feature that's only meant for ads.

The Ad Composer allows advertisers to upload a video to a post while also linking the video itself to a third-party website. When using this feature, a user is sent to a linked webpage when clicking on the video.

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"You logged into your dormant ad account to take advantage of an exploit in our Ad Composer — to post a link that deceives users into thinking it’s a video and to artificially increase its reach," Bier wrote. "Your ad account has been terminated."

Under Musk, X's algorithm has been updated to give posts that include video uploads an advantage by extending their reach on the platform.

Bier went on to claim that the post format is only meant for ads and that the flaw had never been abused before. Bier says the exploit has since been patched.

It's unclear exactly how this affects the European Commission, as Bier claimed the now-banned ad account had not run a paid advertisement since 2021, and the exploit no longer exists.

If ever there was a time to sign up for Disney+, this is it. Besides granting you access to a massive collection of movies and TV shows — including Taylor Swift's new The Eras Tour docuseries and concert footage on Dec. 12 — the streamer is also offering exclusive perks for subscribers this season.

"Instead of chocolates, the Disney+ Perks program is dropping a new offer every single day between December 1 and December 12," the holiday campaign announcement states. The goal is to celebrate the season and reward subscribers with giveaways and discounts galore. And while the campaign itself only runs through Dec. 12, the promotion is available through Dec. 19 and many of the "perks" themselves are redeemable through the end of December or into January.

How to sign up for Disney+ Perks

Existing subscribers can simply head over to the Disney+ Perks page and login to enroll in the program. Not yet a subscriber? Sign up for as low as $11.99 per month for Disney+ with ads (thanks to a recent price hike). Disney+ is all about bundle deals, so you can sign up for both Disney+ and Hulu for only $1 more than Disney+ itself. I personally think the bundle deal is one of the best options on the market. If you prefer to just sign up for Disney+ on its own, however, you can see all of the plan options listed directly on this plans and pricing page.

Sign up for Disney+:

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Disney+ Premium annual subscription

$189.99/year (save $37.89 (compared to monthly plan))

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Disney+ with ads monthly plan

$11.99/month (cheapest plan)

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Disney+ and Hulu bundle (with ads)

$12.99/month (save $10.99/month)

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Disney+ Premium

free for Total by Verizon customers on the $60/month plan (save $18.99/month)

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Disney Bundle: Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select (with ads)

$10/month through Verizon myPlan (save $9.99/month)

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What are the Disney+ Perks?

Credit: Disney+

Disney+ has dropped a handful of perks already this season and will continue to do so through Dec. 12. The perks include discounts on popular brands, entries into giveaways and sweepstakes, access to exclusive experiences, and more. Below, we've rounded up a few of our favorites, but be sure to head over to the Disney+ Perks page to see the full list and enroll.

Enjoy 6 free months of DoorDash DashPass

If you haven't been a DashPass subscriber in at least three months, you can sign up for a six-month subscription for free as a Disney+ perk. That unlocks $0 delivery fees, reduced service fees on eligible restaurants, grocery, and retail orders, up to 10% off Lyft rides, member-exclusive deals, and more. The perk is redeemable through Feb. 26, so you have a little bit of time to sign up. Just remember, after six months, you'll be charged full price — currently $9.99 per month — unless you cancel.

Get a free footlong sub at Subway

Participating Subway locations will give you a free, freshly-made footlong through Feb. 28 if you're a Disney+ subscriber and you enroll in perks. You must be a Sub Club member to qualify. The free footlong will appear in your Sub Club account once you sign up for the perk.

Chance to win a vacation to AULANI, a Disney Resort and Spa

Through Dec. 29, Disney+ subscribers can enter daily for a chance to win a four-night trip at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, for up to four guests. That includes airfare, KA WA‘A, A Lū’au  tickets and a $500 Disney gift card.

Discounted tickets to see Broadway's Aladdin

Disney+ subscribers can score up to 30% off select performances of Aladdin on Broadway. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply. There's a 16-ticket limit per person per seven-day period and the offer ends Dec. 29, 2025.

Apple's next big iPhone launch is still almost a year away, but there's plenty to look forward to between now and then.

