Technology

As if we all don't order enough Amazon packages on any given day, it's time for Prime Day once again. Well, technically it's called Prime Big Deal Days, but for all intents and purposes, it's basically Prime Day October edition (the shopping event kicks off on Oct. 7). In other words, even more packages are about to pile up on doorsteps all over the world. That leaves us with a glaring issue: How do you recycle all those damn boxes, bubble envelopes, and paper bags?

Given the huge variety in packaging, the answer isn't so clear.

SEE ALSO: Regretting your purchase? Here's how to return Amazon packages in 2025. The reality of Amazon recycling

According to a 2024 report from ocean conservancy organization Oceana, Amazon generated 208 million pounds of plastic packaging waste from U.S. transactions in 2022. Despite a global decline in plastic waste, the number for U.S. shipping saw a 9.6 percent increase. "This amount of plastic, in the form of air pillows, would circle the Earth more than 200 times," the organization says.

Amazon, for what it's worth, does provide guidelines around the topic. U.S. customers whose orders are fulfilled by Amazon can click on any order in the Amazon app and scroll down to the bottom to view recycling or discard instructions. Customers can also ask Alexa or Siri "How do I recycle my Amazon packaging?" and both will direct them to Amazon's guidelines.

But David Pinsky, a senior plastics campaigner at Greenpeace, doesn't think this information's very useful.

"While it is helpful to provide information, Amazon is continuing to place the burden on customers to manage its enormous packaging footprint. As U.S. and global recycling markets collapse, the truth is that very few plastics are still recyclable and, even if they are collected for recycling, most are not recycled. It's time for Amazon to ditch all single-use packaging and transition to reuse and refill systems," Pinsky, who works to make large companies reduce their single-plastic use, wrote in an email.

Large corporations like Amazon need to take responsibility by eliminating throwaway packaging and switching to reuse and refill systems, Pinsky explained.

In a December 2022 blog post, Amazon acknowledged this disparity: "Although the plastic packaging Amazon uses today is recyclable, it generally requires our customers to take the materials from their homes to store drop-off locations. As a company that obsesses about our customers, we recognize it's not the easiest customer experience."

What Amazon is doing for the planet

Amazon does offer a program called Frustration-Free Packaging, which includes products designed to ship in their own packaging without the need for additional Amazon mailers or boxes. According to Amazon, "products in 'Frustration-Free Packaging' offer more sustainable packaging that is right-sized, reduces damages, is made of recyclable packaging materials, and is easier to open." It is also made of 100 percent curbside recyclable materials. And the option is working, to some extent. Since 2015, Amazon has reduced the weight of outbound packaging by 38 percent and eliminated more than 1.5 million tons of packaging material, thanks to programs such as Frustration-Free Packaging.

"In the midst of a rapid increase in customer orders throughout the pandemic, we continued to take steps to reduce single-use plastics in our outbound packaging," the company wrote.

In 2019, Amazon debuted its fully recyclable paper padded mailer. The company had shipped more than 200 million new mailers to customers as of mid-2020 and replaced nearly 70 percent of its mixed material bubble mailers by 2021, offering the same recyclability as Amazon's cardboard box but taking up less space in the recycle bin, says an Amazon spokesperson.

The company also debuted its "Less Packaging, More Smiles" campaign in 2020 as a way to use less packaging materials in its shipments while helping customers repurpose boxes before recycling. For example, you can reuse Amazon cardboard boxes in fun ways — like to build a rocket, fort, or car for your cat or dog — all via a QR code on the box that provides instructions.

In 2021, the company attempted to address the plastic-film concerns and redesigned many of these plastic products to be more sustainable, increasing the recycled content of plastic film bags from 25 percent to 50 percent, and from 15 percent to over 40 percent for its plastic padded bags. The improvements are expected to eliminate more than 25,000 metric tons of new plastic each year moving forward, according to the company. In March 2022, the company also announced its partnership with the BOTTLE consortium, a U.S. Department of Energy research initiative to reduce plastic pollution, to design new modes of plastic chemical upcycling.

The company encourages customers to shop with Amazon Day Delivery in mind to take advantage of flexible options for when and how packages arrive. "On top of making deliveries work for their personal schedule, choosing Amazon Day is a great way to combine multiple orders into one delivery, potentially reducing the amount of packaging they receive. On average, Amazon Day uses 30 percent fewer boxes and Amazon Day users saved 136 million boxes in 2022," Amazon explained.

But these sustainability efforts might not be going far enough. As the Washington Post reported, in an effort to pack more shipments into delivery planes and trucks, Amazon is using more small plastic mailers rather than cardboard boxes.

SEE ALSO: The 2025 guide to recycling electronics, beauty empties, and clothing The long road to plastic-free Prime

Many of the plastic mailers it uses (like its regular and bubble-lined plastic bags) include plastic film.

In its latest report, Oceana estimated that up to 22 million pounds of such plastic packaging waste would end up in the world’s waterways and seas, noting that plastic film is the most common form of marine plastic litter in nearshore ocean areas and the deadliest to marine life.

Amazon notes on its website that some cities have curbside recycling programs for film, and if your city doesn't, Amazon utilizes a directory to find a drop-off location that will take compatible plastic film, wrap, and bags. However, Pinsky says this website isn't exhaustive because it doesn't include a list of complete options for some areas.

There also aren't that many cities with recycling programs that accept plastic film, says Darby Hoover, a senior resource specialist who works on plastic waste issues at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental advocacy organization. When it comes to recycling centers, even if they do accept plastic film, it can be hard, if not impossible, to process, as they often get caught in the center's machinery, a spokesperson from the recycling, landfill, and compost operator Recology wrote in an email.

To avoid this problem, Recology workers try to manually remove loose plastic film before it enters the machinery, but this doesn't always work. "Amazon packages represent a challenging new packaging trend," a Recology spokesperson explained.

Pinsky still suggests conducting your own research to find drop-off locations and asking your supermarket if they recycle plastic film.

And then there's the paper address label. If it's a self-adhesive label, it's probably not recyclable, Hoover says. "It's pretty upsetting to see Amazon has gone in this direction by putting more single-use plastics on the market," Pinsky says.

Although online shopping has become the de-facto way of living, it shouldn't just be the customer's responsibility to figure out how to recycle. Companies need to step up too, Hoover says.

How to recycle Amazon's packaging

Whether you're expecting to splurge this October Prime Day or are interested for everyday orders, here's how you can do your part to recycle all of Amazon's packaging.

1. Paper padded envelope mailer Amazon's paper padded envelope mailer. Credit: Amazon

Amazon says these paper padded mailers are recyclable, just like cardboard boxes and other paper items.

Paper products should be accepted by most curbside recycling programs, says Pinsky.

2. Bubble-lined plastic bag and plastic bag Amazon's bubble-lined plastic bag. Credit: Amazon Amazon's plastic bag. Credit: Amazon

Some cities offer curbside recycling, Amazon writes on its website. If your city doesn't, Amazon suggests using a directory where you can enter your ZIP code to find a drop-off location that accepts plastic film, which these bags contain.

Still, it's questionable if some drop-off locations will accept bubble-lined plastic bags, Pinsky says. Hoover advises people to check drop-off centers' websites to see what they can recycle.

3. Cardboard box and cardboard folder Amazon's cardboard box. Credit: Amazon Amazon's cardboard folder. Credit: Amazon

Cardboard boxes and folders can be recycled in most curbside recycling, Amazon states on its website. It also says to remove any tape before recycling.

Still, you should check with your local government to see what is recyclable and learn how and if you're supposed to prepare these materials in a particular way, Hoover says.

For example, New York City advises people to flatten cardboard boxes and then tie them together with strong twine before setting them out for recycling.

You can also use your cardboard boxes to start composting.

4. Paper Envelope Amazon's paper envelope. Credit: Amazon

Amazon says its paper envelopes are recyclable in most curbside recycling programs.

5. Give Back Box partnership (for cardboard boxes) Give your Amazon cardboard box another life by donating your stuff with it. Credit: Amazon

If you have an extra box lying around, you can also give it a second life. Just fill a box with items you wish to donate, print out a label for free, and ship it at no cost to you through UPS, FedEx, or USPS. Your old things will be re-homed to charities through Amazon's partnership with Give Back Box, and you can write off the donation on your taxes.

6. Packing paper Amazon's brown packing paper. Credit: Amazon

Packing paper is recyclable through most curbside recycling programs, according to Amazon.

7. Air pillow Amazon's air pillow. Credit: Amazon

Amazon suggests you either recycle its air pillows curbside, if possible, or find a drop-off location that accepts them. Like Amazon's plastic bags, air pillows contain plastic film, which means the packaging is harder to recycle.

When you are able to recycle them, Hoover suggests first popping the air out of the pillow and then bringing it to a drop-off location.

8. Bubble-lined paper mailer Amazon's bubble-lined paper mailer. Credit: Amazon

Paper mailers with air bubble padding are not recyclable and should be put in the trash, Amazon says on its website, though also suggests checking with your local recycling program for more details.

Pinsky, for his part, advises throwing out these mailers.

