Mashable

"The Gutter," starring Shameik Moore, D'Arcy Carden, and Susan Sarandon, is a bowling comedy that's brilliantly stupid. Trailer.

The cast and crew on 'Teacup' discuss how separating characters from their support systems heightens the tension and leaves them vulnerable to the unknown.

As we wait for any news at all about Nintendo Switch 2, the first Switch will not go out quietly.

Nintendo made that clear with a banger Nintendo Direct in June that opened with a genuinely lovely surprise: a new Mario & Luigi RPG. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the first game in the beloved series of brotherly turn-based RPGs in nearly a decade, following 2015’s Paper Jam for 3DS. 

Perhaps more notably, it’s the first one to be made since series developer AlphaDream sadly shut down in 2019. Nintendo said some original developers from the older games are working on Brothership, though. 

Anyway, I got to play about 90 minutes of it at a preview event — and it seems like it could be yet another late-in-life banger for the O.G. Switch, with possibly some of the best visuals achieved on the console to go along with satisfying combat.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership could be yet another awesome 2024 RPG Connecting islands looks a little something like this. Credit: Nintendo

If you’ve been following along with games this year, you’ve probably noticed that RPGs are back. Not that they ever left, really, but it’s been an astoundingly packed year for the genre, between FFVII Rebirth, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and the brand new heater Metaphor: ReFantazio. 

However, none of those games will prepare you for Brothership like this summer’s remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. That is also a turn-based RPG starring the iconic Italian plumber where you precisely time button presses during attacks to do extra damage. If you missed the earlier Mario & Luigi games, but played that, you’ll feel somewhat at home with Brothership.

The gimmick here, of course, is that Mario and Luigi are working together the entire time as a duo. That is your party. Everything you can do stems from the brotherly relationship between Mario and Luigi, from partner attacks in combat to goofy special abilities you use in the overworld to solve puzzles.

If the game’s title and marketing didn’t make that clear, this is a nautical adventure. Mario and Luigi are in a place where a bunch of islands have lost magical connection with the local giant magical tree, leaving the brothers with no other choice but to sail around the ocean in an island that is shaped like a boat, connecting each island back to the tree, one by one.

You do have to plan out your sailing routes, but I didn't get a great sense for how involved this is. Credit: Nintendo

My demo started at Twistee Island, where everybody loves to dance. I had to help a guy get some hair product so he could do a special dance to rejuvenate a big, dying plant called the Twisten Sprout. I haven’t stopped thinking about “Twisten Sprout” since the demo, to be clear. 

The sojourn through Twistee Island took maybe half an hour, which included time spent getting used to the mechanics. As with previous Mario & Luigi games, you can make the brothers jump or attack with hammers independently of each other in the overworld using dedicated buttons for each brother. Combat also works this way; if you want to nail an attack or dodge an enemy with Luigi, you need to press Luigi’s button, or else it will fail.

One of the big new mechanics Nintendo showed us is, hilariously, called “Luigi Logic.” You can activate Luigi Logic in certain scenarios with a button press, at which point Luigi will perform some context-sensitive action to help you out. These can range from breaking boxes that might have items in them to holding down switches to solve puzzles.

Combat in Brothership could be great Combat looks fantastic. Credit: Nintendo

All of that is fine and dandy, but the combat portions of the demo stood out to me the most. As I said earlier, this works like previous Mario RPGs. Timed button presses for both attacking and dodging are key here. Both brothers have jump and hammer attacks, which come in handy depending on the enemy type. Each one also has a different sequence of button presses you have to do to maximize their attack power, and these sequences differ depending on which brother initiated the attack.

Thanks to an absolutely stunning visual style that feels like a faithful 3D interpretation of the cartoony box and instruction manual art from the original Mario & Luigi games, all of the fights look and feel satisfying. Seeing Mario and Luigi do flashy hammer attacks with Saturday morning cartoon flair is a ton of fun.

But it’s what’s going on behind the scenes that could really make combat sing in Brothership. You have access to a plug system (there’s a pervasive electrical theme throughout what I saw of this game) where you can craft and insert plugs with different effects into two slots. These plugs can do all sorts of things, from making counter timing easier to modifying attacks so they make enemies dizzy or drop iron balls on baddies for additional damage. 

Got a plug? Credit: Nintendo

Where this really gets interesting, though, is when you start combining plugs. For example, by getting creative with combinations, I was able to modify my attacks so they did area-of-effect damage or caused iron balls to drop on every enemy instead of just one. It seems like experimentation will pay off in Brothership, which is a hallmark of any decent RPG.

Between that and a simple leveling system in which you choose from a series of permanent upgrades (you can’t get them all, I was told) at set level intervals, it seems like Brothership has enough customization to bolster the tactile satisfaction of the combat. My demo unfortunately didn’t give me much else to talk about, but honestly, that’s fine. I’ve already played like a dozen really good RPGs this year, I might as well play another.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch on Nov. 7.

The second wave of preorders for the PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle go live across major retailers today (Oct. 10). The drop comes two weeks after Sony initially launched the bundle in its PlayStation Direct storefront, where it promptly sold out.

Preorders were expected to begin at 10 a.m. ET, though Target's listing went live overnight. (The bundle is now out of stock there.) If availability is a top-of-mind concern, consider signing up for Walmart+.

Paid (non-trial) members of Walmart's benefits program get early access to PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary bundle preorders there starting at 10 a.m. ET. Demand will still be reasonably high, but that paywall should thin the crowds a bit (and hypothetically deter scalpers). The listing doesn't specify whether preorders will ever open to non-members.

Quick links: set an alarm PlayStation 5 (Slim) Digital Edition - 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle $499 at Walmart Pre-order Here sign up Walmart+ $12.95/month or $98/year Sign Up Now

Walmart+ costs $12.95/month or $98/year and unlocks early access to certain drops and savings events at the big-box store, including a Holiday Deals event it's hosting this week. (Live through Sunday, Oct. 13, the sale competed with Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event and serves as Walmart's holiday shopping season kickoff.) That's on top of additional perks like free shipping, fuel discounts, travel savings, and streaming freebies.

If you want to try your luck elsewhere, the PS5 Slim Anniversary Edition bundle will also be up for grabs at Amazon and Best Buy Oct. 10.

Released in honor of PlayStation's 30th birthday, the bundle features a disc drive-free PS5 Slim console in a retro gray finish that harkens back to Sony's very first console. It comes with a matching DualSense controller, a cover for a disc drive (sold separately), a vertical stand, and several collectibles, and it'll set you back $499.99.

