Technology

5 unusual storage devices that are faster than any SSD (and why we don't use them for PC storage)

How-To Geek - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 13:30

You may think that if you've spent money on one of the most expensive SSDs (hopefully not too recently, given the prices), you've got the fastest storage in the world. In a way, it's true. But not in every context.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I connected Excel to a folder on my PC, and my weekly report now updates itself

How-To Geek - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 13:00

I used to hate combining weekly Excel reports. Copying data from one workbook to another works well enough, but it gets tedious when you have to do it every week. Then you have to remember whether you've done it, or worry about overwriting existing data. Thankfully, Excel can connect to a folder and combine those files for you, and even though it sounds like Excel wizardry, the setup takes just four simple steps.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best early October Prime Day gaming deals: PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox deals worth grabbing now

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 12:57

The best early Prime Day gaming deals: Best video game deal Starfield (Standard Edition PS5) $39.18 (save $10.81) Get Deal Best console deal Nintendo Switch (Renewed) $189.99 (save $40.50) Get Deal Best gaming monitor deal Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 $199.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best gaming headset deal HyperX Cloud III S $129.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best gaming keyboard deal Razer BlackWidow V4 X $99.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best gaming mouse deal Razer Basilisk V3 $34.98 (save $35.01) Get Deal

Amazon’s October Prime Day is now less than a week away, and the early gaming deals are getting better with each day. We’re already seeing decent price cuts on PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox games, as well as cheaper consoles, gaming monitors, headsets, mice, keyboards, and other setup upgrades ahead of the Oct. 6-7 sale.

Some of the strongest offers have already shifted since these deals first started appearing, so we’ve refreshed our picks to focus on what’s actually worth buying right now. That includes a sub-$200 renewed Nintendo Switch, the best deal on Starfield on PS5, and sizeable savings on gaming gear from HyperX, Samsung, Razer, and more.

We’ll keep updating this page as Prime Day gets closer, but these are the best gaming deals live right now.

Best video game deal Opens in a new window Credit: Xbox Starfield (Standard Edition PS5) $39.18 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.81 Get Deal Why we like it

Starfield only made the jump to PS5 in April, and the Standard Edition is already at a sizable discount. The game is currently listed at $47.31 (usually $49.99), but an on-page coupon drops it to $39.18 at checkout — for a saving of $10.81 in total. This is the full base game rather than a trimmed-down edition, giving you Bethesda’s huge sci-fi RPG with deep character customization, ship building, and over 1,000 planets to explore.

Sharks WandVac hand vacuum is on sale for less than $80 at Amazon — save $50 before Prime Day

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 12:38

SAVE OVER $50: As of Sept. 30, the Shark WandVac is on sale for $79.98 at Amazon. That's $50.01 off its full price of $129.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark WandVac Cordless Hand Vac $79.98 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $50.01 Get Deal

When you don't have time to take an upright vacuum around your house or wait for a robot vacuum to run its course, handheld vacuums are perfect for quick cleanups. If you've been hoping to buy one, Amazon's dropped a great deal on the Shark WandVac ahead of Prime Big Deal Days.

The Shark WandVac is normally priced at $129.99, but Amazon has it on sale right now for $79.98. That saves you just over $50, and this deal is just a few dollars away from its lowest-ever price of $75.99.

The rose gold model has the lowest price, but the black, white, and sage green models are available for a cent more at $79.99.

Whether it's pet hair on seat cushions or crumbs in the car, the Shark WandVac can clear it up. It has a lightweight design for carrying around, weighing just 1.4 pounds, plus a high-speed, brushless motor that offers powerful suction for cleaning up a variety of surfaces. For trickier spots with pet hair, it also comes with a Multi-Surface Pet Tool. There's even a Duster Crevice Tool attachment, which helps reach tight spaces.

Emptying the hand vacuum is quick and easy, done by just touching a button. That way, you don't have to worry about your hands getting dirty in the process. And once you're all done, it can be slotted back into the charging dock.

This Shark WandVac deal is well worth taking advantage of before Prime Big Deal Days. Don't miss out on $50.01 off.

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

Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,797.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,202)

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 Gemini tips and tricks I use in Android Auto

How-To Geek - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 12:30

Android Auto is a bit of a double-edged sword. It makes driving easier in plenty of ways, but throw Gemini into the mix, and suddenly there’s a lot more you can ask your car screen to do. It’s not just “play this” or “text that” anymore. Gemini can actually have a conversation with you.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon deal alert: The Mammotion Luba Mini 2 AWD robot lawn mower drops to $1,699 ($300 off)

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 12:21

SAVE $300: As of Sept. 30, the Mammotion Luba Mini 2 is marked down to $1,999 at Amazon. That's $300 off on the regular list price of $1,699.

