Technology

SAVE $53: As of Sept. 16, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (refurbished) is on sale for $126.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 29% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (Refurbished) $126.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $53.00 Get Deal

Is your TBR list getting longer and longer? There have been some incredible book releases this year, and it's hard to keep up. If there is absolutely no more room on your bookshelves for physical copies, why not try out an e-reader? And as of Sept. 16, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is on sale for its lowest-ever price.

This is a great deal on a refurbished device, categorized as "like new" in quality. If you're wary of buying refurbished, we promise there's no need to be. According to Amazon, this device is "refurbished, tested, and certified to look and work like new and comes with the same limited warranty as a new device." This deal is for the black and jade color options.

SEE ALSO: Stuff Your Kindle Day is live until Sept. 20 — download free dark fiction books

So why the Signature Edition? Well, this model boasts 32GB of storage, so you can fill it up with everything you want to read. The Signature Edition also makes reading in harsh lights much easier with the auto-adjusting front light. And it's waterproof, so it's the perfect companion for a day at the beach, a poolside vacation, or a relaxing in the bathtub.

For charging, you'll find it lasts around 12 weeks on just one charge, and when it does need some juice, this model is compatible with wireless charging.

Feeling motivated to tackle that reading list? Get this Kindle deal from Amazon now.

SAVE $37: As of Sept. 16, the Kindle Paperwhite (refurbished) is on sale for $106.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 26% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Paperwhite (Refurbished) $106.99 at Amazon
$143.99 Save $37.00 Get Deal

There's still just under four months of the year left, so you still have time to hit your yearly reading goal. But if you need to add a little fuel to your fire, why not treat yourself to an e-reader? And there couldn't be a better time, because as of Sept. 16, the Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $106.99.

This deal is for a refurbished device, categorized as "like new" in quality. But don't be put off by this, according to Amazon, this Kindle is "refurbished, tested, and certified to look and work like new and comes with the same limited warranty as a new device." This deal is also available on the 16GB model, and in all colorways: black, jade, and raspberry.

SEE ALSO: Stuff Your Kindle Day is live until Sept. 20 — download free dark fiction books

This is Amazon's fastest Kindle yet, so you can seamlessly flick through books without any lag or slow response time. It has an ultra-thin, glare-free design to make it perfect for reading anywhere, whether you're traveling, lounging around at home, or sitting out in the sun. It's also waterproof, so take it on vacation while you relax by the pool.

Speaking of vacation, with one USB-C charge lasting up to 12 hours, you can leave your charger at home. And as with all Kindle devices, you enjoy access to over 15 million titles in the Kindle Store instantly, and if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, you'll be entertained with endless romcoms, period pieces, and thrillers.

Your reading challenge won't know what hit it. Get this Kindle deal from Amazon now.

Astronomers have a new explanation for mysterious "little red dots" observed in the early universe: Maybe they're not crowded star clusters that upend everything scientists know about galaxies. Maybe they're actually something new.

Researchers are calling the space objects "black hole stars" — giant spheres of gas wrapped around voracious black holes. 

Normally, black holes are invisible, but gas and dust swirling toward them can get heated to millions of degrees, giving off very bright light — sometimes able to outshine a galaxy. These are usually called quasars, a portmanteau for "quasi-stellar objects." The idea here is that the same process is happening but inside a massive gas shell, according to a new study by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. 

Perhaps the band Soundgarden, which irked a few astronomers in the '90s with the dubiously named track "Black Hole Sun," got it right after all. 

"Little red dots instead appear to have much colder, and much denser, gas, so much so that they look just like the atmospheres on the surfaces of stars," Joel Leja, a Penn State astrophysics professor and one of the researchers, told Mashable. "This is super surprising and why the first study on the little red dots thought they were galaxies full of old, cool stars — they effectively look like one very luminous, cold star."

SEE ALSO: Webb telescope snaps sparkling photo of a giant star blasting jets across the Milky Way

When the "little red dots" were first discovered in 2022, scientists thought the objects might be galaxies as mature as the Milky Way, which is about 13.6 billion years old. That's because galaxies tend to get redder as the stars within them age. 

But that interpretation was mind-boggling, given astronomers are seeing the dots as they were when the universe was just a few hundred-million years old. How, then, could they have grown up so fast?

The universe is believed to have begun 13.8 billion years ago, shortly thereafter forming the first stars and galaxies. Their ancient light still travels through space, albeit at infrared wavelengths — invisible to human eyes, but Webb can detect them with its sensitive instruments. By capturing light that has traveled for billions of years, Webb is essentially a time machine, giving scientists a glimpse at the past. 

The new study, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, involved taking data from 4,500 distant galaxies. During that yearlong survey, the team nicknamed the most extreme object they found "The Cliff."

The Cliff's signal looked like that of a star, the researchers said, but Webb revealed it as twice as strong as anything seen before. The Cliff seemed too small for a galaxy — only about 40 light-years wide — and it wasn't giving off X-rays, making the star cluster explanation even less likely.

