IT General

Everyone wants their Windows PCs to offer the best performance. Apps should open instantly, there shouldn't be any lag when switching windows, and the system itself should boot immediately. However, if any of these aspects feel a bit sluggish, Microsoft says it could be due to your OneDrive file syncing settings and your computer's visual effects.

On October 14th, Microsoft will be officially ending support for Windows 10. However, if you aren't ready to upgrade yet, you can sign up for Extended Security Updates so you can continue getting important security patches beyond 2025. There are a few steps needed to enroll in ESU.

It's easy to look at Bruce Springsteen, a living legend of American rock music, and think there was never a time when anyone could doubt him — not his drive, not his artistry, not his unrelenting charisma. But like last year's Bob Dylan–centered drama A Complete Unknown, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere narrows in on a time when a celebrated music star dared to do something so different that the doubt was ringing out.

Jeremy Allen White stars as Bruce Springsteen in director Scott Cooper's film adaptation of Warren Zanes’ book, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which chronicles the creation of the artist's 1982 album, Nebraska. While critics have been divided on the film, White's been earning furious praise for his portrayal of the Boss.

In her review out of the New York Film Festival, entertainment reporter Belen Edwards noted the film's thematic ties to The Bear, the much-awarded TV series on which White has most recently been showered in accolades. However, she notes his performances in each are incredibly different, writing, "White's Carmy so often feels on the verge of exploding with anger or grief, while his Springsteen carries a steady sadness with him at all times. If Carmy is a pressure cooker, Springsteen is a deep lake."

You can dive into White's spin on Springsteen this weekend.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere debuts in theaters Oct. 24.

If you've noticed your graphics card running hotter than usual, there are a few common culprits likely to blame. Modern cards often feature robust cooling solutions that help it maintain maximum clock speeds and performance, but some problems are simply inevitable with any GPU.

You never know when a certain Windows app can help solve an immediate problem. You may not always have time to download and install what you need. But luckily, there are several useful ones with portable versions that can fit on your thumb drive.

Your Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) is getting a major visual upgrade with the rollout of four brand new Farsight faces. This is great news because the default face can get dull quickly. These new options will join the four existing Farsight faces, meaning you have eight total.

Anyone who has ever tried to customize their copy of Windows will inevitably run into Rainmeter. It lets you put all kinds of heavily customizable widgets on the Windows desktop. Windows has never given us much in the way of customization, and in the latest versions, widgets are missing entirely. If you’re a fan of widgets and visual monitors, or if you just enjoy a pretty desktop, let me show why Rainmeter is perfect for the job.

The introduction of dynamic arrays triggered the biggest change to how we work with Microsoft Excel formulas in years, if not decades. They allow a single formula to spill multiple results into adjacent cells and resize automatically, replacing the less flexible legacy Ctrl-Shift-Enter (CSE) array formulas.

HP just dropped a massive deal on its OmniBook 5 Copilot+ PC, letting you snag the 14-inch 2K OLED touchscreen laptop for just $500 at Best Buy. This is a huge 29% discount off its regular $700 price tag, so you're getting high-end features for less.

Microsoft’s Windows 10 life support ends tomorrow, Oct. 14. After that, the tech giant will no longer provide free security updates, bug fixes, or technical support for the operating system.

That might sound alarming — especially to the millions of users around the globe who still use Windows 10. But don’t panic. Your computer won’t suddenly stop working, and you don’t have to upgrade to Windows 11 (though Microsoft would certainly prefer that you did).

SEE ALSO: You can stay on Windows 10 for another year for free — if you act by Oct. 14

So, what happens now?

You can still use Windows 10, but once cumulative updates stop, your system will gradually become more vulnerable. Without new patches, hackers can exploit security holes that go unaddressed — putting your data at risk as you browse the web, check email, or do online banking.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Microsoft Defender Antivirus will continue receiving virus definition updates until 2028, offering a basic layer of protection. However, the operating system itself won’t get critical security fixes, meaning antivirus alone won’t be enough to keep your device fully secure.

And over time, there’s another problem: compatibility. As developers increasingly focus on Windows 11, older apps, software, and even websites may stop running smoothly on Windows 10. Hard to believe, but the "modern" OS is already a decade old.

