Technology

The Ozlo Sleepbuds, one of the most premium sleep earbuds around, is expanding their lineup.

As of Nov. 13, the brand has teamed up with Calm, the company behind the popular sleep and mediation app. The result? The new Ozlo x Calm Sleepbuds, which comes in a new calm blue colorway and with a big perk: a free year of either a Calm Premium or Calm Sleep subscription (which are valued at $80 and $70, respectively). The sleep earbuds retail for $349, the same price as the original Ozlo Sleepbuds at full price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ozlo Ozlo x Calm Sleepbuds $349 at Ozlo
Includes a free year of either Calm Premium or Calm Sleep Shop Now

At $349, the Ozlo Sleepbuds are one of the most expensive sleep earbuds on the market. Because of their higher price point, we don't currently recommend them unless you can find them on sale for less. (At the time of writing, the original Ozlo Sleepbuds are on sale for $299, but don't come with the Calm subscription). With that said, the more affordable sleep earbuds on the market don't currently have any existing partnership with a mindfulness and sleep company like Ozlo, meaning that these might be the perfect choice for someone interested in trying both sleep earbuds and a Calm subscription.

If you were to subtract the cost of the Calm Sleep subscription, the Ozlo Sleepbuds come out to $279, which puts them in a closer range to the $229.99 Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds (though the latter option does come with ANC). The Ozlo Sleepbuds are also available to purchase with an HSA or FSA.

SEE ALSO: I tested sleep earbuds for months: Here are the 3 I'd buy, and the one I'd skip

Which Calm subscription you get depends on which device you plan on using with the Ozlo Sleepbuds. iOS users will have access to the Calm Sleep app, which is not currently supported for Android devices. As such, Android users will have access to the Calm Premium app. As for the main difference between the apps, the Calm Sleep's Apple App Store description notes the app provides "deeper, more personalized sleep support" over the more general Calm app.

Calm app subscriptions Calm Sleep $69.99 (for one year subscription) Shop Now Calm Premium $79.99 (for one year subscription) Shop Now

The Ozlo Sleepbuds also come with their own dedicated companion app, which can be used to set alarms, listen to sleep sounds, or stream your own audio — like the Calm app library.

In the press release for this collaboration, Calm's chief content officer, Greg Justice, spoke of the compatibility between the two brands: "“Put simply: sleep is a superpower. By combining Calm’s trusted content library with Ozlo’s best-in-class sleep tech, we’re enabling people to fall (and stay) asleep more easily, ensuring they wake up refreshed and ready to own the day.”

The Calm logo is engraved on the Ozlo x Calm Sleepbuds. Credit: Ozlo

 In addition to the blue colorway, the case for this collaboration features an engraved Calm logo and the brand's signature phrase, "Take a Deep Breath."

Best Buy's best early Black Friday deals at a glance: Best TV deal Hisense 50-inch QD6 Series QLED 4K Fire TV $199.99 (save $130) Get Deal Best laptop deal HP Victus 15 (AMD Ryzen 7 7445HS, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $549.99 (save $350) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) $249 (save $50) Get Deal Best portable speaker deal JBL Charge 6 $129.95 (save $70) Get Deal Best fitness tracker deal Garmin Venu Sq 2 (GPS, 40mm) $149.99 (save $100) Get Deal Best vacuum deal Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20 $349.99 (save $350) Get Deal Best kitchen deal De'Longhi Classic Espresso Machine $149.95 (save $80) Get Deal

Best Buy started offering Black Friday deals earlier than everyone else (on Halloween — scary!), but it's not the only retailer in Black Friday mode anymore. Most major retailers' early holiday discounts are now live, making the competition pretty ferocious.

After spending a full day combing through Best Buy's virtual shelves and cross-checking its prices, I can tell you that a lot of its early Black Friday deals are being one-upped elsewhere. Samsung Galaxy smartwatches, Sony portable speakers, several LG and Samsung 4K TVs, and other gadgets carrying its "Black Friday deal" badge are anywhere from $1.99 to $70 cheaper at other retailers. (Amazon is the biggest culprit, as per usual.)

SEE ALSO: The 30+ best early Black Friday Apple deals: We found record lows on AirPods and MacBooks already

I know most people don't have the bandwidth to do the same research, so I've compiled a list of the very best early Black Friday deals at Best Buy below. I've only included deals that aren't cheaper anywhere else, but know that many are being price-matched by one of Best Buy's rivals. I expect it to get more aggressive during its official Black Friday sale, which runs in stores and online from Nov. 20 to 29.

