Technology

Windows 11 25H2 Is Finally Here

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 21:37

We're nearing the last quarter of the year, and as usual, we're getting a new Windows update. Windows 11 25H2 is finally here, and here's everything that's new. Spoiler alert: there's not a lot.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Echos and the ANC Echo Buds are already beating their July Prime Day prices ahead of October Prime Day

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 21:28

An Amazon event wouldn't be an Amazon event without the brand pushing its own devices. While Amazon tends to stick strictly to the end of any Prime event's end cutoff time, it doesn't shy away from putting Amazon devices on sale early. So naturally, several Echo deals, Fire Tablet deals, and Blink camera deals are already live the week before Prime Big Deal Days kicks off on Oct. 7.

The best Prime Day Amazon device deals at a glance: BEST FIRE TABLET DEAL Amazon Fire HD 10 (64GB) $79.99 (save $100) Get Deal BEST FIRE TV DEAL Insignia 65-inch QF Series QLED 4K Fire TV $299.99 (save $200) Get Deal BEST ECHO DEAL Echo Buds with ANC $34.99 (save $85) Get Deal BEST KINDLE DEAL Kindle Scribe (16GB) $299.99 (save $100) Get Deal BEST BLINK DEAL Blink Video Doorbell $34.99 (save $35) Get Deal

A few devices are even beating their Prime Day prices from July: Particularly of note are the Echo Show 8 dropping to $99.99 (compared to $109.99 in July) and the Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation dropping to $34.99 — a 71% discount only matched during Black Friday 2024. There are a ton of great Fire TV deals — they just happen to be on Fire TVs from non-Amazon brands, like Insignia and Hisense. There aren't a ton of great Kindle deals just yet, but we'll update this post immediately when more Kindles do go on sale at Amazon. But for now, you can prepare by signing up for three months of Kindle Unlimited for free if you've never subscribed before.

Before you buy, see if Amazon announced a new version of that device at its fall hardware event on Sept. 30 — maybe you'll want to wait for the refreshed model, or maybe the new prices are the justification you needed to grab a deal now.

SEE ALSO: What is Stuff Your Kindle Day? The best way to fill your e-reader with free books.

Below, we're keeping tabs on all of the best Amazon device deals before and throughout the end of October Prime Day on Oct. 8. The best Amazon device deals do tend to sell out toward the end of the sale, so if you see a good price drop now, hop on it. There's also a ton of stuff outside of Amazon devices on sale ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, so be sure to follow along with our carefully curated coverage of all of the best October Prime Day deals.

Note: Deals with a 🔥 next to them have dropped to new record-low prices, while struck-through deals were sold out or expired at the time of writing.

Best Amazon device deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation (newest model) 🔥 $34.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $85 Get Deal Why we like it

There's no way around it: A shit ton of people are going to buy AirPods this October Prime Day. But for those who aren't married to Apple's earbuds (or how often they seem to break), just know that the latest version of Amazon's Echo Buds with ANC are just $34.99 after a 71% discount. That beats their Prime Day price from July by $10, and you could get five pairs of Echo Buds for less than the $199.99 sale price of the AirPods Pro 2.

Amazon's noise cancellation doesn't level with the effectiveness of those AirPods or other top noise-cancelling earbuds, but casual music or podcast listeners may not care at this price point.

Fire tablet dealsEcho dealsKindle dealsFire TV dealsFire TV deals from non-Amazon brandsBlink home security dealsOther Amazon device deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazons Echo Buds with ANC are the cheapest theyve ever been

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 21:20

SAVE $85: As of Sept. 30, Amazon's Echo Buds with ANC are down to an all-time low price of $34.99. That's 71% off their list price of $119.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Buds with ANC $34.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $85 Get Deal

Earlier this month, we highlighted Amazon's excellent deal on the Echo Buds with ANC. Little did we know, that deal was about to get even better.

As of Sept. 30, just a week before the Prime Big Deal Days event, the Amazon Echo Buds with ANC have dropped another $10 to just $34.99. That's a massive 71% or $85 off their list price of $119.99 and the lowest price on record. The buds have only reached this record-low once before on Black Friday 2024.