Opens in a new window Credit: Mammotion Mammotion Luba Mini 2 $1,699 at Amazon
$1,999 Save $300 Get Deal

A robot vacuum is one thing, but a robot lawn mower is next-level stuff — a luxury item for the people who love their garden but don't always have time to give it their full attention. It's also a luxury item for the few people who can afford it, unfortunately, as they're usually marked at a premium price.

Fear not, because October Prime Day is almost here (launching Oct. 6), with early pre-sale deals bringing a selection of robot lawn mowers to a more affordable price point.

Sure, summer's over, but now's a good time to take advantage of out-of-season prices on gardening tech, so you're ready to roll as soon as springtime hits in 2027. And we really recommend checking out the marked-down Mammotion Luba Mini 2.

As of Sept. 30, the Mammotion Luba Mini 2 is available for $1,699 at Amazon. Compared to the list price of $1,999, you're saving $300 with this limited-time deal.

This high-spec robo-mower uses 360° LiDAR and Dual-Camera AI Vision technology to navigate your garden and avoid obstacles along the way. It easily climbs slopes — making it a solid choice for uneven outdoors spaces — and gets close to edges for a tidy finish.

It also allows you to set specific mowing zones and adjust the cutting height via the app. You don't even need to use the app. Thanks to the DropMow mode feature, which is exactly as it sounds — just drop the Mammotion Luba Mini 2 on the lawn, and it sets to work without any mapping or pre-programming. That said, it boasts intelligent route mapping and — despite being an off-season purchase right now — performs well in cold weather.

Get the Mammotion Luba Mini 2 and save $300 ahead of Prime Day. Now priced at just $1,699.

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

Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

Categories: IT General, Technology

An early Prime Day Kindle deal has finally dropped — save $90 on the Kindle Colorsoft Kids

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 12:08

SAVE $90: As of Sept. 30, the Kindle Colorsoft Kids is priced at $209.99 at Amazon. That's 30% off on the list price of $299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Kids $209.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $90 Get Deal

If you didn't already know, Amazon raised the prices of some of its own devices — including Kindles. This annoying tech price crunch, known as RAMageddon, is a result of the AI industry. And it's not stopping anytime soon, which is why you should jump on October Prime Day deals — particularly if you want a Kindle or another Amazon device.

The good news is that early deals are already live, including a can't-miss discount on the latest version of the Kindle Colorsoft Kids.

As of Sept. 30, the Kindle Colorsoft Kids is marked down to $209.99 — that's $90 off the regular list price of $299.99.

This is the first-ever color Kindle for kids. It comes with a 12-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, which gives your little ones access to a near-endless selection of books, including full-color illustrations.

It also has a parent dashboard where you can see their reading progress, add titles, adjust age filters, and manage their screen time allowance.

With Kindle prices in flux, this is a great opportunity to get a bargain on the latest and best Kindle for kids. Grab the Kindle Colorsoft Kids for £209.99 and make a saving of $90 before Prime Day has even begun.

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

Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

Categories: IT General, Technology

Jimmy Kimmel roasts Trump over his meeting with AI executives

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 12:06

Trump had a meeting with tech leaders recently, where he once again banged on about changing the name of artificial intelligence to "super intelligence" — with Jimmy Kimmel playing a clip of him saying "everybody likes it."

"Yes, I'm sure the guy whose company's name is OpenAI is very excited about this development," says Kimmel in the monologue above. "He's obsessed with changing the names of things. Ever since Don Jr. he's been in love with changing the names of things.

"The idea that our guardrails against AI are being erected by an 80-year-old man, it's like asking your grandpa to set up a WiFi router in your house. You just wouldn't do it."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ryobi’s real advantage over Milwaukee and DeWalt isn’t the price—it’s the ecosystem

How-To Geek - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 12:00

Ryobi is a go-to in the DIY and homeowner space for multiple reasons. Not only do they have a ton of tools for just about any task, but they also make dozens of accessories for hobbies, outdoor activities, and more. Just like tools in general, there's a lot of personal preference and brand loyalty involved, and while Ryobi gets hate online, they're clearly winning in several ways.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The ultimate hands-off clean: Save $220 on the self-emptying Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:59

SAVE $220: As of Sept. 30, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop is available for $229.99 at Amazon. That's 49% off on the list price of $449.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: SharkNinja Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop $229.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $220 Get Deal

Let me guess: You've always wanted a robot vacuum but never wanted to pay full price? Hey, we get it. The robot vacuum is a real luxury item, and not everyone has hundreds of dollars sitting around for such a purchase. Thankfully, October Prime Day is almost here — the two-day sale officially launches on Amazon on Oct. 6 — and discounts are already dropping.

