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Terrify Your Tablet Day is here, and it's bringing a slew of Halloween-themed book discounts to your favorite e-reader with it.
If you don't already know what Terrify Your Tablet Day is, it's basically Stuff Your Kindle Day, but spooky. Started by Horrorsmith Publishing in 2023, the themed sale is back again this Oct. 3, and full of free and discounted e-books from the horror, thriller, sci-fi, and dark fantasy genres. If you're more interested in thrillers — slashers, crime dramas; stuff like that — we've rounded up the best deals from the genre that are included in the Terrify Your Tablet event. Take a look below, and kick off spooky season the right way.
Note that all of these offers are exclusive to Kindle Unlimited members.
SEE ALSO: The best tablets: iPads are great, but have you tried literally anything else? Free Kindle thriller books21 Dares (Stephen Barnard) — $0 $2.99
The Contract (D.E. McCluskey and C. William Giles) — $0 $13.99
Diary of Murders (Sarah Cook) — $0 $0.99
Wrath (Karmellah Howlett) — $0 $1.99
Along About Midnight (Dorian J. Sinnott) — $0 $2.99
Home is Where the Bodies Are (Amanda East) — $0 $2.99
The Namaste Slasher (Alan Shivers) — $0.99 $14.99
Awake In The Night (Shauna McEleny) — $0.99 $5.99
The Ghost In Me (Theresa Jacobs) — $0.99 $9.99
Sudden Death (Theresa Jacobs) — $0.99 $7.50 (save $6.51)
When critics called for superhero movies to do something different, we didn't mean Joker: Folie à Deux.
In 2019's Joker, co-writer/director Todd Phillips stole heavily from Martin Scorsese's earlier films to re-imagine the iconic Batman villain as a put-upon everyman on the brink of breakdown and infamy. Earning over a billion dollars worldwide and 11 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, The Hangover helmer's gritty Joker origin story was practically guaranteed a sequel. Admittedly, Phillips earned goodwill — even from those of us who rolled our eyes at Phillips' poor imitation of Taxi Driver meets The King of Comedy — were intrigued when he cast pop goddess Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.
But be warned, Little Monsters: Joker: Folie à Deux will not satisfy your desire to see Gaga go hard. Harley Quinn fans will likewise be disappointed, as the character who has been re-imagined in a variety of fresh and fun ways across movies, TV, and video games never gets her moment in the spotlight. Likewise, I suspect Batman fans — specifically those who adored Christopher Nolan's take on the Gotham rogues' gallery — will groan over Phillips' casual skewing of that canon. Not even musical fans will be entertained by Joker: Folie à Deux, because while Phillips can drop a reference, he fails to make any of these intriguing elements his own.
Make no mistake: Joker: Folie à Deux is an atrociously grim and boring movie.
Joker and Harley aren't what fans might hope. Credit: Niko Tavernise / Warner Bros. PicturesThe first act of Joker: Folie à Deux is ungodly slow, lumbering through Arthur "Joker" Fleck's (Phoenix) routine at the Arkham State Hospital. He's being held in the maximum security wing ahead of his trial for murdering five people, including talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) on live TV. Emaciated as ever and silently glum, Arthur doesn't even crack jokes for the jolly Irish guard (Brendan Gleeson, giving his all to a bit part), not anymore anyway. It seems Arthur's lust for life (or blood) is utterly gone — until he makes eye contact with Lee Quinzel (Gaga), a patient who shares his affinity for violence and mayhem.
From Batman: The Animated Series to Suicide Squad to Harley Quinn, the romance between Joker and Harley has always been characterized by varying levels and shades of toxicity. Here, the dynamic is less lovestruck sidekick and more hanger-on. Lee swiftly establishes herself as a Joker fangirl, telling Arthur she's seen the TV movie made about him like 20 times, and assuring him it's a great. She coddles his ego, his need for attention, and even his genitals to wind her way around his heart. And ahead of his trial, she's quick to rush to the tabloids to tell all about their wild love.
Per the title, the two share in a specific madness, a fantasy that explains the musical numbers within this movie that Phillips himself has declined to define as a musical. Essentially, in their shared vision, Arthur and Lee are backed by an orchestral score as they sing out jaunty songs with a twisted glee. Joker: Folie à Deux is most alive when Phoenix and Gaga embrace this freaky fantasy, informed by musicals like 1953's The Band Wagon, pulling from the scene and song "That's Entertainment."
However, Phillips seems afraid to indulge in the aesthetics of the Golden Age of musicals, favoring instead the gritty, macho ferocity of '70s classics like Dog Day Afternoon, The French Connection, or The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. But he can't pull it off. Sure, the colors may shift from sickly greens and yellows to brighter shades when the film moves from real to romantic imagination. But they're still cool, reflecting a certain squalor instead of a glistening fantasy.
A bigger issue is that Arthur Fleck is not the charismatic underdog seen in these '70s hits. Phoenix doesn't attempt the grizzled bravado of Walter Matthau, the tooth-grit intensity of Gene Hackman, or the feral, blue-collared enthusiasm of Al Pacino. Phoenix's Fleck is built of broken glass, sharp and fragile but unable to be embraced as an engaging anti-hero. In both this film and the last, he is defined by a lack of charisma. So, while clown-masked fans holler outside the courthouse, the audience might well be baffled at their obsession. Fleck is either pathetically perplexed or excruciating in his capering. The many, many courtroom scenes of Arthur/Joker facing off against witnesses, prosecutor Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtey), or an increasingly annoyed judge are ruthlessly dull.
