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SAVE 35%: The Jackery Explorer 300 portable power station is on sale for $169, down from the list price of $259. That's a 35% discount and a record-low price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 300 portable power station $169 at Amazon
$259 Save $90 Get Deal

Maybe you held off during camping season this summer, but a portable power station is pretty essential now that we're into fall. If they haven't shown up yet, the fall storms will be here any day, and with them will come downed tree branches and power outages. Instead of toughing it out, get yourself a portable power station this Prime Day.

As of Oct. 7, the Jackery Explorer 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for just $169, marked down from the usual price of $259. That's a 35% discount that shaves $90 off the normal price. It's also a record-low price at Amazon.

We've loved Jackery Explorer power stations for years, and these devices helped popularize the entire product category. While this is the older version of the Jackery Explorer (let's call it the original flavor), it's really hard to argue with the Prime Day price tag. There's a reason we named it one of the year's top Prime Day tech deals before Prime Day even started.

SEE ALSO: Mashable's favorite portable power stations are already 50% off ahead of October Prime Day

The Jackery Explorer 300 offers 293Wh of battery capacity for keeping your phones and laptops charged up during an outage. It can also keep the WiFi router on, which makes a power outage the perfect time to binge all the best scary movies before Halloween.

You'll have the ability to recharge devices with two USB-A ports, one USB-C, and two AC. It's also super lightweight, coming in at just a smidge over seven pounds. The built-in handle also helps with portability. When it comes time to recharge the Jackery Explorer 300, you can do so with standard wall power or a solar panel.

It's worth mentioning the Jackery Explorer 300 uses lithium-ion battery cells, which is an older technology. Many portable power stations now use lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries instead of lithium ion. LiFePO4 battery cells have a longer lifespan, but Jackery says the Explorer 300 should last for 800 cycles before it'll only charge to 80 percent capacity. If you used all 293Wh everyday for over two years, you'd still be under the 800 mark. Pair that timeline with the sale price of $170, and we're not mad.

Before the next power outage hits, get equipped with the Jackery Explorer 300. It's sitting at a record-low during Prime Day of $169. Use it this fall and winter at home during storms and pack it along for camping in the spring and summer.

SAVE $150: Shark's cordless vacuum, which is amazing at sucking up pet fur, is on sale for 50% off during Amazon's October Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark pet cordless vacuum $149 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $150.99 Get Deal

I have a wonderful dog, but he has the not-so-wonderful habit of shedding fur. Luckily, the Shark pet cordless vacuum entered my life and helped remedy that problem.

Just ahead of October Prime Day, it's on sale for $149 — marked down 50% from its usual $299.99 list price — which is its lowest price ever on Amazon.

This vacuum has proven to be a game-changer for my household. It'll run for 40 minutes on a charge, has tremendous suction, and attachments for hard-to-reach spots. It can also detach completely to turn into a handheld vacuum. The vacuum is light and features a sleek build that's easy to store.

If you have a pet — or if you can just appreciate a good vacuum —this is a seriously great deal.

SAVE UP TO 34%: For October Prime Day 2025, the Apple AirTag 4-Pack is on sale for $64.99 at Amazon ($16.24 per tracker), while a single AirTag has dropped to $19.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (4 Pack) $64.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $34.01 Get Deal

As the October Prime Day event kicks off, first-rate deals are already popping up.

Case in point: the Apple AirTag 4-Pack is now available for just $64.99. That's a 34% price drop from $99 and a cost of just $16.24 per tracker. Meanwhile, individual Apple AirTags are available for $19.99, after a 31% discount from the standard $29 sticker price. Now, these trackers have gone on sale once before for $64.49, but we don't think you'll notice the difference.

These sleek little discs have become the go-to tracker for iPhone users — and for good reason — which is why we’ve immediately jumped on this bargain, alongside our current selection of the best Prime Day deals on Amazon right now.

Each AirTag pairs with your iPhone or iPad through a simple one-tap set-up, instantly connecting to Apple’s Find My network. That same network, powered by hundreds of millions of Apple devices worldwide, helps you locate lost or stolen items even when they’re far away. So whether your keys slipped between couch cushions or your luggage went AWOL on your latest trip, the AirTag has you covered.

