IT General

Are you tired of paying for tons of cloud subscriptions? What if I told you a sub-$100 homelab could pay for itself? Here’s what you need to get started with homelabbing and how canceling just three subscriptions can pay off your investment in around two months.

Chipotle’s most reliable annual food hack is back.

On Oct. 31, Chipotle is reviving its iconic Boorito promotion. Starting at 3 p.m. local time through closing, Chipotle Rewards members who show up at participating restaurants dressed in a Halloween costume can grab any regular entrée — burrito, bowl, salad, or order of tacos — for just $6. A scarily good deal.

To claim this limited-time promo, you need to follow these straightforward steps:

1. Wear a costume and head to your local Chipotle after 3 p.m. on Halloween

2. Open the free Chipotle app and have your digital Rewards member card scanned at the cash register before paying

3. Score a $6 entrée

"We love that Chipotle has become part of so many fans' Halloween traditions," said Stephanie Perdue, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing. "The passion around Boorito inspires us to find new ways to celebrate and surprise our fans year after year."

What's important to note here is that this is strictly an in-restaurant promo. You cannot order ahead for mobile pickup via the app to bypass the dinner rush, and third-party delivery apps like DoorDash or Uber Eats won't honor the $6 price tag. The offer is also capped at one discounted entrée per costumed guest.

The first question that comes to mind after hearing that Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, was hacked to the tune of $6.2 billion is: How the heck can this even happen?

The hack, which lasted several hours, saw the attacker drain Binance's wallets, with hundreds of millions of dollars in BTC, ETH, USDC, USDT, and other cryptocurrencies.

UPDATE: Oct. 30, 2026, 2:01 p.m. CET Crypto analysis firm TRM claims with "high confidence" that the hack has been done by North Korea's "elite hacking unit" called TraderTraitor. The same group was named responsible by the FBI for the $1.5 billion attack on crypto exchange Bybit back in 2025.

The total tally, according to Binance co-CEO Richard Tang, was $6.3 billion. Crypto sleuth Wazz put it at $6.17 billion by following crypto wallets, and Binance founder Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao didn't share the actual number, but he did confirm the ballpark.

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

The first news from Binance about the nature of the hack revealed that the company's wallet private keys had not been leaked. Instead, it was a compromised DevOps engineer's laptop that the hacker used to "gain access to a service container and submit unauthorized withdrawal transactions."

If you're a Binance user, this doesn't sound comforting. If a single compromised laptop can result in billions being stolen, Binance had better rethink its security practices.

Now, however, Tang shared some additional details about the incident. While reiterating that customer funds are "safe," he said that the hack was a bit more involved than what the statement above implies.

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

"Our initial investigation suggests this security incident may have started with a compromised DevOps engineer's laptop. That gave an attacker access to a service container, where they submitted unauthorized withdrawal transactions," wrote Tang.

"To be clear: the attacker did not simply use one engineer's permissions, and this was not a single 'one-click' action. It involved a more complex attack process. Our investigation has not attributed responsibility to any individual. So far, we have found no evidence of any wallet private key leak," he wrote, adding that the company will share a "detailed technical post-mortem once the investigation is complete and every fact is verified - and publish an updated Proof of Reserves once remediation is complete."

Furthermore, according to the BBC, Binance has uncovered "additional points of breach," so it may not be just the one laptop that was compromised.

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

Fortunately for Binance and its users, a substantial portion of the stolen funds has been frozen by the issuers. In response to Elon Musk's snarky comments about the incident, CZ said that roughly $3 billion in funds has been frozen. The company also has a SAFU fund worth more than $1 billion, and CZ pointed out that the company holds more than $1 billion in SpaceX shares, in an obvious jab at Musk.

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.

SAVE $90: As of Oct. 30, the Nintendo Switch 2 Choose Your Game bundle is on sale for $459 at Woot. Use the code SAVETOBER at checkout to save.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 Choose Your Game Bundle $459 at Woot
$549 Save $90   Get Deal at Woot

If you've been considering upgrading your gaming setup, there's a new Nintendo deal at Woot that'll save you $90.