The study instead showed the red glow could be a supermassive black hole in disguise, pulling in material so quickly that it surrounded itself in a hot ball of hydrogen gas. That ball changes the appearance of the black hole’s surrounding light so that it looks more like a star. That's how the team came up with the name "black hole star."

A research team has a new idea about little red dots spotted in the early universe by the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Dale Kocevski

But mysteries remain. The scientists also see signs of very hot, fast-moving material in the same small region.

"How can very hot gas and very cool gas all happily coexist in the same tiny volume of space?" Leja asked. "It’s a big puzzle, and the pieces don’t yet all fit together."

Future observations, especially looking for atoms and molecules that can only form at these cooler temperatures, will help test the idea. If confirmed, black hole stars may hold the secrets to how the very first black holes were able to grow so fast in the early universe. No one yet knows the origins of gigantic black holes at the centers of galaxies. This may represent the first phase of their formation.

"This is why we do large projects like James Webb — we always hope to observe something shocking. It means we really are going to learn something new, in this case maybe a lot of new things," Leja said. "It is just the most exciting thing for people like me."

Let's face it: many people are using AI assistants like ChatGPT now. It's become the go-to tool for making work easier, streamlining life admin and so much more, with 14 percent of Brits using AI at least six times per week, according to a recent YouGov survey. But it's still surprising how quickly people have taken to using AI in their personal lives and particularly their romantic lives.

In fact, according to the 2025 Singles in America study, 40 percent of people are using AI to help craft their dating profiles and one in four are using AI to filter matches, write messages, or reflect on dating habits.

And the use of AI doesn't stop once you're in a relationship, at least not according to an influx of TikTok users who have admitted to using ChatGPT to help them settle arguments with their partner. Influencer @isabella.lux captioned a video stating that she recorded an argument with her partner into ChatGPT, "and it said I was right." There are plenty of other TikToks with similar captions, and it's a conversation that's happening online in other ways, too. Model Jordan Rand made a video claiming that she had to use ChatGPT to win an argument between her and her boyfriend because "he would literally rather believe a robot than believe [me]."

AI assistants are already embedded into people's romantic relationships, but are they genuinely a helpful way to resolve conflict? Mashable spoke with experts and people using ChatGPT to mediate conflict in their relationships to find out.

ChatGPT as couples therapy

24-year-old Samantha* has been using ChatGPT as part of her five-year relationship for the past four months. After using ChatGPT for things like recipe ideas and work tasks in her professional life, she realised it might be a helpful way to navigate a language barrier between her and her partner. 

SEE ALSO: AI has entered the therapy session — and it's recording you

"I started using it when I was having conflicts with my partner, who isn't a native English speaker, so sometimes our conflicts don't come to [a] common ground," she tells Mashable. Quickly, Samantha's use of ChatGPT wasn't just about communication, but emotional support too. "I was using ChatGPT to vent all my anger and frustration, just like a journal, and then I'd ask for advice on how to express myself calmly and clearly," she says. 

Jaya, who is 26 and lives in Bristol, UK, has been dating her partner for less than a year and also often uses ChatGPT to navigate conflict. "AI is like an additional friend, like an extra person in the group chat," she says. "With AI, it's black and white, whereas with your friends they may not be able to unpick everything."

It's easy to assume that platforms like ChatGPT are an objective source of information, especially compared to friends and family, who might already have biases based on their own personal experiences and their view of your partner. But Dr. Luke Brunning, who is the co-director of the Centre For Love, Sex and Relationships at the University of Leeds, says this isn't necessarily the case: "ChatGPT might be able to draw on the wider pool of ideas about relationships and intimacy but those ideas are often bad, or rest on assumptions about gender and monogamy, which we might want to reject."

"ChatGPT might be able to draw on the wider pool of ideas about relationships and intimacy but those ideas are often bad, or rest on assumptions about gender and monogamy, which we might want to reject."

If the concern is that your friends or family might be biased towards you, rather than your partner, when giving relationship advice, this is definitely something to take into account with ChatGPT, which Forbes described as "AI's biggest yes man", because of its tendency towards agreeability. 

This is something Jaya noticed when she was initially asking AI assistants for advice: "I had to set commands to tell it to counteract the argument – you have to ask to see it from the other person's point of view. If not, it does tell you what you want to hear," she says. 

Samantha agrees that this posed an issue to her relationship, particularly because both she and her partner were asking ChatGPT for advice separately about arguments they had, but were being provided with very different feedback. To combat this, they started using it like a "couple's therapist", as Samantha describes it. "When we were together, I'd type the problem from my perspective to ChatGPT and tell it I was 'partner A', then I'd pass the phone to my partner and he'd share his perspective, telling ChatGPT it was now partner B speaking," she explains.