SEE ALSO: The top Apple deals from Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days 2025 event

If you’re close by, you can use Precision Finding, powered by Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology, to get turn-by-turn directions right to your missing item. The built-in speaker can also play a sound if you’d rather just follow your ears. And if something’s truly lost, Lost Mode automatically alerts you when another Apple device detects it — working as a silent but brilliant safety net for the chronically forgetful

Durable and practical, each AirTag is even IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, so it’s just as ready for travel as you are. The replaceable CR2032 coin battery lasts around a year, meaning no charging cables or downtime. Slip one into your wallet, loop one onto your pet’s collar, or stash one in your backpack; you’ll always know where your stuff is.

With a 31% discount, this is one of the best Prime Day deals for Apple fans. Stay ahead of the chaos and grab the AirTag 4-Pack before prices ease back up.

SAVE UP TO 30%: As of Oct. 7, AirPods 4 earbuds have been discounted for Prime Big Deal Days. The ANC model is marked down 34% to $119.99 and the version without ANC is down 30% to $89.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $89.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $39.01 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 with ANC $119 at Amazon
$179 Save $60 Get Deal

Amazon's October Prime Day sale event, called Prime Big Deal Days, has officially arrived, and with it a whole bunch of exciting discounts to look through. If you're on the hunt for Apple deals, you're in luck, as there are plenty of offers available on different Apple devices. These include sale prices on both models of the brand new AirPods 4, so you can treat yourself to some new earbuds.

Both the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and without have been marked down during the sale event. The models with ANC are 22% off at Amazon right now, which has dropped their price to $139.99, while the models without ANC are 30% off, bringing them down to $89.99.

SEE ALSO: The top October Prime Day tech deals, hand-picked by a tech editor

When choosing between these two earbud designs, there's just one thing to consider. They each offer great sound quality, it all just depends whether or not you want the noise cancellation. The AirPods 4 with ANC offer different modes for listening, including Active Noise Cancellation; Transparency mode, which allows you to hear the environment you're in while you listen; Conversation Awareness, which adjusts audio levels when you're speaking, and Adaptive Audio, which works as a blend of Transparency mode and ANC, depending on the environment you're in.

The battery life of the AirPods 4 with ANC lasts up to four hours on a single charge with noise cancellation enabled, or up to 20 hours using the case. On the other hand, the AirPods 4 without ANC provide up to five hours on a single charge, or up to 30 hours using the case.

Don't miss out on these excellent October Prime Day deals on the AirPods 4, with the ANC models marked down 22% to $139.99 and the models without ANC down 30% to $89.99.

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

Often eaten for Sunday dinner.

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

ROAST

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A social class.

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

CASTE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

An herb often used in Italian dishes.

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

BASIL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To ward off.

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

REPEL

Final Hurdle hint

To like something.

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

ENJOY

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

Don't spend hours scrolling through Amazon, because I already found the best Prime Day tech deals for you. As Mashable's tech editor, my inbox is full of brands trying to get me to cover their newest gadgets, AI models, and futuristic wearables. I get to test the latest flagship headphones, OLED gaming monitors, and foldable phones for Mashable readers. And I gotta say — I love my job.

For Prime Big Deal Days, aka October Prime Day 2025, Amazon (as well as Best Buy, Walmart, and other retailers and brands) have discounted some of my favorite gadgets of the year. I'm also spotting early Prime Day deals on boring but essential products like memory cards, wireless chargers, and USB-C cables. So, I've gathered all of the top discounts into one place for Mashable readers. Remember: Prime Big Deal Days takes place this year on Oct. 7 and 8, so you only have two days to save.

Whether you've been waiting to invest in a new laptop or 65-inch TV, or just need to replace some tech that's past its expiration date, the next 48 hours are going to be a prime time to shop. So, without any further preamble, let's get into my favorite Prime Day tech deals from brands like Apple, Samsung, DJI, Dyson, Shark, and Bose. I will also be providing live updates in our October Prime Day live blog.