I wish this was the movie Lady Gaga thinks she's in. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga star as Arthur and Lee in "Joker: Folie à Deux." Credit: Niko Tavernise / Warner Bros. PicturesJoker: Folie à Deux is a misanthropic movie, where nearly every act of kindness is undercut by a hidden agenda. But even in this grim portrait of Gotham, Phillips leans hard into misogynistic archetypes. The two female leads in this sequel fall on opposite sides of the tedious madonna/whore divide, where a man's view of a woman is either a saintly mother or a sinister temptress. On one end of the spectrum is Arthur's defense attorney (an underused Catherine Keener), who argues that the Joker is a separate personality and that Arthur needs mental health care, not prison. On the other end is Lee, who sees Joker as Arthur's true self, and through their romance pushes him to embrace the clown paint, wherever it leads him.
Because this is firmly Joker's movie (Harley's name isn't in the title, is it?), Lee's character is less fleshed out and more a sexy device to push Arthur out of his numb routine and back into the chaos circus. Despite her worldwide fame as a singer, Gaga isn't given a big number, just a small solo moment before a mirror, singing to herself as she puts on the closest this movie will get to a Harley Quinn makeover. This could-be awesome transformation is underwhelming, the results like a rushed Halloween costume. Fans who've relished the fresh fashion fantasies bestowed upon us by Birds of Prey, Harley Quinn, and The Suicide Squad will likely be disappointed. Adding insult to injury, the duo's dance down Joker's signature staircase — which is all over the promotional materials — doesn't even occur in this movie.
Why would Gaga take such a sidekick role? She pours herself into the part, so much so that she's released a companion album, Harlequin, though Lee is never even called "Harley Quinn" in this movie. But despite being kicked to the margins of this Joker story, Gaga's performance offers a rich subtext about parasocial relationships — one that perhaps is informed by her own experience as a global pop star. Her Lee is a fan who feels not only that she understands the (in)famous person with whom she is obsessed, but also that she knows what's best for him better than anyone else. Yearning to be seen and loved, Arthur is easy prey for such attention. But while the film begins to regard Lee as a vicious opportunist, Gaga's performance shows empathy through Lee's radiant desperation to be seen. Whatever the song put before her, Gaga performs them smartly in character, pitching her voice from tender on the verge of breaking, to sultry vocal purrs, to broad cabaret belting. Her Lee is a woman determined to be the badass she wants to see in the world, and Gaga's vocal performance charts that course in the background of the Joker tedium.
While Phillips' dull courtroom drama has the depth of a college dorm room poster, Gaga plunges into a deep pool of primal yearning and emotional resonance to make the most of a criminally underwritten role.
DC canon and classic musicals are given equal disrespect in Joker: Folie à Deux. Joaquin Phoenix is Arthur Fleck in "Joker: Folie à Deux." Credit: Niko Tavernise / Warner Bros. PicturesThe script by Phillips and Scott Silver sprinkles in some familiar Harley canon, however haphazardly. But it's not enough to make this character feel remotely connected to the versions of Quinn that have come before. Worse yet, Phillips cavalierly includes in his third act a none-too-subtle allusion to Nolan's The Dark Knight. This scene — which involves a violent interaction with another Arkham inmate — is clearly intended as an Easter egg for DC fans, but it's hard to imagine Phillips' blatant retconning of the adored trilogy (which he had nothing to do with) will be appreciated.
On top of showing a clip from The Band Wagon, Joker: Folie à Deux is sprinkled with old standards like "Get Happy," "That's Life," and "If My Friends Could See Me Now." There are also allusions to iconic musical offerings such as Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Sonny & Cher Show, and Chicago. But these flourishes feel as superficial as the narrative's tentative connection to the DC comics.
It's all so much clown paint on a pig. Phillips has crafted an astoundingly tedious courtroom drama bedecked with musical numbers, star power, and DC IP, yet it still feels like a slog. To his credit, he's broken out of the superhero cliches that have resulted in fatigue from critics and audiences alike. But his pastiche brings nothing new or exciting to the screen for a woefully indulgent runtime of two hours and 18 minutes.
In the end, Joker: Folie à Deux doesn't feel provocative, romantic, or even entertaining. This sequel feels like a punishment.
Some Apple Watch users claimed that they had their devices ruined by the latest beta release.
At least, that's the word on sites like Reddit, as spotted by Neowin. After installing the third beta for watchOS 11.1, some users found that their devices would freeze up not long after being turned on with the update installed. Common fixes like restarting the devices don't seem to work, either. Apple has since pulled the update so it's no longer available for download.
SEE ALSO: October Prime Day is just around the corner: Here are the Apple Watches you can already grab on saleIf this happened to you, unfortunately, the only thing you can really do is send the device to Apple for repairs. As Neowin pointed out, Apple Watches don't allow users to revert back to old software after an update.
This is obviously a bummer for anyone who suffered a bricked Apple Watch, but it's a good reminder to be very careful about installing pre-release software onto your personal devices. Apple recently had to do something similar after an iPadOS update bricked some tablets.
Stuff Your Kindle Day, but make it Halloween.
That's basically what Horrorsmith Publishing said in 2023 when they debuted Terrify Your Tablet Day, which gave readers access to tons of free horror titles from the publisher (which, as you likely guessed from the name, specializes in the genre). Terrify Your Tablet Day is back for round two this year on Oct. 3, offering free and discounted books for fans of the genre.
SEE ALSO: Another Stuff Your Kindle event is here — this time for the horror fansObviously, horror is an expansive genre, which is why we're grateful the publisher broke down their free offerings by sub-genres, including psychological horror, thrillers, dark fantasy, and horroromance, just to name a few. On this list, you'll find all the free books offered from the cosmic horror and apocalyptic and dystopian genres — in other words, here's where you find the free sci-fi horror.
And if you don't have a Kindle, don't worry — these e-books are available for all e-reader devices, including Kobo, Google Play, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and direct website from authors where available.
