Technology

No matter where you park or how many precautions you take, cars get incredibly hot, especially when left in direct sunlight. Sometimes, you have no choice but to leave your phone baking in the car, but what happens to its battery while you're gone might make you think twice.

Are you sick of having Wi-Fi problems? Yeah, so was I. And the internet is full of hacks that supposedly help so much, but most of the time, you'll be changing some settings and then scratching your head, trying to determine what exactly is now so much better.

Everyone is always so focused on new, new, new. But Netflix's back catalog of movies has legs, too. A week after I pointed you toward Straight Outta Compton and Alien, both are still holding strong on the U.S. charts. This week, Angelina Jolie joins them with her thriller Those Who Want Me Dead, which I get into below.

There's a saying that "the internet never forgets, "which is a nice soundbite, but in truth some things are lost forever on the net. Once a server goes down and the last copy of that data is disconnected, that's it.

Updated on Monday, Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m. ET — Apple launched iOS 27 (along with macOS 27 Golden Gate, iPadOS 27, and watchOS 27) this morning. Users with a compatible iPhone can download the new OS right away.

Apple's next big iOS update is finally on the launch pad.

At its "Surprise and Shine" event on Sept. 9, Apple showed off new wares like the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, the foldable iPhone Duo, new Apple Watches, and the AirPods 5. One of the smaller (but still significant) nuggets of news to come out of the event concerned iOS 27. Specifically, when you can finally download it to your iPhone.

Users with compatible iPhones will be able to install iOS 27 on Monday, Sept. 14.

How to download iOS 27

If you have one of the compatible iPhones (keep scrolling for the full list), then starting on Monday, Sept. 14, you can look for iOS 27. Apple typically releases a new iOS at 10:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. ET).

Follow these steps to get iOS 27 set up on your iPhone:

• Go to the Settings app on your phone

• Go to General

• Go to Software Update and wait as the system checks for new updates

• When iOS 27 appears, you can download and install the new OS

You can also click "Automatic Updates" and turn this feature to "On." That way, iOS 27 should automatically download once it's available (your phone must be locked and charging to download automatic updates).

What's new with iOS 27? This is a big one! Siri AI, new Apple Intelligence tools, and Liquid Glass updates are all coming soon. Credit: Apple

If you haven't been following along, iOS 27 is the one that finally brings us Siri AI. You can now talk to Siri like you would an AI chatbot, and it's powered by Google Gemini.

Some of the most exciting changes coming to iPhones involve new AI photo-editing features, such as spatial reframing. Users will more easily be able to remove unwanted details, or even describe the edits they'd like to Siri by voice or text. Android smartphones from Google and Samsung have had a full suite of AI editing tools for a couple of years now, and Apple is finally catching up. Smart photo editing will also help users make the most of the iPhone 18 Pro Max's new camera features.

Apple also included some new and subtle customization options for Liquid Glass, various small updates for apps like Health, Photos, and Notes, and more.

SEE ALSO: 5 Siri AI and iOS 27 features we’re looking forward to Every iPhone that supports iOS 27

Of course, you can only go through that whole downloading process if you have a device that supports iOS 27. Here are the devices that work with the new iOS:

• iPhone SE (second generation or later)

• iPhone 11

• iPhone 11 Pro

• iPhone 11 Pro Max

• iPhone 12

• iPhone 12 Mini

• iPhone 12 Pro

• iPhone 12 Pro Max

• iPhone 13

• iPhone 13 Mini

• iPhone 13 Pro

• iPhone 13 Pro Max

• iPhone 14

• iPhone 14 Plus

• iPhone 14 Pro

• iPhone 14 Pro Max

• iPhone 15

• iPhone 15 Plus

• iPhone 15 Pro

• iPhone 15 Pro Max

• iPhone 16

• iPhone 16e

• iPhone 16 Plus

• iPhone 16 Pro

• iPhone 16 Pro Max

• iPhone 17

• iPhone 17e

• iPhone Air

• iPhone 17 Pro

• iPhone 17 Pro Max

• iPhone 18 Pro

• iPhone 18 Pro Max

• iPhone Duo

If you don't have one of those, you're out of luck. We should also note that Siri AI will not be coming to Europe due to some regulatory issues. Sorry, European friends.

