IT General

Android OEMs copying the iPhone is nothing new. But typically, that's something we see in Asian countries, not really in phones we see stateside. The latest version of OxygenOS might have you thinking differently, though.

On the same day Meta showcased its latest AI gadgets, Brandy Roberts stood outside its headquarters mourning her daughter Englyn — who was just 14 when she died after watching a “how-to” suicide video on Instagram. Brandy wasn’t there as an activist. She was there as a grieving mother demanding answers. Inside, Mark Zuckerberg fumbled through live demos of glitchy smart glasses and AI tools. Outside, grieving families demanded accountability. Meta’s silence spoke volumes: Growth over grief, product over protection, optics over safety. 

Meta’s failures aren’t new. Back in 2019, approximately 440,000 minors received follower requests from accounts previously flagged for predatory behavior. Since then, the company has focused on convincing users and lawmakers it can police itself — launching promotional campaigns like Instagram Teen accounts despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

Instagram Teen Accounts were marketed as a breakthrough in youth safety — with AI age detection, nudity filters, and location alerts. But independent audits found only 8 of 47 safety tools were effective. Teens still encountered sexualized content, self-harm imagery, and predatory behavior. Meta’s updates seem to be more about perception than protection.

New reporting from Heat Initiative, ParentsTogether Action, and Design It For Us reveals the dark reality of the teen experience on Instagram Teen accounts. Surveying 800 users aged 13–15, the report found that nearly half encountered unsafe content or unwanted messages in just the past month. Half said Instagram’s algorithm recommended suspicious adult-run accounts, and 65 percent hadn’t seen a single "take a break" notification — a feature Meta touts as a screen-time safeguard. These findings underscore a growing pattern: Meta’s promotional campaigns promise peace of mind, but the lived experience of young users tells a story of persistent exposure to harm. The discrepancy between marketing and reality isn’t just misleading — it’s dangerous.

And now, Heat Initiative and ParentsTogether Action have released a video showing exactly what kind of content teens are served on Instagram Teen accounts — content so inappropriate that even sharing it for advocacy feels ethically fraught. Watching these clips, I felt the same discomfort that Meta should feel every time its algorithm pushes similar material to millions of young users. If it feels wrong to show these videos to adults for advocacy, why does Meta feel justified in serving them to children at scale?

Platforms like Meta will continue to exploit their users — especially children — until we, the users, reclaim our power and demand a better digital community. One that values connection and public good over profit.

I left Instagram after witnessing parents like Brandy protest in NYC. It wasn’t easy — most of my friends stayed. But each month, I’m reminded that I have the power to choose platforms that value me, not exploit me. I do it for my younger self. For future generations. For the survivors I love. And for the children who can’t be here.

So next time you see organizations or influencers partnering with Meta, ask yourself: Is this about safety or optics? Just yesterday, Meta claimed its Instagram Teen experience would now be "guided by PG‑13 movie ratings." But the Motion Picture Association quickly clarified it was never consulted and called Meta’s claim "inaccurate." Once again, Meta borrows credibility it hasn’t earned, using trusted labels to mask persistent harm. When PR becomes the product and partnerships become shields, we owe it to ourselves — and our children — to look closer.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

Lennon Torres is a Public Voices Fellow on Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse with The OpEd Project. She is an LGBTQ+ advocate who grew up in the public eye, gaining national recognition as a young dancer on television shows. With a deep passion for storytelling, advocacy, and politics, Lennon now works to center the lived experience of herself and others as she crafts her professional career in online child safety at Heat Initiative. The opinions reflected in this piece are those of Lennon Torres as an individual and not of the entities she is part of. Lennon’s substack: https://substack.com/@lennontorres1

You can currently score the massive 85-inch Hisense QD7 Series QLED 4K UHD Google Smart TV for a major 35% discount. This huge price cut slashes the TV's original price of $998.00 down to just $648.00 at Walmart. That's a great deal for an enormous smart TV with a native 144Hz refresh rate.

When streaming apps were first introduced, they provided an escape from the rising prices of traditional cable TV. Now that streaming has largely replaced cable, we're once again faced with increasing prices, along with the added challenge of navigating which apps we need to view our favorite shows and movies.

OneNote on Windows will automatically bring up the touch keyboard when you tap the page canvas on touch-enabled devices. This is a huge win for anyone using a tablet or 2-in-1 device like the Microsoft Surface, as it makes typing instantly faster and more seamless.