SEE ALSO: Score lifetime access to ChatGPT, Gemini, and more for under $80

"We take the advice with a pinch of salt, but it helps to calm the situation and prevents arguments from escalating," Samantha continues, adding: "Our arguments have been constructive rather than explosive because of using ChatGPT."

Alex Iga Golabek is a psychotherapist, and she's noticed that some of her clients who are couples have started to use ChatGPT as part of their romantic relationships. "Plenty of people [...] in my practice share that it is very difficult and scary to even approach the notion of conflict," Iga Golabek tells Mashable. "Accessing a tool that's so instant and easy to use in order to learn how to drive or create that argument in the first place, that doesn't have to be a terrible thing in the short term."

Jaya believes it can also be a useful tool for identifying toxic behaviour, to a degree. "ChatGPT sometimes says things like, 'he was gaslighting you' or 'this is manipulation'," Jaya says. "I think a lot of the reasons why people use AI assistants at the start [of relationships] is because there's uncertainty." For people who are worried about this type of behaviour in their relationships, speaking to friends and family is of course, key, particularly if it escalates. But could AI assistants provide a sounding board of sorts for people who aren't ready to do this initially, and perhaps can't afford therapy?

Using AI to referee arguments

That being said, Iga Golabek says that neither AI assistants nor therapists can act as "adjudicators" in your relationship. "I say to my clients: I'm not a judge. This isn't a court of law. This is more about trying to connect rather than overpower," she says. The danger of using ChatGPT in order to prove you're right, as some TikTok users claim to, is that solving conflicts in relationships shouldn't necessarily be about who is in the wrong. "I keep asking my clients, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?" Iga Golabek says.  

"I keep asking my clients, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?"

In this respect, dealing with conflict can also be a crucial part of developing a healthy relationship, which the interference of ChatGPT could potentially get in the way of. "There is value in being present and showing up in relationships to try and resolve disputes on one’s own terms," Bruning says. "Often it matters more that an idea or resolution is yours, mine, or ours than the best or most sophisticated." 

Samantha admits that ChatGPT isn't as big a part of her relationship as it used to be, partly because she was concerned that she might become dependent on it to communicate with her partner. "Over time, we've come to a point where we don't need ChatGPT anymore. It's helped us process our emotions and communicate better, but it hasn't replaced talking to each other," she says. 

SEE ALSO: 4 reasons not to turn ChatGPT into your therapist Is ChatGPT the most reliable mediator?

It's possible that an AI assistant's utility in solving relationship conflicts relies more on the person who is using it and their intentions than the platforms themselves. Jaya admits she hasn't told the man she is dating that she is using ChatGPT to help her navigate the relationship, precisely because she's concerned he might start to use it for the same purpose. "I'd worry he wouldn't go back and forth with ChatGPT, so he might not use it correctly and then ChatGPT would just agree with everything he said and he'd take that as face value," she says. 

"Why risk a relationship on a source of advice with nothing at stake themselves?"

It's important to remember that, unlike asking a friend or family for advice, an AI assistant can tell you anything, with no accountability. Unlike a person you know, you can't decide whether you respect and trust its character. "Why risk a relationship on a source of advice with nothing at stake themselves?" Brunning asks. Whatever context you use an AI assistant in, you're usually posing questions based on a lack of confidence in your own judgement and ability, whether that's in how an email reads, how a recipe might taste, or your ability to communicate with your partner.

Experts have cautioned against using AI chat tools as therapists, warning that it creates a "feedback loop" that can reinforce users' harmful beliefs and lacks the professional skills that can help people with complicated mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

According to Iga Golabek, this isn't necessarily a new concept: "When we feel unequipped or unable to believe in the value or worth of our own argument, then we turn to someone or something that we view as higher or greater than us, and humans have done that for a long time." 

What is novel is the immediate availability of what can feel like an "all-knowing" friend in your pocket. Ultimately, in a healthy relationship, you should feel able to make decisions about how you feel and how best to communicate without checking yourself, even if you get it wrong. Forgiveness and understanding are just as crucial to a long-term partnership as emotional stability and your ability to communicate. 

After all, AI assistants like ChatGPT will never truly know what it means to experience hurt or betrayal, or compassion, or make-up sex, all of which are arguably more important when approaching a difficult situation in your relationship than the ability to compile the most common dating advice littered across the internet within the space of three seconds. 

TL;DR: Tired of wrestling with old-school scanners or settling for blurry phone pics? iScanner is a powerful app for iPhone and iPad that turns your device into a pocket-sized scanner for less than $40.

Opens in a new window Credit: iScanner iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription $39.99
$199.90 Save $159.91 Get Deal

Scanning a document shouldn’t be such a hassle. Most of the time, you’re either stuck searching for a printer-scanner combo that actually works or settling for a blurry phone photo that barely does the job. 

