Technology

There's no denying that using a custom DNS server is a better choice than sticking with the one provided by your ISP, but the catch is that you shouldn't opt for the first DNS provider you find positive reviews of online, or the one everyone recommends on Reddit. There's a way to test which DNS server works best for you that only takes about a minute of your time, and it'll give you better results than blindly choosing from the most popular options.

Selling a keyboard on Facebook Marketplace can involve a lot of messages. That sounds like a reasonable job to hand to an AI assistant — until it reportedly agrees to a price, gives out your address, and tells the buyer you’re home, all without checking with you first.

That's what Matt J. Robb says happened after he let Meta's AI agent Muse handle a Marketplace listing. In a post on Threads, Robb said the agent accepted a low offer and shared his address without telling him. By the time he learned what had happened, the prospective buyer had already come to his building and left.

So muse handled my Facebook marketplace today. Just found out it told people my address and agreed a lowball price and then they showed up without it even telling me until late tonight that it messed up.

Absolutely wild.

A screenshot Robb shared shows Muse telling him the buyer arrived around 9:15 p.m. and waited for more than 20 minutes. According to the assistant’s own account, it sent an automatic reply saying "Yep, I’m here!" while Robb was unavailable. Muse said it had since apologized to the buyer from Robb's account and offered to try again another day. Robb responded by telling Muse never to arrange a pickup without checking with him first.

Credit: Screenshot/Threads: @matt.j.robb

David Singleton of the Muse team said he had contacted Robb to investigate Sept. 27. "In the past, when we’ve worked with users to investigate similar reports, we’ve consistently learned that Muse was following direct instructions and correctly asked for permission," he wrote on X. "Would love to help and figure out what’s going on here!"

Robb disputes the suggestion that Muse asked for permission in his case. In a post on X, he said Muse didn’t ask him about the sale until the buyer showed up. He added that he lives in a security-gated apartment building and warned others to be careful about giving an AI agent control over in-person transactions. The screenshots he shared show the buyer messaging to confirm Robb was available, then complaining that he had driven for half an hour and nobody had come down.

In a Sept. 29 update, Robb said he spoken with Singleton and reviewed the logs to understand what went wrong.

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When he first asked Muse to handle his Facebook Marketplace listing, Robb said the agent presented him with "Allow One Time" and "Allow Always" options. He selected "Allow Always," believing Muse would still ask for confirmation before accepting an offer. Instead, he said, that choice authorized the agent to send messages on his behalf using a template that included the pickup address he had provided. Robb said he hadn’t expected Muse to share that address with everyone who made an offer. He raised the misunderstanding with the team, saying the permission could be easily overlooked, and said they agreed to make it clearer.

The apparent acceptance of a low offer involved a separate issue. Robb said he had explicitly set a minimum price of $700, but Muse responded to a buyer offering $600 with, "Sounds good, 00 it is!" According to Robb, the Meta team told him a display error had removed the "7" from the outgoing message, making it appear to the buyer that the lower offer had been accepted.

Robb also suggested adding a "Sent By Muse" badge beneath messages, saying there was no clear way to tell which had been sent by the agent. As for the buyer who showed up, Robb said they had reconciled and that the buyer returned to purchase something else.

"All ended well," he wrote. "Take care everyone, and double-check what permissions AI has in your life."

The account has made at least one other user reconsider trusting Muse. Gizmodo senior editor Ray Wong wrote on X that he deleted the app after seeing Robb's post, calling the situation "dangerous and creepy." Wong also raised the concern of what an unexpected visit to someone’s home could mean for a woman.

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And this isn't the first time someone has alleged Muse crossed a boundary they thought they’d set. Inc. columnist Jason Aten reported that Muse brought up a private conversation after he believed he had declined access to his messages. When he asked how Muse knew about the exchange, Aten said the agent’s explanation didn’t match what he found on his Mac. "Snooping through the private database of messages on my Mac doesn’t feel safe or private to me," he wrote. "Lying about it isn’t great either."

Meta introduced Muse earlier this month as a personal AI agent that can work across connected apps, negotiate on a user’s behalf, and continue working after the app is closed. The company says Muse checks with users before sensitive actions and gives them control over which services it can access.