Free sci-fi horror books from Terrify Your Tablet Day:Dead in Dallas: Dead Cities #1 by Alathla Morgan
Black Death: An Extreme Horror Apocalyptic Novella by David Hardy
All the Rage: An Extreme Horror Apocalyptic Novella by David Hardy
Consumed By Rage: An Extreme Horror Apocalyptic Novella by David Hardy
The Triangle Forest by Edward Flora
Things From the Dark by K.K. Monroe
The Salem Legacy by Paul Carro
Terrify Your Tablet is for the spookiest of readers. If you like eery thrillers, all things supernatural, or gorey slashers, this is a Stuff Your Kindle-style event made for you. This event, lead by Horrorsmith Publishing, is offering dozens of discounts on creepy books of all kinds.
Everyone can find something to read during this sale — including fantasy readers. Among the free and discounted books are dark fantasy novels. For readers of romantasy, October may have you eager to deep your toe into the darker side of the genre and dark fantasy is just right for you.
We've rounded up a series of dark fantasy novels (and one memoir from the queen of dark fantasy, Elvira) that are all free or discounted during Terrify Your Tablet Down. Here are the deals to shop.
Shop free dark fantasy booksFrom Dark Waters and Woods: Stories of Growing Up in the Swamps by Amanda Leanne — $0 (save $2.99)
Insanity's Respite by Josua E.B. Smith — $0 (save $3.99)
The Salem Legacy by Paul Carro — $0 (save $3.99)
Witch's Choice by A.K. Stuntz — $0 (save $3.99)
In the Grimdark Strands of the Sinneret by Keith Anthony Baird — $0.99 $10.99 (save $10)
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed — $1.99 $18.99 (save $17)
Dark & Dreadful Brutes by Lola Glass — $2.49 $4.99 (save $2.50)
The Raven Spell by Luanne G. Smith — $2.49 $4.99 (save $2.50)
A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie — $2.99 $19.99 (save $17)
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco — $2.99 $12.99 (save $10)
Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson — $2.99 $17.99 (save $15)
SAVE $100: As of October 3, get the Google Pixel Watch 3 (LTE) for just $399.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount and the lowest price we've seen.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Pixel Watch 3 (LTE) $399.99 at AmazonStill looking to pick up a new smartwatch? There are tons of options, like the newly-released Apple Watch Series 9, or perhaps a Samsung Galaxy Watch might strike your fancy more. Need a third option? You might be interested in perusing Google's wares, especially given the fact that one of its most recent releases is on sale for its lowest price yet.
As of Oct. 3, get the 45mm Google Pixel Watch 3 (LTE) for just $399.99. That's $100 off its normal price of $499.99 and a 20% discount. It's also the lowest price we've seen for this particular model.
The Pixel Watch 3 is an improvement over its predecessor in several ways, with a 45mm screen that's twice as bright and 40% larger than the Pixel Watch 2. It offers a variety of AI-assisted tracking options, including sensors that measure your heart rate, workouts, and more. It's compatible with Fitbit Premium for a host of other workout and fitness-related metrics and features, including custom workouts and form tracking that's delivered in real-time.
Of course, you can also use the Pixel Watch 3 as a regular smartwatch if you aren't a huge fitness buff. Text, make calls, use your favorite apps, and keep in touch with friends and family right from your wrist. It offers 24 hours of battery life with an always-on display, so it can be your constant companion for Android devices, or one of Google's phones if you have one. This model can be used independently of your phone if you prefer with its own LTE connection so you can leave your device at home or in the car.
If you want to scoop up this watch at a great price, now's the time to do so with this pre-Prime Day deal. It probably won't go any lower for a while.
The HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G looks unassuming, but it’s full of surprises. At first glance, all I noticed was its boring (albeit fingerprint-resistant) silver exterior, but after using it for a few weeks, this laptop is certainly more than its lackluster chassis.
Equipped with one of Intel’s new Core Ultra chips, the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 outpaces the M3 MacBook Pro in almost every category, most notably performance and battery life. I’m used to Windows laptops dying after seven hours; this laptop almost tripled that. It doesn’t quite rival the battery life of Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7, but still, I was thoroughly impressed.
Consider its satisfyingly responsive keyboard and trackpad, plentiful ports, and barely there weight — and the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G might just make it to our best laptops list. It’s certainly not a perfect laptop, but its pros help you overlook some minor foibles.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G price and specsThe HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G I tested for this review costs $2,099 via HP and comes with the following specs:
Intel Core Ultra 7 165H CPU
Integrated Intel Arc graphics
16GB of RAM
512GB SSD
14-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel, 60Hz, non-touch display
Windows 11 Pro
If you don’t need as much performance power, you can pick up an HP Elitebook 1040 G11 configuration for just $1,899. It swaps out the Core Ultra 7 165H CPU above for Intel’s Core Ultra 5 125H CPU, but otherwise shares the same specs.
Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G $2,099.00 at HPThe HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G won’t wow you visually with its design. The HP logo is sleek on the top cover, but the laptop’s chassis is a boring silver shade. In the laptop world, silver or dark gray are two of the most common laptop shades — and I’d love to see something new and different for this Elitebook.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableWhile I’m not a fan of the laptop’s colorway, there are other things I adore. Opening the laptop with one hand is smooth, the hinges are sturdy, and its rounded corners are a nice design touch.
What I love most about the HP Elitebook 1040 G11’s design is how incredibly light it is. Starting at 2.6 pounds, this is the lightest laptop I’ve ever tested. My daily driver laptop is only three pounds, but man, that 0.4-pound difference is noticeable.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G displayThe HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G features a simple 14-inch display with specs I’ve seen many times before, but it looks great. Its 1920 x 1200-pixel resolution is plenty crisp for streaming videos and working — and the 60Hz refresh rate offers a decent cloud gaming experience.
This is a non-touch display, which I rarely see anymore. I tend to avoid using my daily driver laptop’s touch screen anyway to prevent smudges from accumulating, so it definitely didn’t feel like anything was missing from this laptop.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableIn a fully lit room or while working outside, I used all 400 nits of brightness the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 offers. But with the lights off or at nighttime, I’d drop it to 50 percent brightness or even lower, which greatly extends its battery life.
