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Leadership turmoil, rumblings about an AI bubble, and a failed CEO coup last year didn't stop OpenAI from raising $6.6 billion.

On Wednesday, OpenAI completed its latest funding round according to the New York Times, giving it a valuation of $157 billion. That makes it the largest VC round of all time, a distinction that was previously held by Elon Musk's xAI, which raised $6 billion earlier this year.

SEE ALSO: The AI bubble has burst. Here's how we know.

The investment was led by VC firm Thrive Capital and included Microsoft, NVIDIA, Japanese tech investment company SoftBank, and United Arab Emirates investment company MGX. As confirmed in previous reports, Apple, which was rumored have backed out of investment talks with OpenAI is not an investor.

OpenAI's massive funding round caps off a raucous period of events over the past year or so. After it ignited the generative AI boom in 2022 with the launch of ChatGPT, OpenAI quickly became the latest Silicon Valley darling, earning $13 billion in investment from Microsoft. Then last November, a failed attempt by its non-profit board to oust CEO Sam Altman, revealed leadership's mistrust of Altman and differing philosophies from its co-founders. Eventually, co-founder Ilya Sutskever and, just last week, CTO Mira Murati quit the company. Co-founder and President Greg Brockman has taken a leave of absence and other executives have recently quit the company. OpenAI is also in the midst of restructuring its corporate status from non-profit to for-profit.

Despite waning investor interest, backlash from AI-weary consumers, and unfulfilled promises of AI's potential suggesting that the AI bubble might be ready to burst (or perhaps that it's slowly leaking after bursting months ago), OpenAI's funding round has proven investors with deep pockets are willing to bet on its success.

OpenAI makes money from subscriptions to its ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT Enterprise, and API accounts. As of August, OpenAI reported that ChatGPT has over 200 million weekly users, which was double the amount of users in November, 2023, and expects to bring in $11.6 billion in sales next year (per CNBC). But building and maintaining AI models isn't cheap. According to The Information, OpenAI could lose up to $5 billion this year.

Scams are getting more complex as artificial intelligence gets more advanced. That in mind, Meta launched a new Fraud Intelligence Reciprocal Exchange (FIRE) tool in Australia in an effort to cut down on the massive financial losses suffered by victims in the country.

Australia saw a rise in celebrity deepfakes pushing investment scams amid the ongoing crypto boom. Such scams used fake images of Aussie celebs like billionaire Gina Rinehart or TV personality Larry Emdur, the Guardian noted. In some cases, as with a deepfake photo of animal activist Robert Irwin in handcuffs, the scams had a conspiratorial tone, as if law enforcement was trying to hide secret financial information from the public, and the celebrities wanted to bring it to light.

The FIRE tool is, effectively, a joint effort between Meta and banks to collect information on online scams. It has led to the blocking of 8,000 pages and 9,000 celebrity scams on Facebook in its first six months, the Guardian reported. Citing the Australian government service Scamwatch, Australians had reported $43.3 million — around $30 million USD — in losses from social media scams just from January through August, the Guardian says.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Bing amps up its ability to stop explicit deepfake images from appearing in Search results

Online scams are a growing problem in Australia and elsewhere. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission reported that losses from social media scams rose 16.5 percent to $93.5 million — around $64 million USD — in the last year. The FIRE initiative is funded by Meta and run by Meta employees.

"Meta has an important responsibility to counter scams that target Australians on our apps," said David Agranovich, Policy Director, Global Threat Disruption at Meta, according to the news site News.com.au. "In addition to investing in our own tools and technology we are working with government and industry partners to fight this scourge. Scams often cut across multiple industries, and the [Australian Financial Crimes Exchange] have been an invaluable partner to help identify and take action against scams targeting Australians."

How to avoid scams online

Mashable has written quite a bit on how to avoid scams. But, in general, if you see a questionable image of, say, a celeb being taken away in handcuffs, it's best to verify. Be wary of unsafe links or of sharing financial information.

And always remain vigilant, because the scammers will too.

"Scammers aren’t going to stop their activities," Meta's Agranovich said, via the Guardian. "Once we've blocked them, they'll look for new ways to come back, new ways to get around our defensive, which is why continued information sharing like this is so critical."

