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GET $50 OFF: As of Oct. 4, you can snag the Shark SpeedStyle for just $149.99, down from $199.99 at Amazon. That's a $50 discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Our pick: Shark SpeedStyle Hair Dryer $149.99 at AmazonPrime Day is creeping up fast, and Amazon’s been dropping deals left and right in the lead-up to the big event — from tech gadgets to small appliances to beauty tech, there are tons of great sales to take advantage of.
As of Oct. 4, you can score the Shark SpeedStyle for just $149.99. That’s a hell of a lot cheaper than its rival, the Dyson Supersonic, which usually retails for $429.99. It’s also $50 off the list price and the lowest price we’ve seen for this model, which normally sells for $199.99.
SEE ALSO: I tested the best Dyson Airwrap dupes under $300: The Shark FlexStyle is no longer your only optionThe Shark SpeedStyle is compact, includes three attachments, and doesn’t skimp on performance. This little thing regulates temperature 1,000 times a second and won’t get hotter than 230 degrees Fahrenheit.
The ionizer technology helps reduce frizz, while the RapidGloss Finisher attachment gives you a smooth, salon-style finish. Press the Cool Shot button to set your style, and you're good to go. As for the lower price tag, you're sacrificing a few bells and whistles compared to the Dyson, but who really needs to pay triple the price for a hair dryer?
GET $70 OFF: As of Oct. 4, Prime members can snag a Kindle Paperwhite essentials bundle for just $134.97, down from $204.97. That's a $70 discount and cheaper than buying the Kindle Paperwhite on its own.
Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Our pick: Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle $134.97 at AmazonPrime Day ~fall edition~ is just a few days away, and Amazon’s already pulling out some Prime-exclusive deals to get shoppers excited for the big event.
As of Oct. 4, Prime members can get a Kindle Paperwhite essentials bundle (which includes a Kindle Paperwhite, a fabric cover, and a power adapter) for just $134.97 — that’s a $70 discount, and it’s cheaper than buying the Kindle Paperwhite on its own for its standard $149.99 price.
SEE ALSO: Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite: Which one is for you?The Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) is built with readers in mind. The flush-front design and 300 ppi glare-free display mimic the look and feel of a physical book and make it comfortable to read for hours on end, even in bright sunlight. The adjustable warm light shift from white to amber helps with eye strain, and the waterproof exterior means you can take it to the beach, sit by the pool, or read in the bathtub without worry.
Plus, it can hold thousands of books, so you'll never run out of reading material.
Only four days separate us from Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days shopping event (aka October Prime Day). For all you impatient shoppers, however, there are plenty of deals already live. You can start shopping today and still take home a great deal. In fact, we've been rounding up the best deals to shop every day this week.
Here are our top three picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Oct. 4. Be sure to check back at our picks from Oct. 2 and Oct. 3 as well. Most of those are still live and ready to add to your cart, including a whopping 71% off the Echo Buds with noise cancellation and up to $100 off the Oura Ring 3.
Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle $134.97 at AmazonThe Kindle Paperwhite, our top pick for reading outside, is finally back on sale as part of an essentials bundle. It comes with a fabric case and a power adapter all for just $134.97, down from $204.97. That's 34% in savings and less than buying the Kindle device on its own. The Paperwhite features a 6.8-inch glare-free display with adjustable warm light and IPX8 waterproofing. As Mashable's Alex Perry summed up in his review, "In general, this is an elegant e-reader that is enjoyable to use."
Opens in a new window Credit: Marshall Marshall Emberton II Bluetooth speaker $99.99 at AmazonOur friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) tested the Marshall Emberton II and found it to be "a stylish waterproof Bluetooth speaker that sounds solid." It has a longer battery life than its predecessor and is more durable, but otherwise isn't a major upgrade. It has a tough time at extreme volumes, but mostly delivers a rich audio experience. The PCMag reviewer noted that regular retail price is a bit steep, so this 41% discount definitely makes it a better value. Slash $70 off and pick it up for just under $100 (its lowest price to date) ahead of Prime Day 2.
Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Wandvac handheld vacuum $79.99 at AmazonUpright and robot vacuums might take care of your floors, but what about all the cracks and crevices in your car, furniture, and everywhere in between? The Shark Wandvac can help you reach all the places your regular vacuum can't. It weighs just over a pound, is super easy to maneuver, and is compact enough to slip in just about anywhere. The high-speed brushless motor and streamlined airflow offer powerful suction for such a small gadget, making it a breeze to suck up all the crumbs and dog hair plaguing your fabrics. It's regularly $129.99, but you can score it for only $79.99 in the rose gold shade ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. That's 38% in savings and the lowest price on record.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
X, formerly Twitter, owes the Australian government some money.
Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Elon Musk's microblogging site has to pay the equivalent of $418,000 USD because of its refusal to work with Australian online safety regulators regarding the site's anti-child abuse policies.
The country's eSafety Commissioner filed a notice to X seeking information about the site's child abuse policies — and X has so far refused to cooperate.
SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's X sucks and I'm not leaving X contested the penaltyX challenged the fine in Australian court, but the court system upheld the charge. The company's side of the story is that, since Musk made X private in 2022, it's not obligated to abide by Australia's regulations. Australia disagreed — and now we're here.
Per NBC, Musk's social network and Australia have feuded in the past. The Aussie government ordered a takedown of a violent stabbing video filmed in Australia, which Musk alleged was censorship. The post ultimately stayed up. It should be noted that Musk has not actually been that committed to free speech on X since he took over. Specifically, X has historically complied with takedown requests from countries like Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
We'll see if Australia's government ever gets that check.
SAVE $50: As of October 4, get a pair of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds at Amazon for $249. That's a discount of 17% and the lowest price we've seen.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Bose Ultra Open Earbuds $249.00 at AmazonThe market for earbuds has gotten more than competitive over the last couple of decades. You can find plenty of excellent, affordable buds that tick all the boxes you're looking for with a simple glance at Amazon. Bose remains one of the brands that continually pushes out quality audio gear, but you can typically expect to pay a pretty penny for what Bose has on offer. Luckily, there are also usually plenty of sales on Bose products, like this pre-Prime Day deal you're going to want to snatch up before it's out of stock.
As of Oct. 4, get the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for just $249 at Amazon. That's $50 off their normal price of $299 and a discount of 17%. That's the lowest price we've seen as well, though the price cut only applies to the Black, Moonstone Blue, and White colorways right now.
These buds are a bit unorthodox as they have open ear backs. They're flexible so you can wear them by hooking them around the back of your ear so you can hear your music, which might seem a little strange at first, but they do stay put. They're ultra light, and include Bose's immersive spatial audio support so you can get a little closer to your favorite songs. They boast IPX4 water resistance, let you switch seamlessly between multiple Bluetooth connections, and feature on-board controls so you can swap between devices and adjust volume or answer calls without using your phone.
These buds can be your constant companion as well, with up to 7 hours of play time and 48 hours of standby. Their charging case can net you up to an additional 2.5 full charges as well, so you're covered on the go too. They're an interesting way to experience some of your favorite audio-centric content, especially if you're looking for something a little different in the earbud department. At this price, don't pass them up.
Apple is working on a new version of its most affordable phone, and it might be surprisingly good this time around.
According to 9to5Mac, which cites a source familiar with the matter, Apple's new iPhone SE 4 will have a new, modern look, with a notch on top. The OLED display will have a 1,170 x 2,532 pixel resolution, and it will probably be similar in size to the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 14.
SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 10 review: Buy it for the faster chargingYes, this also means that the iPhone SE 4 will lose the Home Button and get Face ID biometric recognition. While I personally am a little nostalgic about the Home Button, I do have to admit that Face ID works well and it's better to just get rid of the button and expand the display.
The iPhone SE 4 will also come with Apple's A18 chip — the same chip that powers the company's new iPhone 16 and 16 Plus phones.