9. Reusable gift bags Amazon's reusable gift bags. Credit: Amazon

As you've probably guessed by the name, Amazon encourages you to reuse these gift bags. But once they're no longer presentable, you'll have to chuck them in the garbage bin. Amazon says it is "currently transitioning to gift bags made of 100 percent recycled material that will replace this version."

Pinsky advises avoiding these gift bags altogether. Most of the bags will end up in landfills, incinerators, and the environment.

Instead, he says, "get creative with other ways to share gifts that don’t require single-use plastic bags, paper, or other materials."

10. Amazon Fresh paper bag Credit: Amazon

Since they're paper, Amazon Fresh paper bags are recyclable through most curbside recycling programs.

11. Paper ice cream pouch Credit: Amazon

Paper envelopes, including the insulation inside, are recyclable in most curbside recycling programs and also can be used again if clean and dry.

12. Amazon Fresh water bottle Amazon Fresh water bottle. Credit: Amazon

This is just a water bottle and can be recycled in most curbside recycling programs. Amazon states on its website that these water bottles are used to cool items like food, but you can also drink the water, so don't let it go to waste.

13. Produce bag Amazon's produce bag. Credit: Amazon

Again, because the product has plastic film it may be tricky to recycle because the film often gets stuck in recycling centers' machinery. Amazon says some cities offer curbside recycling for its produce bag, but when not available, you can "use designated store drop-off locations where plastic film is accepted."

It's worth checking where you can recycle it first. Amazon provides a website to find a drop-off location to do so, but you should do your own research and ask your supermarket if they accept the film, says Pinsky.

14. Bottom board and paper insulation Credit: Amazon Amazon's paper insulation. Credit: Amazon

Both products are made of 100 percent cardboard. As such, Amazon says you can recycle both in your curbside recycling program.

Prime Big Deal Days is coming, and if you want to shop all the best deals, you'll need an Amazon Prime account.

Amazon's annual fall sale, called Prime Big Deal Days, is essentially just October Prime Day. It will kick off on Oct. 7 and run through Oct. 8. Unlike Amazon's flagship Prime Day, it won't be quite as extensive. This July, Prime Day ran from July 8 to 11, a vast — and frankly exhausting — four-day extravaganza. Prime Big Deal Days will be scaled back to just 48 hours of deals, but the retailer is still likely to drop millions of deals during the sale. And like Prime Day, you'll need a Prime membership to shop.

Not yet a Prime member? Want to revive your old Prime account? You can sign up for a free 30-day trial and unlock access to the sale. And nothing is stopping you from canceling before the 30-day promo period ends to avoid paying full price — just saying. Students (and anyone between the ages of 18 and 24) can also sign up for a 6-month trial for $0.

Regardless of whether or not you stick around, here's how you can sign up for Amazon Prime:

Total Time

• Under 5 minutes

What You Need

• Internet access
• Email address or phone number

Step 1: Go to the Amazon Prime sign-up page and click on Start your free 30-day trial.

Head to Amazon Prime's sign-up page.

Step 2: Input your email if you have an existing Amazon account or click on Create Your Amazon account.

A new sign-in page will open up on the website. Input your email or mobile number and password if you have an existing Amazon account or click on Create Your Amazon account. If you make a new account, you'll need to provide some basic information such as name, email, and password.

Step 3: If you're creating a new account, follow the steps to verify your email with a One-Time Password.

If you choose to create a new account, Amazon will send an OTP to your respective email address or mobile number for account verification. If you are using an existing account, skip to Step 5.

Step 4: Input the OTP and click on Verify.

Once the OTP verification page appears on the screen, input the code and click on Verify.

Step 5: Sign up for your 1-month trial or purchase a full subscription.

New users have two options: sign up for a one-month trial for $0 or purchase a full subscription. Remember: you may not qualify for a free trial if you have already used this offer in the past with the same email or phone number.

What are your Prime membership options?

If you are purchasing a Prime membership subscription, you have four plan options:

• Monthly Prime Membership — $14.99 per month

• Annual Membership — $139 per year or under $12 monthly

• Young Adult Monthly Membership — $7.49 per month (young adults are also eligible for exclusive offers, including a 6-month no-cost Prime trial)

• Prime for government assistance recipients — $6.99 per month (must verify eligibility)

The full moon is just days away now, and it's also International Observe the Moon Night. NASA describes tonight as a night to celebrate celestial observations, as well as honor cultural and personal connections to the Moon.

Keep reading to find out what you can spot in the night sky tonight, October 4.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Saturday, Oct. 4, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous, and according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation, 91% of its surface is illuminated tonight.

There's so much to see tonight, including the Copernicus Crater, the Mare Serenitatis, and the Mare Fecunditatis, all visible with just the naked eye. Adding binoculars will also give you glimpses of the Apennine Mountains, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Clavius Crater. If you have a telescope, you can also spot the Apollo 11 landing spot, as well as the Reiner Gamma and the Descartes Highlands.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 7. The last full moon was on Sept. 7.

What are moon phases?

NASA explains that the moon goes through phases as it completes its 29.5-day orbit around Earth. The changing angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth cause the different phases we observe. From Earth, the moon can look full, partially lit, or even disappear entirely, but we always see the same side. What changes is the amount of sunlight reflected from its surface, depending on its position in orbit.

The eight main moon phases are as follows:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

TL;DR: Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2025 Rugby Championship is available to live stream for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The final round of Rugby Championship fixtures is here. This year's competition will go down as one of the most entertaining in recent records, and we're hoping to end on a high when the All Blacks visit Australia. This matchup is always intense, but everything is still up for grabs this year. This could be epic.

If you want to watch Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2025 Rugby Championship for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Australia vs. New Zealand?

Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2025 Rugby Championship starts at 5:45 a.m. ET on Oct. 4. This fixture takes place at the Optus Stadium.

How to watch Australia vs. New Zealand for free

Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2025 Rugby Championship is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone from around the world can access this site with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2025 Rugby Championship by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch Australia vs. New Zealand for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to Australia vs. New Zealand without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch top fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport for free, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2025 Rugby Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

Happy Saturday and welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Today's games are harder than they initially seem, but we have all the tips you need to navigate them.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 4, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 4, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 4 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally

Equal (4): Everything in this green space must be equal to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this green space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 4 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this green space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this green space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this green space must be equal to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this green space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 4 Pips

Equal (4): Everything in this green space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today shouldn't be hard to solve if you have a sweet tooth.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: To repair fabric

• Green: A flurry

• Blue: They share letters

• Purple: Sweet treats

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Fix a hole in clothing

• Green: Rush of wind

• Blue: Anagrams

• Purple: Kinds of cookies

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #847 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Fix a hole in clothing: DARN, MEND, PATCH, STITCH

• Rush of wind: BLAST, BLOW, GALE, GUST

• Anagrams: ARTS, RATS, STAR, TSAR

• Kinds of cookies: FORTUNE, OATMEAL, RAINBOW, SUGAR

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 29, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will help you understand the flavor of today's puzzle.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

Today's NYT Strands puzzle should be easy to solve, provided that you're a frequent flyer.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 29, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 29, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Bring it home

The words are related to traveling.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe travel mementos.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Souvenirs.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 4

• Postcard

• Jewelry

• Shirt

• Souvenirs

• Magnets

• Keychain

• Spoon

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

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

What an action star might do.

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

STUNT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Mushy.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SOGGY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To fasten.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CLAMP

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Agitation.

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

TIZZY

Final Hurdle hint

A geometrical term.

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

RADII

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

MacBooks haven't always been some of the best laptops on the market, but you wouldn't know that as of late.

Ever since the rollout of the first M-series models in 2020, Apple's notebooks have consistently offered impressive performance and long battery lives (which Windows laptops have only begun to touch). Granted, most MacBooks are expensive — especially as you add more RAM and storage — but their premium price tags accurately reflect their premium, oft-imitated design and build quality.

Apple's hot streak continues with the latest M4-powered models, some of the best MacBooks (and the best value options) in recent memory. I think this year's 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is the best choice for most people because of its big display and quiet, Pro-level power. Its 13-inch counterpart is the best option for students since it's cheaper and a little more portable.

Apple's newest 15-inch MacBook Air will serve move people well. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Both M4 Airs are reasonably priced at $1,199 and $999 to start, respectively, but you'll almost never pay full price: They're regularly discounted at third-party retailers. (More on that in a moment.)

SEE ALSO: A $599 MacBook could land in 2025, report says

If the 13-inch M4 Air isn't at least $200 off when you go to buy it, the best budget MacBook is the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air from 2020, which Walmart still sells through a partnership with Apple. It's only $649 at full price but is regularly marked down to $599.

If you want a nicer 120Hz display, cooler multitasking performance, and a better variety of ports than the Air models offer, go with the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro from 2024. And for those whose budget allows, last year's beastly 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip is the Mac laptop that's best suited for photo/video editors, 3D animators, and other professional creatives.