To get an idea of how well the laptop represents colors, I fired up the official Wicked trailer for the millionth time. Every color in the fictional world of Oz looked bright and vibrant, from Glinda’s pink attire to Elfaba’s green skin and the blue Shiz University uniforms.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G portsThe HP Elitebook 1040 G11 has all the ports I’d want in a laptop.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableOn the right side, you’ll find:
USB Type-C port (3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps)
USB Type-A port (3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gbps)
Kensington Security slot
SIM card slot
And on the left side:
HDMI 2.1 port
Two USB Type-C ports (Thunderbolt 4, 40 Gbps)
Headset jack
For charging convenience, I love that this laptop features USB Type-C ports on both sides. And although you can connect external displays via Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, I prefer to see a laptop equipped with an HDMI port because most monitors come with an HDMI to HDMI cable.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G audioDespite featuring quad stereo speakers with discrete amplifiers and audio by Poly Studio, the sound quality on HP’s Elitebook 1040 G11 5G is just okay.
I fired up the song I play on every set of speakers or headphones I test: Unprocessed’s “Real ft. Polyphia’s Tim Henson & Clay Gober.” The title is a mouthful, but this song has plucky bass notes and high-synth sounds that create rich depth that’s only audible on better-quality speakers.
The full-bodied atmosphere this song is capable of creating was missing through the Elitebook 1040 G11’s speakers. The bass notes rang out slightly better than other laptops I’ve tested, but the song overall sounded dampened and a bit tinny through these speakers.
When I bumped it up to max volume, it got very loud, but not distorted — so that’s a win at least.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G keyboard and trackpadBefore I even started typing on the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G’s keyboard, I could tell I’d like it. The keys look slightly raised, indicating a nice amount of travel while typing — and the keys feel nice and wide under my fingers.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableBecause these keys are a bit wider than the keys on my daily driver laptop, the Yoga 9i, I made a few mistakes in the beginning. But as I’m typing on the Elitebook 1040 G11’s keyboard now, it feels fluid, like my fingers are easily bouncing from one key to the next.
The power button for this laptop is in the top right corner of the keyboard, where I expected the Delete key to be. It only took a few typing sessions for my fingers to remember where to reach for the Delete key instead of the power button.
This laptop’s trackpad was smooth and responsive to swipe gestures. And although I initially noted clicking as clunkier than my regular laptop’s trackpad, it felt satisfying to click by the end of my time with it.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G benchmarks and performanceThe HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G performs well under pressure. I fired up 35 RAM-hungry Google Chrome tabs, one of which was streaming live low-fidelity hip hop radio, and experienced no lagging nor stuttering. In fact, I could barely hear the fans kick up when muting the live radio.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableHowever, the laptop can get hot under heavy workloads. And unfortunately, the laptop’s hottest point seems to be right under the middle of the keyboard. It never got too hot to touch while typing, and the laptop’s fans work quickly and efficiently to cool it down.
While real-world performance experience is important to mention, so are official benchmarks. On the Geekbench 6 performance test, the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G earned a wonderful multi-core score of 12,680.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G battery lifeMacBooks are no longer the only top dogs in the laptop space when it comes to battery life. I’m used to Windows laptops dying after only six or eight hours, but the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 more than exceeded my expectations.
We run down every laptop’s battery life by looping a 1080p video at 50 percent brightness — and this laptop just wouldn’t quit. The HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G lasted an incredible 19 hours and 27 minutes.
The only other Windows laptop we’ve tested so far that surpasses this is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, which lasted 22 hours and 50 minutes in the same battery test.
HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G webcamThe HP Elitebook 1040 G11 has a 5-megapixel IR camera on the top bezel, along with a slidable privacy shutter.
I snapped a photo of myself (and my tuxedo cat) on my patio outside and was impressed with the results. My green eyes, dark blue jacket, and pale complexion all rendered accurately — and I didn’t look too blurry.
Credit: Sarah Chaney / MashableOverall, it’s a great webcam compared to the average 1080p webcam I see on most laptops, but you need to have good lighting to get a crisp image. You don’t need to be outside like I was, but letting in some natural light makes a world of difference.
Is the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G worth it?With almost 19.5 hours of battery life and performance that rivals that of Apple’s M3 MacBooks, the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G is absolutely worth it. At the time of this review, this is the longest-lasting, non-ARM Windows laptop.
At $2,099, it's a pricey laptop, but you get a lot in exchange for that high price tag: zippy performance, a battery that just won’t quit, ports galore, a satisfyingly responsive keyboard, and a super lightweight design that you’ll barely notice in a backpack.
That said, it’s not perfect. If you need a laptop with the best speakers, a high-quality webcam, or a more interesting design, this probably isn’t the laptop for you. Instead, take a look at the M3 MacBook Pro.
Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable HP Elitebook 1040 G11 5G $2,099.00 at HPTesla has issued a voluntary recall for nearly every Cybertruck ever made, after the models' already-limited rearview visibility was threatened by a software issue. It's not the first time Cybertrucks faced a recall. Or even the second.
This recall covers 27,000 Cybertrucks manufactured between Nov. 13, 2023 and Sept. 14, 2024. It reads: "A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash." Drivers running software 2024.32.5.2 have seen blank reverse camera feeds for up to 8 seconds at a time while backing up before completing the shutdown or boot-up process.
The problem is a violation of a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS), which requires feeds appear in 2 seconds or less.
SEE ALSO: https://mashable.com/article/tesla-cheapest-model-3-discontinuedCybertruck owners affected by the recall have been offered a free over-the-air (OTA) software update to resolve the issue. They can expect notification letters with further information in November. Individuals can also reach out to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or www.nhtsa.gov.
