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Google claims its newest AI model, Gemini 4 Argon, just beat Minecraft — no human help required.

In a research paper posted Oct. 15, Google DeepMind researchers said a team of four Gemini 4 Argon agents defeated the Ender Dragon, the game’s final boss. The agents started in a freshly generated survival world on Easy difficulty and were given a single goal: kill the dragon. It took them 27 hours and 14 minutes. Along the way, the AI players died 605 times, mostly to monsters.

SEE ALSO: Minecraft is getting its first-ever theme park land

The researchers say this is the first time AI agents have beaten Minecraft from start to finish using only standard tools, with no game-specific help built by humans. Researchers watched the run on a live dashboard and could have stepped in at any point, but they say they never needed to.

However, Google is upfront about the limits. The game ran on Easy, which meant that monster attacks dealt less damage to the AI players. Because the AI agents play the game through code rather than on a screen, they have access to information that a human player would not. For example, the AI agents knew what blocks were hidden behind other blocks, making the "mining" part of the game rather insignificant. Plus, given Gemini 4 Argon's training base, the AI agents knew the optimal strategies for playing the game.

It's impressive, but nowhere near what humans can do. The researchers note that the record for beating Minecraft in a random world is under seven minutes.

One may ask, why make an AI play Minecraft? The researchers argue that the skills involved, like working as a team, bouncing back from mistakes, and sticking with a goal for more than a day, are the same ones AI agents need for real-world work. According to Google, the run costs about $520 in model usage at Argon’s introductory API price.

Making a frontier AI model play a video game is actually a common benchmark used by many companies when testing. The Pokémon games specifically have captured the zeitgeist in the AI industry for a while now, but Minecraft is now catching on too. As Google's research points out, two community projects have recently reported beating the dragon with AI, including one using Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5.

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It's odd to think that a trio of colorful cables can bring back such strong memories. But the red, yellow, and white colors of the composite video standard managed to dominate home entertainment for decades, particularly among movie buffs and gamers.

Apple recently invited journalists to a "Pro and Tell" event in Los Angeles, where we expect the company to officially unveil the first-ever touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED laptop (and a new iPad Mini, if we're lucky).

Apple's new CEO John Ternus has certainly been busy. Following the September iPhone launch and the recent "Welcome Home" smart home event, this would be the third big special event under Ternus.

Here's a running list of everything we know about the rumored OLED MacBook Pro.

When will Apple release new MacBooks?

An updated MacBook Pro with the M6 chip is expected to arrive sometime this fall, based on its usual upgrade cycle. But rumor has it that another new MacBook is also in the pipeline.

Now, Apple has all but confirmed that new MacBooks are incoming. Tech journalists are sharing invitations to a "Pro and Tell" event scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PT. That lines up neatly with predictions from Bloomberg managing editor Mark Gurman — a fount of Apple scoops —  who previously reported the device would arrive around Tuesday, Oct. 27. Gurman reported the event will involve "an online video presentation and in-person component for the press."

Artwork included in invitations for the Oct. 28 "Pro and Tell" event in Los Angeles. Credit: Apple

Gurman thinks the touchscreen MacBook will be joined by an M6 MacBook Pro, M6 iMac, and an updated iPad mini, also with an OLED display. All of the new devices "will be geared toward creative professionals who work in video production, photo editing and music production," he said.

The OLED touchscreen MacBook would mark Apple's second all-new laptop of 2026 after the outrageously popular budget MacBook Neo.

What will the OLED MacBook be called? Existing MacBook Pros have had the same design since 2021. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Previously, we've referred to the touchscreen OLED MacBook as a "MacBook Ultra" device, but the name of the "Pro and Tell" event certainly suggests that Apple is sticking with its "Pro" branding after all. Both Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have referred to the device as a high-end variant of the MacBook Pro.

"A 'MacBook Ultra' label would more clearly signal their [the OLED touchscreen Macs'] position at the top of the lineup," Gurman wrote in the March edition of his weekly "Power On" newsletter. Apple already calls its most advanced smartwatch and silicon chip the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and M5 Ultra.

Of course, we thought the foldable iPhone might be called the iPhone Ultra for a while, and it wound up getting the Duo identifier.

According to Gurman, the OLED touchscreen Mac is internally code-named K114 and K116. (That probably means it will also come in 14- and 16-inch sizes.)

How much will the OLED MacBook cost? The Dell XPS 14, one of the best MacBook Pro alternatives for Windows users, starts at $2,299.99 with an OLED touchscreen. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The OLED touchscreen MacBook will most likely be Apple's priciest laptop, given its upper-end processors and fancy display. For reference, the existing MacBook Pro with the M5 chip starts at $1,999 after a recent price increase; the model with the M5 Pro chip starts at $2,499 in the 14-inch size and $2,999 in the 16-inch size.

Knowing that the iPad Pros got about 20 percent more expensive as part of their OLED upgrade, it's possible that a 14-inch OLED touchscreen MacBook will start around $2,999. Of course, that's assuming the global memory crisis doesn't wreak any more havoc on component costs before its launch, which may be overly optimistic. (Apple already had to raise its MacBook prices once this year amid "RAMageddon.")

Why an OLED touchscreen MacBook is a big deal

Touch-enabled OLED displays are readily available on most high-end Windows laptops, but Apple has never equipped its MacBooks with OLED panels or touch capabilities before. (The iPad Pro does have an OLED display, however.) In fact, company executives have long derided the latter. In 2010, late Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs called touchscreen laptops "ergonomically terrible." In 2018, software head Craig Federighi told Wired that he's "not into touchscreens" on laptops.

The MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar (RIP) was the closest thing we've had to a touch-enabled MacBook. Credit: Brenda Stolyar / Mashable

Then-hardware chief John Ternus, who recently ascended to the role of Apple's CEO, was still dismissing the idea of a touchscreen MacBook in 2021. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, he said Apple had already made "the world’s best touch computer on an iPad...And the Mac is totally optimized for indirect input."

"We haven’t really felt a reason to change that,” Ternus added. For whatever reason, that longtime strategy may have changed.

Apple experimented with an OLED "Touch Bar" on MacBook Pros from 2016 to 2021, replacing their physical function row with a customizable touchscreen strip. It was either cool or useless, depending on who you asked.

At present, the only Apple products with OLED touchscreens are the iPad Pros and iPhones. (The former specifically have tandem OLED displays, which are brighter.) The existing 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros have static mini-LED displays. They're "beautifully crisp," to quote Mashable's tech editor, but a touch-supported OLED model would be a more interactive laptop with better contrast, wider viewing angles, and zero blooming to boot.

OLED MacBook rumored features

Gurman said the OLED touchscreen MacBook has a new interface that makes it easy to switch between touch and traditional point-and-click controls. Updates in the macOS 27 beta clue us in to three software features that will likely show up on it:

• The iPhones' Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped notification area with a hole-punch camera cutout (no more notch!)

• A pull-to-refresh action, similar to how you'd reload a website or social media feed on an iPhone or iPad

• The ability to interact with an extended or mirrored iPad screen via touch inputs

Gurman has also stated that the new MacBook will have a full keyboard and trackpad, so using its touchscreen will be "completely optional." In other words, this is not going to be some sort of MacBook-iPad love child.

Looks-wise, Gurman thinks the OLED touchscreen MacBook will be "significantly lighter" than existing Pro models, which have had the same form factor since 2021. Apple's iPad Pros got up to 15 percent lighter when they gained OLED displays.

Apple's iPad Pro has had an OLED touchscreen since 2024. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

"Apple has reengineered the machine’s interior, miniaturizing parts and rearranging components to make the computer much easier to carry," Gurman wrote.

Bloomberg's Apple guru previously reported that the OLED touchscreen MacBook would also be much thinner than standard MacBook Pros, but he walked that back this month.

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In 2024, Gurman reported that Apple was "investigating the idea of bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac for the first time," but didn't specify whether that feature was intended for the OLED touchscreen MacBook or another future model. He hasn't mentioned it since, so Apple might've left that one on the back burner.

What chip will the OLED MacBook have?

The OLED touchscreen MacBook will reportedly run on Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, not brand-new silicon. That's according to Gurman again, who credited his sources as "people with knowledge of the matter ... who asked not to be identified because the plans are private."

Launched in March of this year, the M5 Pro and M5 Max fuel Apple's current top-end MacBook Pros. They're designed to handle the intensive computing workloads of power users like professional creatives, developers, and AI researchers. With that in mind, the OLED touchscreen MacBook will not be a laptop for the average person.

How do we know Apple is working on an OLED MacBook?

A slate of well-known Apple insiders have all separately claimed to have intel that the company is preparing an OLED touchscreen MacBook for release in 2026.

Gurman — the source of so many Apple scoops — first broke the news in early 2023, calling it "a move that would defy long-held company orthodoxy" (see: that Jobs quote). Gurman has continued to report on the device's supposed development over the years.

In fall 2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote on X that an upcoming "OLED MacBook Pro...will incorporate a touch panel using on-cell touch technology." Kuo has foretold the arrival of Apple's foldable iPhone Duo, Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, and USB-C iPads.

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This June, a reliable leaker known as Instant Digital added more fuel to the fire with a short post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform. "It's 100% confirmed that the MacBook screen will be touch-enabled," he wrote.

Just days later, Gurman reported that the developer beta for macOS 27 contained "the first tangible evidence from Apple itself" of the OLED touchscreen MacBook: newly added support for touch-responsive software features like a pull-to-refresh action. At this point, the device is all but confirmed.

Rumors have been swirling for weeks about a late-October Apple hardware launch event, and on Monday, the company made it official. Apple will be hosting a "Pro and Tell" event on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PT in Los Angeles.

On X, Apple Senior Vice President of Marketing Greg "Joz" Joswiak shared a short teaser for the special event:

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Journalists and creators are sharing invitations to the upcoming Apple event, where the company is widely expected to unveil its first-ever touchscreen and OLED MacBook Pro devices. The event isn't listed on the company's official events page, but it will likely be livestreamed.

The company has been busy since new CEO John Ternus took over on Sept. 1. Following the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo launch event in September, the company hosted a "Welcome Home" event in early October to announce the Apple HomeView smart display, as well as an entire line of new smart home products.

The new MacBook Pro is typically released during this time of year, but the company is also rumored to be working on an update to the iPad Mini.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today. 

Bloomberg editor Mark Gurman, the source of most Apple hardware scoops, has reported that Apple will soon announce a new iPad Mini, also with an OLED display. The new devices could be quite expensive, given the flood of price increases consumers have faced in 2026, thanks to the global memory crisis.

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Gurman reports that the new iPad Mini could cost $799, a $200 increase over its predecessor. Apple recently raised the price of the M5 MacBook Pro to $1,999, and a touchscreen and OLED MacBook Pro with a new chip would almost certainly cost more.

