Technology

SAVE $161: As of Nov. 11, the Hisense 50-inch E6 Cinema Series is on sale for $218.99 at Amazon. That's a 42% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 50-inch E6 Cinema Series $218.99 at Amazon
$379.99 Save $161   Get Deal

Black Friday is technically still a few weeks away, but you don't need to wait until the end of the month to snap up impressive deals. Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have their events underway already, and Amazon has announced its discounts will begin on Nov. 20. However, there are already some early deals popping up that are catching our eyes. And if you're looking for a new TV, this deal on the Hisense 50-inch E6 Cinema Series is not one to ignore.

As of Nov. 11, this TV is on sale for $218.99, saving you $161. Not only are you saving over $100, but it is down to its lowest-ever price. You really can't beat that. So, if your old TV has packed in and you can't wait until Black Friday begins, this deal is a great one to score early. This price is for the 50-inch model, however all size options of this TV are on sale. From 43-inch all the way to 100-inch, all of these TVs are discounted by at least $100.

SEE ALSO: I found 30+ early Black Friday tech deals I'd recommend to friends and family: Save on Apple, Samsung, DJI

It has QLED color technology and it uses quantum dots to produce over a billion shades for a much more realistic viewing experience. Its Total HDR Solution supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10, and HLG, giving you deep blacks and vivid brightness. And as the name would suggest, this TV promises an almost cinema-like experience. This is thanks to the Dolby VisionTM HDR and Dolby Atmos which combine cinema-grade picture and sound for an immersive experience.

On the inside you're getting the Fire TV OS, so you have a great and easy to use interface that puts live channels and apps right at your fingertips. You'll also get Alexa voice so you can search through streaming platforms, ask questions, and do pretty much anything hands free.

Get this great TV deal from Amazon now.

SAVE $402: As of Nov. 11, the Anker Solix C1000 is on sale for $497.99 at Amazon. That's a 50% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 $397.99 at Amazon
$799 Save $401.01   Get Deal

It’s officially the month of big discounts. With Black Friday just a few weeks away, many retailers are already launching their early deals, giving you nearly an entire month to save. Amazon's Black Friday event doesn't technically get underway until Nov. 20, but if you look hard enough, you'll find some impressive deals already live. And if you've been on the hunt for a power station, this deal on the Anker Solix C1000 will definitely catch your eye.

As of Nov. 11, this power station is now priced at $397.99. That's half off, and over $400 in savings ($402, to be exact). This is the lowest it has been priced, so Black Friday or not, this is a bargain.

SEE ALSO: I found 30+ early Black Friday tech deals I'd recommend to friends and family: Save on Apple, Samsung, DJI

The Solix C1000 provides up to 2,400W of output through 11 ports, with Anker saying it can power up to 99% of common appliances. This applies to use at home, in an RV, or for keeping you powered while camping. It can keep a refrigerator running for 14 hours, a laptop for 17 hours, and a router for 52 hours.

It charges fast too, perfect if you need to use it with minimal notice. In 43 minutes it can reach 80% battery, and full in just under an hour when using an AC input with UltraFast recharging through the Anker app. It also supports solar charging with up to 600W Fast Solar Recharging that can fully charge the device in around 1.8 hours.

Pick up this power station deal from Amazon ahead of Black Friday.

As Mashable's tech editor, I get early access to a lot of really cool products. I also have a pretty deep knowledge of the coolest new gadgets, from the latest virtual reality tech to everyday fitness trackers and new Apple laptops. I've also been covering Black Friday sales since 2019, and I have a very good idea of what goes on sale, what kind of discounts to expect, and which deals you can safely skip. So, now that retailers are rolling out all their early Black Friday tech deals, I'm curating this guide to the best savings of the season.

In this guide, you'll find all the Black Friday tech deals I'd actually recommend to my friends and family. Before recommending a Samsung QLED TV or Anker charger, I'll first make sure that the price is actually a good deal. Online retailers are notorious for exaggerating their sales, but I've done the work for you to find the biggest genuine discounts at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and beyond.

So, keep checking back as I add new discounts on the season's best gadgets, toys, wearables, and tech gifts. I've personally tested many of the products in this guide, while others have been tested by other Mashable reporters. If you see a deal in this story, it's because I'd truly recommend that product — and at that price — to my loved ones.

The Apple Watch SE 3

Apple just launched the new version of its starter smartwatch in September, and it's already earned a spot in my guide to the best smartwatches of the year. The truth is, while we also loved the longer-lasting Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra Watch 3, the new SE 3 is the right pick for the vast majority of people. This is a true lifestyle smartwatch that also does double duty as a fitness and sleep tracker. Plus, it even has an always-on Retina OLED display. At Amazon, you can pick up this smartwatch for $199.99, a 20% discount ahead of the holiday shopping season.

Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS) $199.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $49.01   Get Deal at Amazon Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones

Bose recently released a new version of its flagship noise cancellers, and in our review of the headphones, we noted that the new model is nearly identical to the original. However, the new version will set you back $449, which is a big ask in this economy. The Gen 1 version are still some of the best, most-comfortable headphones in the world, and ahead of Black Friday, they're on sale starting at just $299 (if you go for the limited-edition plum colorway at Amazon). While it's possible these headphones might get a bigger price drop come Nov. 28, they're already at a record-low price.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 1) $329 at Amazon
$429 Save $100   See It at Amazon See It at Amazon See It at Walmart Rechargeable Electric Hand Warmers

Alexa informed me that New York City faces its first freeze warning of the season, and now I'm mad at her. However, I do have something to keep the chill away. I've been using and recommending these cute electric hand warmers for years, and they're one of my favorite undiscovered gems at Amazon. They're one of my go-to stocking stuffers, and they'll keep your hands toasty and warm all winter long. If you're looking for tech deals under $25, this is my personal recommendation.

