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SAVE $500: The Best Buy drop for Nov. 6 is the Ukiyoe edition of the 13-inch MSI Prestige AI laptop, on sale for $1,499.99 in the Best Buy app. MSI is only releasing 700 units of this piece of art, so this is a rare chance to find it in stock at all (let alone on sale).

Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI Prestige 13 Ukiyoe Edition OLED AI Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 7-258V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,499.99
$1,999.99 Save $500   Get Deal

The most beautiful laptop you've ever seen doesn't stop at an OLED display or a chic aluminum chassis. It has one of the world's most recognizable paintings — The Great Wave off Kanagawa — laser-engraved into the back. Only 700 units of the Ukiyoe edition of the 13-inch MSI Prestige AI laptop will be released in the U.S., and one of your chances to secure one is through Best Buy Drops. On Nov. 6 only, you can save $500 and score it for $1,499.99.

Originally live at 11 a.m. ET, the MSI Prestige Ukiyoe edition laptop is $500 off until the day's inventory runs out. You'll only see that price through the Best Buy mobile app, as that's the only spot that Drops show up. Then you can add it to your cart and check out like usual, as long as the status bar says there are still some left.

SEE ALSO: Framework Laptop 13 review: A good laptop and an even better concept

But aside from Best Buy's personal stock, you're doubly working against the clock here. Many items featured as a daily Best Buy drop will likely be available for purchase or on sale at another time, but the Ukiyo Prestige laptop is incredibly scarce. That's because MSI isn't exactly mass-producing these. Each unit's artwork incorporates maki-e: a Japanese laquering technique involving sprinkled powder onto wet lacquer. The rarity of each is sealed through a unique laser-engraved serial number, and MSI says that no restock is planned.

Even with such detail packed into the lid, the 13-inch Prestige is still relatively thin and remarkably lightweight. At .67 inches, it's not as slim as the MacBook Air or the Asus Zenbook a14 (our favorite cheap Windows laptop of 2025). But considering it only weighs 2.18 pounds, it's definitely not clunky — that's noticeably lighter than the MacBook Air's 2.7 pounds and is an exact match for the aforementioned Zenbook.

Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel just got the non-Ukiyoe version of this laptop in her hands for testing. She was immediately impressed with the 2.8K OLED screen and its apparent sturdy build, referring to it as a "well-specced ultraportable with good future proofing." Its 32 GB of RAM is quite generous, and it's outfitted with WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and a robust variety of ports.

You may have heard that "vibe coding" is Collins Dictionary's word of the year for 2025. So, if you've been nodding and smiling every time you hear the phrase, it might be finally time to figure out what it means.

So, what is vibe coding? Here's the TL;DR version: Vibe coding means using AI to create apps, software, and code — no computer programming experience required. Simply describe what you want to create with natural language or voice prompts, and the AI will create the code for you. It's still a relatively new phenomenon, but one that's been hugely popular this year. Everyone's doing it. Or, at least, it might feel that way.

Back in February 2025, former OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy posted a tweet that would start a revolution in coding and software development. The term he used, “vibe coding,” has since spread across the internet like wildfire. Even OpenAI’s latest GPT-5 model aims to please the vibe coding fanatics.

So, what is this new method of coding?

Vibe coding 101

The practice of vibe coding, per Karpathy, is simply using AI to do your coding for you. For example, you would come up with an idea and then tell the AI to code it. From there, you’d review the code, and any changes or fixes you wanted would be sent back through the AI again and again until everything feels right. 

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The coder doesn’t need to do any actual coding; instead, they use natural language to describe the code, website, or application they want to create. The feeling of letting go of preconceived notions and letting the AI handle everything is described as “fully giving into the vibes” by Karpathy. Any change suggested by the AI is automatically accepted and rolled into the code. No thoughts, just vibes. 

It has been met with champions and detractors. On one side of the fence, people like Karpathy have fully embraced AI’s ability to write code and let the AI do the heavy lifting, content to explore what AI can and can’t do on its outer fringes. Others have derided the practice, saying code created this way is often incomprehensible and unpredictable, and that good engineers understand their own code. 

How can I get into vibe coding?

It’s honestly pretty easy to do. If you have access to an AI chatbot, you can start vibe coding right away. You’ll want to make sure you go into it knowing what needs to be done. For example, many have suggested making sure that you have a strong, clear vision for what you want your code to do before going into it, so that the AI writes better code. Mashable has a tutorial for getting started with vibe coding as a beginner.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT vs Claude vs Grok: Best vibe-coding platform for beginners

If you'd like to practice with training wheels, Google recently introduced Opal, a sort of paint-by-numbers vibe coding tool. You can see what others have created and use templates to get started.

What are the best vibe coding tools?

Almost any modern LLM is decently suited for vibe coding. All of them have code knowledge at the heart of the product. Even AI companies use LLMs to code things, which was proven when Anthropic cut OpenAI developers' access to its APIs in early August. However, if you’re completely new at this and want ideas on where to look, there are some really good tools for vibe coding. 

We recommend being careful, making backups, and saving your work. Vibe coding can go seriously wrong, leading to the deletion of your code and other errors.