PSA: It's the best time to buy a MacBook

Discounts on MacBooks (and all laptops, really) are at their deepest and most plentiful during Black Friday season, which informally begins this month with Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale on Oct. 7 and 8. Think of it as a fall Prime Day of sorts. As per tradition, other retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target will host their own savings events that overlap with it.

Current-gen MacBook Airs and Pros have fallen to year-round lows during Prime Big Deal Days in years past, so I have high expectations for Amazon. (If it doesn't revive its $799 deal for the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air, I'll eat crow.) Shoppers mulling an upgrade to a newer processor, a nicer display, or more storage and RAM should mark the sale on their calendar — it should be a good opportunity to stretch your budget further.

Don't forget to bookmark our coverage of the sale, too. I'll be tracking the best Prime Day MacBook deals as Prime Big Deal Days progresses. I'll also be keeping tabs on competing offers at Best Buy, which likes to match or one-up Amazon's pricing.

Another major Amazon shopping event is upon us. Prime Big Deal Days (colloquially referred to as October Prime Day) officially kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 7, and runs through Wednesday, Oct. 8.

With new deals dropping constantly, shopping can get pretty overwhelming. We know all too well that it's easy to get caught up in the sales, indulge in some impulse purchasing, and experience a little buyer's remorse.

As with every major Amazon sale, there are already plenty of live deals to shop ahead of the official event kickoff, with lots more to come — and you just might run into some questions along the way. Whether you're dealing with a classic case of buyer's remorse or have questions about deals, damage to packages, or your Prime membership, it's good to know that you can actually speak to customer service.

SEE ALSO: How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership

Since contacting Amazon can be tricky at times, here are all the ways you can get in touch with customer service for a smoother online shopping experience before, during, and after the October Prime Day event:

Amazon customer service help page

This is probably the most common, and easiest, way to look for answers to common queries, such as those about Amazon’s return policies or information about international shipping. The page contains a whole library of questions that users can get answers to, including how to track packages, cancel orders, or start a return. Your most recent purchases will pop up at the top of the page for easy navigation.

To access Amazon’s Customer Service Help Page, go to the website landing page and click on "Customer Service" in the top left of the screen. 

Amazon customer service email

Sometimes customer queries need to be worked through on a case-by-case basis, and the answers on the official website need to be more specific to offer any help to shoppers. In these cases, users can email cs-reply@amazon.com and explain their issues. Remember that contacting Amazon’s customer service via email might not be the best solution if you have an urgent question regarding your purchases, since customers are unlikely to get a prompt response.

Amazon customer service phone number

Need a quicker reply? Call Amazon at 1-888-280-4331. When customers call this number, a bot picks up the phone and eventually connects them to Amazon staff, depending on the type of query that needs to be answered. It’s important to note that customers should have a cell phone number connected to their Amazon account. Customers must enter verification codes that will be messaged to their linked contact information before using this service. In other words, things can get a bit tricky if you're sharing an account with someone else.

Amazon online chat service

Real-time chatting with Amazon representatives is the most convenient way to get all your questions answered. To use the live chat feature, return to the Customer Service help page and click on "Help with something else." When the list pops up underneath, choose "something else" once again. Another page opens with a list of more help options. Select "I need help with something else."

Now you've officially entered the chat. Type "Talk to associate" in the chat box. Amazon's messaging assistant might prompt you to give more info on your issue, which you can, but if you'd rather get to a real person ASAP, you can select "I need more help" from the pre-written responses.

From there, you can choose if you’d prefer to talk via chat or call. If you're looking for immediate help with a Prime Day purchase — be it due to buyer's remorse, a damaged package, an address change, etc. — this is your best bet to get your needs met.

For simple questions, Amazon also launched a new AI chat feature last year called "Rufus," which can help customers solve some problems and make more informed purchase decisions.

Contact Amazon via social media

If your questions aren’t that urgent, you can contact Amazon Customer Service at @amazonhelp on X, @amazon on Instagram, and www.facebook.com/Amazon on Facebook.

No one makes a hangout movie like Jim Jarmusch. From From his feature-length debut Permanent Vacation onward, the American writer/director has woven his affinity for intimate settings and observational humor with various flourishes. Only Lovers Left Alive gave us vampires lounging around a rotting Detroit. The Dead Don't Die offered ghouls with the energy and desires of a late-night hang, craving coffee and chardonnay (and brains). Now, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER offers the familiar family hang — one that's authentically awkward, funny, and tragic. 

Set over the course of three vignettes, Jarmusch's latest keenly illustrates how families are all different and the same. His astoundingly stacked cast boasts Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat. Together, they construct short yet solid stories of three families in moments both mundane and pivotal, creating an absorbing portrait of love that's messy and profound. 

Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, and Tom Waits make for a quirky kickoff. 

"Father" is the first of three chapters of the film. In a small town in New Jersey, brother and sister Jeff (Driver) and Emily (Bialik) head to visit their dad (Waits), and they're anything but eager. Stiff in woolen blazers, V-neck cardigans, slacks, and a long skirt, they are dressed as if on their way to a business meeting rather than to reunite with the father they haven't seen in two years. Pulling up to his ramshackle house, which sits at the end of very long muddy driveway, it's clear they don't belong here. 

Waits, meanwhile, is dressed in battered striped pants, a hoodie, and a head of hair that's not seen a brush or a bit of product in ages. Their dad's home is cluttered with books and laundry, as if in the wake of their mother's death years before he can barely care for himself. However, there are hints that their father (who goes unnamed) has a life outside of their understanding of him, like the glistening Rolex on his wrist. 

Within this reunion, Jarmusch's script reveals some backstory, touching on death, illness, divorce, and precocious grandchildren. But the movie keeps us firmly in this place, in this moment, where this family is perplexed about how to reconnect. There's no bad blood, but more confusion on how this father created these kids.

Where they are almost perversely proper, polite, and put-together, he seems a weary whirlwind, embarrassed to be caught mid-spin. The conflict they encounter is not one of shouting or smashed plates, but swallowed arguments and a shared grief they can't bear to say aloud. So instead, they'll be civil and stay on the surface with small talk. Yet the visual storytelling and nuanced performances Jarmusch knits together allow the audience to probe deeper than these preppy siblings can dare. 

Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, and Vicky Krieps clash as mother and daughters. 

"Mother" follows "Father," transporting the film to Dublin, where a romance author (Rampling) is welcoming her two grown daughters for their annual afternoon tea. Where this matriarch is intimidatingly intellectual and chic, her daughters are a study in contrast. Timothea, or Tim for short (Blanchett), is a mousy pencil pusher who fusses and frets but always at a low volume, lest she be a bother. Little sister Lilith (Krieps) is a free spirit with pink hair, a comically casual attitude, and a penchant for lying about great successes to impress her mother. 

There's no drastic divide between this trio. Like the "Father" family, they've drifted apart, seemingly content to have lives of their own. But in this household, their proximity practically itches. Lilith looks for ways to razz her sister, sparking a juvenile sibling rivalry that forces Tim into flushed retreat. But these intrusions and escapes are all in the gentle way of making nice. The tragedy of these moments is in how we can see their urge to connect and their fear to, all in a furtive glance, a choked laugh, or a licked bit of pastry. 

Hilariously cast as the most boring person in this movie, Blanchett nonetheless exudes a quiet anxiety, giving pangs to every passive aggression from Krieps' provocateur. Then Rampling adds a primly prickly veneer that's sharply funny. For instance, when all three realize they're wearing red (a tailored dress, a modest turtleneck, a frayed novelty sweater), the mother declares it "embarrassing," pushing her daughters into opinions that throw them into cringeworthy opposition.

It's in such small moments that Jarmusch allows his audience to determine the meaning of these scenes, and this collection of stories. But where the first two sections of this triptych are about relatively strained relationships, the final is a warm portrait of almost supernatural closeness. 

Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat are a revelation as twins.

Across all three, Jarmusch laces shared elements, like red clothing, a Rolex watch, clumsy toasts with non-alcoholic beverages, images of young skateboarders rolling by carefree and in slow motion, and some iteration of the idiom "Bob's your uncle." But in this chapter, he breaks the pattern of a family of three. In the Paris-set "Sister Brother," Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat play twins surveying what remains of their childhood home in the wake of their parents' deaths. 

It's been weeks since their passing, so the stab of loss is not as sharp. Instead, the twins get to enjoy the easy comfort of each other's company. Like Jeff and Emily, they share an aesthetic. But it's far from preppy, favoring leather jackets and streetwear with an aspirational sense of chill. Whether chatting in the car, getting a coffee, or looking over childhood photos, they are at ease. Where the other families all showed a need to perform for each other, these twins have a connection so deep that it predates birth. They swear that even over oceans, they can sense when the other is getting sick or getting high. 

While each of Jarmusch's family units in FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER feels familiar, Moore and Sabbat are so convincing in their chemistry and connection that I began to wonder if they actually are twins. (They are not.) This radiant love for one another smooths the cutting edges of the grief of their story, because unlike the other chapters' characters, they are not alone together. They are together even when they are alone, because they truly see each other and don't shrink from such honesty and vulnerability.