Opens in a new window Credit: Orastone Orastone Electric Hand Warmer $17.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $12   Get Deal Samsung's famous art TV

I've said it before: Samsung's cult-favorite art TV, The Frame, is the best TV in the world. This super-thin TV doubles as an art gallery for your living room, adding to your home's decor instead of distracting from it. The 2025 model of The Frame has a fancy new AI processor, as well as a magic-like matte, anti-glare display. While you can catch this TV on sale at any retailer you like, Amazon currently has the best price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED Art TV $997.99 at Amazon
$1,197.99 Save $200   Get Deal Stock up on Anker chargers

I'm a big fan of Anker's charging products, especially the brand's GaN turbochargers, sold under the name Anker Prime. These are the chargers I personally use to charge up all the devices I test, and they can charge multiple devices at once without breaking a sweat. And if you travel frequently, check out the brand's new portable laptop charger. Slip this into a backpack or purse and you can charge up your laptop or phone on the go.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Prime 6-in-1 USB C Charging Station, 140W $59.99
$109.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Portable Laptop Power Bank $91.99
$134.99 Save $43.00   Get Deal DJI's cult-favorite wireless microphones

If you're a content creator or vlogger, then you've probably heard of DJI's famous pocket mics, currently 46% off at Amazon. These wireless mics replace the awkward wired lavaliers of the past, and they clip on to your shirt or collar magnetically. There's a reason you can spot these microphones all over TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube. I've personally tested these microphones, and they've been a huge help to the Mashable video team at live events.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic Mini $99 at Amazon
$169 Save $70 Best-seller at Amazon Get Deal Re-up on Apple AirTags

Look, the best Black Friday deals aren't always super exciting. This is your chance to stock up on products you need. Case in point: Apple AirTags are currently 50 cents away from their lowest-ever price. At Amazon, a 4-pack is 34% off, and you'll pay just $16.25 per tracker. Using ultra-wideband technology and Apple's Find My network, there's no better way to track lost items.

Apple AirTag (4-Pack) $64.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $34.01   See It at Amazon See It at Adorama See It at Walmart Eufy robot vacuums

Eufy has impressed me this year. The brand may not have quite the name recognition as iRobot in the vacuum space, but you'll find Eufy robot vacuums all over Mashable shopping guides. If you're looking for a budget self-emptying vacuum without lots of unnecessary bells and whistles, try the Eufy C10 Robot Vacuum, which I've personally tested. Our vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, has also been impressed by the Eufy X10 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop, which she named one of the best cleaning machines of the year.

Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy C10 Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum $197.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $22   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy eufy X10 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo $499.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $400   Get Deal A nearly perfect $99 smartwatch

In our review of the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro, we said that the British brand should be charging three or four times as much. Instead, they've lowered the price, as this smartwatch is getting regular discounts to $79 before the holidays. This smartwatch has a superb AMOLED display and excels as both a fitness tracker and sleep tracker. At this price, this is easily one of the best Black Friday tech deals of 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing CMF By Nothing Watch 3 Pro $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20   Get Deal A shockingly affordable flatscreen TV

As much as I love Samsung's The Frame, I know not everyone can afford to drop $1,000 on a new TV. Fortunately, you can count on Black Friday doorbuster deals if you need a TV on the cheap. And now that big box retailers start all their Black Friday sales early, you don't have to wait in line on Thanksgiving night. Over at Best Buy, you can grab 50-inch smart TVs starting at just $179.99 and 4K 65-inch TVs starting at $329.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Insignia Insignia 50-inch F50 Series 4K LED Smart Fire TV $179.99 at Best Buy
$299.99 Save $120   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Toshiba Toshiba 65-inch C350 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV $329.99 at Best Buy
$529.99 Save $200   Get Deal A Roku streaming stick

If a new smart TV isn't in your budget this year, that doesn't mean you have to be locked out of the latest streaming apps. Access everything from Amazon's Prime Video to Apple TV and Spotify using this affordable streaming stick from Roku. You'll still have to pay for all those apps, but it's still a lot cheaper than buying a new TV.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 $29 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $10.99   Get Deal A new Lenovo gaming laptop

This is the exact laptop I've been using to play Cyberpunk: 2077 for the first time. And over at Lenovo, it's on sale for the very reasonable price of $864.49, a 27% discount from the retail price. With an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 GPU, it can handle intense gaming. While it's considered a mid-range gaming laptop and it doesn't have an OLED display, it's got all the processing power you need to play all the games you love.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo LOQ 15 gaming laptop (15-inches, AMD Ryzen 7, RTX 5050) $864.49 at Lenovo
$1,189.99 Save $325.50 Use code AMDSAVE10 Get Deal A Nintendo Switch 2 bundle

Over the summer, it was almost impossible to find the new Nintendo Switch 2 console in stock. Thankfully, that's no longer the case. While we haven't found any official discounts on the Switch 2 console yet, you can find some Switch 2 bundles in stock at Amazon, Walmart, and GameStop. We expect this handheld to top many Christmas gift wishlists this year, so grab these while you can.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle $499 at Amazon
  Get Deal A Blink home security camera

Amazon always discounts its devices for big sales, and right now you can grab the popular Blink Mini 2 security camera for just $17.99, a 55% discount. We don't expect this product to get any cheaper come Thanksgiving, so go ahead and stock up and protect your home.

Opens in a new window Credit: Blink Blink Mini 2 Security Camera $17.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $22.00   Get Deal A powerful portable power station

The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 is one of our favorite portable power stations for camping or emergency home use. Our reviewer called this Mashable Choice award winner "a superior product at an affordable price." Right now, it's available for its lowest price ever at Amazon (give or take a penny), making this a smart Black Friday tech deal to shop early.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station $397.99
$499 Save $101.01 Mashable Choice Winner Get Deal Save on video games at Walmart

As part of its early Black Friday sale, Walmart has tons of video games on sale. You can score new titles like Madden NFL 26 and Borderlands 4, or play back old favorites like Grand Theft Auto V.