How to watch 'The Substance' at a glance: BEST NON-STREAMING OPTION Rent 'The Substance' on digital $5.99 at Prime Video Get Deal BEST MUBI DEAL Mubi annual subscription Free 7-day trial, then $119.88/year (save 33%) Get Deal BEST FOR STUDENTS Mubi for Students Free 30-day trial, then $9.99/month (save $5/month) Get Deal Best HBO Max deal HBO Max Basic annual plan $99.99/year (save $19.89) Get Deal Best for students HBO Max Basic for students $4.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal Get HBO Max for free HBO Max Basic With Ads Free for DashPass annual plan subscribers (save $9.99/month) Get Deal Get HBO Max for free HBO Max Basic with Ads Free with Cricket Supreme Unlimited Plan (save $9.99/month) Get Deal

"Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?" So asks The Substance, Coralie Fargeat's sophomore feature, winner of the Best Screenplay award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and 2025 Best Picture Oscar nominee. While it's been streaming on Mubi for the past year, the body horror romp is broadening its streaming horizons this fall.

The Hollywood ageism satire stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid, and positive word of mouth made the horror movie a surprise hit. If you still haven't seen it — or if you want to rewatch it this spooky season — here's everything you need to know about how to watch The Substance at home and online, including when and where it's streaming and the best deals to save some money.

What is The Substance about?

The Substance stars Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-lister who's fired from her fitness TV program for the unforgivable crime of aging. Battling with crippling Hollywood ageism, she's introduced to a new drug known as "the Substance." A single injection is all it takes for Elisabeth to be reborn as the beautiful and youthful Sue (Margaret Qualley), who then begins her own rise through Hollywood.

Of course, there's always a catch. The Substance forces you to split time between your two bodies; Elisabeth must spend exactly seven days as herself, then seven days as Sue. When she messes with the balance, things get...bloody.

Check out the official trailer:

Is The Substance worth watching?

The Substance has become the most successful box office release for arthouse distributor and streamer Mubi. The bold and bloody film created a ton of buzz, with audiences giving it a 74 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' rating is even more impressive with a glowing 89 percent.

"Audaciously gross, wickedly clever, and possibly Demi Moore's finest hour, The Substance is a gasp-inducing feat from writer-director Coralie Fargeat," the critics consensus reads on Rotten Tomatoes.

While Mashable's own reviewer wasn't a big fan, writing that the "horror sci-fi plot of The Substance feels incomplete," most reviews are very positive. The film even earned itself a nomination for Best Picture at the 2025 Academy Awards.

Just be warned, many folks will be squirming in their seats over the amount of blood and gore. It is a body horror movie, after all.

How can I watch The Substance at home? Credit: Mubi Buy or rent on digital

The Substance made its digital retail debut on Oct. 31, 2024, meaning it's available for purchase at video-on-demand retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV+ for $19.99. The film is also available to rent for just $5.99. With rentals, you'll get 30 days to start watching, but just 48 hours once you begin.

Here are some quick links to purchase the film on digital:

• Prime Video — $19.99 to purchase, $5.99 to rent

• Apple TV+ — $19.99 to purchase, $5.99 to rent

• Fandango at Home (Vudu) — $19.99 to purchase, $5.99 to rent

Stream it on Mubi or HBO Max

As a Mubi original film, Mubi has been the exclusive streaming home for The Substance since it made its debut on Oct. 31, 2024. While Mubi is definitely a worthy subscription for cinephiles, it's not generally in most people's streaming lineups. So we were thrilled to learn that the movie has now made its way to a new streamer as of Oct. 10, 2025: HBO Max. This Halloween season, the campy body horror gem is finally available to a wider audience.

Mubi subscriptions start at $14.99 per month, while HBO Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month. We've rounded up a few ways to save some money on both streamers below.

The best HBO Max streaming dealsBest for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max Basic annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Basic with ads yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal

You can save about 16% (compared to a monthly plan) if you choose an annual plan and pay upfront for a year of HBO Max. The Basic plan with ads typically goes for $9.99 per month, but if you go annual, that cost drops to about $8.33 per month — a yearly total of just $99.99. We think this is the best HBO Max streaming deal for most people — although, if you cannot stand ads, the Max Standard annual subscription is the next-best deal at $169.99.

Get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max / Cricket HBO Max Basic free with Cricket Supreme Unlimited Plan Get Deal

Want to get HBO Max for free? Switch your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month Supreme Unlimited plan. It includes HBO Max Basic (with ads) for no extra cost. When you open up the HBO Max app, you'll just select Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in.

