IT General

TL;DR: Burger King is launching a Hello Kitty collab on Oct. 20. Each King Jr. Kids' Meal will feature one of six exclusive Hello Kitty and Friends by Sanrio toys, including a special golden Hello Kitty toy.

If fast-food toy hype usually passes you by, Sanrio collectors will want to pay attention to this week's drop: Burger King is partnering with Hello Kitty and Friends for a nationwide, limited-time King Jr. Meal takeover starting Oct. 20.

The collab features six collectible figurines packaged in mystery blind boxes — each depicting a popular Sanrio character wearing a miniature Burger King crown and holding menu items.

What’s inside the collection

The blind-box lineup spotlights six popular Sanrio characters:

• Hello Kitty

• My Melody

• Kuromi

• Cinnamoroll

• Keroppi

• Golden Hello Kitty (a rare pick that unlocks the entire six-piece set)

Every order includes a themed King Jr. Meal bag and an exclusive Hello Kitty cardboard crown, while supplies last.

Credit: Burger King / Hello Kitty

For hardcore collectors, Burger King is also hosting a one-day claw machine event at its Downey, CA location on Oct. 23 (starting at 11 a.m. PST). Guests buying a King Jr. Meal get a claw machine attempt — including a shot at winning a solid 14-karat gold-plated Hello Kitty figurine.

"We love seeing Hello Kitty and Friends get the royal treatment at Burger King, with each character sporting their own iconic BK crown," said Jill Koch, Chief Brand Officer, Sanrio, Inc. "Bringing these beloved characters into the King Jr. Kids' Meal in such a playful way creates something special for fans of all ages to enjoy."

Excel's SWITCH is a logical function that is primarily used for data manipulation. It evaluates an expression against a list of values, and returns a result corresponding to the first matching value.

Let's face it. Apple simply isn't targeting yearly upgrades like it did years ago. It's not surprising; smartphones aren't as exciting as they were back then. There are no game-changing features to debut anymore.

SAVE $50: As of Oct. 19, the Shark Rocket Pet Plus corded stick vacuum is on sale for $149.99 at Amazon. That's $50 off its full price of $199.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum $149.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon

Cleaning up pet hair is one chore that simply can't be avoided when you've got a furry friend. That's why it's smart to have a good vacuum cleaner on hand. Models like the Shark Rocket Pet Plus are helpful for picking up fur lodged in carpets or rugs, and while it's usually priced at $199.99, you can grab it for $149.99 right now at Amazon.

This deal saves you $50. It won't be on sale for long, considering it's tagged as a "limited time deal." With that in mind, you'll want to grab it quickly at this price before it goes back up.

SEE ALSO: Dyson’s slimmest wet floor cleaner just got a huge upgrade and its own self-cleaning dock — where to buy

The Shark Rocket Pet Plus has a versatile design that converts from an upright stick vacuum to a handheld for use on stairs, furniture, in your car, and more. It even comes with a Duster Crevice Tool and a Pet Multi-Tool to help you reach into smaller spaces and pick up embedded pet hair from soft surfaces.

Since it's corded, there's no need to worry about keeping it charged up, either. Just plug it in and take it around the whole room for a thorough clean. It's lightweight as well — weighing under 10 pounds — with a slim design that makes it easy to move around and store once finished. Plus, it features LED headlights that can help you spot hair or dust in darker areas so nothing gets missed.

If the Shark Rocket Pet Plus seems like the perfect vacuum for you, don't miss out on this limited-time deal at Amazon.

I've been collecting DVDs, Blu-rays, VHS tapes, cassettes, and vinyl records for about 15 years. In spite of the renewed interest in physical media that we've seen in 2026, I'm almost certain that it's just a trend, and my expectations for the future are more or less pessimistic. I don't believe that there will be a successor to Blu-ray, and I expect to see a lot of media enthusiasts offloading their collections in the next decade.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon) and Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon) are available to preorder now on Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon) $694.88 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon) $682.98 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

If you thought Pokémon TCG collectors were already losing their minds over 30th Celebration Booster Bundles and Elite Trainer Boxes, Amazon just opened preorders for the crown jewel of the anniversary expansion: the 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections.

