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Sonos' headphones have gone "Ultra," like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra before them. But what does that mean, exactly?
Launched in 2024, the Sonos Ace were the company's first wireless, over-the-ear headphones. Now, the company has a new version, and the name itself – Sonos Ace Ultra – positions them above the old model and implies that these are really something special.
Well, in a way, they are, but it really depends on how you plan on using them. I've spent a week with the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones to see how they compare to the noise-cancelling competition, and I enjoyed the comfort, the surround sound, and the fact that they're connected to the Sonos speaker system in my house. For pure music listening, though, they're just OK.
Design: Mostly unchangedThe Sonos Ace Ultra looks pretty much the same as the old model. It's an understated look that's typical of Sonos gadgets, and you do get two new colors on offer: Sand and Agave (besides the old Soft White and Black). The unit Sonos sent me was in the Agave color, and I love it; it's a very subtle shade of green-blue that goes well with anything.
What is this, a cable for ants? Credit: Stan Schroeder/MashableDon't expect anything flashy. The Sonos Ace Ultra looks like a nice set of headphones, nothing more and nothing less. Apple's AirPods Max 2 have a shinier, more recognizable look, despite also being available in very subtle colors. Sonos's headphones are lighter than the AirPods Max 2 (322g vs 386g), which makes them comfier during longer listening sessions.
There are a couple of clever design decisions here. I love how the right cup has a lighter color inside than the left one, making it easier to recognize which is which.
The controls are fairly standard, with one exception. On the bottom of the left cup, you've got your Power button, which doubles as a Bluetooth pairing button. On the bottom of the right cup, there's a button that switches between active noise cancellation (ANC) mode, aware mode (which lets in outside sounds), and "everything off" mode. And above it there's a volume key that doubles as a content key, allowing you to swap audio with nearby Sonos speakers. That particular feature is one of the main selling points for these: If you're already invested in a Sonos audio system, these are the only headphones that let you easily bounce audio between the speakers and the headphones.
Finally, there's a USB-C port for charging, or for plugging in a USB-C to 3.5mm cable, which Sonos thankfully includes with the headphones. There's a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, too, but it's ridiculously short and thus only useful for charging.
In terms of accessories, you get a semi-soft case that takes in those cables and the headphones while remaining very slim and light. The quality doesn't feel too great, though, and the zipper is finicky.
Good sound, but ANC has to be turned onThe one big difference the Ultra brings over the original Sonos Ace are the new custom, Sonos-engineered drivers. In theory, that should mean improved sound, but my impressions are mixed.
Finally, I know which side is right and which is left. Wait, which one is it again? Credit: Stan Schroeder/MashableAmong all of the headphones I've tested, I've never seen headphones change their sonic signature so drastically when you switch between various listening modes. With noise cancellation or aware mode on, the sound is full and deep. But turn those features off, and the bass is gone completely, and the sound becomes flat and tinny.
This is very odd. Typically, headphones sound best with all digital enhancements, including noise cancellation, turned off. But Sonos' Ace Ultra sounds so much better with noise cancellation, so turning it off almost never makes any sense. I couldn't even fix this by increasing bass volume in the equalizer in Sonos' app. The effect was there even when I connected the Ace Ultra to my iPhone or Mac via a wired connection.
Since I couldn't get a very good sound without noise cancellation, I mostly used the Ace Ultra with the feature turned on. And when it's on, the sound is pretty good. Slightly too much bass, a little low on detail in the mids and highs, but a great fit for heavy rock tunes such as Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs.'
My direct comparison headphones were Apple's AirPods Max, and they have a sound that's far more open and bright, with more details, but less bass. Whenever I put the Ace Ultra on after the AirPods Max 2, the sound turned dark and closed. Some may prefer this sonic signature, and to be fair, the AirPods Max do cost a hundred bucks more. But the difference is there.
Lossless audio support over Bluetooth is a cool addition, but being in the Apple world, none of my MacBooks or iPhones support the required Qualcomm aptX codec. You can get it with a dedicated audio transmitter, but for true lossless audio, the easier and better solution is to just connect the headphones to the source with a cable.
Despite my facial expression, I like the headphones. Credit: Stan Schroeder/MashableIf you do that, you will get a slightly brighter, fuller, and more detailed sound on the Ace Ultra. In fact, the sound improves so much that it actually becomes better than what I get out of Apple's AirPods Max 2, with an equal wired connection. This leads me to believe that Sonos needs to work on the way it handles Bluetooth codecs, with the possibility of wireless sound improving further down the road.
The Ace Ultra truly shone when I switched to movies and live shows on the TV, thanks to excellent Dolby Atmos support. It's almost uncanny to walk around the room and hear the sound adjust to where you're turned. Watching the first season of Amazon's new show Neagly, I was startled by a knock on the door that appeared to come way to the right of me. The effect is stronger and perhaps even a tad better than on any of Apple's headphones.
Nominally, the Ace Ultra also supports Apple's Spatial Audio, but I couldn't get it to kick in when listening to Apple Music.
So...many...featuresThe Sonos Ace Ultra come with a ton of features — some specific to Sonos — that make them one of the most complete wireless headphones on the market. This includes active noise cancellation, support for Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio, lossless audio support even over Bluetooth (thanks to the Qualcomm aptX codec), and WiFi connectivity, which gives you the ability to swap sound between the headphones and a compatible Sonos soundbar.
The Beam Ultra is the perfect companion for the Sonos Ace Ultra Credit: Stan Schroeder/MashableNoise cancellation is pretty good; on par with what you'd get from other headphones in this range. Aware mode will let outside noise in, and you can additionally enhance human voices in the Sonos app, but I still had to stop the music to hear what people around me were saying.
If you've got small kids or simply don't want to annoy the rest of your family with a movie, you can switch the sound from the soundbar (Sonos sent me the new Beam Arc Ultra to try this out) to the headphones, and you can continue to enjoy the movie in all of its surround audio glory.
Now, using the Sonos app for any of this isn't strictly necessary, but sometimes my connection would drop or switching wouldn't work, and the easiest way to see what's up was in the app.
This is the same app, mind you, that caused so many problems for Sonos; following a major redesign, the app was so bad that the company spent many months fixing it, and apologized to customers for the app's performance.
These are probably the comfiest headphones I've ever tested. Credit: Stan Schroeder/MashableThe app is better than it was at launch, but it is still another layer of potential trouble sitting in between me and my entertainment. Sometimes, the playback would stop for a few seconds, and just wouldn't resume on its own. Sometimes, I'd get lost in the app's many menus, and couldn't for the life of me find the thing I was looking for. Often, it felt easier to use Apple Music and find my content there, but then I felt cut off from the rest of my Sonos system (which, for the purpose of testing, consisted only of the headphones and the Beam Arc Ultra).
It's not all bad, and parts of it can be attributed to the quirky mesh Wi-Fi network in my home, but the app is still not on par with the quality of Sonos' hardware.
A soundbar that goes upSonos sent me the new Beam Ultra to test together with the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones, probably because these two products play the handoff game well. While this review focuses on the headphones, here are a few notes on the Beam Ultra.
Compared to Beam (Gen 2), the Beam Ultra has better side-firing speakers, additional upward-firing speakers, and more bass output. Credit: Stan Schroeder/MashableIt's an extremely simple, plug-and-play soundbar with Dolby Atmos and upward-firing speakers, meaning you'll get a nice, full surround sound just by plugging it into your TV. The soundscape it produces isn't the widest or the tallest, but it was plenty for my slanted-ceiling living room. Bass is well-defined, but there's not a ton of it. In short: It's good enough for most folks, but serious surround enthusiasts will want to consider additional left and right speakers, as well as a subwoofer.
In terms of connectivity, the Beam Ultra offers fairly little. You cannot plug additional speakers into it; it only has an HDMI eARC connector, which you'll probably use to connect it with your TV, and a USB-C line-in to connect it with an additional sound source. Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi are on board, and it works with AirPlay 2, so if your room is full of wireless Sonos speakers (or IKEA's Sonos-made Symfonisk speakers), you'll be able to tie it all together into a cohesive sound system.
Battery life for days, and you won't mind cause they're so comfyThe Sonos Ace Ultra has 35 hours of advertised battery life, a decent improvement over the 30 hours you got in the previous model. With pretty heavy usage over one week, I've only had to charge them once, which sounds about right. In other words, battery life isn't something you have to worry about with these.
The case is thin, light, and portable. Feels kinda cheap, though. Credit: Stan Schroeder/MashableThe long battery life matters most for long listening sessions, and the Sonos Ace Ultra are incredibly plush and comfy; possibly the most comfortable over-the-ear headphones I've ever worn. If you ever wear down the padding on the cups, don't worry, it's magnetically attached and easily replaceable.
Voice calls are good, tooSonos Ace Ultra have 10 mics which it uses to pick up your voice during voice calls, as well as noice cancellation. In general, I had no trouble with voice calls, everything came through well and the people on the other side told me they can hear me fine.
Should you buy them?The Sonos Ace Ultra costs $449, which puts them in a slightly uncomfortable position. For music listening, you can get better-sounding headphones at that price point. They do come with a ton of features, battery life is great, surround audio is pretty amazing, and the ability to take over the TV's sound is very handy in certain situations. But the entire experience across the Sonos app and the headphones can be quirky. I'd say you should consider them, but only if you're a Sonos fan.
Sonos Ace Ultra Over-Ear Headphones with Noise Cancellation - Black $449 at AmazonDakota Johnson always has an impressively deadpan sense of humour, and she puts it to good use in radio appearance above.
Joining host Greg James for a round of BBC Radio One's "Unpopular Opinion", the Verity star fields opinions from callers on everything from "I love a traffic jam" to "mugs should only ever be made in three sizes".