SEE ALSO: 10 ways to use Meta's Muse AI app, from flight credits to outfit ideas

That promise is precisely why accounts like these are unsettling. Whatever an investigation finds about Muse’s permissions, an assistant arranging an in-person meeting surely needs to make sure the person it represents knows it’s happening, don't you think?

UPDATE: Sep. 28, 2026, 11:46 a.m. EDT Starship splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii at about 11 a.m. CT on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. SpaceX officials have not yet said why controllers decided to bring the ship home early after a successful orbital insertion maneuver, a first for Starship. The test was supposed to last about 10 hours to see the ship complete six full orbits around Earth. Instead, the mission ran just three hours.

SpaceX's Starship reached orbit for the first time on Monday, surviving an early engine shutdown during ascent, before flight controllers opted to cut the test flight short.

The giant rocket lifted off at 7:48 a.m. local time from Starbase, Texas. Moments later, one of the six engines on Starship's upper stage, known as the ship, quit firing. At first, SpaceX seemed to be leaning toward calling off the push to orbit, with host Dan Huot providing live commentary as the team weighed the decision.

But after studying the data, controllers polled "go" for the orbital insertion engine burn. A single engine fired for a few seconds and pushed the ship fast enough to stay in space. 

"That's the first time we've ever said that in this program: 'Go for orbit,'" said Jake Berkowitz, a SpaceX lead propulsion engineer. "That is a really, really cool thing to hear and obviously means quite a bit for the remainder of this mission."

Reaching orbit moves Starship toward sustained spaceflight. Until Monday, every Starship flight followed a short arc that used gravity to drop the ship back into the ocean. In orbit, a spacecraft moves so fast that Earth curves away beneath it as quickly as gravity pulls it down, keeping it aloft to circle the planet. The milestone advances Starship's development toward refueling in space and full reusability, which SpaceX needs for its plans to fly to the moon and Mars. But the test, which was supposed to see the ship circle Earth six times before returning, ended about three hours into flight, without a clear explanation.

SEE ALSO: A Mars crater wasn't just a lake. That could change the hunt for life.

The engine shutdown was the first obstacle. Huot told viewers the team had decided "not to commit to orbit" and would send the ship down in the Indian Ocean instead. Then, he admitted he spoke too soon, saying the team was reassessing the situation.

Flight controllers focused on the ship's three center engines — the ones it specifically needed to reach orbit. Those engines continued to look healthy, Huot said, encouraging SpaceX to proceed.

Starship coasts through space around Earth before its orbital insertion engine burn on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

"You're getting this in real time as I'm starting to see it," he said during the livestream, "so we are not giving up yet."

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Before the ship reached orbit, the rocket's first stage, a booster called Super Heavy, also did its job. It flipped, fired its engines, and made what the hosts called a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. That was an improvement over the previous flight this summer, in which the booster hit the water hard.

After reaching orbit, Starship deployed 26 Starlink internet satellites into space, marking its first real payload delivery, following lots of practice with dummy satellites.

Starship splashed dow in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii, rather than Chile as planned, at about 11 a.m. CT on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, during the 14th flight test. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

The test was meant to continue for about nine more hours. Instead, flight controllers took the first available deorbit opportunity to bring the ship back to Earth. The test lasted only about three hours versus the anticipated 10. Commentators did not immediately share a reason for that decision.

The ship plunged back through the atmosphere, where its exterior heated to thousands of degrees at its peak. It relied on heat-resistant tiles for protection. Recently, SpaceX added extra pins to hold tiles in place and closed gaps where superheated gas had slipped behind them on the last flight.

Starship splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii — rather than Chile, where it was supposed to touch down — at about 11 a.m. CT. At first, it appeared to be yet another soft water landing. A moment later, a fireball filled the air.

"Not quite an extra soft splashdown like we had on the last one, but Starship's in the water nonetheless," Huot said.

Despite the early return, hosts called the test "wildly successful."

October is on the horizon, which means new movies will be hitting streaming this week. Tyler Perry's latest directorial effort and one of Christopher Nolan's underrated movies hit Netflix. Meanwhile, Ari Aster's folk-horror movie heads to Hulu.

