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I'll never claim to be an artist; I have a way with words more than I do lines and colors. But I dabble in graphic design, and I love the feeling of pen on paper, going back to basics when so much of my writing takes place on the keyboard. However, as someone who tests tablets, I'm familiar with the world of drawing tablets, particularly Wacom's offerings.

Drawing tablets are a departure from mainstream tablets, like iPads and Samsung Galaxy Tabs. The Wacom One 14 was my first experience with a drawing tablet, and as a beginner, it was the ideal model for learning how to use one. I utilized my expertise — and amateur artistry — to become familiar with the Wacom One 14, and I believe it's an accessible and intelligent piece of technology.

Wacom One 14 $249.95 at Amazon
$299.95 Save $50   Shop Now at Amazon Wacom One 14 Specs and Price The Wacom One 14 allows you to use a stylus with your computer to support your creative endeavors. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

• Dimensions: 13.2 by 7.9 by 0.4 inches

• Display Size: 14-inch

• Screen Resolution: ‎1920 by 1080

• Weight: 1.65 lbs

• Power Source: USB-C

• Compatibility: Windows 10, macOS 13, and the latest version of ChromeOS

• Pen: Electromagnetic resonance technology

• Price: $299.95

How to use the Wacom One 14

Having never used a drawing tablet before, I found the setup for the Wacom One 14 to be easy, with only some minor troubleshooting required. The Wacom One 14 operates as a peripheral device and requires a computer connection; think of it more as an extension of a computer rather than a standalone device.

Once connected to a computer or laptop via the USB-C port, the device will turn on. When you first turn it on, you might encounter a couple of things. The screen may appear as a blank desktop, which means you need to access your system settings and ensure that 'mirror screen' is enabled. The included stylus will start working, but may require calibration. For that, you'll need Wacom's software.

The Wacom One 14 is not a touchscreen, and you'll navigate the tablet using the stylus, which allows you to click, draw, write, and select items on the screen. It can operate either as a mirror of your main display or as a secondary monitor, and you can even set the button on the Wacom stylus to cycle through different displays.

What should you use the Wacom One 14 for? In addition to creating beautiful pictures, you can use the stylus like you would a mouse. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Wacom tablets, including the Wacom One 14, are primarily known as drawing tablets, meaning you're going to use them for just that. The creative applications are virtually endless. You can use it to draw, sketch, animate, edit photos, and create 3D models. Beyond the creative activity, it's also convenient for annotating and taking notes.

The screen itself has a lovely matte feel, adding a little bit of friction to the screen so it feels like actual pen and paper. I liked it much more than the slick, smooth surface of an iPad and Apple Pencil.

SEE ALSO: Kindle Scribe vs. Kobo Libra Colour: Which e-reader is better for journaling?

Its digital note-taking capabilities make the Wacom One 14 an excellent application for teaching. As I used the tablet, which allowed me to draw and have the image reflected on the laptop screen, I remembered the projectors of my youth, where teachers would write out equations and project them onto the screen. The Wacom One 14 feels like it's an advanced version of that.

The Wacom One 14 comes with a range of programs to help you get started, but it also works with free programs like Canva, which is how I tested the Wacom tablet.

Who is the Wacom One 14 for?

Using the device is incredibly intuitive. I'd never used a drawing tablet before, but I was up and running within 20 minutes of taking it out of the box. It's an approachable device even for beginners. Educators, even those not in creative fields, will find the Wacom One 14 helpful in the classroom as well.

It's also an affordable unit at $299.95, cheaper than any iPad on the market. That being said, it's best for anyone who wants to use the device with a computer and isn't looking for a standalone tablet.

Should you buy the Wacom One 14? The Wacom One 14 is an excellent drawing tablet for beginners. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Wacom One 14 is an excellent drawing tablet, particularly for beginners. The device's setup is straightforward and allows you to get started quickly, without a steep learning curve. Plus, it's somewhat affordable at $299.95. If you have a teen or tween in your life who is interested in digital art or you're looking to try it out yourself but don't want to make a considerable investment, this is a well-valued starting point.

It won't be for everyone. It's not for someone who wants a standalone tablet or a more advanced drawing tablet. For that, consider looking into a tablet with an OLED display and better resolution — such as the iPad Pro with the M5 chip.

But if you're just getting started, the Wacom One 14 is a novice-friendly drawing tablet.

Wacom One 14 $249.95 at Amazon
$299.95 Save $50   Shop Now at Amazon

TL;DR: Game like you used to on a Kinhank Retro Console on sale for $89.97 through Nov. 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator and Streaming Console $89.97
$159.99 Save $70.02   Get Deal

The cost of new games keeps going up, and shelling out big money for one title isn’t ideal when you’re just looking to unwind here and there. For anyone nostalgic for the affordable gaming days, this new retro console brings that feeling back.

The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro has thousands of games pre-loaded, and you might recognize a few. These are retro titles like Street Fighter and Final Fantasy, and it’s only $89.97 (reg. $159.99) until Nov. 20 to get access to all of them.

SEE ALSO: 100+ of the best early Black Friday gaming deals — epic deals on consoles, games, accessories, and more

Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro gives you a single, smooth interface to play thousands of modern and old-school titles. You get dual operating systems, with Android 9.0 for streaming apps and EmuELEC 4.5 for emulation, giving you flexibility beyond gaming. You can go straight from trouncing your friend in a 1v1 deathmatch to marathoning your favorite show.

The included 256GB game card comes loaded with thousands of games, spanning classic systems like NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, and more. Plus, you can easily expand your library using a microSD card or download additional 3D games at no extra cost.

You also get two wireless controllers right out of the box, making multiplayer gaming easy. Thanks to the plug-and-play design, setup is simple. Just connect it to your TV or monitor with the included HDMI cable, power it up, and start playing. It even supports 4K HD output, so your retro games will look surprisingly crisp on modern screens.

With built-in dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro offers stable connections for both online features and wireless accessories. And while it’s pretty stacked with games, this console is still small enough to toss in a backpack and take to a friend’s house. Ya know, like people used to do.

If you want gaming to feel like it used to, get a Kinhank Super Console while it’s on sale for $89.97 until Nov. 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

There is perhaps nothing that has plagued the electronics consumer quite as much as bloatware. It’s omnipresent in most modern operating systems and products, whether it’s extra stuff on Android phones or a bunch of superfluous settings left on by default. Microsoft’s Copilot has the distinct classification of being both bloatware and a superfluous setting, so it’s pretty understandable if you want to get rid of it.

So, if you're part of the anti-AI crowd, then you may be wondering:

Can you remove Copilot from your Windows laptop? What about a Copilot+ PC?