Perhaps the biggest target of her straight face is James, though, whose theme song in particular is met with confusion and an amusing lack of enthusiasm.
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It's been a pretty epic year for horror, but one of the major standouts is Damian McCarthy's Hokum, starring Adam Scott. And now it's finally coming to the streaming world, so you can scream from the comfort of your couch.
Mashable's Kristy Puchko caught the SXSW premiere of Hokum earlier this year and called it "a seriously scary masterpiece" in her review, confessing that she screamed herself hoarse in the theater. Not only did we name it one of our favorite horror films of 2026, but it also cracked the top five on our list of the best films of the year (so far) in general.
It hit theaters in May and made its digital debut in June, so it's been a fairly long wait. If you haven't seen it yet (or you can't wait to see it again), you can finally stream Hokum at home in October. Here's what you need to know.
What is Hokum about?Hokum follows Ohm Bauman (Scott) as he travels to a remote hotel in Ireland to scatter his parents' ashes where they spent their honeymoon. But before he can get the job done, he becomes consumed by the mystery of a missing woman and the local lore of the haunted honeymoon suite at the inn.
Check out the full trailer:
How to watch Hokum at home Credit: NEONHokum opened in theaters nationwide on May 1, 2026. It's been a bit of a wait, but it's now officially available to watch at home in a couple of different ways. As of Oct. 10, 2026, you can buy it or rent it on digital retailers for as low as $5.99 or stream it. I've broken down the details below.
Buy or rent on digitalHokum made its at-home debut via video-on-demand retailers on June 2, 2026. You can purchase it for your digital library for $9.99 or rent it for $5.99.
Here are some quick links to buy the film on digital:
Apple TV — $9.99 to buy, $5.99 to rent
Fandango at Home — $9.99 to buy, $5.99 to rent
Prime Video — $9.99 to buy, $5.99 to rent
Hokum will finally make its streaming debut on Hulu on Oct. 10, 2026, just in time for spooky season. If you don't already have a Hulu subscription, we have some bad news. Unfortunately, Hulu just underwent another price hike, bringing a basic subscription with ads up to $12.49 per month. There are some ways you can save, though, and we've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.
The best Hulu streaming dealsBest Hulu deal for most people: Hulu annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (with ads) annual subscription $124.99 per year (save $24.89) Get DealAn annual Hulu plan is your best bet for cutting back on the cost of a subscription. You'll pay for a year up front for $124.99 (which breaks down to $10.42 per month) instead of $149.88. That's about 17% or just shy of $25 in savings. It's not the biggest discount ever, but every dollar counts.
Best bundle deal: Get Hulu and Disney+ for 50% off Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Hulu and Disney+ (with ads) $11.99 per month for 6 months (save $12.99/month) Get DealThe Disney bundle plans are still the best deals in the streaming world, despite recently increasing in price. For a limited time, you can sign up for a six-month subscription to both Hulu and Disney+ for only $11.99 per month (reg. $24.98 per month). That means you'll get one streaming service completely for free for six months. After the six-month promotional period, you'll pay just a dollar more per month — still a damn good deal if you ask me.
Best for students: Save 50% on the Hulu and Disney+ Student bundle Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu and Disney+ Student bundle (with ads) $6.49 per month (save $6.50 per month) Get DealCollege students can slash 50% or $6.50 per month off the Hulu and Disney+ bundle with ads. Sign up through the Student promotional page and verify your college email address via SheerID, then the price will drop from $12.99 to just $6.49 per month. The deal is valid as long as your student status can be verified.
Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) free for select customers Opens in a new window Credit: T-Mobile / Hulu Hulu (with ads) free for select T-Mobile customers Get DealThe only way you can get Hulu for free in 2026 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans (you'll also get Netflix for free and Apple TV+ for $3). If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. Just enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu.
Amazon is bringing back its members-only Prime Big Deal Days sale this October, and the big event is just days away. While Prime Day officially takes place in June or July, most of us simply call this annual fall sale October Prime Day.
Amazon has confirmed that you need an active Prime membership to access the Prime Big Deal Days sale. Normally, Prime memberships cost $139 per year, or $14.99 per month, but you may qualify for a free 30-day trial for Amazon Prime, which means you can shop the best October Prime Day deals and enjoy perks like free shipping and grocery delivery at no cost.
If you don't have an active Prime membership — or if your membership hasn't been active for 12 months — you can claim your free trial right now.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Prime Claim 30-day free trial (normally $14.99/month) Shop NowKeep scrolling to learn about all the benefits included in the 30-day free trial. We'll also answer common questions about Prime Big Deal Days so you'll have everything you need to take advantage of this members-only shopping event.
Who qualifies for the Amazon Prime free trial?If you don't have an active Prime membership — or if your old account has been inactive for 12 months — then you should automatically qualify for the 30-day free trial. To sign up, visit amazon.com/prime. If you qualify, you should see a message that says, "We're giving you a free 30-day trial of Prime." If you don't see this message, look for a button that reads, "Start your free 30-day trial."
How much does Prime cost? And what kind of benefits are included?Prime normally costs $14.99 per month, but young adults and college students qualify for a 50% discount. Here's how the pricing works:
30-day free trial
$14.99 per month after the trial ends
Young people pay $7.49 in the Prime for Young Adults membership
You can also save $40.88 by paying $139 per year upfront
The most famous benefits of Amazon Prime include free 2-day delivery and free returns. Many products are available with 1-day and same-day shipping in some areas. In addition, your $14.99/month membership includes access to the Prime Video streaming service.
Other benefits included in the membership and 30-day free trial include:
Free Same-Day Delivery on $25+ grocery orders in selected areas
Access to Amazon Music
Access to Amazon Photos (unlimited photo storage and 5GB of video storage)
Free Grubhub+ membership, including $0 delivery fees, lower service fees, and exclusive savings
Amazon Prime Fuel Savings lets you save 10 cents a gallon on fuel at more than 7,500 gas stations
Exclusive access to offers on Amazon services and sales events like Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days
Amazon also offers a Prime Visa card for qualifying Prime members. With the Prime Visa, you can enjoy exclusive rewards, such as:
$150 gift card at sign-up
Earn unlimited 5% back on Amazon purchases
Earn unlimited 5% back at Whole Foods (online or in-store)
Shop with points at Amazon
You can apply for the Prime Visa card at Amazon.
What is Prime Big Deal Days, aka October Prime Day? Credit: AmazonSince 2022, Amazon has hosted a fall sale for Prime members, officially called Prime Big Deal Days. In recent years, this shopping event has become the unofficial kick-off to the Black Friday shopping season. For early bird shoppers, it's a chance to get a head start on holiday shopping (and save some money in the process).
When is Prime Big Deal Days 2026?The sale will take place over 48 hours on Tuesday, Oct. 6 and Wednesday, Oct. 7, with opportunities to save across 35 different categories and deals on popular products from Apple, Bose, Dyson, Lego, Levi's, Nike, Samsung, Sony, and tons more brands. Amazon's own devices and services will also see huge discounts, including Echo speakers, Fire TVs, eero routers, Audible, and Kindle Unlimited.
In fact, a ton of early Prime Day deals are already live. However, if you want to save hundreds of dollars on OLED TVs or try Audible for free, you'll need to be a Prime member.
Do you need to be a Prime member to shop the October Prime Day sale?Yes. According to Amazon's announcement, only Prime members with an active subscription can participate in this sale.
Is Amazon Prime worth it?This writer says yes. I've been an Amazon Prime member for at least five years, and I've never let my membership lapse. I'm an active user of Prime Video, and I regularly purchase household necessities (and plenty of non-necessities) on Amazon to take advantage of the free shipping.
What does it take to run one of the internet's most wholesome animated empires? Apparently, a lot of spicy chips.
Jenine Pastores and Josh Jackson are the creators behind Tubby Nugget, the tiny animated character whose relentless optimism and goofy sense of humor have helped him amass more than 14 million followers online. What started as an inside joke between the couple has since expanded into plushies, music videos, live events, and an increasingly ambitious animation operation.
SEE ALSO: How Tubby Nugget grew from a doodle into a beloved internet brandBut when Mashable asked Pastores and Jackson what creator essentials they couldn't live without, Pastores had one immediate problem with the premise. "You know what's funny? We make it from home," she said. "So I'm like, what's in our bag?"
As it turns out, quite a bit. There's the iPad Jackson uses to draw Tubby, Pastores's increasingly chaotic system for capturing ideas, an emergency kit worthy of a grandma's purse, and enough glasses wipes to theoretically last Jackson years — if he could stop losing them.
And, most importantly, there are snacks.
Tubby Nugget's creators share the essentials behind their wholesome empire. Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Getty Images/Grupo Bimbo Takis (but only as many as Josh allows) Takis 18 pc / 1 oz Variety Pack, Assorted Flavored Mixed Rolled Tortilla Chips – (5) Fuego, (5) Blue Heat, (4) Nitro, (4) Crunchy Fajitas $9.47 at Amazon"It's gonna sound very Tubby Nugget, but it's snacks," Pastores said. "I feel like we cannot work without snacks."
For Pastores, that generally means spicy chips. Specifically, Takis. Unfortunately, Jackson has appointed himself the household's unofficial Takis regulator. "She eats a lot of Takis, and I often have to ration it for her because it gives her a stomachache," Jackson said.
Pastores immediately objected. "You want to know what he does to me? He hides the Takis on the top shelf because I can't reach it."
"Even with a ladder, she can't reach it," Jackson added.
"You didn't have to hear that part," Pastores said. "It's really sad."
Jackson's system has become surprisingly sophisticated. He portions the Takis into a small bowl rather than giving Pastores access to the entire bag. "I'm like, 'You can eat this many Takis,'" he said.
"No!" Pastores replied.
