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I've long wondered what the different reasoning efforts of an AI model actually change when doing things like making websites, so I decided to try the same website prompt on every Opus 5.5 reasoning level. The results genuinely surprised me.

AI is here to stay, it seems, and a lot of people have leaned into the change rather than resisting it. Many people engage with AI over their web browser since major AI services are available there, thereby bypassing the need to have a strong PC that’s optimized to run AI. However, other folks want to run AI directly on their PCs. That is a different category entirely. 

To run AI, you need a pretty strong computer. You can probably run something simple like Nvidia’s ChatRTX without a ton of resources, but if you’re generating images, video, or doing development work, you probably want more than just the bare minimum. So, if you’re getting ready to build an AI, here are some tips on how to do it. 

Pick your operating system

An AI-powered PC needs to run an operating system that can actually use AI. All three major computer operating systems can do this, including Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Generally speaking, Ubuntu and Windows are the two most popular operating systems for running AI, and they should be at the top of your list if you’re building an AI-powered PC. 

Windows is a little better for basic stuff because Copilot is built in. Copilot is in several of Microsoft's apps and in the OS itself, plus you can download the native Copilot app from the Microsoft Store. Ubuntu is superior if you want to build an AI PC from scratch, as all the tools work there and you have the freedom to set things up the way you want. However, Ubuntu is harder to learn if you’ve never used it before. 

Let’s talk specs

An AI-powered PC requires some hefty specs if you want your AI to run well. That includes a large amount of RAM and storage. The more you have of both, the better your AI will run. If you’re wondering why these two things are so expensive right now, this is why. AI data centers are eating up all the RAM and storage so each company’s AI runs better.

The baseline you want to shoot for is about 32GB of RAM and around 1TB of storage, although the more you have, the better things will be. If you skimp here, you won’t have enough space to download AI models or enough RAM to run them.

An Nvidia GPU

I am a fan of AMD GPUs myself, but if you want a PC to run AI, then Nvidia is the way to go. Many of the biggest tools have direct compatibility with Nvidia, and run better when compared to similar AMD GPUs. You want the highest-end card you can afford with the most possible VRAM. Most guides have a floor at 8GB of VRAM, but there are AI models that can easily make use of the 32GB of VRAM in the exceedingly expensive RTX 5090, so there’s no ceiling here. 

A good start is the Nvidia RTX 5070, which comes with 12GB of VRAM, but if you can swing for the stronger RTX 5080 or RTX 5090, you’ll be much better off. 

A CPU with an NPU

The CPU is still important, just not quite as much as the GPU, RAM, and VRAM. Modern CPUs have what is called an NPU, which stands for neural processing unit. These are used specifically for AI tasks, and having a PC with one sets you up for success. All of the major chipmakers have this, including the Intel Core Ultra series, the AMD Ryzen AI series, and even the Snapdragon X series, although you won’t be making a PC with that last one. Pick whichever one you like most. 

All of this applies to laptops too

All of the above advice applies to people who are building a PC, but they also apply to people shopping for laptops. Look for ones with a high-end Nvidia GPU with plenty of VRAM and a CPU that includes an NPU. Most laptops that fulfill these qualifications are user-upgradeable, so you can always add more RAM and storage later, although if you can find one with 32GB of RAM and at least 1TB of storage, you’ll be pretty well set for a while. 

Windows is a massive operating system and you can go years or even decades without interacting with most of the features. There are over 100 native system-wide hotkeys in Windows 11 and it’s a pretty safe bet that most people don’t know much beyond Select All, Copy, and Paste. 

It would take a year to list everything, so instead we’re going to focus on Windows settings that you may not know about. These settings can increase functionality, add some nifty options, or just make your life easier. Every feature below is available on Windows 11 Home and Pro, and they should also be available on Windows 10 in case you’re one of the many people who held out after official support ended last year.

Clipboard history

People copy and paste stuff all the time, and sometimes, they have to go back and find something they’d copied before. Windows has a built-in feature to handle that. To use it, simply hit Windows Key + V together. This opens up the Clipboard History box. The feature is off by default, so you have to turn it on, but after that, it’ll store up to 25 of the most recent things you copied, provided they are HTML (links), text, or images up to 4MB. 

You can also pin items to keep them in the clipboard history forever. The rest are deleted when you shut down or reboot your PC. You can also access Windows’ native emoji selector from this Window, which works in any app where you can enter text. 

End task from the Taskbar

It’s pretty common knowledge that closing an app from the Windows Taskbar doesn’t necessarily fully close it down. Sometimes it sits in the System Tray and has to be closed again there, or a process continues to run unseen in the background until you go into the Task Manager to turn it off manually. You don’t have to do it this way. 