If you’re running an older computer that can’t handle Windows 11, there’s still a way to stay secure without buying a new PC. Microsoft is offering enrollment in its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which provides critical security patches for an additional year, through October 13, 2026.

Originally designed for businesses, the ESU program has now been expanded to regular users. However, it’s meant only as a stopgap. ESU won’t deliver new features or performance fixes, just essential security updates.

You can enroll for free if you use the Windows Backup app to upload your files to OneDrive, or if you’ve earned at least 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. Otherwise, access to ESU costs a one-time fee of $30. Enrollment is open now and will remain available until October 13, 2026.

SAVE $132: As of Oct. 13, the LG 55-inch C5 OLED 4K TV is on sale for $1,164.80 at Amazon. That's 10% or $132 off its usual retail price of $1,296.99, and the best price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 55-inch C5 OLED 4K TV $1,164.80 at Amazon
$1,296.99 Save $132.19 Get Deal

If you're looking to upgrade your TV and don't want to wait until Black Friday, the LG C5 OLED 4K TV is already chilling at its best price ever.

As of Oct. 13, the LG 55-inch C5 OLED 4K TV is down to $1,164.80 at Amazon. That's $132 less than its usual list price of $1,296.99 and the lowest price on record since its March release. We know that's still a bit pricey for a new TV, but our sister site CNET calls its "top choice among 2025 TVs." In other words, you get what you pay for.

LG's C4 model from last year is still one of the best TVs you can get, but the C5 is even better, with a brighter, more vibrant, and color-accurate picture quality. Of course, like all of LG's high-quality OLEDs, it also has superior contrast with near-perfect black levels, so it looks great when you're watching from any angle. Other upgrades include a fully redesigned Magic Remote and AI capabilities (shocker). Packing four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 144Hz, the C5 OLED TV is a great choice for gaming, as well as watching sports, movies, and TV shows.

We wouldn't recommend running out and buying the latest LG C-Series TV when it's at full price, but while it's down to a record-low $1,164.80, we say go for it.

Two neuroscientists are suing Apple, alleging that the company trained its AI models using pirated book libraries that included their works and the copyrighted works of others.

Apple now joins the ranks of other tech companies like Meta and OpenAI, which have also been sued over their use of copyrighted material to train AI systems. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Typically, tech companies claim that the fair use legal doctrine allows them to use copyrighted material in this context, even without permission or payment.

The lawsuit from Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde and Dr. Stephen Macknik, professors of neuroscience at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, is actually the second lawsuit in just over a month that targets the iPhone maker for using copyrighted material to train its Apple Intelligence models.

Last month, authors Grady Hendrix and Jennifer Roberson also sued Apple, claiming the company's scraper, Applebot, pulls material from "shadow libraries," online collections of unlicensed copyrighted books.

The latest lawsuit from professors Martinez-Conde and Macknik also alleges that Apple is pulling copyrighted material for AI training from shadow libraries. The two plaintiffs say that Apple trained its OpenELM model using a pirated database called Books3, a shadow library that contains more than 190,000 works. This is the same pirated dataset at issue in Kadrey vs. Meta and Bartz vs. Anthropic, which were ultimately decided in the AI companies' favor.

However, the issue of AI training and copyright remains unsettled while various cases work their way through the U.S. court system.

Anthropic also settled a class action lawsuit in September, after being sued by authors over the use of 500,000 pirated works to train the company's AI chatbot Claude. Last month, Anthropic agreed to settle the lawsuit for $1.5 billion.

Hendrix and Roberson's lawsuit against Apple also seeks class action status.

Apple has previously been sued over Apple Intelligence, although these two lawsuits mark the first time the company has been sued over copyright infringement claims. Earlier this year, Apple was sued for advertising Apple Intelligence features that were delayed and not yet available for consumers. Elon Musk's X also sued Apple over its partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI. The deal between Apple and OpenAI involves the AI giant powering some Apple Intelligence features.

