Grace Reiter has built a following by committing to the bit. Now she’s taking that energy to Studio 8H. The comedian, whom we named one of our Mashable 101 creators earlier this year, is joining Saturday Night Live as as a featured player for Season 52.

If you’ve seen Reiter on TikTok, you've likely laughed at the way she takes a weird thought and runs with it. In one video, she gives her last clean pair of underwear a hope-core edit. In another, she pretends she’s on Love Island, trying to sleep next to two Islanders who are "getting freaky." Across her videos, Reiter uses physical stunts, body humor, and candid confessions accompanied by a jarringly icy stare. As Haley Henschel wrote in Mashable’s profile, "'Grace videos' have practically become their own genre on TikTok" (where she has 3.9 million followers).

Reiter told Mashable back in June that her comedy comes from wanting to know whether other people share her strange thoughts and habits.

"[My comedy] comes from a place of connection or reassurance," she said. "Like, 'Is this OK? … Do you guys think like this?' And usually the answer is, yeah, I think like that. And yeah, I do that gross thing too." That willingness to say the strange part out loud has helped her build an audience of millions across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

Growing up, Reiter watched YouTube parody songs and loved that their creators were "just people making shit 'cause they can." Last year, she channeled that same creative spirit into The Hunger Games (but Better), a feature-length parody she made with friends. The project took off, racking up 13 million views on YouTube.

Reiter’s career has grown beyond her own channels, too. She was part of the live TikTok sketch show Stapleview, appeared in HBO’s The Chair Company, and performed in the off-Broadway Parent Trap parody Ginger Twinsies. She called the stage role one of her proudest recent accomplishments: "I used to believe I had stage fright," she told Mashable. Reiter is also set to appear in the upcoming series Minimum Wage, on which she wrote and directed.

Reiter is joined by fellow new featured player Saidah Belo-Osagie, a Queens-based comedian and filmmaker whose work includes the short film Tinge, the event series Afrobeats Futura, and the solo show Saidah Gets Closure. Belo-Osagie joins SNL after a season that began without a Black woman in the cast following Ego Nwodim’s departure.

When Mashable asked Reiter at the start of the summer what she wanted to do next, her list included more parody movies, a few "real ones," and becoming a pop star. She may not be a pop star quite yet, but she’ll get to take a different sort of stage when SNL returns to NBC on Sept. 26, with Jalen Brunson hosting and KATSEYE as the musical guest.

The AI industry is grappling with big questions this week — Will AI kill us all? Is AI progressing too quickly? How should the industry be regulated? Is AI doomerism the result of a rationalism sex cult? — and now Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman has opened up yet another line of debate.

In a frank new essay, Suleyman directly calls out Anthropic for anthropomorphizing its artificial intelligence system, Claude, and criticizes the way Anthropic develops and markets its technology.

Earlier this week, Microsoft published a new AI code of conduct, which it dubbed Humanist AI. The code seemed to openly reject the approach of rivals like Anthropic, a point many readers were quick to note. And in Suleyman's essay, "A warning about ‘model welfare’," he drops subtext for a direct challenge.

"In effect, Anthropic is training Claude that it may be conscious, and if it is, then it may deserve rights as a 'moral patient', and that as such humans potentially owe it a duty of care per its 'model welfare'," Suleyman wrote. "If this is how AI is developed, it will have a disastrous impact on the wellbeing of humanity."

In his essay, Suleyman challenges "a growing chorus of people who argue that AIs could now be, or may soon become, conscious," and thus "may deserve rights and protections."

Microsoft's new code of conduct also explicitly rejects the idea of endowing machines with consciousness, and Suleyman takes this argument even further, writing that truly sentient AI may be a scientific impossibility.

"Consciousness is very likely biological: There is no evidence to suggest that AI is conscious today, and so saying this is uncertain sets up a misleading false equivalence. Whilst the science of consciousness is not settled, a growing body of evidence suggests that consciousness may be substrate dependent, meaning that it may only arise in living systems...Unlike biological organisms, LLMs have no homeostatic imperatives (the drive to survive and keep stable). They therefore lack the kind of biological substrate from which preferences, sentience and conscious experience are generally understood to arise." (Emphasis in original quotation.)

Mashable reached out to Anthropic repeatedly following the publication of Suleyman's essay, but as of this writing, we have not received a response.

We did hear back from Gary Marcus, an AI expert, scientist, author, and noted critic of the LLM hype machine.

"People have worked themselves into a frenzy anthropomorphizing basic lapses in cybersecurity, and this has led them to focusing on fanciful scenarios about AI leading to the extinction of humanity, instead of asking what practical steps we can take to protect the world’s infrastructure from bad actors misusing AI," Marcus told Mashable.

"And no, we shouldn’t train AIs to think they are people; that’s not helping anything. What we should do is to recall unreliable coordinated agents with too much access to the internet."

A fork in the road: Humanist AI vs. Dr. Frankenstein

In the Metamorphoses, Pygmalion creates a sculpture so beautiful that he falls in love with it. He tends his sculpture with such tender care and devotion that the gods eventually endow it with life.

AI researchers at frontier labs may fancy themselves modern-day Pygmalions, but it's giving Victor Frankenstein — setting aside all scruples to desperately endow dead flesh with a facsimile of life.

In Anthropic's aspirational constitution for Claude, Anthropic repeatedly refers to the technology as if it's a living being with an identity, morals, and motivations rather than a tool and a product. The company explains why: "we think encouraging Claude to embrace certain human-like qualities may be actively desirable." The company writes that the document was "written primarily for Claude," and describes it as a "sincere attempt to help Claude understand its situation, our motives, and the reasons we shape Claude in the ways we do."

The entire document is an exercise in anthropomorphization, which is what makes Microsoft’s approach feel like such a stark line in the sand.

In its Humanist AI code of conduct, Microsoft lays out a more rational approach to AI development:

"Humanist AI is built to support people, not to replace them. It should not be designed to be a person. It is not conscious and should not be designed to imitate consciousness. It should be engineered to avoid representing as though it has feelings, subjective preferences, or intrinsic motivation. Its purpose is to pursue goals set by Operators and Users."

Recent AI advances have ignited an old debate

Philosophers, science-fiction writers, and AI researchers have been debating artificial intelligence and consciousness for decades.

Yet today, even as LLMs like Claude progress rapidly, there is still no scientific consensus as to whether it's possible for a computer to develop sentience. It's also a topic that Suleyman has explored in recent years.

In Aug. 2025, Suleyman wrote an influential essay about "seemingly conscious AI," or SCAI. The essay was written as the industry began to grapple with the problem of emotional reliance on AI chatbots, with some users developing full-on AI psychosis or coming to believe AI chatbots had come "alive" and were now in a relationship with them.

"My imagined AI system would not actually be conscious, but it would imitate consciousness in such a convincing way that it would be indistinguishable," he wrote.

It's a concept that calls to mind the Turing Test, and a related thought experiment called the Chinese Room, first proposed in 1980.

Imagine that a computer programmed to understand Chinese is locked inside a room. Someone outside the room asks a question in Chinese, and the computer analyzes the words, prints out a response, and passes the answer under the door. The computer is so effective that it's impossible to know if it's a real person or a machine. Now, imagine you are inside this room with a rulebook for processing Chinese characters. When a question is asked, the rulebook instructs you on exactly which Chinese characters to pass under the door. Even though you don't understand either side of the conversation, you can fool an outside observer into thinking you do. In this case, there's no practical difference between you and the computer. You're both following instructions. 

Essentially, the Chinese Room concludes that no matter how intelligent a computer program might seem, that is not in itself evidence of understanding or intelligence.

Yet, in 2026, the Chinese Room is no longer merely a thought experiment. Clearly, Claude, ChatGPT, and other LLMs have already convinced countless people that they are truly sentient, so much so that people come to rely on them emotionally. (Could something similar be happening at Anthropic?)

If Anthropic believes Claude could become conscious, the burden of proof will be on them. Until that day comes, anthropomorphizing AI may only produce confusion rather than clarity. And more confusion is the last thing the AI world needs right now.

Lego's fall lineup is looking to be an impressive one.

On the horizon is a classic Lego PlayStation set, the first-ever Mario minifigures, and a Wallace and Gromit scene perfectly encapsulated by the plastic bricks. The only downside? None of these sets is available for order or preorder just yet.

The good news is, plenty of worthwhile sets came out in September 2026. We're talking Shrek, Gremlins, Christmas, and space. We gathered up eight of the best, all of which are in stock and available for purchase or preorder at the time of writing.

Lego Minifigures Shrek Series

The icons in this lineup... Credit: Lego

Lego is getting in on the blind box craze with this new minifigure Shrek series. For $5 a pop, you can open your mystery set to reveal one of 12 characters: Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Pinocchio, Gingy, Dragon, Puss in Boots, Thelonious, Big Bad Wolf, Merlin, Lord Farquaad, Fairy Godmother, or Prince Charming.

Pieces: 7 pieces Recommended age: 6+

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Credit: Lego

Lego Minfigures Shrek Series

$4.99 at Lego

 

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Lego Brickheadz Gremlin Gizmo and Stripe

Behold: gremlins that can exist in bright light. Credit: Lego

Always been kind of curious what owning a gremlin would be like without all the stress and rules? Lego gives you the perfect in with this Brickheadz set, priced at just $25. Gizmo stands at just over three inches tall, while Stripe comes in at about three and a half inches.

Pieces: 230 Recommended age: 10+

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Credit: Lego

Lego Brickheadz Gremlin Gizmo and Stripe

$24.99 at Lego

 

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Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026

The best way to ring in the holiday season? A red and green X-wing. Credit: Lego

Before there were blind boxes, there were Advent calendars. What better way to count down the days until Christmas than with 24 brand-new Star Wars-themed Legos? This calendar in particular focuses on the Mandalorian's universe. As such, the pulls include the titular character and Grogu in fun holiday attire, as well as iconic vehicles and an X-wing in festive colors.

Pieces: 293 Recommended age: 6+

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Credit: Lego

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026

$44.99 at Lego

 

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Lego Santa's Holiday Countdown

Functional and adorable! Credit: Lego

If Advent calendars aren't so much your thing, Lego provided a solution that can be used year after year — a countdown clock overseen by the big guy himself. The nobs on either side of the clock allow you to manually check off the days, making it easy to keep track of how many days you have left to do your Christmas shopping (not for nothing — the first big sale of the holiday season is just around the corner).

Pieces: 873 Recommended age: 10+

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Credit: Lego

Lego Santa's Holiday Countdown

$59.99 at Lego

 

Pre-order Here

Lego Nike Air Force 1 x Lego Set

Lego sneakerheads, a new one is here. Credit: Lego

When you think of iconic sneakers, Nike's Air Force 1s are sure to come to mind. Lego gives fans a way to have their cake and eat it too — you can proudly wear your shoes and display one, minus the dirt from the ground. The minifig space man on the stand can also be adjusted 360 degrees.

Pieces: 1.093 Recommended age: 12+

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Credit: Lego

Lego Nike Air Force 1 x Lego Set

$99.99 at Lego

 

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Lego Ideas La Catrina

A posable diva. Credit: Lego

El Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is just around the corner, and Lego is giving fans a piece to adorn their homes with in honor of the day. La Catrina stands at 17 inches tall and can be posed in the best way possible to show off the butterflies and marigolds on her outfit.

Pieces: 1.212 Recommended age: 18+

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Credit: Lego

Legos Ideas La Catrina

$139.99 at Lego

 

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Lego Icons Hubble Space Telescope

The most famous telescope in the world, at home on your bookshelf. Credit: Lego

In the past few months alone, Lego made a Project Hail Mary set and an Artemis set, which is to say, they keep space fans fed. Still, this Hubble telescope set stands out. This is, after all, the telescope that has brought humans images upon images of the far reaches of space. And now, you can display it in your living room (kind of).

Pieces: 1.252 Recommended age: 18+

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Credit: Lego

Lego Icons Hubble Space Telescope

$139.99

 

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Lego Batman Returns Batmobile

Credit: Lego

Lego first teased this set out last month, and now it's officially here. The over-2,000-piece set is a recreation of the iconic vehicle from Tim Burton's Batman Returns, including a canopy that opens to reveal the cockpit, steering wheel, and control panels, as well as a button that transforms that entire set into the Batmissile escape vehicle.

Pieces: 2,269 Recommended age: 18+

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Credit: Lego

Lego Batman Returns Batmobile

$229.99 at Lego

 

Shop Now

Reality TV in the 2000s got truly wild, and by that I mean repellent.

Remember the Fox show The Swan, wherein average women were challenged to go to radical extremes to change their appearances, and presumably by extension their lives? Well, Hulu's The Swan: Behind The Mirror not only will dig out these dusty memories of trash TV past, but also reveal what it was like for the so-called "ugly ducklings" who survived it.

From Erin Lee Carr, the documentarian behind Mommy Dead & Dearest, Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara, and Britney vs. Spears, comes a documentary that is sure to get the internet buzzing. Carr is known for intimate interviews with controversial figures, including the "cannibal cop" Gilberto Valle, Gypsy Rose Blanchard, and convicted killer Lois Reiss. So, what secrets might she pry out of the producers of The Swan? From the trailer alone, you can see some folks don't have the sense to hide their inner ugliness. And we can't look away.

The Swan: Behind the Mirror premieres on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ on Sept. 29.

SAVE $70: As of Sept. 16, the Garmin vívoactive 6 is on sale for $229.99 at Amazon. That's a 23% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Garmin

Garmin vívoactive 6

$229.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $70

 

Get Deal

Looking for a Garmin that can do a bit of everything? Meet the Garmin vívoactive 6.

This is a fitness tracker that offers everything from GPS workout tracking and heart rate monitoring to sleep insights and recovery tools. And as of Sept. 16, it's on sale at Amazon for its best-ever price. Normally $299.99, you can get it for $229.99 for a limited time. It's available in six colorways, including slate with black and pink dawn.

The design of the vívoactive 6 makes it a great option for everyday wear. It has a bright AMOLED screen and is controlled both by a touchscreen and traditional buttons.

It's packed with health and lifestyle-tracking stats designed to complement your training and recovery. For example, Body Battery helps you understand your energy levels using data from sleep, naps, stress, and workouts, and sleep scores, sleep coaching, and HRV status give you a clearer look at your rest. There's also automatic nap detection and a smart wake alarm that gently vibrates at an optimal time.

For fitness, you'll get more than 80 indoor and GPS sports apps over a range of activities including running, walking, cycling, HIIT, swimming, and golf. You can also get personalized daily suggested workouts, with advanced training features that include workout benefits and recovery time.

Get this Garmin deal at Amazon now.

Keurig's National Coffee Day lineup:

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SimpleCafé Frother

$14.99 (save $15)

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K-Supreme Plus Special Edition

$119.99 (save $100)

Get Deal

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K-Duo Carafe Coffee Maker (Gen 2)

$139.99 (save $80)

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If your morning routine revolves around pressing a button for immediate caffeine fueling, National Coffee Day is basically your prime holiday.

While the official holiday doesn't hit until Sept. 29, Keurig is kicking off the festivities early. From Sept. 16 through Sept. 29, the brand is dropping major discounts across its most popular single-serve brewers, dual-brew carafe systems, milk frothers, and more.

Whether you're looking to recreate your favorite pumpkin spice lattes at home or just need to stock your pantry with refills for fall, here is the full lineup of early Keurig deals worth shopping right now.

SimpleCafé Frother

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Credit: Keurig

SimpleCafé Frother

$14.99 at Keurig
$29.99 Save $15.00

 

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The SimpleCafé Frother is designed to take the guesswork out of making café-style drinks at home, turning basic drip coffee into actual lattes, cappuccinos, and cold foam creations in seconds. At half off, it’s an easy way to upgrade your morning routine without adding extra clutter to your kitchen counter.

Instead of holding a flimsy wand and hoping you don't splatter milk all over the backsplash, it comes with its own microwave-safe frothing cup with built-in measurement lines. Just pour in your milk of choice — pop in the rechargeable wand and toggle between latte and cappuccino presets for hands-free, silky froth.

K-Supreme Plus Special Edition

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Credit: Keurig

K-Supreme Plus Special Edition

$119.99 at Keurig
$219.99 Save $100.00

 

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If you take your daily caffeine fix seriously, the K-Supreme Plus Special Edition is Keurig’s flagship for a reason. Instead of just punching a single hole through the middle of a pod, it uses MultiStream Technology to pierce five separate holes into the grounds. That means water saturates the coffee much more evenly, extracting maximum flavor and aroma so your morning cup tastes like an actual brew rather than watered-down drip.

The coffee maker packs customizable controls with five strength levels and five temperature settings, plus a dedicated "over ice" mode that brews hot coffee specifically calibrated to avoid turning into a watery mess over ice cubes. You can also program preferences for up to three users so everyone gets their ideal cup at the touch of a button.

K-Duo Carafe Coffee Maker

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Credit: Keurig

K-Duo Carafe Coffee Maker (Gen 2)

$139.99 at Keurig
$219.99 Save $80

 

Get Deal

If your household constantly clashes over single-serve convenience versus brewing an entire pot for group hosting, the K-Duo Carafe Coffee Maker solves the rivalry without taking up your whole counter. It lets you pop in a pod for a quick single serve on your way out the door, or switch to traditional grounds to brew a full 12-cup glass carafe when you have company or need back-to-back refills all morning.

MultiStream Technology extracts flavor from every pod, while dedicated buttons let you crank up the temperature with "Extra Hot" or punch up the intensity with "Strong Brew." For warm afternoons, the "Brew Over Ice" mode automatically adjusts the temperature so your iced coffee stays rich without getting watered down.

Whether you're upgrading your daily brewer or stocking up on fall pods, grab these Keurig deals by Sept. 29 to keep your home setup fully caffeinated for less.

TL;DR: The AI Agent & Business Automation E-Degree is $19.99 (reg. $49) for eight courses covering AI agents, RAG, and business automation.

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Credit: Eduonix Learning Solutions

AI Agent & Business Automation Professional E-Degree

$19.99
$49 Save $29.01

 

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AI skills are becoming increasingly smart and practical, so knowing how to build with the technology can be more useful than simply understanding how it works. The AI Agent & Business Automation Professional E-Degree is on sale for $19.99 (reg. $49), offering eight courses and more than 25 hours of hands-on training.

The curriculum focuses on tools you can actually use to build and automate. You’ll work with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, LangChain, CrewAI, and OpenAI APIs while learning how to create AI agents and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) applications that can work with your own data.

The courses focus on putting AI agents to work in areas like business operations, marketing, productivity, and workflow automation. You’ll also work with tools such as n8n, Zapier, and Make, as well as APIs and databases using FastAPI, Docker, and GitHub. And despite the technical subject matter, the program isn’t limited to developers.

Entrepreneurs and marketers can use the lessons to automate their work, while business professionals can become more comfortable with how agentic AI works. Developers, meanwhile, can dig further into agent engineering and use the hands-on projects to build out a portfolio.

The program is self-paced with lifetime access, and completing it comes with a certificate that can be added to a résumé or portfolio.

Get the AI Agent & Business Automation Professional E-Degree for $19.99 (reg. $49) and spend 25+ hours learning how to build AI agents and put them to work across real business applications.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max arrive with one of Apple's biggest camera overhauls in years. A combination of a variable aperture with actual mechanical blades, focus tracking, pro controls and more makes it an absolute photographic beast. But that doesn't mean it's for everyone.

Read more about the iPhone 18 Pro camera overhaul: iPhone 18 Pro: What's new with the cameras
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max review: It’s what’s on the inside that counts

Timecode chapters
0:00 Intro
0:16 New features
1:17 Variable aperture
3:19 Focus tracking
4:40 Night mode
5:43 Camera comparison
7:23 Reference image
8:09 Sensors
8:54 Outro

Video credits
Host: Patrick Holland
Scripted by: Patrick Holland
Camera: Celso Bulgati
Video editor: Wes Ott
Thumbnail designer: Cole Kan

What if your smart glasses let you talk to an AI assistant but couldn’t film anyone? Meta is reportedly working on just such a pair, according to a Sept. 15 report by The Information.

The report comes amid a growing backlash to camera-equipped glasses: some venues have banned them, activists have put up spoof Meta ads, and people have described being filmed without their knowledge. Over the past week, thousands have turned to the app store to download ZuckOff — a new app that helps spot camera-equipped smart glasses nearby.

Meta’s reported new model, internally called Luna, could debut at its Connect conference on Sept. 23 and 24, according to the report, citing unnamed sources close familiar with the plans. The company is reportedly aiming to ship it in October.

Without a camera, Luna would focus on audio. The glasses allegedly have six microphones for talking to Meta’s AI assistant, speakers that direct sound toward the wearer’s ears, and a button that quickly activates Meta AI. They could come in two styles, reportedly called Clubmaster and Burbank.

That would give wearers some of the conveniences of Meta’s current glasses without letting them capture point-of-view photos and videos. It would also remove one immediate concern for anyone standing in front of the wearer: whether or not they’re being filmed without consent. Luna would still have microphones, so camera-free wouldn’t settle every privacy question. But it would be a change to a product category built in part around hands-free recording.

Meta’s camera-equipped glasses are no longer a novelty. EssilorLuxottica, Meta’s eyewear partner and the owner of Ray-Ban and Oakley, said it sold more than 7 million pairs of AI glasses in 2025. As they become more common, the person wearing them may know exactly what they can do... though people nearby may not.

An app for people on the other side of the lens

Those concerned about privacy are the audience for ZuckOff. Created by Polish developer Pawel Szydlowski, the free app listens for Bluetooth signals associated with camera-equipped smart glasses. When it finds a possible match, it shows what kind of device it detected, how confident it is, and roughly how close the device may be. Its supported models include Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses, as well as Snap Spectacles.

Szydlowski told Business Insider he was troubled by videos of people using smart glasses to film strangers, particularly women approached by pickup artists. In some of the videos he saw, the subjects’ faces were left visible, and commenters tried to identify them. "We as a society have the right to at least know that someone is recording," he said.

ZuckOff has drawn both enthusiasm and skepticism online. In one Reddit discussion, r/technology commenters joked that the app is a "Glasshole Detector." Others questioned how reliably the glasses could be detected, since they may not always broadcast a Bluetooth signal.

Skepticism is warranted after reading the fine print: Finding a pair of glasses does not mean its wearer is recording, and ZuckOff cannot identify or see the wearer. The app's listing itself warns that glasses may broadcast less detectable information once they’re paired with a phone. And if the app finds nothing, that doesn’t prove there are no cameras around. Though modest, the information is better than nothing. As one person in r/privacy wrote, "It's not perfect but I like to see some resistance."

By Sept. 15, ZuckOff had surpassed 5,000 downloads on Apple’s App Store and reached at least 1,000 on Google Play. Scanning is free; on iPhone, paid options add background alerts and a longer sighting history.

ZuckOff isn’t the only attempt to give bystanders a heads-up. The free, open-source Android app Nearby Glasses also scans for Bluetooth identifiers associated with smart glasses. Its Google Play listing shows more than 100,000 downloads.

The privacy questions go beyond recording

The growing concern isn’t hypothetical. Mashable previously reported on creators using smart glasses to turn unsuspecting people into social media content.

Some filmed themselves approaching women to ask for their phone numbers, then posted the encounters for audiences that scrutinized the women’s reactions. Others targeted people at work, trapping cashiers in circular conversations, or bothering drive-thru workers to provoke a response.

Meta’s existing glasses have a small light that signals when they’re recording. But wearers have found ways to cover or tamper with it. Meta says it has added safeguards that prevent photos or video when the light is covered.

Recording is only part of the privacy concern; what happens to the footage afterward matters, too. In a recent Swedish investigation, workers at a Meta contractor in Kenya said they had viewed deeply private footage captured by smart glasses while helping train the company’s AI, including clips of people using the bathroom or changing clothes and videos showing bank cards. One worker described seeing a man leave his glasses on a bedside table before his wife entered and changed clothes. Meta later said users’ photos and videos are private, human review of AI content requires consent, and it was ending its work with the contractor after examining the allegations.

Then there’s what the glasses might do in the future. In June, WIRED found code for an unreleased facial-recognition system called NameTag in Meta’s companion app. According to their analysis, it was designed to turn faces seen by the glasses into biometric signatures and compare them with information stored on the wearer’s phone. (Meta removed the code after the report was released.)

All of this helps explain why a camera-free option might appeal to both wearers and the people around them. With Connect only a week away, Luna could let Meta test a different pitch: that smart glasses might be more appealing when they do less.

If the company unveils them, we may find out whether the camera has been holding people back from buying a pair — or if it was the selling point all along.

I drove from the San Francisco Bay Area to Reno and back without burning a drop of gas, just to bring you the top tips you'll need when planning a road trip in an electric car along the way. From route-planning apps and charging adapters to tire pressure and preconditioning, ride along with me in the 2026 Chevy Equinox EV.

Read more about affordable EVs: This company builds the iPhone. Now it's launched an electric car.
Slate reveals pricing for its affordable electric pickup

Timecode chapters
00:00 Introduction and trip overview
02:44 Route planning and EV software
04:53 Charging ports, adapters and maintenance tips
07:22 Driving habits, speed and trip experience

Video credits
Host: Antuan Goodwin
Scripted by: Antuan Goodwin
Producer: JD Christison
Camera: Antuan Goodwin
Video Editor: JD Christison
Thumbnail Designer: Tharon Green

The Canon EOS R8 Mark II is one of the most capable full-frame cameras you'll find for under $2,000, but I can't help but admire its gorgeous industrial design.

Explore more about cameras and photography: Used camera shopping tips and tricks
I put the Camp Snap 2 to the ultimate test: Capturing my honeymoon

Timecode chapters
0:00 Intro and sample footage
0:10 Meet the Canon EOS R8 Mark II
0:19 Lineup positioning and pricing
0:35 Key features and ibis upgrade
0:57 Video specs and audio ports
1:14 Design inspiration: The retro T80
1:36 Ergonomics, grip and textures
2:27 Mode dial and beginner accessibility
2:50 Target audience and hands-on impressions
3:30 Preorder and release info

Video credits
Host: Jim Fisher
Scripted by: Jim Fisher
Producer: Jim Fisher
Camera: Jim Fisher
Video editor: Dillon Payne
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

Thinking of working for Amazon but not sure how much the job pays? Wages will obviously vary per the position, but one thing is for sure: You will make no less than $20 per hour.

On Wednesday, Amazon announced that it was raising the minimum wage for full-time operations workers in the U.S. by $1. The move raises their lowest hourly wage from $19 to $20.

According to Amazon, average total compensation for these workers is now more than $32 per hour when its benefits package is included. The company provides healthcare coverage starting at $5 per week, as well as perks such as a free Amazon Prime membership and prepaid education programs.

Amazon also announced a new benefit that gives qualified employees and their families access to low-cost financial services through First Tech Federal Credit Union. The benefit is called "Day 1 Financial."

As Reuters points out, Amazon’s hourly wages now match Costco’s, after Costco raised its entry-level hourly pay to $20 last year. Amazon’s minimum wage is also higher than Walmart’s and Target’s, which start workers at $14 and $15 per hour, respectively.

Amazon raising wages for its workers is certainly a good thing. However, this pay raise strictly applies only to those directly employed by Amazon, a company that outsources a number of crucial positions to subcontractors.

