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Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

SEE ALSO: The 10 best TV shows of 2025 (so far), and where to stream them

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand-new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of the week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're hankering to go back to school with Abbott Elementary, experience one of the most intense horror releases of the year, or dig into a fresh and scandalous new comedy, we've got something just for you.

15. Monster: The Ed Gein Story

In the latest of Ryan Murphy’s Monster series based on real murderers, Charlie Hunnam takes on 1950s Wisconsin serial killer and grave robber Ed Gein. Watching the trailer for this Netflix project seems like enough, as Hunnam promises to deliver an unsettling performance among Murphy’s characteristically shocking horror elements (based on Gein’s own). It's worth noting previous instalments of the Monster series have faced criticism for factual inaccuracy, especially the release on serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Suzanna Son, Tom Hollander, Laurie Metcalf, Vicky Krieps, Olivia Williams, Joey Pollari, Tyler Jacob Moore, Charlie Hall, Will Brill, Mimi Kennedy, Robin Weigert, Lesley Manville, Addison Rae

How to watch: Monster: The Ed Gein Story premieres on Netflix Oct. 3.

14. Love Is Blind, Season 9

Love Is Blind has so many international iterations by this point, but the original U.S. series is back with a ninth season. The concept remains the same: Strangers looking for love enter an experiment in which they date in pods without seeing each other. If they want to meet IRL, they must propose, committing to further stages of the experiment like a holiday "pre-honeymoon period," moving in together, meeting the family, and getting hitched in the space of about six weeks. You'll start off vaguely interested and end up hooked — just like the experiment.* — S.C.

How to watch: Love Is Blind Season 9 premieres on Netflix Oct. 1.

13. The Lost Bus

Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera lead The Lost Bus, a disaster film that delves into real events among the terror of the 2018 Camp Fire, California's deadliest wildfire. Directed by Paul Greengrass (the Bourne series, Captain Phillips, United 93), the Apple TV+ film follows the true story of school bus driver Kevin McKay (McConaughey), teacher Mary Ludwig (Ferrera), and a class of 22 children, caught amid the deadly flames.

But is the film itself worth the watch? As Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko writes in her review, "What might have been a spectacle, channeling real-world heroism into the dynamic derring-do of an American action hero, instead becomes a rocky ride, taking turns into the maudlin one moment and the theatrically threatening the next. The result is a movie that is gripping, but only in gasps."* — S.C.

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Ashlie Atkinson, Yul Vazquez, and Spencer Watson

How to watch: The Lost Bus premieres on Apple TV+ Oct. 3.

12. The Murky Stream

Disney+'s Korean historical drama The Murky Stream transports you to Joseon, the 500-year-spanning dynasty which ran from the 14th to the 20th century and features in many a K-drama. The series premiered at this year's Busan International Film Festival in September and will (murkily) hit streaming this week.

Former SF9 member and K-drama star Rowoon (The King's Affection, Extraordinary You) leads the series as Si-yul, a young man trying to scrape together a living in the lawless ports along the murky Gyeonggang River. Also striving to make their mark are savvy and ambitious merchant Choi Eun (The Glory star Shin Ye-eun), and aspiring government official Jung Chun (former KNK member and Semantic Error star Park Seo-Ham). — S.C.

Starring: Rowoon, Shin Ye-eun, Park Seo-ham, Park Ji-hwan, Choi Gwi-hwa, and Jeon Bae-soo

How to watch: The Murky Stream is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

11. Fight or Flight

We're absolutely loving Josh Hartnett's repossession of his thriller faculties, with unsettling runs in Black Mirror, M. Night Shyamalan's Trap, and now, in lighter thrills mode, James Madigan's Fight or Flight. In the action film penned by Brooks McLaren and D. J. Cotrona, a bleach-blonde Hartnett plays Lucas Reyes, a man on a mission to track down a black hat hacker known as "The Ghost." Problem is, the target has a worldwide bounty on their head, and the plane they're suspected of being on is now full of contract killers eager for the gold — including Lucas. So, amid the plane bathroom punch-ups, he might need a little help from Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran as flight attendant Isha.* — S.C.

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Charithra Chandran, Marko Zaror, and Katee Sackhoff

How to watch: Fight or Flight is now streaming on Paramount+.

10. Hard Hat Riot

On May 8, 1970, while the war in Vietnam raged overseas, America was divided. Student protests broke out at college campuses across the nation, pleading for peace. In one such event at Kent State, the National Guard fatally shot four young people, spurring further activism. The student protesters outrage over the war irritated not only President Nixon but also the working class of New York City, whose resentments bubbled over into a violent clash called "the Hard Hat Riot."

Documentarian Marc Levin takes audiences back to this tumultuous time through archival footage and interviews with the "hardhats" (construction workers), students, and cops who were there. It's heartbreaking and infuriating to see how they reflect and regret, or just don't. Not only does this short and intense doc illustrate the class divide and political strategy that turned the tide for a Republican president facing growing protests, but it serves as a harrowing reminder of the lingering impact of this era. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Hard Hat Riot premiered on PBS on Sept. 30.

9. The Toxic Avenger

Get ready to enjoy the goriest, gloppiest superhero movie of the year from the comfort of your own home. A remake of Troma Entertainment's 1984 cult classic of the same name, The Toxic Avenger introduces down-on-his-luck janitor Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage), who finds himself with super strength (and an unfortunate toxic makeover) following a chemical accident. Said accident leads Winston on a bloody rampage for justice and vengeance against the evil bigwigs running his town, played to exquisite evil perfection by the likes of Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood. What follows is a madcap antidote to superhero fatigue, even if The Toxic Avenger still plays it safer than its predecessor.

As I wrote in my review out of 2023's Fantastic Fest, "Once The Toxic Avenger truly gets the ball rolling, you're in for the kind of sheer, stupid insanity you won't find in other major superhero IP. Let the blood and guts rain down — here, there's no such thing as overkill."* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood.