Apple AirPods starting at $89

There's just something about the phrase "$89 AirPods" that sounds right, doesn't it? In the tariffs era, the fact that you can buy new AirPods for $89.99 feels like a small miracle. While all eyes will be on the new AirPods Pro 3, if you don't need ANC — or have a tendency to lose your earbuds — this purchase is a no-brainer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 wireless earbuds $89.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $39.01 Get Deal Amazon Kindle Kids

Amazon usually saves the top Kindle deals for Prime Day itself, but this early deal on the kids' e-reader is too good to pass up. Mashable has tested all the latest Kindles, and we don't expect this e-reader to get any cheaper when Prime Day officially kicks off on Tuesday. It's the kind of screen time you can feel good about.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Kids $94.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal Amazon Echo Show 8

Amazon just previewed its new generation of more advanced (and more expensive) Echo Show devices, so take advantage of this sale on the smart displays. Amazon is likely clearing the way for its new devices, but this model gives you all the necessary functionality and cross-device support you really need.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Show 8 smart display $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Shark vacuums

I have a small army of robot vacuums in my apartment at any given time, and since I live in New York City, space is at a premium. That means I have high standards for my robovacs, and Shark's underrated vacuums have always impressed me. If you're a pet owner, the Shark Pet cordless stick vacuum is not only one of the best early Prime Day tech deals this year, but also comes personally recommended by Mashable reporters.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum $149 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $150.99 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum $229.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $320 Best-seller Get Deal JBL party speakers

I've been testing party speakers for Mashable for years, and JBL consistently outperforms so-called premium brands. The JBL Flip 6 is actually my most-recommended speaker, and we've also tested and loved the brand's new boombox-style Party Box. Both are on sale for Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Flip 6 Bluetooth speaker $99.95 at Amazon
$129.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL PartyBox Club 120 party speaker $349.95 at Amazon
$449.95 Save $100 Get Deal DJI Smartphone Gimbal

I've tested a few smartphone gimbals, and DJI makes the best one by far. It's deceptively simple to use and provides pro-level stabilization and face tracking. If you're a creator (or aspiring creator), then this gimbal is a must-have IMO. I'm keeping a close eye on the top Prime Day deals on DJI products, so keep checking back for more savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Osmo Mobile 7P Gimbal Stabilizer $126 at Amazon
$149 Save $23 Get Deal Apple AirTag (4-Pack)

The lowest price we've ever seen on AirTags dropped today — and not at Amazon. No, for this deal, head to Best Buy. These popular trackers use Apple's massive Find My network to help you track down lost items, and they've never been more affordable.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (4-Pack) $64.99 at Best Buy
$99 Save $34.01 Get Deal Affordable smart TVs under $300

Prime Day is one of the best times to buy a new TV, and Prime Big Deal Days is already delivering major doorbuster deals on budget TVs. You can find 50-, 55-, and 65-inch flatscreens for under $300 this year, including smart models from Roku, Hisense, and Fire TV.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Smart TV 50-Inch Select Series 4K HDR TV (2025) $257.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $42 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 55-inch E6 Cinema Series QLED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV $259.99 at Amazon
$429.99 Save $170 Shop Now Less-affordable (but much more awesome) QLED TVs

My favorite TV brand for the past few years has been Samsung, which makes impressive QLED, OLED, and art TVs. And I wouldn't even consider buying one unless it was Prime Day or Black Friday. This premium QLED smart TV is on sale for $350 off its retail price for a limited time. Equipped with Samsung's latest AI processor, this 2025 model TV offers incredible value at this price point.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-inch Class Neo QLED QN70F 4K Smart TV (2025) $847.99 at Amazon
$1,097.99 Save $250 Get Deal Samsung monitors

Whether you need a compact second monitor for your home office or a premium gaming monitor, Samsung always offers fantastic monitor deals during big sales. For home offices, I'd recommend the bevel-less 22-inch business monitor, which is a steal at its current price. And for gamers, the Odyssey line of monitors offers stunning visuals and cutting-edge display specs.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 22-inch (S40GD) Borderless Business Monitor $99.42 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.57 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G7 $471.50 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $328.49 Get Deal Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300

I love Jackery's products. The brand's popular portable power stations are a staple at campgrounds and music festivals, but they can also give you a much-needed power-up during blackouts. While this is the older version of the Jackery Explorer series, I've never seen it priced this low before.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station $169 at Amazon
$259 Save $90 Get Deal A hip foldable flip phone

Earlier this year, I said 2025 was the year the foldable phone became a smart option for everyday users, not just early adopters. Personally, I prefer the convenient size and form factor of the smaller flip-style foldables.

