Technology

If you're like me, you have more Raspberry Pis than you have monitors, or even monitor inputs. They tend to pile up as you buy an old Pi 3 here or a cheap Pi Zero there.

I recently rooted my LG TV to try to stop it from spying on me. One of the benefits of doing so was that I was able to install homebrew apps on the TV to give it features that it didn’t previously have. When I realized that I could use AI to vibe-code custom apps for my TV, I decided to replicate an Apple TV feature that I’ve always wanted.

Netflix has no plans to slow down even with only two months left in the year. In fact, the streamer is ramping up its list of new and returning shows this month. One of Netflix's surprise U.S. hits of 2025 returns on Thanksgiving for a drama-filled second season.

SAVE $20: As of Nov. 3, the Soundcore P30i earbuds are on sale for $29.99 at Amazon. That's a 40% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore P30i $29.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal at Amazon

Looking for an affordable pair of earbuds that don't sacrifice quality? Meet the Soundcore P30i. As of Nov. 3, these earbuds are down to just $29.99 at Amazon, saving you $20 on their usual list price of $49.99. This price is for the pink, blue, and white earbuds, so you can choose a color that suits you.

There are lots of reasons to choose these earbuds, and sound is just one. These are designed to make listening and watching on the move easier with the charging case that has a clever extra feature: it doubles as a phone stand, so you can prop up your device and watch your favorite shows hands-free.

They also offer active noise cancellation that reduces external noise by up to 42dB, with automatic adjustments based on your surroundings. If you'd rather hear what's happening around you, switch to transparency mode to let ambient sound through.

Battery life is another strong point. You can get up to 10 hours of listening on a single charge, or six hours with ANC switched on. The charging case extends that to 45 hours in total, and a quick 10-minute charge provides an extra two hours of playback.

Get this earbuds deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $30: As of July 6, the Fire Stick 4K Plus is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. That's a 43% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K Plus $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10   Get Deal at Amazon

Amazon has knocked $30 off its Fire TV Stick 4K Plus ahead of Black Friday, bringing the price down to $39.99 from $69.99.

You can save $30 on a new streaming device to upgrade an older TV. If you have a 4K-compatible TV, the Fire TV Stick can make the most of it, supporting 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. It also includes Dolby Atmos audio.

This is the 2026 edition, featuring a more streamlined design and an updated Fire TV experience.

There's no shortage of things to watch, either. You can access major streaming services including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO Max. There are also thousands of free films and TV episodes available through ad-supported platforms such as Tubi, Pluto TV, and Fire TV Channels. And if you're a gamer, you can even stream Xbox titles with Xbox Game Pass.

Head to Amazon now to grab this limited-time streaming deal.

TL;DR: Stay safer online with this three-year subscription to VPN Unlimited, on sale now for just $59.99 (reg. $162).

Opens in a new window Credit: KeepSolid VPN Unlimited: 3-Year Subscription $59.99
$162 Save $102.01   Get Deal

A VPN can do more than you might think — from keeping your personal data safe to giving you access to websites and content that are blocked in your region. VPN Unlimited is a powerful option already trusted by 60 million users worldwide, protecting data, hiding locations, and providing access to content from all around the world.

Right now, you can unlock a three-year subscription to VPN Unlimited for only $59.99 — just $20 a year.

Hide your IP address and browse the web privately with this VPN

What if you could boost your cybersecurity with just a few clicks? That’s what VPN Unlimited offers — an incredibly easy way to hide your IP address and location and browse the web privately — now for less than $2 a month.

Curious how it works? With VPN Unlimited, you’re using an encrypted connection that keeps your internet traffic private from your ISP and others that share your network. This offers added security whether you’re browsing at home or out of town when you’re using public WiFi. A zero-log policy also ensures your browsing activity is never stored anywhere, for added privacy.

Enjoy peace of mind knowing the built-in DNS Firewall gives you an added layer of protection against unwanted connections and unsafe websites. Your IP address and location are also hidden, so websites and third parties can’t track your activity.

In addition to improving your online security, you can enjoy unrestricted browsing with VPN Unlimited. Access your usual apps and websites when you’re abroad, or tap into content from other countries by connecting through more than 80 global locations.

You can use this VPN Unlimited subscription on up to five devices at one time. It works on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Lock in your own three-year subscription to VPN Unlimited for just $59.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

You don't have to be obsessed with privacy and cybersecurity to worry about your data. These days, data is a hot commodity, and you want to have as much control over yours as possible. Some of it is hard to avoid; for instance, your ISP probably knows more about you than you think. But sometimes, a rogue device might be oversharing, and you definitely want to know when that's the case.