That's $100 less than the price of a PlayStation Pro, Sony's upcoming mid-gen console. It's also sold out at PS Direct, but its retailer preorders are set to go live today, too.

When 28-year-old publicist Millie got out of her taxi and into the safety of her home, she expected to slide on a pair of slippers and watch some trashy reality TV, as she would most nights. But this time, her night turned into one of fear after a "super weird text" reading "Hi gorgeous" from an unknown phone number. Millie and others asked to be referred to by their first-name only for privacy reasons.

Millie asked the sender who they were, and they quickly replied telling her it was her taxi driver. Then she received an even more unsettling text: "I can't wait to pick you up and see your beautiful face again, I long for you."

"I'd never given him any indication I was interested in him," she tells Mashable. "It was so creepy and I was terrified but I also wasn't sure if I was being overdramatic." 

"It was so creepy and I was terrified but I also wasn't sure if I was being overdramatic." 

Millie's experience exemplifies a new and unsettling form of harassment: "text pesting." This term describes the inappropriate use of personal information, such as a phone number or email address, by individuals who, under the guise of a professional relationship, attempt to initiate unwanted romantic or sexual advances. In a world where personal data is exchanged at the click of a button, text pesting is a worrying emerging trend.

SEE ALSO: 300+ Amazon Prime Day deals still live: Roomba, Apple, Dyson, and other top brands

It's so common, in fact, that The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says a third of 18-34-year-olds in the UK have experienced it according to research they conducted in 2023. Because of this, the ICO is focused on spreading more awareness of both text pesting itself, and ways to get help with it. 

Mashable spoke to women who have experienced text pesting along with experts in the field to better understand this kind of harassment, why it's happening, and what we can do about it. 

Is text pesting against the law?

Millie found her text pesting encounter extremely unsettling, but also wondered if she was overreacting and whether this was anything to truly worry about. "I wasn't even sure if this was a reportable offence," she says. 

It is reportable, but the legality of text pesting is in fact complicated, with multiple existing UK laws that could cover this behaviour. According to Dr. Patrick Bishop, a senior lecturer in law and cybercrime at Swansea University, text pesting could be considered a crime under the Data Protection Act 2018, which covers any organisation that makes use of personal data in the UK. 

SEE ALSO: The U.S. is suing TikTok for allegedly violating children's privacy laws

He tells Mashable: "This includes the offence of knowingly or recklessly retaining personal data without the consent of the data controller, typically an employer. For example, if a delivery driver retains a customer's phone number after completing a delivery and uses it for unauthorised purposes, this could constitute an offence."

Still, the potential legal consequences for text pests are significant. Under the Data Protection Act, the only available penalty is a fine. However, the Act grants the power to order the erasure of a phone number if it has been used to commit an offence. Bishop also points out that the act of pest texting might also constitute an offence under the Computer Misuse Act, which can lead to a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment for unauthorised access to data.

"I felt so violated." 

Text pesting isn't only a data-retention issue, though. With access to her phone number, Millie's text pest was able to add her on Snapchat and Instagram too, and continued to sexually harass her – even sending a non-consensual explicit image to her over direct message. "It was absolutely disgusting," she says. "I felt so violated." 

SEE ALSO: Federal cyberflashing bill introduced with Bumble endorsement

The legal implications extend beyond data breaches. Bishop also notes that if a message contains sexually explicit content, it could fall under the Communications Act (applicable to England, Wales, and Scotland), which makes it a crime to send messages that are "grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character" via public electronic communication systems. In cases where multiple messages are sent, the Protection from Harassment Act — applicable to the whole of the UK — might also apply. This Act requires a course of conduct — defined as two or more instances of harassing behaviour — that causes alarm or distress. 

In the U.S., tackling text pesting legally is more complicated as laws vary state to state. There are federal laws covering harassment, though. Andrew Rossow is a cyber law and digital media attorney at Minc Law, who specialise in online harassment. He tells Mashable that text pesting could be in violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) if the nature of the text pesting involves making false or misleading representations.

On the other hand, if we are looking at statutory laws, he says there are two major factors at play – the location of the sender and the recipient (the text pesting victim) and the frequency in which these unwanted communication takes place. "More often than not, one single instance may not be sufficient to prove targeted harassment," he explains. "But each situation should be determined on a case-by-case basis." 

Rossow adds that each state has its own version of a harassment law, stalking law, and privacy law which is based on California's Consumer Protection Act, and that text pesting could also fall in violation of this. 

Jamie E. Wright, attorney and CEO of the Wright Law Firm, adds that if you're caught using a customer's phone number from a business interaction to ask them out without their consent‌, you could also be in breach of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) which aims to protect people from unsolicited communications​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​. Like GDPR in the UK, it’s commonly associated with marketing scenarios, but it could also cover cases of harassment.  

She adds that victims of text pesting in the USA could also take up the case with the employer of the perpetrator, as this company has demonstrated "inadequate protection of customer data" which could land them in hot water.  

Neither Millie nor Nicole have pursued legal action, though, as they’re both worried this could cause them further stress. 

Text pesting certainly does cause distress. 31-year-old Nicole has also experienced text pesting with a delivery driver. She had a sofa delivered and got a "hi" message from an unknown number the next day. "I asked who it was and he just admitted it was the delivery driver, as though he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, and then he asked if I was single." 

Nicole told him she was in a relationship, but it didn't stop his communication, which became persistent. "He would ring me in the middle of the night and send me selfies of him driving his delivery truck around as though we knew each other. I didn't feel like I could block his number because he knew where I lived," she explains to Mashable. "What if he turned up again?" 

"People have the right to order a pizza, or give their email for a receipt, or have shopping delivered, without then being asked for sex or a date a while later."

Emily Keaney, Deputy Commissioner for Regulatory Policy at the ICO, highlights the disturbing nature of this behaviour: "People have the right to order a pizza, or give their email for a receipt, or have shopping delivered, without then being asked for sex or a date a while later," she says. 

Nicole adds that this kind of harassment seems to be a "step up" from regular online harassment, which is something 38 percent of women experience across 51 countries. "I've been harassed online before but this was a man who'd been in my house. There was something utterly frightening about this exchange specifically. I always wondered if he would come back," Nicole says. "I haven't ordered anything to my house since — not even McDonald's — without my boyfriend being in the house and making himself visible."  

This intrusion into personal life can have serious emotional repercussions. Victims often feel violated, anxious, and unsafe. The unsolicited nature of these messages can lead to a loss of trust, not only in the individual responsible but also in the broader service or company they represent. This erosion of trust is particularly concerning in an era where digital communication is ubiquitous, and personal data is routinely shared in everyday transactions.

What can victims do about text pesting?