Since they're quite a few years old, originally launching in 2021, we probably wouldn't recommend the Echo Buds with ANC at full price. At less than $40, however, it's a whole different ball game. At that price, they're cheaper than any of the earbuds on our list of the best budget picks.

While they won't compare to something like the AirPods Pro or Bose QuietComfort earbuds, the Echo Buds are still solid noise-cancelling earbuds for anyone who doesn't want to spend a fortune. They offer a comfortable fit, decent sound quality, and acceptable battery life (about 15 hours with the charging case). As Mashable's Alex Perry wrote in his review, "Considering how much cheaper these are than other big-name ANC-enabled earbuds, it's pretty incredible that the ANC works as well as it does."

If you're in the market for some earbuds that'll go easy on your wallet, add these babies to your cart while they're sitting at their best price ever.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon's New Smart Speakers Are Even Smarter

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 21:12

Amazon’s lineup of Alexa-powered smart speakers is probably among the most popular, if not the most popular, among households. And now with the age of Alexa+ getting closer, we have new smart speakers ready for Alexa+.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sony's New Desktop Speakers Are Exactly What I've Been Waiting For

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 21:00

Sony doesn't do that much in the world of AV these days, with a limited selection of (excellent) TVs and audio products mostly focused on headphones—which makes me a little sad. However, it also means that when Sony announces a new set of speakers, I sit up and listen.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon Made a Customizable Smart Button for Routines and Automation

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 20:34

Amazon just revealed a ton of new gadgets, and one of them is a new Smart Remote that is completely programmable with Alexa. This device, the Smart Dimmer Switch and Remote, is available for preorder for just $20 and is expected to start shipping in October.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Hybrid SUV You Can’t Ignore for Tech and Value

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 20:30

The gas-only Toyota RAV4 is about to vanish in the U.S., making way for an all-hybrid 2026 lineup. Toyota’s going all-in on electrification, but they’re not totally ditching gas engines just yet.

Categories: IT General, Technology

AI Is Making YouTube Worse

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 20:00

As a YouTuber myself, and as a heavy user of YouTube for both work and my own entertainment, I watch a lot of content on the platform. Which means I'm in a good position to pick up certain trends and changes in the videos that people produce and publish, which is why I noticed a subtle but awful trend—AI slop content.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Blink’s New 2K Cameras Are Perfect for Indoors or Outdoors

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:47

Blink, the Amazon-owned company known for its affordable smart home security cameras, announced a new generation to its lineup featuring 2K video, new mounting options, and more. Some of the most popular indoor and outdoor battery-powered cameras are about to get even better, making it easy to secure your home.

Categories: IT General, Technology

You Can Finally Send Payments Between PayPal and Venmo

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:40

The long-standing annoyance of not being able to send money directly between Venmo and PayPal is finally coming to an end. The two massive digital payment apps are set to become natively compatible this November, which has been a long time coming.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: Its great but is it worth $200?

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:35

Kindle users might be the most passionate sect of BookTok, coming up with hacks to maximize the device's potential, through page turners or Stuff Your Kindle Day events. And we get it, they're the best e-readers out there. In 2024, Amazon released a new line-up of Kindles that improved upon the previous generation, which we already loved.

I've tested the Kindle Paperwhite, and spoiler alert, I do think it's a better value than the Signature Edition. However, the SE isn't without its merits. Let's get into the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 12th generation, and if you should buy it over the basic Kindle or Kindle Paperwhite.

It has all the perks of the Paperwhite and more It's nearly impossible to tell the difference between the Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition are essentially the same device; the Signature Edition just has the addition of a few special features. You can read all the in-depth details about why we like the Paperwhite in my review, but here's the TL;DR.

The 2024 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is lightning fast. In comparison to the 2021 edition, the difference is noticeable, with no hesitation when flipping through pages. However, the biggest improvement comes when switching between books in your library, as it zips through tasks.

With a 7-inch screen, the SE got a slight size increase, while the resolution of 300 ppi and maximum brightness of 94 nits remain the same between generations. That being said, the display on this generation looks higher contrast, making it sharper and easier to read. Plus, it remains waterproof, perfect for taking along to the bathtub, beach, or pool.