Go to Settings > System > Advanced to find a setting called End task. Click this option on. Now when you right-click an app in the Taskbar, you have the option to end the task directly, shutting down the app and all of its background tasks from there without taking a second trip to the Task Manager or the System Tray. 

Realign your Start button

Prior versions of Windows tucked the Start menu in the lower left corner and then moved it to the center in modern versions of Windows. You can actually move it back over if you want to. Right click a blank spot on your Taskbar and select Taskbar Settings. Find the Taskbar icon alignment option. You keep everything in the center or move it to the left. 

There are some really interesting settings in here, like hiding the Taskbar on your extra monitors, turning Widgets off, putting your Taskbar on a different edge of your screen, and more. It’s worth rooting around in there to customize your Taskbar experience further. 

Create, apply, and tune your Windows theme

Windows has themes, not unlike Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Go into Settings > Personalization > Themes to locate their settings. You have three main options. You can download a theme from the Microsoft Store, edit an existing theme on your machine, or create a custom theme. Each theme saves your background, including a slideshow if you want one, the accent color scheme, your mouse appearance, and sounds. 

Install Microsoft PowerToys

The Settings menu is pretty big, but there’s a whole other settings menu you can unlock with one simple install of Microsoft PowerToys. This powerful software adds several other features that you can tick on and off, along with many other things that you can adjust. For example, you can use the Keyboard Manager to create new hotkeys and then bind them to your keyboard. 

This sounds more like a feature than a settings option, but it’s actually both. PowerToys plugs into Windows in a way the stock Settings menu doesn’t and there are plenty of previously inaccessible settings options there. Root around and have fun, there’s a lot of extra stuff to check out.

Cyberdecks are interesting pieces of tech. They are, essentially, sci-fi inspired portable computers that people build that can kind of bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops. You’ve probably seen them all over the sci-fi genre, including games like Cyberpunk 2077 and movies like Ghost in the Shell or Hackers. You may be interested in building your own. It turns out, you can do that. 

Alternatively, you can take an existing piece of tech and turn it into a cyberdeck. A smartphone is a great candidate for this because it’s already a portable computer attached to a screen, giving you the ability to add a few more touches to turn it into a cyberdeck. It may not be as cool-looking as a Raspberry Pi board built into a custom enclosure, but it’s a quick way to get into it with tech you already have. 

Find a cool enclosure

This is the hardest part of this whole process. A lot of people use something like a small tacklebox, dremel it out so that the phone fits, and buy a small keyboard like the K808 Mini Bluetooth Keyboard to complete the effect with minimal effort and resources. Your enclosure and keyboard will depend on the size of your phone, but hopefully this gives you a good place to start. 

There are also custom 3D printing services that will make you something on request. Prices vary wildly here, but the first and most important step is getting your enclosure and keyboard set up since cyberdecks are supposed to be used out and about.

Rotation Lock keeps your screen right

The enclosure is arguably the hardest and also most important part, but preparing your software to work with everything is also necessary. One app that works well for this is Rotation Lock. This app locks your display in a specific orientation, bypassing your phone’s auto-rotate function and letting you use your phone in whatever orientation you set it to. The app doesn’t work with every phone, though, so make sure to check that yours is compatible. 

Add Linux via Termux

Next up is adding some software chops to your smartphone-turned-cyberdeck. Termux is a good app to do this. It is an Android terminal emulator and Linux environment app that lets you run commands. The real win here is that it lets you set up and run a Linux environment, which grants you access to all sorts of other cool things. 

There are limitations to this technology, and you’ll want to look for Linux apps compiled specifically for Termux, but there’s a lot of additional functionality you can add to your cyberdeck with it. 

Utilize desktop modes where you can

Some Android phones have a desktop mode that is perfect for cyberdeck use. The most well-known and obvious one is Samsung DeX, which turns your smartphone into a native desktop environment, making it friendlier for keyboard and mouse activities. This is doable in the settings menu of Samsung phones, so you don’t need an external display to use it. Google added a desktop mode to Android in 2026 but you need a Pixel device to use it for now. Either of these solutions will work just fine. 

Other apps can help

Most of the stuff above gets you most of the way there, but recommending anything further really depends on what you want to do with it. You can download a custom launcher to give it a more cyberdeck vibe, like this retro launcher on Google Play. Another option is Tasker to set up automations, like turning on all the cyberdeck stuff once it’s plugged into a certain device. You can even use a remote desktop app to connect to your PC at home. There are apps for cybersecurity and productivity, or you can turn your phone into a video game emulator box with all the various emulators. The sky is really the limit here, so let your imagination run wild. 