SEE ALSO: Apple price increases arrive: How much MacBooks and iPads will cost you now

We'll know for sure on Oct. 28, when Apple hosts journalists and creators in Los Angeles for the "Pro and Tell" launch event.

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Modern TVs have mediocre sound because of their slimline designs, so you'll need a quality soundbar, like Sony's HT-S40R, for a more cinematic experience.

By now you’ve probably heard of ArtCraft and developer Brandon Thomas, who created open-source alternatives to seven applications in Adobe's Creative Cloud suite. Thomas said on Hacker News that he was motivated by Adobe’s dark pattern cancellation policy. If you're not familiar, Adobe's annual plans billed monthly can carry an early termination fee, something many customers may not realize when signing up. He also expressed his frustration with existing Linux alternatives, writing, “I'm sick of GIMP, Krita, and Inkscape being the best Linux and open source have to offer.”

Will your child become a SpaceX shareholder? They will if Elon Musk lives up to his promise — something he doesn't have a very good track record of doing.

Early Monday morning, in a post on his social media platform X, Musk shared that he was planning to give a SpaceX share to every child in the U.S. in 2027.

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"Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America," Musk posted at 3:52 a.m. ET. "This will be the first of many."

Musk's post appears to be a response to a recent announcement from Anthropic, an AI company that's a direct competitor to Musk's xAI.

On Sunday, Anthropic shared a post regarding the company's plan to take 5 percent of its shares and put them towards a new entity called the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund. The company said the percentage would grow to around 20 percent as the company's value increases. In addition, Anthropic's co-founders have also pledged to donate 80 percent of their equity as well.

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"I recommend giving the shares directly to the public," Musk posted in a reply directly to Anthropic's X account. "This is what I will be doing."

If you're wondering exactly how Musk plans to go about it, the SpaceX founder appears to have answered that as well — and it involves President Donald Trump's Invest America accounts.

SEE ALSO: Bernie Sanders proposes bill to give the public a 50% stake in AI companies

The Trump administration set up an investment account program for children under 18 called Invest America, also known as Trump accounts, and provided a $1,000 one-time payment to every child with an account who was born during Trump's second term.

In a reply to a X user who asked Musk if he'd be distributing the shares through Invest America, Musk replied with a simple "Yes."

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According to the latest U.S. Census, there are currently 72 million children in the country who are under the age of 18. SpaceX stock is currently trading at around $150 a share. If Musk does actually donate a SpaceX share to every child in the U.S., he's looking at giving away $10.8 billion, which would be the largest donation in history.

However, Musk has a history of not following through with his promises. Aside from all of the various business-related examples, Musk has previously made philanthropic claims and did not deliver. 

For example, Musk previously claimed that he would donate $6 billion to solve world hunger if the U.N. World Food Program provided a detailed plan. They did, and Musk did not deliver the donation. In a separate case of Musk's false promises, he claimed he would fund fixing water contamination issues in any home in Flint, Michigan. He didn't do that either.

SEE ALSO: Tesla unveils new Roadster and yes, it can actually fly

When Musk has donated money in the past, it's usually to his own charitable group, the Musk Foundation. The organization has more than $14 billion in assets, according to a New York Times report last year. However, the report found that most of the money the Musk Foundation donated went to groups closely tied to him and his businesses.

Will Musk make good on this promise? We'll have to wait until next year to find out.

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Nathan Fielder is the name on everyone's lips right now.

Alongside Primetime helmer Lance Oppenheim, Fielder co-directed the buzzy documentary You Can See Everything, in which he moves in with Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and her partner Billy Evans in the days leading up to Holmes's prison sentence.

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As You Can See Everything progresses, the film morphs into something stranger than even the first unsettling teaser could have prepared audiences for. That mind-melting trajectory is an extension of Fielder's prior television work, which interrogates how we document reality on film and TV.

SEE ALSO: Let's talk 'You Can See Everything' spoilers: An explainer for Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes documentary

Whether you've never heard of Fielder before and are now curious thanks to You Can See Everything, or you're a Fielder diehard looking for a rewatch of his greatest hits, we've got you covered on where you can see everything... of his prior work, that is.

Here's where you can stream Fielder's TV shows.

Where can I watch Nathan for You?

Fielder's early career began with roles in Canadian comedy series like This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Important Things with Demetri Martin. But his first major standalone project is Comedy Central's Nathan for You.

The reality show parody sees Fielder leveraging his business degree to help small business owners. However, his unusual methods take him — and his subjects — down increasingly wild paths. According to You Can See Everything, Holmes's primary exposure to Fielder was a clip from Nathan for You.

Even if you've never seen a full episode of Nathan for You, the show has likely crossed your path at some point online. Perhaps it was Fielder cooking up viral stunts like 2014's viral "Dumb Starbucks" shop, or through enduring memes like "I hope you're hungry... for nothing."

Enduring virality aside, several Nathan for You episodes can take deep turns, including series finale "Finding Frances," and the whole show serves as a primer for Fielder's reality-bending approach to his work.

How to watch: Nathan for You is now streaming on HBO Max.

Where can I watch The Rehearsal?

Fielder continues to blur reality and fiction in The Rehearsal.

Once again, the show involves Fielder trying to help people in his own unique way. This time, however, the focus is on extensively rehearsing tough interactions so that his subjects can be prepared for anything coming their way. That means building full-scale sets, hiring actors to play doppelgängers, and conducting elaborate run-throughs of every possible outcome.