SEE ALSO: I've read hundreds of free Kindle books with this app. Here's how.

Not to mention it comes with 32GB of storage. If you're thinking in terms of phones or tablets, that amount of storage might seem small, but keep in mind that 32GB has the potential to hold up to 32,000 e-books.

You get all of these great features in both the Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition, so what makes the SE unique?

The same great battery life as the Kindle Paperwhite

Kindles are unbeatable on one front: battery life. The Kindle Paperwhite and Signature Edition boast the same battery life of up to 12 weeks. The Signature Edition can go months without charging, but it doesn't have a longer life than the standard Paperwhite. The only battery life bonus you get with the Signature Edition is its wireless charging capabilities.

The Paperwhite vs. Signature Edition: What does $40 extra get you?

The Paperwhite Signature Edition has several added features that come with its $40 increase in price. For $199.99, it comes with an ad-free lock screen, 32GB of storage, auto-adjusting brightness, and wireless charging. Plus it comes in metallic versions of the Kindle Paperwhite's black, jade, and raspberry.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition offers a more vibrant twist on jade. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable No lockscreen ads

Among the added features, the lock screen is the biggest draw. On a standard Kindle, ads pop up on the lock screen, forcing Amazon's recommendations on you. Not necessarily a dealbreaker, but still plenty annoying. So the Signature Edition does away with the ads, freeing you from the chains of capitalism (sort of). However, this does come with one catch. The ad-free lock screen tends to unlock easily when tossing it into a bag since there's no 'swipe to unlock' mechanism that the ad-enabled devices have. So if you're going to get the Signature Edition, make sure to get a case with a cover.

Auto-adjusting brightness

In terms of the other features, I didn't think they were anything to write home about. The auto-adjusting brightness didn't work consistently, even when I went from reading next to a lamp to turning off the lights; the auto-adjustment didn't kick in, and I always had to manually turn the brightness down.

Wireless charging

The wireless charging, while nice, didn't feel like the most necessary addition since you need to charge the device every three months. Plus, with most devices using USB-C these days, I'm never in short supply of chargers.

Magsafe chargers even work on the Paperwhite Signature Edition. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable 32GB of storage — is it necessary?

Now let's address the 32GB in the room. For an e-reader, that is an exorbitant amount of storage. It's double the amount of the standard Kindle Paperwhite, and again, 32,000 books' worth of storage. That is a lot of books. Is that much necessary? In my professional opinion, no, especially when you can remove downloaded books from your device and redownload from the Kindle cloud at any time. So if you think you need all that storage, you probably don't, and it's not worth splurging an extra $40 on it.

Differences between the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 12th generation and 11th generation

If you already have the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 11th generation, you may be wondering if it's worth it to upgrade to the next generation. Short answer: Absolutely not. Unless your 11th-gen Signature Edition has kicked the bucket, the differences between the 11th generation and 12th generation are negligible. Both devices have all the premium features of 32GB of storage, wireless charging, auto-adjusting brightness, and no lockscreen ads.

The main differences between the two devices are faster processing and a slightly larger screen. Having used both devices, the processing speeds are extremely similar, but the 12th generation's extra speed is admittedly hard to notice. The larger screen size is nice, but it's only a difference of .2-inches.

All that to say, don't run to upgrade unless your old device is on its last leg.

Is the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition worth it? Is 32GB worth the $200 price tag? We're unconvinced. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

For the average user, I don't think the Signature Edition is a worthy upgrade. The Kindle Paperwhite is far better bang for your buck, packed with everything you need for the ultimate reading experience. It might be worth the splurge if you do have storage concerns — maybe you've maxed out on 16GB on previous Kindle models. Otherwise, 16GB will be fine. And if you're really put off by lock screen ads, then the Signature Edition is going to be your preferred device.

However, if you are going to swing for the Amazon Kindle Signature Edition, look for it on sale. During Black Friday 2024, the Signature Edition was down to $154.99, cheaper than the listing price of the standard Paperwhite.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024 model, 12th generation) $199.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Mashable's reviews of the current Kindle line-up
Categories: IT General, Technology

Government shutdown looms. Will online services be disrupted?

