IT General

VLC has been around since 1996, when Google and YouTube didn’t exist. For nearly three decades now, the orange traffic cone has remained a familiar sight on computers. Several media players and file formats have come and gone, but VLC quietly keeps doing what it does best: playing media without asking you to pay. That longevity isn’t about nostalgia. VLC began as a student project before becoming open-source software that now works across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Beyond just handling audio and video formats, it also bundles a collection of built-in tools that don’t require separate plugins or apps.

RCS was supposed to fix texting. I personally held out hope for it, a lot. Yet, years after Google began pushing it, the experience still feels inconsistent and incomplete. What went wrong?

Teachers have a lot to get off their chests. Helping a classroom full of students learn to read, write, and work on their own is already a big job. Add chatbots that can do the homework — or create the lesson it’s based on — and there’s even more to work through.

Some are taking those frustrations to TikTok and Reddit, and finding plenty of people to commiserate with. Self-described teachers share accounts of students who need help getting through a sentence, or who hand in assignments they can’t explain. Some teachers for advice, others just need to vent.

SEE ALSO: Trump signs AI education order to train K-12 students amidst competition from China

In the replies, fellow educators recognize their own school days, while parents weigh in with concerns about their children’s education. The discussions can get heated, but some of the posts drawing attention are more personal — teachers admitting how hard their jobs have become.

In a TikTok posted a week ago, first-grade teacher Carol Fernandez broke down in tears as she talks about her students' struggles — along with her own.

"Clearly theyre not studying at home. Theyre failing." She gave an example of an exam, stating that only 1 student passed out of 34, and also telling a story about how they can't write words correctly, even when copying them from a board.

"It's exhausting," she says. "Its almost scary. And then you start questioning yourself, thinking, is it me?"

Teachers and parents in the comments tell her she isn’t alone, sharing their own concerns about students and their children falling behind.

"It's not you. These kids are DIFFERENT nowadays," wrote one commenter. "I had to quit. I ended up in an in-patient unit in September due to poor mental health. 30 beds...5 of us were teachers. This is nuts," wrote another. One commenter had her own theory: "It's the iPads. Now they have shorter attention spans so it's harder to teach them and it's harder for them to learn."

The frustration in those comments shows up in the research, too. In a Pew Research Center report published in 2024, 77 percent of U.S. public K–12 teachers said their jobs were frequently stressful, and 68 percent said they were frequently overwhelming. Most said they couldn’t get everything done during regular work hours. And students are having a hard time, too: On the 2024 Nation’s Report Card, 40 percent of fourth graders scored below the test’s Basic level in reading, with average scores falling from 2022.

Then there’s the challenge of getting students to focus long enough to learn. In a federal survey, about a quarter of public school leaders said student inattention severely hurt learning at their schools. The same share said it severely hurt staff morale. Many also share that commenter’s concerns about screens: In Feb. 2025, 73 percent said cellphone use had negatively affected students' attention spans. Apparently, "eyes on the board" has become a pretty big ask.

SEE ALSO: Kids don't need chatbots. Teach them this about AI instead.

Over on Reddit’s r/Teachers, users express the same exhaustion — and can sound considerably angrier. In a thread titled "I do not know how to teach kids this low," a user identifying themselves as a high school teacher writes: "They do not know how to write words and I have to stand over them and give them each letter. This is HIGH SCHOOL."

In one viral screenshot titled "My 8th graders are absolutely helpless," the user writes, "Independent work doesn't exist anymore because if I'm not right by their side holding their hand then nothing will get done," adding, "Maybe this isn't the right career for me." Another poster directs their anger at districts allowing students to advance without catching up: "Why are you okay with these students not getting appropriate help?" they ask. "I'm horrified at how our districts baby these parents."

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Now add in a chatbot that can fill in the answers before class even starts, and teaching becomes harder than ever. In another r/Teachers thread, "Student 'finishing' the activities in seconds," a user describes a student who repeatedly announced she was finished with textbook exercises almost immediately. The giveaway came when she claimed to have completed an activity requiring a video the teacher hadn’t played yet. Asked to put her answers on the board, the student struggled. "Half of them were completely wrong, and the other half were barely intelligible," the poster writes. As another user added, "That's what you get for trusting ChatGPT."