There's a unique heartbreak to realizing our parents aren't who we imagined. A Long Winter is about that agony, and how one might grow from it.

From English writer/director Andrew Haigh (Weekend, All of Us Strangers) A Long Winter centers on a quietly queer protagonist, who comes to understand himself and what he wants through the hard, cold lesson of who his parents really are. And the result is elegant in its heartbreak.

SEE ALSO: TIFF 2026 preview: 18 films (and shows) you'll want to see (and how) What is A Long Winter About?  Fred Hechinger and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in "A Long Winter." Credit: TIFF

Adapted from Colm Tóibín's short story of the same name, A Long Winter is set in the brutally cold mountains of Colorado, during the early 1950s. There, despite the hard work of maintaining the house and farm animals, Mike (Fear Street's Fred Hechinger) enjoys a rather blissful existence, relishing the time with his younger brother (Heartstopper's Kit Connor), his mother (Outlander's Caitríona Balfe), and father (The Bear's Ebon Moss-Bachrach). However, once his brother takes a job far away, Mike witnesses another side of his parents, one tarnished by regret and recrimination.

As another winter approaches, his mother Louise's smiles turn to snarls. Her empty water glass reeks of alcohol, and her fury at her hard-headed husband Lester boils over. One day, she wanders off with their dog Sandy. Hours later, a blizzard turns the familiar hills to treacherous, frigid white. Where did she go? Could she have survived?

Featured Video For You Andrew Garfield on the meaning of 'no kings' in 'The Uprising'

For months, Mike will seek her out in the not-so-near town, an abandoned mine, the home of his posh uncle (a terrifically festering Martin Freeman), and again and again in the long, blank expanse of the mountain. 

In his search, he has time and space to reflect, and so comes across a better understanding of who his mother was, who his father is, and what he wants for his own life. Mike also makes a new acquaintance in Jimmy (Reservation Dogs' D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), an abandoned teen Lester brings on to do the "women's work" on the property that neither he nor his son has any talent for. 

Fred Hechinger delivers his best performance yet in A Long Winter.  Fred Hechinger in "A Long Winter." Credit: TIFF

Hechinger first hit my radar in 2021, playing the chaotically charismatic Simon in Fear Street: Part One - 1994. Where others in the film had to deliver the horror of the slasher's slaughters, Simon was reliably and warmly the comic relief. Hechinger brought Matthew Lillard vibes, offering an unapologetically gawky confidence and sharp comedic timing. 

From there, he'd earn praise for his role as Quinn on White Lotus Season 1. Then, in 2024, he popped up in a string of movies, taking on wildly different supporting roles. In Thelma, he was a doting grandson. In Nickel Boys, he was a friendly face amid a squadron of abusive school staffers. Gladiator II gave him a chance to play a villain, opposite his onscreen twin emperor Joseph Quinn. Then, in Kraven The Hunter, he played the title character's demure younger brother, Dmitri "Chameleon" Smerdyakov, who used his power to sing like Harry Styles, Ozzy Osbourne, and Tony Bennett. 

Simply put, Hechinger has swiftly established himself as an actor who is exciting at every appearance, because you never know where he might go. 

In A Long Winter, Hechinger packs away his goofy grin and playfulness for a more restrained yet brilliantly alive performance. In the first act, Mike recounts to his brother about how, when he went away for contracted work, he missed home, reminiscing in his childhood bed about his family and the meals his mother made. In these scenes, his voice has a folksy touch, while his word choice is simple. But after weeks without his mother and months without his brother, with Jimmy in the bed beside him, Mike's accent has softened, and he'll use words like "cope," which feel out of place in his father's idea of mountain masculinity. These simple diction shifts reflect how Mike's vision for himself has become less reliant on his father's example, even as his is the only one around. 

Frustratingly, Moss fumbles in his role as the tough guy, much like he did in Broadway's Dog Day Afternoon. His bluster feels flaccid, making the years his wife submitted to his demands a bit perplexing. In scenes where Moss and Hechinger face off, A Long Winter struggles when the former cannot match the latter in onscreen intensity, even though the younger actor is playing openness rather than rage.