The retailer is currently offering the Nintendo Switch 2 Choose Your Game bundle not only at a sale price but also with an extra discount available at checkout. The bundle currently has a list price of $549, already reduced to $519, but entering the code SAVETOBER at checkout brings the total down to just $459. That's a $90 saving on the original price, including a console and your choice of one of three digital games.

The bundle includes the Nintendo Switch 2 console, alongside a digital download of either Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, or Pokémon Pokopia. Rather than buying your console and first game separately, you can get both together for less.

The Switch 2 has many upgrades over the previous model, including a larger 7.9-inch LCD touchscreen with HDR support and up to 120 fps. The updated dock also supports up to 4K resolution when paired with a compatible TV and game. Plus, it has a whopping 256GB of internal storage, with the option to expand it using a microSD Express card, so there is plenty of space for games and downloads.

Head to Woot to grab this deal before it's too late.

Windows is Microsoft's operating system, but that doesn't mean Microsoft gets all the credit for shaping the PC experience. Over the years, independent developers created apps that changed how people browsed the web, listened to music, watched videos, played games, and even interacted with Windows itself. These five did more than add another program to your PC: they changed what Windows users came to expect from it.

What do modern Android phones and the classic "Weebles" toys from the '70s have in common? They wobble. It's an epidemic of chunky, off-center camera bumps, and I'm trying to fix it. My first attempt was pretty good, but I'm back with a new and improved solution.

SAVE $300.09: As of Oct. 30, the Samsung SSD 990 PRO 4TB is on sale for $799.90 at Amazon. That's a 27% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung SSD 990 PRO 4TB $799.90 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $300.09   Get Deal at Amazon

Upgrading your PC's storage can make a noticeable difference to how it runs. No more sluggish performance or waiting forever for games, files, or downloads to load. Not to mention, it'll give you plenty of extra room for downloading more.

As of Oct. 30, one great internal storage option is on sale at Amazon: the Samsung SSD 990 PRO 4TB. Normally $1,099.99, it's currently on sale for $799.90. Of course, like pretty much every SSD, the base price for this product has soared in recent months, so this deal is a great way to beat the price hikes and upgrade your storage for a little less.

The 990 PRO is also available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, both of which are reduced at Amazon. The 1TB version is down from $319.99 to $259.99, and the 2TB model has fallen from $639.99 to $406.39.

The 4TB model is designed for seriously fast performance, delivering read speeds up to 7,450 MB/s and write speeds up to 6,900 MB/s. According to Samsung, random performance is improved by over 55% compared to the previous 980 PRO, alongside up to 50% greater performance per watt.

Head to Amazon to grab this deal now.

The best early Black Friday gaming monitor deals: best budget gaming monitor deal Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 QHD Monitor (G50F) $169.99 (save $110) Get Deal best LG gaming monitor deal LG 27-inch Ultragear OLED monitor (27GS93QE) $499.99 (save $400) Get Deal best ASUS gaming monitor deal ASUS 27-inch ROG Strix 4K Monitor (XG27UCG) $329 (save $120) Get Deal best Acer gaming monitor deal Acer 27-inch Nitro QD-OLED Monitor (VG277U) $269 (save $80.99) Get Deal best Samsung gaming monitor deal Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 OLED Monitor (G61SH) $399.99 (save $200) Get Deal

Gaming is an expensive hobby (especially in the age of RAMageddon), so any time you can save some money on hardware is a good day. If you're looking to boost your refresh rate or enhance your visual experience, Black Friday is the perfect opportunity to snag gaming monitors at steep discounts.

While we don't expect the absolute best discounts to arrive until closer to Black Friday, there are several live deals worth shouting out early. If you'd rather get some holiday shopping out of the way early or you want to upgrade your gaming setup before the official release of GTA 6, we've gathered the best gaming monitor deals worth adding to your cart.

If you don't quite see what you're looking for yet, stay tuned as we dive deeper into the Black Friday season. We'll be updating this list as things heat up.