Why shop at Best Buy over Amazon, Target, or Walmart this holiday season? For one thing, it's giving away bonus rewards to paid My Best Buy members who drop a certain amount of money on certain products. (Spend at least $299 on a smartwatch, for example, and you'll get $30 to spend on a future purchase.) Best Buy is also running some limited-time doorbusters every weekend through Christmas, which typically involve discounts of well over 50% on popular products. If nothing else, be on the lookout for those.

Best TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 50-inch QD6 Series QLED 4K Fire TV $199.99 at Best Buy
$329.99 Save $130   Get Deal Why we like it

QLED TVs are brighter than your standard LED displays (but not as expensive as high-contrast OLED TVs). Mashable's Leah Stodart thinks they're "ideal for people whose TV usage happens mostly in the daytime, especially watching sports." Best Buy has this 50-inch Hisense model marked down to just $200 as an early Black Friday deal, beating its October Prime Day offer by nearly $40. It's currently sold out on Amazon.

43-inch TV deals

• Toshiba 43-inch C350 Series 4K Fire TV — $129.99 $299.99 (save $170)

• TCL 43-inch F35 Series 4K Fire TV — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• Hisense 43-inch QD6 Series QLED 4K Fire TV — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

• LG 43-inch UA77 Series AI 4K TV — $229.99 $329.99 (save $100)

50 and 55-inch TV deals

• Insignia 50-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

• Samsung 50-inch U7900 Series 4K TV — $229.99 $329.99 (save $100)

• Insignia 55-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $189.99 $349.99 (save $160)

• Samsung 55-inch Q8F Series QLED 4K TV — $599.99 $749.99 (save $150)

• Samsung 55-inch S90F Series OLED 4K TV — $1,199.99 $1,799.99 (save $600)

65-inch TV deals

• LG 65-inch UA77 Series AI 4K TV — $379.99 $499.99 (save $120)

• LG 65-inch 70A Series QNED AI 4K TV — $449.99 $579.99 (save $130)

• Samsung 65-inch Q8F Series QLED 4K TV — $699.99 $999.99 (save $300)

• Samsung 65-inch QN70F Series Neo QLED Mini LED 4K TV — $799.99 $1,199.99 (save $400)

• Samsung 65-inch S90F Series OLED 4K TV — $1,399.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,100)

70- and 75-inch TV deals

• Samsung 70-inch U7900 Series 4K TV — $399.99 $569.99 (save $170)

• Insignia 75-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $379.99 $529.99 (save $220)

• Samsung 75-inch Q6F Series QLED 4K TV — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)

• Samsung 75-inch QN90F Series Neo QLED Mini LED 4K TV — $1,799.99 $2,999.99 (save $1,200)

Deals 77-inch TVs and bigger

• LG 77-inch B5 Series OLED AI 4K TV — $1,499.99 $2,999.99 (save $1,500)

• Samsung 77-inch S90F Series OLED 4K TV — $1,999.99 $3,499.99 (save $1,500)

• Samsung 85-inch QN90F Series Neo QLED Mini LED 4K TV — $2,299.99 $4,499.99 (save $2,200)

Best laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP Victus 15 (AMD Ryzen 7 7445HS, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $549.99 at Best Buy
$899.99 Save $350   Get Deal Why we like it

I only see a few gaming laptops dip below $600 every Black Friday season, and they tend to sell out pretty quickly. This 15-inch HP Victus model has a 144Hz display, a backlit keyboard with a numpad, and an HDMI port in case you want to hook it up to a TV. Now 395 off, it's currently the same price as the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE, our favorite Chromebook for gaming, which lacks a discrete GPU. (Chromebooks can only stream games; you need a dedicated graphics card to play AAA games natively.)

Windows laptops

• Asus Vivobook 14 (Intel Core 5 120U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $279.99 $529.99 (save $250)

• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $399.99 $629.99 (save $230)

• Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $629.99 $1,049.99 (save $420)

Gaming laptops

• HP Omen 16 (AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,149.99 $1,579.99 (save $430)

Chromebooks

• Acer Chromebook 315 (ntel Celeron N4500, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $119 $219.99 (save $100.99)

Best earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) $249 at Best Buy
$299 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

The second-generation QC Ultra are the best noise-cancelling earbuds we've tried. "As a premium option, you'd be hard-pressed to find earbuds with a better combination of comfort and noise cancellation," wrote lead shopping reporter Bethany Allard, our reviewer. Best Buy's pre-Black Friday deal of $249 (or $50 off) deal matches their record-low price on Amazon. Take your pick from five colors.