There is a way to shut down Copilot. However, you should manage your expectations.

Even on the best Windows laptops, there's no way to fully delete all traces of Copilot, as Microsoft has fully integrated Copilot into the Windows 11 operating system, whether you like it or not. Since the ChatGPT-powered Copilot is a major push for Microsoft, it’s also fairly likely that even more Copilot features will be added with future updates, so trying to rid all traces of AI from your Windows laptop may be an exercise in futility anyway.

Still, with a little work, you can disable and remove all of the user-facing Copilot stuff, which will keep it hidden away and unable to function, thus leaving you with a cleaner Windows 11 experience. I tested all of the methods described in this story on my DIY desktop PC and my laptop, and they can help you turn Copilot off on your device, too.

A screenshot of the Copilot app's settings in Windows 11, with the uninstall option highlighted. Credit: Joe Hindy SEE ALSO: What is Copilot? Uninstall the Copilot app

The first thing you should do is uninstall the Copilot app. This is a Windows app and can be uninstalled like any other Windows app. There are a few ways to do this, and we’ll outline two of them.

The fast way

• Hit the Windows Key to open your search and type in Copilot.

• Right-click the app with your mouse and select Uninstall.

• A window will pop up asking you to confirm. Do so.

• The app will be uninstalled.

The harder way

• Open the Settings on your Windows PC.

• Navigate to Apps and then Installed apps.

• Find Copilot on your list of installed apps.

• Click the three-dot button on the right side and click Uninstall.

For all intents and purposes, Copilot will cease to function on your PC after uninstalling the app, and you can go about your life in peace.

Disable Copilot on a Windows PC

Once the official app is uninstalled, there’s no real reason to do anything further, but if you really hate AI, you can if you want to. Damn the man!

In the interest of completeness, here’s how to disable Copilot on your PC.

This method is doable in two ways. If you have Windows 11 Pro, you can do this through the Group Policy Editor, which is quite simple. Those who have Windows 11 Home have to go through the Registry Editor, which can be an intimidating and potentially dangerous process. Thus, proceed at your own risk.

Disable Copilot through the Group Policy Editor

• Hit the Windows Key to open search and type in Edit group policy or gpedit.msc and open the setting that pops up.

• Once the Group Policy Editor is open, you’ll navigate to a setting in the left margin.

• The order is User configuration, then Administrative templates, click on Windows components, and then finally Windows Copilot.

• Double-click where it says Turn off Windows Copilot; a new window will open.

• In the window, click Enabled, then Apply, and then finally OK.

• Copilot will be disabled.

This method only works for Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise. While it is possible to install and use Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 Home, it’s not worth the effort, as there's a better option:

Disable Copilot through the Registry Editor

A screenshot of an advanced editing option in Windows that is used to help disable Copilot Credit: Joe Hindy

• Hit the Windows Key and type in regedit, and then open the Registry Editor.

• Navigate to HKEY_Current_User, then Software, then Policies.

• Once there, go to Microsoft and then Windows, and finally CurrentVersion.

• There, you’ll see an option called WindowsCopilot.

• Double-click the TurnOffWindowsCopilot and change the value from 0 to 1.

• Exit Registry Editor and reboot your PC.

It’s a simple enough process if you're used to working in the Windows 11 backend, but you can mess up a lot of stuff in the Registry Editor if you're not. Thus, again, proceed with caution and don’t change any of the other values. In addition, not all versions of Windows will have this registry option.

Voila, Copilot is as off as Copilot gets

If you've followed our advice, Copilot will now be disabled (or uninstalled) on your Windows laptop or Chromebook. Since most of its functionality comes directly through the Copilot app, uninstalling the app gets you about 90 percent of the way there, which should be more than enough for most Windows users. Disabling it via the Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor finishes the job, but without the app in the front, Copilot can’t really do much of anything anyway.

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.

In a recent poll amongst ourselves, my colleagues and I were unanimous: Camelcamelcamel is our favorite deal-finding tool.

"Camelcamelcamel has helped me make better shopping recommendations on a weekly, sometimes daily basis for the past eight years," said Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodart. Global Shopping Editor Joseph Green concurred: "I use it probably close to 100 times a day," he said. "Every sensible shopper should have it on hand."

So, what is camelcamelcamel? We're not talking about a trio of actual ungulates — it's a free Amazon price-tracking tool. We use it to vet Amazon deals year-round, but it's especially handy during major shopping events like Prime Day and Black Friday, when the retailer goes into deals overdrive. Camelcamelcamel makes it easy to determine whether a product's sale price is a better-than-usual deal or a common occurrence. It helps sort the scores from the skips.

SEE ALSO: The 40+ best early Black Friday deals: We found record prices on Apple gadgets, headphones, TVs, and robot vacuums How camelcamelcamel works

Founded in 2008 by Daniel Green, a California-based programmer, camelcamelcamel uses Amazon's Product Advertising API (product data for affiliate marketers and developers) to track the prices of millions of items throughout their shelf lives. Visitors to the site can view items' price history charts and sign up for price drop notifications via email. These features are also available through The Camelizer, camelcamelcamel's browser extension.

Green told Mashable via email that camelcamelcamel began as "a code experiment" with Amazon's API that he built into a web interface and eventually published online. (When asked why he went with a camel theme, Green countered, "Why not?!") He'd planned on taking the site down after showing it to his friends, thinking it would just be a "short-lived demo." Then other people started using it — and kept using it.

Green wound up hiring some friends to help him continue working on camelcamelcamel, which will soon enter its second decade. "We are eternally grateful to the internet for allowing us to run a self-sustaining, free website for so many years," he said.

Camelcamelcamel is supported by affiliate links, so if you click on an Amazon link there and wind up buying something, camelcamelcamel earns a commission.

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

Green and his team are planning to add more features to the site in the near future, including product popularity metrics and "better surfacing of quality items that are on sale," he said. A design update for The Camelizer is also on the docket.

Is camelcamelcamel accurate?

Camelcamelcamel checks product prices regularly but doesn't catch every deal Amazon offers. The site can't monitor limited-time Lightning deals, according to a 2011 blog post Green wrote, and we've noticed that it also misses on-page coupons. But it typically captures enough data to tell you whether something's cheaper than usual — and if not, when it's hit record lows in the past.

Does camelcamelcamel only work on Amazon?

While camelcamelcamel only works on Amazon products, it's still useful for cross-checking deals elsewhere. "I've used camelcamelcamel to compare an item’s Amazon price history with the current price at Walmart or Best Buy or wherever," said Mashable's Stodart. "It has exposed crappy discounts at competitors as many times as it has snitched on Amazon itself."