Hechinger, who has been a stellar supporting player, proves his leading man chops by shouldering A Long Winter in scenes of delicate dialogue, earnest confrontation, and moments alone, where it's just Mike and the wilderness that has likely consumed his lost and loved mother. 

A Long Winter works as a sister film All of Us Strangers.  Caitríona Balfe and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in "A Long Winter." Credit: TIFF

Make no mistake, A Long Winter won't be as gut-wrenching or as hot as Haigh's last film. Yet both share a common core. Both center on a gay man learning to trust himself and his desire, while making sense of who his parents are/were. The intensity of All of Us Strangers perfectly encapsulates the first stage of such scary journeys, enhanced by the ghost story elements that make the film a soft horror movie. 

In A Long Winter, the arc is less rigorous because Mike — unlike Andrew Scott's hero — is not alone. All of Us Strangers plays, in some respects, like a haunted house movie because of its protagonist's isolation. While Haigh will bring in some surreal and spooky elements to A Long Winter, it's not horror. Instead, he lets the reality of a scene bend to reflect the yearning of his hero, who's coming to realize that death — like winter — is a part of life that is unavoidable, but not inherently bad. 

There's a profound maturity in Haigh's latest, as he trusts Hechinger to infuse mood and growth without genre flourishes or the actor's signature mirth. Keen performances by Balfe, Freeman, and Woon-A-Tai bolster their vision of this world, cold but wondrous. It is not a tearjerker, but a rapturous and meditative look at growing up and growing into ourselves. 

A Long Winter was reviewed out its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. 

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My current phone, a Pixel 10 Pro, is the first phone I've ever owned that packs 256GB of storage space. Almost six months into owning it, I've still got plenty of storage left, and I'm in no hurry to free up space. But when I recently looked up how much storage I could free up on it for a piece I was writing, I discovered that Spotify took up almost 15GB of space. This wasn't new, but I completely forgot about it after upgrading to the Pixel.

Save 22%: As of Sept. 14, pick up the 2026 Lego Star Wars advent calendar at Amazon for $35, taking $9.99 off the price ofe $44.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars advent calendar $35 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $9.99   Get Deal

Legos are notoriously expensive, and holiday-themed Legos can get notoriously difficult to get, especially for gift shopping.

My tip? Buy in advance where you can. For any Star Wars Lego fans in your life, a great opportunity to do exactly that is here: as of Sept. 14, the Lego Star Wars advent calendar is on sale at Amazon for $35, bringing its $45 list price down 22% (and to its lowest point ever).

SEE ALSO: August's new Legos bring some of the best variety in sets we've seen all year

This set in particular is themed around The Mandalorian, featuring the titular character and Grogu in holiday sweaters, as well as other classic characters like Moff Gideon and Carson Teva. Other accessories include vehicles and key objects from the show, so you can slowly build out your own universe.

All told, the set has 24 days to open and 293 pieces total. At the time of writing, the set is still at full price on Lego's website and Target. Plus it's just ever so slightly cheaper than the newly unveiled $800 Star Destroyer.

This was supposed to be the year of blockbuster artificial intelligence IPOs, but over the weekend, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed the company will no longer go public in 2026.

In an interview with Fortune, Altman said the IPO would be "ill-timed" given escalating concerns over AI safety and development. Altman told Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell that the IPO would not take place in 2026. Although many outlets have reported that the IPO will now take place in 2027, Altman told Shontell only that the IPO wasn't happening this year, and that it will happen "when the business is ready."

"I would say not 2026, yeah. We got a lot of stuff to do. And meeting this moment of what is going to be required for safety and alignment and how the industry and government is going to work together, and how to be able to do that as a private company," Altman said.

OpenAI has reportedly been preparing for a likely trillion-dollar IPO this year, but in recent weeks, concerns over AI safety have reached a critical point.

"As we’ve said we’re not rushing into an IPO," Altman told Fortune. "I actually think that given everything happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public, and we don’t feel pressure on that. We’ve said for a long time, we’ll do it when we’re ready, which is when the business is ready, when we feel ready from a, kind of, what the moment is like in society with this technology."