Both high-end boxes are currently available for preorder at Amazon for under $700 ahead of their official Nov. 6 release date.

As the ultimate flagship products for the 30th Celebration set, both Ultra-Premium Collections come packed with 29 30th Celebration booster packs, one Classic Collection booster pack, custom metal coins, deck boxes, card sleeves, and damage-counter dice. Of course, the real driver behind the hype comes from the exclusive promo cards:

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon): Includes the exclusive Espeon ex promo card with a Daytime Pikachu ex promo card and an Espeon playmat.

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon): Includes the exclusive Umbreon ex promo card with a Futuristic-rarity Pikachu ex promo card and an Umbreon playmat.

The big question when buying trading cards on Amazon is whether or not you're actually getting value for money. Amazon is a reliable pick for finding readily available stock, but you often pay above market price.

TCGplayer's market price for the Day Box is currently $561.50, so there's a decent markup from Amazon here. The market price for the Night Box is $617.40, so the convenience of Amazon actually makes sense in this case.

TL;DR: Target’s exclusive Owala holiday collection dropped on Oct. 18. Eight new colorways are available to purchase this weekend.

Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Owala x Target   Shop Now

If your emotional support water bottle is due for a festive refresh, set an alarm on your phone right now: the first of several Owala holiday drops is officially live at Target from Oct. 18. These will inevitably sell out quickly, so be warned.

The Target-exclusive collection spans eight colorways for the standard FreeSip 24oz and the contoured FreeSip Sway 30oz:

FreeSip 24oz

• Cozy Does It: A soft cream base paired with warm, knit-inspired accents.

• Bear Hug: Earthy brown tones with a teddy-bear plush aesthetic.

• Toile Be Home: Elegant cream toile print featuring delicate blue floral patterns.

• Take a Bow: Festive pastel pink wrapped with a subtle ribbon motif.

It doesn't get cosier than Cozy Does It. Credit: Owala FreeSip Sway 30oz

• Poinsettia: Metallic shimmer burgundy-red designed for the holiday table.

• Wintergreen: Deep pine green with a matte, frosted finish.

• Rose Quartz: Soft translucent pink hue with metallic undertones.

• Lightly Toasted: Warm golden-oat colorway with a matte finish.

Wintergreen gives off strong pine vibes. Credit: Owala

Limited-edition Owala drops at Target tend to disappear from shelves within hours. Just ask anyone desperately trying to hunt down Owala’s exclusive Pokémon bottles. We don't think this drop will have Pokémon-levels of interest, because nothing really does. But be warned: You might still need to act fast.

Windows 11 is a widely adopted operating system in the PC world; hence, Microsoft tries to push its apps and services by default. While most PC geeks are aware of this and clean up their system right after setting up the OS, there's a high chance you might not have. Microsoft's key offerings and services on Windows 11, like Widgets, the Edge browser, OneDrive, Teams, and Copilot, silently eat up your memory during OS startup or in the background and increase your CPU load.

TikTok has backtracked on restricting the Musk documentary's advertising account just two days after implementing the decision.

On Friday, the account was suspended from purchasing ads to promote the documentary, which is critical of the world's richest man and that Musk himself has referred to as a "hit piece" — although Mashable's Matt Binder described it as "brutal and accurate" in his review.

TikTok lifted the restriction on Sunday, informing the documentary's studio, Bleecker Street, and citing an "error," per The Hollywood Reporter.

SEE ALSO: 'Musk' review: Alex Gibney's near 4-hour doc is a scathing look at Elon Musk

This isn't the first promotional issue the four-hour documentary has faced. Last month, it was reported that YouTube and Meta were refusing to run ads for the trailer, before both companies reversed their decisions following a wave of social media backlash (YouTube claimed ads for Musk were "temporarily restricted," while Meta described its decision as an "error").