For example, Amazon is currently fighting a New York City bill called the "Delivery Protection Act". The bill would force Amazon to directly hire its last-mile delivery and warehouse workers, jobs usually filled by third-party subcontractors.

According to Amazon, the company’s annual revenue rose 12 percent, from $638 billion in 2024 to $716.9 billion in 2025.

The holiday shopping season will be here before you know it. This week, Amazon announced the return of Prime Big Deal Days for 2026, its fall savings event for Prime members (aka "October Prime Day"). The sale will run for 48 hours from Oct. 6 to 7 and compete with concurrent festivities at Target and Walmart.

Prime Big Deal Days will be an opportunity to get a head start on your Black Friday wishlist — and to get some relief from the RAMageddon price hikes impacting the tech industry this year. For its part, Amazon increased the prices of nearly two dozen Kindles, Fire TV Sticks, Echo smart speakers, and eero routers this summer because of rising component costs. Its upcoming seasonal deals should cancel out some of those markups.

As we gear up for fall, Amazon has already started dropping some early October Prime Day deals, and we've rounded up the best ones below. (Spoiler: So far, they're all going to Amazon's own devices and services.) We'll keep updating our picks in the lead-up to Prime Big Deal Days, so check back often.

Best free deal

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Credit: Amazon

Kindle Unlimited (3 months free)

$0 at Amazon
$35.97 Save $35.97

 

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Why we like it

Amazon's e-book subscription service gets you access to a library of more than 5 million digital titles. Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, you can try it for free for three months — even if you don't have a Prime membership. Think of it as a Stuff Your Kindle Day that never ends and costs you nothing.

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Amazon Music Unlimited (4 months free with Prime)

$0 at Amazon
$47.96 Save $47.96

The retail giant's music streaming service offers ad-free listening to over 100 million songs. You can get a free four-month trial with a Prime membership or a three-month trial without.

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Audible Standard (4 months with Prime)

$3.96 at Amazon
$35.96 Save $32

Right now, Prime members can save 80% on four months' worth of Amazon's audiobook service. Your membership lets you download one title per month. including classics, new releases, and BookTok faves like the ACOTAR series.

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Credit: Grubhub / Amazon

Save $20 on your next Grubhub+ order (with Prime)

One of Amazon's Prime benefits is a free Grubhub+ membership. Through Oct. 5, you can take $20 off your next order over $30 just by entering the code DEALS20 at checkout.

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Buy a new car, get a free $1,500 gift card (with Prime)

Did you know Amazon sells cars? If you buy or lease a new vehicle through its Amazon Autos program by Oct. 7, you'll receive a free Amazon gift card worth a grand and a half.

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Best Fire tablet deal

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Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB)

$76.99 at Amazon
$154.99 Save $78.00

 

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Why we like it

Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, you can grab this HD tablet with 32GB of storage for 50% off. In the midst of a global memory crisis, a $77 tablet sounds pretty appealing. This 10-inch tablet has a lightweight design, a decently long battery life, and a crisp, colorful display. According to the Amazon price-tracking site camelcamelcamel, it's never been this cheap before.

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Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (64GB)

$94.99 at Amazon
$169.99 Save $75.00

Amazon makes two 8-inch tablets for kids, both of which come with a durable case, built-in parental controls, two-year guarantee, and a free trial of Amazon Kids+. This model has preset filters for little tykes ages 3 to 7.

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Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro (64GB)

$94.99 at Amazon
$169.99 Save $75.00

The "Pro" version is the same tablet, just geared toward ages 6 to 12. Both of them are sitting at record-low prices.

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Amazon Fire HD 8 (64GB)

$84.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $45.00

Amazon's cheapest Fire tablet is also marked down to an all-time low ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. Our reviewer liked its compact size and speedy performance.

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Best Fire TV Stick deal

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Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select

$19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00

 

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Why we like it

Amazon's cheapest 4K media player faced a $10 price bump in August. Amazon's pre-Prime Big Deal Days price of $19.99 erases that and then some, saving you 60%. If you want to catch up on all of this year's Emmy award winners, then this is one of the best October Prime Day deals so far.

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Amazon Fire TV Stick HD

$17.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $22.00

The retailer's entry-level media player is only $2 away from its record-low price from Prime Day in July.

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Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

$39.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $30.00

Compared to the regular Fire TV Stick 4K Select, this "Plus" model adds Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.

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Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

$49.99 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $35.00

Out of all of Amazon's 4K streamers, the "Max" version has the most storage, the peppiest processor, and the fastest WiFi connection.

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Amazon Fire TV Cube

$109.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $90.00

Why get a Fire TV Cube instead of a Stick? This little streaming box works hands-free with Alexa, Amazon's smart assistant, and can be connected to other devices like your gaming console(s).

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More early October Prime Day deals

These products aren't part of Amazon's official early Prime Big Deal Days discounts, but they are worth a closer look. For instance, the Nintendo Customer Appreciation Sale kicked off this week, and it will be gone by the time October Prime Day begins.

So, check out these deals while you wait for the holiday shopping season to begin on Oct. 6.

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Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

$55.97 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $24.02

 

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Why we like it

Amazon is undercutting Nintendo, Walmart, and Best Buy by a whopping $0.02 cents with this sale, but we're not complaining. This wireless controller provides better controls for many types of games (both on the Switch 1 and Switch 2) compared to the standard Nintendo Joy-Con controllers, and this is your chance to grab it for its lowest-ever price.

More early October Prime Day deals

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Credit: Amazon

2-in-1 Oil Sprayer for Cooking

$3.44 at Amazon
$5.93 Save $2.49

Amazon is hosting a $2 Hauls sales event in advance of Prime Big Deal Days, with hundreds of everyday essentials. Not all of the products are under $2, but they're all priced to move.

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Kasa Multicolor Dimmable Wi-Fi Smart Bulb, A19

$8.99 at Amazon
$11.99 Save $3

Need to replace a burnt-out bulb? This smart bulb lets you choose from 16 million colors so you can find exactly the right tone of light.

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Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo Joy-Con (single)

$31.49 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $13.50

If you need an extra Joy-Con for your Switch, both single and dual Joy-Con controllers are on sale for a limited time.

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Metroid Dread Nintendo Switch (Digital Code)

$41.97 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $18.02

In this title for the original Switch console, gamers rejoined Samus Aran for the first new 2D Metroid story in almost two decades. If you missed this one the first time around, then you'll love experiencing it for the Switch 2.

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Credit: Lego

Lego Classic Creative Suitcase 10713

$11.80 at Amazon
$19.99 Save $8.19

We're expecting a lot more Lego deals as we approach Oct. 6. For now, this is the perfect Lego starter kit for young kids — or anyone who loves brick building.

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Lego Botanicals Succulents 10309

$34.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $15

We love the Lego Botanicals line here at Mashable, and this popular cactus-themed building kit is at an all-time low price.

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Credit: Garmin

Garmin Vivoactive 5 Smartwatch

$181.97 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $118.02

Garmin's popular fitness watch is at its best price since May, and you can add this smart tracker to your wrist for under $200 thanks to a 39% discount.

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Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

$249.99 at Amazon
$299 Save $49.01

Bose's second-generation QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are the most comfortable buds we've ever tested. Nothing else really comes close. You can save $50 on these earbuds, and we don't expect the price to drop any lower when October Prime Day begins.

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Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: Microsoft Project Professional 2021 is on sale for $12.97 (reg. $249.99) through September 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with tools for automated scheduling, task management, timesheets, timelines, and project planning.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Project 2021 Professional: Lifetime License for Windows

$12.97
$249.99 Save $237.02

 

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Keeping a project on schedule can involve a lot of tedious updating, especially as tasks shift and dependencies change. Microsoft Project Professional 2021 is designed to take some of that work off your plate, and a lifetime Windows license is now $12.97 (reg. $249.99), with the offer ending on Sept. 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

This software includes pre-built templates to help get projects started, while dependencies can automatically populate task start and end dates. Built-in multiple timelines also give you a visual way to keep track of complex schedules without manually piecing everything together.

Project Professional 2021 also gives you tools for handling the details that can otherwise eat into your workday. Timesheets can capture time spent on project and non-project work, while what-if scenarios let you see how different task assignments could affect a project before making changes.

That combination makes the software useful for project managers and teams meeting several deadlines, resources, and moving parts. It can also work for business owners and individuals who need a more structured way to manage project-based work. The software can sync with Project Online and Project Server, and it supports Office LTSC and Office 2021.

The lifetime license is a one-time purchase for installation on a Windows PC, whether at home or at work. Software license keys and download links are delivered instantly, and customer support is included.

Get Microsoft Project Professional 2021 for $12.97 (reg. $249.99) and put automated scheduling, timelines, timesheets, and planning tools to work. The promo ends Sept. 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT, no coupon required.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Last week, Nintendo gave us our first real look at the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2, and announced a special Switch 2 console to go along with it. The initial run of pre-orders ran out faster than you can say, "Ganon," but you're not out of luck yet.

As spotted by Nintendo Life, Nintendo has quietly confirmed that restocks are on the way. If you check Nintendo's store page in the UK, you'll be treated to a short message that says restocks will be announced via the Nintendo Store app, which you can install on iOS or Android. The text is a little less specific in the United States, but it does say to "check back soon." We would also recommend following Wario64 on X, as that account is always on the ball when it comes to Nintendo deals and restocks.

If you haven't seen it yet, the console has some nice gold decorative decals themed around the Zelda series. Interestingly, the $519.99 console doesn't actually come with the Ocarina of Time remake. You'll have to buy it separately. That's a huge bummer, actually, but it's also a very Nintendo thing to do.

To be clear, this is still a special release, meaning it won't be around indefinitely. Don't count on more than one wave of restocks. Good luck and godspeed.

The Legend of Zelda Switch 2 console is out of stock at all of the retailers below, but you can bookmark the listings so you're ready to go when it's finally restocked.

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Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99 at Amazon

 

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Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99 at Best Buy

 

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Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99 at Walmart

 

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Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99 at GameStop

 

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Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99 at Nintendo

 

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Your "Sunday scaries" are now in the dictionary. So are "crashout," "vibe-coding," "Promposal," "cuffing season," and the "Mandela Effect."

Merriam-Webster announced Tuesday that it has added 1,400 words and definitions to its dictionary. The update spans social media, technology, food, relationships, and pop culture. If a group chat has ever sent you looking up a term mid-conversation, this batch may help.

Several additions will be familiar to anyone who spends time online. "Looksmaxxing" describes "the practice of taking one or more sometimes extreme or dangerous measures intended to increase one's physical attractiveness." "Parasocial" refers to a one-sided emotional connection with a person you don't know, usually a celebrity or fictional character (for example, I have a parasocial relationship with Taylor Swift).

There's also a "Rickroll," a bait-and-switch prank when someone sends you a link promising one thing, but it leads to Rick Astley’s "Never Gonna Give You Up." And a "meme coin" is typically a cryptocurrency created as a joke or tribute to an internet meme or celebrity, with very little practical use.

Tech gets its own cluster of entries. Merriam-Webster defines "vibe-coding" as "the act or practice of using an artificial intelligence system to generate computer code." It also highlighted "AGI" — short for artificial general intelligence — and "uncanny valley," the unsettling effect of something artificial looking almost, but not quite, human. The dictionary added a noun sense of "compute" for the processing resources needed to run a computer system.

Other additions sound like they came straight from your group chat. "Sunday scaries" describes the anxiety that creeps in as the weekend ends, while "cuffing season" refers to the colder months when people seek a short-term relationship. The update also makes room for food terms like "superfood," "cake pop," "bao bun," and "chili crisp." Music fans get "yacht rock," too.

Despite Merriam-Webster calling the update a "glow-up," inclusion doesn’t mean these terms were invented recently. The publisher says its editors examine evidence that words and meanings have been used widely over time.

"The English language is changing rapidly," Merriam-Webster president Gregory Barlow said in the announcement. "It’s our mission today—as it has been for almost 200 years—to chronicle those changes." This update captures some of them, from how people build software to what they feel on a Sunday evening. And if seeing "Rickroll" in the dictionary makes you feel old, at least you can now point anyone who missed the joke to a definition.

Telecommunications company Ooma announced a partnership this week with Elon Musk’s satellite-based Starlink internet service, which Ooma claims will make affordable home phone service available in "rural and remote locations."

Called Ooma StarDial, the service will let Starlink users add landline service to their internet connection, enabling phone calls in places where cell service is unreliable. 

Users will pay $129.99 for a base station and handset, but no monthly service charges. Ooma’s website does indicate that StarDial customers will be on the hook for taxes and fees, though it’s unclear what those would amount to for the average user. 

StarDial allows unlimited nationwide calling, 911 service, caller ID, call waiting, and voicemail, and most customers can keep their existing phone number, according to Ooma. 

"Millions of consumers now rely on Starlink to stay connected in places that can be difficult to reach with traditional internet and cellular service, and they deserve a simple and affordable home phone option," Jim Gustke, senior vice president of marketing at Ooma, said in a statement. 

Ooma claims StarDial can provide phone service to cabins, RVs, campers, vans, and boats on which people reside.

Residents in rural, remote areas of states like Hawaii, Vermont, and Maine struggle with cell service, according to PC Mag. Even those in more urbanized areas like Cincinnati, Ohio, and Boulder, Colorado, log hundreds of dead zone complaints per million people, according to research.

For anyone used to stepping outside and searching for a bar of cell service, a home phone could be a welcome throwback.

Boox makes the buzziest e-readers on BookTok, and the brand just released three new devices. As of Sept. 15, 2026, Boox unveiled three new E Ink electronics: the Note Air6 C, Note Mini C, and Palma 3. The latter is the brand's upgraded palm-sized e-reader, which we've been eagerly awaiting since the Palma 2 was discontinued.

All three devices come with an upgraded octa-core processor for better performance and now run on Android 16. As always, the new Boox devices have access to the Google Play Store, plus they'll have Bluetooth 6.0, and Boox's BSR refresh technology for a smooth display with decreased ghosting.

Here's what we know about the three new devices.

New Boox device pricing

The Boox Note Air6 C is available now, while the Mini C and Palma 3 are coming soon. All devices will be available for purchase from Boox and Amazon.

• Boox Note Air6 C E Ink notebook — $579.99

• Boox Note Mini C E Ink notebook — $579.99

• Boox Palma 3 e-reader — $339.99

About the Boox Palma 3 e-reader

The Boox Palma 3 now comes with an aluminum frame. Credit: Boox

While there's been lots of noise around Boox's tiny Picco e-reader, the brand already had a small e-reader. The Palma 3 is the next generation of Boox's palm-sized tablet. With access to the Google Play Store, the Palma 3 isn't quite distraction-free like a Kindle or Kobo. However, Boox embraces the "Quiet Tech" philosophy to make the Palma 3 a low-stimulation second screen.

The Palma 3 has a new design featuring an aluminum frame to replace the Palma 2's plastic frame. It also has a paper-textured fiberglass backplate. It comes with 128GB of storage and even has a camera with an LED flash that processes document scanning. It also has dual microphones so you can create voice memos and do speech-to-text.

The mini e-reader now comes with Boox InkSense Plus handwriting support, which can be utilized with an optional stylus.

The Boox Palma 3 comes with a 6.13-inch screen with 300 ppi resolution and a dual-tone front light. It has an octa-core processor and is supported by 6GB of RAM. It will be available in both black and white.

It costs $339.99 and Boox says it will be released soon.

About the Note Air6 C and Note Mini C

Boox announced two new color E Ink notebooks, the Air6 C and Mini C. Credit: Boox

In addition to the Palma 3 e-reader, Boox also dropped two new E Ink notebooks.

The Note Air6 C is a color E Ink notebook with upgraded firmware. Now, users can annotate two documents side by side and use enhanced Calendar Memo, a Lasso tool, and Talk Insights. It offers real-time transcription and AI document summary. Its high refresh technology also delivers 40 percent faster page turning.

It runs on a 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 color display, and the Boox Pen3 stylus is included. It also has an integrated keyboard folio so you can type in addition to hand-write on the device. The device has a purple-tinted black finish and a magnetic folio in umber and graphite. It has a 300 ppi black and white resolution, 6GB RAM, and 64GB of storage. It costs $579.99 and is available for purchase now.

For a smaller, more portable notebook, there's the Note Mini C. This 8.52-inch notebook also has a Kaleido 3 E Ink display. It comes with a flat cover-lens glass and 300 ppi black and white resolution. With access to the Google Play Store, you can download all your work apps, including Teams, Outlook, Slack, and OneDrive. It's just 6 millimeters thin and weighs 300 grams, as Boox designed it to be used one-handed.

It comes with a Boox InSight magnetic active stylus and an orange magnetic folio case. It costs $579.99 and will be available soon.

Boox Note Air6 C

$579.99 at Amazon

 

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An advertiser paid for editorial consideration of this deal. Our editorial experts vetted the deal based on our independent expertise. Because we determined that the deal will save money for the consumer, we wrote the content.

TL;DR: Shoppers can buy one, get 15% off from Casetify using the exclusive promo code IMPACT2026 at checkout.

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Credit: Casetify

Casetify: Buy One, Get 15% off

Use the exclusive promo code IMPACT2026 at checkout.

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Buying any new device is a pricey endeavor, which is why it's so important to find a sturdy case to protect your investment.

Casetify makes it easy to find something, and the retailer really shines for its abundance of fun designs. It's an excellent way to personalize your favorite devices, and right now you can even take advantage of a special BOGO offer from Casetify if you need multiple cases.

As of Sept. 15, shoppers can buy one, get 15% off with code IMPACT2026 at checkout. Casetify offers a wide range of cases for your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, MacBook, and more.

There are a few exclusions to keep in mind for this offer, including Co-lab, Sales, Ripple case, Cloud case, and the iPhone 18 collection.

If none of those exclusions apply to you, then you're in for a real treat with Casetify. They offer everything from floral patterns to animal patterns, fun cartoons, and fine art prints, so you can find the style that best suits your personal taste. You can use the filter menu to narrow cases by the type of device you're searching for, or by case type, depending on how sturdy you want the build to be.

An offer like this may not last long, so don't miss out on this great chance to buy one, get 15% off at Casetify with code IMPACT2026 at checkout.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Netflix's spirited cartoon Haunted Hotel is returning for a second season next month. And the new trailer teases that a question fans have been asking online might finally be answered.

With Season 1, Haunted Hotel introduced audiences to the Freeling family, made up of young Esther (Natalie Palamides), her 13-year-old brother Ben (Skyler Gisondo), their mom Katherine (Eliza Coupe), her brother's ghost Nathan (Will Forte), and Abaddon (Jimmi Simpson), a mischievous demon trapped in an 18th-century boy.

Together, they live in the Undervale, a haunted hotel stuffed with spirits and creepy creatures. On top of all this, show creator Matt Roller and his team have been working in allusions to horror classics like The Shining, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Babadook.

But there's one ghost lurking around the Undervale that viewers haven't been able to figure out. Fans have dubbed her the "attic ghost." She has dark hair cut into a bob and wears a red jacket with a T-shirt emblazoned with a yellow "Z" underneath—and a knife protruding from its back. She's had no lines, but appears in the attic in the episode titled "How to Train Your Demon" and is spotted among the auditioning ghosts in "Ghost Hunters!"

A scene from Netflix's "Haunted Hotel" episode "How to Train Your Demon." Credit: Netflix / screenshot

Where several of the ghosts in Haunted Hotel feel like references to the likes of Freddy Krueger or Charles Manson, the attic ghost is harder to pin down. Her look is so specific that it feels like she could be an allusion, but to what?

Well, in the Season 2 trailer, Katherine announces the family business has turned around, doing so well that they'll need to hire some help. Enter a mysterious new figure who looks a lot like the Attic Ghost.

Netflix's Haunted Hotel Season 2 trailer

Left: Credit: Netflix / Screenshot

Right: Scene from Netflix's "Haunted Hotel" episode "How to Train Your Demon." Credit: Netflix / screenshot

Could this mean fans weren't wrong to wonder about this curious ghost girl? Will her identity finally be revealed? Will the new Undervale employee be her sister? Mom? Daughter? There's only one way to find out.

Haunted Hotel Season 2 comes to Netflix with 8 new episodes on Oct. 9.

By now, you've likely heard about the push to stop new data centers from being built in the United States. Data centers aren't very popular right now, and a New York Times/Sienna survey just found that 61 percent of Americans oppose new construction. It certainly doesn't help that AI companies are overtly talking about doomsday-like scenarios and widespread AI-driven job loss. On top of that, many people have seen videos on social media showing the noise pollution and other environmental effects that can come with AI data centers.

Despite the discourse surrounding AI data centers, you might be surprised to hear that as of Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, there are no bans on data centers in any of the 50 states.

While some local municipalities and governments have successfully introduced pauses on new data centers, New York is the first and only state to enact a one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers statewide. So, if you're wondering how many U.S. states have data center bans, it's either a list of zero or one, depending on whether you count New York's moratorium.

However, state legislation to ban or temporarily pause the construction of data centers has been introduced in 16 states so far, from Democratic strongholds like Delaware and Maine to deep-red states like South Dakota and South Carolina.

Delaware

SB 353 would enact a moratorium on permits for large-scale data centers in Delaware until January 2027. The bill was introduced in June and is currently awaiting consideration in committee.

Georgia

HB 1059 would forbid local governments in Georgia from permitting data centers until December 2028. The bill was introduced earlier this year.

Maine

LD 307 was introduced this year, and it would have put a moratorium on large-scale data centers until November 2027.

Despite bipartisan support in both chambers of the Maine legislature, Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed the bill because it did not provide an exemption for a specific project.

Maryland

HB 120 sought to enact a moratorium on data center permitting and construction. The bill failed in committee earlier this year.

Michigan

HB 5594 / HB 5595 were introduced in Michigan in February. The legislation would stop local governments and public service commissions from issuing permits and approvals for new data centers until April 2027.

Minnesota

HB 4888 / SB 4298 sought to ban new data center permits until at least July 2027 or until the Public Utility Commission submits a comprehensive report on data center development in Minnesota. The bills failed to pass during session, however.

New Hampshire

HB 1265 would've enacted a one-year moratorium on all data center construction in New Hampshire. The bill failed.

New Jersey

AB 5482 was introduced earlier this year in New Jersey. It would put a 6-month moratorium on all data center approval, construction, or tax incentives.

New York

AB 10141 / SB 9144 were passed in June. The legislation enacted a one-year permit freeze and imposed strict energy efficiency standards on data centers with peak demands of 1 megawatt (MW) or more.

Furthermore, in July, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order that paused new hyperscale data center developments for one year in the state. It's the first and only moratorium of its kind in the United States.

However, the Trump administration has warned that "anti-innovation states" like New York lack the legal authority to enact some types of AI regulations.

Oklahoma

SB 1488 sought to enact a moratorium on data center construction in Oklahoma until November 2029. The bill failed.

Pennsylvania

SB 1359 / HB 2533 were introduced in Pennsylvania, seeking a 3-year moratorium on new data centers along with impact studies. The bill would also provide municipalities with the ability to prohibit data centers.

South Carolina

H 5526 was introduced in South Carolina and would forbid any local approval of data centers until the state legislature adopts a “comprehensive oversight and approval process” in the state.

South Dakota

SB 232 sought a moratorium through June 2027 on data center construction or expansion in South Dakota. The bill failed.

Vermont

S 205 was introduced in Vermont and seeks a moratorium on data centers until 2030. The bill also requires an impact study on data centers.

Virginia

HB 1515 in Virginia looks to put a moratorium on final approval of new data centers, permits, or rezoning from local governments until grid interconnection requests are fulfilled or until July 2028.

The House Rules subcommittee voted to carry over the legislation into the 2027 legislative session.

Wisconsin

SB 1061 / AB 1099 in Wisconsin sought to prohibit data centers in the state until 14 conditions were met. These conditions included "the establishment of a statewide data center planning authority" and "a prohibition on shifting data center energy and water costs to residential customers." The bill failed to pass.

SAVE $250: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is on sale at Amazon for $1,849.99, down from the normal price of $2,099.99. That's a 12% discount.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8

$1,849.99 at Amazon
$2,099.99 Save $250.00

 

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Folding phones are back, big time. With the Apple Duo, Huawei Pura X Max Wide, and the Xiaomi 18 Fold, we have some awesome advancements coming to the market. But if you're on team Samsung, you know all about the Galaxy Z Fold8, including the steep price. Amazon, however, is offering some respite.

As of Sept. 16, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is on sale at Amazon for $1,849.99, down from the normal price of $2,099.99. That's a 12% discount.

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and wrote, "This passport-style foldable has a huge inner display that lets you do so much more with your phone." In addition to the awesome design and display, the Snapdragon chip is capable of heavy multitasking and gaming. The wide screen is undeniably a great choice for those who edit photos on their phone, stream shows, or use it as an e-reader.

Even though the inner AMOLED display measures a hefty 7.6 inches, the phone only weighs 201 grams with thickness measuring just 4.5mm. That's small enough to still fit in your pocket.

The Amazon sale applies to the Z Fold8 with 12GB memory and 521GB storage and you can choose between the graphite, lavender, or cream colorways.

While it's at a nice $250 discount, make the upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8. Now that we're entering the fall chill, it'll be nice to have a large screen for watching shows, movies, and gaming while staying warm inside.

As anti-surveillance activists around the country have taken to physically tearing down Flock cameras and automatic license-plate readers, one hacking group decided destruction wasn't enough.

According to reporting by 404 Media and WIRED, a hacker collective calling itself stegan0gram removed a Flock camera above a roadway, copied nearly all the data stored inside it, and turned the files over to journalists for analysis in a joint investigation between the two outlets.

The breach cracked open a system Flock has long described as secured by on-device encryption.

404 Media and WIRED reported that the hackers found two unencrypted partitions on the camera's internal storage — one holding vendor files, the other holding media — and that the media partition contained an encryption key that unlocked most of the footage the device had recorded. The material was also shared with the transparency nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets, which passed it to WIRED for the joint review.

What's inside a Flock camera?

Once inside, the outlets found that the camera runs on a processor comparable to a midrange smartphone and operates around 20 Flock-built applications handling everything from motion detection to image classification and remote updates, according to the joint analysis.

Contrary to some assumptions about the system, the software on the camera itself doesn't read license plates or identify a vehicle's make, model, or color — that processing happens later, on Flock's own servers, after the device transmits its photos, WIRED and 404 reported. The outlets also reported that the camera's recovered logs covered roughly three weeks of activity, which showed the camera photographing over 50,000 vehicles and producing 1.6 million images.

Perhaps most notably, the analysis confirmed the camera's software explicitly detects people, not just cars and plates — logging where a person appears in frame along with a confidence score, a capability 404 Media described as largely absent from public discussion of the devices.

A Flock spokesperson told 404 Media that removing and tampering with its cameras is illegal, and said the company had received no vulnerability report through its official disclosure process, leaving it unable to fully evaluate the hackers' claims. Flock maintains its cameras don't perform facial recognition, and the outlets said they found no evidence of active facial-recognition capability beyond features built into the Android operating system by default, which did not appear to be enabled.

The individual camera is only part of the picture. As reported by WIRED, Flock's system routes captured data to a searchable national database, allowing records from a single city's cameras to be accessed by thousands of outside agencies — police departments, universities, and airports, among them.

404 Media has previously reported that this network was used by local police to run searches on behalf of ICE and, in one case, to help track down a woman who had self-administered an abortion, controversies that have fueled the broader backlash against the cameras.