Season 1's scenarios range from confessing a lie to your trivia teammates to raising a son, while Season 2 takes a turn into examining plane crashes and pilot communication.

Fielder's "experiments" will melt your brain, while also echoing the painstaking recreations of his unrecorded conversations with Holmes in You Can See Everything.

How to watch: The Rehearsal is now streaming on HBO Max.

Where can you watch The Curse?

Fielder moves fully into fiction with The Curse, which he co-created with Benny Safdie.

In this reality TV satire, Fielder and Emma Stone star as aspiring HGTV stars Whitney and Asher Siegel, a married couple whose show Flipanthropy looks to build eco-friendly homes in Española, New Mexico. But after a local child declares a curse on Asher, the production and the Siegels' fraught personal lives spiral.

What follows is a surreal examination of reality TV, gentrification, hollow activism, and more. It's a bizarro trip that You Can See Everything fans might not want to miss.

How to watch: The Curse is now streaming on Paramount+.

Plugging your phone in and seeing something unrecognizable in your status bar is not a particularly fun experience. Often, you charge your phone because your battery is about to run out, or you need it charged so you can use it the next morning. In these scenarios, the last thing you want is to find out there is some sort of problem.

If we're talking about iconic rom-com scenes, Patrick (Heath Ledger) singing "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" to Kat (Julia Stiles) from the bleachers of the high school stadium has to be up in the top five. The 10 Things I Hate About You serenade scene shifted the expectations of millennials everywhere when it came to love and big gestures. So when Dancing With the Stars announced last week that Stiles will honor the late Heath Ledger with a routine to the same song, we knew it was primetime for a rewatch.

If you want to revisit the legendary rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You before Stiles' big performance on Tuesday, Oct. 20 (at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming on Disney+), or just whenever you feel like it, it's available to watch for free. Here's what you need to know.

How to watch 10 Things I Hate About You for free

Typically, when we're talking about a way to stream something for free, it requires a trial period of some sort. That's not the case here. You can watch 10 Things I Hate About You for free without entering a single credit card detail, thanks to Pluto TV. If you're streaming from your browser, just head to Pluto.TV and hit play. If you're streaming directly from your TV, you'll have to download the Pluto TV app first, but then you'll be able to stream it for free. You don't even need to make an account.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pluto TV Watch '10 Things I Hate About You' on Pluto TV   Learn More

If you're in the mood for a double feature, Julia Stiles' Save the Last Dance is also streaming for free on Pluto TV, as well as her films A Guy Thing, Down to You, and Carolina.

Other ways to watch 10 Things I Hate About You

Pluto TV is always free, but you will have to watch a few ads along the way. If that's a total deal breaker for you, the film is also currently streaming on Disney+ or available to rent on-demand at digital retailers for just $3.99.

Here are some quick links to stream, buy, or rent 10 Things I Hate About You:

• Stream it on Disney+ — starting at $11.99/month

• Rent or buy it at Prime Video — $3.99 to rent, $17.99 to buy

• Rent or buy it at Fandango — $3.99 to rent, $17.99 to buy

• Rent or buy it at Apple TV — $3.99 to rent, $17.99 to buy

Black Friday may not be until Nov. 27, but headphones deals — including on AirPods — are already popping up ahead of the year's biggest shopping holiday.

Granted, Black Friday sales start much earlier than the day itself. Though we haven't yet received any official confirmation of sale dates, we are seeing Black Friday-worthy deals: the AirPods Max 2 are $100 off, while the AirPods 4 and Pro 3 both have markdowns as well.

So what's the best way to approach your AirPods purchasing journey this holiday season? In addition to gathering the best deals live now, we also used our deals expertise and years of experience covering shopping holidays and Black Friday deals to give context on which deals we're still holding out on.

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max 2 $449 at Amazon
$549 Save $100   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Admittedly, the AirPods Max 2 aren't Mashable's favorite headphones, especially in comparison to the price and feature set of other premium options. However, we can acknowledge they have a stunning design, are great for Apple users, and do boast solid sound quality and noise cancellation. At $100, they're definitely at a more palatable (if still high) price point. With still weeks to go until Black Friday proper, this is an especially impressive deal, though at the time of writing, it is only live on the blue and purple AirPods.

Read our full review on the AirPods Max 2.

More AirPods deals

• Apple AirPods 4 — $99 $129 (save $30)

• Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation — $119.97 $179 (save $59.04)

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

AirPods deals we're waiting on

• AirPods 5: Apple's latest AirPods have yet to properly go on sale. The cheaper model dropped a few bucks in September, while the $149 wireless charging model has never seen even a small price dip. As these are already Apple's best value earbuds at full price, we're hoping to be a more substantial price drop as we inch closer to Black Friday.

• AirPods Pro 3: Yes, they're technically already on sale, but $199 isn't the best price we've seen on Apple's noise-cancelling in-ear buds. They dropped down to $179 during October Prime Day, and have even gone as low as $169 earlier this year. All this to say, $199 isn't a bad deal, but it certainly could be better.

When it comes to Linux desktop environments, three names get all the attention: GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Cinnamon. However, there are dozens of other desktop environments that are just as good, if not better, depending on your specific use case. So, if you’re tired of these mainstream options, here are three overlooked desktop environments worth trying out.

