Technology

Free phone numbers sound like a better deal than they usually are. Google Voice has been handing out U.S. numbers at no cost for years, and for a while it was one of the more useful things Google made that plenty of people used. The catch is that the rest of Android's phone experience has moved on without it, and the gap between what Google Voice offers and what Google Messages now does has grown so wide that I wouldn't recommend it as anyone's main number.

SAVE $81.99: As of Oct. 5, the Sony XM6 noise-canceling headphones are on sale for $378 at Amazon. That's down from their list price of $459.99 and the lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony XM6 $378 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $81.99   Get Deal

If you've been holding out for a price drop on Sony's premier active noise-canceling cans, now is your chance. The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones just dropped back down to $378 at Amazon, shaving $81.99 off their $459.99 list price and matching their all-time low.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 over-ear headphones pack an upgraded QN3 noise-canceling processor and a 12-microphone array that automatically adjusts to block out your surroundings. They bring back a foldable design for easy packing, tune sound with input from studio engineers, and support high-resolution audio via LDAC.

You get up to 30 hours of playback with active noise cancellation on (and up to 40 hours with it turned off). They also handle wired playback and charging simultaneously, pair with two devices at once over Bluetooth 5.3, and pack physical touch controls right on the earcups.

Earning a 4.5-star rating and a Mashable Choice Award, the XM6 headphones deliver top-tier performance where it counts most. In his review for Mashable, Timothy Beck Werth called the active noise cancellation "phenomenal," noting that slipping them on feels like stepping into an instant "bubble of silence." Sony also fixed the biggest design complaint from the previous generation by bringing back a foldable hinge, pairing it with a sturdier, travel-friendly magnetic carrying case.

Vocals sound noticeably clearer thanks to updated audio tuning, and the plush headband ensures zero ear fatigue during all-day wear. While heavy multi-layered tracks can occasionally blur a bit at lower volumes, getting this level of noise cancellation, comfort, and build quality for $378 makes them an easy pick over full-priced competitors.

Snag the Sony WH-1000XM6 while they're down to their best-ever price at Amazon.

Thought SpaceXAI was hard to pronounce? Wait till you see what Elon Musk is cooking up next.

Following Donald Trump's recent remarks that "artificial intelligence" should in fact be called "supreme intelligence" or "super intelligence," the tech billionaire decided to rename his recently renamed SpaceXAI (officially an AI-focused subsidiary of SpaceX) as SpaceXSI.

Seemingly in wholehearted agreement with the president's idea, Musk shared his own decision on X on Sunday.

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

"No more AI. SI. It's better," tweeted Musk. A follower then asked whether there was any possibility of renaming SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, to which Musk replied: "Yes, we will make that change."

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

Supreme intelligence (also known as an alien artificial intelligence in the Marvel comic universe) is just one of the rebrands Trump has suggested for AI. He also suggested "extreme intelligence" and "superior intelligence," before finally settling on "super intelligence" and signing an executive order on Sept. 29 ushering in the new term.

"The name Super Intelligence conveys the true capabilities of the technologies being developed today, unlocking new forms of human creativity and empowering Americans to achieve what was previously impossible—not simply imitating or automating human intelligence as is implied by the term 'Artificial Intelligence,'" reads a post on the official White House website.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's X launches 'X Numbers'

Artificial intelligence is a term that's been around for decades. Coined by American computer scientist John McCarthy in 1955, it has since been used by countless scientific papers, books, articles, movies, and video games. As one commenter tweeted, Musk is having a hard enough time getting people to call Twitter to his rebranded name "X;" we'll see whether the "SI" rebrand fares any better.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for $159.99 at Amazon. That's close to market price, but does require shoppers to request an invite to buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $159.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now

Amazon’s $89.99 deal on the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box sold out fast, but the retailer still offers one of the most reasonable routes to securing this high-demand set — if you're willing to join the waitlist.

The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is currently listed at $159.99 on Amazon, with shipping and sale handled directly by the retailer. Because inventory remains extremely tight ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon is routing orders through its "request invite" lottery system. Submitting an invite request reserves your spot in line to purchase the box at list price, without paying inflated secondary-market rates.