Cupertino's finest are cooking up a bunch of rumored new products that are said to be launching in the first half of 2026. From new MacBooks and iPads to a new budget(-ish) iPhone, you may want to start saving up now. Here's what we can expect from Apple in the next few months.

iPhone 17e

Last year, Apple rebranded its budget-friendly iPhone SE line to the iPhone e-series with the launch of the iPhone 16e. It offered flagship-like specs in certain respects, but at a more affordable price, even if it wasn't quite as affordable as the old SE phones were.

Rumor has it that Apple wants to annualize the e-series phones, like how Google does with its Pixel A-series lineup. That means we'll most likely get a new iPhone 17e in the first half of 2026. Prominent leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo posted some information about the phone back in August. It will reportedly include a 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED display, the latest-generation A19 chip, and Dynamic Island support, among other things like camera upgrades.

We'll see how much it costs, but this could be a great option for people who want all the newest iPhone software features without shelling out for the most expensive model.

A new budget MacBook

One of the most intriguing devices on this list is a new budget-friendly MacBook laptop, set for launch in the early part of next year, per 9to5Mac. It'll reportedly be powered by an older A18 chip instead of a more intensive (and expensive) M-series chip. The device will also allegedly cost somewhere around $599 or $699, making it by far the cheapest MacBook available. All of the other ones are $1,000 or more.

This could be Apple's entry into the Chromebook tier of the laptop market, and it would be a welcome one, especially for someone like me. My MacBook Air is on its last legs, so a replacement may be in order. I imagine there are other people out there in the same position.

New big boy MacBooks

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a noted Apple prognosticator, reported in his Power On newsletter a while back that Apple is working on two new higher-cost MacBooks, as well. According to Gurman, we'll get a new M5 version of the MacBook Air, as well as MacBook Pro laptops with more powerful M5 Pro and M5 Max chips inside of them.

These will almost certainly be very capable and powerful devices. Unfortunately, they'll probably also cost a lot more than $599.

An A18 iPad

Lastly, iPad fans have something to look forward to in early 2026.

According to analyst Jeff Pu, in a note seen by 9to5Mac, a new entry-level iPad with an A18 chip inside of it is coming in the next few months. Sadly, the A18 part is the only concrete info we have about the device right now. It sounds like it'll mostly entail internal spec upgrades rather than a wholesale hardware redesign. The new chip should enable Apple Intelligence support, though, if that helps.

SAVE $44: The DJI Mic Mini (1TX x 1RX) is on sale at Target for $45, down from the normal price of $89. That's a 49% discount.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Mic Mini

$45 at Target
$89 Save $44

 

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If you've been on the Internet lately, you've seen the DJI Mic Mini. It's either in the hand or on the shirt of almost every content creator on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. DJI has long been a leader in making content-creator approved tech and the Mic Mini has perhaps become the most iconic. If you don't yet own the Mic Mini, there's a nice deal in store for you today.

As of Dec. 8, the DJI Mic Mini (1TX x 1RX) is on sale for $45 at Target, down from the standard price of $89. That equals a 49% discount and a savings of $44.

Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard checked out the DJI Mic Mini and wrote in her review, "After testing out the DJI Mic Mini for weeks and watching it in action with Mashable's social media team, I'm convinced it's one of the best upgrades for content creators."

Today's deal at Target gets you one transmitter and one receiver, which will be perfect for the solo content creator, whether it's creating long-form YouTube, snippets for TikTok, or even podcasts. It also has a slew of extras like a charging dock, USB-C mobile phone adapter, windscreen, clip magnet, carrying pouch, and more. Yes, all of that is on sale for just $45.

The DJI Mic Mini's transmitter weighs just 10 grams so it won't pull on a collar or a nice holiday sweater while recording. It also has a wireless range of over 1,000 feet. With the built-in rechargeable batteries on both the receiver and the transmitter, you'll be operational for over 10 hours before needing a recharge.

While it's nearly 50% off, snag the DJI Mic Mini for $45 at Target. Order soon and it'll arrive in time for holiday gifting.

