Blogroll

These 4 USB cables are quietly becoming your biggest security risk—here's why

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 23:30

Most people know to avoid sketchy downloads or suspicious links, but they don't think twice about USB cables. People buy whatever they find at a gas station because it looks harmless. The problem is that the cable connecting your phone or laptop to power can do more than you think. Never plug in a cord you just found or know nothing about. You're still plugging in a gadget, even if it doesn't seem like one.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These are the 5 most underrated programming languages of all time

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 23:00

Every few years, the programming world converges on a handful of languages and treats them as the only serious options. JavaScript, Python, Java, C, and now Rust and Go dominate job listings, tutorials, and conference talks. That consensus is useful, but it also buries languages that solved hard problems elegantly, influenced everything that came after them, and still do useful work today. Underrated does not mean unknown. It means the gap between a language’s actual quality and the attention it receives is embarrassingly large. These five languages live in that gap.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 15-inch MacBook Air M5 is $200 off for Prime Day — act fast to shop this rare Apple deal

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 23:00

SAVE $200: As of Oct. 5, the 15-inch MacBook Air M5 is available for $1,299 on Amazon. That's a $200 savings off the regular list price of $1,499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch M5 $1,299 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $200   Get Deal

Apple deals are always a highlight of major sale events, such as October Prime Day, which officially launches tomorrow. After all, those big Apple discounts don't come around too often. Fortunately, the early deals continue to rack up ahead of the main event on Amazon, including a sweet saving on the 15-inch MacBook Air.

As of Oct. 5, the MacBook Air 15-inch is priced at a $1,299, down from the regular list price of $1,499 — a total saving of $200. There are some neat bonuses when you buy this MacBook, too — the deal includes up to three months free access to Apple Arcade, Fitness+, and News+.

This is the 2026 version of the MacBook Air, which means it's packed with all the latest features and specs. It's powered by Apple's lightning-fast M5 chip, with features that include Apple Intelligence, Touch ID, a stunning Liquid Retina display, WiFi 7 compatibility, and a hefty 1TB of storage.

The Air is built for working on the go — lighter and slimmer than regular MacBooks — but offers the same super-smooth user experience you expect from Apple.

We expect this deal to get snapped up as October Prime Day gets going, so don't miss the MacBook Air 15-inch with a full $200 off. Now available for $1,299.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts
Categories: IT General, Technology

October Prime Day 2026: Live updates on Apple, Kindle, Lego, and Samsung deals

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 22:59

Amazon will host its annual Prime Big Deal Days sale on Oct. 6 and 7, and Mashable shopping experts will be bringing you live updates on all of the best October Prime Day deals. If you're looking to save on essentials or desperately need some relief from this year's tech price hikes, this is your chance to save some serious cash.

We know that shoppers are keeping an eye on the build-up to Black Friday, but we expect this event to drop deals in just about every category. We're already seeing price drops on Apple MacBooks, first-ever deals on new Bose headphones, and huge discounts on top TVs from brands like Samsung, LG, and TCL. Our shopping experts are ready to help you save, and we'll be cross-checking prices at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart to make sure you know where to find the lowest prices.

Keep scrolling for the full schedule of events and the latest Prime Day deals, live updates, price drops, low-stock alerts, and news from the Mashable shopping team.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 5 best handheld gaming consoles, tested and compared: Switch 2, Steam Deck, MSI Claw 8

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 22:51
The best handheld gaming consoles are getting too expensive

Thanks to the AI industry hogging all the memory components, gaming consoles are getting more expensive. In the past 12 months, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony all raised prices on their gaming consoles, and Windows laptops are seeing the same increases. It's not a good time to be a gamer. Even before the wave of price increases, handheld gaming PCs were already expensive. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 launched last year for $1,099, but costs $1,999 today. The Legion Go S with SteamOS was originally available for $749.99, but you'll have to pay $999 today at Best Buy — and that's with a $580 discount.

The Steam Deck has also been beset by price increases and has periodically gone out of stock. The Switch 2 has also gotten more expensive, though it's by far the most affordable option in the category.

So far, only one handheld gaming console has held steady at its original price — the ROG Xbox Ally X. We don't know how long it will continue to be available for $999, but we're not complaining.

Nintendo, Windows, or SteamOS?

When purchasing a handheld gaming PC, you generally have three options: Nintendo, Windows, or SteamOS. The right answer comes down entirely to personal preference. If you're a PC gamer who primarily buys games through Steam, then go with a Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion running SteamOS. If you're an Xbox or cloud gamer, then the Windows 11-based MSI Claw 8 or ROG Xbox Ally X will be more your speed.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Save over $600 on this 17-inch HP touchscreen laptop and improve your productivity

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 22:45

Touchscreen laptops, like the HP Omnibook 3, are a practical way to boost your productivity and are now cheaper than ever. You can simply swipe across the display to navigate, and you don't need to worry about clunky trackpads or buying a mouse. It also has decent power under the hood to handle work or play.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I stopped using Waze in Android Auto after it killed my battery—here's what fixed it

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 22:30

Google Maps or Waze is usually the go-to choice for directions, and Waze has always been mine. I like how quickly it picks up traffic, warns me about slowdowns, and gives me a heads-up about things happening on the road. I’ve gotten into the habit of turning it on before I pull out, even when I mostly know the route.

