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If I asked you to name a few flagship smartphones in 2025, you would probably mention the Samsung Galaxy S25, the iPhone 17, and the Google Pixel 10. While I completely agree with your inclusion of the Galaxy S25 and the iPhone 17, are you sure the Google Pixel 10 can really be considered a flagship smartphone?

SAVE $18.05: The Lego Minecraft Advent Calendar is on sale at Amazon for a record-low price of $26.94, down from the normal price of $44.99. That's a 40% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Minecraft Advent Calendar $26.94
$44.99 Save $18.05   Get Deal

You might still be prepping a Halloween costume and finding the best recipe for popcorn balls, but December holidays are rapidly approaching. If you like to celebrate the season with an Advent calendar and you or someone in your life is a Minecraft fan, check out this deal.

As of Oct. 15, the Lego Minecraft Advent Calendar is on sale for $26.94 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $44.99. That's a 40% discount that shaves $18.05 off. It's also a new record-low, beating its sale price during October Prime Day.

The best Advent calendars tend to sell out, and it seems the Lego Minecraft Advent calendar for 2025 is no different. This set is already sold out at Lego, which makes today's sale price at Amazon just that much more exciting.

SEE ALSO: Lego is giving away free Witch models for Halloween — here’s how to get yours on Oct. 26

Minecraft is going all out for the holidays, and even the sheep have opted for red and green dyes this year. There's also an adorable mini Christmas tree, and a lucky villager has donned a Santa suit and hat. All of the 24 mini-Lego builds go great on the included snowy Minecraft diorama. Lego suggests this Advent calendar for those aged seven and up.

Before it sells out, secure your Lego Minecraft Advent Calendar for 2025 while it's on a major 40% discount at Amazon.

Cheap streaming sticks seem like a good way to turn a dumb TV into a smart TV, or add some life to a smart TV that's not supported or running well anymore. However, as I learned, sometimes spending too little on something can end up being an expensive mistake.

SAVE $250: As of Oct. 15, get the GEEKOM Mini PC AX8 Max for $499, down from its usual price of $749. That's a discount of 33% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon GEEKOM Mini PC AX8 Max $499 at Amazon
$749 Save $250   Get Deal

If you need a new computer, you might want to consider downsizing. Not in terms of ability, but physical size in general, with a mini PC. They're every bit as capable as their larger counterpart, but they take up much less real estate. If you're interested in taking the plunge, you can score a great mini PC for its lowest price yet at Amazon.

As of Oct. 15, get the GEEKOM Mini PC AX8 Max for $499, down from its usual price of $749. That's a discount of 33% and the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Acer Revo Build is a modular mini PC with stackable component blocks

This mini PC boasts an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Radeon 780M GPU with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, and multiple ports to make connectivity a breeze. It houses all of this in a tiny square that's just about the size of a Mac mini, so you can move it around wherever you need without having to rearrange or find a place for a huge PC tower.

It's small but mighty, with a special cooling system that keeps it able to function in such a tiny package and noise levels that are cut by up to 50% even when you're working on heavy tasks or multitasking. It also comes with Windows 11 Pro installed, so everything is already set up for you when you unbox it.

A mini PC is a great way to save money and put together a setup that's easily portable or modular if you want to move things around. If you're interested in giving it a go, now's the best time to do it, thanks to this killer deal.

Roku's latest software update is answering the questions you have about the programs you watch. What started as a simple command tool is evolving into a guide that can keep up with the conversation, and the Roku OS 25 update has a few other great improvements.

Apple just unveiled the M5 chip today, and we got a new MacBook powered by this chip. But it's not the only one. If you're more of an iPad person, Apple has also launched a refreshed iPad Pro, and it's looking like a really powerful one.

A new Fortnite update can mean a few things: A brand new season, an annual event like Fortnightmares or Winterfest, or even new additions to the game's map.

Unfortunately, it could also mean new bugs or glitches.

