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Apple’s iPhone lineup has never been this diverse. You have four new phones on offer — iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max — with very different designs, dimensions, colors, battery sizes, and camera systems.

And yet, it feels like the iPhone 17 has been upgraded to the point of being a very good option for a lot of buyers; it finally has a 120Hz display, its battery life has been significantly improved, and, just like the other devices, it starts with 256GB of storage. The iPhone Air, on the other hand, has the same chip and display size as the iPhone 17 Pro, but only one camera on the back.

This is why, for a lot of potential buyers, the choice will fall down to the cameras. Apple hyped up the iPhone Air’s single camera as a many-cameras-in-one system, but is it really up to par with the other iPhones, let alone camera powerhouses like the Google Pixel 10 Pro? And is the iPhone 17’s camera system just as good as the one on the Pro models, only without the zoom, or is it noticeably weaker in other areas, too?

Let's go hands-on and compare some photos to answer all of your questions.

Camera shootout: Daylight Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air. In daylight, at maxed out resolution, the differences between the three phones are almost non-existent. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

I'm happy to report that all three cameras take wonderfully detailed daylight shots with accurate colors. Turn up the megapixel count to 48 if you want more details, but only do so when the light conditions are just right.

TL:DR: A three-way tie.

Camera shootout: Zoom Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air. Again, without zooming in, you'll get very similar photos across the three devices. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

There’s no real competition here: The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have a telephoto camera capable of 4x optical zoom, while the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air simply do not have that lens. Still, you can zoom in on all three phones (yes, even past the default 2x) as Apple will take the zoomed-out photo out of the larger, 48-megapixel capture.

Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air. The level of detail and sharpness you get on the Pro Max is vastly better than the digital zoom on the other two phones. Still, the iPhone Air consistently performed a little better than the iPhone 17. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

As you can see above, the photos without the dedicated telephoto camera simply cannot measure up to the level of detail you get on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, especially at 8x magnification. Interestingly, I’ve gotten slightly better results with the iPhone Air than with the iPhone 17. This was quite consistent over various set-ups and zoom levels, indicating that the Air has a better overall main camera than the iPhone 17.

TL;DR: The iPhone 17 Pro Max wins in this category, which is no surprise. What is a surprise? The iPhone Air beat the iPhone 17.

Camera shootout: Ultra-wide Left: Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable Right: Left: iPhone 17 Pro Max, Right: iPhone 17. Sometimes the scenery demands an ultra-wide photo, and the iPhone Air just doesn't have the option. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Only the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone 17 have the ultra-wide camera; the iPhone Air doesn’t even have the option to zoom out past the default, 1x setting. On both the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the ultra-wide yields significantly blurrier photos than the wonderfully sharp main shooter, so I recommend avoiding it. However, sometimes you just have to use it — typically, when you need to place a large group of people within the frame — and that’s where the option is great to have, photo quality be damned.

TL;DR: The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max have a decent but not great ultra-wide camera; the Air lacks this altogether.

Camera shootout: Low light Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air. This nocturnal scene was captured beautifully by all three phones. The one taken with the iPhone Air has the most accurate colors, but differences are minute. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

I was particularly interested in low-light performance, as this is where you really see whether the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air can hold their own against the Pro Max's powerful main camera. I'm happy to report that nighttime photos turned out roughly the same, no matter if I used the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, or iPhone 17 Pro Max.

TL;DR: All three phones took low-light photos of roughly the same quality.

Camera shootout: Macro Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air. The photos taken by the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro Max are almost identical. The iPhone Air simply cannot capture as many details up close. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

This test is perhaps unfair towards the iPhone Air, which doesn’t have a dedicated macro mode. But it’s still worth comparing the results, just to show how better the other two phones are when it comes to this specific photography type.

The iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max automatically switched to macro mode when I came in close to the flower, and both took a beautiful, detailed macro photo with vivid colors. With the iPhone Air, going in this close would only yield a blurry photo, so I used the 2x zoom option to get a bit more detail out of the flower. It’s not bad, but it's also nowhere near the quality of the other two photos when it comes to details. Also, the iPhone Air decided to blur the background, leaving me with a portrait photo; it’s not bad, but not exactly what I needed here.

TL;DR: The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max excel at macro photography; the iPhone Air doesn't even have a macro mode.