For anyone who finds themselves targeted by a text pest, there are several routes they can take for action. Wright explains that for those in the United States, there are a few paths you can take if you fall victim to text pesting, including the local police and federal agencies.  

"If the texts contain threats or harassment and are persistently unwelcome they have the option to alert law enforcement authorities since several states have enacted legislation to safeguard individuals from this," she explains. "It is advisable to preserve copies of the messages by taking screenshots to capture the senders phone number and gather any information demonstrating the harassment before presenting this evidence to local authorities." That way, you have a much better case and a shot at receiving police support. 

She adds that authorities could also help you to obtain a restraining order to halt the messages being sent to you unlawfully. "Alternatively, if the messages are unsolicited materials or spammy in nature you have the option to lodge a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (the FCC) citing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Here, you can register complaints efficiently and conveniently," Wright explains. 

For people in the UK, Bishop advises that the first step should be to report the incident to the company involved. 

"The employer will have several obligations under the GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018, including ensuring that data which is consensually collected and processed for one purpose is not used for a different purpose. They might also consider disciplining or even dismissing the offending employee," he explains.

Victims can also report the incident to the ICO, which offers guidance on how to handle situations where personal data has been misused. The ICO's recent call for evidence is part of a broader effort to crack down on text pests and ensure that companies take their responsibilities seriously. As Keaney emphasises, "They have a right to know that when they hand over their personal information that it will not then be used in ways that they would not be comfortable with."

If the messages contain sexually explicit content or cause significant distress, victims should not hesitate to involve the police. Even if the authorities decide not to pursue a formal investigation, an informal warning from the police can often be enough to deter future contact. 

The Online Safety Bill was introduced this year and although it's certainly not perfect, it does provide a specific offence for sending unwanted photographs or films of genitals (also known as cyberflashing) offering another layer of protection against the most egregious forms of text pesting.

Where do we go from here?

Text pesting is a clear violation of personal boundaries and a serious form of harassment. It's essential that individuals are aware of their rights and the legal protections available to them. 

When the text pest knows where you live, fears for one's own safety aren't exactly unfounded. 

But there is also a cultural problem enabling this kind of behaviour. We live in a culture that normalises rape and sexual harassment, that encourages us to brush off incidents like text pesting as a mere nuisance rather than the threat that they are. As the interviews in this article demonstrate, there is also a fear of something called "rejection violence" — the possibility that blocking or rejecting text pests could lead to the sender exacting revenge in the form of physical violence. And when the text pest knows where you live, fears for one's own safety aren't exactly unfounded. 

The ICO even found that only 66 percent of the public believes it's morally wrong to use personal details given for business purposes for romantic or sexual propositions. Sadly, men were twice as likely to think it's OK than women. 

The ICO's proactive stance in addressing this issue is a step in the right direction, but we need to work on building a culture wherein perpetrators don't feel entitled to do this in the first place, wherein they know that misusing personal data in this way is not only creepy, but a violation of trust and privacy. We need a culture in which men step in when their friends admit to behaving like this, and point out that it’s creepy and not OK. And we need workplaces to ensure that they’re hiring employees who aren’t displaying predatory behaviours, so that clients who are women can feel safe as a bare minimum. Hopefully, we will see that kind of progress as conversations about harassment open up. 

While text pesting may seem like a minor annoyance to some, it's a form of harassment that can have serious legal consequences and, more importantly, emotional ones. By holding perpetrators accountable, we can work towards creating a safer digital environment for everyone.

If you have experienced sexual violence and are based in the UK, call the Rape Crisis helpline on 0808 802 9999. If you're in the U.S. and have experienced sexual abuse, call the free, confidential National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or access the 24-7 help online by visiting online.rainn.org.

Cockatiels are unapologetically serving on TikTok, in probably the most adorable trend I've seen on the platform for an age.

The small parrots and other birds who enjoy sitting on their owners' shoulders are all over my FYP right now, vibing to rapper Lola Brooke's track "Don't Play With It".

Reader, it's so damn cute.

SEE ALSO: From Moo Deng to Pesto the Penguin, here are the cutest animals taking over our feeds

The trend appears to be started by TikTokker @queenbee576, whose video posted last week has 17.7 million views, and has prompted numerous interpretations from fellow bird parents. Each video sees TikTokkers lip synching to Brooke's track and moving the camera swiftly to catch their bird reacting to these lyrics (the bird does the bit in brackets):

Gimme beso (muah), extendo (grrah)

I carry bitches like I'm prego (bop-bop, bop-bop)

And honestly, it's all about the grraah.

"Who is this DIVA 💜" wrote @isabellacarrasqui5 on the original video.

"it's the grraaaahhh for me!!🤣🤣😭😭👏👏❤️” wrote @DatBishMELLY.

"He ate and left no crumbs!😂" wrote @noemi.rangel.

Fellow TikTokker @kiki.tiel posted a version that has 15.5 million views and it's outrageously cute. There are also great posts by bird owners @a.ngelie, @unnysony, @monicaeerie, @thenewkentuckian, @trityca, @a.danilove, @brenmakesthings and so many more, every single one of them is aggressively adorable. Look at their little beaks! The wings serving!

There's no big discourse to unpack here about this TikTok trend. It's not that deep, it's just delightful. Enjoy.

SAVE $350: As of Oct. 10, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is on sale for $649 at Amazon. That's a saving of 35% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 8 Pro $649.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $350.00 Get Deal

Prime Day is a great excuse to upgrade your phone and save some money, and there's a handful of deals still live after the event.

There's been great deals across many brands, including Apple and Samsung, but if Google is more your thing then check out this deal on the Google Pixel 8 Pro. Discounted by 35%, the phone is now priced at $649.

SEE ALSO: The best Apple Watches deals still live after October Prime Day

This phone features a bright 6.7-inch OLED display and a fantastic camera. You can snap pictures either on the 50 MP main camera or on the 48 MP ultra-wide lens camera. For its functionality, the phone uses Google’s latest processor, the Tensor G3 chip, ensuring a smooth and quick performance.

This however is not the latest of the Google Pixel range, with the Pixel 9 being released earlier this year (so sadly no discounts yet).

But if the newest model isn't top on your priority list, we think the Pixel 8 Pro discount is well worth considering. But don't forget, Prime Day deals officially wrapped up at midnight, so act fast so you don't miss out.

SAVE $40: As of Oct. 10, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 speaker is on sale for $159.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 20% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 $159.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal

Ultimate Ears is a brand synonymous with an incredible audio experience. The beloved speakers have long been hailed as some of the best available, boasting robust and waterproof designs, and of course, unbelievable sound quality. If you've had one on your wishlist for a while, we have some good news. Despite Prime Day ending, you can still score a great deal.