In the replies, users debated extra assignments, consequences, and moving more work into the classroom. One suggested having students watch recorded lessons at home and complete assignments in class, using pencil and paper, saying it's best if "students don't see the assignment until they get to class." Another questioned why suspected cheating should create yet another task for the teacher: "Oh, so the student who cheats through everything gets to have their teacher create more work for them to cheat through?" "The kid needs a detention and a call home lol," she adds.

Using a chatbot for schoolwork doesn’t automatically mean cheating. But teachers are navigating a classroom where those tools are already common: A Pew Research Center report published in February found that 54 percent of U.S. teens had used chatbots for help with schoolwork, and one in 10 said they did all or most of their schoolwork with chatbot assistance. For teachers already worried about students working independently, a completed assignment doesn't even give any sense of comfort.

SEE ALSO: I'm a college writing professor. Here's what AI still can't do

Of course, students aren’t the only people hoping AI can make the school day more manageable. As Mashable reported in July 2025, the American Federation of Teachers announced an AI training academy backed by Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic. That means teachers are being encouraged to embrace AI to ease their workloads, even as figuring out how students use it adds more to their plates.

Even figuring out whether a student used AI can become a project of its own. In a 2025 essay for Mashable, college writing professor Jonathan D. Fitzgerald discussed tools including GPTZero, ZeroGPT, and TurnItIn, describing how AI detectors could give conflicting verdicts on the same text. "How can a teacher approach a student with an accusation of AI plagiarism without concrete evidence, or really any way to get that evidence?" he wrote.

Interestingly, as per the Reddit threads, some students have questions about the teacher’s work, too. In another post, a student reportedly recognizes a teacher’s assignment formatting because it resembles the study guides they make with ChatGPT and reported it to the co-teacher. "It’s literally the meme of two AIs just communicating with each other," the poster writes.

Separate images circulating as alleged examples of classroom handouts show counting hands with six digits apiece, a fraction diagram with more sections than its label calls for, and a population map containing garbled place names.

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Some school systems are putting limits on how far this AI experiment can go. On Sept. 2, New York City announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI from pre-K through eighth grade, with exceptions including assistive uses. The policy allows limited, supervised high school pilots and lets teachers continue using approved tools for planning and operational tasks.

"There are a lot of holes in the policy, if we are being honest," Liat Olenick, AIM Coalition and Climate Families NYC organizer, told Mashable. "But Kindergartners will not be talking to chatbots this fall, and that is huge progress. We made that change this year."

As we move into the next phase of AI in schools, more policies like this will be needed. As generative AI becomes part of everyday life, the goal should be to make the most of what it has to offer while making sure neither students nor teachers take shortcuts that leave students unprepared for what comes after graduation. How well schools strike that balance is something teachers — and the rest of us — will be watching.

Red Hat gutted CentOS in 2020, and after CentOS 7 reached its final EOL in June 2024, countless servers lost their free, stable foundation. Three distributions, depending on who you ask, are filling that gap right now, each with a slightly different philosophy. Here is how CentOS Stream, Rocky Linux, and AlmaLinux compare, and what each means for administrators today.

MapQuest will not go gentle into that good night.

The navigation software — which debuted in 1996 and was later eclipsed by competitor Google Maps — is currying favor with new users by taking a hard line against Flock cameras.

Users can now track nearby Flock cameras and other surveillance systems using the platform's new Surveillance Layer, released yesterday to its mobile app. The layer includes location data for automatic license plate readers (APLRs) and other public cameras from almost a dozen companies: Flock, Motorola Solutions (Vigilant), Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo (ELSAG), Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia, and Verkada.

According to MapQuest's terms, the data is sourced from Open Street Map contributors. Open Street Map is an open source, community-created mapping database.