More earbuds deals

• JLab Go Pop ANC — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)

• JLab Go Pods ANC — $20.99 $29.99 (save $9)

• JLab Epic Sport ANC 3 — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)

• JLab Epic Lab Edition — $99.99 $199.99 (save $100)

• Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — $199 $299 (save $100)

Best portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Charge 6 $129.95 at Best Buy
$199.95 Save $70   Get Deal Why we like it

The new JBL Charge 6 is our favorite Bluetooth speaker for most people: It's "big enough to produce sound that will fill an outdoor party, yet still small enough to live on your bookshelf," our experts said. It can also charge smartphones, headphones, and other devices via USB-C — very handy. Best Buy, Amazon, and the JBL website all had it on sale for $129.95 at the time of writing (or $70 off). That appears to be an all-time low.

More portable speaker deals

• JBL Flip 7 — $109.95 $149.95 (save $40)

• Bose SoundLink Plus — $229 $269 (save $40)

Best fitness tracker deal

My Best Buy Plus and Total members get a $30 bonus reward for spending $299 or more on smartwatches and accessories.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Venu Sq 2 (GPS, 40mm) $149.99 at Best Buy
$249.99 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

A 2022 release, the Garmin Venu Sq 2 is a budget-friendly smartwatch with an always-on AMOLED display and a battery life of up to 11 days. It can track your steps, calories burned, respiration, an fluid intake, among other metrics, and it comes with over two dozen built-in sports apps. It's the only early Black Friday fitness tracker deal I spotted at Best Buy that Amazon isn't beating (just matching). It's the same price on Garmin's website, too.

Best vacuum deal

My Best Buy Plus and Total members get a $15 bonus reward for every $50 spent on floor care (up to $75).

Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20 $349.99 at Best Buy
$699.99 Save $350   Get Deal Why we like it

The Omni C20 is a do-it-all robot vacuum that can also mop, empty itself, and wash and dry its mop pads. It offers 7,000 Pa of suction power, making it only a hair less powerful than the Eufy 10X Pro Omni, our favorite budget self-washing and drying robovac (which retails for $150 more). Best Buy and Amazon both have it on sale for $350, reviving its record-low price from October Prime Day.

More vacuum deals

• Dyson V9 Motorbar — $269.99 $599.99 (save $330)

Best kitchen deal

My Best Buy Plus and Total members get a $15 bonus reward for every $125 spent on small kitchen appliances (up to $75).

Opens in a new window Credit: De'Longhi De'Longhi Classic Espresso Machine $149.95 at Best Buy
$229.95 Save $80   Get Deal Why we like it

De'Longhi's entry-level espresso machine has 15 bars of pressure and a built-in frother with two steam settings (one for heating milk and another for making latte art). In the cheapest Black Friday espresso machine deal I've encountered so far, it's on sale for just $150 at Best Buy... and Amazon, Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma, and Macy's. It last hit that price in July.

More kitchen deals

• GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget Ice Maker — $399 $579.99 (save $180.99)

• De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Espresso Machine with Frother — $549.95 $899.95 (save $350)

• De'Longhi Magnifica Plus Automatic Espresso Machine — $999.95 $1,299.95 (save $300)

• De'Longhi Eletta Explore Espresso Machine — $1,499.95 $1,999.95 (save $500)

SAVE OVER $10: As of Nov. 13, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale for $21.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you over $10 on list price ahead of Black Friday.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $21.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $18.00   Get Deal

Did Amazon really need to release another Fire TV Stick? Were we crying out for more options? The honest answer is that it's probably overkill, but hey, we shouldn't complain about another budget-friendly streaming stick that can help to upgrade your TV for less. Plus, it's already on sale for its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

As of Nov. 13, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale for $21.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you over $10 on list price ahead of Black Friday.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's top-of-the-line 55-inch Mini LED Fire TV is at its best price ever pre-Black Friday

The Fire TV Stick 4K Select lets you start streaming in 4K Ultra HD with HDR10+. Amazon promises that it’s the fastest 4K stick for under $40, so if speed is your thing, consider this your perfect streaming partner.

Setup is straightforward — simply plug in and connect to the WiFi to gain immediate access to Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, and whatever else you're subscribed to. It really is a hassle-free way to boost your streaming options.