After the latest update, I found myself experiencing a brand-new bug that made the game lag to the point where it was unplayable. It would seemingly hit at the most random times during a Battle Royale. It wasn't an internet issue as my connection was fine. It wasn't a bluetooth issue as I've been there with wireless controller bugs so I went ahead and bought a wired controller long ago and have mostly been glitch free since then.

However, this new bug which results in FPS (frames per second) dropping to ridiculously low levels at crucial points during a game, does appear to be controller-related even if you have a wired setup. It also seems that this issue may not be one of Fortnite's doing. The culprit appears to be Microsoft!

Either way, judging by some of the reactions online, this is a bug that's plaguing quite a few Fortnite players. Here's the fix.

Fix Fortnite dropped FPS issue

I discovered that quickly unplugging the controller and then plugging the USB-C cable back in would temporarily fix the issue. However, minutes later the FPS would drop again. Plus, unplugging your controller multiple times during a game isn't an ideal solution when a rival squad suddenly shows up and you're waiting for the controller to turn back on.

But, then I came across a Reddit thread from a few weeks ago with a comment from user u/0slambam0 that completely solved the problem for myself and everyone else in the thread. Choosing to delete programs sometimes carries usability risks, so people should make their own decision before trying a workaround solve. However, if you want to try it, here's how it's done.

1. First, go to your Windows Search Bar, type in "Add or remove programs," and choose that option.

2. A new window will open up with a list of programs installed on your PC under "Apps & Features." In the search bar, type in "Microsoft GameInput."

3. Some users will see one Microsoft GameInput listed. Others will see it listed two separate times. Regardless of how many you see, click them, and then click Uninstall.

4. After uninstalling Microsoft GameInput, unplug your controller and plug it back in.

5. That's it. The issue should be fixed. No more controller-related lagging issues! No more dropped frames!

It appears this may be strictly a Windows 10 issue. The latest Microsoft GameInput update that you need to uninstall to fix the issue appears to have been installed in September, so it could be a glitch related to Microsoft's push to get users to upgrade to Windows 11. 

However, with roughly half of all PC users still using Windows 10, there's likely a lot of Fortnite games dealing with this, so here's the solution until you finally give in and update your PC to the latest operating system.

SAVE 20%: As of Oct. 15, the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro has dropped to $79, its lowest price ever. That’s a 20% discount and $20 in savings.

CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20   Get Deal at Amazon

If you’ve been eying the Apple Watch Series 11, but just can’t stomach the price, we found a budget deal on a feature-rich alternative that’ll give you everything you need to monitor your health, track your fitness goals, and stay connected.

SEE ALSO: Get a free year of MyFitnessPal Premium when you subscribe to Calm

As of Oct. 15, the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro has dropped to $79, its lowest price ever, according to CamelCamelCamel. That’s a 20% discount and $20 in savings.

The CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro definitely looks more expensive than it is, with a big 1.43-inch AMOLED screen and a sleek metal frame. It covers all your key health stats, including advanced tracking for heart rate, sleep, stress, and SpO2 levels. For outdoor workouts, the dual-band GPS gives you super-accurate route tracking, whether you're running or biking. Plus, with a battery that lasts up to 13 days on a single charge, you won't need to worry about it losing juice on your next run or weekend adventure.

If you’re building a new PC, it’s tempting to go for a huge case, thinking you’ll need the extra space for water cooling, storage drives, and extra fans. However, in reality, most of us rarely use that space, which is why you should probably opt for a small case.

While OpenAI's Sora 2 has been getting all the attention recently, we found in our comparison that Google Veo 3 is a more capable video generation model altogether. Now, however, it looks like Google might be widening the gap with the Wednesday launch of Google Veo 3.1.

On top of the basic Veo 3.1 model, there's also a new Veo 3.1 Fast model, which is basically a lighter weight version of Veo 3.1. They're both now available in Gemini, the Vertex AI platform, and Google Flow, the AI video editing tool that's designed around AI-generated videos and editing them together.