SAVE 18%: As of Dec. 8, you can get the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally (72 A, 168GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $489.99, down from $599.99, at Amazon. That's an 18% discount and $110 in savings.

ASUS ROG Xbox Ally (72 A, 168GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

$499 at Walmart

 

Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon

If you're thinking about buying a handheld gaming console (either as a gift or a treat yo' self), now's the time to jump on it, because Amazon is giving us post-Black Friday discounts we can't ignore.

Right now, you can score the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally (72 A, 168GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for just $489.99, down from $599.99. That’s an 18% discount and the lowest price we’ve seen on this model. (Yes, this is beating its Black Friday price!) While the premium $999.99 Ally X is getting all the buzz, this standard model is a strong, budget-friendly contender that gives you access to games without costing a grand.

This Ally is basically a full-powered Windows gaming laptop you can play in the palm of your hand. That means you can bypass the Steam Deck's compatibility issues and jump straight into your gaming library, including Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and Epic Games titles. It comes loaded with the AMD Ryzen 72 A processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 7-inch, 120Hz display with FreeSync Premium, making every game look butter-smooth. Best of all, it charges fast — just 30 minutes will get you from zero to 50 percent.

If you want a gaming handheld that doesn't mess around with compatibility, this deal is the one you need to grab.

Samsung’s One UI 8.5 public beta program is finally rolling out, several outlets have confirmed, giving Galaxy S25 users their first real taste of the new features and upgrades headed for a wider release.

Those additions include a visual refresh, expanded customization options, new AI-powered tools, and deeper cross-device connectivity. As reported, the public beta is currently available only to Galaxy S25 series users in South Korea, the U.S., the UK, Germany, India, and Poland.

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So what’s actually new in the public beta? Expect updated Galaxy AI features — including enhanced image-generation tools — along with improved cross-device integration, such as storage sharing between Samsung devices and faster Smart View access. Auracast also receives a boost, with easier listening and broadcasting controls available through a new Audio Broadcast menu in Settings.

Battery and performance also see meaningful improvements, thanks to redesigned power management tools. For personalization lovers, One UI 8.5 introduces more freedom across the Quick panel, lock screen, widgets, and icons. Privacy and security are also enhanced with new anti-theft protections.

How to download One UI 8.5 public data

Getting in on the action is straightforward: simply enroll in the beta program through the Samsung Members app. Make sure the app is installed, log in, and look for the “One UI Beta Program” banner or card on the homepage. Tap to enroll, and you’re in.

After that, head to Settings > Software update > Download and install to pull the beta build and start exploring One UI 8.5 for yourself.

If you're on a budget and things look bleak in the relationship department, don't panic. You don't need to shell out hundreds to find a genuine connection. There are dating apps you can use for free — so you can meet a partner with potential without shelling out cash up front.

Yes, dating itself will cost you between the commute, the drinks, and the time, but why should dating apps eat at your wallet? You don't have to resort to dating an AI to save money. Simply use a dating app's free tier. The good news is, the most popular apps are free to use — no credit card required.

And if you're finally getting ready to jump on apps, make it quick. Dating Sunday, the day of the most activity on dating apps every year, is the first Sunday of January. Between New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day, singles are eager to look for love. You might get more likes than at any other time in 2026.

(Also, FYI: You shouldn't have to pay someone to keep talking to you. If you're being pressured to, you might be involved in a romance scam.) 

What dating apps are completely free?

Mainstream dating apps like Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge all have robust free membership tiers that compete with paid subscriptions. Some free, more niche dating apps, like Archer and Lex, are also worth checking out. It just depends on what you're looking for and how much work you're willing to put in to get it.

These days, some people argue that big-name dating apps (read: Match Group apps, such as Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge) are all the same and have formed a single, amorphous dating platform. However, these apps still have distinct differences between them, as you can see below. 

And even though a lot of daters want to meet someone IRL, let's face it: Dating apps aren't going anywhere. Whether you're an introvert, a college student, or just looking for some steamy sexting action, we've got you covered.

Below, find our top picks for the best free dating apps. Use them to find your forever partner, a casual encounter, or something in between — all without paying a dime.