Get HBO Max for free: Sign up for DashPass annual plan Opens in a new window Credit: DoorDash / HBO Max HBO Max (with ads) Free with DashPass annual plan ($8/month) Get Deal

Another way you can get HBO Max for free in 2025 is through DoorDash's annual DashPass plan, which costs $96 per year ($8 per month). A DashPass membership gets you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders all year long, plus free streaming (with ads) through HBO Max. Just activate your HBO Max Basic subscription through your DoorDash account to get started. If you'd rather watch ad-free, you can upgrade for a discounted rate.

Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months Get Deal

College students can enjoy an entire year of HBO Max Basic (with ads) for half price. Verify your student status with UNiDAYS and use the discount code you receive to drop the price from $9.99 to $4.99 per month. Once the year is through, your subscription will go back up to full price unless you cancel.

Best Mubi streaming dealsBest overall: Save 33% on an annual Mubi subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Mubi logo Mubi annual subscription 7-day free trial, then $119.88/year (save 33%) Get Deal

If you're a movie lover and want to stick around to enjoy more than just The Substance, you can save 33% by paying for a year of Mubi upfront. An annual Mubi subscription costs $119.88 per year, which breaks down to just $9.99 per month instead of the usual $14.99 per month. You'll still get a seven-day free trial to kick off your subscription as well.

Best for students: Save $5/month on Mubi student subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Mubi logo Mubi for students 30-day free trial, then $9.99/month (save $5/month) Get Deal

Students really get the winning deal here. If you can prove your student status, you can sign up for Mubi for free for 30 days, then get a discounted subscription for just $9.99 per month. That's $5/month cheaper than a typical subscription. Plus, with 30 free days, you'll have plenty of time to watch The Substance and lots of other films before even paying a cent.

UPDATE: Oct. 16, 2025, 2:40 p.m. EDT This article has been updated with the latest streaming information regarding "The Substance," as well as the latest deals.

At this point, you're probably pretty used to the idea that your smartphone tracks what you do and shares that information with various companies. It's a little depressing, but it's become a fact of life. However, what about your TV?

OpenAI has formed an advisory council to monitor user well-being and AI safety, the company announced this week. The eight-person group will be tasked with defining standards for healthy AI interactions across age groups.

The announcement came alongside an X post by CEO Sam Altman stating that the company has been able to successfully mitigate the "serious mental health issues" posed by the use of its products — Altman then went on to explain that ChatGPT would begin to allow more adult content, including erotica, in chats. OpenAI is currently facing its first wrongful death lawsuit, following allegations that ChatGPT played a role in the death by suicide of a young teen.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic’s latest AI model, Claude Haiku 4.5, doubles down on speed and safety

Council members include academics from Boston Children’s Hospital's Digital Wellness Lab and Stanford’s Digital Mental Health Clinic, as well as experts in psychology, psychiatry, and human-computer interaction.

"We remain responsible for the decisions we make, but we’ll continue learning from this council, the Global Physician Network, policymakers, and more, as we build advanced AI systems in ways that support people’s well-being," the company wrote in a blog post.

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Last week, YouGov published a survey of 1,500 Americans that found just 11 percent were open to using AI to improve their mental health. Only 8 percent of respondents said they trusted the technology to be used in this space.

Broadly, generative AI companions have raised serious concerns among mental health experts, including the rise of what has been coined AI psychosis among chronic users of chatbot companions. AI companies have continued to launch mental health products, as more and more Americans turn to AI to answer mental health questions and receive support from digital stand-ins — despite a dearth of evidence that could prove its efficacy.

Federal regulators are investigating the role of generative AI and chatbot companions in the growing mental health crisis, as well, especially among teens. Several states have banned AI-powered chatbots advertised as therapeutic assistants. In the last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a series of bills that attempt to regulate AI and its societal impacts, including mandating safety reporting for AI companies and protocols that protect teen users from exposure to sexual content. The latter law, SB 243, also requires companies institute a system for addressing suicidal ideation, suicide, and self-harm.

I decided to find out what it’s like to keep a VPN on all the time—whether streaming, gaming, or doing online tasks. What I learned went beyond just better privacy: there were definite perks, some frustrations, and a few surprises. Curious about living with a VPN always on? Here’s my experience.

Apple's AirTag device has a knack for saving people from serious headaches, but as one Florida couple found out, it can also be used for nefarious means.

