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If you're a fan of audiobooks, Amazon has a great sale happening that'll save you up to 80% on some excellent listens. Here are a few highlights of the sale:

Best Audible audiobooks on sale at Amazon Best overall audiobook deal 'The Dutch House: A Novel' by Ann Patchett $6.99 at Amazon (save $17.30) Get Deal Best romantacy audiobook deal 'Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood' (part 1 of 2) by Sarah J. Maas $7.99 at Amazon (save $19.52) Get Deal Best history audiobook deal 'Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor' by Steve Kemper $7.99 at Amazon (save $17.20) Get Deal

Officially, autumn begins in just a few days. That means we'll take up debating about if candy corn is good or pretty awful. Following that, the sun will set at what feels like 2 p.m. If you're looking for a great way to pass some time during the darker nights of fall and winter, Amazon has a pretty great sale happening today. As of Sept. 17, hundreds of Audible audiobooks are up to 80% off at Amazon. Here are some of our top picks.

Best overall audiobook deal Opens in a new window Credit: HarperAudio 'The Dutch House: A Novel' by Ann Patchett $6.99 at Amazon
$24.29 Save $17.30 Get Deal Why we like it

In case you missed the 2019 bestseller, you can grab the audiobook version of The Dutch House: A Novel by Ann Patchett today for just $6.99 at Amazon. That works out to a 71% discount off the normal price of $24.29.

Not only is this consistently considered one of the best books of 2019, the audiobook is performed by the iconic Tom Hanks, making this listening experience all the more enjoyable. At almost 10 hours in length, today's deal means you'll be spending less than $1 per hour to listen in on this well-written novel.

Best romantacy audiobook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Graphic Audio LLC 'Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood' (part 1 of 2) by Sarah J. Maas $7.99 at Amazon
$27.51 Save $19.52 Get Deal Why we like it

If you've become a fan of romantacy lately, you're likely familiar with Sarah J. Maas. For just $7.99, you can listen in on the first part of Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by best-selling romatacy author Mass for a 71% discount off the typical price of $27.51.

Romance and fantasy take hold during the saga of Bryce Quinlan who's half-human and half-Fae. Life seems be going well until a her close friend is murdered and Bryce feels obliged to seek revenge.

Different from many audiobooks, Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood is a graphic audiobook, with a full cast of actors, sound effects, and cinematic music, which makes this particular listening experience incredibly enjoyable and immersive.

Best history audiobook deal Opens in a new window Credit: HarperCollins Publishers 'Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor' by Steve Kemper $7.99 at Amazon
$25.19 Save $17.20 Get Deal Why we like it

Audiobooks can be a great way of diving into history lessons. If you're interested in learning more about the years before WWII, you might find a great match with Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor by Steve Kemper. On sale at Amazon, the Audible audiobook version is just $7.99, marked down from the list price of $25.19.

Follow along with American ambassador to Japan Joseph C. Grew from 1932 when Japan began to fall into a crisis. Taking cues from Grew's diary of his time in Tokyo and correspondence from the U.S. embassy, Our Man in Tokyo sheds insight into the events and mindset that led to massive turning points in our world's history.

The older we get, the more complicated life becomes. Books shed their illustrations, puzzles grow from 10 pieces to 10,000, and everything in the world seems to demand so much more from us. As such, it's refreshing to see forms of simple childhood positivity that can still engage adults.

The Plucky Squire is an utterly charming puzzle adventure game targeted at all ages, and which revels in the wholesome power of friendship and picture books. Developed by indie studio All Possible Futures, it isn't out to issue a challenge, or frustrate you with searching for strategy guides or climbing leaderboards. It's just here to offer simple, straightforward fun — albeit with a metatextual twist.

The Plucky Squire tells a tale of adventure and art Credit: Mashable screenshot

The Plucky Squire follows the titular squire Jot as he embarks on a quest to defend the land of Mojo from the evil wizard Humgrump. Guided by DJ/sorcerer Moonbeard, Jot is also accompanied by his two childhood friends: artist/trainee witch Violet and drummer/mountain troll Thrash.

It seems like a relatively standard children's story. That is, until Humgrump discovers that they're all characters in a picture book, one whose narrative dictates that he will always lose. Thus, in order to break free from his story, the sorcerer breaks out of the book, spilling his minions onto the messy desk of creative 10-year-old boy Sam.

Jot's fight to defeat Humgrump isn't merely a matter of protecting Mojo though. It's also about saving the eponymous book The Plucky Squire, so that its pages can continue to inspire the young child who owns it.