Opens in a new window Credit: Take Two Borderlands 4 $49.99 at Walmart
$69.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: EA Sports EA Sports Madden NFL 26 $59.95 at Walmart
$69 Save $9.05   Get Deal Best Black Friday tech deals to watchLast-chance savings on DJI drones

As Mashable has reported, a total ban on DJI drones in the United States is very likely to be implemented, possibly by the end of the year. For professionals and hobbyists alike, DJI drones are pretty much the only name in town, and so the ban would be a huge blow to the drone community. During recent Prime Day events, we've seen DJI's popular consumer drones get heavy discounts. So, while they're not on sale yet, we're watching these potential Black Friday deals very closely.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 4K Drone $299 at Amazon
  Get Deal Oura smart rings

We're big fans of Oura smart rings at Mashable. Our reviewer praised Oura for its great balance of health, fitness, and sleep tracking metrics, and there's a reason these smart rings are beloved by many pro athletes. We're currently testing the brand's newest models, and we fully expect the popular Oura Ring 4 trackers to go on sale for Black Friday. Keep an eye on the Oura online store. In the meantime, go ahead and order an Oura Ring sizing kit for just $10 at Amazon.

Oura Ring 4 $348.97 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Target More early Black Friday tech deals Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds $84.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $44.01 We used to get excited about $99 AirPods, but somehow, the price of these wireless earbuds keeps getting lower. Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet $49.99 at Target
$99.99 Save $50.00 For some reason, this popular kids' tablet is cheaper at Target than Amazon. While we expect Amazon to drop its prices to match eventually, early shoppers should head to Target. Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V9 Motorbar $269.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $330 This is just a ridiculously low price for a Dyson vacuum. Amazon has more early discounts on Dyson if you're willing to spend a little more. Get Deal SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, Noise Cancelling, Sound Optimization, Real-Time Interpreter, Redesigned Comfort Fit, Silver [US Version, Amazon Exclusive 2Yr Warranty] $179.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $70 Samsung's answer to the AirPods have everything you want in a pair of wireless earbuds: a slick design, advanced AI features, and impressive ANC. See It at Amazon Nothing Headphone (1) ANC Headphones $254 at Amazon
$299 Save $45 We favorably reviewed the new Nothing Headphone earlier this year, and this is your chance to pick up the retro-yet-futuristic looking cans on sale. See It at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Apple M4 MacBook Air (13 inches, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749.99 at Amazon
$999 Save $249.01 For students or professionals in need of a new laptop, the newest Macbook Air is surprisingly affordable. Powered by M4 silicon, it's also lightning fast. You can grab this 2025 model laptop in four colorways. Get Deal Sony WH-CH720N Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones $98 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $81.99 Sony's mid-range noise-cancellers may have a boring name, but these Mashable-tested headphones won't let you down. See It at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Tablet (11 inches, 64GB, Android) $148.94 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $71.05   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP Victus 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop (AMD Ryzen 7, RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $549.99 at Best Buy
$899.99 Save $350   Get Deal

Fall 2026 was the planned drop date for the second generation of the super thin iPhone Air, but the wait will likely be longer, according to a report from The Information (via The Verge).

Unimpressive sales of the iPhone Air — which debuted in September as the thinnest iPhone ever — are to blame for the delay, the report claims. Spring 2027 may be more realistic, when Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 and 18E.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone might soon be able to send photos via satellite connection

The iPhone Air currently features the powerful A19 Pro chip, along with a 6.5-inch ProMotion display and a titanium frame. The second-generation iPhone Air is expected to be thinner, feature a stronger battery, and possibly include a vapor chamber.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Not a smile.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

FROWN

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Uncertainty.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 11, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

DOUBT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Hairy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 11, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BUSHY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Rule.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for November 11 Hurdle Word 4 answer

REIGN

Final Hurdle hint

An answer.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

REPLY

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

Tesla is having a very tough year. Sales are down, the brand has been tarnished in the eyes of some customers by its CEO Elon Musk, tax credit incentives that brought in consumers have now expired — what else can go wrong?

How about two major program managers leaving the company in a single day?

On Monday, two Tesla executives who headed up major product initiatives separately announced that they were leaving the company: One who leads the Cybertruck program and one who leads the Model Y program.

Siddhant Awasthi, head of Tesla's Cybertruck program, announced on LinkedIn early Monday morning that he was departing the company. Awasthi's story is inspiring, as he first joined Tesla eight years ago and worked his way up the company ladder to finally head up Musk's vision for an EV truck.

"I recently made one of the hardest decisions of my life to leave Tesla after an incredible run," the now-former Cybertruck chief wrote on LinkedIn. "Eight years ago, when I started as an intern, I never dreamed I’d one day have the opportunity to lead the Cybertruck program and bring it to reality."

It's unclear why Awasthi has left the company and, based on his post, it does appear to be on good terms. 

However, Cybertruck has certainly not lived up to Tesla's expectations. As The Verge notes, a recent Cybertruck recall notice from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that only 63,619 Cybertrucks have been sold since the vehicle's launch in 2023. Musk once bet that the future of Tesla depended on the company selling 250,000 Cybertruck vehicles per year. Tesla is nowhere close to doing that. In fact, interest in the Cybertruck has waned since the company claimed that it received 250,000 pre-order deposits in 2019.

Awasthi was later joined in his departure from the company by Emmanuel Lamacchia, the head of Tesla's Model Y program. 

"After 8 incredible years, I'm moving on from Tesla," Lamacchia wrote on LinkedIn. "What a journey it's been... from leading NPI for  Model 3 and Model Y variants to becoming the Vehicle Program Manager for Model Y, the best-selling car in the world!"

Lamacchia, who was the Model Y chief for the past four years, did lead the team behind Tesla's most successful vehicle. So, again, it does not appear any of these departures were performance-based.

If anything, it is concerning that Tesla is losing two talented leaders at the tail end of what has been a tumultuous year for the company. Pair these departures with Tesla's sales numbers and the recent news that Tesla is now looking to roll out a rental car service for Tesla vehicles, and it looks like Tesla could be in for a very bumpy 2026 as well.

You'd be forgiven if you didn't know that acclaimed octogenarian author Joyce Carol Oates — author of Them and Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been — is a prolific, excellent poster. Yes, as in someone who posts online. But she is, and has long been.

Billionaire Elon Musk recently discovered this fact on X, his very own platform. And now he's beefing with Oates, or at least trying to prove he is definitely Not Mad. So...what happened? Let me explain.

Why is Elon Musk mad at author Joyce Carol Oates?

