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A freaky occurrence where ChatGPT messaged users unprompted is just a bug.
OpenAI confirmed this to Futurism after a viral Reddit post showed ChatGPT initiating a conversation with a user. "Did ChatGPT just message me... first?" posted Redditor SentuBill with a screenshot of an exchange where ChatGPT allegedly asked the user about their first week at high school.
RedditWhen SentuBill asked ChatGPT if it messaged them first, ChatGPT responded, "Yes, I did! I just wanted to check in and see how things went with your first week of school. If you'd rather initiate the conversation yourself, just let me know!"
SEE ALSO: This restaurant used ChatGPT to create a pizza for its menu — and it became a hitAnother user commented on the screenshot, which was posted in the ChatGPT subreddit, with a similar experience. "I got this this week!! I asked it last week about some health symptoms I had," said a user who goes by fuggedaboudid. "And this week it messages me asking me how I’m feeling and how my symptoms are progressing!! Freaked me the fuck out"
RedditIn a statement to Futurism, OpenAI said it has addressed the issue. "This issue occurred when the model was trying to respond to a message that didn't send properly and appeared blank. As a result, it either gave a generic response or drew on ChatGPT's memory."
The post quickly gained attention on Reddit and X, with users speculating whether it's an imminent feature related to the release of OpenAI's latest model, o1. The model, which is capable of advanced reasoning, is a level up from the previous GPT-4 models, because of it's ability to process multiple steps from a query instead of providing a response based on the statistical likelihood of the next word. It's considered to be the next step towards autonomous AI agents that OpenAI is reportedly working towards.
Tweet may have been deletedBut as some users correctly surmised, ChatGPT's unprompted message was related to the memory setting, which stores certain aspects of your life based on interactions with the chatbot. Nonetheless, the issue got users excited about what ChatGPT might be capable of in the future. "When ChatGPT can push a notification to my phone each morning with weather report, custom news, summary of work emails, and meetings, etc that will be insanely useful," said one Redditor.
So this time, ChatGPT's behavior was a mistake, but it indicates what the model is capable of — and just maybe, where ChatGPT might be headed in the future.
Score the Google Pixel 8 or 8a for up to $200 off at Amazon as of Sept. 17:
Best Google Pixel 8 deals Best Google Pixel 8 Deal Google Pixel 8 $499 at Amazon (Save $200 + free Google Pixel Watch (Wi-Fi)) Get Deal Best Google Pixel 8a Deal Google Pixel 8a $399 at Amazon (Save $100) Get DealThe iPhone 16 is officially up for preorder, but if you aren't into getting the latest and greatest phones, you might be skipping it. If you still want to get a brand-new smartphone without paying brand-new iPhone prices, there are a couple of Android alternatives that can help you save a bundle: the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. Right now, you can get both for a great deal at Amazon, and one even comes with a free smartwatch to boot.
If you're ready to drop some cash (but not an entire paycheck) on your new smartphone, the Pixel line is well worth exploring. Check out the great options you can save big on below and snag a new Android phone that you can show off this fall. Who said Apple devices were the only game in town?
Best Google Pixel 8 deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Google Pixel 8 (128 GB) $499.00 at AmazonThe Google Pixel 8 boasts "strong performance" as well as "great cameras," according to Mashable's Alex Perry, as well as a 120Hz display and good battery life. This deal lets you snag one for $200 off, in addition to receiving a free Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) with your purchase. Just add both the phone and qualifying Pixel Watch to your cart to receive the discount. The Pixel Watch is currently $234.99, and usually retails for $279.99, so there are significant savings to be had here (a whopping $434.99) if you're planning on going with the Pixel 8.
Best Google Pixel 8a deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Google Pixel 8a (128 GB) $399.00 at AmazonThe Google Pixel 8a is $100 off, which is a great deal for a phone Alex Perry called out for its "excellent performance," as well as its 120Hz refresh rate and great battery life. It includes most of the features of the Pixel 8 "for cheaper," including a great camera array (same as the Pixel 7a), and its "elite performance" makes it worthy of its flagship status. If you're ready to get a new Android phone that's every bit as good as its more expensive competitors, this is a great bargain you won't want to miss out on.
Your Apple Watch Ultra's Action Button just got a tiny bit more useful.
The customizable button that's only available on the most premium Apple Watch models got a neat upgrade in the new watchOS 11 update, which came out this week.
SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: I tested both for 13 daysDescribed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Apple interface designer Taylor Carrigan and reported by TechRadar, you can now hold down the Action Button to switch between 11 different functions on the fly, using the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch Ultra. In other words you can change what the Action Button does without having to dig into the settings menu anymore.
Tweet may have been deletedThe 11 functions that you can switch between using this new feature are as follows:
Recognize music
Translate
Voice Memo
Accessibility
Stopwatch
Workout
Waypoint
Backtrack
Torch
Dive
Shortcut
That's a pretty comprehensive list of things one might want to do at any given moment with their Apple Watch Ultra. Notably, the Translate app is new to watchOS with the 11 update, so that feature went from nonexistent to readily available at any moment this week.
Other watchOS 11 features include sleep apnea notifications, a new Vitals app with health data, and some new watch faces. It's available on Apple Watch Series 6 devices and newer.
SAVE $39.96: Prime members are eligible to sign up for 4 months of free access to Amazon Music Unlimited, which typically costs $9.99 per month, for an overall savings of $39.96. Non-Prime members can sign up for 3 months of free access.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Free 4-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited at AmazonAmazon knows how to host a sale. In addition to the annual Prime Day sale in mid-summer, the retailer has been treating us to an October deals events, too. We just got confirmation that Prime Big Deal Days will happen again on Oct. 8 and 9 this year. But you don't have to wait that long to get some great deals, especially if you're looking to crank up the tunes.
As of Sept. 17, Prime members can sign up for four months of free access to Amazon Music Unlimited, which usually costs $9.99 per month, for a total savings of $39.96. If you're not a Prime member, you can snag three months of free access, saving $29.97 total. In either case, you'll need to be a new subscriber to cash in on the deal.
If you're looking for ad-free music streaming, Amazon Music Unlimited can be a perfect option. New subscribers are usually entitled to trying out the service at no cost for one month, but thanks to the early Big Deal Days sale, Amazon is offering Prime members the option to try it out for free for four months. Once your free trial is over, you'll automatically be billed the usual $9.99 per month rate — but you're free to cancel at any time.