SEE ALSO: Flock CEO says it won't work with clients who abuse its surveillance, but claims none have

Crowdsourced Flock maps have risen in popularity over the last year as communities fight back against the "public security" company. A nationwide backlash to ALPRs has resulted in intense scrutiny on Flock, including a recent Senate inquiry. Flock's CEO has doubled down on the company's partnerships with law enforcement and city governments, recently stating that only a small number of bad actors have abused its technology.

MapQuest shows nearby license plate readers as well as general surveillance cameras. Credit: MapQuest Credit: MapQuest

Flock partners have faced multiple accusations of misusing the surveillance system to stalk, harass, and profile individuals.

MapQuest saw an influx of new users in September, after the website announced it wouldn't honor President Donald Trump's executive order to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Last year, the platform also debuted a customizable map feature that let users rename the Gulf of Mexico, following the Trump administration's announcement it was changing the geographical area's name to "Gulf of America."

The Roads Have Eyes! 👁️ Turn on the Surveillance Layer in Map Options to see known license plate readers from Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions (Vigilant), Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo (ELSAG), Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia, Verkada, and other outdoor surveillance cameras.

[image or embed]

— MapQuest (@mapquest.com) October 15, 2026 at 3:49 PM How to turn on MapQuest's surveillance layer Total Time

• 5 min.

What You Need

• MapQuest app

Step 1: Download the MapQuest App.

Step 2: Tap the "layers" icon on the bottom right corner of the map.

Step 3: Toggle on "Surveillance."

Step 4: Look for the "eyes" to spot nearby surveillance cameras.

Credit: MapQuest Credit: MapQuest

Keeping on top of NFL scores can feel like a full-time job. If you're in a fantasy league, it can be hard to know how well you're doing without constantly checking your phone. I decided to build a scoreboard using a cheap ESP32 board to keep me informed while I'm at my desk.

Nothing ruins a long drive like losing 30% of your battery before you reach your destination.

A portable power station, like the Anker Solix S2000, can be a lifesaver if you get caught without power during a winter storm. Your food will stay fresh in your fridge, and you can charge your devices to stay in touch with your loved ones.

You Can See Everything, a three-hour documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, opens in theaters this week. You'd think Holmes would be the main point of focus, but people are coming out of it wondering about her husband, too.

Holmes is married to a man named Billy Evans, who is not a household name like his wife. If you saw You Can See Everything or want to see it, and you need to know more about Evans, here is a basic rundown of how he got to this point.

Who is Billy Evans? His life before Elizabeth Holmes

Prior to meeting Holmes, Evans came from a San Diego family known for a line of family-owned hotels in the area. William and Anne Evans, Billy's grandparents, founded the company in 1953, according to the Evans Hotels website. According to Business Insider, Evans Hotels operates the Bahia Resort Hotel, the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, and The Lodge at Torrey Pines.

Evans, however, did not work in the hotel business prior to meeting Holmes. According to his LinkedIn profile, he graduated from MIT in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. During his time at MIT, he took student gigs at financial companies around California and was also a student brand manager at Red Bull.

Eventually, Evans took a job at LinkedIn in 2017 as a "strategy and leadership program analyst." Later in 2017, he joined Luminar Technologies, an autonomous-car tech firm.

How Billy Evans met Elizabeth Holmes

It's around this time that Evans met Holmes at a house party in San Francisco in 2017, per a joint interview the two gave to the New York Times in 2023. The timing of this is important, as Holmes was not indicted for fraud until early 2018. She had been a source of controversy prior to meeting Evans, but had not yet been charged by the SEC.

As stated in that interview, Holmes and Evans talked for three consecutive hours at the party. According to Evans, it "isn't an overstatement" to say they fell in love right away. Per Holmes, her public controversy allowed Evans to "get to know [Holmes] in a totally different way," leading them to connect in "a really deep way."

Their relationship became a public matter after they were spotted together at Burning Man. The two of them got engaged in August 2018. A few months later, at the start of 2019, Evans left his job at Luminar, per the New York Post. The Post's report included the nugget that his co-workers at the firm thought he left because of the public scrutiny around his relationship with Holmes.