At $159.99, Amazon’s price sits close to TCGplayer’s market price. It's also considerably cheaper than Walmart, so even though it hurts to miss out on the $89.99 deal that Amazon was offering a couple of weeks ago, this is still a strong option for collectors.

The 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is the premier display piece for this milestone expansion. Each ETB comes packed with nine 30th Celebration booster packs, an exclusive full-art foil Nidorina promo card, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 custom card sleeves, damage-counter dice, a condition marker, card dividers, a collector’s player guide, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

Amazon built Fire TV into the streaming stick that tinkerers happily recommended. Its shift from Android-based Fire OS to the in-house Vega OS ends that deal, swapping app choice and freedom for Amazon's control. And unless stuff changes significantly, future Fire TV sticks are going to be a pass for me.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Booster Bundle is in stock and available for $99 at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Booster Bundle $99 at Amazon
  Get Deal

The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration expansion has triggered a wild price war among third-party sellers. Amazon's price on the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Booster Bundle isn't amazing, but we'll take what we can get right now.

As of Oct. 5, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Booster Bundle is down to $99 at Amazon via marketplace seller BFG Productions. You might find better prices after Prime Day, but Amazon actually has stock and is selling for somewhere close to market price. That's a deal in our eyes.

At $99, you are looking at $16.50 per pack for six sealed 30th Celebration booster packs. That’s a far more palatable rate to chase the set’s heavy hitters like Mewtwo ex, Mew ex, Umbreon ex, Salamence ex, and Greninja ex. Plus, every single pack guarantees one of 30 distinct rare Pikachu variant cards, making this one of the most collectible anniversary drops in recent memory.

Stock tends to disappear quickly, so we recommend jumping on this offer to avoid disappointment. Paying $99 is still a markup over retail, but landing a sealed bundle for under $100 on Amazon is currently your safest bet to dodge $130+ reseller gouging.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

In iOS 27.2, Apple’s Health gets a redesign that includes a series of tests to measure your health against your actual age. Bridget Carey walks (and squats) through her Health Age test and offers tips on what to expect.

Read more about iOS 27 and its best new features: iOS 27 is officially here. Check out the iPhone 18 Pro's new AI features (and a few surprises)
Best iOS 27 tricks to try now (even with an old iPhone)

Timecode chapters
0:24 New Apple Health app for iOS 27
1:07 Apple Health longevity movement assessment demos
1:58 Core and strength tests
2:46 Flexibility tests
2:59 VO2 Max tests
3:53 Adding your lab results to Apple Health
5:06 Adding nutrition and mental health data to Apple Health
5:53 Apple Health personal summaries powered by Apple Intelligence
6:14 Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Health Readiness Score
6:36 Look out for Apple Health Age in iOS 27.2

Video credits
Host: Bridget Carey
Scripted by: Bridget Carey
Producer: Carly Marsh
Camera: Carly Marsh, John Schwartz, Bridget Carey
Video editor: Carly Marsh
Thumbnail designer: Tharon Green

It used to be that picking a Linux distro mostly came down to which desktop you liked and which package manager you preferred. That is less true today. The distros getting attention now are built to do a specific job, whether that's ensuring ta thousand PCs are identical, surviving a bad update, or playing Windows games on your TV.

PCMag's Joe Osborne and CNET’s Josh Goldman break down Apple's latest Mac desktop lineup in this Lab Report. From the base Mac mini M6 with its huge performance gains and upgraded Apple Intelligence to the workstation-class M5 Pro mini and Mac Studio options with M5 Max and M5 Ultra, we analyze whether the recent price hikes are justified for creators, power users, and everyday Mac fans, and how to navigate them.

