Technology

The Windows 11 25H2 Update Just Hit Another Milestone

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:17

The long-awaited widespread availability of the Windows 11 2025 Update, officially known as version 25H2, is finally set to release. While Microsoft technically shipped the update on September 30, 2025, the rollout has taken a while, but this frustrating holding pattern will finally end.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Noise-cancelling headphones from Sony, Apple, and JLab are on sale ahead of October Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:09
Early Prime Big Deal Days noise-cancelling headphone deals Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Deal Sony Ult Wear $249.99 (Save $101.99) Get Deal Best noise-cancelling earbuds deal Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation (wired case) $35 (save $85) Get Deal

Audio fans, look alive — Amazon's October Prime Day sale is about to begin. From Oct. 7 through Oct. 8, you can score discounts on just about everything the retailer has to offer. This pre-Black Friday sale is known for offering up some historically low prices on goodies from tablets to laptops and everything in between, including headphones.

SEE ALSO: What is Prime Big Deal Days? Everything you need to know and what deals to expect.

But you don't have to wait until Oct. 7 to start shopping. Amazon already has tons of deals on offer ahead of the main event on everything from MacBooks to outdoor supplies and, of course, noise-cancelling headphones. Ahead of the sale, the Apple AirPods Max headphones have dropped nearly $120 in price, while some of our budget favorites like the JLab JBuds Lux ANC and Amazon Echo Buds with ANC have also taken steep price cuts.

Below, find some of our picks for our favorite early noise-cancelling headphone October Prime Day deals.

Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Sony Ult Wear $148 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $101.99 Get Deal Why we like it

These cushy over-ear headphones are an excellent all-rounder choice if you want a good pair of noise-cancelling cans. Mashable's Miller Kern noted in her review that they "prioritize bass and provide punchy sound without sacrificing quality", and they rock 30 hours of battery life so you can listen for marathon sessions without having to charge up. Their boosted bass options, comfortable ear cups, and ability to supercharge your music, no matter what you listen to, can't be understated, and at this price, you're getting an excellent pair of headphones that can block out the world and keep you bopping too.

Check out our full review of the Sony ULT Wear headphones.

More early October Prime Day noise-cancelling headphones dealsBest noise-cancelling earbuds deal Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation (wired case) $34.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $85 Get Deal Why we like it

While these aren't the newest earbuds on the market (they came out in 2021), at $35, they do offer some of the best bang for your buck on noise-cancelling earbuds. If you can put up with a middling battery life and overly sensitive touch panels, the Echo Buds with ANC are "a steal for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the world of ANC without setting their wallet on fire," as Mashable's Alex Perry wrote in his review. This deal is exclusive to Prime members.

Check out our full review of the Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation.

More early October Prime Day noise-cancelling earbuds deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

The best early Prime Day deals on Dyson are already live

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:07
Best October Prime Day Dyson deals Best cordless vacuum deal Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum $399.99 (save $230) Get Deal Best upright vacuum deal Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum $659.99 (save $250) Get Deal

Whether you’re a Dyson stan or not, you’d probably still agree that Dyson products have become somewhat of a “gold standard” within the industry. (I mean, that 2023 New York Times article on how Dyson’s cordless stick vacuum became a “status symbol” still lives rent-free in my head.) But premium quality usually comes with a premium price tag to match.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When are the deals better?

That's why we recommend waiting for a major sales event to splurge. Amazon’s October Prime Day (officially “Prime Big Deal Days”) kicks off tomorrow, Oct. 7, but a bunch of early Dyson deals are already live. We're tracking the prices across Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Dyson's own store to find the absolute best savings. Here are the top early Prime Day Dyson deals you can shop right now:

Best cordless vacuum deal Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum $399.99 at Amazon
$629.99 Save $230 Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re trying to get into the Dyson fam for less than $500, then the Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum is a solid choice. Mashable’s vacuum cleaner queen and senior shopping reporter, Leah Stodart, says the V11 line offers a decent battery life (up to 60 minutes) for the price and a pretty good suction for tackling various household cleaning tasks.

The best price on this model is currently at Amazon. As of Oct. 6, you can get it for $399.99, down from $629.99. That's a 37% discount and $230 in savings.

  • Amazon: $399.99 $629.99 (save $230)

  • Walmart: $569 $629.99 (save $60.99) Note: This is technically on sale, but not officially "on sale" on the Walmart website.

