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TL;DR: The Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD is $209.99 on October Prime Day. This record-low deal saves you $90 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sandisk Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $209.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $90   Shop Now

We know a lot of shoppers are seeking deals on Apple tech, Sony headphones, and Switch games over October Prime Day. Savvy shoppers take advantage of these shopping events to buy treats they can't usually justify. But there's another group of shoppers right now who are seeking discounts on SSDs in the fight against RAMageddon. These deals aren't treats. They are absolutely necessary.

Fortunately, we've come across a number of deals on MicroSDs, SSDs, and hard drives to beat price hikes caused by the memory shortage. There are a number of standout deals, but the latest Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD discount is tough to beat. This powerhouse SSD was sitting around $250 before Prime Day, but that price has been cut for a limited time.

The Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD is $209.99 on October Prime Day. This record-low deal saves you $90 on list price.

This portable SSD can transfer 1,000 high-res photos in under 60 seconds at up to 2000 MB/s. It has an IP65 rating and drop protection for up to 3 meters, making it a solid option for travel and shooting on location.

Act fast to save over $190 on the Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD in Amazon's October Prime Day.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

Donald Trump has promised every adult American $5,000 if the Republicans win both the Senate and the House in the upcoming midterm elections — but Jimmy Kimmel isn't buying it.

"Well, he's never lied to us before," says Kimmel in the clip above, after playing footage of the president's announcement. "Let me be very clear: Donald Trump is more likely to run a 5k than to give it to us."

Kimmel also makes the point that the money Trump is promising belongs to the American people anyway.

"That's our money," Kimmel says. "You're not giving anyone anything. That's you breaking open Eric's piggybank and going 'Hey dummy, here's your allowance.' That's what you're doing."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

TL;DR: Apple AirPods Pro (1st Gen) are down to $89.99 on October Prime Day. That's over $100 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro (1st Gen) $89.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $159.01   Shop Now

Walmart has dominated the AirPods market around October Prime Day. Walmart's $79 deal on AirPods 4 has been really tough to beat, but Amazon has now dropped a genuine contender.

For a limited time, you can score the Apple AirPods Pro (1st Gen) for $89.99 on October Prime Day. That's over $100 off the list price and comes with a MagSafe charging case.

We didn't really expect this huge price drop. Our coverage of the best AirPods deals has largely focused on newer models. But if you want the latest AirPods Pro 3, you'll spend $179 on Amazon. That's still a good deal, but if you're trying to protect your budget and spend under $100, this is probably your best bet. We really can't see these popular earbuds dropping any further. This early price drop will likely last for the duration on Amazon's latest event.

Act fast to save over $100 on Apple AirPods Pro (1st Gen) in Amazon's October Prime Day.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

I test new robot vacuums on a regular basis and compare them to the top performers from previous months, with all my evaluations taking place in my own home on various rugs, tile, and hardwood floors. As I test each robot vacuum and tweak its settings for optimal performance, I keep notes on its overall suction power vigor, scrubbing efficacy (if it's a robot vacuum and mop combo), pet hair pickup, the convenience of its automatic emptying and self-washing mopping pads, accuracy of smart mapping and small obstacle avoidance, and the overall user experience. But the final boss here is cost efficiency — I'll be the first one to point out when a cheap robot vacuum actually works well for the price, or when a high-end robot vacuum is actually worth the splurge or not.

SEE ALSO: Robot vacuums vs. stick vacuums: Shopping advice from someone who has both Recent changes to this guide

July 2026: I added the Narwal Flow 2 as the new pick for best roller mop robot vacuum overall, bumping the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow to the best roller mop robot vacuum under $1,000. The Narwal Flow 2 has stronger suction power and more advanced AI spill detection.

March 2026: I added the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow as the best roller mop robot vacuum, replacing the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller. Though the Dreame has more powerful suction on paper, the Curv 2 Flow demonstrated better edge mopping and comparable vacuuming. I also replaced the Eufy X10 Pro Omni with the Eufy C28 and shifted it to my budget roller mop pick. The X10 Pro Omni is two years old at this point, and the new C28 offers more advanced cleaning and obstacle avoidance.

January 2026: I added the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete as the best robot vacuum right now and shifted the Aqua10 Ultra to the best roller mop robot vacuum. The Roborock Saros 10R, which was listed as the best option for corner cleaning, has been removed from the list. It costs nearly the same amount as the X60 Max Ultra Complete, which has near-identical corner mopping abilities and much stronger suction power.

December 2025: I added a disclaimer to the pick for best Roomba value in light of iRobot's bankruptcy news.

October 2025: I added the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller as the best robot vacuum right now and shifted the Roborock Saros 10R (previously named the best robot vacuum right now) to the option for best corner cleaning.

July 2025: I removed the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum from this guide. While it was a solid budget mopping robot vacuum for its first year or so on the market, it's now a little bit too basic compared to other newer budget robot vacuums.

So, what is the best e-reader for 2026? I'm regularly testing new e-readers (and tablets) and cycling through different models to stay up to date on the best options available. If you're gearing up to read more books this year, I can recommend a model you'll love.

Note: Amazon just dropped a new collection of Kindles. We've yet to test these devices. Included in this guide are the 2024 Kindles we have already reviewed.