Alex Gibney's documentary tracks the Tesla and SpaceX founder's rise to power, featuring interviews with his father, former partners, and Tesla founder Martin Eberhard. It opened last weekend before expanding its run this weekend, grossing a little over $300,000 per The Wrap.

Mashable reached out to TikTok for comment, and a spokesperson said the account is now able to purchase ads, so long as it complies with the company's policy on political advertising.

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.

UPDATE: Oct. 19, 2026, 11:47 a.m. EDT This article was updated to clarify the restrictions placed on the 'Musk' documentary's promotional account.

I don't know about you, but I feel like Wi-Fi hasn't fundamentally changed in years. New Wi-Fi standards are constantly improving throughput and efficiency, such as the introduction of the 6GHz band with Wi-Fi 6E, but why hasn't Wi-Fi evolved in the opposite direction, too?

SAVE OVER $90: As of Oct. 19, Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are on sale for $206.61 at Amazon. That's $93.38 off their full price of $299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sennheiser Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones $206.61 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $93.38   Get Deal at Amazon

With the holidays right around the corner, it can be a busy travel period for some. That's where a solid pair of headphones comes in handy for keeping busy with music, podcasts, and more while you're on a flight or a long road trip.

The Sennheiser Momentum 4s are among our favorite headphones for travelers for their battery life, and this is a great time to grab them, as Amazon's got the sleek white pair on sale right now.

As of Oct. 19, these white headphones have dropped from $299.99 to $206.61, saving you $93.38 overall. Unfortunately, only the white pair are down to this price right now, but if they're the ones that caught your eye, you're in luck. Your purchase even comes with a bonus 90-day free trial of an Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan, which is perfect for testing during long holiday travel periods.

SEE ALSO: Razer just dropped new Pokémon gaming headsets featuring Sylveon, Charizard, and Lucario — where to buy

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 will last a long flight, and then some, as they boast up to 60 hours of battery life. Mashable's Bethany Allard also adds in our roundup of the best noise-canceling headphones for flying that they "feel more thoughtfully designed for travel, with ear cups that have a slightly flatter profile than you'll find on the Sony XM5s, and an included airplane audio adapter in the case."

Allard also notes that while their "ANC doesn't quite match up to Sony's [...] on a plane, we doubt you'll notice a drastic difference, especially if you're listening to audio." And speaking of listening, they offer "incredibly balanced sound quality," so music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more will sound crisp and clear.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are currently tagged with "limited-time deal," so be quick to save at Amazon.

If your morning routine revolves around seasonal espresso shots and viral coffee tumblers, mark your calendar: Starbucks’ 2026 holiday menu officially launches on Nov. 5, bringing back fan favorites and fresh treats.

That's exciting news, but it's not the main draw for seasoned coffee lovers and cup collectors. The Peppermint Mocha is great and all, but it's not Red Cup Day. This is arguably the biggest day on the coffee lovers' calendar. Starbucks hands out a free, limited-edition red reusable cup with every qualifying handcrafted holiday beverage order on this special day. And you guessed it: fans and collectors go wild.

Starbucks has officially confirmed the date for the holiday menu launch (Nov. 5), but we're still waiting for an announcement on the exact date for Red Cup Day 2026. That's not to say that there aren't rumors.

Based on historical release patterns — which consistently land on the Thursday of the week following the menu rollout — industry insiders and deal trackers are predicting Red Cup Day 2026 to fall on Nov. 12. We're not making any promises, but that's the word on the grapevine.

How to score a free reusable cup

Getting your hands on the free collectible cup is pretty straightforward, but we should note that supplies run out notoriously fast.

To get your free cup, buy any handcrafted holiday or seasonal beverage (hot, iced, or blended) in any size. The promo applies across in-cafe purchases, drive-thru orders, mobile orders on the Starbucks app, and delivery via Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub. Once you have your reusable red cup, bringing it back on future visits saves you $0.10 per drink.