A couple in the Tampa area fell victim to an attempted abduction at their home after two would-be captors allegedly planted an AirTag on the couple's SUV, tracking them to their house, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (via the New York Post). The two suspects, Odardy Maldonado-Rodriguez and Luis Charles, approached the victims as they exited their car and forced them inside the garage at gunpoint.

Luckily, a home alarm went off and the suspects fled shortly thereafter. Police then came and found the AirTag underneath the SUV. Both suspects were tracked down, arrested, and charged with multiple crimes, including armed kidnapping, armed burglary, and illegal installation of a tracking device.

How to know if an unwanted AirTag has been planted near you This is what the alert looks like. Credit: Apple

This is obviously a terrifying situation that could theoretically happen to anyone, so fortunately, Apple has a potential solution for it:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services

2. Turn Location Services on

3. Scroll down and go to System Services, then turn on Significant Locations

4. Turn on Bluetooth

5. Go to Settings > Notifications > Tracking Notifications

6. Turn on Allow Notifications

Once you've done all of that, you should be eligible to receive an alert on your phone anytime an unknown AirTag is on or near you. Tapping the push notification will open Find My, which will give you some assistance in finding the AirTag so you can remove it.

Of course, that's just for iPhone users. Android users also have the ability to be alerted about unwanted tracking devices. Here's how to do it:

1. Go to Settings > Safety & emergency > Unknown tracker alerts

2. Turn on Allow Alerts if it's not already turned on

The open source office application ONLYOFFICE had its first point release since June on Wednesday, and it comes with a bevy of new features for its "Desktop Editors" suite of apps. They include a document recovery function, faster spreadsheet functions, and PDF annotation tools.

UPDATE: Oct. 16, 2025, 2:08 p.m. PayPal acknowledged a Thursday outage in a statement to Mashable, but said the problem has been fixed. "PayPal and Venmo experienced a brief service disruption that has since been resolved," a spokesperson wrote in an email.

UPDATE: Oct. 16, 2025, 12:59 p.m. EDT The number of user-reported issues for PayPal and Venmo dropped off precipitously on Down Detector, indicating the problem had been resolved. The payment services' status page indicated all services were operational.

Both Venmo and PayPal saw a spike in user-reported issues on Down Detector on Thursday, Oct. 16. That signaled the payment services could be having issues.

(Disclosure: Down Detector is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns Mashable.)

PayPal and Venmo are part of the same company, so it tracks that both might experience problems at the same time. I was able to access Venmo on my phone at about 12:25 p.m. ET, but there remained a number of complaints online from folks who could not do the same.

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

Users began reporting issues with the payment services on Down Detector at around 11 a.m. ET. PayPal's status page indicated all its services, including Venmo, were operational at about 12:30 p.m., but it remained unclear if all users' issues were actually resolved.

This story is developing and will be updated as necessary...

Tor Browser 15.0a4, which is the latest alpha release, is available now, and one of the biggest changes is that it removes various AI features that Mozilla has been integrating into Firefox. This is a great change from the trend of AI chatbots and machine learning being baked into your browser.

Where to preorder the new Apple products at Amazon: Now available Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5) Starting at $1,599 Pre-Order Here Available now Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M5) Starting at $999 Pre-Order Here Available now Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5) Starting at $1,299 Pre-Order Here

Just a month after Apple released its new iPhone and Apple Watch lineup, it has unveiled the new bombshell M5 chip — and with it, four new products.

The M5 chip features a 10-core CPU and GPU with a Neural Accelerator in every GPU core and is said to deliver 3.5 times faster AI performance than the M4 chip. If it wasn't clear before, Apple is going all in on AI. The powerful new chip can be found in a new 14-inch MacBook Pro, 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro, and Vision Pro.

Though the new products won't start shipping until next week, you can be among the first to secure the goods by pre-ordering. The MacBook Pro and iPad Pros are already available for pre-order at Amazon as of Oct. 16 (you'll have to head to the Apple Store to pre-order the Vision Pro). We've rounded up the details for your below.

14-inch M5 MacBook Pro

The M5 MacBook Pro is a whole lot like its predecessor. It comes with the same 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, 24-hour battery life, black and silver color options, 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker sound system. It's only big upgrade is, of course, the super-powered M5 chip, which is said to offer 1.6x faster graphics, and 2x faster SSD speeds compared to the M4. It can also be configured with up to 4TB of storage, while the previous generation only offered a max of 1TB.

