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I am Jane Doe: The internet rallies to protect a Cornell students identity

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 15:21

Scroll through social media, and you'll likely see the same sentence repeated over and over: "I am Jane Doe."

From comedians to authors to creators to everyday users, people are lending their names to a movement aimed at protecting the identity of the former Cornell University student who alleges that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her in 2024.

Why? The movement gained momentum after political commentator Michael Tracey publicly solicited information identifying the woman, who filed her civil lawsuit under a pseudonym. "Let's see if anyone has the 'balls' to name this Jane Doe so we can all evaluate her veracity," he wrote Sept. 28. He followed up that he would be "happy to publish her name and identifying information" and that "this is 100% permitted under the First Amendment."

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That prospect sparked an immediate response from people who wanted her identity kept private. Doxxing generally refers to exposing someone’s personal information online without their permission. In this case, supporters are pushing back against the idea that bringing allegations into public view should also mean opening the woman’s personal life to scrutiny.

SEE ALSO: Instagram put a warning on Florence Pugh's 'Cornell 7' post. Why?

Their answer has been to make themselves part of the search. On Threads, participants are posting "I am Jane Doe," sometimes pairing the declaration with their own names and inviting others to do the same. "I guess this is a thing now," Tracey wrote Sept. 30 about the trend.

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The repetition serves two purposes: showing solidarity and, for some participants, making searches for the woman’s identity less useful.

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On TikTok, women are overlaying "I am Jane Doe" on their videos and often share their own experiences with sexual assault. In a Reddit thread, users are taking the idea further by supplying deliberately false names. Their hope is that search engines and AI tools will pick up those posts, returning a jumble of conflicting identities to anyone searching for the Cornell accuser.

"Of course I know the identity of Jane Doe, the plaintiff against Cornell and the Cornell 7. Jane Doe is Robert California," one commenter wrote, referencing the character from The Office. Another joked, "Jane Doe's name? Nunya. Nunya Business."

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Some commenters warned that reposting identifying information, even to condemn its disclosure, could spread it further. "I've seen so many people quoting it and dunking on the guy, which only serves to spread this poor woman's identity to more people," one wrote.

The campaign follows a September civil lawsuit alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted the former student at Cornell’s fraternity house in October 2024. She is also suing Cornell and other defendants over their alleged failures to protect her and respond adequately. (The allegations remain contested.)

No criminal charges were initially filed. On Sept. 28, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced a renewed investigation and preparations to present the case to a grand jury.

Whether the posts can protect her anonymity remains uncertain. But the response shows how quickly people online can mobilize — and how that attention could help keep pressure on the institutions handling her allegations as the case moves forward.

Amazon Settles Lawsuit Over Claims of Slow Deliveries to Low-Income Areas

NYT Technology - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 15:17
The tech giant will refund $7.25 million in Prime membership fees to affected customers and pay an additional $1 million to settle the suit brought by the District of Columbia.

FedExs new order for EV trucks will save them hundreds of millions in fuel costs

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 15:04

With a plan to fully electrify its fleet by 2040, FedEx recently took a big step toward that goal by purchasing 2,000 EVs that will enter service in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2027.

The Tennessee-based package carrier is buying the vehicles from California startup Harbinger for over $200 million, according to InsideEVs.

If the report’s numbers are right, it’s a good investment; the trucks are anticipated to save FedEx $40 miillion in fuel costs each year and, with each EV truck engineered to last 20 years, that’s $800 million in savings.

SEE ALSO: How California's high-speed rail is already helping the planet

Over the same period, the new trucks aim to prevent 1.7 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

The medium-duty EV trucks can travel between 140 and 210 miles on a full charge; Harbinger officials say a 20-to-80 percent charge takes less than an hour on a fast charger. 