So, why have concerns about AI suddenly reached a boiling point?

Anthropic released a nightmarish safety report last week, which detailed how threat actors tried to use Claude to research avian flu adaptations, to assist with gain-of-function research on the chikungunya virus, explore military drone swarms, and carry out mass surveillance. And shortly before that, an Anthropic researcher left the company and very publicly warned that the technology "could kill us all by the end of the decade," and that the industry was "gambling with our lives."

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

On Saturday, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for AI labs to slow down development of AI until stronger safeguards could be put into place, and Altman publicly committed to coordinating on this effort.

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.

Altman's comments about the OpenAI IPO come amid these growing concerns.

"This has clearly been a week where a lot more people are grappling with the issues in front of us," Altman told Fortune. "So, I’m actually mostly grateful that this is happening. This is a conversation the world is overdue for, and we are clearly entering a realm of extremely capable models, and a high-stakes need to get things right."

Altman's video interview with Fortune provides some insight into Altman's thinking at a turning point for the industry.

As the most visible and well-known AI company, the performance of OpenAI's IPO will be seen as a barometer for the health of the industry as a whole. Because as fears over AI safety rise, so have fears of the AI bubble bursting.

Earlier this year, SpaceX (which recently merged with xAI) launched its IPO, and Anthropic previously filed paperwork for its own planned IPO. Altman's comments are consistent with a June report from the New York Times, which stated the company was leaning toward delaying its IPO until 2027.

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

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

When you set up a brand-new Windows PC, you probably want to get through the setup screens as quickly as possible so you can start using your shiny new computer. That makes it easy to click through Microsoft's privacy options without paying much attention to what you've actually enabled. One of those settings allows Microsoft to collect samples of what you type or write.

TL;DR: Watch Villarreal vs. Real Betis in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

La Liga really delivered over the weekend. We've seen high-scoring wins from three of the league's top teams — Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid — with a combined 11 goals scored. But the action from this round of fixtures isn't over just yet: Villarreal now hosts Real Betis.

Real Betis have been in solid form in the early stages of the season, winning three from four. The impetus is on Villarreal to get something from this game — they're still searching for their first win of the season. Can we expect even more goals?

If you're interested in watching Villarreal vs. Real Betis in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Villarreal vs. Real Betis?

Villarreal vs. Real Betis in La Liga kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 14. This fixture takes place at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

How to watch Villarreal vs. Real Betis for free

Villarreal vs. Real Betis in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Villarreal vs. Real Betis for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Villarreal vs. Real Betis for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Villarreal vs. Real Betis for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Villarreal vs. Real Betis without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for La Liga?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Villarreal vs. Real Betis for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $22.99: The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds are on sale at Amazon for 10% off with code NW94IXSS62S2, brining them down to $207 instead of the list price of $229.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Soundcore Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max $207 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $22.99 use code NW94IXSS62S2 at checkout Get Deal

If you're one to walk around with at least one earbud in for most of the day, you know how important comfort is. In the past, I've refused to travel without both earbuds and over-the-ear headphones, mostly because I couldn't stand earbuds after a few hours of flying. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max changed my mind on that. And for the first time ever, they're on sale at Amazon.

As of Sept. 14, the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds are on sale at Amazon for 10% off with code NW94IXSS62S2, brining them down to $207 instead of the list price of $229.99. That works out to a savings of $22.99.

I just wore the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds on a 10-hour flight with zero complaints. They're so comfortable that I no longer pack bulky over-the-ear headphones on trips, saving precious space in my carry on bag.

SEE ALSO: The clock is ticking to save over $50 on Soundcore AeroFit 2 earbuds at Amazon

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max are an elevated version of the 5 Pro, using Anker's Thus AI chip and a 10-sensor matrix that make the earbuds excellent for calls and blocking out background noise. However, the case is an upgrade from the 5 Pro, coming with a touchscreen case with a 1.78 AMOLED display.

This model also features Anker's AI note-taker, allowing the case to record during meetings, lectures, or conversations. That's a great feature for taking the earbuds along to work or class.