Categories: IT General, Technology

A ton of Amazon device deals are live for October Prime Day: Shop Fire TVs, Echo speakers

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 22:06
Early October Prime Day Amazon device deals: Best Echo Device Deal Amazon Echo Dot $39.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best Kindle Deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024 model) 169.99 (save $80) Get Deal Best tablet deal Amazon Fire HD 10 $72.99 (save $82) Get Deal Best Fire TV deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $17.99 (save $32) Get Deal Best TV Deal Amazon Ember 55-inch 4-Series Fire TV $279.99 (save $180) Get Deal best blink camera deal Blink Outdoor 2K+ with free Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ $34.99 (save $134.99) Get Deal Best eero deal Amazon eero Pro 7 $224.99 (save $75) Get Deal Best Deal Under $25 Amazon Smart Plug $12.98 (save $12.01) Get Deal

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days (aka October Prime Day) is coming in hot, and with it, a smorgasbord of discounts on Amazon devices. The annual sale runs from Oct. 6 through Oct. 7 this year and presents the perfect opportunity to kickstart your holiday shopping.

It's no surprise Amazon offers the biggest markdowns on its own devices. And since Amazon increased prices across its hardware range by as much as 60% last month, this year's October Prime Day sale couldn't come at a better time.

Amazon has marked down nearly all of its products. Just a week after Amazon released 2026 models of Kindles, the retailer dropped prices on 2024 Kindle models. Plus, you can save up to 50% on the Echo Dot, but the new Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio are also on sale. We've found savings on Fire tablets, Blink cameras, Fire TV streaming sticks and soundbars, Fire TVs, and eero devices, too.

Plus, don't forget about Amazon's subscription deals for Prime newcomers, which are already live:

We're tracking all the best Amazon device deals throughout the Prime Big Deal Days sale, so keep checking back for the best live offers.

Best Echo device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Dot $39.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $40.00   Get Deal Why we like it

Finally! Amazon's Echo devices are officially on sale for Prime Big Deal Days. Right now, grab the Amazon Echo Dot for just $39.99. While that's not the lowest sale price we've ever spotted on the Echo Dot, it's the best we've seen since Amazon increased prices on its devices.

The Echo Dot is a perfectly compact smart speaker. Plus, it's compatible with Alexa+, a smarter home assistant that helps you do everything from meal planning to booking dinner reservations.

More Echo device dealsBest Kindle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024 model) $169.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $80   Get Deal Why we like it

If you've been patiently waiting for Kindle deals to drop, the wait is over. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is one of our favorite e-readers. With 32GB of storage, it has space for thousands of books. It also has an auto-adjusting front light and wireless charging capabilities. It's exceptionally fast, too, as it never stutters when opening books or turning pages.

Plus, we're thrilled about the Signature Edition's sale price. It's dropped to $169.99, taking 32% off its list price of $249.99. That saves you $80, the device's first discount since Amazon raised its price in August 2026.

Plus, when you buy a new Kindle, make sure to include three months of Kindle Unlimited in your purchase because it's totally free (a $35.97 value).

More Kindle dealsBest Fire tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet $72.99 at Amazon
$154.99 Save $82.00   Get Deal Why we like it

While it's hardly a new device, the Fire HD 10 tablet is still a solid pick for anyone who just wants a tablet to stream shows, check emails, and browse social media. Mashable's reviewer SaVanna Shoemaker called it "lighter and faster than its predecessors, with a long battery life and vivid picture that makes it great for on-the-go entertainment." Compared to other well-known tablets, she also adds that it's an "excellent value." It's not going to knock your socks off, but it'll get the job done and won't break the bank — especially now that it's on sale for only $72.99, a full 53% off its list price.

More Fire tablet dealsBest Fire TV Stick deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $17.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $32   Get Deal Why we like it

The entire Fire TV Stick lineup was affected by the August price hike, so we're surprised that the discounts are still at pre-hike levels. Prime members can score the 4K Select for only $17.99, which is 64% in savings.

The 4K Select is Amazon's newest 4K Fire TV Stick with HDR10+ support and the first to feature its new Linux-based operating system. That means a few things: it's speedier and more streamlined than older Fire Sticks, but also more limited. If you like sideloading apps, this streaming stick won't let you (go with the 4K Plus instead). It also offers support for Alexa+, Amazon Kids+, Amazon Luna, Xbox Game Pass, and NordVPN.

More Fire TV dealsBest Amazon Fire TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Ember 55-inch 4-Series Fire TV $279.99 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $180   Get Deal Why we like it

This TV strikes just the right balance between features and value. It's big enough and boasts a good-enough display, yet thanks to a 39% discount, it still qualifies as a budget TV. Even as smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, and virtually everything else have gotten more expensive, flat-screen TVs have gotten significantly less expensive over the last five years. And as part of Prime Big Deal Days, this one's even cheaper.

If you want to upgrade to a QLED display or save even more money, you can find a ton more discounts thanks to October Prime Day deals on Amazon devices.