Featured Video For You Latest e-reader news

• On Oct. 1, Amazon dropped a redesigned collection of Kindles. We have yet to test Amazon's new e-readers, but will update this guide when we've thoroughly vetted the 2026 devices. You can purchase 6-inch Kindles now, and 7-inch Kindles will be available Oct. 28.

• As of September 2026, we've added the Boox Go 6 to this guide, naming it the best Kindle alternative. We also named the Kindle Paperwhite the best e-reader for the beach (in addition to being the best overall) and named the Durobo Krono the best e-reader for audiobooks.

• In August 2026, Amazon increased the price of Kindles. Now the basic Kindle costs $149.99 ($40 increase) and the Kindle Paperwhite costs $199.99 ($40 increase).

• In July 2026, Boox announced it was releasing a pocket-sized e-reader, the Picco. After IFA 2026, rumors floated that the Boox Picco would be released in November 2026.

• Also in July 2026, Xteink dropped the X4 Pro, a new tiny e-reader with a touchscreen.

• As of April 2026, we have included the Durobo Krono and the Xetink X4 e-reader in this guide.

• In May 2026, Amazon ceased support for e-readers released in 2012 or earlier, which includes the first generation of Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite.

• Also in May 2026, Kobo announced its integration with Storygraph, which syncs your on-device reading progress with the Storygraph app.

Which are the most affordable e-readers?

When picking an e-reader, price is always a consideration. However, almost all e-readers fall into the same price range. Kindle and Kobo e-readers both start around $149.99/$159.99, while the tiny Boox Picco is just $109.99. If you want handwriting capabilities, Kobo and Boox make the most affordable options, as Kindle's Scribes start at $500.

Other e-readers we've tested From left to right: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook GlowLight 4 Plus, Kindle Scribe Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

• Remarkable PaperPro: Whenever you search for e-readers, Remarkable's tablets will always pop up in the search results, but unfortunately, it's hard to obtain ePUB files on the Remarkable. With Remarkable, you can access files within Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. If you have any locked ePUB files — like from Libby — you won't be able to access them on a Remarkable tablet. So, after testing the Remarkable tablet myself, it proved to be a better document reader or digital journal than an e-reader.

• Onyx Boox Go 7: While we love the Boox Go 6, we didn't love the Go 7. It's the same size as the Kobo Libra or Amazon Kindle, but it really lags on processing speed. Reading ePUB files from Libby required downloading the Adobe Digital Editions app onto the Boox Go 7, and there was significant lag when opening and closing the app. While it was an easier process than getting library books on a Nook, it was still a major pain compared to Kindle or Kobo's integrations. The Boox Go 7 lagged and took ages to load files. I was most looking forward to testing this Boox because of its page-turning buttons, but unfortunately, I found that they didn't work on my device.

• Boox Palma 2: I loved reading on the Boox Palma. It's a really solid palm-sized e-reader with an open Android system, so you can download any reading app from the Google Play store, including Libby, Kindle, and Kobo. Unfortunately, the Palma 2 is being discontinued, and its availability is dwindling, which is why it's not included in this list.

What about the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

If you're familiar with the Kindle lineup, it may come as a surprise that the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition isn't on this list. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but I think there are better options. The Signature Edition is an upgraded version of the Paperwhite, and we've compared the devices head-to-head. The short version? The Paperwhite is a better value, even with the SE's added features like auto-adjusting brightness and 32GB of storage. Plus, after recent price increases, the Paperwhite SE now costs $249.99. If you are prepared to spend that much on an e-reader, I say skip the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and go for the Kobo Libra Colour.

Where's the Nook on this list?

In terms of big-name e-readers, you might notice one omission from this list: the Barnes & Noble Nook. I have tested this e-reader, and it was previously featured on this list. However, after testing more devices, it no longer makes the cut. In comparison to any of the Kindles or the Kobo Libra, the Nook has sloth-like performance, making it frustrating to use.

Plus, getting my library books onto the Nook was a nightmare, as it was a multi-step process that required downloading to a computer before uploading to a Nook. Its only redeeming quality was the buttons on either side of the device, which made page turning a breeze. However, unless you are a loyal buyer of Barnes & Noble books, I recommend steering clear of the Nook.

Where to get e-reader books for free

Once you get an e-reader, it's time to fill it up with books, and that doesn't necessarily mean spending money. In fact, you can load up your e-reader without spending a dime; you just need to be a bit resourceful.

The best way to read nearly any book — a classic or hot new release — is with Libby. I have read hundreds of free books with the Libby app — I wouldn't have been able to test for this guide without it. It connects with your library card, allowing you to borrow from your local library's digital collection. Plus, both Kobo and Kindle have exceptional Libby integrations.

Another way to build your library is through Stuff Your Kindle Day events. These are 24-hour opportunities led by authors that make books discounted or free.

If you're a fan of the classics or looking to discover a treasure lost to time, an online resource like Project Gutenberg has more than 75,000 books in the public domain that you can download and read on an e-reader.

A star hundreds of light-years away in space may have spawned a giant Jupiter-size planet from the gas and dust it coughed out with its dying breath.

Astronomers spotted signs of such a planet circling a white dwarf — the leftover core of a medium-size star after it burns through its nuclear fuel — called HS 0209+0832. 