If it feels like every time you log onto social media you're being marketed to, there's good reason — you are, and that's because it works.

According to a new report from research firm EMARKETER, "high shares of shoppers" across the board are buying content from creators on all platforms.

The people most influenced by creators to shop are young people, particularly Gen Z shoppers, while the people least likely are baby boomers. The platform that influences creator-driven shopping the most is Snapchat, remarkably beating out both TikTok and Instagram, while the platform that influences shoppers the least is Facebook.

"In our survey, 85.6% of social shoppers who said Snapchat content led them to make a purchase also said they had made a purchase because of creator or influencer content," read the report, in which EMARKETER surveyed 1,207 people "who have made or been inspired to make a purchase from social media platforms" in the past year. "Those shoppers may have seen that content elsewhere, but it’s likely that at least some saw it on Snapchat."

The survey found that 82 percent of Gen Z shoppers — aged 15 to 26 years old — who responded to their survey bought something because of a creator, compared to just over 18 percent of baby boomer shoppers and 40 percent of Gen X shoppers.

Conspicuous consumption is real, social media marketing works, the sky is blue.

A cell phone can feel like a Swiss Army knife of the 21st century — until you lose cellular or data service. Then it becomes a so-called brick that you obsessively pick up, hoping to see that WiFi or cell signal has returned.

Whether you've lost connectivity because of an unexpected outage, natural disaster, or you're in a remote location, newer generation iPhones running iOS 18 the ability to tap into satellite service.

iPhone owners can now send non-emergency messages via iMessage and SMS. Additionally, the iPhone 14 and later has an "emergency SOS" feature that routes people to emergency services via satellite connectivity. Pixel 9 phones have a similar SOS feature.

If you just want to temporarily restore messaging capability, which includes texts, emojis, and Tapbacks, by connecting to a satellite, here's a step-by-step process:

Total Time

• 10 mins

What You Need

• iPhone 14 or later models

Step 1: Use the iPhone's satellite connection demo

You'll have more success if you test your satellite connection prior to losing service. You can do this via the satellite connection demo, which can be accessed via your phone's control center. Once there, click on the cellular button. In that menu, you'll see a satellite button. Tap that, then select "try connecting to satellite." Onscreen instructions will guide you through connecting your phone to a satellite.

Step 2: Turn on iMessage.

This is an important step: In order to use the satellite connection, you must have iMessages turned on before you lose service or signal.

Step 3: Set up your iPhone's emergency contact and family sharing.

When you have an emergency contact and family sharing set up, those individuals can reach you via messaging first. Even if you're out of range or have no service, you'll receive their messages once you connect to the satellite. However, for this to work, your contacts need to have iOS 17.6 or later, or a non-Apple device, so be sure to remind them to update their software as needed.

Step 4: When prompted, confirm that you want to connect via satellite.

Your iPhone will detect when it has no cellular or WiFi service. On phones with satellite capability, you'll see a lock screen message indicating you can send and receive messages via that connection. You may also see that prompt upon opening the Messages app. When you make the satellite connection, you'll also be given the option to contact emergency services using the Emergency SOS feature.

Step 5: Open the Messages app.

Sending texts via satellite should then be as easy as opening the Messages app. If you haven't begun receiving messages yet, you'll then receive a prompt to do so, in addition to instructions for connecting to the satellite. On the iPhone 14 Pro or later models, a top-of-the-screen feature called Dynamic Island shows indicator dots demonstrating your connection's strength. You do not need to hold your arm out toward the sky, but you may see arrows directing you left or right to boost the connection. For more help, you can access Connection Assistant by tapping on the Dynamic Island.

Credit: Courtesy Apple

What else you need to know about messaging via satellite:

• Satellite connectivity is free for two years after you activate an iPhone 14 or later model.

• Ideally, you'll have a direct view of the sky and horizon. The more obstructed your view, the longer your message will take to send. Apple notes that a satellite-sent message may take 30 seconds. This can increase to more than a minute if you're surrounded by light or medium foliage. And it may be impossible to connect to a satellite if your view is blocked by heavy tree cover. While you don't need to hold your arm outstretched toward the sky, you shouldn't put your phone in a pocket or backpack while trying to connect to a satellite.

