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SAVE $300: As of Dec. 8, the Google Pixel 9 is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's a 38% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 9 $499 at Amazon
$799 Save $300   Get Deal

If you've been shopping around for a new smartphone, this latest Amazon deal on the Google Pixel 9 will see you taking home a great model for less than $500. As of Dec. 8, the impressive Pixel model is on sale for just $499, a saving of $300. According to camelcamelcamel, this is its lowest-ever price.

The Pixel 9 also comes unlocked, so it's an ideal choice for anyone who doesn't want to be stuck in a two-year contract with one network provider. It also comes with some of Google’s latest AI features through Gemini, Google's AI assistant. These are tools that can help with tasks, respond to voice prompts, and generally make your use of the phone feel seamless.

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The camera offers great quality. It's award-winning, in fact. It has a 50 MP main sensor and a new 48 MP ultrawide camera with Macro Focus for detailed, up close shots. And after you snap, the phone's AI photo tools let you edit in ways that can change composition, adjust scenes, or improve how people look in group shots. Features like Add Me and Best Take can merge or refine images, and Magic Editor allows you to reframe or alter scenery after shooting. Editing made nice and easy.

You can find this Google Pixel 9 deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 8, Best Buy has dropped the price of the AirPods 4 (without ANC) to $79.99 as part of its Deal of the Day. This is $50 off their list price of $129.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $79.99 at Best Buy
$129.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

Big seasonal sale events may be behind us now, but if you're still hoping to save on tech ahead of the holidays, Best Buy's here to help. As part of its Deal of the Day, the retailer has dropped the price of the AirPods 4 (without ANC) to $79.99 on Dec. 8, so you can score these earbuds at a discounted price that's very close to the $69.99 point they hit over Cyber Monday.

This discount ultimately saves you $50 on the AirPods 4 (without ANC), as they usually retail for $129.99. This is a great price if you've had your eye on them, either for yourself or as a gift to give during the holiday season. Again, this is a one-day-only deal, so if you'd like to grab them for $79.99, you need to act quick.

SEE ALSO: From AirPods to espresso machines, everything the Mashable shopping team bought during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025

With a battery life that can last up to 30 hours when you use the charging case, the AirPods 4 are an excellent companion to pack with you for any holiday travels. And though these versions don't have noise-cancellation, they still offer great sound quality thanks to the H2 chip and features like Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, which makes it feel as if the sound is coming from all around you as you listen.

Don't miss out on Best Buy's Deal of the Day on the AirPods 4 (without ANC), which has knocked them down to just $79.99.

If these have been on your holiday season shopping list but you're not quite done yet, check out our roundup of the 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025 to see even more items we'd recommend this year.

IT: Welcome to Derry episode 6 may have made us briefly wonder if Mrs Kersh (Madeleine Stowe) is Pennywise's daughter, but episode 7 has now given us the answer.

Opening with yet another flashback to 1908, the penultimate episode in Andy Muschietti's prequel series takes us back to the origin of not the monster itself, but the creature's infamous clown persona.

So what do we learn? We've unpacked it all below.

SEE ALSO: 'IT: Welcome to Derry': All the Stephen King Easter eggs so far What happens with Pennywise in episode 7?

In 1908, Ingrid Kersh (Madeleine Stowe) is working at the fun fair with her father Bob Gray (Bill Skarsgård), who performs as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. When he's in his costume he looks like a budget version of the evil Pennywise we've come to know all too well, and it's clear that the man himself isn't an evil, child-snatching entity.

Credit: HBO

So what's going on here?

The first clue comes when we see a creepy child watching Pennywise from a window with an unsmiling expression on his face. Later, that same child approaches a makeup-free Bob and tells him that "the children seem drawn to you." The kid then says he can't find his parents, before leading Bob into the woods towards the sound of screams.

The next thing we know Ingrid's father has disappeared, and all that remains of him is a blood-spattered handkerchief that's been found in the forest.

What does it tell us about Pennywise's origin?