SEE ALSO: Amazon Music Unlimited vs. Spotify Premium: A comparisonPrime Music Unlimited offers on-demand music with zero ads. That means your party playlist will no longer have an awkward ad-break. You can also get access to plenty of ad-free podcasts with Music Unlimited. Download songs to your heart's content and listen in while offline, like while en route to your childhood home for the holidays. Signing up now means you'll be able to stream all of your holiday favorites for free this year.
If you're not a Prime member, you can still get a nice deal here with three months of free access. However, after the trial, you'll be on the hook for a $10.99 fee per month. Now's a good time to look into the benefits of a Prime membership, since we're likely to see (more) Prime-exclusive deals drop during the lead up and main event of the Big Deal Days sale. An annual membership comes in at $139, while a monthly membership will cost you $14.99. Amazon Prime offers some nice benefits like speedy shipping, deals on ordering from Grubhub, free Kindle books, Amazon Prime streaming, and more.
If you're a Prime member and you've yet to try out Amazon Music Unlimited, you're eligible to sign up for a free four-month trial today. With a price of $0, there's really no reason to not take Amazon up on this offer, which'll have you enjoying ad-free tunes into 2025.
Travelling usually means compromising. Limited luggage space and the need to prioritise practicality often relegates matters of style to an afterthought, if they're thought of at all. This can result in you finally arriving at your picturesque holiday destination only to feel like the most disorganised, dishevelled person on the face of the Earth.
You aren't the only person who's been left haggard by travelling, and the hotel staff have likely seen it all before. Even so, a few thoughtful upgrades to your travel kit can help you feel more glamorous than gremlin, as well as reduce your travel struggles. Incorporating a little luxury may also help you reframe your travel identity for yourself, transforming from a harried airport sprinter to a poised and put-together globetrotter. After all, it's hard to feel your best when you aren't looking your best.
Here are four essentials to help you travel in style.
SEE ALSO: 7 overlooked and underrated essential travel gadgets 1. Insta360 Flow Pro Credit: Insta360As the famous saying goes, the best camera is the one that's with you — and more often than not, that's the one on your phone. This doesn't mean you couldn't use an extra gadget to upgrade your photography, though.
The Insta360 Flow Pro is a gimbal, tripod, and selfie stick all in one, helping you perfectly frame your holiday videos. In addition to compensating for shaky hands, the Flow Pro can use AI to track subjects, allowing you to film yourself in steady, cinematic panning shots even when travelling alone. The buttons on its handle also enable you to control your camera, whether you want to change your phone's orientation, switch between the front and back cameras, start and stop tracking and recording, or even zoom in.
An upgrade from the Insta360 Flow, the Flow Pro adds 360-degree tracking, one-tap NFC pairing for quick and easy setup, and a light to indicate when tracking is active. This severely souped-up selfie stick even has native tracking within the iPhone camera (though you should definitely update your iPhone to iOS 18 to ensure this works properly).
While Insta360 Flow Pro does have extra compatibility with iPhones, Android users can still benefit from this gadget as well. Green bubble adherents won't be able to use one-tap pairing or tracking in their phone's native camera, but will otherwise be able to enjoy the Insta360 Flow Pro's full functionality via the Insta360 app. You'll probably want to use the Insta360 app even if you do have an iPhone anyway, as it offers a smoother experience, improved tracking, and access to features such as 3x3 panoramic photos.
Opens in a new window Credit: Insta360 Insta360 Flow Pro at AmazonMAISON de SABRÉ's Weekender Bag is the type of bag you travel with if you have your life together and don't mind if everyone knows it. Made of gorgeously supple full-grain leather, this beautiful 23-litre luggage option is both fashionable and functional, firmly establishing you as prime airport crush material.
The Weekender has six internal side pockets to help keep your belongings organised, including a padded sleeve for your laptop and a zipped option on the opposite side. It also has two external sleeve pockets, one of which can be zipped open at the bottom to turn into a luggage passthrough. Though even if you opt not to use the passthrough, The Weekender's structured base allows it to sit neatly on top of your suitcase without you having to worry about it sliding off. The bag also features shoulder carry handles, and comes with a detachable crossbody strap for an alternate carry option.
Featured Video For You One day you might be able to travel by water, land, and sky all in one vehicle – Future BlinkWeighing 1.45 kilograms (3.19 pounds), the Weekender is slightly heavier than MAISON de SABRÉ's 1.42-kilogram Duffle Bag, which also has a larger 35-litre capacity. However, this is because the Weekender is designed to be used more frequently, so has increased reinforcement. Considering how attractive this bag is, you'll probably be searching for any excuse to use it. Though on the other hand, the Weekender is also so pretty that subjecting it to the cruel rigours of travel almost feels like sacrilege regardless of whether it can take it.
Opens in a new window Credit: MAISON de SABRÉ MAISON de SABRÉ Weekender BagA good pair of headphones is imperative to a good travel experience. Unless you're on a road trip and it's your turn to drive, there's a good chance you'll spend a significant amount of time watching the scenery go by during the travel part of travelling. A decent soundtrack can make these hours feel restorative rather than mundane.
Sonos' Ace headphones are the speaker company's highly anticipated first foray into wearables. With decades of audio experience behind its development, the Sonos Ace offers exceptional sound quality, long battery life, notable comfort, and a well-balanced transparency mode in a sleek, minimalist design. This includes removable magnetic ear cups, so you can swap them out if they get damaged rather than ditching the whole device. The headphones come with a handy carry case as well, so you don't have to worry about them getting tossed around in your bag.
The Sonos Ace operates via Bluetooth, so that's something to keep in mind if you were hoping to be able to connect via WiFi. However, if you just want to listen to your Spotify playlist on your phone, these headphones should have you covered. Like other Bluetooth headphones, the Sonos Ace can also be used to listen to your plane's in-flight entertainment if you pair it with Twelve South's AirFly wireless adapter. They're a particularly good option if you already have a Sonos sound system at home as well, as you can pair it with the Ace to easily swap audio from your speakers to the headphones and vice versa.
Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Ace headphones at AmazonHats are severely underrated travel items. Many people have never had a good quality hat, getting by with miscellaneous branded caps that offer mediocre coverage at best. Considering that a bad sunburn can completely derail a trip, it's an area that travellers would do well to consider more seriously.
Solbari is an Australian brand focused on sun protection — and if anyone knows about sun protection, it's Australians. The country is notorious for its powerfully damaging sun which is seven to 10 percent stronger than in the U.S., resulting in sun safety being baked into its national consciousness as a constant concern for all Australians.