Camera shootout: Selfie Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air. In Croatia, we do not smile. Apparently. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

On paper, all three cameras should be the same, and judging by the selfies I took, they pretty much are. I've taken a number of selfies with all three phones and they're always true-to-life with accurate colors and tons of detail. Here, I've chosen a portrait selfie which turned out very similar across all three phones.

TL;DR: A three-way tie.

The iPhone 17 vs. the iPhone Air vs. the iPhone 17 Pro Max: Which is best for photography? They're all pretty good, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max has the most versatile camera. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The good news is that the main camera appears to be very similar across all three phones, and the iPhone Air performed much better than I expected. For your bread-and-butter daylight photos, as well as low-light shots, nature shots, and selfies, you can choose any of these phones and be happy.

Being able to zoom out and in (especially in) does make a difference in photography. Also, the video capabilities of the iPhone 17 Pro Max are truly pro-grade, compared to the more basic (yet still very good) video shooting you get on the other two phones. If you like to tinker with settings, need tons of storage for videos (the iPhone 17 Pro Max goes up to 2TB), and use zoom a lot, then the iPhone 17 Pro Max is a must.

How we tested

The rules of this contest were simple. I took photos in a multitude of scenarios with all three phones, doing my best to use similar settings and take the photo from the exact same position. Then, I uploaded the photos to my computer to see just how different they looked. In this article I’ve used cropped up details from each set of photos to highlight the differences between each phone.

This is not a perfect test. Sometimes you’ll get a bad (or a surprisingly good) photo for no apparent reason. I did take several sets of photos in each scenario to confirm the differences I saw were real, but I’ve only used a single set of photos for each scenario for the purposes of this article.

Travel-minded folks who find it rude when the people in front of them on an airplane recline their seats have a new ally.

That ally would be WestJet, a prominent Canadian airline that shuttles people all over the world. WestJet recently announced that all Economy class seats on its passenger jets will now have a "fixed recline" design. In other words, those who pay for the cheapest seats won't be able to recline anymore. There will still be some reclining seats in both the "extended comfort" section of the plane and in the premium cabin, but it seems like most passengers will now be on an even playing field when it comes to the angle of their seat-backs.

SEE ALSO: Delta and other airlines are working with an AI startup that 'personalizes' prices

According to WestJet, this means its Boeing 747 jets will now have an additional row of seats in them, and you can expect these to roll out by the end of the year. This could also reduce per-seat ticket prices, in theory.

On the flipside, the more rows there are in a plane, the less space there is for each person. It may also come across as problematic for customers who hate losing access to something that has been standard in airplanes for years. Still, those of us who find it a bit unbecoming when the person in front of us decides to recline probably won't mind.

As always, just remember that the other people in the plane probably hate being there just as much as you do, and adjust your behavior accordingly.

Crossovers have long been seen as practical family haulers, but a new generation is proving they can be just as thrilling as they are versatile. Beneath their everyday-friendly designs lie powerful engines, sport-tuned suspensions, and responsive steering that make driving them genuinely fun.

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

A dot.

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

SPECK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Nailing it.

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

ACING

Hurdle Word 3 hint

More sensible.

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

SANER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

One of the five senses.

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

TOUCH

Final Hurdle hint

Shrubbery.

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

BRIAR

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

Back in 2013, when the iPhone and Android had cornered the smartphone market, a plucky new mobile operating system showed up that promised to bring a new kind of smartphone. One that was entirely built on web technologies and web apps. It was from a familiar brand, but it never took off.

The best streaming deals to watch 'Weapons' at home: Best non-streaming option Rent or Buy on Prime Video $9.99 or $19.99 Get Deal Best HBO Max deal HBO Max (With Ads) $99.99/year (save $19.89) Get Deal Best deal with no ads Max Standard $169.99/year (save $33.89) Get Deal Best for students HBO Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Get Deal Get HBO Max for free HBO Max Basic With Ads Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $9.99/month) Get Deal Get HBO Max for free HBO Max Basic With Ads Free for DashPass annual plan subscribers (save $9.99 per month) Get Deal Best bundle deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 43%) Get Deal

Weapons, Zach Cregger's follow-up to the 2022 cult horror hit Barbarian, is one of the year's biggest horror success stories. It's not surprising, given that the script alone had Hollywood so excited it sparked a multi-million-dollar bidding war.