This could be your chance to get a robot vacuum at a significant discount. Indeed, we've spotted a standout deal — an impressive 49% off the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop.

As of Sept. 30, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop is available for just $229.99. Normally priced at $449.99, this robot vacuum is currently on sale for $220 off. According to the price tracker camelcamelcamel, that's $30 below its previous record low.

If you're new to robot vacuums, this is a perfect model. It will suit beginners while offering all the great features you want. First off, it's a dual-clean combination model that both vacuums and mops, taking care of carpets and hard floors.

Controlled by an app, it maps out your home and uses a matrix grid pattern to ensure no spots are missed. It gets deep into room edges and corners and has the smarts to avoid obstacles in its path. When it's finished the job — as you put your feet up, by the way — it returns to its charging station to self-empty and power up.

At this price, it's one of the best deals we've seen on a budget-level robot vacuum — a model that we once ranked in our roundup of the best robot vacuums to buy.

Get the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop for just $229.99 and save a massive $220 ahead of Prime Day.

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

Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

Categories: IT General, Technology

Early Prime Day steal: Philips top-tier DiamondClean 9500 smart toothbrush drops to $149.96

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:53

SAVE OVER $130: As of Sept. 30, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9500 is available for $149.96 at Amazon. That's a 46% saving on the regular list price of $279.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Philips Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9500 eoectric toothbrush $149.96 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $130.03 Get Deal

We all need a high-powered electric toothbrush for tip-top oral hygiene, but with the prices these devices go for, it can be tricky to take the plunge and splash out. Because, let's be honest, a toothbrush isn't a glamorous purchase. Enter October Prime Day, launching on Amazon next week and bringing a huge array of discounts on the items you always need but never want to pay full price for.

Early deals are already flying around on Amazon, including a massive 46% off the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9500 — an app-connected toothbrush bundle that includes a selection of heads, a travel case, and a charging glass.

As of Sept. 30, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9500 is marked down to $149.96. This electric toothbrush is usually listed at $279.99, so that makes an overall saving of $130.03. That's a major chunk of cash, and according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, it marks this Philips toothbrush's lowest-ever price on Amazon.

It's much more than a regular electric toothbrush. It connects with the Sonicare app to give you real-time feedback and guidance on your brushing, advising where and how to brush and how to improve your routine. It also has multiple modes to choose from — including White+, Gum Care, and Deep Clean+ — plus three intensity levels. Not to mention a pressure ring that alerts you when you brush too hard and the promise to remove 2,000% more plaque than other toothbrush models.

It's like the Rolls-Royce of electric toothbrushes, but an affordable one. Indeed, you can score a deal on the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9500 before Prime Day officially begins. Now priced at just $149.96 — a saving of over $130.

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

Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

Categories: IT General, Technology

One of our favorite Ninja kitchen gadgets is $100 off at Amazon — shop the Ninja Luxe Café Premier for $499.99

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:24

SAVE $100: As of Sept. 30, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier 3-in-1 espresso machine is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon. That's a $100 discount off its full price of $599.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Luxe Café Premier 3-in-1 Espresso Machine $499.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $100 Get Deal

The sleek Ninja Luxe Café Premier 3-in-1 espresso machine is one of our favorite kitchen appliances from the brand, striking "the perfect balance of user-friendly design with high-end settings." Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon has dropped a nice deal on this popular model.

As of Sept. 30, this Ninja espresso machine is priced at $499.99 on Amazon. That's $100 off its usual full price of $599.99, and not too far from its lowest-ever price of $479.99. It may not be live for long, though. With October Prime Day fast approaching, this deal may not last long beyond the 48-hour shopping window.

Whether you enjoy a tasty espresso drink or just a plain ol' cup of coffee, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier makes brewing simple and easy. It has a 3-in-1 design, with two espresso styles (double shot or quad shot), three drip coffee styles (classic, rich, or over ice), and two cold brew styles (cold-pressed espresso or cold brew coffee).

Its built-in conical burr grinder has 25 settings, which help you grind up the beans exactly how you'd like them for your preferred drinks. Plus, its Dual Froth System steams and froths milk for various drinks. We consider it Ninja's best espresso and coffee machine, so why not grab it while it's still on sale?

Don't miss out on $100 off the Ninja Luxe Café Premier 3-in-1 espresso machine at Amazon.

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

Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,797.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,202)

Categories: IT General, Technology

Soon youll be able to get ready to pre-order the iPhone Duo

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:22

Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, will be available for pre-order on Oct. 16. But if you really want one, you can prepare for that moment four days in advance.