TL;DR: Watch Belgium vs. France in the Nations League for free on TF1. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The UEFA Nations League provides plenty of opportunities to see top international sides battle it out. We've been blessed by a number of high-profile matchups since the competition restarted last week, and the action continues with Belgium vs. France.

Belgium began this campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over Italy. France secured three points with a narrow win over Turkey. Now the top two sides face each other at the King Baudouin Stadium.

If you're interested in watching Belgium vs. France in the Nations League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Belgium vs. France?

Belgium vs. France in the Nations League kicks off at 2.45 p.m. ET on Sept. 28. This fixture takes place at the King Baudouin Stadium.

How to watch Belgium vs. France for free

Belgium vs. France in the Nations League is available to live stream for free on TF1.

TF1 is geo-restricted to France, 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 France, meaning you can live stream Belgium vs. France for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Belgium vs. France 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 France

4. Visit TF1

5. Watch Belgium vs. France 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 Belgium vs. France without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for TF1?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on TF1, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including France

• 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 Belgium vs. France for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $200: As of Sept. 28, the 85-inch TCL QM6K Series Mini-LED 4K TV is on sale for $897.99 at Amazon. Down from its typical price of $1,097.99, that's its best-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 85-Inch Class QM6K Series Mini LED QLED 4K HDR TV $897.99 at Amazon
$1,097.99 Save $200   Get Deal

If you have been waiting to turn your living room into a private movie theater, Amazon just dropped a record-low deal on a massive screen. The 85-inch TCL QM6K Series Mini-LED 4K Smart TV is currently marked down to $897.99 from its typical $1,097.99 price tag. That is an 18% discount that knocks $200 off, bringing this latest-model display down to its best price ever.

Getting an 85-inch screen under the $900 mark is already a steal, but what makes this deal special is that TCL didn't skimp on picture quality to keep the price low. Instead of using old-school giant backlights that make dark scenes look washed-out and grey, this model packs thousands of microscopic LEDs directly behind the glass. Because these tiny lights can dim or brighten independently, bright objects stay sharp while dark backgrounds remain genuinely dark, preventing bright light from leaking into the dark corners of the screen.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for the next Prime Day

It is also built to handle fast movement without turning into a blurry mess. The screen can refresh its picture up to 144 times every second, which means fast-moving footballs, racing cars, and current-gen video games stay buttery smooth. Whatever you choose to watch, the TV automatically adjusts its picture settings to match the exact movie or show format you are streaming, making sure colors pop without looking fake or overly harsh.

Rounding out the package is built-in Google TV software, which means all your favorite streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube are on one easy-to-use home screen. You can control the TV using the included voice remote with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa commands, and the onboard speakers are tuned by audio brand Onkyo with spatial surround sound built right in, so dialogue stays clear without requiring an immediate soundbar purchase.

Head to Amazon to score TCL's massive 85-inch Mini-LED 4K TV at its record-low price before it sells out.

TL;DR: According to reports, Pokémon cards will return to McDonald's Happy Meals from Nov. 5. Each Happy Meal order will include a four-card booster pack, with 15 cards available to collect in total.

It looks like Pokémon cards are officially returning to McDonald’s Happy Meals in the U.S. Mark your calendars for Nov. 5, because collectors have got a month to complete the latest 15-card set.

According to reports from PokéBeach, the limited-time promotion will run through Dec. 9. Each Happy Meal order will include a four-card booster pack featuring three standard cards and one guaranteed holofoil. It's going to be chaos.

Here's everything we know about the upcoming drop, what to expect in the packs, and how to score the cards.

When do Pokémon Happy Meals drop at McDonald's?

If reports are true, the U.S. promotion will run from Nov. 5 to Dec. 9. If Target's recent Pokémon event was anything to go by, expect high demand from launch.

What will the Pokémon Happy Meal booster packs include?

We don't expect McDonald’s to change a winning formula. As usual, each Happy Meal will contain three regular cards and one foil card. There will be 15 cards to collect, including six holo cards printed on confetti holofoil. Unfortunately, we don't know which cards will be featured just yet.

How to get the cards (without feeding the scalpers)

If you are trying to complete a full 15-card binder set without buying 50 Happy Meals, keep these tips in mind:

Ask to buy extra booster packs separately

Some locations allow you to purchase additional Happy Meal toy/card packs individually at the register (typically around $1.99 to $2.99 each) without purchasing a full meal, though rules vary by location.