Note: All the free dating sites listed below offer a free membership option that allows you to talk and match with people at no cost. Though most offer paid premium memberships, these aren't apps like Match or eharmony, where you need to pay to match or chat with other users.

Ariana Grande is clearly logged-on because she — like everyone else online these days — had a visceral reaction to the numbers six and seven.

The pop star and Wicked: For Good lead filmed a Variety & CNN Actors on Actors conversation with Adam Sandler that recently dropped. A 6-7 meme-fueled moment from that talk has quickly gone viral because it's super relatable.

In the conversation, Sandler offhandedly mentions a sequence took "six or seven" shots. Almost like a scene from The Office, the camera pans to Grande, whose eyes go wide and brows furrow, as if awaiting someone to do the meme. It is the face a teacher or parent would make, awaiting a kid to jump at the chance to scream "siiiiiiix seeeeven."

If you don't know the meme — first of all, congrats — it really is just as simple as saying the two numbers in an exaggerated manner. It's a nonsense trend, but one kids love. The 6-7 meme has become so prevalent that Dictionary.com decided it was 2025's word of the year.

Sandler might be unaware of what he did when he mentioned the two numbers, but it's clear Grande knew exactly how the public would respond. And in that moment, one of the world's biggest stars was just like us.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box is on sale for $97.95 on Amazon. That's over $50 off for a limited time.

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Credit: Magic: The Gathering Store

Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box

$97.95 at Amazon
$167.76 Save $69.81

 

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The collectible card game market is wild right now. We're seeing unprecedented interest in all things Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering. So what do we do with all that interest? We scour the marketplace for the best deals to save you cash on your collectibles.

The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box is on sale for $97.95 on Amazon. That's over $50 off for a limited time. It's not the all-time lowest price, but it's close. And it's about half what it was going for just a few months ago.

This heavily discounted set contains 24 Jumpstart Boosters, each containing 20 Avatar: The Last Airbender-themed cards. With instant deckbuilding and fun theme combos, Jumpstart Boosters are perfect for a quick game or as an introduction for friends and family. This could be just what you need ahead of the holidays.

Save over $50 on the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box at Amazon.

SAVE $400: As of Dec. 8, the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G8 QD-OLED 4K gaming monitor is on sale for just $899.99 (reg. $1,299.99). That's a savings of 31% and a new best price ever.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G8 OLED gaming monitor

$899.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $400

 

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'Tis the season for staying inside and racking up hours of gaming. So, you'll want to make sure that screen you're staring at is a good one. If your current gaming monitor is looking a bit dull, you can upgrade to a top-notch Samsung model today and save over 30%.

As of Dec. 8, the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G8 QD-OLED 4K gaming monitor is on sale for only $899.99 instead of $1,299.99. That's a savings of 31% and a new best price ever. It even beats its Cyber Monday price by about $50.

Sleek and slim at just under two inches deep, Samsung's 32-inch G81SF QD-OLED 4K monitor checks all the essential boxes. Vibrant colors and deep blacks? Check, thanks to VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400. Bright enough to see detailed scenes when it gets dark at 4 p.m.? Check, thanks to its QD-OLED panel and glare-free technology. Quick enough to handle fast-paced games? A 240Hz refresh rate paired with a 0.03ms response time will treat you just fine. While there are now higher refresh rates out there, as our friends at PCMag noted, most people don't notice a huge difference beyond the 240Hz mark. It also features support for both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-Sync.

If you prefer peak performance during your long gaming sessions, an upgrade could be in order. And there's never been a better time to grab the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G81SF monitor.

SAVE $803: Amazon has the 45-inch LG Ultragear curved gaming monitor on sale for $896.99, down from the list price of $1,699.99. That's a 47% discount.

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Credit: LG

45-inch LG Ultragear curved gaming monitor (45GX900A-B)

$896.99 at Amazon
$1,699.99 Save $803

 

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A good gaming monitor can make all the difference, and that's espeically true of curved gaming monitors. The problem is they tend to get pricy as the size and specs get more impressive. That's why today's deal on an LG model is especially noteworthy.