SAVE $70: The Apple iPad, 11-inch (11th Generation. 128GB, WiFi) is on sale at Amazon for $279, down from the list price of $349. That's a 20% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 11-inch (11th Gen, 128GB, WiFi) $279 at Amazon
$349 Save $70 Get Deal

The weather outside might not be frightful just yet, but shockingly we're only two months away from winter. If your fall and winter plans involve reading, streaming the best new shows, or getting really good at Balatro, you'll want to head into the season with a capable tablet. Lucky for everyone, Amazon has a solid model on sale to kick off the week.

As of Oct. 13, the Apple iPad, 11-inch (11th Generation, 128GB, WiFi) is on sale for $279 at Amazon, marked from the standard price of $349. That's a 20% discount that takes $70 off the price. Be sure to go with the silver, yellow, or pink colorway to score this discount. The blue colorway is also on sale but it's only 9% off for a total of $319.

SEE ALSO: Scoop up a Google Pixel Tablet for its lowest price yet

The Apple iPad (11 inch) earns Mashable's choice for the best tablet for most people. Its size combined with its storage space and ample ability to multitask makes it a great option. "You'll be able to multitask without the system sputtering out, whether you're watching YouTube videos, playing your favorite high-res games, or just have a habit of leaving your apps running in the background," according to Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodart and Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth.

Apple considers the iPad to have all-day battery life so it'll be great for cozy weekends on the couch. The 12 megapixel camera is great for video chats with family while arranging holiday plans. Plus, it's compatible with both the Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard Folio, both of which take the tablet to a whole new level of functionality.

While it's still at the October Prime Day sale price of $279, snag the Apple iPad, 11 inch and get prepared for cozy season. Plus, it'll be great for keeping entertained (read: distracted) during holiday travel.

Right now, the 4K 65-inch Hisense U7 Series MiniLED Smart TV is on sale for a massive 47% discount from the original MSRP. This drops the price all the way down to $800 at Best Buy.

FreeBSD 15, the next major update for the free and open-source operating system, is now available as a beta release. If you've been looking at FreeBSD as a possible alternative to Linux, or you just want to try it out in a virtual machine, there are a few new features and a ton of smaller changes.

A now-debunked Reddit rumor spread so fast across the internet that Xbox itself had to step in to clear the air.

It all started with a post on the r/Xbox subreddit, where one user claimed that Target was removing its Xbox section entirely. The user even cited a store manager who allegedly said that all Target locations in the Kansas City area were purging their Xbox stock.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Word will now automatically save your docs in the cloud

The post exploded, with commenters piling on. Some claimed Walmart stores were doing the same, while others declared it the final nail in the coffin for Xbox as a console maker — pointing to Microsoft’s recent focus on cloud gaming and its all-in push for Game Pass subscribers.

But the rumor didn’t hold up. As reported by Windows Central, Xbox quickly refuted the claims, telling the outlet that "Target and Walmart, among other retailers, remain committed partners for Xbox consoles, accessories, and games.”

So, for now, you can still pick up an Xbox console off a store shelf at these retailers. Just be ready to pay a little more if you’re subscribing to Game Pass — a price hike is on the horizon.

It’s well worth taking the time to set up a Home Assistant server so that you can take your smart home experience to the next level. But if you go through with this, you should take the time to do it properly and avoid one of the most common mistakes that newcomers make.

Samsung's next journey into the foldable frontier is reportedly happening soon.

Just a few months after launching the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 foldables, various reports indicate that Samsung is relatively close to launching another foldable device with a new form factor. This one is said to be a "tri-folding" foldable, meaning it will have two hinges instead of one and offer much more screen real estate than even the Z Fold 7. If devices like the Z Fold 7 don't quite tickle your "it's a phone, but it's also a tablet" fancy, this might be the foldable for you.

So, what exactly do we know about the Samsung TriFold (unofficial name)? Let's get into it.

SEE ALSO: Samsung's Project Moohan vs Apple Vision Pro: How the rumored specs compare Samsung TriFold: Rumored specs and price

For starters, let's get into what the rumored TriFold actually is. As I covered previously, it's going to be a smartphone that unfolds into a tablet-like form factor with two folding hinges instead of one, like the Z Fold 7. Samsung has yet to produce such a device, or even announce it, but the company did acknowledge its existence in a recent earnings call, so we can be fairly sure it's real.