Simple, straightforward Squire swordplay Credit: Mashable screenshot

Like many good adventure games, much of The Plucky Squire's gameplay involves running around and whacking things with your sword, whether they be enemies or foliage. Doing so yields light bulbs you can use to purchase new attacks, weapon upgrades, and development art to fill out your gallery.

I ended up with a surplus of light bulbs before the game's end, having maxed out all of Jot's attack skills by brutally assaulting every bush I saw. Even so, I only really used half of these skills, either throwing my sword or delivering a good old-fashioned blow to the cute rotund goblins that wished me harm.

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Dispatching enemies in The Plucky Squire is a straightforward affair, requiring little skill or tenacity regardless of whether you're in the book's top-down 2D world or have ventured out to the 3D environment that is Sam's desk. I barely had to turn my mind to factors such as attack patterns or dodging, as swinging my sword with reckless abandon was effective enough. 

This will undoubtedly be a boon to tired office workers who just want to feel like they're making decent progress in their limited gaming time. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Though the game has two difficulty options, I found its hardest setting still incredibly easy, and it never felt as though I was in any danger. Even when I took damage, I'd inevitably find a health-replenishing heart within seconds by whacking some bushes or a few more enemies.

There are no real consequences if you die either. If you're in the book, you'll be shown a page about Jot picking himself up to try again before you're returned to the fight (often with the enemy still missing whatever health you chipped off them). If you're outside of the book, you'll be placed back before the obstacle that killed you so you can have another run at it.

This keeps the game casual and stress-free, placing the real focus on The Plucky Squire's puzzles rather than its swordplay.

The Plucky Squire revels in minigames Credit: Mashable screenshot

The Plucky Squire crams in a veritable smorgasbord of gameplay ideas into its short, nine-hour runtime, yet they never feel overwhelming or out of place. Instead they lure players along with the promise of new discoveries, maintaining a delightfully playful atmosphere.

The game does of course involve platforming, with Jot having to navigate both side-scrolling environments in Mojo and wooden block constructions on Sam's desk. You'll have to sneak around at times to avoid enemies as well. However, some of The Plucky Squire's most interesting puzzles involved word games within the storybook's writing. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Similarly to 2019 game Baba Is You, The Plucky Squire allows you to reshape Jot's world and solve puzzles by literally swapping out words on the page. Creatures may change from tiny to huge or obstacles from metal to wood depending on how you alter the sentences describing them, allowing you to surmount impediments and continue on Jot's journey.

Jot eventually gains the ability to manipulate the book from the outside as well, turning pages, tilting it, and otherwise influencing the land of Mojo like an extradimensional god. This not only lets you move objects, but also pilfer nouns and adjectives from entirely different pages (though you're unable to stray from your current chapter). 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

I could have happily spent most of my time just jumping between pages and playing with words. Yet The Plucky Squire is further filled out with a plethora of minigames. From boxing to rhythm games to side-scrolling shooters, The Plucky Squire is like a sampler plate of all the arcade-style games you know and love. The game constantly introduces new minigames and mechanics even during its later chapters, with some only used two or three times before they're shelved in favour of the next shiny gameplay trinket.

These minigames do assume some knowledge. You're provided with no instructions before being flung into a bubble-matching game for example, with The Plucky Squire trusting you to identify the game's style and know what to do. Even so, failure is forgiving enough that it's fine if you take a moment to figure it out. The Plucky Squire has also put notable effort into making itself accessible, with minigames entirely skippable via a prominent option in the game's menu.

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Each minigame is uncomplicated enough that the fun few minutes you spend with each should be enough to leave you satisfied. Even so, I would still have liked the ability to revisit the minigames from the main menu. The aforementioned element-themed bubble game was a shot straight at my Neopets Faerie Bubbles nostalgia.

The Plucky Squire breaks out of its story yet stays within it Credit: Mashable screenshot

In addition to The Plucky Squire playing with its storybook setting via word puzzles, the game's premise is thoroughly sold by its art style. The world of Mojo is drawn in thick lines and bold, bright colours which evoke children's book illustrations, a distinctive look which contrasts with the more realistic and lineless art styles used for elements outside Jot's book. This in-universe discord is made even more apparent when said elements make their way into the book while still retaining their clashing art style.