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:33

The federal government is preparing for what appears to be an imminent shutdown after President Donald Trump and congressional leaders failed to find budgetary compromise in meetings convened on Monday (Sept. 29).

The funding lapse would be the first under Trump's second term (but certainly not the first in the country's history). Under Trump's first term, the federal government experienced its longest shutdown ever (35 days) as leaders debated funding for Trump's plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the pause resulted in a $3 billion hit to the U.S. economy.  

SEE ALSO: President Trump finally inked a $14 billion TikTok deal to keep the app alive

This year's budget hinges on the two parties agreeing to terms on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, something the Trump administration has taken a hard line on in its One Big Beautiful Bill. Senate Democrats have already once rejected a Republican-led temporary funding plan that would extend the current budget for another seven weeks, choosing to stand their ground on Medicaid.

Republican leaders, which hold a majority in the House and Senate, have plastered some government pages with claims that Democrats are holding the budget hostage. The homepage for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, for example, reads: "The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands."

If the pattern continues until the deadline (Sept. 30 at midnight), federal spending streams will be halted and services will have to operate with limited staff and funding.

What a shutdown means for federal agencies

In a departure from previous government shutdowns, the White House has also threatened to slash the federal workforce should the lapse occur, with Trump saying thousands of permanent jobs could be on the line if the two parties can't come to an agreement. The administration has already cut thousands of workers, including another 100,000 expected to resign today.

But most employees, barring lawmakers on Capitol Hill, will be furloughed or forced to work without pay. The paychecks of around 4 million federal employees, including millions of active service members and currently deployed National Guard troops, will be held in limbo until the new budget passes. Hundreds of thousands of employees will continue to work as unpaid essential staff — more than 300,000 government workers were furloughed during the last shutdown in early 2019. 

Essential services, like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, will continue to be doled out in the event of a shutdown, although individuals can expect slower turnarounds and potential application pauses. Regulatory agencies, including the health and safety operations of the FDA and CDC, will have to pause some of their work, as they reduce necessary staff. TSA and air traffic users will also be forced to work without pay. The U.S. Postal Service, border patrol, and law enforcement shouldn't be affected. 

Federal employee unions, including the AFGE, have warned that such a pause would put federal employees at risk of financial, medical, and food insecurity, and called the proposed mass firings an illegal tactic by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 

How a shutdown may impact individuals and online users

For the average citizen, a brief government shutdown will be more like a blip than a pressing worry. But an extended funding lapse — like that in 2019 — could have further-reaching repercussions. 

Most online services will continue to operate, including filing options for federal benefits, forms, and documents, like travel visas. But whether or not you'll receive those requests on time is another matter. SNAP and WIC recipients, for example, could have their benefits delayed if the USDA is slow to process new forms. Non-automated collections and refunds for the IRS would also be impacted, as the agency works with limited staff. Immigration and travel services, like the E-Verify process for new employees, could be shut down, as well. 

Other human services, like call centers and hotlines, could be put on pause, too. Offline, conservation groups have called to close National Parks if employees are furloughed following widespread vandalism during the 2019 shutdown. In the past, this has threatened the ever-popular Fat Bear Week, held at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Agencies like the National Park Service historically stop updating social media during a shutdown.

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In addition to beleaguered services and hits to federally subsidized programs, federal websites and national cyber security could also be strained by the lack of staff and funding. In 2019, security company Netcraft alleged that the lapse led to dozens of expired security certificates for .gov websites, rendering them "insecure or inaccessible." The Department of Homeland Security's cyber-security and infrastructure security agency was reduced to half staff, and cyber security experts warned that continued understaffing could pose risks to the general public, unable to verify federal websites. Previous lapses have also delayed election system security scans and cybersecurity research. 