Planning on doing a lot of your holiday shopping on Amazon in the coming weeks? Here's a step-by-step guide to using camelcamelcamel and The Camelizer to look up a product's price history and sign up for price drop alerts.

How to use camelcamelcamel Total Time

• 10 seconds

What You Need

• A device with an internet connection

Step 1: Copy the product's Amazon URL.

I'll use this Apple MacBook Air as an example.

Step 2: Go to camelcamelcamel.com.

Step 3: Paste the product's Amazon URL into camelcamelcamel's search bar, then hit enter.

Step 4: A chart on the next page will show the product's price history since launch.

This MacBook Air was sitting at a new record-low price on Amazon at the time of writing.

Credit: camelcamelcamel.com

Step 5: If you want to buy the product for a lower price than it's currently at, you can sign up for deal alerts by clicking the blue "+ Add Amazon Price Watch" button on the right side of the page.

Camelcamelcamel will send you an email if/when the product hits your desired price.

Credit: camelcamelcamel.com How to use The Camelizer browser extension Total Time

• 10 seconds

What You Need

• A device with an internet connection

Step 1: Install The Camelizer browser extension.

It's available for Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, and Opera.

Step 2: Pull up the product's Amazon listing.

Step 3: Click The Camelizer's icon in your browser's toolbar.

The same price history chart will populate in a drop-down window. You can set email alerts for price drops in the lower fields.

Credit: Amazon.com / The Camelizer

Among Amazon's flagship gadgets, like Kindles and Fire TVs, Echos are the star of the show. These multitasking smart home devices do a little bit of everything in nearly every room in the house. (Plus, with this year's rollout of Alexa+, they're now supercharged with extra AI features.) Whether you need a smart speaker, alarm clock, or hub for your other smart devices, there's an Echo to help you out. Amazon's list of devices is ever-growing, so we've tested them to find the best Echo devices for your smart home.

If you're ready to invest in an Echo, you don't need to buy these devices at full price. They always go on sale during events like Prime Day and Black Friday. This past Prime Day, we saw Echo discounts of up to 73% off devices like the Pop, Dot, and Spot. So, if you are going to buy an Amazon smart home device, it's worth holding out until the next sale.

And luckily, the next sale is almost here. Black Friday is coming Nov. 28, 2025, and we expect to see devices hit their all-time low prices. Last year, the Echo Dot dropped down to $22.99 and the Echo Pop fell to $17.99.

New Echos in 2025

On Sept. 30, 2025, Amazon debuted several new Echo devices. We've yet to test the new Amazon Echo Dot Max or the refreshed Echo Studio, however, once we've completed testing, we'll add them to this guide.

Changes to existing Echo devices in 2025

For existing Echo owners, or those looking to become ones, a major change happened in 2025 that affects user privacy. Amazon sent out an email to users saying the "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" feature on the device will no longer be available as of March 28, 2025. But what does that mean?

Previously, the "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" setting allowed the devices to process requests locally without sending them to Amazon servers. However, with that setting no longer supported, all requests will now go through Amazon servers. Plus, if you do have that setting turned on after the change goes into effect, you'll lose access to the Voice ID feature as well.

While Amazon promises that all information requests are encrypted and secure, it still means that the retailer has access to all of that data.

What can an Echo smart speaker do? Trying out the new Echo Spot smart alarm clock. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

All Echo devices utilize Amazon Alexa's AI superpowers — it's just a matter of which form you want your Echo to take. The Echo and Echo Dot are smart speakers that you can use for music, phone calls, calendar reminders, or news alerts. Amazon Echo Show devices, on the other hand, can do all of the aforementioned audio stuff, but they also boast colorful displays for making video calls, streaming entertainment, or managing your day. Think of Echo Shows as stationary, more affordable tablets, essentially.

Most Echo devices are designed to act as smart hubs within your home, but some Echo devices can also be taken on the road. Echo Auto brings hands-free Alexa functionality to the car, while Echo Buds and Echo Frames can travel with you anywhere.

What can Alexa+ do?

Alexa is to Amazon as Siri is to Apple, and is the driving force behind every Echo. But Alexa just got a big upgrade. Now there's Alexa+, a new AI-powered version of Alexa introduced to Echo devices in March 2025. For Prime subscribers, Alexa+ will be included in membership, and non-subscribers will have to pay $19.99 per month for the service.

Alexa has an answer to almost anything you ask. Just by shouting out, you can play music, adjust the volume, and set an alarm or timer. And that's just naming a few options. On devices like the Echo Show, you can also ask Alexa to pull up recipes or answer questions that come up while cooking. With Alexa+, the AI agent doesn't just respond to commands but can actually engage in conversation.

Here's a short list of what Alexa+ can do:

• Provide a highlight reel of the day's security footage

• Read stories to kids

• Plan a date night

• Book restaurant reservations

• Control your smart home technology from one central hub

• Access your calendars and set reminders

• Get answers to any question you can think of

• Make phone calls (and video calls with an Echo Show)

• Get the latest weather and news

• Follow recipes

• Shop on Amazon

• Stream music (and video on an Amazon Echo Show)

• Play games

There are more than 100,000 Alexa skills that you can utilize via an Echo device, and Amazon is always adding more.

Alexa gets supercharged when other smart home tech comes into the picture. If you have a smart thermostat or smart light bulbs, as long as they're compatible with the Alexa system, you can create routines through your Echo. That can be as simple as telling Alexa to turn on the lights in one room or programming Alexa to turn the thermostat down before you come home.

If you're ready for an Alexa-powered home, read on for the 10 best Amazon Echo devices of 2025.

Apple's iPads are better than ever. Within the past year, every model has received an upgrade, meaning Apple's tablets are now equipped with the latest silicon. iPads remain versatile tablets and can even be budget-friendly — especially when you catch them on sale. The full line-up now includes: the iPad with A16 chip, iPad Mini with A17 chip, iPad Air with M3 chip, and iPad Pro with M5 chip.

At this point, iPads can do (almost) anything your laptop can do thanks to iPadOS 26. Whether you want to stream, browse the internet, illustrate, or edit videos, you can do it on the iPad. Recent developments in the Pro and Air models also set them up as gaming devices.

The rapid pace of Apple's update schedule makes shopping for a tablet all the more difficult. So, we tested every model to help you find the best iPad for you.

If you are in the market to buy an iPad, we recommend holding out until Black Friday. The annual shopping event brings the best prices we've ever seen on tech, and this year we're hoping to see a discount on the new iPad Pro with M5 chip.