Reddit users noticed that Apple's pre-order page for the iPhone Duo now says you can "come back on 10.12 to get ready for pre-order."

To see what that means, just visit the pre-order page, where you can already pick your phone's finish and storage, choose whether you want to trade in an old device, and pick financing options, AppleCare coverage, and your preferred carrier.

Right now, you can't really do much with that, as the "Continue" button is greyed out. But on Oct. 12, you'll presumably be able to save all that data, so you can pre-order the phone with one click when the time comes.

The time will officially come at 5 a.m. PT (8 a.m. ET) on Oct. 16, and the iPhone Duo will start shipping to customers on Oct. 23.

While there's no official word on this, rumors have long claimed that the iPhone Duo might be in short supply at launch. While not everyone will be able to pre-order it right away, making sure you have everything set up before the pre-order window opens might help you get your device a bit sooner.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Home Depot’s 2026 holiday drop is officially live: Shop smart trees, giant animatronics, and more

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:09

Home Depot holiday collection 2026 lineup: 6.5-foot Animated LED App Controlled Santa $299 at The Home Depot Shop Now 8.5-foot Giant-Sized LED Towering Santa $299 at The Home Depot Shop Now 7.5-foot SMART Grand Duchess Twinkling Balsam Fir LED Pre-Lit Tree $349 at The Home Depot Shop Now 9-foot Smart Grand Duchess Twinkling Pre-Lit Tree $549 at The Home Depot Shop Now

If you thought we were done going feral over artificial pine trees, think again. The Home Depot just announced its official 2026 holiday collection, and the retailer is bringing back its internet-famous Grand Duchess Christmas tree with a major high-tech glow-up.

This year’s viral favorite now features Hubspace app integration, so you can customize your tree’s light displays and twinkling effects directly from your phone. The new lineup also packs plenty of extra holiday energy, including giant app-controlled Santas to dominate your front yard. The full collection drops in stores nationwide starting Oct. 5, but you can already snag the biggest hero items online right now.

Talk to your guests through a 6.5-foot smart Santa

Forget stiff, silent decor — this life-sized Santa acts as an interactive host for any indoor setup. Internal servo motors drive fluid movements with blinking eyes and a warm, glowing lantern. Through the Décor-Pro app, you can trigger built-in phrases, record up to 30 custom voice clips, or broadcast your voice in real-time using "Live" mode. Motion-sensor activation, a 6-hour timer, and a quick 45-minute setup make this an instant holiday centerpiece.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot 6.5-foot Animated LED App Controlled Santa $299 at The Home Depot
Shop Now Let this cordless 8.5-foot giant Santa take over your front yard

If your yard display goal is pure, unadulterated neighborhood dominance, this 8.5-foot Towering Santa is the answer. Rated for both indoor and outdoor use, it features a warm lantern with a realistic flickering flame effect to guide Santa’s path. It also runs on three AA batteries, so no tripping over trailing extension cords or hunting for outdoor outlets. A built-in 6-hour timer handles nightly display duty automatically, while a quick 45-minute setup ensures your giant yard flex goes up with minimal hassle.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot 8.5-foot Giant-Sized LED Towering Santa $299 at The Home Depot
Shop Now The viral tree that broke TikTok is now app-controlled

The tree that took over TikTok is back, and it finally has the tech upgrade everyone was waiting for. Now integrated with the Hubspace app, this 7.5-foot Grand Duchess Twinkling Pre-Lit Tree lets you swap between 10 light functions, adjust brightness, and set custom schedules straight from your phone — or via Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. Packing 3,271 branch tips and 2,250 color-changing micro fairy LEDs (which stay lit even if a bulb goes out), it gives you an ultra-lush, professional look instantly.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot 7.5-foot SMART Grand Duchess Twinkling Balsam Fir LED Pre-Lit Tree $349 at The Home Depot
Shop Now Go big with this ultimate floor-to-ceiling holiday centerpiece

If you have vaulted ceilings or simply want the grandest display on the block, the 9-foot Grand Duchess is the ultimate statement piece. Packing a massive 4,539 evergreen branch tips and 3,400 color-changing micro fairy LEDs, it delivers a dense, glow-heavy look that easily fills larger living rooms. Like its 7.5-foot sibling, it connects straight to the Hubspace app for custom scheduling, 10 lighting modes, and hands-free voice control via Alexa or Google Assistant.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot 9-foot Smart Grand Duchess Twinkling Pre-Lit Tree $549 at The Home Depot
Shop Now

These sellout-risk decor pieces won't last through October. Stock up on your holiday essentials now over at The Home Depot.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 4 best iPads of 2026: Should you buy the 2026 iPad Air with M4 chip?