"This whole segment is gonna be Josh roasting me about my Takis obsession," she said. "You guys heard it first. Honestly, any spicy chips. It's pretty bad, but I love it. It's delicious."
An iPad and Procreate Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) $427 at AmazonThere is, thankfully, some actual creator tech on the list. Jackson uses an iPad and Procreate to draw Tubby Nugget, making the device one of the more obvious necessities in their creative workflow.
"Josh draws everything on Procreate," Pastores said.
"Yeah, it's pretty essential," Jackson added. "It's what we do."
For a character that now exists across social media, merchandise, music videos, and the real world, a major part of the Tubby Nugget operation still comes down to Jackson sitting down and drawing on an iPad.
A journal and some extremely chaotic Apple Notes Artfan Bullet Dotted Journal $11.86 at AmazonPastores needs somewhere to capture an idea whenever inspiration hits. "My journal, in case I have ideas," she said. "That's really important. My journal is very important to me."
She still keeps a physical journal, but increasingly, her ideas end up somewhere considerably less organized: the Notes app on her phone.
"I did start transitioning to using my Apple Notes," she said. "But it's like the nonsensical Apple Notes where it's just like, 'fire in kitchen.'"
No further explanation of "fire in kitchen" was provided.
A grandma-level emergency kitPastores describes herself as "a grandma with my purse," and she has the supplies to prove it. "I have my favorite pill box, which has every single pill imaginable that I might need," she said, listing staples like Advil, Benadryl, and Allegra.
Jackson considered this a perfectly legitimate creator essential. "No, it is important. It is important," he said. "Most people are like, 'My camera,' and you're like, 'My pills.'"
Not every tool of the creator trade needs a charging cable.
So many glasses wipes Metene Lens Cleaner Wipes, Pre-Moistened Electronic Glasses Wipes, 300 Count $13.48 at WalmartJackson's essential is simple: glasses wipes. The problem is keeping track of them. "The man loses his glasses wipes constantly," Pastores said. "He has ordered the 12-pack maybe like 12 times."
Jackson disputed the frequency somewhat. "Two times a year, I order like a 12-pack of glasses wipes because every six months I lose all of them."
Pastores eventually finds them. "They're just all over our house," she said.
For now, Jackson's actual glasses remain decidedly low-tech. But when Mashable asked whether he'd ever try smart glasses, he was intrigued by one possibility.
"Maybe if we could do a Tubby AR and a real-life Tubby could be floating," Jackson said.
The pair already has a Tubby Nugget Snapchat filter, which got them thinking. "We have to work on this," Pastores said.
"Maybe Tubby AR," Jackson replied.
Add it to the bag.
Don't be alarmed, but we're about a week away from October Prime Day.
The sale, officially dubbed Prime Big Deal Days, marks the start of the holiday shopping season, which is often a great time to grab tech like AirPods on sale.
The sale officially kicks off Oct. 6, but in the lead-up to the main event, our team will be tracking all the best AirPods deals. So far, we haven't seen any price drops on the newly announced AirPods 5 (more on that below), but we have seen some other promising price drops. As someone who tests and writes about headphones and earbuds year-round, I get why Apple users are willing to invest in AirPods. As a deals expert, I also much prefer to see folks grab AirPods on sale.
SEE ALSO: Early October Prime Day deals already live: Save on Apple, Beats, Fire TV, and GarminThe key to shopping these sales smartly is grabbing deals at just the right time. That's why I've rounded up the three best AirPods deals live so far, plus the three that you can wait on for the time being. Check them out below, and be sure to follow more of Mashable's October Prime Day coverage.
Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at WalmartThe humble AirPods 4. What they lack in active noise cancellation, they make up for in a more appealing price point of $99. With the release of the AirPods 5, these are the last AirPods available without ANC. Maybe that's ideal for you, or maybe you simply appreciate the lower price point. In either case, this is likely the last holiday shopping season you can grab these buds on sale. Just note, they are still far from their record low price of $69, but their availability may be limited as we get further into the shopping season — they've already sold out at Amazon.
More AirPods dealsApple AirPods Pro 3 — $234 $249 (save $15)
Apple AirPods Max 2 — $479 $549 (save $70)
The AirPods 5 have only received one small deal — a $4 price drop — so far since their release on Sept. 18. Granted, they're still very new to the market, so even that price dip is notable. We're hoping that as we get further into holiday deal season, a slightly more substantial deal comes along.
The AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case haven't dropped in price just yet, so we're not holding our breath that they will, especially since they're still brand new. That said, October Prime Day would be a very appropriate time for a surprise deal, so the chance that we see even a small dip isn't zero. At the very least, grabbing them at full price is still likely a better deal than grabbing the AirPods 4 with ANC on sale (more on that below).
The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation look like a good deal at $149 (down from $179), but there's a catch. Their newer analog, the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, has a list price of $149 and comes with an improved feature set, including better active noise cancellation and sound quality, with the same battery life. In other words, the AirPods 4 with ANC would have to be cheaper than $149 for this to be a deal worth picking up.
A mukbang video can keep bringing in ad revenue long after the meal is over. For some Korean creators, those old uploads have become something to worry about.
Mukbang, a Korean portmanteau for "eating broadcast," took off in South Korea as a live format: A host would eat on camera and talk with viewers, turning a meal into something people could share from home. An enormous spread might catch someone's eye, but research on mukbang viewers suggests the conversation and sense of company help keep them watching.
On YouTube, those viewers can also bring in money. Creators in its Partner Program earn a share of ad revenue from eligible videos, even when the views come years after the upload. That makes a restriction on older videos a problem for a creator's income today.
SEE ALSO: YouTube just raised the bar for creators to earn ad revenueSalppaejo, also known as DietJo, is dealing with exactly that uncertainty. The creator, whose channel has about 447,000 subscribers, said YouTube had suspended its monetization. "We have also stopped uploading videos because we do not know which ones might be penalized," she wrote in a community post, according to Seoul Economic Daily’s translation.
The concern isn't simply about eating a large amount of food on camera. YouTube's rules target eating-disorder content that depicts behaviors vulnerable viewers might imitate, including binge eating, hiding food, or tracking weight and weight loss. That distinction is becoming important for creators whose videos mix food with dieting or weight-loss content.
Miso, a diet and food YouTuber with about 100,000 subscribers, found herself sorting through four years of videos. In a Sept. 15 upload, she said YouTube first notified her of a guideline violation in mid-March and, later that month, told her that her channel's monetization would be temporarily suspended. She spent April contacting YouTube and appealing the decision before reviewing every video she had posted. "I reviewed all 667 videos on my channel and deleted 339 of them with tears in my eyes," she said.
Miso added that she had made some of those videos to share her own weight-loss experience. But since they included specific weight and diet figures, as well as descriptions of weight-loss routines, she said they could be risky for vulnerable viewers to imitate. What mattered in the YouTube review, as she understood it, was "not the creator’s intent, but rather how teenagers and viewers perceive the content." Mashable reached out to YouTube for more information about how it applies these rules but did not receive a response by press time.
The concern has reached muckbang creators at large. Tzuyang, one of South Korea’s best-known mukbang stars with 13.5 million subscribers, told viewers during a visit to an Incheon market, "I heard eating a lot isn’t the trend these days." She added, "I’ll try to be a YouTuber who eats a reasonable amount from now on." Then she ate fried chicken, spicy rice cakes, donuts, and several other dishes. There’s no indication YouTube has penalized her channel, but her joke shows that she’s following the conversation.
So what changed? In 2023, YouTube expanded its rules to prohibit disordered eating content that featured what it calls "imitable behavior" or actions vulnerable viewers might copy. Later that year, it updated its ad guidelines, stating that videos focused on eating disorders that depict such behavior "will not receive ad revenue." Under YouTube's current guidelines, examples that can affect ad eligibility include references to binge eating or hiding food, showing a lowest weight or BMI, and tracking weight-loss progress. YouTube also considers a video's title, thumbnail, description, and tags. (The rules don't amount to a ban on mukbangs overall, and there's no evidence that simply eating a large meal on camera automatically leads to demonetization.)
There's a lot at stake for YouTube, too. The company said videos with "mukbang" in the title drew more than 30 billion views worldwide from January through July 2024. But it also faces questions about the eating disorder content it recommends to young viewers. In a July 2026 study, researchers created accounts posing as 13-year-old girls. After those accounts watched a video featuring disordered eating, researchers found that an average of one in nine "Up Next" recommendations featured harmful eating disorder content.
For the creators in this story, the consequences are already concrete. The next change to mukbang may happen before anyone takes a bite. Creators can still film a meal, but they may think more carefully about how they portray excessive eating, as well as the titles and thumbnails associated with it — at least if they want to keep getting the views and ad dollars they're used to.
Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days (aka October Prime Day) is coming in hot, and with it, a boatload of discounts on Amazon's own devices. It officially runs from Oct. 6 through Oct. 7 this year and presents the perfect opportunity to kickstart your holiday shopping.
It only makes sense that Amazon offers the biggest markdowns on its own devices. And since Amazon decided to swiftly jack up prices across its hardware range last month by as much as 60% (!), the October Prime Day sale couldn't come at a better time.
Now that we're a week out from October Prime Day, Amazon is really rolling out its deals. While there are still no savings on Kindles, Echo devices are finally on sale. Not only can you save up to 50% on the Echo Dot, but the new Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio are also on sale. Plus, we've rounded up savings on Fire tablets, Blink cameras, Fire TV streaming sticks and soundbars, and eero devices.
Aside from devices themselves, Amazon's typical subscription deals for newcomers (and returning users) are already live. You can score three free months of Kindle Unlimited, four months of Audible Standard for 99 cents per month, or four free months of Amazon Music Unlimited.