Claude Code

Claude Code is a wonderful place to start for vibe coding. It’s a variant of Anthropic’s Claude chatbot that is optimized specifically for coding. We've been impressed with the latest models from Anthropic, Claude 4, particularly for coding work.

Claude Code works specifically in integrated development environments (IDEs) like VS Code while also being able to edit multiple files at once. It also has protections built in so that it won’t edit your code without your expressed consent, which helps avoid problems like code deletion that we mentioned earlier.  Of course, if you've never heard of an IDE before, then we recommend starting with a more beginner-friendly vibe coding tool, such as GPT-5 or Google Opal.

Using Claude, more advanced vibe coders can import existing code, which the AI can then read and summarize. Per Anthropic, the AI can make small changes like bug fixes or larger changes like feature implementations, both of which make it good for vibe coding. Other big-name LLMs like Google Gemini work great for this too, but Claude Code is built specifically for this stuff, so it’s a more natural option. 

GPT-5 Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Open AI

We’ve already mentioned the other big dogs, but GPT-5 gets a special mention because it’s brand new. OpenAI released the model on Aug. 7, and when it comes to state-of-the-art smarts, this is a good choice. On top of being the latest model on the market, OpenAI has put a lot of thought into the coding side of things, which is what we’ll talk about. 

One of the big highlights of the release is the improvements to agentic coding, which is tech-speak for being able to code things based on natural language prompts. OpenAI demoed this during its livestream with good results. Our tech editor also gave it a shot, and we've found that for folks with zero coding experience, GPT-5 is a great vibe coding tool for beginners. It's a big push forward for fans of vibe coding, and it’s surprisingly easy to use. 

Cursor

Cursor is another good choice for vibe coding for much the same reason as Claude Code. It’s an IDE with an AI chatbot integrated into it, and as such, vibe coding is right at the top of its feature list. It’s one of the AI tools we saw recommended most often, and it’s pretty easy to get into without a lot of prior experience. 

The big draw for Cursor is its coding agent. You can tell it to make changes, and it’ll do so while also telling you what changes it's making. This keeps coders in the loop so they know what to ask for next. It can also do things like automatic bug fixes to reduce the amount of effort you need to spend testing and iterating. Like Claude Code, you can also import libraries to use for documentation, giving you the ability to customize your coding. 

Lovable

Lovable is right up there with Cursor as an option we saw recommended fairly often. It works much the same way as Cursor, where you can talk to the AI bot to get your code written while also asking for changes, bug fixes, and the like. It also has common features like importing code for documentation and other things like that. 

Also like the competition, Lovable has various integrations that you can add to make life easier, including API access to OpenAI and Anthropic, along with GitHub. So, with a little effort, you can integrate the necessary stuff to give you the performance you need. Lovable focuses more on the AI prompt side of things, but Cursor is a more traditional IDE. So you should choose whichever one vibes (pun intended) better with your style. 

v0 by Vercel

v0 by Vercel is the final tool we recommend checking out. It works great for vibe coding and appears to be built specifically for such a thing. You tell it what you want, and it generates a web app that does what you ask. However, like 21st.dev, it seems to be mostly preferred by people looking to make UI elements alongside the software, making a good all-in-one program for vibe coding. 

Like the others on the list, you have a list of integrations that you can add to increase the likelihood of success with your work. It can integrate directly with Grok, for example, and coders can add their API keys for others like OpenAI and Anthropic. While researching this article, I found that many folks recommend using this with something like Claude Code as a one-two punch for vibe coding. 

Honorable mention: Opal by Google Credit: Google

As we mentioned before, Google recently launched Opal, a vibe coding tool that lets you leverage a variety of other Google AI tools, such as Imagen, Gemini, and even Veo, Google's generative AI video maker. While you're limited in the types of applications and websites you can create, this beginner-friendly tool doesn't require any experience with programming languages or software development. In our testing, the interface makes it easy to understand how your app functions. As you work, Opal creates a visual web of connections so you can see how each step fits into the whole.

Honorable mention: 21st.dev

21st.dev isn’t a tool that you would use to vibe code. However, it is something you would use alongside vibe coding. The idea is that it helps you build a UI for your program. You can then vibe code and use the UI elements crafted here to create one cohesive app. The service works primarily on modules that you can then export and use in your existing code. 

These components give you some template-level ideas for a UI that you can then change and construct to your specifications using the built-in AI chatbot. So, for instance, you can use this Apple-style liquid glass button component and then edit it with AI to make it look and do what you want. You can then import that code into your project, making UI work a lot easier. 

Let the AI do it

While testing all of these products, I did quite enjoy the fact that I have virtually no modern coding knowledge, and I could still create some simple stuff pretty quickly. I guess that’s the benefit of vibe coding from someone who hasn’t touched an IDE since 2008.

In any case, vibe coding in its current form is months old, so more tools are being released all the time to take advantage of the latest fad in coding. Keep an eye out for new AI coding tools in the months ahead. 

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.

Happy Stranger Things day!

Nov. 6 marks the anniversary of Will Byers' disappearance in the very first episode of Stranger Things, so what better way to celebrate than by getting a look at a new Stranger Things series?