Explore more coverage of Apple's new Mac desktops: Surprise! New Macs Before iPhone Event — What’s Going On?
Apple announces new $899 M6 Mac mini and $5,499 M5 Ultra Mac Studio

Timecode chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:13 Mac mini M6 overview and pricing
1:42 M6 performance vs. PC mini PCs
4:19 Mac mini design and connectivity
6:17 AI workloads and RAM requirements
9:32 Mac mini with M5 Pro
10:48 Memory bandwidth and future-proofing
14:13 Who should buy the M5 Pro?
17:42 Mac Studio M5 Max and M5 Ultra
20:48 Gaming on Apple Silicon
21:30 Verdict and recommendations

Video credits
Host: Joe Osborne, Josh Goldman
Scripted by:
Producer: Numidas Prasarn
Camera: Numidas Prasarn
Video editor: Dillon Lopez
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

The best early Prime Day MicroSD, portable SSD, and internal SSD deals: Best SSD deal Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 $389.99 (save $250) Get Deal Best Rugged SSD deal SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $245.99 (save $54) Get Deal Best Internal SSD deal Samsung Internal SSD 990 2TB NVMe $369.99 (save $160) Get Deal Best MicroSD deal SanDisk 512GB microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 $159.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best Travel-Friendly SSD deal Samsung T7 2TB Portable SSD $379.99 (save $170) Get Deal

Thanks to the global memory crisis known as "RAMageddon," prices on memory products like internal drives, external SSDs, and high-capacity flash storage have continued to climb. It’s been a relentless up, up, and up trajectory as enterprise demand squeezes consumer supply.

That makes finding genuine discounts during Prime Big Deal Days — Amazon's 48-hour fall savings event kicking off on Oct. 6 and 7 — all the more crucial.

High-speed NVMe drives, rugged external SSDs, microSD cards, and hard drives are Prime Day staples that matter more than ever amid RAMageddon. We did some digging and found the best early Prime Day deals in the solid-state category right now. If you've been waiting to expand your PC build, give your PS5 some breathing room, or secure your off-site backups, now is the time to take advantage of these SSD offers from top-tier brands like Samsung, SanDisk, and more.

SEE ALSO: Our top 5 hacks for evaluating Amazon deals ahead of Prime Big Deal Days Best SSD deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 $389.99 at Amazon
$639.99 Save $250   Get Deal Why we like it

The Samsung 990 PRO delivers top-tier sequential speeds up to 7,450 MB/s, effectively maxing out what a PCIe 4.0 slot can process. That translates directly to faster boot times, near-instant game loading on PC or PS5, and smooth handling of large 4K video renders. It also runs more power-efficiently than its predecessor, so it stays stable under heavy continuous workloads. With a solid five-year warranty and a huge price drop, it’s one of the best value-for-money storage upgrades you can buy right now.

Best rugged SSD deal Opens in a new window Credit: SanDisk SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $245.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $54   Get Deal Why we like it

Pocket-sized, ridiculously fast, and virtually indestructible, the SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD is engineered for harsh travel conditions that would destroy standard desktop drives. It nearly doubles the speed of previous generations, so you can back up thousands of photos in less than a minute, while offering full weather resistance to rain and spills, and hardware encryption to keep your private documents locked down tighter than a vault.

Best travel-friendly SSD deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung T7 2TB Portable SSD $379.99
$549.99 Save $170   Get Deal Why we like it

The Samsung T7 is built for life on the move. Weighing under two ounces and barely larger than a credit card, it slips into a pocket or backpack pouch without taking up space in your carry-on. Its solid aluminum unibody design handles the bumps of travel with ease, featuring shock resistance that withstands drops from up to 6 feet. With transfer speeds up to 1,050 MB/s, you can offload massive 4K travel footage, photo backups, or offline media libraries in seconds. You can even plug it directly into an iPhone 15 Pro (or newer) to record high-res video straight to the drive while on location.