• Any SMS messages sent by a contact before you connected to the satellite will arrive once you connect and begin accepting messages. However, receiving iMessages works a little differently. Your emergency contact or family member must return to the text conversation and tap "send via satellite" underneath their message bubble.

• You will not be able to use all Messages features, like sending and receiving photos, videos, audio notes, and group messages.

• In locations above 62° latitude, which includes northern parts of Alaska, satellite connectivity may not work.

The A.I. start-up’s valuation has risen by more than $70 billion in nine months.

The latest version of Microsoft Windows 11, version 24H2, rolled out on Tuesday. The update brings a slew of new features to PCs including a number of AI-related additions to Windows, such as the controversial Recall feature.

However, the Windows update launch hasn't gone without a hitch – especially if you're a PC gamer.

SEE ALSO: I just demoed Windows 11 Recall: 3 useful features that may surprise you

Microsoft has put out an update on its Windows 11 version 24H2 issues page, warning some gamers of known issues with the upgrade that's causing certain video games to crash.

Easy Anti-Cheat incompatibility

Perhaps the biggest gaming-related bug with Windows 11 version 24H2 involves issues causing the update to be incompatible with Easy Anti-Cheat.

Easy Anti-Cheat is a software service by Epic Games which stops hacking and cheating in online multiplayer games. While Epic Games utilizes the service for its own titles, like the massively popular Fortnite, many other developers license the technology from Epic Games as well.

According to Microsoft,  "most devices experiencing this issue use Easy Anti-Cheat drivers released before April 2024." In addition, the incompatibility issues should only affect devices with Intel’s Alder Lake+ processors and vPro platform. 

"In rare cases, when users open or play certain games, this issue causes affected devices to stop responding and to show a blue screen with the error “MEMORY_MANAGEMENT”," reads Microsoft's update.

Microsoft has already set up a stop gap in order to prevent devices with these drivers from updating to Windows 11 version 24H2. Users who try to manually update will also be served with a pop-up notifying them of the issue. Microsoft is urging potentially affected users to not upgrade Windows 11 until the problem is resolved.

Asphalt 8 issues

Along with the broad range of games affected by the Easy Anti-Cheat incompatibility issue, Windows 11 version 24H2 is also causing unrelated problems for those playing a specific title, Asphalt 8.

"After installing Windows 11, version 24H2, you might face issues with Asphalt 8 (Airborne)," Microsoft says. "The game might stop responding with an exception while you are using or exiting it, and you will have to restart the game to recover from the exception."

Microsoft has also applied a compatibility hold to PCs with Asphalt 8 installed in order to stop those devices from updated to Windows 11 version 24H2.

TL;DR: Through October 27, pick up Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 and a comprehensive coding bundle for just $55.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 + The 2024 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle $55.97
$1,999.00 Save $1,943.03 Get Deal

Ready to kick your coding career into high gear? Whether you’re a beginner looking to dive into software development or a professional aiming to add to your skills, the Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 + The 2024 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle can be your one-stop solution for success.

For just $55.97, you get a powerful IDE plus a comprehensive set of coding courses — all at a fraction of the regular price.

This bundle combines Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022, one of the industry’s most trusted integrated development environments (IDE), with in-depth coding courses that cover everything from front-end development to data science. With the tools and knowledge in this bundle, you’ll be well on your way to mastering software development and building a rewarding career.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 is a powerful IDE that helps you design, code, and debug your applications easily. One of the courses included in the 15-course bundle is the JavaScript Complete Guide, which consists of 32 lessons and practical projects. You also have Google Assistant Automation IoT Development: Dive into 163 lessons on automating tasks with IoT and Google Assistant. You'll also explore Python, one of the most in-demand programming languages, with 78 lessons.

This bundle isn’t just for beginners. Whether you want to specialize in front-end development, build websites' back-end infrastructure, or dive into data science, the courses cover everything you need to know.

Front-end developers can learn JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and frameworks like React and Vuex, while back-end developers will dive into Python, Java, C++, and SQL to build server-side applications. Full-stack developers will master the full spectrum of coding, from front-end to back-end and mobile app developers can explore Flutter, Swift, and Kotlin for building iOS and Android apps.