So what's actually new with Google Veo 3.1? As you might expect, given the name, it's not necessarily a massive upgrade over Veo 3, which has only been out for a few months now. According to Google, Veo 3.1 offers richer audio as well as better narrative comprehension, which should help ensure that videos make more sense when put in the wider scope of the video. Last but not least, Google says Veo 3.1 offers enhanced realism when it comes to true-to-life textures.

SEE ALSO: I tested OpenAI Sora 2 vs Google Veo 3 for AI video, and there’s a very clear winner

Some of the features available with Veo have been improved too, notably by adding audio capabilities. For example, Ingredients to Video is a feature that lets users upload reference images for Veo to use when creating a video. Users could upload a picture of a character and a location, and have Veo generate a video of the character in that location. This feature is available with audio in Gemini, the Vertex AI platform, and Google Flow, the video editing software that's designed around using Veoo to generate clips to use in a project.

Another feature that's been upgraded with audio is Scene Extension, which essentially allows users to extend a video clip. It's available with audio in the Gemini API, but not the Gemini app. It's also available in Flow.

SEE ALSO: 6 Google Gemini AI photo prompts to try

Another feature is First and Last Frame, which allows users to upload a static image of the first and final frame in a video and have Veo generate a transition between those two frames. It can be used in the Gemini API, Vertex AI, and Flow.

Additionally, Google is adding some precision features to Flow that could help users refine existing video clips. These include the ability to insert or remove objects in a way that looks realistic and natural, though we have yet to test it.

Veo 3.1 is now available in Google Flow, Gemini, and Vertex AI. The other features vary in how widely available they are. You'll need a Google AI Pro subscription to use the new models.

SAVE $105: As of Oct. 15, you can grab a like-new Kindle Scribe with 64GB at Amazon for only $244.99. As a refurbished model, it's typically priced at $349.99 — so that's 30% cheaper than usual. A new Scribe costs $419.99, so you'll save $175 total by going with a refurbished model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Like-New Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB) $244.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $105   Get Deal

The Kindle deals during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event were pretty dang good. But if you missed out, it's no sweat. You can grab a like-new Kindle Scribe for an even better price on this random Wednesday in October.

As of Oct. 15, the 2022 Kindle Scribe with 64GB is only $244.99 at Amazon. The only catch? It's a refurbished model in like-new condition. Amazon has tested, updated, cleaned, and inspected this device to ensure it's as good as if you bought it brand new. For comparison purposes, buying a brand-new Kindle Scribe with the same amount of storage would cost you $419.99. So you're saving $175 by opting for a refurbished model.

The Scribe is the only Kindle device that gives you the ability to take notes. It includes a premium pen for jotting down your thoughts and annotating in the margins of books as if you were writing in an actual notebook. It's also a bit bigger than a typical Kindle at 10.2 inches, making it a solid choice for someone with vision issues. "Overall, as an e-reader, the Kindle Scribe is quite good," Mashable's Alex Perry writes in his review. However, it has some lag issues that make the typical $419.99 price tag hard to justify. At only $244.99, on the other hand, we're much more inclined to recommend it. Amazon guarantees that it's certified to look and work like it's new, and it even comes with the same warranty as a new device.

If you're looking to buy a Kindle and want the ability to mark up readings, now's the time to add the Scribe to your cart.

Google's latest smartphone might not respond well to stress testing.

In a new video on the popular JerryRigEverything tech YouTube channel, host Zack Nelson put the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold through its paces. In the video, he spends a bunch of time bending the phone to extreme degrees to test out its durability, doing things to it that no normal person would ever do on purpose. That's an important bit of context, because near the end of the video, he bends the phone a little too much and the battery quite literally goes up in smoke, leaving the phone as a smoldering paperweight on the testing table.