While most of the offers have now fizzled out, there's still a great opportunity to grab the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 at a reduced price. Normally priced at $199.99, this remaining Prime Day deal has the speaker reduced to $159.99. The deal is available in three colorways: Black, Red, and Blue.

SEE ALSO: The best October Prime Day Kindle deals still live

The Megaboom 4 is one of Ultimate Ear's top speakers. It delivers an incredible 360-degree sound with a thundering bass that packs a serious punch. One of the top features is its waterproof abilities. Thanks to the IP67 rating, it can be submerged in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes, ideal for beach parties. The 20-hour battery life is of course a real selling point too, allowing you to listen all day without needing to charge.

Prime Day is done and dusted, so this deal might not stick around for long. If you're ready to upgrade your music-listening experience, head to Amazon now.

SAVE OVER $200: As of Oct. 10, the Philips EP3241/54 Espresso Machine is on sale for $712.04 at Amazon. That's a saving of 29% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Philips Philips EP3241/54 Espresso Machine $712.04 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $287.95 Get Deal

Prime Day may have come to an end but with a quick look at Amazon, you'll find some amazing deals still live, and one of the best deals still available is on the Philips EP3241/54 Espresso Machine.

For coffee lovers who want convenience, this is the machine for you. The automatic touchscreen options allow you to create your favorite coffees at the touch of a button. No need to spend ages steaming milk or measuring out coffee — in one touch you have the perfect latte, cappuccino, or espresso. There's even the option to customize drinks to your own preferences, all from the nifty touchscreen panel.

SEE ALSO: The best October Prime Day Kindle deals still live

Then, the machine does all the work while you sit back and relax: the LatteGo Milk System froths milk to absolute creamy perfection and the ceramic grinders ensure your coffee beans are ground precisely. And better yet, there are no tubes or fancy compartments, the machine is in just two parts to make cleaning easy and quick.

Currently, at Amazon you can grab this machine for $712.04, giving you a saving of 21%. Trust us, coffee tastes even better with a bargain.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 10 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Thursday, October 10, 2024:

AcrossTiny amount

• The answer is Tad.

Hollywood Undead vocalist Charlie

• The answer is Scene.

Powered by paddles

• The answer is Canoe.

Turn something on its head

• The answer is Upend.

NYC museum

• The answer is Met.

It's October Prime Day: Here's the latest news on the deals
More on Prime Day: Here are all the best deals to shop still live

DownChristopher Nolan movie

• The answer is Tenet.

Unidentified, for short

• The answer is Anon.

Volunteering app

• The answer is Deed.

Lowlife

• The answer is Scum.

Ill-advised accessory according to Edna Mode

• The answer is Cape.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

The second feature by Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is a brilliantly wry film of funeral traditions and familial idiosyncrasies. Tackling dark familial secrets with acerbic wit, it explores a culture of silence around sexual abuse. The result is a fiercely feminist tale filled with powerful observations, told through the eyes of a woman struggling with her commitment to community, as she’s backed into corners by social norms.

While the movie's humor and visual form verge on surreal, a deceptively withheld lead performance by Susan Chardy — who plays Shula, a woman visiting her Zambian hometown after many years abroad — helps ground it within social realism. Nyoni, who was similarly born in Zambia but raised in Britain, strikes this visual and tonal balance with an expert hand right from her opening scenes, which follow the surprising discovery of a dead body on an isolated road.

From there on out, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl sweeps through its mere 99 minutes with clamorous force. Implications eventually give way to revelations, but the story remains rooted in burning questions of how best to challenge a foundational status quo without breaking the bonds of family, recalling films like Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding, but blazing a unique path. 

What is On Becoming a Guinea Fowl about?

The movie's strange but revealing contrasts emerge minutes into its runtime, as Shula drives home from a costume party and discovers the corpse of her uncle — her mother's brother, Fred (Roy Chisha) — lying by the roadside. Dressed in a baggy black outfit reminiscent of '90s Missy Elliot, and wearing a bedazzled helmet that recalls Phantom of the Paradise, Shula exacerbates this visual disconnect with her icy, sardonic expression. When she calls her father (Henry B.J. Phiri) to relay the news, Fred's death isn't even the first thing she brings up.

While her response initially seems mysterious, one of the movie's fleeting hints of surrealist imagery wordlessly unveils what might be going on. As though she were having an out-of-body experience, she briefly sees her younger, adolescent self (played by Blessings Bhamjee) standing over Fred's body with a stern expression, wearing the very same ridiculous costume. It's bizarre, droll, and heartbreaking all at once, hinting at a character stuck in time, unable to move past something.

While the film eventually goes on to detail the reasons for her muted response, it isn't all that hard to put two and two together, especially when her inebriated cousin Nsansa (Elizabeth Chisela) shows up and pokes fun at her deceased relative as he lays nearby, referring to him as a "pervert." Their humor may seem cruel at the outset, but Shula and Nsansa's eyes suppress a lingering anguish that neither of them wants to discuss — or perhaps can't bring themselves to address.

As the days go by, and Fred's extended family arrives for his last rites, Shula reluctantly goes along with the various funeral traditions that involve the subservience of younger women, both to their older aunts — whose collective voice and physical presence envelopes the younger characters — and to the men of the family. It's her duty to cook, for instance, no matter her own emotional state, and she and several other women walk around the house on their knees or on all fours as part of their ritualistic duties, as more relatives gather and scenes grow more cacophonous.

However, as Shula and Nsansa fetch their younger cousin Bupe (Esther Singini) from her college dormitory, the latter's pained demeanor, and a video confession she records, make it all the more urgent for Shula to try and convince her family of who Fred really was, and the things he may have done to his younger female relatives on more than one occasion.

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl creates drama through implication.

While the details of Fred's past eventually come to light, Nyoni trusts her viewers to use inference and imagination. In the process, she paints a stark picture of the kind of memories that might be swirling in Shula's mind, as she balances being physically present for the funeral — and being there for her family — while being mentally checked out much of this time for the sake of her sanity.  

The movie's harsh, upsetting soundscape (courtesy of composer Lucrecia Dalt) goes a long way toward crafting its atmosphere, creating an imposing space from which the younger women in the family have to constantly escape in order to breathe. More often than not, Shula, Nsansa, and their friends find themselves hidden away in a closet or pantry in order to steal swigs of alcohol and speak openly about Fred, in ways they cannot in front of the film's extended cast.