More Amazon Fire TV dealsBest Blink camera deal Opens in a new window Credit: Blink Blink Outdoor 2K+ with free Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ $34.99 at Amazon
$169.98 Save $134.99   Get Deal Why we like it

Who doesn't love free stuff? In this early October Prime Day deal, you can get the Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ for no extra cost when you purchase the Blink Outdoor 2K+ for $34.99. That's 65% off the camera itself and nearly 80% off the combined cost. If you're looking to enhance your home security but don't want to spend a fortune, this bundle is an excellent start. You'll get sharp 2K video, enhanced audio, and night vision with no installation hassle. Everything is battery-powered and lasts for months at a time.

More Blink camera dealsBest Eero deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon eero Pro 7 $224.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $75   Get Deal Why we like it

If your WiFi is laggy, it may be a good time to invest in an Amazon Eero system. For Prime Big Deal Days, the Eero Pro 7 Mesh WiFi router is down to $224.99, which is $75 cheaper than usual. It supports over 200 devices, internet plans up to 5 Gbps, and covers up to 2,000 square feet, helping to optimize your connection and eliminate dead spots. Even if you're not a tech guru, it's a breeze to set up thanks to Eero's step-by-step guide in the app.

More Eero dealsOne more thing: Amazon smart plug Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Smart Plug $12.98 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $12.01   Get Deal Why we like it

If you have some money left over on an Amazon gift card, we know just what to do with it — add this Amazon Smart Plug to your cart while it's almost 50% off for Prime Big Deal Days. Turn any lamp or electronic into a smart device. All you have to do is plug it in.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These 5 distros are replacing Red Hat Enterprise Linux in the professional world

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 22:00

I have spent a substantial part of my professional career working with RHEL, and it has given me a pretty good understanding of why organizations standardize on it, and I have seen the operational advantages that make companies willing to pay for it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

14 Prime Day deals on Lego: We found rare deals on Lego Star Wars, Lego Pokémon, and more

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:51
The best early October Prime Day Lego deals: Best Lego Pokémon deal Lego Pokémon Eevee $47.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best Lego Botanicals deal Lego Botanicals Flower Bouquet $33.59 (save $26.40) Get Deal Best Lego Super Mario deal Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart $149.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best Lego Smart Play Set Deal Lego Star Wars SMART Play: Millennium Falcon $79.95 (save $20.04) Get Deal Best 2026 Lego Advent Calendar Deal Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026 $35.00 (save $9.99) Get Deal

Amazon's fall Prime Day kicks off the holiday shopping season. Prime Big Deal Days runs from Oct. 6 to 7, so you'll want to clear some space on your calendar to shop. This 48-hour sale is an excellent time to check out deals on a wide variety of items, including Lego.

The sale, which is exclusive to Prime Members, is stacked with discounts already, but we've spotted tons of savings available to all.

From select Botanicals builds to Pokémon and Star Wars collabs, you can check out 15 of my favorite finds below.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best Lego sets of 2026 so far, from F1 to Monet and Pokémon Lego Botanicals Flower Bouquet has never been cheaper

The Lego Botanicals Flower Bouquet is an absolute delight for adult builders (as it's recommended for ages 18 and up), with its 756 pieces coming together to create a display of 15 stems including roses, snapdragons, poppies, asters, daisies, and grasses.

If it's one you've had on your radar, Amazon has a sweet little October Prime Day treat for you: it's currently at its lowest-ever price of $62.04. Plus, it's retiring soon, so no better time than the present to pick it up.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Flower Bouquet $33.59 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $26.40   Get Deal Lego Pokémon Eevee hits lowest-ever price (under $50)

Pokémon fans have been treated to some very fun Lego builds this year, including this Eevee set. This adorable adult build launched earlier this year, featuring 587 bricks to create the beloved Pokémon. Once fully assembled, Eevee's head, ears, limbs, and tail can all move around for posing, and the set even comes with a fun easter egg that pays tribute to Eevee's evolutions.

If you've been eager to pick it up, Amazon's knocked it down to its lowest-ever price. You can snag this build for $47.99 instead of its usual $59.99, saving you $12.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Pokémon Eevee $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12   Get Deal Score $20 off this fun Mario Kart Set

Mario fans, start your engines: Lego's Super Mario: Mario Kart set is currently down to its lowest-ever price on Amazon. For October Prime Day, you can take $20 off this awesome 1,972-piece set, which features a brick-built Mario in his Standard Kart from Mario Kart.

Similar to the sets above, this is another one that's recommended for adult builders, likely because it's meant to be set up as a display piece once you're finished rather than played with as a toy. With its nearly 2,000 bricks, you'll put together Mario (whose head and arms can move) inside the Standard Kart, which can be positioned at different angles on the display stand. That helps make it quite a fun, dynamic display to have up.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart $149.99 at Amazon
$169.99 Save $20   Get Deal Lego's SMART Play: Millennium Falcon set drops to 90-day low

If you've got a Lego Smart Brick on hand, this deal is well worth checking out: Lego's Star Wars SMART Play: Millennium Falcon set has plummeted to its lowest-ever price at Amazon ahead of Prime Big Deal Days.