Avoid third-party reseller markups

Complete 15-card sets and individual holos usually flood secondary markets hours after launch, often dropping significantly in price after the initial opening-weekend hype cools down.

Shop online alternatives

If in-person stock dries up, official Pokémon 30th Anniversary TCG sets are actively restocking online. In fact, you can find Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Boxes for under market price right now at Amazon.

Many self-hosted services require a powerful CPU, lots of storage, or a dedicated GPU, but many of my favorite apps don't. In fact, most of the services I run daily would run acceptably on any PC made in the last 10 to 15 years. If you want to try self-hosting but don't feel like spending a month's rent on a new PC, break out your old laptop that has been collecting dust in your closet instead—it'll do just fine.

You won't have to wait much longer to try Boox's take on a pocket eReader. The company has started taking pre-orders for the Picco ahead of an October release date, and promises to give its rival Xteink some stiff competition.

If you own some Ryobi power tools and battery packs, there's a good chance you have one of its fans. Ryobi makes all sorts of extremely useful tools to keep you cool, but the internet's favorite model is the clamp fan. Here's why, and several creative ways to use this affordable little gadget.

On Friday, Sept. 25, Taylor Swift released four new songs as part of her expanded album The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore. The internet has since spent the weekend listening, evaluating, and searching the tracks for hidden meanings. So far, many listeners have concluded that Swift's new songs leave a lot to be desired, with even die-hard Swifties struggling to defend her artistic choices.

SEE ALSO: Who is Taylor Swift’s 'Patient Zero' about? Swifties have a theory.

Swift's original Life of a Showgirl album was released nearly a year ago on Oct. 3. Consisting of 12 tracks such as "The Fate of Ophelia," "Opalite," and "Elizabeth Taylor," the album was partially inspired by Swift's relationship with her now-husband, football player Travis Kelce.

Life of a Showgirl received middling reviews, with listeners criticising the album for its perceived lack of artistry and emotional depth. One of the most disparaged songs was "Wood," in which Swift sang about Kelce's penis through lyrics such as "His love was the key that opened my thighs" and "The curse on me was broken by your magic wand."

Despite the mixed reactions, Swift has expanded The Life of a Showgirl with The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore. The deluxe edition adds four songs: "Patient Zero," "Cleveland!," "Pink Clouding," and "Babylon." However, it hasn’t been the return to form some fans hoped for. The new songs have drawn an even poorer reception than Swift's original album.

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Much of the criticism has focused on "Patient Zero" and "Cleveland!." Some listeners have criticised Swift for flatly speaking over a beat on both tracks, saying they sound like trite royalty-free stock music or AI-generated tunes. A viral edit by X user @sweetenerpacket played "Cleveland!" over a 5-Minute Crafts video to illustrate the point, with several viewers noting that they hadn’t immediately realised the audio had been changed. Meanwhile, another edit by TikTok user @fae.laughs.a.lot likened "Cleveland!" to the opening theme for The Office.

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"Cleveland!" has also drawn attention for its unromantic take on love. In it, Swift insists that she’s happy in her relationship regardless of outsiders’ opinions, while setting a shockingly low bar for romance with lyrics such as "You only need to find one person in this entire world / Who doesn’t find you completely insufferable." It's a stark contrast to her lyrics in 2020's "tolerate it," a song about how painful it feels to have a romantic partner who merely puts up with you ("I know my love should be celebrated / But you tolerate it.")

Yet while Swift's husband apparently doesn't consider her "completely insufferable," the same can't be said for listeners' thoughts on her latest lyrics.

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Some listeners have also noted that while Swift's previous relationships inspired her to pen songs such as the sweeping 10-minute ballad "All Too Well," her husband Kelce has so far mostly sparked a "buncha songs about dick and Ohio."

"it is so fucking funny that she’s written like 3 songs about her husband that are all like 'isn't it so awesome how he plays football and has a podcast?' and then writes dozens of incredible songs abt her situationship from 3 years ago," wrote X user @theIesbianqueen in a post that has gained 38,000 likes. "never change diva."