Firstly, the episode rules out any possibility of Mrs Kersh being the monster's actual daughter (as she herself realises towards the episode's end). What it does tell us is that Pennywise was once a real, human clown, chosen by the creature due to his popularity with children. Essentially the clown is just another one of IT's many disguises — the form it reverts to when it wants to lure in children.

New episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

IT: Welcome to Derry only has one episode left, and things seem to be going from bad to worse.

Because as well as a Pennywise origin story and a re-creation of one of the book's most disturbing historical chapters, episode 7 also ends with a twist that spells trouble for not just the main characters, but potentially the entire United States.

So what exactly happened, and what could it mean?

SEE ALSO: 'IT: Welcome to Derry': All the Stephen King Easter eggs so far What happens at the end of IT: Welcome to Derry, episode 7?

After a horrific arson attack brings an apparent end to the creature's current killing cycle, the military — following the lead of Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) — tracks down one of the ancient pillars that essentially acts as a cage to keep the monster in Derry. Major Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) thinks they'll be using this pillar to trap and kill the creature, but soon discovers the military actually intends to destroy it.

During a tense discussion with General Shaw (James Remar), the army's real plans become clear: They don't want to kill the creature, they want to free it.

Why is the army trying to free IT?

Given Pennywise has spent the past six episodes laying waste to 17 children, the army's plan to unleash IT into the U.S. seems misguided at best. But General Shaw seems convinced that IT is exactly what America needs. "This country is slowly fracturing into a thousand, jagged, ill-fitting pieces," he barks. "I am only trying to prevent another civil war."

The general believes that the only chance of controlling the population is through the kind of fear that a creature like Pennywise has the power to instil en masse.

"Look at this town. What happened last night, horrific," Shaw says. "But guess what? The streets are calm today. No rioting, no looting, no unrest. The fear — it settles on every living person it touches like a fog. Like a goddamned anaesthetic."

Despite the best efforts of Major Hanlon, the army succeeds in destroying the pillar. As we see from the final shots of the episode, this causes the creature to reawaken from its slumber.

Somehow we think the army may not have properly thought this little scheme through.

New episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

SAVE $30: As of Dec. 8, the Echo Show 5 is on sale for $59.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Show 5 $59.99 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $30.00   Get Deal

Smart home products are a great way to modernize your home; whether it's a robot vacuum, smart light bulbs, or even devices to control your heating, they truly do make life a little easier. And one simple way to streamline everything is through a smart home hub like the Echo Show 5, a compact display that brings Alexa and a handy control system to one location.

And as of Dec. 8, you can get the Echo Show 5 on sale at Amazon. Right now you'll save $30 on the device, bringing the price down to $59.99. That's just $5 off its Black Friday price.

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This smart home hub has a 5.5-inch display, so it's nifty but big enough to let you see things like news, weather, and music at a glance. It can also be used for video calls, streaming, and checking compatible cameras thanks to its 2MP camera. Despite its small size, the sound is impressive, with the speakers benefiting from a deeper bass and clearer vocals.

It can also control compatible smart home devices such as lights and thermostats, and the built-in camera can be used to check in on pets or view your front door through supported video doorbells. And when not in use, you can transform the screen into a digital photo frame, showing a carousel of your favorite images.

Pick up this Echo Show 5 deal from Amazon now.

Having a clean and tidy home is a joy. Cleaning and tidying said home is less of a joy. Though there are some elevated beings among us who find scrubbing their stovetop a meditative experience, most people consider such tasks exhausting, reviled chores only undertaken with reluctance.

Fortunately, the steady march of technological advancement continues to lighten the burden of domestic labour. The popularisation of washing machines and dishwashers revolutionised everyday chores in the '50s, freeing up precious time for millions of people. New devices are now furthering the cause, seeking to become the next ubiquitous household cleaning essential.

Here are seven gadgets to help keep your home clean with minimal effort.