Following the press screening at the New York Film Festival, Jarmusch said in a Q&A that he didn't make this movie with a message in mind. To suggest there's a resolute message would be to misrepresent the gentle development of every section of this film. Yet viewed as a whole, I found FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER breathtaking in what it has to say about family. On one level, it's a reminder that every family is different and the same. We are all connected by a bunch of experiences, big and small, that are just so common they might be overlooked without the focus of a filmmaker on them. But beyond that, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER is a cool, rich, and wonderful celebration of familial love, which binds us and defines us — but not entirely. 

Part of the beauty of this film is where Jarmusch leaves each story. He's rarely been one for buttoned-up conclusions. And here, he essentially offers not even a day, but a few hours in the lives of people bound by blood, and — what else? We get a window into their lives, and a glimpse of how they see each other. Then, their story moves on without us. Where will they go? What will they experience? It's a mystery the movie won't dwell on, but we can.

In that, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER invites us not only to see ourselves in the families for better or worse, but to imagine what might exist in the lives of our loved ones once they've closed the door and the visit has ended. 

FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER was reviewed out of it North American premiere at the New York Film Festival. MUBI will release the film in theaters on Dec. 24. 

Looking to spike your cortisol levels? Then we've got the Netflix streaming guide for you.

From old frights to new fears, we've scoured Netflix's horror catalog to find the best cinematic nightmares for darkening your device. Of course, not all terrifying titles are born of the same fire and brimstone — so we've included a variety of ethereal ghost stories, stark home invasion horrors, gentrifying vampires, psychological thrillers, classic creeps, satirical scares, and more. Yes, Netflix originals like the Fear Street trilogy and I'm Thinking of Ending Things are on here. But we've also got genre staples and hidden gems.

Here are the best scary movies currently streaming on Netflix — all of them packed with eerie entertainment value, because you don't need to sleep ever again. Happy haunting!

SEE ALSO: What to watch: Best scary movies 25. The Dead Don't Die

If you want a zombie movie that's off the beaten path, check out this star-stuffed, silly, and cerebral gem from Jim Jarmusch. Set in a small rural town, The Dead Don't Die imagines an undead apocalypse in which zombies (or ghouls) still cling to the obsessions they had while living, like coffee, wine, and cell phones. But they will still eat your flesh, so watch out! 

If this quirky premise isn't enough to entice you, then we dare you to resist this absolutely bonkers ensemble that includes Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Tilda Swinton, Tom Waits, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Carol Kane, RZA, Austin Butler, and Selena Gomez. — K.P. 

How to watch: The Dead Don't Die is now streaming on Netflix.

24. El Conde Credit: Netflix

Chilean General Augusto Pinochet was one of history's most notorious dictators and a voracious embezzler, to boot. What if he were "bloodthirsty" in a more literal sense? 

From Spencer director Pablo Larraín,  this pitch-black satire reimagines Pinochet (played here by Jaime Vadell) as a 250-year-old vampire, living in exile with a family whose ready to tear him (and each other?) apart over his vast fortune. Think of it as "Blood Succession," but with a math-whiz nun at the center of it (Paula Luchsinger, who nearly steals the film). 

Filmed in lush black and white, El Conde is a dark, clever, and often gruesome gothic alternative history. It pulls off the feat of offering supernatural chills while never losing sight of the monstrous historical evils which it draws upon. — Rufus Hickok, Contributing Writer

How to watch: El Conde is now streaming on Netflix.

23. Under the Shadow 

Times are tense in 1980s Tehran for mother Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). The former medical student is worried about running afoul of Iran’s repressive post-revolutionary government, and the country is mired in a seemingly endless war with Iraq. Her husband Iraj (Bobby Naderi) is called to serve as a doctor on the frontlines, and their apartment building is being shelled daily.

Things only get worse after a bomb hits their apartment building and lodges, unexploded, in the roof; as their neighbors flee to safer locations, the building becomes downright uncanny. Did the bomb let something — or someone — in? Precious objects are disappearing from their apartment or being thrown out entirely, which the feverish little girl blames on malevolent djinn. It's up to Shideh to save not only her daughter's life from all these external threats but her very soul from malevolent, seemingly mystical intruders. 

In his first feature-length film, Iranian-born director Babak Anvari proves adept at slowly ratcheting up the paranoid atmosphere and jittery details, before finally letting it all explode in the last act. — R.H. 

How to watch: Under the Shadow is now streaming on Netflix.

22. Run Rabbit Run Credit: Netflix

Succession star Sarah Snook has more to worry about than the Roy family in this Aussie chiller. She plays Sarah, a divorced mother and fertility doctor suddenly in charge of her late father's estate — which includes her estranged mother, Joan (Greta Scacchi), who is in the beginning stages of dementia and is in an adult care home. If that weren't enough, Sarah's young daughter, Mia (Lily LaTorre), has begun acting strange. First, it’s the stray rabbit she’s brought home and started dressing like. Then, it’s some creepy crayon drawings and insistent demands to visit Joan, whom Mia has never met. Finally, it’s the girl’s conviction that she’s not Mia at all but Alice, Sarah’s sister who went missing when they were children at the same age Mia is now. Is Alice back for some sisterly spooks? Director Daina Reid makes deft use of unnerving sound design, creepy visuals, and a pervasive sense of dread and danger to strongly suggest the answer is yes. — R.H. 

How to watch: Run Rabbit Run is now streaming on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: We need to talk about 'Run Rabbit Run's twisted ending 21. The Babysitter

Y'know, I'm not sure The Babysitter really works as a movie; it's more the idea of a movie loosely strung together by one-liners and style. Still, it's a fun way to kill a few hours. Samara Weaving stars as the titular childcare professional, a popular teen with a passion for human sacrifice and one-liners. Judah Lewis stars as the kid being babysat, with supporting performances by Hana Mae Lee, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, and Andrew Bachelor. The sequel, released in 2020, is more of the same — so if you like the first, do a double feature. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: The Babysitter is now streaming on Netflix.

20. 28 Years Later 

The third film in the 28 Days Later film series returns director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland to the franchise. And they hit the ground running with a bold new world of zombie horror. With the initial breakout of the Rage virus decades old, the United Kingdom has been abandoned by the rest of the world, which has been largely untouched by the contagion. However, some survivors have carved out cozy communities, rich in culture, religion, and stringent rules to keep things from going undead. 

12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) has been raised in such a community by his loving but ill mother (Jodie Comer) and his brave archer father (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). But when his dad takes him for a scavenging trip in the untamed forests, where the infected have evolved in new and terrible ways, Spike begins a fight not only for survival but for a new day. Deeply harrowing, emotionally walloping, and scary as hell, 28 Years Later will leave you shivering. — K.P. 

How to watch: 28 Years Later is now streaming on Netflix.

19. Velvet Buzzsaw Credit: Claudette Barius / Netflix

From the dude behind the brilliant 2014 psychological thriller Nightcrawler comes a hilarious — and horrifying — send-up of the Los Angeles art scene. In writer-director Dan Gilroy's epic Velvet Buzzsaw, Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, and half a dozen other performers you probably love act their hearts out as fine art appreciators hunted down and killed by their priceless pieces. (Seriously, Billy Magnussen gets strangled by a painting of monkeys. It's awesome.) — A.F.

How to watch: Velvet Buzzsaw is now streaming on Netflix.

18. Blood Red Sky

Netflix's Blood Red Sky is one of those horror movies made so much better by knowing as little as possible going into it that I'm going to try to say as little as possible to get you to watch it. Directed by Peter Thorwarth, who co-wrote the script with Stefan Holtz, this action horror adventure combines the best parts of Flight Plan with tinges of A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night. Star Peri Baumeister is completely breathtaking as a woman attempting to protect her son from hijackers aboard a transatlantic voyage. — A.F.

How to watch: Blood Red Sky is now streaming on Netflix.

17. The Ritual

In director David Bruckner's scenic tour of a hellscape, four pals hike through northern Sweden to honor a departed friend. Of course, their trip soon morphs into a torturous and never-ending nightmare — with a killer lead performance by Rafe Spall. Slippery and divisive, this movie begs to be picked apart. More likely than not, you'll love the world it creates but hate the way it ends. Or, like me, you'll love the world it creates and how it ends. Have fun with it! And pack bug spray! — A.F.

How to watch: The Ritual is now streaming on Netflix.

16. Apostle Credit: Netflix

Before Michael Sheen became the angel Aziraphale in Amazon's Good Omens, he celebrated religion in a, uh... "different" way. Apostle is a completely bonkers period horror film that features Sheen at his most terrifying, playing a cult leader with an affinity for bloodletting and other "creative" religious sacraments. Lead Dan Stevens keeps the slow-paced narrative moving, with stunning supporting performances by The Politician's Lucy Boynton and Welsh stage actor Mark Lewis Jones. — A.F.

How to watch: Apostle is now streaming on Netflix.

15. The Blackening

In 2022, Barbershop director Tim Story brought a hilarious horror offering to the slasher subgenre with The Blackening. The film, written by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins, prods the trope that Black characters usually die first in slasher flicks. So what happens when all of the friends who gather in a remote cabin where they are stalked by a masked killer are also Black? Well, a wild game begins that's meta, outrageous, and a razor-sharp critique of this slasher cliche. 