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' Season 5 trailer teases epic battle in the Upside Down

We're not talking about the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which will be here before you can say "mouth breather." Instead, we're talking about Stranger Things: Tales From '85, an animated spin-off series that takes place between Stranger Things' second and third seasons. The show, set to release in 2026, reunites viewers with Hawkins heroes like Eleven and Will, who must uncover a new paranormal mystery in their town.

Netflix has released a first look featurette of the new series, offering a glimpse into the show's animation and the new monsters that await the Stranger Things crew.

"With animation, there's really no limits," executive producer Ross Duffer says in the featurette. "[Showrunner] Eric [Robles] and his team can just go wild."

"And they have," adds executive producer Matt Duffer.

To prove their point, Netflix also unveiled two first look images from Stranger Things: Tales From '85. One shows the Hawkins party gearing up for adventure, while the other features a massive monster that looks like a cross between a Demogorgon and a spider, which has ensnared Eleven and her friends in its tendrils.

The gang's all here. Credit: Netflix Is this better or worse than getting Mindflayed? Credit: Netflix

Netflix closed out the Stranger Things: Tales From '85 announcements with the reveal of the show's cast list. None of the original Stranger Things cast is reprising their roles, so who's taking over?

The cast includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, EJ Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Ben Plessala as Will, and Brett Gipson as Hopper. Other members of the cast include Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips.

Stranger Things: Tales From '85 premieres in 2026 on Netflix.

Meta is reportedly making a lot of money off scam ads.

A new investigative report from Reuters, citing Meta's own internal documents, found that the company's platforms show, on average, an estimated 15 billion "higher risk" scam advertisements to its users every day. Reuters reported that a 2024 document showed that Meta makes about "$7 billion in annualized revenue" from those scam ads each year.

The internal documents revealed by Reuters show that Meta expected as much as 10 percent of its 2024 ad revenue "would come from ads for scams and banned goods."

Wrote Reuters:

"A cache of previously unreported documents reviewed by Reuters also shows that the social-media giant for at least three years failed to identify and stop an avalanche of ads that exposed Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp’s billions of users to fraudulent e-commerce and investment schemes, illegal online casinos, and the sale of banned medical products."

Scammy ads have become a routine part of online life, and Mashable has reported on fraudulent Facebook ads repeatedly over the years. You might see a Facebook ad for an AI-powered photo editor and download malware. Or you might see one for Joann fabrics — except that, too, is a scam. The new report suggests this is actually a lucrative portion of Meta's advertising business.

The Reuters report also revealed, according to the internal documents, that Meta "only bans advertisers if its automated systems predict the marketers are at least 95% certain to be committing fraud" — while other likely scammers simply get charged a higher rate as punishment. So, yes, that might make scammers pause — but it would also make Meta a lot of money. Billions of dollars a year, in fact.

So, the next time you go to click on an ad on Facebook or Instagram, be careful.

After nearly nine years of distinguished, legendary service, the original Nintendo Switch is finally about to rest.

In an extremely unsurprising move, Nintendo announced as much in its latest financial earnings report. In the report, Nintendo touted the success and increased technical capabilities of the Nintendo Switch 2 console, which launched in June. That device has already eclipsed 10 million units sold, at least partly thanks to successful launch window titles like Mario Kart World and Pokémon Legends: Z-A. As far as Nintendo is concerned, that's enough reason to sunset the original Switch, which launched in March 2017.

SEE ALSO: 'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment' is fine. It's also the most disappointing Switch 2 exclusive.

"Going forward, we will shift our primary development focus to Nintendo Switch 2 and expand our business around this new platform," Nintendo said in its earnings report.

This was always inevitable, given the advanced age of the original Switch hardware, though it's possible Nintendo pulled the trigger a little early because of the Switch 2's runaway success. To be clear, Nintendo is not saying that there will be no more original Switch 1 games or that the hardware is being discontinued. The console is still being sold, for now, and some upcoming titles like Metroid Prime 4 and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream are coming to the original Switch. With more than 150 million Switches out there in the wild, it still benefits Nintendo to support the older console for a while.

Just not for too long. Rest easy, friend.

SAVE $119: As of Nov. 6, the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) is on sale for $279.99 at Amazon. That's 30% in savings and just 99 cents away from its lowest price ever from Prime Day 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) $279.99 at Amazon
$399 Save $119.01   Get Deal

Since the new Apple Watch lineup debuted in September, we've seen several significant discounts on the previous generation smartwatches. But none have been quite as good as this 30% off Apple Watch Series 10 deal.

As of Nov. 6, the 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 with GPS connectivity is down to just $279.99 at Amazon. That's $119 cheaper than its list price and just 99 cents away from its record-low price from Prime Day in July. It also beats its October Prime Day price significantly.

The Series 10 and Series 11 have virtually identical specs, sensors, and screens. And now that the Series 10 can get watchOS 26, it's pretty hard to tell the difference between them. Sure, the newer option has about six extra hours of battery life and more scratch-resistant glass, but that's honestly about it. You won't be missing much if you opt for the Series 10 and save some money instead of splurging on the 11.