The M5 MacBook Pro base model comes with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage for a starting price of $1,599. Pre-orders are open at Amazon and they'll start shipping on Oct. 22.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5) Starting at $1,599 Pre-order Here M5 iPad Pro

The new iPad Pro adds the M5 chip to make it the most laptop-like iPad to date. It's also the lightest and thinnest model yet, with an enhanced display, longer battery life, faster memory bandwidth, faster charging, and faster storage read and write speeds. It comes in 11-inch and 13-inch options in Space Black and Silver finishes and gives users the option to upgrade storage up to 2TB and RAM up to 16GB.

The M5 iPad Pro base models start at $999 for the 11-inch and $1,299 for the 13-inch and are available for pre-order at Amazon today, shipping on Oct. 22.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M5) Starting at $999 Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5) Starting at $1,299 Pre-order Here

There's no doubt about it. When compared with their competitors, Apple is behind in the AI race. Companies like Google and Microsoft have already established artificial intelligence into the core of many products and features. Apple, on the other hand, has struggled in getting its own Apple Intelligence into the hands of consumers, some of whom are now suing the company over false advertising of those AI features.

Apple's attempts to catch up in the AI space are hitting major roadblocks too. Case in point, yet another Apple AI executive has been poached by Meta, the parent company behind Facebook and Instagram.

SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly tapping Google to help with an AI search tool to rival OpenAI

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Ke Yang, Apple's newly-appointed head of Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) is leaving the company for Meta. Yang had just recently been promoted into the role as of a few weeks ago, according to the report.

Apple's AKI team is working on the company's new ChatGPT-esque AI search product, including the long-awaited AI-upgrade to the iPhone's Siri voice assistant. The AI search feature will allow Siri to search for real-time information from the web and incorporate that into its responses to users.

Yang was promoted to the head of AKI after Apple's previous senior director of the team, Robby Walker, announced he was leaving the company just last month. 

While it's unclear where Walker is headed at this time, he's far from the first Apple AI executive to depart the company. And, much like Yang, many of those departing are headed to Meta.

As 9to5Mac points out, Apple’s former Lead AI Researcher for Robotics Jian Zhang, Apple's former AI models head Ruoming Pang, and Apple's AI lead on cloud infrastructure, training and search Frank Chu have all left for Meta over the past few months.

Apple is hoping its upcoming Apple Intelligence features, along with the upgraded Siri, will catch the company up when it comes to AI. If not, we may see even more departures from Apple's AI team.

SAVE 30%: Use discount code MASH30 to save 30% on a Nomad eSIM between now and the end of 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nomad Nomad eSIM use code MASH30 to save 30% Get Deal

I'm old enough to remember leaving home for a trip to Thailand with an international calling card in my backpack. I kept in touch with my family by popping into Internet cafes to send an email or chat over Skype (RIP). Thankfully, those days are long gone and now you can take off for an international trip with an eSIM already installed on your phone. If you plan to travel to a new country in 2025, check out this deal on an eSIM.

Until the end of 2025, use promo code MASH30 at checkout to save 30% on a Nomad eSIM plan.

We have plenty of travel hacks these days like noise-cancelling headphones and a Bluetooth dongle that allows you to watch the seat-back screen with said noise-cancelling headphones. But once you arrive at your destination, you'll want to tap into the convenience of an eSIM (stands for embedded SIM, btw) and Nomad covers over 200 countries and regions.

Instead of wandering around the airport trying to not get scammed when buying a local SIM card, the Nomad eSIM allows you to download the app and install the eSIM on your phone digitally with no need to mess with a physical card. Nomad eSIMs work on both Android phones and iPhones, so long as your phone is unlocked. Check out Nomad's list of compatible devices here.

Nomad offers both country-specific and region plans. Heading to Japan? Snag a 3GB plan that's good for 3 days for only $8 or go with unlimited data in Japan for ten days for just $31. That's $3 per day for knowing you have unlimited access to Google Maps for train navigation and restaurant reviews.

SEE ALSO: The Kindle is my ultimate travel essential — here's why

Regional plans are the way to go if your trip takes you to several countries. The Nomad Europe travel eSIM works in 35 countries, so you won't need to switch to a new eSIM every time you cross a border. The Nomad Europe plans start at just $5.50.

Add "get eSIM" to your to-do list before you head out on your next international adventure. Use code MASH30 at checkout with Nomad eSIM to score a sweet 30% discount. This code is valid until the end of 2025, but it'll still work for trips in January or February of 2026. Once you buy a Nomad eSIM you have 60 days to activate the plan. It won't start automatically on purchase, so you're in great shape for any trips between now and February. Bon voyage!