Best early Black Friday gaming monitor deal Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 27-inch Ultragear OLED monitor (27GS93QE) $499.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $400   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

For those looking to switch to an OLED setup, the LG Ultragear 27GS93QE monitor is back at its record-low price at Amazon ahead of Black Friday. With a 27-inch QHD Wide 1440p OLED display that boasts an elevated color spectrum and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400, you'll enjoy stunning on-screen visuals with rich colors and deep contrast. The 240Hz refresh rate, instantaneous 0.03ms response time, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro technology, and NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility equate to smoother scenes with less lag or ghosting and all-around seamless gameplay.

More early Black Friday gaming monitor deals

Classic gaming monitors

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 QHD Monitor (G50F) — $169.99 $279.99 (save $110)

• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 QHD Monitor (G50F) — $209.99 $349.99 (save $140)

• ASUS 27-inch ROG Strix 4K Monitor (XG27UCG) — $329 $449 (save $120)

• LG 27-inch Ultragear evo GM9 5K Hyper Mini LED Monitor (27GM950B) — $888 $1,199.99 (save $311.99)

OLED gaming monitors

• Acer 27-inch Nitro QD-OLED Monitor (VG277U) — $269 $349.99 (save $80.99)

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 OLED Monitor (G61SH) — $399.99 $599.99 (save $200)

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 QD-OLED Monitor (G60SF) — $699.99 $999.99 (save $300)

• Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 OLED Curved Monitor (G91SD) — $849.99 $1,299.99 (save $450)

Ultra-wide and curved gaming monitor deals

• Samsung 34-inch Odyssey G5 Ultra-Wide Gaming Monitor (G55T) — $249.99 $399.99 (save $150)

• Alienware 34-inch QD-OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW) — $699.99 $799.99 (save $100)

Early Black Friday iPad deals: Best budget iPad deal Apple iPad (A16, WiFi, 128GB) $399 (save $50) Get Deal Best iPad mini deal Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) $545 (save $54) Get Deal Best iPad Air deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) $699 (save $50) Get Deal Best iPad Pro deal Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) $1,424.99 (save $74.01) Get Deal

Black Friday sales are dropping early this year, and shopping now comes with benefits. You're less likely to run into shipping delays, and the selection might be better if you're on board with shopping weeks before turkey dinner.

Since everything feels more expensive these days, shopping sales can help ease the pain. Apple products (including the iPad lineup) saw price increases this summer, in part thanks to RAMageddon, but some deals bring iPads back into a range we're used to seeing.

Comparing these early Black Friday deals to what we saw during October Prime Day helps us decide what's actually worth buying. We have the green light on the standard iPad with the A16 chip, which is sitting at the same sale price we saw during Prime Day. But if you're shopping for the iPad Air or iPad Pro, you might want to hold off.

We saw a $100 discount on the Air and a $200 price cut on the iPad Pro during Prime Day, and neither of those is showing up right now. It's possible waiting a few more weeks will see larger discounts, but nothing is promised with tech in 2026.

We'll keep this page updated if we see better price drops in iPads.

Best budget iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad (A16, WiFi, 128GB) $399 at Amazon
$449 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Mashable's favorite iPad for budget shoppers is the iPad with an A16 chip, which is on sale for $399, matching the same discount we saw during October Prime Day. Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino wrote, "It's great for someone who wants a portable screen for streaming, playing games, and reading." Given its lower price point, it's also a nice option for kids.

Best iPad mini deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) $545 at Amazon
$599 Save $54   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Apple just announced the 8th Gen iPad mini with big upgrades, but if you're interested in an older (and less expensive) model, the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip is already on sale. The 7th Gen iPad mini is a great option if you're looking for a versatile tablet that's great for streaming shows and catching up on emails. It's also the best iPad if you're looking for a model that'll double as an e-reader, thanks to its compact size.