Featured Video For You 5 reasons iPhone 16 is the best upgrade for youFurthermore — and this is perhaps the biggest surprise — the iPhone SE 4 will come with the same 48-megapixel rear camera, and the 12-megapixel front camera as you get on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. You will not, however, get additional cameras on the back; you'll have to make do with just a single rear camera.
Finally, the iPhone SE 4 will reportedly be the first phone to feature Apple's first 5G modem. This is notable as Apple acquired Intel's modem business back in 2019 to built its own modems, but nothing came out of it so far (Apple's iPhones still use Qualcomm modems). This should also have additional benefits to end users, as Apple's modem, which will handle 5G, Bluetooth, and WiFi connectivity, should be better integrated with Apple's hardware, resulting in better battery life.
While we have heard some of these details before, including Face ID support, and the new OLED display, the part about the cameras and the modem is new.
If all of this sounds exciting, we've got a bit of a downer for you: The iPhone SE 4 is unlikely to arrive this year. Instead, Apple will probably launch it in spring 2025.
Horror movies come in all shapes and sizes.
You've got your comedy horrors, your psychological horrors, your tense thriller-y horrors — and, of course, your genuinely scary horrors.
I'm not just talking about your run-of-the-mill, yikes-that's-a-bit-creepy kind of films, here, either. I'm talking about the truly terror-inducing — the type of movies you wake in the dead of night thinking about, and which stay with you for a long, long time after the credits have rolled. The horribly twitchy, sleep-with-the-lights-on-and-avoid-all-mirrors kind of movies.
Streaming platform Shudder has a lot to offer in this regard.
SEE ALSO: The best movies on Shudder that you can't stream anywhere elseWe've combed through the archives of the service (which is chock-full of horror, sci-fi and thrillers of all kinds) to track down the most terrifying films we could — from jumpy classics like Ring to the bleak puppet-themed horror of Matthew Holness' Possum. If you're unable to deal with jump-scares, these are not for you.
Cushions to hide behind at the ready...
PossumWhat's it about?
After losing his puppeteering job, a man returns to his childhood home to destroy a creepy puppet he carries in a brown bag. But after a local teenager goes missing, it's clear that something more sinister is at play.
Why's it so scary?
The overall tone of Possum is probably more bleak than scary, but the puppet is the stuff of nightmares: a near-person sized, spider-like creation with a human mask for a face that has the disconcerting habit of reappearing even after it's been disposed of. The ominous, jagged background score that follows Philip (Sean Harris) around doesn't help, and the jump scares – when they do come – are well placed and unpleasant.
How to watch: Possum is streaming now on Shudder.
The Medium Credit: Christine RamageWhat's it about?
A documentary film crew travel to northern Thailand to interview a shaman who claims to be possessed by a goddess — only to get caught up in something far more sinister when her niece begins to act strangely.
Why's it so scary?
"The film's first two acts move at a subtle, simmering pace, but the finale is sheer frightening chaos," writes Mashable's Shannon Connellan in her review. "It's a diabolical move from director [Banjong] Pisanthanakun, who lulls audiences into a sense of security before swiftly pulling the rug out from under us. Sitting at over two hours, the film spends ample time with the characters but keeps the momentum through a sense of foreboding — thanks in part to Chatchai Ponhprapaphan's haunting score. As events escalate, the documentarians' distance to their subjects becomes compromised while they wonder whether they should try to help Mink. This shift is reflected in a mix of their footage and security camera coverage. And in the well-worn tradition of found footage/documentary horror films like Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project, The Medium saves the most disturbing moments for last. There's a scene featuring a Hereditary-level reveal that had me sleepless for days."
How to watch: The Medium is now streaming on Shudder.
The Unheard Credit: ShudderWhat's it about?
After undertaking an experimental procedure to restore her hearing, a woman staying in her childhood home experiences auditory hallucinations that may have something to do with her mother's disappearance.
Why should you watch it?
"As you might have guessed from that description, [director Jeffrey A.] Brown's movie is a bit of a genre mish-mash," I wrote in my review for Mashable. "The setup sounds like a Black Mirror episode, the hallucinations and isolation are straight-up horror, and the disappearances blend it all together with a kind of mystery/crime/thriller element. It's a combination that could easily start tripping over itself, but somehow it keeps a steady, confident footing. Between Brown's perfectly unnerving direction, a tight script from Michael and Shawn Rasmussen and a well-acted story, The Unheard crackles through its two-hour runtime with scares and tension aplenty."