How to watch: The Toxic Avenger is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

8. Prime Minister

Jacinda Ardern's journey as New Zealand's 40th prime minister saw many landmark moments: youngest female government leader at 37, second elected government leader to give birth while in office, first New Zealand PM to march in a Pride parade, the move to ban all new offshore oil and gas exploration and plastic bags — the list goes on. But there's plenty between the major milestones, all of which directors Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe look into in their documentary Prime Minister.

Documenting Ardern's five-year tenure as prime minister, the film examines the public and private life of the world leader, including major events such as the 2019 Christchurch massacre, up until her resignation in 2023. — S.C.

How to watch: Prime Minister is streaming on HBO Max.

7. Tempest

A former diplomat plunges into the heart of an international conspiracy in Tempest, Disney+'s new K-drama that blends espionage, thrills, and romance. Korean star Jun Ji-hyun leads as ex-U.N. official Seo Munju, who discovers that a presidential candidate targeted with assassination has been accused of espionage associated with North Korea, among other state secrets. Getting dangerously close to the truth, she finds protection with mysterious mercenary Paik San-ho (Gang Dong-won). But this diplomatic storm goes all the way to the White House, people.

Tempest has some huge talent behind it; it's co-directed by Kim Hee-won (Vincenzo, Queen of Tears) and iconic martial arts director Heo Myeong-haeng, and written by Decision to Leave's Chung Seo-kyung. — S.C.

Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Gang Dong-won, John Cho, Lee Mi-sook, Park Hae-joon, Christopher Gorham, Michael Gaston, and Spencer Garrett

How to watch: Tempest is streaming on Hulu.

6. The Naked Gun

One of the funniest movies of the year is now on streaming. The Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer directs a star-studded cast led by Liam Neeson for a reboot that pays proper tribute to the comedy classic that came before.

Playing Frank Drebin Jr. (the son of Leslie Nielsen's iconic cop), Neeson brings his tough-guy grumpiness to outrageously silly punchlines, hilarious slapstick, and a sexy and strange romance with Pamela Anderson, who holds her own with a scat solo that is next-level loony. In my review for Mashable, I cheered, "The Naked Gun is back and as silly and stupid as ever. And I can’t think of higher praise than that."* — K.P.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Dave Bautista, and Cody Rhodes

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

5. Steve

Max Porter's novella Shy is adapted into a movie ensemble drama with Steve. Cillian Murphy stars as the eponymous teacher who's on a first-name basis with his students, rowdy teen boys who are seeking a second chance at a remote reform school in rural England.

As I wrote in my review out of TIFF, "Steve offers complicated portraits of the troubled youth in a reform school, and the grown-ups assigned to their care. The resulting film is an emotional roller coaster and a call to action, demanding its audience rethink their views of such schools and those within them."

It's a heartwarming film overall. But for potential trigger warnings on sensitive topics, please check out our full review. — K.P.

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo (Little Simz), and Emily Watson

How to watch: Steve debuts on Netflix on Oct. 3.

4. Honey Don't!

From Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, the dynamic duo that brought us Drive-Away Dolls, comes Honey Don't!, a crackling crime comedy about a small-town detective on a curious case involving a mysterious church. The Substance star Margaret Qualley headlines as private eye Honey O’Donahue.

In my review for Mashable, I cheered Coen and Cooke's sexy and silly crime comedy, writing, "Honey Don't! pulls from film noir inspirations, as do several previous Coen Bros movies… and hundreds of other movies before that. But this crusty California setting gives fresh air to tropes like the femme fatale or the double cross. Where Drive-Away Dolls dug into the rich Americana and queer culture to be found in road trip attractions and lesbian bars, Honey Don't! embraces a less-familiar clutch of gnarly characters, sunbaked and deranged." — K.P.

Starring: Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, Billy Eichner, and Chris Evans 

How to watch: Honey Don't premieres on Peacock on Oct. 3.

3. Chad Powers

Glen Powell stars in Hulu's sports comedy Chad Powers, about disgraced college quarterback Russ Holliday who makes one last-ditch effort to play football again. He dons a face full of prosthetic makeup (and a bad wig) and takes the field as "Chad Powers," a goofy, folksy football prodigy. Chaos ensues as Russ attempts to juggle his dual identities… and maybe learns to be a better person along the way.

Despite its sporty premise and a healthy dose of jock bro humor, Chad Powers also proves a stealthy love letter to Hollywood prosthetics, adding surprising layers to the football-centric show. Powell shines in his dual role, cementing himself as not just a reliable leading man, but as a comedy star, too. As I wrote in my review, "It's a high-wire performance of duality, but Powell makes it look effortless."

Starring: Glen Powell, Steve Zahn, Toby Huss, Perry Mattfeld, Clayne Crawford, Wynn Everett, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Colton Ryan, Keese Wilson, Xavier Mills, and Quentin Plair

How to watch: Chad Powers is now streaming on Hulu.

2. Bring Her Back

In 2023, filmmaking duo Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou awed critics and horror fans with their haunted hand hit Talk to Me. Now, they return with a gnarly psycho-biddy horror offering starring two-time Academy Award–nominee Sally Hawkins. The result is a nail-biting film that might have you gagging, covering your eyes, or experiencing some hard-won catharsis.

Featured Video For You Say More: Danny and Michael Philippou on 'Bring Her Back'

The Philippou brothers probe into grief once again, exploring how this unmooring feeling can make the world around us feel unreal, hostile, and strange. In Bring Her Back, Hawkins stars as a foster mom named Laura, who takes in young orphans like Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), and siblings Piper (Sora Wong) and Andy (Billy Barratt). But despite Laura's chipper demeanor, 17-year-old Andy realizes something is off in her remote forest home. But can he stop the hell that's coming?