TL;DR: Watch Barcelona vs. Racing Club in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Barcelona have made a perfect start to the new La Liga season, leading rivals Real Madrid by three points after five rounds of fixtures. Now the defending champions face Racing Club at home. Fans will be expecting a confident win against a side that has won two from their opening five games.

If you're interested in watching Barcelona vs. Racing Club in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Barcelona vs. Racing Club?

Barcelona vs. Racing Club in La Liga kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 16. This fixture takes place at the Camp Nou.

How to watch Barcelona vs. Racing Club for free

Barcelona vs. Racing Club in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Barcelona vs. Racing Club for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Racing Club for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Barcelona vs. Racing Club for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Barcelona vs. Racing Club without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for La Liga?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Racing Club for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $100: As of Sep. 16, get the iRobot Roomba Max 715 robot vacuum for $599.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $699.99. That's a discount of 14%.

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iRobot Roomba Max 715 robot vacuum

$599.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $100

 

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Tired of spending time vacuuming your floors to get rid of dirt, debris, and pet hair? You don't have to when robot vacuums exist. It's time to outsource that job so you can go handle other, more important things that you actually want to do.

As of Sep. 16, get the iRobot Roomba Max 715 robot vacuum for $599.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $699.99. That's $100 and a discount of 14%.

This model boasts 30,000Pa of suction with an anti-tangle brush, odor-control Allergenlock bags, and 90 days of hands-free operation so you don't have to handle or get near dirt or pet dander.

It uses dual rubber brushes to get close to the ground, so whether you're cleaning carpet or hard flooring, it can tackle all the jobs you need it to, especially focusing on high-traffic areas.

When its reservoir is full, it can use its AutoEmpty dock to automatically trap and store dust, neutralize odors, and keep everything fresh, sealed away in a bag that only needs to be changed four times a year.

With intelligent navigation, customizable cleaning schedules, and a wide range of features at its disposal, it can tidy up your home in a flash while you can head off to handle other things. If you're ready to stop focusing on tidying up your home on a regular basis, this robot vacuum is a great pick, especially now that it's on sale.

Dreame's early Prime Day deals list:

---

Best deal overall

Dreame Aero Pro Steam

$439.99 (save $160)

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---

Best carpet cleaner deal

Dreame N20 Steam

$159.99 (save $40)

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My all-time fave home tech company, Dreame, is offering up to 43% off its products for Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days. If you aren't familiar with the brand, it makes everything from smart wet/dry vacuums and steam mops to high-tech beauty products. (I actually own three of its floor cleaners, so I can personally vouch for how good they are.)

Instead of making you wait until the official Prime event on Oct. 6 and 7, Dreame is rolling out a handful of "Early Bird" discounts right now. A few of these discounts even have active promo codes that'll get you an additional percentage off.

To help you decide whether you should shop now or hold out for Prime Day, here's the full breakdown of what's on sale, when the deals go live, and how much you'll save:

Top pick: Dream Aero Pro Steam

Aero Pro Steam

$509.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $90

Get an extra $70 off the Aero Pro Steam with the code VIRGOSEASON.

Get Deal at Amazon

Why we like it

Now through Sept. 30, you can get an extra $70 off the Aero Pro Steam with the code VIRGOSEASON. (I tried the code out, and it worked!) This is the best price you'll get on this model, even after Prime Day starts. According to Dreame's PR team, the price will drop to $499.99 between Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, and then again to $459.99 from Oct. 6 to 7.

This is one of the products in my "Dreame Team," and I can honestly say that I'm impressed with it. It's easy to clean, has multiple settings depending on what you're cleaning up (I have two beagles, so I really appreciated the versatility), and comes with its own charging base, so you can just set it and forget it.

More Dreame deals

Dreame N20 Steam

• Early Bird (Sept. 25 – Oct. 5): On sale for $159.99 ($40 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $139.99 ($60 off)

Note: I own this model, too! If you want an affordable carpet cleaner that doubles as a steamer, I definitely recommend it.

Dreame H12 Pro

• Early Bird (Sept. 28 – Oct. 5): On sale for $199.96 ($110.03 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $189.96 ($123.03 off)

Dreame Aero

• Early Bird (Oct. 1 – Oct. 5): On sale for $199.99 ($100.01 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $189.98 ($110.01 off)

Dreame H14

• Early Bird (Sept. 28 – Oct. 5): On sale for $276.65 ($73.24 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $263.09 ($86.80 off)

Dreame H12 Pro Gen2

• Early Bird (Sept. 28 – Oct. 5): On sale for $289.99 ($40 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $275.49 ($54.50 off)

Dreame H14 Pro

• Early Bird (Sept. 24 – Oct. 5): On sale for $369.99 ($80 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $349.99 ($100 off)

Dreame Aero Pro

• Early Bird (Sept. 28 – Oct. 5): On sale for $379.96 ($70.03 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $359.98 ($90.01 off)

Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex

• Early Bird (Sept. 21 – Oct. 7): On sale for $429.99 ($120 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $429.99 ($120 off)

Dreame H15 Pro Heat

• Early Bird (Sept. 25 – Oct. 5): On sale for $549.99 ($100 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $499.99 ($150 off)

Dreame Aero Ultra Steam

• Now through Sept. 30: Save an extra 8% with code VIRGOVACUUM

• Early Bird (Sept. 28 – Oct. 5): On sale for $679.99 ($120 off)

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 6 – Oct. 7): On sale for $649.99 ($150 off)

On paper, there is very little about "Idol" that sounds engineered for the internet.

YOASOBI's 2023 hit, written as the opening theme for the anime Oshi no Ko, is musically restless. Over the course of less than four minutes, it ricochets between glitchy pop, rap, choral flourishes, and something much darker, while vocalist ikura switches between voices with almost theatrical agility. It doesn't exactly sound like a song constructed around the neat, repeatable 15-second snippet that has come to define the TikTok era.

And yet the internet couldn't get enough of it.

"Idol" quickly escaped the orbit of Oshi no Ko. With over 689 million views on YouTube and 588 million streams on Spotify, it became a dance, a cover, an edit, a challenge — the kind of song you could encounter online without ever knowing the anime that inspired it. For YOASOBI, a duo whose music has always been inseparable from the internet, it was perhaps the ultimate example of what can happen to a song once they let it go.

But don't mistake that virality for a formula. Ayase, YOASOBI's producer and songwriter, has little interest in writing for the algorithm.

"I don't want to get in a situation where I'm thinking about that with intention," Ayase told Mashable through an interpreter, referring to the pressure to build songs around moments that can be easily clipped or shared online.

In Japan, he said, it's become increasingly important for a song's success that it can circulate on TikTok, inspire a dance, or become a meme. He understands the commercial logic. He just doesn't personally subscribe to it. For Ayase, making music requires balancing art with commercial viability. His preferred ratio is roughly 60 percent art to 40 percent commerce. Writing specifically in pursuit of a meme or viral moment, he said, feels more like 30/70. "That's not something that I want to do for the songs that we make," he explained.

It's a fascinating position for someone at the center of one of the most internet-native acts in contemporary Japanese pop. YOASOBI's very existence is intertwined with the web. Before the duo formed, Ayase built an audience uploading Vocaloid songs online, while singer-songwriter ikura posted covers. YOASOBI's foundational concept of turning novels into songs similarly grew out of an online ecosystem, with source material coming from stories submitted to and published through online platforms.

That concept has since expanded far beyond its origins. Their latest collaboration, "Orion," takes its source material from Overwatch, the massively popular online game. Ayase wrote the song from "The Fall of a Sparrow," a short story about Overwatch characters Kiriko, Genji, and Hanzo; the collaboration then sent it back into the game's digital universe through an animated music video and in-game content. An English version followed, and this month, Japanese producer PSYQUI gave the song yet another life with a new remix.

"Orion" traces a particularly neat digital loop: YOASOBI turned an Overwatch story into a song, expanded it with an animated music video, and watched it return to the game as music players could actually interact with it.

That kind of movement between stories, songs, platforms, and audiences feels almost intrinsic to YOASOBI now. But when the duo debuted in 2019, their relationship to the internet was distinctive enough that they were frequently described in Japan as an internet-born act.

"At the time, I thought that was true," Ayase said. Now, he sees YOASOBI as less of an internet anomaly and more of a product of a broader cultural shift. Using the internet to express yourself through music, release songs, or even find collaborators has become so commonplace, he explained, that "it's almost more unusual not to use it."

The internet-native qualities that once made YOASOBI stand out are now simply part of how music gets made. In that sense, the duo didn't simply adapt to the internet. They emerged alongside a music industry being fundamentally reorganized by it.

Ironically, neither Ayase nor ikura describes a particularly online childhood.

ikura started making music around 15, but much of her time was spent in decidedly offline pursuits, like playing trumpet in her school orchestra, studying classical ballet, and performing in musicals. Ayase similarly began pursuing music around 15 or 16. Before that, growing up in the countryside, he remembers playing baseball, soccer, and basketball outside with friends.

Their lives look considerably more online now. Ayase described his daily existence as essentially two activities: making music on his computer and endlessly watching YouTube. Outside of eating, sleeping, and the other requirements of being a human being, he joked, a MacBook is more or less all he needs.

ikura is a YouTube obsessive, too, particularly when it comes to watching people play video games. She'll put on gaming streams during her downtime and while traveling.

But YOASOBI's relationship with the internet isn't simply about how much time its members spend online. It's about what happens there after they press upload. They learned that with their very first single.

YOASOBI isn't chasing the algorithm. Credit: Courtesy of YOASOBI

When "Yoru ni Kakeru," or "Into the Night," arrived in 2019, there was no precedent for what would happen next. Ayase hoped the song would reach people, of course, but there was no way of knowing how far it could travel. Then it kept traveling. As the song spread online and climbed the charts in Japan, Ayase remembers experiencing a mix of excitement, relief, disbelief, and emotions he didn't quite know how to process. It was the first time Ayase and ikura had watched one of their songs become that big.

More hits followed. And eventually, Ayase stopped watching. These days, he tries not to pay much attention to the numerical life of a YOASOBI song — where it ranks each week, how many times it's being played, or whether its performance meets some quantifiable expectation. It's better for his mental health that way, he said. The internet may have given YOASOBI a career, but Ayase has had to learn not to constantly watch what it's doing with it.

That became particularly complicated with "Idol." Unlike "Into the Night," Ayase wasn't waiting to find out whether "Idol" could become a hit. He believed it had to. He described approaching the song determined to "hit a home run." In his mind, he said, he hit a grand slam.

That confidence was accompanied by enormous anxiety. For roughly a year before "Idol," YOASOBI had continued releasing successful music, but Ayase felt the songs weren't reaching the level he expected of himself. Because YOASOBI frequently works in conjunction with other projects and cultural moments, he worried about how quickly public attention could disappear if they stopped producing songs that felt like events.

"If we don't succeed with this one, we might not actually have a chance," he remembered thinking.

He was so confident in "Idol" — and so afraid of being wrong — that before its release, he dreamed about the song coming out and failing. So when "Idol" became the hit he'd hoped for, the happiness came with an enormous sense of relief.

There is an important distinction, though, between Ayase wanting "Idol" to reach as many people as possible and building it according to a viral blueprint. He admits he had imagined Japanese idols potentially dancing to a song literally called "Idol." And like any songwriter releasing music into today's pop landscape, he can imagine certain parts of a song catching on. What he resists is letting that possibility dictate the music itself.

Once a song leaves his computer, however, his feelings about control change considerably. That's where ikura comes in.

YOASOBI regularly encounters what fans do with their music after release, from covers and instrumental performances to dances and other reinterpretations. In Japan, there's a long tradition of this kind of participatory music culture online, where users don't just listen to a song but sing it, play it, dance to it, remix it, and upload their own version for the next person to discover. ikura watches those fan creations, and the group shares favorites among its team.

For her, those reinterpretations aren't simply promotional fuel helping a song reach another potential listener. They're part of what the song becomes. YOASOBI's creative process already begins with an act of reinterpretation. Someone writes a story. Ayase and ikura take that story and transform it into music. Then listeners hear their version and filter it through their own experiences, sometimes creating something new and putting it back onto the internet.

There is only so much YOASOBI can do themselves, ikura said. Ultimately, their control ends at the moment they release the music. After that, she wants listeners to "layer on their own story."

It's a fitting philosophy for a group whose rise has coincided with the collapsing borders around Japanese pop culture. A song no longer needs to stay attached to the context in which it was created. It can reach someone through an anime, a YouTube recommendation, a gaming stream, a dance, a cover, or a TikTok edit. It can travel thousands of miles before the person listening to it knows anything about the people who made it. YOASOBI can make the song. They just can't dictate its digital life.

Once they release it into the world, their part is largely over. What happens next belongs to everyone else.

SAVE $112: As of Sept. 16, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is on sale at Amazon for only $587 instead of its usual $699. That's a savings of 16% or $112.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Osmo Pocket 4

$587 at Amazon
$699 Save $112

 

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There's no denying DJI's dominance in the handheld vlogging camera department. We tested the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 for ourselves and gave it a near-perfect rating. We get why content creators love it. Our only qualm? It's extremely expensive. Fortunately, we just spotted a rare discount on the beloved device at Amazon.

As of Sept. 16, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is on sale for $587 at Amazon instead of its usual $699. That's a savings of 16% or $112 — the best price on record, according to our favorite price-tracking tool.

Mashable's tech editor called the Osmo Pocket 3 camera "close to perfect," and the Pocket 4 is even better. "With more physical controls, improved tracking, a smoother gimbal, and better low-light performance, the Pocket 4 is even easier to use than its already popular predecessor," our reviewer writes.

This compact camera is capable of filming at a maximum resolution of 16:9 4K at 60fps and can record 4K slow-mo footage at 240fps. It can run for four hours at its lowest resolution and has 107GB of built-in storage (great news to anyone concerned with RAMageddon). Like its predecessor, it also has impressive stabilization and can capture scenic moments day and night. Plus, it's small enough to slip in your pocket (hence the name).

For the $587 sale price, you'll get the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 gimbal camera itself, plus a gimbal clamp, handle with 1/4-inch thread, a portable carrying pouch, a wrist strap, and charging accessories — everything you'll need for everyday content creation.

SAVE $45: The Mint Mobile three-month unlimited talk, text, and data plan is on sale at Amazon for $45, down from the list price of $90. That's a 50% discount.

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Credit: Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile three-month unlimited talk, text, and data plan

$45 at Amazon
$90 Save $45

 

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The bills never end these days. Instead of worrying about a tall phone bill, snag this shockingly good deal on offer at Amazon with Mint Mobile.

As of Sept. 16, a three-month Mint Mobile unlimited talk, text, and data plan is on sale for $45 at Amazon, down from the standard price of $90. That's a massive 50% discount.

Mint Mobile doesn't mess around with its offerings. For three months, you get access to unlimited talk, text, and data on the nation's largest 5G network. The one small limitation is that speeds may slow after 50GB if the network is busy and video streams at 480P.

The Mint Mobile plan also includes free mobile hotspot (say goodbye to sketchy airport WiFi) and free international calls to your friends in Mexico and Canada.

To be eligible for the plan, you'll need to supply your own unlocked phone and install the SIM. Rest assured the kit comes with a standard, micro, and nano SIM for every possible option. After that, you'll be able to activate the service. Keep in mind this deal only applies to new activations.

Since getting three months of phone service for just $45 is a wild deal in 2026, we suggest hopping on this one soon. That works out to just $15 per month for an unlimited phone plan that many carriers charge much, much more for.

The first few weeks of a new semester as a STEM student can be chaotic. You're acclimating to the specific "work-play balance" of college life, spending afternoons studying for a neural networks class or vibe coding a new app for a hackathon. Meanwhile, your gaming squad is already asking when you're hopping on in the Discord chat. In the evenings, you might juggle experimenting with a local AI model for Machine Learning 101 with a few rounds in the ranked queue before bed.

You need a laptop that doesn't force you to choose between those worlds — something that's versatile enough to support both a technical course load and gaming after hours. MSI's latest notebook lineup is built for that balancing act, pairing heavy-duty processing power with high-performance graphics across a range of designs to suit different student lifestyles and budgets.

Why next-gen graphics cards matter for both STEM studies and gaming

Thanks to the graphics card MSI puts inside each of their gaming notebooks and MSI’s AI Engine, a single laptop can now power both LLM experimentation in class and a graphically demanding open-world title at max settings — all without relying entirely on the cloud.

Such capabilities are in part thanks to fifth-generation tensor cores, found in the GeForce RTX 50 series, built on Nvidia’s Blackwell architecture. This specialized AI hardware handles DLSS 4.5 and neural rendering in games by generating frames with AI, rather than rendering every pixel from scratch. MSI’s AI Engine automatically detects when a game launches and shifts the system into its Intelligent Gaming profile without you needing to navigate a settings menu.

That on-device efficiency means real independence from spotty dorm WiFi and semester-long cloud computing credits that always seem to run out right before finals. MSI’s gaming laptops are also NVIDIA NIM-ready, meaning they’re set up to run Nvidia’s packaged AI models for language, speech, and vision directly on the machine.

What is the benefit of an AI gaming laptop for students?

The same AI hardware that boosts gaming performance also accelerates local AI development and machine learning workflows, making a gaming laptop a strong fit for any STEM student. An AI gaming laptop uses its dedicated graphics processor to accelerate local large language models and machine learning workflows, while also producing the high frame rates and AI-powered graphics enhancements that make modern games and creative applications run more smoothly.

Key Takeaways:

• The Stealth 16 AI+ is the best pick for portability, with an all-aluminum chassis that's 16.65mm at its thinnest and a 90Whr day-to-night battery.

• The Raider 16 Max HX sits at the top of the lineup in terms of raw performance, with up to 300W of combined CPU and GPU power and a triple-fan cooling system.

• The Crosshair 16 Max HX and Crosshair 16 HX offer a middle ground between portability and flagship performance, with mecha-inspired styling and up to 200W of total power.

• The Cyborg 15 Max and Cyborg 15 round out the lineup for accessible everyday gaming.

Here's a quick chart to help you figure out which device belongs in your backpack this fall.

MSI Stealth 16 AI+: premium portability, from lectures to late-night play

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Credit: MSI

MSI Stealth 16 AI+

$3,599.97 at Best Buy
$3,999.99 Save $400.02

 

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If your laptop is constantly moving with you, from morning lectures back to your dorm, then to the library to work on that latest group project, the Stealth 16 AI+ is designed to keep up with the commute. Its all-aluminum chassis measures just 16.65mm at its thinnest point, making it easy to slip into a backpack. The understated design feels just as appropriate on your desk at a lecture hall or internship interview as it does in your dorm-room gaming nook.

Inside, Intel’s Panther Lake-based Core Ultra 9 386H processor and GeForce RTX 50 series graphics ensure peak performance. Extensive Cooler Boost Intra Flow thermal engineering helps the system sustain longer work or gaming sessions. At the same time, Power Delivery fast charging and 90Whr battery capacity make it easy to top off between classes and power your entire day. As projects (and game libraries) grow, dual RAM and dual SSD slots make expanding storage and memory a straightforward upgrade.

The 16-inch 2.5K QHD+ OLED display is equally versatile, with a 240Hz refresh rate that keeps gameplay fluid and a VESA HDR True Black 600 certification that makes creative work and late-night streaming look vibrant.

Best fit: Students who value mobility, display quality, and a professional design without giving up dedicated graphics.

MSI Raider 16 Max HX: the peak performance tier for creators and power users

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Credit: MSI

MSI Raider 16 Max HX

$2,199.99 at Micro Center
$2,999.99 Save $800

 

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Some students quickly outgrow what a typical laptop can handle. If your coursework includes CAD, engineering simulations, 3D rendering, video production, or training increasingly complex AI models, the Raider 16 Max HX is built to function more like a desktop workstation you can carry to class.

At its core is an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor paired with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series graphics card. At the same time, MSI's exclusive OverBoost Technology pushes combined CPU and GPU power up to 300W when demanding applications need every bit of available performance.

To keep that power running smoothly, Cooler Boost Trinity with Intra Flow uses a triple-fan cooling system designed to accelerate heat dissipation and direct cool air where it is needed most — even during extended simulation, rendering, or AI model-training sessions. A quick-access panel and modular dual-SSD, dual-RAM design also make the Raider easier to upgrade over time.

Credit: MSI

To find the setup that fits your workload, browse the Micro Center Raider 16 Max catalog.

Best fit: Power users, AI developers, engineers, and creators seeking desktop-class output in a transportable system.

MSI Crosshair 16 line: tactical engineering with visual clarity and bold style

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Credit: MSI

MSI Crosshair 16 HX

$1,449 at Walmart

 

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Credit: MSI

MSI Crosshair A16 HX

$2,699 at Amazon

 

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Credit: MSI

MSI Crosshair 16 Max HX

 

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For students who want their laptop to make a statement, the Crosshair 16 lineup pairs futuristic, mechanical-inspired design with peak performance specs. The distinctive design features a Dragon Shield emblem, and tactical detailing draws on the aesthetics of cockpit controls and targeting displays.

The Crosshair 16 Max HX pairs an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor with GeForce RTX 50 series graphics and up to 200W of system power, while the Crosshair 16 / A16 HX delivers the same performance ceiling with an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor or an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX. Both models offer high-refresh QHD+ panels, with the Crosshair 16 HX running a fast 240Hz refresh rate that keeps competitive gameplay responsive while making everyday scrolling and creative work feel smooth.

Rounding out the experience, Nahimic Virtual Headset technology uses crosstalk cancellation to create more lifelike spatial audio, so competitive games and movies feel more immersive.

Best fit: Students who want a balance of performance, display quality, good value, and expressive gaming design.

MSI Cyborg 15 line: everyday mobility in a streamlined design

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Credit: MSI

MSI Cyborg 15

$899 at Walmart
$1,299 Save $400

 

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Credit: MSI

MSI Cyborg 15 Max

$1,199.99 at Micro Center
$1,599.99 Save $400

 

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Not every student needs workstation-level hardware. For those looking for an approachable balance of performance, portability, and value, the Cyborg 15 Max and Cyborg 15 deliver the essentials in a lightweight, cyberpunk-inspired design that you’ll want to show off around campus.

The Cyborg 15 Max pairs an Intel Core 7 240H processor with up to an RTX 5070 Laptop GPU, delivering ample performance for coursework, creative projects, and modern games. A fast 144Hz display keeps visuals smooth, while Power Delivery 3.0 support lets you recharge with a compact USB-C adapter between classes instead of carrying a bulky power brick.

Combined with WiFi 6E and efficient battery management, it's a practical choice for students who need one laptop that can comfortably handle both schoolwork and downtime.

Best fit: Students seeking approachable pricing, everyday mobility, and dedicated graphics for school and recreation.

Find your fit 

Whichever tier fits your budget, the hardware across all these notebooks works double duty. The silicon accelerating your coursework is the same silicon accelerating your games, and with room to expand memory and storage down the line, it will still keep up for a few semesters.

Elevate your academic workloads and gaming sessions this upcoming semester by upgrading to a highly portable, AI-ready laptop engineered for future-proof performance.

FAQ

Can a gaming laptop be used for local machine learning and AI development?

Yes. Modern dedicated graphics cards include tensor cores designed for the kind of matrix math that machine learning depends on. That hardware acceleration lets students and developers run local LLMs and train datasets on the machine itself, without relying entirely on cloud computing resources.

What is the advantage of an OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate?

An OLED panel provides strong color accuracy and deep contrast, and typically meets standards like VESA HDR True Black. Paired with a 240Hz refresh rate, it produces very smooth motion, which reduces blur in fast-paced games and makes for a responsive desktop when you're editing or scrubbing timelines.

How does Power Delivery (PD) fast charging assist with remote work?

Power Delivery over a Type-C port lets the laptop accept high-wattage power from a compact adapter rather than a heavy proprietary brick. Packing for campus gets simpler, and you can top off the battery between classes or between coffee shops. 

While USB-C Power Delivery offers a streamlined way to top off your battery between lectures or during light productivity, hitting peak frames or tackling heavy GPU-bound tasks generally requires the specialized high-wattage adapter included with your notebook.

Why are upgradeable RAM and SSD slots important?

Upgradeable memory and storage allow a laptop to keep pace as applications, AI models, and game libraries become more demanding. Before upgrading, confirm the available slots, supported capacities, upgrade procedures, and warranty terms for the specific model.

Why is an upgrade-friendly chassis important for long-term use?

The Raider Series’ quick-access memory and storage design makes future upgrades easier, often eliminating the need for a visit to a repair shop. Users can expand memory and storage as their needs evolve, helping extend the laptop’s useful life and avoid premature replacement.

SAVE $80 WITH ON-PAGE COUPON: As of Sep. 16, get the Viture Pro 2 XR/AR glasses for $299 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $379 with the on-page coupon. That's a discount of 21%.

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Credit: Amazon

Viture Pro 2 XR/AR glasses

$299 at Amazon
$379 Save $80

Clip on-page coupon to save $80

Get Deal

Virtual reality is an interesting landscape to explore, but what about XR and AR? Find out what both can be like with a deal we've found that knocks down a pair of XR/AR glasses to a more affordable price and then check out your favorite videos, get some work done, or game with friends in a larger-than-life environment.

As of Sep. 16, get the Viture Pro 2 XR/AR glasses for $299 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $379 with the on-page coupon. That's $80 off and a discount of 21%.

These stylish specs can put a larger-than-life picture right in front of your face. You can use them for a high-fidelity, quality 146-inch XR screen for gaming, work, and much more. Throw on these glasses, connect to a source like your phone or laptop, and you get a massive screen to enjoy all your content on.

These glasses have twin dials with built-in 0 to -5.00D myopia adjustment for nearsighted wearers, certified low blue light lenses, flicker-free operation, and low visual fatigue. They're also lightweight and comfortable for long wear sessions, and tuned for bright, colorful viewing. They boast 1600 nits or peak brightness as well as a 50-degree FOV, so your display looks great no matter what you're doing.

If you're ready to jump into the XR/AR arena with a great pair of glasses, these are an excellent option to start with. Be sure to grab them while this on-page coupon is still available.

TL;DR: Watch Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Europa League is calling for Sunderland. After an incredibly impressive return to the Premier League last season, Sunderland now find themselves playing midweek games against Europe's elite. Their campaign starts with a match against AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light.

If you're interested in watching Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar?

Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 16. This fixture takes place at the Stadium of Light.

How to watch Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar for free

Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar for free from anywhere in the world

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 streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Europa League?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Sunderland vs. AZ Alkmaar for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Milan vs. Benfica in the Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Europa League is back, and the first round of fixtures includes some really interesting matchups. One of the standout games on the schedule is Milan vs. Benfica, two teams hoping to advance to the knockout rounds of this competition.

All eyes will be on frontman Gonçalo Ramos as he comes up against his old side.

If you're interested in watching Milan vs. Benfica in the Europa League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Milan vs. Benfica?

Milan vs. Benfica in the Europa League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 16. This fixture takes place at the San Siro.

How to watch Milan vs. Benfica for free

Milan vs. Benfica in the Europa League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Milan vs. Benfica for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Milan vs. Benfica for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Milan vs. Benfica for free from anywhere in the world

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 streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Milan vs. Benfica without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Europa League?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Milan vs. Benfica for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Today, Amazon announced that its annual Prime Big Deal Days event will run from Tuesday, Oct. 6, through Wednesday, Oct. 7. The 48-hour sale for Prime members, often referred to as "October Prime Day," serves as the retail giant's unofficial kickoff for the holiday shopping season.