Best iPhone Duo preorder deals: Apple Store $1,114 (get up to $885 in instant trade-in credits) Pre-Order Here AT&T $799 (save up to $1,200 with trade-in worth $230 or more and AT&T Elite 2.0 or Premium 2.0 plan) Pre-Order Here T-Mobile $999 (save up to $1,000 with eligible trade-in or new line and port on Experience Beyond plan) Pre-Order Here Xfinity Mobile $999 (save up to $1,000 with qualifying trade-in and new Mobile Plus line) Pre-Order Here Verizon $999 (save up to $1,000 with eligible trade-in and new myPlan line, or get a free Apple Watch Series 12 or iPad with eligible plan and new line) Pre-Order Here

Apple is about to launch the iPhone Duo, its first-ever foldable phone, and preorders began Oct. 16. The passport-style device starts at $1,999, making it the most expensive iPhone ever. (Maxed out with 2TB of storage, it'll run you a cool $3,199. Ah!)

The good news is that you won't have to pay full price if you take advantage of various iPhone Duo preorder offers. One major carrier will give it to you for as cheap as $799, provided you trade in an older phone and sign up for certain wireless plans. (That makes the Duo $100 less expensive than the standard iPhone 17.) Below, we've rounded up the best iPhone Duo preorder deals that are currently live.

Heads up: The Apple Store's initial batch of iPhone Duo preorders sold out instantly, and the device is now backordered there until late January. You can get it much sooner by placing your preorder through your carrier instead. Most were advertising shipping dates in early to mid-December at the time of writing.

The very best iPhone Duo preorder deals require a trade-in. Credit: Apple Apple Store: Save up to $1,200 with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon

Very patient shoppers can leverage three iPhone Duo carrier deals directly through the Apple Store (both in person and online).

AT&T customers can save up to $1,200 on their new foldable (via 36 monthly bill credits) by trading in an iPhone 14 Pro Max or newer and activating a new AT&T Elite 2.0 or Premium 2.0 plan. Earning the full trade-in amount means you'd only pay $799 for your new iPhone Duo, excluding any applicable taxes or fees.

T-Mobile customers can save up to $1,000 on the iPhone Duo (via 24 monthly bill credits) by coughing up an older device and signing up for an Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plan. That brings it down to $999 — right between the iPhone 17 and the $1,099 iPhone Air.

Meanwhile, Verizon customers can earn up to $840 in trade-in credits through Apple. Note that Verizon itself is offering other preorder deals that can save you up to $1,000 (see below), and it's shipping the Duo a bit faster.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Preorder the iPhone Duo at the Apple Store $1,999
Save up to $1,200 with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon. Preorder Apple Trade In

Trading in your current iPhone through the Apple Store nets you up to $885 in instant credit towards an iPhone Duo. The newer the device, the more credit you'll earn. (The oldest you can go is an iPhone 13, according to a company press release.) You can put that credit towards one of the aforementioned carrier plans, monthly Apple Upgrade payments (see below), or Apple Card Monthly Installments. Here are Apple's maximum trade-in values for older iPhones:

• iPhone 17 Pro Max — $885

• iPhone 17 Pro — $785

• iPhone Air — $585

• iPhone 17 — $585

• iPhone 16 Pro Max — $610

• iPhone 16 Pro — $510

• iPhone 16 Plus — $430

• iPhone 16 — $430

• iPhone 16e — $270

• iPhone 15 Pro Max — $455

• iPhone 15 Pro — $370

• iPhone 15 Plus — $315

• iPhone 15 — $305

• iPhone 14 Pro Max — $360

• iPhone 14 Pro — $285

• iPhone 14 Plus — $210

• iPhone 14 — $195

• iPhone 13 Pro Max — $320

• iPhone 13 Pro — $255

• iPhone 13 — $175

Apple Upgrade

Apple Upgrade is the company's relatively new Klarna-powered product leasing program. You can rent an iPhone Duo for as low as $57.99 per month on a 24-month plan. (That doesn't include taxes or any trade-in credit you've earned.) Once your lease term has ended, you can buy your iPhone Duo outright, upgrade it to a newer device, or just return it.

The iPhone Duo is a passport-style foldable with a nano-texture (matte) inner screen. Credit: Apple AT&T: Save up to $1,200

AT&T is offering the same iPhone Duo preorder deal directly on its website: trade in another device and sign up for an eligible unlimited plan to save up to $1,200 (via 36 monthly bill credits). The offer specifically requires an older phone from any brand that's worth at least $230 and an AT&T Elite 2.0 or Premium 2.0 plan.