It's also worth noting that, while the structural impositions placed on Shula and her cousins are distinctly patriarchal, the men of their family rarely feature on screen. Instead, the constraints placed around the women are the focus, and the audience discovers each as it first appears in matter-of-fact fashion. These cultural curtailments are entirely self-evident, self-perpetuating, and widely understood, but they also serve logistical functions. For example, Shula is made to cook for Fred's young widow, Chichi (Norah Mwansa); someone has to.

The women of Shula's family all gather under one roof and sleep packed like sardines, making it hard to find moments of respite — especially when mourning Fred becomes a collective, at times performative, act. Shula's mother (Doris Naulapwa) cared deeply about her late brother, but the more mourners who gather, the more the lines between genuine affection and the demands of tradition begin to blur, and the more Shula’s extended family becomes concerned with keeping the peace, rather than acting on complaints about their loved ones.

When Shula tries to take a moment for herself, her numerous, yammering aunties yank her back into thick of things, usually at night, though she returns and re-settles into the family’s rhythms without a fuss. She knows this is what she must do, even though what she really wants is to scream from the rooftops about the type of person Fred really was.

Susan Chardy delivers a quiet, powerhouse performance.

The first time we see Shula's face — when she removes her bejeweled costume — Chardy's eyes are immediately striking. Her hair is frayed, which compliments the way she embodies a sense of exhaustion and repression. Nyoni's screenplay, which withholds information pivotal to the plot (and to Shula’s emotional state) for lengthy stretches, simply would not work if the movie's lead performance weren't so consistently captivating. 

Chardy's approach to creating Shula is distinctly top-down, from stillness that disguises subtle movement (and movement that overcompensates for a desire to stay still) to her accent work and code-switching. Much of the movie is in Bemba, but for its English-language dialogue, whether Shula speaks with Chardy's natural English accent, or a Zambian accent, or a mix of the two, usually depends on who she's talking to, and with how much emotional force.

Shula is, effectively, a person in flux, who feels as though she has worked hard to escape her hometown — not just physically, but emotionally and socially — but is constantly drawn back into its orbit. Like Nyoni, Chardy was born in Zambia and raised in Britain, and together, they pour their emigrant anxieties into Shula, a woman who floats through the world buoyed by despondent fury at her inability to change the past, or the future.  

To challenge an existing structure isn’t a logistical act, but a deeply human one, and Nyoni unfurls the distressing, amusing, and wholly enrapturing results of engaging with this necessary transformation. Through biting observations, careful camera movement, and performances that flesh out the hidden contours of every scene (and every character dynamic), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl bursts to life in unassuming ways. Though perhaps just as surprising as the movie’s simple visual conception is the complexity with which it arrives at its most powerful scenes, which center on the thin line between complicity and self-preservation, and on the rigid realities of belonging to a community while trying to re-shape it from within. 

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl was reviewed out of its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival. It arrives in theaters from A24 on Dec. 13.

Water is the future.

NASA, preparing to establish a permanent presence on the moon, has detected deposits of water ice on the moon "more extensive than previously thought." An instrument on the space agency's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter found the ice embedded in the lunar surface.

"New findings from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal that lunar ice deposits are more widespread than we thought, even beyond the south pole’s shadowed regions!" Nicky Fox, who heads NASA's Science Mission Directorate, posted online. "These icy deposits could contain vital resources for future explorers, including water for radiation protection, air, energy, and even rocket fuel!"

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

Previous lunar reconnaissance has located ice preserved in profoundly cold craters in or near the moon's south pole, the aptly named "permanently shadowed regions," or PSRs. That's a primary reason why NASA's return to the moon, called the Artemis program, will land near these craters. This new research, published in the peer-reviewed Planetary Science Journal, found significant ice in more distant craters.

"We find that there is widespread evidence of water ice within PSRs outside the south pole, towards at least 77 degrees south latitude," NASA researcher Timothy P. McClanahan, who led the research, said in a statement.

The map below shows locations of permanently shadowed areas in the south pole out to 80 degrees south latitude (the literal south pole, located inside the rim of Shackleton crater, is at 90 degrees south latitude). Much of the ice here and beyond likely dwells in craters with frigid temperatures under -325 Fahrenheit, or -198 Celsius. Some of these shadowed craters haven't seen sunlight for billions of years.

The blue areas show an expansive area of permanently shadowed regions on the moon. Credit: NASA / GSFC / Timothy P. McClanahan Tweet may have been deleted

How much water did the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter detect beyond the south pole? For each square meter (1.2 square yards) of surface with detected ice, "there should be at least about five more quarts (five more liters) of ice within the surface top 3.3 feet (meter)" compared to the surrounding environs, McClanahan said. The NASA satellite's Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector, or LEND, located the ice by indicating where pockets of frozen hydrogen exist on or near the surface.

Over eons, comets and meteors striking the moon could have transported bounties of water to the moon's surface. Other sources could be water vapor that naturally seeped out of the lunar underground, or chemical reactions between oxygen in the lunar soil and the relentless solar wind.

When NASA astronauts return to the moon — no earlier than September 2026 — one of their primary missions, over the course of a week, will be to look for ice and collect surface samples to bring back to Earth. Eventually, if the ice is confirmed, such exploration will pave the way for harvesting lunar ice on a moon base.

Of course, without this ice, no one can survive on the moon.

Multiple perspectives, a mish-mash of characters and the sudden disappearance of a little girl are already ingredients for a complicated film — but when you throw time travel into the mix things become even more head-scratching.

Such is the case with Celine Held and Logan George's Caddo Lake, a drama/mystery/sci-fi that starts off simply enough before quickly plunging into the depths of impressive confusion.

So, let's have a go at breaking it down step by step. What's going on at Caddo Lake, what really happened to Anna, and how does time travel fit into the whole thing?

SEE ALSO: The best sci-fi movies on Netflix to escape reality What's Caddo Lake about?

First, a recap. The movie follows two different characters who both live in the sprawling, titular Caddo Lake: Paris (Dylan O'Brien), a young man still obsessed with the sudden death of his mother after she suffered a strange seizure while driving him across a bridge; and Ellie (Eliza Scanlen) a student whose stepsister Anna (Caroline Falk) abruptly vanishes after a family dinner.

For a large chunk of the movie it's unclear how Paris and Ellie are connected, but they do share one thing in common: The discovery of a strange area in the lake that seems to be the source of long-extinct moths, wolves that no longer live in the area, and bizarre echoing noises. As they both soon realise, this area of the lake is actually a portal that allows people and animals to pass through time.

Ellie (Eliza Scanlen) travels through time in search of her missing stepsister. Credit: Max What's really happening at Caddo Lake?