Just be prepared for heavy app delays and long drive-thru lines on launch morning — mobile ordering at least 20 minutes ahead is non-negotiable if you want to dodge the rush.

I've used Adobe applications for many years, since the good old days when you didn't have to pay every month to keep using your software. Premiere Pro has always been my go-to video editing tool, but it's expensive and often overkill for many video editing projects. On a whim, I decided to see what Codex could do using a few free and open-source tools, and the results were impressive enough that I said goodbye to Premiere Pro.

Linux history is full of projects that thrived for years before their stewards walked away. Some faded quietly, others ended abruptly, and all left devoted communities behind. Unfortunately, many maintainers barely get paid for their work, so it often becomes a passion project. And passions fade. Here are just some examples of that.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon) and Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon) are available to preorder now on Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon) $694.88 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon) $685.98 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

If you thought Pokémon TCG collectors were already losing their minds over 30th Celebration Booster Bundles and Elite Trainer Boxes, Amazon just opened preorders for the crown jewel of the anniversary expansion: the 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections.

Both high-end boxes are currently available for preorder at Amazon for under $700 ahead of their official Nov. 6 release date.

As the ultimate flagship products for the 30th Celebration set, both Ultra-Premium Collections come packed with 29 30th Celebration booster packs, one Classic Collection booster pack, custom metal coins, deck boxes, card sleeves, and damage-counter dice. Of course, the real driver behind the hype comes from the exclusive promo cards:

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon): Includes the exclusive Espeon ex promo card with a Daytime Pikachu ex promo card and an Espeon playmat.

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon): Includes the exclusive Umbreon ex promo card with a Futuristic-rarity Pikachu ex promo card and an Umbreon playmat.

The big question when buying trading cards on Amazon is whether or not you're actually getting value for money. Amazon is a reliable pick for finding readily available stock, but you often pay above market price.

TCGplayer's market price for the Day Box is currently $560.87 so there's a decent markup from Amazon here. The market price for the Night Box is $659.98, so the convenience of Amazon actually makes sense in this case.

Trump (James Austin Johnson) crashes a meeting between Prime Minister Andy Burnham (George Fouracres) and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Freddie Meredith) in the SNL UK cold open above, and he makes a request to swap jobs.

"I take over the the UK, you take America," says Trump/Johnson. "I tell you that place is a real mess, you're gonna hate it. It's an awful, awful job. It's a terrible place full of disgusting people. I don't know what the hell happened."

After Burnham refuses, Trump turns his attention to Zelenskyy — but the answer is still no. "Trust me, you don't want my job, it's awful," says Zelenskyy/Meredith. "So much of it involves spending time with you."

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Faced with the prospect of having someone house-sit in a few weeks, I suddenly need to make my smart home a little more accessible to guests. Smart switches are something I’ve yet to install, so my smart home still doesn’t function like a dumb home with augmentations.

Starbucks is teaming up with Disney for a 20-piece Starbucks x Winnie the Pooh collection celebrating 100 years of the Hundred Acre Wood. The limited-edition lineup drops on Oct. 20, delivering honey-drip cold cups, ceramic beehive mugs, and plush Bearista keychains.

It's an incredibly cute collection that is bound to cause a stir, but there's a catch. We hate to break it to you like this, but the collection is exclusive to the Asia-Pacific region.

Credit: Starbucks / Disney What’s in the Starbucks x Winnie the Pooh collection?

The 20-piece range mixes aesthetic drinkware with lifestyle accessories:

• Hunny Pot Tumblers and Cold Cups: Cold cups with honey-drip lids, golden-yellow straw toppers, and Pooh illustrations.

• Ceramic Beehive Mug: A textured, beehive-shaped ceramic mug featuring Pooh stuck in a honey pot entry.

• Bearista Costume Keychains and Phone Straps: Collectible Starbucks Bearistas dressed in plush costumes of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger.

• Packable Tote Bag: A reusable Hundred Acre Wood tote that folds into its own matching pouch.

Credit: Starbucks / Disney

We want everything, but here's where it gets complicated.