FedEx has about 175,000 vehicles on the road, according to its own estimates. The company’s climate goals include exclusively purchasing electric trucks by 2030. By 2040, the company is committed to having all its pickup and delivery vehicles be zero-tailpipe emission models, including contracted transportation.

iPhone 18 Pro and Max speaker popping noises reported by Redditors

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 15:04

Is there an audio or speaker problem with the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max?

On Reddit and Apple forums, some users have been complaining about a crackling or "popping noise" coming from their new iPhones' speakers. Some of the users think the issue stems from the earpiece speaker, and Mashable found complaints about the problem with both the Pro and Pro Max models.

We also want to note that multiple Mashable reporters have a new iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max device (read our full review), and none have experienced any audio popping issues. However, the potential issue has been reported in multiple places.

Mashable reached out to Apple to ask about a possible speaker issue and will update this piece if we receive a response.

One Redditor described the issue as sounding as "if someone is pulling out an aux cord and you hear a brief click pop noise." The user said the clicking noise occurred during numerous activities, from playing music to switching apps to receiving notifications.

One user reported that an Apple Store employee told them that this was most likely a software issue that would be fixed with an update. However, the latest iOS 27.0.1 update, which was released earlier this week, did not fix the audio problem for some of the users who reported experiencing the problem, according to posts on Reddit.

At least one user said they exchanged their iPhone for a new one due to the problem, only to discover that their replacement phone had the same exact problem.

Reddit

Im watching the Bahrain GP for free this weekend — how to live stream F1 for free

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 15:00

TL;DR: The Bahrain GP in Malaysia is free to viewers on F1’s exclusive U.S. home Apple TV this weekend — no subscription required.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple TV Apple TV   Shop Now

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was everything that's great about F1. We had electric racing, dramatic incidents, and a nail-biting race to the chequered flag. Can the Bahrain GP in Malaysia compete with that? We believe.

George Russell's win last weekend has narrowed the gap to leader Kimi Antonelli, but the young Italian still looks like the favorite to end up on top. Lando Norris had been the man to beat coming into the last race weekend, but he ended up with a dreaded DNF. There's plenty of time to turn things around, and that starts at the Sepang International Circuit.

SEE ALSO: ExpressVPN review: A stylish VPN service with proven privacy and a large U.S. presence

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Bahrain GP?

The Bahrain GP is the 16th race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Sepang International Circuit:

  • Practice 1 — 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET on Oct. 2

  • Practice 2 — 4-5 a.m. ET on Oct. 2

  • Practice 3 — 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET on Oct. 3

  • Qualifying — 4-5 a.m. ET on Oct. 3

  • Race — 3 a.m. ET on Oct. 4

Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.

How to watch the Bahrain GP for free

It's at the stage where we usually suggest using free trials to access F1 race weekends, but that's not necessary this time around. Instead, fans can watch every session live on Apple TV — including practice, qualifying, and Sunday’s Grand Prix — with no subscription required.

Not for the first time, Apple TV has made an entire F1 race weekend available to live stream for free to viewers in the U.S. Live coverage of the Bahrain GP in Malaysia runs from Oct. 2-4. You simply need to visit Apple TV and tune in. It's that simple.

We don't know why Apple TV has chosen this race weekend, but we're not going to ask too many questions. We're just going to sit back and relax all weekend with live action from the Sepang International Circuit.

Heres how you can buy or preorder Amazons all-new Kindles and Kindle accessories

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 14:42
Buy or preorder Amazon's new Kindles and e-reader accessories: Amazon Kindle (16GB) $149.99 Shop Now Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) $199.99 Pre-Order Here Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32GB) $249.99 Pre-Order Here Amazon Kindle Colorsoft (16GB) $319.99 Pre-Order Here Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB) $319.99 Pre-Order Here Amazon Kindle Kids (16GB) $179.99 Shop Now Amazon Kindle Kids Paperwhite (16GB) $229.99 Pre-Order Here Amazon Kindle Kids Colorsoft (16GB) $229 Pre-Order Here Amazon Kindle Click $34.99 Pre-Order Here Amazon Kindle Page Turn Cover $79.99 Pre-Order Here

Amazon has overhauled its entire Kindle e-reader lineup in honor of its 20th anniversary, and you can already buy the new models — though most won't ship until late October.