As of Dec. 8, the 45-inch LG Ultragear curved gaming monitor is on sale for $896.99 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $1,699.99. That works out to a savings of $803 from a 47% discount.

Is there any better time to upgrade a gaming monitor than as we head into winter? We didn't think so. Now that it's dark and much cooler than just a few months ago, we've gone back to gaming in the evenings. It's the perfect time to play titles that got missed over the summer. Playing on a 45-inch curved gaming monitor will upgrade this experience immensely.

The LG Ultragear comes with a 240Hz refresh rate, an OLED display, and a 0.03 millisecond response time. The steep 800R curve on the 45-inch monitor means gaming will be more lifelike than every before.

LG went with a flicker-free display for this model with advanced anti-glare technology. Not to bring up real life, but these features will be useful if you'll be working from home on the monitor.

While it's sitting at an impressive price of under $900, upgrade to the 45-inch LG Ultragear curved gaming monitor. Ordering now means it'll arrive before time off for Christmas and New Year, should you happen to have gaming plans over the holiday.

Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, you’re probably well aware of (or at least remotely familiar with) Starbucks’ Bearista Cold Cup. It’s an adorable 20-ounce glass tumbler shaped like a bear wearing a Starbucks beanie. And it sold out within literal minutes of its initial release.

The day it launched (Nov. 6), everyone on the internet came out from under their keyboards and ventured out IRL to get their hands on one. I went to six different Starbucks locations near my home in search of this bear. Don’t come for me. I am a Starbucks diehard, and this is one of the few pleasures I allow myself — along with the Starbucks for Life scam, but that’s a story for another time.

The only problem? Starbucks didn’t stock enough units to meet the overwhelming demand. Stores everywhere were telling customers that they’d sold out or never even received the merch in the first place. There was also a nasty rumor going around that employees were allegedly buying them up before store hours, but I honestly don’t think that’s the case. The Starbucks baristas I spoke to all said they didn’t receive any of the cups.

The Bearista Cup hit Stanley-cup-crazy levels, with people waiting outside Starbucks locations very early in the morning in hopes of getting their hands on this now-viral, limited-edition collectible. (Even people on eBay were reselling them for outrageous prices, like $600 a cup.)

Now, Starbucks is hinting that there may be another chance to get the Bearista Cold Cup TODAY. On Dec. 7 (like, 18 hours ago), Starbucks posted a cryptic Instagram video with the caption: “Your chance is in the Starbucks app. Tomorrow, 12/8.”

View this post on Instagram

There have been zero official public details since this post, and believe me, I’ve been checking. I’ve opened and closed my app so many times, I’m surprised my phone hasn’t glitched out yet. I’m almost certain the company is going to make the bear a part of its Starbucks for Life Merrython; Newsweek published an article this morning that confirms 17,000 Bearista cups will be available through the "Starbucks Rewards instant-win promotion."

However, I noticed that the game, which was supposed to start today at 4 a.m. PT, isn't working for a huge number of users (myself included). The app and the website are glitching, freezing, and failing to load the game. Of course, everyone on Reddit is already pissed. The error message I received says: "Whoops! Something went wrong on our end." And as of 10:30 a.m. EST, the Starbucks for Life website reads: "Sorry! The site is currently down for maintenance."

I’m assuming this is going to be like a Taylor Swift x Ticketmaster fiasco, but much worse.

SAVE $599: As of Dec. 8, the Apple M4 iPad Pro with 1TB of storage and both WiFi and cellular connectivity is down to just $1,499.97 at Amazon. That's nearly 30% off its list price of $2,099 and its best price on record.

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, 1TB, WiFi + Cellular)

$1,499.97 at Amazon
$2,099 Save $599.03

 

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The M4 iPad Pro may no longer be Apple's shiniest new tablet on the market, but in the era of iterative upgrades, that's hardly a deal breaker. If you're looking for an upgraded iPad — with extra storage and cellular connectivity — without the upgraded price tag, your best bet is to snag the M4 while it's on sale.