Which iPad model should I buy?

The right iPad for you depends purely on your needs. Do you want something that has enough storage and speed for streaming? Do you want to use it to read? Do you want to use a tablet as your primary workstation? Your answers should factor into your decision.

To get you started, we believe the best iPad for most people is the new M3 iPad Air (2025). It has exceptional performance but is also in the middle range for both price and capability.

Gone are the days of clip-on pedometers. Now, it's all about tech wearables that maximize your physical potential with round-the-clock vitals monitoring — but I'm not talking about an Apple Watch or Fitbit. The next evolution of fitness trackers is here, and it's the smart ring.

Smart rings monitor your health in a tiny, inconspicuous package. At first glance, they look like any other piece of jewelry, a simple gold or silver ring. But with tiny sensors, these rings track biometrics through your finger. Yes, they'll track your step count and calories burned, but more advanced technology allows them to track sleep and stress levels, all detected through heart rate and variability.

If you're looking to gain deeper insights into your health, a smart ring will help you do that, and, we've vetted the most popular models on the market through weeks of testing to find the best smart ring.

But be warned, the biggest downside to a smart ring is the price tag. Even the cheapest smart ring starts around $200, so getting one is going to be an investment. But that also means you may want to find one on sale. With Black Friday on the horizon, we'll be hunting all best deals on these devices, and crossing our fingers to see a sale on the Oura Ring 4.

What's the best smart ring?

The smart ring market is ever-growing, with new models debuting each year. Samsung just launched a smart ring in 2024, and while Apple doesn't have a smart ring on the market yet, we're sure it will be here in a matter of time. But smart rings are synonymous with the Oura Ring, a leader in the field, and for good reason. After spending weeks with the device, testing its hype, and comparing it to other devices, we can confidently say Oura makes the best smart ring in 2025.

Oura offers the most expansive biometric tracking, monitoring your health around the clock. It focuses on daily and long-term health goals more holistically than other rings.

However, the Oura Ring has downsides, like a monthly subscription fee. If you're not down for a monthly fee, we tested some popular alternatives to Oura rings.

Why should you buy a smart ring? So you think you want a smart ring? Here's what you need to know about the latest tech wearable. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Smart rings are not just another fitness tracker. Yes, they do track your activity, steps, and calories burned. However, they're really meant to offer a more holistic view of your health so you can gain deeper insights into your sleep habits, cardiovascular health, and more.

You're a good candidate for a smart ring if you hate the look of a smartwatch or fitness tracker with LED screens, which are categorically not cool. Smart rings are posed as a discreet option, looking like a regular piece of jewelry. However, to be frank, they don't blend in that well. In my weeks of testing, while wearing the rings during hangouts, someone would inevitably ask me, "What's that?"

Since a smart ring doesn't have a screen, you have to pull out your phone and open an app whenever you want to track activity. That's certainly not the end of the world, but if you convert from a smartwatch, you'll miss the convenience of tapping your wrist. That being said, I actually find a smart ring most useful when paired with a smartwatch. I ran all my testing while simultaneously wearing an Apple Watch, and I appreciated the smart rings that were compatible with my watch so I could receive push notifications.

The latest smart ring news

If I were to assign the superlative of 'Most Dramatic' to any tech product, it would be to smart rings. In between new product and feature launches, the smart ring beat is abuzz with brand conflicts, privacy concerns, and swelling batteries.

Oura ring: New ceramic rings, blood tests, and Palantir

In early September, the internet was swirling with concerns around data privacy with Oura. After an announcement of Oura's continued partnership with the United States Military as well as the use of Palantir software being used in this venture, users were concerned about their data. Oura has clarified that Palantir has no access to user data.

Things have since settled down since Oura clarified its partnership. The brand recently launched the Oura Ring 4 in ceramic, which comes in four new colors. Plus, the brand launched multi-device pairing as well as health panels, which analyze users blood work through a Quest Diagnostics partnership.

Ultrahuman: Are they still available in the United States?

Earlier this year, Oura won a patent dispute against Ultrahuman and Ringcon, claiming its competitors purchased Oura rings to reverse engineer the curved battery. The International Trade Commission ruled in Oura's favor, resulting in Ultrahuman and Ringcon no longer being able to import to the US as of October 21, 2025. But does that mean the devices are going away? Not really.

In an email with Ultrahuman representation, they clarified that the brand can no longer import to the U.S. or sell the ring via Ultrahuman's website after October 21. However, other retailers such as Amazon or Best Buy can still sell the product past that date and as of Nov. 2025, you can still find the Ring Air available to buy. This ruling only applies to the Ultrahuman Ring Air, and the brand has implied that a new device may be on the way.

Samsung: Reports of battery swelling on the rise

The Samsung Galaxy Ring, which we recommend to those already in the Samsung ecosystem, has also been in the news lately. A YouTuber named Daniel, who runs the channel ZONEofTECH, alleged that his Samsung Galaxy Ring began swelling as he was boarding a plane. Daniel reportedly had to go to the hospital to get the ring removed. The swelling appears to come from the Samsung ring's battery, which tends to swell inward, preventing users from being able to remove it. This is not the first report of a Samsung ring's battery swelling, but it is the first where a user had to go to the hospital.

TL;DR: Right now, you can get a 16GB RAM 1TB SSD MacBook Pro on sale for $440.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Macbook Pro 2020 (Refurbished) $439.99
$1,999 Save $1,559.01   Get Deal

The end of the year is one of the best times to find deals on Apple tech, and you don’t even have to wait for Black Friday to find them. Right now, you can actually get a $1,999 MacBook Pro like this one on sale for only $439.99, but be advised, stock is very limited.

This is a refurbished model, but you wouldn’t know from looking at it. A grade “A” rating means it will arrive in near-mint condition with virtually no signs of wear. The body might have faint signs of use, but they’re not visible from more than a foot away. The screen doesn’t have any blemishes, and the battery still lasts up to 10 hours on a full charge, but that might vary based on the apps you’re using. This version also still has a Touch Bar, so you can sign in with a touch and access bespoke controls for different apps.

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In terms of specs, this MacBook is well-equipped for work or home. It has 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 2GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor that Turbo Boosts up to 3.8GHz. In practice, that means you have enough power to multitask on a lot of apps or indulge in a whole library of browser tabs you’ll never remember to close. There’s also plenty of space for apps and files, so you may finally be able to cancel that cloud storage subscription.

If you’ve been on the market for a good computer, this is a chance to find a solid upgrade for a rare price.

For a limited time, it’s only $439.99 to get a MacBook Pro. Sale ends soon.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025:

Across___ angel

• The answer is Snow.