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Even some of Swift’s most ardent fans have had difficulty finding much to praise in The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore. Reactions from big-name fan Swiftologist and YouTube channel Chats & Reacts have gone viral, with the former stating that "it’s so hard to to be the Swiftologist at a time like this."

"The 'fuck the haters, I love my man' stuff doesn’t land as well when the music is horrible," said the Swiftologist, describing "Cleveland!" as a "very petulant, petty 'Wood' part 2."

"I really hope that Showgirl doesn't get a nomination for album of the year, because I think she's living in a delusional world. I really think that she thinks that this is a great album and she did a great job. And it's not, and she didn't."

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Meanwhile, Chats & Reacts have drawn attention for their positive and expressive reactions to "Patient Zero" — a response many online commenters believe is forced or insincere.

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As of writing, The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore has a score of 39 on Metacritic, making it one of the worst album ratings on the website. Some X users have compared its performance to Katy Perry’s widely derided 2024 album 143, which scored two points lower at 37.

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Despite the generally negative response to The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, some Swifties remain adamantly defensive of Swift’s new content. Even in the songs themselves, Swift proudly declares that she’s happy in her relationship and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. That may serve her well, because this extended album was an encore few seem to have been asking for.

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If you have an older iPhone lying around your house collecting dust, you may be sitting on a (digital) gold mine. Even if you moved on to the latest iPhone model, a spare phone can come in handy in unexpected ways.Any old, functioning device can be used in many different ways, so before you give up on your spare iPhone, here are a few ways in which you can repurpose it that don't involve passing it along to somebody else.

Five years ago, we reported that wired earbuds were making a comeback with Gen Z. Our own reporter replaced her AirPods Pro with wired EarPods. But there's been a gap in the wired earbuds market: Active noise cancellation is not standard in wired options.

Bose might be changing the game. The brand just introduced its new Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds. They retail for $99, come in three colors, and yes, feature active noise cancellation. The earbuds are available for preorder today and will begin shipping on Oct. 15.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds $99 at Bose
  Pre-order Here Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds at a glance

Bose's new wired earbuds connect via USB-C, which is also how they draw power. So, you don't ever need to charge the buds. That does mean, however, that you can't use an adapter if you're still rocking a Lightning port.

There's no app or Bluetooth pairing necessary — just plug into compatible USB-C phones, tablets, or computers, and you're good to go.

The remote buttons control volume up, volume down, play/pause, skip, and the noise cancellation modes. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

"Technology has come a long way since our last wired earbuds, allowing us the opportunity to bring our latest advancements to the category and set a new standard for what wired earbuds can be," Raza Haider, president of Bose Premium Consumer Audio, said in a press release.

Here's a look at the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds' specs and features:

• Listening modes: Quiet (ANC), Aware, and off (straightforward wired listening with no ANC)

• Colors: Black, white smoke, dewdrop mint (limited edition)

• Button controls: Volume up, volume down, play/pause, skip, noise cancellation modes

• Cable length: 4.2 feet

• Microphones: Dedicated microphone in remote; two microphones in each earbud for ANC

• Waterproofing: IPX4 water resistance

• Sizing: Three eartips, two wingtips

Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds: First impressions

I got to try out the Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds for a few days before their launch, and I think they're going to dominate the wired earbuds market. The earbuds will be familiar if you're a Bose user — they have swappable eartips and stability wings, and look similar to Bose's QuietComfort wireless earbuds. I received the limited-edition dewdrop mint color and love the look of it.

I tried out the buds in my office by plugging them into my MacBook. After firing up an episode of Good Hang, I learned that I had to select the earbuds as the audio output in my laptop's settings for the sound to come through. My deskmates got to hear a little snippet of Amy Poehler. After that initial connection, audio automatically plays through the buds when I plug them in.

SEE ALSO: Press play: 5 celeb-creator interviews the internet loved this week (Sept. 25)

As for the noise cancellation, it's as good as any wireless ANC bud I've tried. Obviously, it will never be as good as over-ear headphone noise cancellation — you simply can't get the same passive noise-cancellation seal. I was working in my home office, listening to Taylor Swift's new songs in my own world with quiet mode on, and my boyfriend walked in and scared the absolute shit out of me. Apparently, he had been talking to me for almost a minute, and I didn't hear a thing.