The Plucky Squire has fun with its metatextual themes, even briefly nodding to the fact that it's a game at points. However unlike horror titles such as Doki Doki Literature Club or Inscryption, The Plucky Squire never gets truly unsettling or digs around in your game files, retaining its innocuous child-friendly spirit throughout. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

The awareness of the nature of their universe doesn't daunt Jot and his companions either, who largely take it in their stride that the plucky hero can jump into a different dimension and manipulate their world from outside it. Issues of existentialism, fate, and the meaning of life do hover in the periphery, as the story's characters acknowledge that they are in fact characters — and most of them merely side ones at that. 

In this respect, Humgrump's refusal to succumb to his written role could easily be interpreted as inspirational if he were a more pleasant individual.

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Still, The Plucky Squire sticks to a simple script of clear good against evil, briefly acknowledging deeper issues but making clear that existentialist matters aren't the focus. This is a fun, lighthearted game about storybook characters escaping their book, and we aren't going to look too closely at the less sunny implications.

Recalling childhood wonder Credit: Mashable screenshot

The Plucky Squire isn't a particularly challenging game, or one that entices players to spend hours diving into its lore. You don't need to be a skilled gamer, or a Myst-level puzzle solver either. 

What you do need is a willingness to simply enjoy wholesome, childlike pleasures. The Plucky Squire is a clear appeal to adults who wistfully recall their days of crayons and cardboard, before the world seemed to get so dark and complicated. References to childhood classics such as Doctor Who and The Lord of the Rings sit alongside cheeky nods to the capitalist mechanisms underpinning children's media, finding joy in the same way Jot's friends continue to despite knowing the true nature of their world.

Not only are parents unlikely to mind their kids playing The Plucky Squire, they'll likely be the first to pick it up themselves for a dose of undemanding positivity after a long, hard day. The puzzles and combat may be relatively simple, but sometimes simple is exactly what's needed. And with a runtime of just nine hours, it'll only take a few after work sessions to play through to the end.

The Plucky Squire is out today on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

With the announcement of Prime Big Deals Day returning on Oct. 8 and 9, fellow retailers are taking this as a sign to kick off the holiday shopping season. If your eyes just rolled, we're right there with you. Target was among the first to announce its competing event, with the news of Circle Week returning Oct. 6 through 12.

Amazon's "October Prime Day" runs just two days on Oct. 8 and 9, but Target is hosting a whole week of deals. Target's last Circle Week ran July 7 through 13, conveniently just before Amazon's July Prime Day. We're sensing a pattern...

Similar to Prime Day, Target Circle Week, requires a membership to shop, but unlike Prime, Circle membership is free to join. In a press release, Target says Circle Week will feature deals on fall and holiday favorites as well as everyday essentials. Plus, they're bringing back the Deal of the Day program, an array of one-day-only deals available throughout Circle Week.

Target says the holiday deals will last beyond Circle Week as the retailer plans to return Deal of the Day on Nov. 1 and run it through the rest of the holiday season (no specific end date was provided.)

Beyond the sales, Target will be offering holiday-exclusive partnerships. The brand is the "premier retail destination for Universal Pictures' Wicked" offering both merchandise and "experiences" around the heavily-anticipated film. Plus, Target is returning its partnership with British retailer Marks & Spencer to introduce new food, beverage, and home goods options.

Target's Circle week deals will be available to shop in-store and online. To join Target's Circle membership, sign-up for free online.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Sept. 17: OUR TOP PICK Samsung Galaxy Buds FE $67.99 at Amazon (save $32) Get Deal BEST SMARTWATCH DEAL Garmin vivofit jr. 3 $69.99 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal BEST UNLOCKED PHONE DEAL Google Pixel 8 (128GB, Unlocked) $499 at Amazon (save $200 + free Google Pixel Watch) Get Deal BEST PRINTER DEAL HP LaserJet M110w wireless printer $79 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal BEST MUSIC STREAMING DEAL Amazon Music Unlimited free for 4 months (with Prime) or 3 months (without Prime) (save up to $39.96) Get Deal

Amazon's October Prime Day is happening Oct. 8 and 9, which means we're only three weeks away from some of the lowest price of the season. In true Amazon fashion, however, deals are already rolling in. Brands like Samsung, Google, Garmin, and Amazon itself have dropped prices as of Sept. 17. While they're not officially considered early Prime Day deals, they're practically just as good.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these catch your eye, be sure to take a peek at our picks from yesterday, Sept. 16.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Buds FE $67.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $32.00 Get Deal

"The sound quality from the Galaxy Buds FE is unmatched for earbuds at this price range," Mashable reporter RJ Andersen wrote in her review of Samsung's earbuds, adding that even Apple users should consider them. Beyond the incredible sound quality, she was pleasantly surprised by the comfortable and customizable fit, solid battery life with even better noise cancellation, and of course, the affordable price. Regularly just $99.99, you can snag a pair of the Galaxy Buds FE for only $67.99 as of Sept. 17. That's 32% in savings and their lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vivofit jr. 3 $69.99 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