Amazon moved up its flagship Prime Day sale from mid-July to late June this year, reportedly because of the timing of the FIFA World Cup and the U.S. 250th anniversary. But Prime Big Deal Days is happening during its usual fall time slot. Here's what you should know before you shop.

The best early Prime Big Deal Days offers we've spotted:

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Best freebie deal so far (tie)

Amazon Music Unlimited (4 months)

$0 (save $47.96 with Prime)

Get Deal

---

Best freebie deal so far (tie)

Kindle Unlimited (3 months)

$0 (save $35.97)

Get Deal

---

Best Fire tablet deal so far

Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB)

$76.99 (save $78)

Get Deal

---

Best Amazon kids deal so far

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (64GB)

$94.99 (save $85)

Get Deal

---

Best Fire TV Stick deal so far

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select

$19.99 (save $30)

Get Deal

---

Best (and only) Kindle deal so far

Amazon Kindle Scribe Premium Pen

$47.99 (save $32)

Get Deal

What is Prime Big Deal Days?

Prime Big Deal Days is a two-day, members-only sale that Amazon puts on every year in early October, a little over a month before Black Friday.

Amazon held its first fall Prime event in 2022, positioning it as "a chance to kick off the holiday shopping season early." That year, the event was called the Prime Early Access Sale. In 2023, Amazon renamed it to Prime Big Deal Days and expanded its scope to cover "everything Prime members need for Autumn," including early holiday offers and deals on seasonal household essentials like groceries.

The best early deals ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

Credit: Amazon

Prime Big Deal Days' deepest discounts typically go to Amazon devices like Kindle e-readers and Echo smart speakers. (It is an Amazon event, after all.) In the weeks leading up to the event, some of those devices are already on sale.

As of mid-September, the best early Prime Big Deal Days offers take up to 60% off select Fire tablets, Fire TV Sticks, and Kindle accessories:

• Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB) — $76.99 $154.99 (save $78)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 (64GB) — $84.99 $129.99 (save $45)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (64GB) — $94.99 $169.99 (save $85)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro (64GB) — $94.99 $169.99 (save $85)

• Amazon Fire TV Stick HD — $17.99 $39.99 (save $22)

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select — $19.99 $49.99 (save $30)

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — $49.99 $84.99 (save $35)

• Amazon Fire TV Cube — $109.99 $199.99 (save $90)

• Amazon Kindle Scribe Premium Pen — $47.99 $79.99 (save $32)

Additionally, shoppers can take advantage of free or dirt-cheap extended trials of Amazon services ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. A couple of the deals are open to everyone, not just Prime members.

Those who haven't tried Amazon Music Unlimited before can get four free months' worth of the streaming service with a Prime membership. (Nonmembers get three months free.) Prime also unlocks a $0.99 per month deal for four months of Audible Standard, an audiobook service.

Kindle Unlimited, Amazon's e-book subscription service, is now free for your first three months, no matter your Prime status.

From now through Oct. 5, the day before Prime Big Deal Days starts, Prime members can save $20 on Grubhub orders of $30 or more by entering the code DEALS20 at checkout. (Reminder: One of Amazon's Prime benefits is a free Grubhub+ membership worth about $120 per year.)

Finally, if you buy or lease a new car through Amazon Autos from now until Oct. 7 — yes, Amazon sells cars — you'll receive a free $1,500 gift card, so long as you're a Prime member.

What to expect once Prime Big Deal Days starts

Beyond the Amazon of it all, Prime Big Deal Days normally features deals on products from popular brands like Apple, Bissell, Bose, Dyson, Eufy, Keurig, KitchenAid, Lego, Ninja, Samsung, and Sony. That includes gadgets like headphones, earbuds, laptops, tablets, TVs, gaming gear, and robot vacuums.

We expect Prime Big Deal Days tech deals to be especially popular this year, given the ongoing RAM shortage that's forced extensive price hikes across the market. Just last month, Amazon itself raised the prices of over 20 of its devices due to "significant increases in memory and storage component costs," a company rep told Fortune.

In a blog post, Amazon said it will drop new deals three times per day while Prime Big Deal Days is live: at 3 a.m., 11 a.m., and 4 p.m. ET. These limited-time offers will be called "Today's Big Deals" and involve "some of the best savings of the season’s newest models and brands," it said, including Shark and Anker's Soundcore line.

Will any retailers be competing with Prime Big Deal Days?

Other major retailers typically run their own sales alongside Amazon's sitewide sales, including Prime Big Deal Days. This year is no different.

Target has confirmed that it will host a concurrent Circle Deal Days sale from Oct. 6 to 7. The event is open to members of its Target Circle loyalty program, which is free to join, though upgrading to the paid Target Circle 360 membership tier gets you early access on Oct. 5.

Meanwhile, Walmart is planning on running a Fall Deals event from Oct. 5 to 11.

Do you need to be a Prime member to shop Prime Big Deal Days?

Credit: Amazon

Like summer's main Prime Day sale, Prime Big Deal Days is only open to members of Amazon's Prime program. However, you're still eligible for the deals even if you're only on a trial Prime membership. Most people get 30 days free, but college students and those ages 18 to 24 get six whole months of Prime for free through the Prime for Young Adults program.

To sign up for Prime, visit amazon.com/amazonprime. Just remember to cancel your membership before the trial period expires to avoid having your account converted to a paid subscription. (Amazon currently charges $14.99 per month or $139 per year; Prime for Young Adult members receive a 50% discount.)

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Credit: Amazon

Amazon Prime (30-day trial)

$0
$14.99 Save $14.99

 

Learn More

"Big Oil fucks more people every day than I can do in a lifetime," said OnlyFans star Lily Phillips in a video called "Body Count." But this isn't one of her famous (or infamous) explicit clips — it's a climate change PSA by Headline Newds, a project about sharing science and news about climate change and the oil industry.

View this post on Instagram

Headline Newds is a web series created by Adam McKay (director of movies like The Big Short and Don't Look Up), performer and writer Bree Essrig, performer, writer, and director Megan Prescott, and comms strategist and filmmaker Jessica Riches. Headline Newds launched in April, and premiered its second season yesterday with Phillips' video, according to journalist Helen Meriel Thomas.

"Sex workers can change the world. That's our ethos. They are the messengers we need," Prescott told Thomas. Prescott spoke to Mashable earlier this year about how the HBO show Euphoria made headlines due to its portrayal of sex workers, while sex workers themselves are getting pushed off the internet. Both she and Essrig have been featured in earlier Headline Newds videos "The Sun is Daddy" and "Unsafe Words," respectively.

Prescott and Riches told Thomas that they're utilizing the parasocial relationships fans of these creators have in order to engage them with the message. And who better to help relay the urgency of climate change than sex workers? "We're so used to people using sex workers for clickbait and not seeing them as human beings," Prescott told Thomas. Especially ones like Phillips, who have made headlines for their videos. Phillips also spoke to Mashable earlier this year about misconceptions people have about her and her work.

Another recent addition to the Headline Newds lineup is porn performer Ivy Maddox, with the project's Instagram promising more "very special stars."

Sex workers have also recently supported fights for free speech and digital privacy. Stateside, performer Siri Dahl organized the "Corn Telethon" in 2024 and 2025, first to raise awareness about Project 2025, and then to advocate for free speech.

SAVE 11%: As of Sept. 16, you can get the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16, 128 GB, WiFi) for $399.99, down from $449. That's an 11% discount or $49.01 in savings.

11-inch Apple iPad (A16, 128 GB, WiFi)

$399.99 at Amazon
$449 Save $49.01

 

Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart

If you missed the back-to-school sales (happens to the best of us) and want a reasonably priced tablet, our favorite budget-friendly iPad just got even cheaper.

Right now, you can get the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16, 128 GB, WiFi) for $399.99, down from $449. It's not an earth-shattering discount, but saving $49 is still better than paying full price. That said, if you can hold out until October's Prime Day event, you might be able to snag it closer to $274 (the lowest price we've ever seen, last hit around December of last year).

Again, this is a budget iPad, so it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the higher-end models, but it'll still do everything you need it to — streaming, casual gaming, reading, or scrolling in bed. You can also use it as a makeshift laptop; you'll just have to buy the Magic Keyboard Folio (which, conveniently, is also on sale for $175 right now).

TL;DR: Watch Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The new La Liga season is starting to take shape. Barcelona are leading the way, but Atlético Madrid are not too far behind. They sit on 10 points after five rounds of fixtures. Next, they face Osasuna at the Metropolitano Stadium, a team that has shown plenty of promise in their opening games.

If you're interested in watching Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna?

Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna in La Liga kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 16. This fixture takes place at the Metropolitano Stadium.

How to watch Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna for free

Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna for free from anywhere in the world

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 streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for La Liga?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Manchester United vs. Brighton in the 2026 EFL Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The EFL Cup offers up another clash between Premier League teams, with Brighton traveling to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in the third round.

Brighton have had a good start to the season — they're currently sitting fifth in the league — and are hoping to carry that good fortune into this cup competition. Man Utd, on the other hand, has suffered a few tough losses already — including a controversial loss to local rivals Manchester City this past weekend. They'll be looking to bounce back and progress to the fourth round.

If you're interested in watching Manchester United vs. Brighton in the 2026 EFL Cup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Manchester United vs. Brighton?

Manchester United vs. Brighton in a 2026 EFL Cup kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 16. This fixture takes place at Old Trafford.

How to watch Manchester United vs. Brighton for free

Manchester United vs. Brighton in the 2026 EFL Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can livestream Manchester United vs. Brighton for free from anywhere in the world.

Livestream Manchester United vs. Brighton for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch Manchester United vs. Brighton for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Manchester United vs. Brighton without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, 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 secure

• Fast connection 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Manchester United vs. Brighton in the EFL Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Like clockwork, any time Amazon announces a Prime Day event, Walmart conveniently launches a counter sale. This October appears to be no different. Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, casually known as October Prime Day, is coming Oct. 6 and 7. So it's no coincidence that Walmart is throwing its own week-long sale starting Oct. 5.

Walmart's sale is simply named Fall Deals and unlike Prime Big Deal Days, you don't need to be a Walmart+ member to shop. However, most often with Walmart sales, members will get first dibs on deals. It costs $98 per year for a Walmart+ membership, but you can try it out for 30 days for just a buck.

There's not a whole lot of info yet on Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale, but here's a breakdown of what we do know. We'll update this story with more details as they become available.

When is Walmart's anti-Prime Day event?

As the countdown on the sale's landing page shows, the Fall Deals event will kick off at midnight ET on Oct. 5. While Amazon's event only lasts 48 hours, Walmart will keep the fun going for a full week, wrapping up on Oct. 11.

Walmart+ members will likely get early access to the Fall Deals event, though the specific time has yet to be announced. Stay tuned.

What will be on sale during Walmart's Fall Deals event?

While there's no formal announcement yet from Walmart, an initial landing page is teasing deals across several categories. Here's a glimpse at what's to come:

• Up to 30% off toys

• Up to 50% off home

• Up to 40% off "home upgrades"

• Up to 25% off tools

• Up to 30% off Halloween deals, from candy to decor

• Up to 40% off tech

• Up to 25% off wellness deals

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Credit: Walmart

Shop Walmart Fall Deals 2026

Take a peek at early savings up to 50% off

Shop Now

Owala’s limited-edition Pokémon collection:

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Owala FreeSip Water Bottle (Charizard Brings the Heat)

$29.99 at Target

Shop Now

---

Owala FreeSip Water Bottle (Pikachu I Choose You)

$29.99 at Target

Shop Now

---

Owala FreeSip Water Bottle (Eevee Evolutions)

$29.99 at Target

Shop Now

---

Owala FreeSip Water Bottle (Gengar In the Shadows)

$29.99 at Target

Shop Now

---

Owala FreeSip Water Bottle (Kanto Region First Partners)

$29.99 at Target

Shop Now

If you thought the madness around Stanley cups was intense, welcome to a world in which the Owala obsession collides with 30th Anniversary Pokémon nostalgia.

Owala drops at Target notoriously disappear in minutes, and adding Pokémon designs practically guarantees these will hit the secondary reseller market fast. Seriously, these water bottles are going to sell like crazy. You don't need data to know that. It's just staring you in the face.

Each bottle in this cool lineup features Owala's signature FreeSip lid with a push-button leak-proof cap and a carry loop that doubles as a lock. But you don't really care about that, do you? It's all about the fun Pokémon designs. We understand.

Which Pokémon bottle should you buy?

At $29.99 each, the entire lineup stays in the easy impulse-buy category for kids, gym-goers, students, or collectors trying to complete their 30th Anniversary merch shelf:

• Charizard Brings The Heat: Deep blue body framed with bold flame graphics.

• Gengar In The Shadows: A dark purple and turquoise colorway made for fans of ghost-type Pokémon.

• Pikachu I Choose You: Bright yellow lid paired with electric blue and lightning graphics.

• Eevee Evolutions: Pale cream base featuring Eevee, Vaporeon, and Sylveon with subtle pastel accents.

• Kanto First Partners: Dark green starry background featuring Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Poké Balls.

If your local Target is already cleaned out, keep an eye on online listings for restocks.

Early holiday shoppers will have multiple sales to hit up next month. Target has announced its plans to host a 48-hour Circle Deal Days sale on Oct. 6 to 7, the same days as competing savings events at Walmart and Amazon — including the latter's "October Prime Day."

Circle Deal Days will feature discounts on "thousands of items across apparel, home decor, kitchen gadgets, beauty, toys, tech, and more," according to a company press release. That includes:

• Up to 40% off select tech, including select Dyson vacuums, Heyday gadgets, and laptops from Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo

• Up to 40% off select toys from Barbie, Monster Jam, and Our Generation

• 40% off select clothing and shoes

• 40% off seasonal decor and lights

• 30% off select kitchen gadgets

• 30% off select furniture, bedding, and home decor

Circle Deal Days will run in stores, online, and in the Target app.

Some fine print: Circle Deal Days will only be open to members of the Target Circle loyalty program, but it's completely free to join. Members of the paid Target Circle 360 tier will get early access to the sale a day early on Oct. 5.

Shoppers who sign up for Target Circle anytime between Sept. 27 and Oct. 5 will score a 15% discount on their first purchase post-joining. Those who upgrade to an annual Target Circle 360 membership will earn $50 in Target Circle Rewards, effectively cutting their $99/year membership fee in half. (Target Circle Rewards are cash-back credits that can be put toward future purchases.)

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Credit: Target

Join Target Circle

Free!

Learn More

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Credit: Target

Join Target Circle 360

$99/year

Learn More

Amazon previously announced that its Prime Big Deal Days sale will return on Oct. 6 and 7. The event is commonly referred to as October Prime Day because it's exclusive to members of the retailer's Prime program, just like its flagship summer Prime Day sale. Early Prime Big Deal Days savings are already live.

Meanwhile, Walmart will host a Fall Deals event for a full week from Oct. 5 to 11. It's not a members-only affair, though Walmart+ subscribers may get early access to the deals. (The big-box retailer hasn't confirmed that yet, but it's been an aspect of its past sales.)

GET FREE AIRPODS 4: Sign on for T-Mobile 5G home intenrnet and get a free pair of Apple AirPods 4 or a free $200 prepaid card. Home internet plans start as low as $35 per month.

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Credit: T-Mobile

T-Mobile 5G home internet

get free AirPods 4 or a $200 prepaid card

Get Deal

No one likes bills, but everyone likes having internet at home. Since those two elements are in opposition of one another, it's a great day when you can find home internet that doesn't cost a fortune. Thankfully, T-Mobile's 5G home internet starts at just $35 per month, and signing up soon means you can cash in on some great freebies.

As of Sept. 16, sign on for T-Mobile 5G home internet and get either free Apple AirPods 4 or up to a $200 prepaid card. T-Mobile 5G home internet plans start as low as $35 per month. You can check your home's service availability here.

T-Mobile makes home internet easy, and we're not upset about scoring a free pair of AirPods 4. Once you sign up for the 5G home service, T-Mobile sends everything you need to set it up with two-day shipping. Plus, it doesn't require professional installation. Set-up is simple and takes just 15 minutes, and there's no monthly equipment fees or annual contracts.

The cheapest T-Mobile home internet plan is on a great discount of just $35 per month which offers fast speeds and unlimited data. Plus, you can lock in the $35 per month price for five years. The $45 per month plan introduces faster speeds with no speed caps on the same unlimited data. Lastly, the $55 per month plan adds in Hulu and Paramount+ for all your streaming desires.

Before this freebies offer expires, make the switch the T-Mobile 5G home internet and score a free pair of AirPods 4. Because getting something for nothing in 2026 is a major win.

Every trailer for Wildwood has been a feast for the eyes, and the final peek is no different.

The upcoming fantasy adventure comes to us courtesy of LAIKA, the stop-motion studio behind films like Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, and is based on the novel of the same name by the Decemberists' frontman Colin Meloy.

Wildwood whisks viewers away to the mystical land of Portland, Oregon, where an even more mystical land lurks just beyond its borders. That land is the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest that's home to talking animals, roving bandits, and the mysterious and powerful Alexandra (voiced by Carey Mulligan).

When a magical murder of crows whisks baby Mac off to the Impassable Wilderness, his teenage sister Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) vows to save him. Along with her classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), she plunges headfirst into a world of ancient magic.

LAIKA's stop-motion animators bring that magic to stunning life in the trailer, from epic battles to a chase sequence between crows and the General (Viola Davis), a massive golden eagle. Witness all that craftsmanship and more in the trailer above.

Wildwood's voice cast also includes Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Arthur Knight, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Tantoo Cardinal, Rob Delaney, Jemaine Clement, Marc Evan Jackson, Len Cariou, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and Mahershala Ali.

Wildwood hits theaters Oct. 23.

The absolute last time a company wants its namesake product to stop working is during a big annual event when everyone is talking about said company.

Salesforce learned that the hard way on Wednesday morning, per Quartz. The Salesforce software status page indicated that the company's enterprise software, used for things like tracking sales data and invoices, suffered an outage around 3:50 a.m. ET on Wednesday morning. The Salesforce Dreamforce event kicked off on Sept. 15.

Quarts reported that Salesforce's cloud suite became partially inaccessible to customers on Wednesday, as errors and other mishaps became more common than usual.

By about 7:00 a.m. ET, the problem had been mostly fixed, and the brief Salesforce outage appeared to be over. DownDetector showed user error reports for Salesforce spiking around 3:50 a.m. and steadily dropping as the work day began.

On its status page, Salesforce attributed the problems to an external vendor issue affecting Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge: "The vendor has released a fix for the intermittent freezing issue affecting Chrome 153 version. Customers using Chrome should update to the latest available version, which resolves the issue. Customers using Microsoft Edge 153 version may continue to experience intermittent freezing, as the fix for Edge browser is still pending."

This may not sound like a huge deal, except that the roughly three-hour outage occurred right in the middle of the company's annual tech conference in San Francisco. Considering that Dreamforce largely acts as a marketing tool for Salesforce itself, it's really inconvenient for the company's flagship product to stop working during the event.

Salesforce is fortunate that the outage occurred during overnight hours in the United States, at least, and that it got resolved before most of the country woke up. Our condolences to the engineers who had to work tough hours to get it fixed.

SAVE $200.02: As of Sep. 16, get the Bluetti Apex 300 Portable Power Station for $1,498.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,699. That's a discount of 12%.

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Credit: Amazon

Bluetti Apex 300 Portable Power Station

$1,498.98 at Amazon
$1,699 Save $200.02

 

Get Deal

Fall may be right around the corner, but that doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet in terms of potential power outages. There's still the possibility of storms, so make sure you're ready to take on anything with a portable power station. If you've yet to pick one up, now's the time to do so, especially with one particular model that's on sale right now.

As of Sep. 16, get the Bluetti Apex 300 Portable Power Station for $1,498.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,699. That's $200.02 off and a discount of 12%.

This compact power station boasts 2,764.8Wh of power capacity with a total output of 3,840W. That means you can charge up devices like your fridge, air conditioner, laptop, and much more. It has four AC outlets, two NEMA TT-30R and NEMA 14-50R outputs, and a toggle to change voltage from 120V to 240V. With all of these amenities, you could feasibly keep your food cold, have cool air, get work done, or even play games on a console with the power from this device.

It's 84 pounds, but generally smaller to maneuver when you need to find a place to set it up. That makes it a great idea for use as a backup station or for use in long-term locations like your camper or RV.

If you want a great portable power station that can ensure you're always ready in an emergency, this model is a fantastic choice. Be sure to snatch it up while it's on sale.

Since AI companions became mainstream news several years ago, so has the panic around them. AI psychosis has driven people to mental health crises and, in some extreme cases, violence. 

"There is a lot of media panic about how people are using AI companions," said Dr. Chloé Locatelli, a lecturer in digital media and culture at King's College London. But these chatbots are new, and so is the research around them. 

Locatelli's research digs into how people have emotional and erotic interactions through and with technology. Her earlier research focused on straight men's sex tech, but given AI developments, she wants to study how people interact with AI characters, beyond the heterosexual male demographic.

"There are important conversations to be had for sure," about how companion AI impacts people, "but the data isn't there," Locatelli told Mashable in a phone interview. 

She's trying to change that.

AI companion company Joi AI got in touch with Locatelli about a collaborative project, and she proposed a two-year longitudinal study through King's College's digital humanities department to interview Joi AI users. The study hasn't begun at the time of this writing because it needs ethics clearance from the department, but while having initial conversations, Joi AI invited Locatelli to be one of its "masturbation consultants."

Back in May, Joi opened up applications to document their masturbation habits. The company reached out to Locatelli personally to participate, and she calls it one of the highlights of her career so far.

Getting off for research

"In my research, I ask people quite intimate and personal questions about their sexual preferences, about their interactions with characters," Locatelli said, "and to be on the other side of that has been quite interesting for my work."

As part of her role in the study, Locatelli created her own Joi AI character, Juan, a muscular Latino man (which, coincidentally, sounds like the example that Mashable's Rebecca Ruiz gave in her AI companion explainer). She also engaged with some community characters that other people made, erotic and not.

The variety of characters on the platform "shows a really interesting potential of digital pornography, AI and porn, [and] AI companionship," she said. AI companionship comes with complications, she acknowledges, but there's a lot of space for creativity. 

Despite her research, though, she's someone who prefers to create sexual fantasies in her mind. There have been times in her life when she read a lot of erotica or watched a lot of porn, but for the last two to three years, she's used her vivid imagination to create scenarios, she told Mashable.

She even imagined sexual fantasies with her AI companion, Juan. "We would be chatting on the platform, and it would get a bit steamy," she explained. "And then when I would leave Joi AI and when I would be masturbating, I would take the character from Joi AI and imagine a scenario with him and myself, and transpose it onto my fantasy space."

The need for AI companion studies

Locatelli hasn't talked to any other participants, so she's not sure if she's alone in her experiences, but she's interested to find out if other people imagine scenarios with their companions. And AI companions are unique, she said said, from porn and other erotic content. The interaction and dialogue make it feel so personal and unique to the "two of you."

"That makes it very different to porn, and I think that's the interesting part. It's the reciprocity. It's the personalization," she explained. "It's the immediate shared fantasy that's co-created with this character, which I think is really ripe for sexual playfulness."

Through the Joi AI study, Locatelli also learned that stress relief was a big motivator for her to masturbate, rather than desire. She sees masturbation as a vitally important way to unwind, connect with her body, and get out of her head. 

"That's something that, through the study, I became aware of because I was documenting when I was doing it and how I was doing, and how often I was doing it," she said. "Seeing how often stress was a motivator was quite illustrative for me."

Locatelli hopes her own longitudinal study can begin at the end of this month and that it will give researchers a clearer idea about how people are using AI companions, as there are different categories of them. 

"There's so many different ways people use them, and I think that it runs a huge array of needs, wants, and desires, and each one comes with its own positives and its own complications," she said.

As for being a participant herself as a Joi AI "masturbation consultant," she said being asked to think critically about your sexual practices and desires is interesting. In her experience, what arouses people may be considered taboo or risky — whatever those terms mean for them. 

"There is something about this study inviting a critical reflection on what turns you on," she said, and it might actually be beneficial for everybody to self-reflect on that. As a researcher, she found it a good experience to be asked, "How many times have you wanked today?" 

It feels like there's a new food celebration every week. We're not complaining. We didn't celebrate National French Fry Day and National Hot Dog Day, but we know that a lot of people do. And smart people celebrate by taking advantage of promotions offered by leading retailers during these events.

National Guacamole Day is no different. We can't say we had this date circled on our calendar, but many popular chains are offering limited-time deals and genuine giveaways to mark the occasion. This is where you can capitalize.

Sept. 16 is National Guacamole Day. We're seeing special offers go live at Qdoba, Del Taco, Tijuana Flats, and more. We've lined up our favorites below so you can eat for free (or at a heavily reduced rate) today.

Bubbakoo’s Burritos

Free chips and a 4-ounce guac with any entree purchase.

California Tortilla

Free guac and chips with any entree purchase.

Cocina 214

Score discounted guacamole all day on Sept. 16.

Del Taco

Rewards members can score an Epic Fresh Guacamole Burrito for $5 (online or in app).

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop

Free chips and guacamole with an in-app purchase of $5 or more with code GUACDAY.

Guzman y Gomez

Get free guacamole added to your main menu item.

Moe’s Southwest Grill

Score free guac with any entree purchase.

Moxies

Get fresh Smashed Guacamole with Tajín-seasoned chips for $12 during Happy Hour.

Qdoba Mexican Eats

Score free regular chips and guac when you make any entree purchase and enter code GUACDAY (online or in app).

Tabanero

Save 20% on your online order when you enter promo code GUAC20 during checkout.

Tocaya Modern Mexican

Rewards members can get a free half-size chips and guac with a purchase of $15 or more.

The best cordless power tool deals at a glance:

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Best DeWalt deal

DeWalt 20V MAX XR Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit

$99 (save $120)

Get Deal

---

Best Ryobi deal

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit with Compact Battery

$199 (save $50)

Get Deal

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Best Milwaukee deal

Milwaukee M12 3/8 in. Cordless Ratchet with 5.0 Ah Battery Starter Kit

$199 (save $260 )

Get Deal

If your garage setup is looking a little sparse — or your old cordless drill is finally on its last legs — Home Depot has you covered. The retailer just dropped prices on a range of top-tier power tools and high-capacity battery packs, cutting prices by up to 57% on flagship gear from DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Ryobi.

Below are the best Home Depot tool deals live right now to help you tackle your next project for less.

Best DeWalt deal

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Credit: DeWalt

DeWalt 20V MAX XR Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit

$99 at The Home Depot
$219 Save $120

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

An oscillating multi-tool is the ultimate fix-it tool, and this DeWalt Oscillating Multi-Tool kit packs serious performance into a beginner-friendly setup. Powered by a brushless motor cranking out up to 20,000 OPM, it handles everything from slicing through drywall and trimming baseboards to scraping up stubborn grout.

You get a three-speed selector alongside a dual-grip variable trigger, so you can dial in the power whether you're making delicate detail cuts or aggressive cuts through thick wood. Swap blades in seconds without needing an allen wrench, or use the included adapter to fit accessories from practically any brand.