Where Billy Evans and Elizabeth Holmes stand today

Evans would become one of several people who submitted letters of support during her 2022 trial in an effort to reduce her sentence. In his statement, he wrote he fell in love after speaking with her at the party before he really realized who she was. He was reluctant to start a romantic relationship for about six months because of the controversy, but it "was not long before the friendship turned into something more," per his letter.

The couple has two children: a son named William, born in 2021, and a daughter named Invicta, born in 2023. The family relocated to Texas prior to her imprisonment, close to the minimum-security facility where Holmes now resides. You Can See Everything covers the move and the family's last days together before Holmes had to leave. Family visits between Holmes and her husband and children are allowed, but conjugal visits between husband and wife are not, per People.

Evans insists that Holmes is his "best friend and soulmate," according to People. Holmes continues to maintain her innocence.

SAVE $195: As of Oct. 16, the Dyson Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler for Curly + Coily Hair is on clearance at Best Buy for only $454.99. That's 30% off its suggested retail price of $649.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler for Curly + Coily Hair (Amber Silk) $454.99 at Best Buy
$649.99 Save $195   Get Deal at Best Buy

If you're planning on gifting a Dyson Airwrap this holiday season (to a loved one or just yourself), heed my advice: Don't bother putting off your purchase until Black Friday rolls around. Best Buy currently has the special-edition "amber silk" colorway of the Airwrap i.d. for Curly + Coily Hair marked down to only $454.99 as part of a clearance deal. That's a very rare 30% savings.

For some added context, Airwrap discounts usually max out around $150 during the holidays. I should also point out that another model geared toward straight and wavy hair has already sold out at Best Buy at its clearance price of $552.99. (And that's a way worse deal!)

Launched in 2024, the Airwrap i.d. is a mid-tier variant of Dyson's legendary multi-styler with several different attachments and Bluetooth support — meaning you can use the MyDyson mobile app to program a custom hair routine. It was re-released in amber silk for the holidays last year, so I'm assuming Best Buy is just getting rid of its remaining inventory to make way for this season's new limited-edition "plum and copper" finish.

The Curly + Coily version of the Airwrap i.d. comes with conical barrel, diffuser, volumizing brush, loop brush, long barrel, fast dryer, and detangling comb attachments (plus a storage case and filter-cleaning brush).

The Steam Deck was the first truly successful handheld gaming PC, but the market had multiple competitors well before Valve opened the floodgates and ushered in a new era of handheld gaming. The granddaddy of them all was the OpenPandora, which came out back in 2010. In 2016, GPD released the GPD Win, the first proper handheld gaming PC that ran Windows and was powered by an x86 CPU.

SAVE $85: As of Oct. 16, the Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler is on sale for $340 on Amazon in the color "venom." That's 20% off its usual sticker price of $425, which is its biggest discount ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler $340 at Amazon
$425 Save $85   Get Deal at Amazon

Late-season clearance sales and early holiday discounts are the perfect recipe for some excellent outdoor deals this time of year. Case in point: Right now, Amazon has the Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler on sale for a record-low price of $340, shaving $85 off its MSRP.

The Roadie 48 can hold up to 76 cans (without ice) or 54 pounds of ice (without cans) and is tall enough to fit most wine bottles and two-liter soda bottles, making it ideal for bustling tailgates and watch parties. It has a retractable handle and puncture-resistant wheels, so you can take it just about anywhere. Amazon reviewers have rated it very highly for its cooling performance and mobility.

Credit: Yeti

Note that Amazon's deal only applies to the lime green "venom" colorway, which is a win for Seattle Seahawks fans (or angels who are still bumping Charli xcx's 2024 album, brat). The other colors are still stuck at full price at Amazon and other retailers, including the Yeti website.

Netflix has a few award-winning movies that make for easy streaming on your weekends. From a Christmas romcom full of overlapping love stories to a high-speed action sequel and a fashion-world comedy-drama, these three films offer something different for everyone.

If your work constantly takes you on the go with your laptop, but you're used to working with two monitors, simple tasks on one screen can feel a little crammed. A portable monitor is the best thing you can invest in, allowing you to take a second screen with you, and one of the best you can get right now is the Asus ZenScreen in its 15.6-inch size. The ZenScreen is already at a generally reasonable price, but right now it's even sweeter, as you can grab one from Amazon for under $100.