In my review for Mashable, I wrote, "Bring Her Back is extraordinary. For those who found Talk to Me sensationally scary, this follow-up will thrill with its deeply deranged tale of heartache and body horror. But the Philippous went deeper, presenting a character-driven drama with flares of psycho-biddy and religious horror. That heady combination not only makes for a satisfyingly scary as hell movie, but also a profound one." — K.P.

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, and Sally-Anne Upton

How to watch: Bring Her Back debuts on HBO Max Oct. 3.

1. Abbott Elementary, Season 5

School is back in session at Abbott Elementary, the beloved sitcom from Emmy winner Quinta Brunson. Season 4 brought in a lot of change, further exploring the relationship between Janine (Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams), and also firing (and rehiring) Ava (Janelle James). What could possibly be in store for the staff at Abbott this season? Apparently a lot, as the description for the Season 5 premiere promises "new faces and big changes on the horizon." We can't wait to get back in the classroom to figure out what that could mean. — B.E.

Starring: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and William Stanford Davis

How to watch: Abbott Elementary Season 5 airs on ABC Oct. 1 before streaming on Hulu and Disney+ Oct. 2.

(*) denotes a blurb has come from a prior list.

Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, prominent primatologist, conservationist, and humanitarian, has died. Announced by the Jane Goodall Institute on Wednesday, Goodall passed in her sleep at 91. Tributes have poured in on social media, with many remembering the activist for her pioneering research, unwavering compassion, and tireless efforts to protect our planet.

SEE ALSO: Jane Goodall’s golden rule about how to change the world

Born 1934 in London, England, Goodall's love of animals was initially sparked by Dr. Dolittle and Tarzan novels in her childhood. She began studying primates in her early 20s, travelling to Africa in pursuit of her passion for animals, and was taken under the wing of palaeontologist Dr. Louis Leakey. She thus became the first of the "Trimates," a group of three women who studied primates under Leakey's mentorship.

It was in 1960 that Goodall made a groundbreaking discovery, observing a chimpanzee use long blades of grass to collect and eat insects out of a mound. Until then, it had been widely accepted that the creation and use of tools was solely a human trait. 

"I had been told from school onwards that the best definition of a human being was man the tool-maker — yet I had just watched a chimp tool-maker in action," Goodall said 50 years later. "I remember that day as vividly as if it was yesterday."

Goodall's revelation famously led Leakey to declare, "Now we must redefine 'tool,' redefine 'man,' or accept chimpanzees as human."

Credit: CBS via Getty Images

In addition to tool use, Goodall also observed chimpanzees displaying personalities and emotions, traits which were also previously seen as exclusive to humans. This included behaviour such as hugging, kissing, fighting, and even using weapons. She further discovered that chimpanzees are omnivorous rather than vegetarian as was once believed. Goodall's discoveries had major repercussions, upending the scientific consensus at the time and eventually revolutionising the way the world understands both primates and humanity itself.

Though Goodall had not yet gotten a bachelor's degree, Leakey arranged for her to pursue a PhD in ethnology, earning her legitimacy in academic circles and helping further her research. Continuing her work, Goodall eventually established the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977. This non-profit organisation takes a holistic approach to conservation, not only protecting animals and their habitats, but educating people and supporting local communities.

Featured Video For You Jane Goodall’s golden rule about how to change the world

Goodall received numerous honours and awards for her work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Templeton Prize, and Kyoto Prize. She was also appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, as well as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Continuing her decades of work even up until her death, Goodall had been scheduled to speak in Los Angeles this Friday, still encouraging and inspiring others to care for the planet.

Goodall is survived by her sister Judy Waters, son Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick, and three grandchildren Merlin, Angel, and Nick.

"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make," Goodall once said.

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Yesterday we shared five ways board members can orchestrate a successful CEO exit. But what about the person leaving the role? Exiting the CEO role isn’t just a logistical shift—it’s an emotional one. Even when the timing feels right, the final stretch can be emotional, stirring up feelings of lost identity and status. But handled […]

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If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A dulled color.

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

MATTE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

An idiot.

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

MORON

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To inflict.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

WREAK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Spit, grit and determination

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

MOXIE

Final Hurdle hint

A dance club.

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

DISCO

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

Never mind the debate over whether OpenAI's GPT-5 release is disappointing, or whether it can revitalize the failing world of AI Agents. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has already moved on — to releasing Sora 2, the next generation of its text-to-video engine. And to Sora by OpenAI, a new iPhone app that shot to #1 in the App Store Wednesday. Not too shabby, especially considering access to the Sora app is still invite only.

"Explore, play, and share your imagination in a community built for experimentation," the App Store description for Sora by OpenAI says. Essentially, OpenAI is about to enter the social media business the same way Facebook did — with a velvet rope around the service, and a cutting-edge feed within. OpenAI also highlighted how easy it is to insert yourself, your friends, and, well, deepfakes of just about anyone you want (including Altman, it turns out) in Sora's shortform videos.

But OpenAI is a little late to the social AI video feed app game. Since Character.AI launched Feed, which it called "the world's first AI-native social feed" in August, AI makers have begun what you might call the new pivot to video. Meta's Vibes arrived on the Meta AI app in September: Like Feed, like Sora, it's an endless scroll of shortform videos, under 10 seconds, from a creator community. (Midjourney has a similar AI video web feed, though no Midjourney smartphone app has dropped yet.)

In all cases you're invited to remix these videos and add your own. You're not invited to ask how sustainable these endless-scroll services are, given the still untold amounts of energy that every AI video creation eats.

SEE ALSO: How much is AI hurting the planet? Big tech won't tell us.

Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand put a spin on Feed worthy of Altman's brightest predictions: "The boundary between creator and consumer is disappearing," he wrote. Come for a traditional social media "lean-back experience," stay to create a "new epic adventure," Anand added. "Doomscrolling is dead. We're ushering in the future of AI-powered entertainment."