How to watch: The Unheard is streaming now on Shudder.
Skinamarink Credit: IFC Films/ShudderWhat's it about?
Given how experimental Kyle Edward Ball's movie is, this one's sort of hard to summarise. But it's essentially about two siblings who can't find their dad and are trapped in a dark house by themselves with only a whispering voice for company.
Why should you watch it?
"It totally and entirely wants to terrify us," writes Jason Adams for Mashable in his explainer. "Skinamarink wants us to become children trapped in our beds again. It wants the very concept of the dark to be foreign, filled with questions and strangeness and terror. Forcing us back to when we were little and we didn't know more than what was right in front of us, when what lay beyond our hallway or, God forbid, our front door might as well be the edge of the flat earth, falling off into nothingness."*
How to watch: Skinamarink is streaming now on Shudder.
The Power Credit: ShudderWhat's it about?
In 1974, Val (Rose Williams) starts a new job as a nurse in a London hospital. But she soon discovers that the oppressive hierarchy and rolling blackouts aren't the only horrible things she'll have to confront.
Why should you watch it?
"It's the perfect setup for building a creeping sense of dread [...] and [writer/director Corinna] Faith does this with a deft hand," I wrote in my review for Mashable. "There are plenty of jump scares, too, but these never feel gratuitous — like all the best scary films, The Power's horror is used to draw out the movie's main themes, rather than wielding them for mere shock value.
"All in all, the film is pretty hard to fault. The performances are excellent all-round, with Rose Williams showing off incredible range in the central role."
How to watch: The Power is streaming now on Shudder.
Satan's SlavesWhat's it about?
After the strange death of their mother, a family begins to suspect that her presence may not have entirely left the house.
Why's it so scary?
Indonesian director Joko Anwar knows how to make a creepy film. It's apparent during the opening scenes in Satan's Slaves, when Rini (Tara Basro) makes a grim discovery in her mother's bedroom, and it only gets clearer from there on out. The movie has a solid mixture of slow build, bumps-in-the-night style tension, and outright jump-scares, putting you on edge early and offering little by way of reprieve.
For fans of Ring (which features further down on this list), there's even a very creepy well...
How to watch: Satan's Slaves is streaming now on Shudder.
SEE ALSO: The best women-centric and feminist horror movies Ring Stay away from those unmarked video tapes. Credit: Omega/Kadokawa/Kobal/ShutterstockWhat's it about?
A journalist attempts to get to the bottom of a cursed video tape, which supposedly kills the viewer a week after they've watched it.
Why's it so scary?
Hideo Nakata's 1998 horror classic not only kick-started a global franchise, but it also proved you don't necessarily need high-tech special effects and intense music to generate scares. By today's standards, Ring may not provide as many jump-scares as some as the other films on this list, but there are still plenty of nightmare-inducing scenes and images (and you probably won't ever look at a well, or a grainy TV set, in quite the same way again).
How to watch: Ring is streaming now on Shudder.
The Dark and the WickedWhat's it about?
A brother and sister return to their parents' farmhouse to help their mother care for their dying father. But after things take a sudden, tragic turn, they realise something more sinister is going on.
Why’s it so scary?
Creaky old remote farmhouses are already the ideal setting for jumps, but Bryan Bertino's chiller is extra effective because of its use of sound — whether it's jangling horseshoes placed to ward off evil, a jagged background score or simply yawning, empty silence. The jumps in this one are unexpected and genuinely terrifying, and the story is unremittingly bleak.
How to watch: The Dark and the Wicked is streaming now on Shudder.
HostWhat's it about?
Unable to meet in person due to the coronavirus lockdown, a group of friends decide to try out a seance over Zoom.
Why's it so scary?