SAVE $200: The Apple Mac Studio M5 Max is on sale at Amazon for $2,299, down from the list price of $2,499. That's a savings of $200 from the 8% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Mac Studio M5 Max $2,299 at Amazon
$2,499 Save $200   Get Deal at Amazon

We haven't even hit Halloween yet, but it's feeling like Black Friday with all the deals rolling in. As tech prices continue to rise (along with everything else), we're not mad at all that sales are already underway. If you've been checking out Apple's newest tech, there's a nice deal in store today.

As of Oct. 19, the Apple Mac Studio M5 Max is on sale at Amazon for $2,299, down from the list price of $2,499. That's a saving of $200 from the 8% discount. Today's sale price is the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Apple didn't hold back on upgrades with the new Mac Studio M5 Max. It comes with Thunderbolt 5 ports, the ability to connect with up to eight monitors, and of course, there's the M5 Max chip.

Apple considers this model to be exceptional for those who have high-demand tasks to complete but don't want to place anything bulky on their desks. The Mac Studio is a 7.7-inch square that'll easily tuck under most displays.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone Duo sells out instantly. It's backordered until December.

Adding to the improvements, Apple mentions the Studio M5 Max has up to 3.9x faster AI performance compared to previous models. Plus, it has onboard USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as a headphone jack.

Before we see this sale price vanish, hop on the $200 savings for the Apple Mac Studio M5 Max.

TL;DR: The 55-inch LG C6 Series OLED evo AI 4K Smart TV (2026) is on sale for $999.99, down from $1,399.99, at Amazon. That's a 29% discount and a new all-time low price for this model.

55-inch LG C6 Series OLED evo AI 4K Smart TV (2026) $999.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $400   Get Deal at Amazon

If you're tired of watching dimly lit movies and squinting at a washed-out, grayish screen, this LG OLED deal is definitely worth a look. (Honestly, there's nothing worse than trying to watch a dark scene and seeing only a reflection of your living room lamps.)

SEE ALSO: What's the best time to buy a TV? The 4 optimal sale windows, including Black Friday.

Right now, you can get the 55-inch LG C6 Series OLED evo AI 4K Smart TV (2026) for $999.99, down from $1,399.99, at Amazon. That's a 29% discount, or $400 in savings. According to our trusty price-history tool, CamelCamelCamel, this is the first time this model has ever dropped below $1,299 (on Amazon), making it a brand-new all-time low.

The new C6 features over 8.3 million self-lit pixels. (Translation: each individual pixel can turn itself off to create inky blacks and vibrant contrast.) For anyone connecting a PS5 or Xbox Series X, this model is specifically equipped to handle next-gen consoles. It delivers a 0.1ms response time and up to a 165Hz refresh rate for smooth, tear-free gameplay.

Bonus: It runs on LG's updated webOS 26 platform, so you'll get access to all your streaming apps, plus built-in Google Gemini for smarter recommendations.

I went into Netflix's Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 fully expecting to have my heart broken. Again. After all, the original 2022 anime from CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger made us fall in love with David and Lucy, then reminded us that love isn't enough to survive Night City. Four years later, I still can't hear "I Really Want to Stay at Your House" without feeling a little emotional.

How do you follow up a story that resonated so deeply with audiences? More importantly, how do you make people care that much all over again? As it turns out, by telling a very different kind of story. Edgerunners 2 doesn't just live up to its predecessor. In some ways, I think it surpasses it.

That's not a declaration I make lightly. The first Edgerunners was a remarkable achievement in animated storytelling, a kinetic, emotionally devastating tragedy anchored by David and Lucy's love story. But I don't think the measure of a great Cyberpunk story is how thoroughly it breaks your heart. What I love about Edgerunners 2 is that it finds its emotional power somewhere else.

Rebellious teenager Talia has replaced nearly her entire body with cyberware, much to her mother's dismay. Credit: NETFLIX © 2026

Rather than centering its story on one relationship, the second season introduces a new ensemble of characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. There's Roman, a young aspiring filmmaker who would rather experience Night City through the lens of his analog camcorder than through the simulated reality of a braindance. Then there's Talia, a rebellious teenager who has replaced nearly her entire body with cyberware, much to the horror of her mother, who enlists her ex-boyfriend, a past-his-prime edgerunner named Weak, to track her down. And there's D, a Nomad driven by a desire to avenge the destruction of his clan, even as the identity of those responsible remains a mystery.

Then there's Capri, a mysterious digital consciousness whose search for a human host introduces another dimension to the story's exploration of identity and what it means to be human.

A washed-up edgerunner named Weak gets pulled back into Night City's chaos when an old flame asks him to find her daughter. Credit: NETFLIX © 2026

They don't necessarily have much in common, and their motivations aren't always aligned. But as their stories begin to overlap, Edgerunners 2 becomes less about any one person's journey and more about the ways people influence one another, often without realizing it. It's an approach that gives the series a different emotional texture from its predecessor, allowing its characters to exist as individuals while gradually revealing the connections between them.

In a city that treats human life as disposable, there's something incredibly tender about watching people discover that their lives can mean something to someone else.

And it's those connections that make this season so affecting. These characters are shaped by loss, ambition, rebellion, and the circumstances of their lives. They're not necessarily searching for companionship, but their encounters with one another have a way of changing them. In a city that treats human life as disposable, there's something incredibly tender about watching people discover that their lives can mean something to someone else.

For writer and showrunner Bartosz Sztybor, the challenge of following up the first Edgerunners wasn't simply recreating what made it successful. It was finding a different way to explore the same philosophical questions.

"For me, the second season asks the same philosophical questions, but the answers are different," Sztybor told Mashable. "We have different characters; they make different choices, so the consequences are different."

