Happy Saturday, folks! After a few weeks of middling deals, we’re starting see things pick up. Some of our favorite deals of the holiday season have returned in some fashion, making now a great time to pick up deal stalwarts like the AirPods 4 with ANC or Google’s TV Streamer (4K). We also stumbled upon a deal that knocks $5 off a pair of Lego Roses, as well as another that lets both new and returning subscribers snag a month of Apple TV Plus, completely free of charge.So let’s get into it, shall we?If you can afford it, I highly recommend the AirPods Pro 3, which are on sale at Amazon and Walmart right now for $199 ($50 off). However, if you’re an Apple user looking to save some cash, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation make for a surprisingly good alternative, especially since they’re on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $119 — about $20 shy of the all-time low we saw during Black Friday.Despite their open-style design, the AirPods 4 with ANC offer the best sound of any AirPods to date (save the Pro models). The noise cancellation is remarkably effective at lowering the volume of the outside world, and because they’re an Apple product, they’re loaded with all the usual ecosystem tricks. That means you’ll get support for head-tracking spatial audio, automatic device switching, and live translation courtesy of iOS 26. The ANC also packs a few Pro-level features, including wireless charging and a built-in speaker on the charging case that lets you track it via Apple’s Find My app.Read our AirPods 4 review.Apple Airpods 4 with ANCWhere to Buy: $179 $119 at Amazon $179 $119 at Walmart $179.99 at Best BuyReady or not, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Per usual, we’ll be publishing several gift guides in the run-up to the main event on Sunday, February 14th; however, if you want to get a head start on shopping for your supposed sweetheart, Lego’s Roses are on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Target for around $9.91 (about $5 off), nearly matching their best price to date. Lego does sell more robust floral sets — hell, you can currently buy a dozen stems for around $55 — but this 120-piece kit feels like a more subtle surprise. Just pair it with an actual vase, and voila: instant brownie points.Lego RosesWhere to Buy: $14.99 $9.91 at Amazon $14.99 $9.91 at Walmart $14.99 $9.99 at TargetThese days, most TVs are equipped with a way to access Netflix, HBO Max, and a laundry list of other streaming apps. That said, a dedicated device like Google’s TV Streamer (4K)  — which is now available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Google for $79.99 ($20 off), nearly matching its all-time low— can provide better customization, faster performance, and more advanced search functionality than many 4K TVs.Google’s speedy Chromecast follow-up supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, along with a handy Find My feature that lets you locate the remote when it inevitably falls between your couch cushions. It can also cobble together recommendations from across streaming services, and thanks to its built-in support for both Matter and Thread, you can leverage it as a smart home hub, making it easy to control your lights or view livestreams from connected cameras. We just wish it weren’t limited to Wi-Fi 5, even if the built-in ethernet port does help.Read our full Google TV Streamer (4K) review.Google TV Streamer (4K)Where to Buy: $99.99 $79.99 at Amazon $99.99 $79.99 at Google $99.99 $79.99 at Best BuyIn case you weren’t aware, Apple TV Plus has basically become the streaming service if you’re a sci-fi fan, with recent standouts like Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus further cementing its status in recent months. Thankfully, if you hadn’t had an opportunity to dig into the streamer’s movie and TV catalog, both new and qualified returning subscribers can currently sign up for a free 30-day trial for a limited time.If you’re not into interstellar travel or hive mind antics, rest assured that you have other options. The second season of the high-stakes wine drama Drops of God and the third season of Shrinking — an excellent comedy starring Jason Segel — are now underway, and the next season of Ted Lasso is (finally) set to premiere this summer after a three-year absence. Just be sure to cancel your membership before the trial period ends; otherwise, it will renew at the current rate of $12.99 a month.Apple TV Plus (30-day trial)Where to Buy: Check price at AppleMore ways to save this weekendAnker’s MagGo charging puck has returned to $14.99 ($15 off) at Amazon, matching its lowest price to date. The Qi2-certified charger only outputs up to 15W of power, and while the newest iPhone models technically support up to 25W wireless charging, you’re likely going to have to pay a premium for the privilege. Anker’s Qi2 offering is cheap, effective, and comes with a five-foot cable you can plug into either your laptop or a power adapter.My go-to smart speaker rec for family and friends, the Sonos Era 100, is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sonos’ online storefront for $179 ($40 off), its second-best price to date. The feature-packed speaker sounds noticeably better than the last-gen Sonos One, with improved bass response and support for stereo playback. It’s also equipped with Bluetooth, and like the larger Era 300, it lets you listen to wired audio sources via line-in — assuming you pick up a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter, that is. Read our review.I regret to inform you that most of the standout titles from Woot’s so-called “Video Game Mega Sale” have been snapped up at this point, though you can still grab a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom for $44.99 ($15 off). I’m a big fan of the game’s chibi miniature-style art design and its clever open-world formula, which, while a little formulaic, is still fitting for Princess Zelda’s first solo outing on the Nintendo Switch. Read our review.