Hoping to get your kiddos moving in a safe and fun way? The Garmin vivofit jr. 3 may look like a fitness tracker for kids, but it actually unlocks an interactive experience that lets your little one explore the globe on an educational adventure. Its battery lasts for an entire year, so you don't need to worry about constantly throwing it on the charger, and its parent-controlled app can help you keep tabs on their activity, manage chores, give rewards, and set reminders. As of Sept. 17, it's also only $69.99 — that's 22% off its usual cost and just $10 away from its record-low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Music Unlimited free for four months with Prime (three months without Prime) Get Deal

If you're looking to switch up your music app, Amazon is offering four free months of its Amazon Music Unlimited service to Prime members (or three free months to non-Prime members). An official early Prime Day deal, Amazon Music Unlimited gives you access to on-demand music and podcasts ad-free with unlimited skips and the ability to listen offline. Plus, you'll get to experience HD and spatial audio. It typically costs $9.99 per month for Prime members and $10.99 per month for non-Prime members, so this deal saves you about $39.96 (with Prime) or $32.97 (without Prime). Note: this deal is only available for new subscribers.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 8 (128GB, Unlocked) $499.00 at Amazon
$699.00 Save $200.00 free Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) with purchase Get Deal

The latest Google Pixel 9 got more expensive (along with everything else), which makes this deal on the still great Google Pixel 8 even better. Regularly $699, it's on sale for just $499 at Amazon. Not to mention, your purchase comes with a free Google Pixel Watch. That's nearly a $1,000 value for only $499 — a total steal. While the Pixel 8 may not be the most exciting phone on the market any more, it still offers a great camera, all-day battery life, a 120Hz refresh rate, a swanky chipset, and fancy AI features. If you have an older phone, it's a worthy upgrade. Just be sure to grab the deal before Sept. 21 to score the free Pixel Watch.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP LaserJet M110w wireless printer $79.00 at Amazon
$129.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

If you print a ton of business documents and reports each month, the HP LaserJet M110w is a great value. On sale for only $79 — 39% off its usual cost — this laser printer can push out up to 21 black-and-white pages per minute. It's not the fanciest printer in the world, but it does offer wireless printing from any device and an app to eliminate repetitive tasks, scan to the cloud, and print and copy from your phone. If printing professional-quality black and white documents and reports is your main goal, you can't go wrong — especially at this price.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

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.

Reddit

When 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!"

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Another 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"

Reddit

In 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 deleted

But 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 Deal

The 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 Amazon
$699.00 Save $200.00 Free Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) with purchase Get Deal Why we like it

The 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 Amazon
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The 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.

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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.

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Described 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 deleted

The 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 Amazon
For Prime members; free 3-month subscription for non-members Get Deal

Amazon 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 comparison

Prime 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.

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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: Insta360

As 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 Amazon
Shop Now 2. MAISON de SABRÉ Weekender bag Credit: MAISON de SABRÉ

MAISON 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.

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Weighing 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 Bag
Shop Now 3. Sonos Ace headphones Credit: Sonos

A 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 Amazon
Shop Now 4. Solbari ultra wide cotton linen hat UPF50+ and Traveller broad brim sun hat UPF50+ Credit: Solbari

Hats 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 Amazon
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Solbari Solbari Traveller Broad Brim Sun Hat UPF50+ at Amazon
Shop Now

The app, which is popular with teenagers, introduced new settings and features aimed at addressing inappropriate online contact and content, and improving sleep for users under 18.

Right 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 fall

Luckily, 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: HBO

The 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: HBO

As 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: HBO

Speaking 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.

The Penguin premieres Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

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 Cameron

Clicking 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 YouTubers

MrBeast, 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 deleted

The 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: Apple

There'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 parties

It'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 is

There 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.com

However, 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.com

Here's another example: At $189.99 (down from $249), this seems like a great deal on the Apple AirPods Pro 2, right?

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

While 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 deals

We 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 Days

• Apple 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)

The best things to buy on Prime Day

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 products

Buying 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 devices

It'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 vacuums

There 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 essentials

Even 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 supplies

If 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 cameras

DJI 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. Smartwatches

In 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. TVs

You 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. Headphones

After 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 deals

Amazon 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 deals

Upgrading 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 Day

While 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 sellers

In 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 cameras

The 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 need

Like 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.