More SSD and hard drive deals

MicroSDs

• SanDisk 32GB Ultra microSDHC — $20.47 $22.65 (save $2.18)

• SanDisk 128GB High Endurance Video microSDXC — $36.99 $60.99 (save $24)

• PNY 64GB Elite-X microSDXC Flash Memory Card 3-Pack — $39.99 $42.99 (save $3)

• Amazon Basics 512GB microSDXC Memory Card — $93.17 $109.62 (save $16.45)

• SanDisk 512GB Extreme microSDXC Card — $133.21 $139.99 (save $6.78)

Portable SSDs

• SanDisk 500GB Portable SSD — $109.99 $128.99 (save $19)

• SanDisk 500GB Extreme Portable SSD — $144.99 $185.99 (save $41)

• Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB — $229.88 $274.99 (save $45.11)

• Samsung T9 Portable SSD 2TB — $981.92 $1,144.99 (save $163.07)

Portable HDDs

• UnionSine 500GB Ultra Slim Portable External Hard Drive — $35.49 $39.43 (save $3.94)

• Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive — $119.99 $149.99 (save $30)

• WD 5TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive — $215 $284.99 (save $69.99)

• Western Digital 5TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive — $235.49 $274.99 (save $39.5)

• WD 6TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive — $259.95 $319.99 (save $60.04)

Internal hard drives

• Western Digital 1TB WD Blue Mobile Hard Drive — $129.99 $144.99 (save $15)

• Samsung 2TB SSD 990 Pro — $389.99 $639.99 (save $250)

There are plenty of free, self-hosted services that can replace popular paid subscriptions. All you need is the hardware to run them on. I paid $200 for my mini PC, and by self-hosting just five services, I save more than $670 every year, based on the monthly subscription prices.

SAVE $100: As of Oct. 5, the iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's $100 off its full price of $599.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) $499 at Amazon
$599 Save $100   Get Deal

Before its Prime Big Deal Days sale starts tomorrow, Amazon's been sneaking in some early deals for shoppers to check out. This includes a variety of discounts on Apple devices. Even the iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) has been discounted, dropping to $499 for a limited time.

If this iPad model has been on your radar, this is a great opportunity to snag it for $100 off its usual full price ($599). Plus, you get to enjoy up to three free months of Apple Arcade, Fitness+, and News+ with your purchase as well.

SEE ALSO: We've scoured hundreds of sales to find the 35+ best early October Prime Day deals: Bose, Lego, Apple

If you're looking for an iPad mainly for reading, the iPad mini is the one we'd recommend, per our roundup of the best iPads of 2026. It has a compact size, which is very helpful if you're bringing it along on vacations or casual outings, with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display. Its A17 Pro chip also offers speedy performance and graphics, plus its all-day battery life can keep you busy in a favorite book for hours.

The iPad mini has a very nice camera, too. It comes with a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera for video calls and selfies, and a 12MP Wide back camera for detailed photos and videos. And if you're curious about how much storage you'll have for all these photos and videos, along with the many apps you're hoping to download, this particular model comes with 128GB to fill.

If this tablet has your attention, be quick to save on the iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) at Amazon before Prime Day tomorrow.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE $17: As of Oct. 5, the Ugreen Nexode Pro 10,000mAh mini power bank is down to $37.97 at Amazon. That’s a 31% savings on a limited-time deal that ends on Oct. 5

Opens in a new window Credit: Ugreen Ugreen Nexode Pro 10,000mAh Mini Power Bank $37.97 at Amazon
$54.99 Save $17.02   Get Deal

If your phone is perpetually hovering at 5% by mid-afternoon, you'll want to grab this fast. Amazon just knocked $17 off the Ugreen Nexode Pro 10,000mAh 45W Mini Power Bank, dropping it to $37.97 — a 31% savings off its usual $54.99 price tag. This power bank is tiny — measuring over 60% smaller than an iPhone 17 Pro Max — and slides effortlessly into a pocket or bag.

Despite its mini cylindrical shape, it packs 45W max fast charging through its built-in 8.7-inch braided USB-C cable (which doubles as a wrist strap), capable of boosting an iPhone 17 Pro Max to 66% or a Galaxy S25 Ultra to 65% in just 30 minutes. It also features a Smart TFT display showing real-time battery stats, temperature, and health, packs a 10,000mAh capacity, and has three output ports (two USB-C and one USB-A) to power up three devices at once.