  • Dyson: $629.99 (not on sale)

  • Target: $629.99 (not on sale)

More Dyson cordless vacuum dealsBest upright vacuum deal Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum $409.99 at Amazon
$659.99 Save $250 Get Deal Why we like it

If you need the kind of deep clean that only an upright vacuum can provide, the Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum is the way to go. It's especially ideal for pet owners or anyone with a larger home, and it comes with eight different accessories to tackle any job. The vacuum features a self-adjusting cleaner head, a motorized brush bar, and whole-machine filtration to catch and destroy allergens on site. You’ll also get a five-year limited warranty and lifetime support when you register your vacuum on the MyDyson app.

The best price on this model is currently at Amazon. As of Oct. 6, you can get it for $409.99, down from $659.99. That's a 38% discount and $250 in savings.

Even more early Prime Day Dyson deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

GTA IV Just Got Its (Unofficial) Ultimate Edition, and You Have to Play It

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:00

Despite Take Two's efforts to shut it down, the GTA modding community is still alive and kicking. Their latest effort is Fusion Fix for Grand Theft Auto IV, a massive community mod that gives the PC version of GTA IV an Ultimate Edition treatment. GTA IV on PC has never looked this good.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sora 2 Cameos: How to keep your face from being used

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:58

OpenAI's second-generation AI video model, Sora 2, is stirring up controversy, less than a week after the AI giant unveiled the highly anticipated tool and its corresponding app.

The hubbub stems from Sora 2's impressive but alarming ability to generate just about anything in precise detail. Shortly after its launch, users flooded the platform — pitched as a video-forward social media app in the likeness of TikTok or Reels — with alleged celebrity deepfakes, sensitive political content, and licensed characters.

SEE ALSO: Sora 2, Vibes, Feed: How much AI video do we need?

Sora 2's safeguards are seemingly more robust than its competitors — such as those on Grok — reported Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth. Sora 2 has easy reporting mechanisms for sexual and violent content, harassment, and child endangerment. As a way to prevent deepfakes, Sora 2 is also supposed to block users from uploading content that features faces. In theory, Sora 2's face ban should prevent users from creating a deepfake of someone without their consent. But OpenAI's own solution to nonconsensual deepfakes, a feature known as Cameos, has posed its own problems.

Cameos are "reusable characters” modeled after users based on audio and video that they upload. Users have to opt-in to their own deepfake, and can then grant access to their digital likeness on four levels: Only you, people you approve, friends, or everyone. Until now, that was the extent to which Cameos could be controlled, meaning if you had your Cameo toggled to app-wide access, your likeness could be made to do just anything.

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Responding to user concerns, OpenAI has since acknowledged the safety issues free access to someone's digital likeness can pose, announcing new content restrictions for the Cameos. Here's what you need to know if you're trying to make your Cameo a star.

How to protect your Cameo

In an X post by Sora head Bill Peebles, users were directed to a thread by OpenAI technical staffer Thomas Dimson, explaining that the new Cameo settings include both content preferences and restrictions.

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To lock down your Cameo, go to your profile. Select "settings" and then "edit cameo." Tap on "Cameo preferences" and choose "restrictions."

From there, users can set more precise limits on what their Cameo can do and say using text prompts, like "Don't put me in videos that involve political commentary" or "Don't let me say this word," Peebles explained. You can also ensure that your Cameo appears with specific details, such as wearing an identifying clothing item.

If you want to make sure no one but you can use your likeness, make sure you've selected "only me" in the "Cameo rules" section. And if you don't want to make a Cameo at all, users can opt-out while signing up.

Peebles added that Sora 2 is still undergoing tweaks to its model safety, and will be making the Sora 2 watermark more distinct, acknowledging that users may be frustrated with "overmoderation" on the app. "We think it's important to be conservative here while the world is still adjusting to this new technology."

Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI, Jony Ive AI hardware faces reported delays

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:58

OpenAI’s ambitious hardware partnership with former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive has reportedly hit a snag, according to sources cited by the Financial Times.

Those familiar with the project told the FT that Ive’s startup — acquired by OpenAI earlier this year — is facing both software and hardware challenges with the device. The product is envisioned as a palm-sized, screenless gadget capable of interpreting its surroundings through cameras and microphones. The goal is to create a conversational, contextually aware AI assistant similar to Humane’s Ai Pin or Friend AI, with a planned release sometime next year.

But realizing that vision appears to be proving difficult. The team is reportedly struggling to overcome key development hurdles, which could push the release back to 2027. Among the problems are issues with software architecture, infrastructure, and design integration needed to make the device viable at scale.

Privacy concerns are a major challenge, especially if the device is intended to operate as an "always-on" assistant. And then there’s cost: scaling the compute power needed for a consumer-level AI device could strain OpenAI’s already massive infrastructure budget.