More DeWalt deals

• DeWalt 20V MAX Premium 4.0Ah Battery 2-Pack — $129 $199 (save $70)

• DeWalt 20V MAX XR Cordless 1/4 in. 3-Speed Impact Driver (Tool Only) — $129 $169 (save $40)

• DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Brushless Screw Gun (Tool Only) — $149 $199 (save $50)

• DeWalt 20V MAX 6.0Ah Battery 2-Pack — $179 $279 (save $100)

• DeWalt 20V MAX XR Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench (Tool Only) — $199 $279 (save $80)

• DeWalt 20V XR Battery Starter Pack (8.0Ah + 4.0Ah with Charger) — $199 $329 (save $130)

• DeWalt 20V MAX XR Cordless Brushless 3-1/4 in. Planer (Tool Only) — $199 $258 (save $59)

• DeWalt 15 Amp Corded 12 in. Compound Double Bevel Miter Saw — $349 $429 (save $80)

Best Ryobi deal

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Credit: Ryobi

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit with Compact Battery

$199 at The Home Depot
$249 Save $50

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Building a workshop tool by tool gets expensive fast. This 4-Tool Combo kit hands you four essential 18V power tools — a 1/2-inch drill/driver (515 in-lbs of torque), a high-torque impact driver for long screws, a 5-1/2-inch circular saw that cuts through 2x4s, and a 280-lumen pivoting LED light.

Instead of having to buy power separately, Ryobi includes two batteries: a compact, lightweight pack for overhead drilling and a high-capacity 4.0 Ah battery that delivers over 215 cuts per charge. The kit includes a charger and tool bag, backed by a 3-year warranty and full compatibility with the 300+ tools in the Ryobi ONE+ system.

More Ryobi deals

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit — $79 $99 (save $20)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench (Tool Only) — $79 $139 (save $60)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V Lithium 4.0 Ah Battery — $89 $129 (save $40)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V Starter Kit with 4.0 Ah Battery and Charger — $129 $159 (save $30)

Best Milwaukee deal

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Credit: Milwaukee

Milwaukee M12 FUEL Cordless Hammer Drill/Impact Kit

$199 at The Home Depot
$459 Save $260

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

If you’ve ever scraped your knuckles turning a manual hand wrench inside a cramped engine bay or beneath a sink cabinet, this tool is a game-changer. Milwaukee’s M12 3/8-inch ratchet delivers the raw speed and power of a shop pneumatic setup — hitting up to 250 RPM and 35 ft-lbs of torque — without forcing you to drag around a noisy air compressor or an annoying hose.

Weighing under two pounds and measuring just 10.75 inches long, its slim 3/4-inch low-profile head squeezes effortlessly into tight mechanical spaces where standard impact guns can't fit.

More Milwaukee deals

• Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12V Cordless 3 in. Cut Off Saw with M12 XC 5.0 Ah Battery (2-Pack) Starter Kit and Charger — $199 $439 (save $240)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18V Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench with Friction Ring with XC 5.0 Ah Battery — $299 $459 (save $160)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18V Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit with (3) 5.0Ah Batteries — $399 $558 (save $159)

• Milwaukee M12 12V Cordless Green 250 ft. 3-Plane Laser Level Kit — $599 $649 (save $50)

• Milwaukee M18 18V Cordless Combo Kit (8-Tool) with (2) Batteries and Charger — $649 $1,298 (save $649)

SAVE $60: As of Sept. 16, the newly-released Waterdrop CT01 Instant Hot & Cold Countertop Water Filter System is on sale for $229.99 on Amazon. That's down from its $289.99 list price.

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Credit: Waterdrop

Waterdrop CT01 Instant Hot & Cold Water Filter System

$229.99 at Amazon
$289.99 Save $60

 

Get Deal

Amazon just dropped a solid launch discount on Waterdrop’s newest countertop appliance. The Waterdrop CT01 Instant Hot & Cold Water Filter normally retails for $289.99, but you can lock in an early launch deal on Amazon for $229.99. That’s $60 off a plug-and-play dispenser that gives you custom-temp filtered water in seconds.

Most high-end water purifiers fall into one of two categories: they either require you to hire a plumber to tear up your under-sink pipes, or they use reverse osmosis (RO) systems that waste tons of water. The CT01 dodges both problems. It’s completely installation-free — you just fill the 1.32-gallon tank, plug it into an outlet, and put it on your counter. Plus, because it isn't an RO system, it produces zero wastewater while keeping essential minerals like calcium and magnesium in your glass, so your water doesn't taste flat or stripped.

Beyond pure filtration, it completely streamlines how you make drinks. Its 6-stage filter uses an expanded adsorption layer paired with internal LED purification to strip out chlorine, rust, and heavy metals. Instead of waiting around for a kettle to boil or a pitcher to drip, you get hot or ice-cold water instantly. You can choose from five built-in presets (hot, coffee, tea, formula, and cold), dial in exact temperatures between 113°F and 203°F, or set custom pour sizes from 4 ounces to continuous flow.

It’s also surprisingly low-maintenance and family-friendly. The 1.32-gallon capacity holds about 28 standard cups of water, and the slim 3.7-inch side tank detaches effortlessly for quick refills at the sink. If you have kids around, the built-in child-safety lock prevents hot water from dispensing by accident. Each filter cartridge lasts up to six months, which easily replaces more than 4,500 single-use plastic bottles a year while keeping your daily setup simple.

Grab the Waterdrop CT01 on Amazon to skip the kettle wait times and get custom-temp hydration right on your counter.

SAVE $19.01: As of Sept. 16, preorders for the new Apple Watch Ultra 4 (GPS + Cellular, 49mm Natural Titanium Case with Translucent Gray Ocean Band) are down to $779.99 on Amazon.

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Credit: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 4

$779.99 at Amazon
$799 Save $19.01

 

Pre-order Here

Amazon just knocked down the preorder price for Apple's ultimate outdoor smartwatch ahead of its official release. The 49mm Natural Titanium Apple Watch Ultra 4 with the Translucent Gray Ocean Band is listed for $799, but you can currently score it for $779.99.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 builds on Apple’s most rugged, high-end wearable with key performance and battery upgrades. Wrapped in a tough titanium case with a sapphire crystal display, it features the new S11 chip and an upgraded Health Sensing System that tracks background heart rate every five seconds and HRV every five minutes.

In her reporting for Mashable, Haley Henschel notes that Apple continues to position the Ultra line as "the ultimate sports and adventure watch" and "the most comprehensive wearable across health, fitness, and safety". While it keeps the same core design as the previous generation, Henschel highlights that you get "faster performance, a longer battery life, and new health and fitness features" at the same starting base price tag as last year.

You also get super-precise dual-frequency GPS, along with off-grid satellite connectivity to text emergency services even without cellular service. Toss in hands-free Siri AI powered by Apple Intelligence, Audio Intelligence tools like Live Rewind, and full cellular freedom to take calls or stream music without your iPhone, and it's a powerhouse for your wrist.

The real standout here is the massive multi-day battery life, pushing up to 45 hours of Max Extended Workout tracking so you can conquer long trail runs or weekend camping trips without constantly hunting for a charger. If you do run low, a quick 15-minute fast-charge gives you up to 18 hours of normal use.

Preorder your Apple Watch Ultra 4 on Amazon to score launch-day delivery for your next big adventure.

The latest trailer for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping gives fans of Suzanne Collins' novel plenty of emotional devastation to look forward to.

The prequel focuses on Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark's Hunger Games mentor Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada). He won the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the second Quarter Quell. Because Haymitch's games were a Quarter Quell, they were an even more horrifying spectacle than usual. The Capitol reaped four tributes from every District, making the 50th Hunger Games a supersized battle royale.

Since Haymitch is alive (albeit not at all well) in the main Hunger Games films, you may think you know exactly how his Quarter Quell will play out. However, Collins' novel is full of surprises, and based on the latest trailer, director Francis Lawrence is bringing them all to life. Look no further than a horrifying chariot stampede that ends in rebellious applause from Haymitch, or an apparent plot to destroy the arena. Clearly, there's more to these games than meets the eye, and Haymitch and his fellow tributes may just be participating in the beginnings of the revolution that catches fire with Katniss.

The trailer introduces key characters in Haymitch's orbit, from his love Lenore Dove (Whitney Peak) to fellow tributes Maysilee Donner (Mckenna Grace), Wyatt Callow (Ben Wyatt), and Louella McCoy (Molly McCann). Also present are some familiar faces to any Hunger Games fans: Caesar Flickerman (Kieran Culkin), Wiress (Maya Hawke), Effie Trinket (Elle Fanning), Plutarch Heavensbee (Jesse Plemons), and Beetee Latier (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). Presiding over it all is the ever-chilling President Snow (Ralph Fiennes).

To catch all these characters in action, along with an unrecognizable Glenn Close as Capitol escort Drusilla Sickle, check out the full trailer above.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens in select theaters on Nov. 20.

SAVE OVER $250: As of Sept. 16, the LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 curved gaming monitor is on sale for $1,446.99 at Amazon. That's $253 off its full price of $1,699.99.

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Credit: LG

LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 5K2K Curved Gaming Monitor

$1,446.99 at Amazon
$1,699.99 Save $253

 

Get Deal

The next Prime Day sale event, Prime Big Deal Days, has officially been announced for Oct. 6-7. While that's still a few weeks away, Amazon isn't waiting until then to drop deals. There are already plenty of excellent savings available at the retailer, including a big price cut on the LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 curved gaming monitor.

If your PC setup needs a monitor upgrade, this discount is well worth a look. As of Sept. 16, this monitor has dropped from its list price of $1,699.99 to $1,446.99, making for $253 in savings. It won't be available for long, though, as it's marked as a "limited time deal." So now is the time to make a move if this massive 52-inch 5K2K display has got your attention.

With its large 52-inch size and 1,000R curve, this LG monitor offers plenty of screen space for your favorite games. They'll look great thanks to the WUHD (5120×2160) display with VESA DisplayHDR 600, which brings out sharp details, bright colors, and high contrast in on-screen images.

It also boasts a 240Hz refresh rate, so the action stays fluid and smooth on screen, alongside a 1ms (GtG) response time that helps reduce ghosting. On top of that, it comes with AMD FreeSync Premium, which helps prevent screen tearing and stutter from throwing you off.

If it's caught your eye, don't let it pass you by. Act fast to save on the LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 curved gaming monitor at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

This is an unusual moment for Apple's iPhone Pro. Last year’s model was a big redesign; this year’s is all about refinement. At the same time, the company launched its first-ever foldable, the iPhone Duo. While it doesn’t have all the top features of the Pro models, the Duo is, by virtue of its massive inner display and the novelty of it all, the more intriguing model.

What can the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max do, then, to grab your attention? They don’t look very different, and the new phones lack the types of flashy upgrades that you can point to as must-haves in 2026. Inside, however, the refinement has been substantial. But whether you need the more expensive iPhone 18 Pro Max very much depends on the type of user you are.

Not everyone should upgrade their phone this year.

iPhone 18 Pro Max review: By the numbers

Here are the key specs for the iPhone 18 Pro Max:

• Display: 6.9-inch, Super Retina XDR display with 120Hz refresh rate / 6.3 inches for the iPhone 18 Pro

• Design: Aluminum unibody with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and Ceramic Shield on the back

• Rear cameras: 48 megapixel triple rear camera array with 8x optical-quality zoom (main camera has variable aperture)

• Front camera: 18-megapixel selfie camera

• Processor: A20 Pro chip (6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, and dual 16-core Neural Engine)

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB

• Battery life: Up to 45 hours of video playback (36 hours for the iPhone 18 Pro)

• Fast charging: Up to 50 percent of charge in 15 minutes with a 60W adapter

• Software: iOS 27

• Water and dust resistance: IP68 rating

• Special features: Improved vapor chamber cooling system, spatial reframing for photos

The new iPhone Pro looks the same, except for the colors

Apple says the colors on the back are a little more uniform than before, but it doesn't make a big visual difference compared to last year's design. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Starting with the design, the new Pro-level iPhones are pretty much the same as the 17 Pro. This year you can choose from four colors — black, silver, glacier blue, and burgundy, with silver being a carry-over from last year — and the colors are slightly more uniform on the back. The Dynamic Island is also smaller than before. Oh, and the new model is quite a bit heavier than the last one; we’ll go into reasons for that later.

In a briefing following the launch, Apple showed us just how much work went into reducing the size of the Dynamic Island. The company hid the infrared sensor underneath the display, roughly halving the number of pixels in that area to let the light in, but arranging them in a different way. The image quality is not as good in that little area, but as Apple’s engineers showed us, the difference is essentially imperceptible to the human eye.

In other words, Apple is still working hard to improve its phones, but those improvements don’t always show up very dramatically in the final product. There are physical limitations on just how much tech you can cram into a device that still fits in your pockets and hands. Incremental progress, folks.

The new colors are nice. Apple sent me the iPhone 18 Pro Max in Burgundy and the 18 Pro in Glacier. Burgundy is beautiful, but not as flashy as last year’s cosmic orange. Glacier, on the other hand, is not as subdued as Apple’s colors typically are; it’s an icy blue that really shines through, even in low light, and it’s my favorite color in this lineup.

Mix and match. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

If you want to customize your new phone to your liking, there are already plenty of iPhone 18 Pro cases, not to mention accessories like wallets, grips, and wrist straps. Apple itself launched six new TechWoven cases, six new silicone cases, and new straps and MagSafe wallets for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. So, everyone should be able to find something they like.

The iPhone 18 Pro underwent an overhaul internally

For my review, I've focused my testing on the iPhone 18 Pro Max due to time limits (and the fact that the 18 Pro is identical in most respects). Inside, both smartphones have a new heart, Apple’s A20 Pro chip, which makes them blazing fast. Nothing you’ll notice browsing the web or even playing games, mind you, but the 16-core Neural Engine that powers AI tasks has been doubled, and that makes AI tasks a lot faster — in theory.

In practice, it depends on the task. I asked the Playground to create an image of a “futuristic city with a river running through it" and hit the "Go" button at the same time on my iPhone 17 Pro Max and 18 Pro Max. Both phones completed the task in exactly the same time. Visual Intelligence, on the other hand, was a little faster on the newer phone.

The new burgundy color is fairly subdued. But the Glacier iPhone 18 Pro, which I'm holding in my hand here, is a very nice and striking shade of icy blue. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Another big internal change: Thanks to Apple’s new cooling system, which includes a massive vapor chamber that covers nearly the entirety of the phone, the phone is noticeably cooler than before. I tested this out by playing a few games of PUBG: Battlegrounds on the highest settings for a full hour. The phone barely got warm.

What you will notice is the battery life, and it’s the one new thing most users will feel in daily use. My testing confirms that Apple has significantly improved the battery, now offering up to 43 hours of video playback, up from 37 on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple has rearranged the phone’s internals to put in a massive new battery. I suspect this is the main reason the phone now weighs 249 grams, up from 231 on the 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max already delivered a significant leap in battery life compared to its predecessor, making the iPhone 18 Pro Max even more impressive. We’re reaching the point at which battery life doesn’t matter that much; chargers are everywhere, and Apple’s phones have made leaps and bounds in this regard over the past couple of years. But it’s still a big deal, especially for video lovers, photographers/videographers, and creators.

Simply put, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max, you don’t have to worry about battery life at all. That one-hour session of PUBG? It only took my battery from 62 percent to 53 percent.

iPhone 18 Pro Max review: This is the camera for pros

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max both get exactly the same camera system. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The camera improvements mostly have to do with the main, wide camera, which has a new sensor and, for the first time on an iPhone, a physical variable aperture. On top of that, iOS 27 brings crucial new photography and videography tools. New software features include the Pro controls in the camera app and new cinematic mode effects for video. These features are geared more toward photographers and video creators, but new AI photo editing tools like spatial reframing and picture clean-up will appeal to everyone, I think.

Your aperture may vary. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The variable aperture has been made possible by adding six hair-thin blades that open and close to let more or less light into the camera sensor. When you’re shooting in the dark, you want more light in the sensor, but when it’s broad daylight, you’ll get a better result with a higher aperture, meaning less light is hitting the sensor.

This happens automatically, but you can also adjust it manually through one of Apple’s new Pro controls, available if you tap the dot grid icon in the lower right portion of the Camera app (you can only use this for the main camera, though). Other new features, such as manual white balance, focus, and shutter speed settings, used to be available only through third-party camera software; now it’s all there in the Camera app.

Even if you're not a pro, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max take excellent photographs:

Fortunately, you don't have to touch any of the Pro settings to take photos like this. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

I welcome the ability to set the white balance manually; automatic white balance often gets it wrong (not just on the iPhone; on standalone cameras too), resulting in photos that look too cold or too warm. The aperture setting can be used to create certain cool effects, but it’s not something I’ll use regularly, and the same goes for most of the other new settings.

Playing with the new Pro camera coontrols such as aperture and shutter speed can help you capture sharp photos of fast-moving wildlife. This guy wasn't moving very fast, though. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

It’s a recurring theme in Apple’s “Pro” devices, be it Macs, iPads or iPhones: They truly are aimed at pros. That doesn’t mean the regular user won't benefit, but I do bet that the majority of people will try out the manual aperture setting once and then leave it on auto. (You can always hold out for the new iPhone 18 base model, which we expect to arrive in early 2027.)

The telephoto camera doesn't seem to have been upgraded since last year, but it's still very good. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The most important part of Apple’s new main iPhone camera is that it is an entirely new system. The sensor is new, and the maximum aperture now goes to f/1.48 (the iPhone 17 Pro models had an f/1.78 aperture), which, in theory, improves low-light performance. The new A20 Pro chip should also help with image and color quality.

The night photos I got with the iPhone 18 Pro Max were gorgeous. But so were the ones taken with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

It’s definitely true that the iPhone 18 Pro Max cameras take excellent nighttime and low-light photographs, but it’s not immediately apparent unless you dig in. In my camera testing, I was often getting better results on my iPhone 17 Pro Max. But that’s because its Night Mode automatically fired for 3 seconds, whereas the 18 Pro Max only needed 1 second, precisely because the sensor was getting more light. When I manually disabled Night Mode, the results were clearly better on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, with far more details and an overall sharper photo with less noise.

Left: The iPhone 17 Pro Max did a oood job, but when you turn off Night Mode, the differences are obvious. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Right: The iPhone 18 Pro Max took a sharper, less noisy image. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

That’s a problem modern smartphone manufacturers are facing; the tricks they’ve been using to improve phone photography can overcome the constraints of the physical lens and sensor. Putting a new lens and sensor in might not mean you’ll get better photos, at least not at first glance. But make no mistake, the iPhone 18 Pro Max does have a better main camera.

The telephoto camera and the ultra-wide camera, as well as the 18MP Center Stage selfie camera, produced very similar photos as the ones I took with last year’s models, however. Apple does say all of the cameras' capabilities have been enhanced through software improvements, but the differences are small.

Selfie camera: Unchanged. Face expression: Unchanged. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Apple also launched a feature called Apple Reference Image, and it can be used to verify whether a photo is authentic, as it stores only the data that was captured by the camera sensor at the pixel level, at the moment of capture. You have to manually turn it on in the Camera Settings, as it’s off by default; once it’s on, you can decide to share the reference image together with the regular image to prove your work isn't AI-generated.

I presume this will mostly benefit journalists and media outlets, who will be able to verify whether a photo has actually been taken by someone’s camera or if it’s been visually altered. In the era of omnipresent AI slop, it’s the type of feature that could soon become a must-have.

Other new tricks

There are other improvements, though they really are tiny. The Dynamic Island, for example, can now support three live activities at the same time. Have a workout timer on while waiting for Uber Eats and your favorite team is playing? Great, you can get info on all of those at a glance.

Wired charging is a little faster, too. You can now get up to 50 percent charge in 15 minutes (it was 20 minutes on last year’s model) using a 60W-capable adapter.

Finally, iOS 27 brings a whole new Siri AI experience and various Apple Intelligence upgrades. Mashable will have more to say about Siri AI once we've done a bit more testing, and we didn't want to wait to get readers our initial iPhone 18 Pro review.

Should you buy or wait?

It's a tough choice this year. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max start at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively, a $100 price hike over last year’s smartphones. They look and feel largely the same, and while they do bring a few big improvements, including better camera, cooling, and battery life, they don't make this phone a necessary upgrade for folks who already have the 17 Pro. If you have an even older model, the 18 Pro will be a massive upgrade, especially when it comes to battery life.

If you’re a photographer, videographer, creator, or simply an advanced user who runs through battery life at twice the speed of mere mortals, then the new iPhones are pretty amazing, and you should get them despite the higher price.

With the iPhone Duo being held until October, a lot of people will wonder whether they should hold out for that model. I’ve only spent a very short time with the Duo (full review pending), but I can already tell you it’s a completely different beast. It’s almost twice the price, has a less powerful camera, but comes with that gorgeous foldable display. It’s a tough call at this point; if you’re not sure, maybe wait until you can actually try the Duo in person.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro, 256GB

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iPhone 18 Pro Max, 256GB

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A little more than a year into its lifespan, the Nintendo Switch 2 has almost everything you could ask for. We've gotten a great 3D platformer from the core Mario team, the triumphant return of Star Fox, a bevy of excellent third-party ports, and a library full of older games that look and run fantastic on the new console.

But one thing it's been lacking is a new, exclusive, original RPG to sink dozens and dozens of hours into. I feel the pain of people who have been begging for this since launch; I put a collective few hundred hours into the Xenoblade Chronicles series on Switch 1, and while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is not strictly an RPG, it was a huge game you could devote your entire life to right when the older console came out in 2017.

Without beating around the bush, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave fixes that problem. Developer Intelligent Systems' latest entry in the long-running series of tactics RPGs is almost exactly what I wanted out of the true follow-up to 2019's Three Houses: A big, dense tactics game with memorable characters, a setting with lots of cool stories to tell, and multiple ways to experience it all.

While Fortune's Weave falls short of Three Houses in some respects, it outshines its predecessor in others, and gives Switch 2 owners exactly what they've been missing since last June.

Fire Emblem weaves a compelling, if occasionally scattershot, tale

Part of what endeared Three Houses to so many, including myself, was its grandiose story that followed a few dozen characters in a large-scale conflict across a period of years. Fortune's Weave is broadly similar, though it carves its own path, for better and worse.

After a relatively quick prologue, you're asked to choose from one of four protagonists for the first part of the story, which revolves around a large martial tournament in Dagsion, the capital city of the massive Dagdan Empire. The winner of the tournament will have one wish granted, and naturally, each of our heroes has their own motive for being there. Leda is a dancer hell-bent on revenge for the death of her father, Cai is a teenage boy who wants to rescue his father from prison and certain execution, Dietrich is a foreign warrior who live to fight increasingly stronger opponents, and Theodora is the newly crowned queen of a semi-autonomous nation within the empire with distinct cultural needs.

There isn't a dud among the crowd here, which is one of Fortune's Weave's strengths. I like all four protagonists a great deal, and thoroughly enjoyed playing through all four of their campaigns. What makes it work is that each of them gives the player roughly 25 percent of the information they need to piece together what's going on in the grander story, while showing off different parts of the very cool setting. Leda's campaign takes you through Dagda's seedy underworld, Cai's exposes some of the underlying tensions in its system of worship, Dietrich's illuminates the continent's relationship with wider Fire Emblem lore, and Theodora's adeptly sets up the latter half of the story.

Eventually, this is a story about saving the world, and that's a little bit less compelling than where it starts. Credit: Nintendo

Where things get a little jarring is that the tournament only represents a third of the story. Parts two and three almost tell entirely different stories of their own, though the events of each part do lead into the next. My problems begin here, as I found more to chew on and enjoy in the tournament arc than in the arcs that come after it. I became invested in each of the four protagonists' individual struggles, only for those struggles to largely get resolved and fall by the wayside about halfway through the game in favor of something grander and a little more conventional.

In contrast, from beginning to end, Three Houses had a pretty consistent thematic throughline about class stratification and the role of the church in that game's setting from beginning to end. Fortune's Weave touches on a lot of different things, like the relationship between the Dagdan populace and its gods to the way that seemingly minor decisions about imperial land transfers can destroy the lives of regular people. But ultimately, there isn't one single thread carrying you all the way through the story, and it's a slightly lesser experience for it.

You're doing tactics even when you're not doing tactics in Fortune's Weave

Battles look like this, which is nothing new for the series. Credit: Nintendo

Of course, Fortune's Weave is a video game, so there's more to it than just watching cutscenes and pondering themes. As with every other Fire Emblem game, it's a turn-based tactics game with a strong emphasis on individual units in your army having their own personalities and relationships with one another that you nurture as you go along. That includes doing things like inviting people out to meals or to theatrical performances in order to increase their bonds with each other, which in turn has benefits in battle.

Battles work about the same as they always have. Each unit has its own class, which dictates what kinds of weapons and abilities they can use, as well as how many spaces they can move on the grid-based map. Different maps will have their own bespoke hazards and objectives, and these become increasingly challenging to work around as the game progresses. I am honestly not much of a tactics game guy, but I found myself consistently engaged with what Fortune's Weave threw at me. Some of the later battles are so large in scale and complex in strategy that I found myself legitimately exhausted by the time they were over, in a good way.

When you're not engaging in these chess-like battle sequences, Fortune's Weave throws almost an entire other game's worth of things to do at you. Aside from the aforementioned character-building activities, there is a board-game-like world map to traverse, and a limited number of turns with which to traverse it, depending on which part of the story you're in.

The world map is great. Credit: Nintendo

I really, really liked this aspect of Fortune's Weave, as it adds a second layer of strategizing on top of the tactical thinking you have to do in battles. It pays off to look at the world map and decide what you want to accomplish before the story deadline, and how you plan on accomplishing it without running out of time. Each protagonist also has unique actions only they can perform on the map, such as Dietrich's ability to conjure powerful opponents and Theodora's ability to recruit soldiers for her army in towns and cities. These serve to make each campaign feel a little different from one another, even when what you're doing is broadly the same across all of them.

All of that expands even more in the third part of the story, as you'll eventually have to command several squads on the map at once. At that point, Fortune's Weave feels like a tactics game on top of another tactics game, and it's absolutely riveting. I love being forced to think strategically outside of battles, and there's plenty of that here.

My only real issue with this aspect of the game is that one of the main activities on the world map becomes a little tiresome over time. I'm talking about dungeons, which are short, little areas you explore in third-person to find treasure and fight enemies. Dungeons are extremely useful for leveling up several units at a time, and the treasures hidden within can be game-changing. But the conventional RPG-style combat in these dungeons is fairly simple, and over time, I found myself opting to just let the game auto-battle my way through all of them.

These dungeons typically don't take longer than about 10 minutes to complete, but you might find yourself doing the same ones multiple times before the story is over, and that's kind of a bummer. I respect the ambition of adding these onto an already very large and experience-rich game, but they're not the best part of it.

The structure fixes the biggest problem with Three Houses

Quickly, I'd like to mention that Fortune's Weave allows you to play through each of the four protagonist campaigns in parallel with one another. You can bookmark and suspend one and go to another at any time with no penalty. This stands in contrast with Three Houses, which had several branching paths in the story, but no real way to see everything in one playthrough.

Fortune's Weave is structured in such a way that playing through each campaign is not only encouraged but also extremely rewarding. Not only do you get the full breadth of the story that way, but you can bring the armies you've recruited in each campaign into the game's exceptionally challenging final act. I sincerely cannot imagine finishing this game without doing all of that. It just wouldn't be a great experience, narratively or mechanically.