Shoppers switching to AT&T from a different carrier will get a bonus AT&T Visa Reward card worth up to $800 to pay off their old contract. You can get an additional $200 off just by signing up for your new line online. (Getting paid to stay home and avoid the preorder crowds? You love to see it.)

At the time of writing, AT&T's iPhone Duo preorders were set to ship in early December.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Preorder the iPhone Duo at AT&T $799
$1,999 Save $1,200 Requires trade-in worth $230 or more and AT&T Elite 2.0 or Premium 2.0 plan. Preorder T-Mobile: Save up to $1,000

At T-Mobile, you can get an iPhone Duo as low as $999 (via 36 monthly bill credits. with an eligible trade-in or a new line and port on an Experience Beyond plan. Unlike the Apple Store, it's shipping some configurations by mid-December.

You'll get a bonus Virtual Prepaid Mastercard worth up to $800 if you switch to T-Mobile from another carrier, give up your old phone, and activate a new line.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Preorder the iPhone Duo at T-Mobile $999
$1,999 Save $1,000 Requires eligible trade-in or new line and port on Experience Beyond plan. Preorder Xfinity Mobile: Save up to $1,000

New Xfinity Mobile Plus customers and existing Diamond members with a Mobile Plus plan can also preorder an iPhone Duo for as low as $999 with an eligible trade-in. Current Mobile Plus customers who aren't yet Diamond members can get the Duo for as low as $1,499 with a trade-in. ("Diamond" is the highest tier of Xfinity's membership program. It's reserved for customers who have been with the carrier for at least a decade and those who use four of its services.)

Your savings will be applied as 36 monthly bill credits, and your preorder will ship as early as mid-November.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Preorder the iPhone Duo at Xfinity Mobile $999
$1,999 Save $1,000 Requires qualifying trade-in and new Mobile Plus line. Preorder Verizon: Save up to $1,000 or get a free Apple Watch Series 12 or iPad

Verizon's iPhone Duo preorders were shipping as soon as early December the last time I checked, and you can save up to $1,000 there (via 36 monthly bill credits) by trading in an eligible phone and adding a new myPlan line. Alternatively, you can get a free Apple Watch Series 12 or iPad from Verizon (again, via bill credits) if you full price for a 256GB iPhone Duo, sign up for an eligible plan, and add a new qualifying service line.

Verizon is waiving activation fees on all iPhone Duo preorders for new and Verizon Loyalty customers — a $40 value. Verizon Loyalty is a free-to-join rewards program that offers 3% back in "Verizon Dollars" every month, plus exclusive access to certain sweepstakes, dining discounts, gift cards, and concert presales.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Preorder the iPhone Duo at Verizon $999
$1,999 Save $1,000 Requires eligible trade-in and new myPlan line. Or, pay full price and get a free Apple Watch Series 12 or iPad with eligible plan and new line. Preorder

If you haven’t looked at the cost of RAM recently, then don’t. They haven’t changed in any positive way since the RAMpocalypse began, and if anything, it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets any better. That makes almost any upgrade untenable, whether it’s buying a new laptop or upgrading your existing desktop PC. 

There is another way, and that’s the wonderful world of software optimization. A few tweaks here and there can add a little extra performance to your tech, preserve it for a little longer, and hopefully last you long enough to get to the other end of the RAMpocalypse when prices finally drop. It’s not quite as potent as doubling your RAM or buying an extra storage drive, but they can definitely make a difference. 

The best part is that these tweaks are free, so it won’t cost you anything to use them, and depending on your setup, you might be looking at some decent performance gains. 

Disable apps at startup

This first tweak is pretty common practice and that’s disabling startup apps that you don’t need. It helps performance in two notable ways. First, it makes your boot times faster since the PC is starting fewer apps right when it turns on. The other way is by helping performance while you use the PC, since fewer apps are running in the background, freeing up system resources. This is free, quick, and reversible in case something goes wrong. 

Windows users can learn how to do it here, while Mac users can also do this with this method.

Free up storage space

Brand new SSDs are right up there with RAM in terms of price, and so a nearly full SSD can be quite a problem. Instead of buying more hardware, take some time to clean out the old junk to see if you can get some of your storage back for free. 

There are many methods to do this, including built-in Disk Cleanup tools on Windows and Mac. Uninstalling apps on a smartphone to free up space is also pretty easy. Specialized apps like WinDirStat can also help you find and remove large files, freeing up more space, and if you have external storage, you can offload files there to save even more. 