SEE ALSO: Google is bringing its popular Nano Banana tool to more products

Nelson said that this is actually the first time a phone has straight up exploded on him during testing — after a decade of testing devices. He does the same things to every phone he tests, so it's not like he treated the Pixel 10 Pro Fold worse than other devices. In fairness to Google, Elizabeth Chamberlain of iFixIt told The Verge that this isn't necessarily a sign that something is wrong with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. It's possible that Nelson didn't discharge enough battery out of the box before putting the phone through its paces, per Chamberlain.

Regardless, if you're Google, you probably don't want a newly released phone exploding live on camera.

Google is introducing a new account recovery method called Recovery Contacts, which lets trusted friends or family members help you regain access to your personal account if you get locked out. This helps you if you lose your phone and can't use it to confirm your identity.

No, you're not imagining it — YouTube looks different.

The Google-owned tech giant debuted a redesigned video player this week, which means that the way your videos look has changed. The company described it as a shift to create a more "expressive and intuitive experience." In practice, this means many of the buttons are more transparent (sound familiar?). The changes aim to make "the viewing experience more visually satisfying while obscuring less content."

Credit: YouTube

These aren't technical terms, but the new player embraces a bubbly, rounded design in lieu of its more pared-down, simplistic past. The buttons also seem much larger, which can feel more obtrusive, even if the transparency makes them less so in reality.

There are other, smaller changes, too, across the many ways you can watch YouTube — iOS, Android, web, and TV. On a television, for instance, video details moved to the upper-left corner. The double-tap to seek feature has been made "more modern and less intrusive," according to the company. YouTube also introduced a new visual for comment threading, which should make replies easier to follow.

Overall, it's not a massive change to how YouTube works. But the changes are certainly enough to make you pause when firing up a new video on the platform.

Apple has revealed its next generation of Apple Silicon chipsets for Mac, iPad, and the Vision Pro. The M5 is once again leapfrogging the competition with significant improvements to the CPU, GPU, memory bandwidth, and Neural Engine.

The two biggest challenges that face us when it comes to energy are, well, generating energy and then figuring out some way to store it. You see, non-renewable sources of energy like coal or gasoline are both a great energy source, and also an impressively dense storage medium. It turns out replacing that with something more sustainable is sort of hard.

Apple just dropped its latest silicon bombshell — the M5 chip — and it appears the company wants to dominate the AI hardware race from every angle. Unveiled today across a new 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro, the M5 marks what Apple calls “the next big leap in AI performance,” promising faster on-device machine learning, better efficiency, and stronger support for Apple Intelligence — the company’s new suite of generative AI tools.

SEE ALSO: In Europe, Apple's new MacBook Pro comes without a charger

The M5 chip, built on Apple’s third-generation 3-nanometer process, features a 10-core CPU and GPU with a Neural Accelerator in every GPU core. Apple claims the M5 delivers up to 3.5x faster AI performance than last year’s M4 and up to 6x faster than the M1 generation.

Whether it’s a laptop, tablet, or mixed reality headset, the message is clear: the M5 is Apple’s foundation for its AI-first future — and it’s already in everything you can buy this fall. Here's everything announced:

14-inch MacBook Pro Credit: Apple

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro is the first Mac to get the M5 treatment. According to Apple, it’s not just faster — it’s smarter. The machine can now run large language models (LLMs) locally, accelerating workflows for developers, researchers, and creatives. Apple says the M5 MacBook Pro can deliver up to 24 hours of battery life, 1.6x faster graphics, and 2x faster SSD speeds compared to the M4 model.

It ships with macOS Tahoe, Apple’s latest desktop OS, and features expanded Apple Intelligence integration, a brighter Liquid Retina XDR display, and a space black finish. The 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro starts at $1,599, with preorders open today and availability beginning Oct. 22. Be aware that if you're a European buyer, though, the laptop will not ship with a charger.

iPad Pro Credit: Apple

The iPad Pro joins the lineup as the lightest and thinnest yet, also powered by the new M5 chip. Apple says it delivers desktop-class AI capabilities for apps like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, and now includes an enhanced display and longer battery life. With the M5, iPad users can take advantage of the same on-device Apple Intelligence features available on Mac, including generative image tools and smarter writing suggestions.