As much as I love the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 released over the summer, I actually think people have been sleeping on the Motorola Razr Ultra. If you want flagship-quality in a flip phone, this stylish smartphone has a lot to offer. It has an insane battery life and is packed with AI features, if that's your thing. Plus, it comes with 512GB of memory, compared to the Z Flip 7's starting memory of 128GB. For a limited time, save $300 on this unlocked smartphone.

Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola Motorola Razr Ultra, 512GB, Unlocked $999.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $300 Get Deal Top deals to watch: Beats and Bose headphones

Amazon promised big savings on both Beats and Bose headphones this year. In particular, you can expect up to 40% off select Bose earbuds and headphones. So, as we wait for Prime Day to start, I'm keeping a close watch on my favorite wireless headphones from these brands.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Headphones $359 at Amazon
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 wireless headphones $129.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $70 Get Deal

Taylor Swift's new album, The Life of a Showgirl, has a massive problem — a staggering lack of self-awareness.

Of course, that critique of Swift isn't novel. For years, Swift's critics have argued that she sees herself as a perpetual victim — of manipulative lovers, traitorous friends, cutthroat enemies, and unscrupulous music executives. They've also observed that Swift appears to sometimes cruelly and publicly punish those who betray or slight her, particularly through her songwriting.

This portrayal could be convincing at times. After all, some of Swift's biggest hits, like "Bad Blood," "Mean," and "Karma," are about score settling. Yet Swift also managed to balance her lust for vengeance with honest vulnerability or genuine growth in songs like "Anti-Hero" and "The Manuscript." 

SEE ALSO: Did Taylor Swift use AI art? 'Life of a Showgirl' orange door videos seem AI-generated

Not this time around. Showgirl features one song ("Eldest Daughter") that earnestly rejects toxic internet culture, but also two other tracks ("Actually Romantic" and "CANCELLED!”) that channel the worst parts of that culture, including mocking, humiliation, and a hot take that utterly misreads the gravity of the political moment.

The songs offer Swift's critics fresh evidence that their assessment of the billionaire pop star is accurate, at least sometimes. Sadly for Swift, who seems genuinely kind when she's not beholden to grievance, the stark contrast between these songs demonstrates that she can easily become the very internet troll she decries. 

How did we get here, Taylor? 

There's an endearing scene in Swift's new album release film, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, wherein she explains the premise of the piano ballad "Eldest Daughter." The song, she says, is about how the internet is a space that rewards cheap shots and callousness, a state of mind that can warp our lives and relationships. 

She writes: "Everybody's so punk on the internet / Everyone's unbothered 'til they're not / Every joke's just trolling and memes / Sad as it seems, apathy is hot / Everybody's cutthroat in the comments / Every single hot take is cold as ice" 

Swift wants to make a promise, presumably to her fiancé, Travis Kelce, that she'll never treat him so carelessly. Cue the mostly tender chorus: "But I'm not a bad bitch / And this isn't savage / But I'm never gonna let you down / I'm never gonna leave you out / So many traitors / Smooth operators / But I'm never gonna break that vow / I'm nеver gonna leave you now, now, now" 

Swift may regret the awful, racially coded word choice of "bad bitch" and "savage," but the song's sincerity against the backdrop of cultural viciousness she describes in "Eldest Daughter" is welcome. 

Still, Swift's commitment is clearly just to Kelce, because "Actually Romantic" couldn't be an uglier song if it tried. It's designed to shame and mortify its target, reportedly the Grammy-winning singer and producer Charli XCX. Her sin? Apparently, writing a song, rumored to be about Swift, about a girl who "taps my insecurities." 

The track "Sympathy is a Knife" appears on Charli XCX's smash 2024 album Brat, which curiously also includes a song entitled "Everything is Romantic." 