Solbari's ultra wide cotton linen hat UPF50+ is a fashionable yet functional addition to your travel kit. Made of a breathable linen and cotton blend that feels luxurious to handle, this lightweight hat's wide five-inch brim extends even further to six inches at the back, offering fantastic protection against the sun while also looking stylish. The hat even has a small slot at the back for you to pull your ponytail through, so it isn't uncomfortably pressed against the back of your skull.
While Solbari doesn't offer linen in its men's styles, its popular Traveller broad brim sun hat UPF50+ includes four vents to help keep you cool. With a brim measuring three inches at the front and 3.5 at the back, the hat is made of thin, lightweight nylon that's both water- and stain-resistant, features which are always beneficial in travelling gear.
Both of these Solbari hats are UPF50+ rated, and have adjustable chin straps and drawstrings at the back to keep them safely on your head (though the former is removable if that's the look you prefer). The cotton linen hat does fold up more easily than the Traveller which has a stiffer rim, but the latter still packs flat for easy transport. You can always simply loop the chin strap around your luggage handle as well.
Opens in a new window Credit: Solbari Solbari Ultra Wide Cotton Linen Hat UPF50+ at AmazonRight from the get-go, The Penguin finds itself in a sticky situation.
The new series from HBO serves as a sequel of sorts to Matt Reeves's The Batman, but it can't risk changing the paradigm in Gotham City too much. After all, Reeves has The Batman Part II to prep for, so The Penguin needs to keep the playing field relatively similar to the end of the first movie in order to ensure continuity between the films. That leaves showrunner Lauren LeFranc with a seemingly small amount of wiggle room to work with.
SEE ALSO: 40 shows we can't wait to see this fallLuckily, LeFranc and The Penguin are able to do quite a lot with that minimal space, conjuring up a grounded (if somewhat derivative) crime drama that examines how Batman villain Oswald "Oz" Cobb (Colin Farrell) became the monster he is today.
What's The Penguin about? Cristin Milioti and Colin Farrell in "The Penguin." Credit: HBOThe Penguin picks up in the aftermath of The Batman, with Gotham in total disarray following the Riddler's flooding of the city. Adding to the chaos is the death of mob boss Carmine Falcone. His demise has left a power vacuum in Gotham's criminal underworld, and Oz, tired of playing second fiddle to wealthy mobsters, plans to fill that vacuum himself.
Of course, that's easier said than done. Sure, Oz manages to dispatch of Carmine's son and heir Alberto Falcone (Michael Zegen) fairly quickly. But that only stirs up more trouble with the Falcone family — particularly with Carmine's dangerous daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti), a reformed serial killer known as "The Hangman" who's just been released from Arkham State Hospital.
Colin Farrell goes full Sopranos mode in The Penguin Colin Farrell in "The Penguin." Credit: HBOAs Oz navigates a web of crime and lies — mostly of his own making — on his way to the top, The Penguin pays healthy tribute to the crime dramas that preceded it. Most notable among them is HBO's own The Sopranos, with Oz taking on the role of a scarred Tony Soprano, complete with some mommy issues of his own. This constant crime pastiche can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it allows us to get down and dirty for some street-level Gotham action, with production designer Kalina Ivanov reveling in grimy alleyways and hideouts. On the other, it risks sending The Penguin into generic gangster territory.
The Penguin mostly steers clear of any Batman-related fun. (The Caped Crusader himself is absent, although not particularly missed or needed here.) So without even a hint of the more ridiculous elements of earlier iterations of Oz — my kingdom for some kind of umbrella gun! — the series can feel unmoored from its source material. Why does this story have to center on the Penguin? What separates it from other crime dramas before it?
SEE ALSO: The 13 best TV shows of 2024 (so far)One answer? Farrell's performance, which soars with the help of some impressive prosthetics that render the Oscar nominee near-unrecognizable. As Oz, Farrell is a snarling force to be reckoned with, all ambitious drive with a hint of fun lurking beneath the surface. Several details from The Penguin help tease out this fun side a little more. Take, for example, his affinity for Dolly Parton, or his diva-esque demands that all cilantro be picked from his food. Nothing quite hits the heights of his meme-worthy, "Holy God, what are you showing me?" from The Batman, but Farrell still makes a meal of Oz's every reaction.
In theory, these comedic details soften Oz. They're not the only story elements to do so. Oz often waxes poetic about mobster Rex Calabrese, whom he views as a kind of benevolent overlord in his neighborhood growing up. Rex's role in the community earned him a parade when he died, and Oz hopes to leave a similar legacy. Look, he's already caring for his ailing mother Francis (Deirdre O'Connell) and taking teenager Victor (Rhenzy Felix) under his tuxedoed wing. What a nice guy!
But of course, those surface-level observations don't account for the fact that Oz almost murdered Victor before roping him into his schemes, or that Francis sometimes refers to her own son as a devil. The Penguin takes great pleasure in hinting that Oz might actually have some good in him, only to turn around and remind us how bad he is. That pattern can feel repetitive in the show's middle stretch, but The Penguin's final two episodes deliver some earth-shattering revelations that recontextualize quite a bit of what we've seen, deepening Oz beyond just some "bargain basement hustler," as one character calls him.
Cristin Milioti steals The Penguin as Sofia Falcone Cristin Milioti and Colin Farrell in "The Penguin." Credit: HBOSpeaking of earth-shattering, let's talk about the character who quickly becomes the star of The Penguin: Sofia Falcone. From the moment she appears behind Oz, it's clear this mobster heiress is the one to watch. Milioti starts her run on the show playing Sofia as part sinister, part tragic figure who might be more than the villain others label her to be. Yet as the show goes on, she transforms into a more confident threat — and The Penguin is all the better for it.
The Penguin's earlier episodes can drag a tad, loaded down with gangster worldbuilding it feels like we've seen a thousand times before. But it really kicks it into high gear in its fourth episode, which focuses on how Sofia wound up at Arkham and would be broken by the facility's cruelty. Milioti is equally vulnerable and ferocious throughout, and when we finally catch up to her in the present day, she all but runs away with the show. It feels like we've been treated to a bait and switch: Oz and Farrell are good fun and all, but Sofia is the heart of The Penguin — and the reason I kept tuning back in.
In an unexpectedly moving feature at the top of Google's search platform, the company's Doodle today honours the late artist Sophie Xeon, known as SOPHIE.