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:00

At this point, iPads can do (almost) anything your laptop can do thanks to iPadOS 26. Not to mention, the iPad Air with M4 just got a memory boost up to 12GB, putting it a tier above some laptops. Whether you want to stream, browse the internet, illustrate, or edit videos, you can do it on the iPad.

The rapid pace of Apple's update schedule makes shopping for a tablet all the more difficult. So, we tested every model to help you find the best iPad for you.

2026 iPad price increases

With the global memory crisis, iPad pricing took a hit. Apple raised prices across the board. Here's a breakdown of the price increases.

This year, iPad prices rose as much as $200 across models. Credit: Mashable How much will iPads cost during Prime Big Deal Days?

Since we can't predict the future, we can only rely on past data to know how cheap iPads will be during Prime Big Deal Days (running Oct. 6 and 7). We rounded up the all-time low prices on every iPad model to get an idea of what to expect during Amazon's October Prime Day.

The 11th generation iPad is the cheapest but the iPad Air has had the most recent price drop. Credit: Mashable

Unfortunately, I don't suspect any of the iPads will reach new all-time lows during Prime Big Deal Days, simply because all of Apple's tablets increased in price this year. That being said, I would like to see solid deals on iPads for this upcoming sale. In an ideal world, sale prices on iPads would fall below the prices of these models before they were increased.

Which iPad model should I buy?

The right iPad for you depends purely on your needs. Do you want something that has enough storage and speed for streaming? Do you want to use it to read? Do you want to use a tablet as your primary workstation? Your answers should factor into your decision.

To get you started, we believe the best iPad for most people is the M4 iPad Air (2026). It has exceptional performance but is also in the middle range for both price and capability.

Categories: IT General, Technology

We tested the most popular Ninja appliances, and these are our favorites

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:00

We wanted to test our way through the best Ninja had to offer in kitchen appliances. We brought the most popular products from the brand into our kitchens to see how the Creami, Slushi, Foodi, and Ninja Kitchen System stacked up.

Why buy Ninja?

There are plenty of kitchen appliance brands out there, so why Ninja? Generally, we find its products to be some of the best value products. They tend to be the most affordable options on the market that still deliver excellent performance.

Plus, Ninja products are really beginner-friendly devices that are easy to use with minimal setup required. The appliances bring ease with delicious end products. The Creami is a perfect example of this. Traditional ice cream making requires a bit of skill, knowing how to cook custards to the right temperature with hours of churning. But the Creami simplifies ice cream making with a user-friendly product that still delivers a fantastic end result.

Just because they're beginner-friendly devices doesn't mean they're only for beginners. They're convenient devices with professional-level performance that help develop a more efficient kitchen.

Other products we tested

Having rounded up the best Ninja kitchen appliances means we tested a lot of products and not all of them made it to the list, two notable exceptions being the Ninja Creami Deluxe and Foodi Grill and Air Fryer.

The Ninja Deluxe was my introduction to the Creami lineup, and it is great. It spun up creamy frozen confections and even featured a frozen drink setting. However, compared to the Swirl, it required several re-spins to get the right texture.

Meanwhile, the Foodi Grill was another great multicooker from Ninja. The indoor grill made delicious, juicy chicken breasts with actual char marks. Plus, its air-frying capabilities were a little too good. It got things crispy fast, but often felt like it dried out food in the process. Plus, it was just so large that it didn't feel like a practical device for most people.

That being said, these devices are good, but not in our all-star line-up.

Categories: IT General, Technology

European spacecraft snaps stunning views of home and the moon

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:00

Europe's Jupiter-bound Juice spacecraft photographed Earth and the moon as it whipped past our home planet on Monday, stealing energy to fly the long trip.

During its flyby, the European Space Agency's probe came within 5,370 miles of Earth, jetting over the Indian Ocean. It made its closest approach at 7:45 a.m. ET. One of its monitoring cameras captured Africa, and its navigation camera snapped Madagascar and the moon.

Earth's gravity bent the spacecraft's trajectory by 20 degrees and sped it up by about 7,800 mph. Juice, short for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, burned little fuel to get that boost, officials said.

The space flyby marked the mission's second Earth pop-in and ticked off yet another gravity assist to fling the spacecraft onward. The series of maneuvers began in 2024 with a combined moon-and-Earth flyby, and it also included a pass by Venus in 2025. Juice will return for a third and final Earth flyby in Jan. 2029, which should set it on its final course to Jupiter. It should arrive at the gas giant in 2031.