___ fairy

• The answer is Tooth.

"Go, go, go!"

• The answer is Hurry.

Voice between soprano and tenor

• The answer is Alto.

"Sorta" suffix

• The answer is Ish.

DownSpiritual selves

• The answer is Souls.

Word in two U.S. state names and two country names (can you name them all?)

• The answer is North.

Spanish for "other"

• The answer is Otro.

"For what reason?"

• The answer is Why.

Cuisine with massaman curry

• The answer is Thai.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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TL;DR: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Nov. 18-22. The Closed-Door Book Blast, hosted by the Indie Author Collective, offers free or heavily discounted closed-door romance books for your e-reader.

We know that the focus right now is very much on Black Friday. We're busy scanning the online world for the best deals on Apple, TVs, Lego, and just about everything else, but we can't ignore the prospect of free or heavily discounted ebooks. The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day is live. It has absolutely nothing to do with Black Friday, and that's OK.

The Closed-Door Book Blast, hosted by the Indie Author Collective, takes place from Nov. 18-22. During this special event, participants can score free or heavily discounted closed-door romance books. Everything that you download is yours to keep forever, so if romance is your thing, this is a unique opportunity to stock up ahead of the winter months. You're not going to be leaving the house anyway. Stay in and read. You know you want to.

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

Want 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 Closed-Door Book Blast takes place from Nov. 18-22. A lot of Stuff Your Kindle Day events take place over 24 hours, but this event runs for five whole days. That gives you the chance to take your time and properly peruse everything that's on offer.

Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?

The wonderful thing about Stuff Your Kindle Day is that anyone can participate. 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 Closed-Door Book Blast has a helpful hub page with everything included in this giveaway. All of the listed titles are free, $0.99, or available on Kindle Unlimited/Kobo Plus or through the author's website. You can find filters for genre, content level, major tropes, spice level, and other useful categories.

The Indie Author Collective have also included information on content levels and spice levels, so you know exactly what you're getting into before you start reading. No nasty surprises.

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. We're all waiting for Black Friday Kindle deals to drop. We're tracking the best offers right here.

SAVE $73: As of Nov. 19, the iPad Pro M5 is on sale for $926 at Amazon. That's a 7% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPad Pro M5 $926 at Amazon
$999 Save $73   Get Deal

There are some select products we always gravitate towards during major shopping events like Black Friday: TVs, big-ticket items like portable power stations, and anything Apple. Yep, when the sales hit we flock to see whether or not AirPods and iPads are falling in price.

As of Nov. 19, the new iPad Pro M5 has hit its lowest-ever price at Amazon. The 256GB model is now priced at $926, which is a saving of over $70 on list price.

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This is one of Apple's most advanced iPads, released at the end of October 2025. It is built with the impressive M5 chip and runs on iPadOS 26, which has introduced a new, redesigned interface with a windowing system to help you better organize and manage your workflow.

This iPad also boasts an 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR screen that gives you extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone. The touchscreen is compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C), and the Magic Keyboard so you can transform your device into a place for creative output or work.

Pick up this great iPad deal from Amazon ahead of Black Friday.

SAVE $370: As of Nov. 19, the Samsung 40-inch Odyssey G7 is on sale for $749.99 at Amazon. That's a 38% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 40-inch Odyssey G7 $749.99 at Amazon
$1,199.99 Save $450   Get Deal

Black Friday deals are starting to ramp up, and even though the main event is still over a week away, you can already find all kinds of early deals on new tech. And if you were thinking about using this holiday to upgrade your gaming setup, you'll find an amazing deal on the Samsung 40-inch Odyssey G7 right now at Amazon. As of Nov. 19, this monitor is down to $749.99, a saving of $370.

The Odyssey G7 G75 is a 1000R curved display with a 21:9 ultrawide 4K resolution that wraps around your field of view for a more extensive and cinematic image. You can even split the display in half, either for side-by-side gameplay or for making multitasking easier.

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This screen also supports VESA DisplayHDR 600 for stronger contrast, deeper blacks, and brighter highlights, making sure that dark scenes are still clear. It has a 180Hz refresh rate and a near-instant 1ms GtG response time, so it can handle fast performance and you won't need to endure any picture lag.

This monitor deal is available from Amazon, and according to camelcamelcamel, it's at its lowest-ever price. Don't miss out on this great early Black Friday deal for gamers.

Anker Solix makes some of the best portable power stations. The brand consistently combines top-notch functions with thoughtful design, and they continue to get more compact and lightweight with each new model. Anker also offers some of the best value-to-features ratios throughout the lineup of portable power stations and smaller electronic charging devices. The brand also makes a lineup of electric coolers, with the latest model being the Anker Solix EverFrost 2.

SEE ALSO: The Igloo KoolTunes is no ordinary cooler. It's also a decent portable speaker. What’s to love about the Anker Solix EverFrost 2

Opting for an electric cooler over your standard model comes with some awesome advantages. For starters, you don’t have to mess around with ice. That means no more soggy food or packaging or general mess that comes with everything being wet. An electric cooler also gives you precise temperature control, and on the Anker Solix Everfrost 2, you can select a specific temperature between -4 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Use it as a portable freezer for the drive to the campground and then switch it to a refrigerator temperature for beverages after cooking up the frozen goods.

An ice-free electric cooler with a prep station that can charge your phone? Campsite dreams do come true. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

Anker says the EverFrost 2 has 2.4-inch walls designed for optimal cooling, and it has the brand’s FrostFlow technology. This mixes coil-wrapped evaporator walls with the lid-mounted fan that helps with the circulation of chilled air, aiming to remove temperature differences within the cooler.

There are also all-terrain wheels, a prep table that doubles as a roller handle, and measurements on the lid that’ll be handy when fishing. Here are some important specs for the Anker Solix EverFrost 2:

• Sizes available: 23, 40, and 58 liters

• Holding temperature range: -4 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit

• Ambient temperature range: 32 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit

• Battery capacity: 288Wh each (option to use two)

• Battery output: 60W USB-C and 12W USB-A

• Recharging options: solar panel (max 100W), car socket, wall outlet, or USB-C

• Weight: 37 pounds (23 liters), 50.7 pounds (40 liters), 63.7 pounds (58 liters)

One battery or two; charge the cooler or charge your phone

Each of the three EverFrost 2 sizes comes with one 288Wh battery. You can double this by purchasing an additional 288Wh battery to fill the additional built-in battery slot on the electric cooler. This’ll double the run-time on the cooler, which will be great for longer trips or if you’ll be in conditions that don’t work well for recharging. At the time of writing, the additional battery goes for $249. 