Though a team of researchers used data from NASA's Hubble and TESS telescopes to build a strong case for the planet, no observatory has seen the world itself. For now, it remains a candidate planet. But if the evidence bears out, its discovery would mean stars similar to our sun can launch a fresh round of planet formation after death. 

The findings, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, fly in the face of what astronomers expect from dead stars. Before our sun dies, it will likely swell into a red giant and swallow up Mercury, Venus, and Earth in the process. That late-life stage would mark the end for the inner solar system planets the sun birthed long ago. The potential for a second generation raises new questions about whether planets around dead stars could support life. Until now, scientists had only linked planets like this to pulsars, a different type of collapsed star.

"Rather than the white dwarf stage being a kind of epilogue to the story of a star and its planets, this research points to the systems we are familiar with only being the first chapter of a potentially much longer tale," said Jamie Williams, a doctoral candidate at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and the lead author, in a statement, "with some new characters showing up." 

SEE ALSO: A new NASA mission plan could capture light no space telescope now sees

The clues came from debris falling onto the dead star. Between 25 to 50 percent of young white dwarfs pull in debris from nearby objects, according to an associated commentary by Zifan Lin, a planetary scientist at Washington University in St. Louis. That rubble leaves chemical fingerprints in the star's light and reveals what it contains.

The fingerprints of most white dwarfs match Earth rock or common meteorites, but this star breaks that pattern. Researchers found almost no silicon or iron, the main ingredients of rocky planets like ours. In fact, the mix matches nothing in our solar system, including Halley's comet. Instead, they detected carbon, nickel, copper, zinc, and niobium — an element that threw a major curveball at the team. 

It was this element that led the scientists to the source. Stars forge most of their niobium late in life and disperse it when they molt their outer layers. Some of those cast-offs may have settled into a flat, rotating disk around the young white dwarf, allowing a gas giant planet to emerge from it. Ordinary rocky debris can't explain the niobium, the extra carbon, or the high ratio of nickel to iron, said Nicholas Stone, a University of Wisconsin theoretical astrophysicist. 

"These heavy elements can only be synthesized in the exotic conditions that briefly emerge inside dying stars," said Stone, a coauthor, in a statement. "The presence of niobium is a signpost of these 'death' throes, and the expulsion of the dying star's innards into space." 

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A companion star may have made the disk possible. Stars near the end of life usually push gas outward evenly in all directions, which leaves little chance for a disk to take shape. But if a small star orbited close by, the swelling giant may have swallowed it. That encounter could have flung the star's outer layers into a rich ring of material.

Scientists hypothesize that HS 0209+0832 aged into a red giant star that sloughed its outermost layers, forming a disk around its core. From this material, a planet may have formed, as the white dwarf tears away some of its atmosphere. Credit: NASA / ESA / Leah Hustak illustration

If this planet truly exists, it could broaden the search for life beyond our solar system. White dwarfs are about the size of Earth, so a planet passing in front of one blocks a large share of its light. That makes an orbiting world's atmosphere much easier to study. For a rocky, Earth-size planet at a comfortable distance from a nearby white dwarf, the James Webb Space Telescope could detect water, carbon dioxide, and possible signs of life in just a few more passes, Lin wrote.

Right now, the gas giant candidate seems to be rapidly losing its atmosphere. Because the white dwarf is only about 5 million years old, it is still very hot and likely blasting the planet with energy that is whisking away its outer material. 

Despite this erosion, the white dwarf will eventually cool and hold a steady temperature, potentially putting the planet in a stable habitable zone for millions of years, according to the research team.

"If the second-generation planet is there, I think it is likely to survive," Williams said.

"Do we care?"

That is one of the early questions posed in director Tom McCarthy’s (Spotlight) A Statement, which dramatizes a real-life 1980 meeting between scientists, policymakers, and activists about the issue of climate change. By the end of the conference, participants are expected to have prepared a statement on the problem, and what to do next.

SEE ALSO: 'I Play Rocky' review: Can this crowd-pleaser be an Oscar contender?

At this point, everyone in the room is aware that the world’s rising carbon dioxide levels mean rising temperatures and global consequences. That those present ask whether they even “care” seems preposterous, especially to A Statement’s modern-day viewers, who are bombarded with rising temperatures, worsening floods and storms, and news that we’re set to cross the dangerous 1.5°C warming threshold above preindustrial levels within a few years.

Yet in 1980, few in A Statement’s conference room can fathom these catastrophic effects. Some, like meteorologist John Perry (Jason Clarke), even downplay them. He suggests that when the time comes, America can just move its seat of power to higher ground, like Denver.

The cognitive dissonance between the reality of our climate crisis and the hypotheticals floated in A Statement can at times turn the film into an infuriating experience. “Do something!” you’re tempted to yell, even as so much of what happens at the conference reflects our current moment. Through it all, McCarthy weaves an effective tale of human communication and the struggles of trying to reach consensus. Still, given its subject matter, you can’t help but wish A Statement was just a tad angrier.

A Statement turns a dry transcript into a gripping discussion.