This time around, the DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) may be reduced even more, down to 35 percent of its current staff. Also on the chopping block for budget lawmakers is the 2015 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, a law that facilitates cyber threat sharing between private companies and the government, which is set to expire. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

No Longer Need Old PC Parts? Here Are Some Interesting Ways to Reuse Them

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:30

Everyone has to upgrade their PC eventually, and that means having obsolete parts you don't need. You could throw them away or recycle them. You could try to sell them to someone. But you could also repurpose them for some nifty projects at home to give them a new lease on life.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Install or Remove Optional Features in Windows 11

How-To Geek - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:15

Windows 11 offers a wide variety of features, and many of them—like the Windows Subsystem for Linux and language packs—aren't installed by default. You can also remove features that are installed by default. Here's how to do it, graphically or from the command line.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I dug up the best early October Prime Day laptop deals: These 2 models are worth buying already

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:08
The best early October Prime Day laptop deals at a glance: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999 (save $200) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999.99 (save $400) Get Deal

Black Friday is the absolute best time to buy a laptop if you want a great deal. Retailers typically reserve their year-round lows for October through December to entice holiday shoppers, and to clear their shelves ahead of next-gen hardware launches in January. It's the perfect storm for PC bargain-hunting.

For its part, Amazon unofficially kicks off its Black Friday festivities well ahead of time with a Prime Big Deal Days sale in early fall. This "October Prime Day" event is scheduled for Oct. 7 and 8 this year, so I'm expecting a bunch of deep markdowns to pop up there in the very near future.

SEE ALSO: What is Prime Big Deal Days? Everything you need to know and what deals to expect.

You may have noticed that several Apple MacBooks and Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PCs are already discounted in the lead-up to Prime Big Deal Days, but I think the bulk of them are passable for now. Once the event begins, Amazon will probably put way more options on sale and lower the prices of the already-on-sale models even further. I saw this happen around the retailer's flagship Prime Day shindig in July — early birds had slim pickings compared to day-of shoppers.

My advice for most people is to keep your cart empty until Oct. 7 to make sure you lock in the best deal possible. That said, there are two early October Prime Day laptop deals that I think are worth considering because they're already at or very close to their all-time lows.

Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $200 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple's M4 MacBook Air is a sleek speed demon: In our CPU benchmark, it outperformed 89% of the models in our laptop testing database. (Compared to the last-gen M3 model, it's 24% faster.) It doesn't look all that different from older MacBooks with M-something chips, but its upgraded 12MP Center Stage camera was a welcome upgrade to our reviewer. We think the 13-inch model is the best MacBook for students and other users who value portability, and right now, Amazon has an upgraded configuration with 512GB of storage on sale for $999 — its lowest price on record. (Doubling its 256GB base capacity means you'll probably never need an external hard drive.) No other MacBook was on sale for an all-time low at the time of writing.

Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4).

More MacBook Air dealsMacBook Pro dealsBest Windows laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $400 Get Deal Why we like it

The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 with a Snapdragon X Elite chip is our favorite Windows laptop for most people. It's beautiful, it's about as fast as an M4 MacBook Air, and it lasts for nearly 23 hours on a single charge — that's two longer than the M4 Pro-powered MacBook Pro, the longest-lasting MacBook we've tried. (Before you buy it, just double check that its powerful ARM-based CPU is compatible with your go-to apps.) The black variant with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage is marked down to $999.99 ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, which is a 29% discount on its $1,399.99 MSRP. It very briefly fell to $918.47 in late September, but this current offer beats its Prime Day deal in July.

Read Mashable's full review of the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

More Windows laptop deals2-in-1 laptop dealsGaming laptop deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

There’s a Kindle Scribe with color, but you won’t like how much it costs

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 19:00

Amazon is rounding out its Colorsoft collection with a new e-reader. The Kindle Scribe, the only Kindle e-reader with writing abilities, is finally getting a color display. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft was unveiled at Amazon's Devices & Services event on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in New York City. While we can't wait to get our hands on the device, the price is... nuts.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft $629.99 at Amazon
The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is not available for purchase yet, but is coming soon. Learn More

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft follows the release of the Colorsoft Signature Edition, Colorsoft, and Colorsoft Essentials Kids, making it the fourth device in the lineup, but the first with writing abilities. It'll be a thin device, just 5.4 millimeters thick, with a precision-machined aluminum frame.

It'll have a new, more functional home screen, and while it will still have all the great benefits of a Kindle e-reader. It's also focused on drawing and writing capabilities. Using Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive, users will be able to import and export files to the Kindle Scribe, plus a new Kindle Workspace tool works on PDFs, files, notes, and textbooks.