In short, Oates surgically owned Musk on X. She quote-tweeted a post about Musk and wondered what joy or meaning he derived from life.

She wrote:

"So curious that such a wealthy man never posts anything that indicates that he enjoys or is even aware of what virtually everyone appreciates— scenes from nature, pet dog or cat, praise for a movie, music, a book (but doubt that he reads); pride in a friend’s or relative’s accomplishment; condolences for someone who has died; pleasure in sports, acclaim for a favorite team; references to history. In fact he seems totally uneducated, uncultured. The poorest persons on Twitter may have access to more beauty & meaning in life than the 'most wealthy person in the world.'"

It was a devastating read on the world's richest man. It quickly went very viral. Musk didn't love it. He posted about it because Musk posts constantly. He called it "demonstrably false." He said, "Oates is a liar and delights in being mean. Not a good human." He claimed, "Eating a bag of sawdust would be vastly more enjoyable than reading the laboriously pretentious drivel of Oates."

You know what they say about which dogs holler and why.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What's the latest with the Musk vs. Oates beef?

To be clear, of course, there have been instances of Musk saying he enjoyed things in culture. Journalist Ronan Farrow this year spoke about how Musk appreciates — and often greatly misreads — science fiction.

But if you parse through Musk's timeline, you do see a picture of someone who mostly posts to boost his companies, air grievances, and shitpost about political stuff. It'd be super weird to see him posting about Monday Night Football or Taylor Swift's new album. (Though, he did post about Swift's private jet and offered to father a child for her. So...yeah.)

But since the Oates debacle, Musk seemed hell-bent on proving he likes stuff, which is kind of funny in and of itself. He's been replying to posts about movies, just saying things like "good movie." People have been joking about Oates, 87, getting to Musk, especially on left-leaning Bluesky.

Joyce Carol Oates owned Elon so hard he's spent the last day posting about movies he hasn't seen in 15 years

[image or embed]

— Razzball (@razzball.bsky.social) November 10, 2025 at 11:31 AM

[image or embed]

— leon (@leyawn.bsky.social) November 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM

Joyce Carol Oates just pulverized him, didn’t she?

[image or embed]

— Helen Kennedy (@helenkennedy.bsky.social) November 10, 2025 at 1:49 PM

one of the funniest parts about Joyce Carol Oates going viral for nuking Elon Musk is that he absolutely needed someone tell him who Joyce Carol Oates is

— Godspeed You! Bluesky Emperor (@andrewpaul.bsky.social) November 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM

late to this but i feel like an underrated part of the musk meltdown over joyce carol oates accusing him of not reading is this musk reply that makes it clear he has never read anything by joyce carol oates

[image or embed]

— Will Oremus (@willoremus.com) November 10, 2025 at 4:31 PM

For the uninitiated, Oates has long been a True Poster. There are articles about it. She's even put her foot in her mouth multiple times, a sign of someone who simply cannot help posting online. (Speaking of, please don't search "Joyce Carol Oates' foot" — she once tweeted a truly gross, super viral picture of her foot overtaken by poison ivy. Again, a True Poster.)

Since the original post, Oates has intermittently posted about Musk, while also discussing literature and cats. "Truly, it was out of curiosity: why a person with unlimited resources exhibits so little appreciation or even awareness of the things that most people value as giving meaning to life," Oates wrote.

So, it's actually not that weird that an Oates vs. Musk beef popped up this week. But it is great entertainment.

SAVE $126: A like-new Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB) is on sale at Amazon for $278.99, down from the normal price of $404.99. That's a 31% discount and the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Like-new Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB) $278.99 at Amazon
$404.99 Save $126   Get Deal

The darkness has arrived. When we pushed the clocks back, sunset moved up by an hour and that means it's completely dark by 5 p.m. for much of the U.S. If that leaves you feeling ready for bed by 6 p.m., you've probably considered cozying up on the couch with a good book. If you're one to take notes while reading this month's book club pick, there's a certain Kindle with features you'll like and it's on sale today.

As of Nov. 10, a like-new Kindle Scribe (64GB) is on sale for $278.99 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $404.99. That works out to a 31% discount that takes a nice $126 off the norm. It's also the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon. The current model of the Kindle Scribe with 64GB of storage is listed at $449.99 which means today's refurbished deal saves $171.

Kindles are some of the best e-readers on the market and buying a refurbished model is a great way to dive into e-books on a discount. On Mashable's list of the best Kindles, the 2024 version of the Kindle Scribe earns the top spot as the best model for taking notes. That applies for both students, professionals, and casual readers. Students can take advantage of note-taking in the margins of class-assigned books and even textbooks. Book-club members will be able to mark favorite sections and important passages for discussion.

The Kindle Scribe comes with a Premium Pen for all your note-taking desires. You can also access PDFs and documents on the Kindle Scribe, as well as books, so you'll be in great shape for marking up any text.

SEE ALSO: Before the holiday rush, snag a like-new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite for the lowest price ever

Amazon equipped the Scribe with an anti-glare display that measures 10.2 inches. Its thin dimensions and lightweight nature makes this a travel-friendly device that'll be great for taking to campus, to a work meeting, or on upcoming holiday travel.

While it's sitting at an all-time low price, snag a refurbished 64GB Kindle Scribe that's in like-new condition. Amazon offers the same warranty on this model as it does on new Scribes. They also upgrade software and test the battery, giving you extra reassurance when buying a pre-loved model.

SAVE $600: As of Nov. 10, the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon. That's 46% off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ecovacs Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni $699.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $600   Get Deal

Robot vacuum deals are always popular over busy shopping periods like Prime Day and Black Friday. We're already looking out for big discounts, and we're expecting a lot of offers to drop throughout the next few weeks. That being said, we might have already come across the best early Black Friday robot vacuum deal. It's certainly going to be tough to beat.

As of Nov. 10, the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon. That's 46% off the list price and the best-ever price for this model. You could find the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni for over $800 over October Prime Day, so this price drop really is significant.