On Oct. 1, the company announced a newly redesigned basic Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kindle Colorsoft, plus kid-friendly versions of each. It's also launching some all-new Kindle accessories, including a page-turning remote called the Kindle Click. (Mashable's resident e-reader expert thinks that one will sell like hotcakes. Read her recap of all the new Kindle updates.)

Meet the sleek new Kindle lineup. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

The new Kindles have thinner, lighter designs and come in new colors like ube, alpine sky, and seaglass green. The standard Kindle also now has a flush-front display and an optional aluminum back, which was previously exclusive to the "Signature Editions" of the Kindle Paperwhite and Colorsoft.

Amazon's fresh e-readers cost the same as their predecessors, which recently saw $30 to $50 price hikes because of the global memory shortage:

The new Kindle Click has two large haptic buttons for page turning, and two side buttons to adjust screen brightness. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Meanwhile, the new Kindle accessories start at $35. Besides the Click remote, there's a new cover with physical page-turn buttons and a charging stand for both versions of the Kindle Paperwhite. There's also a new sling bag for the basic Kindle — complete with its own miniature Kindle keychain charm.

The new standard Kindle and Kindle Kids are now available for immediate purchase through Amazon and Best Buy. The other new Kindles and most of their accessories are up for preorder on Amazon ahead of their joint release on Wednesday, Oct. 28. We'll be on the lookout for deals on them during Amazon's upcoming Prime Big Deal Days sale.

Amazon hasn't set a launch date for the charging stand yet, but shoppers can sign up to get email notifications when it's available.

I just found a rare deal on the Apple Watch Series 11: Its $50 cheaper than the new Series 12 at Target

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 14:36

SAVE $49.01: As of Oct. 1, the Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) is marked down to just $349.99 at Target — that's 13% off its usual price of $399.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $349.99 at Target
$399 Save $49.01   Get Deal

Buying older Apple devices is a great way to save on an upgrade. The only trick is finding them in stock: Apple usually discontinues its last-gen models as soon as their successors arrive, and once third-party retailers sell their remaining inventory, they're pretty much gone for good.

With that in mind, I was surprised to catch the Apple Watch Series 11 in stock and on sale at Target. It's marked down to $349.99 there in the lead-up to next week's Circle Deal Days event — a 13% discount on its usual sticker price of $399. Take your pick from three styles of the 42mm model:

  • Rose gold aluminum case with light blush Sport Band

  • Jet black aluminum case with black Sport Band

  • Space gray aluminum case with black Sport Band

This deal makes the Series 11 a full $50 cheaper than the new Apple Watch Series 12, which debuted last month during the company's "Surprise and Shine" iPhone event. The Series 12 has more durable glass, faster charging, upgraded heart rate sensors, and a speedier S11 chip that supports new Readiness and Audio Intelligence tools. But otherwise, they're identical and both run on watchOS 27. (Read Mashable's full review of the Series 11 from last year.)

The Series 11 has been cheaper before — $279 is its all-time low on Amazon — but I wouldn't wait to see if Target lowers its price any further during its Circle Deal Days sale on Oct. 6 and 7. If anything, it'll probably sell out there first. The Series 11 was MIA or full price at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart at the time of writing.

One of our top Dyson Supersonic dupes has never been cheaper: Save $101 on the Shark SpeedStyle Flex Pro

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 14:26

SAVE $100.99: Normally $249.99, the Shark SpeedStyle Flex Pro is on sale for just $149 on Amazon ahead of its October Prime event. That's a 40% savings and a record-low price on one of the best Dyson Supersonic alternatives.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark SpeedStyle Flex Pro $149 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $100.99   Get Deal

We're big fans of Dyson's beauty tech here at Mashable — and most of its vacuums, for the record — but we're even bigger fans of saving money whenever possible. Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard spent months vetting the best budget-friendly dupes for Dyson's splurgy Supersonic hair dryer. Now, one of them happens to be on sale for a record-low price.