Though it's missing a blood oxygen sensor, we're still big fans of the Apple Watch Series 10 for its bright, wide-angle OLED display, comfortable and lightweight design, excellent fitness, health, and sleep-tracking features, and lightning-quick charging. It may not be the shiniest new Apple toy anymore, but it's still pretty solid — especially when it's 30% cheaper than usual.

SAVE $650: As of Nov. 6, get the Dreame X50 robot vacuum and mop for $1,049.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,699.99. That's a discount of 38% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Dreame X50 robot vacuum and mop $1,049.99 at Amazon
$1,699.99 Save $650   Get Deal

Tired of spending all your time cleaning up at home? You don't have to spare hours for vacuuming or mopping anymore in the year 2025, not when a robot vacuum can handle all of that. And there's a particularly great model you can save on right now that can make tidying up your home a cinch, no matter what kind of messes you're dealing with.

As of Nov. 6, get the Dreame X50 robot vacuum and mop for $1,049.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,699.99. That's $650 off and a discount of 38%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: I found the best robot vacuums for every floor, budget, and level of laziness

This robot vacuum offeres up to 20,000Pa of suction that's almost completely quiet, thanks to Dreame's TurboForce motor. It offers pickup of tiny debris to large messes, including human and pet hair, bigger spills, and much more. Plus, it uses VersaLift navigation to help lower its height to just 3.5 inches so it can get under furniture and clean under those nooks and crannies more efficiently.

It can automatically swap to the mop when you've cleaned up the dry messes you need to deal with as well. It has five different modes to help you get the clean you're looking for, including "avoid carpets", "boost suction", and much more, and even a pair of retractable legs to get past more frustrating obstacles.

If you're ready to stop dealing with all the cleaning on your own, this is a great way to farm it out, especially since it's at such a low price. Grab yours now.

After a beta run, adult tube site Pornhub has officially launched Pornhub Shorties, a scroll-based vertical video feed. No more awkwardly holding your phone sideways while using your other hand for...something else.

Viewers can browse trending videos and will receive smart recommendations, according to a press release shared with Mashable. They can like, follow, favorite, or skip videos and watch in full-screen mode, which hides icons and tags. Shorties have no video length limits, unlike TikTok (10 minutes for videos recorded on the app and 60 minutes for videos uploaded) and Reels (20 minutes).

SEE ALSO: Pornhub copies TikTok with a feature fit for goonscrolling

The new feed is also available on Pornhub Gay, with a lesbian-focused feed in development.

"Shorties was created to meet audiences where they are at and reflect how people naturally consume content today," said Pornhub's VP of brand and community, Alex Kekesi, in the press release. "As viewing behaviours evolve, Pornhub is evolving with them. With most of our online traffic coming from mobile, Shorties makes it easier than ever for fans and creators to connect through a seamless, dynamic experience."

In 2020, 84 percent of Pornhub's worldwide traffic came from mobile devices, its insights team reported. According to Statista, that number has grown between 2022 and 2024, peaking at 97 percent in October 2023.

Not only is Pornhub echoing the TikTok FYP with endless vertical videos, but it's also leaning into the social aspect for creators. Most videos feature Pornhub's "More of Me" integration, which links out to a performer's fan sites and social media profiles. This may be a boon for creators, who are often banned or shadowbanned (unable to be discovered) on mainstream social media sites.

The release of Pornhub Shorties comes at a time when the site, as well as online porn in general, is under scrutiny. Age-verification laws, which require personal data from users like a government ID or facial scan in order to check their age, are sweeping the world. Pornhub has removed itself from several states and France thus far due to the burden of complying.

In its press release, Pornhub stated that all Shorties content adheres to its safety protocols, including moderation protocols and verification measures through facial recognition scans, as well as consent forms from co-performers.

SAVE $852: The 100-inch Hisense Class QD6 Series QLED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for $1,647.99, down from the list price of $2,499.99. That's a 33% discount and the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense 100-inch Hisense Class QD6 Series QLED 4K TV $1,647.99 at Amazon
$2,499.99 Save $852.00   Get Deal

It's the best time of the year if you need to catch up all the movies, shows, and games you might have missed in the last handful of months. Yes, we're in the best season to stay inside and watch all your favorites, both new and old. But what if the streaming experience could be even better? Perhaps a bigger TV? Something like a 100-inch? If that sounds nice, check out this Amazon deal.

As of Nov. 6, the 100-inch Hisense Class QD6 Series QLED 4K TV is on sale for $1,647.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard list price of $2,499.99. That's a 33% discount that saves shoppers a major $852. It's also the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

If you've been shopping for a new TV, you've probably been considering what size would be best. A 100-inch is awesome if you have a larger living room or you can manage to position the seating a bit further away from the screen. But the experience of watching sports, movies, and gaming on a 100-inch TV is incredible.

SEE ALSO: The Sony Bravia 5 75-inch TV just got its biggest-ever discount at Amazon — save over $600

Of course, Hisense equipped this model with desirable specs like a QLED display which is great for daytime viewing. There's also the 144Hz refresh rate for great gaming and the built-in Fire TV functions. Thanks to that, you can ask Alexa to play season five, episode one of The Great British Bake Off, for example. You can also ask Alexa to check on the video doorbell or put the nursery camera on a picture-in-picture display.