Not only did Cregger write the script, but he also directed, produced, and co-composed the music. Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, with Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan star in the wild horror hit of the summer.

If you skipped the theaters or can't wait to watch it again, Weapons now officially has a streaming date. Here's what you need to know to tune in — including where to watch it and when.

What is Weapons about?

Weapons tells the story of a community left in crisis when all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish at the same time on the same night. The story splits its time between various non-linear viewpoints, including the missing kids' teacher Justine (Julia Garner) and Archer (Josh Brolin), father to one of the missing children.

Who or what is behind their disturbing disappearance into darkness? It's best that's all you know going into the film. As Mashable film critic Belen Edwards writes, "The best way to prepare for its thrills is to simply not prepare at all."

Get a glimpse at the mystery in the creepy trailer:

Is Weapons worth watching?

Strong test screenings led Warner Bros. to bump up the release date for Weapons from Jan. 2026 to Aug. 2025, and it definitely paid off. One of the biggest horror success stories of the year, the $38 million budget film has grossed $251M worldwide to date. Of course, box office totals only tell half of the story. Reviews tell the other.

With a 93 percent critic rating and 85 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it's safe to say Weapons is worth watching. Even Stephen King gave it his nod of approval, calling it "confidently told and very scary."

Mashable's own reviewer writes, "The last thing I ever want to do is overhype a movie, but just trust me when I say: You are not ready for Weapons."

Check out Mashable's full review of Weapons.

How to watch Weapons at home Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Weapons hit theaters on Aug. 8, 2025. If you missed the mystery unfold on the big screen or you can't wait to watch it again, there are a couple of different ways to watch it at home come Oct. 24: purchasing via digital video-on-demand, renting via digital video-on-demand, or streaming on HBO Max. We've broken down the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

As of Sept. 9, Weapons is available to purchase or rent on digital video-on-demand platforms. You can buy the movie for your digital library or rent it for 30 days. If you choose to rent, just note that although you'll have 30 days to watch, you'll only have 48 hours to finish watching once you begin.

You can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:

• Prime Video — buy for $19.99, rent for $9.99

• Apple TV — buy for $19.99, rent for $9.99

• Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $19.99, rent for $9.99

Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Rent or Buy at Prime Video $19.99 or $24.99 Get Deal Stream it on HBO Max

We originally predicted that Weapons would make its streaming debut on HBO Max just in time for spooky season and we're pleased to announce that is the case. It's following the same theater-to-streaming trajectory of other Warner Bros. titles like Final Destination: Bloodlines and Sinners. You can stream Weapons on HBO Max starting Oct. 24.

HBO Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are some ways to save some money on your plan. Check out the best HBO Max streaming deals below.

The best HBO Max streaming dealsBest for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max Basic annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Basic with ads annual subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal

The HBO Max Basic plan with ads typically costs $9.99 per month, but if you pay for an entire year upfront, that price drops down to just $8.33. With the annual plan, you'll pay $99.99, which saves you about 16% compared to paying each month.

Best Max deal with no ads: Save up to 16% on HBO Max Standard annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Standard annual subscription $169.99 per year (save $33.89) Get Deal

Rather go ad-free? The annual Max Standard or Premium plans will also save about 16% over the monthly plans. The Standard tier costs either $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year (about $14.16 per month), while the Premium tier costs either $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year (about $17.50 per month). Both tiers offer ad-free viewing, but the Premium tier goes a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.

Get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max / Cricket HBO Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the Supreme Unlimited plan Get Deal

Looking for a way to get HBO Max for free in 2025? Switch your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month Supreme Unlimited plan. It includes HBO Max Basic with ads for free. When you open up the HBO Max app or website, you'll just select Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in.

Get HBO Max for free: Sign up for DashPass annual plan Opens in a new window Credit: Dashpass / HBO Max HBO Max (with ads) Free with DashPass annual plan ($8/month) Get Deal

Another way to get HBO Max for free in 2025 is to sign up for the DoorDash DashPass annual plan for $96 per year ($8 per month). DashPass memberships include $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders all year long, plus a complimentary HBO Max subscription (with ads). Activate the subscription through your DoorDash account to get started. Rather watch ad-free? You can upgrade for a discounted rate.

Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months Get Deal

College students can watch Weapons when it hits streaming by signing up for an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half price. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS and retrieve the unique discount code to drop the price from $9.99 to $4.99 per month.

Best bundle deal: Get HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 43% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / HBO Max Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

For the most bang for your buck, check out the Disney+ bundle deal that includes Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max for just $16.99 per month with ads. That lineup of streamers would usually cost you $29.97 per month, so you'll keep an extra $13 in your pocket monthly. If you prefer an ad-less experience, the bundle will run you $29.99 per month as opposed to $50.97. That's up to 43% in savings for access to all three streaming libraries.

UPDATE: Oct. 17, 2025, 11:39 a.m. This article has been updated with the latest streaming information and pricing for "Weapons."

SAVE 30%: As of Oct. 17, the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus portable power station is on sale for $2,998.95, down from its list price of $4,299, at Amazon. That's a 30% discount and $1,300.05 in savings.

Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus $2,998.95 at Amazon
$4,299 Save $1,300.05   Get Deal at Amazon

When a big storm rolls through and knocks out the power, those little portable battery packs aren't going to cut it for long. If you're serious about keeping your whole house running, or planning an off-grid adventure, you need something with real power.

SEE ALSO: I never go camping without this $24 portable charger

As of Oct. 17, the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus portable power station is on sale for $2,998.95 at Amazon, down from its list price of $4,299. That's a 30% discount and $1,300.05 in savings.

The base model holds 5kWh of power, but you can stack extra battery packs to expand it to 60kWh. Jackery says that's potentially enough to power an average home for up to 15 days during an outage. With a 7200W output (expandable up to 14400W) and both 120V and 240V outlets, it can handle pretty much anything you throw at it — from your fridge and lights to heavy-duty appliances like electric dryers, ovens, or even an RV hookup.

It's got some smart features, too. The 0ms UPS mode means it switches to battery power instantly during an outage, so sensitive electronics like computers or WiFi routers won't even flicker. Plus, you can manage everything through the Jackery app, like monitoring power usage or setting it to charge during off-peak hours to save on your electricity bill.

It's lights out for Apple TV, as today the streaming giant announced that starting in 2026 it will become the exclusive broadcast partner of Formula 1 motor racing in the United States.

SAVE $79: As of Oct. 17, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are back down to $169.99 at Amazon. That's a savings of 32% and matches their price from October Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $169.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $79.01   Get Deal

If you missed out on grabbing the Apple AirPods Pro 2 at their Prime Day price, it's your lucky day. As of Oct. 17, the second-generation earbuds are back on sale for $169.99 at Amazon. That's 32% off their list price and the same price we saw a couple of weeks ago for October's Prime Big Deal Days event.

Sure, there's a new pair of premium Apple earbuds in town — the AirPods Pro 3 — but we still think the AirPods Pro 2 are worth grabbing. They've been our favorite earbuds for Apple users and topped our lists of the best headphones for a few years now, thanks to rich and balanced sound, superb noise cancellation, and seamless integration in the Apple ecosystem. "For portability, active noise cancellation, and balanced sound, your search ends with the AirPods Pro," our reviewer writes. The newest generation improves the ANC even more and boosts battery life, but since they're so new, you'll have to pay full price.

We don't expect the Pro 2s to stay in stock for that much longer now that there's a new pair on the block, so if you're looking for solid noise-cancellers that won't break the bank, pick up the Pro 2s on sale for just $169.99 while you can.

SAVE UP TO 77%: As of Oct. 17, save up to 77% on NordVPN subscription plans, including Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime as part of its Black Friday sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: NordVPN NordVPN Black Friday Sale Save up to 77% off on NordVPN subscription plans. Get Deal

If you're looking for a reliable way to keep yourself safe while browsing online, a VPN is the way to go. Luckily, they aren't that expensive if you want to go ahead and subscribe to one. If you're interested in giving NordVPN a try, you can get it for a great price right now thanks to its annual Black Friday sale. It's that time again, which means you can save a significant amount on two-year plans.

As of Oct. 17, save up to 77% on NordVPN subscription plans, including Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime as part of its Black Friday sale.

SEE ALSO: I've tested a bunch of popular VPNs. This is the only one I recommend for streaming.