"We used only a small amount of the propellant reserved for this flyby," said Angela Dietz, Juice's spacecraft operations manager, in a statement. "This gives us more to use at Jupiter to carry out observations of the planet's icy moons."

Juice's two monitoring cameras kept shooting photos throughout the visit, taking their final shots on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the navigation camera turned toward the edge of the moon. Those frames are more than just stunning pictures; they are a test of a new method for pinpointing the spacecraft's position, a skill Juice will need to steer around Jupiter's moons.

In the next few weeks, the agency expects to release high-resolution views of Earth and the moon from JANUS, Juice's main science camera, once scientists have reviewed them. (If you're wondering what that acronym stands for, it's a Latin phrase: "Jovis, Amorum ac Natorum Undique Scrutator," which loosely means, "Comprehensive exploration of Jupiter and his loves and descendants.")

As Juice swung around Earth for a gravity assist, it caught a view of Africa, with the moon visible as a tiny gray speck to the right of the planet. Credit: ESA / Juice / JMC

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Once Juice arrives at Jupiter, the spacecraft will make 35 flybys of the giant moons Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto. All three moons have oceans, and scientists want to know whether they could support life, now or perhaps in the past. Juice will also study Jupiter's intense magnetic field and radiation before it settles into orbit around Ganymede in 2034.

Why fly in such a loopy way? A direct trip would naturally take less time, but it would require a massive rocket and a staggering amount of fuel. Juice would then need even more fuel to slow down so it wouldn't overshoot Jupiter. By borrowing speed from Earth, the moon, and Venus, Juice saves fuel it will need later for the actual science part of the mission.

The Juice spacecraft caught Madagascar at its closest approach to Earth during a flyby on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. Credit: ESA / Juice / NavCam

Scientists used the flyby as a rehearsal, giving them a chance to test Juice's instruments on a real target in space. They got the first during the 2024 moon-and-Earth flyby and the second when Juice observed interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in 2025.

Juice didn't waste the opportunity to see Earth in a new way, spending several days in its "magnetotail." That's the part of the magnetic field that a steady stream of charged particles from the sun sweeps out behind the planet. As Juice took measurements down the tail, the European-Chinese Smile mission watched the Northern Lights, a magnetic field phenomenon at the north pole that happens when solar energy crashes into Earth's atmosphere.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get 1TB of cloud storage for life with one $200 payment

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:00

TL;DR: Pay $199.99 once for lifetime access to 1TB of Koofr cloud storage, with encrypted files, multi-device access, and tools for managing your digital clutter.

Opens in a new window Credit: Koofr Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB) $199.99
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Cloud storage is useful. Adding another recurring payment to your monthly expenses? Annoying. Koofr Cloud Storage is just $199.99 (reg. $810) for a lifetime 1TB subscription, giving you plenty of space without an ongoing storage bill.

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Koofr can also connect with existing Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon, and OneDrive accounts. That makes it useful for anyone whose files have gradually scattered across multiple cloud services. Instead of remembering where you put something six months ago, you can access your connected storage from one place.

There are some handy organizational features, too. Koofr’s Duplicate Finder can help identify unnecessary copies eating into your storage, while advanced renaming options provide additional control over your files.

Privacy hasn’t been treated as an afterthought. Koofr doesn’t track you, and files are encrypted both while they’re stored and during transfer.

Rather than paying repeatedly for cloud storage, one payment gets you lifetime access to 1TB. For someone who already knows they’ll continue needing cloud space, paying once can be a much cleaner approach.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Alberta Tech went from YouTube engineer to YouTube creator. Heres how she did it.

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:00

Alberta Tech didn't start posting TikToks because she was plotting her escape from corporate America. She was bored.

Like so many of us, cooped up at home in the early days of the pandemic, she started filming jokes, riffing on the absurdity of her tiny New York apartment and whatever else the For You page happened to hand her. A software engineer by day, she was just looking for a little fun. What she found instead were fellow tech workers, who saw themselves in every short-form bit.

By then, she'd been an engineer at Google for six and a half years, some of them spent on YouTube. For a long stretch, she lived two lives at once, building features for one of the world's biggest creator platforms by day, then becoming a creator herself by night like a techy Hannah Montana. But earlier this year, she stopped splitting herself in two and went full-time.

Her old life turns out to be her secret weapon. Alberta's comedy takes the dizzying, sometimes ridiculous world of tech, from generative AI to vibe coding, and makes it make sense by making it funny. She was once a hard skeptic of generative AI, and while it's now part of her workflow, she's still not sold on its ability to write a joke that lands.

In Mashable's Creator Playbook, Alberta Tech opens up about walking away from software engineering, why laughter is the fastest route to understanding, what AI is actually good for, and the one question every aspiring creator should answer before quitting the day job.