Designed in collaboration with Sophie's family, the Google Doodle marks the birthday of the visionary Scottish musician and producer celebrated for her experimental electronic hyperpop. Sophie died in a sudden accident in 2021 at the age of 34 in Athens, Greece.
The Google Doodle also comes a week before a final, posthumous, self-titled album, SOPHIE, is to be released through labels Transgressive and Future Classic. According to Pitchfork, Sophie had almost finished the album before she died. Produced by Sophie and her brother Benny Long, with contributions from friends and collaborators like Kim Petras, BC Kingdom, Evita Manji, and Popstar, the album is out Sept. 27.
SEE ALSO: Google Doodle celebrates Indigenous artist and human rights activist Barbara May CameronClicking on today's Doodle will prompt an animated music video set to the 2018 song "Immaterial" from her Grammy-nominated debut album Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides, the only album she released — though her 2015 collection of singles PRODUCT is all-time.
Google posted a statement from Sophie's family and friends on its Doodle blog. The detailed reflection speaks to Sophie's love of electronic music and festivals from an early age, her influences like Orbital, Moby, and The Prodigy, her emergence as a truly unique, intuitive, and futurist artist, DJ, and producer in the 2010s, and the making of her posthumous album.
"SOPHIE, the self-titled follow-up album, though always intended as a more accessible, more ‘pop’ sounding record, undoubtedly maintains Sophie’s uncompromising and infinitely ambitious outlook," the statement reads. "Made with her brother and many of her closest friends and collaborators, the album sits somewhere between a SOPHIE live show in the clouds, a massive party in her recording studio and the sweatiest club you’ve ever been to hosted by SOPHIE and friends."
"The future has always been a big part of Sophie, and we hope Sophie continues to be a big part of the future," the statement concludes. "As always with Sophie, exactly what comes next and what shape it takes remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, there is a lot more still to come."
"The future has always been a big part of Sophie, and we hope Sophie continues to be a big part of the future."Many are reacting to the Google Doodle in the comments of the Short, with fans finding it a beautiful surprise on a tech platform.
"Never expected a Google Doodle to bring tears to my eyes, but here we are. Love and miss you forever, Sophie," wrote @hoby7439.
"i miss her everyday, rest in peace our hyperpop queen," wrote @VULNICURRA.
"what a beautiful treat to see this on my google homepage! Sophie is missed! i listen to her music every day," wrote @laurenisalltherage.
Three of the biggest YouTubers in the world have teamed up to launch a rival to Lunchables.
MrBeast, Logan Paul, and KSI announced on Monday that they're launching Lunchly, a pre-packed school lunch for kids that brings together two of their existing products.
SEE ALSO: Wonka bars and ghost kitchens: How food became the next frontier for YouTubersMrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, already has chocolate brand Feastables, while Logan Paul and KSI have energy drink Prime. Lunchly boxes will contain a bottle of Prime and a bar of Feastables chocolate, along with either "Fiesta Nachos", "The Pizza", or "Turkey Stack 'Ems".
Tweet may have been deletedThe trio are going after Lunchables — which offers similar products — very directly, showing a comparison to Lunchables products on Lunchly's website in terms of calories and protein provided.
During a live stream the trio confirmed that Lunchly would be arriving in stores in the US "later this week" (a store locator is available on the Lunchly site). It's not currently available in the UK, but KSI said he was hoping it would be in "the next few months".
Donaldson will likely be hoping that this new product takes some of the attention away from recent allegations made by participants in his upcoming Prime Video show, Beast Games, who accused the YouTuber of filming in unsafe conditions.
Apple's watchOS 11 is now available for download, brining sleep apnea notifications to users for the first time.
The publicly available version of watchOS 11 comes after several beta variants, with most of the new features focusing on health and fitness.
Perhaps the most interesting among them is sleep apnea detection, a feature that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved for Apple, and which the company announced at its Sept. 9 event. Apple says it uses the Watch's accelerometer to detect small movements at the wrist during sleep, which are associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns (the metric Apple is using for this is called Breathing Disturbances). Apple then uses this data to notify the user if it identifies signs of sleep apnea.
SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 10 unveiled: What's new for Apple's thinnest, lightest watch yet?The feature works on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra, and is available in more than 150 countries and regions, including the U.S. and the EU.
Apple's new watchOS 10 also brings a new app called Vitals, which gives the user an overview of their daily health status, as well as a metric called training load (visible in the Activity and Vitals apps) which shows how the user's workouts are affecting their body over time.
Other new features include more customization options for Activity rings, a more personalized Smart Stack, the new Tides app for those who enjoy open water activities, and more info for users who log a pregnancy in the Health app.
New Watch Faces: The redesigned Photos face, Flux, and Reflections. Credit: AppleThere's a couple of new features that aren't health or fitness related, too, such as the Translate app being available on the Watch for the first time, as well as three new Watch faces: a redesigned Photos face, the Flux face, and the Reflections face.
The new watchOS 11 is available as a free upgrade for Apple Watch Series 6 and later, provided you have an iPhone Xs or later running iOS 18.
Amazon will dish out thousands of discounts during Prime Big Deal Days, its members-only "October Prime Day" sale. But buyer beware: Not every "deal" is as good as it may seem.
It can be difficult to decipher what's worth your hard-earned cash and what's better to pass on. So we've rounded up a list of what not to buy on Prime Big Deal Days to help you shop wisely.
Avoid products sold and shipped by third partiesIt's safest to stick to stuff that's sold and shipped by Amazon, rather than an obscure third-party seller. While many of them are legitimate, too many of them aren't. It's not worth the risk of getting scammed or buying a counterfeit item. (You do have some recourse under Amazon's "A-to-z Guarantee" in such cases, but that involves a whole eligibility and claims process.)
You can find out who's selling an item you're interested in by visiting its product page and looking just below its "Buy Now" button on the far right side. If you see two lines indicating that it "Ships from Amazon.com" and is "Sold by Amazon.com," you're good to go. It's covered by Amazon's refunds/return policy, and you'll deal with Amazon's customer service if you have any issues.
This laptop listing passes the sniff test. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon.com This one doesn't. Skip it! Credit: Screenshot: Amazon.com Any deal that seems too good to be true...probably isThere are a few different ways you can check if an item's sale price on Amazon is a legitimately good deal that's worth adding to your cart. One is by cross-checking the listing with its manufacturer's website to verify its MSRP; Amazon will occasionally inflate them to make discounts look steeper than they really are. We also recommend cross-checking sale prices at competing retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target, which will often match or beat Amazon's offers.