Since it's down to a record-low price and we're at the beginning of streaming season, upgrade to the 100-inch Hisense Class QD6 Series QLED 4K TV while it's on sale for under $1,650. Your movies, shows, and games have never looked this good.

TL;DR: Live stream Broncos vs. Raiders in the NFL for free on 7Plus. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Thursday Night Football this week brings together the 7-2 Denver Broncos and 2-6 Las Vegas Raiders. On paper, this looks like another victory for the home team. But the Raiders have the quality to produce a shock, they just need everything to click at the right time.

If you want to watch Broncos vs. Raiders in the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Broncos vs. Raiders?

Broncos vs. Raiders in the NFL starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on Nov. 6. This game takes place at Empower Field at Mile High.

How to watch Broncos vs. Raiders for free

Broncos vs. Raiders in the NFL is available to live stream for free on 7Plus.

7Plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 7Plus from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the NFL online for free

Live stream Broncos vs. Raiders for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 7Plus

5. Live stream Broncos vs. Raiders for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Broncos vs. Raiders in the NFL without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the NFL before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites to follow the whole season, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for unblocking streaming services is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 7Plus?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like 7Plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NFL for free with ExpressVPN.

Snap has signed a $400 million deal with Perplexity to use its AI search engine in Snapchat, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

Under the terms of the agreement, Perplexity will reportedly pay Snap a combination of cash and equity to get access to Snapchat's 900+ million monthly active users.

SEE ALSO: Reddit accuses Perplexity of stealing content to train AI

Snap already has an AI chatbot called My AI, and that one will stay available to users. The new, Perplexity-powered AI search will get a more prominent, "default" placement inside the Snapchat app starting next year, according to Bloomberg.

"We certainly see a lot of opportunity to open up Snapchat to more AI partners over time," chief executive officer Evan Spiegel said in an interview with the publisher.

Featured Video For You 3 simple tips to optimise your ChatGPT search

Perplexity is an AI company that doesn't use one LLM, instead relying on several LLMs to create a search-focused AI system. With more than 20 million active users, if offers a variety of products, including search, a finance hub, and an AI browser called Comet. The company has been the subject of multiple lawsuits, with companies including Dow Jones, the New York Post, and Nikkei alleging copyright infringement, and Reddit alleging Perplexity has been unlawfully scraping its data.

The deal comes just one day after Apple reportedly inked its own agreement to have Google Gemini power its next-gen, smarter Siri.

As a world leader in connected LED lighting products, systems, and services, Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) serves not only everyday consumers but also a large number of professional users who have stringent requirements for technical specifications and engineering compatibility. Faced with thousands of product models, complex component parameters, and technical documentation spanning multiple versions, delivering accurate, professional answers efficiently has become a core challenge for Signify’s knowledge management system.

To address this challenge, Signify (opens in new tab) collaborated with Microsoft Research Asia on a proof-of-concept (PoC) using PIKE-RAG technology, integrating it into their upgraded knowledge management system built on Microsoft Azure. The result: a 12% improvement in answer accuracy.

Challenges of applying RAG in lighting

In an era where AI is rapidly transforming how enterprises manage information, Signify recognized the strategic importance of precise and efficient knowledge systems. It adopted large AI models and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) techniques to better support its wide range of customer inquiries.

Yet applying RAG to lighting scenarios involving professional users presented unique challenges. Product data spanned multimodal documents, unstructured tables, and complex product parameters, demanding continuous customization that slowed development and limited scalability. Despite improvements through keyword tuning, system optimization, and refined prompts, Signify sought more advanced approaches to further raise accuracy and reliability.

Seeking to unlock greater value from its knowledge management system, Signify began exploring more suitable technical solutions that are better aligned with their professional use cases. Upon learning that PIKE-RAG had been successfully applied in domains like healthcare and law, significantly improving information accuracy, Signify worked with Microsoft Research Asia on a PoC of PIKE-RAG on Microsoft Azure.

How PIKE-RAG addressed Signify’s pain points

Compared to traditional RAG, PIKE-RAG efficiently retrieves textual information and also understands multimodal content like charts and tables. Its built-in domain adaptation module quickly learns reasoning patterns aligned with specific domains to generate responses that are consistent with engineering contexts. These differentiated advantages stem from PIKE-RAG’s unique approach to understanding and processing professional knowledge. In Signify’s use case, this manifests in three key areas:

Multimodal document parsing and learning of industry-specific reasoning patterns

Signify’s product documentation includes diverse formats, such as nonstandard tables (e.g., comparison charts of voltage ranges under different currents) and circuit diagrams (e.g., driver power limits). Traditional systems often fail to process this information effectively—either ignoring it or extracting disorganized text fragments.