SEE ALSO: 30+ of the best Anker deals live before Prime Day: We love these deals on power banks, speakers, earbuds, and more

Ugreen has nailed the sweet spot between raw speed and portability with this model. The real draw here is the 45W output: while most mini power banks cap out at 20W or 30W, 45W delivers full-speed fast charging for phones, tablets, or even emergency battery top-ups for a MacBook Air without forcing you to carry a heavy brick.

The built-in braided cable means you'll never have to scramble around your backpack for a spare cord, and the smart display takes the guesswork out by showing your exact battery percentage and health status. Getting a 45W charger from a reliable brand for under $38 is an absolute steal — just make sure you grab it before the timer runs out.

Grab the Ugreen Nexode Pro for 31% off today.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE OVER $549: As of Oct. 5, the DJI Power 2000 portable power station is available for $749.99 at Amazon. That's a total saving of $549.01 from the regular list price of $1,299.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 2000 $749.99 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $549.01   Get Deal

If you do one thing this October Prime Day, we recommend prioritizing big-ticket tech devices that are ordinarily too expensive. You know, things like power stations, which are super practical — essential, you could argue nowadays — but are just too pricey to justify most of the time.

Prime is now just a day away, officially running Oct. 6-7, but we're already feeling electrified by the early deals, including — yes — a super deal on this DJI Power 2000 portable power station.

As of Oct. 5, the DJI Power 2000 portable power station has been marked down from $1299 to $749.99, for a total savings of $549.01.

This power station is built for outdoor adventures, road trips, and general off-grid living. It recharges via the mains or through solar power, and comes equipped with multiple charging points for a variety of devices at any one time. It delivers 300W of power and can power appliances such as a fridge for up to 40 hours.

Get a super deal on a supercharger before Prime Day has even begun, with the DJI Power 2000 portable power station down to $749.99 — a massive saving of over $500.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE $70: As of Oct. 5, the AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $179 at Amazon ahead of Prime Day. That's $70 off their full price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $179 at Amazon
$249 Save $70   Get Deal

Discounts on Apple products are already popping up on Amazon ahead of its Prime Big Deal Days event, including the AirPods Pro 3. As of Oct. 5, these earbuds are $179 at Amazon, which isn't far from their lowest-ever price of $169.

We saw them hit that low point just before June's Prime Day sale, but this offer is still mighty close if you've been hoping to grab them for a low price. Compared to paying the full $249, this deal saves you $70 overall, but it's only available for a limited time. There's no telling just how long that will be, so don't wait too long to scoop them up on sale.

SEE ALSO: We've scoured hundreds of sales to find the 35+ best early October Prime Day deals: Bose, Lego, Apple

While new AirPods may be out in the wild, we still have a lot of love for the AirPods Pro 3. They remain on our list of the best wireless earbuds as our favorite pick for Apple users, as their "sound profile is robust and clear, the noise cancellation truly silences the world around you, and they pair easily to Apple devices."

For those with a more active lifestyle, they also feature built-in heart rate sensors. With these, you can track your heart rate and calories burned while you're working out, which our reviewer Adam Doud said "worked perfectly." They also offer a strong battery life that can last you up to 8 hours with ANC on, or up to 10 in Transparency mode.

This deal is well worth grabbing before Prime Big Deal Days. Don't miss out on $70 off the AirPods Pro 3 right now at Amazon.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

It's been far too long since we saw the agents of Michael & Eagle Lettings together, but thankfully SNL UK has now corrected this.

In the clip above from the show's "Weekend Update" segment, anchor Ania Magliano chats to Jamie Demetriou and Al Roberts, both in character as Stath Lets Flats agents Stath and Al.

The conversation is every bit as chaotic and hilarious as you'd expecting, with the highlight being a song about playing football in America.

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.

SAVE $46: As of Oct. 5, the Kindle 16GB (2024) is priced at $103.99 at Amazon. That's 31% off on the list price of $149.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle 16GB (2024) $103.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $46.00   Get Deal

Just a day out from the official launch of October Prime Day, and Amazon continues to stack up the early deals. That includes discounts on the retailer's own devices, including this Kindle 16GB (2024).