When you think of Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series, "horror" isn't the first word that comes to mind. While the franchise has dealt with some frightening elements, from Koh the Face Stealer to Korra being haunted by visions of her poisoned self, it has rarely crafted an episode that delves fully into the horror genre.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' episode 5 is chock-full of 'Last Airbender' Easter eggs

The sole exception is The Last Airbender's Book 3 episode "The Puppetmaster," the show's 2007 Halloween special. Throughout the episode, The Last Airbender fashions an unsettling mystery about disappearances from a Fire Nation village during the full moon. By the episode's end, the culprit is revealed to be Hama, a waterbender who's able to manipulate people's bodies by bending the blood in their veins. The bloodbending reveal has lasting consequences, popping up again in The Legend of Korra in a major way, but it also opens the door for some genuinely frightening body horror. No Avatar fan can forget the first time they witnessed the herky-jerky movements of Katara, Aang, and Sokka as they succumbed to Hama's bloodbending. The Legend of Korra ups that body horror significantly, twisting bloodbending victims' limbs to impossible positions, but it's the sinister build-up and Hama's betrayal that keep "The Puppetmaster" standing tall as Avatar's scariest episode.

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Now, though, Avatar: Seven Havens has gifted viewers with a new addition to the Avatar Halloween canon with its sixth episode, "Night of the Afflicted."

The episode's name references George A. Romero's classic zombie movie Night of the Living Dead, and it delivers on its promise with a storyline that can only be described as "zombies by way of Avatar."

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The zombies in Seven Havens are not reanimated corpses, but rather citizens who have been "afflicted" by contact with the diamond anomaly from the show's second episode. In the case of Brigade Commander Bountan (voiced by Clyde Kusatsu), that means getting zapped by the anomaly's energy ray. In the case of Brigade members like Tala (voiced by Anjali Bhimani), that means making contact with the strange red crystals the anomaly left behind, which then embedded themselves in her skin in a case of gnarly body horror.

On top of the crystals, Seven Havens adds further disconcerting physical characteristics to its afflicted to turn them into zombie analogs. The darkened circles around their eyes give them a near-undead look. Meanwhile, their eyes themselves are downright terrifying: glowing, red, and bloodshot. What they see through these eyes is even worse. Under the anomaly's influence, twin Avatars Pavi (voiced by Saheli Khan) and Nisha (voiced by Aishu Devan) turn into downright monsters.

Possessed by fear, the sight of Pavi and Nisha sparks a fit of violent paranoia in the afflicted, resulting in a stampede akin to that of a zombie horde. What follows is a claustrophobic chase through darkened tunnels, the kind that would be right at home in a zombie film.

Threaded through it all is the moving story of Pavi learning to ask for help from Nisha. At the start of the episode, Pavi begins feeling phantom pain from her lost leg. While she waits for a new prosthetic, she uses a crutch and insists she doesn't need assistance from anyone, worrying that her limb difference will make her a lesser Avatar in the eyes of the White Lotus. By the episode's end, though, she overcomes that fear and asks Nisha for help in their fight against a newly manifested anomaly. The question doesn't just aid Pavi: It also aids Nisha, who looked terrified at the thought of facing the spooky diamond alone. Thanks to Pavi's request for help, the twins are able to lean on each other, literally and figuratively, and energybend the anomaly away. Their teamwork puts an end to the zombie story they've found themselves in and sets the stage for the next steps in their joint Avatar journey.

Between its zombie riff and its heartfelt twin story, "Night of the Afflicted" proves to be another strong entry in Seven Havens, as well as its most tonally unique. Pair it with "The Puppetmaster" for extra Avatar spookiness this Halloween season.

Avatar: Seven Havens is now streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes every Friday.

Jellyfin is one of the best free, open-source media servers out there. It allows you to stream your movies, shows, and audiobooks without requiring a subscription.