Save over $10 on the Fire TV Stick 4K Select ahead of Black Friday.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're into fashion.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 13, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Clothes

• Green: They lather

• Blue: Strainers

• Purple: A workroom

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Attire

• Green: Foamy Things

• Blue: Things that use filters

• Purple: ___ Office

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #887 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Attire: DUDS, FIT, GETUP, THREADS

• Foamy Things: BEER, FIRE EXTINGUISHER, SEA, SHAVING CREAM

• Things that use filters: AIR PURIFIER, CIGARETTE, COFFEE MAKER, INSTAGRAM

• ___ Office: BOX, MICROSOFT, OVAL, POST

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 13, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always doing laundry.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 13, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 13, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Out, damned spot!

The words are related to cleaning.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ways to get clothes clean.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Stain Removal.

NYT Strands word list for November 13

• Spray

• Stain Removal

• Scrub

• Blot

• Soak

• Bleach

• Launder

• Steam

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love a splash of color.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 13, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 13, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A tint.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

TINGE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 13, 2025

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

Joe Hill is uneasy about the future.

The horror author's feelings about technology, and particularly AI, are evident in both his novel King Sorrow and his frequent posts on Threads.

Hill's new book is a decade-spanning story about six friends entering into a terrible pact with a dragon. It doesn't sound like the kind of novel that would be fascinated with technology, but mentions of social media and tech oligarchs — including several name checks for Elon Musk — are dotted throughout.

Mashable sat down with Hill to ask him about his uneasy relationship with tech, and why AI is a particular concern to him.

SEE ALSO: Joe Hill breaks down the Stephen King references in his new novel

"It's just part of the general rot, in a lot of ways. There are these tech companies run by these multi-billionaires who are richer than nations. Guys like Elon Musk," Hill says. "None of these people really have to answer to laws, because when you're that rich you just buy new laws if you don't like the way things are shaking out. Or at least that's what the cynical part of me believes. There's a slightly more optimistic part of me that thinks they might run into trouble yet.

"But these guys, they don't care what they break. They just release one shitty, reckless, addictive tech product after another on the whole world and you know, as long as it makes them money, they don't really care about the repercussions."

Speaking about artificial intelligence in particular, Hill is critical of OpenAI's Sora app, launched in 2024, which can generate AI videos based on text prompts — and its second, 2025 version, Sora 2, has led to a proliferation of AI videos being shared across social media.

"OpenAI released a video tool, a video creation tool, which is just obviously going to lead to an ocean of misinformation in every election," says Hill. "You know, videos of people saying things they didn't say and doing things they didn't do, and you know, Sam Altman and these guys just kind of shrug and say, people will get used to it. I mean, what kind of attitude is that?"

View on Threads

The creative industries have had a tense relationship with AI in recent years. Streamers and studios have come under fire for using AI instead of paying human workers, while authors — including big names like George R.R. Martin — are currently suing OpenAI for copyright infringement. (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.) Animation companies including Studio Ghibli and video game publishers including Square Enix have demanded OpenAI stop training Sora 2 on their content.

Hill's father, legendary horror author Stephen King, wrote an essay for The Atlantic in which he spoke of his own "dreadful fascination" at the possibility of AI writing fiction. That was published two years ago, though, and Hill thinks his dad's views have changed since.

"I don't think he realised at the time that they had stolen 80 of his titles that they had literally downloaded from pirate sites like any thief. And I think maybe that was a little bit of a shock to him," Hill says. "You know, all of this software is built on towers of theft, enormous towers of theft, to say nothing of the tremendous environmental waste."

Featured Video For You Cooper Hoffman and 'The Long Walk' cast compete for ultimate Stephen King film knowledge

Hill views AI in its current form as a kind of auto complete — something that spits out what it thinks is the sentence most likely to follow. It does make him worry for upcoming artists, but he doesn't believe it will replace real art.

"I do think that there will always be a market for humans expressing themselves to other humans through their hard earned craft," he says. "Not through typing in a prompt."

King Sorrow is available now in bookstores and online retailers.

SAVE OVER $700: As of Nov. 13, the LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED curved gaming monitor is on sale for $679.73 at Amazon. That's over $700 off the list price ahead of Black Friday.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor $679.73 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $720.26   Get Deal

Amazon's Black Friday sale doesn't officially start until Nov. 20, but someone should tell Amazon because we're seeing some stunning deals dropping on a wide range of products. And there's a lot for gamers to consider right now, with price drops on controllers, games, and monitors.