A person close to Ive told the FT that OpenAI, compared to competitors like Google and Amazon, is "already struggling to get enough compute for ChatGPT, let alone an AI device." That’s hardly shocking, given that keeping ChatGPT online reportedly costs the company between $3 and $4 billion a year.

According to the report, the biggest sticking point is the "personality" of the AI itself. OpenAI reportedly wants it to feel like a friendly companion — without veering into the territory of a "weird AI girlfriend." As FT notes, devices like Friend AI have been criticized for the AI personality being "creepy" and "snarky." Many of OpenAI's ChatGPT models have also been criticized for being overly sycophantic as well. "OpenAI was looking for 'ways for it to be accessible but not intrusive,'" the FT writes.

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Mashables favorite portable power stations are already 50% off ahead of October Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:49
Best early October Prime Day deals on portable power stations Best overall deal Anker Solix C1000 portable power station $429.00 at Amazon (save $360) Get Deal Best bundle deal with a solar panel EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station with 220W solar panel $649 (save $650 + get a free 45W solar panel and a free carrying bag) Get Deal Best small portable power station deal Jackery Explorer 240 v2 $179 (save $70) Get Deal

Portable power stations are here to save the day, and that's not even an exaggeration. These puppies pack in the power to recharge your phone, laptop, keep the refrigerator cooling, and the WiFi router powered on during a storm. Portable power stations come in tons of sizes with various specialties like being great for camping or coming with enough juice to power your entire home for days should a major storm roll through.

We're just one day away from the kickoff Amazon's October Prime Day sale, but there are great deals already on offer. Some of my favorite portable power stations are already sitting at record-low prices at Amazon. Others come with freebies like solar panels and carrying cases. Whatever your portable power needs are, Amazon likely has a model in stock and on sale before Big Deals Days kicks off. Here are some highlights.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 portable power station $429 at Amazon
$799 Save $370 Get Deal Why we like it

Read our full review of the Anker Solix C1000 portable power station.

In my testing for the best portable power station, the Anker Solix C1000 emerged as the best overall option for most situations. It comes with a solid 1,056Wh of battery storage, it's easy to carry, is pretty lightweight, and it comes with a super useful light bar. Thanks to this Amazon pre-Prime Day sale, it's already at a record-low price of $429 which is a sweet 46% off the normal price of $799.

The Anker Solix C1000 takes just one hours to recharge and it's expandable should you decide you'd like more power. When testing, I used the Solix C1000 to use a projector for outdoor movie nights, cook dinner in the air fryer, and power up the coffee maker. The Solix C1000 comes with six AC power ports, two USB-A, and two USB-C ports, so there are plenty of options.

Best bundle deal with solar panel Opens in a new window Credit: EcoFlow EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station with 220W solar panel $649 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $650 free 45W solar panel and carrying case included Get Deal Why we like it

One of the coolest aspects of relying on a portable power station is the ability to recharge via solar panels. If you're one for streamlining the purchase process, the EcoFlow Delta 2 is already on a major sale bundled with a 220W solar panel. In addition to that solar panel, Amazon is offering extra freebies with your purchase and you can add on a totally free 45W solar panel and a free carrying bag. That's a heck of a deal for the price of $649. On its own at full list price, the EcoFlow Delta 2 itself costs $699.

EcoFlow makes some of the best portable power stations and the Delta 2 comes with 1,024Wh of capacity and EcoFlow mentions this translates to recharging a phone almost 90 times or keeping a light on for 31 hours. So long as you have sunshine, that power can be limitless thanks to the included solar panels.

Best small portable power station deal Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 240 v2 $179 at Amazon
$249 Save $70 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're in the market for a portable power station that will keep phones and laptops charged during a power outage that doesn't cost a bunch, the Jackery Explorer 240 v2 could be the best option during Prime Day. Instead of paying the list price of $249, it's on sale for just $179. This smaller model offers two USB-C ports, one USB-A, and one AC. There's also a light that'll assist with plugging things in should you be in the dark.

More portable power station dealsAnkerBluettiEcoFlowJackery
Categories: IT General, Technology

Your Samsung Galaxy S22 Is Getting Its Last Major Update

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:48

We have good news and bad news for those with the Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra. Right on time and just as promised, Samsung is sending out the big update to One UI 8 (Android 16) for your phones. However, it's the last major update you'll be getting.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Best Buy has the AirPods Max for $120 off in every color during its Techtober Sale

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:31

SAVE $120: As of Oct. 6, the first day of Best Buy's Techtober Sale, the Apple AirPods Max are on sale for $429.99 in every color. That's about 22% in savings and the lowest price we've seen since Amazon Prime Day in July.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $429.99 at Best Buy
$549.99 Save $120 Get Deal

Best Buy's week-long Techtober Sale kicked off today as a way to compete with Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days (which officially kicks off tomorrow, Oct. 7). Different year, same old story. The retail giants typically have matching prices on major tech, but if you're looking to snag a pair of AirPods Max, I'd head to Best Buy. Here's why.