She was bored during the pandemic. Now she's turning her tech background into a full-time comedy career. Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Getty Images

Mashable: You had an established career as a software engineer before becoming a full-time creator. What made you start making content?

Alberta Tech: I started making content during COVID. I was just bored at home. I was like, "I want to be making jokes on TikTok," because everybody I know is scrolling TikTok right now, making jokes on TikTok. I started off making really silly jokes about whatever would land. I'd make jokes about living in a tiny New York apartment during COVID, anything I could. As time progressed, I found my community more and more through tech, through software developers specifically. At that time, I was working as a software engineer at Google, so that was what my daily life was all about. It sort of grew from there.

Mashable: How did you balance your career at Google with being a content creator?

Alberta Tech: For a long time, I was doing both, until just a couple months ago. I loved working in my job. I was working specifically on YouTube, which obviously is very important to me now. I loved being able to build features for YouTube. But at a certain point, I realized that to take this really seriously, make the kind of content, and hit the high-quality bar I wanted, I needed to do this full-time.

Were you nervous to finally make that leap?

Totally. I was so nervous to tell my boss. She was like, "Are you sure about this?" And I was like, "I'm pretty sure. I've been thinking about this for a long time."

Do you think being an engineer helped establish trust with your audience?

I think it's super important. My audience now is just over half software engineers and developers. To speak to that group of people, you need to have some kind of credential behind you. You need to know what you're talking about.

I didn't talk about my career at Google specifically online almost ever because I didn't want to get fired, mostly. But I think the way I was talking about the topics and the things I was referencing made my audience know that I truly did have a career in this.

You satirize generative AI a lot, but you've also described yourself as cautiously optimistic about it. How did you get there?

When generative AI first started becoming popular, I was so, so skeptical. I don't know if you've heard the term "stochastic parrot," the idea that the LLM is just saying the next most plausible thing. I was like, "Everyone thinks these things are genius, but they're kind of spewing garbage." And in late 2022, they were kind of spewing garbage.

But I have been really impressed by the progress that I've seen. I've seen AI used for actually very useful and good things, and now it's a part of a lot of my workflows. It has made me optimistic about what the future is going to bring.

What do you think AI is actually good at for creators, and what is it still terrible at?

I use AI a lot for researching, and I think that can be really useful because obviously you shouldn't be trusting facts blindly that you get from AI. But it can show you which paths to go down. This happens to me all the time where I'm asking AI about a topic I want to cover, and then I'm seeing, "I didn't even know about this backstory, and now I'm going to be able to go down a rabbit hole here." I think that is amazing.

Where I'm still not 100 percent convinced is the creativity aspect of it. I know people will try all the time to write out a script using ChatGPT. I have never had that work for me. I can have it give feedback and say, "This is not a good fact. This is spelled wrong." But whenever I say, "Generate a funny script" — not quite. It's not quite there yet.

"Vibe coding" has become this huge internet buzzword. As an actual software engineer, what's your relationship with it?

It's interesting because for software engineers, the word "vibe coding" has become such a dirty word. People really don't want to be called a vibe coder. But the word has evolved a lot. When it first came out, it truly meant typing into ChatGPT, Claude, whatever, "Build me a website," don't look at it at all, and just blindly trust that code.

Now a lot of developers have tools that fit into their workflows, so they can actually look at that code, know what's going on, or give very specific instructions as to what they want the AI to do. It has evolved a lot. It's not just blindly trusting that code, but becoming part of basically every programmer and software engineer's workflow.

We don't have a great word to describe that process. I've heard "agentic engineering" used before, but it's not a very popular colloquial word, I will say.

How has being an engineer made you a better creator? And did being a creator ever make you a better engineer?

My job as an engineer has definitely helped me as a creator in that I'm talking about technical topics, and I had six and a half years of experience really delving into those technical topics. I don't know every topic that comes up in the news, but I know how to look into those. I know how to think about them, how to conceptualize them. And then, in a boring way, working in corporate for a long time helped me stay on top of emails, stay on top of my calendar, know how to do all those not-so-fun but very important things.

As a creator, what really helped me in my career as an engineer was being able to communicate and being able to talk about these more technical topics in ways that are easy to understand.

Your videos are funny, but you're also unpacking some pretty complicated topics. How do you balance entertaining people with actually educating them?

I like to say that comedy is one of the best ways to get to the root of a problem, to get to the root of a topic. If somebody is laughing at something that is kind of technical, they have to understand it in some capacity. Sometimes I find that setting up the joke and making the punchline and giving just enough context to make that happen lets people actually get the topic, get the news story that's going on in AI.