That’s what makes iScanner such a lifesaver. It’s a smart little app for iPhone and iPad that turns your device into a surprisingly powerful scanner, and right now, a lifetime subscription is only $39.99 (reg. $199.90).

SEE ALSO: This OpenAI-powered app can help optimize your investments

With a desktop scanner, you have to flatten out your page, connect your computer, and hope the scan comes out well. And, you can’t exactly carry a physical scanner around with you.

That’s why this app is so revolutionary. Here’s how iScanner works: just open the app, point your camera at the document, and let it handle the rest. It automatically finds the edges, straightens the image, and cleans it up so it looks like you used a real scanner. Then you can fill out your form, drop in a signature, or export it in whatever format you need, whether that’s a PDF, Word doc, or even Excel.

But the real magic is in the extras. You can solve math problems just by taking a photo of an equation, measure the size of a room by scanning your surroundings, or even count objects in an image for projects or inventory. There’s a built-in PDF editor tool as well,, so you can organize pages, protect files with a PIN, merge documents, or add watermarks without switching apps.

It’s time to say goodbye to clunky desktop scanners.

Don’t wait too long to act on this limited time offer. Grab your own iScanner lifetime subscription for just $39.99 (reg. $199.90) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change

When Apple launched the Apple Watch Ultra back in September 2022, it was a wake-up call for smartwatch makers. The Ultra looked cool with a large, bright display, it was rugged enough to withstand serious punishment as a fitness tracker, versatile enough to take it both to a mountain and underwater, and it had significantly longer battery life than the regular Apple Watch.

In the next two years, however, Apple only updated the Watch Ultra once, and the Ultra 2 was a very minor upgrade, with a brighter display, more storage, and a new chip inside.

Now, Apple has followed up with the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Once again, it's not a radical rethinking of the Ultra, but it is a more significant upgrade over its predecessor. Let's take a look at what's different.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 $799 at Amazon
Release date: Sept. 19 Pre-order Here Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Price and specs

Starting with the price, it's exactly the same: $799. Of course, we're talking about the Ultra 2's price at launch; that particular version is no longer available in the Apple Store as it's been replaced by the Ultra 3, but you may find it discounted at other retailers.

Last year, Apple only added an extra color to the Ultra. This time around, the changes are more substantial. Credit: Apple

Looking at the two devices, you might think that the specs are also mostly the same, but actually there have been quite a few changes on the Ultra 3. Here are the highlights for both models:

Apple Watch Ultra 3:

• Case: Titanium

• Colors: Natural or Black

• Display size: 1,245 square mm display area

• Display resolution: 422x514 pixels

• Display brightness: Up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimum brightness

• Display type: Wide-angle OLED and LTPO3

• Chip: S10 with a 4-core Neural Engine

• Storage: 64GB

• Connectivity: GPS, Cellular (5G and LTE), WI-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, satellite connectivity, second-gen Ultra Wideband chip

• Battery life: up to 42 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode

• Charging: Up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes

• Durability: Water resistance 100m, recreational scuba diving to 40m, dust resistance IP6X, tested to MIL-STD 810H standard

Apple Watch Ultra 2:

• Case: Titanium

• Colors: Natural or Black

• Display size: 1,185 square mm display area

• Display resolution: 410x502 pixels

• Display brightness: Up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimum brightness

• Display type: LTPO2 OLED

• Chip: S9 with a 4-core Neural Engine

• Storage: 64GB

• Connectivity: GPS, Cellular (5G and LTE), WI-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, second-gen Ultra Wideband chip

• Battery life: up to 36 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode

• Charging: Up to 80% charge in about 1 hour

• Durability: Water resistance 100m, recreational scuba diving to 40m, dust resistance IP6X, tested to MIL-STD 810H standard

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Design and display

Although the two devices look very similar, as you can see in the specifications above, the display is slightly larger on the Ultra 3. Apple managed to cram in a larger display by reducing its bezels. It won't be a dramatic change, but on a device this small, every square millimeter counts.

The display has slightly smaller bezels, and bettery viewing angles. It's not much, but it adds up. Credit: Apple

Apple also says the new display uses a newer version of Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide tech, which means lower energy consumption and longer battery life. It also has wider viewing angles than the one on the Ultra 2.

All that aside, you won't be buying the new model for the looks. The colors are the same - Black and Natural, the material used for the case is still Titanium, and the design hasn't changed at all. You can get a new loop (but you can do so for the old model, too), including a new trail loop design with reflective yarn along the edges, and new colors for the Ocean Band and Alpine Loop, among other options.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Battery life Look very hard, and you just might see that the new display has a larger surface area and more pixels. Credit: Apple

This is a big one. Apple Watch Ultra wins over sports watches from companies like Garmin and Suunto with its beautiful display and access to Apple's app ecosystem. But it lags — often severely — on battery life.

The new Watch Ultra 3 charges faster and has 6 more hours of advertised battery life. That's a meaningful improvement and can make a difference for someone who runs ultramarathons or endurance races.