That's one way of putting it. Another is to say these companies are competing to build the most popular "infinite slop machine," to use one description of Meta Vibes. It isn't enough that social media services like Facebook are filled with AI-generated art of dubious quality; now we're about to be inundated with so much AI video slop they'll need apps of their own to contain the flow.

Which is the one AI video feed to rule them all?

Oceans of AI slop, ironically, could help our real-world oceans to rise. Video feeds like Feed, Sora, Vibes, and Midjourney require more than their fair share of data center usage — and for many data centers around the world, that means burning carbon in one form or another. That's why once-green tech giants like Google and Microsoft are quietly walking back their commitments to renewable energy.

Are we doomed to a different kind of doomscrolling, then? One where multiple endless-scroll feeds are lighting up our brains and stroking our egos by sticking virtual versions of us in them?

There is hope, however, that we're simply going through the part of the tech product cycle known as the Cambrian Explosion.

The original Cambrian Explosion, half a billion years ago, was a relatively tiny million-year chunk of evolutionary time. During that period, most of the major forms of life on Earth that we know today emerged — in large part because they had eyes to see. It was followed by an extinction event — a crash in the levels of atmospheric oxygen that ended many species.

Likewise, we've seen this movie before in the tech world, where one product sucks all the oxygen out of the room.

There was a Cambrian Explosion of personal computer operating systems in the early 1980s. Microsoft Windows won in the early 1990s. Apple's MacOS barely survived, even though it was widely judged to be better-designed software. Users simply wanted what everyone else was using. (Even now, MacOS barely has a 15 percent market share; Apple got where it is now by dominating the smartphone market instead.)

The proliferation of search engines in the 1990s — remember Alta Vista and Ask Jeeves? — very quickly gave way to Google standing alone in the 2000s. Why? Because users simply wanted the search engine with the best secret sauce, which turned out to be PageRank.

We've also seen this movie in the social media world itself. Friendster and MySpace were part of the Cambrian Explosion of the 2000s; when the smoke cleared in 2010, Facebook was on top. The network effect kicked in. You were on Facebook because everyone else was on Facebook.

It's way too soon to judge which AI video feed will win the coming war, and not just because barely anyone can use the Sora app yet. OpenAI, Character.AI, Meta, or Midjourney are all taking slightly different approaches to video presentation and remixing, with different LLMs underpinning them.

The one with the better technology may not be the same one that wins all the users. You can have the best AI video in the world on Sora, for example, but if the world is flocking to Vibes, no one's going to see it.

But tech history — not to mention the financial cost of data center usage, which is why OpenAI has burned through more than $250 million in operating costs this year already — tells us this Cambrian Explosion won't last long. Collectively, eventually, users will choose one Infinite Slop Machine to rule them all.

And for the sake of the planet, and our survival on it, we'd better choose sooner rather than later.

Over the last couple of weeks, the internet has been enjoying what is arguably the most wholesome week on the Internet — Fat Bear Week. After a record-breaking week of votes, this year’s winner has been crowned, and the king of Fat Bear Week 2025 is 32 Chunk.

For the uninitiated, Fat Bear Week is an annual event held by Explore.org and Katmai National Park in Alaska. Since the inaugural Fat Bear Week in 2014, voters have tuned in and watched as the Alaska brown bears (also called grizzly bears) gorge themselves on salmon and pack on the pounds in preparation for the long winter hibernation. Bears are photographed at the beginning of the season and again at the end, and people vote on their favorite fat bear transformation. 

This year, 32 Chunk had the votes on his side. The mammoth male bear survived a broken jaw, which he nursed throughout the season, as the wild bears at Katmai don’t receive veterinary care. Despite this, 32 Chunk found his inner Payton Manning, Tiger Woods, and Adrian Peterson, came back from his debilitating injury, and ended up being one of the chonkiest boys on the lot when it came time for voting. 

32 Chunk (left) and the runner-up Bear 856 (right) Credit: Explore.org and Katmai National Park

The vote, which took place between Sept. 23-30, was a bracket-style competition between eight bears. Included in the bracket was 128 Grazer, a female bear who was on a two-year win streak. Much like the Kansas City Chiefs, she was unable to lock in the three-peat and was knocked out in the semi-final round against 856, whose own transformation this year was simply sensational. 128 Grazer’s child, 128 Jr, also made it out of the first round before losing in the quarterfinal. 

Chunk’s win marks his first, allowing him to join the pantheon of Fat Bear Week winners. He has a long way to go to catch up with hall of fame talent like 480 Otis, who’s won the competition four times in the last decade, and 409 Breadnose, 747, and 128 Grazer, who have two wins each. In fact, 32 Chunk joins 435 Holly as the only two bears to win the title only once. 

This year's final bracket. Credit: Explore.org and Katmai National Park

It was also the most successful Fat Bear Week yet, as voters poured in to show their support for 32 Chunk and the other bears. Per Explore.org, this year’s event drew 1.7 million total votes over the course of seven days, beating out the prior record of 1.3 million, which was set in 2023.

The bears all still have work to do. Generally speaking, brown bears continue to hunt for food and get fatter until their food sources become naturally scarce due to the changing of the seasons. Most bears go into hibernation sometime between October and December. Since Alaska gets colder faster, bears at Katmai tend to land on the October and November side of that timeline. For 32 Chunk, he has no earthly idea that he’s heading into hibernation as a champion. His fans are hoping that come next spring, the king will awaken, lose up to 33 percent of his body mass, and start competing for next year’s belt.

Godspeed, 32 Chunk.

Home Assistant has officially dropped its October release. Home Assistant 2025.10 is bringing some massive quality-of-life improvements to the Automation editor, along with smarter dashboards and even the ability for your connected AI model to generate images.

Earlier this year, Microsoft raised prices for the Microsoft 365 subscription service that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and other apps. More changes are on the way, including a new Premium tier, but thankfully not another price hike.

True to Linux philosophy, the viewing of help pages is a team effort. While the man command is the one you actually type, it relies on a separate pager tool to display its actual contents. Find out what the implications of this system are, and how it can improve your experience of getting help.