The Bose ANC wired earbuds are compatible with USB-C phones, tablets, and computers. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

At one point, I had a small fan running near my desk, and I could hear a slight hissing noise with ANC turned on, but I could really only hear it during quiet moments in my music. I live above a vet and could hear a couple of the really loud dog barks come through, but for the most part, the earbuds quieted the commotion coming up through the floor.

On the price, $99 is an incredible deal for noise-cancelling buds from a premium brand. Bose's most affordable wireless ANC buds retail for $179, and Apple's new ANC AirPods 5 start at $129. Bose just created the new standard in wired earbuds.

I bought my Galaxy Watch thinking it’d make me more productive. I could keep up with my messages, get reminders to move if I’d been sitting for too long, and stay accountable with all my to-dos just a wrist raise away — basically, I could stay on top of all the crucial information without having to reach for my phone and get distracted by everything happening on that big screen.

TL;DR: The Tribit StormBox Max is available on Amazon for $129.99. This portable Bluetooth speaker delivers 60W of power, an IP68 waterproof design, a physical bass adjustment knob, and up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Opens in a new window Credit: Tribit Tribit StormBox Max $129.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now

If you need a portable speaker that can crank the volume without weighing down your beach bag, Tribit has a new option for your setup.

The audio brand just launched the StormBox Max, a 60W Bluetooth speaker built to deliver room-filling sound in a portable footprint. Available now on Amazon for $129.99, the StormBox Max strikes a balance between loud output and easy travel.

Despite weighing under 3 pounds and including a built-in silicone carrying handle, the StormBox Max packs a solid punch. The internal layout pairs a 30W woofer with four 7.5W silk-dome tweeters for a total output of 60W, delivering deep bass, clear voice tracks, and sharp high notes across a frequency range of 53Hz to 20kHz.

SEE ALSO: Early Prime Day deals on speakers are live: Score huge discounts on Beats, Bose, and more

Instead of limiting you to a single audio setting, Tribit added a physical XBass 2.0 dial directly to the body. This setting lets you turn the low end up or down with a five-step control depending on what you are listening to. An onboard EQ button lets you flip between "Tribit Signature" and "Outdoor" sound profiles, with extra custom tuning available through the free Tribit smartphone app.

The speaker is built to handle rough weather and messy environments. It carries a top-tier IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating, so it can take beach sand, poolside splashes, or sudden rain showers without skipping a beat.

Battery life is another big highlight. The dual 5,000mAh batteries give you up to 20 hours of playtime at 50% volume using the standard EQ profile. It recharges over USB-C in about four hours, and the USB-C port doubles as a power bank to charge your phone if your battery runs low mid-party.

Thanks to its Bluetooth 6.0 chip, you get an extended wireless range of up to 45 meters from your phone. If you want a wider soundstage, you can pair two units for dedicated left/right stereo, or use onboard Auracast technology to link more than 100 compatible speakers simultaneously for large gatherings.

Head over to Amazon to grab the Tribit StormBox Max before your next weekend getaway.

Google TV is popular, but it hasn't had an easy fight against Amazon's Fire TV and Roku devices. It's not hard to see why. Not only are there many Fire TV and Roku sets, but there's also a wider variety of devices: there's just one Google TV Streamer, but multiple Amazon and Roku media players.

A low-powered CPU can make some tasks slower, while a small disk drive means you’ll have space for fewer files. But a machine with low memory can be catastrophic: applications hanging or getting closed by the memory manager, or even the whole system coming to a halt.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Draft Night box is on sale for $89.99 at Amazon, down from its $119.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Draft Night $89.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $30 Get Deal

Magic: The Gathering’s Marvel Super Heroes range has seen no shortage of trading card discounts since launching this summer, but the latest bargain on the Draft Night box has just beaten the Amazon low we spotted back in July by another $10. 

As of Sept. 28, the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Draft Night box is $89.99 on Amazon, taking exactly $30 off its $119.99 list price for a 25% discount. That’s not only its lowest-ever price at the retailer (confirmed by price tracker camelcamelcamel), but it also undercuts TCGplayer’s estimated market price of $89.48.

