Good morning. It’s January 10th. The sparkle is gone, the weather is tragic. The infamous January Blues. But don’t worry—you don’t actually need twinkly lights to survive. You’ve got endless TV shows, books you won’t finish, and playlists that almost make you feel something. Embrace it. Hibernate. Ignore the weather.

For now? Here’s today’s news. It won’t change your life, but hey, it’ll kill five minutes.

• Bitcoin is down to $92K, and traders are panicking

• Donald Trump revealed $20B foreign investment

• Hypershell’s exoskeletons make you a cyborg

• Personal luxury goods market is shrinking

• Instagram is getting rid of Highlights

  and more…

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq suspended trading activities on January 9 to honor the late President Jimmy Carter. This decision upheld a longstanding tradition of closing financial markets as a mark of respect for deceased national leaders. On Wednesday, US stocks decided to play “choose your own adventure.” Investors weighed reports that President-elect Donald Trump might declare a national economic emergency (no big deal, right?) to push through tariffs. Meanwhile, the Fed’s December minutes revealed a cautious flirtation with slow interest rate cuts in 2025—because why rush? By close, the S&P 500 squeaked up 0.1%, the Dow added a polite 0.25%, and the Nasdaq sulked just below flat. Apparently, even the tech sector has days where it just can’t.

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Getty and Shutterstock Merge

Two of the biggest names in stock photos, Getty Images and Shutterstock, are merging into a $3.7 billion powerhouse. With AI image tools creeping in, the companies are teaming up to grow their libraries and stay relevant. Getty’s CEO Craig Peters will lead the new mega-agency, promising more photos, better tech, and probably fewer cheesy watermarked pics.

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Trump announces $20 billion foreign investment. At Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump revealed that Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani is pledging at least $20 billion to build U.S. data centers. Trump, never one to downplay numbers, hinted it could be double that. The first phase of construction will hit states like Texas, Arizona, and Michigan. Sajwani, a longtime Trump associate, hinted that Trump’s election win sealed the deal.

Luxury market’s first drop since 2008. The personal luxury goods market is shrinking for the first time since 2008. Blame shaky economies and a China slowdown, but apparently shoppers have decided they don’t need a third designer handbag this year. Bain & Co. says sales of bags, clothes, and jewelry are down 2%, while luxury cars and wine are holding strong. So basically we’re skipping Prada but still sipping fine Bordeaux. Priorities.

Bitcoin crashes. Thanks, Elon. Bitcoin hit $100K, then Elon Musk opened his mouth. Now it’s down to $92K, and traders are panicking — again. Musk warned his Doge inflation project could tank bitcoin, dogecoin, and pretty much all crypto. Naturally, chaos followed. Meanwhile, crypto bro Arthur Hayes says a bigger crash is coming in March.

Nvidia’s CEO just burst the quantum bubble. Quantum-computing stocks crashed hard after Nvidia’s Jensen Huang said the tech won’t be useful for at least 15 years. These companies soared last year on “next big thing” hype, but Huang wasn’t buying it. “We’re not worried,” he said — translation: it’s cool, but not anytime soon.

Lemon8: TikTok’s Backup Plan

With TikTok facing a possible U.S. ban, creators are jumping on Lemon8 — another ByteDance app that’s part TikTok, part Instagram, and a sprinkle of Pinterest. Launched in the U.S. in 2023, Lemon8 is getting more buzz lately as creators push it as the next big thing. It’s owned by the same company that runs TikTok, Douyin, and CapCut, which means… yep, same concerns, different app.

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Instagram highlights in danger. Word on the street is Instagram might shove Highlights into a grid tab. Your perfectly curated story dumps will be hidden like old posts you don’t want to see. Adam Mosseri called it “contentious,” which means no one likes it, but we’ll do it anyway.

CES 2025: robots, TVs, and stuff you’ll never buy. Day 3 at CES and things are getting weird. We’ve seen laptops that stretch, Sony’s car price drop, and a fluffy robot that clings to your purse. Robovacs are everywhere — with arms, legs, and interchangeable heads. Because apparently, that’s what the world needs. Big brands showed up too. LG rolled out more TVs no one asked for, Honda teased cars that probably won’t exist, and Nvidia threw a stadium party to show off graphics cards. Check the link below for the full coverage.

Nvidia at CES 2025: robots, AI, and a whole lot of hype. At CES, Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang hyped up the Cosmos platform — basically “ChatGPT for robots.” It trains robots by simulating snowy roads or chaotic warehouses, so they get smarter without smashing into actual walls. Then came “Agentic AI,” which Huang claims will let AI think before answering. So now chatbots will overthink, too. IT teams will turn into HR, managing digital agents like new hires. And powering all this is a massive chip called Blackwell. Huang’s goal is “one giant chip.” Because in tech, size always matters.

Hypershell’s exoskeletons turn you into a cyborg explorer. Hypershell showed up at CES 2025 with its next-gen exoskeleton, the X Series, promising to turn hikers into superhumans. Their Carbon X model even snagged a CES Innovation Award in robotics. These exosuits use AI and fancy robotics to help adventurers crush tough terrains without breaking a sweat. Less pain, more gain.

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Jimmy Carter’s $167K Home: Humble to the End

Jimmy Carter, who passed away at 100 on December 29, spent his last 43 years in a modest two-bedroom ranch house he built himself — valued at just $167,000. Yep, cheaper than the armored Secret Service cars outside. After leaving the White House in 1981, Carter opted for a quiet life in rural Georgia. 

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Congestion pricing hits NYC. New York’s congestion pricing is only a few days old, and Manhattan is already looking less like a war zone. Even traffic directors are stunned by the calm. Apparently, charging people to sit in traffic finally scared some off. Less honking. Fewer tempers. Who knew Manhattan could chill out?

Zuckerberg ends Meta fact-checking — with a $900K watch flex. Mark Zuckerberg, now apparently a watch guy, wore a $900,000 Greubel Forsey timepiece while announcing Meta will ditch fact-checkers and boost political content on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Zuck rocked a $900,000 Greubel Forsey watch — a timepiece so rare it takes 6,000 hours to make. 

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TikTok of the day: watch here