Charli XCX doesn't dedicate "Sympathy is a Knife" to ruthless insults, even if she dislikes the girl in question, and roots for her breakup (ostensibly referring to the demise of Swift's relationship with the 1975's frontman Matty Healy). Instead, she's grappling with a "spiral" of emotions unleashed by being near this person. 

Charli XCX sings, alarmingly, about graphically killing herself, adding: "Volatilе at war with my dialogue / I'd say that there was a God if thеy could stop this / Wild voice tearin' me apart / I'm so apprehensive now" 

As a journalist who's written about the intersection of suicide and digital culture for more than a decade, I can think of few things more quintessentially representative of the toxic internet than someone telling another person who feels suicidal or worthless that they, in fact, are insignificant. 

"Actually Romantic" may not explicitly reference Charli XCX's despair, but it proceeds to methodically humiliate its subject: 

"Hadn't thought of you in a long time / But you keep sending me funny valentines / And I know you think it comes off vicious / But it's precious, adorable / Like a toy chihuahua barking at me from a tiny purse / That's how much it hurts / How many times has your boyfriend said / 'Why are we always talking 'bout her?'"

Swift said in an interview with Amazon Music that the song is about realizing someone is engaging in a one-sided adversarial relationship with you and that the negative attention can be a form of flattery. But in the song, she suggests a sexual motive too ("feels like you're flirting with me"), and declares: "No man has ever loved me like you do." 

Perhaps unintentionally, Swift revives a homophobic trope sometimes popular amongst middle and high school students that if one girl doesn't like another, it's because her aversion is a disguised crush.  

But even if "Actually Romantic" isn't about Charli XCX, Swift spends two-and-a-half minutes dispensing spiteful cheap shots — a more lyrical version of the kind you'd find between two people at war with each other online. 

One explanation for Swift's behavior might be the first line of "Actually Romantic," in which she reveals that the song's subject privately called her "Boring Barbie." The other half of the riddle is buried in "Eldest Daughter" when Swift sings: "I have been afflicted by a terminal uniqueness / I've been dying just from trying to seem cool" 

If you've spent your personal and professional life aspiring for both popular and critical acceptance, the insult "Boring Barbie" could feel maximally painful. It may not be in Swift's nature to walk away from the makings of a feud, but what if she had? Or what if, instead of trying to belittle, she wrote a song in the vein of "Eldest Daughter," exercising empathy or compassion toward someone who's clearly suffering? "Eldest Daughter" might have you believe that's the kind of world Swift wants to live in. 

The weaponization of CANCEL! culture

Unfortunately, Showgirl offers competing visions of this world. 

In the song, "CANCELLED!" Swift tries to turn a hot take about being at the center of scandal, real or not, into an anthem for people who experience public wrath. 

Social media has guessed who Swift may have in mind for this track. Maybe it's the actress Blake Lively, who's currently embroiled in a lawsuit over sexual harassment against the actor and director Justin Baldoni. Perhaps it's for Brittany Mahomes, wife of Kelce's NFL Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes, because she took considerable criticism for publicly supporting President Donald Trump in 2022. 

Regardless, "CANCELLED!" looks at the controversial concept of cancel culture and seems to buy into the narrative that any effort to hold a public figure accountable for their words and actions is tantamount to shunning them from society. “CANCELLED!" can’t be bothered by the reality that maybe some people are called out or questioned for good reason. Instead, the song treats cancellation like a badge of honor, and a path to personal empowerment and dark fellowship.

Swift sings: "Now they've broken you like they've broken me / But a shattered glass is a lot more sharp / And now you know exactly who your friends are (You know who we are) / We're the ones with matching scars" 

Swift said she views this song as a story about navigating terrible periods of undeserved scrutiny and coming out stronger, but her take on so-called cancellation could not be hotter. It misreads a grave moment in political and pop culture, as the Trump administration routinely threatens and tries to silence speech it hates. 

If fans are waiting for Swift to recognize how the weaponization of cancel culture has played into this dynamic, and then align herself with fundamental human and democratic rights, as she's pointedly done in the past, it seems they'll be waiting for a long time. 

Swift is right that the internet is often lousy. But on Showgirl, Swift's rejection of that culture seems useful only when it serves her interests and vendettas.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.