Election Day reached beyond Earth this year.

Three NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station cast ballots in the 2026 midterm elections, with astronaut Anil Menon sharing a look at his orbital voting setup on Tuesday, Nov. 3. His polling place? The same small compartment where he sleeps.

In a video posted to X, Menon showed how he used his computer to complete an electronic ballot and send it to Harris County, Texas. Fellow astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney also voted from the station.

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

"We filled out an electronic ballot and sent it securely to the election officials," Menon wrote.

So how does a vote get from orbit to an election office? It takes a few more stops than a trip to the mailbox.

According to NASA, astronauts can request an absentee ballot using a Federal Post Card Application. Once completed aboard the station, their electronic ballot travels through the agency’s Near Space Network, which also carries other communications between the station and Earth.

The ballot passes through NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System to a ground antenna in New Mexico, then heads to Mission Control in Houston before reaching the appropriate county clerk. NASA says the ballot is encrypted and accessible only to the astronaut and the clerk.

SEE ALSO: Election Day 2026 results updates: See live election results trackers now

This isn't a new Election Day workaround. Texas lawmakers cleared the way for astronauts to vote from orbit in 1997. That year, NASA astronaut David Wolf became the first American to do so while aboard Russia’s Mir space station.

Nearly three decades later, the space station's sleeping quarters are still pulling double duty for democracy.

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The new iOS 27.3 beta has just been released by Apple. So, what's new?

From a redesigned Health app to new vertical tabs in Safari, the latest iOS beta update for iPhone offers significantly more features than reports had previously expected.

Let's break down what's new.

Redesigned Health app

Apple had previously redesigned the Health app before pulling that from a prior developer beta release. Now, it's back in the iOS 27.3 beta.

The new Health app has been redesigned to integrate Apple Intelligence into its core. There's also a more intuitive user interface, making certain categories easier to access. In addition, the redesigned Health app offers predictive insights into long-term health trends based on user activity and sleep patterns, including new features such as Health Age and movement assessments. 

Vertical Tabs in Safari

A whole new web browsing experience can now be found in Safari with Vertical Tabs.

Vertical Tabs in Safari provide a new design option where a user's open tabs are listed in a menu on the left-hand side of the screen instead of across the top of the app. Tabs open in Vertical Tabs can be displayed as an icon to save space or as the entire page title.

To try Vertical Tabs in iOS 27.3, users should go to the Settings app and tap Safari under Apps. The Vertical Tabs option will be located there.

Adaptive Dark Mode in Safari

The iOS 27.3 beta doesn't stop there with new Safari features. With the latest update, Safari now has Adaptive Dark Mode, which lets Apple's mobile browser automatically apply Dark Mode to pages that don't natively support the feature.

Siri AI app actions

Siri AI is getting supercharged, at least when it comes to how the voice assistant can interact with Apple's own iPhone apps. 

Users can now request complex tasks from Siri AI, such as organizing files, scheduling messages to friends, and creating curated personalized playlists.

These new Siri AI app actions work with Calendar, Files, Finder, Journal, Mail, Maps, Messages, Music, Notes, Photos, Preview, Reminders, Safari, Shortcuts, and Weather.

New StandBy mode

Apple has "reimagined" StandBy mode in the iOS 27.3 beta. 

StandBy now has updated the Analog and Digital Clock faces with additional customization options. There are also new StandBy faces for Calendar and Weather. Users can also now pick Shared Albums when using a Photos face.

StandBy will also let users swipe between multiple versions of each face.

If you've had some hands-on time with the iPhone Duo, you likely have already experienced the newly updated StandBy mode. Apple is now bringing those new abilities to its other iPhone models.

That's not all: There are a few other new features in iOS 27.3 beta, such as new Gym Strength workouts in Apple Fitness+. iPhone Duo users will get a new Reachability option that lets you swap the left and right sides of the screen to fix issues some users were having when using the device with one hand. Siri AI also adds new languages, including Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish, and Norwegian.

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I'm good with the Linux command line. I use it daily and even teach basic Linux operations to a few students. But I was thinking about it the other day and realized: I can get around and do a lot using the Terminal, but am I truly fluent with the command line? I don't think I am. Every so often, I like to test Claude, whether it's for gaming tweaks, research, or other stuff. I wanted to see how it would do on something useful, so I devised an experiment that asked a simple question: can an LLM design a 30-day Linux workout that can make a daily/familiar Linux user with a lot of experience more fluent with the command line? The answer was surprising.