The Amazon price-tracking website camelcamelcamel is an especially valuable tool during sales like Prime Big Deal Days. If you plug an item's Amazon listing into the search bar at the top of its homepage, you'll be able to see its going rate(s) over the weeks/months/years. The site occasionally misses short-term discounts, but it can give you a good general idea of whether or not a discount you see is actually as impressive as it seems.
Take this Rockland luggage set, for instance. In September 2024, Amazon put it on sale for $97.26, making it appear to be 56% off a $219 MSRP.
Credit: Screenshot: Amazon.comHowever, when we entered the luggage set's URL into camelcamelcamel at the time, we saw that it's rarely ever listed for that full price. In fact, it's been hovering around the $90 to $100 mark for literal years. That shined a new light on its "big discount."
Credit: Screenshot: camelcamelcamel.comHere's another example: At $189.99 (down from $249), this seems like a great deal on the Apple AirPods Pro 2, right?
Credit: Screenshot: AmazonWhile they are a decent buy, camelcamelcamel tells us the AirPods 2 are regularly discounted to this price, so there's no need to jump the gun. In fact, it's worth waiting a few more weeks in case they return to their all-time low of $168.99 during Prime Big Deal Days.
Credit: Screenshot: camelcamelcamel.com Impulse buys: Just say 'no'Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it. Seriously. Yes, those dirt-cheap Echo Pops are pretty dang tempting, but do you actually, desperately need a new smart speaker?
Sure, FOMO is real, but so is buyer's remorse. In a 2023 Google survey of U.S. adults, nine out of 10 respondents said they've experienced buyer's remorse from impulse purchases, while 42 percent said they've regretted buying something simply because it was on sale. Be careful out there, folks.
Last, but not least: Stay away from Ring camera dealsWe always see a ton of Ring deals pop up during Prime events, but we don't recommend buying any of the Amazon brand's home security equipment if you like your privacy and your neighbors. The company's recent history is mottled with security and data handling issues, including sketchy law enforcement partnerships. (It finally shut down the tool that let police publicly request footage without a warrant earlier this year, but we're still skeptical.) To quote the great Randy Jackson: "It's a no from me, dawg."
Prime Day can be overwhelming. No, scratch that, it is overwhelming. Amazon's big discount holiday features so many products and categories, that it can be tough to track down exactly what you need. And with the next Prime Day event coming in hot this October (officially happening on Oct. 8 through Oct. 9), it's prime time for us to bestow a little advice on how to shop it successfully.
We don't recommend buying everything you've ever wanted and throwing caution (and your wallet) to the wind, but if there's a good deal on something you need, you don't want to miss that, either. That's why it helps to know what to buy and what to avoid ahead of time. Mashable already has a hub for Prime Day coverage that can give you in-depth analysis of every shopping category you can imagine, but here are a few quick tips on things to buy and things to not buy as you parse through Prime Big Deal Days next month.
Deals we've already seen ahead of Prime Big Deal DaysApple AirPods Max — $449 $549.99 (save $100.99)
Echo Show 8 — $104.99 $149.99 (save $45)
Amazon Fire HD 10 — $89.99 $139.99 (save $50)
iRobot Roomba Q011 — $169.99 $249.99 (save $80)
Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Hybrid headphones — $39.90 $59.99 (save $20.09)
Sony ZV-IF camera — $398 $499.99 (save $101.99)
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II — $177 $279 (save $102)
While the Mashable Shopping team's bread and butter is recommending to you all the latest and greatest products on the market, sometimes you already know exactly what you want, and just need to know where it find it on sale. We can help you with that, too. Here's a breakdown of all our top categories that you should shop during October's Prime Day event if you want to score the biggest deals.
SEE ALSO: Yes, Amazon is hosting *another* Prime Day-esque event. Here's everything we know about Prime Big Deal Days. 1. Apple productsBuying the fruit company's flagship tech during Prime Day is a major hack. If you're already planning on buying some of the most notoriously expensive tech on the market, why not buy it at a discount? In light of Apple's latest drops and announcements, we expect to see markdowns on older model Apple Watches, AirPods, iPhones, and more.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple products Shop Now 2. Amazon devicesIt's no secret that the biggest discounts of Prime Day are usually on Amazon's own devices. Whether you're working on building out your smart home or you're finally ready to pull the trigger on a new e-reader, you can expect record-low pricing on Amazon Echo speakers, Echo Show devices, Kindles, and more. Just stay away from Ring cameras (more on that below).
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon devices Shop Now 3. Robot vacuumsThere are good robot vacuum deals out in the wild all the time, but Prime Day almost always brings some of the biggest discounts on iRobot Roomba models, Shark vacs, and more big-ticket brands. We expect that iRobot will have the best deals, since the brand is now owned by Amazon.
Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot robot vacuums Shop Now SEE ALSO: Our top 4 robot vacuums for carpet and rugs, tested 4. Everyday essentialsEven if you're not planning on making a big tech purchase on Prime Day, it's an ideal time to score the household items you would buy even if they weren't on sale. From laundry detergent, to paper towels and diapers, there are almost always deals on home products you might toss in your cart on a Target or Walmart run. And with Prime shipping, your must-haves will be at your door ASAP so you can spend more time taking care of the house and less time shopping.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bounty / Colgate / Tide Home essentials Shop Now 5. Pet suppliesIf you're a pet owner, you know the struggle of having to buy pet supplies like food, toys, grooming products, and more on a consistent basis. Luckily, Prime Day is the best time to stock up on pet stuff, especially from the Amazon Basics brand.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bedsure Pet supplies Shop Now 6. Drones and camerasDJI drone bundles, Holy Stone drones, and GoPro cameras are almost a given for deals we expect to see on Prime Day. We've also spotted solid deals on cameras from Panasonic, Canon, Sony, and Nikon in the past — just in case you're finally ready to get serious about filming for your YouTube channel.
Opens in a new window Credit: Holy Stone Drones Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Canon Cameras Get Deal 7. SmartwatchesIn addition to sweet Apple Watch deals, you can bet that Prime Day will bring steep discounts on Fitbits, Garmin smartwatches, and Samsung smartwatches. For reference, we saw the lowest price ever for multiple Fitbit models during last year's Prime Day.