Don't miss getting the Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 + The 2024 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle for just $55.97. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE UP TO 40%: Book with code SAVEWOW to save up to 40% on flights at Southwest Airlines through Oct. 3.

Opens in a new window Credit: Southwest Get up to 40% off base fares at Southwest Airlines Get Deal

Thinking about taking a trip before the year is up or within the first few months of 2025? You deserve it. Whether your ideal destination is a tropical beach, a snowy mountain escape, or a weekend in the big city, Southwest's big sale will help you take a vacation for nearly half off.

Through Oct. 3, use code SAVEWOW when booking flights at Southwest Airlines to save up to 40% on base fares. Southwest's Week of Wow sale includes continental U.S. flights that take off between Oct. 29 and Jan. 31, 2025. The deal extends to flights to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and international locations that take off between Oct. 29 and March 5, 2025.

SEE ALSO: The best freebies during Amazon's October Prime Day

Southwest also offers some attractive perks that go against the grain of typical airline policy these days. For example, Southwest bookings come with two free checked bags. You can overpack to your heart's delight on your next Southwest flight. Southwest also doesn't charge change or cancel fees, either, so if your plans change, you can alter your booking, stress-free.

If you have travel plans coming up soon, check out the Southwest Week of Wow sale. With code SAVEWOW, you could be saving up to 40% off your flight price. But you'll want to hurry because the sale ends on Oct. 3.

GET $50 OFF: As of Oct. 2, the Shark FlexStyle air styling and drying system is available for $249, down from $299.99 at Amazon. That's 17% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark FlexStyle air styling and drying system $249.00 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50.99 Get Deal

Dyson has dominated the vacuum and, more recently, the hairstyling market for years. The iconic Airwrap became a must-have item after going viral on TikTok in 2021 — since then, it’s been an expensive (and maybe unnecessary) purchase for many.

Thankfully, we’re now in a place where other brands have managed to make impressive and affordable Airwrap dupes, with the Shark FlexStyle being one of our favorites. This multi-functional styling tool is currently on sale for $249 ahead of October Prime Day. That’s $50.99 off the list price of $299.99, and nearly $400 less than the Dyson Airwrap.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best Dyson Airwrap dupes under $300: The Shark FlexStyle is no longer your only option

The Shark FlexStyle can curl, volumize, smooth, and dry hair without heat damage, much like the Airwrap, but at a much lower price point. It’s also compact and lightweight, so you can take it on the go. With 1.25-inch auto-wrap curlers, two brushes, and four heat settings, you can get a salon-worthy ’do right at home.

The best early October Prime Day laptop deals at a glance: Best Windows laptop deal Acer Swift X 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,099.99 at Amazon (save $400) Get Deal Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M3, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,699.99 at Amazon (save $300) Get Deal

Amazon isn't usually loaded with great laptop deals on any given day (especially compared to the competition), but things tend to pick up a bit during the retailer's major sitewide sales.

With Prime Big Deal Days coming soon — that would be Amazon's members-only "October Prime Day" sale, set for Oct. 8 and 9 — the Mashable Shopping team is on the lookout for the best, most worth-it discounts there starring Apple MacBooks, Windows PCs, Chromebooks, and beyond.

At the time of writing, the floodgates have only just started to crack open; there's really only one good early Prime Day laptop deal available: A variant of the Acer Swift X 14, our favorite Windows laptop for photo and video editing, has hit a new all-time low.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Amazon's October Prime Day sale: Official dates, the competition, and more

That said, Amazon also has some MacBook Pros and Airs on sale separately from its pre-Prime Big Deal Days programming. That includes two configurations of the 14-inch M3 Pro, our favorite laptop for photo and video editing overall, which have returned to their lowest prices on record. As such, we recommend that shoppers consider them, too.

We'll couch these recs with a warning that anything on sale now could theoretically get even cheaper next week when Prime Big Deal Days officially starts. (That's when we're expecting the bulk of the best laptop deals to arrive.) But if you need to upgrade ASAP and can't wait until then, these are decent discounts as things currently stand. Below, we go deeper on specs and pricing.