The icons for all of Microsoft's 365 apps are getting a fresh coat of paint, and it's a subtle but significant change that makes me uncomfortable to look at. This isn't just about making the apps look a little prettier; it's a reflection of how Copilot and AI are invading the apps.

Yesterday, rumors started to spread in the tech world that a gamer had accidentally received the upcoming Xbox ROG Ally X gaming handheld weeks before its official launch. The gamer even took to Reddit to post an early review of the device, in a now-deleted thread.

If you hang around the tech space long enough, you'll eventually hear stories of unsuspecting customers getting new devices ahead of schedule. Case in point: Earlier this year, some folks who pre-ordered the Samsung Galaxy S25 received their units a few days before launch thanks to expedited shipping error. Usually, these surprises happen a few days early at the most, which makes it very interesting that someone is claiming they received the Xbox ROG Ally X more than two weeks early.

The story started to spread thanks to the deleted Reddit post titled "WTFF ALMOST 3 WEEK BEFORE!" from a user named Technical_Fun77. The Redditor expressed their very great surprise that they received the unit so early, an apparent mistake on the part of Amazon France, they said. The post, which was saved in a screenshot by Windows Central, shows that the user did a quick review of the alleged ROG Ally X, praising its lightweight design and the Xbox Full Screen Experience.

The post garnered hundreds of responses that were a mixture of congratulations and jealousy. However, because we can't independently verify these reports, some skepticism is also in order.

So, what's really going on with the case of the early Xbox ROG Ally X?

The early release was traced to an Amazon France listing. A screenshot circulating online shows that the device would be delivered as early as Oct. 1, a full 15 days before the official release date of Oct. 16. We checked the listing, which you can view online, shows no available delivery options or dates, as of this writing. A Wayback Machine screenshot of that listing from September does show an early delivery time, but the product is listed for sale from a dubious-looking third-party seller, and pre-orders weren't even available at that time. (You can pre-order the Xbox ROG Ally now, however.) That means the users may have unknowingly purchased a counterfeit unit from a third-party seller on Amazon.

And there's yet another reason to be skeptical: the original Reddit post didn’t contain any image. So, would Amazon France have really shipped the long-awaited handheld gaming console more than two weeks early? While it seems very unlikely, after the news initially popped, other Redditors have come forward with their own early deliver stories, this time with pictures 

As of this writing, there are now a couple of additional user posts in the ROG Ally X subreddit from gamers claiming that Amazon France also sent them units by mistake. These newer posts all have pictures as well, with users showing the alleged units in and out of the packaging. Mashable reached out to these users and Amazon for more information, and we'll update this post if we learn anything new.

Reddit Reddit

We should note that thanks to generative AI image makers, it's now trivially easy to create fake images and screenshots. However, based on these reports, it seems there's a non-zero chance that someone at Amazon France royally flubbed something.

You can pre-order the new console for yourself; it's scheduled to launch on Oct. 16.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X $999 at Best Buy
Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ROG Xbox Ally $599 at Best Buy
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The critically acclaimed animated series Long Story Short has been resonating with me ever since Netflix dropped all 10 episodes of its first season in late August. Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg (BoJack Horseman), the show takes the familiar growing pains and family matters of a sitcom and reshapes them through an inventive, time-jumping format. It’s been tugging at my heartstrings and grief journey while making me laugh in between moments of poignant relatability.

The show follows the Schwoopers, a Jewish family in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their surname is a portmanteau of matriarch Naomi Cooper (voiced by Lisa Edelstein) and patriarch Elliot Schwartz (Paul Reiser), passed down to their three children: Avi (Ben Feldman), Shira (Abbi Jacobson), and Yoshi (Max Greenfield).

Unlike other animated series about families, Long Story Short shows these characters at different ages, jumping across time to capture snapshots of parenting, loss, religion, rites of passage, and shifting dynamics. Even the opening titles, set to Jesse Novak’s plucky theme song, feature different photos of the Schwoopers in each episode. (Resist that “skip intro” button!)

Watching those sequences feels a lot like what I've been experiencing on my grief journey after losing both my parents within three years. I’ve been rewatching old home videos and flipping through family photos I haven’t seen in decades, time-traveling from the comforts of my couch, reliving holidays, birthdays, and vacations, reuniting with long-lost loved ones and faces I haven’t thought about in years.

Credit: Hiko Mitsuzuka Credit: Hiko Mitsuzuka

 Long Story Short beautifully — and quite literally — illustrates the passage of time and the complicated emotions that come with it. The show feels like an exercise in wish fulfillment, tapping into the desire to see my family from an almost omniscient point of view: to rewind and fast-forward through moments, drawing parallels between past and present and seeing how they shape each other.  

Memories, meatloaf, and Michael Bolton

In Episode 4, “Shira Can’t Cook,” Shira struggles to perfect her mother's knish recipe for a school potluck. She wants to make Naomi proud, and in one scene, Shira tears up while reviewing her mom’s handwritten instructions, realizing how much love went into Naomi’s cooking when she was younger. 

Every once in a while, I try to recreate my late mother’s signature meatloaf, a dish she served every Monday for our extended family. She loved hosting meals, especially during the holidays, in our apartment in New Rochelle, New York. I’ve carried on the tradition in my own way, with an annual holiday cocktail party in my L.A. apartment. I even dug up her handwritten anisette cookie recipe — her favorite Christmas treat — and keep it posted to my refrigerator as a reminder of her love. 

These stirred-up memories don't feel that far away, but time marches on because that’s what it does. Opening the nostalgia floodgates has brought me face-to-face with the fragility of life, reminding me of a song lyric from Michael Bolton, one of my mom’s favorite artists: “Nothing heals a broken heart like time, love, and tenderness.”