SAVE $40: As of Oct. 16, get the DJI Mic Mini (2 TX + 1 RX) for $79, down from its usual price of $119 at Amazon. That's a discount of 34%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mic Mini $79 at Amazon
$119 Save $40   Get Deal

Whether you're a creator or someone who casually shoots video or other multimedia content for your own purposes, a good mic can be important. It can also be hard to find. The perfectly portable DJI Mic Mini, part of several DJI products that are becoming hard to find, is a TikTok-approved favorite for a reason, and it's finally back in stock at Amazon for a great price.

As of Oct. 16, get the DJI Mic Mini (2 TX + 1 RX) for $79, down from its usual price of $119 at Amazon. That's $40 off and a discount of 34%.

SEE ALSO: DJI fights U.S. government classification as 'Chinese military company,' appeals ruling

This diminutive setup comes with two transceivers and one receiver that boast up to 10 hours of battery life, so you can create as long as you need without having to stop to recharge. The mics weight just 10g and be attached to your subjects via lanyard, clip on to a collar or shirt, or stay put as a magnetic attachment.

Despite being ultra small, however, the mics produce big sound with high-quality audio. They have a 400m max transmission range and use DJI's OsmoAudio for better connectivity with the DJI ecosystem, should you be using products from the DJI Osmo line. You also get powerful noise cancellation with two levels available: Basic and Strong so you can tweak to what works best.

Given the mic bundle's sale price, you'll likely see these go out of stock again soon, so if you're interested in a serious audio upgrade, it's a good idea to grab these while you still can.

Google seems to be dead-set on adding Nano Banana — aka its Gemini 2.5 Flash Image-powered AI tool — into nearly all of its products.

Android Authority reported that it discovered a version of Google Messages that "includes code that points to the introduction of Nano Banana functionality in the messaging app." The tech-focused site wrote that it found a banana icon in Google Messages that did not yet do anything. But given the finding, it doesn't seem like a stretch that Nano Banana would soon be integrated into Google Messages.

SEE ALSO: 6 Google Gemini AI photo prompts to try

To wit, the AI image tool has already been added to many of Google's products, including Google Search, NotebookLM, and, soon enough, Photos. Nano Banana functions like most other AI image tools — you deliver a text prompt, perhaps upload an image, and it spits out results. Folks have been especially impressed with its ability to edit or work with photos.

If you use Google products, hopefully you're a fan of the AI image tool, because it appears it will soon be integrated into just about everything the company does.

There's a new Windows utility that might make using the Microsoft operating system easier on the eyes.

Meet Light Switch, the newest member of the Microsoft "PowerToys" portfolio. In case you're not familiar, PowerToys is an app you can download that features an expanding set of tools for, well, Windows power users. Light Switch is a new one packaged with PowerToys 0.95, as outlined in a Microsoft blog post. The way it works is that it switches your OS from light mode to dark mode, and back again, depending on the time of day. When the sun sets, light mode switches to dark, but you can also set custom times, if you'd like.

SEE ALSO: Windows 10 life support ends Oct. 14. Here’s what will happen.

You can use Light Switch by downloading PowerToys from Microsoft and making sure it's updated to the latest build. Once you have it installed, you have some options at your disposal. Aside from the custom time option mentioned previously, you can also choose which elements of the OS switch modes; you can make everything do it, or just the shell, or just apps. The world is your oyster.

Have fun embracing the darkness, folks.

SAVE $200: As of Oct. 16, get the Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for just $1,399. That saves $200 off its list price of $1,599 for 13% savings. Not quite its lowest price ever, but still a good deal.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $200   Get Deal

A new product drop can only mean one thing — a price cut. On Oct. 15, Apple dropped three new products all loaded with the latest silicon, the M5 chip. Among the latest includes a MacBook Pro with M5 chip, a laptop that's sure to be one of the fastest, most advanced yet. But until we get our hands-on the new MacBook, we're still looking to the M4 model, which conveniently got a price cut.

As of Oct. 16, the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M4 chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, is down to $1,399.99. That saves $200 off its list price of $1,599.99. Those 13% savings are pretty good, though admittedly not its lowest price ever.

The MacBook Pro with M4 chip, is the most advanced MacBook we've tested. It has a higher-res display, a mix of ports, better ports, and more efficient performance than the MacBook Air. Sure, it's a little more expensive, but it's a laptop made for professionals. Earning a 15,199 on the Geekbench 6 multi-core test, it's the sixth-fastest laptop we've ever tested, so if you're cautious about making the investment, just know it lives up to its price.

Get the Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for just $1,399 at Amazon.