It's worth mentioning we saw this model drop to $499 during October Prime Day. But with tech price hikes, it's possible this is the lowest we'll see during the 2026 holidays.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Gift Bundle is on sale for $93.99 at Amazon, down from its $109.86 typical price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Gift Bundle $93.99 at Amazon
$109.86 Save $15.87 Get Deal at Amazon

It wasn't that long ago that Magic: The Gathering's The Hobbit Gift Bundle was struggling to drop below $150, but Amazon has now brought the Middle-earth collection under $100, the lowest price since the summer. 

As of Oct. 30, the Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Gift Bundle is available for just $93.99 at Amazon, cutting $15.87 off its typical $109.86 price. It has dropped considerably since the bundle dropped to $158 in September. This is not only $64 cheaper but also the lowest price seen for The Hobbit Gift Bundle since July (confirmed by the price tracker camelcamelcamel).

SEE ALSO: Magic: The Gathering's The Hobbit Play Booster Box is down to a new all-time low price — save nearly $70

Listings at TCGplayer are currently going as low as $91.68. That's under the bundle box’s $93.01 estimated market price. 

Magic’s Hobbit Gift Bundle gives you nine 14-card Play Boosters and one 15-card Collector Booster, the latter containing five Rare or higher trading cards and a small chance of pulling a Headliner Mythic.

Alongside those 10 boosters, there's an exclusive alternate-art Traditional Foil promo, four Surge Foil full-art Seasonal Hobbit lands, 10 full-art Middle-earth Journey lands, 20 basic lands, an oversized Spindown life counter, and a foil storage box.

TL;DR: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Oct. 26-30. Get Spooked, hosted by Indie Author Collective, offers thrillers, mysteries, paranormal, and horror books for Kindle and Kobo users.

Stuff Your Kindle Day provides an awesome opportunity for bookworms to add to their TBR list without any guilt.

We're blessed with a pretty busy Stuff Your Kindle Day schedule in 2026, including romance, thriller, and young adult giveaways. Now that it's officially spooky season, Get Spooked has launched with 100s of free thrillers, mysteries, paranormal, and horror books.

Get Spooked, hosted by Indie Author Collective, is aimed at Kindle and Kobo users. Everything you download is yours to keep forever, so you can go wild.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the 2026 Motorola Razr for free — how to qualify

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Get Spooked takes place from Oct. 26-30. This five-day giveaway doesn't carry the same stress as a 24-hour event. You can consider your options and take your time. You could dip into the selection today and come back later in the week.

Which books are free?

Get Spooked is offering a huge selection of thrillers, mysteries, paranormal, and horror books. The helpful hub page has filters for price, retailers, e-reader, representations, and genres. Play around with the filters and find exactly what you want to read. Chances are you'll find something for free.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep forever, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time, so what's holding you back?

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + Kindle Unlimited (3 Months) $149.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Why we like it

These popular e-readers let you take your entire library on the go, with weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display. Plus, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase for a limited time.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box is on sale for $90.16 at Amazon, down from its $98.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box $90.16 at Amazon
$98.99 Save $8.83 Get Deal at Amazon

It's been a while since we've spotted a worthwhile Amazon discount on Magic: The Gathering's Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box, but the retailer has finally shaved almost $10 off the 24-pack display.

As of Oct. 30, the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box has dropped to $90.16 at Amazon. Compared to its typical $98.99 price, you're getting a 9% discount of $8.83, bringing each of the 24 boosters down to $3.76.

For clarification, while there are only six boxes available from third-party seller reVend at that price, you can buy more from seller TOYSandmore for just two cents more at $90.18.

According to the price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is the first time the Jumpstart Box for the Avatar expansion has dropped into the $90 range since August. While it may not be its lowest-ever price, it's still a better price than you'll find at other go-to trading card sites right now. 

SEE ALSO: The Magic: The Gathering Marvel's Spider-Man Play Booster Box is close to market price — save $15 at Amazon

TCGplayer, for instance, against its estimated market price of $93.20, has its cheapest sealed listings starting at $94.22, including shipping. Walmart, meanwhile, is asking for even more at $102.49, putting Amazon's offer over $12 ahead.