Reuniting with my younger self to heal myself

Long Story Short also touches upon the aftereffects of the pandemic through passing references (see: “Wolves” and “Uncle Barry”), which made me reflect on the time with my parents that felt stolen from me back then. While I eventually tried to make up for that lost time, it never felt like enough, because I soon lost my father in 2021 and then my mother in 2024. It's an emotional struggle similar to what the older Schwooper siblings wrestle with as they reflect on their own losses. 

However, watching my family’s old home videos has shown me that I got to spend a lot of wonderful moments with my parents. Even though my awkward, pre-pubescent self tried to avoid the camera at all costs (I never liked the sound of my own voice), I can now sit back and appreciate the memories that were captured. I can be grateful for what I had with them. And if I could, I’d give my younger self a big hug, letting him know he’ll eventually find his voice, his confidence, and more reasons to feel secure in himself. 

Watching Long Story Short while revisiting these memories has ultimately helped me develop more compassion for myself, for what I went through, and for where I was at certain points in my life. That compassion remains, especially while I continue to grieve my parents. 

Confronting so many “if only I had knowns”

In Episode 2 of LSS, “Hannah’s Dance Recital,” Avi and Shira realize they remember a family trip to the Jersey Shore very differently. For Avi, what seemed like an innocent decision to leave his sister and play with some kids on the beach turns out to be a hurtful act of abandonment for Shira when she’s left alone and nearly drowns in the harsh ocean waves, becoming a traumatic moment she carries into adulthood. 

While I thankfully never had a near-death experience like Shira’s, my younger cousin  (who’s always been like the kid sister I never had) once revealed how scarred she was from a haunted house ride my very persuasive mother and I had dragged her onto while visiting the pier at Seaside Heights, NJ. What my Mom and I thought was a fun, innocent family outing turned into a horrible night for an 8-year-old who’s terrified of haunted houses to this day. 

In hindsight, she’s grateful that my mom pushed her to face her fears and try something new because that’s just how my mom operated. One piece of advice she left me with remains: “Keep broadening your horizons.” These four simple words have shaped how I approach the rest of my life. They help me look forward to new opportunities, new experiences, and, of course, new memories.

And in the meantime, I can look forward to more hilarious and human stories from the Schwoopers; Long Short Short has been renewed for a second season. 

Season 1 of Long Story Short is now streaming on Netflix.

AI giant OpenAI debuted Sora 2 this week, its "flagship video and audio generation model." Sora 2 is OpenAI's answer to Google Veo 3, which is widely considered the most advanced generative AI video model to date.

With the launch of Sora 2 has come lots of strange videos, which you can see for yourself in the new Sora app.

There's one reason, in particular, that the videos are getting weird. That would be the "Cameo" feature, which allows you to insert yourself or friends into AI-generated videos. For just one moment, let's forget all the ways this could be used for ill-conceived or nefarious purposed — OK, phew, that is a lot to forget — it's also just tremendously weird to insert a real person into uncanny valley, AI-generated situations. But people are certainly doing it.

Here's a viral video of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rapping from a toilet, referencing skibidi toilet, because sure.

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Naturally somebody responded with the poster of that post...also in a toilet. And they said creativity was dead and AI is eroding our ability to think.

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Or here's AI Bob Ross painting a gorilla fighting 100 men (get it, like the meme).

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Or there's this AI video of Altman stealing GPUs purportedly generated by an OpenAI employee. Again...no way this could be sued for nefarious purposes, right?

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Or here's Altman awkwardly dancing.

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And here's a video playing on the fact that people are eating up AI slop.

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Or a video of a guy sloppily eating via AI.

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So, as you might've expected, the videos from Sora 2 are immediately getting pretty weird — and, in some cases, scarily realistic looking.

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 time when everything is getting more expensive, it should come as no surprise when subscription services raise their prices. And yet, we're shocked and dismayed every time. The latest to join in on the price hike craze is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Microsoft made the announcement in an Oct. 1 press release, just two days before Xbox consoles are set to increase in price as well. It's a tough time to be a gamer.

New Xbox Game Pass tiers and pricing

Xbox Game Pass is getting a full facelift, which includes some new benefits as well as, of course, price changes. Game Pass Core and Game Pass Standard are now becoming Game Pass Essential and Game Pass Premium. These tiers will cost the same — $9.99 for Essential and $14.99 for Premium — and include 50+ and 200+ curated Xbox, PC, and cloud games, respectively.

The biggest change is reflected in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, once known as the best deal in gaming. Effective immediately for new subscribers and as of Nov. 4 for current subscribers, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will now cost $29.99 per month. That's a 50% price jump from its former monthly price of $19.99, ultimately adding up to an extra $120 every year. If you prepaid for months of Ultimate already, you won't see the new price reflected until the end of your prepaid time.

It's not all bad, though. In an attempt to justify the price increase, Microsoft is giving Ultimate subscribers more perks. These include 75 day-one releases per year (about 50 percent more than last year), access to Ubisoft Plus Classics (reg. ~$16 per month) and Fortnite Crew (reg. $11.99 per month), and unlimited access to cloud gaming and Stream Your Own Game.

The new Xbox Game Pass tiers. Credit: Microsoft How to avoid the Game Pass Ultimate price hike

Set on keeping Game Pass Ultimate, but want to save some money? Here's a pro tip: stock up on digital codes at Amazon. As of Oct. 1, the price for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate digital codes has not changed at Amazon. You can get a one-month code for just $19.99 still — now basically like getting a $10 discount — or secure three months for $59.99. You'll only be able to add 12 codes to your account total, but that could effectively get you 36 months of Game Pass Ultimate at the former price if you opt for 12 three-month digital codes.