As AI tools get better, do you think they'll make it harder for human creators to stand out?

I think AI does level the playing field a little bit. People are using AI tools so much, obviously now to the point of fully AI influencers, which is a bit scary. I would like to think that what helps you stand out is the original idea, the original script — not just an AI influencer reading it or having a ChatGPT script.

I actually ran an experiment where I took a video that I had posted before that had gone pretty viral, and I remade the whole video with AI video generation tools and took the exact same script. The video did pretty well, which told me a couple things. One, that the concept was the most important thing. And second, it told me video generation is getting really good. Scary good.

What's exciting you most about tech right now?

All of the new model releases and everything that's going on are uncomfortably exciting, as I say, because we are really on the precipice of this really intelligent AI, and everyone is paying attention. These used to be topics that were so small and only appealed to a small group of very technical people. But now it's something that is in the news every day. Everyone is talking about it.

What would you tell someone who's thinking about quitting their job to become a full-time creator?

My advice to new creators is that, in a lot of cases, your audience doesn't really care about you as a person, and so you kind of have to make them care about you. Until you can find that thing that makes them care about you — the value that you're providing, the entertainment that really hooks — you have to keep trying.

Don't quit your job until you find that thing.

Categories: IT General, Technology

AdultFriendFinder cost: How much it is, how it bills

Mashable - Wed, 09/30/2026 - 11:00

If you're looking for online hookups, it's only a matter of time before you find your way onto AdultFriendFinder.

Though it's not a mainstream name like Tinder, it's one of the big boys in the hookup site game. Launching in 1996, AFF is one of the longest-running, most popular adult dating sites around — a go-to place for finding hookups and adult content. AFF has over 80 million registered users across the globe, with some two million users active every week. It's essentially an adult site with a huge social network built in — a playground for horny adults everywhere who want to make a connection or quite simply get it on.

But once you're registered and you've set up your own profile, you'll soon realize that the free version of AFF is limited. The real fun is hiding behind the site's paywall, which means upgrading your account to get the very best out of your AFF experience. We're here to get you started with a guide on everything you should know about AdultFriendFinder's premium membership from a cost and billing perspective:

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder Learn More AFF membership tiers and costs

The good news about AFF's premium membership is that it gives you access to a stack of useful features, many of which you won't find on other dating sites. These features include unlimited one-on-one messaging, improved search functionality, and higher-res photos and videos. AdultFriendFinder actually offers two premium memberships, Gold and VIP, but to become a VIP, you need to opt into a Gold membership first, so it's worth exploring the Gold tier before upgrading again.

A Gold membership will cost $35.95 per month if you sign up for a single month. But there's a downward scale to incentivize you to join for longer periods. It's $26.95 per month if you commit to a three-month membership, or $19.95 per month if you opt for the entire year. VIP members don't gain any additional on-site functionality, but they do unlock exclusive perks that make them more visible to others, including a special VIP badge, access to a VIP lounge, and priority placement in search results.

Multiple payment options

AdultFriendFinder offers a wide variety of payment methods — far more than most other online dating sites, in fact. You can, of course, opt to pay with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, but not AmEX), or with a bank transfer/direct debit payment, but you can also pay with a gift card or cash/check/money order (in the United States only). Residents of the United Kingdom can even place an order via SMS on their smartphones.

If you're especially cautious about absolute privacy, you might be interested in the gift card, money order, or SMS payment options. This allows you to withhold more of your personal data than when you use credit cards.

Watch out for the auto-renewal feature

One key thing to be aware of is that your premium AdultFriendFinder membership will automatically renew at the end of your billing cycle unless you disable this feature or use a one-time payment method, such as a gift card.

SEE ALSO: All your Tinder questions, answered

To disable the auto-renewal feature and prevent unwanted credit card billing, navigate to the My Stuff tab, scroll down to My Account, and then click Billing History & Credit Card Info. Under the Subscription and Product Status menu, you will see your premium memberships and an On/Off toggle for the Auto-Renew feature. Note that if you have more than one paid membership, such as both the Gold and VIP tiers, you need to toggle off the auto-renewal button for both memberships to prevent further charges.

Billing statement

Because discretion matters, especially for many AdultFriendFinder users, it's worth noting that the AFF billing statement is reasonably anonymous. The only wording that will appear on your bank or credit card statement is "FFNHelp.com*FRIENDF."

Troubleshooting

If you have a question or concern about your bill that wasn't answered by any of the above, you can always reach out to the AdultFriendFinder support line toll-free at 888-575-8383.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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Alberta Tech went from YouTube engineer to YouTube creator. Heres how she did it.

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