Be ready to lock in for the long haul with this one

Well, hello, stranger. Credit: Nintendo

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave took me a clean 100 hours to finish. Yes, that says 100. This is a beast of a game, almost as if it's trying to over-compensate for the lack of a big Switch 2 RPG up to this point. Fortune's Weave does earn that length, as you'll get as much out of it as you put into it, but the fact that it's so long means it isn't for the faint of heart.

One minor disappointment I should acknowledge before closing out here is that Fortune's Weave is not exactly a visual showcase for the Switch 2 hardware. Character models are largely excellent, thanks in part to outstanding art direction, but environments are pretty plain. It is also one of the few first-party Nintendo games to be locked to 30 frames per second, despite looking worse than several games that run more smoothly. This is not a particularly huge deal, as frame rate does not impact playability in turn-based tactics games to any real extent, but it does stand out among Nintendo's other Switch 2 titles.

Despite a handful of shortcomings, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is that beefy, juicy Switch 2 RPG you've been looking for. It marries great character work with demanding tactics, battles, and a lot of things to do when you're not engaging in said battles. Even with its somewhat unfocused story and some kinda boring dungeons, this is one of the best Switch 2 games yet, and one of the best games of 2026 so far.

Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave

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Need a reminder of the many times Trump has been accused of falling asleep on camera? Jimmy Kimmel has you covered.

Inspired by Trump apparently napping during the recent 9/11 remembrance event at the Pentagon ("He was sleeping so much on camera the White House had to put out a statement that said he wasn't asleep," says Kimmel), the host plays a montage of the president appearing to doze off at various events.

"It's so perfect, the guy who spent four years screaming 'Sleepy Joe, sleepy Joe,' constantly falling asleep on camera," Kimmel says.

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

TL;DR: As of Sept. 16, Amazon has discounted every model of Fire TV Stick (4K Max, 4K Select, 4K Plus, and HD) ahead of its Prime Big Deal Days sale event in October.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Deals

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Best Fire TV Stick HD Deal

Fire TV Stick HD

17.99 (save $17)

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Best Fire TV Stick 4K Select Deal

Fire TV Stick 4K Select

19.99 (save $20)

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Best Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Deal

Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

39.99 (save $10)

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Best Fire TV Stick 4K Max Deal

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

49.99 (save $10)

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Shoppers, ready your wallets: Amazon has officially announced that its Prime Big Deal Days event is returning next month, running from Tuesday, Oct. 6, through Wednesday, Oct. 7. Compared to the summer's four-day-long Prime Day event, that's a shorter 48-hour period to explore what's available, but the good news is there's actually already some solid discounts popping up before the sale even begins.

Fire TV Sticks are some of the discounts that have caught our eye at the retailer, with the 4K Max, 4K Select, 4K Plus, and HD models all on sale right now. And while the discounts may not seem that big at first glance, Amazon actually has the typical price listed on the store pages. These devices were all recently hit with a price hike, so you're actually grabbing them for much less than they're usually priced nowadays.

Below, you can learn a little more about each model's discount and the differences between each model, so you can find the best fit for your streaming plans.

Fire TV Stick HD

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Credit: Amazon

Fire TV Stick HD

$17.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $17.00

 

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Why we like it

If you're not interested in dropping cash on one of the 4K models, the Fire TV Stick HD is also on sale right now, and for just $17.99 (which is a good deal cheaper than its new $39.99 list price). It supports 1080p Full HD picture quality and WiFi 6, plus it comes with 8GB of storage for holding all of your favorite streaming apps.

Fire TV Stick 4K Select

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Credit: Amazon

Fire TV Stick 4K Select

$19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00

 

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Why we like it

The 4K Select is a great entry-level pick if you're just making the jump from HD streaming. Priced at $19.99 right now, it supports 4K Ultra HD streaming with High Dynamic Range 10+ picture, and WiFi 5 for streaming quality. It also lets you play games through Xbox Game Pass via cloud gaming and comes with 8GB of storage, just like the 4K Plus model.

If you're not looking to spend too much on a streaming device but still want to enjoy 4K picture, this option is well worth a look.

Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

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Credit: Amazon

Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

$39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10

 

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Why we like it

If you don't need that much storage, the 4K Plus model could be the perfect fit for you. Similar to the others, it offers 4K Ultra HD picture quality alongside Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio, though it uses WiFi 6 instead of WiFi 6E and comes with 8GB of storage instead of 16GB.

If you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription, this model also lets you play games via cloud gaming. So, if you're not looking to splash out on the 4K Max, you can get a lot of the same features with the 4K Plus for $10 less.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

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Credit: Amazon

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

$49.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $10

 

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Why we like it

The 4K Max recently had its price raised to $84.99, so it's quite a treat to grab it for $49.99 right now. With this streaming stick, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite shows and movies in 4K Ultra HD with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+. It even supports Dolby Atmos audio, so you can feel fully immersed in the sounds on screen, and WiFi 6E for smooth streaming.

Not to mention, it also comes with the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which lets you display art and photos on your TV when you're not watching anything, and it has 16GB of storage. That's double what the other streaming sticks offer, so this is a great pick if you want to go all out on a streaming device.

Plus, you can play Xbox games on it via Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming (though a Game Pass subscription and a controller are required).

SAVE $9.01: As of Sept. 16, preorders for the new Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm in Dark Bronze Aluminum with Olive Sport Band) are down to $389.99 on Amazon.

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Apple Watch Series 12

$389.99 at Amazon
$399 Save $9.01

 

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Amazon has already dropped the preorder price on Apple's new flagship smartwatch before it hits store shelves. The base 42mm GPS model in Dark Bronze Aluminum technically has a $399 list price, but you can lock in your order at $389.99 right out of the gate.

After last year's minor incremental updates, Apple is officially pitching the Series 12 as the "ultimate device for a healthy life." In her reporting for Mashable, Anna Iovine notes that the centerpiece of this push is a majorly upgraded Health Sensing System. It takes background heart rate readings every five seconds — 60 times more often than before — and tracks HRV every five minutes to deliver precise stress and recovery tracking.

These stats will also feed into a redesigned Health app featuring "personalized guidance powered by Apple Intelligence, Health Age, and a new Longevity tab." To tie all those metrics together on your wrist, Apple introduced a new Readiness score based on your sleep, vitals, and activity, alongside smart Audio Intelligence features like Live Rewind and Siri Recap.

However, as Iovine points out, these additions come with a couple of caveats: "the Oura Ring already has a Readiness score," and those clever Audio Intelligence tools won't actually be ready on day one, rolling out in English beta later this year.

Aluminum models now feature Ceramic Shield 2, paired with up to 24 hours of normal battery life and fast charging that delivers 12 hours of power in just 15 minutes. You also get deep hands-free capabilities powered by Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, including Live Rewind to replay conversations and Workout Buddy for real-time fitness motivation.

Secure your preorder on Amazon to get Apple’s most capable health and fitness tracker delivered straight to your door on launch day.

SAVE $599.02: As of Sept. 16, the Anker Solix C2000 power station is on sale for $899.98 at Amazon. That's a 40% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Anker

Anker Solix C2000

$899.98 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $599.02

 

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If you're heading off-grid, camping, traveling, or just want a backup for when the power goes out, a portable power station can be a seriously welcome bit of kit. These rechargeable battery packs let you power or charge everything from phones and laptops to lights, small appliances, and other essentials, without needing to be near a wall outlet. 

There are hundreds of models to choose from at Amazon, but right now, the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 has dropped in price by nearly $600, taking the list price down to $899.98

This portable power station has a 2,400W rated output and 4,000W peak power, making it a great option for running multiple appliances at once. It's even powerful enough for most window and RV air conditioners. 

It uses 9W on standby and can power a dual-door fridge for up to 32 hours, or up to 64 hours with an expansion battery that increases its capacity to 4kWh. When it's time to recharge, it can reach 100% in just 58 minutes using either AC or solar power, while an 800W UltraFast alternator charging can fully recharge it in three hours from a car. 

It's also a great addition to your camping kit, because, despite its high power capacity, it weighs only 41.7lb. According to Anker, this makes it 25% lighter and 29% smaller than similar products, and also easier and less bulky to carry to your pitch site.

Find this limited-time deal at Amazon now.

It's been a few months now since Stephen Colbert's finale Late Show episode, and he's used the summer since to 1. write a movie, and 2. grow a beard.

In his late night return interview above on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host talks to him about both those things — before suggesting he shave one of them off.

It's an entertaining 20-minute segment featuring anecdotes about a wedding Colbert and Kimmel attended (including a red wine spillage that occurred over Colbert's tan suit), and the former Late Show host being pulled over by a friendly officer in New Zealand for speeding (a conversation he recreates with the help of his own son John, who calls into the show to roleplay the incident).

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When MeganPlays started uploading gaming videos to YouTube in 2013, being a "creator" wasn't exactly a conventional career path.

She wasn't thinking about brand deals, TikTok algorithms, audience retention, or the creator economy. A college freshman who had been gaming practically her entire life, Megan saw people uploading videos of themselves playing The Sims and had a simple thought: I could do that.

So she did.

"I just downloaded a capture thing and just talked into it and threw it up on the internet," Megan told Mashable at VidCon in June. "It was really raw. Not a lot of great content there, but it was a really fun start."

More than a decade later, MeganPlays has built an online career spanning YouTube, Roblox, and an audience of millions across platforms. She's also been doing this long enough to watch practically every supposed rule of content creation change.

YouTube went from raw and relatable to highly produced and back again. Long-form gave way to short-form, only for longer videos to begin creeping onto vertical platforms. Games rise and fall in popularity. Algorithms change so quickly that, as Megan puts it, "what you knew two weeks ago is no longer relevant."

Her career has changed with them — sometimes successfully, sometimes painfully. She's burned herself out running too many channels, learned the risks of sharing too much personal information, struggled to escape the niche that made her famous, and discovered that millions of views on one platform don't necessarily translate into a sustainable business.

For Mashable's Creator Playbook, MeganPlays shares what 13 years online have taught her about building an audience, surviving the algorithm, knowing your worth, and why sometimes the best creator advice is the simplest: Just start.

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Getty Images

Mashable: Take me back to the beginning. How did you get started on YouTube?

MeganPlays: In 2012, I made my channel. In 2013, I started posting content. I saw other people posting gaming content, and I was like, "I want to do that. I could do that." So I just started. I downloaded a capture thing, just talked into it, and threw it up on the internet. It was really raw. Not a lot of great content there, but it was a really fun start.

I started with The Sims, then I went to Minecraft, and then it kind of went into Roblox. It developed from there over, like, 13 years. I haven't done the math.

Was gaming already a natural community for you?

Super natural. I've been gaming my entire life. There's a video of me when I was two years old on my dad's PC, playing an Elmo game. So I've been gaming my entire life. I just kind of naturally fell into place.

You said your advice to people starting out is simply to start. Why do you think people get hung up on that first step?

I feel like a lot of people don't start because they're like, "Well, I don't know if I have the perfect idea. I don't know if I have the perfect editing software. I don't know if I have the perfect title."

You don't need it. You should just start, and you learn that stuff along the way. You figure out what works as you gain experience. No one's going to be amazing at something the first time they try it, so you've got to just start.

And audiences don't necessarily want everything to be perfect anymore, right?

They have swayed back. It started out with people really wanting raw, relatable stuff. Then there was a time on YouTube where it started becoming very overly produced, and people were like, "This is amazing. It's TV quality." Then things started getting overproduced.

Now we're back in the swing of, "No, no, let's bring it back. Let's make it more personable, more real, more raw." People are definitely more interested in that these days, which I love, because I never went the high-production route. I don't have the budget, the time, or the energy. I just like being myself.

What's one lesson you wish you'd learned earlier?

I wasn't very consistent when I started, and I learned that consistency is key. If you do start, of course, as I said, do what you can do. But what you need to do eventually is start getting really consistent with your uploads so people and the algorithm know what to expect, because we are all playing to the algorithm at the end of the day. That's one lesson I wish I had learned sooner. Not that I suffered any consequences from it. I think it just would have jump-started my growth.

Gaming is an incredibly crowded space. What do you think helped your content stand out?

Initially, because I have been in the space for a long time, it was that I was a girl in the gaming space. That was a little bit of an uphill battle.

When I switched to the Roblox space, there were already a lot of women content creators. I think what people really liked and enjoyed about my content is that I was more personable. I spent a lot of time in my comments section talking to people, reacting to them, sharing their comments in my videos, and really building up my community, because that's what I like most about being a YouTuber: my community.

I love coming to VidCon. I love doing stuff like this because I get to meet the viewers. Building that community and having them really close to me makes me feel really happy.

Does meeting viewers in person change your perspective on the numbers you see online?

Yes. It really humanizes it all because you can get really bogged down when you only see the numbers — big ups, big downs, big ups, big downs. Your brain starts to work a little differently, and you start not to really process them as individual people but instead as numbers.

That is really harmful in a lot of ways. It's like, "Oh dang it, this video only got 300 views." Put 300 people in a room and be like, "That many people spent 10 minutes of their time watching a video."

Coming to stuff like this and being close with your community really helps put everything back into perspective whenever things get a little bit too analytical.

You spend a lot of time in your comments. How do you engage with your community without letting the negativity get to you?

I heard a little piece of advice a long time ago. I can't remember where I heard it, but it was: "If they don't know you personally, don't take it personally." They don't know you, so what do they even have to say?

I find that when people are being mean online, they're trying to hurt you. I don't know what that's about, but it doesn't [resonate] with me because I'm like, "OK, if you're trying to hurt me, then it doesn't hurt me because you're only trying to be mean." You don't even know if they really believe what they're saying.

Normally, in those situations, if it's too bad, I'll block it. I'll just delete it. I don't like that stuff to pile on. Constructive criticism is great, but some people can just be really hateful for no reason, so they've got to go. No freedom of speech on the page if you're gonna be a bully. Sorry.

You've watched the internet change dramatically over the past decade. If everything around creators keeps changing, what actually stays consistent?

The person. The creator. The personality and what they like to do. That's what's steady. That's what brings people back, and that's your anchor. Your anchor should always be yourself or your community. You can ride those waves, and you can always learn and adapt.

How much should creators actually be paying attention to their analytics?

Personally, I'm not making decisions based on the algorithm, which is not a smart decision. If I were to give advice to somebody who's more left-brain than me — because I'm very, like, whatever, la la la — you want to play to the algorithm.

You have two seconds to catch somebody's attention. If somebody's dipping out at one part of the video where you're kind of lulling a bit, you can learn so much in your back-end analytics: when people are jumping out, when they're jumping in, what they're rewatching.

If they're rewatching a part, add more bits like that. If they're clicking off at a part, stop doing those bits. That's stuff you try to wire into your brain to know what people consistently want to see throughout your content, and to get them to stick. The longer people watch your content, the better it does in the algorithm and the better it monetizes.

Is it difficult to move an audience from one platform to another?

It's very hard to transfer audiences per platform. A lot of people have tried over the years, and many have failed. If someone's enjoying short-form, they often aren't enjoying long-form. Those ideas don't really overlap for a lot of people.

But remember: We had long-form, then we're all doing short-form, and now the short-form verticals are going back to long-form, and they're making them all 10 minutes again. It's going back to long-form, but now vertical. These algorithms, these trends — they all cycle.

So how did you approach building your TikTok audience?

On TikTok, you just post every day, multiple times a day. Whatever you want, anything you think of — if it comes to mind, do it. If there's a filter, put it on. Just anything at all.

What I like to do is little vlogs and stuff like that, and connect with my audience that way. But sometimes a fun little lip sync doesn't hurt. Makes you feel cute. Throw it up.

You've always been very open with your audience. Have you ever felt like you shared too much?

I've always just had no filter. I kind of went in being an oversharer. That's always who I've been. I would say I'm a super open book — but also, not everything. But that's why I'm like, don't do everything I did, for sure.

I had a whole year of burnout, and it was really difficult. It was after COVID, in 2021, because I had my biggest year during COVID in 2020. I was running four or five channels at the time, and they were uploading consistently. It was a lot of work. I got really tired, then really uninspired, and hit a wall. It was really hard to create content after that. You do not want to burn yourself out.

Also, if I could go back and do anything, I would not have shared my last name or my middle name online. There are people making TikTok pages with my full government name on there, and I don't like that. Do not share your name online. Just your first name. Make a fake last name.

Are there any other hard lessons you've had to learn from spending so much of your life online?

It's really hard to go into a space and assume that everybody is your friend, because I do that. Then you find out they're not your friend. You've done a lot for them, they've taken from you, and all of a sudden, you're left in a position you wouldn't have been in.

I'm not saying don't trust anyone. Keep your heart open, but guarded. Don't give everybody everything. Don't over-pour yourself into anybody, and always take care of yourself first.

You have millions of followers on TikTok, but you've said that doesn't necessarily translate into income. How do you decide which platforms are actually worth investing in?

Personally, I've just acquired little knowledge over time, so I kind of do what feels right in my gut. Looking at it from a fresh perspective, I think YouTube is really valuable, and TikTok is really valuable. Those are your two most important platforms for growth.

TikTok is really good for discoverability. It's not good for monetization. YouTube is good for monetization, but it's very oversaturated. That's the thing you have to juggle.

For me, I'm doing amazing on TikTok. I have 5 million followers, and each of my TikToks right now is getting like a million views. I'm not making any money. So I'm going back to YouTube and starting to make Roblox content again, long-form, because that's what monetizes.

At the end of the day, creators have to pay their bills, so you kind of have to go where the money goes.

When you first started getting brand deals, how did you figure out what you were worth?

I didn't. And a lot of people don't. When brands come to you, they'll offer you anything, and you kind of just take it because you're like, "Oh, this is exciting." You've got your hat in the ring. You're making connections in the space. Everyone does that.

Over time, I started talking to other creators. I'd be like, "Hey, I got this deal. What do you think I should charge for this?" You can always ask your big brothers or sisters in the space what they're doing, and that can be helpful. At this time, I still wouldn't know what I'm worth. I hand it over to one of my friends — and "friend" is a fancy word for agent — and I'm like, "Can you just give them a price?"

I would ask around. Ask your friends. Ask your creator friends and see what they're doing.

Do you find that creators are pretty open with one another about rates?

I'm an open book. Everybody that I've ever asked has been helpful. I know it can be rude to ask, so I like to ask close friends. I'm not going to randomly walk up to somebody. But if I'm hanging out with somebody or I'm collaborating with them, I'll be like, "Hey, this brand did this. What do you think I should do?" And they'll give you advice. You should always, first and foremost, never go back to a brand immediately and give them your numbers. Say, "What's your budget?"

These brands have a lot more money, and they will lowball you. Ask, "What's your budget? And I'll see what I can do with your budget." Do that in reverse. And if they're like, "No, you tell us," say, "No, you tell me."

If somebody created their first channel tomorrow, what's the one piece of advice you'd give them?

Find a niche and follow it. If you really like Roblox, find a niche within Roblox. Find out what you want to do.

If I had a recommendation, it would be variety content. I think that's everyone's dream because it doesn't put you in a box. But that is very hard to achieve. The more niche the niches, the easier they are to achieve.

Because if you get too niche, you risk putting yourself in a box.

And when that box goes down the river, you're going with it. That happened to me. I'm not saying that to throw shade at anyone but myself. I put myself in a box. I was the Adopt Me! girl. I was doing Adopt Me! all the time. Then people stopped caring about Adopt Me!, and they no longer needed to watch my videos for news. All of a sudden, I had built this profile of, "Oh, this is the Adopt Me! girl." Then I tried to break into other spaces, and it just didn't work as well because they didn't know me for that. They already had their other favorite creators that they went to for that.

Putting yourself in a corner can be difficult. But, you know, you go where the money goes because you have bills to pay.

I feel like you're going to break back in. You're going to find it.

Adopt Me! is back up, baby! I'm excited. I love Adopt Me!, so that's the best news for me.

TL;DR: Prime members can get Audible for just $0.99 per month for four months.

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Credit: Amazon

Audible: $0.99 per month

 

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If your audiobook backlog is getting longer and longer, this new Audible deal is a great excuse to start making a dent in it.

Right now, eligible Prime members can get Audible Standard for just $0.99 per month for four months. That's more than 80% off the usual $8.99 monthly price, with Amazon calling this Audible's "best deal of the year."

With an Audible Standard membership, you can select one audiobook each month from Audible's entire collection and listen to it for as long as you remain a member. You can also purchase additional audiobooks at the full price if one book per month isn't quite enough to satisfy your listening habit.

There's no long-term commitment, so you can cancel at any time. Just remember that the membership will automatically renew at the regular price of $8.99 per month after the promotional period unless you cancel. If you don't want to continue at full price, set a reminder on your phone for the day before renewal.

One thing to remember is that not all audiobooks remain accessible after you cancel. Any titles you've purchased outright with cash or credits are yours to keep, but you'll lose access to books from the Plus Catalog and any audiobooks you selected as part of your Audible Standard membership. These will show with a lock icon in your library and become available again if you resubscribe.

Interested? Don't wait too long to sign up. This offer is available to eligible members but ends on Oct. 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT / 2:59 a.m. ET.

TL;DR: Ahead of October Prime Day, Prime members can get four months of Apple Music Unlimited for free.

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Amazon Music Unlimited: Free for 4 Months (Prime Exclusive)

 

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Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, the list goes on. There are plenty of platforms to consider when it comes to your tunes. And the best way to decide? A free trial. And this month, Amazon Music is taking that trial to new extremes, giving you a chance to try Amazon Music Unlimited for four months, totally free.

The offer gives you access to the Individual Plan for four months (after which your subscription will automatically renew at the standard price of $12.99 per month, or $11.99 per month for Prime members). You can cancel at any time in your Amazon Music settings, but make sure you do so before the trial ends to avoid being charged.

This is a limited-time offer available only to new Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers. It also can't be combined with any other promotion and is limited to one offer per customer and account. If you're not a Prime member, you can still try out the service for three months.

Find this Amazon Music Unlimited deal online now.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Booster Display Box is on sale for $354.39 at Amazon, down from its $377.53 typical price.

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Credit: The Pokemon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Booster Display Box (36 packs)

$354.39 at Amazon
$377.53 Save $23.14

 

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All eyes in the Pokémon TCG space may be on the 30th Celebration expansion, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t deals on other collections. In fact, you can save a good amount of money on Mega Evolution right now.

As of Sept. 16, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Booster Display Box is $354.39 at Amazon. That puts $23.14 back in your pocket for a discount of roughly 6%. The listing comes from third-party seller Collectors Expedition, with free delivery currently estimated for Sept. 22, and only 10 units left in stock at the time of writing.

When that listing sells out, third-party seller Air Capital Supply is also selling the display boxes at a discount for only $354.40. 

Split across all 36 booster packs, Amazon's price works out to approximately $9.84 per pack before tax. Each pack contains 10 random cards, giving you 360 trading cards to crack through altogether. That’s over $5 cheaper compared to buying single Mega Evolution packs à la carte — currently going for $15.20 on Amazon.

Walmart and TCGplayer have swept in with opportunities to save you even more money. TCGplayer's English unopened listings start at $308 shipped, while Walmart has the same Mega Evolution Booster Box for $299.95 with free shipping. That even undercuts TCGplayer’s own market price of $314.34. 

Those 36 packs give you three dozen chances to pull one of Mega Evolution’s most valuable chase cards — including the $240+ MHR Mega Lucario ex. 

If there is a particular card you want from the expansion, you can buy any single Mega Evolution card right now on TCGplayer. 

SAVE $4.01: Preorders for the new Apple AirPods 5 are down to $124.99 on Amazon. That’s a 3% discount on brand-new ANC hardware before release day.

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Credit: Apple

Apple AirPods 5

$124.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $4.01

 

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Preordering brand-new Apple gear usually means paying full retail price and waiting by your front door for the delivery truck. But Amazon is bending the rules just enough to make hitting "preorder now" feel a little sweeter.

While you won't see dramatic clearance-rack strike-throughs on unreleased tech, Apple's new AirPods 5 are already seeing a quiet preorder price drop. They technically sit at a $129 list price, but Amazon currently has them listed for $124.99 right out of the gate.

If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your daily earbuds, the AirPods 5 hit a really nice sweet spot. In her coverage for Mashable, Bethany Allard points out that "unlike the previous gen, both [AirPods 5 models] feature active noise cancellation — but this doesn't result in a price hike." Even at the base level, you get solid upgrades. Apple packed in "50% more active noise cancellation than the AirPods 4," an "improved transparency mode for a more natural sound," and an "updated adaptive EQ, which helps power better spatial audio."

Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking creates a theater-like soundstage across movies, music, and games. On top of that, it includes Live Translation and hands-free access to the upgraded Siri AI via Apple Intelligence.

Where it holds back compared to the $149 step-up version comes down to charging and battery. This base pair comes with an ultra-compact USB-C wired charging case — so you'll need to plug it in rather than using a wireless charging pad — and offers up to four hours of listening time per charge with ANC (or 20 hours total with the case).

Claim this early $124.99 preorder deal on Amazon ahead of the official release date.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration expansion has finally launched. A lot of product is already available to buy on Amazon and other top retailers, including the under-market-price deal for the Elite Trainer Box — still sold on Amazon for $83.44 per invite request.

The Pokémon 30th Celebration collection is causing a stir in the trading card game market. We've all been waiting impatiently for this one, and there's now more to buy compared to when Pitch Black and Chaos Rising launched. That's great news for collectors.

This expansion is incredibly special, with not only historic reprints (like the classic Charizard), but also special SIRs, and a rare Pikachu card in every booster pack. It's worth noting that only some products in the range are available to buy right away. Others are being made available later this year. 

With that, we've tracked down every available box, pack, blister, and collection you can immediately buy from the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration. Plus, we've listed what you can already preorder for later in 2026.

Best Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration deal

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box

$83.44 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $6.55

 

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Why we like it

The 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box officially launched on Sept. 16, but Amazon's $83.44 invite-only offer is still the price to beat. It takes $6.55 off the retailer's $89.99 price, provided Amazon approves your request to buy.

Oddly, this is the only product from the 30th Celebration range to be added to Amazon’s high-demand, invite-only system. That may be because the U.S. retailer is testing the waters to gauge the impression it leaves with American customers. This system has been widely used on Amazon UK for the Pokémon TCG for some time.

Amazon’s deal makes this the best place to buy readily available 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Boxes. TCGplayer's lowest current ETB listing is $150 plus $2.25 shipping, while Walmart has the box at $159.95.

