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Flying was never the most stress-free way to travel, but thanks to never-ending airline delays, unruly passengers, and the incredible shrinking airline seat, it can be a nightmare. If you're ready to upgrade your flying experience, picking up a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can go a long way.

You definitely have options: plenty of headphones, from over-ear headphones to wireless earbuds, offer active noise cancellation. And in 2024, it's not too hard to find ANC headphones that cost under $100. That said, we do recommend spending a little more to enjoy maximum calm at 35,000 feet, and with Prime Big Deal Days around the corner, you'll have more access to headphone deals.

SEE ALSO: October Prime Day is coming and early deals are rolling in on headphones and speakers — but we're holding out for more How much should I spend on noise-cancelling headphones?

If you want to find the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying, you should be prepared to pay $250 to $500. Premium headphones offer improved active noise cancellation, customizable settings, and transparency modes that allow you to hear those all-important gate announcements.

Many cheap headphones claim to offer "noise-cancelling" features, but a random pair of $50 over-ear headphones is more susceptible to letting sounds around you through, struggling to connect easily and switch between devices, or simply wearing more uncomfortably.

But as we mentioned above, investing in a more expensive pair of headphones can feel like less of a splurge during sales like October Prime Day. Typically, Prime Day (and the competing sales) bring deals on the major headphones, so we're expecting several of our below picks to get markdowns.

SEE ALSO: Scope out the best gaming deals ahead of October Prime Day

At the end of the day, going for that good all-around pair is worth it, because on a flight, ANC on its own won't save the day — otherwise, we'd just direct you to our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones. For long flights, comfort is also key. It won't matter if your headphones block sound if you only want to wear them for two out of five hours of your flight. And because this is a flying-focused roundup, we did give extra points to headphones with thoughtful design that makes storage easy.

If that $250-plus price range feels totally out of the question, we've included a couple of budget earbuds in the under-$100 category, but they come with tradeoffs. If you're okay with a mid-range pick, consider buying wireless earbuds with ANC instead of over-ear headphones.

If the cost of a pair of headphones is off-putting, you can always wait for a sale to start. We see headphones from Bose, Sony, and Apple get marked down year-round — if you don't want to keep your eyes peeled yourself, Mashable's deals coverage is a great place to find any noteworthy headphone deals.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy's fall deals schedule includes major October Prime Day competition What are the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying?

Noise-cancelling headphones are at their most useful on airplanes. It's difficult to find a moment's peace when so much is going on around you. Frequent flyers may prefer to rest or work, and the best way to prepare for either is by using the best ANC headphones to block out the chaos. 

Because shopping for headphones shouldn't be as stressful as heading to the airport, we've done extensive testing to bring you the top options. So, read on to find the best noise-cancelling headphones for airplanes in 2024 — all based on Mashable's hands-on headphones reviews.

SAVE $50: As of Oct. 7, the Oura Ring 3 is on sale for $299.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 14% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon $299.00 at Amazon
$349.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Health and fitness trackers have become the norm for most people. From tracking workouts, monitoring sleep, and checking how much water we're drinking — stats and data on how we live our lives are easily accessible through a wide range of watches, heart monitors, and now even rings.

Smart rings are the latest tracking devices that allow us to monitor our health stats, and one of the biggest names in this field is the Oura Ring. A tracker that provides overall well-being and recovery stats, it allows users to access their data via an app. Similar to some of our favorite smartwatches, but hidden away in a sleek, normal-looking ring.

SEE ALSO: Get moving with the best Prime Day fitness tracker deals

Intrigued? Well, as of Oct. 7, the Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon is on sale for $299.99 at Amazon. With this deal you're saving $50, or 14% on list price. This is also the lowest price for the Oura Ring 3 at Amazon, ever. It is worth noting, however, that this deal is only available on the silver model.

The Oura Ring 3 is perfect for sleep tracking, heart monitoring, and checking activity levels. It's even smart enough to record your body temperature and heart rate variability (HRV). The only downside to note of this otherwise amazing tracker is that after a month of free access to an Oura Membership, a subscription fee of $5.99 per month is required.

Save $50 on the Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon before Prime Day.

New Macs are coming sooner than you think. In fact, they might already be here — they just aren't very evenly distributed yet.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is preparing to announce new Macs and an iPad in late October, followed by a launch on Nov. 1.

More precisely, the company will reportedly launch several variants of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, as well as a new version of 16-inch MacBook Pro, with its new M4 chips that made their debut on the iPad Pro this spring. Apple is also launching a redesigned Mac mini (we've written about it) with an M4 and M4 Pro chip, and a refreshed iMac with an M4 chip. Finally, Gurman writes that Apple is looking to launch a new version of the iPad mini.

There's nothing really unexpected here, though it is a pretty long and interesting lineup of new devices. But something very unexpected did happen this time around: a Russian YouTuber may have gotten hold of the upcoming M4 MacBook Pro.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: I tested both for 13 days

It's not just your typical leak, in which you get a blurry photo from a factory line somewhere. No, this guy has an entire unboxing video, in which he shows, in detail, the 14-inch version of the MacBook Pro. The device is in Space Black (previously reserved for the 16-inch MacBook Pro), has three Thunderbolt 4 ports (instead of two), and starts with 16GB of RAM. And, of course, it sports a 10-core variant of the new M4 chip. The laptop shown in the video also has 512GB of storage, though that's not particularly unusual.