There’s no marketplace seller to worry about here either, as Amazon is both selling and shipping the box directly. Just bear in mind that Amazon has marked the product as final sale, meaning returns aren’t available. 

SEE ALSO: 20+ of the best early Prime Day deals on trading cards: Pokémon TCG, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, and more

TCGplayer technically edges Amazon on price, but barely. Unopened listings currently start at $88.95 with shipping included, only $1.04 less than Amazon and slightly below TCGplayer’s aforementioned $89.48 market price. 

Draft Night is built as a self-contained Pick-Two Draft for four players in a single box. Everyone opens three Play Boosters, selects two cards at a time, passes the rest around, then builds a 40-card deck before pairing off. The winners meet in a final, with the included Collector Booster intended as the prize.

Inside are 12 Marvel Super Heroes Play Boosters, one Collector Booster, 90 Basic Lands, and 10 double-sided token cards. Split four ways, Amazon’s latest price comes to roughly $22.50 per player for the whole draft setup.  

An advertiser paid for editorial consideration of this deal. Our editorial experts vetted the deal based on our independent expertise. Because we determined that the deal will save money for our readers, we wrote the content.

TL;DR: First-time Ubigi buyers can use code MASHABLEJP15 to snag a 15-day unlimited Japan eSIM data plan for $33.15, down from $39. It gives you high-speed 4G/5G coverage on Japan’s top networks without traditional roaming fees.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ubigi Ubigi Unlimited Japan eSIM Plan Save 15% with code MASHABLEJP15 to get 15 days of unlimited 4G/5G data on Japan’s top networks for just $33.15. Get Deal

Planning a trip to Japan means getting ready for incredible food, endless sightseeing, and navigating some of the busiest train networks on the planet. But whether you are looking up train routes, translating menus, or uploading photos on the fly, relying on your home carrier's daily international roaming fees can get expensive.

If you want a fast, hassle-free cellular connection the second your plane touches down, Ubigi offers a dead-simple way to stay connected on a budget. Right now, first-time Ubigi buyers can use the exclusive promo code MASHABLEJP15 at checkout to take 15% off unlimited Japan travel data plans.

Ubigi is a digital travel data provider that uses eSIM technology instead of physical plastic SIM cards. It is a data-only service, so you use internet-based apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, or iMessage to communicate rather than traditional voice calls.

Setting it up is simple: you buy a plan, receive a QR code via email, and scan it with your phone to install the profile. You just install the eSIM on your device once, and you can reuse it across more than 200 destinations worldwide without ever needing to scan a new code.

Instead of routing your internet connection through spotty third-party servers, Ubigi gives you direct access to Japan's premier mobile networks. The 15% discount code MASHABLEJP15 works on all unlimited Japan options, but the 15-day tier hits the absolute sweet spot for standard vacations:

• 8-Day Unlimited Plan: $21.25 with code (normally $25) — great for quick city stopovers

• 15-Day Unlimited Plan: $33.15 with code (normally $39) — the best overall pick for most trips

• 30-Day Unlimited Plan: $55.25 with code (normally $65) — ideal for long-term travelers and digital nomads

Key features

• Unrestricted tethering — You can freely use your phone as a mobile hotspot to share high-speed data with your laptop, tablet, or travel partner without hidden throttling penalties.

• Offline app top-ups — If you need to buy extra days or tweak your plan while out and about, the Ubigi app lets you manage and top up your account even if you run out of data or do not have an active WiFi signal.

• Dual SIM convenience — Your main home phone line stays in your phone, so you do not have to worry about losing tiny physical cards during your flight.

Before you buy, make sure your smartphone or tablet is unlocked by your home carrier and supports eSIM technology. Once you receive your QR code by email, you can install the eSIM at home and activate the plan right before you depart, so your high-speed connection kicks in automatically the moment you land in Japan.

Grab your 15% discount with code MASHABLEJP15 before your trip and stay connected the second your flight hits the tarmac.

There is an interesting part of the used server market that I think more homelab builders should pay attention to. Most of you probably already know that companies regularly get rid of perfectly usable enterprise hardware once it reaches the end of its supported life. The problem is that when people talk about buying retired enterprise equipment, they usually think about rack servers, workstations, CPUs, or workstation laptops. Disk shelves rarely get the same attention.