As of Oct. 6, Best Buy has the Apple AirPods Max on sale for $429.99 in every single color variety. That's about 22% off their outrageous list price and the best price we've seen since Amazon's July Prime Day sale. Amazon also has the AirPods Max on sale for the same price, but you're limited to just two colors at the time of writing: blue or starlight. If you'd rather have your pick of the bunch, Best Buy is the way to go.

The AirPods Max are stylish, sound great, offer excellent noise cancellation, easy-to-use controls, and solid battery life at 20 hours per charge. "When it comes down to it, the AirPods Max check off almost all the boxes for what makes an excellent pair of headphones," Mashable's reviewer writes. The only unchecked boxes are comfort and price. If you have a small head, they may not be the most comfortable headphones for you. And the $550 price tag is scarier than any Halloween movie on your watch list.

Honestly, I'd never recommend buying the AirPods Max unless they're on sale — which happens very sporadically. We saw the noise-cancelling Apple headphones reach their best price ever back in July (just $399). Since then, the price hasn't dipped below $479.99, making the current discount pretty significant.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon Ring plans to use facial recognition scans

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:26

Amazon is adding facial recognition capabilities to its Ring devices — but not everyone’s smiling about its new “familiar faces” feature.

According to an Oct. 3 report from The Washington Post, Amazon Ring is using facial recognition in its home security doorbells and video cameras so your door can recognize and identify people you might know — like a family member or neighbor — and privacy experts have some concerns.

Amazon isn't explicitly calling this tech facial recognition and is, instead, opting for "familiar faces." In a Sept. 30 news post about the update, Amazon said the tool "intelligently recognizes familiar people and empowers customers to reduce notifications triggered by familiar people's routine activities."

SEE ALSO: All the big takeaways from Amazon's fall hardware event: The Kindle Scribe is getting color

"The feature enriches Ring notifications, video events, and timeline with personalized context of who is detected, eliminating guesswork and making it effortless to find and review important moments involving specific familiar people across the Ring App experience," Amazon wrote.

The Post reported that the feature is optional for Ring device owners, but privacy advocates still aren't thrilled, since the people being recorded aren't able to consent to it. While you might already use facial recognition in some of your tech — like unlocking your phone — the Ring poses additional risks because of its history of social, privacy, and legal questions, the Post wrote. That's because the difference here is that you're choosing to use facial recognition to unlock your phone — the food delivery workers and kids playing on the street aren't making that choice with your doorbell camera.

"It’s troubling that companies are making a product that by design is taking biometric information from people who are doing the innocent act of walking onto a porch," Adam Schwartz, privacy litigation director for the consumer advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation told the Post.

As the New York Times' Wirecutter pointed out, Ring also has a new feature that allows users to instruct their cameras to automatically respond to specific visitors in specific ways via the Alexa+ Greetings, like calling your brother by name or telling your partner you love them or your neighbor to please leave you alone. Amazon also announced its AI-powered Search Party feature, which is intended to help find lost dogs. It's left on by default, according to The Verge.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Outdoor deals are hot ahead of October Prime Day from brands like Coleman, DJI, and Jackery

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:11
Best early Prime Day outdoor deals Best tent deal Coleman Skydome Camping Tent (four person) $84.99 (save $65) Get Deal Best portable power station deal Anker Solix C1000 $429 (save $370) Get Deal Best DJI deal DJI Osmo Action 4 (standard combo) $229 (save $70) Get Deal

If your gear barely made it through the summer, Amazon's October Prime Day event has tons of early deals on offer for all your outdoor and camping essentials. You'll be able to fully gear up for cold(er) weather adventures or stock up for next spring and summer. Plus, it's an ideal time to grab holiday gifts before chaos descends during Black Friday.

A day ahead of the sale, we've spotted deals on portable power stations, coolers, Bluetooth speakers, outdoor cooking supplies, a DJI camera, and more. Coleman tents and LifeStraw water filters are mainstays of Amazon sales — so far, we've only spotted Coleman tents on sale, but we're anticipating the LifeStraw deals to drop once the sale properly begins on Oct. 7.

Below, we've listed some of the best outdoor deals before October Prime Day officially goes from Oct. 7 to 8. We'll keep this page updated with fresh deals as they drop.