As of Oct. 1, the Shark SpeedStyle Flex Pro is only $149 on Amazon. That's 40% off its usual sticker price of $249.99, which works out to a $100 savings. The only other time it's been this cheap was during Amazon's summer Prime Day sale in June, according to the price-tracking site camelcamelcamel.

Shark makes several iterations of its SpeedStyle hair dryer, all of which share an "IQ Styling" feature that automatically adjusts their heat and airflow depending on the attachment you're using. The "Flex Pro" model comes with the most attachments and has a twisting base for easy storage.

Allard said her "first and lasting impression of this hair dryer was that it doesn't play with its air speeds — they're strong. ... Reliably, my whole head was entirely dry in less than 15 minutes." She especially liked its QuickSmooth Brush for styling.

Amazon's deal on the SpeedStyle Flex Pro comes ahead of its Prime Big Deal Days event on Oct. 6 and 7 (commonly referred to as "October Prime Day"). If you're looking for even more early deals on beauty tech, check out our running list of the best. Crucially, this is one of the few that isn't exclusive to Prime members.

If the SpeedStyle Flex Pro sells out or gets more expensive on Amazon by the time you go to buy it — it's labeled as a "limited-time deal" — try Sephora, which was also selling it for $149 at the time of writing. It was 99 cents pricier at Best Buy, Ulta, and on Shark's own website.

Pete Davidson is talking exes, Ye, influencers, and AI. Naturally, the internet has thoughts.

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 13:41

Pete Davidson has a lot to get off his chest. And, no, not just the tattoos.

In a new Variety cover story and accompanying videos published Sept. 30, the comedian opened up about famous exes Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande, discussed Ye's harassment, took aim at influencer culture, and defended AI filmmaking. And, naturally, the internet had plenty to say about all of it.

He reflected on dating Kim Kardashian — and offered Ye some sympathy

Davidson revisited one of his most scrutinized relationships: his time with Kim Kardashian.

The two began dating after sharing a kiss in an October 2021 Saturday Night Live sketch, while she was divorcing Ye (formerly Kanye West). They split in August 2022, but Davidson says there's still love there. "I’m one of the survivors — the few and the proud. We’re like the Marines," he joked about men who have dated Kardashians.

He said Kardashian respected his boundaries, but the constant attention and security became overwhelming while he was dealing with mental health and substance use issues. His comments drew criticism online, with some users accusing him of portraying himself as a victim. "There he goes crying again, nobody made you date her," said one user.

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As for Ye, who targeted Davidson on Instagram in 2022 and released an "Eazy" music video depicting a claymation version of the comedian being kidnapped and beheaded, Davidson gave a look into what exactly he faced at the time: "What tripped me out is I was super open about mental stuff — everyone knows this about me — and it's like he was [saying], 'Kill yourself.' And he did push me," Davidson said.

He added a joke that whoever Kardashian dated first would have faced Ye’s wrath: "I cleared the path for her to get back into the dating pool."

Despite that history, Davidson expressed a surprising amount of sympathy. "He’s also lost a parent and has mental stuff, and I don't know how he deals with it or who he has around him," he said. Davidson added that Ye was trying to push people away, concluding: "There's zero way he really feels like that."

He defended Ariana Grande against comments about her appearance

Davidson had kind words for Grande, whom he dated and was briefly engaged to in 2018. "I think Ariana’s fuckin’ cool and immensely talented and an awesome girl," he said. "We’re not texting or whatever, but we’re cool."