Based on journalist Nathaniel Rich’s book Losing Earth, A Statement checks us into the Don CeSar hotel in St. Pete Beach, Florida, where, for the next 36 hours, the climate change conference will take place. There, moderator Tom Jorling (Paul Rudd) frets over how best to create a constructive dialogue between differing personalities, such as passionate environmentalist Rafe Pomerance (Evan Peters) and pragmatic Department of Energy official David Slade (Paul Giamatti).

For scenes of the conference, McCarthy draws verbatim from the transcripts of the meeting, taken down in the film by stenographer Bernadette (Nina Arianda). Text from the transcripts appears onscreen at the start of each session, both to highlight the film’s accuracy and formally invite us into the official proceedings.

Much of the text is dry — conversations about limiting carbon dioxide levels, debates about specific wording for the statement. Yet McCarthy, his crew, and his star-studded ensemble bring it to intense life. Cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh’s dynamic camera work guides us around the table in an intricate dance, while editor Jane Rizzo turns lengthy scientific explanations into snappy, anxiety-inducing rides. Bryce Dessner’s drum-heavy score ups the urgency, while occasionally bringing some near-farcical levity to the sessions.

SEE ALSO: 'Godzilla Minus Zero' review: The epic monster melodrama fans have been roaring for

Then there's the cast, made up of excellent heavy hitters who are as dialed in as can be. Rudd's nice-guy persona perfectly suits Jorling's mediator role, with an undercurrent of stress slowly ratcheting up by the second. Peters' Rafe is a pent-up flurry of antsy fidgeting and indignation, a perfect contrast to more curmudgeonly veterans of these types of meetings like Giamatti's Slade. While his character first seems like a tired obstacle to progress, a key scene outside the meeting room allows Giamatti to imbue Slade with a deeper humanity and a haunting resignation.

As two of the very few women in the room, Amy Ryan's public health scholar Annemarie Crocetti and Tatiana Maslany's law professor Edith Brown Weiss each get meaty speeches toward the conference's end that they deliver with aplomb, but they are otherwise mostly relegated to the margins. Still, McCarthy emphasizes their smaller presence in the transcript, often holding on their reactions or their raised hands (they are the only people in the room who do so) to emphasize the baggage of speaking up in that male-dominated space.

But the real scene stealer here is John Turturro as David Rose, a professor of nuclear engineering at MIT who's also deeply fascinated by humanity's ability to solve — or not solve — complex, life-threatening problems. Rose becomes a doomsday prophet of sorts, regaling attendees with stories of collapsed civilizations whose citizens saw the end coming and still did nothing to prevent it. Turturro delivers each anecdote with a wry laugh, summoning a darkly humorous cloud to loom over each of A Statement's sessions.

A Statement isn't angry enough.

A Statement falters when it leaves its conference room and veers from the transcript. The difference between dialogue that was on the record and fabricated conversations is immediate: . There are some killer one-liners, but also several overt attempts to gesture toward Big Life Lessons that border on schmaltz. A scene where attendees crash a wedding also taking place at the hotel veers the film into cheesy territory, even if it does gift us Turturro dancing.

The wedding does serve a bigger purpose: forcing A Statement's characters to think about future generations who will be born into a world that bears the brunt of their indecision and eventual inaction. (Generations who will be watching this movie!) A Statement lays out the causes of all this inaction throughout. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions on a significant scale would cost too much. It would require the whole world to work together. It would force people to give up their creature comforts, something they will never accept. And with Ronald Reagan just days away from getting elected, many government attendees wonder whether they'll even have jobs once he's done slashing the budget.

These are all concerns that resonate today, from the arguments about why significant change will never happen right down to a U.S. president who doesn't give a damn about the environment. (President Donald Trump has twice withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Agreement.) Knowing all this, it's frustrating when A Statement's conclusion is less of an indictment of the patterns of thinking that have kept us in this mess, and more of a shrug about how impossible solving the climate change problem is.

Yes, McCarthy has crafted an engaging deep dive into a very dense meeting, one that surely reflects the kinds of discussions being had at countless other climate change conferences. Yet in the end, like its characters, A Statement doesn't make enough of one.

A Statement was reviewed following its world premiere at the New York Film Festival. It will be released at a later date.

Saying yes to a drink is not the same thing as saying yes to sex. Yet New York's sexual assault laws draw a distinction between someone whose drink was spiked and someone who chose to drink, even if both become too impaired to consent.

That distinction is often called the "voluntary intoxication loophole," and the Cornell University sexual assault allegations have put it in the spotlight. Back in 2024, a former student, identified as Jane Doe, alleges that seven men sexually assaulted her at the Chi Phi fraternity house at the university. In explaining why they initially declined to bring criminal charges, the local district attorney pointed to how New York law treats voluntary intoxication.

Online, the loophole has become a flashpoint, with commenters arguing over whether choosing to drink changes someone’s right to say no to sex. But what the law actually says — and what it leaves out — can get lost in those debates.

Here’s how the loophole works, why it matters in the Cornell case, and what a proposed change would do.

What is New York's voluntary intoxication loophole?

It comes down to what "mentally incapacitated" means under New York law, Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping, an attorney at Schlam Stone & Dolan LLP, told Mashable. The definition covers someone temporarily unable to understand or control their conduct because they were given an intoxicating substance without their consent, or because of another act done to them without their consent. But it leaves out the same impairment caused by alcohol or drugs they chose to consume.