Uninstalling stuff you don’t use

Uninstalling stuff has a dual benefit. Apps and especially modern games take up tons of space, and removing apps and games you don’t play can help free up valuable storage. Additionally, many old apps still run in the background, so uninstalling them claws back some system resources as well. The effectiveness of this one depends entirely on how much junk you have on your computer. 

This works for Windows, Mac, smartphones, and tablets, since apps are ubiquitous. The only thing to note is that Windows has two methods to uninstall apps, including the Apps section of the Settings menu and the Control Panel. You’ll want to check both places since they don’t house the same list of apps on your computer. 

Adjust your power settings

Your power settings can have a pretty decent impact on performance. Most computers — at least laptops — are defaulted to a setting that balances power consumption and battery life. This means most PC laptops and MacBooks are running at a decent clip, but they can do better. This minor adjustment is pretty easy to do, but be forewarned that a higher performance setting will reduce battery life. 

Windows users can edit their Power Options to change this, and on Macs, it’s called Power Modes. Some smartphones and tablets also have options like a gaming mode that helps goose performance, but you’ll have to check for your specific smartphone. 

Keep your tech cool

When any piece of tech gets hot, it lowers performance because the CPU or GPU throttles itself to stay within reasonable temperatures. Thus, if you keep your computer or phone cooler, it can run harder for longer. This is tougher to do with smartphones, but for PCs and laptops, it mostly involves making sure your computer is clean and gets enough air. 

Some canned air can work wonders here, as dust buildup can impede fan operation and make your computer hotter. Laptop coolers and even reapplying your thermal paste can help lower PC temps, which can have a remarkable impact on your performance.

AI is becoming a major part of our digital lives, and Microsoft has adopted the new tech with open arms. So much so that Microsoft now offers a huge range of AI tools straight from Windows 11, led by Microsoft’s new digital assistant, Copilot. 

The real advantage of AI is that it can help you do your work faster. AI tools, at least right now, are excellent at helping users save time, so they can spend that time on other tasks. And, many more AI tools that can help you save time are on the way – so expect to be able to save more and more time over the next few months and years.

Curious about how you can save time in Windows 11 using AI? Here are the best features right now.

Simple search features

The first thing that AI tools became reasonably good at is search. To be clear, AI tools do hallucinate information – which is to say that when it comes to search, they sometimes confidently get things wrong. That means that you should double-check important information, especially if the information is highly consequential. 

SEE ALSO: Windows 11 can now ‘read’ text from your phone’s photos — how to use the new feature

That said, Copilot is still pretty good at search, and it provides sources for its information too – so you can click on the sources and double-check that the information is accurate as needed. Plus, Copilot allows you to ask follow-up questions, which is a whole lot quicker than having to search multiple topics on the web.

Summarize documents

With AI in Windows 11, you don’t necessarily need to read full, long documents. Instead, you can ask Copilot to summarize documents for you, and this can be done in a few different apps and services. For example, you can ask Copilot to summarize articles in Microsoft Edge, or ask it to summarize documents in Word. 

Image creation features

There are some handy image creation AI tools in Windows too – and more tools are coming. For now, you can use Microsoft Designer to create images for you. Simply input a text prompt, and Designer will create an image. From there, you can edit the image, and refine it – both using AI tools, and using manual graphic design tools. 

Generate text

As you might expect, Copilot can generate text of its own too, which can be helpful in a variety of settings. For example, from the Pages app, you can enable Copilot and ask it to generate text by describing the kind of text that you want the assistant to create. From there, you can have Copilot change the tone of the text, or ask it to rewrite the text based on additional prompts. Then, simply hit the “Add to page” button and your new text will show up in your document.

Recall (upcoming)

One of the most powerful upcoming AI tools for Windows 11 will first show up in Microsoft’s new generation of computers, called Microsoft Copilot+ PCs. These computers feature powerful new AI processors that can handle local AI features, like Recall.

Recall essentially keeps an eye on the things you do on your computer, and allows you to easily find documents, websites, images, and more, by asking Copilot about them. Remember when you found a recipe you wanted to cook a few weeks ago, but now you can’t find the web page again? That’s the kind of thing that Recall will be able to help with. Using the tool, you should be able to simply ask Copilot to help you find it, and it’ll look through the log of what you’ve done on your computer.

You’ll be able to turn this feature off if you wish, and set which apps and websites it works with, or doesn’t work with. And, Microsoft is quick to point out that these snapshots are stored locally, and not uploaded to the cloud.

Cocreate (upcoming)

Cocreate takes image creation tools to the next level. Using Cocreate on Copilot+ PCs, you’ll be able to sketch designs in paint, and couple that information with text prompts to have Cocreate create a new image for you. The feature will also be available in Microsoft Photos, and could be perfect for those who simply need graphics for a document, for example. 