While the earbuds are sitting at an all-time low price, upgrade to the comfort, clarity and powerful noise-cancellation on the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds. They'll be your new favorite travel accessory.

A jailbroken Kindle can do a lot more than simply allow you to install better reading software such as KOReader. If you combine a Kindle with a Raspberry Pi, you may be surprised at what even an old Kindle is able to do.

Save $120: The usually $349.99 Ninja Slushi is on sale for $229.99 at Best Buy as of Sept. 14. This 34% discount comes as a Best Buy Deal of the Day, meaning that come Sept. 15, the Slushi will be back up in price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Slushi $229.99
$349.99 Save $120   Get Deal

Whether it be slushie or a frosé, there's something about a frozen drink that screams summertime in a cup.

"But it's September!" the naysayers cry. To that, I have three replies: the first official day of fall isn't until Sept. 22, we all know temps can stay above 80 well into October, and the Ninja Slushi is on sale for one day only as of Sept. 14.

Ninja's frozen drink maker isn't just casually $20 off — it's down $120 in price as a Best Buy Deal of the Day, bringing the price from $349.99 to $229.99. At the lowest we've seen it, it's hit $199.99 at Amazon (at the time of writing, however, it's at $299.95).

Former Mashable reporter Leah Stodart put the Slushi through the frozen drink ringer – testing everything from slushed cola to frozen coffees and protein shakes. The few downsides: diet soda is a no-go (the machine demands a certain amount of sugar for the freezing process to work), the process can be a bit tedious for single serve drinks, and you also have to be careful about balancing alcohol content.

SEE ALSO: We tested the most popular Ninja appliances, and these are our favorites

That said, because of the RapidChill Technology powering the Slushi, frozen drinks stay frozen for up to 12 hours. As Stodart pointed out, that means actually frozen margaritas instead of the melted margs you'd get not long after blending together the cocktail with some ice. Unlike the Ninja Creami, the Slushi is rather quiet, running at about the sound of a refrigerator hum. Finally, cleanup is relatively easy, consisting of a rinse cycle, four dishwasher-friendly parts to disassemble and wash, and a wipe down of the base and interior of the machine.

Though it's not the cheapest appliance out there, it's a game changer for any frozen drink fiends — and at this sale price, the perfect end of summer steal.

SAVE $15.82: As of Sept. 14, the Xteink X3 mini e-reader is on sale at Amazon for just $63.18 as a Lightning deal. That's 20% in savings, but you'll have to act fast.

Opens in a new window Credit: Xteink Xteink X3 mini e-reader $63.18 at Amazon
$79 Save $15.82   Get Deal

If you've ever wished you could slip a book into your pocket, the Xteink X3 mini e-reader was made for you. And for a limited time, it's on sale for 20% off its already affordable cost.

As of Sept. 14, the Xteink X3 mini e-reader is just $63.18 as a Lightning deal at Amazon. That's $15.82 less than its $79 price tag, but you'll have to act fast to secure the discount. You only have until the end of the day to get your hands on this deal, or until the counter bar says "100% claimed." So, don't delay pressing that add-to-cart button.

I have to be honest here; I don't particularly understand the hype of this ultra-mini, ultra-trendy e-reader. I prefer my basic Kindle, which is already small enough to fit in my purse. It also doesn't have backlighting, which means you can only read in bright settings (a personal dealbreaker for me). But surely there must be a reason this thing is popular. With a 3.7-inch screen, it's not only small enough to slip into your pocket (yes, even women's pockets), but it also magnetically attaches to the back of your phone for seamless reading on the go. It'll last you up to 10 hours before needing a charge and offers 16GB of built-in memory, with up to 256GB expandable memory.

Also, like the Xteink X4 Pro that Mashable's Sam Mangino tested, the Xteink X3 is only compatible with DRM-free e-books. That means no DRM-protected books from Kindle, Libby, or other platforms. Mangino notes that articles you can upload via URL work best on these tiny e-readers. Still, for the cute mini form factor and TikTok cred, $63 really isn't a bad deal. Just be sure you know what you're signing up for.

TL;DR: As of Sept. 14, you can get the DJI Mini 3 for $315, down from $419, at Amazon. That's a 25% discount or a $104 price cut.