In fact, we've already flagged the low price on the LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED curved gaming monitor. We were a fan of that low price, so you can imagine how thrilled we were to see a further price reduction on this stunning monitor. As of Nov. 13, the LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED curved gaming monitor is on sale for $679.73 at Amazon. That's over $700 off the list price ahead of Black Friday.

SEE ALSO: The Samsung Odyssey QD-OLED G8 gaming monitor is down to its lowest price — save $300 ahead of Black Friday

The ultra-wide curved display of the LG UltraGear features a steep 800R curvature and a 21:9 aspect ratio, which feels like the action is taking place all around you. It's a level of immersion that regular gamers are not familiar with. This monitor also offers a very impressive 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium compatibility. Gamers will look at that lineup and think "yep, that will do."

To get all of that for under $700 is the sort of deal that stands out over Black Friday, and we're still a couple of weeks away from the main event. Could we see something even better drop? It's not impossible, but we would honestly be surprised to see something significantly better. The only time this monitor was cheaper was over October Prime Day, and that price was only live for a short period of time.

If you're interested in upgrading, this could be your moment. Score over $700 off the LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED curved gaming monitor.

Despite attempts to get people to move on, Donald Trump's relationship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein remains firmly in the news, with new developments this week. In a series of emails from Epstein's estate released by the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, as CNN reports, the president is named multiple times in emails reportedly written by the late billionaire. In one reported instance, Epstein alleges the president "knew about the girls," and in another reportedly sent to his accomplice Ghislaine Maxell, Epstein alleges of Trump that "[victim] spent hours at my house with him."

On Wednesday night, Seth Meyers used his "A Closer Look" segment to examine Trump's White House redesign but also the Epstein emails, which multiple media outlets have reported that Democrats say "raise new questions" about Trump's ties to Epstein.

"They raise new questions? To me it sounds like they answer old questions. I'm no detective but if one of the questions was 'Did Trump know about the girls?' and you find an email from Jeffrey Epstein that says Trump 'knew about the girls' that sounds pretty damning," said Meyers.

"That's like if you're investigating a murder suspect and you search their house and in the closet they have a shoebox labelled 'murder weapon inside' on the top and on the side it says 'yes, that murder.'

There are many strings to Running Man star Glen Powell's bow, and apparently dance is one of them.

In the SNL promo clip above, Powell — who is hosting the show this weekend — spends a minute dancing through the studio in the style of Christopher Walken in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" video, complete with plenty of smouldering looks to camera.

11/10 for effort.

On Wednesday Democrats released new, damning emails from Epstein's estate which reportedly feature mentions of Donald Trump — and Stephen Colbert isn't surprised at all.

In the Late Show clip above the host breaks down some of those emails, including one reportedly sent from Epstein to journalist Michael Wolff the year he died.

"In 2019, when Donald Trump was president, Epstein emailed Wolff, writing, 'Of course [Trump] knew about the girls.'" said Colbert on Wednesday night's show. "Of course he did! They were best pals, and underage girls was Epstein's whole thing. 'Yes, the Hamburgler was my best friend, but I always assumed he was getting the burgers legitimately.'"

Colbert goes on to talk about Republicans accusing Democrats of "cherry-picking" the emails they release, and releasing 20,000 pages of documents in response.

"That doesn't prove anything!" says Colbert. "'Your honor, to definitely prove his innocence, I would like to call to the stand all the people my client did not murder.'"

Magic fans, get ready. Now You See Me: Now You Don't returns us to the world of the Horsemen, brilliant magicians whose illusions not only wow audiences but also con corrupt billionaires out of their ill-gotten gains. But this third installment in the franchise also welcomes new cast members to the fold.

Ariana Greenblatt, Dominic Sessa, and Justice Smith play a trio of Bushwick-based magicians who join forces with the Horsemen against a villainous diamond industrialist played by Rosamund Pike. In interviews with all of these new castmates, as well as returning stars Jesse Eisenberg and Isla Fisher, Mashable staffer Lily Kartiganer delved into what makes this sequel magic.

Asked what it's like to return to the role of J. Daniel "Danny" Atlas, Eisenberg revealed, "It's my favorite thing to do in the world. I love it."

For her part, Fisher revealed one idea for the script would have had her escape artist, Henley Reeves, come back — but as the movie's villain. "I've been up for either or any or all versions," she said. "But it was nice to play such a substantial part in the end... It was good to be back."