Note: Deals marked with a 🔥 have dropped to an all-time low price.

Best Windows laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Our pick: Acer Swift X 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) 🔥 $1,099.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Acer Swift X 14.

The Intel Core Ultra 7-powered Acer Swift X 14 is our top Windows laptop for photo and video editing, nabbing a 4.5/5 rating from Tech Editor Kim Gedeon (and a Mashable Choice Award) for its stellar performance, decent battery life, good build quality, and beautiful OLED display. "The Acer Swift X 14 may not be the most exciting laptop, but behind its boring exterior is a powerful set of internals that will handle your creative workloads like The Hulk," she wrote. This variant features downgraded Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics — our loaner had an RTX 4070 GPU — and 16GB of memory instead of 32GB, but should still be plenty powerful for most users.

Normally $1,499.99, Amazon has it on sale for just $1,099.99 — a 27% savings and a record low. Meanwhile, it's still full price on the Acer website.

Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M3, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) 🔥 $1,699.00 at Amazon
$1,999.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M3).

With a super bright mini-LED display, a good amount of useful, creative-friendly ports, gorgeous-sounding speakers, and an M3 chip that supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, the current-gen MacBook Pro is our No. 1 laptop for photo and video editing (regardless of operating system). It's also the longest-lasting MacBook we've tested to date, clocking in at over 16 hours in our battery life test. It's another Mashable Choice Award winner that earned a 4.5/5 rating from Gedeon.

We highly recommend bumping up to the 1TB variant with 16GB of memory, which is currently marked down to $1,699 (down $300 from $1,999), but the base configuration with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is also on sale for $1,299 (down $300 from $1,599). Either way, you'll be locking in an all-time low.

More MacBooks on sale

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $849 $999 (save $150)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $999 $1,099 (save $100)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,149 $1,299 (save $150)

FREE $15 PRIME BIG DEAL DAYS CREDIT: As of Oct. 2, get a free $15 Prime Big Deal Days credit at Amazon when you use Amazon Photos to back up your memories. Prime members have unlimited photo storage for no extra charge.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon $15 Prime Big Deal Days Credit with Amazon Photos Signup Get Deal

October Prime Day is right around the corner (Oct. 8 and 9), and you can save big during the October shopping event thanks to the deluge of deals on their way. If you want to get a leg up on the savings, Amazon is giving you an easy way to get an additional $15 off your Prime Big Deal Days purchases by inviting you to use one of the Prime benefits you may not even know you have: unlimited photo storage.

As of Oct. 2, you can get a $15 credit for Prime Big Deal Days when you back up your photos using Amazon Photos. There's no purchase required, but you must be a Prime member to do so. You'll want to go ahead and sign up for Prime ahead of October Prime Day to make sure you can take advantage of the offer, or use a free trial if one is available to you, if you're interested in snagging the extra cash. Aside from that, there are no hoops to jump through and no hidden fees.

SEE ALSO: The best freebies during Amazon's October Prime Day

You'll need to download and sign in to the Amazon Photos app on your mobile device (phone or tablet, doesn't matter which) or your desktop. From there, use the Auto-Save feature to back up all the images on your computer or device to give you a bit of space back. But don't just rely on cloud storage, take it from us. You'll want to make sure you have a second backup if those photos are precious.

In four days after signing up for Amazon Photos and using it to give yourself a bit more space, you'll automatically receive an email with your $15 Amazon credit. This deal is only available through October 3, so you're going to have to hurry and sign up if you're interested. From there, you have through October 9 to use your credit. There are a variety of items you can't use it on, and you must apply it to an order of at least $30. That said, it's well worth uploading a single photo (that's all that's required) to Amazon Photos to get this little discount.

PRE-ORDER NOW AND GET $27 OFF: As of Oct. 2, you can pre-order a Jack Skellington Echo Dot bundle for just $62.98, down from $89.98. That's 30% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Echo Dot (5th gen) + Jack Skellington shell $62.98 at Amazon
$89.98 Save $27.00 Pre-Order Here

Spooky season is officially here, and what better way to get into the spirit of Halloween than by inviting the Pumpkin King himself — or at least his digital counterpart — into your home?