You can choose from the Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime plans, which start at $2.99 per month and go up to $6.89 per month, with 3 extra months added on for each deal. That adds up to a savings of 77% with the Prime plan, and 74% off on the Basic plan.

NordVPN offers secure, fast VPN service with its Basic plan, but upgrade to the Plus plan and you'll get its traditional VPN performance with anti-malware and browsing protection, an ad tracker and blocker, and a password manager and breach scanner. The Complete plan nets you all of this and 1 TB of cloud storage, while the Prime plan also gets you all of this plus NordProtect, which works to guard you against cyber crimes with monitoring, alerts, and insurance coverage.

You can also opt for 1-year plans as well as other shorter subscription terms if you don't want to commit for the long haul. But if you're going to spend a lot of time online, you may as well stay anonymous while doing so. Grab this deal while it's available through the holidays.

You probably use the cd command on Linux every day. But did you know that there are some hacks that let you improve your experience while navigating different directories? After applying these tips, I'm able to change directories without worry of making mistakes.

Hundreds of U.S. government officials with the FBI, ICE, and the DOJ have allegedly had their personal information doxxed by a notorious hacker group.

Members of the group known as the Com, a community of hackers with ties to another well-known hacking collective, Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters, are currently sharing the leaked data on private Telegram channels. As 404 Media reports, it's unclear how this leaked data was obtained, as it could be compiled from previous leaks, the result of a new yet-to-be-announced government breach, or other means

The hackers have already shared multiple spreadsheets full of private data purportedly belonging to 680 DHS officials, 170 FBI agents, and 190 DOJ officials. The doxxed information spans from government email addresses to personal names, phone numbers, and residential addresses, per 404 Media.

The hacking group behind the leak and their associates have been behind some high-profile data breaches in recent years. The group is believed to be responsible for the recent Salesforce data leak, the Ticketmaster data breach, the AT&T leak, breaches at major airlines, and even the Grand Theft Auto VI footage leak.

Many hackers connected to the Com come from various close-knit groups such as Scattered Spider, ShinyHunters, and Lapsus$. These threat actors have begun operating under the joint name Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters, and they're some of the most infamous English-speaking hacking groups operating today.

The Trump administration has gone to great lengths to stifle any speech regarding the identities and movements of ICE agents, many of whom now cover their faces with masks to hide their identities when making arrests.

The Trump administration has moved aggressively to deport undocumented immigrants, including those without criminal records. In fact, The Guardian recently reported that undocumented immigrants with no criminal record now make up the largest group of people in ICE detention. And in numerous cases, ICE has wrongly detained U.S. citizens in its sweeps.

As a result, ICE actions have faced protests in communities across the country. Activists created apps to help monitor ICE, which have since been banned from Apple's App Store after requests from the Trump administration. One such app, ICEBlock, a crowdsourced ICE tracker, was for a time one of the most downloaded apps on the App Store. Another banned app, Eyes Up, allowed users to log and archive videos of ICE activity in order to hold agents accountable.

As 404 Media reports, one user in the Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters Telegram channel jokingly referenced recent unfounded claims from the DHS that drug cartels in Mexico were offering bounties for the doxxing of U.S. government agents.

SAVE $115: As of. Oct 17, get the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for just $284.99 at Walmart. That saves you $115 off its $399.99 MSRP for 29% savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones $284.99 at Walmart
$399.99 Save $115   Get Deal

Sony dropped their WH-1000XM6 headphones back in May to much acclaim. We rate them the best sound-first headphones, but that doesn't diminish Sony's previous models. The WH-1000XM4 and XM5s are both still available, delivering exceptional sound. But why go for older tech when the newer models are right there? One word: savings.

As of Oct. 17, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones (aka the predecessor to the XM6s) are down to $284.99. That's $115 less than its $399.99 MSRP, for 29% off. This deal is only on the XM5 headphones in black, however, other colors are on sale but the savings aren't as grand.

The Sony WH-1000XM5s are stellar headphones, in fact, we rated them higher than the XM6s in our review. They bring top-tier noise cancellation and sound that puts your right in the studio. If you're working in the office, they'll block out every last noise so you can keep out distractions. Plus, they have touch controls so you can turn up the volume or take calls without pulling out your phone.

Shop the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $284.99 at Walmart and save $115.