One word: realism. The premise of the story, its Zoom setting, and the very natural dialogue all conspire to make Host feel horribly realistic. It's like you're watching the recording of an actual Zoom call between friends, and that makes it all the more unnerving when things begin to go really, really wrong.
Oh, and if you're worried that the movie's set-up might be limiting in terms of scares, don't be: the jumps in this one are frequent, and — thanks to the creativity of director Rob Savage — always inventive.
How to watch: Host is streaming now on Shudder.
SEE ALSO: How 'Host' director Rob Savage went from viral tweet to 3-movie deal TerrifiedWhat's it about?
A group of paranormal investigators examines some disturbing goings-on in a neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Why's it so scary?
Rather than just having one scary monster or theme, Demián Rugna's Terrified has a whole bunch of them — from IT-style voices gurgling away in the drain to the unmoving corpse of a dead child, returned home from the grave to sit stiffly at the dinner table.
Basically, the film is a trick box full of scares, and if one thing doesn't get to you, chances are something else certainly will.
How to watch: Terrified is now streaming on Shudder.
Featured Video For You 'Nightmare Alley' director Guillermo del Toro explains what makes carnival noir so terrifying Hell House LLCWhat's it about?
After the opening of a haunted house tourist attraction results in death, a fictional documentary crew tries to uncover what really happened.
Why's it so scary?
Like all the best found-footage horror movies, Stephen Cognetti's Hell House LLC uses realism to amp up its fear factor, splicing shaky camera shots with moving mannequins and half-glimpsed figures in the night. The tourist attraction setting could easily have come across as cheesy in this one, but luckily the movie's prop department sourced some genuinely creepy-looking clowns for the occasion (one of which provides more than a few nasty jumps).
How to watch: Hell House LLC is streaming now on Shudder.
ZWhat's it about?
A mother grows increasingly worried about her eight-year-old son after he gets a new imaginary friend called "Z."
Why's it so scary?
If the likes of The Babadook and Hide and Seek have taught us anything, it's that children having imaginary friends (at least in the context of a horror movie) is never a great thing. Brandon Christensen's Z takes this concept and gives it a fresh twist, putting us in the shoes of Beth (Keegan Connor Tracy) as she grows increasingly disturbed by her son's behaviour.
The thing that makes Z so unnerving isn't so much the creepy child aspect as it is the unknowable monster — the lingering idea of "Z," this unseen creature that dominates every scene with its absence. The fear of seeing something is often more disturbing than the thing itself, and this is an idea that the movie understands perfectly well — and uses to nail-biting effect.
How to watch: Z is streaming now on Shudder.
*This blurb appeared on a previous Mashable list.
UPDATE: Oct. 4, 2024, 12:52 p.m. EDT This list was first published on Sept. 15. 2023. It has since been updated to reflect current streaming options.
Do you like scary movies? Peruse our editor-chosen list of 100 of the best horror films and use the filters to narrow down your picks for which to watch tonight.
Cute animals doing funny things have always ruled the internet — some of the first viral sensations, like Keyboard Cat and Sneezing Baby Panda, became instantly memeified.
Fast-forward to today, and the internet's love for adorable little creatures is stronger than ever. Right now, social feeds are being inundated with animal stars, from Moo Deng, the feisty pygmy hippo who somehow has an expression for every mood, to chonky boy Pesto the Penguin, whose stature is melting hearts everywhere.
SEE ALSO: Why we’re all in love with a little hippo named Moo DengAt a time when people might be looking for a bit of joy and distraction from the real world, these viral sensations offer the perfect escape. And memes — they've given us so many memes.