One of my favorite aspects of the EverFrost 2 is the ability to use the cooler’s battery to recharge electronics. Each battery has a USB-A and a USB-C port that can be used to recharge phones or small tech devices while camping. In a way, this means the EverFrost 2 is both an electric cooler and a small portable power station.

The EverFrost 2 batteries include a USB-A and USB-C port for recharging devices on the go. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable The chill sets in quickly

When testing the EverFrost 2, I was wowed by its ability to get cold quickly. Anker says it can go from 77 degrees down to 32 in 15 minutes in Max mode. At one point, I was transporting important frozen goods in the EverFrost cooler — six pints of Graeter’s ice cream. I’ve never felt confident transporting ice cream on long car rides in a standard cooler, but given the promises of the EverFrost 2, I was willing to take the chance on this crucial ice cream cargo. I kept a close eye on the cooler’s internal temperature through the app and was shocked by how quickly it cooled.

I put all my faith into the EverFrost 2 to keep my important foods frozen (read: ice cream). Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

I didn’t bother with Max mode and instead kept it on Smart mode. Within 10 minutes, the cooler went from its ambient garage temperature of 55 degrees down to 23. After that initial chill, I kept the app open and noticed it continued to drop by one degree about every minute. All of that checks out with Anker’s initial claims of taking 26 minutes to drop from 77 to 32 degrees in Smart mode. But if you’re in a super hurry, you can speed that up to just 15 minutes. I packed up my ice cream and set off for a three-hour car ride, and found the ice cream to be in perfect frozen condition after those three hours.

This is great news for forgetful people who will be using the EverFrost for frozen goods and can’t remember to pre-chill the cooler. It’ll take under half an hour to get it down to optimal temperature. In addition to setting the temperature on the Anker app, you can also use the controls on the cooler itself.

On-cooler controls mean you don't have to use the app to control the cooler. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable Recharging options aplenty

One of the nicest elements about the Anker Solix EverFrost 2 is its recharging versatility. You have standard AC wall recharging thanks to the included charger, but you can also recharge with a solar panel or even USB-C. While testing, I haphazardly removed an Anker cable from my camping backpack, assuming it was for a portable power station I wasn’t bringing. Of course, it was the AC recharging cable for the EverFrost 2, which made my heart sink once I realized my mistake. But once I remembered I had a USB-C cable and my beloved Anker GaN charger that I use to charge my phone and laptop, I was set to recharge the cooler. That also made me realize how awesome it is to have a single cable and charger that works for my important tech devices and the electric cooler.

You can also recharge the Solix EverFrost 2 with solar. There’s something especially satisfying about using something as hot as the sun, which measures 10,000 degrees on its coldest point, to keep food cold. And it always feels like using a cheat code to get free power from the sun, minus the initial cost of a solar panel. But keep in mind the EverFrost 2 only likes a little bit of solar power, and it maxes out with a relatively small 100W solar panel. 

Each EverFrost 2 comes with one battery but has room for an additional. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable Anker included easy access to the USB-C and USB-A ports on the battery. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

If you’re having an extra forgetful day and take off for a camping trip with a dead electric cooler, you can recharge it while you drive, thanks to the car socket. Anker kindly includes that charging cable with the cooler.

Recharging times for the EverFrost are pretty slow, though, especially considering Anker’s focus on whizzing-quick recharging on the brand’s portable power stations. These are Anker’s listed recharging times for all sizes of the EverFrost 2:

• 100W solar panel: 3.6 hours

• AC wall outlet: 3.6 hours

• Car charger: 3.6 hours

• USB-C: 5.5 hours

Sizing versatility is great

The Anker Solix EverFrost 2 comes in three size options: a 23-liter, 40-liter, and a 58-liter. Both the 23- and 40-liter options have a singular cooling compartment, so you’ll need to decide if you want it to serve as a freezer or a refrigerator and set the temperature accordingly. The 58-liter comes with the major benefit of having dual compartments. That means you can head off with one side serving as a refrigerator for fresh foods and drinks, and the other working as a freezer.

Anker’s app is a joy to use

Every portable power station I’ve ever tested syncs up to an associated app. These tend to be awesome if you love looking at data and stats. Anker’s app is one of my favorites because it allows you to skip all account setup and simply connect the app to nearby Anker portable power stations or coolers with Bluetooth. 

The sliding temperature dial in the app is a breeze to use. Credit: Screenshot: Anker Full stats in the app with the ability to change temp, mode, and check on battery life. Credit: Screenshot: Anker

After finding the EverFrost 2 cooler, the app allows users to control the temperature and settings of the cooler. I found using the Anker app with the electric cooler to be especially useful during road trips, since the cooler is usually packed into the back of the car and inaccessible. I could quickly check on the temperature from the passenger seat to make sure my ice cream was safely chilled. It’s also convenient to peek at remaining battery life and adjust the temperature on the sliding dial.

An awkward lift, but the wheels are plenty capable

In a sense, it’s unfair to say lifting the Anker EverFrost 2 is a chore because all coolers of this size are weird to carry. The inherent shape makes lifting and carrying a less-than-perfect experience. The EverFrost 2 has some extra inconvenience since there’s extra weight compared to a standard cooler. Each EverFrost 2 battery weighs about 5.5 pounds, and they slot into the electric cooler on the same side, which means the cooler is heavier on one side. It’s not an unmanageable lift, but it’s not great fun. I made sure to open doors, pop the car trunk, and clear the path before I needed to relocate the cooler. 

We're going places with these durable wheels. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

Anker’s designs tend to be thoughtful, so of course, they added some elements of respite to the awkward nature of carrying and lifting the cooler. The six-inch wheels are, in fact, all-terrain, and they do a great job on pavement, trails, and even deep gravel. In my testing, I always found the wheels could roll along well on any terrain.

Is the Anker EverFrost 2 worth buying?

If you rely on a cooler to keep your food safely chilled, the Anker EverFrost 2 is an awesome electric model. It’s better suited for long trips or off-grid adventures compared to your standard cooler. It can also be used as a substitute for a full-on van refrigerator. Pair it with solar power, and you have a mini portable refrigerator and/or freezer.

I also think it’s great for campers who don’t love dealing with the mess of ice, and it can also be useful during power outages if you don’t feel like using juice from your portable power station to keep the refrigerator running. 

Anker loves a sale as much as we do, and if your schedule allows for it, consider waiting to buy until the Anker Solix EverFrost 2 goes on sale. We’ve seen sale prices that shave several hundred dollars off the list price, so it might be worth waiting for a sale (like Black Friday or Prime Day).