It's an approach that makes Edgerunners 2 feel like more than a continuation of a beloved anime. It expands our understanding of what a story set in Night City can be, and what makes those stories worth telling.

Night City looks a little different this time

The first Edgerunners dazzled with its vibrant neon palette and sleek character designs, but the second series embraces a grittier aesthetic, with darker imagery, thicker lines, and a distinctly retro sensibility. There's an unmistakable influence of '80s and '90s anime in its exaggerated character designs and explosive action sequences. I particularly love the way D's hair becomes bigger and spikier during moments of heightened intensity, evoking the gloriously over-the-top power-ups of Dragon Ball.

A Nomad with a score to settle, D is determined to avenge the destruction of his clan. Credit: NETFLIX © 2026

That retro aesthetic was intentional. Sztybor told Mashable that when he first pitched Edgerunners 2 to Studio Trigger, he envisioned a tribute to the cinema of the 1990s. Director Kai Ikarashi responded by suggesting that the animation itself pay homage to anime from the '80s and '90s.

"I think it was such a powerful fit," Sztybor said. "It's super cool that he instantly got the idea, and he came back with this visual approach."

But one of my favorite visual choices is something much simpler: So much of Edgerunners 2 takes place during the day.

Night City is practically synonymous with its neon-soaked streets and perpetual sense of darkness. Seeing more of the city in broad daylight gives the series a different texture. The sunlight doesn't make Night City any less dangerous, but it does make the world feel more lived-in. There's a strange beauty in watching moments of everyday life unfold against a backdrop of extraordinary violence.

Studio Trigger's animation remains as kinetic and visually inventive as ever, but there's also a greater sense of texture to this world. For all its explosive action and grotesque cybernetic violence, Edgerunners 2 also makes room for the ordinary. And sometimes, those glimpses of everyday life are what make Night City feel most human.

Edgerunners 2 is also a love letter to filmmaking

That affection for the past extends beyond the animation. In a world where technology can simulate almost any experience, there's something refreshing about a kid who just wants to capture real life on his camcorder.

Roman's curiosity and enthusiasm make him one of the show's most endearing characters. He approaches the world with a sense of wonder that feels almost out of place in Night City, where most people are too busy trying to survive to appreciate what's around them. But where others see chaos, Roman sees stories worth telling.

Roman sees a story worth capturing in D. Credit: NETFLIX © 2026

I found myself particularly drawn to the way Edgerunners 2 treats analog filmmaking as an art form rather than an outdated technology. In a world where people can experience someone else's memories through a braindance, Roman wants to create something of his own. His camera becomes a way to engage with reality rather than escape it, and his enthusiasm for filmmaking feels like a small act of resistance against a culture obsessed with artificial experiences.

Sztybor said Roman emerged from his creative conversations with Ikarashi, with whom he bonded over a shared love of cinema. The two frequently communicated through references to directors and movie scenes, eventually deciding that Roman would serve as a connective thread between the show's characters.

"We decided that with so many characters in the storyline, Roman will be this character that will somehow connect all of them," Sztybor explained. "And we'll be able to put our love for cinema into this character."

It's fitting, then, that a character so interested in observing other people's lives becomes central to bringing those lives together. Roman doesn't just give Edgerunners 2 a way to celebrate filmmaking. He gives the series another way to explore what it means to connect with the world around us.

Even in Night City, connection changes everything

For all its cybernetic enhancements, corporate conspiracies, and breathtaking displays of violence, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has always been a deeply human story. The first series found its emotional center in David and Lucy, two people whose love for one another became both a source of strength and a source of heartbreak.

Edgerunners 2 takes a different approach. Rather than centering its emotional narrative on a single character or relationship, it explores how people can change one another simply by entering each other's lives.

Talia's pursuit of independence leads her into some dangerous corners of Night City. Credit: NETFLIX © 2026

There's a particular kind of loneliness that comes with feeling like you don't belong anywhere. It's a feeling that seems almost inherent to Night City, where people exist on the fringes of a society that has little regard for their humanity. The characters in Edgerunners 2 are no strangers to that isolation. Some have built their identities around the things they've lost. Others are still figuring out who they want to become.

Beneath all that chaos is a surprisingly tender exploration of the human desire to connect, to be seen, and to find meaning in one another.

But what I love about this season is that connection isn't presented as some magical solution to their problems. These relationships don't erase the characters' pain or absolve them of their choices. Instead, they offer the possibility of seeing themselves and their circumstances differently.

Sometimes another person can remind you of a part of yourself you've forgotten. Sometimes they can challenge the beliefs you've held onto for so long that you no longer remember who you were without them. And sometimes, simply having someone beside you can make an otherwise unbearable world feel a little less lonely.

That's where Edgerunners 2 finds its greatest emotional power. It's still an extraordinarily violent series, and Studio Trigger certainly hasn't lost its appetite for gore and spectacle. Beneath all that chaos is a surprisingly tender exploration of the human desire to connect, to be seen, and to find meaning in one another.

Night City hasn't become a kinder place. Its inhabitants are still subject to the same systems of violence and exploitation. But even in a world designed to make people disposable, the relationships they form can give their lives meaning.

Four years after Cyberpunk: Edgerunners broke our hearts, its successor reminds us that even in the darkest of places, we can still find something worth holding onto.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 hits Netflix on Oct. 20, 2026.