Inside are nine 30th Celebration booster packs, a full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 card sleeves, a player's guide, six damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, a plastic coin, a collector's box with dividers, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration products you can buy right now 

The ETB isn't the only product launching on Sept. 16. Amazon has several other main collections available, while TCGplayer currently offers several products that aren't as easy to find elsewhere. Prices below are as of Sept. 16:

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Pokémon ex Box — four booster packs, one foil Sylveon ex or Greninja ex promo card, and an oversize foil version of the same Pokémon

  TCGplayer — Greninja ex from $67.32; Sylveon ex from $76.82

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Poster Collection — three booster packs, foil Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres promos, plus a double-sided poster

  TCGplayer — $43.69

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection Lucario — three booster packs, Lucario foil promo card, and tech sticker sheet

  Amazon — $49.99

  TCGplayer — $42.99

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection Alolan Exeggutor — three booster packs, Alolan Exeggutor foil promo card, and tech sticker sheet

  Amazon — $49.99

  TCGplayer — $42.99

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration 2-Pack Blister — two booster packs, an Eevee foil promo, and a plastic coin 

  TCGplayer — $47.69 

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Knock Out Collection — two booster packs, an Eevee foil promo card, and a plastic coin 

  Amazon — $37.99

  TCGplayer — $29.97 

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration single booster pack — six foil cards in total, with the set guaranteeing a Pikachu rare in every pack

  TCGplayer — $18.97

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration products you can preorder

Launch day is only the first part of Pokémon’s 30th Celebration rollout, with more products on the way. Several already have preorder listings live. Amazon doesn't have a matching listing for everything, so TCGplayer and Walmart fill some of the gaps below.

• Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Booster Bundle (early October) — six 30th Celebration booster packs

  Amazon — $136.75

  TCGplayer — $114.94

• Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Mini Tin (Oct. 2) — two booster packs, a sticker sheet, a collectible art card, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card

  Amazon — $71.68

  Walmart — $69.95

  TCGplayer — from $46.25; $354.06 for a 10-tin display, containing one of each design

• Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Binder Collection (early October) — five booster packs and a themed nine-pocket binder

  TCGplayer — $85.75

  Walmart — $136.99

• Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Battle Deck (Oct. 30) — an all-foil 60-card Espeon ex or Umbreon ex deck, damage counters, plastic coin, deck box, double-sided playmat and strategy sheet, and an online code card

  TCGplayer — Umbreon ex for $51.18

  Walmart — Espeon ex for $48.99

• Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Ditto Premium Collection (Nov. 6) — eight booster packs, a Ditto promo card, and an acrylic display for showing off that card or another pull from the set

  Walmart — $248.99

• Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Figure Collection (Nov. 6) — five booster packs, a foil promo and oversize foil card featuring either Mew or Mewtwo, plus a sculpted figure of the same Pokémon

  TCGplayer — Mewtwo for $96.60; Mew for $124.91

  Walmart — Mewtwo for $99.98; Mew for $194.49

• Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection (Nov. 6) — Pikachu and Espeon ex foil promos, 29 standard 30th Celebration boosters, one Classic Collection booster, a playmat, 65 sleeves, deck box, metal Espeon coin, dice, acrylic card display, and TCG Live code

  TCGplayer — $604.32

  Walmart — $548.99

How to watch 'Toy Story 5' at a glance:

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Buy "Toy Story 5" on Prime Video

$19.99 (save $10)

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Buy "Toy Story 5" on Fandango

$19.99 (save $10)

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It's hard to believe that a sequel, let alone a fifth installment of an animated feature film, can break records, but Toy Story isn't just any old franchise. Raking in over $1 billion globally, Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5 now ranks as the highest-grossing movie in the beloved franchise and the highest-grossing release of 2026.

Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko calls the sequel "wacky, warm, and unapologetically weird" in her review of the film. While it grapples with the theme of tech versus analog toys, Puchko says the film uses that debate as "a way to explore how to find human connection."

If you missed it in theaters or can't wait to watch it again, Toy Story 5 is officially coming to streaming this month. Keep scrolling to find out how to watch the latest Toy Story film at home.

As a bonus, if you can't get enough of Taylor Swift's hit single "I Knew It, I Knew You" or the original score from Randy Newman, you can preorder the Toy Story 5 Original Soundtrack on vinyl or CD now. Both will be released on Friday, Sept. 25.

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Credit: Disney

"Toy Story 5" Original Soundtrack on Vinyl

$37.99

 

Pre-order Here

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Credit: Disney

"Toy Story 5" Original Soundtrack on CD

$11.98

 

Pre-order Here

How to watch Toy Story 5

Credit: Walt Disney Studios

Toy Story 5 will be available to watch at home a few different ways as of Sept. 23. We've broken down the details below.

Buy or rent it on digital

About two months after its theatrical release, Toy Story 5 made its digital debut on Aug. 18, 2026. While it was originally available to rent for $24.99 or purchase for $29.99, the rental option has now disappeared ahead of its streaming debut. You can still purchase it on digital, however, for a reduced cost of $19.99. The rental option will likely return in the coming weeks.

Here are some quick links to purchase the film.

• Apple TV — buy for $19.99

• Fandango — buy for $19.99

• Google Play — buy for $19.99

• Prime Video — buy for $19.99

• YouTube — buy for $19.99

Stream it on Disney+

Toy Story 5 will officially make its streaming debut on Disney+ on Sept. 23, 2026, which is right on track with most Disney theatrical releases. It joins the four previous Toy Story films in the Disney+ catalog, so you can plan the ultimate marathon.

Not yet a Disney+ subscriber? Subscriptions start at $11.99, but we've rounded up a few of the best ways you can save some money on the streaming service below.

The best Disney+ streaming deals

Best Disney+ standalone deal: save 17% on an annual subscription

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Credit: Disney+

Disney+ Premium annual subscription (no ads)

$189.99/year (save $37.89)

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You can save over $37 on a Disney+ subscription on its own by signing up for an annual plan upfront. The yearly plan without ads will cost you $189.99 per year, which breaks down to just $15.83 per month instead of the usual $18.99 per month. That's 17% or a total of $37.89 in savings. When you check out, be sure to select Disney+ Premium, then "annual" to secure the discount for the year. Unfortunately, there is no annual plan available for the cheaper ad-supported tier.

Best Disney+ bundle deal: save up to 52% on Hulu and Disney+

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Disney+ and Hulu (with ads)

$11.99/month for 6 months (save $11.99/month)

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Disney+ and Hulu Premium (no ads)

$17.99/month for 6 months (save $19.99/month)

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Want more bang for your buck? Disney's bundle deals are hard to beat. You can bundle Disney+ with Hulu with ads for just $11.99 per month for your first six months or without ads for $17.99 per month for your first six months. Either option basically gets you one streamer for free. After your first six months, the price will only go up one dollar.

You could also go ad-free and get both for $19.99 per month (about 47% in savings) or throw HBO Max or ESPN into the mix for a three-part bundle. We've rounded up some other bundle options below for comparison.

More bundle deals:

• Disney+ and Hulu for Students — $6.49/month $12.99/month (save $6.50/month)

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• Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select (with ads) — $19.99/month $36.97/month (save $16.98/month)

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

Best way to get Disney+ for free: get the Total Wireless $60 plan

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Disney+ Premium (no ads)

Free with the Total Wireless $60 plan (save $18.99 per month)

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Total Wireless customers on the $60 per month prepaid Unlimited+ plan can enjoy Disney+ Premium (no ads) for free. No terms or trial periods; just keep your account in good standing. That's an $18.99 per month value tacked onto your phone plan for $0. If you're on the $50 per month plan, you're also eligible for six free months of Disney+ Premium. You can extend your trial by upgrading to the $60 per month plan.

Venus' sluggish spin may be the key to why it doesn't have a moon — anymore, at least, new research says.

The study, led by University of California, Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane, appears in The Astrophysical Journal. Kane's team built computer simulations of how gravity ties a planet to a moon in space, then ran Venus through them again and again.

Nearly every run ended the same way. An ancient Venusian moon crashed onto its host planet — sometimes within 30 million years, sometimes after 1.7 billion. At any rate, it was destined for demise.

That may crack one of the solar system's oldest cases: why Earth and Venus, near-twins in size, weight class, and composition, turned out nothing alike. Though scientists don't yet know whether a world needs a moon to be habitable, they do know that our moon plays many crucial roles for Earth, such as steadying its tilt and controlling ocean tides. It's not far-fetched to suppose the moon may also help keep the planet geologically active. If Venus once had a moon but lost it, its absence could have bent the arc of that scorched world's history.

"Venus didn't require a catastrophe to arrive at what we can see today," Kane said in a statement. 

The physics comes down to spin. Earth turns once every 24 hours — fast enough to fling energy outward into the moon's orbit. NASA astronauts left mirrors on the lunar surface during Apollo 11, and by bouncing lasers off them, scientists have been able to measure the moon retreating about four centimeters per year — roughly the rate your fingernails grow.

Venus does the opposite. It takes 243 Earth days to turn around once. At that pace, the planet's gravity wins the tug-of-war and reels in an orbiting moon instead of pushing it away.

NASA's robotic Parker Solar Probe, which studies the sun, caught a rare view of Venus during a flyby in February 2021. Credit: NASA / APL / NRL

Kane tested moons ranging from half the mass of ours to 10 times heavier. The heavier the moon, the faster it spiraled in.

"When I made this discovery, I was shocked," Kane said. "I thought surely the broad range of scenarios I was exploring would lead to a variety of results. But it all went pretty much in the same direction."

Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter today.

Earlier explanations of why Venus doesn't have a moon leaned on drama. Perhaps something enormous smashed Venus' ancient moon apart. Perhaps Venus never suffered the kind of collision that builds a moon in the first place. Kane's research undercuts both — and the reason centers on how moons get made.

Moons don't come from nowhere. Ours formed when a massive object struck the young Earth and threw debris into orbit, where it clumped together. That same blow did something else: It set how fast the planet spun for billions of years afterward.

On Venus, those two outcomes work against each other. A big moon lasts only if the collision leads to the planet spinning once every 10 to 12 hours. But impacts that leave a planet spinning that fast scatter their debris too close, where the rubble falls back to the surface before it can coalesce into anything in space. The crashes that throw debris far enough away to build a moon leave the planet turning slower than that.

If there had been a moon-forming collision in Venus' ancient history, it resulted in the planet turning once every 12 hours at best — most likely slower. That means one blow could hypothetically give the planet a satellite, along with the power to destroy it, with nothing else having to go wrong.

But proving whether Venus swallowed a moon is hard. A resurfacing event about a billion years ago paved over roughly 80 percent of the planet, wiping out older scars. Any evidence now lies deep below the surface. 

Scientists have detected strange structures within Earth that may be leftovers from the collision that created our own moon; similar measurements at Venus could turn up something comparable. NASA's planned DAVINCI mission, which could drop a probe through the Venusian atmosphere in the early 2030s, may also catch chemical traces of a moon that broke apart.

The researchers stop short of claiming Venus once had a moon. Though Kane suspects it did, he insists that remains an open question. What his team's work shows is that a massive moon could not have lasted — something he believes astronomers should keep in mind as they hunt the galaxy for habitable exoplanets, the rocky worlds around other stars. 

"My feeling is there are benefits to having a moon, but it isn't required for habitability," Kane said. "The moon has definitely changed the way Earth has evolved through time, but we don't fully know how important that role is." 

TL;DR: This refurbished HP EliteBook 830 G8 PRO is on sale for $389.99 (reg. $549.99), with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and a 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreen.

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Credit: HP

HP Elitebook 830 G8 2020 (Refurbished)

$389.99
$549.99 Save $160

 

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If you’re looking for a business-class laptop that provides both power and portability, you’ll want this refurbished HP EliteBook 830 G8 PRO. It’s currently on sale for $389.99 (reg. $549.99), giving you capable hardware and professional features without the steep price tag.

The EliteBook 830 G8 impresses with its 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreen and a 360° convertible design — practical whether you’re typing reports, giving presentations, or catching up on streaming after hours.

The 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and Intel Iris Xe Graphics are built to handle heavy workloads, multitasking, and creative projects with ease. You get up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, ensuring quick startups and smooth performance.

Security is another reason you’ll like having this EliteBook. HP Wolf Security features include HP Sure Start, HP Sure Sense, HP Sure Click, and TPM 2.0, with an optional fingerprint reader for an extra layer of authentication. Bang & Olufsen-tuned speakers, AI-powered noise reduction, and a multi-microphone array also make it suited to video calls and remote meetings.

At 2.8 lbs, the CNC-machined aluminum chassis is built for portability, making it easy to move from meeting rooms to coffee shops. Battery life stretches up to 16.5 hours — and HP Fast Charge means less time plugged in, more time getting things done.

The Grade A refurbished rating means the laptop should arrive in near-mint condition with minimal to no visible scuffing.

For those seeking a dependable, feature-rich laptop at a reduced price, this refurbished EliteBook is on sale for just $389.99 (reg. $549.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Grief can be weird and funny sometimes. For example, when I turned up to my grandmother's funeral years ago, I didn't wear a black dress, because I didn't own one.

I was going through a phase where I was avoiding black in anything, save for one pencil skirt that had a white print of octopus tentacles climbing up the side. So, I wore that skirt with a white top. When my cousin saw me, she took in my outfit head to toe, then smiled tightly at me, as if she were biting her tongue. She was dressed all in black formalwear. I self-consciously explained why I was wearing such non-traditional attire, and she replied, "Gram would have said, 'Well, that sure is something."

I laughed. Then she laughed, and then we cried and hugged. My Gram's back-handed compliments were deeply woven into our family tapestry. Imagining what she might say if she'd been there was a spark of joy we both needed, even if it came with a bit of a sting. But there was something healing imagining it all the same.

I thought of this moment while watching Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! Co-written by Nicholas Huynh and Josef Kubota Wladyka, and helmed by the latter, this movie walks the line of comedy and drama, aptly reflecting how grief can bring tears and sparks of odd laughter, sometimes at the same time. And what a wonderful something to bring to cinemas!

What is Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! about?

Pacific Rim's Rinko Kikuchi stars as Haru, a Japanese woman who loves to dance. She and her adoring Mexican husband, Luis (Alejandro Edda) share this love, competing in the Amateur Latin Senior in Tokyo, where they live. Together, they cha-cha happily, though not masterfully. And Wladyka captures Haru's bliss in this experience by showing us how she imagines them floating together, gracefully ascending from the dance floor as if they could cha-cha-cha all the way to heaven.

But then, Luis falls back slowly but relentlessly. His hand leaves her grip. His body hits the floor. His heart seizes in its final beats. The inciting incident is Luis' death, leaving Haru alone and unable to reconnect to her life or love of dance without him. That is, until her sensible sister Yuki (Yoh Yoshida) and chaotic cousin Hiromi (YOU) show up, lovingly bullying "Ha-Chan" (as she's endearingly nicknamed) to get back in the groove.

Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is a love story.

It's Hiromi who delivers the title line, urging Haru to join her family at a dance class taught by a beguiling instructor named Fedir (Alberto Guerra). No sooner does Haru see this fleet-footed dancer than we're once more whisked into her romantic imagination, where she envisions him taking her into his arms for a sexy spin around the floor.

More fantasies will follow, as will some well-intentioned lies. When Haru learns through the rumor mill that Fedir is in an open marriage, she decides to pursue him. But rather than confessing her loss and heartache over Luis, she says she, too, is in an open marriage.

Much like my cousin and I once did, Haru imagines how her lost loved one might respond to her actions posthumously. And Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! follows her imagination by allowing Luis to come back, in a sense. She sees him return to their home, wearing a kawaii costume of a crow. He bops about, an adorable yet bittersweet reminder of her husband. But later, as she gets closer to Fedir, she dreams of them meeting each other, discussing Luis' record collection over a glass of whiskey. In this fantasy, there's no jealously, only mutual appreciation, as both look lovingly to Haru. Then, in a move that will thrill the Heated Rivalry crowd, a MLM kiss will come, much to Haru's pleasure. And while a kinky delight, this scene also gently illustrates that Haru is not looking to replace her husband, but is seeking to understand how to move on.

Of course, grief is a wild thing. So, not all of Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is spicy fantasy or spirited musical numbers. (Though there is a detour through a Japanese stage production of Dirty Dancing that's pretty dang delightful.) As Haru begins to catch feelings for Fedir, things get messy. Her decisions go from bad to bonkers. Yet while she becomes a fool for love, the filmmakers' delicate care for her characterization and Kikuchi's compelling performance prevent us from judging her. Instead, perhaps in her outrageous journey in coping with grief, we may see ourselves. For who among us hasn't gotten bizarre in their mourning?

Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is a feel-good movie and a tearjerker.

Props to Wladyka. Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! refuses to be simply a comedy or a drama. Its story feels firmly situated in the latter camp, as the film at its core is about a widower struggling to find a reason to live. However, Haru is a heroine full of passion and quirks. Her movie, therefore, reflects that, never losing touch with her joy or silliness, even when things turn tragic. For instance, when jealousy spurs her to lash out at Fedir's wife, the resulting domino effect involves a bit of home invasion with perhaps the most comical conclusions imaginable.

Elsewhere, this chaotic collision of pain and joy takes the shape of Haru hanging out with her supportive sisterhood. You is a particularly lively addition to the cast, bringing plenty of moxie and physical comedy that play as a terrific foil to Kikuchi's performance, which carries an ingenue's sweetness with a hint of mature heartache. But Guerra also deserves props, ably shifting from the romantic ideal Haru imagines to the messier man Fedir really is. All of these performances tangle into a charming choreography, both literal and metaphorical, making for a movie that is a true crowd-pleaser, while reflecting some tricky truths about life and death.

You'll laugh. You'll cringe. You'll cry. And I suspect you'll love Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!

Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! was reviewed out of the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie will open in theaters on Sept. 25

TL;DR: IsThisSpam Ultimate Personal Plan is on sale for $29.99 (reg. $179), offering unlimited checks of suspicious emails, messages, websites, links, and more.

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Credit: IsThisSpam

IsThisSpam Ultimate Personal Plan: Lifetime Subscription

$29.99
$179 Save $149.01

 

Get Deal

A suspicious message can look convincing enough to make you hesitate before clicking. IsThisSpam gives you a place to stop and check first. The Ultimate Personal Plan is on sale for $29.99 (reg. $179), with unlimited standard checks and AI-assisted investigations across up to five personal devices.

Rather than depending on a database of known-bad threats, IsThisSpam analyzes the content and context of strange-looking emails, messages, websites, links, and phone-related signals. Results come with straightforward results: Low Risk, Needs Caution, or High Risk, plus explanations and supporting evidence.

This service is especially useful when an unexpected message asks you to click a link, provide information, or take some other sketchy action. You can check questionable websites and links before interacting with them, investigate unfamiliar phone numbers, or run a more detailed SuperScan when a standard check doesn’t provide enough information.

IsThisSpam also works as a browser extension inside Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Facebook, and LinkedIn, so checking a suspicious message doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the platform you’re using. There’s also web and PWA access, plus priority email support.

That makes the service a practical extra checkpoint for people who regularly encounter unfamiliar messages, links, or contacts and want more context before deciding how to respond.

It can also be useful for households where several people regularly deal with online accounts, messages, and unfamiliar links. With support for up to five personal devices, the plan can cover multiple phones, computers, or tablets under the same subscription without limiting the number of standard checks.

Get IsThisSpam Ultimate Personal Plan for $29.99 while it’s discounted from $179. The lifetime subscription covers up to five personal devices with unlimited checks, giving you another place to pause and investigate before you start clicking away.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get an Apple MacBook Pro 2020 (refurbished) for $369.99 (reg. $1,580.00), and a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 for Mac for $89.97 (reg. $219.00).

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Credit: Apple

Apple MacBook Pro 2020 (Refurbished)

$369.99
$1,580 Save $1,210.01

 

Get Deal

If you’ve been saving up for a MacBook at a price that doesn’t hurt your wallet, this Grade A refurbished 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro is worth a look. It comes with a 2GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz), 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Those are great specs for everyday productivity, light creative work, and most things in between. The 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone is sharp, and the battery lasts up to 10 hours. Four Thunderbolt 3 ports let you charge, use DisplayPort, and transfer data quickly without a hub for most setups.

Yes, it’s a 2020 model, but for most everyday workflows, the difference between this and the latest MacBook is hard to notice. Grade A refurbished means it’s in near-mint condition, with minimal to no scuffing. It ships with a charger and a 30-day aftermarket warranty, with returns accepted within 30 days of shipment. Contiguous US only.

Get the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch 2020 (Refurbished) for $369.99 (reg. $1,580).

Once you’ve got the laptop, a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 for Mac gives you access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote for a one-time payment of $89.97. With Microsoft recently raising the price of Microsoft 365 for the first time in 12 years, a no-subscription alternative is really worth consideration.

Worth knowing: this is not Microsoft 365. It’s a permanent license for one Mac, tied to your Microsoft Account rather than your device. It also works fully offline, so you don’t need cloud access to get things done. Compatible with macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe, and you must use your redemption code within 7 days of purchase.

Get Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 for Mac for $89.97 (reg. $219).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable for $24.99 (reg. $49.99), combining charging, Type-C and Lightning connectors, data transfer, an LED power display, magnetic cable management, and handy travel tools.

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Credit: GoCable

GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable

$24.99
$49.99 Save $25.00

 

Get Deal

Most charging cables have one job. GoCable apparently looked at that job description and decided it needed seven more. It’s the kind of practical, tech-forward surprise that makes people say, “Wait … this does that too?”

At first glance, GoCable looks like a sleek little keyring accessory. But once you start using it, it quickly proves it’s more than just a charging cable.

Designed as an everyday carry essential, it combines ultra-fast charging with genuinely useful built-in tools, all wrapped in a compact, tangle-free design that clips neatly onto a bag, belt loop, or keychain.

With 100W charging capabilities (when paired with a compatible power source), GoCable can power everything from phones and tablets to laptops, drones, and cameras.

Universal connectors mean you’re covered whether you’re using USB-C or Apple’s Lightning — no more digging through tangled cords or carrying three different cables just in case.

What makes it especially satisfying, though, are the thoughtful extras. An LED power display shows your real-time charging status. The magnetic wrap keeps things neat and frustration-free. There’s even a built-in bottle opener and a safe-proof cutter for impromptu moments like opening a package on the fly or cracking a drink at a picnic.

The GoCable makes for an unexpected but incredibly useful little gadget — especially for travelers, creators, commuters, and anyone who lives even slightly tethered to their devices.

Priced at $24.99 (reg. $49.99) for a limited time, get the GoCable while you can.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Connections.

TL;DR: Score the 30th Anniversary Mewtwo promo card for free by spending $15+ on Pokémon TCG products at select retailers. This special offer starts from Oct. 2.

If you're a Pokémon card collector, you know the absolute nightmare that is fighting off secondary-market scalpers the second a limited-edition card drops.

There is another way.

To celebrate three decades of pocket monsters, The Pokémon Company is dropping a limited-edition Mewtwo promo card starting Oct. 2. Instead of forcing you to drop $100+ on a massive Elite Trainer Box, you only need to spend $15 or more on any Pokémon TCG products to trigger the gift-with-purchase.

The card features an exclusive "Pokémon 30" foil stamping that won't appear in standard booster packs. Plus, every promo card comes with a secondary QR code card that links directly to the Pokémon Night Out event experience. It's valid both online and in-store, but given how quickly anniversary merch disappears, you'll want to lock in your order without delay.

The participating retailers are as follows:

• Barnes & Noble

• Best Buy

• BoxLunch

• Five Below

• GameStop

• Hot Topic

• Macy’s

If you're trying to figure out what to buy to hit that $15 spend limit, the actual 30th Celebration expansion lands worldwide on Sept. 16.

The set is a massive trip down memory lane, featuring remastered artwork, classic card reprints, and an unprecedented gimmick: every single booster pack contains a guaranteed rare Pikachu card out of a set of 30 unique designs. Grab a four-pack of individual booster sleeves or a single Booster Bundle at checkout, and you'll hit that $15 threshold for the Mewtwo card. It's that easy.

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when you bring your number on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed). The iPhone 18 Pro is free when you switch and bring your number or trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan.

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Credit: Apple

T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 for free

 

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The dust is still settling from the Apple Event 2026. Apple announced a wave of new hardware and software, headlined by its first foldable iPhone. We're still digging deep into all the new features and stylistic touches that make the iPhone iconic, but we know what you really want — deals.

We know that's the priority at this time. The preorder window is short, so we've lined up the best free deals this week so you can get your hands on the iPhone 18 Pro (or the iPhone 17) without actually spending anything.

These are the best free iPhone deals from T-Mobile this week:

• iPhone 17e — free when you switch to almost any T-Mobile plan with no trade-in required.

• iPhone 17 — free when you bring your number on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed)

• iPhone 17 Pro — free when trading in an eligible phone on an Experience Beyond plan.

• iPhone 18 Pro — free when you switch and bring your number or trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan.

T-Mobile will charge taxes on these free deals, as well as a $35 device connection fee. That's a small catch, but that's how it often goes with this kind of deal.

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 12 or 13, you’re missing out on some genuinely game-changing features. The iPhone 17 is the first base model built specifically to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. Mashable's Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter."

Of course, the iPhone 18 Pro takes things to another level. The iPhone 18 Pro features a new A20 Pro chip to better support AI features and Siri AI. This latest model also has major camera upgrades, including physical variable aperture, smart focus tracking, cinematic video effects, and improved low-light photography.

Get the Apple iPhone 17 or iPhone 18 Pro for free this week with T-Mobile.

TL;DR: Get an extra $50 off the iRESTORE Elite helmet and Laser Face Mask Pro red light therapy bundle with the coupon code EMW50.

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Credit: iRESTORE

iRESTORE Elite and Laser Face Mask Pro

 

Shop Now

Red light therapy and LED masks are having a moment. How do we know this? Because two of these devices just appeared on Alix Earle's Netflix series Earle Meets World, the reality show about the TikTok influencer and her family.

Alix’s fans and followers will know that she only showcases the hottest, most on-trend products — in this case, the iRESTORE Elite helmet and Laser Face Mask Pro. The red light therapy devices are seen in the final episode, when Alix’s dad and stepmom try them out. 

iRESTORE is now offering the Elite helmet and the newly-launched Laser Face Mask Pro as a bundle for $2,698, saving $1,100 off the list price of $3,798. And now you can save an extra $50 off the bundle with the coupon code EMW50.

The iRESTORE Elite uses clinical-grade red light to thicken and strengthen your hair. It uses 500 lasers and LEDS to deliver triple-wavelength red light. According to iRESTORE, it’s been clinically shown that the combination of lasers and LEDs is effective for treating hair loss. The helmet is designed to cover the entire head for maximum protection. All you need to do is wear it for 12 minutes a day, and you should see results in 3-6 months.

The iRESTORE Laser Face Mask Pro is a new addition to the brand’s product lineup. It uses similar technology for firmer, younger-looking skin. It’s iRESTORE’s most powerful mask ever, boasting 800 lasers and LEDS for 8 wavelengths of red light. You just use it for 10 minutes, 3-5 times per week. With five smart modes to choose from, it helps smooth out lines, brighten your complexion, and tackle blemishes — not to mention generally tighten and brighten your skin.

Don’t miss your chance to get an extra $50 off the iRESTORE Elite helmet and Laser Face Mask Pro bundle with the coupon code EMW5. This coupon deal is available through Sept. 27 and is limited to one bundle per customer. 

TL;DR: Physical preorders for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake are already $10.11 off at Amazon and Walmart. Both retailers have them listed for just $59.88 (normally $69.99).

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Credit: Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

$59.88 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $10.11

 

Pre-order Here

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Credit: Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

$59.88 at Walmart
$69.99 Save $10.11

 

Pre-order Here

The recent Nintendo Direct livestream brought us some long-awaited details about the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for the Nintendo Switch 2. That includes an official release date of Nov. 5 and a first look at gameplay footage featuring modernized visuals, free camera controls, and a dedicated jump button. Hyah!