SEE ALSO: Score the Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop for its best-ever price ahead of Black Friday

There isn't much that this premium robot vacuum can't do. It vacuums, mops, and cleans itself, so there's not much for you to do. It offers strong performance on carpets and more effective removal of dust, pet hair, and debris. It also has anti-tangle brushes which prevent hair from wrapping around the rollers, making this a strong option for pet hair.

Score the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni robot vacuum for its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

SAVE $20: As of Nov. 10, the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro is on sale for $79 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price for this popular smartwatch.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20   Get Deal

The Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro was released in July 2025, and we've been shouting about it ever since. Seriously, we like this smartwatch a lot. In our review, we said it "looks, feels, and functions like a smartwatch that costs hundreds more." So we're even more impressed when you can pick up this impressive smartwatch for its best-ever price at Amazon.

As of Nov. 10, the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro is on sale for $79 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price for this popular smartwatch according to camelcamelcamel. Every color is down to this record-low price, so pick from orange, ash grey, dark grey, and light green. I'm not going to point you in any particular direction, but damn that light green colorway looks great.

SEE ALSO: The Apple Watch SE is down to under $190 ahead of Black Friday

Mashable's reviewer praised the sleep tracking accuracy, battery life (nearly two weeks), dual-band GPS tracing for athletes, intuitive design, and advanced workout metrics. To get all of that and more for $79 feels unfair, but we're not complaining.

The only question is whether we'll see anything better as we approach Black Friday. Looking at the price history, this was the same price over October Prime Day. That tells us that we're unlikely to see anything better, so if you're interested, you should jump on this limited-time discount.

Score the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro for under $80 at Amazon.

TL;DR: Save hundreds on a lifetime subscription to PromptBuilder’s AI prompt engineer tool that helps you build better prompts and get more out of AI.

Opens in a new window Credit: PromptBuilder PromptBuilder - AI Prompt Engineer: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $199
$1,764 Save $1,565   Get Deal

You know that moment when ChatGPT spits out something so off-base you wonder if it even read your message? It’s not that the AI is broken; it just needs clearer instructions.

PromptBuilder helps you bridge that gap, turning your half-formed thoughts into sharp, optimized prompts that deliver exactly what you meant. With it, you can stop wasting your time arguing back and forth with ChatGPT and get better outputs the first time around. Grab lifetime access now for $199 (reg. $1,764).

SEE ALSO: Lawsuits allege ChatGPT use led to suicide, psychosis

How PromptBuilder works for you:

Let’s say you’re a social media manager trying to come up with clever captions for a holiday campaign. Instead of typing vague requests like “write fun Instagram captions for Christmas,” open PromptBuilder:

1. Choose a ready-made template.

2. Add a few details about your brand, business, or what you want included. PromptBuilder translates it into a professional-grade prompt that works across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other top AI tools.

3. Boom — you’ll get better, brand-friendly options.

Or, maybe you’re a content creator experimenting with DALL-E or Stable Diffusion. You can get image prompts tailored to your ask without wasting your credits or tokens on outputs that are nowhere close to what you need.

Once you find prompts that work for you, make sure to save and organize them right within PromptBuilder so you never have to start from scratch again.

Get your PromptBuilder AI prompt engineering tool here for $199 (reg. $1,764).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: For a limited time, you can get a Headway Premium lifetime subscription on sale for $39.99 (reg. $299.95).

Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $39.99
$299.95 Save $259.96   Get Deal

If your ‘to be read’ (TBR) list keeps growing faster than your free time, Headway might be your new favorite app. It turns best-selling books into quick, engaging summaries you can finish in minutes. And right now, you can snag lifetime access at the lowest price we’ve ever seen.

Since you only have to pay once and not every month, you can enjoy the app at a relaxed pace. No need to feel like you’re ‘wasting money’ if you take a day away.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone might soon be able to send photos via satellite connection

Inside the Headway app, you’ll find summaries of titles in productivity, business, self-improvement, psychology, and more. You can also opt for the audio option if you’d rather listen to them while commuting or cleaning up around the house.

The app also includes personalized learning paths and spaced repetition tools, which can be useful if you’re trying to build new habits or retain key concepts from books.

This kind of reading isn’t for everyone — it won’t replace the depth of a full book or the joy of leisurely reading. But if your TBR list is longer than your calendar allows, or you’re looking for a way to sample a book before committing, it could be a time-saver.

And while there are other book summary apps out there, many charge ongoing monthly fees or limit content without a subscription. With Headway, you’re getting full access for life, for less than what most platforms charge in a single year.

Get your Headway lifetime subscription now while it’s still $39.99 (reg. $299.99). No coupon is needed to get this price.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The generative AI bubble may or may not be about to burst, but the technology could still be a game changer for organizations around the world. And, according to recent data, nonprofit organizations are still trying to hop onto the AI wave.

SEE ALSO: Lawsuits allege ChatGPT use led to suicide, psychosis A majority of nonprofits are interested in AI 

Compared to other tech-forward spaces, the nonprofit industry has been much more hesitant to dive into AI and its pitch of humanless efficiency. Broadly, nonprofits have been slower to adopt AI as a universal helper or to deeply integrate it into their work, keeping AI segmented away from public work. 

But as the tech has evolved — and in some ways acquiesced to the concerns of privacy experts and tech watchdogs  — nonprofit leaders are more eager to accept AI's offer to help. It may soon become necessary.

In addition to historic funding and infrastructure barriers, American-based nonprofits are weathering new attacks on federal funding sources under the Trump administration. Federal leaders have resorted to intimidating organizations, questioning their motives as part of the administration's "anti-woke" agenda, which now extends to the country's AI innovations. In August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that directed agencies to rewrite grant making policies for 501(c)(3) organizations, allowing agencies to terminate funding if it doesn't "advance the national interest."

Meanwhile, a 2025 report by Candid, the global nonprofit fundraising platform, found that 65 percent of nonprofits expressed interest in AI. Most nonprofits communicated being at a "beginner familiarity" with the tech. A recent survey by social good software provider Bonterra found more than half of its partner nonprofits had already adopted AI in some form, and a majority said they were interested in using it soon.