Speaking of the villain, Pike admitted a hesitancy to take on the responsibility of such a part, noting, "I needed to know I could do something that would give audiences a fun time with this villain." She added, "It can take me a while to jump in, but when I do, you get me 100%."

The ensemble also discussed what tricks they picked up from playing magicians and their favorite illusions from the Horsemen and their new protégés.

Now You See Me: Now You Don't opens in theaters on Nov. 14.

SAVE $500: As of Nov. 13, the Peloton Cross Training Tread is on sale for $2,795 at Amazon. That's a 15% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Peloton Peloton Cross Training Tread $2,795 at Amazon
$3,295 Save $500   Get Deal

Black Friday is the perfect excuse to make the jump and purchase a big ticket item. Whether it's a portable power station or a new TV, these discounts make all the difference. Amazon's Black Friday sale officially kicks off on Nov. 20, but the standard Daily Deals have been more than impressive lately, with deals on everything from earbuds to gaming monitors. And if you've been eyeing up something from Peloton, there's a stunning new deal that just dropped.

As of Nov. 13, the Peloton Cross Training Tread is on sale for $2,795 at Amazon. That's a saving of over $500 on list price, and the lowest-ever price according to camelcamelcamel.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best Peloton alternatives for crushing those New Year's resolutions

With this treadmill, you're getting more than just a standard running device. It has a swivel touchscreen that moves 360°, letting you switch easily between more than 15 types of workouts like strength, yoga, barre, and Pilates. You can watch instructor-guided classes on the screen and follow along at home. It even has personalized weekly plans to keep you motivated, as well as performance estimates to track your progress.

In terms of space, it's compact, but not so much so that you're struggling for room with your workouts. At just five and a half feet by two and three-quarters feet, it won't take up much room, but the textured running belt comes with fifty-nine inches of space.

This Peloton deal is available for a limited time only, so get it from Amazon while you still can.

What do you call a trifold phone that's made by Samsung and has flagship, Galaxy-level performance? Exactly!

According to leaker Evan Blass, Samsung's upcoming trifold phone will be called the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold. At least there will be no confusion about which one it is, given that the company already has several "Fold" phones.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Samsung plans to sell a ton of foldable phones next year

Blass also shared what he claims are the official specs for the device: a 6.5-inch cover display, a 10-inch inner display (with peak brightness of 2,600 and 1,600 nits, respectively), a 200-megapixel main camera, and a 5,437mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold will reportedly have a 6.5-inch cover display, and a 10-inch inner display. Credit: Samsung

Finally, Blass said that the three "leaves" of the TriFold will vary in thickness: 3.9 vs. 4.0 vs. 4.2 millimeters. He also said the phone will be "powered by SD," by which he likely means a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip (likely the Snapdragon 8 Elite).

The Samsung TriFold hasn't been officially announced yet, but an unveiling will reportedly happen on Dec. 5. However, we have seen the phone (or a prototype), as Samsung recently gave us a behind-the-glass sneak peak.

SAVE £15: Norton Standard VPN is on sale for £24.99 per year for Black Friday. This limited-time offer saves you £15 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Norton Norton Standard VPN (1-Year Subscription) £24.99 at Amazon
£39.99 Save £15.00   Get Deal

Black Friday is right around the corner, and it feels like there’s a deal on just about everything right now. From earbuds to portable power stations, if it's on your wishlist, chances are it's getting a discount of some kind.

And VPNs are very much in the mix, because Norton Standard VPN is on sale for £24.99 per year for Black Friday. This limited-time offer saves you £15 on list price. Your plan will automatically renew at £39.99 per year, but you can cancel this automatic function at anytime. This special offer also comes with a generous 60-day money-back guarantee, so if you don't like the service, you can opt out with your cash.

SEE ALSO: Prioritize your cybersecurity this holiday season with a VPN for less than $2 a month

A VPN acts like a privacy shield for your internet connection. It hides your location, encrypts your data, and keeps your browsing secure. It’s particularly useful for getting around geo-restrictions so you can stream bonus content from around the world. Norton VPN does this job without hassle thanks to over 100 server locations around the world.

With the Norton Standard plan, you get a solid mix of privacy and security features designed to keep your browsing protected. The discounted plan includes IP masking to hide your online activity and a no-log policy to ensure your data stays private. You can browse without annoying ad breaks thanks to the built-in ad blocker, and rely on the Kill Switch to prevent exposure if your connection drops. For extra peace of mind, IP rotation and Double VPN add an extra layer of privacy to every session.