The company quietly discontinued its cheapest car model, the Model 3, at the same time as the Cybertruck recall. In July, Tesla recalled nearly 2 million cars due to a failure in select model software, which could potentially harm drivers and damage vehicles by failing to detect unlatched car hoods. It was the biggest recall in the carmaker's history.
Somehow it's already spooky season, which means we're almost to Thanksgiving and winter holidays. If you're a Lego fan and enjoy Advent calendars, you'll want to check out these Lego advent calendar deals ahead of Amazon's Prime Day Big Deals event.
Best Lego Advent calendar deals at Amazon Best deal for Star Wars fans Lego Star Wars 2024 Advent Calendar $35.99 at Amazon (save $9) Get Deal Best holiday-scene deal Lego City 2024 Advent Calendar $26.39 at Amazon (save $6.60) Get Deal Best deal for young kids Lego Friends 2024 Advent Calendar $26.49 at Amazon (save $6.50) Get DealAdvent calendars can be a fun way to celebrate winter holidays for both kids and adults; add Legos to the equation for a gift everyone can get excited about. The only possible downside is that Lego products can be pricey, but Amazon is here to save the season by offering 20% off on some great Lego Advent calendars. Now is a great time to grab one of these calendars (including a pick for Star Wars fans) before they sell out for the year.
Here are some top Lego Advent calendar deals to shop at Amazon today:
Best deal for Star Wars fans Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Star Wars 2024 Advent Calendar $35.99 at AmazonThe Lego Star Wars Advent calendar is a highlight of the season for fans of the franchise. This year, the calendar features 18 collectible mini toys, including icons like the X-wing to the Millennium Falcon, the Crimson Firehawk, and Darth Vader's castle. There are also six mini-figures, including Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, both donned in holiday outfits.
Lego recommends this kit for ages 6 and up. The calendar typically costs $44.99, but Amazon's discount brings it down to $35.99, which means you'll save $9.
Best holiday scene deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego City 2024 Advent Calendar $26.39 at AmazonIf you're one for classic holiday scenes with snowmen, toy trains, and Santa Claus, you'll enjoy the Lego City Advent calendar. Setting the perfect mini-city scene, the calendar includes festive figures of Santa and Mrs. Claus, along with a nutcracker, sled, and adorable dog with a winter sweater. The included foldout playmat depicts an idyllic snowy village that's the perfect place to set the calendar figures. Each of the 24 windows comes with a fun surprise and easy-to-follow building guides.
Amazon's sale takes 20% off the list price of the Lego City Advent calendar, which means you'll pay just $26.39, bringing the price close to $1 per day of surprises.
Best deal for young kids Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Friends 2024 Advent Calendar $26.49 at AmazonLet kids celebrate the holiday season with the Lego Friends 2024 Advent Calendar, on sale at Amazon for $26.49 ($6.50 off). Each of the 24 windows includes one fun Lego toy like a cat with scratching post, toy train, and a campfire scene. There's also a figurine of a station to write Santa letters and a festive holiday tree. In total, the set includes 272 pieces. While some Lego figures are geared toward winter holidays, the calendar includes many that'll work well in any Lego collection year-round.
SAVE UP TO $25: The 12-foot Home Depot skeleton's Scary Head and Accessory Kit are on sale for up to 31% off through midnight on Oct. 3 as "Special Buys of the Day" on the retailer's website.
Quick links: 31% off Standard Skelly Scary Head $54.98 at the Home Depot (save $25) Get Deal 30% off 12 ft. Skeleton Accessory Kit $34.98 at the Home Depot (save $15) Get DealTwo new accessories for the Home Depot's iconic 12-foot skeleton are on sale just in time for Halloween — and just for today (Thursday, Oct. 3).
From now until midnight, the home improvement retailer has select Halloween decorations on sale as online "Special Buys of the Day." That includes the Standard Skelly Scary Head (was $79.98, now $54.98) and the 12 ft. Skeleton Accessory Kit (was $49.98, now $34.98), which are 31 and 30 percent off, respectively.
The Scary Head is an interchangeable skull for the Home Depot's $299 flagship giant skeleton (nicknamed "Skelly") that features a menacing, sharp-toothed grin, Jack Nicholson-esque eyebrows, and eight LCD eye options that can be adjusted via remote control. For those who prefer silly over spine-chilling, the Accessory Kit comes with a black double-plaited wig, black shoes, a beaded necklace, and a purse, all of them weatherproof.
Shoppers can purchase up to 20 of them per order, in case anyone has a whole herd of 12-footers to decorate. At the time of writing, there were more than 2,000 of each left in stock.
SEE ALSO: Live, laugh, LifeEyes™️: How the 12-foot Home Depot skeleton became a perennial hitBoth accessories were released in July as part of the Home Depot's 2024 Halloween collection, which was helmed by Skelly for the fifth year in a row, plus its new seven-foot-long skeleton dog, a new 12-foot "Servo Skelly" with motorized head movements, and new a 12-foot "Inferno Deadwood" skeleton. Along with the Scary Head and Accessory Kit, the Home Depot dropped two other Skelly add-ons as part of the collection: an LED lighting kit for its ribcage and a new customizable eye kit.
Some items in the collection were available online when we last checked, albeit in very limited quantities. That includes the skeleton dog, which sold out lightning-fast during the summer launch and a limited "Halfway to Halloween" drop in April, as well as the Inferno Deadwood skeleton and the other kits. None of them are on sale, though.
For its part, Skelly is out of stock; shoppers still searching for one might have luck in-person at their local Home Depot store, but no promises. Seems like the hype hasn't died just yet.
On Thursday, Google announced new search-related updates. In addition to the broad rollout of the redesigned AI Overviews feature, which makes links to publications more prominent, along with — whomp, whomp — ads on AI Overviews, Google touted some entirely new features.