SEE ALSO: Garmin reveals a $2,000 satellite smartwatch to steal the Apple Watch Ultra 3's thunder

Notably, Low Power mode is the same on both devices: 72 hours.

Ultimately, it'll come down to what type of user you are. If you absolutely must have a watch that has a week or more of battery life (top Garmin models, for example, offer several weeks), then the 6 extra hours won't make you buy the new Ultra 3. But if you want an Apple Watch Ultra with as much battery life as possible, the Ultra 3 is a clear winner over the old model.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Features

With the new Watch lineup, Apple also highlighted several new important features. But since this is a direct comparison of two Watch Ultra models, it's important to discern those that are limited to the newest hardware and those that will be available on the older model as well.

Sleep Score, which measures your health metrics during sleep, hypertension notifications, and the AI-powered motivator Workout Buddy, are all available with watchOS 26, and therefore will work on both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Ultra 3.

Satellite Connectivity is a new feature that's not available on older models. Credit: Apple

There is, however, one key feature that is only available on the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Emergency SOS via satellite, seen first on the iPhone, allows users to send an emergency distress message in areas where there are no cellular or Wi-Fi signals. This one makes perfect sense on the Apple Watch Ultra, as it's a device aimed at outdoor enthusiasts.

SEE ALSO: We tested the top fitness trackers of 2025: See our favorite wearables and smart rings Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Should you upgrade?

We'll reserve our final thoughts until we get the chance to review the new Ultra 3. But on paper, it looks pretty great.

If you're looking to buy an Apple Watch Ultra for the first time, then the Ultra 3 is a no-brainer. It's a durable sports watch that works within Apple's vast app and device ecosystem, and it's not even that pricy within this category of watches. Battery life is an issue, as other sports watches offer far more, but that's been significantly improved on the Ultra 3 as well.

If you already have the Ultra 2 and are looking to upgrade, that's a tougher call. As we've laid out above, there are a number of meaningful new features, but your old Ultra 2 isn't exactly outdated yet. An upgrade over the original Ultra makes more sense, especially if you bought it in 2022, as you'll probably feel the battery life improvements.

Products featured in this guide: Apple Watch Ultra 2 $699.99 (save $99.01) Get Deal Apple Watch Ultra 3 $799 Pre-Order Here

For my fellow avid readers — how are you finding your next read? Especially for us e-reader users, we have the freedom of getting basically any book on our device without having to lug around a physical copy. That also means e-reader and Kindle users can add to their collection without worrying about finding bookshelf space. So if you like to read — especially for free — you need to know about Stuff Your Kindle Day.

What was a once-a-year event has spun off into dozens of iterations, and puts free books in your lap while still supporting indie authors. So if you've maxed out your Libby holds and need another way to read for free, here is everything to know about Stuff Your Kindle Day.

What is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

If you're worried that these free e-book events don't support authors, don't fear. Stuff Your Kindle Days started as an author-driven event launched by author Zoe York in 2014. Through the platform Romance Bookworms, authors discounted their books to be on sale for just a few dollars, but most are totally free.

While Stuff Your Kindle Day was first hosted by Zoe York, other groups have spawned off to celebrate other genres beyond romance. You can now find events that specialize in cozy mysteries, thrillers, LGBTQ, and YA books. Even Amazon has its own storefront for Stuff Your Kindle books.

Opens in a new window Credit: Mashable photo composite; Julia Connors, Roger Stelljes, Lauren Biel Amazon Stuff Your Kindle books Shop Now What books are offered during Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Stuff Your Kindle Day is not necessarily going to be the best time to find the time to find new releases or bestsellers. If that's what you've got your eye on, we recommend borrowing through Libby or hunting for Kindle deals.

What Stuff Your Kindle Day events are particularly good for are genre readers. The event started as an event to celebrate indie romance authors, and you'll find that most of the events still center around different variations or tropes of the genre, like romantasy or "cinnamon roll boyfriends." Other genre writers have joined in, though, so if romance isn't up your alley, then there will be another Stuff Your Kindle event to join in on.

But regardless of genre, the main focus across all of the Stuff Your Kindle events is on indie books and indie authors, letting you discover and support lesser-known names.

Do you need a Kindle or e-reader to participate?

While Kindle is in the name of the event, it's far more expansive than that. Most books are available across platforms, including Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble Nook, so no matter which e-reader you have, there's a way to stuff your device full of cheap or free books. Technically, you don't need to have an e-reader at all, and with the Kindle app, Apple Books, and Google Play platforms, you can read books on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

However, if you are looking to join the e-reader club, it's totally worth it. We've rounded up our favorite e-readers and Kindles so you can find the right device. And if you're ready to join the Kindle ecosystem, we've tested nearly every model, including the basic Kindle, Paperwhite, Paperwhite Signature Edition, and Scribe. If you're not down to go with Amazon's e-readers, we like the Kobo e-readers, including the Libra Colour or Clara Colour — in fact, we like the Clara more than the Kindle Paperwhite.