The crackling ensemble cast boasts Dewayne Perkins, Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, and Yvonne Orji. And together, they make a movie that's an absolute must-see. In his review for Mashable, contributing writer Robert Daniels cheered, "The Blackening is a subtle, thought-provoking, yet endlessly rapturous take on the horror genre sure to invite more spins on its unique vision." — K.P. 

How to watch: The Blackening  is now streaming on Netflix. 

14. Jaws

In 1975, Steven Spielberg gave rise to the blockbuster with this iconic creature feature. Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss star as an unlikely trio of a local sheriff, a sea captain, and a shark expert. Together, they brave the waters off Amity Island to do battle with a man-eating great white shark. Though not as action-packed as today's blockbusters, this nerve-rattling adaptation of Peter Benchley's beach read was scary enough to drive audiences wild and turn the tide of shark sentiment against the sea beast for decades. 

Yet nothing in the fear-mongering Shark Week can compete with the action of man versus sea beast that goes down here. And even after 50 years, you'll want to cheer when Brody snarls, "Smile, you sonovabitch!"* — K.P. 

How to watch: Jaws is now streaming on Netflix.

13. Cam Credit: Netflix

One of the most underrated titles in Netflix's original horror catalog, Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber's Cam combines the tumultuous world of professional webcam modeling with the insidious terrors of a body-snatching whodunnit. The Handmaid's Tale's Madeline Brewer stars as Alice Ackerman, an ambitious performer eager to climb up the digital ranks who finds herself confronted with a doppelgänger gunning to take her spot, her fans, and maybe...her life. — A.F.

How to watch: Cam is now streaming on Netflix.

12. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Thirty-six years after Beetlejuice first thrilled audiences, director Tim Burton and his leading man Michael Keaton reunited for a sequel that was worth the wait. Winona Ryder returns as Lydia Deetz, who is drawn back to her former creepy home because of a death in the family. While there, she bickers with her stepmom Delia (a divine Catherine O'Hara) and her headstrong teen daughter (Jenna Ortega), who's gotten a bit too close to the dead. 

If you're seeking something spooky but not flat-out scary, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a terrific pick. As I wrote in my review for Mashable, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is pure Burton, passionate, untethered, and indulgent. Fans of the original movie will have plenty of reason to cheer, and even more to cackle." — K.P. 

How to watch: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now streaming on Netflix.

11. Bram Stoker's Dracula 

In 1992, Francis Ford Coppola unleashed a bold and sexy reimagining of the 1897 novel Dracula upon the world. Gary Oldman stars as the eponymous vampire, who is drawn inescapably to a young Englishwoman named Mina Harper (Winona Ryder). This is a problem for her husband, a bewildered Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves), who is subjected to torment and romantic rivalry from the Count. But of course that's not all. 

This lusty tale also follows the sexual exploration and vampiric damnation of Mina's bawdy bestie Lucy (Sadie Frost), who's been toying with the hearts of three dashing men (Cary Elwes, Richard E. Grant, and Billy Campbell). But once she turns, it'll be up to the peculiar vampire expert Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins, doing the most) to break them from her spell of seduction for good! Amid all this, there's blood, shapeshifting, sex, and Tom Waits as the wretched familiar Renfield. What more could you ask for? — K.P. 

How to watch: Bram Stoker's Dracula  is now streaming on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: Let's talk about that shocking 'Bodies Bodies Bodies' ending, with director Halina Reijn 10. 1922 Credit: Netflix

Directed by Zak Hilditch and based on Stephen King's novella of the same name, 1922 tackles classic themes of guilt, envy, and evil through the grim lens of the American Dust Bowl. Thomas Jane and Molly Parker square off to striking effect, painting a portrait of a marriage that is as at once remarkably absurd and nauseatingly plausible. The couple's son, played by Dylan Schmid, is just as compelling, with a heartbreaking storyline you won't soon forget. (FYI, fans of the book, there are big changes to the adaptation's ending that didn't bother me but could bother you.) — A.F.

How to watch: 1922 is now streaming on Netflix.

9. Train to Busan

South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho gave the zombie subgenre fresh life with this riveting and terrifying 2016 offering. Set in Seoul, Train to Busan begins like a family drama: a divorced, workaholic dad (Gong Yoo) must take his young daughter (Kim Su-an) to her mother in Busan. It's a train trip in which the kid just wants her dad to show he loves her. And he will — but not the way either of them ever could have predicted. 

A zombie outbreak hits Seoul, and just as the train is leaving the station one of the infected boards. Now, the riders are trapped on a high-speed train with a growing horde of zombies. And finally this dad will drop all thoughts about work and focus on his child. A motley crew of passengers will band together (and occasionally betray each other) to make for a movie that is dizzyingly intense. But the flashiest scares come from the zombies, whose performers are so committed to contorting, thrashing around, and generally causing mayhem that you'll forget this is fiction. — K.P. 

How to watch: Train to Busan is now streaming on Netflix.

8. Vampires vs. the Bronx

Want a movie that's got excitement, comedy, a scorching message about the evils of gentrification, and is a kid-friendly romp? Then take a bite out of Vampires vs. the Bronx. Oz Rodriguez's PG-13 horror-comedy centers on Afro-Latino teens, who recognize that a flurry of missing person posters and influx of rich white folks with tote bags means bad news for the neighborhood. Together, they team up Monster Squad-style to take down the bloodsuckers and save their community. With a sharp wit, a warm heart, a rich sense of atmosphere, and an equal appreciation for the Blade movies and '80s Amblin, Vampires vs. the Bronx is an easy watch full of rewards.* — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Vampires vs. the Bronx is now streaming on Netflix.

7. The Fear Street trilogy Credit: Netflix

Director Leigh Janiak pulls off a small movie miracle in her Fear Street trilogy, delivering consistently fun and fright-filled sequels that just keep getting better. Start your journey off with Fear Street Part One: 1994, in which we meet the cursed teens of a town named Shadyside. For years, the suburban haven has been terrorized by mass murderers — all of them normal townspeople who seemingly "snapped" over nothing.

Across Fear Street Part Two: 1978 and Fear Street Part Three: 1666, get to the bottom of the mystery behind these killings and their connection to the legendary Shadyside Witch. Based on the Fear Street books by R.L. Stine, this is a punchy slasher with enough gore and goofs to fuel a straight-through binge. — A.F.

How to watch: The Fear Street trilogy is now streaming on Netflix.

6. The Perfection

From cellos and foreplay to hallucinations and hiking, The Perfection does absolutely whatever it wants. Featuring Allison Williams in her best role since Get Out and Dear White People's Logan Browning in her best part ever, this vibrant genre blend will get a reaction out of you. Not necessarily a good reaction, but a reaction nonetheless. It's body horror meets psychological thriller meets occult drama meets classical music. With bugs. And vomit. I, for one, loved it! — A.F.

How to watch: The Perfection is now streaming on Netflix.

5. His House Credit: Aidan Monaghan / Netflix

Writer-director Remi Weekes' His House is easily my favorite scary Netflix release from 2020. Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu star as refugees from South Sudan seeking asylum in Britain who are assigned to live in an eerie neighborhood where they aren't welcome. Spectacularly frightening and ruthlessly critical of its subject matter, His House delivers everything it must — and then some. — A.F.

How to watch: His House is now streaming on Netflix.

4. Gerald's Game

Another romp from Mike Flanagan, based on one of Stephen King's lesser-known terrors, Gerald's Game follows a couple on a romantic trip to a remote cabin where things are totally fine and nothing bad happens. Just kidding! It's so, so, so bad! This survival thriller rooted in psychosexual trauma offers an exquisite performance by Carla Gugino, who is devastating nearly every moment she is on screen. Really. It's Haunting of Hill House times 10. Watch it for her. — A.F.

How to watch: Gerald's Game is now streaming on Netflix.

3. Creep

Oh, you thought you liked Mark Duplass? Because he was the love interest in all those indie rom-coms, played that doctor in The Mindy Project, and is easily the best character in The Morning Show? Well, think again! In Creep, a found-footage film that foregoes pageantry for a stark sense of panic, Duplass plays a strange loner named Josef that freelance documentarian Aaron, played by writer-director Patrick Brice, can't quite pin down. Duplass' performance is intoxicating, and Brice imagines a universe so compelling it absolutely merits its equally great sequel (also on Netflix). — A.F.

How to watch: Creep is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Incantation Credit: Netflix

Kevin Ko's Taiwanese horror freaked people out so much that it even started a TikTok challenge and managed to become the all-time highest-grossing horror film in Taiwan. "When one imagines horror movies, it’s almost impossible to not associate them with jump scares, monsters, or slashers," wrote Rizwana Zafer for Mashable. "Incantation does not rely on any of those typical horror movie factors, so it’s not really 'scary' in the traditional sense. Instead, Ko manages to terrify us using suspense and dread, built on the intimacy and psychological terror of the heroine. He plays on our deepest fears to scare us, incorporating elements of gore, trypophobia, and the eeriness of the unknown, that something evil is always lurking in the background."* — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

How to watch: Incantation is now streaming on Netflix.