Here's what's happening with Lens, Circle to Search, and Google's entirely new experience for searching for recipes
1. Video and voice search with LensThe Lens tool that's handy for searching visual elements can now process videos and voice. It works in the Google app by pointing the camera at something that's best understood with a moving image (like a school of fish swimming in a circle, as Google demonstrated in the demo). Hold down the shutter to record the video and ask Lens a question, like "why are they swimming together?" Lens will process the video and your question to give you a response in the form of an AI Overview, plus relevant resources to click on.
SEE ALSO: Google explains why AI Overviews immediately got weirdLens for video is currently only available for those with access to Google's testing ground, Search Labs. Lens for photos with voice prompts is live for Android and iOS users through the Google app.
Lens now let users ask questions about videos with voice prompts. Credit: Google 2. Circle to Search for musicCircle to Search is another visual search tool that debuted earlier this year. Android users can circle or scribble over an object in an image and look something up on the page without having to switch apps. But now they can also search for a song in a video on social media or a streaming app in the same manner. Obviously, you can't physically circle a song, so instead, you click on the musical note icon next to the search bar at the bottom of the page. Google's AI model will then process the audio and pull up information about the song. Circle to Search for music is available to Android users with compatible Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices.
3. AI-organized search resultsGoogle's search results are going to look a little different. With recipes and meal inspiration for starters, open-ended queries will show search results that have been organized by Google's AI models. Starting this week in the U.S. on mobile, users will start to see the full page of results broken down in subcategories of the initial query. The feature combines Google's Gemini AI models with its core Search algorithm to surface relevant topics based on a request for, say, vegetarian appetizer ideas. AI-organized search results are available on the mobile Google app.
Google will now use its AI models to surface top results related to your search. Credit: GoogleDenim shorts aren't the only shorts getting longer. On Oct. 15 YouTube will allow users to upload three-minute Shorts, an increase from the previous 60-second limit.
SEE ALSO: YouTube announces new AI tools for its creators: Veo, Communities, auto-dubbing, and moreAccording to a press release, longer Shorts were "a top requested feature by creators," likely because it will make it easier to cross-post content across TikTok and Shorts. TikTok launched three-minute videos in 2021 and now has a 10-minute limit, while its other competitor Instagram Reels currently has a 90-second limit.
TikTok's expansion to 10-minute-long video was seen as a move to compete with YouTube's longer videos and now YouTube is tailoring its Shorts even closer to TikTok. Social media platforms' circular battle for dominance leads us to a group of platforms that all want to be each other.
YouTube announced longer Shorts alongside "templates," a trends page on mobile, and the option to show fewer Shorts. Templates offers a shortcut to recreating a trend — Reels launched templates last year. To use the feature, select "Remix" on a Short you'd like to emulate and then "Use this template." You'll also be able to incorporate clips from other Shorts and YouTube videos into your Shorts directly in the app. Additionally, in the YouTube app you'll be able to select "Show fewer Shorts" to customize your experience.
First Google gave us AI overviews of search results, now it's using AI to organize those search results.
On Thursday, Google announced the rollout of full-page search results organized by AI. Instead of traditional rankings-based search, Google will now organize the results into buckets of subcategories based on your query.
The update is only on mobile for now, and starts with recipes and meal inspiration first, but will expand to other categories later on. So if you're looking for vegetarian appetizer ideas (as shown in Google's example), search results will be grouped by deeper queries, like top recipes, easy recipes, and recipes categorized by specific ingredients.
SEE ALSO: Google searches will now detect origin of AI-manipulated images What AI-organized search results look like for vegetarian appetizer ideas. Credit: GoogleThe AI in all of this is Google's family of Gemini models. According to a Google spokesperson, Gemini for Google Search doesn't replace Google's traditional ranking and quality systems, but works on top of it, "to deliver high quality results efficiently." On that note, the spokesperson reassured publishers and SEO professionals that they don't have to do anything differently about their SEO strategy, though whether or not they should be worried about their bottom lines in the wake of the update remains to be seen.
In a press briefing, VP of user experience Rhiannon Bell shared how the change is designed to make search results more meaningful and valuable to users, compared to a more traditional search experience where users have to sort through large volumes of content to find what they were looking for. "We can start categorizing this content for you in ways that we previously could not have, and not only that, but we can also create a lot more density in terms of content as well," said Bell.
"From a user perspective, this is a pretty dramatic shift from where we were before," added Bell. Indeed, in the example, you can see how the new experience differs from the traditional search. The results are broken down into modules of categories suggested by AI, which you can side swipe to see more of. Using AI to organize search results may not sound like such a dramatic shift, but it's significant in the sense that Google is relying even more on its generative AI models for its core business.
So Google is investing deeper in AI for its search engine, but that doesn't mean you have to use it if you don't want to. In May, the company introduced a "web" filter that lets users switch back to the traditional search results format without AI features.
Yes, there is a way to turn off the touch screen on your Chromebook. However, as of this writing, it's an experimental feature.
To access it, you'll need to navigate to "chrome://flags" in the Chrome browser. Don't worry; we'll give you a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to disable your Chromebook's touch screen in no time.
SEE ALSO: The best Chromebooks for kids in 2023 How to turn off touch screen on Chromebook Total TimeStep 1: Open the Chrome browser.
Type in "chrome://flags."
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableStep 2: Search for the word 'keyboard' in the Experiments window.
Find "Debugging keyboard shortcuts" and select "Enable" in the drop-down menu.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableStep 3: Click on 'Restart.'
Wait for your Chromebook to reboot.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableStep 4: Turn off touch screen with Shift + Search + 'T' combo
On some keyboards, the Search key is a white dot. On others, it's a magnifying glass. Now, if you try to touch your Chromebook's screen, it should be unresponsive.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableNote: We used the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 for this how-to.
Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Acer Chromebook Spin 514 Get DealIf you still feel a little overwhelmed by the fact that October Prime Day (aka Prime Big Deal Days) exists, and that the holiday shopping season starts in October, we see you and we understand.
SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Amazon's October Prime Day sale: Official dates, the competition, and moreWe will say, though, that the major advantage of having a few sitewide shopping events pre-November and not post-Thanksgiving is that you can stock up on any holiday travel essentials like Apple AirTags. Bluetooth trackers may not feel like an essential, but finding yourself the last person standing at baggage claim can certainly make you change your tune.
AirTags are especially great for Apple users, as they're easy to set up, and give you more range thanks to the way the tracker uses any Apple device with Find My to calibrate its location, even when it's far away from your particular device.
SEE ALSO: Amazon just dropped a new Fire HD 8 tablet — and it's already 45% off for October Prime DayWe do want to note there many people had concerns that these devices could easily (and quietly) track people without their knowledge, but Apple has worked with Google to make sure that anyone — AirTag user or not — is notified via their device that an unrecognized AirTag is traveling with them.
Obviously, these safety concerns aren't limited to just AirTag users, but we always think it's best to go in with as much knowledge about a product as possible before buying. With that said, here are the best AirTag deals live ahead of Prime Big Deal Days.
Best AirTags deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTags (4-pack) $79.99 at Best BuyWhile typically Amazon has the best deals ahead of their sale, they actually sold out of this four-pack of AirTags. They had it priced at $79.98, but if paying one cent more isn't a dealbreaker for you, Best Buy still has the set in stock. The price of $79.99 puts each AirTag at about $20, netting you about $5 in savings per AirTag if you were to buy them individually instead. Plus, having multiple AirTags gives you the flexibility to use them on your luggage, your keys, your pets — basically, your options open up.
Best individual AirTag deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag $24.99 at AmazonYou might already own several AirTags and just want one more, or you might have never owned a Bluetooth tracker before and want to try one out before you invest in four of them. Whatever your reason, $5 off an AirTag is a nice bonus, if not a huge markdown. We typically don't see them fall much lower than $25, even in the midst of shopping holidays, so buying one now before the Prime Day madness begins isn't a bad idea.
More Apple AirTag dealsApple AirTag key ring (mulberry) — $25 $35 (save $10)
If you're counting down the days until Amazon's October Prime Day (only five), we've got good news: there's no need to wait. You can start shopping today, Oct. 3, and take home some early Prime Day deals with major savings.
Here are our top three picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If these don't particularly catch your eye, check back at our picks from Oct. 1 and Oct. 2. Many of those are still live and ready to add to your cart, including the newer Echo Buds at their record-low Prime Day price and a $50 price drop on the Shark FlexStyle. Be sure to check back tomorrow as well for all new picks and follow along with all of our Prime Day content as the shopping extravaganza nears.
Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet (2024) $54.99 at AmazonAmazon sneakily released a brand new Fire HD 8 tablet yesterday, just in time for Prime Big Deal Days, and it's already on sale. Through Oct. 9 (the second day of the Prime shopping event), you can snag this brand-new tablet for just $54.99 instead of its full price of $99.99. The biggest upgrades over the previous generation from 2022 include 50 percent more RAM for enhanced performance (3GB instead of 2GB), a better camera (5MP instead of 2MP), new generative AI-powered features, and a better price. Otherwise, it features the same display, storage options, and battery life (if it ain't broke...).
Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon $349.00 at AmazonWith the Oura Ring 4 about to hit shelves later this month, it only makes sense to see a discount on the previous generation. The Oura Ring 3 rarely gets discounts, so it's certainly worth a spotlight on today's list. Depending on the color you choose, the third-generation smart ring is on sale for anywhere between 10% and 22% off. For instance, the stealth and brushed titanium models are 22% off, coming in at $349 down from $449. The gold and rose gold models, on the other end of the price spectrum, are $449 after a 10% discount. Regardless of the colorway, the Oura Ring is a low-profile fitness tracker that gives you in-depth info about sleep, workouts, recovery, mindfulness, and more. As Mashable Senior Editor Chris Taylor noted in his review, sleep tracking is truly where it shines.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Amazon Echo Buds with active noise cancellation $34.99 at AmazonOriginally released in 2021, the Amazon Echo Buds offer a comfortable design, effective noise cancellation, and solid sound quality. While the battery life isn't anything to write home about, they're basically a no brainer if you're looking for budget earbuds with the ability to quiet the world around you. As Mashable's Alex Perry wrote in his review, they're "a really solid pair of noise-cancelling earbuds that will go easy on your wallet." Ahead of Prime Day 2, they're back down to their record-low $34.99 at Amazon. That's 71% off their original price.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
SAVE $119.99: The Shark Detect Pro self-emptying robot vacuum is just $480 during the Walmart Shark Days sale event, marked down from the standard price of $599.99. That's a 20% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Detect Pro self-emptying robot vacuum $480.00 at WalmartWelcome to busy season. Somehow every weekend between now and 2025 will be packed with get-togethers, soccer games, dinner parties, and holiday events. Chores start to pile up because sitting on the couch just sounds so much more appealing during this chaotic era. If this sounds familiar, a robot vacuum can save you time and energy, and thanks to Walmart's Shark Days event, you can grab one for much less.
As of Oct. 3, the Shark Detect Pro self-emptying robot vacuum is just $480 at Walmart, down from the usual price of $599.99. That's a savings of $119.99 or a 20% discount.
Instead of wondering if the robot vacuum will get stuck under the couch (again) today, rest assured knowing floors will be sparkling clean with the Shark Detect Pro. Through the Shark app, send the robot vacuum on an exploratory trip around your home to create an accurate map. Then schedule the vacuuming times and frequency, selecting which rooms you'd like to get the cleaning treatment.
Shark designed the Detect Pro to clean both carpets and hardfloor. Floor Detect senses the floor below the vacuum, adjusting the brushroll to the flooring type to get the best cleaning.