This Lego set does not come with the Lego Smart Brick, but it is compatible with it. If you already have one that comes included with the All-in-One sets, then you'll be able to enjoy the sounds of the Millennium Falcon and crew from this 885-piece build. As for what crew comes with the set, you'll get SMART Han Solo, SMART Chewbacca, SMART Luke Skywalker, and SMART C-3PO minifigures, alongside four SMART Tags to use with the Smart Brick.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars SMART Play: Millennium Falcon $79.95 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20.04   Get Deal Save $10 on 2026 Lego Advent Calendars

Lego's 2026 Advent Calendars are officially live and already on sale. The Star Wars, Marvel, Lego City, and Disney Princess advent calendars all received a $10 discount at Amazon ahead of October Prime Day, which is a nice little treat if you're hoping to grab them before the holiday season.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026 $35 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $9.99   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Marvel Advent Calendar 2026 $35 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $9.99   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego City Advent Calendar 2026 $25 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $9.99   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar 2026 $35 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $9.99   Get Deal Lego Fortnite Durrr Burger Restaurant drops to a new low

Lego's Fortnite Durrr Burger Restaurant set is another build that's retiring soon, but before that happens, Amazon's offering an excellent price cut. Dropping to a new low price, this set has plummeted to $39.99 at the retailer, saving you $13.

Aimed at ages 10 and up, it includes the restaurant — decked out with a condiment station, soda machine, cash register, and more — alongside Beach Bomber, Beef Boss, Grimey, and skeleton minifigures that each come with their own accessories.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Fortnite Durrr Burger Restaurant $51.99 at Amazon
$64.99 Save $13.00   Get Deal Over $20 off the Lego Icons Balrog Book Nook Kit

The Balrog Book Nook Kit is a great pick-up for adult Lord of the Rings fans who want a slightly different Lego display in their home. This 1,201-piece build, once fully assembled, can be slotted between books on your shelf, creating a cool little window into the unforgettable moment in the film when Gandalf the Grey and the Balrog clash. It can even be opened up to reveal a fuller scene.

Amazon has slashed over $20 off this set, knocking it down from $129.99 to $107.99. It's also just a cent away from its lowest-ever price of $107.98, so what better time to grab it?

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook Kit $107.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $22.00   Get Deal Lego's Back to the Future DeLorean gets a $30 discount

Great Scott! The Lego Icons Back to the Future Time Machine set received a $29.99 price cut long before Amazon's October Prime Day sale hit, and is still on sale. That's a nice little surprise. Normally listed at $199.99, the retailer dropped it to $170. It may not be its lowest-ever price there (that was $159.99), but it's not too far away from that mark.

While Lego has another DeLorean set geared toward kids, this build is meant for adult fans aged 18+. It comes with 1,872 pieces that create the car, which can be changed into three different versions: the first has a lightning rod and a plutonium chamber, the second has the Mr. Fusion generator and a hover conversion function to flight mode, and the third has whitewall tires and a circuit board. Plus, it also comes with an interchangeable OUTATIME license plate and minifigures of Doc and Marty McFly.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons Back to the Future Time Machine $170 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $29.99   Get Deal Save big on Lego's Animal Crossing Creative Houses with a coupon

Lego's Animal Crossing sets, like the Creative Houses set, are an absolute delight for fans. This build comes with 814 pieces that create two houses that can be placed either next to each other or stacked into a two-story home, but that's not all. The set also comes with accessories that let you change the setting with the seasons, including spring flowers, summer picnic accessories, autumn pumpkins and leaves, and snowmen for winter. And we can't forget about the minifigures of Stitches, Fuchsia, and Fang.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Animal Crossing Creative Houses: Seasons of Fun $72.89 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $17.10 Clip coupon to get deal. Get Deal Save $14 on the Lego Ideas Polaroid OneStep SX-70

The Lego Ideas Polaroid OneStep SX-70 is another adult build set to retire soon (it's temporarily out of stock at Lego), so if you've been hoping to buy it, this is a great opportunity. And honestly, this 516-piece set seems worth every cent, creating a Polaroid OneStep SX-70 camera with a viewfinder, Color Spectrum, exposure compensation dial, and stickers, plus three illustrated photos for it.

Amazon has slashed the price of this set to $65.99. It may not be the lowest price we've ever seen (that was $63.95), but it's just a couple of dollars away. Since Lego is set to retire it soon, now is as good a time as any to grab it.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Ideas Polaroid OneStep SX-70 $65.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $14   Get Deal Lego's Technic Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is back to its lowest-ever price

For those who love Lego's Technic builds, feast your eyes on this 732-piece Chevrolet Corvette Stingray model. If it's one you've had on your radar, this is a perfect time to pick it up, as Amazon has returned it to its lowest-ever price of $41.99. That's 30% off its original list price of $59.99.

While it's recommended for ages 9 and up, it looks like a set that builders of any age could enjoy. Of course, you'll create a brick-built version of the vibrant yellow car, but it also features moving components such as steering, an eight-cylinder engine, and opening doors and a hood. Whether it's used for play or display, it's a cool addition to any Lego car collection.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Technic Chevrolet Corvette Stingray $41.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $18   Get Deal The Lego Creator Haunted Mansion is $18 off ahead of Halloween

Halloween is coming up fast, and this Lego Creator 3-in-1 Haunted Mansion set is a wonderfully spooky way to celebrate the season. In total, it comes with 736 pieces and can be assembled in three different ways: a haunted house, a ghostly ship, or a train set. The minifigures are perfect additions to the setups, with a werewolf, a vampire, a ghost with a glow-in-the-dark cape, Frankenstein's monster, and a skeleton.