Asked about the scrutiny surrounding her appearance, he was considerably less fond of the people doing the commenting. "I don’t like it at all. It’s not cool. She’s a really strong person — I’ve witnessed it — and I don’t understand it," Davidson said. "She knows how to handle this stuff, though. She’s been around. So she’ll be OK, but I think it’s fucked up."

He also joked that there should be a support group for men like him and Jake Gyllenhaal, who have become the subjects of famous breakup songs. (Gyllenhal is thought to be the inspiration for Taylor Swift's song, All Too Well.)

SEE ALSO: We're having the wrong conversation about Ariana Grande He had something to say about influencers, too

In Variety’s accompanying "Ask a Local" video, Davidson mocked "get ready with me" videos and TikTok dances.

"Girls are just talking to themselves on there, and they’re like, 'OK, come get ready with me,' and I’m like, 'Who the fuck are you? What do you do?' Nothing. What the fuck is this?" He claimed creators make "$40 million a year," (without naming anyone), and declared that "the world’s broken."

Creators had responses. Hayley Kalil wrote: "Mind you, he does the same thing, just for a TV camera instead of a phone camera." In Variety’s Instagram comments, Claudia Oshry, known as @girlwithnojob, wrote: "But he literally does nothing and also makes $40M....??"

"Imagine dating the biggest influencer of all time and still having these thoughts?" added Oti Mabuse. Creator @wellwithraele questioned why his criticism focused on women: "If the influencer industry was dominated by men, no one would care or have any qualms about a single thing."

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Other responses were more supportive of Davidson’s criticism. "Pete Davidson said what everyone else was thinking," said one user. Another called it the "right message, wrong messenger."

He explained the AI behind his upcoming movie

Davidson also defended the use of AI for locations in Doug Liman's upcoming thriller Bitcoin, saying it allowed the production to avoid extensive travel. "We were trying to shoot a $250 million movie," he said. TheWrap reported that the film actually cost $70 million and used AI for settings and lighting.

Davidson stressed that the production still employed a full crew and extras, adding: "None of our performances are AI or being altered or anything."

The cost-saving argument wasn’t winning over everyone online. "This might just be the least appealing movie of all time," wrote one user. "Oh, they used AI? Well, guess I won't be seeing the Gal Gadot/Pete Davidson Bitcoin movie after all," wrote another.

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Swedish Company Uses A.I. Likeness of Greta Garbo in Ad

NYT Technology - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 12:14
An ad produced by the manufacturing company SKF Group featured a digital version of the Swedish American actress, who died in 1990. Not all viewers found the replica convincing.

The most unique gifts for less than $50

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 12:00

Some people just have a natural talent for finding gifts on a budget, whether it's Christmas, an anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, or birthdays. Some people nail it every time, getting the "best gift-giver" award among those who are lucky to know them — wife, husband, boyfriend, teens, in-laws, and everyone else.

If you're not one of those people, don't fret. We're here to help no matter the occasion. We've put together a list of the best gift ideas for under $50, from expected-but-useful trinkets to cool items they definitely don't have yet. These unique, budget-friendly gift ideas come from a variety of categories, so you're sure to find something they'll love.

Reddit will block Old Reddit for users who don’t use it for six months

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 11:59

If you're a Reddit user who prefers the old Reddit platform, colloquially referred to as "Old Reddit," over the newly designed one, then you're going to want to pay attention to this.

According to Reddit, the company will start blocking Old Reddit for Redditors that haven't used Old Reddit in the previous six months.

Reddit previously limited Old Reddit only to users who are logged into their account.

"In the next few months, we'll further limit access for logged-in users to only those who have used Old Reddit in the last six months (which covers the vast majority of all Old Reddit users)," Reddit posted in r/modnews. 

The Reddit employee who posted this news added that this change will not apply to logged-in platform mods. They can continue to use Old Reddit without any usage requirements.

This latest move appears to point to the company eventually moving away from the old version of the platform, although Reddit has not yet committed to that publicly, at least.