I'm not telling you to go drop $719.88 on a three-year gaming subscription, but if you plan on subscribing long term, stacking these codes is your best bet for saving money. You don't have to commit to 36 months. You can opt for just four three-month codes and lock in a full year of Ultimate for $239.96, compared to the $359.88 you'll pay otherwise post-price hike.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 1-month subscription $19.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $10 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month subscription $59.99 at Amazon
$89.97 Save $29.98 Get Deal How to cancel Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

If the latest price hike has simply pushed you over the edge, we don't blame you. All good things must come to an end. If you want to cancel your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you can do so on the web or on a console. You certainly won't be the only one to take this route.

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To cancel on a web browser:

1. Go to Subscriptions and sign in with the Microsoft account you used to purchase your subscription.

2. Find your subscription and select Manage. (If you find Turn on recurring billing instead of a link that says Manage, your subscription is already set to expire on the date shown and you won’t be charged after this date. You can continue to use the subscription’s benefits until it expires.)

3. Select Cancel subscription and follow the instructions. If eligible, you may be prompted to initiate a refund for your subscription.

To cancel on a console:

1. Press the Xbox button to open the guide.

2. Go to Profile & system > Settings > Account > Subscriptions.

3. Choose the subscription that you want to manage, click on Cancel subscription, and then follow the steps to cancel. If eligible, you may be prompted to initiate a refund for your subscription.

Toyota’s Alphard and Vellfire aren’t your everyday people movers—they’re like first-class lounges on wheels, loaded with amenities that make even airline cabins feel cramped. These MPVs are taking aim straight at Mercedes and BMW, and Toyota is betting that wealthy families and execs want something a little different.

Meta is back with a new pair of AI smart glasses, and the reviews are in.

To start, I should clarify that the reviews are for the second generation version of the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, which first debuted a couple of years ago. In other words, this is not the upcoming Meta Ray-Ban Display unit that has a display in one of the lenses. The ones we're looking at today have no display, but do come with onboard cameras and some AI features.

Anyway, several outlets have published early reviews of the new display-less Ray-Ban glasses and they have lots of positive things to say. From improved battery life to 3K video recording, it sounds like there's plenty to like about these glasses, even if their reception of the AI features is mixed.

SEE ALSO: Meta AI chatbots have new guardrails to stop inappropriate interactions with children Meta Ray-Ban second generation: What the critics are saying

Here's what everyone has to say about these new specs.

The new battery is a huge plus

First things first, let's talk longevity. Put simply, it sounds like Meta's biggest improvement from the first pair of Ray-Ban glasses comes in the form of longer battery life. Meta rates the new glasses at about eight hours of use on a single charge, though Engadget's Karissa Bell (also a Mashable alum) didn't get quite that much during stress testing.

"I was able to squeeze a little more than five and a half hours of continuous music playback," Bell wrote. "That's a noticeable step up from the battery on my original pair which, after two years, is starting to show its age."

Meanwhile, Scott Stein of CNET had better results under more normal usage circumstances. (CNET is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis.)

"One day at Meta, the battery lasted from 8 a.m. to nearly 9 p.m. with occasional AI prompts, photos, videos, some music and phone calls. Another day, on a nonstop run to the airport with music and podcasts playing, it lasted from 9 a.m. breakfast to my 1 p.m. flight," Stein wrote. "Results varied day to day, but I'm no longer in the same battery-life panic with my glasses that I used to be."

The point is that the battery is better, even if it might depend on what you actually do with these glasses.

3K video recording is a nice bonus

Perhaps unfortunately, the still camera photography capabilities on the new Meta Ray-Ban glasses are unchanged. The cameras still come in at 12MP with a max resolution of 3024x4032. However, Meta packed in some exciting new video features this time around.

Specifically, you can now record videos in 3K resolution or 60 frames per second, but not both at the same time, sadly. I should also mention that reviewers didn't have access to the 60FPS option because it's coming in a software update. Still, James Pero of Gizmodo had very nice things to say about 3K video recording on the new Ray-Ban glasses.

"Where some edges used to be blurred and a little too smooth, the videos recorded in 3K feel like a more accurate slice of life," Pero wrote. "That’s not going to be important to everyone (a lot of people are just going to take still photos), but if you’re like me and you want to capture some beautiful foliage on a bike ride, the upgrade is welcome."

That said, not everyone was as impressed by the new video shooter. Michael L. Hicks of Android Central said the difference wasn't that noticeable. He also lightly took Meta to task for the lack of improvements to still photography.

"Honestly, I just wish we'd seen a photo quality boost, as well," Hicks wrote. "The unchanged 3024 X 4032 resolution is still great in ideal conditions, but I'd still like to see better low-light quality, color balancing that's not quite so oversaturated, or some kind of optical zoom (if that's feasible in glasses form) when the Gen 3s arrive in a couple of years."

AI features are hit-or-miss

Lastly, just like before, these glasses offer hands-free, voice-activated AI features. You can look at something with the camera and ask the voice assistant to identify it for you, as an example. Reviews were mixed on these features. Let's go to Hicks for more.

"Meta AI can be undeniably helpful for on-the-go questions, live translations, or Live AI. But I'd like it to be better at answering questions about the glasses themselves, such as telling me what video resolution is active or what the touchpad shortcuts are, rather than telling me where to look for myself," Hicks wrote. "And I hear the response 'I can't help with that, but I'm learning more every day!' if I ask it to do anything too complicated, such as 'Take a 15-second video.'"

Meanwhile, Stein over at CNET had trouble with its recognition functionality.

"While these glasses can describe your surroundings or offer supposedly helpful commentary by snapping a photo and analyzing it, the range of responses is unpredictable. Sometimes Meta is accurate; other times it just makes things up," Stein wrote. "Most days, I find myself having existential arguments with the on-glasses AI voice of Judi Dench (one of several voices you can choose from) about things like the stuffed animals my son is holding up on the sofa."

Live translation also sounds like a major perk here. Over at Engadget, Bell had positive things to say about her experiences with that feature, while noting that it can also be a huge battery drain.