1. I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Emotional demolitions expert/filmmaker Charlie Kaufman destroys audiences once more in the mind-boggling I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Adapted from Iain Reid’s novel of the same name, this cryptically titled psychological thriller follows a woman, played by Jessie Buckley, and her boyfriend, played by Jesse Plemons, on a disturbing visit to his parents’ remote farmhouse. What follows? Well, that depends on who you ask.

A transfixing meditation on art, existence, value, authorship, isolation, and more, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a truly one-of-a-kind experience as profound as it is disquieting. You may not have a great time in this house of abstract horrors (especially when Toni Collette is on-screen doing those classically terrifying Toni Collette things), but it will be a lasting one.* — A.F.

How to watch: I'm Thinking of Ending Things is streaming on Netflix.

Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix Netflix Get Deal

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list. 

UPDATE: Oct. 2, 2025, 3:30 p.m. EDT This story was originally published on Oct. 23, 2019. It has been updated to reflect Netflix's current streaming library.

One of the most underused lookup and reference functions in Microsoft Excel is the DROP function. This powerful yet simple function lets you remove a specified number of rows or columns from the start or end of an array without altering the original dataset.

Does your company use Salesforce? A hacker group may very well have stolen your data. Or, at the very least, they want you to think so.

On Friday, cybersecurity researchers discovered a website on the dark web that is attempting to extort victims of a major Salesforce data breach. According to TechCrunch, which first reported the story, hackers claim that roughly one billion customer records have been stolen in recent weeks from companies that use Salesforce.

The data includes records of each companies' own customers, which are stored in cloud databases run by Salesforce, a company known for its cloud-based business software.

The hackers' website lists numerous companies that they say have been victimized by this breach, including FedEx, Toyota, and Disney Hulu. Some companies, such as Google and credit report company TransUnion, have confirmed that their data was recently stolen in a Salesforce breach; however, they do not appear on the ransom website, for reasons unknown.

The hackers behind the website have previously gone by names such as Scattered Spider, ShinyHunters, and Lapsus$. The dark web site that has published the leak is called Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters.

Mashable has previously reported on this hacker collective. The group has taken responsibility for numerous high-profile hacks in recent years, including the Ticketmaster breach and the AT&T data leak. The group's targets range from major airlines to the video game makers behind Grand Theft Auto.

“Contact us to regain control on data governance and prevent public disclosure of your data,” the hackers' dark web site says, per Tech Crunch. “Do not be the next headline. All communications demand strict verification and will be handled with discretion.”

The hacker group appears to be trying to extort Salesforce directly. The group is threatening to release the company's customers' data if Salesforce doesn't pay a ransom.

In response, Salesforce put out a security advisory on its website titled "Ongoing Response to Social Engineering Threats":

We are aware of recent extortion attempts by threat actors, which we have investigated in partnership with external experts and authorities. Our findings indicate these attempts relate to past or unsubstantiated incidents, and we remain engaged with affected customers to provide support. At this time, there is no indication that the Salesforce platform has been compromised, nor is this activity related to any known vulnerability in our technology. 

We understand how concerning these situations can be. Protecting customer environments and data remains our top priority, and our security teams are fully engaged to provide guidance and support. As we continue to monitor the situation, we encourage customers to remain vigilant against phishing and social engineering attempts, which remain common tactics for threat actors.

I wrote my initial AirPods Pro 3 review in paradise. Physically, I was sitting in a resort in Maui, attending a conference and pounding away at my keyboard between meetings and presentations. When I put in my new AirPods, however, I entered a personal cone of silence. Gone were the conversations around me, the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline. All I had was my music, my thoughts, and my fingers on the keyboard.

It's not that the AirPods Pro 3 do anything remarkably innovative compared to other wireless earbuds, which are often less expensive — you have your quality sound, active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, and more. It's that they exceeded expectations at every turn.

Standing in the middle of a tech conference social mixer, surrounded by the drone of people talking specs, all I had to do was pop in the AirPods, put on some music, and nothing else in the world existed. It's a phenomenal feeling. So let's get into it. I've been using the AirPods Pro 3 for about two weeks, both in paradise and out, and this is my full review.

Easy connectivity Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

After unboxing the AirPods Pro 3, the first thing you'll need to do is pair them to your iPhone. That involves the complicated process of... opening the AirPods case next to your iPhone. That's it. That's the process. Oh, and by the way, once you do that, any device that you're signed into with your Apple ID will also be able to connect to them — whether it be an iPhone, Mac, or iPad. This is not new; it's been that way since the first generation of AirPods. But it doesn't change the fact that it's lovely.

Once connected, there's no app to operate the AirPods — the settings are built into your phone's operating system, but not necessarily in an ideal way. In the Bluetooth settings area, you can adjust hearing modes, hearing protection and assistance (which we'll discuss later), controls, and a variety of other settings — there are too many to list here, to be frank. What is not there is the equalizer (EQ) for the AirPods, which is actually elsewhere in settings. There's also no custom EQ, which is annoying.

Maybe the EQ is optional?

While testing, I primarily listened to podcasts — that's my usual use case — but I also spent a good amount of time listening to music from artists such as Metallica, Scorpions, Evanescence, and more. Then there's also my go-to, Lindsey Stirling, for examining the entire spectrum of frequencies from the lowest dub-step bass to the highest violin notes. 

The AirPods Pro 3 have a nice, even sound profile, with no particular emphasis on any frequencies. It's a very flat profile, which is how it should be. You can set different EQs — also in the phone's system settings, but again, there are no custom profiles, which is not ideal. Fortunately, I enjoy the default flat profile, so I don't have any personal complaints, but it's not unreasonable to want to set your own sound profile.

ANC and Transparency are impressive Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable Credit: Adam Doud Mashable

As I described above, the ANC on these AirPods Pro 3 is seriously impressive. The purpose of ANC is to reduce outside noise. The key benefit is to hearing health — the lower you can comfortably listen to your music and media, the less likely you are to damage your hearing. But Apple goes further by reducing all sound around you to a near whisper. You can still hear some things, but the volume is reduced to the point that it no longer matters.

ANC used to be great at removing constant noises, but fell short with sudden noises like a person talking or a car horn. That's still the case with lower-end ANC earbuds, but Apple does a remarkable job at eliminating sudden noises, too. When you put on any music or media, everything around you is simply gone. 

Transparency is what you get when you decide to let noise in from the outside. The AirPods Pro 3 are very good at that, but are also a small step back from the AirPods Pro 2. That's because transparency mode on the AirPods Pro 3 comes with a hint of sibilance in what you hear — it's a faint ring of higher frequencies, like talking in a bathroom, or a hissing sound on particular letters. It's not bad, but it's noticeable (and likely fixable with a software update down the road). 

Heart rate monitor Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

Now that I've had more than a day on my home turf with the AirPods Pro 3, I've been able to take them out on the road to test out the HRM features. And it works very well! The easiest way to test this sensor is to simply take off my Apple Watch and go for a bike ride around my neighborhood, so that's what I did.

In order for AirPods to track your heart rate, you need to be actively tracking a workout through the Fitness App. Once you start the activity, there's nothing to do but pop in your AirPods and start the activity. The Fitness app recognizes that you're wearing AirPods Pro 3 and pulls heart data straight from the sensors. 

I tested the heart rate on two different bike rides — both shorter rides because I'm old and fat — and it worked perfectly. I checked the heart rate against another device (which you'll hear about from Mashable soon), and in every instance, the heart rate from the AirPods Pro 3 was within a beat or two per minute of the other device, so that speaks very well for its accuracy.

How do they work as hearing aids?

My wife would strenuously disagree with what I'm about to tell you, but according to Apple, I do not have much hearing loss. Personally, I agree with my wife's assessment. A misspent youth of playing too loud music in too small a space left me with lasting tinnitus problems. Put me in a noisy room, and I will smile and nod without having heard a word a person three feet away is saying. Even Nuance glasses didn't help. Maybe Airpods will?

But, according to Apple, I only have 8db of hearing loss in one ear and 12db in the other. I tried using Apple's hearing aid feature, and I basically just got transparency mode, so there wasn't much help there. I tried it in a noisy bar, and I had a similar experience to the Nuance Glasses — if it helped, it was only by the barest margin. 

What it boils down to is, I spend a lot of time in noisy environments with people who are seemingly unaffected by the volume of the place. As a traveling journalist, I often find myself in cocktail mixers or bars with at the very least a cacophony of people talking and chatting away, and my ears simply cannot sort out the speaker I'm trying to talk to with the rest of the room. I was hopeful that the AirPods could help drown that noise out and allow me to focus on my conversational counterpart, but so far that simply hasn't been the case.

Credit: Celso Bulgatti/CNET Does Live Translation really work?

As for Live Translation, it seems to work pretty decently. Live translation is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English from the UK, which by the way, is not the same as American English. Frankly, I'm happy that Apple recognizes that.