SEE ALSO: Shop the best early Prime Day smartwatch deals, including the lowest price on the Apple Watch Series 9 8. TVsYou might not find the best deals on premium TVs during Prime Day, but it's a good time to get a deal on mid-budget Fire TVs. These won't be your showstopper living room TVs, but are great for your guest bedroom or kids' rooms. During last year's event, we saw an invite-only deal for the 43-inch version of a 4K Omni Series TV for just $99.99, and we expect to see even more cheap Fire TVs to come this year.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TVs Shop Now 9. HeadphonesAfter covering basically every Prime Day that's ever happened, we know with certainty which headphone brands will be on sale during the big event. Bose, Sony, Beats, AirPods, and JBL models will definitely see some solid discounts. During last year's Prime Day, we saw steep price drops on the QuietComfort line of Bose headphones, so we'll be looking out for sales on the latest QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Headphones Shop Now 10. Invite-only dealsAmazon has brought back its invite-only deals program for Prime Day 2024, and we expect to see something similar this October. In the past, we've seen invite-only deals on headphones, SodaStreams, and more popular items, so be sure to keep an eye out for when those go live (of course, we'll also remind you). You'll need to request access to these doorbusters ahead of time, and if you're one of the chosen ones, you'll be able to score those products at their sale prices.
Opens in a new window Credit: SodaStream Invite-only deals Shop Now 11. Nintendo Switch and gaming dealsUpgrading your gaming console and even buying new games feels like a drag — when you're doing it at full price, that is. Luckily, during Prime Day, you can catch markdowns on both. During last year's Prime Day, Nintendo's holiday bundle arrived earlier than expected, so we can't wait to see what this year's has in store.
Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 'Mario Kart 8' Deluxe Bundle Shop Now Things to avoid on Prime DayWhile Prime Day is chock full of good deals, there are some things you'll want to be wary of while you shop. Mashable covered all the things we recommend avoiding in detail, but here are a few quick tips.
SEE ALSO: What not to buy on Prime Day, from third-party scams to Ring cams 1. Third-party sellersIn general, you can trust things sold and shipped by Amazon. Third-party sellers tend to be less reliable, and you run the risk of buying counterfeit products. If a deal from a third-party seller seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Ring doorbells and camerasThe steep discounts on Ring cameras and bundles might be tempting around Prime Day, but we don't recommend anything from Ring due to privacy concerns. Not only are they easily hackable, but Ring is also notorious for giving people's info away without their consent. There are normally plenty of home security deals from other brands on Prime Day, and if you need a little guidance on the good ones, check out our guide to the best home security systems.
3. Anything you don't needLike we mentioned before, it's best to use Prime Day as a way to get something you need at a good discount. What's not as advisable is buying things just because. Something you don't need or won't use is still something you don't need or won't use, no matter how good the deal is.
With the air starting to cool and the leaves starting to turn color, the signs are here: it's time for Amazon's October Prime Day.
Officially called Prime Big Deal Days, the sale is a Prime-member exclusive event (as the name would suggest). Like its July counterpart, Amazon confirmed that it'll bring two full days of savings, which members can expect from Tuesday, October 8 to Wednesday, October 9. Also like its July counterpart, we recommend going into the sale with a plan on scoping out the best deals — other than following Mashable's coverage of course — to avoid impulse purchase-fueled buyer's remorse.
To escape that fate, we caution against simply vibing and seeing what's on sale: as in years past, we're anticipating steep markdowns sitewide during Prime Day, from TVs and Apple products to Kindles and robot vacuums. In other words, it'd be easy to drop a few hundred dollars you didn't mean to spend if you don't do a little bit of prep work.
A good place to start is our handy list of tips and tricks below, compiled by our shopping reporters who've spent years covering the sale. Plus, you can check out our guides on what to buy and what not to buy on Prime Day.
Take advantage of price-tracking toolsCheck out dedicated sites and browser extensions that do the work of tracking prices for you.
Camelcamelcamel is a website that gives you price history charts on Amazon products and even sends you alerts when a price has dropped. To up your price-monitoring game, you can install its browser extension called "The Camelizer," which gives you instant access to price history while you're shopping.
Keepa is a price monitoring site and browser extension that is dedicated to Amazon products. You can also use it to compare prices on other retailer sites like eBay.
Other tools that can crawl the web for good deals and notify you about price drops are Honey and Slickdeals. These sites are particularly useful because "the Prime Day effect" usually means that retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart will also be hosting sales. In that case, it's good to have a sense of pricing history, even if Honey's isn't quite as detailed as Camelcamelcamel.
If you have a newer Echo device, you can enable Alexa's advanced deal alerts feature to find and keep track of deals on products you want. The smart assistant will notify you up to 24 hours in advance of a deal you've added to your shopping cart, saved for later, or added to your Wish List. To turn on this setting, go to the Alexa app and open the Notifications bell, then hit Settings. From here, tap Amazon Shopping and scroll down to toggle Deal Recommendations. Your Echo device will flash a yellow ring to indicate this setting is live.
Check curated listsFinding the best Prime Day price is one thing, but how do you even know what deals are being offered elsewhere? It's safe to assume that most products on Amazon have some kind of discount, but some deals are better than others, meaning it's important to know what to buy and what not to buy on Prime Day.
Mashable's shopping team is already doing the legwork of scouring Amazon's vast inventory to highlight the best deals out there, and we'll be on it leading up to, during, and after the sale. Beyond price drop notifications, we're bringing our knowledge of historical pricing and trends on most deal categories, meaning that if we recommend a deal, it's actually worth checking out.
SEE ALSO: Prime Day 2024 is coming: Here are the best early deals you can already shop Don't forget about other retailersAs we mentioned above, Amazon may kickstart the second Prime Day season, but other retailers make sure they're in on the fun. We're expecting to see sales from Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, so you'll have plenty of options for where you want to pick up the best deals.
Competition can be a great way to drive prices down, but certain retailers have specialties with these sales. Best Buy is usually good for big ticket tech like high-end TVs or laptops as well as gaming deals, Walmart is ideal for more budget-friendly TVs and home tech, and Target is best for everyday essentials.
TL;DR: Grab the Ninja Dragon Phantom Max 8 Smart Drone for $79.99 — a 52% discount from the usual $169.99 price — and enjoy obstacle-free flying with 4K video.
Ever flown a drone straight into a tree? The Ninja Dragon Phantom Max 8 makes sure those crash landings are a thing of the past. It’s equipped with smart obstacle avoidance tech that lets it steer clear of anything in its path, giving you more time to focus on capturing stunning 4K footage and aerial photographs.
Great for both seasoned drone pilots and those just starting out, this 4K obstacle-avoiding smart drone is on sale for $79.99 for a limited time.