As of Oct. 2, you can pre-order a special Echo Dot bundle with the Echo Dot (5th gen, 2022 release) and a limited-edition Jack Skellington shell on sale for $62.98. That's 30% off the original price of $89.98. According to Amazon, the item will be released on Oct. 8 (the first day of Prime Big Deal Days), just in time for All Hallows' Eve.

SEE ALSO: Home Depot's 12-foot skeleton gets more upgrades and friends in its huge Halloween drop

Remember, Jack's face is just a shell, so you can take it off or switch it out whenever you want. If you already have an Echo Dot (4th or 5th gen), you can buy the Jack Skellington shell separately for $39.99.

The Echo Dot itself is Amazon’s best-sounding smart speaker to date, with improved audio and Alexa capabilities for hands-free voice commands, setting timers and alarms, and listening to music without picking up your phone. Happy Halloween!

GET $60 OFF: As of Oct. 2, Prime members can score a Fire TV Stick and Luna controller for just $69.98, down from $129.98 at Amazon. That's 46% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Fire TV Stick and Luna Controller $69.98 at Amazon
$129.98 Save $60.00 Get Deal

We’re officially one week away from October Prime Day, and Amazon’s already dropping prices on some of its most popular devices. One of the best deals we’ve seen so far is on a Fire TV gaming bundle.

As of Oct. 2, Prime members can score a Fire TV Stick 4K Max streaming device and Luna controller — which normally retails for $129.98 — for less than $70. That's 46% off. (This deal is not available to non-members.)

SEE ALSO: Creating an Amazon wishlist is our go-to Prime Day shopping hack

The only kicker is that if you don’t already have a Luna+ subscription (Amazon’s cloud gaming service), you’ll need to sign up for one, which’ll run you $9.99 monthly. (You can get a seven-day free trial, though.) But even with that additional cost, you're still getting a great deal on some solid streaming and gaming tech. All you have to do is set it up, and you’ll have access to hundreds of pick-up-and-play games from the cloud.

The Fire TV Stick is a fun add-on, too. This little streaming stick can hold 16GB of storage, double what most streaming sticks offer.

If you don’t have a smart TV or just want to upgrade your setup while the deals are hot, this bundle is a great way to do it.

Stuff Your Kindle Day started as a grassroots event organized by authors to get more books to readers. It's a magical 24 hours where authors drop prices on e-books, some cost a few dollars while others are totally free. While the official Stuff Your Kindle Day has come and gone for 2024, a new event is here, and it's for the horror lovers.

Terrify Your Tablet Day began last year, organized by Horrorsmith Publishing, a publishing house founded in 2022 specializing in horror. The event debuted for the first time in 2023 and is coming back this year. The titles available during Terrify Your Tablet Day have yet to be announced, but here's what we know so far:

When is Terrify Your Tablet Day?

Terrify Your Tablet Day is a fairly new event. It debuted last year on Oct. 31, 2023. This year's event runs for 24 hours, kicking off on Oct. 3, 2024. That way you can load up on spooky, scary books to read all month long in anticipation of Halloween.

Who can take part in Terrify Your Tablet Day?

While Stuff Your Kindle Day sounds hyper-specific to Amazon's e-readers, it actually applies to pretty much any e-reader. The same is true with Terrify Your Tablet. As the name implies, you can access the free and discounted books across all e-readers including Kindles, Kobos, iPads, and Nooks.

Don't have an e-reader? You can also access books on your smartphone via the Kindle app, Apple Books, or Google Books.

However, an e-reader will seriously upgrade your reading. Having tested the best e-readers, I think the Kindle Paperwhite is the very best out there. It's just the right size, has a matte anti-glare screen, and is waterproof. If a tablet is more your speed, go for the iPad Mini. It's similar in size to a Kindle but gives you all the perks of streaming or gaming on tablets.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite $149.00 at Amazon
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPad Mini $617.00 at Amazon
$649.00 Save $32.00 Shop Now

We love a good sale, and Amazon offers up some of the best. Amazon kicks off Prime Big Deal Days on Oct. 8, a two-day event that'll offer discounts on Amazon devices, kitchen equipment, tablets, Apple products, robot vacuums, and plenty more.