SEE ALSO: How to clean your laptop screen Roborock F25 Ultra wet and dry vacuum cleaner Roborock claims it can even steam wood floors. Credit: Roborock

While robot vacuums are great at maintaining general floor cleanliness, sometimes a deeper manual clean is required. The Roborock F25 Ultra wet and dry vacuum cleaner is a versatile option for such occasions, offering mopping, steam cleaning, 187°F (86°C) hot water cleaning, and sponge functionality all in a convenient upright cordless gadget. It can also lay completely flat, allowing you to reach those difficult spots underneath furniture for a satisfyingly thorough clean.

Boasting 22,000Pa suction power, the F25 Ultra features tight edge-to-edge cleaning on either side, mopping right up next to furniture and walls without missing spots. While its auto and sponge modes are suitable for standard cleaning and sucking up spills, the F25 Ultra's hot water and steam modes deal with oiler, more stubborn stains. The F25 Ultra also has a separate onboard compartment for detergent, which automatically dispenses in appropriate modes. This means you can switch between the steam and non-steam functions on the fly without having to worry about detergent interfering with the internal mechanisms.

Significantly, Roborock claims that the F25 Ultra's steam mode safely be safely used on wood floors. Many other wet and dry vacuums advise against such use due to fears that the hot steam may cause the wood to warp. In contrast, Roborock states that tests on the F25 Ultra included using its steam mode on a solid wood floor, which didn't result in any damage even after 18,000 strokes.

The F25 Ultra comes with a charging base and self-cleaning mode, which makes maintenance fairly simple. All you need to do run the self-clean, then empty out the dirty water tank and brush away the accumulated debris. While clearing out a dirty water tank is never an enjoyable task, the convenient lever handle on the F25 Ultra's tank helps make it as quick and easy as possible.

Roborock F25 Ultra wet and dry vacuum $529.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $270   Shop Now at Amazon Wolfbox MegaFlow 200 compressed air duster Blow away dust with ease. Credit: Wolfbox

Dusting off your electronics is one of those cleaning chores that you know you technically should do, but it's just so easy to overlook. There's never a compressed air canister on hand when you want to clean, and going to buy one feels like a hassle. The Wolfbox MegaFlow 200 compressed air duster makes it much easier to keep your electronics clean, turning dusting from an occasional chore to a regular part of your routine.

Blasting air at a maximum speed of over 190mph, the MegaFlow 200 weighs less than 1lb and charges by USB-C, making it easy to keep on hand for a quick clean at any time. While its four interchangeable nozzles are too wide to really reach into the nooks and crannies of electronics, the MegaFlow also comes with two brushes to help with that job, allowing you to dislodge debris while the powerful fan blasts it away. 

The MegaFlow 200 isn't just intended for dusting off electronics either. It can also tackle tasks such as clearing away sawdust in your workshop, helping light campfires, or blowing up inflatable mattresses — basically any job that requires a concentrated blast of air. Instead of handling a myriad of disposable air canisters and air pumps, you can do it all with just one gadget.

It is worth noting that the MegaFlow 200's considerable power does come with a drawback. The fan is incredibly loud, enough that it may hurt users' ears while in operation. Mashable's testing found that the noise from the MegaFlow 200 was over 100dB, as measured by Apple Watch Ultra's environmental noise detection. According to Apple, just a few minutes of sound at this volume per day can cause temporary hearing loss. As such, you'll definitely want to wear earplugs or noise-cancelling earphones while using the MegaFlow 200.

Wolfbox MegaFlow 200 compressed air duster $99.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $30.00   Shop Now at Amazon Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller robot vacuum Credit: Dreame

A decade ago robot vacuums were considered novelties, more suitable as subjects of drunken shenanigans than reliable home helpers. They've developed significantly in the years since, with Dreame's Aqua10 Ultra Roller robot vacuum now offering a reasonable set-and-forget solution to keeping your floors clean with minimal effort, regardless of whether you have hard floors, carpet, or both.