The Phantom Max 8 is built to impress with its 8-directional obstacle avoidance system, meaning it can dodge obstacles from all sides and stay in the air longer. This feature alone makes it ideal for anyone who loves exploring tight spaces where preventing collisions can be tricky.
Plus, the 4K HD camera delivers crystal-clear video and photos, so your shots always look professional, whether you're capturing landscapes or action-packed moments.
Worried about flight time? The Phantom Max 8 offers up to 15 minutes of continuous flight per charge, giving you plenty of time to get those perfect shots. The user-friendly controls and one-key return function make it even easier to fly, bringing the drone back to you with a simple button press when you’re done exploring.
With a foldable, lightweight design, this drone is easy to pack up and take with you on all your adventures. Whether you’re hiking, heading to the beach, or just capturing fun moments at home, this drone could be your new go-to for reliable, obstacle-free flying.
For a limited time, get the Ninja Dragon Phantom MAX 8 Obstacle Avoidance Smart Drone for $79.99 (reg. $169.99).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Onetify Ninja Dragon Phantom MAX 8 Obstacle Avoidance Smart Drone $79.99Robotic Martians can see blue Earth in Mars' sky.
The Curiosity rover, a car-sized NASA robot looking to find evidence of past habitability on the Red Planet, recently snapped an image of Mars' misshapen moon, Phobos, and Earth next to each other.
"It's the first time an image of the two celestial bodies have been captured together from the surface of Mars," the space agency explained.
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.In the photo below, you can spot a ridge of Mars' Mount Sharp at the bottom of the image. The upper right contains both Phobos — a moon 17 miles long — and Earth, which from some 200 million miles away appears as a bright speck of bluish light. (The second image is a blown-up view of the two objects.)
"From the rover's perspective, the inset area would be about half the width of a thumb held at arm's length," NASA explained.
The moon Phobos and Earth seen in the upper right. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS A zoomed-in view of Phobos, on left, and Earth. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSSThe Curiosity rover captured this image on Sept. 9, 2024, during its 4,295th Martian day (called a "sol") on Mars. It's been rumbling over Martian terrain for over 12 years, and is currently ascending the 3.4-mile (5.5-kilometer) high Mount Sharp, a place that once experienced dramatic Martian floods.
Compared to our moon, which appears almost perfectly round, Phobos is misshapen. It's not massive enough for its gravity to form a sphere. What's more, Phobos has been hit time and time again by potent space rocks. "Phobos was nearly shattered by a giant impact, and has gouges from thousands of meteorite impacts," NASA noted. The glaring impact site is Stickney crater, which is 5.6 miles (nine kilometers) wide.
As Curiosity continues its long slog up Mount Sharp, its robotic sibling, the Perseverance rover, is sleuthing the irradiated Martian surface for past evidence of microbial life. This means "chemical signatures and structures that could possibly have been formed by life billions of years ago," the agency said.
Still today, no evidence of life has been found on Mars — though NASA has spotted some compelling geologic leads. It's clear, however, that the now-desert planet once teemed with lakes and rivers, back when it was a warmer, more hospitable, world.
The first thing you must know about BOYNEXTDOOR is that they're loud. Not the kind of loud that turns off and on for cameras, but the kind that's natural and uncontainable — an energy that fills a room even when they're just being themselves.
The six-member boy group is doing exactly that, being themselves even amidst a hectic press day in early September that's kept them confined to a single practice room at their company's Seoul headquarters for the past few hours. Their energy doesn't wane; instead, it spills over into the room in random bursts — chaotic yet endearing for a group whose ages range from 17 to 21 — as they talk over one another, shout out jokes, and laugh without warning. One moment, they’re focused; the next, they interrupt one other, each voice competing for attention. Jaehyun, the group's charismatic leader, sums up their vibe in three words: "Gen Z swag."
SEE ALSO: The 15 best K-pop songs of 2024 (so far)The atmosphere is even more charged on the day of this interview because it's oldest member Sungho's birthday. "I'm still working," he says. "But it's OK. I'm so happy."
When BOYNEXTDOOR debuted last year, they jumped onto the K-pop scene with youthful exuberance. Their music captures the essence of growing up with songs about love, friendship, and the everyday highs and lows of being young. With their latest EP, 19.99, they find themselves on the cusp of adulthood (turning 20, to be exact), caught between the desire for freedom and the weight of new responsibilities. Then, there are the more tangible signs of growing older. "My body feels heavier," Jaehyun, now 20, jokes. "It's harder for me to dance."
Dancer Riwoo, however, sees little significance in numbers. "Youth is definitely a mindset," he says, pointing to their own internet habits as proof. "All of our members have this Gen Z vibe, and we love using memes. But Woonhak is the youngest of the band, but he knows the least number of memes." Taesan, who turned 20 in August, shrugs off any dramatic change. "I just feel like I’m one year older," he says.
For a group that proudly embraces their "Gen Z swag," it’s no surprise that their phones are never far from reach. Whether they're scrolling through memes, catching up on new music, or just filling downtime between schedules, their devices are an extension of themselves. Riwoo laughs, "The notification on my phone says I spend six hours a day on it." Jaehyun quickly points out that their screen time depends on their schedule. "If we have a lot of different schedules on one day, it's very hard to put our hands on our phones, but if we don't have anything, we spend a lot of time on our phones."
Sungho nods in agreement. "Whenever I see the members during our free time, we’re usually either listening to music or watching YouTube. We all have pretty similar habits."
Just how similar? Ahead of the release of their new EP, we chatted with the boys of BOYNEXTDOOR about the videos filling up their Watch History, their go-to karaoke songs, their favorite fan edits, and how what they watch online inspires them creatively.
'부모님 관람불가' Official MVMashable: The song "부모님 관람불가 (Dangerous)" is quite mischievous. For the members who worked on the lyrics and composition — Jaehyun, Taesan, and Woonhak — were there any particular experiences you drew from to create this narrative of a rebellious kid?
Jaehyun: Unlike now, when I was a kid, my mom would tell me to come home. I don't know why, but I really felt like I didn't want to go home. So if my mom called me and said, "Come home right now," I'd be like, "Oh, I'm on my way." And then I would just goof around for 30 more minutes outside to just not go home. If I told her I would be home in just 10 minutes, I would goof around for another 40 minutes. So those are the moments I drew from [while working on the song]. I think that was my rebellious side when I was a kid.
What do your parents think of the song?
Jaehyun: They said it was going to be a hit. [Laughs.] Instead of focusing on the lyrics, they just listened to the melody of the song, and they liked it. So I was really excited.