Anker Solix EverFrost 2 electric cooler $649 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $250.99   Shop Now at Amazon

SAVE $29: As of Nov. 19, the Lego Harry Potter Mandrake Figure is on sale for $40.99 at Amazon. That's a 41% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Harry Potter Mandrake Figure $40.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $29.00   Get Deal

Amazon's Black Friday deals officially kick off on Nov. 19, but if you're a Lego fan, there's a lot of early deals for you to consider. Like this latest deal on the Lego Harry Potter Mandrake Figure, now down to its lowest-ever price. As of Nov. 19, this Lego set is priced at just $40.99, saving you $29.

This Lego set lets you build the famous Mandrake plant, complete with its own pot inspired by the Hogwarts’ Herbology class. The model can be displayed in the pot or lifted out (sans screaming), and it includes posable leaves plus a moving chest that animates the mouth and limbs.

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You can sit the Mandrake outside the pot, adjust its features, and enjoy a build-and-display experience. It even comes with a nameplate on the pot. It has 579 pieces and stands over 10.5 inches tall when complete. Lego notes this is a fun collectible item for Harry Potter fans over the age of 10.

Get it from Amazon now for its lowest-ever price. This deal has a limited-time stamp, so don't miss out on this great price.

TL;DR: From Nov. 19, a new Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Premium Collection is dropping at major retailers. Here's where and when to buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Prismatic Evolutions Premium Collection   Shop Now

Mega Evolution boosters and Phantasmal Flames is still going strong whilst single card prices are in freefall, but Black Friday is all about shifting older products. And it looks like Black Friday has come early for Prismatic Evolutions, as the Premium Figure Collection is coming back in stock at multiple retailers starting Nov. 19. Get ready to try and pull Umbreon ex SIR, this is going to be ridiculously popular.

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Walmart should be up first, launching the collection for Walmart Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on Nov. 19. This is just speculation, but here's when I think other retailers will drop their allocations:

• Target: Online should drop around 10 p.m. PT on Nov. 20, but could arrive in-store earlier.

• Best Buy: Preorders never went live, so an online drop may rock up on Nov. 21. The same goes for in-store, but it might be a limited drop.

• Amazon: Not confirmed, but could drop on release day (Nov. 21)

Every Eeveelution, including Eevee, gets a Special Illustration Rare in Prismatic Evolutions. There's also some often overlooked SIRs such as Roaring Moon ex, Ceruledge ex, and Dragapult ex to boot.

Most valuable Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

Values for Prismatic Evolutions are as crazy as ever when it comes to you-know-who, but overall the set is seeing some new lows when it comes to single cards. It's usually cheaper to buy singles cards than ripping open pack after pack. Here's the top five chase cards for Prismatic Evolutions, including where to buy them now and up-to-date market values:

1. Umbreon ex - 161/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $1,149.99
   Market price: $1,155.36
   Most recent sale: $1,000

2. Sylveon ex - 156/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $373.99
   Market price: $339.26
   Most recent sale: $373.14

3. Leafeon ex - 144/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $268
   Market price: $273.02
   Most recent sale: $267.99

4. Espeon ex - 155/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $193.99
   Market price: $210.54
   Most recent sale: $210.72

5. Vaporeon ex - 149/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $187.61
   Market price: $208.84
   Most recent sale: $199.98

I'm not saying that you can expect every robot vacuum that mops to scrub your kitchen grout with the same tenacity as you could by hand with a toothbrush. But the best robot vacuum and mop combos have gotten much better over the past few years. Many have smart mopping settings that unleash deeper scrubbing on specified spills or stains, and some even use AI sensors to assess whether a mess has been sufficiently cleaned. You can also set your robot vacuum to take multiple passes over dirty floors in the app's settings — one of my go-to tips for making your vacuum work better.

SEE ALSO: iRobot could be facing bankruptcy. But as a vacuum tester, I saw the Roomba flop era coming from a mile away.

Hybrid robot vacuums' self-emptying docks are also getting far more advanced. The best robot mop combos will also automatically wash and dry their mopping pads, self-dispense detergent, and then refill themselves with clean water from the dock. In theory, mopping pad maintenance should be nearly as automated as the cleaning itself.

If you're eyeing one of the super advanced mopping robot vacuums but hesitating on the price, remember that Black Friday is the number one best time of year to buy a robot vacuum on sale. Black Friday robot vacuum deals typically beat discounts that we just saw as recently as Amazon's October Prime Day. All of my robot vacuum recommendations in this list have been on sale at some point in the past few months, so I'm expecting all of those sale prices to hit new record lows this November. It's also the last major sale event before the start of the new year, when a ton of new robot vacuums are debuted at CES in January. In typical product release fashion, retailers are looking to make room for the new flagships by heavily discounting the old ones.

SEE ALSO: I ran the Dyson HushJet 24/7 for a week. It's so quiet that I forgot it was on, but I did notice fresher air. Recent changes to this guide

• Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra: This is the newest recommendation in this list, added on Nov. 13, 2025. I've named it the "best robot vacuum mop combo under $1,000," a mark that it hits when on sale. The Eufy X10 Pro Omni got a similar update: It's now named the "best robot vacuum mop combo under $500," which refers to a sale price it hits quite often.

• Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller: I've added this new vacuum as of Oct. 18, 2025. For now, I've named it the "best roller mop robot vacuum," but it's a frontrunner to be my "best overall" pick.

• Roborock Saros 10R: Previously our top pick as the best robot vacuum and mop, I've now named this the "best corner mopping" vacuum, also as of October 2025.

Other robot vacuums I've tested recently

I've tested several other robot vacuum hybrids that didn't make the cut. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra were top picks in this list at one point, but were merely upstaged in power and price tag value by newer models.

I've also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but weren't contenders for this list. The Dreame X50 Ultra grabbed attention during its CES 2025 debut for its ability to "climb," though the fine print is that it can't scale thresholds taller than 6 millimeters (about 2.36 inches). The Roborock Saros 10 and 10R were able to hoist over the few thick doorway thresholds in my apartment just as well as the X50 Ultra. Its mopping and vacuuming capabilities are better than most mid-range robot vacuums, of course, but they weren't impressive enough for me to suggest the X50 Ultra in this list over either Saros model.

I'm also in the process of testing the new fleet of 2025 Roombas. But given iRobot's rocky financial situation and bleak-looking future, I'm only recommending one mopping Roomba (the Combo 505) at this time — and that's only if it's on sale. The Roomba Combo 205 DustCompactor wouldn't be a bad pick if you absolutely can't spare floor space for a self-empty dock. But for being one of iRobot's newest vacuums, I expected it to be a much smoother, smarter navigator.