Think of two equally impaired people: one had their drink spiked, while the other knowingly drank alcohol. Both may be unable to consent, but only the first may qualify as mentally incapacitated on that basis.

As Wentworth-Ping explained, "Because voluntary intoxication is excluded from this definition, a victim who willingly drinks or consumes substances cannot be legally deemed 'incapable of consent' under a theory of mental incapacity."

That’s the distinction advocates want lawmakers to reconsider: If someone cannot consent, why should it matter how they became intoxicated?

Can someone who voluntarily drinks still be a rape victim under New York law?

Yes. The loophole limits one way prosecutors can establish incapacity. Other provisions can apply, including those involving force, physical helplessness, or a clearly expressed lack of consent, depending on the alleged conduct and evidence. Physical helplessness also extends beyond unconsciousness. It includes someone who, for another reason, is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act.

The gap arises when someone is conscious but too impaired to understand or control what is happening, without meeting another applicable legal standard. Voluntary intoxication alone does not place them within the law's mental incapacitation category.

How did this become an issue in the Cornell case?

Jane Doe's lawsuit alleges that she was pressured into consuming drugs and alcohol and became incapacitated while fraternity members sexually assaulted her. (The allegations remain contested.)

Although Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten pointed to the intoxication distinction in defending his initial decision, reporting on Doe's police interview has raised questions about the evidence his office reviewed. Van Houten told CBS News that he had not seen the interview transcript before news outlets reported on it.

"In what world does the district attorney not even interview her, or anyone else involved, or even request the full transcript?" Gov. Kathy Hochul said, criticizing the handling of the case.

The investigation has since reopened, and Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to conduct an independent review and pursue charges if warranted. "We do not take that responsibility lightly," James said in a statement.

What are lawmakers trying to change?

The proposed legislation would allow prosecutors to establish a lack of consent in specified sexual offenses based on a person's level of impairment, regardless of whether they voluntarily consumed alcohol or drugs.

Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz's proposed bill A101, for example, would cover someone temporarily unable to understand or control their conduct because of an intoxicating substance. Prosecutors would also have to establish that this condition was known, or reasonably should have been known, to someone in the accused person’s situation. The provision would apply to specified offenses, including certain third-degree rape charges.

"This shifts the legal focus away from how the victim became intoxicated and places it squarely on whether they possessed the actual capacity to consent," Wentworth-Ping explained.

Having alcohol before sex would not, by itself, make an encounter a crime. But the proposed standard concerns incapacity and what the other person knew or reasonably should have known.

Its Senate counterpart, S10632, sponsored by Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, passed 60–0 on June 4, 2026. It remains in the Assembly’s Codes Committee and has not become law. Versions of the proposal have been introduced since 2019.

Governor Kathy Hochul has also backed closing the gap. "If someone is too intoxicated to consent, it should not matter whether they chose to use drugs or alcohol," she said on Oct. 2.

What would still be difficult to prove?

Changing the law would give prosecutors another route to pursue a case, but they would still have to prove the alleged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Wentworth-Ping said that limited physical evidence, a shortage of witnesses, and fragmented memories can complicate that task, as can determining whether the accused person should have recognized someone's incapacity.

"For example, an individual might be severely impaired internally while appearing outwardly coherent, meaning a reasonable observer might not recognize their lack of capacity," he said. "While the proposed amendment lowers the statutory barrier to prosecution, it does not erase the intricate factual challenges inherent in trying intoxicated-consent cases before a jury."

A new law would also apply to conduct occurring after it takes effect, rather than retroactively changing the legal standards governing the Cornell allegations, Wentworth-Ping explained.

Will New York close the loophole?

So far, the proposal has repeatedly stalled in the Assembly. Speaker Carl Heastie said his Democratic conference discussed the bill twice but did not have enough support to pass it. A working group is now reviewing the proposal and other possible changes to sexual assault laws, with recommendations due by the end of the year for the 2027 legislative session. Whether the renewed attention will translate into a change remains to be seen.

TL;DR: Cloud storage is useful. Continuously paying for enough room to accommodate your ever-expanding pile of files? Not cool. Drime Advanced++ with 10TB of lifetime cloud storage is only $359.97 (reg. $1,299) through Oct. 11 during the Deal Days sales event.

Opens in a new window Credit: Drime Drime Secure Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (Advanced++ Plan/10TB) $476.99
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And this isn’t just 10TB of digital attic space.

Drime is a European cloud storage platform that combines storage with tools for sharing, editing, collaboration, and e-signatures. Files sync across your devices, and there’s no file-size limit, so giant videos and other hefty files don’t need special treatment.

For sensitive documents, Drime includes an end-to-end encrypted Vault using 256-bit AES and SSL/TLS encryption. Files are encrypted locally and remain accessible only to you. Drime is hosted in Europe, is GDPR compliant, and doesn’t route data through the U.S.

The Advanced++ plan also gives you some breathing room when mistakes happen. File versioning lasts up to 120 days, allowing you to restore an earlier version instead of dramatically mourning the document you accidentally changed.

Drime’s collaborative workspaces can organize files, projects, and clients. Built-in document and media editors let you make changes without leaving the platform, while review tools support timestamped comments on videos, PDFs, and images.