Get the best Black Friday VPN deal from Norton VPN.

I'm sorry, did someone order an outrageously cute Pokémon game that lets you farm crops, take long naps, and build little houses, one that might drag me out of the perpetual hellscape that is the 24-hour news cycle?

Well, it's coming.

Enjoying the success of the newly released Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Nintendo has announced the coming of Pokémon Pokopia, an adorable-looking cosy game that allows you to build a nice little existence for yourself among your Pokémon neighbours. Developed by Koei Tecmo, Pokémon’s first life simulator game is set for release on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.

SEE ALSO: How 'cozy gaming' is taking mindfulness mainstream

But what exactly is Pokémon Pokopia? Here's everything we know.

What type of game is Pokémon Pokopia? Credit: Nintendo

A life and farming simulator game akin to Animal Crossing, Immortal Life, Grow A Garden, Stardew Valley, and many others, Pokémon Pokopia sees you playing as loveable amorphous blob Ditto, who has assumed the appearance of a human being (yes, Ditto can shake up their cellular structure and appear as whatever the hell they want, stay focused).

Your task, as in all farming sims, is to collect materials like wood and rocks, farm crops according to a ranger of weather conditions, and build a home for yourself and your Pokémon neighbours — but you'll apparently have a much easier time of it if you befriend other Pokémon and absorb their sweet, sweet skills.

"For example," Nintendo said in its announcement, "Ditto can use Bulbasaur’s Leafage to add greenery to the landscape or Squirtle’s Water Gun to hydrate plants."

The more you tend to said landscape, the more Pokémon will appear, the more homes you can build for them — and establish your own little glorious empire town of Pokémon neighbours. In the trailer, the game's world seems like a Minecraft land-shaping situation, one where you can add little Animal Crossing-style features like waterfalls, outdoor dining spaces, windmills, and more.

Credit: Screenshot: Nintendo / YouTube

Like other life sims, the game mimics real-time day and night times, and your energy is paramount, drained by activities and restored by napping.

Nintendo showed a trailer for the game as part of Nintendo Direct in September:

The game will be available in English, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

Will Pokémon Pokopia be online? Credit: Nintendo

According to Nintendo, you'll be able to connect with other players online providing you pay for a Nintendo Switch Online membership. In its announcement, Nintendo said you'll be able to "invite Pokémon and even other players to visit and hang out with you."

When can I play Pokémon Pokopia and how much will it cost? Credit: Nintendo

Pokémon Pokopia will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 on March 5, 2026.

The game will cost $69.99 through Nintendo's website and preorders are now open. That's the same price as Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

There's been a bit of controversy around the release, as IGN reports, fans were caught off-guard with the game's announcement that Pokémon Pokopia will be the first Nintendo-published game offered on a Game-Key Card (which you'll need to download the game's full data) — despite Nintendo saying in May that it had "no plans to use Game-Key Cards for Nintendo-developed titles."

The publisher (and Ziff Davis-owned sister site of Mashable) noted that this game has been developed by Koei Tecmo, not Nintendo, and that it's only Nintendo's Japan site that is currently showing the game as a Game-Key Card release. So, we'll see what happens.

Featured Video For You Grow plants from fantasy games with this IRL initiative

No matter what Donald Trump does, the Epstein story refuses to go away. The latest development is a series of emails released by the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee from convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's estate. One of these emails — reportedly sent by Epstein to his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell — makes a reference to the president in relation to a victim. "I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is trump," it reads, per CNN. "[Victim] spent hours at my house with him."

Daily Show host Josh Johnson reacted to the release on Wednesday night's show, breaking down all the email exchanges that mention Trump, before offering the following, damning conclusion: "All I know is that every detail that comes out makes him look more and more suspicious."

"I'm an American living in America," says Johnson in the clip above. "And no matter what party you're in, or who you voted for, it would be better for all of us, as a general matter, if we do not have a sexual predator as president."

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025:

AcrossPartner of ready and willing

• The answer is Able.

Sound from a delighted crowd

• The answer is Roar.

Title that shares its first two letters with "Mamdani"

• The answer is Mayor.

Second chance

• The answer is Redo.

Played Pictionary, perhaps

• The answer is Drew.

DownSleeve filler

• The answer is Arm.

Component of a chess set

• The answer is Board.

Extra bit of clothing for warmth

• The answer is Layer.

Wear away

• The answer is Erode.