PIKE-RAG integrates Microsoft Research Asia’s Document Intelligence technology with Microsoft Azure OpenAI models to accurately identify table structures and parse key parameters in circuit diagrams. For example, when a customer service agent queries, “What is the output voltage of a specific driver model at 0.15A current,” the system automatically locates the curve chart in the document and infers a range of 40–54V based on the current interval—an area where traditional systems frequently err, due to their inability to “read” diagrams.

End-to-end knowledge loop, eliminating reliance on erroneous data sources

Enterprise knowledge systems often integrate data from multiple sources, which can lead to discrepancies, especially when database updates are not fully synchronized. PIKE-RAG captures diverse information sources and establishes citation relationships, supporting complex reasoning tasks that rely on multi-source data.

In other words, PIKE-RAG can directly use original documents as data sources, efficiently parsing and understanding product manuals and PDF charts. By extracting key information from these text- and graphic-rich documents, PIKE-RAG enables more efficient and trustworthy knowledge retrieval.

Dynamic task decomposition and multi-hop reasoning for precise answers to complex questions

Traditional RAG systems typically follow a “one question, one answer” model and struggle with multi-step reasoning. In Signify’s lighting domain, customer inquiries often involve multi-level associations. PIKE-RAG dynamically decomposes user questions into executable subtasks and solves them through multi-hop reasoning. For example, when asked, “List all bases compatible with the G8 series lamps,” if no document directly provides the answer, PIKE-RAG’s reasoning proceeds as follows:

Step 1: The system identifies implicit knowledge. One document notes that the G7 and G8 series have identical dimensions and that all bases compatible with the G7 series are also compatible with the G8 series. 

Step 2: Based on this, the system retrieves the base list for the G7 series. 

Step 3: Since the list uses abbreviations, the system searches for a table that maps abbreviations to full names and generates a complete list of G8-compatible bases. 

Through this automated multi-hop reasoning, the system delivers accurate and complete answers.

Figure 1: PIKE-RAG orchestrates and integrates heterogeneous information in multi-source and multimodal environments.

Testing showed that the PIKE-RAG-powered knowledge management platform provided a significant advantage. It achieved a 12% improvement in performance compared with the original system.

These results were achieved without any question-specific customization, only algorithmic optimization, demonstrating precise knowledge matching and generation. As the system continues to learn and integrate Signify’s proprietary knowledge, accuracy is expected to improve further.

“In the PoC for our product specification insight tool, PIKE-RAG helped us significantly improve the original system’s performance. This will enhance overall customer satisfaction. We’re currently evaluating PIKE-RAG’s application path from multiple angles, including technical implementation, cost control, and future adaptability, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration with Microsoft Research Asia to drive further innovation,” said Haitao Liu, head of Signify Research China.

“It’s also worth noting that the researchers at Microsoft Research Asia demonstrated strong industry knowledge and rigorous scientific methodology. They proactively studied and analyzed the issues, tracing and clarifying the root causes of our issues to make PIKE-RAG better suited to Signify’s real-world needs.”

Beyond lighting: Generalization across industries

In Signify’s successful test, PIKE-RAG demonstrated strong generalization capabilities in complex industrial scenarios, enabling rapid cross-domain adaptation. Its three core strengths are:

• Support for self-evolution and continuous learning: PIKE-RAG continuously analyzes error cases in interaction logs and uses evolutionary algorithms to automatically optimize knowledge extraction strategies, such as trying different table parsing methods or adjusting multimodal content weights. Validated strategies are then solidified for future Q&A, allowing the system to adapt to new knowledge types without manual intervention. 
• Modular architecture driven by capability needs: PIKE-RAG flexibly combines modules for document parsing, knowledge extraction, storage, retrieval, organization, knowledge-centered reasoning, and task decomposition. It dynamically adjusts focus areas based on scenario needs (e.g., fact retrieval, multi-hop reasoning, innovative generation) and flexibly builds RAG methods that adapt to real-world applications, efficiently handling various complex tasks. 
• Strong adaptation to domain-specific reasoning patterns: With dynamic updates through the Domain Tips feature, enterprises can add domain-specific logic (e.g., “the maximum output voltage of an LED driver should be the maximum of the operating range, not the spec sheet’s max output”) in real time, enabling the system to process information according to professional engineering standards and follow industry conventions. 

Figure 2: Overview of the PIKE-RAG framework

PIKE-RAG’s generalization capabilities have been validated not only in Signify’s knowledge management platform but also in pilot applications across industries like manufacturing, mining, and pharmaceuticals—significantly improving Q&A system accuracy.

“A leader in lighting, Signify presents a complex industrial knowledge system with a highly challenging real-world scenario for PIKE-RAG. Through this collaboration, we validated that PIKE-RAG’s general approach can greatly improve the accuracy of professional knowledge Q&A and accelerate scenario customization. Our researchers also gained valuable experience in handling domain-specific data,” explained Jiang Bian, partner research manager at Microsoft Research Asia.

“Our goal isn’t to build a universal chatbot but to create a professional assistant that aligns with domain-specific logic and performs rigorous knowledge reasoning. That’s the true driving force behind intelligent transformation in industrial knowledge management.”

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The post When industry knowledge meets PIKE-RAG: The innovation behind Signify’s customer service boost appeared first on Microsoft Research.