But if you're aiming to keep your spending as low as possible, Amazon also has some free offers in store during the October Prime Day event. Here are some awesome free deals you can score already.

Prime Day deals that cost $0 Best free reading deal 3-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited $0 at Amazon (save $35.97) Get Deal Best free music deal 4-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited $0 at Amazon for Prime members (save $39.96) Get Deal Best free audiobook deal 30-day trial of Audible Premium Plus $0 at Amazon (save $14.95) Get Deal

Free is everyone's favorite price. If you're wondering how you'll pass the time this fall and winter, Amazon has some free entertainment offers in store during October Prime Day including audiobooks, music streaming, and Kindle books. Here's how to score these free deals.

Best free reading deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: 3-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited at Amazon
Get Deal Why we like it

Free access to Kindle books is truly one of life's greatest hacks. If you're new to Kindle Unlimited, sign up today to get three months of free access to millions of Kindle books, saving a total of $35.97 over the three-month period.

Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program includes over 4 million Kindle titles, including some bestsellers and popular series. Not only does the plan include unlimited reading, you also get access to thousands of audiobooks and the pleasure of browsing magazines.

If you don't already have a Kindle, check out the Mashable guide to the best Kindles to help you decide which model will suit you best.

Best free music deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: 4-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited at Amazon
Prime member exclusive Get Deal Why we like it

Music with no ads? It doesn't get any better. Amazon typically offers new subscribers a free one-month trail of the ad-free Amazon Music Unlimited, but as a treat during October Prime Day, you can sign up for four months of free access. However, this deal is limited to Prime members only, so you'll want to be signed up and logged in to grab this deal.

Amazon Music Unlimited comes with total control of what music you stream and when, all with no ads. You'll get unlimited access to listening while offline or skipping songs. The subscription also includes access to ad-free podcasts.

Best free audiobook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: 30-day trial of Audible Premium Plus at Amazon
Get Deal Why we like it

Audiobooks can really save the day. Whether you're stuck sitting in traffic, out walking the dog, or recovering from a cold, tuning into an audiobook can be the perfect way to relax and tune into something other than your own life. During October Prime Day, Amazon is offering a free 30-day trial to Audible Premium Plus, which typically costs $14.95 per month. The trial means you'll have free access to the Audible Plus catalog of audiobook and podcasts, some of which are exclusive to the service. The free trial of Premium Plus also comes with credit to purchase one title from the Audible premium selection.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Oct. 2: OUR TOP PICK Amazon Echo Hub $124.99 at Amazon (save $55) Get Deal BEST BEAUTY DEAL Shark FlexStyle $249.99 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal BEST TV DEAL Amazon 55-inch Omni QLED Fire TV $415.99 at Amazon (save $184) Get Deal

October Prime Day is less than a week away and Amazon is ramping up the deals. As usual, you don't need to wait until the official start of the event to score big savings — especially on Amazon's own gadgets. We've rounded up three of the best deals you can grab at the mega retailer on Oct. 2 if you prefer to shop early.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If these deals don't speak to you, take a peek at our picks from yesterday, Oct. 1. Those discounts are still live, including the Echo Buds at their record-low Prime Day price. Be sure to check back tomorrow as well for all new picks and follow along with all of our Prime Day content as the shopping extravaganza nears.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Amazon Echo Hub $124.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal

The newest member of the Amazon Echo family, the Echo Hub is basically your smart home's brain. Rather than keeping control of your smart devices locked inside of someone's phone, it offers a full-featured control panel with instant access to all of your gadgets — smart lights, cameras, switches, doorbells, thermostat, etc. Anyone can play music, stream videos, ask Alexa questions, dim the lights, adjust the temperature, or see who's on the other side of the door in one central spot in your home. It's regularly $179.99, but it's down to just $124.99 for the first time ahead of October Prime Day. That's 31% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark FlexStyle $249.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