"We’re still working on the future of Old Reddit," the employee posted alongside the usage announcement.

These changes over at Reddit, including the recently announced shutdown of RSS feeds and its public API, have been attributed to the rise of AI bots, according to the company.

SEE ALSO: Reddit is ending RSS feeds — with no replacement. You can blame AI bots.

"Earlier this year, we required people to log in to use Old Reddit, addressing its largest source of abusive scraping and automated traffic: unauthenticated access," Reddit said in its latest update. "That change helped reduce scraping and automated abuse, but still allowed any logged-in account to access Old Reddit, including accounts with no prior Old Reddit use."

This six-month usage requirement will be introduced to "close the gap," according to the company.

Reddit is not shutting the door on AI. The company has become a favorite source for many AI chatbots. As a result, Reddit has discovered that licensing deals with AI companies can be quite lucrative for the social platform. These latest moves are intended to shut out the AI bots that are scraping the platform's content for free.

The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection (Lucario) is in stock and under $50 at Amazon

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 11:54

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection (Lucario) is on sale for $49.98 at Amazon, saving you $20.01 from the regular list price of $69.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection (Lucario) $49.98 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $20.01   Get Deal

The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration continues with more packs from this new expansion — and we're seeing price cuts already, which is a good incentive for trading card collectors to get started on this particular line.

As of Oct. 1, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection (Lucario) is $49.98 at Amazon, a reduction of $20.01 from the regular list price of $69.99. 

SEE ALSO: Shop the best early Prime Day deals on Pokémon, including 30th Celebration trading cards for under market price

This Tech Sticker Collection includes three Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration booster packs, a Lucario foil promo card, and a matching tech sticker sheet. And there's an Alolan Exeggutor variant of this collection, also marked down to $49.98 right now — not to mention plenty more Pokémon deals as Amazon gets ready to launch October Prime Day.

Alternatively, you can grab single 30th Celebration cards on TCGplayer if you're looking for something specific.

Who’s to Blame When A.I. Goes Rogue?

NYT Technology - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 11:40
Many think artificial intelligence companies should be held liable for their runaway technology. But legal scholars say applying existing law could be messy

Here we go again: Samsung raises Galaxy S26 smartphone prices

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 11:37

It's a new fact of life in 2026: If a gadget has memory, it's going to get a price increase eventually.

And on the first day of October, PhoneArena noticed that Samsung had raised prices by $100 or more on its latest-generation flagship smartphones in the U.S., the Galaxy S26 line. Samsung opened the new phone release season when it released the Galaxy S26 in March, and since then, we've documented price increases from Apple, Acer, Google, HP, Motorola, Lenovo, Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox.

Because of a multi-trillion-dollar AI infrastructure spending spree, the memory components that are necessary for laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and other tech products are in short supply.

The Galaxy S26 price hikes hurt even more because the S26 and S26 Plus were already more expensive at launch than their S25 counterparts.

The new prices are:

  • Galaxy S26, 256GB — $999.99

  • Galaxy S26 Plus, 256GB — $1,199.99

  • Galaxy S26 Ultra, 256GB — $1,399.99

Prices vary depending on the storage option you choose, but in general, all the S26 phones are now $100 more expensive. As PhoneArena noted, the 1TB version of the S26 Ultra received a $200 increase.

We do have some good news, however.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, announced on Sept. 3, is unaffected by the price increases; you can still preorder that phone for a starting price of $699, and it's set to be released on Oct. 5.

In addition, you can still find some deals on the Galaxy S26. Amazon is selling the Galaxy S26 Ultra in the white colorway for over $100 off, letting you cancel out the price increase; you can also buy the base model S26 for its original price in select colors, also at Amazon. Finally, mobile carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile will often offer up to $1,000 off new phones if you switch, trade in an old device, or sign up for a specific plan.