This discount is doubly appealing because Kindle prices have surged due to the tech crunch known as RAMageddon. If you're looking for a new Kindle but don't want to pay top dollar for the latest model, this is a superb deal.

As of Oct. 5, the Kindle 16GB (2024) is marked down to $103.99, which gives you $46 off the regular list price of $149.99.

This particular model is light, bright — 25% brighter than previous versions, in fact — and gives you access to a near-endless supply of books when you sign up for the free Kindle Unlimited subscription.

With Kindle prices skyrocketing, grab the Kindle 16GB (2024) while you can save an impressive $46. Available now for just $103.99.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE $50: As of Oct. 5, the Insignia 65-inch Class QF LED 4K QLED TV is down to its lowest-ever price of $299.99 at Amazon. That's $50 off its list price of $349.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Insignia Insignia 65-inch Class QF Series LED 4K UHD QLED Smart Fire TV $299.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $50   Get Deal

Prime Big Deal Days officially kicks off tomorrow, but if you're hoping to buy a new TV, there's no need to wait.

Amazon has some fantastic early deals live, including a price cut on the Insignia 65-inch Class QF LED 4K QLED TV. As of Oct. 5, this smart TV is already down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

For a limited time, you can snag this screen for $299.99. That's a $50 discount from its usual list price of $349.99. It's only available for a limited time, so you will likely need to shop before the end of Prime Day (Oct. 7).

SEE ALSO: We've scoured hundreds of sales to find the 35+ best early October Prime Day deals: Bose, Lego, Apple

This Insignia model is among our favorite early Prime Day TV deals. Its 65-inch screen boasts sharp 4K Ultra HD resolution and QLED technology, delivering stunning colors and brightness on screen. With a Direct LED backlight, you'll also enjoy rich contrast in what you're watching, so movies, TV shows, and games can really shine with a high-quality picture.

Even the sound quality is a treat, with the TV also supporting Dolby Atmos Audio. This spatial audio technology makes the sounds in your show or movie feel as if they're coming from all around you, making the experience even more immersive as you watch. And on top of all that, it's also a smart Fire TV, so you can easily access your favorite streaming apps.

No need to wait for Prime Day to save on this Insignia 65-inch Class QF LED 4K QLED TV. Grab it for $50 off right now at Amazon.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Star Trek Play Booster Box is on sale for $165.61 at Amazon, down from its $209.70 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Star Trek Play Booster Box $165.61 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $44.09 Pre-order Here

Amazon has once again pushed its Star Trek Play Booster Box preorder down ahead of launch, with the latest price now more than $34 below the previous low we flagged in September. 

As of Oct. 5, the Magic: The Gathering Star Trek Play Booster Box is available to preorder for $165.61 at Amazon. That's a sizeable $44.09 saving against its $209.70 list price. With this new record-low price (confirmed via the price tracker camelcamelcamel), this works out to roughly 21% off, bringing each of the 30 included Play Boosters to about $5.52 apiece.

Sold and shipped by Amazon directly, this box also comes with the retailer’s preorder price guarantee, so you’ll automatically pay the lowest Amazon price offered between ordering and its release on Nov. 13. 

SEE ALSO: The 30+ best early Prime Day deals on trading cards: Pokémon TCG, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, and more

Themed around Magic’s venture into the iconic space-faring franchise (drawing from 60 years of the Star Trek franchise, including special treatments), you’ll get 30 Star Trek set packs — each containing 14 cards. 

Packs include seven commons, three uncommons, a wildcard of any rarity, a Traditional Foil, a rare or mythic rare, a land, and a non-foil double-sided token. What’s more, stardate cards can also replace a common in one out of every 25 boosters. 

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

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

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

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

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

Types of earbuds

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

Wireless

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

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

Wired

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

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

Newer additions to this guide

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

Latest earbuds news

Bose recently announced two new open earbuds: the Ultra Open (2nd gen) and Sport Open. We'll best testing them out to see how they compare to the Shokz earbuds on this guide.

What are the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds?

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

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