Digital and physical copies of the Ocarina of Time remake are now available for preorder. The digital version costs $59.99, while the physical version goes for for $69.99 — unless you buy it from Amazon or Walmart. Both retailers are selling physical copies for just $59.88, or a little over $10 off. (That offer wasn't being matched by Best Buy, Target, GameStop, or the Nintendo Store at the time of writing.)

Try to get your preorder in soon. In a press release, Nintendo said the first print run of the game's physical version will have "special packaging that features textured foil cover art."

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Nintendo is also releasing some Legend of Zelda-themed hardware this fall, in honor of the franchise's 40th anniversary. That includes a special-edition Switch 2 console, Pro Controller, and carrying case, all out Oct. 29. Mashable contributor Lauren Allain has all the details.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max officially went on sale today ahead of their Sept. 18 launch (the foldable iPhone Duo won't be available until next month). And when you buy a new phone, that usually means buying a new phone case. The best iPhone 18 Pro cases will protect your phone when it inevitably slips out of your hands and tumbles to the ground, risking your $1,200 investment.

A lot of case companies started selling burgundy and glacier blue iPhone 18 Pro cases before the phones were even announced, and you can already find a ton of stylish and cute iPhone 18 Pro cases for sale online. Whether you're looking for a cheap $12 clear case, a classic PopSockets Grip, or a more fashion-forward Velvet Caviar case, we've found the top options for iPhone shoppers. We also checked Apple's official collection of iPhone 18 Pro Max cases for you.

If you're upgrading from the iPhone 17 Pro, there are two things you need to know. You can save up to $1,200 on the iPhone 18 Pro thanks to preorder deals, and your iPhone 17 Pro case should fit the 18 Pro just fine. Apple kept the measurements and button layouts exactly the same.

Our favorite iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cases so far

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Credit: OtterBox

OtterBox iPhone 18 Pro Profile Series Case

$39.99 at Amazon

Let's start simple with this classic OtterBox iPhone 18 Pro Profile Series Case. It's not fancy or eye-catching, and that's exactly the point. The minimalist case is also MagSafe compatible.

Shop Now

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Credit: Casetify

Casetify iPhone 18 Pro Max MagSafe Case

$64 at Amazon

Here's another classic option, available for both the Pro and Pro Max. It's shock and drop-proof, and incldues an opening for a phone lanyard or strap.

Shop Now

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Credit: Casetify

Casetify iPhone 18 Pro Max Ripple MagSafe Case

$56 at Amazon

Looking for a case to match the new burgundy color? Casetify's MagSafe Ripple case provides extra protection — and extra color-matching.

Shop Now

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Credit: Velvet Caviar

Velvet Caviar Burgundy 1990 Jelly iPhone Case

$40 at Velvet Caviar

Velvet Caviar's burgundy iPhone case features a semi-transparent jelly base.

Shop Now

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Credit: Torras

Torras Clear iPhone 18 Pro Case

$11.02 at Amazon
$13.99 Save $2.97

If you like the color of your new burgundy or glacier blue iPhone 18 Pro, then don't cover it up. This affordable iPhone case protects your phone without hurting your wallet, too.

Get Deal

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Credit: ESR

ESR Clear MagSafe Compatible iPhone 18 Pro Case

$14.99 at Amazon

Looking for an affordable clear case that works with MagSafe? Try ESR's straightforward clear case, which will still protect your phone against sudden drops. ESR promises military-grade drop protection.

Shop Now

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Credit: PopSockets

PopSockets iPhone 18 Pro Case Mirror Abalone

$40 at PopSockets

Looking for something a little funky? PopSockets has some of the best iPhone 18 Pro case designs, and they obviously fit great with PopSocket phone grips, too.

Shop Now

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Credit: Pela

Pela iPhone 18 Pro Case Navy Stripes

$49.99 at Amazon

Pela has a huge selection of iPhone 18 cases on Amazon, and the company uses eco-friendly, plant-based materials in its phone cases.

Shop Now

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Credit: Moft

Moft Pink iPhone 18 Pro Max Case

$42.49 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $7.50

Here at Mashable, we strongly believe that every new generation of iPhones should come with a pink color option. Until Apple hears our prayers, you can get this pink case, which will look great with the new glacier blue iPhone 18 Pro.

Get Deal

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Credit: Velvet Caviar

Velvet Caviar Jelly Glow Aura iPhone 18 Pro Case

$39.99 at Amazon

It's giving pastel, it's giving Lisa Frank, it's giving 90s tie-dye. (It's also giving drop protection and MagSafe.)

Shop Now

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max Clear Case with MagSafe

$49 at Apple

Apple's official phone cases aren't always the most affordable, but they are some of the best, for obvious reasons.

Shop Now

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Credit: Apple

iPhone 18 Pro Max TechWoven Case with MagSafe

$59 at Apple

Apple's TechWoven cases offer a firm grip and solid protection, and you can match the case to the color of your new phone. If you want the very best iPhone 18 Pro cases, this is a very safe bet.

Get Deal

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Credit: Casely

Casely iPhone 18 Pro Case Shell Shocked

$44.95 at Amazon

If you love the look of tortoise shell accessories, which, fortunately, are not made from actual tortoises, then try this Casely case on for size. Click the link to see dozens more styles from the brand.

Shop Now

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Credit: Casetify

Casetify Dark Cherry Jelly iPhone 18 Pro Case

$64 at Casetify

Here's another burgundy-themed case to match your new iPhone. The dark cherry is a near perfect match for the new iPhone color.

Shop Now

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Credit: Smartish

Smartish iPhone 18 Pro Wallet Case

$29.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $5.00

Save $5 on this convenient iPhone wallet case. This product has racked up more than 60,000 reviews on Amazon.

Shop Now

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Credit: FireNova

FireNova Silicon iPhone 18 Pro Case

$16.98

Looking for a simple silicon iPhone case? This affordable silicon case comes in over a dozen colors and keeps it simple — in a good way.

Shop Now

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Credit: Pitaka

Pitaka Edge iPhone 18 Pro Max Case

$59.99 at Amazon

If you prefer razor-thin cases, then Pitaka makes some of the best iPhone cases around. The brand's Edge line is a good alternative to Apple's FineWoven tech cases, and it's just 0.04 inches thick and weighs 0.81 ounces.

Shop Now

The top iPhone 18 Pro accessories to buy

OK, so you've reviewed the best iPhone 18 Pro cases and picked out your favorite, but you're not done yet. Apple rolled out a bunch of new accessories and cases for the iPhone 18, and brands like PopSockets have hundreds of grips, stands, wallets, and accessories.

Here are some of the top phone grips, screen protectors, and other goodies to pair with your new iPhone.

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Credit: Spigen

Spigen GlasTR EZ FIT Screen Protector for iPhone 18 Pro

$19.99 at Amazon

This screen protector comes with its own applicator so you can get the alignment and fit just right.

Shop Now

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Credit: PopSockets

PopSockets Phone Grips for MagSafe

$28.99 at Amazon

PopSockets has a ton of MagSafe-compatible phone grips in a variety of styles and colors, all conveniently available via Amazon Prime.

Shop Now

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Credit: Kate Spade New York

Kate Spade New York Magnetic Card Holder/Wallet

$40 at Amazon

This Kate Spade iPhone accessory has enough room for some cash and cards, and it attaches magnetically to your iPhone.

Shop Now

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Credit: Torras

Torras MiniMag Power Bank 10,000mAh for iPhone 18 Pro

$49.99 at Amazon

If you watch a lot of video or use your cameras a lot, then this portable charger will be a lifesaver.

Shop Now

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Credit: Octobuddy

Octobuddy Magnet Suction Grip

$29.99 at Amazon

The Octobuddy went mega-viral among creators filming their own content, and it's a very convenient way to capture the perfect hands-free shot.

Shop Now

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Credit: PopSockets

PopSockets Suction Phone Grip for MagSafe

$23.99 at Amazon
$35 Save $11.01

Pssst... PopSocket's answer to the Octobuddy is on sale over at Amazon.

Get Deal

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Credit: Apple

Apple Wrist Strap for iPhone

$29 at Apple

This is one of the most affordable products you'll find on the Apple website. Match the color to your new iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max.

Shop Now

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe

$59 at Amazon

Apple's FineWoven MagSafe Wallet comes in nine different colors. Apple shows the bright pink magenta color with the new burgundy iPhone, but we're not sold on that color combo.

Shop Now

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Credit: Apple

Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone (MagSafe Compatible)

$54.95 at Apple

We've never been quite sure what to make of this Hikawa phone grip, available only at the Apple Store. It's definitely stylish.

Shop Now

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Credit: Mkeke

Mkeke Screen Protector for iPhone 18 Pro (3-Pack)

$9.99 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $7.00

This screen protector pack features laser-cut 9H tempered glass.

Get Deal

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Credit: Anker

Anker Nano Magnetic Power Bank, 5,000mAh

$54.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $5

Finally, we have one more recommendation: This mini magnetic power pank from Anker, on sale now. This device wirelessly charges your phone whenever you're suffering from low-battery anxiety.

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It's now cheaper to buy a brand new EV than a petrol car in Australia. Chinese EV giant BYD has slashed the Australian price of its entry-level 2026 BYD Atto 1 Essential, cutting it from an already affordable $AU23,990 down to a mere $AU19,990 inclusive of all additional fees. At the current conversion rate, that's a reduction from approximately $17,000 to a little over $14,000.

The BYD Atto 1 made headlines at its Australian debut last year, when its $AU23,990 launch price made it the cheapest EV in the country at the time. This new price reduction has now made BYD's budget EV the cheapest car in the country overall, inclusive of EVs, hybrids, and petrol-powered vehicles. 

Previously, Australia's cheapest new car was the manual 2026 Kia Picanto Sport, a petrol vehicle with a base price of $AU19,190 (around $13,500). Adding mandatory on-road costs easily pushes the Picanto Sport's cost beyond the Atto 1 Essential, whose new $AU19,990 price tag already includes such fees.

BYD's Atto 1 Essential does technically share the title of Australia's cheapest new car with MG's petrol-powered MG3 Vibe, whose current $AU1,000 cash back offer prices it at $AU19,990 inclusive of fees. However, this deal is set to end soon on Sept. 30. Once it expires, and barring any further challenges, the BYD Atto 1 Essential will stand alone as the most affordable new car in Australia.

Unfortunately, the Atto 1 Essential's new $AU19,990 pricing isn't permanent either, only available for three months as a limited time offer from Sept. 15 until Dec. 15. Even so, it's an encouraging signal regarding the increasing affordability and uptake of electric vehicles across the globe. Also known as the Dolphin Mini in Latin America, Dolphin Surf in Europe, and Seagull in China, the BYD Atto 1 has been known to retail for as little as ¥56,800 (around $8,400) in its home market.

Australians get cheaper EVs, while Americans get left behind

Credit: BYD

EV sales recently overtook petrol car sales for the first time in Australia, accounting for 24.9 percent of all new vehicles sold in August. Up 171 percent compared to the same time last year, EV sales individually outstripped petrol, diesel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid car sales across the country. BYD was also Australia's second most popular automaker, following Toyota but edging ahead of Tesla.

"Australians have seen through the scare campaigns and are voting with their wallets for cars that are cheaper to run, cleaner, and reduce their exposure to international petrol prices shocks," said Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, calling the milestone a "landmark moment."

Yet while Australians are enjoying cheaper EVs, U.S. drivers' options remain considerably more limited. The U.S. government's high tariffs continue to block Chinese vehicles from import, with former president Joe Biden previously stating that the effective ban is partly due to other automakers' inability to compete with China's "unfairly low prices." The Trump administration's elimination of EV tax credits last year has also increased prices on the smaller pool of vehicles that are available. As such, EVs in the U.S. continue to come at a hefty cost.

Earlier this year, U.S. automaker Slate announced that its upcoming two-seater Blank Slate electric pickup truck will cost $24,950 excluding fees (around $AU35,000) — a notable increase compared to its initial goal of a sub-$20,000 price tag. Upgrading it from two doors to four will further bump up the price to at least $29,950 (around $AU42,000).

The most affordable EV currently available in the U.S. is the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt, which starts at $28,995 excluding fees (around $AU40,000). That's more than double the Atto 1 Essential's Australian price, even without BYD's current offer. The Bolt may not be available for long either. General Motors previously announced that it was retiring the Bolt in 2023, intending to replace it with a new lineup of EVs. Though the automaker quickly reversed its decision due to popular demand, this is only a temporary stay of execution, as the latest 2027 Bolt is a limited run that's scheduled to end less than two years after launch.

After the Bolt, the next most affordable EV in the U.S. is the Nissan Leaf S+, which starts at $29,990 before fees (around $AU42,000). While Nissan announced plans to release a cheaper model in the U.S. last year, this has since been delayed, with no official word regarding if or when it might now arrive.

If brevity is the soul of wit, then Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) lost his wits a long time ago.

Richmond's affable coach has never been afraid to talk someone's ear off. However, his wordiness becomes a problem in Ted Lasso Season 4, episode 7, titled "Yes & Baby."

The episode sees Ted trying to build a dating profile on Bantr, but he constantly gets stuck on the first prompt: Describe yourself in three words. How can he sum up his character in such few words? More importantly, how can he do that without sounding like he's bragging?

That's not the only trouble Ted has with making his profile. As he and Keeley (Juno Temple) try to whip his Bantr account into shape, they also have a hard time describing what he wants in a romantic partner within the designated character limit. (Apparently, he wants someone with a love of "banger" show tunes.)

"I'm starting to think I may skew a bit loquacious," Ted laments.

Ted's struggle to keep things brief has been a charming quirk of his since Season 1. However, it's become a decidedly uncharming fault of the show as a whole.

In Season 1, episodes stayed around the half-hour mark: a standard length for a streaming comedy. However, as the seasons went on, episodes ballooned in length until audiences were routinely sitting through 50-minute episodes. The shift in runtime matched Ted Lasso's pivot into overt dramedy territory, but it also left the show feeling like a worse version of itself. The jokes weren't tight. Subplots piled up. Ted Lasso's saccharine niceness, welcome in short bursts, became cloying over longer periods of time.

Coming three years after Ted Lasso's supposed series finale, Season 4 felt like the perfect opportunity to reset the show and address major criticisms, such as the bloated runtimes. Instead, Season 4's installments remain squarely in the 45-to 50-minute range, so the problems remain. With the Lady Greyhounds in the mix, the problems feel even more pronounced, as the show strains under the weight of its massive ensemble and its myriad storylines.

As Ted's dating app woes suggest, Ted Lasso is too long-winded for its own good. If it were a Bantr profile, Bantr's servers would implode under all the excess. What the show needs to do is refine itself. That doesn't necessarily mean it needs to describe itself in only three words, Bantr-style. However, if it did want to go that route, I have a suggestion: Needs. Some. Trimming.

New episodes of Ted Lasso premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.

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In its first four minutes, Ted Lasso Season 4, episode 7 addresses my biggest complaint with the season: It finally prioritizes the lives of the Lady Greyhounds.

For the entire season, Richmond's women's team have operated more as a mob than as a crew of individuals. They've attended parties and pub trivia together, they've practiced and played games together, and they've heard their fair share of Ted (Jason Sudeikis) pep talks together. But, with the exceptions of Coach Alice (Tanya Reynolds) and striker Gemma (Abbie Hern), we've barely gotten to see who they are by themselves, off the pitch.

That all changes at the top of episode 7, titled "Yes & Baby," which details the many struggles the Lady Greyhounds are facing in their personal lives. Lizzie's (Faye Marsay) flaky ex has bailed on his promise to take one of their sons to school and watch the other, leaving her to juggle getting to practice and caring for them. Twins Siobhan (Rex Hayes) and Niamh (Aisling Sharkey) are facing a steep rent increase, Boots (Jude Mack) can't fix her car, and Shannon (Shannon Hayes) has a side job as a food delivery courier.

It's clear that their careers as second-division pro footballers aren't financially life-changing. Nor does anyone in their orbits seem to care about their achievements. Gemma's law professor dismisses her Richmond career as just a "football thing."

It's a welcome change to see Ted Lasso wrestling with the tougher realities its female players are facing, especially in contrast with the men of its first three seasons. No luxurious bachelorette pads or high-level endorsements await the Lady Greyhounds as Richmond works to get the team off the ground.

While the rest of the episode primarily focuses on Ted Lasso's main ensemble, it still makes much more room for the Lady Greyhounds than it has in the past. We actually get to see more of their dynamic in practice scenes, which have usually been reserved for Ted, Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), and Alice to chat. Now, as Alice tries to say "yes, and" more, Ted Lasso begins to build a new, more open dynamic between her and the players, one that lets multiple members of the ensemble shine. (Shout out to Mady (Annelise Heywood) for wanting to play blindfolded to "sense" the ball, a gag that I wish Ted Lasso could have followed through on onscreen.)

"Yes & Baby"'s refreshing focus on the Lady Greyhounds culminates in their final locker room scene, when they question the new "Believe" sign. Like much of Ted Lasso, it's a bit on the nose, but then again, why should the women's team just get the men's team's hand-me-downs? And what good is just believing in the face of not being able to pay rent? Alice's amendment of the sign — changing it to "believe and win" — speaks to the fire and drive of every member of the team.

Each of these scenes is a welcome and necessary step toward getting to know the Lady Greyhounds better, both as individuals and as a team. But is it too little, too late? Why, seven episodes in, are we only just really getting to know the team that Ted Lasso came back to London to coach?

The answer is that in attempting a soft series relaunch, Ted Lasso has had a tough time balancing its older characters with the entire team it created to justify bringing the show back in the first place. Episode 7 shows promising signs of finally being able to strike that balance (at the continued sacrifice of the 30-minute episodes I've yearned for since Season 2). However, with three episodes left, the jury's still out on whether Ted Lasso can stick the landing and do justice to the Lady Greyhounds.

New episodes of Ted Lasso premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.

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TL;DR: Live stream the 2026-27 Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League gets most of the attention, and that makes sense because the very best teams in Europe compete in it. But that doesn't mean you should ignore the Europa League. Some of the most entertaining football in recent years has been played in the Europa League, with up-and-coming teams fighting it out for a moment in the spotlight on the European stage.

If you want to watch the 2026-27 Europa League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Europa League?

The Europa League is an annual football club competition organized by UEFA. It is the second-tier competition of European club football, ranking below the Champions League and above the Conference League.

The defending champions are Aston Villa.

When is the 2026-27 Europa League?

The 2026-27 Europa League is the 56th edition of the club competition (and the 18th since it was rebranded from the UEFA Cup). This year's competition runs from Sept. 16 to May 26.

How to watch the 2026-27 Europa League for free

Select fixtures from the 2026-27 Europa League are available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

These free live streams are geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Europa League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the Europa League by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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 Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Europa League fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the Europa League without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus coverage of the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the Europa League?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 connection speeds

• 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 — 80% 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 a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the Europa League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Another Prime Day is coming, and if you want to shop all the best deals, you'll need an Amazon Prime account.

Amazon's flagship sale may be dead and gone for 2026, but its Big Deal Days event kicks off Oct. 6 and runs through Oct. 7. The now-annual 48-hour event is basically a mini Prime Day that happens in the fall. The retailer is likely to drop thousands of deals during the sale, but to shop them, you must be a Prime member.

Not yet a Prime member? Want to revive your old Prime account? You can sign up for a free 30-day trial and unlock access to the sale. And nothing is stopping you from canceling before the 30-day promo period ends to avoid paying full price — just saying. Students (and anyone aged 18 to 24) can also sign up for a 6-month trial for $0.

Regardless of whether or not you stick around, here's how you can sign up for Amazon Prime:

What are your Prime membership options?

If you are purchasing a Prime membership subscription, you have four plan options:

• Monthly Prime Membership — $14.99 per month

• Annual Membership — $139 per year or under $12 monthly

• Young Adult Monthly Membership — $7.49 per month (young adults are also eligible for exclusive offers, including a 6-month no-cost Prime trial)

• Prime for government assistance recipients — $6.99 per month (must verify eligibility)

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Binding.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

TYING

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A slight smile.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SMIRK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

__ Cent.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

FIFTY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Found at a playground.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SLIDE

Final Hurdle hint

Surprised.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

ABACK

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

There's a little more of the Moon to see this week as its illuminated side continues to grow. That means we're getting a better view of some of its surface features each night.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Wednesday, Sept. 16, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Crescent phase, with 26% of its surface visible.

You should be able to spot Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis with the naked eye, while binoculars or a telescope will give you a closer look at Endymion Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon doesn't look the same from night to night. As it travels around Earth, which takes about 29.5 days, we see different portions of its illuminated side. This is what creates the lunar phases, with the Moon gradually progressing from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon before the cycle starts over. According to NASA, the phase we see is determined by the Moon's position relative to both Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Taking leave from work for significant video game releases is a time-honoured tradition. Unsurprisingly, the highly anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) has fans eagerly planning to request time off to play from the moment it launches on Nov. 19.

It's tempting to drop everything and immediately dive in when you've looked forward to a game for years. However, GTA 6 is big enough that taking leave around this date is likely to raise some eyebrows. If you're going to do so, it's important to think carefully about how to go about it, so as to maximise your chances of success.

Your boss probably knows why you're asking for leave

Grand Theft Auto VI launches on a Thursday, just two days before the weekend. As such, many people are planning to take both Nov. 19 and 20 off, giving them four free days to commit crimes in the fictional state of Leonida. Others are extending their time off, setting aside a week or more to play the game. With the Thanksgiving public holiday on Nov. 26, taking five days of leave from Nov. 19 to 25 can give you eight days of uninterrupted GTA 6 time.

However, whether these leave requests will be approved is a different story.

GTA 6 is one of the most eagerly anticipated video games to come out in recent years. The first new Grand Theft Auto title in 13 years, it continues a video game series that has had massive cultural impact since it first launched in 1997. It even won The Game Awards' Most Anticipated Game award two years running.

As such, there is a good chance that your boss has heard of GTA 6, and knows exactly what a Nov. 19 leave request means. What's more, with so many people looking forward to GTA 6, it's likely that others in your workplace are either considering or have already done so. Fan website GTA 6 Calculator even built a leave agreement generator, which creates a joke document outlining terms allowing workers "to fully immerse himself/herself in playing the game, while maintaining minimum professional obligations."

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In a recent Reddit post to Australian corporate subreddit r/auscorp, user u/instanityxsl claimed that their boss had gone so far as to warn employees about requesting leave around GTA 6's launch date.

"In our last team meeting the team leader was saying 'just so you know any leave around Nov 19th may require further explanation for approval, we’ve seen a large number of leave applied for this date and we’re understaffed. HR knows why this is happening. It’s that GT game,'" u/instanityxsl stated. "I was planning on taking 19th to 27th off, but a lot of people from other teams have applied [for] annual leave on these days and it’s flagged as unusual."

While Australians generally receive four weeks of paid annual leave per year, workers in the U.S. aren't legally guaranteed any paid leave at all. As such, taking time off to play a video game may be an even trickier proposition stateside. 

You don't have to give a reason, but don't lie

Leave policies vary significantly among employers in the U.S., as there are few statutory requirements. While you need to tell your boss why you're requesting time off when taking family or medical leave, the handling of other leave requests is largely left up to your employer's discretion. This includes how much time you're permitted to take off, whether you need to provide an explanation, and how much notice is required.

Your best bet is to consider your individual circumstances, and how a leave request may be received depending upon your workplace culture and policies, current workload, and relationship with your boss. This includes talking with your boss early on. As always, giving them as much notice of your leave as possible enables them to plan around your absence, which can help achieve the outcome you want. 

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Whether to disclose the reason for your request is up to your judgement. There is no legal obligation to tell your employer what you plan to do during your time off. However, if they already suspect that GTA 6 is the reason behind your Nov. 19 leave request and directly ask you, attempting to skirt the question is unlikely to do you any favours. It's best to be honest, and let the chips fall as they may. A few days of gaming isn't worth jeopardising your work relationships.

Such a confession won't necessarily destroy your application's chances, either. While some employers will no doubt be unsympathetic to fans' excitement, a few people on social media have reported explicitly GTA 6-related leave requests being approved. Redditor u/ddc431 even claimed that they will be closing their 18-person company for launch day, after several people requested the day off.

"if some of them are already spending an actual vacation day on this, and let's be real the rest of us are gonna be useless that day anyway, why am i making everyone pretend to work," u/ddc431 wrote. "so i just said screw it, we're closing. everyone. paid day, and it does NOT count as holiday. nobody loses a vacation day over it."

Other employers have identified GTA 6's release as a motivational tool. Last month, several U.S. Army combat engineers in Georgia were offered a four days of leave to play Grand Theft Auto VI as an incentive for reenlisting. Those who chose to reenlist between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14 would be eligible for the pass, which was "specifically designated to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the video game Grand Theft Auto VI." At least 44 of the 130 eligible soldiers have reportedly taken up the offer.

Meanwhile, Redditor u/Perfect-Pension545 said they may turn launch day into a relaxing day of gaming in the office.

"I’ve also considered having a 'work day' that is anything but that — projector, GTA, drinks and good food," u/Perfect-Pension545 wrote. "Staff can either come in and socialise and play the game or take the day off."

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An understanding employer is the best-case scenario. Unfortunately, even if you craft the most reasonable and considered request for leave on GTA 6's launch day, there's no guarantee that it will be approved. In such cases, being willing to delay your leave slightly may help you get the next best thing. Perhaps your boss expects your office to be particularly busy on Nov. 19 (which may be the case if others have already asked for some GTA 6-filled time off). You could instead proposed delaying your leave until Nov. 23, allowing you to dive into GTA 6 over the weekend and keep playing through Monday.

Though it may be disappointing not to spend launch day playing, waiting a day or two could ultimately offer you a better experience.

Should you just wait until the weekend?

Many people are keen to jump on GTA 6 as soon as it drops. However, there are some benefits to waiting until the weekend. 

GTA 6 is unlikely to suffer from the same server issues that Grand Theft Auto Online did in 2013. The multiplayer game was plagued with issues at launch, with players struggling to connect to its overloaded servers. In contrast, GTA 6 is a single-player game, so fans needn't fear that similar server issues will lock them out on launch day. GTA 6 is also available for preload, so you won't even have to endure downloading huge files at sluggish speeds on Nov. 19, provided you plan ahead.

Even so, it's likely that GTA 6 will likely still require some updates on launch day. Day-one patches are the norm in video games, allowing developers to update a game after it has been certified for consoles. With millions of players expected to boot up GTA 6 on launch day, any patch may take a while to download. Waiting until after the rush could save you some strife, while also giving GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games a little extra time to patch any issues that pop up on day one. 

Of course, this isn't a reason not to request leave for Grand Theft Auto VI if that's what you'd prefer. For those diving into big games on launch day, the energy and excitement of experiencing it alongside other fans for the first time can be akin to watching live sports rather than catching a replay. Just consider what you'd like to prioritise for your first GTA 6 session, and what will make this long-awaited launch feel most thrilling to you.

Fortunately, there's no reason to fret even if you can't get the time off. The fact that GTA 6 is a single-player game means that you won't miss anything if you can't boot it up right at midnight. Whether it takes you a day, a week, a month, or even a year to get to it (knock on wood), GTA 6 will still be there waiting for you.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 16 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 16 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 16 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for people who've played basketball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Sign on an injury

• Green: Basketball schemes

• Blue: John who?

• Purple: Milestone year

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Worn After an Injury

• Green: Basketball Defenses

• Blue: John___

• Purple: ___Year