The Moon is getting closer to full, with most of its surface now lit up as it moves through the Waxing Gibbous phase. There's a lot more to see tonight than a week ago, so be sure to look up tonight.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Monday, Oct. 19, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 56% of its surface visible.

Tonight, you should be able to spot the Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis without any visual aids. If you have binoculars you'll also see the Endymion Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Appenine Mountains. Plus, if you have a telescope, you'll also see the Apollo 15 and 16 landing spots, plus the Rima Hyginus.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon takes around 29.5 days to travel around Earth, and its appearance changes throughout the month. As it moves around our planet, we see different amounts of its sunlit side, from a slim crescent to the quarter phases and eventually a Full Moon. It then begins the cycle again. As NASA explains, these phases are caused by the Moon's changing position relative to Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

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.

Shop the Target ACOTAR collection: Angie's Sweet & Salty Popcorn (6.5oz) $3.79 Shop Now Suriel Earl Greyer Lavender Black Tea (36ct) $14.99 Shop Now ACOTAR Adult Apparel Clearance prices from $12.75 Shop Now Alex and Ani Amarantha's Riddle Collection Bracelet $24.99 Shop Now ACOTAR x Fine'ry Limited Edition High Lord of the Night Court Cologne (2 fl oz) $29.99 Shop Now BrüMate drinkware Starting from $35.99 Shop Now

If your reading list revolves around the Night Court, clear your schedule and prep your wallet. Target is turning its aisles into Prythian with a massive merchandise lineup and late-night celebrations for the sixth installment in Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, A Court of Splintered Harmony.

The ACOTAR Collection officially landed on shelves at Target on Oct. 11, giving fans a head start on collecting themed gear. And soon, select stores will host late-night release parties where readers can purchase the new hardcover right as the clock strikes midnight.

Most of Target's ACOTAR collection is exclusive — and most items sit under $20. The lineup spans BrüMate tumblers, Fine'ry fragrances, Alex and Ani jewelry, Suriel teas, graphic apparel, kettle corn, and a tabletop game.

Party perks and gifts

On Oct. 26 from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. local time, approximately 250 Target stores nationwide will host an official A Court of Splintered Harmony midnight release event. Attendees can test their series knowledge with themed trivia, take photos, browse the merchandise line, and hang out with fellow fans.

• First 100 guests — The first 100 people in line receive a free commemorative entry ticket and a complimentary Bryaxis keychain, allowing them to buy the book at midnight.

• Sarah J. Maas gift with purchase — Anyone who buys A Court of Splintered Harmony at Target receives an exclusive gift designed in partnership with author Sarah J. Maas herself (while supplies last).

• Hasbro game gift — Guests who purchase an ACOTAR Hasbro game during the event get a free mystery gift with purchase while supplies last.

Store pickup for online preorders will not be available at midnight. If you preordered for store pickup, your copy will be ready when doors open for regular business hours on Oct. 27.

To shop the full collection or check if your local store is hosting a midnight release party, head over to Target online or the Target app. Gather your Inner Circle, brush up on your Suriel trivia, and hit up your nearest store on Oct. 26 to grab Book Six the second it drops.

Bambu Lab might be one of the best 3D printer brands out there in my opinion, but that doesn't mean I agree with every decision it makes. That's why I've deployed these three open-source utilities to help me take back control of my printer—and I think you should do the same.

TL;DR: Fandango and Lionsgate are streaming all five Hunger Games movies for free on Fandango’s ad-supported platform through Oct. 31. Fans can rewatch the entire saga at zero cost before tickets open for the new prequel.

If you need a reason to revisit Panem's most brutal arena battles, Lionsgate and Fandango just handed you one on a silver platter.

In a first-of-its-kind streaming takeover, Fandango is hosting all five previous Hunger Games films on its ad-supported streaming service. So you can catch up on the entire global blockbuster franchise without spending a single cent or using a credit card. However, the free streaming event runs for a limited time from Oct. 16-31.

You can stream the entire theatrical collection in one place:

• The Hunger Games

• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

• The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

Are there ads, and is there extra content?

Yes, the films are available on Fandango’s free, ad-supported streaming service with limited commercials.

The takeover also features exclusive Hunger Games-themed promotional content and special moments surrounding each film to immerse fans deeper into Panem before the next movie hits the big screen.

The streaming marathon is designed to build hype for Lionsgate’s upcoming theatrical release, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which arrives exclusively in theaters on Nov. 20.