You can also request e-signatures with Drime Sign and share files using links with passwords, expiration dates, custom links, and access stats. Large videos get adaptive playback, fast scrubbing, and previews.

In other words, you’re not buying 10TB just to watch it fill up.

Get Drime Advanced++ with 10TB of lifetime cloud storage for $359.97 (reg. $1,299) through Oct. 11 during this Deal Days sale.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: AdGuard VPN is currently on sale for just $34.97 for five years through Oct. 11, with unlimited data, a zero-logging policy, 70+ locations, and support for up to 10 simultaneous devices.

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A VPN is supposed to make using the internet more private, not give you another monthly payment to keep track of. AdGuard VPN is just $34.97 (reg. $359.40) for a five-year subscription through Oct. 11 as part of the Deal Days sales event. Pay once, and the VPN category of your budget can take a nice, long nap.

AdGuard VPN gives you access to servers in 70+ locations worldwide, which can also help you access geographically restricted content. There’s unlimited data, so you aren’t working around a cap when browsing, streaming, or downloading.

Privacy is the main event here. AdGuard uses its own security protocol, designed to provide a faster and safer VPN connection, while its zero-logging policy means personal data isn’t collected and internet traffic remains private.

One subscription also works across up to 10 devices simultaneously. That’s useful when your digital life stretches beyond one laptop. AdGuard VPN is available across platforms, including iOS, Android, and Google Chrome, so you can use the same account across multiple devices instead of picking which one gets VPN access today.

AdGuard also includes light-speed servers for uninterrupted browsing, with access to servers in all available locations.

There are plenty of reasons someone might want a VPN, from keeping browsing activity private to connecting through another location. The smarter part of this particular setup is simply knowing what you’re paying for upfront.

Instead of adding another VPN payment to the monthly subscription pile, one purchase covers the next five years.

Get a five-year AdGuard VPN subscription for only $34.97 through Oct. 11 during Deal Days.

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

TL;DR: Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac is just $79.97 through Oct. 11, giving you a lifetime license for essential Office apps on one Mac.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $79.97
$219 Save $139.03   Get Deal

We have enough monthly bills. Microsoft Office doesn’t necessarily need to be another one. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac is just $79.97 (reg. $219) through Oct. 11 as part of the Deal Days sales event, and it’s a lifetime license rather than an ongoing subscription.

That means one purchase gets you the familiar Office apps you probably came here for: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote.

Word handles documents, Excel takes care of spreadsheets and complex data, and PowerPoint is there when someone inevitably asks you to “throw together a quick deck.” Outlook covers email and scheduling, while the bundle also includes Teams Basic and the free version of OneNote.

It’s a practical lineup for families, students, and small businesses, especially when the goal isn’t to find an elaborate new productivity system. Sometimes you just want the Office apps you already know how to use.

The lifetime license is designed for one Mac and can be used for Microsoft Office at home or work. Unlike a device-linked license, this licensing type connects to your Microsoft account rather than the Mac itself. It’s also a one-time-use code.

For Mac users who want the classic Microsoft Office lineup without another subscription, this is an easy win.

Get Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac for $79.97 through Oct. 11 during Deal Days.

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Late night TV is often at its best when it's at its weirdest, and watching Jon Stewart argue for five minutes with an animated version of Meta's Muse AI agent is a strong example.

In the clip above, the Daily Show host takes a deep dive into artificial intelligence, starting with Trump's recent summit and moving on to the question of whether or not AI will be the end of humanity.

Watching him attempt to voice the Muse AI while essentially arguing with himself is the highlight, though.

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

SAVE $100: As of Oct. 6, the iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's $100 off its full price of $599.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) $499 at Amazon
$599 Save $100   Get Deal

Prime Big Deal Days is live, and Amazon's dropping stunning deals for shoppers to check out. This includes a variety of discounts on Apple devices. Even the iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) has been discounted, dropping to $499 for a limited time.

If this iPad model has been on your radar, this is a great opportunity to snag it for $100 off its usual full price ($599). Plus, you get to enjoy up to three free months of Apple Arcade, Fitness+, and News+ with your purchase as well.

If you're looking for an iPad mainly for reading, the iPad mini is the one we'd recommend, per our roundup of the best iPads of 2026. It has a compact size, which is very helpful if you're bringing it along on vacations or casual outings, with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display. Its A17 Pro chip also offers speedy performance and graphics, plus its all-day battery life can keep you busy in a favorite book for hours.

The iPad mini has a very nice camera, too. It comes with a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera for video calls and selfies, and a 12MP Wide back camera for detailed photos and videos. And if you're curious about how much storage you'll have for all these photos and videos, plus the many apps you're hoping to download, this particular model comes with 128GB of storage.

If this tablet has your attention, be quick to save on the iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) at Amazon on Prime Day.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE $1,190: As of Oct. 6, the Mammotion Luba 3 AWD 3000 Robot Lawn Mower is on sale for $2,109 at Amazon. That’s a 36% discount and matches its lowest price to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Mammotion Mammotion Luba 3 AWD 3000H Robot Lawn Mower $2,109 at Amazon
$3,299 Save $1,190   Get Deal

If you want to take lawn care completely off your weekend to-do list, this massive price drop is worth acting on.