How to buy this collection?

If you live in North America or Europe, you won't find these on local Starbucks shelves.

On launch day (Oct. 20), the collection will be available at participating Starbucks coffeehouses in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Unfortunately for collectors elsewhere, the secondary market is going to be your best bet.

Exporters will begin listing inventory from Oct. 20, but you should expect a significant markup over retail prices on high-demand pieces like the ceramic beehive mug and plush Bearista straps. Head over to eBay and good luck.

If you desperately want official Disney x Starbucks drinkware without paying reseller markups, the Disney Store regularly stocks collaboration tumblers that ship directly to U.S. and UK addresses. In fact, we've spotted a cute Winnie the Pooh tumbler going for $27.99.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Marvel Darkhold Destiny Arcanum Bundle is available to preorder for $99.99 at Amazon. That's over $100 below TCGplayer's current $200 market price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic:: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Marvel Darkhold Destiny Arcanum Bundle $99.99 at Amazon
Get Deal at Amazon

Darkhold Destiny’s release date is still some time away, but we’re already seeing some major preorder price drops.

As of Oct. 19, the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Darkhold Destiny Arcanum Bundle is available to preorder for just $99.99 at Amazon. That's $100.01 cheaper than TCGplayer's $200 market price, where the cheapest unopened listing is also $200 with shipping included.

Admittedly, this market price almost definitely won’t hold for long, as there are currently only two sellers with just three recorded sellers — meaning it should taper off once more listings enter the market.

That said, the Amazon listing is not through a third party, which means this is very likely the best price we’ll get for the foreseeable future. While Amazon’s standard preorder price guarantee is included, bear in mind that any sales will be final, with no option for returns. 

SEE ALSO: Magic: The Gathering's Marvel Super Heroes Draft Night box is under market price — save $30 at Amazon

The Arcanum Bundle comes with eight Darkhold Destiny Booster Packs, one Collector Booster, and three Traditional Foil Mythic Rare promo cards. One of these is a mechanically unique card exclusive to this box. The other two feature special alternate artwork, selected from six possible cards.

There's also a collection of 30 Basic Lands, including 10 full-art versions, split evenly between foil and non-foil cards — with an oversized Spindown life counter and a matching storage box completing the package. What’s more, the included Collector Booster will grant you some added premium card treatments and a chance of finding an ultra-rare Headliner card, although the odds are less than 1%.

The Darkhold Destiny expansion comes out on April 9, 2027, and will bring a more supernatural story to Magic’s Marvel mythos, with heroes like Doctor Strange and Thor going up against Dormammu and Hela.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Poster Collection is on sale for $50.98 at Amazon, down from its $64.98 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Poster Collection $50.98 at Amazon
$64.98 Save $14.00   Get Deal at Amazon

The 30th Celebration expansion has been out in the Pokémon trading card market for a while now, but there’s still plenty of discounts worth grabbing as retailers race each other to drop record-low prices.

As of Oct. 19, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Poster Collection is available for just $50.98 at Amazon, saving you $14 on its $64.98 list price. This 22% discount comes from third-party seller Gem City Supplies, with free delivery estimated between Oct. 23-29. If you want yours as quickly as possible, you can spend $53.98 on BetterShopping4You's listing to get free delivery by Oct. 23 at the time of writing. 

The $50.98 price is officially the lowest price Amazon listings have ever offered (confirmed by the price tracker camelcamelcamel).

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box is close to market price at Amazon — buy for under $140

TCGplayer is the cheapest of all, offering a complete, unopened Poster Collection for $38.99, including shipping. That puts it only $2.21 above its estimated $36.78 market price.

The collection gives you three 30th Celebration booster packs, along with foil promo trading cards featuring the legendary Kanto birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. There's also a double-sided poster measuring almost 27 by 39 inches, featuring artwork from over 160 Pokémon cards.

Each booster contains five foil Pokémon cards (including a guaranteed rare Pikachu card), a foil Basic Energy card, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.