SEE ALSO: The first 20 minutes of 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' blew me away

By bringing the full library to Fandango, fans can rewatch the saga and then purchase movie tickets for the new release directly on the same platform as soon as showtimes go on sale. Based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, the prequel is directed by Francis Lawrence and takes place 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games.

It follows a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) from District 12 on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Annual Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. Inside the arena, Haymitch forms an alliance with fellow tribute Maysilee Donner (McKenna Grace) and a broader coalition to challenge President Snow's (Ralph Fiennes) control over the Capitol.

SEE ALSO: Fandango just made it easier to stream for free — here's what changed

You can watch all five films directly through Fandango’s streaming platform on your browser, smart TV, or mobile app by logging into or creating a free Fandango account.

Head over to Fandango to start your marathon today, and get your Panem history straight before Sunrise on the Reaping takes you back into the arena.

TL;DR: Burger King is launching a Hello Kitty collab on Oct. 20. Each King Jr. Kids' Meal will feature one of six exclusive Hello Kitty and Friends by Sanrio toys, including a special golden Hello Kitty toy.

If fast-food toy hype usually passes you by, Sanrio collectors will want to pay attention to this week's drop: Burger King is partnering with Hello Kitty and Friends for a nationwide, limited-time King Jr. Meal takeover starting Oct. 20.

The collab features six collectible figurines packaged in mystery blind boxes — each depicting a popular Sanrio character wearing a miniature Burger King crown and holding menu items.

What’s inside the collection

The blind-box lineup spotlights six popular Sanrio characters:

• Hello Kitty

• My Melody

• Kuromi

• Cinnamoroll

• Keroppi

• Golden Hello Kitty (a rare pick that unlocks the entire six-piece set)

Every order includes a themed King Jr. Meal bag and an exclusive Hello Kitty cardboard crown, while supplies last.

Credit: Burger King / Hello Kitty

For hardcore collectors, Burger King is also hosting a one-day claw machine event at its Downey, CA location on Oct. 23 (starting at 11 a.m. PST). Guests buying a King Jr. Meal get a claw machine attempt — including a shot at winning a solid 14-karat gold-plated Hello Kitty figurine.

"We love seeing Hello Kitty and Friends get the royal treatment at Burger King, with each character sporting their own iconic BK crown," said Jill Koch, Chief Brand Officer, Sanrio, Inc. "Bringing these beloved characters into the King Jr. Kids' Meal in such a playful way creates something special for fans of all ages to enjoy."

Excel's SWITCH is a logical function that is primarily used for data manipulation. It evaluates an expression against a list of values, and returns a result corresponding to the first matching value.

Let's face it. Apple simply isn't targeting yearly upgrades like it did years ago. It's not surprising; smartphones aren't as exciting as they were back then. There are no game-changing features to debut anymore.

SAVE $50: As of Oct. 19, the Shark Rocket Pet Plus corded stick vacuum is on sale for $149.99 at Amazon. That's $50 off its full price of $199.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum $149.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon

Cleaning up pet hair is one chore that simply can't be avoided when you've got a furry friend. That's why it's smart to have a good vacuum cleaner on hand. Models like the Shark Rocket Pet Plus are helpful for picking up fur lodged in carpets or rugs, and while it's usually priced at $199.99, you can grab it for $149.99 right now at Amazon.

This deal saves you $50. It won't be on sale for long, considering it's tagged as a "limited time deal." With that in mind, you'll want to grab it quickly at this price before it goes back up.

SEE ALSO: Dyson’s slimmest wet floor cleaner just got a huge upgrade and its own self-cleaning dock — where to buy

The Shark Rocket Pet Plus has a versatile design that converts from an upright stick vacuum to a handheld for use on stairs, furniture, in your car, and more. It even comes with a Duster Crevice Tool and a Pet Multi-Tool to help you reach into smaller spaces and pick up embedded pet hair from soft surfaces.

Since it's corded, there's no need to worry about keeping it charged up, either. Just plug it in and take it around the whole room for a thorough clean. It's lightweight as well — weighing under 10 pounds — with a slim design that makes it easy to move around and store once finished. Plus, it features LED headlights that can help you spot hair or dust in darker areas so nothing gets missed.

If the Shark Rocket Pet Plus seems like the perfect vacuum for you, don't miss out on this limited-time deal at Amazon.

I've been collecting DVDs, Blu-rays, VHS tapes, cassettes, and vinyl records for about 15 years. In spite of the renewed interest in physical media that we've seen in 2026, I'm almost certain that it's just a trend, and my expectations for the future are more or less pessimistic. I don't believe that there will be a successor to Blu-ray, and I expect to see a lot of media enthusiasts offloading their collections in the next decade.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon) and Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon) are available to preorder now on Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon) $694.88 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon) $682.98 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

If you thought Pokémon TCG collectors were already losing their minds over 30th Celebration Booster Bundles and Elite Trainer Boxes, Amazon just opened preorders for the crown jewel of the anniversary expansion: the 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections.