Normally it's priced at $89.99, but Amazon's knocked it down to $76.99. That saves you $13 overall, but it's also just a few dollars away from its lowest-ever price at the retailer. No tricks here, that's just a nice savings treat.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Creator 3-in-1 Haunted Mansion $76.99 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $13   Get Deal Lego's Diagon Alley is just pennies away from its lowest price

If the Harry Potter show coming soon to HBO Max has you itching to jump back into the Wizarding World, it's worth having a look at this 2,750-piece Lego Diagon Alley set. Recommended for adult builders, it sees you creating a massive Diagon Alley display, complete with microscale versions of shops like Eeylops Owl Emporium, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the Leaky Cauldron, and The Daily Prophet HQ. On top of that, it also comes with a whopping 12 microfigures.

While it's usually listed at $199.99, it's currently just a few cents from its lowest-ever price at the retailer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Harry Potter Diagon Alley Wizarding Shops $171.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $28   Get Deal Take $13 off Lego's AT-AT set

This Lego Star Wars AT-AT set is another build recommended for adults, paying homage to the Battle of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back. With a grand total of 525 pieces, you'll create a mid-scale AT-AT walker that has a Rebel Alliance Snowspeeder wrapping a tow cable around its legs. It also comes with a display stand to show it off once you've assembled it, plus a nameplate as a finishing touch.

If you've had your eye on it, you're in luck: Amazon's discounted it to $51.99. This is $13 off its usual list price of $64.99 and is incredibly close to its lowest-ever price of $51.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars AT-AT $51.99 at Amazon
$64.99 Save $13.00   Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

GG EZ started as AI. Two creators made it human. Does that change anything?

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:39

For the past few weeks, it's been nearly impossible to spend time online without hearing the phrase "GG fuckin' easy." Or, perhaps more accurately, "furkin' easy."

You've probably seen the clip, too. A woman sitting at her desk with wavy red hair, clipped to one side and tucked beneath a pair of gaming headphones, sings, "GG fuckin' easy." A guy cuts in: "Hey, don't say that!" She looks almost surprised. "Really?" Then she scrunches her cheeks, lines radiate from her face, and she offers a compromise: "Furkin' easy."

The whole thing lasts about seven seconds. The post on X has passed 72 million views, and the quote tweets have racked up millions more.

The song is "GG EZ," and in a matter of weeks, those seven seconds have been remixed, memed, and turned into a reason to "nuke all Valorant servers." People who had absolutely nothing to do with the song even started pretending they'd made it. Why? Well, that's internet humor.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

What most of those viewers don't know is that the song started as an AI track, released under the name M.Sasuke. Someone made it, in the sense that someone used the tools. That version currently has over 18 million streams on Spotify. But the version everyone is singing along to now is a remake with human voices, and who counts as its author is less clear than it looks.

What is "GG EZ"?

"GG EZ" is a short, bouncy pop-rap track built around gaming slang. "GG EZ" is what players type after beating someone, usually in games like Valorant or League of Legends, and usually to be insufferable. The song plays that attitude for a cartoonish love-hate story between two gamers, set over light synths and mouse-click-style drums.

The video most people know isn't the original release. It's a remake, which is where the story gets interesting.

Where did the original come from?

The song first appeared in May under the name M.Sasuke, and it didn't take long to find an audience. "GG EZ" became a dance trend in K-pop circles, with idols including BTS's Jung Kook, TXT's Yeonjun, Stray Kids' Lee Know, NCT Wish's Sion and Riku, ITZY's Yeji, and dozens of others posting their own versions.

But as the song spread, fans began to notice something strange about the vocals. They had a tinny, almost robotic quality that sounded suspiciously like AI. As it turns out, they were.

After questions about the song's origins started circulating, M.Sasuke, an anonymous Japanese music producer, acknowledged using AI in their music. It's even in their Instagram bio: "I write music with AI." They also maintained that there was still a human behind "GG EZ," adding that they wrote the lyrics and determined the song's arrangement and style, while apologizing to listeners who object to the use of AI. Forbes described "GG EZ" and M.Sasuke's other music as AI-generated, including both the vocals and the music itself.

Which makes "GG EZ" a little more complicated than the usual AI-versus-human debate. A person claims the words and the creative direction; a machine produced the sound we actually hear. The more interesting question, then, isn't whether "GG EZ" is AI-generated. It's what, exactly, it means to have made it — and in this case, remade it.

Who remade it?

In late August, two creators decided to make the song a little more human. Kaien Nuen, a multilingual influencer and independent artist, teamed up with Angelina "Sugar" Zhang, a cover artist and cosplayer who recently graduated from the University of Toronto. According to Pitchfork, the pair got M.Sasuke's permission before rerecording the track with their own voices.