SAVE $50: As of Nov. 3, the Beats Pill speaker is on sale for $99.95 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill $99.95 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $50.00   Get Deal at Amazon

Not every Bluetooth speaker is easy or robust enough to throw in a bag and take wherever you're going, but the Beats Pill is designed with portability in mind. It has a removable lanyard, a grippy silicone backing, and an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. It's also currently down to $99.95 at Amazon, saving you $50 on its usual $149.95 price.

You can also choose from three finishes: matte black, champagne gold, or statement red.

There's a lot to like about the Beats Pill, but one of its biggest selling points is how long it can keep the music going. The speaker delivers up to 24 hours of playback on a single charge, so you won't need to keep recharging it. It also doubles as a handy backup power bank, letting you charge your phone or other devices via USB-C when you're running low on battery.

The sound is big and powerful too. A larger racetrack woofer moves 90% more air, helping produce deeper, richer bass, and USB-C connectivity enables high-resolution lossless audio with compatible devices. And if you want louder sound, you can connect two Beats Pill speakers in either Amplify or Stereo mode. And this applies to both Apple and Android devices.

Get this Beats deal at Amazon.

SAVE $270: As of Nov. 3, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale for $279.99 at Amazon. That's a 49% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark AV2501S AI Robot Vacuum $279.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $270   Get Deal at Amazon

Black Friday deals are already appearing, and robot vacuums are among the products getting early discounts.

If you've been thinking about letting a machine take care of the floors for you, there's already a decent saving to be had on the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra at Amazon. As of Nov. 3, the price has dropped from $549.99 to $279.99, saving you $270 – almost half the usual price.

One of the biggest selling points is its self-emptying, bagless base, which can hold up to 30 days of dirt and debris before needing to be emptied manually. It's also a great option for pet owners, thanks to its strong suction and self-cleaning brushroll, which help tackle pet hair.

Battery life shouldn't be an issue for most homes, either. The vacuum can run for up to 120 minutes before returning to its base to recharge. It also remembers where it stopped, so it can pick up where it left off once it's ready to go again.

This robot vacuum deal is live on Amazon now.

TL;DR: Upgrade your PC affordably with The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows Lifetime License and Windows 11 Pro Bundle for just $38.97 (reg. $418.99) until Nov. 8.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $38.97
$418.99 Save $380.02   Get Deal

Most software is great to have on hand when you need it, but some tools immediately become a part of your everyday routine. If you’re someone who works with documents or spreadsheets, or regularly gives presentations, you need The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows Lifetime License and Windows 11 Pro Bundle.

This helpful bundle gives your PC new tools and a new operating system, and right now it’s all yours for just $38.97 through Nov. 8.

Give your computer a software refresh for $39

If you’re looking to change your workflow for the better, you need The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows Lifetime License and Windows 11 Pro Bundle. This combo brings a fresh suite of apps and a brand new OS to your PC, giving it a new lease on life.

With the Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows Lifetime License and Windows 11 Pro Bundle, you get access to old classics and new favorites — starting with the Microsoft Office license.

Draft documents, build spreadsheets, and craft killer presentations with Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows. This edition includes the old go-tos: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. You’ll also have new favorites OneNote, Teams, and Access.

Once you’ve got your new apps installed, you can start exploring a brand new operating system with Windows 11 Pro. This OS was designed for modern professionals, so it offers time-saving features and tools to help you multitask, such as snap layouts and improved voice typing.

You’ll have a more powerful search experience and upgraded cybersecurity, plus biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and enhanced antivirus defenses.

Give your PC a boost with The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows Lifetime License and Windows 11 Pro Bundle for just $38.97 now until Nov. 8.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

As someone who has used Samsung phones for a while, I can't help but feel like the brand is slowly but surely drifting away from its roots. While all smartphone brands copy one another, Samsung seemingly ditches things that already work really well in favor of a layout that is considered to be more popular.

Upgrading to Ubuntu 26.04 on an older PC might not feel as smooth as you expected. The new release recommends 6GB of RAM for a comfortable experience, up from 4GB in Ubuntu 24.04. If your system is starting to feel sluggish, you might be able to make things better without spending money on new hardware.

Whether they've carved out a content career for themselves or they simply dream of one day going viral, the creator in your life is sure to appreciate any one of the gifts on this list. From microphones that will capture crisp audio, to task lights to help them appear bright and professional, these are the tools that will help grow their audience and stop the scroll. We've consulted actual creators to assemble this collection of gear recommendations, so whether they're filming #GRWM videos, posting on #BookTok, hosting a podcast, or more, these gifts are sure to have a wide reach.

In the battle over artificial intelligence in the classroom, Google has just taken a controversial stance.

The tech giant announced in a blog post Tuesday that Google AI classroom products — Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Gemini in Classroom — will be off until administrators turn them on. In August, Google said Gemini in Classroom would be available by default. Now schools must opt-in to each of these products.