"On a recent trip to Argentina, I used live translation to follow along with a walking tour of the famous Recoleta cemetery. It wasn't perfect — the feature is meant more for back-and-forth conversations rather than extended monologues — but it allowed me to participate in a tour I would have otherwise had to skip," Bell wrote.

All in all, it sounds like these new Meta glasses are a decent upgrade over the original, especially when it comes to longevity. However, if you want to feel really futuristic, you might want to wait for the Ray-Ban Display glasses instead.

“Speculation on top of speculation” can be used to describe any number of Elon Musk's daily posts on his social media platform X.

However, in this particular case, that's how Apple's lawyers are responding to X Corp.'s lawsuit against the company, which alleges rigged App Store charts and favoritism towards certain AI apps.

On Tuesday, Apple filed its response to Musk and his company, asking the judge to outright dismiss the case.

Musk's company filed a lawsuit against Apple back in August. X Corp. claimed that Apple was "working in tandem" with ChatGPT creator OpenAI in order to "maintain their monopolies." This followed Musk taking to — where else? — X to openly accuse Apple and OpenAI of rigging the App Store against xAI and Grok. In his suit, Musk alleged that Apple was preventing his companies and products from fairly competing.

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The lawsuit specifically singled out Apple's deal with OpenAI, in which ChatGPT powers some of the company's Apple Intelligence features. However, according to Apple's lawyers, its deal with OpenAI is not "exclusive."

"Apple and OpenAI's agreement is expressly not exclusive, and it is public and widely known that Apple intends to partner with other generative AI chatbots," Apple's lawyers said.

OpenAI's lawyers also responded to Musk's lawsuit against them, claiming Musk is engaging in "a campaign of lawfare" and also asked the judge to dismiss the case.

X Corp. claimed that Apple's partnership with OpenAI meant that Apple had to "simultaneously" partner "with every other generative AI chatbot." Apple's lawyers scoffed at the idea, responding simply that " antitrust laws do not require that.” 

Musk also alleged in the lawsuit that Apple was rigging the App Store rankings in favor of ChatGPT and hurting Musk's apps like X and Grok.

When Musk first posted his theory that Apple was rigging the App Store against Grok, X users were quick to point out that numerous other AI apps have hit the top of the App Store rankings. (Musk's theory was also refuted by Community Notes.) Most recently, Gemini has been dominating App Store charts thanks to the runaway success of Nano Banana, an AI image editor.

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.

Are you an apartment dweller who dreams of a lush garden and endless access to seasonal produce? If you don't have the backyard fit for such dreams, you could bring your garden inside. Gardyn's indoor hydroponic systems allow you to grow fresh produce and flowers inside your home.

Mashable Deputy Shopping Editor Miller Kern tested the Gardyn Studio and was able to grow salads and burger toppings all from her apartment. Now, Gardyn is launching the second generation of its apartment-sized system: the Studio 2. We went hands-on with the new Studio 2 ahead of its launch.

About the Gardyn Studio 2 The Gardyn Studio 2 now comes with no-clean columns and sunrise/sunset lighting. Credit: Gardyn

The Gardyn Studio 2 is made for apartment dwellers, taking up about 1.4 square feet of space and standing 4.5 feet tall. Like the previous generation of Studio, it can grow up to 16 plants at once and self waters with a five-gallon tank. It has an included LED light to provide the right amount of light for the plants.

The new Studio 2 is similar to the original Studio with a few key upgrades. The new Gardyn system has no-clean columns with sealed silicone modules to prevent build-up and minimize maintenance.

The 24/7 camera included on the Studio 2 has upgraded HD, which lets users and Gardyn's built-in AI system get a better picture for health monitoring. Plus, it now has sunrise and sunset lighting that mimics the natural life cycle.

The Studio 2 will launch at $549, a $50 increase from the previous Gardyn Studio. It will be available at Amazon and The Home Depot and starts shipping on Oct. 15.

Gardyn Studio 2 first impressions The new Gardyn Studio 2 features 16 pods for growing herbs, leafy greens, and fruiting plants. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

I've only had the Gardyn Studio 2 set up in my apartment for a week, so it doesn't look nearly as lush as Kern's does now that hers is fully grown. However, I am pleased with the system and just how easy it is. Setup was a breeze — far easier than a piece of Ikea furniture. The hardest part was the number of trips to the sink to fill up the five-gallon tank.

The starter kit is exceptionally easy. No gardening gloves or potting soil are required. You plug in yPods to the system, which then automatically get watered. Using Gardyn's built-in AI assistant, Kelby, doesn't require much thought — Kelby takes care of the watering and light and sends reminders about when to distribute plant food.

The Gardyn yPods don't look like much to start, but in a few weeks, they'll start to sprout. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

I was looking forward to trying the Gardyn Studio 2, especially with the new lighting; however, one thing to note about the Gardyn is that it's really bright. Before I embarked on testing, Kern warned me that the Gardyn Studio was extremely bright.

She's right. Even with Studio 2's sunrise and sunset lighting, it's still so bright even when dimmed 50 percent. Plus, for recommended plant growth, you need to have the lights on around the clock, which could disrupt your home's ambient lighting.

It's a worthy sacrifice for all the fresh produce you're growing, but definitely something to consider before buying and placing in your home.

While there aren't a ton of differences between the Gardyn Studio and Studio 2, that's not necessarily a bad thing. In our review of the Gardyn Studio, we were impressed by its efficacy and ease, and we expect the same from the Studio 2.

Satellite-connected smartphones are still in their infancy, but that isn't stopping T-Mobile from developing new features and capabilities. If you've tried T-Mobile's satellite service but wish it worked with more apps, we have good news. Those going off-grid can now use T-Satellite to access data on several essential apps.

Updating your BIOS is different from updating Windows or installing a new driver. It’s a low-level firmware update for your motherboard and if something goes wrong during the process, you could be left with a “bricked” computer that won’t power up or boot. This is why a lot of power users are reluctant to update the BIOS. I follow an “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it policy” when it comes to BIOS updates.