Best early Prime Day outdoor deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 portable power station $429 at Amazon
$799 Save $370 Get Deal Why we like it

Going camping with a portable power station in tow is arguably more important than the hot dogs or the firewood. A portable power station gives you the ability to keep your phones charged, the mood-setting lights on, and even power a coffee maker if you brought one along.

In our testing, the Anker Solix C1000 is the best overall portable power station, packing in a nice 1,056Wh of capacity. That's enough to keep everyone happily charged up for several days. Plus, it only takes 58 minutes of charging time to get back to full capacity on the power station.

Best cooler dealsBest portable power station dealsBest outdoor cooking dealsBest tent dealsMore outdoor deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Bugonia trailer: Emma Stone swears shes not an alien in Yorgos Lanthimos latest

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:02

Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos have cemented themselves as one of modern film's dynamic duos.

SEE ALSO: 2025 fall movie preview: Every upcoming film you ought to know about

The pair first teamed up on 2018's period piece The Favourite, which earned Stone an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and Lanthimos a nomination for Best Director. They continued their collaboration with 2023's fantasy fable Poor Things, for which Stone won her second Oscar for Best Actress, and for which Lanthimos received his second nomination for Best Director. Stone and Lanthimos also re-joined forces for 2022's short film Bleat, and for 2024's anthology film Kinds of Kindness.

Now, Stone and Lanthimos return for their fourth feature together: Bugonia. Directed by Lanthimos and written by Will Tracy (The Menu), the film remakes the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! It also reunites Stone and Lanthimos with Kinds of Kindness' Jesse Plemons, who earned the Best Actor Prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for his performance across the film's three dark tales.

In Bugonia, Stone stars as Michelle Fuller, the high-powered CEO of a major pharmaceutical company. Plemons plays beekeeper and conspiracy theorist Teddy, who, along with his cousin Donny (Aidan Delbis), kidnaps Michelle and locks her in his basement. There, he tries to get Michelle to confess that she's an alien and that she's been puppeteering humanity from her CEO position.

Bugonia premiered at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where it received mostly positive reviews for Lanthimos' nihilistic commentary on the modern moment and for Stone and Plemons' performance.

Watch the full trailer for Bugonia above to witness more of Plemons' madcap interrogation of Stone, and for snippets of Stone lip syncing her heart out to Chappell Roan's "Good Luck, Babe!"

Bugonia hits select theaters Oct. 24, then releases wide Oct. 31.

Categories: IT General, Technology

9 Google Messages Features Everyone Should Know

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:00

From a built-in spam detector to the option of pinning messages and automatically deleting OTPs, the Google Messages app offers a variety of features. Here are nine Google Messages features that everyone should know about.

Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI bets big on AMD with massive investment

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:50

OpenAI is staking some of its future on AMD.

In a press release on its website, the company behind ChatGPT and Sora announced a massive partnership with GPU maker AMD. OpenAI will use AMD hardware to create up to six gigawatts of AI infrastructure over the coming years, with one gigawatt rolling out in 2026. In all, this deal could see OpenAI come to own as much as 10 percent of AMD. The exact dollar amounts at play here have not been revealed, but an AMD executive was quoted in the press release as saying the deal would "deliver tens of billions of dollars in revenue" to AMD while scaling up OpenAI's projects.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI reportedly plans to launch TikTok-like app with Sora 2 launch

“This partnership is a major step in building the compute capacity needed to realize AI’s full potential,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in the press release. “AMD’s leadership in high-performance chips will enable us to accelerate progress and bring the benefits of advanced AI to everyone faster.”

This announcement comes just days after OpenAI announced a different deal with Nvidia, the market leader in GPUs and an AMD competitor. That deal would see 10 gigawatts' worth of OpenAI infrastructure built with Nvidia hardware. Per Fortune, that kind of rollout would use as much power as New York City and San Diego combined just to fuel whatever it is Altman and co. are planning to do with AI.

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Im tracking the best October Prime Day MacBook deals: Prices start at just $799

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:44

As Mashable's resident laptop expert, I'm in charge of sniffing out the best deals on Apple MacBooks ahead of Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (an "October Prime Day" sale slated for Oct. 7 to 8). And what a ride we've been on already.

You see, Amazon had several popular models from Apple's lineup marked down to record-low prices all throughout August and September. That includes the base configurations of the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air, its 15-inch counterpart, and the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro: They were only $799, $999, and $1,299, respectively (a $200 to $300 savings). Then, a week before the October Prime Day sale began, those all-time lows suddenly disappeared (Amazon's pre-sale coyness is annoying).