We'll be tracking all the best Amazon device deals below, leading up to and throughout the Prime Big Deal Days sale. You do need to be a Prime member to score the biggest discounts during the event, so be sure to sign up before it kicks off.
Best Echo device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Dot $39.99 at AmazonFinally! Amazon's Echo devices are officially on sale ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. Right now, grab the Amazon Echo Dot for just $39.99. While that's not the lowest sale price we've ever spotted on the Echo Dot, it's the best price since Amazon increased prices on its devices.
The Echo Dot is a perfectly compact smart speaker. Plus, it's compatible with Alexa+, a smarter home assistant that helps you do everything from meal planning to booking dinner reservations.
More Echo device dealsAmazon Echo Pop Kids — $21.99 $49.99 (save $28)
Amazon Echo Dot Kids — $39.99 $89.99 (save $50)
Amazon Echo Spot — $54.99 $109.99 (save $55)
Amazon Echo Show 5 — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)
Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids — $59.99 $109.99 (save $50)
Amazon Echo Dot Max — $79.99 $119.99 (save $40)
Amazon Echo Show 11 — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)
Amazon Echo Studio — $179.99 $219.99 (save $40)
Amazon Echo Show 21 — $349.99 $499.99 (save $150)
While it's hardly a new device, the Fire HD 10 tablet is still a solid pick for anyone who just wants a tablet to stream shows, check emails, and browse social media. Mashable's reviewer SaVanna Shoemaker called it "lighter and faster than its predecessors, with a long battery life and vivid picture that makes it great for on-the-go entertainment." Compared to other well-known tablets, she also adds that it's an "excellent value." It's not going to knock your socks off, but it'll get the job done and won't break the bank — especially now that it's on sale for only $72.99, a full 53% off its list price.
More Fire tablet dealsAmazon Fire 7 Kids — $54.99 $99.99 (save $45)
Amazon Fire HD 8 — $79.99 $129.99 (save $50)
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids — $94.99 $169.99 (save $75)
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro — $89.99 $169.99 (save $80)
Limited Edition Harry Potter Amazon Fire HD 10 — $132.99 $189.99 (save $57)
The entire Fire TV Stick lineup was affected by the August price hike, so we're surprised that the discounts are still at pre-hike levels. Prime members can score the 4K Select for only $17.99, which is 64% in savings.
The 4K Select is Amazon's newest 4K Fire TV Stick with HDR10+ support and the first to feature its new Linux-based operating system. That means a few things: it's speedier and more streamlined than older Fire Sticks, but also more limited. If you like sideloading apps, this streaming stick won't let you (go with the 4K Plus instead). It also offers support for Alexa+, Amazon Kids+, Amazon Luna, Xbox Game Pass, and NordVPN.
More Fire TV dealsAmazon Fire TV Stick HD — $15.99 $39.99 (save $24)
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $37.99 $69.99 (save $32)
Amazon Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro — $19.99 $34.99 (save $15)
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar — $79.99 $119.99 (save $40)
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus — $144.99 $249.99 (save $105)
Who doesn't love free stuff? In this early October Prime Day deal, you can get the Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ for no extra cost when you purchase the Blink Outdoor 2K+ for $34.99. That's 65% off the camera itself and nearly 80% off the combined cost. If you're looking to enhance your home security but don't want to spend a fortune, this bundle is an excellent start. You'll get sharp 2K video, enhanced audio, and night vision with no installation hassle. Everything is battery-powered and lasts for months at a time.
More Blink camera dealsBlink Mini 2K+ — $15.99 $39.99 (save $24)
Blink Mini Pan-Tilt — $23.99 $39.99 (save $16)
Blink Video Doorbell — $26.99 $69.99 (save $43)
Blink Outdoor 4 — $27.99 $79.99 (save $52)
Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ — $30.99 $69.99 (save $39)
Blink Arc 2K+ — $31.99 $99.99 (save $68)
Blink Outdoor XR+ and Wired Doorbell 2K+ — $41.99 $169.98 (save $127.99)
If your WiFi is laggy, it may be a good time to invest in an Amazon Eero system. Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, the Eero Pro 7 Mesh WiFi router is down to $224.99, which is $75 cheaper than usual. It supports over 200 devices, internet plans up to 5 Gbps, and covers up to 2,000 square feet, helping to optimize your connection and eliminate dead spots. Even if you're not a tech guru, it's a breeze to set up thanks to Eero's step-by-step guide in the app.
More Eero dealsAmazon eero 7 — $144.49 $169.99 (save $25.50)
Amazon eero Max 7 — $419.99 $599.99 (save $180)
Amazon's next major shopping event is just around the corner: Prime Big Deal Days takes place on Oct. 6-7. The two-day sale will bring exclusive discounts for Prime members across thousands of products, but if you're hoping to grab some early bargains, you don't need to wait until October to start saving. Amazon has already started dropping early deals ahead of the event.
Fitness trackers are among the products already getting the early Prime Day treatment, with Garmin, Fitbit, and other popular brands seeing strong discounts. We've rounded up the best deals you can shop right now, so you can grab a new tracker before the main event officially begins.
Get a Garmin for under $200 Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $189.99 at AmazonThe Garmin vívoactive 5 packs a bright AMOLED display and up to 11 days of battery life into a fitness-focused smartwatch that covers the essentials for both fitness and lifestyle tracking. You'll get advanced health and sleep tracking, built-in GPS, more than 30 sports apps, and useful training and recovery features that were missing from the previous vivoactive watch. I was a big fan of the vivoactive 4, and the 5 only made this all-rounder smartwatch even better.
Like the Apple Watch look? Save $50 on this alternative Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Sense 2 $199.95 at AmazonThe Fitbit Sense 2 comes with that stylish, squircle design, plus it's currently on sale for under $200. It tracks stress, sleep, and activity, with features 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, built-in GPS, and more than 40 exercise modes. If you want the Apple Watch look for less, this deal will save you some money.
Get the Samsung Galaxy 7 for more than $60 off Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 $185 at AmazonWith the release of newer models, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 has significantly dropped in price. It's packed with lots of clever features to assist you in training, including Galaxy AI which makes your fitness and health tracking feel more personal, from comparing your latest run or ride with previous performance to giving you an Energy Score for your day.
Save on a budget fitness tracker Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Charge 6 $133.49 at AmazonFor a compact, budget-friendly option, the Fitbit Charge 6 is a great choice. In fact, it even made it onto our guide of the best fitness trackers, excelling for those who want to "stay middle-of-the-road on budget without sacrificing a lot of features." With this watch, you'll get built-in GPS, 40+ exercise modes, and all-day activity and heart-rate tracking. It also keeps tabs on sleep, stress, and daily readiness.
Endurance athletes can save $300 on the fēnix 7X Pro Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin fēnix 7X Pro $674 at AmazonThis one is built for serious training and outdoor treks. This Garmin has a rugged 51mm design with solar charging for weeks of battery life. You'll get seriously advanced training and recovery insights, multi-band GPS, detailed navigation, and handy extras like a built-in LED flashlight. And a week before Prime Day gets underway, it's over $300 off at Amazon.
Get the Google Pixel Watch 4 for its best-ever price Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Watch 4 $329.95 at AmazonDescribed as a "true runner's watch" by our reviewer, the Google Pixel Watch 4 is currently at its lowest-ever price on Amazon. This watch gives you 30 hours of battery life and Google's Gemini assistant built in. It also puts a strong focus on health and fitness, with tools for tracking workouts and running performance
Silva highlighted many runner-friendly tools in her review, but was particularly impressed by its advanced in-app form analysis, which can help runners looking to improve their technique.
Amazon's next Prime Day is officially on the horizon. Its fall savings event, Prime Big Deal Days (aka "October Prime Day") is coming Oct. 6 and 7, with competing festivities at Target and Walmart.
The best Prime Day deals are your chance to get some relief from the RAMageddon price hikes impacting the tech industry this year. For its part, Amazon increased the prices of nearly two dozen Kindles, Fire TV Sticks, Echo smart speakers, and eero routers this summer because of rising component costs. Seasonal sales like Prime Big Deal Days and Black Friday should cancel out some of those markups.
SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for the next Prime DayAs we gear up for fall, Amazon is already dropping early October Prime Day deals, and we've hunted down the best ones for you. Savings are fluctuating quickly; for example, Fire Sticks were heavily discounted last week and are now full price. We're still holding out for more deals, considering Amazon Echo devices and Kindle e-readers have yet to go on sale.
Finally, a word of warning: We do expect prices to drop even lower on select Apple products when the sale starts Oct. 6, so you might want to hold out until then. In the meantime, we'll be regularly updating our picks in the lead-up to Prime Big Deal Days. You can also check out our guide to the top October Prime Day tech deals for more savings.
Deals marked with a ✅ are Mashable editor favorites. Deals marked with a strikethrough are no longer available.
Best headphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) Headphones $319 at AmazonAhead of October Prime Day, we spotted the first deal on the second-generation Bose QuietComfort headphones. Mashable's audio expert Bethany Allard says that the Bose QuietComfort (2nd gen) are the best combination of comfort, noise cancellation, sound quality, and value. And right now, they're an even better value as they're 11% off. Get them for $319, and save $40 on the headphones that are usually $359.
More headphone dealsJBL Tune 730BT headphones — $59.95 $89.95 (save $30)
Beats Solo 4 wireless headphones — $149.95 $199.95 (save $50)
Skullcandy Crusher 720 headphones — $139.99 $209.99 (save $70)
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 — $189.99 $229 (save $39.01) ✅
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) — $249.99 $299 (save $49.01) ✅
The basic AirPods just got an upgrade with the new AirPods 5, and last year's Apple AirPods Pro 3 are back on sale. Ahead of October Prime Day, shop the Apple AirPods Pro 3 for $234, a $15 discount. The earbuds have ANC, a more comfortable fit, and bring live translation to the AirPods experience. They're perfect for commuters and even measure your heart rate, which is great for athletes who love a good workout playlist.