SAVE $1,000: Put down a $100 deposit before Nov. 2 to save $1,000 on the new Valerion VisionMaster Max 4K projector.

Opens in a new window Credit: Valerion Valerion VisionMaster Max 4K projector   Pre-order Here

Building a home theater (like, the kind that actually feels like going to the movies) usually costs a small fortune, especially if you're interested in adding a 4K laser projector to your setup. But we just found a pre-order deal that might put your dreams within reach.

SEE ALSO: The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 Projector throws visuals so hypnotic you can almost feel the lasers

From now until Nov. 2, you can put down a $100 deposit on the Valerion VisionMaster Max projector, and they'll knock a full $1,000 off the $4,999 price tag. Your deposit counts toward the final cost, so you'll owe the remaining $3,899 when it launches in November.

Reviewers are already calling it the "best projector of 2025." It's a true 4K model with a next-gen triple-laser setup, which basically means it's super bright (3500 ISO Lumens) and has incredibly vivid colors. What's really cool is its "NoirScene™ System," designed to make black tones really black, giving you the super high contrast (36 percent more darkness) you need for dark movie scenes.

Bonus deal: The more people who put down a deposit, the more freebies everyone gets (e.g., 3D glasses, mounts, etc.). These gifts stack up and could add around $1,677 in extra value, so it might be worth telling your movie-buff friends about it.

SAVE $150: As of Oct. 17, get the GEEKOM A8 Max Mini for $499, down from its usual price of $649. That's a discount of 23% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon GEEKOM A8 Max Mini $499 at Amazon
$649 Save $150   Get Deal

Looking to buy a new PC but don't want to get anything full-sized? It's understandable, especially since some are so unwieldy it can be difficult to find a place for your machine. A mini PC is a fantastic alternative that gives you plenty of room to work with. Plus, it has all the power you need, just downsized into a small package. And you can get an especially great one right now thanks to this Amazon deal.

As of Oct. 17, get the GEEKOM A8 Max Mini for $499, down from its usual price of $649. That's $150 off and a discount of 23%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Add the GEEKOM Mini PC AX8 Max to your PC setup for its lowest price yet

This model boasts an AMD Ryzen 7 processor with Radeon 780M GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD that's also expandable, so if you happen to need more space, you can easily add it in. It comes with Windows 11 Pro installed so you don't have to add anything else when setting it up, and it's about the size of a Mac mini in that it's a small square you can put just about anywhere.

It's housed in a durable aluminum chassis as well, so it's not only sturdy, but it's protected from the elements and any potential drops or spills you might have here and there. It has plenty of built-in ports as well, with a 40Gbps USB4 port, dual Gbps Ethernet options, and more. So even if you have multiple things to add to your setup, you can do so easily.

If you're tired of dealing with large desktop cases and want to give yourself some more room, this is a great way to do it, especially at this price.

Don't waste your weekend on the couch—dust off that old Raspberry Pi and get to work! There's no better time to flex your nerdy muscles and build something that you can be proud of, so to help give you a head start, I've collected three Raspberry Pi projects that you can complete in a weekend.

When we first tested Sora, the new AI video app from OpenAI, we noted that the app's social feed was full of memes depicting Martin Luther King Jr.

And on Thursday, OpenAI announced that it has now paused the ability for users to create AI-generated videos featuring the likeness of the civil rights icon. In the year 2025, deepfakes like this are a well-known problem, and it's a frankly predictable issue to arise.

The move comes after critical comments from the King family, who objected to offensive depictions of the American hero on Sora.

OpenAI wrote in a statement on X:

"The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. (King, Inc.) and OpenAI have worked together to address how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s likeness is represented in Sora generations. Some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr. King’s image. So at King, Inc.'s request, OpenAI has paused generations depicting Dr. King as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures.

While there are strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures, OpenAI believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used. Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos."

The Washington Post reported King's likeness was being used in a variety of racist ways. For example, some videos depicted MLK making monkey noises during his "I Have A Dream" speech and wrestling activist Malcolm X. Popular YouTuber Hank Green also railed against Sora 2, notably referencing a video of MLK doing the 6-7 meme in a particularly crass version of AI slop.

SEE ALSO: What does '6-7' mean? Here's why kids are saying 'six, seven' over and over.