It's no secret that we love Shark's beauty tech. The FlexStyle, in particular, is our favorite Dyson Airwrap dupe on the market. "[It's] hard for me to imagine a reason why you'd opt for the [Airwrap] unless you're into big purchases for the sake of big purchases, or if you're especially loyal to Dyson," Mashable Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard wrote in her review of the device. Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, the FlexStyle is on sale for just $249.99 in both the curly and coily hair system and straight and wavy hair system. That's $50 off the usual cost. While that's not the lowest price it's ever been, it is the first time the hair tool has gone on sale since last Prime Day. The curly system comes with a diffuser, two 1.25-inch auto-wrap curlers, a styling concentrator, and a round brush, while the straight system swaps out the diffuser for a paddle brush.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 55-inch Omni QLED Fire TV $415.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $184.00 Get Deal

The best-looking TV in Amazon's Fire TV lineup, the Omni QLED is like a more affordable version of Samsung's The Frame TV. It features an "Ambient Experience" mode that can display artwork, photos, or handy Alexa widgets soy our screen doesn't just look like a black rectangle when you're not watching it. It also features local dimming, an Adaptive Brightness feature, and support for Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive. The 55-inch option is on sale ahead of Prime Day 2 for $415.99 — that's 31% in savings. While that's not the lowest price we've ever seen, it's still $184 you get to keep in your pocket.

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

The automaker reported a gain of 6.4 percent for the latest quarter, its first such increase this year.

GET TWO FREE KINDLE BOOKS: Amazon Prime members get two free Kindle e-books with Amazon's First Reads program during the month of October. No Prime membership? Get these books for $1.99 to $4.99 each.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Two free Kindle books with Prime membership Non-members can score Amazon First Reads for $1.99 to $4.99 each Get Deal

Fall is here, and if you're planning to spend much of it snuggled up in a blanket with a good book, you're in luck. Amazon's First Reads program has you covered, helping you enjoy the cooler weather as you lounge around inside with some free books.

The First Reads program lets Amazon Prime members choose two totally free Kindle books from a selection of nine books to read without paying a dime. Normally, you just get one, making October's two-book selection a nice little bonus. Choose from a variety of genres, from horror to historical fiction and more, with options hand-picked by Amazon editors. You can also get a free short story: Joe Hill's Ushers, an Amazon original.

SEE ALSO: October Prime Day is just around the corner. Here's what to buy, and what not to.

Prime members can sign up for the Amazon First Reads program for free to choose your two October books. If you aren't a Prime member, you'll pay anywhere from $1.99 to $4.99 for each of these picks — still a bargain. They're great on Kindle, but you can read them anywhere you can log into the Kindle app. So whether you have a shiny new e-reader or you'd prefer to read on your phone, you can still get the free books and enjoy them throughout the season.

You have all month to score your free reads, but don't forget to check back for more free and cheap books as each new month arrives. Plus, don't forget to scope out the best Kindle deals ahead of Prime Big Deal Days next week.

Some app makers worry that a subtle change to the iPhone’s contact-sharing permissions could make it hard for them to get the fast growth they need to compete.

GET 35% OFF: As of Oct. 2, you can get a three-pack of eero 6+ mesh WiFi routers for just $194.99, down from $299.99, at Amazon. That's $105 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: eero Our pick: Amazon eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi router (3-pack) $194.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $105.00 Get Deal

If you’re tired of sluggish internet speeds and staring at a blank screen as you frantically wait for a webpage to load, it might be time to upgrade your WiFi setup.

As of Oct. 2, you can get a three-pack of eero 6+ mesh WiFi routers for just $194.99, down from 299.99, at Amazon. That’s a 35% discount or $105 off — it’s also just $0.99 more than this product's all-time low price. This is just one of the many early Prime Day deals we're seeing ahead of Prime Big Deal Days on Oct. and 9.

SEE ALSO: Creating an Amazon wishlist is our go-to Prime Day shopping hack

These little mesh WiFi routers can cover up to 4,500 square feet and connect to more than 75 devices, so the entire family can enjoy fast, reliable WiFi without any dead zones or buffering. With WiFi 6 and TrueMesh technology, you’ll be able to stream, game, and work without interruption.

Plus, it’s easy to set up (like, even your technophobic relatives who still use AOL could manage it) and has a built-in smart home hub that you can connect to compatible Thread and Zigbee devices.