More early Prime Day Apple dealsAirPods
Apple AirPods 4 — $99 $129.99 (save $30.99)
Apple AirPods Max 2 — $479 $549 (save $70) ✅
iPads
Apple iPad (A16, 128GB, WiFi) — $427 $449 (save $22)
Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, 128GB, WiFi) — $729 $749 (save $20) ✅
MacBooks
Apple MacBook Pro (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,839 $1,999 (save $160) ✅
Apple MacBook Pro (M5 Max, 48GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,499 $4,999 (save $500)
Accessories
Apple MagSafe Charger — $39.99 $49 (save $9.01) ✅
Apple Pencil USB-C — $69.98 $79 (save $9.02)
Apple AirTag 2 (4-pack) — $89 $99 (save $10) ✅
Finally! Amazon's Echo devices are officially on sale ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. Right now, grab the Amazon Echo Dot for just $39.99. While that's not the lowest sale price we've ever spotted on the Echo Dot, it's the best price since Amazon increased prices on its devices.
The Echo Dot is a perfectly compact smart speaker. Plus, it's compatible with Alexa+, a smarter home assistant that helps you do everything from meal planning to booking dinner reservations.
More Amazon device dealsEcho devices
Amazon Echo Glow — $22.99 $29.99 (save $7)
Amazon Echo Show 5 — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)
Amazon Echo Dot Max — $79.99 $119.99 (save $40)
Amazon Echo Show 11 — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)
Amazon Echo Show 21 — $349.99 $499.99 (save $150)
Fire tablets
Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB) — $72.99 $154.99 (save $82)
Amazon Fire HD 8 (64GB) — $79.99 $129.99 (save $50) ✅
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (64GB) — $94.99 $169.99 (save $75)
Fire TVs
Amazon Fire TV Stick HD — $15.99 $39.99 (save $24)
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)
Amazon Fire TV Stick Voice Remote Pro — $19.99 $34.99 (save $15)
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $37.99 $69.99 (save $32)
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — $44.99 $84.99 (save $40)
Amazon Fire TV Cube — $89.99 $199.99 (save $110)
Blink cameras
Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera — $23.99 $39.99 (save $16)
Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera — $39.99 $99.99 (save $60)
Blink Outdoor 4 and Battery Doorbell — $104.99 $369.98 (save $264.99)
Smart home
Amazon Smart Plug — $12.98 $24.99 (save $12.01)
Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor — $46.99 $69.99 (save $23)
Amazon Smart Thermostat — $56.99 $79.99 (save $23)
"The Hisense U7 series delivers Mini-LED performance you'd expect on higher-priced models. It packs a 165Hz refresh rate, 2.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos audio, a Google TV with a Gemini interface, and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Its backlighting features full-array local dimming as well, which means clusters of tiny LED bulbs precisely control brightness levels within specific sections of your screen for more accuracy and depth. The U7 is a step up from our favorite budget TV of 2026, but with this massive price drop, it's actually a much better deal. At $847.99, the 65-inch model is already $2 cheaper than it was on Prime Day proper back in June." — Christina Buff, Mashable Contributor
More TV dealsUnder 50-inch TV deals
Amazon Ember 40-inch 2-Series Fire TV — $179.99 $249.99 (save $70) ✅
Roku 43-inch Select Series 4K TV — $179.99 $249.99 (save $70)
Sony 48-inch Bravia 6 OLED 4K TV — $1,098 $1,299.99 (save $201.99)
50 to 55-inch TV deals
Insignia 50-inch F50 4K TV — $159.99 $299.99 (save $140)
Samsung 55-inch M70H Mini-LED 4K TV — $299.99 $347.99 (save $48)
Hisense 50-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $797.99 $1,299.99 (save $502)
LG 55-inch LX7B Gallery Mini LED 4K TV — $899.99 $1,299.99 (save $400)
65-inch TV deals
Roku 65-inch Plus Series QLED 4K TV — $449.99 $649.99 (save $200)
Hisense 65-inch E7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $597.99 $999.99 (save $402)
LG 65-inch LX7B Gallery Mini LED 4K TV — $1,099.99 $1,799.99 (save $700)
Toshiba 65-inch G700 ArtVision QLED 4K TV — $1,097.99 $1,999.99 (save $902)
Hisense 65-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $1,197.99 $1,999.99 (save $802)
Samsung 65-inch S85H OLED 4K TV — $1,397.99 $1,999.99 (save $602)
TCL 65-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $1,697.99 $2,499.99 (save $802) ✅
Samsung 65-inch S90H OLED 4K TV — $1,697.99 $2,699.99 (save $1,002) ✅
Sony 65-inch Bravia 8 II QD QLED 4K TV — $2,498 $3,299.99 (save $801.99)
75-inch TV deals
Samsung 75-inch M70H Mini-LED 4K TV — $547.99 $729.99 (save $182)
80 to 85-inch TV deals
Hisense 85-inch U6 Pro Hi-QLED Mini-LED 4K TV — $1,297.99 $1,999.99 (save $702)
Hisense 85-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $1,998.99 $3,999.99 (save $2,001)
TCL 85-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $2,797.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,202)
Over 85-inch TV deals
Hisense 100-inch E7 Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $1,996.96 $2,999.99 (save $1,003.03)
Hisense 100-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $2,497.99 $2,999.99 (save $502)
TCL 98-inch QM7L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)
"Ahead of Prime Day, this Bluetti power unit has $400 off the list price. It comes with a 1,024Wh capacity and 1,800W output, with 11 ports so you can charge multiple devices at once. It can also fully recharge in about 70 minutes with TurboBoost AC charging, making it a great option for last-minute use.
The 10-millisecond UPS (uninterruptible power supply) means this is a great model for plugging into your workstation or the WiFi router at home when a storm threatens to take out grid power. A 10 UPS means the Ecoflow will take over providing power within 10 milliseconds of losing wall power." — Lois Mackenzie, Mashable Contributor
More power station dealsJackery Explorer 300 — $259 $289 (save $30) ✅
Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 — $499.99 $599 (save $99.01) ✅
Jackery HomePower 1000 v2 — $549 $649 (save $100) ✅
Bluetti Elite 100 V2 with 200W Solar Panel — $698.98 $999 (save $300.02)
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 v2 and 200W Solar Panel — $699 $879 (save $180)
Anker Solix S2000 — $679.99 $1,199 (save $519.01)
Bluetti FridgePower — $898.97 $1,499 (save $600.03)
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 — $898.99 $999 (save $100.01) ✅
Bluetti Elite 200 V2 — $899 $1,199 (save $300) ✅
Ecoflow Delta 2 Max — $1,029 $1,399 (save $370)
Bluetti Elite 300 — $1,098.99 $1,499 (save $400.01)
Jackery HomePower 3000 — $1,349 $1,499 (save $150)
Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus — $1,709 $1,899 (save $190)
Anker Solix F3800 — $2,499.98 $2,799.99 (save $300.01)
"SanDisk is a favorite of mine when buying memory products, and I use their Extreme portable SSDs to back up my own photo and video collection. (As a tech editor, I take a lot of photos and videos.) Thanks to RAMageddon, you have to take any opportunity you can find to save on portable SSDs, flash drives, microSD cards, and hard drives. Already, some of SanDisk's most popular memory products are on sale, like their microSD Express card for the Switch 2 and the new version of their popular Extreme drive." — Timothy Beck Werth, Mashable Tech Editor
More SSD and hard drive dealsMicroSDs
SanDisk 32GB Ultra microSDHC — $20.95 $23 (save $2.05)
SanDisk 128GB High Endurance Video microSDXC — $36.99 $60.99 (save $24)
Portable SSDs
SanDisk 500GB Portable SSD — $119.99 $128.99 (save $9)
Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB — $229.99 $274.99 (save $45)
Samsung T9 Portable SSD 2TB — $936.93 $1,144.99 (save $208.06)
Portable HDDs
UnionSine 500GB Ultra Slim Portable External Hard Drive — $37.46 $39.43 (save $1.97)
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive — $129.99 $149.99 (save $20)
WD 5TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive — $214.99 $284.99 (save $70)
Western Digital 5TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive — $236.70 $274.99 (save $38.29)
WD 6TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive — $254 $319.99 (save $65.99)
Internal hard drives
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue PC Internal Hard Drive — $94.99 $134.99 (save $40)
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue Mobile Hard Drive — $127.82 $144.99 (save $17.17)
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB, PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 — $389.99 $639.99 (save $250) ✅
Many runners believe Garmin is the gold standard of smartwatches and fitness trackers. And ahead of Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, you can grab the Garmin Vivoactive 5 for just $181.97. That saves you over $118 off its retail price.
The Vivoactive 5 features an AMOLED display and up to 11 days of battery life, so you can wear it around the clock. It provides energy monitoring and a sleep score, so you get personalized tips to improve your sleep. Plus, it has 80 built-in types of sport tracking.
More fitness tracker and smartwatch dealsGarmin Lily 2 — $222.99 $249.99 (save $27)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, 40mm — $259.99 $299.99 (save $40) ✅
Google Pixel Watch 4, 41mm — $329.99 $449.99 (save $120)
"The Lego Botanicals Flower Arrangement is an absolute delight for adult builders, with its 1,161 pieces coming together to create a display of 14 flowers (including camellias, peonies, hydrangeas, baby’s breath, ranunculus, bouvardia, and lilies) in a white vase. If it's one you've had on your radar, Amazon has a sweet little early October Prime Day treat for you: it's currently at its lowest-ever price of $62.04. It's retiring soon, making now an excellent time to grab it for less.