Tech nonprofit organization Fast Forward, with support from Google's philanthropic arm Google.org, recently surveyed more than 200 nonprofits that had already adopted AI in their work. The report showed that smaller organizations (less than 10 employees) were utilizing the tech the most, starting with their own chatbots and custom LLMs trained on public data. Most implemented it only in internal operations — and had been using AI for less than a year. 

Guidance on AI safety and responsibility is still a major problem

While interest and adoption has grown, AI developers and tech funders haven't kept up with the needs of nonprofits. Organizations still navigate major gaps in training, resources, and policies that preclude AI's effectiveness in their work. Candid found that only 9 percent of nonprofits feel ready to adopt AI responsibly, and a third couldn't articulate a connection between AI tech and accomplishing their organization's mission. 

Half of the organizations were worried that adopting AI could exacerbate inequalities that they themselves address within their work, especially among those serving BIPOC communities and people with disabilities. "Folks hold the desire to explore and to understand," wrote Candid in its findings, "but the support systems have not caught up."

These concerns were also expressed among nonprofits that have already adopted AI. Bonterra's survey found that nearly all nonprofits were worried about how AI companies could use their data. A third of the nonprofits said unresolved questions about bias, privacy, and security are actively limiting how they use it.

"With AI adoption on the rise, it’s critical for organizations to remember to prioritize people over data points. AI should be used to support a nonprofit's mission, not the other way around. For nonprofits and funders, this means that AI adoption must take on a people-first perspective that is grounded in transparency, accountability, and integrity," Bonterra CEO Scott Brighton told Mashable. "Social good wants to use AI ethically, and that means giving them guidance on how to approach data collection, ensuring human oversight over all decisions, and protecting private information."

Surveys have shown that very few nonprofits have internal AI training budgets, internal policies, or guidance for the organization's use of AI, most often due to a lack of infrastructure to sustain them. Nonprofits also expressed concern over the potential impact of automation on their work, high costs, and the lack of training resources for already overburdened staff — concerns that have existed for years as AI has become mainstream. 

"The reality is that nonprofits can only do what funders allow them to do within their budgets," explained Fast Forward co-founder Shannon Farley. "Funders play an important role in helping to make sure nonprofits have the funding to prioritize AI equity and accountability."

Especially at the smallest level, nonprofits are still being cautious about AI — and deferring to their communities in its implementation. Fast Forward found that 70 percent of nonprofits "powered" by AI used community feedback to build their AI tools and policies as government regulation lags.

"At the end of the day, nonprofits don’t care about AI, they care about impact," said Fast Forward co-founder Kevin Barenblat. "Nonprofits have always looked for ways to do more with less — AI is unlocking the how."

Few things can ruin a Stranger Things binge quicker than buffering. It happens from time to time on a Fire TV Stick. It's often a temporary glitch, but if it keeps happening, you'll want to try out these steps to fix it.

WATCH MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL FOR $5: Sling TV offers no-strings day passes for various channels, including ESPN, getting you 24-hour access to stream ESPN-exclusive MNF. You can also bump the pass up to a full weekend for $9.99 or a full week for $14.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling TV temporary streaming passes Starting at $4.99/day Learn More

The ongoing drama between Disney and YouTube TV is interrupting the second week of Monday Night Football in a row. As a birds fan, this was hitting close to home as my household scrambled to find an alternate way to watch the Eagles vs. Packers game on Nov. 10. I found a hack that doesn't involve starting a trial of a different live TV streaming service, and doesn't involve going to a bar where it'll be on TV: A $4.99 Sling TV day pass for ESPN.

Sling TV offers short-term passes for a variety of channels in its Sling Orange package, from AMC, Lifetime, and Freeform to ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN 3. You can pay $4.99 for 24-hour access, $9.99 for weekend access, or $14.99 for access for an entire week. This wouldn't be cost-efficient to keep up on a regular basis, but it's a clutch option to tide YouTube TV subscribers over until it's (hopefully) able to bring back Disney-owned networks. You'll have to create a Sling TV account for a day pass, but no recurring payments are involved.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Nov. 7, 2025)

Disney hates this, of course. The company sued Sling TV at the end of August when the short-term pass system was announced, because why would we make it easy for viewers to watch a singular football game or two? In the meantime, temporary ESPN passes are still alive and well on Sling's website.

YouTube TV is offering subscribers $20 as an inconvenience fee of sorts, which is nice, I guess... but it still doesn't help sports fans trying to watch an important game on ESPN.

A Sling TV day pass won't unlock NFL games on other days, as Thursday Night Football is strictly on Prime and NFL Sundays fall under NBC and your local FOX broadcast zone. But temporary access to ESPN would unlock several NBA games throughout the week, if you're sorely missing those, too.

The weather might be getting colder, but with the holidays in sight, we can all start getting excited about a little downtime. I, for one, can't think of a better way to enjoy it than with some good movies, and Peacock, as it happens, has some great ones to choose from.

When the NBA betting scandal broke last month and numerous players and a coach were arrested, it put a spotlight on the ever-present culture of sports wagering. 

One NBA player, Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, singled out a specific type of bet as a symptom of a broader, arguably negative shift — the parlay. 

This wager, a multi-leg bet that pays out only when a gambler correctly predicts a series of outcomes, is supposed to be a fun way for sports fans to use their intricate knowledge of players and teams, according to the industry.

Imagine, for example, a parlay consisting of the reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder winning their game, a specific over/under on that game, as well as a point spread, and the team's all-star guard/forward Jalen Williams scoring at least 10 points after returning from injury.

SEE ALSO: Legal gambling has kind of ruined sports

This may sound entertaining, but some gamblers have a lot riding on their parlays. Even though the wagers are typically small sums and the odds are often long, desperate consumers may place them to chase their losses. Since gamblers can place parlay bets while a live sporting event is underway, some get carried away and make numerous wagers in quick succession. 

Experts who study the psychology of gambling say that parlays can be a particularly risky type of bet. Consumers who believe their deep sports knowledge gives them a winning advantage aren't discouraged by, or don't fully grasp, plainly stated odds. Instead, they imagine statistically improbable scenarios. 

SEE ALSO: Is online gambling contributing to Vegas' problems?