According to a recent report from SamMobile, these are the specs you might be able to expect from the Samsung TriFold. To be clear, though, none of this is official information and it could be wrong:

• 6.5-inch exterior cover display

• 10-inch unfolded interior display

• Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor

• Up to 16GB RAM

• At least 256GB storage

• 200MP primary rear camera along with ultrawide and telephoto lenses

• 100x digital zoom capabilities

In terms of processors, cameras, RAM, and all that other fun stuff, these specs are pretty similar to what you'd find in a Z Fold 7. The 6.5-inch cover display stands out especially, as the one on the Z Fold 7 is the exact same size. The 10-inch interior display, however, would be quite a bit bigger than the 8-inch equivalent in the Z Fold 7. That's the big selling point here: When it's folded, this is sized like a bigger traditional smartphone, but when you unfold it, you're unlikely to find any phone with a bigger display.

One obstacle that could stand in the way of that is thickness. There don't seem to be any credible leaks as to how thick the TriFold will be just yet, but Samsung has made great strides in that department this year between the Z Fold 7 and Galaxy S25 Edge. If the TriFold can achieve similar levels of thinness to those phones, Samsung might be onto something here.

Battery will also be something to watch. We don't have an approximate battery size or battery life estimate to work with yet. That said, Phone Arena spotted a Korean patent filing suggesting there will be three battery cells, with one hidden inside each side of the phone. That could help Samsung achieve a usable level of battery life for a device with two very large displays, but we'll have to wait until the device is in our hands before we can accurately judge that.

Lastly, there's no telling what the price of this device will be based on the information we have. But consider that the Z Fold 7, with just one folding hinge, starts at $1,999.99, and set your expectations from there.

Samsung TriFold: Release date and will it come to the U.S.?

As for when you can expect to see the phone, we have some more concrete information about that. Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported recently that Samsung will showcase the device at the imminent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (or APEC) summit, which is happening in South Korea on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. So, in other words, we'll probably see this device by the end of the month. It would most likely launch not terribly long after that, almost certainly before the end of the year.

That last part isn't idle speculation on my part. Multiple reports, including the previously cited SamMobile report and an earlier one from this year, suggested the phone will be out soon, and it might not be exclusive to the Asian market. SamMobile says it has heard that the phone will launch in at least the United Arab Emirates on top of its assumed Chinese and Korean launches, and could come to the U.S., too. Whether it will come to the U.S. at the same time as it launches elsewhere remains to be seen, but that seems unlikely if the phone is being announced at a Korean summit.

That about covers what we know about the Samsung TriFold at this point in time. Expect it to be expensive and geared towards enthusiasts and early adopters. Hopefully the new form factor is actually useful and not excessive.

TL;DR: Live stream Wales vs. Belgium in World Cup qualifiers for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

World Cup qualification is still very much undecided in Group J. North Macedonia are top of the standings, but Wales and Belgium can take top spot with a win in this huge matchup. We're expecting a tense contest between two talented sides.

If you want to watch Wales vs. Belgium in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Wales vs. Belgium?

Wales vs. Belgium in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 7:45 p.m. BST on Oct. 13. This fixture takes place at the Cardiff City Stadium.

How to watch Wales vs. Belgium for free

Wales vs. Belgium in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams on BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream Wales vs. Belgium for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Stream Wales vs. Belgium for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Wales vs. Belgium in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Wales vs. Belgium in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Northern Ireland vs. Germany in World Cup qualifiers for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

World Cup qualification is really heating up, with Northern Ireland taking on Germany in an all-important Group A meeting. Three teams are tied on six points after three games, with top spot on offer to both sides in this matchup. The atmosphere is going to be electric at Windsor Park.

If you want to watch Northern Ireland vs. Germany in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Northern Ireland vs. Germany?

Northern Ireland vs. Germany in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 7:45 p.m. BST on Oct. 13. This fixture takes place at Windsor Park.

How to watch Northern Ireland vs. Germany for free

Northern Ireland vs. Germany in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams on BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream Northern Ireland vs. Germany for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Stream Northern Ireland vs. Germany for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Northern Ireland vs. Germany in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Northern Ireland vs. Germany in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.