At the same time, Google is not permitting schools to use its search engine without AI overviews and AI Mode.

"Search and A.I. are deeply integrated," Chris Phillips, vice president for education at Google, told the New York Times. Schools that ban AI, "will not have access to search, and they'll see a message from their school that indicates it's not available."

Google subsequently posted on X that its new approach gives "schools more choice, not less."

SEE ALSO: Google's AI Search is a minefield for schools

The company also framed its announcement as being responsive to feedback from schools, educators, researchers, and policymakers. Google promised to share specifics with schools in the coming months, prior to the new policy's rollout.

"Our goal is simple: provide school leaders the control and confidence to use AI products in classrooms as they see fit," the blog post said.

In July, researchers at Common Sense Media's Youth AI Safety Institute tested Google Search's AI Overview and AI Mode and concluded that neither product is safe for kids or teens to use.

Google described the research as flawed and not reflective of how people interact with its search products.

While advocates concerned about the role of AI in education didn't want Google's AI features turned on by default, restricting its popular and universally used search engine has been met with fierce criticism.

"Google forced its AI products into classrooms and parents fought back," Lila Byock, founder of the advocacy group Schools Beyond Screens, said in a statement. "Now Google is refusing to take no for an answer."

Schools Beyond Screens is calling on school district leaders to divest from Google.

Josh Golin, executive director of the advocacy group Fairplay, said in a statement that AI isn't safe for kids and undermines their education and critical thinking.

Schools shouldn't "fret" about losing Google search access, he said. Instead, they should help students find search alternatives that prioritize privacy, as well as teach them to conduct substantive research beyond searching and clicking.

"Google's attempt to strong-arm schools into using its AI products is likely to backfire," Golin said.

Additional reporting by Chase DiBenedetto.

Sanrio fans in need of new headphones, I have great news for you.

Preorders are finally live for the limited Hello Kitty-themed editions of three pairs of Sony headphones: the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, the WH-CH730N headphones, and the WH-CH530 headphones. The collab is available exclusively on Sony's website and features a pair of the headphones in black or pink, as well as a Hello Kitty tote and black carrying case with a heart-shaped carabiner.

Depending on the model, the headphones are due to ship out from mid-November to early December. Below, you can find info on each of the available preorders, including price and potential ship dates.

Sony WH-1000XM6 x Hello Kitty

The Hello Kitty edition of the flagship WH-1000XM6 headphones is available in the classic black and sand pink colorways found on the non-Hello Kitty XM6s. The full kit costs $519.99, up $60 from the standard XM6 headphones. Estimated delivery times for these headphones start on Nov. 18. Sony's flagship headphones feature their best combination of noise cancellation, comfort, and sound quality, making them one of Mashable's top picks for the best noise-cancelling headphones.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM6 x Hello Kitty $519.99 at Sony
  Preorder at Sony Sony WH-CH730N x Hello Kitty

If you're looking for a more budget-friendly alternative to the flagship headphones, the WH-CH730Ns also come in black and (a slightly brighter) pink, with the same case and tote design as the XM6 headphones. (As with the XM6s, these colors are also available without the Hello Kitty package). The 730N collab clocks in at $224.99, up $45 from the WH-CH730N base price of $179.99. These headphones will come with less sophisticated sound engineering and noise cancellation than the flagship headphones, but still offer a well-rounded noise-cancelling experience, with 50 hours of battery life with ANC, spatial audio, and customizable sound.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH730N x Hello Kitty $224.99 at Sony
  Preorder at Sony Sony WH-CH530 x Hello Kitty

For Sony fans who don't need noise cancellation, the WH-CH530 headphones are the cheapest of the Hello Kitty collab, coming in at $104.99 for the full set. Like the other two models, these headphones are also available in the black and pink colorways that can be found in the regular edition of the headphones. Also like the other two models, they'll run you a bit more than the standard CH530 headphones, which go for $69.99 (a $35 price difference). Though a budget model, these headphones still come with 55 hours of battery life, a 10-band custom equalizer, and easy-to-use on-ear tactile controls.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH530 x Hello Kitty $104.99 at Sony
  Preorder at Sony

On October 29, Sir Patrick Stewart died at the age of 86. This news sent a wave of grief through the world and left me personally feeling shaken to my core. He is an actor who had such a profound impact on the world of cinema, bringing a Shakespearean elegance and poise to the screen that few others have achieved, and played a core role in my enthusiasm for movies.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to buy another power tool, Milwaukee offers three main battery systems. And depending on what you plan on using it for, there's a good chance you're buying or using the wrong one.