I tested this feature by watching a movie dubbed into a different language — which the AirPods ironically would dub back into English, closing the loop. Not being a native speaker of a foreign language, I can't comment on the accuracy, but I was able to compare the subtitles to what Apple showed, and it was close enough.

What I noticed was a definite 1-2 second lag between what was on the screen and what came through on the AirPods, which made it a little difficult to measure how accurate one was over the other. That being said, I think it's fair to say that this could be a good help if you're traveling in a foreign country (that speaks a supported language). That said, having traveled to Germany, Spain, France and South Korea, speaking English is the ultimate superpower, because a lot of people speak English in foreign countries already.

Are the AirPods Pro 3 worth it?

Overall, the AirPods Pro 3 are a remarkable upgrade, even over the AirPods Pro 2, which were already very good. What absolutely takes my breath away is the noise cancellation. I thought I knew what great ANC was, and it turns out I was not shooting high enough.

When you add up all that these buds bring to the table, including how easy they are to use, the long-term comfort, the excellent battery life, and how easily they connect to an iPhone, this is truly a premium package well worth the $249.99 retail price. They are the very definition of premium, but they come with a surprisingly low cost considering the price of other buds on the market. It wouldn't be a bit of hyperbole to say that these earbuds are a steal.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $249 at Amazon
Shop Now

A video from a China-based company showing a human-like robot face is spreading online. It's giving major Westworld vibes.

AheadForm is a Chinese robotics company founded in 2024 working on combining realistic humanoid robots with artificial intelligence in order to interact with humans.

"With expressive facial features, moving eyes, and synchronized speech, the robot can convey emotions and understand human non-verbal cues, making interactions more natural and engaging," AheadForm says on its website.

The video making the rounds shows only the face portion of the robot and features the robot blinking, moving its eyes, and making human-like facial expressions.

According to AheadForm, the face robot in the video, which is called the AheadForm Origin M1, "integrates a full facial actuation system with up to 25 micro motors" in order to achieve gestures that look real and human.

AheadForm's website features humanoid robots as part of the company's Lan Series as well as an Elven character dubbed ELF V1.

“Within ten years, we might interact with robots and feel like they are almost human; maybe in 20 years, they could walk normally and perform some tasks just like a human,” AheadForm founder Hu Yuhang said last year in an interview with the South China Morning Post.

Samsung's next batch of Galaxy phones is likely at least a few months away, but that doesn't mean we can't start talking about software updates now.

A bevy of leaks and reports are already out there regarding One UI 8.5, the next big software update to Samsung's custom version of Android. It's expected to launch with the Galaxy S26 lineup of smartphones, more than likely in January, but let's dig in now. Here are some of the bigger features we expect to see when One UI 8.5 hits in the near future.

SEE ALSO: Report: Samsung's Project Moohan headset will launch very soon

It all starts with the UI itself.

1. Samsung's own take on Liquid Glass This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

You may have heard that Apple recently launched a huge overhaul of its smartphone interface in the form of Liquid Glass. Samsung isn't quite doing that with One UI 8.5, but there are some noteworthy visual changes you can see, courtesy of Max Jambor on X and SamMobile.

In general, it looks a bit more slick, glossy, and eye-catching. App icons have a bit of a 3D effect on them now and several apps, like Digital Wellbeing and Gallery have gotten visual upgrades of their own. None of these seem quite as comprehensive or transformative as Liquid Glass arguably is, but if you've gotten tired of the way the UI looks on your Samsung device, this might work for you.

2. Comprehensive family sharing

SammyGuru reported that there are some expansive new family sharing features coming to One UI 8.5. In the Settings app, users can now create a family group using their Samsung account that will collate all of their family members' needs in one place. You can share payment methods, track other people's locations, and even share and compare health data, in case that's something you would like to do.

One other interesting tidbit is a requests page where someone can, for example, request to buy a game or paid app from the app store, pending approval from the owner of the family group. All of this sounds very convenient and nice, which is really refreshing in the age of debatably superfluous AI features.

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

Lastly for today, X user Ach (via 9to5Google) posted some screenshots of a new screen privacy feature coming to One UI 8.5.

It's not super clear just from these screenshots how this will work just yet. It looks like it triggers a privacy screen in crowded spaces when you look at "sensitive apps," which might entail anything that includes financial or personal information. The UI gives elevators and public transportation as locations where you might want to turn this on. I assume this just makes the screen unviewable to people nearby, but we'll have to wait and see how it actually looks in practice before making any judgment of it.

4. Intelligent network switching

This is an interesting feature, and one that we hope would become standard on iPhones and other devices. According to SammyGuru, the new OS will be able to automatically assess whether you should be connected to WiFi or cellular data, then switch between the options seamlessly when needed. It's a small change, but one that could be helpful when dealing with large files like videos.

One more new feature...

Finally, there's one more potential feature to discuss — support for spatial photos and video — but we don't want to get anyone's hopes up. However, as TechRadar and @LaidBackDev_ reported recently, users have spotted references to "3D, VR, and spatial media" in the Camera app code.

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

This could mean a lot of things, but some users are hoping it speaks to important upgrades to the camera tech. And if Samsung Galaxy phones could take spatial photographs and video, that would give them parity with iPhones. The timing of this upgrade also make sense, as Project Moohan is on the horizon.

There will, of course, be more than just these five features, in due time. Be patient, folks.

Amazon gift cards usually come with the starting balance printed on the physical card or mentioned in the email if you receive an eGift card. But what if you want to check the balance on a gift card that you previously redeemed to see if you have enough left over to splurge during the two-day Prime Big Deal Days sale in 2025 (which officially kicks off on Oct. 7)? Or maybe you want to reload a gift card you've already used up? Check the state of your gift cards before your shopping spree this season by following the steps below.

How to check your Amazon gift card balance on your desktop

Follow these simple steps to check or reload your Amazon gift card balance:

Total Time

• 2 minutes

What You Need

• Computer

Step 1: Navigate to Amazon

Open the Amazon website.

Step 2: Accounts & Lists

Click on Accounts & Lists in the top right corner of the screen.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website

Step 3: Select Gift cards

A new menu page will open on the website. Select Gift cards.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website

Step 4: Redeem or reload gift card

Once you click, you'll be able to see the existing balance on your gift card. If you are checking the balance on an unredeemed gift card and wish to redeem it, you can click on Redeem a Gift card. You can also opt to Reload your card in this menu or check your transaction history, which is listed below the gift card balance.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website How to check your Amazon gift card balance in the app Total Time

• 2 minutes

What You Need

• Smartphone

Step 1: Go to Account

Open the app and click on the account icon at the bottom of the landing page (the little person illustration). Then choose Account at the top of the landing page.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 2: Navigate to Payments

Scroll down until you see the Payments section.

Step 3: Manage gift card balance

In the Payments section, click on Manage gift card balance.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 4: Check balance or reload

Use the new menu that opens to check your gift card balance, reload your gift card, or check past activity.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Oh hi! Welcome to another Taylor Swift album cycle. The singer dropped her highly anticipated twelfth studio project, The Life of a Showgirl, on Friday, Oct. 3.

With 12 new tracks to discuss and decode, the life of a Swiftie will be a busy one for the foreseeable future. Best of luck to anyone who wades into the "Actually Romantic" and "Wood" discourse; I'm personally abstaining for the sake of my sanity. But allow me to clue you in on all of the limited-time TLOAS merch drops, shimmery orange product releases, exclusive deals, and launch events tied to Showgirl's debut — official and otherwise — that you might have missed during the rollout.

Wait, why orange?

Whoever said orange is the new pink had the gift of foresight. Swift assigns a specific color theme to represent each of her albums' eras as a means of vibe-setting and savvy marketing. For TLOAS, she picked a peppy shade of glittery tangerine with mint-green accents.

Swift explained her choice of hue on the Aug. 13 episode of her fiancé Travis Kelce's podcast, New Heights, when she announced TLOAS and revealed its main vinyl variant — a Portofino Orange Glitter pressing. “[Orange] feels like kind of energetically how my life has felt," she said. "And this album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this [Eras] Tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant.”

SEE ALSO: Did Taylor Swift influence the new iPhone color? Fans seem to think so.

Swift first referenced her orange era on the very last stop of her record-breaking Eras Tour in December 2024, when she exited the stage through a pumpkin-colored door instead of descending on an elevator lift like usual. The woman famously loves an Easter egg.

All the TLOAS vinyl and CD variants you can still buy Credit: Taylor Nation LLC / Target

Speaking of vinyl: Swift has released 23 different hard copies of TLOAS so far, including eight vinyl variants, 14 CDs (counting box sets and signed copies), and one cassette tape. Many were available in limited quantities and sold out quickly.

At the time of writing, the primary Portofino Orange Glitter vinyl, a CD/poster bundle, a CD box set with a crewneck sweatshirt, and the cassette tape were still available for purchase through Swift's official online store. The orange vinyl and CD/poster bundle are also available through Amazon and Target at slight markups.