The M5 iPad Pro starts at $999 and is available for preorder today, shipping on Oct. 22.

Apple Vision Pro

Apple also announced an upgraded Vision Pro, featuring the M5 chip and a new Dual Knit Band for comfort. The company says that the M5 dramatically improves rendering, battery life (now up to 2.5 hours of use), and AI-driven features in visionOS 26, such as new Personas, real-time translation, and spatial scene generation. The device also supports 120Hz refresh rates and sharper visuals thanks to improved micro-OLED displays.

Credit: Apple

The M5-powered Vision Pro will launch on October 22 and be available for demos in Apple Stores beginning this week. It will cost $3,499.

Big family SUVs like the Toyota Sequoia, Chevy Tahoe, Ford Expedition, and Nissan Armada have size and space nailed down, but they’re not exactly frugal at the pump. They make sense for long hauls or towing, yet daily errands can quickly turn them into gas guzzlers.

PREORDER FOR $3,499: Following the announcement of the new Apple Vision Pro, preorders are live with a launch date set for Oct. 22.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Vision Pro (256GB) $3,499 at Apple
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With an updated M5 chip, the fresh new Apple Vision Pro comes with some minor but likely much-improved upgrades. With the M5 chip, Apple says the latest version will deliver "a leap forward in performance, improved display rendering, faster AI-powered workflows, and extended battery life," according to the brand's press release.

You can now preorder the Apple Vision Pro at apple.com. Prices start at $3,499 for the 256GB version. That bumps up to $3,699 for the 512GB model and tops out at $3,899 for 1TB. There's also the option to add in Zeiss readers for $99 or a prescription for $149. All orders come with free shipping or the option to pick it up in-store. The expected launch date is Oct. 22.

The updated Apple Vision Pro also comes with a Dual Knit Band, designed to make for a more comfortable wearing experience. And instead of the one strap around the back of the head, the knit band has two straps with an additional band that sits on top of the head for a more snug and secure fit. If you love the look and fit of this new Dual Knit Band, but you don't plan on upgrading to the M5 Apple Vision Pro, you can buy the band separately to use on the original for $99.

Preorders for the Apple Vision Pro come with all the essentials to get you started, as well as some nice accessories. Your delivery will arrive with the Apple Vision Pro and the Dual Knit Band, plus a light seal, two light seal cushions, a cover for the front, and the battery. There are also extras like a cloth for polishing, a USB-C cable for charging, and the power adapter.

If you'd like to see the Apple Vision Pro IRL before you preorder, schedule an in-store demo, which Apple says is available at all locations that sell the Vision Pro.

Champagne Problems delves deep into romantic comedy territory with its central lovers. Minka Kelly stars as Sydney Price, an ambitious American executive who's traveling to Paris for business. Then, like many a rom-com heroine before her, she meets a dashing stranger (Tom Wozniczka), and naturally they share a big, swoon-worthy kiss — only to find out they are enemies! (We love an enemies-to-friends arc.)

See, Sydney is on a mission to acquire Chateau Cassell, a family-owned business in France's Champagne region. Her handsome kisser? It just so happens he's Henri Cassell, son of the Chateau Cassell's founder, and he doesn't want his dad to sell to some boorish American. More stressful still, while Sydney's heart, head, and loins are doing battle over her feelings for Henri and her professional ambitions, she must fight for her chance to buy the business by playing the games that Henri's father, Hugo Cassell (Thibault de Montalembert), has arranged.

So, you've got a serious American businesswoman who might need a little more fun in her life. You've got a snobby French heir to a Champagne house, who's giving some serious Darcy vibes with his snootiness. And the whole thing takes place in the dazzling lights of Paris and the scenic French countryside, complete with castles, bubbly, and a brawny dreamboat. Also, it's Christmas, because sure, why not? What more could you wish for?

Champagne Problems premieres on Netflix on Nov. 19.