Amazon slashed $1,190 off the Mammotion Luba 3 AWD 3000 robot lawn mower, bringing it down to $2,109 — matching its best price ever. The Mammotion Luba 3 AWD 3000 replaces the old-school perimeter wires with a 360-degree LiDAR sensor, dual AI cameras, and network RTK GPS to map your yard down to the centimeter.

Its all-wheel-drive system and omni-wheels let it climb massive 80% inclines (about 39 degrees) and roll over 2-inch roots or curbs without getting stuck. You get twin cutting discs with 12 total blades, powered by two 165W motors that adjust speed on the fly based on grass thickness, and it pushes through a 0.75-acre yard for up to 175 minutes per charge.

SEE ALSO: Amazon is dropping huge deals on robot lawn mowers ahead of Prime Day: Shop Dreame, Mammotion, and more

It identifies over 300 types of obstacles, supports 30 custom zones in the app, and ships with the mower, charging dock, extra blades, and a separate cleaning stand to hose off the bottom. The lawn mower's setup avoids the hassle of burying boundary wires, while the camera-and-LiDAR combo lets it dodge toys, hoses, and trees in real-time.

Its four-wheel-drive grip won't tear up your grass when taking tight turns on steep hills, and you can program it to lay down custom patterns like checkerboard or diagonal stripes. Wire-free mowers that handle this kind of rough terrain usually creep way past $3,000, so knocking over $1,100 off a high-end unit makes automating your yard work a no-brainer.

Grab the Mammotion Luba 3 AWD 3000 robot lawn mower and lock in the $1,190 discount on October Prime Day.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE $70: As of Oct. 6, the AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $179 at Amazon on October Prime Day. That's $70 off their full price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $179 at Amazon
$249 Save $70   Get Deal

Discounts on Apple products are already popping up on Amazon now that Prime Big Deal Days is live, including the AirPods Pro 3. As of Oct. 6, these earbuds are $179 at Amazon, which isn't far from their lowest-ever price of $169.

We saw them hit that low point just before June's Prime Day sale, but this offer is still mighty close if you've been hoping to grab them for a low price. Compared to paying the full $249, this deal saves you $70 overall, but it's only available for a limited time. There's no telling just how long that will be, so don't wait too long to scoop them up on sale.

SEE ALSO: We've scoured hundreds of sales to find the 35+ best early October Prime Day deals: Bose, Lego, Apple

While new AirPods may be out in the wild, we still have a lot of love for the AirPods Pro 3. They remain on our list of the best wireless earbuds as our favorite pick for Apple users, as their "sound profile is robust and clear, the noise cancellation truly silences the world around you, and they pair easily to Apple devices."

They also feature built-in heart rate sensors. With these, you can track your heart rate and calories burned while you're working out, which our reviewer Adam Doud said "worked perfectly." They also offer a strong battery life that can last you up to 8 hours with ANC on, or up to 10 in Transparency mode.

This deal is well worth grabbing on Prime Big Deal Days. Don't miss out on $70 off the AirPods Pro 3 right now at Amazon.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE OVER $149: As of Oct. 6, the 2026 Apple Mac mini M5 Pro is available for $1,549.99 on October Prime Day. That's a $149.01 savings off the regular list price of $1,699.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Mac mini M5 Pro $1,549.99 at Amazon
$1,699 Save $149.01   Get Deal

Everybody loves a good Apple deal. Let's face it: they don't come around all that often. That's why sale events such as October Prime Day are always such a treat.

As ever, Amazon has built anticipation with a bunch of early deals, including markdowns on MacBooks, iPads, AirPods, and Apple Watches. But an Apple deal that deserves your attention is on the Apple Mac mini M5 Pro, an Apple device that often flies under the radar

As of Oct. 6, the Apple Mac mini M5 Pro is down from $1,699 to $1,549.99, which saves you $149.01 — a decent saving on any Apple product.

If you've never heard of this device, it's essentially all the power and brilliance of a Mac packed into a little silver box. All you need to do is hook it up to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It runs on the M5 Pro chip, which means it's among the smartest, fastest, most powerful Apple devices out there. It has Apple Intelligence, 512GB of storage, and WiFi 7 support.

Get the Apple Mini Mac Desktop as part of the October Prime Day deals — now just $1,549.99 at Amazon.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

SAVE $200: As of Oct. 6, the Apple 2026 MacBook Air M5 is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's a $200 discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 2026 MacBook Air M5 $1,099 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $200   Get Deal

It's officially Prime Day. The early discounts have been popping up for weeks, and we're now seeing some stunning deals on Apple products.

We didn't expect this latest MacBook deal, but we're so glad to see it. If the latest MacBook Air has been in your sights, you're in luck. As of Oct. 6, the 13-inch, 512GB model is on sale for $1,099, down from $1,299. This deal applies to all colorways, so you're not stuck with one option.

If you want a laptop that can handle everyday work with ease, the MacBook Air with the M5 chip is a great choice. It's no wonder it's one of our best laptops for 2026. It has the performance to handle creative projects and AI-assisted tasks, and its slim, lightweight design makes it a convenient pick if you work on the go. You'll also get Apple Intelligence built in and 512GB of SSD storage.