Inside the box are 24 Jumpstart Boosters, each packing 20 Avatar-themed Magic cards. Unlike traditional deckbuilding, Jumpstart keeps things simple by letting you shuffle any two boosters together to form an instant playable deck, complete with the necessary Land cards.

With 46 different themes featuring familiar characters, moments, and elemental powers from the animated series, there's a good variety of combinations to try. You can even mix these with boosters from other Jumpstart sets if you're after more ways to play.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection (Lucario) is on sale for $49.95 at Amazon, down from its typical price of $61.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection $49.95 at Amazon
$61.95 Save $12   Get Deal at Amazon

Amazon's prices for the Pokémon TCG's 30th Celebration collections have been jumping around throughout October, but the triple pack with a promo card and bonus stickers has slipped to the lowest price we’ve ever seen at the retailer.

As of Oct. 30, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection (Lucario) costs just $49.95 at Amazon, cutting $12 from its typical $61.95 price with a 19% discount. That's also three cents cheaper than the $49.98 offer we spotted at the beginning of October, bringing this particular box to the cheapest we’ve ever covered from Amazon.

Although third-party seller Bigg Time Sales is handling the sale directly, it’s still Amazon handling the shipping, with free delivery landing between Nov. 11-21 at the time of writing. 

SEE ALSO: Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Booster Bundle preorders are 25% off at Amazon — save nearly $20 ahead of launch

That said, there’s an even bigger offer price of $34.95 going on right now at Walmart, if you’re hoping to spend as little as possible, even if that means going beyond Amazon for your trading card fix — which is only about 40 cents above the estimated $34.55 market price by dedicated trading card marketplace TCGplayer. The cheapest listings there only go as low as $35.99 after shipping. 

The Tech Sticker Collection contains three 30th Celebration booster packs, a foil Lucario promo card, and a themed sticker sheet featuring Lucario alongside Pikachu and Mewtwo.

Every booster holds five foil cards, a foil Basic Energy, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card. There's also a guaranteed Pikachu rare card in each pack, with 30 different versions to collect across the expansion.

I've owned countless portable power stations, and cold weather or outdoor adventures always bring them to their knees. Charging slows, the battery drains faster, and you run low sooner than expected.

SAVE $400: As of Oct. 30, the Eufy E25 robot vacuum is on sale for $599.98 at Amazon. That's a 40% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: eufy Eufy E25 Robot Vacuum $599.98 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $400.01   Get Deal at Amazon

Imagine putting your feet up while someone else takes care of the vacuuming and mopping. That's the appeal of a robot vacuum that handles both jobs and even takes care of much of its own maintenance. And that's exactly what you get with the Eufy E25 robot vacuum. This impressive vacuum does it all, and as of Oct. 30, it's on sale at Amazon for 40% off the list price.

It has 20,000 Pa of suction, so the E25 is really designed to tackle everything from everyday dust and dirt to pet hair. Its DuoSpiral brushes help prevent hair from getting tangled, and the CornerRover arm extends its reach along edges and into awkward corners where dust tends to build up. It can also clean across different floor types, so it's a great choice if you have carpets, hard floors, or rugs.

Mopping is handled by Eufy's HydroJet system, which uses self-washing roller mops that clean themselves every two seconds while in use. Then the all-in-one docking station takes care of the rest, automatically emptying dust, washing the mops, refilling the water tank, and drying the rollers with hot air. There's basically nothing for you to do.

If you're sold on the idea, this robot vacuum is currently down from $999.99 to $599.98. Not only is that a $400 savings, but it's the best-ever price for this vacuum. Get this deal from Amazon now.

TL;DR: Through Nov. 1, fans dressing as historical American Girl dolls for Harry Styles' "Harryween" shows can get $40 off a Historical Character doll at the American Girl NYC flagship by showing photo proof of their costume.

When Harry Styles dropped his track "American Girls," he was probably singing about classic romance. His fans took the title dead literally anyway, showing up to his shows dressed from head to toe as actual historical American Girl characters.

Naturally, the trend exploded on TikTok. Fans traded cowboy hats for Samantha Parkington’s Edwardian velvet coats, Kirsten Larson’s prairie aprons, and Kit Kittredge’s Great Depression-era newsboy caps.