Quick Answer: Choose the Theragun Relief for approachable, everyday muscle recovery, the Theragun Mini for portable recovery and the TheraFace Mask Glo for an upgraded skincare routine. The limited-edition Y2K Grape Blast Theragun Mini adds nostalgic 2000s style to the portable Mini.

Struggling to find the perfect gift for friends and family? Sick of worrying about favorite colors or ideal sizes? Simplify your shopping list by giving the gift of wellness this holiday season and you'll only have to ask one question: Which option benefits my friend's wellbeing the most?

That's where Therabody's self-care lineup comes in handy, especially when you choose one that fits something your giftee already enjoys doing. A massage gun might make sense for the runner who's always complaining about sore legs, while someone with an elaborate skincare routine may get more use out of an LED face mask.

Here's how to find the right Therabody model for each person on your list at Best Buy.

Which Therabody device fits each person on my gift list?

The best Therabody gift comes down to what the person you're shopping for will actually use. Think about whether they're more likely to reach for it after a workout, at their desk, while traveling or during their skincare routine.

A runner can put a massage gun to work after tough workouts, while a frequent traveler may prioritize a compact, lightweight design they can take on a business trip or vacation. For the skincare devotee, the TheraFace Mask Glo brings the focus to self-care, stimulating collagen production for firmer, more radiant skin. Think about how your recipient will actually use the gift, and the right fit becomes much easier to spot.

What to look for when choosing a Theragun

Choosing a Theragun is less about finding the model with the most features and more about figuring out which features you'll actually use. Think about how and where you'll use it, then consider:

• How often you'll use it: Regular recovery or occasional soreness?

• Where you'll use it: Mostly at home or at the gym and while traveling?

• Size, weight and grip: Consider portability, how comfortable it is to hold and whether you can reach areas like your back and shoulders.

• Intensity and speeds: Look at how much control you have over the massage.

• Attachments: Different attachments can target different muscles and areas of the body.

• Noise level: This may matter if you plan to use it around other people.

• Battery life: Frequent users and travelers may want longer stretches between charges.

• Budget: Consider which features matter enough to pay more for.

Theragun Relief vs. Mini: Which one should you gift?

For straightforward everyday recovery, the Theragun Relief is an approachable pick. It weighs 1.37 pounds and boasts one-button control with three speeds, plus standard ball, dampener and thumb attachments for treating different areas. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Theragun Theragun Relief $159.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy

Theragun Relief is good fit for someone who wants a massage gun without much of a learning curve, whether they're sore after workouts or spend long hours at a desk. And you’re not just giving them a feel-good gift, either: A 2023 systematic review published in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology found that massage guns may help improve short-term flexibility and range of motion and may support muscle recovery, although research remains limited.

People who travel a lot, meanwhile, may prefer the Theragun Mini 3rd Gen, which CNET’s experts named the best lightweight massage gun. It's Therabody's smallest and lightest Theragun, with three speeds and three attachments, plus Bluetooth connectivity to the Therabody app for additional controls and guided routines.

Opens in a new window Credit: Theragun Theragun Mini $219.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy

If it'll mostly live at home, the Relief keeps things simple. If it's going to the gym, out on the golf course or to the airport and everywhere in between, the Mini is easier to bring along.

What is the best Therabody gift for a self-care fan? Opens in a new window Credit: TheraFace TheraFace Mask Glo $379.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy

For someone who's more concerned with skincare than sore muscles, the TheraFace Mask Glo makes more sense.

The wearable mask uses 504 LEDs to deliver red, red plus infrared and blue light across the face. A preset treatment takes 12 minutes, and the head strap adds vibration for a scalp massage.

Research into LED skincare is promising, although expectations should stay realistic. A randomized, double-blind study published in 2025 in Medicine found that a home-use mask combining red LED and infrared light improved crow's-feet measurements compared with a sham device after 16 weeks of use.

The Mask Glo can also slip into an existing skincare routine: Put it on, start the preset treatment and let it cycle through its light modes. For someone who takes their skincare time seriously, it's easy to picture this gift getting regular use.

Therabody's new Y2K Mini is made for nostalgic tech fans Opens in a new window Credit: Therabody Y2K Grape Blast Theragun Mini $229.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy

The limited-edition Y2K Grape Blast Theragun Mini gives Therabody's portable massage gun an early-2000s makeover.