SEE ALSO: Amazon's October Prime Day is coming on October 7 — here are 30+ early deals to shop now

Fortunately, a day before the sale officially kicks off, we're seeing those record-lows reappear. The retail giant has an upgraded M4 MacBook Air with 512GB of storage on sale for $999 or the base model with 256GB of storage for only $799. Neither has ever seen a bigger discount, so I'd feel confident adding either to your cart prior to the sale's formal start time.

Below, I've outlined the details of that offer alongside the other early October Prime Day MacBook deals I'm tracking. Check back soon in case more record lows reappear ahead of schedule.

Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) 🔥 $799 at Amazon
$999 Save $200 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple's latest MacBook Air offers quiet, Pro-level performance in an ultrathin form factor. It was 24% faster than its M3 predecessor in our CPU benchmark, and it features a new 12MP Center Stage camera in addition to open-lid support for two monitors.

If you don't need the heavier specs of a MacBook Pro and want to keep some money in your pocket, the base configuration of the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air is still a total powerhouse — and it's only $799 going into Prime Big Deal Days. That's the lowest price it's ever been. Even at full price, it's our favorite MacBook for most people, so we're definitely not going to argue with $200 in savings. Need more storage? The model with 512GB is just $200 more at $999.

Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4).

More MacBook deals

MacBook Air

MacBook Pro

Categories: IT General, Technology

This Gmail trick will keep your messages and clear your storage

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:36

If you find yourself running out of Gmail storage, you might not need to shell out cash to Google for more gigabytes.

The folks over at CNET came up with an ingenious solution to get inbox zero while still holding onto your old emails — just in case you might need them down the line. (Disclosure: CNET is owned by Ziff Davis, which is the same parent company as Mashable.) In short: You create a second, free Gmail account to archive all your old emails. You migrate the old messages there while getting your primary account back to zero.

CNET has the full steps over at its site, but in Gmail you can use the "Forwarding POP/IMAP" tab to forward all your emails and have them automatically deleted from your original account. From there, you can set up your new account to import all the emails. It's a relatively straightforward way to clear up your inbox without deleting everything.

SEE ALSO: Gmail business users can now send secure encrypted email to anyone

Gmail accounts come with 15GB of free storage and, frankly, while that used to feel like a ton of storage, nowadays it can be filled quite quickly. Heck, we were writing about running out of Gmail storage at Mashable all the way back in 2018. CNET's method to beat the system is pretty smart and Reddit is also full of similar hacks.

You can also just choose to pay for more storage, should these steps prove too confusing or time-consuming. Even CNET's hack requires hours of waiting, at minimum. Google's cheapest option is $20 per year for 100GB of storage, with rising storage and costs from there.

Categories: IT General, Technology

A 4-pack of Apple AirTags is under $65 before Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:31

SAVE $34.01: As of Oct. 6, a 4-pack of Apple AirTags is on sale for only $64.99 at Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart. That's a 34% discount compared to the standard price of $99 for the bundle pack. In total, you'll be saving $34.01 thanks to the sale. This sale price matches the all-time low Prime Day pricing.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 4-pack Apple AirTags $64.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $34.01 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 4-pack Apple AirTags $64.99 at Best Buy
$99 Save $34.01 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 4-pack Apple AirTags $64.99 at Walmart
$99 Save $34.01 Get Deal

Holiday travel is right around the corner. If you don't have flights booked yet, it's high time to set some Google tracking notifications to score the best price. But aside from flights, you'll want to make sure your stash of Bluetooth trackers is ready to go. Since we're heading into the October Prime Day event, now is the ideal time to snag a handful.

As of Oct. 6, a 4-pack of Apple AirTags is on sale for just $64.99 at Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart. That's a 34% discount compared to the standard price of $99 for the bundle pack. In total, you'll be saving $34.01 thanks to the sale. The sale price of $64.99 matches the all-time low price and the sale price we saw during Prime Day in July.

A battle of the retailers takes place every time Amazon holds a Prime Day sale. Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and even The Home Depot get in on the sale hype by offering competitive pricing. As a consumer, that's pretty great because we get to choose which retailer we prefer. Maybe one offers faster shipping or you accumulate more airline miles when shopping with one over the other. Whatever the case is, you have options when shopping for Apple AirTags.

SEE ALSO: Some of Amazon's early Prime Day Apple deals are already add-to-cart worthy

Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel first noticed that Best Buy had dropped the price to $64.99 while Amazon was still hanging out at $74.99. But within one hour, Amazon was down to $64.99. They're always watching. The only retailer who hasn't seemed to get the memo yet is Target.