So, Mashable has rounded up some of the internet’s favorite animals of the moment, which are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Moo DengOn July 10, 2024, a hot new bombshell entered the villa of internet-famous animal personalities when little Miss Moo Deng was born. The bouncy baby pygmy hippo has been known to wreak havoc inside her enclosure at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo, nibbling on zookeepers and throwing temper tantrums. (She’s a Cancer — she’s very emotional.) Still, she’s just so adorable. Who could resist the childlike antics of a feisty baby hippo? Seemingly, no one. She’s inspired countless works of fan art, her own merch line, TikTok beauty trends, and an SNL sketch. She’s so popular that the Thai zoo has launched a 24-hour livestream of its pygmy hippo enclosure so you can keep up with Moo Deng from anywhere in the world. She’s unbothered, moisturized, in her lane, focused, and flourishing. That’s real It-girl behavior. — Crystal Bell, culture editor
Tweet may have been deleted Juni, @lyssielooloo's catLyss, also known as @lyssielooloo on TikTok and Instagram, is an influencer from Orange County who posts daily content about her life, looking like the young Jennifer Garner in 13 going on 30, and, of course, her perfect cat Juni. There is so much to love about Juni. For starters, Juni is a ragdoll cat, so it's not surprising that he's so calm and even-tempered, but what is surprising is how often he falls asleep straight up any time she holds him. — Christianna Silva, senior culture reporter
View this post on Instagram MoléHave you ever seen a baby sloth? Did you know they were this cute? I wasn’t aware until I came across Molé, an orphaned baby sloth, on my FYP. The videos were posted by creator Kyle Thomas while volunteering at the Kids Saving the Rainforest rehabilitation center in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, where he would take little Molé into the jungle for his daily dose of vitamin D and behavioral enrichment via tree crawling. With his sleepy eyes and upside-down smile, little Molé fully embodies the essence of relaxation goals, even down to the stuffed teddy bear he clings to for comfort. Forget girlrotting; I want to be a sloth. — CB
Pesto the PenguinIt’s hard to feel down looking at an absolute unit of a penguin. Pesto the Penguin — a massive baby King Penguin at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium — is the perfect brain bleach. You don't need to know anything beyond the fact that this big boy weighed 50 pounds at nine months, and he still has his black, fuzzy feathers, while most King Penguins are fully grown at around 30 pounds. He's adorable, towers over his peers, and fun to watch waddle around. — Tim Marcin, associate culture editor
Hua HuaHua Hua is the people's princess of China... or at least the darling of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu. A rotund giant panda beloved for her sweet demeanor and onigiri-shaped body, Hua Hua spends her days with her sister, He Ye, toddling around, nibbling on bamboo stalks, and playing with her caretaker, Tan Jintao (referred to affectionately as "Grandpa Tan"). In addition to being very demure and very mindful, Hua Hua has a distinct appearance that makes her stand out due to developmental delays that left her smaller and weaker than her other panda friends. It's only made people fall more in love with her. On the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Hua Hua's hashtag has accumulated billions of engagements. She's even reached celebrity status. — CB
Simon Sits (Isabell Klee)The TikTok account SimonSits is named after Isabell Klee’s very good dog Simon, who is very adorable and well-behaved. But a major draw of Klee’s account is actually the foster pups she regularly takes in and helps get adopted. The internet (and myself) have fallen in love with the likes of her fosters King, Poutine, and Aruba. Klee often fosters pups who’ve had difficult experiences or have medical needs and works to show how wonderful they are. It’s truly lovely to see. — TM
BiscuitsI respect a savvy marketing team. With the internet consumed by Moo Deng memes and Pesto the Penguin edits, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society saw an opportunity to raise awareness of its marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation efforts and seized it. Enter Biscuits, a quirky baby seal with big, round eyes, rescued in August after being separated from her mother. In a TikTok with over 14 million views, the VAMMR wrote, "This is a public service announcement – Biscuits would like to be included in your list of favorite baby animals!" Ask, and you shall receive. Don’t forget — Biscuits is also available for symbolic adoption. — CB
Bonus: We Live in Time horseFlorence Pugh and Andrew Garfield are having a rough time in A24’s We Live in Time. It's a pretty devastating romance about a couple facing a terminal cancer diagnosis. But it wasn't Pugh and Garfield who took the internet by storm when Film Crave posted a first look image of the movie — that position was taken by the ugly carousel horse. He's hideous. He's their third. As Stephen Colbert said, he's "tripping balls on ketamine." He stole the show and, along with it, our hearts. If we ranked the horses of pop culture in 2024 instead of 2022, he would certainly make the final cut. — CS
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