The Aqua10 Ultra Roller is one of Dreame's first robot vacuums to have a roller mop, forgoing the spinning mop pads found on its previous models. Dreame has gone hard on this new design as well. Not only can the roller mop extend out by 40mm to reach along edges, the Aqua10 Ultra Roller also rinses it with clean water as it mops, ensuring you aren't spreading a mess across your floor. Further, the Aqua10 Ultra Roller has a roller guard which automatically deploys to shield the wet mop when it detects carpet, keeping soft flooring dry and stain-free. It's a boon to anyone who's ever chased after a robot vacuum dragging its dirty wet mop across their carpet.

Combined with 30,000 Pa of suction power, the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller robot vacuum leaves floors feeling noticeably cleaner and fresher — and does so remarkably quietly. The Aqua10 Ultra Roller operates at a low, relatively unobtrusive hum which is great for those who want to run their robot vacuum overnight while they sleep. 

Like Dreame's previous models, the Aqua10 Ultra Roller is capable of clearing 4cm thresholds, or 8cm if there's a ledge halfway for it to work with. While Dreame's robot vacuums still aren't climbing stairs just yet, they're certainly striving to get closer to that goal, offering some of the best threshold clearance on the market. The Aqua10 Ultra Roller also does practically everything else now expected of premium robot vacuums, including automatically washing its roller mop, emptying its dust bin, refilling its water tank, and topping up its detergent in its docking station.

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller robot vacuum $1,199.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $400   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon Kärcher SC 3 EasyFix steam cleaner A powerful and versatile cleaning gadget. Credit: Mashable composite: Kärcher

Steam cleaners are severely underrated cleaning gadgets, sanitising surfaces and blasting away grime that would otherwise take extensive scrubbing to remove. If the grout in your bathroom is perpetually mouldy or you hate scouring your stovetop, you should seriously consider investing in a steam cleaner.

The Kärcher SC 3 EasyFix steam cleaner is a versatile household steam cleaner which heats up in less than a minute, so you can quickly get to cleaning before your motivation evaporates. Relatively compact at around 14 inches long, the SC 3 EasyFix has a 33 oz (1L) water tank which can easily be topped up even during operation, no stopping and depressurising required. Its replaceable descaling cartridge removes limescale from the water to lengthen the steam cleaner's lifespan as well.

The SC 3 EasyFix comes bundled with several attachments and accessories, including a floor nozzle, cleaning cloth, and extension tubes so you can steam clean your floor without getting on all fours. Kärcher also has various other accessories to expand your unit's versatility, such as a carpet glider, handy replacement brush sets, and a power nozzle for reaching into narrow areas.

It isn't entirely magic — you will still have to scrub a little. But scrubbing with a steam cleaner as opposed to without one is like pushing a tricycle instead of a truck.

Kärcher SC 3 EasyFix steam cleaner $207.99 at Amazon
$259.99 Save $52   Shop Now at Amazon Dremel Versa electric scrubber Scrubbing made way easier. Credit: Dremel

Keeping a home clean unfortunately often necessitates scrubbing for hours on end until your fingers are permanently, painfully stuck in a clawed position. The Dremel Versa is an electric scrubbing device designed to make this chore much easier, replacing your elbow grease with 2,200 RPM.

The Versa has a slew of attachments available to suit a variety of scrubbing needs, whether you want to clean steel, grout, or glass. While its brushes screw in, the sponges adhere to the Versa via a Velcro-like pad, keeping them firmly attached while also making them ridiculously easy to swap out.

Dremel has a handy chart to help you determine the appropriate sponge for a variety of tasks, though it's still fairly nerve-wracking at first. As someone who has inadvertently scratched shower glass with a drill-powered scrubbing brush, you don't want to be applying such power unless you're absolutely sure you have the right attachment. You should consider wearing hearing protection as well, especially if you're using the Dremel Versa in an enclosed space such as a shower. After all, it is essentially a drill.

Though once you've figured it out, the Dremel Versa can go a long way to making home upkeep less taxing.