If you don't have a retailer preference, you might want to opt for snagging the 4-pack of AirTags from Best Buy or Walmart. Both of those will put you in line for free extras like access to Apple TV+ and Apple Music.

While the pack of four Apple AirTags is back at an all-time low price, hop on this deal from whichever retailer you prefer. The bottom line is that you'll have insight into your luggage whereabouts come travel time, and that's well worth the peace of the mind.

Categories: IT General, Technology

What is Rufus? Everything to know about Amazons AI assistant that’s definitely not Alexa

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:22

In late 2024, Amazon introduced Rufus, a generative AI chatbot that helps people shop. It was a curious move for Amazon since the company already has Alexa, which has become a household name at this point. However, there is a difference between the two, and Rufus doesn't act like Alexa in any way.

So, if you’re curious about Rufus and how it works, let's talk about it. 

Amazon officially launched Rufus in February 2025, and the AI chatbot now sits on Amazon’s shopping website and in its app. There are two main ways that shoppers can interact with Rufus. The first is by clicking the Rufus button on the website or in the app, where you can interact with it like any other chatbot. Rufus is also present on product pages, where you can ask it about a specific product and it’ll summarize the Q&A section and reviews to deliver an answer. 

SEE ALSO: Amazon launches AI shopping assistant called...Rufus?

That's how you can use Rufus right now, but there’s more to the AI bot than that. 

What is Rufus?

Rufus is an Amazon AI chatbot that specializes in shopping. Per Amazon, it’s trained on all of the product listings, reviews, and Q&A content on Amazon's website. That informs its ability to answer questions about products, find recommendations, and perform other similar tasks. It also has access to additional data like product popularity and other internal stuff that shoppers don’t have immediate access to, giving the bot even more data to pull from when answering questions. 

In addition, Rufus can access a shopper’s cart, wishlist, and shopping history to help them in other ways. For example, you can ask Rufus to track an incoming package or give recommendations based on the items you have in your cart. 

However, Rufus still functions like a regular chatbot. For example, you can ask it how big a turkey you need for eight people, and it’ll recommend 12 to 16 pounds. You can then ask it for a turkey recipe, and it’ll give you one, complete with product ideas to help, like an instant-read thermometer. So, while its primary focus is shopping, it can answer other questions, too.

Alexa vs Rufus: What’s the difference?

Amazon Alexa is essentially two products now. In its base version, it’s a cloud-based virtual assistant that lives in smart products like Amazon’s Echo devices. This is the Alexa that most people know. It can answer questions, turn on your lights, and do a whole bunch of other stuff. In February 2025, Amazon announced Alexa+, which is powered by generative AI and can do way more things than the base Alexa. Alexa+ also uses Amazon’s Nova Sonic AI voice model, which makes it sound more human than the base Alexa. 

Both Alexa and Rufus are AI-powered Amazon products, and in that, they are similar. The biggest difference is in intent. Rufus is trained and tuned to deliver product recommendations, whereas Alexa and Alexa+ are tuned for general assistance and interaction. In the above example, Rufus will definitely give you a solid turkey recipe and will end that recipe by recommending products on Amazon to assist your cooking. Alexa also responds to that query with a recipe, but may recommend additional recipes instead of products. 

Here’s the TL;DR:

  • Amazon Alexa is a virtual assistant that answers questions and performs tasks. 

  • Amazon Alexa+ is a conversational AI chatbot that does what Alexa does but more fluidly. 

  • Rufus is a conversational AI chatbot that is tuned to deliver product recommendations. 

How to use Rufus

There are three main ways to use Rufus. 

On Amazon.com

  • Head to the webpage with your browser. 

  • Find the Rufus option under the search bar on the left. 

  • A chat window will open, and you can start asking Rufus questions. 

In the app

  • Open the app on Android or iOS.

  • In the bottom right corner, you’ll see Rufus’ icon. Tap it. 

  • A chat window will open, and you can start asking Rufus questions. 

On any product page

  • On either the website or mobile app, navigate to any product page. 

  • Scroll down and pass the product information to the Q&A and reviews section. 

  • There will be a text box where you can ask questions about that specific product.

  • Rufus will answer the question if it can by summarizing product reviews. 

Rufus is actually useful

Rufus is an AI chatbot I use pretty frequently. Sometimes, it gets a little dull doomscrolling through Amazon listings when looking for something like a teal bathroom rug or another type of product where there are hundreds of choices. Having Rufus there to give me some ideas from further down the list without actually having to scroll that far is nice, even if I don’t often buy the products Rufus recommends.