Paris' obsession with his mother's illness – which he believes was never properly diagnosed – leads him to make an interesting discovery: Her seizures corresponded with periods of time when the local area was going through a drought.

This realisation becomes key when Paris discovers the lake's time portal, because it helps him understand that the portal only appears when these droughts are happening. In a nutshell, whenever the lake is suffering from a lack of water, a rift opens. We don't know exactly how or why this happens, but the implication is that the phenomenon is naturally occurring, possibly even a defence mechanism against the droughts.

"This place," says Ellie at the end of the film. "Nature made this place."

What happened to Anna?

The short answer is that Ellie's stepsister Anna gets lost in the past.

After Ellie abruptly leaves the family dinner in the present day, Anna tries to follow her in a motorboat — but instead of finding Ellie, she stumbles across the time portal. After Anna crosses this barrier she's found injured by Paris, who has just passed through the barrier in his own timeline (it's revealed later in the movie that Paris is living in Caddo Lake in 2003, around 20 years before Ellie and her family). Paris carries the injured Anna through the time barrier, emerging in the year 1952. He gets her to safety before travelling back through the portal, leaving Anna behind in the past.

Ellie later looks through old photographs and discovers a picture of Anna, the same age as she was when she went missing, at a local school in the year 1952. Her name is Anna Bennett in the present, but in the old photos and news clippings she's referred to as Anna Lang. Lang is not only Paris' surname, but also Ellie's registered surname. Wait, what?

Anna ends up in 1952, where she grows up to be Paris' mom. Credit: Max How is everyone related, and how does it link to time travel?

This is where the complexity ramps up a notch. After being left in the year 1952, Anna grows up and lives a normal life. She has a son – yep, Paris – then dies in 1999 after a time travel-induced seizure causes her to crash her car off a bridge.

Later, in the year 2003, Paris is in an on-off relationship with a woman called Celeste (Diana Hopper) before he discovers the time portal. Unbeknownst to him he gets Celeste pregnant before travelling through the portal into the future, emerging in the year 2022 (this is the timeline where Anna has just gone missing and the search is still active). Paris ends up drowning in his attempt to get back to the portal before the water level rises again and seals it shut, and his story ends there. But Ellie, who travels back to 2003 in the portal before returning to the present, makes a shocking realisation: Paris is her missing father. Her mother Celeste (played by Lauren Ambrose in the 2022 timeline) believes he met someone else and ran off, telling Ellie she was approached by a strange woman who she had a fight with when Ellie was just a baby.

The twist? Ellie herself was the strange woman, encountering a younger version of her mother in the year 2003 after recognising her necklace.

In a nutshell, Anna isn't just Ellie's stepsister. She's also Paris' mother, and Ellie's grandmother.

Caddo Lake is streaming now on Max.

Lydia Bach, a 15-year-old sophomore living in New York City, has a message for adults who think teens can't possibly experience burnout.

"If people want to find out what teens are burnt out about, they have to just take a look at the world," Bach says, rattling off stressors like gun violence and global conflict, not to mention the "ever-looming threat that we actually won't have a future because of climate change."

Now, she says, imagine you're a high school student also trying to constantly "be better" and "do better," because "productivity culture" demands regular self-improvement. Meanwhile, you're painfully aware of the economic stakes of your high school career. Without a high grade point average, you might not get into the good college, which will set you up for the well-paying job with health insurance.

Trying to meet high expectations set by parents, teachers, coaches, peers, and even themselves, teens have to also contend with social media. The unpredictable algorithmic force that is the internet often amplifies the different pressures that teens feel, according to a new report on grind culture from Common Sense Media, the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard School of Education, and Indiana University.

SEE ALSO: Why teens are telling strangers their secrets online

For teens, these pressures include feeling like they need to have a "game plan" for their future; that they must rack up "exceptional" achievements; and that they should look and present themselves in a certain way. More than a quarter of the 1,545 teens surveyed by the researchers struggle with burnout.

Bach, who runs the social media account for the podcast This Teenage Life, has mixed opinions about social media. A writer and quilter, Bach has found online communities that deepen her interests. But she's also acutely aware of posts that could make her feel like she's not achieving or succeeding enough, such as a friend sharing about an award they won.

In the research on grind culture, teens said that social media posts about achievements like personal records at the gym and college acceptances could exacerbate pressure.

"When we see a lot of people, in a short amount of time, talking about their accomplishments, we feel like we should also have something to show," Bach says. In coordination with the new report's release, This Teenage Life aired a new episode about teen burnout, which Bach participated in.

"The path that leads to burnout"

While there's no evidence of a causal link between social media and burnout, Amanda Lenhart, head of research for Common Sense Media, says the survey findings showed that social media tends to amplify the pressures that teens experience more often than it alleviates them.

The report identified six types of pressures that most commonly affect teens. In addition to expectations related to their future, personal achievements, and appearance, teens also feel like they need to have an active and visible social life; stay available to and be supportive of friends; and do good for their communities or stay informed about different issues.

"When we ask young people, they themselves directly point to the pressures as the path that leads to burnout," Lenhart says.

Social media intensifies stress that teens feel about their appearance, according to the survey. The participants who felt this way said that TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat increased pressure to look a certain way and made them feel "worse." A smaller percentage of teens said that social media, in general, sometimes decreases appearance-related pressure.

Helping teens with burnout

Dr. Tori Cordiano, a licensed clinical psychologist in Beachwood, Ohio, who works with clients in private practice and as a school consultant psychologist, says that teens began using the term "burnout" about five to seven years ago.

Some use the word interchangeably with stress to describe feeling overwhelmed. But others are experiencing burnout as a chronic condition characterized by the "depletion of the ability to even think about how to move forward," says Cordiano.

She also believes that social media plays a complicated role in burnout for teens, at turns worsening how they feel while also providing meaningful opportunities to connect with friends.

But Cordiano notes that the grind of self-improvement is a huge part of the self-care and wellness content that populates teens' social media feeds. The "dark underbelly" of this content subtly convinces teens that feeling good is about "perfecting every part of yourself," which then puts enormous pressure on teens, Cordiano says.

Indeed, the survey found that while teens want to practice self-care, they often don't have or make the time to do so, and can feel like that time isn't "productive."

Teens who weren't experiencing any of the pressures identified in the report — 19 percent of those surveyed — got more sleep, spent more time outside in nature, and had more free time.

Lenhart says parents should pay serious, close attention to signs that their teen may be burning out, and work with them to identify healthy strategies to ease their burden. That includes taking pressure off them to be successful at everything they do, or exceptional at even one of their pursuits.

Cordiano recommends that parents develop reasonable expectations of how their teen manages their time and schedule, helping them to set boundaries as needed for their mental health and well-being. She also suggests they collaborate with their teen on identifying types of social media use that make them feel worse.