It's not the only Botanicals deal we've spotted, either. You can see even more of our favorite floral sets on sale below." — Hannah Hoolihan, Mashable Contributor
More Lego dealsLego City Advent Calendar 2026 — $25 $34.99 (save $9.99)
Lego Botanicals Flowering Cactus — $27.95 $34.99 (save $7.04)
Lego Botanicals Succulents — $34.99 $49.99 (save $15)
Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026 — $35 $44.99 (save $9.99)
Lego Marvel Advent Calendar 2026 — $35 $44.99 (save $9.99)
Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart — Wario & King Boo — $35.99 $49.99 (save $14)
Lego Star Wars Darth Vader Bust — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)
Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart — Interactive Mario & Standard Kart — $41.99 $54.99 (save $13)
Lego Star Wars SMART Play: Yoda’s Hut and Jedi Training — $55.95 $69.99 (save $14.04)
Lego Botanicals Hibiscus Flower — $55.95 $69.99 (save $14.04)
Lego Star Wars SMART Play: Mos Eisley Cantina — $63.95 $79.99 (save $16.04)
Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart Baby Peach & Grand Prix Set Home Circuit — $63.99 $79.99 (save $16)
Lego Star Wars: Andor K-2SO Security Droid — $71.99 $89.99 (save $18)
Lego Star Wars SMART Play: Millennium Falcon — $79.95 $99.99 (save $20.04)
Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart — Bowser’s Castle — $89 $99.99 (save $10.99)
Right now, Prime members can save 80% on four months of Amazon's audiobook service, paying just $0.99 for their first four months. Your membership lets you download one title per month. including classics, new releases, and BookTok faves like the ACOTAR series. And if 99 cents feels a little high, you can also sign up for a 30-day free trial.
More Amazon subscription dealsKindle Unlimited — 3 months free
Amazon Music Unlimited — 4 months free with Prime
Buy or lease a new car, get a $1,500 gift card for free with Prime
Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.
Portable power stations are useful for everything from camping trips to keeping your gadgets running when you're away from a plug socket. They come in a wide range of prices and styles, with some reaching the thousands of dollars. They're not exactly the kind of thing you look to buy every week. But when they're on sale, a discount can make a purchase much easier to justify.
Now that we're rolling into fall and winter storm season, it's an ideal time to snag a model that's on sale. Plenty of models will be excellent for serving as backup power for your refrigerator. Other models that are on sale are perfect for fall camping.
SEE ALSO: 20+ of the best early October Prime Day deals: We found live deals on Apple, Nintendo, and GarminWith Prime Big Deal Days coming up on October 6-7, Amazon has already started cutting prices on some popular power stations, so now is a great time to pick one up at a lower-than-usual price. Below, we've rounded up the best early deals worth checking out.
A great beginner model from JackeryFor those new to portable power, Jackery makes some of the most beginner-friendly and uncomplicated models. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is a compact, portable power station with a 1,070Wh capacity and 1,500W output, making it suitable for powering devices such as fridges, electric pots, and other appliances. It can also go from empty to fully charged in an hour with emergency charging switched on, and the LFP battery is designed to retain more than 70% of its capacity after 4,000 charge cycles. Plus, it weighs under 24 pounds, so it's easy to carry around the house or the campground.
If you don't love the traditional black and orange look of Jackery portable power stations, the Explorer 1000 v2 comes in a modern cream color called dune white. That version is also on sale for $499 ahead of Prime Day, marked down from its list price of $589.
Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 $499 at AmazonOne of the major benefits of a portable power station is the ability to recharge using solar power. The EcoFlow Delta 3 Classic bundle with a 220W solar panel is a great choice ahead of Prime Day. You'll get the 1,024Wh portable power station, which has a 1,800W output that can handle even big appliances like fridges. It has X-Boost providing up to 2,600W for higher-power devices, and can charge to 80% in 45 minutes via AC.
With full sun, EcoFlow says the Delta 3 Classic can recharge in about 6 hours with the 220W solar panel. Of course, you can also recharge using standard wall power or a generator. When plugged into a wall outlet, the EcoFlow can reach 80% capacity in just 45 minutes.
Opens in a new window Credit: Ecoflow Ecoflow Delta 3 Classic with 220W Solar Panel $699 at AmazonAhead of Prime Day, this Bluetti Elite 100 v2 unit has $400 off the list price. It comes with a 1,024Wh capacity and 1,800W output, with 11 ports so you can charge multiple devices at once. It can also fully recharge in about 70 minutes with TurboBoost AC charging, making it a great option for last-minute use.
But one of the highlights of the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is its ability to connect with up to 1,000W of solar power. That's a massive amount of solar compatibility for a portable power station in the 1kWh range. If you have access to both 1,000W of solar and full sun, the Elite 100 V2 will recharge in just 70 minutes.
The 10 millisecond UPS (uninterrupted power supply) also makes this is a great model for plugging into your workstation or the WiFi router at home when a storm is threatening to take out grid power. A 10 UPS means the Bluetti will take over providing power within 10 milliseconds of losing wall power.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 100 V2 $499 at AmazonThis unit has a 1,056Wh capacity and 2,400W output, with 11 ports for powering multiple devices and appliances. It can reach 80% charge in 43 minutes with UltraFast charging enabled through the Anker app. It's built a LiFePO4 battery, so it's designed to last a long time, up to 10 years, which is around 3,000 battery cycles.
The original Anker Solix C1000 also has a few advantages over the new C1000 Gen 2. For starters, the older model has a built-in lightbar, which is incredibly useful when camping or carrying the power station around at home during a power outage. The original C1000 is also expandable to add an additional 1,056Wh of power, doubling capacity.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 $449.98 at AmazonIf you plan on heading out for fall camping, you might run into some rain or dewy mornings. The Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra isn't afraid of getting wet, so it's perfect for all-season camping. It carries an IP65 rating, which means it's both water- and dust-proof. Jackery also tested this model for drops, and it'll be just fine when it takes a tumble of about three feet or less.
Important stats include a 1,536Wh battery capacity, a metal cooling base, and protective covers for all ports. This is also a great model for using in a dusty workshop since the air intake is located toward the top of the unit rather than near the bottom, which tends to suck up dust or wood shavings.
Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra $1,079 at AmazonWhen the power goes out at home, a major worry is keeping food from going bad. Now that grocery prices have gone wild, the thought of having to toss it all out is worrying. Instead, plug the fridge into the Anker Solix S2000, which packs a massive 2,010Wh of battery capacity. Anker says this can keep a standard refrigerator on for up to 35 hours. Keep in mind that the exact number will depend on factors such as your fridge's capacity, the kitchen's ambient temperature, and how full the refrigerator is.
The Anker Solix S2000 has AC ports on both the front and the back of the station, so you can plug the fridge into the back and keep the front ports open for other kitchen appliances like the coffee maker.
During Prime Day in July, we saw this model drop to an incredible price of $599, which means it's possible it'll drop again next week when the sale officially kicks off on Oct. 6.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix S2000 $679.99 at AmazonWe all know DJI as the brand that launched drones into our everyday lives, as well as the company that makes excellent creator cameras and mics. But DJI also makes a stellar lineup of portable power stations. Oftentimes, they're on sale for a price that's so competitive anyone should consider them as a front-runner for portable power, but they're especially great for those who have DJI drones.
Like the name suggests, the DJI Power 1000 v2 comes with a solid 1,024Wh battery capacity with peak output of 2,600W. It has your standard AC ports, USB-C, and USB-A, but it also features dual SDC ports that can fast-charge DJI drone batteries. This feature makes it incredibly friendly for content creators. Additionally, it's super quiet, operating as low as 26 decibels, making recording video or audio near the power station no big deal.
Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 1000 V2 $419.99These days, a huge number of Jackery portable power stations are on their second version, or v2. Most of them have improvements such as being lighter to carry, faster charging, and a USB-C port that can handle more power. But this doesn't mean you have to count out older models. The Jackery Explorer 300 still has plenty of great features for a 293Wh portable power station.
For starters, it weighs only about 7 pounds and has a 100W USB-C port. Jackery mentions that the battery can recharge a phone about 13 times. But one of the best parts about this deal is the inclusion of a 40W solar panel. The Jackery SolarSaga 40W air is a compact panel that measures about the size of a sheet of paper and weighs under two pounds.
On its own, the SolarSaga 40W Air solar panel costs $129 at full price, although it's on sale for $108.99. Given this pricing, snagging both the Jackery Explorer 300 and the 40W Air solar panel for $339 is a great option.
Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 300 with Jackery SolarSaga 40W Air $339 at AmazonFor those who live in an area prone to hurricanes or ice storms, the Anker Solix F3000 could be a lifesaver. Its massive 3,072Wh capacity means you can keep almost everything in your home powered up, from the refrigerator to lamps and the coffee maker. Plus, it has the capacity for major expansion to 24kWh.
Thanks to the 30amp plug, you could even do a load of laundry with the Solix F3000 or take it along in the RV. Plus, the Anker is capable of powering gadgets while recharging, and even better for storm situations, you can recharge via a generator in a bit over an hour.
Of course, Anker added durable wheels and a telescoping handle to this model since the 3kWh battery weighs about 91 pounds.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix F3000 $139.99 at AmazonNot everyone needs or wants major power backup. For short trips to the campground for a few nights or for using at home during short outages, the Anker Solix C300 is packed with useful features. The 288Wh capacity will recharge small gadgets like cell phones and earbuds while camping, and the carrying strap makes it ideal for transporting at the campsite.