The resulting release credits M.Sasuke alongside Kaien and Sugar, though the human version was Kaien and Sugar's project. M.Sasuke's credit reflects the fact that "GG EZ" was their song to begin with, rather than necessarily suggesting they were involved in making the new version.

Their version stretches the song to two minutes and 31 seconds and adds a few new flourishes — a burst of Jersey club here, a bigger finish there, and, importantly, the opening exchange of "hey, don't say that!" — while keeping the basic structure intact.

For Kaien, the approach isn't exactly new. He's built a following by putting a human spin on algorithm-friendly genres, performing Brazilian phonk on instruments like the zither, erhu, and guzheng. With "GG EZ," he's essentially doing the same thing in reverse, taking a song that began as machine output and putting people back into it.

How did it go viral?

According to Know Your Meme, the human version of "GG EZ" really took off on X, where musicians started jokingly claiming they had produced it. From there, the song became increasingly difficult to escape, mainly due to Sugar's enunciation of "furkin' easy."

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Eventually, the games and the people associated with them got in on the joke. Valorant's official X account posted "gg ferkin ez" alongside an image of Sugar in a Valorant Champions jacket. Esports organization Sentinels joined in, too, while League of Legends veteran Doublelift suggested "GG EZ" should become Valorant's official theme song. In a September stream, popular Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said, "I've been watching it non-stop," before playing the video intro. A commenter replied, "This shit's Cocomelon for unc."

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But somewhere along the way, people also started taking the song seriously. Pitchfork references a remix by Digicore artists gunk, zayok, and edyn, who released their own take on "GG EZ," approaching it less as a meme to be laughed at and more as a song worth doing something interesting with.

Zayok told Pitchfork that he doesn't even like the original "GG EZ." What interested him was the possibility that putting real human effort into something, even something you think is bad, could turn it into something good. In a way, that's become part of the strange appeal of "GG EZ." The internet didn't just make an AI song go viral. It kept finding ways to make it more human.

Does human-made mean better?

This is the question at the center of the whole saga. The remake has been described as a more "ethical" version of an AI song, and it's easy to see why. Instead of synthetic voices, there are two actual people singing it.

But consider what really changed. Kaien and Sugar didn't write "GG EZ" from scratch. With M.Sasuke's permission, they stepped into an existing song, replacing its synthetic singers with their own voices and building a performance around it. The strange little world of "GG EZ" — its gamer slang, its melody, its "GG fuckin' easy" hook — had already been established before either of them appeared on screen.

What they gave the song was a human presence. Suddenly, "GG EZ" had recognizable voices and meme-able faces. It had performers who could make the joke land with a scrunched-up face and an exaggerated "furkin' easy." And when the internet decided it loved, hated, or simply could not escape the song, there were real people standing there to receive that attention.

That's a different kind of humanization than simply replacing an AI vocal track. Kaien and Sugar didn't erase the AI origins of "GG EZ." In reality, they gave an otherwise faceless song people to look at.

What happens next?

"GG EZ" may be a one-off. Or it may be an early glimpse at a stranger, creative future, one where AI spits out the raw material, and humans decide what's worth salvaging from it.

That's ultimately what happened here. An AI-generated song became a human performance, then a meme, then something other musicians wanted to remix, reinterpret, and make their own. At every step, "GG EZ" became a little less interesting for how it was made and a little more interesting for what people did with it.

Seven seconds was all it took to make "GG EZ" impossible to escape. Figuring out who or what deserves credit for that hasn't been so furkin' easy.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Tom Cruise's Digger might be streaming on HBO Max sooner than you think

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:36

Tom Cruise swung for the fences with Digger. Unfortunately for Cruise and the rest of Hollywood, the risk hasn't paid off, with Digger suffering an epic opening-weekend failure at the box office.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I own 20TB of HDD storage but refuse to buy Seagate for one simple reason

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:30

The simple reason? It's trust. I simply, personally, don't trust Seagate as a hard drive brand anymore. Is it fair to avoid an entire brand? If you look under the hood at what a brand actually is, it might not make too much rational sense. Even my own personal philosophy has always been to judge products on their individual merits.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Googlebook's Android integration has two limitations that you won't see coming

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:29

Two new details today from Google reveal some fine print about its Googlebook laptop platform. Several cross-device features require a phone running the latest Android 17, while app support can vary depending on the laptop’s processor. This means that the experience could vary significantly for users.

Categories: IT General, Technology

We found 10+ Prime Day deals for under $25 to add to your cart: Lego, streaming sticks, Owala bottles, and more

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:22
Best early Prime Day deals under $25: Best earbuds deal Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds $20.99 (save $19) Get Deal Best Apple deal Apple AirTag (2nd Gen) $24 (save $5) Get Deal Best Amazon device deal Amazon Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro (newest model) $19.99 (save $15) Get Deal Best kitchen deal Cuisinart Mini Food Processor $24.49 (save $15.46) Get Deal Best water bottle deal Owala FreeSip Twist $19.97 (save $10.02) Get Deal

In case you haven't noticed, it's gotten expensive to simply exist. Between gas prices, groceries, and, of course, rent, finding any deal is a win in my book — which is exactly why we're tracking down the best Prime Day deals for under $25.