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When I bought my Milwaukee M12 tools, I thought they would just be something to hold me over until I eventually got 18V tools. However, after using them for years, I realize that there are simply some jobs that are better suited for 12V tools over 18V tools, and I'm so glad that I bought the M12 kit when I did instead of waiting to just buy 18V tools.

Best early Black Friday Dyson deals at a glance: Best Dyson vacuum deal for hard floors Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones $423.99 (save $176) Get Deal Best Dyson vacuum deal for carpet Dyson V16 Piston Animal $799.99 (save $180) Get Deal Best Dyson air purifier deal Dyson HushJet $279.98 (save $70.01) Get Deal Best Dyson haircare deal Dyson Airwrap i.d Multi-Styler $534.49 (save $175.50) Get Deal

It feels like we just finished recovering from October Prime Day, but Black Friday is already around the corner. (It officially lands on Nov. 27 this year, but retailers are clearly jumping the gun to get deals out early.) I'm honestly shocked to see these Dyson discounts hitting Amazon this far ahead of Thanksgiving.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When are the deals actually better?

We will obviously be updating this all month long leading up to the main event (and even after), so you can expect this list to grow as we get closer to the big day. But if you want to beat the holiday rush and cross some big-ticket items off your list, here are the best early Dyson deals you can grab right now.

Best Dyson vacuum deal for hard floors Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones Cordless Vacuum $449.99 at Best Buy
$599.99 Save $150   Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Dyson Get Deal at Walmart Why we like it

As of Oct. 19, the Mashable Choice Award winner Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones (what a name, right?) is on sale for $423.99, down from $599.99, at Amazon. That's a 29% discount, or $176 in savings. Not only is this the lowest price we've seen on this model in the last 30 days, but it's also a new all-time low, according to our trusty price-history tool CamelCamelCamel. Its previous record-low price was $449.99, which it last hit on March 29, 2026.

In our review, Mashable's Leah Stodart noted that it "weighs nothing and fits everywhere," making it ideal for smaller homes or apartments. The Fluffycones head swivels a full 360 degrees to glide around tight furniture legs, and dual lasers point out every speck of dust in your path. Just keep in mind that its battery life is relatively short (30 minutes), and it has a tiny dustbin — plus, it's built for hard floors and struggles on carpet.

Read our Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones review.

Best Dyson vacuum deal for carpet Dyson V16 Piston Animal $799.99 at Amazon
$979.99 Save $180   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Dyson Why we like it

If your home has thick carpets or shedding pets, the ultra-slim PencilVac won't cut it — you need heavy-duty suction. Meet the Dyson V16 Piston Animal. It's on sale for $799.99, down from $979.99, at Amazon. That's an 18% discount or $180 savings. It's also the best price we've seen on this model to date.

Not to be dramatic, but this is the most powerful Dyson vacuum ever made. It offers 315 Air Watts of suction power, features an anti-tangle All Floor Cones cleaner head that yanks deeply embedded hair right out of rug fibers, and has a newly designed compression dustbin that makes it easier to just set it and forget it.

Read our Dyson V16 Piston Animal review.

More Dyson vacuum deals

• Dyson Ball Animal 3 — $299.99 $449.99 (save $150)

• Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra — $399.99 $549.99 (save $150)

• Dyson V15 Detect Origin — $589.99 $839.99 (save $250)

Best Dyson air purifier deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson HushJet (Black/Teal) $279.98 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $70.01   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Dyson HushJet is our official pick for "the perfect lazy person air purifier," mainly because its fully sealed Electrostatic and Activated Carbon filtration system can last for up to five years before you need a replacement. It's designed to purify spaces up to 203 square feet, making it a practical addition to stuffy bedrooms or home offices (it's also helpful for pet parents — I have two beagles, and I love my HushJet).

Right now, you can get it for $279.98, down from $349.99 at Amazon, saving you $70. For a purifier that works this well while running at a whisper-quiet 24 decibels on sleep mode, that's a damn good early Black Friday steal.

Read our Dyson HushJet Compact Air Purifier review.

Best Dyson haircare deal Dyson Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler and Dryer and Dyson Chitosan Post-Style Serum (Amazon Exclusive) $534.49 at Amazon
$709.99 Save $175.50   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

If you've been waiting for the Airwrap i.d. to get cheaper, now's the time to whip out your wallet. The Amazon-exclusive bundle with the Dyson Chitosan Post-Style Serum is on sale for $534.49, down from its $709.99 list price — saving you $175.50 (25% off).

This deal includes six versatile attachments for curling, smoothing, drying, and adding volume without heat damage, plus the post-style serum to lock in your finished look with all-day hold. Yes, it's still an investment, but getting the multi-styler and full-size product for over $175 off makes it much easier to swallow.

More Dyson haircare and beauty deals

• Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer — $372.49 $449.99 (save $77.50)

• Dyson Airstrait Straightener — $427.74 $554.99 (save $127.25)

The Friday after Thanksgiving is still weeks away, but early Black Friday deals are known to start cropping up nice and early.

While no official sales have been announced just yet, I already spotted some headphones and earbuds deals worth shopping ahead of time. As someone who tests headphones year-round and is heading into her sixth year covering Black Friday at Mashable, I make sure to only include savings that are actually deals worth shopping. That means significantly lower price points than usual on brands that create quality audio products.

Below are the 11 deals I found worth shopping ahead of Black Friday, including headphones, noise-cancelling earbuds, sleep earbuds, and open earbuds.