SAVE OVER $200: As of Nov. 6, the 15-inch 2025 MacBook Air M4 has dropped to $949.99 at Amazon. This marks its lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 2025 MacBook Air 15-inch $949.99 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $249.01   Get Deal

There are some excellent tech deals dropping at retailers way before Black Friday officially kicks off. At this point, November has just become a month of early holiday savings. There's even some great Apple deals already available. Looking for a new laptop? The 15-inch 2025 MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is currently down to its lowest-ever price.

Usually this model of MacBook Air is priced at $1,199, but right now shoppers can score the base model for just $949.99. This discount marks this laptop's lowest-ever price. Ahead of Black Friday, that's an excellent offer to jump on.

SEE ALSO: Target's Black Friday sale is starting three weeks early on Nov. 6

If you've been looking for a new laptop or shopping around for an upgrade, this model of MacBook Air looks well worth the price tag. It's fitted with the speedy M4 chip for a nice performance boost, up to 18 hours of battery life to keep you going through the day, and a sleek 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display.

We consider this MacBook Air to be the best MacBook for most people in our roundup of the best MacBooks, saying "The 15-inch version of Apple's latest MacBook Air is beautiful, long-lasting, unexpectedly peppy, and priced very fairly, making it super easy to recommend for basically anyone wanting a near-perfect ultraportable."

Don't miss out on the 15-inch 2025 MacBook Air down to its best price at Amazon. And if you're looking for more pre-Black Friday Apple deals, have a look at our breakdown of 10 Apple deals that prove Black Friday 2025 is starting earlier than ever.

It's been one of the biggest internet terms of the year, and now it's official: "vibe coding" is Collins Dictionary's word of 2025.

Beating runners up including clanker, aura farming, broligarchy, glazing, biohacking, and more, the term was coined in Feb. 2025 by former OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy, who posted on X of a coding and software development mode that leans heavily on artificial intelligence, "where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Vibe coding explained: Plus 7 AI coding tools to get started right away

Essentially, vibe coders don't actually code, instead they can describe what they're wanting to create and hand the reins to AI – and OpenAI’s GPT-5, Claude 4.1 Opus, and Grok 4 (Expert), all function with differing efficacy when it comes to vibe coding. Writing for Mashable, Christian de Looper described the term like this:

"Vibe coding is certainly the buzzword du jour. It's a type of software development that doesn't require any traditional coding skills. Rather, you simply describe the type of software, app, or tool you want to create and let AI do the rest."'

Featured Video For You 3 simple tips to optimise your ChatGPT search

In a blog post, Collins Dictionary described the term as one "that captures something fundamental about our evolving relationship with technology...Basically, telling a machine what you want rather than painstakingly coding it yourself. It’s programming by vibes, not variables. While tech experts debate whether it’s revolutionary or reckless, the term has resonated far beyond Silicon Valley, speaking to a broader cultural shift towards AI-assisted everything in everyday life."

Mashable has a deeper dive into what exactly vibe coding is, a comparison of AI platforms' performance with vibe coding, as well as a guide for beginners wanting to get started vibe coding.

SAVE $1,100: As of Nov. 6, the Samsung 77-Inch Class OLED S90F TV is on sale for $1,997.99 at Amazon. That's a 36% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 77-Inch Class OLED S90F TV $1,997.99 at Amazon
$3,097.99 Save $1,100.00   Get Deal

Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but if you look closely enough, you'll find some great deals happening right now. Best Buy kicked its sale off on Halloween, and Walmart's event will be starting in just over a week. But Amazon's Daily Deals are always serving up incredible options, like this new deal on the Samsung 77-Inch Class OLED S90F.

As of Nov. 6, this seriously impressive TV has $1,100 knocked off, bringing it down to $1,997.99, its lowest-ever price. This price is for the 77-inch model, but all size variants of this TV are reduced, from 42 to 83-inch.

SEE ALSO: The Sony Bravia 5 75-inch TV just got its biggest-ever discount at Amazon — save over $600

We called this TV impressive, and we're not kidding. It's powered by Samsung’s most advanced 4K AI processor yet, using 128 neural networks to enhance picture and sound for a sharp, immersive experience. So if you're gaming, watching a movie, or tuning in to live sports, it's all in stunning quality.

Everything you watch is upscaled to 4K resolution. The motion is smooth and lag-free too, with support for VRR gaming up to 4K 144Hz and AI-powered processing that reduces blur and flicker. Alongside all this, the TV runs on Samsung's Tizen operating system, so you'll have easy access to app downloads and all your favorite streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video.

Pick up this great TV deal from Amazon now.

SAVE OVER $300: As of Nov. 6, the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station is on sale for $449 at Amazon. This is $350 off its list price of $799.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station $449 at Amazon
$799 Save $350   Get Deal

Black Friday may be a few weeks away, but these days retailers drop excellent deals for shoppers throughout November. Whether you're looking for new electronics or home items, there's already plenty to find right now. Amazon's even offering some stellar portable power station deals, including 44% off the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station.