We can't wait to get our hands on the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and see if its lives up to its price tag. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

But we need to talk about the Scribe Colorsoft's price. When rumors were swirling about color coming to the Scribe, we expected it might be priced over $500, but Amazon shocked us with its actual price tag. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is priced at $629.99, making it the most expensive Kindle yet. As my colleague put it, the price is uncalled for.

Other color e-readers on the market — with annotating abilities — cost much less than the Scribe Colorsoft. The Kobo Libra Colour, which does have a smaller screen than the Scribe but still has color and writing abilities, only costs $229.99. That's $400 less than Kindle's Scribe. It's even more expensive than an iPad, which start at $349. Even if you were to add on an Apple Pencil for $129, the combo is still $151.99 cheaper than the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

The new cases for the Kindle Scribe look luxe. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Despite its flagrant price, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft could be a great value — we'll only know once we get our hands on a model and try it ourselves.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Chad Powers features a cameo from 2024s most infamous meme

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 18:47

Hulu's sports comedy Chad Powers is chock-full of cameos from the football world.

Episode 1 kicks off with appearances by sports commentators Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler. Chad Powers' trailer confirms that former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is also slated to make an appearance. Manning is an executive producer on Chad Powers, alongside his brother Peyton Manning. The entire show is based on a segment from Manning's Eli's Places series, in which Manning joins walk-on football tryouts at Penn State in disguise.

SEE ALSO: 'Chad Powers' review: Glen Powell, the comedy star you are

However, Chad Powers' premiere episode also features an off-the-wall cameo not from the world of sports, but from the world of internet infamy. That cameo comes from none other than Haliey Welch, aka the "Hawk Tuah Girl."

Welch skyrocketed to fame over the summer of 2024, when her advice to "spit on that thang" in a Tim & Dee TV man-on-the-street interview went mega-viral. Welch spun that virality into a career, hawking merch, starting her podcast Talk Tuah, and securing a Chad Powers cameo spot that, by virtue of the speed of internet meme cycles, already feels a tad dated.

Welch appears less than five minutes into Chad Powers, when disgraced quarterback Russ Holliday (Glen Powell) runs into her in a club. He's stoked to meet her, howling, "Hawk tuah, spit on that thing!" with glee. Welch, on the other hand, is less than impressed, telling Russ, "Please don't tell people we met."

Welch's annoyance at Russ for yelling her catchphrase at her and not even knowing her actual name mirrors Russ' own experience with internet notoriety. After his championship loss meltdown went viral, Russ got labeled "scumbag quarterback" for all eternity. Similarly, Welch will forever be known as the "Hawk Tuah Girl."

Welch has also had a Russ Holliday-esque downfall of her own. In Dec. 2024, Welch launched her own cryptocurrency memecoin, $HAWK. While initially highly valuable, the coin quickly plummeted, leading people to accuse Welch and her team of a rug pull. Welch disappeared from the public eye after the controversy. When she did issue a statement about the rug pull, the internet lambasted her. The most recent episode of Talk Tuah, dated May 20, 2025, is titled, "Haliey Welch Tells All - Crypto Incident."

Welch also addressed $HAWK's crash at a live taping of Talk Tuah at VidCon 2025, saying that if a man had been behind the crypto rug pull, he "probably would have been promoted."

Between walkouts from the VidCon taping and the internet's roast of her crypto scandal, it's clear Welch has gone from unlikely internet star to viral disgrace. Clearly she's not disgraced enough to avoid making cameos in buzzy shows, though. While Chad Powers was mostly filmed between Aug. and Oct. of 2024, Welch reportedly filmed her cameo in Apr. of 2025, months after her crypto crash, according to TMZ.

Chad Powers is now streaming on Hulu.

UPDATE: Sep. 30, 2025, 12:46 p.m. EDT Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Welch filmed her cameo in 2024.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE for its Prime Day price at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 18:35

SAVE $70: As of Sept. 30, get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE for $429.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $479.99. That's a discount of 14% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE $429.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $70 Get Deal

If you're looking to buy a new tablet but aren't interested in the iOS ecosystem, Samsung has a line of great options to choose from. And if you want the best you can get for the money, you can check out this deal at Amazon that gives you the lowest price we've seen on a formidable Samsung Galaxy Tab right now.