Another major benefits of the Detect Pro is the self-emptying base that also serves as the robot's charging dock. With a sealed HEPA system, the robot will return to the base to empty debris. Shark mentions the base can store up to 60 days worth of debris before you'll need to empty it. That means you might not have to think about floor maintenance more than once every two months.
If you're too busy to sweep and vacuum the floors, offload the task to the Shark Detect Pro. Thanks to today's jaw-some deal at Walmart, the robot vacuum can be yours for just $480 during the Shark Deal Days event.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has finally stopped playing coy about one of its biggest mysteries: the identity of the Stranger (Daniel Weyman).
Ever since the Stranger fell to Middle-earth in Season 1, he and his Harfoot traveling companion, Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), have been trying to figure out who he is. But while they've been in the dark, viewers familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's work and Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies will have recognized several not-so-subtle hints at the Stranger's true nature. From his gray robes and beard to his status as an Istar, or wizard, the Stranger has been giving off Gandalf vibes since day one. Need more proof? How about his affection for Harfoots, aka ancestral Hobbits? Or the fact that he full-on quotes Gandalf from The Fellowship of the Ring in the Season 1 finale?
SEE ALSO: 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' cast on the return of Sauron in Season 2Now, in its Season 2 finale, The Rings of Power finally confirms what the audience has guessed for quite some time, officially revealing that he is Gandalf.
How do we know the Stranger is Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? Daniel Weyman in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Credit: Courtesy of Prime VideoThe Gandalf name reveal comes after the Stranger defends the Harfoots and Stoors from the still-mysterious Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds). While the Dark Wizard claimed to know the Stranger from their time before arriving in Middle-earth, even promising to tell him his true name, it's the Stoors who give the Stranger his new name as thanks for his help.
Stoor leader Gundabale Earthauler (Tanya Moodie) kicks things off, thanking him as "Grand-Elf." As the thanks continue down the line of Stoors, "Grand-Elf" gets warped into something closer to "Gandalf." Think of it like one big game of Tolkien telephone.
SEE ALSO: Cynthia Addai-Robinson breaks down Míriel's sea trial in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power'Gundabale calling the Stranger "Grand-Elf" didn't come out of nowhere. In episode 4, when Nori and Poppy (Megan Richards) first encounter the Stoors, they describe the Stranger as a giant.
"What, like an Elf?" Merrimac (Gavi Singh Chera) asks.
"Bigger than that," Poppy says.
"So he's a great big Grand-Elf," a skeptical Gundabale retorts.
This exchange isn't the first time The Rings of Power hinted at the Stranger's name being Gandalf. A discussion in episode 2 about him needing to find a "gand" — from the Old Norse "gandr," meaning "staff" or "wand,"— pays tribute to the fact that the name "Gandalf" means "Elf with a wand."
Of course, Gandalf isn't actually an Elf, but in The Rings of Power, like in Tolkien's legendarium, he doesn't seem to mind the name. "That's what they're going to call me," he tells Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear), realizing that Gandalf is the given name he's been searching for all season. (He also found the perfect "gand" in the aftermath of the fight, so it's a great day of discovery all around!)
Like many elements of The Rings of Power, the Stranger's — let's just call him Gandalf now, shall we? — name reveal differs from Tolkien's lore, while still keeping its spirit alive. In Tolkien's Unfinished Tales, he writes that "Gandalf" is the name given to the wizard by the Men of Middle-earth. Other names he has include Mithrandir, from the Elves; Tharkûn, from the Dwarves; and Olórin, his original name in Valinor, and likely the name the Dark Wizard wished to share with him.
However, given Gandalf's deep connection to Hobbits in The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, him receiving a name from their ancestors is a sweet gesture towards what's to come. The added focus on the linguistic journey of his name, from the hints at "gand" to the evolution of "Grand-Elf" to "Gandalf," also feels like a further tribute to Tolkien, himself a language nerd.
Gandalf's official arrival in The Rings of Power still raises a few questions. First off, this isn't the Gandalf we know from the Third Age, at least not yet. What will the rest of his journey look like before we takes on the mantle of Gandalf the Grey? Will the next few seasons of The Rings of Power basically be Gandalf: Origins?
Second, according to Tolkien lore, Gandalf and the other Istari weren't present in Middle-earth during the Second Age. The Valar sent them there centuries into the Third Age. The Rings of Power has already highly compressed Tolkien's timeline, so this is par for the course for the show. But how will Gandalf's presence in Middle-earth now impact — or hinder — Sauron's (Charlie Vickers) rise? For that matter, how will the presence of the rest of the Istari, including the Dark Wizard, shift the battles to come?
We'll have to wait until Season 3 to see. For now, I'm happy to no longer wonder, "When will we learn the Stranger is Gandalf?" Instead, my biggest Rings of Power question has officially become: "When will we learn whether the Dark Wizard is a Blue Wizard?" Bring on the answers!
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video.
Spotify has added a new feature that automatically generates an offline playlist for you based on your listening habits.
Announced by the audio streaming company on Thursday, the "Offline Backup" feature operates in addition to downloads on the platform (when you can download music, podcasts, or audiobooks for offline listening).
SEE ALSO: Spotify wants to make you an AI Playlist for every occasionOffline Backup generates a playlist for listeners using queued and recently streamed tracks, as well as any tracks you've downloaded in Spotify. Like Spotify's "daylist" feature, the playlist will constantly updating according to what you regularly listen to. Users can also filter the playlist by artist, mood, or genre.
Credit: SpotifyIf your phone or laptop is offline or on airplane mode, Offline Backup will appear automatically in the Home tab on Spotify.
If you can't see it appearing on Spotify, make sure you've got the latest app update, have listened to at least five songs recently, and have enabled offline listening — you can find this in Settings > "Data Saving and offline" > "Offline access".
It's the latest update from Spotify, which most recently made its daylists available to all free and paying Premium users (and in 14 new languages), and expanded global access to its AI Playlists for Premium users.
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