SEE ALSO: The best Prime Day deals under $50: Our favorite budget deals on earbuds, beauty tech, and more

October Prime Day, officially known as Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, kicks off on Oct. 6, but a lot of the best under-$25 steals we saw during June's Prime Day were already live before the sale's official start.

So if you're sticking to a budget, you might want to get these to your cart ASAP before they sell out. And be sure to check back, as we'll be updating and adding new $25-and-under finds as more discounts drop.

Best deal under $25 Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Owala FreeSip Twist $19.97 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $10.02   Get Deal Why we like it

We love the Owala FreeSip at Mashable. Multiple staffers own the bottle that allows you to chug and sip out of one lid, all the while keeping your water cold all day long. The FreeSip Twist, in particular, is Owala's slimmer version of the classic FreeSip that catapulted it to internet fame. With a 24-ounce capacity, it still holds plenty of water, but can easily fit into car cup holders, backpack water bottle pockets, a seat back pocket, or simply slide into a tote bag with more ease.

Best Lego deal under $25 Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Wednesday Black Dahlia Flower $18.99 at Amazon
$27.99 Save $9   Get Deal Why we like it

Maybe you're a Wednesday fan, maybe you just want to get into the Halloween spirit. In either case, this 358-piece Lego set is a great deal, serving as both a cool nightstand display and a conservatory vase that opens up into Wednesday's classroom. At $18.99, this is the lowest price this set has ever been.

More deals under $25 Opens in a new window Soundcore P20i earbuds $20.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $19.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: LifeStraw LifeStraw Personal Water Filter $14.99 at Amazon
$17.95 Save $2.96   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (2nd gen) $24 at Amazon
$29 Save $5   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: INIU INIU 10000mAh 45W Power Bank $21.59 at Amazon
$23.99 Save $2.40   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro $19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Mini Orchid $23.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $6   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: JLab JLab Go Air Pop+ Earbuds $23.51 at Amazon
$26.99 Save $3.48   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Skullcandy Skullcandy Dime 3 Earbuds $24.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $10.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $17.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $32   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streaming Stick $19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Cuisinart Cuisinart Mini Food Processor $24.49 at Amazon
$39.95 Save $15.46   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Rubbermaid Rubbermaid Brilliance BPA-Free Food Storage Containers (3 set) $19.93 at Amazon
$31.65 Save $11.72   Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

Fifteen years after Steve Jobs’ death, Apple leaders and fans reflect on his legacy

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:09

Fifteen years ago, on Oct. 5, 2011, the world lost Steve Jobs at the age of 56. Today, the people who worked alongside the Apple co-founder and those who built careers using the tools he helped create are remembering his influence.

Among them are Apple executive chairman Tim Cook and the company’s new CEO, John Ternus, who succeeded Cook in September.

"There are people who leave a mark on the world, and then there are people who change it entirely," Cook wrote on X. "Steve changed the world and so many lives in the process. He certainly changed my life forever. His spirit lives on in everything he created and everyone he inspired."

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Cook has regularly posted remembrances of Jobs on the anniversary. This year, Ternus joined him for the first time as Apple’s CEO, reflecting on the attention to detail Jobs instilled in his colleagues.

"The way Steve taught us to care about every detail, every experience, every person, still guides our work today," Ternus posted. "Forever grateful."

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The tributes come shortly after Apple’s latest leadership transition. Ternus succeeded Cook as CEO on Sept. 1, with Cook becoming executive chairman after 15 years leading the company.

Others online shared their own reflections, looking beyond Apple’s best-known products to the careers and experiences Jobs helped shape.

Author Andrew Mayne wrote, "He was an incredibly forward thinker pushing ideas years before they became mainstream." Filmmaker Crosby Tatum highlighted Apple’s creative software, including Final Cut Pro and Logic Studio, crediting Jobs with helping independent filmmakers and musicians. "Long live Steve Jobs," he added. User Matt Bieber remembered heading to Apple for a week of meetings when news of Jobs’ death broke.

"I’ll never forget being on campus as flowers and notes appeared and the entire Valley mourned," he wrote. "A surreal week, and one I still think about every October 5th."

For those looking to revisit Jobs’ life and work, Apple’s "Remembering Steve" page collects messages from friends, colleagues, and customers. The company says more than a million people have shared their memories and condolences. The Steve Jobs Archive also preserves photographs, emails, speeches, and videos documenting his ideas that have shaped the world as we know it today.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your old Android phone is a better Home Assistant dashboard than any cheap tablet

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:00

Cheap tablets are popular choices for Home Assistant dashboards. You can mount them on a wall and use them to display data and controls for your smart home. Before you buy a cheap tablet, it's worth considering if your old Android phone can do a better job.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Kodiaks self-driving trucks are hitting the highways, and I took a ride in one

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 21:00

Kodiak is gearing up to deploy its fully driverless semi trucks on highways later this year, starting with Ikea. I took a ride to see the autonomous tech in action.

Read more about autonomous vehicles: California announces AV regulation, fines for robotaxis that impede emergency responders
Can Waymo and Waze fix cities' potholes?