Now, with two massive (and very costume-heavy) "Harryween" concerts hitting New York City this weekend, American Girl is leaning all the way into the bit by giving fans a very real discount for their efforts.

If you dress up as a historical American Girl character for the concerts, you can score $40 off any Historical Character doll at the brand's NYC flagship store. Considering full-size historical dolls rarely see steep discounts and normally cost up to $175, knocking $40 off is a nice break for collectors and nostalgic fans.

How to claim the $40 discount

You don't need a voucher code, but you will need to head into Manhattan in person. Here is what to know:

• Where — In-store only at the American Girl New York City flagship store (located at 75 Rockefeller Plaza).

• When — Valid only on Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 1.

• How to redeem: Just show an employee photo proof of your historical American Girl costume at checkout.

• The fine print — The $40 discount applies exclusively to Historical Character dolls, is limited to one per customer, and runs only while supplies last.

Whether your look channels Victorian tea parties or frontier pioneer grit, your concert fit can finally pay for itself. Just snap your photo at the arena, hit Rockefeller Plaza before Saturday ends, and grab your doll before stock runs dry.

SAVE $70: As of Oct. 30, Beats Solo 4 are on sale for $129.95 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 $99.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $100.00   Get Deal at Amazon

There's no need to hold off until Black Friday to save on a pair of Beats headphones. The Beats Solo 4 are currently reduced to $129.95 at Amazon, saving you $70 on the list price. The deal covers all colorways, so you can choose from black and gold, cloud pink, slate blue, and more.

These headphones have updated drivers and custom acoustic architecture, which are designed to produce fuller, more detailed sound. They also support Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking for a more immersive experience.

They're designed to be comfortable. The headphones have a lightweight design, a flex-grip headband, and adjustable, angled ear cups to help give you a secure fit. The UltraPlush ear cushions also give additional padding for longer listening sessions.

Battery life is another strong point. You can get up to 50 hours of playback on a single charge, and the Fast Fuel feature gives you up to five hours of listening time from just 10 minutes of charging.

Normally $199.95, you can buy these Beats headphones for $129.95 for a limited time at Amazon.

For three seasons of Adam Ruins Everything, comedian Adam Conover educated audiences on everything from Facebook and fatbergs to the justice system to how children's toys became gendered. But did educating through comedy heal the world? It did not, and in his new comedy special Big Divorce Energy he digs into that and much more.

Sitting down in the Say More studio with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, Conover shared how his comedy has changed from the heady Obama era of Adam Ruins Everything to the Trump era we find ourselves in now. The two talk about millennial disillusionment, how to operate on social media while being well aware of its pitfalls, and how Conover is rediscovering himself through sex and dating.

If you loved Adam Ruins Everything, you won't want to miss Big Divorce Energy, where Conover sheds his cartoony persona for a franker and more fierce approach to comedy and political commentary.

Big Divorce Energy is now streaming on YouTube.

Best early Black Friday tablet deals at a glance Best Apple iPad deal Apple iPad (A16, WiFi, 128GB) $399 (save $50) Get Deal Best Amazon fire tablet deal Amazon Fire HD 8 $79.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best Samsung tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 $899.99 (save $100) Get Deal Best TCL deal TCL TAB A1 Plus $299 (save $50 with on-page coupon) Get Deal

We all have a phone that we rely on to survive. Most of us also have a laptop, whether we use it for work, school, or booking flights. But a tablet is the perfect middle ground between the two. It's larger than a phone but usually more portable than a laptop. Plus, many can double as a great e-reader.

Well ahead of the official Black Friday date, we're already seeing tablets on sale. They range from budget Amazon models to top-tier Apple iPads.

If you're shopping for a new tablet before the holidays, check out our favorite deals below.

Best Apple iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad (A16, WiFi, 128GB) $399 at Amazon
$449 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Mashable's favorite budget iPad is already on sale well before Black Friday. And in even better news, it's down to the same sale price of $399 that we saw during October Prime Day. The 11-inch Apple iPad is powered by the A16 chip and has 12MP cameras on the back and front, which is great news if you'll be using the tablet for FaceTime over the holidays.