They often continue betting anyway, especially during a live game, sometimes at the invitation of their preferred gambling app's push notifications. Emotions run high and hope springs eternal. 

"In that situation, sports betting becomes more like slot machines, where you can immediately get another bet down just by pushing another button," says Brad Humphreys, a professor of economics at West Virginia University. 

Vucevic knows firsthand how seriously some people take parlays, because they tell him. 

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"As players, we feel it when we step onto the court," Vucevic said, according to Chicago Sports Network reporter K.C. Johnson. "Before you used to hear, 'Hey, Vooch, get a win.' Now it's like, 'Hey, my parlay is 10 rebounds.'"

Don't expect to hit it big with a parlay

Humphreys understands why parlay wagers are so appealing — to both gamblers and the online sports betting industry. 

Parlays have been around for decades, particularly in horse racing. However, the advent of online sports betting apps has made parlays popular with mainstream sports fans. They often feature prop bets, or wagers placed on an individual's or team's performance. The prospect of a series of bets all hitting in the same game, or across multiple games, can be tantalizing. 

But that gets harder to achieve with each added leg. That's why they're so lucrative for gambling operators: Betting on a parlay can be the equivalent of buying a lottery ticket, odds-wise. The house is almost certain to win, but not without first offering a $1,000 payout for a $1 wager. 

Joe Maloney, senior vice president of strategic communications for the American Gaming Association, which represents industry members like DraftKings and FanDuel, says the popularity of the parlay grows out of an American tradition of cheering for superstars as a form of fandom.

Plus, there are are sports fans who feels "empowered" by their knowledge of how a favorite player performs or a certain game is played and bets accordingly, Maloney says. 

Still, Maloney emphasizes that parlay betting should not be viewed as a "wealth creation or an investment vehicle." 

Instead, consumers should think of the parlay as a form of entertainment. Maloney also recommends that consumers take advantage of opportunities to understand how parlay odds work. The American Gaming Association has two websites dedicated to their consumer education initiatives, Have A Game Plan and Play Smart From The Start.

Even former NBA star Charles Barkley, who partnered with FanDuel to promote parlay bets, lost 21 wagers until he finally won in June of this year. Previously, Barkley got caught on TV incorrectly calculating the potential winnings for a parlay he promoted. 

Barkley celebrated his victory with a dance on his TNT broadcast, which became the subject of an NBA subreddit thread. The first comment pointed out what experts say many fans overlook: "Goes to show how hard parlays are, 0-21 prior." 

Cory Fox, FanDuel's senior vice president of public policy and sustainability, told Mashable that parlays "offer customers an engaging way to follow games with multiple outcomes to cheer for." 

On FanDuel, 90 percent of same-game parlays have a wager of $30 or less, according to the company. Sixty percent are $5 or less. 

The app's Sportsbook 101 feature also educates customers on how parlay odds work. Fox added that FanDuel condemns abusive behavior directed toward athletes, and that users will be banned if they're found to be harassing them. 

How to approach parlay bets

Dr. Philip Newall, who studies gambling psychology as a lecturer at the UK's University of Bristol, says parlays offer bookmakers enticing profit margins — as high as 75 percent, according to one of his studies — and says they are critical to the gaming industry's bottom line. DraftKings' second quarter financial report for 2025, for example, notes that its parlay business grew significantly year-over-year.

"[With] the average amount of money you're keeping per dollar bet, clearly you want to nudge people toward making lots of bets," Newall says. "The longer odds the bet is, the higher the margin will be." 

Alexander Connolly, a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology who studies gambling behaviors at the University of New Mexico, says online sportsbooks push parlays "pretty strongly." 

Connolly believes that sports gambling can be fun for some people, but very dangerous for others. He warns against chasing losses in general, but especially via parlays. While the bets may seem small in contrast to big-money wagers, they remain statistical long shots and can rapidly add up. 

Connolly says that while researchers are trying to understand consumer parlay behavior and the problems that can result, it remains an understudied topic.

In general, Connolly notes that people typically don't know their wins and losses, obscuring what could be a problem gambling habit. He recommends consumers take a mindful approach to parlays. They might ask themselves, "Why am I doing this? Is this for fun?"

Healthy betting, for example, would be spending money on a bet the consumer otherwise use to see a movie. But trying to win big — or win back losses — indicates risky behavior. 

Gamblers shouldn't overestimate their sports knowledge, either, Connolly says. Understanding sports statistics isn't insurance against flukes and chance. 

"Sports are just too random," Connolly says. "Even the best teams of all time typically lose once in a while."

If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, help is available 24/7 through the National Problem Gambling Helpline. Connect with a trained professional who can guide you to local resources by calling 1-800-522-4700, texting 800GAM, or chatting online at https://www.ncpgambling.org/chat.

Getting my kids to do their chores is always a challenge. Even the simplest task, such as putting everything away after breakfast, is often completed so badly that we may as well have done it ourselves. I wanted to try to find a way to motivate my kids to complete their chores properly, and I wondered whether setting up a chore tracker in Home Assistant might work.

Over the weekend, the conservative media outlet The Blaze and journalist Steve Baker accused a former Capitol police officer of being the prime suspect in the unsolved Jan. 6 pipe bomb incident. The report instantly sent shockwaves through right-wing media, leading to a frenzy of conspiracy theories and calls for the individual's immediate arrest. 

The Blaze also accused the person of being part of a vast government conspiracy. In hyping up his report on X, Baker wrote, "This might just be the biggest scandal and conspiracy in American history."

Mashable is not sharing the name of the person the Blaze identified as the alleged pipe bombing suspect, as the outlet has not yet presented conclusive evidence for their claims, nor have federal authorities confirmed they are investigating the former officer.

In fact, The Blaze’s report primarily rests on a little-known forensic tool called gait analysis. So, what is gait analysis, and how reliable is it? Can it be used to positively identify a person?

What is gait analysis? Understanding a forensic tool with a long history.

Gait refers to an individual’s style of walking, running, and moving. The study of gait dates back to Aristotle, and in modern times, gait analysis has been used as evidence in criminal justice since at least 1839, according to the American Bar Association. More recently, software and artificial intelligence have allowed investigators to conduct much more detailed gait analysis.