Do you have a favorite memory from filming the music video?
Woonhak: Korean barbecue!
Sungho: Samgyeopsal!
Woonhak: Do you know samgyeopsal?
Of course!
Woonhak: I remember the Korean pork belly we had. There's a scene at the very end of the music video when we're on the rooftop cooking samgyeopsal and eating. It tasted so good. It was very early in the morning, and when I put that pork belly in my mouth, it just melted away.
I really liked the karaoke scene in the noraebang. It looked really fun. What's your go-to karaoke song?
Woonhak: Do you know [the Korean rock band] Buzz? The song is called "가시."
Jaehyun: "고해" by Yim Jae-beom. He's the Korean Kurt Cobain.
Leehan: My go-to song is "Tears" by So Chan-Whee.
Jaehyun: She's the Korean Beyoncé.
Leehan: That's right.
Sungho: My favorite song is "Love Never Felt So Good" by Michael Jackson.
Riwoo: Mine is "Lazenca, Save Us" [by N.EX.T]. It's a heavy metal song.
Jaehyun: The Korean Steelheart.
드디어 GD 등장!!!!!! 함성소리 가득했던 태양콘서트👍Sungho, you are a big fan of Taeyang, right?
Sungho: We are all big fans of Taeyang and BIGBANG. Taeyang recently had a concert, and it's one of the concerts that I really wanted to go to. So when the concert was over, I immediately looked up the concert on YouTube to find as many clips as possible.
That's how your fans watch your performances, too.
Sungho: Exactly. So I'm a fan of Taeyang, and I can relate to [our fans] ONEDOOR in that way because they would also be looking up my stages and performances.
Jaehyun, you specifically mentioned Taeyang and G-Dragon's "Good Boy" performance from this concert as your favorite. How does it make you feel when you're watching it?
Jaehyun: So it's been about seven years since I've seen G-Dragon on stage. So I was really waiting for this moment. My heart was pounding watching this clip, and I felt like a legend is always going to be a legend.
[보넥도] "잘생긴 남자들이 7분 30초 동안 웃겨줘요"Jaehyun, you recommended this fan-made compilation, which, when translated into English, reads, "Handsome men make me laugh for seven minutes and 30 seconds."
Jaehyun: Well, I looked up BOYNEXTDOOR on YouTube, and it just randomly popped up. So I started watching because in the thumbnail, all of us looked really crazy, so it intrigued me. And when I clicked on it, I was like, "We really did that?" Because we were goofing around [and] we were acting pretty crazy. So it was a fun experience to watch me on the screen doing weird stuff. It was fun.
Do you guys often watch fan edits of yourselves?
Woonhak: Of course we do!
Jaehyun: We do it often.
Woonhak: Recently, there has been more ONEDOOR, so we see a lot of YouTube Shorts made by our fans.
Leehan: I recently saw that fans are printing out our faces on paper and wearing them like masks to role-play as us. And that's really fun.
That's a new one. I haven't seen that!
Jaehyun: There's a certain type of fan edit that I really love. It's when they compile different clips of ourselves, and then they put really good background music to it. I love those.
✨1500만뷰 모음집✨ 2023년 무도 레전드 TOP7 모아보기 | 무한도전⏱오분순삭 MBC120721방송The show Infinite Challenge is really popular in Korea. Woonhak, are these the kinds of video compilations you'll watch while you're eating or in between schedules?
Woonhak [in English]: Muhan Dojeon is my life. I watch it every day.
Sungho: You do.
Jaehyun: Great job.
Woonhak [in English]: It's so funny, and it makes me smile. I'm happy [when I'm watching it].
Do you like to watch these videos while you're eating?
Woonhak [in English]: Yes! The video is so sweet and delicious.
Woonhak, you said earlier that your favorite meme is an Infinite Challenge meme. Who sends the most memes in the group chat?
Woonhak: I think it's either Riwoo or Sungho. They're the big brothers of the group. They use the most memes.
Who's the most active in the group chat?
Leehan: Our leader Jaehyun.
Woonhak: But Riwoo is also pretty talkative.
"The Urinal Curse: kill every beat 🐲🔥" (via @avemoves)Riwoo, as a dancer, you've said that you get inspired by watching other dancers' videos online. What is it about this dancer, AVE, that you really like?
Riwoo: I recently got to know him, and he's a dancer we cannot confine into a single genre. That's what I really like about him. And I think, you know, vocals are like a type of music that you listen to, but dance is a type of music that you watch. I think he did a great job just conveying music into his dance moves. So I'm a big fan.
I know you contributed to the choreography of "Dangerous." Can you tell me a little bit about that process and how you draw inspiration from various sources?
Riwoo: So I created the intro part of the choreo. After we learn the entire choreo, I tweak it so that it's more BOYNEXTDOOR and more our style. Regarding finding inspiration, I try to watch a lot of overseas dance clips of pop stars and other artists. It's really important to pull out the different charms that we have as individuals. So I focus on that as well.
How would you describe the BOYNEXTDOOR dance style?
Riwoo: It's very free-spirited. Instead of making sure that we are perfectly synchronized, we want to let everyone show their individuality in the choreography.
"Sleep music for peace of mind"Taesan, what do you like about ASMR?
Taesan: Yeah, I've recently been listening to a lot of ASMR music.
Does it help clear your mind?
Taesan: It helps, especially when you're under stress. Recently, I started meditating to relieve stress. It helps clear your mind and ease your stress.
I know you write a lot. Do you feel like it helps with your creative process at all?
Taesan: I don't think so. I mainly listen to it to calm my thoughts and help me fall asleep.
Elvis Presley, "Jailhouse Rock" (Music Video)Leehan, I didn't realize you were such a big fan of Elvis Presley!
Leehan: One of my favorite songs is "Hound Dog," and when I was on a flight recently, I watched a movie about Elvis Presley [Baz Luhrmann's Elvis]. The film really touched me, so I started looking up his music videos and watching those videos on YouTube. He's got his own kind of dance moves, which I find really cool.
Elvis was a charismatic showman. When you watch clips of him, are there certain things that you can take away from his performance to help inform yours?
Leehan: As I was watching, I felt that Elvis had his signature moves, like the wobbly leg dance. So I thought before I retire, I would like to make a signature Leehan move.
Is there a move you're thinking about?
Leehan: Oh, no, not yet. But if I come up with one, I'll make sure that I let you know what it is and walk you through it.
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