Bach has found that reading books about other life experiences is helpful for weathering burnout, because they offer a different perspective—and a reminder that the exhaustion is temporary. Still, she worries that she's facing a years-long grind as she tries to establish herself as an adult in a culture that seems to value nonstop work above all else.

Cordiano says it's up to adults to change this perception for young people and "to let them know that this is actually not our hope or expectation for teenagers, that they are living under a mountain of stress."

TL;DR: Make any idea into a song with a lifetime subscription to Supermusic AI, now $39.97 ($319). 

Opens in a new window Credit: Supermusic Supermusic AI: Lifetime Subscription $39.97
$319.00 Save $279.03 Get Deal

Making music has always seemed like something you need a lot of training, expensive equipment, or studio time to do. Even if you had a musical idea in your head, translating that into an actual song was a long and complicated process. Now, though, things are shifting — technology has made it easier for regular people to tap into their musical side without needing instruments or years of practice

Supermusic AI is an app that allows you to create full songs just by typing in prompts. It doesn’t require you to know how to play an instrument or mix a track. You start with a text prompt — anything from a single line of lyrics to a few ideas about the mood or theme — and Supermusic handles the rest. In seconds, it generates a complete song, with background music and vocals, making your creative concept a reality, and it's only $39.97 for a lifetime subscription. 

How does Supermusic AI work?

Not only does Supermusic craft the music, but it also produces vocals that sing your lyrics with impressive clarity and emotion. Supermusic takes things a step further by allowing you to tweak your tracks, add your own lyrics, and make adjustments until the song fits your vision.

This level of customization, combined with the speed and ease of use, makes it possible for anyone to become a "musician" without needing the skills that usually come with it. You can explore genres, experiment with different sounds, and quickly share your creations with the world.

Or just enjoy some sweet tunes about your cat. 

Sharing is a big part of the experience with Supermusic. Once you’ve created your track, you can easily post it on social media or share it with friends through the app itself. The platform has built-in playlists and profiles, so you can store all your AI-generated songs and even follow other creators to see what they’re working on.

The app also has its own leaderboards, tracking the most popular, played, and shared songs. That means you have the chance to show off your own AI creations with like-minded users. 

Supermusic is available on both iOS and Android, so all you need is your phone to get started.

Time to jam

Make the music you used to only dream of. Get a Supermusic AI lifetime subscription for just $39.97. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

TL;DR: Charge 6 devices at once with the Flash Pro Plus, now $199.97 until October 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus 100W USB-C 25000mAh Graphene Power Bank w/ Magsafe Compatibility $199.97 at Mashable Shop
$319.00 Save $119.03 Get Deal

There's nothing like a dead battery to completely throw off your day. Suddenly, you're driving without music, navigating without traffic updates, and can't call your colleague to let them know you'll be late. It's annoying — and it's also completely avoidable.

Instead of carrying a tangle of cords or searching for available outlets, pack a Flash Pro Plus power bank with a massive 25,000mAh battery. It’s like carrying an outlet in your pocket. This portable charging station could fully charge your phone multiple times before needing a recharge itself, but it's not just for your phone. Use the Flash Pro Plus to keep your tablet and laptop powered up, so whether you’re working on the go, watching movies on a flight, or just running errands, you’ve got power to spare. 

What makes the Flash Pro unique?

One of the most convenient features of this power bank is its MagSafe-compatible wireless charging. If you’re using an iPhone or another MagSafe device, you can simply place your phone on top of the charger, and it locks into place, charging automatically. No need to fumble with cords or adapters. Plus, it can handle up to six devices at once with USB-C plugins.

So, whether you’re sharing it with family members on a road trip or charging multiple devices for work, this charger is a must-have. You can even charge your Apple Watch and wireless earbuds simultaneously.

The OLED display shows how much battery life is left, which charging ports are in use, and other helpful stats, so you always know what’s happening. And while it has the power of a large charger, the Flash Pro Plus is still compact and easy to carry, sliding right into your bag or even your pocket. For travelers, busy professionals, or anyone who hates being tied down by low battery warnings, this charger is a lifesaver.

Low batteries aren't a problem anymore

A dead battery doesn't have to kill your day. Get a Flash Pro Plus Power Bank for $199.97 (reg. $319) through October 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

TL;DR: Charge three devices with the 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad, now $26.97 (reg. $69). 

Opens in a new window Credit: RochasDivineMart 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad $26.97
$69.99 Save $43.02 Get Deal

Between our phones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds, it's practically a full-time job keeping them all charged. The cords get tangled, you’re constantly searching for an open outlet, and if you’re traveling, you need to bring a whole kit of chargers just to stay powered up. A simpler alternative is to use one charger for three devices.

Enter the 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad. This sleek and practical wireless charger can power up your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at the same time, reducing clutter and making charging easier. The magnetic design makes sure that your phone stays perfectly aligned with the charger, so you don’t have to adjust it for a proper charge. Plus, it’s foldable and on sale for only $26.97 (reg. $69.99). 

Charge three devices at once

This wireless charging pad delivers 15W of power for your phone, which is strong enough for fast wireless charging, so you won’t be waiting around for hours. At the same time, your AirPods and Apple Watch are charging, too, and with their specific wattage (5W and 2.5W, respectively). Everything charges at optimal speed. No more hunting for separate chargers or dealing with a mess of cables. Whether you’re at home, at work, or traveling, this charging pad makes life simpler and helps keep all your essential devices ready to go.

Low batteries don't have to stop you from streaming or hopping on FaceTime. This charging pad also magnetically snaps into a triangle configuration that you can use as a phone stand. 

A charger for home, work, and beyond

Whether you're packing up for your next trip or recharging at the end of a long day, this compact wireless charging station is up for the job. Get the Three-in-One Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad while it's still $26.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A hair color you can get with bleach.

SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 10 Hurdle Word 1 answer

BLOND

Hurdle Word 2 hint

People are described as staring into this more than actually seeing it.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for October 10 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ABYSS

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A competitor trying to win first place as quickly as possible.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 10 Hurdle Word 3 answer

RACER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To strike with a mighty blow.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 10 Hurdle Word 4 answer

SMITE

Final Hurdle hint

Similar.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

ALIKE

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

UPDATE: Oct. 9, 2024, 6:57 a.m. EDT This article has been update with the latest deals on Kindle books during Prime Big Deal Days.