As of Dec. 8, the 13-inch Apple iPad Pro with the M4 chip, 1TB of storage, and both WiFi and cellular connectivity is down to just $1,499.97 at Amazon. That's nearly $600 off its list price and its lowest price to date according to our favorite price-tracking tool. Yes, it's even cheaper than it was on Black Friday. And for what it's worth, the newer M5 iPad Pro with the same specs is currently full price at $2,099.

When Mashable's reviewer Kim Gedeon tested the M4 iPad Pro last year, she said it "blew us away with its power efficiency, striking display, and breakneck performance." The battery life, in particular, is pretty wild. While it's rated for a 10-hour runtime, Gedeon found it to last six more hours than expected. It's pretty rare for Apple to undersell its tech, so we were extremely impressed.

To be transparent, the iPad Pro is more than most people need. It's great, however, for professional artists, creatives, and Apple mega-fans. If you plan to use it for streaming Netflix and browsing Pinterest, you can save a whole lot more money by opting for the iPad Air instead.

SAVE $670: The Segway Cube 1000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $329.99, down from the normal price of $999.99. That's a 66% discount and a record-low price.

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Credit: Segway

Segway Cube 1000 portable power station

$329.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $670

 

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Like the classic holiday tune says, the weather outside is frightful. Over in the Pacific Northwest, we're dealing with non-stop weather warnings about wind, flooding, and landslides, and we haven't even officially made it into winter yet. If you're dreading the next storm that takes power out, consider the convenience of a portable power station while this model in on a major sale.

As of Dec. 8, the Segway Cube 1000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $329.99, marked down from the normal list price of $999.99 at Segway. That's a whopping 66% discount that shaves $670 off the usual price. It's also a record-low price at Amazon.

The wonderful world of portable power stations is getting crowded these days. We have major names like Jackery, Anker, EcoFlow, Bluetti, and DJI, but Segway is deserving of a place up there, too. That becomes even more apparent with this epic deal which gives you 1024Wh from a long-lasting LiFePO4 battery.

In real-life terms, that'll recharge a smartphone almost 90 times or keep a USB light on for 200 hours. You can turn the coffee machine on for nearly an hour with the Segway Cube 1000 or recharge your laptop 16 times. It can also keep the refrigerator cooling for almost six hours. All of those elements will be incredibly useful during the next power outage.

Not only will the Segway Cube 1000 be great during storms, it's the perfect model to take camping because it's designed with a waterproof shell. It also comes with an impressive five-year warranty. The port selection is nice on this model with two 100W USB-C options, four USB-A, and three AC ports.

Before the next winter deluge and wind storm rolls in, get the Segway Cube 1000 to gain reassurance you can make coffee in the morning, check if the kids' school has power, send emails, and make coffee. This model is on sale at Amazon for $329.99 but keep in mind it's a lightning deal which means it could sell out quickly.

SAVE 38%: As of Dec. 8, you can get the Roborock Saros 10R for $999.99, down from $1,599.99, at Amazon. That's a 38% discount and $600 in savings.

Roborock Saros 10R

$999.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $600

 

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I can’t believe I’m writing this, but we’re still seeing Black Friday prices across multiple categories. So, if you’re on the hunt for a premium robot vacuum, now’s the time to whip out your wallet because we’re not sure just how long Amazon’s going to gift us with these discounts.

Right now, you can score the Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum-mop combo for just $999.99, down from $1,599.99. That’s a $600 price cut, and just $100 more than this model’s record-low price.

Leah Stodart, our Senior Shopping Reporter and vacuum expert, says this vacuum is an absolute beast for two key reasons: First, it delivers 22,000 Pa of HyperForce suction. That’s nearly double the power of most competitors, so pet hair literally doesn’t stand a chance. (Stodart lives with shedding cats and says the cleaning consistency on dry debris and kitty litter is "incredible.")

Second, it’s smart enough to clean the corners of your walls, too. Its FlexiArm Riser Side Brush and Mop automatically extend to reach edges and 90-degree corners. (A “normal” robot vacuum could never.) Plus, the self-cleaning dock handles all the maintenance — it washes the dual-spinning mops with hot water and dries them with hot air, so you can mop your floors every day without worrying about bacterial buildup or unpleasant odors from dirty mop pads.