The Solix C300 comes with four USB-C ports, including two that support 140W, making it possible to recharge your MacBook Pro at the campsite. Plus, you can recharge the Solix power station in 2.5 hours via the car socket. The pop-up lantern adds to the campsite-friendliness of this model.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix C300 $199.99 at AmazonWe already mentioned the benefits of buying the Jackery Explorer 300 with a 40W solar panel, but if you don't mind buying used and you don't want the solar panel, this deal is pretty awesome. A renewed version of the Jackery Explorer 300 is on sale at Amazon for only $156. It's certified by Amazon's renewal program to retain at least 80% of its original battery capacity.
This isn't the fanciest or newest model, but if you're looking for a more affordable way to get into the portable power station game, this could be your ticket.
Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Refurbished Jackery Explorer 300 $156 at AmazonMost batteries don't perform well in deep chills, but the Bluetti Pioneer Na is designed specifically to be cold-proof. It can safely recharge your devices and tools at temperatures as low as -13 degrees and at temperatures as low as 5 degrees. That makes it ideal for ice fishing, working in an uninsulated shed or garage in the winter, or leaving for the cabin.
Instead of using lithium-ion battery cells, the Bluetti Pioneer Na uses sodium-ion which is not only better to use in deeply cold weather, it avoids using rarer metals like lithium and cobalt.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Pioneer Na $799 at BluettiFall has just begun, but the holiday shopping season is already heating up. No longer do things kick off on Black Friday: Amazon's annual Prime Big Deal Days on Oct. 6 and 7 will be your first chance to start scoring year-end deals.
In the lead-up to this "October Prime Day," as it's often called, Mashable's team of shopping experts is tracking all the best early deals on the biggest brands, including Apple. When it comes to iPad deals, they're a real grab bag so far. Most configurations of the latest iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro are just $30 off — nowhere close to the prices we expect them to hit once Prime Big Deal Days starts. However, a few models are cheap enough to think about adding to your cart already.
SEE ALSO: October Prime Day Apple deals guide: Buy now or wait?Below, we've rounded up the best early October Prime Day iPad deals we could find. We've also made some predictions for the iPad deals we're likely to see next week based on our experience covering Prime Big Deal Days in the past. Decide for yourself if you're willing to wait for them; even the meager savings now are still something to celebrate, considering all iPads got price hikes this summer.
Save up to $30 on the regular iPadThe standard iPad with the A16 chip is our favorite Apple tablet for budget shoppers. "Even though its tech is basic compared to the advanced iPad Air and Pro," writes Mashable's Samantha Mangino, "it's great for someone who wants a portable screen for streaming, playing games, and reading." It's rated for up to six hours of battery life.
Ahead of Amazon's sale, the base iPad with 128GB of storage is $30 off with or without cellular connectivity. It was $70 off last Prime Big Deal Days, so it could dip further to $379 next week (normally $449).
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad (A16, WiFi, 128GB) $427 at AmazonIf you wish e-readers were more powerful, more versatile, and equipped with way more storage, get Apple's smallest iPad instead. The iPad mini's compact size and anti-reflective display make it our favorite tablet for reading.
The iPad mini also saw a $70 discount during Prime Big Deal Days 2025, so we think it will drop to $529 when this year's sale begins on Oct. 6 (typically $599). Right now, the base model is up to $30 off, depending on whether you'd like cellular connectivity.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) $569 at AmazonThe iPad Air is our favorite iPad for most people. It has a 10-hour battery life, a beautiful, crisp display, and an M4 processor that makes it as powerful as many laptops. In his iPad Air review, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth deemed it "a premium device for creators, artists, and college students."
Most configurations of the M4 iPad Air are just $20 to $30 off right now, save for the 13-inch base model with cellular connectivity. It's already enjoying a $100 discount that brings it down from $1,099 to $999. It could get $50 cheaper once Prime Big Deal Days starts — the M3 model was $150 off during last year's sale — but this is one of the more solid early deals we've spotted.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M4, WiFi + cellular, 128GB) $999 at AmazonApple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) — $729 $749 (save $20)
Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi + cellular, 128GB) — $870.08 $899 (save $28.92)
Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) — $929 $949 (save $20)
If you're a professional creative in the market for an iPad Pro, consider buying last year's M4 model instead of the freshest M5 version, which just has a newer chip and newer wireless connectivity tech (WiFi and Bluetooth). The best early October Prime Day iPad deals we've seen feature $200 discounts on two upgraded M4 iPad Pros: One is a 13-inch model with 512GB of storage; the other is an 11-incher with 2TB of storage and a nano-texture display. Both of them are sitting at some of their lowest prices of the year so far. If anything, they might get $50 cheaper during Prime Big Day Deals... if they don't sell out first.
Prefer an M5 iPad Pro for future-proofing's sake? Amazon's deals on both sizes max out at $100 off right now. Come Prime Big Deal Days, they could be up to $200 off.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) $1,299 at AmazonApple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,139 $1,199 (save $60)
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5, WiFi + cellular, 256GB) — $1,345.99 $1,399 (save $53.01)
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,399 $1,499 (save $100)
Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5, WiFi + cellular, 256GB) — $1,616 $1,699 (save $83)
TL;DR: Get lifetime access to a Matt’s Flights Premium Plan for $39.99 (reg. $197) for a limited time and start watching for holiday flight deals early.
Opens in a new window Credit: Matt's Flights Matt's Flights Premium Plan Lifetime Subscription: Save up to 90% on Domestic & International flights $39.99It’s never too early to think about Christmas travel, especially once you start pricing flights home. Instead of refreshing search tabs every night, you can have someone else watch the fares for you.
That’s the idea behind Matt’s Flights. There’s a real person behind it: Matt scans airlines for sales and mistake fares, then emails the deals to members. Premium members get five times as many deals as free users on both domestic and international routes and can save up to 90% on airfare.
SEE ALSO: I hunted down the top early October Prime Day MacBook deals: Save $600 on on the M5 ProThe direct line to Matt is especially handy for the holidays. You can email him for 1-on-1 flight and travel planning support, and send custom search requests for a specific route, such as getting home for Christmas. There’s no cap on how many requests you can submit.
The Premium Plan includes:
3+ flight deals per week, domestic and international
Mistake fare notifications
1-on-1 flight and travel planning support via email
Unlimited custom search requests
There are a couple of things to know before you buy. Deals are based on departures from 60 U.S. airports and six Canadian airports, so check that your home airport is on the list first. The plan is also only available to new users, and you’ll need to redeem your code within 30 days of purchase.
At $39.99 for lifetime access, one well-timed booking could more than cover the cost. Get a lifetime Matt’s Flights Premium Plan for $39.99 (reg. $197) for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: The Financial Freedom Bundle pairs lifetime access to Sterling Stock Picker with the PRO$PER financial education platform for $69.99 (reg. $598).
Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce The Financial Freedom Bundle ft. Sterling Stock Picker $69.99Learning to invest usually means picking up a tool, a course, or both, separately. This bundle covers both sides at once: a stock research app and a financial education platform, for $69.99 together instead of $598.
Sterling Stock Picker runs financial, technical, and risk analysis on individual stocks and returns a buy, sell, hold, or avoid call, so you’re not stuck parsing an earnings report yourself. A five-minute risk-tolerance quiz feeds a portfolio builder that can assemble a diversified mix based on your goals, and an AI assistant named Finley answers portfolio questions in plain language with real-time market data. It works through a browser or the iOS and Android apps, with no recurring fees once you’ve bought in.
SEE ALSO: 15 early October Prime Day tech deals, hand-picked by our gadget expertsThe second half of the bundle, PRO$PER, focuses on education: more than 12 courses and 150 lessons on budgeting, debt, investing, and retirement planning, taught by financial educator Jaden Sterling. It includes its own dashboard for tracking goals and progress, plus the same Finley AI coach for questions as they come up.
Together, the idea is to give new and experienced investors both the research tool and the background to understand what it’s telling them, rather than one without the other. Both pieces come with lifetime access and unlimited future updates, and the bundle is open to new users only, with codes redeemable within 30 days of purchase.
Get the Financial Freedom Bundle for $69.99, an 88% savings off the $598 list price.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
You're scrolling through your TikTok For You page, watching videos, when suddenly a pop-up appears on your smartphone screen.
"Congratulations! You have been selected for our Screentime To Cash program," reads the prompt, which looks a lot like a TikTok notification.
These types of ads suggest that TikTok users can get paid to watch videos; however, even though it looks like an official TikTok message, it's not.
There is no legitimate TikTok program called "Screentime to Cash" — or anything similar — the company confirmed in a statement to Mashable. TikTok does have an official monetization program for eligible creators who upload content and meet certain requirements. But TikTok definitely does not have a program that pays viewers to watch videos or scroll through the app.
Screentime to Cash pop-up Credit: Mashable screenshotA TikTok spokesperson also told Mashable that they have since removed the ads and connected accounts.
"We've removed content and accounts for violating our policies against deceptive practices and misleading content," TikTok told us. "TikTok prohibits fraudulent activity in both advertising and user-generated content, and we continuously remove such content and accounts as they're detected or reported."
So, why is this message on your screen then?
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Behind the TikTok "Screentime to Cash" pop-up messagesThird-party entities are running ads on TikTok that are designed to look like official messaging from the platform, according to a Mashable investigation. Typically, these ads promote Get-Paid-To apps, or GPT apps.
These apps advertise themselves as ways that users can make money by playing games, watching videos, or filling out forms and surveys. The Get-Paid-To app-makers may act as affiliates for other third-party companies, which pay the app maker for signups or downloads of their product. In turn, these GPT app companies share their affiliate earnings with their users as they complete qualifying tasks. These types of apps may also share user data with third parties, a common app monetization strategy. When a user completes a certain number of tasks, such as taking surveys or downloading games, and reaches a payment threshold, they can request their payout.
Mashable found numerous TikTok users posting screenshots of the "Screentime to Cash" advertisements on social media platforms like Reddit; users said those ads directed them to third-party apps such as Playful Rewards or QuickRewardz.