This offer at Amazon has slashed the price of the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 by $350, dropping it from $799 to $449. It's an excellent early deal to jump on before Black Friday officially begins, especially if you've been hoping to pick up a portable power station for backup power in your home or to take on a camping trip.

SEE ALSO: Target's Black Friday sale is starting three weeks early on Nov. 6

The portable size and handles on the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 make it an especially nice pick for camping. It's packed with power to keep up to 10 devices going, with an output of 2,000W (and 3,000W peak). As far as ports go, it features five AC ports (2,000W), two USB-C ports (140W), one 15W USB-C port, one 12W USB-A port, and one 120W car port.

No need to wait for Black Friday, grab the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station for 44% off right now at Amazon. Looking for more great portable power station deals? Also at Amazon, you can save big on the Jackery Explorer 300 portable power station right now.

TL;DR: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Nov. 5-8. The Black Readers Appreciation Event offers books by Black authors for your e-reader.

The Stuff Your Kindle Day calendar was incredibly busy in October. We're all for free giveaways, but honestly, it was getting a bit much. There are only so many books we can throw onto a growing pile of TBR titles before we need to pause and take stock of the situation. Do you really need 10 new books just because they're free? Probably not.

But that was last month. We've had a short window of peace from the Stuff Your Kindle Day gods, and now we've forgotten all about that decision to turn our backs on new books. We're ready for more.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite: Which one is for you?

The Black Readers Appreciation Event takes place from Nov. 5-8 and is offering free books by Black authors in a variety of genress. Everything that you download is yours to keep forever, so this really is a great opportunity to stock up ahead of the winter months when you can finally start to chip away at that aforementioned pile.

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

The Black Readers Appreciation Event takes place from Nov. 5-8. A lot of Stuff Your Kindle Day events take place over 24 hours, which does add a certain amount of stress. This isn't a stressful situation in the slightest — you've got four days to peruse your options and find exactly what you want to read.

Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Kindle is in the name of Stuff Your Kindle Day, but it's not just for Kindle users. Anyone can participate in these giveaways — Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these books for free. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them directly from your phone.

Which e-books are free?

The Black Readers Appreciation Event has a helpful hub page that will go live with free books on Nov. 5. Historically, this special event has featured a wide range of titles in sub genres like dark romance, novella, paranormal, and much more. Not sure if there's something for you? Keep a close eye on the Black Readers Appreciation Event and check out everything on offer. You have nothing to lose.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep forever, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time. There's no reason to hold back.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite + Kindle Unlimited (3-Month Plan)   Shop Now Why we like it

These popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle Paperwhite. Prices start at $159.99, but you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase.

TL;DR: As of Nov. 6, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box is $79.95 at Amazon, down from $99.99. Alternatively, you could get it for free with a combination of AMEX and the Amazon Store Card $60 free credit for new customers.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box $79.95 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20.04   Get Deal

This Pokémon TCG deal is boarderline ridiculous in the best way, so let's break it down. If you don't want to get involved with American Express or an Amazon Store Card, the Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box is $79.95. That's a really solid deal ahead of Black Friday.

If you get approved for an Amazon Store Card (see if you qualify), you'll get an instant $60 gift card, making the ETB $19.95. Got an AMEX card? You could be eligible (see if you qualify) for a 30% further discount on the ETB.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

Register your AMEX for the 30% discount then redeem your Amazon Gift Card to get the Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box for free. Just to note that this isn't financial advice, I'm just telling you every possible way to get the best deal on this ETB. Also, any of these offers could change at anytime, so this product being anywhere near market value is not guaranteed.

Most valuable Mega Evolution Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

If you didn't manage to qualify for either promotions to get the ETB for free, you'll find just buying single cards to be cheaper than ripping open booster packs in the long run. Of course you could get lucky, but the chances are slim. Here's where to buy the top chase cards from Mega Evolution right now, including up-to-date value information to make sure you're getting the best deal:

1. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $392.99
   Market price: $5458.87
   Most recent sale: $397.24

2. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $505
   Market price: $508.96
   Most recent sale: $500

3. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $229.71
   Market price: $231.53
   Most recent sale: $225.97

4. Mega Lucario ex - 179/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $213.99
   Market price: $244.20
   Most recent sale: $218

5. Mega Venusaur ex - 177/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $173
   Market price: $174.87
   Most recent sale: $165

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're fascinated with boats.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 6, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: What to consider before making a purchase

• Green: Security measures

• Blue: Found on the Titanic

• Purple: A love symnol

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Cost

• Green: Ways to unlock a device

• Blue: Parts of a ship

• Purple: Features of a cartoon Cupid

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #878 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Cost: AMOUNT, FIGURE, PRICE, VALUE

• Ways to unlock a device: FACE, FINGERPRINT, PASSWORD, PIN

• Parts of a ship: AFT, DECK, FORE, MAST

• Features of a cartoon Cupid: ARROW, BOW, DIAPER, WINGS

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 6, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love a pet name.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 6, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 6, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: ___ City

The words are related to metropolises.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe altenate city names.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Nickname.

NYT Strands word list for November 6

• Emerald

• Motor

• Windy

• Nickname

• Eternal

• Music

• Golden

• Magic

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.