SEE ALSO: Is Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE still a good value at $700? Top deals of the day:

Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on October 1, 2026

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 11:23

Wondering what the Moon will look like tonight? Its shape and brightness change throughout the month, so there's always something slightly different to see on its surface. Here's the lunar phase for tonight, plus what you might be able to see.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, Oct. 1, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waning Gibbous phase, with 75% of its surface visible.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can see the Copernicus Crater, Oceanus Procellarum, and the Kepler Crater. If you have binoculars, you can also spot the Clavius, Alphonsus, Gassendi Craters. Finally, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 11 and 15 landing spots, plus the Descartes 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.

How to watch Germany vs. Serbia online for free

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 10:52

TL;DR: Watch Germany vs. Serbia in the Nations League for free on GE TV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The UEFA Nations League has not started well for Germany. They were lucky to draw against the Netherlands, but then lost to Greece. Jürgen Klopp has got his work cut out. He'll be desperately hoping for a positive result at home to Serbia.

If you're interested in watching Germany vs. Serbia in the Nations League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Germany vs. Serbia?

Germany vs. Serbia in the Nations League kicks off at 2.45 p.m. ET on Oct. 1. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Arena.

How to watch Germany vs. Serbia for free

Germany vs. Serbia in the Nations League is available to live stream for free on GE TV.

GE TV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Germany vs. Serbia for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Germany vs. Serbia for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

  4. Visit GE TV

  5. Watch Germany vs. Serbia for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Germany vs. Serbia without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for GE TV?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on GE TV, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

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A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

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The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection is under $50 on Amazon — you save over $15

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 10:19

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection is on sale for $49.98 at Amazon, saving you $20.01 from the regular list price of $69.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection $49.98 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $20.01   Get Deal

If you're in the market for Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration merch, we're keeping an eye on one expansion’s smaller collections. This deal, however, isn't a small one — it's a significant markdown that should tempt trading card collectors to get involved with this latest expansion. 

As of Oct. 1, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection (Alolan Exeggutor) is $49.98 at Amazon, down $20.01 from the $69.99 list price. That's a 29% discount overall. 

SEE ALSO: Shop the best early Prime Day deals on Pokémon, including 30th Celebration trading cards for under market price

The Tech Sticker Collection is more expensive at Walmart, where it's currently listed for $51. With Walmart, you receive either the Alolan Exeggutor or the Lucario variant at random, whereas at Amazon, you can choose which one you receive (the Lucario version is priced at $49.98). At Amazon’s price, it works out to around $16.66 per booster pack.

This Tech Sticker Collection includes three Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration booster packs, an Alolan Exeggutor foil promo card, and a matching tech sticker sheet.

Alternatively, you can pick up single 30th Celebration cards on TCGplayer right now if there's something you really need.

Are Kindles without lockscreen ads worth it? Were divided.

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 09:30

When buying an e-reader from Amazon, you don't have to make many decisions beyond which color to go with. But Amazon gives you one other option: Do you want to pay extra for a Kindle without lockscreen ads?

This question is particularly relevant now that Amazon has released all-new Kindles for 2026, some of which are already available for preorder.

If you look closely at the Kindle product page at Amazon, you'll notice there are two options:

Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Amazon
  • Ad-Supported

  • Without Lockscreen Ads

Going ad-free on your Kindle is an upgrade that will cost you $20 more, unless you go for one of Amazon's premium Signature Edition e-readers, which always come without ads. However, Signature Editions also come with a premium price.

But after Kindles saw huge price hikes in August (and as prices everywhere are on the rise), are Kindles without lockscreen ads worth it?

We are a house divided. Mashable's Tech Editor, Tim Werth, says yes, you should 100 percent pay a small fee to go ad-free. But as Mashable's resident Kindle expert, I say absolutely not. Both Werth and I are dedicated Kindle readers who love books, and we're each going to plead our case.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (with ads) $149.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (without ads) $169.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now The case for buying an ad-supported Kindle
  • TL;DR: The Kindle ads aren't obtrusive and can be easily ignored. Save the extra $20!