Mashable reached out to both Playful Rewards and QuickRewardz, and a Playful Rewards spokesperson told Mashable that the ads "are not being run directly by Playful Rewards and may be coming from a third-party advertising source."
As for QuickRewardz, it appears the app has since been removed from the Google Play store, although it's unclear when the app was taken down. It's also unclear if the app was pulled by Google or the developer. Mashable reached out to the company behind the app, Team Rewardz, and we'll update this piece if we hear back.
These types of apps and advertisements make up a vast web of affiliate networks and third parties. This can make it difficult for social media platforms to crack down on misleading ads, leaving them playing whack-a-mole as new accounts and ads pop up, literally, as detailed in a 2024 Forrester research report.
Do get-paid-to apps actually pay?There are some legitimate companies that pay small amounts of money for completing marketing surveys or other tasks. However, on sites such as Trustpilot, some frustrated reviewers describe GPT apps as scams. Many of these users report that after qualifying for a cash payout, their account was mysteriously suspended, typically for some type of alleged policy violation, and so they were never able to claim the promised rewards.
On the TrustPilot page for Playful Rewards, one reviewer wrote: "They're a scam. I recently accumulated enough coins to cash out $60, and then promptly got my account permanently locked. When I asked their customer support, they claimed it was because I progressed too fast on a game."
Always remember the golden rule when evaluating programs like this: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Likewise, just because you see an ad on a social media site like TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook, that does not mean the company behind the ad is legit. Internal Meta documents reviewed by Reuters stated that Facebook showed users 15 billion scam ads every day, and Mashable has reported on sketchy YouTube ads using AI and celebrity deepfakes.
TikTok users should also be skeptical of apps that use misleading advertisements that imply they have a formal relationship with TikTok or other companies. Always proceed with caution when you are asked to hand over any private personal information during the signup process. You should also check the fine print, as these app-based rewards programs may contain terms that allow the company to resell your information or place you on robocall lists, according to a 2023 suit by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.
The bottom line: TikTok says these "screentime to cash" programs are in no way endorsed by TikTok.
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SAVE $402: As of Sept. 29, the Hisense 65-inch E7 Cinema Series is on sale for $597.97 at Amazon. That's a 40% discount on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-inch E7 Cinema Series $597.97 at AmazonAmazon's next installment of Prime Day officially kicks off next week, but we've been tracking early deals popping up throughout September. There are deals of all kinds to be found, from robot vacuums to our tech favorites.
If it's a new TV you've been looking to buy, there are many impressive deals already live, including this latest discount on the Hisense 65-inch E7 Cinema Series. Normally $999.99, this TV is now $597.99, saving you over $400.
As the name suggests, this TV delivers cinema-quality viewing in the comfort of your home. It benefits from Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, which deliver HDR picture quality and immersive sound, and supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10, and HLG.
It also offers various AI features to enhance your viewing experience. These include picture processing, which helps adjust settings like brightness, contrast, and color based on the content you're watching. An AI light sensor can even adapt the backlight to the room's ambient lighting. Plus, there's also an AI Sports Mode that automatically adjusts the picture and sound for live sports.
And if you're a movie fanatic, you'll love Filmmaker Mode. This feature preserves the original picture and sound settings of compatible films, so you can watch them the way directors intended.
You can find this early Prime Day TV deal at Amazon right now.
We're now a few days past the Harvest Moon, this month's Full Moon, so it'll now begin to wane each night until we reach the New Moon. This process is called the lunar cycle, and takes around 29.5 days in total.
What is today’s Moon phase?As of Tuesday, Sept. 29, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waning Gibbous phase, with 92% of its surface visible.
While the Moon's visibility is decreasing, there is still so much to see tonight, including the Mare Imbrium, Mare Serenitatis, and the Tycho Crater which can be spotted without the use of any visual aids. If you have binoculars, they'll also help you see the Clavius Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Alps Mountains. Finally, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 11 and 17 landing spots, plus the Fra Mauro Highlands.
When is the next Full Moon?The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.
What are Moon phases?The Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth, and as it moves through this cycle, we see different amounts of its sunlit side from here. That's what creates the Moon's different phases, from a thin crescent through to a half Moon and, eventually, the Full Moon. Once it reaches the Full Moon, the cycle starts over again. NASA explains that the phase we see depends on the Moon's position in relation to Earth and the Sun.
The eight phases are:
New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
SAVE $50: As of Sept. 29, the Ninja Creami is on sale for $169.99 at Amazon. That's a 23% discount on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Creami $169.99 at AmazonIf you've spent any time scrolling TikTok, you've more than likely seen the Ninja Creami in action. The viral ice cream maker has become a firm favorite online for making homemade frozen treats of all kinds. We're talking everything from coffee ice cream to protein powder ice cream. And if you've been hoping to make your own creations, it's currently on sale at Amazon.
Prime Big Deal Days (also known as October Prime Day) kicks off next week, but early discounts have already started trickling in. For example, the Ninja Creami is now down to $169.99. According to camelcamelcamel, this is the best price in six months.
So, what exactly does it do? The Ninja Creami essentially lets you make seven different types of frozen treats at the touch of a button. These include ice cream, gelato, sorbet, milkshakes, smoothie bowls, Lite Ice Cream, and Mix-In. Its Creamify Technology finely shaves through a frozen pint to create smooth, creamy desserts in minutes, and the Re-spin function lets you process it again for an even softer texture.
And the world is your oyster when it comes to creations. You can make treats with the ingredients you choose. Plus, the Mix-In program also lets you add chocolate chips, nuts, fruit, cookies, etc., distributing them throughout your dessert.
Head to Amazon now to grab this Ninja deal.
The TikTok Creators Summit, held on Thursday in Hollywood, had the feel of an intimate awards show mashed with a retro-style work convention, complete with lanyards and name tags.
Platform creators sipped coffee and snapped photos before being led into a cavernous room with hundreds of seats and a brightly lit stage. Hosts Eric Sedeño (@ricotaquito) and Yasmine Sahid (@ladyyasmina1) admirably kept the energy up throughout the 90-minute-long proceedings, even with some cringey jokes piped into their teleprompter.
No trophies were handed out at the summit; instead, TikTok leadership, along with creators and advertisers, cheerfully shared guidance on how TikTok talent could turn their passion for videos into a legitimate career that pays the rent (and everything else). With approximately 2 billion monthly active users, there is a lot of money on the table.
TikTok bosses like Keiko Mori, head of Creative Product Marketing and Commercial Partnerships - North America, emphasized to the young, rapt assemblage that advertisers seek creators with a clear niche and those who consistently post, engage with their audience, and have a track record of successful brand partnerships.
Selling TikTok One to creatorsPart of TikTok's strategy to enrich its creators is to get them on TikTok One, a platform that directly connects creators with advertisers. Any creator with 10,000 followers can join One, which allows them to create ads for brands to push as they please, rather than post sponsored content on their profiles, and to monetize existing (and applicable) videos by letting TikTok promote them as ads.
While TikTok One has been around for a while, TikTok announced new perks at the summit. These included One Pay, a feature which allows creators to get paid from brand deals directly through the app, rather than through the advertisers. While this sounds like adding a middleman and giving him a cut of the profits (akin to Airbnb’s model), TikTok says it collects no fees or commissions on its end of the transaction. It also addresses a big issue for many creators: chasing down payments from brand deals.
SEE ALSO: This TikTok trend has users 'blockin' the street'"Payment lands in under 30 days after a video posts, which is quicker than the traditional terms common in the industry," according to a statement from TikTok.
Another new One perk is TikTok One Plus, an invite-only opportunity for adult U.S. and Mexican creators with at least 100,000 followers. "High-quality content creators" are chosen for Plus, according to TikTok, opening up new exclusive brand opportunities for them. Companies that advertise on TikTok can easily find OnePlus creators via AI or analog searches, quickly identifying an account that aligns with their marketing campaign.
"When I first started and got my first big brand deal. I was so excited," Vanessa Louise Miller, aka DeliciousNess Bakery, told Mashable. "They did reach out to me directly. But looking back now, I feel like I waited way too long for that moment. You don’t need to have millions of followers to have a great brand deal. You can reach out to companies directly. TikTok One has been incredible for that, it connects me with a brand in the same ecosphere — and you never know what brand you’ll find on there."
8 ways to get paid on TikTokTikTok execs at the summit emphasized the myriad revenue streams available to creators — specifically, eight of them:
• Creator Rewards Program: A performance-based model that pays creators according to individual video performance. The program rewards users for their creativity, according to TikTok, which usually means longer videos with more production value (effective lighting, professional-looking editing, etc.).
• Specialized Rewards Program: This invite-only monetization program sounds like the aforementioned TikTok One Plus, but it isn't directly connected to advertising or brand marketing. Eligible creators can produce "high-quality content within specialized categories like film/TV, sports and learning" to unlock more bucks. Creators must be in the site's Creator Rewards Program to join.
• Brand Deals: Sponsored content and brand partnerships are the bread and butter of making money on TikTok.
• LIVE: At the summit, TikTok execs were encouraging live sessions for users, especially since their followers can gift them cash rewards during the vids.
• TikTok Shop: TikTok's e-commerce platform lets shoppers buy products featured in videos and live streams, with users (and TikTok) taking a cut of the proceeds.
• TikTok GO: Similar to TikTok Shop, creators can promote hotels, attractions, and local services to their followers and get a cut of the bookings.
• Post Contests: Again, TikTok wants "high-quality content" for this opportunity, which seeks videos about specific subjects or those related to a campaign hashtag. The nice thing about these contests: no minimum follower count required.
• Subscriptions: Unknown to many is the ability to charge followers a subscription, ostensibly for exclusive content like special videos or behind-the-scenes clips.
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