Dr. Bernice King, King’s daughter, posted on Instagram asking people to "please stop" using AI to create fake recreations of her father, concurring with Robin Williams' daughter, Zelda, who recently spoke up about this issue as well.

While Sora users may no longer be able to create videos of MLK — at least for now — it seems clear that AI deepfakes of famous people will be an ongoing issue.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

SAVE $100: As of Oct. 17, the Nothing Phone (3) is on sale for only $699 as a Lightning Deal at Amazon. That's 13% off its list price and its biggest discount to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing Phone (3) $699 at Amazon
$799 Save $100 Unlocked, 256GB Get Deal

If you're in the market for a new phone and want something a bit different than the usual suspects, the Nothing Phone (3) is the quirky handset you've been searching for. And as of Oct. 17, it's down to its best price ever.

Usually $799 for the base model, you can pick up an unlocked Nothing Phone (3) with 256GB of storage for just $699 at Amazon. That's 13% off the list price and its biggest discount on record since its July debut. As a Lightning Deal, the discount will disappear once all units have been claimed or the deal timer runs out — whichever comes first. So if you want to secure the best price, we suggest adding it to your cart ASAP.

The UK-based tech startup Nothing is known for its eccentric products that deliver flagship-like experiences at relatively affordable prices. And the Nothing Phone (3) is no exception. Its unconventional design features three misaligned camera lenses on the back with a glyph interface that uses a pixel-based circular window to do things like tell the time, operate a stopwatch, or even play games with you.

Its specs are solid for a phone at this price: Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB RAM, 50MP cameras, 15-hour battery life. It's not going to blow you away by its performance, but it will offer something iPhone and Samsung don't: a fun, unique user experience that's unlike anything else. Our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) tested out the Nothing Phone (3) and called it "the company's best yet, thanks to its beautiful screen, strong performance, capable cameras, and standout design."

A U.S. government entity is pleading with customers to stop using certain NordicTrack home rowing machines. The recall affects about 44,800 rowing machines, the vast majority of which were sold to U.S. customers.

The Consumer Protection Safety Commission (or CPSC) issued a recall statement this week alerting consumers to a fire hazard caused by some iFit home workout equipment from NordicTrack. According to the CPSC, the specific machines in question are black, grey, and white, and have "NordicTrack" written in black on the front part of the device. On the back, you should see "RW900" written in white.

The screen console on these machines may overheat and ignite, potentially causing personal injury or property damage.

"There have been eight reported incidents including two reports of fire, six reports of smoking or melting, and at least $6,000 in property damage. No injuries have been reported," the CPSC statement reads.

SEE ALSO: Anker adds 5 more power banks to its recall list

If you want to get more specific, here are the model numbers of each unit that has been identified as a hazard. You can find the model number on a decal on the lower portion of the machine:

• NTRW19147.0

• NTRW19147.1

• NTRW19147.2

• NTRW19147.3

If you own one of these machines, the CPSC says to immediately unplug and stop using it. You should also call iFIT (which makes the screens for NordicTrack) and ask for an authorized technician to come and replace the screen module for you.

Be safe out there, folks. Your workout isn't worth burning down the house.

SAVE $100: As of Oct. 17, get the Bose Ultra Open earbuds for just $199, bringing them under $200. Shop Bose's open earbuds for $100 off and 33% savings at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Ultra Open earbuds $199 at Amazon
$299 Save $100   Get Deal

The earbud dichotomy used to be wired and wireless, then things leveled up with the addition of active noise cancellation. Now the earbud field is crowded with sleep earbuds and now, open earbuds. The latter, offers transparent sound, ideal for those exercising outdoors or anyone wanting to be more aware of their surroundings. And Bose makes one of our favorite pairs.

As of Oct. 17, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are down to $199. That's their lowest price ever, knocking $100 off its MSRP and saving you 33%.

The Bose Ultra Open earbuds clip onto ears like an ear cuff, and despite their transparent audio, they still deliver clear, rich sound. When we tested the Bose Ultra Open, we rated them our pick for best upgrade pick among open earbuds, as their $299 price tag was just a little steep. Luckily, the Bose Ultra Open just hit their lowest price ever.

Shop the Bose Ultra Open earbuds for $199 at Amazon and save $100.