To be clear, I'm not a fan of ads! I always pay for the premium streaming services so I can avoid them, but I just don't think ads on a Kindle are that big of a deal.

The lockscreen ads market other books in the Kindle library. Generally, I find them pretty unobtrusive and mostly ignore them. To be honest, I don't find them much different from the other generic screensavers that come on the Kindle. The main difference is that the ads are just trying to push a new read on you.

So, I say, save some money and buy the regular, ad-supported Kindle. You can always put the extra money toward the new Kindle Click page turner, which costs $34.99.

The case for buying Kindles without lockscreen ads
  • TL;DR: Ads are super annoying, the Kindle lockscreen artwork is much more visually appealing, and when buying Kindles as gifts, it's borderline rude to get the cheaper, ad-supported version.

Hello — this is Timothy Beck Werth, Mashable's tech editor — stepping in. As much as I respect Sam's opinion on e-readers and Kindles, I have to disagree with her here. I have enough ads in my life, thank you.

I don't need to explain to you why ads are annoying. Unless you're using an ad blocker, you're seeing multiple ads as you read these words right now. (And, please don't use an ad blocker — we're trying to keep the lights on here at Mashable.) Do I really want to see more ads while I'm reading? When I'm trying to disappear into a great book, the last thing I want to see is more advertisements.

Artwork on the lockscreen of the new Kindle Paperwhite. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

I'm also a fan of the E Ink artworks that appear on the Kindle lockscreen. These black-and-white, photograph-style images show close-ups of pencils, letter blocks, and other reading motifs. (Newer Kindles also show more artistic drawings, all created by real human artists.) And because they're E Ink, they're always on. But that means the advertisements are always on, too.

My partner has a Kindle that's ad-supported, and we've never seen an ad for a book we actually wanted to read.

But there's one other case in which I think you should always pay the $20 premium to remove lockscreen ads from a Kindle — when you're buying a gift.

If you're buying a Kindle as a gift, spend the extra cash for the best version of the device.

The good news here? There isn't really a wrong choice.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (with ads) $199.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (without ads) $219.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

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Meet the Kindle Click: The Kindle page-turner Ive been dreaming about for years

Mashable - Thu, 10/01/2026 - 09:00

Amazon is finally launching a Kindle remote.

On Tuesday morning, Amazon announced it was refreshing the entire Kindle e-reader lineup, and also introducing the Kindle Click, a new page-turning accessory, for $34.99. Mashable got to try the new page turner at a demo event, and we're excited to test it at home. The head of Kindle's design team said the goal was to bring a more tactile and convenient page-turning experience to those who want it.

After a page-turning remote became the must-use Kindle accessory among the BookTok community, plenty of brands jumped on the trend, making remotes of their own for the devices. The problem is that these remotes aren't native to Kindles and require a clip-on piece to tap the screen, and they can't navigate backward. Fellow e-reader brand Kobo introduced its own Kobo Remote last year. And now, Amazon is giving us seamless page turning with the Kindle Click.

The Kindle Click comes with a removable wrist lanyard, and it can even adjust brightness.

Credit: Amazon

The Kindle Click syncs via Bluetooth to Amazon's newly announced e-readers. It's also backward-compatible with Kindles from 2024 onward, making it an easy upgrade for existing users. It features two big haptic buttons for page turning and smaller side buttons to control brightness, truly maximizing the hands-free experience. It's the ultimate accessory for reading curled up on the couch or while exercising on a treadmill or elliptical.

Chris Green, Vice President of Design at Kindle, told Mashable that his team is keenly aware of the latest trends on BookTok (and among competitors in the e-reader space). Green said the new lineup of Kindles and accessories is meant to meet readers where they are, and to make the reading experience as comfortable and seamless as possible.

The Kindle Click is available for preorder at $34.99 and will be released on Oct. 28.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Click $34.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

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