The translucent purple design takes its cues from the colorful, see-through electronics of the Y2K era, but underneath it's a Theragun Mini 3rd Gen. You still get the compact design, three speeds, three attachments and Bluetooth connectivity.

It's a fun pick for someone who'd appreciate a massage gun but doesn't want another black or gray gadget, combining the Mini's portability with a much more eye-catching design.

You can shop Therabody at Best Buy to find a recovery or self-care gift for someone on your list — even if that someone is yourself.

FAQsWhich Therabody is the best gift?

The best choice comes down to how the recipient likes to unwind or recover. Choose the Theragun Relief for everyday recovery, the Mini for portability, the TheraFace Mask Glo for skincare or the Y2K Grape Blast Mini for someone who'll appreciate its limited-edition styling.

Which Theragun is best for travel?

The Theragun Mini 3rd Gen is Therabody's smallest and lightest massage gun, making it the most travel-friendly option covered here. It fits easily into backpacks, gym bags and suitcases, so you can take it wherever you find yourself needing quick relief.

What is the difference between a Theragun and the TheraFace Mask Glo?

Theragun devices use percussive massage for muscle recovery. The TheraFace Mask Glo is a wearable skincare device that uses red, infrared and blue LED light plus vibration massage.

Is there a new Theragun launch this season?

Yes. The limited-edition Y2K Collection includes the Theragun Mini 3rd Gen in Grape Blast, a translucent colorway inspired by the colorful tech of the early 2000s. 

Where can I buy Therabody products?

Therabody products, including Theragun massage guns and TheraFace devices, are available at Best Buy. Shop Therabody at Best Buy to find the device that best fits your holiday wish list.

Samsung and Google make some of the best Android phones you can buy. And even though most flagship phones are nearly the same these days, with huge screens and countless cameras on the back, there are important differences. More than ever, those come in the form of software, and here are a few things my Galaxy S26 can do that my Pixel 11 Pro XL can't.

You remember the wings. You remember the mating bonds. You probably remember Nesta and Cassian's training sessions better than the political situation on the continent (or maybe that’s just me).

But with Sarah J. Maas's next A Court of Thorns and Roses book approaching, some details suddenly feel more pressing. Who is Koschei again? Where did we leave Elain and Lucien? And why are people talking about a sword from an entirely different series?

The last ACOTAR installment, A Court of Silver Flames, gave Nesta a love story, a new community, and a very expensive bargain with the Cauldron. Since then, Maas has expanded this world through her Crescent City books, leaving ACOTAR readers with developments they might have missed.

Here’s what to remember before opening A Court of Splintered Harmony.

Warning: Major spoilers for the published ACOTAR books follow. The Crescent City section also spoils House of Sky and Breath and House of Flame and Shadow.

When does the next ACOTAR book come out?

A Court of Splintered Harmony arrives Oct. 27, 2026. It’s the sixth published installment and carries the subtitle The Valkyrie Cycle, Movement I.

A Court of Forgotten Melody follows on Jan. 12, 2027. Both titles and dates are listed on Maas's official website. Your return to the Night Court could become an extended stay.

What is A Court of Splintered Harmony about?

The official synopsis puts Koschei the Deathless at the center of the threat. Bound to a mountain lake for millennia, he is attracting allies who want to reclaim the human lands.

Prythian is still recovering from the war with Hybern, while betrayals and revelations have divided the Night Court. Everyone will need to work through their issues to confront him.

There are also clues about perspective: A publisher teaser names Lucien in a passage following his thoughts, while another features a character communicating with shadows, strongly suggesting Azriel.

SEE ALSO: Sarah J. Maas announces two new 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' books Which ACOTAR books come before it?

The published reading order is:

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses

2. A Court of Mist and Fury

3. A Court of Wings and Ruin

4. A Court of Frost and Starlight

5. A Court of Silver Flames

The shorter Frost and Starlight bridges Wings and Ruin and Silver Flames. Including it is why the upcoming release is called ACOTAR 6, even if you’ve seen readers count four novels and a novella.