Orderly arrangement of ducks, in a saying

• The answer is Row.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Mini Crossword.

Charlie Kirk's image has begun appearing across a wide range of internet memes

Photoshopped and deepfaked clips of the recently killed conservative media influencer have flooded social media, his face pasted onto some of the internet's most recognizable memes. It's as if the web collectively decided to resurrect him through morbid irony.

According to Know Your Meme, the first major instance appeared Sept. 23 on X — just two weeks after Kirk’s death — when a user swapped his face with streamer iShowSpeed's in a clip of Speed trying not to laugh. The post racked up more than 96,000 likes and spawned dozens of viral quote-tweets.

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

But things really snowballed in late October. One TikTok montage stitched together obscure reaction memes — all with Kirk’s face edited on — captioned, "RIP Kirk, your sacrifice meant something."

That post alone garnered over 65,000 likes, and many others have achieved similar numbers.

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. 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.

Why this happened is harder to pin down. The simplest answer: This is what the internet does. Meme culture often thrives on transgression, and nothing spreads faster than a joke that crosses a line — especially when it involves someone like Kirk, whose death has been mythologized in right-wing media for weeks.

Folks online have joked about and memeified the assassination of JFK, 9/11, and George Floyd's murder. To the internet, Charlie Kirk is simply the latest entry in that long, dark tradition.

A supermassive black hole tearing apart a star has set a new record for creating the brightest and most distant flare, shining with the light of 10 trillion suns at its peak. 

The flare came from an active black hole at the center of a galaxy some 10 billion light-years away in space. Called J2245+3743, the outburst's light began reaching Earth in 2018, when the Zwicky Transient Facility in California and the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey in Arizona first detected it. Over just a few months, the flare’s brightness increased by a factor of 40, making it 30 times stronger than any previous black hole flare observed.

The black hole is roughly 500 million times more massive than the sun. Astronomers believe the flare is the result of a so-called tidal disruption event, when a star ventures too close and is torn apart by a black hole’s gravity. In this case, the doomed star is also enormous — at least 30 times more massive than the sun. As its gas spirals inward like water circling a drain, the black hole consumes it, releasing an unfathomable burst of energy.

That the flare is ongoing suggests the black hole hasn't finished its meal yet, said Matthew Graham, a Caltech astronomy professor and first author of the study, likening the star's situation to "a fish only halfway down the whale's gullet" in a statement.

A paper describing the discovered superflare appears in the journal Nature Astronomy.

SEE ALSO: NASA has a broken giant antenna that could upend its 2026 plans

Black holes are some of the oddest curiosities in the cosmos. They are regions where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. About a half-century ago, astronomers weren't even sure they were real. Today, black holes aren't just accepted science, they're getting glamor shots. The Event Horizon Telescope achieved the first image of a black hole, located 53 million light-years away in the Messier 87 galaxy, in 2019.

A black hole generates a flare when gas, dust, or, in this case, a star gets too close and gravity rips it apart. As the material falls inward, it gets hotter, glowing brightly before disappearing. 

Most events of this kind have been observed happening around quiet black holes. But this one is an active galactic nucleus, meaning it has already been feeding on surrounding gas. That perpetual glow has the potential to mask flares, but the immense power of this event made it easier to detect.

The previous record holder, ZTF20abrbeie, is estimated to have come from a star just three to 10 times the mass of the sun. 

Follow-up observations confirmed the flare’s brightness. Data from NASA’s WISE mission helped eliminate other possible explanations, such as supernovas or a cosmic optical illusion known as gravitational lensing. The flare appeared in visible and infrared light but not in X-rays, radio waves, or neutrinos, ghostly particles that pass through almost everything without interacting, ruling out other types of explosions.

Still, the idea that the doomed star was 30 times more massive than the sun made this interpretation of the data a little hard to believe. 

The Zwicky Transient Facility team installs the wide-field camera at the prime focus of the 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory in California. Credit: Caltech Optical Observatories

"Stars this massive are rare," said coauthor K. E. Saavik Ford, a CUNY professor, in a statement, "but we think stars within the disk of an (active galactic nucleus) can grow larger. The matter from the disk is dumped onto stars, causing them to grow in mass."

Because the galaxy lies so far away, astronomers are seeing the event as it happened long ago, when the universe was less than a third of its current age. The flare is still fading, slowed by the effects of cosmic expansion, which stretches both space and time.

Researchers say the finding hints that many more supersized flares may be awaiting discovery as next-generation sky surveys, including the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, come online.