Dremel Versa electric scrubber $59.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Coway Airmega 200M air purifier A good air purifier can be vital to the comfort of a home. Credit: Coway

As someone who lives in a fairly suburban area, I used to think air purifiers were largely unnecessary gadgets. Having now been through several dire bushfire seasons which smothered my home in smoke, I now know better.

Whether you're dealing with wildfire smoke or city smog, a good air purifier can be vital to the comfort of a home. After all, it's difficult to relax if you can't even get a lungful of good, clean air. The Coway Airmega 200M is a relatively unobtrusive workhorse that can maintain clean air in a 361 square foot area, whether you're binge-watching Netflix in your living room or optimising your sleep in your bedroom. The result is an environment that feels undeniably fresher and more peaceful.

The Airmega 200M has four stages of filtration: a pre-filter for larger particles such as hair and dust; a deodorisation filter to capture smells; a True HEPA filter for ultra fine particles like pollen, viruses, and germs; and a vital ioniser to catch any ultra fine particles the previous filters missed. 

Operating at a whisper-quiet volume, Coway's air purifier has a timer which can be set to one, four, or eight hours, as well as three different fan speeds. It also has an Eco Mode, which will save you energy by turning the fan off if the Airmega 200M doesn't detect pollution for half an hour, then turning it back on when it does.

Coway Airmega 200M air purifier $229.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart Bosch GlassVAC Solo Plus window vacuum A gadget that aims to simplify window washing. Credit: Bosch

Having an abundance of windows can make a home feel refreshing and bright, allowing in natural light to transform an otherwise gloomy space. Unfortunately, these benefits are significantly diminished if you can't keep said windows clean.

Bosch's GlassVAC Solo Plus window vacuum aims to simplify this chore, squeegeeing and sucking up liquids for a tidy, streak-free finish. Bundled with a spray bottle affixed to a microfibre cloth head, this handheld gadget is designed to clean windows, mirrors, shower screens, tiles, and other such surfaces. Just turn it on, squeegee as usual, and watch as dirty water collects in its 100mL tank instead of on your window sill. 

The vacuum isn't quite as effective when running the GlassVAC Solo Plus horizontally across surfaces as opposed to vertically, and it may not get every last drop. Depending on how wet your window was, you may still need to give the sill a quick wipe. Even so, the GlassVAC Solo Plus does an excellent job of substantially minimising mess, and is particularly handy when dealing with morning condensation on bedroom windows.

The Bosch's GlassVAC Solo Plus also doesn't make that grating squeaking sound that most standard squeegees do, which is an undeniable bonus.

Bosch Glass VAC Battery Cordless Vacuum Cleaner $92 at Walmart
$110 Save $18   Shop Now at Walmart

UPDATE: Dec. 8, 2025, 4:43 p.m. AEDT This article was originally published July 2024, and has since been updated in December 2025.

Tonight marks day 18 of the lunar cycle, meaning the Moon is in its waning gibbous phase. More than half of its surface is still illuminated, but it’s slowly shrinking each night as it moves toward the New Moon. Keep reading to find out what this means.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Monday, Dec. 8, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. This means 83% of the moon is lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

There's still more than half of the moon on display, so with just you naked eye you can see the Mare Tranquillitatis, Tycho Crater, and Copernicus Crater. If have binoculars to hand, pull these out to see the Gassendi Crater, Endymion Crater, and the Alps Mountains. And a telescope will help you see the you can catch a glimpse of the Apollo 16 landing spot, Rima Ariadaeus, and the Linne Crater.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3.

What are moon phases?

NASA explains that the lunar cycle (which is about 29.5 days long) is made up of the Moon’s phases, which describe how the Moon looks from Earth as it travels around us. We view the same side of the Moon at all times, but the sunlight hitting its surface shifts as it moves through its orbit. That changing illumination is what makes the Moon appear full, half-lit, or not visible at all. The cycle includes eight distinct phases:

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. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last 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.