Best Amazon tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 $79.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Mashable's rating of the best tablets lists the Amazon Fire HD 8 as the top pick for an Amazon Fire tablet. Between the compact display size of eight inches, clear resolution, and incredible sale price, it's hard to go wrong with the Amazon tablet. The $79.99 sale price applies to the model with 64GB storage, which gives you space to download movies, shows, and music for upcoming holiday travel.

Best Samsung tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 $999.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

It's not the newest model, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 is still well worth considering. The generous 11-inch display size could be awesome for watching movies in bed, and the AMOLED display offers impressive crispness. If you'll be out in the sun with the tablet, rest assured it can reach up to 1,600 nits of brightness. Plus, there's a microSD slot for increasing onboard storage. Samsung also includes the S Pen with the tablet.

Having good taste is expensive. Alas, it has always been thus.

But $200 for a clock is pushing it, even for a snob like me.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Time smart alarm $199.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

That's unfortunate, because I love the design of Amazon's new Echo Time smart alarm.

The new Echo Time is really sleek looking. Credit: Amazon

Earlier this week, Amazon launched a bunch of new Echo smart home devices, and Mashable was there for the unveiling. The new Echo devices have less of a Death Star vibe, and the Echo Time stands out to me for its friendly design. It's exactly the kind of product I can imagine installing on my nightstand.

I really do love the design of this smart alarm. It doesn't have quite the same appeal as the new Apple HomeView for me (I'm not a huge fan of the knitted fabric cover on Amazon smart devices), but the round shape and pleasant, customizable clock faces work extremely well together. I even like the optional stand.

You have the option to add a matching stand to your Echo Time. Credit: Amazon The Echo Time is available in graphite, coral pink, and glacier white. Credit: Amazon

Why does everything have to be so expensive right now? Whether you're booking a hotel, ordering food, buying a phone, or looking for an alarm clock to break your morning phone habits, prices are painful. Amazon's last smart alarm, the Echo Spot, was priced at a much more reasonable $79.99. That is, until Amazon raised prices on the Echo Spot to $109.99 in August. Now, the company is asking us to pay even more.

The Echo Time isn't even the only pricey alarm clock I'm lusting after in 2026. Stylish, Instagram-famous analog alarms like the Nanu Arc Alarm Clock cost even more, at $299.

The $299 Nanu Arc is even worse for my wallet. Credit: Nanu

This is why I play the lottery.

The Echo Time: What you get for the money

The Echo Time does work really hard to justify the price tag. And, for the record, I really wouldn't be mad about getting this as a Christmas gift this year. I just don't know that I can justify the money myself.

Billed as "your Alexa smart clock," the Echo Time has hundreds of clock faces for its 3.2-inch circular touchscreen, and with the AI-powered Alexa+, you can even use it to control smart lights, set the perfect sleep temperature, or open your blinds. The Echo Time also doubles as a noise machine, playing soothing sounds as you fall asleep at night or meditate in the morning. Amazon says its built-in speaker offers lossless high-definition audio for listening to music.

SEE ALSO: Hatch introduces new Sleep Clock, an alarm clock that tracks your sleep

The Echo Time also comes in a kid-friendly version. More importantly, your privacy is also considered with the Echo Time, which is "built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a microphones enable/disable button."

Customize your clock screen on the Echo Time. Credit: Amazon

I've long since learned that having good taste is expensive, but in 2026, having any kind of taste is expensive. This, despite the fact that President Donald Trump promised to bring down prices at the pump, grocery stores, and beyond, telling crowds, "Starting on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again." Obviously, that's not what happened. Tech companies, in particular, keep raising prices as they pass along the higher costs of the memory squeeze spurred by the AI industry.

So, you'll have to decide if your budget can bear a $199.99 smart alarm.

My verdict: Wait for Black Friday and see how much the Echo Time is going to cost when it inevitably goes on sale.

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