DJI Mini 3 $315 at Amazon
$419 Save $104   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy

If you follow tech news at all, you probably know the U.S. government has been trying to ban DJI drones for what feels like forever. Lawmakers blocked any new models from being approved in the States, but existing drones already on the market are grandfathered in — this means that they're legal to buy and fly.

SEE ALSO: The FCC banned foreign routers, drones, robots: What it means for you

Right now, you can get the DJI Mini 3 on Amazon for $315, down from $410. Discounts on DJI drones don't pop up nearly as often these days (outside of sales events, that is), so saving 25% is a nice win if you've been waiting to buy one.

Spec-wise, it shoots crisp 4K HDR video, stays airborne for up to 38 minutes per charge, handles wind pretty well, and shoots true vertical video so you don't have to crop your footage for social media later. Bonus: It weighs under 249 grams, so you don't have to register it with the FAA for recreational flying.

When was the last time you took stock of what storage types you were using? If you have an older computer, it’s possible at least one of your drives is using a tech that’s 40 years old. Here are five storage types that are officially too old to use in 2026.

SAVE $200: The new Roborock Saros 20 Flow is now available in the U.S. and it's on sale at Amazon for $1,499.99 with the on-page coupon, down from the normal price of $1,699.99. That's a 12% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros 20 Flow $1,499.99 at Amazon
$1,699.99 Save $200   Get Deal

It's no secret that Roborock is a leader in both robot vacuums and robot lawn mowers, and the lineup of both is often expanding. As of Sept. 14, the brand's U.S. lineup has a new model on offer which is a variation on a previous favorite, the Saros 20. Plus, there's a coupon on offer during the initial launch.

As of Sept. 14, the new Roborock Saros 20 Flow is now available in the U.S. and it's on sale at Amazon for $1,499.99 with the on-page coupon, down from the normal price of $1,699.99. That's a 12% discount that takes $200 off the price.

The world of robot vacuums can feel pretty repetitive, making it hard to differentiate between models. But know the new Roborock Saros 20 Flow has impressive suction power at 36,000Pa. That makes this model excellent for home with pets or busy families.

SEE ALSO: Apple charger deal: Save $90 on the Anker 3-in-1 charging station at Amazon

In addition to the suction power, its slim profile that measures just 3.53 inches in height is excellent for getting under furniture like beds and couches. The 360-degree navigation module on top of the robot vacuum ducks down when passing under low furniture and instead, the robot uses a 100-degree rear view cleaning camera.

When it comes to mopping power, the Roborock Saros 20 Flow is equipped with the brand's SpiraFlow 2.0 pressurized self-cleaning system. Roborock says this aims at cleaning stubborn, sticky messes and just in time for fall, mud. It has high-speed rotation of 240RPM and 15N of downward mopping pressure.

Before this introductory coupon vanishes, upgrade your home with the Roborock Saros 20 Flow. There's no better time than before fall's muddy season to get a super capable robot vacuum and mop.

The best wireless earbuds range anywhere from $10 to $1,000, especially if you're going for professional-grade studio earphones. And if you care about active noise cancellation, you can easily spend $300 — that's the price of peace and quiet. You can also get hyperspecialized models like sleep earbuds, bone-conduction earbuds for working out, and open earbuds for transparency.

SEE ALSO: I replaced my $249 AirPods Pro with $19 wired EarPods

In 2026, our top picks for earbuds are the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen), and Panasonic Technics AZ100s, which provide outstanding sound quality and ANC. But keep in mind that these models will run you $299 to $329. While we stand by the value of everything on this list, we know that spending over $300 on a pair of earbuds is a lot to stomach. That's why we've also included more budget-friendly wireless earbuds under $100 that still deliver excellent performance.

Ready to start shopping now? Here are our favorite wireless and noise-cancelling earbuds as of September 2026.

Types of earbuds

There are two overarching types of earbuds: wireless and wired. While those descriptors are self-explanatory, let's get into the specifics of both.

Wireless

Wireless earbuds connect to devices via Bluetooth for cordless usage. These earbuds range from $20 budget models to high-end models with active noise cancellation. While they don't require a wire to connect to a device, some wireless earbuds still have a wire that might go around the back of the neck to connect the buds.