If you haven't tried it, give it a shot next time you shop for something. It's already there and free anyway, so it can't hurt. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

Walmart is kicking off deals up to 50% off Oct. 7 — yes, the same time as Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:15

When a new Prime Day sale gets announced, it's just a matter of time until other retailers get in on the savings. Prime Big Deal Days, aka Amazon's October Prime Day, is coming Oct. 7 and 8, and Walmart is conveniently launching a week of deals starting Oct. 7. And no, that timing is not a coincidence.

Walmart doesn't have a flashy mouthful of a title to the sale like Prime Big Deal Days, but they are teasing lots of good deals. Unlike Prime Big Deal Days or Target's Circle Week, which require you to be a member of the brand's insider program to shop the deals, you don't need to be a Walmart+ member to shop — however, members will get an extra five hours of deals.

While the sale hasn't officially started, on the sale's landing page, Walmart is teasing what's to come. We're expecting tech deals from Apple, home deals up to 50% off, and TV deals from Vizio and LG. Until the sale officially starts tomorrow, here are the best deals we've rounded up at Walmart.

Early Walmart Deals

Being one day out from the official start to Walmart's sale, it's hard to say what are early deals and what will hang around through Oct. 12. While we wait for Oct. 7, here are the best early deals we've found.

Best early Walmart deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G55C Curved Gaming Monitor $179 at Walmart
$249 Save $70 Get Deal Why we like it

The early Walmart deals are slim pickings, but we found a gem with this Samsung gaming monitor. The curved gaming monitor spans 27 inches and with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response, it provides ultra smooth displays. It features AMD FreeSync technology, to prevent image tearing and HDR10 supports a luminous background.

The Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G55C curved gaming monitor is down to $179 at Walmart, saving $70 off its $249 price tag. That saves you 28%, not to mention, it's about $20 cheaper than a similar model listed on Amazon.

More early Walmart dealsWhen is Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale?

Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 12 AM ET. It will run for a full week, wrapping up on Oct. 12. That's much longer than Prime Big Deal Days which will run for just 48 hours on Oct. 7 and 8.

Walmart's sale will actually start a bit earlier for Walmart+ members, who can start shopping the sale Oct. 6 at 7 PM ET.

Do you need to be a Walmart+ member to shop?

This time, you don't need to be a Walmart+ member to shop the seller's deals. The deals will be available to all shoppers on Oct. 7, however, members do get a head start. Walmart+ members can start shopping Walmart's deals on Oct. 6.

This sale is different from Walmart+ Week, which is a members only event and rather than focusing on product deals, it's centered on special services.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Instagram launches Rings award to honor innovative creators (yes, they really get gold rings)

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:00

YouTube has their Creator Award plaques, and now Instagram has their rings.

On Monday, Instagram announced the Rings award, which recognizes creators "who aren’t afraid to take creative chances and do it their way." The winners get a gold ring around their Instagram profile photo and the ability to customize their profile background color and change the "like" button. They will also receive an actual, physical ring.

"Rings isn’t about honoring a specific type of content — it honors a spirit," Instagram said in its press release. "One theme we hear from creators all over the world is the excitement and nervousness that come with making something and putting it out into the world. It takes courage to chase an idea, quiet that inner critic, and create anyway. This award is for the creators who don’t just participate in culture — but shift it, break through whatever barrier holds them back to realize their ambitions. Because every act of creativity, big or small, can lead to something great."

A panel of judges — including Spike Lee, Marc Jacobs, Grace Wales Bonner, KAWS, Pat McGrath, Marques Brownlee aka MKBHD, Yara Shahidi, Cedric Grolet, Ilona Maher, Tainy, Murad Osmann, Eva Chen, and Adam Mosseri — nominated their favorite creators and voted for the final winners. Wales Bonner, one of the judges, designed the ring, which Instagram said in a press release is intended to "inspire even more creativity and reminds us all to take creative chances."

Credit: Instagram

Brownlee, a tech and culture judge with 5.1 million followers on Instagram, 20.4 million followers on YouTube, and a spot on the Mashable 101 list, told Mashable that he has "a pretty good eye for what I call like 'high effort content.' Like when I watch something, and I think to myself, 'that seemed like it was really hard to make,' that makes me really happy."

"A really big part of my own judging criteria was high effort content and creative, and taking risks and trying to make really good stuff," Brownlee said.

While the rings might seem similar to YouTube's subscriber plaques, they don't actually have anything to do with follower count — the basis of YouTube's plaque. Instead, this is the chance to get recognition from your peers, Brownlee said, adding that he's "excited about the creators that will get recognized for this and hopefully the future of the program. Hopefully there's a long future of Rings after this initial wave."

Categories: IT General, Technology
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