Both high-end boxes are currently available for preorder at Amazon for under $700 ahead of their official Nov. 6 release date.

As the ultimate flagship products for the 30th Celebration set, both Ultra-Premium Collections come packed with 29 30th Celebration booster packs, one Classic Collection booster pack, custom metal coins, deck boxes, card sleeves, and damage-counter dice. Of course, the real driver behind the hype comes from the exclusive promo cards:

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day (Espeon): Includes the exclusive Espeon ex promo card with a Daytime Pikachu ex promo card and an Espeon playmat.

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night (Umbreon): Includes the exclusive Umbreon ex promo card with a Futuristic-rarity Pikachu ex promo card and an Umbreon playmat.

The big question when buying trading cards on Amazon is whether or not you're actually getting value for money. Amazon is a reliable pick for finding readily available stock, but you often pay above market price.

TCGplayer's market price for the Day Box is currently $561.50, so there's a decent markup from Amazon here. The market price for the Night Box is $617.40, so the convenience of Amazon actually makes sense in this case.

TL;DR: Target’s exclusive Owala holiday collection dropped on Oct. 18. Eight new colorways are available to purchase this weekend.

Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Owala x Target   Shop Now

If your emotional support water bottle is due for a festive refresh, set an alarm on your phone right now: the first of several Owala holiday drops is officially live at Target from Oct. 18. These will inevitably sell out quickly, so be warned.

The Target-exclusive collection spans eight colorways for the standard FreeSip 24oz and the contoured FreeSip Sway 30oz:

FreeSip 24oz

• Cozy Does It: A soft cream base paired with warm, knit-inspired accents.

• Bear Hug: Earthy brown tones with a teddy-bear plush aesthetic.

• Toile Be Home: Elegant cream toile print featuring delicate blue floral patterns.

• Take a Bow: Festive pastel pink wrapped with a subtle ribbon motif.

It doesn't get cosier than Cozy Does It. Credit: Owala FreeSip Sway 30oz

• Poinsettia: Metallic shimmer burgundy-red designed for the holiday table.

• Wintergreen: Deep pine green with a matte, frosted finish.

• Rose Quartz: Soft translucent pink hue with metallic undertones.

• Lightly Toasted: Warm golden-oat colorway with a matte finish.

Wintergreen gives off strong pine vibes. Credit: Owala

Limited-edition Owala drops at Target tend to disappear from shelves within hours. Just ask anyone desperately trying to hunt down Owala’s exclusive Pokémon bottles. We don't think this drop will have Pokémon-levels of interest, because nothing really does. But be warned: You might still need to act fast.

Windows 11 is a widely adopted operating system in the PC world; hence, Microsoft tries to push its apps and services by default. While most PC geeks are aware of this and clean up their system right after setting up the OS, there's a high chance you might not have. Microsoft's key offerings and services on Windows 11, like Widgets, the Edge browser, OneDrive, Teams, and Copilot, silently eat up your memory during OS startup or in the background and increase your CPU load.

TikTok has backtracked on restricting the Musk documentary's advertising account just two days after implementing the decision.

On Friday, the account was suspended from purchasing ads to promote the documentary, which is critical of the world's richest man and that Musk himself has referred to as a "hit piece" — although Mashable's Matt Binder described it as "brutal and accurate" in his review.

TikTok lifted the restriction on Sunday, informing the documentary's studio, Bleecker Street, and citing an "error," per The Hollywood Reporter.

SEE ALSO: 'Musk' review: Alex Gibney's near 4-hour doc is a scathing look at Elon Musk

This isn't the first promotional issue the four-hour documentary has faced. Last month, it was reported that YouTube and Meta were refusing to run ads for the trailer, before both companies reversed their decisions following a wave of social media backlash (YouTube claimed ads for Musk were "temporarily restricted," while Meta described its decision as an "error").

Alex Gibney's documentary tracks the Tesla and SpaceX founder's rise to power, featuring interviews with his father, former partners, and Tesla founder Martin Eberhard. It opened last weekend before expanding its run this weekend, grossing a little over $300,000 per The Wrap.

Mashable reached out to TikTok for comment, and a spokesperson said the account is now able to purchase ads, so long as it complies with the company's policy on political advertising.

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UPDATE: Oct. 19, 2026, 11:47 a.m. EDT This article was updated to clarify the restrictions placed on the 'Musk' documentary's promotional account.