While earbuds traditionally don't provide the passive noise cancellation of over-the-ear headphones, wireless models often feature ANC, which electronically blocks out background noise. With wireless headphones, you need to consider the battery life. Most models should have an eight-hour or more battery life before they need to be recharged.

Wired

Wired earbuds are the original model: two buds connected by a wire to your audio source. While they once felt high-tech, they're pretty basic now. Wired earbuds with active noise cancellation are basically non-existent, and you won't find any on our list.

The biggest positive to wired headphones is that they don't need to be charged. They're a great backup option to keep in your bag in case your usual wireless headphones or earbuds run out of charge.

Newer additions to this guide

After extensive testing, Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard rounded up the best sleep earbuds. You can read her full guide, but as of February 2026, we've added the Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 Special to this guide, which Allard says are the best sleep earbuds for most people. Also in February 2026, we added the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds as our top pick for the best overall earbud, and removed the previous generation, the WF-1000XM5, as the best Sony earbud.

What are the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds?

If you're just looking for a pair of everyday wireless earbuds, all but one of the models in this guide will check that box. (We formerly included the Marshall Mode earbuds for folks who preferred a wired option, but have since removed them from our guide as the version we tested is difficult to find in stock these days.)

If you're looking for the highest quality wireless earbuds, you can't go wrong with the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Apple AirPods Pro 3, and Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds, our most recent recommendation in 2026. Both of these wireless earbuds feature elite noise-cancellation, stellar sound, long battery life, and a comfortable fit for extended wear.

A digital PlayStation game you bought years ago could soon put a little credit back in your account. Sony’s proposed $7.85 million settlement would compensate eligible U.S. customers for certain PlayStation Store purchases, with automatic payments for those whose accounts are still active.

Here’s how to check whether you’re included and what happens next.

Which PlayStation purchases qualify?

The settlement covers people in the United States who purchased an eligible digital game through the PlayStation Store between April 1, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2023.

The official list of eligible games includes The Last of Us Remastered, Until Dawn, No Man’s Sky, and NBA 2K18. Specific editions matter: The Bloodborne entry, for example, covers the Complete Edition Bundle.

The restrictions stem from a class-action lawsuit filed in May 2021 over Sony’s decision to stop third-party retailers from selling game-specific download vouchers in April 2019. Plaintiffs argued that the change forced customers to buy those digital games through the PlayStation Store, reducing competition and raising prices. (Sony denies wrongdoing.)

SEE ALSO: PS5 gamers entitled to credits in new Sony lawsuit settlement

According to the settlement notice, qualifying games had retail download vouchers available before April 2019, at least 200 voucher redemptions before that cutoff, and a price increase of at least 50 cents after discounts between the periods examined in the case. The official list can help you identify which games meet those requirements.

Do you need to submit a claim?

If you qualify, have an active PlayStation Network account, and did not opt out, no claim form is required. Your payment would arrive automatically as PlayStation Store wallet credit after final approval.

Customers with deactivated accounts had a separate process. The official notice gave them until August 27, 2026, to provide qualifying purchase information and a current mailing address to request a check. (That deadline has passed.)

Lawyers reported in a Sept. 3 court filing that there appeared to be 438 check requests from eligible customers with closed accounts.

How much could you receive?

There is no fixed payment per customer. Your share will depend on how many qualifying games you purchased, with more eligible purchases resulting in a larger payment.

Payments will come from the amount remaining in the $7.85 million fund after court-approved deductions. Those include attorneys’ fees of up to 25 percent, legal and administrative expenses, and any awards to the named plaintiffs. Notice and administration costs alone are estimated at $180,000 to $190,000.

When will the credits arrive?

The final approval hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2026, but the settlement still needs approval before distribution can proceed.

Once deposited, the credits will not expire and can be used for any product available for sale in the PlayStation Store, according to the plaintiffs’ September filing. Players would not have to spend them on the games that originally qualified them for compensation.

For now, the next date to watch is Oct. 15, when the court will consider final approval — bringing eligible players one step closer to seeing the credit in their accounts.