Shop e-readers Amazon Kindle $109.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kindle Paperwhite $159.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kindle Colorsoft $249.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kobo Clara Colour $159.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kobo Libra Colour $229.99 at Amazon Shop Now When is the next Stuff Your Kindle Day?

With so many events to keep track of, you could miss when the next Stuff Your Kindle day will take place. The best way to monitor the event is to browse through all of the events on the Stuff Your Kindle website. Each event typically has an email list that will send out a blast leading up to the next event. We're also on top of all the latest events as deal hunters here at Mashable, so check back for our coverage during the next Stuff Your Kindle event.

But in between events, Amazon's Stuff Your Kindle storefront is the hub for free and discounted books you can get anytime.

Jimmy Kimmel has reacted to news of progress on the proposed TikTok sale, with the U.S. and China having reportedly agreed to the "framework" of a deal. While details remain scant, it's widely expected that U.S. software company Oracle will play a leading role in the planned acquisition. Oracle is headed by President Donald Trump's ally Larry Ellison, who is the company's co-founder, executive chairman, and chief technology officer.

"Now instead of the Chinese government harvesting our thoughts, interests, and personal information, Trump's buddy will have them instead," quipped Kimmel. "At least it's somebody we can trust though, right?"

Kimmel also touched on the Emmy Awards held on Sunday night, showing Guillermo interview winners such as Severance's Britt Lower and Tramell Tillman, Adolescence's Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham, and Hacks' Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart.

"We won Best Talk Show at the Emmys," Kimmel said to cheers from the audience. "I should say, we didn't win, we lost. But thank you for paying attention."

The Late Show ultimately took home the trophy for Outstanding Talk Series, with the Emmys audience giving host Stephen Colbert two standing ovations in a massive show of support.

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 sale, called Prime Big Deal Days, is essentially Amazon's 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 30 days 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 — costs $14.99 per month

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

• Student Monthly Membership — costs $7.49 per month (students are also eligible for exclusive offers, including a 6-month no-cost Prime trial)

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

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

A woolly, South American animal.

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

LLAMA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Uniting.

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

TYING

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A smug smile.

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

SMIRK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Five tens.

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

FIFTY

Final Hurdle hint

A chute.

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

SLIDE

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

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025-26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top club competition in the world of football has to be the Champions League. There is nothing else that brings the very best teams in the world together in a battle for footballing immortality. Sure, winning your domestic league is great. But winning the Champions League is on another level.

If you want to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Champions League?

The Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by UEFA and contested by top-division European clubs. This year's tournament begins with a 36-team round robin group stage to determine which sides qualify for the double-legged knockout rounds, followed by a single leg final.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2024-25 Europa League online for free

The defending champions are PSG.

When is the 2025-26 Champions League?

The 2025-26 Champions League is the 71st edition of the competition (and the 34th since it was renamed the Champions League). This season's tournament runs from July 8 to 30 May.

How to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free

It is possible to live stream the 2025-26 Champions League for free on the following streaming platforms:

• Ireland — RTÉ Player and Virgin Media (select fixtures including the final)

• Turkey — Tabii (select fixtures including the final)

• UK — Prime Video (select fixtures including semi finals with 30-day free trial)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League 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 a location with free coverage of the Champions League

4. Visit RTÉ Player, Virgin Media, Tabii, or Prime Video (free trial)

5. Watch Champions League fixtures 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 free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, the fact is you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Champions League?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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 the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The moon is appearing smaller and smaller every night, a nod to the name of the current phase in the lunar cycle, Waning Crescent.

The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility, and we're currently on day 24 of the 29.5-day cycle. According to NASA, these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth, so let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Sept. 16.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Sept. 16, the moon phase is Waning Crescent, and it is 28% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Right now, visibility is decreasing every night. This will continue until we reach the next lunar phase, the New Moon. For now though, you can still see various features on the moon's surface, so grab whatever gear you have and look up.

Firstly, for those with no gear, the Aristarchus Plateau and Kepler Crater will be in sight with just your naked eye. If you have binoculars, look up to see the Grimaldi Basin, Gassendi Crater, and the Mare Humorum. With a telescope, point it upwards to see the Reiner Gamma, Schiller Crater, and the Apollo 12 landing spot.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 6. The last full moon was on Sept. 7.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

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.

In our modern digital landscape, software issues sometimes pop up that require urgent fixes. One such fix is currently rolling out for Samsung Galaxy phones as we speak, and if you haven’t checked your phone for updates today, you may want to. The bug it fixes is a doozy. 

The issue has a very technical name called CVE-2025-21043. Per Samsung’s update page, the bug allowed attackers to conduct an “out-of-bounds write in libimagecodec.quram.so” that “allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code.” 