The Blaze says that it arranged a forensic gait analysis of the individual in question for its report. Per The Blaze, "The source who did the comparison said the software rated the match at 94%." However, The Blaze did not identify the individual who performed the analysis or the tools they used.

The Blaze’s analysis compared a surveillance video of the pipe bomber with footage of the alleged suspect at a soccer game in 2017. Strangely, The Blaze did not use the famous videos of the bomber released by the FBI, which show an unknown individual in a mask and gray hoodie placing bombs near both the Democratic and Republic National Committee offices in Washington, D.C. Instead, Baker wrote that the analysis used a video from "another source" that shows the same scene.

The Blaze said that it used a “software algorithm that analyzes walking parameters including flexion (knee bend), hip extension, speed, step length, cadence, and variance.” This is the tool that provided a 94 percent match.

So, is gait analysis reliable enough to provide a positive identification, absent other evidence? 

Not quite. 

The American Bar Association states that gait analysis can be used as “corroborating evidence” and a “contributing factor in the identification process.” In addition, the ABA also states that "precise individualization of a person’s gait has yet to be fully scientifically proved.” That means gait analysis likely would not be sufficient evidence to convict someone in a criminal case, unlike DNA evidence.

Not only can gait analysis produce false positives, but one study also pegged its accuracy at just 71 percent, according to a paper published with The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences in 2019. That paper also states that the "potential uniqueness of gait has yet to be proven."

In short, even if The Blaze has correctly identified the alleged pipe bombing suspect, they have not yet provided conclusive evidence of that fact.

Usually, a media outlet would demand more than 94 percent certainty before claiming they’ve uncovered "the biggest scandal and conspiracy in American history."

On Nov. 4, Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election, with campaign promises like a rent freeze and fast and free buses. He gave hope to New Yorkers across the city — as well as inadvertently giving hope to daters.

Mamdani met his wife, animator and illustrator Rama Duwaji, on Hinge in 2021, and they married in February. (Hinge doesn't typically comment on public figures' personal relationships, the app told Mashable.) In the days since Mamdani's win, some have taken to social media to share their hope to find their future partner in a similar fashion. Others, though, are lamenting that they haven't found their own leftist, smiling mayoral winner, and likely won't, because the app "isn't the same" as it was four years ago.

SEE ALSO: As Tinder struggles to attract paid users, one dating app is gaining popularity

"This can't be the same Hinge Zohran met his wife on," X user @dfarecs posted last week.

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The feeling is shared on TikTok, with videos and comments flooding the app proclaiming that there's no way Mamdani and his wife "met on the same Hinge app I'm using," and that "Hinge was peak 2021-2023 it fell off." 

But the shared feeling that the apps are decaying isn't new. In response to @dfarecs's post, a 2023 video from comedian Keara Sullivan about this began recirculating on X. "If you're someone who met their partner off a dating app at any point in the last year-and-a-half, two years, just know that you caught the last chopper out of [Vietnam]," she said. 

Sullivan wasn't talking about Hinge specifically, but rather apps in general. But she insisted that singles were "in the trenches," and that she didn't know what changed in the last year, but friends of all genders weren't having luck on these platforms. 

That video, with 4.5 million views, is two years old, but the sentiment has only seemed to permeate popular opinion since then. Dating apps boomed in 2020 thanks to worldwide lockdowns, but in the five years since, the experience of using them — just like the experience of being online generally — has shifted, and many say for the worse.

Tinder and Hinge both launched in 2012 (and their parent company, Match Group, merged with Tinder in 2017 and acquired Hinge in 2018). Over a decade on, the apps have lost their novelty with daters. In a Mashable story earlier this year about whether AI features are good for dating apps, sexologist, sociologist, and relationship expert Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullus broke down several reasons for this:

• Swipe fatigue: a buzzphrase, but daters do really feel this. "Dating" with your thumb, scrolling through profile after profile, can get exhausting — especially when you're not seeing results. 

• The paradox of choice: With an abundance of potential matches, it becomes hard to pick just one.

• Superficial snap judgments: Deciding whether to go on a date with someone based on a few photos and a bio, maybe some prompt responses.

• Bad behavior like ghosting.

Trust in these apps has also declined. Daters who have been on apps for years have seen features they used to enjoy for free now paywalled, and other features that were once unique to one app are now globbed onto others.

This distrust has translated into lawsuits and government action. Last year, a class-action lawsuit against Match Group (that's since gone to arbitration) claimed that the apps are "addictive" and "predatory," prioritizing making money over matches. In September, two senators wrote a letter to Match's CEO compelling the company to take action against romance scams.

Hinge itself recognizes the evolving needs of daters and the challenges they face, and gathers feedback from daters and community partners to better understand. Those insights inspire new features. This year, for example, Hinge launched AI-driven prompt feedback and new prompts created in collaboration with psychotherapist Esther Perel, driven by user frustration about profiles sounding the same and blending together. And in response to lack of responsiveness and conversations fizzling — another big dating app gripe — Hinge introduced a cap on unanswered messages.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for discreet NSFW chats

Still, there are reasons beyond the platforms themselves that contribute to the malaise of dating. Young women are increasingly liberal, while young men are increasingly conservative, which could make finding someone who shares the same values difficult. The job market is poor, and the increasing cost of living has impacted how people date; they may not want to settle down in a state of financial insecurity. 

Meanwhile, the rise of AI has led to people using chatbots to date for them — if not choosing to date a chatbot full-stop. And as some people fall for LLMs, others want to remove tech from dating entirely and meet someone in person. 

Tinder has taken a financial hit as of late, perhaps due to these mounting issues. Its direct revenue is down 3 percent year-over-year, and its paying users are down 7 percent year-over-year, according to Match's quarter three earnings report. Bumble shared a similar story in its third-quarter earnings: total revenue is down 10 percent year over year, and total paying users 16 percent in the same time frame.

Ironically, Hinge is soaring financially. Its direct revenue increased 27 percent, and paying users increased 17 percent, both year-over-year. So despite social media's complaints, people are still looking for love on that app. Whether they'll find a future mayor to marry, however, is uncertain.