It's no secret that Cassette Boy is inspired by the classics. It's a top-down adventure game in the vein of a retro Legend of Zelda, while your home base is a small town like in an older Pokémon game, complete with a mom who is constantly wishing you well. The game's blocky 3D graphics evoke Minecraft, and you save at campfires that reset the world, like a FromSoft game. Everything in Cassette Boy even has a green tint that reminds me of playing games on my original Game Boy. But despite all of the clear influences, it still feels unique: underneath that charming exterior, Cassette Boy is a game filled with clever puzzles that forced me to u …Read the full story at The Verge.

My job means I spend a lot of time writing, and as a result, I spend a lot of time — more than is productive, probably — looking for the best possible writing apps. Over time, what I look for in apps has changed. An abundance of features has become less of a necessity; instead, I want something straightforward that lets me get the job done with minimal distractions.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) talks to reporters following the weekly Senate Democratic policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on January 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. | Getty Images The Senate voted on Friday evening to pass the federal budget, funding everything except for one entity: the Department of Homeland Security, which was given a two-week funding extension in order to negotiate new guardrails around Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If no agreement is reached, DHS funding will lapse and the department will face a shutdown.The agreement - the result of frenzied negotiations between a united Senate Democrat caucus, their Republican counterparts, and the White House - passed 71-29. DHS will remain unfunded over the weekend, however, until the House of Representatives reconvenes on Monday to approve th …Read the full story at The Verge.

ChatGPT is using Grokipedia as a source, and it's not the only AI tool to do so. Citations to Elon Musk's AI-generated encyclopedia are starting to appear in answers from Google's AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Gemini, too. Data suggests that's on the rise, heightening concerns about accuracy and misinformation as Musk seeks to reshape reality in his image.Since the warped Wikipedia-clone launched late last October, Grokipedia technically remains a minor source of information overall. Glen Allsopp, head of marketing strategy and research at SEO company Ahrefs, told The Verge the firm's testing found Grokipedia referenced in more than 263,000 C …Read the full story at The Verge.

I've tried every knowledge management system out there, and what I’ve discovered is that the problem isn’t with the tools themselves. It was the maintenance costs. Every article I saved, every highlight I made, every fleeting thought I captured became another loose thread I'd never weave back into anything meaningful. I'd dump information into these systems and then never look at it again because finding it required remembering what I called it, where I filed it, or which tag I used three months ago.

Back in November, Microsoft got a reality check. Pavan Davuluri, the President of Windows and Devices, took to X to announce that they plan to make Windows 11 an agentic operating system. Microsoft is very pro-AI and sees a lot of potential with the tech, so there's a good chance Pavan expected people to respond in kind. Instead, they caught the ire of Windows users who were sick to death with Copilot.

Nothing brings out my internal crotchety old man like the current state of Windows 11's Notepad app. Back in my day, you could enter text, save a document, and that's your lot. It was perfect for what it was: a way to take notes that didn't require the full gamut of features that Word offers. And then Microsoft added formatting, tables, and Copilot to the app, and now it's just not the same.

While other companies have been quick to add AI to their browsers, Mozilla has been walking a tightrope. On one hand, Mozilla's CEO believes that Firefox needs to get with the times and add AI tools. On the other hand, Firefox's users aren't too happy with the idea. As such, Mozilla has been trying to find a middle ground between adding AI without forcing AI, allowing people to choose their tools, and giving them a big 'nuke all AI' button.

Taping Instax Mini Link+ photos into a journal is just one use for the tiny prints. FujiFilm's Instax Mini Link 3 printer is a much-loved $100 accessory in my travel journal kit. I often tape a printed image next to my handwritten thoughts to preserve a moment in time. The prints produced by the instant film can, however, be soft and muddy - something the new $169.95 Instax Mini Link+ promises to improve.The big upgrade is a new Design Print mode. It's supposed to make text and intricate illustrations crisp and legible, but I didn't see much of an improvement, despite that being a big selling point. I did, however, find that the improved processing inside the Mini Link+ enhanced contrast, colors, and sharpness, to reveal …Read the full story at The Verge.

Given how KDE Plasma was one of the driving factors for me to ditch Windows to good, you'll very often hear me sing its praises either here on XDA or in person. However, I will also be the first to admit that KDE Plasma isn't perfect. It's definitely one of the closest desktop environments to perfection in my eyes, but it's not quite there yet.

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 114, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, send Arc Raiders tips, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been reading about wind turbines and phishing scams and oboes, keeping organized with the ultra-minimal Attn app, testing the lovely Aeronaut Bluesky client, spending too much time researching electric snow shovels, finally upgrading my trusty podcast headphones to a new Beyerdynamic pair, starting my umpteenth rewatch of Superstore, and debating whether to swap my iPhone 16 for an iPhone 17 or a Pixel …Read the full story at The Verge.