Target is carrying a couple of exclusive versions of TLOAS, including three CD/poster bundles with alternate covers and a "The Crowd is Your King" edition vinyl variant pressed in Summertime Spritz Pink Shimmer. The CDs were still in stock when I last checked, but the vinyl sold out online several days ago. Target started selling it in person at midnight on release day, so you might be able to find it in stock at a nearby store (while supplies last).

Shop "The Life of a Showgirl" on vinyl, CD, and cassette: "The Life of a Showgirl" Sweat and Vanilla Perfume Portofino Orange Glitter Vinyl $29.99 Shop Now "The Life of a Showgirl" Sweat and Vanilla Perfume CD with Poster $12.99 Shop Now "The Life of a Showgirl" Crewneck Sweatshirt Box Set $65 Shop Now "The Life of a Showgirl" Sweat and Vanilla Perfume Cassette $19.99 Shop Now "The Life of a Showgirl" The Crowd is Your King Summertime Spritz Pink Shimmer Vinyl $34.99 Learn More "The Life of a Showgirl" It's Beautiful CD with Poster $14.99 Shop Now "The Life of a Showgirl" It's Frightening CD with Poster $19.99 Shop Now "The Life of a Showgirl" It's Rapturous CD with Poster $19.99 Shop Now Stay tuned for more merch

The only official TLOAS merch you can currently buy is a crewneck sweatshirt featuring its cover art, which comes as part of the aforementioned CD box set. Swift's online store sold another box set with a sparkly orange cardigan for $70 in mid-September, but it's no longer available.

Swift's past merch collections have included apparel, jewelry, drinkware, blankets, pins, guitars, guitar picks, candles, stickers, phone cases, and journals, so a much larger TLOAS drop is virtually inevitable. Some fans are convinced that Spotify's TLOAS pop-up event in New York City this week teased some upcoming items: A TS-branded vinyl case, robe, duffle bag, slippers, and megaphone ornament were spotted inside the activation.

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

If you're looking for more TLOAS apparel and gifts in the meantime, you'll find tons of unsanctioned options on Etsy — and on several brands' social media feeds.

Brands are in their Showgirl era

Brands have "trendjacked" Swift's TLOAS rollout with orange-drenched memes, orange-themed deals, and limited-edition releases of orange products over the past month. (Trendjacking is a marketing term that effectively means "interpolating a viral trend.") None of the drops I've spotted are licensed collabs, but they wink-wink at a Showgirl connection in their titles and product descriptions.

KitchenAid's Tangerine Twinkle Stand Mixer

KitchenAid shared a mockup of a glittery orange stand mixer on its Instagram page the day of the TLOAS announcement. The post was such a hit with fans that the company decided to make it real. Only 12 of them are up for grabs, and you can win one by entering KitchenAid's "Showbiz Sweepstakes" at some point before Oct. 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Opens in a new window Credit: KitchenAid Limited-Edition KitchenAid Tangerine Twinkle Stand Mixer Enter to win through Oct. 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET Learn More OtterBox's Encore phone case

OtterBox calls the Symmetry Series Encore "the case of the year to match the album of the year" — subtle! It features a shimmering orange design that's drop-tested and scratch-resistant. It's priced at $59.99 and available for newer Apple iPhones as well as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Opens in a new window Credit: OtterBox OtterBox Symmetry Series Clear Encore Collection $59.99 at OtterBox.com
Shop Now Casetify's Showgirl phone cases

Alternatively, Casetify brings the razzle-dazzle with its new Showgirl collection of phone cases for iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Google Pixel phones. There's one with orange feathers, one with a glittery orange gradient, and one with a ringed orange hearts. They start at $38 (depending on the phone model) and can be customized with MagSafe compatibility, ring stands, bumpers, and different levels of protection.

Shop Casetify's Showgirl collection: Casetify Showgirl Feathers Case Starting at $38 Shop Now Casetify Showgirl Glow Sparkle Case Starting at $38 Shop Now Casetify Showgirl Heartlights Case Starting at $38 Shop Now Apple's Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro

Showgirl's branding is so potent that some Swifties credited it as the inspiration for Apple's new cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro. It's not, but the timing of the phone's release a couple weeks after Swift's TLOAS announcement was serendipitous. Other Apple gadgets that come in Showgirl-coded shades of orange include the AirPods Max headphones, the Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 earbuds, and the M4 iMac.

Shop Apple's orange products: Apple iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) — cosmic orange $1,099 Shop Now Apple iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case with MagSafe — orange $49 Shop Now Apple iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe — fox orange ​​​​​​​ $59 Shop Now Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) — orange $549 Shop Now Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 — electric orange $249 Shop Now Apple iMac (M4 with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — orange $1,499 Shop Now Apple HomePod mini — orange $99 Shop Now Free friendship bracelets from Insomnia Cookies

Insomnia throws in a set of free friendship bracelets if you purchase a 13-pack of cookies in stores this weekend — a reference to Swift's lucky number. (It's $29.99, the same price as a standard 12-pack.) Chai Latte and Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk are two of the featured flavors, of course. If you'd rather order in, the coupon code SHOWGIRL gets you free delivery on any Insomnia order of $20 or more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Insomnia Cookies Insomnia Cookies (13-pack) $29.99
Get free friendship bracelets in stores; get free delivery on orders 20+ with code SHOWGIRL Shop Now Uber's 'orange era' deals

Uber is running a few promos tied to TLOAS. For starters, Uber Eats users can save 12% on select orange snacks, apparel, pet accessories, and beauty items through Sunday, Oct. 5 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Items available near me included Harvest Cheddar Sunchips, orange Spindrifts, literal oranges, mango-flavored lip balm, orange Nike running shoes, orange dog collars, and orange crafting beads, for reference.

Those attending album release day parties at a local record store, bar, or friend's house can save $12 on an Uber Comfort ride using the code SHOWBIZ. It's valid through Oct. 5, so fret not if you have your festivities planned for later in the weekend.

Opens in a new window Credit: Uber Save 12% on select orange items in the Uber Eats app Get Deal Lyft's Showgirl promo

Similarly, you can save 13% on a Lyft ride (up to $10) if you enter the code ELDESTDAUGHTER in the Payment tab. It's only valid "while supplies last," so grab your getaway car ASAP.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lyft Save 13% on Lyft rides with code ELDESTDAUGHTER Learn More Get tickets for The Official Release Party of a Showgirl

If you don't have any release weekend plans yet, throw on your finest orange garb and head to your local movie theater: Blondie returns to the big screen for The Official Release Party of a Showgirl from Oct. 3 to 5. The 89-minute event will feature the music video premiere for "The Fate of Ophelia," TS12's first single, plus behind-the-scenes footage of its shoot, lyric videos for the other 11 songs on the album, and Swift's explanations of each track's meaning.

"Dancing is optional but very much encouraged 💃," the singer wrote on Instagram. Tickets are available at releasepartyofashowgirl.com.

Opens in a new window Credit: Taylor Nation LLC "The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" In theaters Oct. 3 to 5 Learn More

Fall is here and with it arrives another Amazon Prime event. You may be wondering if you should pull the trigger on deals you've been eyeing once the official sale kicks off or wait until the next Prime event. We're here to lay out all the details to help you decide, including when to expect the next Prime Day.

When is the next Prime Day?

While it may seem like Amazon is holding Prime events every other month, Prime Day technically only happens once a year in the summer. However, Amazon has also been holding another major sale event the past three years in the fall (called Prime Big Deal days). For all intents and purposes, it's colloquially known as Prime Day 2 or October Prime Day. Amazon has also held a week-long shopping event in the spring, dubbed Amazon's Big Spring Sale, for the past two years. The deals aren't quite at the level of Prime Day, but it is considered Amazon's first major savings event of the year.

In 2025, Prime Day proper kicked off on July 8 and ran through July 11. Yes, that's four full days of deal shopping, marking the longest Prime Day ever. While it was longer than usual, the sale still fell at its usual time: Amazon historically holds the Prime Day event in mid-July with a Tuesday start date.

If you missed out on Prime Day proper, fall presents another opportunity to shop some sweet sales. Prime Big Deal Days, aka October Prime Day, will run from Oct. 7 through 8 in 2025 — following the same schedule it has since its 2022 debut.

This year's event promises millions of deals across categories, giving customers a head start on holiday shopping. Plenty of early deals have already caught our eye, and you can follow along with the best discounts in Mashable's Prime Day hub.

Are Prime Day deals worth it?

It's hard to get excited for a huge shopping event when you have recession on the brain. Everything from electronics to clothes to cleaning supplies has become more expensive this year due to President Donald Trump's tariffs and other general economic chaos.

If you're wondering whether or not Prime Big Deal Days is actually worth shopping, inflation-weary shoppers can rest assured that Prime Day is notoriously full of great deals. Besides Black Friday and Prime Day proper (in July), it's probably the best time of year to buy Amazon devices, Apple products, robot vacuums, everyday essentials, smartwatches, headphones, and more. If you're in the market for tech, it's certainly worth perusing. Mashable has a running list of the best October Prime Day deals that can give you more in-depth analysis on what products are worth grabbing and which ones are worth passing on.