As of Sept. 30, get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE for $429.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $479.99. That's $70 off and a discount of 14%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The best tablets in 2025

This tablet can handle just about anything you throw at it. It boasts an Exynos 1580 processor, a large, luscious screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate, and 128 GB of expandable storage, so if you happen to run out you can always get some more.

Its dual speakers mean you get great audio, and its water resistance makes it a good option to take wherever you go without having to worry about dropping it into a puddle. Plus, it comes with an S Pen so you can take notes or doodle while on the go.

All of this, plus a suite of AI features, including Circle to Search, make it a viable contender for your favorite piece of tech to get things done on.

If it's time to go ahead and lock in a tablet, be sure to grab this one before it's no longer on sale while you can still seal the deal at its lowest price yet.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get your best look yet at Jacob Elordi as the Creature in Guillermo del Toros Frankenstein

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 18:29

Throughout the promotion for Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, Netflix has kept Jacob Elordi's appearance as the Creature a mystery.

The clearest look we've had yet is one promotional still, which shows the Creature standing in snowy darkness, wrapped almost completely in furs. Only the top half of his face is visible, revealing deathly pale skin crisscrossed by scars.

SEE ALSO: 'Frankenstein' review: Guillermo del Toro delivers a moving masterpiece of horror and romance

Now, though, Netflix has granted eager Frankenstein fans with a new Creature character poster for the film, giving us our best look yet at what to expect from del Toro's take on Frankenstein's monster.

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The poster shows the Creature's full face, which actually appears to be multiple faces sewn together. Adding to the medical gore of the Creature's look is his hand, which is mostly skinless, leaving his bones and muscles exposed. You can also catch a red eye peeking out from between strands of the Creature's long hair. The hair calls to mind not a monster, but a gothic, romantic hero, one you'd expect to find striding across the windswept moors. (Or maybe I'm just thinking of Elordi's role in Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights adaptation.)

If that poster wasn't enough to get you excited about Frankenstein, look no further than the positive critical response out of the film's world premiere at 2025's Venice International Film Festival, and its subsequent showing at the Toronto International Film Festival. Mashable's Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko called Frankenstein "a masterpiece" in her review.

Puchko also highlighted Elordi's performance, writing, "He wears a full body of prosthetic scars and putridly pale skin, but he suffuses every movement, every glance with purpose and emotion. Escaping his well-recognized handsomeness and the expectations that come with being a dashing leading man, Elordi is del Toro's perfect monster, wretched and wondrous."

Frankenstein opens in select theaters Oct. 17 and hits Netflix Nov. 7.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Level up your audio with $40 off the DJI Mic 2 at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 09/30/2025 - 18:15

SAVE $40: As of Sept. 30, get the DJI Mic 2 for $179 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $219. That's a discount of 18% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mic 2 $179 at Amazon
$219 Save $40 Get Deal

If you thought DJI was solely for drones, you haven't met the company as of late. The brand has quickly transformed into a go-to name for creators seeking affordable gear, like microphones. But it can be tough to find DJI products in stock at the moment, especially as a potential ban looms as early as December. If you're looking for a DJI mic that's both affordable and in stock right now, Amazon is your best bet.

SEE ALSO: Beat the looming DJI drone ban: Get the DJI Mini 4K drone for $249 at Amazon

As of Sept. 30, get the DJI Mic 2 for $179 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $219. That's $40 off and a discount of 18%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

The DJI Mic 2 bundle comes with one transmitter, one receiver, a clip magnet, windscreen, and a carrying pouch as well as a few other goodies. According to DJI, you get "pro-level audio" with this model. It boasts up to 18 hours of battery life, and it's lightweight and portable at just 28 grams. It also features noise-cancelling features so you can cut down on outside noise.

With a range of 820 feet and 8GB of internal storage, it can hold up to 14 hours of uncompressed audio, so even if you've got several videos' worth of narration to edit or record, you know you're covered.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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