For a targeted reread, start with Silver Flames. Its ending leaves several characters, magical objects, and alliances worth revisiting.

Where did we leave Nesta and Cassian?

By the end of Silver Flames, Nesta has accepted her mating bond with Cassian and defeated the human queen Briallyn. Then Feyre's childbirth crisis forces another decision.

Feyre cannot safely deliver her winged baby, Nyx. Her bargain with Rhysand means her death would also kill him. Nesta uses the Dread Trove and offers back the power she took from the Cauldron to save them, surrendering most of it.

She retains some magic and reveals that she also changed her own body so she could safely carry a winged child. After so much conflict with her family, Nesta ends the book as the person who saves Feyre, Rhysand, and their son.

Why do the Valkyries matter?

Nesta's recovery is closely tied to Gwyn, a priestess, and Emerie, an Illyrian shopkeeper. Through friendship and training, the three revive the traditions of the Valkyries, an ancient order of female warriors.

They're tested when they are kidnapped and forced into the Blood Rite, a dangerous Illyrian trial. Gwyn and Emerie reach the summit of Ramiel; Nesta stays behind to defend the pass so they can continue.

With the upcoming books branded The Valkyrie Cycle, their shared project deserves attention, even if the subtitle doesn’t establish which woman will lead the story.

Who is Koschei, and what does he want?

Koschei is an ancient sorcerer and the brother of the Bone Carver and the Weaver. Confined to a lake on the continent, he still manages to manipulate events beyond it.

He is responsible for the human queen Vassa's curse: She becomes a firebird during the day and returns to human form at night.

In Silver Flames, he works with Briallyn, whose schemes involve acquiring the Dread Trove. Nesta defeats her, but Koschei remains at large — and, according to the new synopsis, his influence is growing.

What's happening with Elain, Lucien, Azriel, and Gwyn?

Elain and Lucien have a mating bond, but she hasn't accepted it. Meanwhile, Elain and Azriel’s attraction becomes explicit in Azriel’s bonus chapter from the Books-A-Million edition of A Court of Silver Flames.

They nearly kiss before Rhysand interrupts. He orders Azriel to stay away, warning that pursuing Elain could provoke a confrontation with Lucien and serious political consequences.

Later, Azriel interacts with Gwyn. After Elain returns the necklace he gave her, he leaves it with Clotho to pass to Gwyn. His response to Gwyn — and his shadows’ behavior around her — has fueled competing romantic theories.

There’s plenty left unresolved, but none of this confirms an endgame pairing.

What is the Dread Trove again?

The three objects central to Silver Flames are the Mask, Harp, and Crown. The Mask can raise the dead, the Harp manipulates passage through space and time, and the Crown can control others.

Nesta’s connection to them comes from having been Made by the Cauldron herself. These objects are separate from the magical weapons she creates during training.

What happened in Crescent City that ACOTAR readers should know?

Skip this section if you want to experience the crossover unspoiled.

At the end of House of Sky and Breath, Bryce Quinlan crosses into the ACOTAR world. House of Flame and Shadow develops that crossover, including her exploration of underground passages with Nesta and Azriel.

Their discoveries connect the Prison’s island to the lost Dusk Court. They also reveal that the Asteri, the powers ruling Bryce's world, are the beings known in Prythian as the Daglan.

Bryce’s Starsword is known in Prythian as Gwydion and is connected to Azriel’s dagger, Truth-Teller. Nesta later lends Bryce the Mask. When Bryce returns it, she also leaves Gwydion with Nesta and encourages her to investigate the eight-pointed star that has repeatedly appeared in her life.

SEE ALSO: Are the 'ACOTAR' leaks real? Here’s what we know, without spoilers. Do you need to read every Sarah J. Maas book first?

For a refresher, prioritize Nesta and the Valkyries, Koschei, the unresolved mating bonds, and the magical objects now in play.

To experience the Crescent City crossover yourself, read House of Earth and Blood, House of Sky and Breath, then House of Flame and Shadow. Maas's official reading guide lists each series in order.

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