Best October Prime Day Kindle Deals Best Kindle Deal Kindle Scribe (16GB) $254.99 at Amazon (Save $85) Get Deal Best Kindle Paperwhite Deal Kindle Paperwhite $124.99 at Amazon (Save $25) Get Deal Best Kindle Bundle Deal Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (16 GB) $140.97 at Amazon (Save $64) Get Deal

It's officially cozy season, which nicely coincides with Amazon's October Prime Day. If you're thinking about settling down on the couch or cuddling up in bed with a good book, now's the time to do it. And what better way to do so than with a new Kindle? If you've had your eye on one, this is one of the best times to go ahead and lock one in, because when the weather gets cooler, snuggling with a loved one or a pet and a great read just hits different.

Thanks to Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, you can save on some of the best Kindles at Amazon right now. Admittedly, Kindle deals during the spooky season Prime Day aren't amazing, but they are deals nonetheless. There are some good deals to be had — the Paperwhite and Scribe offer savings of up to 25%, for example.

Below, find some of our favorite October Prime Day Kindle deals. And don't forget to snag your free Amazon First Reads books this month, which includes two in October just for being a Prime member.

Best Kindle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Scribe (16GB) $254.99 at Amazon
$339.99 Save $85.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Kindle Scribe is a multifunctional tablet that lets you enjoy your favorite books and magazines with the potential to be used as a digital notebook. In addition to all your normal Kindle options, the Scribe lets you take notes while reading or use it as a dedicated tablet with smooth writing and a responsive screen. This deal comes with the basic pen, which lacks the eraser and shortcut button, but it still glides over the screen smoothly.

During Prime Big Deal Days, the Kindle Scribe is down to $254.99, saving you $85.

Best Kindle Paperwhite deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Paperwhite $124.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal Why we like it

You really can't beat the Kindle Paperwhite — there's a reason it's the best e-reader we've tested. It's waterproof, comes with 16GB of storage, and adjustable warmth and brightness. It's super quick with a responsive touchscreen, just what you want as you're zooming through a good book. During October Prime Day, shop the Kindle Paperwhite for $124.99, taking $25 off the price.

Best Kindle bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (16 GB) $140.97 at Amazon
$204.97 Save $64.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking to get the full Kindle set-up, your best bet is to go with a bundle. The Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle is a good option that's also budget-friendly when it comes to e-readers. This bundle comes with a 16GB Kindle Paperwhite, a fabric cover, and a power adapter. During Prime Big Deal Days, this bundle is down to $140.97, saving you $64.

More Kindle deals

• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16GB) — $114.99 $169.99 (save $55)

• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle — $299.97 $439.97 (save $140)

• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle — $141.97 $211.97 (save $70)

The best Kindle book deals

• Avatar, The Last Airbender: The Rise of Kyoshi (Chronicles of the Avatar Book 1) by F.C. Yee — $9.25 $11.69 (save $2.44)

• Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill — $4.99 $22.99 (save $18)

• Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, translated by Eric Ozawa — $1.99 $16.99 (save $15)

• FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven — $12.99 $16.99 (save $4)

• Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris — $2.99 $18.99 (save $16)

• Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez — $12.14 $18.99 (save $6.85)

• Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez — $2.99 $18.99 (save $16)

• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari — $1.99 $9 (save $7.01)

• The Stories of Ray Bradbury by Ray Bradbury — $17.99 $40 (save $22.01)

• The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante — $3.99 $17.99 (save $14)

• Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand — $14.99 $30 (save $15.01)

• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle — $2.99 $7.99 (save $5)

• You Are Here by David Nicholls — $2.99 $30 (save $27.01)

Best October Prime Day deals under $50 Best entertainment deal Roku Streaming Stick 4K $34 at Amazon (save $15.99) Get Deal Best Echo device deal Amazon Echo Spot $44.99 at Amazon (Save $35) Get Deal Best headphones deal Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Hybrid Headphones (black) $39.90 at Amazon (save $20.09) Get Deal Best home security deal Blink Outdoor 4 $39.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal

The temperature and leaves are beginning to fall, which means it's time for Amazon's third major sale of the season — Prime Big Deal Days. The sale officially kicked off on October 8 and runs through the end of today, the 9th. With everything underway, we've spotted solid discounts on Amazon devices, small kitchen appliances, headphones, robot vacuums, and plenty more. But before you add it all to your cart, check out the Mashable guide to items you don't want to buy during Prime Day.

If you're on a budget, we've rounded up the best deals under $50. We've combed through all the deals, finding our favorite products, and checking the price histories so you know everything here is truly a good deal.

Best entertainment deal Roku Streaming Stick 4K $34.00 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $15.99 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're going to buy a streaming stick, I'm begging you — go with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. Having put it head-to-head with the Amazon Fire Stick TV 4K, I can guarantee you, it's supremely better. It installs easily, has an easy to navigate interface, and is so quick. It delivers a gorgeous picture and requires little to know buffer time. You really can't do better — especially with its Prime Big Deal Days price tag.

Currently, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is down to $34.99 from its usual $49.99. That knocks off $15 for a generous 30% discount.

Best Echo device deal Amazon Echo Spot $44.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Last Prime Day, Amazon launched the updated Echo Spot, a smart alarm clock that works as a hub in the bedroom. It's a fantastic little speaker that plays music with crisp detail and shines brightly with brilliant displays.

During Prime Big Deal Days, the Amazon Echo Spot is back down to its lowest price ever of $44.99. That's 44% savings, knocking $35 off the price.

Best headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Anker Our pick: Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Hybrid Headphones (black) $39.90 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20.09 Get Deal Why we like it

Noise-cancelling headphones tend to cost several hundred dollars, putting them out of range for many folks. But that's not the case today — you can grab the Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Hybrid Headphones in black for just $39.90 at Amazon.

Are these top-of-the-line Bose headphones? Nope. But they do an excellent job with sound quality and noise cancellation, especially considering the affordable sale price. The ear cups are made with a soft memory foam so you'll be comfortable for all-day wear, and they get about 60 hours of playtime before you'll need to recharge. You'll also get a convenient travel pouch with the headphones for easy storage.

Best home security deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Blink Outdoor 4 $39.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Home security cameras can be a great addition to your tech collection. The wireless Blink Outdoor 4 is on sale at Amazon for just $39.99, down from the list price of $99.99 which means you'll be getting a massive 60% discount. The security camera has a battery that'll keep it powered for up to two years while also offering crisp and clear 1080p HD resolution. Come nighttime, the camera will switch to an infrared night live view.

Mashable sister publication PCMag (both owned by Ziff Davis) gave the Blink Outdoor 4 an "excellent" review, noting its wider field of view and optional people alerts as pros.

Plus, since the camera is wireless, you won't have to worry about a complicated set-up process.

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