According to Google Project Zero, libimagecodec.quram.so is a closed-source tool that third-party messaging apps use to parse images that attackers could use to hijack a person’s smartphone. The patch going out to Samsung devices now fixes an “incorrect implementation” of the tool, preventing that from happening. 

How to update your Galaxy phone

• Go to Settings in your Galaxy phone
• Select the Software Updates option
• Tap on the "Download and Install" option and follow instructions

The exploit, which was discovered in August by WhatsApp’s security team, was reported to Samsung and Apple behind closed doors so as not to spread the news. There aren’t any public examples of hackers using this vulnerability, but Samsung’s report notes that the Korean tech giant was “made aware of an exploit in the wild.” Thus, while any individual WhatsApp user was unlikely to be targeted, the tools to do so existed. 

WhatsApp has over three billion users worldwide, so such an exploit could have done some damage, especially if it were made to target multiple users at once. As PCMag notes, Samsung didn’t mention any other third-party messaging services in its report, so it's unclear if only WhatsApp was affected or if other services could’ve been exploited with the vulnerability. 

Apple was first to the punch to fix the exploit, which it did back in late August. It wasn’t the exact same issue as Samsung was facing, but it had a similar end effect in that it could cause phones to be hijacked. 

Samsung’s update comes approximately two weeks after Google released a duo of similar security flaws that also had exploits observed in the wild as part of Android’s monthly security update for September 2025. 

Save $200: As of Sept. 15, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB, 256GB SSD) is on sale for $999 at Amazon. Typically $1,199, this deal saves you 17%.

15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $999 at Best Buy
$1,199 Save $200 Get Deal

One of the best tech decisions I've ever made was finally upgrading to a 15-inch MacBook.

I made that decision a couple of years ago, so I use the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air as my personal laptop, but if it broke down tomorrow, I would almost certainly pick up an M4 Air. For anyone who is currently in the market for a new laptop, the reason to get one sooner rather than later can be found in this deal at Amazon, which brings the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air down to $999 from its full price of $1,199, saving you $200.

In my own experience, I've found a larger display to make my typical multi-tab workflow feel much more manageable. I also occasionally work on podcasts do some audio editing, and switching from a 13-inch to 15-inch display felt like an absolute game changer, without much of a sacrifice to portability.

SEE ALSO: The best MacBooks for 2025: Air or Pro?

But you don't just have to take my word for it. When Mashable's Stan Schroeder reviewed the M4 Air, he compared it to his 16-inch MacBook Pro, writing, "the 15-inch MacBook Air is reasonably light and thin, making it a lot more portable than my 16-inch Pro." With the M4 chipset, you still get plenty of processing power. In his testing, Schroeder found that the housed in the Air, this chip was "considerably faster than any earlier Mac when it comes to single-core operation, and roughly on par with an M2 Max when it comes to multi-core operation."

Despite its power, its passive cooling keeps things quiet (though it can get somewhat hot after intensive tasks). It also comes with 10 hours of battery life, three Thunderbolt ports, the option to connect up to two external displays, and a 12MP camera. It'd be great if Apple finally bumped the 60Hz refresh rate up to 120Hz, but for now, the Air is a great all-around machine, our favorite MacBook for most people, and the perfect for option for anyone who doesn't need the heft of the Pro.

Google Search has many hidden settings and search parameters that customize results pages. Unfortunately, one of them is no longer working reliably, and might be removed entirely in the future: the “num” option.

SAVE $100: The Apple iPad mini (WiFi, 128GB) is on sale at Amazon for $399, down from the standard price of $499. That's a 20% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad mini (WiFi, 128GB) $399 at Amazon
$499 Save $100 Get Deal

Great things can come in small packages, and that's especially true when it comes to the best gadgets. A compact tablet can be the perfect device for reading, streaming your favorite shows in bed, taking to campus, or packing along on your next trip. If you're in the market for a small but mighty tablet, listen up to this Amazon deal.

As of Sept. 15, the Apple iPad mini (WiFi, 128GB) is on sale for $399 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $499. That's a savings of $100 thanks to the 20% discount.

When it comes to the best iPad, Mashable feels the iPad mini is great for reading, mostly thanks to its small size that measures 8.3 inches. "Tablets are an incredibly versatile device, but we all have our go-to use," wrote Mashable Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino. "If you, like me, use your iPad to read, you gotta go for the iPad Mini. The other models like the iPad Air start at around 11 inches, which is a lot of screen when you just want to flip through your book."

Of course, since the iPad mini is a fully-fledged tablet, it's also capable of much more than just reading. You'll be able to stream your favorite shows, reply to e-mails, video chat with friends, and plenty more. Those aren't functions a Kindle can brag about.

SEE ALSO: Why wait for the Apple Watch SE 3? The Apple Watch SE 2 is $70 off right now at Amazon.

Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder explained the iPad mini uses the A17 Pro chip, which is the same as the chip found in the iPhone 15 Pro. Overall, Schroeder wrote, "If you're new to the iPad, and you want the most compact one around (or any compact tablet), the new iPad mini 7 is the best choice."

Apple mentions the iPad mini gets "all-day battery life," which translates to about 10 hours of web surfing or streaming video before it'll need to recharge.

While it's on sale for $399 in all colorways at Amazon, snag the iPad mini and upgrade your reading and streaming experience. Its compact size and weight will also be great for upcoming holiday travel.

A lot of pastimes now involve staring at a screen, and while I'm the last person to comment on what "too much" screen time is, I've found myself not wanting to look at a screen more often these days. Which, considering what a geek I am, doesn't mean I want to take up hiking or meditation.

SAVE 17%: As of Sept. 15, the Apple 2024 Mac mini with M4 chip is on sale for $499 at Amazon, down from its list price of $599. That's a 17% discount and $100 savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 2024 Mac mini with M4 chip $499 at Amazon
$599 Save $100 Get Deal

Since Prime Day, Amazon’s been randomly gifting us with some pretty good deals on Apple products. The 2024 Mac mini, for example, was just redesigned (announced Oct. 2024) from the ground up around the powerful new M4 chip, and it's already discounted by $100.

SEE ALSO: M4 Mac mini: Why you should get it over the M4 MacBook Pro

As of Sept. 15, you can get the Apple 2024 Mac mini (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's a $100 discount off its $599 list price.

The most noticeable change is the new design. Apple shrunk the computer down to a "five by five inch" square, which it claims has a footprint less than half the size of the previous design. They also added convenient front-facing ports, including two USB-C ports and a headphone jack, so you don't have to fumble around the back to plug things in.

As far as power goes, the M4 chip delivers a huge performance boost. It's also specifically built to handle Apple Intelligence, the new AI system integrated into macOS. For under $500, you're getting a powerful, future-proof machine that's perfect for a clean and minimalist desk setup.

TL;DR: Upgrade your older PC without buying new hardware — This bundle includes Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro for $54.97 (reg. $418.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $54.97
$418.99 Save $364.02 Get Deal

If your computer feels sluggish, you don’t necessarily need to buy a replacement. Updating the operating system and office suite can make everyday tasks smoother and extend your PC’s usefulness. With Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 in October 2025, upgrading to Windows 11 Pro is a practical move, especially when you can get the Office suite at the same time with this $54.97 Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro Bundle.

• Windows 11 Pro brings a modern interface, improved security, and productivity features for today’s workflows.

• Microsoft Office Professional 2021 includes eight essential apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, Publisher, and Access.

• Ribbon-based interface offers quick access to tools and customizations for efficient document creation.

• Enhanced Windows security features, including built-in antivirus and regularly updated protections, help safeguard your PC.

Rather than spending hundreds on a new machine, installing Windows 11 Pro alongside Microsoft Office Professional 2021 can breathe new life into older hardware. With Windows 10 support ending soon, grabbing this bundle is a straightforward way to keep your PC secure and up to date without a big investment.

Get the Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle for $54.97 (reg. $418.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The Montessori-inspired Pok Pok Lifetime Subscription is $49.99 (reg. $250) with code TAKE10 through Oct. 5.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $49.99
$250 Save $200.01 Get Deal

Screens happen. And that’s okay. The key is making screen time something you feel good about — and where Pok Pok delivers.

Pok Pok is a Montessori-inspired app designed for kids ages 2–8. Instead of loud noises and endless ads, it’s a digital toybox filled with calming, hand-drawn games that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and exploration. Think STEM skills, cause and effect, numbers, and language — all woven into play that actually grows with your child.

SEE ALSO: Meet Microsoft Visio Pro, the tool that can turn your spreadsheet slog to visual ‘wow’

And right now, you can lock in a lifetime subscription for just $49.99 (reg. $250) with code TAKE10 at checkout — but through Oct. 5.

Why Parents Love Pok Pok

• Guilt-free screen time: Montessori-inspired, low-stimulation design that keeps kids calm, not wired.

• No ads, no tricks: 100 percent COPPA- and GDPR-compliant. No in-app purchases, no junk.

• Educational fun: Sparks creativity, problem-solving, STEM, and language development.

• Grows with your child: Open-ended play works for toddlers and grade-schoolers alike.

• Peaceful and calming: Gentle sounds and visuals make it a stress-free experience for everyone.

• Ideal for travel: Works offline.

• Regular updates: Fresh content keeps kids discovering new things.

Created by parents and childhood experts, Pok Pok is built with the kind of care you’d want for your own kids. It’s intuitive enough for a two-year-old to use independently, yet engaging enough to keep an eight-year-old curious.

Get a lifetime of Pok Pok for a one-time payment of $49.99 (reg. $250) through Oct. 5 with code TAKE10.

StackSocial prices subject to change.