Best early Black Friday headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH720N $88 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $91.99   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Sony just released the next generation of these headphones, but that means that it can be easier to grab a deal on some of the best budget headphones available. Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti wrote that the sound quality on these mid-range headphones is "near-flagship" quality, with impressive active noise cancellation to match. You won't be able to fold them up, and some features like Quick Attention and hi-res LDAC codec support are omitted for the sake of price point, but ultimately, these provide an excellent all-around headphone experience for under $100.

Read our full review of the Sony WH-CH720N.

More early Black Friday headphones deals

• Sony WH-CH520 — $38 $69.99 (save $31.99)

• Sennheiser Accentum — $99.95 $189.95 (save $90)

• Shokz OpenFit earbuds — $99.99 $159.99 (save $60)

• Shokz OpenRun Pro — $109.95 $179.95 (save $70)

• Skullcandy Method 540 ANC — $119.99 $149.99 (save $30)

• Shokz OpenDots One — $139.95 $169.95 (save $30)

• Soundcore Sleep A30 Special — $168.99 $199.99 (save $31)

• Sennheiser Momentum 4 — $213.04 $299.99 (save $86.95)

• Sony WH-1000XM5 — $228 $399.99 (save $171.99)

• Apple AirPods Max 2 — $449 $549 (save $100)

I guess most people don't start out with the idea they're going to build a small data center in their own home. It's usually a more organic process; a Plex server here, a Home Assistant Raspberry Pi there...

Early Black Friday kitchen deals at a glance Best espresso maker deal De'Longhi La Specialista Touch Espresso Machine $649.99 (save $149.96) Get Deal Best Ninja deal Ninja Slushi Smart Frozen Drink Maker (88 ounces) $269.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best kitchen prep deal Viking 10-piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set $56 (save $43.99) Get Deal Best air fryer deal Ninja Crispi Glass Air Fryer $152.95 (save $27.04) Get Deal

Black Friday might seem like it's far off on the horizon, but it's coming up quickly. Sure, we're still in October but it's high time to order your Advent Calendars and start making a list of gifts you plan to purchase.

Like every year, Black Friday sales creep further into October and 2026 is proving to be no exception. We're already seeing record-low prices on great kitchen gear if you're in need of some upgrades. Early Black Friday sales in the kitchen world are some of the most useful to shop since that means you'll get to cook Thanksgiving with fresh gear.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When are the deals actually better?

We've rounded up some of our favorite early Black Friday kitchen deals below to get you shopping well ahead of the chaos and potential shipping delays. Keep an eye on this page and Mashable's full Black Friday coverage for updates.

Best espresso maker deal Opens in a new window Credit: De'Longhi De'Longhi La Specialista Touch Espresso Machine $649.99 at Amazon
$799.95 Save $149.96   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

With 10 drinks on the menu including cold brew, the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch Espresso Machine is the dream upgrade for any coffee enthusiast. Choose between automatic or manual milk frothing to top off your drink. The touchscreen display is one of my favorite elements on this machine, and you can set customized drinks for people in your household. That means making your morning coffee comes easy. This early Black Friday sale price is only 99 cents more than the record-low at Amazon, so you have the green light to buy.

More coffee maker deals

• Keurig K-Duo — $129.99 $219.99 (save $90)

• Nespresso Vertuo Up — $199 $229 (save $30)

• Meraki Dual Boiler Espresso Machine — $1,799 $1,999 (save $200)

Best Ninja deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Slushi Smart Frozen Drink Maker (88 ounces) $269.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $30   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

If your home is on the schedule for holiday hosting this year, impress every guest with the Ninja Slushi. From frozen margaritas for the grown ups to milkshakes for the kids, the Ninja Slushi is the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Without the need for ice, the Ninja Slushi transforms liquids into slushified frozen drinks in minutes.

One of my best holiday survival tips to make it through the season is to pour Vita Coco coconut water in the Slushi for the ultimate treat that's also hydrating. Also, have you ever tried frozen hot chocolate? Now you can have it on-demand in your own kitchen.

More Ninja deals

• Ninja Professional Plus Blender — $89.99 $119.99 (save $30)

• Ninja Air Fryer XL with MaxCrisp — $119.99 $179.99 (save $60)

• Ninja PossibleCooker Pro — $129.95 $169.99 (save $40.04)

• Ninja Crispi Glass Air Fryer — $152.95 $179.99 (save $27.04)

• Ninja BlendSense Tech Kitchen System — $179.95 $249.99 (save $70.04)

Best kitchen prep deal Opens in a new window Credit: Viking 10-piece Viking Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set $56 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $43.99   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

With the holidays sneaking up quickly, it's time to make sure your kitchen is ready for meal prep. The 10-piece Viking Mixing Bowl set uses stainless steel material, a silicone non-slip bottom, and tight-fit lids, this set is a necessity in any kitchen. The five bowls range in size from 20 ounces to 8 quarts, and they neatly stack together for easier storage. Plus, the bowls are dishwasher safe.

More kitchen prep deals

• Nordic Ware Classic Metal 9x13 Covered Cake Pan — $14.39 $31 (save $16.61)

• Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor — $39.95 $49.95 (save $10)

• Viking Kitchen 8-Piece Stainless Steel Utensil Set — $99.96 $159.99 (save $60.03)

• Caraway 5-Piece Wooden Utensil Set — $135 $145 (save $10)

• Vitamix 5-Speed Immersion Blender — $144.75 $169.95 (save $25.20)

• KitchenAid 8 Cup Grain and Rice Cooker — $259.99 $399.99 (save $140)