Looks pretty real, but there are some suspicious details. Credit: YouTube / Wylsacom

The unboxing video looks authentic enough, though it is odd that the MacBook shown on the box has the exact same wallpaper as last year's M3 MacBook Pro. You can check out the whole video, partially in Russian, on YouTube.

It's not very often that we get to see an unreleased Apple product several weeks ahead of its (rumored) release date, so we'll take all of this with a grain of salt. In any case, we'll be eagerly awaiting an official announcement from Apple come late October.

Back to Gurman's predictions, which also mentions several new Apple devices coming in the first half of 2025. Namely, Gurman expects Apple to launch new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, a revamped iPhone SE, a new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air model (together with a new Magic Keyboard), and an upgraded AirTag.

Finally, later in the year, Apple is likely to launch new versions of Mac Studio and Mac Pro with more powerful M4 chips.

SAVE $19.99: As of Oct. 7, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is on sale for $19.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 50% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick $19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

Amazon's October Prime Day is not here quite yet, but the deals have already started. You can find discounts already kicking off on a wide range of Amazon's products, including the beloved Fire TV Stick. The Fire TV Stick is a streaming device that plugs into your TV (or laptop) and lets you access platforms including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and more. It comes with a remote with Alexa built-in, helping you turn any TV into a smart TV.

As of Oct. 7, you can find the handy Fire TV Stick on sale for $19.99, a saving of 50% on list price. Not only are we treated to an early deal ahead of Prime Day, but this is the lowest price the Fire Stick has been in nine months.

SEE ALSO: Best Macbooks to buy during October Prime Day 2024

The set-up for these handy remotes is so simple. Really, anyone can do it. Just pop the device into your TV's HDMI port, and that's it. You have instant access to a range of streaming platforms as well as many live channels. And trust us, Alexa voice control is much easier than manually searching for a show.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so act fast before you miss out. Happy streaming!

SAVE $50: As of Oct. 7, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is on sale for $66.98 at Amazon. That's a saving of 42% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) $66.98
$116.98 Save $50.00 Get Deal

If you love Amazon's smart home devices then Prime Day is your best bet for a great deal. But if you're looking for a new gadget to upgrade your home, you don't need to wait for the official sales to begin — Amazon has treated us to some early deals, including a bargain on the Echo Show 5.

As of Oct. 7, the Echo Show 5 is reduced at Amazon to $66.98, giving you a saving of $50. Not to mention, this is its lowest price for six months. This is the perfect chance to get acquainted with Amazon's range of Echo products for less.

A smart assistant with a screen, the Echo Show is a great, and stylish, way to control your smart home. With built-in Alexa, and the ability to watch shows and video chat, you can't go wrong. The screen is small, coming in at 5.5 inches, making it perfect for smaller rooms where you don't want much clutter.

If you want to upgrade your smart home, don't miss out on this early Prime Day deal.

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

This word describes something needed for air travel.

SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 7 Hurdle Word 1 answer

PLANE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A delicious meal or an insult.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for October 7 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ROAST

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A system of hereditary classes in a society.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 7 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CASTE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A leafy plant found often on pizza.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 7 Hurdle Word 4 answer

BASIL

Final Hurdle hint

The opposite of attract.

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

REPEL

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

SAVE $100: As of Oct. 7, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 17% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 965 $499.86 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $100.13 Get Deal

If you're looking for a new smartwatch to level up your runs, you'll soon discover the market is pretty saturated in great options at a range of prices. One of the major players in this category is, of course, Garmin's Forerunner range. Designed with runners and athletes in mind, through the different price points you'll find watches with GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring, and a range of performance metrics.

If you're a serious runner looking for a bargain, you'll be glad to hear one of the Forerunner's newest models, the 795, is reduced at Amazon to its lowest-ever price. As of Oct. 7, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 17% on list price, or $100 off in total. However, it's worth noting that this deal only applies to the yellow and black model.

SEE ALSO: 8 best noise-cancelling headphones to buy on Prime Day

The Forerunner 965 is full of incredible stats and data tracking for the most serious of runners to newbies. The bright AMOLED display is colorful and attractive, but also makes for a very accessible user interface. Standout features of this fitness tracker include: training status, sleep score, training readiness, and built-in maps.

With a battery life that can last up to 23 days, the Forerunner 965 is an ideal choice for long-distance athletes looking to upgrade. Grab yours before the deal ends.

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 7 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Monday, October 7, 2024:

AcrossVideo game featuring motion controls

• The answer is Wii.

"Greys Anatomy" showrunner Rhimes

• The answer is Shonda.

"Speak up, please!"

• The answer is Louder.

Producing foliage

• The answer is InLeaf.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show attendees

• The answer is Models.

Totally tubular

• The answer is Rad.

Down______, coulda, shoulda

• The answer is Woulda.

Job seeker's website

• The answer is Indeed.

Perfect example

• The answer is Ideal.

Not thick

• The answer is Slim.

It's not found among thieves

• The answer is Honor.

Canine cries

• The answer is Arfs.

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 Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, October 7, 2024:

AcrossSpill the beans

• The answer is Blab.

Bird that has been used by the Dutch police to take down illegal drones

• The answer is Eagle.

Online shopping

• The answer is Etail.

With 3-Down, "Nope, try another guess!"

• The answer is Think.

Schedule ___ (modern email button)

• The answer is Send.

DownRoot veggies in borscht

• The answer is Beets.

Carpenter's shaping tool

• The answer is Lathe.

See 8-Across

• The answer is Again.

Like three mice in a nursery rhyme

• The answer is Blind.

Big beast in Banff National Park

• The answer is Elk.

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.