A Cloudflare outage took out a large swathe of the internet on Tuesday, with users unable to access numerous sites and services such as X, ChatGPT, Spotify, YouTube, and Uber. The cybersecurity company has now published a blog post detailing exactly what happened.

SEE ALSO: Why does the internet keep crashing so often? First Google Cloud, then AWS, now Cloudflare.

Cloudflare co-founder and CEO Matthew Prince apologised in the post late Tuesday, stating that this outage was the worst the company has experienced since 2019.

"[I]n the last 6+ years we've not had another outage that has caused the majority of core traffic to stop flowing through our network," said Prince. "On behalf of the entire team at Cloudflare, I would like to apologize for the pain we caused the Internet today."

Prince explained that the Cloudflare outage had been caused by an issue with the system it uses to protect websites from DDoS attacks.

Cloudflare's outage, explained This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Cloudflare's Bot Management system is a service which protects websites against malicious bot attacks. These include DDoS attacks that flood websites with excessive traffic, content scraping attacks which gather data from websites without authorisation, and autonomous credential stuffing attacks which try to gain access to websites by using leaked login details from other sites.

This Bot Management system includes an AI model which scores traffic requests. Whenever there's an attempt to access a website protected by Cloudflare's Bot Management, the AI generates a score to determine if it's likely to have been from a bot. In order to do so, the AI considers various features of the request, which are held in a "feature file."

The feature file is where the issue occurred. This file refreshes every five minutes to keep up to date with evolving bot behaviours, and is used across Cloudflare's entire cybersecurity network. However, the company implemented a change to the underlying query that generated the file, which caused it to duplicate information a large number of times. This made the feature file larger than typical, triggering an error in the Bot Management system.

As a result, attempting to access websites which use Cloudflare's Bot Management system resulted in an error code. Cloudflare states that its network began experiencing significant failures about 15 minutes after the feature file generation update was implemented.

Cloudflare initially suspected the outage was a malicious attack, particularly as its status page went down despite being independent from the company's infrastructure. However, Prince stated that this turned out to be a coincidence.

"The issue was not caused, directly or indirectly, by a cyber attack or malicious activity of any kind," Prince stressed. "After we initially wrongly suspected the symptoms we were seeing were caused by a hyper-scale DDoS attack, we correctly identified the core issue and were able to stop the propagation of the larger-than-expected feature file and replace it with an earlier version of the file."

When previously reached by Mashable prior to the blog post, a Cloudflare spokesperson also emphasised that "there [was] no evidence that [the outage] was the result of an attack or caused by malicious activity."

Cloudflare's services were largely restored within three hours, and fully restored after approximately five hours. Prince stated that the company is already planning measures to prevent similar outages in the future, including stopping error reports from being able to overwhelm its systems.

As a leader, the decisions you make in high-stakes moments carry weight far beyond legal or operational impact—they shape trust, culture, and your credibility. When every option feels risky, here’s how to lead with clarity and care.  Map trade-offs instead of reacting on instinct. Big decisions—think restructuring, layoffs, and policy shifts—carry legal, reputational, and cultural […]

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Social media users seem to be getting sick and tired of AI-generated content on their favorite platforms. And the backlash against AI-created content, or "AI slop" as it's often referred to, is growing.

The big social media platforms appear to have noticed this anti-AI sentiment. Last month, for example, Pinterest launched a new feature that completely filters out AI content if users choose to do so.

Now, TikTok just announced that it is soon launching its own tools to help its users spot AI-generated content and see less of it if they choose to do so.

According to TikTok, the company is currently testing out a new content control in the "Manage topics" feature that will allow users to specifically adjust how much AI-generated content they see on the platform. 

SEE ALSO: How to vote for the TikTok Awards 2025 — plus date, nominees, and how to watch

The "Manage topics" feature already gives users the ability to tell TikTok's algorithm what type of content they want to see in the For Your feeds as it pertains to a specific content category like "Current Affairs," "Health & Fitness," or "Fashion & Beauty." The AI-generated content topic control is different then all those as it appears to be the first that spans all of TikTok's topic categories and explicitly deals with how the content is created. 

TikTok makes it pretty clear in its announcement that the company itself isn't anti-AI, saying it "believes AI can transform how people share their creativity, discover new passions, and stay safe on our platform, when used transparently and responsibly" and that it "invests in AI-powered experiences that create value for our community." 

However, the company also stresses multiple times that it's important to be transparent to users. 

To aid in that transparency, TikTok is also testing an "invisible watermarking" solution to help bolster its current AI label policies. TikTok says this "invisible watermark" will help "add another layer of safeguards to our current AI-generated content transparency measures." 

In addition to that, TikTok is also launching a new $2 million AI literacy fund and joining the non-profit Partnership on AI, which studies and develops best practices for ethical AI.

TikTok's AI content controls announcement may just open the floodgates for other social media platforms to filter out AI-generated content for users who choose to do so. In fact, the question may not be will they do it but which platform is next to do it?

Ready to start the day with intention or wind down for the evening? TikTok wants to be your go-to platform, no matter the time of day.

The video platform just announced new well-being features, including an "affirmation" journal for intention-setting, exercises for mindful breathing, and "soothing" sound generator that plays rain, waves, and white noise. The journal has 120 downloadable or shareable affirmation cards. One card reads, "I am free from the expectations of others and embrace my true self."

TikTok says the tools are meant to improve safety and well-being on the platform, particularly for teens.

Last year, more than a dozen states sued TikTok for its allegedly addictive algorithm. Internal documents made public last October showed TikTok fostered an environment that arguably prioritized its public image over effective policies to address teen mental health.

SEE ALSO: The content creators with the most TikTok followers - see the top 10.

Earlier this year, TikTok launched a meditation feature for teens that turns on by default at 10 p.m. In a blog post about the newest features, TikTok said that tens of millions of people have meditated using the tool after it was made available to all users.

In addition to the features, TikTok is introducing task-based activities called "well-being missions" related to optimizing sleep and screen time. Users participating in an eight week "sleep hours mission" can earn a badge when they abstain from the app at night or meditate during that time period. Completing tasks help them grow an in-app "well-being tree." A separate weekly screen time mission nudges people to check their usage stats.

The new features are available in the app's time and well-being space, which is accessible from the account settings page. The hub replaces TikTok's previous screen time management page.

TikTok said early testing results show that the latest features make its time and well-being space more attractive to users, who are returning more often than they did to the old menu.

Additional reporting by Chase DiBenedetto