Timecode chapters
0:00 Intro
0:33 Kodiak AI
1:22 Ride along
3:00 Interview with Kodiak COO
3:30 Sensor pod
3:45 GigaFusionNet
5:18 Conclusion

Video credits
Host: Abrar Al-Heeti
Scripted by: Abrar Al-Heeti
Producer: Celso Bulgatti
Camera: Celso Bulgatti
Video editor: Celso Bulgatti
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

Categories: IT General, Technology

Meet the first ever humanoid robot surgeon

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 20:58

We visited UCSD's Center for the Future of Surgery to learn about the first ever live surgery using humanoid robots.

Read more about AI in health care: ChatGPT Health is now available to all users
AI is changing health: Here's what you should know

Timecode chapters
0:00 Introduction: Humanoid robots in surgery
0:35 The need for remote and robotic surgery
0:59 Challenges of adapting humanoid robots
1:21 Testing the teleoperation setup
2:18 Why live animal surgeries are necessary
3:00 Performance and thermal management issues
3:32 Potential for AI autonomy in surgery
3:59 Key challenges and future outlook

Video credits
Host: Jesse Orrall
Scripted by: Jesse Orrall
Producer: Jesse Orrall, Jon Gomez, Owen Poole
Camera: Owen Poole
Video editor: Jon Gomez, Owen Poole
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ive been waiting months for these October Prime Day MacBook deals: Save up to $600 on the Air and Pro

Mashable - Mon, 10/05/2026 - 20:55
The best early October Prime Day MacBook deals at a glance: Best MacBook Air Deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,099 (save $200) Get Deal Best MacBook Pro deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 18-core CPU/20-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,699 (save $500) Get Deal Best MacBook Neo deal (for now) Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $689 (save $10) Get Deal

Genuinely good MacBook deals have been harder to come by in the wake of Apple's summer price hikes. Thanks to Prime Big Deal Days, that's finally changing.

Amazon's 48-hour fall savings event for Prime members serves as its unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. (It's often referred to as "October Prime Day.") While the sale doesn't technically start until Oct. 6, it's already ushering in sizable MacBooks price cuts — the likes of which we haven't seen in months. Of special note is a $200 discount on the M5 MacBook Air that completely erases its price increase; this week marks the first time shoppers have been able to buy it for as low as $1,099 since June.

Check out my running list of the best October Prime Day MacBook deals below. I'll continue to update it as the sale continues through Oct. 7 at midnight PT.

How I picked the best October Prime Day MacBook deals

The Mashable team has reviewed every current MacBook and monitors their prices continuously throughout the year. The deals I'm personally recommending here involve the lowest prices on select models in at least three months, which I vetted using the Amazon price-tracking tool camelcamelcamel and our past coverage of MacBook deals. Things are already looking a bit better than usual: MacBook Pro deals maxed out at $400 off last Prime Big Deal Days, but right now, select models are up to $600 off.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about October Prime Day, according to someone who covers it every year

If you're willing to wait a little longer, I think some MacBook Pros could get even cheaper once Prime Big Deal Days officially starts. I've marked them as "MacBook deals to watch" for the time being. That's also the section where I've plopped the best live deals on the budget MacBook Neo, which is only $10 off on Amazon right now. (That's its biggest discount outside of the Apple Store's education pricing, but I'd like to see if Amazon gives us $25 to $50 off once the festivities begin. Hang tight, people!)

Finally, I'm keeping an eye on other retailers' MacBook deals this week to see if any of them manage to beat Amazon's prices. None of them have yet, though Best Buy was matching some of its offers at the time of writing. Check there if the configuration you want happens to sell out during Prime Big Deal Days.

Best MacBook Air deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,099
$1,299 Save $200   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,299 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $200   Get Deal

The latest MacBook Air is a Mashable Choice Award winner and one of our top-reviewed products of the year. In his testing, Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth found the M5 chip to be ridiculously powerful (probably more powerful than the average person really needs, TBH). It also has a fantastic display, a great-sounding speaker system, and a sharp Center Stage webcam.

The 13- and 15-inch sizes of the MacBook Air are both now $200 off on Amazon, starting at just $1,099 and $1,299, respectively. Best Buy was matching those deals the last time I checked.

More MacBook Air dealsBest MacBook Pro deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 18-core CPU/20-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,699 at Amazon
$3,199 Save $500   Get Deal

The M5 Pro chip is one of Apple's upgraded laptop CPUs. It's designed to handle the ultra-demanding workloads of "pro users — like data modelers, post-production sound designers, and STEM students — who require robust processing power and graphics," according to a company press release.

Right now, you can save $500 on a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip that has 18 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, plus 24GB of RAM and a healthy 2TB of storage. This laptop typically retails for $3,199, but you'll pay $2,699 — a 16% savings. Best Buy is also price-matching Amazon here.

As mentioned up top, Amazon's October Prime Day MacBook Pro deals usually max out at $400ish. With that in mind, this is one deal that probably won't improve within the next two days. I also want to point out that it costs the same as a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the same amount of RAM and storage, but a lesser M5 Pro chip with 15 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores. If you're splurging on a new laptop for AI or creative work, this is more of a bargain.

More MacBook Pro dealsMacBook deals to watch
Categories: IT General, Technology
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