It has all the basics you need too. Apple says the battery can last for up to 18 hours, and the 12MP Center Stage camera is ideal for video calls. There's also a three-microphone setup and a four-speaker system with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, so you've got great audio at all times.

This MacBook deal is available at Amazon right now.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

The Draconid meteor shower peaks this week, and skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere won't need to stay up late to catch it.

The shower is active from Oct. 6 to 10. According to EarthSky, which cites predictions from the American Meteor Society, the peak is expected around 1 UTC on Oct. 9. That's 9 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct. 8. EarthSky recommends watching from nightfall on Oct. 8 into the early hours of Oct. 9.

Best time to see the Draconids

Most meteor showers are best after midnight, but the Draconids are an exception. Their radiant, the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate, sits near the stars Eltanin and Rastaban in the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon. EarthSky notes that this radiant stands highest in the sky as darkness falls and sinks lower as the night goes on, so more meteors tend to appear in the evening.

SEE ALSO: Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on October 6, 2026

A viewing table for Chicago shows the radiant at about 75-76 degrees above the horizon at 6 p.m. on Oct. 8. By 1 a.m., it has dropped below 20 degrees.

How many meteors are expected

The Draconids are usually a modest shower. Star Walk estimates about five meteors per hour at the peak under ideal conditions. EarthSky says observers under a dark sky might see up to 10. Star Walk also notes that Draconid meteors move unusually slowly, often leaving lingering streaks across the sky.

This year's conditions are favorable. The new moon falls on Oct. 10, so only a thin waning crescent will be in the sky, and it doesn't rise until shortly before dawn.

How to watch the Draconids meteor shower

You don't need a telescope or binoculars. Find a dark spot away from city lights, give your eyes 15 to 20 minutes to adjust, and lie back to take in as much of the sky as possible. Star Walk advises against staring directly at the radiant, because meteors close to it have shorter trails. Draconids can appear anywhere in the sky.

Viewers in the Southern Hemisphere will have a harder time. From those latitudes, Draco sits low and sets early, so EarthSky suggests looking as soon as it gets dark and keeping expectations low.

We're once again at the part of the lunar cycle where the Moon is almost completely out of view. This is the end stage of the lunar cycle, and when we approach the New Moon.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Oct. 6, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waning Crescent phase, with 21% of its surface visible.

Visibility is decreasing each night, but for now there is still a chance to spot the Aristarchus Plateau and the Kepler Crater without any visual aids. If you have binoculars or a telescope, you'll also see the Grimaldi Basin and the Gassendi Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

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

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes an orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days. During that time, its position changes relative to the Earth and Sun, altering how much of the Moon's illuminated surface is visible to us. This produces the familiar lunar phases, beginning with a thin crescent and progressing through the quarter phases before reaching a Full Moon. The sequence then repeats as the Moon continues its orbit. According to NASA, the phase visible from Earth is determined by the Moon's changing position in relation to both Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

The best October Prime Day Hisense TV deals: Best 55-inch Hisense TV deal Hisense 55-inch U7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $647.99 (save $652) Get Deal Best 65-inch Hisense TV deal Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $827.99 (save $672) Get Deal Best 75-inch Hisense TV Deal Hisense 75-inch U7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $997.99 (save $1,002) Get Deal Best 85-inch Hisense TV deal Hisense 85-inch U7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $1,697.99 (save $802) Get Deal Best 100-inch Hisense TV Deal Hisense 100-inch U7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $2,497.97 (save $2002.02) Get Deal

Prime Big Deal Days is finally here. It’s one of those major shopping events that cuts prices across the board, with deals on all kinds of products and categories. But there’s one thing that every shopper likes to keep an eye on during these sale events: huge TVs. 

A huge TV at a bargain price has long been the mark of a good sale — there’s a reason that shoppers once wrestled in the TV aisles during Black Friday sales — and Prime Big Deal Days, which runs today and tomorrow (Oct. 6-7), has delivered with up to $2,000 off the Hisense U7 range.

Hisense is known for delivering above its price point, with high-spec TVs at relatively affordable prices. So you’re getting even more of a bargain with these Prime Day price cuts on a range of sizes, from 55 inches all the way to 100 inches. Some of these deals give you a 50% discount, depending on the size you buy.

The best Hisense TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $827.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $672   Get Deal Why we like it

The Hisense U7 is a Mini LED TV built as an all-rounder, whether you want to level up your home cinema setup, your gaming, or your live sports nights.

It runs on the Google TV operating system, among the most reliable platforms for smart TVs at the moment, and boasts razor-sharp 4K visuals. It has thousands of Mini LED backlights that deliver deep, sumptuous blacks and bright highlights, while an AI-enabled processor fine-tunes color and contrast as you watch.

If home cinema is your thing, the Hisense U7 is IMAX Enhanced and supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. For gamers, it offers a native 165Hz refresh rate and AMD Premium Pro Motion technology, delivering butter-smooth gameplay. There's also a dedicated games bar, which allows you to optimize your game's settings and boost your overall performance. The refresh rate and motion technology also ensure fluid motion when you're watching live sports, which puts you in the thick of the action.

If you’re looking to upgrade your TV, this is the moment to grab a deal on the Hisense U7 range and save up to $2,000.